The Power of One : The Continuation

Chapter Four - Nightmares

By Crow Skywalker

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Disclaimer – I do not own Pokemon, nor am I making any profit off of writing this fanfic. Pokemon belongs to it’s original creators and I’m only borrowing the characters and concept to write for my own amusement.

January 25, 2005 – Rewrite # 5. Very little changed. Grammer and spelling edited.

Other Notes – This fic takes place after the second movie, Pokemon 2000, or whatever you want to call it. I've changed some things to fit the fic (Ash is older, for one), and so its AU starting at the end of the movie. No new Pokemon (until he reaches Johto, anyway), no new characters…that kind of AU. And this fic will have Ash/Misty and may or may not have Melody/Tracey and Jessie/James.

Summary – After the second movie, Ash and the gang start off again on a totally new journey – but just what awaits them?

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"Daddy?"

"Yes son?"

A little boy, not much older than four looked up at his father with glowing eyes. "You’ll come back soon, right?"

The elder man nodded, smiling down at his son as he picked up the small boy and spun him around, laughing as the boy giggled. "Of course I will! Before you know it, I’ll be back from my journey and we’ll be together again!"

"Promise?" The boy asked as his father put him back down.

"I’ve always dreamed of becoming a Pokemon Master...and making the journey is a lot of hard work, but I’ll hurry and come home to you and your mother. Cross my heart and hope to die." He smiled, making an invisible cross across his chest with one hand.

Hope to die....

Ash rolled over in his sleep, his eyes clenched together tightly. It was another dream, a memory from long ago. A memory of his long forgotten father, who had disappeared when he was at a tender young age. Rolling over again in his sleep, Ash knew this nightmare - the nightmare that had plagued his childhood ever since it happened -his father’s death.

A flash of light - lightning, a terrible explosion. Fire everywhere...people helplessly caught inside. His father...waving to him as the flames engulfed him, never to be seen again.

Another flash, and a young Ash and his mother were seeing the man off.

"I love you both, don’t forget that." He smiled at them both, then looked down at his small son. "You mean the world to me..."

You mean the world to me...

Ash woke up with a start, his eyes searching the darkness of the room. When he finally realized it was just another dream, he sat there breathing heavily, trying to calm himself. Pikachu, who had been awaken in thebecausae of Ash’s mumbling and tossing and turning, stared up at him with worried eyes.

"Pika?"

For a moment Pikachu didn’t think that his master had heard him, but sighed as Ash finally looked up with recognition in his eyes.

"Pikachu?"

"Chuuu...." Pikachu frowned up at his friend, knowing that something was terribly wrong with Ash.

"It’s nothing Pikachu...don’t worry." Ash sighed, combing a hand through his bed tousled hair. "Just a nightmare."

"Pi Pi Pika Pi Chu?"

"Would I like to talk about it?" Ash blinked, thinking this over. Sure, he’d had the same dream before - but not in quite a few years now. That had been the most disturbing part of the dream. That, and his seeing his father trapped inside the burning building. As a child, he had only been told that his father had died that way - he had not seen it for himself. Maybe it was his unconscious mind taking over. They had never found the body after all. "It...it was a dream about my father."

"Pika?" Pikachu asked curiously. Ash had never spoken of his father - all he knew was that he left when Ash was very young.

"Yeah...my father." Ash nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable with the topic.

Pikachu crawled up into his best friend’s lap. "Chu?"

"He left me and my mom... ‘to become the greatest Pokemon Master ever’, he said." Ash frowned, staring down at the covers of his bed as if they weren’t there - he wasn’t there. "He never returned - they said he died in an explosion, Pikachu...but nobody really knew....since his body was never found." He paused for a moment, before continuing, "He’s always in my dream - waving goodbye...but I can never bring myself to think of him as dead."

"Pika chu," The small electrical rodent said, trying his best to hug his master.

Ash blinked, and smiled down at his favorite Pokemon. "Thanks Pikachu. I needed that."

After a few more minutes Pikachu had finally calmed Ash down enough to lie back down and he cuddled back into his master’s side. Sleep soon took over, and he was snoring soundly.

Ash, however, did not return to the land of dreams.

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As the morning sun started to rise, and Ash’s room started to brighten, the raven haired boy sighed. There was no sense in trying to sleep now - he could never sleep when it was light. So quietly, as to not wake Pikachu, he crawled out of his bed and got dressed. Making sure he had his official league hat, the red hat that he rarely went anywhere without, he quietly left and closed the door behind him.

Stepping out into the hall, he realized that nobody was up except for him. He guessed it was sometime around five or six in the morning. The others wouldn’t be getting up for another few hours, although his mom would probably be up sooner to start breakfast and the daily chores. The perfect time to escape without anyone noticing he was gone.

And so he did. Grabbing his Pokebelt from where it hung safely on his doorknob, he locked it onto his waist tightly, just in case anything should come up.

Closing the door silently behind him as he left the house, he took a big breath of the fresh air, and looked up at the morning sky. Already it was getting brighter and brighter, and listening quietly, he could hear the sounds of awakening animals as they went about their daily routine. It was going to be a day just like any other.

"Hey Ashy-boy! How come you’re here? Geez, and I thought I was going to have a good holiday - and here you are to ruin it!"

Ash snapped out of his trance at that voice. He’d been walking for a while now, and looking up from the ground, he saw that he’d walked himself into a lush green forest. Ahead of him stood a grassy opening - and the person he least wanted to see. His own real life nightmare. "...Gary?"

"Seems you remember my name." The other boy frowned, hands on his hips. "Good going loser, you remembered something right for once!"

"Argh...take that back!" Ash’s hands were clenched tight at his sides. He was not in the mood for this.

"Make me." Said Gary smugly, challenging Ash.

Grabbing for a Pokeball, Ash smirked. "If it’s a Pokemon battle you want - then it’s a Pokemon battle you’re going to get."

"You read my mind Ashy-boy." The other replied, reaching for a Pokeball as well. "Just a little one on one to prove that I’m still better than you."

"You wish." Grumbled Ash, who pulled his hat to the side in determination, and threw out the Pokeball of his choice. "Charizard! Go!"

The ball flew through the air before stopping, a light emitting from it. When the light died down, a large dragon like Pokemon stood in its place, taking in its surroundings. Seeing Gary it growled, smoke emitting from its nostrils.

"Nice going there genius." Gary smiled, "Use a Pokemon that doesn’t even obey you most of the time." He threw out his Pokeball, his large Arcanine appearing. "I choose you, Arcanine! Lets fight fire with fire."

Ash stood his ground, glaring at his enemy and opponent. It was true, Charizard rarely paid attention to him - but he had helped out Ash when he had needed him in the legendary bird incident, and Ash was hoping that maybe he would do the same this time too. "Let’s show him Charizard!"

The large lizard acknowledged him by taking fighting stance and breathing another huff of smoke, which amazed Ash. Charizard was actually going to listen to him? Perhaps the whole Chosen One part Ash had played had taught Charizard that Ash was worthy of being his master? Ash didn’t know or care at the moment - for the battle had already begun.

"Arcanine! Take down!"

Charizard didn’t need to wait for Ash’s command, because he caught the dog in mid-air, and swung it back down to the ground.

Gary was shocked. One of his best Pokemon had just been thrown aside like some rag doll..by a overgrown lizard? No way! "Arcanine! Ember!"

"Charizard! Flamethrower!" Ash ordered, before Arcanine could start its attack.

Both fire attacks met with an explosion, fighting to make their marks. Charizard’s, however, seemed to be gaining the upper hand, and Gary saw this.

"Arcanine, dodge! Try take down again!"

The large fire wolf stopped its attack and side stepped as Charizard’s continued, crisping the foliage around them. It then started running at him at full speed, intent on its next attack.

"Charizard! Fire spin!"

Charizard had just finished its flame thrower attack, and now sent a more powerful fire attack at its opponent. The fire swirled, surrounding its opponent, who yelped as the fire nipped and burned at its fur.

"Arcanine! Ember!"

But Arcanine was engulfed in the flame, and Gary’s words went unheard.

"Finish it, Charizard!" Ash yelled, a smirk coming to his lips.

Stopping its attack, Charizard took to the air, its long orange wings carrying it effortlessly. Seeing its stunned opponent, it quickly seized it, lifting it high into the air. Ash smiled at this. Charizard had practically read his mind - there was no need for an attack order.

Stopping high up into the sky, the large Pokemon looked down at the ground below it. The dog Pokemon, who finally came to and had started struggling at first, soon stopped, and whimpered as it saw how far up it was. Don’t worry, Charizard thought silently, you’ll soon be back on your feet! And, lifting the dog, he began his seismic toss attack.

Arcanine crashed to the ground below it, knocked out - Charizard landing next to it, as if it was nothing. Gary, however, was not pleased...not at all.

"You cheated - there was no way you could have beaten my Pokemon with this," He looked at Charizard, who blew smoke threateningly in his direction, "this sorry excuse for a Pokemon!"

"I did not!" Ash glared, "How could I?" He watched as Gary called his beaten Pokemon back.

Gary, who seemed still steamed, could not come up with an answer. "Why are you out here anyway?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Ash countered, calling Charizard back as well.

"I was trying to catch myself a few Pokemon." Gary sneered, and continued, "There’s a rumor going around Pallet that flocks of birds - mainly Pidgey, Pidgeotto, and Pidgeot - are gathering in the forests near Pallet, so I figured I’d get up early and see if I could sack myself a Pidgeot. What’s your excuse?"

"I don’t have to explain myself to you." Ash replied, crossing his arms.

"Whatever you say, Ashy-boy." Said Gary snidely as he passed Ash on the way Ash had just come, which seemed to be the only way back to Pallet. "And by the way," He said, not bothering to turn and face his enemy, "Professor Oak has been wanting to talk to you. In fact, I was supposed to go get you this later on this morning - but since you’ve already managed to ruin my morning this early, you might as well follow me back now."

Ash blinked, watching his enemy’s back as he left. Professor Oak wants to see me? I wonder what for? He sighed, giving in. Might as well go see. So, hands in his pockets, he followed Gary back into the town of Pallet, and to the largest building in the small town. Oak’s research lab.

To Be Continued...