Time After Time

Chapter Five: Figment of Imagination

- “Two men have managed to escape from this island. Thirteen other men have now been inspired by their escape. So now these men will all die today. And you slaves will all watch. There will be no more escape attempts in this camp…there will be no more escape attempts in this camp!!!” Rudy yelled in the face of one of the men.

Ash and Misty took each other’s hands on instinct, not even looking at each other. “Now you thirteen men, will each select another slave to die with you. Twenty sex will die today.” Rudy announced. The slaves and the men were stunned silent.

“Well go…go select your partner in death.” Rudy motioned for them to do so with his hands. They just stood there, some with their eyes closed, some crying. “I said go select a person to die with you!” Rudy yelled.

“We wont do it. We will never do it.” one of the thirteen said. Rudy walked all the way around the line of men until he was on the opposite side he’d been a moment ago.

“This is simple math…if you thirteen men do not select thirteen people to die with you…

…then I will select…fifty.” he faced away from them. Everyone became more shocked. “So thirteen…or fifty…?” Rudy still faced away. The men continued standing. Ash couldn’t believe a word Rudy had spoken…

‘I can’t believe this.” Ash thought. The men just stood there, emotionless for about a minute. Then one of the men stepped out of line to go select someone. He walked up to one of the slaves and placed his right hand on the guy’s left shoulder.

The slave’s expression turned sad. “I’m sorry.” he told him. The other men in line began to slowly join him in selecting a partner. Then…one of them caused Tracy to turn around and look one of the men in the eyes as he had a hand placed on his shoulder.

“Tracy…” Ash extended his hand as if to grab him as the man walked Tracy into the line to join the other men. There was only one man left in line who hadn’t picked a partner yet.

After a while, he stepped out…he walked towards Ash and Misty. He walked up right in front of them. And put his left hand against Misty’s right cheek. “No! take me.” squeezed Misty’s hand tighter.

“No, he selected Misty.” Rudy said, as he walked over to them and grabbed Misty’s left arm. “Goodbye…Ash.” Misty began crying.

“Misty…” Ash said softly as their hands were pulled apart while Rudy pulled Misty into the line of death. Ash closed his eyes immediately.

Rudy walked out in front of the twenty six to die. “You slaves will all watch these people die today. So you remember who owns you. If I find anyone closing their eyes or looking away…then you will join these twenty six in death.” he finished and walked over to Ash, and forced his chin up. And held his head looking forward.

“Ready…!” Rudy yelled. “Avenge us!” a man yelled in the line “Kill!” Rudy shouted and a machine gun that was set up in front of them, went off, as Rudy’s assistant fired it at the slaves. They all fell to the ground, dead. In just seconds. The only thing left moving was their blood, dripping from their bodies, and the wall behind them.

Ash began breathing heavily, and Rudy separated from him. “Now enough break. Get back to work!” he pushed a slave to the side as he walked by.

That night…Ash lied in his bed alone. “Tonight. It’s either tonight or another night. And I can’t wait any longer.” he said to himself, and then got up off his hard wooden bed. He snuck around to Rudy’s premises where he found an open window to crawl through with. He did it with ease.

He was inside the kitchen. He spotted a hallway that he decided to through straight ahead. To his right however, was Rudy. And he was being mobbed by about ten beautiful women, in bikinis. Ash basically crawled down on the floor to sneak by.

Ash searched through the large hallway with many doors. Until he found what he was looking for. A sign on the door read “Slave Crap.” he opened the door and went inside. It looked just like a storage room. Their were boxes piled up through out the room. And there were photos of the slaves tacked all over the walls.

He began searching for the box that would have his stuff. Ten minutes later, he finally found his box with his name written across the top in black. He opened up the box and began searching for his poke’dex.

He reached in and pulled out the seashell Misty gave him for his fifth birthday. Then, he began having images play through his head.

“I think you should stay with him.” Ash said. “What?” Misty asked. “I don’t want you around anyways. I mean that (that echoes)” “Fine then! I will!(I will echoes)” Misty runs off crying towards Rudy.

“Goodbye…Ash.” Misty’s eyes fill with tears as she’s pulled away from Ash. “Misty…”

“Nah it’s just a kid. Oh and a poke’mon. are you ok?” Misty asked, bent down beside him and Pikachu. “Yeah.” Ash answered.

“Not you!(echoes)” Misty slapped him on the face. “Hey that’s my bike.” Misty said, as Ash rode off with it. “I’ll bring it back someday(someday echoes)” Ash shouts as he continues riding.

Ash snapped out of it, and found himself back in the storage room. He looked down in the box and saw his poke’dex. He takes it out and stuffs it in his pocket. He then exited the room…and then turned around and entered a weapon room.

“Hey Rudy!” Ash startled him as he stepped into the living room. “How the hell did you get in here?!” Rudy stood up and the girls backed away from him.

“Shut the FUCK up! Now I know it wont matter if I do this now. But I’m gonna regret it the rest of my lives if I don’t.” Ash pulled a gun out of his pocket and pointed it at Rudy. Rudy went wide eyes, before getting shot in the chest and falling to the ground. The women screamed with the thud of his body on the floor.

Ash threw the gun away, and took out his poke’dex. “I let my love go without telling her how I felt about her. I’m so in love with Misty. I wanted to tell her. But every time I opened my mouth the wrong thing came out. I promised her we’d see each other again…when that day comes I will tell her how in love with her I am.” Ash read the entry and he was not standing out side on a dirt road.

“Are you sure you’ll be ok without me Ash?” Misty asked him. “Huh?” Ash questioned. “WILL YOU BE OK WITH-” “Yes.” Ash interrupted her repeat.

“Ok then, bye.” Misty waved her hand, as she sat on her bike. “So long.” Brock also waved, and the two both headed down their own path home.

Ash watched as Misty rode her bike down the path. “This is it. If I don’t tell her now. I could lose my shot forever. I’m going after her, Pikachu. Wait here.” Ash pointed to the ground.

Ash began running after Misty, who was pretty far away by now. “Pikachu, pika pi.” Pikachu wished him good luck.

“Misty! Wait!” Ash shouted, as he ran. Misty did not hear him. “Misty! Hold up!” Ash continued to yell. Misty heard him this time and turned to look behind her, while still pedaling her bike.

“Ash?” Misty suddenly flipped over on her bike, as the front tire hit a large rock on the path, and landed awkwardly on her head. “Misty!!!” Ash yelled out in fright of the horrible accident.

Ash opened his eyes, and found himself sitting in a chair in a living room. “Hello?…Misty?” Ash asked hopingly. He heard a squeaking sound coming his way. Then he saw the reason for the sound as Misty entered the room.

“Yes Ash?” she responded. Ash was stunned to see her in a wheel chair. “Misty?” he began to see the images that took place before this time.

“What’s her status doctor.” Brock asked. “Is she ok?” Ash asked the doctor in a hospital waiting room. “She has very serious nerve damage. She’s in a coma right now.” a doctor told the guys.

Ash was on his knees next to an unconscious Misty on her hospital bed. “Misty I’m sorry.” Ash closed his eyes. “Her memory loss is great. And she may never be able to walk again.” a doctor told him.

“Damn it!” Ash drove his fist into a wall. “I’ll take care of her. She’s my responsibility. I’ll take over the gym, whatever it takes.” Ash offered. “You’d surrender your poke’mon adventure?” Brock asked, surprised. “For her I would.” Ash looked away.

Ash found himself back in the chair. “Misty…I’m sorry.” he apologized to her. “For what?” she asked. “For doing this to you.” he said. “Doing what?” she asked.

“For putting you in a wheel chair.” he said. “Huh?” she was confused. “Oh my god…why?” Ash asked himself. Tears ran down his cheeks.

“I’m hungry Ash.” Misty rubbed her stomach. “Ok, ok Misty.” Ash wiped the tears away. “I’m hungry.” she repeated. But more tears ran down his cheeks.

The two were now eating at the dining room table. “Misty…do you know where my poke’dex is?” he asked. After she took some more bites of her orange chicken she replied with a “What?”

“Do you know what a poke’dex is?” he asked. “No.” she responded after more bites of her food. Ash put his hands on his head in frustration and sadness.

“This is good. Mmm.” Misty was obviously satisfied with her food, then she asked Ash “Can you take me to the pool today? I’d like to see the poke’mon play.” “Ok. Whatever you want.” Ash pushed his plate forward, for he could not bare to eat at that moment.

That night when Misty and Pikachu were sound asleep, Ash walked into Misty’s room. Pikachu was lying beside Misty in her bed. Ash patted Pikachu on the head, and leaned down to give Misty a kiss on the lips.

“Ash…” Misty said softly as he walked away, and caused him to turn around. “yes, Mist?” Ash walked over to her bed and sat down. Then he took her hand. “I love you. I should have told you along time ago. But I love you. I want you to know the truth.” she said, not opening her eyes.

“She’s dreaming.” Ash realized. “I love you too Misty.” he said as a tear rolled down his cheek.

“Don’t cry Ash.” Misty reached up and wiped the tear off his face. “Kiss me…” she ordered, in a nice way of course.

Ash bent down to do so. He placed his lips on hers, and she kissed back. It lasted for a few sensual seconds. Then, Ash got up, and walked out of her room.

Ash now was inside the Cerulean Gym. He sat on the edge of the diving board high above the pool below. “Every time I try and change the past, things get worse. Nothing can go right…isn’t there a way I can make everything good?” Ash asked. “There has to be.” he looked up at the stars through the glass ceiling above, and lied backwards on the diving board. “Maybe if I wasn’t such an idiot, things would be ok…yeah, that’s it.” he smiled as he thought of his plan.

The next morning, Ash began looking through his drawers in his room. He soon found his poke’dex. “If I can go back and stop that accident…I could push my mom out of the way while saving my self in the process.” he thought.

He began reading the entry he wanted. “I got all A’s on my report card again. So Mommy is going to take me out to do something special tonight. I don’t know what it is exactly. She says it’s a ‘surprise.’ he finished and his travel backwards began.

He was bent down tying his shoes. He looked up and saw his mom in the center of the street. He looked to the right, and saw the car coming at full speed.

“Mom! Look out!” he yelled. But she was lost in her thoughts and did not hear him. It was time for him to make his move. He got up off his knee and started running towards his mother. But…that all came crashing down as Ash had tripped…over his own untied shoe lace and hit the street with a loud thud.

He yelled out in pain. Delia continued on…and so did the car. “No!!!” Ash screamed, attempting to get up. But it was too late…the car smacked her with a brutal force. Everything goes black…

…and now white. A shift from white, to a wall filled with pictures, drawings. Ash looked around, he was scared and confused. “Now what?” the images of the prior events played in his mind.

“Are you sure you want to be his foster parent?” a man asked. “Absolutely. It’s what Delia would have wanted.” Professor Oak told him.

“Come on Ash.” Oak tried to get Ash to get off the couch. “I miss Mom.” Ash said. “I know.”

Ash was crying. “It’s all my fault.” Ash now stood by a waterfall. He looked down and jumped into the river.

Misty saw the scene from the shore. “What does that boy think he’s doing?” Misty stood up… “Oh my god, he’s not coming up.” she dove into the river and pulled him out. After she dragged him to land, she gave him CPR.

He opened his eyes. “Are you ok?” Misty asked, wiping a tear from her eyes. “Are you an angel?” Ash asked. “No.”

“Am I dead?” “No.” Misty responded. “Why did you save me?!” he sat up, and yelled at her. “Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem.” she said.

“What have we got here?” a man in white asked. “This boy tried to commit suicide.” Misty explained. “I feel it’s my duty to tend to him. I don’t know why. But I want to help him recover.” Misty said.

Ash now was wearing all white, and drawing pictures at a desk. “What are you drawing?” Misty asked, coming up behind him. “You, my mom…a seashell, and a poke’dex.” he responded.

Ash found himself back in the white room with the drawings. He looked under his bed, nothing there. He then went through his drawers, nothing there. And then searched through his desk beside the bed, nothing there but pencils and paper.

He opened the door to the room and walked out into a white hall way. There were a few people walking by in the same outfit Ash had on. White. One girl walked by, using profanity. “Fuck, fuck. Son of a bitch. Shit.”

Ash stared at the strange people in the hall. One man was walking in circles, and another was sitting Indian style on the floor. Another was walking back and fourth.

The answer to where he was came to the right side of him. He gazed at a framed picture on the wall that showed a white building with the words ‘Viridian Mental Institution.’ below it. “Son-of-a-bitch.”

He heard a conversation going on directly behind him. He turned around and looked through the window in the door. A doctor that had appeared in his images was seen inside. Ash immediately charged on in.

“Ash? What are you doing? I’m busy at the moment.” told him, holding a folder in his hand. Ash noticed a couple other doctors in the room that he had been talking to. One of them was Misty.

“Where is my poke’dex?” Ash asked, not moving from the spot he stood. “What?” the doc raised his eyebrows. “My poke’dex. Where is it?” Ash asked again, pointing at him.

“I don’t know what your talking about, Ash.” he responded. “I know you have it. Your not gonna hide it from me! Where is it?! I want it now!” Ash yelled, spitting in his anger.

The doctor sighed. “Jesus. It hurts me to go through this again. You were never a poke’mon trainer. There is no poke’dex…there never was. The poke’dex is a figment of your imagination to cope with the death of your mother.” the doctor explained.

Ash went into shock. “No…”

And that’s the way the chapter crumbles. How can Ash change any more events without his poke’dex? The conclusion is next. Happy? Sad? Find out…next.

And also in the next chapter, a preview of my next and ORIGINAL story! “Little Miracles”