Chapter 1!

Summary: Ash heads to the Pewter City gym and meets Brock!

Disclaimer: NOT MINE. But the triple guardianship idea and Destiny belong to me!
Notes: <> indicates telepathy, ** indicates thoughts, and italics indicates pokemon speech.

IMPORTANT! Ash knows he is Destiny, but doesn’t remember himself as Ash Ketchum. He looks the same, and wears a red jacket, black t-shirt, and blue jeans. His has black fingerless gloves and red-and-white sneakers. His hair is spiked around the edges, but most of it is in a ponytail. There are two red streaks in his hair.

Ages: Ash is eleven, Misty is twenty, Brock is twenty-four, Charlotte and Lance are ageless… Ash will wind up ageless also when he activates his hidden power.

Chapter 1: Why does everyone think I’m Ash Ketchum?

Ash happily walked along the road that led to Pewter City. Lance-chan had kindly dropped him off there.

“If I get all 8 badges, then I can compete in the Indigo League championships, and then I can become a pokemon master!”

Vulpix and Eevee walked by his side. Dratini was curled up snugly in her poke ball, snoozing peacefully.

I can’t wait to battle! Vulpix said, six tails wagging happily. Her eyes sparkled.

Me too! I bet I can whip Brock’s pokemon! Eevee added.

“Are you sure? Both normal and fire are weak to rock.”

Aw…

“Don’t worry.” Ash reassured them. “You’ll be just fine.”

The two pokemon smiled happily.

“Brock! I challenge you!”

Brock looked up from his book. “Fine. Come in.” When he saw who it was, he gasped and ran over.

“Ash! You’re okay! But what happened to you?”

Ash blinked. “What? My name is Red. Who is Ash?”

Brock stopped short. “Red?”

“Yes.” Ash said. “I’ve never met you before.”

Brock stopped and sighed. * You’re thinking too much, Brock. Ash is dead! *

“Never mind.”
“Let’s begin.” Ash said, smiling.

“Okay. Onix, go!”

“Only one?” Ash raised his eyebrows, but shrugged. “Okay, Dratini, you’re up!”
Dratini popped out and blinked.

“Onix, use Bind!”

“Dratini, use Surf!”

Dratini nodded and drenched Onix with water, causing it to loose its grasp.

“Now use Ice Beam!”
Brock stared in horror as his Onix was frozen solid. “Amazing…”

He snapped back to the moment. “Well, you have won, so I confer on you the Boulder Badge.”

Ash smiled. “Thank you, Brock!”

Brock shook his head. * Maybe this kid is related to Ash or something… *

“Hey, are you related to someone named Ash Ketchum?”

Ash thought for a few moments, but shook his head. “No. I don’t have any relatives except for my parents.”

“That’s too bad.” Brock said, feeling a bit sorry for the poor kid. “Well, here’s some money and TM bide too. I hope you have good luck on your journey.”

Ash thanked Brock, recalled Dratini (who was curled around his leg) and left.

Brock shook his head. “Onix, did he seem familiar to you too?”

Onix nodded.

“You know even if he is Ash, how could he be only ten?”

I don’t know, Master. Perhaps he was put in suspended animation?

“I haven’t seen him since the fight with misty. We all thought he had died.” Brock said, remembering the funeral and how sad Ash’s mother had been.

There is something special about him though.

“What?”

He used a Dratini. Think about it! How many beginning trainers have a legendary dragon pokemon?

“Um… almost none…”

Exactly!

“Do you think I should follow him, then?” Brock asked.

No. Misty knew Ash better than you did. I think you should call her.

“Good idea.”

Brock picked up the phone and dialed Misty’s number.

“Hello?” Misty asked. She was dressed in the same outfit she had always worn, except she had added Ash’s league cap. It was all she had left of him, besides his pokemon. Pikachu. Pidgeotto. Bulbasaur. Squirtle. Charmander.

Pikachu sat on her shoulder.

“There’s a trainer I would like you to investigate.”

Misty sighed. “It had better not be a girl you’re interested in, Brock.”

“It isn’t.” Brock reassured her. “Misty… I think I’ve found Ash.”

Misty dropped the phone.

“You’re kidding!” She whispered. * Ash… I miss you… I didn’t love you, but you were a friend. I never told you though… *

Pikachu perked up. “Pikapi?”

“He should be arriving at the Cerulean City gym soon.” Brock said. “When he comes, could you check him out?”

“Sure.” Misty said. “After all, I’m probably going to battle him. What’s he look like?”

“He looks almost exactly like Ash, except he has different clothes.”

“Oh. All right, I’ll keep an eye out for him.”

“Thank you.”

Misty hung up and turned to Pikachu. “Do you think it’s possible?”

I hope so. Pikachu said. It would be better than him being dead.

“Me too.” Misty said. “Me too.”

“Vulpix, use Ember!”

Vulpix nodded and set the opposing Metapod on fire.

“Oh no! Metapod, return!” The bug catcher said. “I choose Beedrill!”

Vulpix didn’t look intimidated. She fluffed her fur out and breathed out another Ember attack.

However, the Beedrill managed to evade it and used Twinneedle.

“Yikes! Vulpix, use Safeguard!” Vulpix nodded and protected herself from poison, before she used Fire Spin.

Beedrill was trapped in the ring of flames.

“Beedrill, return!” The boy said. He sighed. “Wow! You’re a pretty good trainer.”

“Thank you.” Ash said, smiling.

“What’s your name?”

“Red Silver.” Ash said. “I need to go to the pokemon center now.” He had fought nine trainers and his pokemon were getting tired.

“All right! I hope you make it to the Indigo League!”
Ash smiled and waved goodbye.

Lance closed her blue compact and put it back in her pocket. < He’s safe for now. >

< That’s good. >

< I know. I hope he doesn’t attract any attention from Team Rocket. >

< You never know… >

The two guardians sighed.

“This is very difficult.”
“But there is nothing we can do.”

“I know. But I wish there were something…”

“It’s frustrating.”

< Silver, stay out of trouble. > Lance sent.

Ash looked up and nodded.

The next day…

“HELP!”
Ash looked up. “Come on, let’s go check it out!” He said.

Vulpix nodded. She was perched on his shoulder. Eevee was sitting in his backpack.

Let’s go.

They quickly ran towards the source of the sound. There, they saw a girl with long black hair and her Kadabra beating off a bunch of Team Rocket agents.

Ash instinctively flinched away. * But we have to help her! * His mind reminded him.

Ash nodded and set his teeth.

“Vulpix, go! Use Flamethrower! Dratini, use Twister! Eevee, use Protect to protect us!”

Dratini and Vulpix separated and shot respective streams of energy, throwing Team Rocket agents left and right, out of the way.

“Damn! Where did this kid come from?” One said.

“Who gives! Let’s steal his pokemon as well!”

Ash narrowed his eyes. * I don’t think so… *

“Eevee, use Sand-Attack!”

Eevee began kicking up sand, blinding the rockets.

Ash quickly ran up to the girl. “Come on, we have to get out of here!”

She nodded and took his hand. “Recall your pokemon.”

Ash did so. Then, her eyes flared red and they vanished.

“Thank you for saving me again, Ash.”

Ash blinked. “Um, you’re welcome… but my name is Red.”
Sabrina stared at him. “My name is Sabrina.”

“I don’t know why everybody thinks I’m this ‘Ash Ketchum.’” Ash said. “My name is Red! Maybe I resemble him or something, but why does everyone think I am him?”

Sabrina thought hard. * Well, I don’t think it could be possible… but in all ways he has the same spirit as Ash! How is this possible? *

“What do you remember of your childhood, Red?”

Ash blinked. “Well, my parents took care of me. I was raised on a pokemon breeding ranch.”

“Oh.” Sabrina looked disappointed.

“But have we met before?” Ash asked.

Sabrina’s head snapped up. “I don’t think so.” * No, it can’t be him. Get a grip! Besides, he probably still loves Misty… and he’s only a kid! *

Ash noticed that Sabrina looked sad. “I’m sorry. If you want, I’ll help you look for this ‘Ash Ketchum’.”

Sabrina smiled. “Really?”

“Yep!”

“All right then. First, we’re going to Cerulean City.”

Sabrina was surprised when Red told her that he only had three pokemon.

“I just started my journey yesterday.” Red said sheepishly.

“But you have a Dratini, a Vulpix, and an Eevee. They’re all rare pokemon.”

“I know, but… they’re from my parents. I haven’t actually caught any pokemon.”

“Oh.”

Sabrina took a few minutes to digest all of this. * My instincts say that this is Ash Ketchum. But how could this happen? He doesn’t seem to have aged at all, and he has no memories… could it be suspended animation? Nobody ever found out what happened to him after he disappeared. Misty and Brock refused to tell… *

“Ash, do you know a girl named Misty?”

At the name, Ash seemed to flinch. “I only remember what my parents told me, but when I think of her, I feel scared.”

Sabrina narrowed her eyes. * Scared? *

“What do you mean?”

Ash sighed. “Whenever someone mentions the name ‘Misty’, I feel pain. Like I’m being broken into a thousand little pieces. But I’m not actually hurting.”
Sabrina thought pensively for a few minutes. * Perhaps his subconscious mind remembers her? *

“Well, we have to go see Misty…”

“No!” Ash said forcefully. “I won’t go alone!”
“Who said you were going alone? I’m going with you.”

Ash teared up. “Really?”

“Yes.” Sabrina said. * Poor child. He really does seem scared. I need to get to the bottom of this… *

End Chapter 1!

*Smirks* Well, here it is! See ya!

Started 1/18/03, completed 10/9/03