All good things take time…

 

Disclaimer: I don’t own pokemon, it belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This is non-profit fanwork, no copyright infringement is being made, and I own what I create out of my own head and type up. So don’t take my ideas either.

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks.

Chapter 6: Cineres, cineres

 

            He stared at the news bulletin with a sort of horrified fascination, as his mind whirled in the series of Nos.

            It wasn’t true – it couldn’t be true – they wouldn’t!

            Oh, but it was.

            But why, Why… what good would it do anyone?!
            Pallet Town was burning.

 

            Viridian had rushed its fire department over, but things seemed too late, as the sparks flew up from blackened timbers and sludgy ashes whirled through the air.

            Maybe Viridian didn’t care?

            He couldn’t really read hearts that well anymore, it wasn’t his talent.

            “Why…”

            Misty and Brock were also affected, who wouldn’t be by such wanton destruction, but…

            They didn’t live there! He…he couldn’t do anything, either way.

            Rain fell on Pallet Town, so he knew that Lance was helping, in his own way, but it wasn’t the same.

            Some things had to happen for the wheel of time to pass the lane of fate smoothly. That was well and good.

            Why did it have to be my home?

            The sleet poured down now, but it was doing more harm than good. Foundations already weakened by fire snapped and tumbled.

            < Stop it! > Ash yelled, his screams reverberating in the dream realm.

            < As you wish… > the ghostly reply drifted back. < I can’t control weather perfectly, you know that. >

            < Why didn’t you stop it! >

            < I’m Chosen bound by fate just like you, you should know. >

            The rain ceased.

            Almost as if in response, the fires that remained flared up, eagerly drinking in the fresh oxygen provided.

            It was too late, either way.

            He didn’t need to see the news to find out. His mom was dead, his house was gone, what was really left?

            Well, all his pretty pokemon posters and mobiles and stuffed dolls and his N64 and his books and magazines, were… gone.

            There was no way to bring them back.

 

            < But you! >

            < I what? I should have seen? > Lance asked. < That would be changing the future, and you know I cannot do that. >

            Changing the future always was a disaster… good intentions soured and tainted with lust tarry timelines.

            Normally, it was forbidden. Naturally.

            B-but! It was still his family, even if she was just a lie!
            He hated crying, but he just let loose. Why pretend to be strong when you were shattered?

            < Besides, why blame me? It’s Giovanni’s fault, just ask the cards. > Lance said bitingly before he snapped off the connection.

 

            Ash winced.

            Lance was being mean… that wasn’t normal at all!

            He searched the pool of memories for a clue, but none was provided. He didn’t have all the time streams after all, just a few.

            Still…

            Ash did not sleep well at all that night.

 

            It wasn’t fair! Lance-chan was supposed to be nice…

            What was wrong with him?

            Well, Ash hadn’t been really mean, had he? Um…

            Ash looked at his hands. Sure, he shouldn’t have blamed Lance, but why was the Dragon Master so touchy?

            He was supposed to be calm…

 

           

            < You are worried, Chosen? >

            < Very perceptive, Lugia-san. > Lance said. < Even sealing isn’t doing as well a job as it should be. >

            Lugia nodded. < So you think the power might break him? >

            < I sealed off most of it, but I could feel his yearning to use Serebii the card and turn backwards time… >

            < What?! >

            < Remember, he’s still a child, he may remember, but he cannot yet understand perfectly the mistake made with the Unown. >

            < What a tangled web is woven here. >

 

            The key and cards flashed in the light as he sighed. Yes, he could – he had done it before – use the power, but…

            What good would that do? He would have broken the decreed edict and that led to punishment, punishment wasn’t death; that would be too good for him…

            Chosen had to stay in control.

            Wait a minute…

            After a few minutes, he had the necessary two ingredients. Without another thought, he popped the kodoku in his mouth and closed his eyes.

            Mixed with some leaves native to Sailo, that should do the trick. It would at least hold for a few months and give him some peace of mind. He deserved it, in any case. The shifting would be subtle, but it would be enough.

            At least, that was what he hoped.

            The tints of darkness faded away in an instant.

 

            < Oh yes, tangled. > Lance said, closing his Dark Mirror. < But I shall take care of him… later… >

            < Can you? >

            < Even blocked, the memory of Chosen still stays, it cannot fall to plants that easily. This will keep him on his path of training. >

            < I suppose, well, please don’t break him. >

            < You don’t trust me, guardian of the seas? >

            < No, I trust you, I’m not sure he can take care of himself. >

            < He will be fine… he only inhibited those painful bits of truth. They will return when his minds is fit to deal with them. >

            < But when will that be? >

            < Only time can tell… >

 

 

Two days later

            Ash stood dry-eyed as Giovanni revealed himself as leader of Team Rocket. It had truly not been too hard to guess.

            Why else would Pallet have fallen?

            To join, or not to join, that is the question.

            What did he have to gain if he did? Or, what would he lose if he didn’t? His family was dead, the town gone; did this businessman truly think threats now would move him?

            Still… the pain was not gone, only dimmed, a faint spark of casual history remaining.

            He would not forget.

            “No.”

            Oh, Giovanni wasn’t too happy with that.

            He smiled as Mewtwo came again, really, he had won once, and did they think he would lose?

            He did not call Umbreon this time.

            Let’s go for it, Houndoom. Good girl…

            Well, that certainly surprised them! The flames vanquished Mewtwo’s steel armor, the psychic cat had to shed it or risk burns.

            Pokemon do have a self-preservation instinct, do they not?

 

            And she took him down with Crunch, plus darkly fogging up the area to reduce interference, and with the cover of darkness his staff glowed as he powered up his team.

            Flareon was an excellent battler, destroying much of the gym on his own. Of course, he was a dark type.

            Why not? Darkness is another power to wield, right?

            They say shadow is the strongest, but he doesn’t believe it.

            Shadow… shadow is light and dark, but light and dark separately work better.

            Still…

            Let’s play a game. It’ll be fun!

            Of course, I’m setting the rules and they won’t be too good for you…

            Squirtle and Bulbasaur always are the best at Double Teaming…

            Pidgeot’s surveillance, but really, she’s excellent, and Charmander and Pikachu are zapping up the Grunts with a combination attack.

            So can you beat this combo?

 

            He won.

            Ash smiled brightly as he recalled his card pokemon to the dream realm and the others to their poke balls, before he went to the Center. The police force would be so happy to find out that he had eradicated at least the Leader of Team Rocket.

            The other branches could wait until later… its not too good showing off too much. There were no cameras either, so they couldn’t see him.

            Wasn’t it perfect?

           

 

End Chapter

Completed 4/26/04, stared 4/25/04

 

Lance: So I’m just playing a mysterious voice?

Phantomness: Yep!
Emerald: You haven’t written humor for a long time…

Phantomness: So? Shoyko, my darkfic muse, and Kairo, my serious muse, have been working a lot. I’m not in the mood for humor.

Emerald: *sulks*

Phantomness: Besides, I don’t completely trust Serebiis.