A plotbunny fic…

What if Ash was kidnapped at age 5 and had an older brother named Anton? Everyone thinks Anton is the ‘Chosen One’ in Lugia’s legend, but ten years later, a trainer calling himself ‘Scarlet’ appears, and shatters this painful illusion…

Disclaimer: I own the plot, the new characters (Charlotte, Eterneon, etc) and new attacks (Flaming Thunder, etcetera). Nintendo owns pokemon.

Notes: <> is for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics for translated pokemon speech.

Prologue/Chapter 1

Five-year old Ash Ketchum sat in his sandbox, building little castles. His seven-year old brother Anton was busy playing fetch with his Rattata.

“Lunch is ready!” Delia called. Ash obediently got up and followed Anton into the house quietly. He didn’t speak. He didn’t need to. Nobody ever talked to him anyways…

Not since Professor Oak had made the startling discover that Anton was the one referred to as the ‘Chosen One’ in Lugia’s Shamouti Island prophecy. Now, everyone in Pallet watched over Anton like a hawk, priming him up for the duty that lay ahead.

He was even allowed to have pokemon! Besides Rattata, he also had Pikachu, Charmander, Squirtle, and Bulbasaur, donated by Professor Oak himself!
Ash often envied his brother. He felt like the moon, only able to reflect the sun’s glory. In fact, people often remarked on how Ash resembled his brother.

But there were a few subtle differences. Anton had the same spiky black hair, true enough, but his eyes were a deep green, while Ash’s were amber. And Anton was taller by quite a lot, and stouter too. But nobody ever mentioned it.

Ash quietly chewed his cheese sandwich as he watched his mother fawn over Anton, and wished, that for once, he could be special as well…

That night…

“Wishes do come true, little one. Pretty little one…” A voice purred as Ash was lifted from his bed on invisible currents of wind and set gently in the arms of a cloaked figure.

The second figure nodded and in two flashes of light they were gone.

10 years later….

Anton, the leader of the Elite Four (Bruno, Koga, Lorelei, and Karen) blinked.

…A flying pikachu?

…A flying pikachu?

…A FLYING PIKACHU?

He rubbed his eyes again, but there was no denying his senses. It was a flying pikachu.

A golden pikachu with wings and it was flying.

“Pika-chan, Hydro Thunder.” The trainer said softly. The pikachu nodded and Karen’s Houndoom sank into oblivion.

“Heh. That was easy,” The trainer said. His companion nodded and flashed a ‘V’ for victory.

“I did it, Lance-chan!”
“Yes, you did, little one.” The second trainer said. He was dressed in dark red jacket, black bodysuit, and white boots with black decorations. From his shoulders fell a cape of midnight blue, lined with red on the inside.

The trainer grinned. “Well, one left, and then I’ll be the league champion!”

“Hai… be careful.”

“I know! After all, I have them.”

“So you say, Scarlet. But are you sure?”

Scarlet grinned. “Hai!”

A few minutes later, they walked into Anton’s room.

Anton grinned. “Well, you may have beat the rest of the Elite Four, but there’s a reason why I, the Chosen One, am the Champion! And I’ll prove it to you! I have never been beaten!”

“Always a first time for everything.” Scarlet said softly.

“Hah!” Anton laughed. “Let’s go!”

The two trainers ran to opposite ends of the arena.

Lance smirked softly. * Anton… you are too naïve… *

“Raticate, go!”

Anton’s Raticate snarled and bared its fangs.

Scarlet raised an eyebrow. “Strange… most people won’t use Raticate, but… your funeral.”

A pokemon appeared before him in a haze of white light.

“Skarmory, I choose you.”

Anton blinked.

“Guess you don’t know about these yet.” Scarlet smirked. “Skarmory, Drill Peck!”

“Raticate, evade!”

Scarlet closed his eyes. A second later, a painful cry was heard from the Raticate. Skarmory glowed faintly with visible power as it stood triumphant.

Anton stared, eyes nearly starting from their sockets. “W-what?”

“Well?” Scarlet asked softly. “Send out your next pokemon.”

“Grr… a bird, huh? Then I’ll use Raichu!”

The electric mouse let off a load cry.

“Thunder!”

“Ground yourself, Skarmory.” Scarlet intoned, barely in hearing range. Skarmory nodded and channeled the lightning into the ground.

“Now. Steel Wing.”

Skarmory flew at Raichu and bashed its wings into the mouse’s head.

“And finally… Air Cutter.”

Raichu went flying, before Skarmory caught it with another steel wing in its unprotected belly.

Scarlet laughed. “Two down.”

Anton began to sweat. * I have a bad feeling… but I can’t lose! I have the power of the legendaries behind me after all! *

“Charizard, Flamethrower!”

Scarlet recalled skarmory in a flash. “You did great, girl.”

Anton made a mental note. * Weak to fire, eh… *

“Kabutops, go!”

The fossil pokemon clashed its claws/scythes together and roared.

“Dragon Rage!”

“Hydro Pump!”

The attacks canceled, and Scarlet nodded as Kabuto leapt into the air and brought its blades down on Charizard’s wings.

Charizard screamed in pain, before a Surf attack knocked it into unconsciousness.

“Grr… Venusaur!”

“Kabutops, I’ll equip you with Metal Coat.’ The trainer said, as a steel plated coat of mail appeared on the pokemon. “Just tide it out. Bide.”

“Razor Leaf!”

Most of the leaves bounced off harmlessly, but Kabutops did look like it was in pain.

“Good! Now charge for Solarbeam!”

Two turns later, Kabutops was barely standing. Scarlet smiled grimly.

“Now.”

Venusaur crumpled like a tealeaf placed in a bowl of hot water. Looks like all the damage done combined with Bide really was a lot.

Anton stared some more.

“Well?” Scarlet inquired. “Is this it? You only have four pokemon?”

“Shut up!” Anton screamed, losing his cool. “You must be cheating!”

“I simply use strategy.” Scarlet replied.

“Hypocrite…” Lance whispered, looking at Anton.

“Grr…” Anton hissed. “Blastoise, you’re up!”

Blastoise appeared with a load cry and finished off Kabutops’ remaining HP bar.

Scarlet didn’t even flinch. “Well, in that case…”

A flick of the wrist and another pokemon appeared. It had beautiful dark green fur, broken by areas of grass-colored fur on its paws, ear tips, and tail. Around its ankles were flowers, as well as at the base of its ears and a collar of flowers around its neck.

“Blossomeon, let’s go.”

Anton stared.

“Grass-type eevee evolution.” Scarlet said in explanation. “Razor Leaf.”

Blastoise roared and let off another Hydro Pump.

“Mega Drain.” Scarlet whispered, as the water hit Blossomeon it actually extended its HP.

“Now Petal Dance.”

Blastoise teetered around on the field for about a minute, before its weight pulled it down with a smash.

Anton’s eyes were huge with disbelief.

“Well?” Scarlet queried. “What else do you have up your sleeve?”

Anton’s mind was whirling. * But I only have five pokemon on a high level! I’ve got a lot of others as gifts, but they’re still low-level… guess I’ll have to risk it then! Who is he? *

He studied Scarlet for a minute. The boy was perhaps his age, dressed in a black bodysuit with an expensive-looking poke belt made out of beads, as well as a dark red cloak that clasped under his chin with a golden dragon. He looked nothing but confident, so this would be a hard battle to win…

“Articuno2, go!”

What looked like an Articuno, only with purple wings appeared.

Lance sucked in a breath. * My god… they actually tried to clone one of the legendaries… and one of the ones under my control… *

Scarlet gasped. * Those idiots…. *

“Blossomeon, return! Entei!”

There was a flash as the card activated, and Articuno2 crumpled instantly.

Anton’s jaw was on the floor. He usually used Articuno2 to wipe out any opponent, but…

“I win.” Scarlet said softly as Entei vanished.

Anton trembled. “W-who are you?”

Scarlet smiled. “Why don’t recognize me? I’m hurt, older brother.”

End Chapter

Completed 12/28/03