Change For The Better Part 1 By slickboy444@aol.com Category: AAMRN Summery: Hi! My name is slickboy444. I am new to the fanfic game so bare with me. This is a story that is trying to stay true to the real thing, but with a good twist. I would like to mention my inspirational author McWizardX who inspired me with his wonderful stories like Dreamer and Chrono Shift. This is for him. This story is about how Ash changes from the hyper little tyke he is now to a new person that Misty falls even more in love with. I do not own pokemon at all so please don’t sue me. I have nothing. This is my first fic so I would like some feedback. If you want to flame, please flame nicely. AN: ‘these mean thoughts’ Our story begins on the outskirts of Blackthorn City where Ash has successfully gained his final badge for the Johto league. Ash, Brock, Misty, and Pikachu are heading back towards New Bark Town to see Professor Elm and register for the Johto pokemon league. Ash: Ha! You thought I couldn’t do it, but now I’m ready for the league! Misty: Are you sure about that Ash? You said that about the last time you went to the Indigo league and you only finished 16th. Ash: Hey, take that back! I’ve learned a lot since that league. I’ve matured enough to take on anybody now! Misty: You!? Mature!? Ha don’t make me laugh! You’re still the little pipsqueak I knew when you started this whole “journey!” Ash: Why you! Togepi began to cry after a while of yelling. It took Brock’s interference to end this brawl before it became a melee. Brock: Calm down you two! Man, can’t you two go more than a day with out fighting? It gets really old after a while. Ash: She started it. Misty: Humph! Pikachu: ‘sigh’ Everybody walked in silence for a good long while after that. Hopefully they could put this petty incident behind them. They continued down a rocky trail until darkness began to fall. Brock: It’s getting late. We had better make camp. Ash: Right. But before they could unpack Misty spotted something on the horizon. Misty: Look I see some smoke! Brock: And where there’s smoke there’s got to be people. We might not have to camp out after all! Ash: Alright! Come on Pikachu I’ll race you there! Pikachu: Yeah! And with that Ash and Pikachu dashed ahead of Brock and Misty towards the smoke. Misty: Wait up Ash! Geez, he is so immature! After chasing Ash and Pikachu’s trail they arrived at a medium sized wooden house built in an old fashioned Japanese way. There were lights visible so the trio assumed that somebody was home. Ash: Well lets see if they’ll let us sleep here instead of out in the cold. Then Ash knocked on the door a couple of times until a large old man came and opened the door. He was tall, trim, and had a ring of white hair around his head and a cane with a dragon’s head on it. Old Man: Greetings I was expecting your arrival. Come in please. Ash: Huh? What do you mean you were expecting our arrival? Old Man: Come in and I will tell you. Ash and co. wearily stepped in to the old man’s house. It was covered in Japanese art and had numerous statues of mysterious pokemon and lit candles everywhere even though he had electricity. Brock: Wow. What kind of pokemon is this? Old Man: That is a pokemon I have searched for my whole life, but never found it. It is name is Ho-oh. It is said that when a special soul sets foot on Earth, it appears to symbolize the event. Ash looked at the statue for a while and thought it looked like the pokemon he saw on the first day of his journey a few years ago. Ash: Pikachu do you recognize that? Pikachu: Yeah, it looks like… Ash: Like that pokemon we saw the first day of my journey. Old Man: I know. Misty: Huh? Old Man: I know you saw it boy. I can feel it. Ash: What do you mean? Old Man: You’re a pokemon trainer right? From what I can sense you have caught many pokemon, released them, and won many badges; but you lost the Indigo League. Ash: Whoa! How did you know that? Brock: Maybe he’s psychic like Sabrina, Ash. Old Man: Not really young girl-crazy man. Brock: Hey! Old Man: I know what I know, because I can sense it. I can hear it in the voice you won’t speak. Ash: But aren’t those psychic powers. Old Man: Don’t be so narrow-minded young one. You judge to rashly. At this rate your goal of becoming a pokemon master is not in reach. Ash: What? Old Man: Don’t worry young one. You must learn more than the simple trial and error you have experienced throughout your journey. Misty: Whoa. Is it just me or is this guy kind of creepy? Brock: I’d have to go with creepy. Old Man: I see potential in someone with your character young one. Ash: What do you mean? Old Man: When I look at you I see two separate people. I see the trainer you are and the trainer you could be. And that trainer you could be would make quite a good pokemon master. Ash: Really? Misty: Maybe your thinking of somebody else other than him. Old Man: Oh no. You have something young one. You allow that pikachu to wonder freely without a pokeball. You treat your pokemon more as friends than as pokemon. That is a rare trait. Ash: You think so? Old Man: I know so. The trio stood amazed at the old man’s perception on Ash. It’s like he had been following Ash for his whole journey. The old man offered Ash and co. hospitality for the night, which they gratefully accepted. The old man acted kindly towards the three trainers and pikachu. He offered them to join him for a delicious dinner. Afterwards the old man made a mysterious announcement. Old Man: Young one, Ash Ketchum. You are not like other trainers. You have limitless potential. What I am about to ask you may sound ludicrous, but please consider it. I want you to stay here in the mountain with me. I want you to learn from my experience. I want to teach you how to be that trainer I see. I will combine my samurai knowledge with your training spirit. It could make you not just a better trainer, but a better person. Of coarse, this means you would have to leave you two friends behind. Ash: Wait. Why can’t they just stay? Old Man: It is not them I wish to teach. You will see them again, but not for a while. Ash was overcome with a dilemma. He looked over at Misty and Brock, his two friends who had been at his side since he started his journey. Now was he just going to leave them behind? But if he leaves them behind he may have a better chance at becoming a master. Old Man: It is getting late. I will let you sleep on it. Just remember, once a decision is made it can not be unmade. The old man left the room after that to go to sleep in his room. Ash just sat there in a trance, as if he were faced with a life or death decision. Ash: Well, what do you think I should do guys? Brock pondered this question for a bit. He looked over at Misty. She seemed to have a deeply concerned look on her face. It was almost as if she was about to cry. Brock: I can’t make you do anything, Ash. Whatever you chose, I’ll respect. Misty: I don’t want to hold you back either. This is your decision, not mine. In movies they always say to listen to your heart. I say do that now. Whatever you chose will go. Ash: …Why don’t we sleep on it like the old man said. Let me think about it. With no arguments from his friends he unrolled his sleeping bag on the floor along side Brock and Misty to go to sleep. However, Ash just lay there along with pikachu on his chest. Although Brock and Misty soon fell asleep, Ash couldn’t sleep with this hanging over his head. He and his little companion began to have a quiet conversation so they wouldn’t wake the others. Ash: What should I do buddy? Pikachu: I’m sorry, but I just don’t know. Ash: I can’t just leave them. I just can’t. Then Ash began to think about what the old man said. He said that the way he was going he wasn’t going to achieve his lifelong goal. Maybe this was a chance to change that, but at what cost? His thoughts then drifted to Misty. Ash: ‘I can’t just leave her. If I pay her back for her bike and abandon her tomorrow she’ll never speak to me again. I love her so much, but she hates me. I know I’ve had the money for her bike for some time, but I don’t want her to leave.’ He then thought of all the fights he had with Misty and all the times she bought up the subject of her bike. A tear soon formed in his eye. He began to stroke pikachu’s back for comfort. Ash: ‘Maybe she wants to leave. She’ll probably be much happier without me.’ Ash let out a long sad sigh and closed his eyes. Before he knew it sunlight began to creep through the room. He opened his eyes to find out that Brock and Misty were up and pikachu was still asleep on his chest. Ash then decided to wake up pikachu and get ready to tell everybody his decision. Just then the old man walked in the room. Old Man: Have you made a decision young one? Ash: Yes. Brock and Misty walked over and sat down near Ash and the old man to hear Ash’s decision. Ash: I’ve decided that I will stay with you and learn from you. Misty felt her heart skip a beat when she heard this. She fought hard to hold back the tears. Ash: I thought about what you said last night. I really don’t have the chance I thought I did to become a pokemon master. If I learn from you maybe I’ll change that. Old Man: A wise decision young one. Ash: But I have one last request. Can I say goodbye to my friends before they leave? Old Man: I see no problem in that. Ash looked at Brock and Misty and could tell that they were a bit upset, but Misty seemed beyond that. Ash thought it must be of happiness because she can leave him now. The rest of the morning was totally silent as the time for Brock and Misty to go grew ever nearer. Ash watched them gather their things for the last time, not knowing if they would want to see him again. He fought back tears at this dark image. Then the time had come for them to go. Ash, pikachu, and the old man stood with Brock and Misty out on the deck to wish them a farewell. Ash turned towards Brock first. Ash: Well I guess this is it…For now. Brock: Yeah. We had some good times. I’m gonna miss ya buddy. Ash: You’ve been like the big brother I never had. I’ll miss you too. Then Ash turned his attention to Misty, who was fighting against her tears and tried not to let her sorrow go. Just then Ash reached in to his pocket and pulled out a wad of cash. Ash: This may not be as much as I thought I would have, but I think you should be able to cover it. I would have given it to you sooner, but I didn’t want you to leave me. You will always be my best friend. Misty took the money and looked at Ash’s dark eyes. She just couldn’t get the right words out no matter how much she wanted to. She had so much more to tell Ash and Ash had much more to tell her, but fear balked their attempts. Misty: I’ll definitely miss you Ash. I hope we’ll see each other again in the future. Thank you for saying that I’m your best friend. After those words Misty gave Ash and pikachu a big hug goodbye and then went off. Togepi took a last look at her “daddy” and waved goodbye. Misty and Togepi were going back to Cerulean City to be with her sisters and Brock was going back to Pewter City to run his gym. As they walked off Ash waved goodbye until they were out of sight. Old Man: Please come young one. I think it is time we start. From now on, please call me Master Hiro. Ash: Yes Master Hiro. Pikachu and I are ready to begin. AN: This is the end of part 1. Please tell me what you think. I hope you all enjoy the next part as well. Thank you very much for reading my fic.