Dead To Alive By: slickboy444@aol.com AN: Hi! It’s me slickboy444! I’ve been overwhelmed by the extol I have received from my last fic “Truly, Madly, Deeply.” I thank all who read and review my story because it is you who have inspired me to write this story. I hope you all like this story and I will continue writing as long as people tell me to do so. Just to remind you all out there I don’t own pokemon in any way shape or form. Please don’t sue me. Thanks and on with the fic. AN: ‘these mean thoughts’ Ash, Misty, and Brock are whatever their speculated ages are on the show. Brock: I don’t know Ash, going through the mountains is dangerous this time of year from rain. Ash: I know Brock, but if we head over the mountains we’ll get to Newport City a week faster and ahead of the weather. Brock: It’s still dangerous, Misty…What do you think? Misty: I don’t know about you two, but if the route shaves off a week from the trip I think we should take it. Ash: That’s the spirit Misty! Well Brock, looks like you’re out voted. Brock let out a long sigh. Brock: Well okay, but we should be careful on the path. Ash: Don’t worry, there’s nothing Ash Ketchem can’t handle! Ash was about to run off in to the path with pikachu, but Brock and Misty restrained him. Misty: Ash, Brock means that being careful means taking it slow! Ash pulled away from their grasp and sighed in defeat. Ash: Alright, we’ll take it slow. Misty: Promise? Ash: Promise. Come on pikachu. Pikachu: Yeah! Ash’s faithful companion leaped on to his shoulder and they began to make their way up the rugged mountain path. At first it wasn’t so bad, but when it started getting cloudy the trail got more treacherous. Ash: We’d better speed up if we want to beat the weather. Brock: Yeah, rain could make this route all the more dangerous. As the weather began to get stormy the group encountered a narrow path overlooking a river below. Misty: Wow, the view sure is beautiful from up here. Ash: Yeah… Ash and Misty watched the scenery over the river lost in a trance. Misty: ‘What a romantic and secluded place. Oh…If Brock weren’t here this would be the perfect time to tell Ash how I feel.’ Misty let out a sigh as they continued walking along the rocky path. They walked in silence until Misty tripped on a rock, but Ash caught her. Ash: Whoa! You okay Misty. Misty: Um…Yeah fine, thanks Ash. Brock saw her face blush when Ash caught her, he could tell she didn’t want to let go of him. He smiled at their young love and continued to follow Ash. Ash: Oh no. Brock: What’s wrong? Ash: I just felt a raindrop. Just then lightning could clearly be seen in the distance. Ash: We’d better speed up or find shelter soon. Misty: Right. Pikachu: It’s getting cold. Ash: Here pikachu, you can keep warm in my jacket. Pikachu: Thanks Ash! Pikachu leaped in to Ash’s arms and Ash put it in his jacket to keep it warm from the wind. Misty looked over at Ash in admiration. Misty: ‘How could anybody not like this guy, he cares for his friends and pokemon so much.’ The oncoming storm got worse as they continued along the path. Finally, Newport City was within sight in the distance. Ash: There it is! Let’s hurry up before the storm gets any worse! Ash ran out in front, but then the group was rocked by a massive flash of lightning that struck the top of the mountain just above them. Ash: Whoa! Brock: Let’s get out of here! However they failed to notice that because of the lightning a chain reaction that lead to a rockslide. The deadly slide shattered the fragile rock road where Ash was standing knocking him off the cliff. Ash: Ahhhhhh! Misty: Ash! Misty ran over to the side of the cliff to see Ash holding on to his backpack which was stuck on a jagged rock. Misty: Ash, hold on! Brock: Misty, move I think I can reach him! Brock reached out to pull Ash up, but he was just able to grab part of Ash’s backpack. Ash: Wait Brock! Brock: What? Ash: First take Pikachu! Pikachu: What! No way, I won’t leave you Ash! Ash: No other options! Ash let go with one arm from the rock and reached in to his jacket and grabs his faithful pokemon. Before pikachu could react Ash threw the little pokemon back on to the road. Pikachu ran back to the edge of the cliff as soon as it got to it’s little feet, but all of the sudden Ash’s weight became too much for the straps on the backpack. Then the terrifying sound of the material tearing on Ash’s backpack engulfed the ears of his friends and they watched in horror as Ash Ketchem fell the massive distance to the raging river below. Misty: NOOOOOOOOO! Pikachu: Ash! Brock was able to only pull Ash’s backpack up. He looked over the cliff to see that his best friend was gone. Brock: Oh no. No, we’d better get some help come on Misty let’s go! Fighting back the tears Misty forced herself to get up and run the rest of the path to Newport City. Misty could already see the despair in pikachu’s eyes as it took them nearly half an hour to get to the city limits. Tired and exhausted, the two ran to the police station. Brock: Help…Us. Officer Jenny was the first person they saw there. Officer Jenny: What’s wrong, why do you two look so out of breath? Misty was by far the most hysterical. Misty: Our friend fell off the cliffs of the road in to the river. You’ve got to help him! Officer Jenny: Okay, okay just calm down. We’ll get a search in rescue team out to the river at once. Jenny picked up her CB communicator and began ordering rescue vehicles. Misty sat down emotionless in a chair then pikachu jumped up on to her lap. She looked in to it’s sad eyes and then gave pikachu a reassuring hug. The next hour was sheer tourture as helicopters and ambulences moved out towards the river. Brock: Wait Jenny! Can I go with them? Jenny: No you’ve got to stay here, it’s dangerous out there. Brock: But that’s my friend out there! Jenny: I know, I’m sorry, but you can’t come with us or you’ll endanger your own life. Brock: But… Jenny: But nothing! Jenny then ran towards and got in to one of the helicopters that was taking off. Brock watched them head off toward the river and sighed. He walked back in to the police station and saw a distraught Misty on the verge of crying. Brock felt like crying himself, but tried not to give up hope. Brock: ‘Damn it Ash, why did you have to take that road! Why? I should have stopped him.’ Misty walked up to Brock still holding pikachu. Misty: It’s not your fault Brock. It’s mine, I should have never agreed with him to take that route. If you and I had only convinced him to go the other way he might still be with us. Brock: Don’t say that Misty, you’ve got to have hope. Brock watched as Misty went back to where she was sitting and curled up in to a ball and fell asleep. Brock sat down and fell asleep as well, but not without thinking about what happened to his best friend. As night fell the rescue vehicles began to come back. Brock and Misty ran out in to the night to see if Officer Jenny had found anything, but her face wasn’t too promising. Jenny: You two still here? Well, I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news. We searched up and down the whole river and we couldn’t find him. Misty: NO! Jenny: There was no body, it was probably torn to pieces by the current. However we did find this. Officer Jenny showed them a tattered red hat, the hat Ash always wore. The poor condition of the hat shattered any hope that was left. Misty took the hat from Jenny and held it close to her heart. She then couldn’t hold it in any longer. She broke down in tears right there on the spot. Endless sobbing made pikachu cry as well. The hat was all they could find of Ash Ketchem. He was presumed to be dead by all, but that only added to the endless sobbing of Misty who had truly lost a part of herself that fateful day. To be Continued… AN: This is not the end! I just want to see if anybody wants me to finish this story. I will post the rest of it rather quickly only if people want it to be posted so please send me some reviews of what you think. I’ll accept any criticism you send. E-mail me at slickboy444@aol.com. Stay tuned because “Dead to Alive” is far from over!