Chapter Four "I think I've already lost you, I think you're already gone, I think I'm finally scared now, You think I'm weak- But I think you're wrong. I think you're already leaving, Feels like your hand's on the door... I think you're so mean- I think we should try I think I could need- This in my life. I think I'm just scared- I think too much I know this is wrong it's a problem I'm dealing..." -If You're Gone, Matchbox 20 Ash left the coast to travel inland as soon as he had gathered himself back up. His surroundings grew colder and more like an Articuno's nest as he proceeded northwards. The next few days were spent as enjoyably as possible. Ash observed many different species of Pokemon, the most exciting of which by far a Dratini colony, burrowed deep amongst the rocks surrounding a shallow, frozen lake. On the fourth day of exploring, Ash and Pikachu had not yet stumbled upon any signs of human settlement. Things were beginning to look bleak. "We'll have to leave soon, at this rate," Ash noted to Pikachu. The small mouse nodded; their supplies were disappearing at an alarming rate. Truth be told, however, it was not an unprecedented factor; considering how much the gluttonous Snorlax consumed on a daily basis, it was a wonder why they hadn't run out sooner. "Pikachu," the little mouse replied, shivering a little in the cold air. "I hope you're not catching a cold, Pikachu," Ash noted. "Why don't you jump in my hood? It's warmer in there." "Pika Pikachu." The Pokemon shook its head stubbornly, warming itself up a little by blowing warm breath over its tiny paws. They were walking along the ridge of a valley-like area, slowly heading deeper and deeper down the slope. There were several frostbitten rocks dotting the rough dirt that packed down the sides of the valley. Very little snow had fallen here, so there was only a light frosting of white over the drab iron gray of rocks and powdery brown of half-frozen dirt. How such a valley had formed up in an area where there was little else was beyond Ash, but it was little more than his curiosity that dragged him down the sides of the thing. There seemed to be nothing but dirt and rocks at the bottom, but something else attracted him, like one end of a magnet to the opposite. "Pikachu," Pikachu sniffed and rubbed its paws together a little more vigorously. "I know it's cold, didn't I tell you it would be?" Ash admonished. "Crawl in my hood or the backpack, c'mon!" "Pikachu." "Don't be so stubborn..." Ash trailed off. His attention had obviously been caught and snagged tight by something by the ways his eyes were staring ahead blankly. "Pikachu... what's that?" He pointed to a barely visible image, further down the valley. "Pika?" The thing was growing larger as they advanced forward. They could see that it was shedding a light of its own, creating some sort of pale, almost unholy, glow against the ground of the valley. Closer, closer still, and they could tell it was a bird of some type- a giant, glowing bird. Ash stiffened. A few wisps of haunting melody trilled down to meet his ears. It sounded like... but it could be... "...Ariticuno..." Ash broke into a run, heedless of any danger, carelessly forgetting the way in which he should treat wild Pokemon. Doggedly, he neared the bird, hoping that it wouldn't break into flight... ...The ice-blue feathers, frozen with their own crystallized, complex beauty. It was singing a soulful melody, something soft yet powerful in its own verse. Suddenly, the great bird spread its wings wide, but did not take flight. Instead, two purple-tinged crimson eyes stared down at Ash in an icy, even haughty, manner, and the beak opened wide to give a few more bars of melody. The majestic wingspan of the bird froze the air around it in its cold aurora. It looked like it was taking deep breaths, but who knew if the Mystic Bird Pokemon actually breathed the same way its lowly fellows did. "Chhaaa..." Pikachu acknowledged. The Articuno made no move at first. Then, a strange, low voice cracked the cold air in half. "Aritcuno... Freeze 'em..." The Articuno gave a loud cry. Ash and Pikachu watched, horrified, as the bird spewed out a beam of dazzling blue light from its beak. The last thing he saw was his world flashing white, then multi-spectral colors... finally, he sank back down to blissful black./ "Go on," Misty told him, folding her arms decisively. "Uh..." Ash looked kind of awkward. "That's all I can remember." "You seriously expect me to believe that," Misty renounced disdainfully. "Really, I'm not that stupid." "No! Really!" Ash waved his hands at her. "I really don't remember anything else happening. I suppose something /must/ have happened between the two years that I left... but I woke up in the middle of the Viridian Forest with Raichu by my side. It was fending off the Beedrills. Raichu doesn't remember much, either." "Do you have any idea how... how /STUPID/ this sounds?!" Ash shuffled uncomfortably, no longer able to keep his cool manner. "... Yeah..." "Where the hell is Sabrina?" Misty asked outloud. There was a faint swish behind her. "Right here." The dark-eyed Psychic stared curtly at Ash. "Took me a while to track you down. Is that him?" "Yes," Misty answered promptly. "We're gonna take him in." Sabrina didn't answer, but pointed a hand at him. Her eyes glowed an eerie blue shade, completely blotting out any traces of her pupils or even the outline of her irises. Ash was suspended into the air, but he only smiled at her. "Oh no you don't." To Misty's amazement, Sabrina suddenly stopped what she was doing and bent down double, clutching her head. Ash was dumped unceremoniously onto the ground. He pulled himself up and stood, watching them, arms crossed over his chest. "What was that?" Misty asked Sabrina, flying to her side in a daze. "What happened? Are you okay?" Sabrina stood up with some help from Misty. She pointed to Ash, who gave her a curious, innocent look. "I don't know what happened. Ask him. He did something, I'm sure of it. How, I don't know. Not just anyone can counter my psychic power like that." "What?" Misty paused, confused. "Ash has /never/ been even /smart/ enough to hold the glimmer of a psychic ability." "That's okay." Sabrina reached for a Pokeball. "Haunter will do the job." The ghost Pokemon appeared. It resembled wisps of fog woven together by the silver linings of clouds. It bared its mouth open in an attempt at fright. "Haunter," Sabrina ordered. "Hypnosis." Haunter clapped its disembodied hands and began chanting in a low, trance-inducing voice. "Haun...ter...haun...ter...haun...ter..." The Hypnosis worked. Both Ash and Raichu became drowsier and drowsier. Finally, they toppled over, completely asleep. "C'mon, let's rope 'em up," Misty told Sabrina grimly. "They'll only stay asleep for so long." "No," Sabrina replied, with a ghost of a smile on her face. "Haunter!" Immediately, rings of glowing psychic power wrapped themselves over Ash's body, pinning his arms to his side and his legs together. Similar bonds covered Raichu. "Haunter, teleport us all back to HQ," Sabrina ordered. Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon and is not affiliated with it in any way. Neither am I claiming ownership to any part of Matchbox 20.