Well this took a lot longer then I expected. Anyways hello! This fanfic is obviously highly based off the anime movie/novel Your Name/Kimi No Na Wa from the one and only Makoto Shinkai. I always loved this film to death and I'm also a huge fan of Shinkai's other films like Garden of Words etc.
I will be following the film's plot pretty heavily but I will change a few things including some stuff near the end and all that.
Enough of that so.. Enjoy.
Update 11/12/2017: Went back to fix some of the grammar errors and all that.
A familiar vibration.
I felt that as my pillow began to shake slightly. My eyes were barely even open but I quickly got my phone under my pillow and turned off the alarm. I didn't felt like getting up so I went back to my sleep. I couldn't be bothered as I worked so hard on that stupid Math homework.
Mainly because of that dream I had. I wanted it to continue so badly. Just like that I went back to my sleep.
A nostalgic voice. That is what I heard in my dream. And of course a lovely scent and light. I was... pressed up against someone. Someone who felt... important. As I held this person in my grasp. It was like... All of my fears... my anxiety and my depression gone.
"Ash..."
That voice. So... angel like. I can't help but smile.
"ASH!"
Suddenly I woke up.
The ceiling of my room.
Laying down on my bed with Pikachu covers.
And my door wide open with my mother.
I was still half asleep at that point. But all I saw was in her two hands, were my uniform and bag.
"Time for school! Your lunch is already packed inside. I also ironed out your wrinkled uniform. I'll meet you downstairs okay?"
She placed both of them on my chair near my study table. I got back to my senses and stood up on my barefoot feet. Then my mother stared at me with those wide eyes.
"A-Ash! Were you crying?"
I went wide eyed myself. Then I looked at the mirror. She was right. A stream of tears were coming out of my eyes.
I looked back at her she had a worried look on her face. You can easily tell it by her eyes.
"A-Ash... What's wrong?"
I didn't really knew... So I just came up with the best excuse I can come up with.
"Mom... I don't know... I guess it's because I slept late..."
She paused and looked at me. Then smiled. "Well that's what you get for not doing your homework the second you get home. Breakfast is ready downstairs alright?"
I nodded as she walked back downstairs. I walked towards my mirror. The tears were still coming. But why though? Is it that dream? Wait.. what was my dream?
I simply just dried up my face and just to myself.
"Only just a dream. Don't get worked up over it..."
The day went on as a usual school day. In my white-collar shirt with a green tie with black pants and of course my Official Pokemon League cap that I won in a competition. Of course I had to have breakfast.
Didn't have much so all I got was a portion of rice. Hmm.. Is this too much? Nah.
Ping pong pang pooong.
The speaker on near our door rang with lord burst of volume.
"Good morning everyone."
The voice of the speaker belonged to my best friend's older sister. Who works in City Hall. Don't really know what she does besides being the one who says the announcements. Then again if you live in a town as small as Pallet you can pretty much know everyone.
"Now for the morning announcements."
These speakers are set up pretty much all over town. In houses, schools and all that. Twice a day they are used to announce stuff in the morning and evening. Examples being whoever is on snow shoveling duty, who was just born and who just died. They're also used for emergencies like a flood or whatever.
"First, an announcement from the Committee for Election Administration about Pallet's mayoral election to be held on the 20th of next month-"
The speaker by the door went abruptly silent. My mom turned it off in a silent display of anger. I can tell by her face she didn't want to hear it. I wouldn't blame her. So instead I decided to put on the news.
"In just one month, a comet which only visits once every 1200 years will at long last draw close to our world. It will be visible to the naked eye for a period of a few days. Research agencies around the world, including NASA, are busy preparing to observe this celestial show of the century."
Displayed on the screen were the words: Nexus' Comet: Observable with the Naked Eye in a Month. I was honestly quite intrigued. I mean it's not like I'm ever gonna see this again before I die.
Then just like that I went back to eating. I glanced at my mom's face. I can tell by her face she was about to cry. Then she let out some words.
"He left his own family... Just to do politics..."
I can hear her cursing him underneath her breath. Though even I could agree with her. The bastard just ran off and left his family to rot while he runs for mayor.
"Mom, don't mind him. It's his mistake."
I tried my best to make her feel better. She can tell this and wiped her tears giving me smile. "As long as I have you, I'll be fine."
It was time to go to school. I had my bag on my back and my cap on my head. I was born ready. I walked outside my house waving goodbye to my mother.
In my head I was trying to putting on some sort of jolly and graceful BGM. Like some violins with me in my red cap just walking to school. I swear everytime I wake up I feel like I'm in the beginning of some anime movie or something. Of course minus the whole late for school with toast in my mouth thing.
"Asssssh!"
Some time after I left my house, a familiar feminine voice called out behind me. Turning around I saw my childhood friend Red on his bike with an unpleasent face along with his "girlfriend" Leaf riding on the back. And before you ask yes those are their REAL names.
"There... can you please get off woman?" Red complained as he stopped next to me.
"Pfft... Fine party pooper."
"You're the heavy one."
"Hey!"
The two seemed to be starting out the morning with a comedy act, like an arguing couple on a TV show.
"You two sure are close."
"No!" the two screamed back in harmony.
I burst out laughing at their synchronized denial, my internal BGM changing into a melodic guitar solo. The three of us have already been best friends for ten years now: me, the sassy yet nice Red with his messy black bangs in front and kind of long hair hanging down in the back, and Leaf the mischievous, cheerful girl with her usual long brown hair that reached all the way to her bottom. Red and Leaf always appear to be arguing, but their conversations flow perfectly, and, secretly, I'm convinced that they would make a good couple.
"So Ash, you've been talking to your dad lately?" Red asked with a blank stare.
I was startled by his question. My dad? The bastard that fucked off and left my mom and me in the slums? I don't like to curse but I would rather fucking fight Arceus then talk to my dad.
"Red!"
Leaf must've noticed my angered face after he said that.
"You know you shouldn't talk about his dad to him!"
Despite her being quite mischievous , especially towards Red. Leaf is actually really caring and selfless. She'd probably sacrifice herself for any of her friends. And especially Red. Don't believe me read her diary. Which.. I sort of read a little bit at her house time.
"Y-Yeah.. Sorry Ash."
Red's usually... quiet. Back when we were younger Red was the quiet one. Didn't speak much however talked when he needed to. He's quite sassy even today especially towards Leaf as he would usually call her "Pesky girl". But just like her, he does have a soft side.
Leaf soon got into a bit of an arguement with Red. I didn't really listened. I was too busy thinking.
Why was I crying? I know I thought it was just that dream. But it felt it was more then that. That dream... I can remember now... I was embracing... someone. Definitely female as I felt her breasts while hugging her. A voice so angel like, her hair was quite short especially for a girl. But... what was...
"And more than anything!" A deep voice amplified by a megaphone interrupted my thoughts.
Across the street, next to a row of greenhouses, in the unnecessarily large town managed a parking lot, a crowd of about a dozen people had gathered. And in the center of the crowd stood a conspicuously tall man confidently holding a megaphone: my father. Proudly displayed on the sash he wore above his suit were the words 'Incumbent – Giovanni Ketchum'. He appeared to be giving a speech for the mayoral election.
"More than anything, in order to continue building and improving our community, we must stabilize our financial affairs! Once we accomplish that, we will be able to fully focus on the safety and comfort of our town. During my years in office, I've been able to come this far, but I want to finish the job and bring even further polish to this town! I will lead this land with unprecedented passion and build a society in which everyone, from children to the elderly, can live a fulfilling, worry-free life! That is my mission…"
His speech, delivered so expertly it was almost overwhelming, reminded me of the politicians on TV and felt extremely out of place in that parking lot surrounded by vegetable fields. I started to feel uneasy. The whispers I heard among the audience made my mood even worse.
"It's gonna be Ketchum again this time anyways. Looks like word's spread pretty fast."
"Oh look, it's Ashy."
Great. While I was watching the commotion happening in the parking lot, I didn't realise we were walking to Gary Oak and his group of "fangirls".
He's the stereotypical rich and pretty boy of our school. His father, who works all the way in Celadon is a millionaire and bought Gary his own mansion in this town. It looked so out of place compared to pretty much everyone else's house. He and his group would harass us, the "unpopular" people to put it in their words.
"The mayor and his contractor," one of the girls said, then turned to look at my father delivering his speech. Beside him on the platform, Red's father stood with a broad smile across his face. His jacket displayed the name of his own construction company, and around his arm was a band that read 'Giovanni Ketchum Support'. Then Gary turned back around to look at me and Red. "I see their kids are also always sticking together. Did your parents order you to?"
Stupid. Without bothering to respond, I started walking faster. Red also managed to keep an expressionless face; Leaf alone seemed annoyed.
"Satoshi!"
Suddenly, a loud voice cried my name. I almost stopped breathing. I can't believe it. My father had put down his megaphone and was calling me.
And by my REAL name. The audience listening to his interrupted speech all at once turned to look at me.
"Satoshi! Won't you walk proudly!?"
My face turned bright red. At the absurdness of it all, I felt like I might cry. Desperately fighting the temptation to sprint away, I continued walking.
"Harsh even to family… that's the mayor for ya." I can hear the hushed whispers of the audience.
"Ouch! Kinda feel sorry for him. No wait, I don't!" I can hear Gary and his girls laughing.
This is the worst.
The BGM playing in my head since I left home had stopped sometime amidst the commotion, and I am reminded that without any BGM, this town is no more than an oppressive, suffocating dump.
Ka ka ka.
The blackboard produced a scratching noise as my religion teacher, Ms Joy wrote on the blackboard. I payed attention as usual. I mean I'm not a nerd but I atleast try my best with these things.
I stared at what she was writing.
"Twilight."
She turned around and started explaining. "Twilight. At around Dusk. A time which is neither day nor night. A time when silhouettes begin to blur, and you can't tell who's who anymore. A time when you may meet things which are not of this world, such as demons or the dead."
At first, I really didn't knew what she was blabbering about. Until I remember I read about this in our bible. You see Pallet sort of has it's own... religion. Yeah, weird I know. Here we... don't own pokemon. People here in Pallet believe that pokemon should be left alone. There's a whole lot more then that but honestly I'm not a huge fan.
"Now then. Satoshi."
Must've thought I wasn't paying attention so she asked me a question. I stood up. I was annoyed how she said THAT name.
"Miss. It's Ash." I said politely as possible.
"More like Ashley!"
I heard Gary's voice at the front and everyone laughed. With the exception of Red and Leaf next to me who looked disgusted.
"Everyone quiet down... Now Ash may I'd like to ask.. Who is the pokemon of space and time?"
She asked me an easy one to be honest.
"Dialga, miss."
She looked surprised but then smiled. "Well atleast someone is actually devoted into our religion here!"
She said it out loud to the whole class everyone was giving me looks. I even heard someone whisper "Crazy kid." in the corner.
I sat back down. I swear this town just stinks and this stupid religion is one of the reasons why it does.
Lunchtime. The time in school pretty much everybody enjoys the most.
I was sitting under a tree with Red and Leaf. The three of us were just chilling and eating our lunch.
"So Red... What do you plan to do once you graduate?" Leaf asked Red as she finished sipping out of her orange juice box.
"Dunno... Guess I'll just stay here in this quiet town.." He replied looking around the landscape.
"Seriously?"
The two of them looked at me. I realised I said that out loud. Great...
"Is there a problem with this town?" Red asked a little annoyed as I can tell by the look on his face.
"Many. This town is a fricking dump. I can list out so many problems..." I replied.
"Omigosh... YES THANK YOU!"
The loud and sort of obnoxious voice belonged to Leaf. It seems she has similar opinions to me.
"I mean there's no pokemon centres..."
"No poke marts..."
"But two bars for some reason..."
"Train only comes every two hours..."
"Not even a McDonalds..."
"OR a weather forecast.."
"Could you two pleeease shut up!" Red who was listening quietly shouted extremely annoyed. Very rare to even hear him shout.
"Okay fine.. How about we go to the cafe?" he suggested.
Both me and Leaf jumped.
"A what?!"
"A cafe."
"WHERE?!" the two of us screamed in unison.
Gachan!
A metallic clashing sound rang briefly before melting into the chorus of evening cicadas. Red held out the juice can that he just pulled out of the vending machine. On the road, an electric scooter hummed as it passed by, carrying on it an old man returning home from the fields. Also passing by was a stray poochyena who, apparently deciding to grace us with his presence, sat down nearby and yawned.
The 'cafe' was not really that kind of cafe. In other words, it was no Starbucks or Tully's, or a pancake or bagel or gelato selling dreamland which surely exists somewhere in this world. Instead, it consisted of merely a bench with a thirty year old ice cream sign stuck to it and a vending machine. In other words, it was just a neighborhood bus stop. The three of us were sitting lined up on the bench, with the stray poochyena at our feet, gulping down our canned juices. Rather than getting mad at Red for tricking us, I simply gave up, realizing how stupid I was to believe that there would actually be a proper cafe in this dump.
"It feels a degree cooler than yesterday."
"No, to me it feels a degree hotter."
"Alright, I'm going to head home," I told the other two after I had my share of canned juice and meaningless conversations.
"See you tommorow Ash!" the two shouted in unison as I walked home. "Good luck with your relationship!" I shouted back giggling.
"Wait what?!" they both went in unison again.
I couldn't help but laugh out loud at their reaction. They are just so adorable together.
The clocked ticked as I laid down on my bed in darkness. My homework's done and all that. Nothing else to do but think. Then I opened my window.
"I hate this town!" I shouted out to the sky. Hoping that this "god" of our religion could head me.
"I hate this life!"
"When I die, let me reborn as a handsome boy in.. Cerulean I don't know!"
I closed my window again. And closed my eyes. Nothing I say will come true..
Ah, but still.
God, if you really are there.
Please–
If the gods really did exist, I still don't know what I would truly want to wish for.