(UPDATED: 2/25/08)
Title: Insomniatic
Summary: After nearly drowning, Dawn finds herself caught up in the strange circumstances concerning her rescue. When Team Galactic develops interest in Dawn, suddenly deciphering her memories may be the key to summoning the legendary Pokemon Arceus.
Ship: Dawn X Cyrus (Akatsukishipping)
Dawn X Ash (Pearlshipping)
Gary X Arceus (Phaedrashipping)
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Pokemon (Shall apply to all chapters)
Chapter One - Falling Forward
My current status with you
I'm Insomniatic
Why is it dark?
Tentatively opening her eyes, Dawn could make out a soft, humanoid figure hovering just above her body. Letting her vision focus, it's features soon emerged. It was a little girl.
Golden hair flowed to the ground, however, the girl's feet levitated just above the floor's surface. Her eyes, gems that could pierce one's soul, gazed off into the distance; as if she were unaware of Dawn's presence.
"There's always darkness before dawn." The girl stated; her haunting timbre echoed through Dawn's senses.
Tick...tock...tick..
A large, regal clock hung from girl's neck. Contradicting it's persistent ticking, the clock's hands remained frozen. "Eleven, Eleven," Dawn uttered the time aloud.
"The Galaxy's wake up call." As the little girl spoke, her body underwent a transformation. No longer a child, she morphed into an effulgent, horse-like being.
"It's time to wake up, Dawn."
It's time to wake up...wake up...
"Dawn, wake up, please, Dawn..."
"Ash, is that you?" Sitting up from the ground, Dawn slowly came to her senses. "Why am I drenched?" Eying the river, Ash pulled his friend into a tight embrace.
"You fell in. The currents, you went under..I thought..."
"Did you see it?" Dawn interrupted, and a confused expression formed on Ash's face.
"I was saved. A Pokemon, I think, lifted me to safety."
Removing his jacket, Ash wrapped the article of clothing around Dawn's body. "Your lips, they've turned blue. Rest, we'll talk about this later. Brock left to get help, he should be back at any moment."
Bringing his wrist forward, Ash glanced at his watch, only to notice water had accumulated behind the glass faceplate. Tapping the watch, it simply refused to tick.
"Must've broke when I tried to get you out of the river." Removing his now-useless watch, Ash tossed it onto the ground, close enough for Dawn to observe the time it remained fixed on; Eleven, Eleven.
"Ash, the..." Too weak to continue, Dawn fainted; letting her mind fall back into oblivion.
Gary Oak, the up-and-coming Pokemon researcher, stood at Dawn's hospital bedside holding a rather large tome.
"I appreciate you doing this favor," Ash, Gary's childhood rival, spoke.
"Favor? Hn, as-if. If this is a supposed legendary Pokemon sighting," Gary said with obvious skepticism, "I'd like to be the first researcher to investigate it."
Taking the book from Gary, Dawn winced when it slipped from her hands and fell onto her lap.
"It's not a bird," Dawn mused, as she flipped through the numerous pages devoted to Ho-oh, Lugia, and the other elemental birds. "It stood on four feet, and glowed an irradiate white." Already halfway through the book, Dawn had yet to identify the Pokemon.
"Are you sure it wasn't just a regular Pokemon?" Gary suggested, seemingly unimpressed by Dawn's alleged encounter.
"No!" Dawn bellowed, furious he would assume such a thing. "It could talk, and morphed before my eyes!"
Furrowing his brows, Gary seemed to contemplate something, only to rush over to Dawn's side and flip the book to one of it's last pages. "Arceus," he uttered. "That's it!" Dawn nodded.
"Legendary isn't even a fit description of the Pokemon; Storybook is more like it. If what you said is true... then... gosh, I have to alert my grandfather!" Gary rushed from the room, leaving the others to assume he was heading for the nearest Vid-phone.
"Dawn, what did Arceus tell you?" Brock inquired. Somewhat flustered, Dawn closed the book Gary had given her and placed it on the nearby night-stand.
"Well, something cryptic about darkness before dawn. But also..." Pausing, Dawn's heart fluttered when she noticed the time on her room's clock. Eleven Eleven. "I don't remember what else." Though Brock sensed Dawn's hesitation, he decided it would be rude to delve further into the matter.
"Ash, do you think I'll be on the news?" Dawn asked optimistically.
"Maybe," Ash shrugged, with blatant disinterest.
"Ash had found me beside the river, whoever, or whatever, had lifted me to safety." Dawn described her experience to the camera, as the newswoman held out a microphone.
"And that, viewers, is one amazing survival story!" The newswoman stated, with false enthusiasm.
As the newscast finished, Dawn's mind drifted back to her fateful night. Arceus, or whatever had saved her, seemed to have declared some-sort of warning. What if it was an omen, Dawn thought with horror.
"Brock, do you think something bad might happen?"
"Why do you ask that, Dawn?" he replied, while placing his hand on Dawn's shoulder. "I, It's just... Arceus rarely comes to this dimension, and well... Why me?"
Maybe it's Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Brock assumed. Dawn had experienced a lot. "How'about I make you something special for dinner?"
Sniffling, Dawn nodded at Brock. "Sure." As Dawn regained her composure, Ash approached, with a cell phone in his left hand.
"Dawn, I just spoke with Gary. Professor Oak will arrive here tomorrow. He has some question he'd like to ask you. I also contacted your mother, she'll be arriving as well."
Smiling, for the first time in awhile, Dawn took her first step towards recovery.
"Master Cyrus, our reports show that Arceus has finally returned to this plane of existence." Pleased by the information, the Team Galactic leader dismissed Mars, one of the higher-echelon members; however, she remained in the room.
"There's more news. It appears, well, Arceus has chosen it's herald. We have identified the trainer, a young girl from Twinleaf Town."
Visibly distraught, Cyrus reached for the phone on his desk. "Action must be taken immediately. Retrieve the girl, I'll deal with her personally."
Morning sunlight seeped through the curtains, illuminating the tile floor. Adjacent to Dawn's bed, Ash's body was slumped over a chair. Despite his awkward position, Ash remained fast asleep.
It was only a few minutes past sunrise, however, Dawn felt wide-awake. She couldn't sleep; her mind was racing with too many thoughts. Ever since 'the incident' rest was unfathomable.
What if 'it' returned?
Well aware of her irrational fear, Dawn clung to insomnia. She would rather be safe than sorry.
Gazing up at the television clock, Dawn could not summon the courage to read the time.
It was unimportant. She already knew her fate was sealed.
As the moments passed, a chill crept up Dawn's spine. Her painfully thin hospital gown provided little warmth, let alone, cover her thighs.
Eying Ash's hoodie nestled on the night-stand; Dawn reached for the article of clothing and slipped it above her frail body.
She needed to get out of the room.
Carefully sliding out of the bed, Dawn shuddered when her bare feet met the frigid hospital floor.
Dawn never liked hospitals.
Meandering through the pediatric wing only confirmed this notion.
Originally, Dawn planned to purchase a sweet from the vending machines, however, the hallway's antiseptic stench made her nauseas, extinguishing any form-of food craving.
"I saw you on the news," a low, monotone voice unexpectedly stated, startling Dawn to her senses.
"Excuse me?" A tall, regal man stepped out of the shadows. Reaching forward, he pinned a strand of Dawn's hair behind her ear.
"I heard about your encounter with Arceus. It must have been terrifying."
"Well, to be honest, that wasn't the first time I had an 'encounter'. I saw…something the first day I left on my Pokemon journey." Though the man's features remained apathetic, he leaned forward, a glint of intrigue in his eyes.
"When I passed Lake Verity, Mesprit projected its soul." Glancing up, Dawn expected him to appear surprised; however, his features remained blank.
"Ah, isn't that a coincidence? You see, I came into contact with Mesprit myself. Physical contact that is. Unfortunately, such action has side effects. When one touches Mesprit, they surrender all their emotions…permanently."
"What do you think happens when someone comes into contact with Arceus?" Dawn asked, her eyes widened with fear.
In one swift motion, the man's muscular arms pinned Dawn to the wall.
"Oh, sweet Dawn," he uttered as his hand slid up Dawn's shirt and explored her bare chest, "something much worse."
Gary Oak gazed absently into the distance, his eyes swollen blue due to lack of rest.
Gary was located in a coffee shop that was trying way too hard for a bohemian atmosphere.
He had taken refuge in a window-side booth, an overpriced cup of coffee in his right hand. Numerous periodicals and research notes were scattered across the table, a gnawed ballpoint pen placed on its edge.
Gary was in the process of writing the official report of Dawn's Arceus encounter. For a Legendary Pokemon sighting to be properly documented, its case file must be studied by a qualified Pokemon Researcher to rule out all other possibilities. Even the most mundane of Pokemon can be mistaken for something extraordinary, with the right circumstances.
"You know, it is kinda ironic, seeing someone so tired in a place like this," the server stated; her manicured index finger pointing to the latte milk steamer.
"I guess," he replied, too submerged in his research to glance up at the girl. Craning her neck forward, the server assessed Gary's workload, her lips pursed in a wry smile.
"Arceus' appearance…perhaps it was just a catalyst for something greater?"
Placing his papers down, Gary glared at the girl with intrigue. By then, she was gone, replaced with a myriad of iridescent light that nearly blinded Gary's strained vision.
Somewhere in the magnificent haze, a pair of ethereal orbs peered back, penetrating Gary's very essence.
'Wake up' it spoke, and just like that, he drowned in its radiance.