So. Let's just say that this is the beginning of a lot of shit.
Basically what happened was, after re-watching old pokemon as well as some of the new and, of course, the absolutely gorgeous diamond that is Puella Magica, I found some very convoluted and twisted inspiration. And after enduring the nagging of a persistent little sister, who REALLY wants me to write this, I caved and it has now happened. Hopefully, this'll be the start of something great!
Or something really bad, depending on how this is received. :P
Note, this story will start around the Episode N arc of the seasons and will not be going on to the Kalos arc (mostly because I have never seen it), so just know that that is where we stand. Other characters from previous seasons WILL appear, so don't think that this is solely a Unova thing. It's not. Also, as far as the Puella Magica timeline goes, it is before the universe gets a reset. Another note, this is not to be a crossover in the most typical of fashions. Read the chapter and you'll find out what I mean.
Also, updates will be relatively slow here, seeing as how I am working a lot on my other story, but do expect updates. They will happen, though sporadically!
Anyway, on to the story! Enjoy.
Obligatory Disclaimer - I don't own anything. Zip.
Dread
Ruin. That was all that could be seen. Trees uprooted from their seedling homes, broken cars overturned and sitting idly, silently, with great clefts crisscrossing the shattered streets they rested on as if some great beast had raked its claws through them in its passing. Broken glass and wooden rubble littered the ground, byproducts of the homes that had once existed in this place, all having been torn away and blown apart into little more than scrap. Broken streetlights surveyed the carnage from overhead, all busted save for one lonely light at the end of the street that flickered on and off, on and off, on and off, until at last it flickered no more. Silence was the only sound there was, so acute it was deafening, and yet not a single soul dare disturb it. Was there even a soul still in this wretched and lonely place?
And high, high above, hanging in a black and starless sky, was a full moon the color of blood, it's bloated frame seeming as if it were engorged on the fluid. Long, bloodstained shafts of light fell from it's surface, staining the ground a sickly, sticky red.
Suddenly, a figure, the first sign of life to be seen in this horrid place, darted in front of the moon, the moon's eerie red light framing them in shadow, making it impossible to tell who, or what, it was. Another form emerged from the shadows opposite, the distance and darkness making it impossible to see who it was, but none could miss the way the newcomer's form seemed to tremble and shake. Was it from laughter . . . or was it from tears? The first figure raised a hand, a long, spear-like object materializing into being over their head in a flash of azure light before whisking it forward, blade-first, towards the other. The other's trembling seemed to only intensify, though they uttered not a sound. Nevertheless, it called forth its own weapon, a scythe, in a blur of white, oily light. Then, on an unspoken cue, the two shot forward, and the harsh, ringing sound of clashing steel tore the silence to shreds.
Ash's eyes shot open and he sat up so quickly his head swam. Panting, his hand flew to his pounding heart, trying to calm down and just breathe. Dread curled his stomach in knots, making him feel sick, though why he felt that way he couldn't even begin to guess.
Was it . . . a nightmare? he thought. The nightmare he had had came back only in bits and pieces, fragments like any other nightmare, but that feeling of crippling anxiety, though it had faded, was something no nightmare, however scary, had ever caused him.
"Pikapi?" mewed a sleepy voice beside him.
Pulled from his whirling thoughts, Ash glanced down at the little yellow-furred mouse who was stretching by his side and relaxed. Seeing Pikachu by his side never failed to calm him down, and so, with gradually steadying nerves, spoke quietly, "Hey, did I wake you up buddy? Sorry."
Pikachu gave him a worried look, clearly sensing that his friend was troubled, "Pikapichu."
Ash shook his head, "Naw, I'm okay. Just had a-" Ash's breath was caught up in a yawn, and he realized how tired he still was, "just had a weird dream is all."
Running a hand over Pikachu's fur reassuringly, he took a quick look around and saw that he was still in camp, and judging from the other two still bundles nearby, it was a safe bet to assume that he hadn't woken anyone else up. But since the others were still sleeping . . .
"What time is it?" Ash wondered, glancing up at the sky as if it had the answer. It was still dark, though not as dark as a night should be. Early morning, perhaps? But since Cilan wasn't up, it couldn't have been that close to dawn yet.
"Pikapi?"
Ash looked back at Pikachu and smiled, wanting to berate himself for being so childishly afraid of a dream. Pokemon Masters weren't supposed to be scared of anything, let alone of a silly little nightmare!
"Let's go back to sleep, buddy. We gotta big day ahead of us," he whispered, feeling his eyes starting to droop again.
Pikachu chirped in agreement and quickly clambered back inside the warm confines of Ash's bedroll and to much needed sleep, while Ash glanced around the camp one last time before laying back and pulling the blankets back over himself, "Night buddy."
"Pi," was the muffled response, and Ash sleepily closed his eyes.
What a weird dream, he thought as he began to drift. But even on the verge sleep, he couldn't help but feel that faint sense of dread that he had woken up with, and no matter how hard he tried to ignore it, it would not disappear.
. . . I can't sleep like this, he thought abysmally, furrowing his eyebrows in discontent, Maybe I should try counting Mareep.
And that was exactly when a huge, earth-shatteringly loud explosion split the night in half.
Ash jolted out of his semi-unconscious state and shot to his feet at once, heart pounding all over again. The camp was suddenly awash with pale light, the dark from before being completely banished in its glow.
"Where's all this light coming from?" heshouted, looking around frantically before finally turning his face towards the sky, and when he did, he nearly fell over in shock. Ash's jaw dropped and he didn't even feel Pikachu leap onto his shoulder, or hear the little mouse pokemon trying get his master's stupefied attention. He didn't even turn his head when Pikachu finally turned to see what had Ash so awestruck, only to exclaim, "Pika?!"
Above, it was almost like someone had set the sky on fire, the stars and moon lost in brilliant, nearly blinding light. Waves of cascading energy rolled across the sky like waves in a tumultuous ocean, spreading far, so far that Ash couldn't see where they ended.
"W-what's going on?!" Iris's frightened voice shouted nearby, having been just as startled awake by the deafening boom as Ash had been.
"Axew! Axew!"
"I don't know, but it's definitely not good!" Cilan shouted, eyes on the rolling sky just like the others.
Then Ash noticed something. The waves were all originating from a single point, like ripples across a pond that had just had its waters disturbed by an uncaringly tossed pebble. And from that point, Ash could see an orb of light descend from the sky and careen towards the planet below. Was that . . . a falling star?
"Guys, look!" he yelled, pointing towards the star.
Iris was the first to see it, "What is that?!"
Ash was the first to respond, "I have no idea, but whatever it is, it's what's causing all of this!"
And Cilan was the first to realize, "G-guys, it's heading this way!"
And he was right. With every passing moment, the star came closer and closer at astonishing speed. At it was heading straight towards them.
Horror curled in his stomach, "Everybody! RUN!"
Ash turned and bolted, making sure his friends were by his side as they all ran for cover. Axew was clinging desperately to Iris's wildly swinging hair and Cilan, being the least outdoorsy of their trio, was doing his best just to keep up with them.
The light behind them was growing stronger, warmer, closer -
"Hurry!" Iris yelled, feeling the heat on the back of her neck.
Their shadows looked like giants, nearly swallowing the path in front of them and so dark they could scarcely see where they where going despite the light burning behind them. Ash, knowing they couldn't outrun it, looked around desperately for a place they could take cover, any place at all, when a sudden, surprised yelp and a dull thud from behind had him skidding to a halt. Oh no . . .
"CILAN!" Iris shouted in alarm, already running back toward their fallen friend whose foot had been snagged by an unseen tree root. Ash started running too, the light from the approaching star digging into his eyes like daggers and making them water. Then, with growing horror, he realized why the light was so strong. The star was almost on top of them!
Rational thought fled, and Ash let instinct take over.
"Everybody GET DOWN!" Ash shouted, grabbing Pikachu and Iris by the waist and diving to the ground next to Cilan. Without thinking, Iris and Cilan did the only thing they could do and covered their heads as soon as Ash and Iris hit the dirt. And not a moment later did they feel the wave of heat and searing light hurtle over their heads, so close that it viciously pulled at their hair and clothing. The light was so brilliant it made their closed eyes water and the pounding of their hearts was lost in the furious roar of its passing.
The sound of the explosion and snapping, shattering bark assaulted their ears, the ground shaking tremendously as the star landed. A fine film of warm, upturned earth sprayed into the air, showering all of them with a coat of rocky grit and dust. It wasn't until after the noise had died down and the piercing light had faded away that any of them dare lift their heads from their arms.
"Is . . . is it over?" Iris asked, trembling in the wake of her adrenaline. Axew, who had taken refuge in her hair, tentatively pushed his nose out from his hiding place, the little dragon pokemon looking around nervously, "Ax . . ."
"I-I think so," Cilan said, though he didn't sound entirely sure.
Ash, however, couldn't help but feel excited, and knowing that everyone was okay, didn't hesitate to make his feelings known, "Come on, lets check it out!"
The other two shot him disbelieving looks, but Iris was the one to vocalize, "Ash are you nuts?! That . . . thing, almost killed us!"
Ash was not to be deterred, "But don't you guys want to know what it even is? I sure do! It could be a meteorite or U.F.O, or maybe even an undiscovered pokemon! What about you buddy? "
Pikachu looked into his trainer's enthusiastic eyes and sheepishly rubbed the back of his furry head with his paw, "Pikapi . . ."
"See, Pikachu wants to go!" Ash said, looking at Iris.
He didn't give them a chance to protest, as he was already up and running toward the star/meteorite/U.F.O/pokemon with gusto in his step.
"Ash, wait!" Iris cried, but Ash wasn't listening, as usual. Growling, she muttered, "Ugh, I swear, he is such a little kid!"
Cilan bowed his head, "This is all a little too early in the morning for even my detective skills to handle."
Iris just huffed before grabbing Cilan by his sleeve and hauling him after her, "Come on!"
With the unnatural light from before gone, the dark had once again returned, the sky starless save a few brave specks that continued to glitter in the wake of the coming dawn. Ash often found himself stumbling, and diffidently noted that he was still only in his pajamas.
I really should have gone back for my shoes, he thought dismally after hitting his bare foot once again against an unseen stone, How far away did this thing land?
On the horizon, the faint, orange glow of the returning sun began to grow stronger, and as Ash walked, following the line of broken and, in some cases, smoldering trees, the sun finally broke over the mountains, offering a few frail orange rays to light the way, much to his relief. But as Ash drew closer to the mysterious star that had fallen from the sky, Ash started to slow down. Again, the dread he felt after his nightmare was returning, and every step he took that brought him closer to the star only increased that dread.
But Ash was growing tired of that feeling, and he was nothing if not stubborn, so he swallowed down his anxiety and continued marching.
It was because of the star, he told himself, that's all. You had a nightmare and then you had to run for your life, and it's messing with your nerves.
But when he finally crossed the last set of burnt, broken trees, he couldn't help but stop altogether. Beyond, a large crater smoldered before him, the dirt still warm from the crash, the rim surrounded by a ring of scorched trees. The crater, at its deepest, couldn't have been any deeper than maybe five feet, but the surrounding shadows made it seem even deeper.
"Whoa . . ." he said, looking at the scene of ruin in front of him.
Ruin. That was all that could be seen. Trees uprooted from their seedling homes, broken cars -
Ash mentally slapped himself, stop thinking about that!
Beside him, Pikachu, peered at his surroundings cautiously, warily. His ears twitched, listening, only to find silence. His fur tingled unpleasantly, a sign that always told him something was off. Something was wrong with this scene, aside from the obvious, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly what. The mouse pokemon glanced at the crater's heart and stiffened, exclaiming, "Pika!"
Ash jumped at Pikachu's sudden exclamation, having been so intent on examining the scene he had almost forgotten he was there. Nevertheless, Ash knew that something was up, so he gave his full attention to the mouse, "What is it, Pikachu? Is something wrong?"
Leaping down from his shoulder, Pikachu crept toward the edge and pointed down, "Pikachu!"
Ash looked down to where Pikachu pointed, down to the heart of the crater, eyes narrow as he tried to pick apart the shadows and the debris. And when he finally did so, he gasped. Something was there, something covered in dirt and chips of wood, something that wasn't just a burnt tree or an overturned rock.
"Pika!" Pikachu shouted, and starting making his way down to the heart.
"Hey, Pikachu, wait up!" With a new sense of urgency in his steps, Ash hurriedly made his way towards the center, excitement pushing down the dread he had felt earlier.
"ASH!" he paused once to look back toward the rim of the crater and saw that Iris and Cilan had caught up with him, Iris looking angry and Cilan looking worried. Smiling reassuringly, he gave them a wave to come on over before he carried on walking.
When he got to the center, he stopped and stared. The figure at its heart didn't look like a meteorite or U.F.O or a pokemon. In fact, it almost looked like . . .
It almost looked like . . .
"A person?" Ash whispered, drawing closer to the body lying motionless in the dirt. The person was covered in dirt and lying face down, and from what he could see, their clothes were torn and shredded, their feet bare. What were they doing here?
Slowly, cautiously, he crept over and knelt by the motionless body. Seeing that they did not stir, Ash carefully reached out a hand and-
"Ash!" The shout came from right behind him and he started, "AH!"
"Ash, what's going on down here?" Cilan inquired, looking in concern at the body lying on the ground.
"I . . ." Ash turned back toward the body, and Iris finally noticed what everyone was staring at.
"Oh my gosh, is that a person?" she asked, forgetting her anger and dropping to her knees beside Ash, worry in her eyes.
"Who is he? Did he get hit by the star?" Cilan asked, coming to kneel next to them.
Ash bit his lip, not sure who the person was or how they got there, but he knew without a doubt that he had to help, "I don't know but . . . they need help."
Pikachu, as his trainer and his friends talked, cautiously crept to the other side of the stranger to get a better look. The person smelled of smoke and earth, not too terribly unpleasant a smell by themselves, but there was something underneath it, something . . . metallic, and Pikachu wanted to know what it was. Once on the other side, he went to curiously examine the stranger's face, moving slowly so as not to startle the person should they suddenly wake up. Then the mouse pokemon paused, blinking, staring at the stranger's dirtied face. That couldn't be right . . .
Ears now pricked up in unease, Pikachu crept even closer and carefully brushed some of the mangy black hair away from the human's face. What he saw made him freeze, "Pi-Pika?!"
All eyes went toward Pikachu, who was now frozen in shock and surprise. Ash and the others quickly turned their eyes toward the body Pikachu was standing in front of, and found their own movement stilling.
The person was moving, limbs tensing and relaxing as the stranger's consciousness slowly began to return. The person pressed their palms against the dirt floor and, after some strain, pushed themselves to their knees, dirt crumbling off of their sullied clothes. Back facing them, the person made to stand, rising on trembling legs. For a few unsteady moments, they held it, when suddenly their legs gave out and they went toppling to the floor.
Ash shot up and caught the stranger around their midsection before they could hit the ground, the other two behind him gasping in alarm.
Gently setting them back on their knees and keeping a steadying hand on the person's shoulders, Ash took a moment to examine the other in front of him. Though they may have been covered in dirt and grime and their clothes were damaged beyond recognition, the physique was a dead give-away. The person was definitely male. His hair was black, though it was a bit difficult to tell what with how filthy and unkempt it was. Through the layer of dirt that coated the boy's clothes and body, Ash could see pale skin. Very pale skin, too pale to be considered healthy, which made Ash a little worried. His left arm hung limply by his side, fingers lazily brushing against the dirt. But his other hand, Ash noticed, was clenched into a tight fist on his lap, as if he were holding something. The boy's chin rested languidly against his chest, the shadows of the early morning coupled with his tousled black hair obscuring much of his face, and he slumped heavily against Ash, as if simply standing had leeched away whatever strength he had left.
He's freezing, Ash realized with a jolt. The boy's skin was like ice, the cold seeping through his wrecked clothes. Yet the boy wasn't even trembling. Did he even feel how cold he was?
Ash spoke softly, trying not to frighten the clearly dazed individual, "Hey, you shouldn't be moving around like that yet, okay."
His friends quickly gathered around him, worried for the stranger and discomforted by his silence, but trying to appear non-threatening.
"Yeah, not until we can get you to a hospital," Cilan said, scooting closer.
"I know you must be a little confused right now, but we'll help you, don't worry," Iris pitched in, offering a smile.
"Axew, ax!" Axew piped in.
Ash made to wrap the stranger's arm around his shoulders and help him to his feet when he paused, eyes straying over the boy's shoulder to the floor, "Hey, what's wrong Pikachu?"
The mouse pokemon had not moved an inch in all the time they had spoken, was still frozen in place and staring in absolute disbelief and alarm at the unknown boy's face.
"Pikachu, what is it?" Ash asked in growing alarm, trying to coax his friend out of whatever stupor he was in.
The boy, previously listless, suddenly stirred, as if the sound of their voices had finally roused him. Slowly, stiffly, as if his neck was tied in an uncomfortable brace, the boy lifted his head and faced them.
And every jaw present hit the floor.
Glassy brown eyes, disoriented and lightless, gazed at them tiredly, black, dirt-covered bangs casting a dark shadow over them, making them look even more hollow and detached. But more disturbing than that empty look, more shocking than any thunderbolt, was the boy's pale, dirt-smeared face. Ash felt his heart race, the dread he had felt before returning tenfold. He stared, unbelieving, stunned beyond words, because the boy sitting in front of him, the boy whose shoulder his hand currently rested on, was a boy who looked exactly like -
"Me?" Ash breathed.
Aaaaand yeah. The beginning of a lot of shit. :x
And I know, this is a really short chapter.
Rate and Review, if it pleases you. :)
