It was a bittersweet day for Ash Ketchum. He and his long-time partner, Pikachu, just said goodbye to his travel companions Brock, May, and Max. He had finished touring all around the Hoenn region with them and now it was time to go back home to his mother, Deliah Ketchum.
"(sigh) Pikachu...it was fun while it lasted...wasn't it?" Ash asked as they began the trek home. He looked at Pikachu, who was on his shoulder. It's head was lowered and tears were forming in it's eyes.
"Pikapii.." It responded sadly. Ash raised his hand to stroke Pikachu's chin. "It will be alright buddy. Wait until we get home and mom cooks for us."
Pikachu cooed at the feeling of his fur being petted. Suddenly his ears perked up! Eyes widen, Pikachu jumps off Ash's shoulder and runs back a little. Ash turns around dumbfounded. "What's the matter, Pikachu? Do you hear something?"
Suddenly, a faint sound appears in the distance. Ash and Pikachu stand quietly as the noise gets louder as it seems to get closer to the two. Out of nowhere, Pikachu runs and tackles Ash into some nearby bushes as a bunch of fire trucks and police cars rush by, sirens ablaze. Ash and Pikachu watch in confusion as the squad of emergency cars were headed to...
"PALLET TOWN!" Ash realized. "Pikachu, we gotta hurry! Pallet Town must be in trouble!"
On and on they ran until they reached the entrance to Pallet Town. What they saw was horrifying. The whole town was scorched. Buildings lay in debris. Trees and backyards were still up in large flames. As Ash and Pikachu ran through town, they saw bodies of dead or barely alive people and pokemon alike. All looked as if they had been torched by a flamethrower.
"Who could have done this, Pikachu? Everything...everyone is gone...MOM!" Ash runs to his house. When he arrives, firefighters are in the process of putting out the huge house fire. Ash tries to run in to save his mother, but a firefighter pulls him back. "I'm sorry kid! But you cannot go in there! Do you not see that there is a huge fire!?" Ash tries to squirm to get free, but to no avail. "I don't care! Let me go! My mother is in there!"
Hearing that, the firefighter sends in a group of 4-5 to go save her. Ash looks in horror as the fire engulfs the house even more! He decides to send out Corphish, a water pokemon he received while traveling in the Hoenn region. "Corphish! Use bubblebeam! Douse the fire!" Corphish opened its crab-like pincers shot round after round of bubblebeams. The fire wasn't affected.
"Damnit! Its not working!" Ash bit his lip as he waits for Corphish's attack to take effect. Suddenly, he sees a dark figure in the fire. Then he sees more as the first one makes an entrance out the fire. The firefighters come out with two people on their backs. One was an old man Ash recognized as Professor Oak. The other was Ash's mother. Both were severely burned and injured. "Corphish return!" Ash pulls out Corphish's pokeball and the little crab is beamed back into its home. He then runs to the ambulance that is carrying both his mom and mentor. "Do you know these two people?" a firefighter asks. Ash pushes him away. "Yes that's my mother! And he's my friend! Hurry and take them to the hospital!"
They are rushed to the hospital in Pewter City, where Ash's mom and Professor Oak are put into intensive care. Ash waits impatiently for a few hours in the waiting room, pacing back and forth. Pikachu sits in a chair , looking at his partner in distress. A familiar voice is then heard.
"Hello, has a boy named Ash Ketchum arrived here recently!?"
The secretary working the front desk nodded and pointed out to Ash, who was oblivious that his name was being called for. Pikachu heard and recognized the voice. "Pikapiiiii!" It yelled as it pulled on Ash's pants, motioning him to the familiar voice. "What is it Pikachu?" Ash looks over to where Pikachu was pointing. "Brock! Hey there!"
Brock, Ash's best friend and Pewter City gym leader, was relieved that his friend was okay...at least physically. "Hey man. I heard about the fire in Pallet Town. What happened?" Ash's throat felt like a large lump formed and his eyes began to water. He put his head down. "I don't even know Brock. One minute me and Pikachu are walking to Pallet Town and the next we arrive to see most of the town up in flames...my house included..." Brock's eyes opened wide. "What...what about your mother...and Professor Oak? Are they alright?" Ash shook his head. "I don't know. I arrived when the firefighters were trying to put out the fire. I tried to help with Corphish, but it didn't work. Then they came out with my mom and the professor. They're in intensive care right now."
Brock sighed and put his hand on his long time friend's shoulder. "Well I'll stay here with you...all night...for the whole week if you need me to." Ash gave a crooked smile. "Thanks." A doctor comes out the intensive care ward. "Hi, are you Ash Ketchum?" Ash nods. "Yes that's me. How is my mother and the professor!? The doctor's face turns white. "Uhmmm...yes...the professor is doing fine. He just needs a few days recovery...but...I'm sorry to say...your mother's burns...they were too severe...as well as she had a suffered a huge blow to the head...she...couldn't pull through even with...surgery...I am so deeply and truly sorry..."