The call of the pool hall is too much for Ash, as he abandons his quest for mastery to play the game of eight-ball. Years later, he's tracked down by an old friend.
Dedicated to John - you let me play when no-one else would.
The raven-haired man carefully chalked up the tip of his cue, deciding which way to go about the decision that was awaiting his choice. Sighing, he rested the cue on his hand, and lined up the shot. Breathing deeply, he drew the cue back, and brought it forward with a sharp crack.
Countless sets of eyes followed the cue ball as it whizzed around the table, finally hitting its destination - the black 8 ball. The 8 ball, as if struck by lightning, jumped from its stationary position and raced into the left corner pocket.
Sighs were released as Ash stood back up, shaking his opponent's hand. The prize money - nearly six hundred dollars in five and ten dollar bills - was handed to him. He carefully stashed the money inside his oilskin vest, before dismantling his pool cue and zipping it into its case. He then left the bar.
Ash Ketchum, one-time Pokémon champion, sat down on the wooden bench near the front entrance to the bar. Fumbling in his pockets, he found what he was looking for - a shrunken Pokéball. Pulling it out, he furtively looked around and made sure no-one was watching. Satisfied, he threw the Pokéball.
Emerging from the Pokéball was Pidgeot, one of the first Pokémon Ash had caught. Climbing onto its back, Ash smiled at the memory.
"Go, Pigeot, to Pallet Town!"
May Maple sat still, watching an old recording of a Pokémon battle. The video case sat next to the television, titled "Ash Ketchum vs The Orange Crew: Orange Islands 2001". Smiling at the dark-haired boy on the screen, May reflected on their journeys together. Her thoughts then turned to when Ash had gone missing, the frantic call she had received from Brock.
"Hey May, it's Brock."
"Hey there Brock! It's so good to hear from you! How are you? How are Dawn and Ash?"
Brock sighed. "May, Ash is missing."
May sat, as if frozen, the room spinning around her.
"Hello? May? Are you still there?" Brock's voice brought her back to reality.
"Brock, when did he go missing?"
"This morning. When I woke up, all his things were still where he left them, even Pikachu." May's heart had wrenched - he'd never leave Pikachu behind. Brock continued.
"There was no sign of a struggle. All his Pokémon were still there, with the exception of one, and his belongings were intact."
"Thanks for letting me know."
Since then, he'd simply been missing. There had been numerous sightings, as with any missing person. But May believed she would find him. Professor Oak had told her that Ash had swapped some of his Pokémon over, about a week after Brock's call. He'd taken Pidgeot, and left all the others at the ranch in Pallet Town. Re-focusing on the television, she saw Ash strike a victorious pose, as he held the Orange Islands trophy above his head.
I will find you, Ash Ketchum.