"Guardian Angel"
Three years had past, and Ash Ketchum had grown tired of traveling. He tried to continue however the drive just was not there and had decided to settle down on the outskirts of his native Pallet Town where he intended to live a quiet, peaceful life while still remaining active in the Pokemon community. Just years ago, Ash's world had been changed forever when the love of his life, Dawn had taken her own life out of a lovesickend rage, for she too had fallen in love with Ash, and though he would never return. However when Ash admitted his love for Dawn, she appeared before him as a spirit for a fleeting moment before disappearing again.
Ash never saw her again, and try as he might he could never find the same drive to keep on traveling the world to become the pokemon master he dreamed of being. His travels continued to the Kalos region where one of his traveling companion's Serena who has an obvious crush on Ash drove him to finally giving up. After only earning two badges, he suddenly abandoned his traveling group and began his trip home.
Ash sat at one of the video phones at one of the three Pokemon Centers within the massive Luminose City, his trusted companion Pikachu right by his side. He only had one phone call to make, to his mother in Pallet Town, he slowly dialed the number into the machine and waited for the response. Sure enough his mother's face appeared on the screen.
"Hello Ashy my dear!" Delia. Ketchum greeted her son cheerily, not noticing the obviously somber expression on Ash's face.
"Hi mom." Ash responded, unenthusiastically.
Delia then finally noticed the heavy hearted expression Ash's face "What's bothering you?" She asked.
Ash took a deep breath, and opened his mouth. "I'm… retiring."
Delia was taken aback. "You're RETIRING?!" She spluttered into the phone, "Ash how could you?!"
"It's not an easy thing to say, but I'm just not enjoying it as much as I used to." Ash admitted, Pikachu added in with a gloomy "Pika."
"You're still young, you've done so much, and there is so much left for you. I don't understand." Delia tried to reason with Ash.
"It's just not the same anymore," Ash paused and looked away, "not since she died."
"I see." Delia's said softly, sympathetically.
"I'm coming home," Ash continued, "but I've bought my own house, I'm going to be moving in as soon as I can."
"Oh" Delia replied, disappointed, she sighed. "well, I can't fix a broken heart, and I trust you to live on your own."
"Thank you mom, I'll see you soon." Ash finished. "goodbye."
The screen went black, Ash stood up and walked outside into the bustling metropolis. The sound of the city was overwhelming but Ash didn't care. He had a plane to catch in an hour and he needed to get there as soon as possible.
"Well Pikachu, it was a long adventure. I enjoyed all the ups and downs along the way I hope you did too." Ash spoke to his companion.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu responded with some more optimism.
"We can still stretch our legs out back home, there's lots of fields to run around in." Ash added on.
"Pika." Pikachu nodded.
Nothing more was said, as Ash quickly made his way to the airport, it was just as busy as the city, but Ash had little reason to worry, he had his ticket and all he needed to get back to Kanto safely. Once past security, he boarded his plane.
Giovanni sat in his leather chair inside his darkened office, slowly sipping at a glass of fine wine. At his side his Persian stood obediently. As the leader of the villainous group Team Rocket, Giovanni decided to head off to relax in solitude, he had quite a lot on his mind and needed time to plan and make his next move. His solitude was soon disturbed when his secretary, Matori walked in.
"What is it?" Giovanni asked bluntly, taking another sip from his glass.
"We've received some interesting news sir." Matori responded.
"And what is this about?" Came the response.
"It's about Ash Ketchum sir."
Giovanni grew to hate hearing this name, his trio of Jessie, James, and Meowth had been fruitlessly trying for years to capture Ash's Pikachu but were always thwarted by Ash and his friends.
"That little brat again?!" Giovanni threw the wine glass against the wall, and slammed his fist on his desk. "What about him now!?"
Matori kept calm and gave Giovanni the answer. "He's settling down sir, he's no longer traveling."
"Interesting." mused Giovanni, scratching his chin in thought.
"We've just been informed of his residence. Should we send the usual trio to capture him?" Matori asked.
"Absolutely not!" Bellowed Giovanni, "I'm sick and tired of hearing about this kid from those worthless buffoons, I don't him, or his goddamn Pikachu, I want him of the face of this planet!"
"Are you suggesting murder?" Matori quizzed, taken by surprise.
"Of course! I want him dead." Grunted Giovanni, "I would suggest having a Pokemon do it but I think I'd rather have a more classical approach."
"And what would that be sir?"
"Take a gun, and shoot him in the head," Giovanni explained, gesturing with his left hand, "it's that simple. Do you understand?"
"Yes sir." Matori finished, and left the room.
Giovanni paused and sat back down. "Hopefully they can do that right."
A month had passed and Ash had moved into his new home in Pallet town. His house was more isolated, and also slightly bigger than the rest. The home used to be a ranch, that housed Tauros, and to a much smaller extent, Miltank, due to Miltank not being native to Kanto. Ash had his old friends Brock, and Misty as well as his own pokemon help move in and the work was nearly done. Ash had decided to finish the job on his own; just so he could add some personal touches to the house.
Ash sat on his bed in his room, he was holding a picture frame in his hands.
"The final touch" Ash said, softly.
He put the picture frame on the nightstand next to the bed, inside the picture frame was a photograph of Dawn smiling brightly out in the middle of a field, her piplup sitting upon her head. Ash smiled too, but the smile fell shortly after.
"I miss you so much Dawn, I wish I could see you again." He sighed, and he laid back on the bed. Pikachu jumped up on the bed as well to join his trainer.
Ash stared at the ceiling in though for a few moments before closing his eyes to try and take a mid afternoon nap. The sun was still high in the sky and sunlight that illuminated the white walls of the room made it difficult to fall asleep, but Ash was quite tired and the sunlight didn't bother him. Pikachu joined him on the bed, curled up on the other side of the bed and went to sleep as well. All was silent in the house.
"Ash! Please!"
A haunting, yet familiar voice frantically echoed through the room. Ash sprung up suddenly hearing the voice, Pikachu had also heard the voice and sat up in confusion as well. The voice didn't come from any particular direction, and Ash looked around. He got up and looked outside the room through the hallways, there was no one around, all he could see was the dust particles that floated in the air where the sun shone through the windows.
"Must have been my imagination." Speculated Ash, and returned to his bed.
Pikachu still sitting on the bed watched as his trainer walked back over to the bed and sat down. Ash laid back down and turned to look at the picture frame, he froze in shock and horror. The expression on Dawn's face had changed, instead of a bright cheerful smile, her expression was replaced with one of, fear, she looked as if she was crying almost.
"What the…!" Ash exclaimed in his astonishment, his eyes couldn't move from the picture.
Pikachu also looked at the picture in amazement, how could that happen to a still photograph. It was a mystery to him and his trainer Ash. Suddenly Pikachu had the sudden urge to look out the door into the hallway, he did so, and wished he hadn't. Out in the hallway, stood a figure, it looked like Dawn but horribly mangled as she looked when she took her life a long time ago. Pikachu shrieked in terror, causing Ash's head to swing over and look out into the hall. He saw nothing.
"What's wrong Pikachu?!" Ash asked.
Pikachu could barely speak at what he had just seen, he just squeaked between breaths. The pupils in his eyes were huge and dilated. Ash had never seen Pikachu so frightened before.
"What's going on…" Ash wondered.
Since that incident, the mood in the house changed dramatically. There always seemed to be an ominous presence in the house. Neither Ash, nor Pikachu knew what it was. Ash would often get a feeling of dread and sorrow, as he sat around the house, often bringing him to tears. Pikachu refused to be alone in the house and followed Ash everywhere he went, even the bathroom. Never the less both of them kept feeling as if they were watched by someone, the feeling didn't seem like it wanted to hurt them, but wanted them to leave.
After lunch, Ash decided to wash dishes. Normally he didn't do this himself, but since he was alone in his own home he had to. He really hated washing dishes, he found it really boring and time consuming, time he usually would rather spend training. However since he had little reason to train anymore he had lots of free time so he did it anyway. The window in front of the kitchen sink had a beautiful view of the rolling hills and the mountains in the distance. Ash looked out the window and sighed before looking back down and continuing to wash. Pikachu sat at the table and watched Ash rinse the fine china dishes beneath the water faucet, he grew bored and sighed softly. He continued watching when he noticed something start to appear on the window, it started to spell out something and Pikachu's fir stood on end.
"Pi...P-p-p-Pikapi!" Pikachu squeaked.
"What's up Pika-Whoa!" Ash looked up from the dishes and at the window. On the window he saw two words, it spelt out "They're coming"; it looked as if it was written in someone's blood, and some of it streamed down and landed on the windowsill. Ash stared at the window for a few seconds and looked at Pikachu.
"Something weird is going on Pikachu." Ash said
"Pika." Pikachu concurred.
"I hope we can get some sleep tonight." Ash, worried, "All these events are giving me the creeps."
Pikachu nodded, and leapt down from his chair onto the floor. Both He and Ash had experienced ghosts before, whether they were Pokemon or not, and had even been ghosts before but somehow had never been so spooked by such paranormal experiences before.
It was starting to get dark, and Ash and Pikachu decided to get some sleep; they were unaware of what they were about to experience.
It was about 2:00 AM and all of Pallet Town was fast asleep, except for two individuals hiding in the bushes outside of Ash's house. Both were Grunts from Team Rocket, dressed in typical black Team Rocket attire.
"Is this the place, Barret?" One grunt asked
"This is it, Zenon" Barret confirmed.
"Alright lets do the deed." Zenon got out of the bushes and silently broke the lock on the front door and they snuck in.
Once inside, everything was near pitch black aside from the light from the moon that shone through the large windows of the house; this made it easy for the two grunts to navigate through the house. However a few minutes into the search for Ash, they started to feel rather uneasy. Every few seconds they would hear strange noises throughout the house. With every few steps it seem to get worse, once they reached the kitchen it had gotten to the point where they thought they could feel something walking behind them.
"Barret I don't know why I agreed to this." Zenon shuddered.
"What the hell are you on about? You want to make the boss happy?" Barret whispered sharply.
"I know man, but this place is freaking me out!" came Zenon's reply.
"You're just a big wimp, everything is fi-"
Barret never finished his sentence, as he took another step, a water glass came flying off a shelf, past the grunt's nose and smashed against the wall opposite. Both men were speechless.
"W-w-what was that?!" Barret spluttered out of fear.
"I don't know and I don't care! I'm getting out of here!" Zenon spun around to run down the hall but he didn't even make one step. Standing only 15 feet from the two Grunt was a girl, the girl looked like Dawn. The girl was expressionless, but her dead eyes stared coldly at them.
"Heh, a little girl?" Zenon said, fearlessly, drawing out a pistol, "I guess we can finish you off first."
Upon drawing the pistol, the spirit's face turned from expressionless to angry. Suddenly the pistol flew from the grunt's hand. Zenon froze in fear once again. Barret quickly drew his pistol as well. The spirit put her left hand to her chest and outstretched it to her side. Barret felt himself being lifted up and pinned against the wall.
"What's going on?!" Whimpered Barret
"I don't know!" Cried Zenon in fright.
A maniacal grin crossed the spirit's face, plates, glasses, and knives began levitating in the air, and one by one they flew at the two grunts. One of them getting their shoulder sliced by a large kitchen knife as it shot past them and into the wall next to the defenseless grunt pinned to the wall.
"I WON'T LET YOU HURT HIM!" The spirit roared, her voice eerily distorted.
Ash Ketchum woke from his bed with a start, he could hear a commotion outside his door, he and Pikachu sprang from their bed, and dashed out the bedroom door, he turned the corner into the kitchen and he was shocked at what he saw. From behind he could see what appeared to be Dawn standing in the middle of the kitchen, plates, and chairs, floating in mid air and the two petrified Rocket Grunts.
"Dawn!" Ash called out.
The spirit's twisted expression turned to surprise, and she quickly vanished before their very eyes. All the items floating in the air fell to the ground with. The two grunts didn't care if their target was standing right in front of them, they bolted out the door screaming.
Ash stood with his Pikachu in stunned silence in the dark kitchen alone for what seemed like an hour trying to figure out what had just happened. Ash silently turned around and walked back to his room, Pikachu following close behind. Ash sat on his bed, sleep was going to be impossible now after what he had witnessed, but he just sat there silently staring at the picture of Dawn on his night stand. Finally he looked up.
"Dawn?" Ash uttered, as if Dawn was still there.
Nothing happened for a few seconds, but sure enough, the spirit of Dawn manifested before him. Dawn appeared translucent, in a light blue, she carried a light, spectral glow around her. She looked down at her feet as if she was ashamed of something, small tears began to well up from her ghostly blue eyes. Ash was not frightened by her appearance, for he had seen her before years ago. This was different however, this seemed more intimate than the last time.
"Hi Ash." Dawn spoke sheepishly, her voice seemed to echo slightly.
"Did you know those grunts were coming?" asked Ash.
"Yes I did," Dawn responded, she wiped her eyes "I knew you were in danger. I tried to warn you, but I just couldn't do it."
"So it was you who I heard calling my name, and wrote on the window" Ash said.
"Yes it was," Dawn concluded, "I wanted to appear before you but I just didn't have the energy to do it, until now."
"I see." Ash nodded his head.
"Pika-Pikachu" Pikachu interjected, he was referring to seeing Dawn's mutilated body standing in the hallway.
Dawn turned to Pikachu, "I'm sorry Pikachu, I didn't mean to scare you, I didn't mean to scare either of you." Dawn sniffled, and wiped her eyes again. "I was trying to tell you what would happen to you… It's not your time yet."
"Thank you Dawn," Ash smiled, "we're all okay, no need to worry."
Dawn smiled too, but the smile fell to a frown shortly after, she looked away. "It's just so lonely where I am, I miss you so much, Ash."
"I miss you too Dawn, I've missed you since we parted all those years ago." Ash admitted, "I really wanted to see you again, I just never found the time."
Dawn sniffled some more, once again reminded of her terrible mistake that resulted in her being damned to roam the world as a spirit. "I'm so sorry Ash, I'm so stupid."
Ash was silent, not knowing how to respond. "I wish I could have paid you a visit."
"I wish I could have been a bit more patient," Dawn sighed "I kept my feelings boxed up for so long it drove me to this."
"Every night I had dreamed of kissing you, and holding you in my arms." Ash went on, "I still wish I could do it just once."
Dawn frowned some more, then she lifted her head up, smiling. "Lay back down on the bed and relax, you too Pikachu, close your eyes."
Ash, along with Pikachu, not entirely sure what Dawn had planned complied with her request. Once they had laid down, Dawn placed her hands on Ash's and Pikachu's foreheads. Ash suddenly began to feel the weight of the world lift away and felt as if he was floating in mid air.
"Open your eyes now, Ash." Dawn cooed.
Ash opened his eyes slowly, he found himself staring Dawn in the eyes, Dawn holding onto his and Pikachu's hands. Ash looked down and saw himself and Pikachu laying on the bed with closed eyes. This made both feel uneasy. Even though they had a similar experience year ago in lavender town it still wasn't a pleasant sight to see.
"Whoa…" Ash whispered.
"Pika…"
"Follow me." Dawn smiled, and they glided out the window into the moon lit sky. It was an amazing view to see Pallet Town from the sky, but Ash's attention was focused on Dawn, she was just as beautiful as he remembered her, I loved her uplifting smile and glittering blue eyes. It was an amazing experience. Dawn stopped high above the town and the two, and Pikachu floated silently in the night sky, both Ash and Dawn gazing into each other's eyes.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner Dawn," Ash apologized, "I could have saved your life."
Dawn simply smiled, "No need to worry." She leaned in and kissed him.
Ash slowly melted into her arms and caressed her gently as levitated silently in the night sky. Pikachu watched on as the two stayed with lips locked for minutes. They didn't want to break the kiss, they waited so long for a moment they thought would never come and it finally came. Finally, both reluctantly broke the kiss. They stared into each other's eyes for another few minutes. Ash had never seen Dawn so happy in his life, she looked as if she could cry in joy.
"I love you Ash Ketchum." Dawn whispered into the night.
"I love you too Dawn." Ash said.
Dawn slowly brought them back to Ash's room where Dawn began crying again.
"I don't want to go…" Dawn sobbed into Ash's ghostly chest.
"I don't want you to go either." Ash sympathized, stroking the bluenette's hair, "I want you to stay here, and know that you're always here for me, like a guardian angel."
Dawn looked up from Ash's chest. "Really?"
"If you can protect me from Team Rocket like that, I would love to have you be my guardian angel."
Dawn's tears changed to tears of joy. "So it shall be." She smiled.
She brought Ash and Pikachu back down to the bed and lay their spirits back into their bodies. They both woke up, the last thing they heard was a ghostly giggle of happiness from Dawn's spirit. Ash looked around, he was finally alone with Pikachu.
"What a night huh Pikachu." Ash said to the yellow mouse Pokemon.
"Pikachu." Pikachu concurred nodding, before yawning.
"I think we should try to get some sleep," Ash yawned as well, and laid down and got under the covers.
"Good night Pikachu, goodnight Dawn." Ash whispered.
Ash closed his eyes, and before he drifted off to sleep, he felt a soft peck on the cheek, Ash wasn't surprised, he knew it was Dawn and he went happily to sleep.
The next morning, the sun shined brightly through the windows of Ash's room, the only sound to be heard were the calls of Pidgeys as they soared through the air. Ash stirred and woke from his slumber, Pikachu followed shortly after. He hadn't felt better in his life, and sprung from the bed and ran down to his mother's house. Upon arrival he knocked heavily on the door. There was no reply initially but a minute later, the door opened and Delia Ketchum stood rubbing her eyes.
"What is it dear?" She gurgled.
"I've had an epiphany!" Ash beamed, "I'm coming back, I'm going to be a Pokemon master again!"
Delia was delighted with her son's announcement "I knew you couldn't stay away for long." She grinned, "How did this happen?"
"I had some encouragement from an old friend." Ash winked.
"Pikaka." Pikachu chimed in.
"Well then, I must get you a new outfit together at once!" Delia skipped happily back inside to prepare Ash some clothes for his new journey shutting the door behind her.
Ash smiled and looked into the sky. "It's all thanks to you Dawn, I couldn't do it without you."
"Pikapika!" Pikachu squeaked cheerily.
"I've already got my badges from Kalos, I better finish the job." Ash grinned to himself and promptly ran to Professor Oak's laboratory to retrieve his Pokemon for his new journey into the Kalos region. He didn't care if he traveled alone, he knew he always had someone watching over him wherever he went.