Back In A Mind
(Ash's POV)
When I saw Pikachu on the ground, my heart began racing. I felt an anger I didn't think existed. And suddenly, as if the gods heard my confusion, begging for answers, images flooded my mind. Millions of pictures flew through my head, my eyes. Various scenes...of me and Pikachu.
Me and Pikachu on the ground, a flock of spearow flying away.
Me sleeping on a bed, with an injured-looking Pikachu in my arms.
Me and Pikachu standing across from Brock in a gym.
Me and Pikachu standing across from Misty in a pool area.
Me holding Pikachu in my arms, losing to a Kadabra.
Me smiling with Pikachu on my shoulder.
Millions more flooded through, but those stuck out most. I clenched my fist, feeling something...love. I loved this creature, as my pokemon. They were right.
I was friends with Brock, I was friends with a girl named Misty. I loved Pikachu, I owned Pikachu, he was my best friend, we had fun. I tried to crawl to Pikachu, but purple needles hit the ground in front of me. I looked up and saw the vespiquen, still angry. I looked over to Luxio and Vulpix, and saw a horrified expression on Luxio's face as she stare at Pikachu. Vulpix, however, decided to take a nap.
I slowly rose to my feet, somehow summoning the strength. I felt the poison in my body, taking its toll on my body. I took a step. Another. Then stumbled, beside Pikachu. I moved my hand beside his face, then noticed his eyelids flicker. I saw his eyes slowly open, then he smiled as he saw me.
"Buddy...you're okay..." I slowly took him in my arms and gently rubbed his head. I looked at his wound, seeing it was pretty serious. He needed a doctor. I looked up at vespiquen. "Vespiquen! You have to let me take him to a pokemon center! He's in serious trouble if you don't!" I shouted, but the pokemon shook its head. Its claws glowed white and it extended its arms. "No! It can't battle now! It needs a doctor!" I yelled, but the pokemon waved its claw. I heard Luxio yell angrily at it, but it buzzed loudly and hovered at Luxio with the white claws. I couldn't believe this bug.
"NO!" I shouted angrily, then it stopped. It looked over to me. "We don't want to battle! We can't right now! We need help!" I shouted at it, letting my emotions get the best of me. It lowered its head, then held out its arm, forming the green blade from earlier. "Not now! Don't you get it? We're tired and need rest!" I yelled again. The pokemon hovered to the ground, then held out its arms to Pikachu. I looked into its eyes, but didn't see the anger from earlier. I reached formy belt and grabbed a pokeball. I opened it, and my crab pokemon popped out. "Corphish, bubblebeam!" I pointed to the burning hive entrance. It nodded, then fired an array of bubbles and quickly distinguished the fire. I smiled to vespiquen, and it tilted its head. "It's a hard world, vespiquen. We can't asume someone did something for a reason without hearing their side of the story." I told the bug. It nodded, thenlooked back at Pikachu. I smiled. I brought out the good in vespiquen. I'm proud. "All right, Vespiquen, let's get Pikachu gently to the pokemon center." I said, then picked up my old friend. I nodded to vespiquen, then a flame blasted it backwards into a tree. I gasped, then looked back to see May. Her Combusken looked ready.
"Ash! Are you okay?" she asked, looking at Pikachu in my arms. She gasped, then saw Luxio and Vulpix. She gasped as she saw the wounds on the sleeping fox. "Vulpix! Did that bug do this to you!" she pointed angrily at vespiquen, not realizing she just woke her up. Vespiquen buzzed angrily, then I raised my hand in front of her as her claw glowed white.
"Vespiquen, it's okay." I said calmly, but it still had confusion in its eyes. "Remember what I said about their side of the story? She just saw the wounds and knew my pokemon wouldn't injure her pokemon. She can be misjudging sometimes." I smiled, calming the bug down. It looked back at May, giving a small glare. I sighed, then my vision began to get blurry. I stumbled over, gently landing on my knees and placing Pikachu on the ground. I felt so dizzy, the poison must be taking an effect. I saw May run over to me.
"Ash...are you okay..." I felt my hearing begin to fade. Her voice was a whisper. I pointed to Pikachu, then collapsed.
(May's POV)
"Ash! Ash, wake up! Come on!" I shook his body, trying to wake him up. He didn't move. I looked over to Pikachu and noticed the red mark. I gasped. Pikachu was seriously injured! I've never seen anything like this! I looked over to the bug. WHat had Ash called it? Vespiquen? "Vespiquen...that's your name, isn't it?" the bug nodded. "Why did you do this?" it began making buzzing noises, as if talking. It pointed over to a bush, where it was slightly black. "...Vulpix. Did she accidentally disturb your hive?" the bug nodded. "So you were blinded by rage, and Pikachu defended her?" it nodded again. I understood. "Okay, we gotta get these guys to a pokemon center!" I said to vespiquen. We nodded to each other, then I grabbed Ash's pokeballs and recalled Corphish. Then I recalled Luxio, with difficulty getting it away from Ash. Finally, I put Vulpix back in her pokeball. I lifted Ash with Combusken's help, and Vespiquen grabbed Pikachu. It hovered in the air, then pointed into the trees. I ran in that direction, and soon we came across a small building. A hospital. What are the odds? We ran inside, and got Pikachu into a room. Then the doctor took Ash into another room as I handed Luxio's pokeball to a Nurse Joy assistant. I joined the doctor in Ash's room as he hooked some cords into his arms. I heard the machine beeping, then the doctor held Ash's wrists.
"Seems a massive amount of poison has entered his body. But luckily, you were able to get him here before it reached his bloodstream. We can remove it within the hour. I suggest you go help take care of that pikachu with my assistant." the doctor told me. I sighed, happy he was going to be okay. I stepped out and walked down the hall, then noticed I was alone. I had recalled Combusken...but where was vespiquen? I stepped outside then noticed her outside a window.
"What's wrong?" I asked, then saw inside the window. Pikachu was on the bed, while Nurse Joy put some patches on Pikachu's cheeks. I saw the patches connect to wires, which connected to batteries. "You feel guilty, don't you?" I asked it. It lowered its head. "It's going to be okay. You were blinded, it's not your fault." I rubbed the bug's shoulder, then it smiled weakly to me. A little later, Max, Brock, Dawn and I were in Ash's room. I watched his body, motionless. ''Ash..."
(Ash's POV)
I slowly opened my eyes. I first saw blue hair, then realized it was Dawn. I rubbed her back, then she looked at me with teary eyes. "Ash!" she squealed as she hugged me again. Then she pulled away and kissed me on my lips. But, there was something different. It didn't quite feel the same. When she pulled back, she gave me her smile. I smiled back, but wasn't completely honest. I was confused. I looked over to see Max and Brock smiling, then finally...May. I wasn't sure how she felt. Her eyes had tears, so she was obviously sad. She had her hand held to her chest, looking at her legs.
"May..." I stopped when I saw her look up, then she smiled. I smiled as she took me into a hug. But, suddenly, I realized something, This felt like a hug with Dawn. What was going on? I looked around, looking for my pokemon. I noticed no one but us five.
"Don't worry, Ash. Your pokemon are safe. Luxio's getting better, and Pikachu is getting recharged. You may still not remember, but-" I hopped off the bed, stopping his talking. I stepped to the door, then stumbed out. I saw the others follow me down the hall as I stumble down the hallway.
"Ash, you need to rest. They're in good hands." Max told me, but I didn't believe him. Pikachu was my best friend, at least in the past. But now, I remembered it clearly. We loved, cared, battled, and ate together. I heard a noise, then saw a bright light illuminate around te corner. I looked over to see Luxio stumbling into the wall as she tried down the hall, with a few sparking bodies on the floor. I rubbed her head, the she looked up at me. She smiled, then we looked for Pikachu's room. Soon, we stumbled into the room with my best buddy. I saw the nurse with a frown, then she noticed us on the floor.
"What on earth...? here." she helped me up and on a chair. "Is this Pikachu yours?" I nodded. "I'm afraid...he might not make it, but there's a slim chance." I looked over to my buddy, then heard my friends come through the door.
"Ash! Don't run away like that!" Max said, then everyone saw the nurse's face. They looked at me, to confirm the truth from her face. I wore a small smile, small.
"As I as saying, there is a slim chance for your pikachu." she repeated. Suddenly, Brock got down on one knee.
"Nurse Joy! Pikachu's condition has suddenly sparked-" he jumped up again. "Later! How can we help Pikachu?" he asked, making Max and May gasp.
"Well, your pokemon has consumed the full recharge of these batteries, but it's still short on power. These are our most powerful!" she said as she held out the batteries.
"What can we do?" I began panicking. I couldn't control myself and began pacing around the room, nervous. "What to do...what to do...what to do..." I said repeatedly.
"Ash! Calm down!" I felt May put her ands on my shoulders and stop me.
"How can I? I've had a crazy day! There's my conversations with you! There's vespiquen! There's Luxio! There's this! There's the memories about Pikachu!" I shouted, then apologized to the nurse after she hushed me.
"Memories?" Max asked.
"About Pikachu?" Brock continued.
"Yes. A flock of spearow, a kadabra, us sleeping together peacefully, that kind of stuff! There was millions more, though!" I told them.
"Ash! Calm down!" May began shaking me back and forth. I felt something fall out of my pocket, then noticed something fall from May's pocket. The two objects fell to the ground but I wasn't looking. I saw May's surprised expression as she looked to the ground, then I looked down. I saw a ribbon. The two halves fit perfectly. Suddenly, my head throbbed. Suddenly, my mind began flooding with images again.
Me walking a little faster than May on the road.
Me having my arms tugged by Max and May to each side.
Me swinging on a vine, landing in front of May.
Me holding May's hand, running through a forest.
Me and May telling a lady and man we didn't love each other.
Me fighting with May.
Me looking over a ship's side, seeing Max and Brock running.
Me and May yelling over the side of the ship.
I grabbed my head as the pain grew, more images flooding in. I felt dizzy, then fell to the ground. "Ash!" I heard Dawn's voice ring quietly. My hearing faded again. I saw everyone look worriedly at me, then I saw Luxio lie beside me. She began to lick my face, our faces close together. Then my eyelids began to close. The last thing I saw... was a bright light.
END
Dun dun dun! This was fun, I have to admit. I'm sad to say, though, this fic is nearing the end (*sobbing*).
Ash's friend connections? Develop? Disolve?
What was the light?
What happens to Pikachu?
The end is near! Stay tuned for few more updates! R&R!
