Finding Your True Destiny, Your Other Half.

Chapter 11 - Ash Ketchum: Finding Your True Destiny.

+The Ketchum House. +

"Where the hell did you guys get two?" Dawn said to the two trainers who had just collapsed on the couch after being missing for the whole morning. Delia however seemed to have no interest in this as her mind was occupied with something else.

"Not now Dawn." Ash sighed heavily.

"Not now? Not Now! How could you say that Ash! Do you know how worried we were of you!"

"We were in the backyard! Why were you so worried!"

"You didn't eat!"

Everybody tear-dropped.

"Ok just leave em now Dawn. It looks like they need some time-"

"No! They had the whole day! I'm staying right here!"

"Fine then! Looks like I just have to go to the Mall by myself then!"

"Wha, no I wanna go!"

"But Dawn you just said-"

"Yes Brock I said I wanna go!" Dawn said as she made for the door.

Ash sighed and mouthed a "thanks" to Brock.

Brock chuckled.

"Come on Brock! Before it closes will be nice!" Dawn shouted from outside.

Ash & Misty both heard the door close. They kept quiet until Misty finally broke the silence.

"So..."

Ash looked at her.

"You gonna tell me what's going on Ash?"

"Mist it's this dream that's been bugging me!"

Misty paused and nodded to show she was still listening.

"It's like it's a dream but somewhere in my head I know it's not! I swear I've seen it before but I just don't remember when! Then I get all angry coz I don't know when and it's just-"

"Whoa Ash breathe!"

"And then theirs Mom who's been acting strangely..."

"Huh, really? Now that I think of it she has been acting sorta distant lately."

Misty looked at Ash who had his head down.

"Don't worry Ash, you just need a distraction!" She winked.

Ash looked at her with a puzzled face. "A distraction?"

"Yeah! How about a Pokémon battle?"

"A battle? Really." He said half-heartily.

Misty couldn't believe what she was hearing! Usually Ash would jump at the chance for a battle!

"Look what I got!" Dawn squealed as she jumped down onto the couch.

"Dawn where'd you come from?" Misty said as she made room for Dawn.

"As soon as we got to the main road it started raining, Dawn didn't want to get her hair wet so she brought that magazine from one of the outdoor stands." Brock stated as he shut the door.

"Yuck, fashion magazines, I get enough of that from my Sisters, Dawn you'd like them."

Dawn had hardly heard this as she was to into her magazine.

"Oooh look at these cute Water Pokémon!"

"Water Pokémon! Lemme see!"

Brock laughed as he sat down in one of the chairs. It was a good job Misty was also distracted as she would have got her Mallet out right there and then!

"Oh my Mew look at this adorable Dratini" Misty said.

"Dratini?" Ash questioned.

They cooed at the picture which showed a young woman with mint hair proudly standing next to a Dratini.

"That's a really rare Pokémon!" Brock stated.

Ash's Pov:

A Dratini? I thought. Could it be...?

Just then my Mom came in interrupting my thoughts.

"Hello there sweeties, I'm just going to help tidy the backyard so if you need me I'll-"

Her eyes nearly blasted out of their sockets when she saw me hold the picture of the Dratini.

"ASH SATOSHI KETCHUM JUST WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THAT DRATINI!"

I was shocked; I've never heard my Mom shout at me before! Any why she middle-naming me for!

"Mom I-"

"Umm it's my magazine Mrs.K-" Dawn started to say before she was interrupted by Mom.

"That's fine but Ash please stay away from Dratini's, please." She had calmed down now but my anger rose.

"Just what it wrong with Dratini's Mom? Huh? I would never taken you for the type to not like Pokémon."

She froze out of fear; it was like time had stopped for both of us.

"Just please Ash...please, stay away from anything Dratini-related..."

"Mom I've already met and saved Dratini's, heck the first time I saw a Dratini was when this old dude came and pointed a gun at me!" (A/N: This is true it's from one of the banned Pokémon episodes.)

I felt Misty and Brock nod behind my back.

"No it wasn't..." She said quietly but I heard.

I looked at her confused.

"What I-" I look at her face, that one look in her eyes makes me realise I should stay quiet. "Okay..." I choke.

There's a sudden bafflement in the air. (A/N: It's a word! -)

"I promise... no more Dratini's..."

No-one talks after that, myself and my Mom for what just happened, Misty & Brock for being lost about the whole situation and Dawn had gone back to her magazine. What a bitch!

"Don't forget...don't forget me Ashie! Ashie please don't cry! I've got Dratini!"

My eyes widen. What the hell was that!

"What the hell!"

"Ash? Ash what's wrong!" Misty asks me.

"Did one of you girls just say something to me?"

"No" They say simultaneously.

"Ashie! Playtime Ashie! Playtime!"

"Oh-no..." Everything start's getting dizzy and I feel Misty running to my side.

"Ash what's wrong?" She's holding my arm now.

"N-nothing, just headaches...are you sure none of you girls said anything? Something like don't cry?"

"No Ash why? You're scaring me."

"No reason. Don't worry Mist it's just a headache." I say trying to reassure both myself and Misty.

But Brock must have seen my knees give way as I blacked out.

The last thing I see is my Mom with no emotion on her face what so ever.

Delia's Pov:

Ash start's looking around like he heard someone. His face suddenly pales as he tells the girls if he was calling him. It looks like I was the only one that noticed.

He talks to Misty trying to reassure her but his lying through his teeth. He isn't okay.

I'm proven right as I see him blackout and fall into Brock's arms.

"Ash, Ash please wake up! Please!" Misty begs. (A/N: Think the time when Ash was a ghost and Misty tried waking him up.)

He lets pained tears fall to his cheeks and Brock rocks him.

Dawn look's shell-shocked and has her nails stuck into my couch seats.

I sigh.

"Get him to his room and leave him there." I say sharply and leave to make the children dinner.

Normal/No-One's Pov:

Delia left the room. Brock & Misty had never seen this side of her before and was meant to ask if something was wrong but first attended to Ash first.

"I'll take him to his bed." Brock said.

"I'm coming with you." Said Misty.

Brock lifted the said boy bridal style and made for the stairs.

"I wonder what Ash meant by Oh-no..." Dawn said though somewhat to herself.

Misty looked at Brock worryingly.

In Ash's Room. Misty's Pov.

I watched as Brock laid Ash onto his bed. He seemed to be sweating so Brock went to the bathroom and came back with a cold flannel which he placed on Ash's head.

"Is he going to be okay Brock?" I asked him; after all he has been traveling with Ash for longer so maybe this had happened before?...Yeah I wish!

"I honestly don't know Misty." Was the reply.

I was afraid of that.

We both sat next to the sleeping Ash and I was stroking his hair, I didn't even care that Brock kept giving me weird looks.

"So..."

There was a pause. We both wanted to talk about what just happened downstairs but neither of us could find the words. Thankfully Brock cut the silence.

"Wonder what made turn like that, we've never seen her angry like that...or at all in fact..."

I paused before answering. "Maybe something happened before we all met Ash."

Brock gave me a puzzled look.

"Well think about it, the whole argument started with Ash complimenting that Dratini..."

"Are you saying something happened between Dratini & Ash?"

"Maybe...Brock?"

"Hmm?" He was checking Ash's temperature. I let my hand slip from Ash's hair.

"Before...in the morning Ash collapsed because he didn't get any sleep. He said something like: "Wait...no...can't be...come back...come back..."

"You think he was talking about Dratini?"

I was about to answer when Ash started to stir.

"Please...no come back...wait!" Ash was panting now and it sounded like he was shouting to someone.

"You see what I mean Brock?"

"Misty you gotta calm him down!"

"What!" I felt heat rushing to my cheeks.

"Now's not the time for denial!"

I brushed my fingers through Ash's hair with one hand and held my other in his.

"Ash...Ash wake up...Wake up Ash."

Ash's Pov:

Mom's emotionless face, it scared me so much I blacked out.

That should get me worried right? Wrong.

That dream kept creeping into my mind.

It started the same; me as a little kid, playing by the pond. But this time theirs that girls voice playing over in my head.

"Don't forget me Ashie!" "Who are you?" I say.

"Please don't cry." I touch my cheek, so I have been crying.

"Who are you?" I ask again.

Theirs a long pause and I can hear nothing, just the image of me by the pond. I know it's me coz of the outfit (A blue hoodie like my Johto outfit.) even though I can't see the face.

"Don't forget me Ashie..." There! There's that voice again! But where's it coming from?

"Where are you?" I say, though I start to feel as if I'm speaking to thin air.

"Playtime Ashie!" I look in the water. It seems calm and is crystal blue until a blue ribbon shaped thing jumps out of the water.

It spray's water on me. The tears on my face have stopped now and I feel somewhat cooler.

Wait a minute...a blue ribbon...no it couldn't be...but then when I started to realise it before with the picture in the magazine...But if that's the case, why would Mom react like that? (A/N: That sentence will also make sense later!)

"Where are you? Come back..."

"Don't forget me..."

"No please come back! COME BACK!"

"I've got Dratini Ashie! So no crying..."

Ashie who the hell call's me that?

Silence.

"Wake up Ash." Another gentle voice, yet this is older and more familiar.

...Misty?

"Wake up Ash...Ash wake up."

Before I open my eye's I hear one last sentence.

The little me turn's but I realise it's not me at all but another kid, a girl! She looks exactly like me but she has longer hair. She smiles to me.

"I've got Dratini..."

Misty's Pov:

Ash opened his eyes slowly.

"Ash you're up!" Without thinking I hugged him.

"Err...Mist?" I quickly let go once I realised what I did. Blushing like mad.

"Ash you scared me so much!"

"Yeah Dawn's downstairs clawing up your sofa which your Mom's really not happy about! - Oh no Dawn I'd better go downstairs and check on her!" Brock said which made me sweat-drop.

Somehow Brock's speech seemed kinda fishy to me! Like he wanted a quick getaway!

"I'm sorry."

I turned back to Ash, he had his head down. "I'm sorry." He say's again.

Why the heck is he apologising? He hasn't done anything wrong!

"Ash?" I felt like slapping him then I really did! Just like the first time I ever saw him when he stole my bike!

"Don't worry about it Ash." No Misty, Ash doesn't need a slap he just needs a friend...like last night. I start to blush then.

Suddenly I feel Ash's hand wrap around my waist. Yeah like that'll stop the blushing!

"A-ash?"

"Thank You." He says in a small -though rather cute- voice!

I put my head on top of his. "Hey, I did owe you one remember?" I whisper to him referring back to last night when he helped me with my nightmare.

Brock's Pov:

I

Am...

A GENIUS!

Lying about Dawn to get the hell outta there was a stroke of genius! They'll have to commit their love now!

I crouch down to the door and listen in.

"Thank You."

"Hey, I did owe you one remember?"

Huh wonder what she meant by that? Misty owes Ash? What for? Hitting me over the head with a mallet?

I hear footstep's approaching the door so I stand up quickly.

Misty appeared in the doorway.

"Brock? What are you doing?"

"Me? Oh nothing I was...just coming back to say that Dawn's okay now and that 's got the dinner ready!" Whoa I can really think fast on my feet!

"Oookay..."

Well she seemed to have brought my lie.

"Where's Ash?"

"Oh him, he went back to sleep. I think he should rest don't you?"

I snickered at this. "Yeah sure but what about eating? That's his favourite hobby!"

"Eating's a hobby?"

"He says it is!"

Misty shook her head. "I already told him if he wanted to eat, but he said that he was too sleepy."

"Huh...alright, we better go down to dinner then."

(A/N:And then blah bla blah they all eat dinner Dawn never shows the magazine again and everybody is eating in an awkward silence. Now! To later that night when everybody's gone to sleep!)

+Later That Night Ash's Pov. +

I waited till it was safe and everyone was asleep. Misty was the last one to go to sleep, I know that coz her room is right next to mine.

But just to make sure...

"Are Misty, Brock & Dawn asleep Pikachu?"

"PikaPi" (Yes).

I got up still dressed in my Sinnoh outfit and crept down the stairs. Pikachu on my shoulder as always. I was tip-toeing too make sure not to wake anybody up so naturally I was surprised when I saw the kitchen light on.

Maybe Misty was having a bad dream again? I thought. I put on my trainers to cover the cold tiles of the kitchen.

I walked into the kitchen and saw my Mom crying in the chair by the table.

"M-mom?"

She stiffened suddenly when she heard me.

"S-sorry Mom didn't mean to scare ya."

She smiled.

"No worries sweetheart. I...just had a nightmare."

"Mom why were you talking to yourself before?"

She seemed confused.

"I heard you talking to someone earlier saying something like: "Why did you have to be evil" or something.

She looked at me with surprise plastered all over her face.

"Oh that nothing just away with the fairies!"

It then I see the baby blue box in front of her, the same one I put in the cupboard.

"Whatcha doin?"

"Oh! Oh this...I...I...nothing! It's just a box of photos from when I was younger."

"So lemme see."

"I don't think that's a good idea Ash..." She say's dragging the box below her arms out of my reach.

I sighed. Should I still be angry at her from the Dratini incident?

I was going to speak again but she got there first.

"Ash you heard her voice again didn't you?"

I could feel my eyes open in shock. How did she know? I guess it's true what they say - Mom's do know everything!

"M-m-maybe."

She nodded. And held my hands. "Ash please don't go looking for her."

I frowned and jerked my hands back to my sides. "How do you know it's a girl? Why shouldn't I go looking for her?"

Her eye's started to swell again.

"Plus Mom, she's not even real! It's just a kooky dream!"

"No it isn't!"

"HOW!"

"Because you knew her when you were little!"

My heart stopped for a moment. My mother sitting there is telling me I knew a girl from long ago?"

"Pikachu Pi!" (Snap outta it Ash!)"

"Who is she?" I asked, my voice a little angrier then I expected.

"No-one!"

That was the last straw.

I turned back to go too my room but I stopped near the stairs as something caught my eye.

A photo frame.

"Ash?" Looks like we woke Misty up.

"Hey Ash you okay?" And Brock.

"Is something wrong?" Looks like Dawn woke up too.

I don't turn to them, I'm too curious about the photo. I pick it up and smile at it. It's a photo of me and my Mom when I was little, I'm about 3 or 4 in this photo.

But then my smile fades as I see something suspicious - The far right hand side of the photo doesn't end there, it goes past the frame, I can tell that coz there's a hand around Mom's waist. I can't believe I never noticed that before!

I turn the frame around and take the photo out. Just as I thought, a piece of the photo has been folded.

I unfold it and see a picture of a man holding Mom's waist. Huh, this must be her brother or something...hey wait who's holding his hand? I scan my eyes and see a girl's face.

But it's not just any girl; it's the girl from my dreams!

In my shock I drop the photo frame and the glass smashes against the floor.

"Ash are you okay?" I hear Misty cry, but I can't worry about that now!

Mom rushes out the kitchen and she sees the frame smashed.

"Oh-no." She says her voice filled with fear. Though something tells me it's not for the shards of glass.

I run back inside to the kitchen table.

I open the box and even though I've never seen the content's my hand's seem to know what to look for.

"Pika?"

"Don't worry buddy I know what I'm doing." I lie.

I found it.

It's the same picture but this is torn in half so it shows the girl and the man only.

I turn the picture over and I read the words that make my heart freeze. I try blinking but if only that could make the word's disappear but there still right there in black and white.

"Me & The Family."

Ash & Tri-

3 years of-

Of what? Training? Family? Who? What? When?

My Mom runs in she sees the picture in my hands.

She takes a deep breath and takes a step forward. "Ash sweetie please just-"

"NO! NO MORE LIES! TELL ME! TELL ME WHO SHE IS!"

"Ash..." She's got tear's flowing down to her cheek's now.

Dawn comes in. She gasps. "Ash why are you crying!"

I feel my cheek's looks like Mom wasn't the only one who had been crying. I turn back to Mom.

"TELL ME!"

"She-she..." She chokes out.

I stuff the picture in my back pocket and run back to the hallway next to the stairs.

"Ash?"

"Misty!" I smile at her.

"Ash what are you doing? Are you okay?"

"Sure Mist."

"But we heard shouting."

"Don't worry Brock I'm gonna find out the truth." I reply.

Mom and Dawn return.

"I'm gonna find out the truth from SHE kept away from me!" I say pointing at Mom.

She burst's into fresh tears.

"Ash please you promised you wouldn't go!"

"AND YOU SAID YOU'D NEVER LIE!"

I turn to the doorway and grab my backpack which had been left there since we returned.

"Ash where are you going?" I hear Misty yell.

I turn back to her and give her a warm smile.

I put my hands on top of her shoulders and press my lip's on her cheek.

Misty's Pov:

"Ash where are you going?" Something must be up! Ash hardly ever gets up in the middle of the night!

He gives me his smile that makes my heart melt.

I would've asked him what's up but the he grabs my shoulder's forcing me to look straight into his brown eyes. I feel my face heat up.

He brings his face closer and before I knew it he kisses me! Ok, so it was on the cheek but still!

As soon as he stop's crushing his lips to my skin he looks into my eyes.

Oh no. I know what that kiss meant...

...it meant Goodbye.

"I'll be back. I promise..." No, no, no this can't be! My eye's start to fill up with water.

"ASH!"

Ash's Pov:

"I'll be back I promise." Her cheek's fill up with heat and I turn around and put my cap on.

"Pikachu!" (Ash think this through!")

I have Pikachu. I have thought this though, clearly.

As soon as I'm in the front porch I throw my Pokéball in the air and call out Charizard.

"Let's fly!"

It's a good thing I got him back before we went on the ferry to Kanto.

I can't bear to look back at my friend's and Mom but I hear them cry out my name. I tell Charizard to fly higher and pretty soon I can feel the harsh wind on the endless night's sky. The rain also hide's my tear's as they sting on my cheeks.

"I'm sorry Misty..."

Around half an hour goes past and we fly above Viridian Forest. "Charizard take a big rest." I order as soon as we hit the ground.

I have no idea what to do now so I just turn to the forest.

I crash into something and what I see next make's my heart sting.

"No way..."

"Pikachu!" (Watch out Ash!)

In all the commotion Ash & Pikachu never seemed to notice the orange flying figure zooming towards them...


(A/N: That's it! That's it for this half of the chapter! Man that took some time to type! 16 pages for just this chapter! I'm guessing you guys have figured out what's gonna happen in the next chapter then eh!

Btw- Ash does think that the man is his Uncle...)