Well, as promised, here's Ch 12.

I hope you guys enjoy. Not much to say other than, thank you to those who read, review, favorite, etc! And thank you for not spoiling!

More on this chapter at the end, so stick around!

Onward to Ch12!


Flashback

Taking a deep sigh, the brunette decided now was as a good a time as ever to let someone know of the burden she was quietly trying to keep to herself.

"Alright, so the thing is, I recently learned that my entire life has been a lie, Dawn." She took a moment to gather her thoughts before continuing. "The people I believed to be my family are actually not. I was given away by my real parents when I was only a few months old."

Dawn could only stare in shock as the brunette explained, trying desperately to look for words to say. "Mel… I-I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." She answered her, staring intently at the orange orb slowly rising in the horizon. "In a way, I was relieved. I always felt out of place with my family and with the traditions of the island. I knew I wasn't born with the same passion and enthusiasm as the others."

The blunette listened intently to the girl as she spoke and noticed a small smirk growing on the girl's face. "But how-"

"I'm sure you're wondering how exactly this all connects to our current situation. I guess I should probably start from the beginning." The brunette interrupted, before continuing with the story.

"One day while cleaning up the basement, I was going through some of the old boxes we kept for storage. I remember arguing with my older sister-" She paused once more as Dawn noticed she said the last word with a bit of uncertainty. "We argued on who would clean the basement that day and in hindsight, I'm grateful it was me," the brunette gave a half-hearted chuckled. "Anyway, as I was looking through some of the stuff, I stumbled upon a really old picture hidden inside the pages of an old book."

The brunette suddenly got up and went back inside her room. Before Dawn was able to react, the girl was back, holding a small rectangular box in her hand. The wooden box seemed old and delicate but was decorated nicely along the edges with flower carvings and a thin golden lace that wrapped the box shut. Unwinding the golden lace, the brunette took out a small vintage photograph about the size of the girl's palm. Handing it to her, Dawn was careful not to tear the delicate photo and eyed it thoroughly. In the picture was a beautiful young woman with long brown hair, sitting on the chair outside a familiar home. The woman in the photograph held two small babies, one in each of her arms. Melody gave the girl a few moments to examine the picture before continuing.

"When I first saw the picture I was curious to see who exactly the people in it were. I found it strange that we would have a random picture of a group of strangers, especially since the setting looked nothing like Shamouti. When I gave my older sister the picture, she was completely shocked, simply calling for her mom and dad."

Dawn noticed that the brunette was having a hard time using the correct terms to describe her "family" and placed a hand on her shoulder for reassurance. "I don't know what exactly happened Mel, but they raised you into the girl you are now, they're still your family."

The girl gave her friend a small smile and continued. "Well long story short, they basically confessed that I was originally left on their doorstep roughly sixteen years ago. When they met me, there wasn't any information about my family or who exactly left me there. The only thing they found that night was that photograph in your hand. It was tucked under my blankets and placed under my hand. After they explained the situation, I had a nervous breakdown. Its not easy learning your entire life has been a lie. All I could think about was that somewhere in the world there was a pair of parents who wanted nothing to do with me. They left me with someone else as if I was just a thing they could throw away."

A small tear trickled down the brunette's cheek as she remembered the wave of emotions that instantly flooded through her the night she learned of her origins. Dawn was starting to catch a few stray tears of her own make their way down her face. There was no way she could feel what Melody felt, but that didn't stop her emotions from telling her to have sympathy for the girl.

"The next couple of days were rough. I kept my distance from my family on Shamouti, hoping to process all the information I was given at a gradual pace; unfortunately, that wasn't the case, though. After a couple of days, I arrived home to a mysterious package with no information on where it came from. The only thing it had was my name and the house address. I opened it to find a small note, a single key, a couple stacks of money, and another photograph." The brunette opened her wooden box and took out another photograph, this one not as delicate and small as the first. Dawn could tell from the looks of it that it was much more modern then the one she still held in her hand. Melody took a moment to look at the picture, the array of emotions flicking through her serious expression.

"The note in the box was from my father… my real father. It was brief, but he basically apologized for being absent in my life and also how he always kept watch of me from afar, which would explain the sudden timing of the package. I wondered how he knew I had learned the truth and figured he was somehow still watching over me. He also explained that the key was of a house nearby that I could call my own. He apparently purchased it and had it fixed to accommodate me and whomever else I chose."

Dawn could feel that the most important item from that box was in the brunette's hand. Something told her that the photograph revealed more than she could ever imagine and wondered if the girl would even allow her to see it. The way Melody held onto the photo, one could tell the girl was extremely protective and careful with it.

"He also gave me this." She said, taking one last look at the photograph before handing it to Dawn.

The content of the picture was enough to drop the girl's jaw. In the picture she saw a middle-aged woman with tied up brown hair wearing a light pink blouse and knee length white skirt. The woman was smiling and hugging a young boy next to her. The boy was wearing a plain white t-shirt with a black vest over it, some black jeans, and navy blue trainers. His face was slightly tan and soft, a reflection of the innocent and free-spirited nature of the boy. He had deep auburn eyes that smiled nearly as much as his trademark-grin and while he wasn't physically imposing, he was lean and of athletic build. Perched on his shoulder was his faithful traveling companion and best friend, Pikachu. Behind the group was a large banner with the words "Happy Birthday Ash and Pikachu", the last two words scribbled towards the bottom corner.

"This… this is… WHAT!" the blunette nearly shouted.

"Shhh," Melody quickly placed a hand over the surprised girl's mouth, hoping not to wake up their sleeping friend. "Please Dawn, you promised not to say anything. I'm not ready for anyone to know yet."

After regaining her composure as best she could, Dawn took a few moments to let the information sink in. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Melody, you need to tell him. This is crazy, I can't believe I have a new sister!" She tried to sound as upbeat as possible without raising her voice too much.

Melody was completely stunned. She understood and was prepared for the shocking reaction from Dawn and any of her other friends, but she wasn't expecting the girl to be as accepting and happy as she seemed to be.

"When are you going to tell him? Do you want me to help? We can pull him aside while you…" She was about to continue before realizing their current predicament. "Now I understand why you reacted the way you did after we lost Ash. He's your brother, how could you not." She seemed to finally understand the implication of those words. "Wait, that picture was just taken a couple of days ago… that means you-"

"I just found out a couple of days ago… Yeah I did. I was actually on my way to the docks to catch the next ferry to Kanto. I was hoping to catch him before his next big adventure, but you all beat me to it. The rest is history."

Suddenly the mood quickly dropped as Dawn remembered the distraught feeling of hopelessness Melody felt on the beach. Heck, they all felt terrible, but for Melody, it was on a whole other level.

Before either of them could say anything else though, they heard a sudden tumble inside. Hearing May call out for them, the girls shared a silent nod between them, understanding that the content of their conversation was not to be shared just yet.

"What are you two doing out here this early?"


After explaining the conversation to the rest of her friends, Melody felt her burden slightly lift. She felt better knowing that her friends knew her secret and she was no longer forced to keep it from them. With everything happening, she was grateful at least for that much. Her friends however, were dumbfounded and completely silent after hearing everything the brunette had to say.

Even Dawn, who already heard Melody's story, was uncharacteristically quiet, letting everyone around her digest the information. She took a moment to look at each of the faces of her friends and saw a cycle of emotions flicking through them, from shocked to confused, from excited to sympathetic. Gary's face was probably the most difficult to read, and with good reason. He knew Ash since they were children; learning that his closest friend had a long lost sister was definitely something that would take time getting used to.

May was at a loss for words. Because of her sudden outburst, the group learned the secret Melody tried hard to protect. For better or worse, the secret was out, and the brunette was unsure how to react; she only took quick glances at Melody, studying her face and features. After learning the truth, it was almost comical how obvious it was. The similarities between Melody and Delia were undeniably there: the same dark brown hair, the warm, but playful smile, and even the facial structure. May went as far as to think that the brunette looked like a younger version of Ash's mom. The only glaring difference was in the eyes; Melody's deep auburn eyes were almost mirror reflections of Ash's. In fact, because of Ash's own similarities to his mother, Melody was also quite similar to the boy.

Could… could they be twins? May was beginning to think. Before she could further engulf herself in her thoughts, Brock rose up from his seat, still visibly shaken from the bomb suddenly dropped on them.

"I think I speak for everyone here when I say we appreciate your trust in us Melody, especially with telling us something as important as what you just did," the older friend started as he walked over to the brunette. "On top of that, if there's any way we can help, just know that you can count on us."

Melody felt a weight suddenly lift off her shoulders as Brock placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She was no longer alone in dealing with this, and that was enough to give her the energy for what came next. Brock seemingly knew what the brunette was thinking, as he proceeded to turn and face the rest of his friends.

"This is just another of the reasons why we have to help Ash. We all know how stubborn he can be; we just have to be twice as bad. Honestly, even that's won't be enough to get through to him," he paused to think for a moment. His friends let out a chuckle at the thought of Ash's stubbornness that helped lift their spirits.

"I think we should separate into groups." Dawn told them. "One group can follow Ash's lead, while a second group can wait in the back in support."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Gary spoke up. "When Ash and the first group attack, the second group can hit them when they least expect it. We're gonna' need all the firepower we can get if we're going to face off against four legendary Pokémon."

"Alright, so if no one has any objections, we only have to decide the groups. Obvious reasoning aside, Melody should be in the first group since she knows the area the best." Dawn offered. "I think I should go too since I'm the only one with a PokéNav that can call the second team when we find Ash."

"You're a lot smarter than you look, Dawn." Gary playfully teased, earning a couple laughs from the others.

"Shut it, Oak." She snapped back.

"Well if you two are going, I think I should stay behind in group two since I can offer offensive support" Paul chimed in. "But the last one in your group should also have a strong offense. May?" He asked the brunette who was still keeping to herself.

At the sound of her name, her head quickly snapped up. "Y-yeah sure. Team one, got it." She answered.

It was obvious that May's head was clearly elsewhere at the moment, probably still taking in everything that was happening in such a short span of time. Dawn made a note to talk to her friend later when they were on their way to the island.

"Alright, so Melody, May and I will be leaving first, with the rest of you following in support."

After they discussed what the course of action was once they found Ash, the girls said their goodbyes and left to find Melody's boat and sail over to Ice Island. Seizing the opportunity, Paul sat on the couch across from Gary and Brock where Dawn was previously sitting.

"If you guys don't mind, I'm feeling a little fatigued. I'm gonna' ask for a room here at the center and take a quick nap. Just make sure to come get me when we have to leave."

"Yeah sure Paul, we'll come and wake you when we're leaving." Brock assured, and with that, Paul walked over to Nurse Joy.


The girls were on their way to the docks with an uncomfortable silence amongst them. Dawn was almost certain she knew why but was hoping things would be settled soon. The awkward silence was becoming almost unbearable for the coordinator. The entire walk to the docks consisted of Dawn whistling her favorite tunes while the other two members of her team simply trudged on in annoyance at the unpleasant sound. The blunette enjoyed herself though, as she figured if there was enough discomfort between the three, one of the two would eventually speak up to shut her up.

Unfortunately, her plan backfired, as both girls were more interested in holding their silence than in keeping their hearing. Once they reached the deck, Melody set up the sails and prepared for them to leave. Dawn figured now was a good time to find out what was troubling May as so much to leave her speechless the entire way here. She almost looked uncomfortable to be going, which wasn't like her at all, especially considering the stakes. If they failed, there was a big chance Ash wouldn't be able to make it back to them.

"Care to fill me in on what's going on with you?"

"I-I can't believe I behaved like that. I was such a child, Dawn." May looked to make sure Melody was still out of earshot to continue. "This whole time she's been dealing with her own problem and all I could think about was me and my issues. Part of me is angry with myself for not being able to control my emotions. It's just that, there's nothing I wouldn't give to see Ash happy, and I was beginning to think he might just be happier without me." She tried to hold back the tears as best as she could in order to get her point across. "I just… I don't know what to say Dawn. To her, to him, to myself. I'm confused and now feeling guilty for pushing Melody to talk when she didn't have to"

Before she could go on, Dawn figured it was a good moment to stop the brunette before she continued blaming herself. "Listen May, I can't explain to you what you're feeling because I just don't know. What I do know though, is that you and Melody need each other right now, for more reasons than one. I think it would do you guys well to lean on each other rather than ignore one another. And as your best friend and future sister in law, I command you to go make things right!" She scolded the brunette who instantly turned a dark shade of red at her friend's last comment.

"Dawn!" She playfully smacked her friend's arm before joining in the laughter. "Thank you though." Leaving the blunette laughing at the reaction she got from her friend, May decided to talk to Melody and clear the air.

The girl was finishing preparations on the boat when she heard someone approaching and turned to find May nervously standing in front of her. "Oh, hey May. We'll be ready to leave soon, don't worry."

"No, that's not it Mel. I actually only wanted to talk to you for a minute." Waiting for Melody to sit on the small bench, May figured apologizing was the best way to start things. Before she could though, the other brunette spoke first.

"I approve."

"Listen Mel, I want to apolog-… wait what? What do you mean you approve?"

"Yeah, I approve you and Ash. I know how you feel about him, so there's no need to hide it anymore, especially not from yourself." The brunette answered rather flatly.

Realizing what Melody was talking about, May was feeling the blush coming on. "W-what do you mean? Ash and I… we're only… he's just…" Noticing the creeping smile making its way onto Melody's face, May could only sigh in defeat. "Fine. But that still doesn't mean anything. With everything happening, I feel like we're farther apart then ever… he probably doesn't feel the same way." As she said it, she found her mood beginning to drop at the sudden distance between the two. It was hard to believe that only a couple of nights ago, the two were talking and laughing while staring at the stars together.

"I may not have spent as much time with Ash as you have May, but I know him, don't ask me how, cause I just feel like I do. Trust me when I tell you, that boy's crazy about you. He may not completely realize it yet, but he is. Its obvious in the way he talks to you, treats you, and even looks at you. And like I said, I definitely approve. I've gotten to know you enough to see just how much you care about, not only him, but the people closest to you."

May was suddenly at a loss for words even worse then earlier in the Pokémon Center. She wasn't expecting Melody to answer in the way she did.

"Thank you Mel, honestly I'm lucky to have a friend like you. More importantly, Ash is lucky to have a sister like you."

After watching the exchange between the two, Dawn figured the mood would finally begin to lift. Ever since Ash was kidnapped the first time, the atmosphere among them was gloomy, even after they got Ash back for a while. The fact that he was beyond bruised was enough to quickly put a damper on the celebrations. On top of that, Dawn was struggling with her personal emotions. Even though the circumstances allowed her mind to be occupied, a broken heart wasn't something you simply wake up forgetting. She was trying her best to keep a positive attitude for the sake of her friends, but it was beginning to wear on her too. She put the thought behind her, though, and went to meet her two friends who were preparing to set sail.

"Well now that that's finally settled. What do you guys say we go get our boy back," the blunette told the two as she wrapped her arm around the two girls' necks.

And with that, the trio of friends began their journey into the unexpected. They could only hope they would reach their friend in time. Having left hours ago, the trio assumed the boy was already in the midst of battle and in need of some help.


"What do you mean we're lost!" the boy moaned in displeasure.

"Pika pi chu pikapi."

"Well, maybe if someone hadn't rushed us out of there, I wouldn't have made us stop for a bathroom break in the middle of the ocean and we would've have found them before they hid away." He answered back, much to the displeasure of the ice-type he was riding.

"Articuno."

"Well yeah, I know it's not your fault girl, but I thought you knew this place like the back of your hand?" He asked the legendary.

Articuno simply tilted her head sideways and blasted the trainer in the face with an Icy Wind.

"O-o-o-ok-k-kay, I-I-m-m- s-s-s-s-orry" Ash knew he wasn't going to win a war of words with his two companions, so he figured it was easier to help find a solution. "Just set us down near the shore line, we'll think of our next plan from here.

After circling the island nearly half a dozen times, they were still searching for the entrance to the cavern that led to the other pokémon. On the way there, Articuno was explaining that once she left Ash and Pikachu, she tried returning to help the others but found them being moved in large cages inside a small cavern. The last bit of information was slightly odd to Ash, considering that pokémon aren't usually able to put other pokémon cages, let alone transport them from one place to another against their will. They figured it was best to search for the cavern on foot since it would probably be easier to spot than if they were flying several hundred feet away.

"It feels pretty good being back on land," he said aloud, stretching his muscles as far as he could. "So much for a vacation of fun and relaxation," he muttered under his breath. The more he thought about his circumstance, the harder it was to deny that he was getting tired of his involvement in these dangerous situations. Part of the problem was the boy's innate desire to help those around him; his unconditional love for pokémon was part of the reason why he always accepted this missions. Although looking back, if it weren't for those experiences, he probably wouldn't have met half the people he knows now.

"I wonder if I made the right decision," the boy wondered. "I was the one who said my friends were my strength, but how could I live with myself knowing something happened to them because of me?"

Pikachu and Articuno were listening closely to the boy, although the latter knew little of what the boy was talking about. She knew he was distressed by the body language and facial expressions, but that was it. Pikachu on the other hand knew the thoughts crossing the boy's mind because in the end, he took part in the decision to leave their friends behind. He also wondered if they made the correct decision but knew he needed to encourage his trainer. The moment he added to the doubt already in Ash's mind, he would only begin to question himself more.

"Pika pi chu," he answered him.

"Yeah, I guess you're right buddy. We need to hurry back to them." Grabbing a couple of poke balls from his belt, he threw them into the air, releasing members of his team. Standing in front of him were his Arcanine, Sceptile, and Greninja. He figured he could use the speed to cover as much ground as possible.

"Alright everyone, according to Articuno, we're looking for a small cavern entrance along one of the icy hills. We need to be as stealthy as possible, so keep a look out and return back as soon as you find something. If you happen to find the enemy, quickly retreat. Do not engage. I'm looking at you Sceptile." He gave his gras-type a quick glare, knowing he was quick to engage in battles he thought were a challenge for him. The gecko pokémon simply nodded in understanding and looked back towards the forest. "Alright, head out, but be back in an hour or two the latest. We'll set up camp for when you get back."

With that, his pokémon were quick to disappear into the woods, hoping to bring back positive news. Articuno was quick to head into the air to continue scouting from above; using the snowy mountaintop, as well as her mist, she was able to disguise herself well into the sky.

"Well, its just the two of us now Pikachu, we might as well get a fire started. It'll get dark pretty soon."

"Pika," he nodded and followed his trainer into the green portion of the woods, in search of some firewood.

After a couple of minutes, the two returned to the campsite and set up the fire. It wasn't until Ash leaned against a tree near the fire that he realized just how exhausted he really was. He didn't normally use his aura unless in the extreme case he needed to better his senses, but to use it for healing was something he only just started to learn. Because of that, the fatigue was starting to overwhelm him. The sun was just beginning to set on the horizon, and the boy's eyes were slowly following the trajectory of the fiery light, until they were completely closed.

"Just… wake me up in 10 minutes buddy," he barely got out. Pikachu gave his trainer a sympathetic smile and went on guard duty, heightening his senses to make sure they were safe.

Unfortunately for Ash, the moment he drifted into sleep, the nightmares followed shortly after.

He was in a dark room, unable to see much of his surroundings. There were a couple of low sharp noises around him similar to chains moving against a hard surface. Although he couldn't see anything, he could feel a powerful presence in the room with him. Ash tried to focus his eyes on any one feature but the darkness was blinding. Besides the chains, there weren't any other noises that stood out, until he finally heard it: the same voice that was unconsciously troubling him the past couple of days. Seemingly every time Ash closed his eyes, he heard the deep and resonating voice of Ho-Oh as he menacingly stared into the deepest parts of his soul. The pure fiery hatred present in those colored eyes were enough to run a shiver through any one's body.

The worst part of it all was that whenever he heard the voice, it spoke directly to him, as if only he could hear it. This time the voice said one simple word.

"Choose."

Almost in a mocking tone, the voice repeated in his head: choose. He couldn't make out any of the figures in the room, but by the nature of the word, he understood he was being forced to make a decision that pleased the legendary sky pokémon. Suddenly, there was a small breeze that swept through the dark room and brought a recognizable scent in his direction. It was the sweet smell of light strawberry shampoo with a tinge of vanilla. He remembered a couple of nights ago, when the smell was directly in front of him as he laid his head on the shoulder of his best friend.

"May? May is that you?"

There was no response, only the quiet sound of chains still sliding across the hard floor. He was beginning to get desperate, unable to see his surroundings. The young boy tried to move from where he was; only to find out that the chains he heard were his own. He had shackles on his legs and wrists and was completely immobilized.

"Show yourself Ho-Oh! You coward!"

"In due time young guardian, in due time." The voice answered the young trainer.

Before he could answer back, he was hit by the familiar scent once again. This time, it woke him out of his trance. He was awake and slightly panting from the dream he just had.

"W-wha… Pikachu, I thought I told you." He stopped when he realize the fire was put out and his pokémon were nowhere to be found. "Pikachu! Where are you?"

Before the boy could turn around, he was swiftly knocked unconscious by a blow to the head. The last thing he could remember was being dragged by the legs along the cold snow, he faintly recognized his captor before falling completely unconscious.

"P.. Paul…"


Dundundunnnn! Well I hope you guys enjoyed.

Quick question. Do you guys feel I'm focusing too much on certain characters, for example Melody? I promise you the story is centralized on Ash and then May. So please do let me know what you guys think. I just like giving every character moments to shine and play important roles in the story. If you feel a certain way about how I've handled it, feel free to leave a review or PM me!

Well enough of that,

Thank you for reading! Next chapter will most likely be out by the middle of next week.

-HRS