Welcome!
This chapter is dedicated to all ya'll Pokeshipping fans!
Part 14
"Why?" Phoenix asks again after calming down slightly, "why does Arceus want to take everything from me? What did I do to deserve this?"
"Nothing is your fault," the professor insists softly as he wraps a cloth around a wound on Ferra's arm. "I'll get ready to transport her on my Arcanine."
"I should have protected Charvo," Phoenix says despondently, sitting down and leaning against a fallen piece of sheet rock.
You couldn't have done anything," Austin chimes in, suddenly very close and standing above Phoenix.
"Maybe I could have fought him off with Raichu!" Phoenix says desperately, dropping his head to his heads, "I don't know!"
"There is nothing you could have done to stop this!" Austin yells back at him, "this was always meant to happen!"
"I wish my dad was here," Phoenix cries out in frustration, "he would know what to do. Do you know how many times he saved the world?"
Austin stands confidently before him and asks, "Why isn't he here, Phoenix?"
"What the fuck do you mean?" Phoenix asks in anger and confusion, throwing his arms out in frustration.
"Your dad, Ash Ketchum." Austin states getting into Phoenix's face, "Why isn't he here?"
"You know why," Phoenix snarls darkly, standing up in anger and feeling a sudden urge to punch Austin in the face.
"Yes, Team Rocket blew up your house," Austin throws out there, moving closer to him, "but what bothers you the most about that?"
Phoenix pauses, trying to figure out what Austin wants from him, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"What bothers you the most about what happened to your parents, River, and their Pokemon? What is so strange about it?" Austin asks, wrapping his knuckles tightly around Phoenix's shirt collar and shaking him slightly.
Phoenix is completely shocked by Austin's sudden character change. The ditzy wannabe trainer has never talked to anyone the way he is now. He is torn between answering Austin's questions and decking him in the face. Curiosity compels him to answer.
Quietly, he looks aways and answers, "the police never found their bodies."
"They should have found something, right?" Austin asks with a spark in his eyes, "they should have found some remains. Some charred Pokeballs. They should have found them. But no."
"They found nothing," Phoenix whispers, still trying to piece together Austin's insinuations.
"How can that be? If they died in the explosion, how can that be?" Austin lets go of Phoenix's collar and gives him space.
"It can't be," Phoenix says, shaking his head and furrowing his eyebrows.
"No, it can't," Austin pushes him one last time, "so what does that mean? What does it have to mean, Phoenix?"
"They didn't die in the explosion," Phoenix concludes quietly "but, how could that be? Where would they have been all this time?"
"Think about it, Phoenix!" Austin watches as Phoenix's brain churns, "What do you really remember? What happened that night that you are forgetting? You saw something!"
"I don't know." Phoenix says, holding onto his head, trying to remember, "I grabbed my bag and then Raichu tackled me."
"No, you know exactly what happened!" Austin insists forcefully.
"It's a blur." Phoenix shakes his head, trying to remember.
"No, you can see it clear as day! You just didn't think it was real at the time!" Austin shouts at him.
As Phoenix walks back through those final moments of his old life, he finally sees it. He sees the one piece of the puzzle that had been missing for so long. The big green piece. The stranger.
"We need to go to Cerulean," Phoenix says, his eyes widening as he has an epiphany, and hope begins to return to his soul.
"I'm not sure I followed that," the professor says, "but it sounds like you have somewhere you need to be. I'll get Ferra to the hospital."
"Phoenix?" Ferra stirs and groans from the ground. She rubs her aching head.
"Hey hey, Ferra," Phoenix smiles lovingly at her, "just rest. I'm really sorry that you're hurt."
"Phoenix, be careful." She tells him sternly.
"I will." Phoenix agrees. "You just go with the professor and focus on getting better."
"I love you." Ferra confesses softly, looking up at him.
"I know," Phoenix grins and leans down to kiss her gently, "I love you too."
Phoenix then reaches into his pocket and pulls out the small silver bracelet that he bought in Celadon City.
"I wanted to give this to you for your birthday, but I want you to have it now." He clasps the bracelet around her undamaged wrist.
"It's beautiful," she smiles at the sweet gift, "thank you."
"I'll see you when this is all over," Phoenix says, reaching out to stroke her cheek with his thumb. Phoenix kisses her one last time and stands up.
"Can Kuro carry both of us?" He asks Austin.
"Not quickly enough," Austin responds with an uncharacteristically confident grin that somehow seems familiar, "but don't worry, I have us covered."
Austin pulls out a pokeball and tosses it to Phoenix. He looks at the ball in confusion, but releases the creature inside. A large blue dragon with red wings appears. Everyone is stunned by the large beast.
"I have a feeling you aren't who you said you are," Quinn says, wrapping her arms around herself knowingly and furrowing her eyebrows.
"No, I'm not, but don't worry. I'm still on your side." Austin grins and shrugs his shoulders.
"I always knew there was something strange about you, kid," Ferra inserts softly, shaking her head.
"When this is over, you owe us an explanation." Phoenix points an accusing finger at the boy.
"Deal," Austin agrees, "but let's get going."
"Who should I ride?" Phoenix asks, looking between the two large dragons.
"Salamence. She listens to you better." Austin says nonchalantly.
Although this comment confuses Phoenix, he shrugs it off and goes to meet Salamence. When Phoenix gets closer to it, Salamence sniffs him carefully all over.
"Sal!" it exclaims and then rubs its large skull against Phoenix.
"She's very friendly," Phoenix laughs at its antics.
Austin agrees, chuckling, and responds, "she has been waiting a long time to see you."
"I suppose we should go." Phoenix doesn't hesitate to toss his leg over the large dragon's back.
"I'm coming with!" Quinn insists, climbing onto Salamence's back behind Phoenix.
"Be safe," the professor requests. They nod in response.
"Ready, Kuro?" Austin asks his partner to which it replies with a positive grunt.
Phoenix, Quinn, and Austin take off on their respective dragons into the darkened sky.
"We travel north following the bridge then turn to the northeast over Celadon," Phoenix directs, pointing the way.
"Got it!" Austin shouts in agreement.
As they fly over Kanto, Phoenix considers the events of the day. It has been a whirlwind. He awoke that morning in the hospital, and, ever since then, his world had turned upside down multiple times. He found out that Team Rocket was behind his family's demise, and he learned that they had been betrayed by Grant Roque who they had thought of as a friend. He'd seen men fall to the ground lifeless before his eyes. His faithful Charizard was possessed and stolen, and his girlfriend was hurt in the process. Now Austin, a friend who has become a little brother to him has suddenly become a stranger to him. But the last piece of the puzzle has been revealed. Does everything suddenly make sense now, or is he filled with delusional hope? He knows one thing though; it's worth a shot.
Eventually, the team passes the bright lights of Celadon City and reaches the Cerulean forest.
"Where do we go?" Phoenix asks, looking down at the vast area of trees.
"Look for a large lake!" Austin tells him.
"I see one!" Quinn points to the northeast where, in the distance, there is a large lake in the middle of the forest.
"On it!" Phoenix nods, steering Salamence in that direction. Austin follows after them.
It is dark on the forest floor underneath the trees that block the light from the setting sun. The dark aura that pollutes the sky causes it to be even darker than it should be in the early evening.
Phoenix leaps off of Salamence as soon as they land.
"We need your help!" He screams as loudly as he can, "please, help us!"
"Who are we looking for?" Quinn asks, still out of the loop.
"How are we ever going to find it?" Phoenix asks hurriedly, not purposefully ignoring her.
"I'm sure it already knows we're here," Austin encourages him, "Just speak to it."
"I need your help!" Phoenix pleads into the dark woods, "I was once told you knew my parents; you are their friend. They are in trouble. They need your help!"
"Please explain what is going on," Quinn begs them, "this forest is damp and kind of creepy!"
"I couldn't save them that night," Phoenix says walking around the edge of the lake, "but I wasn't supposed to. Surviving was my only job. This is why I lived! Getting here was my mission!"
As he is about to explain more, he notices a change in the lake. While it was dark and wavy a moment ago, it is now glowing a soft green and completely still. A small figure emerges from the middle of the lake shining brightly and lighting up the area.
"Celebi," Phoenix whispers at the sight of the small green fairy.
"Bi bibi?" it asks, hovering closer to them.
"Wow!" Quinn squeals at the sight. She may love contests, but her father raised her to appreciate rare Pokemon too.
Celebii flies and dives around them, playing with Phoenix's hat, which it appears to recognize.
"My parents, I think you knew them; Ash and Misty Ketchum. They disappeared eight years ago, but I believe that you were there that night. I saw you there!" Phoenix tells the little fairy, finally allowing himself to believe that this is real, "You came from this moment and you saved them!"
"Bii bii?" Celebi says thoughtfully. Of course this is not something that has happened yet in its own timeline. For Celebii, the past is its potential future.
"Please, the world is in danger, and it needs them." Phoenix pleads with the fairy, but then drops to his knees and whispers, "please, I need them."
Celebii floats next to Phoenix and touches his face with its arm. Its eyes glow completely green as it tries to read Phoenix.
"Phoenix," Austin tells him, "open your memories, so Celebi can find the right time."
"I'll try," Phoenix agrees, closing his eyes and thinking about that dreadful night.
The fire. The heat. Panic.
"You have to think of that exact moment when you saw Celebi." Austin's voice sounds distant to him now.
The top of the staircase. Running. Raichu. Looking back. Green.
The color fades from his world and his senses are lost in a sea of white. Phoenix closes his eyes allowing Celebii's power to wash over him.
"Bii," Celebi urges him to open his eyes.
He gasps at the scene that lays before him. He stands on hardwood flooring in a room that he had never expected to see again.
"Phoenix, we need to leave now." A deep voice barks; a voice that he never thought he would hear again.
His eyes widen at the sight of his family standing in the entryway of their home that was lost to him eight years before. His mother stands next to multiple suitcases, holding tightly to his five-year-old sister. His father stands at the bottom of the stairs, looking up at the nine-year-old Phoenix. When no one reacts to his presence, he realizes they cannot see him.
"I just need to grab my Charmander!" his younger self yells.
"Hurry," Ash urges him, and walks back to Misty.
"Where will we go?" she asks him worriedly.
"I don't know yet," Ash says, wiping sweat off his face, "but they will search for us."
Phoenix looks up at the staircase to see his young self returning from his room. The boy locks eyes with him for a split second. This is the moment that he had forgotten for so long, and now he stands on the other side of it. This is the moment that meant everything. He knew what that little boy would have to endure that night and for the next eight years, so he silently thanks him. He sends out prayer to the universe to send that little boy some comfort until the day that everything would be made right again.
Then the soft green light envelopes them, stealing them away from the bomb that explodes moments later.
When the light fades, they are all tossed to the soft grassy ground of the Cerulean forest. Celebii nowhere to be found.
"What happened?" Ash asks, hurrying to his feet, struggling slightly with his prosthetic. Misty stays on her knees next to him, rocking to comfort five-year-old River. River buries her face in her mother's neck fearfully.
Ash stands in front of Misty and River, in a protective stance. His hand lingers over his pokeballs on his belt.
"What do you want with us?" Ash demands and stares at Phoenix, picking him out as the leader, "Where have you brought us?"
Phoenix stands up in shock, staring at the people he loved most in the world who, in his reality, have been brought back from the dead. No words form to answer his father's question.
Austin stands in the background next to a very shocked Quinn, smirking knowingly. Salamence and Kuro watch the scene unfold and wait patiently for direction.
Ash growls slightly in frustration when no one answers him.
"Where's Phoenix?" Misty asks, looking around desperately, trying to find their nine-year-old son.
When Ash scans the area and cannot see his son, he storms up to Phoenix and grabs his shirt collar.
"What did you do with my son?" Ash asks threateningly. Phoenix isn't fearful. He knows that this will all be resolved when he can find his words again.
"Momma, I'm scared," River cries into Misty's hair.
"Shh, honey," Misty rocks her daughter, "It's alright, momma's here."
"Where's Phoenix?" Ash screams in Phoenix's face again, seeing red, "Where's my son?"
"Eight-eight years ago," Phoenix stutters trying to form complete sentences, "he sur-survived a house explosion."
"What?" Ash asks, letting go of Phoenix's shirt collar, "What are you talking about? Is my son hurt?"
Phoenix shakes his head, his voice still catching in his throat, not knowing how to tell his parents the truth.
Misty stands up behind him with River still wrapped up in her arms.
"Take her, Ash," Misty says, handing River to him before he can object.
Misty approaches Phoenix to look closer at him, but he shies away. The young man is eerily familiar to her, and a hunch begins to form in her subconscious. He looks as if he is about to break down in tears. Misty doesn't know why at first, but she wants to reach out and comfort him. She wants to stroke his auburn hair and tell him that everything will be alright. Everything is alright now.
When his cerulean eyes finally lock with hers, she gasps in realization.
"Phoenix," Misty whispers, reaching out her hand to trace the unmistakable genetic markings on his cheeks. Ash's eyes widen at Misty's revelation.
"Mom," Phoenix chokes, covering his mouth with his hand in disbelief.
"Oh my Arceus, you're a grown man," Misty touches his face in awe, "my little boy. You were nine just five minutes ago."
Tears stream down Phoenix's face as he reveals, "and to me, you've been dead for eight years."
Misty gasps, feeling her blood run cold from hearing his perspective.
"It's really you?" Ash finally asks, handing River back to Misty again.
Phoenix shakes his head, trying to control his emotions, "I wish I had better news for you, dad."
"Are you kidding?" Ash asks him, looking at him up and down, "You're alive and so grown up. You grew up so strong even without us."
"Thanks dad," Phoenix says as he wraps his arms around his father like a child. Ash wraps his arms around his nearly grown son's shoulders, allowing him to sob softly into his chest. Ash doesn't understand the full story, but his son clearly needs him now. Misty wraps her free arm around him too, supporting River with the other.
Phoenix pulls away from them suddenly and says, "I'm sorry. This is probably so weird for you."
"Honey, it doesn't matter where or even when we are or how old you are," Misty assures him, wrapping her arms around him again, "you are our son, and we love you."
"Phoeny?" River asks, looking at him closely, clearly confused. "Did you get shooted by a grow gun?"
"Rivvy," Phoenix says; he barely believes that the little girl is there in front of him, exactly the same as the day of the explosion, "you will never know how happy I am to see you. Someday I will tell you all about how I got so big."
"I hate to cut this lovely family reunion short," Austin interrupts, "but don't forget the dire situation we're in."
"Who is this?" Ash asks, looking the new boy up and down, "and what does he mean?"
"Long story short," Quinn explains, "this is Austin and we don't really know anything about him because he's been lying the whole time we've known him."
"I haven't lied about that much really," Austin argues, shrugging his shoulders, "I just didn't tell you everything."
"Quinny?" Ash asks, looking closely at the teen girl.
"You know it, uncle Ash!" She smiles brightly, ecstatic to see the Ketchums again.
"Also, there's kind of an evil soul eating monster loose," Phoenix continues to explain, "and it's using my Charizard as its host body."
"What?" Ash asks, wildly confused by the situation.
"I'll explain on the way." Phoenix says, "do you remember the Obsidian Prophecy?"
Subconsciously, Ash reaches for his neck to release Raichu, but finds the luxury ball empty.
"Raichu," Ash thinks aloud, piecing his thoughts together, "he ran upstairs after you."
Phoenix pulls the necklace out of his shirt and unclips the luxury ball attached. He hands it to Ash.
"He's really missed you," Phoenix says with a smile.
Understanding that it has been 8 years for Raichu, Ash feels the sting of nervousness. To him, he had just sent Raichu upstairs after Phoenix, but to Raichu and Phoenix it has been nearly a decade.
Ash releases Raichu from the luxury ball and he materializes in front of him. Ash is confused by the orange creature before him. He had never seen his Raichu in a standard form before. This day has been full of surprises. Luckily, Ash has always been good at going with the flow.
"Raichurai?" Raichu asks, surprised to see a man who appears to be his master standing before him, just as he looked eight years ago. Ash sees the pain and shock in his eyes, so he drops to his knees to meet him.
"Hey buddy," Ash gives him a warm smile. Raichu sniffs the familiar stranger.
"Rai!" Raichu shouts excitedly when his nose confirms his suspicion. He jumps happily into Ash's arms.
As Raichu reaches Ash, their extreme connection that even time could not sever causes Raichu's fur to glow and transform back to a light blue. His body grows larger in his perpetual mega evolved state.
"Thank you," Ash says, hugging his most trustworthy Pokemon tightly, "thank you for taking care of Phoenix."
"I just got a text from Will," Phoenix shares with everyone, "he says that Silhougon is terrorizing Celadon City."
"We have to get there quickly!" Austin urges them.
"Let's go!" Ash shouts, throwing two Pokeballs into the air. Two large dragons materialize in front of him.
First, is a large tan and white dragon with small green wings, Dragonite. It happily hugs its master, unaware of the odd situation they have been met with. The second dragon is a larger, more seasoned fighter that stands confidently. Phoenix recognizes the Pokemon as his father's prized Charizard, the father of his partner Pokemon.
"Charizard will take you and River," Ash speaks to Misty, "and Dragonite will help me out."
"Charizard," Phoenix whispers, looking up at the champion Pokemon. Somehow he once thought his father's Charizard wouldn't seem so big when he was older, but the thought dims as Charizard stands over him.
Charizard looks down at Phoenix curiously and sniffs him carefully. The proximity of Charizard's large jaws to Phoenix's lean body makes Phoenix uncomfortable.
"Hey Charizard," Phoenix greets him nervously.
"No time to explain," Ash tells his Pokemon, "but we are in the future. The world is in trouble and Phoenix's Charizard is in danger."
"Charvo," Phoenix asserts, "his name is Charvo and he's my best pal."
Charizard grunts, standing up straighter. He understands that Charvo is his spawn as well as very important to his master's son.
"Let's get going," Ash takes charge, "we'll talk about a plan on the way."
Surprise!
You guys totally knew that the Ketchums weren't gone for good, but I bet you didn't see that coming!
Please let me know your thoughts! I love hearing from my audience!
Love, Alert, Review!