Ash was wide awake, who could blame him. A Pokémon was out to get him, and a place it probably calls home was just an hour walk away. At the foot of his bed, Pikachu was fast asleep, no reason to wake him. So Ash quietly put on his shoes and a jacket to go for a walk. Choosing to face his fears, Ash went to the Ruined House, to wait for either morning or Darkrai.
A nearby Pokémon had taken an interest in the young trainer. Looking through their past, the Pokémon saw an accomplished trainer, while their future was unclear, maybe they could help. Ash didn't notice as the Pokémon snuck up behind him, sending him far into the past.
Ash fell to the ground with a thud. As Ash came to, he saw he was in one of the rooms of the house, except it wasn't ruined. This room had new paint, and looked like it was still very much used.
"Oh thank heavens you're awake." A maid said softly. "When the young miss found you unconscious outside we weren't sure what had happened."
"My head, where am I?" Ash asked.
"Where you are doesn't matter much, no one will be here to remember it soon anyways." A young woman said. Ash couldn't figure out why, but she looked familliar.
"What do you mean no one will be here?" Ash asked.
"My family and I, we made a terrible mistake in releasing The Dark One." The woman said. "It killed my parents and younger brother, now I'm all that's left."
"Then I'll help you stop it." Ash said getting up.
"Not like that you aren't. A young lady shouldn't be dressed so poorly." The maid said. "Miss Saria, if I may use one of your old dresses, I believe I can hem it to fit."
"Of course Coleen. When you're done I plead you to leave though." Saria said.
"I have worked for your family since before you were just a baby. I shan't leave you now." Coleen said, grabbing a dress to hem it. "You on the other hand, come with me." She said grabbing Ash's arm.
An hour later
"There you are young lady." Coleen said, finishing Ash's dress. "It's a good thing you and Lady Saria have a similar build. If I didn't know better, I'd have mistaken you for her sister."
Ash looked at himself in the mirrors. The floor length dress was a deep red, and made it hard to move or breath. Add to that the boots, and gloves, he felt ridiculous. For now though, he had no choice.
"Now how do you plan on stopping The Dark One?" Saria asked.
"With a battle." Ash said, grabbing for his Pokeballs. "Do you know when he will be back?"
"Best guess is Midnight. That's when he normally attacks." Saria explained.
"Then we have to be ready." Ash said, beginning a plan.
As the clock struck midnight, a dark force filled the house. Darkrai rose from the basement to hunt.
"Now Pignite!" Ash called out from a side room.
Pignite charged in flames ablaze straight into Darkrai and kept going.
"A human using a Pokémon against me! Hah! Show yourself coward!" Darkrai taunted.
"Try and find me." Saria giggled from another room.
Darkrai fazed burst through the door, only to be met with Gengar. Darkrai was quickly hit out of the room with an Ice Punch, sending it back into the main room.
"Gengar why do you work with these pitiful humans, join me and we can rule together." Darkrai offered.
"Don't bother trying." Ash said from the kitchens. "Hit him again Pignite!"
At a higher speed, Pignite flew through the main room striking Darkrai again, breaking down the front door in the process.
"You won't take another life!" Coleen shouted. As Oshawatt and a frying pan came flying at Darkrai. Oshawatt's Razor Shell hitting just before the frying pan.
"How many traitors to their own kind are there in here!" Darkrai shouted.
Off to the side Lileep waited, hidden in a corner, knowing it had an important part. Meanwhile Gengar came back out along with Noivern. A Shadow Ball, and Boom Burst hitting Darkrai from either side.
"You're going to leave Darkrai." Ash said stepping onto the balcony. "You've lost, and now you are going to leave and never return."
"You! How do you know my name!" Darkrai shouted.
"One day you'll find out. Lilleep now use Solar Beam!" Ash called.
Lileep jumped out of the pot, firing a giant Solar Beam directly at Darkrai sending him flying to parts unknown.
"Sorry about the house." Ash apologized.
"Perhaps it's for the best, maybe if we leave, we can live in peace." Saria said. "Will you come with us?"
"My place isn't with you. Though I wish you the best of luck." Ash said.
"Oh, and keep the dress. It looks good on you." Saria said with a smile.
Ash watched as the two women walked out of the damaged house, to find a new place to call home. As his Pokémon regrouped, a small green Pokémon flew down in front of him.
"This was your doing. Wasn't it Celebi?" Ash asked with a laugh. "Can you at least take me home now?"
A light enveloped the trainer and Pokémon, as it cleared Ash recognized the old beaten down house. Damage from his battle who knows how long ago still there.
"Come on guys. Yawn. It's been a long night, and I don't know about you, but I'd like to get some sleep." Ash said heading back to town
The next morning.
"Ash, you look exhausted. Did you sleep at all last night?" Chloe asked.
"A little, but it felt like I was up for two days." Ash admitted, knowing full well he probably was.
"We can take it easy today, rest up in town. Then go through the mountain tomorrow." Chloe said, sitting down next to Ash. "Look, Goh told me the whole truth about the house. Are you going to be okay?"
"I'll be fine, I cleared a lot of problems up last night." Ash said.
"Hey guys, you won't believe what I found." Goh said excitedly.
At the outskirts of town was a statue, preserved through time. On the plaque it read. 'In honor of the strange girl who saved our lives, wherever she may be. May this town always be protected by her.' Looking at the statue itself, Ash could only hold in a laugh. It was him, and his Pokémon from last night. He couldn't be sure how long they were safe, but knew that they were happy to be free.
"You know that girl looks a lot like the one in the picture we saw yesterday." Goh said, squinting. "Maybe she did survive."
"Yeah, I think she did." Ash said, thinking about what lied ahead.