Pokémon: Masters
Chapter Seven – Finding Your Path
"Ash, wake up," Misty said as she shook the sleeping boy. "Of all the times to take a nap."
The bright flash from the Marowak had left them all dazed for a few moments, but it had knocked Ash out.
"Maybe we should get him out of here," Brock suggested.
"I don't think that Marowak is going to let us," Tracey replied as he pointed to the Marowak now guarding the exit.
"This amazing," Dr. Eve commented while ignoring the others. "These inscription are still intact."
"How can you be thinking about stuff like that," Misty yelled at the young archeologist. "Ash is unconscious, a Marowak is blocking the door, our batteries are almost dead, and you just want to look at silly inscriptions!"
"Well," Eve replied to younger girl. "This is what I do. Maybe there is something in here about all this."
"Very well," Misty sighed.
"Calm down, Misty," Brock said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure everything is going to work out."
"Thanks, Brock," Misty whispered back. She looked over and stared at the Marowak blocking their freedom.
Why are you doing this? she thought.
Wait and see, another thought in her head told her.
"All right, Aqua," Anna said to her pokémon. "Knock down that apple with your water attack."
"Squirtle," the little turtle replied before he sent out a stream of water at the tree.
The apple fell to the ground, and Anna ran and picked up.
"Thanks," she said as she walked back to her friend.
"Anna," Cecil called from the temple. "I need you and Ash to go to the village for supplies."
Anna sighed. "Sure," she called back to her guardian as she went to fiend Ash.
She found Ash sleeping in a meadow near the forest.
"Aqua," she said to the squirtle. "Wake him up."
He drenched Ash who then jumped up shouting. When he was on his feet, he saw the girl and pokémon laughing at him.
"Very funny," he replied as he tried to shake some the water off. "Now I got to change."
"Oh, you'll dry off," Anna replied while trying not to burst out laughing again.
"Why did you wake me up?" he demanded.
"Cecil wants us to go to the village," she answered.
"Okay," Ash said as they started walking to the forest.
Along the way, Anna said she needed a rest. They stopped near a stream that Ash strangely remembered. Looking around, he saw that Anna was sitting in a familiar place.
"This is where I first met Misty," he sighed.
Anna smiled. Since he arrived a month ago, he talked about the girl at least once a day.
"Don't worry, Ash," she comforted him. "I'm sure you'll see her soon."
"I hope so," Ash sighed. "I really hope so."
Jeff walked up to a house wearing a suit and tie. She'll know where he'll be, he thought as he rang the doorbell. He is her son.
The door opened, and Jeff was greeted by a "Mime?"
"Who is it Mimi?" a voice called from inside.
Jeff watched as the Mr. Mime stepped out of the way of a woman he was seeking.
"How may I help you, young man?" she asked cheerfully.
People this sweet should be put out of my misery, he reflected.
"Hi, I am from the firm of Abra and sons," he replied. "We are searching for a Mr. Ash Ketchum."
"Please come in," she said offering him to enter her home.
"Is Ash here?" he asked as he walked in.
"No," she replied as she showed him the way to the living room. "He went off with his friends to some ruins nearby."
He handed her a business card. "Well, if he comes by," he told her as he walked back to the door, "tell him to call his number."
"All right," she said as she let him out.
"What nice young man," she commented as she went back inside.
"Scyther!" a voiced screamed in the forest.
"Of all the bug types," Ash said as he ducked under the blades of the enraged pokémon, "we would have to run into a Scyther."
Anna was hiding behind a rock afraid of the monster that was trying to kill her friend.
"Aqua, do that attack I taught you," she told the little turtle.
"Squirtle," he complied as he shot a stream of water at the Scyther.
This only served to make the Scyther even angrier and take a new target.
"Anna, look out," Ash called to his friend.
The Scyther went straight for Aqua, knocking him down. It gave a triumph yell as it stood over the cowering squirtle.
"No!" Anna shouted.
Ash watching in amazement as her eyes turned gold. Soon, Aqua began to glow in the same color.
"Aqua," Anna commanded, "hydro pump!"
The squirtle let loose the massive amount of water onto the bug pokémon sending it off to the horizon.
"Destiny," Ash whispered.
Anna turned to him with her eyes still glowing.
"No, Ash," he replied.
The forest began to fade away leaving only the squirtle. Ash was confused what was happening.
"I am only Anna," she told him as her eyes returned to normal. "You are Destiny now."
She laid her hand on the Squirtle's head. It began to glow again, but this it was the light of evolution.
"Wartortle," he greeted.
"How are you doing this?" Ash questioned.
Anna smiled as once again Aqua evolved into Blastoise.
"This was my role as Destiny," she said to Ash as she patted her pokémon. "I help to show pokémon their full potential."
She turned back to him. "You will do the same when time comes."
Ash looked. "I think I understand."
Ash then thought about the time he had spent with her. "Was that how it happened?"
Anna let out a little laugh. "I was raised in my own temple," she told him. "And my first pokémon was a squirtle named Aqua. The city of Pokémopolis sprung up around the temple a few years after my passing."
Ash watched as the temple returned but this time, it was not in the middle of the woods but in a busy city.
"Before the great tragedy, my children lived here and taught others the secrets to becoming Pokémon Trainers," she told him. "My son choose a hidden valley in the forest to serve as their retreat."
"The Valley of Destiny," he reminded himself.
"The book of Destiny as you call it was left in the temple at Pokémopolis until the tragedy," she added.
Ash watched as a giant Kadabra and Gengar began their battle in the city streets. While citizens of the city were running for their lives, a woman about the age of 25 was busy sealing the door to the temple. Beside her on the ground laid the book Dr. Eve had discovered.
"She knew that the temple would be need again," Anna commented as watched her finish her task. "She left the bonekeeper to guard it until the second Destiny arrived."
When the two giants held each other in a stalemate, Ash watched the woman left up four objects, three black balls and the artifact that he found when they uncovered the ancient city. The objects sent out beams of light causing the pokémon to disappear.
The woman let out a final sigh of relief as the pokémon were captured in the objects. She then raised her head and looked at the burning city. All the people were gone, and the jigglypuff that once guarded the city lied unconscious over a crumbling building.
She dropped her head in defeat. After hiding the book and objects within the ruined city and placing the jigglypuff in an odd shaped statue, the woman walked outside her former city. Ash watched as her eyes became blue and the earth rose above the city forming a mountain.
The scene faded as the woman walked crying into the forest. Ash turned Anna who was crying at seeing the sight.
"So long ago," she whispered, "yet still so painful."
Scott, Jeff, and Mary looked at the old ruins. Scott noticed that a strange presence was here.
"This should be interesting," he commented as the three walked into the city.
"Come on, Ash," Misty said as she tried shaking him again. "Wake up."
"Please, Misty," Tracey as he tried to calm her down.
"But we've been trapped down here all day," she whined, "and Ash hasn't stirred once."
"I think I got it," Eve said as she looked away from an inscription on the wall. "Apparently this Marowak has been waiting for someone called the second Destiny."
Misty looked down at Ash. "Guess this is what you get for trying to help people," she sighed.
"Oh, it gets a lot worst little girl," a voice mocked.
The Marowak, which had its back to the opening, was sent flying to Brock. It jumped back up and took a defensive position in front of Ash.
"So, this is Ash's Misty," Mary said as she looked down at the girl holding Ash. "Not much to look at."
"Don't be so harsh," Jeff laughed. "After all, Ash is no prize himself."
"I wouldn't say that," Mary replied. "After all, he did somehow survive Scott."
"Enough, you two," Scott snapped at his teammates. "We got business to take care of."
He eyed the boy lying on the floor. "I don't know how you bet us," he said feeling that spot in his memory was erased, "but once we're finished with you, we'll take care of Sabrina."
"Not if I can help it," Brock yelled back. "Go, Geodude."
"Let's go, Scyther," Tracey joined in.
As the two pokémon appeared next to Marowak, they glared at the three intruders.
"Alakazam," Scott said as he tossed in a pokéball, "let's get this over with."
The Geodude, Scyther, and Marowak glanced at each other and leapt in unison at the psychic pokémon. Unfortunately, it created a light barrier which blocked them from getting near it.
"Now let the fun begin," Scott said as the eyes of the three psychics turned red.