Chapter 35
"Awake"
'Ash…Ash, are you okay Ash?'
'……nekiro……?'
'You can hear me? Oh, thank Ho-oh……I thought we had lost you for good………'
'nekiro, what's going on?…what happened to me…?'
'…………I'm not sure, Ash……but I think you're on the road to recovery.'
'……nekiro………'
'…Yeah?'
'………i'm scared…'
'……It's okay, Ash…Everything's going to be okay.'
'………you promise?'
'…………Yes…I promise you, Ashura……Everything will be fine.'
'………thank you……'
* * *
The fog………It had been with me for such a long time……I'd almost forgotten what it was like to be without it…………but it was clearing……I could see.
"…Ash…!?"
Mom…
She looked so worried…Her face was stricken, but red…as if she had spent a long while crying…
She didn't hear me…I didn't say it loud enough…
Mom…
…mom…
She gasped and I could see her eyes glistening.
"Ash……You're okay………"
I made my head move in a nod…The last thing I wanted to do was disappoint her……
She lifted me up and held me close.
"I was so worried you wouldn't make it…" she whispered.
…me too…
"…I'm glad you're okay……"
……yeah…
"……Pikapi……"
'……Ash……'
……pikachu?
"……Pika……pikachu……"
'……I'm glad……that you're awake……'
"……Ash?" Mom said softly.
……uh-huh?
"………There's someone here…who may have saved your life……"
I stared up at her.
…who?…
She turned me around so I could see for myself…There was Pikachu, and Persian………and……
nekiro!?
He nodded timidly.
But I thought he said that'd he'd never go near humans…!
…nekiro………you……
I what?
………i never thought that you would………
He stared downwards.
……Neither did I……but when I tried to help you from a distance…I completely lost contact……I tried so many times, but……it was as if you had disappeared…completely……
……thank you, nekiro……
He shrugged.
…Just helping a fellow Mew in need…
Mom shook me gently.
"Ash, how are you feeling right now?" she asked.
…i could be better……
"That's what I thought…Okay, I'm going to let you rest now……If you need anything……have someone come and get me, okay?"
okay, mom……
Nekiro stood up.
I'd best be going now……
"…Must you?" Mom asked, "I want to thank you somehow……"
Nekiro shook his head. It's thanks enough that Ash…is okay……Just keep your eye on him……Make sure he stays out of trouble……That'll be enough for me……
Mom nodded. "…I understand……Thank you very much, Nekiro…"
She set me down, then stood up to leave. "Now you are going to get some rest, okay?…You must be hungry…I'll bring up something, okay?"
Food? Eating?
My stomach tied itself in a knot.
…no thanks……
She paused and frowned at me.
"…Are you sure? You haven't had much to eat lately…"
I felt sick…
no, it's okay……i'm not hungry……
"Pika, pika?"
'Are you sure?'
yes…i'm sure……
I laid down and closed my eyes.
right now i just want to rest……
"…Rest well, sweetheart……"
I heard her footsteps walk away, then the door opened and shut.
…My stomach growled.
"Persian, perr…Persian?"
'You sure you don't want anything to eat? You sound hungry…'
i'm sure…
I tried to relax and let sleep take me…
Wait…
…nekiro? are you still there?
………Yes.
nekiro, what really happened?
…I told you, Ash. I honestly don't know…It seemed to start off with mere exhaustion……but………then it turned into something more………I've never seen anything like it.
……it won't happen again, will it?
I hope not……We might not be as lucky a second time……
"Pika, pikachu…"
'You should be more careful, Ash……'
"Perrrrrrsiann…Persiaaann…"
'I agree. Maybe you should try to take it easy from now on……'
……At any rate, try to stay out of life-threatening situations………and don't try to push yourself too hard……Just……Above all………do be careful………I'd hate to see someone so young lose their life so early………
……i'll be careful………i promise……
…Goodbye, Ashura…Persian, Pikachu……Take care…
The next second, he was gone.
"Pi ka…Pikachu!"
'You'd better listen to him about being careful!'
"Perrrrsiannn…"
'Such wise words…'
I felt Pikachu close to me, so I opened my eyes. It was looking down at me sadly.
"Piikaa……Pikachu……" it said softly.
'You never even moved……I thought I'd lost you……'
trust me…it'll take a lot more than a bunch of spearows to get rid of me……
Pikachu smiled and nodded.
"Pika chu…"
'I know that…'
* * *
Sleep came easily to me…I was still so tired from everything……
* * *
'……Nekiro?'
'Ashura!? What are you…?'
'Nekiro……I need to know……exactly what happened to me……'
'……I told you. I don't know…'
'………Nekiro, I felt like I was trapped……There was nothing there but this………fog…'
'……Yes………I felt that when I was trying to contact you……but it didn't feel like a fog, it felt more like a stone wall!'
'………but when I fell asleep, it was completely different…'
'…Fell asleep? You could sleep, and it was different?'
'Yeah………I had these dreams………They……I didn't like them…'
'………Do you think you could tell me more about them?'
'I……I guess so………I…I dreamed that……I was talking to me……'
'Huh?'
'but…it was the other me………the human……'
'………Go on.'
'………He told me that I killed him…and that I don't have a name………'
'………………Okay……Is there more?'
'………I had dreams about the woods……'
'…The woods?'
'Uh-huh………the woods where I………where……I……………'
'……Where you what?'
'………Nekiro, you probably don't know about this, but when I was human, Giovanni……my father……he…made me join Team Rocket………and I couldn't leave, because he kept all of my Pokémon from me………but I ran away once……and I left them all behind………and………'
'……And what?'
'…………I killed, Nekiro……………I……had to……………………'
'………Ash?'
'…………Yeah?'
'………What did you dream about?………in the woods, I mean?'
'…I dreamt about the time I spent there, Nekiro…………about……everything that happened………It was terrible……'
'………Is that all that you dreamed about?'
'……No.'
'What else?'
'……………My conscience……'
'……What did it say?'
'It told me that I'm dead.'
'………Ashura…'
'…Yeah?'
'………Try to think happy thoughts.'
'……Um……I'll try…'
'………And Ashura?'
'Yeah?'
'……Be careful.'
'……I'll try.'
'……'
* * *
"Ash, I brought you something to eat!"
I opened my eyes. I had no idea how long I'd been sleeping, but it had been nice……
"Here you go."
She placed a bowl of soup on the side table. Just the sight of it……
mom?
"Yes, dear?"
i told you already…i'm not hungry!
She looked surprised.
"But Ash, it's been days since you've ate anything really substantial. Maybe if you just tried it, it would make you feel better, and you'd be able to finish."
i really don't think i'm hungry…can you please take that away?
"But……I thought you liked soup……"
mom…! I pleaded desperately.
She picked it up.
"Alright……but I don't want you to starve to death…You have to eat sometime…"
She left the room and took the soup with her…I still felt nauseous just from the sight and smell of it…
"Pikapika?"
'What's wrong Ash?'
i think i'm still sick……
I groaned and laid down again. Now I had a headache too…
"Peerrrrrsiannn…Pe-errrrrrr…"
'At least you're awake. We can be thankful for that.'
yeah………