Chapter 12
"The End Of The Beginning"
Ho-oh…Lugia……Moltres, Zapdos, Articuno……Suicune, Entei, Raikou……Nekiro, Mewtwo…………Pikachu………
…Gary…Brock, Billie…Mom…May……Dad………Richie……Misty…………
…Ash……
…I felt a change in the wind……It was now blowing from the sea…
When I looked up, rolling clouds darkened the sky…They began pelting the earth with bruising rain…The wind grew stronger…I had to fight to stay in the same place……Lightning ripped across the sky…When it hit, it exploded with the brightest flash……Fire began to spread, unhindered by the rain……but the rain in turn flooded the streets and valleys…The fire burned through everything the water couldn't reach……The wind continued to batter everything, and the lightning destroyed anything that came in its way……
…If I couldn't stop this storm………
* * *
"Ashura…?"
I woke up slowly……I could feel her right behind me…I could feel her worry……I realized that must not have been the first time that she had called to me…
"…Are you okay Ashura?"
I turned around and smiled weakly.
Yes…I'm okay now……Thank you…
"………Was it the Disease…?"
My smile faded at that……
…Yes……Yes, it was…… I yawned and stretched, but it's no big deal…What have you been up to today?
"…I came here to see why you weren't up…"
..Misty, you know you don't need to worry about me like that……I'm fine by myself…
As long as I know that you're okay…
"…Ashura…"
…Yes?
"……What do you want to do today?"
Before I could even begin to answer, a breeze blew over the balcony…I froze……It smelled like salt.
"…Ashura, what's wrong?" Misty asked.
I glanced up…The clouds were getting heavier by the minute……
This is bad……
"Ashura, answer me!"
I looked back at Misty and I felt a cold fear set…
Misty, go inside.
"What…?"
A drizzle began to fall…As I watched, the clouds covered up the sun…and lightning streaked across the sky…
No…! This is too soon!…I just had this dream……Why is this happening so quickly…?
"Ashura!!"
Misty, it's dangerous out here. Go inside until I tell you that it's safe…
"What's going on?"
Misty, please……Do as I say……Please……
"What about you!?"
I'll be fine……You just stay inside…I don't want you getting hurt…
"Ashura…!"
Go!
The rain was starting to fall harder…A flash of lightning illuminated the tower and in that flash was a picture of Misty……so full of concern……for me……
"…All right……" she whispered.
After hesitating for a moment, she ducked inside.
Please stay in there Misty…Please…
I turned and flew out over the city…I saw everything happen…just like in the dream that I had just woken up from……
The water…Everyone on the ground……
I sent out an order through my mind link for everyone to seek shelter…Until I could stop this storm……They'd be in a lot of trouble…
All right…Come and get me!!
I let the dark power form a sort of magnet around me…I let all of the lightning…rain…fire…wind…all of it…I drew it towards myself so no one else would have to get hurt……After all…that's what I was there for……
Now…to find the source of this storm……and destroy it……
As I began to seek it out……I found something else first……and it scared me so much more……
Misty…!
I spun around……There she was……up on top of the tower……She had……the lightning rod……I'd always put that up before storms, but……this one was different…It was more than just powerful…it was………
Misty!! Get down from there right-!!
Out of a sky full of lightning and water……One bolt found its way to that tower…and in less than a second……it struck……
MISTYYY!!!!!!!!!!! I screamed…
I dove at her, forgetting about anything but that lightning bolt and where it had hit……I dropped my shield…The rain and wind didn't seem painful anymore……
…I managed to catch her before she hit the roof……I couldn't hold her up long, but I rested her gently onto the floor…Her body was charred and stiff……Her face was emotionless……even in death……it looked like she had escaped pain……but she couldn't be Misty……Misty was always smiling……Misty was always…full of life……Misty……
In a sudden panic, I centered all of the life energy I could spare into a Softboiled move and tried to force it into her……I gave it everything I had………but there was no one there to accept it……My strength gave out……The energy went to waste…and I lay over her…in exhaustion…and……pain…
I had thought that I knew what pain was……I thought that I had been through it all……I throught that I had been hurt……but……I'd never truly felt pain until that … moment……That moment…when I knew…that Misty was gone……Really…truly……gone……
…Pain is a burning feeling in your chest…When your mouth goes dry and you forget how to breathe……Pain is when you find yourself frozen in place…Pain is when you don't think……because trying anything will only hurt you more……
Misty………MISTY!!!!!!
I forgot all about strength……In that moment……I was weak……and I didn't care………At that moment………I cried……for the first time………and I knew what it felt like to be weak……because everything that had made me strong……was gone……
Misty………Look at what you've done………How could I have meant so much to you……that you would risk your life……to help me……?
…Misty………I never had any reason not to trust you, didn't I?……You stayed by my side……your whole life………You never even thought of betraying me……Why did you have to prove it…? Why!?
…Look at this world Misty……Now the world is dead……Don't you realize…?……You were the only living person left in this world……and now that you're gone……Now that you're gone……
I couldn't even finish that sentence in my mind, though I knew what I was trying to say……Instead, I buried my face in her shirt…and I cried……
…I severed my tie with the rest of the world……I could care less about the world……Misty was the world…without Misty……nothing else matters……no one else matters…
I wanted to cry until I died as well…I didn't care how long it took…If I felt nothing but true pain…for a few more centuries……It would be nothing less than what I deserved…
…But I was never really alive, was I…? With every death I caused, I died a little more……but when you came to me, it didn't matter anymore, because you were alive enough for the both of us……
But now what happens to the world……? I was the only thing keeping the world……together……but I'm not really here anymore………not without you………
……Did I really think I could save the world……? The world isn't feeling pain anymore………but the world………It's gone………I only succeeded in saving you………No………I couldn't even do that……
Misty, did you ever really know true happiness? How could that have been possible? You were alone in this world………I was never really here, could you see that? Did you know that I'm not who I've been……pretending to be…?
………I even fooled myself………but you saw through that didn't you? You could see through all of the layers of lies I had created to……protect………myself…………Is that why you loved me so much…? Did you feel sorry for me?………It must be true……because…………I never really could protect you…………because you were the one watching over me………You proved that to me, Misty………but why did you have to…?
Ashura………What a fool I was………Did I really think that changing my name would make me a different person?……No………I didn't even do that………After all, what does it say on my birth certificate………
It says Ashura Ketchum………because that's what my parents named me………Ash never really died………No, that's not right………I am Ash………but I am also Ashura………I have two names, but I am the same person………
……I thought I was dead……because I should have been…
……I'm going to do what I should have done………from the very beginning………
I clenched my fist and put as much power as I had left into it……It crackled like static, then faded away………
…No……There's no strength left………Misty, how am I supposed to make things right if I don't even have enough strength left to destroy the only evil in this world…?
I can help you.
I spun around in shock. I thought everyone who had the ability to think for themselves was dead…
What is she…?
She was larger than me, but not by much…She floated in midair, supported by her not only the four transparent wings on her back, but by the power of her mind as well……She was……tree-colored, I guess……She even seemed to emit a faint green light……She had two thin blue…antennas on her head………Her eyes were large and the color of the sky…
…She smiled at me…
…….I couldn't even remember the last time someone had smiled at me……who wasn't Misty……
…Who are you…?
…My name is Celebi…I've been watching you, Ashura……and now I want to help you……because I can…
…What are you talking about?
I couldn't even come close to you before… she said, …because you were so blind in your frustration that you couldn't even see that the people who cared about you most were only trying to save you from this fate that you've created for yourself…
How can someone create their own…fate…?
It's simple really……There is such thing as destiny…or fate……but it's not chosen by anyone but……well, everyone……The actions that you took in the past led up to you becoming who you are now……If you had taken a different path, you would be a different person……living a different life……I know this for a fact……because I have seen many humans and Pokémon…take different paths……and find different destinies……Now I want to see you find that different destiny Ash……because I know that you can………
It's too late! I've ruined……everything……My destiny was destroy destiny………and now that I've done that……there's no place for me anymore……
No, Ash………You're destiny is not to destroy, but to ensure it…
…What…?
It's not too late. It's never too late……Yes……this world is not what it used to be………but over time……it can become beautiful once again……It might be best if you left it alone in its rebirth……The people of this new world must learn the hard way…just as you did……so that they become wiser……and though they shall pass their wisdom down to their children, their children will not heed it, and they will end up wiser because of it……
………So there really is no place for me………
……Ash……there is one more thing that you can do……not to save this world……but another future……
What are you talking about?
There is a boy……from the past………He doesn't know how much of an impact his decisions will make, but his choices could change the world………
What is she talking about……?
……He needs your help……Won't you help me…help him?
…………Who is he?
…His name is Ash Ketchum…
What!!?
Don't you want to save him? Or do you want him to follow the same path that you have?
………I don't want him………to do that……
Then you'll help?
………I'd like to………but how can I change the past…?
When she grinned at me, her eyes seemed to sparkle……
Leave that to me, Ashura…
Huh?
Celebi floated up to me and placed her paw on mine.
"Celebi…" she whispered.
'I'll send your essence back in time……'
Your life will end in this timeline……but you will continue to live on inside of your younger self……
But-!
Ashura……Listen to me……You were strong back then……You probably don't remember anymore, but trust me on that……Ash is a very strong boy……Stronger than you are now……You don't have to worry about hurting him with your own painful memories……He won't even notice that you're there……In fact, you'll only be able to influence him for a minute or so after you return to the past……You must make sure that he makes the right decisions, or else you could both be thrown into an endless loop……After that, he will forget about you……and you may even begin to forget about yourself………
……It's not like it's never happened before……… I murmured.
So will you trust me? Celebi asked.
Only one word hit me in that sentence……
…Trust…?
I stared into her eyes…She had seemed so friendly and she said that she wanted to help me………but to trust her…?
How can I…? I just met her a few minutes ago……She's not anything like Misty……I knew Misty all of her life………She wasn't……some stranger……who just popped into my life and told me I could change it all………Misty was always honest with me………This……Celebi………How do I know that she's telling the truth? Couldn't she just be making this up to get rid of me? It doesn't sound real……How can someone travel through time…?
……How could one person change the world……?
…………And what do I have left to lose……?
I took a deep breath and looked straight at her.
…All right……Let's do this…
She smiled…but seemed a little worried………
……Ashura…remember, the first few moments are crucial…If you don't change anything then……then you won't have changed anything……
……I understand.
………All right………Close your eyes……Relax……and keep your memories close by……They're going to be all you'll have left………
I closed my eyes and tried to relax…
……Are you ready?
* * *
…I want to make sure I remember everything clearly……Just in case……Just in case Ash does find me inside of him……I want him to know exactly why I don't want to be woken up…
…I know I can trust him…
THE END