Faith in a Child
Chapter Three: A Deadly Foe
Ash blinked and looked at Pikachu confusingly. He didn't quite hear what Pikachu had said. Pikachu turned and gave Ash the biggest and falsest grin.
Ash blinked again, "Pikachu what-"
"Hey! Is there a Ash Ketchum here?" A voice shouted.
Ash turned, his mind off Pikachu's strange actions, to a young teenage girl glaring up at the group. She wore a black tee shirt with a white street jacket over it. She had short jean shorts and sandals. The girl's black hair was pulled back into pigtails.
Ash turned to Brock expecting him to rush over just to get his heart stomped on, but strangely enough he stood firm staring at the girl with dislike.
Ash blinked and stood up slowly. Misty put a hand on Ash's shoulder and squeezed.
"I feel some bad vibes coming from her," Misty muttered softly into Ash's ear.
"Now who's being silly," Ash said grumpily.
"Well…" The girl drawled.
"I'm Ash. What do you want?" Ash asked curiously.
Mew cast a weary look around the landscape trying to figure out where that scream came from.
Some rocky cliffs, a grassy valley, a group of trainers… a oak tree. She looked down below her spotting Ash and company again.
"Uh! Wait!" Mew rubbed her eyes and took closer look down, "I can't believe my luck! Man, this is my lucky day! I was able to find Ash and them without even trying! HA! I'm good!"
Mew continued to compliment herself as she slowly hovered down. She was just a good ten feet above them when she felt a icy blast hit her. Startled, Mew spun to see the weird girl. She blinked…
Suddenly she understood.
Mew turned invisible.
"I request a Pokemon battle!" The girl smiled bringing out a pokeball.
She glanced over to the small rocky scene behind Ash smiling sinisterly. Perfect…
"I'll battle you… uh. What is your name anyway?" Ash asked slowly.
"My name is Zai!" Zai smiled wiping her bangs out of her amber eyes. "Come now, Ash. I have heard all about you. Now I want to fight you!"
"Uh, what exactly did you hear about me?" Ash sweat dropped.
"That is of no importance! Let's battle!" Zai growled tried of being stalled.
"Okay! Go Cyndaquil!" Ash commanded flinging out a pokeball. In a zap of red light the little long nose pokemon appeared. It let out a squeal and powered up the flame on its back.
Zai's eyes flashed red, "Go Blastoise!"
The battle was a very heated match. It seemed that with every pokemon Ash sent out Zai sent out a more powerful one. Ash was even more surprised that all his pokemon did extremely well against these powerful pokemon. He didn't realize how powerful his pokemon had gotten.
It's a trick. Don't let her trick you.
Ash looked about for that voice forgetting to pay attention to Bulbasaur who was being kicked about by the Charizard. Bulbasaur let out a wail again that brought Ash's attention back.
"Bulbasaur send out your solar beam now!" Ash commanded. The blinding beam of white shot out knocking Charizard out. Ash let out a sigh of relief. Suddenly a small pink flying cat appeared out of thin air in front of Ash.
"Hello," Mew chirped in thought speak.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" Ash screamed.
Everyone looked over at him. Ash was waving his hands in rapid circles trying to prevent from falling backwards. His balance failed him and he fell smartly in the grass. He looked fearfully up at the air in front of him as if he was staring at a ghost. Zai looked confused and returned her Charizard.
"Shut up you idiot," Mew snapped. "No one can see me but you. You are making yourself look like a lunatic."
Ash brought back some of his breath and managed to regain some calm. He stood back up trying to ignore the cat floating beside him.
"Sorry guys! Just a bumble bee!" Ash grinned sheepishly.
They all fell over anime style except for Zai who was staring curiously at the air beside Ash.
"Could it be…?" She grumbled.
"Bulbasaur return!" Ash shouted. The pokeball reacted immediately to Ash's words sending a narrow beam of red light out at Bulbasaur. It sucked Bulbasaur back up into the ball and shrunk back to its small portable size. Ash stuck the ball back on his belt and smiled up to Zai. She seemed thrilled even though she was losing horribly.
"Lets finish this! One on One! Sudden death match! Go Espeon!" Zai shout releasing her purple Eevee like thing.
Ash smiled. Just the way I like it.
"Hold up!" Mew shouted zapping in front of Ash again.
"What?!" Ash hissed under his breath trying to keep his eyes on Zai.
"You can't do this! You have to forfeit!" Mew cried.
"Forfeit?! I can't do that! Not when I'm winning!" Ash muttered.
"Well then, lose!" Mew commanded.
"No. Why am I even listening to you? You're just a weird figment of my imagination," Ash growled pushing Mew out of his way, "Go Pi-"
"Sure. If you want that dream of yours to come true…"
"ach- " Ash stopped and looked back at Mew startled. "How do you know about my dream?"
"I don't," Mew grinned. "But trust me. If you beat this girl, that vision you had… it will come true."
Ash bit his lip hard.
Pikachu walked out in front of Espeon.
"No wait," Ash shouted. "I forfeit!"
Pikachu blinked and looked over at Ash confused.
"ASH!" Brock and Misty shouted.
"I can't fight you… I don't feel so good," Ash acted feeling his forehead.
Zai looked puzzled, "You quit?"
"Let's just say it was a draw," Ash smiled.
Mew jabbed Ash painfully in the ribs.
"Oh, I mean… Yes!" Ash corrected himself. "Ow…
Zai's puzzlement turned into frustration and then anger. She glared at Ash in the scarcest way. Ash felt as though his heart stopped and his insides had all frozen up.
This girl. She was the same one from that dream.
Mew looked to Ash then to Zai then to Ash again. They were both staring at each other like they were in a different world.
"Uh! Shoot! Don't!" Mew cried racing straight at Zai.
Zai's eyes flashed up at the wall of rocks behind Ash. Mew was a few inches from Zai when Zai disappeared. No one else seemed to notice.There was a soft rumble and then suddenly the rocks began to tumble down at Ash.
"ASH!" Misty and Brock screamed running over. But Ash was still petrified.
Misty made it to Ash's side a bit sooner then Brock and pushed him out of range. They both tumbled through the grass right before the boulders crushed them. Misty laid on top of Ash for a second till she caught her breath. They both sprang off each other in a flash gagging soon after though. Pikachu, Brock, and Togepi (in Brock's arms) raced over to them.
"Are you two okay?" Brock gasped reaching their side.
"Yeah I think so," Ash panted, then he turned to Misty and smiled. "Thanks for saving me."
'No biggy," Misty shrugged brushing the dirt of her clothes.
Mew stood hovering a way of a ways away looking at the group smiling.
"That's so cute." She grinned.
Suddenly her smile faded and she gazed back over to the pile of rocks that were left, "Unfortunately, we are in deeper trouble then I thought."
Ash and company slowly recovered over the shock and continued down the trail to the next Johto badge.
"Ash…"
"Go away."
"Ash, I'm hungry!"
"Look. I don't really care," Ash snapped under his breath to Mew.
"Man, you are a lot meaner then you used to be," Mew hissed.
"What are you talking about? I have no clue who you are! Course I'm mean! I don't know you!" Ash growled.
Mew shook his head sadly, "You do know me… You just can't remember me.
"It's you!" A big purple cat from below cried in awe.
"Mew?" The pink thing, that had saved Ash's life seconds before, smiled cocking it' head sideways at the bigger cat pokemon.
Ash blinked and shook the memory away.
"What are you talking about?" Ash snapped at Mew once again.
"Yo Ash!" Misty called causing Ash to turn away from Mew for a minute. "Come on! Stop slowing us down."
"Sorry," Ash smiled.
"Come on," Misty sighed pointing to the bridge Brock was just starting to step out on. "We are going cross the bridge now. You coming?"
"Yeah. Hold up," Ash said turning back to Mew. "You stay out of my way, okay? You are really bugging me."
"What do you want me to do?" Mew hissed. "I need you to come with me…"
"Later! Tonight maybe. Just go somewhere! Leave me alone!" Ash growled turning to go.
"Sure. Whatever," Mew snapped curtly zapping away.
The group traveled across the rickety bridge. Ash was a bit happier now that Mew was off his case. Ash was just in the middle of the bridge when it gave a violent lurch. Ash clutched the rope railings and looked over at his friends in front of him that were doing the same. Misty clutched Togepi tightly to her chest and gave Ash a look of fear. Pikachu grabbed onto Ash's foot. Brock was shaking slightly clutching the railing as well.
"I think it's okay now, guys." Ash sighed letting go. Suddenly half of the bridge broke. Ash desperately grabbed hold of the rope railing that was hanging freely now. Ash's grip wasn't as firm as the others. Pikachu was stilling clinging onto Ash's ankle for dear life.
"Ash!" Misty screamed, "Hold on!"
"Pikachu! Climb up me to Misty!" Ash shouted.
Pikachu nodded and did what he was told. Pikachu got up to Misty's shoulder when the other side of the bridge gave way. Misty, Brock, and Pikachu all still holding on to the railing went slamming into the opposite wall. But Ash slipped…
"Ash!" Misty screamed… Togepi, thinking this was all a game, escaped Misty's grasp and fell after Ash, "No! Togepi!"
"Piika pii!" Pikachu cried.
For a split second before he fell, Ash was sure he saw Zai up at the other side of the bridge. He fell through the air screaming until he hit the water below.
Mew zapped above the scene just as the first rope broke.
"You!" Mew snarled at Zai. Zai merely smiled a cute smile and cut the rest of the ropes with the blade of her pocket knife.
"NO!" Mew cried. She spun back to the bridge just to see Ash fall. She raced after him when she heard Misty scream.
She looked up just as a big egg thing hit her upside the head. She caught it wearily and found it was a giggling Togepi. Mew twirled back round to see Ash hit the water.
"NO!" Mew shouted, then she growled at Togepi, "This is all your fault!"
Togepi let out a happy squeal, "Mewy! Uncle Mewy!"
Mew landed on the soft sand besides Ash once she had pulled his body to shore. He was still breathing.
"Ash!" Mew shouted urgently shaking him. "Wake up!"
"Daddy! Why is daddy sleeping?" Togepi cried.
"Shut up you!" Mew snapped, "Ash! Please!"
Ash opened his eyes slowly and looked up at Mew. There seemed to be a new light in his eyes,
"Mew?"
Then everything went black…
To Be Continued…
Please R+R! Part Four is coming real soon!