Faith in a Child

Chapter Twenty: Faith Renewed

Delia continued to gaze out the window. Suddenly her eyes caught something. Was that a ray of sunlight? Slowly but surely the sun on the horizon slowly leaked into view. Delia let out a muffled cry of joy and covered her mouth with her free hand. Tears of joy rolled down her cheeks. She welcomed them.

"Togepi. Look! Ash has done it," Mrs. Ketchum whispered to the little baby pokemon in her arms.

Togepi rolled over and let out a small relaxing yawn, "Yea! Go… Daddy…"

But Delia wasn't the only one to recognized the trickle of light coming in through the windows. A young brown haired boy who had been sleeping not too far away from Mrs. Ketchum woke up suddenly to find warm sunlight on his face.

"The sun? It's sunlight! Look everyone! Sunlight!" The boy called.

Soon everyone was at the windows peering out at the fiery ball's beauty that had been long since forgotten. Even Nurse Joy, who was still busy mending the wounded pokemon and humans had to pause by a window and smile.

Delia was positively beaming; tears shinning down her face,

"Oh. Ashton Ketchum. My boy. You saved us yet again…"

Lugia did a swift summersault through the air to avoid the shadows nasty hyper beam. It still pursed him up high into the sky. Lugia couldn't get the shadow off his tail. He flew higher into the clouds just to spot a shimmer of light rising above the hills…

"Could it be?" Lugia gulped staring down at it as it rose higher and higher.

The shadow hadn't given up. It powered up a elemental beam aimed at the water beast.

Slowly the sunlight spilled over the valley. As it wafted over the battle scene, the shadow creatures let out wails of agony and vanished with the night. Lugia turned just as the shadow creature released the beam and diminished. The golden beam made it inched before striking Lugia down when it too faded.

Lugia blinked in surprise.

"Close call, huh?" Celebi giggled hovering by.

"You could say that," Lugia gulped staring at the dead air in front of him.

Arcticuno flew up into the air next to them to report, "All the shadows are gone but I am afraid out of our battle only us remained standing…"

"Mewtwo?" Lugia whispered.

"Oh… Yeah. He and Moltres made it too," Acticuno nodded. "But everyone else had a hard time…"

"Shut up and look!" Celebi shouted pointing to the tower.

The huge massive structure began to perish as the sun's beams hit it.

"It looks like the tower of darkness is being destroyed by the light…" Lugia murmured.

"So that must mean, Ashy boy pulled it off!" Celebi cried with joy.

Suddenly several golden beams fell into the valley falling down the battle ground. They all entered a certain pokemon.

"Forget casualties… They all being brought back to life!" Lugia laughed.

The pokemon on the ground all began to stir.

Ash felt dirt in his grasp. He didn't want to open his eyes. He was too tired. A smile swept across his face.

"I did it, didn't I?" Ash whispered in a weak voice.

Yes you did, Ash. And I am very proud of you.

Ash didn't need to open his eyes. He knew who was talking to him.

"You can't possibly understand how much that means to me," Ash smirked opening one eye. "Dad."

There besides him, Ash could just make out the outline of his father. A tall man with kind caring blue eyes.

So you figured me out, Ash. You were outstanding. You made both your mother and I very proud.

"So what exactly did I do?" Ash groaned keeping a painful smile on his face.

You saved the planet, son.

Ash blinked and let out a moan, "Oh yeah…"

Ash tried to push himself up but he was still too anemic. He glanced up at his father and muttered, "Why was it you to die? Zai was aiming for me. You shouldn't have gotten in the way…"

Things happen for a reason.

"But you were supposed to teach me how to become a Pokemon Master," Ash coughed weakly.

You seemed to have done a pretty good job without me.

"It wasn't easy."

Nothing ever is. You have a long rough road ahead of you. I want you to stay on it… And marry Misty! I want grandkids!

"Ha. Ha. Very funny."

Aw. Is Ash afraid to show his dad he is growing up?

"Shut up," Ash laughed.

There was a long silence…

"Dad?"

Hmm?

"Will anyone believe me?"

Probably not.

"Will Misty?"

Maybe. I can't predict your girlfriend's reaction.

"Okay. Dad. She is a girl and she's my friend. But she is not my girlfriend."

Yeah. Misty said the same thing…

Suddenly Ash felt himself brought into a hug. He squinted up at the person.

"Misty?" Ash whispered.

"Oh! Ash! You're so stupid!" Misty cried. "You could of died!"

"Yeah…" Ash smiled, "And your point is…"

"Watch it!" Misty snapped, "I was being nice. But I can still turn ugly."

"I thought you already did…"

"ASH KETCHUM!" Misty screamed.

Brock rushed over to where Misty had run off to and found her trying to help Ash to his feet. He got on the other side of Ash and helped as well.

"Ash, are you okay?" Brock asked once he had gotten to his feet.

Ash had just opened his mouth to reply when Misty interrupted him.

"He is just fine!" She snapped curtly.

"Where is Kamon?" Ash asked.

"Oh. Kamon? He is with the reporters." Brock blinked, surprised that Ash knew the boy.

"Ash… Somehow, everyone who had died came back," Misty said softly attempting to get Ash to explain.

Ash smiled, "Yeah. I knew they would."

Ash pushed out of Misty and Brock's grasp trying to find his own strength. Just when Ash was able to walk again two blurs of yellow leapt on top of Ash knocking him to the ground. Ash winced in pain and peered down at the two Pikachus in his lap.

"Ash! You're okay!" The one Pikachu, Ash recognized as his own, squeaked.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried flinging his arms around his pokemon.

The other Pikachu cleared its throat loudly.

"That's my clone!" Pikachu grinned.

"I noticed," Ash smiled and swept that Pikachu into a hug too

Ash stood back up to his feet faster this time. The Clone Pikachu that Ash named PC jumped onto Ash's hat as Pikachu leapt onto his usual spot on the shoulder.

Ash looked around panicky, "Where did Mew go?"

"Left. As soon as she knew you were alright," A voice said behind him. "I guess it didn't want to be caught in the camera crew light."

Ash spun around to see Kamon standing right behind him. But something was different about him…

"You aren't blind anymore," Ash guessed.

"Yeah. Isn't great? That golden light somehow restored my eyesight!" Kamon grinned. "I couldn't believe it!"

Kamon hugged Ash tight. Ash was startled…

"I know the Chosen One did that for me… Thanks," Kamon whispered into his ear.

Ash nodded.

"I guess there goes my half price pokeballs…"

"So where are the reporters?" Ash asked. "I want to get as far away from them as possible."

"I thought you liked being in the spotlight?" Misty snarled.

"Not on PNN. That Ray guy drives me nuts," Ash shook at the thought.

Brock glanced around.

"Over there." Brock pointed to a huddle of reporters in the distance who were being fought off by Officer Jenny's, Professor Samuel Oak, and Tracey.

"Then we go this way," Ash smiled pointing the opposite direction just to see a woman running over to them. "Mom?!"

"Ashton Ketchum!" Mrs. Ketchum scolded, handing Togepi to Misty as she did. "You almost got yourself killed and didn't even call me to tell me you were alright."

Ash blushed crimson.

"Sorry Mom. But how did you get here?"

"A nice trainer gave me a ride on his Pigdeot but that has nothing to do with this conversation, Ash."

Ash walked up to his mom and gave her a hug. Mrs. Ketchum hid her astonishment.

"Dad. He talked to me," Ash whispered.

"He did, did he?" Delia smiled pulling Ash out of the hug to look him over, "He always did approve of dangerous things. He thrived for adventure your father did. Which reminds me…"

She pulled out a crystal from her pocket.

"I found this… I thought it was yours, Ash."

"Euuu! What is it?" Misty asked reaching out for it at the same time as Ash did.

Their hands touched it at the same time causing it to emit a sliver light for just a split second. Misty drew back her hand quickly while Ash took the crystal and placed it into his pocket.

"What was that?" Misty and Delia asked in unison.

Ash blushed again, "Just a reaction… Nothing really."

Mew gazed down at the group. She smiled.

"I guess… I can go." Mew sighed.

And so she took off zooming away through the fluffy cotton clouds.

"Look!" Kamon cried pointing up at the rising sun. There slimming the sun's ride flew Moltres and on her back Ash caught a glimpse of sliver hair.

Ash smiled. His work was done.

Never would the world have to put their faith in a child… Ash was no longer one.

"So what happened Meowth?" Jessie asked the cat for the billionth time, "What did Zai do?"

"For you're information, Zai took over you guys mind!" Meowth snapped his same answer

"He couldn't possibly-"

"He did"

"Did not!"

"Did so!"

"Did not!"

"Did so infinity!"

"Did not infinity x infinity!"

"This could go on till infinity…" James sighed, "It looks like the author made Team Rocket sum up her story again!"

To Be Continued…

Just kidding!

THE END!

Please R + R! I love to get reviews! Don't be afraid to send them!

Read some of my other PKMN stories!

Upside Down, Bouncing Off The Ceiling (2001)- Romantic Musical Comedy.
Crimson Tears (2001)- Dark Supernatural Adventure.
Dancing Queen (2002)- Romantic Comedy. Upside Down's Sequel.
The Blind Alley (2007)- Dark Adventure/ Adult.
Ashes (2008)- Medieval Alternate Universe.