SHADOW OF THE IMPALER-DO YOU BELIEVE?
I leaned against a tree as Mayo sent her Espeon against Pikachu again. A Thunderbolt made it shudder a little.
"You've gotta work on your shield," I said, "If Pikachu can do that just think how much damage an Electabuzz or Raichu might do."
Mayo turned to me and frowned, "He can't help it, Pikachu is more experienced."
I shrugged and yawned. It was dark already and we were practicing by the light of Professor Oak's ranch. After a few minutes, I called off the practice.
"Are you feeling all right, Ash? These days…" I turned to her and she fell silent. Her eyes showed some worry. I smiled at her and hugged her.
"Everything's better now than a few months ago, I promise. I just…need some time."
With that, I put my hand down, and Pikachu ran up my arm to perch on my shoulder.
I began the walk home…
…Only to stop halfway and look up at the stars. The night was clear, and the moon was full.
"Something wrong, Ash?"
I shook my head.
"Remember that guy at Professor Oak's place last night?"
Pikachu was silent, except for a chill that I felt run down it's spine.
"Yes," it said finally.
"It's funny; he was a stranger, but…it's like I'm supposed to know him."
After more silence, I began the walk again. As we neared my house, I could see a dark shape approaching us. Although he had changed his necktie, he wore the same color of clothing as before…
"Mr. Graves?"
He smiled and let out a cloud of smoke. In his right hand, he held a cigarette.
"Ah, Ash Ketchum." He approached and brought the cigarette to his lips, leaving it there with two fingers hovering around it, and then took it out. He wore a long black overcoat, and a black fedora. He looked toward the house, then back at me. "Would I be wrong if I were to say…but, no," he said, his cigarette trailing smoke as he swung it over to indicate Mom's garden, "How foolish…it is common knowledge that your mother's garden is the greatest in Pallet."
"Uh, thanks. I'll tell her that."
"Do that, please…"
He touched the brim of his hat and went on his way. I couldn't help stare at him as he disappeared into the fog…Fog? Since when does Pallet get fog?
"Ash!! Time for dinner!!"
I still get a little lost in my bed. Sometimes I'll wake up mummified in the sheets, then Mom has to unwrap me, trying hard to stifle her laughter. That's a little hard on the ego…
Tonight, I was definitely going to wake up a mummy.
I floated inside a candlelit room, some kind of cottage; there was a window over to the left. I saw an old man facing me, dressed in blue robes that hung down to his knees, sitting at a rickety old table. I guessed there was another floor because of the stairs behind the man. A door stood to the right. Every now and then he would glance to either side, looking for some enemy I couldn't see. The candle on the table heightened black-rimmed eyes and lines on his face. His right hand, grasping an old wine glass, shook uncontrollably. Suddenly there was a knock at the door, and the old man jumped.
The door swung open and another man stood there, he had blood running down the left side of his face. "Pietro!" shouted the old man, rising to his feet. What sounded like a baby crying came from upstairs. Pietro slumped against the door-frame. The old man went down beside him. "I'm sorry, Lord Aaron," he gasped, I saw blood rising in his mouth, "He…He came out of nowhere. Master Ioni is dead." The crying baby came closer and a woman dressed in white came out holding the crying infant.
"Father, what…My God, Pietro!" Aaron looked up at her, shocked. "Ilyana! Get back to bed!" "Father, he's dying!" Aaron was trembling, either from fear or from anger.
"Pietro, tell me. Was he far…Pietro?" Aaron leaned down and felt the man's chest. He grew pale and turned to Ilyana. "He's dead." She gave a small cry, and tears began to well up. Aaron stood, and stared down at Pietro's body.
"Ioni is also dead," said Aaron quietly, "He was your last brother."
Aaron walked over and sat down again, eyes still on Pietro.
"I have been running for fifteen years, Ilyana. I can't run anymore. Take Anton and go."
Ilyana hesitated. "Go, I say! He won't be far behind! It's me he wants, now go!"
She ran into a dark hallway behind me, leaving the old man to stare at the door.
It swung open, revealing a dark-cloaked man with long black hair, and familiar eyes…
The newcomer stared at Aaron for a few seconds before saying, "Aaron, you have betrayed me."
Aaron began trembling hard as the man reached forward with a pale, sharp-nailed hand and grasped his neck, pulling him to his feet. The old man was silent as his enemy pulled out a dagger and showed it to him.
"Do you know what this is, Aaron? This is the dagger with which I slew Vladislav, the Pretender."
As he finished, the man plunged the dagger into Aaron's heart. A few moments later, the old man was dead.
The killer shook his head sadly.
"Why couldn't you have lived as you died, Aaron? Things would be so much better than they are now…"
Ash tossed over again as I fed him the memory of my lament over Aaron's body. The tail of my long black coat hung over the end of his bed as I perched there, staring at him. My fingers clutched the end-board to steady myself as my memories entered his head as dreams. After I was finished, shall I say, 'entertaining' him, I quietly lowered myself down, determined not to wake him up. I then clasped my hands behind my back and wandered through his door, listening to the five pairs of lungs and an equal number of hearts labor away, brooding over my next step.