Prodigy
Chapter 6: Aston – Ash's father
Ash parked his car near one of the damaged sites, there were already some people helping in clearing the rubble and trying to fix up the damages. Gary looked up snapping back to reality from his memories of his evening with Lina.
Gary: Lonely Love . . .
Ash: So that's what it is huh.
Gary sat straight up, puzzled at what Ash said.
Ash: You're not the only one that experienced Lonely Love. Misty and me had that type of feeling too.
Gary: You did? I thought it was a puppy sorta love that turned into first love and eternal love?
Ash: Perhaps so but our lonely love is based on not remembering each other when we were all but very young children. I guess you can say it was a cute childish love back then but when I never got to see her until that fateful day near the river, I was pretty much lonely. Not that I knew what it was back then but I knew I was feeling something, maybe not being able to be with my best friend who is also my playmate. When I finally met up with her again, it was rather tragic that I lost my memory and thus we were nothing more than strangers for awhile but we soon became friends all over again and then fell in love. So my lonely love ended but so did my memories of the past from early childhood days.
Gary: I guess I understand. Haa haa haa, that's kinda funny really. The two biggest rivals in the entire world are all the victims of lonely love.
Ash: You're a bit overly dramatic. If your done reminiscing about your love interest I think we should go help our fellow students in the damage site.
Gary: Oh . . . yeah, let's go.
*****
The entire populous of PKMN Society helped in repairing their damaged city. The loyal students, residence, and workers all devoted their time to repair and clean up the city to have it just as it was once before. The prodigies that were found in the city helped out as well. Even when the day was done everyone continued to work hard to restore the damage areas. It became late when all the major points were fixed leaving only minor repairs to be done, everyone returned home to rest their tired bodies. Ash arrived at his apartment with a tired Misty holding onto him. They both crashed on the bed and laid there tired from the day.
Ash: Man I'm bushed. But at least everything looks all right in the city.
Misty: Luckily Lina recovered quickly otherwise she wouldn't be able to help out.
Ash: Resuko too. I think prodigies heal quicker than normal people.
Misty: Guess so. Gary still seems weird out though. Ha, I bet he'll find out that Lina's perfectly all right later tonight. Probably give'm a good show.
Ash: Err I think I'll stay out of that one.
Misty: Nothing but girl talk.
Ash: You know, Gary's been talking a lot about Lina lately. He said he's experiencing Lonely Love.
Misty: Ah. I see. Who would have though of it, I never envisioned Gary and Lina to be pairing up together.
They both lightly laughed together crawling up towards the head of the bed. As they stared at the ceiling resting their tired muscles, they talked about a few small things. Most of the talk was about memories from long ago when they were traveling together. Reminiscing about the past helped them forget about the day's problem.
Ash: Then we were climbing up that ladder together in our dress clothes . . .
Misty: I remember now, you were getting free peeks up my skirt!
Ash: You look good in pink panties.
Ash felt the swift strike of a pillow on his face.
Misty: Pervert.
It was Misty's turn to remember something. She thought back to when they were in their early teens and were traveling around near the mountainous area somewhere in Kanto. This happened before the airship tragedy, about one year before. They arrived at small mountain town, which was very secluded from the outside world. It was very small had very little residence but it was a great place to stay for a while.
Misty: Remember that mountain town where we carved our names on the cave wall.
Ash: I think so. Wasn't that cave called Heart Link?
Misty: Yeah. Like the locals said, "most visitors go there just to carve their name and their lovers name as a declaration of their love for one another. In the town this was actually a way of getting married."
Ash: Married huh, so that means we are already married.
Misty: Well in that town that is.
Ash: Guess that was our honeymoon that night huh.
Misty: Hee hee hee, yup.
Ash recalled seeing something else on the wall. He never thought about it much when he was younger but now he realized something important about two other names he saw on the wall.
Ash: I also saw two other names on the wall, Aston and Delia.
Misty: Delia? Isn't that your mom's name?
Ash: Yup. And you can guess who Aston is.
Misty: Your dad?
Ash: Yup. My parents went there too. They carved their names to declare their love to one another.
Misty: Wow, talk about following in your parent's footsteps.
Ash: That must've been long ago, when both of them were very active in their travels together. My dad was also so adventurous and head strong, he loved challenges.
Misty: Kinda like you. You never did tell me what happened to your father.
Ash: Oh . . . he died when I was still very young. Mom told me that he was trying to apprehend this big pokemon thief.
Misty: Sorry to hear. So what happened?
Ash: He and the thief got into a struggle, fell of a cliff and well that was it for both of them.
Misty: Gosh, that's terrible.
Ash: Don't sweat it.
Even though Ash is an adult now he still wished he was young to spend more time with his dad. It was hard to deal with not having a dad in his childhood but he dealt with it. He didn't blame anyone of what happened, things just happen when they do. Even not being able to raise Ash from his child hood, Ash still learned many of his father's qualities, mostly through story telling from his mother. Ash's father always had a goal to be the best of the best, now Ash wanted to follow the same path inspired by his father.
Ash: I wonder what would my dad think of me if he were alive today.
Ash looked to his side, there he saw Misty already sleeping, wrapped around his arm using it like a pillow. Smiling at his fiancée, Ash reached above him to find some pillows. He placed one on Misty's head and one on his own. He'd let her sleep, they were comfortable, just a good time to rest and let the mind wonder, before Ash knew it, he too fell asleep.
*****
Ash slowly woke up from a voice calling him. It whispered his name a few times just trying to get Ash's attention. The voice sounded very gentle and warm. It was a man's voice, a familiar one at that. When Ash finally opened his eyes he looked to his side and saw . . .
Ash: . . . Dad?
Aston: Ash. Wake up son, I've got to talk to you.
Ash: Dad? You're . . . here?
Ash was puzzled a bit, first off why is his dead father here, next off, where the heck was he. It was kinda white around, like if he was on a cloud. Misty was not with him, it was just him and his father.
Aston: Ash . . . I've watched you son. I thought this visit was necessary.
Ash: Visit? Are you controlling reality or something?
Aston: No, right now you're in a dream. You're actually sleeping in your bed with Misty.
Ash: Its been awhile dad, you haven't appeared in my dreams since I was still on the road collecting badges.
Aston walked a bit to his right; through some type of fade in effect a bookshelf appeared before him. He reached the empty bookshelf and pulled out a book, which materialized as he held it. Walking to Ash he showed him a picture of himself and Delia when they were younger.
Aston: Misty reminds me of your mom when I was around your age. See remember this picture here?
Ash: Yeah . . . so dad, its not that I'm not grateful that you're here but there must be some purpose you are here. Or am I just dreaming cause it was the last thing I thought about?
The book disappeared into thin air. Aston sat on air, as a chair appeared to support him.
Aston: Well, yes you are dreaming but you should know why this dream is taking place.
Ash: The DREAMER relic?
Aston: Could be, could also be a premonition, or I'm just here to tell you something.
Ash: I'm guessing all of the above.
Aston: Sharp. Just like your old man.
Aston folded his arms and leaned back on the chair. He took a deep sigh first then looked Ash right in his eyes.
Aston: There are a few things I needed to tell you but I just didn't have the chance. First of I wanted to talk to you about being a Prodigy.
Still puzzled at everything Ash wondered why his father wanted to talk about being a prodigy, perhaps something to do why Ash is one.
Aston: Ash, when I was around your age I too was a prodigy.
That was surprising, Ash never knew that his dad was a prodigy. Yet the whole prodigy selection is by random, no one knows how or why people are prodigies, they just are.
Ash: You're a prodigy too? Did I inherit it from you?
Aston: Maybe. But I don't think so. It's just a coincidence that you also turned out to be a prodigy. As I know, you use lightning right?
Ash: Yeah. That's my element.
Aston: I'm a different element. I had fire. So I don't think it has anything to do with inheritance or lineage, just being fortunate to be one.
Ash: I see. My dad, a fire type prodigy. That's pretty surprising. Does mom know?
Aston: Ofcourse, I never kept anything from your mother. Oh and she's not a prodigy if your wondering, just me.
Ash: Okay, you can read me like a book; I was about to ask that.
Aston: Well, you are my son, haa haa haa. I also wanted to talk to you about another thing. I wanted to talk to you about my death.
Ash felt a bit uneasy hearing about the subject. It brought back memories about hearing the dreadful news and lonesome depressing days when the tears wouldn't stop flowing.
Aston: I wanted to clarify a few things. Lemme bring you back to that particular time.
*****
With a white fade in and a flash, they were brought back to cliff, the exact same cliff where Aston fell off. There was a reenactment of what happened. There were a two men near the cliff, one of them had overpowered the other and placed him in a straggle hold. Seconds later Aston appeared angered that his friend was being held captive.
Aston: Let him go!
Thief: This man knows something that I want to know. He knows the location of DREAMER!
Aston: Who freak'n cares! Let him go or I'll . . .
Thief: Don't be hasty! I'll drop him off the cliff if you try something.
Aston backed away for a moment but within his sight he took aim. It was risky but maybe it was better than doing nothing but watch. Quickly Aston raised his hand and focused his potential right at the head of the thief. Fire flew quickly through the air and burnt the thief's face. Immediately Aston ran to free his friend. When he got close enough he tried to strike down the thief with a punch but was stopped when the thief pushed Aston's friend right in his way.
Aston caught his friend but that lowered his guard revealing an opening for an attack. The thief slugged Aston across the face so hard that Aston flew a bit. Out of rage Aston ran towards the thief to fight back. They were all getting closer to the end of the cliff as they fought blow after blow. The hits that Aston took were very hard, felt like rocks pounding into him. With a push off kick the thief backed off. He planned on something drastic for Aston who was the better fighter of the two.
Thief: How about I send you falling to your doom.
Pointing at the rocky wall behind them the thief shot out a brown energy from his fingers.
Aston: A Prodigy!?
Rocks started to break apart and fall. The thief planned on avalanching Aston right off as he made his escape. The falling rock started to come down hard; Aston's friend was about to be buried alive. Immediately Aston ran towards his friend and unleashed a great amount of energy to either redirect the falling rocks or melt it. Just as the last of the rocks fell, the exhausted Aston felt a bone-crunching blow to his side that just knocked him back near the cliff.
Aston: Arggg I thought you ran away?
Thief: So I decided to finish the job. I will find DREAMER, I have had enough of this terrible life style, I'm gonna make a new one.
Aston was pushed off the cliff with a straight beam of rock type. A frantic scream yelling Aston's name was heard, his friend was in shock that Aston was just killed before him. The thief didn't care, he wanted to know where DREAMER is. Grabbing a hold of the person that knew he walked him close to the cliff and once again demanded to know where DREAMER could be found.
Thief: You'll find yourself with your friend if you don't tell me where it is!
Before anything else could happen a hand grabbed onto the thieves leg and tried to pull him off the cliff. It was Aston as he held on to the side.
Aston: It'd be a cold day in hell when you get your hands on DREAMER.
Pulling hard on the theif's leg Aston lost his own grip. Now they both fell a bit but with the thief holding on the ledge with one hand and Aston grappling his leg.
Aston: Reed! Stomp on his foot now!
Aston's friend looked down on him, he couldn't do it, it'd kill Aston too.
Reed: I can't! You'll get killed too!
Aston: You gotta! It's a small price to pay but when a prodigy turns to his own selfishness he will one day cause great ruin to the world. I being another prodigy must make sure he doesn't!
Reed: I don't understand!
Aston: I wish I had more time to explain but believe me, there's a reason why prodigies are the way they are! One reason is to help this world be the way it "once was" and not pursue their own selfishness abusing their blessed talents. This is why you must do this!
Reed: I'd be blood guilty! I'll be killing you!
Aston: If you don't do this then you'd be blood guilty of many more people if he some how he gets his hands on one of the relics. Now do it!!
Reed closed his eyes, with a swift leg motion he stomped right on the prodigy thief's hand and broke the ledge he was holding onto. Silently Aston whispered thank you to his friend then prayed that his wife and child live happily even if he can't be with them. Reed only heard the deathly echoing screams of the thief as he fell to his doom along with Aston who sacrificed himself for some "reason."
Reed: I will find out why. Maybe if I do I'll free myself from this guilt.
*****
Aston: Does that make things a bit clearer to understand?
Ash felt bad at the way his dad died and actually seeing the whole thing. Still it was not in vain but for the right purpose, if it had been himself he probably would have done the same.
Ash: I'm a bit more confused actually.
The cloud environment returned, Ash sat down just as a chair appeared, Aston as well.
Ash: So you and Reed were friends before?
Aston: Yes. Long ago actually. He was one of my companions as I traveled around. We met in a cave where an Onix was chasing him. I rescued him and well he just wanted to join me, plus he offered some of his financial aid so I figure I didn't have to worry about money for a while.
Ash: That's pretty shallow Dad.
They both chuckled; it was now clear that Aston and Reed were friends during Aston's earlier years of adventuring.
Aston: Me and Reed got to be really good friends. I shared with him all sorts of secrets that involved relics and prodigies and stuff like that. He's trust worthy plus I wanted to tell someone all about it. Reed did all sorts of research on everything I told him till one day he knew where the DREAMER was located. I wasn't with him when he claimed to know the location of DREAMER; he just emailed me about his discovery.
Ash: What made you guys stop traveling together.
Aston: I met your mother.
Ash: Oh!
Things made sense; Ash could relate what his father was getting at. Smiling back at his father he continued to listen to the story.
Aston: The things I told Reed were information about prodigies in general; such things as why they exist and what is their purpose in life. Have you figured it out yet?
Ash thought about it, maybe he did but maybe it was different from his fathers view.
Ash: Not exactly.
Aston: Lemme tell you a lil bit of it then. Prodigies simple live for the sole purpose of helping restore the world to the way it once was. I believe I said that before I ended up fall off the cliff. Anyway that's what prodigies are suppose to do, that's why they have such a great learning ability for pokemon; its cause they have information that hasn't been unlocked yet and as they mature it slowly reveals itself. Relics from long ago were actually tools by those who created them. These were remarkable tools that no modern technology could duplicate. You're familiar with DREAMER right?
Ash: Yeah, I used it during a fight.
Aston: Well The DREAMER has a strange mind changing force that will encourage someone. You know how some motivational speeches help you accomplish certain tasks? Well The DREAMER does that but its far more effective. Another feature is it can open a path to seeing Ultima the none-elemental pokemon. Ultima is bonded within an area closest to heaven, in other words, places where dreams are made.
Ash: I see. I understand.
Aston: Just recapping a bit son. Now let me tell you about selfish irregular prodigies. There's bound to have atleast one where a prodigy will abuse their power. They use the power, which was given to them, and use it to fulfill their own selfish desire. Their desire usually grows to a dangerous degree where they are never satisfied. Since prodigies have a direct tie in with old relics from long ago relics that may seem to have one function has a lot more to a prodigy. In example The DREAMER can be used to find Ultima but only by a prodigy's power. Other than that it's just the Osmosis Sword. A normal person using the Osmosis Sword would only use it as a sword but if a prodigy used it, it can be charged by potential energy and then become DREAMER which acts as a key to Ultima, changing the mentality of a person to accomplish their goals far more effectively, and used to shoot out potential elements that it was charged by.
Ash: I know all that. In fact I had to take care of a crazy G/S that wanted to use the sword.
Aston: Oh, about that G/S. I'd be careful. The lineage of a G/S is different than a prodigy. Remember what I said, knowledge that is slowly revealed as a prodigy matures. A G/S has more natural learning ability whereas prodigies already have knowledge that just lie dormant till the proper time.
Ash: Ya I got the idea now. I've befriend a G/S recently, his name is Gold.
Aston: I'd keep a close eye on him if I were you. Not that he might try something bad but you might see something that you normally wouldn't see.
Ash: Dad, about your death. I was just thinking, why didn't you just fly out using a your potential to sprout Moltres wings.
Aston: Is that possible? Wait, when you had your fall off the airship, you sprouted electric Zapdos wings and you were able to fly away.
Ash: Yeah, so why didn't you just do that?
Aston: I didn't think it was possible. I'm sure I couldn't have done it, I already knew the peek of my potential. Well maybe you're a more accomplished prodigy than I am.
Ash: But . . . that doesn't make too much sense, I thought all prodigies from past to present all have equal strengths.
The surroundings started to get more fogged, clouds started to move about and distort their sight.
Aston: Looks like your waking up. I'm gonna go, I might be back if you need me. Take care of yourself and also take good care of Misty. I'll be looking down at you when you two are married.
Ash: Good bye Dad.
In the next chapter: Tension builds up where retaliation must be made. War is slowly being declared but Ash is fully against the idea. Questions arise of his own strengths and why he could do more than his own father. The storm is slowly approaching.
Author's Note: Well its about time I updated this fic, guess its been awhile. Well my main site is finally up, looking nicely but still needs a lot more work. Anyone out there that wants to take part in rebuilding the sites please email me, I'm looking for someone to take care of the character info and profiles. Most of the info is done but I need to update it with current info, anyone willing please email me. mcwizardx@hawaii.rr.com