... Humans have a saying: "What is past is prologue."
(We) also have a saying: "What is past is also sometimes the future."
Babylon 5
---------------------------
Jason Creight awoke on the outskirts of Saffron City on a beautiful summer day.
He looked over toward his companion, Tommy, who was still sleeping. He grinned. *Ever since he came aboard, he's been sleeping more and more. Maybe at some point he won't get up at all.*
It had been two months since Tommy had chosen to go with Jason on his training. Jason thought the boy showed great potential; he was deeply in harmony with the Pokemon he used. Since neither of them had competed in a gym match since they'd become journeying companions, Jason didn't know how Tommy looked on the battlefield.
But Jason didn't need to know what Tommy was like on the field to know he had great potential.
Jason had been fascinated by Tommy's history; seemingly, it was almost as dark as his own. Tommy had confided in Jason a few of his secrets recently, and what Jason had heard had him riveted, almost as much as Kelly had been when Jason told her his own secrets.
"One day," Tommy had said, "we'd gone out to do some training, not too long after we received our first Pokemon. We each got three; they were gifts from Koga. They were the starter Pokemon that most trainers choose from: Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle. We'd go out, battle them with each other and with wild Pokemon, and generally bond with them so that we became inseparable.
"But this particular day was different from the others. When we came home, we found our hometown of Tirenza burning to the ground. Hundreds of people were burned alive, and more were brutally slaughtered by other means. We saw members of Team Rocket putting Pokemon to use in creating and sustaining the fires. Needless to say, we were horrified.
"We ran to our home and found it had been one of the first to burn. And nearby, standing in the midst of all that destruction, was Giovanni himself. I guess he was overseeing the entire thing, just to make sure it went smoothly. And it seemed he was satisfied. Near him was another Pokemon that none of us had ever seen before."
Tommy had shaken his head, still disbelieving even after all this time. "It was protected by metal armor covering most of its body. We couldn't see its face; it was hidden behind a helmet and visor. Giovanni told it to 'take care of those pathetic weaklings,' and he left. He said he was late for a conference.
"The Pokemon was psychic, whatever else it was. It asked us why we looked out for each other, why we didn't think as Giovanni did, why we didn't have the same outlook on life as Giovanni did. I guess it thought Giovanni was your model human.
"And then..."
Tommy had shaken his head again. "No, I can't talk about that yet."
"I understand," Jason had replied. "But I'm ready to listen whenever you're ready to tell."
"Much appreciated."
Jason wondered if he would ever hear the rest of what Tommy had to say. But he wasn't going to pry. He knew what having people pry was like, and he didn't wish anything of the sort on Tommy.
He unfolded his collapsible wheelchair, then pulled out a Poke ball and tossed it. "Gengar, help me into my chair, please."
The dark purple ghost Pokemon grinned at Jason, looking as if it enjoyed seeing Jason make the attempt himself.
*Well, two can play at that game.* "Fine, then I'll just capture a Misdreavus and send you back to Professor Oak."
"Gengar." It approached and lifted Jason into his chair.
Jason nodded. "Much better."
A bleeping emanating from Jason's vest pocket alerted him to someone calling him. He groaned. "Wish I'd remember that stupid PokeGear."
Since he and Tommy had become traveling companions, they had both purchased PokeGears in Saffron City. They figured it was for the best; not only did they have computerized maps, but they also had a built-in video phone and radio.
Jason pulled the PokeGear out of his pocket, strapped it to his left wrist, and activated the phone. "Hello?"
He was surprised to see Professor Oak on the other end of the line.
"Hello, there, Jason," he said. "You're looking well."
"I'm feeling pretty well, too," said Jason. "How's it going in Pallet Town?"
"Well, it's going. Can't say much more than that," said Oak.
Jason grinned. "There's a reason you're calling, I take it."
"Yes, there is. I was contacted this morning by a doctor at Saffron City General Hospital. This doctor was actually looking for you, but he doesn't have your Gear number and I felt it rude to give it to him without your say- so."
"Okay," said Jason cautiously. "And why was this doctor looking for me?"
"Because he believes he has a therapy that will make you walk again."
Jason's heart skipped a beat. "I thought my vertebrae were fused and fried by the shock, that nothing could activate the nerves again."
"That's what Dr. Morgan said, yes, but this other doctor, Dr. Kendrick, was very insistent. He claims to have developed a new treatment, and he wants to use you as the guniea pig."
Jason snorted. "Wonderful. Okay, so what's this 'brand-new treatment' involve?"
"I'm afraid you'd have to ask him. Do you want the hospital's number?"
"Sure."
Oak rattled off the number. Jason logged it into his PokeGear.
"Okay, got it."
"Good. I have to go now; Kelly's going to be mad if she doesn't have someone else to work with in there pretty soon. By the way, thanks for all the new Pokemon you're sending in. We're learning more and more about them every day."
"No problem. Talk to you later." Jason deactivated the phone.
*What could possibly allow me to walk again?* he wondered.
*And what if this treatment worked?*
He stared down at his legs. They were anorexic, the muscles nonexistent, because of disuse. *I'd have to have a whole lot of physical therapy after this, that's for sure.*
"Oak was serious, wasn't he?"
Jason's head snapped around, and he saw that Tommy had managed to change into day clothes and roll up his sleeping pad without being noticed at all.
Jason didn't react outwardly. He was still mentally surprised, but he chastised himself for that. He knew he should have figured out by now that Tommy could do almost anything in perfect silence, just as his brothers could.
Jason wished Daniel had had that capacity for silence. Unfortunately, as both he and Tommy knew, Daniel had never been able to keep quiet.
He nodded. "Looked like it. And it's right up our alley, too."
"What about that party that your friend Ash was going to have back in Pallet? I thought you said you wanted to go to that."
"Yeah," Jason sighed. "Well, we'll find out just how long this entire procedure will take, and then I'll make the decision."
He activated the vid phone again and dialed the hospital number.
"Saffron City General Hospital, may I help you?"
"I'm looking for a Dr. Kendrick. Is he available?"
"Yes, sir. One moment."
That one moment actually turned out to be more like three or four, but soon Jason's quarry was on the line. "Dr. Kendrick."
"Doctor, I'm Jason Creight. I've been informed that you wanted to speak to me."
Since Kendrick was not at a vid phone himself, Jason couldn't see him, but he could hear the way the doctor's voice suddenly became much more alert and... positive. Almost bouncy, even. "Ah, yes, I'm glad you called. As I'm sure your Professor Oak mentioned to you, I've devised a treatment which I believe can cure you of your paralysis."
"Yes, he told me. But how is that possible, when my nerves can't be revived?"
"Dr. Morgan may have been wrong on that point. The nerves in your spinal cord may have been paralyzed, but that does not automatically mean that the nerves in your legs were."
Jason shook his head, though the doctor couldn't see it. "The net result is the same; the nerves have to be dead by now."
"I believe that with our revolutionary cloning process, I can grow an entirely new spinal cord from your DNA and extract the bones and nerves needed to help you walk again."
Jason hesitated. "Wouldn't a surgery of that sort be extremely dangerous? I mean, I've heard of organs being cloned and used to replace bad ones, but not spinal cords. I thought once the nerves were severed, they couldn't be reattached."
"Not necessarily. The hospital is not only staffed by doctors, but by Pokemon as well. Pokemon such as Mr. Mime and Alakazam are among the non- human staff, and they have been training for this procedure for some time."
"And what was your criteria for training? I was told I'd be the first human subject this would be attempted on."
"True. The criteria was two concentrations of ten thousand fiber-optic threads. They simulated nerve bundles. Both bundles were attached to separate computers, and the goal was to get the bundles attached with every single thread attached to its partner. The procedure has proven a success forty-nine out of fifty-one attempts."
"And what do I have to lose if the procedure isn't a success?"
"Money," Kendrick answered immediately. "That's the only thing."
"How much will the procedure cost, then?"
"I don't know. We'll have to figure it out once you're actually admitted out of the hospital. It could be anywhere from thirty to eighty thousand."
"And there's going to be extensive physical therapy, isn't there?"
"Actually, it may not be that extensive. Our new technologies also include a bio-stim machine that forces muscles to contract. This way, your muscle tissue can rebuild without you having to work at it. It tickles, but it's hardly painful."
"I'll still need to learn how to walk all over again."
"Yes, I'm afraid so. And that's why you will need physical therapy, whether it be extensive or otherwise."
Jason sighed. "Do you have an estimate on how long the entire course will take?"
"From entering the hospital in your chair to leaving it on your feet, it could take anywhere from two to four months. It all depends on how quickly you recover from surgery and how quickly you learn to walk."
There was a moment of silence from both ends.
Finally, Jason said, "I'll give it serious consideration."
He hung up.
***
A dark form atop a flying beast of gargantuan proportions stared down at the countryside below him, malice in his eyes.
*He'll pay for this. He'll pay for it all. I'll show him just how revenge is taken.*
***
A brilliant flash of light shone in the vast valleys of the Ruins of Alph.
Two forms now existed where none previously had.
*It was ten years ago. But now it's tomorrow.*
***
Tommy stared at Jason. "You're crazy. First you go on and on about how eager you are to see Ash after so long, and now you want to throw it away?"
Jason shook his head. "No, I don't want to throw it away. I'll give him a call while he's there."
"That can't possibly be enough!"
"Believe me, it isn't. But you don't know how badly I want this, Tommy. You don't know how hard it is, training while sitting on your rear the entire time. I want to get more in touch with my Pokemon, and the only way I can do that is if I reacquire the ability to walk and run."
Tommy waved his arms around. "Then visit Ash *before* you do this! You heard what Kendrick said! It could take a long time! Two months, at the least!"
"I want this, Tommy. As much as anything I've ever wanted in my life, I want this. And I want it now."
"What's wrong with you?!" Tommy exploded. "This isn't like you at all!"
Jason knew it wasn't like him. Tommy was absolutely right.
But suddenly he wasn't sure.
He knew that Professor Oak would be there.
But that was no problem.
He knew that Kelly was going to be there.
That *was* the problem.
*Why am I suddenly so urgent to get away from the party and get my legs back? Could it be that I have some grudge against Kelly for not coming with me? Am I mad at her for asking me about leaving her, when it'd be the last time I'd see her?*
"I mean, what's your problem?" Tommy continued.
*It can't be anything against Ash, and it sure isn't anything against Sam, either.
What* is *my problem?*
"Yeah, Jason. What's your problem?"
Jason and Tommy snapped their heads upward.
And they were baffled by what they saw.
A shining red Dragonite was descending upon them.
It landed directly in front of them.
Riding on its back was a middle-aged man wearing a mustache and goatee.
"Who are you?" Tommy asked, a Poke ball having appeared in his right hand.
Jason was speechless. Motionless.
Tommy might not have recognized the man, but Jason did.
Sans the facial hair, it was the same face Jason had seen in the mirror every day of his adolescent life.
***
The older Jason grinned at his counterpart. "You recognize me, eh? Good. That means you aren't as naive as I thought I was."
He watched as the other boy--*Tommy, right?*--glanced from one version of Jason to the other.
And then he laughed as Tommy's face grew pale.
"I don't think I've inspired this much fear in anyone since I took--for a long time," he said.
"Who are you?" the younger Jason whispered.
"Maybe I was wrong," the older one responded. "Maybe you are as naive as I thought I was."
"He asked you a question," said Tommy, his color returning. He cocked his arm. "You'd better have an answer."
The 28-year-old sighed. "Very well." He turned to his younger self. "I'm you. That's who you are, and that's who I am. But to distinguish us, you can call me Creight."
"How is that possible?" Jason asked.
"It's possible through the abilities of a miracle of Pokemon nature. And those abilities include time travel."
"You're from the future?"
The older one applauded mockingly. "Oh, bra-VO! He catches on quick!"
"How did you get here?" Jason continued, ignoring the barb.
"I just told you, time travel." Creight dismounted his Dragonite and stepped up close to his younger self. "But if you must dig deeper, it's by the abilities of the Pokemon known as Celebi."
"Celebi?"
Creight bent down, coming to his counterpart's eye level. "It has abilities beyond those you could possibly imagine."
He bounced back up. "But I'm not here to discuss Pokemon with you."
"In that case, if you're who you say you are, why *are* you here?" asked Tommy.
"I'm here to save my life," Creight answered cryptically.
Jason stared up at his twin. "Your life, or mine?"
"Both," Creight answered.
"And how, precisely, is my life... are our lives... in danger?"
Creight grinned mischievously. "I thought you'd never ask."
He turned toward Tommy. "Unfortunately, I don't want to answer that while you're around. No offense, you understand, but this is between me and myself."
Tommy scoffed, then looked at Jason.
Jason nodded. "I'll be all right."
"Of course you will," said Creight. "Why wouldn't you be all right with yourself?"
Tommy scoffed again. "Fine, I'll go look for some Pokemon."
"That's the spirit!" Creight called after him.
When Tommy was out of sight and earshot, Creight turned back to Jason. A deranged look was in his eyes. A look of madness. Of insanity.
"Okay, kiddo, here's the deal. I... am you..." He reached into Jason's inside vest pocket and pulled out a faded picture of Jason, Kelly, and Professor Oak.
"...without her."
Jason's incredulity, not stupidity, motivated him to frown and say, "What?"
"I... am... you... without... her." Creight was sure to emphasize every word. "Got it?"
"How are you me without Kelly? What happened?"
"Your idiot brother has some friends in high places. He managed to escape jail after Giovanni decided to send one of his crew to rescue the good ol' boy. Daniel made some promise to Giovanni to have you wasted if the man would let him out of jail. He agreed, and now that sack of Miltank manure is on the loose again. And he's massively ticked."
"I'll bet."
"When I was you, I decided to go ahead and get my legs fixed. The procedure was a success, too, in case you hadn't noticed."
"I had, in fact."
"Shut up and let me finish. While I was having surgery and therapy and all that good stuff, that little welcome back party of Ash's went awry. Daniel decided to 'make an example of what happens to good people when they make stupid choices'. He burned Pallet Town to the ground with his strongest fire Pokemon."
Jason was silent, taking in the full measure of what this meant. "How many died?"
"All of them. He didn't take any prisoners, didn't let anyone escape. It became the most heinous crime of the century, according to the press. Everyone died. Ash, his mom, his two friends, Professor Oak, the civilian population, Oak's assistants..."
"And Kelly?"
"And Kelly."
Jason couldn't believe it, absolutely couldn't believe it.
*Kelly?
Dead?*
It didn't seem possible.
"What happened then?" Jason asked, almost afraid of the answer.
"I tracked Daniel down and I showed him no more mercy than he'd shown for those people. Even less, actually. When I was finished, there was no way to identify him. No way at all. So I dumped his body in the ocean for Magikarp food. Then I went to Viridian City, looking for Giovanni. Thought I'd get some revenge on him, too. But he wasn't there; he was at Whirlpool Islands. So I went there and caught him off guard. I used my Pokemon to break his spirit like a twig, and I enjoyed every minute of it."
"You didn't kill him?"
"I didn't say that. I broke his spirit, then brought him back to Viridian. And I left him there to vegetate. I felt like committing suicide. I wanted to see Kelly again so badly, and there was no way for me to do it. At least, no human way.
"And then that's when I came up with a plan to find a Pokemon capable of time travel, one which could take me back to this point in time and warn myself." The counterpart's grin had more than a hint of evil in it. "For three years, I trudged around with no luck. I became a Pokemon master by defeating Lance, but that didn't matter to me anymore. I renounced Pokemon training. The only reason I'd kept after my journeys was because I figured that's what Kelly might have wanted."
"Then why renounce training?" Jason asked.
"Because that's what Kelly did, as well." Creight stared down at Jason. "I released all my Pokemon. None of them wanted to leave, and a few of them chose to stay, even though I begged them to do otherwise. Good ol' Dragonite here was one of them."
Jason looked over at the Dragonite Creight had come out of the air with. "Yeah, I was wondering about that. Is that...?"
[Yes, I am the future version of your red Dratini.]
"I brought it here to show you what's possible. Also to show you that my story is genuine, if you didn't believe me," said Creight.
"I'm still not quite sure of it. I don't believe I'd kill my own brother out of rage, not even after he killed so many people," Jason replied.
"Care to test that little theory?" Creight asked. "You'll have the chance tomorrow. That's when it's going to happen. Two p.m., Daniel's going to turn Pallet Town into his personal hell."
"How do I know if you're telling me the truth?"
"Attend Ash's party and find out."
"And why can't you do it?" Jason barked. "After all this time, wouldn't you want to take revenge on your brother while you're bigger than him? Before he even has the chance to burn anything?"
"You need to be the one to do it. This is a focal point, buddy. If you do this, nothing I've told you will happen, and I'll never exist. But if I do it, I'll still be around."
"How?"
"Time is difficult to understand, but once you get some of it, nothing is simple. You need to be the one to stop him, not me. We'll both be trapped in a time loop if I do it. I'll have changed the timeline without being a part of it, and everything will be thrown out of balance. But if you do it, the town is saved, and there'll be no loop because I won't exist."
"And you want your existence to end?"
"I've wanted that for ten years."
"So why didn't you commit suicide?"
"Because then there wouldn't have been any hope to change the past. It would have stayed as it was, and Kelly and all the rest would stay dead. This way, they stay alive."
Jason sighed. All this talk about time travel and time loops and time theory was giving him a serious headache. He didn't know how his older self could have taken the stress of attempting to understand it without going slightly insane.
"Look, kiddo, the only reason I can exist here and now is because you haven't stopped Daniel from killing everyone in Pallet Town. Once he stops becoming a threat to the town, I'll simply fade out of existence."
"And will I remember any of what happened?"
"I don't know," Creight admitted. "Maybe, maybe not. But we shouldn't worry about it. *Tempus fugit.*"
"Yeah, it does," Jason responded. He took a deep breath, then released it. "Fine. We'll go."
"Good. I'll go get Tommy." Creight turned to fetch Jason's traveling companion.
"How about you keep out of sight when we get there?" Jason called after him.
Creight grinned to himself. "Of course I will!"
Jason knew himself far too well to think Creight wouldn't try to catch glimpses of everyone at the party. After all, their faces had been dust for ten years, according to him.
"He'll stay out of sight," Jason muttered. "Doesn't mean everyone'll stay out of *his* sight."
***
That evening, Jason, Creight, and Tommy made their way to Pallet Town. As promised, Creight stayed out of sight; his method was to use his Dragonite to keep him high above the others.
[I still don't know if he truly believes you.]
"Well, he's going to find out one way or another that I'm telling the truth. And when he does, he'll just have to accept it."
[We'll see.]
"Yeah. We will. And then we'll fade out."
***
"Are you sure about them?" Tommy asked Jason. "For all we know, this entire thing could just be one big setup."
"There are a couple things that don't seem right," Jason admitted. "But he said he brought his Dragonite to psychically prove his case, if he didn't have me convinced. That made me start to believe him. I know I would've done the same thing. If I wanted to go back in time and keep myself from doing something, I'd bring proof, too. And even if he hadn't convinced me with what he said alone, you've got to wonder how many other red Dragonites are in this world."
Tommy nodded. "I suppose so. Still doesn't make me trust him."
"Would you trust a future version of yourself?"
"Good point. So, have you figured out why, exactly, you wanted to get away from all this so badly?"
Jason's face contorted. "Maybe. But I'm not sure. Maybe it was just anxiousness over seeing Kelly again."
"Your girlfriend?"
"Yeah. I've got a feeling that when I see her, I'll find out we're not on the best of terms."
Tommy shook his head. "I'm afraid I couldn't tell you what to expect. I'm not the expert on relationships with women."
*Deja vu,* thought Jason. He'd heard almost the exact same sentiments from Professor Oak once.
They continued toward the lab in silence.
***
When Professor Oak looked up from his research, he was stunned to see Jason and Tommy approaching him. He hid it as best he could. "My, this is certainly unexpected. And pleasing. Welcome back, Jason."
"Good to be back," Jason lied. "This is Tommy."
"Ah." Oak grinned at the boy. "I hear you're from the revered Shadow clan. You have my greatest respect."
He bowed. Tommy returned the gesture.
"I would be fascinated to find out about your Pokemon," said Oak, "but from the look on Jason's face, reminiscing isn't why you're here."
He caught the slight wrinkle that developed and just as quickly vanished in Tommy's nose; whatever the business was, Oak knew that it wasn't pleasant. And neither was the coming news.
"I think it'd probably be best if Jason explained it," said Tommy. "I'm not really in on much of the details."
"All right, then," said Oak. "What's the visit really about, Jason?"
Jason leaned forward in his wheelchair. "I've been thrust into a rather strange situation. Just after I talked to Dr. Kendrick on the phone, I found myself looking at myself. Specifically, a future version of myself. At least, that's what he claims."
"Okayy," said Oak, sounding skeptical.
"I know this sounds weird, but just let me finish," said Jason. "He claims that my brother, Daniel, is bent on ruining my life, and in his time, decided to take his revenge out on Pallet Town. According to him, Daniel used fire type Pokemon to destroy Pallet Town and burn everyone alive while Ash's welcome home party was taking place. According to him, there were no survivors, and since that day, he's been looking for a way to change the past."
"And just how did he find one?" asked Oak.
"He heard about a Pokemon capable of time travel and decided to seek it out. He apparently succeeded and has come back to this time to warn me and keep his past from repeating itself."
Oak nodded slowly, trying to take the infomration in. "And where, exactly, is this 'future self' of yours?"
"Outside," said Jason matter-of-factly. "I told him to stay out of sight so that he wouldn't confuse anyone."
"Ah. Would that be him peeking through the window?"
Jason head snapped around. Sure enough, Creight had his eye in the window, trying to get a good view of Oak. As soon as he realized that Jason and Oak had discovered him, Creight ducked. The damage, however, had been done.
"Yeah, that's him," Jason admitted. "You'll have to forgive him. He apparently hasn't seen you or anyone else from Pallet Town for ten years of his life, and he seems to be harboring a whole lot of loneliness."
"Understandable," said Oak. "But why not let events take their course, rather than go to such great lengths as to disrupt the timeline? He doesn't blame himself for the incident, does he?"
"Yes, he does," said Jason. "There's a reason why, though I think it's sort of a lame one. When he was me, he chose to go to Saffron City and undergo the procedures for rebuilding his legs. The procedure was a success, as was therapy, but he did it while Ash's party was taking place. I guess he was on the table when it happened. He apparently believes if he hadn't gone in at that time, if he'd gone to Pallet Town to visit his girlfriend instead, none of this would have happened."
"But by bringing you to Pallet Town, hasn't he already prevented it?" asked Oak. "What could you be able to do about Daniel that someone else can't?"
"No, he hasn't fully prevented it. Until it *is* fully prevented, he's going to be sticking around. If and when it's prevented, he and his Pokemon will supposedly vanish. And as for your second question, I have advance knowledge. I can catch him off-guard."
"Why can't he protect Pallet instead of you?"
"The two of us would be caught in some sort of time loop if he did."
Oak sighed. "Okay, then. Is there anything you need me to do?"
"Make sure you have a couple of my Pokemon with you at the party. I want to search for Daniel, but I don't know how powerful his Pokemon are, and so I don't know if he'll be able to get past me if we do face each other. I need you to be on your guard."
"What about changing your team so you have your six most powerful Pokemon?"
"He might slip past me and get to the party without me knowing about it. If that becomes the case, I want a couple of my powerful ones to be the backup."
Oak nodded. "Okay. Which Pokemon should I have with me?"
"Ones that trust you. And ones that can intimidate Daniel. That means high-level, evolved Pokemon. That said, take Gyarados." Jason handed Oak the Poke ball that contained his mighty water Pokemon, the one that had been with him from the very start.
"I don't know about this, Jason," said Oak. "You think Gyarados trusts me?"
"It still remembers you helping it to heal in your lab, and it trusts you implicitly. If you have to resort to using Pokemon yourself, this is a must. As for other Pokemon, I'd suggest using my Kingdra, Slowbro, Porygon, Octillery, and Poliwrath."
"Why all the water types?"
"Because Daniel favors ground and fire types. Water is the one weakness they both have. Porygon's in the mix just in case Daniel's lineup is a bit more interesting than just fire and ground."
Oak nodded. "Fine. But that leaves your water lineup a bit short on the strong side. What have you got left?"
"Lapras, Vaporeon, Azumarill, Blastoise, Seadra, Politoed..."
"Okay, okay, forget I said anything."
Jason grinned.
"In the meantime, where's your so-called future self?"
Jason looked back toward the window.
Creight was gone.
***
Kelly Shields heard a knock on her door as she was sitting in bed, quietly reading a book. She got up and opened the door.
"Who is it?" she called.
"It's me," answered a male voice.
She recognized the voice.
It was him.
"Jason?" She flung the door open.
And she gasped. He was different. *Much* different. His hair had darkened, and he'd grown a neatly trimmed mustache and goatee, reminiscent of the one she'd seen his brother, Daniel, had when she met him. He was much more muscular.
But above all those changes, he was on his feet.
Under his own power.
She didn't understand it. She'd heard about some experimental procedure that was supposed to help him heal from his injury, but she hadn't been sure she believed it. And she'd only heard about it a couple of days ago.
"How...?" she asked, not even sure where to begin.
"It doesn't matter," he responded. "I'm back. I came back for you."
Kelly saw the quiet calm on his face. She also saw the emotions roiling in his eyes.
She felt the same way.
She grinned and hugged him tightly.
She didn't know how he could be standing.
But now, she didn't care.
"I've missed you," she said.
"You don't know how much I've missed you," he replied. "I can't begin to describe it. I've been feeling so lonely for so long... I had to come back. I had to have you back."
They slowly released from the embrace, and he held her at arm's length. "There's something I've been wanting to tell you for so long. I just couldn't get it out while I was here, because I wasn't sure. But now I am. I love you, Kelly."
Her eyes widened.
He'd finally said it.
After five years, he'd said what she'd been waiting to hear.
He moved to kiss her.
She moved to respond...
"*CREIGHT!*"
Kelly jumped at the bellow, and her head whipped around to face the utter idiot who'd dared disrupt her moment.
And she saw Jason.
Clean-shaven.
Lighter hair.
Fewer muscles.
Seated in a wheelchair.
She looked at the one who was holding her.
And then she looked back at the one in the wheelchair.
She fainted dead away.
***
Creight caught Kelly before she hit the floor. He was furious. *Now* his younger, idiot self had decided to enforce his so-called "rule" of what Creight could and couldn't do. He stepped towards Jason. "Buddy, you really did it this time!"
"I could say the same for you," Jason shot back. "What the hell were you thinking?!"
"I wasn't! I was *feeling*, something you should have thought about doing while you had the chance! Do you have any idea what you gave up?"
"The same exact idea you have, Creight," Jason growled. "You think either of us enjoyed running out on her like that? I didn't want to do it, and neither did you. We did it for a dream."
"A dream that turned into a nightmare before my eyes!" Creight responded. "Maybe you haven't seen it yet, and maybe you never will, but I have. And it made me realize that I needed to confess to the girl I loved my--*our* true feelings! And don't you dare tell me that you don't feel the same way I just described to her! You're me!"
"No, I'm not," Jason replied. "I'm nothing like you, and I hope I never will be. Just because we have a crush on her doesn't mean I want to marry her. And it doesn't mean you should want to, either."
"If it's only a crush, how come she was our girlfriend for four years? Don't you think the crush would have ended when we left to train?" Creight asked. "Answer me that."
Jason shook his head. "I can't."
"Of course not," said Creight. "And that's because we both know how we truly feel for her. I'm just more ready to admit it to her than you are."
"And you think I wanted to share those feelings with her?"
"I know you didn't. That's why I did."
"And what? I should thank you for that? And another thing; you just made the entire situation a whole lot more complicated. Now I'll have to explain to Kelly what's going on. If there's one thing I've learned from this entire endeavor, it's to make sure that I don't make the same colossal mistakes you're making."
Creight glared at Jason. "You speak well now. Try living my life. Try envisioning all of your closest friends burning to death at the hands of your own brother. Try... try taking over Team Rocket."
Jason gaped, his request for repetition barely a whisper. "What?"
Creight stared at the floor. "Yeah. I eventually used my Pokemon to control Giovanni's broken mind and force him to hand over control of Team Rocket to me. He committed suicide afterward."
"Why? Why take over Team Rocket?"
"It was the only way I could have enough resources to track Celebi down with." Creight glanced back up. "It helped a lot, but eventually a point came where I couldn't narrow the search down beyond Kanto, Johto, and the Orange Islands. From there it was a blind search. So I set up new headquarters on the other side of the planet, relocated every single one of my subordinates there, and transferred command to an exec named Kyle McCraine. I made sure that Kanto, Johto, and the Islands became off-limits for the Rockets for eternity."
"You wanted to make sure you were the one that found it first."
"Yeah."
Jason didn't know what to say. Creight *had* been changed, utterly and irrevocably.
And it had been for the worst.
There was no turning back for him. He could only move forward.
At that moment, Jason knew that Creight believed Jason would succeed in his mission.
Why confess repressed love to Kelly otherwise?
*Maybe to get out something he's wanted to say ever since she died,* Jason thought. *Either one could be correct.
Maybe it's both.*
Jason sighed heavily. "Fine. What's done is done. We don't really have time to argue this. Let's get her back to her room; maybe she'll think it was a dream."
The look on Creight's face became inexplicably pained. "I want her to know me as more than just a dream."
"That's why I'm here."
"But you're not making any effort to show her what you really feel. You call it a crush. I call it love. It's two sides of the same coin. We both carry with us a deep affection for her." Creight paused. "You said that if there's anything you've learned from this, it's not to make the same mistakes I've made. Not telling Kelly how I--how *we* really feel about her is one of those mistakes."
Jason didn't say anything. Because he didn't know what to say.
He abruptly realized that Creight was right. At least, in his point of view.
It *was* a mistake. A terrible one.
One which Creight had only been able to rectify now.
Jason didn't know if he felt the same way Creight did.
But he *did* know that he didn't want Kelly to die to find out.
"I'm not ready to admit it now," he finally said.
"If not now, when?"
Jason shook his head. "I can't answer that."
Creight grinned. "You're lying. The answer going through your mind is, 'In my own time.' Well, you'd better find your own time pretty quickly."
Jason shook his head again. Creight was right, of course. It was, Jason supposed, the curse of having the same mind.
*No. Not the same. It never will be.*
Creight kneeled down, picked Kelly up into his arms, and gently carried her back into her room. He laid her to rest on her bed, and then put her book next to her hand for good measure.
He looked up at Jason. "Strange. I'll never have existed, and all this might as well have been a dream. So it's rather appropriate that Kelly remember me that way."
Jason didn't know whether to nod or shake his head. So he did neither.
Creight left the building.
Jason followed suit.
***
The dark figure and his Pokemon had watched the trio enter Professor Oak's lab. He knew immediately who the one in the wheelchair was; it didn't take a genius to figure it out.
That worried him. Knowing the wheelchair-bound trainer was there gave him an advantage. But then again, he had no idea what the boy's Pokemon were, nor did he know their capabilities.
And what about the other two that had come here with him? The one on foot apparently had no interest in showing his Pokemon off, but the other one clearly had no qualms of that sort. His Dragonite looked priceless.
And it also looked powerful.
*It'd be a perfect peace offering,* he thought, trying to convince himself to carry out his plan.
His human companion had bailed out on him upon hearing of his plan. It figured. Trust a Rocket, and you're liable to get his backwash.
Shame.
He'd just have to do it himself.
And he'd have to use every bit of force he had.
***
Jason saw the dark form crouched in a thick cluster of foliage.
"Hey!" he yelled.
The figure jumped, and Jason saw the figure's eyes peer out of the cluster.
The eyes glared.
Jason heard shuffling in the foliage, and suddenly the form was taking shape in front of him.
It was Daniel.
His once-neat mustache and goatee had now become ragged, and he now had a full-length beard. His hair had also become straggly, and his clothes were ripped and torn. *He's been on the lam for five years, but he should be even more uncouth than that. Unless he had help in breaking out?*
Jason had no time to think about the situation, though. Daniel grinned, and he spoke with a hoarse voice. "Finally, I get to do to you what I've wanted to do for so long."
"And what's that?"
"Beat you."
Jason grinned. "Whether you mean literally, or in Pokemon match, you won't be able to do it."
"We'll see. Now let's get on with it." Daniel tossed a Poke ball. "Charizard, here's your moment for revenge!"
Jason responded by tossing a Poke ball of his own. "He needs a good wetting down, Azumarill!"
Azmuarill was tiny compared to Daniel's Charizard, Jason knew, but it had the advantage of type. And level.
"Charizard, use fire blast!" Daniel commanded.
The conjured stick figure engulfed Azumarill and blasted it backward.
It stayed on its feet.
"Azumarill, water gun! Aim for the tail!"
Before Daniel could react to the order, his Charizard's tail had been drowned in water. It roared in pain, then slumped to the ground.
Jason grinned. "Deja vu."
"All right, then," said Daniel, recalling Charizard.
And he threw five more capture balls.
One by one, Pokemon emerged.
Houndour.
Ninetails.
Magmar.
Slugma.
Magby.
Jason's grin widened. "Sweet. You just gave me an easy victory. Pull out the stops, everyone!"
He hurled his other five capture balls into the air.
Blastoise.
Seadra.
Politoed.
Lapras.
Vaporeon.
Without orders from their trainer, all six of Jason's Pokemon began spraying immeasurable amounts of water at their opponents.
Daniel's Pokemon didn't even have time to whimper.
Daniel's eyes got wider. "You knew what I had, didn't you?"
"I suspected." Jason glared at his brother. "I know what you're planning, and it's not going to work with all of your Pokemon down. You want to get revenge on me, don't be a coward and torch a town. You want me, you know where to find me. It's exactly opposite of wherever you are. But for now, we're taking you back to jail, where you belong."
"I don't think so. Magby, teleport!"
Before Jason's eyes, Magby tapped a psychic power impossible for it to possess.
And Daniel and his Pokemon disappeared in a flash of light.
Jason gaped. It was impossible, simply impossible for Daniel's Magby to be able to teleport.
Then he noticed a slip of paper lying on the ground where Daniel had been standing. He wheeled to the spot and picked it up.
*We'll settle this on home turf.*
His PokeGear's phone feature began to ring. He activated it.
It was Professor Oak. "Jason, he's gone. He disappeared right in front of me."
Jason's shoulders slumped with relief.
But at the same time, he felt a pang in his heart.
He had killed himself.
However silly or strange it might sound, it was true.
*And this was such a terribly, terribly lame way to die. Why couldn't it have been more drawn out, like it should have been?*
He chose, for the moment, not to reflect on that.
It is, after all, a different story.
***
The party that afternoon was to everyone's full enjoyment. It was briefly disrupted by some clowns in a Meowth head balloon, but all in all, it was a good time.
Jason Creight partied on.
To Be Continued
(We) also have a saying: "What is past is also sometimes the future."
Babylon 5
---------------------------
Jason Creight awoke on the outskirts of Saffron City on a beautiful summer day.
He looked over toward his companion, Tommy, who was still sleeping. He grinned. *Ever since he came aboard, he's been sleeping more and more. Maybe at some point he won't get up at all.*
It had been two months since Tommy had chosen to go with Jason on his training. Jason thought the boy showed great potential; he was deeply in harmony with the Pokemon he used. Since neither of them had competed in a gym match since they'd become journeying companions, Jason didn't know how Tommy looked on the battlefield.
But Jason didn't need to know what Tommy was like on the field to know he had great potential.
Jason had been fascinated by Tommy's history; seemingly, it was almost as dark as his own. Tommy had confided in Jason a few of his secrets recently, and what Jason had heard had him riveted, almost as much as Kelly had been when Jason told her his own secrets.
"One day," Tommy had said, "we'd gone out to do some training, not too long after we received our first Pokemon. We each got three; they were gifts from Koga. They were the starter Pokemon that most trainers choose from: Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Squirtle. We'd go out, battle them with each other and with wild Pokemon, and generally bond with them so that we became inseparable.
"But this particular day was different from the others. When we came home, we found our hometown of Tirenza burning to the ground. Hundreds of people were burned alive, and more were brutally slaughtered by other means. We saw members of Team Rocket putting Pokemon to use in creating and sustaining the fires. Needless to say, we were horrified.
"We ran to our home and found it had been one of the first to burn. And nearby, standing in the midst of all that destruction, was Giovanni himself. I guess he was overseeing the entire thing, just to make sure it went smoothly. And it seemed he was satisfied. Near him was another Pokemon that none of us had ever seen before."
Tommy had shaken his head, still disbelieving even after all this time. "It was protected by metal armor covering most of its body. We couldn't see its face; it was hidden behind a helmet and visor. Giovanni told it to 'take care of those pathetic weaklings,' and he left. He said he was late for a conference.
"The Pokemon was psychic, whatever else it was. It asked us why we looked out for each other, why we didn't think as Giovanni did, why we didn't have the same outlook on life as Giovanni did. I guess it thought Giovanni was your model human.
"And then..."
Tommy had shaken his head again. "No, I can't talk about that yet."
"I understand," Jason had replied. "But I'm ready to listen whenever you're ready to tell."
"Much appreciated."
Jason wondered if he would ever hear the rest of what Tommy had to say. But he wasn't going to pry. He knew what having people pry was like, and he didn't wish anything of the sort on Tommy.
He unfolded his collapsible wheelchair, then pulled out a Poke ball and tossed it. "Gengar, help me into my chair, please."
The dark purple ghost Pokemon grinned at Jason, looking as if it enjoyed seeing Jason make the attempt himself.
*Well, two can play at that game.* "Fine, then I'll just capture a Misdreavus and send you back to Professor Oak."
"Gengar." It approached and lifted Jason into his chair.
Jason nodded. "Much better."
A bleeping emanating from Jason's vest pocket alerted him to someone calling him. He groaned. "Wish I'd remember that stupid PokeGear."
Since he and Tommy had become traveling companions, they had both purchased PokeGears in Saffron City. They figured it was for the best; not only did they have computerized maps, but they also had a built-in video phone and radio.
Jason pulled the PokeGear out of his pocket, strapped it to his left wrist, and activated the phone. "Hello?"
He was surprised to see Professor Oak on the other end of the line.
"Hello, there, Jason," he said. "You're looking well."
"I'm feeling pretty well, too," said Jason. "How's it going in Pallet Town?"
"Well, it's going. Can't say much more than that," said Oak.
Jason grinned. "There's a reason you're calling, I take it."
"Yes, there is. I was contacted this morning by a doctor at Saffron City General Hospital. This doctor was actually looking for you, but he doesn't have your Gear number and I felt it rude to give it to him without your say- so."
"Okay," said Jason cautiously. "And why was this doctor looking for me?"
"Because he believes he has a therapy that will make you walk again."
Jason's heart skipped a beat. "I thought my vertebrae were fused and fried by the shock, that nothing could activate the nerves again."
"That's what Dr. Morgan said, yes, but this other doctor, Dr. Kendrick, was very insistent. He claims to have developed a new treatment, and he wants to use you as the guniea pig."
Jason snorted. "Wonderful. Okay, so what's this 'brand-new treatment' involve?"
"I'm afraid you'd have to ask him. Do you want the hospital's number?"
"Sure."
Oak rattled off the number. Jason logged it into his PokeGear.
"Okay, got it."
"Good. I have to go now; Kelly's going to be mad if she doesn't have someone else to work with in there pretty soon. By the way, thanks for all the new Pokemon you're sending in. We're learning more and more about them every day."
"No problem. Talk to you later." Jason deactivated the phone.
*What could possibly allow me to walk again?* he wondered.
*And what if this treatment worked?*
He stared down at his legs. They were anorexic, the muscles nonexistent, because of disuse. *I'd have to have a whole lot of physical therapy after this, that's for sure.*
"Oak was serious, wasn't he?"
Jason's head snapped around, and he saw that Tommy had managed to change into day clothes and roll up his sleeping pad without being noticed at all.
Jason didn't react outwardly. He was still mentally surprised, but he chastised himself for that. He knew he should have figured out by now that Tommy could do almost anything in perfect silence, just as his brothers could.
Jason wished Daniel had had that capacity for silence. Unfortunately, as both he and Tommy knew, Daniel had never been able to keep quiet.
He nodded. "Looked like it. And it's right up our alley, too."
"What about that party that your friend Ash was going to have back in Pallet? I thought you said you wanted to go to that."
"Yeah," Jason sighed. "Well, we'll find out just how long this entire procedure will take, and then I'll make the decision."
He activated the vid phone again and dialed the hospital number.
"Saffron City General Hospital, may I help you?"
"I'm looking for a Dr. Kendrick. Is he available?"
"Yes, sir. One moment."
That one moment actually turned out to be more like three or four, but soon Jason's quarry was on the line. "Dr. Kendrick."
"Doctor, I'm Jason Creight. I've been informed that you wanted to speak to me."
Since Kendrick was not at a vid phone himself, Jason couldn't see him, but he could hear the way the doctor's voice suddenly became much more alert and... positive. Almost bouncy, even. "Ah, yes, I'm glad you called. As I'm sure your Professor Oak mentioned to you, I've devised a treatment which I believe can cure you of your paralysis."
"Yes, he told me. But how is that possible, when my nerves can't be revived?"
"Dr. Morgan may have been wrong on that point. The nerves in your spinal cord may have been paralyzed, but that does not automatically mean that the nerves in your legs were."
Jason shook his head, though the doctor couldn't see it. "The net result is the same; the nerves have to be dead by now."
"I believe that with our revolutionary cloning process, I can grow an entirely new spinal cord from your DNA and extract the bones and nerves needed to help you walk again."
Jason hesitated. "Wouldn't a surgery of that sort be extremely dangerous? I mean, I've heard of organs being cloned and used to replace bad ones, but not spinal cords. I thought once the nerves were severed, they couldn't be reattached."
"Not necessarily. The hospital is not only staffed by doctors, but by Pokemon as well. Pokemon such as Mr. Mime and Alakazam are among the non- human staff, and they have been training for this procedure for some time."
"And what was your criteria for training? I was told I'd be the first human subject this would be attempted on."
"True. The criteria was two concentrations of ten thousand fiber-optic threads. They simulated nerve bundles. Both bundles were attached to separate computers, and the goal was to get the bundles attached with every single thread attached to its partner. The procedure has proven a success forty-nine out of fifty-one attempts."
"And what do I have to lose if the procedure isn't a success?"
"Money," Kendrick answered immediately. "That's the only thing."
"How much will the procedure cost, then?"
"I don't know. We'll have to figure it out once you're actually admitted out of the hospital. It could be anywhere from thirty to eighty thousand."
"And there's going to be extensive physical therapy, isn't there?"
"Actually, it may not be that extensive. Our new technologies also include a bio-stim machine that forces muscles to contract. This way, your muscle tissue can rebuild without you having to work at it. It tickles, but it's hardly painful."
"I'll still need to learn how to walk all over again."
"Yes, I'm afraid so. And that's why you will need physical therapy, whether it be extensive or otherwise."
Jason sighed. "Do you have an estimate on how long the entire course will take?"
"From entering the hospital in your chair to leaving it on your feet, it could take anywhere from two to four months. It all depends on how quickly you recover from surgery and how quickly you learn to walk."
There was a moment of silence from both ends.
Finally, Jason said, "I'll give it serious consideration."
He hung up.
***
A dark form atop a flying beast of gargantuan proportions stared down at the countryside below him, malice in his eyes.
*He'll pay for this. He'll pay for it all. I'll show him just how revenge is taken.*
***
A brilliant flash of light shone in the vast valleys of the Ruins of Alph.
Two forms now existed where none previously had.
*It was ten years ago. But now it's tomorrow.*
***
Tommy stared at Jason. "You're crazy. First you go on and on about how eager you are to see Ash after so long, and now you want to throw it away?"
Jason shook his head. "No, I don't want to throw it away. I'll give him a call while he's there."
"That can't possibly be enough!"
"Believe me, it isn't. But you don't know how badly I want this, Tommy. You don't know how hard it is, training while sitting on your rear the entire time. I want to get more in touch with my Pokemon, and the only way I can do that is if I reacquire the ability to walk and run."
Tommy waved his arms around. "Then visit Ash *before* you do this! You heard what Kendrick said! It could take a long time! Two months, at the least!"
"I want this, Tommy. As much as anything I've ever wanted in my life, I want this. And I want it now."
"What's wrong with you?!" Tommy exploded. "This isn't like you at all!"
Jason knew it wasn't like him. Tommy was absolutely right.
But suddenly he wasn't sure.
He knew that Professor Oak would be there.
But that was no problem.
He knew that Kelly was going to be there.
That *was* the problem.
*Why am I suddenly so urgent to get away from the party and get my legs back? Could it be that I have some grudge against Kelly for not coming with me? Am I mad at her for asking me about leaving her, when it'd be the last time I'd see her?*
"I mean, what's your problem?" Tommy continued.
*It can't be anything against Ash, and it sure isn't anything against Sam, either.
What* is *my problem?*
"Yeah, Jason. What's your problem?"
Jason and Tommy snapped their heads upward.
And they were baffled by what they saw.
A shining red Dragonite was descending upon them.
It landed directly in front of them.
Riding on its back was a middle-aged man wearing a mustache and goatee.
"Who are you?" Tommy asked, a Poke ball having appeared in his right hand.
Jason was speechless. Motionless.
Tommy might not have recognized the man, but Jason did.
Sans the facial hair, it was the same face Jason had seen in the mirror every day of his adolescent life.
***
The older Jason grinned at his counterpart. "You recognize me, eh? Good. That means you aren't as naive as I thought I was."
He watched as the other boy--*Tommy, right?*--glanced from one version of Jason to the other.
And then he laughed as Tommy's face grew pale.
"I don't think I've inspired this much fear in anyone since I took--for a long time," he said.
"Who are you?" the younger Jason whispered.
"Maybe I was wrong," the older one responded. "Maybe you are as naive as I thought I was."
"He asked you a question," said Tommy, his color returning. He cocked his arm. "You'd better have an answer."
The 28-year-old sighed. "Very well." He turned to his younger self. "I'm you. That's who you are, and that's who I am. But to distinguish us, you can call me Creight."
"How is that possible?" Jason asked.
"It's possible through the abilities of a miracle of Pokemon nature. And those abilities include time travel."
"You're from the future?"
The older one applauded mockingly. "Oh, bra-VO! He catches on quick!"
"How did you get here?" Jason continued, ignoring the barb.
"I just told you, time travel." Creight dismounted his Dragonite and stepped up close to his younger self. "But if you must dig deeper, it's by the abilities of the Pokemon known as Celebi."
"Celebi?"
Creight bent down, coming to his counterpart's eye level. "It has abilities beyond those you could possibly imagine."
He bounced back up. "But I'm not here to discuss Pokemon with you."
"In that case, if you're who you say you are, why *are* you here?" asked Tommy.
"I'm here to save my life," Creight answered cryptically.
Jason stared up at his twin. "Your life, or mine?"
"Both," Creight answered.
"And how, precisely, is my life... are our lives... in danger?"
Creight grinned mischievously. "I thought you'd never ask."
He turned toward Tommy. "Unfortunately, I don't want to answer that while you're around. No offense, you understand, but this is between me and myself."
Tommy scoffed, then looked at Jason.
Jason nodded. "I'll be all right."
"Of course you will," said Creight. "Why wouldn't you be all right with yourself?"
Tommy scoffed again. "Fine, I'll go look for some Pokemon."
"That's the spirit!" Creight called after him.
When Tommy was out of sight and earshot, Creight turned back to Jason. A deranged look was in his eyes. A look of madness. Of insanity.
"Okay, kiddo, here's the deal. I... am you..." He reached into Jason's inside vest pocket and pulled out a faded picture of Jason, Kelly, and Professor Oak.
"...without her."
Jason's incredulity, not stupidity, motivated him to frown and say, "What?"
"I... am... you... without... her." Creight was sure to emphasize every word. "Got it?"
"How are you me without Kelly? What happened?"
"Your idiot brother has some friends in high places. He managed to escape jail after Giovanni decided to send one of his crew to rescue the good ol' boy. Daniel made some promise to Giovanni to have you wasted if the man would let him out of jail. He agreed, and now that sack of Miltank manure is on the loose again. And he's massively ticked."
"I'll bet."
"When I was you, I decided to go ahead and get my legs fixed. The procedure was a success, too, in case you hadn't noticed."
"I had, in fact."
"Shut up and let me finish. While I was having surgery and therapy and all that good stuff, that little welcome back party of Ash's went awry. Daniel decided to 'make an example of what happens to good people when they make stupid choices'. He burned Pallet Town to the ground with his strongest fire Pokemon."
Jason was silent, taking in the full measure of what this meant. "How many died?"
"All of them. He didn't take any prisoners, didn't let anyone escape. It became the most heinous crime of the century, according to the press. Everyone died. Ash, his mom, his two friends, Professor Oak, the civilian population, Oak's assistants..."
"And Kelly?"
"And Kelly."
Jason couldn't believe it, absolutely couldn't believe it.
*Kelly?
Dead?*
It didn't seem possible.
"What happened then?" Jason asked, almost afraid of the answer.
"I tracked Daniel down and I showed him no more mercy than he'd shown for those people. Even less, actually. When I was finished, there was no way to identify him. No way at all. So I dumped his body in the ocean for Magikarp food. Then I went to Viridian City, looking for Giovanni. Thought I'd get some revenge on him, too. But he wasn't there; he was at Whirlpool Islands. So I went there and caught him off guard. I used my Pokemon to break his spirit like a twig, and I enjoyed every minute of it."
"You didn't kill him?"
"I didn't say that. I broke his spirit, then brought him back to Viridian. And I left him there to vegetate. I felt like committing suicide. I wanted to see Kelly again so badly, and there was no way for me to do it. At least, no human way.
"And then that's when I came up with a plan to find a Pokemon capable of time travel, one which could take me back to this point in time and warn myself." The counterpart's grin had more than a hint of evil in it. "For three years, I trudged around with no luck. I became a Pokemon master by defeating Lance, but that didn't matter to me anymore. I renounced Pokemon training. The only reason I'd kept after my journeys was because I figured that's what Kelly might have wanted."
"Then why renounce training?" Jason asked.
"Because that's what Kelly did, as well." Creight stared down at Jason. "I released all my Pokemon. None of them wanted to leave, and a few of them chose to stay, even though I begged them to do otherwise. Good ol' Dragonite here was one of them."
Jason looked over at the Dragonite Creight had come out of the air with. "Yeah, I was wondering about that. Is that...?"
[Yes, I am the future version of your red Dratini.]
"I brought it here to show you what's possible. Also to show you that my story is genuine, if you didn't believe me," said Creight.
"I'm still not quite sure of it. I don't believe I'd kill my own brother out of rage, not even after he killed so many people," Jason replied.
"Care to test that little theory?" Creight asked. "You'll have the chance tomorrow. That's when it's going to happen. Two p.m., Daniel's going to turn Pallet Town into his personal hell."
"How do I know if you're telling me the truth?"
"Attend Ash's party and find out."
"And why can't you do it?" Jason barked. "After all this time, wouldn't you want to take revenge on your brother while you're bigger than him? Before he even has the chance to burn anything?"
"You need to be the one to do it. This is a focal point, buddy. If you do this, nothing I've told you will happen, and I'll never exist. But if I do it, I'll still be around."
"How?"
"Time is difficult to understand, but once you get some of it, nothing is simple. You need to be the one to stop him, not me. We'll both be trapped in a time loop if I do it. I'll have changed the timeline without being a part of it, and everything will be thrown out of balance. But if you do it, the town is saved, and there'll be no loop because I won't exist."
"And you want your existence to end?"
"I've wanted that for ten years."
"So why didn't you commit suicide?"
"Because then there wouldn't have been any hope to change the past. It would have stayed as it was, and Kelly and all the rest would stay dead. This way, they stay alive."
Jason sighed. All this talk about time travel and time loops and time theory was giving him a serious headache. He didn't know how his older self could have taken the stress of attempting to understand it without going slightly insane.
"Look, kiddo, the only reason I can exist here and now is because you haven't stopped Daniel from killing everyone in Pallet Town. Once he stops becoming a threat to the town, I'll simply fade out of existence."
"And will I remember any of what happened?"
"I don't know," Creight admitted. "Maybe, maybe not. But we shouldn't worry about it. *Tempus fugit.*"
"Yeah, it does," Jason responded. He took a deep breath, then released it. "Fine. We'll go."
"Good. I'll go get Tommy." Creight turned to fetch Jason's traveling companion.
"How about you keep out of sight when we get there?" Jason called after him.
Creight grinned to himself. "Of course I will!"
Jason knew himself far too well to think Creight wouldn't try to catch glimpses of everyone at the party. After all, their faces had been dust for ten years, according to him.
"He'll stay out of sight," Jason muttered. "Doesn't mean everyone'll stay out of *his* sight."
***
That evening, Jason, Creight, and Tommy made their way to Pallet Town. As promised, Creight stayed out of sight; his method was to use his Dragonite to keep him high above the others.
[I still don't know if he truly believes you.]
"Well, he's going to find out one way or another that I'm telling the truth. And when he does, he'll just have to accept it."
[We'll see.]
"Yeah. We will. And then we'll fade out."
***
"Are you sure about them?" Tommy asked Jason. "For all we know, this entire thing could just be one big setup."
"There are a couple things that don't seem right," Jason admitted. "But he said he brought his Dragonite to psychically prove his case, if he didn't have me convinced. That made me start to believe him. I know I would've done the same thing. If I wanted to go back in time and keep myself from doing something, I'd bring proof, too. And even if he hadn't convinced me with what he said alone, you've got to wonder how many other red Dragonites are in this world."
Tommy nodded. "I suppose so. Still doesn't make me trust him."
"Would you trust a future version of yourself?"
"Good point. So, have you figured out why, exactly, you wanted to get away from all this so badly?"
Jason's face contorted. "Maybe. But I'm not sure. Maybe it was just anxiousness over seeing Kelly again."
"Your girlfriend?"
"Yeah. I've got a feeling that when I see her, I'll find out we're not on the best of terms."
Tommy shook his head. "I'm afraid I couldn't tell you what to expect. I'm not the expert on relationships with women."
*Deja vu,* thought Jason. He'd heard almost the exact same sentiments from Professor Oak once.
They continued toward the lab in silence.
***
When Professor Oak looked up from his research, he was stunned to see Jason and Tommy approaching him. He hid it as best he could. "My, this is certainly unexpected. And pleasing. Welcome back, Jason."
"Good to be back," Jason lied. "This is Tommy."
"Ah." Oak grinned at the boy. "I hear you're from the revered Shadow clan. You have my greatest respect."
He bowed. Tommy returned the gesture.
"I would be fascinated to find out about your Pokemon," said Oak, "but from the look on Jason's face, reminiscing isn't why you're here."
He caught the slight wrinkle that developed and just as quickly vanished in Tommy's nose; whatever the business was, Oak knew that it wasn't pleasant. And neither was the coming news.
"I think it'd probably be best if Jason explained it," said Tommy. "I'm not really in on much of the details."
"All right, then," said Oak. "What's the visit really about, Jason?"
Jason leaned forward in his wheelchair. "I've been thrust into a rather strange situation. Just after I talked to Dr. Kendrick on the phone, I found myself looking at myself. Specifically, a future version of myself. At least, that's what he claims."
"Okayy," said Oak, sounding skeptical.
"I know this sounds weird, but just let me finish," said Jason. "He claims that my brother, Daniel, is bent on ruining my life, and in his time, decided to take his revenge out on Pallet Town. According to him, Daniel used fire type Pokemon to destroy Pallet Town and burn everyone alive while Ash's welcome home party was taking place. According to him, there were no survivors, and since that day, he's been looking for a way to change the past."
"And just how did he find one?" asked Oak.
"He heard about a Pokemon capable of time travel and decided to seek it out. He apparently succeeded and has come back to this time to warn me and keep his past from repeating itself."
Oak nodded slowly, trying to take the infomration in. "And where, exactly, is this 'future self' of yours?"
"Outside," said Jason matter-of-factly. "I told him to stay out of sight so that he wouldn't confuse anyone."
"Ah. Would that be him peeking through the window?"
Jason head snapped around. Sure enough, Creight had his eye in the window, trying to get a good view of Oak. As soon as he realized that Jason and Oak had discovered him, Creight ducked. The damage, however, had been done.
"Yeah, that's him," Jason admitted. "You'll have to forgive him. He apparently hasn't seen you or anyone else from Pallet Town for ten years of his life, and he seems to be harboring a whole lot of loneliness."
"Understandable," said Oak. "But why not let events take their course, rather than go to such great lengths as to disrupt the timeline? He doesn't blame himself for the incident, does he?"
"Yes, he does," said Jason. "There's a reason why, though I think it's sort of a lame one. When he was me, he chose to go to Saffron City and undergo the procedures for rebuilding his legs. The procedure was a success, as was therapy, but he did it while Ash's party was taking place. I guess he was on the table when it happened. He apparently believes if he hadn't gone in at that time, if he'd gone to Pallet Town to visit his girlfriend instead, none of this would have happened."
"But by bringing you to Pallet Town, hasn't he already prevented it?" asked Oak. "What could you be able to do about Daniel that someone else can't?"
"No, he hasn't fully prevented it. Until it *is* fully prevented, he's going to be sticking around. If and when it's prevented, he and his Pokemon will supposedly vanish. And as for your second question, I have advance knowledge. I can catch him off-guard."
"Why can't he protect Pallet instead of you?"
"The two of us would be caught in some sort of time loop if he did."
Oak sighed. "Okay, then. Is there anything you need me to do?"
"Make sure you have a couple of my Pokemon with you at the party. I want to search for Daniel, but I don't know how powerful his Pokemon are, and so I don't know if he'll be able to get past me if we do face each other. I need you to be on your guard."
"What about changing your team so you have your six most powerful Pokemon?"
"He might slip past me and get to the party without me knowing about it. If that becomes the case, I want a couple of my powerful ones to be the backup."
Oak nodded. "Okay. Which Pokemon should I have with me?"
"Ones that trust you. And ones that can intimidate Daniel. That means high-level, evolved Pokemon. That said, take Gyarados." Jason handed Oak the Poke ball that contained his mighty water Pokemon, the one that had been with him from the very start.
"I don't know about this, Jason," said Oak. "You think Gyarados trusts me?"
"It still remembers you helping it to heal in your lab, and it trusts you implicitly. If you have to resort to using Pokemon yourself, this is a must. As for other Pokemon, I'd suggest using my Kingdra, Slowbro, Porygon, Octillery, and Poliwrath."
"Why all the water types?"
"Because Daniel favors ground and fire types. Water is the one weakness they both have. Porygon's in the mix just in case Daniel's lineup is a bit more interesting than just fire and ground."
Oak nodded. "Fine. But that leaves your water lineup a bit short on the strong side. What have you got left?"
"Lapras, Vaporeon, Azumarill, Blastoise, Seadra, Politoed..."
"Okay, okay, forget I said anything."
Jason grinned.
"In the meantime, where's your so-called future self?"
Jason looked back toward the window.
Creight was gone.
***
Kelly Shields heard a knock on her door as she was sitting in bed, quietly reading a book. She got up and opened the door.
"Who is it?" she called.
"It's me," answered a male voice.
She recognized the voice.
It was him.
"Jason?" She flung the door open.
And she gasped. He was different. *Much* different. His hair had darkened, and he'd grown a neatly trimmed mustache and goatee, reminiscent of the one she'd seen his brother, Daniel, had when she met him. He was much more muscular.
But above all those changes, he was on his feet.
Under his own power.
She didn't understand it. She'd heard about some experimental procedure that was supposed to help him heal from his injury, but she hadn't been sure she believed it. And she'd only heard about it a couple of days ago.
"How...?" she asked, not even sure where to begin.
"It doesn't matter," he responded. "I'm back. I came back for you."
Kelly saw the quiet calm on his face. She also saw the emotions roiling in his eyes.
She felt the same way.
She grinned and hugged him tightly.
She didn't know how he could be standing.
But now, she didn't care.
"I've missed you," she said.
"You don't know how much I've missed you," he replied. "I can't begin to describe it. I've been feeling so lonely for so long... I had to come back. I had to have you back."
They slowly released from the embrace, and he held her at arm's length. "There's something I've been wanting to tell you for so long. I just couldn't get it out while I was here, because I wasn't sure. But now I am. I love you, Kelly."
Her eyes widened.
He'd finally said it.
After five years, he'd said what she'd been waiting to hear.
He moved to kiss her.
She moved to respond...
"*CREIGHT!*"
Kelly jumped at the bellow, and her head whipped around to face the utter idiot who'd dared disrupt her moment.
And she saw Jason.
Clean-shaven.
Lighter hair.
Fewer muscles.
Seated in a wheelchair.
She looked at the one who was holding her.
And then she looked back at the one in the wheelchair.
She fainted dead away.
***
Creight caught Kelly before she hit the floor. He was furious. *Now* his younger, idiot self had decided to enforce his so-called "rule" of what Creight could and couldn't do. He stepped towards Jason. "Buddy, you really did it this time!"
"I could say the same for you," Jason shot back. "What the hell were you thinking?!"
"I wasn't! I was *feeling*, something you should have thought about doing while you had the chance! Do you have any idea what you gave up?"
"The same exact idea you have, Creight," Jason growled. "You think either of us enjoyed running out on her like that? I didn't want to do it, and neither did you. We did it for a dream."
"A dream that turned into a nightmare before my eyes!" Creight responded. "Maybe you haven't seen it yet, and maybe you never will, but I have. And it made me realize that I needed to confess to the girl I loved my--*our* true feelings! And don't you dare tell me that you don't feel the same way I just described to her! You're me!"
"No, I'm not," Jason replied. "I'm nothing like you, and I hope I never will be. Just because we have a crush on her doesn't mean I want to marry her. And it doesn't mean you should want to, either."
"If it's only a crush, how come she was our girlfriend for four years? Don't you think the crush would have ended when we left to train?" Creight asked. "Answer me that."
Jason shook his head. "I can't."
"Of course not," said Creight. "And that's because we both know how we truly feel for her. I'm just more ready to admit it to her than you are."
"And you think I wanted to share those feelings with her?"
"I know you didn't. That's why I did."
"And what? I should thank you for that? And another thing; you just made the entire situation a whole lot more complicated. Now I'll have to explain to Kelly what's going on. If there's one thing I've learned from this entire endeavor, it's to make sure that I don't make the same colossal mistakes you're making."
Creight glared at Jason. "You speak well now. Try living my life. Try envisioning all of your closest friends burning to death at the hands of your own brother. Try... try taking over Team Rocket."
Jason gaped, his request for repetition barely a whisper. "What?"
Creight stared at the floor. "Yeah. I eventually used my Pokemon to control Giovanni's broken mind and force him to hand over control of Team Rocket to me. He committed suicide afterward."
"Why? Why take over Team Rocket?"
"It was the only way I could have enough resources to track Celebi down with." Creight glanced back up. "It helped a lot, but eventually a point came where I couldn't narrow the search down beyond Kanto, Johto, and the Orange Islands. From there it was a blind search. So I set up new headquarters on the other side of the planet, relocated every single one of my subordinates there, and transferred command to an exec named Kyle McCraine. I made sure that Kanto, Johto, and the Islands became off-limits for the Rockets for eternity."
"You wanted to make sure you were the one that found it first."
"Yeah."
Jason didn't know what to say. Creight *had* been changed, utterly and irrevocably.
And it had been for the worst.
There was no turning back for him. He could only move forward.
At that moment, Jason knew that Creight believed Jason would succeed in his mission.
Why confess repressed love to Kelly otherwise?
*Maybe to get out something he's wanted to say ever since she died,* Jason thought. *Either one could be correct.
Maybe it's both.*
Jason sighed heavily. "Fine. What's done is done. We don't really have time to argue this. Let's get her back to her room; maybe she'll think it was a dream."
The look on Creight's face became inexplicably pained. "I want her to know me as more than just a dream."
"That's why I'm here."
"But you're not making any effort to show her what you really feel. You call it a crush. I call it love. It's two sides of the same coin. We both carry with us a deep affection for her." Creight paused. "You said that if there's anything you've learned from this, it's not to make the same mistakes I've made. Not telling Kelly how I--how *we* really feel about her is one of those mistakes."
Jason didn't say anything. Because he didn't know what to say.
He abruptly realized that Creight was right. At least, in his point of view.
It *was* a mistake. A terrible one.
One which Creight had only been able to rectify now.
Jason didn't know if he felt the same way Creight did.
But he *did* know that he didn't want Kelly to die to find out.
"I'm not ready to admit it now," he finally said.
"If not now, when?"
Jason shook his head. "I can't answer that."
Creight grinned. "You're lying. The answer going through your mind is, 'In my own time.' Well, you'd better find your own time pretty quickly."
Jason shook his head again. Creight was right, of course. It was, Jason supposed, the curse of having the same mind.
*No. Not the same. It never will be.*
Creight kneeled down, picked Kelly up into his arms, and gently carried her back into her room. He laid her to rest on her bed, and then put her book next to her hand for good measure.
He looked up at Jason. "Strange. I'll never have existed, and all this might as well have been a dream. So it's rather appropriate that Kelly remember me that way."
Jason didn't know whether to nod or shake his head. So he did neither.
Creight left the building.
Jason followed suit.
***
The dark figure and his Pokemon had watched the trio enter Professor Oak's lab. He knew immediately who the one in the wheelchair was; it didn't take a genius to figure it out.
That worried him. Knowing the wheelchair-bound trainer was there gave him an advantage. But then again, he had no idea what the boy's Pokemon were, nor did he know their capabilities.
And what about the other two that had come here with him? The one on foot apparently had no interest in showing his Pokemon off, but the other one clearly had no qualms of that sort. His Dragonite looked priceless.
And it also looked powerful.
*It'd be a perfect peace offering,* he thought, trying to convince himself to carry out his plan.
His human companion had bailed out on him upon hearing of his plan. It figured. Trust a Rocket, and you're liable to get his backwash.
Shame.
He'd just have to do it himself.
And he'd have to use every bit of force he had.
***
Jason saw the dark form crouched in a thick cluster of foliage.
"Hey!" he yelled.
The figure jumped, and Jason saw the figure's eyes peer out of the cluster.
The eyes glared.
Jason heard shuffling in the foliage, and suddenly the form was taking shape in front of him.
It was Daniel.
His once-neat mustache and goatee had now become ragged, and he now had a full-length beard. His hair had also become straggly, and his clothes were ripped and torn. *He's been on the lam for five years, but he should be even more uncouth than that. Unless he had help in breaking out?*
Jason had no time to think about the situation, though. Daniel grinned, and he spoke with a hoarse voice. "Finally, I get to do to you what I've wanted to do for so long."
"And what's that?"
"Beat you."
Jason grinned. "Whether you mean literally, or in Pokemon match, you won't be able to do it."
"We'll see. Now let's get on with it." Daniel tossed a Poke ball. "Charizard, here's your moment for revenge!"
Jason responded by tossing a Poke ball of his own. "He needs a good wetting down, Azumarill!"
Azmuarill was tiny compared to Daniel's Charizard, Jason knew, but it had the advantage of type. And level.
"Charizard, use fire blast!" Daniel commanded.
The conjured stick figure engulfed Azumarill and blasted it backward.
It stayed on its feet.
"Azumarill, water gun! Aim for the tail!"
Before Daniel could react to the order, his Charizard's tail had been drowned in water. It roared in pain, then slumped to the ground.
Jason grinned. "Deja vu."
"All right, then," said Daniel, recalling Charizard.
And he threw five more capture balls.
One by one, Pokemon emerged.
Houndour.
Ninetails.
Magmar.
Slugma.
Magby.
Jason's grin widened. "Sweet. You just gave me an easy victory. Pull out the stops, everyone!"
He hurled his other five capture balls into the air.
Blastoise.
Seadra.
Politoed.
Lapras.
Vaporeon.
Without orders from their trainer, all six of Jason's Pokemon began spraying immeasurable amounts of water at their opponents.
Daniel's Pokemon didn't even have time to whimper.
Daniel's eyes got wider. "You knew what I had, didn't you?"
"I suspected." Jason glared at his brother. "I know what you're planning, and it's not going to work with all of your Pokemon down. You want to get revenge on me, don't be a coward and torch a town. You want me, you know where to find me. It's exactly opposite of wherever you are. But for now, we're taking you back to jail, where you belong."
"I don't think so. Magby, teleport!"
Before Jason's eyes, Magby tapped a psychic power impossible for it to possess.
And Daniel and his Pokemon disappeared in a flash of light.
Jason gaped. It was impossible, simply impossible for Daniel's Magby to be able to teleport.
Then he noticed a slip of paper lying on the ground where Daniel had been standing. He wheeled to the spot and picked it up.
*We'll settle this on home turf.*
His PokeGear's phone feature began to ring. He activated it.
It was Professor Oak. "Jason, he's gone. He disappeared right in front of me."
Jason's shoulders slumped with relief.
But at the same time, he felt a pang in his heart.
He had killed himself.
However silly or strange it might sound, it was true.
*And this was such a terribly, terribly lame way to die. Why couldn't it have been more drawn out, like it should have been?*
He chose, for the moment, not to reflect on that.
It is, after all, a different story.
***
The party that afternoon was to everyone's full enjoyment. It was briefly disrupted by some clowns in a Meowth head balloon, but all in all, it was a good time.
Jason Creight partied on.
To Be Continued
