Alter Persona

Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Do not own pokemon, except for the cartridges and some VCDs.

Pikachu was the only one aware of what had happened. He was the only one who had been with his master before he died three years ago. That was the only reason he had been returned to his pokeball. In there, he would remain until another trainer worthy of him appeared. Only then would his pokeball be released from the storage unit.

And so, he waited, as he had been told to.

When he felt his pokeball jerk, he was surprised. He had not expected to be released so soon. He didn't know if it was day or night, or how much time has passed. He simply knew that it didn't seem long enough for someone of his master's calibre to find him. He waited to be called out, but no one did. He found it a little strange, since many trainers would not hesitate to 'check out' their new Pokemon, as his old master used to say.

Time passed, yet he still sat in his pokeball. He sighed to himself, scratching the back of his ear. It seemed that he would have to come out on his own.

Ash's sleep was plagued with scenes he didn't understand. Scenes, it seemed, from his past, present and future. He saw things he didn't want to see, did things he didn't want to do…

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

He was talking to someone. A girl. Misty. But she appeared to be younger than the Misty she knew. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, unlike now. Her hair fell down, past her shoulders now.

He strained to hear what he was saying. But he could not. And he felt downcast. He was looking at the table more often than he looked at Misty. He could not hear anything. But he say her expressions. Curiosity at first, then shock, as her eyes grew wide. He couldn't hear, yet felt her sharp intake of breath. Finally, her eyes showed pain and sadness before adverting away.

Her mouth opened in reply, but he couldn't hear her words, couldn't hear anything. The noise around them, the sound of vehicles. Nothing.

He looked up at her when she was done speaking, when she stood up. The rain had started falling. They were the only two still in the rain. The other patrons were already under shelter.

He looked at her mouth something and turn. The rain started to fall even harder. Raindrops rolling down her cheeks, she turned completely and walked off, leaving him alone, sitting in the rain.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

He found himself standing on an altar, waiting for something to happen. No. waiting for someone to appear. The pillars surrounding the altar were glowing, letting off a sea green luminescent light. He blinked away tears he didn't realize he had as three specks of dots, each of them above their respective islands, appeared. A whirlpool suddenly appeared in the middle of the sea, rising quickly. It suddenly exploded as the entity within revealed itself. A white and blue flying Pokemon, with two rows of plates running down its back.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

A flaming bird, its wings of fire flapping, landed in front of the pillar, completing the circle. He looked around. Lugia stood directly before him. Suicune, Entei and Raiko to his left, Moltres, Zapdos, Articuno on his left.

He felt voices in his head, like the Pokemon were speaking telepathically. He could not hear what was said, but he replied. He could not hear his voice, could not hear his words. He did not know what he said. But everyone present appeared solemn.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

he felt pain, feverish. The flesh on his back burned as it forced itself to heal. He wanted to move, but couldn't. Each slight motion set off a chain of lightning through his body, coursing through his veins, making him feel as though his body was burning with pain. He heard no sound, yet heard someone gasp. It was like a silent film.

He opened his eyes against his better wishes, then winced at the pain as the light assaulted his eyes. Misty was next to him, looking at him worriedly as she placed the back of her hand against his forehead, only to quickly withdraw it and wince.

He saw her say something. He did not know what he said, but felt assurance, as he closed his eyes again.

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

He was on a balcony with Misty, talking, smiling. Their Pokemon were around them, talking, joking, laughing with each other. He felt content, felt like he was the happiest person on earth. Simply because......

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

he was in a fight with a monster. One of those... creatures he fought against, while in Team Rocket's base. It struck. He parried. He slashed. It parried. He knew that one wrong move, and he would be seriously injured. But he had to see how she was. He turned.

And cried out as a Jolteon fired pin missiles at Misty, striking her so hard she flew and slammed against the wall behind her, the needles pinning her to the wall. He saw her face contorting into a pained scream, felt himself screaming along as he arched backwards......

(-)(-)(-)(-)(-)

"No!" he sat up suddenly, his eyes wide and aware, darting around the room. His voice had been loud but fortunately, Professor Oak and Gary's rooms were at the far end of the compound. He pressed his face against his palm, wiping away his sweat.

"Ash, are you alright?" Misty called from outside before opening the door and entering the room.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Just a nightmare," he answered. As with most dreams, the details fled his conscious mind quickly. But several scenes had burned themselves into his mind. Misty, with the rain falling on her, the gathering of the legendaries and Misty being attacked. Those scenes he couldn't forget, even though he wished to forget the last one.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" she spoke softly, comfortingly.

Ash shook his head. How could he tell her what he had seen in his dream? And he wondered. Why was Misty also part of his dream? What connection did he have with her? He shot a glare at the door. "Still here? Shouldn't you be getting your beauty sleep?" he growled softly.

Misty felt her eye twitch. "For your information, I am used to lack of sleep!" she growled back. "And is that the thanks I get for being concerned about you?" she added sarcastically. "And I bet you can't stay awake the rest of the night!"

Ash arched an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?"

Misty pushed the door open. "So what if it is?" she stared, her eyes narrowed.

"Very well then, I accept your challenge. What are the rules?"

"Just stay awake," Misty shrugged. "Waddaya expect?"

"Fine."

Misty growled under her breath, staring at Ash's face. He remained impassive, staring back at her with his never-blinking crimson eyes. Still growling, she dropped her eyes to the chess pieces and finally made a move, knowing that she lost.

"Checkmate," Ash muttered, his mouth twitching slightly as he moved his knight into position.

"Gah! Ten rounds! And I didn't even win one!" Misty complained.

"Actually... it was your carelessness which caused your loss," Ash answered. "If you had moved your bishop here," he picked up the piece and placed it at another spot, "you would've checkmated me."

Misty blinked, then let out a cry of exasperation.

"And it is already seven in the morning. I suggest that we get ready to start our day," Ash started to pick up the pieces and replace them in the box. "I apologise for waking you up with something as trivial as my nightmare."

"Nah. It doesn't matter. I'm a light sleeper. Besides, I owed you one for back at the museum. And I'm always up for a challenge," she chuckled. You remind me of Ash, actually."

"I presume that you are referring to Professor Oak's ex-neighbour?" Ash perked up in interest. "You knew him well?"

Misty shook her head. "I better get back to my room. If Gary sees my in your room, he's going to speculate about our status as friends, and our reasons for being in your room. Not that I mind, if he tries to suggest anything in front of me. It would give me a change to whack him," she grinned. "See you later."

Ash nodded and continued packing the chess board as she got up and left the room. Once he had tidied the room, he headed for the bathroom where he spent some time showering, pondering how Misty was related to him. And not forgetting a Pikachu. He hadn't really noticed it earlier, but there was a Pikachu on his shoulder...

He got out of the bathroom, cleaned and wearing a set of new clothes. His cloak he decided to leave behind, however. Misty had told him that when he came into a room with the cloak on, she got the impression that he was going to do something which could get him killed.

He headed for the living room. He knew that the morning news were a good source of information update, and he never missed it.

Pikachu blinked as he was released from the ball. He hated it and would never get used to it. He looked around and recognised the place as Professor Oak's lab. The lab had changed over time, but the mess hadn't. he sighed and bounded off. Might as well check out on the television programs he had missed.

The living room was already occupied and the television was already on, so he hopped onto the couch, next to the dark haired man who was already there. Thinking that the man was probably a guest, he greeted him and pressed the button on the remote. The cartoon channel came on, and Pikachu was glad that it hadn't changed.

The man changed the channel back to the news. Pikachu switched it. The man switched it. Cartoons. News. Cartoons. News. Cartoons. News.

By now, both of them were glaring at each other. The guy was, in Pikachu's opinion, one pushy man. He had half the mind to let loose a thundershock on him.

"Hey Ash, what's on television?" Misty came into the room, bathed and having changed into a set of new clothes.

"I'm trying to watch the news. This Pikachu wants to watch cartoons," he answered in a somewhat monotonous manner. The yellow mouse beside him replied with a Pika!

"Then switch it over to cartoons. We usually oblige the Pokemon," Misty informed Ash as she took the sofa chair. "Morning," she greeted the Pikachu as it stuck its tongue out at Ash and jumped onto her lap with a greeting of Pikachupi! Togepi trilled in her arms as Ash switched the channels again, this time to cartoons.

"Did we even have a Pikachu here? I don't recall seeing one yesterday," Ash commented, staring at the mouse who was trying to watch the cartoons and him at the same time.

Misty blinked. "Good point. There wasn't supposed to be a Pikachu in the house."

"Then where did it come from? Everyone knows that wild Pikachus don't just waltz into a home and switch television channels. The Pikachu acts as though it owns this place," Ash brushed he hair back and stared at the Pikachu, eye to eye.

The Pikachu started. "Pikapi?!" it squeaked loudly.

It couldn't be, could it? Pikachu rubbed his eyes, shook its head and looked again. The man looked like Ash. Except that this man seemed colder, older, and had eerie glowing red eyes. He knew that Ash was dead. Yet, there was someone who looked so much like Ash standing in front of him. But... if it was Ash, why didn't he recognise him?

He hopped onto Ash, sniffing. It was Ash's scent, alright. But was a slight difference... "Will you get off me?" Ash growled. Pikachu shook its head and clung onto Ash. He did not know what had happened. And he knew that only by sticking to Ash would he ever find out the story.

"Looks like it adopted you, Ash," Misty smirked. Pikachu stuck his tongue out at her. Suddenly, a terrified yell echoed through the house.

A flustered Professor Oak came running down the stairs, yelling something about an aggressive Pikachu being free and running amok. Pikachu was miffed. He knew that the professor was talking about him, but he wasn't aggressive.

"Are you talking about this one?" Ash pointed at him.

The old man stopped, looked, blinked, took a second look and finally letting his jaw drop. "You know, Ash, you really look like the late Ash Ketchum with that Pikachu on your shoulder." Pikachu frowned slightly, pressing his ears back. Of course it was Ash! Didn't anyone recognise him? But even as he thought about that, he felt Ash jerk involuntarily. "Are you sure you're not Ash?"

"No. I am not Ash Ketchum." Pikachu nearly fainted at those words. What had happened to his master since he was kept in the ball? Why was his master still around? He had been with Ash on that day. And he knew his master is dead. So what exactly had happened?

"If you insist. Would you mind taking care of it? It's been cooped up in the pokeball for far too long anyway," professor oak tapped a finger against his chin. "Besides, it seems to like you a lot. Which I have no idea why."

"Me too," Ash deadpanned, glaring at Pikachu out of the corner of his eye, which Pikachu pointedly ignored.

Misty found Ash at the balcony (or as Ash called it, the observation deck) watching Eidra and Halgre flying, while Pikachu was perched on the wall, scrutinising the former two pokemon.

"Today has been interesting," she commented, her eyes following Halgre as she sat down next to Ash and set Togepi on the floor. She really marvelled the flying pokemon's grace and wished that she could be as graceful as them. "Especially when you introduced Pikachu to your pokemon."

Pikachu turned his head to stare at Misty disdainfully before jumping to the ground and playing with Togepi.

Ash nodded wordlessly, agreeing with her.

When he had released the two large pokemon, they had stared at Pikachu like it was a before-lunch snack. Pikachu had nearly freaked itself out when it saw the size of the two pokemon, and had positively knocked itself out when they looked at him that way.

Misty giggled at the reminder of the incident.

What Ash had not told her was that his pokemon's first words were 'Is that for lunch? A little scrawny and small, but it'll do, I guess.'

"And you know, you really did look like Ash Ketchum with that Pikachu on your shoulder. And you've never told anyone of us your surname, have you?" Misty questioned.

Ash wished that people would stop comparing himself to… himself. And that they would quit trying to get more information out of him. "No, I have not. I do not wish to reveal it to anyone as of yet."

"Oh. Has it anything got to do with Team Rocket? Oh. Wait. That's a silly question. You don't want them to find out exactly where are you, right?"

Ash ignored her chattering and continued to stare at the sky. Immediately, he started to plan.

He knew that he couldn't stay here for too long. He didn't know the professor or his grandson too well, and he did not wish to know them better. Furthermore, he had no idea what to do in a place like this even if he could stay. He was a wanted man. News would undoubtedly reach this place sooner or later. If that happened, Professor Oak might get into trouble for 'harbouring a wanted man'.

Team rocket was after him as well since Giovanni saw him as a threat. A small one, but still a threat, nevertheless. He could tip off the police about Giovanni and his base, but he knew that the military won't stand much of a chance if they went in unprepared, even more so if Giovanni had made more of those… soldiers. He had to find out more about Team Rocket's progress, and he couldn't possibly do it here. And even if he could, there was no way for him to take them on single-handedly.

It seemed that the world was against him, from every angle. There were so many things he wanted to know. Who was the original Ash? What happened to the original Ash? And why didn't anyone seem to recognise Ash, except as an acquaintance? And the Pikachu. Why would it stick to him like fleas on a Meowth? What did it know that he didn't?

Suddenly, as he came out of his thoughts, he realised that Misty had been quiet for the past few minutes. He had just turned to look at her when he felt her head fall onto his shoulder gently, her eyes closed and her breathing light and soft.

Ash smiled a little. "So… you're finally asleep. I'm amazed you lasted this long," he murmured. Impulsively, he leaned his head closer to her ear and whispered, "Thank you," even though he knew she couldn't hear it.

Author's Notes: Once again, I apologise for taking this long to update my story. I've been working and getting ready my stuff. And I've been busy trying to work on my Final Fantasy 7 fic, and an original fiction too. For those of you who had enjoyed my story, I think you. For those of you who review, I'm glad for the support and that helps me to write better, knowing my story is appreciated.

Well, like in the last chapter, I'll have to warn you people that I'll work on this when I've got the time, and am in the mood. So please be patient, okay?

Cheers!