The Truth Is Told by WyldClaw
Plot: sorry this took so long-
Mia1986: why did it take you forever to fix this up?
Oh come on. it didn't take me that long
Mia1986 (fake coughs): load of foxdung!
heeeey!. I waned t to get the revisions done. See first I had it in two parts but then I realized it was better as one long chapter and poof! I like it this way.
Mia1986: good grief… stop your rambling .
shush- I'm not rambling ! Thanks so much for volunteering to read the authors notes and disclaimer
Mia1986: I didn't say - [WC uses 'puppy dog eyes] fox dung! You suck
[Gives her a raspberry]. Like a vampire from night huntress?
Mia1986: oh! quiet you. [Takes a big breath then says in a rushed voice]: WC doesn't own squat asides from the OCs, the part about ash's dad and Yung's hybrids. () Is translated Pokéspeech, italics are thoughts and " " are humans talking. Parts that are in {} is Derek's guardian angel of sorts talking to him. Fair warning - you may get teary eyed at some points. She made Dr. Yung pretty psychotic and heartless than he appears in the anime but thinks it fits the story. Happy now?
Of course. . The start of this chapter was um...slightly-
Mia1986: SLIGHTLY? SLIGHTLY?
Okay, majorly influenced by the 'kings cross' chapter in Harry Potter and the deathly hallows. Enjoy. Please read and review
last edited : October 29 2022
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Images and voices surrounded me::
A strange glowing Kabutops holding it's sharp sickles against my throat.
Hunter J's Dark Dragonite and Ariapion.
a very strange hybrid Pokemon with the body and neck of a Salamence and markings of an arbok, two Arbok heads, Garchomp fins and a Luxray head attacking Jaden's parents
Aki using Volt Tackle and Thunder.
Those two eerie glowing Dustox .
Hunter J's Pokemon brutally beating up Aki
A man with a half burnt face cruelly laughing as I struggled in his arms.
Flamie attacking Hunter J's Pokemon.
Ariapion using that Acidic Strike on me.
My parents screaming my name. Pain from the poison..
The images and voices swirled together like mixed paint until it was hard to distinguish one from the other . and i couldn't stand it any more.
I cried out "STOP!" The images and voices stopped. I opened my eyes and found myself lying on cold earth. I stood up and looked around- i noticed I was in a gray foggy clearing with a strange mist surrounding the clearing. "Huh? That's strange. " I looked down and saw I was naked. I wish I had some clothes.
No sooner had I thought that, grey chilly fog enveloped my body for less than a minute. It vanished and I noticed I was wearing the clothes I put on that morning. "Now that I have some clothes on I should-wait a second. " I did a double take down at my formed clothes. "These clothes are totally clean!"
They were spotless and clean - not a single scratch or tear, or a trace of Acid Bomb or Acidic Strike on them. I looked down at my blemish free arms -not even a sign of poison or blood. The scars from the Ariapion were gone as well. I also wasn't feeling any agonizing pain. . "That's extremely weird."
I looked up at my surroundings. There was no one in sight- the mist was so thick around the clearing I couldn't see anyone but two or three feet in front of me. All I could see were the outline of trees. Where am I?
"H-H-Hello? Is anyone here?" But there was no response but my own voice. . I tried again. "Can a-anyone hear me?" I squeaked but the only reply i got was my voice echoing in the eerie silence. I got a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. "Am I-"
{Dead? I don't think so} A voice suddenly spoke from somewhere on the other side of the fog. {You're alive for now.}
"Who's there? Who s-spoke?" I looked around but nothing appeared out of the mist like fog. Does that voice belong to a friend or foe? Where is it coming from? Who is out there?
{You don't have to be afraid of me} the invisible voice answered as if reading my thoughts. {I'm a friend.}
"H-How come i can't see you? What I mean- who are you? What should I call you? What is this place? How did I get here? Do you have a name? Why's the mist so thick?"
The voice sighed. {So many questions - so little time. I cant let you see me and even tell you what i look like. I suppose if you must call me by a name, you can call me...Guardian. The mist is there for a good reason. } The unseen figure paused.
I felt a shiver go down my spine. That doesn't sound reassuring. "Wh-Why, G-Guardian? What is this place? How did I get here? "
{Be glad you're on that side of the mist} Guardian sighed. (The truth is Derek} somehow it knew my name without me saying anything. {The poison from that vicious ariapion got really deep into your body and-}
My eyes widened and my palms got sweaty. " H-how do you know about that?"
The unseen figure hesitated. {I... have my ways. I know what transpired between you and that heartless woman.}
"Where are I am anyways?"
{Well what does it looks like to you?}
I studied the clearing. "It kind of reminds me of a forest or wooded area. Someplace like the … Pallet City Woods."
{The Pallet City Woods you say? Hmm yes.. I can see that. However there are differences unlike those woods where there are at least three paths that go backwards, forwards and around, ... Here there are only two paths ...Or should I say two choices.}
My heart thudded in my throat. "Two choices?" I echoed.
{Yes. one will take you back and the other will let you ... move on}
My mouth dried up at the last two words. "M-M-Move on? What do you mean?"
{The poison from that.. creature got really deep into your body-)
"If it got deep into my body and H-Hunter J said the Acidic Strike would kill me in t-twenty minutes. Wait… " I paused. "How do you know about the poison? A-And Hunter J "
{I .. have my ways of knowing . I am a spirit after all. I .. know things.}
"But does that mean i'm-i'm- d-d-d" I couldn't finish the last word of the sentence.
{Dead?} Guardian finished the word i could not say. {Not really. You are still alive but extremely weak. You are in a coma so in a way your mind and spirit is at a standstill. You're at a sort of crossroads.}
"Crossroads?" I pictured Guardian rolling its eyes. Did it even have eyes?
{An intersection road that typically splits into four roads or paths, but here there are only two paths or choices. like I just said there are two paths you can choose. You can choose to go back or simply ... move on..}
"Move on ...? You mean.. " I got a shiver down my spine
{Yes dear boy.} Guardian stated.
Holy freaking Ho-Oh! Guardian is asking me to choose my fate! You mean I have a choice whether I want to-to- d- " I couldn't say the word. "I mean-move on or return."
{Yes.} It paused then added. {You know you are one brave brave boy. you've got major guts and you're-}
"Wh-what do you mean by major guts?"
{Just that. you deny that surviving malevolent woman's treatment wasn't skillful?}
"I suppose it was both dumb luck and skill."
{And those beasts you faced when you were very little.}
Huh? What beasts is it talking about? I tried to remember but all i could remember was a faint image of the man with the majorly burnt face. " Huh?"
I must have had a confused look on my face. Guardian sighed. {Oh right. You don't remember it.}
"R-remember what?"
{N-Nothing... never mind. You've been through hell kid but you saved the world.}
I looked down at my sneakers for a few seconds. "Not really. All I did was rescue Dad and Storm from Hunter J. That hardly counts as saving the world. ."
{You did save it.}
I shook my heard. "I'm not so sure about that. I don't know if i would really consider that saving the world. I'm just a kid. Dad's done that way more times than I can count.. it's not like I stopped an evil mastermind, or an evil pokemon from taking over the world. "
{Trust me Derek. you did save the world}
"How so?"
{You heard what Hunter J said she was going to do.}
I shuddered. "Bits and pieces. She didn't say her whole plan but Dad was horrorstruck. How did me beating her well kind of-save the world?"
{if she had succeeded She would have taken your family- and you to her employer who is as evil and despicable as possible perhaps ever more malicious as the ruthless heartless kil- man who ordered Mewtwo's creation. This ... employer ...would make you suffer as he took over the League and Kanto.. and eventually the world. Imagine a world filled with evil hybrids and heartless Pokemon like the ones you faced? A world where criminals and villians are at the top of the world. Mirage Pokemon has totally taken over and run rampart -} At this a chill went down my spine. The only mirage Pokemon I knew of was Mew but the way Guardian said it made me think it was bad. As it talked I saw it unfold in images and clips around me. {Barren hostile lands where ruthless villains prowl everywhere and the leagues powerless to stop it. People enslaved under extremely strict laws. all they know is Despair and harshness. Y Family and friends are scattered about - separated from their loved ones. Deaths are commonplace . No one is brave enough to stop them. Your family-}
I gasped as an image of my siblings and grandmother - scared out of their wits as. Something loomed over them in a darkened alley - flashed by. My heart skipped a beat as I saw someone in a room with a thick glass window splatted with red flecks forcefully holding back my thin looking and injured mother whose arms were chained behind her-who had cuts all over her-in a room with a thick glass window . Her mouth was open in a horrendous inaudible anguished scream as someone or something bloodily and viciously beat up my father- looking even worse than when I'd first seen him in Hunter J's hidden hideout -about ten feet away from the window. in another room.
"No! Please... stop...Don't show me any more. . Those images... my family ...I can't take seeing them."' The horrible images and clips vanished. I felt my heart pound in my throat.
{Your parents are concerned. They are concerned about the poison in your body and whether you will make it. It is really your call as to .)
A sense of longing hit me with the force of a tackling Donphan as those horrible scenes burned into my memories .I couldn't let those things Guardian showed me come to pass- they were beyond horrible. My friends.. My family.. my .. home . I can't let that happen.
I was only twelve and a half- I still had a lot I wanted to do. I hadn't even had my first kiss or competed in my first league. Not to mention my family and friends would be crushed if I stayed. I knew exactly what I had to do. "'I-i want." I gulped. "I need -no i HAVE to go back. I can't let my s-s-sacrifice be a dark shadow looming over them. My parents ... my friends... my home It wouldn't be right. Hunter J practically outlined what-what she was going to do to my p-parents and siblings- she th- thought j-jaden was my brother mom she made us surrender and took dad Storm and i back. Storm, Dad A-Aki Flamie and i .. we didn't deserve what Hunter J d-did to us. She tortured and kidnapped Dad and Storm w-ithin an inch of their lives.. broke Mom's spirit .. nearly killed Aki and I plenty of times in that hideout ' I paused for a few minutes. Once I resumed talking I seemed to find my voice again and it grew stronger. " I won't let her or … this employer of hers she mentioned hurt my family again. E-even if I end up d-d-dead-" I had trouble saying the word. " I can't let anything worse happen to them. I have to protect them."
{Wise speech. Spoken just like your dad. You remind me so much of him.} I heard Guardian sighed.
My mouth dried up again. "Wait? You know Dad?"
{You can say that} It hesitated.
"H-how?"
{Let's just say I have. connections to your family. I have been watching your family... in particular you for-for a while now. Don't waste this chance boy.} I thought I detected a wistful tone in Guardian's voice as it muttered under its breath. {I wish I could have had this chance when I -} it stopped mid-sentence.
"When you what?"
{Never you mind'. Just an old sprit's wistful wishing) Then it asked loudly, (are you sure that's the choice you want to make?)
I nodded. " I'm Absolutely certain."
A breezy wind blew by my sides. (A very wise choice my boy. Very well then.} There was a pause then Guardian chanted a bunch of strange words that I didn't recognize in a deep eerie voice. The fog around me turned blue. Halfway around the clearing the fog dissappeared while simultaneously the breeze around me became a heavy powerful wind.
(You have made your choice} Guardian said. (However you must remember that is but a very faded dream inside your head. You will not be able remember what just happened}
A puff of some sparkling dust hit my face and I suddenly felt tired. I saw two ghostly human hands- hands that looked like mine- wave the fog away. Wait? Human hands?
"Wait a-"
The wind became so fierce I couldn't speak. I was lifted off the ground. I looked behind me and saw a huge gaping hole behind me. I had no time to think as I fell. My surroundings got darker and I felt sleepy as I down, down, down the dark hole.
XxX dream ends XxX dream ends XxX dream ends XxX dream ends XxX dream ends XxX dream ends XxX
My head felt like it had an anchor attached to it. I heard my parents' voices but it felt like I was in the water so I missed some of the conversation. "... Tell him.. the truth. " Mom was saying.
". the one who hired her." I heard Dad's voice gulp and remembered how he'd gone as white when J had mentioned her boss. He lowered his voice.
"...going to call him …"
I pictured Mom giving him a look. "Let him have. … Can't keep him in the dark forever. …Going to find out the truth."
"… .. you-know- who finds him?" dad sounded worried as he lowered his voice.
Their conversation was getting clearer now as i slowly became more awake as I heard Pikachu's voice. (If he defeated Hunter J-)
" I - I wouldn't exactly say he defeated her pal. If Sami. Hadn't shown up when she did..."
(You know what I mean. It took a lot of bravado and courage to do what he did. I think that he's ready) Pikachu said. (I told you last night- you have to tell him and let him go.) I groaned. (Look, he's stirring.)
I rubbed my eyes with my right hand then opened them and saw that I was in a hospital bed in a pale colored room. . My parents and Pikachu were in chairs a foot or so away from my bed. All three looked wiped out: Mom wore a light blouse and shorts and Dad wore a short-sleeved light blue tee shirt with a Pokéball emblem and tan shorts. Since it was a short-sleeved tee shirt the ugly semi healed injuries on his arms Hunter J were visible. His right arm was in a sling. I tried to pull myself up but as I did I felt my ribs burn. "Mom? Dad? Wh-what happened? Why are my ribs burning?" My head still felt a bit sore and I felt a twinge sleepy.
All three looked at me, eyes full of relief and simultaneously said "Derek! You're awake!"
"Oh! My poor brave, brave baby boy..."
(I told you he'd pull through.)
"Wh-where am i? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You're in the Viridian City Hospital. " Mom explained. "We were so worried about you. It was only extremely sheer luck that Jaden and Apollo got you here in time."
" Huh? What do you mean Jaden and Apollo bringing me." I looked over to right and then my left arm, which had two huge IVs in it and saw scars dance around on it. One long jagged deep scar in which the IVs were stuck in stood out from the rest It all came back in a flash: The ransom note, the vow I made Mom. The Overgrown Forest. Finding Dad, the brutal battle with Hunter J, The Ariapion nearly killing both Flamie and me, that weird Acidic Strike attack, Hearing Sami's voice before blacking out.
I sat up slightly and the words came out spilling out of my mouth. "What happened to J? Are Jaden, Aki Storm and Sami okay? What about the poison-"
Pikachu raised his paw as if telling me to shush. (. They're fine aside from the bullet wound in Jaden's arm-)
My eyes widened. "Jade got struck with a b-b-bullet?" I sputtered.
(He's fine. his left arm got injured from a gun shot from J plus the shrapnel from the explosion. his parents were ticked)
"They were more scared than ticked. I thought Jessie was going to blow a gasket or something. We've seen her peeved before. It's not a pretty sight " Mom pointed out. "As to what happened to Hunter J-" she lowered her voice. She's completely dead."
"D- d-d dead?" My mouth dried up. "B-b-but h-how?"
Dad looked uneasy. " We were flying away on Terra -Apollo had you in a light screen bubble. H-Hunter J came out in a jetpack and shot the underside of Terra's wing and Jaden's arm. She wanted to make Terra fall to the ground so she could re-recapture all of us. She-she threatened to follow us until..." He couldn't complete the sentence. " He looked away for a few seconds and his face turned pale. " Apollo teleported you and Jaden here so you'd be out of danger. Terra used Giga Impact to make her fall into the hideout. I told Aki and Storm to Hyper Beam the hideout as Sami told Terra to use Flamethrower before..." He trailed off.
I realized what he did-what I refused to do to Ariapion. He didn't have a choice. It was a life or death situation- namely their life and her death. He turned back to me "I hope I never have to do that again. It was either her life or ours. "W-we sent Skyler into the forest to double check on –"
"And… he saw the remains. " I ended feeling a huge weight taken off my shoulders. J was dead! That evil horrible woman was dead! She'll never hurt my family or another living being human or Pokemon again nor ! Just hearing her tell Flamie that she would skin her alive.. Flamie!. "Oh no!" I said aloud. "The Growlithe. Where is she? Is she okay?"
"Calm down." mom said. " She's resting at home. Dora fixed her up. She's brave-having to put up with that battle."
I felt liked I'd been socked in the gut with a Mega Punch. "You know about it?"
She nodded. "Yes... All of it."
The words spilled out like puke. "I'm so sorry Mom. I know I should have told shown you the note. But you were hurt. It said no tricks or else. I made an Ursa Scouts promise to you- you were fast asleep but Tidal heard me ... that I'd rescue them and bring back home. I thought if I did that then... you'd let me go. " I mumbled the last part.
"Sweetie, I'm not mad. Sami showed me that note and said where you were - she got really nervous. That's when with some help from Rune I recalled what happened. " She shuddered. She got up and squeezed my left hand- her face wet. " She told me apollo had a vision of –"
"M-Me." my face burned for a few seconds as she sat back down. "D-D-Did she say what the vision detailed?"
"A little but she was terrified. She got on Terra and flew off."
I felt horrible. I hung my head. " I didn't want to scare you or anything."
"I would have been scared either way. I hear that you really showed her-"
"Oh that? " I twiddled my thumbs. "I just tried to stay alive as best as i could."
"That's my boy" she smiled, looking at Dad and Pikachu as if confirming something then to me. "There's something you should know."
"Wh-what do you mean?"
Mom sighed. " We haven't been honest with you about letting you go off. There were ...two incidents that happened that m-made your father and I hesitate-"
"What do you mean incidents? Was it something to do with you and dad?"
She sighed, "something like that, we didn't know they would. You were just a baby..."
My stomach turned. "Wouldn't what mom?"
"I thought they wouldn't stoop that low. Y–you." she looked over at my father as if asking him to finish the sentence.
Dad got the gist of the look. . "What your mother is trying to say is that you were nearly murdered twice as a baby. That's the reason we didn't let you go on your journey. "'
"Wh-wh-whaaaaa-yeow!" I sat up too quickly in the bed- my ribs and arm screamed as a pain exploded.
"Careful." he warned.
(I told you he wouldn't take it well) Pikachu muttered.
"You were right. " Mom sighed, "It happened a long time ago when you were really little. It's long story."
I shrugged my shoulders. "I'm not going anywhere." I pointed out as I shifted into a slightly more comfortable sitting position on the bed.
My parents looked at one another as if deciding who should start. "You go first."
"No you go first, Ash. You're the one who spotted them."
"It was Taran Who saw them first."
"You start honey."
"No you begin."
" No you start."
Pikachu rolled his eyes and sighed. (For the love of Arceus. sometimes it's like you haven't grown up. I'll set up the story and then one of you can pick it up. )
They nodded -both looking relieved. (I remember it clearly. The first time happened when you were just over a year old. We were having a picnic in the park on an early August day. It was a few days before the Battle Park opened - your dad and I decided that a little family outing would be perfect since we had been stressed out over the opening. You were fast asleep in your mom's arms. You had Strawberry Oran berry pie smudged all over your face and clothes. You were such a messy eater as a baby.)
Mom chuckled at the memory then picked up the story from there. "He was watching Electra, Taran, Aki and Thora play nearby- "
"What about Zapp" I asked recalling the siblings' spiky haired laid-back brother.
(He had a bad cold so he was with Storm and Sybil at home.) Pikachu explained. (They were near the shallow end and Thora, dared Aki to swim in the big part of the pond. She wasn't the best swimmer at the time. As she did so on her little kickboard she squeaked in terror. She cried out that she felt something try to grab her tail. Instinctively i told them to get out of the water as fast as they could and come back. ) He paused to catch his breath.
(Aki tripped on a rock and a large rubber glove on an extendable hand grabbed her and heaved her into the into the air while another reached for us. Taran, Electra Thora used Detect a few time on us and it bounced right off and broke . But then they stopped it using and huddled over to me. Then a sticky rubber net sprang out of the the water and landed over us. An old rusted submarine appeared out of the water...)
I knew who had been the attackers. "The Symths?" It still baffled me as to how the two sets of parents who used to be mortal enemies since day in the past became friends.
Dad nodded as Mom continued the tale. "They started taunting us as we tried to get loose-That was nothing new. I saw there was something a bit different about Jessie. She seemed even shorter tempered than usual and tired. I also noticed her belly was pretty big and round. Someone- "she gave Dad a look, "didn't realize the signs that she was majorly pregnant."
He winced as if he'd been slapped. "I was worried about other things. Like how we were gonna escape, freeing Aki from that hand and not facing ...him again" his face darkened.
(Anyways) Pikachu went on (she was about to tell her Woobat to use some kind of attack on us when you woke up and stared at her. She seemed frozen for a few minutes. It was like she realized what she was about to do. She, James and meowth got into some kind of argument but she silenced them. She freed Aki and just used Woobat to free us when some kind of mixed up dragon-thing came out of the sky and attacked the submarine.)
Mom took up the story again. "It was horrible. It had the body and neck of a Salamence but the markings of an Arbok. There were two arbok heads, Garchomp fins and a Luxray head. There were scyther claws and wings too. It ha a Luxray tail but instead of the star end it had a ball at the end covered in needles. Jessie, James and Meowth were beyond petrified and couldn't move. You started crying which got the Pichus going. The monster glared down at them and tried to use a heavy Twister to get them out of sight. But we- with Bayleef and Bulbasaur's help grabbed them before they could go far. It sent a Razor Wind that sent us laying a few feet back then it set its eyes on the rocket trio. It stated something like 'you have failed me for the very last time' before throwing large purple Pin Missiles from the spiked tail, Flamethrowers and Acids at them. "
I gulped and felt myself tremble. She paused to take a breath then resumed. "They tried to get off the sub. Meowth and James jumped into the water as a Thunder attack nearly hit it. Then an Acid sprayed it. Jessie was trapped cause her shoes were stuck in the gunk. One of the arbok heads sent out a Flamethrower at the sub. Another sprayed a rapid fire of needles that turned white then purple. The flamethrower engulfed the acid and went up in flames. She narrowly missed the flames which surrounded her but some of the needles hit her arm and her belly and she started gasping In Pain."
I gasped. Her unborn kid! "Holy cow! What happened next?"
The mouse picked up the story now. (The creature tried to attack us and grab either you or me but I used Aura to keep it from us. You were putting up such a howl – you and my kids both. Hearing her shouts of pain we knew we couldn't leave her to her fate nor could we leave her to that dragon… thing so we went right into action. As your mom tried to get you to calm down I used every attack i could to distract that abomination: Thunder, Agility, mega Electro Ball, Iron Tail, Swift, even Hyper Beam-)
"Hyper Beam?" I was stunned at what Pikachu said. "You used Hyper Beam?" I repeated and he nodded. I couldn't visualize him using that powerful attack. " But-but-I thought only evolved Pokemon could use that attack and you're well, you. "
(Not really. sometimes. all you have to do is wait for the right moment to see what you're capable of. a major attack like that's a lot of energy. that thing pretty much countered me and soon i was wiped after. At the same time your mom called out Politoed and Tidal- he was a Marill near evolution then. She handed you to your dad and they got Jessie and Woobat down. As they joined the fight she got out the first aid kit and got the poison out of Jessie's body before it could spread to the baby. Woobat joined the fight. It was apparent that we didn't have enough firepower but there was a powerful inner fire in their eyes. The creature was about to strike the two women but the Pokémon yelled. With an enormous burst of light they both evolved. Swoobat sent a few powerful arrows like Giga Impacts at the monster's heads. I let a huge Thunder at it while she sent another humungous strike straight at its heart.)
She must have been so furious that it nearly killed Mrs. Smyth and her unborn kid. I gulped. I was stunned. The look on my face must have confirmed it. "You- you..."
(Yeah. actually I think it was Swoobat who-who ended its life.) The mouse nodded at my unfinished statement and looked away for a few seconds. (Neither I nor Swoobat had a choice.)
I gulped. It's like what Dad and Sami did. Mom looked at me. "It tried to kill us Derek- we didn't have a choice. She didn't feel too bad. It died pretty quickly afterwards. "
"I think he sent it since he was tired of wasting money on their constant screw ups," Dad muttered under his breath.
"Before you go on I.. have to know... Who is this person you keep on mentioning?" I asked my parents.
Dad looked from me to my mother then looked out the window for a few seconds before replying in a low tone. "He is-was-the Team Rocket leader but I don't know if he is still part of Neo Rocket. He –he was the one James and Jessie tried to impress . We didn't actually meet face to face for a few years but I'd heard rumors .. When I was in Unova Pikachu and I had to face him and his awful Persian. It… it. Beat us badly."
That can't be! I blurted out. "But you're one of the greatest trainer/Pokémon partner duos in Kanto and Johto. Surely your bond could have secured a win."
(There are times that brute force and sheer power can overcome a powerful bond of trust and friendship.) Pikachu spoke up. (We. didn't know what to expect from them-we never met them face to face before. Plus this was before we had the ... you know what bond.)
Dad bit his lip-nervous about saying something- and was quiet for a few minutes. Mom squeezed his left hand as if reassuring him.
"Ashy… you can do this " Mom prompted him.
He sighed. "yeah.. you're right." he sighed again. " I didn't find out until I asked mom on how to propose and what to do about the ring th-that He was behind the death of your grandfather-my dad. ."
My jaw dropped and I felt the insides of my stomach curl. I questioned why Grams never had any pictures of her husband. When I was little I asked her about my grandpa once. She'd been so upset and became quiet and cried I hadn't asked her since. " He… did that?"
My parents nodded. "I didn't find out the truth until then. " Dad looked away for a second. "Mom said he had a different name then. she also told me that D-Dad was a regular trainer but he had a dream of making the world a better place. he had been trying to be either a police officer or a detective, something along those lines. he died when i was just a baby. You know that framed picture on my desk of your mom showing off her engagement ring? "
"Yeah."' Seeing the pained look on his face I guessed where the ring must have come from. "That was the ring he gave to Grams when he p-proposed... wasn't it?"
"The very same. She said it was one of the few things of his she kept because it brought her so much happiness. I assumed when I was little that he didn't want to be a dad. Never talked about him so it didn't really affect me. I can't miss having a dad if i never really had one. Mom was tough though- she was like a combination of both mother and father. We keep the ring in a super high security safe . " Dad looked uneasy as he added, "she said she… he would have wanted to be at the wedding if he was... You know.. Alive "
"Wh-Whaaaat? But how did that happened? How did –" I trailed off as Dad's face became as hard as an Rhyperior's. But he didn't expand on the subject so I dropped it.
Mom added, "He's also very dangerous. Trust me Derek. He is one person you never ever want to come across. We're only telling you this so you can avoid him at all costs. Please tell me you will have nothing ever to do with Giovanni."
I shuddered-even the name sounded evil. " I'll do my best to avoid him." I got off the subject of my grandfather's killer and back to the story. "Wh-What happened after you got rid of that-that-"
(Evil hybrid thing?) Pikachu prompted and I nodded. (After we made sure Jessie was healed we knew that 'he' would be after them again. We had to fake their deaths and. Rune who was an abra at the time teleported to the clearing and then taken to the house so they could get proper medical care - Jessie was cloud white and looked like she was about to faint- and remove their trackers so they could start fresh .we told Bulbasaur to take the Pichus and go with them in case they pulled a fast one.)
My jaw dropped. "You s-saved their lives? But – I thought y-you hated each other."
Mom smiled briefly. " That attack changed our viewpoints in an instant. It was strange and awkward but when you have a child in danger or see someone else's unborn in near fatal danger everything can change. We couldn't leave them alone "
Dad sighed. "But that wasn't the end of our troubles that day ". "After we got you settled two item balls were thrown in the clearing. Once they hit the ground they opened on impact. One had sleep dust powder and the other spewed out a cold chilling mist. Next thing we knew when we woke up you were gone. Sybill appeared with her Ralts and some pokeballs. She then teleported back home saying she'd be back -"
"I think know what happened next. I had a dream about it. " I proceeded to tell them about the dream I had before the whole ordeal with J. "Let me guess. A heavily disguised Jaden's dad and Sybil joined in the fight and saved me?" my parents nodded. "So they repaid the debt and…. you trusted them just like that"'
Jaden's parents had been after them for years and years. Dad told me it was his second night out as a trainer when they first become foes. Along the line they stopped being enemies and now i knew why. Mom and Dad saved their lives.
Dad sighed again. "If only it were that easy. Those three were after us for who knows how long-"
"Uh…Since we were ten Ash and it was you they were always chasing. " Mom corrected.
(More like me.) Pikachu added under his breath.
She continued. "There were times when we worked together but for the most part we hated each other.
I remembered something Jaden told me about our parents –' a sort of mutual respect came out of that rivalry. There were times my parents said they envied your parents. ' "So you forgave them for everything?"
(It wasn't easy Derek. we had to forgive them for everything they did when they were on our-sorry- my tail. your mom did it easier than some) Pikachu looked up at dad. (But over the years I've accepted it. We -along with Mondo helped them start fresh. We had to take their deaths and give them new birth records for them; Jordan and they're soon to be born son …Jaden. As gratitude they made your mom Jaden's godmother. For years they were on the run- changing names and identities. We'd hear from them occasionally- James' parents- who totally hated the fact he ran away from the rich lifestyle left him a little money in their will. But eventually they moved to the city.)
" Actually Jessie was nearly done completing her nurses' training when I went into labor with Aiden and couldn't make it to the hospital so she acted as my midwife. That's why she's his godmother" Mom pointed out.
.
It was quiet as I ate the bland hospital food that had arrived during the story and digested the new information. After I finished- who didn't take long as I didn't realize how hungry I was- I put my empty tray on the bedside table. "You mention that there was another incident that happened when I was little."
Mom's eyes went watery. "The second time was even worse. Do you know what. Mirage Pokémon are?"
"The only Mirage Pokemon I can think of is Mew cause it's seen by so few people peopkle think its a myth. Some legendaries are nicknamed that as well for the fact that they aren't seen by many humans." I had a strange sense of deja vu as I said that, like someone asked me that same question recently but I couldn't remember whom.
Dad explained. "You're right. But there is another type of Mirage Pokemon- one only a handful of people seen and three of those people are in this room. " Mom and Pikachu nodded as he took a deep breath. " they look like glowing Pokemon created with a device called the Mirage System. They are holographic Pokémon with no true weaknesses and able to use any attack regardless of type. They have no free will whatsoever. They were created by an evil corrupt scientist named Dr. Yung who wanted to create the 'perfect Pokemon' in order to get revenge on members of the Pokémon Institute who expelled him after he presented them with the Mirage System. He .. invited Sami's Great-grandfather, May, and the three of us to see it and the we battled with him and badly lost. He kidnapped Sami's great-grandfather to prove his worth to him and get a password of some kid ... When He wouldn't do what he said. had a Mirage Pokémon track us down and -"
(P-Pokenap me) Pikachu whispered. (he t-tortured me to make Professor Oak d-do what he said ..) he shivered as if recalling the memory .
Dad stroked him gently for a few minutes. "It's okay pal. it's okay. " The mouse stoped shaking. "We- that is to say May, your mother and i along with some help from a Mirage Mew that Yung rejected since it had total free will reuscued them . barely defeated him after a long tough battle. . There was a fire and we thought him dead. I didn't think about him for years until..." He looked at Mom. "You'd better start this one Mist. Y-you saw him first. "
She gulped. "You were a little over three years old when your cousin Rosie came for a layover with Daisy one weekend before getting a ride to the Orange Island. You, Daisy, Aki, Rosie and I- were on a morning walk when two missiles like torpedoes came out of the air and hit the ground nearby. Two huge glowing Mightyena and two Beedrill came out of them. Aki was only a Pichu at the time so she tried to shock them but it wasn't effective. They surrounded us with Double Team. There was a man with a theater mask and a thick hooded cloak th-that came out of the bushes with another Mightyena by his side but it was... different." she paused.
"What do you mean different, Mom?"
She shivered, as if recalling the details was painful. I felt the hairs on my neck stand up as she described it. "It looked like half Mightyena and half machine. It had this cyborg eye with a sensor looking over at us. The back legs were steel and patches of its fur were steel too. The man told us that it had been years he'd been searching but he'd finally found us. Daisy asked who he was. He only told his Pokemon to-to attack. They scratched Rosie and all of them sent Shadow Balls at us but we ducked. We weren't so lucky when they threw an Ice Ball at us. We ducked but then the Mightyenas used disable and Hypnosis on daisy, you and Rosie while the Beedrils used Thunder Wave -"
"But Mightyenas and Beedrills can't know those attacks! It's-it's impossible," I interjected.
Dad's shaking hands stroked Pikachu's fur as he replied. "Not impossible- not for those Pokémon. Like I said … they know every known attack and can use them at will . Imagine… a Rhyperior that knows Wood Hammer, a Glaceon with Mirror Shot, an Armaldo that can use Dragon Ascent, An Omastar with Giga Drain, ecetera.. You get the picture."
I gulped thinking of those glowing Dustox who used Hypnosis, Rock Slide, Fly and Whirlwind . Mom resumed the story. "The Beedrils used Thunder Wave on Aki and I. we fell to the ground paralyzed. The man turned up his nose at Daisy and Rosie and then his eyes fell on you, he went over to you after studying you intently and plucked you off the ground saying you looked just like him and you'd be perfect as bait. He said since y-your father wasn't there the revenge wouldn't be complete. I tried to move but the Beedril and Steelyena used Thunderbolt on me. He glared at me saying I hadn't changed one bit in all those years. I asked him what he meant. He took off the mask and hood. I … I…" She stopped as she shook again.
Dad hugged her as much as he could. "It's okay honey. You're safe-Derek's safe- well… mostly. It happened long " He repeated until her trembling stopped. He squeezed her hand tightly. "Mist… you don't have to finish the story if you don't want to,"
She shook her head. "I'm fine, " she took a big breath. " I'll never forget those burns. Half his face was scarred and removed of most of the flesh. The left purple eye was bloodshot whereas the other eye was clear blue. His hair was half white and half teal. His eyes gleamed hungrily at me. The teal hair had patches missing. I realized it was Yung. He somehow survived the fire but wanted revenge. I would've screamed but he handed you to a Mirage Beedril, which put a stinger against your cheek. He said i-if i wanted to see you a-again I had t-to come to the middle of the Viridian Forest with your d-dad in three hours alone or e-else." I gulped feeling my heart pound rapidly in my chest. From what she just told me about Dr Yung and what I'd experienced from my harsh battle with Hunter J I had a pretty good idea of what Yung's threat of 'or else' meant. Suddenly that part of my dream about the strange man with the burnt face I had a few days prior-, which seemed like a different lifetime ago-made sense. "Wh-what happened next?"
"H-he threw a thick smoke bomb and ordered the M-Mirage Pokemon to cloud the area. B-by the time the smoke had vanished Y-Yung was gone and-. "
"So was I. " I finished .Goosebumps appeared on my skin. "H-how did y-you get back safely?"
"It took awhile because of my paralysis but I managed to send a distress message to your dad through Aura. Daisy and Rosie had just woken up when Noivern found us and a few minutes later he and Sunset arrived."
I turned to dad. " I bet you were furious when you found out after you healed Mom. "
"Trust me I was way more than furious. I was beyond terrified Yung was going to do to you. After we got your aunt and cousin on the next available ferry–we told Daisy that a psychotic old foe had kidnapped you and she didn't ask any questions- we had to figure how we were going to save you."
Pikachu continued. (We knew we couldn't risk your life and had no choice but to go with Yung's demand. I didn't want to risk them with Yung or the Mirage Pokemon so Storm, Electra, Taran, Zap stayed with Ash's staff here. I tried convincing Aki to stay home but she wouldn't have it. She said she- she felt guilty for not being able to save you from being kidnapped) He looked from Mom to Dad to me. (If she had…maybe she wouldn't have lost her tail or her electricity.)
"You can't change what happened in the past, Pikachu, only the future." Dad said. "It's not fun to worry about what could have been situations."
(Yeah. I know) the mouse agreed. (Anyways Yung was waiting for us. Said he wasn't as dead as we thought he was and that the only way to get to you was to defeat him. He brought out some Mirage Pokémon and hybrids-s-somehow- someway he begun splicing Pokémon - making an army. We fought valiantly but he was stronger than us – I'd forgotten how tough they were. The first time we faced him... we had some help from a Mirage Mew in defeating him he claimed was a failure because it actual had free will and a soul.)
I shivered, thinking about the major differences between Mirage and regular Pokemon. " He sounds totally evil."
(That's putting it in a very blunt way. Aki was the one who found you - she snuck away during the fighting. She later told us she found you in the back gagged and guarded by that Steelyena and a Mirage Houndoom. I don't know what happened but we all stopped after a while this large Thunder attack came from the sky. There were two loud screams) he paused to take a breath. (Soon after you came running out to us with a cut on your cheek shouting something was wrong with 'ki, that's what you called her when you were little. She bolted out of the bushes- a Pikachu now)
He gulped and shivered as if recalling the memory brought painful emotions. His voice faltered. (But… s-something was wrong. Th-there was something wrong with my little g-girl. She was bruised and scratched but the major change was with a thick trail of red coming from her tail. It was nearly broken in half with slashes and scars deep clawmarks on it and barely hanging on.)
Holy Arceus! "Th-that's how she lost her tail and evolved? S-saving m-me?" I was astounded. " I… never knew that. "
They nodded and Dad picked up the story. "The Steelyena came out after you two with a red stained muzzle, burnt fur and deep scratches across its face and pelt. That's when we heard Yung call it a Steelyena. Y-You tripped on a rock and that …thing lunged. Aki tried to tackle it but she was off balance because of her tail, the hybrid swiped her with a Metal Claw and what remained of her broken tail was cleaved off. It kicked her to the sides. She let out some massive Rage filled Comet Punches at it but it threw her a few feet away with a Bullet Seed Mirror Shot and knocked her out."
(I tried to get over there but Yung called out a Mirage Aragorn. it used Smokescreen on the area) Pikachu admitted. (I tried to stop it but the Steelyena used Ice ball on me.)
"Yung laughed as the smoke f-faded" Mom was having a hard time – she'd kept this in for so long, " the hybrid was gone but Yung had replaced it with a Mirage Kabutops that had two sickles against y-your throat. He had a gun in his h-hands. H-h-he said that if we didn't surrender..." Dad gulped. " Yung also said that he'd waited s-so many years for revenge and a sniveling brat wasn't gonna stop him. Then we saw a small gray– blue blur zoomed around the Kabutops at such fast speed it looked like there were five. The whole time the teeth got larger."
Pikachu continued. (The Kabutops was having a tough time trying to swat the blur while keeping a tight grip on you and Yung's insistence to get it were no help at all. Then it bit down on the creature, which howled loudly and it dropped you. One of the blurs separated from the others, flew over to you and picked you up. As it flew over to us it's right wing dropped blood from a deep cut from the Kabutops and the other blurs vanished. The figure was an extremely elderly fail looking Butterfree. It gently placed you in front of us . I heard a cracked old voice say 'hello my dear friend. It's been an extremely long time. ')
Dad added, "When I looked up and saw the Pokémon that saved you my jaw dropped. I knew who it was.)
"Your old Butterfree? " I guessed. I heard some tales of Dad's first Pokémon he ever caught and raised. " But h-h-how?"
He smiled . "Yup. I hadn't seen him in years and years-. His body was mostly gray- with age. He put up a barrier over us and let out a long call. A whole flock of Butterfree, Dustox and Beautifly flew in minutes later and attacked the Kabutops, which ended up defeated and recalled. " He paused and I pondered again how he managed to keep this inside. " But Yung summoned more Mirage Pokémon, from missile like torpedoes like an Ursaring and Armaldo even a Mirage Celebi. Soon the tide turned as the new Pokemon defeated the butterflies. As Butterfree saw his flock defeated he ended the barrier to tell them to retreat but the Armaldo smacked him into a tree with a Steel Claw attack and seemingly knocked him out. Yung told the Mirage Celebi to use its powers to bind us."
Mom resumed speaking. "We tried to run but we got tripped by a large Grass Knot attack which it used stop us. It was like it controlled the very earth. We were too terrified to move as trees and bushes quickly grew of the earth and out of control. Soon we were in a completely different forest. "
"That's how the Overgrown Forest came to be- B-By the Mirage Celebi, not by a crazy ex-trainer? But. Why don't people know the truth?"
Their eyes got wet for a few minutes- Dad looked down at the floor for a few seconds. Mom answered. "Y-you'll find out soon, sweetheart. But to answer your first question… yes. Yung had it totally transform the forest until it was unrecognizable, vast and so thick and dark so no one could see in or out. He laughed said that even if we managed to escape there were more m-missiles in the forest that he could use to call out more Mirage Pokemon. He told the holographic pokemon to bind us. Sharp thorny roots came up out of the ground and bound us separately- Aki was totally unconscious. I screamed loudly that the vines were hurting the baby-"
...
The last two words caught me off guard. "Hold you Rapidashes .Mom …what do you mean by 'the baby'? Do yo mean me or ...another baby? "
She bit her lip and shuddered- as if recalling a truly horrible experience. Dad squeezed her hand again and gave her a kiss. "Honey , you don't have to tell him it if you don't want to..."
She nodded her head, as if trying to get the memory away. "I d-d-do. That's a big part why we haven't let him leave."
"But- " Dad started to argue but she cut him off.
"He has a right to know Ashy. It's not that painful as it once was. Besides" - her voice cracked a bit. " I've kept it inside for so long that it's good to finally get it out. " She took a minute to compose herself then resumed the story.
"Before the whole incident with Yung happened I found out that I was expecting. I was maybe three – four and a half months and it was staring to show. I was so excited for you become a big brother- we had planned on telling you that night. We knew we wanted more kids and th-thought it would be nice for you to have a sibling close in age. But…" I felt a sick feeling in my stomach like a super tight knot getting tighter as she talked. "Yung h-heard this and had the vine slam me around. He- he told Mirage Celebi to make the thorns dig right into my stomach and bleed. I screamed- he said he'd cease the attack if we all surrendered to him. I responded that by telling him go rot in hell where he belonged. He-he snarled at this reply and had the Mirage Armaldo used Ice Shard to-to j-jab my belly. Massie amounts of Blood flowed from my belly." i gasped and my heart beat quicker. Oh my Arceus! oh my freaking Arceus! That utterly sick psycho! " As I screamed h-h-he had it use Psychic a-and tie the umbilical cord around the baby. It..."
She couldn't go on and I didn't blame dad saying she didn't have to tell the story. I realized why I'd never heard of this sibling before: Yung. That goes beyond all wrongdoing- I can't believe he killed an innocent unborn baby. "You mean to say that h-he-he– killed-". I felt the warmth and color drain from my face as bile rose in my mouth. Yet again I couldn't finish my sentence and I felt like puking.
A few tears ran down Mom's face as she saw my expression and nodded. "That's right, Derek. That cruel, heartless power-hungry sick son of a she Arcanine scientist k-killed your unborn sibling like they were nothing more than a fly."
Dad squeezed her hand. "Mist..."
Her words spilled out. . "He d-didn't care about the life he took. Soon The Mirage Pokémon stopped their attacks on me-the damage was done " she wiped some tears from her face . "I was bleeding and screamed in agony despair, which got you started. He told you to shut up as he brought out his gun a-and aimed at you. You were fighting the roots binding you. You were terrified as you struggled because of that you were getting major scratches. We were yelling our heads off as Yung fired it." She nodded at dad to finish the story.
"... And then Butterfree... we thought he'd been knocked out. He flew in, as the bullet was about to hit. Th-the bullet hit him right in the head, we screamed and he f-fell to the ground -" Dad was the one who couldn't finish this time, tears sliding down his face. I knew they weren't just from the story but how extremely close I had been to sharing Butterfree's and my unborn sibling's fate. Mom and pikachu looked at him.
"Mom...Dad ... I " I was shocked as I looked from my parents to Pikachu and back. I couldn't believe Butterfree sacrificed his life to save mine or what Dr. Yung did to mom. but didn't know what to say. What can I say now? I'm sorry for causing Butterfree and my unborn sibling to be murdered in could blood by an absolutely insane Dr. Yung? I'm sorry i indirectly caused Aki's disability? "
". I I-. I'm so so sorry. I …didn't know." I managed to sputter. Somehow those few words seemed insignificant. I reached to my throat for a few seconds, imagining my much younger self with a knife or more specifically a Mirage Kabutops' large, sharp, gray scythes on its forearms - against it. I gulped. "So that's why you wouldn't let me go. You were worried if he did survive that he'd come after and use me. "
They nodded. So many questions went through my head-did they ever catch him? How did yung know where to find mom? What would have happened if Yung had succeeded? I decided I really didn't want to know the answer to that last thought. Now it made complete sense as to why they were protective of me as a kid and why they didn't tell me: Two extremely close kidnapping/murder attempts on your first-born's life isn't something worth telling. Not to mention seeing the first Pokémon you ever raised take a fatal hit to spare that kid. That explains why Mom didn't leave my side once when that Vileplume Stun Spored me when I was little until dad and Storm returned. I shivered yet again. "How-how did we escape?"
(As Butterfree lay d-d-dying on the ground he let out this long mournful cry. A few of the remaining Butterflies saw what happened and let out this huge anguished cry and went near the body. He looked at us one last time and closed his eyes. Yung was too busy laughing maniacally and then told the Mirage Celebi to let us out of the thorny vines but hold us to the ground with Grass knot. You fainted as it did that. He told the Mirage Pokemon to use a combo of Seed Bomb/Charge Beam and Rock Wrecker) Pikachu added. Noticing my wide-eyed expression he put in. (luckily a few of Legendaries saved us at the last minute with an enormous Barrier right as the Charge Beam and Seed Bombs were about to hit us and more of them knocked out the Mirage Celebi which freed us.)
"But How? I mean it's not like they are trained pokemon. How could they know where to come? And how did they get there so fast "
Mom gave a little smile. "You know how many times we ran into them on our journeys? Someone"- she nudged Dad- "was like a legendary magnet."
" So I was just lucky." He countered.
(Extremely lucky) Pikachu added.
"Anyways", Mom continued. "It was apparently Butterfree's last wish but we didn't see what happened to. Meself and Celebi told us they'd take care of yung and Mewtwo teleported us to the nearest hospital. . " She looked at them and then at me. "We got you there just in time. We had to send Aki to Professor Gary's via Pokeball transport-it's the only time she's ever been in one. I got my wounds taken care and even thought i suspected with the attracks on my body …" her eyes turned blurry and a few tears ran down her face but she wiped them away. "The doctors had to terminate the pregnancy – as Yung's Mirage Pokemon killed the baby." I wasn't the same for a few days afterwards. . If we hadn't gotten to the hospital after Yung's attack in time... I would have l-l-lost two babies - your sibling and Aki.. but paid an even more personal price. "
"Her tail. " I put in. " and evolving to save my life."
Pikachu nodded. ( I don't know if it's since we Pikachus use our tails to gather electricity and that strange Mightyena bit hers off or if she overdid it. But... she lost her main ability to use electrical moves.) He looked down as he said this. (Not being able to use electric attacks. Storm said it's the worst feeling- like you're an outcast . it feels as if Arceus cursed you for a horrendous crime that you didn't commit. Aki was so confused and hurt that when she discovered her loss she bolted right out of Gary's lab. )
Dad scratched the mouse's ears. "Just like what happened we first arrived in Hoenn the first time, huh pal?"
(Well .. kind of.. But remember that was because I was sick from being overloaded from that stupid magnet of Jessie and James.) He paused. (But I don't blame her for running away after she learned what happened. We tried to look for her but a there was horrible rain storm that washed away her scent.) Pikachu sighed. ( It was my fault she ran away.. I thought we should tell her what happened in private. )
"No Pikachu .. it wasn't your fault." Dad shook his head. "She would have freaked out with the Oaks in the room.. Gary .. he never encountered Dr. Young and .. " He shuddered. " I highly doubt his grandfather would have told him what .. happened. "
"No.. He wouldn't.." Mom said.
"H-how did you find her?" I asked softly.
"I was out for some fresh air-and to cry about the pregnancy loss- with Aurora-who was a Dratini then- the next morning when when I heard Aki cry out for help. I ran toward her cry and used a bit of you know what to find her . " She briefly looked away. My parents didn't like mentioning their Aura abilities in public since there were so few humans in the world who could use it. She turned her gaze back to me. " When we found her a power hungry poacher was about to kill her."
"What? How could a poacher do that to her?" I questioned.
Mom explained. "Dodgy Dirk was this cold-blooded poacher who thought he'd sell her on the black market once he learned she did Thunder as a Pichu. When he saw her missing tail he had his Carnivine nearly beat her to a pulp. She was covered in bruises and wounds and looked so weak and helpless. Dodgy Dirk had her trapped under a net and had a knife under her throat . When we got there we were just in time -He was about to kill her. " My jaw dropped. "She was utterly terrified and weak from her beating. She didn't think we didn't want her around because of her disability and that she was useless. "
"But she's not! That's horrible she thought that." I commented.
"I agree, son," Dad said. " Luckily the police stopped him and he's locked up for life, as he should."
Mom nodded. "She was a total wreck but i was able to get through to her. Anyways, when i mentioned the incident later on she got terrified again. Then both of you had constant nightmares for the next few weeks.
Dad looked away for a few seconds before speaking. " We didn't know if it was from Butch and Cassidy's attack or the incident with Yung or after much thought-"
(Aided by part by another attack by Cassidy and Butch) Pikachu added.
He nodded. "Yeah… aided by that- we talked Mewtwo into erasing both of your memories of what happened those ... times. He was disguised at the time with his brown hooded cloak and a theater mask. "
I closed my eyes and tried to remember. A few minutes later a dim memory of a hooded figure with a strange white hand-I touching my forehead came to me. I opened them. " Oh."
Dad's expression told me he knew what I remembered. He continued. "He said it wasn't as powerful as the ones he used in the past and sooner or later the memories would come back."
"That explains the dream and the déjà vu." I commented recalling the dream and gulped. -Now the vision with the Beedril made sense. "The Beedrils carried me to the forest." Looking at their open mouths I explained. "When Jaden, Aki and I were flying to the Overgrown Forest I got this eerie sense of deja vu. This image of a glowing beedril carrying me popped into my head. Then There were these two freaky glowing Dustox that tried to have a big flock of Bugs led by a Mega Beedril take us out. They framed us for stealing Honey from the hive by plunking gobs of the stuff on Aki and me."
Mom shuddered. If there was one type of Pokémon that freaked her out, it was Bug Types. "How did you escape?"
"Apparently the flock had this old shiny Swoobat, who read our minds and found out the truth. The flock attacked them and as we ran she got the honey off us. We ran but they knocked Jaden and Severus out with Hypnosis and threw Aki and I into a cave before sealing it off with Rock Slide."
(They h-had to have been Mirage Pokemon. Dustox cant know those moves) Pikachu stated then added. (I think Y-Yung must have given Hunter J the key to unleashing the Mirage Pokémon. she must have sent out those Dustox to distract or get rid of you before...) he gulped letting the rest of the sentence hang in the air.
My parents looked uneasily at each other and then at the mouse. "That makes sense..." Mom muttered. " Anyways the doctor said… it would be a few years until I could have another baby. Apparently Yung's Mirage Armaldo did some pretty severe internal damage. I had to wait until it healed. A few years went by until. ." Dad blushed. "Well. When found out about DJ we were so ecstatic.
" Is that why DJ's a lot younger than me?"
We were so happy but someone became overprotective during the pregnancy."
Dad nervously chuckled. " Can you blame me?"
"Not really. Then there was the whole slight kidnapping by Violet's crazy rival Christyana right before I went into labor. -I was supposed to be due in November."
I gasped. "Slight kidnapping? And who's Christyana?"
Pikachu explained. (Christyana was this deranged former modeling who had her Dusclops isolate her and take her. She thought she was your aunt since she was wearing Violet's jacket and next to Snowie. When she found out the truth she was going to bring her to Orre and use her and DJ as blackmail. Violet-who was beyoooond livid -showed up with Dewgong and battled Christyana before your dad arrived on Talonflame.)
Mom kissed Dad on the cheek and he blushed. "My knight in shining armor."
"Is that why you get freaked out about Dusclops?"
She nodded. "Yup…However that's in the past. We arrived in the hospital in time and mere hours later DJ was born. " A few tears came down her face and dad passed her a handful of tissues. " when we first saw her our hearts melted."
" It must have been worth it."
Mom dabbed the tears from her face with the tissues. "Why do you think one of her middle names is Miracle?"
"I never really thought about it like that. I thought maybe she was small r."
"Actually she really was. "
.
"W-what happened to Dr. Yung?"
Dad sighed. "We dont know what happened after we were Teleported away. We were too concerned about your injuries. I had to tell Lance about what happened. As a high-ranking member of the Pokémon G-Men he had to know since they have jurisdiction in Kanto and Johto. We-we figured that if he had those hybrids, which know what other kind of mutated pokemon he had. L-Lance and I decided to spread the word that a crazy trainer was the one who transformed the Viridian Forest into the Overgrown Forest. We did that for- for our own safety. We knew know one would believe it unless there was proof so with help from Jaden's 'uncle' Mondo and his Ditto-"
"You staged a fight so that it would be believable. You thought the Legendaries had taken care of Yung but… apparently from what Hunter J said he's still out there." I paused. "Wh-what happened to B-B-Butterfree?"
"We buried him underneath a beautiful cherry blossom tree that Celebi herself placed a protection spell on. I th-think he w-would have liked that." Dad's voice cracked.
"You mean that big cherry blossom tree in front of the Battle Park?" My parents nodded. I'd been under that tree hundreds of times but never thought about where it came from. I just assumed it was always there. Now that I thought about it the tree had withstood lots of major storms.
"That's why the Battle Park's 's symbol is a Pikachu's tail crossed over two Butterfree wings" His eyes twinkled. "You'll be able to win one yourself with ... what's your loyal Growlithe's name again? Scorch? Flamie?"
I opened my mouth to say something but only a tiny squeak came out. "She took some horrible knocks during the battle. I was impressed. Why didn't you tell us about her?"
I looked down at my bed sheets. "I don't know. I guess I just wanted to pretend that I didn't have famous parents," I mumbled. "At first I wanted to get her injuries healed a but then I saw her try to battle. We just started practicing. Jaden kept her at his place. . She saved us with that Ariapion- her fire attacks really came th-through and she learned Flare Blitz."
My parents and Pikachu looked at one another, nodded then at me. Mom started, "sweetie, we've been talking and we think that despite what you just went through, you've shown us that you can handle anything your journey throws at you."
I couldn't speak- my brain was still processing that last bit of information. Did she just say what i thought she did? Noticing my stunned look she nodded. "From what Storm, Sami and your father told me, you handled yourself quite well with Hunter J- to the point that you took that horrid acidic strike attack for your Growlithe."
"Wait. You mean it? B-but –I just nearly died. I mean after what you just told me –I didn't think -"
Mom cut me off. "Do you know how many times your dad nearly got us killed?"
He looked offended. "Hey, we managed."
"Barely."
"Uh. I got us out of the trouble that we got in. "
She rolled her eyes at him and raised her eyebrows. " We got in?"
"Err I meant I got us in. and sometimes it was skills and sometimes it was pure dumb luck."
(Great example you're setting for Derek, Ash.) Pikachu muttered and dad merely grinned. (From what Storm told me you showed amazing courage going to rescue them unaware of what was in store for you. She also said when J was holding her you refused to harm her since you made a promise you intended to keep. That's the heart and spirit a trainer needs) he pointed out,
"Your journey isn't just about exploring the world. It's about finding yourself and finding confidences- though after that incident I don't think you really need that," Mom smiled. "You get to experience new things and ideas and make lots of friends. Heck I met your dad on his journey, " she kissed him on the cheek.
"Maybe you'll find someone you really care about "
An image of Sami came to mind and I felt my cheeks burn. "Umm sure Mom. But do you really think I'm-"
I stopped as dad brought out a small gray/red handheld electric device. Once again my mouth dried up. I knew what that device was- having the Kanto Professor's daughter as my best friend made me an expert at recognizing that familiar device in His hands. No freaking way! That can't be. " Is that a... Pokedex?"
"We were saving it to be a surprise for your birthday in two months but I think you deserved it." Dad beamed.
I couldn't speak as I tripped over my words. " Y-you mean? But- I. -you don't know how m-much this means t-to m-me" I was almost crying.
Mom smiled as Dad put the pokédex –my Pokédex - my brain registered - away. "It still needs a few adjustments, like a voice recognition, photo identification and an outstanding navigation system so that you don't get constantly lost like a certain someone else." she looked at Dad - whose navigational skills were not the greatest. He gave a weak chuckle. "But other than that it's all set. "
"When will I be able to go?"
"Well." Dad paused for a few seconds. "The doctors think they've got the poison out but they still need to do some tests since it was a deadly mix of two different poisons and they don't know what the after effects will be. They found a kind of antidote that you'll have to take for a moth. Your ribs took quite the beating and still need to heal. Plus you lost a ton of blood and energy. "
(Aki still needs to recover and heal as well. So I'd wager about three months) Pikachu estimated.
"That's f-fine with m—me " I yawned, "I can w-wait "
Mom got up and planted a kiss on my forehead. "You look worn out sweetie. Get some rest- you still haven't recovered. I'll come by with your grandma, DJ and Aiden tomorrow. "
I felt hit with tiredness like I had been run over by a pack of Rhyperiors. "Sure thing mom" I mumbled sleepily as i closed my eyes. Not even a minute after my head hit the pillow i was in a heavy dreamless sleep.
The end