Hello all. Salvador again. I know. This is FRIDAY, not SUNDAY, but I'm going to be busy this weekend so you lucky people get an early update. Normal service shall be resumed as of next week.

The Mouse and the Snake

It was now Ash's ninth birthday, and he was surprised he'd lived to this point by now. Surely, Team Rocket would've aimed to kill him, if they knew he survived the attack at his house all those years ago. The day that meant he was spending some time here. At his mother's grave.

Ash was kneeling in front of his mother, Delia Ketchum, who was sprawled out on the floor of the landing, heavily injured by the fire that was now engulfing the whole house. Her pink silk dressing gown was singed in places, and her long tawny hair was now half black from the flames.

"Ash." She croaked. "Ash, you need… you need to get out."

"No. Mummy, I won't leave you."

"You have to, Ash. I'm sorry, but I don't think Mummy's going to make it."

"Mummy, please. Don't." The boy shouted, denying the truth that his mother did look close to death. He helped her to sit on her knees. She looked up at her son's terrified face, and tried to squeeze her voice into action.

"Ashy. You need to go. This isn't an accident. Someone's trying to get rid of us." Although she knew full well who it was trying to kill her and her little boy Delia was never going to tell Ash this. If he escaped without being noticed, maybe he'd be safe. "I can't let you, not my only child, be hurt by whoever's doing this."

Ash couldn't control the water that was streaming down his face.

"But, Mummy, I don't wanna lose you. Daddy's gone missing, and I want to keep you safe." He couldn't help but wonder why his mother was now giving up. She never did that. Why now? Delia picked her son up, with whatever was left of her strength, and begged him to leave.

"Please. You must go. Run. And keep on running, don't look back. Just run as far away from this house as you can." She placed the, now weeping, child on the hallway floor, and kissed him gently on the forehead. "I love you, Ashy."

"I… I love you… too… Mummy." Her child sobbed, sniffing each time he took a breath between sobs.

"And remember." His mother whispered. "You'll always be my little Ashy." And with that, she sank to the floor, head resting on the backs of her hands. Her eyes rolled closed for, what was going to be, the last time.

After Ash had been finally forced from his mother's corpse, he ran downstairs, only to be beaten heavily by two teenagers, bitten by Jessie's Ekans, and left for dead. He was sure he was going to die. And the words Jessie used before leaving circled in his head.

"Nothing personal, kid. Just payback at your dad, for what he did to Team Rocket." And his final thought before his consciousness slipped from him was…

'Why us? What did we do? What did Daddy do?'

So here he was. At the site where his house used to stand. The patch of land that was now a memorial garden to his taken mother. Delia always did enjoy gardening. Whenever Ash was out playing, or was having some quiet time, she'd pop out to the garden and tend to her flower patches. Wherever Delia dug her trowel, flowers seemed to sprout like crazy. She was a very green fingered woman. Only now…

Ash turned his gaze from the garden around to the gravestone. The stone wasn't your average gravestone, however. It was more of a tomb shrine in her honour. The pedestal was made of granite, studded with diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds – all of Delia's favourite gemstones – and a beautifully sculpted marble statue of herself, holding a five year old Ash in her arms. At the base of the tomb was a plague. Engraved upon the glimmering plate was written:

Here lies Delia Isabelle Ketchum

January 1st 1969 – April 1st 1992

Beloved wife, mother, daughter and friend

Always doted on her son, right up to the end

And here Ash was, on April 1st 1996, at the tomb of his mother. The tomb was commissioned by Professor Oak, and the words on the plague always made Ash cry when he read them. He stroked the brushed metal plate with his fingertips, and remembered all the happy memories he had of his mum. She was always so fun. So caring. And now she was gone. He was alone in the world. Although, not completely of course. Professor Oak, bless him, had adopted Ash soon after the attack. Ash did find it a little funny at times, because he realised a little fact he could tease Gary with. Gary was born a month before Ash, but he found that because Professor Oak 'adopted' him, that would, technically, make him Gary's uncle – a fact that Gary found rather scary, and Ash loved to tease him with it if they argued. It always led to Ash winning by Gary running away.

He found a penfriend, and sister-like figure, in the still unnamed MW, a brother in Riolu, and a comforter in Dratini, who he no longer feared anymore, after spending some good quality time with her. But all the same… the boy could never shake the want of a motherly figure in his life. Someone to guide him. To advise him. To pick him up when he fell. But… some things just aren't meant to be, it seems. Ash stood from his mother's grave, and blew her a kiss through the soil. He turned to leave, wiping a tear from his eye as he went.

Evening was sneaking in as Ash was walking through his favourite forest, thinking about mothers and families, and how much he wanted that back in his life. His mother was amazing, that much was universally accepted. Everyone who ever met her never had a harsh line to say about her. Not even about when she fell pregnant at the age of eighteen. But now she's gone. That wonderful, loving, and well-loved, young woman was dead. And Team Rocket was to blame. Ash was always full of murderous rage at Team Rocket for what they did that night. If ever he sees another Rocket uniform again, he'll kill them.

"PIIIIICHU!" A sudden cry from the distance awoke Ash from his thoughts. The voice sounded youthful and… distressed. Suddenly worried and anxious, Ash broke into a run, hurrying towards the origin of the sound. Ducking and diving between branches and roots, Ash soon saw a small yellow blur zip past in front of him, followed by a large purple stripe. Without a moment's hesitation, Ash darted after them in hot pursuit. "PICHU!" The voice cried again. Ash quickened his pace, determined to help the troubled individual, whoever they were. He leapt through the bushes, and continued his pursuit.

The boy tore through the thick undergrowth, only to be stopped dead in his tracks in horror at the sight that greeted him. There, pinned up against the bark of a tree was a terrified looking yellow rodent Pokémon. It was pale yellow in hue, and pink circles highlighting its cheeks. It had diamond shaped ears on the top of its head, with the edges being black and the interior yellow. Underneath its head was a black pattern, that somewhat resembled a collar. And it had a small black tail, which bared resemblance to a small lightning bolt.

Ash looked on in horror at the small mouse, begging for release from, luck be a bitch, a very hungry looking Ekans, eagerly eyeing the little morsel up and down. The horrific serpent had the poor mouse pinned against the tree with its rattle-tipped tail. Tears started to swell in Ash's eyes. From fear for the poor baby Pokémon's health or his usual fear of snakes, he couldn't tell. Most possibly a mixture of both. Now Ash really wished he had Riolu, or Dratini, with him. Then he'd be able to fend this snake off with a little less worry. Frantic, the small mouse started to squirm and wriggle underneath its attacker's tail, trying its very hardest to free itself. Ash's terror started to waver a little as he saw the baby trying to free itself. He shook his head free of the shock, and started scanning the area for some form of weapon he could use to drive the snake away. Spotting a large tree branch just a few inches from him, Ash grabbed the lump of wood, and swung it round his head, clouting the serpentine beast in back of the skull, dazing it.

With Ekans stunned, Ash wasted no time freeing the creature's hostage, cradling the panic-stricken rodent in his arms, and starting sprinting for their lives. It wasn't long, however, before Ekans recovered from its daze, and set off in enraged pursuit.

Ash didn't dare look back at the snake chasing after him, hissing violently in displeasure of having its prey snatched from it. Harder and harder, and faster and faster, did his feet pound the ground as he fled from his fearful pursuer. Ducking and diving, dodging and avoiding being smacked in the face by overhanging branches, or tripped by outgrowing roots, Ash continued his flight. Soon, however, disaster. Ash found his route blocked by a thick curtain of vines and ivy. And it was too late for him to turn and bluff against Ekans. The snake had, somehow, kept up all this time, and was starting to dribble with toxic venom, ready to strike for the kill. Ash was sure he'd die this time. His third major run-in with a poison-type snake, and this time… he was all alone. No Professor Oak. No Gary. No Riolu. No mother. No one to protect him. And no way out of this deadly predicament. Ash huddled himself into a defensive ball, shielding the now wailing baby Pokémon as best he could. He scrunched his eyes as tight as they could humanly go, and he started to wish.

Meanwhile, in an underground den in the heart of the forest, a large golden-white furred creature stirred from her sleep, her ears twitching intently as she overheard a voice. A very youthful voice. And… a very terrified voice.

'I wish my mum was here.' The young voice said. 'I want my mum. I wish she could be with me. She'd help me. She'd protect me.' The fear in the youngster's voice was heart wrenching. That poor soul. Lost out there. Wanting his mum. She had to help him. She couldn't just leave him lost and alone. She rose from her nest of soft brown leaves, and ran out into the forest, heading towards the youngster in distress.

Ash was getting desperate. He was trying to fend the Ekans away from him and the mouse he was guarding. He shot sphere after sphere of aura, and the serpent was too quick. It swayed this way and that, ducking and diving away from the attacks as if it were expecting them. The yellow rodent Ash was attempting so violently to save watched in awe and astonishment at his bravery and determination. His little eyes twinkled with gratitude at the human's courage.

The gold-white furred figure hid herself in the bushes, stunned at the sight before her. A human boy was attempting to fight an Ekans with aura sphere attack. But it looks to be a losing battle. The Ekans is inching forward, and it looks just about ready to kill. She has to do something. She has to save this child. But what? What can she do?

Ash's muscles started to tire. He couldn't keep up this barrage of aura sphere much longer. Soon, his body flopped altogether, to tuckered out to do anything more. This was the window Ekans was waiting for. The snake slurped its lips, and surge forward, aiming to grasp the impetuous, and very meddlesome, human by the throat.

Suddenly, however, the temperature increased dramatically, and the sunlight intensified by, at least, tenfold. The serpent was blinded by the phenomenon, lost its bearings, and went hurtling into a tree trunk far away from his intended target. The serpentine Pokémon sprang from its crash zone, and started searching for the source of its distraction. Ash, too, was curious as to who or what had tampered with the weather as well. All eyes fell upon a new figure in the area. A large, brown pholidote Pokémon with dark brown plated spines on its back, and large shovel shaped claws on its paws. Ekans hissed venomously at the new arrival. Unfazed, the hedgehog snarled back, running its claws together like butcher's knives, causing an awful grating sound as it sharpened the deadly blades.

"Sand!" The pangolin sneered warningly. Ekans paid no heed, however, and darted for the plated rodent.

"Watch out!" Ash yelled, terrified that the snake was going to wreck the newcomer's body. Little did he expect what happened next.

The mole Pokémon began to glow in an intense shade of nightmare purple, becoming enshrouded in a dark aura. Its coal black eyes glared poisonous red, and vampire-like fangs began sprouting from its jaws. The creature started to distort and flicker, like a faulty computer screen, and began to mutate into an unearthly atrocity. Ash and the small rodent he'd been protecting squeaked in horror, but were too terrified to budge an inch. Ekans, too, was now bolted still in terror, not knowing what to make of this grotesque transmogrification. The monstrosity that now loomed over them bore no resemblance to the previous form it once took. The new creature was bipedal, raggedy, slobbering, and rabid. It looked like a feral version of Shadow the Hedgehog. The monstrous creature eyed Ekans up and down, evilly, slurped its chapped leather lips with it dribbling, forked tongue. The snake screeched in terror, and fled like a rocket in takeoff. This left just Ash and a highly panicky mouse alone with the beast. But, just as quickly as it had appeared, the beast was gone. In the blink of an eye. No trace of it ever existing before. Not even a footprint in the grass. Ash scanned the clearing for any sign of the creature still lurking about. All was still. Whatever that thing was… it was nowhere to be seen anymore.

Sure that the creature was now long gone, Ash's eyes now rested on the small mouse he was trying to save, who was looking up at him with large, watery eyes. The smile on its face gave it cute little cheeks the most adorable dimples Ash had ever seen. The rodent leapt into Ash's arms, squealing with joy, and nuzzling against his chest frantically.

"Pichu-pichu-pichu-pichu-pichu-pichu-pichu-pichu-pichu!" It chorused, happily thanking him over and over. Ash couldn't help but giggle as he reciprocated the embrace.

"You're welcome." He cooed to the young Mon, who started licking his cheek affectionately. Ash couldn't help but giggle as his cheek was tickled by the mouse's tongue. Ash pulled the little mouse away from him, and placed it down onto the grass, earning a few squeaks of displeasure. "I've got to go now." He explained himself. "But maybe one day, we'll meet up again, yeah?" The mouse nodded, but still seemed saddened by the departure. So, although the goodbye was an unhappy on for the Pokémon, Ash made his way back into town. He didn't notice however, the large canine observer watching him go. She watched him from the thick shrubbery with a small beaded tear in her tawny eye. How handsome the human child was. How grown up he is. And how talented. Just like someone she used to know. Only a few years ago.

There we go. This week's early update. Good chapter? Hope so. Unfortunately, no one's come CLOSE to guessing the partners in BurningFlowerShipping, but I guess I was a little unfair with being so vague, but I don't wish to spoil the surprise. Many thank yous to those who responded to my questions in the last chapter, and all advise for future chapter contents are being considered. Now, Chosen-One-92 (guess whose reviews REALLY catch my eye), has said something in a review about making Ash less oblivious to girls and I think I might take that advise onboard. So... here's this chapter's question;

Which girls through Ash's Kanto, Orange Island, and early Johto travels should I have him 'notice' and/or have some degree of low level romance with?

Next chapter, Ash will set off on his Pokémon journey. And we follow him through his adventures, as he lived them in the anime. See you all next week.