Birth in the Moonlight

Ash Satoshi Ketchum yawned deeply and blearily opened his eyes. It was going to be a looong day wasn't it? He thought tiredly as he glanced out the window. The cutting glare of the sunlight confirmed it. Today was going to suck. A lot. That damned postman didn't help much either. What time was it now? Noon?

The trainer sighed and after ten minutes of closing his eyes and leaning back in his bed, he finally got out with a grimace and a sigh. After haphazardly throwing on a black and white jacket (He told his mom he didn't like yellow), he belted on his three pokeballs, tossed the egg into his backpack and prepared to step out the door.

Whump.

"ARCEUS!" Ash hissed as his big toe rammed into a cubical object that felt like it was made of titanium. Pikachu looked up from its perch on the bed post. Then curled back up into a ball. It was more than likely his trainer had kicked the door stop.

Ash grunted and after nursing his wounded toe, looked at the object he had stubbed his toe on. It was the black box from the merchant the night before.

"… You're going to be nothing but trouble… aren't you?" He said to nobody in particular, as he tossed the box into his pack. He had no idea how right he was…

After stumbling his way into the complimentary breakfast room and waving of Nurse Joy's obligatory offer to heal his Pokémon, he walked out of the room.

"Arceus… That postman should have been here by Yesterday!" A panicked voice said as the owner leaned over the counter.

"Nurse Joy, are you sure someone didn't leave a package for me?" A middle aged brown haired man asked worriedly. He was immaculately dressed in a gray suit and tie. At the moment, his heavy eyebrows were furrowed in befuddlement.

"Pika. Pika." Ash's Pikachu said pointedly and he tapped its trainer on the back of the head from his perch on his shoulder.

"What Pikachu? I'll feed you when we get on the road… don't worry." Ash grumbled, waving airily to Nurse Joy as the automatic doors slid open and he walked out of the Pokémon center. Pikachu sighed and proceeded to channel enough voltage to power a television for a week into its thunderbolt shaped tail.

Ash sighed and waved it off. He had been shocked so many times that it would take an Electivire plugging its tails into his mouth for there to be any really pain. Pikachu gave up and slumped on his trainer's shoulder. Why oh why did Professor Oak give him to this lazy bum? He had thought he'd get a life with adventure, seeing legendary Pokémon at every turn, trouncing gym leaders like it was nothing. But nooo He instead got dollar store quality brown mush as food and a trainer that basically never won unless he got two rematches. In fact, it was a miracle that his trainer had gotten 8 gym badges before the deadline.

Ash sighed as he felt Pikachu's murderous aura begin to prick up. After walking a short distance on route… something… he dropped off his back pack and Pikachu hopped down from its trainer's shoulder.

Ash removed a brown can of Pokémon food, and popped it open with a twist of his hand. "Eat up, Pikachu… we've got a long way to go today." He said as he looked at the town map he had been granted day one of his journey.

After a moment, he let out the rest of his Pokémon.

"Vee…" His Eevee purred as it settled itself onto his lap. After helping itself to a couple bites of Pokémon food, it curled up and started to doze. Ash smiled for a moment as he looked at his Eevee, now there was a Pokémon who knew how to enjoy life. Eat, Sleep, travel. It was a cute, simple, easy, little life style.

He lightly stroked his Eevee's velvet fur. Feebas lazily swam in semi-circles in a nearby stream. Both of his Pokémon were Female, and Pikachu was the only male. He sighed and checked in his pack for his egg. There still was no change in the Egg except for… was it slightly quivering now? He shrugged and slipped it back into his pack.

"Get ready everybody, we're heading to Hearthome City, so we got a long day ahead of us!" He said, attempting to muster some energy into his voice. He failed rather miserably. Instead he stood up, and Pikachu bounded up his shoulder. Eevee dozed comfortably, draped over his other shoulder and Feebas would follow their path down the river until she couldn't swim anymore.

Ash steeled himself and then set of down the route. Apparently they had to go through two caves, and a couple miles of tall grass. He checked his pack for repel, before deciding against it. He trudged off shoulders set, and eyes fixed at the stones at his feet.

They had been walking for what seemed like miles. Feebas dutifully swam beside them in the stream, and by now the constant rhythmic up and down motion of his shoulders from walking had both of his other Pokémon out like rocks.

Ash sighed and looked beside him at his Feebas. "Hey, Feebas, you need a break? We can stop if you want." He said, looking at his Pokémon somewhat worriedly, they had been walking for miles and his Pokémon hadn't uttered a single sound of complaint.

Feebas shook its head resolutely, despite looking ready to pass out from exhaustion.

"You know… even if I am a lazy, unmotivated, good for nothing trainer, I won't make my Pokémon suffer for me." Ash said after a pause, as he looked over at Feebas.

Feebas gave him a somewhat measuring look with those eyes and it seemed, after a brief moment, stared intensely at her trainer, like it was trying to convey something. Then Feebas suddenly leaped up out of the water and tapped a small flier on the ground that must have been left by some careless trainer.

"What…?" He muttered, as he lifted the piece of paper. After brushing of the accumulated dust and dirt from countless feet stepping on it, including his own, he noticed two things. One, there was a Milotic on the poster, and second, in bold letters was the word: Dream.

It was some beauty flier the pill on the bottom corner ensured that. But he paid no attention to that.

"You want to be a Milotic? Sorry Feebas but I can't…"

Feebas gave him an adamant stare and again reached out of the water and tapped the letters in bold. It settled back into the water with a small splash.

Ash gave his Pokémon a bemused glance. "Dream…?" He said questioningly, and received a patient nod in return.

"Who, me or you?" he asked finally.

Feebas rolled her eyes and tapped herself and her trainer with her fin. It seemed even a Pokémon as patient as Feebas had her limits.

"Have I dreamt?" He asked after a pause. They had stopped now and were conversing by the stream bank.

Feebas nodded empathetically.

It was odd, Ash thought wryly, he had only caught his Feebas a week ago and it was already having debates with him. The last time this had happened… his Chikorita had gutted him with razor leaf back in Johto.

"Well… I think I did. At least a while ago." He said finally. He crouched down and looked at the Pokémon sitting patiently in the stream. "What about you? Got any dreams locked up in there?" He asked, tapping his Pokémon's scales with his pointer finger.

Feebas gave him a stare and tapped the Milotic on the flier. He mentally berated himself, of course… he thought.

Another measured look was sent his way.

"Alright… Alright… I'll try to remember alright?" he asked.

Feebas gave a satisfied twirl and kept on trudging down the stream. Ash sighed and followed with a tired little shake of his head. Dreams… huh? He thought, looking up at the sky. Dreams…

It was nightfall.

And they hadn't even gotten half way through this forsaken cave. He seemed to have been meandering for hours, but it always seemed like they ended up near the same place. He sighed and sat down on a nearby rock, checking to make sure it wasn't a Geodude.

Those things would have slammed him a mile into the ground for attempting to sit on it.

He sighed and released his Pokémon from their Pokeballs. Feebas flopped around on the ground for a while, before finding a cave pool and slipping into it. Eevee blinked and looked around innocently, before sitting down, and looking for the entire world like a lost child. Pikachu gave his trainer an irritated growl and proceeded to gather tinder.

Ash nodded and after a moment, fumbled around for the egg in his pack. In this half light it was almost impossible to…

"ARCEUS!" he yelped and withdrew his finger. He had stabbed something pointy with the tip of his finger. He growled and wrapped his fingers around it and pulled up. It was a cubic package, and felt like it was made from solid steel.

"You again?!" he yelped as he looked incredulously at the blasted package.

Eevee gave her trainer a confused look. Was her trainer supposed to be talking to boxes? Though… she supposed this was just normal human behavior. It wasn't like her trainer was going insane… right?

Pikachu tossed his gathered tinder and moodily set light to the bunch with a spark from the pouches in his cheeks.

"Ahh… thanks Pikachu." Ash said absently, as he rooted around for the clasp to the box. It was the last time he would stub any part of his body on this thing. He'd see what was inside, and then probably throw the whole lot away.

A small indent was on the bottom of the box he discovered after feeling around the box for a while. After pressing just a little on said indent, the box popped open. A shard of midnight black stone sat in a bed of velvet.

Ash Satoshi Ketchum popped the damned thing out of its little bed and proceeded to toss it off into the darkness somewhere along with the box. It would have been smarter to actually look where he was throwing the box and the shard of black rock.

The rock nailed an indignant Eevee on the forehead and the box spun off into the darkness, swallowed up by inky blackness.

"Oops…" Ash said as he reached out to pat his Eevee on the head. "Sorry there…."

Light.

Light as bright as the noonday sun pierced the inky darkness of the cave, throwing the cave walls into sharp contrast as a dull humming noise came from somewhere.

Ash immediately shielded his eyes from the glow, feeling the burning in his retinas as he attempted to discern what had happened. Did someone toss brightpowder or something? That was the only thing he knew of that gave of such a sharp glow.

The light flared once, and extinguished the campfire that Pikachu had prepared. Then it slowly began to fade, lightening in intensity until he was able to stare at the source with squinted eyes.

Abruptly the cave was thrown into darkness.

"Zubat! Zubat! Zubat!"

Shit… well this wasn't exactly a great situation to be in…

"Zubat!"

"Golbat…!"

Golbat…? This was turning from bad to REALLY bad. He didn't think that there would be any of Zubat's evolutions in this cave!

A yellow circle shone brightly in the darkness. Then a sharp cry of a Zubat in pain resounded after words. Another circle lit up, close to the first. Another Zubat gave a pained cry.

The yellow rings gleamed ominously.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled, panic throwing his voice an octave higher than usual.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, his usual disrespect to his trainer gone as a thunderbolt lit the darkness. A tattered Golbat collapsed to the ground. It looked like it had been savaged with a pair of claws…

Ash felt a cold chill tingle up his spine. Suddenly a heavy weight dropped into his lap and tackled him to the ground.

"eon." That was all he heard as the previous yellow rings suddenly gleamed brightly, dispelling the darkness of the cave.

"Eon."

With a cautious hand he ran a finger over the inky black fur. The texture was like brushed velvet. Pikachu started up another campfire, and this time he could see clearly. There, deposited in his lap, like a gleaming piece of the night itself was an Umbreon, purring contentedly as he ran fingers over its ears.

"Eevee?"

"Umbreon." It purred and curled up on his lap. She was certainly much heavier now, that was for sure… Ash thought as he looked at the Pokémon in his lap.

"I caught an Umbreon." Whether that was dread or excitement in his voice, he didn't really quite know.

After the initial surprise and shock at having an evolved Eevee in his team (and in his lap). Ash Ketchum did the obligatory scan with the Pokedex, and then after reading up a little decided to keep Umbreon out of its pokeball, according to the entry, they were notoriously prickly if their trainers did something they didn't like.

From personal experience, he knew his Eevee preferred to be out of her poke ball and preferably in his lap.

Ash nodded and said after a moment of thought, "Umbreon, light up the cave will ya?"

Umbreon comfortably bobbed her head before a dull glow infused the cave. Ash frowned, it was nowhere near the intensity that it was at earlier.

"Can you make it brighter?" he asked after a moment.

"Eon." Umbreon said, and a slightly larger amount of light emanated from the glowing rings that dotted its body.

"Brighter."

"Eon."

"When I say brighter I mean brighter!" Ash snapped after another miniscule increase in brightness.

The cave exploded with light. Umbreon sat at the center of the starling brilliance with a slightly saddened look on her face.

"Good job." Ash said happily, running a hand over his Pokémon's silken fur in slight apology.

Umbreon purred in response and the light flared up.

"Now let's get going." Ash said cheerfully, returning Feebas to her Pokeball and setting Pikachu on his shoulder. "Lead the way, Umbreon." He said as he walked into the darkness with a glowing halo of yellow light illuminating the way.

They were going to make it to Hearthome city in no time.

"Ahh…" Ash sighed, "Finally out of that cave."

He petted his Umbreon lightly, his Pokémon's ears drooped tiredly. Unbeknownst to Ash, creating light was the equivalent of forcing a water type to continuously produce water. It was a full body work out that required the muscles to physically work to increase the output of light. Holding it at max intensity had been extraordinarily tiring, for an extended period of time…. It was a veritable marathon.

Ash Ketchum, needless to say, is an oblivious man.

They had encountered some minor threats, mostly Zubat and rock types attracted to the startling brilliance that Umbreon had been emanating. Pikachu made short work of the foes, quick thunderbolts and iron tails to the face sufficed.

Ash stroked Umbreon's ears again and returned her to her Pokeball. "Rest." He said firmly and hooked the Pokeball back on his belt. He groaned as he turned around, another long walk and without his Umbreon's glow, it was basically walking in the dark. He was also dead tired.

After stumbling his way through the brush, he found himself on a well traveled road. Walking down it at a brisk pace, he moved over a wooden bridge and found himself in front of a house.

Exhaustion pressing at the back of his mind, he knocked on the door.

"Hello…?" A young woman asked curiously. She was fairly pretty; shoulder length brunette hair and an aristocratic face completed the image. Though quite frankly, he was too tired to care.

"Hey. I was wondering if I could stay here for the night." Ash said as politely as he could, without collapsing down to his knees.

"Sure." The girls initial awkwardness dissipated as her sense of hospitality took over. "The bed's just over there." She directed him to a room.

"The couch is fine." Ash said tiredly, waving off her attempts and collapsed on the couch.

"If you insist…" The girl said politely and left him to sleep. "I hope you enjoy your stay in Celestic town!"

Wait…. What?! He shot up out of the couch, irritation coursing through his veins. "Celetsic town!?"

"Yeah… you came from Mount Coronet right?"

. .NO.

"You have to be joking!" Ash snapped. "I thought I was on the road to Hearthome City!"

"…. You exited out of the wrong side of the mountain didn't you?" She said with no little amusement.

"Of all the…." Ash grumbled murderously.

"Hey, you'll just have to make it through Mount Coronet again. It's not thaaaat bad." She teased amusedly.

"See you in the morning." She said cheerily and left for the bedroom.

He grunted, collapsing back on the couch. Why me…? He bemoaned himself as he quietly looked up at the ceiling. Then sleep claimed him and he knew no more.

"Morning!" A voice said cheerfully, accompanying scents of waffles and French toast wafted luxuriously through the air.

Ash groaned as he looked blearily up at her, "What time is it?" He asked, dragging himself off the couch and into a sitting position.

"Six thirty." She replied promptly, bustling over to the kitchen to tend to the cooking waffles and French toast. She was already dressed in her day clothes Ash noted and looked outside. It was probably the first time he had woken up before 10 in months.

The events of last night washed over him and he was forcibly reminded of trudging through miles of caves and blundering through the road at night. That was the last time he was doing that again he thought darkly as he looked over his disheveled self.

He looked like he had been trampled by a Taurus, folds and dirt were spread all over his jacket and his jeans were muddied and dirt stained. Ash sighed and looked around for a laundry room, hoping to wear his sleep clothes for the time being and have his normal clothes wash while he ate breakfast.

He opened a rather auspicious looking door and was encountered with the sight of an iron, an ironing board, and a washing board. Racks of clothes hangers dangled from a line. Ash resisted the urge to heave another sigh, and set to work hand washing his clothes. Of all the places he had chosen to sleep it had to have been the one with no electricity.

An hour later he was done. Needless to say, when he dragged himself to the breakfast table, he was not a happy man.

The waffles that the girl set in front of him did little to placate him.

"You know…" He said after a moment of moody silence, "I never got your name."

The girl flashed him an amused smile "Rhea."

"Well then Rhea, thank you for your hospitality." Ash said politely.

Rhea waved off the thanks airily. "No worries, besides I have a favor to ask of you."

Ash raised an eyebrow. "What?" he asked, masking his unease.

"It's nothing much." Rhea said, catching the darkened look on his face. "Just come back to visit. Celestic town's a small place anyway, and I haven't had any friends since my best friend went on a journey."

Ash nodded lightly, "Sure, I can do that. See you later, Rhea." He said. She was lonely he realized, a touch sadly as he stepped out the door. It was only natural then that he hesitated, parting words as it were.

Rhea smiled and waved him out the front door. "See you later, whoever you are." She said teasingly.

"It's Ash." He said, a smile dancing lightly on his lips. "Goodbye."

He took a deep breath of the crisp mountain air. What was that phrase again? Stop and smell the roses? Pikachu twitched from his usual position on his shoulder. Ash Ketchum nodded and went the way he had come.

He smirked as he looked up at the sky. It was so beautiful today. Any other time, he would have stopped to admire the scenery, to take deep breaths of the cool mountain air and play lightly with his Pokémon.

That conversation he had with his Feebas came back to him. Had he ever had a dream? He did, a long time ago. It was to be a Pokémon Master… wasn't it? He sighed it was a childish dream. There was always someone better. He had learned that the hard way through countless tournaments, never coming in first, always 8th or 10th.

Instead, he had settled for being "good enough". He had decided that it was better to live happily instead of chasing a worthless dream.

He took another breath of that sweet mountain air. Was he still right? Was it better to run for the scenery at the top, or admire it on the way up? He didn't quite know. Ash Ketchum stopped at the mouth of the cavern he had come from.

"I'll come back again someday, Rhea." He said.

Umbreon appeared with a click of a Pokéball and a flash. "Umbreon." Umbreon purred, arching her back like a cat.

"Light it up, Umbreon."

"Eon."

His portable flashlight came to life.

Ash Ketchum sighed. "Ready Pikachu?"

I've been ready since I was born, slacker. At least that's what he thought that look meant.

With that, he plunged into the darkness, 5 yellow rings showing the path.

He was hurtling down the darkness, basically sprinting at a breakneck pace. Umbreon lit the way with her glowing rings and Pikachu ran faithfully beside him, electrocuting everything and anything in its trainer's way with a lethal jolt of lightening.

Why he was running? He didn't really know. But that feeling of exhilarating speed, of throwing himself at the unknown was a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time.

In retrospect running that fast was not the greatest idea…

He saw an exit. The massive gaping hole of light that pierced through the darkness was clue enough to him, and he took it. Umbreon darted after him with Pikachu fast on his heels.

WHAM!

The first thing he saw was the blue sky.

The first thing he felt was an ache quickly worsening at the back of his head from where it had impacted against the hard ground.

The next thing he saw was a mass of blonde curls attached to a person clad in an all black outfit.

The next thing he felt was irritation.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" Both of them yelled at each other in unison. Both of them got to their feet and immediately scowled at the other.

Then the girl grimaced and an adorable sounding "Owww…" Came from her mouth as she rubbed the back of her head along with collapsing onto her knees.

"Ohh… Umm…. Sorry?" He said sheepishly as he offered the girl a hand.

She took it with a glare. He shrugged and pulled her up to his feet moving to lightly drape an arm around her shoulders as she got her bearings.

Words didn't need to be spoken. He could already feel the barely suppressed hatred coming of her in waves. He didn't really think apologizing again would be much of a help. He sighed; of course of all the times he decided not to take it slow, it would be the time he barreled into another person.

On the upside, he could see the signature Contest Hall of Hearthome from here. "I'll take you to the Pokémon center." He said apologetically, as he tugged her up and to her feet.

She gave him a look. It was an intensely measured look, much like the one he had gotten from his Feebas. He could tell she was evaluating him. He gave his best apologetic look.

She sighed, "Might as well, since an idiot like you ran into me in the first place." She grumbled, leaning on his shoulder.

Ash accepted the rebuke with a grain of salt. He had heard much worse in the past after all, and both of them slowly started staggering toward the Pokémon center. Ash ignored the odd looks he got, supporting the girl as he walked into town.

Then he caught a young teen flash him a smirk and the universal thumbs up signal while he was edging around the town square.

Ash flushed and kept on walking. The girl thankfully was too busy muttering curses under her breath to notice.

Ash couldn't help but feel relieved as he saw the trademark red and white roof of the Pokémon Center. The automatic doors slid open with a hum. He gingerly set down the girl on the bench in the waiting room and took a seat next to her.

She gave him a look that spoke of a thousand painful deaths before giving a curt nod of thanks. "Thank you." She said her voice modulated and smooth. It was like hearing liquid honey.

"As you said, it was the least I could do." Ash said sheepishly. Pikachu nodded in concurrence with his trainer.

"Oh dear, what happened to you?" Nurse Joy asked worriedly as she bustled over from behind the counter. "Lay down in one of the empty rooms, I'll be with you shortly with a Chansey." Nurse Joy directed while moving behind the counter to grab a couple common remedies.

The girl nodded and made her way to the room, shooting Ash a pointed look as she did so.

"Oh and Young Man." Nurse Joy said softly, freezing Ash on his way out the door. "If you would please come with me, since this young lady is clearly in your care, I'm sure you'd like to be with her right?"

The Girl froze in her steps. Then she kept on walking. Ash sighed and with a dejected look at Pikachu followed while preparing himself for the inevitable. Pikachu gave him a smirk.

"Cynthia."

Ash looked curiously at the girl as she turned around and fixed him with the most piercing silver eyes he had ever seen.

"My name's Cynthia. If I'm supposed to be in your care, it'd be good for you to know my name right?" She said, a hint of amusement coloring her tone as Ash blushed slightly in embarrassment.

She halted his stammered protest with a look and swept through the door.

Ash followed with a dejected slump to his step. It wasn't like he had a choice, right? This was the start of something alright… what it was he wasn't quite sure yet.

The world ran on power.

Whatever form that power took be it money, armies, or popularity the world was ran by the strong. The weak were sent to the abyss.

That was the only truth in the world.

The strong live and the weak die.

For years that had been the principle that he had lived by. Amassing money, influence, manpower, all so that he could stand on top of the world. There was no more exhilarating experience no more satisfying reward, until the world had ceased to be his oyster.

He had milked the world dry so very long ago.

So what does one do when they have conquered the world?

Why search for another of course.

And that's a wrap! So how'd you like it? I know most of you were forestalling judgement until I got out another chapter or so, so I hope this one doesn't disappoint. Leave a review and tell me what you think!

Oh and how'd you like the meeting between Ash and Cynthia? I thought I wrote pretty well. Remember, constructive crit is appreciated!

Catch you guys later.