Aoi Hyoudou: I'm on fire now! Kidding aside, I see that most of you already liked the prologue and have high hopes for the remake. Well, get ready for the actual first chapter. You will notice some differences from the original right off the bat. Enjoy!

I

Ray of Hope

'What was that dream all about?' a fully dressed Pokémon Trainer pondered as he sat at the dinner table with his right elbow leaning on the table, his face resting in his opened palm.

Delia was humming a catchy tune while washing the dishes until she paused briefly and peeked around her shoulder, noticing her boy was spacing out and hardly touching his pancakes that she'd prepared for him.

"Ash?" She had a concerned look on her face.

Her son didn't hear her as he was preoccupied with his own thoughts.

'Why do I keep having that dream?'

"Ash, honey."

'Who was that little girl?'

"Ash!"

'Why does she look so-so familiar?'

"Ash!"

'It's almost if…I actually knew h-…'

"ASH!" Delia screamed her lungs out just to get her baby boy to snap out from his trail of thought and turn his head in her direction.

"Mom, what's the matter?" He blinked. "And what's with all the shouting?" he asked dumbly.

She let out an exasperated sigh.

Parenting was such a headache.

The young mother casually approached the table and took a seat across from her child, studying his facial expression and body language very closely. As of late, he hasn't been himself ever since he came home from Kalos. She could only wonder if he was still upset losing to Alain in the finals and taking home second place. Or perhaps, he was depressed that he had to go separate ways from Serena, Bonnie, and Clemont so soon. From what Professor Sycamore had told her, they became quite attached like a family.

Whatever is troubling him, she'll get to the bottom of it.

It's her duty as a loving parent to do so.

"Ash, sweetie, is there something bothering you?" she finally asked.

"What?" Ash blinked.

"You haven't been yourself since you came home and it's only been a week." She pressed on. "I'm starting to get worried that you haven't gotten over your-"

Her son chuckled lightly, causing her to pause. "I'm fine, mom, and no…it's not about losing to Alain either." He smirked at her reaction.

"Then what's troubling you?"

He sighed. "Just stuff," he said lamely.

"What kind of stuff?"

"Strange and complicated ones."

"And they are?"

"Mom..." Ash sighed in annoyance.

"Honey, I just want to know what's going on with my baby boy so please talk to me," the young mother said gently with pleading eyes.

"Fine…," her son groaned in defeat.

Delia smiled.

Ash took a brief moment to gather his thoughts before focusing all his attention on his mother. "Do I have a little sister?" he asked.

A pregnant silence engulfed the kitchen.

Delia looked surprised with widened eyes.

Ash raised an eyebrow in suspicion at his mother. There was something off about her. Sure, his question was unexpected, but she reacted really peculiar, suggesting that she might know something.

Unfortunately, however, he couldn't capitalize on the golden opportunity when she quickly recovered and broke into a giggle. "Ash, don't be silly. You don't have a sister." she exclaimed, sounding almost genuine.

"Are you sure?"

"Of course, sweetie, would I ever lie to you?"

Now that his mother mentioned it, has she?

Ash sighed again.

"Why do you ask?" inquired the young mother with interest.

"Well-" Ash hesitated momentarily, unsure how to explain without sounding a bit weird. "-I have been having these strange dreams lately."

"Strange dreams?" His mother repeated slowly, blinking in confusion.

He nodded slowly. "About a little girl with red hair."

Delia's eyes widened again. 'Oh, no! Don't tell me his memories-…' She immediately shrugged off the feeling and smiled forcefully. "They're just dreams, sweetie."

"I know, but…"

Delia chewed her bottom lip, feeling guilty of hiding the truth, but she must do whatever it takes to keep it a secret a little bit longer until the moment is right.

"Ash, listen to me, there's not-" Suddenly, she felt a cold chill running down her spine as the temperature dropped drastically.

Ash could feel it, too!

Something was coming.

At the corner of their eyes, hundreds upon thousands of beady yellow eyes were gazing at them. Ash and his mother stood up quickly from their seats, knocking their chairs over to the floor. "What's going on here?!" Panic lingered in the teen's tone of voice.

"They finally found us!" Delia cried.

"What do you say, mom?" Ash stared at his mother, hoping for answers, but didn't get any.

The sea of black masses began to take on a shape, sprouting a round head, short legs, sharp claws, and long antennas. The young Pokémon Trainer and his mother soon found themselves surrounded by strange creatures.

"What are these things? Pokémon?"

The monsters hissed malevolently.

"Don't come any closer!" Ash shouted.

The creatures paid no heed to the Trainer's warning as they advanced closer.

Ash immediately reached for his belt, but quickly remembered that Pikachu and all of his Pokémon were at Professor Oak's lab for a little R&R. He gritted his teeth in frustration. What bad timing!

"Aaaah!" Ash instantly looked forward when he heard his mother scream to see one of the monsters was lunging at her.

"Mom!" He dashed towards her direction.

Delia froze with utmost fear until her boy stopped right in front of her and pushed her back in the nick of time, causing her to stumble backwards. She could only watch in complete horror as her son cried out in agony, feeling the monster's claws sinking deeply into his arm. "Ash!"

Fighting through the excruciating pain, the young Trainer gathered every ounce of his strength to knock the creature back.

If he thought his trouble was over, he was wrong.

The next thing he heard was a loud scream that shattered his heart.

"Aaaah!" It came from his mother.

Ash immediately glanced back and noticed his mother was engulfed by black masses, slowly sinking into the floor.

"Mom!" He stepped forward only to fall flat on his face when he felt something was grabbing his leg. He glanced back around his shoulder and noticed several creatures were holding him down. "Get off of me!" He did everything he could to shake them off, but they wouldn't let go. "Mom!" The young Trainer glanced back at his mother.

"Ash!" She fixed her attention in his direction and extended her hand out.

He did the same.

Ash and Delia tried to reach for each other, but no matter how much tried, they were so far apart.

The young mother knew their time was up as her arm slumped to the side.

Her son froze.

Delia gave her boy one last smile and said weakly with tears forming in her eyes, "Honey, no matter what happens…I want you to know that I will…always love you."

Ash shook his head in denial as he could feel tears running down from his eyes. "No, mom, no..."

"I'm sorry." That was her last words before she sunk into the abyss, never to be heard again.

Ash's arm slumped to the floor, crushed by the loss of his mother.

Don't lose hope…

A distinct, female voice entered the teen's head, snapping him out from his slump.

You must be strong…

Ash felt something warm rising within his right grip.

The light will find a way…

It began to emit a bright light, which not only drew his attention, but the creatures' as well.

The closer you get to the light…

The light became brighter and brighter, blinding the little monsters as something amazing was happening.

It began to take on a form, expanding in length and shaping slowly into a key-like weapon. When the light faded, the Pokémon Trainer was taken aback by the gorgeous blade within his grasp. It was blue and white with two white angel wings for a hand-guard. Its shaft held two hearts and the teeth of the blade was ornately designed into the kanji for 'hikari'. A key-chain with a blue and white star that resembled a charm was attached to the pommel.

"What is this?" the teen whispered.

You are chosen by the Keyblade.

"Key…blade?" Ash repeated slowly, clearly baffled.

You hold the mightiest weapon of all.

He felt a new surge of light coursing within his body.

Almost as though it was reassuring him that everything was going to be alright.

His hand gripped the hand-guard tightly as he instinctively swung the mysterious blade around. It quickly eliminated the creatures that held onto his leg as they vaporized into black particles. He quickly jumped up to his feet and shifted into a defensive stance, eying at the remaining enemies as they hissed venomously at him.

Don't be afraid…I'm right here.

The teen gripped the weapon with both hands and glared back.

"Alright, who's next?!" he shouted.

The swarm lunged at him from all directions.

We are connected…

The last thing Ash saw was…complete darkness.

A/N: Talk about an intense chapter…O.o. And well, well, well…it seems Ash managed to gain the Keyblade without first completing a trial, which was unexpected. Was it the mysterious voice's bidding? Speaking of that voice, care to guess? Next up, Ash encounters…who?