A TRUE DESTINY
PART 4
BY GOLDENHEART






The sun hung low, as an array of colors stripe the early-morning sky. The air was crisp and cool, and and the grass held a layer of dew from last night's rain. Ash Ketchum, now at the age of 13, sits under an elm tree, his back pressed against it's wide trunk. He closes his eyes, enjoying the great wonder and beauty of the dawn. His mind is filled with the thoughts of summer, the warmth of the sun . . .

"What a day." Ash mumbles to himself, as he breathes in the fresh air. He is completely oblivious to the fact that only six years ago, he sat in the hospital, with respirators the only thing keeping him alive. He still is un-aware of his brush with death, and how close he came. He dosen't remember that red-headed beauty, his companion for those first four weeks. No, he knows nothing. His mother never told him the truth. Never told him his true past.
Pika? Ash turned his head and gazed down at the little yellow rodent before him. It was Pikachu, his new best friend.
"Hey Picachu, ave a good nap?" The mouse scratched his head tiredly and wiped his eyes.
"Guess not."
Pikachu wearilly stumbled over to his owner and plopped down beside him. Ash never did get to go on his journey. His mother never let him. Ash always wondered why, but his mother always tried to change the subject. Lately he had just given up, and accepted his mother's decision. He sat there on his tenth birthday, watching all those other trainers get there first pokemon, and him, sitting in his bedroom.
Even though he never got to go, his mother did buy him a pikachu for his tenth birthday, as a pet. So Ash just hung around the house, trying to find some trouble. Ever since then, for three long years, Pikachu had been his best friend. Nobody else lived around there. They were off on there pokemon journeys.
"Pi, Pika, chu?"
"How did I sleep?"
Ash thought.
"I slept like a baby!"
Pikachu looked at him angerilly.
"Pika PI pika pi." (Like a BIG baby)
"Oh Pikachu," Ash replied sarcasticlly. "Very funny."
You might be wondering how Ash can translate Pikachu's dialouge so easilly. Well, not even Ash himself can tell you. He surprised himself. He guess's that since he had been around him so long he kinda, you know, picked it up.
"Beautiful day, huh?"
"Pika. .. " (yup)
Ash looked down at his watch.
"It's nearly 6:30, Pikachu." Ash said seriously.
"Wanna head home?"
Pikachu looked saddened. He liked the fresh, open air, and really hated the indoors.
"Mom's making us eggs, and you know what that means!" At the word "Eggs" Pikachu's ears sprang up. A wide grin spread across his face. See, It wasn't eggs that excited him, it was what always went along with the eggs : Ketchup.
"Race ya home?" Ash inquired playfully.
Pikachu bobbled hs head up and down happilly as he jumped up from his sitting place.
"Ok. First one to the back door wins." Ash stated as they took there places at the top of the hill. Ash held up his hand.
"Three. . . two.. . . one. . . one and three quarters. . . . one and a half . . . GO!!" Ash screamed as he bolted down the hill, not saving an ounce of energy. He panted heavilly, as his house grew closer and closer. Just as Ash thought he had the edge, he spotted a tiny yellow streak dart past him.
"Darn . . " Ash muttered between pants. Pikachu was at least ten yards away from him by then, and Ash wasn't catchinng up.
"CHEATER!" Ash yelled as he held his ribs, his lungs burning like a bon-fire. He had to stumble the rest of the way home, since he didn't conserve his energy in the beginning. How could he forget that Pikachu had his agillity move? It was nearly impossible for a human to beat a Pikachu on foot. He finally reached the back porch, stumbled up the steps and, swallowing his pride, tagged the back door, while watching a happy Pikachu jump up and down. Ash took a breather and sat down on the steps. What a sore winner. . . Ash thought to himself , patting pikachu on the back.
"Good race," Ash commended Pikachu.
"But I had you in the begining!"
As Ash and Pikachu walked in the back door, the first thing they noticed was the delicious arroma of breakfast filling the air. Ash took a deep breath, and exhaled, savoring the sweet smell of food. Mrs. Ketchum stood at the stove, fixing them eggs and toast. She turned and reached in the refridgeerator and grabbed a pitcher of orange juice, and set it in front of Ash. The table was already set, with their untensills lieing neatly to the right side of their empty plates.
"Here you are Ash," said his mother, as she scraped the eggs onto his plate. Ash rubbed his hands together hungerilly.
"Nothing like a good, hardy, breakfast!" Ash said. Pikachu sat impatiently at the table, (on a stack of phone books, of course) and tied a white cloth loosely around his neck, as Ash wolfed down his food.
"And here's yours, Pikachu."
Ashes mother grabbed the bottle of ketchup out of the fridge and handed it to Pikachu. He flipped the lid open and began furiously licking the top of the bottle.
"Well," said Mrs. Ketchum, sitting down next to her son.
"Pikachu, your the only animal we've had in this house that has TV privilages, AND can eat at the table with the rest of us!" She stared, as Pikachu just sat there eating.
"He's not an animal, mom," Ash said with his mouth full,
"He's a pokemon. There's a big difference."
Ash's mom stood back up and took off her aporn.
"I know that, Ash. I'm just saying that most of our animals had to sleep outside and eat kibbles and bits."
At those words, Pikachu stopped eating, and looked frightened. His face fell.
"Don't worry, Pikachu," said Ash consolingly. "That'll never happen to you."
A grin spread across his mother's face.
"Yes, Pikachu. That will never happen to you."
Pikachu's face rose. He seemed relieved.
"But," his mom went on. "If you chew another one of my shoes, I will make sure your diet is permanently changed." She smiled and left the kitchen. Pikachu's eyes glowed with fright. He decieded right then and there. From now on, he hates leather.
But Ash didn't hear any of this, not Pikachu's screams, or his mother's creul joke. His mind was on other thngs. Like his plans for today. He didn't want a repeat of yesterday, when he just sat and watched television. He wanted to do somethng exciting today. Something, maybe, along the lines of.. . . . .
"Hey, mom?" asked Ash politely.
"Do ya think I can go for a little walk through the woods?"
Ash bit his lip and waited for her answer. He could tell she was deliberating.
"Well," she said.
"You can go." his mother said, giving in.
"Just be back by three, okay?"
"Ok. Three it is. Thanks, mom!"
His mother turned back to slice the carrots for supper, and Ash ran into the living room.
"You commin', Pikachu?"
But Pikachu didn't answer. He sat on the couch, watching his favorite tv program, The View. As much as Pikachu hated the indoors, he never misses his TV prorgams. Maybe his mom was right. Pikachu did have TV privillages. . . . . .
After slipping on his shoes, he jogged merrilly out the door, and into the sunlight again. It felt like he just sank into a warm bath. The sunset was gone, but the bright, warm sun was a good trade. This was just what he needed.
Over the period of the last six years, things changed a lot. The Nelson twins that used to live next door had moved away long ago, his house has changed from white, to yellow, and then to blue, but the woods have always been there. He has taken numerous walks there, when he was sad, happy, and excited. He knew them like the back of his hand. Today was no different.
As he reached the front of the woods, it was a twisted path left trough the bent and dead trees, amd then a right, and then straight. From there, it was only about a half-mile to the lake, and if he would take a right, it would lead him up to the Flinch's house. He definately didn't wan't to go there, with all those crazy hill billies with shot-guns. So, off to the lake he went.
aaaaaasssssshhhhh. . . . . .He heard somebody whisper his name softly. He turned around quickly, but all he saw was the blowing leaves. His palms began to sweat. There was that feeling again. That feeling that somebody was watching him.
Aaaassssssssssssshhhhhhh There came that low whisper again. Ash's heart lept a beat. A knot twisted in the pit of his stomach. At that time, he was running. He bolted throuh the path left, and then right. Ash was panting, and his lungs burned intensely. But he had to keep going. He had to get away from that whisper. That voice.. . . .
Aaaaaaassssssshhhhhh It came yet again. But this time it seemed to come from his head. Was it just his imagination?
Ash felt weak.He felt numb. He stopped running, as a red haze filled his vision. His ears began to ring, and he began to feel disorianted. He fell on his stomach, and his world turned to darkenss, as the red haze grew brighter...
Ash heard a voice in his head. The voice was small, but clear. . .
Your son's case is a remarkable one. . . .Only one out of every billion people have a similar condition. . .
Ash couldn't tell were the voice came from. He lay, unconcious in the woods. Then came a different voice. But this voice was different. It was raspy, and deep.
Ha ha ha. . . . Remember me Ash?. . . That day six years ago. . .do you know me? . . . You should. . . I'm what your hopes and dreams are created from. . . I'm a shadow . .. But I'm real.. . As real as heaven and hell. . . And i'm comming .. . . I'm comming, for you. . . .
And then suddenly, the voices faded away. Ash awoke, lieing face down on a patch of grass. The feeling in his arms and legs returned. His eyes opened. He couldn't remember the voices. The last thing he remembers was running. . . Running from that voice. But he had blacked-out in the woods, didn't he? On a pile of leaves and twigs. What was he doing here? He lifted his head and looked around. Oh my! he was as the banks of the lake! How did he get here?
Ash slowly rose up and brushed himself off. The front of his jeans were covered in dirt. He shielded his eyes and squinted over the lake. The sun glistened off the top of the water, and it reminded him of some sort of post card. Wait! What is that? way down the lake bank, sat something. No. It was moving. It was a person. he (or she) sat calmly by the lake shore, holding a fishing pole. The only thing he could see clearly from there was bright, red hair, shining in the sun.
Ash began to walk over to him (or her ; he couldn't tell.) Now, as he drew closer, he could tell that it was a girl, probably the same age. She wore blue jean-shorts with suspenders, a bright yellow under-shirt, and loud, red sneakers. (they were muddy, probably from walking in the water.) But the most dazzling feature about her was her hair. It was a reddish brown, tied in a single pig-tail on the left side of her head. Her face was well-porportioned, with a large smile spread wide across her face. He could've sworn that he'd seen her before.
"Excuse me!" Ash said in his politest tone. The girl turned her head. Ash then noticed another dazzling feature. Her eyes. They were a soft tone of aqua-green, and they sparkled amazingly.
"Hi!" The girl said, startled.
"Hi," Ash repeated.
"Have I seen you before?"
"No, probably not," The girl replied. "Our family just moved here from Cruelean a week ago." Ash nodded. He couldn't have seen her before. He had never been past the boarders of Pallet town.
"My name's Misty." The girl said whole-heartedly. "Misty Waterflower."
"Well, my name's Ash Ketchum. I've lived here in Pallet town my whole life. You'll like it here."
The girl seemed to agree.
'' I'm already enjoying it here," she said.
"This lake is great. I love water. And Water pokemon." she added.
"In fact, my two sisters down in Cruelean city own the water pokemon gym." Her face seemed to fall.
"I owned it too. Until I wanted to become a trainer and left the gym. So my sisters stayed at the gym, and my mother and I moved here."
Ash nodded his head. It was then when he remembered that he was on atime limit. He took his hand out of his pocket and checked his watch.
"Three-twenty five!" Ash exclaimed. "NO! I'm late!"
Ash held out his hand.
"Nice meeting you, Misty." Ash said hastilly
"But I gotta get home"
They shook hands and Ash began to run back towards the edge of the woods.
"Bye, Ash!" He heard her calling behind him. He waved again, and entered the woods.
No voices this time. It was completely silent as he raced home. He checked the time again, and as he finally left the woods, it was exaactlly three o' clock.
Oh no! Ash thought to himself. My mom's going to kill me!
His worries grew as he entered the front door, and into the living room, gasping for breath. A voice came to him from the couch.
"Your late," His mom said. Oh no. His mom.
"I'm - sorry- I-I lost track of time." Ash said between gasps. He would never in a million years, tell her about the voices. .. And that girl
"You know that these kind of things worry me, Ash!" His mother scoled him. He didn't know why she had to be so worried all the time. He was only a half-an-hour late. And besides, he couldn't help it.
"Listen, I'm sorry. . ." Ash said, regretfully.
"I know," Ash's Mom said. "But you had me worried sick!"
After a few minutes of deserate pleading, His mothe forgave him. He couldn't stand being hated or unwanted. After a delicious supper of mashed potatoes and fried chicken, it was soon 10:00, and time for Ash to head to the sack. He tiredly dragged himself upstairs. Outside his bedroom window (The same one Ash snuck out six years ago) He could see the dazzling moonlight gleam off the damp grass. He could see far off into the deep woods, and wished he could go back to that lake. Maybe the girl would be there. But instead, he tossed himself onto the mattress, and stretched out. It did his musles a favor, because they ached from this morning. For about an hour, Ash couldn't sleep. He just lay there, watching the moon outside his window. It glowed a bright white, and towered far above the tops of the trees.
Asssssssshhhhhhh there came the same, deep, raspy voice from the woods. Ash sprang up in bed. He must have drifted off sometime earlier. He didn't know exactly when.
Aaaasssssshhhhh There it was again. It was then that Ash relized that he was sweating and shaking. What WAS this voice? It didn't seem like it was coming from his head, but at the same time, it wasn't coming from outside his head, either. Ash looked left and then right, for any sign of another person. But there wasn't anything. As he turned his head back, there, his heart skipped three beats. There, at the foot of his bed, stood a tall, dark figure. He loomed over Ash, his face completely enshrouded in shadow. He wore a dark hat, almost like Indiana Jonses'. He also a long, black thrench-coat. The man made no movements.
At that point, Ash was showered in perspiration. His clothes stuck to hs body, and his hair was soaked. His hands had never trembled this bad in his life. His lips moved, but no sound came.
"Hello Ash," A farmilliar voice said to him. It was the same voice from the woods. "Nice seeing you again."
But Ash was silent. Under the blackness, Ash just knew that the man's eyes stared at him intently.
"Remember me?" All Ash could do was gently shake his head. He had ever seen ths man in his life, even though some odd instinct told him that he did.
"You should. You don't remember that day, six years ago?" That deep, raspy voice asked. Ash racked his brain. Six years ago was just a blur. Almost like an old film.
"I saved you, Ash, from that cliff."
But Ash was was completely confused. What cliff?
"Ash, you still are unaware of what really went on that day, aren't you?"
The man seemed to know what Ash was thinking.
"Too bad. It's funny, how people tend to forget things like that."
Ash just stared.
"The truth be told, you were past an inch from death," the man said, creepilly.
"You were dead."
Ash's poor heart skipped about ten beats. Dead? How could I have been dead six years ago, when I'm here now? The word echoed throughout Ash's head. Dead . .. You WERE dead. ...
"Lying at the foot of that cliff, your heart had stopped beating. . . . Your soul was gone . . ."
Ash finally got his voice back.
"H-h-how do y-y-ou know all this?" Ash asked, frightend.
The stranger laughed.
"Ha. Ash, you are still completely oblivious. . . . I know things that you wouldn't even dream of knowing. I know things about you, that even you yourself don't know."
"W-w-who are you?" ash stuttered.
"Consider me an apirition.. . . A shadow. .. I have no name."
"Ash, I saved you. I restored your life. In my arms your heart begun beating once again. In my hands, your soul grew stronger."
Ash couldn't believe his ears. Was all this true?
"Why are you here?"
"Everybody has a destiny, Ash. A true destiny. Your 's was to die at that cliff. But I couldn't let you. I couldn't watch you die. . .. "
Ash was now befuddled. His body felt heavy, and he felt stange.
"Why?"
"Ash," the man said, changing the subject.
"I leave you with this. Remember, that you are dust." The man said. "And to dust, you shall return."
A chill ran up Ash's spine. Ash breathing grew labored. He was on the verge of blacking out again, when, as quickly as he came, the mysterious man disapeared, right before Ashes eyes.. .. .


END PART 4

ooooohhhhh. SCARY!!!! Who is this man, anyway? and what does he want? All your questions will be answered in part five. PART FIVE COMING SOON!!!!