Dreamer

Chapter 6: Disappearance

Gary told his story about the search for Ash.

Gary: Things were hard enough as it was just trying to get stronger and improve in areas you’d never thought of improving but when I heard about the bad news.

*****

Gary sat in a coffee bar looking over the prices.

Gary: Give me the house special.

When Gary held the mug and prepared to drink the mug suddenly cracked and then shattered into many pieces. He held the handle just looking at what happened.

Gary: Defective?

In further observation the mug was made out of some of the best material, which made it almost shatter proof. Not only was it durable but it was thick so it shattering into several tiny pieces for no reason seemed odd.

Bar Tender: I’m sorry sir I’m going to have to bill you for the mug.

Gary slid some bills on the counter, got up and walked away. He didn’t pay any attention that it wasn’t his fault but wondered why did it just shatter.

Gary: Premonition?

Gary pulled out his cell phone and called his grandfather. Prof. Oak answered the phone which made Gary relieved. While Gary continuously pondered about the shattered mug he passed by a electronics store that had many televisions on its display window. The news came on with a special announcement.

TV: . . . we are only a few meters away from the destroyed airship that was hijacked earlier today. The pilot commented that the person that hijacked the airship had long red hair and a pokemon belt in hand; before the airship took off the pilot also noticed that three people boarding the airship, it was unknown if the other three were accomplices or people trying to stop the hijacking. The control tower later commented that it was severely unsafe to travel because of the incoming electric storm. The storm wrecked and destroyed the airship behind us but a mystery remains within the ruins of the airship. The four people onboard are missing and a search through the ocean is taking place. Marine specialists say that they didn’t land in the ocean because articles of clothing or any clues would have been found. Air specialists acknowledge that the passengers of the airship must have jumped off earlier or had assistance by anyone or even flying pokemon. The impact of the airship was devastating that it would have instantly killed anyone on it if they were onboard while it plummeted into the ocean. Further research . . .

Gary felt an odd feeling that he just witnessed someone’s death on TV. It was news about an airship crashing but it wasn’t that big of a news, airships do crash sometime or another but Gary felt that something was terribly wrong.

Later that day Gary was in his hotel room reviewing some notes when he received a phone call.

Gary: Hello.

Prof. Oak: Gary. This is your grandfather. I have . . . terrible news.

Gary: What?

Prof. Oak: Well, do you remember Brock and Misty?

Gary: Yeah Ash’s friends, what about them?

Prof. Oak: They’re hear right now. They told me that . . .

After hearing the news Gary dropped the phone. Gary as in a state of disbelief, it seemed impossible but all the evidence was proving the news that Ash is presumed dead is making it into a fact. The premonitions he had been having must be telling him that that moment Ash would no longer be.

Gary: . . . I don’t believe it. . . I won’t believe it!!

That evening Gary took the first flight home to hear the news in person. Brock and Misty disclosed what happened that day on the airship and Ash falling from it. Within Gary’s power he instigated a world wide search for the missing Ash.

Gary: I won’t rest till he is found! He can’t be dead! I know he can’t be!

Brock: Gary . . . why are you doing this?

Gary: What is a ying without a yang and what is a yang with out a ying.

Brock: Huh?

Gary: Figure it out yourself, I’m going to find Ash.

The rivalry wouldn’t be complete without Ash and Gary knew it. There was a sole purpose in all the hellish training he under went, and that was to be better than Ash. He knew it wouldn’t end, one will always grow stronger than the other and then soon it would repeat itself. But it felt that it was their way, no one other then them could go the distance further because of their deep rivalry. Along with that rivalry comes deep respect for one another. Not only as a competitor but also a friend.

*****

Gary: And even though my sources gave up after a year I didn’t. I personally searched for As till I found him. Well until recently I figured that maybe I was going about the search all-wrong and if I became strong and undefeatable, Ash would ofcourse appear and beat me, which he did.

Misty: So that’s why you were outside of PKMN Society. But one thing that bugs me, you had sources that searched world wide and Ash was here in PKMN Society the whole time, why didn’t your sources find him here?

Lina: Well that’s pretty easy to answer. Think about it, someone Ash survived right. He ended up in the hospital probably in some intensive care area for awhile. The doctors probably wouldn’t release him until he was more capable. When he was released he still didn’t know who he was but wanted to find his place in society. I mean if I had amnesia I would quickly find my area before anything else happened. Ash probably looked different then the Ash you were searching for thus it was pretty difficult to find him here. Not to mention the City Master doesn’t allow anyone that isn’t a student or tourist with a pass in here.

Misty: Guess your right.

Lina: Just keep a low profile, no one will notice anything just as long as you don’t attract attention. For now if anyone asks where you live just say the location where you’re staying. People move in with each other all the time. Just last week my younger cousin moved in with her boyfriend and . . .

Gary got a strange disturbed expression.

Gary: But you wanted me to stay with Ash. Wouldn’t that look kind of . . . gay?

Lina: Well I um its just that . . . I didn’t mean it that way, I just thought that well it might be strange for you to be staying with me.

Gary: Me? Oh right, if Misty stayed with Ash then I’d have to stay with you.

Lina: And well, I hardly know you and what if you um . . .

Gary got a shocked looked on his face while Misty reverted to an emotionless stare.

Gary: I wouldn’t dream of it!

Ash: Yeah . . . RIGHT! You looked more than anxious when ya found out you’ll be staying with Lina that night.

*****

The City Master looked out his window and watched his city run all because of his ambitions. The City Master’s son walked in to inform him about special information.

Kurai: Father, today’s extra curricular assignments have been corrected and scored. If you wish you could view the results yourself.

C. Master: Alright.

Kurai approached his father’s desk and placed a few papers down. Kurai was interested in the ancient slab that talked about a mystery that even pokemon researchers and scientists could not solve. His father managed to translate some of the text but it wasn’t enough to find out what they’re dealing with.

C. Master: Kurai could you come here for a second.

Kurai: Yes father?

C. Master: Look at the city. All those people working are students and everyone wants to have better knowledge in countless subjects. They all work in harmony with another and they all respect one another. Wouldn’t you say this was the perfect city?

Kurai: Yes father it is.

C. Master: Sometimes I think you’re a bit emotionless sometimes Kurai.

Kurai: I’m just a bit tired, that’s all.

C. Master: Yes we all can get tired sometimes. Right now I’m tired of trying to figure out ancient text. I can only make out some but not all, not much to go by on.

Kurai: So what does it say father?

C. Master: It says, “ elements . . . prodigies unlock . . . closest to heaven . . DREAMER . . . arms . . .”

Kurai: It doesn’t make any sense.

C. Master: I know, well I have a lot of work ahead of me. Guess I can’t just stand around and watch everyone else keep busy. Why don’t you finish up soon so you can rest Kurai.

Kurai: Yes father.

*****

Later that day Misty walked over to Ash and helped him with his work. The manager didn’t mind since Misty was very helpful and a very capable worker. The manager even offered Misty a job if she wanted but Misty kindly declined knowing that she isn’t really a student . . . yet. Gary, with nothing else to do, kept Lina company at the food stand. Lina was glad that Gary stayed because now things were far less boring.

Lina: . . . and your change is fifty cents. Thank you please visit again.

Lina waved good bye to one of her regular costumers while Gary finished with some drink mixes.

Lina: Ah things are far easier now. I think today is the first day I didn’t fall asleep.

Gary: Whatevers, why do you have me doing the hard work while you do most of the customer services?

Lina: Because I’m your boss.

After a few more customers there was a break for the two. They sat next to each other waiting for the next bunch of customers but no one was coming. Gary sat quietly and examined the vegetables and fruits that Lina had stocked. There was a vegetable that Gary hasn’t seen before and wanted to know what it was.

Gary: Hey Lina, what’s this plant?

Lina: That is called the Dreamstalk.

Gary: Huh, never heard of that.

Lina: That’s because I found them. I am a bio-chemical gardening major ya know.

Gary examined the plant, it just looked different, but it did look like a vegetable.

Lina: The dreamstalk have pretty high nutritional value and can be mixed in with anything. There is no taste so you must add it to something if you want to eat it.

Gary: Is that all? There are a lot of foods like that. Anyway why do you have so much here?

Lina: Well, can you keep a secret?

Gary: Guess so.

Lina: I did research on this plant. I found this plant growing outside my backyard, at first I thought it was a weed but when I had to do a research project on something, I chose this. I found out that this plant has special mental properties. Supposedly it can make the person that eats this dream.

Gary: So what’s so special about that? We dream most of the time every night.

Lina: Well think of it in the psychological sense. This plant helps the person that eats it to dream. Well if Ash eats it then he dreams more. Some dreams he has could be of the past so thus maybe to restore his memory he would have to dream about a lot of previous chunks of memories.

Gary: Okay I get it. That’s pretty clever.

Lina: Do you dream a lot Gary?

Gary: Sure I do. I dream about a lot of things and probably that’s why I am such strong rivals with Ash. My dream is to be the best, even better than him.

Lina: I like dreaming but I didn’t know how powerful this vegetable was until I had it myself. Could you keep another secret?

Gary: Sure why not.

Lina: I found out that Ash and me have a special connection with each other. At first I thought it was well um . . . but later I found out it’s more like . . .

Gary leaned forward and Lina whispered into his ears.

Lina: You see, I thought at first I loved Ash but recently I found out it was a different type of love. Not the romantic love but more of a blood love. Ya see, Ash is my distance cousin.

Gary: Really? Well that’s pretty . . . well I don’t know what to say about that.

Lina: Yeah, its amazing who you bump into I guess. Look at me, Ash’s cousin, haa haa haa, no wonder I felt like I knew him before.

*****

Inside the Aquarium Ash’s workload was nearly cut in half thanks to Misty. With Ash being ahead of schedule there was time to rest and relax till next assignments.

Ash: Thanks a lot Misty.

Misty: No problem.

Ash: So shall we go check up on Lina and Gary?

Misty: Nah, let them talk. And plus I want you all to myself.

Ash sighed but smiled, it was going to take a really long time to get use to have a girlfriend. They sat quietly and conversed over the small things, mild chit chat about Ash’s job and the pokemon.

Not too far away someone watched the aquatic pokemon swim around then stop and looked towards Ash. It was a tall man dressed in a black suit and tie. He wore black shades and kept himself from being too suspicious.

*****

Kurai watched over Ash and the girl he was talking with. After some quick glances on his father’s computer in the previous days he knew that Ash was targeted as one of the so called prodigies. If it was true, it was only a matter of time that Ash’s true potential would be revealed.

In the next chapter: Conflict! Something strange is going on in the PKMN Society. The labeled prodigies were called into the Main Office for what? Kurai further studies Ash and also confronts him. The conflict stirs everyone up and Gary remembers about rumors of the PKMN Society.

Author’s Note: Hope things are going well for everyone. We’re about to hit the action scenes so I hope you all can bare with it. Thank you for reading as always and please leave reviews if you wish. So I have something to ask everyone who read Dreamer so far, let’s take a pole, with the amount of evidence that Lina and Ash are related, did you figure it out before Lina did? Well hope to hear from everyone soon.