Disclaimer: There has been a major scientific break-in! Through! Breakthrough. I am now the sole owner of Pokemon and all things connected with it! Well, no, actually that’s completely untrue; I’m not at all. Sorry. Walkmen! (Er, I don’t own Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy either, just in case you were wondering.)

Drip… drip… drip…

"Misty…"

"Misty!"

Misty blinked and opened her eyes. An anxious looking Brock swam into view. She sat up groggily. "Brock? What happened? Where’s Ash?"

"We all must have passed out. Ash is here. He’s still unconscious, but I think he’s all right."

Misty looked around. They were still in the cave, but whatever had been in there with them seemed to have gone. The lake was still and dark, the shadows were not writhing across the walls like some tortured beast, and as she looked up she could see several shafts of warm yellow sunlight seeping down from cracks in the ceiling.

"We must have been out all through the night," said Brock, voicing Misty’s thoughts. She nodded, then looked over at Ash. He lay on the ground near her, his eyes tight shut, his breathing slow but even. She saw that Brock had taken off his vest and folded it under Ash’s head like a pillow. Pikachu had curled up faithfully by his shoulder, but he gave a joyful "Pika!" when he saw that Misty was awake.

Misty smiled wanly back at him. She turned back to Brock, about to ask something else, then paused. Brock was gazing at her intently, a slight frown on his face.

"Brock, what’s wrong?"

Brock continued to frown. "Misty, what you did-" He shook his head. "You’re taking a huge risk. We don’t even know what they want."

Now it was Misty’s turn to frown. "Well, what was I supposed to do? I couldn’t just leave him hanging there…" she swallowed, not liking the memory, still far to close for comfort. She glared at Brock, arms folded across her chest. "And what would you have done? You wouldn’t have-"

"Of course I wouldn’t have left him," he interrupted. "I would never do that. But we could have tried something else… Tried to keep them talking longer, or something."

Misty sighed, nodded. Somehow she felt sure that any more talk would have been useless, and even worse would have probably gotten Ash taken away to wherever those things had wanted to take them, but she didn’t want to argue with Brock. She supposed he must be feeling even more helpless than she did right now. He had always put himself in the roll of big brother to her and to Ash, and now they had both run headlong into trouble and there was nothing he could have done to protect them.

A slight moan from Ash’s direction interrupted her thoughts. Both she and Brock were instantly at his side. Misty watched his face intently, hardly daring to breathe. Oh Ash, please be all right…

His eyelids flickered, then opened, and Misty found herself looking down into a pair of frightened, confused, dark eyes. Relief flooded her, and on Ash’s other side, Brock let out a great sigh. Pikachu nuzzled his neck contentedly.

"Wha-" Ash made as if to push himself up on his elbows, winced. Brock placed a hand on his shoulder and gently held him down. "Take it easy, Ash."

Ash looked utterly bewildered. "But- Brock? Misty? Pikachu? I don’t understand, how-" He shook his head as if to clear it and looked around at his friends, attempting to make sense of the scene before him. The last things he remembered were following the passage, the strange lake, those horrible shadows, blackness, and then… And then something that did not bear remembering. He shuddered.

"Ash, are you all right?" That was Misty. But Misty shouldn’t be here. Neither should Brock or Pikachu, for that matter.

"What happened?" he asked, again trying to sit. This time his body seemed more cooperative, and Brock helped him up.

"When we got back to the cave you were gone, and a part of the floor had caved in," he answered. "We realized what must have happened and followed."

"Pi, pika pikachu pi pi."

"Oh yeah, and Pikachu found your pokeballs. Your belt must have come off when you fell."

Misty wordlessly handed Ash his poke-belt, which he accepted gratefully. Brock continued telling how they had followed Ash’s tracks down the tunnel, as Misty did not seem inclined to talk about it. When he came to finding Ash above the lake and Misty’s bargain with the shadows, however, he faltered.

"But how did you keep them from taking you?" Ash prompted. Then in a softer voice: "And how did you get me back?"

Brock sighed. "They didn’t really seem to want us. We talked with them. Misty made a bargain with them." He took a deep breath. "Ash, she agreed to-"

"To help them find something they want," Misty interrupted, "if they agreed to let you go first. They did. They said I would need your help to find it, anyway." She shot Brock a pleading look, silently begging him not to tell Ash the rest of her bargain. Somehow she couldn’t bear the thought of Ash as well as Brock worrying about what would happen to her if they couldn’t find whatever it was the shadows wanted. He would most likely blame himself and do something stupid.

***

Getting back out of the cave proved to be easier than any of the three friends expected. As it turned out, several of the openings in the cavern ceiling were large enough to climb through and easily reached with the help of Ash’s Bulbasaur and Bayleef. All three were very glad of this, as none of them felt like enduring the long hike through the dark tunnel to the place where Ash had fallen in and where Brock and Misty had left the rope hanging.

As Bulbasaur’s vines lifted him up to the ledge just beneath the largest of the cracks and Ash pulled himself out onto the sun dappled forest floor, Pikachu on his shoulder, Ash couldn’t help breathing a huge sigh of relief. He could see the sun, and he could feel the slight breeze that stirred the leaves of the trees. And not long ago, he had felt sure he never would again. An uncontrollable shudder passed through him at the dark memories that again seeped out of the hidden corners of his mind. He shoved them back as Misty and Brock climbed out of the opening. Still in a bit of a daze, he recalled the two pokemon waiting below back into their pokeballs.

In the distance, partly hidden by the trunks of trees, they could see the hump under which they had made their ill-fated camp. It looked harmless enough from where they stood: a pile of grey, moss covered stones in the middle of a perfectly ordinary forest. Ash lowered his eyes to the ground. He would like very much to believe it had all been some horrible nightmare, but he couldn’t forget what he had seen or the words the voices had spoken to him as the shadows had closed about him…

It was a silent group that made its way back to the cave to collect their things. Brock led the way, every so often glancing behind him in concern for the other two. Misty seemed lost in her own thoughts, her brow knit in a slight frown. Ash trailed slowly after, his arms wrapped around himself and seeming only partly aware of the world around him. Pikachu walked close by his side, his eyes never leaving his trainer’s face.

When the reached the cave, they found everything just as they had left it, with the exception of Togepi and the fruit Brock had found. The little egg pokemon had apparently gotten hungry in their absence and now sat on the rock by Ash’s hat chewing happily at a pear, one of the few fruits left. As the companions approached, it gave a happy "Prrrriiiiii!" and went back to nibbling.

Misty laughed and held out her arms. Togepi tossed aside the pear and skipped over to her. Misty caught her up in a tight hug. It was such a relief to behold such a familiar sight after the horrors of the cave, she couldn’t help herself. Even Ash managed a smile.

Brock went back into the small cave to gather their backpacks, Ash’s hat, and what remained of the fruit, and Ash attempted to shake off his dark mood.

"So, what do we do now?" he asked, as Brock handed him his hat and pack. Brock glanced at Misty, who looked up from Togepi.

Misty sighed. For a whole two minutes she had almost forgotten the predicament they were in. Now the truth, that she hadn’t the faintest idea even of where to begin looking for whatever it was the shadows wanted her to find, came crashing back on her. "Well," she began, trying to gather her thoughts, "we’re still short on food. How much do we have left?" This question she directed at Brock.

"Exactly one pear, half a walnut, and two of these furry blue things."

Misty winced. "Well, that’s not much, but we can get more from those trees of yours before we leave, right?"

Brock scratched the back of his neck nervously. "Well, actually, no, I don’t think so."

Misty raised her eyebrows. "Why not?"

"Those trees, well, I can’t find them any more."

"What?"

Brock shrugged. "They should have been back that way, over by where we came out, but I looked as we walked back, and I can’t find them."

Ash started. "What?"

"I just said, they should be over-"

"Oh, right, sorry. I was just…" he lapsed back into silence.

Misty slung her pack over her shoulder. "Well then, wherever we need to go eventually, we still need supplies. Viridian is probably still closest, or maybe Pallet if we’ve gone way out of our way-"

"Pallet," interrupted Ash. "We should go to Pallet."

"So," Misty continued, "I say we pick a direction and head in it, and hope we find a path or something soon that will take us there."

Brock and Ash nodded in agreement, and then the three of them stood glancing about at the trees surrounding them on all sides and finding noting familiar enough to use as a landmark.

"Well, which way?" Brock asked.

"Aheh." Misty grinned sheepishly. "You pick."

With an exasperated sigh, Brock selected a direction at random and started off, Ash and Misty behind him.

As they wove their way through the tangled branches and vines, Misty felt her spirits sinking again. There is something we want that would serve us as well as he, the shadows had told her. But they had not told her where to look for it, how to find it, or even what it was. Just that if she agreed to their bargain they would bring her to a place where she would "have the opportunity to fulfill it," that they didn’t think she would not be able to give them what they wanted, and that Ash was essential to them. She shuddered. And if she failed, they would come and take both her and Ash to- what was it they had said? Their realm at the bottom of nowhere in the middle of nothing.

She felt her hands clenching into fists. How had that become her future in so short a time? And why did Ash always have to land them in situations like this? If he had just stayed asleep, if he hadn’t decided to go wandering off down strange dark tunnels, or if he had gone out to get the firewood, then maybe they wouldn’t be facing "the bottom of nowhere" and "the middle of nothing" now. No, she wouldn’t think like that. They would find whatever it was those creatures (if she could call them creatures) wanted, and then everything would be fine.

As they walked, Misty became aware that Ash had moved up and was now walking close by her side, his eyes cast down at the forest floor. He was close enough that their finger tips were almost brushing. She looked at him curiously. "Ash-"

"Mist," he interrupted softly, his eyes never leaving the ground, "Thank you."

Misty felt all of her dark thoughts evaporate. She had known perfectly well what she was agreeing to down in the cavern, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Deep down, she knew that Ash would not have hesitated to take the same risk for her. They would find what they were looking for, whatever it was. And even if they didn’t, a hidden corner of her mind added, at least she would face her fate bravely, and at least she would face it at Ash’s side.

***

They came upon the road very suddenly, and the road they came to was rather more than they had expected. They stepped out from between the trees and were greeted by the rush of wind and tires as a car raced past them on what appeared to be a two lane highway. Ash, Misty, and Brock exchanged glances. This was not what they had expected to find, and it was nothing any of them recognized. With unusual bluntness, Ash stated that he had no clue which direction Pallet lay in. As they were both equally lost and surprised by the discovery of the highway, neither Brock nor Misty made any comments about Ash’s lack of any sense of direction, but both agreed that they would have to try and ask some one for directions.

They tried flagging down the next few cars that sped past, but all seemed to be in far too much of a hurry to stop. After they were sprayed with a cloud of dust and exhaust by an enormous truck thundering by on its way to somewhere, the decided to take a break for lunch. They split their one pair, half a walnut, and two furry blue things between them, and were just as hungry when they finished eating as they had been before. Privately, Ash though he was even more hungry, and decided not to make a habit of eating strange, hairy blue fruits unless it was absolutely necessary.

Impelled by hunger, they renewed their efforts to try to get a car to stop. Pikachu tried thundershocking one, but when the driver not only did not stop, but threatened to have them arrested, Ash told him not to try it again. They weren’t quite desperate enough to resort to going to prison in order to get a meal yet.

Finally, their efforts paid off and a tan Sedan pulled over to the side of the road. The driver rolled down his window.

"What are you kids doing?" he called out. He was a rather chunky sort of man, with thinning brown hair and permanent frown lines around his mouth. He was scowling at them, and Ash was glad that he was inside of the care and they were out of it. "You pokemon trainers or something?"

They nodded.

The man grunted into his shirt. "Figures. Beats me why some parents think it’s all right to let their kits wander around like tramps just ‘cause they have some violent, flea ridden creatures with them."

Pikachu began sparking angrily at the cheeks. Ash had told him not to try to stop any more cars by shocking them, but this one was already stopped…

Fortunately for the driver, he seemed to recognize this as a danger sign and held up his hands in apology. "Sorry, sorry, not my place to say, I suppose. What do you kids want?"

Ash hastened to restrain Pikachu as Misty stepped forward. "Well, we’re a little lost, and we were wondering-"

The man snorted. "Typical. Go on."

Misty struggled to maintain her temper. Think of food, she told herself, just think of food. "We were wondering if you could tell us the way to Pallet Town."

The man spluttered. "Pallet? Pallet!"

"Or whichever city is closest," added Brock, as Misty and Ash both eyed the driver, bewildered by his strange reaction, Misty looking as if she would like to strangle something.

The driver managed to get himself under control. "You want to go that way," he said, pointing down the road the way he had come. "But listen here, twerps. You think you’re so clever, don’t you? Going on your little journeys? Oh yeah, real tactful. Great way to show respect. You think you’ll have a real cool story to tell folks back home by doing stuff like this? Well, guess what, no one’s going to worship the ground you walk on! It’s kids like you who’re going to end up raking out other people’s gutters ‘cause you spent all your time being slimy little suck-ups instead of learning to make a living for yourselves. It makes me sick!"

And he stomped on the gas, leaving a stunned Ash, Misty, and Brock in his wake. As his car roared off into the distance they could have sworn they heard a last shout carried towards them on the wind that sounded very much like, "Brats!"

Notes: Ta-da, chapter four! And chapter five is on its way. His one would have been up even sooner, but there were a few plot difficulties I had to work out before I could finish writing it. Now that’s all taken care of, maybe you won’t have to wait so long for the next bit. Maybe. As usual, a huge thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Now, to everyone who is reading but not reviewing (I know you’re out there!) please do review. It only takes a moment, and any comments of any nature are appreciated. So just click the little review button. :)

Now, those of you who have been wondering what the prologue has to do with the story and what the story has to do with the summary, don’t worry! It will begin coming together and making some sense soon, possibly even a bit in the very next chapter. Just hang in there.

Oh, and I just posted another Pokemon related fic under the title of Secrets. It’s a short little thing, and has absolutely nothing to do with Shadows of Time (different universe, if you will,) but feel free to read it if you like, and it would make me very happy if you left a review there, as well. I think that’s all for now. See you in chapter five, and don’t forget to review. (I’ve said that before, haven’t I?) ^_^