Story Notes:
DISCLAIMER: Pokemon and all associated characters are copyright Nintendo. Story and original characters are copyright me: MrPirate461, CommanderW, and/or any other aliases I may use in the future. No copyright infringement is intended.This is my first story here on AGNPH. I was going to wait until I finished it to post, but I changed my mind. As a result, Chapters 1 and 2 are already finished, and chapter 3 is almost done. Note that updates will happen as they happen; I have a lot of things to balance, so chapters may take a while to write. Please tell me if you like it; the bigger my ego is, the faster I write!Minor updates to Chapters 1&2; cosmetic on both, and something so it will mesh with my next fanfic in the series.
Tragic Reunion
Tragic Reunion
Laia flew hard and fast. She hated to leave her friend like that, but she felt that she had to do this as soon as possible. The other Latias and Latios could take care of the Soul Dew just fine without her, and Bianca would understand why she had to leave so abruptly. Surely...
Back in Lilycove...
�Ooookay, we'll leave that topic alone for the moment,� said Alenna. �Now, there's something I could use some help with.�
�What is it?� asked Ash, who was still blushing from his previous outburst.
�Well, you see, I don't know a thing about Pokemon, and ��
�You WHAT!!� yelled Ash, causing heads to turn towards them.
�Shh, keep it down!� Alenna said to Ash, who was now blushing quite furiously with embarrassment. �I want as few people as possible to know that I'm from another dimension.�
�You're what!?� said Ash, this time keeping it down to a reasonable volume.
Alenna smacked herself in the forehead and said, �Great. Just great. Not only did I get myself stuck in another dimension, I broke one of the biggest rules about what I'm supposed to do when that happens.� Seeing Ash looking at her expectantly, she told him, �I'll explain later, kid. For now, could you tell me about these Pokemon, or better yet take me to an expert on them?�
�Sure, Alenna,� Ash said. �You're in luck. Professor Oak, the world's foremost leader in Pokemon research, is here in Lilycove, giving a talk about Pokemon poetry at the art gallery. I'll take you to meet him.�
�Sounds great, thanks.�
Professor Oak had just finished his talk and was exiting the gallery when he saw Ash running toward him with a woman in tow. �Hello, Ash,� he said. �If you're here to catch my lecture, I'm afraid you're too late; I just finished the last one of the day. Somehow, though, I doubt that's what you're after.�
�Hi, Professor. No, I'm not here for the lecture. Could we talk somewhere private? OW!!� Having been reminded by a kick in the ankle, and a heated whisper of �Introduce me!!�, he said, �Oh yeah; Professor, this is Alenna. Alenna, Professor Oak of Pallet Town.�
��Pleased to meet you, sir,� said Alenna.
�The pleasure is mine, and please call me Professor, or Professor Oak; sir makes me feel old. And yes Ash, Professor Birch has a lab nearby where we can sit and talk in peace.�
�Great; thanks, Professor.�
Back in Altomare, Bianca was alternating between being furious with Laia and being extremely worried about her. Finally, she just sat on the swing and cried. This was all too much. First Laia asked for advice, in the process admitting her love for Ash; Bianca had been pretty sure before, this confirmed it. Now Laia was off to who-knows-where looking for him, and there were so many things that could have happened to her; storms, hunger, poison, Team Rocket and Pokemon Hunters...it was all too much.
Keldan sensed Bianca's distress and flew to where she was. As he hovered next to her, she grabbed him in a hug and held him tight, crying. �Oh, Keldan,� she said through her tears, �What am I going to do? First Laia asks me for advice and reveals her love for Ash, then she just leaves! Keldan, she said I was her friend. If I was really her friend, why would she do this to me? WHY!?� Bianca resumed her weeping.
~Don't...cry, Bianca.~ Bianca stopped sobbing and sat up in surprise. ~It...makes me...sad...when you...cry.~
�Keldan?� said Bianca, �Is that you?�
~Yes...it is. I wanted...to surprise...you.~
�Well, you certainly did that.� She smiled and continued. �Thank you so much, Keldan. You've helped me out so much, with my painting and now this. I really appreciate it.�
~You...mean it?~
�Yup. I can't tell you how many of my paintings of you have sold, compared to the ones of the others. You're the best model anyone could ask for.�
~Thank...you, Bianca. If it wasn't...for you, I wouldn't...be here.~
�Huh? Howzat?� Bianca replied, clearly not expecting what she heard.
~I was sent...here, as a companion for...Laia. Normally, when it became...clear she was not interested...in me, I would have left. However, I liked all the...attention you gave me, and...the way you...talked to me. Back on Southern Island, I...was of low status there, because of my...coloring.~
�Well, you do have a different coloring than most Latios, but it's not unknown.�
~Huh? What do you...mean?~
�Some Pokemon have what's called 'shiny' coloring. For instance, you have typical shiny coloration for a Latios. I think it looks better than the usual color.�
~Really? You do? Oh, thank you so much!~ He suddenly sobered. ~Unfortunately, the Tribe doesn't see it that way. To them, 'shiny' Latias and Latios are unlucky, and that luck will rub off on the rest of the Tribe. So, they are held in low esteem, only kept around for fear they would tell humans how to get to Southern Island. They are sent on the worst missions possible. I consider myself lucky not to be in a frozen wasteland.~
�They consider finding someone for Laia a bad mission?! How-�
~It's because she is not of the Tribe. She and her brother were raised by their father, way out here in Altomare, instead of with the rest of the tribe, so she doesn't have the importance of a Tribesmember. Even I, a dissident Luckless, am held in higher esteem then she is.~
�That's just not right!�
~I agree. I am sympathetic myself. However, it would take something drastic to change the tribe's ways.~ After a lengthy pause, he said ~What do you think of Laia's love?~
�Huh?� said Bianca, startled by the abrupt change of topic.
~Laia and Ash. Having a relationship.~
�Hmm. Well, I think that as long as you love someone, and they love you back, it doesn't matter what species you or they are.�
~The Tribe says that Pokemon-human relationships are the greatest sin possible, and will condemn you to the Pit for all eternity. I call that a load of rubbish. I agree with what you said; as long as there is love, species doesn't matter. Nothing does. Only the love that they share for each other.~
After a time Bianca said, �Thank you, Keldan.�
~Always.~
Ash, Alenna, and Professor Oak reached Professor Birch's lab after about an hour. They went inside and sat down. Professor Oak handed everyone cups of tea and said, �Now then Ash, why don't you tell me what this is all about. I assume it has something to do with this young lady here � Alenna, was it?�
�That's right, Professor,� Alenna said. �The reason I need to talk with you is because I don't know anything about Pokemon.�
Professor Oak had a similar reaction to Ash's. �You WHAT?!?! How could you not know anything about Pokemon! It is lit-�
�Whoah there! Calm down. I'm not from this world, so...�
�Wait, you mean you're from outer space? This is incre-�
�No, I'm not from outer space. I'm from another dimension.�
�-dible? Incredible! So there are parallell dimensions. Scientists have been theorizing about this for years-�
�Yeah, yeah, yeah. We can cover this later. For now, I just need to know about Pokemon. Can you give me a basic introductory course?�
�Well, yes, of course. They don't call me the Pokemon Professor for nothing!�
Several hours later
�...And that should be plenty to get you started. In fact, I bet Ash learned a few things too � or he would have if he wasn't asleep. Hmm, that gives me an idea. Watch this.� Professor Oak took a rubber pole and prodded Pikachu with it.
�Pikachuuuuu!� said Pikachu as it unleashed a Thunder attack that zapped ash awake.
�Wad'ja do that for?!� said Ash from the floor, where he had fallen.
�Well, you did sleep through a very informative lesson that would have taught you a few things about Pokemon.�
�Ya, well, th-� Ash went stiff all of a sudden.
�Ash, are you all right?� asked Professor Oak.
�I need to go. Now.�
�The bathroom's right down that hall...�
�No.� Ash said, getting up from the ground. �I need to go. Wait here. I'll be fine.� He ran out of the lab.
�I'll follow him. Wait here.� Alenna said, and ran off.
Laia lay on the ground, spasming in pain. How could she have been so foolish? Just because Ash was nearby didn't mean she could let her guard down. Now, as a result...better not to think about it. All she could do now was keep sending Ash her location and hope he wouldn't be too long.
Keldan suddenly tensed up. ~I sense Laia. She is broadcasting a distress signal, but I feel that she is trying to direct it toward Ash. However, she is panicked, and not in control of herself, and so anyone with a connection to her will be able to sense it.~
�We've got to go help her!� exclaimed Bianca.
~It is unlikely that we will get there in time to do anything, but if it makes you feel better, I can fly you there.~
�Oh, Keldan, would you? Thank you so much!�
~It would be my pleasure.~
The young man in question was running as fast as he could toward where Laia was; his heart pounding in time with his lungs, legs, and the mantra that was repeating in his head, over and over again: 'Please! Lemme! Get! There! Soon! Enough!'. Alenna followed him, making sure he didn't hurt himself. As Ash neared the place where Laia was, he began to feel stabs of pain. The closer he got, the more it hurt, but he kept going. As he neared the still form of the Latias, it almost seemed as if the pain was a physical force, pushing him away from his destination, but he kept going. Finally, he reached her. As he reached out his hand to touch her, Alenna shouted �Ash, don't!� but the boy was too entranced to hear. His hand reached the still form...and he screamed.
Laia, while broadcasting her location to Ash, had also been broadcasting her pain as well. When Ash touched her, the transmission was amplified by the direct contact. The force of this caused Ash to slump over in a faint. Alenna ran over to him and slapped his cheek, willing him to get up, damnit, because she was not going to tell anyone else the truth about where she was from. Pikachu finally let loose with a Thunderbolt, zapping Ash awake.
He sat up and had time for a muffled �Wha-� before the pain hit him again. He gasped and said, �We've got to get Laia to a Pokemon center, fast!� Braced for the overwhelming feeling of pain this time, he picked Laia up, laid her across his back, and started running at top speed toward the nearest Pokemon Center. Alenna followed him. A few minutes later, a vehicle pulled up. Professor Oak was inside. �Ash! Get in!� he said. Ash opened the back door and got in, resting Laia's head in his lap. Alenna rode shotgun. Professor Oak spun the wheels and the car took off like a rocket.
All the way there, Ash stroked Laia's feathers, willing her to survive, wincing himself whenever his hand encountered a wound or the jeep hit a rough spot. After what seemed like an eternity, the truck finally pulled up at the Lilycove Pokemon Center. Ash got out, hefted Laia once again on his back, and ran into the Center, shouting, �Nurse Joy! Come quick!� The Nurse, who was at the counter, turned around, saying, �Yes, yes, I'm right here, now wha-� She stopped, shocked at what she saw. That young man was carrying a Latias, and a badly injured one at that.
�Please, Nurse Joy,� said Ash, �You've gotta help her. Help Laia. Please.� He slumped down on the counter, exhausted. Astonished, Nurse Joy summoned three Chancey orderlies to take Laia, and another two to take Ash to a room.
Alenna and Professor Oak came running in. �Oh no. Not another one.� said Nurse Joy, assuming that they also had a badly injured Pokemon.
Ignoring this, Alenna said �Nurse Joy, where's Ash?�
��You mean the young man who came in here with a badly injured Latias? He fainted from exhaustion, so I had the Chancey take him to a room.�
�Could you show me where he is?� Nurse Joy summoned a Chancey to show Alenna the way. Alenna followed after it.
Before following Alenna, Professor Oak turned to Nurse Joy and said, �It would probably be best if you don't let it get it around that there is such a rare Pokemon here. I suggest that you just say it was a Pokemon; if anyone asks what type, say it's a Ditto.� He ran off after Alenna.
Nurse Joy went back to her work, wondering and worrying about her newest patient. What she wouldn't give to hear the story behind that!Chapter End Notes:Hmmm. Converting to a text file before posting works a lot better then copy-pasting it.
I hope you're enjoying the story so far