Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Pokemon. My characters and plot belong to me though.

A/N: Wow, I really wasn't expecting that many reviews just for the first chapter! Not that I'm complaining, mind you, I actually wanna thank you guys for reviewing. I hope you all enjoy this one; insight into the past.

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A small group of people stood quietly around a tube-like tank, observing its contents with wonder. Floating somewhere near the center of the tank, with multiple wires attached to check vital signs, was a small pinkish-white pokémon; one many still considered a myth. Mew was in their possession at last…who cared about fossilized remains when they had the living, breathing, pokémon itself?

Giovanni would be very pleased.

Inside the tank, the small creature stirred in her slumber.

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(Age 12)

Ayla looked curiously to her parent's smiling faces. In her mother's arms was a small pokémon, looking at her curiously with its cute baby face.

"It's a Togepi, dear," her mother said as she handed her daughter the baby pokémon.

"Happy birthday, Ayla." They said together as she cradled the happy pokémon, holding it close and laughing gleefully.

"We'll be friends forever!" Ayla sang to Togepi.

(Age 13)

"C'mon Togepi, we've gotta take the groceries in for Mom," Ayla called to her friend, currently following closely behind her. He couldn't really help carry the groceries, but he always went everywhere with Ayla.

Everything seemed to move in slow-motion for a few seconds; right as Ayla reached for the bags sitting on the steps before her, a figure passed by. As they passed Ayla let out a startled squeak as the person grabbed the wallet out of her back pocket and ran.

"Hey you, get back here!" she called angrily, scooping Togepi up into her arms (out of reflex) and giving chase.

Togepi could feel Ayla's heart beating a frantic rhythm as she sprinted down the sidewalk after the thief. She turned sharply into an alley and her foot got caught on the treacherous junk lying around. She cried out in pain and immediately grabbed her twisted ankle, rocking back and fourth on the dirty pavement. She tried to stand after a moment, but had little success and slumped against the wall.

She sighed and held Togepi a little closer; it was getting dark now, and she was scared to be outside alone. Celadon wasn't really the safest place to be at night…especially injured…

Togepi made up his mind. He struggled out of his friend's arms and turned to face her. In answer to her hurt and questioning gaze, he pointed in the direction of their apartment. She had the curious look on her face for a moment more before realizing that he was going to get her parents. As he set off towards home, he faintly heard her murmur something.

"Please hurry," she said, mostly to herself, as she delicately held her swelling ankle.

Togepi moved as quickly as he could towards home, but tripped often on the creepily barren sidewalk. It seemed that Ayla wasn't the only person who thought it bad to be outside after dark. The sun was rapidly sinking below the horizon, creating a beautiful array of colors that he had no time to watch. He tried to move faster, but that was one thing his body was not built for, and he often fell. Togepi started to panic as the shadows started to cover more and more of the city; he wasn't even halfway there yet! There was no way he would make it there and back before something bad happened to Ayla; he needed to protect his friend!

Suddenly a tingling energy overcame Togepi. He felt his body becoming more slim and taller, giving him more mobility. Two wings appeared on his back, although he knew immediately that he only needed them to change direction, as he was already floating about a foot above the ground without even moving them. Now a Togetic, and brimming with evolution energy, it took him practically no time to reach their apartment.

In only a few short minutes he had convinced Ayla's parents to come, and he was reunited with his grateful friend.

"Togepi," she giggled "I mean Togetic, thank you!" Ayla said, tears glistening in her amber eyes as she hugged her companion.

(Age 14)

Ayla and Togetic were playing just outside Celadon, in the fields between Saffron and Celadon cities called Route 7. They were playing a mix of tag, and hide-and-seek. It seemed that Togetic had the advantage, because he often flew high enough to pick out his companion from her hiding spot. Ayla, though, had speed, and as soon as she saw Togetic approaching she would bolt, her blonde hair streaming out behind her as she laughed.

It was in one of those sporadic moments of rest between their games that, as they lay laughing on the ground, they were approached by a cautious pokémon. Having seen the fun the duo was having, the fox pokémon Vulpix carefully walked out of the grass, watching them curiously, its brilliant red-orange fur shining silkily in the sun.

Togetic having warned her of their visitor, Ayla rolled onto her stomach and faced the Vulpix, somewhat startling the fox. Ayla chuckled lightly and invited the fire fox over, holding out her hand in invitation. Togetic chirped in too, inviting it over to play with them.

Vulpix happily bound over and, giving the offered hand a lick, then proceeded to tackle Togetic to the ground in a friendly manner. They laughed and rolled around for a few minutes, while Ayla watched them with a small smile on her face. They all played in that field for hours, until it was dark and the duo had to leave. They promised to meet the next day in the same spot to play.

Every day after that Ayla and Togetic met up with Vulpix on Route 7 to play. Some days they would simply play, and some they would have picnics. But they all had fun.

This was a beacon of light in the increasingly dark times.

(Age 15)

Ayla had just gotten home from her part-time job at the nearby Department Store and, dropping her bag by the door, started on dinner. Her parents wouldn't be home for another hour or so; they both had full time jobs, her mother working at a pokémon salon, and her father working at the Game Corner. Since Ayla always got home first, she usually cooked them all dinner, Togetic never leaving her side.

She finally finished cooking the chicken and dumplings (giving Togetic a dumpling, which he happily chirped at receiving) and looked to see the time.

"Odd," she said to Togetic "They're usually home by now, it's almost 5:30."

Togetic continued eating his dumpling, but floated up next to Ayla and landed on her shoulder, reassuring her.

When the clock reached 6 o'clock and Ayla still hadn't heard anything from her parents she donned a light jacked and was about to leave the house, when the phone rang. She jumped slightly at the noise and hurried over to the table it sat on: when she noticed that the caller-id read "Mom's cell" she hurriedly picked it up.

"Where are you Mom, dinner's already getting cold—" She was cut off by the frantic voice of her mother on the other end of the receiver.

"Listen to me Ayla, this is important!" she spoke quickly and sounded hysterical "Your father and I were abducted on out way home…I…I think it's Team Rocket,"

"Mom! No! Where are you, I can get the police—I" Ayla called back frantically, earning her a concerned look from Togetic.

"No, we've already decided, you have to go to your Aunt and Uncle in Pewter City. You can't help us, just run. There's money in on the dresser in our bedroom; it should be enough to get a Pidgeot flight to Pewter. Just get out of Celadon before they come for you—" She was suddenly cut off, and Ayla heard a voice in the background.

"Who the hell's on the line?! Give me that phone you bitch!" A harsh voice yelled, and then the line when dead.

Ayla went cold and dropped the phone. Togetic immediately floated over and asked without words what was wrong. Ayla shook her head and snapped out of it, immediately heading towards her parent's bedroom.

"Togetic, could you pack up the dumplings? We need to leave now to go stay with my Aunt and Uncle," Her voice was shaking slightly, but she tried to stay calm at least until she got out of the city. Togetic nodded, but stayed floating in place until Ayla turned away and continued into the bedroom.

Ayla faintly heard rustling in the kitchen as Togetic packed the dumplings into a lined lunchbox. She hurried over to the hardwood dresser that sat up against the far wall of her parent's bedroom. Almost immediately she saw a small box sitting far against the wall on the dresser, and inside was a rather large wad of money. Ayla didn't bother counting it as she shoved it deep into the pocket of her jeans.

Next she moved onto her room, grabbing another backpack and throwing some of her clothes into in haphazardly. She didn't bother taking much else, but paused as she was at the door. Turning back she grabbed a framed picture of her parents and herself at a festival in Saffron and stuffed it into the backpack as well.

When she emerged back out into the kitchen, she immediately saw Togetic floating about her eye level, holding the lunchbox. He had a worried look on his face, and it grew more so when he saw the backpack on her shoulders. Ayla took the lunchbox with a weak smile.

"We need to leave, Togetic," she said, her eyes growing watery from unshed tears "Team Rocket has Mom and Dad…t-they want us to leave so we're out of danger." A tear finally fell from her eye, trickling down her cheek.

Togetic floated closer and wiped the tear away, trying to calm his friend, even if he himself was worried as well. Team Rocket was growing more and more open about their activities, so much in fact, that even the wild pokémon were aware of the changes in the human world.

"Come on, Togetic. We have to leave now," Ayla beckoned him out the door, and she locked it behind them, tucking the key into her backpack.

They reached the area where one could rent out a flying pokémon to take them to other towns relatively quickly. They encountered no problems, and Ayla paid for the Pidgeot flight to Pewter.

The flight passed in respective silence, Togetic tucked sleeping in the backpack while Ayla shed silent tears high above the ground.

(Age 16)

"Are you sure you're ready to leave?" Ayla's Aunt asked, somewhat worriedly. Her Uncle stood quietly behind her, a comforting hand on her shoulder. Togetic sat on her opposite shoulder, again looking at her in a concerned manner. They had been doing that more and more since her parents had gone…

"As ready as I'll ever be," she mumbled under her breath, so only Togetic could hear. "Yes, I think I'm ready to go back to Celadon now," she said louder, so her Aunt and Uncle could hear. She had already packed her meager belongings into the backpack she initially brought with her.

They had been very nice to her over the time she had spent at their home, about a year, actually. She wasn't the closest to them, but they invited her into their home and helped her as much as they could. When she had told them a few days ago that she wanted to go back to Celadon, they had been a little surprised, but didn't try to stop her. She was old enough to make her own way in life.

"Here, at least let Aerodactyl take you back," her Uncle insisted, releasing the grayish-purple Fossil pokémon. It happily nuzzled against Ayla's hand; the two had gotten to be friends over her extended stay. She smiled faintly and pet the pokémon on the head, before climbing on its back.

Not one for long goodbyes, Ayla simply waved to them as Aerodactyl took flight. Watching the scenery pass below them (and noting Aerodactyl was faster than the Pidgeot had been) she wondered if she could get her job back at the Department Store…

(Age 17, about 3 weeks previous of the Change)

Another day working at the Department Store, it wasn't a busy one either. Ayla sighed dully at the counter as Togetic shuffled around behind her. After the manager had heard about her parents, they had decided to let Ayla bring Togetic with her. After all, they were a store for trainers mostly; perhaps a pokémon would boost business.

With nothing better to do, Ayla opened the case containing evolution stones and started to polish them: the perks about working on the fourth floor. You didn't have to be constantly bothered like in the general shops, only people with money to spare could buy evolution stones. There were also pokémon dolls…but no one but collectors really bought them.

Satisfied with her work, Ayla held the fire stone out before her. It shone a vibrant orange, its core color a deep red. Ayla narrowed her eyes slightly when she noticed in the reflection that someone was approaching the counter. She placed the stone back in its case and turned towards the customer, plastering a fake smile on her face. A nondescript male was standing at the counter; the only thing making him stand out was a rather cold look in the eyes.

"How may I help you, sir?" Ayla asked as politely as she could, as was required by her job. "Are you interested in our high quality evolution stones? Or perhaps the new shipment of pokémon doll we just got in," she gestured to the shelf behind her, containing a wide array of cute dolls.

"Actually," he said quietly "I'm looking for someone," he looked her in the eyes "And I believe you know where I can find her, don't you Ayla."

Ayla's blood seemed to run cold, she recognized that voice, even after more than two years. It sounded just like the voice she had heard over the phone, when her parents were taken…that would make him…

"Yes, stay quite Ayla," he chuckled. It was all just a joke to him; was all of Team Rocket this cruel?

Togetic, sensing Ayla's distress, attacked the Rocket member, using a strong Double-Edge and knocking him into the shelves containing a large amount of magazines. Ayla would have cringed, knowing it was her job to prevent messes, but she wasn't thinking about work anymore: she knew that she and Togetic had to get away now.

"Togetic, come on! We've gotta go!" Ayla shouted as she ran from behind the counter. The Rocket member was starting to get to his feet, but she gave him a solid kick in the stomach to buy more time.

Ayla and Togetic hurried out of the Department Store, drawing many curious glances along the way. They didn't stop by her apartment to grab anything, or go to the Pidgeot flight-point. Ayla was sure that if Team Rocket was coming after her that they would already have lookouts at those places. She instead grabbed a bike she saw was left unattended and rode as quickly as she could to the edges of the city, Togetic clinging to her hair to keep up. She abandoned the bike before Cycling Road in favor of the shelter offered by the trees. If she kept going north-west eventually she would get to Pewter…her relatives would know what to do…

The next couple weeks were full of paranoia and sleepless nights. While Togetic could hold up to these conditions better than Ayla, even he was looking rough. Ayla was looking downright terrible though. Her face was perpetually pale and drawn, her eyes wide and always searching, but dull as well; the golden-orange turning grayer by the day. Her hair was now lank and stringy because of dirt and sweat, and the blonde color was slowly becoming scarce as it was overtaken by white. She had lost weight because of stress and inadequate food, and her skin looked sallow because she could no longer properly care for herself. If something wasn't done soon, she wouldn't last much longer…

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A man stood outside of the tank watching the Mew inside cringe and twitch in its induced sleep. He stood tall and proud, seeming larger than life in comparison to the now-meek scientists surrounding him. His hard eyes and short brown hair made him more intimidating, which was only exemplified by the expensive suit he was dressed in. Anyone who still had doubts about him were scared off by the vicious looking Persian sitting by his side, observing the Mew with as much interest as its owner.

"I want genetic material collected immediately. Ship the Mew to Chrono Island; keep it in stasis until I send the tamer." He ordered the cowering scientists behind him, his voice sharp. Then he turned and left, the heavy door to the lab slamming shut behind him.

As soon as he left, they hurried into action. No one dare disobey Giovanni.

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A/N: I'm proud of myself for writing this much, the chapters in my other stories don't usually get this big. Maybe this story will have long chapters then...? Anyway, reviews feed the muse, which in turn makes it give me inspiration. FEED THE MUSE!