I don't have much to say for now...let us continue shall we…

Chapter 4 : A Strange New World

The rays of the sun had hit his face as Ash began to moan, awakening from his slumber. He became aware that he was lying on a somewhat soft surface. His mind was still somewhat out there, almost catatonic. He could hear a few voices a bit far off but could not recognize what they were conversing about. It sounded garbled, a language completely alien to what he was used to, though it reminded him of the times he heard strangers talk when he went too close to the village to Pele's discomfort before she'd scold him.

He feebly opened his eyes and willed himself to sit up. The blanket that had covered him up to his neck slipped slightly from his body. There, to Ash's astonishment, he saw that his stomach had been bandaged up. Aside from that though, he was still completely in the nude. His eyesight finally cleared itself and Ash could now see his surroundings.

He was inside one of the tents, specifically the one that belonged to Brock. (Obviously, Ash did NOT know this yet of course). The tent had few things aside from the sleeping bag/cot that Ash was sitting up on. These items included a backpack filled with essentials of hygiene products, pieces of clothing lying in another backpack, and finally a table with a thermos filled with cool water with it and a book over one magazine on the table. To Ash, however, all of it was alien. Ash carefully lifted himself up to his legs and he decided to survey the area.

Ash neared the backpack of the essentials first, studying the toothbrush with surprise. What sort of contraption was this? He carefully got out other essentials such as a map and a flashlight that Ash had the misfortune of turning it on as it faced him. Mumbling to himself in frustration, Ash moved on to the next bag, filled with clothing. As he got each piece of clothing and studied them, Ash raised an eyebrow in confusion. Now he really was perplexed. What kind of contraption is this?, Ash pondered as he slipped his hand into one of the shirt's sleeves to study it.

Then he moved on to the table. He first lifted the thermos and began shaking it to feel that there was a liquid in it. Ash briefly tapped the thermos with his fist to study it more. It was actually a bit hard, Ash noted. Once he finished studying the thermos, Ash quickly moved on to the book. There he looked at the front of it, the book being titled "The Science of Compatibility in Pokemon" by someone named Takeshi Ueda. Of course, Ash didn't understand the book. Taking a quick seat, Ash held the book with both hands and thumbed the pages down with the toes of his feet with a superficial check. He frowned at the realization that he couldn't understand it. He set the book back to the table where he finally noticed the magazine under the book. The cover featured a beautiful girl with strawberry blonde hair and green eyes, dressed in red, staring into the camera as she grinned sweetly. In the girl's arms was a ribbon she showed no hesitation to show off. She was posing with a Glaceon who had a triumphant, almost arrogant, grin on its face, a Pancham jumping up in delight, and a Typhlosion grinning shyly to itself. The title behind the magazine's own title read : "Underdog Takes Competition by Storm and Wins!". Ash was curious but just as he could thumb the magazine itself.

Then the voices got louder and Ash's body tensed up, not knowing whether the best option was to flight or fight. The flap of the tent opened up to reveal Lillie and Brock. Ash's heart raced not sure what to do.

Brock and Lillie took a quick pause as they surveyed the tent, now messy. Brock shook his head as Lillie chuckled sheepishly. "He...he appears to have gotten into your tent, Brock." Lillie stated as she added, "...I guess he's curious."

Brock also gave one sheepish chuckle as he said, "Guess he did...I'll clean it up later."

He came face to face with Brock and Lillie. Ash felt that the green-eyed girl was familiar as if he had seen her in a distant memory but the man was a completely new person. Confusion settled into Ash's face as he surveyed the two with a hint of suspicion in his eyes.

"You okay? You sure took a bad hit from that Arcanine." The tanned man, Brock, asked but Ash cocked an eyebrow.

Brock inquired, concern in his voice, "Uh...is everything okay, sir?"

Ash was getting nervous. Wherever he was, it was not home. And he knew his family and friends would be worried sick. There was NO way that he was going to let this stand by. He was going to defend himself. Ash immediately sat up and got on all fours. With a defensive glare in his face, he began to growl. Lillie gasped in concern. What did this man plan now?

"Woah, hold it! Hold it!" Brock yelped as he put his hands up. "Don't you remember the attack with the Arcanine?"

Arcanine. Now Ash could understand that word. He stopped growling as a pensive look overtook his face. Yes, it was coming to him. An Arcanine that attacked a creature who looked not too different from him and an Alolan Ninetales. And then he remembered coming to the rescue and getting a few hits from the Arcanine's ember attack. And then managing to subdue the Arcanine before he felt a darkness overtake him as he lost consciousness from the pain. Ash was stunned as the flashback ended.

The wheels on Brock's head turned as he watched Ash's surprised expression. He's feral, Brock deduced. Lillie also reached the same conclusion. That explained everything. Quietly, Lillie asked to Ash gently, "You...you don't understand us at all, huh?" Ash's confused and, almost scared looking, response was all the answer Lillie needed to confirm this new theory.

Meanwhile Sol and Luna were both huddling near each other in concern, Luna especially concerned.

"Oh where could he be, Sol?" Luna moaned. It wasn't like her little boy to just vanish like this, not return even though he clearly said, "I'll be back, Mom and Dad!" to figure out the noise. "I just hope my little boy is safe,...I don't want anything bad to happen to him!" She exclaimed anxiously at the line.

Sol, his face filled with concern, nodded as he assured, or tried to at least, his own heart in worry, "Ash is a fighter, Luna. He'll….he'll be okay. I'm sure he's only hanging out with his friends. You know how much Pikachu loves to hang out with Ash, to the point of inviting him over to sleep."

Luna bit her lip, sincerely wanting to believe this fact but she only replied, "That is true...but if it was the case, he should have told us first."

Sol nodded, concerned that his wife had mentioned that comment. The Lycanrocs glanced at their pups, sleeping peacefully and still blissfully aware about their brother's disappearance. All they could do was pray that their first son would come back home safe. They'd be a bit mad that he didn't say anything before but at least they would know he was okay.

I'm alive guys! Just had to deal with the reality we call life. For starters, 2019 was my final year in University of California, Irvine. I graduated this summer with a bachelor's degree in Psychology and Social Behavior! Great huh? I also am currently job searching for something pertaining to my major. Anyway...here are the references.

The name Takeshi Ueda and the book "The Science of Compatibility in Pokemon" is a nod to Brock's Japanese name Takeshi, his Japanese voice actor or seiyu Yuji Ueda as well as a nod to Brock's interest in Pokemon Breeding for a time before he became interested in being a doctor.

Hopefully I will write a little more in the next chapter. I do not own the characters. I am simply a fan writing this for fun. Constructive criticism is favorable.