ATTENTION PEOPLES! This is the sequel to my story "Stars Fell on Pallet Town". I really do recommend that you read that first, cause I guarantee that this story will make a whole lot more sense if you do! And then for all you lovely people who did read it, all I can say is: enjoy . . .

Fractured Stars

by Spruceton Spook

Part 1

Homesick

Large, billowy clouds of dust arose in the bright orange light of the early evening as Ash threw his backpack coarsely to the ground. He collapsed beside it not a moment later, the pang of the heavy annoyance lifted from him instantly. A smile of utter relief spread across his face, and he closed his eyes happily as the sweet pleasure of resting became his only regard.

He could hear and feel the ponderous shuffling of feet beside him, and opened his eyes weakly to be staring up into the amused face of his friend. Brock shook his head and sneered affably at him.

"You think you're tired?" he asked with a hint of shock in his voice. He arched himself to let his huge backpack slide off his back. Ash shielded himself with a grin as it hit the ground with a thud, sending up the same clouds of dust that Ash's bag did, only larger and much thicker.

Brock pointed at the bag. "Try carrying that thing all day long. I swear, I'll have scoliosis before I know it."

Ash just waved him away casually and pulled his cap down over his eyes. He didn't feel like arguing his case…no matter how much smaller his bag was than Brock's, he still went to sleep most every night with backaches. Walking those long distances added to it, as well, he figured. But that didn't matter right now. The best part of the day had arrived, and he basked in the glory of it.

It was dinnertime.

Misty, who had lagged a few feet behind them for most of the day, finally arrived at the scene. She scrunched her face agitatedly as she met up with the floating dust, intentionally coughing to sound her displeasure.

"What are people doing?" she asked, waving her hand around at the rising puffs. "Recreating the Dust Bowl? What is this?!"

"Oh, quiet, would you?" Ash mumbled from beneath his drawn cap.

Misty responded by giving him a swift but light kick to the leg. Ash just giggled mischievously and rolled around, burying his tired, sweaty face into his backpack. He felt Misty walk past him and drop her bag softly underneath a tree. Turning his head around to face the spot, he found Misty glaring harmlessly at him. He flashed her a big toothy grin and she just rolled her eyes.

"I have no patience for you tonight, Ash Ketchum," she said, wiping the sweat off her forehead. She placed Togepi, who had surprisingly been quiet most of the day, underneath the same tree beside her sack. "I'm hot, I'm tired, and I'm hungry."

"Oh, yes, and I'm not," Ash replied with a chuckle. He rolled over again onto his back and lifted his legs up above him to stretch. He moaned pleasingly as the stretching eased his tight muscles, then let them fall carefully back to the ground.

"What's for dinner, Brock?" Misty asked silently, her exhaustion making its way through her voice. She dragged herself over to where Brock was crouched, attempting to start a small fire with the few twigs he'd collected. She rested on his back, her head falling over his broad shoulders. Brock staggered forward a little under her weight, but managed to keep himself up.

"Beans," he simply replied without turning around, as he struck about the tenth match.

"Ooh, yay," Ash smiled sarcastically, reaching over to pet the back of sleepy Pikachu, who had found a quaint resting spot on Ash's stomach.

Brock just sighed, threw the lit match into the pile of twigs before him, and quickly lit another. "Well, sorry. That's the only thing we have left. That, and a half a bag of pretzels."

Ash yawned and let out a small chortle. "Such fine meals we have out here."

"Ughhh! I need some real food!" Misty groaned, her head still pressed drowsily into Brock's neck. She could feel him shift under her a few times, but she couldn't seem to pry herself off. Her weak body showed no ambition of supporting neither her head nor legs anymore.

"Don't worry," Brock said soothingly, not minding the fact that Misty could fall asleep any moment atop him. "We'll have a fresh supply of food tomorrow when we reach Goldrenrod City. I promise."

Misty groaned yet again, and slid off Brock's back haggardly. Ash watched as she dragged herself over to him. She plopped down beside him noisily and looked apathetically, yet softly, into his face. Ash could tell how tired she was just by observing her. Her eyelids were drooping heavily, and she hunched over, letting her arms fall languidly into her lap.

Ash didn't say a word, and allowed his eyelids to slip gently over his tired eyes. He took a deep, sound breath and sighed. The quietness of the forest soaked into him, easing his mind and worn body. It had been a long day, and although they hadn't traveled much, the sight of never-ending trees was beginning to make him dizzy. They hadn't been near a town, or an open area for that matter, in a while. Not since they'd left Pallet Town five days ago.

Pallet Town. Ash grinned pleasantly to himself as he thought of home, the place he had left with a feeling of insurmountable accomplishment and joy. The last visit had not just been any visit. It had been one of the most hectic weeks in his whole life, but the way it all turned out, he realized, was worth every bit of it. Ever since the morning he discovered his mother asleep in his father's arms on that couch, his life had suddenly become complete.

It was a whole new beginning for him, and for them, as well. Only the night before, his parents had been on the verge of divorce, but Ash knew there was something hidden beneath it. He had come to recognize with more understanding what he had actually done for them. And yet, it continued to confuse him, also. He wondered so many times in that short week since then if helping them, or in his case, tricking them back into finding their love had all really happened, that it wasn't a fantastic dream that he'd imagined to help him cope. But what he'd left behind when he set off on his journey proved that it hadn't been a dream…his dad was home now, and he and his mom were very much in love again. The love Ash knew was there, only needing the little bit of encouragement he gave it to reveal itself.

Despite how wonderful and unbelievable everything had turned out, he gave himself the shivers often, too. Countless times he wondered what would have happened if he hadn't done what he did. The dinner, the song…what if he had just let his parents' decision to divorce slide over him? What if he had given into it the moment he heard it? But Ash tended not to think that way…it only upset him unnecessarily, and it was for nothing, also. All he had to be now was happy.

He didn't have much time to relax as he suddenly felt the soft nudging from Misty beside him. He opened his eyes and found her staring softly into his face, a small nonchalant grin edging its way into the corner of her mouth.

"Ash?" she asked quietly. Ash couldn't tell if she was trying to be sensitive or if she was just plain tired. "Are you okay?"

Ash gave her a baffled look, and reached up to scratch his head beneath his cap. "Yeah. Why?"

Misty shrugged and looked down at the ground. "I dunno," she answered. "You've been quiet for the past couple days."

Ash rolled over onto his side and thrust his hand underneath his bag as if it were a pillow. Pikachu was upset from his dozing, and hopped off to the side of him to continue his resting beside him. Ash didn't respond for a moment, settling into the soft ground. Misty didn't press him much, as she was tired and unenthusiastic herself.

"I have been?" he finally said, still giving her the puzzled look.

Misty nodded but then quickly shrugged. "Oh…I don't know. It just seemed that way to me. It's strange, that's all."

"Why's that?" Ash asked.

Mist let out a small chuckle and sniffed. She reached up to rub her nose as the still floating dust found its way into her nostrils. "Well, I mean, look at you! Tomorrow you're going to battle for a badge, and you haven't said a word about it."

Ash shrugged with his eyes, looking up at the evening sky. The sun was beginning to make its descent behind the rolling green mountains, splashing the sky with a mixture of gorgeous oranges and reds.

"Usually when you know you're going to be battling for a badge the next day, we can hardly shut you up," Misty continued. "What's the deal lately?"

"No deal," Ash said. "I guess I'm just so accustomed to it."

Misty slumped over a little more, not seeming to be satisfied with the answer. "Aren't you excited at all?"

Ash glanced up into her concerned face, and suddenly became confused himself. "Of course I'm excited," he replied, sounding a bit offended. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, for one thing," Brock said, drawing Misty and Ash's attentions immediately, not knowing he'd indeed been listening. He spoke as he was stirring a large pot full of beans over the fire. "You haven't had any of your Pokémon out in two days. You're usually training them like crazy when it comes this close."

Ash sat up and looked strangely at Brock. It was true that he hadn't had any of his Pokémon training for the past couple of days, but for some reason Ash had not had any ambition to do so. Pikachu looked fit and hyper, which was also why Ash had been slacking off.

"Don't tell me you have that much faith in them," Brock said skeptically. He scooped some of the beans up into the spoon and let them drip sloppily back into the pot.

"It's not that," said Ash. "I'm just…I dunno. I don't have ambition lately."

"That's for sure," Misty agreed quickly. "You've been a real duh."

Ash smiled weakly. He didn't know exactly how to explain to Brock and Misty how he felt lately. He was no doubt anticipating the battle tomorrow, and in no way was he less optimistic than he usually was. He found it odd, though, that it didn't send that shiver of excitement through him that it normally did. To him this time, it was just another battle. He'd done it fifteen times, and this would just be the simple sixteenth. Maybe he had too much confidence. Ash certainly didn't want that. He learned from experience that being overconfident didn't lead too far.

But there was more.

Misty and Brock's minds floated off as Ash continued his silence. He felt empty inside now, he was discovering. But he couldn't tell them that. They'd kill him. If he really told them his suspected reason for his lack of energy, it would spark some unwanted ill feeling, and he didn't want that, either. Not like it was a big deal or anything. He'd experienced this feeling many times, but for some reason now, it was quite forceful.

Ash looked down at his hands and casually began to pick the dirt out from underneath his fingernails. He bit down on his lip as he concentrated more and more of the emptiness welling up within him. At that moment, he suddenly wanted to be alone. The craving simply seeped into him in an instant, and he responded surprising quickly.

"Guys," he said, slowly lifting himself to his feet. "I'm going to go wash up in the lake down there."

Brock looked at him jadedly. "Ash, dinner's going to be ready in, like, two seconds."

Ash shrugged. "I can't eat with these filthy hands. They're covered in God knows what."

Brock rolled his eyes and shooed him away with his hand. "Fine, go. Hurry, unless you want burnt beans."

"I will, don't worry," Ash mumbled gently, shuffling his way drearily down to the lake. More dust sprang up from beneath his feet. He heard a piercing "Damn you, Ash!" from Misty behind him, but he didn't turn or even acknowledge her outburst. He only found himself walking faster and faster. Suddenly, the walk to the lake became a jog as he yearned to be in its serenity.

Ash reached the lake and halted at its shore. He took a deep breath and looked up at the stretch of jagged mountains in the distance, their peaks outlined brightly by the lowering sun. Stopping his breathing for a moment, he became enveloped in complete silence. The soft lapping of the water against the sandy shore drew his eyes, and he languidly made his way to it.

Ash squatted down beside the lake on a large rock, which was submerged halfway into the gentle, green water, and pulled each one of his gloves off finger by finger. A small shiver ran through him as he cupped the chilly water in his hands and brought it splashing to his face. It was a little shocking at first, but it felt good all the same. Ash felt the stickiness of the sweat vanish as the water ran down his face. He threw his hands back into the water and repeated it, this time bringing the water up through his hair.

Holding his hands in front of his face, he noticed how the water had made the dirt looser and collected in petty streams. He cringed at the sight of the dirt, and gently swirled his hands around in the lake. He watched the ripples he was creating, each coming off in perfect, geometric circles, feeling his eyes become droopy as if the water was slightly hypnotizing him.

Ash's legs were starting to ache from his squatting position, and he lazily plopped down, bringing them underneath him. The swirling water had calmed, and Ash found himself looking at his reflection. It saddened him almost immediately, and he gazed deeply into his own brown eyes. He couldn't control it as he watched them pool with tears, which he made no attempt to stop. He sniffed once heavily, and dropped his hand back into the water.

He didn't want to be here. As beautiful as the surroundings were, as close as he was coming to winning another badge, as much as he felt that he needed to be out training again before he slacked off too much, he didn't want to be here. Not now. He wanted to fight it—fight it as if it were just a passing phase that he'd soon be over with one quick, vigorous victory. That's all he needed…just one thing to get him back on track. To get his mind away from Pallet Town, from home. Ash experienced this often, the urge to drop what he doing and run home to his mom, to the comfort of not being on his own. But as soon as he got excited about winning a badge or catching a new Pokémon, home was pushed temporarily to the back of his mind.

"That's all I need," he told himself silently, as he watched a small Pidgey streak across the sky. He reached up to wipe the tears from his eyes, tears he suddenly found were ridiculous. "I need to win this badge tomorrow. I have to. I'm not gonna let this bother me."

As soon as he said this, a wave of some new feeling shot through his body rapidly. It was enough to make Ash freeze and gulp cautiously. It was a feeling that didn't make Ash second-guess, because it made its purpose quite obvious. It was the feeling of indifference. And in that moment, Ash realized that what Misty had said before had hit it right on target. He wasn't excited about this battle tomorrow. He wasn't scared. He had absolutely no emotion about it at all, and in any other situation Ash would have wondered why.

He didn't need to this time. An image of his mother and father waving good-bye to him as he left home five days ago flashed before his eyes, clouded over not much later with more tears. He didn't want to be here. He wanted to be home.

---

"Where is he?" Misty asked impatiently, pacing the ground.

Brock looked up from his half empty bowl of beans and shrugged. A slight look of worry was coming to his face, but he remained calm otherwise. It had really only been ten minutes since Ash left, and he decided to worry if five more minutes happened to pass.

"He's probably goofing off down there," he said passively. He looked down again and stirred his beans around with his fork. "He'll be back. Finish your dinner."

Misty waved it away. "I'm not hungry anymore. I want to get washed and go to bed. But I can't do that if the nimrod doesn't come back!"

She started to clap her hands agitatedly as she continued to pace, humming nothing in particular. She was trying to control her anger and impatience as best she could, but she was not doing a good job of it. Brock glanced up and sighed, slapping one of his knees.

"Just go down there and tell him to come back!" he told her. "That lake doesn't belong to him."

Misty wrinkled her nose at him, looking a bit shocked. "I'm not gonna go down there! I have no clue what he's doing."

Brock didn't reply. He just shrugged and shoveled more tasteless beans into his mouth. He couldn't wait to get to town to get some halfway decent grub. Misty took a deep breath and looked off in the direction of the lake. The land sloped leading down to it, so it was hard to see the shore. The one thing her eyes did set on though was the small Pikachu that sat of the edge of the slope, his ears twitching nervously.

"Awww, Pikachu," Misty mumbled silently. She waltzed over to the preoccupied Pokémon and bent down beside him.

"Did the slob leave you here by yourself?" she asked, stroking his back.

Pikachu nodded, replying with a dragged out "Pika…"

Misty smiled slightly. "Pikachu, will do a favor for me?"

Pikachu looked up at her and wiggled his nose.

"Will you go down there and fetch Ash?" she asked, giving him a gentle, yet evil, grin. "Tell him he's being incredibly selfish and he's been down there long enough. And that if he doesn't come back, he'll pay dearly. Will you do that?"

Pikachu looked off in the distance, his ears straight up. Misty could tell he was trying to listen for Ash. He must have not known where he was, she figured, but in the next second, Pikachu hopped up and scampered down the hill, sending up puffs of dust behind his tiny feet. Misty got up feebly and waved.

Pikachu bounced down the hill, his scurrying little feet moving almost by themselves without his control. He didn't catch sight of his trainer for a while, but when he reached the shore, all he needed to do was look a ways down, and he spotted Ash. Ash's head was down, and he was sitting Indian-style beside the lake.

Pikachu smiled broadly and flicked his ears happily. "Pika pi!" Pikachu shouted, bounding towards Ash.

Ash looked up abruptly, startled by the sound of Pikachu's gleeful shout. He found Pikachu trotted to him, bringing a weak smile to his tear-strained face.

Pikachu's reaction to Ash's appearance was not at all unexpected. Ash watched how Pikachu halted, his face falling as his eyes caught Ash's shiny face. With the fact that Ash's eyes were just as wet, Pikachu didn't need to think twice that it wasn't just the lake water.

"Hi Pikachu," Ash said weakly, as the Pokémon climbed up slowly beside his friend. He looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry I've been here so long. Brock and Misty are pretty upset, huh?"

Pikachu didn't respond to this. He just stared up into Ash's face in complete concern and shock. Ash noticed this and let out a small chuckle, which itself was absorbed in a sob.

"Pikachu," the mouse squeaked, reaching up to stroke Ash's arm affectionately.

Ash glanced down into the big, shiny eyes of Pikachu, eyes that were filled with fear and burden. He forced another smile and reached up to wipe his face with the back of his hand.

"It's okay, buddy," he said, using his other hand to pat Pikachu's head. "I'm okay. I'm just…"

He trailed off and sniffled, shaking his head. Pikachu kept staring up at him religiously. The sight of Ash crying was never easy on him, and the fact that Ash seemed fine all week was making it all the more disturbing.

"I think I wanna go home, Pikachu," Ash gasped as another sob came up his throat. Pikachu gave him an odd look. They hadn't even been out a week, and this was pure shock to him. For a minute, he thought that it was just a passing, unimportant comment, but when more tears strolled down Ash's face, Pikachu knew it wasn't.

"Pi?"

Ash coughed and wiped his nose. "I miss my mom and dad, Pikachu. Too much this time."

"Pika pika, pikachu?" Pikachu asked, making Ash chuckle softly.

"Yeah, I know, I know, I've said this a lot," Ash replied. "I know. But…it's different this time."

He exhaled loudly, burying his head in his hands. He wiped at his eyes more and more, feeling his crying was over and wanting to get rid all signs that he had been. There was silence from Pikachu, who wasn't sure what to say. It was true that Ash had acted this way sometimes, but moments later Ash would start laughing and shaking his head at himself. Then he'd be okay again, Pokéballs ready for the next rare appearance or gym battle.

But Ash wasn't laughing. He wasn't even bringing his head out of his hands. As Pikachu watched him, a sudden chill ran up his tiny spine. Ash, hunched over and looking undeniably miserable, was not right. All Pikachu could do was brush against him, and bury his head sadly into his trainer's shirt.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .

I know what you must be saying. Whoah-oh! Stars Fell on Pallet Town is back! Am I correct? I thought so! LOL Yes, my dear readers, I was so powerfully moved by all your wonderful and appreciated reviews that I decided it would be too ridiculous not to have sequel! So I am back with more of the drama, cuteness, suspense, and romance . . . all that can only be provided by a good Pallet Town story! Enjoy, and stay tuned for part 2!