Lol, a sequel? yes im just as shocked as you are. honestly Mysterious Stranger was never meant to have a seqel. but after a few days finishing it. i had a dream. in fact my dream was when Ashlyn and her father are talking to one another. so when i woke up i had this sudden eargernes to write a sequel. i mean i RARELY write sequels because i'm afraid they won't live up to the original, but sometimes writing sequels can't be helped. the last one i wrote i think was back in mid 2009, yes that was a very long time ago.

I really hope this fanfic comes out great and i truely do hope you will love the sequel as much you love the orignal.

And i will explain a few more things at the end of the chapter, i don't want to spoil anything from the story. =)

~midnight

Shippings in this chapter: None. =(

Rating: PG (K+)

A Stranger's Mystery

"...its what is keepings us alive."

Chapter One

Here we go again.

"Now the highest mark in the class…"

That feeling of tension and fear building up inside of you.

"…just by a few points…"

Sometimes I just wished they would hurry up and call the name out.

"…is Ashlyn Ketchum!"

I quickly woke up from my sleeping state and stood up quickly, acting like I never had fallen asleep during her lecture on Pokémon types. I pushed my chair back and made my way to the front of the class. My teacher handed over my test with my mark of ninety one on it, written in a red pen marker. I smiled to the fact that I was the top of my class again. It felt great to be the best at what I loved, Pokémon. I was known to be the only daughter of Ash Ketchum, my father and a well respected Elite four member in Sinnoh. He was the fourth member of the group and was the last member of the group before Cynthia, who still remained the champion till this day.

The whole class applauded me once more and I smiled at them and right after I walked back to my seat. Gazing at the mark I hard worked so hard on to get. I really didn't like trainer school. Most of the time they would talk about the different Pokémon each region had, what all seventeen types are and which Pokémon are rare. I had already known what they were since. every year, before school started, my father and my mother would bring me to a new region and we would travel and see new Pokémon. They would also talk about the stories of their travels when they were my age. To be completely honest, their stories were much enjoyable to listen than lectures by my teacher.

I would always laugh at the story on how my father fell in love with my mother, in fact before he lost his memories at the age of ten, he already had a crush on her but my mother said he was too silly to admit to it. Also by thirteen my father became a coordinator like my mother and they travelled through the Johto region together with daddy Drew and his friends. And how they broke up and when my father was eighteen, he found out he had a daughter, which was me.

I remember meeting with my father clearly. Most children at that age of four hardly remember anything, but during that time. Everything about me changed. I remember that night I was holding my Torchic in my arms and I ran into a man, when I saw his face he looked a lot like me and when he held me in his arms on that stormy night, I could feel like I knew him for a long time, like a long lost part of me was filled. Then my mother soon told me that I had another father and few days later I asked my real father if it was wrong to have two daddies. I remember his laugh and that goofy smile my mother loved and my father told me that there was nothing wrong in having to fathers. In fact he said I was lucky to have even one. Only when I was seven did I found out that my father grew up with no dad. Now I know why he was so worried about me every time I would go out and train. He was afraid he could lose me, or my brother, Maykel.

Then when I turned five I remember all of their friends coming over. Mommy Dawny came along with this grumpy man by the name of Paul. She looked more relaxed then I lasted remember her to be. Grandpa was on crutches with Uncle Max helping him around. Aunty Mimi and Uncle Alex were having a two on two battle. I remember Aunty Mimi complaining afterwards that Uncle Alex had cheated. I just laughed at her and offered her Torchic to battle Alex again. He giggled and told me maybe next time. Lyra, Aunty Misty and Uncle pervert Gary, well that is what my father would call him was talking about gym battles and I remember hearing that Uncle Gary was now a gym leader. Also people like Kenny and this boy named Jimmy came along. Grandma was in the kitchen, busying making food and drinks for everyone. It was such a great birthday. I couldn't ask for a better birthday.

"Ashlyn!" my teacher called out angrily. Her call had woken me up and returned to my boring classroom. "Please pay more attention in class." She placed her hands on her waist.

"Yes Maim." I replied formally. I wasn't in the mood to get in trouble. Not right after getting the highest mark in the class.

"Now class." She began. Her boring dull voice started to drift me back to sleep. She pushed her glasses to the bridge of her nose. "What are the names of the Elite Four in Sinnoh and what types to they handle the best?" I suddenly felt the whole class turn their heads and attention to me. I sighed and stood up.

"Aaron is the first one and he handles bugs types with elegant force of power. Next is Bertha who loves the ground type element and uses it's to her advantage whenever she can. Next is Flint who has a fire type personality and used fire types with such force power and lastly is Ash, he master in all types and has no favorites. He changes his Pokémon every time an opponent challenges him, giving him the element of surprise in his battle. Making his opponents confused on what Pokémon he might have."

"Correct explanation Miss Ashlyn." The class applauded to my answer as I sat back down onto my seat. I soon saw my teacher's lips beginning to move but was interrupted when the bell rang. Giving excitement to all the students and rushing to get out of the room, except me. I walked up to her and yawned.

"Why do you have to make Tuesdays a theory day Aunty Mimi?" I sighed afterwards. She looked down at me.

"I have to make my students learn about Pokémon theory. Battling isn't everything."

My teacher was Mrs. Amelia Ketchum, or in class, Miss K. even I was her niece she treated me like we weren't related and I was not allowed to call her Aunty Mimi during class. She wore a long teal summer dress with a bright red ribbon wrapped around her waist. She wore red high heels with a white straw hat with a red and white poke ball design at the front. Her brown hair was longer as it reached down to her waist as she continued to write down what she had to do.

"But I already know this stuff already!" I complained as I raised my arms in the air. "Teach me something I don't know or yet tell me more stories about mother and father!"

"You sleep in my class and yet you get the highest marks in the class. You did truly get you sleeping habits from your father but your high marks; you must have got that from your mother's side." She raised the white board marker away from the board and put the lid on the tip. She placed it down and looked at me. "Now if you hurry you might be able to catch your father. I heard his coming home today."

"You sure his coming home today? He said that last week!" I complained. "I stayed up to two in the morning on a school day but he never came."

"I remember that. I could hear you snoring in my class while I was talking about the Unova region." She laughed. "That was such an interesting class." My face flushed red in embarrassment.

"Aunty Mimi!" She continued to laugh at me. "You're so mean!" I crossed my arms together and pouted. "I'm going to get Maykel, at least his nicer than you!" I stomped my way out of her class. I could hear her saying something about ten year olds getting grumpier every year.

I had calmed down and was now walking at a normal pace, looking at each window that passed me and quickly looking left and right in the room, looking for Maykel, my five year old brother. I looked at every door and read what class that room consisted of. I continued to make me way down the halls of the school. The halls of the school where wooden and painted in a light caramel colour as the doors was painted in a chocolate brown. The floors felt like they were made out of some sort of rubber or plastic since every time I pushed the soul of my boot against it quickly, it would make a squeaky sound. In front of the door were pin boards, containing information about the class and what event they would he holding. I finally reached one of the doors that held Maykel in.

I knocked on the door and waited. I tapped my feet on the ground and couldn't wait any longer and just slide the door open. I heard Maykel's teacher and him muttering in a far corner of the room. I had a fair idea that he must have got in trouble again. Maybe by sleeping in class or not paying attention. We are truly brothers and sisters. But my average day of going into the room and seeing Maykel getting lecture about his mistakes wasn't happening. He was in the corner of the room with his hands clutched together and in front of his chest, his whole body shivering in fear. His teacher, Mrs. Angie Russo was trying to introduce his first Pokémon. It was a Squirtle. Uncle Gary told me that when my father was ten he wanted to start off with a Squirtle but he had already taken it and so my father ended up with a Pikachu.

"Maykel, he won't hurt you." Angie spoke in a soft and clam manner. "He just wants to be friends with you." Maykel shook his head. He had water in his eyes and was going to cry any minute. Mrs. Angie must have heard my footsteps enter into the room as she turned towards my direction. "Ashlyn, it's so nice to see you here." She smiled. "Would you mind convincing your brother that this Squirtle won't hurt him?" She asked. "I've been trying to do everything. Even Luxray did but nothing worked. I'm afraid that it made everything worse."

My younger, Maykel didn't really like wild Pokémon or Pokémon he had never seen before. Even at home, he would only stare at mine but he would never get close to them. My mother told me that she really didn't like Pokémon at first but it was the help of my father that changed her mind on them. I asked my father that but he couldn't really remember it very well. I walked up to him and kneeled down.

"Maykel, they won't hurt you." I patted his soft short brunette hair. "Do you love your older sister?" he opened his eyes and wiped the tears from his cheeks.

He had brown eyes, just like my fathers. His hair was short, straight, and brown hair and wore a blue jumper with a sky blue hood. He had his favorite black cargo pants that were hard to get them washed since Maykel would always hide them from us. He picked up his red cap and wore it back to front. I told him that wasn't the way to wear a hat but he never listened to me. He said that father wore his cap like that when he was younger and he wanted to be just like him.

"Yes." He nodded and sniffed afterwards. "But I don't like them. Their mean." He sniffed once more.

"No they won't. If you take this Squirtle as your friend he won't hurt you." I released one of my Pokémon from their poke ball. It was my second oldest Pokémon, Pichu. He danced around a little before noticing my crying younger brother. His ears went down and walked on its four feet. Sitting next to Maykel and softly patted his thigh.

"Pi pi chu." He replied in a concerned manner. Saying that everything will be alright. Maykel stared at my Pichu patting his leg with a worried concern on its face. He stretched out his arm and touched Pichu's fur with his fingertip softly. Afterwards he patted its back with his whole hand slowly. When he found out that Pichu was no harm to him, he smiled and embraced Pichu in his arms.

"You're a life saver Ashlyn." She took a sigh of relief. "Just like your father." She handled Squirtle to Maykel. He gave Pichu to me and embraced Squirtle instead. Pichu was in my arms and listening to my conversation.

"You knew my father?" I asked. "How?"

"Back at trainer school in Sinnoh. He only stayed for a brief while though. I always hated trainer school but that year, he made it so worthwhile. When he left he inspired me to enjoy trainer school and sooner or later, I become a trainer school teacher."

"My father helped you to like school?" I poked my tongue in disgust. "The lectures are so boring. I can't stand it."

"Your aunty loves to annoy her students. But you should be glad it's now the school holidays. No trainer school for three months right?" I nodded. She chuckled. "I know how you feel." We both turned around to my brother. He was patting Squirtle's bald head.

"You have no fur. Why is that?" He asked his new water type friend.

"Squirt squirt tel!" he explained with his arms in the air. My brother titled his head on confusion.

"I don't understand. Why do you talk so funny?" I tapped him on the shoulder.

"If you share a close bond with him, you will be able to understand him." I grabbed Squirtle's poke ball from the carpet. "But daddy is coming home today. If we hurry he could be home by now."

"Daddy is coming home?" he asked in a cheerful tone as he quickly stood onto his two feet. I nodded. He danced around with a smile across his face with his new friend in his arms. "Yay, daddy is coming home!" his teacher laughed at his cuteness.

"It's so nice to see him this happy. When I started to give my students Pokémon he just freaked out." Angie asked for Squirtle's poke ball. I gave it back and he placed it in Maykel's palm. "Now use this to return Squirtle into its ball."

"But he won't fit in there." I slightly laughed at my brother's silly response. "It's better in here." He turned around to show us his lime green backpack.

"Maykel." He soon turned to face me. "Look at this." I grabbed Pichu's Pokémon from my green fanny pack and pressed the only button on the machine. It poke ball enlarged and I pressed it once more and my electric type returned to its ball for some rest. "See, they will always fit."

"But his gone! Where did he go?" I showed him Pichu's poke ball and pointed at it. "In here silly." I smiled. Maykel laughed afterwards.

"Oh yeah, daddy used them with his Pokémon too." She smiled at me, one of those goofy smiles that my mother said he had gotten from our father. He looked at Squirtle and pressed the button twice. Squirtle was engulfed by a bright red light and soon the machine sucked up all the red light into the ball. Maykel blinked a few times at the ball. "I hope his okay."

"He will be fine." I patted his head and stood onto my own two feet. "Now let's head home. Daddy is waiting for us." I grabbed Maykel's hand and we both waved back at his teacher. We walked past my class room and said our goodbyes to Aunty and saying we would see her home soon.

We walked ourselves until we reached out of the building. We both turned around and gazed at the building. It had a huge red roof with brown bricks as the walls. On those walls it had blue framed windows with at least three of them on each wall. On the door had a gold poke ball design label with the words "Pokemon Trainer School" underneath it. On top of the roof stood the school bell that would always ring before school, recess and lunch and after school. I looked back at my brother. I held out another of my poke balls that contained another of my trusty pokemon.

"Ready to head home?" Maykel nodded. "Okay time to shine Venasaur!" I threw my poke ball into the air and soon released one of my father's offspring's. The red light emerged from the small red and white machine and collided with the ground and forming my grass and poison type starter, Venasaur. She roared her name out as she I released her from her ball. She turned around to face me and saw I was with my younger brother, holding me hand tightly. I had a fair idea that he still disliked Pokémon, well big giant ones which I had. I looked down on him. "She won't hurt you. She might be bigger than your Squirtle but she is just as friendly." I grinned. He smiled back at me and nodded, saying that he trusted me.

We walked up to her and I pushed Maykel onto her back and soon I followed. We soon walked down the streets of Pallet with me and Maykel riding on my Venasaur. Some people walking by was surprised seeing a Venasaur walking down the streets like that as elders smiled and waved at me as we went past. My hometown was filled with such wonderful people and none of the people living in this small town really hated each other.

We soon reached my home and I returned my Pokémon back into her ball and put the ball back into my green fanny pack. We walked up the doorstep and looked at our home, hoping that our father would come out of the doors, bursting with another of his travelling stories. Out home was small, but big enough for a family of four to live in. the roof was tinted red and the walls still had the pale sky blue colour painted on them. The windows were clean and you could clearly see the living room by looking through them. The flowers were lively and bright and shined their wonderful colours throughout out home. I soon heard the sounds of a shovel, digging up more dirt from the garden. We both knew who it was.

"Mimey!" we both cheered as we ran up to him. We hugged him tight as he did the same to us.

Mimey, or others know him as the Pokémon Mr. Mime. He wasn't much of a battler but more of a house keeper who loved to keep the house nice and clean. You could never keep him away from the garden or a broom.

"Is Dad here yet?" I asked. Mimey shook his head in response, telling me that my father had not returned yet. "I knew it." I turned, crossed my arms and pouted. "Dad lied to us again."

"I don't think so." I turned around and a smile grew onto my face.

My father had finally came back home.

"Hey there little buddy." My father carried Maykel in his arms as I went to greet Raichu. "Long time no see eh?" he smiled as he patted Maykel's straight short brown hair. "Miss me?"

"Oh course daddy!" He smiled. "You ask silly questions sometimes daddy." My father laughed.

"Yes, silly me." He placed Maykel to the ground as Maykel went to shake hands with Raichu, which surprised my father. "Maykel likes Pokémon now?" He asked me.

"Well a little. He likes small and cute Pokémon but he doesn't like big Pokémon like my Venasaur." I went to hug my father. "I missed you." I looked up to him. "What took you so long to come back home?"

"A challenger wanted to verse me all of a sudden." He kneeled down to my height. "Sorry about that." He placed his hands on my shoulder. "It won't happen again."

My father was now twenty three years old and most of his friends were that age as well, expect Uncle Max who was around twenty one. When my father returned home everyone in the town would get super excited and visit us at home a lot. Children around my age come to see him and battle him but father always wins against them. Dad has been part of the Elite four in Sinnoh for five years now and everyone who lived in Sinnoh knew his name. Every time I would look at my ten year old version father in his photos, the way he dressed looked different to what he wore right now. A long black leather coat that reached up to his knees and all of the buttons weren't buttoned up. He had a simple white T-shirt underneath with sky blue cargo pants. He also didn't wear his red cap like he use to and his black raven hair was still the same I saw in the photos.

"Good." I placed my hands on my waist proudly. "Me and Maykel and hungry, cook us some food." I commanded cheekily. Maykel soon copied my actions. My father soon sighed.

"So demanding children I have." He stood up onto his two feet and smiled. "But you're my children, you must have gotten it from me and you're…" my father's smiling face soon turned gloomy as he turned around and face to door and sighed. "Anyway." He brought back the cheerful tone in his voice. "What do you want? Ramen?"

"Yes please!" My brother cheered as my father unlocked the door and Maykel went rushing into the house. I stared at my father and watched him about to enter into the house until he looked over his shoulder and looked back at me.

"What's wrong Ashlyn?" my father asked. He normally called me LynLyn, he only called me by my real name when he worried or angry at me.

"Do you think not talking about mother is holding us back? I mean do you think it's what blocking us from living the way we want?" I asked. My father replied with silence. He soon moved his lips with his response.

"No Ashlyn, it's what is keeping us alive." He replied.

"Maybe keeping you alive father." I replied back.

"Ashlyn, not now." He sighed as he turned his back to me. "Not now please." He repeated as he entered into the house. I knew he was using the excuse of him begin tried from the travel to really escape my question.

I looked up into the sky and noticed it was getting dark. The clouds started to come in together and the winds started to pick up. The cold winter night started to haunt my home town of Pallet. A flashback of mine came back into me; it was when I was watching the news saying that it could snow this year. I had only seen snow once with my parents up at Mount Silver. I had no idea if I really wanted to see snow falling from the skies because I'm afraid it will only remind me of my mother, a woman that my heart aches for.

End of chapter one

Last minute authors notes

Let me help you pronouce the names firstly before i continued on something else. Ashlyn = Ashlin, Maykel = Micheal. now you must be wondering, where is May? well haha, you have to read to find out. lol. im so mean. now this fanfic will include a recent new pokemon shipping, Negiashipping (AshxIris) and of course, Advanceshipping (AshxMay) i like Iris and i think Ash and Iris have a very cute chemistry together so yeah, im going to try to write some Negiashipping in this fic.

Anyway thats enough info. if you want to find out more just wait for the next chapters. hopefully they will be up maybe in a few days to two weeks. it all depends on my mood. lol.

~midnight