Ever since Ash was a little kid he knew he wanted to be a pokemon master. There wasn't even a question in his mind that he would one day be part of the Elite four or some other super amazing group of expert trainers and get revered around the world. When he started his journey, even with his rocky start, he thought that this was going to be his chance at greatness. He had done a lot in the last four years, traveled across the world and beat many gyms and saved the day from the cheesy team rocket. He had made a lot of friends too, and all of them held dreams of their own. The only difference is they had achieved a lot of success, while Ash was crashing at his mom's place and wondering what he should do next.

He had started having strange thoughts since he got back. Doubt about his plans and a deflated feeling whenever he tried to look for a new region to go to. He had almost decided on going to Unova when he thought

whats the point? it will just be another journey and another set of gyms, and in the end I wont have anything but a few measley badges and another failed championship on my shoulders.

He had never had this kind of negative thinking until he had come back from the Sinnoh region. Maybe it was the fact that he had parted ways with yet another group of friends, or maybe it was that he still had nothing to really show for all his efforts, but when he thought about starting another journey as a trainer it just made him depressed. His mom had grown worried over him and Pikachu tried everything he could to cheer him up. Nohting seemed to be working though. The harder he tried to psych himself up for another journey the worse it got.

He was dealing with this internal struggle once again while he lay in bed. He had been having a hard time sleeping as the thoughts got darker and darker. He didn't like feeling like this, and he wanted to find some way to make it better. He couldn't function with this cloud over his head. It made him feel like he wasn't even him anymore. Thats when he had a bit of an apiphany

Maybe...I'm not supposed to do that anymore...Maybe...what I should be doing is right in front of me, and I'm just to focused on this dream to see it

To Ash's surprise he felt a bit better thinking that. Was he looking at this all wrong? Perhaps there was something else out there, something that he just was not seeing in his stupor. the refreshing feeling of this positive energy was almost intoxicating. He had to follow this train of thought to its conclusion to keep this almost euphoric feeling going, and that alone took away any form of sleepiness he had.

The young trainer jolted out of bed and onto the floor so fast he forgot that Pikachu was sleeping on his chest. The small pokemon rolled off onto the bed and groggily moaned at its abrupt awakening. pikachu lifted its head and looked at its trainers face with a tired and irritated expression "Pika pika..." Ash figured from the tone and bloodshot glare and disgruntled tone that pikachu was saying the equivalent of "what the hell man..."

"Sorry buddy, go back to sleep" Ash tiptoed barefoot over to his computer and sat down in front of it. Everyone he knew was doing things with there lives now and had gained a margarine of fame because of it. Misty had become a renown Gym leader with a huge fan base and a reputation for being one of the toughest badges to get in Kanto. He had not realized how big her fame had gotten until he spent some time back in pallet town. It was hard to believe she used to follow him around because the groggy thing lulling over the bedpost had scorched her bike. She was just one of the stories he could think of about people he had traveled with that had done something with their lives.

Ash had to shield his eyes from the monitor as it came on. He was not ready for such a bright light after being in a dark room so long. The clicks and beeps of the computer along with the hum of its cooling unit was enough to make Pikachu's sensitive ears twitch and rise up from drooling on the blanket. It looked like it had partied hard and had a hangover, but more than that it was getting livid at its trainer.

Grumbling under its breath the mouse waddled over to Ash's alarm clock and pointed its paw at the digital numbers.

"PIIkaaa, chu pika chu.." each sylable was slurred and had a tinge of a whine to it

"Yes, I know its three a.m, but I need to do this"

Pikachu crossed his little arms and let a little spark of warning light its face from its red pouches on its cheek

"I cant sleep Pikachu..."
His pokemons expression and demeanor softened as he let his paws drop down and gave up on its argument to go back to sleep. Instead it stretched and rubbed its eyes and lazily waltzed over and scurried into Ash's lap to sit down.

with a few clicks Ash got open a word document, a blank sheet of white that stared at him with a flashing cursor. He was not sure what he was going to write, but he knew he had to get his thoughts on this computer and figure out what he really wanted to do with himself.
"Pikachu...I know we said we were going to Unova, but I don't think its the best idea"

Pikachu looked up in bleary confusion. Ash was not sure what the other option was, but the more he had thought about it the more he hated the idea of starting another journey as a trainer. He didn't see his luck changing at all if he went to another region, and as long as he kept doing the same thing he was going to get the same results. Ash for the first time wanted to think like his friends thought, and find the path that really suits him. Brock was a gym leader, but he left that to become a breeder, and now he was studying to become a doctor. Even gary had stopped being a trainer to become a reasercher. He needed to make sure he was always looking for the right path, just like they did.

"Listen...I want to be the vary best at what I do...but when I look back at my journey...I dont think it was the gym battles or the pokemon leagues that really were my favorite times. Everyone I know has gone on to do such great things...I need to know I'm not just following some kids dream and actually doing something with my life"

Pikachu was looking more and more astounded by his trainers statement. He was serious, and determined, the same look he had when he had first started training or when he was dealing with Team rocket. Even more amazing was Ash was thinking before he leaped, trying to make a plan of action for the future instead of just rushing forward and making it up as he went along. The boy cracked his knuckles and twitched his fingers over the keyboard "Ok! Lets start!"

with a ferver Ash began to write down everything he loved to do and was good at. He knew he was not exactly the brainy type, but when it came to pokemon he was pretty good at training. He had some marginal sucess with competitive battling, however his team really shined when they were saving the day and fighting the bad guys. He liked to help people. When other people ran away he would rush in and throw his pokemon into the fight, even putting himself in harms way to make sure that the other people and their pokemon were safe. He liked to just volenteer too, whenever people needed an extra hand or if a pokemon was hurt he would be the first to offer his assistance.

"Hmm...you think I should be a cop?"

Pikachu shook its head no, giving Ash a credulous expression that made the boy smile. Ash did like the officer jenny's, but he would be crazy to start working under them. They were strict and kind of crazy about their jobs. Not to mention they probably would not let a pikachu on the force. No he couldn't give up being around pokemon. Hanging around a bunch of Grolithe just sounded a bit dull. He also liked to train them and bring out their unique abilities, but more than that he liked being friends with them.

Thats what set him apart from trainers like Paul. That purple haired guy was a serious person when it came to competitive battling. He was vary hard on his pokemon. He wanted them to be the strongest and feircest around, and if they werent he would simply disgard them like it was a defective inanimate object. He had started to change though and Paul had even begun to admit that Ash's positive style was good too, but he did not know whether or not Paul would ever make a real change in how he treated them.

Then there was Team Rocket. They loved to steal pokemon for their organization, but over the years they had really become like family for Ash. It was weird how he found their little speeches endearing. In fact he had kind of imagined being in a team of his own. He probably would of ran with Jesse and James if they weren't trying to steal his pikachu all the time or do crimes.

The more he thought about it though, the more he liked the idea of being in a Team. Team members were more than just traveling companions, they stuck by each other through thick and thin and took on any challenge no matter how big or daunting. They were kind of inspiring in a way, no matter how many times they blasted off they always stuck together and went on with their goals, no matter what those goals were. Ash wanted to be a part of something like that. Now that he was really looking at what he was typing he knew that wearing a uniform and helping to save people with his pokemon in a team would be a thrilling experience for him. The question was what kind of group was out there that was like that?

He felt a jolt of inspiration right then. He remembered a girl he had met a few times during his journeys. She had teal hair and a red and black uniform, not to mention a cool device to get wild pokemon to help her without actually capturing them...a styler. She was part of a group that did everything he wanted, and to top it off they kept a pokemon as a partner with them the whole time, just like Pikachu and he traveled together. He knew right then sitting at the computer that he wanted to do what she did. With his heart thumping he typed out the name of the career that would change his life

Pokemon Ranger

This was it. This was the thing that was filling Ash with all the energy he had when he first started being a trainer. Every fiber of his being was screaming in assent to this idea, and he had to agree with that feeling. He knew he could be a great pokemon ranger, maybe even better than he ever was as a trainer. His personality, his style of training, his need to help people, it all fit in with what the rangers were all about.

"Thats it..."

He had to contact them as soon as possible. Ash in his excitement scooped up pikachu from his lap and hugged the thing to death. Pikachu was happy he was feeling better, but he did protest to the boy squishing him.

"How about it Pikachu...lets say we ditch this whole Unova plan and try our hand at getting with the Rangers...I should start writing an email or something"

Pikachu pointed at the screen and nodded, he was feeling a little excited at the idea himself. Nervously he clicked her highlighted email adress and started feverishly typing out an email to her requesting to join the Pokemon rangers, hoping she still remembered who he was. He had a feeling this was going to be a turning point in his life, and that starting then, early in the morning, his life was never going to be the same again.

************Six Months earlier*************

In this world there are many kinds of silence. You can see it in an old married couple who just enjoy eachothers company while sitting quietly on a bench, or that steely pair in the resturaunt who refuse to even look at eachother much less speak. It also exists between those budding first loves, when they stare into eachothers eyes and ache to get over their own doubts and just tell their feelings to one another. As the saying goes however, love and war are not all that different. The stand off between two rival forces can have that same intensity without making a sound. They know at any moment all hell is going to break loose, and that just like love, once you make that move nothing is going to be the same again. It was this silence that permeated the forest tonight. Nothing dared move, nothing dared make a sound, not even the wind, for they knew that if they did that they would be caught up in the two forces of nature that were about to clash.

The moon was gazing impassively over head just as it always had. Stars filled the clear night sky, aiding in the satellites efforts to bring pale silver light onto the treetops and the lake. Or at least there was a lake there, but the water had been pushed away by a dispersal of power and now their was only a hole in the middle of the forest. At the bottom of this gaping damp crevice knelt the being whom that energy had emanated from. It had not been there a moment ago, but when it arrived the flash was awe inspiring, sending waves of green energy and water that shocked and silenced the forest. Normally they would of been happy at his arrival, but tonight they could feel the crased insanity and rage boiling inside of the legend, and they were afraid.

Though it was older than even the trees that resided in this forest, Celebi resembled a tiny sprout with a body, its head curved up and had a little tuft of green like it was about to grow a tree or flower from it. Its once innocent features were contracted in hardened anger, and its eyes once big and blue were mere slits with luminous white while it stared into the mud it knelt in. The legend was shaking and holding its head, shaking it a little as it tried to focus and not think about the horrors it had just witnessed. He needed to stay sane long enough to end this madness, to stop the evil from happening again.

Celebi did not experience time the way other pokemon did. To him the world did not flow in a linier stream, but was an ocean of currents that flowed and intersected with one another. He could travel freely through these streams and currents, but all of them ended in the same place. A horrifying Massacre of a war between pokemon and Humans. Though they ended slightly different in each one, the thing behind all of the carnage was always the same. It was the one pokemon he thought he could trust, but now he was here to kill him and avenge the people that had died in the future.
"MEW! I WONT LET YOU DO THIS, NOT AGAIN!"

To a human that would of only sounded like the pokemon screaming its name in a loud and hoarse voice to the moon, but all pokemon intuitively understood the others dialects. Celebi knelt there in the mud and mire of the empty lake and stared above him, waiting for his response. The pokemon around the area began to frantically get out of the woods and scatter. The silence had been broken, and war was about to start.

"Hello Celebi, how are you tonight?"

The voice echoed calmly in the legends head, preceding the small pink pokemon that materialized before him and bounced onto a pink bubble. Its tail was long and seemed to have a mind of its own, while its body resembled a baby cat in a way, yet its eyes were glowing blue and ominous. Celebi gritted his teeth and opened his eyes wide in rage. To him he was looking at a genocidal monster, a thing that had wiped out everything in a world it had yet to make a move on. to Celebi, Mew had already commited these crimes and needed to pay for them with his life.

With a sudden and visceral scream, Celebi lifted his arms and channeled his powers into the earth beneath his feet. The ground around them rumbled and shook as spiky vines punctured the muddy floor and slithered through the air by the thousands, erupting from where the lake was and spiraling over the both. Razor sharp thorns and thick coils of vines lurched forward all at the same time, encircling the Pink pokemon and its bubble. With a powerful gesture downward and a battle cry, the vines contracted and clamped into a ball around Mew, grinding into the seemingly harmless creature with chainsaw like motions. He was going to crush and shred him to pieces, try everything in his power to kill this fiend that threatened the future.

He was hoping to see blood seeping from the rapidly growing orb of thorny vines, but he could feel the razor sharp spines grinding against mews force field and not making a dent. His eyes glowed and he intensified the attack, feeding the sphere with strands of deadly fast vines like a massive ball of yarn. It was picking up wind and rending the ground under the stress of the rapid growth and the force of how fast the coiling orb was rotating and trying to crush and shred Mew, yet as hard as he tried and how big this structure was getting he could still feel Mew lounging in the center of this attack without an ounce of his defences giving in.

"that was cute..." came a cheerful voice inside Celebi's mind.

Celebi's blood went cold as Mew's pink hued energy forced back his own green and forced the vines to come to a halt. Celebi tried to fight his power and keep the coiled mass around him, but the tensile strength of the plants and Celebi's power gave out from Mew's casual push back. All at once the freshly grown vines were shredded and torn apart mid air. Mew was left floating in the air as the shreds of the attack fell down to the earth like snow, not a single ounce of stress or injury in his pink visage.

Celebi could not just give up. Mew was powerful, but Celebi had control of nature itself in ways other plant type pokemon only dreamed of. He had to use every bit of power he had to take down this monster, even if it cost him his life. reaching deep inside him Celebi's body erupted in his green aura, permeating his whole being and preparing himself fo the fight of his life. Mew did not respond in kind, he simply lounged on his bubble and watched the display of power with mild amusement. Celebi looked to the ground and slowly held out his arms before glaring up at Mew. A green pulse issued from him throughout the area, seeping into the ground and up the roots of the surrounding trees right into the leaves and seeds, lighting up the world around with an eerie glow that muted the sky.

Celebi shot into the air like a bullet, and he was followed by branches of the trees as well as vines that wove together. Lit by steaming emerald clouds, the flora of the area amassed in the air around the tiny legend and twisted the gnarled wood and thorny vines into a skeletal structure and muscles. Rocks and and dirt rushed to fill the cracks of the massive body that was materializing from the ground beneath Mew and Celebi, forming into a hulking Golom whose shoulders brushed the clouds themselves. Two beady green eyes flared out from the gnarled face, and residing within this behemoth's chest was the desperate Celebi, who was connected into this form body and soul, ready to fight to the death in his massive armor he had rashly constructed. His power flooded through this creature like blood through a humans veins, and he was not going to stop until one of them was dead.

The sudden introduction of this mountainous being to the world had caused the weather to violently switch from being a calm night to raging storm clouds blanketing the sky above and rumbling with thunder and lightning. In the middle of the chaotic weather change and the towering figure, Mew seemed to be a tiny speck of dust floating in the air. Lightning flashed around them and illuminated the living skyscraper, making its glowing green eyes and spikes jutting out of every angle seem vary ominous "my my, we must be overcompensating for something tonight..." Mew remarked with his real voice and his mind. He calmly rose up from his bubble and floated up thousands of feet while examining the figure Celebi had constructed. Inside of the Mobile fortress Celebi seethed with rage and roared out his response from the constructed mouth of the behemoth "SHUT UP!"
A loud boom issued from the Collosus's shoulder, and mew raised its paw just in time to stop a bolder sized seed from slamming into his cute little body. It floated in the air a millimeter from his tiny body. He smirked, it was some kind of bullet seed attack, but far to large to have such a pedestrian name.
"what was that? Cannon seed or something?"
"SHUT UP!"
A Hail of cannon fire issued from the Mountain sized torso of the Golom, Mew casually danced in his spot and avoided the volley and listened to the crash each made into the ground and trees that did not join in this huge figures creation. Green lights began to issue from its arms and mane of vines, spiraling razor leaves flocked through the air and arched down at the Psychic pokemon while the Seeds continued to come. Mew let the razor sharp plants tail him through the sky and attempt to corner him like Heat seeking missiles, and each one that missed him ended up carving up the next thing it hit. Rain began to pour hard as the assault continued, but Celebi could see that he was just hitting the ground and forest and not even coming close to putting any damage on Mew.

"JUST DIE!" Roared the booming voice of the Golom, echoing what its master had yelled out in his protective fortress residing in its torso. Mew was just toying with him, weaving in and out of his attacks no matter how accurately he aimed them, it was so frustrating to Celebi his eyes were starting to tear up. In his desperation Celebi through back his arm, signaling the collosal Golom to do the same and brought the massive fist crashing down over where Mew was floating. Its spikes grew larger and resembled a cactus in a way, glowing with reinforced energy as every ounce of his strength was focused on flattening the tiny psychic.
Some kind of colossal Needle arm

The stormy weather cycloned around the fist as it punched downward through the clouds, kicking up a tornado around the limb as it grew closer to its target. Mew was the only stationary thing as the attack decended on his tiny body like a meteor, cutting out all sound from the roar of powerful wind and chaotic energy.

Mews eyes glowed just before the attack hit and a pink shield enveloped him. The Wind, Energy and fist of the Monsterous figure crashed to a halt against something the equivilant to a marble to its massive size. It didn't even push Mew down from where it floated, nor did Mew even blink when the attack had rammed into his shield. Celebi tried to force the attack, but the gnarled fingers of the Golom crunched against the superior strength of the orb shielding Mew. The psychic pokemon looked at the torso where Celebi hid with a trace of disappointment on his face before raising his paw up.
"I think we are done now..." Mew projected into celebis mind, causing the desperate legends body to shake in terror at how out of his league he really was.
A tiny ball of dark energy formed between Mews bulbous fingers before growing to the size of his fist. It looked like a simple dark ball, one that any pokemon with that ability could generate. However with a flick of Mews wrist the ball of energy fired into the Monsters hand and cut through the inside of the arm all the way up to the gnarled shoulder. Mew clenched his fist, causing an explosion upon reaching the shoulder that blew the entire massive arm off of the body in a fiery blaze. Flames roared and swallowed the limb as it collapsed into the ground, and Celebi screamed out in agony while he gripped the stub of the monstrous body with its good arm.
Celebi was directly connected to the Golom, and such a violent injury had sent shadow pains directly into his mind and nearly knocked him unconscious. The force of the explosion had also made him loose his balance. The legs of the mobile fortress staggered to find good footing, shaking the earth with each uncertain step. Celebi's heart started beating wildly when he felt tendrils of Mews power feeling the outer layers of his protective casing. He focused his efforts on keeping the barrier in place, increasing his energy reserves on that case while he tried to muster up another round of attacks. He was growing tired though, and pain was still echoing in his brain and preventing him from thinking clearly.
Mew shook his head and smirked sadly at Celebi's quickly draining reserves. With a raise of his other hand he swipped his arm through the air, causing a wave of razor sharp wind to slice right through the weakened leg of the Colossus, rending it in half by the gnarled kneecap. The resulting jolt of pain completely disoriented Celebi and drained him of most of his energy. his last tired efforts were fighting the creeping psychic force that pressed against his weakening aura. The legend gripped his own chest as Mew began to rip open his fortress one branch at a time, each crack and break of the coiled limbs jarred at Celebi's reserves to the point he could not hold out anymore.
With his arms outstretched, Mew ripped the massive structure in half and discarded the huge corpse on either side of him.
Celebi was only vaguely aware of his body falling to the ground and his constructed war machine crashing around his ears. before he crashed headfirst into the torn forest earth a pink bubble appeared and broke his fall. As quick as it came the bubble vanished and let celebi flop to the ground. Mew floated down to the exhausted legend while it tried to get to its hands and knees, anguished tears filling its eyes as it stared up at the thing he wanted so desperately to kill "I...Wont let you...not again..."

Mew lifted Celebi's head up by the chin and brought their faces together. Celebi shook his head and shut his eyes tight, using his last remaining shreds of strength to block his mind from Mew.
"You struggle every time Celebi, and every time it always ends like this..."

Mews eyes glowed and forced Celebi's eyelids opened with his mind, causing them to have eye contact. At that moment everything Celebi ever thought or saw was clear to Mew. That was why he was there. To collect information from this legend on the future that he had witnessed in all its little twists and turns...

"I see...so all I have to do is keep him from going to Unova...interesting..."

Celebi curled up in a ball and started sobbing and shaking his head. All his resolve was broken with his power spent and mind invaded, the fresh images of death and mayham now filling his every thought "Don't...I don't want to see everyone dead again..."

Mew patted his head lightly like a parent consoling a child "Its ok, that's why your so important, You tell me where my plans went wrong...but now I see how everyone can live happily ever after..."

"Liar!" Celebi pulled away, tears hitting the ground as he screamed at Mew "I know what you are...I was there...I know the future...your a monster..."

"You know one collection of futures celebi... Just like you knew countless others...however you don't remember those...just like you wont remember these"

Celebi squealed as he felt psychic power invade his mind and tried to cover his eyes in vein to prevent any more from getting in. He witnessed every memory he had accumulated in the past Millennium slip away, and the personality that had developed with it. Before it was all over, Celebi had been reverted to a simple and innocent infant.

With new eyes and a cleared mind, Celebi only saw Mew as something cute and cuddly. He floated over to him with what weakened energy he had left and hugged him tightly. Mew returned the embrace, knowing that for now Celebi was a harmless little child mentally speaking.
"Yes you are such a good boy..."

Celebi nuzzled into Mew and cooed contently into his shoulder before falling asleep. Mew then planted a series of instructions inside of the legends wiped mind, setting the ground work for him to gather information on the next set of futures without even knowing that is what he is doing, and even where to meet Mew if the futures went wrong like all the times before. By the time Celebi would realize he was getting manipulated from the start, his mind would be freshly wiped all over again.

With the knowledge he now had of the futures that could of been, he knew what work needed to be done. He needed to set the stage for his center piece. For his master plan to work, the first step was to make sure Ash Ketchum did not go to Unova, but to guide him into going to Fiore instead. For now though, he was going to focus on letting Celebi rest, he could set the ground work for the plan tomorrow.