Born of Sacred Fire

Summary: In this rather dark alternate universe story tells the tale of - not only what happened to Ash's father - but how far Team Rocket will go to take over the world. A side note, the character Erika is loosely based off of Leaf in the manga and in the games. But she is her own character, created by me. Moving on and stopping my ranting! Time for the story!

Nine years ago...

A little anxious boy running around his house, beyond excited. Today was the day his father would return home. The little boy was about eight years old, had black messy hair, brown eyes, freckles that were in the shape of a z, wearing a orange shirt with a red stripe, red shorts, and barefooted. A woman came and saw her son running around. She had auburn hair, brown eyes, wearing a pink sweater, a yellow undershirt, a blue skirt, and had house shoes on.

Delia yelled, "Ashton Satoshi Ketchum, stop running around and get your shoes on!"

Ash complained, "But why? I like running around barefooted!"

Delia was about to protest when there was a knock on the door. She answered it and standing there were two eight year old kids, one was a boy and the other was a girl. The boy had short auburn hair, green eyes, wearing a purple shirt, blue jeans, and brown boots. The girl had long brown hair, blue eyes, wearing a sky blue shirt, a red skirt, and yellow shoes. They were Gary Oak and Erika Jones.

Delia smiled and said, "Gary, Erika! Good to see you two!"

"Yeah, whatever," Gary said, simply.

"That's rude, Gary," Erika said, hissing at him. Erika asked, "Can Ash come out and play, Mrs. Ketchum?"

Delia was about to ask Ash but he came over when he heard Erika's name mentioned. Erika and Ash were best friends, almost like siblings.

Ash answered, "Sorry, Erika. I can't. My dad is coming home today!"

Erika perked up and asked, "Wait, he is?"

Gary snuffed and stated, "Must've lost at the Pokémon league. Typical Ketchum and you are gonna be just like him, Ash-y boy."

"Stop calling me Ash-y boy," Ash replied, mad.

"Did he win at the Pokémon league," asked Erika.

Delia smiled simply. Ash's eyes widen at this as did Gary's.

"He did," they blurted out.

Delia nodded and responded, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Ash but he wanted to surprise you."

"This is the best day ever, my dad is a Pokémon master," Ash commented, getting psyched.

Erika was also getting psyched as she added, "And we get to try to be Pokémon masters ourselves in two years!"

Gary snuffed again. He stated, "You two won't stand a chance against me because I'm gonna be a master first."

"We'll see about that," Ash replied, determined.

Erika groaned as Delia giggled.

"Are all boys like this Mrs. Ketchum," Erika asked.

Delia answered, "I'm afraid so, sweetie. All boys are like this."

"I am never gonna talk to a boy after I leave," Erika vowed.

Delia laughed more.

Ash asked, "Wait, does that mean that you won't talk to me?"

"You'll be the only exception," Erika answered.

"And me," Gary asked.

"Like I said, Ash will be the only exception," Erika answered.

Gary pouted. Both Delia and Ash busted up laughing at this. Gary stood there and took it, rolling his eyes at most of it. Erika eventually started to laugh, joining Ash and Delia. Sooner or later, Gary also gave in and started to laugh as well. And for those moments, everything was right with the world and nothing could go wrong.

Present Day...

'Funny how time can change so much,' a seventeen year old Ash Ketchum thought, reflecting on the past. He had just lost against Tobias in the Sinnoh League Conference and was at the Pokémon Center, healing his team. Losing again 6-2, Ash was really thinking about everything...starting from the very beginning. Gary had changed so, becoming a Pokémon researcher. Erika hadn't changed, she was chasing her dream with her Bulbasaur - which was now a Venasaur. Recently, Ash had gotten a postcard from her, saying she was in the Johto region. She went to Hoenn after the Indigo League.

Erika had placed Top Eighteen in the Indigo League, much like Ash. But she had done better in Hoenn, making the semi-finals and losing. Currently in Johto, she was battling against Clair to get her eighth badge. She was pacing herself, giving herself some decent time with her family back in Pallet. 'They got to know I'm okay, even if that means slowing down and smelling a bit of home,' Erika wrote. Ash was doing the same for his mom and for Misty, who he missed terribly. Misty Kasumi Waterflower was Ash's best friend and first human friend he met on his journey. He blushed whenever he thought of her.

"Ash Ketchum," said a voice.

Ash looked up and saw a seventeen year old girl standing there. She had long brown hair, green eyes, wearing a silver locket, a purple shirt, white jeans, white and purple shoes, a white pouch around her waist, and a purple backpack on her back.

Ash nodded and answered, "Yeah, you must be Ranee Katina, Tobias last opponent before he faced me."

Ranee nodded and stated, "Yeah, I got Top Eight before Darkrai creamed us. I wanted to see how you and your team were doing after your match."

Ash smiled softly and replied, "Wish I was doing better."

Ranee sat down next to him as they started to talk. Ash learned all about her as they waited for his Pokémon. They laughed, they cried, and they even shared pictures. Ash couldn't believe that he made a friend that fast. Ranee was really friendly and kind. He still couldn't believe that she knew Paul and grew up with him in Veilstone City.

"Wasn't that hard for you the way he is and everything," Ash asked, not meaning to be unkind.

Ranee merely smiled as she answered, "You would be surprised on the difference between then and now. It's funny how time can change so much."

At that moment, Pikachu came running over to him.

"Pika pi," said the electric mouse.

"Pikachu," Ash said, opening his arms.

Pikachu jumped into them as Ranee smiled at the sight. 'Just like Infernape and me,' she thought. Pikachu looked over at Ranee and then at Ash, confused.

"Pika pi, pika pika chu," Pikachu asked, pointing at Ranee.

Ash smiled and answered, "Pikachu, this is a new friend of mine from Veilstone City, Ranee Katina."

"Pleased to meet you," Ranee stated, petting Pikachu.

Pikachu said, "Cha..."

Ash smiled more as Dawn and Brock came over. Ash was glad to see his friends as he introduced them to Ranee. Dawn was glad to meet another coordinator but all were unaware of the danger that would soon befall them all...

Kanto Region

Giovanni was looking at his reports from over the months from Jessie and James, who were currently in the Sinnoh region. Quite frankly, he wasn't interested in those constant failures but the file that he had pulled out about Ash Ketchum was getting him interested. Not only was he the "Chosen One" and related to Sir Aaron but he had seen mostly every legendary...from Ho-oh to Arceus. Giovanni was impressed, he even looked over the records that Ash had made. Top Eighteen in the Pokémon League, won in the Orange Island League, Top Eight in the Johto and Hoenn League, and Top Four in Sinnoh League.

He even won all 7 symbols in the Kanto Battle Frontier but declined to be a Battle Frontier Brain. He had many friends: Misty Waterflower from Cerulean City who was now the Cerulean City Gym Leader and Brock Slate from Pewter City who was now a Pokémon Breeder and currently traveling with Ash, May Maple from Petalburg City who was now traveling around in Johto region to become Top Coordinator, Max Maple from Petalburg City who was studying Pokémon to become a Pokémon trainer, and Dawn Hikari from Twinleaf Town who was currently traveling with Ash to become a Top Coordinator.

The leader of Team Rocket also saw that he had many rivals as well. Richie Hiroshi from the Kanto region, Gary Oak from Pallet Town who was now studying Pokémon as a researcher, Erika Jones from Pallet Town who was travelling in the Johto region, Harrison Hazuki from Littleroot Town, Morrison Masamune from Verdanturf Town, Nando Naoshi from the Sinnoh region, Paul Shinji from Veilstone City, Ranee Katina from Veilstone City, Barry Jun from Twinleaf Town, Tobias Takuto from the Sinnoh region, and Tyson Tetsuya from Mauville City. Giovanni had to admit that the record was impressive enough.

He even checked on the records of the others and was impressed even more on how impressive each trainer was. Each of them were strong in a different way. The leader of Team Rocket saw why Jessie and James wanted to take the boys' Pikachu. Anyways, Giovanni went downstairs to the lab, where Dr. Zeger was working.

"How is Project Shadow coming," he asked, calmly.

"Just fine, those efforts made by the G-Men and the ex-Pokémon Master didn't slow it down nine years ago," Zeger answered.

Giovanni smiled evilly and stated, "Good, in less than two weeks, we will have the most powerful army in the world. No one can stop us. Not even the G-Men or this Ash Ketchum."

Zeger perked up at the last name and asked, "Ketchum as in David Ketchum?"

Giovanni answered, coldly, "Apparently, he had a son before his untimely demise. Such a shame too that he can't even see what his Raichu is about to do for us and our plans."

Zeger looked back at the very large test tube and in it was an old Raichu who was unconscious. It looked very hurt and it was oblivious that a lot of tests were done on it...

Zeger smirked evilly and stated, "You know the old saying, Giovanni. The dead don't walk..."

AK1028: Okay guys, that about wraps up the start of this new story. Might be slow moving and not good enough for a T rating but it soon will, just give it time. I also want to say this is story doesn't interact with my Pokémon stories at all, in fact, it is following the anime. Obliviously, it is leaving out Unova for good reason, I really don't need the Black and White series in this story. So please read and review! And always think outside of the box!