Ash opened his eyes to find himself in a dark place, with no lights, yet oddly enough it felt familiar to him, despite the lack of visibility.

Blinking, his mind, rightfully confused about what had just happened (End of reality and all), he looked around for a moment and figured out why the place felt familiar to him.

It was his room, and the clock by his bedside that he did not have the last time (It had numbers on it, how fancy) said it was about 3:00 in the morning.

Pushing himself out of bed, Ash moved a hand in front of his face; glad to see it was the same as he recalled it; with no fur, claws or wings.

Or a tail for that matter.

So, he was still human, and a quick feel over his chest revealed he was also still male, so nothing really seemed to have changed...

It was when his hand made contact with his face that he felt something to be very, very wrong...

There was hair on it; short and stubby but present in places it had never been in before.

In alarm, he bolted out of bed, flipped the nearest light switch on and stared at himself in the mirror to view something he had never had to deal with before.

Facial hair.

He had a 5 o'clock shadow on a face that looked somewhat older...and in retrospect Ash realized he felt taller than before.

So...it would seem he was older...the question was how older...

All he could really tell was that he was likely in his teens, so looking on the bright side he was not waking up to find himself as old as Professor Oak.

After a few moments of trying to think, he found his mind to be in a state of chaos...it seemed as if any attempt by himself to get a grasp of what was different was virtually impossible. The whole "going back in time with all your memories into an altered timeline with its own memories" was a way to have issues with accessing either memory in great detail.

Though it seemed to be slowly righting itself; Ash found in a few moments that he had regained a momentarily useful memory from this timeline about learning how to shave off the off-putting facial fuzz.

With that minute annoyance dealt with, he was starting to have a clearer head and could actually recall a bit more.

"Okay...I still live in Pallet Town, my mom is still the same, Professor Oak is still here and as far as I can recall isn't any different..."

He spoke to himself out loud due to the difficulty of getting anything straight in his mind at the moment (that and he had heard saying things out loud was good for recall) "...and my father is..."

After trying to ponder that question again, Ash gave up. It was, for whatever reason, still a mess for him to recall from either timeline and he had other things to consider.

Like why the hell he was still at home; if he was the age he was... whatever age it was people started to grow facial hair.

With the light on, he did manage to spy something potentially useful, a video tape with a Pokeball on it and the remains of a mail package that had the name Oak on it.

Ash moved to put the tape in, before recalling the time in the original timeline he had the radio on (low volume) at night; his mom was many things but a heavy sleeper she was not.

This also seemed to be similarly true in this timeline.

Grimacing at the possible premature end of his Pokémon journey, he finally managed to spy a pair of headphones and the jack for them on his television, oddly sitting on a letter.

Ah, technology is so amazing.

Ash picked up the large headphones, big enough to fit even Pikachu's ears, when he saw who the letter was from.

Serena.

"Oh yeah, I remember now," He observed, seeing that the letter accelerated that part of his still distorted memories, "I actually stayed in touch with her..."

Memories came to him about her mother and an accident with a Rhyhorn causing her to leave camp earlier.

Man that made him feel less like a jerk, and oddly at the same time more like a jerk for not doing it in the old timeline...

"Er, maybe I should just plug in the tape before I start feeling bipolar again," Ash said to himself before adding "...and I probably need to stop talking to myself before it becomes a habit."

...A tape plop later

"Greetings Trainer, I am Professor Oak. If you have received this Video Tape, you have passed the Pokémon Trainer Test and are soon to become a Pokémon Trainer."

The screen showed the world renowned Pokémon Professor in his laboratory, which didn't seem to have changed either.

"This test can be taken in many ways, but to receive a starter Pokémon from me you would have had to complete my Pokémon Summer Camp and complete the test at the end of it, after passing it at a 90 percent or higher. You also have to be 15, but seeing as the Camp is only open to 14 year olds and the 151 question test takes far too long to grade, I believe you should all be 15 by now."

Far too long to grade, yeah right. Professor Oak was probably just too busy doing Pokémon research and put it off.

Well at least he found out he was 15. Good to know...

He suddenly flinched in pain as he recalled the 151 question test. He was pretty sure he got question 137 wrong (Porygon could not learn Safeguard).

"Any trainer starting from my Laboratory can begin with either Bulbasaur, Charmander, or Squirtle."

To emphasize this, the professor released the specifically named one from a pair of Pokeballs on the table.

"As trainers, you will grow with your Pokémon, becoming stronger together and learning more about yourself and the world at large. Now, while you can start out with any Pokémon, as do many famous and skilled trainers, only those who pass my Summer Camp can start with the Kanto Starter Pokémon, which are extremely rare in the wild."

"Now, all trainers must arrive at my Pokémon Laboratory at exactly 8:00. Any trainer who fails to show up will not receive a starter."

Ash had never heard the professor sound that serious, and that brought up a really, really worrying question.

If he couldn't be late; that means that he would have to choose one of the starters (and not Pikachu).

What happened if he couldn't go about it with his best buddy? Or would his Pikachu be a Charmander this time around? Then what would happen with his Charmander/Charizard?

"...Now, allow me to remind you about the legal obligations you agreed to upon taking the Pokémon Trainer Test and start from my Laboratory..."

Thankfully, all deep trans-timeline questions in Ash's head were drowned out by hearing the totally boring legalese, which promptly knocked Ash out like a light.

7:55 AM; just downhill from Professor Oak's Laboratory

Ash made it.

Somehow Ash had made it through what remained of the night without breaking the alarm. He ate the breakfast his mother cooked for him (which was just as good as in the old timeline, oddly enough she already had Mimey who spared him clean up duty today) and got to the lab with 5 minutes to spare.

Best of all; he finally recalled that in this timeline, Gary was the only one to pass the test aside for himself, and if he took Squirtle like he did the last time...well the question of Pikachu possibly reincarnating would still have to be figured out.

However, his thoughts were quickly broken free of their temporal depths to the sight of Professor Oak arguing with a rather tall guy (AKA, the same size of guy LT. Surge was) in a black suit like something out of the Men in Black myth.

"...Your cooperation was most...appreciated professor," the man stated in a cold voice as he began to walk away, leaving behind a despondent professor, "I'll be sure to inform him of your cooperation in time for the next meeting on grants."

It was this dejected professor that Ash approached, as the old man looked up to see him, and looked like he had aged another decade.

"Oh Ash...," he said in a depressed tone, "I'm so...so sorry, but..."

"But what, Professor?" Ash wasn't sure what was going on.

Who was the big scary man...did Oak get foreclosed or something?

"The starter Pokémon are gone...I'm sorry."

7:57 AM; the Oak study

"...The man you just saw was the crony of a Government official," Oak began as he sat down with Ash, a cup of tea shared between devastated Professor and just plain shocked Trainer to be.

"He was sent by the father of a pair of twins who attended the Summer Camp the same time as you, but in a different cabin so I don't believe you would know them. While the twins passed the test by regular standards, they did not pass it by the standards required by my laboratory, so they were not selected to receive Starter Pokémon. This is in part, as you may recall, due to the Starter Pokémon International Treaty, which states the rare Pokémon given to trainers as starting partners need to be the highest caliber in part to control the black market trade of them."

"However, their father decided to... enlighten me of upcoming budget cuts."

Oak hunched over in greater depression as Ash listened on, vaguely aware of some of these regulations due to still fuzzy memories (In his defense, two timelines of memories took a long time to settle down.)

"He sits as the head chair of the research grant committee, meaning he has say of where the money goes, and I barely get enough money as it is to run this facility even with my writing income. So, it was either hand over starters for the twins, or have to cut back on the Pokémon's feeding bills just to ensure the bare minimum scientific work required to get government funding in the first place. The only good thing about all this is that, while the father is an outright ass, his children are spoiled sweet and actually love Pokémon, so I believe nothing ill will come of either Charmander or Bulbasaur."

Ash was feeling what the Professor went though; that was a difficult, yet easy decision to make. It ruined him, but saved the lab.

He couldn't fault him. It might possibly have just doomed the world (Again), but it wasn't like Professor Oak was aware of this.

"I understand, Professor," Ash said in a disappointing, but understanding voice "...guess there's always next..."

Oak suddenly looked like inspiration hit him.

"I've just thought of a splendid idea my young friend. I may not be able to give you a traditional starter Pokémon, but I can still offer you a proper selection."

Ash rose a confused eyebrow, though he had an oddly good feeling about where this was going.

8:00; Oak Pokeball storage room 25.

"...See my boy, this laboratory is the home away from the pokeball for all the trainers who started out from here. Part of the reason I give out starter Pokémon to trainers is the agreement for them to keep their additional Pokémon here, allowing me to study the Human-Pokémon dynamic in greater detail," Oak continued to explain to Ash, unaware of the fact Ash had gotten a version of this talk when he came back to Pallet after his eight badge was won.

"While this is beneficial in many ways, it does cause the food bill to be astronomical, though it does have one, somewhat interesting side effect."

The two of them were in a storage room lined with several dozen Pokeballs.

"I have often found myself with Pokémon eggs, which I hatch and keep around the research facility, as I am unable to send them to trainers in far away lands safely. I keep a few around the lab in case a well meaning, non camp student needs a leg up for their Pokémon journey if they have the right stuff. While you will be given a Pokédex as part of passing the starter requirements, you will have to begin with one of these Pokémon."

Ash gulped, hoping to Arceus in whatever timeline his buddy was in one of these Pokeballs,"...So, do I take the first one I pick or..."

"Oh no, you can have a look at as many as you need to until you find the right fit," Oak announced and then smiled as Ash took the first Pokeball on the row and called out:

"Pokémon, I choose you."

The ball released a burst of light that began to form into a shape that Oak recognized, and mentally prepared himself for Ash's imminent pain, as the mouse-like form solidified.

"Er, that one is a little...irritable, you may want to try another one..."

Oak recalled the last few trainers who tried to connect with this one, and got shocked.

However, as the yellow mouse Pikachu formed in front of Ash, and did its initial glare, cheek spark routine, Ash smiled a smile Oak couldn't see as he reached his hand out towards the mouse Pokémon.

Pikachu sparked his cheeks again, trying to scare him off, before Ash's hand touched Pikachu on the head and it suddenly stopped looking ready to fry Ash.

In fact, it ran over to him and let Ash pick it up as Professor Oak stared in shock.

"Well, that was impressive. That Pikachu has a nasty habit of trying to kill anyone who tries to interact with it that doesn't bribe it with ketchup. So, I'm taking it you want to start with an electric type?" The professor inquired, hoping so because he had just ran out of ketchup and didn't have any more room in the budget for it.

Ash nodded, Pikachu squirming out of his arms and retook its old place on his shoulder.

"Well, all I can say is good luck to you my boy, now allow me to set up your Pokédex and pokeballs before you head out."

Far too later on, outside

"Oh, its so cute!"

His mother was all over the Pikachu that rested on his shoulder, though this time around she was the only one here aside for Mimey, as opposed to a semi unruly mob of local citizens.

She didn't have to bring his stuff this time around; he had fully dressed in the same sort of clothes he started his journey with (if made to fit his 15 year old body). She looked the same as ever; a brunette dressed in pink and looking quite young and attractive, even though he was now taller than her due to having aged so much.

"So, you're letting it stay out of the Pokeball? How Johto of you" She nodded as she gave him one last hug, "Well, take care now."

She let him go as Ash waved goodbye and started walking towards Route 1.

"I will."

"Don't push yourself or Pikachu too hard"

"Mime Mime!"

"Don't worry, I won't."

"Be sure to chance your..."

"Got it, Mom!" Ash flinched as he found out she'd still do that to him as a teenager. After this, he was completely out of the sights of his loving, if somewhat overprotective mother, who looked sad to see her only child leaving home.

"It was interesting, my dear."

Delia jumped as the Pokémon Professor spoke behind her, turning around to face him in a minor fluster.

"He somehow knew the perfect Pokémon for him on the first go, and somehow tamed a virtually untamable Pikachu with just a touch. It was quite remarkable."

"Well, you know, we Ketchum's have always been good with connecting to Pokémon," Delia noted as Mimey spoke out in agreement.

"Mime Mime."

"The question is, however, was that just natural talent? We both know that he has a potential he only previously demonstrated as a young child...I partially gave him a scholarship to the Pokémon Summer Camp to see if it would ever come forth again, yet it was only just now that I saw anything like it again. The question is, though, is it just an unconscious thing?"

"My concern is more about who sees it," Delia mused in a dark sadness and worry.

Route 1

After being along the route for long enough, Pikachu jumped off his shoulder and stared at him in confusion and plain deja vu as Ash stopped in front of his old friend.

"Pika, Pika chu?!"

Ash shrugged, "Its complicated. See, do you remember reality sort of, imploding?"

Pikachu shook his head.

"Oh, then what do you remember last then?"

Pikachu proceeded to do an impression of a really angry gangster with a long jacket.

"The Pangoro and Pancham?"

Pikachu nodded.

"Oh, good then, that wasn't too long ago then."

Ash started walking with Pikachu jogging alongside him as the semi-one sided conversation continued "So, shortly after that incident, Cyrus...you remember him right?"

Pikachu mimicked a face of emotionless loathing.

"Oh, you do then, good. Anyway, he figured out how to destroy reality as we knew it, and Arceus managed to pluck me out of the impending destruction to send me back with the mission to stop Cyrus. However, because of some issues reality didn't exactly come out the same way as before".

Pikachu looked up and down him, as if making note of how tall he was now (Brock height at least, Pikachu hadn't seen Brock in long enough to really verify the exacts).

"Yes, me being older is one of them, and a few others now that I think about it; I actually kept in contact with Serena."

(Pikachu gave him a look that he couldn't describe, but he found it mildly unnerving) {AN, a 'Oh yes you do, sort of shipper look].

"Apparently the Pokédex actually has data on Pokémon not native to Kanto in it this time starting around."

At that, he activated a random Pokédex entry to drive it home. "Dunsparce, the Lane Snake Pokémon. Dunsparce are avid diggers who use their drill like tails to burrow under the ground. Why this Pokémon has wings is unknown to science, although there are cults who worship this Pokémon as the son of Arceus due to them."

"And I'm apparently smarter than a vast majority of people my age when it comes to Pokémon."

Pikachu at that one stopped and just stared at him.

"Yeah, its sort of hard to believe, but I apparently had to pass a 151 question test with a 90 or better to have started with Professor Oak and get a Pokédex, and that's about..." Ash began to try and figure out how many questions he had to get correct, (A/N, about 136) "and other than myself, Gary was the only other one to do so, so I guess that makes me smart."

Pikachu sighed and shook his head, in a similar way to an old person going on about how young people were going to doom the world.

However, before Pikachu could mock the notion of an intelligent Ash, or Ash self deprecate about it...

"Chirp!"

Ash and Pikachu were suddenly being swooped upon by a pair of Pidgey, who seemed to be determined to grab at the both of them with their extended and painful looking talons.

"What's that about, we didn't even attack them?!" Ash questioned as Pikachu let loose sparks in its cheeks again as the Pidgey swooped at him again.

"Okay Pikachu, use Electro Ball!"

Pikachu nodded and began to gather electricity into its tail, which fizzled out to both of their shock as both birds tackled them in the chest, knocking them both to the ground as they flew up for another air raid and began coming back down.

"Try Iron Tail to block them!"

Pikachu nodded as he leapt up, sending energy into his tail, which didn't glow at all and thus had him get smacked in the face twice by the Pidgey and knocked to the ground as they flew around for a third attack.

"..." Ash was trying to figure out what was going on, before he had a crazy thought "Pikachu, Thundershock now!"

Pikachu stared at him like he just suggested to a human they crawl like a baby, but relented and let loose the weak electric attack, which actually worked and flew at the Pidgey.

The two birds were hit, and after the shock promptly flew away as the two old friends dropped to their knees in shock.

"...Going back in time may have brought back our memories, but all our moves are gone. We're back to where we started move wise."

Pikachu wailed into the sky about the loss of his hard work and promptly began to cry.

A devastating realization later

A thundershock struck the similarly aggressive Rattata to the earlier Pidgey, which fled as the two old friends staked out a tree.

"Man, my heads still a mess so I can't figure out why the wild Pokémon are more aggressive this time around," Ash complained as he noted the dead and hollow tree in front of them, "but I guess its good for training at least, and I had just thought of something. Pikachu, just because you can't use your old attacks anymore..."

Ash stopped as he saw Pikachu hang his head in shame "...it doesn't mean we can't train to use them again. We learned to use Iron Tail once, and we can do so again"

He pointed at the dead tree

"So lets start practicing!"

They stayed there for a few hours, oddly not encountering any more aggressive Pokémon, to which Ash got a mental answer to as to the cause of it.

The territorial instincts of Pokémon were stronger in this timeline, and thus were prone to attack people who entered their territories if wild or tamed (And dealing with unfamiliar people as guard Pokémon).

Mildly unsettling, but not too bad...at least until they ran into wild Rhydon or Hydreigon, then it would suck a lot.

He also discovered the Pokédex constantly emitted a scanning signal that would take notes on any Pokémon a trainer was to come across. So, even though Ash did not need to have the Pokédex scan the attacking Rattata or Pidgey, it would still say on its own: "this trainer has encountered Rattata and Pidgey along with Pikachu and Mr. Mime."

Why did the Pokédex need to keep track of that anyway, considering that it was more of a encyclopedia than a research tool?

His memories were still a jumbled mess in a lot of ways, so he wasn't sure why the idea of the Pokédex being able to use its encounter radar thing to catalog Pokémon health, strength, age, status of wild or tame, and other scientific curiosities in a non-invasive manner came to him as a possible answer.

By this point, the light was starting to fade, and Pikachu had managed to partially regain use of Iron Tail; leaving a sizable crack in the dead tree, but nowhere near the same level of control Pikachu had after Rustboro.

"That's enough for now Pikachu," Ash told the mouse after it struck the tree again with a Iron Tail after three earlier attacks fizzled out, "we should find shelter for the night"

Pikachu looked around as if only realizing it was getting dark.

"We won't be getting to Viridian as fast as last time, but considering the last time we only got there that fast due to a flock of psychotic Spearow I personally think the Torkoal beats the Bunnelby here..."

"CAW!"

Both Ash and Pikachu froze in horror as the infamous bird call rang out from behind them, as they turned to see a huge flock of the red, black and brown Spearow, numbering in the hundreds, with about ten Fearow (larger, brown birds with red crests) spearheading the mob.

"What did I do this time!?" Ash demanded in horror as both trainer and Pokémon did the only sensible thing and ran like the dickens, the death flock pursuing them in murderous gusto.

Somewhere ahead of the death swarm, about same time

A fishing line dangled in the fast flowing stream; its owner sitting on top of a slippery rock with only the yellow upright duck Pokémon Psyduck to bare witness to her, said duck sitting on another rock with a confused look on its face.

"Psy?" 'You know mistress, do you really expect any thing to fall for a replica of yourself as bait? Seems more like a way to repel them without that spray stuff.'

Said mistress glared at the duck. She was about 15 like the earlier seen protagonist, with orange hair done up in a pony tail with a single green band. She was dressed in a pale yellow blouse and shorts with no undershirt, the clothes were old with visible age to them and a sizeable bust that the blouse covered, but did not hide the depth and size thereof.

Her limbs (and body in general) were gently tanned and well developed, like that of a professional swimmer, and tied to her back was a single sheath for a fishing pole, said pole being in the water.

And its red and white bobber were where the girl's sea blue-green eyes were focused after finishing glaring at the duck, "My special lure is perfectly capable of catching any water Pokémon. It caught you after all."

"Duck." 'No, I believe it was the doughnut that your lure got stuck in that I ate. Can I have another doughnut Misty? I'm hungry.'

Misty promptly ignored the duck as the bobber vanished into the stream.

"Ha ha!" she gloated to the duck as she pulled on the line with all her strength, as a shape was pulled out of the water; a large white and red fish.

"Goldeen Goldeen..." the Goldeen chimed as the duck looked worried.

'Psy y y?" The duck asked which could be translated as: 'Let me guess, I have to use Scratch now?' Or perhaps Water Gun, so I don't have to move and get washed away and probably drown?'

Misty smirked and said, "Oh no, this time around I'm doing it."

She yanked the line towards her as the Goldeen looked ready to use a Horn Attack on her.

"Stop," Misty commanded the water Pokémon, whose eyes promptly seemed to lose focus and the attack ceased as the fish Pokémon dangled in front of her.

"Goldeen." 'What is it you command, mistress?' the still wild Pokémon enchimed as if in someone's thrall.

"Duck."'You know that is incredibly disturbing, correct?'

Misty frowned.

"Yeah, you're not the first person to call it that," she said sadly, "but might as well have seen if I could actually do it."

She reached for the single Pokeball she had on her.

"Now, I'm going to capture you now. You will not break out of this ball, understand?"

"Goldeen deen" which could be translated as: "Yes mistress. I will be yours forever."

Misty threw the ball at the fish, which promptly energized Goldeen and captured it without hassle as she promptly posed, "Yeah, my sixth Water Pokémon is mine!"

"Psy," The duck tilted its head as he pointed out 'yes, and you still have over a hundred more to catch to make your dream a reality. Why are you posing on a slippery rock, by the way? Seems like you want to fall into the...'

Misty promptly slipped into the fast flowing river and was washed a few feet away before she yelled "Waterfall."

Water around her began to burst in the opposite direction of the current, allowing Misty to rapidly swim against the current and regain her rocky foothold, still with all six Pokeballs on her belt, including Psyduck's empty one.

She promptly gave the duck a look, "Why do I even keep you out of your ball anyway?"

The duck tilted its head. "Psy." 'Because you get lonely and I have an amazing personality?'

Misty huffed, though not denying her loneliness, and looked up at the dark sky, "We better find a place to rest for the night..."

"Caw! Caw!"

"AHHH!" Some male voice screamed in the distance while a faint sound of electricity rang out.

As Psyduck angled his head, Misty sighed in disinterest.

"Oh great, another human got himself into trouble with the local inbred Spearow flock again."

Admittedly with those birds, it was more or less someone breathing that would set them off in a rage.

"Psy-duck?" 'I'm getting a headache from all the noise.'

"You always have one..." She sighed "Well, if I let the fool get mauled to death this place will be swarming with humans, might as well save the fool. Come on Psyduck."

"PSY Y Y" 'Can you get me off this rock first, I can't swim!'

Misty sighed as she drew for Psyduck's ball.

The 'Human' in peril

"Pikachu, Thundershock!"

As the pair did the smart thing and ran for their lives, Pikachu glowed yellow and several streams of electricity flew from the fleeing mouse and struck several Spearow.

All struck birds fell to the ground unable to battle or chase after Ash anymore, but the flock was hardly diminished.

"Damn it!" Ash swore without realizing he even knew how to, "what is their problem?!"

Hoping to have any hint of what to do, Ash activated the Pokédex and scanned the bird Pokémon.

"Spearow the Tiny Bird Pokémon. This highly territorial and aggressive Pokémon attacks those who anger it in huge swarms. They are known as the Carvannah of the sky for their ability to strip flesh from bone.

"Fearow, the Beak Pokémon. Fearow are capable of continuous flight for over a week to pursue food and anything that irritates them. Fearow are known for being able to pierce airplane hulls with their beaks and kill approximately 20 humans a year."

"That didn't help at all!" Ash complained as he shook the thing "Do you have any more information!?"

Pokédexes in the old timeline did seem to have multiple entries that would be alternated every so often. One of them had to be helpful here.

"Spearow, the Tiny Bird Pokémon. While some populations of Spearow are purely vegetarian, the loss of plant diversity caused by human agriculture in the last 200 years has increased their tendency to devour meat in its entirety for their diet.

"Fearow, the Beak Pokémon. Fearow were among the first Flying type Pokémon used by the military in the middle ages due to their beaks being able to easily get around chainmail armor and pierce the enemies vital organs.

"Spearow, the Tiny Bird Pokémon. Spearow can only see in black and white, but it has an uncanny ability to find people. They have been used as both mail birds, and by the Yakuza to find and kill people who won't pay their debt.

"Fearow, the Beak Pokémon. Fearow accompanied Unovan Pilot Charles Lingbergh on the first cross ocean flight from Unova to Kalos. They are later believed to have mauled his infant son to death and ate what remained of his flesh when Lingbergh did not feed them for a week."

Ash gave up trying to figure out anything and simply ordered Pikachu to keep spamming Thundershock until they were all knocked out.

However, inbred or not, the flock still had enough intelligence to circle around the two and box them; trapped in the eye of a storm of ferocious birds.

Ash and Pikachu ended up back to back, surrounded by birds on all sizes and degrees of murderous intent.

"So, I guess you shock and I just shield your back?"

Ash really couldn't due anything else at this point as the mouse nodded.

And so the birds swarmed, swarmed in a massive onslaught not even Alfred Hitchcock could have imagined.

From one side, Thundershock rang out, each bolt striking down at least five of the ferocious flying types.

On the other, as a pair of Spearow came for Pikachu's back with Peck, Ash blocked it with his ever trusty backpack, which somehow withstood the pecks without tearing. The repelled birds fell onto their backs on the ground, stunned due to their inbred lack of defense or HP.

Meanwhile on the Pikachu side, a Fearow flew at Pikachu with a spinning beak.

"Look out, its a Drill Peck!"

Pikachu noted Ash's warning, and aimed all of his Thundershock right at the bird.

Well before it could even make contact, the bird's attack was stopped and it fell to the ground.

However, even after the two of them had shocked off or repelled a decent chunk of the flock, there were still too many to take their place...

As both trainer and Pokémon grew tired, a Fearow made a break for the kill blow as it folded up its wings and dived towards them like a missile.

"Is that freaking Drill Run?!" Ash exclaimed in horror as the ground type attack flew closer and closer towards the exhausted Pikachu.

While in the mouse's defense all the Spearow attacks probably helped it regain a lot of its lost experience points, he was still too exhausted to fire another electric blast.

"No!" Ash exclaimed as he, in a blind desperation, got between the downed Pikachu and the incoming Drill Run from the head of the death flock, "I am not going to watch my friend die again!"

From a separate viewing angle to this Ash one

Misty and Psyduck, who had not been in range to hear the time travel based remark, observed the situation with slightly concerned looks.

"Well, he fared better than the guy who started off with the Weedle, but he's still going to be killed."

Misty was admittedly impressed the boy had lasted as long as he did.

Most trainers who got stuck in that situation would have at least lost an ear by now. There was a reason why the Viridian Officer Jenny often rode up and down Route 1; more than once a Flamethrower courtesy of her Growlithe was necessary to spare a trainers life.

Still, she'd have to save him or people would come looking for him, and stumble upon her, and call them, and then she'd be blamed for absolutely no real reason when they blabbered out what she was.

"Psy?" 'So, tell me again what we could actually do here? Its not like you have a Swampert with Stone Edge on hand or anything, and I would be useless...'

"Oh I don't know, pecking causes headaches and headaches bring on psychic attacks, right Psyduck?" Misty sounded like she thought that was a good idea.

"Duck Psy Duck!" 'Please don't, I want to live!'

Misty seemed to have decided not to do such a thing, and instead reached for one of her goldeen Pokeballs, when the boy suddenly glowed in an orange outline.

"Wait...that looks almost like Counter..." Misty trailed off as the drill run struck the boy head on, as a huge burst of energy let forth from the boy and radiated into the flock.

The huge burst of energy knocked out all the bird Pokémon, who promptly fell to the ground as the boy collapsed, a nasty looking wound on his chest. The Pikachu looked just as stunned as Misty was.

"Psy?" 'Wait, its over? How gory is it, I don't like gory things?'

Misty ignored the duck as she walked, absolutely stunned, towards the now flying death swarm free boy, as the Pikachu initially glared at her, then oddly enough stopped as if it recognized her.

Misty had never even encountered a Pikachu before, so she couldn't understand why it would somehow look at her and not see a stranger.

"I've never met another one like me before..." She said to herself seeing as the other person she was talking to was currently out cold. Taking out her old undershirt, she ripped it up and bound the wound as quickly as she could before she made a grab for the boy, "well, better get you to Viridian City quickly to get that wounded looked at..."

As soon as his hand touched her, however, a strange feeling came over her. It lasted for about half a minute, during which her Psyduck caught up to them and stared at the still shocked mouse.

As the feeling left her, Misty shook her head and reexamined both man and mouse.

They both seemed...immensely familiar, yet she couldn't recall who they were, where she knew them from or really any specifics.

All she knew was, she could not let them die.

And so the marathon run to Viridian city began; with a few Pokeballs being released as to allow a pair of star shaped Pokémon (the brown one star Staryu and the purple, two star Starmie); with Starmie using psychic to leviate the boy (and hasten the trip as much as possible), while Starmine used Water Gun at anything that looked like it would delay them.

Misty only wished she knew why she felt she had to save this boy so badly.