Chasing After A Legend

The Missing Power

"Human talking"

'Human thinking'

"Talking in a Flashback/Memory"

"Pokémon talking"

---

Ash ran through the airport, forcing himself through the crowds of fans that begged for interviews, pictures, and dates. Everyone and everything had been tuned out as he desperately looked around each area that he sprinted past. All that mattered was that he found his prize. No way in hell was he going to let it slip past his fingers again.

Finally, he reached the bottom floor of a three-story vicinity. Completely contrary to the wild fervor of the large crowds that he had just escaped from, there was virtually no one else besides himself. Ash paled and his eyes darted across the room. This couldn't be happening – now that he finally realized his feelings, now that he was ready to move forward, could it already be too late...?

"Ash?"

His heart skipped a beat and he slowly turned to the source of the sweet, concerned voice that called out his name. There, at the top of the escalator to the second floor, was a young and beautiful woman about his age. Her bright eyes flashed with worry and love, stirring Ash to sprint up against the escalator and extend his hand out toward her.

"I... I love..."

"PRRRRIM-APE!" The girl of his dreams cried as she leaped to the top of Ash's head.

Wait, what?

---

Pallet Town, Kanto

Ketchum Residence

"PRIM-PRIM-APE!" Ash's Primeape, having successfully climbed through his trainer's open window, leaped on top of the young man's bed. Ash snored and occasionally muttered a few things about "love," sprawled on the mattress wearing a pajama shirt, boxers, and his trademark cap still on his head – said cap being the prize that Primeape was looking for. Shrieking, the pig monkey Pokémon jumped on his face and snatched the red-and-blue hat, rudely awakening the young man in the process.

"Ow..." Ash groaned. "The he- get OFF me!" He squeezed whatever was abusing his poor head and chucked it across the room, though Primeape landed on his two feet and continued to hop and holler. "Primeape, what are you... Oh c'mon! Why's it always my freakin' hat?!"

"Ape! Ape! Pri-i-i-i-i!" Primeape chattered gleefully. He placed Ash's hat on his own head before taking off, jumping back through the window he entered and down to the front yard of the Ketchum residence.

"Pi..." Pikachu groggily squeaked from the side of the bed, rubbing a tired eye with one of his paws. Looking up, he saw Ash seething with fury and directing a clenched fist at whatever was below the window. Pikachu cocked his head in confusion before his ears picked up hollering and hooting outside. The electric mouse sighed now that he knew who the culprit was.

"Dang it!" Ash spat. "He's daring me to go after him! That lil' punk..." He had half the mind to jump out the window to give chase, only to remember that he was still in his pajamas. No, he wasn't going through his first morning of being a trainer again. Ash hastily grabbed his clothes that he left lying on his desk chair, Pikachu watching with some amusement as he scrambled to get them on. "Alright! Let's teach Mr. P1 Champion a lesson, Pikachu!"

"PikaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Pikachu screamed when Ash grabbed him by the tail and ran downstairs to chase the Fighting-type Pokémon.