A Different Start

Chapter-35

A deep snarl woke Ash up just as a heavy body jumped on top of his own from where he was sleeping on his sleeping bag. Sitting up quickly the small teen looked around to see what got Persians', the body that had gotten on top of him, attention. He pressed his hand against her side as he slowly peered around them. His other pokémon huddled closer to Ash and Persian ready to attack whatever it was that was around them.

As much as he looked around Ash couldn't spot anything, and the only sounds were of Persians' growling and leaves rustling in the wind. Pikachus' ears were twitching as he tried to listen out for what set off his pack mate while he got into position beside his trainer. Vulpix and Doublade covered Ashs' back while Zoroark and Gardevoir stood a few paces away from the group ready to attack.

"I don't sense anyone, Father," Gardevoir said telepathically to Ash as a pure ball of psychic energy hovered over her hand.

Ash nodded and ordered for everyone to stand down, but stay alert as he got up and gathered everything back into his bag. It was close enough to the time that he was going to get up anyway so he made the decision to get up and get moving instead of falling back to sleep. He would stop earlier the next night to make up for leaving early which he didn't mind since they were just past Pewter anyway. They would end up getting to the base of Mt. Moon the next afternoon or so.

Riolu, who had been sticking close to Ash, perked up and let out a small bark as the two small appendages on either side of his head hovered for a moment before falling back down. Before Ash could ask what Riolu was sensing the small pup ran, very quickly thanks to the training Pikachu was giving him, towards the tree line. Ashs' breath caught in his throat before shrugging on his bag and tugging his boots back on.

"Riolu!" Ash yelled before taking off after the half-albino pup. Ash paid no attention to Doublades' ribbons as she wrapped them around his middle or the sounds of his other pokémon following after him. "Riolu!" Ash called out again, his heart was pounding hard from the run and from the fact he couldn't see Riolu anywhere.

"Gardevoir! Can you sense him?" Ash asked as he turned and saw the others catching up, he would try to sense the pup himself, but he hadn't trained his Aura as much as he should have. Gardevoir let out a small hum as she closed her eyes and brought her hands up chest high. A soft pinky purple glow appeared for a moment before fading away.

"There!" Gardevoir said as she pointed forward and a bit to the left. Ash nodded and took off in that direction, after recalling everyone but Doublade, Pikachu, and Gardevoir. He didn't need anyone else lost. As Ash ran he wondered how such a small pup could get this far so fast without him, or the others, seeing him even once.

Ash heard Riolu barking before actually seeing the pup. "Riolu!" Ash yelled as he cleared the tree line only to be met with a small opening to a cave at the base of a cliff. Standing in front of the opening was his Riolu and beside him was another, slightly larger, Riolu, but this Riolu seemed off to Ash. As he neared the two he spotted why the Riolu seemed off. It was much like Aura Guardian Marie Redfern, see through and beckoning.

His own Riolu ran up to him and jumped into his arms before pointing a paw back towards the cave entrance where the see through Riolu was and let out a small bark. Ash took a deep breath before recalling Gardevoir and Doublade since he doubted that he would need them. Pikachu hunkered down on his trainers shoulders as they neared the transparent Riolu.

An echoing ghostly bark greeted them before the Riolu turned and walked inside with Ash following it just a moment later. Ash let out a gasp and shuddered as he walked through the threshold of the cave opening. There was something there that made it feel like he was walking through a weird, cold, dewy spider web.