Pokemon: Before The Beginning

Ϟ - Chapter VI - Ϟ

"Goh! Chloe! Ash!"

The trio turned around to see Serena rushing towards them, followed by Professor Oak and Professor Sycamore. "Kids! What in the world happened-?" Professor Oak looked around in shock, and the Professors noticed the retreating form of the Parent Pokemon.

Goh and Chloe explained what happened after Serena left, and they listened in shock and awe. "Is that a Shiny Pichu?" Professor Oak asked, looking down at Spark. He leaned down to touch it, but the Pichu sparked its cheeks threateningly. Swirl was hiding behind him, unsure of the large humans.

"He doesn't like strangers." Ash said. The Professor nodded in understanding, though he was a bit disappointed. "Where did you learn to battle like that?" Professor Sycamore asked, turning to Ash. From Goh and Chloe's description, this child seemed to know what he was doing. "Someone strong taught me." Ash replied. "Ah, I see." he nodded. "Where did you find a Shiny Pichu?" Professor Oak asked. "I found him in a forest. Shouldn't we be heading back? It's getting dark." Ash said, trying to change the subject. The Professors looked at each other, before nodding.

"Yes, you're right. Let's go." The group went back to camp, where the children were assembled in their groups, milling around and talking amongst themselves.

"May I have your attention please?" Professor Oak asked, speaking into a microphone. Ash and his group had gone to join the other groups, after the Professor had taken their camera. "We will now be announcing the winners! The group with the most pictures taken of different pokemon is group 5! Each of them will be awarded 100 points." A bunch of groups groaned in disappointment, while the winning kids cheered.

"We also have some last minute points to give out. Each person in group 3 gets 100 points for staying calm in the face of danger and executing a plan that saved many Pokemon." Professor Oak said. Ash's group looked at each other in surprise, before cheering. The other groups looked over at them curiously, wondering what exactly it was that they could have done to earn all those points.

After that, they were all dismissed to dinner, and a bunch of kids crowded around their group. "What happened?" "How'd you get those points?" "What did you do to save Pokemon?" Goh delighted in telling everyone about their escapade, Chloe and Serena pitching in with details. Ash snuck away, going to meet Spark and Swirl, whom he'd left by the edge of the forest.

"That's not going to be dying down anytime soon." he sighed. "You're telling me. Hey, how about we get some food while they're busy?" Spark asked eagerly, and Swirl nodded. Ash rolled his eyes and smiled. "Okay."

They went into the Mess Hall and Ash got some food, bringing it outside to eat with his Pokemon. Just then, Ash heard a faint giggling. He sighed. "You can come out now, Nana Mew."

Mew appeared in front of them smiling. "W-woah! It's the Legendary Pokemon Mew!" Swirl stared in awe. Mew giggled and waved. "That's me! Hide-and-Seek extraordinaire!" Ash rolled his eyes. "And yet I always seem to beat you." he smirked.

Mew faked outrage. "That's just because you always use your aura! Anyways, I came to congratulate you on saving that Kangaskhan. You're a pretty good leader, for a kid." Mew teased. "Hey, I didn't see you doing anything. And where were you, by the way? Didn't Aunt Celi tell you to keep an eye on the forests for her while she was on vacation?" Ash looked pointedly at Mew, who laughed nervously. Celi was the nickname Mew used for Celebi, and Ash eventually began calling her that too.

"Err, I don't remember that." Mew replied. "You seem to be forgetting a lot of things lately. Like how we aren't supposed to draw attention to ourselves, and yet you still hang around camp, just waiting to be found. And how Mom said stay away from sweets while we're here, because they make you hyper, which messes with your invisibility. Don't think I haven't noticed the missing snacks from my bag, besides the ones Spark took."

Ash looked from Mew, who was sweatdropping, to Spark who went from laughing hysterically at Mew's predicament, to looking very guilty. Swirl just looked at them in wonder. They may be a Legendary, the Pokemon Prince, and a Shiny, but they still acted like normal friends- No, family.