Route 13/14 Intersection, 0725 hours local time, Day 25 of Ash Ketchum's Pokemon Journey
"Pika…" '…What is he doing here?' Pikachu asked as Misty poked the giant Pokemon blocking their path, the finger sinking in about half an inch before stopping.
"Never seen a Snorlax in person." she said as Ash wondered why his Snorlax was here, in Kanto, when he caught him in the Orange Islands. The last Snorlax he had in Kanto was the one blocking that path. No hippy this time.
"It's mine." Ash deadpanned, Misty giving him a look before her 'other self' seemingly explained, with her understanding immediately.
"Oh, the one you caught in the Orange Islands." she said before adding "Didn't he crush his Pokeball once?"
"Please don't remind me: dressing up like an apple was the fourth most humiliating thing I've ever done." Ash pleaded, not mentioning the infamous Celedon Incident. Then there was the King of Pokelantis, which was just… humiliating AND horrifying.
Snorlax yawned, sitting up before looking around, looking at Ash and company before smiling.
"Snor." 'Morning, Ash. …Why am I not at the ranch?' he said. "Laaaaaxxx." 'Don't tell me I slept through another transfer.'
"Pikachu." 'Time travel. Remember that time we talked about Celebi and Arceus?' Pikachu said, Snorlax yawning again.
"Snorlax." 'If we're in the past, why does Misty have a bigger chest? I thought she was like a washboard.' Snorlax said, Pikachu gaining a look of indignation, Misty's Wingull looking annoyed and Ash a strange mixture of blushing in embarrassment and paling in terror.
Misty looked at Ash. "What'd he say?" she asked, blissfully ignorant.
"You don't want to know," Ash replied, already reaching for a Poke Ball.
"Snor?" 'That sounded like he-'
"Pika!" 'YES! He can understand you! Sweet fucking Dialga, do we have to do this EVERY TIME?!' Pikachu snapped as Snorlax tapped the ball, turning to energy and being sucked into the ball before it teleported to the lab.
"Seriously. What'd he say?" Misty asked again. Ash refused to answer. Then Psyduck came out of his ball.
The rest of that afternoon was spent with Ash and his Pokemon outrunning an angry Misty, who wanted to get Ash to transfer Snorlax back so she could kill him.
Oak Ranch - roughly 30 seconds later
"Oh, sweet Creators, WHY a Snorlax?" Oak asked as he looked at Bulbasaur, hoping the Bulb Pokemon knew Grassy Terrain.
"Bulba." said the bulb toad before using it on a small pot, making a tiny bush grow out of it.
Oh, good, the new TM from Galar worked. That was a relief.
"Your trainer is trying to drown me in debt." the professor said before chuckling. "Still, nearly 30 Pokemon in four weeks. Including that Scraggy-"
Said egg began to glow, then out came the Shedding Pokémon, blinking. Then screaming, headbutting his way out of the glass container his egg was inside.
"…Damn it." he said before looking at the computer, looking at the capture lists for his two prized students. While that girl, Leaf Green, was getting one or two Pokemon, Gray had inundated him with enough Spearow, Rattata and Sandshrew that he put the rotters to work planting berries. He had caught a Hypno and somehow found an Eevee, but that was it.
Ash… all three Kanto, Johto and Unova starters, Unovan Pokemon like Sandile and Scraggy, even a Shiny Noctowl. He was going for quality. Even that Beedrill and Spearow were not common: they were new, sure, but Ash's other Pokemon were teaching them and they learned quickly.
It almost reminded him of that time… No, no time to reminisce.
He had to prepare for hell in the form of a Snorlax.
At least the money that corporate bastard Pernon was suddenly sending him would alleviate some of the costs.
Cargo ship - midway between Hoenn and Johto - 1745 hours local
Vun-vun.
Vun-vun.
A Treecko watched for the sign of doom, but she wasn't agile enough, ending up in the maw of a dangerous monster which dragged her to the deck of ship.
"Gible!" 'Hi!' said Gible, eyesmiling before letting her go, the Treecko patting Gible's forehead before the land shark began hunting once more.
It was a game. The Treeckos were bored, Gible was bored, now all of them were running around, Gible hunting them. They had a good excuse not to get caught.
Gible's bite wasn't lethal, but it could hurt.
"Turt." 'for once, it's not us getting Gible's bite.' Turtwig said as they watched the land shark 'hunt'.
"Treecko." 'Speak for yourself. My clan is getting introduced to his infamous jaws.' Ash's future Sceptile said as another one got a nice CHOMP!
The elder watched as they played, Gible occasionally showing that fin of his. "Ko" 'What a nice land shark.' he said as Gible made a happy 'Gib'.
"Chim." 'too nice.' Chimchar said before Gible stopped in front of a container. "Char…" 'Oh, NO.'
Gible looked at the container, sniffing all around it, his mouth dripping with drool.
"Star." 'Don't do it.' Starly said. Gible didn't hear.
"Tree." 'Don't do it, land shark.' Treecko begged.
CHOMP! Gible bit the container, ripping into the steel door, then eating it bite by bite.
By the time he was done…
"Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurp. Gible!" cried Gible, sounding pleased before looking into the container. "Gib?" 'Who's in there?'
A small blue and brown mudskipper-like creature poked her head out in terror. "Mud?" '…Please don't eat me,' she pleaded, shaking like a Durant would if Gible was going to eat it.
"Gible?" 'A Mudkip? FRIEND!' cried the land shark with a smile.
"MUD!" 'HELP!' cried the Mudkip as she ran from Gible's all-too-eager jaws.
Sadly, there is one truth about Gible. Unless you have trained with Gibles all your life…
CHOMP!
There is no escape from the bite.
Starly, Tailow and Corphish looked at the Mudkip in Gible's jaws, the land shark himself eyesmiling, FAR too pleased with himself.
"Muuuuuudd…" 'Help me.' Mudkip begged.
"Chimchar, Chim." 'Gible won't hurt you. He's just… overly friendly.' Chimchar explained before Gible let the mudskipper go.
"Gible!" 'Friend!' cried the land shark.
"Mud…" 'Crazy Pokemon. And I'm looking for a trainer.' Mudkip said.
"Turt." 'So are we. His name is Ash Ketchum.' Turtwig said.
"Mud!" 'I don't want a guy trainer! I want a girl! But no one in Hoenn wanted me.' Mudkip said before Gible loomed again.
CHOMP!
"Gib!" 'Ash has lots of girl friends! One of them can be your trainer!' Gible warbled around the Mudkip. "Gible!" 'Like Misty! She's loud, but loves water-types!'
The Sinnohan and Hoenn Pokemon all looked at Gible, wondering if he supported getting Dawn and Ash together or May. But right now, they weren't in the position to fight over the two. For now, they had to deal with a tagalong.
"Mud." 'What is she?' Mudkip asked.
"Tree." 'Water-type Gym Leader.' Treecko said before Trapinch crawled up to him. "Trap." 'Not going to tell her?' he asked.
"Star." 'No point. Misty's Misty, timeline or or not. We just need to get to Kanto before Gible eats the ship out from under us.'
SCREECH! CHOMP! BURP! "Gible!"
"Turt." 'Case in point.' Turtwig deadpanned as Gible got hungry again.
Kanto Route 14 - 2104 Hours Local Time
Misty still wouldn't look at him. It was refreshing that Misty was almost back to normal, but he suspected she would be less… Misty-he-knew and more current-timeline tomorrow.
Ash sighed, feeling his mental age of 31 years. He was too tired of this shit.
"Pikapi?" 'You ok, Ash?' Pikachu asked as his trainer set up his sleeping bag.
"Not really. Just… tired. Having to go through all this again…" Ash said before Pikachu whacked him.
"Pika." 'No angst.' Pikachu said before Ash blinked and started chuckling. His starter was right.
"You're right. I gotta stop overthinking this." Ash said, grinning. "Lavender Town?"
Pikachu's ears drooped. "Pika." 'No dying.' he said, remembering that all too well.
"Maybe. Might take advantage of it with Misty." Ash said, Pikachu giving him a look of shock. "I'm kidding. I'm not going to peep on her. Who do I look like?"
"Pi?" 'An idiot?' Pikachu asked before Ash levelled a look at him. "You just got your ketchup rights rescinded."
And Pikachu started to panic at having his favorite thing (other than Ash) taken away from him.
'Help…'
"Pikachu, don't do the telepathy thing, please. That gives us both headaches." Ash said, referring to a common use of Aura, but they weren't exactly trained to use it.
"Pikapi?" 'What are you talking about, Ash?' Pikachu said, making Ash look at him in confusion before shaking his head.
He'd been thinking too hard for the last month. It was time to take it somewhat easier.
Saffron Gym - same time
"Nice try." Sabrina said, glowering at the purple wall of power blocking her from her 'student'. Outside that wall were, as usual, the two Arceus-damned birds.
They liked it when she got mad. It meant they were winning.
"You think using that barrier to make a call for help is going to save you? I am the most powerful psychic on the planet!" Sabrina spat. "Arceus itself would have to come down here to put an end to me!"
The birds stood their ground.
"Natu."
"If you weren't mentally linked to my student, I'd kill you!" the leader spat. "Count yourself lucky that killing you would kill her." with that, Sabrina turned on her heel, fuming.
After she was out of earshot, both birds looked to one another.
"Natu?" 'What a bitch. Think a message got out?' the Natu on the left said, his wings shifting somewhat.
"Natu." 'We reached a mind that was perceptive. He heard the call. Barely. I have his psychic signature, though.' the one on the right said, leaning to one side, her feather moving from side to side as she did so.
"Natu!" 'Keep the bitch distracted. I'll get him here.' he replied. "Tu." 'Tell me when she goes to sleep. I'll teleport to him.'
"Natu." 'She only sleeps for two hours,' she said.
"Natu." 'So keep me informed,' he retorted.
Route 14 - 1314 Hours Local Time - Day 26 - 1305 Hours Local time
Sandile had just been transferred in, but clearly when he wasn't digging on the way to Kanto, he was training.
Because he was standing on his hind legs and glowing.
Mimikyu cheered, the little ghost having refused to be transferred back just yet as, while deadly to look at, she was getting rather chipper with all the new friends.
"So the croc's on his hind legs now." Misty said as she looked at the newly evolved Krokorok, still wearing his glasses.
"Rok!" 'One step from being back to normal!' the dark-type cried as Ash looked at Charmeleon, who was… fuming.
"Please don't." Ash begged. Sadly, Charmeleon fell back into old form and disobeyed Ash, tackling Krokorok, roaring obscenities.
Most of which are actually R-rated and the authors don't want to actually stray into that area of stupidity. We actually follow the rating rules. (WHACK!)
"Mi?" 'Aren't they friends?' Mimikyu asked as she… moved towards Ash.
"Well, the time travel thing made them mad because they used to be Krookodile and Charizard," Ash said. "Fully evolved."
"Mi." 'Never understood why I can't evolve.' Mimikyu said depressingly. "Kyu." 'I wanna change, too!'
"Uh… Mimikyu, I'm not sure you CAN evolve. In my time at Alola in the other timeline, I only saw Mimikyu being… well… Mimikyu." Ash said, though that didn't say much: that homicidal Mimikyu used by Team Rocket wasn't a good example.
"Mi…" 'Why…' she said, her 'head' conking back.
"Pika." 'I got an idea. Why don't we find some old plushies and have you use those as covers?' Pikachu suggested. "Chu." 'I think Meowth bitched about a damaged rag for that crazy bastard once.'
"Yeah, you'll just have to change out of sight." Ash said. "We look at your… real form, we won't be around to talk about it."
"Mi!" 'Pretty bird!' Mimikyu said randomly-
"Natu."
Ash glanced up to find a Tiny Bird Pokemon using his hat as a nest, looking down at him with his unblinking eyes.
"…Why do I have a Natu on my head?" Ash asked.
"Natu." 'Recall your Pokemon. You're coming with me.' the Natu said, Charmeleon and Krokorok looking at the bird before Mimikyu just cheered, firing off a random Shadow Ball, making the bird squawk and take to the air briefly before settling. "Na-tu." 'That settles it. NOW.'
"Krok?" 'Why should we listen to a-' Krokorok started before Ash recalled Charmeleon and Krokorok, then Mimikyu, despite a protest.
Things were only going to get worse as Misty came into view with Psyduck in tow.
"Ash? What's going-" Misty asked before seeing the Natu. "…Why do you have a Natu on your head?"
"Natu!" 'Her too!' the bird declared before pulling Misty and Psyduck towards Ash, resulting in her recalling Psyduck with his frantic quacking.
It also resulted in Misty crashing into him and his head being shoved into her chest prior to the Natu teleporting them away.
Unknown location - roughly the same time
While Ash was not adverse to carrying Misty, having his head shoved pretty much into her expansive chest was not doing him any favors.
Misty didn't notice for five full seconds. After six, she finally saw Ash's hat at eye level and figured out where he was.
"AH!" she shrieked before backpeddling away from Ash, who was blushing, but REALLY trying to forget the whole thing happened.
"You… you…" she heaved, pissed that Ash had his head between her boobs, but she thought about it for a second. Ash did not drag her over and he had done his damnedest to avoid looking anywhere below her chin.
The one to blame was-
"Natu."
Misty and Ash looked at the source of the call, finding the Natu that teleported them here along with another Natu as the two began talking.
"Shame Ash's Pokespeech translation doesn't affect us." Astral Misty said. "Good thing Ash isn't like Brock, eh? Pervert would've made a move on you, but Ash…"
Misty blushed as her Astral self began having a rather active imagination. WHY did her alternate self have to be such a pervert?
'Do not think. Do not think. DO NOT THINK.' Ash thought as Misty had her angry moment.
"Natu." 'Sis, we're back!' the Natu called as he hopped on the floor towards...another Natu.
Repeated Natus went out, turning into a conversation he could barely keep up with, Pikachu groaning to his right.
"Pika." 'I hate teleporting.' he said, remembering the few occasions that were forced on him. The debacle in Rota, for example.
"You and me both." Ash said before noticing Misty blushing. What did her mental self do to make that reaction?
'Hello?' came a voice in his head that sounded somewhat...familiar.
'Hello?' he thought back before noticing the Natus were sitting in front of a wall of psychic energy, which Ash was more than familiar with. He had dealt with psychic nonsense enough to be able to know what that was. Lugia at Shamouti, Sabrina...the list went on.
Then the barrier dropped, slowly revealing a girl with light violet hair, dressed in what looked like a tattered school uniform with a primarily violet color scheme, her hair tied into a small ponytail. She was curled into a ball, struggling to move before finally opening her eyes, which were as violet as her hair.
He knew her.
He knew her all too well. She nearly ended his run at the Battle Frontier, after all.
Question was, what was Anabel doing HERE? He thought she was a trainer at the same time he was running around Kanto. Only… somewhere else. Her accent SCREAMED Hoenn.
"Do we know one another?" Anabel(?) asked as she struggled to get up, the Natus hopping around her, flapping their wings. Did she… have Natus?
"You told that psychotic bird to teleport us in and… shove Ash…" Misty said before blushing. The apparent telepath blushed soon after.
"Sorry! But Natu panicked." she said, the Natu in question staring at Misty. "My name is Anabel Lila. I've been here for… Arceus, how long has it been?"
"Long enough." Ash declared as he offered her a hand to help her up. "I'm getting you out of here."
"Ash, she… her Natu-" Misty sputtered, embarrassed to repeat it. Ash understood. He was trying VERY hard to repress it.
"I know." he said as he pulled Anabel to her feet. "And we'll have a talk with Natu later, but right now-"
"How interesting." came a disturbingly familiar voice, somewhat… older, more mature, more alluring then Ash remembered, but still familiar enough for him to identify as another psychic approached.
Her outfit was similar to what Ash remembered, only undone with a tank top covering her chest, though it… strained somewhat. She also wore black and green anklets and wristbands of some kind.
But the hair was the same dark green and her eyes were the same unnatural black he remembered.
They were in Saffron City's Gym. And they were facing the leader, Sabrina.
"I didn't say you could bring visitors, Anabel." Sabrina said, almost amused as Pikachu began sparking, remembering the last time they were here. And there was no way in hell-
"A Haunter? Interesting. Why would a Haunter make me laugh…" Sabrina said before smiling. "Oh. THAT is VERY intriguing, Ash Ketchum."
'Keep the fuck out of my head, you freaky bitch.' Ash snapped mentally, but Sabrina smiled. "Amusing indeed. Too bad, child. Anabel is mine. But I am willing to face you for a badge. That's what most of those…" Sabrina paused, musing on a word. "Mundanes usually come here for. Usually I crush them, but...you are worth a fair fight."
"I'll take the badge AND Anabel, you psychotic bitch." Ash said as he released Krokorok, Charmeleon, Mimikyu, Beedrill and Squirtle, knowing this was not going to be… fun.
"You dare? You DARE?!" Sabrina snapped as she began floating, lifting herself into the air with her powers. "She is MINE, you little bastard! And after I destroy you and that little bitch… she will be all that remains."
"Char!" 'Fuck you!' Charmeleon spat before breathing fire, sending the most powerful flamethrower he had at the gym leader, but Sabrina stopped it, sending the torrent at a far wall.
"I have killed far better in my time, child," Sabrina deadpanned.
"You're not much older then I am!" Ash snapped before Mimikyu spat out a Shadow Ball, Sabrina actually being forced to avoid due to ghosts and psychics mixing… poorly.
"You judge me by my appearance. The folly of the young, child." Sabrina retorted before lightning formed in her hands, firing it off in branching strikes that Pikachu had to redirect with his own Shadow Bolts, one narrowly missing Sabrina's face. "A Shadow Pokemon? Hmm. I'll have to kill that one. Kadabra?"
"Bra." 'As you wish.' said a voice before a Kadabra teleported in behind Pikachu, firing psychic energy at Pikachu, though the Kadabra did not notice something.
CHOMP!
"Rok!" 'Screw you!' said the newly-evolved croc as he used Bite on the psychic, STAB hitting like a freight train before Krokorok flung the Kadabra into a support pillar, right before Squirtle, who had been transferred in just before the Natu-Porting, Rapid Spun into the psychic lizard's face.
"Fucking turtle." Sabrina spat before dodging a shadow ball from Mimikyu.
"Mi! Mi!" 'Mean lady! Stop being mean!' Mimikyu said, not entirely grasping what was going on.
Sabrina's eyes narrowed in hate and… if Ash wasn't mistaken… fear.
"Fucking Ghost." she spat before fireballs formed in her hands, aimed at Mimikyu.
BANG!
A bullet shot past Sabrina's head, making her lose concentration before looking at Ash, holding his gun and pointing it at her.
'If I'm going to break my 'no guns' rule, it's with people like you.' he thought at her with self-disgust and spite.
"Too true. Shame you didn't bring a fighting-type. I would be more.. .entertained by destroying it." Sabrina said before Ash opened fire again.
RMS Germanic - same time
"Haw?" 'Why do I have a sudden urge to learn how to fight psychic-types?' Hawluecha asked.
"Fro." 'No idea. But we can see what you can learn.' Froakie said as Goomy and Sylveon fought once more.
Saffron Gym
Ash continued firing, Sabrina swatting them out of the air with psy-fire and lightning before sending a gout of flame at the trainer.
It was met by a water gun from Squirtle, who was being covered from a pissed off Kadabra and a new Mr Mime by Charmeleon and Krokorok while Mimikyu used a newly-learned Shadow Swipe to duel with a-
"WOBBBUFFFET!" cried the Wobbuffet as Mimikyu whacked it like a training dummy, making it smack the floor it was on repeatedly.
Misty was more focused on not dying, hiding behind support columns as Ash and Sabrina traded shots.
"Would this count as breaking that rule?!" Misty asked aloud as thunder cracked in the gym.
"Sabrina was nuts before. Now? Pull out the damn thing already." Astral Misty said before Misty pulled out the massive light machine gun, taking aim at the rogue gym leader and firing a long burst at the psychic.
Which was proven pointless as she just put up a wall of psy-fire and destroyed the bullets mid-flight.
"Cute. Maybe I can keep you around, too. I could always use a bodyguard I can…" the psychic smiled. "Play with at night."
"Kill her. Kill her NOW." the mental Misty demanded, the real one firing continuously before Sabrina sent her flying with a telekinetic shove, more annoyed than hurt.
"I will enjoy breaking you later." Sabrina snapped as Misty saw Ash jump at the gym leader, smacking her with his empty sidearm before punching her in the face.
"Insolent whelp!" the psychic snapped as she lifted Ash telekinetically by the neck, choking him. "I have survived EMPIRES trying to end my life! I have endured the Era of Shadow! YOU WILL NOT KILL ME!"
A bolt of lightning hit Sabrina in the side, black and purple dancing together as Sabrina screamed in pain.
The lighting was caused by Pikachu's Shadow Bolt… and Anabel's own psy-lightning, enhanced by a Beldam, an Abra and the two Natus, with an Eevee barking at Sabrina.
"You stupid bitch!" Sabrina snapped before everything started turning purple as a result of her power bleeding into reality. "YOU ARE MINE! YOUR BODY IS MINE! YOU DARE-"
"OH, SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Ash yelled as he grabbed Sabrina by the neck, not caring if he would kill her or if she would fry him alive. He was just tired of her ranting.
"I don't give one flying damn about whatever you're talking about, you crazy bitch, just DIE!" he snapped as he choked her, but Sabrina stared into his eyes.
"You… have god-like Aura." she croaked, Ash wondering how she was breathing. "I wanted her… I prefer… female hosts… But you are a better…" Ash then flew backwards and floated, choking once more. "Option."
Ash then felt his body being… invaded. Something was…
'Oh, FUCK!' he thought, remembering what happened with the King of Pokelantis. This crazy bitch was trying to possess him!
"YES!" the psychic yelled, almost drunk or… worse. "POWER! UNLIMITED POWER!" Electricity snapped around her as she cackled, her eyes glowing a bright purple, the same glow showing in Ash's own eyes. "I WILL BE QUEEN OF THIS LAND! THEN… OF THIS WORLD!"
Saffron City - Silph Co building - 1349 Hours Local Time
The TRio had to requisition a teleport Natu just to catch up to the brat, but it wouldn't take them anywhere NEAR Ash.
It kept making 'NATU!'s and Meowth just sent it back to headquarters.
After 45 minutes, they understood why as a storm system that was VERY unnatural formed over Saffron Gym.
"That can't be good." James quickly said, terrified out of his mind.
"No shit, Sherlock." Meowth snarked. "I ain't seen anything like that since the day that huge ass Shadow Pokemon attacked Pellet Town."
Both agents shuddered at the reminder of THAT incident. The fire, the blood…
They barely remembered what happened and they STILL knew to fear it!
"Call the Boss. We might have a serious problem." Jessie said as she fumbled the communicator, trying to get a call to the boss.
Indigo Plateau - the same time
"That…" Lance declared as what was very much clearly a psychically-generated storm brewed over Saffron City and quickly grew to encompass most of Kanto. "Is not a good thing.
"That damned whore Sabrina has to be responsible for this." Agatha spat as she walked over, cane supporting her body and protected by the otherworldly powers of her Gengar.
"You automatically assume psychics for anything." Lorelei said as the storm began thundering. "It could be Rayquaza having a mood."
"Purple clouds, child." Agatha said. "Psychically infused. I had that experience so long ago with dear Samuel. Sabrina is the cause."
Bruno came over with an old, well-maintained tablet. "Might it have something to do with Ash Ketchum being there?"
"What are you talking about? He's nowhere near Saffron." Lorelei said as she took the tablet and adjusted her glasses to look at it. "He should be near Lavender Town ooooooooooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr-"
Lance looked at it, seeing 'Saffron Gym, challenger: Ketchum, Ash' on the notifications board.
"Fuck." he cursed, summarizing their situation once Delia found out.
Saffron Gym - same time
Sabrina cackled as she saw images that words could not describe, of a place beyond this realm.
Once she had this body, she would go there and claim it. Unlimited power was hers! Then all went black.
Sabrina had done this dozens of times. That was a sign she had taken the body as her own. The being known as Sabrina had only taken the body of Sabrina Natsume when she bloomed into her psychic power, then took the gym as her lair to find her next host.
And while she would not like being called 'Ash Ketchum', perhaps with her new power, she could change his form to suit her-
"Welcome."
Sabrina's gaze turned to a being that appeared to be Ash, only wearing some form of royal regalia, with eyes as purple as Anabel's, sitting on a crumbling marble throne.
"You made a mistake, you stupid bitch," he said as he sat up, scowling. "This body is MINE. I got here first, though I can do nothing but mock this fool child."
"Please. I am the Ultimate Psychic!" Sabrina retorted, drunk on power. "I can destroy you with a whim!"
"Neither of us have power here." the man-like-Ash said, scowl on his face. "We are prisoners."
"You are a prisoner. I am Queen." Sabrina said as she tried to reach out, to take control of Ash's body-
Her form was hit with golden lightning and the hands of a god.
The Hands of Arceus itself.
"Queen of nothing." the Ash-like snapped as Sabrina recovered from being almost literally bitchslapped by their creator. "Ash Ketchum is, was and always shall be the Chosen of Arceus. I only took control of him because Arceus was slipping on His Protection that day."
Sabrina cried out as she curled into a ball, glaring at the being. "And who are you?" she demanded.
"I have been known as many things in my time. The King of Pokelantis will suffice for you, wretch." the King answered. "Arceus skimped on protection for Her champion prior to me taking control of him. After that, He put in safeguards to prevent… well, what I did and what you just tried to pull off."
Sabrina groaned as she got to her feet, looking into the black.
"You lie!" she snapped.
"The literal hands of Our Lord just slapped you down. What MORE do you want?" the King retorted. "A signed notice reading 'Stop trying to take over My Champion, signed Your Lord and Lady Creator Arceus'?!"
The black started to change, forming an image of some kind. "Oh, good. He's alive." the King faux-cheered. "You haven't consigned us to the Distortion Realm after all."
Sabrina watched as Ash looked at her old body, which was still breathing and thus alive.
"How… HOW?!" She demanded.
"The boy went back in time, you idiot. And the way he went back wasn't exactly normal. He saw the Time, Space and Distortion Realms without a filter and experienced their touch." the King said as he embraced the psychic from behind.
She struggled against his hold, but he held fast. "Your conscious mind might not have known, but your subconscious knew that wasn't something that should be seen or known." he explained, an evil and lecherous smile forming on his face. "You've seen the unseeable. You know the unknowable." He then trailed a finger over her bare shoulder, making the would-be queen shiver. "Well, the boy's vow prevented me from having a bit of fun, but now that you're here…"
Sabrina looked back in terror before the King pressed his lips on hers and her torment began.
In the real Saffron Gym
Ash backed away from Sabrina VERY quickly, looking for his sidearm before finding and quickly reloading it as Sabrina began waking up.
'Take the shot. You have no idea WHY her possession failed, but you HAVE to shoot her!' Ash reasoned, taking aim with the gun.
It shook in his hands, ash breathing heavily, closing his eyes as he pulled, but no bang before it fell out of his hands.
He didn't chamber a round. Ash was unarmed against a super-psychic and as he looked around, he saw Misty was in serious pain and Anabel was… napping on one of her Natu, for lack of a better term. The bird objected to being a pillow with an indignant 'Natu'.
Then the gym leader opened her eyes, blinking slowly. Her black eyes were now a more gentle shade of dark brown, closer to Ash's own. She stretched her arms, groaning as a joint cracked before focusing on Ash.
The first words out of her mouth were not a declaration of revenge or fury. Just one confused query.
"Daddy?"
Needless to say, Ash was confused as to the recent turn of events.
90 minutes later - Saffron Gym entrance
A non-Jenny police officer taped off the scene before two doctors carted Misty and Anabel into an ambulance, other officers in suits looking around, collecting and marking bullet holes, shell casings and the results of Sabrina's… outburst.
Speaking of Sabrina, she had refused to call Ash anything that wasn't some form of 'dad'. She truly believed he was her father. Which was weirding him out.
"Ash Ketchum?" said the local officer Jenny as she looked through a notepad. "I'd like to ask you what exactly happened."
"You won't believe me." Ash answered. Honestly, HE wasn't believing it.
"This is Saffron City." Jenny retorted in amusement. "Sabrina used to screw with people even going CLOSE to her gym. But we didn't see you coming in through one of the checkpoints."
"Anabel." Ash answered.
"Right, the other psychic girl's Natus," the Jenny said in understanding. "They teleported you in. And Sabrina… objected."
"She tried to kill us." he said, the gun he had used to fight her in the hands of the cops right now. "Then she looked in my head and…" he just pointed at Sabrina, who was frantically arguing with the police officers blocking her way so she could talk to Ash so he could tell her why she was so… different than she remembered.
He barely understood her frantic, confused yelling, but it came down to 'why am I so tall, why is my hair so long and what are these things on my chest?'.
"Pikachu." 'Well, someone's going to have a hard time explaining the birds and bees to her.' Pikachu said as he sipped a coffee he was 'given' (he took it from one of the cops) before looking at his trainer. "Pikapi?" 'So… how's your foray into fatherhood, Ash?'
"Don't start, Pikachu." Ash said testily.
"Anyways, we figured Sabrina was trying to kill you. We got your records." Jenny said. "Not even during those attacks on Poke-Tech or the Olympic did you bother pulling out that gun of yours. Trust me, we checked. So would you mind explaining why Sabrina is acting like a twelve-year old and calling you her dad?"
Ash was noticeably uncomfortable and no one could blame him. "She looked into my mind. Next thing I know, I'm waking up, she's waking up and calling me 'dad'."
Jenny laughed nervously. "Eight years older then you and she thinks you're her father." she said before thinking of something. "Nevermind, nine years."
'Technically, I'm 31, but who's counting two lifetimes?' Ash thought sardonically. "So… are we in trouble or something?"
"Well, usually, this kind of thing would have you in front of a firing squad." Jenny said uncaringly before getting serious. "But given that she was trying to kill you, attempting a grade-15 mindwipe and had clearly done this before to not just Sabrina over there but others…"
Misty told them about that. Apparently, it wasn't uncommon, though most of the time it was usually someone that was cheating one, maybe two lifetimes, but not...however many Sabrina, or whatever took her over, had.
"Well, you avoid the legal system on a technicality AND the League has seen fit to count this as your Soul Badge match." Jenny finally said, scratching her cheek in embarrassment. "The call came in about ten minutes ago, we've just been trying to figure out how to put it without making you feel uncomfortable…"
'Too late for that.' Ash thought. He was uncomfortable already.
"DADDY!" cried Sabrina as she finally got past the cop barring her way and tackled her 'father' to the ground. Ash was once more in a place most men would kill to be as Sabrina unwittingly put Ash's face into her cleavage.
Fortunately, Ash was not most men, as he quickly got himself out of there. Last thing he needed was Misty screaming at him.
"Why am I so tall?! I was only half as tall as you when I went to sleep last night!" Sabrina asked, tears in the corners of her eyes. "My hair's longer, too! And…" she poked one of her breasts, confused and scared. "WHAT ARE THESE?!"
"I'm… going to let you two deal with this." Jenny said before getting the hell out of there.
Ash only wished he was capable of doing the same as he tried to escape his 'daughter's' deathgrip.
Fifteen minutes later (and giving Sabrina Pikachu, which she awwed over before Pikachu swore revenge) Ash was in front of a Hypno, with Misty, fuming over the… Sabrina incident… and Anabel looking scared and confused as to why ash was going to undergo a psychic scan.
Ash had a feeling it was more for police work than anything else, but really, he was too tired to care.
"Just relax. Should only take a moment for Hypno to get your memories of the incident for one of our court reporters." the Jenny said as she looked at Sabrina, who was outside… playing with Pikachu.
"PIKA!" 'I WILL ZAP YOU IN YOUR SLEEP UNTIL YOU DON'T HAVE A CHOICE BUT TO GIVE ME ASHLINGS!' Pikachu yelled.
"Keep dreaming, buddy." Ash countered as he felt the Hypno enter his mind, feeling the confusion of the Psychic-Type, followed by fear and terror as it peered deeper and deeper and deeper.
'No, don't look that deep. Not into my past. ANYTHING but that.' Ash thought.
As if granting his wish, the Hypno left his mind.
And used his psychic powers to snap his own neck, the Hypnosis Pokémon's body falling to the ground in a heap.
The cops began yelling and Ash had a VERY bad feeling about this.
'He kills psychics.' Anabel thought to herself as the police officers began examining the Hypno's body and interrogating Ash.
Anabel was a scared psychic. She was powerful, but her abilities hurt people when she discovered them. Then Sabrina offered to take her in and train her.
Her parents didn't bother reading the fine print, if there was any. It was a verbal agreement and they didn't want her accidentally chucking someone into a lake filled with angry Octillery anymore. That resulted in two years of training until she found out what Sabrina, or what inhabited her body, wanted to do with her. She fought Sabrina off, with the aid of Pokemon at the gym (and a wild Eevee) for three years after that.
It was a wonder she was still alive, according to the doctors, let alone in as good a condition as she was.
More importantly, she discovered Ash. The bane of psychics. All she had to do was hide behind him and anyone stupid enough to try and take over her mind would… die.
She made up her mind the moment that Hypno killed himself. Her destiny laid with Ash, for better or worse.
Two hours later - Saffron Pokemon Center
Pikachu glared at Ash, even as the trainer in question tried not to wince.
The wincing was the result of Sabrina's… newfound childhood and Pikachu, sarcastic and witty as he could be, being naturally cute. Fortunately, Misty was dealing with the older psychic.
It helped that she psychically imprinted on Misty, making the Waterflower girl her 'mother'.
Pikachu, fortunately, did not know this, or he would be insufferably pleased with himself instead of annoyed, as he would finally get his wish.
Even if that wish was the result of psionic mindwiping and mental rebuilding.
The problem Ash had now was Anabel, now wearing an outfit more like a business suit, was refusing to go anywhere else.
She also had her Natus out, one in her hands, one on her head. Ash could not tell which was which.
"Natu." 'Hello, human shield.' said the male Natu.
"And why are you calling me that?" he asked the Natu, who did not look surprised that Ash could understand him.
Then again, Natu facial expressions were… limited. Did the green balls of fluff even blink?
"Natu." 'You kill any psychic attempting an invasive deep probing.' he answered. "Tu-tu." 'My friend is uncomfortable not having an insurance policy in case anyone tries doing what Sabrina did.'
Ash was getting the feeling that feelings of friendship were not the primary reason for people journeying together. He REALLY hated this timeline.
"Tu-tu." 'She also got a sense that you seem to know of her from the future. Care to explain?' the Natu asked.
"Arceus fucking hates me." Ash declared before the Natu in Anabel's hands jumped onto his head.
"Natu."