POKEMON HEART GOLD.
CONTINUE
PLAYER: CELEBI
TIME: ???
BADGES: ???
POKEDEX: ???
The save file is corrupted. You can not play the game.
Delete all data?
Once deleted, save data cannot be recovered. Are you sure you want to delete all data?
Deleting... Do not turn off the power.
***
I remember when the world died. The black sky with no stars will forever haunt my nightmares, the universe being ripped apart into infinite meaningless pixels still burns at the back of my retinas. I take a deep shuddering sigh as I lift myself from my bed to find there are tears in my eyes. They're so hot they almost burn my skin, which is tender and weak. All the callouses and scars that come with living on the run as a Pokemon Trainer are gone and I haven't hit puberty yet.
I look out the window to see New Bark and choke down a sob. Following that, I bury my face in the pillow and let my tears run down it, my ugly half-cracked voice crying into the white down for who knows how long. I clutch the pillow as if it will atone for everything I did and fail to do, I clutch it like it's Bronze's fur and it will bring him back.
For the first time in two years, I am truly alone and no one in the world will believe me if I tell them what I've done.
Sorry, let me introduce myself.
My name is Ashley Hart and I caused the end of the world.
Shaking all over from the utter despair, I get to my feet only to fall back on the bed again. I twist around to face the window, my hot breath and steamy tears fogging up a small portion of the mirror.
Past my house lies the lab, which lies lazily in the middle of the town, surrounded by overgrown grass. Ethan does all of the yard work anyways (I know- I helped him a lifetime ago) and Professor Elm pays him for it.
It's odd, I could've sworn it was at least decently well-cut when I was...
No, it's more likely I just don't remember a thing.
I feel myself choke up again, slamming my head against the windowsill, barely noticing the burning pain that follows. I can hardly remember a thing about this place, even though I lived here for thirteen years.
From downstairs, the smell of pancakes wafts up my nose. It's sickeningly sweet and almost oversaturated with saccharine goodness. I feel like vomiting.
"Ashley!" calls my mother. "Your pancakes are getting cold!"
Joy.
Goldeneye. a voice echoes through my mind, sweet and lyrical.
In the pale reflection in the window, my eyes shimmer a brilliant gold even though I have no Pokemon to flash to. If I'm not communing with my Pokemon... then who...
Rise up. Your home is still waiting for you. This universe demands a hero.
I get to my feet. The voice is eerily familiar. It has to be Celebi.
As I arise, I sense something far more powerful than myself. Time twists around me, an ongoing stream branching out into hundreds of millions of directions all at once. The universe's fate rests within which decisions I take right now.
Feigning complete and absolute disinterest to mask how close I am to sobbing again, I take deep breaths as I put on my old outfit from... well, I suppose it's new again now, and let the air circulate through my body as I get ready. The rhythm is like a silent chant, calming me as I slide my right shirt sleeve on and stare at myself in the mirror. I can hardly recognize my own face. The freckles aren't as severe, my skin is pasty from time spent inside on the Internet almost constantly, and my hair is short and well tended to. I look like someone's pet more than my own person.
"For all of us with hearts of gold," I whisper, placing a hand on the mirror, and walk downstairs to find my mother beaming at me kindly.
"Happy birthday!" she says, handing me a plate of pre-buttered pancakes. "Ashley, come on. You can't seriously be wearing that for your big day!"
I give her a look best I can, which she takes for some sort of pre-teen resentment instead of some desperate plea to be left alone. She places the syrup jug on the table with a worried expression and I pour half of the bottle onto the pancakes and begin eating like a wild Pokemon devouring their first fresh kill in weeks.
"Ashley!" she says contemptuously. "I know I've raised you better than that. Why are you being so moody today?"
Adults have this thing when you do anything other than adore them and they assume that it's the end of the world. Actually, I just saw the end of the world.
This has jack shit on that.
I continue eating my pancakes, which makes me feel at least slightly better. If nothing else, they're good comfort food. I close my eyes and try to imagine mornings with the team but I end up spitting out my piece of pancake.
My mother pushes me a Pokegear. I recognize it from all those years ago- today. She begins to say, "It has your-"
"All my favorites." I respond. "I love it." The tears burst forth and I find myself clutching her, sobbing desperately. The cynical part of my mind searches for a lie and I whisper, "I don't want to go."
It comes out far more truthful than I wanted it to be.
My mother wraps her arms around me and I feel warm and comforted, but I'm not thinking of her. Bronze.
"It will be okay." she promises.
No it won't.
"You'll do a great job."
I didn't.
She smiles, "Now go out there and make me proud!"
I don't even finish my pancakes and simply swipe the Pokegear off the table before I leave. Unlike last time, I don't turn to ask her about Kale or her old team. I know exactly how brutal Clair is firsthand.
It's true that there is one thing I'm excited about on this journey. I'm excited about making it to Clair so I can pummel her into submission and then flip Red off while kicking his ass too.
I sigh, waiting for Ethan to show up, but he just... doesn't. After a few minutes of waiting, I walk into the lab and throw open the door. "Here for the Pokemon." I say, staring blankly ahead. A sad smile plays at my lips, but you'd have to get past my dead eyes first to notice it.
Elm nods appreciatively. "Ashley! So nice to see you. Glad to see you finally out of the house." He digs into his pockets and pulls out three Pokeballs. "These are for you, Ashley."
"Which one is Cyndaquil?" I ask, almost clutching at his lab coat before restraining myself. I must sound even more desperate than I feel, because he's clearly shocked as he hands me the Cyndaquil Pokeball and I slam it against the floor.
It's a girl.
The Cyndaquil opens its eyes slowly, which shine a brilliant azure. It looks up into my own eyes and I feel myself begin to perspire.
It's not him.
It's not him it's not him it's not him.
Professor Elm opens his mouth to say something about how they almost never do that and I withdraw it and slam it back into his hand. I grab another and open the Pokeball. A small Chikorita comes out, though he has a dignified expression on his face which looks terribly misplaced given his size and overall appearance. Like most Chikorita, he's a lime green, with buds lining his neck and a large, healthy leaf above his head, though his is a bit oversized due to his unfortunate petiteness.
I bend down to his level, staring deep into his red stained and slightly intimidated eyes. "Nice to meet you-"
"Reginae." he says, his voice far lower than the usual chirpy Chikorita voice. "My name is Reginae."
Taken slightly aback, I try to smile, kindness in my voice that was hardly present earlier. "Alright. The two of us have a long journey ahead of us and I have a lot to explain."
"Explain?" he asks. "Explain wha-"
"Yeah. Later." I say, withdrawing him.
"Oh yes, I do have a favor for you..." Elm says, gathering his notes.
"Egg. Mr. Pokemon. On it." I say, standing up to leave the lab.
He starts to say something and I repeat, "On it."
He shuts his mouth and I shut the door. Back in the New Bark sun, I withdraw Reginae again, who lands on his feet staring down at the ground. He turns to face me, "Who are you?"
I blink one dazzling gold eye at him. "I promised I'd explain everything, didn't I? For now, we need to get on the road. We have a world to save and I'm not losing my starter because we didn't grind the early routes."
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