Ash woke up. Or rather he thought he did.

The world was silent, there was no sun, yet it was day. How was it possible? (IDK:Spoiler,Its most likely a dream)

The distant Christmas bells rang and songs started flooding into the morning sky.

https://youtu.be/cYNXV2S_WPk

As Ash stood up, he noticed that he was no longer in his soft hotel bed, but rather in a silky bed that wasn't as comfy as the hotel one but seemed to have a strange sense of home. It was a feeling that he had never had in years.

"Ash?Oh, look! My baby little boy is awake" Ash tensed as he heard an familiar voice.

Then he realised it was too familiar.

"Delia, what do you want and where is my pokemon?"

He had noticed that he didn't have his poke balls, or his nano dex.

"Whats wrong, my dear Ashy boy, and do you not remember that you are only 9 and tomorrow is your 10th birthday where you can finally get your first ever pokemon! I hope that you haven't got mixed up with time. Are you ok?" Delia replied.

At first, Ash didn't believe it. It was impossible; nothing could change time, unless it was a legendary pokemon! Then, he realised that the wallpaper; the b

"Wheres Miney?" Ash asked. He knew that his mother always kept Mr Mine around her. 

"Miney? Who's that? Are you sure you are ok? I could take you to see the doctor..."Asked Delia once more.

"Erghhhh...I think i will be alright" replied Ash sternly once more.

He didn't know how he was transported into this place; was this reality or a dream.

He didn't believe what he was seeing.Again though, he knew phenomenons sometimes could happen. He remembered having a dream a few months ago about Christmas as well!(Please check out the previous chapter called 'a dream of Christmas'!) It was so real that he thought that the reality was a dream and that dream was actually the real thing,He remembered that in that dream, Brock, who in his reality, had betrayed him; yet in that dream, seemed kind and caring, just like he was when Ash was traveling through Kanto a few years ago, he even offered a bit of advice that helped Ash a lot in reality, when he was facing Max of the traitors in the true reality! Was this another one of those dreams that had a lesson and advice to learn and receive from?

Was this an alternative reality? Ash had no idea, but he already had a feeling that he wanted to stay in this dream as long as possible. He didn't know why. Perhaps he wanted to live in this reality forever and hope that in this place, he would live a life of peace and joy and perhaps the traitors won't betray him in this dream. Yet, he knew that that was impossible. Dreams had to end, unless this wasn't a dream. He also had responsibilities in the true reality, the one that the traitors betrayed him in. He had his Pokemon to care for, he needed to rescue arceus and defeat Necrozma.

The thought of his Pokemon, his goals and his vows suddenly made him feel like as if he wasn't so sure wether he wanted to stay here forever anymore. He had a prophecy to fulfil.

He knew that his Pokemon needed him too. He couldn't bear the thought of abandoning his Pokemon, ever.

"Ash... you look dreamy, do you need a few extra hours of sleep?"

The sound of Delia's voice broke his thoughts.

"Erghhhh... no thanks"

"Are you sure?"

Ash was no good at lying, yet how was he going to explain this too his mother of this dream? How was going to say that in truth she would betray him?

"Erghhhhh, it just that I wanted to see my father, he never comes." Ash replied he hoped that the his excuse was good enough, he remembered that when he was younger, he always was asking to see his father. Perhaps Delia would believe his white lie, perhaps she won't. Either way, he knew that Delia won't say anything after he said this phrase. It was from memory,perhaps he could use the knowledge of the future to take advantage and stop a few bad things from happening. He knew exactly who he was going to battle, how he was going to lose nearly all the leagues. Yet Delia didn't seem to know this, in this dream, it was as if he had travelled 9 years back, to when he was about to turn ten!

Luckily, Delia seemed to fall for the lie and told Ash to go down and eat breakfast. Ash followed her, only to notice that he was shorter than usual. Then he realised that it was the exact height as when he started his Pokemon journey. He knew he was going to be late to catch his Pokemon tomorrow, and end up with Pikachu instead. He didn't know what he was supposed to do, after all, knowing the future wasn't exactly that good, especially when you know that you are going to be going to take your first Pokemon in your Pajamas!

After breakfast, Ash found out that his mind couldn't stop thinking of what Pokemon that he should have next day, even when he knew it was going to be pikachu. For some reason, pikachu never poped up in his mind and the only words that came out was:

" Charmander? Squrtle? Bulbasaur?"

There was an mysterious force forcing him to think that way. Ash decided that that must have been the way he was thinking several years ago.

"Ash, its time for lunch!"

"So quickly? It's only been five minutes!" Ash noticed that his voice wasn't as deep as usual.

"No, it been 4 hours! I hope you haven't lost track of the time thinking about your starter Pokemon!" Shouted Delia.

He found himself drifting down the stairs and for some reason, he was out of his pyjamas!

The strange force drive him to the. Chair and set him down then it started making Ash eat. Suddenly he felt like a mouse who hasn't ate for years! He was starving!

Then Ash found that he was suddenly out of his body. He could see his body, still eating his lunch and moving. It was as if he was suddenly a ghost.

Then a strange force drove him up stairs.

"SQUAWKKKKK"

Ash heard the familiar noise of a deliver Pidgey squawking. Then he saw that Delia was stroking it. Then Delia looked back. Ash gasped in surprise, expecting Delia to see him, then he noticed that he was invisible and see through, and Delia didn't hear his gasp.

It was only then that he noticed that he was back to his normal height that was the same in reality. His voice was also as deep.

The strange force started again... and this time it drove Ash towards the Pidgey, then he noticed the letter... and something else.

It was a jagged piece of paper, one seemed blurry at first, but then letters started forming on it.

They were strangely arrange and Ash doubted that if he was still 10 years old and hasn't visited Jhonto, he would have no idea what they were! Luckily p, he was much smarter and knew they were written in some special language... the language of the unknown.

(In case readers don't know, unknowns are Pokemon that resemble letters and punctuation!)

He had to squirt his eyes to read the text. It was extra hard as the letters had to be translated into words in Ash' s mind.

"You shall travel south to the land without rain,

Yet to be lost without rain and in pain,"

"

The grand prophecy" Ash whispered, how did Delia get the grand prophecy?

Then a particular line caught his eye, the mysterious force had forced Ash to look at this line.

"The parent, the devil, the mad man's reign,

Shall lead then directly to the doors of death."

Ash made a mental note that this phrase was the only one that didn't rhyme and that this phrase didn't seem to be included on the one he had. He suspected his version was a shortened one.

Ash saw Delia sigh.

Then he saw her ask into the air,

"Will Ash lead me to death..."

She kept on repeating it. He noticed that this was something he didn't see when he was younger and something that he didn't know.

Ash really wanted to see more, but for some reason he noticed his vision had got blurry and the scene began to change. Ash really wanted to tell Delia that he would never kill her, even if she betrayed him, he felt his heart snapping and breaking and dying.

He knew that prophecies also caused what they included in it. Because of that stupid phrase, Delia felt sad and didn't seemed to want to be with Ash all those years later when the traitors asked her to betrayed Ash. This was probably the reason why this would happen, Ash would hate her... yet he knew that he wouldn't do that.

When his vision got back again, he found out that he was now standing in a room.

He looked up and saw a banner saying:

"Merry Christmas!"

Than he noticed it was Christmas Day and that he had gone a few minutes forward in time form when he was about to wake up.

He saw Mr good show, and the traitors.

He couldn't see that Mr good show was pointing at something sparkling, almost diamond shaped a that radiated power. Instantly, he new it wasn't something good...

He couldn't hear what hey were saying though, he was too far. Once again, he was invisible and silent. He drifted closer to the desk and immediately, he could hear much clearer.

"So this is the necroznium Z, we could black mail this to the ultra beasts just as long as they catch Ash and give us his Pokemon."

"Wow!" Admired Brock.

"Good plan," replied Dawn.

Ash really wanted to say this was a horrible plan but kept silent.

He knew he had to take advantage of the knowledge he was about to be given.

"We could also tell them to send over two ultra beasts to us so that we can train them. I heard they are much more powerful than our shadow Pokemon! Imagine what shadow ultra beasts could do!" Replied Misty.

"We must average Max" muttered May.

"Yeah" for the first time Ash noticed Norman.

"Your the father, the parent who's going to die, not mine!" Ash whispered secretly,

The traitors, still not aware of their phantom watcher, continued planning on how much damage they were going to do.

Then a strange force started and Ash found himself trying to clearly hear what they were saying.

"So, tonight, we sneak in to that hotel and kill Ash"

Ash secretly grinned, knowing there plan was essential.

"Yeah, we all know that Ash is overcome in grief and probably won't go out and check out. Also, the Clement and Bonnie will be going to visit the new Santa parade in town so we could kill them as well. Bonnie is always into things like this." Replied a member who Ash had never seen before. He doubted he was new.

"Also, we should kill Paul tomorrow. Everyone knows he's a spy from Ash now." Said Misty.

"Yeah!" Replied Tracey excitedly.

"So you found out? Lucky I am here, or else you would die tomorrow, Paul!" Ash whispered, preparing to rescue him.

"Now, let's finish this meeting by singing the deck the halls song about Pokemon." Announced Mr good show.

"Deck the halls with balls of holly... we love Pokemon and so do you."

Ash laughed at how stupidly they were singing. They sounded like strangled cats!

Before Ash could laughed at then even more, the scene shifted once more...

This time, Ash found himself looking at the lifeless body of Serena. Her face was pale and it looked like as if she was about to die. There was a helmet strapped to her head to detect brain waves and made sure she didn't wake up.

Ash could see her brain waves were weak and nearly dead on the computer screen next to the machines.

It was simple to understand. All Ash had to do was to see wether the line was straight or not. If it was straight, that means that Serena was dead,

There was also a machine monitoring her heart and it too, looked pretty weak.

She was dressed in heavy amour to make sure that she couldn't move even if she woke up and the machine broke!

Her breathing was dying. Ash really wanted to take the helmet and amour off right now and brake the machine but he was powerless because he was only a ghost like figure in this dream.

Then her breathing stopped...

Ash tensed and wondered wether she was dead. Then it started again. Ash let out a sigh of relief.

Ash was desperate. He was in desperation to help Serena. Yet he was powerless.

The strange force had started again. This time stronger than ever.

Ash's vision damped and he found himself staring into four 4 phrases:

"As hopes lay down, as rain shower down,

Hope is not lost, hope is not down.

A tiny mouse it shall be,

To lead you to where this shall be.

Then it disappeared and the view started again. Ash became vaguely aware that this was present time. The exact same moment as he was dreaming. It was was also a present. By present, I mean the other present, the one that means gift. This scene has given Ash an idea of what he was going to face in order to rescue Serena!

Ash was grateful that way.

Serena lay as still as a rock.

Then time stopped ticking. Then it reversed and Ash was taken to when Serena was captured.

It was a cold night and, the same one that Serena was poisoned in the Pokemon centre! The grunts who did theirs weren't team rocket grunts, but were hired by team rocket. They were wearing breath marks and therefore was immune to the gas.

This was happening at the exact time as Ash was in hospital about a month ago.

Ash had to wince at the memory of the gas poisoning him.

That night, they were dragging Clemont, Bonnie and Serena's bodies. They had already had medicine form the grunts because their boss wanted Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie back alive.

The medicine took some time to kick in, enough to have them taking to Govanni.

Ash saw how cruelly Govanni whipped them and threatened to kill them if they didn't give him the information he wanted about Ash.

Luckily, his friends were loyal to him, yet stubborn and refused to answer. Govanni was in rage! He ordered Clemont and Bonnie to be taken to a cell in the best guarded place in the team rocket he and kept them imprisoned. Then he put Serena on a special prison where she couldn't possibly escape: the same one Ash just saw Serena in. Govanni said that Ash would obviously be looking for her and that she was the key to blackmail and must be kept in the most secure area under most guard supervisions. Ash could see Persian, Govanni's pokemon, resting next to him, yet fully on alert as if ready to attack in case Clemont, Bonnie, or Serena tried something!

Ash made a mental note of the time and how there was no guards when he saw Serena on the bed. This was strange as Govanni had said there was guards at the cell at all time! Then he remembered that he heard that hat team rocket were slowly being taken down and many of its members were already arrest d and team rocket was running out of people. He made sure he knew when to rescue Serena.

Ash knew though, that rescuing Paul was priority because he was going to die tomorrow and Serena was second.

Then the scene shifted back to Serena. This time she was dead. Her brain waves were still and her heart and breathing stopped.

Ash tensed.

Then a mysterious forced pushed him to a calendar next to her body.

"It's 11 days from now!" Then Ash noticed that Serena wasn't completely dead. She was still breathing... slowly breathing, he knew a chance was still better than none. He decided to stop the ultra beast business for a few days and get Serena out.

He knew a chance was better than none!

Then the images faded and Ash found himself in void... darkness and blackness.