A thanks to Ri2 for his beta work.

Prologue: Out of the Mist

So this was it, Brock mused. He stood beside Ash and Misty and looked out into the fading mist of the mountains as the sun began to rise, its rays burning the fog away. A little farther ahead, a beautiful Ninetales sat, looking back at the crumbling mansion behind them. She tentatively moved back another inch, and then froze when she succeeded – free at last to leave the mansion and her old life behind.

Brock smiled wistfully. "Lokoko," he whispered to himself, letting the name ring through his heart. Another love found and lost. But in the end, he was happy, content that he had at least helped someone. Whether a person or Pokémon, it was always good to help someone. And today he had helped both, in a way. He chuckled lightly at that. Things were never dull traveling with Ash. To think that he had thought it was going to be an ordinary day, at least before he fell, and saw the girl of his dreams…

Brock winced from the pain in his back as he slid down the small cliff. For all his talk to Ash about watching their step in the fog, he should have been a little more careful himself. However, he quickly forgot the bruises when he heard a soft female voice call out to him.

"Are you all right?" A beautiful young woman stepped forward out of the mist. She wore a pink kimono and was carrying an old lantern. The mist slowly shrank back, as much from her presence as the from the light. Her black hair was split into two long pigtails, with two bright yellow balls at the top of her head. Behind her was a large, sleek Ninetales, just as lovely as the woman, if not more so.

"Who are you?" he asked, mystified. And smitten, but that went without saying for Brock.

The woman remained silent, but her Ninetales walked up to Brock and sniffed him carefully. The Ninetales then released a single, gentle cry. "Nine!"

Ash and Misty approached, but Brock kept his eyes on the Ninetales and its master. Seeing that his initial query had been ignored, it was time to up the ante. "And you are a vision of beauty!" He jumped to his feet and thrust his arms forward, hearts in his eyes. "They call me Brock! What do they call you, my sweetest of sweets?" Misty was too fascinated with the Ninetales to stop him this time, thank goodness, but he still subtly tensed for a negative reaction.

Much to his joy and amazement, the maiden only smiled warmly. "My name is Lokoko," she said. "And you mustn't walk these mountains in the mist. Stay with me until it clears."

Brock's smile widened, and he pumped his fists. "Wow! A dazzling beauty on the inside and the outside!" And that was important. Beauty was what drew his attention to girls, but they needed something substantive within. All the Nurse Joys were stunning beauties, but they were also excellent doctors with skills he envied. And Officer Jennies had a steadfast determination for justice along with keen insights to problems (well, except for that one Officer Jenny; he found that he didn't like her that much after she accused him of stealing Phanpy's egg from Ash, not to mention her other stumbles in the mystery). Lokoko was clearly a good trainer – he could feel the bond between her and the Ninetales just by watching them. And she was very kind and hospitable. He just hoped that things kept going well.

Brock sobbed uncontrollably as he listened to Lokoko's heartbreaking tale. She and Ninetales were the last servants of this once-glorious mansion. The owner had left on a long trip abroad, and had yet to return. Most of the servants had left, but Lokoko had stayed to look after the owner's precious Ninetales. It was terrible, not only for Lokoko but also for Ninetales. Pokémon who trusted their trainers shouldn't have their faith in them broken through abandonment. Still, Lokoko seemed hopeful that the master would return, so maybe he was being too hasty. Besides, at least Ninetales had found a good companion with Lokoko. The two seemed very close, with a bond he could only imagin and envy.

He was torn from his thoughts when Lokoko said she had something to ask of him. "Ask me what?" he said in confusion.

"Well," Lokoko said, "I'd rather not stay here alone much longer." Ninetales stared at Brock with those mysterious red eyes. "Would you please consider staying here in this big house with Ninetales and me?"

Brock gasped in utter shock. This…was more than he ever anticipated. He was hopeful before, but this… "A–are y–you…sugges–ting…" He stammered, unable to comprehend the impossible dream that had just unfolded right in front of him. "…That you and I get…ma…ma…" He forced the word through his mouth. "Married?!"

Lokoko blushed and hid her face behind her long sleeves. "If you find me acceptable," she said softly.

"Acceptable?!" He all but shouted, as if that was hardly a question. "Ye–"

He jumped forward to embrace Lokoko, only to suddenly fall to the ground. "I think I misjudged the distance of that joyous jump there," he said Mareepishly, though he could have sworn that he had been practically touching Lokoko when he stumbled.

Less convinced, Ash and Misty pulled him to the side. Their faces were tense, as they discussed how Brock had literally fallen straight through Lokoko's body. And that wasn't the only thing troubling them – earlier, Misty had noticed that Lokoko cast no reflection in the mirror. Brock tried to find some reasonable explanation, though he was running out of options. "Would you believe her skin is so delicate, she can't be touched?" Brock suggested desperately.

That was the last straw. "Brock, could you please come back to Earth?" Misty yelled, pulling at his cheeks.

Brock glanced past them to Lokoko – and Ninetales. They both looked tense, yet hopeful. He clenched his fists and broke free of Misty's hold. "Now just a minute!" he said, completely serious. "I have no choice but to help Lokoko and Ninetales find happiness!"

It wasn't simply a matter of love. They both needed someone to be with them, to bring comfort and stability to their lonely lives. And he could not let that go, any more than Ash could give up his dream of becoming a Pokémon master. He followed Ninetales out the door, promising himself that he would do everything he could to help it and Lokoko build a new life together.

He had been sitting with Lokoko and Ninetales for some time under the moon when he noticed that something was off with his clothes. Instead of his trusty old jacket, he was wearing a fine suit. "These…aren't my clothes…?" he said, picking at them questioningly.

"But dear," Lokoko interrupted smoothly, "don't you remember? You just changed. And you look so handsome."

"Yeah," he said, rubbing the back of his head Mareepishly. "You really think so?" In truth, he had a nagging feeling that something was off. But he didn't want to lose her, and the future she promised.

He remembered how another girl, Temacu, had been the one to propose to him first, before he could even let out a word. It was what he had been hoping for, someone who would show interest in him. But he had gotten used to failures again and again. When the reverse happened, he panicked. By the time he collected himself, it was too late; she'd moved on to a doctor. In retrospect, she wasn't actually in love with him, not in the way Brock wanted. She just liked the idea of marriage. (That wasn't always enough, he knew; his own parents were a good lesson at that.) But that wasn't the point. This time would be different. If this was just another mirage, another disappointment, he would enjoy the lie for as long as he could. He had to believe in a miracle of love. If not, then what else was there to live for?

He should have known it was too good to last. He ran after Ash and Misty into the heart of the mansion. Just as with his feeling of love, so bright just a few minutes ago, the house's once-glamorous visage had crumbled. He had been upset – no, angry – when Ash attacked Ninetales. This was different from their usual efforts to rein him in when he hit on a girl. He let Misty pull him away and break up his speeches, but he could let those things slide. Here, when he had made a decision that was reciprocated, what right did they have to interfere with his happiness? But then Lokoko vanished, and all the illusions faded. He couldn't really hold it against them, any more than with the Maiden's Peak incident. Ash and Misty were his friends, and they wanted to keep him safe – even if it hurt his heart. As one who had studied in medicine, he had to bitterly accept that reality; cures were painful, but necessary.

They led him into a room at the heart of the ruins. He narrowed his eyes and stared in puzzled bemusement at the portrait on the far wall. The handsome fellow, sitting beside Ninetales in the painting, looked just like Brock. Ash tried to tell him something, but then Ninetales returned. Ninetales had lost its kind demeanor and instead hissed like a cornered animal. Brock's heart went out to it. How desperate was it, after all those years of being alone except for Lokoko?

Something Ash said caught his attention, and his heart jumped in shock. The owner had been gone for two centuries?! His mind began to race as he started placing the pieces together. Before, he had judged Ninetales as an average-aged, albeit exceptionally well-bred, young Ninetales, probably under a hundred years. This new information changed everything. Ninetales could live up to a thousand years, and their tails' power grew exponentially with age. If Ninetales had already reached a fifth of its full age, who knew how powerful it could be? And even younger ones could use Psychic and Ghost powers, both of which had the affinity for illusions. He glanced at the table, and saw a red ball, with one end decorated with a blue and white cap. He took a closer look and confirmed his suspicion. It was a Pokéball. That meant…

Brock turned back to the center of the room, where the fight had reached the climax. Ash and Pikachu had fallen, and Ninetales howled in triumph. Brock looked at Ninetales and Lokoko for a moment, and then hardened his heart. He picked up the Pokeball and stood tall. "Ninetales," he commanded, "return!" Ninetales' fierce snarl weakened for a moment, and it embraced the pull of the ball. Brock smiled, but then faltered as Lokoko approached. Given the clues he already had, he had a sinking feeling about the romance he had been so sure about just hours before.

As Lokoko – no, Ninetales – explained her story, Brock reflected on the Pokémon's long and sad tale. Lokoko was no more than another illusion created by Ninetales to recreate her former, happy life. She had been the favorite Pokémon of the mansion's master, some two hundred years ago. When he went on a trip, he left her behind with the servants to await his return in a month. But he never came back. One by one, the servants left, leaving Ninetales all alone as she continued to wait. Finally, she decided to leave too, only to find a force binding her to the abandoned home.

He looked at the worn, old Pokéball in wonder. He'd seen a number of unusual Pokéballs while traveling with Ash – from the antique balls Sammy used when he went through time with Celebi to the G.S. Ball – but he'd never seen one with such a strong link to the captured Pokémon. Left all alone in the mountains, Ninetales struggled to keep the illusion of her old life alive. And then Brock, looking just like her old master, showed up. He could only imagine the pain Ninetales was going through even now, forced to confront the truth that her master was not back, and never would be.

He opened his mouth to speak, but froze when a net descended on Ninetales from above. He looked up at the Meowth balloon and groaned. Of all the times for them to show up.

Team Rocket actually did good things once in a while, Brock reflected, whether they intended to or not. The shattered ball in his hands testified to the chaos they always left in their wake. Usually it was a bad thing, but for once they did something right. With the ball destroyed, Ninetales had nothing tying her down to this decayed mansion. The sun had come up, dispelling the last illusions of grandeur on the decrepit complex – just as his illusion of love had faded away. Even though Ninetales was Lokoko in a sense, it didn't matter anyway, for she could now run free. The image of Lokoko was gone, and he would never see that beautiful face again, or Ninetales.

He pushed back his sorrow over the lost, illusionary love, and smiled warmly to Ninetales. However much he loved girls, he also cared deeply for Pokémon, and he could only feel happy for Ninetales now that she was free from her long ordeal. He held the broken shards of the ball before her. "Your Pokéball's been broken. That means you're free now to go anywhere you like."

Misty nodded. "I'm sure that's what your master would want from you," she said.

Brock stood up and took a step back. Ninetales stared at him for a long moment. Then she stepped forward, toward him. Brock froze, taken aback by this. Then he understood what she wanted, and gently petted her fur.

"Huh?" Ash said. "What's going on? I thought Ninetales wanted to be free."

"I don't think that's the whole story, Ash," Brock said. He remembered Lokoko – no, Ninetales' – words. She was not miserable simply due to being here, or she would have tried to leave before the other servants all vanished one by one. It was only then, when she was alone, that she attempted to leave the manor. Two hundred years with no one but herself. In the end, being free from the ball's limit did not solve her loneliness.

"Ninetales," Brock said, "a lot has changed over the centuries. But if you want, you can come with us, until you feel at home again in the world."

Ninetales moved forward, but then backed off slightly. Brock wondered why, but then glanced down at his right arm. He had naturally grabbed a Pokéball. "I understand," Brock said. He put the ball away.

"But Brock," Misty pointed out, "if Ninetales doesn't have a trainer, everyone is going to be trying to catch her."

"Then I will provide one," Lokoko's voice said. The image of Lokoko appeared in front of Ninetales. "I have learned to maintain my illusions for days on end, so I can avoid discovery."

"And we'll be there too," Brock said.

"All right!" Ash said. "Welcome to the team, Ninetales!"

"If it is all right," Lokoko's image said, "I would like to be called Lokoko. I have used that name for a number of years now."

She glanced at Brock with warm gratitude, and Brock smiled calmly. "Let's go," he said. "We still have a long journey ahead of us." And so, with the mist fading, the party headed on through the mountains, with a new friend beside them, as the journey continued.

… … … … … …

Author's Note- The first Pokémon episode I ever watched was "Wake Up Snorlax". Nothing too important happened in that episode. However, I was exposed to interesting characters, humorous antics, and a beautiful world. At the end, when I saw the subtitle, "To be continued", I wanted to see where the journey would go.

Since then, I have come to love Pokémon, and it is all thanks to that one "filler" episode. Many people dislike the fillers, and given a lot of them I can understand the distaste. Yet I also feel that the fillers are an important part of the series. Many of my favorite episodes have been fillers. More than that, the fillers symbolize the sense of vivid, infinite potential waiting in the Pokémon world and in Ash's boundless journey. Every person and place visited in an episode, even if they are never seen again, shows up another small piece of the Pokémon world. This story was made out of my love for those one-episode characters and plots, and my thoughts on what if one of them came to have importance on the adventure as a whole.