"Greninja is unable to battle. Therefore the winner of this battle and the Kalos League is Alan!" echoed throughout the stadium. Tens of thousands of cheers shook the building, but Ash was silent. He stood still and his mind was drawing blanks. He couldn't even muster a thought other than that of his failure. 'I lost? Again? This can't be happening. This is the farthest I've ever gone and I was supposed to win..' Cheers boomed throughout the stadium as Ash's tears hit the floor beneath him. As Ash and Alan met in the center of the stadium Ash did all he could to avoid eye contact. "Congratulations Alan." Ash said as they shook hands. "You battled really well Ash. I was expecting a great battle and we both got one. Uh, Ash?" Ash had already started to walk off the battlefield and into the corridors that he had passed through thinking that he was going to be Kalos Champion. Ash proceeded through the halls making several twists and turns just as he had done a mere hour ago. Ash tried not to get too worked up before he started to lose his mind. He reached into his bag for a pen and a note and began to write. Pikachu stared in confusion. Ash spoke to Pikachu as he sat down. "I just don't get it. So many leagues and we just can't win. All these years and all of this training and I still don't know what I'm doing wrong!" Tears streamed from Ash's eyes and made clear contact with the ground beneath him. He took a deep breath and took in the scenery right before him. He admired the sleek, white marble building and found peace in the courtyard. He felt the granite underneath him and the trees above him. He was alone and it was helping him find the inner peace he needed. "Come on Pikachu. The others are probably looking for us." Ash and his yellow furred friend walked to the stadium's pokemon center to look for their friends Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie. "Ash! Ash over here!" Ash recognized Serena calling out to him. He could see all of his friends: Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, Tierno, Shauna, Trevor, Prof. Sycamore, and Sawyer. He and Pikachu made their way to where they were all sitting, but Ash didn't sit down. He just looked at his friends who had come to support him in the league and felt ashamed. "I'm sorry I let all of you down. You all came to support me and I just couldn't do it even with all of you here." Tears once again filled Ash's eyes and everyone was shocked to see him acting like this. "Ash you did your best and that's all anyone could ever ask of you, even yourself", Clemont chimed in. Others nodded in agreement. "Besides Ash you can always keep training and getting better and you can even enter the league again" Serena encouraged Ash. "You just don't get it! I've done this for years. I can't keep doing it. There's something holding me back and I need to find out what it is." Everyone felt the heat rising off of Ash. They had never seen him this upset with himself. A tear fell from Serena's face. "Ash what are you saying?" Ash let out a deep breath. "I'm saying I think I need to be on my own for a while. Or until I figure everything out. I'm sorry I let you all down, but I mostly let myself down and I can't keep doing this. Thank you for supporting me as much as you did but I think it's time for me to leave." Ash made his way out the door before anyone could even begin to stop him. Serena ran as fast as she could to try and get him to stay. "Ash! Please don't leave me! Please don't leave us!" the automatic doors flew open. Ash was nowhere in sight. Just outside the doors and the top stair of the staircase leading to the road, Serena noticed something on the ground. A note. She read it to herself. 'Serena, Bonnie, Clemont. I'm so sorry that I'm doing this to you. I love you all and you will always be my closest friends and I can't begin to thank you enough for everything you've done for me. But it's my time to go and I think I need to be alone. Serena, I'm sorry that I'm doing this to you. I know how you feel about me, but you need to know the way I am. I've never stuck around with anyone. My journeys end. They always have. I never wanted this one with you to end but I know about your offer from Palermo to train with her and become Kalos Queen. You need to take it and I would only be holding you back. I care about you Serena. That's why I'm leaving. -Ash.' Tears streamed from Serena's face to the stairs below. The love of her life was gone and she was broken.