Pikachu's Real Goodbye

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon

Pikachu liked his life. He had a best friend in his trainer Ash. He traveled all over the place and he was the only one Ash kept with him everywhere. Pikachu never figured his life would change. He thought it would always be the same so much he didn't even realize the changes as they came. He didn't realize as Ash grew older Ash would change.

It started very simple. Just every time they went to a pokemon center Ash would call Misty. Pikachu didn't mind that. He liked Misty. He didn't realize the hidden meaning behind Ash's phone calls. He didn't realize Ash was starting to develop feelings for girls. Didn't realize Ash was growing up. That during the battle frontier him and May would go off together. That the two had dated a bit before deciding they were better as friend. He didn't realize during Sinnoh the same thing happened with Dawn. That Ash had started to notice the opposite sex in more then just a friend way and there was one particular girl he noticed more then others.

It was between Sinnoh and Unova that Piakchu started knowing something. Ash didn't leave right away. He went to take a GED test and then start college courses designed for Pokemon trainers. He took courses in Pokemon Breeding and business. During this time Ash would travel to Cerulean City alone and Pikachu didn't realize he was dating Misty.

During Unova Ash left him alone more often to be on the phone in privet, but the adventure was mostly the same. Pikachu thought this would bring Ash back to himself, but after Unova was the longest the two ever stayed at home. Ash finished his college courses and started dating Misty more seriously. In fact Pikachu didn't realize until that that was moment when Ash and Misty decided to only see each other.

It was a chance Ash heard about the Kalos league and he asked permission from Misty before he went. Pikachu was excited to finally go on another adventure. Ash met new friends but he always made sure to go and call Misty. It was Kalos when they finally won the league but lost to the Elite Four. Ash didn't seem as effected by the lost as he had by others. He was so close to completing his dream but it just slipped through his fingers.

"I think it's time to make some changes Pikachu," Ash said as he walked into a jewelry shop before he left Kalos and bought a big ring. "There's one person who has always been there for me no matter how far away she was. It's time to get my life straight. It's time to stop chasing unattainable dreams and make a more believable dream I have come to life."

This confused Pikachu but when they got back to Kanto Ash went right to the Cerulean Gym. Misty was battling a challenger. Her sister were there being referee, but it didn't take long for Misty to win. Right after the win she saw Ash and ran to him. Ash hugged her.

"Your back," Misty said.

"Back for good," Ash said. "I've been doing a lot of thinking and well…." Ash took the ring out of his pocket and got down on one knee. "Misty Waterflower will you marry me?"

Misty was shocked but accepted right away. Ash put the ring on her finger and at that moment Pikachu knew his life had changed. They decided to get married fast and had the wedding at the Oak lab. All their friends plus their pokemon were there. The two went on a honeymoon only taking Charizard with them and that was only for transport. Pikachu was left at the lab with the other pokemon who seemed excited by this new development in their trainers life, but Pikachu wasn't. He didn't want his life to change.

After the honeymoon Ash moved to Cerulean City. He loved Pallet Town but Misty had a good job in Cerulean and it wasn't so far. Ash took the test to get his breeder license. Pikachu hadn't realized how serious Ash had become about breeding. He didn't realize the time Ash spent studying breeding groups and learning how to make food and medicine.

It was right after he got his breeding license he got an offer from Scott to compete in the Sinnoh Battle Frontier. He was about to reject the offer when Misty told him to go on one last adventure and then come back to her. Pikachu was happy. Ash had taken just him on this adventure again and May and Dawn were coming along with them.

Pikachu was sure he could make his trainer see that they had to continue their journey. That it was their destiny to be the best together. During this adventure Ash seem very picky on what pokemon he was going to catch. He said he was looking for types he didn't have a lot of and a ditto. This only reinforced Pikachu excitement thinking he was winning his trainer over.

That dream was short lived as one day Ash ran out of the pokemon center with a pokeball and released Charizard. Pikachu was shocked to see his old friend and so was May and Dawn. "Ash, what's going on?" May asked.

"Misty pregnant. She just told me. I have to go home. I have to go to her," Ash said getting on Charizard back as May and Dawn jumped with excitement. "Good luck in the grand festival. I'll watch on TV. Pikachu come on." Pikachu was hesitant but jumped up onto Charizard back and the group flew home.

Ash became an official gym leader of Cerulean Gym and his water pokemon mainly stayed at the gym. Ash had also used his winnings from the tournaments he entered over the years to buy a lot of land outside of Cerulean City. He got his business license and him and Brock opened up a breeding center together. They sold Brock's homemade pokemon food, poke block and puffs recipe that the two came up with together, and homemade medicines. They were license to breed and sell pokemon eggs. The fact that Ash had almost all the starters and two of his starters had mates who gave Ash eggs was helpful. People would pay a lot for starters. Ash also ran a small battling center where if a person could beat Ash in a six on six battle they won a surprised pokemon egg.

Ash was able to transfer all his pokemon to his breeding center, getting the license to remove the limit. All except his Tauros who he started to trade away for more pokemon and when one of his pokemon found someone for a mate he caught them or traded for them as well. He got a really interesting selection of pokemon.

Pikachu watched all this and he was unhappy. He was no longer the only pokemon Ash always kept on him. He was no longer traveling. He was also unhappy when Misty gave birth. A loud little baby girl with Misty red hair and Ash's eyes that they named Ali and from that moment on Pikachu knew Ash would never return to their old life. He loved his wife, he loved his baby, and he loved his new life. Worst all his other pokemon loved this life too. No one but Pikachu seemed to miss the traveling. No one but Pikachu wanted things back to the way they were.

It just started to get worst as Ali started to grow. It was obvious she had her parents love for Pokémon from the minute she could crawl. Always going to touch or play with the pokemon in the yard. She had touched Pikachu tail once and Pikachu had given her an electric shock. Ash had yelled at him saying she was just a baby and Pikachu could really hurt her. Pikachu had a hard time accepting his trainer yelling at him. He waited for all the other pokemon to not like the child as well but it wasn't happening. Everyone else loved her.

Bulbasaur was almost like a nanny in the way he took care of Ali. The other pokemon more then willing to play with her. Charizard acted like an over protective father to the girl himself always watching out for danger and keeping an eye on her. When she started to walk Snorlax let Ali jump on her stomach. She could jump off his stomach to be caught by either Bulbasaur or Bayleef with a vine whip.

It was when she was three Pikachu could no longer take it. He hated his new life. He hated watching the girl play with everything and he hated the fact that he wasn't the only pokemon Ash always had on him anymore. His relationship with his trainer had changed. He rarely battled anymore and he had had enough. During the night, he went into Ash and Misty's room, found his pokeball. The one with the lighting bolt on it and destroyed it.

Then he ran away from this place. He took routes he knew from traveling with Ash and ended up in Viridian Forest. Pikachu knew he couldn't go back to Pallet Town or to the lab so he decided to live here. He could make it in the wild by himself. He knew he could.

-PM-

When Ash found the broken Pokeball he was upset. He hadn't known Pikachu was this upset. He had some idea his starter was unhappy but didn't think it would come to this. He had thought Pikachu would settle in eventually.

He spent some time looking for his friend but eventually gave up. He had a gym and business to run and a family that needed him. When Ali was five him and Misty decided to have more kids and had a boy named Henry.

The years seemed to pass quickly and Ali was finally ten. Old enough to become a pokemon trainer and start on her own dream. "So,' Ash said with a smile as his daughter. "What pokemon do you want? You have the choice of any of the young pokemon we have here. I think Garchomp had kids if you want to start with a dragon type."

"Tempting," Ali said and then Charizard flew over and landed in front of her. In his arms was a tiny shiny Charmander. Charizard put the child on the floor and Ali got on her knees to look at him. "Is this yours and Charla kid?" Charmander and his mate had had many kids over the years either here at the breeding center or at the Charicific Valley.

Charizard gave a nod indicating yes. "I didn't know you had another child," Ash said. "Charizard must have flown all the way to the valley and back with him."

Ali already had her hand on the Charmander head and was playing with him. "You want to come with me and be my partner," Ali asked the little one who responded with an excited Charmander char. "I'll take that as a yes. I guess I have my starter."

Ash had handed Ali a pokeball, which Ali tapped on the charmander head and caught him. She then looked up at Charizard. "I'll take good care of him. I promise." Charizard roared and seemed happy with the choice.

"Now Ali remember if you ever want another pokemon from this center you have to earn it," Ash said. "I'm not just going to give you pokemon because you my daughter."

"I know we already gone over ways I can earn pokemon,' Ali said hugging her father. "Bye dad." Ali gave her little brother a hug. "Don't jump on Snorlax too hard." She warned him with a smile and then took her bike to the Cerulean Gym to say bye to her mother.

"So when can I expect you for a battle?" Misty asked

"Actually mom, I'm not coming here for a badge. There are other gyms in kanto I can get and I don't want anyone to say you just gave me a badge because you're my mother," Ali explained to her mom who nodded understanding.

"Have fun, make a lot of friends and remember any boys will have to go through Charizard first," Misty joked and Ali laughed heading.

She was going to head to Pewter City first to get the badge. Then head to Pallet Town to see Professor Oak and get a pokedex. She would visit her grandmother there and then take the boat from Pallet Town to Vermillion City to get a badge there.

On the way to Pewter City her and Charmander had caught a Meowth. She faced the fact that neither of her pokemon were strong against rock types but her father had taught her well over the years. He had told her when she didn't have the right pokemon to have the right move ready so she worked on getting Metal Claw down with Charmander and Iron Tail with Meowth.

She called her father for hints and even stayed with Brock at his house in Pewter for a bit who was willing to help her train. Once those moves were down she took on Forrest at the Pewter City gym and won her first badge in a very close match with Meowth fainted and Charmander nearly losing but managing to take down Forrest last pokemon first.

Afterward she went into Viridian Forest and when half way through decided to spend the night.

-PM-

Pikachu had a harder life living in the wild on his own then he thought. Food was hard to find and he had to compete for it. He more then once thought about going home, but then just couldn't bare the thought of going back there. No he had to survive. He had lost weight and was sick. He had taken to stealing from passing trainers.

One day he saw a girl who looked sort of familiar setting up a camp. She had an unusual colored Charmander with her and a Meowth. There was a bike leaning against a tree and the girl was taking food out of the basket and putting it down.

When she turned her back Pikachu went for the food, but before he could get away her pokemon stopped him. "A Pikachu," the girl said a little surprised. "How about you give me that back and we can all eat together."

It was a good offer but Pikachu didn't trust the girl not to try and catch her. "Pikachu," Pikachu called out letting out a thunderbolt but he was sick and his aim wasn't so good. He ended up frying the girls bike.

"My bike. Okay I tried to be nice," the girl said and ordered her Meowth to use iron tail. The pokemon came at Pikachu and he tried to get away but the young healthy pokemon were too much for him. He got hit and was thrown into a tree fainting.

-PM-

Ali threw a pokeball at the Pikachu, which quickly caught him. Ali looked at the pokeball. Her anger about her bike lessening as she looked. Sure she had hit the Pikachu with two attacks but it felt too easy of an attack. She could feel in her bones something was wrong with her new catch. Viridian City wasn't far off so she returned her two pokemon, threw her stuff into her backpack, and ran off leaving the charred remains of her bike behind.

Once she got to the pokemon center she told Nurse Joy what happened and asked her to look after the Pikachu. She waited in the lobby for hours until Nurse Joy came out. "I'm sorry, but that Pikachu you caught was really old and really sick. I put a phone call into Professor Oak to see if there was something he could do."

Oak arrived the next morning and went to look at Pikachu right away. That was when he was shocked. "You just caught this Pikachu?" Oak asked and Ali nodded. "It's your fathers or at least was. Old but I'd recognize him anywhere. Call your parents. Your dad should come here."

Ali knew that wasn't a good sign so she called her parents and told them what happened. They left her younger brother with Misty's oldest sister and flew over on Charizard right away.

"Professor," Ash said when he walked in. "Is there anything?"

"I'm sorry my boy. If Pikachu had been treated sooner maybe but the disease he got went to far. He doesn't have much time left," Oak told Ash. "You can go in and see him."

"Ash do you want me to go in with you?" Misty asked.

"Just a moment Misty," Ash said and walked away from his wife and in to see his first pokemon. Pikachu looked at him having expected him since he saw Oak. "Hey bubby," Ash said sitting down. "It's been a long time. I'm not going to ask you why you left. I know why. You didn't like my new life. You wanted to be traveling trying to be a pokemon master, but I grew up. I needed to settle down. I wanted to settle down but I never wanted to lose you. I wish there was a way I could have gotten what I wanted and you could have been happy. Just know you were always my best friend. My starter and my partner. I love you bubby." Ash was trying to stop tears from coming down his eyes. A battle, which he lost.

He sat next to his starter all night. He heard Misty and Ali come in. Misty said a few words to Pikachu. It was late at night. Ali was asleep when Pikachu monitor's made a noise and Pikachu was gone.

Ash made arrangements with Nurse Joy for burial in a pokemon cemetery nearby. "Hey Ali, I guess I owe you a pokemon," Ash said and Ali gave him a look. "You caught Pikachu fair and square. You deserve to have three pokemon now. There's a new electric type at the breeding center. I'll give her to you."

Ali was about to argue but Misty gave her a look from behind Ash. A look Ali knew meant lay off. Misty knew her husband was trying to keep it together and he needed to give Ali this pokemon. "Okay dad, but you also owe me a new bike," Ali said shocking Ash. "Pikachu destroyed mine. He was your starter so you owe me a new bike." Misty hides a laugh and Ash looked between them.

Finally he cracked a smile. "Like mother like daughter," Ash said putting a arm around his daughter and another around Misty. He would be okay. He finally got to say goodbye to Pikachu. For real this time.

AN: Okay this was a stupid little one shot. Hope you enjoyed.