Surprise! I'm back! I know I said I would start this back up in early June, but I was just sitting around the house not really doing anything and decided what the heck? Why not write another chapter. So that's what I'm doing. Also I put up a link to my forum Poke Talk on my profile so check that out when you can. Alright I'm rambling. Let's just get on with the story shall we?

" M-mom I can't breath."

" Oh sorry honey."

Delia Ketchum slowly let go of her son but not before pulling him back and whispering into his ear. The reaction was instantaneous. Blushing madly he whispered back quickly before stepping away and crossing his arms over his chest.

Snickers could be heard from three other children in the background and a yellow Pokemon with a lightning shaped tail. One girl with short honey blonde hair and blue eyes, and the other two a boy and a girl, with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Glaring at them, particularly at his best friend and partner Pikachu, Ash smiled up at his beaming mother.

" Well Mom here are my friends I've been traveling with the past few months. Serena, Clemont and Bonnie." He said pointing to each person.

" It's so nice to meet you! Oh you must be starving! Come on I just finished making dinner." Delia said ushering her son and three friends to the small dining room table. Before Delia disappeared into the kitchen, she bent down and whispered:

" You know I think that girl Serena likes you."

His mother stood and headed into the kitchen not before seeing a massive blush overcome her sons face.

' Oh how my little boy is growing up.'

Clemont snickered at Ash's face while Bonnie looked on in confusion before she figured it out and started snickering too. Serena on the other hand blushed just as bad as Ash.

' I hope that what his mother said was about me and that he's blushing about me.'

Giddy at the thought, Serena smiled a little before reaching her hands up to her short locks. Running her fingers through her hair she sat up straight trying to look presentable.

Ash's mother came out moments later, food piled high, with Mr. Mime helping as well. Setting it down, she smiled and gestured for them to eat.

Sitting down as well, she piled some food on her plate, and turned to her son who was scarfing food down in a frenzy.

" So Ash tell me about your journey in Kalos. I want to know everything."

Slowing down, Ash looked up at his mother and swallowed his food before talking. Mostly it was about gym battles and all the adventures as friends Clemont, Serena, Bonnie, and Ash had had together. Everything was going pretty smoothly with Delia intervening here and there to scold her son for reckless behavior. Then everything came crashing down. The one thing Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena had kept from Ash from fear of him being afraid and guilty for what he had done. The one thing that they swore to keep a secret. The one thing they swore to never tell Ash about no matter what. And all of that may or may not fall in a matter of seconds.

Ash had started talking about the house they had went into. The one where everything had happened. He had started the story with how they went in because it was raining and how they went exploring. The trio of kids and Pikachu slightly paled at that. They prayed to Arceus that Ash wouldn't ask the question they were dreading to answer. I guess Arceus was to busy to hear their prayers.

Ash slowly turned to the pale kids. " You know I was wondering what had happened the rest of that night. I only remember going in there and coming out with you guys dragging me away.. And you never did tell me what actually went on in there. You just said it was nothing."

Biting her lip, Serena braced herself and looked Ash straight in the eye. She hated lying to him, but she loved him enough to not want him to be eaten up by guilt. " Nothing happened."

Ash narrowed his eyes at her. She was lying. He knew she was. But a part of him told him to just let it go and talk to her or the other two trembling kids at another date. Now was not the time.

Sighing, he said a quick "Ok" before digging back into his food situation forgotten.

Breathing a sigh if relief, they too went back to eating and talking about the rest of their journey.

Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie winced as Ash fell onto the grassy ground, all his Pokemon sitting on top smiling.

The four kids had went to Professor Oak's ranch to meet up with some of Ash's old Pokemon and drop off his newly caught Kalos Pokemon. Right now all the Pokemon were laughing happily, Ash included, as they hugged. Well more like crushed than hugged.

" Should we go help him?" Serena whispered to Clemont as they watched the heartfelt yet concerning exchange.

Clemont bit his lip before answering. " Unless he's screaming for help I think he'll be fine."

Serena nodded yet it wasn't that reassuring. Then she turned towards Clemont again. " What are we going to do? We can't tell him. It would break his heart. Even if it wasn't actually him he'd still feel guilty."

Clemont sighed deeply. " I don't Serena. All I know is that no matter what we never tell him what happened. Unless we have too. But I doubt it."

She looked at him. " I don't think I can keep lying to him. What if were to find out on his own? He would probably hate us for not telling him."

Clemont turned his eyes to her's. " I don't think Ash would. That's not him. He might be mad at first, but he'll understand. Please Serena don't under any circumstances tell him. We made a promise. Okay?"

Serena looked at her feet as she brushed a short stray lock of hair behind her ear. Her lip quivered but none the less the she nodded.

A stray tear fell from her blue eyes. ' I'm sorry Ash. Were just to protect you. I'm just trying to protect you.'

Looking at the smile on Ash's face and the way his hat was on lopsided showing more messy black hair underneath, Serena sighed.

' I'm sorry for lying. But it's for your own good. Your happy. No reason to ruin that."

Deep in the mind of Ash Ketchum, we see a figure. A dark menacing figure. He meditates. Deep in concentration. Dark aura surrounds him in waves. Suddenly he opens his eyes. Crimson eyes. Then he laughs. A bone chilling laugh.

" Get ready. Because your world is going to hell. And it will be by my hand."

Releasing another bone chilling laugh, he disappears slowly leaving crimson eyes. He laughs again before those disappear too.

I know very short, but I'll try my best to make the chapters longer. Anyways read and review and I'll see you on the next chapter of The Return Of Damien: The Fight For Ash's Soul. Peace!