A/N:
This is the chapter with the wardrobe change, tell me what you think of his new threads. Once again I made him act more serious on the whole, keeping bits and pieces of sarcasm and humor along the way
Ash rode on the back of his Charizard, watching for any signs of the Indigo Plateau. He didn't want to be seen so soon, even with a legit alias at his disposal he didn't want any suspicion. He also wanted to keep his Pokémon a secret; he knew from experience surprise was a big factor in a tournament. His piercing gaze soon rested itself on a sight he hadn't seen in a good long while. Ash admired the beauty of the complex only for a moment before ordered his Pokémon to land.
Ash had gone to admittedly extreme lengths to conceal himself, he cut his hair, changed his eye color, and named all of his Pokémon. He wanted nothing that could be traced to his true identity. He also had a total wardrobe change.
He wore an all black, form fitting long sleeved shirt covered by a thick red and black vest with a collar that stood up. The combination he wore was perfect for his life on Mount Silver. It kept him warm and allowed his arms free movement. A pair of black jeans completed the ensemble. It wasn't overly impressive, but that was just what he wanted, he wanted to be another normal face in the crowd.
Ash returned the newly named Ruby to his ball. And began walking. His thoughts were too focused on the upcoming tournament that he didn't notice the thick trees begin to thin. The once focused trainer was shaken from his musings by the spectral might of the sun on a clear day. Ash quickly shielded his eyes, and blinked rapidly, attempting to adjust to the new light level.
After a moment of pain he uncovered his eyes and the Indigo Plateau loomed large on the horizon. Suddenly, thoughts of his past began to flood this mind, and with out warning, his vision went white again, but as his vision returned it was not the Plateau looming large, but his own home in Pallet. Ash flinched as an explosion shook the air around him. The force of the shockwave threw a familiar figure, which was making his way towards the once pristine house, to the ground. The figure struggled to his feet, all the while shouting, 'Mom, MOM!'
But there was no answer. Ash knew the story quite well. It played every night in his head on an endless loop. He memorized the opening, the plot, the twist and the conclusion. But this tale was not one thought up by Walt Disney (Although it might have been because the mother dies). Many horrors were contained, and Ash knew every one. For the tale of pain and heartbreak shown before him was his own.
Suddenly, his vision blurred once again, and as it cleared he was in what seemed like a courtroom. There was an older man sitting behind a counter arguing with a dark haired man.
"What do you mean not enough evidence?" demanded the enraged dark haired man.
The older man did not bat an eye at the dark haired man's anger, "I mean, there is not enough evidence that proves Mr. Ketchum is a murderer, Mr. Maple."
Then there was angry shouting and cursing from more than just the dark haired man as the judge put his hammer down. Then, his vision blurred again, and cleared to his Pikachu, trying to shake him awake.
"Ash? Oh good, you were out for a while, what happened?"
"Nothing important" He said, appearing to shrug off the vision,
"Ready Pi?"
The little Pokémon was unconvinced, but did not push the matter, "As I'll every be."
"I don't know why you're nervous, I have to talk to the people." Ash said, giving his starter a weird look.
"Because I have to be in your backpack all day." Pikachu said with a disgusted look on his face as he eyed the black pack with a red pokeball emblem on the back.
"There's some food in there." Ash sighed.
"I love you." Pikachu's face instantly brightened.
Ash's face adopted an annoyed look as his Pokémon 'returned', or he went into his pack. As he zipped up the pack a shadow passed overhead. He looked up to see an airplane labeled Sinnoh Airlines making a beeline for Indigo Airport. Ash figured the Sinnoh champion and Elite Four were on board.
As the plane faded into the horizon Ash resumed his trek to the Pokémon center. 30 minutes later he arrived at said Pokémon center. He walked through the doors, and turned to the front desk, expecting to register and be done with it. But it was not to be. Because as he was about to ask the local Nurse Joy if he could register his Pokémon he soon found himself about to ask his question to the floor as another person smashed into him
"Ugh… who the hell-?" Ash groaned, holding his head
"Oh my god I am so sorry!"
"Huh?" Ash looked surprised, the apologetic voice sounded feminine.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry, let me help you up." The voice said again
"Sure but I… Cynthia?" Ash gasped, surprised that the elegant Sinnoh champion had been the one to run into him
"Yes, but do I know you?" She said looking surprised as well
Ash finally got over his shock and responded, "Sort of, I know who you are, but then again who doesn't."
"True," Cynthia said with a ghost of a grin, "But you said sort of, does that mean you and I have met?"
"Yeah, but you probably don't remember me." Ash said, not realizing how much he was letting out to the champion
"Talking about remembering, you look like someone I know." She said, eying him suspiciously.
"Who?" Ash dared to ask
"Ash Ketchum." She said.
The once conspicuous was floored, already? "Really?"
"Yeah, I mean obviously not the hair and physical build, but the facial features. Can you take off your sunglasses?" Cynthia asked, perplexed by this man.
"Are you sure?" He asked, trying to make it seem like a big deal.
"I'm positive."
"Okay." And off the sunglasses came, revealing a unique sight. Without the sunglasses to provide a barrier she had a clear view of Ash's deep, piercing, dark red irises.
"Interesting, you have similar facial features, but your eyes are all wrong." She observed.
"Yes, sorry to disappoint you." Ash said
"No problem, but I never got your name." Cynthia said, fully interested in this man, seeing as he isn't Ash.
"Red, Red Satoshi." Ash said.
"Good to know, I guess I'll be seeing you in the tournament." Cynthia said, beginning to walk away.
"How did you know I was competing and not watching a friend?" Ash said in amusement.
"Because I saw your Charizard, not to mention that your badge cases fell out of your jacket." She said, and then proceeded to exit through the glass doors.
Ash looked at the ground surprised and true to form, saw his cases on the ground. Ash groaned and went to pick them up, when suddenly he heard a cry of 'WAIT!'
Ash was not clumsy, not anymore, and to this day he upheld that fact. Ash would also uphold that when he was smashed into once again, it was not his fault.
"Oh sorry about my brother, let me help you up." Another feminine voice said.
"Ugh… Déjà vu." Ash said rubbing his head.
He heard laughing in the background, and as soon as he was on his feet he saw a girl with long blonde hair leaning up against a wall laughing.
"Well, fancy running into you again." She said in between laughs.
"Very funny, Cynthia." Ash grumbled as he once again picked up his badge case.
"You two know each other." Another voice said.
"Yes Dawn, we just met a few minutes ago." Cynthia giggled
"Max, how many times do I have to tell you not to run into places without looking!" yet another voice said.
"Alright, I don't know if anyone noticed, but I don't know any of you guys. So it would be great if you would introduce yourself." Ash suggested, feeling rather annoyed and left out, although the latter really didn't bother him.
"Okay, I'm May." The girl that helped him up said.
"Name's Max." The voice that ran into him said.
"I'm Dawn." A blue haired girl chirped.
"Thank you, now we can have proper conversation." Ash smiled approvingly.
"Yes, but you left out one thing," Cynthia said
"What's that?" Ash said confused.
"Your name." Cynthia pointed out.
Ash groaned and blushed lightly from embarrassment. The group chuckled at the embarrassed trainer.
"My name is Red Satoshi." Ash said, utilizing his alias.
"Nice to meet you Red, are you-"
Dawn started but was quickly shoved aside by Max, "Are you competing? What Pokémon do you have? What level are they? Can we battle? Are you… mph, mph"
Max's mouth was covered by his sister as he failed to stop his constant questions 'Same old May and Max' Ash thought with a grin
"Sorry about my brother he's just excited about the competition." May said, glaring at her brother.
"Its no problem May, but I really must leave." Ash said, beginning to feel uncomfortable about letting out his secret
"Red!" Cynthia called out.
"Yes?"
Cynthia started to blush a little, "Would you mind staying with us for lunch, you know so we could… get more acquainted with one another?"
Red was startled, no one was this nice to a stranger, but who was he to turn her down, "Okay, so where do you want-" Ash was interrupted by another voice, this one much deeper than any of the previous ones.
"Nurse Joy! If only I could express the feelings of eternal love I have for…" BAM "Ack!" A purple, luminescent fist promptly ended the spiky haired man's rant. Which was courtesy of a Toxicroak
"Uh." Ash said, unsure of what to say.
"It's been almost 5 years and you still haven't changed. GET A GIRLFRIEND!" A red head shouted, dragging him away.
"Um, is he alright?" Ash said, a little worried for not just the man, but himself, wondering if that had just happened.
"Yeah." Dawn chirped, "That happens on a daily basis, no scratch that, an hourly basis depending on the city/town."
"No I mean…" Ash didn't finish, figuring he had implied what he meant.
May caught on and nodded, "Perfectly… we think."
"So you know him?" Ash asked, already knowing the answer.
"Yeah, he's called Brock. He is the ex gym leader in pewter city." May and Max said in unison.
"That's why he's familiar." Ash said, snapping his fingers.
"Yeah, being a gym leader, everyone here has already beaten him, his dad, or his little brother." May said with a smirk.
"Are you positive he's all there? You know, mentally?" Ash asked.
"Well, he's Brock." Dawn said giggling.
"There really is no other way of describing him." May agreed, with a grin.
"Describing who?" a familiar voice said.
"No one Brock." Max quickly said.
"Nice to meet you… again Brock." Ash said, offering his hand.
"Um, you too, but again?" Brock said confused.
"Yeah." Ash said showing his Kanto badge case, with the pewter badge first.
"Alright then, say, you look like someone I knew. Do you know Ash Ketchum?" Brock inquired.
"Why does everyone think I'm Ash Ketchum. Who the hell is the guy?" Ash nearly shouted, annoyed with the comparisons not because they were wrong, but because they are right. He had concealed his identity for a reason. His friend's family still believed him a murderer, and seeing as most of his friend's parents had the power to jail him, he had to tread carefully. He needed to do something unlike Ash, but he had already done everything in his power, the 'Z' marks once marring his face had disappeared with age, and he even changed his eye color. Then he realized they couldn't see that change.
"Others think so too?" Brock said, becoming suspicious.
"Yeah, I thought so too, but look at his eyes. They are completely different." Cynthia said.
"Okay, can you take off your sunglasses Red?" Brock asked while to group nodded.
"No." Red said, causing the girls to moan quietly in disappointment
"Why did you let Cynthia see them?" Dawn whined.
'Now' Ash thought, 'time to throw the curveball.'
"Because she's hot."
Cynthia turned bright red, and the groups' mouths hit the floor.
Ash chuckled and defended with an, "Am I wrong?"
Cynthia, still red as a tomato, suggested the group go for lunch, and the awe struck group could do nothing but nod, as Ash laughed at their expressions; this was definitely worth it.
Lunch was uneventful, the first part consisted of how hot Red thought Cynthia was, and after a unanimous decision of 'very' was reached between Brock and Ash, the conversation moved onto Ash.
Brock opened up with the basics, "So Red, you're from Kanto?"
Ash shook his head; "I was born here, but moved to Johto at a young age."
"So you come to Kanto often?" Misty asked, who had been quiet the whole time.
"Yes, as most people from Johto do, I don't believe I got your name, though I have seen you before." Ash said, making it look like he was thinking. Of course he knew her!
"I'm Misty Waterflower, Gym leader of the Cerulean Pokémon gym." Misty said with gusto and pride.
"Oh that's right, I destroyed the Cerulean gym." Ash said, lying again.
Misty's ego deflated, but she argued right back, "You did not. We are one of the toughest gyms in the region!"
"Yeah, until the challenger has an electric Pokémon." Ash smirked as Misty once again, had no comeback.
The group laughed at Misty, while she turned red from embarrassment. Ash couldn't help but join in; it felt good to be back… ish.
A/N:
Nothing new to say, except review of course!