Usually serving as the final destination for trainers aiming at the Johto League, Silver Town was currently acting as a convenient rest-stop for a certain young man and his electric type Pokémon. The two best friends were sitting outside a café, each enjoying a cup of Oran berry tea, despite it not usually being either of their preferred beverages. The reason being that they'd just arrived from Mt. Silver, giving their rigorous training a break and warming up their bodies.
Ash Ketchum hadn't changed much in three years; still wearing a simple black t-shirt, currently hidden beneath a hooded long-sleeve jacket, a reliable pair of jeans to endure constant movement and harsh environments, and some gradually deteriorating sneakers to keep up with his Pokémon. On the table, next to his beloved Pikachu, lay a red cap, not unlike the one he used to wear during his Kalos travels. It was currently soaked, due to the snow that had melted on it, with Ash preferring not to catch a cold.
As the duo relaxed from a hard day of hiking and honing their endurance, a waitress quietly approached behind them.
"Excuse me, Mr. Ash, will there be anything else for the two of you?" she asked with a smile.
The raven-haired trainer and his partner took a moment to react, then returned the gesture.
"No thank you, we've got all we needed. The tea was great, as always."
He paused, frowning.
"Wait, how did you know my name?"
The waitress laughed a little, finding the question funny.
"Well, you have come here every day for the past week." She replied.
Ash and Pikachu exchanged looks, both eventually rubbing the backs of their heads and giving embarrassed grins.
"Oh yeah, heh, right."
Soon after the woman left, the Kanto native heaved a huge sigh, still feeling the effects of morning training. Grabbing his hat and securely placing it atop his messy black hair, Ash stood up to leave, Pikachu hopping up to his spot on the young man's shoulder. Slinging his pack over the unoccupied one, the trainer finally left the café behind, heading off towards his next destination.
It wasn't long before Pikachu noticed something out of place, pointing to his partner's left arm.
"Pika!"
Looking over, Ash saw a significant amount of ice chips stuck to his sleeve, which he casually brushed off, smiling thoughtfully.
"Man, Glalie's ice sure lasts a while."
He shivered, remembering the main reason he'd needed a hot cup of tea.
"So what do you think, buddy, you tired of Mt. Silver yet?" the boy asked his companion.
Pikachu gave a relieved nod, clearly admitting to Ash's assumption.
"I thought so. To tell the truth, so am I. Snow's never been my best field."
"Pika pika," the electric mouse nodded in agreement.
Ash suddenly stopped walking, placing his hands in his jacket pockets and staring out into the pale blue skies. Seeing his trainer in deep thought, Pikachu declined to interrupt, though he didn't have to wait too long for his friend to explain the sudden halt.
"Be honest, Pikachu, do you think we've done enough?"
The yellow rodent could recall each time his friend had asked that very question in the past few years, as it was a rare occurrence. True to Ash's request of honesty, he'd shaken his head every time, believing that he and the others really weren't prepared for the challenges ahead. Through every rotation of the team, Pikachu had always stuck by him, acting as a secondary coach of sorts to his fellow Pokémon amidst his own training, giving a much appreciated second point-of-view.
This was beside the point however, as the trainer's best friend knew the underlying reason Ash periodically asked him. The two had reencountered a fair share of their past companions over the past three years, exchanging stories, advice, or simply catching up; not a difficult feat considering the cultural hub that was Kanto and Johto's shared landmass. Yet there was one particular circle of lifelong friends that were far out of reach, three individuals who'd stuck with Ash like glue but were now as far apart as anyone could guess. Pikachu would be lying to say he didn't miss them as well, not to mention the pint-sized Antenna Pokémon that bonded to him like an enthusiastic little brother.
"Pika, Pikachu…" he finally replied, trailing off due to his own wandering thoughts.
Ash could tell simply from his tone that the yellow mouse wasn't too sure. The trainer himself didn't know which way to shift on the subject. Having only one shot was daunting enough, but to be sure everyone on his team was prepared for it was another matter altogether. Humming for a moment as he debated, Ash finally broke away from the sky, glancing over at his partner.
"Let's head back towards Viridian, then we'll decide where to go next."
Pikachu nodded in agreement, prompting his trainer to continue walking. He didn't get far.
"Mind if I tag along?"
Freezing in place, Ash denied that he'd heard such a recognizable voice. While the Pallet Town trainer was unable to react initially, his starter instinctually darted his head around, finding the source in an instant and producing a huge smile because of it.
"Pika-Chu!" the electric mouse cried excitedly.
Upon regaining his senses, Ash turned to face the newcomer as well, instantly matching his partner's expression.
"No way. Brock!"
There was no person the Kanto trainer had traveled with longer than the first Gym Leader he'd ever faced, making it impossible to not remember him. Tried-and-true, Pewter City's former rock type specialist stood before them, giving a friendly smile. Similarly to Ash, Brock hadn't changed, save for the white coat slung over his shoulder.
Rushing up to meet his old friend, Ash quickly held up a hand, to which Brock responded in kind, the two clasping them together in a greeting of comradery. Pikachu took the opportunity to scamper over to the other young man's shoulder, still brimming with joy.
"It's good to see you too, Pikachu," Brock began with a chuckle, giving the electric type a pleasant scratch on the head.
"Chaa!"
Once settled down, he hopped back over to Ash, who at once had a million questions on his mind, but chose to just begin the conversation normally.
"It's been a long time, hasn't it?"
Brock nodded in reply, suddenly posing proudly.
"Too long, Ash, but a doctor's duty is never done. Still, it's a great sign to run into an old friend."
Ash and Pikachu's grins widened, hearing what Brock was implying.
"So you're a full-fledged Pokémon doctor now?"
The man nodded once more.
"I sure am. Though I thought I'd make use of all the traveling we'd done."
The raven-haired trainer tilted his head to the side.
"What do you mean?"
Brock responded by turning to the side, revealing, much to his companions' shock, quite the massive collection of gear being carried on his back.
"You look like you're carrying an entire Pokémon Center on there!" Ash exclaimed.
"Pika, pika," his partner agreed.
The former Gym Leader faced them again, shrugging casually.
"Hey, I've got to be prepared. You never know what you'll encounter out there."
Ash now understood, admiring his friend's tenacity.
"A field doctor, huh? Sounds like a great idea."
Brock thanked him, then turned to look up towards the distant Mt. Silver.
"That's actually why I was out here. There was a harsh avalanche up on the mountain and I was called up in case any Pokémon had been injured."
Ash and Pikachu were suddenly uncomfortable, frowning and hunching over.
"Oh," the trainer replied. "That was our bad."
Brock surprisingly just grinned, seemingly amused to hear his friend admit that.
"Well it turns out everyone was fine, so don't worry about it too much. Still, try to be a bit more careful."
Ash acknowledged the request, before Brock moved on with their talk.
"So let me guess, you were training?"
The Pallet Town native nodded. He was known too well.
"Sure was. We were working with Glalie and I figured the icy surroundings would be a perfect setting."
Intrigued, Brock raised an eyebrow.
"Really? And how is Glalie doing?"
Ash reached down and grabbed one of his pokéballs, expanding it and grinning with satisfaction.
"Just great. Come on out!"
Energized blue light was let loose, quickly manifesting in the air nearby then bursting away in a flash, revealing the spherical Face Pokémon.
"Glalie!" it called strongly.
Before Ash could even introduce their reunited companion, Glalie had already spotted Brock, immediately breaking into a joyful mood, which was quickly followed up by an Ice Beam.
Ash and Pikachu gawked drearily at the now frozen Brock, whose expression was stuck in an obvious indication of chittering from the cold. While the raven-haired trainer thought of who could help free his friend, it was suddenly made clear that the doctor had his own assistant for this situation. A well-placed Brick Break sent a network of cracks into the ice, resulting in the block shattering a mere second later, freeing the poor man. Brock was left shivering, but unharmed. He looked over and gave a grateful nod to his long-time companion.
"Th-th-thanks, t-t-Toxicroak."
"Croak," the Toxic Mouth Pokémon replied flatly.
Ash was quickly by the fighting/poison type's side, amazed to see how it had grown.
"So you've evolved. That's awesome, Toxicroak."
Toxicroak gave his best smile, all things considered, before being returned back into his pokéball by a recovered Brock. He reached down, taking hold of an ice chunk from his former prison. He seemed to thoughtfully examine it.
"Glalie must be in excellent condition to make such quality ice. You've been doing a great job, Ash. Not that that's a surprise."
The younger boy thanked his friend, afterwards turning to his overexcited partner and crossing his arms.
"Glalie, what did we say about freezing people?" he scolded.
"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu added.
"Glalie…" the ice type moaned, clearly apologetic.
His trainer was helpless against the sad expression he was making, eventually causing Ash to reach up and pat the Face Pokémon on the head, smiling.
"Just watch that Ice Beam."
Glalie nodded before phasing out into a red light, recalled to its ball. Having shaken off the somewhat entertaining exchange between Pokémon and trainers, the two young men finally continued walking.
"So what's this training for? And on that note, what have you done since we last met? I'd love to hear about it all."
Ash and Pikachu looked at each other, knowing this would take a while. Fortunately for them, they had the entire trip to Viridian City to tell him about it.
Despite the full ability to walk there, Ash and Brock had opted to take a bus from Silver Town. Reason being that Brock was actually heading off to Hoenn for his next placement and needed to catch the plane out of Viridian City by the end of the day.
In the meantime, Ash managed to fill him in on his adventures throughout Unova following their separation. Amidst listening, Brock got the strangest feeling this 'Cilan' character seemed familiar. Hearing about running into Cynthia, and Dawn no less, he was amazed at just how often Ash and his companions managed to find each other. The Unova League was a hard conversation for the Kanto trainer to spill out, but he kept up his spirit through it all, as Brock would expect.
Ash found it rather nice to talk about his past travels for once, finding the pastime reinvigorating. Admittedly, his human interaction had been at an all-time low, focusing so hard on embracing all of his Pokémon, so it was understandable when he thought about it.
The bus ride had ended by the time Ash's recollection reached Kalos, but he didn't stop for a second as they began the short walk into town, walking beside the Viridian Forest. Brock noticed a difference in how his friend spoke of those he'd met in his sixth region; a clear indication of longing was present. As the tales drew to a close, the Pokémon doctor had a pretty good idea of just how much the Kalosians meant to him, and how badly he wanted to return.
"Well considering how fast you and your Pokémon learn, I'd say three years is plenty of time," he concluded.
Ash was instantly hesitant, lowering his head to eye the dirt ahead of him.
"I don't know. You've seen it yourself, Brock, how I struggled against Elite Four members. There's no being hasty about preparing."
The doctor agreed, but gave his friend a light-hearted pat on the back.
"True, but that was a long time ago now. And don't forget, you put up a good fight against those trainers."
"Pika," Ash's best buddy added, agreeing with the former Gym Leader's wisdom.
The raven-haired trainer considered their urging, thinking back to the heavy practicing and mock battling his family of Pokémon had gone through. He was proud of them all, and had confidence in them as well. To be honest, he found it funny. The first battle hadn't even begun and already he was the one bringing the team down. It just didn't fit him, not like his motto said; the one Serena had taken so deeply to heart. Ash smiled subconsciously, picturing her, along with Clemont and Bonnie, all waiting for him.
These thoughts were interrupted when his movement was halted by Brock's arm, who had stopped, noticing something suspicious up ahead. Following his stern gaze, Ash found what he was observing.
A fair distance in front of them, off the path and stepping their way out of the forest, was a pair of shady men wearing what appeared to be safari attire, although their edgy laughter made Ash and Brock doubt they were up to harmless activity. This was supported by the large bags the pair carried, stuffed with something that didn't seem to weigh all that much, based on how easily they swung them around. As the trainer and doctor moved in closer, a conversation could be heard.
"That was the best haul all week! We'll be rolling in dough by tomorrow."
"Definitely. And why stop there? As long as the Pidgeotto keep coming back, it's like printing our own money."
As the two laughed it up, Ash and Brock glared at them, now suspecting mistreatment of Pokémon. As the shady pair reached the trail, intent on entering the city as well, the duo behind them made their presence known.
"Hey! What are you two doing?"
Ash's voice froze them in place, if only for a moment. They turned around, spotting the determined trainer and doctor, proceeding to scowl.
"None of your business, kid. Get lost!" one of them called.
Brock took a step closer.
"What's this you're saying about Pidgeotto? Are you harassing them?" he demanded to know.
Groaning in irritation, the two suspicious men reached down and each produced a pokéball.
"I said it's none of your business. Now unless you want things to get ugly, back off."
Naturally, Ash took his opportunity to step forward in defense of Pokémon in crisis.
"Forget it. You're not leaving until you explain what you've done."
"Pika!" his partner agreed adamantly.
Growling, the two men tossed their pokéballs into the air, releasing those inside. A Nidoking and Hypno appeared soon after, each shooting Ash, Brock, and Pikachu dirty looks.
"Last chance," the second man stated.
Ash just looked over and nodded to Pikachu, who hopped off his shoulder and stood in between his trainer and the hostile Pokémon, sparks appearing on his cheeks.
"Fine then," the man opposite them growled.
"Nidoking, use Poison Sting!"
"Hypno, use Psybeam!"
Dozens of poisonous needles were fired from Nidoking's horn, as well as a ray of multicolored light from Hypno's eyes.
"Thunderbolt," Ash simply commanded.
In the blink of an eye, Pikachu fired off his famous attack, meeting the two opposing projectiles midway. A smoke-inducing explosion followed, convincing the two strange men that it had been a stalemate. This was disproven as Thunderbolt pushed through the smoke, lashing out at Nidoking and Hypno. The second explosion was enough to knock the foes, and their trainers, off their feet. While Nidoking emerged relatively unscathed, Hypno was already struggling to even stand.
While the men were busy getting up, the bags they'd been carrying had been dropped, allowing their unsecured contents to fall out. Ash immediately recognized what they were, disgusted by what had been carried out.
"Those are the crest feathers of Pidgeotto. How could you!?"
Having recovered, the two lowlifes frantically gathered up their prizes.
"For your information, they sell excellently as accessory pieces. What's the big deal? They'll grow back eventually."
Their defense was pathetic to Ash, whose fists tightened at the mere thought of plucking out a bird Pokémon's beautiful crest.
"You're horrible," he seethed with barely contained anger.
The scumbags before him ignored his stance on the matter, instead choosing to attack again.
"Use Earth Power!"
"Psybeam again!"
Nidoking was outlined in a golden aura, before slamming its fist into the ground, sending a network of cracks towards Pikachu. Hypno repeated its last attack, covering the land attack with an aerial one.
"Quick Attack," Ash called in response.
The trainer's electric mouse easily avoided Psybeam with his incredible speed, then proceeded to run along the ground towards his foes, dodging each eruption of rocks and dirt that happened to be in his way. When he did reach the opposing Pokémon, they were too shocked to react, which earned Nidoking a strike in the gut from Quick Attack.
"Iron Tail, back-to-back!" Ash finished.
A single slam to Hypno's side was enough, the Hypnosis Pokémon falling to the ground out cold. Nidoking took a sharp swing right to the cranium, easily giving it a headache if it were able to stay conscious. The intimidating Pokémon managed to stumble back a few steps, only to finally fall over, groaning in pain.
The poachers frustratingly recalled their fallen Pokémon, clearly understanding how outmatched they were by Pikachu's speed and power.
"Lousy punk!" one of them shouted at Ash.
"Forget it, let's bail!" the other retorted, pulling out a device from his pocket.
He tossed it towards Pikachu, who jumped back in the event that it was an explosive. While a blast did occur, it simply served to release a large cloud of smoke, causing the electric mouse to back off further. The poachers could be heard making a mad dash down the trail. As the smoke spread further, Ash covered his mouth, frustrated by the escaping men. The sound of a pokéball snapping open caught his attention.
"Crobat, blow away the smoke!"
Soon enough, Ash witnessed the obstructive cloud dispersing, with four powerful wings effectively erasing the criminals' distraction. The Pallet Town trainer nodded to Brock and his faithful Bat Pokémon.
"Thanks guys," he called before breaking into a run, with his friends quickly joining in.
Despite removing the smoke, their targets were still quite a ways ahead. To make matters worse, they spotted a truck nearby parked on the side of the road, to which the poachers were hightailing it. As they managed to hop in and begin starting the engine, Ash and Brock picked up the pace.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"
"Crobat, use Air Slash!"
As the two Pokémon let loose their attacks, the men played their trump card, with the first releasing another Pokémon, whose numerous eyes and segmented body awaited an order.
"Claydol, use Light Screen," he commanded urgently.
The levitating psychic/ground type instantly formed a glowing yellow box around the entire truck, greatly softening the impact of Pikachu and Crobat's attacks. Claydol itself absorbed the remaining power of Thunderbolt with no consequence. Astonished, the group in pursuit could only watch as the vile pair made their getaway, finally letting out a laugh at their successful escape.
Or so they believed.
"Pidgeo!"
A streak of white cut across the truck, instantly tearing the front left tire to shreds and causing the vehicle's occupants to panic at the accompanying swerving and skidding. It wasn't long before the uneven steering plowed them straight into a tree, throwing them and their Claydol into the nearby bushes. They certainly weren't going anywhere.
Ash and the others gradually caught up to the crash, amazed by what they'd just witnessed. As the group approached the dazed poachers, a massive form flew over them, only to then set down ahead of them, presenting the full width of its wings.
"Pidgeo!" it cried.
Ash blinked several times, his eyes glued to the Pidgeot standing before them. The Bird Pokémon, satisfied that the criminals were incapacitated, turned its head, spotting Ash and his friends behind it. It's keen eye widened upon sighting the raven-haired trainer. Before he could make a move however, Pikachu had already bounded up to the flying type.
"Pika, pi-Pikachu!" he cried excitedly.
The Pidgeot called back in response, lowering the tip of one wing to shake Pikachu's hand. Ash watched the exchange, mesmerized. Brock walked up next to him, near equally amazed.
"Ash, could that be…"
The young man didn't answer, unsure himself at the moment. He took a step forward, gaining Pidgeot's attention. The avian pierced him with its predatory gaze, an expression that he found difficult to read. Pikachu began enthusiastically babbling to his trainer, confirming what Ash was already sure of, just from the look Pidgeot was giving him. It was simultaneously a means of identity and a means of scrutiny.
"Pidgeot…" he simply said.
The Bird Pokémon said nothing in response, holding its hard look. Ash took another step forward. This time, the avian narrowed his eyes. Pikachu finally noticed his old friend's attitude, at once concerned, his ears falling low.
"Pika?" he asked gently.
"Pidgeo," the flying type replied quickly, never taking his eyes off Ash.
The Kanto trainer thought hard about what to say, nearly biting his lip.
"I… it's been a long time."
Pidgeot remained calm, but seemed to huff slightly. Even so, Ash could detect the slightest hint of sadness among the anger. He sighed.
"I know. There's not much I can say. There have been plenty of times I came back to Kanto, but never looked for you."
Everyone was silent, afraid to interrupt the delicate exchange between former partners. Pidgeot held his stare, unflinching.
"I'm sorry. You don't have to accept it, but I want to say it regardless."
Ash's sincerity was evident to the others, so a previous Pokémon companion would surely sense it as well. Sadly, it didn't seem like enough for the avian, who just lowered his head, conflicted on some level.
Further away from the encounter, the two poachers had regained some ability to comprehend their surroundings, spotting Pidgeot in the distance. They immediately grew angry, recognizing the bird that had so many times disrupted their 'gatherings'.
"That darn Pidgeot again!"
He pointed to the majestic flyer.
"Claydol, use Psyshock!"
The abstract Pokémon heeded his command, forming a dark purple orb in front of its body then firing numerous pointed beams of energy at its target's exposed back. Emotionally distracted, the bird's reaction was too slow to dodge.
"Pidgeot!" Ash shouted, throwing himself forward.
The force of his body was enough to just barely shove Pidgeot out of the way, but not enough to move himself past the point of impact. Claydol's attack struck, drawing a pained yell from the trainer.
"Ash!"
"Pikapi!"
While Pikachu scampered over to his fallen partner, Crobat launched a flurry of Air Slashes at Claydol, knocking it out completely. Brock was soon by his friend's side as well, removing his heavy pack to help the boy up. Pidgeot, recovering from the push, stared at his former trainer, suddenly reminded of his selfless nature. Conflict arose once more, with the Bird Pokémon wondering about all that had happened, all while Ash shook fervently on the ground, due to Psyshock's bizarre effect on his nerves.
Officer Jenny gave the two crooks one last shove towards the transport, with them grumbling on about "blasted kids and their Pokémon". Once the pair was seated inside, she slammed the doors shut, ensuring they'd be nice and secure. Brock had called for her after making sure Ash was without serious injury, knowing the forest would be much safer without the duo stalking Pidgeotto, or any other wild Pokémon, for profit.
The doctor's friend was currently seated against a tree, still shaking slightly but relatively normal. Pikachu was by his side, as usual, waiting for his companion to get better. Beside the electric mouse, Pidgeot remained, still gazing at the resting Ash.
Brock took one more minute to finish talking to Jenny, who thanked the both of them for their help before taking off on her motorcycle, the transport close behind her. Watching the law enforcement until they disappeared over the horizon, the former Gym Leader finally made his way over to the shaken Ash, who he found grinning amusedly.
"Wow, Brock, I can't believe you didn't try pulling a move on her."
While Brock knew he was just messing with him, he responded with great dignity, and drama.
"Of course not, my friend! My professionalism demands that I stay focused on the task at hand at all times, lest a poor Pokémon be denied their fair treatment!"
Ash chuckled at the man's vigor, but knew it was true nonetheless.
"Although, doesn't mean I'm not depressed to see her drive off," he finished sadly.
Shaking his head in wonder, Ash finally turned his attention to Pidgeot, who was initially surprised when the trainer looked at him, turning away slightly. The raven-haired boy frowned.
"Hey, Pidgeot, it's still been years, and it was by chance, but I did come back, one way or another. I can't ask you to forgive me that easily, but will you let me at least try to fix my mistake?"
The Bird Pokémon placed its keen eyes back on him, studying the hopeful yet reserved expression Ash kept. Pikachu tried his best to encourage his old friend, insisting that the Kanto native was good on his word. Brock even stepped in.
"Ash has grown more than you could imagine, Pidgeot. He's learned what he needs to be the best trainer there is, and now he's ready to face the Elite Four over in the Kalos region."
Pidgeot was stunned. He moderately understood who the Elite Four were, in awe that his former trainer was now on level to challenge them. Ash however, was surprised Brock even brought up such a claim.
"But, Brock, there could still be more room for training."
The Pokémon doctor smirked, folding his arms.
"Ash, you executed commands to Pikachu perfectly back there, with a calm and collected attitude no less. And he's obviously much stronger than before. He could already go toe-to-toe with fierce opponents like Regice and Latios."
He offered a hand to his friend, who accepted the help and finally got to his feet. Brock then placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You're ready," he declared.
Having it firmly drilled into his mind was apparently what Ash needed in the first place, as he finally smiled, nodding to his long-time companion.
"Alright then," he replied confidently.
Brock resumed his talk with Pidgeot.
"Ash won't let you down, Pidgeot, even if it's late or not quite perfect. Let him prove that to you."
"Pika!"
The raven-haired trainer slowly held out his hand, gazing with strength, yet also gentleness in his brown eyes. Pidgeot found himself reliving all the battles he'd seen under Ash's command. He was strong under the trainer's care, and he'd returned the kindness whenever possible. Even now, the avian couldn't bring himself to hate the boy who'd forgotten him, seeing as he hadn't changed a bit, still the selfless boy who loved Pokémon. Ash was willing to work out their displacement; Pidgeot at the very least accepted that he deserved the chance.
Offering his wing, the Bird Pokémon softened his sharp eyes, communicating to Ash that he could start forgiving him. It was enough, as the Pallet Town native grew a huge smile, softly griping said wing.
"Thank you, Pidgeot."
He paused.
"So, can you come with me? We sure could use that speed and power you showed back there."
The avian Pokémon turned towards the tree line of Viridian Forest, calling out in a powerful cry known to his species. Almost immediately, gusts of wind picked up among the hundreds of branches spread across the area. Watching on in awe, Ash, Brock, and Pikachu witnessed numerous bird Pokémon rise from the treetops, their collective wings producing a stunning effect against the now setting sun. Most were Pidgeotto, with a fair number having several missing crest feathers. The rest, under a dozen but still prominent, were Pidgeot, willing and able to protect those weaker than them from danger, now that the poachers had been arrested.
"Pidgeo!" Ash's friend called out.
A chorus of replies flew back, Pidgeot's flock wishing him luck and the hope that he'd grow even stronger with his old trainer. Ash turned back to his feathered companion, pulling out a pokéball and holding it up. The Bird Pokémon stared at the capsule for a moment, then reached over and tapped the button with his beak. Red light quickly absorbed his form, drawing him into the device. It wiggled once, then clicked, signaling a successful capture.
Ash just stood there for a long while, having finally fulfilled his promise, albeit with great cost. In time, he would find a way to make it up to what was one of his most loyal Pokémon, but for now, it was a great feeling just to have him back on his side.
Waving farewell to the flock, Ash and Brock continued their journey to Viridian City, picking up the pace considering their delay. As the Pidgeotto and Pidgeot's cries faded into the background, the Kanto trainer couldn't help but hope for the best. His Pidgeot would find a place in the difficult battles to come, of that he was sure.
"Hey, Brock," he began.
The doctor gave him his attention.
"I know I was just coming along to Viridian City, but, if I'm heading back to Kalos, then stopping by Hoenn, and the other regions, might be a great way to get us pumped for the Elite Four."
Brock smiled, somehow hoping he'd say that.
"Well you're more than welcome to join me, Ash. Just like old times."
The two of them, plus Pikachu, laughed it up, overjoyed for the chance to walk down previous roads they'd traveled together. This time though, a fully-prepared Ash and his team, along with a returning old friend, would be striding through, eager to finish what he started.
Keeping promises is something I take very seriously. For that reason it's an underlying theme in this story. I'll admit I was just a tad rushed to finish this chapter due to the ridiculous graveyard shifts from the weekend leaving me exhausted, sorry if it feels a bit wonky. Anyway, my complaining isn't important. What is important is this Thursday, and I'm sure I don't have to say why.
Oh and, could some of you guys please not turn the review page into a chat room?
warzonecall: I'll be seeing about being more frequent.
ASHySERENAShipper: Thanks so much. Although I'm sure this one is a bit scaled down.
Nexxus176: Hopefully I can shrink that time gap. It's fun writing these.
MUTO TOHO: Um, ok.
Godzilla: I have to agree.
The Guyver: Same here.
Cottonmouth25: I'll be sure to make it an interesting journey in the meantime.
AMOUR WORSHIPPER: Wow, didn't know I'd hit the feels like that, but thank you for the wonderful praise.
guywithglasses: Glad to hear it.
Guest: It'll always be my OTP.
Neo Deadmau5: Reminiscing sure can do that to someone.
Hope you enjoyed and thanks for any comments/reviews!
next chapter: Cultural Exchange