Hey everybody, throwing in a new author's note! So I hope you like how the rewrite is going so far. I know what direction I'm taking this story now so I am positive you will love the story from here on out. I'm going to keep the main elements from later chapters but I'm removing all the extra stuff that just made confusing clutter. This chapter also had a major overhaul! So leave your thoughts and comments they mean the world to me and help spur along the chapters. A nice little bit of insight in this chapter for the future, a bit on Gary, and a heavy focus on Cynthia this chapter. As I said earlier, this isn't going to be a we hate you, you suck betrayal. There will be real depth to what happened with everybody, some can be fixed others can't. PM me any ideas you might have, I may just like them better! Enjoy, enough chat!

"And so we wrought the last of our Red. With this new beginning we put away the dead."

Ash was asleep, monitors watching his condition and a saline drip making sure he stayed hydrated. He was bruised and looked in rough shape but he was healing at an astounding rate, the doctors assumed that in a few days the damage would have healed and all that would be left is superficial injuries and some scarring.

Cynthia sat in the chair at his bedside and brushed a lock of hair out of his face. Behind closed eyelids his eyes were darting back and forth, it wasn't frantic though. Smiling at the knowledge he wasn't having a nightmare, "What are you dreaming about Ash?"

The blonde giggled at herself, of course he wouldn't answer, but she remembered hearing that when people are out like this they can still register some of what you say. "Do you remember when we were younger? All the time we used to spend on that beach you showed me… those were the happiest memories of my life."

Her resolve began to break as tears dripped down her face while she gazed at him, "I need to say this first before I go any further. When I had read that letter you sent me, how could I have been so foolish? If I had just heard you out and not acted like such a... a ... bitch, I would've found out you wanted me to go with you. I could've stopped both of us from enduring so much pain over the years, if I had just taken ten seconds to let you finish your sentence and not have cut you off. Ash why would you ever choose to love somebody like me?"

Wiping her eyes on her sleeve, Cynthia clenched her teeth in anger, "Even after you left it wasn't enough for everybody. We stirred the waters up so badly trying to find out what the league was doing, it was like they taped over your mouth and scribbled out the truth with their lies! I can't believe how much you still did for me… right when they started to catch on you struck my name from everything that could even remotely relate to my involvement with you and what happened with the league. You turned yourself into a distraction, a scapegoat."

A sad smile graced her face as she gently touched his hand; "You always talked about how there was this guy who kept crossing a border every day for a year on a bike with a sandbag on back. Every day they cut the bag open and found nothing and let him pass. You asked me why it made any sense, why would he keep bringing sandbags if they would always be cut open and ruined? Well it's because he was smuggling the bikes themselves."

Her fingers was making light circles over the heated blankets, "You lived your story Ash, in order to get away with something big, you have to give them something small to keep their attention away. The man on the bike did it, the league did it, and you did it. You should have let me fight with you, but because you got me out of it before any accusations could go my way you gave me the chance to keep digging, keep searching for what it was the league did. When you wake up I'll tell you what bits I found, I'm sure from your letters you found some pretty deep stuff. Maybe this will be our turn to bite back?"

Cynthia wanted to crawl onto that damn bed with him, "Enough about that though, there will be other times for that. Did you know that I never went back to that beach, I won't go without you"?

Laying her head down on the bed she continued, "Can you still hear the surf crashing against the shore? I don't think I could without you with me, it just wouldn't be the same."

Cynthia shut her eyes and listened to his deep breaths, "Remember the day we finally got together? We knew we wanted to for the longest time but neither of us had it in us to bring it up until then."

The blondes arm found it's over his chest and clutched the blanket in her hands, tears were forming in her eyes. "I can still remember everything"

*Flashback*

"You are such an enigma at times Ash, you know that?

The laughing he did at that statement made her heart do that silly flutter again, "Is that so Cynth, and just what exactly makes me an enigma?"

Rolling her eyes she nudged him with her hip as they walked down the beach, her pants were rolled up her calves and she was barefoot enjoying the feeling of having her toes in the sand. "For starters you seem to think that every other Legendary Pokémon from Kanto to Sinnoh should be ridden like a Ponyta as though you're a damn cowboy."

Reaching over he snatched the bandanna she had her hair tied up in and put it in a triangle around his neck, giving his best impression, "Well thankya ma'am, that's a mighty kind thing of ya to say. Perhaps I could give ya a few pointers on perfecting the technique eh?"

She snatched the bandana back with a mock glare that didn't last more than a few seconds, unable to suppress the giant grin growing on her face, "You're such a smartass."

Ash looked at her and gave a toothy smile like an ignorant kid, "Well I do try."

Reaching over she tried tying it on his head but didn't like the way it looked, "Mhmm, or how about the fact that you got my own Garchomp to like you more than me."

Ash reached up and undid it before tying their right and left hands together, "Hey, I'm innocent on that one! You can thank Gabite for that one, that was all him. Better?"

She flashed him a bright smile and nodded before twisting her hand so it could grasp his. "Now how do you expect to explain all the damn mischief you've gotten into? It doesn't matter where you have gone, something always seems to explode."

He looked at her indignantly, "Team Rocket."

"And the Pokémon hordes you've pissed off?"

He put on a face of mock offence, "Team Rocket."

"You cross dressing…twice?"

Now that got a rise out of him, "No fair, James did it too!"

Her composure failed in a heartbeat as she fell to the ground laughing till she cried while dragging the raven-haired boy with her.

Landing on top of her in a tangle of limbs they both took on a deep blush. Cynthia reached out and combed his hair with her fingers, flattening it out and leaving to strands to hang by the sides of his face, "Well Ashley, I believe you make a very pretty girl."

Ash puffed up his cheeks, a perfect imitation of a frustrated five year old. Lightly tapping his nose with her finger, "Oh stop it Ash I know you're not really upset."

Rolling over so they were on there side facing each other with Cynthia resting her head on his free arm while they enjoyed the feeling of there hands still tied together and hot breaths on the others necks.

Cynthia was the first to break the calm silence. "How can you still be single Ash? You're charming… determined... have done things other's would either run and hide from or stand there and wish they could. Not to mention you have something about you that draws people in. You make everybody happy to be around you."

Her heart almost broke in two at the hurt that took over his eyes, "It's just not possible for me to do anything more than friends with anybody."

Bringing their hands up she cupped his cheek and stroked it with her thumb, "Why do you say that, don't you deserve to be happy?"

A hollow laugh escaped his throat; Cynthia couldn't believe how fast the mood had turned sour.

"You're the first person who has asked me why… I'm glad you didn't do like everybody else has." He had a far away look in his eyes, he was looking at her but it was as though he was staring straight through her, they came back into focus on blonde in from of him.

Cynthia gave him a patient look with a gentle smile; she wasn't about to rush him into telling whatever was building up inside him. "Almost every girl I've met and or traveled with… and a few guys on occasion, they all just mark me off as being dense or whatever else they can come up with to reason in it their heads. That's just not it though, for the most part I notice, but for them to just assume when…."

Cynthia brought his hand to her mouth and kissed his knuckles, "Then what is it Ash, why not act on any?"

She wasn't sure why but hearing him say that he hadn't made advances on anyone and rejected others as well made her feel a bubble of jealous pleasure swell in her chest.

"You said it yourself earlier, I've almost gotten myself killed too many times to count. I already get myself into dangerous enough situations, if I got close with someone and then I got hurt pretty bad or even worse, I couldn't live with the guilt. To think if something happened to the other person though…" She stayed quiet but pulled him closer against her.

"I just don't want them to get hurt… I don't want to be this chosen one or whatever they called it. I don't want to go through losing someone… losing you." There was a hollow emptiness in his eye's that made them look colder than usual.

Leaning into him she nuzzled into his neck and grinned like a wolf at the shivers she felt run through his body at her hot breath against the bare skin of his neck. "You aren't the only one who is alone Ash. I haven't been able to get close to anybody either, no matter whom it's been they always shown interest only because of the position I hold or my looks. Unlike you they never got to know me… I was only seen as a plaything or a trophy to be won. One thing I can say with one hundred percent sincerity is that I'm more thankful to have you by my side and anything else in my life."

She saw a hint of hope in his eyes and it was just so damn cute to her. "You give up so much of your time for me. Coming to see me, going out and just doing the little things I ask you to and not complaining anywhere near what you do with the others. Especially buying me Ice Cream!"

Ash's voice was so soft she could hardly hear him. "Cynthia…"

Cynthia was surprised with herself at how forceful she was starting to get, "No Ash, you don't understand. People always get so bored listening to me, they pretend they listen and just tune me out! I have never known a friend like you; even Bruno has times where he is just so infuriating I can hardly stand it, but Ash, MY Ash, he listens and pays attention to me! You see me as a person, not someone who is just a pretty face, not the champion, not some fucking toy. You see me as me, Cynthia Shirona."

She was tearing up now, he couldn't stand to see her getting like this as he we wiped away a tear. ... He never would have expected to hear that from the strong willed woman in front of him. She was always so proud; it broke his heart hearing something like that from her.

As she felt his hand squeeze hers tighter she flipped them over so that she was straddling him, effectively pinning him to the sand with his arms above his head. Cynthia's face was close enough to feel each other's breaths on their lips, it was driving them both mad.

"Ash, I will say this right now. I'm not a woman who needs to be protected like that; I can handle the danger more so than any of those little girls you travel with. I can keep up with you, Ash you are my kind of crazy and I know that I'm yours as well."

She knew only someone blind wouldn't be able to see how happy he was, even then the blind would be hard pressed not to as well. Then there was that glimmer of doubt, that piece inside of him that wanted to not let it go further, that was scared of what would happen. "I just…"

Cynthia knew him, there was only one way to get him to accept the inevitable, "Pick Ash, you can reject how I feel, how you feel, and stay lonely but not have to worry and I can just walk away right now, forget any of this ever happened and leave. I don't think I could handle the heartbreak at this point…"

The fear in his eyes changed, it was a fear of losing her. She lowered her head and brushed her lips against his as she spoke, "Or you can just accept it as it is. We can protect each other, make a difference, and for the first time in our lies be truly happy… together. That's what I want, but you have to want it to."

The fear in his eyes left at that, deep-amber gazing into piercing golden orbs. Internally her heart flipped, one moment she was telling him to either keep her or leave, the next he's close the miniscule gap between their lips.

Cynthia's eyes fluttered shut, it was such an exotic feeling to be kissing for her, and she could only imagine the gigantic leap in pleasure she was experiencing knowing it was Ash. No, she had kissed people before, but it was so rare and far between that it was like brand new all over again. Hell, her first kiss hadn't come anywhere close to this.

She meant it when she told him she told him she kept herself closed off from other people in anything intimate. Seeing and experiencing first hand how often people tried to use her or get close for selfish reasons had left its own set of scars. When she gave away her first kiss she had thought it was because she really like the guy, but only later did she come to terms that she was a prize to him and she had just wanted anybody to fill the lonely void she had been feeling.

Ash though, this was how it was meant to be. Slow, delicate, clumsy, and afraid that if they pushed the other in anywhere it would all come crashing down around them. Her hand found its way into his hair, tangling itself in the black mess. Cynthia felt Ash's arm work its way around her back, every time he touched her skin it sent small shocks through her spine.

It ended all too soon for her liking though. They were both out of breath if the tiny pants and rapid heartbeats were anything, they could feel it pounding against the other's chest.

Ash was in no better state; his eyes were hazy and half-lidded. To her he looked like he was dreaming, her voice came out huskier and more breathless than she hoped up for,

Smiles took hold of their lips, foreheads touching, and meeting each other's gaze, "What's your answer."

With another kiss he let his lips linger against hers, "Come with me, I have something to show you."

That damn smile of his, she couldn't help but return it, he already seemed like an entirely different person.

"Where are we going?" She felt silly for asking him, knowing already what she would get in return.

Ash laughed at her, mirth filling his voice. "Now telling you would just ruin the surprise now wouldn't it?

'I guess your right Ash,'the thought made her giggle.

They pushed through a grouping of trees further along the shore, into another more discrete part. It didn't seem too special, but there was something different about it. It had a calmer air to it, everything seemed to be more... Serene? "Why did we come here Ash?

Ash smiled at her, a real smile that he saved just for. She felt like if she didn't memorize every detail of it, it would be lost and just a memory forever. "This... is why. I need you to close your eyes for me, and no peeking!"

Giggling she agreed to his small request and shut her eyes as he tied the bandanna around her eyes. Cynthia felt Ash rest his forehead against hers and started to rise again. She didn't know what to expect, she had one idea that she wouldn't mind at all after just a bit ago, but she knew him better than that. Ash just wasn't that simple.

Then she felt it. A cold wave came rushing through her mind like the chilly surf of the ocean, soaking into her mind.

"What…" was all she could manage before she felt another wave wash through her head. It felt like an eternity that they just stood there, the exotic feeling lulling her into a trance. Her head was feeling clearer than she could ever remember; the icy feeling was beyond pleasant.

When they separated she could still feel the remnants of whatever he did, as if she were standing on a ledge and the icy spray from the waves against the rocks kept hitting her. The feeling was indescribable, "What is... I don't understand."

Cynthia could just imagine the grin he was sporting, "Just keep your eyes shut Cynth."

Ash pulled the blonde to sit down with him and she happily obliged. Taking her seat tucked between his legs and leaning back into him, he smelled so nice to her.

"Go ahead and open them," his voice just above a whisper.

What greeted her when she opened them made her heart stop, all of the colors... they were swimming in her vision! 'Only Ash could turn the cliché watching the sunset on a beach into a once in a lifetime experience,' She thought.

The oranges and pinks, reds and purples, the colors were unlike anything she had seen in her life, the sky was a mixing pastel of colors, constantly fusing in one area and separating in another. Each color was an ocean wave, crashing and receding with an invisible tide. Colors overlapped, others seemed as if she could reach out and swirl them with the tip of her finger, the sun was the best part. It didn't hurt to look into, to see the brilliant red ball in all its glory, accompanied by the brilliance of the sky it caused. It truly was the majesty of colors.

"I don't understand Ash... how did you?" Her voice was hardly audible, focus still attached to the sky watching wide-eyed trying to take in everything before her.

He looked down at her with a sly grin, "Aura's a crazy thing isn't it? We all have our small pleasures after all, some things aren't; supposed to be shared with everybody."

The blonde whipped her head around, "You mean your a..."

He nodded in confirmation, a small smile on his face. "How come your not as amazed, if I were you I mean, I'd be out here every night to see this?" She looked at him with wide eyes, full of curiosity.

"Aura isn't for personal pleasures like that, every once in a while coming to do this is alright because it helps to clear your head and put some perspective on things. If we didn't fight, none of this would exist, and being able to actually see it makes it all the more worth it. Aura uses us, not the other way around… it's like life. Life will only give you so much before one day it starts taking things away, just like how Aura gives us what it does and one day we will be expected to give it back at the end. We will always give back more than we received."

Cynthia didn't say anything, just gazing up him with her golden orbs sparkling brilliantly.

She saw his eyes slowly change to a glowing azure as he talked "But being here with you... this gives me more reason to fight and make a change than anything else. To have somebody to stand at my side through this, that's what will keep me going." By the end of the sentence he was smiling more than she had ever seen him do in the years she had known him. That once in a lifetime smile where everything seems to be right in the world after the colors had run out.

Waving his arm casually through the air over the ocean, "More than this ever would. I don't know how you did it, nor do I care why, but thank you Cynth."

He looked back down at her, his eyes glowing brilliantly in the fading light. Locking gazes with each other they slowly leaned closer, Cynthia was on fire; the heat in her face was driving her crazy, even now being this close to Ash and knowing what came next still made her that giddy nervous, like a little schoolgirl about to kiss a boy on the playground when the teacher wasn't looking.

Ash began to mumble under his breath, "I only need a light when it's running low, I'll miss the sun when it begins to snow. I'm only going to know I was high after I've hit my low and I'm only going to know I love her if I can't let her go."

Cynthia quietly asked him with choked breaths, "Where did you come up with that."

"Professor Oak told it to me when I first started to my journey, he told me that one day I'd learn what every part of it meant, it was a part of growing up. So far I had... except the last one, and finally I realize it. I can't let you go one more time... not without knowing you're going to be there even after we go our own ways. Promise me Cynthia that no matter what you will always be here. Not even in person, just knowing that... I can't get this close unless you know this is what you want." Ash was beginning to choke up, saying this to the only woman who had ever made him feel so…so... vulnerable yet indestructible.

"I Promise Ash..." She tilted her head forward and gently kissed his lips, savoring the taste and texture. Under hushed breaths she closed her eyes and leaned into his shoulder resting her head in the crook of his neck, "I love you Ash Ketchum."

Ash wrapped his arms around her and her close to himself, memorizing the feeling of her heart beating against his chest. "I love you too...Cynthia Shirona." With that he kissed the top of her head and inhaled, the smell of lilac filling his senses. He smiled and closed his eye.

Neither had changed positions for quite some time, too comfortable in the position they were in. Ash had looked up and realized the moon was high in the sky. They had been asleep for a couple hours by now, looking down at the blonde in his arms he smiled, this was going to be a new beginning for him. A thought had suddenly struck him; softly nudging the girl awake he whispered into her ear, "There's someone I think you should meet."

"Oh?" Was all he heard in response, a sleepy yawn with a cute squeak at the end made him laugh a little, "And who might this mystery person be?"

Ash turned around grinning at her before pulling an old flute carved from a white wood out of his bag, "Just listen."

Cynthia nodded her head and closed her eyes; the tune that rang through her ears was unlike anything she had heard before. It only lasted a few seconds and then she heard something a distance away. She wasn't sure what it was at first, the melody played again, different this time but the cycle kept repeating, it was simple but that was part of the beauty of it. Each part just as beautiful as the last, but the noises that came afterwards was where the glory of it all was. Every time the notes were played through the flute, a Pokémon was singing it's own notes back, finishing each piece with a perfection in it's own category. With every part it got closer and closer until it was halfway up the beach and stopped all together.

Opening her eyes was something she had never seen before. A Riolu as white as the moon and stars, but its feet, chest, and mask were as dark as the night sky. It eyed her warily but slowly approached staying towards Ash's side.

Cynthia watched as Ash knelt down and held his arms out wide. The Riolu bounded the remaining distance and jumped into his chest. She smiled as she watched him catch and wrap it into a tight hug standing up and spinning around. The Riolu was chirping and giggling the entire time, nuzzling into Ash's neck. Looking down at Cynthia, she noticed his eyes were shining even brighter as he rejoined her.

"This here," as the words left his mouth the Riolu was already hiding her face. Ash laughed and raised his hand scratching behind her ear, "This shy little one here is Luna, or at least that's my nickname for her. I met her about two years ago when I first started coming to this part of the beach. I had been playing that flute to pass the time and she started singing along to it." He felt her lean back and grin nodding her head; she spared another glance toward Cynthia before cocking her head and gazing curiously at her.

The white Pokémon leaned forward and sniffed the blonde woman before coming back and sniffing Ash again. It took a second but after a moment her eyes shot open wide and she stared at as with her jaw halfway open. They had never seen a Pokémon look so scandalized.

Quickly realizing what the tiny Pokémon was assuming Cynthia's hand shot up in defense, "No, no, no! It's nothing like that Luna."

Luna was pointing dramatically at the two squeaking and yipping up a storm.

After a few minutes it cooled down and they finally convinced her nothing happened. Deciding to trust the human and hopped out of Ash's arms and walking over to her. Cynthia lowered her hand and the white Riolu sniffed it a few times, nuzzling against her hand as the woman rubbed it in a circle before jumping up onto her lap and making the blonde into a comfortable chair. Cynthia looked down shocked before grinning up at Ash, "Looks like she approves."

Luna nodded vigorously, chirping at Ash pointing towards the flute. "Looks like she wants you to play some more Ashy boy. I'd like to hear it again as well... I never knew you could play so well?"

"That's because no one besides her knew and now so do you." He smiled back, grabbing it and started the song he played earlier but this time there were no stops and the melody rang through ought the entire grove. Luna was singing with the song and soon Cynthia couldn't stop herself from shutting her eyes and letting the music take her as she hummed under her breath.

*End Flashback*

"That's a memory I will never forget and I know you never will either. We already have a daughter in a way; Luna is like an overgrown child at times isn't she. Just like you, and one can only guess as to how she got that way, right down to the head tilt and blank stare combo when something confuses either of you enough."

The blondes arm found its way over his chest and clutched the blanket in her hands, tears were forming in her eyes, "You used to tell me all about the future you had in mind for us. Where we would live, what the house would be like… what kind of family we were going to have."

Cynthia laughed at that, wiping a tear on her sleeve, "If it were a boy you wanted to name him Jason after your partner, I liked the name and I could go with it. I gave you so much grief though when I found out that you would want to name it Ashley if we found out it was a girl. To be honest I loved the name, but really Ash, you couldn't be original to save your life sometimes."

She rubbed her thumb lightly along the contours of his chest, "I need you to wake up for me… I know they said you would be okay but until your back I won't be able to feel right. I want to hear you tell me all this stuff in person, to hear it from your voice, to hear you tell me you still want to have a life with me."

Shutting her eyes she began to relive all the memories that she had kept close to her heart, "I still hear you voice Ash, even while you're sleeping here… One day soon when this is over we will do just that. Leave everybody behind and raise a family away from the horrible things about these regions… Ash, just please wake up for me. I can't do this alone anymore; I'm only so strong, I need you to tell me it will all be okay again because right now I can't believe that."

She clenched her eyes shut in an attempt to force back the tears, "Wake up Ash… I need you now."

All Cynthia got in return was the steady beep of the monitor and his steady breaths, "Knowing you I'd be willing to bet that you haven't slept well in years… at least you're getting some much needed sleep right?"

Cynthia turned her gaze up to Ash's closed eyelids, a smile graced her features, "I'll never regret those years that I gave and plan to give."

Reaching an arm up she caressed his face while nuzzling her face into his open palm and side. He was still as warm as she remembered, "Do you remember the night I met your mother Ash?"

She couldn't stop the giggles that bubbled up, "You were so nervous about what she would think of you with an older girl. Come to find out she loved me and poked more fun at you that night than I bet she did in your life! I never did find out what she said to you before we left that day… she pulled you to the side and asked me to bring the jeep around while she had a few words with you. When you came back out you could hardly speak, and don't you dare think I ever forgot. Rarely would you hide something from me but even through all the puppy dog eyes and quivering lips you still wouldn't break. Maybe when you wake up you will tell me, who knows?"

"Back in Kanto, the carnival they held in Cerulean City? You were about as cliché as it got, you promised when we were at the top of the Ferris Wheel that no matter what happened in our lives, you would always be there and come back for me. Just don't make wait too long okay? You made a girl a promise Ash, so you better keep it." The grin couldn't be stopped as she was talking to him.

Nuzzling further into his touch she closed her eyes and relaxed. "I miss the life we had, I miss those conversations we weren't willing to have with anybody else, our hopes and dreams, our fears, pointless chatter about whatever came to mind. Why did I run away when you needed me the most, you were always there to pick me up when I fell."

She held his hand tighter, "I kept that map you drew out so we could run away from it all. I said I had your back but where was I Ash… all the roads I took constantly came back to you. I realized something though… You are sometimes too smart for your own good you know that? That map…"

Moving her leg she could feel the aging piece of folded parchment in her pocket, "That map actually led to you. Yes, you mapped out where we would go, but you also put all the places you thought you would be on there. The ranger bases, a few Rota outposts, friends you made during your journeys that would have given you somewhere to stay or hide."

When she kissed his hand she kept it close to her mouth, "I heard you voice in my sleep at night, I could never resist the temptation to cry out for you and always woke up in a fright… in tears… shouting for you. Something came over me one night; I tried to get over you when I felt like you had hurt me so bad. But no, I couldn't get over you. I can never get over you Ash, from now on I will always follow that map wherever you go."

A flash of light to the side of the chair came from Ash's belt, materializing from the beam of light was Ninetales. "Hey girl, how've you been?"

The fox gave a quiet yip and licked her hand before jumping up onto the bed with a grace that rivaled any feline or canine hardly disturbing the bed in any way. Maneuvering her way in-between Ash's body and other arm the fox proceeded to lick at his face a few times before spreading her tails out like one large furry blanket and placed her muzzle in the crook of his neck. Cynthia could see him lightly curve into the warmth while one tail lay across Cynthia's neck filling her body with a comfortable heat. She met the fox's gaze one last time before throwing it a gentle smile, "Missed you too girl. Will you watch him if I fall asleep?"

A slight nod of reassurance was all she needed, Ninetales was highly possessive of Ash, always had been. That fox would make sure nobody else came near.

Wrapping an arm possessively across his chest she let her exhausted body finally rest, she would make damn sure he wasn't going anywhere and that she was there when he woke up. "I love you and nobody else, it will always be that way… Please, just wake up so you can tell me the same."

A man and woman walked into the room. The sight of her son broke her heart but seeing Cynthia at his side brought a small smile to her face. "This is how it should've been for so many years, don't you agree Samuel?"

Professor Oak nodded and wrapped an arm around her, "They both deserve some happiness. They're a couple of stubborn children, but they even each other out."

"Why did this have to happen to him?"

Oak didn't answer, he didn't need to and they both knew it. The world seemed to have it out for her son, some would call it bad luck, other the scorn of a higher power, but Oak always believed something else entirely, what nobody else knew. Not even Ash, "One day you will have to him, hopefully before he finds out on his own Delia. He would be better off hearing it from you than finding out some other way."

"Samuel…"

Walking into the room the aging man ran a hand down Ninetales' back. "He used to be such an innocent kid, even now though I still look at him like a son. I just wish Gary would get that jealousy out of his hot head."

Delia looked over at the man with a regretful look on her face, "I don't think he ever wanted to Samuel… if I were in Gary's position I can only imagine how I would have felt. I sympathize with the boy, he's made a name for himself now and is on his way to becoming the next great Pokémon researcher."

The quiet laugh that ensued took years off of the man's appearance, "Like grandfather like grandson right? They have each other to thank if you ask me."

The brunette was pulling a few strands of hair away from the blondes face, "How so Samuel?"

Oak flashed her a gentle smile, "They both needed a serious attitude adjustment when they first left for their journeys, but it helped make them who they are today. Sure they had their own companions but those two pushed one another harder than anybody else they have ever known. Theirs was a special rivalry, it's where got their drive to outdo the other from."

She frowned at the sight of Cynthia's fatigued face, just how long had she been in here?

"At what cost though? Sure they both became some of the greatest in their fields… but was it really worth sacrificing a friendship over."

Professor Oak walked to her side and place a hand on Delia's shoulder, "It wasn't a rivalry that broke them apart, it was resentment. Ash received more recognition for his feats in the battling scene than Gary did in the research field. I can understand the frustration, to get recognized in the science and research community takes a lot longer and a vast amount of hard work on a personal level. Battling is tough but that is also attributed to your Pokémon, for Gary to have to accept that no matter what he would do he would always be stuck inside of his friends shadow… even the greatest will break by that."

Delia nodded, it broke her heart seeing the rift that had grown between the two friends. They may have been a pain to one another but even when they were younger they were better friends than they wanted to admit, no matter what the other did if either were feeling down then the other would be the first person there to pick them up in their own special way.

Turning her gaze away from Oak she lightly shook Cynthia awake, "Maybe one day this mess will work its self out."

Cynthia groggily opened her eyes, she had been waking up off and on for a while talking to Ash then falling asleep again from the warmth Ninetales provided. Making the mistake of trying to sit up too fast she would have fell to the floor if Delia's hands hadn't caught the back of her head and guided her back down gently. "Cynthia dear, how long have you been here?"

Thinking back for a second, "About two days now."

The blonde wanted to cower under the Ketchum matriarch's analyzing stare, "When's the last time you had any proper sleep or something to eat?"

Cynthia was surprised herself, eating hadn't even crossed her mind. She was too focused on Ash and didn't want to leave for anything, "I honestly don't remember… four days maybe?"

Delia looked cross, "I was afraid of that, you're just as bad as him dear. I swear you two are too alike at times. You need to go get something to eat, get a drink at the very least, and get some real rest. He will be here when you get back."

The blonde puffed up her cheeks; she was definitely Ash at times. "I'm not hungry."

"Cynthia."

"I'm not leaving him Delia."

Pinching the bridge of her nose she gave in, "Then at the very least eat this, staying here is no good for either of you if you exhaust yourself to the point you're unconscious also."

Placing a can of juice and peanut on the small dresser beside her, "They gave us these on the flight here, Oak was notified when they found out it was Ash so we came here as fast as we could. Now open up."

Popping the can she helped guide it to Cynthia's lips, shocked at just how shaky the younger woman's hands were.

Setting the can back down she brushed a few locks of the woman's hair behind her ear, "He will be okay dear, I promise."

Cynthia pulled her into a hug, it had been forever since she had seen Delia and she was the only woman she could look at as though it were her own mother. "I'm sick of waiting, haven't I been patient enough."

Deliah kissed the side of her face and tightened her hold. Running her hand in soothing circles on her back, "It'll be okay dear, just keep hanging on for a little bit longer. So tell me how you've been doing lately?"

Cynthia had a peaceful look on her face; Delia just had something about her that made everything seem okay. It helped that she also treated and cared for her as though she was Delia's own daughter.

It took a while but she convinced her to get up and stretch her legs, maybe use on of the showers and freshen up. Needless to say she felt much better, the hot water did miracles for her tired body.

Pulling herself out of her reverie she smiled down at the white and black poke-ball in her hand. It seemed like it was only yesterday, yet at the same time a lifetime ago, giving it a few more seconds she decided there was no use in putting it off any longer. She would have to face this sooner or later; the only problem was there was no telling how this was going to go.

The enlarged ball burst open in a flash of light releasing the black and white Lucario.

Luna was stunned to be called out for a moment; Ash's aura was the first thing she always sensed whenever she was released from that infernal device.

Ash's aura was the first thing she would always sense but she couldn't find his everywhere, that already put her on guard.

Turning around she jumped away, landing in a defensive stance facing whoever called her out. Luna froze, unsure of what to believe…. The master's mistress... It had been years and she had all but given up hope of seeing her again, her father and mother for all she cared. She let out of her fighting stance and slowly edged closer with watery eyes, focusing on the woman before her, something was very wrong.

"Long time no see Luna... I've missed you baby." She fell down to her knees as her head hung loosely towards the floor, tears falling from her eyes. She almost flinched away as she felt a paw wipe them away and lift her head up.

As she met the bright cerulean eyes of the jackal she felt a small prod in her mind. Luna gave her a reassuring nod, doing her best she tried to allow the foreign feeling in.

Cynthia pulled the Lucario into a hug, trying to get back all of the missed year. "I've missed you mistress," an elegant but emotional female voice rang through her head.

Tilting her head she kissed the side of Pokémon's muzzle, running her hands through the soft white fur. "It's so good to have you back."

Standing up she held the black paw and looked down like a mother admiring her child, "Ash will be okay, just keep it together and you will see him soon. He's a tough guy, just don't freak out."

Luna had a pleading look in her eyes.

Cynthia gave her a sad smile, "He was hurt pretty bad, but he will be fine now. Come with me for a while, I haven't seen you in so long and I'd like to make a few stops before we go and see Ash again if that's alright?"

"Yes, I would very much like that." Luna bowed her head slightly before squeezing her hand.

"It really is good to have you back dear."

The jackal smiled before nodding enthusiastically, "You too."

Walking down the hallway they idly chatted about all the places Luna had been and the training she and Ash do.

Cynthia's voice became quieter than usual. Looking up they both read the nameplate above the door. B. Harrison/P.M.D. -Pokémon Medical Diagnostician.

The same dream kept repeating behind closed eyelids.

Ash was sitting in a field playing a flute; he was back-to-back with a raven-haired girl the same size as him in the middle of the Rota Castle gardens.

They had been out there for hours; neither said a word, only him playing and her humming along to his tune.

Finally they stopped and laid back, the soft grass and cool ground feeling like a little patch of paradise. Ash looked over towards the girl, "Do you ever wonder what else is out there?"

She turned to face him, emerald eyes with an unnatural shine to them meeting his bright amber, "I don't know… like what?"

He smiled at her, "Something amazing, that makes the world go round, that controls the tides, maybe that made us? Maybe something out there, something we've never discovered, is wondering what it's like here?

She turned her gaze up to the moon, "I guess? Do you think we will ever meet it Ash?"

He turned his gaze up also, "I hope so, don't you? It would be scary to think there's nothing taking care of us."

The two children put their arms out and a small glowing sphere, a swirling orb of teals and dark blues with traces of green throughout. The little girl giggled, "My hand tickles!"

A frown replaced his face, something was wrong here… it was this girl. Ash turned his gaze toward her once more. Long raven-hair, bright emerald eyes, and soft features… she was also wearing an old styled dress. It hung straight down her body in a black silk with red-highlights. She was so familiar yet so foreign.

The girl looked him in the eyes, a grim expression on her face as she started to crystalize, the material moving rapidly up her legs. "Don't forget about me Ash, I need you to save me, there's still time. I've been waiting and you still haven't come yet… please don't forget about me."