THE WAR OF WANTS

BY- SOURAGAR

So, here is the eleventh chapter. The first of the couple of one shots. According to results, story on Aria telling Ash about her past won the most number of votes, i.e.… six. So it would be the first one shot. For the second one shot, two options are tied in four votes each, so we would decide about that latter. But even though it may not be your voted one, but it's still very special, So I definitely recommend you to read it. Anyways, on with the story.

Happy Reading!

DISCLAIMER- I don't own Pokémon.

Chapter 11- Starting of new journey. Getting to know each other better.

We now come to join our raven haired hero on his journey of becoming master and is now accompanied by a pink-haired performer. They were walking together on their journey towards greatness. After walking for whole of the morning, they decided to rest a bit before continuing their journey. They had decided to go for packaged food because well… they had no idea how to cook, at least one of them didn't. Aria knew how to cook basic meals but was unfamiliar with the ways how fire was set during camping, so, they decided to opt for packaged foods for some days to avoid more complications.

"Well, it's nice for a change, isn't it?" Ash asked to his buddy and best friend Pikachu as he took another can of prepared food and started digging in it. Pikachu, who was holding his second bottle of Ketchup nodded and confirmed his agreement on Ash's opinion. Aria was astonished seeing the amount of food Ash can eat, and the speed with which he was doing it. It seemed to her, when she first met Ash that he must be a person on diet, at least she never imagined him to eat that much. She concluded in her mind that to maintain a body like his, even after his eating habits, he must be doing a lot of training.

Beside them, their Pokémon were eating happily as they interacted with new faces. They all seemed nice, and therefore were having a great time together eating their food and getting to know each of them better. Another reason behind their happiness was the smiling faces their trainers were having. They knew that both of them did have some rough past days and were happy to see the satisfaction and happiness that their trainers were getting. It was not known to them what exactly was the reason behind it, but as long as their trainers were happy, they would always wish the reason to continue forever.

For the trainers, it was clearly evident to them that they were happy to have each other after some rough past few days. Both of them agreed in their minds that they truly needed some support to get through it and were happy to get some company, even though just for distraction.

They completed their meal and proceeded for cleaning of used plates, cans and other utensils. As the sun was shining brightly in the horizon and the heat was just becoming too much to bear, Ash suggested for them to get some rest before moving on towards their next destination. They sat under a tree resting while al their Pokémons mimicked their trainer's action and choose a shady place for resting.

As they were resting peacefully leaning their back towards the trunk of tree, the nice cold air started breezing and the climate became suddenly very perfect for a nap. Ash and Aria started feeling their eyelids becoming heavy and allowed sleep to capture them. After sometime of peaceful resting, Ash was awakened by the voice of someone mumbling something. He woke up to find Aria mumbling something in her sleep while her face showed clear signs of worry and fear. It became clear to Ash that she was mumbling in the middle of a bad dream, perhaps a very bad one.

"Please Mom, Dad! Don't fight! Stop it! Please!" She mumbled as Ash was now able to process what she was saying. He was utterly shocked by what he heard. Were these dreams related to her parents? But how? Before his mind could drabble further in this topic he heard something again, "Please I don't want to go with her! I want to stay, Please!" She was muttering. Before Ash could process the situation more, Aria started breathing and sweating heavily. Ash, concerned for her and finding no other alternative, decided to wake her up. He tried to call her name and shake her gently to wake her up. She opened her eyes suddenly, fear evident in them, and then looked around her. After sometime, when she became absolutely sure that it was just a dream, she sighed, Thanking god that it was just another dream.

After sometime, when she regained her breath and composure back, Ash decided to ask her about it, "Hey what happened? Why were you so tensed during sleep? And I heard you muttering something about your parents. Is this something related to them? Ash asked trying to get the reason why Aria was so tense recently. Now that he thought about it, there has never been any clear information about Aria's parents. She never talked about them.

Aria flinched a little after hearing Ash's question. The questions about her past have always been uncomfortable for her. It was not that she didn't trusted him, in fact, she was willing to share everything with him. But what stopped her was what he would think of her after that. She would never want to lose someone who was perhaps the only one caring about her. But now, it was perhaps the time that truth must be revealed.

Seeing Aria's hesitation, Ash decided to comfort her and make it clear that she was not bound to speak anything if she was uncomfortable about it but Aria stopped him and ensured that she wants to share about her past to him, but he needs to be patient and completely listen to her before saying anything. She especially requested him not to interrupt in the middle or else she would not be able to continue.

"Well, my mother was the second Kalos Queen in the history of performances that were conducted in Kalos. Before her, the reigning Kalos Queen of that time was very strong and therefore, my mother gained quick fame for defeating her in her first year as performer. After that somehow my mother met my father who was a businessman at that time and they got married. But after some years of marriage, they started to have arguments with each other, very loudly too. As a kid, it always disappointed me, but I was always ensured that they would get over it, we would get over it. The ensuring continued until one day, it was realized. I no longer required to beer the constant blabbering of my parents, their constant arguments, because they were divorced. My Dad left our house. My mother joined her performances back as she needed some distractions to keep her mind occupied, leaving me alone in house with her ever-so-faithful butler to take care of me. You know, what he used to do? He used to just drink and invite his other friends for nuisance activities. To stop me from creating any king of hindrances for him, he used to lock me up inside my room. Sometimes, I even used to not get food for one day even. It was a hell!" Aria sobbed before continuing,

"I wasn't allowed to go outside and meet with anyone. Not because they were worried for me, but because they were afraid that something would affect my face, something would happen to my skin color, as if my beauty was much more important for them than my happiness. Nobody ever cared for me, nobody ever had time for me. I didn't had any friends as I was home-tutored. It was just a life of loneliness. Then I was transferred and taken by Palermo as her apprentice to train for Masterclass. I lost my contact with home, and the hell continued." Aria stopped as tears threatened to come out of her eyes. Not able to hold her emotions she broke down and hugged Ash furiously, sobbing in his chest, seeking his support at the time of her despair. Ash lifted his hand above her head and started caressing her hair to cool her down.

She continued to sob and started again, "I was called recently to be informed that she has abandoned me after my loss in masterclass! Palermo has abandoned me! Everyone has left me, nothing is left with me, and no one wants me. I am just a loser who is here to get abandoned by everyone." She started sobbing uncontrollably as she pressed herself against his chest more. Ash continued to caress her hair and muttering "It's O.K.!" as she continued her sobbing.

After sometime, Aria regained her composure back as she stopped crying. Ash lifted her cheeks to make her see into his eyes, "It would be okay! From now on, no one would hurt you. I promise that." He said wiping away the tears on her face with his hands, He looked straight into her eyes, "Moreover, you are now on a journey! You would make many new friends, they would be of very different kinds, but at the end, you would be thankful to have them in your life, believe me, I am saying from my experience of travel of six regions." Ash said as a smile crept into his face, trying to reassure her.

She in fact founded herself returning the smile, it was truly infectious.

"Hey, if you would not mind, I would like to share my pasts with you too! I think it might help you." Ash said as his expression changed from a smiling one to a serious one. Aria was shocked to hear this and wanted to convey to him that he didn't need to do anything like that if it makes him uncomfortable, but from inside she too wanted to know about that. Ash insisted that he wanted to speak about it as she herself has said about her. But he also requested to have no interruption during narration.

"I have been raised throughout my childhood by my mother and my mother only. I never had any father looking on me. I never got to know who he is or where he is and perhaps I will never know that too. I always used to wonder where he was. What he must be doing? But I got no answer." Ash said as he dropped his head and shadows of his hat covered his eyes.

"When I was five, my mom told me that he was a trainer himself, on his own journey, somewhere far, enjoying the world and becoming the strongest alive. I was so happy and inspired listening to that, that it became my own aim. When I was eight years old, we got a new computer in our house. I was excited about it and tried to search for the name of my father in it, but found nothing. I asked mom and she said that perhaps he didn't registered for it or perhaps I had done some mistake. But I was not mistaken, she was lying to me, like he lied to her perhaps."

"She would always cry when I was young. I knew something was bothering her, but never got to know what the real reason was. Many people came to ask her whether she missed him, and every time she replied in negative and claimed that she hated him. But I knew the truth, if she didn't missed him, the why she cried every time. She broke everyday remembering him and I was there only to worsen her situation even more. I was there to remind her of him, him which I hated. But she was the strongest lady ever alive and I love and respect her for whatever she has made me. Without her I perhaps would have been nowhere."

"When I was leaving for my journey, before that, she came to me, and told me that if I was anything like my father, then I might never come back again. I smirked at it and ensured to her that I was nothing like my father, I would never abandon anyone, I would help everyone and prove my worth, I was raised like that, by the strongest lady present over there."

"And that's why, I wanted to be a Pokémon Master. I would admit that meeting and helping different Pokémon and people were primary aims but inside, I always had one more goal behind it. I want to prove to him that I am not any piece of trash that you would throw up in the dustbin to be picked by someone to throw into dump yard. I am something else. If he wished us to be begging for his presence, then he was wrong, and I would show him. I would become the very best out there, so very best that he would be forced to acknowledge me." Anger was now evident in his voice.

"And that's why I choose this path, I would help everyone out there who needs help, I would never abandon anyone that needs me, I would never become a coward like him who will run away from his duties. I would prove to him the fault in his method. The power of honesty and truthfulness." It was now Ash who was crying while hugging Aria. Aria looked at him sympathetically as he continued to mutter "I would never be him." Between his sobs.

After sometime they both relaxed and recomposed themselves. They both were feeling much better now. Aria was relieved to find someone out there who has promised to support her even after knowing her sorry state. She felt a sense of determination building in her after listening to Ash's condition. If he was able to live so cheerfully even after facing so much, why can't she? She has a new source of inspiration now. The admiration and love she had in her heart for Ash only increased manifold after this incident. Meanwhile Ash was more relieved, it seemed to him as if a big burden was removed from his head and he was now free. Moreover it felt great to have someone listen to him whom he could trust fully.

After sometime, they noticed that the night was starting to fall and decided it would be better for them to continue the journey the next day. Aria still had some doubts in her mind as she hadn't spoken about Palermo completely. But she couldn't do that and make Ash's life fall in danger, he was so special for that. Moreover she had a new life in her hand and thinking about the past would not help it one bit. She drifted back to sleep on this thought.

AUTHOR'S NOTE- So, this is it, a very emotional chapter to say at least. About the poll, please continue to vote in it for the next final chapter which would be the last one shot before we reach the next part of the story.

So anyways, don't forget to give your suggestions, queries, complaints and praises( If you like it) through reviews. You can also PM me for any queries.

Thank You!