T.T Last chapter. Well it's an epilogue technically. I like to finish off my stories on a little bit of a brighter note. Plus explaining the after effects of everything is always nice too.
Arysd – Before I answer your review, I'd just like to say, you are awesome. XD I think you've reviewed every chapter so far. And even in the times when an update didn't come that often I always could check my email after an update and see a review from you. XD They've made me very happy and given me a reason to want to write more in darker times (aka writers block XD). So yeah, just wanna say thanks! :3
On to the review you wrote now, Yes, this chapter took a bit of time. A whole Saturday to be exact. XD I enjoyed writing it a lot though and I'm glad you enjoyed reading it. :3 And yeah, a lot of things happened. . I can't even believe I was able to put that much stuff together into one chapter. XD Also, that's the thing too, their lives will definitely never be the same. Some things perhaps for the better but other's obviously for the worse. They will never truly be able to go back to simpler times. ):
DarkStarEmerging - Wow, long reviews. XD Love em. Don't worry about not being able to review. I mean, this one (or two :P) make up for it. XD I have to agree with you about the best parts being with Ash and the King. I have to say I enjoyed writing those parts a lot. Like you said, they're so similar yet total opposites at the same time. They clash perfectly yet it's always scary and crazy and painful for poor little Ash! D: And yes, Black Roses. I didn't want it all to be like "ROSES! THEY'RE BLACK! LOOK AT THEM! IT'S THE TITLE! IT MAKES SENSE!" like some authors sadly tend to do. By the end of the first chapter it's just like, I get it. You don't need to keep bringing it up. XD I just thought of the title as also a symbol for the changes that occur. I mean, since Drew always gave May roses it's cool that when they change and she forgets herself for their love to be like black roses instead of the average red rose.
And I think we're very alike when it comes to being a bit dark and being into those types of things. And yes! That is exactly what I was thinking she was thinking. (funny sentence :P) Anywho, I have faith that even if I had not written this story and you had gotten to it first, you would've done a great job with it. If I could entrust this into someone else's hands it would probably be yours. :D And don't worry the ending to your first review wasn't too cliché. :P On to the second review. XD Yes, Pikachu. He'll be explained in this one. I thought about him too and I have a bit of an idea with him. So time will tell his little tail. XD get it? Tail? Yeah, no, bad joke. .
Disclaimer: Ok, so for the final time *sniff* I do not own pokemon. DX
Black Roses
Epilogue
Ash looked into the mirror for a long time. He watched as the Ash in the mirror touched his face in wonder. It had already been a week and he still couldn't believe it. He had his body back. It was his and his only. It had been so long that he had had trouble walking at first. Eating too. Pretty much everything. Three years of doing nothing took a toll on you.
He suspected he got off pretty good though, considering what had happened.
The one thing he hated though was how the King had to have taken his identity along with his body. Sure, no one knew his name or anything since the King never even told them his real name, but people knew his face. The first thing he had done was let out his Pokemon and that proved the problems he'd had to face.
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"Guy's come on out!" Ash yelled excitedly. The other's stood by waiting. He was excited to see them again. He had missed his Pokemon so much.
As they came out, he smiled at them. But they retreated. They backed away from him with grim expressions. Ash frowned and looked to the ground. He looked at them all. And he looked over at Pikachu, who was especially cautious of him. He hadn't even gone near him when he had first come back.
"Guys, it's me." He said slowly, as tears threatened to spill out of his eyes. Suddenly he felt something jump onto his shoulders and then on his head. He lifted the small Pokemon off his head and looked at Pikachu. The rest of his Pokemon where still looking at him from a distance, weary expressions on.
"Pika, pika!" Pikachu yelled and Ash smiled. He could tell that after watching him for awhile, Pikachu had finally realized that he was in fact the old Ash. He knew he couldn't blame his Pokemon after the things the King had done to them.
That was one of the reasons why he was so surprised Misty wasn't disgusted by the very sight of him.
Slowly, he saw that the rest of his Pokemon were walking closer to him. He smiled at them and held out his arms when a few knowing ones ran towards him. Soon he was surrounded by them all.
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He smiled at how forgiving his Pokemon had been. It was probably because of how much they loved him before he had been lost.
Other then his friends though, no one else was taking it quite so well. He had met with all the leaders of the places the King had taken over and even the places he soon wanted to take over. He explained to them what had happened and they all listened sympathetically. He gave them back their rightful land and all of the lands returned to peace. Well almost.
It can't be expected that all of the hardships on the people would be lifted over night but the leaders were slowly putting things back in order again.
Ash sighed and left the bathroom. He was back home now. He was staying with him mother again who couldn't be happier he was back. He hadn't left the house in a week. He couldn't do it. On his way to his mother's house, enough people had given him looks of pure hatred to last him a life time.
He sat down on the couch and looked out the window. He hadn't known what to do with himself lately. It was currently the afternoon and he was moping around again.
He couldn't get over the things he had seen. The things that had happened. His friends were all staying in town too. Pallet Town had actually managed to stay a safe haven to get away from the King so most families were there too. Even May's mother had decided to come and say there near the end.
Ash felt completely broken. He knew that it wouldn't be easy to recover from this.
"Pika." He heard Pikachu say lazily as he walked into the room. Ash laughed at his little friend. He had just been asleep in Ash's room taking a nap.
"Sleep well?" He asked him. Pikachu sighed and shook his head before jumping into Ash's lap. He smiled sympathetically. "Nightmares, huh? I know how you feel." He said with a sigh. He hadn't been able to get much sleep as of late either.
Suddenly the front door opened and he knew who it was before he even got up to greet her.
"Ash! Where are you?" He heard her yell from the door. He walked into the other room and she smiled when she saw him.
"Hi Mist." He smiled back at her. Although he felt horrible about everything and he seemed to constantly be depressed these days, he knew the one thing that made him feel better.
Her smile made him smile. Her brightness always seemed to light up his world. It wasn't dark and dreary when she was with him. She had been staying at his mother's house with him which he was grateful for. Without her there everyday he didn't know if he would've survived.
Sometimes he wished he had died after getting rid of the King. He had already died on the inside. But then she'd come in the room and he'd know that he didn't want to be anywhere but right where he was.
"I went to the store to get some stuff for your mom." She said with a smile as she held up the grocery bag for him to see. He smiled and took it from her.
"I got it." He brought it into the kitchen and set it down on the counter as she followed him in. He turned around and smiled at her before walking closer to her and kissing her.
She kissed him back sweetly and the kiss lasted for a moment.
When they finally broke it he could tell he was out of breath just from the kiss itself.
With her, he knew he could get over anything. He was happy right where he was now.
***
May looked out at the water. She was standing on a bridge in Pallet Town. She had just gone out for a walk and had ended up here. She was thinking about everything. It was just so hard to believe. So many things had happened…
She was glad things were slowly going back to normal, but she knew their time had passed. They couldn't go back to the way things were. They never could.
They had all been changed forever. She could only imagine how things were for Ash. He was hated by the world and it would take at least a few years for everyone to understand and leave him alone.
She smiled though. At least he had Misty. May and Drew had been over Ash's house almost everyday the past week. Misty was there too and May was glad to see them together. You could tell she was making him happier. Making him forget a bit.
She had been staying with her mother here in Pallet Town. Their old home had been destroyed so she had decided to move to a safer place right before the big battle that had ended it all.
Max of course was staying with them. And so was-
Her thought was cut off when she saw a rose dangling in front of her face.
She smiled and took the rose before turning around. It was Drew of course and he had both of his hands on the railing on both sides of her, trapping her there. She laughed at him and then held the rose up questioningly.
"Red?" She asked him. He just laughed.
"Yes, red. I don't think black quite suits us anymore. What do you think?" He asked her.
She smiled brightly. "I think your right." She put her arms behind his neck, still holding the rose in one of her hands of course. He took his hands off the railing and wrapped them around her waist.
He leaned down and kissed her passionately and she smiled against his lips. She could feel all of his emotions in that one simple kiss and it almost made her lightheaded.
He pulled away and chuckled at her expression. She was a bit dazed at the moment.
"Have I told you I love you lately?" He asked her. She smiled.
"Every day."
"Well in case you didn't get the message, I do. I really, really do."
She smiled at him. "I love you too. That's one thing that'll never change." She said with a light chuckle. She liked this airy feeling. She used to know it as happiness. And she was so used to it's absence that she was having a hard time realizing that, that was what she seemed to always be feeling now.
He smiled at her and leaned down for another kiss. And again she was in complete and total bliss.
O.O It's over. I'm in utter shock. T.T imma miss this fic! It was just oh so much fun. But now that it's over, I'm going to answer a question that most people tend to ask me when I finish a story. Will there be a sequel? This happens to be a tough one. You see, as much as I'd love the make a sequel and as much as I could definitely make one with the way it ends and all, I don't know if I am for a few reasons. 1. I simply cannot make an entire fiction about the after effects without some kind of new plot. There still needs to be a conflict and what not and I'd need to think a lot about that. If it doesn't have that though, I might as well just add more chapters on which would drag the story on longer then it should be. . And 2. I've sadly lost my muse to write pokemon fan fictions. Maybe in the future there is a chance more can be written about these lovable character but for now I just can't. I'm into another anime/manga that's taking a lot of my muse and thoughts and creative processes. And plus on top of that, I have two other fan fictions that have just been started, plus school, clubs, work, and family/friend needs. Sadly I can't sit on my computer for days and days on end just writing. XD Otherwise I probably would. So, for now, this story and other pokemon fics will be coming to an end. I love you all and am sorry to say this but it must be said.