It's been a while, huh. I sincerely apologize for the lack of updates. There's been school, personal problems, and overall laziness in general that has been preventing me from continuing any of my stories. And I apologize for this being a rather short chapter. I can only hope that the updates on this story will be coming quicker than usual, for how long has it been, a year? Who knows? But enough about me rambling on. Thank you for returning to this humble piece of fiction.

Ash Satoshi Ketchum was running. Running where? The Pokemon Master didn't know. All he knew was he did something that he deeply regretted. As the Pokemon Master, Red inspired people everywhere to go on the spectacular journey with the strange and magnificent creatures known as Pokemon. And he absolutely loved it. He loved being an inspiration, loved being light in the darkness. He always felt proud of all the trainers emerging, striving to be the best. But now...What had Red done? He had utterly destroyed the inner trainer of Ash Ketchum...He had destroyed a piece of magnificent art in the world of trainers.

Red almost had a desire to run after him. But before he could make up his mind, there was a soft, yet vile chuckle from behind him, that soon turned into a cold, ruthless laugh.

"I saw the whole thing..." Paul said with a smirk as he walked up behind Red. "You did your job...You completely annihilated his spirit! I can see why they call you the Pokemon Master..."

"..." Red was, once again, silent.

"The Pokemon Master, the true master, where all other trainers are nothing but dust compared to you...All others must be taught a lesson if they think they can be like you. There can only be few masters, and that's you and all of those other trainers in the association.." Paul continued. "But even then, the others are mere trash compared to you."

"..." Red said nothing, but he could feel the anger swelling up inside of him at what Paul just said. Did he really think that no one else can be a master? Was he saying that it wasn't worth to try and become a Pokemon Trainer? If that was the case, why was Paul standing behind him? But he had lost to Ash...Was that the reason he thought about the world of trainers like this?
"Pokemon are nothing but tools and weapons to the masters. They do what you want, and they can't do anything to stop you. I wish I was like you..."

Red finally snapped.

"Use Thunderbolt, Pikachu."

Red's Pikachu was more than happy to oblige. In an instant, Pikachu sent out a hot, sparking, electrocuting bolt at Paul, purposely missing him, making Paul jump.

"You idiot! What are you doing?!" Paul exclaimed in anger.

"If that's what you think the world of trainers is like, then you don't deserve to be in my presence, or in the presence of any Pokemon."

Paul just stared blankly at the brown-haired trainer. "...You're feeling bad about that battle?!" Paul had said after a moment. "You're the one who agreed to this in the first place!"

"I agreed to battling him..." Red replied. "Admittedly, I didn't really know what I was getting into...But now, I know what I have done. Paul, you are not a trainer. You are a cruel, merciless beast. Get out of my sight."

Paul clenched his fists, growling through his teeth. "You no good, insolent...ELECTIVIRE!" Paul threw a Pokeball, revealing his strongest Pokemon, the fearsome Electivire. "Use Brick Break!"

Electivire screamed and charged at Red and his Pikachu. Red just closed his eyes, waiting for the attack to come...

Staraptor had carried Ash and his trusty Pikachu back to Pallet Town, soaring through the skies to get there. The flying Pokemon expected some kind of compliment from his master...Which is why he looked surprised when Ash just recalled him back to his Pokeball with a hopeless look.

They had arrived right in front of Ash's house, which looked as if it had never changed. But Ash didn't care. He just carried Pikachu and walked inside. He was going to go straight to his room...He was going to lay down on his bed...He was going to think his life as a trainer over...

"ASH KETCHUM!"

Ash didn't look up, even for that ear piercing scream. From the kitchen came not his mother, but the friends he had briefly abandoned for the chance to battle Red; Misty, Brock, Ritchie, May, Max, Dawn, and Gary.

Misty already had her mallet out, from who-knows-where, and proceeded to stomp towards Ash, ready to smack him into oblivion. She had already raised it above his head, ready to strike down.

"I need to go to my room..." Ash simply said, which caused Misty to drop her mallet. The others looked at him with surprise, as well. They had expected the young trainer to jump and at least shiver in fear from their outbursts, but he didn't react at all.

"...What do you mean?!" Gary finally said. "You abandon us, going off to wherever, come back here, and just toss us aside and say you wanna go to your room?!"

"And what happened to Pikachu?!" Dawn shrieked, as she and the others notice the rodent Pokemon knocked out in Ash's arms.

"I need to go to my room," Ash repeated. "And where's my mom?"

"She's at Professor Oak's lab-" Brock started, but fell silent as he noticed something. Ash's voice...It seemed anguished, dead, and almost...empty?

The others apparently did not notice, as they all crowded around Ash, Brock remaining in front of the kitchen. They all bombarded Ash with scolding as if they were his parents, and insults, and just chaotic screaming in general. But Ash would have none of it.

"WOULD YOU ALL JUST SHUT UP!?" Ash yelled at the top of his lungs, causing the others' voices to diminish. "I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY! WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ANYTHING?! I'VE BEEN ON THIS QUEST, BATTLING ALL OF THESE LEGENDARY TRAINERS, BUT YOU JUST LOOK ON, PRETENDING THAT NOTHING IS THERE! THE ONLY GUY YOU EVEN NOTICED WAS SILVER, AND EVEN THEN, ALL YOU HAD TO SAY WERE EMPTY CHEERS!"

Ash's long-time friends looked at their comrade in shock. What was he talking about? And was he keeping this bottled inside of him all this time?

"I HAD TO BATTLE THE POKEMON MASTERS!" Ash continued. "I BATTLED BLUE, LEAF, KRIS, ETHAN, SILVER! AND I GOT BADGES FROM THEM! AND IT ALL LED UP TO BATTLE THE LEGENDARY POKEMON MASTER, RED! BUT I LOST! EASILY! AND HE ALMOST DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE THING! BUT ALL THE SAME, HE INFORMED ME, INDIRECTLY, THAT I'M NOT A POKEMON TRAINER! I DON'T EVEN DESERVE TO BE WITH POKEMON! EVERYTHING I WORKED FOR, IT WAS ALL FOR NOTHING!"

But, of course, his friends just looked on at him with confusion. What the hell was he rambling about? Ash noticed their confused looks, and yelled in frustration, running upstairs, into his room, slamming his door shut, locking it. He gently laid Pikachu on his bed, and looked out the window...He yelled once again, and proceeded to pound the wall, knowing that the battle showed him that he was nowhere near ready to be a true Pokemon Trainer.