Chapter 31
It is a day after Wallace learns the truth about what happened to Ash during the missing years, and to be honest, he is also surprised that Dinatha knows the truth as well, which means that three of the Champions know the truth. With Ash's request, they didn't tell the other Champions and Professors about anything about Ash's whereabouts in the meeting.
After a while, Ash and Alice are now strolling on the city disguising themselves as Alex and Elena, as the two disguises are the ones with the tourists. "So where are you going next? Elena?" Ash asks.
"I think I want to go to the Lumiose Museum, I want to see a lot of new paintings." Alice replies.
But just as they get there, they see that the Lumiose Museum is closed. This causes them to frown as Alice asks with a tone of surprise, "What happened here? How come it is closed?"
Then they see a staff member walking out of the building with a sigh, Ash decides to ask the staff and he asks, "Excuse me, do you know what happened to this museum?"
The staff looks at Ash and Alice, he says, "Oh, are you perhaps tourists who want to visit the museum? You have come in a bad time."
"What happened?" Ash asks. "I mean, why is the place close?"
"Because like me, a lot of the staff decide to go a strike." The staff says as the others are surprised. "Going on a strike?"
"We work in the museum because we want others to enjoy the work, but our boss is a greedy man, all he wants is money and he doesn't even care about the paintings. He has been raising the ticket price, and our staff is the ones that are blamed by the tourists that come here because the price is expensive and the paintings aren't worth that money. Our paintings might be good-looking, but the same money can be purchased for a car instead."
"That sure is expensive...is there some way to contact your boss? I mean, former boss?" Ash asks.
"I can give you his postcard, but talking to him is just a waste of time." The staff says as he gives them the card and leaves.
After getting the phone number, they call the boss and they make a deal to purchase the museum. With Ash being the Champion of five regions, he has enough money for the deal. But just as they purchase the museum, the boss wants even more money and he tries to demands more, and he also threatens them if they don't hand over the money. Ash and Alice are members of the International Police, so when they take out their IDs, the owner realizes who they are and he decides to stop asking for more and quickly runs away.
"Wow, what a greedy man." Alice sighs.
"Yeah. At least we got the museum. Now, what should we do with this museum? Should we add some paintings?" Ash asks. "It is like the staff said, some of the paintings are ruined and the boss didn't want to even repair it."
"I know. But we can also have our friends to help us." Alice says. "I have seen Minami's paintings, they are really good."
"Yeah, Minami dreams of being a great artist after I asked her, she can help us." Ash says.
Once they get back to Sevestar Island, they tell the news to everyone. "Are you serious? You bought the Lumiose Museum?" Eve gasps.
"Yeah. And it is not easy considering a former owner is a greedy person who doesn't care about art. Right now we are going to reopen it and also add some new paintings inside." Ash says.
"Add some new paintings? Does that mean my art will also be inside the museum?" Minami is surprised.
"Of course. In fact, we will like you to help out the museum so that you won't be boring after today." Ash says.
Minami can't believe she is hearing, she thanks her brother for doing this for her. Diantha says, "You know, Kalos is also my region, I can help to find some best paintings and put them inside the exhibit."
Valerie says, "Indeed. As the Gym Leader of the Kalos Region, Wulfric and I can also help out as well."
"That will be great," Alice says with a smile. "We really need all the help we can get since it will promote the museum a lot."
Once they start to take action, they have been recreating the Lumiose Museum and then they start to add some new art inside. They also check for some old paintings and they decide to throw away those which are damaged or being doodled. Not to mention all they see are paintings that aren't showing any reflections, so they decide to put some paintings as well. Ash and Alice are also putting their paintings on the wall as well, with Ash being abstract and Alice being realistic.
After a week, their work is noticed by Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie, who are just walking around the streets. Bonnie says, "Clemont, look, it seems like the museum is going on a change!"
Clemont says, "You are right...but how...I heard that it was closed consider that the workers are on a strike. What happened?"
As the three get close to the place, they see Diantha also there helping out. Serena asks, "Diantha? Is that you?"
Diantha turns around and she is surprised to see Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie together. She is a little scared as their appearances will affect Ash, but she still greets them and she says, "Oh, hello, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie. What are you doing here?"
"I was just about to ask the same question. Are you helping out the museum? I thought the museum was closed because of a strike." Serena asks.
"You see, two new owners have bought the museum, and right now they and their friends are helping out by making changes in the museum. Valerie and I decided to help out as well since we can help gather some new artworks." Diantha says as they are surprised.
"Wow, that sounds so cool..." Bonnie says. "Can we help out as well? My Brother is a Gym Leader, and Serena is the Kalos Queen, she can help to gather new art as well."
Diantha sighs, "Well, let me ask the owners first." Then she goes inside as they leave the three standing outside waiting for a reply.
Back inside, Ash places a Pokemon Egg on the table, it is a gift from the Day Care. Alice says, "I wonder what will it become..."
"Who knows." Ash says as Diantha enters the room. "Ash, Alice, can I talk to you for a second?"
"What is it? Aunt Diantha?" Ash asks, confused as to why she wants to talk all of a sudden.
"You see, your former friends, Serena, Clemont and Bonnie notice that you are recreating the museum, they want to offer help." Diantha says with a sigh.
This causes Ash and Alice to flinch as Ash starts to feel sad again, especially the words they told him are like three stabs in the heart, with Serena being the hardest. Alice comforts him and she calms him down by humming a tune. Ash says, "If they want to help, I don't see the reason not to. But they can't know the owners are us, that's all."
"Okay, then I'll tell them to come and help." Diantha nods and then she leaves, Alice asks, "Why are you letting them help? Didn't you hate them?"
"Yes, I still hate them for what they did, but they are Kalos Queen and the Lumiose City Gym Leader, they are famous in Kalos as well. So their help will make the reopening of the museum much easier and quicker." Ash says.
"I see." Alice says. Then they decide to try out their disguises as Alan and Elsa, the two of them then go to meet the three people outside.
"It is a pleasure to have the Kalos Queen to help us out." Ash says after introducing themselves. "Well, the help we needed is simple. I want to find some good artwork so that we can place them in the museum for everyone to see."
"You can count on us." Serena says. "Indeed. The future is now thanks to science." Clemont says, but Bonnie quickly stops him and she says, "You idiot! Don't you dare create a machine here! If it explodes, it will ruin all the paintings!"
"But..." Clemont tries to argue and Bonnie says, "No buts! You are going to move your body! You can't always rely on machines to help you with everything!"
Just then, Serena notices a picture, it is a picture of a blue ribbon that is separated into two, and the background is snow white with red dots that signals blood. Serena doesn't know why, she feels sad with the picture as it is also labeled Heartbreak by AK.
"What is this picture?" Serena asks Alex, Alex sighs as Serena notices the picture, it is his first-ever painting that he drew a few years ago. It has been something that he does to relieve the pain in his heart. Ash decides to say, "Well, this is a picture donated by a person known as AK, he wants it to be called Heartbreak. I could understand that the snow means cold and unforgiving, and the red means the blood that spills out from the heartbreak. But when I asked him what the blue ribbon means..."
He takes a deep breath and he says, "He said that he once gave out a blue ribbon to a person he loved, but the girlfriend decides to leave him dead after he lost the league."
This causes her to frown and she asks, "Do you know where the donor went?"
"I don't know, when we found this picture, it is in front of our door on the ground. In fact, I didn't meet the person, only a letter." He takes out the letter and shows them. Serena sees the letter and then she gasps. "That is Ash's handwriting! I just know it..."
This causes the siblings to be surprised and both Alice and Diantha are starting to get worried. "How did you know that it is Ash's? I mean, it could be anyone else." Clemont asks.
"I have a feeling that only Ash can do this kind of picture." Serena says. "And AK means Ash Ketchum."
Then she looks at the picture and cries, "Ash...I am really sorry..."
"Why are you sorry? I mean...Do you know what happened?" Alice asks.
"Well," Clemont reads the letter and says, "I think that maybe the girl in this letter is Serena herself, we don't remember what happened, but a few years ago, we were somehow saying bad words to our friend Ash Ketchum, and especially Serena, who has feelings for him back then. She is really sorry for what happened after learning what she did."
Ash says, "I am sorry to hear that, maybe whoever this AK is, I hope he can forgive you."
Serena nods and then she stops crying, then they go helping to find the pictures for the museum. Diantha says, "You know, your acting skills are so much like my brother."
"I know." Ash says. "After all, I am his son. But right now we should continue our work. Maybe it is a bad idea to put this picture here."
"But we like this picture." Alice says. "Since your other pictures are neither finished nor good."
"You're right..." Ash sighs as they continue to work.
Here is a new chapter, and this also shows how Ash and Alice acquire the Lumiose Museum. I hope you like it.