Hello. This story is set long after Ash won the Alola League and continued his travels, but keeping with the same continuity where Ash doesn't age much. Incorporates some elements from the games, especially later on, and some OCs appear in insubstantial roles, also later on. One of the OCs is important to the story I guess, but doesn't interact with most of the characters and is not a love interest for anyone. The first part of the story takes place in Pallet Town only, the second part takes place in another region. Thanks for reading.

Part 1: Party at Ash's House

1

Champion, is a word, a word by which Ash Ketchum never thought he'd be referred as, not ever in his life. Certainly not after losing in the Kalos League final.

Of course, he bowed to try again almost immediately after being defeated. Because his determination was incorruptible and unending. But after so many disappointments, on so many different regions, many chances that seemed like they were the best, with each time feeling like it was the right time, he hadn't gotten it. It just made sense for him to stop thinking he'd ever get it.

But then he went and got it.

After many failed, albeit fruitful attempts, Ash Ketchum became the League Champion of the Alola region. Our hero made out of sheer willpower, finally accomplished one of the many, many goals which he had voraciously set for himself. The whole land saw him raise the trophy in a glistening haze of joy, with a rampant crowd celebrating his victory behind him, all inside a giant stadium which could barely contain their overflowing spirits. He then celebrated with all of his pokemon as well as his friends and his mom.

And then they asked him what he would do next.

Ash couldn't give them an answer, because he didn't have one. He didn't know what he would do next, but at least he knew what he wouldn't do; he knew he wouldn't stop.

And he sure didn't.

After sensing that his time in Alola had come to a close, Ash traveled to another region, where he also had numerous adventures and then became the League Champion for the second time. Then he traveled to yet another region, and to another, and to another, and became the League Champion in all of them. It seems, that after tasting that sweet victory for the first time he just couldn't give it up. He just couldn't stop, and he didn't want to stop. So after many regions, and many victories, many smiles and trophies raised, there he was again, lifting the trophy while an exhilarated crowd chanted his name. On yet another region. A land which, with all of its gyms, pokemarts and pokemon centers neatly distributed on its many cities, made up the monumental region of… of… I can't remember. Well, regardless of the region's name, in fact, regardless of the region itself, which allowed him to register six of his beloved pokemon as well as himself, into the prestigious hall of fame, I think we can all agree that the achievement on its own still stands, just like all the others. And besides, the region itself didn't win anything, our hero and his exceptional team did, and none of them belongs to any specific land, but to themselves, so there's no point in dwelling on my omission by ignorance.

Furthermore, our story, which chronicles the next stage of our hero's journey, after he has become tired of winning, doesn't take place within the region he officially conquered on this particular year, in fact this next stage of his life doesn't encompass only one region. However, it does begin on his home region of Kanto which, perhaps, because of the significance it holds over our hero's life, it's more important than any other region, certainly more important than any region whose name I can't remember.

Anyhow, almost immediately after completing all of his objectives on this region, the name of which doesn't matter past this point, our freshly crowned Ash decided to go back home for the first time in years. Before he left for Kanto, however, he said his bittersweet goodbyes to the friends he had made on this land: Sammy Jo and Francis Romanoff, an up-and-coming coordinator with a lively demeanor, and a brooding-yet-bumbling librarian, respectively. Immediately afterwards he and his best friend Pikachu boarded the plane that would take them all the way to their home, and the two lovingly abandoned friends and their land, none of which Ash or Pikachu would ever forget, though they may not speak about them often, or at all, were fresh out of the picture.

Ash arrived in Pallet Town one Friday afternoon, carrying the latest first-place trophy he had obtained with a joyous smile on his face, showcasing all of his shiny teeth. He was hoping to surprise his family and friends by appearing earlier than expected. However, that unique and unrepeatable smile was brought down from its awe-inspiring status, although he stayed at least a little bit excited, at the same time he became confused, when spotting his house from afar, he saw many lights of flashing colors coming out from it and even shooting all the way to the sky. At the same time he heard throbbing music that must have been playing very loud, as it made the earth beneath him tremble noticeably, and the trembling got even more intense the closer he got.

All of the sudden it all came to a halt, the music stopped and the lights disappeared, and Ash felt even more confused. There was still more than enough natural light in order for him to identify the many anomalies around; he was home, but he didn't feel as comfortable as he should've felt. Right outside his house a giant stage had been built, and on top of it many giant speakers had been set. Many lights had also been set right above the speakers, all of them professional grade, just like the speakers and that whole structure. It gave the place a rock concert vibe, which was exacerbated by the fact that some smoke was actually coming out, not necessarily from that structure, but from that place in general. There was also a bunch of garbage spread rather evenly all around, empty bottles and confetti, half-eaten plates of food, and too many napkins, disgracefully interrupting the natural beauty of the land. Even from afar he was able to notice a group of people yelling at a guy for having two giant glow sticks on his hands that he couldn't turn off. And then, as he got closer, and noticed some more people trying to put out a big bonfire set dangerously close to the stage, he understood what was going on, and he couldn't blame them, obviously his friends and family, for not waiting for him to begin celebrating his victory.

As Ash approached the chaos, everyone within it lamented that the element of surprise had been lost. It was obvious they had a whole thing planned for his arrival, and that it had failed miserably. But at the very least they weren't blaming him for it, for arriving earlier than expected. It was only when Ash's mom, Delia, shouted her son's name with gusto and ran up to him and hugged him eagerly, without giving the trophy on his hand a single glance as she warmly embraced her son, that everyone remembered it was supposed to be a happy occasion.

However, as soon as everybody screamed and the lights and the music were turned on again at full blast, a bus, a big red bus, stormed in pretty much out of nowhere, with arms raised and swinging coming out of the open windows. It parked violently right in the middle of the party, its red gates opened and not even a second later none other than the very tanned professor Kukui, an older friend of Ash's from the Alola region, came out with his arms raised and released an epic shout full of energy, and then everyone else in and outside of the bus went crazy; except for Ash. Within half a second the party was ignited again and everyone was raging in full celebratory mode. The atmosphere was so intense that it would need an equally intense disruption to be quieted down. But the disruption came, when just as suddenly as the bus had arrived one of Ash's tauros, one of the many tauros which he had left in Kanto long ago, appeared galloping really fast carrying a screaming man on top of it. It was none other than Scott, another older friend of Ash's, this one from Kanto. A rich, older friend, in fact the owner of the prestigious Battle Frontier, a rotund man, whose other distinct features were his curly blond hair, his black shades, the perpetual cocky smile on his face and his wacky blue shirt. Even as he was being carried around violently by the angry tauros, even as he screamed, he didn't lose his smile. The tauros ran all the way to the bright red bus and crashed right into it, nailing its horns on the side with a loud, violent thump. Everyone gasped, and then it was totally silent. A few seconds later another tauros appeared, clearly from the corral near Ash's house, the gates of which were wide open. This second tauros happened to be carrying Ash's childhood rival and okay friend Gary Oak, Samuel Oak's nephew. This second tauros also ran all the way to the bus and nailed its horns on the side of it, right next to the first one.

Ash ran to them.

"Scott! Gary! Are you okay?" he shouted.

"Yeah! Of course," Scott casually replied. His shirt had been ripped open and his glasses had been broken, but he seemingly shrugged it all off and continued. "Congratulations Ash, you are a League Champion once more! Now you're right up there with the best of the best. Now listen here young man, I have a proposition for you. The rest of your life is waiting for you, and after winning so many league championships, you don't want to feel like you're taking a step backwards, so…"

"Scott! Ash just got here," Delia said. "Give him some room to breathe."

"Of course, of course. We'll have plenty of time to talk about this. Just listen to this, how does it sound? Ash Ketchum, celebrated League Champion, feared and respected Frontier Brain, of the majestic, magnificent! Battle Frontier!"

Ash ignored most of what Scott said and knelt right next to Gary, who was ostensibly unconscious on the ground. Ash turned him over and shook him lightly, and called out his name. Slowly, Gary opened his eyes and regained consciousness.

"Uhh… What happened? Who are you?"

"Gary, it's me, Ash. You crashed into a bus with one of my tauros."

"Yeah, I meant to do that," Gary replied coolly, still on the ground with his eyes barely open.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, hey Ash! You finally came back, I always knew you would, some day. See, I told you, I always told you you'd be a champion one day."

"You did? As far as I can remember you always said I was just a loser who'd never be able to beat you, and you continued saying that even after I actually beat you many times."

"What? No way," Gary said, still on the ground, "you've got it all wrong. I always said you'd be a champion my friend."

"What were you even doing with my tauros?" Ash asked with a genuinely worried tone. "What were you thinking?"

"We were thinking we would ride them, and we did. The other guys are still at it!"

"What?" Ash raised his head and looked at the open corral. Gary was right, some random people were riding his tauros, screaming and raising their fists while dangerously holding on to the pokemon.

"What is going on?" Ash said, even more worried. "You guys are…"

"…Having a blast!" Kukui interjected. Ash stood up and faced him, and then Kukui gave him a firm pat on the shoulder.

"Congratulations champ, you did it, again," Kukui said. "I came all the way from Alola just to tell you that."

"Oh wow, thanks. Did the guys come with you?" Ash asked. He was referring to his esteemed friends from Alola, with whom he had shared all kinds of adventures during the substantial time he spent there.

"Well, about that…" Kukui said hesitantly. And before he could say anything else one person, just one person, came out of the bus. It was none other than Samson Oak, Samuel Oak's cousin, who had basically the same face as his counterpart from Kanto, but was more tanned, and had longer, lighter hair.

"Let's get this party started!" Samson Oak said after his feet touched the ground. Then he took a look at the premises. "Oh, I guess it's already started. In that case, let's get this party, continued!" And then he walked towards the maddening crowd. A bunch of people followed him out of the bus laughing and shouting. Ash didn't recognize any of them.

"As you can see some of us came," Kukui said. "But don't worry, the rest might come later."

Ash was soon bombarded with hugs and compliments from strange yet somehow familiar faces and voices. He could only recognize some of them. There was Samuel Oak, who gave him his first pokemon, and who, along with his mother, first saw him off on his journey. There was the pink-haired Gym Leader Whitney from Johto, who, like many other gym leaders, had gotten the better of Ash at least once before he managed to best her. There was Brock, one of his very best friends and Gym Leader from Pewter City. There was also Paul, Ash's rival from Sinnoh, who looked like he was being forced to congratulate Ash at gunpoint. Nevertheless Ash esteemed Paul, yes, even him, who never even smiled, who never treated anyone gently, so Ash felt even more proud from his compliment, genuinely so. There was also Candice, a blue-eyed Gym Leader from Sinnoh he barely knew, and Drayden, an imposing Gym Leader from Unova he'd barely talked to.

His friend Iris from Unova was also there with a beaming face. She was a lively and cheerful, very physical girl. She hugged him really hard and shook his skull while doing so, and yet Ash was happy to see her, even if he was also immediately angry at her. Because of this he couldn't help but be moved, and charmed, because it brought him many memories back, a lot of them in fact. That was his friend Iris, and she hadn't changed one bit, in fact, none of them had changed one bit.

Well, perhaps they hadn't actually changed, but the party they were having was certainly making them act extra crazy.

But there was no time for Ash to take a pause and reminisce fondly about the past, regardless of how much he wanted to do just that. People kept coming up to hug him and congratulate him. A long line of bodies ready to hug the champion had appeared out of nowhere.

"Hey Ash! I don't know if you remember me, I'm Dawn's mom, Johanna."

"Of course I remember you, how could I forget?" Ash replied. He told the truth. Dawn was one of his very best friends from Sinnoh. And he could see a trace of her on her mother in front of him. Johanna was definitely Dawn's mom, she had the same blue eyes, and perhaps, if she didn't have her hair cut short, she could've been mistaken for her daughter, if looked at from afar.

"Oh, that's so thoughtful, you're so nice. You really are one of the good ones Ash, you are a prize. Dawn is around here somewhere actually. Let me call her. Dawn!" Johanna screamed her daughter's name a few times while waving her hand, but she didn't appear. Even as more people arrived to congratulate Ash Johanna stayed there trying to summon her daughter.

A point was reached where Ash just stopped enjoying what was happening around him, the music was too loud, the lights were distracting and overwhelming; the voices all blended together and became despised noise. He didn't know how much of it he'd be able to take. Luckily for him, out of nowhere a rock hit him on the back of the head. It was small enough not to hurt significantly, but had hit him hard enough to be noticeable, and so he turned back, slightly angered. He looked around, nothing seemed to be there, just the Oaks and Kukui as well as Professor Sycamore from Kalos gathered around the bonfire, and the bus with four giant holes on the side. He kept staring at that almost melancholic portrait of middle age until he noticed a hand sticking out of the edge of the bus; a hand wearing a black and white glove, the palm white, the fingers black, which with a motion of the index finger told Ash to approach. Ash sneaked away and ran towards the bus. With all the people and the noise and the lights and the food it was easy to lose track of a person, even if that person was a League Champion, and so just a few seconds later the crowd dispersed and forgot about him.

Ash knew who had called to him, another one of his best friends.

"May!" Ash screamed once he saw his friend from Hoenn. She immediately put her hand over his mouth and shushed him. Ash knew he had messed up, and he apologized for it.

"Do you want them to keep bothering you?" She asked him. It sounded like a reprimand.

"No, of course not," Ash replied. "What's gotten into them?"

"I'm not sure. I guess not a lot has been going on since you left. They just wanted a reason to celebrate. And now they've got one."

"Yeah, I suppose."

"What's going on? You don't seem too happy. You've just become a champion."

"I am happy. I am very happy actually. But maybe that's kind of the problem. I don't know if I want to keep going just yet. I don't know exactly what's wrong, I feel like there's something missing. I just don't feel like embarking in another adventure. Even Pikachu is worried about me, he couldn't wait to leave for another region once again, even before we arrived here." Ash took a peek at the party, and saw Pikachu gleefully dancing on top of the stage.

"Of course you feel that way," May said, "you've just finished a long and arduous journey, your body's telling you that you need to rest."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Don't worry, you'll be feeling like your old self again in no time. Just relax, and try to enjoy."

"Okay, thank you for coming all the way here."

May looked away from Ash for just a second. A thought came to her and she tried to ignore it. She knew Ash needed to rest, and there would be plenty of time to talk about his next adventure, anyway.

"No problem," she said, "I wouldn't miss it for the world. I was very excited when I heard you were coming back, Max was too. He's around here somewhere."

"Nice."

Ash looked at the party again. Everybody seemed like they were having the time of their lives. Ash thought about joining them, and it made him feel tired.

Far from them, far from the bus, Trip watched the tauros revel and swagger inside the corral, which was still open. His arms were resting on the fence, he seemed slightly bored. He was Ash's rival-turned-friend from Unova. When they first met, Trip took an instant dislike to Ash after learning he was from Kanto, a region he didn't think highly of. He actually changed his mind rather quickly about Kanto, which surprised even him, given that Trip was a quietly stubborn fellow, and he knew this well; at that point he was almost proud of it. That should've tipped him off, he should've realized, that the gullible and easily excitable guy from Kanto would end up becoming a League Champion. Trip had to admit it, he used to be a conceited jerk, he shouldn't have been so quick to judge Ash. But that's the thing, people change. And people don't ever stop changing, even if sometimes it seems like that isn't the case, change is unstoppable. Even goals, motivations and desires, everything changes. Trip had changed for the better, or at least that's what he liked to think. He was still just as brief, and serious, and outwardly cold, and he couldn't deny that he liked being that way. He saw no point in changing that for the time being. He turned to the party, Ash was nowhere to be seen. Just people dancing, and having really loud conversations, and eating, and sitting, and staring. He looked at the freshly dented red bus, right when a little creature was coming out of it. A brown little pokemon with cream colored fur around its neck, gleefully jumping down the stairs and to the ground on all fours, all four paws that was. He knew the name of that normal-type species, but he couldn't remember it at that moment. It was one of those situations where he knew exactly what it was, it wasn't like it was a rare species, in fact the opposite was true, it was incredibly popular and yet he couldn't remember the name. That little pokemon, it was rare to find it in the wild and yet every other trainer somehow seemed to have one. He stopped thinking about that when he saw who came after it. Behind that pokemon came out a short girl with a bashful semblance. Even from afar Trip could notice the nervousness on her blue eyes. At least they seemed blue from that distance. Maybe it was just that she seemed shy in general, or that she was dressed all in blue, except for the yellow decoration on her short dark hair. She was fair-skinned, and short and slender. Trip couldn't take his eyes off of her as she made her way towards the bonfire.

A bit far from Trip, also leaning against the corral fence, was Misty. She was the first person Ash had befriended when he started his journey—although perhaps befriended isn't the right word, certainly not the right one to describe how their relationship started. For a while after they met they hated each other with passion. The hate wasn't real though, but the frustration and anger that they could bring out of each other was definitely real, and their ability to drive each other crazy remained intact after becoming friends. Both Ash and Misty hated how easy it was for them to get annoyed at one another, just a couple of words sufficed for an argument to ensue. At the same time Misty was genuinely happy for Ash, but she didn't like all the attention he had gotten since he started winning so much. Misty thought all the praise would go to his head, it would make Ash even more unbearable.

Right next to Misty was Ramos, a Gym Leader from Kalos, a jolly old man with a carefree demeanor, and a peace of mind achieved by longevity and experience; bald and with a mustache, and with a cane on his hand. He was afraid of Misty.

And away from them all, another girl watched in silence. Her plan was already in motion. She thought it necessary, it wouldn't hurt anybody, and maybe, just maybe, it would even end up being quite fun. All for the sake of the champion.