Chapter 1 When All Begins
A year ago in the Torren Region, a man is standing on the stage in the biggest city in Torren, the Helios City, he has yellow hair and he's wearing a white and green shirt. He holds the microphone as everyone is watching him.
Man: (Takes a Deep Breath) Thank you all for coming. We live in dark times, my friends. A grave loss has recently befallen us all. (Walks from right to left) The Auger was a great man. Not only was he an unmatched trainer, but his heart burned with the desire to protect his people. He was our hero…and possibly the best leader in the Torren Region has ever known. But… (Walks back to the middle and frowns) As you know, where other regions have evil Teams or organizations, it's Pokemon-worshiping cults that call the Torren Region home. But to these cults, religion is so much more than just believing. They won't rest until the world is remade exactly how they want it to be. (Lowering his head in shame) For our protection, the Augur defeated and disbanded over half of them. He saved us. A week ago, he went searching for one of the remaining cults…
After several seconds of silence, the man finally speaks again.
Man: ...he has not returned. He hasn't been seen since. (He turns back to the whole crowd and yells) People of Torren! I, like you, do not believe our Augur is dead! I assure you, I will search tirelessly until he is found again. (Stretching out his arms) With a heavy heart, I accept the burden of taking his place until he is found! Until the First Augur returns, I shall be the Second. I promise you, I will use every resource at my disposal to find him! We will stand our ground! We will not let these cultists…these insurgents…split apart our families and destroy the place we called home! Long live the Torren Region!
The Crowd: Long live the Torren Region!
Second Augur: We will remain strong! (Smiling)
Inside a dark place, an 18th-year-old boy opens his eyes, all he can see is nothingness. Fear starts to creep into his heart, but he finds that he can't move.
Boy: Where am I?
The boy turns out to be Ash Ketchum, and he starts to remember what happened a year ago.
(Flashback)
Back in the Kanto Region, the boy lost the Alola League and is heading home, after having a family talk with his mother, he and Pikachu go to the Lab, only to find all his companions from Kanto to Alola are there, the only two that are missing are the blonde-haired siblings.
Ash:Hey, guys? What are you all doing here?
The one that starts speaking is Professor Oak, who is a grandfather figure for Ash.
Professor Oak: Ash, my boy, we need to talk.
Ash: (Confused) Talk? What do you want to talk about?
The second person that talks is an orange-haired girl named Misty, who travels with Ash only for her bike.
Misty: You have been traveling since 10 and you haven't won a league?
Ash: (Retorts) Hey, it is not my fault that my opponent has a Pokemon that can change types like Arceus! How am I supposed to beat him?
The third person that talks is a black-haired boy that is younger than most people, he is Max, Ash's travel companion in Hoenn.
Max: You could have caught those Legendaries and you can, because you suck as a trainer.
Just then, everyone in the scene starts to tell him how he sucks, and not only that, one of them is Serena, who is Ash's childhood crush and also their travel companion in the Kalos Region. Ash doesn't notice the dull eyes that Serena has, and he feels pain after what she said to him.
Ash: (Heartbroken) How could you…did that kiss mean nothing to you?
Serena: (Still emotionless) I am sorry Ash, but that is only a goodbye kiss since I don't want a person to hold me back…
Not only Serena, but his classmates from the Alola Region also tell him the same thing. Ash can't take it anymore, he runs out of the lab along with Pikachu.
Once they get back home, Delia can't believe that what they are saying and she is furious. As the Kanto Champion, she can't believe that the Professor that she assigned would do such a thing.
Delia: Ash, don't listen to them, I know you are wonderful and you can win a league if you don't give up.
Ash: (Still crying.) But how am I supposed to do it? Maybe I'm a loser after all...
Before Delia can say anything, the door suddenly breaks open and people wearing uniforms that are like Darkrai rush in. The sudden action causes Ash and Delia to get surprised.
Delia: Who are you? What are you doing at my house?
As none of them are answering Delia's question, a grunt takes out a communication device and he seems to be speaking to another person.
Grunt: Ma'am, we found Adam's family.
Delia widens her eyes at the mention of the name, but Ash and Pikachu are just confused.
Ash: Mom? Who is Adam? What does he mean that we are his family?
Delia: Adam is your father, he is in another region. (Turns to the grunt) What do you want with my husband?
Their questions are never answered, and they are all hit by the Hypnosis from the Gengar and all fainted. The grunts are taking Ash and Delia away with Teleport, and they burn down the house to make sure that no one sees them. As the traitors arrive at the scene, all they can see is a burnt house and they don't know what happened.
(Flashback ends)
Ash: (Feeling the pain from his head.) That's it...I was betrayed, and somehow I was kidnapped with Mom...Mom? Pikachu? Where are you? Can you hear me?
?: This is your dream mind, no one can hear you.
Ash turns around and he sees a white-haired figure, he gasps as he realizes that it is Arceus, the Alpha Pokemon.
Ash: (Mutters in shock) Arceus?
Arceus: Thank goodness. You're not gone just yet.
Ash: (Confused) Arceus, what are you doing here? And what do you mean it is my dream mind?
Arceus: You've got to listen to me. It'll return any minute now. You need to stay focused, and remember all you can. If you value your memories at all, you'll listen to what I have to say. We need to be quick. You at least remember your name, right?
Ash: Of course, I'm Ash Ketchum.
Arceus: Okay, okay. Good, you remember your name. What else do you remember? Are you a boy or a girl?
Ash: (Annoyed) I am a boy, and I know what I look like.
Arceus: Thank goodness. You haven't forgotten everything!
Ash: (Frowns) Arceus, I didn't have amnesia. But I hope I have it... I was betrayed by my friends…why should I remember those bad things?
Arceus: Listen, we have seen what happened. The Timeless knows everything and they are going to help you as much as you can. You will also be reuniting with your Pokemon, and your mate will be coming to save you.
Ash: (Blushes a little as he knows what the word means.) But Arceus...if you mean that "mate"? But she betrayed me...
Arceus: She wasn't in Pallet Town when that happened. (Before Arceus can answer his question, they see a creepy face and it is not friendly towards them) It's here. Ash, you need to wake up!
The face turns out to be a Gengar, and it is approaching them.
Arceus: Your mate and her brother are now at the Telnor Town of the Torren Region. They will fend it off and get you out of here.
Ash: (Confused) What is Tenlor Town? And what is Torren Region?
Arceus: There is no time! You need to wake up!
At the same time, Ash is lying on a bed with the Gengar beside him. The room that Ash is in is a cell with the same cultists that kidnap Ash and Delia watching over him.
Grunt 1: All right. The door is locked, and Gengar is doing her thing. Soon, Dream Eater will rid the prisoner of the last of his memories.
Grunt 2: Hopefully we'll be done within the hour.
Just then, a white-haired woman comes with two more grunts behind her, she seems to be the leader as the two cultists bow to her.
Leader: Well? How is our youngest prisoner faring?
Grunt 1: According to the computer, Miss Persephone, their memories should be completely gone very soon. Everything is going as planned.
Leader: (Nods) Excellent, we'll have fulfilled our end of this bargain. Good work, you two. We are starting the ritual soon in the upstairs room. Will all four of you be attending?
Grunt 2: Of course, Miss. I would never miss a sacrifice.
Leader: (Nods again) Very well. I'll see you upstairs, then.
Grunt 3: (Stops the leader and asks) Miss, wait, I have a question. After the child's memories are gone, what do you plan to do with them?
Leader: (Bored) Kill them, of course. I expect you upstairs within two minutes.
The leader leaves, and the fourth grunt just turns to the first grunt.
Grunt 4: Why are we bothering to wipe their memories if we're just going to kill them anyways?
Grunt 1: No clue, but thanks for not asking that in front of her. You know how she hates to be questioned.
Grunt 2: Let's go upstairs, then, It's always fun to see a ritual being performed.
Grunt 3: You go first, we'll come later.
After the first two grunts leave the area, the fourth grunt turns to the third grunt.
Grunt 4: Brother, this is the perfect moment to save Ash now.
Grunt 3: I know. Umbreon.
The fourth grunt opens the door and the third one just releases his Umbreon, using Dark Pulse, Gengar is swiftly knocked out cold. The fourth grunt quickly rushes to Ash's side and she starts to shake him up.
Grunt 4: Ash, wake up, please!
Ash slowly wakes up from sleep, and he notices the two grunts and he is panicked.
Ash: Who are you two? What are you going to do with me?
The two grunts take off their masks, revealing to be two blonde-haired people. Ash recognizes the two people, one is the person who defeated him in the Alola League, and the second one is a girl that shares the same class with him in the Alola Region. Both of them are on a journey to find their father after the Alola League.
Ash: (Gasps) Lillie? Gladion?
Gladion: We can talk later, the Gengar is defeated, we should get out of here and never look back.
Just then, three more grunts appear as Ash is scared, afraid that they will also capture Lillie and Gladion.
Lillie: Don't worry, Ash. They are our allies, they'll also protect us.
Ash nods as he quickly jumps out of the bed, as the group of six rush out of the cells and heads upstairs.
Here is the first chapter of the rewritten version of Ash's Torren Story. I want to use my new writing style and I feel like I didn't explain that much in the old version. The plot would be much like the old version, but with some changes. I hope you like this new version and the next chapter will be the escape from the Darkrai Cult.