Chapter 56: The aftermath of the Battle
In the Kalos Region, Grace is petting her Rhyhorn as she sighs, she hasn't heard of both Arata and Serena for a while. All she knew is that Serena went back to Kalos to meet Ash and then she didn't know what happened to her. She saw the news of Ash's betrayal, she is also afraid that her daughter did that to Ash.
Just then, they see a car in front of them. Then Arata comes outside and says, "Grace..."
Grace sees her missing husband, she is confused and she doesn't know how to feel. "Arata..." Grace hugs him. "I have been waiting for you for a long time...where have you been?" Grace asks.
"I am sorry, I didn't want you to be in danger, which is why I left you and Serena..." Arata sighs.
"You're back, that is all it matters." Grace cries on his shoulder. "You should have seen Serena, she is sad that she grows up without a father!" Grace says the last words with a yell.
"Mom...I have already seen him." Serena and Nate appear behind Arata. Grace says, "Serena? Is that you?"
Grace also hugs Serena. "I have seen the news, is it true that some people betrayed Ash? Don't tell me that you also did it..."
"I am sorry Mom." Serena frowns, "I did, but I atone my mistake...Ash has forgiven me..."
Arata says, "Grace, like me, Serena also become one of us. She is also chosen by a Legendary Diancie."
Grace is surprised, but then she nods. "And who is he?"
Arata and Serena look at each other, then Serena says, "Mom, this is our adopted brother, Nate. Nate, this is our mother."
Grace is surprised that they adopted a boy since she wanted to have a boy as well. She smiles and says, "Welcome to our family Nate."
Nate nods and says, "Thank you...Mom..."
"Well, why don't we go inside the house? We need to have a conversation." Grace smiles as they all enter the room.
In the hospital, Ash, Nora, Zachary, Nyx, Insey, Adam, and Delia are in front of the bed that says Zenith. Ash asks, "Why are we going back here? And why are we finding Zenith?"
"Because I wanted some answers from him." Adam says.
After Zenith opens his eyes, he sees that Ash, Zachary, and Nora looking at him.
"Oh, it is you guys..." Zenith says. "What do you want with me?"
"I want to ask you." Zachary asks, "Why did you lie that our mother was killed for Groudon?"
Zenith just laughs a little and says, "You really are stupid, huh? Little Brother?"
"What do you mean?" Zachary pulls his shirt up and says, "You have better..."
"Who would believe that I said that She also gave me powers to control both Groudon and Heatran?" Zenith says with a frown. "Since my cult is the first cult, but I couldn't reveal how I caught the Legendary Pokemon to the other cults. And since both Dad and Mom left us alone, so I decided to use Mom as an excuse."
"Why are you doing this? I know that Mom and Dad abandoned you and Zachary, but why?" Ash asks.
"I was just jealous." Zenith says, "I just want to know what it feels to be a family. She told me that if I help her with the plan, I would have the family love that I have yearned for. When I first heard about the prophecy, I thought that we would finally have a family reunion, only to find out that I was beaten by you and the prophecy is fake. How ironic."
Adam and Delia come into the room with Nyx and Insey, Adam says, "Zenith, no. Zenith Trenor Ketchum."
"Well if it isn't Dad and Mom? How were you? Are you here to bring me to justice? Then do it." Zenith laughs.
"We are not going to do that." Delia says. "In fact, we were really sorry for neglecting you and Zachary."
"It is too late." Zenith says. "I had already done something that can never be reversed. I controlled all Torren Region, and I also used my brother as a disguise to make him a criminal."
"You know, you can still change." Nyx says.
"And who might you be?" Zenith asks.
"Forgotten me already?" Nyx sighs. "It is a shame considered that I had given you powers before."
Zenith gasps and says, "Wait, you are Her?"
Nora says, "Yes, we have adopted her after the Cult mess is done. There are no more cults in the Torren Region."
Zenith is surprised at first, but he sighs, "So what?"
Adam says, "We don't want a family to be torn apart, so I want you to come back to us."
Zenith is surprised as the other family members are asking him to return to the family, he can't help but tear a little, he then nods back. "I am home...I guess."
At the same time, Damian is sitting beside Audrey. Just then, his father and stepmother also come in. Damian's father asks, "Is it true that Audrey is here? Damian?"
"Yes, Dad." Damian says as he looks at the person on the bed.
Stepmother says, "So she is your first wife...it is because of her that Damian has to suffer that much..."
"To be honest, Mom." Damian says to his stepmother, "I don't know how I should feel, but I think I wanted to give her a second chance. She may have done bad things, but she did it because she thought I was dead. I feel like I also have responsibility for this."
"Damian..." Damian's father says.
Just then, Audrey slowly opens her eyes, much to the three's surprise. "Mother..." Damian rushes to her.
"Damian...is that you?" Audrey looks at him, Damian nods, "Yes, Mother. I am still alive. Dad is still alive as well."
Audrey frowns a little and says, "I am sorry...I have been too blinded..."
"It is fine..." Damian says. "We managed to save you before it is too late..." Then he turns to his dad and his stepmother. "Can I have some alone time with my Mother?"
Damian's current parents nod as they leave the room for the two.
Back inside the Timeless base, Ash and his family, Lillie, Gladion, Alice, Emily, Flora, Damian, Serena, Nate, Dawn, Taen, Tox, Daniel, Reisa, Elline, David, Luke, Helen, Bonnie, and much to their surprise, Xavier, East is also inside as Ash, as an Arceus, have an important announcement to make.
"So how do you feel?" Ash asks the people who were once inside the Distortion World.
"We feel a lot better in this world." Tox says. "We really appreciate that you will free us from there."
"You don't deserve to be in that place, that is what I have to say. But right now, I have some Delta Legendary Pokemon that we need to give out to the Chosen.
As he takes out the Pokemon, there are Meloetta, Hoopa, Regirock, Regice, and Registeel. "These five Pokemon are new, so I am going to give them out." Ash says. "First, East, the Gym Leader of Helios City, you will have this Hoopa."
"Thank you." East says.
"Then for the Delta Meloetta, Nyx, will you have the honor?"
"Of course, Brother." Nyx says with a smile as she gets the Pokemon.
"Then Reisa, you will have this Regice." Lillie says.
"But what about Guzzlord?" Reisa asks.
"Guzzlord is taken by Tobias since he decides to give Darkrai to Persephone." Lillie says, "And I know that you like Water Types."
"Thank you." Reisa says with joy.
Then they give Xavier the Buzzwole while Nate gets Registeel. And Zenith gets the Regirock in the end.
"Now that is done...since the cults are gone, what should we do now?" Nora asks.
"There is one thing you can do." Just then, Reukra comes inside the room along with someone they are shocked to see.
"Mr. Goodshow?" Ash gasps.
"Ash Ketchum, though I am surprised that you are still alive, but it has been a while." Goodshow says. "I was called by Reukra here since he is the Champion. Though the news didn't go through the regions, I heard from him that you disbanded all the cults in the region and saved the world. You have my gratitude."
"Thank you, Mr. Goodshow." Ash says.
Reukra says, "And also since Adam's disappearance, there is no one except you two have all 8 badges. So there is no need for the League to hold. You can just challenge the Elite 4 and Champion."
Ash is surprised, "But I..."
Nora says, "Brother, this is a chance you can't miss. Even recordings of trainers like Steven and Red don't compare to your battles. You can do it."
"But what about you?" Zachary asks. "You also had 8 badges."
"But I realized that I should let Brother do this since there are the traitors that hurt him."
Those who knew the traitors realize that he has suffered the traitors, while the others are confused. Insey asks, "What traitors?"
"Some of you might not know." Gladion says as he tells them about the betrayal.
Helen says, "This is so cruel, how can they do that to you?"
"Yeah, just because that you lost 7 leagues doesn't make you weak..." Luke says.
Goodshow says, "Right now Professor Oak is in punishment, but I want to know who are the other people so I can give them punishments."
"Please don't. Mr. Goodshow." Ash says, much to his surprise. "This whole time, I tried to run away from this problem, but now...after everything that happens in here, I don't see why I have to be depressed by them. Torren is my home and it will always be. I have all the Pokemon who are standing by my side as well as the original ones that are stolen from them. And I also have you guys, as well as..." He looks at Lillie. "Lillie, my girlfriend."
Lillie smiles back at him, then Emily asks, "So when is the wedding?"
This causes surprise to everyone in the room. "Wait, you two are dating now?" Dawn asks.
"Oh, yeah. In fact, we also decide that once the League is over and Ash becomes the Champion, we are going to have a wedding." Lillie says.
This causes the girls to squeal in amazement. Goodshow smiles, "Congratulations, Ash. May I wish you become a good husband."
"Thank you." Ash says. "Speaking of which, something is missing..."
"What is it?" Damian asks.
Ash takes out the box and kneels on the ground in front of Lillie, everyone gasps as they know what is going on.
"Lillie, we have been together for two years. I will never forget what we have been through both in Alola and Torren, do you have the honor of marrying me, becoming my wife, and being together?" Ash says.
Lillie squeals and takes the ring, she says, "Yes, I do." Then she leans forwards and they embrace and give a kiss. They don't care that everyone in the room is watching them, they don't care about the squeals from the girls in the room.
After the two of them break the kiss, Emily says, "Well done, you two."
Taen says, "I know you will be together in the end."
Unknown to them, Adam and Delia are watching from outside the door. They both smile. "Looks like Ash really grows up." Adam says.
"Yeah..." Delia smiles.
Surprise, Zenith is a member of the Ketchum after all, and not only that, Ash has the chance to face the Elite 4 and the wedding with Lillie. I am sure that a lot of you are surprised. I hope you like this chapter and the next four chapters will be the Elite 4 battle.
