A/N: *sighs* Hey, everyone, and welcome to this story.

Yes, yes, I know. I need to get my sorry, lazy lil' butt back in high gear and update "The Way We Will Be", or at the very least any one of my other "Pokémon" fics. Not post YET ANOTHER "Pokémon" fic that'll wind up holding me back in taking care of the other ones. But unfortunately, that's where we're at right now. But fortunately, I can explain my predicament.

For the past few months, I've suffered from burnout over writing "Pokémon" fics, maybe even longer than that. Previous efforts to overcome that burnout have proven to be ineffective, and I've found that my priorities have slowly but strongly shifted toward writing non-"Pokémon" fics. Fortunately for all of us, I think I'm starting to get over that burnout, though I'm not exactly at that point where I can update "The Way We Will Be" or commit to any other "Pokémon"-related project yet. So, this is what we're going to do right now.

Remember the first chapter of "The Way We Will Be", where I mentioned in the opening Author's Note that there was an original version that I deleted? If not, this is exactly what I wrote in that Author's Note (and you can consult that chapter as well):

Then, I remembered "The Way We Will Be", which (as I'm sure some of you will easily remember) was a time travel-themed AmourShipping fic that was surprisingly but pleasingly popular back in its day. However, in an act of pure genius, I deleted it because I suddenly hit a creative dead-end with it and I didn't know how to maneuver my way around it. Naturally, that didn't go over well with some people. But now, after doing some soul-searching, I feel motivated to bring this back and finish it once and for all. And thus, this rewrite was born!

Well, by the grace of Arceus, I found someone on this very site who had gone through the trouble of salvaging absolutely EVERYTHING I deleted. They go by the name of spongeyman90s. I am not joking. It's all the way down to the last letter. They are responsible for my ability to re-post my very first piece of fanfiction on this site, "Evil Phineas" of "Phineas and Ferb" fanfiction fame, and I'm going to tap into the archives they gave me access to in order to provide you this re-post of the ORIGINAL version of "The Way We Will Be". I will work my hardest to update the current version of "The Way We Will Be", but this is going to have to fill in the void left by the fic's inactivity in the meantime.

And besides, it'll be interesting to see which elements of this original version made it into the current version, and which of them just didn't make the cut before its cancellation.

Alright, I think I'm done with this rambling! On with the chapter. ENJOY!

Original A/N: I know this isn't the sequel to "Separation" that I've mentioned, but considering that production for that story is still ongoing (it's a very complex story), I have decided to write a different story to pass the time while I'm working, since I haven't been writing for so long and I'm now busy with college. As for where the idea for this story came from, I was actually inspired by several AdvanceShipping stories I read, all of which involved the future and a family between Ash and May. Since the growing realm of AmourShipping fanfiction has yet to have a future story (as far as I know), I decided to change that.

A particular source of influence happened to be the AdvanceShipping story "Future, Battles and Family" by AlcheLuna, which I read when I was still in middle school. I still remembered its concept, which was very interesting, and so I decided to partially adapt it for AmourShipping. So yeah, credits to it! :D

Regarding the length of this story, it will depend on how long I continue to work on the sequel for "Separation". I am seriously not kidding when I say it's complex, so therefore, as I said, it will depend on my progress. For now, I expect the story to be around 10-20 chapters, generally speaking. Definitely not meant to be one of my longer stories, since it's primarily meant to fill up spare time for me and keep me entertained as I work on the sequel. I hope to have fun in writing this story, though.

Alright, enough chitchat! On with the story. ENJOY!

Disclaimer: All forms of "Pokémon" DO NOT belong to me in any way! All rights go to Satoshi Tajiri, Nintendo, Game Freak, and Pokémon Company International!

P.S.: For updates regarding progress on my writing and just life in general, please check out my profile! I try to update it as often as I possibly can with any status update!

P.P.S.: Due to the slowly improving situation regarding the coronavirus outbreak, I am going to have to remind you all about the basic steps you should take if you want to stay healthy, courtesy of my university's reminder emails:

-Wash hands often with soap and water for 20-30 seconds at a time, and/or use hand sanitizer
-Avoid close contact with people who are sick
-Keep your hands away from nose, eyes, and mouth (I can't imagine how difficult this part is probably going to be)
-Eat well, get adequate rest, and exercise regularly
-Get a flu shot if you haven't already and are able to
-Stay informed on the COVID-19 vaccines, get shots if you're able to, and try to get a booster shot if you're eligible

And if you ARE sick (I hope you get better if you are), please be a good sport and save other folks the trouble of getting sick. You can do this by:

-Covering your mouth and nose with your sleeve, elbow, or a tissue whenever you sneeze or cough
-Not sharing food and drinks with others
-Avoiding touching your mouth, nose, and eyes (Again, I understand this is probably going to be difficult)
-Avoiding close contact with others
-Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects
-Staying at home if you're unwell (PRIORITY NUMBER ONE!)
-Staying calm and keeping yourself well-informed (My personal advice)

If you already know this, then great! If you didn't know any of this beforehand, please keep that information in mind as we all go through this trying time. It's a realm of unknowns at this point, and I wish myself and all of humanity well.

Galope City
The Kalos region
Eighteen years in the future

The seven-year-old girl with flowing, sleek honey-colored hair shifted uncomfortably in the passenger seat as her mother drove it down the smooth cobblestone road. Peeking curiously through the passenger window, the girl watched as the pedestrians and their Pokémon passed by them. As soon as one of the pedestrians randomly glanced at the car, however, she immediately ducked down, as if the man's very stare would be the death of her.

"Mommy," she said, "do we really have to watch Jenna race?"

"Of course, Sarah," the mother replied. "After all, your older sister needs all of the support for this final race. Don't you want Jenna to win?"

"Yeah... But there's gonna be so many people over there..." Sarah wrapped her arms around her torso protectively. "It'll be so scary..."

Sarah's mother looked at her, smiling her usual bright, warm smile. "Come on, Sarah, it's not like any of those people are gonna attack you. All you have to do is stick with me or Alex once we're there, and you'll be fine." She then looked back at the road, and her smile widened. "Oh, good! We're almost there!"

Sarah felt herself shrinking in her seat in apprehension. For her entire life, she never worked well with being around other people, especially if there were so many of them at once. Outside of the children she knew at school, everyone else she saw in her life were usually so tall and mighty, and to be around people of such a height was extremely intimidating for her. It was especially terrible if any of those people were to look at her and address her; at that point, she'd sorely want to disappear...

The seven-year-old had been so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't notice her mother park the car until she was finally addressed to.

"Sarah, we're here! Come on!"

Sarah merely moaned in response. However, her mother smiled a tiny smile as she reached towards the backseat and picked up a straw hat with a pink bow on it.

"Here, honey," she said as she placed the hat on her daughter's head. As Sarah looked at her, she examined her, and her grin widened. "You look adorable, Sarah!"

"Thank you, Mommy..." replied Sarah reluctantly. She knew that if she looked adorable, then that meant people would be more inclined to look at her, terrify her...

She immediately followed her mother out of the car, ran up to her side, and took her hand tightly as they both walked towards the local Rhyhorn Racing track. Sarah took quick notice of numerous other people who were walking towards the same entrance as them, and she inched closer towards her mother. Unfortunately, much to her dismay, a nearby family noticed her mother in almost an instant and began whispering curiously among one another.

"Oh Mommy, why'd you have to wear that pretty dress of yours?..." she thought fearfully.

Finally, a teenage girl who was in that group, who had just noticed Sarah's mother, squealed, "OH MY ARCEUS, IT'S SERENA YATES!"

Everyone who was within earshot turned their heads and noticed Sarah and her mother too. Clamoring excitedly, a crowd consisting mostly of girls formed around the two in seconds. Frightened by the excessive amount of attention, Sarah held her mother's skirt tightly as the latter merely chuckled and kindly responded to the cries and questions of her devoted fanbase. It was moments like these that the seven-year-old wished she had her mother's courage and confidence.

"Can I have your autograph, Serena?!" one fan asked.

"Please, oh please, let me take a photo of you, Serena!" squealed another.

"I can't believe I actually came face-to-face to you, Serena!"

"I LOVE YOU, SERENA!"

"Please marry me, Serena!"

This time, it was a boy who shouted that.

Serena chuckled at the last remark and replied, "Oh, I'm sorry, but I'm already married."

Finally, Sarah giggled for the first time of the day as she watched the boy fall to the ground anime-style, his eyes gushing out tears, his heart shattered. However, her happiness was short-lived the exact moment one of the teenage girls gathered around them noticed her for the first time. A new liveliness appeared in the girl's eyes as she squealed in excitement and enthusiastically pointed at Sarah, causing the child's eyes to widen in horror.

"OH MY ARCEUS, YOU'RE SERENA'S DAUGHTER, AREN'T YOU?!" she shrieked.

One by one, the fans focused their attention on Sarah, causing her to squeak fearfully.

"OH, YOU'RE SO FREAKING ADORABLE!" a girl squealed.

"I wish I could have you as my daughter!"

"Oh, you look just like your mother!"

"I know, right? Have you ever thought about following in your mother's footsteps?"

"What's your name, young lady?" asked a kindly older woman.

"Come on, Sarah," whispered Serena, nudging her daughter's shoulder. "Tell the nice lady your name."

"M-M-My n-name's S-S-Sarah..." Sarah stuttered before burying her face in Serena's skirt. Unfortunately, that action drew a great number of "AW!"s from the fans.

"A shy one, isn't she?" the same older woman asked, looking at Serena.

"Yeah," replied Serena. Then, she addressed the entire crowd, "Listen, everyone, I'd love to continue talking with you, but I'm here to watch my other daughter. She's one of the jockeys in this race and I'd rather not miss out on her race. It was a pleasure meeting all of you! Come on, Sarah."

The crowd parted in order to give Serena and Sarah enough room to walk through them. As they passed one fan after another, they either continued expressing their love for Serena or doting on Sarah, causing her to look down at the ground. Finally, after what seemed like hours for Sarah, the two managed to get out of the crowd and continued onward towards the ticket booth, where several lines were. However, they disregarded the lines and immediately walked towards the entrance.

"Hi there," Serena greeted as she approached the security guard at the entrance, showing him two pink tickets. "We have two free passes."

"Oh, thank you," replied the guard as he took the tickets from her. "Enjoy the race, Ms. Yates."

Serena nodded in response as she guided Sarah through the entrance. Instead of going out onto the stands, the two took a stairwell to the left, traveling up a couple of floors before finally going down a hallway that had only one door located at the opposite end. At Sarah's left were large, well-cleaned windows that overlooked the entire racing track. The seven-year-old girl looked out of said windows, watching as the spectators sat in their seats while the track was being readied.

"So, Jenna's down there, Mommy?" Sarah asked.

"Huh?" Serena followed Sarah's gaze, then shook her head. "No, she should be still in the stables..." She then whispered, "...with that boy..."

However, Sarah heard her mother well enough. "Mommy, why do you not like Jimmy? I think he's a very nice person."

"Oh, if only you knew, honey..." replied Serena. "If only you knew. Then, you'd understand..."

The two reached the end of the hallway, and Serena opened the door for Sarah. Inside the private room stood several familiar people, causing Sarah to smile happily upon recognizing them. At least she knew these people already, so there was no need for her to become intimidated by their very presence.

"Uncle Clemont!" she cried. "Auntie Bonnie! Dedenne! Alex! Pichu! You're all here!"

Clemont adjusted his glasses as he walked over to Sarah and hugged her. "Hey there, Sarah!" he greeted happily. "Wow, you look more like your mother each day!"

"Thank you, Uncle Clemont," Sarah replied, grazing her foot along with the ground shyly. Bonnie, in the meantime, had just finished her cup of water before she stood up from her seat and approached Sarah, hugging her as well with her trademark optimistic grin on her face. There was a pronounced lump visible on her abdomen.

"Oh, it's so great to see you again, my lil' Pumpkaboo!" she exclaimed. "How are ya doing?!"

"I'm doing good, Auntie Bonnie."

If Bonnie's grin couldn't get any wider, it just did. "Oh, that's great! Always feel good and do good, like I say!"

"Dedenne!" chirped Dedenne in agreement, also grinning.

"So, where's Uncle Max, Auntie Bonnie?" asked Sarah as she looked around in search of her other uncle.

"Oh, he's busy with his research today, so he couldn't come to the race. Sorry."

"Oh..." Sarah looked down at the floor glumly; she always liked her Uncle Max.

Fortunately for her, Bonnie added, "But Grandma Grace and Grandpa Meyer are coming over. They say they're caught up in traffic, though, so they're gonna be late."

"Oh, goody!" Sarah was relieved to hear that; she liked meeting up with her grandparents. Then, her attention was recaptured when someone cleared his throat.

"No love for me, little sis? That's very hurtful."

Sarah giggled and glanced at her older brother Alex, who had grown taller and much more rugged the last time she saw him. He looked just like their father, with the exception of his eyes, which were a bright sapphire color just like his mother's. He was wearing the Pokémon League Expo hat he inherited from his father, a hooded blue-and-red jacket with a dark-gray undershirt, and light-blue jeans. Perched on his shoulder was a Pichu, his first Pokémon, which was easily distinguishable by the three spikes on its left ear. Alex and Pichu both smiled as the latter hopped off its Trainer's shoulder and delivered a small Thunder Shock to Sarah, its usual greeting.

"H-H-Hi, P-P-Pichu..." stuttered the little girl, still feeling the effects of the Thunder Shock.

"Pichu!" Pichu chirped happily. Alex chuckled as he approached his youngest sister and hugged her.

"How are you doing, Sarah?" he asked, his voice low. "Is that Danny kid still bullying you in school? 'Cause I can have Pichu give him a little retake of his lesson!"

"No, it's fine, Alex," Sarah replied as she looked at the adults to see if they were listening in. "Thank you for scaring that meanie!"

Her brother chuckled again and ruffled her hair. "No problem, little sis. Glad to help out. Anyway, can you believe it? Jenna made it to the final races?"

"Yeah." Sarah looked out of the large window that was a part of the private room. "I hope Jenna wins it. After all, she's been working so hard to get this far..."

"So, where's Dad and Aaron, Mom?" Alex asked, turning his attention to Serena.

"Oh, Dad's busy at the Battle Tower, and your brother's still at Hoenn, doing some training," replied Serena. Then, she smiled. "But they said they'll both be watching Jenna's race on TV, so they're not gonna be missing out on anything." She then approached her son and hugged him tightly. "Oh, Alex, my little baby, I missed you!"

"MOM!" groaned Alex in embarrassment, causing Clemont and Bonnie to snicker teasingly. "Please stop calling me that! It's a good thing my friends aren't here yet!"

"Oh yeah, Amber, Sam, and Harrison, I remember them. So, how are those three doing?"

As her mother and older brother continued their conversation, being joined by Clemont and Bonnie, Sarah looked out of the window overlooking the racing track. She knew that her sister was elsewhere in the stadium, getting ready for what she once called one of the most important races of her life.

Then, upon spotting the massive audience in the stands below, Sarah's mind wandered onto another subject. Remembering the crowd of squealing fans that gathered around her and her mother outside, she wondered how her sister was able to handle the pressure of thousands of spectators watching her every move. If she were in her exact position, then Sarah might have as well died of a heart attack on the spot. She never, ever was the best with having all the attention on her, unless it came in small doses and from people she already knew and trusted. It sometimes actually made her rather jealous of the rest of her confident extended family.

Sarah sighed and shook her head. She knew that she couldn't be thinking about this. After all, Jenna needed her support, and she couldn't let her older sister down.

Elsewhere in the racing track, a lone man with a muscular physique, spiky brownish-yellow hair, and yellow eyes approached one of the ticket booths. He was wearing a dark-gray tank-top, dark-brown sunglasses, a yellow waistcoat, a red cap, and light-brown cargo pants, and clutched tightly in his hand was a small Pokémon cage. Inside was what seemed to be an unusually large Zigzagoon, although people nearby barely took any notice of the Tiny Raccoon Pokémon.

"Here for the race, mister?" the woman at his ticket booth asked, flashing a friendly smile.

"Yeah, that's right," replied the strange man in a gruff, intimidating voice, although the woman wasn't daunted; instead, her smile widened.

"May I see your ticket, please?"

The man promptly raised a green ticket, looking around as he did so. The woman nodded, took the ticket, looked at it for a few moments, and glanced at the cage.

"So, that's your Zigzagoon?" she asked.

"Yes."

The woman nodded again before looking at the cage again, then writing something incomprehensible down on a list. Next, she placed a stamp on the ticket, followed by another stamp on the new handwriting on the list, and gave the ticket back to the man. All the while, she was still smiling.

"Enjoy the Rhyhorn Race, Mr. Parker," she said.

"Thank you, ma'am," replied Parker, tipping his cap at her.

"I must say, that's one big Zigzagoon you've got there."

"I raise my Pokémon to be the largest there ever was," Parker said quickly before leaving the booth and approaching the entrance, where the security guard was.

"Ticket?" the guard asked.

Parker showed the ticket for the uniformed man to see. After confirming the stamp, the guard then glanced at the cage.

"This your Zigzagoon?"

"Yes, sir."

"And it's cleared to enter the racing track?"

"Yes, sir."

The guard raised an eyebrow at the Zigzagoon, which remained motionless. "That's one big Zigzagoon you've got there, sir."

"Well, I'm very lucky to have this rascal, then," replied Parker, chuckling optimistically.

After the guard let him pass the entrance, Parker looked around to see if anyone was watching him, then walked towards a nearby stairwell. However, before he could go down the stairs, he suddenly felt his Holo Caster vibrate in his pocket. Grabbing it and activating it, Parker calmly watched as the small hologram of a balding man with piercing red eyes quickly materialized. The man frowned and raised an eyebrow at Parker as he leaned in slightly.

"Do you have the Pokémon I requested?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," replied Parker. "I've got it secure. I am on my way at the location where we're supposed to meet."

"Well, you're gonna have to wait. I happen to be stuck in serious traffic and I won't be at the track until another half-hour at least. Make sure it doesn't get away."

Parker's grip on the cage tightened. "Do not worry, sir. It will not leave my sight as long as I am breathing."

"It had better!"

And with that, the hologram disappeared from the Holo Caster, which Parker quickly put away. He looked around to see if anyone overheard the conversation, then at the cage containing the large Zigzagoon. It continued to remain motionless, although it seemed that something was stirring from inside it...

Original A/N: Oh what, oh whatever is wrong with that Zigzagoon? Only the next couple of chapters shall tell!

Probably not one of my best intros for a story, but I think things will get better for me as time passes with this story. I have a feeling I'm gonna love writing lil' Sarah, though; I can easily imagine her, and she's so adorable I wanna pinch her cheeks! :D Anyway, the next couple of chapters will expand more on what has happened in eighteen years' time and how our heroes have wound up into these positions before the true action begins! I do hope to see good things out of this story.

Oh, and I promise y'all, this story will obviously feature much more hardcore AmourShipping, unlike "Separation". Complete with confessions and all. Just saying.

Well, hope you enjoyed this first chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!

New A/N: And that marks the end of this chapter! As you can see, the original version of "The Way We Will Be" started off quite differently from the current version. First and foremost, we actually get to see the future Serena in-person and not in some sort of flashback or dream sequence. Secondly, we have no Selene, Yancy, Nate, or any other characters that are based on video game characters. This is all entirely OC-based. I'll admit that it doesn't make the future generation of this version as terribly interesting as the one in the current version, but hey, let's see what I try to do to overcome those hurdles later!

But hey, looks like Parker managed to survive the transition from the original version to the current one, am I right?

Other than all of that, well, I am sure you all can tell where this story is about to go next. Let's see what else is different in the following chapters, shall we?

As for the origin of this story (and the current version of "The Way We Will Be" by extension), it fills my heart with great nostalgia to know that I was once a diehard fan of AdvanceShipping. This was before the XY saga aired and Serena came into the picture (and with her, AmourShipping). Before all of that, AdvanceShipping was all of my rage, and I was drawn to all sorts of fanfics featuring that pairing. Among them was the one I mentioned in the original opening Author's Note, which you can see above: "Future, Battles and Family" by AlcheLuna. I loved the premise of it back then, and I wanted to try my hand at something like that for the longest time. I could never write something for AdvanceShipping even back in my heyday, but at least I was able to make up for it when AmourShipping came rolling around.

Speaking of which, maybe I should try my hand at an AdvanceShipping story, one of these days. I'm still a bit supportive of the pairing, for the simple purpose of nostalgia if nothing else. We'll see.

And before I officially sign off, I want to reaffirm to all of you fine and beloved readers that my return to the current "The Way We Will Be" version is still well within the cards. I haven't forgotten about it, and I haven't forgotten you all either. I am just back on the drawing board when it comes to finding a way to continue the fic without getting fatigued again. But in the meantime, it's just like what I said before in the opening Author's Note. This is just a way to fill in the void of that version's inactivity in the meantime, while I figure out a way to get momentum going again for it.

Well, hope you enjoyed this comeback! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!