Chapter Four

As the group settled into their seats Ash noticed that they a had all became couples at which he chuckled at. Misty/Tracy, Zoey/Gary, Iris/Cilan, Dawn/Paul, Lucy/ Brock and lastly Serena/Clemot, Bonnie sat in front of the two while Max sat near Brock and Lucy. He looked at all his friends and smiled while his mom and Professor Oak sat on either side of him and May. He couldn't undersatnd why she was always so close not that he minded. 'I'll have to ask Brock later he understands these things better' Ash said menatlly. It had been a very long time since he was around so many people who weren't trying to kill him.

"Well I guess I should start from the very beginning, but some of my story is not pleasant to hear." he warned the group, "But first congratulations Serena and Clemot, even out in the wild I heard news of your engagement." he smiled as a memory of his parting from his Kalos friends flashed through his mind.

Flash back

"Ash I need to tell you something important." Serena said while facing the young trainer. "I like you a lot, like more than just a friend. I have for a while now." she admitted while she nervously rubbed her hands together.

"Serena," Ash started trying to find the words so not to hurt his friend, "I like you too, but as a friend. You are a sweet caring girl but I'm sorry I just don't have those feelings for you." He said pulling her into a gentle hug. Ash was dense to all things love but he had began to notice more about it slowly. "Don't let this keep you down Serena, I know true love for you is around the corner and its much closer than you think." he spoke while looking straight at Clemot having had a few conversations about the subject with his blonde friend. "Its time for me to go," he stated as the group pulled in for one last hug. "I promise we'll meet again." he told his teary eyed friends. With one last look and wave goodbye he stepped on the plane.

End flashback

"It started on my flight home, I dreamt about all my league losses and I felt like i failed my pokemon and friends. I thought that I should have trained harder and thought more clearly. When I got home the first night I knew what my next move needed to be. While I trained with my pokemon and told them my plan, they all agreed to come with me saying that we are one big family and family sticks together. I talked with all my Tarous and they agreed to being traded or to go out help farmers since there were so many and it wasn't fair to them not to receive the attention the deserved. After I had done all that I made my plan and then you all came to surprise me." Ash stopped for a few moments remembering that night and then continued, "That night at the party I stepped out to gather my thoughts and to prepare to leave. When Gary came out and managed to get me to tell him my plans, and he agreed to help me as long as I stayed in touch with him."

There was a loud slap followed by a pained groan "GARY OAK YOU ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE!!!!" Zoey yelled at him as the group glared daggers at him, he cowered in fear.

"Ash save me please!!!!" Gary cried out.

"Guys don't be mad at him, I made him swear to keep it a secret. I knew if any of you found out you'd try and stop me or you would follow me. I couldn't risk anyone following me and getting hurt. I know you are very strong and talented trainers but I was going to some very dangerous places and be in very bad situations." He stated hinting to his scar. "I'll explain that later in the story." he said seeing the questions in the group's eyes.

"Anyway after I left that night I could feel something pulling me, I couldn't explain it but I knew I needed to go that way. As we crossed over the forest Pidgeot flew up to meet us saying he wanted to travel with me again so I pulled his old poke ball and returned him. Charizard flew us through the night until a few hours before dawn, when I realized where we were. We had reached the boundary lines of The Kingdom of Rota. We landed in the forest to rest for a few hours until sun up so not to cause any problems with the guards. we made a small fire and were trying to get a little sleep when I heard a noise just out of the light of the fire. I had Pikachu ready a Thunderbolt, when a Riolu came into the light." Almost as of on cue a light appeared next to Ash and as the light died down a Lucario stood next to his trainer.

"Shit sorry I forgot to let you out bud with everything that has happened today." Ash said apologetically.

"Its ok master I understand, I could hear and sense it all through the poké ball." Lucario replied shocking everyone.

"You can talk," Brock exclaimed, "Then you must be the Riolu we met who could use Aura Sphere."

"You are correct my old friend." the jackal pokemon said with a bow.

"I'll explain it to you later professor." Ash said seeing the shocked expression on the old man's face.

"Anyway, it took a second before I recognized him and we spoke for a little while. I found out that his elderly friend had past on and Riolu had been in the wild ever since, until he felt a pull like me, which led him to our camp, we would later find out that our aura paired with each other, which is why he found me. After we talked for a while I asked if he wanted to travel with me and he instantly said yes. So after capturing him we began our walk to the queen's palace, and as we neared the gate Sir Riley and Lucario stood as if waiting for us. It seems that the pull I was feeling was aura leading me to the castle so I could become a full Aura Guardian." Ash went onto explain how he spent a year in Rota learning about aura and finally earning the tittle of Aura Guardian of The Queen's Court. He demonstrated what he meant my creating an Aura Sphere in his hand, causing gasps from the group.

He continued his story by telling them how after his graduation he began traveling the harshest areas of each region from Mt. Coronet, to the deserts of Hoenn, the deep caves of the Seafoam Islands and were Ash and his pokemon settled on the back side of Mt. Silver. He went on to explain that the backside is were the strongest most dangerous pokemon lived. They spent almost eleven months working there way up the mountain battling all types of pokemon from Rapidash, to Tyranitar and even the occasional legendary pokemon who would stop on the mountain. They finally made it to the summit where the discovered a small hut built against a large boulder. When they entered the small hut they find it to be abandoned, and best they could tell it had been a few years since anyone had used it. They decided to make it their home while they finished training. After a few more months Ash and his pokemon agreed that they had gotten as strong as they could there and the decided to come home to see how they could fair against the trainers of the world.

"Well there it is guys, thats my story." Ash said looking around at the stunned looks on his friend's faces.

"Except you didn't explain how you got your scar." Max said from his seat next to Lucy, everyone looked at Ash with an expecting look.

"Are you guys sure you want to hear it? Its not a pleasant story by any means." Ash asked in a serous tone.

"Yes we do Ash." His mom said as everyone nodded in agreement.

"Ok," Ash said with a sigh, " Shortly after I left Rota I ran into team Rocket and they seemed nervous and extremely worried."

Four years ago just outside of Rota..

"Hey Ash!!" he heard a shout, he turned to see Team Rocket standing there looking disheveled.

"What do you three want?" asked Ash as he stepped into a defensive fighting stance.

"We're not here to fight Ash." said a pale faced James.

"Yeah we came to warn you, Giovanni has put a hit out on you. After all the times you've stopped our palns he finally had enough and had ordered you to be killed." Jesse said looking totally exhausted.

"Why warn me, wouldn't it make you look good to fulfil that order?" Ash asked as he reached for Charzard's poke ball, while Pikachu and Lucario (who evolved during their training in Rota) charged attacks.

"We may be crooks, but we aint no killers." Meowth said looking around nervously, "We've been the run looking for you since he gave the order. We wanted to give you a heads up so you can go hide."

"Why should I hide, when I can fight and bring him down once and for all." Ash said with authority in his voice.

"He's not alone, he has new executive team they used to be leaders of the other organisations you've taken down. Fighting won't work there are simply too many of them." James explained to Ash.

"I think I know someone who can help us do this." Ash said with a sly smile.

International Police H.Q.

"Looker we need your help to take these guys down," Ash said while facing a man in a tan trench coat, he explained what his plan was "these three have inside information that we can use to take them down quickly."

"My superiors have already said yes Ash. Lets bring these terrible people to justice once and for all." Looker said with a smirk.

Over the next few weeks Ash, Jesse, James, Meowth, and Interpol took down every Rocket base and capturing all the executives except Giovanni and Archie. They finally reached Giovanni's personal strong hold. "How are we going to get in there?" Jesse asked, "It's guarded heavier than anything else we've came up against."

"I'll turn myself over to them and it should lower his and Archie's gaurd just enough for you to blast through the wall and capture them." Ash said surprising the group.

"Ash you can't, they'll kill you!" Meowth exclaimed.

"I'll string them along so they think they can get information out of me. Now no arguing its the only way we can do this. Pikachu, Lucario take my poke balls and help these three once its time and don't worry I'll be fine I swear." Ash said as he looked at the strong hold with fire in his eyes.

A week after turning himself over Giovanni and Archie stood before him while he hung from chains in the ceiling. "Now Mr. Ketchum are you going to talk or do we have to continue this meaningless beating." Giovanni asked as he looked at the bloody bruised man before him.

"Now why would I tell you anything grease ball, you're not worth shit on the bottom of my shoes." Ash spat as he spat blood in the two men's faces.

"You bastard!!!" Archie yelled as he drove his fist into Ash's ribs.

"You hit like a bitch." Ash wheezed angering to man in the blue bandana. He shoved his fist into Ash's abdomen.

"Archie enough, if he won't talk we'll just have to kill him and continue our plans." Giovanni stated as he pulled a dagger out of a nearby drawer. Just then a massive explosion rocked the whole building. "What in the hell is going on?!!" Giovanni demanded through the intercom.

"Sir, Interpol has breached the wall and they even have a few champions with them, we can't hold them back." a grunt answered back.

"Arceus damn it! Archie go help them while I deal with this little pest." ordered an extremely angry Giovanni. As the former Team Aqua leader ran out of the room the Rocket boss turned his attention back to Ash. "Well Mr. Ketchum it seems your time on earth had came to an end." Giovanni stated with an evil tone. As he drew the knife back Ash unleashed and Aura Sphere breaking the chains holding him he dropped the ground and kicked the older man's feet from underneath him. The two men struggled with the knife as they rolled across the floor. Ash felt a sharp pain in his side as Giovanni pulled the knife from Ash's side.He laughed as he swung down to stab Ash in the chest, "This is the end of the road for you boy!!" He screamed just then the wall behind exploded causing the knife to tear through the right side of Ash's face luckily it just missed his eye. Giovanni was thrown across the room by a yellow bolt of electricity. As Ash faded out of consciousness heard yells for help as everything went black.

Ash felt a soft bed beneath him and bandages all over his body he opened his eyes but found the right side of his face bandaged. He attempted to sit up but fell back with a groan, he heard a happy yet worried voice "Ash you're awake!!" then he heard the person run into hall outside his room and call out that he was awake.

Hurried footsteps came into the room as doctor in blue scrubs spoke with Ash, "Well Mr, Ketchum you gave us good scare but you're a strong young man. Its good to see you awake." he said as he checked the machines hooked up to the young man. "Now why don't we raise your bed a little so you can look around." Ash was able to see everyone in the room, Jesse, James, and Meowth stood to one side while Pikachu sat on Lucario's shoulder at the foot of the bed.

"Where am I and how long have I been out?" came a hoarse voice from Ash.

"You are in Interpol Hospital and you have been unconscious for just about week." Said the doctor as he handed Ash a glass of water while Pikachu lightly jumped onto the bed next to his best friend. The former Team Rocket members and Looker who had just arrived told Ash all that had happened after turning himself over and about the attack on the Rocket strong hold. They finally managed to end Team Rocket once and for all and that the former leaders would never see the outside world again.

Ash spent another week in the hospital before he was released as long as he took it easy with no intense traveling or training which he agreed to as long as he could get out of the hospital. He caused a few raised eyebrows when he requested that nobody know that he was ever in the hospital. Not wanting anyone to find out and worry more than they probably were after he left. With final farewell Ash turned from thr group of people and began to walk down the road when a shout caused him to turn around.

"Ash wait," called out Meowth, "I want to travel with you and become as strong as possible and battle with you."

Ash was taken back by this request, "Are you sure Meowth, Jesse and James are your family?" Ash asked the cat scratch pokemon.

"I'm sure Ash. I've talked about with them for the last few days and they are ok with me going with you. Besides we're all a family now." said Meowth with a smile. Ash looked at the two people behind Meowth, they had a sadness in their eyes but a smile upon their faces, they gave Ash a nod.

"Well then welcome to the team." Ash said happily as he pulled out a poké ball, Meowth tapped the ball and it dinged instantly signifying that he was captured. Meowth let himself out of the sphere and looked at his new trainer with a smile, "Well lets get going." with that the group bid one last wave goodbye and headed down the road.

Present time...

Everyone shared a look of horror and sadness as Ash finished his story. "Thats it, thats the tale of my scar, and of all my adventures." Ash said in a grim tone. He felt May squeeze his hand while tears ran down her face. He gently wiped them away and told everyone not to cry it wad long ago and it all over.

"Ash can I come out now." said a voice startling everyone but Ash.

"Yeah come out buddy you're safe now" Ash called out to the voice. Meowth slowly came out of the bushes and stood next to Ash's leg. He choose to stay hidden so no one would try and attack him from his past misdeeds. Ash spent the next hour or so answering his friend's and mom's questions.

Finally around eleven o'clock the group decided to call it a night. Everyone began to make their way to where they were sleeping for the night. As Ash walked towards the house he would occasionally feel May rub against his arm and he felt like it was intentional. He made a mental note to talk to Brock on the morning about everything he was feeling, because he was at a loss.

Sorry for such a long chapter but I had alot I wanted to put into his five years if being gone. Let me know what you think of my story so far. Thanks in advance