Chapter 1: Journey from Boy to Man
A gentle breeze filled the air on Ula'ula Island, brushing past the tall grass and palm trees while light from the rising sun glistened against ocean waves. Near the island's edge rested a house and large Pokemon enclosure.
The rising sun's light slowly entered a window on the house's upper floor and into a bedroom decorated with posters of world-famous trainers and their teams. These included Elite 4 members, Champions, Frontier Brains, and more.
A boy of perhaps eight slept soundly in his bed with an incredibly peaceful look on his face but didn't rest alone. Beside him lay a Charmander curled up with his tail flame warming his head. Nearby, a Red and black Riolu similarly cuddled up beside the boy, resting her head on his chest.
Lastly, a shiny Totodile lay flat on her back with a carefree look on her face. Ever so often, her feet would move back and forth as if trying to dance in her sleep.
As the minutes went by, the boy's eyes flashed blue even as he slept, and soon all three of his Pokemon did the same. As they happened, each instinctively moved closer together with increasingly peaceful expressions.
"Satoshi! Satoshi, breakfast is almost ready!" A warm voice reached his bedroom, and he awoke to the call, slowly stretching his arms while yawning.
"Char."
"Rio."
"Dile." All three Pokemon also stretched while yawning.
"Huh?" Satoshi muttered before the words sunk in.
"Ohhh! Breakfast! Come on, let's hurry!" Satoshi beamed in pure enthusiasm while leaping out of bed, his three Pokemon close behind.
"Char!"
"Rio!"
"Dile!" Each cried with similar excitement.
After getting dressed, Satoshi raced across the upstairs hallway with the Pokemon before reaching a set of stairs. From there, the boy leaped up and onto the staircase railing and ran down it like an acrobat.
"Rio!" Riolu did much the same, and both performed a frontflip onto the floor upon reaching the bottom.
"Satoshi, I said no running on the railing like that!" The same voice from earlier scolded him.
"Phox!" A Delphox shouted in a similar tone, causing both Satoshi and Riolu to sweatdrop.
"Sorry, mama."
"Rio."
"Satoshi, you shouldn't cause your mother undue stress this early in the morning." A deeper voice said from the same direction, causing Satoshi and Riolu to pout in their direction.
"That's not fair, papa! I've seen you do it all the time!"
Serena turned her stern expression to Ash, who sweatdropped while Pikachu chuckled on his shoulder.
"I, uhh-"
Serena sighed before feeling someone tugging at her skirt.
"Mama, I cracked the eggs!" A little girl of perhaps six stood beside Serena with a bowl of egg yolk in her hands.
"Fletch!" A small Fletchling chirped while on her shoulder.
"Ahhh, merci, Yvonne!" Serena's words made her and Ash's daughter beam brightly.
"Fletchy helped too, didn't you!" Ash and Pikachu smiled tenderly while watching Yvonne stroke the Fletchling's head. Seeing his daughter was almost like having a flashback to Professor Oak's summer camp, for she took heavily after Serena with farish skin, honey-blonde hair, and virtually the same face. However, Yvonne's eyes were brown and nearly identical to Ash's.
"I don't see any shell in here. Want to help obaasan stir them?" Delia asked as Yvonne eagerly nodded.
Serena, Yvonne, and Delia cooked breakfast with Delphox while Ash brewed a pot of coffee. By the time Charmander and Totodile made it down the stairs, he'd handed a steaming mug to Serena, who eagerly inhaled the aroma.
"Ahhh, merci, mon amour!" Serena said warmly before kissing his cheek.
"Ewww, mama!" Satoshi and Yvonne both cringed while Delia giggled.
"It's only natural for a husband and wife, you two." Delia said while Serena looked at her two children with a sly expression. Delphox instantly read her trainer's intentions and eagerly nodded in approval.
Ash looked like he was about to speak when suddenly, Serena seized him by the shoulders and planted a fiery kiss upon his lips, then pressed on to make the kiss 'Kalos' style.
"Eeeek!" Yvonne nearly dropped the bowl of eggs, forcing Delia to quickly catch it.
"Mama!" Satoshi almost screamed as he, Riolu, and Totodile looked away. Charmander, however, didn't.
Ash looked more than a little bashful as Serena withdrew and giggled.
"I'm glad to see your marriage hasn't lost any of its passion." Delia whispered to her daughter-in-law.
"None of it." Serena added with a beaming expression.
"Satoshi, let's go feed the Pokemon." Ash said, earning a vigorous nod from his son.
"Hai!"
"Rio!"
"Char!"
"Dile!"
"Come on, Diago, let's help too!" Another familiar voice said. Satoshi saw his grandfather, Felix, approach with a Lucario beside him and a little boy of perhaps two on his shoulders.
"Breakfast, papa!" Diago cried with an exuberant expression. Satoshi's baby brother was their father's spitting image. There was no other way to put it. He had Ash's skintone, eyes, thick raven-black hair, and face. While Felix would've loved him regardless of what he looked like, a small part of him appreciated how much he resembled Ash given how much he desired to make up for lost time with Ash via his grandchildren.
"Diago, we've been through this. He's papa. I'm Ojīsan." Felix said while pointing to Ash and then himself.
"Papa!"
"Ojīsan!"
"Papa!"
"Ojīsan!"
"Papa!"
"Come on. It's Ojīsan!"
Satoshi and the others chuckled slightly before following Ash into the massive Pokemon enclosure built around their house. Well, over a hundred Pokemon lived inside, all of them belonging to at least one member of the Ketchum family.
"Morning, everyone! It's breakfast time!"
"Pika!"
The ground almost shook as dozens of Pokemon raced across the enclosure, which had several palm-tree groves, ponds, rocks, and other pseudo environments for the various types, towards them.
"Hold on. We'll get everyone!" Satoshi promised as he filled up a dozen bowls for himself and his Pokemon to start distributing. Totodile felt her stomach growl and hesitated while staring at the food before them.
"Totodile, we have to wait our turn." Satoshi said before the jaw Pokemon gave a pouty expression, earning chuckles from Charmander and Riolu.
Together with Ash, Pikachu, Felix, and his Lucario, they began placing bowls before each Pokemon.
"Gar!"
"Hawl!"
"Osh!"
"Ape!"
"Moaah!"
"Glalie!"
"Cham!"
"Rade!"
"Sol!"
One by one, each Pokemon got their breakfast, and Ash took particular notice as Charmander set two bowls in front of Charizard and Charline, who smiled warmly at him.
"Grauuu."
"Grauuu." Charline nuzzled him while Charizard patted his head, making Charmander look slightly embarrassed when his companions glanced their way.
However, the fire-lizard's attention then lingered upon an egg resting in his mother's lap.
"Char." Charmander moves his head closer towards his future brother/sister with growing interest before moving his eyes between Satoshi and Diago.
His trainer had two siblings, and soon he'd have one of his own and wondered what it would mean. Charmander wasn't worried about the baby Charmander getting more of his parent's attention but wondered if he'd one day help train them as his father did him.
When all of the Pokemon had their breakfast, Ash moved to set a table in the enclosure with his sons and father. By then, Diago had moved to his father's shoulder and slowly set a glass down with Ash guiding him.
Finally, Serena and the others came out with the food and joined them.
Charmander sat down between his parents while Riolu similarly sat in between Ash's Lucario and Delphox. Lastly, Totodile eagerly feasted upon her breakfast while beside Feraligatr.
Satoshi thoroughly enjoyed his mother and grandmother's exceptionally delicious cooking, while Yvonne seemed more interested in what their grandfather thought of her contributions.
"Well?" She asked nervously.
"It's wonderful, Yvonne." He said sincerely while Yvonne and Fletchy shouted in glee.
Serena saw the joy in her daughter's face, then turned to Satoshi, who was now joined by his Totodile, to who he tossed scraps of food do while she leaped up and caught them in her jaws while Ash's Feraligatr growled in approval.
Finally, the Kalos Queen looked at Ash and Pikachu, who worked in synch, the electric mouse making funny faces while Ash ensured Diago ate. Serena covered her heart while gazing at her extensive family, Ash, his parents, their children, and all of the Pokemon.
Moments like this were what Serena truly cherished, more than anything else, even her most spectacular showcases. For a brief moment, she almost wished things would never change. That Perhaps Celebi and Dialga would stop time from passing, and she'd have her family like this forever.
However, after turning her attention to Delia and Felix, she sighed, realizing that at one point, they might've wanted much the same with Ash and her parents the same with her. If they'd gotten what they'd wanted, Serena and Ash never would've achieved their dreams, gotten married, and had children.
Serena couldn't take that away from her babies.
"Mama, are you going to fly again today!?" Yvonne clasped both hands together with an almost pleading expression.
Serena smiled back and nodded.
"Oui, Yvonne, after breakfast, I did have a few routines I wanted to practice, and a few do involve flying."
Ash and Serena's daughter looked like she might jump out of her seat in excitement, while Diago showed similar enthusiasm.
"Mama! Mama!" The toddler clapped both hands together, causing Ash, Pikachu, and his parents to chuckle.
"I think Diago wants to see his mama perform too." Ash said before Serena eagerly took him into her arms.
"Is it true? Do you want to see mommy perform?"
"Mama!"
"Dad, when are we going to train!?" Satoshi shouted with similar enthusiasm, his eyes flashing blue alongside Charmander's, Riolu's, and Totodiles.
"Char!"
"Dile!"
"Rio!"
Ash sighed slightly, particularly when he saw the excitement in Felix's expression too. He also loved training with Satoshi and Ash, particularly when it came to Aura. However, there was a slight snag, given a message he'd received from both Kukui and Leon. First of all, a recent winner of the Alolan League requested a match against Ash for the title of Alolan Champion, while Leon requested his presence at his match against Zach, who'd challenged him for the title of Galar Champion.
"I need a little time after breakfast, Satoshi. I have to take care of some things for work."
"Hai." Satoshi sighed.
"Satoshi, your father is a busy man, being both Kaiser and Alolan Champion. Why don't you head down to the beach and practice the techniques we've taught you, then meet us at the usual training spot." Felix said.
"Hai! We'll be ready!" Satoshi declared, jumping up onto his chair while Charmander, Totodile, and Riolu did much the same. They nearly ran off when Serena caught him by his hand, Charline, Delphox, and Feraligatr doing much the same.
"Hold on there, young man. You haven't finished breakfast yet."
"Grauu."
"Phox."
"Grauu." Charline, Delphox, and Feraligatr growled, reminding their children to do the same.
"...Yes, mama." Satoshi said while sweatdropping with his Pokemon.
After finishing breakfast and cleaning up, Satoshi and his Pokemon raced across Route 15 past several houses in the small quaint town. The locals were up and about with their families and Pokemon, many waving to the boy as he and his team passed.
"Alola, Satoshi!"
"Alola!"
"Char!
"Rio!
"Dile!" The four cried back with bright expressions as they approached the beach. Finally, they arrived to the sight of Wingull and Pelliper resting on some rocks and Clamperl in the surf.
"Alright, let's get warmed up!" Satoshi took a deep breath before his eyes glowed blue alongside the three Pokemon. From there, they began moving in synchronization, mirroring each other's motions while striking, biting, or slashing.
Satoshi tried to let loose some aura, but struggled to make it manifest beyond small spheres.
"Focus, Satoshi, focus!"
He nearly succeeded in making a stable aura sphere when a scream and crash caused him to stumble.
"Awwww!" The boy muttered with a crestfallen expression. He and his Pokemon then saw a little girl of the same age with light blonde hair, gray eyes, and fair skin fall from the trees alongside a Type Null.
"Ouch." She muttered.
"Selene?" Satoshi said, slightly confused.
"Ahh, Alola, Satoshi, sorry if we interrupted your training." Selen said with a slightly shameful expression. Satoshi sighed but nodded.
"Alola, Selene. It's fine. What were you doing in the trees like that?"
Selene gave a bashful expression while sweatdropping with her Type Null.
"Well, the thing is, we recently visited my Aunt Lillie and Uncle Koko in New Domino City. During most of the visit, I watched my uncle and cousins swing around on tree vines, and well, it looked pretty fun, so I thought I'd try it here."
Satoshi did his best not to laugh.
"Wasn't your uncle Koko raised by a Zarude?!"
"...Hai." Selene muttered.
"No wonder he can swing from trees like that then!" Satoshi couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing.
"Ehh?" Satoshi muttered, his aura senses warning him of approaching danger.
"Heads up!"
"Satoshi!" Selene cried.
The young boy yelped as something hard hit the back of his head and caused him to faceplant into the sand.
"Char!"
"Rio!"
"Dile!"
Satoshi's Pokemon frantically raced to his side and saw a sizable pump on his head with a water polo ball beside him.
"Ha ha ha ha ha ha! You should've ducked when I told you too!" Someone laughed from nearby.
"Pop!"
Satoshi rose up with fire surrounding him as he stared at another girl his age swimming in the ocean with a Popplio beside her. The girl had tanned skin like most Alolan natives, cyan eyes, and short dark-brown hair.
"Alola, Satoshi!" The girl added while still laughing.
"That wasn't funny, Kalua!" The Alolan girl and her Popplio snickered even while treading water.
"Can't you see I'm training here!"
"Char!"
"Rio!
"Dile!"
"So are we! I'm going to be the greatest Water Trainer in the world someday and the Alolan Champion! Isn't that right, Popplio!?"
"Pop!"
Satoshi now shook with rage.
"Yeah, right! I'm going to be Alolan Champion, just like my dad!"
"Char!"
"Rio!"
"Dile!"
Kalua continued to snicker.
"Just because your dad is Champion and Kaiser doesn't mean you will be, Satoshi!"
Selene and her Type Null sweatdropped while watching the two go at each other.
"Guys, please don't fight." She pleaded.
"Now be a good sport and give us our ball back."
Satoshi felt a nerve-twinge in his forehead for a moment but then gave a sinister grin with his Pokemon.
"Sure thing, Kalua. Catch!" Satoshi and Riolu's eyes glowed blue together before he tossed the water polo ball into the air. After doing so, both leaped up far higher than most normal humans could and thrust their hands against the ball.
"Satoshi, no!" Selene yelped in terror. Both trainer and Pokemon unleashed a burst of Aura that propelled the ball forward like a Draco meteor.
Kalua and Poppilio's eyes widened, and both screamed when the ball made contact. The resulting impact sent a massive fountain of water in all directions, with Kalua and Poppilio flying like ragdolls before landing in front of the others.
"Ahh! Kalua!" Selene yelped as she and Type Null ran over to check on them.
Satoshi and his Pokemon sweat dropped a little upon seeing what they'd just done.
"Uhhh, sorry-" Satoshi started before Kalua burst up with a near-feral expression as she grabbed him by his shirt and flashed her now pointy teeth.
"Were you trying to kill us with that blue magic of yours!"
Satoshi snarled back and grabbed Kalua by the shoulders.
"It's not magic! It's Aura!" He snapped back.
Selene exhaled with an exhausted look and sat down to watch the two go at each other.
"Just you watch Kalua. I'm going to become a Champion just like my dad!"
"Hmp, if you can beat me first! One day I'll have a vast team of Water Pokemon that will take the world by storm!"
"Satoshi!" A familiar voice shouted from a distance.
"Eh?"
"Satoshi, come on!"
"Ahhh! That's my dad! Alola!" Satoshi cried before he and his Pokemon ran off.
"Yeah, that's right, run! You're afraid of the future water master of the world!"
Selene sighed heavily again before smirking when she saw Kalua's eyes linger on Satoshi with a somewhat disappointed expression rather than victorious.
"Whatever you say, Kalua."
She turned to Selene with a suspicious look.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing." Selene giggled.
"I just thought you might be sad Satoshi is leaving so soon."
"Ehh!? As if! I'm glad he's not here to bother me! Popplio and I have some serious training to do!" Kalua snatched her ball and walked back to the water, but Selene kept giggling when she saw her friend slowly look back up on the ridge where Satoshi scaled the rocks with his Pokemon, showing immense strength despite his age.
Satoshi had climbed the cliffside with his Pokemon and reached the top when he saw his father, grandfather, and their Pokemon waiting for them.
"Sorry, I'm late, dad, Ojīsan."
"Chatting with your friends." Felix said with a growing smile.
Satoshi gave a slightly nervous look, particularly at the way his grandfather smirked at him.
"Are you ready?" Ash asked, smiling more confidently than his father.
"Hai!"
"Char!"
"Dile!"
"Rio!"
With Ash were Pikachu, Lucario, Charizard, Feraligatr, Greninja, and several others.
"Let's get started then!" Ash and his Pokemons' eyes glowed blue together, with Felix's team doing the same with him.
Satoshi took a deep breath and did the same with his Pokemon. For the next few hours, they trained with a fiery intensity. Ash and Felix both sparred with him, forcing their son/grandson to exert himself immensely and further draw upon his Aura.
At the same time, his Pokemon mirrored his motions as best they could while sparring with Ash/Felix's Pokemon, thus driving the bond between Pokemon and trainer.
"Scratch, Water gun, Metal Claw!" Satoshi cried while Ash effortlessly blocked his three successive blows.
"Char!
"Rio!"
"Dile!"
Charmander furiously attempted to slash at his father using the same techniques he'd taught him while also drawing on Satoshi's Aura for strength. Riolu and Totodile did much the same against Lucario, Feraligatr, and Greninja, but to identical results.
Satoshi sweated profusely as he tried to keep up with his father, Riolu, Charmander, and Totodile, finding themselves similarly exerted against their fathers. Even so, the team showed extreme determination.
Felix and Ash had noted Satoshi's inherently strong aura abilities, allowing him and his Pokemon to go farther than they should've been able to. Every so often, they stopped for a breather and switched to practicing more specific moves, techniques, and strategies.
It was lunchtime when they stopped for another break. Satoshi sat with his father and team while eating lunches Serena had already prepared for them.
"Ohhh! What happened then!?" Satoshi cried, nearly dropping his plate.
"Be careful. Your mother worked hard on that." Ash almost scolded Satoshi while catching his plate.
"Let's see, ahh yes, Pikachu and Groudon challenged Archie and Groudon in a climactic battle."
"Ahhh! Pikachu fought with Groudon!" Charmander, Riolu, and Totodile gawked at him in similar awe, causing Pikachu to place his hand behind his head bashfully.
Ash went on for several minutes, retelling stories of his various journeys to Satoshi, his Pokemon, and Felix. Each one sent the young trainer into a deeper spell of wonder and amazement.
"I can't believe all the things you did on your journey, dad! I can't wait until we start ours!" Satoshi's eyes gleamed while thinking about future adventures with his team.
Ash saw the passion in his son's expression and experienced a warm sensation inside himself while placing a hand on his shoulder.
"It won't always be fun times, Satoshi. You'll face hardships along the way, but that's what makes it worth it in the end." Ash looked back at Pikachu and his other Pokemon with a shared bond between them as they recalled their memories.
"Just remember that it's not your journey alone, but your Pokemon's, and your friends."
Satoshi thought about his father's words when he noticed Charmander staring off towards the ocean, or rather someone flying over it.
Ash, Satoshi, Felix, and the others all soon realized he was watching Charline and Serena both flying with each other.
The Charizard and Kalos Queen soared masterfully and elegantly in near-perfect synchronization. On the beach, Yvonne, Diago, and Delia all watched Serena practice with Charline.
Delia almost beamed when she saw the enraptured expressions on her grandchildren's faces. However, unknown to her, Yvonne and Diago had different reasons for their enthusiasm.
Yvonne and Fletchy lost themselves to Serena and Charline's flying. The little girl imagined herself in a wingsuit flying like her mother, however, not as a performer. Yvonne pictured a whole team of flying Pokemon flying beside her winning great battles against other sky trainers.
Diago, by contrast, became lost in the performance itself.
After a few more minutes, Serena Mega Evolved Charline into Charizard Y, and Charmander glanced down at the necklace he wore. Or rather, the piece of Charizardite X embedded inside.
Just before Satoshi caught him, Charmander's parents showed him all three pieces of Charizardite, explained each one, and told him to pick one. It had been a tough choice, but he ultimately liked the sound of Charizardite X the most.
However, it would still be a very long time before he ever Mega Evolved, which made him quite sad. Satoshi, Charizard, and Ash all noticed this, and the boy tried to cheer his partner up while Ash whispered something to Charizard, who smiled and nodded.
"Aahh ha ha ha!"
"Char!" Satoshi cried out in pure adrenaline while Charmander did the same.
Both held onto Charizard tight as he flew them over the ocean, Ash and Pikachu also on his back.
The young boy and his Pokemon savored this moment of adrenaline and awe with their fathers, who felt much the same.
"Grauuu!" Charizard roared fire with pride as he looked up at his son who held onto his head tightly.
"Char!" Charmander shot out a steady flamethrower, attempting to imitate his dad's example, making Charizard's smile widen.
Back on the cliffside, Riolu sat beside her father as they watched their respective trainers riding Charizard.
"Rio?"
Riolu asked Lucario, who patted her head.
"Grouuu." He assured his daughter that one day she'd surpass him but that she'd only do by her bond with Satoshi.
Less than two years later, a day after his tenth birthday, Satoshi stood at a gate in the Ula'ula island airport with his team, family, and another man Ash's age in a professor's lab coat and glasses standing beside him.
"Be sure you always have plenty of potions and spare clothes whenever you leave a town! Always get enough sleep, and make sure you eat good meals, not just junk food!" Serena nearly sounded frantic as she furiously inspected Satoshi's luggage again, finding just enough room to squeeze in another prepackaged meal.
"Mama, we'll be fine we-, ahh mama!" Satoshi protested as Serena wrapped her arms around him tightly and started kissing his cheek.
Charmander and Riolu mirrored his trainer's expression as Charline and Delphox similarly nuzzled them. Totodile, however, eagerly nuzzled her father as he said his goodbyes.
"Good luck onii chan!" Yvonne said from nearby. Fletchy rested on her shoulder, but she also had a very young female Charmander in her arms. Like Satoshi's Charmander and their parents, she had a necklace around her neck, with a piece of Charizardite Y in the center like Charline.
"Make sure you win lots of battles and catch plenty of flying Pokemon!"
"Char!"
"I'm going to balance my team, Yvonne."
"Hmm, flying Pokemon are the best, onii chan." She said matter of factly.
"Are you sure?" Satoshi snickered as his sister noticed someone else who'd come to see her brother off.
"How long is Satoshi leaving for?" Diago asked while standing beside Ash. Like Yvonne, he also held a Pokemon in his arms, but instead of a Charmander, he held a female Eevee cub with yellowish fur.
"Eevee?" Eevee similarly asked Sylveon and Pikachu, who nervously looked at each other as they tried to explain this situation to their young daughter.
Ash, Felix, and Delia tried to contain their emotions as they watched Satoshi prepare to leave. The Kaiser flashed back to the day he started his journey and everything that followed. Now, his son would have the same chance.
For Delia, it was like seeing Ash off again. For Felix, it was the chance he'd never had with Ash, and both grandparents struggled to maintain their composure.
When Serena finally withdrew, with a little help from Ash, the Kaiser came forward with Charizard and Lucario. All three fathers placed a hand on their child's shoulder.
"Satoshi, remember everything we taught you. You'll have good times and bad, but you'll never be alone. You have your Pokemon, your friends, and your family."
"Hai! I won't forget, dad! This is our time! We're going to become the greatest team in the world!"
"Char!"
"Dile!"
"Rio!"
All four fathers smiled back with matching pride.
"Remember your dreams, Satoshi, and never give up. Never give up until the end."
After one final hug, Ash and his Pokemon withdrew.
"Alright, Satoshi. Once we arrive in New Viridian City, I'll get you registered for the Mirai League."
"Hai, Professor!" Satoshi said as Tracy nodded and turned back to Ash.
"Don't worry. I'll keep a close eye on Satoshi as he travels through Mirai. The new PokeDex advanced are incredibly effective, and he can reach out to me anytime he needs something." Tracy emphasized a new, highly advanced Pokedex device on his wrist and Satoshi's.
"Arigatōgozaimashita, Tracy, we appreciate it." Ash said.
"Alright, let's go!" Satoshi returned his Pokemon to their Pokeballs and was about to run into the airplane when he felt his father grab him.
"Hold on, Satoshi, aren't you forgetting something?" Ash almost chuckled. Satoshi sweatdropped when he noticed two girls his age waiting for him.
"Ahh, sorry, Selene, Kalua."
Selene looked quite understanding, but Kalua's teeth sharpened, and her face lit up in a fiery rage.
"You forget about us already!?" Kalua roared while her parents tried to calm her down.
"They grow up so fast, don't they." Gladion sighed as he and his wife Moon stood behind Selene and beside Ash.
"Hai, but I'm glad he'll get to start his own path now."
Gladion nodded while gazing at his daughter.
"Selene is starting her own journey too. Moon and I have dreaded her leaving, but she's insistent on heading to Unova."
"They're the next generation. The future is theirs."
Satoshi, Selene, and Kalua stood in a triangle while looking at each other.
"You off to Mirai, me off to Unova, and Kalua off to Kanto. This is quite the day. I'm going to miss you both so much." Selene said.
"Hmp, well, you'd best prepare yourself, Satoshi. The next time you see me, I'll be Elite Four Misty's top disciple and a world-class Water Pokemon trainer!" Kalua proudly declared.
"We'll see once I win the Mirai league and a dozen others!" The two shared a fiercely competitive gaze before Kalua wilted a little.
"Just make sure you write to me, I mean us. I need to make sure you aren't getting yourself into trouble with that Aura magic of yours."
"It's not magic!" Satoshi growled back, which made Serena and Delia giggle.
"Those two sure are good friends." Ash said innocently, making his wife and mother sigh.
"Some things never change." Serena muttered before kissing a slightly confused Ash's cheek.
"Eh?"
"Nevermind, mon amour."
Satoshi nearly got on the plane when he gave one final look back at his family, Serena struggling not to tear up.
With a wave goodbye and a passionate smile, he joined Professor Tracy on the airplane.
Almost a year later, Satoshi sat on a hillside overlooking much of New Viridian City from one of its nature reserves. The setting sun bathed Mirai's greatest city with an ocean of deep orange light as Satoshi carefully read a hand-written letter from Kalua he'd received just the other day.
"And with Icy Wing, Brionne took the battle! I won't lie, it was the hardest battle we'd ever faced, but now my team has beaten all three of the Sensational Sisters, and Elite Four Misty has formally taken me as a student! Though I suppose it didn't hurt that Misty and Rudy's son has become a Fire-Type Trainer instead of water. His loss! I hear you finally got eight of Mirai's badges and will compete in the Mirai League soon. I look forward to seeing you on TV, and don't you dear lose, Satoshi! That honor belongs to me and me alone! Sincerely, Kalua."
Satoshi exhaled deeply and felt his hands tremble slightly while reading the last bit again.
Sitting around him was Charmeleon, Riolu, Croconaw, a Pidgeotto, Treecko, and Absol. Each of them shared Satoshi's somber expression as they stared off longingly towards the Mirai Stadium.
Only an hour earlier, he stood on one end of the stadium's battlefield, his body shaking and his face contorted in distress as he saw Charmeleon on his side before him.
"Char." Charmeleon groaned, his body heavily bruised, and his eyes swirled.
"Charmeleon." Satoshi muttered, his Pokemon's pain shared with him via their aura bond.
"Charmeleon is unable to battle! Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the winner of this year's Mirai League is Hano Chojiro!"
"Blaziken, we did it!" A fourteen-year-old trainer opposing Satoshi raced over to embrace his panting Blaziken, who lowered his leg after the finishing kick that knocked out Charmeleon.
The fact of his loss finally sunk in, and Satoshi fell to his knees beside Charmeleon, wrapping both arms around him.
"I'm sorry, Charmeleon."
Back on the hilltop, Satoshi stared at his eight gym badges alongside his team and felt a tear fall onto the first one.
Charlemelon similarly clenched his eyes shut and braced himself against the intense emotions within all of them. They'd come so close, only to lose at the end.
Satoshi was about to break down harder when he and the others sensed a few familiar auras.
"Satoshi, we've been looking for you." A warm and soothing voice reached his ears, but Satoshi already knew who it was by their Aura.
"I'm sorry, we just needed some time alone, mama."
Serena sat down beside her oldest child while Delphox did the same with Riolu, Charline with Charmeleon, and Absol with Satoshi's Absol.
At first, none of them spoke, and Serena merely provided Satoshi some comfort with her presence alone.
"Satoshi, you and your Pokemon did made us very proud today." The Kalos Queen spoke with utter sincerity, but her son only nodded slightly.
"...Hai."
"Satoshi, you went for broke in that battle-" Serena tried to assure him, only for Satoshi's head to lower.
"But it wasn't enough. Even after all our training, all our hard work over this last year, we failed."
"Char."
"Rio."
"Naw."
"Tree."
"Otto."
"Sol." Satoshi's Pokemon did the same, with Charline now vigorously nuzzling Charmeleon and Delphox doing the same to Riolu.
"Satoshi! Have you forgotten everything your father and I taught you!"
"Grauu!"
"Phox!" Serena sounded slightly sterner as she placed both hands on her son's shoulders, forcing him to look her in the eyes.
"Your father didn't succeed in any Pokemon league for years! Nor did I become Kalos Queen on my first go! Losing and failure are part of your growth, Satoshi."
The boy and his Pokemon sighed again.
"I just really thought we had it, dad's training. Our Aura...If we couldn't win with all of that-"
"Satoshi, listen to me! You can't let this keep you down indefinitely. Working towards your dream is where you'll truly be alive. Sometimes things might not work out as you hoped, and it feels depressing. But that just gives you so much more joy when you do succeed."
Satoshi began to tremble again when he saw a passionate and inspiring smile emerge on his mother's face.
"Satoshi, if you're ever hesitating, then you need to get yourself moving. Even if you don't succeed, you're still left with something. Nothing you ever do is pointless."
Satoshi and his Pokemon felt a fire light inside them, which burned away their sorrow like a wildfire.
"Mama!" Satoshi hugged Serena tightly, while Charmeleon and Riolu did the same with their mothers.
"You're right! This is only just the beginning! We're going to compete in more leagues and keep growing together until we achieve our dreams!" Satoshi roared, his and his Pokemons' eyes flashing blue together as they roared in unison.
Serena beamed slightly when she saw her son's passion return in force.
Two years passed, and Satoshi stood in the entry tunnel of another stadium, reading another handwritten letter he'd just gotten that morning.
"That's right, Satoshi, you're talking to the latest winner of the Orange Island League! Mahri was a bulwark of a challenge, especially her Dewgong. But Blastoise really came through, all thanks to our training with Misty! I wish I could be there for your league match, but sensei wants us to do some more training in the Orange Islands. I'll be watching you on tv though, don't lose this time. You hear me!"
Satoshi smiled when he saw a picture enclosed of Kalua with her full team holding a trophy, Misty nearby with a proud expression.
"Kalua, I suppose you're ahead of me now." Satoshi heard the crowds cheering just ahead and stood tall while facing the battlefield.
"Time to correct that!"
He took his spot in the Indigo Stadium and faced off in the Indigo League's final match against none other than Hano Chojiro.
"Dragon Rush!"
"Grauuu!"
"Blaziken!" Hano yelped as he watched his partner skid across the battlefield after enduring a punishing Dragon Rush from Satoshi's Charizard. The fire-lizard and his trainer's eyes flashing blue together as he did so.
"And Satoshi's Charizard lands a crushing blow, but Hano's Blaziken isn't done just yet!" The audience let out bursting applause while Satoshi remained in a fighting stance.
"You've gotten exponentially better, Satoshi. I won't deny it." Hano also smiled as his Blaziken leaped up and back onto his feet.
"But so have we! Blaziken, mega synch!" Hano revealed a keystone in his watch while his Blaziken showed off a piece of Blazikenite in a bracelet on his right wrist.
"Look at that!" The announcer cried as Blaziken transformed into Mega Blaziken.
"So it begins." Ash said while watching from a private box with the rest of his family. Serena, Charizard, and Charline all looked closer as Satoshi and Charizard smiled back.
"Finally! Charizard, let's go!"
"Grauuu!" Satoshi and Charizard's eyes flashed blue together again as he too touched a keystone ring, lighting up the Charizardite around Charizard's neck.
"Grauuuu!" Mega Charizard X roared upon emerging from the colorful sphere.
"Now it's a Mega Evolution battle!"
"Close Combat!"
"Dragon claw!" Charizard X and Mega Blaziken raced forward before shaking the battlefield with their initial impact. Both let loose a series of continuous blows against each other, each blocking or parrying the opposing strikes with overwhelming speed and power.
However, Hano saw more sweat and visible strain emerge on his Mega Blaziken while Charizard X showed no signs of slowing, particularly as his eyes flashed blue with Satoshi, who seemed to be mirroring his Pokemon's movements.
Additionally, Charizard X's blows looked more like expert fighting/swordplay moves than regular blows, giving him an edge.
"Now!"
"Grauuu!" Charizard X landed two blows across the inside of Blaziken's arms and then quickly followed up with another pair against his chest.
"Blaze!"
"Dragon Rush!"
"Grauuu!" Without missing a beat, Charizard X covered himself in dragon energy and charged straight into Mega Blaziken, carrying him across the battlefield.
"Blaze." Blaziken muttered, landing hard in his base form.
"Blaziken is unable to battle. The winner of the battle and this year's Indigo League, Satoshi Ketchum!"
The crowd erupted into overwhelming applause, and Satoshi didn't waste a single moment before charging over to Charizard X.
"Grauuu!" Charizard X nearly teared up as he embraced his partner. Soon, Lucario, Grovyle, Feraligatr, Pigeot, and Absol came out and joined the embrace.
"Satoshi." Serena felt tears of joy stream down her face while Charline did much the same.
"Grauu!" Charizard nearly shook the Indigo Stadium with a roar of utter pride in his son.
Ash showed virtually the same enthusiasm and screamed with Pikachu, congratulating Satoshi on winning, while Yvonne, Fletchy (now Fletchinder), and her Charmeleon similarly cried out.
"Satoshi, you did it!"
"Fletch!"
"Char!"
Sitting nearby was young Diago, who had his Eevee in his lap and a very small Charmander beside him. Like his older brother and sister, the Charmander wore a necklace with a piece of Charizardite inside, his being Charizardite Z.
Diago clapped for his older brother and was certainly happy that he'd won. However, the boy didn't have much interest in the battle itself, looking somewhat bored despite the intense nature of the match. His Charmander and Eevee gave matching expressions, all three picturing themselves doing something else.
Almost five years passed, and Satoshi's body emanated with a blue aura around him as he furiously sparred with the legendary Pokemon Orahaoya within her temple on Ora.
"Come on, Mentor! Kick his butt!"
"Don't give up, Satoshi!" Several dozen voices cried out in support of the fighters. Riley, Gima, their Lucarios, and all of the other Aura Guardians.
Satoshi didn't fight alone. His Charizard, Lucario, Sceptile, Pidgeot, Feraligatr, and Absol fought beside him in perfect synchronization while facing down a Mega Tyranitar, Mega Lucario, Mega Medicham, Mega Aerodactyl, Mega Swampert, and Mega Manectric respectfully.
Despite this, Satoshi and his team retained the trademark confident expressions they'd inherited from Ash and his team.
Orahaoya, despite going at Satoshi with everything she had, barely contained a smile of pure joy while sparring with him.
"That's it! Channel your Aura! Let the power of your bond bring you to greater hights!"
"Ahh, Satoshi-kun, keep fighting!" Riley and Gima sweatdropped when they saw their teenage daughter almost floating with hearts for eyes and hands clasped together.
Nor was she the only one. Most of the aura Guardians and guardian recruits Satoshi's age swooned for him, just like Riley and Gima's daughter.
Sweat poured down Satoshi and his team's backs, but they didn't relent.
"Now!"
Satoshi looked to each of his Pokemon, who eagerly nodded.
"Alright, let's go!" The Aura Guardians watched in awe as Satoshi revealed a keystone ring on each hand, two more keystones in bracers on his wrists, and a fifth one hanging around his neck.
"Gaaaaaahh!" Satoshi's eyes glowed blue as he touched all five keystones and then raised his hand to Feraligatr, who raised her right paw back. Orahaoya watched like a proud parent as Charizard, Lucario, Sceptile, Pidgeot, and Absol all Mega Evolved, while a watery veil surrounded
Feraligatr until she emerged in a Bond-Evolved form. Satoshi-Feraligatr.
"Let's go!"
"Grauuu!"
"Grouuu!"
"Gatr!"
"Tile!"
"Ot!"
"Sol!" The fight quickly turned in Satoshi's favor, with all six of his Pokemon overcoming their opponents while he channeled an aura Sphere to meet Orahaoya's.
Both erupted in an aura pulse that shook the temple, but both remained standing and panting.
The Aura Guardians chanted for their Mentor and her student, who both clasped hands together.
Later that afternoon, Satoshi and his team sat down and ate lunch while resting after a long morning of training.
"Satoshi-kun!" Charizard and the others gave annoyed glances when they saw their trainer's many female admirers trying to approach him from every direction.
"Enough!" The young women jumped in fright as Orahaoya appeared behind Satoshi via aura portal.
"Ahh, forgive us, mentor!" The young women raced off in different directions, and Orahaoya sighed.
"I suppose it can't be helped. You being so handsome, charming, and skilled."
"Do you say such things about all your students? Or I wonder if I'm special in some way." Satoshi smirked at Orahaoya, who now looked slightly nervous.
"Well, you-"
"After all, I'd visited this temple one time even before becoming your student."
Orahaoya now trembled.
"I, you-"
Satoshi broke out laughing with his Pokemon, causing Orahaoya to exhale deeply.
"That's not funny. You still remind me of Aaron, maybe even more now than you did as a baby." Orahaoya sat down beside Satoshi and watched him closely. For almost three years, he'd been her student, training as an Aura Warrior, and they'd been the happiest years in Orahaoya's life since her freedom.
She'd accepted Satoshi wasn't Aaron almost eighteen years ago, but even so, her love for him hadn't waned. That was when the Mother of Aura noticed a handwritten letter in his hand. Orahaoya's expression changed as she noticed an odd look on her student's face and a similar feeling in his aura.
"Another letter from your childhood friend?"
Satoshi nodded.
"Kalua is doing well. She's just won the Mt. Silver Conference and is wondering how long I'll stay on this island."
Orahaoya's heart raced slightly. She wanted him to remain there as one of her Guardians, but deep down knew he was destined to leave.
Orahaoya looked closer and chuckled when she saw a rather detailed and gratuitous threat written in the letter.
"So you've told her about your many admirers." Satoshi's Pokemon chuckled while he sweatdropped.
"Hai."
"Ahhh, it's a good thing she hasn't come here for their sake. It sounds like she really wants to see you again."
"Hai, she's been itching for us to have a proper battle since we both left on our journeys years ago. I haven't seen her in person since then." Satoshi sounded rather longing as well.
Orahaoya took a deep breath and grit her teeth.
"Then you should."
"Mentor?"
Orahaoya took Satoshi by the shoulders and stared deeply into his eyes.
"Satoshi, there's little more I can teach you. You and your team are Aura Warriors proper. The time has come for you to resume your journeys."
Satoshi looked back at his team, who each vigorously nodded.
"Hai!" Satoshi hugged Orahaoya tightly.
"Arigatōgozaimashita, for everything."
Orahaoya didn't speak. She merely savored Satoshi's embrace and teared up.
That afternoon, she and Satoshi raced through the jungle canopy one last time, his Pokemon following close beside him. One by one, Satoshi Mega Evolved them and ended with Bond Evolving Feraligatr as they reached the island's edge and formed up, all eight staring out at the horizon.
"Here we come!"
"Grauuu!"
"Grouuu!"
"Gatr!"
"Ot!"
"Tile!"
"Sol!"
"Grouuuuu!
Author's note
Sorry if you wanted more details on Satoshi, but as the title states, this chapter covers much of his early life, he's about eighteen by the end of this chapter. However, that doesn't mean his Journey is over
Expect to see more legacy characters/kids throughout the next few stories and this one
So until next time,
Please review, comment, suggest, or ask, (VIA PM)