Lately Ash was having strange dreams. It was about a guy named Red who seemed a bit cocky in his opinion. He had the dream every night in a region that he never heard of before and sometimes he could hear Arceus' voice calling out to him. However, the Pokémon trainer was rudely awakened by a thunder shock thanks to his Pokémon partner Pickachu. That was when the ten year old remembered that he was on a train trying to escape Kanto. He then began to remember how it all started.

It all started when he was headed back home after his win in Alola.

"It is finally good to be home, right buddy?" Ash asked his Pokémon who nodded in agreement. The then let out an adorable 'chu' as the mouse rubbed against his cheek. "I know, let's have a race and see who can get their first. Ready, set, go." The trainer ran just as soon as Pickachu hopped off his shoulder.

"I win! Mom, I'm home!" The raven yelled out with the yellow mouse yelling after in its own language.

"Welcome home Ash! I made you lunch but first you have to check in with Professor Oak because he wants to see you."

"Ok mom! I can't wait to see the others again!" Ash then ran outside with Pickachu who followed right after. Once he arrived he heard voices coming from inside the laboratory.

"Professor?" Ash thought to himself.

"Yeah and we know what to do." Another voice said. This time it was Misty. At that moment the Pokémon trainer was nervous so he tiptoed quietly and was careful not to make a sound when he opened the door. Quietly, Ash opened the door and saw all of his past rivals and travel companions. There was Gary, Misty, Brock, Tracy, May, Max, Drew, Paul, Iris, Cilain, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, Lana, Kiawe, Lille, Sophocles, Mallow and Gladion but he couldn't find Dawn.

"What is everyone doing here and why does everyone look so angry?" Ash was clueless. That was when everyone saw him and told him to come in.

"We think that you should try something new." Tracy was straight to the point. Ash, on the other hand, had a blank expression.

"Yeah, you lost six leagues and I bet you drugged your Pokémon in order to win the Alolan League." Misty accused. Once Ash realized what was going on, his eyes widened in horror while Pickachu held the trainer protectively.

"I think you should turn yourself in before things get ugly and I think that you would have done better if you did contests instead." Serena suggested.

"Or he would have done better at inventing. I would have been happy to show him the ropes." Clemont added.

"I think he should get a job that would earn him more favors." Cilain agreed.

"I am sorry to say this but now that you have a record I am going to have to suspend your trainer's license until the issue is resolved. You understand and your dream is just that, a dream and nothing more. It is time you wake up to reality my boy." Oak said sadly. It was at that moment that the ravens' heart shattered to pieces. All the ten year old wanted to do was run so he did. He ran and cried all the way home with Pickachu still on his shoulder.

"Ash honey, what is wrong?"

"Everyone told me to give up my dream but I am not worried about it because the next time I see them I am going to prove them wrong!"

"That's the spirit, you are never one to be down for too long but how can we do it? I recently just got off the phone with Professor Oak and told me that he was going to suspend your trainers license. At this point they mind as well brand you as a criminal."

"Don't worry mom, I'll think of something." The trainer reassured me. If he was honest, the ten year old had know clue because he literally had no plan. His most important concern however, was how to get his previous Pokémon away from Oak. He needed some time to think so he decided to go outside in order to get some fresh air. It was now nightfall and both Ash and Pickachu never realized how far they had wandered away from the house.

"Uh oh, I think that we wandered off too far." Pickachu sighed once the moment dawned on the trainer.

"Do not fret, my chosen one. You are safe." Said a mysterious voice.

"Arceus, is that you?" Ash said, recognizing the voice.

"It is thee, once thee heard about thy situation thee had to come to your rescue at once. May their souls be cursed with eternal damnation."

"Thanks."

"No need for thanks, it is my duty to guide thy chosen one. Please do not allow the cruel action of others to harden your heart. Thee have a mission for you. Restore thy Reborn region to its former glory." The voice then vanished out of thin air once both the trainer and Pokémon snapped out of it.

"Restore the Reborn region? Never heard of it." Ash said to himself and shrugged his shoulders. Before they even realized it, the duo found themselves in an abandoned train station. It was a bit creepy and Ash's fear of ghosts did not help him at all. Pickachu was just as scared and held its trainers' shoulder tightghly.

"Do you think that area over there might be the place to purchase a ticket?" Ash then patted his pockets and realized that he didn't bring any money after the incident. "Do you think whoever is in charge might be a bit understanding?" Pickachu shook his head while the trainer laughed nervously.

"Welcome." Said a voice that seemed to come out of nowhere. Slowly both Ash and Pickachu turned around to see a creepy woman in her thirties. She was a bit pale and wore a conductors' uniform that was torn to shreds. It was almost as if she were a zombie.

"Are you Ash Ketchum?" Said the woman.

"Yes." Ash replied, trying to be polite.

"Ah, here it is. I have your reservation all set. I hope that you loathe your ride." The woman said in complete monotone.

"Thanks." The raven said nervously, taking his ticket. The ten year old then felt an ominous wind as he wondered what he had gotten himself into. For what felt like a long time the train finally came. Ash gulped once he saw the fog surround it. Slowly and carefully, Ash stepped on the train. Back in the present time, once the kid woke up he saw that they were headed to what looked like an invisible force field.

There were other trainers on the train as well but they all looked like beginners. Ash briefly wondered how they ended up here as well but decided to pay no mind to them.

"We have arrived at our destination. Please have a lousy rest of the day." A voice said coming from a speaker. Once the duo got off the train they saw a runaway Absol.

"That can't be a good sign." Ash thought to himself.

"Excuse me but have you seen a runaway absol by any chance?"

"Yeah, I just saw him. He went that way. Is he yours?"

"No, it belongs to another trainer. For some reason, it keeps coming out of its poke ball and runs off. My name is Ame and I am an official of the Reborn region."

"I'm Ash and this is my partner Pickachu."

"Pika." Pickachu said while Ash shook her hand.

"Wow, I have never seen a bond like yours before. Can I ask you how long you have been together?" Ame said with stars in her eyes while pulling Ash bending him over as a result.

"Eight years."

"Really? You don't look like it."

"Yeah, I get that a lot."

"Well, then I guess that means that you are no beginner."

"How many years have you traveled?"

"Seven."

"Impressive."

"Really? Because none of my friends seem to think so."

"Well if they think that then they aren't really your friends. I think that the best revenge is to live well. Say, why don't you sign up for the Reborn league? We need a champion and we think that you might be it. Yup, I have a good feeling about you."

"You think so? To tell you the truth I actually came for a challenge."

"You have come to the right place because not only is the Reborn League difficult, it also has eighteen gyms."

"Eighteen?" Ash was shocked.

"Pika!"

"Yup, one gym leader for each type and they all have a full Pokémon team of six." Ame explained as she pointed to a camera above showing black silhouettes of each of the gym leaders.

"All of them?" Ash was still shocked.

"Chu." Ame then nodded before she turned and saw Ash's Z-Ring.

"I haven't seen those in a while." She then pulled the trainer's hand. Ash then realized what Ame was talking about and said,"Yeah the last region I went to was Alola. Tapu Koko gave it to me."

"Well, we'll, you are something else."

"Yeah, so what happened to Reborn?"

"An incident happened a few years ago," she sighed. " and while I am being honest we only just got things off the ground.

"Sounds like you have your hands full."

"Yeah but if it wasn't a challenge it wouldn't be any fun." Ame then paused for a moment. "Oh shoot, I knew I forgot something!" The official then left in a hurry once she remembered that she was still chasing Absol. "See you around kid." Ash then waved back but couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched.

"You there!" Said a voice coming out of nowhere. When Ash turned around, he saw a silhouette. In fact, the trainer could have mistaken it for a ghost which spooked him thinking about it. All of a sudden the figure attacked the kid but luckily law enforcement came in just in time to protect him. All the trainer knew was that he needed to get out of there.

Thankfully there were more guards on standby who were able to escort everyone out of the building including Ash and his Pickachu. Ash was glad that no one got hurt during evacuation but he was worried about Ame since she was still in there looking for some trainer's Absol.

"Thank Arceus you are alive." Said Ame who seemed to appear out of nowhere nearly giving the duo a heart attack. Ash then turned to Ame and then the station which was now completely blown up.

"Wow." Another voice called out. The three then turned around to see a woman. She was about Ame's age with teal color hair, a yellow headband which ran down her shoulders, a yellow shirt and a dark yellow skirt that matched her long socks.

"Julia!" Did you do this?" Ame demanded. Julia then placed a hand above her chest and said,"You would really think that I would blow up a train?"

"That's true." Ame sighed. "Julia, this is Ash."

"Say no more! My name is Julia and welcome to the Reborn region!" Julia shouted while doing a dance. Ash felt awkward by this and hoped that it wouldn't distract the police. Before he could respond, he smelled something terrible making him cover his mouth while Pickachu followed suit.

"What is that smell? The raven asked.

"The ocean." Julia answered as she lowered her pom poms. The duo then turned around to see the ocean, uncovered their mouths with their eyes wide open. The ocean wasn't blue but was instead brown filled with Gimer's and other poison type Pokémon. Both trainer and Pokémon were both horrified by the sight.

"This is the Reborn region?" Ash asked himself. "What have we gotten ourselves into?