Feeling somewhat nostalgic, so I returned to an old stomping ground of mine.

First things first, don't expect much from this drabble.

Like the title said, this is an outline of a Pokémon story that had been haunting me for years.

This is an outline of a story that has been dancing in my head for years now.

I've always asked how Ash can earned the title of Pokemon Master, and I've come up with an idea on how Ash could be granted the title of Pokémon Master.

That idea would be presented next chapter, because I would at least elaborate on the ideas that I presented in this story in one more drabble.

After that drabble, don't expect this to be turned into a full story. I am just trying to reacquaint myself to writing longer stories again.

My focus is on my Mahouka fanfiction. This is merely practice regardless of my want to write this story before Generation 9 comes out.

This drabble is an unedited cluster fuck, so just please try to find some enjoyment in this brain fart of mine.

A Hero's Outline Towards Pokémon Mastery and Love

EXPERIENCE

Since the beginning of his journey, Ash Ketchum had face trials and tribulations that a man twice his age should not face.

Since the age of 10, Ash had face situations that would have broken a lesser man, much less a child.

Nevertheless, Ash faced everything the world could throw at him, and he emerged stronger than ever. Although, he would not claim that he came out of those trials without any wounds. There were reasons on why he carries sleeping pills in his bag, and why he carries medication for anxiety.

Still, Ash's experiences shaped him to the teenager that he is today.

That is why, at the age 15, after traversing through the eight major regions, six of them on foot, Ash was about to commit what amounts to career suicide within the Pokémon League.

Ash is a person shaped by his experiences, and the instincts that was sharpen through his countless face-offs against megalomaniacs and Gods made him aware that something big was going to happen. He has a suspicion on what that things is going to be, and he was preparing countermeasures to prevent the worst possible outcome.

If there was one benefit that Ash enjoyed having after years of being a hero, it is the connections that he was able to cultivate.

It was time to use those connections.

ATTACK

Ash knew that he was being attack.

An outside observer would not noticed the attack happening on his person, but Ash had enough experience and know-how under his belt to know what a social assassination looks like.

Ash did not know whether to laugh or cry at how easily his friends was being swayed against him, but he could live with that.

Ash loves his friends, and whatever damage this attack would do to his person, he'll overcome it. Whatever damage this would do to his closest relations, he will have it fix.

For now though, he will continue acting like a fool.

He will deck the bastard after everything was said and done.

CONNECTIONS

It was rare for more than one regional champion to be in the same vicinity, much less six.

The champion of Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Kalos, Alola and Galar gathered in one room, as well as Unova's former Champion, Alder.

Normally, only Charles Goodshow, the chairman of the Pokémon League can summon all of them in one place for a meeting, but all of them had met Ash Ketchum before, and each one of them possesses enough fondness for him to meet up with him, even in secret.

Plus, Ash sounded very urgent when he called them.

When Ash met them, the Champions, especially Cynthia and Professor Kukui, were instantly worried. This was the first time the champions saw ash having an expression that was both stress and serious at the same time.

Ash, for his part, politely greeted the champions before presenting his findings for the tragedy that he wanted to prevent at all cost.

When push comes to shove, Ash Ketchum, full name Ashura Satoshi Ketchum, can be a very dangerous man.

SACRIFISE

Ash hated making sacrifices. He really, really, hated making sacrifices.

Nonetheless, to prevent this cluster fuck, sacrifices are necessary, and unfortunately, he was the one who has to make the sacrifices.

Ash has got to give credit where credit is due, Giovanni knows where to hit him where it hurts.

Losing his friends sucks.

Especially Serena.

Losing Serena hurt the most.

That being said, Ash continued with his path.

He has a lot of friendships to repair after everything is said and done, but he is confident that he can gain his friends back, and their bonds will be reinforce when this little cluster fuck is over and done.

Just a bit more patience.

Still, Ash made a mental note to deck Giovanni really, really hard.

VINDICTIVE

Ash was not one to carry grudges. He had easily forgiven Gary after he had disregarded their friendship, although Ash would concede that he was equally as immature as Gary in their childhood years, and he had easily formed a cordial relationship with Paul regardless of their different philosophies when it comes to Pokémons and Pokémon Training, as well as the latter's less than stellar personality and attitude.

Ash doesn't hold grudges. Ash doesn't even hate.

That being said, Ash has a temper, and his temper had been simmering since his friends were turned against him.

When the opportunity arose to release his temper, Ash took it.

Ash's absolute best team is as follow.

Pikachu, his best friend and most trusted partner. Charizard, his strongest Fire type and his most well trained Pokémon. Sceptile, his strongest Grass type Pokémon as well as the most resourceful. Infernape, his most skilled Pokémon when it comes to battling as well as his most resilient. Greninja, his strongest water type Pokémon and his Strongest Pokémon period, end of story. And finally, Lucario, his most versatile Pokémon at hand.

This six Pokémon had carried him to 4th place in the Pokémon World Coronation Series. They would have carried him to 2nd place if he did not run into Cynthia in the semi-finals.

Cynthia absolutely demolished him in the semi-finals.

A motivated and feral Cynthia is not just dangerous and terrifying, but also extremely beautiful and incredibly sexy.

Ash might be dense when it comes to romance, but only an absolute tool would not find Cynthia attractive.

But Ash digress.

Ash took his six best Pokémon, and he personally led the raid against Team Rocket in their Kanto Headquarters.

A trivia regarding Ash's best team, five out of six of them can perform Battle Bond Evolution. Pikachu was tempted to evolve to a Raichu before the raid. Both Ash and Pikachu knows that Bond Evolution is within their reach if Pikachu was willing to evolve. In the end though, Pikachu choose not to evolve. Not because he was against becoming a Raichu, Pikachu had long since overcame his dislike of evolving, but because, in his very soul, he knows that being Raichu is not the formed that he was destined to have, Bond Evolution with Ash or not.

Ash understood this and respected Pikachu's decision. Also, Ash preferred it this way anyways. After all, even if Pikachu cannot Bond Evolve, Z-moves are still available for Pikachu to have.

And Ash and Pikachu made full use of their mastery over Z-moves.

Ash began the raid by having Pikachu unleashed 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt upon Team Rocket's Primary Headquarters.

5 Battle Bond Evolutions later, as well as a strategic applications of Breakneck Blitz and, Corkscrew Crash, and a particular sadistic application of one Gigavolt Havoc, and Ash can now proudly put Team Rocket as another Criminal Organization that he dismantled in his very impressive Heroic resume.

Also, Ash took particular glee in dragging Giovanni at the back of his collar to the nearest prisoner van.

If Giovanni's limbs were bend in an odd angles, and that both of his eyes were swollen shut, nobody had the guts to mention it.

Lance even had this proud look on his face. That was something to behold.

HIDE

Ash made a lists of what he was going to do after Team Rocket was abolished.

Strangely enough, repairing his relations with his friends were listed at the number 2 spot.

His priority was organizing pardons for Jessie, James, and Meowth. Regardless of the headaches the trio had given him in his five years as a Pokémon Trainer, and regardless of the fact that they cost the Indigo Plateau Conference, although Ash was less salty about this considering that he knows that he would have had finished in the Top 8 in that conference regardless, he still considered the trio as part of his friends.

Five years, eight regions, those three were the only constant in his life, journey, and adventures, and in a weird, bizarre way, he appreciated the trio for the familiarity that they provided him.

He also gave them the funds to begin their own business.

Those three sucks at being evil, but holy shit, those three could run a great business if given half the chance.

Hopefully, Ash had done enough in order for those three to live a successful and happy life from this point forward. He also gave James extra cash so that the bluennette can buy a ring and proposed to Jessie already. Seriously, those two have been dancing around each other for years now, that even he, the densest trainer in the continent had noticed their mutual interest for each other.

Now that his favorite idiots are handled and taken care of, it was time repair friendships and bonds.

Ash was intending to start with Serena first.

She was his favorite friend after all, and Ash would concede that he can one day give his heart to the girl.

Aside from Cynthia, Serena was the only girl that he has long term attraction to.

There was this one girl that he met during the Battle Frontier Challenge, but she was more fascinating than attractive to him at that point.

Ash's feelings for Serena was not yet love, Ash was not ready for that level of commitment, but he could see himself falling for Serena one day.

And for that day to possibly come, he needs to repair the damage that had been done in their friendship.

Unfortunately, the world decided to throw another trial at his way.

Apparently, Ash was currently too hot for the Pokémon League at the moment.

Yes, Ash had spearheaded the dissolution of Team Rocket. Yes, Ash had prevented a region wide takeover of the Pokémon League, in all eight regions. The champions in each of the regions, the chairperson of each of those regions, and Mr. Charles Goodshow were thankful for his efforts, and they were grateful for his preemptive warnings and actions.

That being said, Ash had to crack some eggs in order to finish Team Rocket completely. He had to dig up dirt and air dirty laundry in order to flush out Giovanni's people out of the League.

Subsequently, that cause distrust to blossom towards the Pokémon League, and although the higher ups did not hold a grudge against Ash for what he did, a stained League is better than a corrupted one, there were still some resentment directed at him.

Mr. Goodshow suggested for Ash to lay low for a few months until things cool down within the Regions, as well as to allow him, the Champions, and a handful of people that he trust to run damage control and clean up some of the dirt that they might have missed.

It would also allow Mr. Goodshow to stop the character assassination that being directed at Ash's direction.

Team Rocket outlived all Criminal Syndicates within the Eight Regions for a reason

The character assassination might be at its infancy, but it was better to end that before Ash's name was dragged to the mud and soiled beyond repair.

Ash didn't want to hide. Ash didn't particularly care about his reputation as a trainer throughout the regions. Yes, he was beginning to be a household name within the Pokémon League. For better or for worse, he is the Hero of Lumiose City (thank you and fuck you Team Flare and especially Lysandre), the first Alola Champion (a good feather on his cap but that accomplishment was not something that Ash was overly fond of considering the lack of competition, although he still loves Alola), the Hero of Wyndon (thank you and fuck you Chairman Rose), and the 4th rank trainer within the Eight Regions (Ash was proud of that accomplishment for there was no shame in losing to Cynthia). Ash's name was beginning to gain infamy throughout the regions, but Ash was willing to lose all the fame and infamy that he earned in order to mend bridges with his friends.

Ash was willing to start from the ground-up as long as he get his friends back.

But Cynthia (the Champion that he respected and admired the most, as well as the woman that he held a minor crush on) and Professor Kukui (the man that he often wish to be his father) talked him into going to hiding.

Between those two, how could Ash say no?

Professor Kukui offered Ash a home in Melemele Island, and he was tempted to accept the offer. Ash loves Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet. Ash considered Professor Kukui as the father that he wishes he has and, to his shame, Ash considered Professor Burnet as a better mother than his own.

Those were the reason on why he was tempted to accept, but those were also the reason on why Ash decline Professor Kukui's offer.

Professor Kukui had dreamt of starting a Pokémon League in Alola since he was a child, and even though the newly minted Alola League was the least affected region by Giovanni's machination, Ash cannot allow himself to be a distraction for his surrogate Father.

So Ash declined Professor Kukui's offer, and instead travelled to the Orange Archipelago, with nothing but his Pokémons as his sole company.

Aside from Alola, Ash would not stepped upon the regions associated with the Pokémon League for four years.

In those four years, Ash was rightfully heralded as a Hero by those regions.

RESTLESS

The Orange Archipelago reminded Ash of the Alola Region. Considering that he traveled through the Orange Archipelago first before Alola, that should be the reverse, but he was more at home and familiar with Alola than the Orange Archipelago.

There are days in which Ash wished that he was more mature in the early years of his Journey.

Still, the Orange Archipelago was at least a familiar environment and Professor Ivy was an accommodating hosts.

It was really unfortunate that Ash couldn't compete within the any league affiliated tournaments and events for a year until Mr. Goodshow finish cleaning up the league, and it was really unfortunate that Professor Ivy and her assistants still can't housekeep to save their lives.

For the sake of his sanity, Ash handle the housekeeping around Professor Ivy's Laboratory and Home.

He might not be as skilled as Brock, Cilan, and Clemont when it comes to housekeeping, but he wasn't a total slob. Also, he did pick up a few cooking skills and recipes from his three former travelling companions, as well as from his surrogate parents from Alola.

In between his attempts on keeping Professor Ivy's Lab and home livable, Ash trained his Pokémons.

For the first time in a long while, he was able to train all of his Pokémons in a more consistent basis.

Ash might not be able to compete within the League for the foreseeable future, but when Mr. Goodshow gives the go ahead, Ash intends to take the league by storm.

He still, very much, wanted to have that rematch with Cynthia.

That expression on Cynthia's face as he battled her with his full skills and abilities, as he tried to push her to the very limit, Ash wanted to see that expression again on the champion that he respected and adored the most. Ash wanted to be the reason why Cynthia can have that expression.

Yes, Ash has a crush on Cynthia. It was a small crush, a childish crush, and Ash did not expect anything to come from it, regardless of Cynthia's fondness for him. Ash was mature enough to know that even if he is attracted to Cynthia, she does not have the obligation to answer or even acknowledge his attraction towards her.

Ash is strangely mature in that regard.

Day-in and day-out, Ash trained himself and his Pokémons. He wanted to be at his best shape when he returns to the League.

And quite frankly, training himself to the bone helped him calmed his wanderlust.

Ash wanted to travel again. Staying in one place irked him, and speaking with the same people in a daily basis aggravated him.

Unfortunately, he was laying low, and although the Orange Archipelago was not affiliated with the Pokémon League, it was still too close to Kanto and Johto that it was untenable for him to just up and leave Valencia Island to stretch his legs.

And staying in Valencia Island for two months while seeing the same people every day is making him restless.

He was used to seeing and interacting with different people in a daily and weekly basis. Interacting with the same people daily is driving him crazy.

Don't get Ash wrong, Professor Ivy and her assistants were good people, fun people even, but seeing just them for a month straight was starting to get tired.

TIME

Ash normally does not dislike Legendary Pokémons. Sure, most interaction that he has with them almost, always, involves him almost dying, but disregarding that (and boy, that tells so much about his experiences that he had started disregarding death as an easily ignorable situation) he adores and respects Legendary Pokémons for their power and contribution to the continuous existence of the world.

That being said, he did particularly dislikes two Legendary Pokémons.

The first Legendary Pokémon that Ash dislikes is Zekrom. Pikachu also hated the Electric Dragon. The big, black cunt, and yes, Zekrom is a big, black cunt, robbed Pikachu of all of his powers on the day Ash and Pikachu stepped foot on Unova. Years of training and battling down the toilet because that big, black cunt decided to greedy piece of shit. It took Ash and Pikachu their entire Unova Journey and halfway through their Kalos Journey until Pikachu got to the level that he had been in Sinnoh.

Years' worth of training and power was robbed from Pikachu, and both Ash and Pikachu resented Zekrom for it.

Pikachu had dreams of murdering Zekrom since they met the Electric Dragon.

The second Pokémon that Ash has a dislike for is Celebi.

Ash met a Celebi before, he liked said Celebi. The Celebis that he met after the first Celebi that he met, he did not like.

Why?

Simple, they tend to use their time travelling powers on him in inopportune times.

The number of times that Ash had traveled back in time is so numerous, he had stopped laughing about it years ago.

Ash hated encountering a Celebi in his journeys.

Like right now, right fucking now.

Ash wanted to groan in irritation.

After three months cooped up in Valencia Island, he was finally able to travel around the Orange Archipelago. Yes, he had travelled through the Archipelago before, but revisiting islands and visiting new ones is better than being nailed down in Valencia Island.

He had already explored every inch of Valencia Island, and the island had gotten old in his first month there.

After three months of staying on a single, small island, Ash and Pikachu relished at their ability to travel once again.

That lasted a week.

And then Celebi happens, and Ash and Pikachu found themselves in a time a few hundred years before his own.

Ash is going to choke that fucking flying weed.

RULES

Ash had established several rules that he would follow if or when he was thrown back through time, and holy fuck, that screams volumes of how fuck up his life that he had to make rules regarding time travel.

Time Travel for fuck sakes!

Rule number 1, stay in the same vicinity.

The Celebi that sent him back in time is also stuck in this time with him and Pikachu, and before the Celebi can return to back in time, that Celebi is required to take them back with it. It's better to stay in one place, preferable the same place where that Celebi dump him on, so that, when the Celebi finished its business in this time, the Celebi can find him and his best friend, and return them in their correct time.

Rule number 2, minimize interaction with the people in this time line.

Butterfly effect is real and serious like a heart attack. Ash should know. He swore that there are things that had changed from his own time whenever a Celebi threw him back and forth in time.

Rule number 3, never form relations with anyone living in the past.

Again, butterfly effect is an absolute bitch.

Rule number 4, do not, under any circumstances, get involved in anything happening in the past.

Again, butterfly effect, absolute bitch, don't change the timeline.

With those rules in place, Ash and Pikachu hunkered down and waited for the Celebi to return them back to their time.

That plan was flushed down the toilet when he saw a girl being harassed by a bunch of dangerous looking people and Pokémons.

Ash wanted to ignore the girl's plight, he really did, but fuck him and fuck his good conscience.

Ash and Pikachu exchange a look, with Pikachu giving Ash an exasperated but accepting look, before they jumped in to save the girl.

This broke every rule that Ash established regarding time travel.

This was the best and greatest mistake that Ash had ever committed.

DISASTER

Stay in one place.

Minimize interaction with people.

Never form relations with people.

Do not get involve.

Those were Ash's rules regarding time travel.

He broke all of those rules 30 minutes in after he was thrown back in time by a Celebi.

Again, FUCK that flying weed.

Normally, this time travel bullshit only lasts for a day or so, a week at the longest. He had never been in the past for longer than seven days!

Seven fucking days.

Now though, now, he had been in the past for six months. He and Pikachu had been in the past for six months now.

Six fucking months.

Holy shit, the amount of damage he had done in his own timeline must be astronomical right now.

In those six months, Ash had gotten himself involve in the ruling class of this time. He was involve in a continent-wide conspiracy. He was actively trying to prevent a fucking war, both civil, continent, and world war.

A fucking World War! He was trying desperately to prevent a fucking World War!

Holy fucking shit! WHAT THE FUCK IS HIS LIFE?!

When he started his journey, Ash wanted to be a Pokémon Master. He wanted to be a simple, fucking Pokémon Master!

He did not ask to be involved in Prophecies! He did not ask to be involve in cataclysm! He did not ask or ever dream of saving the world. He did not ask to be a Hero!

He never wanted to be a Hero!

But too bad and tough luck, he was going to be one because the world apparently needs a fucking child to act as a Hero to continue its existence!

Ash wanted to cry, to rage, to choke that flying weed to death for putting him in this situation in the first place.

But Ash can't completely hate the situation that he is in right now.

Looking at the girl laying at his side, he cannot help himself but smile lovingly at her.

He is aware that one day this girl will break his heart, and he is aware that he would break hers in return.

He is also aware that meeting this girl was the best thing that ever happened in his life.

LOVE

Ash was not unfamiliar with romantic love.

He had his fair share of crushes. He was crushing on Misty at the early years of his journey, and he did have this fanboyish but respectful crush over Cynthia.

And also Serena.

Ash would admit, to himself at least, that he was attracted to Serena in ways that surpasses his attraction towards Misty. Serena, in many ways, was his favorite companion in his journey.

It was unfortunate that she loved him in a time that he was not ready.

Ash, considering his life, also made rules regarding romance. He had two iron-clad rules that he will not break regarding love.

First rule: Enter a relationship only if you are absolutely ready.

Second rule: Only enter a relationship if said relationship can last forever.

Ash could see a life passed his career as a Pokémon Trainer with Serena. He could see himself making Serena happy, and he also see himself being happy with Serena. In fact, he wanted a relationship with Serena, the same relationship that she wanted to have with him.

Unfortunately, Serena fell in love with him at a time when he was not ready to commit to a relationship.

He will not enter a relationship if he deems himself unprepared for said relationship. He cannot hurt Serena the same way as his father hurt his mother. He cannot, he refuse to break Serena's heart.

Unfortunately, Ash can't have everything in life.

Like his rules regarding time travel, Ash broke his rule regarding love.

In this time before his own, several hundred years before his own, Ash entered in a relationship with a woman named Elena Koshi.

Elena is around his age, give or take a year older or younger than him. In this time period, she's nobility, a princess in fact. She's a Princess of a Kingdom that he was currently working for.

She was the girl that Ash saved, breaking his rules regarding time travel.

She was the girl that dragged Ash in an adventure that he was not ready for whatsoever.

She was the girl that equally annoys and fascinates him in ways that nobody he meets ever could.

She was the girl that he had fallen in love with in ways that terrified him.

She was the girl that made him break all of his rules, in both love and life.

She was the girl that would break his heart.

She was the girl whose heart he was destined to break.

Ash was fully aware that this relationship will not last. Elena was fully aware that this relationship will not last.

Ash told her that he was not of this time, that one day, he will disappear.

Time travel is never permanent. One way or another, he will be thrown back to his own time. It might not be today, it might not be tomorrow, but one day, he will get back to his original time.

Ash told her, explained to her, that a relationship with him will only end in heartbreak. He told her, in great detail, that a relationship between them will end in tragedy.

Elena did not care.

She did not care of the impermanence of their relationship.

Elena pushed through his hesitations, cautions, and insecurities, broke through all of his rules, and made her way to his heart.

Ash knew the day he kissed Elena that this relationship would leave scars upon him in ways that numerous encounters with Legendries never could.

Ash knew the day he shared Elena's bed that this relationship would destroy him in ways that numerous Criminal Syndicate could only dream of.

Ash knew that Elena would destroy him so completely that whatever is left would be unrecognizable.

The look that Elena gives him before and after they make love, the sound of her voice as they make love, made Ash not regret loving this girl with all of his heart.

HURT

One year, seven months, two weeks, four days, fifteen hours, 49 minutes, and 52 seconds, Ash spent that exact period of time in the past.

One year, three weeks, two days, seven hours, 13 minutes, and 35 seconds that was the exact period of time that he spent having Princess Elena Koshi as his lover.

Ash blink, his body was in pain but he was able to ignore it. Almost two years in that time period taught Ash how to ignore pain.

It also taught Ash how to use his Aura to dull the pain.

Ash instantly noticed that his control over his Aura was shit. Strange, he worked hard on mastering his control over his Aura.

Still, shit control or not, Ash's aura was strong and potent, and he was able to dull the pain that lingers upon his body.

Sitting up, he examined himself.

Ash got de-aged.

The body that he developed while living in the past was reverted back to the body that he had before he got thrown back in time.

The clothes that he wore was baggy and lose to this underdeveloped body.

Turning his attention to his partner and brother, Pikachu was sat beside him, devolved from the form that he had in the past, reverted back to his unevolved form.

Ash let out a sigh when he noticed the Celebi that threw him back in time was hovering close to him.

Ash looked at the Mythical Pokémon for a long second.

He probably looked at the Pokémon for a full minute in silence.

After that minute though, Ash fired the strongest Aura Sphere that he could muster at the time-traveling Pokémon.

The moved hurt like hell. He felt like his right arm was going to explode. It also drained him of whatever energy he has left at the moment.

He did not give any shit.

Ash wanted to hurt that fucking flying weed!

It was all that Weed's fault.

To give him a taste of paradise, only for it to be ripped away from him.

That hurt.

That hurt so fucking much!

REGRET

It took Ash, and Pikachu to some extent, a complete week to reorient himself to his original time period.

It was strange living in a world where technology was so advance after leaving in a world where everything was primitive.

Living in a world where technology progresses mankind over aura and mythicism was dizzying to him.

It took Ash months to familiarize himself to the time period that that flying weed threw him to. Ash did not how long he will familiarize himself to this time period.

After all, Ash had lost a vital part of himself in the past. By returning to his original time period, he had lost Elena. The love of his life, and the woman who made herself the most important person in his life.

Elena made herself an essential part of his life.

Elena became a person that Ash needed rather than wanted.

Without her in his life, Ash did not know what to do with himself.

Being with Elena, made Ash into a different person. He was willing to abandon his Pokémons, san Pikachu, to his original time period just to be with her, just to stay with her forever. Ash was willing to forget everything, his friends and family, to be with Elena, to stay in the time period where she was alive.

Ash was willing to leave the life that he build for himself in his own time to stay with Elena.

That is how deeply Ash had fallen for the Princess. That is how much Ash loves Elena.

First love is often the strongest.

And the sad part about Ash's first romance was that he knows that it would not last, that it would end in heartbreak. He knew before entering in a relationship with Elena and during said relationship that their love would not last.

Time travel is never permanent. Ash knew this, he told Elena about this.

Either Celebi will find him and return him to his correct time period, or, if worst comes to worst, Dialga will visit him and Roar of Time him back to his correct time period or kill him, either or, Dialga doesn't care either way as long as time is not distorted and he can fire off his signature move.

Dialga is a cunt like that.

Ash knew that he should not have indulge Elena. He knew that he should not have yielded to his heart.

He had done it before, with Misty and with Serena, especially with Serena. He denied his heart before to avoid entering a relationship that would have ended in failure that would have ended in mutual heartbreak and pain.

He had denied love before, he had denied his heart twice before.

It should have been easy to deny his heart for a third time.

Unfortunately, Elena was different from Misty and Serena. More stubborn than Misty, and with more pull on his heart than Serena, try as he might, and he was aware that he wasn't trying that hard, he cannot deny her and what she was willing to give him.

And because he cannot deny his heart, he was returned to his time, with a broken heart.

Elena, in her own time, was broken hearted too. Elena was way more invested in their relationship than he is, and that is saying something.

And that hurt the most really. He was used to pain, disappointment, and lost.

He was not used to inflicting those emotions to another person.

Once with Serena was one too many.

And that sad part about all of this was that Ash did not regret the relationship that he had with Elena.

Elena made him so happy. Every second that he was with her, he was at his happiest. She made him the happiest man in the world.

And that suck, because, apparently, they were destined to meet, they were destined to fall in love, but they were not destined to be together.

And that suck!

ROUTINE

Ash returned to Valencia Island.

Thanks to the skills that Ash picked up in his recent time-traveling escapades, recalling memories and knowledge became easier for him, he left Valencia Island only for two weeks to stretch his legs.

Professor Ivy probably didn't expect him to return so early. In this time period, Ash had only been gone for a month.

Ash was not going to tell her, or anyone else for that matter, that he had been gone for almost two years.

Ash was not going to share this adventure with anyone.

The first thing he did after arriving in Valencia Island was to visit his Pokémons, his family.

The warm reception that they gave him made him feel like a scum.

He was willing to leave all of them, to abandon them, just to be and stay with Elena.

He would not have regretted leaving all of them if he could have stayed with Elena.

The loving welcome that they all gave him made him feel like the worst scum of the earth.

He embrace each and every one of his Pokémons before he laid down on his bed.

It took three days before Ash found the motivation and energy to do something productive.

Ash threw himself to his training.

Ash trained himself and his Pokémons in a way similar to how he was trained in the past.

In the past (fuck you, Flying Weed), Ash had a crash course in the Military arts. In the past, Ash became a soldier, and though he did not bond with or catch any other Pokémon why he was in that time period, he was still exposed to training techniques that soldiers put Pokémons through to toughen and strengthen them up.

Ash applied those training techniques towards his Pokémons, although toned significantly down.

Ash was not going to put his Pokémons through medieval military training.

Ash also helped Pikachu get used to his old body. Pikachu had evolved in their tenure in the past, and his partner had gotten used to battling and moving with his new body. It irritated the Electric type that he had to get used to using his old body again.

Pikachu also hated the fact that he had lost the form that he had grown to love.

Ash promised Pikachu that he will find a way for him to get that evolution back.

He just needed to find an active volcano over a tropical storm.

That was a lovely thought.

Ash was also training himself to get his body back to shape.

Ash had been taught how to use Aura in his time in the past, and though he could live his life in this time period without accessing his Aura powers, he would rather have the power than not have it.

After all, he learned how to use Aura with Elena, and right now, he would grasped every single thing that would remind him of his lover.

Ash established a routine that consists of housekeeping (Professor Ivy and her assistants still suck at housekeeping), Pokémon Training (his Pokémons were baffled with the change of training regime but the results spoke for itself so none of them ask any questions that Ash was not willing to answer), and Aura training (his Lucario was very happy that his trainer/father was finally exploring the power that had been dormant within him).

Every day, Ash exhaust himself. Every day, Ash ends his day crashing on his bed where sleep can claim easily due to exhaustion.

Ash would never, ever, regret his time and relationship with Elena, but with her not being present in his life anymore, he would rather have his memories with her dulled.

He miss Elena terribly and living his life without her was torture.

Numbing his memory of her was a better alternative than ending it all.

Ash knew that Elena will be disappointed with him, and she would probably hate him, if they met prematurely, and if it was via suicide.

That thought, and his Pokémons, were the only reasons on why he had not plunge a knife to his heart.

PROUD

It took Ash three months before he decided to leave Valencia Island again.

Unlike the last time he left Valencia Island, Ash did not want to travel or go to another journey, but his curiosity eventually overcame him.

He wanted to know what became of Elena after he disappeared from her time period.

He wanted to know if Elena live a life of happiness without him.

Ash dreaded the answer.

Unlike his last adventure, Ash brought his strongest and best team with him. The military training that he underwent in the past hammered preparedness into his skull.

Also, if Ash stumbled across a Celebi in this journey, he was going to kill the flying weed fucker.

Ash hated Celebis, those fucking, flying weeds.

Still, Ash journeyed to the place where Elena's kingdom stood.

Or formerly stood.

Empires, kingdoms, they are not meant to last. They are eroded and destroyed by time eventually, and Elena's kingdom was no different.

Ash wondered how long Elena's Kingdom stood after she abdicated the throne.

Ash knew that Elena would lead her kingdom to prosperity. The kings and queens after her, Ash did not know nor did he particularly care.

Ash traversed the city that now stood on top of Elena's former kingdom. Ash was extremely happy to see a golden statue of Elena in the city center, although the statue did a horrible job in capturing Elena's beauty.

In Ash's opinion, Elena was the most beautiful woman in the history of the world.

In his stay in the city, Ash began his investigation.

Say what you will about Ash's intelligence, but he was still able to gather information and collect evidence that resulted in the fall of Team Rocket.

And right now, Ash was very invested to gather all information regarding his lover.

It took him a week to gather all information regarding Elena. He visited all the libraries in the city as well as all the museums. He visited those establishments multiple times to the point that those working in those establishments had gotten to know him.

He was grateful that Elena's kingdom stood far away from any of the eight regions affiliated with the Pokémon League.

Ash had really gotten famous throughout the eight regions since he went into hiding.

Ash did not want to deal with that right now.

Through history records and books regarding the city, Ash found some basic information regarding Elena.

First and foremost, the Kingdom of Perome considered her its greatest monarch.

Predictable considering that Elena was a good leader, and she loves her people very much.

Ash also discovered that Elena successfully prevented a civil war from happening within her kingdom.

Knowing that was a relief. He and Elena worked hard to prevent that civil war.

Ash also found out that Elena never married, and that she abdicated the throne of her kingdom to her nephew, son of Princess Sarah.

Ash had mix feelings regarding that. First and foremost, he was happy to know that Elena had only loved him and only him. That flattered him, and it was typical Elena.

Elena swore that she will only love him, and apparently, she kept his words.

On the other hand, Ash would not have held any ill will towards Elena if she did fall in love with another man and married. Elena deserved happiness, and Ash felt guilty that his existence prevented Elena from experience that kind of love.

On a side note, Ash was surprised that Sarah actually married, and he wondered who the dumb and unlucky fuck that married her. Sarah was a difficult woman to handle in her best days.

For days, Ash went through every books and every written record regarding Elena.

Ash was not disappointed with the life that Elena lived with his absence. He was proud beyond belief in fact.

Elena had a life without him, and that made him so happy.

Still, there was one place that Ash wanted to check out before he leaves the city.

Ash went to the secret place where he and Elena spend many nights in.

In Ash's defense, there is very little things to do in medieval times, and Elena was very difficult to refuse if she wanted some special attention from him.

Also, Elena was a remarkable, skilled, enthusiastic, and eager lover.

Again, Ash suck denying Elena what she wanted.

To his surprised, their secret place was preserved and untouched, protected by a layer of Aura Illusions that was clearly Elena's work.

Elena had very low aura reserves, but she was incredibly skilled in its application.

Ash took hours breaking the illusions. He did not have the reserves that he had previously had when he living in Elena's time period, and the aura that he could use with his current body was piss poor. Three months back to this time period, Ash was able to recover some of his reserves but it was nothing compare to what he was capable of when he was with Elena.

Still, this forced him to work on his finesse and creativity in using Aura, and it paid dividends.

Normally, even at his best, he could not break Elena's Aura Illusions. Three months of working on his finesse and control, he was able to manage to break one of his beloved's illusions.

Elena would have been happy.

Entering the room that he and Elena spent many nights making love while moaning and screaming each other names, Ash found a familiar bed, a familiar diary, a letter that was addressed to him, and a map, all perfectly preserve, all protected from the passing of time.

Ash read the diary and the letter, and after finishing his readings.

Ash laughed and cried.

He never cried as hard as he had cried that day.

He never laugh as hard as he had laughed that day.

Elena was truly the greatest woman that he had ever meant.

He was proud to be loved by her.

EVOLUTION

Ash was intending to return to Valencia Island, but he had one more stop to make.

Ash promised his best friend that he will help him get back the Evolution that he had achieved during their adventures in the past.

He would keep his work

In order to evolve Pikachu to that form, he needed an active volcano and a tropical storm.

He was able to find those two elements thanks to Lugia.

Lugia owed him a favor, and Ash was collecting..

An abandoned island with a volcano that only needed a little push to become active, and storms are not rare in the middle of the sea.

Getting to that island was easy, setting up the right set of circumstances for Pikachu to evolve to that form was difficult but manageable.

A Bond Evolution-powered Blast Burn from Charizard to the mouth of the Volcano and a 10 Million Volt Thunderbolt to the tropical storm allowed the necessary amount of lava and lightning to strike Pikachu.

This allowed Pikachu to absorb the electricity from the tropical storm, and it allowed the lava to heat him up and force his body to adapt.

Ash remembered the first time Pikachu evolved during his stay in the past.

It was not pretty.

Pikachu almost killed him.

The body that he had lost returning to his time period had this cool scar above his heart. Elena liked the scar, it made him manlier she claimed.

Still, Pikachu was confident that this time, Pikachu won't go on a rampage.

If he did, well, there was a reason why Ash brought his strongest Pokémons with him in this particular expedition, and their company was not one of the reason.

Still, Ash waited for Pikachu to evolved.

Before, it took two hours.

Apparently now, now that Pikachu experienced this kind of evolution before, it only took half an hour.

A glow of light that signifies evolution shrouded Pikachu, and a few minutes later, said light disappeared.

From the magma of the earth and from the electricity of the sky, Pikachu emerged in its preferred evolved form.

The electric mouse turned into an electric feline, many times larger than its previous form.

Pikachu's evolve form took the shape of a bipedal, feline Pokémon with primarily white and greenish-blue fur.

The fur is thinner and greenish-blue on its lower legs, lower body, upper arms, and face, and is thicker and white everywhere else. There is also a zigzagging black stripe on each thigh and two more stripes on each forearm. There are small tufts of light yellow fur on his chest and a longer tuft on its forehead. This form also has a single, lightning bolt-shaped yellow whisker on each cheek. A long, ponytail-like or tail-like bunch of fur extends from between his shoulders. This form also sported large ears with yellow insides and amber eyes. The forepaws have four clawed fingers and light yellow pads, while his hind paws have only three clawed toes.

Pikachu, Ash was aware that regardless of his evolve state, Pikachu still wanted to be called by his pre-evolution form, looked at the body that he had evolved into, the look of fond familiarity in his eyes.

Ash step towards Pikachu and extended his fist at him.

Pikachu, seeing this gestured, gave his brother a fist bump.

There are some very legit questions on how a Pikachu could legitimately evolved into a Zeraora, especially a non-shinny Pikachu evolving into a shiny-Zeraora, but Ash and Pikachu are not going to be asking that question.

Pikachu evolved into a form that he loves, and that's the end of it for both Ash and Pikachu.

Although, this did answer the question on why Pikachu was so fond of Dia's Zeraora.

At that time, at meeting Dia, Pikachu was marveling at his future form.

DOMINANCE

The first thing that Ash did after Pikachu's evolution was to modify his partner's Poke-ball.

They were both in an agreement that this evolution means that Pikachu needs to stay in his Poke-ball, especially in public places.

Having a Pikachu ride his shoulders was an acceptable sight. Having a mythical Pokémon walk beside him is a peculiar sight that would attract too much attention.

So Ash was modifying Pikachu's Poke-ball to provide his partner better accommodation within his Poke-ball.

This would also allow Pikachu to extend his senses passed the Poke-Ball, allowing him to still have an outside presence that only Ash can sense.

Aura Alchemy, not Ash's cup of tea, but Elena was a master of the art and her knowledge of the art had rubbed off on him.

The first thing that Pikachu did after getting his Zeraora form (yes, form, Pikachu was still a Pikachu in his mind, only larger, with a feline body, but at the end of that day, he was still a Pikachu at heart) was to pummel and established his dominance over his teammates, namely Charizard, Sceptile, Infernape, Lucarion, and Greninja.

Especially Greninja.

Pikachu liked the guy, but it irked him that the Kalos Water-type Starter was considered Ash's strongest Pokémon.

Not anymore though.

He has four signature moves, and he intends to use each and every one of them to establish his dominance as Ash's strongest.

Additionally, he had missed the ability that he had while in Zeraora form.

Also, Bond Evolution is truly a wonderful trip.

It took some effort and time, but Pikachu, in Zeraora form was able to establish his dominance over his strongest and closest comrades.

Pikachu was already expected demands for a rematch in a later date.

He will accept it of course.

He had years of inferiority issues that he wanted to let out on his strongest colleagues.

HOME

Ash arrived in Valencia Island in the middle of the night.

He stayed on that island for a single hour.

Ash grabbed all of his Pokémons, wrote several letters that were addressed to Professor Ivy, Mr. Goodshow, and the Champions of each region, with special care to Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet, before disappearing with the wind.

A week later, Ash found himself on the island that Elena lived on after she abdicated the throne of her kingdom until the day she died.

Ash loves Elena very much, but his lover was really extreme in both security and in privacy.

It took Ash four days undoing all the illusions and warding around the island.

That was not a fun activity.

The first thing that Ash did after arriving in the island was visiting Elena's grave.

Her grave was beautiful, but elegant, and he placed carnations, Elena's favorite flower, upon the tombstone of his lover.

657 carnations, each carnation represents the years that separated them from each other.

They were born to fall in love with each other, but time was a barrier that both of them could not overcome.

After giving his respects to his lover, Ash went to the lone castle in the center of the island.

Of course Elena would have a castle in her private island.

She might not have been a typical noble of that time period, but she still enjoyed the luxuries that her stationed afforded her.

Luckily, it was a small castle.

Ash explored the island and the castle that he was going to live in.

The island was rich in vegetation. He and his Pokémons will not get hungry, even Snorlax won't eat them out of the island.

The castle was preserve using Aura, which was good. Ash did not like the prospect of cleaning a castle from top to bottom. There was a need to modernize the castle with modern technology, and Ash knew that he had to do the modernizing personally.

Aura and modern technology is difficult to combine. Luckily, he was relatively skilled with the former, and he traveled and went to school with two genius inventor.

He can manage this.

Ash would make this island his home.

PREPARATION

Ash has intention of competing in Pokémon Tournaments once again.

The Pokémon League is out of the question at the moment.

He will return to his old stomping ground eventually, but right now, Ash needed to explore other avenues.

Ash was going to try his luck in the Independent Circuit.

The Independent Circuit is the collective name of independent Pokémon Tournaments and Competitions that are outside the influence of the Pokémon League or other larger bodies of the same nature as the Pokémon League.

Those Tournaments and Competitions are small, and less prestigious compared to the Pokémon League, but competition is competition regardless of size and notoriety, and Ash intends to return to his career as a Pokémon Trainer after 10 months of hiatus.

Before resuming his career though, Ash needs to make several preparations.

First and foremost, Ash needs to set up a private Pokémon Storage Server. He needs a storage system that would transfer all the Pokémons that he would be capturing back to his current home island. He also needs said system to have his Pokémons transferred to him from this island when needed be.

Second, he needed somebody to live in his island to look after his Pokémons while he is out competing. Ash trust his Pokémons, all of them, but he cannot depend on Bulbasaur to keep the peace and take care of everyone while he is away.

Third, and lastly, he needs to register a home address in order to compete. The island that he was living will not cut it as a home address. It was an uninhabited island after all, regardless of its rich vegetation.

The first and third one were easy to fix.

He knows Bill after all, the developer of the modern Pokémon Storage System. A quick call, a kit, a user's manual, and a bit of Aura Hypnosis later, he was able to set up his Private Pokémon Storage Server. Linking his Pokedex to the server was a task and a half, but he was able to do so after numerous trial and error.

For the home address, Ash had to talk to Jessie and James. The two former Team Rocket agents were now running a somewhat successful retail business. Ash had to talk and negotiate with them regarding sponsorships and other matters regarding his registry addressed, but after hours of haggling, ribbing, and laughing, he was able to cut a deal with them.

He missed Jessie, James, and Meowth. He misses the strange but endearing companionship that they provided for him throughout his journey.

He was happy that the three of them were able to make a life for themselves outside of Team Rocket.

Second issue was going to cause complications. He needed a caretaker for his Pokémons. He could easily have Professor Kukui, or Professor Juniper, or Professor Sycamore to care for his Pokemons, but they have close working relations with Professor Oak, and he was not ready yet to speak with the man, or with any of his friends for that matter.

Elena was still too fresh in his mind and heart, and dealing with friends and family right now was not ideal.

He still intends to make peace with his estrange friends, but not right now.

Hiring a Pokémon Caretaker was also out of the question.

He will not trust a stranger to care for his family.

That left Ash with one option.

Mewtwo.

He has to cut a deal with Mewtwo.

Luckily, South Light Island was big enough to accommodate Mewtwo (M1) and his group of cloned, abandoned, and abused Pokémons.

It was big enough to accommodate two Mewtwoes (M1 and M16), and their group of cloned, abandoned, and abused Pokémons.

Ash was very happy that his friends found love.

He could relate to that.

FIRST

After 11 months of hiatus, Ash Ketchum finally resumed his career as a Pokémon Trainer.

Although, as he resume his career, he began using his full name.

Ashura Satoshi Ketchum.

Ash hated his full name. Apparently, according to his mom, his father named him, his absentee father. Ash's lone memory of his father was him leaving and his mother smiling at his departing form.

Apart of Ash hated the man with all of his being. He did not want anything to do with the man. Part of him wanted to disregard the name his father had given him.

But then, Elena came to his life, and if nothing else, she taught him that accepting everything about yourself is better than denying only parts of you.

Elena taught Ash to stop denying everything that defines him, even if it's something mundane like a name.

Ash does not care for his father. As far as he was concern, his father is Professor Kukui, but he will no longer deny the name that the man who sired him had given him.

He would wear that name like armor.

Father issues aside, Ash's first year in the Independent Circuit was interesting to say the least.

The first tournament that he entered within the Independent Circuit, Ash was shocked on how drastically the format change compare to the Pokémon League.

Within the Independent Circuit, the legal number of moves that can be used by a single Pokémon in a match was increase from 4 moves to 16 moves.

That was a jarring change from the 4 move limit format that he was used to.

Furthermore, Mega Evolutions can be used twice in a single match, instead of once as per Pokémon League regulations.

Ash did not know how common Mega Evolutions are until after his first Independent Circuit Tournament.

There were so many Mega Evolutions, all in different shape and sizes, with some Mega Evolution that he had never seen before.

Seeing those Mega Evolutions was an experience in itself.

Although, it was a relief to know that Z-moves, which was also common within the Independence, can only be used once.

Apparently, Z-moves are too destructive for more than one time use per match.

The format change took Ash off guard but he still competed. His Bond Evolution was considered Mega Evolution, so he always ran two Pokémons that can Mega Evolve in his team.

Z-moves are non-issues. He was the first ever Alola Champion for a reason.

The first tournament that Ash entered in the Independent Circuit, he finished within the Top 8, and Ash was proud of that finish considering how tough the competition is.

From what he saw and experience, every trainer competing within the tournament were at least within Volkner's level, and Volkner, within Pokemon League Standard, is an Elite Four level trainer.

Ash knew that he was going to enjoy his time within the Independent Circuit.

And he did enjoy his time competing within the Independence.

In his first year alone, in the numerous tournaments and competitions that he entered, he never finished below the Top 8. After Ash got used to the format, he began winning some tournaments and competitions, although he had only won a handful within his first year.

Ash realized quickly that several Pokémon Masters were competing within the Independent Circuit, and they were all remarkable trainers.

Those Masters did not care that he was capable of Mega Evolving his Pokémons. They did not give a fuck that his Ace Pokémon was a Mythical Pokémon that 'named' Pikachu. He was competition and they would crushed him because they could.

Often times, Ash would give those Pokémon Masters a good battle. Other times, they would swept him with such ease that it made Ash feel like an amateur that was just about to start his journey.

It was an exhilarating experience.

Win, lose, or draw, Ash was having the time of his life.