1 year had passed since Ash had moved into the lab in Kalos after being blindsighted by so many he held dear. Though he hadn't heard from any of them besides hearing stories of May dominating the Unova contests every once in a while. The scars hadn't faded and he offered no forgiveness. He hadn't remained unfazed by the event either. After the funeral for his friend Gary, he just didn't feel the same joy inside he once had. He had fallen into a depression stage for a bit before his pokemon managed to get him past that, but he often thought back to that day and felt multiple horrible feelings surfacing weighing his heart down.
-11 ½ months ago-
"We are here today to honor the life of Gary Blue Oak, an up and coming researcher whose breaking research on the relationships between Zigzagoons and Sevipers will go down in history." A man dressed in all black said from his stand at the podium. "you all came today because you too will miss this young man. In the event of his death Gary had left behind a want for Ash Ketchum to speak on this day." The man said stepping down from the stage and making way for the young man.
Ash took his spot in front of all those gathered to honor the fallen researcher with a small Kanto starter following close behind him. While Pikachu was unable to come along due to his injuries, he brought along Bulbasaur and Charizard for emotional support and because, besides Pikachu, they knew Gary the best out of all his pokemon.
"My name is Ash, and this is my good friend Bulbasaur," Ash began gesturing to the small pokemon beside him. "I've known Gary since we were just kids at Oak's summer camp. I didn't always see Gary as a friend, in fact when I started my journey I loathed him. I saw him as a know-it-all cocky jerk who did everything he did just to spite me. It wasn't until my journey through Sinnoh that I began to see him for what he truly was, A brilliant man and a great friend." He said with a tear forming in his eye.
"When the reports said Gary was dead, I felt like I died a little as well. After his death I realized he did more for me than I could have ever imagined. Sure, during my Kanto journey he was showing off with his ten badges and ten cheerleaders, but that just pushed me to be better. Every time I thought of him, it made me even more determined, and whether he meant it that way or not, I thank him. He was there for me on the worst day of my life, he saved my pokemon and me on that day."
"Because of all this I'd like to ask a favor. To repay him for all he did for me in life, I'd like to give him a burial ceremony of my own in Kalos as a way to thank him in death." Ash said looking at the proprietor of the ceremony. "I'd be happy to pay for any expenses it may take to bring him to Kalos, and since Oak isn't here, and his parents aren't around I can safely say that out of everyone here you can trust me most to take good care of him."
Sure, he still had his good friends like Clemont, Bonnie, and Serena, who, thanks to living in Kalos, were only one call away. Brock and Anabel were also there whenever he called. Paul was a little more difficult since he was still a traveler running around somewhere in the Unova region with Dawn tagging along. Even with their continued support he just couldn't get past his old friend's betrayal. He became more observant, more reserved, and most of all less trusting. It's not like he didn't laugh or have fun anymore, he went out with his Kalos friends nearly every day and visited his pokemon several times a day. He just didn't really interact with anyone he didn't already know, not even pokemon. He still helped people out when situations called for it, but after that he made no effort to get to know you the way the old ash would have. Anyone outside his group of friends who tried to get close normally got ignored by him, causing his friends to have to apologize for him.
"Bay, Bayleef!" the young pokemon screeched running into Ash's room.
Ash's new room was nothing like his old room, in fact he made sure to make it different to not remind him of his days back in Kanto. The only similarities it shared with his old room were his many badges, trophies, and frontier symbols from his journeys that he had stolen back from his house in Kanto a couple days after the incident. He remembered that day clearly.
-10 months ago-
It was half past midnight in the small town of Pallet Town, where previous 'Pride of Pallet Town' Ash Ketchum was about to break into his old room, with the help of Paul and Anabel of course. When he moved out he couldn't bring himself to face his mother, so he never managed to recover his belongings.
"Alright. Paul, Anabel, stay here and keep watch, the last thing I need now is a 'breaking and entering' charge."
Paul just smirked and nodded his head at the young trainer and Anabel gave him a thumb up.
"Snivy come on out buddy." He said quietly tossing a pokeball in to the air.
"Sniiiivvy." The little grass snake yawned "Snivy! Snivy!" It yelled proceeded to smack Ash playfully with a Vine Whip.
"I know it's late old girl, and I'm sorry but I need your help for something. I know the badges you helped me win in Unova mean a lot to you, so I need your help to get them back. What do you say?" Ash asked his loyal pokemon.
"Snivy." She nodded quickly at her trainer.
"Great to hear. So, listen carefully. I need you to use Vine Whip to hoist yourself up to that window over there." Ash said pointing to a window above him. "Once you're up there, I need ya to use your sharpest leaf blade to carefully cut an opening in the glass. That window leads into my old room so after that all you have to do is travel downstairs quietly to unlock the front door so we can get my stuff and get out, okay Snivy?"
Snivy nodded and launched her strongest Vine Whip into the air and latched it onto the windowsill.
As soon as Ash saw Snivy had everything under control he turned back towards his two friends "C'mon." He said gesturing for them to come with him. The three of them ran back around the side of the house to the front door.
"Now we wait for Snivy." Ash said faithfully
"What if your mom or her freaky clown thing catches Snivy?" Paul asked leaning himself up against the wall of the house and crossing his arms.
"Your mom wouldn't hurt her, would she?" Anabel asked.
"First off she's not my mom. Secondly, don't worry about that. Snivy's way too careful and stealthy for that. And even if she does catch her Snivy's more than capable of fending off Delia and Mr. Mime."
Ash, Anabel, and Paul suddenly heard a small creak come from in front of them. They turned to see the door slowly creep open to reveal a tiny snake with a knowing smirk on her face.
"Good job, Snivy!" Ash said high-fiving one of her vines.
"Snivy," She said sadly "Snivy, Snive."
"What wrong Snivy? You did great!" Ash said
"Snivy." The snake replied gesturing for them to follow.
He turned back to his friends.
"Paul stay here and keep watching out for anything suspicious." Paul nodded and threw two pokeballs in the air revealing his Frosslass and Torterra.
"Anabel, let's go get my stuff."
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The three of them quietly made their way into Ash's old home.
"Anabel, Delia's room is here on the first floor, while mine's on the second, so I need you to stay down here and keep watch as well in case mom wakes up, okay?"
"Sure Ash, but I didn't bring Espeon with me so I won't be much help in a fight."
"That's fine Anabel, I don't intend on her finding us." Ash replied as he and Snivy made their way up the staircase. However, when they made it in to Ash's old room Ash couldn't believe his eyes.
In his room sat one box and nothing else. No bed. No TV. Nothing but a box with note. "Is this what you wanted to show me Snivy?"
"Snivy." She nodded.
He walked over to the box and picked up the note sitting on top of the box. He quickly opened it to see what was inside.
Dear Son,
I knew you'd come back for your stuff eventually. Unfortunately, a week ago I was a little short on our mortgage so I had a garage sale with all your stuff and it went swimmingly! I got just what I needed. However, no one wanted any of your trophies because they had your name engraved on them so I had no choice but to keep them. So, if you value them that much, then you can have them.
'Well so much for that.' Ash thought. "Oh, well. C'mon Snivy, I don't want to be here any longer than I have to." He said exiting his room with his faithful friend right behind him. At the top of the stairs, Ash got yet another unwanted surprise. At the bottom of the stairs lay an unconscious Anabel.
"Anabel!" Ash shouted jumping down the stairs then kneeling to her side. He put one hand under her back and the other under her neck and began to shake her lightly. "Are you okay, Anabel?!"
"Your little girlfriend's fine, son." A voice said from behind them. Ash turned to see his mother standing in front of himself and Snivy in her nightgown with Mr. Mime right behind her. "It's very rude not to take your shoes off in someone else's house. She was tracking mud everywhere so Mr. Mime put her to sleep. Unless you have a Chesto Berry pie on you that girl's going to be out for quite a while." She said giving Ash a sweet smile. "Your friend outside and his Pokemon were a bit tougher but my new bodyguards took care of him."
"Bodyguards?" He turned to see an Emboar and a Gigalith outside next to an unconscious Paul, Frosslass, and Torterra.
"Pignite and Boldore?" He turned to his mother.
"Professor Oak gave them to me before he disappeared and they've been quite the help."
"Using my old pokemon against my friends? That's low even for a heartless bitch like you Delia." He sneered.
"Satoshi Ashford Ketchum! How dare you speak to your mother like that?!"
"You're not my mother!" He shot back "You haven't been since you sided with Oak! I'll talk to you however I want! Snivy, I've got to carry Anabel, grab the box, will ya?" He asked his friend. While walking out the door to grab Paul.
As soon as Snivy had a good grip on Ash's possessions, she was approached by Delia "Well aren't you an adorable pokemon!" She said clapping her hands together "How would you like to be my personal gardening assistant?" She asked smiling.
"Snivy, Razor Leaf her." Ash said from outside. Not wanting to let her trainer down she did she was told and shot several razor-sharp leaves straight into the woman's forehead before strutting out with Ash's belongings.
From outside Ash turned to face his mother one last time. "Don't let us find you anywhere in Kalos. Pikachu may be crippled but he can still give a thunderbolt better than anyone else. Bye Delia."
"BAYLEEF" She screeched one last time while simultaneously ramming herself into Ash, knocking him over and out of his trance.
"Ohhhhhhh." He groaned. "What'd you do that for Bayleef?!"
"Bay. Bayleef" She replied continuing to nudge him violently.
"Uh, Ash?" A voice said from outside. In walked Professor Sycamore. The closest thing to a 'parent' Ash had left. Over the past couple months Ash had been beginning to see Sycamore as a father more and more as time went on. The man had taken him and his pokemon in at a time of weakness with no mention of rent, or having to return the favor, and had even provided Ash with money when those times arose. None of that even came close to what he had done for Pikachu, however.
-11 months ago-
Ash stood in the main research lab within Sycamore's facility with Clemont and Bonnie by his side waiting patiently for the Professor to arrive. He had called them to his lab to discuss something but never elaborated with Ash on what that was. It had been a week since that faithful day and a full day since Pikachu got out of the E.R. and they moved in with the Kalosian professor. Unfortunately, Pikachu, although 'recovered', wasn't with them due to him now being unable to move.
Professor Sycamore walked into the room with a clipboard and his assistant following close behind. He stopped in front of Ash and turned to face the young trainer and his friends.
"Sophie tells me that while all of your other pokemon interacted with the rest in the lab's corral, Pikachu stayed in your room the whole time. Is this true." He asked.
"Yes sir." Ash answered with a frown forming on his face. "He really wanted to meet the new pokemon, but now that he's disabled and paralyzed from the neck down, he had no way of getting around. Now that his legs don't work he can't even ride on my shoulder like he normally would. His arms just won' t hold him up anymore."
"Couldn't Sceptile or one of your other pokemon have carried him?"
"I think that would have been too embarrassing for the little guy." Ash answered.
"I guess that makes sense. Luckily if it's modes of transport that the little guy needs, the I might be able to help." Sycamore said walking over to his main computer.
"What do you mean Professor? You got something that can help Pikachu move?" Ash asked with a questionable look on his face.
"Not officially no." He answered sitting down in his swivel chair. "However, you could change that. With your permission, I could have something that could potentially solve Pikachu's problem. Look here." He ordered as a blueprint appeared on the large computer screen.
"What is that?" Ash queried staring at the rotating blueprints.
"It looks like some form of advanced living exoskeleton." Clemont said stepping forward and observing the large screen.
"Very good young one." A voice praised from behind. Ash, Bonnie, and Clemont turned to see a two-tone brunette man in a lab coat walking towards them. The man was just under Sycamore's height and looked to be around his 20's. "Although it's only semi-living. Most of it is machinery." He said taking a spot right next to Clemont.
"Everyone, it's my pleasure to introduce Mr. Yuuki. He's the best engineer and computer scientist in all of Kalos." Sycamore said gesturing towards the man who just smiled in return.
Ash look toward Clemont and saw the young inventor looked like he would collapse any second "Nice to meet you sir. I've read all about you!" He shouted awkwardly.
"Nice to meet you too, son. The same goes for you two, I've heard much about you all from the Team Flare incident. I understand you we all influential in their downfall, including this Pikachu, correct?" He asked eyeing them to which the three just nodded silently.
"Then I thank you for your service to Kalos and may be able to return the favor to you and your Pikachu." He said. "What you see on the screen is an experimental exoskeleton infused with skin cells and core DNA from a Ditto. With some surgeries to attach the exoskeleton to a few of the young Pikachu's nerves and some training it's possible he could learn to utilize it to its fullest abilities."
"You mean he'll be able to walk again!?" Ash asked excitedly
"Walk, run, jump, he'll be a whole new Pikachu. The suits powered by electricity so by using small pulses created by himself, he'll be able to control it all on his own. Not only that. It will never need to be charged thanks to Pikachu being an unlimited source of power, or replaced because of the Ditto DNA conforming as he grows. Don't worry about breaking it either, thanks to the Ditto skin cells morphability he can play as rough as the rest of them. The exoskeleton will also be able to give Pikachu power equal to his original muscle tone-"
"This all sounds way too good to be true, what's the catch?" Bonnie interrupted.
Mr. Yuuki sighed. "I was getting there. True Pikachu will be fully mobilized, but he will be unable to use any electric based attacks ever again."
"Why?" Ash asked.
Yuuki turned to face Ash with sad eyes "Anything above the small pulses it takes to power the exoskeleton will not only short circuit the machine but cause Pikachu to need to go through more surgery to remove and possibly replace it. The surgery isn't the safest of procedures either. Also, we're going to be operating on his nerves so no anesthesia. He'll have to be awake for the whole thing. Other than that, there should be no problems. But you're his trainer." He said shifting his eyes towards Ash. "It's up to you to weigh the options and make a decision."
"No. It's not." Ash said flatly but firmly. "This is Pikachu's choice. If he doesn't want to go through with this risk, then I won't make him."
"Ash are you even listening to me!?"
Ash snapped back to his room with Bayleef and Sycamore.
"Uh…sorry." Ash apologized rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I zoned out. Could you repeat that, please."
Professor Sycamore sighed shaking his head. "I said there's a fight breaking out in the corral and it looks like Bulbasaur could use some help. I need you to see if everything's alright. You know the pokemon look up to you more than anyone else."
"Alright, I'll help. But first," Ash said getting up from his spot. "where's Pikachu?"
"He's with Sophie for his training with the exoskeleton. Sophie says that not only is he learning quicker than we anticipated but he's getting increasingly happier as the training goes on!"
"Yeah he's been super happy since that surgery." Ash said with a smile on his face. "How much longer until you think the training will be over?"
"Think of this as learning to walk again," Sycamore responded. "Don't worry, it's normal that it's taking this long."
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The two walked in to see Pikachu and Sophie practicing running through the power of the exoskeleton.
"Pikachu! How goes it?" Ash greeted his best friend.
"Pika!" It greeted back walking towards the young trainer.
"As you can see, he's already capable of walking and he can run short distances too!" Sophie said scribbling something on a clipboard. "It may be a while before he can climb onto your shoulders like old times, though."
Ash smiled as Pikachu closed the last bit of distance between them. "That's fine Sophie." He said leaning down. He gently wrapped his hands around the little mouse's body and lifted him up to his shoulder himself. "He'll get it eventually. In the meantime, nothing wrong with needing a little help." He said scratching behind the rodent's ear.
"Also, keep an eye on him at any time he's running. As I said, short distances are fine, but I don't want him running miles yet." Sophie ordered. "Other than that, you can go for today, Pikachu."
"Thanks Sophie." Ash said. "C'mon Pikachu. We're needed with Bulbasaur."
"Pika!"
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The doors to the corral slid open and Ash and his loyal friend stepped in. There were greeted by a small crowd of Pokemon all of which voicing their greetings. This crowd of pokemon was, of course, His pokemon. He received a separate greeting from each, per tradition. A flamethrower from Charizard, a tackle from Quilava, a vice grip-hug from Gliscor, knowing smirks from Buizel and Sceptile, each one had their trademark.
"Alright guys, I get it. I was just here last night you know." He said jokingly. "Now what's this I hear about a fight Bulbasaur can't solve?" He asked them. "Is it really that bad?"
To his surprise all his pokemon started talking at once. They were obviously trying to tell him what was happening, but with all of them talking at once, and in all different languages, he couldn't make sense of it.
"QUIET!"
All of his pokemon immediately shut up after their trainer's sudden outburst.
"When I asked that question, I was hoping one of you could be kind enough to show me the way, not yell." He lectured. "Sceptile, take us to Bulbasaur." The gecko pokemon silently nodded and started walking north of their meeting spot. "Good. Buizel, you come with too in case we need to break up a fight."
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The four came to one of the corral's small lakes scattered around the place for any strictly water based pokemon like Gyrados, or Feebas, or-
Suddenly an excited screech was heard from the East of where Ash and his Pokemon were standing. They turned and were greeted by a Dinosaur like pokemon speed surfing her way towards them. The large pokemon skid through the water down to a stop right in front of Ash before beginning to nuzzle him roughly.
"Lapras, I'm surprised you're so happy to see me considering we spoke just yesterday!" Ash yelled happily as he struggled to get her to stop. "You know I missed you too, but I don't need you to tackle me every time we see each other." He said jokingly.
-4 months ago-
"Hey Professor Sycamore! Can we make this quick? Serena's already a little mad at me for leaving her alone in my room and I'd rather not take too long or she'll be really mad." Ash complained.
"You two were alone in your room, huh?" Sycamore said raising his eyebrow.
"Yeah." Ash said hesitantly. He really didn't like the tone in Professor Sycamore's voice.
"You seem in an awful hurry to get back to her, you must have been doing something really interesting." He said giving him a weird smirk.
"Oh, shut up." Ash retorted. "You know we're not like that! Especially in front of Pikachu!"
"Relax, son. I'm joking." He said putting his hands up in defense. "She's not really mad at you, is she?" He asked.
"I don't think so. She's probably just frustrated that I insisted that I come here alone. She's been extra cautious, and clingy to an extent, around me since the whole thing with my old family and friends. It's sweet and all, and I know she means well, but It's starting to wear on me a little." He vented.
"I suppose that makes sense." He replied. "Maybe what you two need is a road trip. You know Professor Pine from Johto, right?"
"Yeah we've met once or twice." Ash responded thinking back to his journey through Johto with Brock and- He shook himself out of thought before he went to deep into that memory. "What of it?"
"He says that a Lapras arrived at his lab yesterday. According to their pokemon translator, the Lapras says it knows you and is begging to see you. You wouldn't happen to know one, would you?" He asked.
"Yeah, but I released her a long time ago." Ash replied.
"Then I suggest you grab Serena and Pikachu and take Charizard or Noivern to Professor Pine's to meet this Lapras. He says no one can get the poor thing to move an inch. Sounds like she doesn't trust them." He subconsciously put his right hand to his chin. "If it's true that this Lapras once belonged to you, my suggestion would be for you to take care of it. It likely won't listen to anyone else." He finished.
"Alright, I get the picture. But I'm telling you, my old Lapras is back with her family." He said walking out the sliding doors to the lab.
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"So, you still haven't told me where we're going or why. Is it really that big of a secret?" Serena asked from atop Ash's Charizard soaring through Johto. Normally she'd be afraid of flying at the height they were at but now she had an excuse to hold Ash tightly so she wasn't thinking about it that much.
"Not a secret." Ash replied. "You never asked. If you wanted to know I'd figured you'd ask." He said turning his head back toward her. "We're going to Professor Pine's lab in Johto. Apparently an old friend of mine is waiting for me there and she won't listen to anyone. If it is her, it's extremely uncharacteristic her and something big must have happened."
"Why do you need me?" Serena asked raising an eyebrow. "And who is she?" She asked this time in a subtle worried tone.
Ash had picked up on that worried tone, though. The old Ash may not have, but since that day at the corral, Ash made it his mission to learn to read people better so nothing like that would ever happen again. "Don't worry it's not like that. She is an old pokemon of mine, though I still doubt it's her."
'Good,' Serena thought. 'I already have enough competition with Anabel.' The two may have been friends but they knew what the other felt about Ash and knew what it would eventually come down to.
"As for why I brought you along just answer this." Ash continued. "If I hadn't invited you, and told you to stay at Sycamore's and wait, would you have gone to my pokemon and ordered one of them to help you trail me, not giving up until they said yes?" Ash asked.
"Probably. Arceus, I've only known you to be this observant in battles. Or am I just that easy to read?"
"You're pretty easy to read, but I've also been making it a habit to try harder to observe everything so I know who to trust and who not to."
"And what about your old pokemon. Is she going to be like the ones who turned their backs on you?"
"I don't know anymore." Ash replied sadly. "I'd like to hope not."
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Ash stepped in front of the sliding door causing it to open quickly and the two proceeded to walk in.
"Professor Pine!" Ash called.
Answering his call, a tall slender man in a lab coat walked into the room with a young assistant by his side.
"Ah, Ash!" The man exclaimed walking over to him. "So glad you could make it!" His gaze followed to the rodent taking his place on Ash's shoulder. "Pikachu! Good to see you too! I see the cybernetics are working out."
"Pikachu." He purred back. He then shifted his attention to the third member of their group. This time however, he didn't recognize the one in front of him.
"Who's your friend? I don't believe I've had the pleasure."
"This is my friend, Serena. She came here with Pikachu and me all the way from Kalos to help fix this problem you presumably have."
"Well, the help is much appreciated." He said sticking his hand out. "Pleasure to meet you, Serena."
"Likewise." She replied grabbing his hand and shaking it.
"Now that introductions are through, I'd like to get down to business. I'm a busy man, I have a lot of work to do and not much time." He explained. "24 hours ago, a stray Lapras washed up on the shore not too far from here. The Lapras's shell had been damaged. It's missing a few spikes, and so, she was sent here to be studied and find out the cause."
"And what was the cause? I've never heard of a Lapras's shell just falling apart." Serena asked.
"Apparently a Lapras's shell is made, in part, of ivory. After doing some research I found that Lapras hunting is becoming quite popular among poachers, presumably for the shells." He elaborated
"That's horrible!" Ash yelled with Pikachu silently nodding in agreement from his shoulder. If this was his old Lapras, he was going to find who hurt her and give them heavy doses of his and Greninja's water shuriken's.
"I'd say that this Lapras is lucky however. Normally the ivory hunters just kill the Lapras and remove the shells from there. In this case, however, it seems from the parts of the shell that are missing and the angles the saw blades cut at, that this was done as painlessly as possible. Odd, isn't it?"
"Is there any way to find out who is doing this to these Lapras?" Serena asked.
"Unfortunately, no. Every case of Lapras hunting so far has left behind seemingly no evidence whatsoever. Unless we can get a confession, I'm afraid we won't know for some time." He answered.
Ash had had enough. He felt sick that someone would do this to a poor Lapras, especially since their such gentle creatures by nature. He needed to make sure this was not his friend. If this was the Lapras he traveled with, then he was taking her home with him. "Professor I'd like to see Lapras now."
"Of course, but I must warn you, she cowers from everyone. Nobody but our translator can get close to her; she fires water guns at everyone else. She's refusing to eat either. Which leads me to believe she still thinks she's in some sort of danger." Pine said leading them towards the observation room.
"Thanks, but I think I can handle myself." Ash replied.
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Ash opened the door to see an older woman and a Lapras at the opposite end of the large room. The Woman was too busy tending to the poor pokemon to even notice that she now had company.
"Uh, excuse me?" Ash said as Serena followed his tracks through the doors and into the room. She quickly eyed the large transport pokemon. Lapras were very rare pokemon in Kalos. The only other Lapras she'd ever seen in her 15 years in Kalos was the one Bonnie had found.
"I was told you were caring for an old friend of mine." Ash said approaching the woman.
"Ah which makes you Ash, Correct?" The woman turned to the young trainer. Ash stood astonished. There in front of his stood a researcher that could give professor Ivy a run for her money in the looks department. Long blonde hair, a baby blue lab coat with a black shirt underneath. Not to mention the hourglass figure. For the first time in forever he was glad Brock wasn't here with him. He wasn't sure if his friend would be able to contain himself.
Serena noticed he was staring and gave a 'hmph'. She cleared her throat just load enough to get Ash's very divided attention for one second. "Ash, don't tell me you've forgotten why we came all this way?" She queried officially snapping him back to reality.
"Right the Lapras." Ash said shaking his head. "I think you've made a mistake miss. The Lapras I knew is with her family."
"Well she seems to be very adamant that you and she have a history." She said hitching a thumb at the Lapras in question who gave out a cry of happiness.
"I'll be the judge of that." Ash said defiantly. The young man walked up to the tower transport pokemon. There was no doubt it was in the same age group as his old friend, but there was only one way for him to be sure. He looked the pokemon square in the eyes. The two stood there for what seemed like an eternity.
After minutes of silence Serena decided to speak up. "Ash are you-"
"Lapras!" "Pika!" He shouted happily cutting her off mid-sentence and throwing his arms around the pokemon's long neck. In response he received a happy cry and a short session of nuzzling causing him to laugh the entire time. "It's so good to see you again! You keep getting bigger every time I see you."
The pokemon turned her attention from Ash to Pikachu and nearly fainted at what she saw. She had been so caught up with her old trainer that she had missed Pikachu's new appearance. She turned back to Ash and eyed him questioningly.
"I'll explain later, I promise. Right now, what matters is catching up with you! I want to introduce you to my friend Serena." He said stepping out of the way and revealing the girl that had been standing in silence up until now.
"It's nice to meet you Lapras, any friend of Ash's is a friend of mine." She greeted waving at it.
The happiness didn't last long, however. While she was introducing herself he subconsciously ran his hand across her damaged shell for the first time and the situation came creeping back into Ash's mind. "What happened? Where's the rest of your family? Don't tell me the ivory hunters got to them." He said worriedly.
Tears started rolling down the wounded pokemon's face. She hung her head down low and turned her gaze away from the Kalosian.
"I'm so sorry, Lapras. I know how much they meant to you." He said somberly rubbing his hand across her head comfortingly. "I'm here now, and I have a surprise." He said taking his hand off her head and reaching into his pockets. "Admittedly, I was skeptical about you being who they said you were, but just in case, I brought some friends who'd like to say 'Hi'." He pulled two pokeballs out of his pockets and threw them into the air. "Come on out Bayleef and Quilava!" He called.
When the lights created by the pokeballs faded, two new pokemon stood in the large room. The aforementioned pokemon were standing right in front of Ash with their backs to Lapras. Ash took a knee down to the two smaller pokemon.
"I know I didn't tell you guys why we left the lab, and that's 'cause I didn't want to get your hopes up. But as fate would have it, Pine was correct and there's an old friend who needs some good company right now." He explained point his finger in Lapras' direction.
The two turned around to face the pokemon they once traveled with. It took a second for them to register just who they were looking at, but as they both had a simultaneous revelation the two ran over to greet their old friend.
Ash smiled at the sweet scene before pivoting in the researcher's direction and approaching her. "I thank you for calling me here today." He said bowing to her. "But how did you know what she was saying?"
"Simple." She answered pulling a pokeball from seemingly nowhere and opening it revealing a Kadabra. "Me and Kadabra have spent years training and developing a link between each other. This link allows me to understand him completely as if I spoke his language."
"Can you teach me to do that with my Braxien? That would really help in my performances!" Serena begged jumping excitedly.
"Not just anyone can do it. Much like Aura some people can learn to utilize the ability but the majority will never be able to access the necessary qualities."
"Well anyway, it's time for me and Lapras to leave. I need to get back to Kalos." Ash said pulling out an unused pokeball. "She can stay with me until you catch those poachers."
"I'm afraid she'll have to stay here. She knows more about the hunters than anybody. We need her in order to catch these guys." The researcher argued.
"It wasn't a request." Ash retorted calmly. "She just lost her whole herd in a matter of minutes. I'll bet my hat she's in no mood to talk about it. We'll come back when Lapras is ready."
"So, what? You're just going to take her with you? She's are greatest tool to finding these criminals! She needs to be questioned."
"Lapras isn't a tool, she's a living being!" Ash shouted. "I don't know you, therefore I don't trust you to protect my friend!"
"Pine said you trust everybody! He said you'd be fine with leaving Lapras here!" She yelled back.
"Pine hasn't seen me in years. Things change. Whether you like it or not, she's coming with me."
"That's enough, both of you!" The two turned to see Professor Pine standing in the doorway. "Ash, I cannot have you starting fights with my employees." He ordered. "And Julie you know better as well. I believe you're both forgetting that at this time Lapras is a wild pokemon, and has no legal guardian. Without a guardian the choice is hers."
"So, I'm guessing the fight is happening on the other side huh?" Ash took their silence as a yes. "Alright, there's not enough room on Lapras for all of us, so Sceptile, Pikachu, and I will ride Lapras and Buizel will follow behind on his own."
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As soon as Ash got himself and Pikachu off Lapras with Sceptile following after, the transport pokemon shot off in the opposite direction.
'Huh, wonder where she's off to.' He thought to himself.
"So, where's the fire, guys?" Ash asked no one in particular as he stepped forward scanning the area for any signs of a struggle. However, he quickly began to realize nothing was wrong. If a fight had happened the least that would have happened was some of the grass would have gotten dug up, but the fields were as cleanly leveled as ever.
"Alright guys, what's going on?" Ash asked turning back to face Pikachu, Sceptile, and Buizel. He was shocked at the sight of Charizard, Staraptor, Noivern, and Lapras carrying all of his other pokemon across the small lake they had crossed. Ash figured they had been following him this whole time. "Pikachu, buddy, what's going on?"
Suddenly more and more pokemon came out from the cover of the trees surrounding him. Ash began to shake in place as if a low scale seizure state having flashbacks to the day something similar had happened. The world around him went black. He began drifting into the thoughts of his pokemon, friends, and, family surrounding and attacking him.
"Ash!" someone screamed from what seemed to be an outside world. "Ash! Are you okay?!" He suddenly felt someone shaking him, and he drifted back out of his trance to see Anabel standing in front of him assuming she was the one who was shaking him. Admittedly it wasn't a bad sight to see after a flurry of nightmares.
"What are you doing here Anabel? I thought Scott couldn't give you any more time off." He asked.
"He decided to allow me one more day off to celebrate!" She said as she smiled at him.
"Celebrate?" He quizzed. Then he realized she wasn't the only one. He had been so focused on her, he failed to realize that his Kalos friends, Sycamore and his staff, and his friends from out of Kalos were all there. He looked up to see two Fletchinder's holding up a banner reading 'Happy Anniversary!' "What's that?" He asked pointing to the banned.
"Ash, today is the one-year anniversary of you moving in to my humble abode!" Sycamore said walking over to him. "I told everyone to hide and made up a false pretense to get you to this spot. I can't tell you how much of a help you've been keeping everyone in good spirits. So, I called up Brock, Anabel, and your friends here in Kalos and told them to come around to surprise you. I will say it was hard to organize but I'm rather proud of-"
"But when we got here you were in a trance like state and shaking vigorously. Is something wrong?" Serena interrupted.
"You should know I'm not a fan of surprises." He said bitterly.
"Well, we couldn't tell you." Paul retorted.
Ash looked at the Sinnoh native and noticed he wasn't alone, he had Dawn with him as well.
"Paul! Dawn! I thought you two were in Unova!"
"We were, but Paul manage to conquer the Pokemon League and challenge the elite four in time for your party!" Dawn beamed.
"Thank you, everyone. It's nice to be loved like this." He stated picking Pikachu up and placing him on his shoulder. "So, how about we get this party under way."
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Ash was currently standing in a more remote part of the corral that Sycamore had given to Ash to do with what he pleased. The minute he offered it to him Ash knew what he was going to use it for. Turns out, Oak was the only person who Gary had down as any sort of legal guardians. No aunts, uncles, older cousins, siblings, nothing. This made it easy to convince the people in charge of his burial to let him take the researcher's body to Kalos.
He stood in front of a gravestone surrounded completely by thousands of planted flowers of many different colors, and several bouquets placed there by those who knew him best. He and some of his pokemon tended to these flowers daily with Bayleef making sure they were healthy and getting enough sunlight and Buizel watering them. The gravestone in front of him read
Gary Blue Oak
A Great Researcher
A Great Rival
An Even Greater Friend
The party his friends had managed to throw for him was the most fun he had had since leaving Kanto. Everyone was so welcoming when he first got to Sycamore's, and it's nice to see everyone still welcomed him so much. Each one had comforted him in one way or another and he appreciated it more than they ever knew. Of course, they didn't heal him completely, he reckoned it'd take years until he was able to trust again, but they were the reason he was able to get through every day. Yet there was one thing he couldn't get over, the death of his friend.
"I'm sorry, buddy. I should have done more. I should have-"
"We knew we'd find you here." A voice said from behind him.
Ash turned to see Brock, Dawn, and Paul walking towards him.
"Where's everyone else?" Ash queried.
"Anabel got a challenger back at the Battle Tower, Clembot broke down again so Clemont and Bonnie went back to take care of that mess, and Serena fell asleep and we didn't want to wake her." Dawn explained as the three joined the young trainer.
"Y'know it's been one year since he died and I still can't get over it." Ash said somberly.
"That's completely normal Ash," Brock said putting a hand on his shoulder. "Nobody gets over the death of a loved one so fast. None of us are over it either."
"That's not it. I'll never really get over his death, but what I meant was I still feel responsible for what happened." Ash said pulling his shoulder out of Brock's hand not looking back at them.
"What the hell are you talking about now?" Paul asked.
"Maybe if I had done more for him, he'd still be with us. I shouldn't have left him there with Oak. I knew what Oak was capable of and I left him. I failed."
"It wasn't your fault Ash." Brock said trying to comfort him.
"Wasn't it? I got everyone else out. I could've gone back. I could have saved him." Ash said.
"And what of Pikachu, huh? Were you just going to put off taking Pikachu to the hospital, you heard the doctor, any longer and he wouldn't have made it out alive."
"I could've had Paul take him while I went for Gary." Ash said letting the tears roll down his face. "He saved me, but I couldn't return the favor. If only I were stronger." He finished.
"If you go through life thinking of the 'only if' and 'could have' you'll end up a shell of a person. Gary wouldn't have wanted you to live like this. Let me know when you're done with your pity party." Paul said walking away from the conversation.
"Sorry Ash," Dawn said. "You know he cares, he just doesn't like seeing you beat yourself up over this. Especially when it isn't your fault."
"Dawn's right Ash. You did what you could in a situation no one, especially you, deserves to go through. Oak did this, not you. I'm not leaving this spot until I hear you say 'It's not my fault'" Brock said taking a stand.
"But-" Ash started before being cut off.
"No buts, or we'll be here all night." Dawn ordered.
"Guys please don't do this." Ash pleaded, even going as far as to clasp his hands together.
"We could go get Serena if you'd rather have to deal with her." Brock suggested.
Ash sighed in defeat. "It's not my fault." He said in an ingenuine voice. Suffice to say Dawn and Brock were not pleased.
"Like you mean it. One more try before we call in the cavalry." Dawn ordered once again.
"It- It's not my fault." He repeated back to them in a more confident voice.
"Good now I'll go get Paul, and he can apologize for snapping at you and we can all get on with the rest our day."
"You're going to get Paul to apologize? He's only given one apology in his whole life!" Ash yelled "How the hell are you going to do that?"
Dawn just smiled back at him. "I have my ways, no need to worry." She turned back towards the exit and began her trek back to the lab.
"Is it me, or is there something going on between them?" Ash asked raising an eyebrow and pointing in Dawn's direction.
"There better not be," Brock replied. "I still don't have a girlfriend." He said as he began to anime cry. Ash chose to ignore it and the two ran after Dawn.
I want to make a few things clear.
1. Don't ask me to update! I'm glad some of you like it that much and I appreciate you passion, but this is a hobby, not a chore.
2. This will have no tournament, and Ash will use aura only once and near the end of the story. Those are two tropes I feel are way overused so if you're here for that, look somewhere else.
3. This will have some character deaths later on so just be warned.
4. Did I mention not to ask me to update?