Staring up at the sky, Ash let out a sigh as he sat up, leaning against the trunk of the tree that stood on the outskirts of the clearing he had found for him and his pokemon, "This night is going to slow..." Ash thought as he looked down to his left, seeing the sleeping from of Pikachu next to him, "At least someone is getting some sleep tonight..." He thought as he slowly shifted himself away from Pikachu before standing up, not wanting to wake the sleeping electric pokemon.
Walking into the clearing, Ash looked around at all his pokemon: The first thing Ash noticed was that most of his pokemon were sound asleep, except for two, who were sat with their backs to Ash.
"Can't sleep either, huh?" Ash spoke quietly, but loud enough for the two pokemon to hear him, making them turn towards him, "Me neither...i just can't slepe out in the open anymore" The two pokemon nodded slowly in agreement, also finding it hard to sleep out in the open after spending so many years with the protection of the cave walls around then. The other night hadn't been so bad, seeing as how they were INSIDE a cave, but tonight they were out in the open, and who knew what or who would attack them.
"I'm guessing that's not the only reason you can't sleep...i'[m guessing your catiouse incase that pokemon attacks us again, right Sceptile? Servine?" Both grass types nodded at their trainers assumption - not only was sleeping outside not cool with them, but they didn't trust the totem pokemon, and they weren't sure if it would be back for another surprise attack.
"I don't trust that pokemon either" Ash stated as he walked closer to his two grass pokemon, who stood up and turned to face Ash, their shoulders relaxing slightly at knowing their trainer held the same thoughts as their's, "I'm still angry that that pokemon attacked you without any warning. It wasn't a fair fight, and if we did challenge Tapu Koko to battle, i know either of you would wipe the floor with it" Both pokemon nodded - they agreed entirely with their trainer. Training for seven years meant they weren't push-overs. They could more than hold their own againest the electric pokemon.
"Hm" Ash suddenly stopped, turning sideways to look towards the east of where he and his pokemon were standing, "Who goes their?" Ash suddenly demanded, making the two electric pokemon blink in confusion - they hadn't heard a sound, but clearly their trainer had. A rustling sound suddenly reached their ears, making them get into a battle stance before Ash held a hand up, "Hold up you two, i think i know who it is" Sceptile lowered his arms and Servine withdrew her vines slowly as they watched a small, unfamiliar pokemon emerged form the bushes.
"It's you? You have been following us, haven't you?" Ash asked the pokemon, who nodded at the accusation as it walked closer to Ash, "You wish to talk about what made you sad by the river?" The pokemon that Ash had met by the river nodded its small head, the look of sadness crossing over its face once more as Ash nodded, kneeling down so he was level with the cat-like pokemon.
"Very well, i am all ears." The small pokemon looked up at Ash before looking at Sceptile and Servine with hard eyes. Ash quickly got the hint, turning to look at his two, bewildered looking grass pokemon, "You two go search for berries for the morning if you can't sleep - this pokemon doesn't feel comfortable sharing its story with you two around" The two pokemon looked apprehensive to leave their trainer with the strange pokemon, but a rare smile from their trainer mde them relax slightly, "Do not worry - but be on high alert. I don't want you two getting hurt, okay?" Ash said as he watched his two pokemon nod before the dissapeared into the tree's, but not without consistently looking back towards their trainer - neither pokemon had seen the small cat pokemon before, and they were apprehensive about leaving their trainer with a strange new pokemon.
Ash smiled sadly as the small black pokemon in front of him looked down sadly, a dry trail of tears running from its eyes, "So, your mentor passed away?" The little pokemon nodded sadly, making Ash's sad smile turn even sadder as he went to pet the small pokemon, but stopped himself - pulling his hand back when he realised stroking a wild pokemon would not be the best idea.
"I can't say i relate to that little one," Ash started off as he retracted his hand, resting it on his kneeling knee gently, "But i know what it's like to lose someone who is important to you. Its gut-wrenching. It makes you question why Arceus allows suffering to occur to the likes who don't deserve it" The small pokemon nodded, raising it's paw to wipe at it's eyes.
"And although life around you moves on - you feel stuck in a time warp. A limbo where the pain never goes away, but everyone around you is smiling, as if nothing ever happened" The little pokemon nodded once again in agreement as Ash spoke, "The sadness never goes away. But you do grow up. You do learn to live with the pain, the regret of everything you never did, or said. That pain will never leave, but one day the pain becomes so numbing you shut yourself from everyone and everything, never letting anyone or anything close to you again" The small pokemon looked up at Ash with a tilted head, curiosity written all over the cat pokemon's face.
"You need to know this - other's say you will move on, that the pain will one day fade and everything will be better. But thats not true - the truth is it will always hurt, but the other truth is that their never really gone. As long as you remember them in your head and heart, they will always be a part of you - even if they can't be with you here in reality"