Pokemon: The Lords of the Elements

Author's Note: Considering the length of time that Ash has spent in each of his adventures, which one could hypothetically assume is a year (or half a year for minor tournaments) for each challenge that Ash has gone through, (and, yes, I am including the Alola region,) we can safely assume that Ash is 20 after completing his second attempt at the Indigo league. The ages of Ash's friends I am definitely planning on incorporating into the story would probably look something like this:

Ash: 20

Misty: 20

Serena: 20

Brock: 25

Characters I might incorporate but still haven't made up my mind on would look like this:

May: 17

Dawn: 16 (Yes, I did my homework.)

Gary: 20

And more, but I haven't decided on who just yet.

If you would like to see certain characters come into play, say so in the reviews. There may be someone I overlooked who would be vital to the story!

Chapter 2

A Hero's Return

(A little over half a year since the events in Celebi's vision….)

The morning sun peaked over the horizon as Ash Ketchum gazed over the valley that Pallet Town was nestled in. He smiled widely. Despite being back in Kanto for a little over six months, he had chosen not to go back home until he had won the league. He had to prove himself, prove that he had grown into the man that he worked so hard to be. Home would be a reward for all of his efforts, and that reward was to finally rest. While working to be a Pokémon Master, even though being a Pokémon Master required constant work, it was good to take a break every now and again.

However, Ash could now take a different kind of rest: a rest of triumph. Winning the Indigo League made him a Pokémon Master, and even though that meant he had to work harder than ever to keep the title, he could at least stay home while he trained. Well, closer to home, at any rate. He wanted to build a cottage in the mountains where he could always work his hardest. However, a good son should at least visit his mother on occasion. Yet, even as he was about to start sprinting downhill to home, he heard an agitated groan. He looked back curiously to see his friends behind him.

"Ash, did you have to drag us out of bed before dawn?" Misty asked tiredly, rubbing her eyes. "We have all the time in the world now!"

Ash smiled at the redhead. She had grown a lot since Ash saw her last after he traveled home from the Hoenn region about seven years ago. Of course, seven years ago she still looked more tomboyish. Her features were certainly becoming more pronounced in her developing body then, but she had truly become the beautiful water flower now that Ash had rarely had a chance to see when they were kids.

She let her hair grow out to her just below her shoulder blades, and it developed natural, wavy curls in length. It reminded Ash much of how she looked like when she dressed up as a mermaid for her sisters' play nine years ago. Her body had also become more curved, giving off a feminine look that both contradicted her tomboyish appearance and also complimented and accented her beauty to point that it was clear that she was very much indeed the "most beautiful of the Sensational Sisters," as she liked to claim for years despite being called the "runt" by her sisters. Her sea green eyes sparkled in the sunlight when she finished rubbing them, and Ash could truly believe that gazing into her eyes was like looking at the sea from atop a mountain. Her eyes spoke wonders.

"Why are you staring at me?" Mistry asked sleepily, blinking slowly.

"Uhm… nothing," Ash blushed slightly, unaware he was staring and trying to come up with an excuse. "I… I just thought I saw a Weedle in your hair."

"WHAT?!" Misty shrieked and ran around in circles, shaking her head and wildly running her hands through her hair. "Get it out! GET IT OUT!"

Ash laughed wildly as Misty slowly began to realize that Ash was messing with her. Her face grew red as her eyes showed daggers. She was ready to pounce on Ash when she suddenly felt a couple hands hold her back.

"Hey, easy!" A young man said in alarm, trying to keep Ash from being mauled by the now gorgeous fiery redhead.

"Why on earth are you taking his side, Brock?!" Misty asked the young man of darker skin. Little about Brock had changed, other than growing taller and slightly more muscular. Yet, he was still the nurturer of the group. Brock had graduated college and earned his degree to practice as a Pokémon Doctor while Ash continued his travels. Though, in truth, he still had some obligations to the Pewter City gym when he finally came back to Kanto.

"I'm not taking sides, Misty," Brock said diplomatically. "I'm just trying to get you out of becoming the defendant of Ash's murder trial."

Ash smiled nervously as Misty shot eye daggers at her two friends. However, Misty finally relented her anger after a few short moments of being in Brock's grip. She took a deep breath and sighed, nodding calmly to Brock so he could let her go.

"That's the last time I go to visit and root for you at a Pokémon League," Misty grumbled.

"But, Mist," Ash smiled playfully, "how can I win if you aren't there to tell me everything I am doing wrong?"

Misty looked at Ash and smiled softly.

"True," Misty giggled. "You wouldn't be anywhere without me!"

The three laughed together as another girl approached them with Ash's Pikachu in her arms. She was also a gorgeous young woman with honey blonde hair and crystal blue eyes. Her curves were more defined than Misty's, and her style was certainly more feminine, but she and Misty were just alike in the mystery of their beauty. Her hair, too, was shoulder blade length, but she grew it back out slightly from when she cut it almost three years ago down to her shoulders. Like Misty's, her hair was wavy, but seemed to become more straight as it grew while Misty's would become curlier.

"Is everyone alright?" She asked in concern. "I heard screaming!"

"We're fine, Serena," Misty smiled. "Ash was just being a pain."

Serena sighed in relief at the good news. She had Ash had traveled together for the past three years ever since she had found him after a news report in the Kalos region. She had had a crush on Ash for years, and her feelings for him deepened as they traveled together. Though they had shared many romantic moments together, Ash was painfully oblivious to the fact that Serena was in love with him. And even when she tried to move away from her feelings towards him, he would always somehow wind up making her fall in love with him all over again, and it was always deeper.

Serena, though, did feel some jealousy towards Misty. Misty was beautiful, and only a fool would deny it. There were times when Ash and Misty seemed like they had feelings for each other, but both seemed to ignore the issue entirely. Yet, at the same time, Serena did not feel the same kind of jealousy towards Misty that she felt towards someone like Miette. Miette just wanted Ash because Serena wanted him. But Serena could tell Misty cared for Ash the same way she did. Misty and Serena cared for the Ash that was always going to love his pokémon and was never going to give up, even if that meant killing himself in the process.

How was Serena sure that Misty loved Ash? She wasn't entirely, though Serena was sure she could see a deeper connection between Ash and Misty whenever their eyes met. It was the same look that Ash and Serena had whenever his eyes captured hers. The look that let Serena know Ash was about to do something brave and absolutely idiotic. That look that let her know that he would do anything and everything to protect her.

"Serena?" Ash's voice called, bringing her out of her thoughts. The blonde blushed as she looked into Ash's eyes. He grinned at her excitedly. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I am," Serena nodded as she blushed more. "How much further until we reach Pallet?"

"Downhill!" Ash cried enthusiastically, ready to take a break. "Just a couple more miles left to go!"

Pikachu cried happily as Ash started to sprint for home and jumped out of Serena's arms and chasing his master down the hill. The girls and Brock shared exhausted looks before chasing Ash themselves.

"Going to be home! Going to be home!" Ash thought excitedly and laughed to himself as he would look down to see Pikachu running beside him. Foot by foot, step by step, he drew closer to Pallet and the houses grew bigger with the closing distance. Yet, when Ash came crashing through the door and shouted to his mom that he was finally back home, he was met instead by an Eevee sitting at the feet of his mother and staring up at Delia's face. Delia, instead of greeting her son, sat in silence with her head bowed, staring at a golden medallion, and tears clearly on her cheeks as she shook quietly.

"Mom?" Ash frowned when he saw his mother's state and took a closer step to her. "Mom, what's wrong? Whose Eevee is this?"

Delia looked up at her son as her hands tightened around the medallion. She opened her mouth to speak but burst into tears again. Eevee then turned his head, taking first notice to the young trainer and stood up, a look of anger on its face.

"Vee!" Eevee barked at Ash, taking up a protective stance in front of Delia and causing Pikachu to take up a protective stance in front of Ash as well.

"No, Eevee, stop!" Delia cried. "This is Ash! Rob's son!"

Eevee looked up at Ash and relaxed slightly before sitting at Delia's feet again. Delia sighed as she watched the poor Eevee, knowing it would do anything to protect her. She picked Eevee up and let him rest on her lap, but the pokémon was too alert to actually relax on Delia. She petted him softly, wishing he could relax to her.

"Mom, what's wrong?" Ash asked with a frown as he picked up Pikachu. "Why was this Eevee about to attack me?"

"He doesn't really know who you are, Ash," Delia answered quietly. "Your father left too early for any of his pokémon to know who you are. But they know of you…."

"This Eevee is dad's?" Ash asked with wide eyes. "Well, then where is dad? Is he here?!"

"No, sweetheart," Delia said slowly, shaking her head. "Eevee came alone with your father's pokéballs and his medallion. Your father is…."

She choked on her coming tears, unable and unwilling to finish what she was obviously going to say. Ash filled in the blank and watched his mom in shock and despair as his friends showed up behind the door. Eevee, however, did not react hostilely to the others, smelling Ash's scent on them.

"Ash?" Serena asked in worry when she saw the tension in the room, causing Ash to look back to his friends with a deep sadness in his eyes.

"My dad is dead," he said slowly, but plainly.

Hey, everyone! Sorry if this chapter may have seemed a little shorter. Like I said earlier, I did some rewriting. With school, I only find time to write when I have nothing going on. Hopefully I will be able to upload a new chapter soon. Next chapter I hope to put in some more backstory and the start of Ash's next journey. As I said earlier, please give your thoughts on character inclusion. If you are hoping that I will get to Eevee's connection with the medallion soon, though, then you will need to wait a bit longer. Heh. In any regard, though, please review! Thanks for reading! See you next time!