Note to everybody; Heart-wrenching scenes ahead. Read at your own risk. And please, no flames.
Note: The Idea for this story comes from my brother. You can blame him if you want to.
Serena and Asher are walking down a long tunnel in the cave. Serena is sort of supporting Asher, who looks extreemly weighed down and nervous. "Are you okay?" she pressed gently.
Asher takes a deep breath and shakes his head. He knew he wasn't okay, but he had to go through with this.
Soon, they reach the end of the tunnel, which opens up to a large cavern, which shows signs if Pokemon living in it, such as a Sceptile, a Garchomp, and a Gigalith. There are scorch marks along the walls and signs of Pokemon walking around. "Greninja must've slept outside," murmured Asher, "he could never face this anymore than I can right now."
At the other end of the anti-chamber is a large, stone door, which looks extreemly heavy. Yet somehow, when the two of them reach the door, Asher pushes it open. It swings heavily on its hinjes, but it stays open, and the two of them step through.
They enter into a chamber full of dim light, which shines on a large group of tombstones. The tombstones are a golden stone color with a Pokeball embedded into the top. Each marker has the name of a Pokemon on it. They are the Pokemon that were lost in the battle where Ash was lost. As Asher reads the names on the tombstones silently, his throat threatens to close. Memories spring forward as he reads the names-Infernape, Kingler, Swellow, Snorlax-so many names, each one of them like a punch in the gut, a tearing in his heart. Asher began to feel tears well up in his eyes at the sight of all of those tombstones. He turned to look at Serena and saw that she too, had tears in her eyes. They came to another door, smaller this time and made out of wood. Without hesitation, but with aprehension, Asher opens it and he and Serena went inside.
In a place of honor sat another tombstone-this one marked with the name of his oldest companion-his first Pokemon, Raichu. Three years after his Alolan journey, Pikachu had finally decided to evolve. And somehow, he could still ride on Ash's shoulder. He wasn't a very big Raichu. But he was still a very powerful and beloved friend.
They kneel in front of the grave and Asher touches the Pokeball embedded into it. "It's just hard to be here, isn't it?" asked Serena. Asher doesn't say anything. He remembers what happened to his friend. How he died...
(Flashback)
It was the second day that that Ash's was fighting Team Rocket. They had focused on using quick, lightning-like attacks, striking quickly and vanishing. But then, Ash and Raichu found themselves facing a Garydos, commanded by the Team Rocket Elite, Dagan. Raichu had leapt up, firing a Hyper Beam.
Then, Dagan had yelled out. Other Pokemon leapt upwards unleashing their attacks. Ash yelled out, but Raichu could not dodge. And Ash could only look on in horror as the attacks struck Raichu. Before the dust could clear, Greninja in his Ash-Greninja mode had dived into the smoke, and came back out holding a limp Raichu. One look into Greninja's face and Ash knew one thing.
As he cradled Raichu in his arms one last time, he said, "I'm sorry...Pikachu. I'm so, so, sorry."
(End Flashback)
"That's what made me give up."
Serena looked at Asher as he continued, "I just couldn't go on without him. I just couldn't go on without Pikachu. When he decided to become Raichu, it took me a while to accept that. But, now he's gone..." Asher took a deep breath before saying, "People said that I didn't have a weakness, that no matter what battle was given to me, I could figure it out in the end. But I did have a weakness; I never learned to let go. I could never truly let go. I never really believed it, that I could lose someone. And now that I have, I just can't imagine them gone. I never believed that they were gone."
"Letting go is a part of life," said Serena, placing a gentle arm around Asher's shoulders, "when old friends pass on, you have to let new ones into your life."
"I know." Then, he finally let's the tears that he had been holding for twenty years to go cascading down his cheeks. He broke down, sobbing into Serena's shoulder. She held him gently, adding her own tears.
After several heart-wrenching moment, Ash says, "The pain is gone. I'm Ash Ketchum again. And I promise, what happened a long time ago will not happen again. To me, or to anyone else."
Serena said to him, "Well, if that's ever going to happen again, you're going to need a new uniform." She gets up and walks around Raichu's tombstone, walking over to the cabinet behind it. Opening it, she reveals a familliar outfit, with a red cap to complete it.
(())
Thorn and all the other Pokemon are waiting outside the cave entrance, waiting for Asher and Serena to come out. Suddenly, Greninja turns his head to the cave mouth, from which Serena and Ash appear.
Ash now wore a short-sleeved, blue hoodless coat, with white and blue sleeves and black and red fingerless gloves. His pants match the blue on his coat, with his pockets a lighter blue. He has red, blue and black combat boots and his red hat has a white half-circle on the front, and a white brim. His Pokemon belt was around his waist with all the Pokeballs, plus a sixth one that Greninja knew who was for. One look into his eyes proves that this was his trainer. This was Ash.
Ash walks right up to Greninja and says, "What was it I said when we worked together, old friend? Stronger together?" Their movements become syncronised and a colom of raging water erupts around Greninja. When the water coliates into a large Water Shurikan on his back, Greninja looks remarkably more like Ash, down to the familiar fire that burned in both of their eyes. As the two of them look across the land, they could see, with Greninja's ability,that the land was filled with negative energy, more than in the past during the Kalos crisis.
"We've got a lot of work to do, everyone." The two of them turn as Ash explains, "the whole world is full of negative energy. The Restless and Team Rocket have caused this, and we're going to need all of the help that we can get to stop them. But, unfortunatly," he flashes a wink at Greninja, who stifles a chuckle, "I am one short of a full team.
"Pi-ka!" Pikachu hops onto Ash's shoulder happily, knowing exactly what Ash meant. "Now, I've got a full team," Ash remarks, causing everyone to laugh at this.
Ash continues, saying, "we have to stop these groups, but I don't want any of us to go through the battle of Aquacorde again. That is the last thing that we need to have."
"We should probably talk to Gary again," said Serena, standing beside her husband, "He could contact all of the other regional professors so they can recruit the rest of our friends and probably a few others."
"Right. And speaking of Gary." Ash bekons to Thorn, who comes forward. "You really want to become a trainer, don't you, son?" he asks him.
"Yes, I do." Thorn's voice is shaking in exitement.
"Well then, while your over at Gary's to tell him to start recruiting," sais Ash, a smile on his face, "tell him that you also need a Universal Pokedex, as well as a couple of Pokeballs. After all, you've got quite a decent team here. Assuming that they all want to go with you?" Ash looks at them, who instantly give a cheer and rush over to stand by Thorn's side, and Thunder hops onto Thorn's shoulder.
Ash looks at his son and his Pokemon team, then gives a snort and says, "Go on out there. Train. Become the strongest and the best you can be. I know that you're one Pokemon short, but I also know who the last spot will be for. While you're trying to find and rescue Riolu, see if you can find more on this Restless, and try to find Team Rocket's main headquarters. When you believe that you've become your strongest, come find me and your mother. We'll help you become even stronger."
"On the subect of the Restless," says Persian, "How are you planning to stop them? I know that you never go in with a plan, except to tell them to stop, but I also know that that plan almost never works," he sarcasticly points out.
"I don't know for certain how we're going to stop them," said Ash, looking towards the setting sun, "All we know is that they're Pokemon that have been abandoned and wild Pokemon. They're one of the ones that are causing all of this negative energy, Team Rocket the other. We can show them that there are good people in this world. You just have to look for them. Right guys?" he asks his Pokemon, who all chorus in agreement.
As everyone looks towards the setting sun, they all knew one thing; The war against Team Rocket did not end at Aquacorde. It was just the begining.
Okay, I'll admit, I teared up when I was writing the flashback. I didn't even want to kill Pikachu/Raichu, or even evolve him. But it had to be done. (My brother) ;( ;(
(I have to do this.) #LonglivePikachu!
And don't worry, this isn't the end! Stay tuned for the Epilouge!