Later

"Here are your semi-final rounds!" the announcer said.

"In the first battle, Red Satoshi of Viridian City will battle against Paul of Veilstone City!"

"Yeah. It's what I wanted." Ash thought.

"And the second semi-final will be between Jira of Postwick Town and Stephen of Blackthorn City!"

"Ash." Jira said. "You've done it. You're getting your wish."

"I'm tense, I must admit." Ash said. "The other guys will finally see me. I don't know what I'll tell them."

"Didn't you say that Brock and the other guy were going to be happy for you?"

"Yes, Jira, but there are others who would literally hit me with a mallet."

"WHAT?!" Jira shouted. "No way in hell, Ash. How can you consider them your friends?"

"It's a long story, Jira…"

"I'm going to come face to face with my memories… who cares at this point. Might as well tell them."

"So Jira, the first day I began my journey as a trainer, I met this girl…"

Later

"…and I think that's how it went."

"Wow… you surely had a lot of friends in the past, Ash." Jira spoke. "But I never thought you had this many. And some of them grew to be so close to you."

"Yes. I used to keep in touch with my friends daily. Especially Brock and the girls."

"Ash, you haven't really told me this…" Jira said. "I know you've told me about your past from time to time, but for the past hour or so, I've listened carefully to what you had to say. You will have to apologize to them, Ash. I'm sure they miss you much more than you think they do."

"The one person I do not miss is my mother. That whore, especially if she is still with Giovanni, is a person I cannot associate with anymore. If she is not, I want her deepest apology."

Goh did not say anything, just enjoying his coke bottle instead.

"I promise you, once again, that I don't think people will associate you with Team Rocket. You're really overthinking at this point. And besides, two years have passed. You have to be a fucking idiot to dismiss someone you've shared so many good memories with just because of some rumours. Besides, you have always, always fought against Team Rocket, from what you've told me."

"That is true", Goh said. "Should I tell him…?" he thought. "No. Not yet."

"I have less than 24 hours left as Red Satoshi. I'll reveal myself tomorrow right at the beginning of the battle against Paul." Ash spoke.

"Hey Pikachu", Ash turned to his electric mouse, "from now on you'll no longer stay in the living room. Thank you so much for helping out there. I just did not want to show myself."

Later

Goh excused himself to sit in Jira's living room, as Ash and Jira, alongside Pikachu, Latios and Weavile, went for a walk. It was 8:30 PM and the sky was getting dark. Ash left his cloak at home, not caring anymore… but it's true that he was getting tense again for tomorrow. He will no longer be Red Satoshi, he will be battling against a face from his past, and he knows he has to win this battle.

"Ash." Jira spoke. "So you finally take Pikachu with you."

"Yes. There's no one here anyway. I might as well practice being Ash Ketchum once again."

"So… how do you feel about tomorrow?"

"The biggest day in about two years now." Ash said. "To be honest, I kind of look like a clown wearing that cloak day in day out."

"I stopped being myself." Ash continued. "But then again, I'm still very afraid of what others will think of me. I know it's kind of puerile, but believe me that it matters sometimes. Especially in such circumstances."

As Ash and Jira passed nearby the Pokemon Center, the two started discussing about Paul's battle strategy.

"Paul has always liked to emulate the best of the best." Ash said. "He carefully trains his Pokemon and has high standards when it comes to winning. But if he finds weaker Pokemon, he tends to give them something else to help him with. He hasn't always been like this. He used to abandon them. That's how I know he was two years ago, at least."

"I kind of looked at him… he seems to want to finish battles as quickly as possible. That Electivire is one of the strongest Pokemon I've ever seen." Jira added.

"So basically, Paul always…"

Meanwhile, in the Pokemon Center

"Nemona, your Meowscarada should be just fine by tomorrow morning." a familiar voice said.

"Thank you. I deserved that loss."

"It's okay… you did a good job. You got to the quarter-finals, after all."

"I've done my best… Doctor Brock." Nemona spoke, as she quit the room.

Yes. It was Brock. One of Ash's former comrades was appointed by Leon to work for the Galarian Summit Tournament. As Red Satoshi, he never went to Brock to treat his Pokemon after matches, not even knowing that he works there, preferring to go to the nearest Nurse Joy instead.

"Ahhh, Blissey… we need to stay with Meowscarada for a little bit longer. Let's take a look at the window."

Brock took a quick look outside… and…

"Ash?!"

He thought he saw a ghost.

"Wait… let me look again… there's that guy with a Pikachu on his shoulder. And what's he doing next to Jira? Why are Latios and Weavile with him…"

"The only trainer I know that used to travel with a walking Pikachu was Ash Ketchum. And he wore a hat, was raven-haired, and always had light blue, green and white overalls… or something similar… and so does this guy…"

"Is it… no way… that's impossible…" Brock thought, as he was starting to feel tears coming up.

"But he disappeared two years ago! We've… we've looked for him for so much! After about a year, I just kind of gave up and went back to my career as a doctor…"

"No, I must be seeing things… let me take one more look…" he said with his last rational thought. And he saw Ash and Jira's backs going in the park. It was no question. It was him.

"Ash… that… that must be you, brother!" Brock said. He immediately locked the room and began to cry. He wasn't very tearful himself, but he hated to see others seeing him vulnerable.

"Should I go and say hi to him?…" he said after about five minutes.

"No. I… I don't wanna cry. And besides… my job is important. This Meowscarada… needs to be okay."

"But tomorrow I finally have a free day… and to hell with my sleep… Ash… I swear, I will find you!"

Back to Ash and Jira

"This guy will not be an easy nut to crack." Jira said. "He usually takes down his opponents with only two Pokemon. As you saw, Ash, you needed all of them in all three battles you've had so far."

"Yes. He has stomped me a few times before, when I was travelling through the Sinnoh region. But he will not have his way with me. I beat him up, I got my revenge, and he will not gain his dominance back over me."

"You'll win tomorrow. You have to win, Ash. It's your first match tomorrow… after two years."

"Anyway, what do you say, shall we go back home? It's getting a little cold…"

That night

"Pikachu…" Ash thought. "This evening we did a short walk. I was finally being myself. And look, no one came to ambush me, nor did they hug me like they haven't seen me in the last two years, nor did they hit me with a mallet. I'm sure I can handle this. Tomorrow the bitter black winds will stop howling. I'll wear the cloak one last time…"

"Mother… if you're watching this… I promise I have not forgiven you." were his last thoughts, seemingly. But…

"You fucking bitch, I swear…"

At 1 AM

"I wonder what is Brock doing… he'll be happy. I'm… I'm sure of it… it's the others I'm afraid of. But maybe nothing will happen..."

At 2 AM

"But what if… she sees me tomorrow? What if she hits me with her mallet?"

At 2:30 AM

"What if they all beat me up for destroying their bikes? Or maybe they will glomp me to the ground and crush my bones…"

At 3 AM

"Pikachu…?" Ash whispered.

"...Pii?"

"I can't sleep at all. Can you please sit on my back?"

"Pika."

"That's a little better."

At 3:30 AM or so, Ash has finally managed to fall asleep. And he was scheduled to wake up at 8 AM. The battle was going to be at 10.

Next morning

"Guys." Ash said, as he was in his cloak, looking at his full team. Pikachu, Dracovish, Dragonite, Sirfetch'd, Gengar and Lucario were battle-ready. As for Ash…

"Are you ready?" Ash smiled.

All the six Pokemon fist pumped.

"Let's start the show. Shall we?"

"Or rather, end the show." he thought.

Later

"Ash…" Jira said. "Me, Goh and Hop will be cheering for you."

"Thank you… for everything." Ash smiled. "This cloak… one last time…"

"You don't need to repeat this whole stuff, Ash." Goh said. "Just throw it away the moment you step on the battlefield.

"I'll win. I promise." were Ash's last words.

"Now Ash…" Jira thought. "Do you have the balls… to keep your promise?"