Twinleaf Town: 2 years later from the last chapter.
It was nighttime in Twinleaf as the houses were lit with lights and everyone was either eating dinner with their families or sleeping early for the younger kids. In a certain house we find Dawn herself in her pink pajamas with Piplup, who was bigger than he was before, at her lap watching the T.V. while Johanna, Dawn's mother, was washing the dishes after their dinner.
"Our top story tonight, the Pokémon hunter J, calling herself the 2nd, has made a strike again but not at the usual local trainer's Pokémon, but the ever so important celestals, the time traveling crystal that was discovered around a year ago by the professor named Cane Ark. The celestals has become a monumental target for burglars ever since for its incredible power. Not even the police are able to stop J's organization. Somehow we must find a way to protect the celestals! That is our top story, this is Tanya Honizawa signing off." said the newswoman at the T.V. Dawn was watching.
"This is terrible; people want the celestals so bad that they would even steal them." said Johanna walking in the living room and planted herself on the couch.
"I knew these things were bad news, but why would J want the celestals too? What's she's gonna do?"
"Piplup!" Piplup punch his chest to show Dawn that he would protect her.
"(giggles) Thanks Piplup, I know I'll be safe with you around." Dawn smiled at Piplup but then turned concerned.
"But I hope that everyone's ok though."
"I hope so too. I heard that the amount of weapons has increased a lot after celestals were discovered." Johanna crossed her legs and arms.
"It's because they were using the celestals and made more freaky weapons right?"
"Yeah. Apparently they used the past and the future to get more ideas for weapons, like we need more weapons now…" Johanna closed her eyes and had a concerned look.
"Yeah…" Dawn looked at the ceiling with a deep gaze and wondered what a certain person is doing. Johanna took notice and knew what's she was thinking about.
"Ash is gonna be fine you know." Dawn quickly realized and looked at her mother to retaliate, but she knew that she was right.
"But-"
"No "buts". Ash is the Pokémon League Champion. There's no way that anyone can harm him or his Pokémon." Johanna winked and stood up to go to her room to sleep.
"I suggest that you have more faith in him if you respect him so much, or are you worried because it might be something else...?"
"MOM!" yelled the blushing Dawn.
"Just kidding! Good night dear." Johanna giggled and went to her room, leaving Dawn and Piplup in the living room.
"Geez, she's so embarrassing!" Dawn put herself into fetal position and pouted after her mother, but then she looked up looking worried.
"But I really hope everyone's alright." Piplup knew Dawn's getting worried and wanted to cheer her up.
"Piplup Piplup!" Piplup shouts at Dawn trying to reassure her, which made Dawn look at her partner.
"…You're right, what AM I worried about? They all started their journeys way before me, so there is no way that something's bad gonna happen to them." Dawn smiled at Piplup to calm him down, and stood up while lifting Piplup too.
"Come on Piplup, we got to go to sleep so that we can get up early to judge for the first time at the DayBreak Pokémon contest!"
"Piplup!" Dawn and Piplup went to the stairs and headed to their room. While at the room, Dawn turned the lights off and both of them went to bed. Dawn was resting on the right side of her bed and Piplup at the left, as they both prepared themselves to sleep.
"Goodnight Piplup." Dawn said while positioning herself to sleep.
"Piplup." said Piplup already with his eyes closed.
Dawn and Piplup went to sleep under the starry night at Sinnoh, while at Kanto…
In the outskirts of Pallet Town, Ash with his Pikachu, on his shoulder like always, were walking to their hometown after their long 3 hours of training for some dinner and a good night's sleep.
"Man I can't wait to go back home. We haven't been there for a while now haven't we Pikachu?" Ash said to his old friend.
"Pika!" Pikachu squealed for Delia's delicious dinner.
"Yea, wonder what mom's making?" said Ash to Pikachu drooling a bit just from his imagination. Wait did he just understand what Pikachu was saying?
Anyways, as they were walking down the path from the forest, Pikachu's ears stood up as he heard a strange sound and tried to look for the strange sound. Ash noticed this and asked his partner.
"Pikachu, is something wrong?"
"Pikachu…" Ash got cautious and tried to look for what Pikachu was looking. As they looked, the strange sound was becoming louder and louder that even Ash could hear it now.
"Wh-What is that noise?" Ash and Pikachu looked behind them and they noticed a bright green light glowing in front of them as it appears to be a portal. Pikachu growled as the portal was getting bigger to Ash's height.
"Pikachu, is someone coming out?"
"Pika!" Pikachu shouted in agreement as Ash prepared himself to battle since Pikachu doesn't usually growl unless a strong enemy shows himself.
The green portal was still glowing while a person, a man presumably, was getting out of it, and after a while another person, a woman, got out as well. Soon the green portal disappeared as the two people faces Ash and Pikachu.
"Who are you guys?" asked Ash.
"There's no need to concern ourselves with introductions Mr. Ketchum." said the man who's wearing a black silk jacket over a white T-shirt with black stripes, black jeans and black cut shoes. He also has long blond hair that reaches his eyes, had white skin and black eyes. He also had a strange capsule strapped on his back with also a belt with his Poké-balls.
"You seem to know me pretty well." replied Ash.
"Well you are the Pokémon league Champion, and we do get around." said the woman who has long blond hair and had a black rose as a hair clipper. She wore a black frilly dress with no sleeves with stylish black heels and black gloves with black arm supporters that reaches over her elbows. She also had black purplish eyes and black fingernails.
"So? What do you guys want? If it's a battle then sorry, I'm busy." Ash would usually never turn down a battle, even though his mother's dinner was ready, but the feeling he's getting from the mysterious couple makes him want to evade them.
"Oh no, we don't want a battle with you, the Champion." said the blond girl.
"Although I want to." The blond man said with a smirk.
"But we came for something else instead."
"And? What is it?"
"Pika!" Ash never saw Pikachu this tense facing the couple. Ash thought that they must be up to no good.
"We came… for your partner."
"What?" Ash knew that they came here for something, and it's always the same thing; getting Pikachu.
"There's no way I'm giving Pikachu to the likes of you!" Pikachu came down to the ground from Ash's shoulders while sparks was coming out of his cheeks, ready to battle.
"Pikachu!"
"See? I told you he wouldn't give it up from just negotiations Nina." The blond man said to his female friend.
"Well, you could never know right? Your turn now Julian."
"Finally!" After she said the ok, Julian's eyes grew fierce and looked for his Poke-ball. That crazy stare gave Ash a chill down to his spine and prepares for the battle.
"Get ready Pikachu, I think this guy knows his way around the battle field."
"Pika!"
"Let's go, Rhyperior!" Julian threw his Pokéball in the air. As the ball opened, white energy got out to the ground, giving form a rock-like Pokémon with two drills on his head with eyes like the trainer.
"Huh, a Rhyperior huh? Don't think we don't know how to fight them! Pikachu go!"
"Pikachu!" As Ash gave out the order, Pikachu went off to face the Rhyperior as the clouds rolled in to give rain and thunderclaps to the battlefield while Nina quietly sits there and smirked.
Time passed, as the 5 hour long battle was just about to finish, Ash was battered to the bone. Scratches and wounds were on his body like the blood from the battle was everywhere. The only Pokémon he had who had enough conscious left was Pikachu, but he was beaten to a pulp too, while Julian and his Rhyperior didn't have a scratch.
"H-How… How are you that strong?" Ash said with a little energy he had left so that he wouldn't faint from the aftermath.
"We don't need to tell you anything. All we need is your Pikachu." said Julian while chuckling.
"But I didn't know the Champion was this weak! All this blood was from your Pokémon! Hahahaha! How pathetic you are ." Julian mocks at Ash, and all he could do was grit his teeth out of anger.
"Hurry Julian, I'm running out of patience! Just finish the battle!" said the impatient Nina.
"Got it, Rhyperior, Hammer Arm." Julian calmly said as the Rhyperior gave out a roar while lifting up his arms as they glow bright white. He then drops them on the Pikachu who couldn't be able to move from the pain as the attack made contact. A huge dust cloud shaped like a mushroom was made as Ash also got blown away from the monstrous strength and got caught by the tree he was nearby and felled down in pain.
"Aaahg!" Everything went fuzzy as the pain from the blow was too much for Ash. With all his strength, he looked up to see what happened and saw both Julian and Nina carrying Pikachu, whose body was completely filled with wounds and blood.
"Pi…Pika…chu." said Ash while giving out a hand to his partner.
"Ha, how annoying, he still has the energy to move." Julian stepped on Ash's hand which Ash gave out an agonizing scream.
"Aaaaahhhg!"
"Don't worry; we won't do much to him. All we want is to keep him out of our way by keeping you separated. That way, in the future, you wouldn't be a nuisance." said Nina as she opens up the capsule to reveal a case with a Pokémon that Ash couldn't see.
"The future...?" said Ash weakly.
"Now, take us back." She pushed the button to give a shock to the Pokémon as it gave out painful cries and gave out energy that launched to the ground behind them. The energy turned into the same portal that they came out of as the couple leaves the wet battleground into the portal, carrying Pikachu along with them.
"Pi…Pi…Pikachu!" Ash gave out his hand as long as he could before they disappeared along with the portal from existence. Ash, with no energy left, fainted on the ground as the rain intensifies while hoping somewhere along his consciousness that this was all a big nightmare.
A week has passed as Dawn was at a local Pokémon center in Daybreak Town where she judged at the Daybreak Pokémon Contest as a special guest. She was walking to the lobby from her rest in her room and sat down on one of the near seats that are not so crowded so that she wouldn't be attacked by celebrity crazed fans, since she is a top coordinator.
"Man, what a week." Dawn sighed and then opened up her bag she had with her to bring up an old Pokéball then opened it to find the white energy that came out of it forming into her old partner, Piplup.
"Piplup!" Piplup shouts as if he was at a Pokémon Contest.
"Hey Piplup." Piplup looked behind him to find his trainer and ran to her then jumped to her lap.
"Piplup!" Piplup's version of "Good Morning."
"Good morning to you too! So how was your rest?"
"Piplup!"
"Great. I thought after judging that contest and then almost being crushed by the paparazzi and the fans were gonna tire you out, sure did me." Dawn used her hand to massage her shoulders because ever since the Contest ended, her popularity increased around Sinnoh and reporters, fans, and of course coordinators were on her nonstop asking for interviews, autographs and advices, which gave her a big headache and decided to lay low and stay at the Pokémon center.
"Geez, how can Ash and Brock handle this every day? I wished I have the strength to go on like them." Dawn said as she stretches her body from the rest. But as she was resting, The T.V. was making an announcement that made everyone in the lobby, including the Nurse Joy and Dawn, to watch it. The T.V. showed the same newswoman that Dawn watched on T.V. last week.
"Hello, my name is Tanya Honizawa, and this is the International Now. We have just received shocking news, the current Champion of Kanto and Johto, Ash Ketchum, is giving a special and last minute announcement that will shake the Pokémon world, so our sources say."
"Announcement that will shake the Pokémon world? Wonder what Ash is gonna say?" Dawn was surprised that Ash would have an announcement, since he only wants to battle at his title matches, so she carefully hears what the T.V. has to say.
In the T.V., It shows the Pokémon stadium in Kanto that was used for the Pokémon league. The field that was supposed to be for battle was covered by a large crowd of reporters and news vans, while there is a small area where Ash resides behind a podium that was covered in different microphones belonging to the different reporters. Every reporter was taking tons of pictures and was silently waiting for Ash's announcement. While everyone in the lobby was quietly mumbling to themselves for what the Champion has to say, Dawn was looking pretty worried at how Ash's eyes look like.
"Why does Ash… look so depressed? And where's Pikachu?"
"Piplup?" Dawn and Piplup was able to tell, even in the T.V., at how Ash's eyes were like as if his soul was sucked out. Though many reporters' cameras were flashing, his lifeless eyes wouldn't change.
At the podium where Ash was, he closed his eyes, inhaled, then exhaled as he opens his eyes to find reporters waiting for his announcement.
"…Guys, I have something to say." Ash said as if he was in a hypnotic state.
"Starting now… I will resign from being the current Champion of Kanto and Johto." Everybody in the lobby and the reporters gasped, especially Dawn, that Ash, who always dreamed of being the Pokémon Master, would quit being one.
"Of course the Pokémon league will still continue. Instead, Lance, one of the Elite four, will be the new Champion as he is the strongest next to me." The reporters all started to take some pictures and ask tons of questions on why Ash would do that. But instead of answering, he merely closed his eyes and walked away from the podium. The reporters all started to follow him until some security guards came in and stopped the reporters from getting close to Ash.
As Ash walked to the door leading out of the field and out of the camera, he met Lance, one of the strongest of the elite 4, lying back to the wall while his eyes are focused on Ash. Ash saw him, but closed his eyes and continued walking, ignoring Lance who was near him.
"What's wrong with you Ash? You never acted like this." Lance broke the silence, asking the question which everyone wanted to ask.
"…I suddenly got tired from all these battles. That's all." Ash stopped while being a bit farther away from Lance to answer his question.
"Like hell you just "got tired"!" Lance suddenly shouted, but Ash wasn't surprised and still kept motionless.
"What happened to the Ash 4 years ago who said "I'm never giving up!" even when it was only your Pikachu against my Dragonite and won?" After Lance said that, the mention of Pikachu made Ash grip his fist harder. Lance saw that and almost knew what happened.
"…Did something happen to Pikachu? For some reason, he's not at your shoulder anymore." Ash knew he was going to ask that, after all he always saw him with his Pikachu. Ash took a while before answering, but told him anyway.
"He's gone." Lance's eyes widened after hearing that. Ash loosened his grip and kept walking.
"At least you're the new Champion again." Ash said, leaving Lance uncomfortable and angry at him.
"I don't feel like a Champion unless I take the title from you in a battle!" Lance pointed his finger at Ash, practically calling him out, but Ash merely looked back, still unfazed.
"Guess that won't happen anytime soon." Ash then continued to go wherever he was going; leaving Lance stunned and shocked at the unusual behavior Ash was acting.
Back at the lobby, Dawn was still shocked at how Ash gave up his position he wanted to have since childhood, while Piplup grabbed her top to shake her out of it.
"Piplup~!" Piplup shouts, getting Dawn out of her head.
"Oh! Piplup, what you think just happen? How could Ash do that?" Dawn looked at the T.V., but there not showing the footage anymore. Dawn looked down for a second, and then got back up.
"Piplup, let's go! We got to find out what happened! We got to go to Kanto!" Piplup looked at her surprised, but knew that she was going to do something about this.
"Piplup!" Piplup pumped his fist, agreeing to go to Kanto.
"Alright, let's go!" Dawn ran to the sliding doors with Piplup out of the Center to find a nearby airport; however she forgets that there's no airport at Daybreak Town so instead went to Sunyshore City, which was closed to Daybreak, to catch a ship to Kanto.
Meanwhile, Ash was walking to a near local Pokémon Center to rest from his resignation, but then he heard footsteps coming in from behind. Ash was shivering thinking that it might be Julian and Nina again, but when he turned around and saw was much worse. He saw a slender-looking woman with silver hair that was covering her left eye wearing a long-sleeved black coat with a J insignia badge on a strap. She also had armor like gauntlet on her left arm.
"No way… It's you! The 2nd gen. Pokémon Hunter J!" Ash was preparing to get his Poké-ball, but J raised her hand to him.
"Stop, I do not wish to battle against a Champion… or at least the Former Champion. I only wish to negotiate. Although I am glad that you were able to tell the difference between that old hag and me, I even got a new haircut today to prove it. " Ash growled but put back his Poké-ball to hear her out.
"What do you want?"
"I heard from a reliable source that your Pikachu… was taken from you by malicious people." Ash's eyes widened at how she knew about the caper.
"And? You're saying you know those guys?"
"Heavens no, I haven't had a slightest clue at who they are, but I do know that their using the celestals to do whatever they want." Ash remembered back at that time they used the green portal only celestals can make to escape with his Pikachu.
"Yeah."
"And it's because of those things that you gave up trying to find Pikachu because you can never know where or when they are."
"And... Your point?"
(chuckles) "Well, I can help you, that's my point." Ash was surprised at how the 2nd J wanted t help find his partner, but he was getting a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.
"Really? But why? And what cost?"
"Oh can't I just help someone for once without being treated as an enemy?" Ash looked at her seriously, not falling for the sarcasm.
"Alright, I want to make a deal with you. You see, you seen the news about my organization right?"
"…Yeah, you took celestals instead of Pokémon. What's up with that?"
"Well, you see the previous J said only to hunt Pokémon, but we haven't had much clients these days since all they want are celestals now. So when I took her position, I only measly changed our business into borrowing celestals now." J walked closer to Ash seductively, but Ash didn't like it.
"You mean stealing?"
"That's right, but we keep getting the worst luck since all we found was fakes. And the ones who hold the real ones have the toughest Pokémon out there."
"What are you talking about?" Ash didn't like where this "negotiation" was going.
"So, here's the deal, I will help you find these guys who took your precious friend with the help of the celestals." J put her hands on his cheeks and pulls his face close to hers, which seemed like she's seducing him, but Ash didn't budge.
"However, in exchange, we would like you're… assistance in our delivery jobs, and of course guarding our transactions from being interrupted. With your skills, the business would be much easier." Ash knew that he didn't like where this was going, and used his arm to separate himself from J.
"What? No way! There's no way in hell I'm gonna help you steal anything!" Ash swung his arm around, which he used to separate J, while J put her hand on her hips and continued.
"Well alright, I guess you don't really care what's happening to Pikachu, so I guess I'll be off." J started to walk away from Ash, as he thinks about what happened to Pikachu more and more. A minute later, he made a difficult choice.
"Alright… I'll help." J smirked but Ash couldn't see because he only saw her back, and turned around to walk to his side.
"Good boy. Don't worry; I take care of my promises. Now make sure you take care of yours." J leaned in to his face and kissed his cheek, while also holding his hand and left from behind him. Ash quickly rubbed his cheek, hopefully didn't leave a mark and noticed in his hand J gave him. It was the same badge with the J insignia. He looked behind it to see a note with an address and date.
"Pikachu… Don't worry; I'll find you, one way or another."
A day passed, and Dawn and Piplup made it to Vermillion City, and then took a taxi to Pallet Town, who was very happy to give a ride to a Top coordinator. After many hours she finally made it to Pallet Town, a quiet place just like how she remembered 2 years ago.
"Wow Piplup, a long time passed, but Pallet Town still looks the same. It's just like Twinleaf Town for some reason."
"Piplup!" Dawn and Piplup got out of the car near the lab at the quaint little place Ash was born from. Then Dawn remembered about the cab, and then checked the window for the driver.
"Oh right, forgot to pay. Just hold on a second for me to get my bag." Dawn started to rummage through her bag for her purse with the money.
"Oh don't worry about that missy! I'm just glad I was able to give a ride to a Top coordinator! No need to pay, it's on the house!" The driver was about in his 20's or so as he wears his brown hat on backwards with a yellow denim shirt, blue cargo pants and sneakers. He also had some Poké-balls hanging like dices from the mirror.
"Really? Thanks! But how do you know I'm a Coordinator?" said Dawn while tilting her head.
"Well you may not notice it, but I'm actually a Contest-loving car driver! I know everything there is to know about Contests and Top Coordinators, and you are my absolutely favorite! Welp, see you at the tube!" having said that, the driver closed his window and drove off to the horizon, while Dawn waves him goodbye.
"Goodbye! And thanks again for the ride!"
"Piplup!"
"Wow, I don't usually get that much free service. I definitely like the perks of being famous!" Dawn was daydreaming about what other kind of perks there are until Piplup dragged her skirt to focus on the task at hand.
"Piplup!" Piplup shouts while trying to get her trainer's attention.
"Huh? Oh right. Gotta go to Ash's house and find out!" Dawn realized and ran to the town to go to Ash's house, where his mother resides.
After a couple of minutes running, Dawn and Piplup finally reached the Ketchum household. The house looks as the same as ever, except the usual garden is different. Dawn went to the door and rings the doorbell, and after a while the door opened to find an older looking of Mimey.
"Mr. Mime!" Mimey was surprised to see Ash's old friend again as he shouts.
"Hiya Mimey! Umm… is Delia home? I got to talk to her about her son." Dawn said leaving Mimey to open the door so that Dawn and Piplup can go in. Inside the house Dawn finds Delia sitting on the couch while a blue metal-looking vacuum is moving by itself and sucking the dirt off the floor.
"Oh Dawn! Welcome! I would've prepared things faster if you would have called." Delia stood up, left her tea down on the table and left to grab hold of Dawn's hand moving it up and down out of joy.
"Hey Delia, how's your body? Are you feeling well?"
"Why yes, I feel fantastic now that one of my son's friends have come to visit at least."
"Huh? At least? What do you mean?" Dawn's face looked confused.
"Well about a week ago Ash called me for our annual dinner every couple of months; you know how that boy likes my cooking."
"Oh yeah, definitely." Dawn and Delia laughed like old friends.
"But Ash never came back! I was worried until I saw him on the T.V. announcing that he resigns his position as the Champion! That totally made me worried like crazy!"
"So you're saying you don't know what happened to Ash?" Dawn said feeling she went to all this way for nothing.
"No. Oh did you come all this way to know that? I'm sorry if I was no use since I'm his mother and all…" Dawn looked at Delia disappointed about this, and wanted to cheer her up.
"…Hey come on! Don't worry; I'm just glad that I can see you again."
"Oh Dawn…" Delia knew she only came to know what happen, since she's actually very clever, however, Dawn suddenly had an idea.
"Hey I know! Let's go see Prof. Gary! I'm sure even he must know what happened to Ash." Dawn said, leaving a smile on Delia's face.
"Hey! Good idea, He knows lots of information, so he must have known what happened."
"Well, it's just a hunch; don't get your hopes up."
"Oh come on Dawn! You can't think such negative thoughts!" Delia was happily jumping while Dawn could laugh at how a mother could get this happy.
Hours passed, while at the laboratory, Dawn, Piplup, Delia and Mimey came out of the door with sad expressions, meaning only one thing.
"I can't believe Gary doesn't know either, some Professor." Dawn pouted as the next informant in her investigation was a bust as well.
"I'm really sorry Dawn, guess you were right, I shouldn't have kept our hopes up." Delia sighed as she gets more worried about her son.
"Hey! No need to worry! At least Gary told us where Ash could be. That's enough for me to move on now." Delia reached and holds her hand and looked Dawn seriously in the eyes.
"Dawn good luck, and please if Ash is in any trouble, do whatever you can to help him." Dawn was surprised of the sudden request, but responded a second later.
"No need to worry!" Delia smiled, happy that Dawn accepted.
"You know, I haven't heard you say that catchphrase of yours for a long time." Dawn giggles, waving goodbye to Delia for another adventure.
Dawn and Piplup headed for Hoenn, the region where May and Max came from, hoping that Ash would be there. After getting a ship from Vermilion, She is now in Hoenn getting a ride from the new transport system, which is an electronic train that moves around Hoenn under the sea. Dawn, after 2 days later, finally finished and starts walking to her destination, Petalburg City.
"Oh man, so much time passed, and I still couldn't find Ash. I hope he hasn't done anything else." She said to Piplup, who was dead tired from the travel, while walking through Petalburg City. Dawn looked everywhere she could think of for Ash, but he wasn't anywhere to be found.
Sometime later, Dawn looked like a zombie, having to travel all over the town in search of Ash. Dawn kept on walking and walking by herself in the busy town of Petalburg City.
"Oooh, I can't seem to find him anywhere!" Dawn was practically dragging her feet while unknowingly walking outside of the city and into the forest.
"I can't believe Piplup wouldn't help me anymore. Or maybe it's because he fell asleep on the asphalt because we walked for 3 hours straight. AAAAUUHGG! I can't believe I'm talking to myself now! Ash, where could you possibly b- Hey… where am I?" Before Dawn realized, she wasn't in the city anymore but in Petalburg Forest.
"What the? I must have walked here without realizing. Damn it, I must be losing my mind after walking around so much. Mmmh? Is that…?" Dawn looked ahead of her, and saw a tall silhouette which appears to be Ash's height. Dawn's eyes widened as how her long journey is now complete.
"…Ash? Ash! Is that you! Hey! It's me Dawn!" Dawn ran, smiling while waving to her old friend. The silhouette turned around, and it turns out it was Ash, but he didn't looked like himself. Dawn looked at his poor state and stopped.
"Ash? Are you alright? You don't look… healthy." Dawn was about 3 feet in front of him, but even with the close up look, Dawn almost couldn't recognize Ash's face.
"Dawn…? Is that really you?" Ash looked thinner than he used to, and his eyes looked like he was lacking sleep.
"Y-Yeah. Been a while huh?"
"…Yeah"
"Ash, you don't look so good. Have you been eating at all lately?"
"…I just didn't have the appetite." Dawn was shocked, since Ash was always a glutton when it comes to food.
"H-Hey, I saw you on T.V. a couple days ago. What happen to you Ash? Why would you give up your dream?" Dawn looked at Ash's eyes carefully, but Ash looked away, not answering her question.
"Ash… What happened to Pikachu?" Dawn noticed this back at the Pokémon Center, and asked him for Pikachu. This made Ash grip his fist like at the stadium.
"Ash! Did Pikachu get stolen? Is that why you gave up being the Champion?" Dawn asked more questions, noticing that his fists grew tighter and tighter.
"What happened?"
"I…can't say." Ash still had his eyes closed
"But why? At least tell me what happened!" Dawn shouted.
"I told you I can't!" Ash shouted back, scaring Dawn with the fierce eyes he had.
"Ash…" Ash took notice of his behavior, and turned around.
"Dawn… I'm going away for a while. Thanks for worrying for me, but from now on, don't ever look for me again." Dawn's eyes widened at the request.
"W-What? What are you talking about?"
"This… is something only I have to do." Ash then turned his head around to see Dawn one last time.
"Goodbye Dawn." Ash turned and walked away into the forest, leaving a confused Dawn standing there with her eyes widened.
"Wait Ash! Where are you going? Ash!" Dawn snapped herself out, and ran to where Ash walked to. But no matter how much she ran, is as if Ash had disappeared. Dawn dropped to her knees, tears forming and falling from her eyes.
"Ash!" Dawn screamed into the dark night, after all this time only to find the friend she adored the most leaving forever. Days later she returned to Sinnoh hoping that someday she would see Ash again, but what she doesn't know is what he will become.