Authors Notes: Another long ass delay. Sorry folks (really am, I want this fic to get moving probably more than you), a mixture of life and a writing binge (finished at last) has taken a lot of time from me. Now back to good old...actually since when was this fic good?
Well as long as it draws in readers...
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Just as Ash both predicted and feared; the press followed him back home. They were determined, almost obsessed with getting some face time with either Ash or Delia. Ash and Delia had come home to a crowd outside their door for crying out loud! Only one of Mimey's barriers was keeping them from getting past the fence. That crowd got the same treatment as the last. Delia took care not to step on anyone on her way to the front door, meaning she took a lot longer to actually get to the door than Ash.
That didn't discourage them, but they got creative, or at least they tried to. They'd tried smaller groups, and waited for one member of the household to leave and follow them, that failed quickly. Whenever Delia left the house beyond the garden, Ash would go with, and since Pikachu was with them the stalkers quickly found themselves removed from the land of the conscious.
They'd attempted watching from a distance, but given that there were no other houses close by or any natural cover that had been brought to a swift and (literally) shocking end. Pikachu would sneak in, shock them, and wreck their equipment. The last bit at Ash's order. He figured they'd be less eager to try if they constantly had to buy new cameras.
The last effort was an interesting one, and unlike the others the message got across the first time Ash retaliated. It was late at night, and Ash was in the kitchen when he'd heard something out back. Not wasting time, he reached for his belt, aimed for the open window and unleashed what he'd collected that very morning, just in case.
The calm, dark night was quickly made both bright and loud as Charizard got to work. Aside from some burnt clothing and some mental trauma there was no real damage (Ash had ordered him to keep the flames away from the house and garden). It'd been three days since that incident, and so far no-one else seemed to be showing up. He was on guard though (he was sure they were in town, somewhere. He'd ordered all his Pokémon at Oak lab to keep their eyes open), ready for what he was quickly starting to see as a different kind of battle, but for now at least things seemed to be quiet, and Ash was comfortable enough to take the time to think about something...
His bag was already packed. It'd been packed since the day he'd come back. Though the address was kept in the bag also, he already knew it by memory alone. He'd planned his route even before he'd gotten home. He had everything he needed. However...
It wasn't that he didn't want to go, or that he was nervous. On the contrary, he wanted this very much, it just made sense to do, and where he had so very little sense to grasp on to now this was a beacon in these darkest hours. He wasn't nervous, but he wasn't quite excited either. Somewhere in his brain, he just knew this would give him answers, he just didn't know if he'd like what he would find. Even now he found himself conflicted about the whole thing, for a single reason.
It meant setting out again.
Last time he'd set out, he'd gone far further away than a mere region. Leaving again, and so soon, didn't seem right. Yet, currently, he could see no alternative. Not if things were to change.
Currently he was making his way to the lab, Pikachu on his shoulder with a watchful eye. Neither said a thing, which worked out fine for Ash, he was still thinking.
What would it really amount to? Even if he found all the answers he needed, it wouldn't change anything else. It would not miraculously fix everything he'd done. It would not turn back the hands of time.
It wouldn't change things between him and-he shook his head.
He was not thinking about that.
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Flint and Forrest had arrived home to find the house nearly empty, save for an exceedingly irritated Brock. When Flint questioned Brock he explained that he'd been forced to remove the rest of the children from the house for now, and was keeping them at the gym. The only other person in the house was Lola, who, Brock had informed him, had taken up yet another new passion, one inspired by Forrest's use of the term "Pokécrap".
Never in all his years had Flint received a greeting with such colourful language from his wife. Forrest had seemingly taken up a vow of silence, at least outside of battles. By some strange coincidence he'd also been the one his youngest siblings had always come to, asking "what does mean?".
Fortunately, Brock had acted fast, so the list was very short. The boys figured she'd drop her latest endeavour (trying to invent a new swear) by tomorrow. Until then they figured it best to avoid her (well Flint didn't, much). Currently Brock and Flint were on their way to the Gym, it was nearly time to start dinner. They were alone, so this was an opportunity.
"Brock." His oldest son turned. "There's something I need to talk to you about."
"Hm?"
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Ash had arrived at Oak's ranch, and quickly every Pokémon he kept there had been gathered, and with that he got right to it.
"Alright, everyone. I'm gonna be out-of-town, out of Kanto entirely for a little while actually. While I'm gone it's your job to guard yourselves and my Mom. I want anyone willing to take shifts guarding my house, and my Mom when she goes out. If reporters show up, get rid of them. I don't care how, just don't do any lasting damage if you can avoid it. Just scare 'em off. Any volunteers?"
His ears were suddenly full of various cries and cheers. Everyone was volunteering. Ash smiled with a quick nod. "Thanks everyone."
Slowly, his various Pokémon started to disperse, and Ash made his way towards a particular member of his team. What he didn't notice behind him, was that Pikachu was silently signalling certain Pokémon who were leaving, and while they did not come to a stop, they slowed their retreat, keeping whatever Pikachu was up to secret, as they could tell he wanted to.
Ash paid no attention, except to, "Charizard, Charla." He looked down and smiled at the approaching, "Ash."
"Char, char!" Ash leaned down to pick up his favourite Charmander, and was luckily spared the affectionate fire as the little fire lizard hugged him. Ash kept the child Pokémon in his arms as he addressed the parents of the little lizard. "I said I'm going out of Kanto. Well I'm headed to Johto. I figured you'd want to be heading home eventually..." He turned to Charizard. "I could come see you off." The Charizards turned to one another, conversing briefly before they turned back and nodded. Charizard had some goodbyes to make, but not before-"CHAAAAAAAAAAR!" Ash flinched as little Ash erupted into tears. Ash gently shook him up and down to try and calm the little Charmander.
"Hey, hey, come on, shhh-AAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!" He couldn't quite escape the vented emotion in time. The vented, heated emotion.
Sadness-induced fire; very painful. It did however, have the effect of calming its caster down. With a blackened face, Ash still kept trying to keep him happy. "Don't worry, Ash, you'll see me again, and you get to go back home. You've got a massive family there. Little Ash's voice quivered with repressed tears, and his namesake spoke up again. "I'll make sure to call if you're good, promise to be good?" He was met with vigorous nodding. "Good boy." He leaned down, putting little Ash on the ground before patting his head. "You be a big boy and say your goodbyes."
"Char!" He ran off.
Ash stood up, patting off his face. "I'll come get you just before I go, okay?" His answer was a pair of nods. "Alright, I'll see you then." With that Ash tuned around, but he noticed Pikachu was walking off to-"Where are you going?"
"Pika pipi ka chu!" Got something to do!
Ash blinked in slight confusion, but nodded. "Alright then. See you back at home." He figured he could risk one stroll home alone.
When Ash had cleared the fence, Pikachu turned to his team mates."Kaka pika, kachu ka!" Alright team, listen up!
They did, and when he was finished he was met only with nods.
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Brock had been silent for over a minute, and currently he was sitting down upon a rock, his chin resting in his hand. "Dad..." He looked up. "Why did you tell me this?"
Flint smiled, turning around towards the various sounds of his children playing with the Gym's Pokémon.
"I owed that boy a favour."
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Once more, the box under her bed was set free.
Once more she'd been the one to free it.
This time however, she did not open it.
Misty gently placed the box upon a small table. She'd been putting this off, either by burying herself in gym duties, or whatever excuse she could make up at a given point (her everyday life left much ammunition for that). She'd leave the box here, a reminder at what she had to do.
She could not put this off forever.
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Ash met no one on his way home, and that gave him time to think. Think on what he was to do, and struggle with himself on if he really should. It proved to be easier than he would have predicted.
"I shouldn't leave Mom behind." He stopped, turning out to gaze into the distance. "But this might be the only way for me to make some sense of...everything." He nodded, resolute.
He was going, tomorrow.
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Tomorrow had come.
He'd woken at dawn, and within a couple of hours he was at the door. The only thing that had prevented him leaving sooner was the fact there were simply no boats leaving any sooner than the one he was to catch.
Ash, with Pikachu on his shoulder had reached the door, with Delia just behind him. He took one look out the window, the weather seemed fine. At least he wouldn't be walking in the rain...
He sighed.
"Is something wrong, Ash?"
He was quiet for a few seconds, before he spoke, his voice void of that flare she was so used to. "It just seems like a lot of trouble..." He turned around. "Just to find out what I'm supposed to be doing."
"Honey." She smiled. "It doesn't matter what you're supposed to do." Ash's face spoke for him, but there were many words which could have expressed his shock. Still she kept smiling. "As long as you're happy with your life, then you're doing what you need to. It doesn't matter if that's being the best trainer in the world, or taking care of Pokémon on a farm." She put her hands on his shoulders. "Just do whatever makes you happy, okay?"
Ash's mouth opened, but he did not speak, though he did wish to. His eyes were focused on her, for a moment. He gave an unsure nod, before reaching down for his shoes and placing them upon his feet. When finished he rose to address her.
"Mom. I'm...I'm not sure how long I'll be gone. Could be a few days, a week, maybe more." He seemed to be fighting with himself about something before. "I'll call every day, I promise!"
She understood why he felt the need to say that. She didn't like the thought of him leaving, even for such a short time. Not when she'd just gotten him back, but she knew that for whatever reason, he needed to do this. Delia smiled, before she kissed his forehead. "Don't worry about me, honey. Just come back home safe. Take as long as you need."
He suddenly shifted forward, embracing her before she could respond. "Bye, Mom."
She hugged him back, gently. "Goodbye, Ash."
"Chu chu!" Bye bye! Pikachu jumped onto Delia's shoulder, briefly nuzzling her before he retreated back to Ash. Eventually mother and son parted, and Ash smiled before he walked out the door, gently shutting it behind him. She'd remained there until the crunching of the ground under his feet died away. She was letting him go again. The last time he'd parted from her she'd gradually heard less and less from him until...she just didn't any more. She couldn't shake a voice, a voice whispering from the back of her mind...
What if it happened again?
She shook her head, no. That wasn't going to happen this time. Ash had come back, it took him far longer than she'd wanted, but he'd come back.
He'd come back this time too. She smiled, turning around, briefly hesitant about what she was going to do. She was planning to do a bit of household maintenance, but...
There was something else, something else bugging her. Let's see...she'd seem him off, she'd checked he knew where he was going, she'd checked the boat times, she'd made sure he'd packed everything, she'd-
Oh no, she'd completely forgot! How could she forget something so important? With rare vigour she turned, rushing towards the door as fast as she could move. She reached the front door, forgoing putting on shoes and just opening it, clearing her garden in seconds. She turned her head in all directions, looking for-she found him. She prayed he'd be able to hear her.
She breathed in as deep as she could, and yelled with all the power her lungs could grant...
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Ash briefly adjusted the hood of his cloak. It wasn't exactly difficult, but wearing a hat along with a hood took a little preparation for it to properly hide him. It likely wasn't the most ideal combination of clothing to start with, but it would be a long, long time before he stopped wearing a hat.
Actually, scratch that. He wanted to be buried in a hat. Preferably that particular hat. Now if he could just find the damn thing. He'd turned his room nearly upside down in his search for it but nothing, and through one incident or another, he'd kept forgetting to ask his Mom about it.
Speaking of which, he was surprised she'd let him go so easily. This would not be a one day thing, he wasn't lying about the time frame. He could be over a week, maybe two. Yet, she had let him go...
Guess she didn't seek to keep a hold on him as much as she once had, she was more ready to let Ash go out on his own, and make his own mistakes. (more of them anyway)
Maybe things really had changed.
"ASH!"
Then again..."Remember to change your you-know-whats every day!"
Ash stopped. Thankfully his cloak perfectly hid his face, otherwise he'd have been able to put forth a proposal for a new shade of red, the name of which could only properly be pronounced while extremely embarrassed...
"MOOOOOOOMMMMMM!"
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The water below was carved asunder by the boat that moved through it, the waves it created falling into the sea from once they came. High above this dance of water and metal Ash stood, cloaked, though with the two Charizard's behind him very few would have been stupid enough to come near him anyway (a younger Ash would have come running). His eyes were on the mass of land growing ever further from him.
He remained where he stood, watching the mass grow further and further away, his mind only upon getting his task done as soon as possible so he could return. Ash turned away from the mainland when the ferry finally got far enough to render it little more than a dot.
It was time. It was time to go and meet the one person who might be able to give him answer. It was time to meet one who had stood in his place.
It was time for him to go and meet his predecessor.
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End of Chapter
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Author's Notes: Even shorter than the previous chapter. I could have perhaps done without it, but I felt a transition was needed between last chapter and the next, even if a short one. The next chapter will be more of a "real" chapter. (more length, more detail, more plot advancement) Promise.
Likely you can guess at least one detail that is going to happen in upcoming chapters, but have no fear, it's the content which will be woven to a little less predictable. So with that in mind: Prepare yourselves for a new arc in the story! One full of wonder*, emotion*, drama*, suspense*, romance*, action* and amazing* plot points.
All this will culminate in a plot arc that will leave you in absolute awe!*
*We all know I'm lying here.
*Over the top angst counts, right?
*Maybe...
*...yeah, lying out my ass on this one.
*What fic are you reading? A morgue's more romantic than this fic! (and now I've left you with that image. Have fun!)
*Lots of it! (At least one of these should be true! It might even be good!)
*Can I alter the definition of "amazing"? (hey, I already met the minimum.)
*My bullshit detector just exploded! "Low Sensitivity" my ass!