The end is near, people! Just two more chapters remaining before this fic is written to completion. A heads up for anybody who doesn't know yet: I unfortunately won't continue this story. It means after the Kanto arc is done, I'll be done writing Pokémon for a while. I desperately need to update my Attack on Titan fic which has been on a hiatus for 8 months. :P This means I'll put up the story for adoption! If somebody is interested in continuing this fic, please shoot me a PM. For now, enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon! If I did, pokemon for the Switch would be released this year.

~TheLightWolf16: The hooded man is definitely his father and Is waiting until they battle to reveal himself (probably in the final championship match) btw I hope you are talking to people to try and continue this story.

Well, you're right about the latter for sure. ;) Also, I'm not talking with anybody yet, unfortunately.

~Naruto: Great chapter! Keep it up.

Thank you! I'll definitely do my best. :3

''Meloetta'' Speech

'Meloetta' Thoughts

''Meloetta'' Telepathy

Meloetta was musing silently. She was currently in the room Ash had rented for his stay. Round three, four and five of the league were all won without too much effort. The big surprise had been Ritchie so far. They had faced the boy with the Pikachu earlier today in the quarter finals. Needless to say, it was the first time Meloetta had to come into action seriously, and it wasn't easy. In the end, she had been victorious and ensured Ash a spot in the semi-finals where they had to face none other than his rival Gary Oak.

That was the least of her worries at the moment. They'd win from Gary no problem. Maybe the Hooded Man was going to pose a problem, but Meloetta had a good idea who it was already. The way how the Hooded Man walked was so familiar that it could be only one person. She was actually surprised Ash hadn't figured it out already.

But while the Hooded Man was going to be an extremely dangerous opponent, Meloetta's biggest enemy was Ash himself. How was she going to convince an eager young teen not to take the elite four challenge and instead travel to the Orange Islands? She was basically asking Ash to quit his dream before it had come to full fruition. She considered explaining it to him, but she wasn't sure if he would understand.

She definitely wasn't going to lose on purpose either. Winning the league for Ash was the sole reason she joined him in the first place. While she was floating to and fro, Pikachu twitched his large ears in his slumber and yawned, cracking one eye open to watch Meloetta float about.

''Meloetta,'' he mumbled, ''what's gotten you so worried?''

The small legendary stopped and looked at Pikachu with a kind smile. ''It's nothing to worry about. I didn't mean to wake you, so you can go back to sleep if you want.''

Pikachu instead stretched lazily and gave her a gentle shake of his head. ''Nah, I promised to meet up with Mew in thirty minutes. Besides,'' he added, a small smirk growing on his lips, ''you've always been a terrible liar.''

Meloetta pouted but didn't object. Instead, she sighed; Pikachu knew her too well at this point. ''All right, you're right,'' she admitted. ''I'm worried.''

''What's wrong?'' Pikachu asked genuinely, giving her his full attention, ''Has it something to do with Ash?''

She nodded her head. ''Yes, it has something to do with Ash, but I'm not too sure how to tell you this, or if you're even going to believe me.''

''Wait,'' Pikachu muttered, his eyes wide. ''Did Ash break up with you!?''

''What?'' Meloetta asked owlishly. ''No! Why would he do that? Why would you even think that!?'' she cried.

''I don't know!'' Pikachu defended himself quickly. ''You said it's something I wasn't going to believe!''

''Not like that! It's—'' Meloetta flailed her arms around helplessly. ''It's complicated, all right? Ash and I are fine… I—I just don't know if we will be after we've won the league,'' she finished anxiously, barely louder than a whisper.

Now, Pikachu was confused. ''What, why? Wouldn't he be ecstatic? If we win the league he has a shot at challenging the elite four! It'll be amazing!''

''Except he hasn't,'' Meloetta revealed, fiddling with her hands awkwardly. ''You know how I'm from the future, right?''

Pikachu nodded his head slowly.

''Well, I kinda might have made a deal with my father in order to travel back to the past,'' she whispered. ''You see, Ash is special, as you might have noticed. I'm from a timeline where Ash never wins a league. This ensures he keeps on travelling from place to place to chase after his dream, and coincidentally, stop every major threat of ever happening.''

Pikachu stayed silent, ushering for her to go on while his mind tried to catch up.

''I made a deal with Arceus that allows Ash to win, but I have to make him travel from region to region without him ever being able to challenge the elite four. I don't know how to break this to Ash,'' she said nervously, ''what if he becomes angry with me?''

She looked at Pikachu seriously, until he burst out in laughter.

''Hey! It's not funny, Pikachu!'' she said, genuinely getting annoyed by his behaviour. ''I have a serious problem here!''

''A serious problem?'' Pikachu questioned while he continued to giggle. ''Meloetta, you were right it was nothing I had to worry about.''

''Huh?'' she said, her anger fading away a little. ''What do you mean?''

Pikachu caught his breath before he shook his head. ''What I mean is: what's the problem? Why don't you just tell Ash? You know how he is; he'll understand and love you even more for it. Do you honestly think he's going to be angry? Sure, he'll be disappointed, but he'll get over it very quickly. Besides, '' Pikachu continued, his voice gentle, ''What's most important to Ash is us—his family. He'd do everything to keep us at his side. If he knows he'd lose all of this by challenging the elite four, he'd follow you to wherever you take him no questions asked.''

Pikachu motioned her over kindly. ''Come here.''

She complied and hugged the electric-type lovingly, her worries slowly melting away. ''I'll help you, all right?'' he promised. ''We'll tell Ash together!''

''Thank you, Pikachu,'' she replied gratefully. ''I don't know how I can repay you.''

''You already have,'' he said, breaking the hug. He emphasized what he meant by motioning to his body. ''We could've never done this if it wasn't for you.''

Meloetta cooed happily and gave Pikachu a soft kiss on his cheek. ''I love you, Pikachu. Don't ever forget that.''

''I love you too, Meloetta,'' he said, his smile affectionate and contagious.

''Aww, isn't that cute?'' a third voice spoke up excitedly. With an audible pop, Mew appeared in the room. ''Your familial bond is too adorable for words,'' she squealed. ''I noticed it with how much Pikachu talks about you whenever we hang out, but to see it in action is another thing entirely. You're like a brother and sister!''

''Mew!'' Pikachu gasped, quickly growing embarrassed that his girlfriend had seen all of that. ''What are you doing here so early?''

''I couldn't wait any longer,'' she admitted, bouncing up and down on an invisible trampoline. ''I just had to see you right now.''

Meloetta giggled at Pikachu's flustered cheeks. ''Looks like somebody is in love,'' she sang teasingly.

''Oh, shut up,'' he responded jokingly. ''And by the way, I told you I was dating Mew! See and be amazed!''

''Wait, are we dating?'' Mew asked.

The look of utter surprise that etched on Pikachu's face had both girls giggling madly. ''I told you he was easy to tease,'' Meloetta said between giggles.

''I'm not!'' Pikachu denied. ''Wait… when did you tell her that?''

''Oh that? To be honest with you, I've been talking with Mew ever since the league started,'' Meloetta said. Mew shrugged her shoulders at Pikachu's scowl.

''This whole time you've been messing with me! And you,'' he said to Mew, ''you didn't even tell me even though I told you multiple times Meloetta wouldn't believe we had something going on! I—'' Pikachu held his breath while both girls smiled at him. ''—love you guys so much. But don't think I won't get the both of you back! My revenge will be sweet!''

Both Mew and Meloetta giggled at his antics while they gave each other a goodbye hug. ''Be careful with Pikachu,'' she said sweetly, ''what you said is true; I do see him as my brother, and I'm his sister.''

''I know,'' Mew said while she nudged Pikachu. ''I promise to be careful with this cutie. Now let's go! You promised to show me that awesome spot you discovered.''

''It really is awesome,'' he protested. ''You'll see! Meloetta will vouch for me!''

She waved at the couple with a big smile on her face as they made their way out of the room. Ash would be away for another few hours, so that meant she had some time all for herself for a change.

In the nearby forest, Ash was taking his Rapidash for a ride. Azumarill and Sylveon were both tagging along happily, playing with each other while the raven haired trainer enjoyed the peace of the woods. The beauty of nature was something he could never get enough of.

''Are you enjoying the league so far, Rapidash?'' he asked her, patting her on her neck lovingly. Her flames went harmlessly around his hand. It was still amazing to Ash she could control her flames in such a way.

She snorted and nodded her head, turning her neck a bit so she could show him the joy in her eyes. Going with Ash had been the best decision in her life. The mare couldn't think of another time where she had been so loved.

''We're enjoying it too, daddy!'' Azumarill cried happily as Sylveon chased after him. She giggled and tried to pounce on him. ''Yeah, the league is very fun!'' she agreed.

''I'm glad you cuties have so much fun,'' Rapidash replied, slowly trotting forwards. ''You two helped your dad a lot by winning so many battles for him!''

''You too, auntie Dashie!'' both yelled in union. ''You're so strong!'' Sylveon continued to gush. ''When I'm older, I want to be like you or auntie Melly!''

''I want to be like uncle Pika!'' Azumarill added.

Rapidash snickered and lowered her head to nuzzle the two young pokemon. ''You both will in due time. But we're not done yet. We still have to win from Gary and then probably the Hooded Man.''

''I want to battle the Hooded Man!'' Sylveon said eagerly.

''Oh? Why's that?''

''That's because we know who it is!'' Azumarill responded for his big sister excitedly.

''You do?'' Rapidash said, perplexed. Both pokemon nodded. ''How did you figure it out?''

''The way how the Hooded Man walks!'' Sylveon continued. ''We told it to Auntie Melly who also agreed with us.''

Rapidash thought back about the times she'd seen the Hooded Man walk in the last few days. Now that they had mentioned it, it was pretty familiar. ''Who is the Hooded Man then?''

Sylveon whispered the answer in her ear. Immediately, Rapidash's eyes widened significantly. ''No way,'' she said, her smile wide. ''Why didn't I think of that before? That makes so much sense!''

''Don't tell daddy yet, he has to figure it out himself,'' Azumarill said worriedly. Rapidash chuckled. ''Don't worry, I won't. I'm sure he has his own suspicions.''

She looked back at Ash, who seemed deep in thought. She nudged him gently with her withers to grab his attention. ''Oh, sorry about that, Rapidash. I was just thinking about our match against Gary tomorrow. He's been training a lot, so it's going to be tough!''

Rapidash neighed in agreement and then made a couple of high-pitched whinnies. Ash smiled in response. ''That's true. We have trained a lot as well.''

The forest began to end and change into grassy hills that stretched for miles and miles in every direction. Wild flowers grew here and there, fighting for sunlight while the sun was gently lowering itself in the west. Further up ahead was a lone pokemon meditating all by herself. Ash recognized her as the Gardevoir of the Hooded Man and smiled widely.

The psychic-type easily picked up that Ash was approaching her on his big Rapidash. She opened her eyes and a smile stretched on her face. ''Welcome, Ash. It seems you've found my private meditating spot,'' she greeted him telepathically.

Ash was surprised for a moment, her smooth voice mellow and pleasant. ''Oh, wow! You know telepathy!''

''I do. It's a rare skill I picked up in my travels with my trainer,'' she revealed. ''It's very nice to finally meet you.'' She bowed respectfully for him, which made the raven-haired trainer blush.

''You don't have to bow, Gardevoir,'' he said uneasily. ''You and your trainer are a legend! I should be bowing for you.''

''So humble,'' she complimented, ''you really remind me of my trainer. It's no wonder; the similarities are stunning.'' She giggled at Ash's growing amazement.

''I'm like the Hooded Man?''

Gardevoir nodded her head. ''Absolutely. My trainer values justice a lot. You're exactly the same. It's not surprising, really,'' she revealed.

''Why's that?'' Ash asked curiously, rubbing his chin. Maybe he could get a couple of more hints from her, since he was getting a good picture already who the Hooded Man was.

''I believe if I told you that, I'd reveal my trainer's identity,'' she said teasingly. ''But I'm sure you'll figure it out on your own. It shouldn't be hard for you to do so.''

''Can I ask you one more question?'' Ash asked her.

''Of course. What do you want to know?''

''Your pre-evolution is Ralts, right?''

''That's correct,'' she said.

''But the Hooded Man isn't from Hoenn. He's from Kanto, which means he travelled through Hoenn and probably got you as a Ralts. Did you like being out of your ball at that time?''

Gardevoir gave him a knowing smirk. ''Somebody has been doing his homework, I see. But yes, I usually was on my trainer's shoulder much like your Pikachu or Meloetta often do. I grew out of it when I evolved into a Kirlia.''

Ash smiled. ''Thank you. That's all I needed to know. I think I have a pretty good idea already who your trainer is.''

''Oh? I'm curious then, because my trainer's identity will be revealed once we've reached the finals.''

''The Hooded Man is going to reveal his identity?'' he asked incredulously.

Gardevoir nodded. ''My trainer said it was time the world knew who the Hooded Man truly is, especially since we've been off the grid for about ten years, as you may know. We returned because we heard about your heroic deeds, Ash. So thank you for that.''

Ash blushed again at the complimenting words and the respect she had for him. ''Well, I wish you all the good luck in your semi-finals match. I hope to meet you in the finals then!''

''As do I, Ash. But I have a funny feeling I won't have to worry about that.''

Ash waved her goodbye as she went back to meditating. He couldn't wait to finally face the Hooded Man. But first, he was going to enjoy a great match against his rival Gary.

That's it, people! Hope you enjoyed this cute little chapter. Did you like it, love it, hate it? Reviews are what I crave! :D Next one Ash vs Gary semi-finals! Until then. ^^

~Syrup-Waffle