A/N: Before I begin with this newest chapter, I'd like to make something clear with you guys, which I had failed to do earlier. One of my earlier reviewers (I forgot who, sorry) gave me a question, if this story will be incorporating the Kalos region or Team Flare. Because this story was published before Generation VI was released, there was nothing in my basic outline that gave Kalos or Team Flare a big role, nor do I plan for it to be so, otherwise there will be a few aesthetic changes to the story.
Of course, I did give the Pokémon Noivern an appearance, and I am pretty sure there will be more nods to Generation VI, but other than that, it definitely won't serve any role of importance in the story. Don't worry, I already have a story based on the XY anime published, called "Separation"; it's still in its first chapter, a prologue, but I guarantee you that, despite its short length, it will be a very interesting read, and maybe even more... ;)
Okay, enough chitchat! On with the chapter that further details the interesting reunion between Ash and Nate! ENJOY!
Near Silver Town
A month after the death of Ash Ketchum
After Ash Ketchum sacrificed himself to save the world from completely destruction at the hands of Pure Impurity, the vegetation on and surrounding Mt. Silver was left completely wiped out. However, after the month passed, there were already signs that life had already begun to restore itself. Small, flimsy stems protruded from the otherwise barren, lifeless ground, amongst the corpses of fallen tree trunks that were stripped naked of their leaves.
It was in this area that a lone Pikachu wandered, its ears drooping, its body obviously famished. It was a long month of traveling, and the Pikachu had wondered many times if it would die before it completed its trek. Not that it would've mattered. It wanted to die. It wanted to return to the arms of its loving Trainer, the one who died saving it, as well as everyone and everything it ever knew, from oblivion. It wanted to hear his encouraging voice once again...
"Pikachu..." the Pikachu moaned as it stopped in the middle of the barren field. It looked around, hoping that it would see its Trainer, although it already knew it would be completely pointless. But it didn't care. As long as it died in the same place as its Trainer, then all was well.
The corners of Pikachu's eyes were getting blurry. Softly, it moaned again as it decided to lie down on the ground. It felt all strength washing away from its body. Was it dying? For a moment, the Pikachu was afraid, and it began flashing back to memories of its other friends, all of those who loved it as much as its Trainer did. It could not help but miss all of them. But then, it also knew that none of them measured up to its one and only Trainer.
Its Pikapi...
Its eyesight was now being completely devoured by oblivion. The world was now spinning. Pikachu just wanted to sleep, so it did.
...
...
...
...A familiar voice...
Pikachu's eyelids slowly slid open, and it found itself still in the same area. It was not dead. Not yet, at least.
"Pikachu?" the voice asked in awe.
Pikachu couldn't believe what it was hearing. It slowly looked up, now registering the fact that it was now in someone's shadow. Once it got a good look at the figure's face, it gasped and weakly stood up. There was no mistaking those determined auburn eyes, or the spiky jet-black hair.
It didn't care of this was a hallucination. Pikachu wanted to savor this moment. Forever.
"PIKAPI!"
The Forest of Hearts
Near Ketchum City
Present day
"Hello...son..." greeted Ash hesitantly.
Nate's lower jaw slowly slid open. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The man he worshiped his entire life, who turned out to be, quite coincidentally, his actual father, was standing just a foot away from him, alive and well. How could it be?! The extensive database of information on Ash that Nate had slowly built up, it told him that there were multiple eyewitness accounts of Ash's death, all of which were verified and cleared as being legitimate. There was no possible way that Ash could have come back to the world of the living, to have escaped the undeniable arms of death. ...Unless...
"Did Ho-Oh revive you?" Nate asked incredulously as Lucario stepped beside him.
To his surprise, Ash shook his head and replied dismissively, "No. In fact, I don't know what happened."
"Tell me," said Nate, almost in a commanding tone that even he noticed and was shocked by.
Ash merely stared at him and looked down at the ground. "Why do you wish to know anyway? It's none of your business. It never was."
"It always has been ever since I was born. I'm your son. I'm your flesh and blood. I've obviously inherited your responsibilities in the world. So...tell me."
Ash looked at Pikachu, which nodded and said, "Pika." Then, the former Trainer sighed and began his explanation.
"After I...died, transferring my Aura to Ho-Oh so it could continue to live, I found myself in a...heaven, of sorts. I was standing in front of this large, golden gate, which opened when I got close to it. I went inside, and I found myself standing in the middle of some sort of stadium, although it seemed to go on for miles. Some infinite shit and whatnot. Anyway, when I stepped onto a pedestal that was at the center, he came to me." Ash clenched his fists. "Arceus.
"I was shocked the moment I saw him. The last time I saw him, he had been reduced to a comatose state after an attack by the Sky Soldiers. But he told me that I had finally fulfilled my duty, and that my time has passed. Then, he told me he always knew I'd be able to do it. I was intrigued. I asked what he meant by that. He relented in answering that question, and it took some persuading before he finally gave in. ...Sometimes, I regret asking.
"Arceus said that, being the Alpha Pokémon who created the Universe, he sees everything that happens in the past, present...and future. He knew exactly what would happen to me before it would actually occur. He knew that the war between me and the Sky Soldiers would cost millions of innocent lives, people and Pokémon alike." Furiously, Ash suddenly punched the wall of the thicket, startling Nate. "He knew, and yet...he did nothing to prevent those deaths. Many died, so many...
"Naturally, I was shocked, horrified beyond belief. I then knew that Arceus had never been in a comatose state the entire time. He would've seen it coming. I realized he had faked it the entire time. To allow me to continue down the path of my destiny. After all, him slipping into a coma motivated me to go after the Sky Soldiers with full force. To free Ho-Oh from captivity and restore it back to life, at the cost of my own. He knew it would jump-start me.
"We had an argument. I accused him of sitting back and letting everyone die without doing anything about it. He defended himself with terrible excuses that it was all just a part of life, to experience death all around me. ...No. It wasn't a part of life. Nate, have you ever saw someone die in front of you before?"
"No..." Nate replied.
"You are lucky, then. I saw millions of people die before me. I assure you, seeing such horrible, traumatic things is NOT a part of life. I told him that, Arceus. But all he ever did was just give me more so-called sagely sentiments about life and its experiences. I got angry, so I started trashing all that I could find in the stadium. Arceus didn't like that one bit, and he tried to attack me with his special attack, Judgment. You know Arceus has seventeen plates, right?"
"Yes," Nate replied.
"Every time he unleashes Judgment, the Plates emerge from his abdomen to give him maximum power into the attack. The attack also takes time to charge up. I don't know what came over me, but I am pretty sure I knew I had to retaliate somehow against Arceus's unacceptable behavior. I managed to grab the nearest Plate, and it weakened Arceus severely in the process. I quickly fled out of the stadium, and I don't know what happened; all I did was just jump off this cliff that was ahead, and...
"I was alive again. I don't know how, or why it happened, but...I was alive again...
"And now that I realized that my entire life had been just a sham, with everything being laid out from the start, I didn't know what to do at first. I reunited with Pikachu here, but it didn't help at all. I was now on the run, with one of Arceus's Plates, and there was no doubt he'd do anything to get it back. I was fortunate that I had one of his more powerful Plates, and I knew that to break even one would mean crippling damage to him. So, I settled here, watching as life grew back to its former state while under the protection of the Plate. And as I sat here for the past ten years, I began taking in Pokémon and putting them under my wing. And here we are."
Ash let out a heavy sigh and sat down on the ground, watching as the Pokémon continued to play in the icy field. However, Nate continued to stand.
"So, that's why you never came back?" the Trainer asked. "You were mad at Arceus, so you just sat here under the protection of one of his Plates?!"
"Pretty much," Ash replied calmly.
Nate gritted his teeth angrily. "And you sit here, doing nothing to save Ketchum City as it is being taken over by Sky Soldiers, just because you're MAD at Arceus?!"
"Yep." Ash's attention was then caught. "Sky Soldiers?"
"Yeah, they're back, just in case you hadn't noticed," replied Nate sarcastically, crossing his arms. "And they're trying to capture Ho-Oh."
Ash frowned at the sarcasm. "Well, it's no longer my problem. It's yours now. So far, that is."
"No, it's not my problem, and it's certainly not your problem either!" exclaimed Nate, his fists clenched now. "It's my duty, your duty, our duty!"
"No, it's Arceus's little chessboard," Ash snapped. "He knows what's gonna happen. Why do you think you haven't seen him even once since this fiasco started?"
Nate opened his mouth to respond, but then closed it. Naturally, he hadn't seen Arceus ever since the situation began. Surely Arceus would appear if someone made an attempt to capture Ho-Oh, something that would deal widespread, deadly repercussions that would threaten all of existence. After all, he was the Alpha Pokémon, the almighty, all-seeing creator of the entire Universe. He wouldn't want something as the destruction of his own creation...
Ash smirked, knowing that he was right in that question. He gazed back at the Pokémon community, exhaling.
"Told ya," he muttered, almost inaudibly.
However, Nate wouldn't give up. Ash may be right on some things, but in the long run, he was definitely not right in shunning his long-held responsibility!
"Just because Arceus told you that he knew what was gonna happen, doesn't mean you have to turn the other way when the world is in danger!"
Ash stood up defensively. "Do you have any IDEA what I saw while protecting the world?! DEATH! DESTRUCTION! SADNESS! HOPELESSNESS! Arceus was willing to just stand back and let all of THAT happen while I do all the dirty work, practically relieving him of his workload?! If Arceus is gonna display such an attitude, then I'll return the favor, then. I'll just stand back and let his creation get wrecked. Then, once Arceus comes to me, begging for forgiveness, I'll just say this: 'Call us even'. I know you won't understand, Nate, so I'll just wait until you see it all yourself. Once you do, you'll know how I felt."
"Maybe Arceus was right! Maybe having to see death and destruction was just a way of life-"
"See death and destruction right before I die? Without enough time to learn the lesson out of all that? Either Arceus was just a terrible event planner, or he decided to just bullshit me with this meager existence! Either way, I don't care." Ash turned away. "I don't care about anything anymore."
"Not even your own community?" snapped Nate, loudly enough that all of the Pokémon in the area heard. Everyone's eyes were turned towards the father and son.
Ash narrowed his eyes. "We're all bound to die sooner or later. I'm just teaching them to value life, and live it at its fullest." He faced Nate. "The only thing I care about now is the preservation of the spirit. Reality is frightening, deadly. Just disconnect yourself with the expectations of it, and you will find true inner peace. That's what I have done for the past ten years. That's what I have been doing...until you showed up here."
"Excuse me, but who was the one who saved me?!"
"I saved you because you were getting in too deep. Now, I'm begging you to stay out of this business while you still can! Before you lose yourself completely!"
"Never," snarled Nate. He gritted his teeth even harder as tears started to flow down his cheeks. "You know, for as long as I can remember, I lived hearing all of these stories and tales of how you put aside all else, even your own life, to ensure the world's continued existence. How selfless, bold, and determined you were. I collected all of the books that detailed your travels. I watched old videos of you battling in Pokémon Leagues, and used them to perfect my own battling style. I came over here to not only live out my lifelong dream of becoming as strong as you through the Ketchum Month Tournament, but to see the very place where you did it all. Where you died saving the world. Where you actually cared. You were my hero, even before you were actually my father.
"But..." Nate's brown eyes glinted as he stared down Ash. "Not anymore." He stepped towards the thicket entrance, preparing to go inside. "I'm gonna wake up Hugh, and we're gonna go back to Ketchum City to face this threat head-on. I'm fulfilling my destiny. With or without you!"
"I don't think so!" roared Ash. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"
"PIKA-CHUUUUU!" Pikachu screeched as it unleashed a powerful bolt of electricity, which struck the ground between Nate and the entrance to the thicket.
"What in Arceus's name?!" Nate exclaimed.
"I'm not gonna let you suffer the same fate as me, Nate," Ash said. "Even if it means battling you!"
"Master?!" exclaimed Lucario.
"Stay out of this, Lucario!" Ash commanded. Lucario submissively took a couple of steps backward. "Nate, I suggest standing down! I'd do so if I were you..."
"Well then, challenge ACCEPTED!" Nate pulled out a Poké Ball and threw it into the air. "Cryogonal, GO!"
The Crystallizing Pokémon emerged from its Poké Ball and stared down Pikachu, whose cheeks sparkled with small bolts of electricity. Ash gritted his teeth.
"Damn," he muttered. "I never thought I'd be doing this again." Then, he screamed, "Pikachu, VOLT TACKLE!"
Pikachu ran at Cryogonal, its body becoming surrounded by golden electricity.
"Cryogonal, dodge, then use Aurora Beam!" ordered Nate.
Cryogonal successfully dodged the attack and prepared to fire an Aurora Beam, but suddenly, Pikachu turned around, still enveloped in the golden electricity, and with a triumphant "PIKA!", it tackled the Crystallizing Pokémon, sending it to the ground. Nate gasped while Ash pointed at Cryogonal.
"Use Electro Ball on Cryogonal while it's down!"
Pikachu's body became enveloped in yellow electricity as multiple yellow sparks came off of him. The electricity then condensed at Pikachu's tail, effectively forming into an orange-yellow orb of electricity with sparks of yellow electricity shooting out of it. Pikachu then leaped into the air, did a front-flip in midair, and threw the sphere of electricity at Cryogonal. The orb violently collided into the Crystallizing Pokémon's body and exploded, severely damaging it. Nate heard his Cryogonal cry out in pain.
"CRYOGONAL!"
When the dust cleared, Cryogonal was unconscious and unable to battle. Ash's mouth twitched into a small smile of satisfaction.
"I guess your Cryogonal is out for the count, Nate," he said. "And to think, my battling strategy was quite rusty."
"You think you're gonna win this?!" demanded Nate. "HUH?! Think again! I'm not giving up until you either let me go, or join me!"
"I'll do none of the sort."
"Fine, then. Let the battle continue!" Nate recalled Cryogonal and then threw a second Poké Ball. "Mandibuzz, I choose YOU!"
The Bone Vulture Pokémon emerged from its Poké Ball, cawing loudly as it flew in the air around in circles.
"NATE!" a voice called suddenly, and Nate turned his head towards the thicket entrance. Standing beside it was Hugh, who was now awake, and apparently, he had been watching the battle for some time. "Remember, Mandibuzz is a part-Flying-type! Be sure to use its Dark-type moves frequently!"
"I know, Hugh, I know!" Nate exclaimed, smiling as he stared at Pikachu, which now looked surprised. "Mandibuzz, use Punishment!"
Mandibuzz's wings glowed a sickly purple color, and it dove down at Pikachu, slapping him repeatedly.
"PIKACHU!" Ash cried in concern.
The last slap, more violent than the rest, sent Pikachu tumbling across the ground, and he came to a stop by Ash's feet. However, he quickly hopped back up, his body obviously bruised, but other than that, he looked unaffected from the attack. Seeing that Pikachu was all right, Ash looked up at Nate and smirked.
"Quite a risky strategy you've got there, Nate," he said. "Relying on the Dark-type attacks of a part-Flying-type Pokémon when battling against an Electric-type. I must say, even I was less brash and daring when I started out as a Trainer. I suggest switching Pokémon-"
"NOT A CHANCE!" interrupted Nate loudly. "From my research on you, you didn't care when you sent out a Pokémon to battle against one with a more powerful type. All it mattered to you was that the Pokémon would use the best of its ability and overcome, and if not, it tried its best! It doesn't matter if Mandibuzz wins or loses; all that really matters is that it tried all that it could, and I will be proud of its effort! Now, Mandibuzz, use Dark Pulse!"
Mandibuzz opened its mouth, a light-purple sphere of dark energy, which was surrounded by black-and-purple circles, appearing inside it. It then fires a beam of black-and-purple circles from the sphere, which struck Pikachu head-on at full force before he could dodge it.
"PIKA!" Pikachu screamed.
"PIKACHU!" Ash screamed.
Pikachu landed on the ground, but like before, it quickly hopped back up, looking unaffected by the attack aside from a few more bruises. Ash, satisfied to see that he was okay, then let out a soft but almost sinister chuckle, which brought an eerie chill to Nate, which reached even his bones.
"It's obvious that Mandibuzz isn't powerful enough to deal critical damage to Pikachu," he said. "I've trained Pikachu for almost thirty years, and how old are you?"
"Almost eleven," Nate replied.
"Your Mandibuzz will get knocked out of the arena in an instant." Ash pointed at the Bone Vulture Pokémon dramatically. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu unleashed another bolt of electricity, but Nate smiled as he realized something. "Mandibuzz, dodge it!"
Mandibuzz quickly outmaneuvered the Thunderbolt. Ash raised an eyebrow, but was otherwise undeterred by the dodge.
"Thunderbolt again, Pikachu!" Ash ordered.
Pikachu unleashed another Thunderbolt, but Nate ordered, "Dodge again, Mandibuzz!"
The Bone Vulture Pokémon quickly dodged the Thunderbolt, some of the electricity clipping off a feather as it grazed its wing. The billionth drop of sweat broke out on Nate's forehead and began to travel down his temple. He was trying out a risky strategy here, but if the knowledge on Electric-type Pokémon he learned from Cheren was correct, then if Pikachu continued to use Electric-type attacks, then he would eventually drain himself of his electricity that was his power, weakening him.
He did not know how long it would take until Ash caught onto that strategy, but he had to try. Mandibuzz had always been his best Pokémon to use against small but quick Pokémon like Pikachu, but for Pikachu to be an Electric-type, which Mandibuzz was weak against, made his choice all the more riskier.
"Pikachu, use Volt Tackle!"
"Dodge, Mandibuzz!"
Pikachu tried to attack Mandibuzz with Volt Tackle, but it quickly dodged him, and was able to dodge him again when Pikachu turned around and tried to hit it again.
"Keep it up, Pikachu!" ordered Ash.
Pikachu continued trying to attack Mandibuzz with Volt Tackle, but the Bone Vulture Pokémon was able to fly high enough to be out of reach. After a couple of long and laborious minutes passed, the electricity generating from Pikachu's body for the Volt Tackle ran out, and Pikachu stopped running and jumping at Mandibuzz.
"I don't know what it is you're doing, Nate, but I must admit, it's a nice way to avoid damage." Ash smirked. "Unfortunately, it doesn't do anything to damage Pikachu."
"You keep talking, Ash," Nate replied. "But soon, I'll be the one with the last laugh."
Ash's smirk widened. "Oh, we'll see about that. Use Electro Ball, Pikachu!"
Pikachu fired an Electro Ball, which Mandibuzz was able to avoid. Just then, Hugh gasped, attracting Nate's attention.
"Why? What is it, Hugh?" Nate asked.
"Tell Mandibuzz to make an attack, quick!" shouted Hugh.
Before Nate could do so, he heard Ash order, "Use Thunder, Pikachu!"
Pikachu fired a massive beam of electricity from his body, which barreled towards Mandibuzz. Then, Nate realized why Hugh was so concerned: Mandibuzz was tired...
"QUICK, MANDIBUZZ!" he shouted. "DODGE THE THUNDER!" However, it was too late. Mandibuzz, not quick enough, hindered by the exhaustion it slowly acquired from all of those dodges, was hit by the Thunder attack, and it fell down to the ground, unconscious. "MANDIBUZZ!"
"That's two Pokémon down on your side now," Ash said. "And trust me, I did not even break a sweat." He smirked. "Oh, and Nate, I knew you were gonna try to drain Pikachu of its electricity by doing all that dodging. Quite an effective strategy, if it weren't so flawed. Your opponent would become suspicious of all that. So, he or she would either take advantage of those dodges, or just use another type of attack. Please tell me you don't use these types of strategies when you're battling Gyms..."
"Well, I don't, but I have to be on my guard when I'm coming up against you!" exclaimed Nate angrily as he recalled Mandibuzz.
"You're not on your guard. You're afraid. Afraid to lose against me, your own father." Ash's head moved for a fraction of an inch. "Don't worry, I was too."
Nate's eyes narrowed as a chilly breeze began to blow, fluttering his, Ash's, and Hugh's hairs.
"You're right," he replied. "I am afraid to lose. But not against my own father. But against my childhood hero, who is now a JOKE."
Ash's eyes widened; he was surprised by the insult. Even Pikachu was alarmed by Nate's serious tone. However, Ash then chuckled, as if Nate told a funny joke.
"I guess you really are my son..."
"I guess my father really is dead."
Ash's eyes widened again, and he pointed at Nate. "You're being really stubborn, you know?! Do you have any absolute idea on what lies ahead of you if you continue down this path? ...Once everything is done and over with, you're gonna wish you died with everyone else who died for you!"
"The thing is, I've learned to accept my fate! I know what comes ahead! You wanna know why?"
"Why?!" demanded Ash furiously.
"Because I have everything I need." Nate reached inside his jacket and pulled out an object that Ash instantly recognized: a Time Flower. On it was a post-it that read '21: VERY IMPORTANT'. The Trainer stretched out the arm holding it so Ash could see the Time Flower. He continued, "Right here."
The Time Flower opened up, and a small light-blue sphere of energy emerged from its hollow frame. It exploded, engulfing the entire field...
Aspertia City
The Unova region
Nine months after the death of Ash Ketchum
The full moon hung high in the sky, its beauty unhindered by any presence of clouds. To a child, it might as well be the centerpiece decoration of a vast cardboard that was supposed to be the sky. Down below, Aspertia City took in all of its magnificent moonlight, and all of its residents slept soundly in the comfort of their homes. The pathways, further illuminated by a couple of streetlamps, looked desolate and lifeless. Some pieces of trash tumbled across them, being carried by the brief gusts.
Finally, there was a sign of life. Walking across one of these pathways, which cut across the small, dainty suburban area, was Cheren, who was wearing a white shirt with a large red tie, and turquoise pants, and had a bag. Straightening out his tie for what seemed to be the millionth time, he stopped walking and silently surveyed the houses. He stood under one of the streetlights, which bathed him in its golden light. The Gym Leader fleetingly checked his watch before sighing.
Several minutes passed, and Cheren spent them either pacing around or sitting on a bench to read one of his textbooks. It was obvious he was waiting for someone.
After a while, he checked his watch again. Then, he stood up and walked to the middle of the pathway, staring down one direction. It didn't take long until he was able to make out four silhouettes, all of which were walking fast towards him. As the silhouettes passed a streetlight, fleetingly illuminating their physical features, Cheren's mouth briefly twitched into a satisfied grin. He recognized these people as Hilda, Hilbert, Brock, and Lyra.
"Took you long enough," Cheren greeted as they ran up to him.
"Sorry for the wait, Cheren," replied Hilbert. "We got held back a bit..."
Cheren raised an eyebrow as he stared at Hilda, who was holding an object draped by a blanket with lightning-bolt patterns. She was struggling to not cry out loud.
"I see..." He approached Hilda and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hilda, it's for the best. I know this woman. She's worked at several Pokémon Centers in the past. The Nurse Joys from all of them recommended her. ...He's in the best and caring hands..."
Cheren looked down at the object Hilda was holding. It was an infant Nate, who was sleeping as soundly as everyone else in the suburban area.
"It's just...just..." Hilda sniffled. "I love this baby... He reminds me of Ash... His eyes are just like his-" She broke off and started to cry quietly as she hugged the baby.
"It's hard for all of us, Hilda," said Brock. "We're giving away the last thing Ash left behind for us. It didn't matter if it wasn't intentional. This is Ash's flesh and blood..."
"But let's face it," Lyra added. "None of us, or anyone else we know, are conditioned to raise this baby. Not even you, Hilda. You're still a Trainer-"
"It doesn't matter!" snapped Hilda. Her voice was a bit loud, and Cheren and Hilbert looked around nervously to see if Hilda's outburst woke anyone up. "I can retire! I can raise this baby! I don't care what any of you say anymore! I'm gonna raise Nathan as my own!"
"Not only are you a Trainer, but you're still a teenager, sis," Hilbert said. "It's a good thing Mom didn't know you were pregnant! Come on, we gotta leave him here-"
"NO!"
"Hilda, keep it down!" whispered Brock urgently. "You might wake people up-"
"I DON'T CARE IF I EVEN WAKE UP DARKRAI! I'M NOT LEAVING MY-" Cheren quickly covered her mouth to stop her from talking any further.
Unfortunately, the window of the closest house opened up, and a man with spiky blue hair poked his head out of it, yelling, "HEY, KEEP IT DOWN!"
"Sorry!" called Lyra.
The man grumbled and prepared to close the window when the five heard the distant wails of a second baby break the silence inside the house. The same man let out a pained moan, said something about someone named "Hugh", and closed the window. Hilbert sighed with relief before looking at Hilda again.
"Come on, sis," he moaned. "You know you can't raise him, not while you're still young and when you're still traveling..."
Cheren removed his hand from Hilda's mouth cautiously, but the teenage Trainer merely burst out into silent tears again. Cheren's eyes softened.
"It's okay, Hilda," he said comfortingly as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "I promise you, I will take care of Nathan as well. As the local Gym Leader and a Trainers' School teacher, I'll be able to keep a close eye on him. I swear to Arceus, no harm will come to him."
Hilda looked up at Cheren with shimmering eyes. "Do you promise?"
Cheren nodded. "Promise. Now, just leave Nathan over there." He pointed to the doorway of the house directly to his left.
Hilda looked down at Nate, her lips pursed, and then, she nodded. Then, she took a couple of steps before stopping.
"Wait. What if wild Pokémon get to him?"
"I sprayed the blanket with a perfume that wards off any wild Pokémon," Brock said. "He'll be safe through the night."
Hilda continued to stand there, rooted to the spot. Then, with possibly all the force and motivation in the world, she resumed walking, never straying off from her fast pace until she reached the doorway. Looking up at the simple frame of the house, she almost sensed the occupant sleeping inside soundly. Hilda bit her lip, just as she felt someone step beside her; looking to her side, she saw that it was Lyra, who was holding a basket.
Hilda nodded, and Lyra set the basket down on the doorstep. Gently, Hilda lowered Nate and placed him in the basket. Then, she reached into her pocket, pulled out the note she had such a difficult time working on, and reluctantly tucked it under the infant's arm. Just as she did, he cooed softly, but it was all that it took for Hilda to break down into tears once again; she embraced Lyra and sobbed into her shoulder as she returned the hug.
"It's okay," Lyra whispered. "I sensed the woman's Aura. She's a kind and caring soul." She broke the hug and stared into Hilda's red, wet eyes. "Nathan will be safe."
The brown-haired Trainer nodded once. "Okay..."
Hilda and Lyra took one last glance at the basket before leaving the doorstep. Reuniting with Cheren, Hilbert, and Brock, Hilda quickly embraced the former.
"Remember your promise, Cheren..." she whispered. Then, she tightened the hug. "Please..."
"I'll remember," Cheren replied. He broke the hug, grabbed her shoulders, and stared deeply into her eyes with all the seriousness in the world. "I'll always remember."
Hilda nodded, this time with more determination. She then looked at the house where she left her son, and the ghost of a smile briefly appeared on her face before it disappeared just as quickly. The teenager then walked away, down the direction from which she originally came. Hilbert and Brock said their quick goodbyes to Cheren before following her. However, Cheren and Lyra remained, standing in the same spots for several more minutes as they observed the house of Kelly Brown.
Finally, Lyra faced Cheren and said, "Good luck." Then, she left.
Cheren watched Lyra leave before taking another fleeting glance at the Brown house. Then, he stared at the basket. He exhaled before taking out an object from his bag: a Time Flower, one that he apparently had the entire time. He held out his palm towards it, deactivating it...
Present day
The holographic images immediately retracted back inside the sphere, which then sank inside the Time Flower before it closed, engulfing it. Everyone except Nate was completely silent and awestruck, even the Pokémon of the community, all of which had gathered around to watch the battle between their leader and the newcomer. Nate put the Time Flower away in his jacket and faced Ash, who was able to quickly regain his senses.
"So what?" demanded Ash. "I don't see the point of showing that to me."
"It's not showing you this projection that matters," Nate replied. "Earlier today, I saw this very projection for the very first time. Like you, I was shocked to learn that my life happened just because my mother gave me away. Had she decided against it, who knows what could've happened with my life? Yes, I was really shocked. And that was saying something, since I already learned a lot about my destiny and my connection to you at that point.
"But then, as I thought about it, I realized something: everything that happens in life matters, even the smallest events, the least important of details...and even the most horrible of tragedies. I may have been given away by my real mother, but it's what happened afterward that mattered."
Aspertia City
Five years ago
"And Ho-Oh flew away, once again exploring the world that had returned to its rightful state of normalcy, for a pure-hearted Trainer. The end."
"Wow, what a great story, Mommy!"
Five-year-old Nate lowered himself onto his bed, smiling widely as Kelly closed the storybook and kissed his forehead.
"Sweet dreams, my little Nate," she said before she began to leave the bedroom.
"Wait, Mommy!" called Nate.
Kelly stopped and looked back. "Yes, Nate?"
"I love you, Mommy!"
Kelly smiled widely. "I love you too, sweetie."
The local school
Five years ago
Nate sat alone in the sandbox, looking around, watching as his classmates played with each other in groups. He then looked down at the ground sadly and started to draw sketches of Pokémon in the nice, smooth sand. Then, the five-year-old boy sighed longingly.
"How come no one wants to play with me?" he asked himself.
"Hi! Do you wanna play with me?!" a voice exclaimed. Nate looked at his side and saw a blue-haired boy standing in the sandbox, holding an Ash Ketchum action figure in one hand and a toy Poké Ball in the other. He was smiling widely and warmly, and Nate smiled back, relieved that he finally had a friend.
"Sure! What's your name?"
"My name's Hugh! What's your name?"
Nate smiled even more widely as he sensed a friendship already forming. "My name's Nate!"
The local school
Three years ago
Nate walked down the pathway, crying as he held his broken Ash Ketchum action figure. Hugh walked beside him, looking at him with concern. A bruise decorated his right cheek. Both of their clothes were dusty, torn, and ruffled. Just a few minutes ago, the both of them had a run-in with the local school bullies, and that encounter proved to be quite disastrous. The sun was preparing to set, and it gave a pinkish-red hue to the sky.
"Sorry about your Ash Ketchum figure, Nate," Hugh said.
"I hate those guys so much!" screamed Nate as he started crying even harder.
"Is something wrong, kids?" a voice asked. The two of them looked up to see Cheren, whom they were very familiar with. "You both look pretty beat."
"Bullies," Hugh replied.
"They broke my Ash Ketchum action figure, Cheren!" Nate exclaimed, holding up the action figure for the Gym Leader to see. Cheren took it and examined it closely.
"Hm. This damage doesn't look bad." He looked at the two boys. "Don't worry, kids, I'll fix it. Expect it to be back by tomorrow."
Nate smiled, all sadness immediately washing away. "Thank you, Cheren, thank you so much!"
Cheren smiled back. "My pleasure, Nate. Now you two boys better run along. It's getting dark."
"Okay!" Nate replied as he and Hugh ran down the pathway.
The Trainers' School
One year ago
Nate couldn't believe that today was his first day at the Trainers' School. In fact, he was so excited for the joyous occasion that he was the one who was leading the way, running down the pathway as fast as he could, all the while pulling an exhausted Kelly along.
"Come on, Mom!" he cried. "We're gonna be late!"
"School doesn't start in another hour, honey!" exclaimed Kelly, laughing at her son's enthusiasm.
It took them half of an hour, but finally, Nate and Kelly reached the Trainers' School. There, they found students milling around the front yard, some of them excited by the new experience of being at a Trainers' School, others frightened and nervous about how the day would turn out.
"Alright, I'm good, Mom," Nate said.
"Are you sure?" Kelly replied, concerned. "Do you have everything with you? Your books, your binders, your lunch, your special action figure?"
"MOM!" Nate moaned as he heard a group of nearby girls laugh upon hearing Kelly's sentence. "I've got everything, Mom; I'm okay!"
"Okay." Kelly kissed her son's forehead. "See you later, my little Teddiursa!"
Again, the girls laughed.
"MOM!"
However, Kelly just ignored him, gave him another kiss, and then left the school premises. Continuing to hear the girls laughing, Nate turned around and prepared to face them, but suddenly found himself staring into the blue eyes of one of the girls: she had brown hair tied into two long pigtail buns. Overloaded with shock, Nate felt the world crumble all around him, and the last thing he saw before he blacked out was the girl's eyes.
That was how he met Rosa.
Present day
All of those memories, as well as many others detailing the experiences during his Pokémon journey, raced across his mind as he spoke to Ash.
"I think that is why Arceus never interfered, why he isn't right now," he said. "Something good is about to come out of all of this."
"In spite of all of this?!" screamed Ash, gritting his teeth angrily. "What good is supposed to come out of all of this?!"
"I don't know. But I have faith in that."
Ash growled furiously, his eyes aflame with rage. He couldn't handle Nate's determination; it reminded him too much of himself, when he was oblivious to reality...
Uncontrollably, he pointed at Nate and commanded, "PIKACHU, USE THUNDERBOLT!"
"Pika?" Pikachu looked at Ash, shocked that his Pikapi made such a command. However, Ash seemed to be beyond reasoning.
"DO IT, PIKACHU! TEACH HIM A LESSON OR TWO!"
Still bound to loyalty for Ash, Pikachu nodded and unleashed a Thunderbolt, which barreled straight at Nate...
The sewer systems
Underneath Ketchum City
For the first time in his life, Enigma didn't know what to do next. As he sat silently in his private quarters, musing over recent events, the battle waged by his employer Kyurem against its counterparts Reshiram and Zekrom raged on above him. In fact, the noises of destruction and attacks being fired temporarily dispelled his thoughts more than once now. But it didn't matter to him. What mattered now was the fact that his attempt at restoring rightful balance to the world failed miserably.
"Those accursed citizens of Ketchum City," he thought, his mind ablaze with white-hot fury. "They quickly fought back and overwhelmed my men before I could bat an eyelid! I guess their hero has definitely inspired them, and in more ways than one. Why? Why couldn't I have been prepared for such resistance?!"
"Father?"
"WHAT?!" roared Enigma, opening his eyes and staring at Curtis, who was standing at the doorway of his chamber. "Can't you see I'm thinking?!"
"I've managed to round up the last of our men, the ones who managed to evade capture. Our numbers are still low, however. It's obvious they managed to apprehend a majority of our men." Curtis looked down at the ground with shame. "I'm sorry the operation didn't go as we hoped..."
"Damn right you're sorry," Enigma snarled. "Your incompetence has cost us the fruits of peace!" He gritted his teeth and spat, "You disgust me. Get out of my sight!"
"Father-" Curtis began, his eyes shimmering.
Enigma stood up and stamped his foot loudly. "DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME?! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! NOW!"
Curtis immediately ran out of the doorway, the sparkles of tears trailing behind his eyes as he did so. Nonchalant to the reaction, Enigma, muttering to himself angrily, sat back down on the ground, trying to formulate a new strategy that he hoped would counter the predicament that was before him...
After a few minutes, something hit him. He looked up and smirked triumphantly.
A/N: Wow. This has gotta be the longest chapter I've ever written for this story. So, we learn Ash's motivations for sitting back, and it looks like he may be a bad guy in the story. Will Nate get hit by the Thunderbolt? And what exactly is Enigma planning to do next?
I'd like to thank those who reviewed (cannot answer reviews right now):
Alpha B. A. 7
HodgePodge97
iheartphinabella05
LordofSilverDragons
Galaxina-the-Seedrian
BlueLightningXD
Odemi
random girlz
PsychicEevee0103
Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!