A/N: GUESS WHO'S BACK, BEE-OTCHES?! :D :D :D :D :D
Yes, that's right, I've FINALLY decided to bring this Arceus-damn story back! No, I'm not joking; I'm super-serious. This baby's back.
Why, you ask? Well, I have been having a huge amount of difficulty trying to update my other stories, especially "Judgment's Fall", and while I had quite a lot of ideas stored in my head about these projects, I just couldn't find the motivation to jot them all down as chapters. So I decided to read through my old stories and hope that I could get the inspiration I needed to continue. Naturally, I decided to settle on reading this little fic first, since I haven't taken the time to read it like I would with all of my other old stories and I thought it deserved some love and attention at long last. So, I clicked on it and began reading.
By the time I was finished reading it, I made the decision to give this story a triumphant return. I was so enthralled by this old writing style that I decided it was time to finish this baby once and for all. I couldn't bear to see how pessimistic I've become during the last few chapters, and I just couldn't let it slide. Besides, writing this could help me bring my motivation back and allow me to update my other stories, so yeah, there's that fact too.
Do note that I still have the mentality of getting this story over with, so it's not like I'm gonna offer you guys the best chapters in existence. I am only gonna give you the best that I can give you for this story. The quality might be a lil' rusty, and there's no doubt I'm gonna finish this story with at least a couple of glaring plot-holes.
But whatever! I'm happy to get back to this after so long, and I do hope I'll give this story the ending it deserves. ENJOY!
The resting place of Ho-Oh
Ketchum City
An earsplitting screech...
A great rush of wind...
The fading presence of a massive being...
Those were the things Nate sensed as he continued to hold his beloved visor against his chest. He could hear Pikachu crawling towards him, breathing softly as he did so. However, Nate wasn't concerned anymore. All he could think about was Ash...his father...the person he needed the most in his life now...
And he was gone.
Soon, an eerie, deathly silence fell upon the entire building. Nate could no longer sense the Aura of either Ho-Oh or the Genesect Army anymore. He knew that had to have flown off once the Rainbow Pokémon was restored back to full health through Ash's Aura transfer. Indeed, the ten-year-old Trainer opened his eyes and saw that the entire building was completely deserted...and surprisingly back in its original state. There was no signs of damage anywhere.
"I guess...this means...it's over now..." he thought. "...Right?..."
"Pika-pika?..."
Nate looked at Pikachu, who was at full attention. The Mouse Pokémon looked around, as if hoping to find his Trainer, his beloved friend...
"I'm sorry, Pikachu..." he said softly.
"Pikachu..." replied Pikachu solemnly, his ears drooping. He knew better than to expect the utterly impossible.
Nate's expression softened at Pikachu's reaction, and he stood up. Gazing upon the place where Ho-Oh once rested due to its critical injuries, he sighed heavily. There was no way this was happening to him, yet he knew he should've expected it. But the losses of both Ash and Yancy, they were weighing heavily on his heart...
"They're gone," he said to himself, trying his best to sound calm and collected. "They are gone, and they can't come back. There's nothing you can do about it. All you have to do now is just move on, right?" His eyes began to water with tears. "Just...Just move on... You can even learn from all of this, isn't that right, Nate? From this experience, you can be stronger." He clenched his trembling fists. "You can be stronger. You can be... You can be...be..." His head was swimming. "Dad... Yancy..."
Images of Ash and Yancy flashed across his mind. People he only knew for a short time, yet people with whom he felt a strong bond with... Gone...
"Arceus..." Nate continued, his voice wavering. "Why?..."
Pikachu's eyes softened as he looked up at his Pikapi's son. There was no denying the grief and anger that was threatening to explode out of Nate with full ferocity. All six of Nate's Pokémon could sense their Trainer's emotional turmoil as well, and not wanting to accidentally incur his wrath, they stepped away from him.
"Why, Arceus? Why?"
Then, before Nate could start shouting out to the heavens in complete outrage and distress...
"Whoa there, kid," a voice piped. "Go any further and you're gonna blow up like a Voltorb!"
Nate's eyes widened, and he twirled around. Standing there, at the doorway, was none other than...
"Dad?" he asked incredulously.
Ash smiled at his son. "In the flesh," he replied.
At first, Nate wanted to deny what he was seeing. He initially thought Arceus had chosen to mock him by presenting him an illusion of his father. However...
"PIKAPI!"
Pikachu dashed towards Ash as fast as he possibly could, while Nate's Pokémon all smiled and roared out in approval. As soon as Ash chuckled and caught Pikachu in his arms, embracing the Mouse Pokémon tightly, Nate knew that it was not an illusion that was before him. It was actually Ash Ketchum, the Hero of the Skies.
His father...
"DAD!" Nate shouted, tears of joy cascading his cheeks as he burst into a full sprint. Before Ash knew it, he was embraced by the novice Trainer, who began sobbing into his shirt. "DAD, OH MY ARCEUS, DAD! YOU'RE ALIVE! You're alive! I-I can't believe it, you're-You're actually alive..."
"Yes, I'm alive, Nate," replied Ash, his tone indicating that he himself couldn't believe it. "I'm actually alive... And I'm here..."
Nate then broke the hug and looked up at Ash with a curious expression.
"But...But how?..." he asked.
"How, you ask?..." Ash crossed his arms as a soft but slightly smug smile appeared on his face. "Well, let's just say I had a little talk with Arceus. Fortunately for us, it went much better unlike last time, and he allowed me to have a third chance at life." His smile widened. "Without having to worry about the Ketchum legacy."
"Without having to worry about the Ketchum legacy?" Nate repeated, confused. "What...What do you mean?..."
"Apparently, my defiance ended it. It all stopped the moment we saved Ho-Oh." His eyes softened. "It's actually over now..." He sighed heavily. "I've been so used to saving the world many, many times, and now, I really don't have to anymore...and neither do you..." He chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Man, it feels weird, it actually does... I mean, I now have the opportunity to lead a normal life, just like I've always envisioned... I don't know where to start..."
However, Nate smiled. "Remember, Dad."
Ash immediately caught on and returned the smile with one of his own. "Yes, that's right. Uncertainty..."
"And besides," Nate continued, "just because we now have the ability to pursue a normal life does not mean we must turn a blind eye whenever someone needs help, or if the world is in danger. We can always rise up to the occasion and do what's right when no one else can. After all, one person can make a difference in the world."
The raven-haired man scoffed. "Where the hell did you learn that?"
"One of my storybooks about you."
Ash stifled a giggle. "They're making storybooks about me for children? Is that what I'm hearing?!"
Nate chuckled. "You also have your own action figure line."
"Okay, now that's just totally RIDICULOUS!"
The two began laughing and were joined by Pikachu and Nate's Pokémon. As the group celebrated Ash's return to the world of the living, another voice spoke up.
"I see everything's back to the way they're supposed to be!"
Nate looked across his shoulder and smiled. "HUGH! You-You made it through!"
"Well, of course!" The Qwilfish-haired Trainer gave his best friend a thumbs-up. "There's no way I'm gonna go down easily, especially to a horde of nasty Cryogonal!" He then surveyed the entire building, noticing a distinct lack of Legendary Pokémon. "So...is it really over? Is Ho-Oh alright?"
"Yeah, he's alright," Ash replied. "All is well with the Universe now."
"Oh, that's great!" Hugh let out a large sigh of relief. "I just realized I had nothing to eat for breakfast..."
"Master!"
Everyone watched as Lucario dashed onto the fray as well. His eyes widened upon spotting Ash, alive and well, and with Pikachu perched on his shoulder.
"Master, you survived!" the Aura Pokémon exclaimed in relief. Then, his eyes narrowed slightly. "But...how? I felt your Aura signature fade for a moment-"
"Let's just say Arceus decided to forgive and forget," explained Ash. Then, his eyes narrowed. "And how many times do I have to tell you? Don't call me 'Master'."
However, his tone wasn't serious, and the former Trainer was still smiling happily. With that sign, everyone burst out laughing again. Then, Ash looked back at Nate.
"By the way, Nate," he said, "Yancy survived. She's alive."
The Trainer's eyes widened in disbelief. "She is?"
"Yes, she is, she truly is. Arceus verified it for me." His tone became serious as he stared deeply into Nate's eyes. "You don't have to follow my example and wallow in grief anymore, Nate. Everyone you know and love is all fine and accounted for." He smiled. "In fact, I can sense Yancy coming our way."
Indeed, a voice called out, "NATE!"
The ten-year-old boy smiled in relief as he watched the familiar girl dash into the building. A wide, joyful smile adorned her face.
"YANCY!" Nate cried. "Yancy, you're okay!"
"NATE!" shouted Yancy happily. "Nate, I'm so glad to see you alive! You have no idea- OOF!"
She was cut off the moment Nate abruptly kissed her straight on the lips before he could even restrain himself. At first, neither of them knew how to exactly react to that unexpected action. However, after several seconds of this awkward position passed, the two surrendered to the confirmation of their love and deepened the kiss. Ash, Pikachu, Lucario, and Nate's Pokémon all smiled in approval and chose to remain silent for the two lovers' sake.
As for Hugh, he merely smirked teasingly. After a couple of minutes, he cleared his throat, forcing Nate and Yancy to break their kiss and stand at full attention, their faces colored in a bright shade of crimson as they realized they were being watched during the entire duration of the kiss.
"I never knew we had a Romeo and Juliet situation on our hands," the blue-haired Trainer said teasingly while Ash and Pikachu stifled their laughter.
Nate and Yancy's blushes only intensified.
"Well, who would've thunk it?" Ash piped, joining in on the teasing. "I guess I can be expecting grandchildren soon, huh Pikachu?"
"Pika-pika!" replied Pikachu, nodding in approval.
"D-D-Dad!" Nate shouted, his face as red as a Tamato Berry at that point. "W-We're ten years old! H-How could you be s-saying that-?"
"Actually, I'm eleven years old..." corrected Yancy nervously.
"Whatever, we're still too young to think about- WHAT?! You're a year older than me?!"
Hugh only burst out into laughter. "Wow, Nate!" he shouted. "You sure have quite the taste in girls, I'll tell ya!"
"Indeed," Lucario added. "I do sense within the boy a strong desire to mate with the girl."
Nate began stuttering incoherently, looking as if he was about to explode from all the embarrassment. Yancy was also blushing intensely too from the awkwardness of the situation, seeking shelter behind her new love interest. Finally, Nate mustered enough energy to fire back with a retort.
"S-SH-SHUT UP!" He turned towards Ash. "D-DAD, T-TELL HIM TO CUT IT OUT!"
"Hey, now," Ash replied teasingly, "I've only been your father for about eighteen hours. I don't think I'm used to these responsibilities yet. You're on your own!"
Hugh and Nate's Pokémon all began laughing even louder, causing Nate and Yancy to look away from everyone in embarrassment. Just then, as everyone was happily celebrating the triumphant occasion, Lucario gasped softly and closed its eyes. It raised its ears as they trembled, detecting incoming Aura signatures.
Ash was quick to notice this. "Lucario?" he asked, forcing everyone else to become silent. "What's wrong?"
"I'm sensing Aura signatures moving in fast on our position..." the Aura Pokémon replied seriously.
"What?!" exclaimed Nate in shock.
"Is it the Cryogonal?..." asked Hugh.
"No. They're different signatures. One of them is leading the way, and it's much stronger than the rest. They're..." He opened his eyes and looked at Ash with an expression that was all his Master needed to know who it actually was. "It is your friends, Master. All of them. They're about to converge."
"Pika pika-chu chu-pi pika-pi pika chu!" Pikachu said, looking at his Pikapi.
However, Ash frowned and replied, "No. I will not reveal myself to them."
"What?!" Nate cried. "Why not, Dad?! It is all over now! Your quarrel with Arceus is finally done! Ho-Oh is fully healed, and the Sky Soldiers and their accomplices are done for! There's no more reason for you to keep on hiding!" He stepped forward. "I think it's time for you to reveal yourself to the people who missed you so much!"
"I'm sorry, Nate," replied Ash in a grave tone. "Just because I've managed to overcome these obstacles that have plagued my life for so long, doesn't mean I can just reintegrate myself back into my old life. No matter how much my friends miss me, it won't feel the same once I reenter myself in the circle..." His eyes softened, and he looked away. "Every time I will look at any one of my friends, I will just see the scars of the past, the horrors that cannot be fixed. And as much as I wanna fix the error of my ways and confront my last, darkest fear, I don't think I have the courage to do that. Which is why..." He hesitated for a moment. "I must leave..."
"NO!" Nate roared. "You can't leave now, Dad! I know you're still traumatized by what happened to you ten years ago, but all of the people you lost will not want you to continue feeling this way! They wouldn't want you to continue wallowing in fear and grief! Remember what you said to me, when I thought Yancy was dead!"
"I do remember what I said to you. But...I do remember the horrors of what I saw, and they have made much more of a lasting impression than you do..." He glared back at Nate with a soft, almost pitiful smile. "I'm sorry, Nate, but I don't have the courage to just look at my friends in the eye without remembering everything they went through with me... They may forgive me for being gone all of this time, for making them witness the horrors I have witnessed, for changing their lives forever... Maybe, just maybe, I have forgiven myself for that too... But what I won't forgive...and forget...is all of the sacrifices I made to save the world, no matter if it was all just for the greater good. Looking at the people who survived the onslaught will remind me about those sacrifices, all of those deaths... It's too much to bear.
"And I don't expect this to change anytime soon. I'm sorry, Nate, but that's just how it is."
Realizing Ash made up his mind about the subject, Nate tried his best to force a smile.
"So..." he said, "I guess...this means...you're leaving?..."
"I guess so." Ash's smile widened slightly. "But don't worry. This doesn't mean this will be our final moment together. I will definitely see you in the future."
Nate struggled to hold back his tears. He couldn't believe this was happening already, and just after they triumphed over evil and were celebrating joyously over it.
"How-" He choked back his tears. "How soon can you make that meeting?"
"I'm not sure. But when I decide to meet up with you again, believe me-" He tapped his temple. "-you'll know, son."
"Because we're Ketchums."
Ash's last sentence reverberated around Nate's mind, and the novice Trainer smiled slightly at the remark. For once, he was smiling at being called Nate Ketchum and not Nate Brown. It was a name, a symbol he was proud of accepting now, and there was no one and nothing that could convince him otherwise.
"Master, we should probably make our leave," Lucario announced. "The signatures are only a mile away, but closing in fast."
"Alright," replied Ash, nodding. Then, he looked at all of Nate's Pokémon. "Nate's taken good care of all of you, hasn't he?"
All six Pokémon roared and nodded in agreement, causing Nate to swell up slightly with pride. He looked at Pignite in particular, and it snorted back at him happily.
"Good. I want you all to continue protecting my son. Take good care of him as he has taken good care of you."
The Pokémon nodded again, while Pignite snorted flames into the air in emphasis of their commitment. Ash smiled and looked at Hugh.
"You too," he continued. "Make sure he doesn't stray onto the path I was once on, no matter what the cost will be. I'm counting on you."
"Yes, Ash Ketchum, sir!" shouted Hugh, basking with happiness at being entrusted with such a task by his childhood idol. "I won't let you down on that, I swear!"
Ash nodded and then turned his back on everyone, preparing to walk away with Lucario when...
"Wait, Dad!" Nate cried. "What should I tell the others?! They're gonna ask what happened, and they won't believe that I survived transferring my Aura to Ho-Oh!"
Though he couldn't see his father's face, Nate could sense his smile.
"Tell them the truth, of course," he replied. "Just because I'm not gonna be there when they arrive doesn't mean they don't have a right to know the real story."
"Okay..."
"Good." Ash hesitated for a moment. "Well...I guess this is...goodbye. For now."
"Pika pika!" added Pikachu, smiling slightly at the novice Trainer.
"Ye-Yeah." Nate smiled slightly at his father. He could still feel the weight bringing his heart down, but he didn't want to express it for Ash's sake. "Go-Goodbye...Dad. And...And thank you, for sticking with me through this whole thing, to the very end. You have no idea how much that really meant to me."
"No problem, kid. Just remember, you're the best Pokémon Trainer there ever was, and...and I'm so proud of you."
Nate's lip trembled as his smile widened. "Thanks, Dad."
The black-haired man nodded subtly before facing Lucario. The two nodded at each other and prepared to jump away when...
"Wait a minute, Dad!"
Ash rolled his eyes jokingly. "What, Nate? I've got things to do, places to go!"
"I just..." Nate stopped briefly, a smile of newfound happiness and resolution forming on his face. "I just wanted to ask you a favor."
"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, intrigued.
"Well, by all means then," replied Ash, "fire away. Make it quick, though."
The brown-haired boy raised his arm in the air and clenched his fingers, forming a tight fist. The unwavering determination shone radiantly through his eyes.
"When we meet again, I want to have a battle with you! A proper one this time!"
Ash blinked, shocked that his son made such an offer. However, the old competitive spark shone again within him as he returned Nate's bold smile with his own.
"Is that a challenge I hear?" he asked.
"Yes, Dad!" Nate proclaimed. "I challenge you to a Pokémon battle when we meet again!"
Ash's smile widened at the sound of his son's voice, his teeth bared. Nate recognized the youthful energy in his father's eyes almost instantly. It was the same energy that was present in each and every of the videos he watched, all of his father's previous battles and exploits in Pokémon Leagues.
"Challenge accepted."
"NATE!"
Nate, Hugh, Yancy, and all six of Nate's Pokémon twirled around. The first thing they saw was Rosa running towards them at high speeds, her pigtails fluttering wildly with the wind, tears of relief falling from her blue eyes. Before Nate knew it, he was nearly knocked down onto the ground by Rosa, who embraced him in the tightest hug he ever experienced. He was completely dumbfounded by the impossible scenario that was unfolding before him: Rosa was actually sobbing, sobbing over him!
"R-Ro-Rosa?!" exclaimed Nate in surprise, while Hugh's eyes widened in shock and Yancy gagged in horror.
"I was so worried about you!" Rosa replied between sobs and sniffles. "You-You-You were- I mean, I thought you-you were gonna...gonna..."
Nate understood immediately. "Hey now, you don't have to cry over me, Rosa. I'm fine! I'm back in one piece, and that's all that matters, isn't that right?"
"But...But you were SO close to dying..."
"But I'm not dead."
"HOW COULD YOU TAKE ALL OF THAT SO POSITIVELY?!"
"Because I had all the help I needed." He glanced at Hugh, Yancy, and his Pokémon. "Right here."
"You got that right, man!" Hugh replied, giving his friend another thumbs-up.
"Oh." Rosa finally stopped crying, and she broke the hug, wiping the tears from her eyes. "I'm...I'm so relieved..."
Then, Nate smirked. "Were you actually crying over me?"
Rosa looked away, blushing in embarrassment. "No," she replied.
His smirk widened. "Rose?..."
"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!"
Nate, Hugh, and the former's Pokémon merely burst out into loud laughter, while Yancy cowered behind Nate fearfully, obviously not used to Rosa's furious outbursts. As for Rosa, her face was completely scarlet, and her entire body was trembling severely. Before she could lash out again, more voices called out to the Trainers.
"NATE! NATE, THANK ARCEUS!"
The brown-haired boy gasped in relief. "Mom! Cheren! Hilda! You're all okay!"
Kelly, Cheren, Hilda, and all of the others dashed over towards the group, with Kelly colliding into Nate and giving him his second tight hug of the day.
"Ack! Mom! Mom!" he groaned. "Can't...Can't breathe..."
"Oh, sorry!" cried Kelly, releasing her adopted son immediately. "It's just...you have no idea how glad I am to see you alive." She hugged him again. "Thank Arceus!"
This time, Nate returned the hug. "I'm glad to see you too, Mom. I...I love you."
Kelly's eyes widened in shock. After everything she had been through, she didn't really expect Nate to be so willing to call her his mother, even if he did several times before. She must've been too used to the reality of their heritage by now. However, she knew that fact was a thing of the past, something that was to never be looked at as truth ever again. No, just because Nate wasn't her own flesh and blood, it didn't mean she no longer had a right to be his loving parent.
So, she tightened the hug slightly and responded, "I love you too."
Everyone else watched as the mother and son hugged for a few more minutes. Finally, Kelly broke the hug and scanned the rest of the group.
"Does...Does this mean it's...it's over?" she asked.
"Well I guess it appears so..." replied Lyra, surveying her surroundings. "Kyurem has been subdued, his Cryogonal minions have all stood down, Ho-Oh is rejuvenated and off to Arceus knows where..." Then, she looked at Nate curiously. "Wait a minute... Nate, how did you manage to restore Ho-Oh back to full health?"
"I didn't," the Trainer replied.
"What?!" everyone exclaimed at once.
"So you didn't use your Aura?" asked Max.
"Did you have a Rainbow Wing with you, then?" Misty questioned.
"No and no." Nate shook his head, a smile forming on his face. "I didn't contribute much to saving Ho-Oh."
"Then...Then how...?" Gary began.
"How was Ho-Oh revived then?" asked Hilda incredulously. "There's no way it could've restored itself!"
"Hold on..." Rosa said, attracting everyone's attention. "I detected someone else with Ash! Someone with a strong presence! But I couldn't figure out who it was..."
Everyone looked back at Nate in shock.
"What happened, Nate?!" Cheren said. "Who was with you?! It couldn't have been Hugh or that girl over there! They don't have the ability to use Aura! Tell us!"
Instead, Nate looked at Hugh, Yancy, and his Pokémon. They all smiled at him, and he smiled back, something that everyone else noticed.
"Why're you all smiling?" Dawn asked.
Nate looked back at the others and simply replied, "Well...let's just say the true hero has returned."
A/N: DUN DUN DUN! The ultimate reveal! We're really closing in on the end now! Just a couple more chapters to go, three or four at best. And then, we're done.
At long last, I'll be done.
Anyway, I am actually proud with this chapter. I actually am. I feel like I am already lifting a heavy burden from my shoulders by resuming this story. Maybe this'll be helpful in getting me out of my lack of inspiration to update my other stories! ...I'm already feeling the power surging through me now...
O_O'
Okay...
Anyway, I'm not gonna respond to the reviews, merely just because I'm just too lazy and not in a mood to check on them. I hope to see everyone's reactions to this, though! Y'all thought I was done with this story? Well apparently, I deceived you guys! Somehow! Even myself! In the words of Nelson Muntz, HAW HAW!
...Yeah, I think I'm getting too excited over this. Either that, or I'm drunk with drowsiness. It's almost midnight as I finish this. I should get going to sleep.
Hope you enjoyed this triumphant return of "Return of the Hero"! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!