As the snowflakes fell gracefully from the sky, the once small town of Pallet, now a city, was covered in a blanket of fresh snow. The trees were frosted with snow and the streets were quiet and peaceful and were covered in a layer of powdery white snow. The streetlights glowing warmly, casting a soft orange hue on the snow below. In this quiet atmosphere, the muffled sound of someone walking on the show can be heard, breaking the otherwise silent atmosphere.
A young man walked through the snow-covered streets, his deep blue top coat providing a layer of warmth against the cold. His black turtleneck shirt and gray pants completed the outfit. As he walked, he couldn't help but think about the small town he grew up in, now transformed into a bustling city. He remembered the days when he used to go through the town with his buddy Pikachu whenever he was going for a new journey or returning from one.
The young man's feet came to a stop in front of an old house, which was overgrown by wild vegetation. He felt a wave of sadness wash over him as he gazed at the dilapidated structure, once a proud family home. Memories of his childhood flooded his mind, of waking late on the first day of his journey then rushing to Professor's Lab.
But now the house was a mere shell of what it used to be. The young man's heart sank as he thought about the person who used to take care of the house - his mother. She passed away, leaving the house to fall into disrepair.
He stood there for a moment, lost in thought, before slowly turning away from the house and continuing down the street.
Soon he reached his destination, a laboratory that had once been a small building but had now transformed into a large modern structure. He rang the doorbell a few times, his heart racing with anticipation. It had been ten years since he had last been here and he wasn't sure what kind of reception he would receive. His train of thought was broken by the sound of the door opening.
"Who is this at this ti…" The person who opened the door stopped at mid sentence and had a shocked expression on the face. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the young man who had been missing for a decade.
"Ash,"
"Hey Gary, it's been a while," Ash smiled sheepishly. After a moment Gary finally found his voice.
"Where have you been all this time," he asked.
"I'll tell you all about that but first can I come in, it's freezing out here," Ash said. Gary nodded and stepped aside for Ash to come inside. As Ash stepped into the laboratory, he felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him. The building may have changed but the memories he had, from getting his first pokemon to celebration after winning the World Coronation Series.
Ash and Gary sat in the lounge of the laboratory, catching up on the lost time. Gary had been shocked to see Ash after so many years but he was happy to have his old friend back.
"So, where have you been all this time?" Gary asked, his tone curious.
Ash hesitated for a moment, his mind racing with memories. He knew it wasn't easy to explain, but wanted to try.
"After my mother died, I just needed to get away," he said, his voice soft. "I just needed to do something that would keep my mind off things, so I traveled to a place called Orre. It's a unique place, mostly desert with small towns and villages scattered throughout. It's also cut off from other league regions so I didn't need to worry about being recognized."
"But why did you stay for so long?" Gary asked, his voice tinged with concern. "Why didn't you try to contact me or any of our friends? We were all worried about you."
Ash's expression grew guarded and he looked away for a moment. "I was caught up in something," he said, his tone evasive.
Gary's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean, caught up in something?"
"It's a long story," he said, his voice trailing off. "Let's talk about something else."
But Gary wasn't satisfied. He knew Ash well enough to sense that his friend was hiding something important. "No Ash," he said firmly. "I want to know what you were caught up in. It's not like you to be so secretive."
Ash sighed, looking down at his hands. "It's complicated," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "There were things I had to deal with, things I couldn't tell anyone about. It's not something I'm proud of."
Gary's eyes narrowed. "What kind of things?" he asked, his tone sharp. "What were you doing for ten years?"
Just as the tension between Ash and Gary began to escalate, the lounge door opened and someone walked in. Ash was surprised to see the person.
"Leaf," he exclaimed.
Leaf's eyes widened as she saw Ash sitting there. "Ash?" she asked incredulously. "Is it really you?"
Ash grinned, happy to see his old friend. "Yeah, it's me," he replied.
Leaf rushed over to give him a hug, a big smile on her face. "I can't believe it," she said. "We all thought you were gone for good."
"I know," Ash said, his expression turning serious. "I'm sorry for disappearing like that."
Leaf pulled back from the hug and looked at him, her expression curious. "So, what have you been doing for the past ten years?" she asked.
Ash hesitated for a moment before answering, not wanting to go into too much detail. "I traveled around," he said simply. "Just trying to find myself, I guess."
Leaf looked at him skeptically. "That's all?" she asked.
Ash nodded, hoping that Leaf wouldn't push the issue further. He didn't want to reveal too much about his past.
"But enough about me," Ash said, changing the subject. "What have you been up to, Leaf?"
Leaf shrugged. "Not much," she said. "I've been a couch for beginner trainers at the local pokemon training academy.
Ash nodded, remembering how passionate Leaf was about battling. "That's awesome," he said. "And what about you, Gary?"
"I become the head researcher at the lab, following in my grandfather's footsteps," he said.
Ash was surprised. "You're the head researcher now," he said. "So what should I call you Professor Gary or Professor Oak? Man, that makes you sound so old." Ash asked jokingly.
"Haha… Very funny Ketchum," Gary sarcastically said at which Leaf and Ash shared a light laugh.
Gary's eyes suddenly shifted to Ash's side, looking for the familiar yellow mouse. "Hey, where's Pikachu?" he asked.
Ash's face darkened for a moment, then he reached for a pokeball at his belt. "He's not Pikachu anymore," he said, opening the pokeball with a click.
Gary and Leaf both leaned forward, their eyes widening in surprise as a Raichu appeared in a flash of light.
"RaiRai…"
"Raichu?" Leaf said, clearly shocked. "What happened to Pikachu?"
Ash looked at his Raichu, patting it on the head. "Things happened," he said evasively.
Gary and Leaf exchanged a glance, then looked back at Ash. "But Pikachu never wanted to evolve," Gary said, his voice puzzled. "He always wanted to stay the way he was,"
Ash took a deep breath, then looked up at Gary and Leaf. "I'll tell you later," he said. "But for now I need your help Gary,"
Gary raised an eyebrow. "What kind of help?" he asked, curious.
"I want to rejoin the league," Ash said. "I want to become a pokemon master once again."
Gary stared at him for a moment, his expression was thoughtful. "Why the sudden interest?" he asked.
"I met someone," Ash said, a small smile playing on his lips. "Someone who inspired me to become the very best once again."
Gary nodded slowly, understanding written across his face. "I see, but you still owe us an explanation, Ash,'' he said.
"I know,"
"If you want to challenge the league again then you need to be prepared. The league has become more tough, the rules you are familiar with have changed. New and more powerful trainers have stepped up while you are away. You'll need to train hard and catch up on all the latest strategies and techniques."
"Don't worry Gary. I'm more than ready to take on whatever league throws at me," Ash said, his eyes burning with determination.
"Rai," Raichu nodded in agreement.
Both Gary and Leaf smiled, even after ten years this aspect of their friend didn't change a bit.