Five Years Later…

Yohana gazed upon the peaceful town of Pallet. Today was her day. She was going to become a pokemon trainer, just like her Ash.

She pet Entei, who, with the assistance of several other legendries, had raised her over the past five years, before heading down into the valley with only her Leafeon to accompany her.

Soon, she came to Professor Oak's laboratory. She rang the doorbell and waited patiently.

Ash's mother, Delia Ketchum, opened the door. "Hello, are you looking for the Professor?"

Yohana nodded. "Yes, I'd like to register to be a pokemon trainer."

Delia blinked. "Oh. Alright. Come on in. I'll go get him."

Yohana and Leafeon stepped into the lab and waited patiently as Delia went to get the Professor.

A minute later, the three were in the part of the lab where Professor Oak gave out the starter pokemon.

"If it's okay with you, I'd like Leafeon to be my starter, please." Yohana said. "Could I have a pokeball to make it official?"

"Of course." Professor Oak said, handing Yohana a pokeball. It didn't take long at all to catch Leafeon and bring her back out. "Now, I'm going to need your name please."

Yohana took a deep breath. This was the part she was nervous about. "My name is Yohana Lee."

Professor Oak froze. Delia gasped.

"Yohana… Is it really you? No joke?" Professor Oak asked.

Yohana gave a small smile. "No joke. It's really me."

"But how? You disappeared five years ago. Nobody was able to find you that night. We thought Team Rocket took you." Delia said.

"Someone did find me that night. He told me what was going on. It was thanks to him I escaped Team Rocket." Yohana said.

"Who? Who found you?" Professor Oak dared to ask.

"It doesn't matter. I don't want him to get in trouble for not telling." Yohana said. "Can we finish so I can get going on my journey?"

Delia and Professor Oak agreed and the group completed the process, registering Yohana and giving her a pokedex and some pokeballs.

"So Mrs. Ketchum, how's Ash?" Yohana asked when they were done.

Delia smiled. "He's doing great! He's already got four badges and he's looking forward to getting his fifth!"

"Well then, looks like I've got some catching up to do, don't I?" Yohana said determinedly. She turned to leave and started for the door before turning back. "Please don't tell anyone I've been here. It's important nobody knows where I've been." Delia and Professor Oak blinked in confusion. Yohana spun back around and ran for the door, calling over her shoulder. "Thanks! Bye!"

Delia and Professor Oak stood where they were for a little bit after she left.

Finally, Delia spoke. "Do you think she'll be okay?"

"I'm sure she'll be fine. It's her request that puzzles me. Why wouldn't she want anyone to know where she's been?" Professor Oak replied.

"Who knows. At least we know she's alive and well." Delia said.

"Yeah." Professor Oak responded before going back to what he'd been doing before Yohana had arrived.

Meanwhile…

Ash and Co. continued on their way to Celadon City, but Ash's mind wasn't on travelling. No, he was thinking of something else, or someone else.

"Hey, Ash." Misty said, waving a hand in front of her friend's face. "Earth to Ash."

Ash blinked and looked at her. "Yes, Misty?"

"You've been spaced out all morning. What are you thinking about?" Misty asked.

"It's nothing." Ash replied.

"'Nothing', huh? Well, we want to know what this 'nothing' is!" Misty snapped.

"Leave him alone, Misty. He obviously doesn't want to talk about it." Brock said.

"Yeah…" Ash said, spacing out again. Pikachu was the one to wave a hand in front of his face this time.

Misty hit Ash with her mallet. "Stop spacing out on us! If you have to, at least tell us what you're thinking about!"

Ash growled at her. "Fine! I'm thinking about someone I know, okay!"

"Who?" Brock couldn't contain his curiosity this time. "Do we know them?"

"Um… my… dad…" Ash mumbled.

"Your dad?" Misty asked. "Why are you thinking about him?"

"He… um… contacted me at the pokemon center we were staying at last night." Ash said, relieved that he had gotten a call last night to back up his excuse.

"What did he say?" Brock asked.

"Something private. I can't tell you." Ash replied.

"Oh." Brock said, disappointed, while Misty pulled out her mallet again.

"Misty, I'm serious! I can't tell you!" Ash said, wincing at the sight of the mallet.

Misty hit him with it. "You told us last night that you'd gotten a call from Professor Oak, not your father!"

"Nurse Joy came in when you were both asleep to tell me I had another call!" Ash made up quickly. "I had two calls last night!"

"Pika…" Pikachu could tell the boy was lying.

Brock raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you tell us what you're really thinking about?"

Ash groaned. "I told you already! I'm thinking about a girl… I mean my dad!"

Misty dropped her mallet and her mouth fell open while Brock just stared.

Brock recovered first. "So who's the lucky girl?"

Ash's cheeks were completely red from the slip-up. "Just someone I used to know. She was my best friend when we were little."

"Why just when you were little?" Brock asked.

"Something happened. She lost her parents and made a run for it. I was the last one in Pallet Town to ever see her." Ash said softly, sitting down on a tree stump. "She writes me letters every once in a while with no return address. She said she's planning to become a trainer soon. The night everything went downhill, she saved an Eevee who's now a Leafeon. She wants Leafeon to be her starter pokemon."

"What do you do with the letters? I've never seen them before. Have you received any since you left Pallet Town?" Brock asked. Misty and Pikachu were just watching and listening.

"Yes. I told my mom to forward me any that I get. My friend told me in the first letter to burn them after reading them and I've done so with each and every one I've gotten." Ash said.

"Why burn them?" Misty finally asked.

"Safety reasons." Ash responded with a shrug. "I can't really tell you any more. I promised to keep her secrets secret."

Misty and Brock exchanged glances. They wanted to know more about Ash's friend, but it was clear he was done talking about her.

Ash stood up. "Come on! Let's get going! We've still got a long way till Celadon City!"

Brock and Misty shrugged and followed the optimistic boy down the path.