Last Chapter

But it wasn't up to the champions to make the call; it was Mr. Charles Goodshow's decision whether or not to approve the message. Almost immediately, everyone turned to the commissioner, who appeared to be about to take the bait. He bit his lower lip as he considered the best course of action in this situation. He, like many of his champions, was intrigued by Blake's actions.

The old man rose from his seat and went to the window, where he stared out, deep in thought. Mr. Goodshow had two different personas for Blake in his head, and it was strange to think about them both.

On the one hand, there was the cold Blake, Blake who would shut down and keep secrets from everyone. This was the version that the general public saw, and despite their fears, they trusted him because of his previous success and dedication to the region. The team known as Team Skull was terrified of Alola's leader because of his cold mask that he wore over his face at all times.

Nothing could change the fact that whenever he was in battle, he became the most feared trainer in the world. When you were standing next to him, all you wanted to do was crumble and wither away. He was the type of person you didn't want to get on the wrong side of. In the public's eyes, anything was possible as long as he was commanding the ship, despite his cold and angry exterior, and they knew he cared about them and wouldn't accept anything less than success. Of course, there was Blake's other persona: the kind person and the noble leader. Everyone agreed that while Blake appeared frightening, he was a good person with a good heart. He was deeply concerned about the people he commanded.

The Ultra Beasts had rightfully terrified the public, and Blake had recognised this. Instead of dismissing it or deferring it until later, he made an official announcement.

He intended to build a city that would not only house his elites, the Pokémon league, and a popular tourist destination, but it would also connect with Aether Paradise, a group dedicated to a better world that was adamant about protecting Alola and the world from Ultra Beasts. Naturally, the general public was concerned at first that these were nothing more than claims. They didn't believe it because their leader hadn't done much to win them over yet, so there wasn't much to say.

However, as soon as the city's construction plan was approved, people realised Blake was not one to sit around and watch things develop slowly. He was determined to make Alola great. He was frequently seen travelling from city to city, checking on their conditions and seeing what he could do to help.

Mr. Goodshow recognised that Alola's beaches, shopping centres, and relatively unknown Pokémon had the potential to attract new trainers and allow him to continue running the Pokémon league at full capacity. Blake has the ability to cause significant damage if he so desires. He had to tread lightly.

Unfortunately for him, someone else interrupted him. "Personally, Blake, I don't think you realise what position you're in here; if Mr. Goodshow wanted to, he could kick you out of the league entirely; I think you should give him a little more respect than you've been giving him so far," Cynthia said, defiantly crossing her arms in front of Blake.

Mr. Goodshow's face was flushed. "N-now Cynthia... let's n-not—" He was interrupted by Blake. "Are you sure about that, Ms. Shirona? Because the last I checked, as the recent region to join a Pokémon league, and as this region's champion, I can withdraw my region from your Pokémon league, and would make Alola permanently separate from the Pokémon league," he said, a smirk on his face. Cynthia, to his delight, didn't seem to realise how bad that was.

Diantha didn't either. She let out a snort. "And how exactly does that threaten us, Mr. Blake?"

Ash's grin expanded. "I'm glad you asked," he remarked sarcastically. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small remote, and after a few buttons were pressed, a projector illuminated the room. He made a motion to the screen. Across the screen were a slew of bar graphs and numbers.

He elaborated when he saw the champions' puzzled expressions. "You see, I was curious, so I decided to dig into the numbers: just how popular was Alola in comparison to other regions? It got me thinking, and I discovered that the approval ratings of Alola had gone up by a staggering 12% since the start of the tournament to this exact moment." Compared to other regions, that is incredible, because the greatest increase in approval in the previous five decades had been when Kalos earned its first chance to host a tournament. It went up by 4%"

Diantha grinned. "Well, that's not out of the ordinary—"

Blake went on. "And it dropped a whopping 7% after the first interval, with the primary reasons being "Lack of Concern for participants' friends and family, lack of interest in battle from competitors, etc." Diantha was pale by the second.

"Err... maybe we should just—" Lance interjected.

Ash, on the other hand, was not paying attention and continued with a grin "Alola has the best reviews for everything, and unlike the other regions, you won't have to travel up mountains and victory roads to get to our Pokémon league. As you might expect, we have a good reputation here."

He finished by casually explaining "To respond to your statement, Ms. Shirona, I believe I have the upper hand here. I am the champion of this region and the tournament's host. If you think you're so great and powerful, let my tournament dominance prove you wrong. Alola is not to be trifled with, and neither are my leaders, elites, or, most importantly, myself."

Present

Ash, Misty, Paul, and Gary were present in Viridian City and they would go to investigate Professor Oak, Delia, and Serena.

Paul said "The motive of Serena was to make you support the traitors by showing Ash to be a cheater by kissing her when you both have feelings for each other."

Misty's eyes widened at Paul's words. "Serena would do that? That's a despicable plan," she said with disgust.

Gary nodded in agreement. "It's not surprising, though. We know the traitors will stop at nothing to achieve their goals, even if it means using underhanded tactics."

Ash clenched his fists. "I won't let them get away with this. We need to gather evidence against them and bring them to justice."

Misty nodded. "I'm with you, Ash. We'll expose their true colors and protect our regions from their nefarious plans."

Paul smirked. "I have a few tricks up my sleeve that might help us in our investigation. Let's work together and put an end to their schemes once and for all."

When the door opened and Ash walked out, he was about to knock. In an instant, Ash's blood began to boil. The man had clearly aged since he had last seen him, but he could've sworn he had aged rather... gracefully. The man narrowed his eyes at Blake, as if planning his next move. However, the moment he saw his companion, his eyes lit up as if he was seeing colour for the first time.

"I've always wondered if you'd return, pleading for forgiveness." Ash resisted the urge to sock that man's smirk away. "Gary! It's great to see you again, my boy!"

Gary closed the gap between them and hugged his grandfather, wrapping his arms around the elderly man. He also put some effort into it, making sure it appeared completely genuine. "It's nice to see you, Gramps."

"Yes, indeed!" The professor let go of his partner and looked at him with interest. "I'm sure I haven't met you before... wait... have we?" Ash bit his lower lip from beneath his hat. "No… I know we've never met before. You would undoubtedly recall me." The professor cocked his head to the side, his calculating gaze returning.

"Who... what are you?" The older gentleman inquired.

Gary smiled. "Gramps, are you sure? I'm surprised you don't recognise him." The Professor exchanged glances between the two before Ash decided to call it quits. "My name is Blake, and I am the Paldea region's Champion."

In surprise, the Professor's eyes widened. It was genuine, and it was clear that the Professor had no idea he was speaking to Blake. He opened his mouth to speak, but he didn't seem to be able to form coherent words. He did, however, eventually find his voice. "I... I... I-I SAY! Meeting such a legendary trainer is a true honour! Your success has reached all the way out here in Kanto!"

Ash shook his head, fully immersed in Blake mode. "Please, the honour is entirely mine.' Meeting Professor Oak in person is a true honour! The Pokedex's creator! The greatest Pokémon researcher to ever grace the regions' grounds! Many people would give anything to be in my shoes right now, and I had the great fortune to meet your Grandson back in Paldea!"

Gary's eyes widened as the Professor seemed to praise him. "Is that correct? This is a conversation I'm looking forward to having! What brought you two together? I have a lot of questions! But, now that I think about it, such an important conversation would be inappropriate out here!"

He returned his attention to Gary. "Please, please, please come in! We must have a pleasant conversation!" Gary followed his grandfather inside, while Ash, for some reason, trailed behind him. The Professor sat down in front of his couch and television, and the two men followed suit. Oak began with zeal. "So there! Let's hear it for it! How did you two end up acquitted with each other in Paldea?"

Blake started with a small grin. "First and foremost, do you know what it is that we, as champions, must do?"

Oak scowled. "No, I'm not aware of any specifics."

Blake explained everything as simply as he could. "So, in addition to my duties as a champion, I make myself available to the public when resolving issues. I take pride in being able to assist my people in any way I can. This includes resolving disputes, criminals, gangs, disappearances, and murders, among other things. I always make time to try to help everyone I can. During the tournament, I received an anonymous tip that a person who had been thought to have died in a tragic accident had actually been murdered."

Oak's pupils dilated. "That is horrifying! Who would commit such a heinous crime?"

Blake gave a bitter nod. "I know. It's unbelievable that some people and Pokémon can be so cruel as to kill innocent people. But I suppose that is beside the point. What really perplexed me was that they wanted me to look into people associated with the victim rather than the crime itself. It was ridiculous, but as I previously stated, I try to make time for every tip I receive."

Gary went on to say. "So, the champions are all on break, as are all of the competitors, in order to rest, relax, and prepare for the sub-32 rounds. Blake saw me in a restaurant and remembered I was from Pallet Town, so he started asking me questions about it."

Oak extended his hand. "I must have overlooked something; what do you have to do with the murder Blake is investigating here?"

Blake gave a nod. "Ah yes! That's because the deceased person I'm looking into is named Ash Ketchum." Gary kept a close eye on his grandfather because Ash couldn't afford to look suspicious. While continuing, he maintained as casual an expression as possible. "I discovered that Ash Ketchum was regarded as a hero in Pallet Town, and that his death was mourned by his friends. However, I'm trying to learn the entire story because I believe I don't have it right now."

On the outside, Oak appeared to be keeping his cool. "I see... is that why you've come?"

Blake appeared perplexed. "Is that why I've come? As in, are you talking about here in this building or here in this town?"

Oak bit his lower lip for a few seconds before responding. "Both."

Ash resisted the urge to laugh. He pretended to be perplexed before pretending to understand. "Oh! No way, Mr. Oak! I'm simply here because I wanted to meet you before going to my target's house. And, in fact..." He got to his feet and looked at his wristwatch. "Anyway, it's about time I went out there. Gary, Professor, perhaps we'll see each other soon." He was about to leave when Professor Oak called out to him.

"Call me curious, but who is your intended target?"

Blake smirked, his back to the two Oaks.

"Ketchum, Delia."

He then walked out, tipping his hat to Oak. The Professor rose from his seat and stated. "Ah! Please wait a moment!" Blake turned around and watched as Oak walked past him to unlock the door. When the Professor touched the front panel, it beeped twice before glowing green and opening. The good Professor sighed and awkwardly scratched the back of his head. "Please accept my apologies. I've always believed that security is crucial, even if it's a little excessive."

'I got you, you son of a bitch,' he says. Ash pondered. There was no doubt about it; Professor Samuel Oak was concealing something significant.

Gary appeared to give him the same look as he exited the room, but not before saying. "It's not a problem. It was a pleasure to meet you, Professor." He then began to walk away before halting in the doorway and appearing to hesitate for a few seconds. Gary stood there calculatingly watching this. Ash whirled around and spoke sheepishly after a few seconds, just as Oak was about to comment on Blake's condition. "It appears that I had forgotten my manners. Professor Oak, thank you for your time once more." He extended his hand to Samuel, who looked at it with interest before shaking it firmly. Gary raised an eyebrow in perplexity at the champion's use of the friendly gesture.

He then turned to Gary and saluted him with a nod. "Until the next."

Gary nodded dumbly to Ash, not knowing what else to say or do. It was now up to him to divert his grandfather's attention long enough for Ash to obtain the information he required. With an unreadable expression on his face, the Professor looked at Blake's retreating figure. Gary decided to speak after a minute.

"Isn't he a character, Gramps?"

The older gentleman closed the door and turned to face his son. Gary's persona, which he had grown accustomed to for years, resurfaced and hit him full force. "What did you say to Blake?"

Gary laughed. "What are you talking about?"

"A little bit about myself." The Professor stated firmly.

Gary gave him a genuine puzzled look. "What exactly do you mean? I told him that you were my grandfather, world-famous Pokémon Professor Samuel Oak, and that you happened to be the person I was looking for." Gary's thoughts shifted to how he could get his grandfather out of this lab and give Ash the time he needed.

He stood up and threw up his hands. "I'm also attempting to repair my relationship with." That seemed to catch the good Professor's attention, who looked at him in surprise. "You want to come back into my life after all this time? What's the snag? There must be one, because you swore to me that there would be one until I—"

Gary interrupted him. "Look. In the short time I knew Blake, he helped open my eyes in a variety of ways. His father... his father abandoned him in an unsettling manner. His mother is not on good terms with him. He has friends; powerful allies who will defend him until their last breath..." Gary bit his lip hard and spoke in a broken voice.

"He reminded me how valuable family is. And that, even if things appear hopeless, it is worthwhile to try." Samuel Oak cast a calculating glance at his grandson. Gary kept his gaze as normal and straightforward as possible. He discovered an important trick: believing in the lie yourself was essential to making the lie credible to everyone else. Silence greeted him once more.

Finally, the Professor sighed and rubbed his temples. "Fine. We can probably do this now, and it will give me some company for this event..."

Gary smirked. "What occasion?"

The Professor sighed once more. "I'm sorry; you caught me at an inconvenient time. I have to travel to Saffron City tomorrow to meet with Steven Stone, Hoenn's champion. I'm sure you've heard of him. He's talking about possibly investing in a new type of pokedex, and having his funds combined with his Hoenn Region support is an opportunity I can't pass up."

Gary wasn't sure what to make of the situation right now. He spoke slowly. "How does that leave us?"

Samuel informed his grandson. "So, if you're serious about mending relationships, you'll accompany me to Saffron. You'll get a taste of the financial side of what I do for a living, as well as what I hope to see you become in the future."

"Is it something that happens overnight? Do I need to retrieve my luggage from the hotel room where I was staying?" Gary tried not to sound overly optimistic.

"Yes, I'm afraid. Hopefully, you didn't intend to stay in town for long. Unless you don't show up."

Gary's handsome face was plastered with a smile. "On the contrary, it would be an honour."

The Professor nodded, a small grin spreading across his face. "So there you have it! We leave tomorrow at noon. You are welcome to gather your belongings and return here to rest, or we can meet up here tomorrow. It's entirely up to you."

Gary gave him a friendly smile. "I'll be back in a few hours with my belongings."

With a slight smile on his face, Ash continued to look around his old hometown. It warmed his heart to see that Pallet Town hadn't changed in nearly a decade since he first set out on his journey. Nonetheless, that exact sensation caused him great distress. It was as if he had returned to the day he was betrayed, and that he had never left in the first place. He bit his lower lip. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he knew he had to act fast. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he was hoping for good news from his sources.

Night had begun to fall as he walked towards his house. Now was the time to do what he had been putting off for a long time. He was now forced to confront the only parent he had ever known. Ash desperately wanted to believe his mother had nothing to do with the betrayal, but he knew he couldn't, not when it seemed so likely.

Pikachu's eyes roamed over him, as if studying him for any reads: anything that would help him figure out what was going through his longtime trainer's mind.

A soft buzzing sound jolted him out of his reverie. It had come from his wallet. He took his cell phone from his cloak and examined it with interest.

"It's G. Don't text back. We're in luck with target alpha. Show up any time after 3 p.m. tomorrow, and you should be safe. We'll be out at noon, on our way to Saffron City. It's an overnight affair with Steven Stone related to investing in a new form of Pokedex. As far as I know, target doesn't suspect a thing. I'll keep you posted."

A wave of relief washed over Ash. He had gone to see the Professor for a variety of reasons, but there were two that stood out. The first was that he wanted to see Professor Oak's reaction when he mentioned why he was in Pallet in the first place. While his initial reaction didn't provide him with much information, he slipped up by telling him a white lie about his security.

For many years, the Professor simply let random people come and go from the laboratory as they pleased. As a result of this oversight, it was easy to conclude that the Professor was concealing something.

Regardless, Ash was aware that the laboratory had more than one issue. The Professor had mentioned some security measures. There was a keypad with numbers and letters, but it only had four spaces. That is, the password had only four characters. That didn't take into account the fact that there was a second failsafe: the handprint identifier. He knew Aether Paradise had a way around one of them, which, fortunately or unfortunately, Ash had already figured out. The other, on the other hand, was tricky. He'd have to figure something out before the Oak duo left the lab.

But for the time being, his target was getting closer and closer: his mother. His strategy was straightforward: question her about himself, but from the perspective of Blake: someone who had no idea Ash Ketchum had been murdered, not tragically killed. Someone who was completely unaware of any relationships between him and his parents. And, of course, someone who was heartless enough to betray him.

But Ash Ketchum himself didn't know who he could trust in Kanto. Everyone was a potential suspect. Who was the scheme's mastermind? Was that Oak? Is that his mother? Was that Serena? For all he knew, any of them could have motives. He did know, however, that he was one of the most powerful trainers to have ever walked the regions. He was the champion of the seven most rapidly growing regions. He was the enforcer of the law. He had a reputation to maintain, and he would be damned if he let anyone walk all over him.

Still, as he approached the house where he had lived for over a decade, he couldn't help but feel nervous. He was mentally pleading with himself that his mother had nothing to do with the act that rendered him ineligible for life support. He frowned and drew his hat lower on his face. As he approached the house, he realised there was no turning back. He said quietly as he motioned to Pikachu. "It's time to go hide, buddy."

He approached the door and knocked three times. He felt panic hit him with the force of a dump truck the moment he did. He'd completely forgotten about one crucial aspect of his mother's house. The door swung open, revealing one of the two house occupants.

"Mime?" the Pokémon asked, perplexed at the sight of a cloaked man. Ash wasn't sure what to expect by the end of this conversation, but he was afraid of being discovered. He'd completely forgotten about the Psychic Pokémon. He'd been with Mr. Mime for a decade; if anyone or anything was going to figure out who he was, it'd be Mr. Mime.

To top it all off, he was unsure of their allegiances. They may be able to identify him. He'd have to deal with Mr. Mime, make a break for it now, finesse his way through, or, more likely, get ridiculously lucky and get through.

"Hello. I'm here to speak with a Delia Ketchum. Is she present?" the Pokémon asked, confused. "Mime-me, Mimey Mime?"

"Trust me, she'll want to speak with me. Is she here? It's urgent." The Pokémon was taken aback that a human was responding to it with complete comprehension. Ash noticed the expression and smiled beneath his hat. "I can communicate with all Pokémon; it's a benefit of being the—"

"Mimey? Who's at the door?" He heard the voice, and while his posture or grin didn't change, he felt his heartbeat slightly increase. That was the end of it.

Ash couldn't help but be surprised when the woman he had been expecting arrived at the door. His mother didn't appear to have aged a day. Her auburn hair and captivating eyes appeared as usual. Fortunately, he could tell she didn't know who he was. After a few moments, she had a puzzled expression on her face.

"I'm sorry, do I recognise you?"

Ash cleared his throat and braced himself for the inevitable conversation that would cost him his identity.

"Hello ma'am, may I speak with one Delia Ketchum?"

His mother gave him a nod. "Um, yes? What is your name?"

"Pardon me, where have my manners gone? My name is Blake, and I'm the champion of the Alola region, and I need to speak with you, Mrs. Ketchum."

Her jaw dropped in surprise. "Alola's C-Champion? All the way out here? Why? Is it truly that urgent?"

"I'm afraid so. Time is of the essence. May I please come in?" "I'm afraid so. There's no subtle or simple way to explain what I'm about to explain to you." "Pardon me if I don't jump at the chance to let you into my home; what reason could you have to talk with me or travel all the way here when you can just call?"

Blake frowned. "I don't think you'll want me to explain everything out here? Fine. I'm here to talk to you about your son's disappearance."

The irritated expression on his mother's face was replaced by one of pain and horror. She had a look of realisation on her face after that, as if she had just realised why Blake was talking to her about this in person. She bit her lower lip before sighing quietly and saying. "I suppose you made the right decision coming all the way here then," she sighed. "...dead son, is a difficult subject for me; he left my life so abruptly, and I'll never be able to tell him the many things I wish I could tell him."

Blake smirked. "Well, at the very least, will you let me in now?"

Mrs. Ketchum gave a nod. "Let them pass, Mimey."

The Pokémon's eyes briefly turned blue before returning to normal. Ash frowned as he walked through the doorframe. "You can call me curious if you want, but what happened there?"

His mother gave him a small smile. "It's a security measure I have; Mr. Mime can probe the minds of anyone who enters this house without my permission." Ash tried not to smile as he heard the news. He gave a curt nod. "An impressive feat, to say the least; I won't enquire further."

"Thank you," his mother said, adding. "Would you like tea or water?"

"Water would be fine, thank you," he said. She handed him a tray with a single glass of water and a pitcher of water on it. He poured himself a drink and took a sip. His mother gave him a look. "Well, I suppose we should get this over with; what information do you want about my son?"

Blake started. "Mrs. Ketchum, as the champion of a region, it is my duty to leave my doors open to my citizens and visitors to help in any way possible, both within my own region and beyond, so long as it is within my legal boundaries." "Mrs. Ketchum, as the champion of a region, it is my duty to leave my doors open to my citizens and visitors to help in any way possible, both within my own region and beyond, so long as it is within my legal boundaries.

Mr. Mime's and Delia's eyes widened in surprise. "No... don't do this. I've only recently gotten over his death... I've only recently come to terms with it... and now you tell me he's alive? Have you no respect? "

Ash couldn't believe what he was hearing; was his mother also concealing something? He set the trap: "I never said he was alive, Mrs. Ketchum. I just said he didn't die the way everyone thought he did."

"O-oh, I see," the woman said, blushing slightly. Forgive me... I-I just assumed he didn't die because you said he didn't—"

"One should never assume, especially when it comes to life and death," Ash countered. I need to talk to you about a specific group of people. Ash Ketchum was with this select group when he was presumed dead, according to the various reports I have here. Trip, Iris, Max, May, Serena, and Dawn are the names of the subjects—"

"I know who you're referring to. They are some of Ash's former adversaries, travel companions, and friends. Why? Do you think they were to blame for his disappearance? " Ash smirked at his mother, confirming his first prediction: she, too, knew something.

"Remember what I said about making assumptions, Mrs. Ketchum?" I'm only interested in learning about this particular group of people. But something tells me you know more than you're willing to share with me; am I correct? " He hissed the word out.

Mr. Mime took a step in front of Delia before collapsing on the ground in front of Blake. "M-Mimey!

"Delia screamed in horror, and because Blake showed no reaction, she lashed out at him. "W-what did you do!?"

"I didn't do anything," Blake smiled. Though I may have an idea about what happened, I'll keep this information to myself."

"I'm going to explain this now, as simply as I can," he smirked, holding out his hand, which held a blue pill. I require any and all information I can obtain about this group of people. And you're going to tell me everything I need to know for the greater good," he added sarcastically.

"Why on earth would I tell you what I know?" Delia growled.

"Thank you for confirming that you do have information on the subjects," Blake smirked.

Delia's angry demeanour had vanished, replaced by one of perplexity. "What are you talking about? I never provided you with any information."

"Are you certain? You just informed me about the language of your words. "Would I tell you what I know?" implies that you do know something very important. So? Let's hear it." Ash, of course, knew his mother was lying through her teeth in any case, because he was her long-lost son.

"I'm not just going to tell someone random about the people Ash travelled with," she scoffed.

Ash sighed. This had happened to the best people in Pallet Town when he was declared dead. People changed for the worse. It was sad. What was even sadder was the tactic Ash was going to use to get the information he needed. He spoke while rubbing his temples and then, in a flash, called out his Delveon. The Pokémon trilled before taking a hostile stance towards Delia, who screeched.

"I'll make this simple as well," he said, holding out the blue pill again. "I'm going to give you a choice." This blue pill will be given to both you and Mr. Mime. It was to erase your memories from the previous twelve hours. You won't remember me being here. It will, however, cure Mr. Mime of his current ailment." He motioned to the motionless Psychic type.

"Your other option: this pill," he said, holding out his other hand, which held a green pill. It is a mind-decimating pill that does exactly what it says: it attacks your mind. Your pain will continue until I administer the antidote. That doesn't change the fact that Mr. Mime will not be cured. So... we can do it the easy way..." He held up the blue pill. "...or the hard way," he said, holding up the green pill.

Delia bit her lower lip, thinking, "What if I chose neither?"

"Then I contact Grand Champion Lance and the Kanto Authorities and let them know I've made a breakthrough in the Ash Ketchum case, but a potential witness is defending and shielding the possible culprits to murder, which, as it stands..." He leaned in close, close enough for Delia to almost see his eyes beneath his hat.

Delia realised she had few options and returned her gaze to the pills; if it had been anyone else, she would have called the cops to get the "intruder" out, but if this man truly was a champion, he would have legitimate sway with the Kanto champion and she would be charged.

She looked down at the two pills, slowly taking the blue pill from Blake's gloved hands, looking at it with growing curiosity, and quietly asking.

"Say, for argument's sake, that I was thinking about taking this pill. What is the procedure for... interrogation? "

"First, I'd give this pill to Mr. Mime, and he'd regain consciousness in about twelve hours," Blake grinned. "I'll keep this pill in my pocket until we finish our little chat," he said, pulling out another pokeball, which opened to reveal his faithful psychic. "I'll give you fair warning: if you lie, my Pokémon will detect it." My Pokémon will detect omissions of details in any question I pose. If you choose to respond differently to any of my questions... my Pokémon will notice. Mrs. Ketchum, am I clear? "

As he prepared to take the plunge, Ash realised he had been calling her Mrs. Ketchum the entire time, and felt a little guilty. Whatever had happened to his father, she didn't deserve the pain and suffering, unless she took out her bottled up anger on him and possibly caused, or at least aided, his betrayal.

He motioned to Espeon, who rolled Mr. Mime over on its back. It was still clearly passed out and unmoving, with the exception of its chest slowly heaving up and down. He gently jarred the Pokémon's mouth open and popped the pill inside. The Pokémon swallowed it whole. Ash knew it had worked when the Pokémon's breathing pattern slightly changed.

"Now... let's get started," he said, clearing his throat.

He stared the older woman down and asked the million dollar question with all seriousness in the world.

"Were you guilty of assisting in the murder of your son, Ash Ketchum?"

Her face was filled with astonished horror. Ash felt a twinge of pride when he noticed her face turning a shady shade of deadly white. She clearly hadn't expected Blake to suspect her of involvement in the murder; she had assumed he was only interested in her dead son's ex-friends... and not herself. Ash struggled to keep the smirk from spreading across his face. Finally, it was time to get the—

"I'm not sure." She spoke quietly. Ash remained motionless. He had to wait six years for that? No, he required more... Much more than she just gave him. He rubbed his temples to relieve the stress that was quickly overpowering him.

"Ms. Ketchum... You must understand that the answer you just provided will not suffice... as you can imagine." Blake spoke softly.

"Ash was born from what I felt was an unwanted pregnancy between me and Giovanni. I used to love Giovanni as a partner and we were both Team Rocket members but later I realized that Team Rocket committed many crimes so I felt that my pregnancy would give birth to Giovanni's heir. However, I was more than eight months pregnant when I realized the truth about Team Rocket. I tried to make Ash grow up to be a good man but I also felt if Ash learned the truth, there was a chance he could join Team Rocket and there was a growing chance that when he grew up, Giovanni would reveal this to him. At times, I felt that the world would be safer if Ash was dead than if he was alive as Ash could grow up to be the Team Rocket boss."

Ash felt his heart drop as his mother continued her confession. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. All this time, he had thought his mother was just a victim of circumstance, trying to protect him from the dangers of the world. But now he realized that she had been plotting his demise from the very beginning.

"I can't believe what I'm hearing," Ash said, his voice barely above a whisper. "How could you even consider something like that? Ash was your son, for Arceus's sake!"

Delia looked down at her hands, wringing them nervously. "I know, I know. But I was so scared, Blake. Scared of what Giovanni might do to you, scared of what Ash might become. I didn't want you to suffer the same fate as your father."

Ash shook his head in disbelief. "You had no right to make that decision for him. He could have been anything he wanted to be, but you took that away from him. And now, you have to face the consequences of your actions."

Delia looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "What are you going to do?"

Ash took a deep breath. "I don't know yet. But I will find the truth about what happened to Ash's father, and I will make sure that justice is served. And as for you... I need some time to think."

The rest of the interrogation had gone relatively well. Delia hadn't been completely truthful, that much was obvious. But he kept his word and gave Mr. Mime the antidote pill that he had given Delia. Both would wake up in a few hours with no recollection of what had happened. The problem with the blue pill was that if he tried to question her again, it would fail because they wouldn't remember the previous interview.

He only had a few hours to devise a strategy for breaking into Oak's laboratory and evading Oak's security. He frowned and sat with Pikachu, unsure of what to do.

'What could be the password? It's only four characters long... but it could be anything. Perhaps something corny? No, that's Oak... He's not going to make it easy when it's his life's work on the line... maybe I could break in? No, that wouldn't work; he needs to have a slew of things on all of the windows. What if I... no, I can't do that without the door punch code? I already have everything I need to bypass the handprint identifier, but I need to solve this problem within the next few hours.'

Gary and Professor Oak were officially hit the next day. The two were packing for a trip to Saffron, which would be a pleasant surprise. They'd take the ferry to Vermillion and then drive the rest of the way. What worried the brown-haired boy was the radio silence he'd received from Ash regarding Delia information.

Yes, he had said not to text back, but he hadn't anticipated Ash taking it so seriously. It was still sinking in that Ash Ketchum, his old rival and the boy presumed dead for so long, was alive and well, and as a champion no less. His mind was filled with so many questions. For starters, how did Ash and his Pokémon survive if they really did fall into that Volcano? If everything was true, no one could survive a volcanic eruption.

How did he achieve his title? How did he choose his elites? What blunders did he make along the way? What changed him from the ominous, dark, and downright frightening Blake to Blake they knew today? These questions were bothering him, and the worst part was that he knew the answers would be scarce, if they existed at all.

For the time being, he considered himself grateful and fortunate to be in the presence of his friend, and he aimed to assist Ash in any way he could. For the time being, that meant sucking it up and going to Saffron with his grandfather for a while.

'It could be worse, I could be Paul right now,' I think. As he hoisted their luggage, he reflected. Gary's thoughts continued to wander as the good professor began to lock up.

While he was supposed to be distracting Professor Oak, Paul was out in Viridian City looking for an old face for Ash. He didn't want to be in Paul's position right now, but he also didn't want to be in this position right now. Gary couldn't stand his grandfather right now; all Professor Oak cared about was research, which irritated Gary to no end.

That being said, Ash had returned and was in need of assistance; of course, Gary would step in and assist him. That was without a doubt. Gary's concerns, on the other hand, centred on the next steps. After all, he could only distract his relative for so long.

"Are you ready to go?" Gary returned his grandfather's gaze and said quickly.

"All right, let's get moving." Gary walked out ahead of Oak as the door to the laboratory opened. The teen sighed and returned his gaze to his grandfather, who was humming as he walked out the doorframe.

"Garchomp, quickly shield them!" An explosion of dust and smoke blinded Gary and Professor Oak. Professor Oak mumbled. "What's going on... Oh my goodness!"

Gary stared in awe as Blake himself appeared in front of him, red hat backwards and red vest slightly splattered with debris. His loyal ground-dragon type stood in front of him, its eyes glowing at its foe. The dust had not yet settled, and Blake yelled. "Have either of you been injured?"

"No, I'm perfectly fine! How about you, son?" Professor Oak spoke up. Gary was about to retort on the term of endearment when he decided not to. "I'm still alive and well here."

"Good! Allow me to handle this rogue!"

"What troublemaker?" inquired the professor. However, it was quickly answered as a small green Pokémon jeered at the group. It had an onion-like object on its back and was easily identified. Professor Oak shifted his gaze. "What is a Bulbasaur? They're fairly common around here, but it's unusual to see one this arrogant."

The grass-type sent a blob of purple energy at the group. Gary sobbed. "That's called Venoshock!"

Blake motioned with his arm downward. "Dragon Rush right through it! Then spin and attack with Dragon Claw!" The beast nodded, and the attack had vanished in an instant. The large blue-green dragon charged forward, his claws gleaming white. The starter Pokémon jumped out of the way and launched two vine whip attacks at the opponent. Both struck Garchomp and did almost nothing. The attack barely moved the Pokémon, and Bulbasaur could tell it would be a long battle against the Pseudo legendary.

Garchomp snorted, amused by the prospect of fighting this runt. Blake extended his arm. "Don't worry, nothing out here can harm my Pokémon. Let's finish this, Garchomp."

Garchomp smiled and returned his attention to the grass type, who had a small bead of sweat on the side of its head, indicating nervousness. Blake gave the order. "It's time to take advantage of the terrain; use Rock Tomb!" The dynamic dragon-type let out a mighty roar and hurled the boulders at the grass type, forming multiple large boulders in the air. The boulders were being rolled at increased speeds towards the helpless Pokémon due to the laboratory's incline, making the attack even more dangerous.

Bulbasaur jumped and rolled away from the first three boulders, but one of them eventually clipped its side. The next one slowed it down, and the one after that was a head-on collision. As the starter Pokémon was launched from the brutal attack, it let out a cry. Bulbasaur was sent tumbling down the hill to the laboratory, far from view. Blake laughed out loud. "Good riddance, and a great fight."

Professor Oak joined in the laughter nervously. "That seemed a lot closer than I expected a fight with a champion to be."

Blake gave him a cold stare. "Are you doubting my abilities, Professor?"

The elderly man waved his arms quickly. "No no! Absolutely not! Your fighting skills would be a hundred times better than mine! I was expecting the battle to be over in one move!" Blake shook his head. "Not every fight is as easy as I make it out to be, Professor." The professor's mouth repeatedly opened and closed, like a gaping fish. Gary stifled his laughter at the expression.

"Why was the Bulbasaur attacking in the first place?" Oak was perplexed by the events that had just occurred.

"I was out for a midday stroll when the grass-type attacked. I swore I'd send him back down the hill if he ran up it. Have you ever thought about making stairs? Or how about an escalator? Isn't that a worthwhile investment?" Blake was joking. Gary stifled another burst of laughter and motioned to his grandfather, who appeared to be laughing as well.

"I'm sorry, Blake, but as much as I'd love to hear more of your comedy pitches, we're in a rush here, we have a ferry to catch! If we wait any longer, we will miss it!" The adolescent spoke urgently.

"Oh my! You are correct, son!" Gary let out a small scoff in response. Oak didn't notice because he was too preoccupied with Blake. "I'm not sure why that Bulbasaur was so determined to fight, but thank you very much for putting an end to it." Blake nodded. "It's my responsibility, sir. Don't make your grandson wait."

"You are correct, of course. So, farewell!" As the champion climbed into the small white car, the professor waved. Gary was already in the passenger seat, and as the car slowly pulled away, Gary watched Ash walk away from the laboratory and into the nearby forest. The brown-haired teen noticed the tiniest of grins on Ash's face, his hat now covering his eyes.

What was he thinking?

After an hour, there was no activity in the vicinity of the laboratory. There was no movement, no Pokémon, no reporters, and no trainers. Fortunately, the laboratory gates had been closed at the bottom of the hill, preventing almost anyone from entering via vehicle. There was silence and peace in the area.

"... it's time to go, buddy." Pikachu hopped off his shoulder and dashed out of the woods, Ash close behind. When he got within range of the security cameras outside his house, Ash smirked and slowed to a walk. Instead of walking around them, he strolled right in front of them to the main door. A small green Pokémon was already there, patiently waiting. Ash shrugged cheerfully as he looked at the doorcode on a nearby panel.

He lightly tapped on the door six times, and the door opened as if by magic. The sight made Ash smile. "I assume all defences are down?"

"Gre-Ninia!" His devoted water-type nodded. "What about the device?" With a smile, Ash reclaimed the glove from Greninja. "Sophocles is going to love this." Another Aether Paradise prototype from ALT City's own Sophocles enabled him to circumvent Oak's security. Ash realised that the keycode required would make it impossible to get inside, but Oak's handprint could bypass the keycode if you got inside first.

To begin, Ash needed to obtain Oak's handprint or fingerprints in order to gain entry without setting off any alarms. He had used the last few seconds of the previous day to casually slip on the glove when no one was looking and shake the professor's hand, obtaining what he needed to disable security. Handprints and partial fingerprints had been taken. He then needed a way to get inside without setting off any alarms.

He knew what he could do as a replacement strategy instead of sneaking in himself. He could hand over the glove to Greninja, who could sneak in undetected with just the right amount of distraction. Ash knew that using Garchomp would be a safe bet, and that Bulbasaur would be the best Pokémon to cause the distraction because Bulbasaurs were plentiful in the area.

Ash had anticipated Oak's dismissal of the Pokémon as wild.

Bulbasaur and Garchomp staged a battle, ensuring that Greninja, who was lurking just outside the main entrance, slipped inside just as the explosion went off. Nobody expected the Pokémon to be already inside the laboratory, ready to disable all of Oak's defences with his own fingerprints, due to the smoke and dust.

Before disabling them, Ash knew he had to be seen on the cameras walking away if they couldn't clear the footage, and then give himself an hour before the cameras shut down. This way, because nothing seemed out of the ordinary, no one could link the break-in to him. The cameras were turned off, his passcodes were changed, and his security was complete, and Ash was on his way to learning everything he could about the Pokémon professor.

Ash smirked and walked inside, hands behind his head. "Shall we make ourselves at home?" The doors shut behind them, and with another glove on the handprint identifier, it appeared as if no one was there.

Meanwhile, in Viridian City, Misty and Paul, members of Ash's small stealth squadron, were carrying out their mission to apprehend Serena.

Paul hadn't been overly affected by Ash's death at first. His brother had been moping around for a while after that, to which he would normally just grumble in unrestrained annoyance. However, as time passed, Paul became increasingly concerned about the lack of a suitable rival. When he was defeated by Ash in the quarterfinals, he had something to fight for: a rematch and the chance to prove he could change.

As Ash left their world and entered his next life, Paul realised he would never get the chance to show Ketchum that he could, and would, change. And, from that point on, Paul pushed himself to be a dynamic battler so that one day, when Ash looked down on him winning a title, instead of being angry at his ex-rival for finally winning a title, Ash would be proud of Paul for showing compassion while remaining ruthless on the battlefield.

He would work towards that goal for years. For years, he never stopped striving to be not only the best battler, but also the best person he could be. If nothing else, he owed it to Ketchum.

And now he was presented with an opportunity he could never have predicted: a chance to impress Ash. He was still alive. He was still alive, and champion of a region, no less. He'd never stopped kicking and pumping. It legitimately propelled him to the status of local hero. He had to do it to show Ash that he had changed.

When he stopped to think about it, the old Paul would never have considered assisting a rival. But he was still there.

Then he noticed a flash. "Hm? What are we doing here?" Paul noticed the Pokémon centre open and a honey-blonde woman walk out, clutching a small paper bag. Her arrogant smirk remained on her face; Misty and Paul could see it from across the street. Under her breath, the redhead teen scoffed. "Doesn't she never change?"

Serena took a moment to look around before beginning to walk away from Misty and Paul on the sidewalk. They got up slowly and started following her. They knew exactly what they had to do. Misty and Paul, on the other hand, had to keep their distance because Pokémon and people alike were giving him strange looks as they carefully watched Serena.

Their mission was straightforward: calm Serena and wait for the signal. The trick was to get to Serena without being seen or, worse, captured. They could wave their orders in Serena's face, demanding that she see Blake, but if word got out that Blake was taking random people in a region over which he had no jurisdiction, bad things would start to happen.

That was the only way out.

Serena passed through group after group for a few minutes. Her grip on the bag never loosened. Indeed, as Misty and Paul observed the older teen, they began to notice that Serena appeared... tentative? Nervous? Anxious? At least, something along those lines.

Serena would walk past the department store, several apartment complexes and even a park or two. Serena appeared to be walking around the entire city for one reason only.

However, it appears that fate had an intriguing card in its hand. A hooded figure snatched the bag from Serena's grasp and broke into a sprint. Serena reacted a fraction of a second too late. "Hey! Thief!"

He, too, took off running, determined to find the person. Misty and Paul both swore and took off running. They pumped their arms and legs as fast as they could, but they were aware that they were at a disadvantage in comparison to the two ahead of them. Misty and Paul could see them fading in the distance and knew he needed to act quickly.

Their gaze darted around for a solution, which they discovered in a dark alley. They stepped into the darkness and let it consume them completely. He took a pokeball and tossed it away. "Honchcrow, prepare for battle."

The black bird with the large black hat appeared. "Honch!" Paul hopped on its back and placed his order. "I need you to do me a huge favour, Honchcrow." The black bird watched its master with interest, waiting for his next words.

Serena and the hooded thief were still sprinting down street after street and alley after alley. Serena didn't know the exact routes to the City, but she had a general idea of where she was going. The hooded figure leaped through a currently under construction building and began weaving through the infrastructure as quickly as they could.

Serena remained on their tail, desperate to stop the thief from fleeing. And she would have that chance. They would start climbing stairwell after stairwell until they reached a large open space with white paper scattered about, at which point the thief would make a mistake. The thief was on the ground after a single bad trip. They looked up quickly and without looking where they were going. The figure was sent toppling down multiple stories below, crashing and smashing through wood and debris due to the lousy infrastructure of the building being built.

The thief, by some miracle, had landed on a pile of insulation that was intent on keeping the building warm, not robbers alive. However, as the individual recovered from the long fall, they discovered that something was missing: the bag. A quick and desperate search turned up nothing, and the familiar sound of sirens began to approach. They let out the tiniest of curses before fleeing the building and into the alleyway.

Misty and Paul, who were hovering above, could only see one thing on the delinquent's arm: a skull and crossbones tattoo just above the wrist. Misty and Paul had to wonder why they'd left it so obvious. They had no idea the thief had taken a huge fall and was scratched up from the debris they'd hit.

What Paul did notice, however, was Serena standing on a balcony inside the nearest construction building. She was holding a small paper bag and staring out into the alley where the thief had fled. Misty and Paul were about to seize their opportunity to snag Serena while she was still available when a snag occurred.

Officer Jenny led the way as the police arrived. Paul cursed and gestured for Honchcrow to land on a nearby structure. The bird chose the closest one, and Misty and Paul leapt off the bird with grace. The two sat patiently and watched the events unfold below.

In the meantime, Misty and Paul pondered why a thief would want to steal a paper bag from a random person on a street corner. Unless someone had a grudge against Serena, the entire chase made no sense.

"Perhaps there's something valuable inside?" Paul spoke in hushed tones to Misty.

"That, too, would not add up. If she had something valuable in there, why would she carry it around in a paper bag as if it didn't matter? Why was it kept out in the first place?" Misty said.

"Could it be someone who has a thing for Serena? Perhaps an ex or a new love interest?" Paul inquired.

"So why take the bag specifically? Why not just go for the snake's head instead of aiming elsewhere? Something didn't add up." Misty stated.

As the minutes passed and people began to leave, Misty and Paul noticed Serena lingering. 'Why?' thought Paul.

Serena, fortunately, was completely unaware of their presence. The seconds ticked by aimlessly before Misty and Paul decided to change positions on the building so that he could see the entire floor around Serena. They hadn't realised how wise he'd been until a figure appeared behind the honey blonde coordinator.

She was dressed in a pink skirt, a black top and a blue and white beanie. She also wore a blue scarf, which matched her blue eyes and blueish hair. Paul's eyes widened as the girl wrapped her arms around Serena.

Paul could only take a few deep breaths. "Dawn?"

Honchcrow didn't appear as perplexed as its trainer; it had known this girl since its early travels. It didn't hold her to very high standards. Meanwhile, Paul was trying to decipher what the two were saying. Why wasn't Dawn in Alola with the rest of the backstabbers?

Paul couldn't remember Dawn being in Alola for the previous few weeks of the tournament in the first place. Was this all part of Ghost's grand plan that he hadn't let Paul in on, or was it just a coincidence? In any case, Ash needed to know about this. The seconds passed quickly and warped into minutes. Paul could feel his impatience attacking him. It felt wrong to sit here and do nothing.

Fortunately, he didn't have to wait long. Dawn hugged Serena once more before turning and leaving, leaving Serena alone on the balcony.

'Finally, it's showtime.'

He quickly pulled out his phone and dialled the assigned number. Paul responded as soon as it was answered. "Now. Send her right away."

Serena was zapped from where he was sitting with a purple burst of lightning in an instant. Misty and Paul were launched away at the same time.