Chapter 62: Blood of My Blood
They squinted their eyes as the wind rushed at them. The raven-haired boy from Pallet kept his eyes on the sky, smiling, as he continued his ascent on Zekrom, the Deep Black Pokémon. Pikachu clung tightly to his shoulder as they flew freely, enjoying the rush of the ride. Not too far behind was his favorite sapphire-eyed brunette, also feeling the adrenaline of her ascent on Reshiram, the Vast White Pokémon. She held a wide grin, keeping her eyes on Zekrom and Ash. Ash looked back at May, and they exchanged confident smiles. Then the two focused their gazes on the sky again.
Zekrom's tail began to charge up blue electricity and it accelerated its speed. Reshiram would not let the Electric-type outdo it, so its tail also started charging fiery energy and the white dragon's speed accelerated.
The pair of dragons and the riders burst out of the clouds. The dragons spread wings proudly amongst the vast blue sky. With May and Ash now at the same altitude, the dragon duo began to perform a sort of dragon dance while the couple enjoyed being on the dragons as they performed. Reshiram and Zekrom flew in opposite directions while keeping their eyes fixed on each other. The way the dragons swirled and positioned themselves resembled the symbol of yin and yang. It felt like the couple were riding a roller coaster.
From a distance, Genesis watched as he stood on a beach. He had his arms crossed and he was smiling through his helmet. I knew it was a good idea to have the dragons join our training, the man figuratively patted himself on the back for his idea. With Reshiram and Zekrom present, Ash and May could test the power of their aura through Pikachu and Blaziken against the Legendary Pokémon. The results were much better than anyone could have ever hoped for. After a year in the void, they learned to tap into their aura through their Pokémon and could stand against the strongest of foes. For their last day, Genesis rewarded them with rest and time to enjoy with Zekrom and Reshiram. It would be the last bit of peace before the storm.
After some time, Ash, May, and Pikachu began their descent with the dragons. When they landed next to Genesis, the ground below them trembled and the dragons released proud roars to greet the older trainer.
"I think it's time to call it a day," Ash and Pikachu jumped off Zekrom, informing Genesis.
"It is getting late," May agreed, noticing the beach's sunset. The brunette hopped off Reshiram and stretched a bit before approaching Genesis.
Genesis agreed with both of them. He saw Zekrom and Reshiram fly off when they realized the humans were done for the day. Then he observed the pair from head to toe. For the first time, he stopped to recognize how much the two had grown inside and out. Ash and May were now as tall as Cilan. Since they were so busy training, they had little time to focus on keeping their hair in check too. May's silky brown hair had reached the midsection of her back and she looked stunning, to say the least. Ash's deep black hair kept its texture like May's, but it was at shoulder length now. It made him look much older than he was. Look how you've grown, Genesis grinned at the two but focused his eyes on his son for a bit longer.
"Something wrong?" Ash raised his eyebrow at Genesis as he petted Pikachu.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," May giggled at the man's demeanor.
Genesis joined her in laughing, "Nothing, just noticed that you two might want to get some haircuts."
Ash and May looked at each other, noticing their hair was longer than when they entered the void. They both laughed, agreeing that they would like to go back to their usual hairstyles. "You're lucky Celebi was willing enough to create this illusion filled with amenities instead of residing in a white void," Genesis joked, turning around to the cabin that rested on the beach.
"The mountainous beach setting was a nice touch," May admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.
Genesis signaled them to walk to the cabin to get fixed up and prepare for tomorrow. Fortunately for the couple, Celebi provided their cabin with two bathrooms so the couple could cut their hair at the same time.
May looked at her hair in the mirror, admiring how long it was and how well-kept it remained after a whole year without any salons or spas. "As much as I like how it looks, I don't think it quite suits me yet," the brunette said to herself. She chose to revert to her usual style so she could keep the youthful appearance of a teen rather than a young adult. The sapphire-eyed girl patiently snipped away and combed it back to the way it was. The more she stared at herself in the mirror, the more change she noticed. Apart from an obvious height change, she saw that she had packed more muscle across her body. May was especially thrilled to notice she had abs now. Honestly, she felt like she could lift a boulder. The girl recognized the maturity in her blue eyes too and a fighting spirit that had only gotten stronger since they entered the void. She admired herself inside and out, then remembered something. "I wonder how I'll explain my height when I see Mom, Dad, and Max. I guess we can blame it on a growth spurt," May shrugged and laughed. She changed from her black and white training outfit, which kind of resembled what the Shadow Triad wore, back to the usual black and white outfit she had always worn in Unova. She tied her white bandana and got on her way.
Ash was nearly done cutting his hair back to its usual form. Luckily, he had a lot less to work with than May. "Pikachu!" Pikachu smiled at his friend, happy to see the familiar face he had grown with.
"I like it better this way too pal," the raven-haired trainer replied as he placed his hat back on. He had already changed out of his training outfit, which also resembled the Shadow Triad attire, and switched back to his usual clothing. The teen was glad he could go back to wearing more comfortable and breathable clothes. He saw that he was as tall as Brock now, I wonder what he'd say if he saw me right now, Ash wondered with a chuckle. What surprised him was that he packed on as much muscle as Brock too. "When and how did this happen?" he poked his biceps and continued to feel his toned body. It didn't matter much to him though; he was just happy they had completed the training at last. He put his arm out to signal Pikachu to climb on and the pair got on their way as well.
"Look at you two, all groomed up," Genesis jested as he waited for them at the table with mugs of tea and Pokémon food for Pikachu and Blaziken. Ash and May smiled warmly at their host as they walked to the table.
"Come out Blaziken!" May summoned her fire starter.
"Blaz!" the Fire-type stretched its body when it came out. The tall Pokémon sat next to Pikachu on the floor and began eating with the mouse, enjoying each other's company.
"What would you guys like for me to fetch from the fridge to eat?" Genesis asked as he took a sip of his tea.
"Nothing," Ash and May said surprisingly. While they couldn't see it, Genesis raised an eyebrow and admitted he was shocked. "Maybe later," Ash informed him.
Genesis leaned his body a bit closer to the table as the couple sat down. "Are we nervous about tomorrow?" he wondered.
"Not necessarily. Lunch wasn't that long ago, and we don't want to enter tomorrow's fight with a food coma," May joked, taking a sip of her tea. Ash nodded in agreement.
Genesis leaned back on his chair. "Fair enough," he responded.
"You know Genesis, I am surprised how laidback you are compared to when we first met you," Ash pointed out.
"I hope I am not as laidback as Silver," Genesis poked fun at his comrade, making the pair laugh again. When the laughing halted, he spoke again, "Well I did have a position that needed to be kept secret. I hope I never have to act that uptight again." Ash and May agreed they liked this version of Genesis much better.
Suddenly, May asked something no one else had asked about up until this point. "Do you mind if I ask why, you always wear a red helmet around people?" the brunette inquired.
"I have an acquired taste for fashion," the trainer said jokingly.
"Really?" Ash questioned, missing the joke.
Genesis chuckled, "No, not really. I'd prefer not to answer that if you don't mind. Maybe one day I'll share the details with you." Since it wasn't that important at this point, Ash and May respected Genesis's position and dropped the topic.
"There is one thing I've been meaning to ask you, Genesis, ever since we entered this place. I hadn't asked before because I wanted to avoid distractions but now seems like a good time as any," Ash said, preparing to phrase his question in the clearest way.
May wondered what he would ask, staring into his expressive eyes. "Ask away Ash," Genesis welcomed his thoughts.
"Why did Roxas never tell us the truth about him? Why didn't he tell us that he is…our son from the future?" the auburn-eyed trainer looked into the depths of his tea when he asked. May turned her eyes to Genesis, curious to know what he would say. She had long wondered the same thing and meant to ask, but Ash had beaten her to it.
Genesis sighed; he knew this question would come eventually. "To tell you the truth, Roxas feared that if you two knew who he was then you would be ready to put your lives on the line to protect him at any time," the older male set his mug down.
"We would do that for anyone we care about," May admitted in her response.
"That's what I told him," Genesis pointed at her, showing he believed the same thing. "I disagreed with the way Roxas saw things, but I couldn't force my way of thinking on him. He didn't recognize that there would inevitably come a point where you two would become emotionally attached to him in the same way you've become attached to Iris or Cilan, for example. Son or not, I know you would've done anything to help Roxas." Ash and May thought about everything Genesis said, he was right. "This is why you two stand out amongst so many. You're not only some of the strongest people out there, but you've also got some of the biggest hearts. I don't think anyone can compete. Fortunately, Roxas got a lot from you two," Genesis continued.
May stared at her tea, thinking about that last comment Genesis made. "Deep down, I felt like we always knew. There was always something signaling to the both of us that this boy, this complete stranger who put his life on the line for US, had more to him than meets the eye," she recalled how Roxas had saved Ash's life in Pallet Town.
"He had my hair and May's eyes. It seemed like a coincidence but May is right. It always felt like there was something deeper than that," Ash took another sip of his tea.
"The future versions of you would've been proud to see the man he has become. I am sure you two are proud of him already," Genesis toasted the air over the fine person Roxas was.
May appreciated Genesis's opinions of their son, but she thought about something that made her tighten her grip around her mug. "What about our daughter? Sapphire, do you know anything about her?" the brunette became serious.
"Do you know how she died?" Ash became saddened as he thought about the daughter they never met. This is something that had also been on his mind but hadn't felt ready to ask for fear of learning a sad truth…until now.
"I did not have the pleasure of meeting Sapphire. I am sorry," Genesis stated with a disappointed tone.
"Pi…" Pikachu was overhearing the whole conversation with Blaziken. The two starters looked just as saddened as their trainers.
"However," Genesis said, prompting the trainers to lift their heads from sadness. "Roxas talked about her all the time. She was a spitting image of you May mixed in with Ash's mannerisms," Genesis recalled his conversations of Sapphire with Roxas.
May formed a small smile, she imagined a very tomboyish version of herself. "So, like stubborn and overexcited?" Ash joked about himself for once, he flashed an embarrassed grin.
"Pretty much," Genesis nodded. "The reason I never got to meet Sapphire though is because she died sometime before Roxas ever arrived in our timeline. You see, Omega had disappeared from Roxas's timeline and even though he had vanished for a time, he had a legion of forces still fighting for his vision of the world. They were committed to realizing Omega's dream of domination. Roxas and Sapphire were at the forefront of the resistance. According to Roxas, during the last days of the war on Omega's forces, one night their base had been infiltrated by a rogue agent who had a hoard of Electrode causing an explosion within the base. Sapphire was close to them at the time of the explosion," the man spoke somberly. "Sapphire did not survive."
Learning of how their daughter had passed was a hard wound to handle, but they were also proud of the work she had done to stop evil from taking over the world. "At first Roxas blamed himself for not being there to protect his sister. He had been out there fighting, putting out the last flames in the frontlines. He already grieved for his parents, but to learn his sister had also been killed was a heavy thing to bear. Roxas admitted that he shut himself out from the world for a time. The war was at its end by then though, and Omega's forces were squashed but not for good. Roxas realized he couldn't keep blaming himself for what happened, he then blamed Omega for what happened to Sapphire. He was right to feel that way, every disaster in that boy's life stemmed from Omega's actions. Knowing his world would never be safe without confirming Omega's death, Roxas made it his mission to find him. He swore he would avenge his sister's death. Eventually, Roxas's crusade to avenge Sapphire brought him to your world. Omega had been found in this timeline," Genesis pictured the story in his head, getting goosebumps from Roxas's persistent attitude.
"I see," Ash finished the last of his tea, picturing his future son and daughter with a mix of sadness and pride. He felt a tear stream down his face. When he felt it, he quickly wiped his eyes.
May saw this and reached for his hand. She squeezed it tenderly, the two exchanged stares. Ash saw that May's eyes were also watery. The brunette sighed and turned to Genesis, "So, Roxas is here because of Sapphire."
"He was not going to let Omega ravage another world. He wasn't going to let him do what he did to both of you and Sapphire," Genesis crossed his arms, having finished his tea too.
"Good," the couple said simultaneously. They would have done the same, but it made sense since Roxas was their blood.
Genesis shook his head in approval. He looked out the window and noticed that nighttime had already descended upon them. The man didn't realize how lengthy their discussion had been. "We should get some rest," Genesis got up from his chair.
"Right," Ash agreed with seriousness.
"I'll take these," May stood up and took the three mugs to the kitchen.
"I guess you guys really aren't going to eat huh?" Genesis realized that the couple were going to bed without eating.
"Tomorrow," Ash smiled at him, speaking calmly. Genesis just gave him a nod. He wondered if he should be concerned or not, but Ash and May were old enough to take care of themselves.
When May came out of the kitchen, she saw Pikachu had already curled up into a ball sleeping next to Blaziken. Her Fire-type had also fallen asleep. Blaziken sat leaning against the wall with its legs stretched out and arms crossed. His pose kind of resembled meditation. Genesis left the pair and went to bed. "I guess we should just let them rest here, I don't want to disturb their slumber," May said about Pikachu and Blaziken.
"Yeah, they seem comfortable," Ash said, smiling sweetly at Blaziken and his buddy.
"Let's get some rest Ash," May grabbed his hand and they walked upstairs to their bedroom.
They quietly stepped in, and Ash shut the door behind him. When he turned around, he saw May standing there silently, staring at him. Her eyes were shining as if trying to say something. Ash didn't say anything, but he felt as though May was communicating something to him. He felt his heartbeat increase as did May's. Gentle tears started to stream down May's face, but the girl was smiling. She took a step closer toward Ash and grabbed his face. Ash grabbed her face, staring into her soul through her eyes as they felt their chests pressed up against one another. Neither one said a word to the other. All of their communication was done through stares and physical touch. The curious thing was that they both understood each other. Their hearts, bodies, and minds were in sync. May wrapped her arms around Ash's neck and the boy embraced her body with his arms. They exchanged a long and loving kiss before they fell on the bed, it was a night of emotion.
Genesis, Ash, May, and Pikachu took their steps into the white portal. Just as they took their steps, the imaginary world that Celebi had created for them faded away and revealed a white void. It was time to leave. Immediately after taking their steps into the white portal, the group found themselves back in the cabin near Mistralton City. Much to their shock, it was still night here.
"That was fast," Silver teased when he saw them arrive.
Ash, May, and Pikachu found their friends and allies gathered in the living room. They were unchanged and everything was exactly as when they had left. "It's really only been a day?" Ash knew what the conditions were, but he still couldn't believe it.
"Wow," May looked at Iris, Cilan, Hilda, Hilbert, N, Axew, and Victini with surprise. Then a smile formed across her as Victini leaped into her arms with cheer.
"Tini!" the Legendary Pokémon cheered as it nuzzled in May's chest and then greeted Ash and Pikachu.
"Good to see you too Victini," Ash laughed as Victini danced around him.
"Pika!" Pikachu raised his arms in excitement, still standing on Ash's shoulder.
"Look at you with that athlete physique May," Hilda crossed her arms, impressed by the brunette.
"May you look great! Ash, you look the same," Iris smirked, teasing her Kanto friend.
"Oh yeah?" Ash frowned at the purple-haired girl.
"Thanks guys!" May adored the praise, disregarding Iris's joke toward Ash.
"She's just kidding Ash, you look awesome!" Cilan praised his friend, who Ash thanked with a wide grin.
"You've gotten taller, and you're built like a superhero!" Hilbert chimed in too, although he was surprised to see Ash had passed him in height.
"Axew ew ax," Axew also sensed the changes and improvements among his friends.
"How was your stay in the void?" N disregarded their physical changes and was curious to learn how the training had gone.
"Hard," Ash admitted with a sheepish smile.
"Incredibly hard," May mirrored his attitude.
"If you're here though, I assume it was a success," Cloud interjected with a serious tone.
"Of course, there was no room for error," Genesis replied to him. He reminded Silver and Cloud that he was an excellent mentor, especially to Ash and May.
Silver chuckled, "Well, I sure hope it's enough to turn the tide."
"It will be," May spoke confidently.
"Just wait and see," Ash made a fist of confidence.
"Perfect, then join us. We were just talking about the plan for tomorrow. I am sure Genesis has already gone over it with you, but think of it as a recap," Silver welcomed them over to their circle near the fireplace.
Ash, May, and Pikachu walked over and sat beside Iris and Cilan. Genesis positioned himself in front of everyone with his hands behind his back. "Alder and the Unova Gym Leaders will work with Looker and Professor Juniper to apprehend Team Rocket and Team Neo Plasma. As you already know, we have entered a temporary truce with Team Plasma so N will be assisting us with eliminating Omega and his organization. As we said before, Omega and his group are hiding out in the 'Strange House'. He is expecting us to hand over the Griseous Orb," Genesis paced back and forth, picturing the plan in his head.
"What does Omega want the Griseous Orb for?" Iris asked something she had wondered since she and Cilan were sent to retrieve it. While Ash and May were away, she had learned about the attack on the Village of Dragons and swore she'd get justice.
"Omega wields the power of Giratina. Sadly, the Renegade Pokémon was corrupted by Shadow Energy, courtesy of Team Rocket, when Omega found a way to enter the Distortion World," Genesis regrettably informed the group, Silver and Cloud being the only ones who knew.
"Darn him," Ash clenched his fists, remembering how he befriended the Legendary Pokémon from Sinnoh. He knew Giratina wasn't an evil Pokémon and it frustrated him to learn that it had fallen under Omega's control to do bad things. May placed her hand on his shoulder to calm him, knowing that Ash cared deeply for all Pokémon.
Genesis continued with his information, "Giratina's power has been amplified by Shadow Energy. Nonetheless, Omega seeks to enhance its power even more with the Griseous Orb. The sole existence of the Griseous Orb is to enhance the power of Giratina. When Giratina is powered through the orb, it is nearly unstoppable with the added effect of Shadow Energy. Therefore, we cannot give Omega the time to activate the orb's effects. The final phase of the plan is to give him the Griseous Orb, and once Omega summons Giratina, Ash and May will strike at it before Omega can do anything." The de facto leader of the group looked at the couple. They nodded in return, having already gone over this with him. "Ash and May will use the combined power of their Pokémon and aura to weaken Giratina and use the purified gem. We will back them by holding Omega at bay since he will surely try to stop them," Genesis pointed out.
"What about Dialga? How do we know Omega hasn't corrupted it when Roxas was captured?" Cloud questioned.
"Good question. Roxas, wisely, didn't keep Dialga with him at the time of his capture. He anticipated the consequences if he were to be captured with Dialga. Lamentably, we do not know Dialga's whereabouts and we have no way of finding the dragon. Its assistance would have proven instrumental, but at least it is not in enemy hands," Genesis answered with confidence.
"Once Giratina is purified it is safe to assume that we will have enough power to put Omega down?" Silver requested verification.
"Before that, we need to be sure Roxas, Auro, Nate, and Rosa, are handed over to us safe and sound. We want to make sure Omega hasn't done anything to them," May intervened in the discussion, which Genesis concurred with and made Silver nod.
N thought about the plan. In his experience, villains always have contingencies, "Should we expect any surprises?"
"Omega usually has at least one trick up his sleeve. Don't fret though, you already know that we have our own surprises," Genesis reminded them of Ash and May's unlocked potential, plus a few other tricks.
"Where are Zekrom and Reshiram?" Hilda asked, knowing that the dragons had left with Ash and May into the void the day before.
"Celebi had them leave the void before us. They will arrive at the scene when they have sensed the moment we strike," Cloud informed the girl, saving Genesis from the response.
"In summary, we will attack Omega's base, secure our friends' safety, purify Giratina, and take care of Omega?" Hilbert summarized it as short as he could.
Genesis nodded. "What about Omega's minions, surely he won't be expecting us alone?" Cilan rubbed his chin.
"If I am recalling correctly, besides Omega, there are 5 of them remaining right?" Iris added to what Cilan said.
"Vicious, Archer, Kodai, Charon, and Brodie," Ash recounted with his fingers.
"Right, 6 targets in total. There are 10 of us, and if we're lucky we might get reinforcements. Additionally, we have Zekrom, Reshiram, and Victini aiding us. They will surely try to get the Griseous Orb from us before even reaching Omega, but at this point, we have enough to defeat them. Nevertheless, don't get overconfident. Be on your guard. Remember that they all wield some of Omega's power," Genesis warned, recollecting his time with the organization.
"Don't forget, we've worked alongside them. We know a thing or two about them," Silver smirked.
Genesis looked around the room. "Any other questions?" he went around once, twice, and called an end to the discussion.
As they all broke up into smaller groups, N approached Ash and his friends. "Ash," the Plasma leader called him.
"Yeah?" Ash asked his ally.
"I don't want you to forget that while we are working together, I still don't agree with Pokémon and humans coexisting. Once this is over, we will be on different sides again. I respect you, but our alliance is temporary," N reminded his rival.
Ash smirked at him, "I haven't forgotten N. Don't worry, once this is over, we'll be there to stop you too if we have to." N smiled at him and nodded; he respected Ash for never compromising his values in any situation. May slightly glared at N as he walked away, but Ash told her to pay him no mind and they continued talking with Iris, Cilan, Hilda, and Hilbert.
Hilda quickly pulled May aside and asked, "Hey, how was spending a whole year with Ash?"
May blushed as they spoke in a corner, "It was hard, I am not going to lie. We weren't just tested physically and mentally but emotionally as well. We had to be patient and communicate more than we ever had. It was a team effort, so we learned to become a stronger team." The brunette did not want to share all the details at a time like this, but she hoped it was enough for Hilda.
"That's really great May, I am glad both of you had that time to grow together. I can't wait for you guys to wreck Omega tomorrow," Hilda giggled with excitement.
"What about you, when's the whole thing with Hilbert going to happen?" May teased, causing Hilda to blush and laugh with embarrassment.
Before Hilda could answer though, Silver made an announcement. "Looks like he's prepping for the fireworks," the red-haired trainer said as he looked out the window. Cloud and Genesis walked over to him to take a peek.
"Indeed," Genesis saw the sky.
The others quickly walked over, and they saw it too. The Unova night sky had a sinister vibe to it. The clouds covering the region were pitch black that ate up the moonlight and brief streaks of red lightning could be spotted. All of them stepped outside to take a better look and saw that the black clouds were thick and spreading quickly like wildfire.
"We should all go get some rest. Ash, May, I know you technically just slept a few hours ago but try your best," Genesis apologized, not anticipating that they'd return from the void during nightfall. Ash and May told him they could make no promises, but Genesis understood.
Everyone stepped inside, but Iris, Axew, and Cilan stayed with Ash, Pikachu, Victini, and May outside for a moment. "Do you guys feel ready for tomorrow? Genesis mentioned you refused to eat during your last day in the void. I can prep something for you quickly," Cilan offered his services.
"That's sweet Cilan, but it won't be necessary. We'll be just fine," May assured the green-eyed teen.
"Maybe once everything is over, we can eat at a buffet?" Ash joked, making the friends laugh.
"I never thought I'd see the day both of you would hold off on food," Iris laughed, surprised by their attitudes.
"Genesis doesn't exactly cook 5-star meals, so we had to make do with whatever there was to eat. Don't worry, we'll pig out when everything is over like Ash suggested," May giggled.
"Was it hard, learning how to use aura through your Pokémon?" Cilan wished to learn more.
"You know Cilan, learning about it felt a lot like listening to you talk about the bond between a trainer and its Pokémon," Ash touched upon Cilan's background as a Pokémon Connoisseur.
"Is that so?" Cilan was intrigued.
"Yeah, it was kind of astounding to see how everything you've ever evaluated us on with our Pokémon came full circle. Making sure the bond between us and our Pokémon was the most essential part for us," May placed her hands on her waist, recalling how hard she and Blaziken worked to get stronger with aura.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, showing its agreement with Ash and May.
"I can taste a recipe for success already brewing. I am glad my knowledge was of use to you," Cilan grinned confidently.
"Just don't let it get to your head," Iris mocked him with arms crossed, making Axew and the rest of the group laugh again.
"We better get some rest now, we have a big day ahead of us," Ash stretched his arms out.
"We'll try to get rest. If we were in the void right now, I think it would still be morning," May sighed, thinking about how this would mess up her sleep schedule.
Iris and Cilan encouraged them to try, but they agreed it was time to call it a day. The Unova pair headed inside while Ash and May said they would catch up with them. Now it was just Ash, May, Pikachu, and Victini. Once they were alone, May turned to Ash. "We're going through with this?" May turned to Ash.
"I took the Griseous Orb when no one was looking," Ash pulled it out of his pocket. Pikachu stared at it since the mouse was in on the plan.
"Tini?" Victini became confused.
"Victini, you don't have to come with us if you don't want to…but Ash and I have decided to confront Omega and his team alone," May held the little Pokémon's head.
"Vi?" the Pokémon asked why.
Ash and May sighed. The raven-haired boy elaborated, "We're going to sneak away tonight because no one would be ok with our plan. To be honest Victini, we've learned about how many people have gotten hurt or even…died because they were trying to help us fight Omega. The entire time we've been Omega's targets and lots of people and Pokémon have gotten hurt because of it, including you." Ash recalled the times Victini had to put up with certain threats because of them. It wasn't easy for Ash to leave his friends behind, but he had already decided on this with May.
"Pika…chu," Pikachu told Victini with its ears lowered. It was against Ash's plan, but he knew there was no stopping his trainer once his mind was set on something.
"We're going to leave a note for everyone, explaining why we had to do this. I'd prefer if you'd stay here where it's safe Victini, but I can't stop you now if you choose to come with us," The brunette revealed a note that was kept in her pocket. When she observed Victini's disposition, May leaned to give Victini a kiss on the head, looking sadly at it.
"Ti…" Victini lowered its head in sadness.
"May, are you sure you want to come? I'd prefer if you'd stay here too," Ash recommended to his girlfriend. He had originally planned to do this alone during their time in the void but May found out through Pikachu and would not let him face Omega and his group alone.
May frowned at him, "No Ash, I agree that no one else should get hurt but I am not going to let you do this alone. I am never going to leave you like that."
They already had this argument and there was no point in fighting over it any longer. Like him, when May was set on something there was no stopping her. Ash sighed and then smiled, "We'll do it together then."
May pressed her chest against him and held his hands, "Ash, even when the road gets hard I'll go anywhere if I'm with you." They gave each other a brief kiss and nodded at themselves.
"Victini!" Victini declared that it was coming with them. Ash and May wished it had chosen to stay, but they welcomed the little one.
"Together," May reminded Ash, Pikachu, and Victini.
"Forever," Ash quipped, and the couple chuckled. May dashed in quickly to leave the note by the fireplace. When she came back out, she felt the wind intensifying and saw a Fire-type descending.
Pikachu and Victini were delightfully surprised by its presence and quickly got on. "Thanks for coming pal," Ash petted his longtime friend, who growled lowly to show it was happy to see him. The Pallet boy got on and held his hand out to his girlfriend to climb. "Ready May?" he asked.
"You bet," May smiled and grabbed onto him. She wrapped her arms around Ash's waist. Then the pair took off into the storm while riding Charizard.
