Part LXXVII: The Resilience of Youth

It was the day after the Indigo Conference and Ash and Misty sat in their room in the house in the Trainers' Village that they shared with a few of their friends. Their friends had their things packed and about to head out before they all met up again in Pallet Town in a month's time but first they had all wanted to talk to Ash.

He had just lost in the final of the Indigo Conference on the last second and they wanted to make sure he was ok. Well that and they all wanted to hear what his next move was. This was Ash Ketchum after all, he almost certainly had his next move planned.

With them were Dawn, May, Iris and Cilan as they were the only ones left. Ash's mother had left with Professor Oak that morning to take the big things back including Ash's silver medal and more importantly Misty's Ribbon Cup from her Grand Festival win, in as much security packing as possible of course.

The Ribbon Cup would find its way back to Twinleaf Town but Misty wanted to show it to all her Pokémon and of course get pictures of them all, as well as individually, with it because they were all part of it. It was just easier to have it sent back this way. Plus it was a reminder that Misty had succeeded where Ash had failed in achieving their dreams but Misty knew that Ash didn't care about that so she wouldn't either. She'd won it at last and she'd done it in Kanto, her love's home region so it would always be special to her.

The others, while they had all agreed to come back to Pallet Town for Ash's next birthday party next month, had already left to do their own things. They'd left that morning to maximize what they wanted to do before the party.

Angie had announced that she was finally going on a journey of her own to challenge gyms and that she was going to do it in Kanto seeing as she was already here so it made the most sense to just stay in the region. She was already heading to Pewter City to face Forrest for the Boulder Badge so that she got an early start. If there was time she would go to Cerulean to face Dawn as the dark haired girl was heading there to sort a few things out before the party but only if there was time.

Anabel had also left that morning to go to Saffron City and see Sabrina who had watched the final on TV. They were going to catch up before heading to the party as it was conveniently scheduled during Sabrina's monthly week off so it worked out well for the Saffron Gym Leader to attend.

Lyra and Khoury had left after Ash's loss to head home to New Bark Town as it was nearby so they could go there for a bit. They would see their families, decide where to go next and then come to Pallet Town for the party and to tell everyone where their next adventure was.

Apparently they were deciding between Unova and Kalos. This time Khoury would actively try for a Grand Festival while there as he had really liked the Kanto one and wanted to try and be in one next year while still focusing on his quest to become a great Pokémon breeder. Lyra was simple, she was going somewhere with gyms and a conference as she knew she could do well now following her run to the semifinals of the Indigo Conference.

The Unova lot who had all stayed for the rest of the Conference after they lost, even Trip, and were going to come to the party. However Stephan and Cameron wanted to head to Viridian Forest first for some training beforehand while Trip and Bianca would meet them in Pallet Town but were off doing their own things.

Neither Conway nor Nando were going to meet them though or attend the party. Nando was already in Johto and beginning his journey there. Meanwhile Conway had headed out to Hoenn to challenge the gyms and league there but not before leaving a message saying that he'd be back in a year's time for a rematch with Ash.

That just left Brock. They had wanted to see him but alas he had been called away to the main Pokémon Doctor training center place right after the Conference to be debriefed on his performance and get his results from his written tests. He then said he had to go to Pewter for a few days as his parents were back in town and he had some important news for his entire family that was of the utmost importance but he would be at the party the day of. Brock promised he wouldn't miss it for the world.

As such that just left Ash with most, but not all, of his past travel companions. They had all come in before heading out to do their own things as well to make sure he was truly good after what most saw as a heartbreaking loss to Brendan.

"Guys, I am fine." Ash said for what felt like the tenth time that morning before anyone else could try and ask him. "Trust me. I know that this was a tough loss but I am bouncing back from it stronger than ever before. I now know that I can reach a final, I know that I can come within a second of winning, which is huge as it is the perfect motivator to get better. I won't let it happen again next year."

"But Ash, that was so close." May said softly. "It's ok to be upset at the loss."

"I am upset but at the same time it's got its own advantages." Ash said. "I know I can do it and I will train harder and get stronger to accomplish it."

"Ash is right." Misty said, she'd spoken with him the night before and after he reminded her of her two Grand Festival losses, both in the finals, and how she had pushed on from there she realized it was the same for him now. "Some of us have been here before. I lost like this in Sinnoh and Johto but each time I got stronger, more resilient and determined to win, which I finally did this year. May, I know you were the same a few years back."

"True." May admitted. "If I hadn't have lost in Johto, especially the way I did after Drew betrayed me by revealing all he knew to Harley, I wouldn't have had the motivation to push myself to be the best I could be in Sinnoh."

"We've all faced trials and tribulations in our lives." Dawn said seriously looking at them all. "Some of them personal, some professional, some related to our Pokémon…"

As if on cue Psyduck chose that moment to pop out of his Poke Ball and stand on the floor looking really confused as he quacked for no apparent reason. Dawn sighed and quickly returned him until he decided to show up again.

"Some Psyduck related." Dawn continued. "But that's just me. We've all had problems to overcome. Some have been recent. As a few of you know I didn't exactly take it well that Ash was dating someone not me."

"Piplup." Piplup said indignantly from his seat in Misty's lap glaring at Dawn and then Misty. "Pip, Piplup."

"Ok that was an understatement." Dawn said with a little grin at the indignant Sinnoh starter. "But I realized my problems, not an easy thing to do, and got the help I needed. Before then my issues were being separated from Ash, and Brock, and running a gym on my own, well also my fear of my Gyarados. However, I overcame them all just as May overcame hers and Misty overcame hers. We all know and to some degree love Ash. We know you can do it too."

"Thanks Dawn." Ash said with a smile at her as Misty nodded.

"That was so sweet which paired really well with your usual hot spiciness." Cilan said rubbing an eye. "You really are a complex menu Dawn. A great mix of hot, cold, and everything in between."

"I still don't get anything you say Cilan." Dawn said raising an eyebrow at him.

"Trust me Dawn, I've traveled with him for about a year and a half and I still don't get it." Iris said with a shrug. "But I got what you said. My own struggles have been with various disobedient Pokémon, well other than Axew basically all my Pokémon, and my own worth as a dragon master but I am taking that time to focus on it. That's why I'm heading to Alola in a few months and this time I am going completely by myself. There's a school there I want to attend and, well, there are some other big incentives to go there."

"Dragon types?" Ash asked.

"So many to meet and catch." Iris gushed. "I have to go but there is something I need to do in Kanto first which is why after this I'm heading to the Safari Zone by Fuchsia City to sort it out. There's a Pokémon there I want, no I need to catch."

"The Dratini and Dragonair there are protected though." Ash said confused. "That nutcase Kaiser will literally try and shoot you for going after them. That what he threatened to do to me, or at least he held a gun on me, that much I remember."

"Yeah one of our more traumatizing adventures from that first year." Dawn said. "Yup there with Akihabara."

"Oh well thankfully I'm not going there for that." Iris said shaking her head. "And I don't think any of those accursed fairy types are there either so it's safe from their evil. No I'm going there because it is the best place in Kanto to catch an Exeggcute."

"Why do you need a grass and psychic type?" Cilan asked confused.

"Because you're going to Alola." Ash said remembering something that Blaine had said to him when they'd battled and it all clicked. "And if an Exeggcute, even one not originally from Alola, is evolved there it takes a regional form that just so happens to lose its psychic type and gain a dragon type in its place."

"Correct." Iris said confused. "How'd you know?"

"Blaine, the Cinnabar Island Gym Leader, has an Alolan Marowak." Ash explained. "I faced it. He explained the odd nature of that region and how some Pokémon that are native here have a different regional variant over there or evolve differently than they do here. How did you learn of that?"

"Oh we ran into Drake, the dragon master and retiring member of the Hoenn Elite Four." Iris said excitedly. "It was a chance meeting but I recognized him at once and well he knew of the Village of Dragons, he's one of the heroes to the village as he's probably second only to Lance in terms of skill with dragon types, so we hit it off. He gave me some tips with my Altaria and then told me he was heading to Alola for a bit to evolve his Exeggcute that's where I learned of its special evolution there so had to go. The Safari Zone is the best place here for that."

"I see." Ash said as the others nodded. "Sounds like fun. One day I will visit that region but not for at least a year. How long will you be there for?"

"At least a year but I think I may stay longer if I like it." Iris said. "Depends on how I feel and what dragon types I catch."

"Wait but if you are going alone then what is Cilan doing?" Misty asked looking at the green haired Connoisseur.

"I am going with Iris to the Safari Zone before the party to check it out but after Pallet Town I am staying in Kanto for a bit then heading to Sinnoh for the second half of the year." Cilan said. "I have seen Johto and Hoenn so next year will be the other two regions in this neck of the world. Once I am done with that then it will be either back to Unova or maybe one of the other regions for a bit to further my menu elsewhere. I hear there is a fishing contest in Kalos that is held every year so I may check that out one day."

"Well if it is while we are there then let us know." Ash said surprising everyone in the room as they all looked at him. "What?"

"You're going to be in Kalos next year?" May asked surprised.

"Yeah we are, this is kinda our way of telling you that." Misty said with a smile at the reveal. "We decided before the Indigo Conference that we would be going there. The Contest Committee asked me to be a judge in the expansion regions for the first circuit season and I couldn't decide between Kalos or Galar. I'd been to Unova and Alola doesn't have a Pokémon League yet, next year is their first Conference according to the Committee, so I wanted to go to a region Ash hasn't been too and has what he needs should, you know, the worst happen which alas it did."

"But we decided that Kalos was best as it was where May would be and we know it does things like the other leagues." Ash said. "So if I did lose, as was unfortunately the case, I was able to have a fallback for what I want to do, as well as a new region to visit. I will use this loss to motivate me to win it all in Kalos next year."

"So we're heading there after the party and going to hit the gyms while I judge Contests wherever I can." Misty said with a smile. "And have a lot of fun along the way."

"Well if you two are there how about joining Serena and me for the year." May said suddenly getting excited at the ide. "We could all travel together like old times and actually see the gym side of Kalos this time as we didn't really see that last time. Serena will be in Contests so we can watch her in them, I won't judge those because of a conflict of interest but it will be fun and just like old time."

"I'm down but only if Misty is." Ash said looking at Misty who was a little more hesitant for some reason. "Misty?"

"May, will, will Serena be ok with this?" Misty asked confusing Ash but May, and apparently Dawn as well, knew what she meant. "You know, Ash and me traveling with you."

"Why wouldn't she be?" Ash asked still confused. "She was fine when we she was here for the Grand Festival."

"She will understand." May said with a nod to Misty ignoring Ash because she knew he didn't get it. "It may be a little uncomfortable for a bit but you have experience now dealing with it. We can give you two the time to really chat once we reach Lumiose City as you didn't get a chance during the Grand Festival."

"That would be for the best." Misty said. "If we have our chat either before or early on in our journey it will make things easier."

"We'll spend a few days there regardless so you can meet Clemont and Bonnie as well so there will be time." May said. "Bonnie will be 10 then and set out on her own journey while the Pokémon League has basically ordered Clemont to remain in the gym for the year as he is the leader there so he won't be able to join us but he might come to a few things if he has the time."

"Ok then she's more than welcome to join us." Misty said with a grin. "And if Serena is becoming a coordinator, well I am sure a little practice Contest battle with me will be something she wouldn't want to pass up."

"Still at it Misty." Dawn said with a laugh. "Good that somethings don't change."

"It will be good for all of us though this will be as civil as almost all the other ones." Misty said with a grin at Dawn who just shrugged at that. "And I haven't lost one yet."

"Yeah that surprise win over Anabel was a big one." May said shaking her head. "I still can't believe that you beat her."

"Strategy always wins out in the end." Misty said with a smile.

"That and having a Spiritomb against a psychic master with no moves to fight it." Dawn teased. "I think that was the real reason."

"It worked and that's all that mattered." Misty said patting the Ability Symbol on her arm. "And this time I didn't have to almost destroy a building to win."

"Meh just makes mine the best." Dawn replied glancing at Misty's locket. "Plus you keep that trophy in a better place as it's right over your heart."

"Despite how it all went down, it was the first and something I probably needed." Misty said seriously. "Matured me real fast and helped me realize I would have to face a few rivals along the way so our battle in Cerulean will always be special."

"Well we both learned something from it." Dawn said just as seriously. "And I got to fix my gym to avoid that. You don't think of a weakness until someone proves to you that yes a Gyarados can be flung 30 feet into the air if you have enough willpower and determination to do so.."

"That and it got me a good cheer squad for Ash in the final." Misty said her tone lightening as she spoke.

"Well we all share something." May said. "So it made sense and was a lot of fun."

"I don't share that with you other than as a friend but it was fun." Iris said. "Plus I'll never forget the sight of Cilan as a cheerleader."

"I don't think any of us will." Ash said shaking his head knowing that the image wouldn't leave it anytime soon.

"Yes well I still don't get why I had to wear the skirt." Cilan huffed.

"Because you have good legs." Iris said. "And I said so, so there was no argument on that."

They all laughed at this feeling good that everything was back to normal. After that there were a few more questions regarding the cheer squad that clarified things for Ash, as well as on people's plans for the future.

Dawn was the only one not going on an adventure as she was still an active gym leader but apparently she'd already been invited to the Wallace Cup again and as it was in Kalos this year she figured why not come as a guest but probably wasn't going to compete. That way she could see Ash, Misty and May there.

May too had some plans right now. She was heading to Ever Grande City that night out in Hoenn as Max was going to be competing the next afternoon in the Hoenn last 32, the first full battle round, so she wanted to at least see one of his matches. After they were done there she and Max, along with Zoey and Georgia who were both still in Hoenn and would meet them at the Conference, would come back to Kanto for Ash's party and see what Max had planned for the future.

Other than that they just chatted like old friends they all were with Ash and each other to some extent, before getting up and heading their own ways. Dawn was taking Iris and Cilan back to Cerulean before they took Iris's Dragonite to Fuchsia City as apparently Dawn's Seadra had recently evolved into a Kingdra and naturally Iris wanted to see, and gush over, it. Meanwhile May had to go and make sure she was packed and then head to the airport on the edge of the Plateau to fly to Hoenn.

That just left Ash and Misty to their own devices. The couple had planned on spending the day together on the Plateau as Ash's Pokémon were healed up fully and then meander down to Pallet Town as slowly as possible. That was because the party wasn't for a few weeks so they had the time to kill before then.

That meant a romantic evening on the Plateau tonight before they left it tomorrow. Well that was Ash's plans anyway but as always something big just had to get in the way that would drastically change their plans at the last minute.

It was as they were heading out to go check up on Ash's Pokémon and then decide where to go as there were so many options on the Plateau. Even after trying them during the interlude they didn't have a favorite so the goal was to find a romantic place. Their anniversary was coming up so they wanted to spend it somewhere nice.

Ash had even asked around to find a place but no one gave a definitive answer but he had been told that if he wanted romantic he should try and find a place that specialized in cuisine from Kalos. Seeing as they were going there in a month or so Ash decided to find a place for the night as a bit of a dry run for an anniversary dinner in Kalos after the got there. However he hadn't planned a place right now so he hope to find one while they strolled around the Plateau.

That hope of both finding a place and having a nice quiet afternoon together vanished when they entered the living area of the housing they were in and both Ash and Misty stopped dead in their tracks at what they saw. Someone was sitting on the couch casually eating an ice cream clearly waiting for them and it was someone the couple knew very well.

The woman sitting there was a stunning blond woman with hair that cascaded down her back and all the way to her calves. She had shoulder length blond bangs that framed her face and parted so that the left side was covered by her hair only showing her right eye. She also had an odd pair of black things on the sides of her head that neither teen had ever figured out what they were.

Black was a theme with the woman as it was all she wore. She was wearing a black blouse, pants and high heeled stiletto boots. Her coat fell to just below her hair with the sides held in place at her chest with a silver teardrop style item. The cuffs of her coat sleeves, along with its hem, were a darker black and furry, as was the chocker she wore around her neck. Oddly though, the woman had a black messenger bag at her side that neither teen had seen before.

As the couple walked in Cynthia, the Sinnoh region Champion, looked up from her ice cream and smiled at them. They still just stared at her in dumbfounded amazement at the woman before them. They had no clue why she was all the way out here in Kanto but they knew that they were about to find out.

"Ah Ash and Misty, there you are, I have been waiting for you." Cynthia said as she finished her ice cream and pulled out a black handkerchief to dab at her mouth before carefully folding it and putting it away. "Well Ash actually but I see I should really talk to both of you as you've gotten closer since my villa out in Unova but I had a gut feeling that you would. Please, sit, I have something to discuss with Ash. I have a strong reason to believe he may be the right person for what I have one me."

Ash and Misty just did as requested and sat down on a sofa opposite the older woman who both looked up too and knew well. She smiled at them and Ash knew one thing was certain, things were about to get interesting. They always did whenever Cynthia was around.