Pallet Town
It's quiet as Ash Ketchum arrives home, only for his friends to wait for him in his house which surprises Ash and Pikachu, his best friend of a Pokemon.
"Pika?"
"Guys? What's going on?" Ash asked, confused about his friends that appear to have a meeting.
"Well, Ash! Since you showed up, I want to know why you always lost the Pokemon league, especially all the hard work you did!?" Snapping is Misty as she's seeing her friend from a long time ago.
"Calm down, Misty! Ash tried his best. I'm sure he'll win next time." Serena points out while laughing nervously.
"You lost the contest as well as May and Dawn! I bet Ash is too much of an idiot to train you!" Misty growls.
"I mean Ash has beaten me before, but this is embarrassing." Gary groans before Serena tries to explain.
"At least he's trying! You're not giving him a chance!" Lillie is on Serena's side when it comes down to Ash's loss and his training that had him flopping..
With all that argument going on between Misty, Gary, Serena and Lillie, Ash is now realising that his bond is falling apart as it had him grunting.
"Guys… I'm sorry. But you know me, I'll never give up on my dream! I wanted to be a Pokemon master!" Ash is still trying to smile while making sure his friends aren't hurting one another.
"Pika Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed as he's making sure to protect Ash.
"Give it up." Misty concluded.
"NO! He will never give up!" Lillie yelled.
"Are you girls done fighting? I mean, Ash still has a chance, but that ain't it." Gary yawns.
"What? But…" Before Ash says something as Pikachu looks at his trainer with worry, Serena clenches her hand to her chest as she's guilty for starting all this.
"Ash…"
"Face reality, he's never going to win." Misty finally walks past as she's done with arguing. "You're an idiot and a jerk, Ash."
"Hey! He is not a jerk!" Lillie rushes out of the house as she and Misty are starting to argue.
"Heh. Smell ya later, loser." Gary follows as Serena is the last one.
As the house is now empty, Ash is lowering his head as tears are running down on his face.
"But… We're all friends… I didn't mean to lose… I was scared… Pikachu, am I a bad trainer?" Ash crouches down as he's starting to cry.
"Pika…" Pikachu disagrees as he hugs Ash, comforting his friend.
As Ash is being comforted by Pikachu, footsteps are coming from the kitchen as a woman stops, seeing Ash and Pikachu hugging as the woman gasped.
"Ash. What's going on? Where are your friends?" The woman that is Ash's mother asked.
"They… They're gone. Mom, what am I? Am I a bad trainer?" Ash asked.
As Ash's mother hugs her son and Pikachu, she can tell that her son is upset.
"No, Ash. You're my little champion. You and Pikachu have always been my little champions." Ash's mother coos while calming her son down.
"Pikachu…" Pikachu hugs as well as Ash as things are starting to get peaceful.
With the Ketchum family hugging together, Ash's mother let's go and look into Ash's eyes with warmth on her face.
"Remember, Ash, Professor Oak still believes in you, no matter what you do." Ash's mother whispers while placing her forehead onto Ash's with a smile.
"Yeah. Thanks, mom." Ash is now calm down as he and Pikachu are able to smile again.
"Pika!" Pikachu squeaks with joy.
"Oh, I forgot, we have a guest here."
"Wait, who?" Ash stops as he and Pikachu sees a mysterious boy.
He's in a red cap and he has his own Pikachu out of his pokéball.
"This is Red. He's just here to see you." Ash's mother introduces the boy that appears before Ash.
"Red? Okay." Ash is unsure about the boy in red as his red eyes are looking into Ash's brown eyes.
"If you're going out, then let me know because I'm making dinner for all of us."
"Yes, mom."
"Pikachu." Pikachu responds the same as Ash.
Finally, Ash's mother left the room, leaving Ash and Red looking at each other.
"Um… Hey."
"Ash, is it?" Red finally speaks out, which surprises Ash himself.
"Yeah. Why do you ask?"
"You want to start a new life?"
"Huh?" Ash halts.
A new life? After what happened earlier some of his friends betrayed him, but not in a mean-spirited sense, but worrying.
"Relax, they won't call officer Jenny, they won't attack you. They're just mad that your training is all for naught. To me, I'm surprised that you're beaten by those you have advantage against." Red said as he's calmer than Ash thought he would be.
"Wait, tell me, what do you mean a new life?" Ash asked, leading Red to stand up and approach Ash as both trainers and Pikachus looking each other in the eyes.
"Sinnoh. We need to see Dialga since it can manipulate time for us."
"Wait, already? But I haven't eaten yet." Ash rubs his head as he's worried about his mother's dinner.
Red stops himself and then sighs after seeing Ash's worry about dinner.
"Alright, we'll eat. But tomorrow, we're going to the Sinnoh region." Red accepts.
"Sure… I'm gonna miss my friends…" Ash lowers his head as Pikachu worries for Ash.
Red's Pikachu pat Ash's head as it squeaks with encouragement.
"Pika."
"Pikachu… Ah! Red's Pikachu!" Ash is thinking why both his and Red's Pikachus are similar.
"Relax. I call him Pika." Said Red, rubbing his Pikachu's head as he's called Pika.
"Pika Pikachu!" Pika rubs himself onto Red's face and Red chuckles.
"Wow… You bonded with Pokemon as well!? That's awesome!" Ash is in awe as he sees Red and Pikachu being best friends.
"Hm. So, Ash, are you willing to go to Sinnoh with me?" Red asks.
"Sure! I'll go!" Ash accepts with a grin.
Finally, both Ash and Red, despite first meeting each other, fist bumping as they're ready to go out and visit Dialga.
The next day.
Standing outside, Ash's mother is handing over the bag as Ash laughs.
"Thanks, mom!"
"Red, make sure to take care of my son. Okay?" Ash's mother pleads as Ash and Red are prepared.
"Will do, ma'am." Red bows and then pat Ash's shoulder for him and Ash to stand together.
As Red tosses his pokéball, a ball opens as it reveals to be a large flaming lizard dragon, Charizard.
"Charizard, take us to the port! We're going to Sinnoh!" Red orders as Charizard sticks out his thumb and grabs both Ash and Red as Ash himself yells.
Later in Sinnoh Region, the duo are standing in an empty pillar as Ash and Red are approaching 3 large pokemon.
Dialga, the guardian of time. Palkia, the guardian of space. And Arceus, the one everyone looked up to.
"What brings you here, children?" Arceus asks, looking down at both Red and Ash as Ash gulps.
"We're here to go back in time." Red answers without hesitation.
"Oh? You want ME to take care of the both of you?" Dialga asked, realising that it's being the subject of sending both children back.
"How interesting. To think you boys have the guts to come over, just for us to take you two back in time?" Palkia chuckles, which leads both Ash and Red to look at Arceus.
"I know you don't play favourites because you hated us." Said Ash.
"I don't hate you all. I found it interesting that you want Dialga to do your bidding. Dialga, explain the risks of time travelling." Arceus ordered as Dialga sighed.
"Haah… If I take you back in time, it'll cost you."
"Cost us what?" Red asks.
"Your memories, your pokemon and your progress and journeys. You'll lose everything until you become husks of empty shells." Dialga explains which shocks Ash.
"What!? Can't there be an alternative!? I can't lose my best friend! Pikachu…"
"The same could be said for your pokemon and they'll lose everything. Think about it, child." Dialga refuses to go much further as if that's all it can do.
"Pika…" Ash's Pikachu gasped which caused Ash to drop down on his knees.
"That means… Red?"
"We don't have a choice. But on the plus side we'll live differently, reunite with our friends and right the wrongs we committed." Red explains.
"Red… Hey, Dialga, do we get to live the same life?" Ash asked as he stood back up.
"Depends on your performance. Your life will be different. Same goes for the red boy." Dialga said.
This leads Ash and his Pikachu to nod as it's the only option left.
"Deal."
"Then it's settled. Dialga, open the gate." Arceus orders.
This leads to both Dialga and Palkia to roar as the gate is opening, causing both Ash and Red to float as well as their pokemon.
"Don't worry, Pikachu, when we see each other again, we may not know who we are, but you'll always be my best friend!" Ash shouts as he and Pikachu are trying not to let go.
"Pika! Pika Pika! Pikachu!"
"Yeah! I love you too, buddy!" Ash can understand Pikachu as both their tears are coming out causing both trainers and pokemon to let go as they're yelling.
In the end, they're no longer together in this world as they're no longer existing.
"You're now brothers in blood. May your destiny be with you."
Unknown Time
"Ah… He's awake."
"Oh, Akagi, your brother has arrived."
"That's right… Satoshi… That's right. Satoshi is his name."
In the end Red has become Akagi, whereas Ash is now Satoshi.
At least they kept their former names as their nicknames as time goes on.