Chapter 4

After years of challenging various Pokémon Leagues, Ash finally stands victorious, having won both the Alola and Paldea Leagues. But his greatest triumph comes when he defeats Leon, securing his title as the World Champion. With this monumental achievement, Ash returns home, his heart swelling with pride and joy.

As he steps into his home, Ash is greeted by a wave of familiar faces—Brock, Misty, Tracy, May, Max, Dawn, Iris, Cilan, Clemont, Bonnie, Kiawe, Mallow, Lana, Sophocles, Lillie, Reisa, Luke, Goh, Chloe, and of course, Alice—all gathered to celebrate his incredible accomplishment. The atmosphere is electric with excitement, everyone eager to share in Ash's moment of glory.

"By the way, where's Mom? I haven't seen her anywhere," Ash asks, looking around the lively room.

Alice steps forward with a warm smile. "Ms. Ketchum is out buying groceries. She's planning to cook a big feast to celebrate your victory. She should be back any minute."

"Speaking of celebrating, congratulations on becoming the World Champion," Reisa chimes in, her voice full of admiration. "It's no small feat to defeat the Champions, especially Leon."

"Thanks, Reisa. Pikachu and all my other Pokémon worked hard to get us here," Ash replies, his smile growing wider as he thinks of the battles they fought together.

As the group begins to settle into the party, discussing old memories and sharing laughs, Max's curiosity gets the better of him. He notices a door in the hallway, locked and seemingly out of place amidst the cheerful surroundings. "Hey, Ash! What's this room about?" he asks, pointing to the door.

A sudden tension fills the room as Ash, Dawn, Lillie, Alice, Reisa, and Luke flinch, their expressions darkening slightly. They know all too well what lies behind that door—the secret base of Team Alpha, a place filled with memories that are anything but celebratory.

Ash takes a deep breath before responding, his voice subdued. "I'd rather not talk about that room, Max. It brings back bad memories."

Clemont, sensing the shift in mood, quickly steps in. "I'm sorry, Ash… We didn't mean to trigger any bad memories."

Ash shakes his head, offering a reassuring smile. "It's fine. Just… please, keep as far away from that room as possible."

The group falls silent for a moment, the weight of Ash's words lingering in the air. But the warmth and camaraderie of the gathering soon return, as they all respect Ash's wishes and shift their focus back to the celebration at hand.

Just then, the house begins to shake violently, causing everyone inside to scramble for cover. Chloe, her voice trembling with fear, asks, "What is that?"

Before anyone can respond, familiar voices echo through the chaos.

"Prepare for trouble!"
"And make it double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"
"James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth, dat's right!"
"Wobbuffet!"

Ash and the others rush outside, where they find Team Rocket standing proudly in front of the house. Ash's eyes narrow, a growl escaping his lips. "You three again?"

Brock, visibly frustrated, demands, "What are you up to now?" The rest of the group, equally weary of the constant harassment, collectively groans.

But before they can get an answer, more Team Rocket grunts emerge from the shadows, and to everyone's shock, Giovanni himself steps forward, a menacing smile on his face.

"To think you of all people would stay here after what happened," Giovanni remarks, his tone dripping with disdain.

"Giovanni..." Ash snarls, his voice filled with contempt as he stares down the man who has caused him so much pain.

"Congratulations on becoming the World Champion, Ash Ketchum. It seems that I'm not too late for the party," Giovanni sneers, his words laced with mockery. "But unfortunately, the party is going to end sooner than expected."

Ash's expression darkens, his voice cold and unyielding. "Just get straight to the point, Giovanni. What do you want?"

The sudden shift in Ash's demeanor startles his friends, who exchange worried glances. This was a side of Ash they rarely saw.

"It's simple," Giovanni replies with a cruel smirk. "I intend to complete a plan that failed 15 years ago. Grunts, attack them now!"

Ash's eyes widen in realization, and without hesitation, he steps forward, his voice commanding and fierce. "You're not going to harm any of my friends! Alice, Reisa, Luke, Dawn, Lillie—get everyone inside, now!"

The five of them nod, understanding the gravity of the situation. Quickly, they usher everyone back into the safety of the Pallet Town residence, leaving Ash outside, ready to face whatever Giovanni has planned.

As the battle outside intensifies, Iris, her voice filled with confusion and concern, asks, "What does Giovanni mean by a failed plan that occurred 15 years ago?"

Dawn, her face pale with the weight of the memories, quickly responds, "Trust me, you don't want to know that."

Giovanni, hearing their exchange, sneers at Ash. "You're either a fool if you think you can face me alone," he taunts. "Maybe I should just get rid of you the same way we did your sister."

A collective gasp echoes from those inside the house, especially from those whose families are part of Team Alpha. The revelation sends a shockwave through the group, and Ash's mind is flooded with painful memories. His eyes blaze with fury as he yells, "That's it! None of you are getting out of Pallet Town alive! All of you are going to die!"

With terrifying speed, Ash charges forward, drawing a knife and a gun. He slashes the throat of one grunt, blood spraying through the air, while simultaneously shooting another grunt with deadly precision. The scene is chaos, but Ash moves with a cold, calculated rage.

The Team Rocket trio, who once viewed Ash as nothing more than a persistent nuisance, now stare in horror.

"I-is that the same twerp we used to know?" James stammers, his voice quaking with fear.

"It... it feels like he's turned into a crazy person..." Meowth mutters, his usual bravado replaced with terror.

Ash glares at them, his voice low and dangerous. "The only reason I'm keeping you alive is that you've never been a real threat to me. But now that you've brought all of Team Rocket here, you're not going to survive this!"

With a swift motion, Ash grabs two Poké Balls from his belt and releases Charizard and Tinkaton. "Charizard, use Inferno on Jessie. Tinkaton, use Gigaton Hammer on James. And Pikachu, Thunderbolt on Meowth!"

The trio barely has time to react, their eyes widening in sheer terror as the Pokémon close in. Charizard's Inferno engulfs Jessie in flames, Tinkaton's Gigaton Hammer crushes James, and Pikachu's Thunderbolt strikes Meowth with lethal force. The trio's screams are cut short as they fall, lifeless, to the ground.

Inside the house, the others watch in stunned silence, their minds struggling to process what they've just witnessed.

"Did Ash seriously just kill people?" May asks, her voice trembling with shock.

"Is this really the same Ash?" Mallow whispers, disbelief evident in her tone.

Alice stands by the window, her hands clutching a blue ribbon and a red scarf. She knows that Ash is capable of handling himself, but the sheer number of enemies worries her. All she can do is hold onto the symbols of their bond and silently plead, "Ash... please be careful."

Lillie, her voice trembling with the weight of the revelation, says, "Don't tell me… they mentioned Ash's sister..."

Kiawe, sensing something deeper, asks, "Lillie? Do you know something?"

Taking a deep breath, Lillie nods. "When Ash was three years old, Team Rocket attacked his family—just like today. That day… Ash's twin sister was killed. They were targeting my mom, but Ash's sister jumped in the way and took the bullet to protect her."

Gasps fill the room as the weight of her words sinks in. Lillie continues, her voice heavy with emotion, "Ash was there. He witnessed it all in that forbidden room… and in his rage, he stabbed the murderer to death. It took his parents a long time to calm him down after that."

Dawn, her face pale, adds, "Since then, our parents warned us never to mention anything about Ash's sister in front of him. They said it would trigger his trauma… and he'd lose control."

Everyone in the room is stunned, their minds reeling from the truth they had never known. The atmosphere is thick with shock and unease. Before anyone can process it further, a loud, furious voice booms from outside. "GIOVANNI!"

They all rush to the window, peering outside to see a fierce battle unfolding. Aurora, Ash's mother, has joined the fray, moving with lethal precision as she takes down several Team Rocket grunts. Her skill and speed surpass even Ash's.

"Ash, get back to the house and leave this to me," Aurora commands, her voice firm and unyielding.

"But Mom, I want to fight! They're not getting away with this!" Ash protests, his anger still burning hot.

Aurora turns to him, her gaze intense. "Your aura is already weakened. I'm not going to let you risk using all of it." Reluctantly, Ash nods and retreats into the house, his movements stiff with frustration.

Inside, Dawn approaches him, her eyes filled with concern. "Ash, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Ash replies, though his voice is strained. "My mom wanted to finish everything herself."

As the others look at him, they can't help but notice that Ash is covered in blood and wounds, his clothes torn and stained. A few of them instinctively take a step back, uneasy at the sight.

Seeing their reactions, Ash asks, "Guys? What's wrong?"

Misty, her voice shaking, finally speaks up. "Ash… do you realize what you've done? You've just killed people! How can you be so calm about this?"

Ash sighs, his expression hardening. "So what? Those people were scum, and they deserved to die. I'm sure my mom thinks the same. That's why she's out there finishing what I couldn't."

Chloe, her voice filled with unease, says, "But killing… it's just wrong… No matter how evil they are…"

Ash, his expression cold and detached, merely shrugs. "Whatever. I'm going to take a bath," he replies, turning on his heel and heading upstairs. The tension in the room is palpable, and no one dares to follow him.

As Ash disappears from view, Cilan speaks up, his voice trembling with concern. "Ash… he's doing something dangerous right in front of us. Did you see his eyes? He was… enjoying it. Enjoying the killing."

Max, still shaken, adds, "Yeah… he's become a monster…"

Alice's eyes widen in disbelief at their words. Her voice rises with emotion as she yells, "Ash is not a monster! You guys feel the same way, right?"

"Of course!" Luke immediately responds, his voice firm. "Ash had every reason to kill those Team Rocket grunts."

Reisa nods in agreement. "Indeed. For example, we could've been killed if Ash hadn't fought back."

Dawn, her expression hardening, says, "They're the ones who triggered his trauma. I say they deserved it."

Lillie, her voice steady, adds, "And if Team Rocket is gone, that just means the world is a safer place."

Iris, her face reflecting a mix of confusion and fear, asks, "You four as well? Why are you siding with someone who's become a monster?"

Before anyone can answer, they hear footsteps descending the stairs. Ash walks back into the room, now dressed in his old Kalos outfit, his expression unreadable. "Monsters? What are you guys talking about?"

Max, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and disbelief, says, "We're talking about you, Ash. How could you just kill a person so casually…?"

Ash shrugs, his demeanor cold and indifferent. "So what? It's not like I haven't done it before." Without waiting for a response, he walks outside, the others trailing behind him. As they step outside, they are met with a grim sight—Giovanni lies dead on the ground, with Aurora standing over him, breathing heavily from the exertion.

Ash's eyes widen, and he rushes to his mother's side. "Mom… are you alright?"

Aurora turns to Ash, a soft smile gracing her lips despite the blood splattered on her clothes. "Team Rocket is no more. I finally enacted my revenge on Giovanni."

Relief floods Ash as he embraces his mother, uncaring that his freshly changed clothes are now stained with blood. But as he holds her, he notices the others slowly backing away, their expressions a mix of shock and horror. Confused, Ash calls out, "Guys, where are you going?"

Sophocles, unable to meet Ash's eyes, mutters, "We're leaving."

Brock, his voice heavy with regret, adds, "Yeah… we're not sure if we can keep staying with you, considering what you've done…"

Ash's heart sinks as he looks at them in horror. "What? What are you guys talking about?"

Misty, her voice breaking with emotion, shouts, "You guys are murderers! No matter what you do, killing is wrong!"

Ash lowers his head, his voice bitter and filled with pain. "So this is what you think of me after I show my true self? What are you going to do—have the government arrest us? If you can't accept who I am, then there's no need to talk. Leave and get out of my sight."

The group is taken aback by Ash's sudden change in tone, their shock deepening as they realize how much he's changed. Alice steps forward, her voice unwavering. "Ash is right. If you can't accept us, then you're not our friends anymore."

Chloe, her eyes wide with disbelief, asks, "And what's wrong with you, Alice? Why are you being so rude to us?"

Alice meets Chloe's gaze, her expression resolute. "As I mentioned, I won't tolerate any ill words against Ash."

Ash feels a surge of emotion, deeply touched by Alice's unwavering support. Despite the chaos and the pain, he knows that at least one person still stands by his side.

Iris, her voice tinged with disbelief, says, "Your love for Ash really blinds you to see the harsh truth, huh?"

Alice's eyes flash with anger at the accusation. "Say it one more time if you dare!" she snaps, starting to charge at Iris. But before she can take another step, Ash grabs her hand, his grip firm yet gentle.

"Stop, Alice. They're not worth it," Ash says calmly, his voice carrying a quiet authority.

"But…" Alice hesitates, her anger still simmering just beneath the surface.

Ash shakes his head. "Let them go. We don't need to waste our energy on this."

Mallow, her expression one of disappointment, turns to Lillie and Dawn. "And I can't believe that the four of you also agree with Ash and Alice."

Lillie, her voice resolute, responds, "Of course, I'm going to stand by Ash's side. Without Ash, I wouldn't have been able to touch Pokémon, and my mother would've been trapped in the Ultra Wormhole forever."

Dawn nods in agreement. "And without Ash, I wouldn't have found the confidence to compete in Contests."

Reisa chimes in, her tone filled with conviction, "And without Ash, we wouldn't have had amazing adventures, seen new sights, and caught new Pokémon."

Luke steps forward, adding, "Indeed. But then again, you don't really know the real Ash. So if you want to leave, then leave. We're staying."

The tension in the air is thick as the two sides stare each other down, the silence heavy with unspoken words. Finally, Misty's group, their expressions a mix of sorrow and frustration, turns and walks away, leaving Ash and his loyal friends behind.

Aurora watches them go, then turns to Ash and the others, her expression weary yet determined. "Now that Team Rocket is no more, the government will eventually come here, and they might try to arrest us. We need to flee."

"Flee to where?" Lillie asks, her voice filled with concern.

Aurora looks at them, her eyes steady. "I'll send the five of you home. Ash and I will return to where he was born… Sevestar Island."

Understanding the gravity of the situation, the four girls and Luke nod in agreement. Without wasting any time, they quickly make their preparations and leave as soon as possible, their hearts heavy with the knowledge that their lives are about to change forever.

Here is a new chapter, nobody can accept that their friend is actually a serial killer, and that's how the others feel about Ash. I hope you like this chapter.