Ron the True Fan: (Reads the reviews) Christ. So many guest reviewers pissed off that I APPROVED of Jorn's idea. No faith in me having a plan, despite seeing that EVERYTHING has paid off whenever something's happened. Oh, well, they want to remain anonymous, that's their business. Fun fact: Jorn hasn't actually been INVOLVED in writing or planning this in WEEKS. Outside the whole Becca thing and a few inquiries involving the Ransei Subarc, it's all me. And while me and Jorn have our differences on a few things, I didn't just approve of his idea because it served my interests.
Takeshi Yamato: And I'm not really here aside from being a beta. And some of my own suggestions, but even those are few and far between.
Ron the True Fan: Seriously, people. Plan. (Looks through) …An outright threat towards Jorn. (Pauses) Ok, NOW I'm mad.
Unknown location
"Murderer." came the voice of Misty, Ash turning to find her half-melted, exposing her skeleton to the air.
"Liar." came the choking voice of Mallow, green blood dripping from her mouth.
Then came something that stung more. "Hypocrite." came the voice of Brock, unchanged, walking around him.
"I didn't-"
"You sure as hell didn't." Brock said, continuing to orbit. "Letting Cyrus fuck with the timeline, upsetting the balance and killing us all. You didn't stop him."
"He walked through that portal-" Ash snapped before Brock grabbed him by the neck, lifting him up by his throat and choking him.
"You have a history of FUCKING UP, Ash!" Brock shouted. "Cyrus, Ghetsis, Lysandre. Altomere. You let Latios die because you were too busy thinking of ways to stare at Misty's ass!"
He tossed Ash through the air, the trainer coughing as he got air back into his lungs. Only to look up and find himself staring up the skirt of Serena.
"I'm flattered." the Kalosian said before stepping around…and stomping her left foot onto his crotch. "You promised me I was the only one for you. You were going to tell that waterbound whore the same thing!"
Ash groaned before a foot made contact with his head.
"How could you?" came the voice of Dawn, her outfit all but in tatters, but there was nothing appealing about how she looked like a two-month old corpse left out in the sun. "You let us die! You could've saved us!"
"Now look what you've done." came the voice of May, Ash finding her normal…except for the large belly, her hand running over the child sired by rape. "I didn't ask for this…Why didn't you stop them?"
"Yes." said Iris, her neck at a bent angle, clearly broken. "Why didn't you stop what happened? Look at me, you bastard. I'm DEAD because of you."
"You killed us all because you couldn't do ANYTHING right." Brock snapped, pulling out the machine pistol used by the Rocket Admins and pointing it at Ash's head. "You never COULD."
He pulled the trigger.
Over the Pacific Ocean, en route to Ransei, 0541 hours local time, Day 251 of Ash Ketchum's Pokemon Journey
Ash would have shot out of his seat, but there was a 76 kilo Kalosian girl sitting on him, her head resting on his shoulder and one of his hands grasping something…soft.
Oh, he was going to WISH his nightmares were real.
In case anyone was wondering, YES, those were common occurrences. Ash had been having nightmares every night of that kind since he came back through time. He didn't sleep much anymore.
Pikachu might've found an appreciation for coffee, but it was Ash who needed it the most. After all, there was no escape from the demons in his mind who had nothing to do with the rentfree lodgers.
Serena moaned in her sleep, pushing herself more into Ash's unintended grasp. The trainer didn't know what was worse: him doing it in his sleep or Serena ENJOYING it.
Her eyes opened, rising up to look him in the eye, seeing the sheer terror in them before noticing where his right hand was: grasping her left breast.
The Kalosian giggled, her eyes turning pink. "If I didn't know better, my love, I'd say you were interested in my offer." she said, one iris turning red. "But I do. You were having a nightmare, sweetie. I can tell."
Ash removed his hand from her chest, looking embarrassed and scared. "Ash…" Serena said, a mix of all the personalities now. "I really don't have a problem. It was an accident and to be honest, I didn't mind it. First remotely intimate thing we've ever done."
"You've kissed me a lot." Ash said dumbly.
"I have kissed you. You have never started it or touched me in ways I WANT to be touched." Serena said, poking him in the chest. "You do know you've got permission to DO that, right? I am your wife in all but name and in three years that will change. I EXPECT you to do something. Pinch my ass, for Dialga's sake!"
"Can you two NOT?" Sabrina asked in a groan, finally raising her head up. "I don't need to hear my parents arguing over their lack of intimacy."
"Well, your father and I need to talk about it." came the more aggressive and haughty personalities. Mother chiding her daughter? "After all, you need a few little brothers and sisters."
Arceus SPARE HIM. …Ok, FUCK Arceus. Arceus was the one to put him in this position in the first place.
"In that case…" came Kyoji's voice, yawning. "Could you two take this to the cot in the back?"
Ash had enough. "Ok, stop this NOW." he demanded, tired of being teased on all sides, first looking to Kyoji. "Don't start." Then to Sabrina. "Don't encourage her." and finally to Serena. "And YOU go over to your own seat!"
"…But I am on my seat." she teased. Ash was unamused.
"Get. Off. My. Lap." he all but ordered, pushed WAY too far. Serena looked almost… pained for a second, but she did so.
"Sorry." she apologized, walking to her seat.
Kyoji glared at him. "Dude." he started. "THAT was wrong."
"Pika." 'Hate to agree with him, but he's right.' Pikachu added, poking his head out of the enlarged bag. "Pikapi." 'You practically yelled at her.'
"She kept going when I asked her to STOP, Pikachu." Ash said, trying not to lose his temper. "I'm sorry for losing it, but NOT asking her to stop it."
"Is this about that stupid vow of yours?" Kyoji snapped. "Ash, Latios is ALIVE. The minute the timeline reset and the clock started over for you, it stopped applying. You are not bound by it anymore."
Ash turned his head towards Kyoji. "It doesn't work that way." he retorted. "Reset or not, Latios is still DEAD in the original timeline. I fucked up and I am OWNING that fuck up, just like you are with recent events."
Kyoji winced at the reminder. Him and Ash were WAY too much alike. "That doesn't mean you can push them away." he said. "They love you."
"And I don't deserve it after all the fuckups I've done. This timeline EXISTING is proof enough of that." Ash said, finished with the conversation.
Kyoji scowled and was about to argue more, but closed his mouth. Though not because Ash had a point.
'I can see his surface thoughts. He had one hell of a nightmare and it's coloring his thinking.' Sabrina sent telepathically.
'And…?' Kyoji thought.
'Let's put it this way, sweetheart: you don't want to see what he dreamed up.' his girlfriend sent. 'I think you'd rather see what I dream up.'
'What YOU dream up is nice.' Kyoji teased before looking at Ash, who tried to go back to sleep. …then Kyoji noticed flaking under his eyes. Was Ash wearing makeup?
…He was. Flesh tone under his eyes. And under the flaking makeup were deep, dark purple bags.
Oh, boy. That explained an awful lot…
Those only formed from long bouts of sleep deprivation. And Ash had been around for almost nine months before the timeline reset. Kyoji had experience with it, too, but only for three or four months.
What kind of nightmares were poking around his head? And how much were the result of his unwanted houseguests?
Serena would be mad… but she noticed the same thing sooner.
'Judging from what we saw, I estimate the amount of sleep he has weekly to average at 9 to 10 hours a week.' Rey said, her monotone voice threatening to break and show how she was very, VERY, VERY MAD at whatever was causing his lack of sleep.
Sleep was necessary for the brain to rest. For the mind to just shut down and go into… well, sleep mode. Those who went without for long periods… Ash was showing them WHY.
Irritable. Cranky. Low on patience and tolerance. And slowly but surely devolving into paranoia, reclusiveness and eventually… suicide.
'We need to help him sleep.' Yuno demanded. 'We need to get inside his head and-'
'Get ourselves killed?' Hime interjected. 'He saw the Distortion Realm without protection. We go in there, we'll see what he saw and you heard what happened to that Hypno.'
'…there are six of us.' Rey pointed out. 'If we are to deal with his pain, we could last longer before we had to get out.'
'No.' Astral Serena snapped, getting the corporeal, mentally fractured counterpart's attention. 'You might be pains in my rear end, but I don't want you all sacrificing yourselves for something that might not work and probably get us all killed!'
It was selfish, but also true. They were six people in one body and a ghost floating around. And frankly, getting themselves killed wouldn't help Ash one bit.
They all collectively noticed Ash walking to the back of the flying boat, where there was a small washroom. They were going to be meeting the Ranseian Emperor, so he was probably going to freshen up.
And apply more concealer to hide the massive purple bags under his eyes.
It was a good thing his mom hadn't noticed or said anything about him stealing her makeup.
Everyone knew he was screwed up enough. He didn't need them to know he was suffering from nightmares every night.
Or they already knew but were being kind enough to not mention it. There was nothing they could do.
Talking would probably lessen the impact, but it wouldn't do anything to solve it.
(Especially since, while his unwanted guests were not the cause - that was SOLELY on Ash's guilty conscience - they were doing what they could to speed it along.)
"All passengers, this is your pilot speaking." came a voice over the PA. "We're on approach to Ransei and will be landing in a few minutes. PLease fasten seatbelts and prepare for landing."
Ash smoothed out the makeup and nodded to himself before putting the container away and leaving the washroom…
Only to run into Kyoji.
"So, when?" the Ranseian asked, very worried and very concerned.
"…Since I came back." Ash answered, knowing what he was asking.
"Eight freaking months? Good lords. No wonder you're testy." Kyoji exclaimed. "Do you want-"
"There isn't anything to talk about that I haven't already talked to Gaffery about." Ash cut off before wincing at his tone. "Sorry. You'll have to talk to him about it."
Kyoji's mouth hung open. "…He's a doctor. He's not going to tell me shit without your approval." he said after a moment.
"Consider it given." Ash replied, heading back to his seat. Pikachu gave him a look from his bag, but didn't say anything. He had to watch Ash go without sleep for months, no one able to DO anything about it.
Nothing. Worked. Talking didn't fix it. Only putting a bullet through Cyrus' head would fix it because then there would be no reason to feel guilty. And it was too soon for that. Cyrus was researching, laying low as a businessman, biding his time.
If Ash went and just put a round in his skull, not even his newfound status could get him out of there. No, he was going to force him into the open and THEN put a round in his head.
No one was going to think twice about Team Galactic's leader being put in the ground.
Then the nightmares might stop. Though how they stopped might need to be thought over.
Ranseian Empire - Aurora Province - Private seaport - 0621 hours local time
"I fail to see why we had to come out here so damn early." said a woman in her late 40s, her face showing some wrinkles and her black hair having a few strands of gray, but she still had some trace of the beauty she had when she was younger. "This… Rotan could just come to the palace and pay the respect we're due."
A chuckle came from her husband, a man with thinning gray hair, some from age - he was in his 50s - but most of it was from the stress of maintaining the Empire. In spite of it all, he was still a good, kind man.
"That would be bad form for the first meeting between Rota's monarchs to have him come to the palace, Sayaka." gently chided Emperor Tatsuhiro Yamato, ruler of Ransei. "We are equals. And we will meet him as he arrives and we will be grateful for him accepting the invitation."
"And… Why?" asked Sayaka Yamato, his wife and Empress. "We have been enemies for thousands of years."
"And we have been enemies for so long, we don't even remember WHY it started to begin with." Tatsuhito retorted calmly. "When that happens, the time for reconciliation and friendship has come."
"Must we?" asked his son, Komuahito, Crown Prince of Ransei, who looked much like his father, but with his mother's almost onyx eyes. "There's no point."
"To heal the gaping wounds in our nations, we must end this pointless rivalry. To show we are better then the ones that started it Arceus above knows how long ago." the Emperor answered. "How else can we move forward?"
Sayaka huffed at that before they heard the buzzing of a prop engine. They were here.
"I can see it!" Kyoji exclaimed, tapping on Ash's shoulder to get him to look through the window. Ash, tired and generally just not willing to fight, moved over to look through the same window.
"Either that's a coincidence or Arceus has an ego the size of your region." Ash said dryly. He had a point: Ransei looked almost EXACTLY like Ash remembered the Creator Pokemon looking like.
Kyoji chuckled. "You can understand why the Royal Family seems to think every Emperor's the Chosen of Arceus." he said, amused.
Said Chosen snorted. "If they want the title, they can have it." he said. "Hell, they can take the job, too. Let them do all of Arceus' gofer work."
Kyoji gave him a disapproving look. "Really?" he asked.
"Seven freaking years. NOT counting the reset. No breaks, no rest." Ash replied. "I wanted to journey, not get constantly stuck cleaning up Arceus' messes."
Kyoji really didn't have a real counter to that. He'd seen soldiers go on mission after mission, burning out slowly, never able to rest or take leave.
The closest Ash got to that was Alola… and even then, he was STILL at work, even at a reduced scale. No real chance at rest, to recover mentally. So really, there was no real way to counter the fact that the Chosen One just outright said being the Chosen One SUCKED because he knew from personal experience that it DID.
"Look, you finally got a chance to relax." the Ranseian assured. "Ransei is peaceful. Sure, there's the whole Ferrum thing, but everything's fine. You won't have to do anything except relax."
Ash gave him a look all but saying 'seriously? With my history and my luck, you're saying THAT?'. Kyoji understood his cynicism. He had it himself after turning in his family to the law. Years of living on the street made him feel defeatist and once or twice when it was just too hard to keep going…
He was just lucky to have Charizard, then Charmander, Gible, Galvantula/Joltik and Natu to help him keep going. Ash had his own team and his girlfriends-in-all-but-name, but his situation was a little more extreme.
But maybe, MAYBE, they would get him to rest. A month's worth of resting, sightseeing…Kyoji grinned. Oh, he knew the first place they were going after they got settled!
He'd LOVE it!
The plane landed, setting on the water before gently moving to the dock, Tatsuhito disappointed in his family.
His wife was fanning her face with a paper fan, his son looked bored and annoyed.
Why didn't they understand this was a moment that needed to happen? That they HAD to reconcile for Ransei to reconnect with the wider world?
They were lost in their own little worlds, thinking Ransei was the only thing that mattered. His thoughts were interrupted by the door of the flying boat opening, allowing him to see his counterpart from Rota.
He wore a simple pair of jeans, shoes, a black shirt, a blue jacket with short white sleeves and a cap bearing that year's Kanto League logo.
"That's it?" his son demanded. "He wears the clothes of a commoner-"
"The royalty of Rota know the needs of their people better then any because they leave their palace and walk amongst them." Tatsuhito said, smiling, knowing that had NOT changed. "Pride only comes when they have served their people. How I envy them."
Sayaka scoffed as the rest of the party exited. She was not impressed with any of them. "Commoner whores, the lot of them." she sneered, looking at the redhead and the brown haired ones with shorts and shirts that exposed too much of their busts, like prostitutes. "How can they retain their bloodline if they dilute it with the blood of commoners?"
"The one in pink is Kalosian." Komuahito said. "An attractive one…"
"I wouldn't, if I were you…" his father warned, smiling as Ash made his approach, his royal harem and guard trailing behind him slightly before his eyes landed on the soldier from Ransei, the one he gave direct orders to guard Ash with his life.
Kyoji Akamura. Scion of the now-disgraced Akamura Clan. He couldn't focus on that.
Ash approached, a Pikachu sitting on his shoulder as the old man extended a hand.
"On behalf of the Ranseian Empire, I extend the hand of friendship." he said, looking at the young to-be King of Rota.
"Uh… thank you." Ash said, taking the offered hand. "I'm Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town."
Komuahito snorted. "Not even a proper Rotan." he said.
"Komuahito!" his father snapped. "Not every royal family works the same way ours does. And you will show him the respect he is due."
Komuahito scoffed. "What respect?" he demanded. "He hasn't done-"
"Your Highness." Kyoji cut off. "There was a disruption in the weather, correct?"
The Emperor nodded. "We had a freak snowstorm throughout the region." he answered. "Why?"
"That was caused by some nut trying to capture the Lugia responsible for regulating the ocean currents." Kyoji continued. "Ash stopped him. Before THAT, he went to Orre, put Cipher all the way into the ground and stopped a crazy Legendary from trying to kill everything on the planet." A moment passed as he seemingly thought of something, rubbing his chin before snapping his fingers. "Oh and he purified Yveltal."
Tatsuhito's respect for the boy only increased. So much in so short a time. Sure, he read the reports, but to have them confirmed by someone there…
Sadly, Komuahito didn't enjoy that, scowling further. Then his eyes turned to the Kalosian girl.
Who smiled sweetly, yet… not as she met his son's gaze. His gaze turned from interested to terrified as she blinked and her eyes turned pink.
"Dame Serena Yvonne Gabena." she introduced, Tatsuhito almost feeling sorry for his boy. "Ash's wife."
Forget almost.
"We're not married." Ash said, releasing the Emperor's hand, Kyoji facepalming for some reason. Apparently, things were complicated. But the emperor was tactful enough not to inquire.
"In any case, welcome to Ransei." he said. "Come! We will show you to your rooms."
"If I may interject, your majesty…" came the voice of a stern, annoyed old man. Tatsuhito knew the type: a Rotan Royal Guardsman, as the man stepped forward
The eagle on his uniform also indicated he was a Horusian.
Oh, dear. Nothing like a zealot to ruin someone's day.
"I trust absolutely NONE of you." the old man continued. "You had a direct hand in my lord's grandfather's death and I am NOT having a repeat of that. I will PERSONALLY ensure whatever lodging he's staying at is assassin-proof."
"Taggard, do NOT start with that crap-" Ash started.
"Taggard? Ulysses Taggard?" Tatsuhito asked. "Last of Jaemon's royal guard. And understandably beyond paranoid for his master's safety."
Taggard scowled. "We took a vow at the death of our king." he said. "Never forgive. Never forget."
"I do not ask you to forgive." Tatsuhito stated.
"There is nothing TO forgive." Ash interjected, annoyed by this fighting. "You haven't done anything but be supportive. Kyoji's helped in everything that's happened, so… there's nothing to forgive. Just… thanks for the help."
Mother and son gagged at the lack of proper decorum. Tatsuhito just laughed. An honest man! He could enjoy the company of someone that refused to play the great game of political foolishness for a while.
Ash clearly wasn't interested in playing it, either. "Can we get settled?" he asked. "I think you want to have a long talk with me."
"Indeed I do, young Ash." the Emperor said. "Indeed I do."
"Nice save." Kyoji whispered to Ash as they walked up the path. "Taggard was going to cause PROBLEMS. Asshole."
"The only reason he's here is because Iline probably thinks I can't take care of myself." Ash said as they walked up a scenic mountain path to a small mansion. "Besides, your Emperor seems like a pretty relaxed guy."
Kyoji scoffed. "Relaxed? He's probably happy to be dealing with an equal for the first time ever," the Ranseian said. "See, the Emperor is THE highest authority. He has practically unlimited power, but never uses it unless the Diet is deadlocked and the Ministers can't do anything. You are Crown Prince of Rota, Ash. You're probably the only one outside the Royal Family equaling his position."
"What about the Champions?" Ash asked, now curious.
Kyoji gave him a sly look. "You might not know it, but the rest of the world's been living under military dictatorship since the Cipher War." he said. "Sure, it's benevolent because they WANT to restore their civilian governments, probably because they can't keep hold of EVERY trainer, but the Champions are basically military dictators. General Hiruzen would be their counterpart."
A member of the Ranseian Royal Guard shepherded the girls down another path towards their own rooms, Ash grateful for a little time alone from the fairer sex.
"And maybe, JUST maybe, you'll relax enough to enjoy your time with the girls." Kyoji said, grinning. "Maybe they'll chase the nightmares away. Arceus knows you need the help in THAT."
Ash sighed. "Kyoji… do you want to know what I dream about when I actually do sleep?" he asked, turning his head to look at him while they kept walking.
"I have a very bad feeling I don't want to, but your shrink's back in Kanto, so…" he shrugged. "Go ahead."
Ash let out a breath. "I dream about everyone I let down by not taking out Cyrus when I had the chance." he started as they entered the rustic building, which reminded him of Ecruteak back in Johto. "Would you like to picture Misty as a zombie? Or-"
"Good Gods, man, you have survivor's guilt out the ass." Kyoji cut off as they just wandered the residence, occasionally hearing Taggard yell at something. "Look, it's ok to be alive. You're not responsible for what happened. You didn't cause what happened and there was NO WAY you could've stopped him back then. You're getting ready now. That's all that matters."
Both came to a stop at a door, Ash looking at Kyoji as he opened it. "That doesn't mean much when-" He shut his mouth at seeing who was inside.
A beautiful young woman with long black hair, onyx eyes, well toned legs and arms, barely covered by underwear and she was in the middle of securing her bra holding her sizable assets in check.
"Oh, shit." Ash muttered before the woman screamed, securing her bra and grabbing a sword on the bed, drawing it and lunging at Ash.
Entry 104: Emperor Tatsuhiro Yamato
At 54, Tatsuhiro has guided Ransei through most of the Age of Shadow with an isolationist policy out of necessity, but vowed at a young age to reconnect with the world once it came to an end.
Thanks to Ash Ketchum, that is now possible.
A man with no political equal in his region, he is in fact eager to seek a friend, one who does not have to bow to his power. In his later years, he has become somewhat disillusioned with near-absolute power and wants to understand the common people as the Rotan kings do.
He is married to Sayaka Yamato and has two children: Komuahito and Tatsuki.
Entry 105: Sayaka Yamato
Wife of Tatsuhito, the woman could be called the stereotypical melting pot of noblewoman cliches: haughty, wanting power and willing to do whatever it takes to get it.
For most of her life, however, she has been unable to do so, married to the Emperor and siring two children with him.
She is, effectively, a trophy wife, but her husband does not hate her, merely that she would look at the positive side of life.
Ron the True Fan: Welcome to Ransei. Please have your passport at the ready and prepare for all different kinds of PAIN.
Takeshi Yamato: Yep. And new region, new girl, as per the routine. And it's not my idea this time! …Well, sorta. You'll see.
Ron the True Fan: Oh, it is most CERTAINLY your fault. YOU opened the floodgates. For context, I had a fixed number for Ash's harem/reason-to-LIVE: seven. Misty, Serena, May, Anabel, Dawn-(BANG! GIB!) …Iris and one who will NOT be identified just yet. Janine was, to be blunt, a coin flip as to whether or not she would. As she's not here…
Takeshi Yamato: Yeah, the coin flip landed in the wrong direction. And yes, I opened the floodgates by adding Robin. What I MEANT was, the character wasn't my idea this time.
Ron the True Fan: As with EVERYTHING Ransei, Jorn's the one to come up with this one. But seeing as he created her character and gave me some strict rules to follow, which I am TO THE LETTER, but otherwise it's my problem, I'll handle it from here. In case you're wondering… yes, the girl above is Crown Princess Tatsuki Yamato. No relation to Take. …OR IS THERE?!
Takeshi Yamato: …We'll explain that later. In any case, I need a break now, a break from beta-ing and a break from notes. Don't expect the next chap until early April. AT THE EARLIEST.
Ron the True Fan: Seeing as I need to get shit done for vids, sadly I must make you wait. Consider it like this: the more backlog I have, the more I can put out.
Ja Ne!