Notes:
Usually I don't do notes up here but as I am also posting on ao3 for this fic, I had stuff up here in the pre-chapter notes area. So I'll add it here.
( This is my first post on ao3 cause I've always been on ff .net but pretty excited to post here.) - omit.
Anyways I uploaded the first three chapters in this story kind of like an intro arc. Sort of how shows release the first few episodes and then the rest are released weekly, (not saying my fic will be updated weekly but you get the idea) kind of like that. Thanks for clicking on my story and hope you enjoy :)
Also Ash and the majority of his travel mates are 17/18 in this story, of course not counting the ones who are clearly older
Whenever Wherever and The Endless Ways I'll Keep Loving You
Ep 1: Time In A Bottle
"Ash Ketchum! Can you tell us where you're headed?"
"Sir can you speak on how Leon is doing?"
"What's next on the agenda Ash? Another region?"
"Where to Ash Ketchum?"
"Tell us how the Council of Champions is treating you!"
"How's monarch life so far?"
"Have fun at the party Ash?"
"Ash I love you!!"
Bright lights and questions flew all around Ash, who was trying to make his way through the crowd. Reporters and journalists were all crowding around his exit, due to the event Ash found himself to be leaving. Not to mention the countless amount of fans that were also gathered to catch a glimpse of the Monarch. To his right, a camera flash went off, and to his left, questions were thrown at him non stop. Another sudden flash went off in his face causing Ash to squint and recoil from the surprise. Pikachu, who currently was on his shoulder, loved all the fans here for his trainer. The furry yellow rodent was waving at everyone and giving the camera a bright smile. All these people were here tonight as the evening's event was well known as an annual charity event that always featured the strongest trainers around the world as well as many former and current champions of the regions. Ash, who just won the title of Monarch a month ago, felt obligated to attend and make an appearance.
Now that the event was over, Ash Ketchum found himself ready to go home after surprisingly burning out his social battery. The onslaught of questions wore him down as well as engaging in conversation with every popular and high status person present due to his new status. It didn't help that Ash wasn't the biggest fan of these types of events either.
As Ash worked his way past the crowd that was swarming him, a helpful bodyguard appeared and managed to help create a path for Ash to walk down. Eventually he reached a black SUV that stood alone at the end of the street. The bodyguard opened the door for Ash and with a little push from behind, he was able to get the young man into the car safely. With a slam of the door behind him, Ash took a moment to settle down and take a breath. Despite being Monarch for a month now, he hadn't got used to all the newfound fame that followed him everywhere. At first he was happy to become the best in the world and being recognized for that achievement. But after the first few rounds of being bombarded by press and fans, he found that the celebrity lifestyle might not be the thing for him. Ash thought he would be able answer everyone's questions when asked and he thought getting to meet all of these new people would be amazing. He quickly learned that was not the case. Too many questions than he could answer, with some being questions he didn't even want to answer truthfully anyways. And the new people he met? Well everyone wasn't like the people he met on his adventures.
With a sigh, Ash leaned back in the seat and ran a hand through his hair. He felt a little awkward not having his signature hat with him tonight, but the dress code wouldn't allow it. Ash was wearing a well tailored suit that was given to him with his new status as Monarch. Feeling all uncomfortable, he untucked his white button down, loosened his tie, and took off the navy blue coat that was well fitted for his body. Lights were still flashing outside and some people decided to even tap on his windows to try and get his attention. The noise, although not as loud anymore, came through the car muffled and filled the air. Music from the radio was playing through the car speakers however, blocking out some noise at least. From the front seat, his driver turned around and looked at the young man. Ash's Driver was an elderly man with gray hair on his head. His beard was also the same color of gray and the man wore glasses to help his sight. He was a kind man and enjoyed his job as a personal driver. He was especially happy getting to be assigned to drive Ash wherever he wanted.
"Everything alright Mr. Ketchum?"
Ash took no time in responding to his driver. As Pikachu was stretching his limbs in the seat next to him, his dampened mood started to turn lighter. Ash enjoyed his driver, a man who really helped him handle his new popularity.
"Everything's good, Christoph."
"I'm assuming you want to go straight home tonight?"
"Yes please. Thank you."
Ash smiled at his driver. He knew that the man felt Ash's tiredness and he was ready to go home to rest. With a start, the car began to slowly roll forward, with the crowd that gathered around them slowly starting to disperse to make way for the SUV. Eventually, they escaped the crowd and began rolling down the street, passing by onlookers and pedestrians lining the sidewalks. Pikachu was laying down next to Ash on his back, he looked tired after posing for all those pictures.
As the car flew down the street, the bright lights of Wyndon passed by Ash's gaze. He was staring out the window, a little lifeless from his tiredness. Ash couldn't also help but feel a little empty. Even though he's been Monarch for a month, the thought of being in one spot with no goal or dream to follow made him feel hollow. What was he to do now? Was there another league to challenge? Was there another title to gain? What was next? He didn't want to just waste away here in Galar, waiting for the next Masters Eight tournament, but he wasn't sure where to go next. Although he didn't publicly show it, Ash wished to return back to his adventuring lifestyle with his Pokemon and friends. He thought of all the great friends he's met over the years. Every region he's traveled to, every adventure he's been on, everything from his first friend in Brock to his newest in Goh. He just wanted to get away from all of this.
A thought popped up in Ash's brain, amidst his thinking. If he was Monarch, couldn't he go on break? Who was going to stop him? He knew Leon went on breaks all the time when he was Monarch, so why couldn't he? A little mad at himself, he chuckled at his new found revelation. Of course he didn't think about going on break for himself. It was a selfish move and it wasn't even an option for our nice and friendly Ash. He felt obligated to do what he thought a Monarch would do. Show up at every event, be a celebrity, and follow in the footsteps of his predecessor. But Ash was a human too, he could make decisions for himself.
"Hey Christoph?"
"Yes Mr. Ketchum?"
"Everyone wouldn't be mad if I went on a vacation right?"
"What do you mean?"
"Like if I decided to take a break from everything, I could do that right?"
"Mr. Ketchum," Christoph could tell the boy had some thoughts he needed help sifting through. He had done this many times this past month anyways. "No one here is expecting you to stay here forever. You're the Monarch. You can do what you want, go where you want, be who you want to be."
Ash sat there, listening intently to his trustworthy driver.
"The Monarch role doesn't even need to stay in Galar. You could go and live in Kanto or Kalos if you wanted."
Ash continued to listen to his driver. The words coming from his mouth helped Ash make some decisions within his head.
"You could even go on those adventures you love going on. There's nothing stopping you."
"But what about my duties as Monarch?"
"What duties? The publicity events to help your image? No one is forcing you to go to those."
"But Leon did and he was Monarch…"
"Leon was one for the celebrity life. There's no rule book on how you have to be Monarch. The only rule for being Monarch, is to be a beacon of hope and support for everyone. Show everyone you're a leader, that you're trustworthy, and that everyone can depend on you. Other than that, you're free to be who you want."
"I see…"
"And the publicity will follow you everywhere you go of course. You don't have to worry about that."
"I guess so…"
"And those charity events? They help your social standing of course, but Ash, you're already a nice person. Everyone can see that. You don't need an event to tell everyone how selfless you are."
"I think that really helped Christoph, thank you."
"As always Mr. Ketchum."
With his thoughts swirling around in his brain, Ash decided to let it simmer a bit within him and stare at the pretty lights that whizzed by him. They looked good after all.
Eventually the car arrived in a parking garage where Ash's apartment was connected to. Along with winning the title of Monarch, a benefit was getting a nice, premium apartment suite that was nested at the top of a luxurious tower. The SUV parked in the spot next to the elevator and with thanks to Christoph, Ash hopped out of the car with Pikachu and into the elevator. Pikachu was knocked out as Ash carried him in his arms, carefully moving so as to not wake up the mouse. As the lift rose, Ash took another sigh and looked at his partner in his arms.
"How would you feel about going home for a bit buddy? While we think through some stuff."
Pikachu murmured a little something through his sleep. Sounded like he agreed.
"We'll talk about it later then."
As the elevator reached the top, a ding signaled the opening of the doors. They slid apart allowing Ash to carry his best friend with him to his apartment. As Ash walked down the hall and to his door, he opened it with a keycard and swiped it against the scanner, ready to go to bed.
The next morning, Ash Ketchum woke up with the bright midday sun shining through his window. He decided to sleep in today, not really caring for what he wanted to do. Pikachu was by his side, greeting him the instant his eyes opened to start the day.
"Pika!"
"Morning there buddy."
Still a little groggy, Ash sat up in his bed and started petting Pikachu's head. Ash looked around his room and watched how everything was illuminated by the sun. There were large windows to his right that were covered by curtains to give some privacy, but they weren't perfect for blocking out the sun.
"Hey Pikachu?"
The yellow rodent looked up from Ash's hand and beamed at his trainer.
"How would you feel about going home for a bit? Y'know relaxing or whatever."
Ash scratched his cheek instinctively, it was like muscle memory to him. Almost instantly, the little rodent hopped up and was excited to hear the words about wanting to go back home. Pikachu loved returning to Kanto after every adventure and it was a nice way to unwind after a long journey. However this time, they decided to stay for a while at their ending destination of Galar.
"Sounds like a yes to me." Ash smiled, he too shot out of bed after instantly hearing Pikachu's approval and began to run towards his closet.
"I don't have much to pack so I think we could leave today!" Ash yelled from the closet.
Pikachu made his way to the kitchen to find some food. He heard Ash's muffled voice and gave a loud "Pika!" to acknowledge his trainer.
As Ash was inside his closet, he realized how little he actually had. Inside, there were suits hung on hangers that were given to him as a gift for winning the Monarch title. There was a black set, the navy blue set he wore last night, and a gray colored suit which he was yet to wear. Thinking about it, Ash thought he should bring these home, as they were a gift given to him and his mom would probably love to see them in person. As well as maybe he'd need to use them again at some point.
Next to the suits was his trademark blue vest that he wore everyday. There were two pairs of them as well as the pants he seems to wear everyday and the shirts he seems to wear everyday. Not much variation in Ash's wardrobe. In a separate drawer, Ash's clothes for sleeping and chilling were folded neatly, which contained a plain white shirt and blue shorts. There were once again, only two pairs of each. Ash couldn't help but chuckle embarrassingly at his lack of clothes. With a quick movement, he grabbed everything and put it in the duffel bag he carried around for all his travels. The suits were put in their bags and Ash carried them, along with the duffel bag, into the bedroom part of his room.
There wasn't much to pack as Ash finished his cleaning of the apartment. He was thankful to the council for giving him this space to live in until he decided what he wanted to do next. Ash didn't know what to do with the place anyways, as he really wasn't going to live here forever. He'll always have access to this apartment, so he could come back whenever. With a quick change into his signature outfit, Ash grabbed his bags and slung them over his shoulder.
Ash carried his stuff to the living room of the apartment and saw Pikachu on the counter in the kitchen, nibbling on a piece of bread. There were crumbs everywhere but he didn't seem to mind.
"I'm gonna call Leon and let him know where we're going."
Ash pulled out his Rotom phone and scrolled through his contacts until he found Leon's. In his month spent as Monarch, Ash decided to spend some time learning how to use his phone, in order to communicate with whoever. He wasn't a pro at it yet but he could manage calling people and sending the occasional text.
With a click, Ash began a video call with Leon and almost instantly, the former Monarch answered.
"Hey there Ash! What does the Monarch want from me today?"
Leon's smile was unwavering. He enjoyed getting calls from Ash despite his busy schedule.
"I was just letting you know I think I'm going to go back home to Kanto, rest up and relax."
Leon chuckled a bit.
"Alright sounds good Ash, I was wondering when you were going to leave this place."
Ash laughed a bit. He realized just how much he didn't need to follow in Leon's footsteps and to go out and make his own path.
"You got your tickets?"
"Uhmm…"
Ash scratched his cheek. He completely forgot about how he was going to get back home.
"Sounds like a no. Don't worry pal, you get flights for free and everything."
Leon laughed, it was fun teaching his successor how to use his Monarch powers.
"Oh ok, so I just go and book the flight at the airport?"
"Yea you could do that, the workers there will instantly recognize you."
"Thanks Leon! And thanks for all the help you've given me!"
"No problem kid. Glad to be of service. Have fun in Kanto!"
"See ya! We'll see each other again soon, I'm sure of it!"
"I'll hold you to that Ash!"
Leon grinned as he hung up the phone, ending the video call. Ash smiled after his interaction with Leon, he always feels good whenever he talks to him.
"Alright buddy you hear that? We can go straight to the airport, c'mon!"
Pikachu's ears perked up and his eyes widened in excitement. He too was ready to fly back home. The mouse shoved the rest of his bread into his mouth and quickly ran to his trainer, scaling his shoulder and resting on his rightful place. Ash grabbed a piece of bread from the counter as well and in an instant, the two were out the door and on their way down to the parking garage.
As they arrived, Ash pulled his phone out once again and gave Christoph a call to pick him up. The chauffeur responded immediately and told Ash he was on his way. As the two stood in the garage awaiting their ride, Ash set his bag down on the floor. He felt relieved that he was on his way out of Galar surprisingly. Not that he disliked the region but the popularity and celebrity status seemed to tire him out. Ash just wanted to rest and get his mind right before his next step in life, whatever it may be.
Eventually, Christoph arrived with the car and pulled up in front of the waiting Ash and Pikachu. The two entered the same black SUV from the night before and quickly got settled in the middle row seats they always sit in.
"Where to Mr. Ketchum?"
"The airport please. I think I'm going to be leaving Galar now."
"Sounds good Mr. Ketchum."
Christoph shifted the gear from park into drive and made his way down the multi level parking garage. As he descended the ramps, he decided to engage in conversation with Ash.
"So you took our conversation in consideration last night I assume?"
"Yep. You really helped me out there, thanks for that."
"It was my pleasure, Mr. Ketchum. I'm just glad you don't feel chained down anymore."
"So am I." Ash smiled to the kind man. "I'm glad to be moving on from this region, no offense."
"None taken sir."
"It just really feels more like me y'know? I never really stay in one spot now that I think about it, and being here for the past month really messed with me a little."
"I understand that. You've been known to be traveling between regions quite frequently."
Ash couldn't help but nod his head. Being tied down in Galar, and one place specifically, really wasn't what Ash was used to. He was one to go out and explore the world, going on adventures, and experiencing new things.
"I will say, I will miss driving you around Mr. Ketchum. You've been an excellent person to serve."
"And you've been a great friend and driver, Christoph! I'll miss having you drive me around too."
"Glad to hear that, Mr. Ketchum."
"Don't worry though, I'll be back in this region sooner or later. It's part of being Monarch right?"
Christoph chuckled at the boy. "You're correct, you'll be back at some point."
As their conversation came to a close, it seemed it ended at the perfect time with Christoph pulling the car into the airport's drop off area. Christoph shifted the car into park and allowed Ash to exit with his bag and partner. Ash stepped out onto the sidewalk where he turned to face the SUV that took him all over the region. Christoph lowered the passenger window to give Ash an easy way to talk.
"I'll see you later then."
"That's right, I'll see you later Mr. Ketchum."
With the tinted window raising back up, and the car shifted into drive, Christoph started to drive away from Ash. The young trainer and his Pikachu rested on his shoulder waved at the fading car with the slight feeling of sadness filling within them. Ash couldn't help but feel bittersweet at the goodbye, Christoph was the man he arguably spent the most time with in his month here in Galar. Inside the leaving SUV, the old man felt the same way. Christoph was always there to support Ash in his struggles to handle his new found fame. He was there to give words of encouragement and advice whenever the young Monarch needed it. The two were sad to see each other go, but knowing Ash, they were bound to see each other in the future again.
"Welp, let's go get our tickets buddy."
Ash picked up his duffel bag with Pikachu maintaining his spot on Ash's right shoulder. The two walked through the sliding glass doors and into the airport, on their way back to Kanto.
Despite the flight arriving in the evening, around 5 to 6pm, it felt like one of the fastest flights ever to Ash. It seemed as if Ash and Pikachu were the first off the plane and the first ones to step foot in Kanto from the group that was taking the trip from Galar to their current region. The two stepped out from the Saffron City Airport and into the bustling metropolis that greeted them. Taking in the sights, it felt good to be back in the region of Kanto.
"I'm pretty sure mom doesn't know we're here yet buddy. Let's surprise her, yea?"
Pikachu nodded at his trainer. Usually at the end of every journey, Ash's mom would be aware of a timeframe that Ash would be coming back home. This time however, Ash never gave his mom the heads up and the two pals decided to have some fun. They never really have the opportunity to do this kind of thing anyways.
Reaching to his side, Ash grabbed one of his pokeballs and enlarged it, releasing one of his party members. With a bright light that shot out of the ball, Dragonite appeared from the beam, materializing in front of Ash and Pikachu.
"Hey Dragonite! How're you doing?"
Happy to be out of her pokeball for a bit, Dragonite gave Ash a big hug. After pulling away, the large dragon looked around at her surroundings. She quickly deduced that this wasn't Wyndon or even Galar anymore. The place looked more familiar to her.
"We're back in Kanto, how about that?"
With a little clap and happy dragon noises, Dragonite seemed excited to be back in Kanto. Being the smart dragon she is, she deduced that they were going back home. Dragonite turned around and gave Ash a clear signal that she was ready to carry him and fly back to Pallet town.
"Almost like you read my mind." Ash laughed at his Pokémon's eagerness to return home. "Ok let's go home then."
Ash was smiling as he mounted his Dragonite. With his duffel bag behind him and Pikachu sandwiched between his body and Dragonite's back, the flying dragon took off for the skies and began its flight to the place where it all began. The wind wrapped around Ash and Pikachu, with Ash's hat threatening to come off at any moment. With one hand, Ash held his hat down while the other held onto Dragonite's soaring body.
The breathtaking view of Kanto from miles up was a sight Ash could never get tired of. Seeing the lush scenery fly by was a sight to behold and he was proud to call Kanto his home. Through the air they passed by flocks of Pidgeys and Pidgeotto, migrating to wherever they went.
After a quick flight, the dragon plane arrived in Pallet town before the sun even set. Dragonite touched down right in front of Ash's home, with a loud thud and dirt flying up from the impact.
"Welcome home guys."
Ash hopped off Dragonite and thanked her for the travel, returning her into a pokeball. Pikachu couldn't wait to go inside as he hopped off Ash's shoulder and darted straight for the front door. As the yellow rodent was making his way, the front door to Ash's home opened and they were greeted by a brown haired woman.
"Ash! You're home!"
With a smile, Ash Ketchum readjusted his duffel bag on his shoulder and had a little jog on his way to greet his mother. Pikachu got to Delia first however, and jumped right into her awaiting arms.
"Haha, yep you're home too Pikachu!"
Hugging the Pokemon, Delia felt happy to see her son once again. It's been a while after all.
"You didn't tell me you were coming home!"
"We wanted to surprise you! Thought it would be fun."
"Well I'm glad you guys are here. Come on in, I just got done making dinner!"
Ash practically jumped up the steps to their front door and followed Delia into their humble abode. With the door closing behind Ash, he took a second to take in the sights of the house he lived in. The smell of the freshly cooked dinner filled his nostrils and the home looked practically the same as always, with the only difference being the new addition in the living room. Next to the tv, a glass case was standing, containing every trophy, ribbon, and accomplishment Ash had collected over the years. Intrigued by the new display, Ash walked over to it after setting his duffel bag down by the stairs.
"This is new. when did you do this?" Ash eyed his most recent win, which was already on display within the case.
Delia noticed the boy walking over to the living room's center piece, she smiled that Ash recognized her new addition.
"Well you don't really spend too much time at home nowadays, always going to different regions. So I decided to move the trophies from your room to here."
"I guess they were just collecting dust up there."
"Bingo. Plus it looks good whenever somebody comes by and sees. It makes me so proud of you everytime I look, I mean it Ash."
"Thanks mom."
"As always Ash."
Backing away from the case, Ash walked over to the kitchen table where Delia was sitting, getting ready to eat her dinner. As Ash took a seat, Delia turned the tv on, putting on the news to have as background noise.
"So how was Galar? More specifically the month you spent as Monarch."
"It was tiring mom. I honestly don't think that lifestyle is me."
Ash sighed a bit as he poked through his food.
"I can tell. In those interviews and tabloids, you always seemed a little off. Was it just too much?"
"I think so. Just felt overwhelmed I guess."
"You don't have to… go back to that do you? I hate to see my boy dislike his life so much."
"I thought I did but some people there helped me out a lot. Made me realize that there's more to being Monarch than just being a celebrity."
"I'm glad you had good friends there to help you then. Is living in Galar going to be the next move for you?"
"Well I thought I had to stay there but I guess being Monarch I can really stay wherever I want."
"That's great honey! So what's next on the agenda then?"
Knowing her son, Delia knew that the boy would be up and moving again after finding a new goal to work towards.
"Honestly mom? I'm not sure."
A little surprised, Delia looked at her son sincerely. "That's a new one. Never heard you say that before."
"I'm just not too sure what to do next. I think I'm going to stay here for a while and think about it."
"Stay here as long as you want. I mean it's your house too."
Delia decided to not press the boy any further as she knew he would come to a conclusion eventually. The two (and Pikachu) ate the rest of their dinner in silence, enjoying the other's company more than engaging in random conversation. The news broadcast played in the background, filling the empty space.
"I think after dinner I'll go over to Professor Oak's lab. I'm sure he'll be happy to see me."
"I'm sure he will be ecstatic, Ash. Don't worry about the dishes, I'll take care of them tonight."
"Thanks mom. By the way, how's Pallet house doing? Business still going well?"
"Being the only restaurant in town, it's going great. Seeing the regulars and chatting it up with them is always a great time."
"I'm glad to hear that."
"And now that you're here, you're going to have to help out." Delia grinned, she knew her son had a dislike for working at the restaurant sometimes.
"Yea yea I'll help out."
The two continued their meal while watching the news catch up on latest events. After the segment for local Kanto news, the broadcast switched over to their segment on upcoming and breaking news from all over the globe.
"Starting off in Alola, Melemele island is having the Victor and Puka Big Wave invitational. As we all know this is the prestigious Mantine Surfing competition that only happens every few years, depending on the conditions of the waves. The last time this event occurred was 2 years ago! Good luck to all competitors in this iconic event."
"Next in Unova, those look alike contests seem to be going crazy all over the region. It started with champion Steven of the Hoenn region and even included some of Unova's gym leaders such as Cheren. Even an Ash Ketchum look alike contest was held, way to go Monarch!"
Ash, learning about the silly story, couldn't help but laugh and blush as bit at the thought of people trying to impersonate him. Especially the part about dressing up like him. Felt oddly familiar…
Delia couldn't help but laugh with Ash. It was funny that people were dressing up like her own son.
"Not much else going on in the rest of our world except for our lovely region of Kalos. We've saved the best for last of course."
The mention of Kalos brought Ash's attention back to the screen.
"The Master Class Showcase Tournament will be happening this month, officially announced by Monsieur Pierre on social media. Of course we all had a suspicion it was going to happen soon, as the reports of the talented performers arriving in Gloire city were coming out. This year's group seems to be very competitive too, excited to see those girls perform and see who will be crowned Kalos Queen."
"That's all for our news today, we'll see you guys tomorrow with the next broadcast of Kanto News."
The mention of Kalos Queen got Ash to think a little bit. It's been a while since he thought of his adventures in Kalos but the memories will always stay with him for being one of his favorite adventures ever. He grew a lot in his time spent there and arguably, he had the best time there too. It didn't help that Ash wanted to go back to the time before being Monarch, making his memories of that time much more fonder. His mind then started to wander to a certain honey-blonde girl he traveled with…
"Ash, are you done with your food? You're kind of just picking at it."
With a quick snap of his head, Ash turned to face his mom, leaving the thoughts he was sidetracked by.
"Oh y- yea…"
"If you really want to go to Oak's, go right ahead. I told you I'll do the dishes tonight."
"Ah right. Thanks again mom!"
As quickly as Ash snapped back to reality, he hopped out of his chair and placed his plate in the sink. Pikachu, who finished his food at the same time, hopped on over to Ash and climbed onto his shoulder.
"Alright mom, we'll be right back!"
"See ya later Ash."
With a jolt, Ash was out the door and on his way to Oak's laboratory. Delia couldn't help but smile at the boy's energy. Despite growing up just a bit, he was still the same boy within.
As Ash was running outside on the dirt path, the evening sky was pretty to look at. The sun was setting now, casting an orange and yellow hue across the land. The fade between colors, painted in the sky, was a beautiful sight. Ash continued his jog towards Oak's lab. It wasn't far after all and Ash couldn't contain his excitement to see the old man. Dirt flew behind Ash's feet as he picked up the pace upon seeing the lab in the distance. Pikachu kept up with Ash's growing speed and was running alongside the boy, with a smile on the rodent's face too.
Eventually the two arrived at the lab and went straight for the front door. With a knock, Ash stood there, awaiting someone to greet him. Whether it was Tracey or Oak, he didn't mind.
The door opened to reveal Professor Oak, drenched in water.
"Ah! Ash my boy, hello! No one told me you were back in town!"
Ash smiled as the door was opened for him to enter. As he stepped in he felt happy to be back within Oak's lab, the place being a spot of comfort for him. In the back of the lab, Tracey was also drenched in water, dealing with 3 Squirtles.
"Yea I decided to come back home. Galar wasn't doing it for me unfortunately."
"A shame. I'm glad you're back home! How long are you planning to stay?"
"Not sure Professor. I honestly don't really know what to do next."
"I'm sure you'll find something. Perhaps there's a region you haven't explored yet. Maybe something else will call out to you. Maybe you'll revisit a region, who knows Ash!"
"Who knows indeed."
Ash walked over to Tracey who was busy trying to wrangle this little Squirtle.
"You guys having trouble?"
"These little rascals don't wanna behave! We gotta get them ready for new trainers!"
Tracey was being bombarded by water guns from the triplet troublemaker Squirtles.
"Oh, new trainers starting their journey soon?" Ash asked as he turned to Oak.
"Yep, I have a large group this time too. So we needed to have some extras in case."
"I see then. Anything I can do to help?"
"Nope, nothing. Don't worry about it Ash, you've just arrived back in town! You could help out in the lab once you've unwinded from your return."
Ash didn't see any point in arguing. "Alright if you say so."
Just then Professor Oak seemed to be reminded of something.
"Well if you do wanna help out, I have these tickets on the desk over there. I was given two, one for both me and Tracey but I don't think we'll be able to make it to the show tonight."
"What's the show?"
"It's a Pokemon contest spectacular. Kanto's been trying to make its way onto the contest spectacular scene so there's been shows popping up here and there. This one's in Viridian."
"And you want me to go?"
"Well I don't have anyone else to give the tickets to. Go ahead and use them. Me and Tracey don't have the chance to anyways."
"You sure Professor? I feel bad taking your tickets."
"Positive Ash, go enjoy the contest. I know you've had some prior experience with those before."
"I've seen a few I guess. Thank you for the tickets then!"
Ash walked over to Oak's desk and picked up the two tickets laying there. He stuffed them into his pockets and made his way back to the front door.
"Well I'll get out of your hair then. I'll be back tomorrow! Thanks for the tickets again!"
Ash opened the door and let himself out. Oak and Tracey said their goodbyes as they got drenched once again by another water gun. Walking back out to the road, Ash looked at the tickets in his pocket. The boy looked to his partner who was sitting by his feet.
"Guess we should go tell mom."
Together, the two ran back home as fast as they could to share the news with Delia. On their run back, the sun was reaching the end of cycle, almost disappearing across the horizon. As night began to fill the sky, street lamps and lights began to turn on, illuminating the streets. Ash ran up the steps on their front porch and burst through the door.
"Hey mom! Where are you?"
Noticing the absence of his mom in the kitchen or living room, Ash called out within the seemingly empty home. With a muffled voice that seemed a floor above him, Delia yelled out in response.
"I'm upstairs Ash! What do you need?"
Ash went up the stairs, skipping every other step as he ascended to the second floor. As he reached the top, he saw his mom down the hall with a stack of clothes in her arms.
"What's so important Ash?"
Delia couldn't help but chuckle at her son's eagerness to know about her whereabouts.
"Oh haha…" Ash had to take a quick breather from the running he's been doing. "Well I was just at Professor Oak's lab and he gave me these tickets for a contest spectacular tonight."
"Well that's great honey! Are you planning to go?"
"Pretty sure I will. Did you wanna come with me Mom?"
Delia gave it a quick thought before answering her son.
"Honestly I would love to but I have an early day tomorrow. I was planning to go to bed soon."
"Oh alright then. I'll see you later Mom."
"See you later too Ash, have fun and good night."
"Thanks and night mom."
Ash turned right around and made his way back down the stairs. He heard the door to his mom's room close behind him. When he reached the ground floor, he saw Mimey on the couch, watching tv.
"I'll see you later Mimey, watch mom for me."
With a thumbs up the Pokemon smiled as Ash left the house. Upon stepping out onto the street, a pokeball opened from Ash's hand, releasing his Dragonite.
"Up for another flight Dragonite?"
Always happy to fly her trainer around, Dragonite once again turned her back to allow Ash to hop on.
Overall, the contest spectacular was enjoyable to Ash. He had fun watching the competitors perform their moves for the audience to marvel at. Although this was only a normal rank spectacular, Ash still liked looking at how creative their moves could get even at a lower level. He did feel as though it wasn't as refined as what he grew accustomed to seeing. Pikachu was sitting in Ash's lap as the venue was sold out tonight, with many eager to watch. The yellow rodent enjoyed the show too but couldn't help but think of how he's seen better, with no offense to the hard working performers up there.
As the contest was coming to an end, there were only 2 competitors left to go. Thinking it was about time he went home, Ash was ready to leave the venue and take a nice long sleep in his bed.
"You ready to go bud? I'm feeling a little sleepy."
"Pika Pika!"
The announcer belted out the next competitors name with Ash not paying attention to whom it was. He was busy trying to talk to his Pokemon.
"Alright sounds good."
As Ash stood up, he took a quick glimpse at who was walking on stage. A girl wearing a yellow colored dress, with white frills that wrapped around the skirt, confidently strode out onto the stage. She had hair that went down to her upper back and part of it was tied up in a ponytail. Her honey-blonde locks seemed to sway perfectly as she gracefully made her way to the center of the stage. The sight alone caught Ash off guard. He seemed to be frozen in time, trapped there, standing and staring at the performer.
"…is that?"
With a spin, the girl faced the crowd with a smile on her face. As she did her twirl, Ash's breath hitched for a second and his heart began to beat just a bit faster. What was he feeling? He couldn't quite place his emotions but seeing this girl made his mind go into a swirl. The girl faced the crowd and looked out at the people before her. She seemed excited to be here and competing doing the thing she loves.
Ash's mood quickly turned sour. When the girl faced the crowd and when everyone could get a look at her face, Ash seemed to almost be deflated and slightly angry. It was not the person he was expecting. But what was he getting his hopes up for? He couldn't stop to think about how stupid he felt standing there hoping that a certain somebody was going to show up.
"Of course not… why would she be here?"
Ash muttered under his breath. He couldn't lie that seeing a similar color to her hair made something feel weird inside himself. Why was he hoping to see someone there at that moment? He wasn't quite sure as we walked out of the venue and into the streets of Viridian city.
Night had taken over the sky with stars dotting the dark canvas. A cool breeze blew by and Ash felt a little chilly. It was getting to be around fall time after all, and a jacket or hoodie would be needed soon. Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, Ash let his mind reset. His partner on his shoulder look concerned for the boy, with the sudden change in demeanor. As Ash walked to the edge of town, he couldn't help go back to his brain and sort through the thoughts in his head. Why did that girl invoke such a strong feeling within him? Why did he care so much to the point he was walking mindlessly? Only one word came to mind.
"Serena."
He was trying to avoid saying her name at all, almost as if he was trying to run away from her. Ash wasn't too sure why he was so conflicted upon seeing a girl that resembled her. Could he be feeling regret for his brief encounter with her at Lilycove? Could he have been longing for her all this time? Both could be true but he didn't know that for now.
With him mentioning Lilycove, it started to fill Ash's head even more. He began to think about when he saw her on the dock, running right past her and barely getting time to talk. Thinking about it, that encounter really seemed to make Ash happy at the time. He seemed to be in a good mood for that whole week and he wasn't sure why. Thinking about it now, he had somewhat of a clue. Ash's thoughts began to fill with 'what if I talked to her longer?' And 'what if I saw her again?' Many things were rushing through the young man's brain that knew nothing but battling. Perhaps this was a sign he was growing up.
But as Ash kept thinking about Serena, he remembered a little something at the end of his Kalos adventure. Well, maybe not little but a big thing that Ash tried to move on from. Not that he disliked the move by Serena and her declaration to be better and have Ash as her goal (whatever that means am I right). But he couldn't help but move on from it at the time due to his confusion. As naive as he was, he recognized now that she clearly had something for him. (Duh.)
That kiss however was put aside in Ash's brain as he struggled to understand the action. It didn't help that he traveled to Alola and competed for Monarch which put the whole thought on the back burner with Ash deciding to come back to it at some future date. It seemed that that time was now as he walked around.
"Pika?"
"Sorry buddy, I was just thinking."
"Pika pika…"
With a pat on the back of his trainer's head, Pikachu tried to console his best friend. He wasn't too sure why his partner's mood shifted so suddenly but the mouse was sure it had something to do with that girl. She certainly didn't look familiar to Pikachu, with the only thing that seemed familiar to him was the hair.
It seemed to click instantly in Pikachu's brain. The honey-blonde hair, the Kalos broadcast earlier today, Ash's mood, it all stemmed from a certain lovely girl who Pikachu loved as much as his trainer. The Pokemon could help but laugh at his trainer's incompetence, the boy was growing up and learning how to fall in love after all.
Ash couldn't help but have his thoughts filled with what if's with Serena. Thinking about her then made him think about his adventures in Kalos and how much he really wanted to go back and spend time enjoying himself like that again.
Eventually the pair reached the edge of town and once again, Ash released his Dragonite. She seemed sleepy as she was released from her Pokeball.
"One more flight home and then I'll let you sleep over at the lab, how about that?"
Dragonite more than happy to fly, once again let her trainer mount her back. With a flap of her wings, they took off into the night sky and towards Pallet town. Seeing Kanto from above and at night was another beautiful sight on its own. The moonlight illuminating the grassy fields and bodies of water made the view stunning to look at. The scenic flight was short lived as Dragonite made it back to Oak's lab in record time.
"Alright, I'll be back in the morning. Go get some rest girl, you did great today."
Ash pet his dragon one last time before she flew away over the fences and into the large area behind the lab. Dragonite disappeared from sight as Ash put his hands in his pocket and turned to leave the lab's property.
Boom…
A loud thud was heard in the distance. Ash whipped his head around to locate the source. The lab looked to be perfectly fine with nothing wrong. He then looked around his surroundings to find nothing wrong at all. Ash sprinted back to where Dragonite flew off in the distance and Ash got a glimpse of the fence and the field behind the lab. At first everything seemed normal but a faint trail of smoke could be seen coming from a forest in the distance. Ash quickly hopped the fence and sprinted to the trees, feeling anxious on what could've caused this loud noise.
As Ash dashed through the open field, he reached the entrance of the forest and quickly entered it, searching for where the smoke trail originated from. His eyes, darting from tree to tree and all over, were trying their best to look in the low light. Thankfully the moon provided some assistance with its light.
Deeper and deeper Ash went into the forest, getting partially lost along the way. Leafs and sticks crunched beneath him as he searched for anything. Within the silence of the night and the noise of his footsteps, a faint voice could be heard.
"…mmh.."
It sounded like a groan and a high pitched one at that. Remembering which direction the voice came from, Ash picked up his pace and began walking that way. Pushing through bushes and weaving through trees, he finally reached a familiar looking spot. However next to it, there seemed to be what looked to be a tear in the air leading to some other world. It looked like someone ripped through the world and created some type of portal. Within was a jumble of colors that were incomprehensible to even make out. But just as Ash got a look at the thing, it seemed to shrink in size and disappear into thin air. Confused, Ash stepped out from the bush and into the opening where he seemed to be familiar with. He would think about that portal later, he had other things to focus on.
Ash looked around the opening and remembered this place as a fond memory. As he looked ahead, there was a tree with some letters etched into the trunk. A big letter "A" was predominantly present and a tiny little "s" was right below it. This place was where Ash and Serena spent time with each other during their time in Oak's summer camp. Ash seemed to be happy that he was back here but as he remembered why he was searching, his gaze traveled beneath the marks.
A young boy laid still against the tree. Next to him, a tree split in half lay, with burn marks and charred pieces on the log. The smoke trail in the sky came from here. Ash quickly ran to the boy, quickly analyzing if anything was wrong or if he was hurt. His eyes were closed but his face looked to be in pain. He was wearing a red tank top with gray shorts and his hair seemed to be in an absolute mess. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at his surroundings, clearly taking them in.
"…mmh where am I?"
Laying against the tree, a young Ash Ketchum looked up at his older counterpart, confused and scared.
"What the hell?"
Notes:
Sorry if this chapter was boring, I thought it was needed to catch up on how Ash is doing after his win against Leon. I primarily wanted to make this fic to help improve my writing a bit and also just write about Ash and Serena. Feel free to let me know what works and what doesn't if you feel like it. I especially know the last part of this chapter was kinda iffy as I was writing that part while watching college football so I was kinda distracted. And then when editing, I went through the majority of the chapter until I got to the whole contest part and on, and well I kinda got distracted by balatro. So apologies once again but the next chapter and on should pick up and be less boring.
Thanks for reading!