Ash's Team
Styx - Hydreigon
Hemlock - Morgrem
Bane - Zoroark
Mirae - Mytheon
Sagitta - Togekiss
Libra - Hakamo-o
Castor - Krokorok
Polaris - Greninja
Artemis - Houndoom
Orion - Alolan Ninetales
Ladon - Appletun
Wisteria - Galarian Ponyta
At Oak's
Nettle - Naganadel
The benefit of being a Champion seems to be the on-call medical staff.
Even with hospitals full to bursting with the wounded, Leon had directed the two nurses the hospital could spare towards his younger brother and the random foreign kid from Kanto.
That being Ash.
His Pokémon had been swept away by a harried Nurse Joy, her eyes red rimmed and shoulders tense. Ash could understand.
The number of casualties kept rising, for both people and Pokémon alike. The initial earthquake led to a few deaths and the wave of disjointed electromagnetic radiation caused pacemakers and MRIs to fail or collapse which increased the number to a little over three hundred dead.
It was the rampaging Dynamax Pokémon and Eternatus's energy beam that caused the true calamity.
Towns were wiped off maps, cities crushed, people and Pokémon trapped beneath debris and unable to avoid the stomping steps of mindless Pokémon. Wyndon was half obliterated, Postwick was just gone, and Circhester was horribly damaged from the Dynamaxed Wailord.
Galar would feel this haunting day for years to come.
Ash wasn't always the most optimistic person, but he was clinging to the knowledge that if they hadn't stopped Eternatus, Galar would have been reduced to rubble. For all they knew, the Darkest Day could have spread to every corner of the globe. There was a bright side to all this pain, but only in the sense that it could have been so much worse.
Closing his eyes, Ash leaned back, the uncomfortable plastic chair cold against his bare back. A nurse was cleaning and stitching his wounds, their lip subconsciously bitten raw between teeth. Ash gained a few superficial injuries after the… after the wound to his side. The shirt he had been wearing was unsalvageable and falling apart at the seams.
The more gnarly injury was the long and thin slice where his shoulder met his neck from a piece of flying debris during the final clash. It started just under his jaw and extended a little past his left clavicle.
His right palm had been cleaned, sutured, and wrapped; the slice from Zacian's sword cut deep.
Ash's eyebrows furrowed a brief moment from the stinging pain on antiseptic, the motion pulling at the butterfly bandage that covered his right brow.
The other injury…
Well, the slash through his eyebrow would forever remind him of Omen. Hooray for the stereotypical 'villain' scar; it wouldn't help the judgements in Kanto.
More scars. How many did that make now?
There was a scar, one that looked long-healed, on his left side. It rested right above his hip bone and was pink and ropy and hard to the touch. Ash had seen the mangled steel protrusion that had been embedded in his side. His blood had covered too much of the metal, it had been so deep…
A wail of pain from down the hall made him wince.
Ash breathed through the treatment and tried not to let the growing horror hook into his chest at the scale of destruction. Instead he focused on how his Pokémon only had superficial wounds, except for Mirae and Bane. The two had to be put in a medical coma to restore the energy they lost firing off Eternabeam. The worst of the physical wounds was Polaris with a broken arm.
Rubbing his arm in a phantom ache, Ash thought of the Greninja. It wasn't Mega Evolution, not really, but it was something more. It was a bond of some kind without the need for external amplifiers. The change was both incredible and debilitating, an electric shock and unfocused vision and echoing emotions. It was fascinating and terrifying and exhausting.
Lifting a hand, he rubbed at his tired eyes. When was the last time he slept? What day was it? He was exhausted, like every scrap of energy had been ripped from him. First Polaris, then Eternatus, then Zacian, all pulling at his vitality like he was a wellspring that had no limit.
But he did.
He felt like an empty shell.
"What's today's date?" Ash asked the nurse tending to him. Concern flickered over his face and his eyes darted to his thrown-together chart.
"It's around three in the morning on March 16th, Mr. Ketchum. Did I check you for a concussion?"
Waving his words away, Ash replied "Yes, it's just been a long couple days." His hand flopped back in his lap and he looked skyward. Wow. Awake for almost two days. No wonder his thoughts were all over the place. He was supposed to fly out the evening of the 14th.
Is that why everything was so blurry?
He didn't realize he had drifted off in his chair until Hop's voice had him bolting upright.
"Hey Ash - woah! Easy there, mate, we need- woah-" Hop's eyes grew wide as he stared at Ash.
Frowning, Ash looked down, trying to see what had stopped the younger trainer in his tracks.
Hop blinked and shook his head. "Wow, uh, you're just as scarred as the Legends."
There was a beat of silence before Ash just grunted, rubbing his tired eyes once more. Hop took that as a gesture to inquire. "How'd you get them all?"
Sighing, Ash closed his eyes and gave a clumsy gesture to each scar as he explained. "These fou- three were from today," He couldn't say he acquired the healed gash just that day, "these are from Pokémon on Oak's Ranch."
Ash had a bunch of scars from his early forays into dealing with Chaos types. Some were from him being overconfident, like the three slashes across his left ribcage from a Grimmsnarl. But most of the others were from settling disputes and protecting weaker Pokémon. He had a burn on his right clavicle from a Skuntank that was going after the Clefairy he'd befriended. A Gible's serrated teeth had left an ugly imprint of its bite around the cap of his right shoulder when it had tried to eat another trainer's Zubat.
"This one is from an… altercation." Ash gestured at the electrical burn on his sternum that he got from Domino in Relic Castle. He didn't bother talking about the mangled Houndoom scars on his forearms or the large puncture wound from Nettle. "And this one is from trying to protect Hemlock when he was an Impidimp." He waved at the mottled scar on his left cheekbone from the S.S. Moana.
Ash bit back the rise of discomfort from how his skin felt like it belonged to a stranger upon laying out how it had changed over the years.
Hop must have been able to pick up on his unease and tried to fix it. "...I like your arm band." Ash tried to smile but it was more of a grimace. His left hand moved unconsciously to cover the Ancient Cuff and twist away.
Biting his lip, Hop just shouldered through the awkwardness. "We need to head back to Slumbering Weald. Leon doesn't want anyone else to see the sword or shield." The teen's voice was quiet, and Ash's sluggish mind took a moment to remember the weald was on the outskirts of Postwick.
Postwick was destroyed.
Hop was from Postwick.
Grimacing, Ash thanked the nurse that patched him up and pulled himself to his feet with a groan.
Mew he wanted to sleep. He'd find Yveltal again if it meant he could get a few hours of rest.
Hop steadied him with a hand on his uninjured shoulder before handing him his Pokéball belt. Clipping it around his waist, Ash lost some of his tension but that only allowed the fatigue to press down on him more.
He was handed a simple long sleeve shirt, and Ash was quick to shrug it on before his pack settled on his shoulders.
They walked over to Leon who was in the center of a whirlwind.
The Galar Champion was on the phone, typing on a tablet, and directing a small army of League personnel from the attached room. His voice was booming; powerful with an undercurrent of tension that had his commands come out shaky, restrained. Like he was barely holding himself together. The poor nurse trying to treat his wounds was frazzled trying to get him to stand still.
Leon didn't even spare words for his brother and Ash, instead pointing them towards two Hatterene that were ready to drop them outside Slumbering Weald.
At least they wouldn't have to fly again. Styx, for all her stubbornness, was in no shape to do that again. It had taken them hours to fly across the region the first time.
The Hatterene twitched as the two trainers approached, both pairs of black eyes locking onto Ash. Irritation settled on his face and he just barrelled through their unsettled interest until the two Silent Pokémon swept them away.
They were dropped a few miles from the haunting, oppressing forest, the Hatterene disappearing in an instant. Fleeing.
Side-eying Hop, the younger trainer refused to turn around, to look towards an empty Postwick. Ash looked for him, and even in the dark the desecration looked like an ugly blotch in an endless night.
"Come on." As gently as he could, Ash tugged Hop's arm and they began the immeasurable trek back through Slumbering Weald.
It was just as dim and inky as before, the only light coming from the few hovering Munna and the warning flashes from Orbeetle. But even through the lack, somehow they knew where to tread. The path wasn't familiar, it wasn't even a feeling of déjà vu.
They just walked and knew they'd get where they needed to go.
Neither Hop or Ash broke the silence. It wasn't tense, it wasn't even nervous. It was just a silence of exhaustion and loss. It was a somber affair.
Every few minutes, Hop would adjust his pack that had the heavy shield latched to it. The younger trainer had to bow forward at the waist to offset the burden. As for Ash, the sword had only gotten lighter, less unwieldy as time went on. The sharp tip extending past Ash's head sliced through overhead leaves and branches as easily as it would paper. The repetitive thumps of wood landing on damp grasses were their constant companions.
Finally, they saw the bridge and the golden light beyond.
Crossing over into the heart of the Weald didn't fill them with the same awe as before. They knew the price of that perfection.
But now there was a singular change to the altar.
The bodies were gone.
Ash and Hop stopped in their tracks, staring at the pristine stone and metal in tense apprehension. Neither said a word, eyes darting around as if the skeletons had merely been moved.
But there was nothing.
Ash heard Hop swallow thickly next to him. If it was in suspicion or relief, he didn't know. Either way, the two 'Warriors of Peace' approached the altar to return the unfathomably historical and mighty artifacts.
Hop practically dropped the shield atop the altar, taking a hasty step back and exhaling in a rush. Ash was slower, slightly more reverent as he set the sword on the pedestal. As he pulled away, the fluctuating, swirling gold followed his hand.
Smothering his grimace, Ash turned and stalked away, Hop falling into step with him. Neither spared the altar a second glance as they retreated.
Ash thought that was the end of it.
But with every step, every increase in the distance between himself and the altar, an ache built up in his chest.
It started weak, like heartburn or muscle tightness. Then it turned to a sharp cramp, Ash's breath feeling restricted from the irritation. Ash rubbed his sternum when the pain turned up a notch, turning to a harsh stretch just on the edge of tearing.
Ash gasped, his next step halted on the edge of the paradise, the dark, looming forest in front of him just out of reach.
"Ash?" Hop turned, a few paces ahead, and tilted his head in tired confusion.
Fists creaking and knuckles white, Ash's shallow, gasping breaths were as concealed as he could make them. Pulling on every bit of pain tolerance Ash had built, he shoved his hands in his pockets and twisted his lips into a wry grin instead of the agonized grimace he desperately wanted.
"I… I'm going to stay a little longer. I need-" Ash looked away in a calculated move, avoiding Hop's eyes like he was embarrassed.
It felt manipulative.
But he needed Hop to escape.
He saw Hop soften, nodding once with an understanding smile on his face. "I get it. I'll meet you in Wedgehurst, yeah?"
Ash couldn't speak, the sharp, stabbing pain in his chest too much. But he gave a jerky nod and watched until Hop's visage was devoured by the hungry shadows of the Weald.
A pained heave was ripped from his throat, Ash stumbling backwards like he was on one end of a rubber band pulled taught. The unnatural torment beneath his ribacage shoved breath from his lungs.
With every hasty step, every stumbling decrease in the distance between himself and the altar, the ache lessened.
Ash found himself on his knees before the glinting, golden sword.
Muscles trembled in residual pain, fresh wounds aching, his fingernails digging into pristine stone and shoulders shaking. Ash slowly shook his head, the preternatural throb now a mere echo.
The sword would not let him go far.
A shadow fell over him and Ash raised his head from his kneeling supplication.
Zacian towered over his unwittingly deferent form, but Ash met its eye with defiant, weary resolve. Golden eyes, the same divine gold as its sword, glinted with a mixture of excitement and fire.
Like the prowling predator it was, the Legend slowly circled him, Ash unable to keep the massive lupine in his sights from his disadvantaged posture. He felt breath ruffle his hair, forcing Ash to suppress his instinctual flinch.
He had forgotten that while Zacian and Zamazenta were The Heroes of myth, they were still Legends. Powerful, unpredictable forces of nature.
What was Zacian's domain?
Ash clenched his muscles to remain unmoving as the lupine paused at his back. Through his shirt, he felt Zacian's nose prod at his back. Blunted sensation prickled through scar tissue.
Zacian brushed against his scars.
Not all of them. Nearly all, but the Legend skipped the marks from Grimmsnarl across his ribs. It skipped the small slash on his lower back from a Klefki he got when he accidentally wandered into its territory on the Ranch.
Ash held himself still as the dangerous, ancient entity dragged its nose over him like some uncanny ritual. His mind raced with potential patterns, why these scars? What linked them?
An idea itched, and Ash couldn't help but remember the feeling that enveloped him when Zacian and Zamazenta appeared on Rose Tower.
Protection.
Zacian spent longer on his forearms, luckily covered by his sleeves. The first sound the Legend made was when it scoffed as it skirted the Ancient Cuff. The second sound was a croon when it brushed his right palm. It crossed his shoulders, nosing the puncture from Nettle, the electrical burn, the bandaged slice on his neck, and then.
And then.
Zacian's nose finally touched Ash's skin, pressing against the mottled scar on his cheekbone.
His mouth opened in a silent scream as lightning rippled over skin, through muscle, across bone, and seared itself into his soul. Metal rang in his ears, washed over his tongue, glinted off his retinas, burned his nose, and yet all Ash could do was kneel like an iron-wrought statue.
He felt himself raise his right arm without conscious input - a horrible imitation of Allearth Forest - and wrap creaking, warping fingers and a bandaged palm around the pommel of the sword.
Red eyes flared open, and metallic dread coated his throat as the sword melted.
Thick, viscous, molten gold dripped down his hand, over his wrist, up his arm, skirting the Ancient Cuff. It crept across his shoulder, and up. It was warm, cold, burning, freezing, but so smooth. Like satin, like silk, like cashmere-coated chains. It began to coalesce at his neck.
Around his neck.
Loose enough to breathe, but tight enough as a symbol.
Longed to meet, longed to claim
Meant to save, meant to train
Borne to Protect
Borne to fight
Borne to bring the dark to light
Chosen for one, intended to rest
Altered to three by Judgement's behest
Over the eons
Over the years
Ripples of faults have led us here
Creation unstable, the Forces split
Restore to power as does befit
The rebirth of the Moon
The return of Decay
Hope assured by break of day
Borne of Protection
Seized by Distortion
Prized by Destruction
Thrice Chosen and thrice adored
Protect and endure by this sword
It was over in an instant. In a lifetime. Control returned to Ash and his hands flew to his neck, fingers wrapped around smooth edges, none of the previous sharpness cutting his scrambling fingertips. He desperately yanked the solid, humming, unyielding metal necklace pressed tight against his neck.
The shackle around his throat.
The collar.
Uselessly, Ash pulled at it, tears prickling at his eyes, his tugs weak but unceasing. Powerless and stubborn; he couldn't help but think those two words would be carved into his gravestone.
He had so naively thought the 'claiming' already occurred. Had just been for the Darkest Day and then he was free. Of course it was never that easy, never that simple, not for Ash. The permanence of these claims were stark. Yveltal's had sunk into his being, risking Ash taking too much. Zacian's had wrapped around his neck, the pressure a burden he did not understand. And the unknown Cuff, the looming shadow of a future threat he could not anticipate.
He was so tired.
Fur dragged gently against his skin, a large weight settling down at his side and curling around him. Zacian's presence was as vast as it was comforting, and a part of Ash hated that comfort. Hated how he still felt Protection easing his worries and soothing his fear. One hand continued to tug on the 'necklace' as the other tangled soft sapphire fur between shaking, bandaged fingers.
Zacian rumbled in pure contentment, an undertone of victory woven between baritone rapture. Ash felt his whole body vibrate with the reverberations, and he couldn't resist his eyelids sliding closed.
When Ash awoke, he was in a bed, sunlight shining through a window, and a golden collar his newest inseparable companion.
"Breaking news today in Galar. The perpetrator behind the wreckage and tragedy that struck Galar, Chairman Winston Rose of Macro Cosmos, has been found dead in his cell.
After the events labeled The Darkest Day, our magnificent region was thrown into turmoil and devastation. With tens of thousands injured and thousands dead, we learned it was all to avoid an energy crisis. An energy crisis a millennium away.
Winston Rose managed to find and awaken Eternatus, an alien Pokémon that was said to be the origin of Galar Particles. Hoping to utilize its ability to avoid this future energy crisis, Rose quickly lost control.
Taken into custody by Champion Leon after he and two unnamed trainers managed to put a stop to Eternatus, Winston Rose was set to stand trial in three days.
This morning, he was found dead in his cell, the cause of death still unknown. Was this revenge? Was it suicide? Was this a cover up? Was there something bigger happening behind the scenes on which Rose would have shed light during his trial?
Today, Galar both mourns and curses this titan's fall from grace, for he thrust Galar into glory and then ripped it away. Mixed feelings surround his death, a man who in the end tried to do the right thing.
His accomplice, Oleana Chapman, is still at large and has Eternatus. What does this mean for the rest of the world? What does this mean for our future?
In other news, reports of an unidentified species of Pokémon have been seen racing across the region, these four green canines appear to be repairing the ravaged landscape-"
They somehow found him out on Route 2 by the lake, a comb running through Wisteria's glossy opal and amethyst mane. Her fur had already been groomed, and now it gleamed like dark silk. She was half curled up in his lap and he had one arm supporting her head as she made a remarkable impression of a boneless meat sack.
Hemlock was off somewhere trying to catch an Arrokuda with his spear-like hair.
Ash had sequestered himself out here after he heard the news. There was only so much he could handle at once. Ash swallowed, feeling his throat briefly press against the metal.
Ash wasn't sure how to feel about Rose's death. The man had rubbed him the wrong way the moment they met, but he had been integral to their success. He had been willing to keep a Pokémon enslaved as a battery, but the moment it risked Galar he tried to help. He did help. It gave him a mixture of foreboding and fury, knowing it was Rainbow Rocket that killed him.
Now it was up to Leon to warn the world. His Gallade was constantly on watch, Psychic abilities spread wide and searching for threats. Aegislash was just overkill.
While he had been expecting Hop to eventually find him, both Leon and Sonia's presence took him by surprise. Leon had been up to his eyes in managing crisis response and damage reports. But Sonia… she was pale and shaky, but she held her own weight. The large sweater that smothered her made her look small.
Leon helped her settle on the ground a few feet from Ash before the brothers followed suit. For a short moment, three stared out across the serene lake. Ash felt Leon's intense eyes on him, on his neck.
Hemlock crept out of the grasses, skulking over to Ash's side and flaring his nostrils, trying to catch the scent of any potential frustration. Hop waved at the suspicious Morgrem.
Ash broke the silence by turning to Sonia. "How are you?"
Sonia's teal eyes softened and she smiled at him. "Thanks to you, I'm fine. On the road to recovery as the Ditto cells heal up my lungs. I'll be right as rain in no time. Still a bit stunned that Rose and Oleana were… well. We all know. The bright side of all this is that I'll finish my book in no time."
She glanced at Hop who bashfully ducked his head. Ash narrowed his eyes as they darted from person to person. Leon looked resigned for some reason that Ash couldn't guess.
Hop cleared up the confusion. "I'm going to return to helping Sonia with her research. I've missed it and… while I like battling, I like research more. Plus, I have firsthand insight into the Legends!"
But that explained it.
The teen's eyes darted over to his brother, who of course noticed and slung an arm around the boy's shoulders. "There's too much talent in this family, we need to expand outside of battling!" The barely there tension in Hop's shoulders disappeared. Hemlock scoffed at the thought of abandoning battle. When everyone fell silent, Hemlock sighed in boredom and tapped his Pokéball to be returned.
The quiet lasted for a while; everyone stuck in their own thoughts and worries and figuring out what's to come. Leon would have to spearhead Galar's rebuilding. As Champion it was his duty to head the region. The man already had dark bags under his eyes, the sparkle of assurance now snuffed out.
The bright side was that Eternatus's defeat had once again saturated Galar in Particles that would hold out for thousands of years. But even that was little recompense.
Funerals had to take place, construction, settlements, arguments and debates on how to return to normalcy. Leon would have his work cut out for him.
Macro Cosmos had to decide how to proceed. Their name was rubbish in the minds of the world, but they still were a fixture in Galar and a necessity. Would they rebrand? Elect a new CEO? The board had many hard choices in its future.
Chairman Rose's death was leaving a huge void, he had his bejeweled fingers dipped in so many pies, Galar was left floundering.
"My grandmother is retiring." Sonia's voice broke the group from their thoughts. She smiled sadly and nodded, looking towards the lab in the distance. "Yeah, I was surprised too. She said her age is catching up with her and the latest 'excitement' has brought her to her limit. I'll be the new regional professor as soon as I'm healed up and I pass my exams."
Congratulations flowed around the circle, Wisteria snorting when they got too loud.
"Hop, I hope you realize that makes you my first apprentice." The teen's stuttering was amusing, Leon having to clap him on the back to break him out of it. The three seemed in relatively good spirits.
It brought some lightness back, this bright future for two in the group. Ash dragged a hand down Wisteria's flank and allowed a tiny smile. Yeah it all sucked right now, but it'd get better. They have the looming threat of another Darkest Day, but it would happen sooner or later.
It would all come to a head eventually.
"Ash? What about you?"
He looked up and saw two of the three looking at him expectantly. Ducking his head to pet Wisteria, he replied, "I fly out tomorrow." By pure luck, two airports were left functional. Ash could thank Leon for getting him a ticket home. Everyone was trying to get out of Galar.
"So soon?" Hop looked devastated. It made Ash shift in response to this naked acknowledgement of how much Hop enjoyed his company.
"Yeah, I only have until December to get six more badges. I need to get a move on."
Leon ruffled Hop's hair when his chin trembled. "You can always visit." Tears successfully averted, the Champion looked at Ash.
"Because of your help, I've increased your carry limit to 18. You'll also find a reward has been added to both of your accounts. It's not much, since Galar will be a bit tight on finances for the next few years, but we couldn't let your actions go unacknowledged. So on behalf of Galar, thank you."
Hop was quick to whip out his phone and check his balance. Ash just dipped his head at Leon in thanks. He cared more for the carry limit increase than the money. He could have Nettle home… if it wanted.
"Ash, can I talk to you for a minute?" Ash looked at Leon for a moment before nodding, gently taking Wisteria's Ultra ball to return her. Glancing at Hop and Sonia, the two were pretending not to pay attention.
Leon guided him down the bank of the lake out of earshot, an odd expression on his face. Ash stayed silent, waiting to see what this was about.
"Ash, I need to know what happened."
Ash knew the expression on his face was absolutely done; deadpan with a raised eyebrow that pulled at his new injury.
"You're never going to believe this, but the Darkest Day happened."
Leon sighed, bringing up a hand to rub the bridge of his nose. Ash's weak smirk slid off his face.
"Firstly, that." Leon gestured to Ash's neck. He shouldn't be surprised, Leon had to be a genius to be Monarch. Every Master had that spark of ingenuity and a little bit of obsessive vigilance. Leon would recognize the thick golden band around his neck, even if it didn't look like a sword.
Unconsciously, Ash let his fingertips touch the buzzing gold. "I… Zacian wouldn't let me leave without it."
Leon closed his eyes, almost in defeat. But he nodded and moved on, letting it go.
"Something happened during the Darkest Day and I need to know what. When Eternatus started pulling on our thermal radiation, you were almost comatose while the rest of us were just tired and cold. Then it was like a- a void was forming beneath you. It was spreading, being pulled towards Eternatus, and the focal point was you. That's when Eternatus changed."
Ash froze.
Leon's eyes trailed down to Ash's arm. "And that… it was glowing." Ash followed his eyes, finding himself staring at where the Cuff sat beneath his sleeve and wanting to rip off his skin. His hand once more came up to cover it.
"I-I don't…" Ash's throat closed up. His breathing picked up because what? "I didn't- I'm not-" Ash didn't know what he was trying to say. It was one thing to know Yveltal gave him the power to drain life, one thing to know Zacian 'gifted' him a sword, but it was another to not know what the third was.
Olympia had said third claiming.
What was the first?
A hand landed on his shoulder softly, breaking him from his panic.
"Ash, hey, you're okay. You didn't do anything wrong." Leon caught Ash's eye. "I was asking more out of concern for you. If you didn't know that was happening, you just need to be careful in the future. Especially since we know Eternatus is still out there."
Ash exhaled heavily but nodded. Leon stepped back, looking as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. "This might sound harsh, but I cannot worry about you. Galar is my priority now, so I need you to promise me you'll be careful."
"...I'll try."
"I guess that's the best I can hope for." The two walked back to Hop and Sonia, seeing the two bent over a notebook.
That reminded Ash.
He dug through his pack, withdrawing an old, torn up journal. He was glad he grabbed it the first time since all the bodies had vanished. Biting his lip, Ash held it out to Sonia.
Teal eyes held amused confusion, taking the journal. "What's this?"
"Your parents' notebook." Sonia's movements stuttered, eyes growing wide. Her mouth opened but no sound came out. "It was in Slumbering Weald." She would never get to bury her parents, but he could give her this.
"Oh." It was said so softly he almost didn't hear it.
Hop cleared his throat to bring attention away from the researcher. "So Ash! Is there anything you want to do your last day in Galar?"
Taking a large breath, Ash tried to release the tension and worry and fear. He couldn't control the future, couldn't control what the Legends did.
What could he control?
"Actually… Want to head to Bridge Field?"
"Oh Ash, he's beautiful!"
Serena's beaming face was clear over the videophone. The camera was angled so she could be seen hugging her new Cufant around the neck from where she was kneeling. The Steel type was honking through his trunk and playing with Serena's hair like it fascinated him.
"What are you going to name him?" Ash had made one final stop in the Wild Area to fulfill his promise. He had found the most uniquely patterned Cufant he could catch. This one had streaks of teal dripping down its sides like rain.
"I'm naming him Mumakil!" Serena looked so excited, but Ash couldn't help his small smile.
"You're such a nerd."
The performer stuck out her tongue before burying her face in her new teammate's neck. Lingering in the background was Hela, floating in circles to entertain herself. Snom was in the videophone seat staring at nothing.
Serena rose from the ground and returned to the seat, setting Snom in her lap and keeping a hand on Mumakil's head. "So you're leaving Galar tomorrow?" It was nighttime in both Galar and Kalos, the two time zones only being an hour apart. Serena had clocked his mental state the moment she picked up the phone, but she didn't press.
Ash appreciated it more than she knew.
"Yeah, it'll be… weird. Being home." Calling it home was technically the most accurate term even if it didn't feel that way.
"I think you need something normal to focus on. Getting the badges instead of fixing the next world-ending event." The two shared tired, sardonic smiles. Joking about it was honestly the best way to get over it.
"Hemlock is ready to challenge Surge again after we had to withdraw last time."
Serena hummed. "You're flying into Vermilion?"
Ash shook his head. "No. I thought about it and I'm going to fly into Pallet Town. It was a bit more pricey, but I think I should."
Nodding, Serena didn't need Ash to explain. "So will you challenge Cinnabar before Vermilion?"
Ash shrugged. "I have no clue. Blaine is a crazy old man who holds his battles in a volcano. He doesn't have a badge expectancy, but I want to challenge him once my teammates train up a bit more. I technically am only at a two-badge level." Both their mouths twisted in amusement at that statement. "Plus I have Styx to get me where I need to go, or even Teleportation services. It really doesn't matter where I start."
"When is the deadline to register for the Indigo League?"
"The tournament starts December 5th. So I have until the 1st to get all my badges."
The two spoke for a little while longer, wishing soft 'goodnights' before hanging up. Ash had an early flight. Professor Oak was expecting him and had a room prepared. Ash didn't want to stay at his mother's house for obvious reasons.
Pushing away from the screen, Ash stood and stretched, his healing wounds itching slightly before he headed up to bed. His Pokémon were still exhausted, and Mirae and Bane were not allowed to battle for the next week as they regained energy.
It had been extremely reckless to have the two of them Copy Cat Eternabeam like that. Without the Galar Particles in the air, it could have had far worse consequences.
But his team had smothered him in their version of affection when he greeted them this morning. He had a few new bruises from the 'affection' but he was just relieved they were all okay.
Wisteria was not happy she had missed the party.
Thinking of his team, Ash looked at his belt. He might need to get a new one or something else to hold Pokéballs. He needed 2-3 more teammates, and that was depending on Nettle. He needed three full teams while Mirae, Styx, and Hemlock could crossover. Thus a team of 15.
If by some miracle Nettle did come around, Ash only needed one more Dragon and one more Fairy. Because he didn't catch a Turtonator, he was uncertain what he was going to catch for that last Dragon slot.
The only Kantonian Dragons were the Dratini line and the Horsea line, and he didn't need another Flying or Water type. The Safari Zone might have an exotic Dragon or two, but that was no guarantee. If he had to, he could always travel back to Unova or Kalos and get a pure Dragon.
There were some Pokémon in the Dragon breeding group that learned enough Dragon techniques to count, like Arbok or Heliolisk.
Kantonian Fairies were a bit more abundant; Clefable, Wigglytuff, Mr. Mime, Azumarill, or Granbull. Kanto and Johto were almost indistinguishable from each other at this point. Plus Blissey, Delcatty, and even Pachirisu were in the Fairy egg group.
He'd figure it out.
Finding his room, Ash was quick to get ready for bed, releasing some of his teammates to sleep around him. His constant state of paranoia settled once Artemis and Wisteria had jumped onto the bed beside him. Mirae, Bane, Hemlock, Castor, and Sagitta maneuvered around the room until they got comfortable. The space was already struggling to fit them, so when Hemlock and Castor evolved he might have to start booking bigger rooms.
By the time sleep was pulling at his consciousness, Wisteria was tucked against his side and Artemis had shifted until she was splayed out on his chest, her weight making it a bit of a struggle to breathe. But her warmth was comforting and soon Ash was asleep for his last night in Galar.
Trying to get through security with his irremovable jewelry was a bit of a shitshow. It was only Leon being there that smoothed the way. It was nice of the Champion to be there to see him off.
After saying his goodbyes, a tearful Hop almost not letting him go, Ash made his way through the airport.
Settling in for the long flight, the locks on his Pokéballs engaged and then the plane was in the air. He wasn't about to let himself sleep, knowing it'd be nighttime in Kanto by the time he landed.
Instead he pulled out his Pokédex to start taking notes.
Serena was right, getting back to challenging Leaders for badges would be good for him. His teammates needed regular challenging battles. Even with all the life-threatening events his team was still growing restless.
These next 12 hours of travel were going to crawl by. He had one layover in Goldenrod and then would take a small charter flight to Pallet.
By the time the tiny plane landed in his hometown, Ash's eyes were bloodshot from staring at his Pokédex screen for so long. He had used his time to research the remaining Kanto Gym Leaders and their teams, creating strategies and counters as he went.
The Pallet airport couldn't really be called an airport. It was more of a warehouse where tiny planes could land and refuel. There was only one baggage claim, and everything looked just the tiniest bit rundown.
Ash made his way out of the 'airport' that sat a couple miles from the heart of Pallet. There were shuttles that went into town he would have to wait for.
"Ash!"
Nevermind.
Looking up, Ash couldn't help the small quirk of his lips when he saw Professor Oak waving from his jeep. Smiling weakly, he made his way over and placed his pack in the trunk.
As he slid into the passenger seat, Oak's worried eyes scanned over his visible, wrapped injuries, finally locking on the band around his neck. The skin around those wisened, tired eyes tightened.
Ash sighed. "It's… a long story."
Oak hummed softly under his breath and started the car, pulling onto the dirt road that led out of the 'airport'. "Does that story have anything to do with the Galar Catastrophe?"
The Professor's voice was light, but his knuckles were white from where he was gripping the steering wheel.
"Just a bit."
"Hm."
"This time it's not my fault, I didn't have a choice. I was chosen by one of the Legends." Ash's voice hardened, walls and defenses rising. As his hand once again unconsciously brushed the necklace, Oak's eyes widened. The professor had to hurriedly jerk the wheel to stay on the road, and Ash could see a muscle in his jaw bulge as the man grit his teeth.
Oak roughly exhaled, his hands losing their crushing grip on the wheel. He kept his eyes on the dark road and spoke gently. "Ash, look at it from my perspective. A teenager, a child, who I've seen grow up - who I've practically raised - is constantly getting roped into fighting terrorist plots, Legendary Pokémon, corrupt authority, and who knows what else! I'm terrified, Ash, that one day you won't come home."
Ash sat in stunned silence, the unexpected and sudden revelation stealing his voice. It was one thing to find Oak at his hospital bed, sleep deprived and worried, but hearing him put into words how he cared for Ash was overwhelming.
"I-" He frowned. His words were failing him.
Breathing out through his nose, Oak tilted his head and smiled softly at Ash, eyes jumping between him and the road. "It certainly has been a surprise, seeing you become a hero. But not such a surprise that it's unbelievable. You have a good heart, Ash, even if it might have been buried deep. You were always protecting Pokémon on the Ranch, keeping them safe when Arcane couldn't. But your journey has allowed you to grow into the person you were meant to be all these years. It might be giving me a heart condition, but I'm proud to see who you're becoming."
Ash grunted, refusing to acknowledge the urge to fidget or worse; blush.
He could see Oak smiling out of the corner of his eye so he knew he didn't completely succeed. The rest of the ride was silent, but not awkwardly so. Ash was stuck in his thoughts, thinking about Oak's words, being back in Kanto, and all the crazy events that have happened since he left.
Had it really been nine months since he left? Nine months since forfeiting to Lt. Surge, nine months since leaving for Alola?
Oak pulled the car into the driveway of the lab, cutting the engine and letting the nighttime roll in. In comfortable silence, they headed inside. Ash followed him through familiar halls and stairways, a path he could walk with his eyes closed, having grown up in this lab.
For a moment, he remembers running down this hallway at five years old, chasing one of Arcane's Growlithe pups that had separated from his siblings, tracking mud through the wooden halls.
He remembers Professor Oak sitting him down and teaching him how to tie his shoelaces.
He remembers Daisy Oak running a brush through his hair and humming.
He remembers scrapes being patched, lunches being packed, homework being proofread.
Ash stops at the room that had become his own. The room in which he had spent much of his childhood. More than his own home. More time with Oak than his own mother.
For a moment he just stared.
And then, like a tsunami; sudden and devastating, every discomfort and uncertainty and nightmare he felt since landing in Kanto spilled over.
His pack crashed to the ground as anger consumed Ash. His fingers dug into the doorframe and he could feel himself shaking even as a roaring filled his ears and drowned everything out.
He felt more at home here than he ever had at his actual home.
His mother has maybe spoken 10 sentences to him in his life.
Any scrap of affection or care made him want to hide while crumbling inside.
He was like this because of her.
It wasn't fair.
Gentle hands framed his face, thumbs dragging through childhood tears he hadn't let go in over a decade.
"It's not fair." He whispered harshly, childishly, but it just came out broken. Oak knelt down in front of him, looking up at his face, concern and care showing in equal measures. "She never-" His breath hitched.
"You're right, it wasn't fair to you, Ash. She should have loved you and cared for you, and been there for you."
Ash gasped for breath, the anger almost crushing him. "Why… why am I so angry?"
Oak continued to wipe the tears away, humming softly. "Anger is the part of you that loves you. The part that knows the mistreatment was wrong and unjust. The part that knows you deserved better and is furious about it."
Pausing for a moment, Oak continued, "Mourn who you could have been, the life you could have had, but also cherish who you are, who you have become. Look at all you've gained."
Ash's fingers drifted down to brush over warm capsules pulsing in time with his heart.
He felt safe.
That was his first thought as the morning sun flashed golden against his closed eyelids, as awareness crept up on him in the form of puffy eyes and a dry mouth. He was being smothered by something, surrounding him from all sides and giving off heat that was making him sweat.
Reaching around blindly, his fingers came into contact with the familiar dichotomy of soft feathers and rough scales. He sighed and buried his face in the plumage, feeling the mass around him exhale a huff.
The blue and black started shifting, uncurling to reveal Styx's six eyes, blinking at him with the uncanny intelligence of Dragons. One of her smaller heads lifted and twisted, the tiny prickly tongue darting out to tickle Ash's cheek.
He smiled, just a little, and reached out to scratch the crown of fuschia feathers. A low humming that he felt in his bones vibrated from her throat, stealing the last of the tension from Ash's frame. His own throat flexed, pushing against the gold necklace, matching the Familial Thrum of his starter.
In true Styx fashion, she heaved herself up, letting Ash crash to the floor in a tangle of limbs. The end of her tail flicked him as she turned in the tiny room, trying to stretch but unable to do so without destroying everything around her.
Ash huffed a laugh through the pain of old bruises and pulled himself to his feet, making his way over to the single window to open it. He quickly returned Styx and then released her outside. In the air.
The Dragon roared in surprise, her six wings quickly straining to catch her midair. She glared at her trainer even as he gave a shit-eating grin in response. She growled lowly before flying deeper into the ranch.
Chuckling to himself, Ash looked around the room. He found his pack and empty belt and grabbed a change of clothes before making his way to the shower. Oak must have released his teammates into the ranch.
He pondered at the chaos they'd create.
Feeling a little bit more alive, Ash headed downstairs to grab breakfast. As he rummaged around in the fridge, he tried not to think about his breakdown from last night. He was too tired to be embarrassed about it. However, not thinking about it was harder than expected.
If he was being honest with himself, it was probably a long time coming. His talks with Grimsley had been helping him a bit, they had touched on his childhood quite often, but this… it felt like a culmination of everything.
He felt more settled.
He's had a few breakdowns before, but those were because of things that had happened in the present.
This was about something that had been clinging to him for 16 years.
Ash took a deep breath over the sizzling eggs on the stove. It was… good for him, he thinks. Letting it out.
He never had before.
Grimsley would be ecstatic. And speaking of, he had quite a few missed calls from the Dark Master. He owed the man a call.
Eating in peaceful silence, he let himself be. Placing his dishes in the dishwasher, Ash headed out to the ranch. Kanto was still chilly in March, making Ash pull his jacket tighter around him as he followed a familiar path to the gardens.
He stopped at the edges and watched, a fond smile at the corners of his lips.
Zinnia was corralling a few Hoppip and Skiploom away from the Venomoth lurking at the treeline. The Florges hadn't changed a bit and something about it created a disconnect within Ash.
Everything here was the same.
Except for him.
Before he could give that thought more attention, Zinnia turned towards him, the Fairy jolting in surprise before releasing a joyous call. Unable to do anything but respond, Ash held up an arm in greeting and started carefully wading through the various flowers in the garden.
Stopping before the powerful garden matriarch, Ash had to tilt his head back slightly to look her in the eye. She used to tower over him. White petals fell from her mane as she reached forward, waxy fingers grasping the two colored strands in his hair before moving to the piercings in his ears. She tugged lightly on them before lightly outlining the scar through his brow, the scar on his cheek, the scar on his neck.
Ash's breath hitched for a moment as Zinnia turned around.
He regained control of himself, before the Fairy turned back, a bouquet of flowers with long stems clasped in her hands. She held them out to Ash expectantly. He could only laugh breathlessly, taking the flowers from her hands and folding his legs beneath him to sit in the stunning garden.
With practiced movements, he wove the flowers together, an intricate pattern blossoming beneath his fingers while Zinnia watched with a critical eye. When he finished a while later, he held up the crown for the Florges' inspection.
After a few moments, Zinnia gently pushed the crown back towards its creator, approval in her eyes.
Maybe some things hadn't changed.
Hoo boy, emotional - somewhat dramatic - chapter. I've always loved reading or seeing the after-effects of major conflicts, whether that's the practical or internal repercussions. It makes me think of the quote by Neville Chamberlain, "In war, whichever side may call itself the victor, there are no winners, but all are losers."
These last two chapters are doing a lot of set up for future events
If you thought the Zacian scene was weird, I'm glad I successfully conveyed that! It was supposed to be a bit uncomfortable. I like the symbolism of the necklace; how free is Ash, truly? And hey, at least the Legends claiming Ash are sticking to a color scheme. It's all about ~aesthetic~
Next Chapter: Nettle