Pokemon

Ash Descends, Red Ascends

It was just a normal day in the pokemon world, the pidgeys were chirping, deerlings running around, nothing could go wrong.

But, it just has to.

Today is the seventh anniversary of… Ash's death.

"Delia, please calm yourself," Professor Oak sat next to Delia, comforting her for her loss years ago. "Ash wouldn't want to see you like this."

Hearing his name just made her sob more, seven years to forget that incident- no, tragedy, still no avail.

"I know," Serena said as she curled herself in a ball, looking at Pikachu, who surprisingly won't eat the ketchup flavoured pokemon food in front of him. "I miss him too."

Flashback…

"Misty, how's your day?" Ash asked while coming back from Kalos through a bus. Yeah. Like that'll work. "How's the gym?"

"I've been better," Misty replied. "Seriously, the challengers are strong these days!"

"Let me guess : you loss six times in a row," Ash chuckled. "A gym leader's job, it is."

"Now you're talking like Master Yoda," Ash swore he could hear the eyeroll coming off Misty.

"Wait, Serena's calling me, gotta go," Ash said as he cut off with Misty and talked with Serena. "Serena?"

"H-hey Ash," Serena said timidly at the other side.

Ash, noticing her change of tone, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, Ash, everything is fine… just…" Serena paused. "A-about that day…"

"Serena," Ash sighed. "I… lo-"

Before he could finish, an explosion was heard, everyone in the bus started panicking, Pikachu had sparks flying out of his cheeks.

"What's going on?" Ash asked, looking around, he did not like what he saw. "Oh what the hell…"

"Pikapi! Pika!" Pikachu was obviously mad.

"Team Rocket," Ash said solemnly, but before any of them could react, he swore he saw… a sylveon.

"Guys, he's waking up!"

"Geez, we're right here."

Why does everything seem so… distant?

Who are these people…?

Where am I?

Who… am I?

Questions circled in his mind, not giving him a mental break.

"Wait… don't even think of getting your oshawott to use water gun!"

"I wasn't!"

Ash's eyes slowly opened, he paused for a moment to adjust the light in the room, he saw four faces looking at him.

"You okay?" A dark blue haired boy asked him.

"What… where am I…?" Ash asked weakly, fully opening his eyes to see he's in a white room, he shot up, hurting his wounds a little.

"Stay, down," Another red haired boy pushed him down.

"You're in the Johto hospital, you took quite a hit," A pink haired girl said, thinking of something.

"And that's why I said that it's possible to survive a thousand foot cliff," The light blue haired girl crossed her arms.

"Yeah, define 'survive'," The red haired boy shrugged, looking at Ash.

"Who are you?" Ash trembled a bit. "Who… am I…?"

The four looked at each other.

"Explains the reports," The pink haired girl shrugged. "Look, we know for the fact that you're a trainer, I don't know how you got into that accident, caused by Team Rocket, but I think you should travel with us."

"I need company," The blue haired boy said.

"We're humans too you know," The red haired boy snapped.

"O-okay…" Ash said softly.

"The Johto Takedown League?" Brock asked.

"Yeah, apparently gym leaders, connoisseurs, coordinators, masters have to be there!" Misty exclaimed. "This is awesome!"

"Does anyone but you know about this?" Brock asked.

"Um… everyone we know got an invite, no surprise I guess," Misty shrugged, then sighed. "I wish he was here."

"Maybe… he will! He's missing, not dead, yet, right…?" Brock said trying to lighten the mood.

"Maybe," Misty sighed.

"Clemont!" Bonnie yelled through the Lumiose Gym, and tackled her brother. It wasn't a good sight. At all. Trust me.

"Bonnie! What happened?! Did Luxray shock Dedenne?!" Clemont groaned, as he attempted to get his sister off of him.

"Luxray!" Luxray huffed in response.

"No-! You got invited to the Johto Takedown League!" Bonnie chirped.

"Why would I go?" Clemont huffed.

"If you don't…" Bonnie smirked evilly. "Dedenne! Use nuzzle!"

"Dedenne!" Dedenne jumped from Bonnie's pouch and got on to Clemont.

"Ah!" Clemont yelled, and surrendered in defeat. "Okay! I'll go!"

Luxray watched this drama unfold sweat dropping.

"Cress, can you get the mail?! I'm busy with a challenger!" Chilli yelled, while ordering his pansear to use flamethrower.

The challenger and his servine fell anime style and yelled, "Are you a gym leader or what?! Mail?!"

"Looks like the Johto league invited us," Cilan said, looking at the mail.

"Cool! I'm going!" Chili yelled.

"Aren't you supposed to be battling…?" Cress asked sweat dropping.

"Iris! You have mail!"

"Coming!" Iris yelled as she brought her Axew, which wore an Everstone.

"The Johto Takedown League?"

"Yeah, a pidove brought this."

"Should I go?" Iris asked.

"You should."

"Who the hell hosted the Johto Takedown League?!" Alex/Ash yelled.

"You're the champion here Alex! We're just Elites!" Diana (The pink haired girl) yelled. "I thought you did it!"

"I didn't!" Alex groaned.

"When is the league?" Raven (The blue haired boy) asked, playing with his Absol.

"Next week," Luna (Light blue haired girl) sighed. "Heck, we have a concert there too."

"Are you kidding?" Alex slapped his hand on his face, a female pikachu jumped on his shoulder.

"Pika…" Pikachu purred as he scratched her tummy.

"Who's up for a battle? I'm bored-!" Diana pouted.

"I'll fight you," Alex said, pulling up two pokeballs.

"Oh no, you're not taking that pokemon are you?" Luna stood up from her chair.

"He is," Amber sighed.

At the training grounds, the five teens stood there, with Diana standing on one side and Alex on the other.

Amber's acting as referee, despite his protests.

"This is a two-on-two battle between Diana and Alex! Substitutions are allowed! Begin!"

"Let's go, Sylveon!"

"Ho-oh! I choose you!"

"Oh GOD!" Diana fainted anime style. "You expect me to battle a legendary pokemon with my Sylveon?!"

"Sylve!" Sylveon huffed.

"Okay! Okay!" Alex said as Ho-oh went back to it's pokeball, and Alex took out another one. "Espeon! I choose you!"

"Okay! I'll take the first move! Sylveon, use moonblast!"

"Use shadow ball to counter it!"

"Fairy wind!"

"Hang in there Espeon!"

Espeon tried to hold on, but the attack was too much, it bounced back a few feet away.

"Espeon! Can you still battle?" Alex asked, Espeon gave him a reassuring nod. "Alright then, use psyshock!"

"Use protect! Then use attract!"

"Dodge it!" Alex yelled. "Use shadow ball again!"

"Moonblast!"

"... are you two done yet?" Amber asked dumbstruck, both of them were exhausted, yet Sylveon and Espeon are still going.

"I'm… switching… pokemon!" Diana wheezed, and recalled her Sylveon. "Go… Gardevoir…!"

"Same… here!" Alex panted. "Pikachu, you're… up!"

"Gar?" Gardevoir was confused why they all were so tired.

"Pika pika," Pikachu smiled awkwardly.

"And the... winner, Alex!" Amber panted.

Both Diana and Alex collapsed from tiredness.

"Can I use my oshawott yet?" Luna asked mischievously. "I want to test his hydro pump!"

"Not… not on your… life," Diana panted. "Gardevoir, use… psychic… you know where."

"Um…" Misty thought. "I win!"

"Oh come on! You had water types! No fair!" Brock sighed and placed his tablet on his head. "Another round."

"Are you sure?" Misty asked evilly. "I'm going to wipe the floor with you~"

"Bring it!" Brock yelled.

"Bring it!" Misty yelled, each sending each other death glares.

A female voice broke them up. "Sheesh, such little kids."

The two shot back instantly, "Who are you calling kids?!"

"And who do you think you are?!" Misty yelled.

"Dragon master Iris, and you are?" Iris huffed.

"Gym leader of the Cerulean Gym!" Misty shot back, then laughed. "Nice one, Iris."

"I heard about you from Ash," Iris said. "... I really shouldn't…"

An awkward silence filled the air. Unfortunately it was broken by a yelling girl.

"Clemont! I told you your inventions is bound to blow up!" Bonnie yelled.

"Stop, Bonnie," Serena sighed, then changed. "Are you intending to kill us?!"

"I didn't even anticipate that it would blow up!" Clemont protested. "I was just trying to play the video when you and Ash-"

"Don't even say it!" Serena yelled.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu protested.

"Keep it down, will ya'?" Dawn moaned. "Not everyone is having a good mood- Serena?!"

"Dawn?!" Serena yelled. "Omigosh it's you!"

"Wait, Dawn's here?" Iris asked. "Long time no see!"

"My, it's noisy in here," Cilan came in the room with his brothers. "Hi Iris!"

"Cilan! What are you doing here?" Dawn asked.

"I'm a gym leader, remember?" Cilan replied. "Pokemon, history, detective, railroad connoisseur, and a five-star chef."

"Are you human?" Bonnie asked.

"Bonnie!" Clemont shoves her down.

"Be warned Clemont… she gets pouty…" Serena waited for the blow.

"Dedenne use nuzzle!" Bonnie yelled.

"Ah!"

"Wow-that-thing's-so-cute~!" Iris jumped in and hugged Dedenne.

"A fairy type for ya'," Serena shrugged.

"D-did you say… fairy type?" Iris tensed up. "AH! Get that away from me!"

"She can be a little scared when it comes to ice and dragon types," Cilan explained, noticing the pikachu on Serena's lap. "Is that…"

"... Ash's pikachu," Serena answered bluntly.

"Pika…" Pikachu piped down, but piping up again when Serena handed him a bottle of ketchup. "Pika~!"

Everyone sweatdropped, 'I will never, ever understand his love for ketchup…'

"Which song now?" Alex asked.

"Stand Tall… and Be The Very Best," Raven counted.

"Anyone up for rehearsal?" Diana asked.

"You were just knocked out," Luna pointed out.

"So was Alex!" Diana snapped back.

"Anyway," Alex cut in the conversation. "Johto League! Here we come!"