A quick interjection before you start reading - this story also falls into the same universe as the others I'm writing. I, Champion, The Pallet Chronicles, etc. Any canon divergences and differences in this universe will be noted as appropriate in the text. Simply enjoy to your hearts' content.

Prelude

Run, Run, Run

"Why?"

Ash coughed heartedly, his lungs full of a bitter sky. He ran and ran and ran, clearing a path within the underbrush as far away as he could get from that place.

Yes...

That place.

No, it wasn't his home. Not Oak's farm either. Not Pallet Town. Not any of that. If there was anywhere his life could be ruined, it would be at the Luminose Conference.

Stupid Alain. Stupid Mega Charizard X. Stupid... everything. It was all a waste. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, the Orange Islands, all of it. Sure, the Orange League was a win, but it barely had an air of legitimacy to begin with.

Ritchie. Harrison. Tyson. Tobias. Cameron. Alain.

Each of them had defeated Ash in the past. Granted, they had earned their wins with sweat and tears save for Tobias - that man was a disgrace to anyone who dared to call themselves a Pokemon Trainer. Where the hell did that guy even get a Darkrai and a Latios? That battle was borderline questionable and was something Ash continued to hold a grudge against even to this day. Only now after losing against Alain did that resentment start bubbling up again, threatening to consume everything he considered dear to him.

I'm completely useless, he thought.

And for the most part, he considered it true. Even while steamrolling through the woods outside of Luminose City, Ash could feel the anger course through him like a spoonful of molten lava. He was nothing but dead weight, dragging his friends down for nothing in return. Every tactic and technique he picked up on his travels seemed to fade away upon journeying to other regions. Reset, reset, reset, reset. It kept happening over and over again.

Serena had tried to comfort him. Clemont asked what was wrong. Bonnie pulled one of her usual cheery stunts. None of that helped Ash, nor did it make him remotely change his mind about what he was going to do next. Pikachu was off somewhere, Ash making every effort possible to ensure the electric mouse didn't follow him.

The glow of the city and the buildings of the Luminose Conference cast a beacon in the night sky behind him, but Ash did not heed the call. He had so much to process and so little time in which to do it.

Really, the whole thing was ironic. Going so long without getting one step closer to his dream consumed him, filling every corner of his soul on a daily basis. It was so easy to put on a facade, to pretend that everything was fine. Most of the time Ash really did believe things were fine, but League losses came back around every so often to remind him of his failures.

Enough was enough. How his friends thought he was worthy of them, Ash didn't know. Hell, he was a bad friend to them. When was the last time he stopped by to say hello to May? To Misty? Granted, he saw Brock fairly often, but only because the ex-leader was willing to travel with him on a wide array of adventures.

Adventuring...

A wave of shame overcame Ash. In his several years of traveling, he had unceremoniously dumped all of his past Pokemon at Professor Oak's with barely a second thought. He, of course, loved them and knew the professor treated them well, but visiting was almost always out of the question. In his quest to become the very best like no one ever was, Ash realized he had inadvertently been using his Pokemon as tools. Region after region and team after team breezed through his life like a revolving door, despite the admiration and sincerity he held for all who came across him.

Shoving aside a tree branch, Ash rued himself for only coming to those realizations now. There were many opportunities beforehand, but he blew past them all. Choosing to indulge in his fantasy and focus on his own goals, he neglected not only his social life but his personal development as well.

How many cues I've missed, he mused regrettably.

Maybe the fact this was all happening now was for the best. Life was funny that way; people could be mired in delusion for so long with seemingly only the most random of things snapping them out of it. In Ash's case, it was the tantalizing whisper of being so close to being crowned the winner of the Luminose Conference. Then came Mega Charizard X and its almost unstoppable path of destruction.

In the end, even Greninja's efforts were not enough to carry both of them towards the threshold of victory. The Pokemon was safely secured in a Pokeball back in the locker room - Ash decided to leave everyone there for the time being. He needed to be alone.

Taking a deep breath, a light-bulb moment struck the wayward trainer. Maybe being alone would be for the best. Maybe if he were to get away, even for a little while, everyone would be better off. And maybe, just maybe, he would finally be able to find whatever had been eluding him for so long in his quest towards greatness.

Ash clenched his fists. For once, taking a great leap towards the unknown wouldn't be so bad. Yes, this would be the right thing to do.

But Serena... Pikachu... everyone...

Pausing for a second, Ash allowed himself to collect his thoughts. He really liked Serena - he absolutely did. It tore at him and gnawed at his very being to even contemplate leaving her, but there was only one truth to consider.

She deserved better.

So did Pikachu. The long-forged promise of so long ago came to the forefront, the two of them swearing never to leave each other's sides. It would, however, be necessary in this case. Friends weren't burdens to other friends. Friends didn't actively hinder chances of progress, whether they be intended or unintended.

Everyone would be fine. Better off, even. Serena could finally go all the way with her Pokemon showcases. Pikachu could partner with a trainer who could truly unlock his full potential. Clemont and Bonnie could do... well, whatever they were already doing.

As far as Ash was concerned, he was doing this for love. Real love, true love, meant sacrificing all that ever was. Love meant letting those he loved go, free to pursue the very heights of what they could achieve.

Was he admitting it now? Yes, without a doubt, Ash realized within himself that he loved Serena for who she was. The spark was planted way back when at Pokemon Summer Camp, but it was only during their journey together that it was nurtured and allowed to grow.

Looking back at the metropolis behind him, Ash balled his fists in frustration. Even deep within the woods, the dazzling glow of Luminose City beckoned at him to return to its safe embrace. It would be too tempting - no, too easy to let go and give those dark thoughts up. Solitude would be required.

If he was being honest, Ash felt pretty proud of himself, as horrible as those thoughts were. Here he was again at the cusp of a major life decision much like the regions he had decided to traverse so long ago.

Well... if years of adventuring was long, then he didn't want to know what eternity would be. And even now at a metaphorical crossroads, Ash found himself faced with a choice. Cast himself into a self-imposed exile to not only protect those he loved but to give himself a chance to grow? Or perhaps to settle for being a mediocre trainer at best?

The answer was obvious. Although his heart burned with agony much like the faint red glow of mushrooms on the forest floor, Ash knew this would be the right thing to do in the end. It was time to leave behind everything he knew and to go into exile.

A part of him screamed and yearned to bring Pikachu with him - to bring his Pokemon and loved ones. He fought and fought and fought to keep the feeling at bay, releasing a shout of frustration against the darkened summer sky. This was hands-down the hardest thing he ever had to do, but losing to Alain had broken something inside of him. Snapped, eschewed, damaged, whatever.

The Chosen One? More like the Chosen Sham. Surely the gods were laughing at his misfortune. Arceus, Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Shaymin, and all the rest. Even Ho-Oh too.

Heh.

Ash allowed a wry smile to grace the corner of his lips. It seemed like a lifetime ago he had seen the legendary Ho-Oh flying overhead back in Kanto. A thought, a wish, a promise was all it took for the bird to appear.

Fat lot of good it did. Destiny was bullshit - it was up to Ash to forge his own path and he knew that now. A clean start somewhere new would do him some good.

But where? Ash was absolutely sure he couldn't go back to any of the regions he had already visited. He needed a place his friends had never heard of before. An area where he could blend in and disappear without a single trace. It would be easier on everyone that way; if he was going to cut out his old life entirely it would be as clean as possible in order to avoid all the usual messiness involved.

Speaking of which, help would be an absolute must if he was to pull this off. Ash slipped into one of his rare thinking sessions, stroking his chin whilst doing so. He suspected those would become much more common in the near future, but what was happening now was good enough for him. For starters, he wanted to make sure he was gone altogether from people who knew him. Secondly, he was going to need some research info on certain... subjects of future interest. And finally, he would need help forging a new life and identity.

Fortunately, there were people he met on his travels that would be more than happy to assist. Ash didn't quite have a plan yet, but he had at least the beginnings of one. For now, the first step would be enough.

And what was the first step?

Getting as far away from this place as possible, he mused. Dexter, his trusty Pokedex, was with him as always, but he had nothing else but the clothes on his back. Their classic red-white-and-blue trappings remained invisible in the darkness, yet weighed on Ash like the yoke of a thousand chains.

If he was lucky, then maybe he would be able to reach Santalune City in a week or two if he started now. After, of course, soliciting a number of supplies from the nearest Pokemon Center. He would have to be quick, though - as soon as his friends got wind of his disappearance, then they would most certainly set out on search parties to find him.

Feeling a pang of pride for his friends' golden hearts, Ash took another tentative step forward deeper into the forest. This was it, the first foray into whatever the future held for him. Would it be devastating? Liberating? Freeing?

In truth, Ash had no idea. What he did know, however, was that nothing would be more painful than this moment. He swore beyond the depths of his soul that he would make amends for those he had wronged one day. And, Arceus willing, would make amends for the people and Pokemon he was wronging now.

I'm sorry Serena, thought the trainer from Pallet Town. And you, Clemont. Bonnie. Brock. Mom. Pikachu. May. Greninja. Everyone.

Kneeling but for a brief moment, Ash grasped a nearby Pecha Berry bush and allowed the memories of his adventures to flow through him one last time. Happiness and joy coursed in his veins as the remnants of long-dormant memories came to life. From burning Misty's bike way back when and all the way to the depths of the kingdom under the sea, a lifetime of experiences gave him the strength to do what needed to be done.

Allowing tears to spill down his cheeks, Ash knew he was ready. He shut off the sieve of memories assaulting him, struggling up to his feet and proceeding to walk further into the darkness. Then trotting. Then jogging. Then running.

Yes, running. Armed with not only knowledge but a determination to shape his new future, Ash could feel the thrum-thrum-thrum of his heart as he began to escape his old life.

Was it rash? Perhaps. Reckless? Probably. Should he have consulted his friends first? Yes. But by doing so, Ash knew he would never be able to leave. He needed to do it now while he could. It was by his will and his will alone that this could be done.

In the meantime, Santalune City and freedom awaited.

~ Prelude End ~

Author notes: Hope you liked! I'll be updating this concurrently with some of my other fics. As usual, I know about Farla, Advance, etc, and all the rest. Just plugging away and writing to my own enjoyment. :)

Next update will be pretty soon. Cheers.