When a life fades away

Death.

For Serena it was something far away from her. She was young and never feared it. Last time she had feared death was during the Kalos Crisis and 3 years had passed.

In a way that fear was connected to Ash. The first time she saw him after the summer camp in Kanto, he was jumping off Prism Tower to catch Pikachu.

During their time in Kalos, Ash made her feel real fear many times.

He jumped into a Volcano to catch Talonflame, he was tortured by Lysandre, and he collapsed while training with Greninja.

Surely these are only a few examples, but you can see why Serena associated Ash with death.

Anyways, in the last three years she had maturated, and she saw things from another prospective.

She knew why Ash was so reckless. This came from his kind and selfless nature, and she was proud to say that she was becoming like him, always ready to do everything she could to help others.

In a way, it was what a Kalos Queen should do. Give people not only joy and smiles, but also kindness, advices and a model to improve themselves from day to day.

Also, being able to share emotions was another important thing to show as Kalos Queen.

With her role model, People would acknowledge the importance of being themselves and understand that emotions were a treasure, not something to repress.

But right now, Serena wasn't the role model she was hoping to be.

She hadn't shed a tear. She hadn't said anything. She was now comforting Dawn, on her knees, hugging the poor girl that wasn't still able to speak, or saying anything that weren't sobs or cries of pain.

Serena was thinking: "Maybe Dawn knows Ash somehow… But to cry like that, he should be an important person for her".

In a way, Serena was being a real Queen, putting away her pain to comfort her friend. In truth, se was only now realizing what had happened. Like an old wall, cracks were forming in her thoughts and finally the wall collapsed, reality hitting her hard. From her eyes, tears were forming, and after some seconds, she broke down as well, crying everything she got on Dawn's shoulder.

The bluenette, noticing that, cried even harder, alerting Nurse joy once more even after Serena had dismissed her asserting that she could help her friend alone.

This time, the patient pinkette managed to give the girls a tranquilizer. She had tried to speak to the two in avail, so she opted for this.

She was concerned for the girls, but she had to maintain peace in her center to not scare the Pokèmon she had under her care and the trainers who were sleeping in the building.

After some minutes, Dawn and Serena's cries slowed down. The nurse checked them and then she led them to the room, watching the two girls falling into a deep slumber.

"Maybe tomorrow they will be calmer"

Clemont was thinking again from his balcony, Bonnie asleep from the long day.

He was happy to see his sister relieved that Ash wasn't dead but now he didn't know what to do. How could he find Ash? Everything was so mysterious about his disappearance and even the scotch he was sipping couldn't make his thoughts clearer.

Goh was now with him in his penthouse while Team Rocket had decided to help them find Ash in their own way.

He wasn't sure about what the Trio could actually do for the task, but it was certainly better to have them on his side.

Goh stated that something was off about the event. He said that these kinds of things had to be related to a Pokèmon. The was no way a human could make a person disappear like that.

Also, what kind of Pokèmon could do something like that? And why?

Clemont needed answers, but it would be a long path.

"You know, I know where we can start our research"

"Mhh, Where Goh?"

"At Professor Cerise lab in Vermilion city. Me and ash are research fellows for him. I'm sure we can discover something. I have to tell him anyway what happened to Ash."

Clemont tapped his glass: "Want some?" said offering a glass full of his amber juice to Goh who was smoking leaning against the railing.

Goh nodded and took a sip. It was different from the strong wooden bourbon he was used to drink with Ash, but it tasted good.

"What do you think?"

"I think that we have to follow more paths if we want to find Ash soon."

"You know any places?"

"I know a person who can help us: the Anistar city Gym leader"

"How"

"She can see people destiny… maybe she can help us in finding something about Ash's whereabouts. Maybe we will be able to discover who's responsible for his disappearance"

"Well, that sure is interesting. We must give a shot to everything we can!"

Ash woke up in the morning all groggy. Grass wasn't the best of beds but that had been his only option.

"Morning Buddy, Greninja" told his Pokèmon while stretching a bit.

"Today, we have to reach some sort of civilisation. I want to start this quest as soon as possible in order to come back! So now, let's eat some berries for breakfast and then let's get going!"

"Pi pikachuuu", " Greninja"

Ash sighed to himself. He wasn't over the fact that all the sacrifices he made to finally conquer a spot in the Final 4 Tournament had been in vain.

Nonetheless, he was still confused at everything Arceus told him especially about his return to his time. It was odd but he couldn't put a finger on the problem.

"Pika pi, pi pika chuchu"

"You are right Pikachu. We will discover everything on step at a time."

"Nin ninja"

Pikachu jumped to his favourite spot and so the trio started their journey.

It was already evening when something broke Ash, Pikachu and Greninja from their peaceful journey through the forest.

Suddenly, from the vortex, many thunders flashed in the sky hitting the ground around the region and creating several explosions.

"What the hell was that?"

Ash saw fire in the distance and then he heard a ferocious growl.

Running with all he had, he saw the end of the forest and then heard screamings.

In front of him there was a village with high wooden walls burning and collapsing. People gathered all around a tall building and a hoard of Pokèmon attacking them.

He saw human and Pokèmon corpse as wall, bleeding and laying in the ground.

People and Pokèmon were fighting each other when finally, he saw a massive infernape with red eyes launching an assault against a girl.

"Pikachu, iron tail!"

Slamming his tail against the monstrous ape, Pikachu threw the Infernape away from the girl and then Ash stood between her and her assaulter.

"Pikachu, Go help the other people! Scare those Pokèmon. I don't want to see any more deaths.

Me and Greninja will fight Infernape" Ash said, his auburn eyes glowing and his face hardening from the atrocity he had seen

"Pikaa"

"And Pikachu…" said Ash, before letting Pikachu go "Please be careful"

Pikachu stroked his little head to his best friend's face before jumping from his shoulder and starting his mission".

"Go away!" stated Ash to the girl without facing her,

"No way, I'll kill that monster!!!" she shouted, recovering from the dread.

"You won't kill a suffering Pokèmon in front of me. Go away or stay there. I don't care. The only thing I care about is to avoid any more murder"

"…" The girl was caught off guard from this boy with strange clothes and with Pokèmon on his side.

"That voice…" thought Ash, before returning his attention to the Infernape who had risen from the dirt.

"Greninja, It's you and me now! Water Shuriken"

The ninja Pokèmon launched his assault, but his opponent was faster, avoiding the shurikens and shooting his flamethrower at the ninja Pokèmon.

"Greninja, out frome there!"

"Now, gain speed and cut!"

Again, Infernape was faster and hit Greninja with a powerful Thunder punch.

"He sure is a lot stronger than any Infernape. He is the boss." thought the Raven-haired trainer

"Okay Greninja, he is strong, so we have to grow stronger, stronger and stronger!!!

TOGETHER!!! LET'Z GOOOOO!!!"

Trainer and Pokemon's hearts started to beat at the same rhythm, mind connected.

Greninja was engulfed by a stream of water that soon became a shuriken on his back. His face changed, resembling his trainer's one.

The battle bond Greninja was back.

"Greninja, arial ace!", the Ninja Pokèmon ran forward, jumped in the air, his leg glowing white, and slammed it on to Infernape speed at incredible speed.

The monkey Pokèmon took the hit, creating a hole in the ground.

The blow sent shockwaves in the air.

"Now cut!" Ash shouted mimicking his Pokèmon movements.

Infernape charged a thunder punch once again and while Greninja was hitting, the punch collided with his gut, making him cough and fall on his knee.

Ash felt it. It was the most powerful hit he had ever received.

He coughed blood, falling to the ground and clutching his stomach.

"Holy Crap, that's incredible" Ash raised his head, his gaze to Greninja with a grin.

Meanwhile, Pikachu had sent away all the other Pokèmon and the people of the village had finally tamed the fire.

"Hey, there's another Pokèmon" a person shouted, while the other inhabitants started screaming.

"I'm gonna kill it" said a man in a black armour with long moustache.

Pikachu fried him with a thunderbolt before jolting in a run toward his trainer.

"We've got this Greninja, WATER SHURIKEEENN!!"

Greninja was right in front of Infernape, having capitalised his chances after a Double team to close the gap between himself and his enemy.

From this close distance, the shuriken exploded sending back both Pokèmon.

Greninja stood once again, while Infernape collapsed.

They had won.

Reverting to his normal form, Greninja fell on one knee and Ash collapsed.

"Oh, Mighty Sinnoh!" exclaimed the girl that had witnessed the battle and she put Ash's head on her lap, touching his forehead.

"Hey, are you okay, right?" Ash said, with eyes still closed.

The girl was surprised. She had never seen that boy but still, he stood to protect her and, even when he was about to pass away, he asked her if she was fine.

Before, she could answer him, Ash jolted on his feet, without facing the girl and went to Infernape.

He grabbed a berry from his pocket and gave it to the poor fire monkey.

Infernape looked at him. "Hey, take this. You'll feel better!" the boy told him with a bright smile, before giving Greninja another berry and caressing his head. "You were awesome Greninja. It was a blast fighting with you like the old days!" he complemented the ninja frog.

Both the girl and Infernape watched the exchange with disbelief; where they friends? Pokèmon and human being friends? Was that even possible?

Infernape got out of his thought when he saw a hand. "Come on friend, get up. You were incredible. I loved battling you but tell me something: why did you do that?"

Infernape looked sad and Ash understood. Greninja translated for him that the thunder from the sky hit the Pokèmon in the forest making them feel enraged and lose control.

The Kantonean trainer was lost in his thoughts at this point…

"PIKAPI!!"

"Pikachu, here you are buddy!!! How are you?" Ash and Pikachu shared a deep hug before seeing a lot of people coming to their way.

"It's the Infernape! We have to kill him, or he might come back!" said a man.

Ash intervened, facing the crowd:

"You won't do anything to him. He lost control for the thunder from the sky. It isn't his fault"

"And who are you, a kid with two beasts come out from nowhere to tell us what to do?"

"I'm Ash Ketchum and I won't allow this!" stated firmly.

"If you don't want to collaborate, then you are our enemy. Get out of our way if you don't want to be killed!" retorted the big moustache knight."

Ash, Pikachu and Greninja stood there, protecting Infernape, ready to take the consequences of their actions.

"Please, Boss Soruan! Let him live! He saved my life from the Infernape. He fought him with his Pokèmon!"

The girl Ash saved finally broke her silence to defend the boy who had saved her.

Ash met gaze with her, what he saw completely stunned him.

Blue hairs, those eyes which looked like diamonds with pearls encrusting. She was the copy of Dawn, the same features.

"What did you say, Akari?"

"It is true, please, trust me!"

The man, Soruan, looked in contemplation.

Ash stepped with his Pokèmon by side toward the man and held his hand to him.

"These are my best friends and the only family I have. Greet him, Pikachu, Greninja"

The two Pokèmon understood their trainer intentions and smiled greeting the old man with their cry.

The entire Village was in utter shock at this.

"Infernape here is sorry, isn't it right bud?"

"Nape". Infernape looked down in shame. He wasn't sure why this boy was defending him but he was grateful at him.

"Akari, should we trust him?"

Then a man stepped out from the crowd with his arch and shot a poisoned arrow to Infernape shouting: "THAT beast won't leave this village alive!!"

Ash gasped in horror, launched his body forward with all what was left of his energy, and finally was met by the arrow that lodged in his shoulder.

In an instant, everything became blurry, his vision faded. He heard scuffles, Pikachu and Greninja crying for him, steps coming toward him.

And his world faded away.