No Return (The Return Series)

The Betrayal

3rd Person POV

Sevi Islands, Kanto

Ash stood silently in the shadows. Looking at the Pokemon in the Pokeball he was holding. Deoxys. That's not what he was thinking about though. No matter how much he tried it always hurt when he thought about them and what happened 3 years ago. His mother, Delia Ketchum always said 'Scars you can't see are always there'. Maybe she was right maybe Ash couldn't get over the pain. The unbearable pain. He knew he was framed for a crime he didn't commit and he had no way of proving his innocence so he did what best, he ran. Ran away from his problems. Like he ran away from his Charizard. Like he ran away from her. Her. He thought she loved him, but it's like the saying goes 'If its too good to be true, it probably is'. He had learned that lesson the hard way and now there is no return.

Flashback: 

Lily of the Valley Island, Sinnoh

 "Magmortar is unable to battle which means that the winner is Challenger Ash of Pallet Town. Ash had just beaten Flint the final member of the elite four and as he did his adrenaline  died down and he collapsed breathing heavily and sighed. He couldn't feel better. He only had one more step towards his dream, he would not fail. He got up and looked at Flint and shook his hand. Flint said nothing but just nodded at Ash. Ash understood. Flint wanted Ash to win the Championship match against Cynthia that's why Flint had battled better than he ever had. Flint had pushed Ash and his Pokemon to their limits, testing if they were ready for the final challenge. Cynthia. Ash knew if he wanted to achieve his dream he would have to verse Cynthia. As he was exiting he was greeted with a Blue-haired beauty. His girlfriend, Dawn. They had started dating 6 months ago when Ash returned to Sinnoh for the first time in years and he couldn't be happier. All of his friends were there watching. Even Paul. His long-time rival with his questionable training style, but Paul had changed for the better. He didn't treat his Pokemon so harshly and didn't release them for underperforming. All of his friends came up to congratulate him. Except two people Kenny and Serena. Funny. He had definitely seen them in the stands when his battle had started. Strange. As he left he was surrounded by so many reporters he began to become dizzy. Luckily security came and took Ash and his friends to the Pokemon centre where he could have his Pokemon checked up on. Suddenly a certain blonde-haired trainer came up to him. Cynthia. "Hope you don't mind Ash but the Championship match is going to be in three days as next week I have Business to attend to in Johto," "That's fine Cynthia, whatever works for you," Ash replied. "Excellent, I'll go make an announcement," Cynthia stated. "Let's go out to eat, to celebrate," May announced with enthusiasm. Even Ash couldn't argue with that. Ash didn't think that this moment would take Ash down a path of no return.

2 Days Later: 

Ash was training against Paul for his battle against Cynthia tomorrow he wanted to be prepared. For some reason Serena had insisted on watching after she and Kenny disappeared for a day. Paul was using the same brutal training methods on Ash's Pokemon that he had used all those years ago. He wasn't like Paul and wouldn't bully his Pokemon for not being able to take out 2 or 3 stronger opponents but he was training his Pokemon to be even more resilient. Suddenly Kenny appeared from behind the trees holding 2 bottles of water. One he chucked over to Ash the other he handed to Paul. If Kenny were to be honest with himself, Paul scared him and what he and Serena devised scared him even more is what his role was set as. He had to take out Paul. Serena said Sleep powder would do the trick, but that didn't make Kenny scared it was what would happen if sleep powder failed. Kenny would most likely walk away with several broken bones if he were lucky. And he had just completed phase one of the plan. "I need to go get some different Pokemon," Paul announced. Just as quickly Kenny answered "I'll go with you, so you know you don't get jumped by wild Pokemon considering your Pokemon are weak from training so hard." Paul didn't argue so Kenny took that as a yes and followed him. Phase two, complete. Phase three was where he might have to have several bones on his body amputated. He was doing this for Dawn. His childhood friend Deedee. he had a crush on her since they were 8 and just worked up the courage to ask her out just for that Ketchum kid to steal her away. He was sorry for Ketchum. Because if everything goes right for Kenny and Serena, Ash might get stuck with an obsessive girlfriend of Serena. Kenny didn't hate Ash. He thought they had an alright friendship, but if that friendship was getting in the way of him and Dawn dating then he would happily watch it burn. Paul noticed something was wrong. Kenny seemed too on edge for simple wild Pokemon. Before Paul had time to react Kenny shoved him forwards and tripped over a root sticking out from the ground, talk about unlucky. Kenny pulled out his Breloom and put Paul to sleep. Kenny breathed a huge sigh of relief, currently, Kenny would keep his limbs intact and not bent at 270 degree angles. He hid Paul's body behind a tree and walked to where Dawn was conversing with May and Misty. He didn't hear any of their conversation but he walked up to Dawn and tapped her on the shoulder, "Hey, can I speak to you privately for a moment Deedee?" She turned around, her beautiful blue hair following her. "Sure, lead the way." He took her to a secluded area near the Pokemon centre and began, "look Dawn I know this isn't news you want to hear but Ash has been cheating on you with Serena," Dawn looked at him blankly. "I'm sorry," he said. Finally Dawn spoke, "excuse me Kenny, but could you repeat that sentence." "Ash had been cheating on you with Serena," Kenny repeated. Dawn was silent for precisely 13.24 seconds she spoke one simple sentence, "I don't believe you." "Follow me, Dawn," Kenny stated and started walking into the forest where Ash and Paul were training, Dawn trailing behind. He got to the location looked at Serena and Serena looked back. Understanding almost immediately Serena grabbed Ash's face who was seated next to her drinking water and kissed him hard on the lips just as Dawn arrived to the scene. Ash's eyes widened immediately and pulled away a second too late. Dawn had witnessed Serena kiss Ash and that was enough for her to pull the lever. She screamed at Ash, "I can't believe you, you cheating bastard, you said you loved me." Words like that, until she finally ran off crying Kenny following suit. Ash knew he couldn't follow her now even if he didn't do anything. Ash did what he did best he ran. Ran away from his problems, ran away from the girl of his dreams, she was the girl he wanted to marry, up until now all that seemed possible. How one hour of his life had ruined more than the other 15 years of his life he didn't know but it had happened, this wasn't a dream he knew that for certain.