Adventure's Past

Chapter 17 - Retrieval

This was Clemont's way of trying to get Ash to explain how he got there, but the unusually silent raven-haired trainer just closed his eyes again. I wonder, Ash. What happened to you on that island to change your personality so drastically? Clemont wondered.

Hearing the whole conversation, Bonnie was convinced that Ash had a grudge against Goh. But that can't be possible, she convinced herself. He hasn't even talked to him in six years. Still, she felt that Ash knew something about Goh that neither she nor Clemont knew, and she was more curious than ever.

{—}

"I'm sure Ash will be back soon, Pikachu," Amelia assured Pikachu, who had just finished a home-cooked Pokemon meal Amelia made. "Pika..." Pikachu replied unconfidently, walking over to his Pokeball belt that hung untouched on the counter in the farmhouse.

"I know it's been a day, but I think you would know Ash to understand that as your trainer, he'd want to do everything to get back," Amelia explained kindly. Pikachu gave a smile and nodded in agreement.

It was at that moment that Espie, who had been sitting on the ground with its eyes closed for a few hours, suddenly opened its eyes and stood up, running towards the door. Amelia followed close behind, curious of Espie's intentions, while Pikachu stayed inside. Upon opening the door, they saw figures in the sky floating downwards towards their location, occupying the sky as small silhouettes.

Once they got closer, however, Amelia recognized one of the figures to be Ash, still wearing the same black cloak she had recommended he wear. "Ash! Hey!" She exclaimed, waving at him. He raised a hand back as the Magnezone he rode on alongside Clemont descending, Bonnie and her Vivillon close behind.

Clemont got off, returned Magnezone, and walked up to Amelia. "I'm Clemont," he said, holding out a hand. "It's nice to meet you," Amelia said, shaking his hand. "We're sorry to bother you, but Ash says you have his Pokemon?" Ash walked over and gave Amelia a smile.

"Yeah, I do," Amelia said, turning towards Ash. "Where did you go exactly?" Ash shrugged his shoulders and said, "Pretty far, actually. But I think I know why Espie sent me here." Espie walked up to Ash, then looked at Clemont with curious eyes. It smiled and then turned around to go back inside the building, seemingly satisfied with something. No one knew what exactly except Ash, who felt Espie had done exactly what felt right.

"It wanted me to find Clemont," Ash said. "I'm sure of it." Amelia shrugged and turned towards the farmhouse. "Pikachu! Your buddy Ash is here!" She yelled, waiting for the small yellow electric mouse to come running out. It was at this time that Bonnie came forward and approached Amelia. "I'm Clemont's little sister. I think you would be the perfect woman to take care of my brother!"

Ash and Clemont both widened their eyes as they realized exactly what Bonnie was doing. The inventor dashed forward and grabbed Bonnie's collar, pulling her away from Amelia. "Sorry for my sister! She still needs to learn how to talk to strangers!" Clemont apologized to a clueless-looking Amelia. Ash chuckled, something he hadn't don't in a while, and walked up to Amelia.

"Hey, thanks for looking after my buddies," he said gratefully. "I know you must've been curious where I went after I disappeared, so I appreciate you looking after my Pokemon while I wasn't here." Amelia shook her head and smiled. "After you saved the world? Don't mention it." She said, earning a slight eye roll from Ash, who felt his 'saving the world' was all because of Lucario and Greninja.

The door to the farmhouse creaked slightly, revealing Pikachu peeking his head out, Pokeball belt wrapped around his body. Ash looked over and grinned as he saw his buddy, who saw Ash and began running over excitedly. "Hey, buddy!" Ash exclaimed as Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder and rubbed his cheeks up against Ash's face.

Grabbing his Pokeball belt from Pikachu and placing it around his waist once more, Ash turned to a smiling Clemont. "So, about that plan of yours to stop Goh. What does it entail?" He asked. Clemont, slightly shocked that Ash even knew what the word 'entail' meant, rubbed the back of his head.

"I'm not exactly sure, but when I told Professor Cerise we were going to Olivine City, he told me to just have us wait by the airport for someone to arrive," Clemont explained truthfully. "Honestly, I have no idea who it is." Ash tilted his head, as he really had no idea either, before turning to Amelia.

"Again, thanks a lot," Ash said, holding out his hand. Amelia shook it and replied, "Again, don't worry about it. Espie was the one who teleported you away, so I'm happy to look after your Pokemon." Bonnie suddenly gasped. "Wait, you were teleported?" She exclaimed in disbelief. Ash softly chuckled again and said, "I'll explain it at the airport," much to Bonnie's annoyance.

Saying goodbye to Amelia, the three took the trip down the Moomoo Path, the shortcut that Frank had shown to Ash and Goh the first time they came here. Clemont and Bonnie hadn't seen the large Pokemon that were made here as a result of the Moomoo Milk they drank, so their intrigued state was understandable.

Once they reached the airport, Ash sat down on a bench with Pikachu and closed his eyes again, Pikachu following suit. Clemont, noticing Ash was frequently doing this, asked, "You okay, Ash?" Ash opened one eye and took a deep breath. "Yeah, why do you ask?" He asked quietly. Bonnie walked over to Pikachu and poked its cheek. "Both of you are closing your eyes at random times," she said.

"It's not random," Ash stated, closing his eye again. "It's a meditating technique that Samuel taught me for when I get worried or stressed." Clemont and Bonnie looked at each other in confusion. "So, you're stressed right now?" Clemont asked. "About what?" Ash stood up and walked over to Clemont.

"Before a few days ago, I thought that Samuel was preparing me for something that was going to be decades from now, when I didn't need to worry about the people I cared about," Ash explained in a serious tone. "But now, I didn't even get to finish my training with him, and the threat's already here."

"So yes, I am stressed," Ash reiterated. "I'm stressed that this time, I won't be able to protect humanity again. I don't have Lucario. I don't have Greninja. I'm worried that I won't be strong enough, even after all that training, to protect the people I care about. The people who shouldn't have even reentered into my life."

Ash was practically in Clemont's face by this point. He went to go sit back down on the bench next to a slightly nervous-looking Pikachu. Clemont and Bonnie were silent as Ash stood there, unmoving, shocked at the emotional blowup Ash just had. The silence was interrupted by an announcer over the intercom system informing them that a flight from Vermillion City just landed.

"That must be our person," Clemont said quietly, readjusting his Aipom Arm backpack. "Come on you two," he said, addressing Ash and Bonnie, who both grabbed their bags and began following Clemont towards the gate that let off passengers.

Arriving at the gate and looking around, Clemont said, "The Professor said they would be wearing floral clothing." Bonnie's eyes lit up. "So it's a girl?" She asked excitedly. Clemont rolled his eyes and said, "Bonnie, just because someone wears something they like, doesn't mean that you can just assume the kind of person they are."

"Oh, right," Bonnie meekly said, understanding that Clemont was right. Ash, keenly looking around for the description, was having trouble despite his sharp sense of being able to find people. "I don't see them..." he muttered to himself. As the last group of people began getting off and no sign of the person appeared, Clemont frowned and scratched his head.

"Weird," he whispered. "He said they'd be on this flight." Ash sighed and began walking away before a girl's voice was heard. "Wait! Don't close the gate! I'm still getting off!" They said, running towards the gate and out into the airport lobby, panting. Ash turned around and his eyebrows shot up as he saw the person who had exited.

"Chloe?" Clemont asked, unsure. Chloe brought her head up and excitedly said, "Oh! Hey guys!", before running over and hugging everyone, Ash reluctantly included. "What are you doing here?" Bonnie asked. "Not that I'm complaining." Chloe took one last breath and smiled. "I'm here to help you guys find Goh! My dad sent me!"