BATTLES OF PAST

CHAPTER 1 : NEW BEGINNING

"Talking"
'Thoughts'

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

We see a boy with messy raven hair and a Z-mark on his cheeks walking on an Alolan beach with his trusty partner Pikachu on his shoulder. He's wearing a mask and a black coat on his back. He's mindlessly walking while thinking about how he got into this situation.

FLASHBACK ONE YEAR EARLIER:

After he completed the Kalos League, he returned home while thinking, 'Was it all worth these years of training? Even now, I couldn't win a tournament. Seriously, I just need a break from these journeys. It's been a long time since I spent time with my mom. When I return home, it might be a good idea for us to go on vacation with my Pokémon. It's been a while since I trained them. I must train them first.'

When he reached his home, his mother gave him a bone-crushing hug. He was thinking, 'It's been so long since I felt this warmth. Mom, I'm sorry for leaving you alone all these years.' He tightened his grip around his mother, and she was surprised. They stood at the door for a few minutes, hugging.

She was the first to break the hug and asked, "Ash, come on. Let's go. I've made your favorite dishes for dinner. We can talk about your adventures while eating."

Ash replied, "Okay, Mom. I'll freshen up and come. Let's go, Pikachu."

He ran with Pikachu to his room, while his mom thought about how much her son had grown. She left for the dinner table to arrange some things with the help of Mr. Mime.

After a few minutes, Ash came to the dinner table with Pikachu. As he sat in the chair and they discussed his adventures in Kalos, his mother asked when he would leave. It struck him like a truck, seeing his son's reaction. She asked if he was alright, and he said he was fine, but she could tell he wasn't. Then he mentioned that he was planning to take a break from adventures, surprising both his mom and his Pokémon. She asked if something had happened, and Pikachu used Thunderbolt on him. After being hit by Thunderbolt, he revealed his reasons and shared that he planned to go to the Alola region for a vacation with his mom and his old Pokémon. She agreed to the idea.

After a few days, he trained with his Pokémon, and surprisingly, many of them evolved and learned new moves, growing stronger. After informing Professor Oak about his plans, the professor mentioned that he had a friend in Alola and told Ash to contact him if he needed help.

After a few months, he left Pallet Town with his mom and Pokémon for Alola. When he arrived, he was greeted by Professor Kukui, the person Professor Oak had told him about. Professor Kukui took them to their house. Ash and Pikachu were mesmerized by the beauty of Alola and the different Pokémon there. When they reached their house, Professor Kukui left, saying good luck with their vacation and offering his assistance if needed. Ash and Pikachu had a lot of fun with Delia in Alola. Delia was especially enjoying this vacation since, every time Ash went on a journey, she felt saddened by his absence. She understood his passion but felt lonely without him. She cherished their time together.

After they had enough fun, they returned to their house. During dinner, while discussing their adventures, Delia asked Ash, "Tell me, Ash, what's really bothering you?"

Ash choked a bit, and Pikachu and Mr. Mime stared at him for an answer. He replied, "Nothing, Mom. I just feel like I need a break, you know?" But seeing his mother's reaction, he realized she didn't believe him. So, he decided to tell her the truth. Slowly, his face turned to a frown, and his eyes were hidden by his cap and hair.

Both Delia and Pikachu were shocked by his reaction. Delia got up from her chair, went to him, and hugged him. He was surprised by the gesture and decided that there were no more lies. He started breaking down, hugging his mom tightly, crying and sobbing. She ran her hand over his back, comforting him, while Pikachu and Mr. Mime rubbed their heads against his legs to offer support.

After a few minutes, he calmed down and began to speak...

*Note: Delia didn't know about his legendary encounters or how many times he had died saving others. Now, he was finally revealing everything, including losing his friend Lucario in the Rota Kingdom.*

Hearing all of this devastated Delia. She held him close, tears falling as she thought about how much her son had sacrificed for the world. They sat together, and she listened to his story, learning about his pain and the toll his journey had taken on him. She realized he had been hurting all this time, putting on a brave face for everyone else while carrying his burdens alone. Now she understood why he had asked for a vacation; he needed time to heal from the scars of his past. She decided it was time for him to find happiness. A snoring sound interrupted her thoughts, and she looked down to see him sound asleep. She carefully carried him to his bed, tucked him in, and placed a blanket over him. She knew he was exhausted, emotionally and physically.

As she returned to her own bed, she noticed an advertisement for the opening of a new Alolan school on the island. She considered enrolling him in the school as a way to help him heal. The following day, when Ash was out of the house, she went to enroll him. After enrolling him with the name "Red," she planned to surprise him with the news during dinner. When dinner came around, they talked about their time in Alola and other things. Delia eventually shared the news about his enrollment in the new school. At first, Ash and Pikachu were shocked and adamant about not attending, but when they saw their mother's gentle smile, promising both love and trouble, they reluctantly agreed. As Delia described the school's activities, Ash was slightly amazed. He found the idea of no homework or reading until volunteering quite appealing.

That night, Ash made a decision not to reveal his identity as an elite trainer to his new schoolmates. He planned to wear a mask to hide his face and use the name "Red." His mother had enrolled him with only his first name, giving him the chance to blend in. He decided not to get involved in others' business. With these thoughts in mind, he drifted off to sleep. The next morning, he went to a mask store and purchased a mask, along with black leather jeans and a jacket lined with black and red. Looking at himself in the mirror, he was amazed at how well he had chosen his outfit. Pikachu was surprised too and showed his approval by nuzzling Ash's cheeks. The store owner was also impressed by how well the outfit suited Ash, making him look quite badass. After paying for his new outfit, Ash left the store and headed to Alolan Beach for a walk, as he had half an hour before school starts.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

                               -To Be Continued