1. Ash's Story (Part 8: Ancient Sinnoh and Ultra Dimensions)

Chapter 27

As we soar through the skies, searching far and wide, there's no sign of any portals in sight. It's at that moment we opt to take a pit stop in a different dimension for a breather. I've got this feeling creeping in – a vibe that we might be drifting farther from our familiar world. But hey, that's all part of the adventure, right?

"Hey, where exactly have we landed this time?" Lillie inquires, a touch of curiosity in her voice. "This place is definitely not our home turf, am I right?"

"Yeah, doesn't seem like it," I respond, taking a sweeping glance around us. "At least this time, it looks like Pallet Town is enjoying some peace without any signs of chaos or destruction."

As we arrive at our house, we exchange glances before knocking on the door. To our utter surprise, it's our mother who swings the door open. Still wearing our helmets, my mother looks at us with a puzzled expression and asks, "Um, sorry, do I know you? Who might you be?"

"Sorry for the confusion, but we're interdimensional travelers," I explain, maintaining a composed demeanor. "We're trying to locate Ash Ketchum. Is he available at home?" Embracing the situation of being in an unfamiliar dimension, I opt to play the part of a stranger to our mother.

"I hate to break it to you, but nobody's home except for me," my mother relays. "Ash and his wife, Alice, have been caught up with their own responsibilities lately."

In this parallel reality, it's akin to the frozen world where I'm already married. However, this time, it's Alice by my side. Lillie wears a slight frown, sensing a world where our companionships don't align as they do in our reality.

"But what's all this about interdimensional traveling?" my mom asks, a mix of curiosity and concern in her voice. "Are you telling me you're not from this world?"

"Here's the thing..." I pause, then decide to remove my helmet. My mother's eyes widen in surprise as she beholds my face. "I'm Ash, but I'm not actually from this world..."

"Ah, Ash..." My mother gasps in astonishment at the sight of my face, pulling me into a tight hug. Despite enjoying my mom's embraces, this one feels somewhat different... perhaps because deep down, I sense that she isn't truly my real mom, but rather someone from another dimension.

We're invited inside the house, though Captain Phyco and Soliera decide to leave us alone since they want to explore the area first. The house feels oddly empty. My mother explains that my brothers and sisters are currently working outside of the Kanto Region, leaving the house devoid of their usual presence. As she prepares the snacks I have always enjoyed, she adds, "Since you're not the Ash from this world, your mother must have been terribly worried about you..."

I nod in agreement and explain, "Absolutely, she's deeply concerned. The thing is, the reason behind my interdimensional travels is to find Lillie. She got unexpectedly teleported away from our world, and I'm on a mission to rescue her. Our goal has been to find our way back home, but somehow, we've been wandering through various worlds in our quest."

As Lillie explores the house, her eyes catch a glimpse of a newspaper with a headline that reads, "The Missing 7 Days: What Actually Happened?" "Ms. Ketchum, what's this about? 'The Missing 7 Days?'" Lillie inquires with curiosity evident in her voice.

"Twenty years ago," my mom begins, her expression shifting to a concerned frown, "Team Rocket utilized an aura-based weapon called the Control Clouds. These clouds were created by harnessing the powers of a dark aura user, covering the entire world and manipulating everyone's actions. Those who possess aura abilities remained unaffected, which is why regular people weren't aware of what was happening."

With a pained expression, she gazes at the picture of me, her frown deepening. "I wasn't an aura user until my son conducted the Aura Test to transform me into one. During that time, when we were under control, Ash was subjected to abuse, animosity, and even physical assaults. It wasn't until he encountered Alice, who, like him, possessed aura abilities, that they joined forces and thwarted Team Rocket's plans. Together, they ultimately put an end to Giovanni's reign."