Betrayed

The Truth and Forgiveness

Ash's POV:

    Paul and I thought we should train by battling. He was using Weavile and I was using Luxray. All was going well.

"Luxray finish it with Thunderbolt!" I commanded my Pokémon.

"Weavile dodge it," Paul said rushing knowing his Pokémon was almost out of juice. But it couldn't move in time.

"Weavile is unable to battle. Luxray wins!" Trip says.

"Good battle Paul," I said to my friend.

"Yeah. You too 'Red'," he said. That's when someone it really didn't want to see came out to the battle field with a smile on their face. But something was different. He was smiling, but something told me that wasn't how he was feeling on the inside.

"Great battle," Max started, "I watched most of it."

"Look Max, get lost. I still don't want to talk to you after what you did to Ash," Paul said as his smile faded away and was replaced with a frown. Max's face darkened as he said my name.

"I know. I still feel guilty. But if I didn't..." he started but trailed off.

"'But if you didn't what'," Paul said with a bit of interest of why he did it. To be honest, I was to.

"... if I didn't, they were going to get rid of my Pokémon and if I decided to even catch one they would take it away. I just couldn't. I didn't know if they just meant putting them in a place where I couldn't find them or if they were going to kill them. I just- I just didn't want to take the chance. I just wish that I could see Ash again and hope he'd understand," Max said as our groups faces grew more upset and angry for threatening him and his Pokémon. But soon lightened a little not believing it

"Hold one minute Max," I said as I motioned the rest of the group to come here.

"I think he's lying. He could know and they asked him to just prove the traitors right and use that as the upper hand," Jessie said.

"Yeah I agree with you. I say we teach him a lesson as the others agreed.

"No," I said sternly.

"What he needs to pay for what happened. I just don't believe him," James said.

"No, he is telling the truth. I can sense it with my aura. He is upset and just wishes to see me again. Trust me, I would know if he was lying, and he isn't," I said as the others had to agree knowing they couldn't keep a secret from him ever since the 'Aura Training' with Lucario. "I am going to tell him but only if he leaves them," I said to them. They all nodded. We turned around to face him. He was looking at us and he looked a little scared thinking we were talking about what to do with him for eavesdropping on them.

"Max. Follow us," I said as he just looked even more terrified.

"We are not going to hurt you," I said in a calmer voice than I have been with him. He nodded and followed a little more at ease. After a while of getting away of anyone to see we turned back to him.

"Max, if you leave the your sister and her friends group, I will tell you a secret about where Ash is at the moment," I said as I watched his face light up with excitement and quickly agreed. "You care for him don't you?" I said to him. He nodded again.

"Of course. Ever since we traveled together, I just couldn't wait to become like him. He was the one I looked up to, to guide me through of how to become a good trainer once I got my Pokémon. But he probably hates me now after what I did to him. But how do I get out?" he asked me.

"Do any of your friends stay up till midnight?" I asked him. He shook his head no. "Can you?" I asked him.

"Yeah. I'm usually up beating my self up after what I did to Ash," he replied.

"Um... okay here is the plan. Wait till all of your friends-" he stopped me.

"They are not my friends anymore nor my family," he said.

"Well anyway, I know you all are on the first floor, so just sneak out the window and if any of them are up, just say you need some fresh air or something, come back here and I will tell you about Ash," I said to him as he nodded and left to go pack.

---Time Skip---

  We all waited on Max and used Charizard as a light source. It was almost midnight when Max appeared through the bushes and smiled when he saw us.

"Hey I'm here. Can I please know where Ash is now," he said as he looked at us with pleading eyes. I smile at home and said

"Yes. You can know." I breathed in and out and said "Please don't scream. We don't want to wake anyone up right now." He nodded. I nodded as well and took my cloak off to revile my faced and he looked REALLY surprised.

"A-Ash," he started after a small silence, "Is it really you?" I nodded and he just hugged me and cried silently into my chest. "A-Ash. I-I'm so so-so-sorry," he kept crying for a minute before he looked up and saw my smile. "Do you forgive me Ash," Max asked scared of the answers he might get.

"Of course I do. I just can't believe I didn't know sooner," I said as he got off me. "Come on, let's go back to our rooms. You want to stay with us Max?" I asked him. He quickly nodded and we went back.

"Thank you Ash. For forgiving me for what I did to you," he said as he still put his head down in shame.

"It's not your fault. May shouldn't have said that they would take your Pokémon away," I said as I patted his back.

"Alright Max do you want to bunk with me and Paul or what?" I asked him as he pondered for a moment before saying he would bunk with me and Paul. "Okay. You get the bed and I'll get the couch," I said as he entered our room.

"No Ash I can do the couch. I'm smaller. It would probably just be uncomfortable for ya. I'll be fine," he said before I could object, he was already one the couch with a pillow and blanket and instantly fell asleep.

"Okay then night Paul," I said.

"Night Ash," he said as he fell asleep. After about 20 minutes or so I did to with a old friend back.

A.N.- Hey guys. So was this okay? I need you all to let me know since I don't think I do to well. But even if it isn't the best, I hope you all enjoyed. And now I can't update as much now that I have school starting and like 5 things to do in one day. Anyway bye now 😋