The closest ones

39. Talk between friends

Past

No POV

They were in pokemon center, but their normal energetic mood wasn't with them.

Ash sat silently in his room with Pikachu on his lap. He pet his partner, waiting for his friend to return even though he didn't expect him to show up soon after what happened.

The doors opened, making Ash to look up. He saw his green hair friend come in. His expresion was hard to read. He was sad but also happy at the same time.

"She is sleeping now." Cilan spoke sitting beside Ash on bed. Ash nodded and continued in what he was doing. They sat in silence, saying nothing. After some time, Ash finally broke the silence.

"How do you do it Cilan?" the messy hair trainer asked and the gym leader turned to him. "How do you know what to say to people? How do you do that?"

Cilan looked at him for moment, but chuckled after that. "I just say what comes to my hearth Ash." but it didn't help Ash at all. "Pokemon and humans are more alike then you realise Ash."

This time Ash turned him with confusion on his face. "What do you mean?"

"Pokemon react the same we do Ash and they need exactly the same words as we do. You calm pokemon by saying what you know will work, humans the same. Pokemon are sad, you make them happy. They are angry about something, you ask them. When they lost someone, you are there for them, that is why you should never be alone so we support each like now. "Cilan said and Ash looked down humiliated.

"That is not what I did." Ash said and clenched his free hand. "I was just big jerk to Iris when I should have been more open to her. N wouldn't be proud of me." Ash's words received him small punch into his shoulder. He looked up, rubbing his shoulder

"N would be proud for what you are doing now Ash. You don't want to just connect to pokemon. You want to connect to people too and that is what is needed in this world. Not only for trainer to connect to pokemon, but also other people. But I don't blame you fully Ash. Both you and Iris has lost something this month and that comes that you let out all emotions. The important thing is, you need learn which one you will let out." Cilan spoke and Ash lifted his head. "Tomorrow go talk with Iris. It will help both of you. Don't lock yourself from world. You do that and you will only hurt everyone around you but most of all, yourself"

"So you think my idea about leaving Unova is a bad idea?" Ash asked and Cilan didn't nod or shake his head.

"That is up to you Ash. You already left Kanto, Johto and more regions. The thing is that you shouldn't look for new areas without having someone by your side. Yes, Misty, May and Dawn followed because of the burned bikes, but did you really think they were only following because of that? No. They did, because they needed you ay much as you needed them. Not in the romantic way, well.... almost not everytime." he said with bigger chuckle and Ash looked at him confused. "Oh, that is chapter for another day and for someone else to tell you better than me."

Ash looked at him still confused for moment before breaking into laugh. "Oh, I needed this Cilan after everything with N and team Plasma." Ash said grinning and Cilan smiled back at him. They sat there for a moment, but Ash then asked something that was slowly eating him. "And what if I wanted to leave because I wanted to protect people?"

Cilan looked at him and thought about it. "That is a trick question. Why do you ask?"

Ash averted his gaze. "Just, just something what happened." Ash said as he stood up. Pikachu jumped down, looking up at him. Pikachu was the only one who knew.

Cilan looked at him, thinking about anyway to help him. "Well back to your question. It would depend on people you want to protect. But I know people who would want to rather face the things you are trying to protect them from."

"And if I didn't want them to? I wanted to make sure to keep them safe by any chance?" Ash asked and Cilan stood back up.

"Is it about what happened with N? Ash this way you will probably keep them safe, but you will only make those people go further from you."

"But it would keep them safe." Ash countered back.

"And it would make those people hurt even more." Cilan said louder this time. "Let me tell it you the way you will understand. You never care about yourself. Even being trainer and becoming pokemon master is because to honour your father. So if you do what  say, you will not only hurt yourself by leaving everyone behind, but hurt them by it. Do you want to hurt people you care about to just keep them safe?"

Ash looked once again stunned at him. Ash sighed and lied down on his bed. "Thanks for the talk Cilan. I will think about it." Ash said, as he looked up. Cilan looked at him concerned, but walked away, leaving Ash in his thoughts.