The Journey (The Return Series)

Galar! For the first Time

There's a time skip between the chapters. It's been a 4 days since the last chapter where Ash was slowly opening up to Goh and Chloe.

With Ash:
Ash placed the 2 pictures on the desk he was using. He saw Goh and Chloe getting ready in the corner of his eye but paid no attention to them. All his focus was on the pictures in front of him. There first one had been taken 23 years ago. It depicted him with his family. With his sister. With his father. With his mother. Things could never be like that ever again. He turned his focus to the second photo. It had been taken more recently compared to the other photo. Only 5 years ago. It depicted him and Dawn dressed up together. He remembered that day. The happiest day of his life. "You're married," Goh asked shocked. "Yea," Ash said shallowly before turning back to the photo. Ash was dressed in a black suit while Dawn was dressed in a stunning white dress. Only 2 other people knew what they did that day. The camera man they hired and Blue. He trusted Blue enough. But it was Dawn who had convinced him to tell Blue just in case. He had not shown her enough affection. The aunt he connected with was Crystal. He often visited her when Jimmy wasn't around. Blue was difficult to be around. It's not that he didn't like her it was just that if he wanted to visit her he would have to visit Pallet Town and that would mean his father would likely be there. Now he has no females in his life. All of them had died by the hand of Team Rocket. Crystal and Dawn by Giovanni's, and Blue by Victoria's. Well, he had Chloe but he barely knew her. "We got married the day before she died," Ash said, "for that exact reason. We knew that there was a high chance that one or both of us could die so we got married. Only told my aunt Blue. She's dead now so the only people that know I'm married are stand in this room." "Why are most of your relatives dead," Goh asked, "Goh," Chloe scolded. "We choose to fight," Ash said, "that's why most of them are dead. I'm one of the few who are left." "Do you want to talk about it," Chloe asked, "I'll tell you who they are," Ash said pulling the photo off the desk and showing it to them. Ash began to point to people, "that's my father, Red," Ash said, "the greatest and most flawed of the Pokédex holders. That's my mother, Yellow. She was a child of Viridian Forest and born with unusual powers. Because I'm her son I have some of her powers. Like I'm able to communicate with Pokémon to an extent. She's dead now. That's my uncle Green. He was the one who sent me here. He's dead now. That's my aunt Blue. She was kidnapped as a child and forcefully made a child of the mask. A group of Team Rocket whose leader was the mask of ice. No one knows where he is anymore. She's dead now. That's my uncle Gold. He liked to gamble and was my favourite uncle from childhood. He's dead now. That's my aunt Crystal. She's the one who completed the Pokédex and was my favourite aunt from childhood. She's dead now. That's my uncle Silver. He's the son of a high up in Team Rocket and he was also a child of the mask. He's alive. Somewhere. That's my cousin Gary, he is a complicated person and I have nothing to say on him. That's my other cousin Jimmy. Jimmy was apart of Team Rocket with me and he is the son of Gold and Crystal. That's me and that's my sister. I don't have anything good to say about my sister right now." "What about her name," Goh asked, "even knowing that is dangerous." Ash said, "besides, I don't really want to talk about it."

"Alright," Cerise said, "you are going to be going to the Galar region for a few days to research the phenomenon known as dynamaxing. You will leave in an hour. Get ready."

Theme Song Play

On the Plane:
Goh sat in the isle seat, Chloe sat next to him, followed by Ash and then finally Pikachu and Eevee lay in the window seat. "Have you ever been to Galar, Ash," Chloe asked, "no," Ash said, "I didn't feel I needed to. I don't really know the place. With Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova and Kalos I've been to the regions multiple times so I know them well so I'm able to avoid Team Rocket." "We came to Galar once," Goh said, talking about Chloe. "Last I heard my cousin was in Galar but that was a while ago," Ash said, "Gary. That's why I don't talk about him. He hasn't been apart of our family affairs since the second battle for Kalos. He was saved from the dex holder genocide because he was in Galar. Don't know how that's stopping Giovanni." "All Galarian airports have scanners that detect you. If you were somehow involved with that organisation by fighting for them at any time. 3 police squads will arrive immediately to arrest you," Chloe said, "I remember my dad saying something about it." "So you didn't think to mention this," Ash asked angrily, "did you forget who I am? What I am?" Ash was breathing heavily and realised he had to calm down as people were looking at them. "I guess all we can do is hope that because I helped stop Team Rocket I won't appear on the scanners," Ash said hopefully. "What's that," Goh said suddenly, pointing to the mirror. They all turned to look out the mirror and a blue and red body seemingly slithered past the window as it disappeared from sight. "Galar has some strange Pokémon," Ash noted, "that's nothing like any other Pokémon I've ever seen."

Wedgehurst Station, Wedgehurst City, Galar:
"What do you mean the train doesn't arrive for another 6 hours," Goh demanded, "I-I'm sorry sir," the man behind the counter stuttered, "there's nothing we can do. Y-you'll have to wait." "Sorry about my friend," Chloe said, "he's a bit impatient." They walked back to where Ash was sitting, tickets in hand. "So the train doesn't come for another 6 hours," Chloe said, "but the scanners didn't pick you up so that's a good thing, right?" Ash sighed. "We should probably go get something to eat," he said. They ended up stopping at a place that sold scones. "I haven't had one of these since..." Ash stopped himself, "nevermind." Suddenly Ash was hit in the head by a rock. He looked over and there was a brown, bipedal rabbit looking at him. Laughing. Suddenly 3 fox Pokémon came from out of nowhere and stole his bag. Goh and Chloe shot up immediately, "split up," Goh said, "we'll find them quicker that way." Goh and Chloe ran off before Ash followed. There was no need for him to rush. His Pokédex tracked the laptop that was in his bag. Ash came across the brown rabbit looking through his bag while the 3 fox Pokémon waited. "You'll find that there's no food in there," Ash said, "scor scorbunny," Scorbunny said in surprise. "No I don't want to hurt you but I will if you don't hand over my bag," Ash said. Scorbunny responded by kicking Ash's back so it landed on a lamp post. "Fine," Ash sighed, "Pikachu use Thunderbolt. Eevee use Swift." Scor," Scorbunny cried as I was hit. "You say that it's more honourable of me if I fight you myself," Ash asked, "fine. Eevee, Pikachu. Stand down. Make sure his friends don't try anything funny." Enraged by that, Scorbunny attacked. Double Kick. Judging by Scorbunny's expression it thought it would win against a human easily. Ash took a step back before pushing one arm out in front blocking Scrobunny's attack. "Scor," Scorbunny cried as he kicked a rock at Ash. The rock caugh fire and headed for Ash. Ash retaliated by shooting an aura ball at it. Ash's aura powers easily overpowered Scorbunny as the aura blast hit Scorbunny and it was send flying back. "Ash," Goh yelled from behind him. "I found my bag. Eevee go get it," Ash said. "What did you do to the Pokémon ," Chloe asked, "I defeated it myself. It said I had no honour so I wouldn't fight it myself. I had to prove it wrong," Ash said. Eevee came back with Ash's bag. "Thanks buddy," Ash said scraping under Eevee's chin. Goh approached Scorbunny cautiously. "Those were some epic attacks," Goh said. Scorbunny looked up in surprise like it wasn't used to people complimenting it. "Goh," Chloe yelled suddenly, "the train leaves in 20 minutes." "Oh no," Goh cried before running off. Ash and Chloe followed him. "Nicket," one of the Nicket nudged Scorbunny to follow. "Nicket," another one agreed. The third one agreed by showing Scorbunny that it could use a rock like he could. The other 2 did the same. Scorbunny looked at them with tears in its eyes before running off after Goh.