The Journey (The Return Series)

The Champion

"The wild area," Goh sighed happily, "don't get your hopes up. We still need to find a dynamax Pokémon," Chloe said. "There's a Snorlax up there," Ash said, "maybe if we do something it'll dynamax." When they got up the hill Snorlax was on they realised what they had to do. "That Snorlax is probably waiting for that Sitrus Berry to fall. Maybe if we cause it to fall prematurely something will trigger," Ash said. "Go then. You're the one with the Pokémon," Goh said. Ash extended his hand before a blue ball of light shot from it and the Sitrus Berry fell into the Snorlax's mouth. Ash turned around as a rock hit him on the back of his head and he came face to face with Scorbunny. Goh and Chloe turned as well. "Scorbunny," Goh said, "why did you follow us all the way out here." "It wants to join you," Ash said, "it thinks you are worthy to be its trainer." "Oh," Goh said, "you see the thing is the first Pokémon I'm ever going to catch is Mew. I'm flattered that you consider me a worthy trainer but I can't catch you. I'm sorry. Perhaps Ash will be able to catch you?" "I can't. Ive sworn off catching Pokémon," Ash said, "it drowns the Pokémon in what I've done and I can't do that to any Pokémon." Scorbunny walked off dejected as a Hyper Beam shot towards Ash, Chloe and Goh from the Snorlax they had chosen to ignore. Ash managed to put up a shield to block the attack. Snorlax had increased in size and had grown a tree on its back. "Eevee use Swift," Ash yelled. The attack seemed to hurt Snorlax enough. "Go Sceptile," Ash yelled, "break the Sitrus berry." "Sceptileee," Sceptile cried. "Use Leaf Blade," Ash yelled. "Sceptileee," Sceptile cried as it cut through the branch and the Sitrus berry fell towards Snorlax's mouth before getting stuck in some shrubs. "No," Goh yelled, "no. No. There's a train coming. Snorlax is blocking the road." "I'll deal with the train," Ash yelled before running onto the train track. Using his powers to stop the train. Ash collapsed onto his knees as the train came to a stop. Suddenly Scorbunny came out of nowhere to kick the sitrus berry. The Sitrus berry tumbled into Snorlax's mouth and Scorbunny jumped landing next to Snorlax. Snorlax began to change before reverting back to its normal self. "I've decided," Goh announced, "I've come to realise that catching Mew as my first Pokémon is too far fetched. So my first Pokémon will be Scorbunny. If you'll have me?" "Scorrr," Scorbunny cried happily, "all right," Goh cried before throwing a Pokéball. It shook 3 times before dinging indicating that it had been caught. "Why don't we get on the train," Chloe said, "it's going to Wyndon. That's our next destination."

Theme Song Play

Wyndon City, Galar
The Next Day:
"This place reminds me of Lumiose City. The winding streets. The large population. Well, the Lumiose I remember," Ash said, "we're watching a battle between 2 trainers. Leon and Lance," Chloe said, "did you just say Lance," Ash asked, "yea. He's one of the participants," Chloe said, "the idiot doesn't know what stay in hiding means. Then again, neither do I," Ash muttered to himself. "Is something wrong," Goh asked, "Do you know of Lance's history," Ash asked, "not really. I don't really study champions," Goh said, "exactly. No one remembers. No one remembers how close he was to destroying everything. No one remembers what he did," Ash said, "but why? Why would people want to forget?" "What are you talking about," Chloe asked, "Lance tried to destroy Kanto a long time ago," Ash said, "he tried to summon Lugia. It was the first time my mother and Giovanni had fought together. Of course as soon as Giovanni realised he was gonna lose, he bailed. But he was close. So close to doing it. Now the only people left from that battle are my father, Lance and Giovanni. I will end him so he can never be a threat again." "You can't just march in and kill a champion," Goh said, "I do not care about old titles. The regions burn, no one sees it and the champions sit back like Giovanni will not come for them," Ash said. "I'm glad to know that's how you feel about me," a voice said from behind. Ash's eye twitched. "Hello Lance," Ash said, "here to repent your sins? It's too late!" "I know I cannot repent what I did but your family forgave me," Lance said, "my family," Ash asked angrily, "my family is dead. The Ketchum line is dead. The Oak line is dead. The Jackson line is dead. There is no one left. He will kill us all. You and your champions sit back and watch. Where were you when the Indigo Plateau burned? Where were you when Saffron City burned? Where were the high and mighty champions? Aren't you supposed to protect the regions? But they're in his grasp. As soon as he is sure he can take it, he will. And there will be nothing we can do!" "You are not dead yet. Neither are your family. The few that remain will fight," Lance said, "what remains," Ash demanded, "my father exiles himself upon Mount Silver. He will not return. Jimmy still grieves the loss of Gold and Crystal. Paul has no reason to fight. Black and White refuse to fight. And I see our loss. I see that we'll never recover. Pokédex holder will die. All of them." "How do you think the civilians exited so quickly," Lance said, "while you fought them. We helped the civilians." "They're just a casualty of war. If you had helped fight. Maybe we could've defeated him back then. Maybe Dawn and Blue would still be alive," Ash said. "That's your problem, Ash," Lance said, "you see people you don't know as casualties. You leave them to die if it means defeating Giovanni. In their eyes your just as bad." Lance walked off. Ash didn't stop him. Lance's words echoed through Ash's head. Had he not realised how far he had fallen to stop Giovanni? Ash realised that something would have to change.