. . . All the Wrong Times . . .

- Chapter 1 -

TW: Depress Ash rip

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ash's POV:

It had felt like hours had passed since I ran out of there... I could still picture Goh's face asking me where I was going and I didn't know what to say.

Maybe it was my fault... I did come back way later than I had promised. 

No. I needed to get out of there, and so I did. 

I could sit around and feel bad later, but right now I needed to leave. I couldn't stay there and face Goh... So I fled.

I knew where I was going, though, the first place I had thought of... My siblings' home across the sea.

I had been wanting to visit Thorn, my sibling, for a while now. I had been planning to bring Goh but... I guess I could go by myself. 

...

Soon enough the taxi pulled up to the curb on an unknown street somewhere. I wasn't paying attention during the drive so I had virtually no idea where I was.

I paid the taxi driver and thanked them, then I headed in the direction of a train station I saw on a map nearby.

I walked for a while before finding the train station and purchasing a ticket then shortly I was sitting on a train seat with my stuffed backpack sitting next to me. 

Pikachu was in his Pokéball and I felt bad, so I let him out. I couldn't deal with him earlier so I was forced to put him in his Pokéball, which he never entered.

It was pouring outside now and puddles were forming in the street, the dreary weather didn't do anything to help my already-gloomy mood. Pikachu slept on my lap and looked quite peaceful for the majority of the ride.

I picked up my Pokédex and checked the time- 12:30. (AN: Don't come at me, if you can call people on Pokedex's then you can check the time)

It was quite late, and I felt exhausted, but after everything that had happened, I just couldn't bring myself to sleep right now. Not many people ride the train at midnight though, so I had the place mostly to myself.

It was quiet and I could think. And I did think for quite a while actually until I heard the robotic announcement that I had arrived at my stop.

I woke Pikachu and he climbed into my already-full backpack. He poked his head out of the back and looked a little sad to be leaving Goh, I doubt he picked up on what had happened between the two of us though.

I knew that to get to where Thorn lived, I needed to cross the sea. So I found a boat.

It was late and I knew my eyebags were probably the size of mars. I looked and felt like a zombie because of my lack of sleep... I managed to purchase a boat ticket and board, I was surprised people actually boarded at 1 AM.

I leaned against the rail and watched the night sky, it was dark and bleak, but the rain had cleared.

Even though sleep crept up on me and my eyelids felt heavy, I pushed through and stayed conscious. 

I must've zoned out from exhaustion, but I came to when I felt the boat rock and hit the shore; we had arrived.

I caught another taxi and made my way to the apartment.

I sleepily gathered my loose change up to pay the taxi driver, I climbed off then found the apartment I had impromptu rented. 

I trudged inside and collapsed on the hard bed, not the best comfort, but good enough.

I felt like lying there for years...

Maybe even decades...

Sigh, but I had to unpack right now. 

I knew I could do it in the morning, but... I just felt like I needed to do it now.

So I gently lifted a sleeping Pikachu out of my backpack and let him rest on my bed, then I dug through the spare Pokéballs, clothes, and other nonsense I had hurriedly shoved into here in the weight of the moment.

I dug through it all until I pulled something hard and rectangular out of the bottom of the backpack.

It was- a picture frame... Of Goh and I holding hands after he had officially caught Suicune, a legendary Pokémon.

I thought back to that day when Goh and I were so much younger and I couldn't help but sadly smile at the thought of it.

I remember him embracing me afterward... And Professor Cerise being so proud... I remember us enjoying that moment together, like a dream.

Of course... that was all gone now. It was gone when I had stayed out late. It was gone when I had yelled at Goh... It was gone when I-    had left.

I ruined it all, didn't I?

I guess sometimes we all do the wrong things. Especially me. Especially today.

I stewed in my own negative thoughts until the sun began to rise and I snapped out of it.

I was planning on staying in for a while...  I don't think I'm going to tell my sibling, they'll just worry over me, and I don't need that right now.

I continued to straighten up around the rented room and I found some Pokémon food in a cupboard to feed Pikachu.

I realized I had left the majority of my Pokémon back at the lab, so I only really had to feed Pikachu and a few others.

After putting out the Pokémon food I fell back into my bed and stared at the dry, molding, ceiling.

I sighed and mumbled,

"Another day, another heartbreak."

...