Ash's Return: A Pokémon Story

Chapter One: Old Memories

Prologue

A figure approached the desk. He walked slowly, savouring the moment. This was a huge occasion, the beginning of the end of his journey to secure his legacy. He had travelled around the world for twenty years, always training, always growing.

The figure stopped in front of the desk. His Pokémon, Pikachu, sat on his shoulder. He cleared his throat to catch the attention of the attendant, who looked up at the noise.

"Name?" he asked.

"Ash Ketchum," Ash replied. He looked past the attendant into the stadium, where a large sign was stretched above their heads across the entrance. It read 'Pokémon World Championship'.

Chapter One: Old Memories

As he soared through the clouds, Ash thought about the last time he had been home and all that had happened since. It had been several years; he wondered if much had changed in his absence. It probably hadn't; nothing really ever changed in Pallet Town.

He sat on the shoulders of his Pokémon, Charizard, and Pikachu sat in front of him. Riding on Charizard's back was always a wonderful experience, and the flying Pokémon was able to travel long distances without tiring. The sun was slowly setting, projecting red and orange across the sky. Ash took a deep breath and surveyed the land around them. Looking down, he found himself viewing a familiar sight.

"There it is!" he yelled to Charizard over the wind. Charizard gave a roar and shot downward, beginning their descent. As they circled closer to the ground, Ash recognised individual buildings as old memories came flooding back to him. They swept through the town, to the shock of several residents relaxing in their front gardens, and landed with a slight thump. Ash and Pikachu climbed off. Ash walked to Charizard's head and lightly stroked her jawbone.

"Good girl," he said, smiling at her. "I'll see you in the morning." She licked his arm, her long tongue grazing his skin with a texture like tree bark. She opened her wings fully, showing off their magnificent length and, letting out a huge roar, she took off into the sky. Several of the householders of Pallet Town were peeking out of their windows in awe of this display. A nearby Paras had stopped midway through cutting a lawn to watch the exchange.

Ash turned towards the house he recognised so well and began walking towards it. Pikachu trotted along happily next to him. He reached the front gate, his heart aching with nostalgia. The white picket fence, the flowers around the border of the garden, the neatly trimmed grass... it so completely resembled the picture in his memory that for a moment he was his ten-year-old self again, playing in that garden. He opened the gate and paced up the path, focusing on the dark red door in front of him. Taking a deep breath and exchanging a look with Pikachu, who climbed up onto his shoulder, he reached for the bronze door knob and turned it. Gently pushing open the door, he stepped into the house of his childhood.

Ash looked around the room. Everything was exactly as he had remembered it. The worn brown couch in the corner, the wooden table and chairs, the faded blue wallpaper. His eyes darted to the kitchen, where his mother was standing with her back to him and clearly hadn't heard him come in. She was a tall, skinny woman with smooth dark hair, which she brushed away from her face as she chopped some vegetables.

"Mum?" he said. His mother dropped the knife she was holding. She swiftly turned around and at first wore a shocked expression. Then her open mouth stretched into a wide smile. She crossed the room with quick steps and took her son in a strong embrace. Ash wrapped his arms around her and spoke into her hair.

"I've missed you, Mum." She pulled away and looked at him. Where once she towered over him, now she had to raise her head to see his face. She was still beaming and tears were shining in her eyes.