When a life fades away

24.2: Climbing between past and future

Hi there, finally the second part of chapter 25. I hope you will like it. See you at the bottom.

Akari was amazed at the landscape. She was crossing a forest full of Pokémon she had never seen before, the light of the day filtered through the trees, her Pokémon with her except Pikachu. Everything was new and incredible. She had such a lively company. Ash’s Pikachu was the leader of the group, even if he couldn’t be the guide in such an unknown place.
He was such a natural leader, like his trainer. One moment he was chatting with her Pokémon and making everyone laugh, the next he was rescuing Laventon who was so intrigued in every Pokémon to get into trouble.
All in all, she was happy and excited even if someone was missing. In particular, a certain raven-haired trainer. She turned her head while the forest was thinning, revealing the whole sky and showing again the imposing figure of the Mountain Coronet.
She eyed that ominous shadow and smiled. He was out there, challenging everything on his path. And so she would do.
Then she saw also the great threat to the region: the giant hole. She swallowed. Hard times were coming.
…
Ash was near the fireplace chatting with his Pokémon and making sure Akari’s Pikachu was at ease with them. He missed his partner, but he knew better. Akari would need his help more than him and Akari’s Pikachu would use some experience with stronger Pokémon.
Night had come but Ingo was still inside his tent, doing stuffs Ash didn’t ask so the boy decided to use this time to do some training. You couldn’t say the battle with Melli was good enough.
Time passed by, Pikachu was starting to get a grip on the training, Growlithe was improving more and more and Greninja could be satisfied with the younglings. Ash was looking carefully the trio, observing the movements of the Pokémon and understanding how to further improve their skills. Finally, he got an intuition and called back to Pikachu and Growlithe: “You two! I want the two of them to spar a bit. Pikachu, try to use your jumps and movements to gather electricity like we did before. Growlithe, you have to focus and contain your flame as much as possible. Remember: the more control you have, the more power you can unleash and the more refined your movements will be”.
During those moments Ash lost all his cheerfulness and gained an analytical mind. It was incredible to see that change and see how proficiently a trainer could use all his knowledge to improve his Pokémon.
Two hours passed like nothing but suddenly a loud roar echoed through the mountain. Ash sweatdropped, taking a hand to his stomach: “I guess I’m starving!”, all the Pokémon fell on the ground.
The boy came to Ingo’s tent and called for him: “Hey ingo, can we please have dinner? I’m starving!”
The man came out from his refuge with big eye bags and a strain of tears still marking his cheek. Ash was taken aback from this: “Hey, what’s wrong?” he asked, clearly worried.
“Subway…” he answered; “That’s the word that’s tormenting me…”
Ash’s eyes widened. Suddenly something clicked on his mind: the name, the outfit, the manners, that word… “Emmet” Ash whispered. Ingo looked back to Ash: “What did you say?”
Ash put a hand on his shoulder: “Let’s eat something… That’s a long conversation”
………
Serena was worried. She didn’t want to sleep anymore. She had been haunted by nightmares for days and tiredness was starting to have the upper hand on her. She decided to have some fresh air, Delphox followed her. She was staying at Cafè Cabin on Route 210 on her way to Celestic Town. She had spent the day inside Solaceon Ruins. Even if someone could say she was in a hurry, she had time to spend since she was the closest to the destination of the three friends. Dawn was currently approaching Hearthome and Goh was still on Route 216.
That day showed her how many mysteries the Sinnoh Region still had. She was a bit upset. Maybe the solution she was following wasn’t the right one.
Outside it was warm but humid. For a moment she shivered, putting a hand on her arm to stop it.
In the distance she saw a light. Not thinking about it, she headed there, recognizing the shape of a fireplace and then she saw a man sitting next to it.
“Oh, thank God! You came back!” the man said, startling her. She looked carefully and finally understood.
….
“So you knew me back then… I had such a life…” Ingo was thinking hard, trying to get a grip over the new truth… His whole life could be rediscovered just by asking to that person in front of him.
“So that’s why you are so good with Pokémon…but… my path is not yours… Why am I here? What’s my purpose … Why me? Why all of this? And who is this Emmet?”
Ash wanted to answer some of his doubts, but it wasn’t his role unless it was Ingo himself to ask for it. Greninja stood there silent while the two younger ones were sleeping by now.
The fire was lighting up the surroundings, the atmosphere was, however, very tense. Ingo’s truths were shattering. Before him, a guy who could possibly solve his doubts, clear his mind and show him his past.
But was it right? He needed some more thinking. He had to know if he was ready for the truth: “You know, young boy? I always ask myself why such a hole exists in my heart. And now you are in front of me, telling me that you know me, that I come from your time, that my old life is now disappeared and that’s a lot…I know you are a pure hearted but right now I need to rediscover the truth by myself. You had confirmed me that there’s truth in my dreams, in my manners… But right now, it’s not feeling right for me. I need to go…” he concluded, surprising Ash: “So are you going to leave me alone here?” he asked, worried to lose his guide.
“I’ll tell you where to go. Sneasler will approve you, you are a special one. But I need some time alone...” he answered standing up to gather his things.
Ash jumped upright: “You are going away in the middle of the night?!” he exclaimed confused.
“The path in front of me is clear for once. I’m on the right rails. I will meet you again, young man” he said smiling.
Half an hour later, although Ash had asked him to stay, the boy was alone again, only a tent around the campsite. Greninja patted his shoulder: “Thanks Greninja… How in the world did this just happen?”
He sighed, until he caught a glimpse of someone approaching the campsite. He shot upright once again and went towards the figure: “Thank God. You came back!” he happily said. It was when the shadow got finally illuminated by the fire that Ash recognized who was in front of him. A lock of blonde hair, blue eyes, soft lips… It wasn’t Ingo.
“Serena!?”
…
“Ash?!” asked the stunned performer?
There was a moment of silence until Serena made a step forward but was surprised but a quick move by Ash who had engulfed the Honey-blonde in a tight hug that startled the performed who was soon pervaded by a warm sensation. Ash came closer to her ear: “I miss you…” he said, his voice cracking a bit.
Serena was shocked to hear that but even more to feel that weakness in Ash’s voice. She pulled away a little bit to face the guy whose eyes were now glimmering. He felt weak and abandoned now that Ingo had left him all alone, again.
“I’m here” she told him. Ash was shocked to hear those words. He pulled back, freeing the performer who put her now free hands to her chest.
“I wish…” Ash said, not facing her, “I also don’t know why you are here. Am I dreaming? Why am I here? I saw another guy from our time here. He had forgotten everything, his life, his goals, his friends… What should I do if this happen to me? If you all forget me as well?” he cried, clenching his fists.
“When you don’t know where you are going, just get yourself a move” she stated firmly, quoting that guy in front of him, who was now was helpless.
Ash shot his eyes open and turned around to face the girl: “Those words…”
“Those were the words a wonderful person once told me. He was there to inspire me when I needed and now so do I” she said.
Ash sat next to the fireplace once again. He smiled a bit: “You really are a great person…”
Serena sat next to him: “You are scared, aren’t you?”
Ash looked right in her eyes, her beautiful blue eyes: “I am” he stated, still smiling.
Now Serena was confused: “So why are you smiling?”
Ash grinned: “You are right. I have to get myself moving, challenging even this growing fear. I know you are still with me and I want to come back…”
“I’m not the only one waiting for you. Everyone is trying his best to bring you back”
“I’m sorry to make all of you worried… And I’m sorry you all are wasting time looking for me”
“We are doing anything different from what you should do for all of us” she answered firmly.
They stared in each other’s eyes: “I want to come back to you, Serena” he said out of the blue. Serena’s eyes widened and then felt warmth on her hand. Ash had put his hand over hers, still looking directly in her eyes. The two of them stayed there, the only sound around them was the crackling fire. Ash was about to do more but then the girl disappeared.
The magic broke but Ash had his eyes closed and was leaping towards Serena so he noticed what happened when his lips touched Greninja’s humid skin.
Ash jumped back in panic while the frog Pokémon snickered. Then, the Ninja Pokémon glared his trainer as if asking “What was all of that about”. Ash sighed and stood again and beating his clothes to remove the dust: “Right, you got me!” he said half whispering.
….
The same fate happened to Serena who once again sighed and then came back to her hostel, lifted in the mood.
….
The next morning Ash was ready to take on the Electrode and finally arrived at the cliff indicated last night by Ingo.
In a moment he felt the air sharpening around himself. He stood there and when a slash was about to strike the boy’s face, Greninja stopped the mysterious assaulter.
There it was, Sneasler, the climber Pokémon, a taller version of Sneasel who had a big basket on his back.
The two of them stared at each other for a moment until Sneasler made a move and came closer to Ash, opening his guard: “You are a warrior. I like you. Could you please land me your power and help me?” said Ash, watching carefully. The Pokémon nodded and handed the boy a plat with another phrase on it: "The rules of time and space change within the opposite world."
“Alright! Let’s go now! There’s a Lord to save!” he cheered.
…
Crossing that land inside the bag was fun enough but Ash was now relieved to touch land again. The environment had changed once again. The deciduous trees had given way to conifers, the meadows were sparse but above all, the whole area was full of ruins of ancient columns, temples, statues with illegible effigies.
“The ancient Sinnohians…” Ash whispered and then was startled by a hand on his shoulder: it was Volo.
“Ohi there boy. I see you are finally in front in all the magnificent temples of the ancient people of Hisui” he said.
“Volo?! Why are you here?”
“Me?! I was here for some errands, and I decided to pay a visit to this place. How is your search going?”
“Oh well, it’s going all right. I’m currently on a task to save a frenzied Pokémon” he stated. Greninja was looking suspiciously to the man.
“Very well then. I hope you can achieve your task. For now, I’m off, or else they will throw me out from the Gingko Guild…” and with that he turned around and went away, not turning his head to the young boy.
Ash was a bit confused at the meeting and at Volo’s rush.
But now he had more important thoughts.  Maybe a little bit of thinking would have avoided him a lot of troubles…
….
“Hooray! We are in the gather signed on the map!” shouted Akari, Pikachu mimicking her move.
“Now, we have only to wait the night-time!” exclaimed excitedly Laventon.
“Right, we’re gonna start the camp and then wait for the full moon!” she announced clenching her fist.
“Who’s up for some training?” inquired Akari out of nowhere once all the tents and provisions were settled and gathered.
Ash’s Pikachu was eager to make some movements and was ready. Soon, Clefairy and Piplup joined Pikachu, making Akari very eager to start: “Okay, let’s do our best!”
….
Finally, Ash was in front of Melli once again: “So this is Electode’s den, right Mellow?!” exclaimed Ash, surprising the man who wasn’t exactly happy to see the boy.
“It’s Melli!” he shouted indignantly. Then he regained his composure: “Why are you here? I’ve already told you not to mess with the Almighty Arceus gift. Your friend had understood and left, why can’t you?”
Ash sighed. This man was really annoying and reminded the guy of a certain Ex-Champion of Hoenn.
“Listen, I really would like to squabble with you, but your gift is making an innocent Pokémon suffer. So could you please get out of my way?” Ash said, pissed off.
When Ash took a step forward, Greninja leapt forward and pushed Ash away when a sting hit him.
“Greninja!!” shouted Ash while the frog Pokémon collapsed on his knee, his temperature raising.
“WHAT WAS THAT?” shouted Ash.
Melli whistled satisfied and answered with a grin: “Oh, that?! Only a little poisonous gift for invaders” he said releasing a maniacal laugh.
Ash clenched his fist, a torrent of water engulfed Greninja, from which Ash-Greninja appeared.
“Water shuriken!” growled Ash. Greninja compelled and in a moment all the traps on the ground and on the walls were destroyed.
Ash and Greninja then collapsed together.
“Looks like I caught the effects of the poison as well…” coughed Ash, spitting some blood and alarming Growlithe and Pikachu. Greninja went pale and passed out.
Melli grinned and Ash put a hand on his heart, feeling pain developing on his chest. Still on his knees, his vision blurring, Ash whispered: “I need to end all of this quickly!”

And that’s it.
I’m sorry for the delay but I had some tough times and I wasn’t feeling good. Right now, I’m working on the later chapters, so that I could release more regularly.
Hope you liked it. What’s your opinion? Looking forward to read from you.
Until next time:
SEE YA!