Pokemon Nexus: part1

Chapter 4: Crossroads

"The lab is right up here, this way," bonnie said as they rounded a corner and came upon a large building.

"Hello? Hello? Shouted Ash as they burst into the building. "Professor Sycamore, are you here?"

A tall thin man with a lab coat rounded a corner. "Yes, I'm coming, can I help you? He asked. Then he saw the injured Froakie in the boy's arms.

"Oh no, Froakie! Let's get it to the lab. Sophie, get a cart quick!"

A young woman in a lab coat came rushing around the corner wheeling a stretcher cart in front of her and gently took Froakie and placed it on the cart, wheeling it off to the back.

"We were so worried about it. Thank you for helping it," said the professor sighing.

"Yeah, we were worried too. So is Froakie's trainer around here somewhere?" Ash asked.

"No, I'm afraid not, froakie's trainer contacted us a while ago saying that he didn't want it anymore."

"Whaaaat!?" Both Ash and Bonnie gasped. The lab doors burst open and in slowly trudged in Clemont, who fell in exhaustion, as well as a sandy haired boy right behind him.

"So... How's froakie," Clemont panted.

XXX Earlier That Day...XXX

Autumn stood outside Kenji's closed bedroom door. She had watched her son retreat into his room and isolate himself from the world for six long months since the incident with Froakie. She knew that it was time to intervene. She wanted her son back.

With a gentle tap, Autumn pushed open the door and stepped into the dimly lit room. Kenji was seated on his bed, just as she had seen him last. He barely acknowledged her presence.

"Kenji," Autumn began softly, her voice filled with a mother's love and worry, "it's time to go outside, sweetheart. You can't keep shutting yourself in like this."

Kenji didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the floor, lost in his thoughts.

Autumn approached her son and sat down beside him on the bed. She placed a hand on his shoulder. " Please, just go outside, even if it's just for a little while. Take a breath of fresh air, feel the sun on your face. It might not change everything, but it'll be a start."

"Please mom, I'm not in the mood, just leave me alone," he sighed.

"I don't know who you are anymore. I remember the happy little boy who wanted to be friends with as many pokemon as he could find. That's the Kenji I remember," she said, her tone growing more concerned. "I just want my son back."

"I just... need some more time," Kenji said, continuing to look down at the floor.

Autumn let out a long sigh and stood up wiping her tears. She walked over to his window and flung open the curtains, flooding the dim room with a blinding light.

"Mom, what the...!" Kenji said, covering his eyes.

"Sorry, but that's not the answer I was looking for," she said firmly with her arms crossed. "Now get up, you've spent six months in here wasting away and I won't watch you do this any longer. Besides it reeks in here. It smells almost as bad as those Trubbish," she said making a face.

Kenji hesitated, but after seeing the look in his mother's eyes, he knew she wasn't going to back down. He let out a long sigh. "Fine," he said getting up.

He took his mother's advice and showered. The smell radiating from his room didn't even register to him anymore. He got out of the bathroom and took a look around his room. There were dirty dishes and clothes lying everywhere, along with a nice layer of dust. I'll deal with this later, he thought and trudged downstairs and headed outside.