Ash x Serena Rise of the forgotten hero

Battling through the emotions

"Look, there they are!" Kukui exclaimed, his voice ringing out as he waved energetically toward the Kalos gang.

Ash's heart raced at Kukui's words. The moment of truth, he thought, his pulse quickening.

The Kalos gang turned, scanning the crowd, their eyes lighting up as they spotted someone waving.

"Marvelous! That must be them!" Sycamore declared, excitement in his tone. "Let's go meet them!"

Soon, the two professors were exchanging hearty handshakes. "It's a pleasure to meet you!" Kukui said, beaming.

"Likewise!" Sycamore replied, his gaze sweeping the group until it landed on a familiar face. "Hey there, Ash! Marvelous to see you again!"

Ash was momentarily taken aback, a mix of shock and nostalgia flooding him. Then, a voice echoed in his mind—"Ash, you know my lab is isolated, so nothing could come in or out." Snapping back to reality, he faced Sycamore with a strained smile. "It's nice to see you again too," he replied, shaking his hand.

"Uhm, Professor Sycamore?" a voice chimed in.

Both turned to see Serena standing there, a curious look on her face.

Ash's heart raced, hoping she would remember him.

"Yes, Serena? What is it?" Sycamore asked.

"Who is he?" she inquired, her brow furrowing in confusion.

The words hit Ash like a punch to the gut. What he feared most was true. Everyone had been affected, just as he had dreaded. His heart shattered as he looked down, unable to meet her gaze. Sycamore glanced at Ash, puzzled, knowing he and Serena had travelled together in Kalos. "It's Ash," he replied, his voice tinged with concern.

"Ash? I've never heard of him," she said, her expression bewildered. "It sounds like a loser name," a voice piped up, breaking the tension.

Ash looked up to see Calem, a smirk plastered on his face. Serena turned to him, annoyance flashing in her eyes. "Yeah, that does sound like one," she retorted, giving Calem a quick peck on the cheek. Ash felt his heart plummet as he fought back tears, the weight of rejection settling heavily on him.

Sycamore was taken aback by Serena's reaction. He turned to Ash, concern etched on his face. "Ash, did Professor Oak contact you after the Team Rocket incident?"

"No, I haven't heard from him in a while," Sycamore replied, his voice trailing off.

Ash let out a heavy sigh. "I'll explain it to you later." Meanwhile, Kukui was busy introducing the Alolan students to their Kalos counterparts, laughter and chatter filling the air.

"So, what do you guys want to explore here on Melemele Island?" Kukui asked, his enthusiasm contagious. "We still have some time before the league battles begin—it starts at 4 PM, so we have two hours to roam around before heading to the stadium!"

"Let's go shopping!" the girls exclaimed in unison, their voices bubbling with excitement.

The boys exchanged exasperated glances, sweat beading on their brows, while Kukui chuckled at their enthusiasm. "Alright, to the mall it is then!" he replied, leading the group forward.

As they passed Ash, hardly anyone noticed him, and he felt invisible, standing there dumbstruck. A tear slipped down his cheek until he felt a comforting hand on his shoulder. It was Sycamore.

"So, Ash, what happened between you, Serena, and Clemont?" he asked gently.

"You know, one year ago, Team Rocket got taken down, right?" Ash began, his voice heavy.