Pokemon One-Shots and Headcanons

Ash's Sacrifice, Part 4: An Accidental Reveal

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball! Hawlucha, X-Scissor!"
The Justice Warriors, as Serena and Amon had decided their group would be called, were in the middle of a battle with a few Team Flare grunts. They had been ambushed as soon as they had stepped out of their house, much to everyone's surprise. It seemed that Team Flare was incredibly serious about hunting them down. But that wouldn't happen, not if Ash-er, Amon, had anything to say about it.
"Pika!" Pikachu shouted as he launched a powerful Electro Ball at one of Team Flare's Pokemon-an Abomasnow. This battle was about more than just keeping his friends safe. It was about avenging his best friends' death. These were the people who had killed Ash. He would be sure to make them suffer.
"Hawlucha!" Hawlucha's thoughts ran along the same line as Pikachu's. At the same time, he was also concerned about Noivern. The young bat-dragon Pokemon had disappeared a few minutes ago and he hadn't seen him since.
"Noivern, Boomburst!" All right, he was fine. Good to know.
Ash ran around to different areas of the battle, shouting out orders while using whatever projectiles he could find to throw at the offending Team Flare members. He was careful to avoid going near Greninja, knowing that if their bond was activated it would blow his cover. Every time he looked at the frog-ninja Pokemon he could feel something tugging at his chest, just begging to be released, but he fought it back every single time.
Greninja had noticed this feeling as well. He couldn't figure out what it meant since he hadn't felt it since...well, since Ash had been alive. He didn't particularly want to feel it either, since all it did was remind him that his trainer had died because of him. Why, why, had Ash not thought of himself for a change?
Well, no matter now. Greninja hurled a Water Shuriken at a Jolteon. He would be sure to make Team Flare pay dearly for what they had done. And if he ever came across Lysandre...that sorry excuse for a man had better pray to Arceus. No one hurt his friends and got away with it.
Serena, meanwhile, was battling alongside Ash-though of course she didn't know it was him-and Alain. They were teamed up against a powerful Mega Lucario, just like Korrina's, except there was nothing friendly about this Lucario. Indeed, it reminded her of all the times Korrina's Lucario had lost control the first few times he mega evolved-only this time, Team Flare's Lucario was fully in control of his mind, which made him all the more terrifying.
"Lucario, use Bone Rush!" the Team Flare grunt, Lily, shouted.
"Get out of the way!" Ash shouted. Without thinking, he pushed Serena and her injured Pancham out of the way of the incoming Bone Rush attack. As he did so, however, his foot caught on something and he fell over, his hood falling off in the process. When he straightened up, he saw Serena staring at him in shock.
"A-Ash?" she whispered.

Ash quickly pulled his hood back up before anyone else could notice. "Shh," he hissed frantically to Serena. "Don't say anything, please. I'll explain everything later-but we have to deal with Team Flare first."
Serena nodded, still looking shocked. "R-right. All right, Pancham, use Stone Edge!"
"And Talonflame, you use Flame Charge!" Ash shouted.
"Charizard, Flamethrower!" Alain commanded.
Together, the three attacks combined to knock out Mega Lucario. Glancing around, Ash saw the rest of his friends dealing away with the remaining Team Flare grunts. Trevor and Tierno were chasing off Mauve and her Mega Houndoom, while Shauna was fighting a Mega Garchomp. Greninja and Delphox were battling side by side, mirroring each other's movements.
"Enough!" a Team Flare grunt with blue hair panted. "Retreat, everyone!"
"But ma'am, we're supposed to-"
"I know what we're supposed to do, but we need reinforcements," the blue-haired woman snapped. "I say retreat."
Reluctantly, the Team Flare grunts turned and ran away. "This isn't over," the blue-haired woman hissed. "We will return. You can count on that."
With that, she turned and ran after her friends. Ash watched them leave to make sure they were actually gone before he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see Serena looking at him sternly.
"Now, Amon," she said calmly. "I believe there was something you had to tell everyone?"
"Tell us what?" Clemont asked. "Serena, what's going on?"
"Pika pika?" Pikachu asked, looking curiously at Ash and Serena. There was something strange about her. She seemed happier than she had been in two months...but there was also a sense of anger about her.
"Is something wrong?" Sawyer asked.
"No, not exactly," Serena replied. She was extremely happy, but she was also furious. "Amon, why don't you tell them?"
Ash took a deep breath. "Okay, but can we do it inside? I need to do this somewhere private."
"Fair enough," Serena conceded. "All right, let's go back inside."
Ash nodded and followed Serena back into the house, leaving their puzzled friends to trail in after them. Once they were inside, they walked into the large dining room, where everyone except Ash and Serena took a seat.
"All right, we're inside," Serena said sternly. "Now stop stalling and tell them."
"Tell us what?" Shauna asked. "Serena, what's this all about?"
"Listen and he'll tell you," Serena replied.
"O-okay," Ash muttered. "Well, I don't really know how to put this, but...I'm not exactly who you think I am."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sawyer demanded.
"Yeah, how could you be anyone except yourself?" Bonnie asked. "You're Amon. Our new friend."
"No, I'm not," Ash replied quietly. "Well, I am your friend. But I'm not Amon and I'm not a new friend either."
"What do you mean? You just met us," Mairin pointed out.
"Uh...not exactly," Ash said, growing increasingly nervous as he realized it was almost time for his big reveal. "And I can prove it to you."
"How?" asked Tierno.
Ash closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Please, help me make them understand, he prayed silently. As the silent words left his lips, he lowered his hood and looked into the shocked and stunned faces of his friends.
"Hey, guys," he said quietly.