Pokemon One-Shots and Headcanons

Ash's Sacrifice, Part 5

The moment Ash took off his hood, everyone in the room either screamed or fainted.
"IMPOSTER!" Trevor shouted.
"What? No, it's really me, I promise!" Ash yelled.
"No it's not you! Ash is dead! How dare you? How dare you insult his memory like this?" Shauna fumed.
All of Ash's Pokemon just stood there, uncertain what to believe. Pikachu started to walk towards Ash, but was stopped by Hawlucha. They had to be sure that this was really Ash first, although they seriously doubted that it was an imposter.
"Come on, I can prove that it's really me," Ash said, a little annoyed now. "Ask me any question you want. Go ahead...ask me something you think only Ash, or I, would know, and I'll answer it for you."
Bonnie went first. "Okay..." she began suspiciously. "How did you meet me and Clemont?"
"The first day I came to Kalos, I went to challenge the Lumiose gym," Ash replied. "Not knowing that the Lumiose gym only accepted challengers with at least four badges, Pikachu and I were thrown-literally-out of the gym. Clemont saved us by catching us. You thought Pikachu was cute and tried to hug him, but he shocked you."
"T-that's right," Bonnie stammered. She collected herself again quickly and said, "Okay Clemont, your turn."
"All right, how did you meet Greninja?" Clemont asked.
"He jumped in front of Pikachu to protect him when Wobbuffet's Mirror Coat reflected Pikachu's Electro Ball," Ash answered. "We had to take him to Professor Sycamore's lab after we sent Team Rocket blasting off because he had been injured pretty badly."
"You're right. That's what happened," Clemont said, looking stunned.
"I guess I'll go next," Sawyer said, but Alain stopped him.
"Wait," he said, his eyes narrowed. "I have a better idea. See if you can synchronize, or whatever it is you do, with Greninja. If you're really who you say you are, you should be able to do it."
Ash nodded and turned to the frog-ninja Pokemon. "Greninja? Is that all right with you?" he asked. Greninja nodded and moved over to stand next to Ash. The two began to concentrate, and a moment later a veil of water erupted around Greninja. When it broke, it was revealed that he had indeed transformed into Ash-Greninja.
"Pika!" Pikachu shouted happily, leaping onto Ash's shoulder as Greninja reverted back to his normal form and hugged his trainer. All of Ash's Pokemon joined in on the group hug until Ash found himself being nearly crushed to death underneath all their weight.
"Oh my..." Mairin breathed.
"A-Ash?" Tierno exclaimed. "H-how are you..."
"You're alive..." Shauna said wonderingly. "But how?"
Ash sighed as he managed to untangle himself from his Pokemon-well, all except for Pikachu, who had reclaimed his favorite spot on his shoulder. "All right, I suppose I should tell you," he said. "Let me sit down first, though."

"Well first of all, I should probably tell you that I did actually die first," Ash said as he began his story. His statement was met with gasps of shock.
"But if you died, how did you come back to life?" Clemont asked. "It doesn't make any sense."
"I know it doesn't, but that's what happened," Ash replied. "As a matter of fact, it was Zygarde who sent me back. He told me that I had to help take care of Team Flare...and Lysandre."
"Why didn't you tell us who you were right away?" Serena asked.
"You all thought I was dead. It wouldn't have been right to just walk in on you and say, 'Guess what? I'm actually alive,'. It wouldn't have gone over well," Ash said.
"But you were going to tell us eventually, right?" Alain clarified.
"Yes, the plan was to help deal with Team Flare and then reveal myself afterwards," Ash answered. "I figured that way I wouldn't have to hurt you guys a second time if I died again."
"Reasonable enough," Alain admitted.
"That part of the plan didn't work so well, though," Ash added. Everyone else laughed. Serena got up and hugged Ash, burying her face in his shoulder.
"I'm glad you're back," she whispered.
"Me too," Ash whispered as he hugged her back. "Me too."