Perish Song || A Pokémon Fanfiction

Chapter 1

"Trust is like a mirror, you can fix it if it's broken, but you can still see the crack in that person's reflection."  - Lady Gaga

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The soft breeze, the fresh smell of grass, all reminded Ash of home. He was back for the hundredth time; back at home. Back to the start. Back at the beginning. He had come so close but so far.

He pushed the front door of the familiar building and looked around him, beaming. His mother was sitting in front of the stove, stirring some kind of soup, whose smell wafted through the air. Ash was about to speak when his eyes lingered on several familiar people. A bright orange-hair tomboy, a dark-skinned young man, a navy-haired girl, a dog-eared girl, all crowded his living room door.

"Guys?" Ash croaked, staring at his friends. "What are you doing here?"

"Ash, dear," Delia said, taking off Ash's backpack and placing in on the floor near the door. "Your friends would like to speak to you. Sit with them in the living room while I cook, okay?"

Ash nodded wordlessly, not sure what he was supposed to feel. He felt embarrassed; he'd lost another league again. He felt suspicious; why were his friends all gathered here? He felt anger; why had they just came now? The last time he had seen Misty was years ago...the same could be said for May, Dawn...

"So, how have you been?" Dawn asks in a casual voice, though it was a little too casual.

"Fine," Ash replies tersely.

"Most of us watched your league," Dawn continues. "We thought you did magnificently."

"Did you?" Ash questions, staring at her intently.

They nod in agreement, several speaking their praises of his battles. Ash was now confused. His friends' faces were happy enough, yes. But they also held an unmistakable sadness. A sadness that only came when you were by the deathbed of a close friend.

"How is Pikachu and your other Pokémon?" Misty had always had a soft spot for the Mouse Pokémon. Ash shrugged and Misty, looking mildly alarmed at his answer, changed the subject immediately and said, "You're Greninja was cool in the Kalos League. What was its transformation all about?"

"It's apparently called the Bond Phenomenon," Ash replied, staring at his fingernails. "When Pokémon and trainer have a strong bond, it will occur. The Pokemon will become more powerful, stronger. Trainer and Pokémon will become one."

"That's cool!" Misty said, with a slightly forced enthusiasm that Ash could barely hear. "Listen, Ash, have you ever considered being a Pokémon Researcher? Your Bond Phenomenon with Greninja could seriously improve technology!"

"Uh, no," Ash said, confused. What did they want from him? "I don't think I could spend my time wandering around the world, trying to study Pokemon. I'm not sure I would have the patience for that."

"What about a Pokémon Ranger?" May suggested. "That doesn't require patience or study! Plus, you get to explore the whole world!"

"Uh, no," Ash replied. "I think they can have only one Pokémon, and I don't think I could choose between my Pokemon."

"You could try doing contests again?" Misty adds. "I know it didn't go so well the first time, but who knows?" Ash again shook his head, as he couldn't imagine himself being like May or Dawn.

"You could be a Pokémon Breeder," Brock suggests. "You love Pokémon enough to do so. You could also be a Pokémon Doctor. They both require technically the same thing." Now Ash was so confused that he didn't know what to say. He thought they knew he wanted to be a Pokémon Master. And then suddenly it dawned on him, though it was as welcome as death to the young mind. Ash stared at his friends, looking at them in an entirely different light.