World Competition - Season 1

Chapter 1

"The Aura Kingdom has connections with Team Flare..."

He didn't want to hear it. Any of it. He wanted to be back in the greenhouse with all the Pokemon at Professor Sycamore's Lab, or battling at the Kalos League, or even venturing Kalos with Mairin by his side, irritating him. Anywhere, anytime but there and then.

"We have no other choice..."

He didn't understand anything. He'd rather wake up and realize this was some crazy idea his imagination had manifested, rather than pinch himself and still be able to look around and see a world he didn't recognize.

With each second of confusion that tortured him even more, Alain thought: how did this all start?

-Hours earlier-

Alain had just escaped from being roped into a dance with Mairin. He wasn't much of a dancer, and wasn't really in the mood for such things, despite the rest of Kalos brimming with joyful citizens, celebrating the defeat of Team Flare and the rebuilding of their city. It was especially cheerful as all the remains of Lysandre's plans has been ridden of just in time to wrap up 2019 and prepare for the new decade.

He looked over to find any other recognizable faces.

There was Sawyer, Tierno and Trevor, huddled up in a little group. The green-haired and ginger-haired boy were comparing notebooks while the other watched with fascination. 

'Probably still trying to work on their Pokemon's strategies', Alain thought as he rolled his eyes over to the next group.

Clemont, Bonnie and Ash were sitting huddled quite close on a bench. Bonnie seemed to be having fun despite letting go of Zygarde earlier, otherwise what she called 'Squishy'. Ash was expected to be dealing with Greninja's absence better than this, since he was not only older but known for being optimistic, but still he looked quite down. Alain figured he was simply mulling over his loss at the Kalos League, which he didn't blame him for. After all, he worked quite hard for it.

"Excited to go home?", Clemont asked the boy, getting his attention.

Alain couldn't help but overhear their conversation as he was close by. Not that he didn't want to.

"W-What?", Ash stammered.

"You know. Back to Kanto. I bet Pikachu can't wait to see all your Pokemon back at your home"

"Oh, yeah. Right. Yeah, excited"

Ash cracked a weak smile after his forced answer. Something seemed off. Of course, anyone who'd gone through what Ash had gone through in the last few days would find it hard to be joyful, but this was Ash. The Ash that smiled and laughed his way through injury and pain. Now, Alain felt he needed to listen in. He cared about the boy much more than it showed, and even he didn't know it.

"Are you alright?", Clemont interrogated him, fully facing the younger boy, "You've been acting...different...since the Kalos League. It's not annoying or anything like that, and we don't expect you to be happy all the time, but it feels like you're holding something back"

Ash took a while to think about how to respond to such a detailed, slightly assertive question.

"N-No...I'm fine"

Clemont was taken aback by how brief his answer was. 

'That's it?', he thought.

He shook it away and smiled at the raven-haired boy.

"Well, I'll take your word for it, but just remember that we're always here if you need to talk"

"Sure"