Pokémon: Light in the Darkness - Hiatus

XVI - Choosing the Right Path (Pt.3)

italics means it is a flashback

bold means someone's thinking and having inner thoughts

"quotation marks" means someone is speaking out loud.

~~~~~~~

"Ash... Please, wait!" Lillie shouted while catching her breath. She put everything into her mad dash to The Bridge Way, the southernmost entrance to Novis City. Pikachu and Larvitar trailed behind.

The sun gave way to the clouds as the snow began to fall. There was quite a chill in the air. This was where it will all be decided. The fate of Ash and Lillie begins now.

"I'm surprised you followed me. After what I did." Ash turned around to face Lillie, although his eyes were glued to the ground. Why? Perhaps it was shame or regret. He felt that he wasn't worthy of looking into the eyes of the one he loved.

Delia turned around and patted her son's shoulders. She looked at Lillie with condescending eyes. But they also looked thankful. She spoke with a calm voice. "You must be the girl who took my Ash away."

Lillie stepped back. This is a bad sign. To her, I must be a random girl who made her son go on an adventure. She thought to herself. Delia noticed Lillie's worried look and quickly reassured her.

"No, no, no. Don't think I hate you or anything. In fact, I'm glad a reliable girl has been taking care of my son for all this time. I truly thank you for keeping him safe."

Lillie relaxed herself a bit. Perhaps she could have a civilized conversation with Ash's mom. "Oh. No problem Mrs. Ketchum-"

"However, you no longer have to as Ash is coming home with me." Delia cut Lillie off before she could finish her sentence. So much for the civilized conversation. Lillie quickly deducted there wasn't any reasoning with Ms. Ketchum. She changed her target to Ash.

"Ash, why won't you come back? We miss you. We're supposed to work together and-"

She got cut off again. This time, by the main man himself. "Why? Why do you want me? What am I going to do except drag you and my Pokémon through more suffering?" Ash looked completely defeated. His eyes were without light. His body like a corpse that had been found in the middle of a snowstorm. The snow began to fall harder than before.

"What? Where is this coming from Ash? Why do you even think of our friendship like that?" Lillie questioned the boy. He felt like an entirely different person, nothing like she knew before.

Ash didn't answer the question. Instead, he started asking his own. "Why did you keep me around? You told me you've had plenty of partners for your missions before! What makes me any different?" Cold tears ran down his face. Delia started wiping her son's face like a caring mother.

"What was your name again? Lillie? Face it. My Ash has decided already. It took him a while, but he figured it out. Being a trainer is nothing but unnecessary trouble." Delia took Ash's seemingly lifeless hand. "Come, it's time to catch a taxi.

"No!" Lillie yelled to herself. I can't let it end here. No way, I still have more to say! She grabbed Ash's other hand in a last-ditch effort to get him to stay.

Delia had a small smile on her face. "Oh, dear. Would you please let go of my son's hand? It's time for us to go-"

"Y-You're the first one." Lillie started. She was shaking. Was it because of the cold, or her own fear? It didn't matter now. If she didn't say this now, she would never get the opportunity again. She held Ash's hand harder. She could feel her warmth being sucked away.