When a life fades away

Numbness was the only thing that accompanied Ash's body when he started to awaken.

He had a lot of things passing his mind at that time.

How had he fallen in such a slumber? Why did he feel his body aching so much?

Why can't he open his eyes or speak?

He decided to listen. He listened to what was happening outside his world. He heard voices. One was Pikachu, the other one Greninja. The last one seemed a girl… It sounded like Dawn but not quite. He then noticed from his eyelid a source of light slowly fading, so he supposed it was the sunset. He waited until he started to feel his body coming to him. He felt it and opened his eyes.

It was night. On top of his body a blanket and a yellow rodent curled up on top of it.

Greninja was sleeping against a wall with arms folded.

Then there was the girl, asleep on a chair with her head on the bed Ash was laying.

The boy observed his surroundings.

The room he was in was the definitely the girl's house.

Next to the bed was a fireplace with a warm fire crackling. Then he saw a bowl with some other littler bowls inside. He thought it was some kind of sink. Over it, there were some shelves with satchel of what Ash imagined as berries, roots and other kind of foods. Near the door he caught a glimpse of two opened large trunks and one gigantic flagon.

There weren't decorations or anything, but Ash thought that it was a comfortable place.

The untidiness was clearly something familiar for Ash.

Pikachu began to stir, and Ash proceeded to shut him before the yellow mouse could shout and reveal everyone that he was awake.

Greninja, being a light sleeper, heard the little scuffle and stood, revealing himself to his trainer.

Ash put his index finger on his mouse to warn them to be quiet and motioned them to follow him outside.

He got off the bed, making sure not to awake the young Dawn clone, and swiftly went outside with his partners.

His body was hurting as he was not used anymore to moving.

When he was outside, he saw Infernape standing by the door.

"Hey, Infernape? Are you okay" asked the trainer?

Infernape saw him and was about to erupt on cheering, but Pikachu stopped him.

He was glad to see the man who stopped him and also protected him in front of the village.

Finally, Ash noticed that he was shirtless and that only a bandage covered the spot Ash got hit by the arrow.

Fortunately, Greninja had noticed it before and had brought outside his shirt, much to the Pallettonian trainer's relief.

Ash took his shirt and pulled it on but then was finally tackled by his Pokèmon plus Infernape in a giant hug.

"Pikapiiii!!" cried his number one partner, followed by Greninja and a shyer Infernape.

It was understandable. Infernape used to see humans as hostile and never friends, but this boy changed it.

Ash shared that comforting hug for some minutes, feeling a lot better just from the affections his friends were giving him.

They spoke for a bit, and Pikachu proceeded to explain everything which happened after the incident: how the people were horrified, how Akari took care of him with a man called Laventon, how everyone looked scared when Pikachu and Greninja defended him and how Infernape decided to take guard in front of the house to avoid people to come by and try to harm Ash or his Pokèmon.

Pikachu told him how scared Akari seemed at first with all these Pokèmon in her house, but she relaxed after the first few days.

From the incident 7 days had passed, the girl never wanting to leave Ash's side.

"I'm so sorry she had these many troubles"

"I did that because you saved my life"

Turning to the door he saw the girl standing on the edge, wearing only a blue vest, looking at him with tired but full of joy eyes.

"Well, how are you, did you get hurt during the assault?"

"I'm not the one who spent the last 7 days recovering from a poisoned arrow. So I'm great… And you?" she replied with a hint of irritation at the boy concern for her.

Ash lowered his gazed for a bit, his lips curving in a smile, before turning his gaze to his Pokèmon.

He hugged them, tearing a bit and then Pikachu climbed on his shoulder and Greninja patted his trainer on a shoulder.

He came back to girl, closing the gap between them before saying with a wide grin and his eyes shining their auburn colour thanks to the moonlight:

"I'm great. Pikachu and Greninja are fine, either. Infernape is happy. And that's only thank to you. I owe you a lot!"

The girl didn't answer, instead she turned away from him, in an attempt to cover her face from the stunned look on it and also to calm down her faster heartbeat.

"When you finish here, come back inside. You are not completely healed, so sleep here until the doctor comes…. Please"

It wasn't exactly the truth. He was back in shape, the wounds healed, and the poison was expelled from his body.

But, to an extent, she felt she wanted to discover more about the boy who saved her life.

"Yes, sure. And thank you again!"

Ash suddenly heard some sobs and went to the source of them, his Pokèmon with him, only Infernape staying back to the little house.

He finally found what he was looking for.

He saw a girl. Pikachu noticed it too.

"Serena…" "Pipika!"

For Dawn time didn't seem to have passed at all. All came back to that night when she saw the article declaring that her best friend was dead.

She didn't take it lightly.

She was still with Serena, who had previously broken down as well. They talked about their common acquittance Ash, the boy who had inspired or mentored them both.

It was cathartic sharing stories about the journeys they had with him and all the adventures and threats they faced.

Serena and Dawn, after some days passed like that decided that they shouldn't be there in Sinnoh right now, but they needed to go to Pallet Town for his friend funeral.

It would be sad but they both knew that Ash would have wanted them to move on and not to be sad over him.

It would be a long healing process, but they would pull through. After all, it was Ash who taught them to never give up until it was over.

So, they were heading to Jubilife City when Dawn interrupted the silence the two girls and their Pokèmon were in.

"I loved him…You know?"

Serena felt her heartbeat fastening. Dawn went on, looking at the sunset over them:

"We were the best of friends. Supporting each other, caring for our Pokèmon and also trading one of our friends. I never thought I liked him before encountering a girl named Lyra, but she put me in thinking about it. And it was true… Someone would have noticed it. Heck, I also dressed like a cheerleader for his battles. But he was a dense goof balloon and romance was not his thing…"

"After the Sinnoh league, he was planning on coming back home… I was tempted to go there with him, to follow him and go to Kanto and try the Kanto contest circuit, the only one I had never attempted to enter, even nowadays."

Serena was listening carefully, her gaze fixated on the blue haired coordinator.

"But I made the worst decision ever... I left him. I took a modelling offer for my Buneary and soon he and Brock were back to Kanto. It was devastating when we parted ways. But again, Ash, being Ash, made it easier… I was breaking down at the dock his ship was moving away, but he shouted me my catchphrase with his confident smile. I smiled back, holding my tears."

"No need to worry" thought aloud Serena.

"It sure is" Dawn answered with a sad smile.

"I met him 3 other times after that. After I moved on from him"

"Right before meeting you, I spoke again with Brock, our other travelling companion during the Sinnoh Journey. We told each other stories and then our topic shifted on Ash and his whereabouts. He asked me a thing: - Did you love him back then? -"

Serena was thinking about what the point of this conversation was.

"I nodded and then he added: - So why didn't you do anything and didn't talk to him that you didn't want him to leave? -

You can see that I was shocked. I never saw that coming but Brock caught me. I proceeded to explain my fears, my thoughts, anything… And after that, he said what I wasn't expecting to hear never in my life…- I'm quite sure he liked you back back then!"

Serena now was shocked.

"He told me that probably Ash didn't understand love and all of these stuffs but it was there.

Brock went on telling me how he never was a guy to cheer on someone over a loss or how he never trained with someone other than his Pokèmon. And that he never watched contests like he did in Sinnoh, to the point to enter some of them only to cheer me on. And finished adding that our relationship was unique. We had our high five, our strategies made together, a bond that Brock never witnessed with other Ash's travelling companion. And he met all of his companions, minus you and the Kalos gang or the Unova champion iris"

"I was stupid back then, I focused so much on how everything about Ash and me was dumb, or crazy, and it was Ash's fault for this… But I was scared, and I missed that opportunity, without talking to him. We had that great bond, even if Ash didn't know what it was. We could have had a path together… and now, I'm here, the first love of my life is gone, and I was always so focused on myself to also not knowing that he was battling against a Champion. That he made all the way up to be in the top 4 in the world. And now…. He faded away from me…. I wanted to be there for him a little more, I wanted to share moments again with my best friend. I may not be into him like that anymore, but it hurts. He isn't here anymore, and he will always be the most amazing person I met in my life and my only true best friend."

She was about to cry again, but seeing the concern on Piplup's eyes, she held back.

"I also love him"

Now it was Dawn's turn to be caught off guard. She turned her gaze to the honey blonde girl while she was trying to gather her thought to go on.

It was now night in Jubilife. The girls entered the Pokèmon center to book a room for the night.

Dawn hit the sack first, but Serena wasn't sure if she could sleep.

She decided to go out for a walk with Sylveon.

She found a bench and decided to to sit there to brush her faithful friend.

She thought about the discussion. Dawn said she didn't love Ash that way anymore, but she felt guilty and also melancholic about the matter. The girl realied dhe had just missed the opportunity of her life leaving Ash.

Serena was thinking about it… In a way she did the exact thing. She went to Hoenn and never met Ash again, never knowing what he was up to.

She began to sob quietly, alarming Sylveon before hearing a voice calling for her.

"Serena!" "Pipika!"

She didn't see anyone, only hearing some whispers…

Ash saw her and he ran up to her: "Serena, is it really you? How is it that you are here?"

Serena turned her gaze but didn't see anything, only hearing whispers, not decipherable.

Ash saw her confusion and closed the gap, placing a hand over her shoulder only to pass through it like she was a ghost.

"What the heck?" screamed the boy…

"This is not real… but you see her guys, don't you?"

His Pokèmon nodded but it was odd, when a voice rang through Ash's brain: "She is in the future. In some sort of ways, she can hear you but can't see you. That's my way to help you keep track of your past life and also give those people who love you the most to feel you even if you're not there". It was Ash's voice. Now everything made sense. In a way, it was good to see Serena and tell her something, but he knew she can't answer him.

His Pokèmon sensed the distress coming from Ash and took the initiative, patting Sylveon's ghost.

The Intertwining Pokèmon reacted to it but was confused by the source of it. Pikachu spoke to her and Sylveon relaxed. She didn't hear the right words but felt warmer from the sound of the voice.

Ash took the chance and sat near Serena, placing a hand again on her shoulder. She shuddered.

"I'm here Serena"

"Ash is dead… What can I do? Without him?"

Ash quickly understood that this was related to his disappearance and spoke to her again.

"Serena, I'm not dead, I'm here but you know, you are just great by yourself… you don't need me to be the best person you can!"

Ash saw her… she was definitely more charming and beautiful than she was during his Kalos journey. Of course, Ash was dense, but had still eyes to see.

The girl decided to recollect her thoughts about the day, thinking aloud about Dawn's speech about Ash.

Ash was flustered by Dawn's words, but he stayed there enjoying this strange company.

He finally understood everything. He had been in love with Dawn at a certain point, but he didn't know what that feeling was. And of course, he put it aside when his travels took him to Unova…

Even if Ash didn't see the thing like Dawn who thought to have wasted a life chance, he was saddened to think that he lost the opportunity to discover more about life and himself with her, by staying with her.

After the Sinnoh Journey, Ash thought that Dawn was the most amazing person for him, Brock aside, but life went on and soon another girl came in his life, the girl whose ghost was sitting next to him.

Ash eventually lost tracks in this train of thoughts and missed Serena's speech about her own feeling. His arms, out of pure instinct surrounded her body in an attempt for a hug with Serena.

She felt it. Her body relaxed, snapping her out of her thoughts. In a way she felt better, like someone was giving her energy…

She stood up and left, Sylveon wrapping a feeler around her wrist, smiling at her.

She heard warmth around one check and then another whisper, next to her ear: "Don't give up until it's over!"

Ash watched the girl fading away from him. He then heard snickers coming from Pikachu. His friend had seen the boy kissing Serena's ghost on a cheek and soon started to laugh with Greninja.

Ash turned a bit red; embarrassment clear in his face. He tried to lower his cap but remembered he didn't have it anymore.

He let out a groan, then he snorted and said: "Like I didn't hear what you told Sylveon!"

Pikachu froze in place and then was Greninja's turn to burst out in laughter.

Meanwhile, Serena was walking back to the Pokèmon Center, thinking about the events on the bench… She was trying hard to think about the voice and she realized something… those words….

"It was Ash".