[Ash’s POV]

It has been four days since the accident and I have been discharged from the hospital. I still can’t move a lot so I use a wheelchair to move along. It was early morning and I was out with Hilbert for Pokemon training. Pikachu, Hilbert and I were sitting over Torterra’s back as moving a wheelchair is hard on a dirt path, and sitting alone is kinda awkward, so Toterra offered to give us all a ride. 

Torterra’s back was large enough for pikachu to play and climb the tree, while Hilert and I sat along the mounts. It was a totally new experience. Torterra was out of training for a few days as a Fletchling had made its nest on his tree. It’s just a matter of days the eggs would hatch and he will be back in training. He promised that he would train more if needed, but I don’t think it would make a lot of difference between him and my other Pokemon.

We reached our usual training spot, all of our Pokemon were already there sparring with each other. I had given them a schedule to train on while I was in hospital. Torterra stayed a bit far from the area to avoid much noise for the eggs. He let us down and used his vines to help me walk till the clearing. I sat under a big tree, as all the Pokemon came to me to see how I was doing. Torterra went away from the place, before everyone continued their training.

I wasn’t able to yell either so I told Hilbert when I needed to tell something to my Pokemon, he would yell at them through the blasts and explosions. I even suggested his Pokemon on what to focus and improve. They had been trained well but what they lacked were skills. Of course, I didn’t teach them all of my skills. I left the advanced ones for them to figure out. They were not accustomed to altering changes in their moves so it was quite difficult for them to catch on. 

I watched them all battle each other, when suddenly Charizard flew high up and vanished away in the clouds. “Woah! What happened to Charizard? Is this a new attack?” Hilbert asked in astonishment, while looking up in the sky.

“No, he must have heard someone’s call.” I replied, wondering who might have called. Is it Serena? Did something happen? I got worried a little but knowing Charizard, he will reach there in time.

“What do you mean?” Hilbert asked again, not knowing what kind of call.

“Well, Charizard has a very high hearing power. He can hear anyone’s call for help from about 250-300 kilometres away.” I told, his expression was that of an amazed kid.

“Wow! So, he can hear anyone calling for him from that far? How loud does one have to yell?” 

“Yeah, he can hear loud and clear from that distance. You just have to shout loud enough, and you know when you are in danger you won’t care about anyone’s ears so it comes out naturally louder.”

“I guess so.” He laughed, before looking up again. “So where do you think he might have gone?”

“No idea. It can be anyone.”

“It’s impressive how he suddenly reacted and flew away towards the location.”

By this time Pikachu who was sparring with Charizard came to me. “He has gone to the Charicific Valley.” He told us. When I heard him I was shocked.

“What?! Charicific Valley??! Are you serious??” I asked with shock. He can’t be serious, that’s too far from here.

“What happened? What is Charicific Valley? Is it where he went?” Hilbert asked me, totally confused of mine and Pikachu’s conversation.

“Charicific Valley is a Valley where all Charizards live and train. It’s in the Kanto region.” I told him, I honestly can’t believe he is gone to Kanto right now. And if he really did, it must be really important for not sparing a moment to even tell me.

“Wait, you said he can hear upto 300 kilometres. But Kanto is thousands of kilometres away. How did he hear anything? And can he really fly that far??” Hilbert asked me, getting confused.

“I don’t know but maybe Charizards can hear each other‘s call regardless of distance, just maybe. And I’m worried too, even if he flew that far, will he have enough strength to fight or whatever he has gone for.” I spoke as I stared up at the sky, worry visible on my face.

“How much time would it take him to reach there?”

“No less than three to four hours. It’s an interregional flight, and that too, to Kanto.”

“Let’s call Lisa.” Pikachu suggested. I looked at him and my face lit up.

“Great idea Pikachu,” I turned to Hlbert who was looking at us not knowing our talk. “Quick, we need to get to a Pokemon center, I need to make a phone call.”

He hurriedly called for his Unfezant, who came soon from the training. “Unfezant, I need you to take Ash to the pokemon center in Santalune city right now.” Hilbert told him and it bowed. Then he helped me get on Unfezant.

“You reach first, me and pikachu will reach behind.” 

“Alright.” and with that Unfezant took off. Within fifteen minutes we were at the Pokemon center. Unfezant landed inside the center, people were frightened when he entered because its not normal for a pokemon to just fly in. Nurse Joy was about to shout when she noticed me. She quickly came and helped me down.

“ASh, what happened? You should be resting!” She asked with worry.

“I need to make a video call right now.” I told her, she saw my worried expression and nodded.

A few trainers came to help me, while one quickly booted up the PC. 

“What happened?” Joy asked again, she was clearly worried, she had always been the one to care for me when I was alone. She knew about my accident too.

“Charizard, he suddenly flew to Kanto without saying anything.” I replied as I dialed in the number. I heard a few gasps from the trainers. 

“Kanto?! Seriously? Why?” She asked with shock.

“I don’t know. He was training with Pikachu then suddenly flew away. Pikachu told me he was going to Charicific Valley.”

“The Charicific Valley?”

“Wait, my Charizard was worried too just a moment ago. I asked him if something happened and he told me that some trouble had occurred at his homeland. I just had him transferred to Lisa, at the Charicific valley.” A trainer spoke, our eyes met and I recognised it was Trevor, a boy from school. He was my old friend before everything happened and he left me.

The call was picked up and Lisa’s face appeared on the screen. She had many bruises on her face, and some bleeding cuts. Her eyes gave a sense of relief when she saw me.

“Ash! Thank goodness. I assume Charizard had been acting worried hasn’t he? Are you going to transfer him here?” She asked.

“Actually no, Charizard flew towards Kanto about half an hour ago by himself without telling anything. I wanted to know what happened.” I replied. Her eyes widened when she heard that he flew to Kanto.

“Seriously? He is flying to Kanto?!” she asked with shock. I just nodded.

“Oh no, I hope he can get here in time safely.” 

“Can you tell us what happened? And are you okay, what’s with those cuts?” I asked, feeling uneasy. This seemed like a troubling situation.

“A group of men suddenly attacked the valley and started capturing the Charizard. Right now we are fighting them, rescue teams have arrived as well but we need more help.” 

Hibert and Pikachu arrived at the pokemon center at that moment. They ran over to me, Hilbert panting heavily. “What’s … going… on?” he asked while panting.

“Charicific Valley had been attacked by some criminal group.”

“What?! Is it Team Plasma?” Hilbert asked Lisa.

“Huh? I don’t know. I have never seen them here.” she replied.

“They have a shield like logo with a blue P on it.”

“No, they are wearing reddish orange suits and orange glasses. And a flame logo is on their suits.” 

“That’s Team Flare, they are from Kalos itself.” a boy said from behind.

“Kalos?! Why would team Flare attack in Kanto?” another one spoke. 

“Maybe they are doing some kind of crazy experiment on Charizard?” 

“Man, thats so cruel.”

Everyone was talking among themselves, but my mind was fixated on team Flare. Team Flare knows Charizard can hear each other from miles. They set this as a trap to capture my Charizard. This is so bad. I can’t do anything right now. Charizard is going to get caught in their trap. I have to think of something. 

“Ash!” I was shaken from my thoughts by Hilbert yelling and shaking me strongly.

“Huh? What?” I asked, suddenly confused.

“What happened to you? You are sweating furiously and you totally zoned out. Are you okay? He asked worriedly.

“It’s a trap…” I whispered, tears welling up my eyes.

“Huh?” 

“This is a trap! Team Flare is going to capture my Charizard!” I cried.

“Capture your Charizard? But why would they pull this stunt to just capture your Charizard?” A trainer asked.

“I had faced them in the past once. They threatened me that they will kill all my pokemon if I don’t quit from being a trainer?” I spoke with tears flowing down my face.

“What? Why? Who are you?” 

“I am Ash Ketchum.”

A lot of noise filled the center as everyone started talking about the trainer who quit his career after he was found to use drugs. Some said that he was killed. While others said he was just a trainer who couldn’t keep his reputation and strength. But none of it mattered to me. 

“You mean ‘The Ash Ketchum’, who was the youngest trainer to defeat all the leagues and champions?” one boy asked with shock. 

“Dude you serious?!”

“Wait what? He is Ash Ketchum?!”

“Oh my god! Ash is here!!”

All the trainers started talking about me, and I had never thought they all thought of me like that. There were still some trainers who respected me. 

“Why did team Flare threaten you?!” Someone asked.

I was feeling happy for some reason. I felt like if I don’t speak now, I will forever be struck as the cheater. So, I decided to tell everyone the truth now. I slowly stood up, and as I did the whole center became silent.

“I have something to tell all of you. The reason I quit my career all those years ago was because team Flare wanted me removed from its path so that the son of their leader can reach the top. They would do the same to anyone who they think is a threat to their fame. I didn’t agree to them and they attacked me. The battle didn’t end well, they had cornered me alone, and attacked at once. That day I lost my Pidgeot. He was killed in front of my eyes. I was devastated, I thought it would be better to quit than fight, that way can save not only mine but my friend’s pokemon too. So, I asked the Pokemon Trainer’s Board to remove my name and declare me as a cheater. I wanted the world to forget about me. For the last few years, I have been living a life of an outcast. I lost all my friends, only the closest stayed and some who regretted, came back. I released most of my pokemon back to professor Oak. I thought if I trained in the shadows then there won’t be any problem, I was going to enter the IPBG and give a come back. I would expose my enemy in front of the whole world, but I guess I failed. The charizard out there on the way to Kanto is the one all of you know as the Legendary Charizard. But Team Flare bested me and is now going to capture him. I can’t do anything. I am going to lose another Pokemon….” my voice died by the end as tears choked my throat. They rolled down my cheeks and dropped on the floor one by one. I just stood there for a few moments without saying anything. I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, they all felt pity for me.

I was about to just give up when someone spoke. “Don’t give up Ash!” I looked up and saw a trainer in the back looking up at me with encouraging eyes. 

“But what can I do now? It’s all messed up.” I muttered.

“No, You can still find a way.” another one spoke.

“Yeah, If you really are the Ash Ketchum, then you will find a way no matter what!” another trainer yelled. At this everyone started encouraging me to think something. Some even suggested to me if I could do this or that. Slowly, I started feeling encouraged and I felt really happy that they all believed in me. 

“Thank you guys…” I let out a small whisper.

“Yes! We all remember your words still… ‘Don’t give up till it’s over!’ So how can you give up when there is still time?” One of the trainers said while everyone else shouted in sync. A wave of courage filled me as a smile crept on my face.

“Alright then, let’s do this!” 

To be continued...

Hey guys! I am back with an update on time. I feel like I accomplished something big. And looks like I got a bit carried away today. First PA and now ASKOL. Wow too much writing in one night. Huh, wow have I become an owl? Nah, I prefer being a cat. XD

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter stay tuned to know what happens next.

Until then, see y'all. Stay safe!