Chapter 1

It’s been a while since we have last seen our pokemon heroes. After we have last seen him making an astonishing top two in the Unova league Ash is taking a new path.

We rejoin Ash along with Iris and Cilan as they embark on a whole new adventure the Xentru region. But unlike other regions this region has no league! So what exactly is our Ash doing this time?

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“Come ON hurry up or we are going to miss the Ferry!! Let’s go Pikachu!” As usual Ash was in a hurry as he hurriedly left a panting struggling Iris and Cilian far behind.

“He’s such a KID!!”  Iris exclaimed “The boat doesn’t leave for another half hour. He just ran off down the hill leaving us for what?”

“Huff huff, this aroma reeks of impatience, something that we should be accustom to with Ash by now.” Cilan said. “Instead of complaining we should be rushing, this boat according to professor Juniper is never late and always early.”

“What?! What are we waiting for then? Lets go!!” Iris pushed Axew back into her hair before swinging up on a vine to head down to the harbour passing a cloud of rushing dust that was Ash.

“Wait!! What about me??” Cilian yelled before he too ran off.

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The boat was a normal huge cruise liner filled to capacity. Filled with, tourists, trainers, co-ordinators, coinissours. Anyone who could compete in the upcoming events was certainly on the first boat out to Xentru. The only reason Ash was going was to compete in the training events and tournaments that were offered there. There were no official pokemon contests, but there were training camps and tournaments for co-ordinators which was good for those wanting to make themselves better. Just like Ash wanted to do.

Like before Ash carried only the pokemon he had started out with, Pikachu. If he needed anyone else he would send for them. Ash rested against the railing of the boat, Pikachu on his shoulder. This feeling was a familiar one, just him and Pikachu starting all over again, on their way to be the best they could...

“Piiika?” Pikachu twisted on Ash’s shoulder tipping Ash’s hat over his eyes

“Huh? What’s that Pikachu? Something wrong?” Pikachu was looking over at something, no someone standing not too far away.  Straight back, purple hair....

“Hey it’s PAUL!!” the person turned around with a frown on their face until they saw who it was. It was Paul, and he was talking to...

“Wait, Drew!!”

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Paul, Drew, Ash, Iris, Cilian and Pikachu sat at a booth table near a fire.

“I can’t believe the coincidence that you all know each other and battled each other, now you are off to the same place.” Iris said

“Axew!!” Axew said appearing from Iris’s hair

“Not now Axew.” Iris pulled him from her hair and dropped him on her lap mimicking Ash and Pikachu nearby.

“Yeah, I know right.” Drew said a smile on his face. “Unlike Ash and Paul, I’m really into co-ordinating, but co-ordinators have to be really strong too in fact it shows your bond with Pokemon even better. Some champions like Wallace are the best Gym Leaders, Top co-ordinators as well as Pokemon champions.”

“Wow I’ve never heard it put in that light before.” Cilian commented “That is a unique way to look at it but how do you know Paul if he collect gym badges and you co-ordinate?”

“Yeah Drew, how?” Ash said sitting forward. “Did you have a battle or something?”

“No, We didn’t battle per say, we tried to capture the same pokemon.” Paul said sitting forward and speaking for the first time.

“WHAAATT????!!!” Cilian, Iris, and Ash said simultaneously.

“Who managed to catch it then?” Ash demanded. “What was it?”

Paul and Drew looked embarrassed. “Neither of us caught it actually, it got away.” Drew admitted.

“It was a Kingdra. It got away.” Paul mumbled before sending an amused glance at Drew. “After we had a battle that was pulled to a draw we decided to let bygones be bygones....”

“And let the whole thing go.” Drew broke in

“Because he can hold his own, for a co-ordinator” Paul continued.

“Wow, that’s an awesome story.” Ash said

“Piika piiika!!” Pikachu exclaimed from his lap.

Drew turned to look at the others milling around the deck. “We decided that the key to getting stronger was more training. We managed on our little half training between contests and gym battles. Those got us in, but not all the way. When I heard about this place I decided to go immediately. I definitely needed a break. Especially since I was so close to the top.”

Ash sighed “I know what you mean Drew, I just needed not only to recapture that original feeling I had when I first started, needed to learn my pokemon as well as myself and make them even stronger. Develop my battle style that is my own that works perfectly. And this, this is the place to do it.” Ash gestured toward the upcoming landmass.

“Where do you go after we land?” Paul asked eyeing Cilian and Iris.

“Well we are going in a circle so that we enter everything and can then make our way back home, what about you?” Cilian asked

“Same thing here, we just gotta pick up a map and plan out our routes accordingly.” Drew said leaning back into his seat. “This region it’s a huge one and they said that travelling alone is not advised. That’s why Paul and I will be travelling together.”

“Hey, you know, you guys could travel with us. Right Iris? Right Cilian?”

“Yeah that would be so cool!!” Iris gushed maybe I could learn a little from you Drew.”

“That’s more people to appreciate a well cooked balanced meal; I don’t see any problem there.” Cilian stated “So we will travel together training and learning from each other. Good ingredients for a successful recipe.

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Ash and Drew stood at the railings of the boat looking at the sea. Pikachu was in Ash’s room occupied with a bottle of ketchup. Ash sighed; Pikachu would be occupied for a long long while.

“So...”Drew started. He glanced from the waters below to look at Ash “Have you heard from May lately? Or Recently? Or even at all?”

Ash tilted his hat across his face. “Last time I heard from May she was with you in the Johto region.”

Drew looked back to the water. The boat was barely disturbing the water as they cut through it. “After the Johto contest I went to Sinnoh. I haven’t seen her or heard from her since. She’s gotten really strong but still I thought you would know. Or that she would go to Sinnoh or Hoen from Johto.”

Ash smiled. “That’s great!! Her getting stronger I mean, May one these days is going to be the best. Her bond with pokemon is just.....amazing. But you already know that Drew.”

“Yeah you’re right, we are still rivals, May and I. It’s just strange to not know when she is going to fall from.”

“Fall? That definitely sounds like May alright.”

Ash and Drew shared a soft laugh, before turning to back the rails. “This trip, this new start.” Drew began. “It’s going to help me bring my edge back. My focus back, and maybe even bring a better bond with my pokemon so I can show them off better.”

“Same here, all these tournaments and challenges even these new experiences. They can only help me get better.” Ash titled his hat so it covered his eyes. “It’s going to help me and my pokemon.”

“The only thing this trip is going to do is help me become even stronger anyway I possibly can.” A low voice came from the darkened stairway. Ash and Drew leaned up to watch Paul walk up with his hands thrust into his front pockets.

Paul leaned out against the railings at first appearing to have forgotten about the other two before he spoke again “After losing and losing to Brandon over and over again, and others. I have no choice, I have to make myself stronger. Just that I’m not too sure if normal battle and raising is the way now.”

Ash nodded. “I hear ya.”

Paul turned back to Ash. “This is more than training, it’s a new beginning, a chance to change everything and become stronger in more than just battle.”

Drew started laughing. “Was Paul this physiological with you guys?” Ash stared to laugh.

“I was lucky to get a sentence out of him!” Drew and Ash continued laughing and a small smirk appeared on Paul’s face.

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“Now that we have the map, let’s make our way to the pokemon centre.  We have to stock up and set off in the morning. We definitely have no time to waste.” Cilian for once was leading the pack as they travelled off the docks. Ash and Drew followed behind him while Iris and Paul tagged behind. Pikachu rode on Ash’s shoulder half napping.

“I hope we get there soon, not for the sake of food, but Rosarade needs a check up before we head out.” Drew spoke up from his whispered conversation with Ash.

Iris looked startled. “Just your Rosarade? Don’t you have any others?”

Drew looked uncomfortable. “I needed a new perspective so I left the ones I depend on too much and decided to travel with those I need to work with and my most special pokemon, that’s Rosarade, we’ve been through so much, I had to bring it.”

“ohhh.”  Came from Iris and Cilian.

Drew flicked his hair back in his usual gesture. “Presides, Ash does the same thing with Pikachu, and Paul did it too. Sometimes you have to start over from the bottom when you get stuck in the middle.”

“You can say that again.” Iris smiled widely with Axew sticking its head out of her hair viewing the passing buildings. “You really seem to know a lot Drew!”

“Well I DO want to become a top co-ordinator” Drew shot back at her. “I HAVE to know a lot.”

Before Iris could say anything else, Cilian spotted the Pokemon Centre. “Let’s continue this later guys, our pokemon need rest and so do we.”

“Ready for some chow Pikachu buddy?” Ash asked a suddenly wide awake Pikachu.

“Pii Pii Kachu!!” Ash led the dash to the door. Cilian following behind with Paul next to him and Iris and Drew appearing to be continuing their discussion quietly.

First Ash was looking for Nurse Joy in the strange unfamiliar Pokemon Centre layout. Something he never got used to, he finally spotted her and was about to move off when Pikachu cried out.

“Pikachu Pii!!!”

Huh?

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Pikachu was off running toward something Ash could not spot in the crowd. The crowd moved when he saw Pikachu jump and he was able to see a red headed girl extend her hands and Pikachu jump into them.

A familiar red head. Ash grinned, he should have known. The girl straightened up and blue eyes met his brown ones.

“Misty!!”