Resurgence ~Amourshipping / Adventure { Pokémon } || ON HOLD

Without Her

In orderly to be able to fully comprehend this story, reading the prequel, Fade Away, is necessary. If you are a returning reader, I apologize for the wait! Please, enjoy!

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~ Ash's POV ~

The wind whistles through the trees gently, pushing aside lush green leaves and creating a cool breeze to help against the hot summer sun. The long grass had flourished during the rainy days of spring, and sway in the wind like ocean grasses moving with a sea current.

Since her disappearance, it's been a year.

I'm fifteen. Gained a couple inches, but otherwise, same build and same raven black hair.

A couple hours after Darkrai and Shadow Primia's demise, Pikachu returned in a golden light, right in his normal place by my side where he had always used to be. His presence comforted me, and he cried along with me as I kneeled with tears streaming down my face.

And then, we returned back to our little house that sat near the woods all alone. All traces of Serena's very existence were gone, except our own memories of her.

But that's the past.

Now, we look to the future, where surely, Serena's waiting to be brought back.

"Pikachu, for the last time, ketchup is not a staple food for you to eat." I swoop down and pluck the bottle out of the electric mouse's paw, who frowns and gives me a little shock in his aggravation.

I stare at the container as I continue walking. A small pool of ketchup sticks to the bottom, and I sigh. "That's the seventh bottle this month. Eat a berry." Grabbing an Oran berry from a tree, my swift movements give Pikachu no time to avoid a fruit to the face.

He grumpily chomps on the Oran berry, his mouth full and eyes showing discontent.

The barely used path in the wood is slightly concealed by the overgrowing grasses, and low hanging tree branches give a nice surprise if you're not watching where you're going. It sure has been a while.

It's all very peaceful, something we hadn't experienced for what seemed had been an eternity. Except, she's not here beside me...

Shaking my head adamantly, I scold myself for dwelling on tragedies. After all, this period of loneliness (despite Pikachu being with me) will be long forgotten when we get her back.

Pikachu interrupts my thoughts with his persistent attempts and shouts to push me aside. I blink out of my trance to just narrowly avoid a small tree in the middle of the road, and I laugh sheepishly as my Pokémon partner tuts disapprovingly and tries to get his ketchup bottle back as a reward for saving me.

"Ah, we're almost there," I observe, watching the scenery unfold before me while we reach the peak of the hill. Following the decline of the slope continues the path and leads to a small, brown hut in the distance. Surrounding it grows many different trees and plants, of odd and various sizes and shapes.

We both break into a run, eager to reach our destination. By the time we knock on the old, wooden door, our breaths are labored.

A faded voice, weary and exhausted, reaches our ears from the other side. "Yes? Who goes there?" I'm about to respond, but then another voice cuts me off- this time, a voice of a girl. "Mom, you shouldn't be getting up- here, sit down, and I'll get it. Ellie, you too. I got it."

She sounds gentle and caring, like Serena. For Arceus' sake, stop it, Ash. Get it together.

The door creaks open, and she timidly peers outside through the open slip at me. After deeming I'm not a suspicious person, the girl opens it fully.

Crimson red hair tied in a fishtail braid rests on her left shoulder; her golden red eyes study me tiredly. Her stature is rather short, but thin, and she looks fairly athletic in her white tank top and black leggings.

"Who're you?" she asks shortly, and my initial pleasant perception of her half disappears at once. "Ash Ketchum, and these are my partners, Pikachu and..." My sentence trails off. She raises an eyebrow. "And?"

Ash, you idiot.

"Never mind. Can we come in?" "Sure."

The girl holds the door for a second before letting go and making me hold it open. First impressions... aren't too great, but it's not like they'll matter much.

As Pikachu and I enter the home, we notice the odd smells of herbs and berries. It's a one room house- two medium sized beds, a door presumably leading to the bathroom, a circular table, and a kitchen resting in a corner.

On the wood counters sit many mortars and pestles of various sizes.

A frail but young looking woman and a little girl reside at the table on old chairs. They must be the mother and 'Ellie.' "Come, sit." Our hostess pulls out a seat and gestures to it, and I sit down.

"My name is Akira. Now, what business do you have with us?"

Akira. So it is her.

"We've heard rumors at the nearby village that you know about a certain legendary Pokémon, and a girl living in this house knows how to find it. We were wondering if this information is correct." Getting straight to the point in this situation is the best option.

Akira looks moderately surprised for a second, and then asks with a hardened tone, "why? Do you wish to find it?"

Only a few days ago, when I'd asked for and heard all the tales, that question arose repeatedly. And every time, we'd remind ourselves of her, and what it was like to be without her, and we'd decided yes, we must and we will.

In order to get her back.

"Yes, we do," I answer confidently, staring into her golden red eyes. She nods, as if to accept the challenge- then, Akira replies, "well then, Ash and Pikachu. Let's discuss the legendary Pokémon of the stars: Jirachi."

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Welcome back to the world of Fade Away!

Sorry, it took me a while to get the plot line down because tbh I had no clue BUT that doesn't matter anymore because I've cranked out the first chapter :)

I'm on vacation right now, so the next chapter may come in about a week but you know how I am with late updates so we'll see about that, aha...

Anyways, hope you enjoyed and see you back next time!!

~ TheDreamRider