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As Tapu Koko flew away with a cry, Ash’s shoulders slumped. It felt like the Magical Tree and Lucario situation all over again. But this time his body didn’t feel like molten lava had forced its way into his throat and filled every nook and cranny, instead he felt like he had just finished one of his workouts he and Brock would do together a couple of times every week instead. All the excess energy that had bottled itself up after the last battle in Kalos had finally spent itself and Ash wouldn’t miss it at all.
“Ash!” Mallow’s voice cried out from behind the older trainer and footsteps soon followed.
Oh. He had honestly forgotten about the rest of his new classmates and the Professor followed behind him all the way out here into the forest, Ash was used to his companions easily keeping up with him sans Cilan and Clemont because for some reason those two were always slow.
Turning around he almost got smacked by Mallows slim hands coming down to land on his shoulders, Pikachu chirped next to his foot as the mouse Pokémon was probably ticked that he wouldn’t be able to climb onto his trainers shoulder until the green haired girl lets go.
“Are you okay? Do you need anything? Food? Water? Do you need to sit?” Mallow asked frantically as for a moment Ash swore he was back in Kanto with Brock worriedly trying to keep the younger trainer from fainting from sickness because Ash was too stubborn to set up camp and wait it out.
Ash reached up and patted one of the taller girls hands before moving both of them off his shoulder so Pikachu could climb into his shoulder and relax happily. “I’m good, but thank you Mallow.” If he was actually honest, water and a place to sit to get his bearings back would be splendid but he didn’t trust them enough quit yet because paranoia likes to be a bitch sometimes.
“Are you sure?” Now it was actually Kiawe speaking up before his eyes landed on Ash’s Z-ring and widened in shock. When pointing it out to the raven haired trainer that his crystal had disintegrated, Ash only looked tiredly perplexed at his wrist.
On the inside he was cursing the God of Destruction. How dare that unseasoned overcooked too tendered chicken of a God do this to him? Hasn’t he dealt with enough crap in his past that for once Arceus could give him an easy way out? It wasn’t that hard.
“I mean, if I have too.” Kiawe was still going on and Ash realized his body must have went on autopilot since his brain drifted off. “Since I’m the only one with a Z-crystal.”
Ash tried not to bristle too much at the backhanded insult the fire type trainer flung at him but thankfully Mallow stepped up and cuffed the older boy in the back of the head and started to berate him for being mean the the new student who was so willing to go through customs and learn about Alola unlike most of the other foreigners. Once again, he tried not to bristle this time at Mallow so he ripped his attention off the group and towards the crater once more.
The conversation faded from his hearing and Ash didn’t know if it was his brain acting weird again or if his classmates were leaving without him, he could care less right now as he was currently reaching for his phone.
“Hey.” Professor Kukui suddenly appeared behind him which made Ash lose the grip on his phone and his hands stumbled for it before he finally fully grasped it once more. “Oh, sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you.”
Looking up and over his shoulder to see his teacher looking down with a half concealed worried expression on his face Ash shakily waved him off. “Was in my own world.” It was a lame excuse, but at least it was somewhat true. “Was going to take pictures for later since, you know.” He shrugged while scratching the back of his head as the photo app opened. “This doesn’t happen everyday to anyone.” Another white lies, he prays to Lugia, the only somewhat sane God next to Rayquaza, that the Professor couldn’t recognize it as one.
Luckily the man only hummed and Ash set out to take a few pictures, the only closer he was willing to get to the crater was at least around five more feet before he doubled back; out of fear? He doesn’t truly know, but that is a question Ash is not wanting an answer for.
——
After school when he actually got his heart to slow down while he was up in the loft after dinner was finished for both humans and Pokémon did Ash created the chat filled with every friend of his.
It was only a while later after explaining everything that happened that day and Gary demanding his payment for winning the bet against May did he pull up the pictures and sent them off to be viewed by everyone else. More time passed and Kukui had called to Ash for lights out.
As he reached for the lamp next to where he lays his head down Ash truly started to think how this journey was going to play out in the end. So far it felt too… easy. Ash never had a Legendary actively help him with a move before.
They usually stay aloof and wait for the right time, or in some cases the worst time imaginable, to show themselves to him. But the instinct feeling he’s getting so far is telling him it’s going to be quite different from his past journeys and the raven haired trainer doesn’t know if he’s fully ready for what’s in store for him.