Chapter Text
A few months ago, the Lunarvirus pandemic had broken out, regions were going into lockdown in hopes of preventing further spread.
Ash and Gou were at Kanto International Airport, waiting for their flight to Kalos when the announcement came on the TVs. It was Lance, the Kanto and Jhoto Champion, he had both Kanto's and Jhoto's Elite Four behind him.
"People of Kanto and Jhoto. From this moment onwards, region-wide lockdown procedures are in effect. This is in response to an increasing number of cases and accompanying deaths. All outgoing and ingoing travel is to be halted indefinitely. Those showing the symptoms are to isolate themselves away from others,"
Once Lance had finished his speech, the tv's returned to the previous news channel.
The check-in booths for international flights were shut and passengers already on planes were escorted off before the boarding gates were shut also,
"I thought that Lunarvirus wasn't that contagious anymore," Gou commented.
Ash nodded and said, "Yeah, so did I. I'll call Clemont to tell him that we can't come,"
When he took out his Rotom-phone Gou saw it. A scarily familiar small, crescent-moon shape on the base of Ash's elbow. Those shapes were the first symptoms of Lunarvirus.
Once the first few shapes appear, the virus progresses quickly.
"Ash your arm!" he exclaimed, pointing slightly.
Once he saw it for himself, Ash swore under his breath and poked the bruise-colored shape with a finger.
"Sh!t. I'l-it'll be fine. I just need to get back to Pallet," Ash decided, standing up quickly. Gou quickly following suit not long after.
"Sato', everyone who is infected dies within three weeks," he told the older boy.
He was remembering what he had learned from the reports of the Lunarvirus outbreak from over a hundred years ago which had killed patients/victims, those treating them, and those who had been researching a cure.
"I know, Gou! I've read those reports too,"
There was no research to support that it was able to be passed down through families.
The trip back to Pallet Town would take only a day if they didn't make any stops.
They walked to the exit and joined the crowd trying the get out the doors.
As they moved slowly forward, Ash spoke again, "Gou, you shouldn't be near me, you'll get infected," By this time they had gotten outside.
"Satoshi, I'm not going to leave just 'cause you have it," he argued, falling back into step with him.
All the regional Champions were discussing the Lunarvirus pandemic and the number of infected in their regions over a video conference.
"There are one hundred and twenty cases in Jhoto, two-hundred and seventy in Kanto," Lance reported.
"Seventeen in Hoenn," Hoenn's Champion said.
"Only three in Sinnoh," Cynthia told her fellow champions.
"One hundred and nine in Unova," Alder reported.
"And fifty-nine in Kalos," Diantha.
"Where's the Orange Islands and Alola's Champions?" Leon asked. [I'm made the OI a major region].
"You mean, Alola and Orange Islands Champion," Alain corrected him as another user window opened and Ash's face appeared.
"Sorry, I'm late. Time differences in Kanto and all,' Ash apologized.
"Don't worry about it, Sato," Diantha reassured him.
"There are fourteen cases of Lunarvirus in Alola. But none so far in the Orange Islands," he reported.
"So, the only region without confirmed cases of the virus is the OI," Alder concluded for them all.
"Yes but there is still the unrecorded number of unreported cases in every region," Steven argued.
"How's the cure research coming along?" Alder changed the subject quickly.
"Not all that well," Diantha admitted.
Every scientist and researcher from around the world were working on a possible cure but all were without luck but as Kalos had more advanced tech than the other regions.
'The head scientist assigned to the project died not two days later and the prototypes already developed have been ineffective,' she finished.
In response to the situation, people all over the world were panicking. Frantically stocking up on food and other supplies.
Those with medical training that are not assigned to the cure project attempt to make their own cures.
And in addition, every region is on lockdown/quarantine.
"Failed research aside, what are we going to do? Everyone who is infected dies and it is transmitted too easily- everyone is going to die!" Ash said, bringing forth the cold truth, if they didn't do something soon, people would be eradicated.
"Those quarantine practices aren't helping, it's touch- and semi air- transmitted," he added.
"Could we construct energy barriers to isolate cities and villages- like the ones used as protection measures in some Unovian cities?"Leon put forth.
They hadn't thought about that but to do so would require ginormous levels of power and by the time the generators were finished construction, many more would be dead.
"It's a good idea but it would require too much power and by the time they are completed many more would be dead," Cynthia stopped that conversation dead.
After the call had finished, Gou stepped out of where he had been listening in the shadows.
"Ash, you should report having the symptoms," he suggested.
They had argued about this on the way back to Pallet.
"No. There are people that are dying in the hospitals. I would just get in the way. I'm fine anyways," Ash insisted.
Of course, the ravenette wouldn't go unless he was actually dying but it would be too late by then.
"Just don't wait for too long," Gou sort of pleaded but dropped the conversation.
Over the next few days, he started to show other symptoms: coughing and weakness.
"Ash, go take a break. You're not any help like that," Professor Cerise told him as Ash almost fell down the stairs carrying a box.
He looked like he would ignore the Professor's request but he put the box down and descended the stairs himself.
"Sato," Gou warned as his boyfriend passed him. Once he was out earshot, Gou spoke again, "Satoshi will never willingly admit that he's sick."
Professor Cerise nodded.
"How long has he been infected?" he asked.
Gou hadn't thought about that, was it before or at the airport? "Possibly four days or more,"
Professor Cerise cursed quietly and said, "He doesn't have long- two days at most," it was the hard truth, upfront.
"You probably know that Lunarvirus has no cure; not nineteen years ago, not now,"
There was really nothing that they could do, Ash would be dead too soon.
'When he does-' the professor couldn't bring himself to say 'die', "you are to call Delia and tell her," he nodded his affirmative and went to find the other boy, he had something very important to tell him.
Ash was sitting on his bed, writing something.
When he heard Gou enter, he looked up.
"When you see Delia, please give this to her,' he handed him the paper which was now tightly folded. Why was he trusting him with it? Why not one of his friends?
"I'm going to say this now because I might not get another chance to; Satoshi I love you," They were both trying so hard not to cry, failing miserably.
"You have worked out that I'm going to die, I take it?"
It wasn't a question, despite being phrased like one, it was more of a confirmation of which didn't require Gou to say anything in response.
Not thirty-six hours later, Satoshi 'Ash' Ketchum was dead.
After his funeral, Gou approached Delia Ketchum.
"Mrs. Ketchum?" he asked, "Sa-Satoshi asked me to give you this," he handed her the tightly folded note that the late Satoshi had given him only a handful of hours earlier.
Delia took it with new tears in her eyes.
~NOTE~
Mum, by the time you read this, I'll be dead.
It's arranged that once I am listed as dead, Pikachu will be transferred to you. As for my other Pokemon, they were to stay at Professor Oak's lab.
There's something I need to say something to Professor Oak, Gary, Serena, Professor Kukui, and Gou, individually. So only they can read the next few sections.
~~~~~~~~
Professor Oak,
I was going to tell you this when I saw you next but, if you haven't worked it out yet, I was the kid you met when you were a kid.
What happened to that Pokeball, Sammy?
Gary,
I'm sorry.
Serena,
I promised that I would see you again after we parted in Kalos, I'm sorry I couldn't keep that promise.
I'm sorry that it didn't work out.
Professor Kukui and Professor Burnet,
Keep good care of Lycanrock and Rowlet (Nagandel and Melmetal too, if they turn up) for me.
I hope you both are going okay.
Gou,
Traveling around the world with you was amazing.
I just wish that we had had more time together in doing so.
I can't start to describe my feelings for you.
~~~~~~~
And finally, to everyone, don't you ever forget me.
- Satoshi
(Give the smaller attached note to Pikachu, he'll get it to its destination).
~END~
The paper was passed around, first to Professor Oak, then to Gary, then to Serena, then to Professors Kukui and Burnet before ending back in Gou's hands.
By now, everyone was pretty much crying. Gary looked angry before he relaxed and let out a sigh.
Professor Oak looked mostly confused. Professors Burnet and Kukui were crying together along with Delia.
Both Serena and Gou had gone to sit down after they read their respective sections otherwise, they would have fallen over.
Pikachu, who had been on Gou's shoulder during the funeral service, had jumped off and went to stand by Delia.
The second note that Ash had mentioned was tucked around the first, which Gou had discovered.
'Pikachu?' he called and the mouse Pokemon ran to him. He gave the smaller note to him (Pikachu is male).
He unfolded it and saw the stylized 'R' in the top corner.
Ah, of course.
Pikachu muttered something along the lines of 'Got it,' in Pokespeech, and ran off, knowing that no one would follow him just yet.
"Where's he going?" Serena asked she had watched his behavior after getting the note.
Earlier, the Pikachu had noticed two very familiar people and a Meowth hiding in the nearby forest and fortunately, they were still there.
They were just about to leave so they wouldn't be caught when something rustled in the bushes.
"Pikachu? What are you doing here?" Jessie asked once she saw the mouse Pokemon pop through.
"He's holding something," James commented as Pikachu held out a piece of paper to him, which he took.
The other two members of the trio looked over his shoulder to read it.
Epilogue:
~ROCKET TEAM'S NOTE~
I know that, after Sinnoh, you stopped actually trying to catch Pikachu.
But why did you keep following us? You could have gone after better Pokemon but you didn't, why?
Some of your disguises were pretty good, I'll give you that.
~END~
"How did he know?" Jessie asked out loud.
"More importantly, why did he bother with this anyway?" Meowth questioned.
They tried to appear like they didn't care he had remembered them but secretly, they were really thankful.
It was true, they hadn't been actually trying to capture Pikachu for a long while now.
“What's the point of being in Rocket anymore? It definitely wasn't the freedom we all thought it would be," James said, putting the hard truth out into the air.