Work Text:
Satoshi ‘Ash’ Ketcheum is dead. And everyone was making a big deal over it.
It’s not even his fault! He was walking the cliff path when an Alolan Exeggutor trundled past down below. He had leaned over the rails to wave at it, as he’d done dozens of times before. Only this time, the rail was damaged, and he was sent spilling out to the rocks below.
Ash prided himself on not being one to lose his head, but that was remarkably difficult when most of said head was spread out across the rocks around him.
_ _ _
“ASH!” Kukui forced the rest of his students back from the edge, not just because of the now missing rail, but to ensure they didn’t see what he got a glimpse of at the bottom.
There was a LOT of red, and that really didn’t bode well for his charge. Kukui pulled his phone out and dialed the police.
“All of you, to the school house, now!”
“But… Ash!”
“I know, but you need to let the adults handle this. Please.” As soon as he saw them make their way up the rest of the path, Mallow having taken a (disturbingly nonplussed) Pikachu with her, Kukui released Braviary from her pokeball and glided down to where Ash lay in a pool of his own blood.
_ _ _
Ash rubbed his head as he stood in a field of stars: Limbo. The pain of having said head burst open like an over-ripe Watmel Berry hadn’t followed him through to the afterlife, but the phantom pains were one he was familiar with dealing with.
“Ketcheum Satoshi…”
Ash winced as a voice sounded out through the Limbo, two figures manifesting in front of him. The God of Life Xerneas, and the God of Death Yveltal. Neither of them looked particularly happy, plus they pulled his full name, never a good sign.
“Hey… Guys…”
“Do not ‘Hey’ us, Ash!”
Xerneas took charge this time, guess they were trading off now.
“What in Meema’s sake possessed you to jump off a cliff?!”
“I didn’t jump, I fell! Blame the railing, not me!”
“You could have paid attention.”
And there was Yveltal’s contribution, their voice, perfectly suited for striking terror in the hearts of men, was so laced with disappointment that Ash almost felt bad.
Almost.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m sorry, I’ll respect the sanctity of life, yada yada. Can I go now? I kinda wanna be back before anyone sees my busted up brains, you know.”
“You know time does not flow in this plane, so you can very well sit your ass down as pay attention.”
Ash grumbled but sat down as told. Hearing the usually serene God of Life curse was funny the first few times, but by now it was just annoying.
“The cost to keep bringing you back to life is-”
“Worth a year of tree time, I know.”
“You claim you know, yet you still lack any respect for your own life, young man!”
“I. Fell. It’s not my fault that the fact I’m Chosen means it’s a pain to bring me back!”
“None of the other Chosen have died nearly as much as you have.”
“None of the other Chosen had been tied to nearly ALL OF YOU! You think I LIKE being the linchpin in all of your problems in the first place!? I-”
“Ash. Enough.”
Ash slumped forward in frustration, taking a moment before looking back at the new voice here to scold him.
“Hi, Arceus.”
Arceus, the Origin of All, was standing right behind him, wearing their patented ‘I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed’ look, mastered through millennia of dealing with Mew.
“Ash…”
He braced himself for another scolding, and no one scolded like the parent of all reality.
“I am sorry, you were brought to such a point.”
That was… not what Ash was expecting, and from the looks of the two behind him, neither were they.
“What?”
“You are right, it is not just that you have been tied to so many of us by fate. You have taken on by far more duties than any Chosen in the past. But Ash,”
Arceus lowered their head down to look into Ash’s eyes.
“Your life matters. For more than just your duties.”
“...What..?” This was NOT the direction Ash was expecting this to go, and he stubbornly ignored the way his eyes felt like burning. “What are you rambing on about, Old Man?”
“It is a crime beyond all others that you have been led to believe your life doesn’t matter beyond your nature as our Chosen. You are so, SO much more.”
“S-Shut up! Shut up!” Forget burning, he was already crying. “I d-don’t know what you’re t-talking about!”
Ash felt a hoof wrap around his back, pulling him in until his face was pressed into Arceus’s shoulder. Damn it, he was 16, not 10. He shouldn’t be breaking down like he did his first death. He’d saved the world a dozen times over; he shouldn’t be crying into someone’s shoulder, especially not God’s.
“Ash, listen to my words. You are kind, witty, clever, and charming. None of these things are because you are Chosen, they are because you are you. None of the friends you made along the way: human, Pokémon, or god, were because you were Chosen, it’s because you are genuinely worth knowing.”
“S-Shut up… please…”
“No. It is my sin, all of our sin, that you were allowed to convince yourself that you don’t matter. We love you, I love you. And I would continue to do so regardless of whether you were chosen.”
“You love everyone…”
“Perhaps, but that doesn’t make my love for you any lesser. Understand?”
“...Yeah… Thank you…”
Ash felt Arceus’s neck crane unnaturally to nuzzle into the back of his head for a few minutes before pulling back. Xerneas and Yveltal were looking away, Yveltal’s eyes were a little misty, and Xerneas looked like they were trying to keep a stern look but failing.
“Are you ready, my boy?”
As Ash nodded, Xerneas stepped up, their antlers glowing a rainbow of colors.
“Good luck, for I believe your mother had already been informed, and no doubt she will want to have words with you.”
“On God Dam-!”
_ _ _
By the time Kukui had gotten down to Ash, he was met with a shocking sight. The blood had been clear from the top of the path, yet when he touched down, there wasn’t a drop in sight. Instead, Ash was rubbing his head with a far-off look on his face.
“A-Ash!” Kukui rushed to look his charge over, not a scratch, not even the scratch he got when he tripped over a root yesterday. As soon as Ash had realized Kukui was there, he put on a carefree smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Hey Kukui! That was pretty close, huh?”
“Ash, I saw the blood. How did you…”
“Damn, you saw?” Kukui watched as Ash rubbed the back of his head like he was caught sneaking an extra snack, instead of being caught coming back to life. “I guess it would come out sooner or later. I kinda… can't die.”
“You WHAT?!”
“I can’t die. Well, I CAN, but I always get sent back, after a… scolding…” And there was that same far-off look. Kukui didn’t think he could even begin to guess what kind of thoughts were going through the boy’s head right now.
He didn’t get a chance to, as right after his phone went off. Delia, Ash’s mother. Without a word, Kukui took the call and pointed the screen at Ash.
“Ketchum Satoshi! Why is it that I just get a phone call from Melody saying you DIED again?!”
“Oh come on Mom, it was a faulty railing! Totally not my fault!” Kukui watched in amazement as Ash took on the mannerism of someone who was caught sneaking out, instead of having his head opened up. And what was this about ‘again’?!
“I don’t care if it was a flock of bloodthirsty Wingull! You are FAR too reckless young man!”
“Xerneas and Yveltal already scolded me! Arceus was there! So can we PLEASE skip this one?”
“Do NOT make me come over there! I WILL borrow one of Samuel’s Alakazams!”
“Yes Ma’am. Sorry Ma’am.”
“Better. Now, I know you’re all unfazed by this, but I’m not, and getting a call that my baby boy’s dead is still not a pleasant experience. So I’m going to hang up, have a cup of tea, and tonight we WILL be having a talk about this. Understood?”
“Yes. Love you.”
“I love you too, Ash. I just don’t like hearing about this so often.”
“I know… Sorry.”
“I forgive you, but we’re still having that talk tonight. Also, Lugia is already on his way, so I hope you're ready for at least one more scolding.” With that, Delia hung up, and Kukui absent-mindedly put his phone back in his pocket. Xerneas? Yveltal, Lugia, ARCEUS?! Why in Distortion were these two tossing around the names of literal gods like they knew them?! Did this have something with Ash saying he couldn’t die?!
“Right… Come on, Professor! Lugia’s scoldings are SUPER long, and if I'm sitting through one, I at least want Pikachu with me.” Ash took off like this whole thing had just been another of his misadventures, and it took Kukui many long minutes to gather himself enough to speak, much less follow.
“...What?”