Chapter Text
Ash was a curious child.
For better or for worse.
He was a five year old kid.
Running through professor oak's ranch with some of the soon-to-be starter pokemon and his friend Gary.
His mother was inside the professor's house undoubtedly talking about something boring wit professor oak.
She occasionally glanced out the window to were ash was playing with three pokemon.
If only she knew what was to come.
Ash was playing tag with his pokemon friends and Gary when a rainbow looking vortex opened up near by.
The soon-to-be starters started backing away quickly, but ash walked up to it curiously.
He looked back at his friends.
Gary was shaking his head
"That kind of looks dangerous......" Said Mumbled Gary
But ash didn't listen.
Maybe he didn't even hear Gary
He stuck his hand in.
It made is hair stand up.
He stuck his head in.
Then he looked around a bit.
The terrain looked so.....abstract, so.....different.
Ash then walked into the strange rainbow portal.
He had planned to take a quick look around and come back.
He hadn't realized that it would close so soon after.
He didn't realize that day would be his last look into his world for a long time.
Gary just watched his friend walk into a giant rainbow portal.
Then he watched-frozen-as the portal shrank into noting in a matter of seconds.
He ran screaming back to the research building.
He was met halfway by a horrified Delia and an equally frightened Professor Oak.
She was chatting with professor oak about berry growing techniques.
She glaced over at the window just in time to catch the motion of ash walking into the portal.
She stared for a split second before running out the door with Professor Oak not very far behind.
She didn't know what that thing was that her son just walked into, but a quick glance in Professor Oak's direction showed that he did and the look on his face was not one of joy.
Professor Oak later explained to Delia what that thing was.
Some other researchers from over in alola helped.
"Is ash coming back?" Asked Gary from his bed the week after the incident
Professor Oak hesitated before answering, debating whether to tell Gary the truth or not
No use hiding the hideous truth.
"No, I'm sorry Gary." Said Professor Oak sadly not meeting his grandson's eyes "He's......gone."
"He's dead isn't he?" Asked Gary quietly "Please tell me the truth."
Professor Oak hesitated for a moment before answering
"Most likely kiddo." Said Professor Oak "Those things on the other side of portals like the one you saw are.....very dangerous."
"Oh." Said the eight year old as he closed his eyes and tried not to think of horrible rainbow portal
"Good night, Gary." Said Professor Oak getting up from where he was sitting on the edge of his grandson's bed
"G'night gramps" Said Gary just loud enough for his grandfather to hear.
That day just repeated in his dreams that whole night just as it had done all the nights before.
Professor Oak made sure to check up on Delia the next day.
"Delia are you okay?" Asked Professor Oak as he entered her house
"To be honest...No." Said the woman looking down "I....I can't believe he's not here."
She started to snifle.
"It seems like just yesterday that he was complaining about having to eat his veggies." Said Delia in a bittersweet tone
"You'll get through this." Said Professor Oak in a comforting manner "It's what they both would've wanted."
"He looked just like his dad." Said Delia "Why are they both gone now?"
"Why was one so fast? why was one so slow?" Asked Delia Quietly
"I don't know." Said Professor Oak "But I know they both would've wanted you to continue even without them."
"You're probably right." Said Delia picking herself up off the couch
"Where are you going?" Asked Professor Oak as he watched her head further into her house
"I'm going to start a restaurant." Said Delia with her eyes still red "In their honor."
Professor Oak smiled softly and met her determination with a reply.
"I'll be at the ranch if you need me." Said Professor Oak
"The funeral is on Saturday." He said the last part quietly, but he was sure that Delia heard him as she replyed with one more tear rolling down her cheek.
Gary Oak always wondered how someone could be playing tag with him one moment and then not even be alive the next.
He would wonder that for many more years to come.
That same question would haunt him at night.
But unknown to everyone but ash....................He was still alive.
He was, however, unaware that anyone was mourning him back in his world.