Chapter Text
The day began just like any other, with melodic chirps from flocks of Oricorio and Pikipek announcing the arrival of another beautiful morning. Nearby, saltwater splashed along the shoreline in gentle, arrhythmic waves. Each crashing wave sprayed droplets of water into the air, glistening like diamonds under the radiant beams of the sun.
A short distance from the shore, within the comforting walls of a wooden home, the warmth of the Alolan sun gently shook its champion awake. Brown eyes slowly blinked open, scanning the room in post-sleep grogginess before he buried his head into his pillow with a groan. His limbs haphazardly sprawled outward like a Starmie before he turned to the pokemon stirring awake on the adjacent pillow.
“Mornin’ Pikachu,” a languorous Ash Ketchum murmured, smacking his lips together before they spread apart in a dramatic yawn. Despite his previous track record, Ash hardly ever allowed himself to sleep in anymore. There was far too much to be done to sleep in. Still, an extra minute or two couldn’t hurt.
“Piii,” the yellow mouse replied, nuzzling its own face into the blankets in protest.
The action elicited an amused chuckle from its trainer, who surely didn’t argue about lingering in bed for just a tad longer. It was Sunday after all, and he’d be lying if he said he was unaffected by yesterday’s rigorous training.
And so, the pair basked in the sunlight for a few more minutes, taking in nature’s song until the unmistakable sound of clanking pots and plates rang out from the kitchen. They both knew what that meant: Burnet had begun to cook breakfast, just like she did every weekend so that they could enjoy their mornings as a family. To be late to family breakfast…well, that was basically a death sentence.
“Come on, bud,” Ash encouraged as he slid his limbs out of the blankets and swung them around so that the pads of his feet brushed against the cool, wooden floor. “We should really show our faces before Burnet comes to get us.”
Craning its neck slightly, a single beady black eye could be seen as Pikachu silently pleaded with its trainer. Having spent most of the previous day running intense training drills, it was only natural for the pokemon to be exhausted. Seeing that its trainer wouldn’t budge, however, Pikachu peeled itself off of the blankets and jumped down to the ground, sprawling its own limbs out in a big stretch. “Chaaaa!”
Having been in Alola for almost a year, they were used to their routine: wake up and eat breakfast–Burnet would usually leave plates on the table for everyone if she wasn’t rushing out the door to Aether Paradise–before heading to the Pokemon School to teach and mentor novice trainers. During any breaks, he’d eat some snacks while working on his league obligations–paperwork, scheduling meetings, exhibition matches, and the like.
Once the final bell rang, he’d return to the house and spend time with his little brother, Lei, until dinnertime, which was always spent as a family. If he wasn’t spent from the day, he’d take his pokemon out on the beach to hone some skills in various training exercises before calling it a night.
On the weekends, they were more or less able to do as they pleased–like going to visit his friends–but they were more often than not spent training rigorously. The Alolan Champion refused to be caught slacking, especially in the very region he called home.
It had been a natural transition; a decision that required little thought. Ash had always been impulsive, something his mother accused him of when he told her that he was packing to move to Alola permanently, but he knew it was anything but that. A hole had formed in his heart when he first left Alola, and it only grew as time went on until it eventually became impossible to ignore. Despite his mother’s efforts to keep her son in Kanto, his return to Alola was inevitable.
The Power of Alola was unlike anything he’d ever experienced before; it healed him of traumas that had their roots embedded deep within his mind and heart. It gave him a community, a sense of belonging… Besides, he was the regional champion. He had his own obligations and duties here. The weight of it all wasn’t nearly as heavy when under the Alolan sun.
He took his roles as champion and monarch as seriously as he could and, all in all, Ash and his pokemon squeezed every ounce of productivity from every day; their work ethic and unparalleled drive pushing them to break the limits of what anyone thought possible. Today was no different, though he hadn’t quite decided how to spend his Sunday just yet.
And so, his large hand cupped the doorknob and twisted it. The wooden door swung open at his command, wafting the scent of sugar and syrup right into their noses. Ash hummed in dazed delight, his stomach chiming in with a low growl.
The aroma caught the attention of Pikachu, as well, who teetered on his feet dreamily. “Pii,” the mouse drawled before regaining composure and sprinting ahead toward the kitchen.
Ash stifled a laugh as he trailed behind Pikachu. Each step toward the kitchen was taken with leisure, his fingers combing through untamed locks of hair. As he rounded the corridor, he offered a warm smile to Burnet. “Mornin’, Burnet,” he greeted. “Breakfast smells good.”
Wiping her flour-coated palms against her apron, Burnet beamed with pride. “Thank you,” she started, her analytical gaze scanning the numerous blobs of batter on the griddle, seeing which one would demand her attention next as she continued. “I was wondering when you two would be coming down. I was about to ask Lei to wake you up,” she joked, eyes flicking up to meet Ash’s for only a moment. “There’s a plate on the table for you, okay?”
That’s all it took for Ash to race toward the table, planting himself into a chair as his eyes gawked over a heaping stack of pancakes. “Thank you!”
Burnet could only shake her head, giggling to herself as she flipped another pancake on the stove.
Some days, it didn’t feel real. Ash knew how lucky he was to have someone like Kukui in his life, but then he and Burnet got married, and everything that was once so great turned out to be even better than he could’ve ever imagined. To Ash, it was one of his greatest honors to be welcomed into such a loving family.
It was a great honor to be able to sit at the dining room table and eat Burnet’s pancakes, slick with butter and rich with the flavor of Moomoo Milk from Kiawe’s family farm. The fluffy stack had a hefty pour of a thick syrup, a delicacy derived from northern Unova.
Burnet’s pancakes were genuine perfection. Ash couldn’t go out and order pancakes anymore without longing for these. He almost felt guilty declining them at Aina’s Kitchen.
“Here,” Ash mumbled between bites, offering Pikachu a forkful of the delectable food. Standing firm on Ash’s shoulder, Pikachu chirped in enthusiastic gratitude before taking a bite.
Within a few minutes, the pattering of heavy footsteps echoed throughout the room. “Mommy!” In came Lei, running up to Burnet and wrapping his little arms around her knees. He had grown so much, and yet he was still so small.
“Good morning, sweetie,” Burnet cooed, squatting down to lift the boy up into her arms. “There are pancakes on the table, why don’t you eat with your big brother?”
The boy made grabby hands toward the table. “Yes, please.”
With a knowing smile, Burnet brought him over to Ash, who wordlessly took charge of helping the boy up to a chair.
That was another thing that always seemed to pull him back to Alola: his little brother, Lei. Growing up as an only child, Ash had no concept of what it meant to really take care of someone. Sure, he was the first person amongst his friends to throw himself head-first into danger if it meant protecting his friends, but this was entirely different. The thought alone of Lei being in pain ignited a wildfire within Ash’s chest unlike anything he had ever felt before. Over the last few months in Alola especially, he learned that the lines between sibling and parent weren’t always clear. Rising up to the role of “big brother” brought out a paternal side of Ash that he hadn’t known existed. He didn’t mind, though; it helped keep his act together so that he’d be someone worth looking up to.
“You’re such a good brother,” Burnet hummed before returning to the hot stove. “It’s so nice having you here.”
Before Ash could respond, however, Kukui waltzed in.
“While I wholly agree with that statement,” the professor started, pausing only to place a kiss against Burnet’s forehead. “I gotta say I’m surprised you haven’t started looking for your own place yet.” He winced as Burnet’s elbow sunk into his ribs. “Ow!”
“Knock it off, Kukui,” she scolded him before turning to Ash and flashing a wide smile as if none of that ever happened. “Ash, you know there’s always a place for you here. You’re family.”
“Yeah, he’s my big bwother,” Lei concurred, though his words were muffled by the sheer amount of pancakes stuffed in his mouth.
“You know that’s not what I mean,” Kukui sighed, laughing at their antics. “It’s just… Ash is nineteen now,” he turned to face the young man. “When I was your age, the last place I wanted to be was with my family. You’re young, and the world is literally your Cloyster. Don’t you want your own place?”
Swallowing the bite he had taken, Ash shrugged. “I hear you, but I don’t really see it that way.” His eyes flickered toward the pokemon perched on his shoulder. He smiled sadly, fingers scratching underneath Pikachu’s chin. “As a kid, my mother spent most of her time working when I was home, and I can’t remember the last time I even spoke to my dad, let alone saw him. Once I embarked on my journey, I hardly ever got homesick until I left Melemele Island. Here, in Alola,” he paused, his gaze finding Kukui’s somber eyes. “With you all, I really feel at home.”
Burnet wiped away the tears that slipped out of her eyes before rushing toward the young man and pulling him into a hug. “I’m so glad you feel that way here.”
He reciprocated the hug immediately. “Me too,” he whispered. He only lifted his head when he felt tugging on his sleeve.
It was Lei’s doing, his hands reaching out in desperation to join the embrace. If that weren’t convincing enough, his large, beady eyes bore into Ash’s.
No, he certainly couldn’t resist that, so he swung his arm around and pulled the kid in. A content sigh escaped his lips.
“Uh… I hate to break up the moment, but something’s burning,” Kukui pointed out, his nose scrunching.
“Shoot,” Burnet muttered, moving back to the kitchen to find a charred pancake on the griddle. “Well, I think this one will be perfect for Incineroar.”
They all laughed.
After finishing breakfast, Ash offered to wash the dishes while Burnet moved to the living room to watch something on the TV. It was background noise, really, as her face was buried in her laptop screen, eyes darting from side to side as she read an urgent email Lusamine sent her.
While he scrubbed away the food on each dish, Ash’s mind wandered to how he’d spend his Sunday. Taking a break from training seemed like the best solution, especially after seeing how tired Pikachu was. Still, Ash wanted to do something. The first thing that came to mind was to head over to Akala Island and visit Kiawe. He hadn’t seen much of the Kahuna-in-training since returning to Alola, as most of Kiawe’s time was spent with Olivia, who was crafting his ‘Kahuna fire’ into that of Wela Volcano’s, or something.
Ash couldn’t consider alternative options for very long, however, because a sharp gasp pulled him out of his thoughts. His shoulders coiled upward as a fork slipped from his hand in surprise.
“Oh my Arceus,” Burnet gaped, an unusual disbelief lacing each word. “Kukui, come see this!”
Her urgency fully captured Ash’s attention, his head lifting from the sink as he flicked the water off of his fingers. “What is it?” He tried to crane his neck to catch a glimpse of what was happening on the screen, but the angle made it difficult.
He watched as Burnet lurched forward to find the remote, turning the volume up on the TV. “It’s Prism Tower!” Her voice was thick with horror, eyes wide and fixated on the screen.
His eyebrows furrowed and, without even finishing his chore, he turned the water off before finding a seat on the couch beside her, wiping his damp hands along the fabric of his shorts. “That’s bizarre,” he whispered to himself as what looked like millions of fireworks rained down from the night sky. Behind it, a large pokemon Ash had never seen before hovered in the sky, its watchful eye on the massive tower that nearly filled the entire screen. Still, Burnet said it was Prism Tower and, the last Ash checked, Prism Tower certainly didn’t look like this. “This is a movie, right?”
Burnet could only shake her head, her hand pressed firmly over her lips.
Kukui, who had come upon hearing his name, answered for her, Lei in his arms. “What the...” he trailed off, repositioning himself carefully so that Lei could not view what was happening on the TV. Eyes glancing to the banner spread across the top of the footage, Kukui frowned. “That’s no movie,” he answered. “This is a live news report.”
Ash’s heart plummeted deep into his chest, his arms tingling. “W-what?” Beside him, Pikachu’s ears dropped. “What the hell is going on?”
“It seems the group of trainers and pokemon at the base of Prism Tower are receding following the blast that shook all of Lumiose City. You’re seeing it on camera, but the footage you’re seeing doesn’t do it justice. Prism Tower is completely gutted, only its skeleton remaining. That goes to show just how powerful this explosion was.” The microphone muffled before the voice continued. “I’ve got word from a credible source that those trainers were able to minimize the damage from this event. It’s hard to believe that it could’ve been worse looking at the ruins of what was once a beacon of hope for so many Kalosians.”
“Rotom Dex,” Kukui called out, glancing over his shoulder to find the pokedex with a shocked expression on its face. “What other information is available online?”
“On it,” Rotom Dex replied, its eyes swirling as it scoured the internet for information to compile from various reports on the subject.
An exclamation point appeared on the screen as it began to summarize the event. “Lumiose City Tonight: a massive explosion atop Prism Tower shook Lumiose City. The tower was under construction at the time, but the cause of the explosion is believed to be unrelated. Multiple witness accounts state that the tower moved autonomously and battled against a group of trainers trying to quell its fury. Emergency response teams are en route to assess the damage and investigate the cause. So far, no casualties have been reported.”
“I hope everyone’s okay,” Burnet exhaled shakily as her teeth sunk into her bottom lip. “This is awful.”
Ash, however, was immobilized by the weight of his emotions. What felt like an eternity passed before he stood up, his features stern and cold. “I need to get to Lumiose City.”
Kukui immediately countered, “you can’t be serious.” The sharpness in his tone surprised even him; a sternness that was usually reserved for dealing with nefarious people. “We don’t even know the full story of what happened!”
“I have friends there,” Ash retorted, voice equally sharp as he opposed Kukui. “Friends that spend most of their time in the tower.”
Lei seemed to flinch at Ash’s tone, leaning into his dad’s chest as he clenched his eyes shut, a low whine escaping his lips.
Realizing the impact of his outburst, Ash sucked in a deep breath, swallowing the feelings that threatened to boil over. At his sides, his hands balled up into fists, the only real sign that his frustrations lingered. “I need to make sure they’re okay.”
It was as though all of the joy he worked so hard to maintain these past few months had been sucked right out of his body, replaced by crippling fear.
It was unlike him–someone who was notoriously fearless–to be at the mercy of such desperation. But when it came to Kalos—Lumiose City especially—all his composure went out the window.
Cutting through the tension lingering in the air, Burnet put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “They were doing construction on the tower, correct? I imagine the tower was vacant,” she offered, her thumb rubbing small circles into his shirt.
While it was sound logic, it didn’t quell the storm that festered in Ash’s stomach. He couldn’t even bring himself to look her in the eyes, but her nurturing touch proved useful, anchoring him back into reality.
“Do you have their number?” asked Kukui–whose voice was much calmer now–before he squatted down to let an overwhelmed Lei go and play elsewhere. “Why don’t you try calling them?”
Bobbing his head, Ash pulled out his Rotom phone. “You’re right.”
The line rang once, then twice, and thrice. It rang until the sound of an answering machine responded, instructing the caller to leave a message.
So Ash tried again.
And again.
But no one answered, which only made him feel worse. It wasn’t like Clemont to not answer, whether the inventor was knee-deep in blueprints and machine parts or battling trainers taking on the Kalos gym challenge–though the latter seemed highly unlikely assuming the gym was also closed due to renovations.
“Pikapi,” Pikachu cooed, nuzzling his head into the crook of Ash’s neck. “Pi, pika?”
After so many years together, deciphering Pikachu’s chatter was child’s play. With a nod, he scrolled up through his contact list before trying another number. Bonnie’s number.
He remembered when the girl had first called him from her brand new Rotom phone, a gift from Professor Sycamore after receiving a starter pokemon and officially embarking on her journey. They hadn’t spoken much since and, while he wasn’t sure what she was up to these days, he could only pray that she’d answer him now.
His prayers fell on deaf ears, however, because Bonnie didn’t answer either. His hands dropped to his side, one clutching his phone tightly as he bowed his head. “I need to get to Lumiose City,” he repeated, this time with more urgency than disbelief. “Clemont is there, and Bonnie too. I have to make sure they’re okay.”
Burnet remained silent, but her steady hand on his shoulder continued to rub shapes into his shoulder.
Kukui stared at the young man and, while he knew that arguing with Ash once he made up his mind would be pointless, he couldn’t help but feel apprehensive. “Are you sure about this?” He approached Ash, placing his hands on his shoulders. “It took you months to finally relax after what happened in Kalos during your journey, I just—“ Kukui bowed his head. “I want to make sure you’re in a good enough headspace to return there.”
Ash’s bottom lip quivered and, before Kukui could react, he stood up from the couch and wrapped his arms around the professor. “Thank you for caring about me,” he whispered into the embrace. Pikachu leapt up into the hug too, which eased Ash’s emotions a bit. “I have to do this,” he announced as he pulled away, his voice filled with astounding clarity. “Clemont and Bonnie—they’re like family to me, too—I just need to make sure they’re okay and, if they need it, help ‘em out with the aftermath.”
Kukui nodded once as his hands returned to his sides. Exchanging a brief glance with Burnet, he offered the champion a small smile. “Then you have our support.”
Upon hearing his father figure’s approval, Ash’s shoulders relaxed slightly, and his eyes scanned his family in the room. The two people who knew him most, who loved and cared for him as if he were their child… A part of him felt guilty for leaving so suddenly, but he had to do this.
For Clemont. For Bonnie.
He could only hope that, wherever they were, they were safe. It wasn’t the crisis; no, it was completely unrelated, right? Surely they’re just distracted from being in the midst of another cataclysmic event and—
”Oh, come here.” As if he could sense the start of Ash’s internal conflict, Kukui ushered Ash into another hug, lifting his head only to glance at Burnet and gesture for her to join.
Burnet needed no convincing, her arms wrapping around Ash’s frame in a motherly fashion. “Just worry about packing, okay? I’ll take care of finding the next available flight for you.”
“Thank you, Burnet,” Ash sighed, his grip around the two tightening. “I appreciate it.” The hug should have been relaxing, but his thoughts were racing a mile a minute, wondering where Clemont and Bonnie were, and what exactly happened to effectively destroy Prism Tower?
It was where his journey in Kalos began, and it was where his journey in Kalos ended. He nearly died atop Prism Tower. Twice. Still… It being gone was hard to wrap his head around, so he had to see it for himself.
The family separated, and Ash turned to Pikachu. “Let’s go, buddy.”
Pikachu ran out of the room faster than Ash did.
Kukui’s gaze lingered on the boy, even after he vanished around the corridor. His hands sunk into his coat pockets defeatedly. He wasn’t disappointed in Ash–no, quite the opposite, actually–but a part of him was worried that Ash was about to get involved in yet another traumatizing event. Once Ash set his mind to something, though, there was no stopping him.
“You spoke this into existence, you know,” Burnet huffed, folding her arms across her chest.
Kukui’s lips parted to protest but he stopped himself, letting out a sigh instead. “I guess I’ll break the news to Lei.” He departed the room with a nagging feeling that he’d have a lot to make up for with Burnet.
It seemed every time he said goodbye to Kukui and Burnet, it was almost overwhelmingly emotional and heartfelt. Burnet always cried, a piece of her leaving with Ash each time he left. Kukui, though somber, was always supportive. It wasn’t because he wanted Ash to leave, but because he trusted him to follow his heart and do the right thing.
The only difference between his past departures and now was that Lei was a few years older; he was almost 5 now, and his big brother was his favorite person. To see him leave for an undisclosed amount of time crushed the child, who was an inconsolable mess pleading with Ash not to leave.
“I’ll be back, Lei,” Ash promised, his hand rustling Lei’s hair as he squatted down to his level. “When I get back, you’ll have to tell me all about what I missed, okay?” He was always good at that; at calming down Lei whenever he was overwhelmed by emotions.
With a sniffle, Lei nodded before he face-planted into Ash’s lap, hugging him as hard as he could. “I’m gonna miss you.”
Ash grunted at the force, but hugged back, a chuckle escaping his lips. “I’m gonna miss you, too.” He meant it. “I love you, Lei,” he started before his gaze shifted to find Kukui and Burnet watching him. “Kukui, Burnet,” he added, blinking twice in order for threatening tears to recede.
It was all too much, and the champion refused to cry now; not here. Peeling himself away from the child’s grip, Ash nodded once in finality before reiterating, “I’ll be back.”
“We’ll be here,” Kukui replied, his arm wrapping around his wife’s back. “Safe travels.”
Burnet wiped away the tears that stained her cheeks. “Keep us updated on your friends’ whereabouts, okay?” She nearly choked on her own words. “D-don’t get into any trouble, you hear me? Be safe!”
“And if you need help,” Kukui interjected, his thumb rubbing comforting circles against the woman’s lower back. “Just give us a call.”
“I will, I promise.” A promise made that he wasn’t sure he could keep. Somehow, danger had a way of finding him, and this time was no different. It didn’t help that, deep down, Ash had a bad feeling about what happened in Lumiose City. He couldn’t be sure until he got there, but he couldn’t ignore the dull pit in his stomach, or the knot that slowly built up in his throat.
But he kept pushing forward and, before he knew it, his Alolan family disappeared from view as he wandered deeper into the airport, toward his gate.
I’m coming, Clemont, Bonnie.
On instinct, his stride extended into a sprint.
Just hang on.