It sure is a hard thing to say goodbye, Ash Ketchum knows that. But he still bids farewell to his travel companions, Brock and Misty, as they are heading back to their respective gyms after the Johto League. He manages to land in the Top 8 of the Johto League with the help of Charizard and Pikachu, though Charizard has to go back to Charisific Valley to train and for Charla.

"Now it is just the two of us." Ash says as he and Pikachu walk on the road toward Pallet Town, they can't wait to see his mother again. But before that can happen, they hear whimpering in the woods. Ash asks, "Pikachu, did you hear that?"

Pikachu nods, signaling that it is not Ash's imagination. Ash says, "That sounds like somebody is crying in the woods...we should check it out as soon as possible."

They rush towards the sound and they see a blonde-haired girl weeping at the tree, she is wearing a white dress and has emerald eyes. Ash feels like he has seen this girl before, and he also notices how beautiful the girl looks and his heart is beating fast.

"What's this...what is this feeling...can it be love? No, I can't...I just can't..." Ash thinks, and he has been trying to ignore his primal feelings. He rushes to the girl and asks, "Hey, are you okay?"

The blonde-haired girl looks at him with tears in her eyes, she thinks, "Who is this handsome boy? Wait, why am I thinking of that...is he going to hurt me? What am I supposed to do?"

Ash notices that she doesn't have any Pokemon with her, and he asks, "What are you doing in the woods? It is dangerous in the woods without any Pokemon with you."

"I...I'm lost..." The girl whimpers, knowing that the boy in front of her is not going to harm her.

Pikachu tries to approach the girl, but she backs away a little and she feels a little scared. Ash scolds, "Pikachu, what are you doing? You're scaring her."

Pikachu lowers his head and shows a frown, the girl notices this and she says, "Please don't scold him, he doesn't mean any harm. It's just..."

Just then, a Poliwag appears by the girl's side, and she jumps and rushes towards Ash, hugging him tightly. "Is he gone?"

Ash notices the Poliwag looking at them with confusion before leaving, and Ash asks, "Wait...are you afraid of Pokemon?"

The girl puffs her cheek and says, "Of course not! I like Pokemon, and I can touch them if I want to."

But then she curls up again with a sad voice, "Even though I say that... I still can't do it...I don't know why...I want to make friends and touch them...but I always fail..."

Ash is surprised to meet a girl who can't touch Pokemon, he says, "I am sorry to hear that...um...I don't think I have asked your name, Miss."

The girl stops crying and mutters, "Lillie...Lillie Aether..."

"My name is Ash, Ash Ketchum. And this is my partner Pikachu." Pikachu also waves his little paw to the girl, and without getting close to the mouse Pokemon, Lillie finally notices how cute Pikachu is.

Just then a drop of water drops on Ash's hand, he looks up at the sky and says, "The rain is coming..."

Ash turns to Lillie, who is also looking at the sky in a panic. "What am I going to do? I didn't bring my umbrella...oh no..."

"We shouldn't stay here for so long. We might catch a cold if we get wet from the rain. Follow me." Ash suddenly grabs Lillie's arm as they run, Lillie is blushing at his actions, but she decides not to say anything to make this awkward.

The rain is getting bigger as Ash and Lillie are a little soaked wet, Ash notices that they won't be able to make it to Pallet Town on time, so he spots and cave and says, "I guess we can only stay there for a while."

Then they quickly rush into the cave, and they are glad that they are not under the worst rain yet. Since both of them are soaked wet, Ash blushes as he can see Lillie's insides with the fabric of the clothes being wet, he says, "Oh no, you are wet, here, I have a spare handkerchief."

Ash wipes the sweat and the rain off her body, causing her to blush again. Lillie thinks, "Why is he helping me? Am I not a stranger to him?"

Unknown to the duo and Pikachu, there is also a being inside the same cave. The Pokemon is no other than Arceus, a Mythical Pokemon who was said to create Pokemon. She is resting as her leg is bleeding from a shot. In the eyes of Arceus, she sees the letter R and she is angry about it. "Those humans are going to pay for what they did..."

She senses Ash and Lillie sitting in the same cave, and she decides to watch because she can't move with the injuries.

Ash decides to ask, "So Lillie...um...when did your phobia happen?"

Lillie frowns, "I don't know...somehow I lost my memories. All I know is that I was heading to my mother's office, and then something happened and I couldn't touch Pokemon ever since...even if I want to..."

Ash feels like she is about to cry again, so he tries to change the topic before the sadness overtakes the girl again, "I see...it must be hard for you, right?"

Lillie nods and Ash leans on the wall, looking up, and says, "Everyone has a dream, and mine is to become a Pokemon Master. I want to be the very best like no one ever was. I also want to be friends with every Pokemon."

Ash's words cause Lillie to stop crying, instead, she giggles a little and says, "You sure are enthusiastic...from the looks of it, Ash. You must be a great trainer, right?"

"I think that I still have a lot to learn." Ash says. "I had traveled to Kanto, Orange Islands, and Johto. It is because of my Pokemon that I become the Champion of the Orange League, but I still lost the Johto League..."

"That sounds very amazing." Lillie says with a small frown. "You know, I am a little jealous of you. You have become a trainer and a dream to become a Pokemon Master...but I have nothing...only a phobia..."

"Don't worry. I am sure that you can become a trainer and have a dream, also curing your phobia. Don't give up until the very end, that is what keeps me going on." Ash pats her shoulder and says.

Ash doesn't know why, she feels familiar with the words that Ash has said. She smiles and says, "Thank you, Ash. You sure know how to cheer me up."

As they look at the rain, it isn't getting smaller and Lillie says, "How about you tell me about your journey when the rain is still going?"

"Of course." Ash nods as he starts to tell her everything about his journey from Kanto to Johto.

During the story, Arceus is also listening in the deeper cave, she remembers how Ho-oh and Lugia speak about the Rainbow Hero and the Chosen One that helps calm down the birds.

"Wait, I did know him." Arceus recalls that 998 years ago, she is being trapped in the silver water by evil humans, but the boy and his Pikachu bring the Jewel of Life to her and it saved her life. "Ash Ketchum...he's the one..."

After a few hours of talking, Lillie is amazed at what Ash has been through, she says, "Your journey is just like a story, it feels like I was the main character in it. Now I am getting more jealous..."

"It is nothing to be jealous of, I am just doing what is right. As I said, Pokemon are friends, no matter strong or weak, they all play a part in this world." Ash says.

While they are chatting, Pikachu is wandering around the cave, when he notices Arceus looking at Ash and Lillie while being injured, he quickly rushes back to Ash and tugs his shirt.

Ash is a little mad at Pikachu to interrupt him, and he asks, "What's the matter, Pikachu?"

Pikachu shows Ash by running deeper into the cave, and both Ash and Lillie notice the Mythical Pokemon in front of them. Lillie recognizes the Pokemon and she gasps, "No way...how could it be possible?"

"Lillie, do you know this Pokemon? Why are you so shocked about it?" Ash asks.

"I have seen some pictures from the books that tell stories of Legends, if I'm not wrong, that is Arceus..." Lillie says. "Ash, I am not dreaming, am I?"

"Arceus?" Ash asks in confusion. "Is it a big deal? I still don't know why you're so surprised?"

Lillie is surprised at Ash's obliviousness, and she says, "Ash, Arceus is the Pokemon who created everything. Together with Mew, they created Pokemon and humans, he also creates the other Legendary Pokemon so that they shape our world like we are right now!"

"Wait, what? A Pokemon that creates all Pokemon?" Ash blinks in surprise. "This is the Pokemon?"

"But it is injured...what are we going to do?" Lillie asks as she notices the injury on the leg.

Ash opens his backpack and says, "It is a good thing that Brock left me some Full Restores and Full Heal, I can use them if I accidentally run into trouble..."

He takes out the bottles and sprays them on the leg. "Please be fine..." Ash says in worry. Lillie is just standing beside him, she wants to help out, but Arceus is a Pokemon, and her fear is an obstacle to helping it out.

After some time, the injury is getting healed and Ash hears the Pokemon say, "Why?"

"Huh?" Ash is confused, then he asks, "Arceus? Are you talking to me with Telepathy?"

"Why were you helping me? Why did you want to heal me?" Arceus asks.

Ash says, "Because you are a Pokemon as well, and I can't leave a Pokemon alone. Just because you are a god doesn't mean that you don't need any help after all."

Arceus smiles at the boy and then she slowly gets back up. She says, "Ash Ketchum...thank you for saving me."

Ash then realizes something and he says, "Wait, how did you know my name?"

Arceus chuckles a little and says, "We have met before. You may not remember, but in the future, you would travel back to the past to save me. And I am grateful for that."

"Wait, I travel back to the past? What do you mean?" Ash asks. "Is it some sort of Celebi thing?"

"I can't tell you anything, or else the time will be in chaos." Arceus says. "I heard everything of your deeds and I have made up my mind."

Then she turns to Lillie, "Lillie Aether, right? I want you to stand in front of me."

Lillie nods as she does so, then Arceus glows white and Lillie also does the same, she starts to remember how she was almost captured by an Ultra Beast and how an artificial Pokemon saved her from it. After she recovers, Ash rushes to her and asks, "Lillie, are you alright?"

Lillie says, "I think so...what did you do to me? Arceus?"

Arceus says, "Don't worry about it, Lillie. I made you embrace your fear, so you don't need to worry about it anymore."

Lillie looks at her hand and then she tries touching Pikachu, instead of fear, she feels relaxed and she manages to touch Pikachu's fur.

"I did it...I am not afraid anymore... Thank you, Arceus." Lillie says in joy.

"It is a pleasure. As for you, Ash. After hearing how you helped Lugia and Celebi, as well as Latias and Latios, I have decided that I am going to travel with you."

"Wait, you want to be my Pokemon? How can I do it? You are a god and I am just a nobody whose dream is to become the Pokemon Master." Ash says.

"You don't need to worry, Ash." Arceus says, "I will help you and Lillie with the training to become the best, but in return, I want you to do me a favor."

This causes the two teens to look at each other, Ash asks, "What is it?"

Arceus then shows them the images, first is Team Rocket, then Team Magma, Aqua, Galactic, Plasma, Flare, and eventually Skull. Arceus says, "They are ambitious groups that will try to use Pokemon as tools to rule the world. I want you guys to help me stop them. I will do anything to teach you how to deal with them, what do you think?"

Ash and Lillie nod at each other and then Ash says, "We accept."

Arceus smiles as she gives him a Master Ball, Ash uses it to capture her and then sends her out. Arceus also uses her powers to make the storm stop, she says, "Now I guess you should go back to your parents, right? Since they must be worried."

The two of them nod as they all head toward Pallet Town together with Arceus following them invisibly.

Here is the second Chapter, as you can see, the reason I want to write this story is that I am inspired by another person's fanfic and I decide to remake it into my version. I hope you like it and I'll see you in the next chapter.