"Ash did all of that?" Cynthia asked, her voice filled with disbelief as she tried to comprehend the extent of Ash's actions.

"Yeah, I'd say we're still alive because of that boy," Lance remarked, his expression showing remorse for the situation.

Curiosity got the better of Cynthia, and she inquired about Reshiram, "So, what did you do with Reshiram?"

"Ash had a really hard time making his choice, but Reshirams his Pokémon now," Lance revealed, causing Cynthia's eyes to widen in surprise.

"What?" Cynthia exclaimed, shocked by Ash's sudden change of heart. "He just caught it after saying sorry, it wasn't in any shape to resist being caught anyways," Lance explained, noticing a strange chord clinging to Cynthia's neck. "Hey, what's that?" he pointed at the tiny string.

"Huh?" Cynthia muttered, reaching for her neck, only to find a nearly invisible string tied to it, with a Pokeball attached at the end. "What's this... a Pokeball?" she questioned cautiously, examining the ultra ball.

"Is that yours?" Lance asked, wondering about the rare item.

"No, I don't really use ultra balls," Cynthia replied after confirming it didn't belong to her.

"It's for you," Tobias interjected, appearing from behind and earning a reproachful reaction from Cynthia. "Stop vanishing and reappearing out of nowhere," she snapped at him.

"He's the one who helped us clean up the mess here," Lance said offering him a handshake, attempting to introduce Tobias, but the latter declined Lance's offered handshake, speaking coldly about his involvement in the situation. Lance and Cynthia were clearly displeased with Tobias's attitude.

Tobias seemed to treat Lance and Cynthia with a lack of respect, which irked them both. Lance couldn't even begin to ask what Tobias meant when Cynthia interjected, questioning Ash's true self-based on Lance's account of his aggression towards Reshiram. Inside his mind, Tobias pondered the situation.

"I told you what I know, for now, take care of your brother," Tobias evasively replied before turning away. Cynthia was left stunned, realizing that Tobias might know something she didn't.

"There's no way you could've known that," Lance argued, but Tobias remained indifferent, "i hope that you would be able to control the Pokémon inside the ultra ball." Tobias tells Cynthia.

Before departing, Cynthia thanked Tobias for his aid with Kyurem, not knowing that he wasn't the one who saved them. Tobias, who held great respect for the enigmatic man he served, kept his secrets concealed.

In his thoughts, Tobias wished he could reveal the truth but resigned himself to follow his superior's will. As he left he took out a Pokeball "You still don't accept me as your master, do you not?" Tobias murmured to a Pokéball, receiving no response but a sigh from himself.

Five days later, at the Kanto base, the elite members gathered to discuss what to do about Ash's actions against Reshiram.

"You're saying he lost control again," Steven remarked, slamming his hands on the table in frustration.

Cynthia attempted to defend Ash, but Leon stopped her, advising her not to let personal emotions cloud her judgment. Feeling uneasy about Cynthia's behavior, Ash wondered about her odd demeanor.

"Don't jump to conclusions. Reshiram almost finished all of us off," Lance intervened, explaining how they had to prioritize saving themselves.

"You saw Reshiram's condition, right? It could've died. The world would've lost a great legendary Pokémon, and even now, it's barely stable," Steven added, voicing concern for Reshiram's well-being.

"That's true. Brock said Reshiram was injured around its major nerves," another member confirmed.

"I'm sure Ash had a good reason," Brock chimed in, supporting Ash's actions.

"There's nothing justifiable about what he did," Steven argued.

Ash, listening to the conversation, felt a mix of emotions and in his mind his alter ego muttered, "My ears hurt hearing these fools blabber."

His alter ego continues, " tho I don't understand why that doctor and the blonde woman would still side with you."

Ash remains silent.

"Let me handle these fools, that blue-haired bitch is going out of the window"  Ash's alter ego said, itching to take control of the situation.

"No need," Ash replied firmly.

"You dumbass!" Ash's alter ego retorted. "Fine, just let me talk to those idiots."

"No," Ash stated, and his alter ego erupted in anger.

"Fine, I'll be nice to everyone except that blue-haired bitch," Ash's alter ego declared, clearly harboring animosity towards Steven.

"His name is Steven," Ash snapped back.

"I don't see much of a difference," Ash's alter ego remarked.

"Alright, I'll allow you to take control for now, three minutes, and then we'll switch back. Say what you wanna say," Ash negotiated.

"Hmmmmmm, it'll do," Ash's alter ego reluctantly agreed.

"Guys, talk to the person who caused it all" Ash sighed doubtfully, unsure about his decision, but he let his alter ego take over. The tone of his voice changed, leaving everyone sitting in the room surprised and tense, except for Lance, who noticed the shift immediately.

"Ash, this..." Lance tried to speak, but Ash silenced him by placing a finger on his mouth.

"Shhhhh!" Ash's alter ego began. "Coward," he added, smirking as Lance gritted his teeth, taking offense to the insult.

Cynthia couldn't help but feel taken aback by the sudden change in Ash's demeanor. She sensed an unsettling sense of justice emanating from him.

"Ash, what's wrong?" Cynthia asked, sensing the shift in his tone.

"What's wrong, you ask?" Ash's alter ego responded. "Your discussion, you all sit here talking nonsense, and now my ears hurt," he said angrily, leaving Cynthia at a loss for words. Leon sat there, somewhat agreeing with Ash's assessment.

"D-Discussions are important; it's diplomacy. You could've started a huge communal trouble by killing Reshiram," Steven retorted with composure, trying to justify their concerns.

"I couldn't care less," Ash's alter ego shot back, causing a tense atmosphere in the room. Cynthia was left stunned, not knowing how to respond to this aggressive side of Ash."Reshiram deserved every second of that pain, now it knows the fear that every being experiences the brink of death by someone's hands. It would've been better dead" Ash finishes what he had to say.

"Ash, that's too much," Lance tried to intervene, but the aggressive side of Ash silenced him.

"Shhhhh!" Ash's alter ego repeated, causing the room to fall into an uncomfortable silence.

"Go ahead and switch now, brat" Ash's voice stutters as the Ash we all know takes back over.

As Ash looked at the speechless faces of the champions, he could feel the weight of their confusion and mistrust. "Guess that explains everything," he said, trying to ease the tension. Lance and Cynthia seemed to understand, but the others were still struggling to process the situation.

"Steven, I'm sorry, but it wasn't me," Ash apologized, though it wasn't really his own doing. "How convenient is that? Just say that it wasn't me after saying all that. We're not blind," Steven retorted, his anger evident.

"Believe it or not, it's the truth. But take this as a suggestion," Ash's tone shifted to a more sorrowful one. "Please don't mess with him. He's not a useless boy; I am. Be careful going against him," he added, revealing his inner despair and the struggle he faced against his alter ego.

The room fell silent again, each champion lost in their thoughts, trying to comprehend the complexity of the situation and the duality that resided within Ash. His plea for understanding touched their hearts, and they could see that he was fighting a battle not just against powerful opponents but also against the darkness within himself.

Cynthia, moved by Ash's vulnerability, stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Ash, we're here for you. We may not fully understand, but we'll support you," she said, her voice filled with compassion.

Lance nodded in agreement, and the others followed suit, realizing that there was much more to Ash than they had initially perceived. His alter ego was a powerful force, but Ash's compassion, kindness, and unwavering spirit were equally potent.

Ash leaves the room without a word he doesn't even look back and everyone exchanges glances at each other.

"Charizard, let us go meet everyone else" Ash says to his Pokeball as he exits the facility.......... Where is he going??

On the same day at Vermillion City Airport

Serena's POV

In Kanto, a region I've visited only a few times, I always feel a sense of home. Now, I'm on my way back from Sinnoh since their contests have been suspended. Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from Sinnoh to Kalos, so I have to take two flights.

I heard about Reshiram and Zekrom causing disruptions in the world's climate, but thankfully, everything seems fine now. As I arrive in Kanto, I wonder where I should go. Perhaps I'll stay here for a few days before heading back to Kalos.

Pallet Town comes to mind; it's been a while since I visited there. I think it's worth a visit. With my small bag on my back, I make my way out of the airport.

I walk for almost an hour until I encounter the first person along the road. By the time Pallet Town becomes visible, evening approaches, and I decide to set up camp instead of going straight into town.

As I approach the town, I realize that it has been destroyed, and no one seems to live here anymore. The only house that remains unharmed is Ash's house, as far as I can recall from my last visit. I hope things have changed at least a bit.

"Braixen, Sylveon, help me gather some firewood. We'll camp here for the night," I say, releasing my Pokémon.

After eating some canned food I had in my backpack, I settle down. Cooking on the go is quite challenging. With my Pokémon back in their Pokéballs, I slip into my sleeping bag and gaze at the stars. It's such a beautiful sight, and the campfire I made helps keep the cold away.

As I'm about to drift off to sleep, something big suddenly flies past us.

Chapter ends~~~~~~

How was it??