That day had been a whirlwind.
A chaotic mess of falling, flying, reunions, revelations, and rescuing a surprisingly clumsy Mew-chaser.
Ash still felt a headache blooming behind his eyes just thinking about it.
Explaining the 'situation' to everyone without revealing his near fall to death had been... tricky.
Calming Goh down from his Mew-induced hysteria had required snacks and a stern talking-to from Professor Cerise.
And processing the fact that Pikachu, *his* Pikachu, was here as a Pichu, memories intact? That was a whole other level of mind-bending reality he was still trying to unpack.
After coming back with Goh and Chloe from the cliffside adventure, Ash had awkwardly bid farewell to them as they prepared to return to Vermilion City the next day.
The camp continued, but the initial excitement had been somewhat overshadowed by near-death experiences and surprise betrothals.
Though the other girls – Dawn, May, and Green who had arrived later, drawn by the commotion – had genuinely requested Chloe to stay longer, maybe transfer schools, maybe just move in... Ash wasn't entirely sure *what* they suggested in their enthusiastic attempts to welcome the 'new fiancée'.
He'd mostly tuned them out, focusing on not spontaneously combusting from social awkwardness.
But unfortunately, Chloe attended school back in Vermilion and couldn't just abandon her life there, much to the disappointment of Ash's welcoming committee.
She promised, however, with a lingering blush and a quick, shy glance at Ash, that she'll definitely come visit often, and especially after her graduation.
A promise Ash wasn't sure if he should be happy or terrified about.
With that unresolved situation hanging in the air, time did what it always does – it swiftly passed.
Another year flew by in a blur of intense training, quiet moments with his partners (both human and Pokémon), navigating the increasingly complex dynamics of his household, and occasionally wondering about alternate timelines and cosmic coincidences.
Ash poured himself into his training, pushing his body and his connection with Aura further than ever before.
He lived his daily life, a strange mix of extraordinary power simmering beneath mundane chores and meals shared with people who were becoming family in this new reality.
***
**(One Year Later)**
Deep within the familiar embrace of the Pallet Town forest, in a secluded clearing Ash had claimed as his personal training ground, the late afternoon sun slanted through the leaves, dappling the mossy ground.
Ash was training, as usual.
Intensely.
He was shirtless, his back and shoulders gleaming with sweat, revealing lean, well-defined muscles honed by relentless effort.
He did push-ups, his form perfect, his breathing controlled, even with the considerable weight of Garchomp sitting casually, almost regally, on his back like a living, scaly weight plate.
Garchomp looked vaguely bored, occasionally scratching an itch with a claw, seemingly unfazed by being used as exercise equipment.
"Nine hundred and ninety-five!" Ash grunted, pushing up against the immense weight, his muscles screaming but obeying.
"Nine hundred and ninety-six!" Another push, the ground seeming to groan beneath him.
"Nine hundred and ninety-seven!" Sweat dripped onto the moss.
"Nine hundred and ninety-eight!" His arms trembled slightly, but his resolve held firm.
"Nine hundred and ninety-nine!" Almost there...
And with a final, explosive push, fueled by sheer willpower and perhaps a little Aura enhancement...
"ONE THOUSAND!"
Ash surged upwards, bucking slightly as he straightened his arms, sending Garchomp tumbling unceremoniously off his back with a surprised yelp.
The land shark Pokémon landed with a heavy thud that shook the clearing slightly.
Ash sprang quickly to his feet, breathing heavily but grinning, ignoring Garchomp's indignant rumble from the ground.
"Phew! That was... getting challenging towards the end," Ash admitted, then shot a smirk at his grounded partner.
"Easy peasy, Garchomp! I think you need to eat more. You're getting light on me! Heh."
Garchomp pushed himself up, shaking his head and giving Ash a look that clearly conveyed, '(Easy for you to say! My butt fell asleep! And I am perfectly dense, thank you very much!)'
Pikachu, ever the attentive partner, came trotting to Ash's side, holding a small, clean towel neatly folded in his mouth.
"Pika pi!"
(Here you go, Ash. Try not to drip your sweat everywhere.)
He presented the towel with a little flourish.
"Oh, thanks, Pikachu. You're the best," Ash said gratefully, taking the towel and wiping his face and chest.
In the year that had passed, the little Pichu who remembered everything had rapidly evolved, growing back into the familiar, powerful Pikachu Ash knew so well, both physically and in the depth of their rekindled bond. It was like no time had passed, yet everything had changed.
"Pika piika pikachu? Pikachu pi?"
(Seriously though, Ash, how are you *so* ridiculously powerful now? Did you secretly drink some super-soldier serum? Or maybe find a hidden stash of Rare Candies the size of Onix?)
Pikachu inquired, tilting his head, his voice filled with genuine, still-lingering confusion.
Even after a year of observing this 'new older' version of Ash – the calm focus, the incredible physical feats, the effortless connection to Aura and nature – Pikachu couldn't quite wrap his little electric rodent brain around the sheer *level* of power Ash now possessed. It was Ash, but... more. Significantly more.
Ash just laughed, toweling off his hair.
"To be honest, Pikachu? Even I don't really know."
He admitted cheerfully, which was the honest truth.
He felt stronger, freer, more connected, but the exact 'why' or 'how' remained elusive, tied up in erased memories, timeline echoes, and that strange feeling of liberation after Cynthia's departure.
"It just... is."
Pikachu stared at him, utterly deadpanned.
His ears drooped slightly.
'He is still the same dense Idiot when it comes to himself,' Pikachu thought wryly, shaking his head.
'Stronger than a Machamp, faster than a Zapdos, talks to trees, but ask him *why* and he just shrugs. Typical Ash.'
Ash then looked up, shielding his eyes against the lowering sun, and saw X and Y circling high above, locked in a fierce but clearly playful aerial mock battle.
Spirals of flame narrowly missed powerful wings, claws flashed in near misses, defiant roars echoed down.
It looked intense, but Ash could feel the underlying current of friendly rivalry, their way of pushing each other, just like he pushed them.
Though, temperamentally, they were still night and day – Y, the speedster, relying on agility and quick bursts; X, the powerhouse, favoring brute force and intimidating displays.
They seemed equally matched today, neither gaining a clear advantage.
Ash watched them for another moment, a fond smile on his face, before deciding it was time to wrap up.
He put two fingers to his lips and whistled loudly, the sharp, clear sound slicing through the forest air, easily reaching the battling Charizards.
It was the 'training's over, come down now' signal.
"Hey! You Dumbasses! Knock it off and come back here!"
Ash shouted up to them, his voice carrying easily.
"We need to go back! It's already getting close to evening! Dinner time!"
High above, the two Charizards broke off their engagement instantly at the sound of Ash's command.
They both wore reluctant expressions – clearly enjoying their sparring match – but they still decided to oblige their trainer without question.
As they descended, they shot final, challenging glares at each other.
'(Next time, I'll definitely win!)' X roared confidently.
'(Keep dreaming, slowpoke. You couldn't even catch me today!)' Y retorted with a smug flick of his tail.
With both magnificent flying lizards landing gracefully (Y) and heavily (X) in the clearing, Ash grinned, formulating a plan to get home quickly.
He clapped his hands together, getting their full attention, along with Garchomp and Pikachu.
"Alright team, listen up! New challenge!"
His eyes sparkled with competitive energy.
"The first one to reach home gets to have their absolute favourite dish for dinner tonight! Extra large portion!"
Ash declared, already bouncing slightly on the balls of his feet.
And without waiting for a 'go' signal, he took off, sprinting towards the path leading home.
"Though, spoiler alert," he yelled back over his shoulder, "First is gonna be ME!"
Ash smirked and increased his speed effortlessly.
It was almost disconcerting how easily it came now.
He simply willed it, and the wind didn't resist him; it seemed to flow *around* him, *with* him, actively aiding his passage.
Leaves on the path seemed to part just before his feet landed.
Branches seemed to bend slightly out of his way.
It felt less like running and more like gliding, like being an extension of nature itself, a temporary ruler commanding the very elements around him.
Ash was fast, blurringly fast for a human, even one enhanced by Aura.
But the others weren't exactly slow either.
Garchomp immediately lowered his profile, kicking up dirt as he activated Dragon Rush, becoming a shimmering blue-white comet streaking through the trees.
Both Charizards, momentarily stunned by Ash's head start but spurred on by the promise of their favorite meals (likely mountains of spicy curry for X and delicately roasted Magikarp for Y), also roared and ignited their own Dragon Rush, two orange blurs following Garchomp, shaking the ground with their passage.
They rocketed past Ash initially, focused solely on the finish line.
Which left Pikachu standing alone in the suddenly empty clearing, covered in a fine layer of dust kicked up by the others.
His tiny fists clenched.
A visible vein bulged comically on his forehead.
'Those idiots!' Pikachu fumed internally, sparks crackling angrily around him.
'They just left me here! Alone! In the dust! Didn't even wait! No countdown! No sportsmanship! At least let me prepare, you overgrown speed freaks!'
Pikachu, though he couldn't compare to the sheer brute strength or size of the draconic powerhouses Ash favored, was far from helpless.
Don't forget, this was the mouse who had outsped legendaries, dodged hyper beams, and whose own velocity was nothing short of phenomenal.
He was *known* for his speed.
Pikachu crouched low to the ground, concentrating.
Electricity, fierce and bright, sparked and crackled intensely around his small, yellow body, gathering power.
His eyes narrowed in determination.
"Pika... pi... Pikachu!!!"
He yelled, launching himself forward with an electrifying battle cry.
(EXTREME SPEED!!!)
Then, the electric rodent became a literal yellow thunderbolt, a streak of pure velocity moving almost too fast for the eye to follow.
He shot through the forest, easily surpassing the thundering progress of Garchomp and the two Charizards, leaving *them* in *his* dust trail for a change.
But even at that unimaginable speed, he still couldn't quite overtake Ash.
The trainer was somehow matching him stride for stride, a focused grin on his face, the wind seemingly carrying him along.
Both ran at the same incredible speed, a human and a Pokémon pushing the very limits of velocity, neck and neck.
Pikachu tried to push harder, pouring more power into his charge, trying to surpass his partner, but...
For some reason...
It felt like hitting an invisible wall whenever he tried to edge ahead.
Ash just... matched him effortlessly.
They were locked in a perfect tie.
Bursting out of the woods simultaneously, they both reached the back door of Ash's house at the exact same instant, skidding to a halt together.
Both trainer and Pokémon were panting, huffing for breath, chests heaving from the exertion, but with exhilarated grins on their faces.
"Whoo! Okay... wow," Ash gasped, leaning over with his hands on his knees.
"It seems like... it's a tie, huh, buddy?"
He looked at Pikachu, admiration clear in his eyes.
"Pika... pi... ka!"
Pikachu replied, nodding between huffs, equally impressed and slightly frustrated by Ash's inexplicable speed.
(Seems like it! Dead heat!)
Soon, the other Pokémon joined them, thundering into the yard and skidding to a halt, looking distinctly annoyed at not winning.
Garchomp grumbled, shaking his head. Y sighed dramatically.
And X was radiating pure indignation, smoke puffing from his nostrils.
'How?! How can I lose against that little electric mouse?!' X fumed internally, glaring daggers at Pikachu, who pointedly ignored him.
'And Ash... how is he that fast?! It defies draconic logic!'
"Well, a win is a win... or a tie is a tie!" Ash declared cheerfully, straightening up and slinging an arm around Pikachu's shoulders (who had hopped up onto the railing).
"Looks like Pikachu and me will *both* get our favorite dish tonight! Extra ketchup for Pikachu, and Mom's special Volcano Burger for me!"
Ash smirked, feeling victorious despite the tie.
He reached for the doorknob, ready to go inside and announce their shared win and demand celebratory snacks.
He opened the door, stepping into the familiar, comforting atmosphere of his home...
Only to stop dead in his tracks, his cheerful declaration dying on his lips.
His smirk vanished, replaced by utter bewilderment.
Serena was there, in the living room, elegantly pouring tea from a delicate porcelain pot.
But she wasn't alone.
She was serving tea to... a guy.
A guy sitting comfortably on their sofa.
A guy who looked... exactly... like... him.
"..."
Silence.
Ash paused for a long, frozen second.
He blinked. Once. Twice.
He rubbed his eyes vigorously, convinced he was hallucinating from the intense run or maybe inhaled some weird spores in the forest.
Then he looked again.
Nope.
Same scene.
His... wife? Friend? Partner? (The labels were complicated)... Serena... serving tea... to a man who was his spitting image.
Maybe slightly different clothes? Hair parted differently? But the face... it was *his* face.
His brain struggled to compute.
Error. Does not compute. Paradox detected.
"WHY... IS THERE A COPY OF ME... SITTING ON MY COUCH... DRINKING TEA WITH MY SERENA?!?!"
He finally shouted, his voice a mixture of confusion, shock, and perhaps a hint of territorial panic.