Time Heals All Wounds, Right?

Iris The Dragon Master

No POV
   "Ladies and Gentlemen we would like to welcome you all to the first ever POKEMON MASTER TOURNAMENT." The crowd erupted into cheers as the voice from the loudspeakers echoed through the stadium.

"Will the first two contestants, Dragon Master Iris and Alolan Champion Red, please make their way out to the battle field.

Ash POV
I walked out onto a platform that slowly started to raise me to the battle field. The sound of people cheering, I almost forgot what it felt like to feel all this passion. I looked all over but eventually my eyes made their way to my opponent.

"Are you ready to be beat?" Her voice was heavy with confidence. I simply shrugged my shoulders in response.

"Are you so intimated that you don't even want to talk huh? You're acting like such a kid" Once again I just stood there, oh Iris you have no idea what kid I am.

"Shall we?" I asked her. In a semi bored tone

"Don't underestimate me. Let's go Haxorus." Well I wonder who evolved. It's nice to see that Axew grew to be this strong, but I wonder how strong.

"Not bad. Lucario by my side" Lucario walked up and took place In front of me.

"This will be a one on one battle, the battle will end when either side's Pokémon can no longer continue. Match Begin"

"Lucario, show your power." Lucario nodded and let out an extremely loud battle cry. The amount of force radiating from the shout was enough to knock Haxorus off balance.

"What the-" before Iris could finish her sentence Haxorus fell on the floor knocked out. The arena fell into complete silence.

"Nice work Lucario." I praised my Pokémon. "Let's go back to our room"

"AS CONFUSING AS IT IS. THE WINNER OF THE FIRST MATCH IS CHAMPION RED" The announcer spoke. I walked back onto the platform which lowered me down back to the waiting area where I was met with a familiar face.

"Hey Red. I was hoping we could talk in private." My old friend Gary spoke. It's a bit hard to believe that this guy would grow up to become one of the world's leading Professors on Pokémon, just like his old man.

"Of course Professor. Please follow me to my room." We walked in total silence for a few minutes before we finally went inside my room to talk.

"What was it you needed help with Professor?"

"Do you remember Lysandre?"

"I do, leader of Team Flare. I took him and his operation down years ago. Why?"

"Well he's here." I shot up from my seat. There was no way he was back. He lost everything when I took him down, he should have no money, no resources, no nothing. There's no way he would be able to restart Team Flare.

"That's not possible. Team Flare is gone and there's no bringing it back."

"That is true, except that he isn't remaking a team, he joined a new one. He's here to return the favor."

"Who did he join?" I asked, trying to hold in my anger. Why do these problems just keep popping up all the time?

"Rocket."

"Ugh… no matter how hard I try I can't get rid of them." I place sky hands on my face just being annoyed. "Thanks for the heads up, I'll make sure he goes down this time."

"I know you will. Which reminds me here you go." He said handing me a pokeball.

"What's this?" I asked, taking the pokeball.

"I think you know"

"I do…" I said with a big sigh.

"I think it's time for you to come back, we all miss you. Especially her."

"I don't know Gary." I sat down again trying to collect my thoughts. "I've caused everyone pain from leaving, I don't think they will want me back. They're happy enough without me anyways."

"You're still such an idiot" he said with clear anger in his voice.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I felt a bit of anger start to build up.

"You really are stupid if you think we all came here for no reason. We all came here looking for you because we all have hope that you are alive."

"Then I guess I am." I said sitting down.

"You have to tell Serena. She needs to know that you are alive."

"She knows that I'm alive Gary. I spoke with her yesterday." Gary walked towards the door and opened it.

"She needs to know Ash is alive." He said before walking out the door. Those words floated around my room for minutes and I just sat there taking them in. Am I alive? Is Ash alive? Everything that happened it wasn't me. It was all Red. Everyone knows Red is one of the strongest trainers. Everyone knows Red is the Alola Champion. But everyone also knows Ash Ketchum is gone. So when it comes to it… is the real me still alive? All of this is just too confusing.

"Pika?"

"Huh, oh sorry buddy, I was just thinking to myself. How about we get something to eat? " He jumped into my shoulder and was about to ask Lucario to come with us, but he was fast asleep on my bed. He deserves the rest.

Serena POV
   "What happened Iris?" I was so sure Iris was going to win, but Red seemed to do absolutely nothing and Haxorus got knocked out.

"I'm not sure. I tried to intimidate him, but I couldn't call out any commands in time. This time I'm the kid…" Iris said with her in a low volume.

"There's no way." May exclaimed jumping up. "He had to have cheated. Think about it, he didn't make a single move."

"I don't think so" Gary called out as he walked into the room.

"Yea I don't think so either…" The second those words came out of my mouth everyone turned to look at me.

"I think someone has a crush on the new guy." Dawn claimed with a smirk plastered on her face.

"No… I don't, I can't. Besides I know he's here." Everyone around me slowly looked at the floor. If only Ash knew the impact he has on all of us. He drove us forward and when we fell he would try his best to pick us up and help us go again.

"Well how about you all look at this." Gary walked up to us breaking the silence.

"What's this?" I said grabbing a tablet he was holding out.

" It's footage from Red's fight with Iris. The footage has been slowed down and as you can see Lucario used a move called Vacuum Wave. This move allows the attacker to attack quickly with a shockwave " Everyday Gary sounded more and more like Professor Oak.

"Awww, I thought I caught him red handed." Exclaimed May with a small pout. "Well I'm hungry let's go get lunch."

"You guys go ahead I'll meet you down there in a few minutes." I started getting ready when I felt someone's hand on my shoulder.

"Hey can I talk to you?" I looked up and it's Misty.

"Sure."

"You know everyone here is very supportive ." Misty  turned to look me in the eyes which sent small shivers down my spine. "But you can't keep looking at the bright side of this… one day you search will have to come to an end"

"But I can feel he is here" I exclaimed back.

"You've searched the entire island Serena, maybe it's time to start a relationship with someone new. Try that Red guy, you obviously have something for him." I could hear slight desperation in her voice.

"I'm not sure…"

"Just try to move on."

"WHAT, I could never forget him."

"To move on doesn't mean that you have to forget, all it means is that you can remember without it hurting." I looked down. Maybe she's right.

"I'll try."

"Thanks, now let's go eat".