With Lance and Parker heading their way, Serena and Ash find some time to be alone, Clemont and Bonnie giving them space.

"It's been a while since we have been alone" Serena sighed with relief. They sat on the fourth floor of a big hotel just outside of Pallet Town. It was newly constructed the year before, with over 300 rooms, one of the hotels that held many people for the tournament. The fourth floor was one of the expensive floors, with balconies for almost every room. However, the fourth floor also had a restaurant, with many special tables. Ash's Mom had managed to book one of these tables, Serena and Ash sitting in a room to themselves, waiters only coming in to let them order. 

"It really has, hasn't it?" Ash said, realising this was true. He picked up his glass and took a sip of the lemonade that was swirling around in it. 

"Here is your food" a waiter came through the door, stepping up two steps to get to the table, which was in the centre of a red room, with a brass chandelier hanging from the roof, as well as candles braced to the walls. The waiter put down two plates and then headed back outside.

"When your Mom said she had booked a table here, I didn't expect it to be this good" Serena prepared everything she needed before eating, Ash smiling at her as she did this.

"She always does this, though, like a few months ago and the random trip to Sinnoh" Ash pointed out, before shovelling in a load of food into his mouth. 

"That's true. Didn't she help out last year?" Serena brought up a topic that Ash didn't like. Last year, after the tournament, Ash and Parker saved Serena from a life that would have been full of darkness in its purest form. She would have loathed everyone but the people that shared the same ideals as her in that state. Ash didn't like what had happened and didn't want to remember it.

"She was there..." Ash spoke silently, looking down at his plate.

"Sorry...I forgot that you didn't like talking about it" Serena reached a hand out and put it on Ash's. "We're all okay now, that's all that matters"

Ash slowly looked up and flashed a weak smile, but nodded. "You're right, I am being stupid"

"You're not being stupid, you're being a messy eater" Serena giggled, looking down to Ash's chest. Ash looked down and noticed the little bit of sauce on his shirt, something Ash had never worn besides when he was with Serena. 

"Better than a picky eater" Ash grinned, picking up a napkin to clean it up. 

After a few more minutes, the waiter from before stepped back in, straightening himself up in a formal manner. He coughed into his hand to bring their attention to him and then smiled delicately. 

"Someone said that they have come to see Ash Ketchum?" the waiter looked to Ash, who seemed surprised.

"Let them come in, please" Ash smiled back politely and the waiter nodded, before backing out into the main room.

"I wonder who it could be..." Serena said, both of them eyeing up the door, anticipating the entry of someone else. Lance stepped through the door and sort of surprised them both.

"I don't mean to interrupt" Lance smiled, raising a hand in greeting.

"It's fine,f" Ash said, but Serena frowned to herself. "What do you want?"

"I have a familiar person who needs to talk to you. I also need to be here so I can hear what he has to say and what will be going on" Lance's words confused Ash, but then Parker came in and he stared blankly between the two.

"Long time no see" Parker casually grinned, hands in his pockets as usual.

"Wha-" Ash wasn't sure what to say, he continued to stare.

"Let me do the talking, Ash. Just listen to what I have to say before you say anything" Parker watched as Ash nodded, Serena looking puzzled in the background, no one taking notice of her at the other end of the table. Lance shuffled into the corner of the room and Parker stood at the door, a serious expression settling on his face. "Team Shadow are out"

"Since when?" Ash instantly replied, jumping out of his seat and onto his feat. Serena's mouth opened slightly in shock.

"Calm down, I said let me talk" Parker ushered Ash to take a seat again and then he coughed into his hand to clear his throat and continue. "I was let out and they used that moment to escape. I had a small encounter with the 'Boss'. He always seems to have a knack for getting into people's heads, doesn't he?" Parker nodded to Serena, who shivered at the thought of what happened to her the previous year. Parker then told the story.

Location Unknown... (Some time ago)

"Times up, Parker" Officer Jenny stepped into the large room Parker was in. They had treated him nicely, with a flat to himself in one big facility, except he was limited to what he could do in the outside world and had strict curfews, but he was the one willing to spend the time there for what he had done. 

"Time has gone too fast..." Parker sighed, grabbing the things around him that he had prepacked for when he would be let out. 

"Where will you be going now? I can help you find a place to settle? You are old enough to make your own choices now" Officer Jenny pointed out, with a soft smile.

That's right, I am 16 now... Parker thought to himself, before stepping through the door.

"I'll be fine, thanks Officer Jenny" Parker replied, mentally nodding to himself, a plan already set in his head.

"I am always around if you need some help" Officer Jenny opened the next door and then all hell broke loose. Out of nowhere, a Greninja appeared, grabbing the key from Officer Jenny before she could put it away. The Greninja was gone in a flash and the alarms instantly kicked in. 

"What's going on?" Parker asked, standing right next to the stairs that would lead him down to the exit.

"I think it's the others, go and grab your Pokemon and other items from the exit!" Officer Jenny yelled over the alarms, rushing down the corridor. Parker ran down the two set of stairs and took his Pokemon and Pokedex, among other items, from the locker that had his name on it. He noticed that the lockers of the others, Jeremy, Tristan, Jake, Elizabeth and the one that was simply labelled 'The Boss' were all open already. 

"God damnit" Parker mumbled to himself and then ran outside. He knew their tricks and everything they could do, so he immediately made his way into the forest, keeping close to the darkness.

"We meet again" a cold voice rang out behind Parker. He span around to meet the voice, but no one was there. "It's been awhile, hasn't it, Parker?" 

"I don't want anything to do with you" Parker spoke to the air, but the person in the shadows could hear everything.

"Oh, but you do. Otherwise, why would you be here?" Team Shadow's Boss stepped out from the treeline, his old robe already wrapped around his body, his face completely hidden in the darkness of the hood over his head. 

"I was going to ask, why now?" Parker raised an eyebrow, shoving his hands in his pockets. The Boss tracked Parker's hands and shook his head.

"I suppose there is a reason for everything..." The Boss smirked at Parker, taking a step back. "We planned this very moment from the start. Parker, we will bring more destruction then ever before. If you thought Darkrai and our tournament plans that failed were big, then I can't wait to show you our new plan. Expect every region to be destroyed in our path and don't take too long finding that Ash Ketchum kid, because he might not be around for longer than you think"

"I can probably already guess how this will go down" Parker couldn't help but grin, knowing future battles with his former 'friends' awaited him. The kid inside him was all the same. 

"Oh, but you won't know before it's too late" The Boss said, before an unidentifiable Pokemon appeared, causing a smokescreen. It dissapated quickly, but there was no one in sight. 

Parker grasped onto a Pokeball for the first time in a long time, sighing with relief as he did so. 

"Umbreon, come on out!" Parker release Umbreon from his Pokeball. "It's been too long, I just wanted to say hello again"

Umbreon looked away hesitantly, before stepping up to Parker, brushing his head against Parker's leg.

"I'll let you walk with me soon, let's get going" Parker said, taking out the Pokeball and returning Umbreon.

Present...

"What you are trying to tell me, is that they are threatening not just Kanto, but every region?" Ash scratching his cheek nervously, turning to Serena. "What do you think?"

Serena jumped up from her thinking, surprised by Ash's sudden question. "Oh, erm...I think that something that big would take awhile to plan and build up"

"It has been a few months, since that day" Parker pointed out and Ash frowned.

"So, they might already be ready?" Ash asked and Parker nodded, the atmosphere becoming more tense.

"What should we do?" Lance interuppted, everyone turning to him. 

"It's going to take more than four of us to stop this, hell, maybe even a dozen trainers wouldn't be enough. Also, we have to find their location first" Parker brought up all of the problems.

"We won't need that many trainers," Ash smirked, tipping his cap with a sense of determination in his eyes. Lance noticed this and couldn't help but smile to himself. 

"Have you not been listening?" Parker frowned at Ash, who put a hand up.

"My friends and I make ten trainers, plus you and Lance, so that is twelve. With the Pokemon we have, the only problem would be finding them" Ash thought that sounded like a good plan.

"There is even more than just me, you know" Lance said, everyone turning to him once more with interest.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked with a puzzled expression.

"I shouldn't tell you kids, but let me make things easier" Lance took out his earpiece and turned off all of the camera and recording equipment that he had, everyone confused as he did all of this. "Let me tell you about the Pokemon Master Alliance"