Ash stepped into Professor Oak's lab for the first time in a while. Professor Oak was back and he turned around at the sound of the door opening, a smile forming on his face at the site of Ash.

"Good afternoon, Ash. What can I do for you?" Professor Oak asked, giving Ash his full attention.

"I just wanted to contact Lance, if that's ok" Ash gestured to the screen at the back of the lab and Professor Oak nodded once.

"Of course, use it whenever you like. If you need anything else I am right here" he said, before turning back to what he was doing. 

Ash headed over to the console and attempted to contact Lance. Lance answered almost instantly, but his screen was black for a moment. Ash could hear noise in the background, what seemed to sound like people rushing out of the room Lance was in. The curtain over the screen was taken off, revealing Lance with a slight smile on his face.

"What can I do for you today, Ash?" Lance asked Ash, who frowned a little.

"I have all of my friends in Kanto. We are basically ready to go ahead and stop Team Shadow. But, we need your help" Ash explained, Lance already knowing they would need his help and he also knew that Ash was with all of his friends, due to the system the alliance had set-up in every region. 

"I already know this. But, we are not ready just yet" Lance looked behind him as someone said something inaudible and started to rush. "I will be there later, I must take care of some business first"

"That's fine, I should be at my house" Ash nodded a goodbye to Lance and disconnected the call. "What was all that about, him being in a hurry...?"

"Maybe he is just really busy" Professor Oak added. Ash shrugged and then took a few steps to the door.

"Thanks, Professor," Ash said, before leaving. 

"Not a problem, goodbye for now!" Professor Oak shouted as the door swung open and closed. He let out a little sigh and continued working.

Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder as he stepped outside. Ash shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and looked up at the sky, the afternoon slowly rolling by, night time being hinted by the colour of the sky. 

"Let's go meet the others again, plan ahead as much as we can" Ash suggested to Pikachu, who looked ahead with determination.

"Pika" Pikachu replied. Ash noticed Pikachu's determination and smiled to himself. 

Ash spent a few moments searching around for the others. He realised he did not ask them where they were going to go, nor did he even know where they might have gone. After a few moments, Ash decided to sit against a tree, under some shade and rest for just a little bit. More time passed and Ash slowly dropped off to sleep. The dream began once more. 

"So, you're finally awake" the red-eyed Serena from within his dream was still stood in the corner. Ash had a sudden sense of nausea as Serena said this. He had just fallen asleep, but she said he was awake.

"I just fell asleep, actually..." Ash said quietly, with a puzzled look on his face.

"Well, I had one more thing to tell you before I take off. Although, I am sure it won't make you happy" Serena's words intrigued Ash. He turned his head from his position on the floor, to face her. 

"What?" Ash sat up and waited for Serena to speak, a wicked smile forming on her lips. She seemed pleased as she spoke.

"What you are seeing right now, is precognition" she watched as Ash's eyes grew wider. He couldn't believe that Serena was going to end up like this, one more time. "There is nothing you can do to stop it"

Ash felt a sudden wave of determination, reminding himself of Pikachu's determination recently. "I will stop it...I will do whatever it takes" he clenched his fists as tears slowly dropped onto them. Ash didn't realise he was crying until he was, feeling an explosion of emotions after the bombshell. After everything else that had happened, Ash was sure it was the truth. 

"Well, I'll be going now" Serena stepped into the darkness and just like that, she was gone. Ash was back in the dark, all alone and in complete silence. However, suddenly, Ash felt a sharp pain in his arm. He wasn't sure what it was, but it made the world spin around him.

"Wake up, lazybones," Gary said once more, kicking Ash in his upper arm. Ash instantly jumped up from his slumber, feeling a little shocked. "You okay?"

"I need to find Serena" Ash stared into space, disregarding the fact Gary had arrived. Gary looked at him, bewildered.

"Hello? You aren't going to say hi to me?" he pulled a straight face as Ash turned to him.

"Hi" 

"Oh great, thanks, Ash" Gary replied sarcastically, folding his arms.

"I need to find Serena" Ash repeated, walking off.

"It's been ages and this is how he is acting? Something weird is definitely going on" Gary looked around suspiciously, waiting for something to happen. He followed Ash along the path, who was looking for Serena. 

"Sorry, Gary" Ash massaged his temples and then stopped.

"Pika..." Pikachu sighed, relieved that Ash was speaking properly.

"It's cool, how have ya been?" Gary put his hand out and smiled at Ash. Ash smiled back and shook Gary's hand.

"I've been great. Until now. But I will explain what is going on once we find Serena" Ash explained, Gary instantly nodding.

"I understand. I have already heard some details from Parker" he said, surprising Ash.

"You saw Parker?"

"No, he saw me. Told me that Team Shadow had escaped and that I should come here ASAP, so I stopped my research and came early" it was Gary's turn to explain. Ash nodded, mentally noting that Parker was looking in other regions. 

"Pika!" Pikachu snapped, making Ash and Gary jump.

"Sorry Pikachu" Ash stroked Pikachu's tail and he instantly smiled, liking that spot.

"Guess he wants to set off and find Serena" Gary laughed, gesturing that they should move on. They continued down the path and made it to the giant tree, where Serena was. 

"Ash! Oh and Gary too!" Serena called from one side of the tree and everyone's heads turned to the two walking over, Pikachu hopping off of Ash to rest in the shade.

"I'm back and I have something to say" Ash got everyone's attention. Gary stood behind him, waiting to hear what he was going to say. Ash explained the dreams he was having, about the idea that Team Shadow was experimenting on Pokemon and Ash was now part of the experiments. It was after that moment that Ash laid his eyes on Serena, who gulped nervously.

"What is it, Ash?" she looked at his serious face soften slightly. 

"You was in those dreams. Some of the things, as I explained, were like nightmares. However, some of it is real. In the dream you had red eyes, you were the one thing I wanted to forget about once more. The thing that worried me most was what you said" Ash wasn't sure about saying it, but Serena's face was telling him to. 

"Just say it Ash" Misty sighed, not wanting to waste anymore time.

"She said that it was precognition" Ash allowed the silence to begin, the words sinking in to the worried faces of everyone. Except for Serena.

"It..." Serena hesitated, looking down with tears forming in her eyes. She looked up at Ash, who sat down next to her, allowing her to put her head on his shoulder.

"What is it?" Ash asked quietly, pushing some of Serena's hair away from her eyes as tears rolled down from them.

"It's already happening" she whispered, but most of the group heard it. Ash was even more shocked, but there was a disruption that made him focus his attention on something else.

"Ash" Lance's voice echoed from the other end of the grass, where the path was. Ash turned and got up.

"I'll be two minutes," Ash said, before walking off. Serena watched him walk towards the Kanto champion, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"We are currently doing some search around Kalos, but we haven't found much" Lance said to Ash at the other end of the path.

"Oh, I see. How can we help?" Ash asked Lance, who suddenly stopped seeming so casual. His face became tough and his expression serious. 

"How much do you want to become a Pokemon Master, Ash?" Lance asked Ash, who stopped to think for a moment about the question. 

 "I would do anything to fulfil my dream" Ash replied, feeling that was what he desired. Lance stared back with a serious expression, his voice cold. 

"Would you leave your friends behind?" his voice rang out.

 "I...I..." Ash froze, unable to respond. 

Lance stared at Ash, like there was something he could say but he didn't want to say it, like it wasn't the right time. Lance went to speak but hesitated while Ash stood in silence, deep in thought over the previous question.

"You will have to make a decision in the future. Let me tell you something, Ash" Lance waited for Ash to allow him to go ahead, the question shaken off for a moment.

"Ok" was all Ash could muster up, his mind still being flooded by the question.

"In order for this investigation to be successful, only a select amount of people can become involved. You see, the alliance isn't something we can just let all of you kids into or get involved with. The strongest trainers are involved with us and some of your friends might not make the cut" Lance was too blunt for Ash's liking.

"All of my friends are strong enough, I can vouch for them" Ash wasn't getting angry, he could see the hesitation on Lance's face. There was another reason he was saying this. 

"Yes, but of course you can vouch for them" Lance tapped his chin in thought and then proposed an idea. "How about we hold a camp, for you and your friends. If you can all pass the series of tasks, I will allow you all to be involved with the investigation fully and have 100% of our cooperation" 

"You're on!" Ash said, with determination in his eyes. However, his face softened as he stared back at his friends and Serena, the one he loved. Ash regarded the previous question. Why would he have to leave his friends behind? Ash knew soon that he would have to make a tough decision.

One that might just turn his future upside down.