At a clear spot on Cinnabar Island

The towering Gigantamax Hatterene wailed as it spotted a small glowing thing approaching. It was Kyurem, with Ash on its back.

Kyurem shot upwards a bit and spread his wings wide, opening the four glowing green eyes that locked sights on the Hatterene. Kyurem's loud roar made the ground tremble all around the Island, as he dove straight down.

The ground crumbled as Kyurem landed. He exhaled loudly, releasing puffs of smoke from his nostrils. His sights were locked at the towering Pokémon in front of him,  as he let out a spine-chilling growl. He was raring to go, and was merely waiting for the command from Ash.

Ash got off of Kyurem's back, and looked near the Gigantamax Hatterene's feet where the mysterious woman was standing.

"Great Entrance, Ashy" The Woman spoke up, as her ocean blue eyes almost twinkled in the dark.

"Thanks" Ash responded. "Though it's not exactly my best work"

 The woman chuckled. "This sure is a weird rendezvous." She stated. "Care for a battle?" She asked, looking at the giant Hatterene by her side that was waiting for commands.

"You know I'm going to win." Ash bluntly stated. "Kyurem isn't going to hold back." 

The woman sighed. "True." She said, as she pointed a Pokeball at the Hatterene as it returned to normal and went inside. 

Ash squinted his eyes. "I know that you're the Serena from Dimension 66. The mirror Dimension."

The woman's face went pale. "How do you know that?"

"Your eyes." Ash responded. "They hide sadness. And suffering." He added. "I know the state Dimension 66 is in. It's not surprising you've come here searching for help." 

The woman; Mirror Serena squinted her eyes, trying to stop the tears in her eyes from flowing down. "Where is he?" She questioned. "Where is... my... ash" Her voice gave out at the end of her last sentence. 

"He died." Ash replied. "I rid him from his curse at the last moment." He added, as his eyes transformed into Black/Red just like Giratina's. "He died with a smile on his face." He said as his voice briefly turned demonic.

Mirror Serena's body trembled, as she covered her mouth. "I see... I'm glad." She said, closing her eyes as tears began to flow down her face. She had a smile on her face. "I knew there was good in him."

Ash looked on with a bit of pity, as he remembered the fact that Mirror Serena was once a tomboyish strong trainer that never showed weakness. Years of hell in her world had changed her radically. 

"Don't worry." Ash spoke up. "I'm coming to your world soon." He said. "I just have things I need to sort out here before I come."

Mirror Serena wiped her tears, before walking up to Ash. "If my Ash... is dead... someone has taken his place." She said. "Someone has been oppressing us. I always assumed it was him, but I don't know anything anymore..."

"I see." Ash replied. "Whoever it is, I'll take them down." He added, as his eyes returned to normal, and glowed with a raging blue Aura. "It's a promise."

Mirror Serena nodded. "I'll be waiting." She said.

"Are you going to stay in this world and wait for me?" Ash questioned.

Mirror Serena shook her head. "It's getting dark. I have to return to my world. I came here from a cave of mirrors." She said, as she pointed at the cinnabar volcano.

"I see." Ash replied. "Then you need to be going." He added. 

Mirror Serena then walked away in the woods, headed back to her world. 

Some moments later, Ash made it back to his family, and didn't speak of the events until later that night at his home.

At Ash's home. Pallet Town.

Ash, Serena, and Lawrence were sitting on different spots in the living room. Ash had just completed explaining the recent developments to his wife and father.

Lawrence got up. "Guess there's no choice, Son." He said as she walked towards the kitchen to grab a beer. "It's best if you leave as soon as possible-"

Lawrence suddenly lost consciousness, and dropped down on the floor hard.

"Dad?!" Ash exclaimed. "DAD!"

---

About an Hour later, at the Hospital. Ash sat inside the doctor's office along with Serena. The kids waited outside. 

"His body is failing." The Doctor spoke.

"What?" Ash questioned rapidly, standing up. "What do you mean? He never mentioned anything to me!" 

The Doctor sighed. "He asked me to not tell you." He added. "Maybe he didn't want to burden you with this."

Serena calmed Ash down, asking him to sit on his chair. She turned towards the Doctor. "Is he not taking treatment?"

"Lawrence did mention that he was getting his body analyzed by someone named 'Phyco'." The Doctor said. "Do you know them?"

Ash and Serena looked at each other. Before either of them could speak a word, the office door swung open, and Phyco walked in. He was calm and collected as usual, with his pristine handlebar moustache curled up.

"I'm sorry." Phyco spoke calmly. "This is a matter of Aura." He added. "Mr. Lawrence has simply run out of time. He wished to keep this a secret from everyone."

"So that's it?!" Ash exclaimed. "Do I just accept that he's going to die?!"

"Every living soul shall one day taste death." Phyco responded, before turning around. "Come, Mr. Lawrence has regained consciousness for now."

---

Ash walked up to Lawrence, who was lying on the bed. He was wearing an oxygen mask, taking slow, deep breaths. He looked at Ash, and then at everybody else around him. Pikachu stood next to him, looking on with worry.

"Dad..." Ash spoke up. "Why did you hide this from me?"

"I didn't... want to... worry you." Lawrence slowly responded.

Ash lowered his eyes. "You can't just accept this..."

"Remember when your mother died?" Lawrence questioned Ash. "She told me to live... and die once I had no regrets in life." He added. "I have no regrets now."

Ash sat down. He didn't say a word. 

"Now..." Lawrence said, as he suddenly got up and sat. He grabbed his mask and pulled it off. "I'm not gonna die in a place that reeks of medicine." He added, looking at Ash. "I want you to do me a favor, Son."

Ash was dumbfounded, as he stared at Lawrence's old, wrinkly face. "S-Sure... what is it?"

---

Moments later, outside the Hospital.

Ash walked out while pushing a wheelchair on which Lawrence was seated. "Come on, kid! Let's eat something good!" He exclaimed. "You up for some ketchup, buddy?" He questioned Pikachu who sat on his lap. 

They went to Delia's family restaurant, and had a hearty meal. Lawrence shared stories about his time when he first came to Pallet Town, mentioning how this restaurant was the place where he once had his first fight with Delia during a date. 

Following that, Lawrence went on to release all of his Pokémon one by one. He already knew his time had come, and his Pokémon deserved to choose what happened next. Almost every Pokémon decided to get released back into the wild, and Lawrence agreed to their wishes.

At the end, Solgaleo was among the last left. 

Ash raised his right hand, using the power of the God Stone to create a portal into Ultra Space - the place where Lawrence's Solgaleo had come from.

Lawrence struggled to stand straight, as he hugged and petted the huge Pokémon, before letting it walk towards the portal. Solgaleo stopped and looked at Lawrence for a second, before bowing his head. He then walked into the portal before it closed.

"Well, almost all of them have been taken care of." Lawrence spoke, before looking down at his faint shadow in the grassy ground near his house. 

Suddenly, Marshadow emerged from the shadow, looking straight at Lawrence teary-eyed. It knew everything.

"It's been a wild journey, eh?" Lawrence said, looking at Marshadow. "Guess this was my limit after all." 

"Shaa---dowwww--" Marshadow squealed, hugging Lawrence's leg. 

"Where do you wanna go?" Lawrence asked Marshadow.

Marshadow shook its head 'no'. It didn't want to go anywhere.

Lawrence sighed, before turning towards Ash. "I raised this little thing by myself." He said. "No wonder it doesn't wanna go anywhere." He added. "Mind taking it?"

Ash knelt down, and looked at Marshadow closely. "Sure." He said, forwarding his hand. "Nice to meet you, Marshadow. I bet you'll make great friends with my Gengar that lives in my shadow." He added, as Gengar emerged from Ash's shadow.

---

Following that, Ash and Lawrence spent the rest of the night roaming around Pallet Town, ultimately heading back home. It was almost dawn, as the Father and Son sat on the roof of their house.

"The town has changed a lot over these years." Lawrence said, seated on the tile roof while looking at the lights in the distance. "It used to be just a few shops... and the Lab." He added.

"I wonder how bigger it'll get in the next few decades." Ash said. "Pika---" Pikachu added.

"Probably bigger than now." Lawrence replied. "People will get born, live, marry, laugh, cry, and die." He added. "Ultimately, nothing is gonna be the same. Things always change. Constantly."

Ash sighed, looking down as Lawrence grabbed a can of beer and cracked it open. "Care to have a drink with your old man? It might be the last one." He said, as streaks of glowing blue aura briefly appeared on his face, drawing large wrinkles on it in order to make him appear even more older.

Ash looked at the can he was being offered. He thought for a second, and then grabbed it as Lawrence cracked open another one.

"To keep moving forwards. Cheers, Son." Lawrence said, as the two clinked their cans.

"Cheers, Dad." Ash replied.

The two started drinking. Neither said any further words for a few moments. Ash stared at the distant mountains, as the first light of the day shone, hitting his face.

"Guess it's morning already." Ash said, finishing off his drink. He looked at Pikachu sitting in his lap, asleep. "Got anything else you wanna do, Dad?" He questioned.

There was no response.

"Dad?" Ash asked again, as he turned his head towards Lawrence.

There was no response. 

All that remained, was a smile, and a lowered head with closed eyes. Lawrence didn't move a muscle. Ash placed his fingers on Lawrence's neck to check his pulse. There was nothing. Ash lowered his head, and closed his eyes.

---

Many hours later, Ash entered his house. It was dark out. He had spent the whole day with the funeral proceedings, as evident by his black attire. 

The house was empty. 

Ash walked up to the fridge, and checked what was inside. There was a pack of beers that he had bought for Lawrence a few days ago. He simply stared at them in complete silence.

Serena, Spark, and the rest of the kids all entered the house. Zenith's eyes were reddened from crying, while Anna was asleep - she was being carried by Spark.

"Get them to bed." Serena told Spark, who took Anna and Zenith upstairs. She then walked up to Ash. "Are you alright, Ash?" She questioned.

Ash didn't reply. A few moments passed, after which he took out all of the beer in the fridge. "They might expire in here." He said, turning towards Serena. "I'll just drink em' all up." He added, as he started carrying all of the beer upstairs. "I'll be on the roof if you need me."

Serena just stood in silence. "O-Okay..." She responded. "I'll be here if you need me." 

---

A few moments later, on the roof.

Ash sat alone, chugging down can after can. It didn't phase him at all - his water-typing helped him stay sober. But that didn't stop him. He drank and drank, until he was down to the last can.

He raised the last can towards the stars, as he suddenly started to find it difficult to read what was written on it.

"Heh.. weird." Ash said, as he cracked open the can and started drinking. "I wonder if I'm getting drunk." 

"Pika-pi?" Pikachu spoke up as he emerged from the window and looked at Ash.

"Oh hey buddy!" Ash said, waving. "Come here! Look at this! Haha! It's hard to read what's written on this! HAHAHA! that's so funny!" He exclaimed, chuckling a bit.

Pikachu slowly crawled up to Ash while looking at his face. He was worried. There were dark circles under his eyes from the long brutal day. 

"Hah--ha---" Ash slowly stopped laughing. He went quiet as he finished the last can. 

A few moments passed. Pikachu didn't say anything.

"Damn old fool." Ash spoke up. "I told him... I can't get drunk." He added. "I don't like the taste of beer. It tastes like shit!" He exclaimed as he threw away the empty can. "'An Adult's taste' my ass!"

A tear rolled down Ash's face. "Wh--" He stuttered. "Who the hell is gonna push this stuff on me now?! Huh, OLD MAN?!" He yelled while looking at the stars. 

Pikachu grew concerned, as he consoled Ash while crying a bit himself. He sent a message to Spark inside the house via his electric cheeks, calling him up on the roof. Spark soon came and carried Ash into the house. 

---

The next morning, Ash opened his eyes. He was lying on his bed all alone. He got up and sat, while holding his head in pain. He tried to remember what happened after he began drinking last night, but had no clue.

 Ash rubbed his head while looking at a calendar on the wall. He sighed, before getting up and walking out. He didn't have any breakfast, and simply decided to have a walk around Pallet Town on his own since it was early.

The atmosphere was strange. It felt-- calm. Normal. Ash felt his world had changed drastically, but he saw that the world hadn't changed much at all. The sun still rose from the east, the birds still chirped in the morning. People went about their lives like nothing had happened, because in reality nothing much affecting them had happened.

Ash took a deep breath, and a look at the sky. He remembered his last conversation with Lawrence, about how this town - and in extension this world - would simply continue its existence after he is gone. 

Lawrence was right. Nobody cared. Nobody had to care. Everyone was busy with their own lives. Their own problems. Their own dreams. Their own goals. It was a bit depressing analogy of events, but it made sense. All Ash had to do was keep moving forwards like his father's last words told him.

"Dimension 66" Ash muttered, as his eyes released a faint blue glow. "Get Ready. I'm coming for you."

---

Ash spent the rest of the day sorting out matters at the Ultra Recon Squad to keep things running smoothly in his absence, and then he tackled the hard task of talking to his kids about his immediate departure for months, possibly years.

It was around 4PM. Ash, Anna, and Zenith were at the grounds at Professor Oak's Lab. 

Anna and Zenith were playing with Ash's Pokémon outside, while Ash and Gary sat on a chair near the Lab building, looking at the kids. 

"It's gonna be tough no doubt." Gary said, after listening to Ash explain how he has to leave for a long time. "You decided on what team you're gonna take there, Ashy-boy?" 

"Yeah. I have." Ash responded. "It's the kids that I'm really worried about right now honestly."

Gary agreed. It was going to be tough to talk to kids about suddenly leaving after what had just happened. But Ash was determined. He had to go. He was needed.

And so, after a brief stroll in the grounds and the woods behind the lab, Ash and the kids approached a little spot with a lake.

Ash sat down with his kids on a boulder, looking at the peaceful and calm water surface. He remembered how his own father once told him about leaving for a bit back when he was just a child. It was poetry in his eyes - or rather - cruel. He didn't want to go. He had to go.

And so, things went as well as one would expect. Zenith understood in an instant - of course he did - he had a mental capacity well above a normal 3 year old. 

Anna, on the other hand, was tough. She needed to be explained over and over why Ash - her Papa - had to go. Why him? Why not someone else? But it had to be him. Ash promised to be back as fast as he could, and in order to console Anna, he handed her a Pokeball - the Pokeball that contained one of his most strongest Pokémon - Greninja.

And so, after a long and brutal day, the kids knew what was about to happen as they made their way home. 

---

The next day, early morning.

Ash, Spark, and Zossie stood outside the house. Pikachu sat on Ash's shoulders. Spark and Zossie had insisted that they wanted to accompany Ash on this journey before Ash even asked them. It was a foregone conclusion in their eyes.

Serena, Anna, and Zenith stood in front of Ash. Ash knelt down and gave his kids a warm hug, before getting up and doing the same for Serena followed by a little kiss on her forehead.

"Come back soon, okay?" Serena said with a smile. "I'll be waiting--- we'll be waiting."

"Yeah." Ash replied. "I'll be back."

The Pokeball in Anna's hand popped open, and Greninja emerged from it.

"Nin-Ja!" Greninja exclaimed, nodding his head while looking at Pikachu on Ash's shoulders.

"Pika-Pika!" Pikachu replied, forming a fist.

"Take care of my family for me, Greninja." Ash told the Ninja Pokémon.

"Nin!" Greninja responded, nodding.  

"See you again, buddy." Ash said, as the God stone on his right hand glowed brightly, opening a portal to Dimension 66 behind him.

Ash, Pikachu, Spark, and Zossie all looked at their Family one last time, before turning around and facing the portal.

"Come on, kids." Ash said. "We've got a whole dimension to save!" He exclaimed, as he jumped into the portal. Spark and Zossie followed without a hint of hesitation before the portal closed.

Serena, Anna, Zenith, and Greninja stood in front of the house silently.

"See you again, Ash...."

---

*Freeze Frame*

==============================

A short chapter this time around, yeah. I wanted to publish something that I could realistically write within a decade.

Anyways, thanks for reading! I'll probably write another chapter or two (in a shorter format if you guys are fine with this format) in order to complete this arc. See ya!

Oh, and happy 25th Anniversary, Pokémon!

https://youtu.be/SKIG2kHXmg0