"What do you mean?" Pikachu confusedly said.
Ash sighed and explained, "You know how I am called The Chosen One, right?" Pikachu nodded, not asking out the question of how he knew, "There had been something else that the Grandfather's nephew told me,"
"Nephew? Grandfather?" Pikachu couldn't help but ask with a side-tilt head, "Are you talking about Arceus and another Legendary Pokémon? I don't remember Arceus having a relative,"
Ash chuckled to himself, "You don't know half of it," Ash saw Pikachu looking at him with suspicion, "There are some things that even some Legendary Pokémon don't know of or had forgotten. I was allowed to learn about it but it took a long time for me to be deemed worthy to know,"
Pikachu couldn't understand what he was saying. Ash, the boy who would recklessly go between an onslaught just to bring peace between the two sides of war, the boy who wouldn't hesitate to stretch out a hand to those in need, the boy who faces off even the most dangerous and powerful beings like a lone sailor in the center of a raging storm...
Had been deemed unworthy?
"I don't understand," Pikachu spoke, "How is that possible? You're the most selfless, brave, kind, generous...how did you become unworthy?"
Ash shook his head, "It's not that simple," he said and stared to the rodent's eyes, "Pikachu, I know we both know one another but remember...this is the first time we truly met each other. That enough can make you think: Am I the same Ash you've seen in the screens?"
Pikachu opened his mouth to protest, but came up with nothing. He knew the boy was right. Would Ash be the same Ash he had seen in the shows and movies? If he comes back, would he act like the Ash he had known? What makes him different?
"What changed?" Pikachu unknowingly spoke the question out.
Ash closed his eyes with heavy consideration before speaking, "I will agree with you on some things. I am kind, I always lend a hand, and all of that. But..."
Pikachu couldn't help but feel a dread at the silence, something about it feels...bad.
"I...I had never faced true darkness," Ash said with a shallow tone, "Even being- or will be-possessed by the King of Pokélantis or by the evil self of Hoopa, never did a truly, absolutely faced off against my dark self. Yes, I know I'm still ten, but I had-or will be- age throughout the years and..."
Another silence lingered around them. Pikachu's ears drooped flat and head hung down as the boy's words hung on his head. Was there a time Ash had faced off with something that only the boy can defeat?
A gentle hand caressed the Electric-Type's cheek. Pikachu looked up and saw his friend smiling at him, a genuine, optimistic spark burning in behind the boy's eyes.
"Hey now, don't be sad," Ash said to him, "I already said, I'm still the same Ash you had seen in the screens. And besides..."
Before Pikachu could react, he was pulled to a hug with his head on the boy's shoulder.
"We're still, and going to be, the best of pals, right?" Ash said in a quiet voice, a noticeably quivering tone was caught in his ears.
Pikachu stayed silent for a while before giving an answer.
"No,"
Ash pulled the mouse back and stared at him in surprise. Pikachu on the other hand had his head down, eyes shadowed and avoiding Ash's look.
"What?" Ash said, confused and almost pained.
"No," Pikachu repeated then clarified, "We are not and won't be pals..."
Then Pikachu raised his head to Ash, where the boy can see a firm, settled shine in his eyes.
"Because it's not only us," Pikachu continued, "There's still Butterfree, Pidgeot, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Squirtle, and all the others! And...Cade. I may have only been with him for an entire night, but he's pretty much a considered partner to me too. Both of you are important to me,"
Ash stared speechless at his friend's words.
"Pikachu..."
"And another thing..." the mouse rolled on, "We're not going to be just friends...We're all going to be a family here. Cade has been alone since he lost his family, and I am going to change that. So you better hope you're ready, because you're going to have a brother this time around,"
Ash stared at him for a while, then a snort came from him before full blown laughing. Pikachu was taken back from the boy's reaction.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Ash said, managing to ease down with a few giggles until he was finally calm, "It's just....I did not expect you to talk like that. That was an awesome speech,"
Pikachu let out an embarrassed chuckle and rubbed the back of his head, "It's nothing that great to be honest,"
Ash shook his head and set the Electric-Type down, "Still, you were right. We can't actually leave the others behind, including Cade. He's now a part of this team-no, a part of this big family,"
Both boy and Pokémon stared at each other, matching the smile of the other. Ash raised a fist in front of Pikachu, which he mimicked in return and pressed against the other.
"When I come back, all of us will be Pokémon Masters that the world has never seen before," Ash declared.
"No doubt about that," Pikachu agreed.
Ash then had a look of surprise and looked up, his fist faltered away from Pikachu's.
"What's wrong?" Pikachu asked the moment he noticed his trainer's change of expression.
"Our time is almost up," Ash turned his attention back at Pikachu, "Meaning you're going to wake up soon,"
Pikachu then saw yellow sparkles of light coming out of the boy. It reminded him of two things: fireflies....and how players go in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Endings. It was a sight that somehow terrified him.
"Y-You're leaving me now?!" Pikachu panicked.
"Not forever, just for the meantime," Ash assured him as the boy's legs started disappearing.
"B-But wait-"
"Pikachu," Ash called, gaining the mouse's attention, "I am trusting you to guide Cade in my journey. Can I count on you for that?"
Pikachu looked at him as his eyes watered. He uselessly wiped the tears with his arms and looked back again with determination.
"Yes, you can," Pikachu said, emotions boiling up as he spoke, "I'll help Cade in this journey, I'll be by his side! Once you come back, the three of us will show the world we're the very best! THAT'S A PROMISE!"
In a burst, Pikachu leaped towards his fading companion. Ash smiled one last time, stretched out a still existing hand to the Electric-Type. Just as Pikachu's own paws reached the boy's hand, a bright light blindly consumed them. In amidst of this, Pikachu yelled out:
"I won't let you down, Ash!"