As Ash stood celebrating his near-death escape from the collapsing underground ruins, a sudden blur rushed toward him. Before he could react, a crying little girl collided with him, burying her face in his chest.
"Ashly?" Ash raised an eyebrow as he instinctively patted his little sister's head, trying to comfort her. "What's wrong?" he asked softly, though Ashly didn't respond—she just continued sobbing, clutching onto him tightly, as if afraid he would disappear again.
Then, Ash looked up, noticing for the first time the large crowd gathered around them. The commotion caused by the collapsing ruins had clearly attracted a lot of attention. People stood murmuring among themselves, some looking in awe, others in concern. But Ash shook his head, focusing on what truly mattered at that moment.
"Ashly, calm down," Ash said gently, rubbing her back in an attempt to soothe her. "I'm alive, see? I'm fine," he chuckled softly, but his sister's fear ran too deep to be shaken off easily.
As he comforted Ashly, a couple of familiar figures approached him.
First was May, her eyes filled with tears as she hurried over to him. "Ash!" she cried out. "You scared us, you idiot!" Despite her words, Ash knew there was no real anger behind them, just overwhelming relief. It made him a little happy.
Ash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about that."
Next was Professor Alden, who seemed utterly distraught, his eyes wide as he took in the devastation of the ruins. "Ash! What the hell happened here?! Look at what's left of these priceless ruins!" His voice carried a deep sense of loss, clearly shaken by the destruction.
Before Ash could explain, another voice cut in. "I would love to know that as well," Officer Jenny said as she stepped forward, frowning impatiently.
Ash opened his mouth to answer, but before he could get a word out, Nurse Joy appeared from behind Officer Jenny. "He can answer your questions later—right now, this boy needs medical attention!" she declared.
"Nurse Joy, this is important," Officer Jenny protested. "Interrogating him won't take long."
"Officer Jenny, I understand your concern, but this boy was nearly buried alive. I need to make sure he's not seriously injured," Nurse Joy argued, standing her ground.
The two women stared at each other for a long moment before Officer Jenny sighed, conceding. "Fine. You win. Take him with you for now," she said, then looking towards Ash. "Boy, I'm securing one of the rooms of the Pokémon Center, so when you're done getting checked up, come straight there."
Ash gave Officer Jenny a grateful nod as Nurse Joy escorted him toward the Pokémon Center. On the way, he managed to finally peel Ashly off him—his little sister having latched onto him like a koala the entire walk. He passed her over to May, who promised to look after her while he got examined.
Once inside the check-up room, Ash handed Nurse Joy the Pokéballs for Pikachu, Cyndaquil, Wartortle, and Charizard, letting them get their well-deserved treatment. He briefly considered sending Diancie for a check-up as well but decided against it for now. He thought it wasn't a good idea to expose Diancie to the outside world before explaining to her about the current world and understanding her thoughts on her current situation first.
As Nurse Joy examined him, Ash realized he wasn't as unharmed as he had initially thought. Adrenaline had masked the pain, but now it became clear that he had dozens of scrapes and bruises, as well as a deep bleeding cut on his leg. Additionally, the internal check-up showed that he had inhaled a considerable amount of dust despite his efforts to shield his nose and face.
Thanks to the wonders of Pokémon world medicine, Nurse Joy and her Chansey were able to patch him up quickly. The injuries that would have taken weeks to heal in his old life were now completely gone, leaving Ash feeling grateful once more for being reborn into the Pokémon world. His lungs were cleared, his bruises healed, and even the deep cut on his leg was mended with no trace left behind.
Once the treatment was finished, Ash left the check-up room and inquired about the room Officer Jenny had secured. Though he wanted to take a long bath first, he knew it wouldn't be wise to keep Officer Jenny waiting any longer than necessary.
Upon arriving at the room, he was greeted by Officer Jenny and Professor Alden, both of whom were seated and waiting for him. The moment Ash sat down, Officer Jenny wasted no time.
"Start from the beginning," she instructed.
Ash nodded and launched into his story. He began by explaining that he had gone to the ruins late at night hoping to find something interesting for Ashly, since she had shown curiosity about the place earlier in the day. He knew the reasoning sounded flimsy even as he said it, but it was the best excuse he could come up with on the spot. There was no way he could tell them the truth about hearing a mysterious voice calling out to him—that would raise far too many questions, especially concerning his [Enhanced Blessing of Viridian Forest] which was something he didn't want to expose to strangers if he didn't have to.
Then he continued and told them exactly what had transpired there... well with just some alterations, of course. He told them about stumbling upon a hidden staircase while wandering around the Ruins, omitting the part about the strange trigger that revealed the staircase and the mysterious feeling that had led him to the staircase in the first place.
Then he continued and told them about going down the stairs and finding some things that he didn't recognize. But before he could explore or even inspect anything, Team Magma showed up and harassed him. So he fought back and won. Then that woman showed up and caused an earthquake with the help of her Camerupt and fled using her Claydol. Obviously, he omitted the parts about Diancie as well and didn't show any recognition towards Courtney since it would have been weird for a kid from Kanto who hadn't even spent a week in Hoenn to know about a high-ranking member of Hoenn's prominent criminal organization.
Finally, he explained how he had escaped, telling them the truth about using Charizard to Dig their way out. There was nothing to hide in that part of the story, after all.
Once he finished his tale, Officer Jenny began her line of questioning, throwing in a few curveball questions to check for any discrepancies in his story. Fortunately for Ash, he managed to answer all her questions smoothly without raising any suspicions.
Professor Alden, however, looked increasingly devastated as Ash mentioned the hidden staircase. The professor lamented over the lost artifacts and knowledge now buried beneath the ruins, clearly mourning the destruction of such invaluable history.
After nearly an hour and a half, the interrogation finally came to an end. Officer Jenny, satisfied with Ash's responses, cleared him of any suspicion and allowed him to leave.
Ash stretched as he left the room, feeling the weight of the evening finally starting to lift. "Now," he muttered to himself, "I need that bath." With that, he headed back to his room, looking forward to a long and much-needed soak after the intense day he'd had.
******
After his long, relaxing bath, Ash sat on the bed and took a deep breath, knowing he had to tackle the situation with Diancie next. So without wasting more time, Ash grabbed Diancie's Pokéball and tossed it into the air, releasing the Dimond Pokémon into the room.
As the bright light faded, Diancie appeared, floating in the room and immediately looking around, her eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings. Once her curiosity was satisfied, her gaze shifted to Ash, waiting patiently for him to speak.
"Hey," Ash began softly, trying to set a gentle tone. "I know all of this must be confusing, but before I explain everything, can I ask you some questions?" Diancie nodded quietly, her large, gem-like eyes focused on him. "What's the last thing you remember before waking up in that place?"
"Diancie..." she said softly, and Ash listened attentively as Diancie recounted her encounter with the horde of Hydreigon and how she had fought to protect someone important to her before collapsing. As she finished, her eyes brightened, and she looked at Ash expectantly, asking Ash where Ziva was.
"Ziva?" Ash froze for a second, the unfamiliar name bouncing around in his mind. Then he remembered something and quickly reached into his bag, pulling out the old photograph he had found in the old ruins. He held it up for Diancie to see. "Is Ziva in this picture?" he asked, showing her the worn image.
Diancie's eyes lit up the moment they landed on the photo. She nodded enthusiastically and pointed to the golden-haired woman wearing a Key Stone around her neck. Ash studied the image, confirming that this Diancie, standing before him now, was indeed the same one from the 800-year-old photograph.
That's when the realization hit Ash hard. Diancie had no idea she was out of her time, and the people she once knew and loved were long gone. How in the world was he going to tell her? How could he explain such a painful truth to anyone, let alone a sweet and gentle soul like Diancie in front of him?
Taking a deep breath, Ash gently reached out and took Diancie's hands. "Listen," he began, his voice soft but firm. "There's something I need to tell you, and it might be hard for you to hear." Diancie tilted her head, confusion written across her face, but she listened carefully. Ash continued, explaining the truth about the passage of time, how hundreds of years had passed, and that Ziva, along with everyone Diancie had once known, was long gone.
As the words sank in, Diancie's world seemed to crumble. Her bright crystals dimmed as tears welled up in her eyes. "Diancie..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. The names of the people she had loved—Ziva and Diana—kept repeating in her mind, their loss hitting her like a tidal wave. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she trembled, overwhelmed by the weight of the truth.
Ash's heart clenched at the sight. He wanted to say something—anything—that would comfort her, but he knew that no words would ease the grief she was feeling. Diancie wasn't just dealing with loss; she had been ripped out of her time and left in a world where everything she had once known was gone. Her grief was so out of the norm that Ash couldn't even imagine himself in her place, let alone think of something that could ease this kind of pain.
Pikachu, who had been watching from the side, wore an expression of sadness, mirroring Ash's feelings. He, too, didn't know how to help Diancie. Pikachu trusted Ash to find a way to comfort her, but this time even Ash seemed lost.
Unable to find the right words, Ash did the only thing he could think of—he gently pulled Diancie into a hug, wrapping his arms around her trembling form. At first, Diancie seemed startled by the sudden gesture, but soon, she felt the familiar warmth of his embrace. It reminded her of Ziva's touch—the comfort, the love—and that familiarity broke the dam of emotions within her. She leaned into Ash's arms and cried, releasing all of her grief in deep, heart-wrenching sobs.
For half an hour, Diancie clung to Ash, crying until her tears slowed and her body stopped shaking. Even when she calmed down, her mood remained down, and the light in her crystals remained dull, reflecting the deep sadness still weighing on her heart.
"Diancie," Ash spoke gently as the Diamond Pokémon looked up at him, "What do you want to do now?"
Diancie lowered her gaze, her heart heavy. She didn't know what to do. Even if she returned to Kalos, she knew the forest she once called home wouldn't be the same after all these years. Nothing was the same anymore. She was lost in a world that had moved on without her.
Looking at Diancie in such a helpless situation, Ash sighed and decided to step forward and help her. "Hey, if you don't have anywhere to go, why don't you join me on my journey?" he suggested with a warm smile.
Diancie tilted her head in confusion. "Diancie?" she asked softly, unsure of what he meant by the journey.
"Ah right you must not know what I am talking about," Ash said nodding to himself. "I'm Ash Ketchum, and I'm a Pokémon Trainer. What that means is that I travel around different regions with my Pokémon, making friends with other Pokémon and battling in something called Gym Battles." He tried to explain it as simply as possible.
"That's Pikachu," he said, gesturing to his electric companion, who greeted Diancie with a friendly smile. "You've already met Cyndaquil and Wartortle, right?" Diancie nodded quietly. "They're some of my closest friends who help me battle and travel with me. You can join us, and if you want to, you can train and battle with us too. But that part is totally up to you. First, you can just travel with us, see the world, and decide what you want."
Ash extended his hand toward her, offering her a choice. "So, what do you say, Diancie? Want to join me on my journey?"
Diancie stared at his hand for a long moment, her mind racing through everything that had happened. She reviewed her brief time with Ash and realized that despite everything, he had shown her nothing but kindness. She knew it would be a nightmare for her to navigate this changed world on her own. Having a kind person like Ash along with her would be a great boon. And then there was that familiar warmth that radiated from Ash, reminding her of Ziva. Considering all these things, Diancie finally moved forward and placed her hand in Ash's with a small smile.
"Thank you for trusting me, Diancie," Ash said, returning her smile. "Welcome to the family and from now on, we're going to be best friends for life!"
As soon as those words left his mouth, Diancie's eyes widened in shock. The phrase echoed in her mind, bringing back a precious memory— 'I'm Ziva Axel Kalos, and from now on, we're going to be best friends for life!' A soft glow spread across Diancie's crystals as she remembered Ziva's promise.
Overwhelmed by emotion, Diancie rushed forward and hugged Ash tightly, surprising him with her sudden affection.
In her heart, Diancie knew the grief of not being able to see Ziva or Diana ever again was never going to go away. But she had also accepted the fact that there was no use in crying over something that was out of her hand. So she was going to trust Ash and enjoy this second chance at life that she was given. She wanted to make so many memories so that the next time she saw her friend again, they would have tons of stories to share.
Meanwhile, unaware of Diancie's thoughts, Ash saw her once lusterless crystals bloom again and smiled while patting her head. Then determination flashed through his eyes as he vowed to himself that he was going to make sure his new family member would never ever feel alone again.
To be continued...
******
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