A man signaled to a child with his hands.

"Hey come here, I want to tell you something. You know, before I leave tomorrow."

It was about 8 o'clock in a small town in the Kanto region. There was a downpour outside.

A five year old boy looked up at the man with gleaming eyes full of hope.

"Yeah?" He replied. As he replied, he continued to play with his toy trains on the floor. His favorite toy. An Alolan Raichu walked around the room looking for some entertainment.

"Don't say this around your mother but, I really want you to be a Pokemon trainer." The man said to his child. The man's hair was jet black with a spiky pattern. He wore an official Pokemon League hat that was red and white with a green with a stylized logo to resemble a Pokeball. His partner Raichu was now eating some candy the boy left on the counter.

Although the boy didn't listen, his attention was completely focused on the toy trains.

"Hey, listen to me when I'm speaking. I didn't raise my little Ash to be disrespectful." The man said with a commanding voice.

The raven-haired kid raised his head and made direct eye contact with the man. "Well sorry Daddy. It's just sometimes you drag on and on and on."

"Well this time it's important little one." The father said.

"Why do you talk like an old person from those folktales Mom makes me read?" Ash questioned. He seemed generally curious.

Ash's father gave a shocked expression but only for a bit.

"Gee, I'm surprised you noticed. I've been reading them a little bit. They seem kinda cool."

Ash pouted, puffing his cheeks out. "No they're not. They're boring and weird. Sometimes the Pokemon and humans can be so stupid."

Ash's father gave a little chuckle.

"Rai! Chu chu! Chu chu!" That was the all too familiar sound of Raichu choking. A regular thing. This time from the candy on the counter.

"Oh man. Classic Raichu." Ash said. "I'll go get some water." He got up and walked from his room to the kitchen.

As Ash got some water, his father slightly scolded his Pokemon while patting it on his back. "Gosh what did I say about chewing before swallowing Raichu? You're like another kid."

Once Ash returned with water and Raichu calmed down, Ash's father continued with what he was saying.

"Alright. Can we talk about what I was saying now?"

Ash nodded his head.

"Ash. I really want you to be a Pokemon trainer. I want you to travel the world. Meet new friends. Have fun and meaningful adventures. Learn important lessons along the way."

Ash tilted his head. "But Mommy said I can't remember? She wants me to become a great scholar and support the family."

Ash's father patted his son's head. "I understand where she's coming from, but is that really what you want to do?"

"Nope." Ash said cheerfully.

"Thought so." His father said. "Listen. I want you to become a great trainer. Then come and find me. We'll have our own adventures."

Ash's gleeful face quickly changed to a confused one. He put down the toy train he was holding and walked closer to his father. "What do you mean come and find me?"

"Don't you remember. We talked about this. I'm going on a business trip."

"Yeah, but you're coming back aren't you?" Ash looked as worried as a mother to her child.

Ash's father didn't say anything, he only gave a small smile. He took off his cap and handed it to his son.

"Hey. If you ever feel lonely or really miss me, here's my cap."

Ash waved his hands in front of him. "No way! That's a limited edition Pokemon League hat you got years ago! You love it too much to give it away."

Ash's father placed the hat on his head. "Not as much as I love you. Plus it's getting a little small."

Ash was stunned and felt the hat on his head. "Wow. Thanks Dad. I'm definitely gonna be a great Pokemon trainer now that I have this! I'll never lose!"

"Shush! Not so loud or your mother will hear." The father scolded.

"Right sorry." Ash said in a hushed voice. "But Dad, you are coming back, right?"

Ash's Father was about to respond before Delia barged through the door.

"Aaron, were you telling Ash." Delia said with a stern voice.

"Oh just having one more talk with my son here before I leave! Right Ash?" Aaron said nudging at Ash.

It took a while for Ash to register what his father was getting at. "Oh yeah. I'm gonna miss Daddy." He began to rub his eyes to make it more believable. If Delia knew what they were talking about, it'd all be over.

"Aaron, I don't want you to give him any ideas on being a Trainer. And is that your hat? Ash take that off this instant." She scolded the two men.

"Yes, Mooom." Ash said taking off the hat and giving it back to his father.

Delia walked to the door frame. "Aaron, Ash needs to sleep. He has a big Mathematics test tomorrow." She walked out of the room.

"Big? He's in kindergarten. Can't be that serious." Aaron called out. He turned to Ash. "Well best be sleeping. It is a bit late."

Once Ash was tucked into his bed, his father shared one of his many adventures he's had on his journeys. A daily thing.

"But then, we find a bunch of Ratatta eating our food! Raichu was able to shoo them away. So we just ordered some takeout." Aaron finished up.

"Ahaha. Dad your stories are the best." Ash closed his eyes. "One day, after my journey, I'm gonna tell you about all my adventures! And then we can have a Pokémon battle!"

"Looking forward to it." Aaron said softly as he patted his son.

"See you tomorrow Dad." Ash quietly said.

Aaron was hesitant. "Sure." He eventually said.

That was the last word Ash had heard from his father. The last conversation. The last time he saw his face.

*

Now, the sun began to set over the Jenta region. The once 5 year old boy, now a 15 year old teenager ran down the streets of Novis City. His tears making a trail as he ran.

"Dad. I-I can't keep our promise. I'm not a strong trainer and I never will be. And I'm never gonna see you again." Ash told himself. His tears continues to pour. With his blurry eyesight, he bumped into a woman.

"I-I'm so sorry. I d-didn't mean to-"

"No no. It's my fault. I'm just waiting for someone."

Ash instantly recognized the voice. Once he looked up at the woman's face, he froze instantly.

The woman gasped once she saw Ash's face. Ash was the exact person she was looking for.

Ash was still shocked. This familiar voice.

"Ash! Oh honey. What's wrong?! What happened?!"

Was the voice of his mother.

Ash began to stutter, barely making a sentence. Noticing his distress, Delia pulled her son closer for comfort.

"Shush. It's okay. Come let's go to the Pokémon Center. We can talk there. C'mon, wipe those tears."

Ash and Delia slowly made their way to the Pokémon Center as the sun finally set.

*

In a little less than a minute, Ash fell fast asleep. All that could be heard was the raindrops outside.

"Out of all the things I'm going to miss, I'm gonna miss you most of all Ash." Aaron, his father, said quietly while looking at the sleeping Ash. After a few tears rolled down his face, he took off his hat and left it on his son's counter.

'Ash, I need you to find me. One day. One day. Till then, I'll be waiting.'

Aaron walked out of Ash's room and faced Delia.

"Please." She started. "Please don't go. We need you. I don't know how Ash will act if something were to happen."

Aaron took a breath. "Delia, you of all people know I have to do this. Yes, I may be leaving my son, but I'm also trying to save him too. I'm trying to save everyone."

Delia hugged Aaron. It was like that for a while before she broke the silence.

"Just... Please come back." Delia pled.

Aaron didn't reply. He retrieved Raichu and put on his coat. He took one last look at his wife before walking out into the rain.

A car pulled around. He got in and took another look at this house in Pallet Town.

"I'll do whatever it takes to get back. Promise." He finally said.

The car pulled out of the town and into the rainy night.

One week later, Aaron was announced dead. Delia not knowing how to deal with this situation could barely take care of Ash at this time.

"Mom, are you okay?" Ash asked. He was wearing the hat his father left behind.

"Ash, take off that hat!" Delia yelled at her son. Ash quickly took of the hat in fear of her mother's anger. Delia couldn't tell Ash what had happened. He wouldn't be able to handle it. She would tell him when he was older. Eventually.

She blamed the whole situation on becoming a Pokemon Trainer. If Aaron wasn't one, he'd still be here. With them, with her.

So that was the life Ash grew up in. His dreams of becoming a trainer were crushed at a young age. Many parents around the area believed that being Pokémon Trainer was dangerous, and Aaron's death proved that.

Ash wouldn't be aware of his father's death until 10 years had gone and left.

Instead of stopping him, his recent knowledge of his father's death pushed him to become a trainer in order to live out that promise he made.

But now, it looks as if that promise will never be fulfilled.

"Ash, please. Stop this journey. Come home."

Okay! That's the end. Story driven and emotional I hope. This is the beginning of trying to make my chapters shorter than 2000 words so, if it felt shorter that's why. But hope you enjoyed this chapter coming only a mere 10 days after the previous one.

Jenta Fact: Jenta doesn't have as much new Pokémon as the other regions. That's because Jenta is a fairly new region made not so long ago. Not much new Pokémon were able to inhabit it before humans found it. They brought over Pokémon from other regions to accompany the Jenta region. Jenta exclusive Pokémon are very rare!

Tune in for Chapter XIII: Choosing the Right Path

Alright, AceZackary signing off!