Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon.
Out of 1,000 Ways to say Sorry...

A secret corner of Unova. Dense fog clouded a small forest, hiding a cottage within. Deerlings, Pidoves, Patrats and other Pokémon frolicked around, having a good time. N watched from the window sill in the cottage. Seeing the creatures he befriended made him think back to his journeys with Ash and his friends. He received some ridicule from his two closest friends, Anthea and Concordia, for going out with Team Plasma searching for him. He was on the search for humans who understood the good-nature of Pokémon, understanding their hearts. His search brought him to Ash, Iris, Cilan and their Pokémon friends. They showed N that humans and Pokémon can be as close as he can. Despite his displeasure of Pokémon battles, N believed Ash that his work with Pikachu and his friends would make tasks most consider impossible. They helped protect him, the two women and the hurt and abandoned Pokémon from Team Plasma. Was it fate that brought Ash and N together? "It's a wonderful day, isn't it?" he softly spoke to the Pokémon from inside. None of them by the pond heard N. He didn't expect them to turn back to him, telling him how they felt. N turned around and wandered that halls. A familiar echo bounced around his head.

"I know there are trainers who abuse their Pokémon," the voice argued. "But that doesn't mean they're all bad. I've met plenty of good people throughout my journeys. You can't say all of them are bad because you've seen them" N closed his eyes and heard the voice repeatedly bellow out the argument.

'Ash, I know there are some humans who respect Pokémon. I believe you met them.' His thoughts were disrupted when a bedroom door opened. Drooping pink hair barely reaching her rags, Anthea turned to N for something.

"There you are, N," she greeted. Seeing the seriousness painted on her face, N figured there was a problem.

"Anthea, what's wrong?" In N's mind, it was a Pokémon that was sick or injured.

"It's Concordia." So much for it being a Pokémon. What could be wrong with Concordia? "She's been rather...distant recently. I'm worried that she may be ill." N didn't like the thought about someone close to him not in good health. Those three were so close to each other since they were little kids that if one wasn't his or herself, they could tell. N pondered the thought that Concordia wasn't physically sick but didn't want to take chances.

"Let's help her." They didn't go far. Heck, it was just a couple of doors down. N opened the door where he and Anthea eyed Concordia in bed, lying sideways. They reached the bedside and Anthea palmed Concordia on the head. Her forehead wasn't warm.

"I'm just fine, sister," Concordia retaliated. The pink-haired sighed in relief and removed her hand.

"I'm sorry, sister," Anthea apologized. "But I'm worried that something awful was happening. You've been in here for the past few days." Concordia's face dipped. She didn't mean to rile up her friends like that. A Deerling hoofed in the room as well, the same concern to the blond much like the rest. Viewing the Deerling, Concordia petted the Pokémon softly.

"Is there something on your mind?" N thought. Concordia's eyes were clear but she wasn't seeing with them.

"Do you still remember Ash and his friends?" she questioned. Anthea and N nodded. "I feel guilty about snapping at Ash, Iris and Cilan. I feel like I'm the one responsible for telling those kids off when Team Plasma found our home." Anthea felt just as guilty.

"You're not the only one," she admitted. "I do confess that we rushed guilt to those kids. They showed us that they understand the hearts of Pokémon and we refused them the true nature." N wasn't as sorry about the kids. He was the one who introduced them to his friends.

"Do you want to meet with Ash and his friends?" he suggested. "We don't need to worry about Team Plasma anymore." Concordia looked up to N, wondering if what he blurted out was true. Team Plasma not longer a threat to Unova? That should be good news. Concordia lowered her head. What could keep her down like that?

"I want to apologize to him," she decided. "But I don't know if I can. It's not that I can't say it. I just want to do it my way." Nothing particularly wrong with that...aside from the lack of courage per say. While Anthea and N try to help Concordia, a fork in the road pitted Ash, Cilan, Iris and their Pokémon friends to a difficult but unavoidable fate: separation. One way lead towards the Opelucid City. The other way lead to Nuvema Town.

"Looks like this is it," Ash murmured. "You're heading back towards the Village of Dragons and training to be the new Gym Leader." Iris bobbed her head, her destination set.

"It is sad that we have to go separate ways," the Dragon Trainer mulled. "But I can tell you it was a lot of fun going around Unova." All the people and Pokémon they've come across, the times they stopped Team Rocket, Team Plasma and Team Vanillite, the gym battles, the contests... it was a blast for the past several months.

"We did blend into a brilliant union smoothie, enriched throughout all the places we've visited," Cilan illustrated. Talk about a long-winded way to say they became great friends with each other. Iris stared at Cilan rather wickedly.

"Your food comparisons never cease me amaze me." That's when Ash had a question about Cilan and his plans.

"What about you, Cilan?" he asked. Cilan turned to Ash with an unsatisfied feeling.

"Come on, Ash! I've yet to delve into your success as a trainer! That's why I'll be sticking with you on your way back to Pallet Town." An extra friend on the flight back to Kanto. "I'm sure Chili and Cress can run the Striaton Gym without me." Ash hoped it was what Cilan's brothers would've wanted.

"Well if you are coming with me back home, you've gotta try my mom's cooking and perhaps get some of her recipes." Pikachu squeaked in agreement.

"Hey, maybe if I get a chance as well, I could try some and see if it comes close to Cilan's," Iris believed, Axew cheering from her hair. Suddenly, faces flipped 180 degrees. It meant the breakup of the group that toured the Unova Region. "Well...maybe we'll see each other sometime." Ash and Cilan nodded, knowing that this was a "see you later" and not a goodbye.

"Of course," Cilan wished. Finally, Iris turned to Ash.

"And Ash? No matter where your next adventure takes you, keep doing what you do, just not like a little kid." Ash sighed, that teasing still haunting him.

"Hey, same to you," he tried to comeback. It didn't matter. The farewells traded, Iris and the boys broke away and headed down the opposite paths. Down the pathway, Ash realized something that had haunted him since he started his adventure in Unova. "Hey, I forgot to ask Iris." Cilan blinked at what Ash balked at.

"What is it?" he wondered.

"Why did Iris travel with me? I mean, it was far different than when it was Misty, May or Dawn." In what aspect?

"I wouldn't worry about something like that. Maybe it was fate that brought her to you. Life can work in mysterious ways." Ash flustered a sigh, thinking it was pointless to stress over something like why Iris was by his hip.

"I guess so." As they traveled the road, Pikachu's ears perked up. Turning around, the Electric Mouse Pokémon peered out...but there was nothing. Was it something he heard? "Hey, Pikachu?" Now hearing his master, Pikachu turned to Ash. "What's wrong? Did you see something?" The rodent shook his head.

"Probably missing Iris and her Pokémon already." Whatever it was, Pikachu refocused on what was ahead. Evening set but not before the two and the creatures reached a Pokémon Center. There, Cilan got a phone call from Chili. Something startled Cilan. "Are you sure about it?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," Chili argued. "Why else would I be calling about it?" Cilan understood the issue at hand, albeit not happy about how to approach it.

"Okay. I'll let Ash know the change in plans and I'll see you and Cress soon." Hanging the phone up, Cilan had heartbreak. He wanted to travel with Ash so bad, this news was a major setback. He returned to Ash eating alongside Pikachu and Pansage. When Cilan entered the room, Ash saw the glum colored on Cilan's face. News wasn't pleasant.

"What's up?" he asked. Cilan's green eyes darted away for a moment that alerted Pansage.

"Chili told me that trainers have refused to battle him or Cress over at the Striaton Gym. It seems that trainers saw me on TV about the minor battles like during the Club Tournaments and the Junior Cup." To Ash. the Pokémon Connoisseur was also breaking up with Ash. Talk about upsetting circumstances. The Pokémon couldn't believe that Cilan was going a different path.

"I guess...that means we can't go back together, huh?" the dejected Connoisseur huffed heavily at the news.

"I'm sorry but it just goes like that. Still, we can rest tonight before we go our separate ways." It was a last supper with the two young men. The next morning, both sides viewed the paths ahead. Cilan looked at the map on his hand-held. "Nuvema Town isn't far and you should reach Professor Juniper's lab by this afternoon." This was it between Ash and Cilan.

"Sorry it had to end like this. It was definitely different than with Brock. It didn't mean it was less exciting." Cilan acknowledged Ash's point.

"You never know who you'll meet along the way. That's what blends in the excitement." Truer words never said any better. Both shook hands, a farewell. "This isn't goodbye."

"Until we meet again." At last, both parted down opposite ways. True to Cilan's word, Ash and Pikachu arrived at Nuvema Town. They soon reached Juniper's lab in which she was excited to see Ash make it.

"Hi, Ash," she greeted. "I see that you've made it here early. The plane doesn't arrive for two days to go back to Kanto." Ash didn't mind staying in town for an extra day. Juniper suddenly noticed that he was alone aside from Pikachu. "Hold on...where's Iris and Cilan?" It was still sudden for Ash.

"They left for their homes: Iris back to the Village of Dragons and Cilan back to Striaton City." Juniper saddened from the information.

"I see. Maybe I can go back with you. It's been a long time since I've been around Kanto and wanted to see what's different." So Ash wasn't going back alone? That rang in as good news, if somewhat. "I just hope that there's nothing in the way." That's a bit unsettling. Juniper guided Ash to a spare bedroom where he set his bags down. This was tough for Ash. His friends in this region were gone to their homes and all he could do was bring home the Pokémon from Unova for Professor Oak to see back in Pallet Town. At least pending circumstances, Juniper would make sure he didn't feel alone.

"Iris, I was kind of expecting since Drayden wanted to pass the torch. Cilan...I actually didn't think his brothers would tell him to stay. I was so sure he'd be with us for a little while longer." Pikachu chimed in, also disbelief shaping his emotion. "Oh well. We could use this opportunity to help Professor Juniper around before the flight back home." Evening set in rather quickly as Ash cleaned himself up with a shower. Yes, he knows how to use a shower. Once freshened up, he reached the spare bedroom where he thought he'd be alone. Just before jumping in bed, Juniper knocked on the door.

"Ash, you still awake?"

"Yeah, what's up? Something with Pikachu?"

"It's not Pikachu! A couple of people wanted to see you!" At this time of night? Not a big deal to Ash, and the fact that he was in a turquoise t-shirt and shorts was the first thing Juniper saw as he filed out. Was it Iris and Cilan? Maybe it was Bianca and Stephan or Georgia and Burgundy? Trip was a possibility too. He reached the lobby and there stood N and Concordia. It was a surprise Ash wasn't even thinking about.

"N? Concordia?" N huffed a slight chuckle from Ash's gawk.

"Sorry if we're interrupting something," he apologized. Ash wove off in forgiveness.

"Nah, I was just about to retire for the night. Probably needed it after the past couple of days." N bobbed a nod to say that he knew.

"I was told by some of the flying Pokémon that Iris and Cilan left for their homes." N's ability to talk to Pokémon was uncanny. "I would've wanted the three of you together on more journeys. Alas, fate has other plans." Even though it was out of his hands, Ash still hated the concept that his friends would depart from him just as they were at their peaks. It's happened on multiple occasions like Misty, May, Max, Dawn and Brock beforehand. Concordia stood up, wanting to get something off her chest.

"Um...Ash..." she stuttered. The appearance of N and Concordia had Ash wondering about the absence of their third member.

"Hold on," he spoke out. "Where's Anthea?" N obligated to answer that.

"She's back home tending to some Pokémon," he replied. To Ash, it made sense. Concordia was ready to excuse N.

"Why don't you attend to Professor Juniper about the Pokémon in her lab," she allowed. N wondered about this request.

"I suppose so." N distanced himself from the two. Alone, Concordia faced Ash.

"The reason I came to visit is because...I wanna apologize to you and your friends...and to properly thank you for dissolving Team Plasma." It sounded straightforward to why the hesitation? Ash didn't seem settled by it.

"I would've been fine with an easy sorry. It's not a big deal." Concordia wasn't satisfied with an "easy sorry."

"A sorry like that feels more for an accident or a misplacement. Anthea and I unjustly considered you helping out Team Plasma when we should have trusted N on it. You may accept an easy sorry but I wanted to say it with a little more feeling." That's one way to come out of the closet. She gripped her fingers in her knuckles. "I know that thanks to you and your friends, N is eternally safe." Ash felt succumbed in her words.

"Concordia..." The blond woman winced for a second, scaring Ash to thinking she was in pain. "You o-" Ash's words were cut with Concordia's lunge, hug and...the meeting of the lips. It was so sudden for Ash, he couldn't react fast enough. The warm lips of Concordia's hypnotized Ash where he couldn't think straight. Without warning, a golden glow shone from the two where the light leaked through the crack of the door in which N and Pikachu were briefly blinded. They could only wonder what was going on just beyond the door. When the former successor of Ghetsis and Ash's partner in crime reached the door, they saw a sight that words wouldn't be enough. Concordia was on top of Ash lying down while embraced in each other and both were shining in a veil of light. One interesting feature was the awkwardly constant movement of Concordia's hips barely seen due to her long skirt. Did Concordia do something under her skirt for her to softly swing her hips? After a few minutes, she relaxed and sat above Ash's legs. Both Ash and Concordia's breathing was notably labored for a little while.

"Take my apology..." Finally, both were fast asleep. Pikachu and N were perplexed with this sudden event.

"Out of a thousand ways to apologize, you also made sure you both remember each other," he murmured. Pikachu wasn't so sure about that.

("Are you sure that's an apology?") he squeaked. Neither wanted to move either off the cold floor. A couple days later, the plane to Kanto arrived. Ash, Juniper and Pikachu were ready to board, leaving behind a region he journeyed, rescued and befriended.

"Flight 492, Nuvema Airport to Viridian Airport now boarding," a woman on the speakers announced. With Pikachu on his shoulder, Ash and Juniper walked out to the seaplane to board, N and Concordia just behind them.

"I know that you've a journey to continue on," he shrugged. "Can you promise me that you'll keep an eye on protecting Pokémon wherever you go?" Ash bobbed a nod, knowing N's wishes.

"Absolutely," he cheered. "I'll make sure." N nodded back, sure that Ash can grant his troubled worries aside.

"If you need any help, I'm sure whoever is with you will be of assistance," Concordia advised. Ash bobbed once more before joining Juniper on board. Soon the seaplane skimmed the water before taking to the sky. For one night, Concordia's apology was more than an apology. The blond watched on, the young protector of Pokémon departed from Unova...never to leave from her heart.