The Return of a Pokémon Master

Summary: After Ash won the Indigo Plateau and became the world's greatest Pokemon Master, he went into hiding. Now a young man of eighteen, he returns to find everything changed. Can he patch things up and save the world from Team Rocket again? Can a young girl from childhood save him?

Notes: Err... this is a revamped version of a 'fic I had posted on the 'Net three years ago. Err; everything's changed, so if you remember the old one, you'll notice a few differences.

Yes, I know I'm a little old to be writing PKMN fanfic, but I don't care. I like the games.

This is probably an AU, 'cause it sure as hell is different than the games and the show.

Pairing(s): Ash and Misty mostly. If ya don't like the pairing then hit the 'Back' button on your browser. Show it some lovin'.

Beta Reader(s): Thank you, Jenn Chaverez for checking my canon facts, and to Lily Lin, I appreciate you looking over my grammar and spelling. I can't thank you guys enough!

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, never did, and never will. It all belongs to Satoshi Tajiri. I'm just borrowing the characters.

Anyhoo, onto the story!

---

Fame. Fortune. None of this mattered to the native of Pallet Town. He could care less about all the publicity, because the one he loved was no where to be found, and what's the big deal about fame unless you have someone to share it with?

So, what he did was hide away in a cave for most of his teen years, training harder. Why? Because he didn't think he was powerful enough. He was the final opponent.

So he took his beloved Pokemon and ran.

An eighteen year old boy was sipping hot chocolate, sitting under a cherry tree in a town not far off from Blackthorn. Uncharted, the town was for those who wished to be kept away from the world, and to Ash Ketchum, that was the best thing.

You see, being famous came with all its ups and downs, including cameras being in your face and being beaten senseless by all the opponents.

Coming back from the cave he lived in soon afterwards, he became stronger, and if anyone was to oppose him, he would dispose of them.

A yellow and brown Pokemon darted down a path and came to a stop, hopping into its master's lap. It was a Pikachu, but not just any Pikachu: this Pikachu was responsible for beating so many trainers and crushing their dreams of taking Ash's title away.

"Pika!" it said, looking its master in the eyes.

"Hungry?" Ash asked, going through the contents of his backpack.

The Pokemon nodded and cocked its head to the side, eyeing the pack.

Ash took out a rather large bottle of Ketchup and handed it to his beloved Pokemon.

"Have fun."

---

Oh darn. This is bad was all that ran through a girl's mind. Running from a band of thieves, she saw several dead ends, and one was straight ahead. She would have no where to turn to.

Why me, God? The red headed girl, Misty Waterflower, asked herself. She had her back to the dead end, the thieves closing in. She could smell their unwashed bodies, their stinky breath, and could hear the sound of laughter and rope being taken out of a backpack. Yes, she got herself into a very bad situation.

Ever since Ash left her to go into hiding, bad things have been happening. First she finds out that Team Rocket came back, and now this. She sighed. It was normal for her. After all, what really mattered anymore?

She shook her head.

One of the thieves, Stephan, came over to her, rope in hand with a grin that suggested nothing but lewd thoughts.

"Come with us and we'll treat you with respect," he said, flashing a smile that no one would dare trust, "Or try to run and we'll have to do this the hard way."

What was she going to do, run and risk her ass? He said he would treat her with respect if she went…

But, she thought. It is a little farfetched. I mean, really, would you trust someone who has a rope in their hand? She shrugged. They probably had knives, and she'd probably end up worse than she already was.

"Fine," she said, her arms placed in front of her as Stephan tied the rope around them.

This is going to be a long day.

---

Walking. That was all he and Pikachu did. Yeah, it was good exercise; I'm sure you'd agree too. But the thing was they really had no purpose. I mean, why go anywhere if you were afraid of a camera flashing or the tabloids going nuts on you? Did it really matter?

Ash sighed. His arms crossed, and Pikachu on his shoulder, he walked over a tiny cherry tree and sat down.

"It sucks being famous," he said, stroking Pikachu's furry back.

"It does nothing but make you reclusive."

Pikachu's little furry head looked up at his master. Why would it suck? I kind of like having all the ketchup I want, the Pokémon thought, liking all the attention its sore back was getting.

Sometimes I think Ash takes things for granted.

This was true. While you might've thought that Ash would never mature, he did. A lot of things happened, and one of them was losing Misty.

Over time, he and Gary would catch up with each other. I have no clue what made them "buddies" and some people would probably call them, but I can say for certain that they both grew up.

Gary became the gym leader for Viridian City after Team Rocket went into hiding, one of the things that was on his "To-Do" list. If he couldn't become a Pokemon Master, then what about being a gym leader? Wasn't it practically the same thing? You became famous, and that's what Gary loved.

---

She sat. That's all she did was sit. After all, she thought, there's nothing else to do here.

The boys decided to go and get some other "poor and defenseless women" as she called them, and left her all alone.

"They should know better," she thought, getting up and walking out the door, sneaking away from "Club Dumbass", something she always called it.

"Who needs Stephan, anyway? I've got someone to find."

---

Sleeping is good. Ash knew this well, as that's all he really did anymore. No one came to bother him as of late, and that was a Good Thing.

Pikachu was somewhat awake, its bottle of Ketchup never far from its yellow body.

Hmm, someone just doesn't understand the luxury of Ketchup, it thought, drifting off to sleep.

Alrighty, that… was quite short (for me, anyway). Review with constructive criticism, please.

Thanks!