( ~ Splash ~ )

( ~ Splash ~ )

Austin breathed heavily as he washed.

His mind seemed to have been filled with a kind of fog.

He just wanted to go to sleep but he knew if he went back to sleep then those nightmares would again haunt him.

A few tears escaped Austin's eyes as he looked at the mirror in front of him.

Slapping his face a few times, Austin told himself that his Pokémon needed him.

He needed to be strong for them but could he be strong?

If he wasn't so weak then maybe Raticate would be still alive.

Feeling a tightness in his chest, Austin opened the tap and washed his face again.

The feeling of tightness was getting more and more uncomfortable.

Taking a few deep breaths, Austin thought he should get some sleeping pills for himself.

His lack of sleep was causing him to not think straight.

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The Next day, Austin found himself awake in bed but if he was being honest with himself. He didn't know if he had any sleep at all.

It was like he had closed his eyes and then opened them.

( ~ Knock ~ )

( ~ Knock ~ )

Austin's gaze shifted to the door as he sighed.

" I... It's open."

The door of the room slowly opened revealing a Steven stone.

Austin pushed himself up to greet Steven who just stopped him with a gesture.

" Looks like we meet again, Ash."The former Hoenn Champion replied, ecstatic at seeing the young man who had been instrumental in their survival against the overwhelming odds. He was a former Champion, and had a fellow Champion and Elite Four members with him, and yet, if not for this ten-year-old, someone with barely a few months of experience under his belt, they would have become a shade of the past, listed as one of the many deaths in the tragedy of SS. Anne.

"Y.Yeah."

Steven looked at Austin's body and he could see that the death of one of Austin's Pokemon was taking a toll on his physical and mental health.

" G..Good Morning, Steven ."

" Ash, it's almost high noon."

" ...., Oh !"

" Let me order you something to eat." Steven said as he smirked," What do you want to eat? Spend as much as you want, it's my treat."

Austin just waved his hand and said," I am not hungry, maybe later."

" .... "

Steven just closed his eyes and nodded. While he didn't know the kind of grief the trainer in front of him was feeling, he knew not to overstep his boundaries.

" Looks like your Pokémon are quite enthusiastic about training."

Austin's hands shook as he heard Steven's words.

He wanted to slap himself, of course, every one of his Pokémon would be affected by Raticate's death, and here he was moping in his bed. He should out there helping his Pokemon.

' Why am I such a useless trainer? '

Seeing Austin's shaky hands, Steven placed a hand on Austin's shoulder causing him to look at Steven.

" I know you are currently dealing with a lot of issues mentally but remember these words, you are not a bad trainer. The tournament in the SS Anne showed me that you are an excellent trainer. Raticate didn't die because of something you did, she sacrificed her life for you. I am sure she was happy under the care of a trainer like you."

Austin looked at his hands as Steven's words rang through his mind.

' Was she truly happy under my care ?'

Seeing Austin clench his hands, Steven knew that the young trainer was still in doubt.

Signaling Pikachu to come in, Steven smiled lightly as Pikachu jumped and whacked Austin's head as he began to shout at him.

" Pika! Pika! Pikachu! Pikachu! Pika! Pika! Chu !"

Even though Austin didn't know what Pikachu was saying, in his heart he knew that Pikachu was telling him that he was a good trainer.

Austin's eyes teared up causing Pikachu to look at his trainer with a little worry.

A few tears ran down Austin's eyes as he outstretched his arms and hugged his starter.

Steven stood up and walked outside, intending to give Austin a little space with his starter.

( ~ Creek ~ )

( ~ Clap ~ )

The door closed behind him as Steven exclaimed," You could have said those words to him, Cynthia."

Standing with a worried look was the young Sinnoh Champion who replied," Words from someone older have a much deeper impact than the same words spoken by a friend."

Steven nodded as Cynthia raised an eyebrow and asked," So, what are you doing here ?"

" I wanted to talk with Ash but that could wait. He needs this."

" Yeah ."

" Do you think, he will get over this loss ?"

To Steven's question, Cynthia answered," No; unlike other wounds, the wounds of grief don't fade away over time. They are always a part of us."

" Speaking from experience."

" ..... Yeah."

" My apologies !"

" Don't worry about it, you didn't know."

Suddenly Cynthia's xtransceiver beeped as her eyes lit up.

" Excuse me, Steven."

Cynthia turned around and left as she picked up a call from a friend she met during her time discussing the establishment of the Sinnoh Battle Frontier.

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Steven looked at Austin who was a little reserved but the gloominess around him had dissipated quite a bit.

Looks like he had released quite a lot of pent-up emotions.

" So what is your plan for the future ?"

" I plan to go to the lavender tower to bury Raticate ... then I guess I'll train with my Pokemon and then go back to the gym challenge," Austin answered with an indecisive tone.

" Ash, Can I ask you something ?"

Seeing the serious tone in Steven's voice, Austin's back straightened as he nodded signaling Steven to continue.

" ..... How did you find Raticate's body ?" Steven said in a deathly serious tone

" I had a one-on-one conversation with Mew… the psychic who destroyed SS. Anne," Austin answered with a darkened face.

Steven paled. "The…. The psychic?"

"His name is Mewtwo." Austin replied, "and he knew that…" he paused, before deciding that there was no point in hiding the truth, "—that I was the one who summoned the King Dragonite."

Steven opened his mouth and closed it. "I had suspicions, that you might have had something to do with it. Was that why you….?" He trailed off, unsure how to speak about the entire thing.

Austin smiled mirthlessly. "I thought… that I would be killed for attempting such a thing. I'm still not sure how I managed to survive."

"I'm just happy that you did. Balls to how." Steven spoke, before looking embarrassed at his use of an expletive in front of a youngster. Then again, considering what they had been through, the use of the expletive didn't even count.

Austin chuckled.

"Considering that you aren't… you know, charred and lying in a ditch somewhere, I presume that this… Mewtwo had a reason for letting you stay alive?"

"For entertainment's sake." Austin returned darkly.

"Excuse me?" Steven narrowed his eyes.

"He said that he… was rather exhilarated at finding a worthy foe to fight against. Because I was the one who summoned it, he thought that it was something worth giving me a prize." Austin replied bitterly.

" He gave me a yellow orb as a reward and left Raticate's body"

Austin told the former champion opting not to mention Mewtwo's words about him joining his side.

" ... Can I see the yellow Orb ?"

" Yeah, sure.... ahem Pikachu, can you bring me that yellow Orb I put in my bag ?"

" Pika! Pika! chu !"

Pikachu nodded and ran towards their room.

" He is quite energetic ."

" I... guess ...." Austin replied while looking at his reflection in the soup which distorted into the nightmarish chimera from his dreams.

Closing his eyes, Austin tried to tell himself that it wasn't real but he was brought out of his thoughts as he heard Pikachu's cry.

" PIKA !"