🦁: Say Present if you were reading this human..
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High above the Sinnoh region, a flight from Saffron City in Kanto to the outskirts near Twinleaf Town in Sinnoh was operating smoothly.
Perhaps because it was a weekday, the spacious cabin was less than half full.
A boy named Ash Ketchum sat by the window, his head lowered as if he were asleep.
A creature resembling a yellow mouse was perched on the boy's shoulder, sleeping soundly alongside him.
"Mmm… huh?"
The boy's brow twitched slightly, as if he had gotten enough rest or sensed something, and he slowly opened his eyes.
The first words he spoke upon waking were not complaints or satisfaction about his sleep, but—
"Where… am I?"
He frowned, completely unaware of his surroundings, for in his memory, just a moment ago, he had been in the midst of the Pokémon Master Challenge Tournament.
But now, the place he found himself in was not the stage of the competition, but an unknown location.
Though it was easy to deduce from his surroundings that he was on an airplane, he was deeply puzzled about why he was here.
"Pikachu?"
Ash felt a stir on his shoulder and gently turned his head to see his old partner, Pikachu, fast asleep on his shoulder, looking utterly exhausted.
Seeing this, Ash quickly kept quiet, but in the next moment, he seemed to notice something and began to cough softly.
This voice?
He frowned in thought.
His voice didn't sound deep or mature; instead, it carried a youthful tone. With this realization, he hurriedly looked out the window, using a passing cloud's shadow to catch a glimpse of his reflection.
This is… me… no, this is the old me!
A flash of panic crossed Ash's eyes. The reflection in the glass wasn't the twenty-something face he had grown accustomed to, but the face of himself from over a decade ago, before he had fully grown up.
A dream? Or… have I gone back in time?
Unable to comprehend, he pinched his cheek hard, and the sharp pain nearly made him cry out.
But catching sight of Pikachu in the corner of his vision, he quickly regained his composure.
Clearly, this was no dream. The constant sting on his face told him this was reality, which meant he had somehow traveled back in time.
In the Pokémon world, crossing time and space wasn't exactly commonplace, but for Ash, it wasn't unheard of either.
After all, from the start of his journey to the Pokémon Master Challenge Tournament, he had experienced time travel dozens of times—more times than he had even ridden on planes.
The difference this time, however, was that unlike his previous time-travel experiences, there were no hints, no triggering events.
He didn't know if he had a mission to fulfill or whether he would return to his original timeline to complete the Pokémon Master Challenge Tournament, where only one match remained.
"Phew…"
Ash took off his cap, scratching his hair in frustration. The mature expression of his sigh clashed completely with his current youthful appearance.
"I'm so close…"
He muttered under his breath, gazing at the scenery outside the window, his thoughts in disarray.
He had been just one step away from becoming a Pokémon Master. If he could just defeat Leon, he would have succeeded.
But why had he traveled back in time at this moment? What was the deeper meaning behind this journey?
He couldn't understand.
This aimless time travel baffled him. In Ash's view, even if he had to travel through time, there should at least be a reason, right?
Like in the past—whether it was to help someone, serve as a witness, or participate in some event, there was always a purpose.
A reason gave him a clear goal. Without one, how could anyone muster the energy to face an uncertain, nebulous future?
Even an optimist like him couldn't shake the frustration of losing his dream when he was so close to achieving it.
"Rustle, rustle…"
"Hm?"
At that moment, Ash thought he heard a sound coming from the backpack on the seat beside him. With a hint of curiosity, he lifted the bag.
It's kind of heavy, he thought.
With a mix of curiosity and apprehension, Ash slowly unzipped the backpack.
Suddenly, something like an arm… no, a tail? poked out from inside.
This startled Ash so much that his grip on the bag loosened, and it fell to the floor.
A cry of distress came from within the bag.
"O~ki?!"
"Huh?"
That voice—it was familiar, something he had definitely heard before.
Ash's first instinct was to place the voice, but then he realized what that peculiar tail belonged to.
"Aipom?!"
With a voice full of disbelief, Ash called out the name of the Pokémon hiding in the backpack.
"O~ki?"
Upon hearing Ash's call, Aipom poked its head out of the bag.
Its face bore the same ever-cheerful smile that never seemed to fade.
Even after being discovered, Aipom showed no embarrassment or apology.
Under Ash's somewhat bewildered gaze, it simply grinned, hopped onto the empty shoulder opposite Pikachu, and used its hand-like tail to snatch Ash's cap, plopping it onto its own head.
"Pika? Pikachu?"
The commotion naturally woke Pikachu. It opened its eyes, glanced at Ash, then turned to see Aipom making silly faces at it, instantly banishing any lingering sleepiness.
"Pi~ka~"
Startled, Pikachu fell off Ash's shoulder, landing on the floor. Rubbing its backside, it stared at Aipom with the same confused expression as Ash, as if asking why it was here.
"O~ki!"
The next moment, Aipom leaped onto Ash's head, continuing to make faces at Pikachu, looking smug, like a child delighted by a successful prank.
…
Aipom. So, this means…
As Aipom "playfully" interacted with Pikachu, Ash's thoughts drifted to the land visible below the airplane window.
The Sinnoh region. He would never forget the events that took place in this region.
This was the region where he truly matured in Pokémon battles.
This was the region where he first transformed bonds into strength.
This was the region where he first called upon his veteran team members in an official League tournament.
This was the region where he first reached the top four.
This was the region where he came closest to victory.
This was…
The region where, after the League tournament, he felt true, heartfelt regret for the first time.
Now, armed with the experience and memories of the future, though many of his recollections of the Sinnoh region had grown hazy, that was fine… It was the perfect chance to relive those moments with a fresh perspective.
But…
Wait a second. Did I take a plane to the Sinnoh region back then? I could've sworn I went by ship.
Sitting in his seat, Ash fell into a new wave of confusion.