"Legends die. But the fire they leave behind becomes tomorrow's sun."
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Three Years Ago – Solaceon Town – The House With No Name
The sun rose like a quiet prayer, smearing the sky in crimson and gold. Dew clung to the tall grass, shimmering as if the earth itself wept with joy. Nestled between wildflowers and open plains was a small house built by hands that had known nothing but battle. It had no name—only a memory etched into every beam and every floorboard.
Inside that home, Ash Ketchum opened his eyes to the sound of peace.
No alarms. No calls for battle. No Champion summons. Just the soft breath of the woman he loved, sleeping beside him.
Cynthia, her golden hair cascading like sunlight over the pillow, lay curled under the blanket. One hand rested protectively over her stomach, swollen with life—their child. Their legacy.
Ash didn't speak. He just watched her, committing the shape of her smile, the line of her cheek, the rhythm of her breaths to memory—because he knew peace was borrowed time.
She stirred, eyes fluttering open. A gentle smirk appeared as she caught him staring.
> "You keep looking at me like I'm going to disappear."
> "Because sometimes… I still think you will," Ash whispered, voice hoarse.
Cynthia rolled closer and placed a hand on his cheek.
> "Ash. I'm here. And so are you. That's all we ever wanted, remember?"
> "No." He kissed her forehead, voice firmer now. "What I wanted was you."
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Afternoon – Beneath the Silver Tree
They wandered into the fields behind the house, where an ancient silver-leafed tree stood. A forgotten shrine lay cracked at its roots—dedicated to no god in particular, just a symbol of time that refused to pass.
They sat beneath it, back to back.
Ash handed her a basket with Oran Berries, Pecha slices, and their favorite—the Sinnoh-style sweet buns.
> "You remember," Cynthia smiled.
> "There are things I'll never forget," he said. "Like how you kicked my ass in our first match."
> "Twice," she corrected smugly.
> "You're never letting that go, huh?"
> "Never."
Their laughter echoed into the wind. Above them, a flock of Staraptor circled, free and wild—just like they used to be.
But they weren't kids anymore. Not Champions. Not trainers. Just… Ash and Cynthia.
And in this stolen day, that was enough.
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Evening – The Rain Came Without Warning
A cold wind swept in. The sky darkened, painting the world in greys. Thunder cracked like the voice of an angry god.
Cynthia winced.
Her hand went to her belly.
> "Ash…"
He was already at her side.
Lightning split the sky. Rain hammered the earth.
He lifted her in his arms, sprinting through the storm, yelling for help no one could hear. His aura flared uncontrollably—panic incarnate. The forest blurred. The world narrowed.
The hospital was miles away.
They weren't going to make it.
He kicked open their front door, laid her down, knelt between her knees, hands shaking.
> "I can't—Cyn, I don't know what I'm doing!"
> "You'll do fine," she gasped. "You've always been stronger than you think."
He activated the emergency PokéCom. Nurse Joy's hologram appeared, guiding him through breathless, screaming minutes.
Blood. Sweat. Tears.
And then—
A cry. Tiny. Alive.
Ash held his son like he was made of glass. Cynthia collapsed in exhaustion, tears streaming down her cheeks as she reached for them both.
> "He's… perfect," she whispered.
Ash laid the baby in her arms.
> "He's you."
> "No," Cynthia smiled. "He's us."
They named him Auron, meaning light reborn—because he was their second chance.
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A Week Later – The Promise Made
Ash stood in the doorway of their home, bags slung over his shoulder, cloak on his back. War had returned to the world—Unova, Kalos, Johto… chaos brewing in all corners.
He had tried to turn away. He wanted to stay. Gods, how he wanted to stay.
But he couldn't ignore it. Not when others would suffer as they once had.
Cynthia held Auron, who slept in her arms, oblivious to the cruelty of the world.
> "You promised me peace," she said.
Ash approached, kissing her softly.
> "I promise to come back with it."
She looked into his eyes, searching for the boy she fell in love with. She found him—worn, weathered, but still burning.
> "Then return. Not as a Champion. Not as a warrior. But as the man who built this house with me."
> "I swear it," Ash said. "No matter what it takes. I'll come home."
He knelt down and kissed Auron on the forehead.
> "You won't grow up in the world I did. I'll make sure of it."
Then he turned, and walked into the storm, the silver tree behind him gleaming through the mist like a farewell ghost.
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"Some wars are won with fire. Others, with the memory of what you're fighting for."
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