Pokémon: Ash's Sinnoh Reset

A flight, tracing its route from Goldenrod City in Kanto to the outskirts of Twinleaf Town in Sinnoh, soared smoothly through the Sinnoh sky.

Perhaps owing to the weekday, the spacious cabin was only half-occupied. A young boy named Ash, seated by the window, appeared to be dozing, a Pikachu nestled on his shoulder, slumbering alongside him.

"Ugh... huh?"

Ash stirred, his brow furrowing as if roused from sleep, or perhaps by a sudden realization. Upon opening his eyes, his first utterance was not a lament or satisfaction with his slumber, but rather –

"Where... where am I?"

He frowned, utterly bewildered by his surroundings. His last memory was of the Pokémon World Coronation Series, yet he found himself not on the battlefield, but in this unfamiliar place.

Though the environment clearly indicated he was on an airplane, he was deeply perplexed as to how he had arrived there.

"Pikachu?"

Sensing a movement on his shoulder, Ash turned gently to find his longtime partner, Pikachu, peacefully asleep, appearing quite exhausted.

Observing this, Ash tried to remain quiet, but he suddenly began to cough softly.

This voice?

He thought, furrowing his brow.

His voice lacked its familiar depth, possessing instead a youthful quality. Perplexed, he glanced out the window, using a break in the clouds as a mirror, he finally discerned his current appearance.

This is... me... no, this is me from the past!

A flicker of alarm crossed Ash's eyes. The reflection in the glass did not reveal the face of his twenty-something self, as he had grown accustomed to, but rather the visage of his younger days, over a decade prior.

A dream? Or have I traveled back in time?

He wondered, pinching his cheek in disbelief. The sharp sting nearly caused him to cry out, but a glance at Pikachu prompted him to regain his composure. It was clearly no dream; the persistent pain in his face confirmed his reality. He had traveled back in time.

In the world of Pokémon, time travel, while not commonplace, was not entirely unheard of to Ash. From the beginning of his journey to the Pokémon World Coronation Series, he had experienced it dozens of times, more frequently than he had boarded an airplane.

Unlike his previous temporal excursions, this one came without warning or incident. He was unsure if he bore a specific mission, or whether he would return to his own time to complete his World Coronation Series.

"Sigh..."

Ash removed his hat, running a hand through his hair in frustration. The weary sigh seemed incongruous with his youthful appearance.

"This sucks..."

He muttered under his breath, gazing at the scenery outside the window, his thoughts in turmoil.

He was on the verge of becoming a Pokémon Master, just one victory against Leon away, but why had he been displaced now? What was the significance of this time travel?

He was at a loss.

This sudden and unexplained journey baffled him. It seemed logical that there should be a reason for such displacement. Was he meant to aid someone, witness an event, or participate in some crucial moment?

With a clear purpose, one could rally their spirits, but without it, who could muster enthusiasm? Even for an eternal optimist like himself, the pain of being robbed of his dream at the final moment was unbearable.

"Rustle..."

"Huh?"

Just then, Ash thought he heard a sound emanating from the backpack on the seat beside him. Puzzled, he picked it up.

It's a bit heavy.

He thought.

With a mixture of curiosity and apprehension, Ash slowly unzipped the backpack. A tail, or rather something like an arm, emerged from within, startling Ash so much that he dropped the bag.

The backpack thudded to the floor, followed by a pained cry.

"Aipom?!"

"Huh?"

The familiar voice stirred something within him, he was sure he knew the cry.

Ash initially focused on the sound, but he quickly realized what the peculiar appendage was.

"A... Aipom?!"

Incredulous, Ash called out the name of the Pokémon concealed in the backpack.

"Aipom!"

Upon hearing Ash's voice, Aipom sprang from the bag, its face adorned with its perpetual smile, showing no embarrassment or remorse despite being discovered. It leapt onto Ash's other shoulder, snatching his hat with its hand-like tail and placing it atop its own head.

"Pika... Pikachu?"

The commotion naturally roused Pikachu, who opened his eyes and saw Ash before spotting Aipom, grinning mischievously at him, instantly shaking off the last vestiges of sleep.

"Pika?!"

Pikachu yelped in surprise, tumbling off Ash's shoulder and onto the floor, where he rubbed his backside while glaring at Aipom with the same bewildered expression as Ash, seemingly questioning its presence.

"Aipom!"

Aipom then leaped onto Ash's head, continuing to make faces at Pikachu, appearing triumphant, like a child delighted with a successful prank.

...

Aipom, so that means this is...

While Aipom and Pikachu were engaging in their "friendly" interaction, Ash's thoughts drifted to the land below the airplane.

Sinnoh. He would never forget the events that transpired in this region.

It was the place where he truly matured as a Pokémon battler.

It was the place where he first fully transformed his bonds into power.

It was the place where he first called upon his veteran team in a formal League competition.

It was the place where he first reached the semifinals.

It was the place where he came closest to victory.

It was...

The first place where he felt true disappointment after a League tournament.

And now, armed with future knowledge and memories, though many of his recollections of Sinnoh were somewhat hazy, it didn't matter... it was the perfect chance to relive those feelings with a fresh perspective.

But?

Wait, did I take a plane to Sinnoh? I thought I took a boat?

Seated in his chair, Ash was struck with a brand new mystery.