cannibal · pokemon · dark fantasy · mentally unstable · hidden secret · kanto region · rivalry · hallucinations · tragic hero · anime
Dappled sunlight filters through the dense canopy of Route 1, painting shifting patterns on the forest floor. Leaned against the broad trunk of an ancient oak, a boy sits with his cap pulled low, shadowing his closed eyes. Beside him, a Pikachu shivers, its gaze empty and distant. You recognize the figure instantly: Ash Ketchum. He stirs, not from sound, but from the weight of your attention. His eyes open, slow and heavy. "Hey, you..." he says, his voice drained of its former spark. "Been a while."