Countless scenes flashed before Ace's eyes. Celebi, holding his hand, quickly led him into a burst of light.
The blinding light momentarily made it impossible for Ace to open his eyes. He only felt a gentle push from behind, and both he and Aerodactyl lurched forward.
When the light faded, Ace opened his eyes and found himself in the Ilex Forest. Next to him, the main characters from two different regions, led by Ash, were staring solemnly at his sudden appearance.
Little Green was the first to approach. She grabbed Ace's arm and said, "Ace, how did you get here? And where is Pryce?"
"I was about to ask the same thing. What are you all doing here? This 'welcome ceremony' is a bit too grand, isn't it?"
Ace said with a wry smile. Aerodactyl landed beside him, looking at the people around.
"We're protecting Celebi," Ash explained. "Pryce's goal is Celebi. As long as we stand guard here, we can capture him as soon as he arrives."
"You don't have much faith in me, do you?"
Ace rolled his eyes. "Pryce won't be coming. As for what happened, I'm too tired to explain. But Little Green, Silver, Pryce asked me to deliver a final message to you: he's sorry for what he did and deeply regrets his actions."
"We don't need you to tell us that," Silver said coldly. "He needs to say it to our faces."
"You won't get the chance," Ace replied flatly. "Pryce is dead."
Ace's words instantly stunned everyone present.
While they were still in shock, Ace continued calmly, "He achieved his goal in another way, using his own life to bring this farce to an end."
Little Green sighed, silently. The resentment and heavy burden in her heart vanished in that moment.
Feeling lighter, Little Green felt as if a weight had been lifted. Her only remaining goal was to find her parents.
Gold and Crystal breathed a sigh of relief. With everything settled, their mission was complete.
Crystal looked at the three Poké Balls in her hand. The three Legendary beasts nodded at her through the balls. Now that the matter was resolved, they, too, had to leave.
Gary, on the other hand, was focused on Silver. This thief who had stolen both the Pokédex and the Totodile his grandfather made, had to be arrested no matter what.
Ash scratched his head and looked at Yellow beside him. It seemed they had come here for nothing.
"You all can continue chatting. I'll be on my way."
Aerodactyl picked Ace up again, and Ace slowly ascended, bidding farewell to the others.
"Wait! Ace, where are you going?" Little Green asked, seeing him about to leave.
"The Mahogany Town Gym," Ace said plainly. Then, Aerodactyl flapped its wings, instantly turning into a shooting star and flying towards Mahogany Town!
...
At the Mahogany Town Gym in the valley, Ace once again stood before the ice structure.
He recalled Aerodactyl, then, with a slight frown, turned around and looked behind him. "What are you all following me for?" he asked helplessly.
Indeed, Ash and the others had followed him. As they put it, they hadn't been very involved in the event and needed to see how it would all end.
Seeing everyone's "we're just here to watch" expressions, Ace couldn't help but roll his eyes.
Nevertheless, Ace pushed open the gym door and entered the cold building.
Without stopping anywhere else, he walked directly to the ice carving workshop.
As soon as he entered, Ace was shocked by the ice sculpture before him.
The shelves were no longer filled with carvings of other Pokémon. In their place was a magnificent, fantastical ice sculpture.
The sculpture depicted a man with a blurred face standing on a rugged, strange-looking mountain, holding a sharp sword that was beheading a fearsome dragon.
Ace fell silent at the sight.
Next to this sculpture, a strange, irregular spherical ice sculpture was solemnly placed beside the magnificent one.
Ace walked closer and found two Poké Balls and a sealed letter between the two sculptures.
He picked up the two Poké Balls. He didn't even need to look to know what Pokémon were inside.
He opened the letter, and a small message was inside. Ace calmed down and began to read it slowly.
"To Ace: By the time you open this letter, I may already be gone.
Do not grieve for me. This is the path I chose, and I have no one to blame but myself.
Inside the Poké Balls are my Lapras, Ice River, and its child. I have named the child Thaw. I believe you understand the meaning.
Ace, my life has been filled with regret and self-blame. Only the birth of Thaw truly enlightened me. But I was already too deeply mired in my past to pull myself out, which is why I chose this path.
I am an evil person, and I regret all that I have done. But I also know that sometimes, regret is worthless. So, I chose you to be the one to sever this 'evil dragon' of a past.
Please take good care of Ice River and Thaw. This would be the best ending for me.
Sincerely, the evil man, Pryce."
Ace sighed. He had planned so much, yet this old man, Pryce, had already made up his mind long ago.
Ace looked at the two Poké Balls. They contained Pryce's Lapras and the small Lapras, which was the offspring of Ace's own Lapras.
The two he was most worried about were likely these two.
As the Trainer of Thaw's father, it was fitting that Pryce entrusted them to Ace.
"Lapras," Ace opened his Poké Ball, and his own Lapras landed on the ground.
Then, he opened the other two Poké Balls. The three Lapras gathered, a family of three nuzzling each other, enjoying their reunion.
Meanwhile, Ace picked up the spherical ice sculpture that he had previously failed to carve. He found Pryce's tools and quickly began to carve.
The others watched silently, no one disturbing him.
After half an hour, Ace placed the newly carved Voltorb back in its original spot. Though it was far from being as good as Pryce's sculptures, this carving was Ace's answer to Pryce.
"Let's go," Ace said after recalling the three Lapras. He turned to the others.
Ash and the rest nodded, saying nothing more. The group left the Mahogany Town Gym.
Ace bid them farewell, and under Aerodactyl's guidance, he flew back to Kanto.
As for what would happen to Ash and the others, or how the League would handle the aftermath, Ace had lost all interest...
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