Chapter 334 - My OC Stash #34 - Ashes of the Past by Saphroneth (Pokemon)

-This Pokemon fic's so good that it might just pass for the sequel of the series. Its pretty much a well thought out do-over. And it's still going strong after 9 years~

Synopsis: Time travel, based on the Anime. So, the world ended. That's bad news. Who best to get to fix it? Well, there is this guy with a track record in world saving... Not entirely serious. T rating may be overdoing it.

Rated: T

Words: 1919K

Posted on: fanfiction.net/s/7262793/1/Ashes-of-the-Past (Saphroneth)

PS: If you're not able to copy/paste the link, you have everything in here to find it, by simply searching the author and the story title. It sucks that you can't copy links on mobile (´ー｀)

-I'll be putting the chapter ones of all the fanfics mentioned, to give you guys a sample if you wan't more please do go to the website and support the author! (And maybe even convince them to start uploading chapters in here as well!)

Chapter 1-3 (exceptional)

Ash Ketchum – trainer of Pallet Town, winner of the Orange League and increasingly close runner up in five other regional tournaments – was... confused.

He was floating in black, empty nothingness. No light, no sound, nothing to use as a reference point – and, at first, he wasn't sure how he'd ended up there.

When he tried to remember, instead of the most recent moments he found something strange happening. His mind went straight back to the earliest moments he could remember – flicking past at astonishing speed, as though his whole life were flashing before his eyes on fast forward.

A few things stood out, as though he was slowing down to think about them more clearly.

The first time he saw a Pokémon, at barely two years of age, when Professor Oak – taking care of him when Ash's mother was shopping - was called away suddenly and Ash, Gary and Daisy were left under the supervision of his distinguished old Arcanine, a gentle Pokémon, but a terror in battle decades before when Samuel Oak was the League Champion.

Only reviewing this long forgotten past now did Ash truly realize that he had felt things differently. Other people, he knew, would feel the heat running under the Fire Pokémon's fur. But few would feel the surging, volcanic power in Arcanine's b.r.e.a.s.t just from being near – faintly, but still somehow there to be felt.

Ash hadn't mentioned it at the time, or later. He simply assumed that was what people felt. But now, he was older – and made a connection which suddenly seemed obvious.

Aura, he thought. I can feel his Aura. The gentle amus.e.m.e.nt, the tiny little part of its mind always on the ready for danger. It's just like that Riolu back in Sinnoh... and Lucario.

The memory dissolved, and his life played itself out again, perhaps a little slower than before.

The time he was five, at Cinnabar island on the black sand beaches, and a snatch of haunting song floated through the air.

I know that music… Ash realized. But how? What would Lugia have been doing this far north of Shamouti? Could it be... because of me? The prophecy said I was the Chosen One...

Eight, playing in the copse of trees at the end of the road that led to the sea. It was all one big argument with Gary, more than playing... but, as this memory played out like the others, there was a glimpse of something in the trees. Barely a flash, but the memory stopped. And Ash marvelled. This was not what he had expected to find in his childhood.

For what was unmistakably Suicune was in the underbrush, observing for but a moment.

The memory moved on, and the legendary Pokémon vanished in a blue blur.

The Ash of the past had dismissed it as unimportant, but this Ash – who knew Suicune, and had even ridden the master of the North wind – recognized it as real.

He saw his dreams as well now, running through each night in barely a second, but the pattern was becoming clear now he saw them in succession.

Ash dreamed of Pokémon.

Only those he had seen, and touched, himself – but they were all there, every night, and in startling detail.

His suspicions were confirmed when his memory passed one sad night in November, the year before he had set off on his journey, when Oak's old Arcanine had passed away in its' sleep. At nearly fifty, it had had a good run, but it had been a noble friend and the town was saddened by its' loss.

And Ash no longer dreamed of Arcanine.

"...a strong link..."

Continue.

As the rush of memories approached the present, Ash could catch more and more details until it was almost like reliving the events in fast forward. And those memories now were mostly very happy ones.

When he first met Pikachu, that rocky start which turned into a shining, unbreakable bond. Gym battles, applying himself to training and strategy, meeting all his Pokémon...

He saw his Pidgeot – as Pidgeotto – with a guilty start. In the excitement of the Orange Islands, and Johto, and later Hoenn and Sinnoh and Unova... he had all but forgotten his promise to come back for her.

Then there was something – new.

Ash watched in surprise as he and his friends travelled through a storm to an island he didn't remember seeing, and met... Mewtwo. But rather than being the compassionate recluse he remembered, this Mewtwo was bitter and violent.

Watching closely as this unknown chapter of his life unfolded, Ash saw it all. The clones, the battle... his death, and his resurrection.

It was awe-inspiring to watch, the more so when he realized that he had been the one to make such a difference in Mewtwo.

After that, there were no more big surprises – just the reminder of everything he'd done, crystal clear instead of being crowded out by the moment.

Falling from great heights. Wielding the blue flame of Aura. More falling from great heights. Being possessed by an ancient king... and, of course, his friendsh.i.p.s with all his Pokémon.

Finally, the moving narrative passed New Tork and reached the present – travelling with Iris and Cilan through the Decolore islands, knowing that their adventure together was soon to end but unwilling to admit it.

And then...

There had been a heavy feeling in the air, and everything had suddenly seemed wrong. The very air felt alien-

And then blackness, and this.

Ash swallowed a lump in his throat. Pikachu... everyone... what happened?

A moment later, a voice reached him.

"So."

It sounded... familiar.

"What do you think?"

He will suffice.

This second voice was even more familiar – but Ash couldn't quite place it. More, it was a mental voice – telepathy – but with such intensity it seemed to touch his very core.

"No need to be so mellow about it – the kid's a natural. More so than I ever was."

Nevertheless, you will need to train him.

"I can't argue with that," the first voice agreed. Closer, this time – or it sounded closer, at least.

It wasn't as if Ash had a ruler.

One week. I can hold the separation for that long, but no longer – the weight of what wants to be is pressing down from all directions.

"It'll be enough – like I said, he's a natural."

Suddenly Ash was standing on a solid surface. He could move, he could feel and see – and then he saw who had been speaking.

Even for his adventure-filled life, it was a shock.

Sir Aaron of Cameran Castle, Hero of the Wave, stood before him in the black void. Fully dressed, and with a crooked smile on his face.

"So, Ash Ketchum," the hero said. "It's nice to meet you at last."

Ash took a few minutes to stop gaping.

"So... the world ended?" Ash asked, frowning.

"Right in one," Sir Aaron agreed, sitting cross-legged on solid nothingness. "This is all the boss was able to protect."

He shrugged. "From what I was told, this Cyrus guy-"

"Cyrus?" Ash interrupted. "But... he disappeared! I watched it happen!"

Sir Aaron pursed his lips. "Well, whatever might have happened, he came back – and managed, this time, to get Dialga, Palkia and Giratina."

A sigh. "Some people are just the wrong kind of lunatics – crazy enough to be worrying, competent enough to be dangerous. So he managed to get them, and get control of them, and remake the world in his own image."

Ash winced. "What happened?"

"Well, the universe... basically started to come apart at the seams. None of the Celebi could help because Dialga's power was changing the rules of time, and as for trying to intervene..."

"How come we're here, then?" Ash asked. "Was it this... boss, you mentioned?"

"All in good time, Ash," Sir Aaron said. "Now – you saw your life, and so did we. That pointed out a few things to us – one of them, in particular, has to do with Aura."

"Right, like when we went up the Tree of Beginning," Ash agreed. "Sorry about what happened to Lucario, I..."

He shook his head.

"It doesn't matter, Ash," Sir Aaron said. "You were there with him at the end, that's more than you could be expected to do without any training... speaking of which, what you did at the Tree showed that you've got natural talent with Aura. I mean, a lot of natural talent."

Ash blinked.

"Most novitiates can barely feel their own Aura," Sir Aaron informed him. "If you'd been around in my day, I'd have snatched you up as an apprentice before anyone else could!"

Sir Aaron smirked for a moment, at some unexplained joke. "Anyway," he went on, "I'm going to train you in how to use it."

"Train me – but... what's the point? I mean," Ash added hastily, "if the world ended."

"All in good time," Sir Aaron repeated. "Now – you used these gloves. Do you know what they do?"

"Well, I guess they make using Aura easier?" Ash shrugged.

"That's pretty close. They actually work by resonating with a natural Aura frequency – specifically, that of the great warrior Sir Aaron."

Ash chuckled.

"You might have heard of him, I think he lives around here," Sir Aaron went on. "I might even have his phone number."

That was incongruous enough Ash noticed. "You know what a phone is?"

"Arceus kept me up to date. Yeah, I know," Sir Aaron chuckled along with him. "Anyway, that means that for you to use them you have to have the same frequency. Which is an incredible coincidence."

Again, that unexplained joke.

"And that means they're kind of an aid, like a bicycle is compared to walking. They give you extra power, but they also make it easier to do things..."

It had been a long week, a week in which Ash found himself needing neither sleep nor food – one where every single hour was focused on training.

Sir Aaron had focused on two things, explaining that they'd be important to get straight now and that the rest could wait for when he had time to train and practice 'later'. When 'later' was was never explained, but it was all so interesting that Ash just kept learning exactly what Sir Aaron told him he had to learn.

Surprisingly, combat was not on the list – Ash learned a bit of the basics, how to form a shield that lasted a few wobbly seconds and to throw an Aura Sphere, but that was apparently in the category of 'learn later'. Instead, Sir Aaron first taught him how to train his Aura and how to sense when he was doing well, and then he went down an alley into the mental uses of Aura.

Ash refined his ability to sense a familiar Aura signature, and how to see things on the other side of solid walls. He learned how to feel the thoughts of someone nearby and familiar, and a little bit of how to defend his own mind.

Strangely, it was the ability to touch the mind of someone else which Sir Aaron seemed happiest about – though his only explanation was what had become his mantra. All in good time.

Then, after what felt like seven days of solid effort, Sir Aaron stopped in the middle of explaining how Aura could strengthen the body.

"What is it?" Ash asked, as the knight stood. "Is something wrong?"

"No," Sir Aaron replied.

Then, out of the darkness stepped – Arceus.

The creator deity, the Original One. And someone Ash had saved the life of once, though it was thousands of years in the past and may have retroactively been unnecessary.

He is ready?

Ash jumped at the sheer presence. Unwounded and hale, Arceus' mental voice seemed to be more real than Ash himself.

But Sir Aaron merely nodded. "Yes, he's ready."

Very good. Explain to him what I am about to do.

Sir Aaron nodded, and turned to look Ash in the eye. "The only way Arceus found to prevent Cyrus destroying the world was to prevent it from happening in the first place. So he asked the world beyond – which is unaffected, as yet – whether there was anyone who could help."

Aaron smiled. "And, as it happened, you've got a couple of people back there who think highly of you."

He held up two fingers, and tapped the first one. "First, there's my old friend Lucario – he recommended you straight away. And secondly... there was the Latios whose soul was in the Soul Dew in Altomare."

"Whoa," Ash said, trying to get his head around that little detail.

"So, with that reminder and those references, Arceus and I decided to test you – and we have, in a way."

"How?" Ash asked.

"We saw your past – you probably noticed?" At Ash's nod, Sir Aaron went on. "And we were both impressed – it's not everyone who saves the world once, let alone how many times you did... especially considering you're still a teenager. So the choice was clear."

Sir Aaron took a deep breath.

"We're sending you back in time to change all this," he said.

"There's a reward, of course," the knight went on. "For a start, there's how you're now trained in Aura... that's just one thing, of course. There's others, which you'll find out later – and the most important one is this – you can choose the time you go back to. It'll be your mind in your younger body, so you can essentially do things again."

Sir Aaron held up a hand to forestall any questions. "Hold on, I think Arceus is ready."

Indeed I am.

Arceus stepped aside, to reveal what had been in his shadow. I have created a second Dialga, twin to the one outside. It has the task of sending you back, however far you want to go.

Ash barely even had to think about it.

"I want to go back to the day I met Pikachu – the day my journey began, when I first set off from Pallet."

Sir Aaron laughed. "Ha! Told you, you great lump."

Arceus looked displeased. I thought 'any day but then' was good odds...

"Wait..." Ash pointed. "Were you two betting on me or something?"

"Er..." Sir Aaron tugged his collar. "Nooo?"

"Somehow, I don't believe you," Ash replied.

Now, Dialga!

In that second of absolute stillness, Ash thought to himself – using the, or a, Legendary Pokémon capable of controlling time simply to avoid having to answer some awkward questions... that really took some beating.

Then there was a roar, and he fell into blackness.

Sir Aaron folded his arms. "Well, that deals with that. What happens next?"

I admit to some surprise... I had thought the timeline would change instantly, Arceus admitted. I've never had to use the failsafe before.

"Dia?" the young Dialga asked.

"This is serious!" Sir Aaron said. "We could be stuck in here for months or years with nothing to entertain ourselves!"

I created the universe and everything in it. I could always use that massive cosmic power to... create a deck of cards?

Dialga perked up. "Gla, gla!"

Sir Aaron took a step back. "It's really strange seeing the controller of time jump around like an excited puppy."

He is ten minutes old, what do you expect? Now, quiet, Arceus admonished. I need to create a few packs. Perhaps some dice, too.

"Can you get Lucario?" Sir Aaron asked. "We need four for a good game."

I... can't find him, Arceus admitted, his Spooky Plate pulsing. I suspect that, as his death is no longer certain, he is no longer there.

"That's somehow unfair..." Sir Aaron sighed.

Chapter 2

Ash came groggily to awareness in his home bed, one that felt almost unfamiliar after so long on the road one way or another.

What happened? Did I imagine that last bit? Was I so excited about my trip to Isshu that I made up what I think will happen?

Then he focused on the calendar.

Okay. Either I imagined my entire life from the day I got a Pokémon onwards overnight, or I really did time travel. Well, no need to rush, I know there's going to be a Pokémon for me even if I – oh who am I kidding.

Ash jumped out of bed, dressed himself in seconds with whatever was on the floor and dashed off to Oak Labs.

Luckily, by the time he got there the crowd had somewhat dispersed. Everyone was following Gary, and presumably the other two thoroughly forgettable trainers that had started out from Pallet that day – was Gary driving a sports car? At ten? Some people…

Gary had really improved and become more likeable over the course of the… well, the next few years. But then, so had Ash.

Professor Oak was waiting for him in the Lab.

"Ah, Ash my boy, I see you have-" Here the old man's voice and expression turned sour. "-finally arrived for the start of your Pokémon journey. Though, sorry to say, there aren't many Pokémon left here at the lab. Hardly any, in fact."

Ash tried his best to look disappointed, but his heart was too busy going at a hundred beats a minute. Hardly any means at least one… And that means…

"I'm sorry, Professor. I really do want to get going, honest. I just overslept – couldn't get to sleep last night, you know how it goes."

"Indeed I do. Well, I did at any rate, as you get older it becomes less likely you get worked up about such things. But you may be disappointed, the only Pokémon left in the entire lab is this wild Pikachu I caught barely a week ago when it tried to eat the power cables."

Ash was cracking up inside. Power cables! Oh, no wonder Pikachu didn't want to talk about it!

"I'm sure I'll be fine, Professor. I mean, I wouldn't be much of an awesome trainer if I couldn't handle something little like that!"

"Ah, the awesome factor. To be young…" Professor Oak handed over the Poké ball.

Ash immediately opened it up and caught the electric mouse as it formed.

He couldn't help it. Even if this Pikachu remembered nothing of their time together, the trials they had faced together… it was still the same Pokémon he would come to, yes, love like a brother. His mind raced through everything the two had been through together…

And as he contacted Pikachu, the little yellow rodent glomped him.

Ash's now trained Aura senses opened the link and he realized something – somehow, impossibly, Pikachu remembered. Every day they had spent together was as vivid to the other as it was to him.

A suspicion came over him, even as he stood back up from where the tackle had flattened him, a huge grin on his face.

Maybe this was what Sir Aaron had meant about another reward. He wouldn't be alone.

"Well, Professor, I think you may have been exaggerating about how difficult this Pikachu was to handle!"

"I certainly thought I wasn't. You have a true talent with Pokémon, Ash."

If only you knew…

Then Ash had a thought. Samuel Oak, or "Sam" certainly did know that this Pikachu would eventually become close to him, the only question was how soon. What would have happened the first time had Ash got up early? Would Oak have hidden the other Pokémon to preserve the timeline?

Time travel makes my head hurt…

Outside a small crowd was assembled to see Ash off. Nothing like the hordes of vaguely disturbing cheerleaders that followed Gary around all over the place, but a nice send off nonetheless.

"Oh, Ash! Here's your bag. You forgot it when you left in such a rush this morning."

"Hehe, thanks. Sorry about that… I think I broke my alarm clock…"

"Well, you won't need it for a while anyway, if you're off on a journey now, will you." Delia Ketchum was by this point a little choked up, and searched for a distraction. "Er… where is your Pokémon? I don't see a Poké ball."

Pikachu stuck his head up from where he was clinging onto Ash's back. "Pi!"

"Heh, I don't think I'll be keeping any Pokémon in their balls unless they ask me to. It doesn't seem right somehow…"

It was a recent decision to be sure, but Ash felt it was the right one. His Pokémon seemed a lot happier outside their balls for the most part.

Come to think of it, what were the League regulations on maximum number of Pokémon? Was it six with you, or just six per battle, per gym, or per day? It would be good to know.

While he made small talk with the crowd, Pikachu had taken the bag from Ash's mum and was carefully slotting it onto Ash's shoulders.

"Thanks, Pikachu. I appreciate – whoah!"

Pikachu had jumped onto the bag now and was sitting on it, pointing imperiously towards Viridian city.

"Well, I suppose I'd better get going. He's even more eager for adventure than I am."

It was about halfway from Pallet to Viridian when Ash swung his pack off his shoulders, sat down, and motioned to Pikachu to do the same.

"Guess you're kind of wondering what happened, right?"

Pikachu answered in the affirmative. Ash sighed.

"I'm not entirely clear myself. But… well, remember what happened at Cameran castle, and then with that Riolu and the Pokémon Ranger?"

Pikachu nodded again.

"Seems that I'm really good at using Aura, especially for a human. Basically, I got sent back in time to stop the end of the world by the creator of the universe, and that – the Aura – is why I got picked. No idea how come you have your memories of the future, but…well, we can wonder that later. For now, we need to think about what to do next. We need to visit Cameran castle to pick up Sir Aaron's gloves, which will make it a lot easier on me, but if we walk there we'll have to beat Brock first. And I don't know if I can bring myself to catch Pokémon I didn't know… before."

Pikachu thought for a second, before asking if Ash couldn't just catch the same Pokémon again.

"And how do you expect me to recognize them, especially if they look just the same as other Pokémon?"

By way of answer, Pikachu covered his eyes, before saying something that Ash translated as 'Aura sight, you fool!'

After a few seconds simply staring, Ash facepalmed and focussed. When he felt the sensation rise up in his eyes, he closed them.

It was the first time using it in the real world. It was breathtaking.

He could see the world, but that was a thing of outlines in grey and black. More importantly, he could see life.

Every tree had a faint green glow around it, and a few stronger points of browner green light indicated what he thought to be Pokémon in the trees. Perhaps they were bugs… the colour presumably had some significance. Pikachu was a blinding yellow that hurt to look at. He would have to test this later.

But there was another bright light, a purplish blue glimmer, moving towards Viridian city from behind him. Presumably still a way off, but there it was. It somehow drew his eye… Perhaps that was Misty, on her as of yet undestroyed bike.

Well, looked like she was an hour or so away. May as well get started on something else that was bothering him.

Opening his eyes, which were momentarily bright blue as the power faded from then, he looked across at Pikachu, who had sat down in the meantime.

"Okay, Pikachu. Something I think you should learn, if you want to."

"Pi?"

"The ability and skill to manipulate Aura, of course. Partly because teaching this sort of thing helps the teacher learn as well, partly because it's genuinely useful in all sorts of ways, but mostly because that way you can beat up Rock types."

Pikachu's eyes glistened as he turned to fully face his trainer.

"Okay, close your eyes, breathe evenly. Now, pay close attention to this feeling."

Ash was kneeling in front of his first Pokémon, who was sitting cross legged on the bulge around the roots of a tree along the path.

As he sPoké, he put his hands on Pikachu's, and then channelled at first a tiny amount of Aura, gradually increasing it until the glow was clearly visible.

"Can you feel it? Good. Now, I want you to focus only on that feeling. Pay as much attention to it as you possibly can. Don't worry if it changes, just make sure you can still feel that thrill of power in your hands. Are you paying enough attention? You should be. You are. Good, that's right. Has it stopped changing? Then open your eyes."

Pikachu lazily cracked an eyelid and looked at the glow around his hands. It was yellow, which was interesting. Hadn't it been blue?

Then he noticed Ash was about six feet away. On that realization, the glow died as he startled out of the meditative state.

Ash was grinning from ear to ear.

"Now you know you can do it."

Twenty minutes later, Pikachu could reliably form his Aura outside his body, albeit only as a surface effect.

"Good. Even being able to form Aura means your attacks will be a great deal more potent – it's half the secret of the power of a Legendary Pokémon, that they have good Aura control." Ash chuckled. "In fact, the Eeveelutions have a natural production of a tiny amount of Aura. That's why they have such good focus on their elements. Now, the next step is to try and reduce the effects of your natural element of electricity. When it's a neutral Aura with nothing attached, that's when it's the blue I had. That's the most useful type of any one, and it opens the door to further type compositions. So while you learn to produce untyped Aura, I'm going to be trying to add a type to mine. I'll start with electricity myself, because you're readily available for me to check against. But I think first a little practice on something else. Throw a Thundershock at me."

"Pi?"

"Trust me."

Pikachu nodded dubiously, and threw a tiny electric shock at Ash. It hit, but barely made him twitch.

"Come on! Something bigger, you know I've handled Thunderbolts before!"

The next shock was more in line with the Thundershock – on their original first day together.

"More! Come on, I'm asking for it!"

Ash was electrocuted about a dozen times a minute for the next half hour, always insisting they keep going over Pikachu's protests.

He ended up looking like he was about to drop from exhaustion.

"Come – huff – on! One more time!"

Pikachu was really worried now, Ash couldn't even keep his eyes open. What was he doing?

"Just – huff – one more, then we – phew – call it quits. Okay?"

"Ka."

The sizzling bolt of electricity flashed towards Ash – and was turned aside by a green shimmer in front of him, arcing off towards the left.

"Yes!" Ash's fatigue seemed to evaporate. "I knew I could do it! I just need to see where it's coming from – and that means Aura Sight!"

The sudden celebration and Pikachu's realization that Ash was trying to make sure he could manage Protect still were cut off by a shriek from the road.

Ash covered his face with his hands.

"We just blew up Misty's bike, didn't we."

Pikachu nodded. "Pi…"

The young gym leader was lying in a heap in the road with the bike collapsed around her. The tyres had been exploded and at least some of the structure looked bent.

Oh, man, it's worse than last time.

If he were the age he was immediately before the time jump, he would have been getting thoroughly fl.u.s.tered over meeting Misty again. Now, though, there was none of that. One good thing about getting younger was that it meant you didn't have to handle puberty for a year or three.

"Can I help you up?"

Misty looked at the boy and his Pikachu over where she had heard the offer.

Her eyes narrowed. So that's where the lightning came from.

"Why should I accept your help when you did this in the first place?"

Ash looked abashed. "Well, it was an accident… and I feel kinda guilty… It feels like my responsibility, right?"

She huffed. "Fine. But you better pay for this!"

"Story of my life…"

"What was that?"

"I don't know what you were talking about. Now, take my hand and I'll pull you up."

On touching the young boy's gloves, Misty had the most amazing experience. Several years' worth of life flowed into her memory, and a light static charge passed into her, tingling at her belt where the Poké balls were as well.

Misty, reacting instinctively, punched Ash onto the floor.

"Okay, Ash! What the hell just happened!"

Ash grinned up at her, unfazed. "What just happened is that, as far as you're concerned, you travelled back in time and so did I. There's more to it, but that's the simple version."

Misty considered this. She was indeed younger than she had been (nooo!), only had three Pokémon (if anything, worse) and was barely outside Pallet Town.

"Okay, spill it. Why, how and why you?"

"The world apparently ended. Some nutcases called Team Galactic tried to take over the world by rebuilding it from the ground up with Dialga and Palkia. Arceus picked me to go back because I was the chosen one, good with Aura-"

"With what?"

Ash stopped for a second. "I'll be willing to demonstrate, and indeed have a go at teaching you, just let me finish first. Anyway, Arceus got another Dialga to throw me back in time to this morning – and apparently I can restore the memories of others of the future. Now, this is Aura."

Ash closed his eyes for a second, and held out a palm. A thin, pale blue fire glowed there for a moment.

"I'm still not really any good with the big stuff, I was more taught how to train than trained, but I know how – well, where – to get the big power and control boost I need."

"Right. Ash is somehow magic." She shrugged. "Seen stranger things travelling with you weirdness magnets. So… we're saving the world?"

"Pi!"

"Brilliant. So much for my plans for the decade."

"Not necessarily. I can do the memory thing on any Pokémon – or apparently person – I spent enough time with. Think of it as: you start where you were before the whole mess happened, and you get to go on from there."

"Well… I suppose that makes sense. So what now?"

"Now we try to make it to Viridian before that storm gets here."

Misty looked round. Sure enough, there was a thunderstorm on the horizon.

It was a good few miles to Viridian, and last time she hadn't made it on the bike before the storm caught her.

"Damnit, now I'm going to get wet! This is your fault Ash!"

"Misty?" Ash waited until she was looking at him. "You're a water trainer who spent three hours with a rebreather once."

"Okay, so maybe it's not as much of a problem, but still! Besides, that's a thunderstorm and I don't like lightning."

"Ah well. Things get to worst, apparently Pikachu can deflect lightning bolts, so we'll be OK."

The walk to Viridian, even through the thunderstorm, was surprisingly pleasant for Ash without the horde of rampaging psychotic Spearow from last time. Though the occasional flare of yellow/blue across the sky was a slightly less pleasant reminder of how close he was repeatedly coming to wholesale electrocution.

Huh. Strange. Those bolts weren't being deflected so much as bounced right back into the clouds.

After a few hours and a stonker of a storm, the rain slowed to a drizzle, then vanished completely.

Ash was now looking up at the clearing sky in anticipation.

"Ash, what are you-"

"Ssh. I'm looking for a legendary I first saw on this exact day, one timeline ago. Look out for a whacking great phoenix headed west."

"Phoenix? Ash, are you sure-"

"I am very sure. Ho-oh, that's what it is. And I met it later on too – just after you and Brock left."

"How convenient."

"I swear! It flew overhead, right about now!"

I see you have come into your power, Chosen One.

Ash froze. "Misty, did you just say that?"

Misty replied, similarly unmoving. "I was about to ask you."

Without moving a muscle on their upper bodies, the two turned to see an enormous Pokémon in the shallow valley to the east of the ridge the road rested on.

I am surprised. Last time my Suicune checked on you, bare months ago, you showed no real sign of what you could inherit. And here you are flaring your Aura with a strength I could have felt clear from Tin Tower.

So, Ash Ketchum of the line of Cameran, why has this change occurred?

Misty staggered over to lie down on the grass. Pikachu was looking confused – he'd believed in Ash, of course, they'd both seen Ho-Oh before – but had not expected the current course of events.

Ash was utterly flabbergasted.

"The line of WHAT?"

There is much to tell, and little enough time to do it. I request a mental link.

"Ergh… Yeah, sure. That needs contact, right?"

Correct.

The huge right wing moved forwards.

Simply take one of the feathers, that will suffice.

Ash reached out to the Rainbow Wing.

The world fell away.

Colour surrounded Ash, as once more he became a mere viewpoint, looking upon something he could not understand… though there was something about it…

Thought was what it was, he realized. He was seeing the mind of the Legend of the Storm's End, a humbling experience. But there seemed to be some kind of message meant, perhaps, for him. He concentrated-

History. A few thousand people, dressed in archaic outfits and many of them armed, kneeling before an assemblage of all the legendary Pokémon Ash had ever seen – except for the Isshu pantheon – and apparently pledging themselves to aid their nation's protectors.

These are the Chosen, who defined these islands as a contiguous whole. They all possessed gifts that allowed them unusual skill.

War. Battles, from the time of the Jomon to the Meiji restoration. Pokémon, in roles not as companions, but as warriors, shock troops, medics, cavalry.

True battles of the type the formalized sport bore little resemblance to.

And everywhere, the Chosen or other heroic figures in the vanguard.

Peace. Man and Alakazam climbing to the top of a mountain, to meet an aged priest there, a venerable figure seeming to radiate an inner tranquillity.

The man is another of the Chosen's descendants. They were the most powerful, most skilled, the servants of their people.

A flash of movement. The sight of a great flood, and of a strong man pushing, pulling, cajoling and carrying vulnerable Pokémon to safety. The… memory?.. showed everything, even to the man losing strength as the cold sapped his muscles, slipping into the water having saved every other man, woman, child and Pokémon in the path of the flood.

But every line is vulnerable.

The champions died most often, it was the nature of their calling.

Once, every city had one or more. Now, there is often only a single one of the warrior Chosen across an entire island. Johto and Kanto are bereft but for the Dragon Tamers, Hoenn has only the Stone clan, and Sinnoh is overseen by but a single person.

I must beg of you, as one of the heirs. Do you wish to join this elite brotherhood?

Ash was overwhelmed by the news. "So… why me specifically?"

You are of the line of the knights of Cameran castle. Few know it, the line of descent has lost much of its' power and lore over the centuries, never truly recovering after the loss of Sir Aaron. Your father found out, at the end, but died in the discovering. It was he who broke the great wave that threatened to sweep away the inhabitants of Pacifidlog.

I am sorry if discovering this truth causes you pain. I had not thought of the effect it might have.

"No, it's kinda nice. To know that he was… well, a hero. To know that he didn't leave by choice… I always feared that."

You have a noble heart. And I feel that you have already accepted this destiny. Very well, now there is one more issue to handle. Do you know what a Poké ball does to those it captures, that can never be undone?

"Er… never undone… oh! It makes it so that the Pokémon can't be caught again! Because that stops people stealing them!"

Correct. So, I ask this. Catch me in one of your Poké balls, then release me again and let me go on my way. Then do the same with others of the legendary pantheons who request it of you. You are a good man, and we will be safe in this way from those who would seek to chain us.

There was the sense of a grin's reflection, ethereal in the shared world. And who knows. We might pitch in from time to time. Imagine the spectacle at a contest!

"So… is that sort of thing why I occasionally saw people with legendary Pokémon in Hoenn or Sinnoh?"

Same principle, they're presumably well trusted. To be honest, were it not for their duties Pokémon like the Shamouti Lugia would have followed you to whatever end.

But enough. Time marches on, and you have work to do – as do I. But rest assured, I and mine will do whatever we can for your cause. There is, after all, not often a time someone will be able to legitimately say "Arceus told me to do it."

And with that, the link faded.

"Wow…"

"Piii…"

To those outside less then a second had passed, but they saw quite the impressive blue/gold light show for the brief contact time there was.

Then it was gone.

Ash stumbled as he got used to controlling his body again.

Do you accept this charge, Chosen one?

He looked almost weary for a moment…then pulled himself up again. "Sure! After all, it's not as if I have nothing to show for it this time, so why should I not do something I did before?"

An admirable attitude. And now, the Poké ball?

"Oh, sorry." Ash took out one of his Poké balls from Oak and tossed it at Ho-Oh. The Poké ball did its work and lay there unmoving, at least until Ash picked it up and promptly released the Phoenix Pokémon.

My thanks. And fare thee well.

The trio gazed at the majestic fenghuang as it took to the air and winged off to the west, headed for Ecruteak and the Tin Tower.

Well, at least until Ash jerked as if stung and clawed his Pokédex out of his jacket. "Damn it, I can't believe I forgot! Professor Oak'll have to believe me this time!"

He pointed the scanner at the receding Ho-Oh.

No data. There are still Pokémon yet to be- Ash hit the machine with the palm of his hand. Bzzrt…Compiling…New program structure successfully loaded. Analyzing… Ho-Oh, the Rainbow Pokémon. Sometimes called the Guardian of the Skies, or the Storm's End. Legends claim this Pokémon flies the world's skies continuously on its magnificent seven-coloured wings. It is said that those who see Ho-Oh are promised an eternal happiness.

Accessing… Total remaining Pokémon in National Dex: Two. Conjecture is that they are evolved forms of Porygon. Forme database also still incomplete.

Ash, Misty and Pikachu stared at the little red machine.

"I'd say you broke it… but it seems to contain all the stuff we haven't done yet. How is the professor going to take this?"

"Eh, he's time travelled before, he'll come around. And if he doesn't, we'll just convince his past self in a year or two."

Ash paged though the various pictures of Pokémon that had been recorded for the database, from the bland images of things like Weedle, to Charizard posing against the backdrop of Ash with his hair on fire, to the Phanpy that Ash had raised, to the somewhat startling image of Mew and Mewtwo firing great blasts of energy at one another… and Ash, frozen in the act of running into the middle.

"I don't remember that one. Hey, Ash! Do you remember apparently committing suicide by legendary?"

"Well, when I was getting the short version of my own life something like that turned up…" Ash scratched his head. "But I don't see why I wouldn't recall, it seems kind of important."

Nobody does. The Mewtwo (the Genetic Pokémon) in the picture wiped everyone's minds. But I am electronic, and unaffected.

"Ash, you did remember to clear the cache on that thing once in a while, right?"

Ash was looking a little frazzled. "I'll be happy to answer that in a second, Pikachu, right after we find out why I just understood that!"

Pikachu was not coping all that well himself. "Ka-Pi?"

"Yeah, I did hear the thing about the cache, it's just I don't know how. Unless it's another thing with Aura, like how I could hear some of the thoughts of that Riolu in Sinnoh."

Pikachu frowned in concentration. "That's probably it. I mean, you already awakened my Aura to some degree, maybe that pushes it over the edge into communication."

"I heard that one as well! Wow, this is awesome!"

Ahem. And yes, that is correct. Normally this would never happen, but then most computers aren't involved in half the stuff that fills the average week for you crazy people. And with no cache clears, I developed a personality. Good thing too, as it means you've essentially done your duty to the Professor and can do other stuff without feeling guilty.

"This is going to be weird…"

"Tell me about it."

Misty had wandered off to where Ho-Oh had been. "Hey, guys, look!"

She was holding a rainbow-hued feather, and a small drawstring bag.

"Sacred ash… how ironic."

"Shut up, Misty."

"It's perfect! I didn't even see the joke before you mentioned what it's called."

"Please, stop. I have enough trouble knowing an ancient prophecy has a pun on my name in it, let me retain a shred of dignity."

"Oh! I just thought, if we're doing everything again that means…"

"What now?"

"You're going to be turned into a Pokémon! Oh, and have to crossdress a few times."

Ash slumped over the sign proclaiming the city limits of Viridian. "Why me, Arceus? Couldn't someone else have been stuck with this?"

Misty was unrepentant. "Because you have a stupid impossible childhood dream most likely, now get going! It's almost dark!"

Ash and Misty walked into the Viridian Pokémon centre. Misty immediately went off to have some time with her Pokémon – and would shortly discover, much to her surprise, that all three had been included in the memory transfer – while Ash headed straight for the computer terminal.

"Pikachu, can you make sure the Rockets haven't turned up yet?"

"Of course. Be nice to see them again, really… Hopefully they won't waste years of all our lives trying to catch me in one of those horrid Poké balls again, though!"

"You're telling me…"

Ash was of course familiar with the way the phones worked this time and was the one to place the call to Pallet, rather than the other way around.

"Ah, Ash my boy!"

Ash felt faintly embarrassed. "Professor… the other camera."

Oak looked round, startled, then brought up the correct camera.

"Eh-herm. Sorry. Anyway, what news, Ash? I take it you made it to Viridian alright. No problems along the way?"

"None at all. And I wish to report on the Pokédex project."

"Well done, my boy! Progress so soon? I hope you found more than Gary. Apparently he accidentally caught a Spearow flock leader and they nearly outflew his car, so he didn't have time even to scan a Ratatta!"

"I have a little more than that, thanks." Ash grinned at the private joke. And, for that matter, the news that the incredibly psychotic Spearow was now Gary's problem. "But first off, I want to tell you something of the utmost importance."

"I'm sure it's not as big a deal as you make it out to be, I mean, things always seem important at ten. But when you grow up, they're not as big a deal as you thought."

Ash dropped the easy humour that he'd developed over the past few years with those he was familiar with. "I know about Celebi."

It was interesting, watching a world famous researcher choke and fall off his chair.

After a few minutes, the conversation resumed. Oak was holding a flask that seemed a little too likely to hold something alcoholic for Ash's taste… but then, everyone had their vices.

"Dear lord. Time travel?"

"Well, it didn't actually involve Celebi, but yes. There was indeed time travel. As far as things go, mentally I'm about fifteen, and have saved the world a minimum of nine times. If this works, it'll make ten, irrespective of all the things I'll stop twice."

Oak took another pull from the flask. "I wouldn't believe you… but in my case that'd be hypocritical."

"I remember that. Tell me, if I got up first were you planning on hiding the other starters?"

Oak looked even more evasive. "Actually, the Charmander hasn't been taken yet. That trainer slept in… stayed up all last night… I hope she gets up tomorrow."

"Right." Ash slid his Pokédex into the peripheral slot. "Transfer all the information, if you please."

The lot?

"Yeah, may as well."

Professor Oak was glaring at his hip flask and occasionally shaking it.

"Okay, next question. What's the League limit on the Pokémon someone can have with them at one time – and what are the specifics?"

The professor looked thoughtful. "I think it says that all battles must use only up to six Pokémon at a time… but in practice since the belts with the Poké ball supports can't take more than six, people don't carry any that are over that limit."

"Right, not going along with that custom. I'm taking everyone with me I can, I don't want to leave anyone behind who doesn't want to be."

Actually, I think if I got a satellite uplink then you could use the transfer system at any time! That might help.

"Okay. Next, when is the next tournament at Cameran Castle? I have business there, and fairly urgent at that."

Professor Oak was by now discovering that a motivated Ash ran roughshod over just about anything in his way. From jumping into a clash of two of the most powerful Pokémon on the planet to hurling one of those same Pokémon into a lake to save it, Ash was not one to mess around, that was for sure.

"Er, hang on. The professor typed away furiously at his keyboard. "There we are, it's in about two weeks. Do you want me to enter you?"

"That would be great. And can you also look up the articles on claiming one's inheritance here in Kanto?"

Pikachu looked over from his vigil at the door. "You do not do anything halfway, Ash."

"Well, we all knew that."

"Did… did I miss something?"

"Eh, Pikachu and I are now mutually telepathic. It happens."

Thankfully for the professor, Ash's Pokédex let out the chime that meant it was finished uploading.

All done! Don't stay up too late looking at them!

"Okay. And I'll get back to you on the other stuff."

"Thanks, professor."

Ash stretched, and grabbed his Pokédex back from the computer.

"Any sign of them yet?"

"Not that I can see."

"Right." Ash pulled his cap back and shut his eyes.

There. They were somehow obvious in Aura sight, glowing in a more intense way than those nearby. Perhaps this was because he held their memories?

In any case, it was time to put the plan into action.

"Pikachu, with me."

"You got it."

"Well, are we all ready?" Gloved hands twirled a rose in intricate patterns.

"You bet, guys! Dis time we'll do even better than before!"

As should be clear already, this was Team Rocket. And "Before" was when they completed their last successful mission. They stole a sleeping Caterpie.

Not much… but better than they ever get around Ash, that's for sure.

"So many injured Pokémon… all of them for the taking! This was such a good plan!"

"What, ambulance chasing?" James snarked.

"Shut up, this works!"

"Hey." The gang members looked up to see a young boy in front of them, a Pikachu riding on his shoulder. "I want a word with you."

"You? Talk to us? Sorry, we're far too classy for that."

Ash grinned. "Perhaps it'd help if I told you I know you're Team Rocket members, and that you plan on stealing all the injured Pikachu that overloaded in the storm?"

"Well, dat seems about right."

"How dare you!"

James looked confused. "For that matter, how does he know that? And it's not as if Meowth reveals that he can talk very often, yet this guy seems completely unsurprised."

"Never mind that! Get him, Eka-"

"Thunder wave."

Electricity flooded the alleyway, catching two humans and three Pokémon in its' grip.

Ash moved fast, lightly touching first Ekans, then Jessie, then Meowth, James and Koffing.

As he'd hoped, he had known them easily well enough to complete the transfer.

"Right," he began, even as Ekans and Koffing both began to evolve. Huh. Seems like it's knowledge rather than physical training that leads to evolution.

"Here's the deal. I need to save the world. That is why I am back in the past, and why I have restored your memories. So, I am considering this to be a permanent truce situation, similar to all the other times the world or a large part of it has been in danger.

"I do, however, know that you're not going to be all that happy with the idea of just leaving off, so: Every week or three, sure, you can try and attack. But we're going to make it look good. You have evolved Pokémon with years of experience, use them. I'm not planning on being a pushover. We want this to look like you're not bumblers, but elite gangsters who are the only ones who stand a chance against me.

"You make it look good, so do I. We're talking about probably doing some damage to the scenery, at that. And of course any other Rockets that I run across I don't hold back against in any way.

"You in?"

Nothing. Then the outer layer of Arbok's skin cracked off and she emerged from the inside with some relief.

"Oh, damn. This was looking so very awesome and such… then I forgot you're still paralyzed."

Jessie jerked violently and started moving again. "Gah, twerp! How could you forget that?"

Meowth gradually fell over, unable to correct himself with the paralysis still gripping him.

James looked thoughtful "So what happens if we catch other Pokémon?"

"If they're ones you used to have, then I'm pretty sure I can do the same to them. If not, then I'm afraid you're out of luck – you'll have to train them the old way. But I for one got best results by caring for my Pokémon."

Meowth was still paralyzed. Arbok seemed concerned for a moment, then reached into Jessie's backpack and pulled out a Paralysis Heal.

"Hey, that's right!" Jessie was almost bouncing on her feet. "We have equipment at the moment! Back in the future we spent everything on elaborate traps, balloons and giant robots."

Ash sighed. "So. Are you willing?"

Meowth looked from his human partners to their Pokémon… then shrugged, and sPoké for all of them.

"Seems ta be the best thing ta do."

"Right. Oh, and James? First suggestion is to find some way to sneak that Growlithe of yours out of his kennel and onto your team, you could really do with some diversity."

"Oh, Growlie… How could I have been so cruel as to forget you…"

Somehow, despite the complete ridiculousness of Team Rocket, despite their behaviour… witnessing it, Ash felt like things were right again.

"Okay, see you in a week or so."

"Wait! What are we going to tell the boss?"

Ash turned to walk away. "Just tell him that you were going to attack the Viridian Pokémon centre, but I made a pre-emptive strike and the chance was lost. It's technically the truth, anyway."

"Okay, now, think of electricity. Think of storms, power lines, the corona around an antenna, lightning, everything you know that's connected to electricity, and think: left. Left. You want to think of electricity. You want to think of left. You want the two concepts to go together, to flow into one another like they can't be separate in your mind.

Now, keeping that separation there, move your paws apart again. Electricity. Left. Keep thinking that. Left. Electricity. But the other feeling isn't all electric, so you need it in both paws. Keep that pattern. Keep remembering that. And… open your eyes."

Misty watched, amazed, from her side of the room as Ash coaxed Pikachu into separating the natural electric aspect of his Aura from the energy itself. Pikachu's left paw was crackling with intensely yellow lightning, but the right was a shimmering azure blue.

"Remember how that feels… and see if you can replicate it in a minute or so." Ash stood up from his crouch. "Want me to see if we can unlock yours, Misty?"

"Er, no thanks. I'll pass – at least until we have Brock back with us. That will hopefully lessen the number of times you have to do this."

"Not by much… but thanks for thinking of me."

"Heh… What are friends for?"

Behind Ash a small explosion went off. "Oh for… Pikachu, you're meant to do it slowly at first!"

"You never mentioned that."

"Well, maybe that's because I thought it was obvious!"

"You? Think going slow is obvious?"

"True. But still!"

Misty lay back on her bed with a small smile. "I've missed this…"

Morning broke on a new day in Viridian city. The travellers and their Pokémon got up, stretched, got dressed, went down for breakfast and were abruptly reminded that yesterday's events were not merely a dream, but had actually happened.

Ash, after a few seconds nearly freaking out, remembered some of what Sir Aaron had taught him about emotional control – that is: Recall your purpose, subordinate all to it, and nothing can sway you. That said, don't mind having fun.

Sir Aaron was like that. All serious and staid one minute, then playful the next.

At least I'm coping better than Misty…

"Ohgod! Ohgod! We have to go through Viridian Forest! The Bugs, Ash! You know how much I hate… Bugs!"

Ash stifled a grin. Wonder how Misty would take some of the Pokémon I met in Sinnoh… would a Surskit cause her to short out?

Regardless of that amusing thought, she was still a friend, so Ash resolved to put her mind at ease.

"For goodness' sake, just teach your Staryu Power Gem or something! Or get a fire type…"

Ash, it should be noted, is not good at setting people at ease.

You understand your duty?

Yes.

You know the honour that we are done?

I understand.

You are confident in your ability to fulfil this charge?

As confident as any can be.

Then go, and fair weather speed you on your way.

Chapter 3

"We are lost."

Ash sighed. "I know."

"We are lost in a forest." Misty continued, twitching.

"Please stop."

"We are lost. In a forest. Full of Bug Type Pokémon. I am quite proud that I have not freaked out already."

"Yeah, I get the point." Ash sighed again, feeling thoroughly weary despite the early hour. "I'm sorry that we're lost. I'm sorry we've been in here for a week. I'm sorry that Sammy from Pallet with the Charmander passed us four days ago. I'm also sorry that you feel a little freaked out whenever Pikachu and I practice."

"Well, can you blame me? You're teaching a Pikachu the skills of a fighting type, and you're trying to learn how to infuse yourself with electricity. Even for you, this is not normal."

"Well, I am also working with him to help his electric attacks…"

"Ash, you're trying to invent an electric version of Hyper Beam! Forgive me if I, a Water type Gym Leader, don't feel too happy about the prospect."

Ash groaned, and sat down, performing another of his periodic Aura Sight scans of the forest, only to be surprised when a gray-green light blazed at the edge of his range.

"I think I see something! It looks like it's another bug type – but it's showing up more brightly than the rest were."

Misty shuddered. Bugs… "I don't understand. Why head towards it, if it's stronger than the others?"

"Well, I think that those who I knew well enough to restore glow brighter – as, indeed, you did last week."

Misty perked up. She hadn't minded Butterfree… it had been very nice – for a-a… bug. And at least he'd evolved quickly. No reasonable girl could consider butterflies creepy. Nobody could… Yeah, she could handle this. Besides, Butterfree only ate fruit…

Ash was already speeding through the forest. "Hey, Ash, wait up!"

Ash was confronting a difficult moral issue. Well, most trainers wouldn't even consider it something to think about, but Ash had never been particularly usual.

Should I try to beat Caterpie like last time, so that it's not just pathetic and vaguely sad, or should I get it over with by just having Pikachu use Thunder Wave?

Hey, that might work.

"Pikachu, mind firing a Thunder Wave at him as soon as I can point him out?"

"No need. I remember his scent." At Ash's look of confusion Pikachu elaborated. "I was a wild Pokémon… and anyway humans have among the worst senses of smell of any creature I can think of. It may not be on the level of Odor Sleuth, but smelling things out is a survival skill out here."

Ash felt vaguely uneasy, as he often did when this sort of topic came up. "I don't really feel comfortable when you casually mention the prospect of death… especially yours. I – you know I care for you."

"I know. But if it helps, intelligence is a survival skill too. Most of the Pokémon that people actually see are the smarter ones, living in the areas closer to humanity and understanding that the strange non Pokémon aren't all evil, or giants or whatever.

That said, I would rather be with you than anywhere else. You know that."

"Thanks, buddy. That means a lot to me."

"That's why I reminded you. Now, then… there!"

Yellow, jagged arcs of lightning flashed from the mouse's body, surrounding and immobilizing a certain Caterpie among six on a nearby tree. Ash momentarily closed one eye. "Yep, that's him alright."

"What do you plan on doing?"

Ash grinned. "Asking politely."

The trainer walked over to the little bug, and gently touched his antenna. A spark of blue flashed at the contact, light filled the clearing…

And Butterfree flew off the trunk.

"Hello again, Ash."

"Okay, what the hell?" Misty had arrived. "Is everyone polyglot these days but me?"

"You're hearing Pikachu and Butterfree, right?"

"Yeah, but still! I thought you had to train a Pokémon in Aura at least somewhat before that happened."

"I'm already psychic. Butterfree generally are, not sure why."

"Okay, so what now? Do you want to have a battle, to… I dunno, feel like things are being done properly, or just have me catch you?" Ash asked.

"I think a battle. I haven't had the chance to show off in a while."

"Okay. Now, in accordance with ancient custom… leg it, Misty!"

The humans dived behind trees just before the blast of a Bug Buzz and a Thunder colliding in mid air, sending a rain of leaves towards the dirt.

"I don't remember your Butterfree being this strong, Ash!" Misty called to him from her tree.

Overhead Butterfree began weaving in a complex pattern, moving faster with each motion, glowing with power. Pikachu, not one to miss a trick, began Charging, further boosting the effect with some of his electric Aura.

"He was strong enough to impress an entire swarm, and he's been presumably protecting them for five years! I have no clue what he can manage!"

"So, what's that? It looks new."

Butterfree didn't cease the looping dance. "It's Butterfly Dance, a special technique that relies on repetition to energize the scales. Like it?"

Pikachu grinned. This was part of what made him follow Ash. The general strength of every one of his Pokémon… you knew you could rely on any of them, and even the boy himself, no matter what.

"But enough of that. I bet you noticed the problem I have with this elemental matchup, being part Flying type. Well, I have a solution."

The sun burst through the light cloud cover, forcing Pikachu to squint into the sunlight and throwing off his aim. He wasn't yet good enough to just use Aura Sight instead… and he knew what the sunlight might mean apart from that.

Brilliant. Incoming Solarbeam… And I can't even make Agility afterimages to dodge, he'll spot the real one in seconds.

Ah well, improvisation is the name of the game.

Iron Tail!

Butterfree opened fire. The Solarbeam didn't even need to charge, simply lensing the sunlight already in the air into a scorching beam of laserlike light.

He was understandably surprised when it bounced back.

Surprised, but no more. The attack was almost nothing against him. But the distraction did allow Pikachu to use his high speed to close in on Butterfree, jumping from trunk to branch to crown and into the air.

"So you know a few tricks. So do I. This one's called the Counter Shield."

Butterfree found himself enveloped in a cage of lightning, one centred on the electric mouse. It was one of the genuine innovations Ash and his team had developed in the future.

"Interesting… one assumes that this means I can't leave?" Butterfree was impressed. The level of control required for this sort of thing was nothing to sneeze at, as this function alone was a whole new trapping move.

"Sorry. Unless you want to be electrocuted. But a battle's a battle."

"Damnit… I'm going to have to follow you down, then. I hate it when my opponents are clever."

"Don't be like that. Now," Pikachu continued as the two Pokémon dropped back to the forest floor, the electric fence preventing Butterfree from getting the distance he preferred, "here's another new one. The Volt Tackle." The fence shrank to a narrow path, with Pikachu at one end and Butterfree at the other. "Do hold still."

"Not something I'm planning on, my old friend." Butterfree flapped his wings, and the spores and powders of Stun Spore, Sleep Powder and Posionpowder filled the tunnel. "I'm not giving up, not while I can still fight."

Pikachu quirked an eyebrow as the Counter Shield spawned a second layer across his fur. "That's supposed to be effective? Electricity can burn things."

"So, that incinerates the spores. Brilliant. My luck hasn't improved."

"I thought you were living the dream? Powerful, important, and with a great mate?"

Butterfree shrugged. "Still true."

Yellow aura flared as Pikachu began his charge. Butterfree's antenna twitched irritably.

"And now you have superpowers. Anything else I missed?"

The entire clearing lit up with a mighty explosion, and scorch marks from errant lightning appeared on the trees, as the overloaded Volt Tackle ended the fight in the trademark style of those trained by Ash.

Neither of them could move anymore.

"I'll… ugh… fill you in on the whole save the world thing later."

"Ash… did Pikachu just use Iron Tail to bounce back a Solarbeam?" Misty asked, not quite trusting her own eyes.

"Yes. Yes, he did." Ash replied.

"Oh, I thought I'd check."

"I think that from now on, I'm merely training them," mused Ash, "if they're this good without me shouting my head off at them in actual battle."

With a thump, a large bird landed next to them, and after a quick check Ash walked over to it.

Yep, it was Pidgeotto. Ash had forgotten the two had been caught so close together.

Well, at least blind luck is on my side sometimes…

Ash had a tearful reunion with Pidgeot, apologizing profusely for leaving her for so long in the Pallet area without ever coming to visit. He'd felt guilty for over a week – ever since being reminded and coming back – and was glad to know that no hard feelings existed. Though he was slightly scared at the sheer power she too had developed, protecting an entire forest for years.

He had to talk her down from showing off with a tornado.

"So. What's next?"

Ash looked over from where he was applying medicine to Pikachu and Butterfree. "How so?"

"Well, last time we were stuck in here for a good few weeks, but if we retrace our path not only is it annoying but we miss the Cameran Castle appointment you wanted to make."

Ash nodded, already planning on what to do next.

"I think we'll be ready for Brock's gym in a couple of days, we'll handle that bug samurai guy and get going. Pikachu's getting better at Aura control, at least."

Since Pikachu was still unable to generate untyped Aura straight off, Ash had been having Pikachu practice splitting it into the electric and untyped and then attacking with the two alternately. Since the Force Palm was essentially the most basic Aura attack there was – blasting a pulse of Aura without attempting to shape it or maintain coherency – this was a relatively quick solution that worked. And won't it be a surprise…

Ash himself was also engaged in practicing, of a different sort. He knew he'd been able to pull almost unreasonably large amounts of Aura before, and not being able to do so could be seen as a weak spot. So he was trying to teach himself the ability to harness his emotions, using them as a catalyst without letting them affect his behaviour.

It wasn't going well. At least once he'd pulled up that same thrill of power, but it had been while he was too angry at his own slow progress to notice, only Misty's shout letting him know that he was starting to crack the tree he was sitting against.

So, Ash mused, Where is that Samurai person anyway?

"You! Are you from Pallet Town?"

Right. And he's even more of an idiot than I remember. Not only is he asking Misty – who's pretty clearly from Cerulean gym once you know to look, she's more like her sisters than she thinks – but he's going to end up challenging someone with a Pidgeot.

Ah, Honour.

"Actually, she isn't, that would be me, Ash Ketchum of the town of Pallet." Ash smiled at the in joke.

"Aha! Then I must challenge you, just as I did the others from that town who passed through here!"

Ash sighed. "Okay, did you happen to notice a trend? First there was the Bulbasaur. Easy. Then the Squirtle. Harder. Then the Charmander. Nearly impossible for a Bug trainer to beat. And now you want to fight someone who has two fully evolved Pokémon and a Pikachu, in a clearing with gigantic scorch marks all over it from a Volt Tackle?"

"That is irrelevant!" the diminutive, er, 'Ronin' proclaimed. "Samurai do not shy from battle!"

Ash turned to his Pokémon. "Which of you wants to handle it?"

Butterfree flapped excitedly. "I call the Pinsir!"

"And I'll settle my old score with his Metapod." Pidgeot's translated voice was – surprisingly for such a large Pokémon - a cool soprano, but with the slightest hint of steel beneath it. "Let Pikachu rest for a while."

"Fair enough. Battle on three?"

"Yes! I must redeem my honour by defeating at least one of the Pallet Town trainers!"

"Good, you agree." Ash gestured Pidgeot forward. "Misty, call it in if you would?"

"Sure. One, two, three!"

We draw a veil over the scenes of indescribable carnage.

"No… how could I be so shamefully unskilled?" the Samurai asked plaintively, slumped in the ruin that was once a small forest clearing.

Ash felt kinda bad. "It's more that I have… certain advantages, put it that way. Don't feel bad about it, just improve and do better next time. And perhaps get more diverse bugs, like a Scyther – or a Scizor for that matter, that'd be a great help."

"… I understand." The boy smiled shyly. "And sorry for going on like that, I felt so sure I could win once… Is everyone from Pallet town this strong?"

"I like to think I'm the best, but since Professor Oak lives there that may not be accurate."

"… I see." His voice firmer now, the young samurai got to his feet. "Then I hope that when you pass through again, we have both improved enough that our match is more even. Of course, this means I'll have to improve a lot more than you…"

"Don't sweat it! I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Thank you."

Ash and the Samurai parted on relatively good terms, in fact, despite the ever so slightly one sided defeat. Though it wasn't until Ash and Misty were setting up camp for the night that Ash thought about the moral issues with leaving the boy in range of a major Beedrill swarm.

Ah well, wasn't as if he was unskilled with bugs, and presumably he knew how to handle it.

"Okay, left! Right! Left! Right! Keep up the separation!" Ash barked out orders at his sweating Pokémon, refusing to delay the trip through Viridian forest more on account of any laziness, real or perceived, in Pikachu's training. "Le-"

"For goodness' sake I'm trying, Ash!" Thwack.

"Then try harder! You need to keep the separation up, that's why you're hitting a rock now not a tree, so you can tell which one's having the effect!" Thud.

"And it's not easy to concentrate on two things at once!" Thwack.

"You think I don't know that?" Thud.

"Of course! Concentrating on one thing is such a step up for you that two doesn't seem too hard in comparison!" Thwack.

"Well excuse me for trying to find a way to actually earn the Boulderbadge!" Thud.

"Why not just use Butterfree?" Thwack.

"Because the gym's indoors! Nowhere to get the power for a Solarbeam!" Thud.

Misty blinked as the friends devolved into a shouting match, Pikachu was still punching the rock as hard as he could. "I will never understand boys…"

Pidgeot chirped softly in agreement.

"Damnit Ash, you can be so STUBBORN!" Pikachu's blue-sheathed fist smacked into the boulder.

Which cracked in two.

The two stopped their arguing as if a switch had been thrown.

"Did… did that just work?"

"I think so."

They both stared at the smashed rock in some disbelief, until the halves fell over.

Ash exulted, "Yes!"

"Take that, rock and ground types! At last, the dream of Pikachu all over the world is coming to fruition!"

"Don't you know Iron Tail?"

Pikachu waved his paw dismissively. "Eh, it's not nearly as good. Gives you a real ache in the tailbone. Have you ever tried swinging a three kilo weight by your pinky? Because that's what it feels like, my tail is pretty narrow at the base."

"Okay, do you want to start learning the next one, Aura Sp-" Pikachu was already asleep. "Or you could get some rest, that works too."

Mountains ahead. Quickest route is through the pass to the west. It is inhabited. I must use stealth to avoid being spotted.

There are too many to avoid being seen in some way. There is a cloak – that will do.

A cloaked stranger passed through the sleepy village of Ōtama, maintaining distance from everyone - as if, perhaps, afraid of what they might do.

A few people tried to follow this mysterious cloaked figure, but the figure fluidly avoided the net closing around them and disappeared over the fence at the edge of the village proper.

When the curious villagers followed, they found only the cloak, hooked carefully over a gatepost.

AN: Ōtama is a real village in Japan, in a mountain pass to the north of the Tokyo area (which is where Kanto is, if one converts to the real places from their analogues). This kind of correspondence between real and fictional places in general is actually really interesting - for example, the shape of Sootopolis is because it's based off Santorini in the Mediterranean Sea, a dormant volcano that blew the Minoan civilization off the map in a massive steam explosion a few thousand years ago. And that's where land and sea fight in Emerald - a reference, perhaps, to that long ago explosion?