Overwhelmed...

Chapter 30 - Overwhelmed...

"I can't…take it…help…me…" whimpered Ash.

Ash had Anabel, Sabrina and Gardevoir use their psychic powers to bring out some of his memories to show to Lance to prove that he is a good person and would never have something to do with the attack on the tournament. They had seen many memories of Ash, some very personal and emotional ones and of him training as he said he had done but something was wrong. Ash was now on the floor holding his head in his hands, his legs curled under him as he sat on them, shaking violently.

"HELP ME!" shouted Ash suddenly.

"Pikapi!" shouted Pikachu as he ran up to him, confused and scared, not knowing what to do to help his friend out.

"What's wrong?! What's happened?!" asked May as she, Misty, Dawn and Serena knelt beside Ash and tried comforting him.

"What did you two do?!" growled Lucario, facing Anabel and Sabrina, completely ignoring the fact that Gardevoir was part of the process as well.

"Nothing! I didn't do anything besides help Gardevoir bring out the memories!" Anabel replied back immediately, fearing that the angered pokémon wouldn't believe her and also because that she might have hurt Ash without knowing.

"I only used some of my power to help bring them out as well but I was mostly checking to make sure they weren't being altered," responded Sabrina with a concerned expression on her face as a pained thought went through her head; is this my fault?! Did I cause this to happen?!

"MAKE THEM STOP!" screamed Ash, before he started whimpering even more.

"Make who stop? What is it? We can't help unless we know! Please, tell us how to help you!" Misty was losing it as this was one of the few times she had no idea what to do. She hugged Ash but yelped suddenly. "His heart is beating like mad!"

"He's sweating like a pig too! What the hell is happening?!" whined Serena.

"He's burning up as well!" said May as she placed her hand on his forehead.

"Ash, what's wrong?!" asked Dawn as she tried to pull his hands down but couldn't.

"Ash; sweetie, what's wrong? Tell mommy and she'll make it better!" said Delia as she knelt in front of her son and made to hug him but was suddenly pushed back a little. His eyes had glowed blue and an Aura Shield had appeared around him as his aura was brought out instinctually to try to help him.

"PLEASE! IT'S TOO MUCH! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" roared Ash before he started to cry.

"What the fuck did you cause to happen Lance?!" growled the Unovan Champion Alder while turning to glare at the Kanto Champion. The older Champion was doing all he could to prevent himself from exploding at Lance.

Cynthia, however let herself go. She was giving a look of rage at Lance while shouting at him and fingering her poke ball that held her Garchomp. He cowered at her furious demeanor as he tried to defend himself, to explain that he wasn't the one bringing out the memories. But he merely opened his mouth and closed it stupidly several times, unable to say anything. Many people started talking over one another, bickering and arguing on what to do and whose fault it is that Ash had somehow went ill after showing his memories.

"SILENCE!" shouted Queen Ilene, getting everyone to shut up instantly. Many awed looks were thrown in her direction but she didn't falter as she had experience in such matters. However, a certain young pokémon researcher was giving her another kind of look but she didn't notice. "Now is not the time for arguing. Master Riley, can you figure out what's happening? Can you push through his shield?" asked Queen Ilene, fear and worry clearly shown on her face. Riley moved forward and tried to push through the aura shield with his own aura but was unsuccessful.

"I don't know my Queen. I've never seen something like this. I can't get through," replied Riley sadly.

"Here let me try one of my inventions!" offered Clemont as he stepped forward holding up something that looked like a miniature cannon after taking it out of his back pack. "This is my energy taking device! I made it to weaken pokémon by draining their energy to catch them instead of battling them so they won't get hurt. I can siphon some of his aura to make his shield drop!"

Before anyone could say anything or stop him, Clemont turned on the invention with his trademark phrase 'the future is now!' and used it. It seemed to work as the shield began to fade but then his device suddenly exploded in his hands after a few seconds. He coughed and waved his hand to get rid of the smoke that was covering him. Several people shook their heads at his attempt before glancing back at the suffering guardian on the floor as Misty, May, Dawn and Serena tried to push through the shield but had no luck.

"LUCARIO! WHY AREN'T YOU HELPING ME?! MAKE THEM STOP!"

"MASTER! I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS! LET GO! LET GO WHATEVER IT IS SO I CAN HELP!"

Lucario attacked the shield and tried to push through but nothing happened. He took a few steps back and then flared out his aura, making the girls scramble out of the way as he concentrated his energy into a swirling blue ball of energy in his hands before an Aura Beam was launched at Ash's shield. Everyone screamed in shock at what he did but the beam did its job and the shield was now gone. The four girls quickly went to Ash and tried to calm him down by hugging him and rubbing his back while ignoring that he was still sweating and burning up as Lucario knelt in front of Ash.

"Master, what is it?"

Ash whimpered before he tried to respond, but was unable to speak complete sentences. He was still trembling violently, his eyes glowing blue and holding his head.

"I felt…it all…all the…emotions…it's too…much…can't…take…it…no…it's…coming…back…no…please…I can't…leave…alone…please…no...more...stop…please…HELP ME!"

As Ash screamed the last two words, an Aura Shield came out and pushed everyone back once again. Lucario seemed to know what was going on but also had a look of confusion on his face that made many worry about what it could be.

"What's going on Lucario?!"

"Master can't control the emotions from the memories Lady Cynthia. I don't know why though. We've done this before…"

"Before?" asked Sarah in confusion as everyone else looked at the trembling and whimpering raven haired guardian on the floor with sullen looks.

"END THIS PAIN!"

"ASH!" cried Misty, Dawn, Serena and May together.

They flung themselves at the shield and tried to push through it. Many of Ash's friends quickly joined the four girls and did their very best to push through to reach him and try to help him. Brock, Max, Gary, Leaf, Iris, Cilan, Delia, Riley, Anabel, Gardevoir, Lucario, Pikachu, Joy, Richie, Sarah, Clemont, Bonnie, Sabrina and Cynthia joined in and tried to push through the shield as well but it wouldn't budge. The shield was just too strong for them to push through. Lucario told them to step away as he powered up another Aura Beam and fired it but for some reason it didn't work this time. Lucario was in shock that his powerful attack did absolutely nothing to the shield this time. Ash's cries were starting to affect everyone and they were all feeling hopelessness fill them.

"WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?!"

"We're trying to help!" screamed Misty, as she started pounding on the shield with her mallet.

"WHY AM I ALWAYS ALONE?!"

"We're right here Ash!" yelled May as she punched the shield over and over, hurting her hands a little in the process.

"I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"

"You're stronger than this Ash!" cried Dawn as she tried slamming into the shield with her shoulder.

"PLEASE, I GIVE UP! I GIVE UP! JUST LET ME DIE!"

"Don't give up!" shrieked Serena as she pushed against it.

"SOMEONE HELP ME!"

Several among the group flung themselves at the shield, attacking like mad and tried desperately to get through but it was no use. Cynthia had even let her Garchomp out and had him attack the shield but it was no use. Even with Misty letting out her Starmie and Brock letting out his Golem and had their pokémon attack the shield with Garchomp, it was futile. No matter what they did, no matter how powerful an attack the pokémon used, the shield just wouldn't go away. The raven haired guardian's trembling and crying became worse and worse with every passing second.

"FIGHT IT MASTER! YOU'RE STRONGER THAN THIS! FIGHT AGAINST IT!"

"I CAN'T…I…TOO…MUCH…AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Ash let out a blood curling scream that made everyone stop. They were completely frozen by it, sending shivers down their spines. They had never in their lives heard Ash scream like that and it completely unnerved them. Before they could snap out of their trance, a bright blue glowing sphere appeared above them suddenly and the next second, the legendary psychic feline, Mewtwo appeared.

"I'm here Ash," said Mewtwo softly, his gaze fixed on his only human friend with great concern, floating above them all while almost everyone remained motionless in awe and fear at the legendary pokémon who appeared out of thin air right in front of them.

"MEWTWO! PLEASE! MAKE IT STOP!"

Mewtwo's eyes glowed blue, causing the people and pokémon around Ash to scatter as dozens of purple bullet sized energy balls appeared out of thin air and were shot at the shield. Seeing the attack from the psychic feline, the people there now knew that it was Mewtwo who had helped out Ash at the stadium attack. The shield took the damage and then it finally disappeared. The psychic feline quickly moved to Ash and knelt down in front of him to look his friend in the face.

"Mewtwo…it hurts…so much…I can't…control…them…"

"I know Ash. I'll take care of it," replied Mewtwo, his voice calm and steady.

Mewtwo's eyes glowed blue and as he concentrated, a purple outline appeared around Ash. After several long minutes, Ash's trembling slowed down before finally stopping. He put his hands down, his breathing relaxed, his heart beat returned to normal, his sweating stopped and he no longer was burning up. Mewtwo's and Ash's glow faded away and the psychic feline stood up. The four girls instantly shot to Ash, embracing him as heavy tears dropped while bawling without care. Leaf, Sarah, Anabel and Cynthia also moved towards them, their concern for Ash greater than their fear of being discovered and stood around the group on the floor. Luckily for them, nobody gave them a second look as Delia, Oak, Brock, Sabrina, Riley, Max and Gary came closer to them as well. Everyone else looked at the five with caring eyes, trying to understand what just happened and why Ash was in such turmoil. Mewtwo looked at the five for a moment, letting out a short sigh, relieved that he was able to help out his only human friend. He slowly moved his gaze to Anabel, Sabrina and Gardevoir, his expression hardening with fury, making the three back up in fear as they realized he was glaring at them.

"YOU DAMN FOOLS!" roared Mewtwo, his eyes glowing blue once more. The three were outlined in purple glows before they were picked up and slammed against the wall without mercy with his psychic powers, making them cry out in pain.

"STOP THIS RIGHT NOW MEWTWO!" Lucario commanded in anger as he glanced at the three girls, his gaze lingering a little longer on Gardevoir but the psychic feline ignored him.

"I can't believe this! How could you let this happen?! You call yourselves psychics?!" snarled Mewtwo as he made them dig into the wall. The three psychic girls cried out shrilly in pain from the sheer force of his power. Lucario attempted to calm the legendary down with words but Mewtwo wasn't listening at all and mostly everyone was cowering away from the furious legendary.

"What did they do?" asked Misty angrily as she heard Mewtwo but still kept hugging Ash. Everyone looked at the four girls and Ash before they tore their gaze away from the raven haired guardian and looked at Mewtwo, waiting for a response.

"These pathetic amateurs didn't separate his emotions from his memories!" spat Mewtwo while his attention never left the three girls. He turned his head towards his fellow pokémon. "Gardevoir, you knew better! You knew the consequences of what could happen to someone if you didn't do that! I taught you better than that!"

"I thought I could do it and I thought I was doing it! And I was being helped by Anabel and Sabrina!" confessed Gardevoir, utterly confused and crestfallen. She had sensed that she was separating the feelings from the memories so why was Ash in extreme pain? Tears were filling up her eyes from both the pain and realization that somehow she had messed up. "I'm so sorry!" bawled Gardevoir.

"I didn't know we had to do that!" admitted Anabel as she cried because of the pain she was feeling and that she had caused her crush's suffering.

"I'm sorry for what happened. This isn't what I wanted! I would never hurt him intentionally!" replied Sabrina with a painful and sorrow filled expression on her face, from both Mewtwo's action and what she just witnessed Ash go through.

"Too late for apologies! You will be punished for your lack of caution!" replied Mewtwo with anger as he raised his right arm. Lucario was about to fire an attack but someone else beat him to the punch. A Dragon Pulse was shot at Mewtwo but at the last second, Mewtwo used his Psychic attack and redirected the beam of draconian energy to blast out of a nearby window. He then heard someone speak before he could rage again.

"It's not their fault. Let them go."

Mewtwo snapped his furious gaze to the person who spoke and was surprised to hear who was speaking; it was Lance and he had his Dragonite out in front of him, eyeing the purple feline.

"Then whose fault is it?" asked Mewtwo as he glanced at the dragon pokémon before locking his eyes onto Lance.

"Mine. I accused Ash of being connected to the stadium attack and wouldn't listen to him so he said he'll show his memories as proof. He requested Gardevoir and Anabel to help bring out the memories together and I had Sabrina do so as well to make sure they didn't try to alter anything."

"You dare not only think he had a hand in the attack but are also the cause of his anguish?!" replied Mewtwo angrily.

The psychic feline's eyes narrowed after hearing this new bit of information. He snarled before he shot at the Champion with unbelievable speed. Dragonite barely moved an inch to intercept the legendary but was effortlessly thrown to the side like a ragdoll by Mewtwo's Ice Punch before the psychic feline practically disappeared from sight. Nobody was able to process what just occurred since it all happened so fast and then Mewtwo reappeared suddenly right in front of the Kanto Champion. He grabbed the Champion by his throat before slamming Lance against the wall with such force that the wall sunk in around the Champion's body.

The three psychic girls were finally let go and dropped to the ground, their bodies aching as they tried to stand again. Lucario helped Gardevoir rise to her feet again, who thanked him quietly before the aura canine focused his gaze on the purple feline and the Kanto Champion. Lance was gasping for air as the thin but strong three digit hand of the psychic feline slowly crushed his throat.

Several attacks were launched all of a sudden at Mewtwo and they hit their mark, causing a bit of smoke to cover Mewtwo and Lance. The walls around the two were partially destroyed by the attacks, making many of the people there gasp. Alder, Diantha and Steven had sent out their lead pokémon and ordered them to attack. Cynthia was torn between helping her fellow Champions to uphold her duty as one and staying by Ash's side. Volcarona, another Gardevoir and Metagross were in front of their respective trainer and in battle stances waiting to see what happened. The smoke slowly cleared only to show a pissed off psychic feline who began having a purple aura appear around him.

"YOU SHALL PAY FOR INTERFERING WITH HIS JUDGEMENT!" roared Mewtwo and his eyes glowed a bright blue. Volcarona, Diantha's Gardevoir and Metagross were outlined in purple glows and each began to cry out horrifically in pain as they crumpled to the floor.

"STOP!" ordered Alder as he tried to help his pokémon but was ignored.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" screamed Diantha as she stood frozen and watched her pokémon writhe around while letting out high pitched shrieks.

"PLEASE LEAVE MY POKÉMON ALONE!" begged Steven as he tried to console his pokémon.

"Oh my Arceus…" whispered Sabrina as her eyes widened at what she was witnessing and feeling. She had never in all her life felt such power from a single being. The others turned to her for an explanation and she automatically supplied it. "He's attacking their minds, making them feel horrific fear and terrible pain."

Right when she finished saying that, before the others could react to her explanation, the room suddenly became quiet. The three Champion's pokémon had fainted from the force of the attack and their trainers instantly went to their unconscious pokémon and checked on them. They were relieved to find that they were only knocked out and let out a sigh of relief before returning them. They were about to send out more pokémon but were stopped when Mewtwo spoke to them.

"No matter how many pokémon you send out to fight me, they will all end up the same way. Even before training with Ash, there were very few who can match my powers but now, there are almost none my equal. Do not anger me further."

Mewtwo's little speech made the three Champions glance at one another and then at Lance. Lance shook his head the best he could as he was still being held up by the throat but the grip wasn't suffocating him anymore. He didn't want his fellow Champions to get hurt because of his mistakes. Almost everyone else was too scared from seeing Mewtwo's powers to even say anything.

"Mewtwo, stop this madness," ordered Lucario but Mewtwo ignored him again as he turned his angered gaze back to face Lance and let out a snarl.

"Of all the people to doubt, you chose to doubt the most, if not only, pure hearted soul who ever walked this planet! I thought I was done dealing with petty humans like you but I was wrong! You are not worthy of the title of Champion! You are not worthy of being the leader of people! Nor are you worthy of being his friend! I shall make you feel the agony he has felt!"

Mewtwo placed his other hand in front of the Champion's face and he began to power up an attack. A small ball of blue energy appeared, growing larger and larger. However, before he could launch it, he was stopped by Lucario who blasted him away from the Champion with a surprise Aura Beam.

"Lucario?! You dare stop me and save his pathetic life?!" Mewtwo asked, confused but still furious, readying himself to attack once more. He was not expecting Lucario to get involved at all and it came as a shock to him. The purple feline got into a battle stance and he was about to launch himself at the aura pokémon when Lucario held up his hand and explained why as he merely stood there.

"Master would not want you to do that, even though he would deserve it," replied Lucario calmly, making Mewtwo tilt his head as he listened to the words and began understanding them.

Lucario turned his back on Mewtwo, knowing that the psychic feline would not attack him or anyone else anymore. He glared at Lance who had fallen to the floor and was grimacing in extreme pain. The others were amazed over the aura pokémon's actions that he was able to stop the legendary pokémon by himself, even if it was for a couple seconds when three Champion level pokémon couldn't. At that moment, they realized just how powerful Lucario is and that he has no fear of Mewtwo.

"You are only alive because Master would not want his friends to commit such an act. You have been saved by him…Again," growled Lucario at the Champion, who hung his head in shame. The aura canine then moved towards his Master and knelt in front of him. "Master?"

Ash didn't look up and didn't respond. Lucario looked closer and found his eyes to be unfocused and his breathing was slower than usual.

"Mewtwo, something's wrong," stated Lucario suddenly and several people drew in closer to see what the aura pokémon meant by that.

"What do you mean? What's wrong?" asked Leaf in a whisper, worried beyond measure.

"Didn't you help him?" asked a very concerned Sarah.

"I did. I built a wall inside his mind to keep his emotions from shattering his mind. How many memories did he go through?" asked Mewtwo as he moved closer to Ash and the others after completely forgetting about Lance and the other Champions.

"Thirty memories," answered Bonnie immediately. Mewtwo's eyes widened as he heard the young girl's words before raging again.

"ARCEUS Damn it! You idiots! YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING AMATEURS! Even a single memory that was relived without separating the emotions from it can damage one's mind!"

"Wait! What do you mean by that? Are you saying that he didn't just remember the memories? That he actually relived them?" asked Delia, confused and fearful of what that could mean.

"That's exactly what I'm saying. When you bring out someone's memories to show others like what these three did, the person relives them and experiences all the emotions tenfold and it takes time to get over it. I have done it before with Ash but I have always separated the emotions so he wouldn't feel them again in their more powerful state. But reliving through thirty memories in such a short period of time and experiencing every single emotion from them more strongly, I am both surprised and glad that Ash didn't die nor had his mind shattered. The only reasons I could think as to why he is still with us is because I have helped him develop some mental defenses and because of his extraordinary willpower."

The group glanced at one another as they stayed in complete silence, not knowing what to say as they were all trying to process the information that Mewtwo had just given them. Finally, after several minutes of silence with most of them looking at Ash and wondering if he'll be alright, Anabel spoke up though with a small voice.

"So what's going to happen to him now?" asked the Salon Maiden timidly.

Mewtwo looked at the purple haired girl, making her back up a little in fear, before he answered.

"We have to wait for him to deal with his emotions on his own, as I have left a hole in the wall for the feelings to trickle out. At this point, that is the best I can do for now and hopefully that will be enough for him to push through. If things get bad again, I would have to either wall up the emotions again in the same manner, completely lock them away for good or enter his mind and help him deal with it."

"Can't you enter his mind now and help him?" asked Delia, wanting her son to get better as soon as possible, not wanting him to suffer.

"I could but I'd rather not. Messing with anyone's mind may leave someone damaged beyond help, especially when it comes to dealing with emotions. It is not the same as reading a mind," replied Mewtwo. "He should be alright since I've trained with him on his mental defenses but I'm not sure as he's relived through too many memories. He will need you now more than ever. I must leave now. I need to go check on Ash's pokémon who are still recovering from the stadium attack." He faced the four girls. "One of three things will happen; He will either stay in a state like this for a long time until he finishes dealing with all of his feelings or he will wake up after a couple hours but he will be like a robot. If the second comes to pass, do not worry as he will be alright but he will respond and act without emotion, concern, thought or care but it should only be until he finishes dealing with his feelings. The third possibility is that his condition could worsen. If that or something else comes to pass, I will return. "

The girls nodded at Mewtwo to show that they understood before they each let out words of appreciation to him. The psychic feline nodded at them before he disappeared in a blue glow to go check on the pokémon. As soon as Mewtwo left, Diantha and Alder moved towards Ash but the four girls stood up and blocked their path.

"Get away from him," fumed Misty, holding up her trademark mallet.

"You've done enough damage!" said May, her hands clenched into fists.

"We apologize for what's happened. We just wanted to help in any-" started Diantha but was caught off by suddenly by the blunette.

"We don't want your help!" shouted Dawn with her hands on her hips.

"Just leave us alone!" finished Serena shaking as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

All of Ash's friends gathered behind the four girls, glaring at the Champions and so did the parents. Goodshow stayed away to the side, not wanting to get involved as he figured it would be in his and everyone else's best interest to not get involved. The silver haired Champion of Hoenn, Steven, moved forward slowly and tapped his fellow Champions' shoulders and when they turned to look at him, he shook his head and signaled them to leave with his head. Alder and Diantha glanced back at the angry group before sighing and walked towards the door, opened it and left, closing the door behind them. Lance looked at them for a moment and attempted to say something, but unable to let out any type of sound, he too left, his long cloak trailing behind him. Steven sighed and took a step forward as Cynthia stayed rooted to her spot, unable to move. Delia stepped forward as well towards Steven.

"What do you want?!" she asked coldly, standing directly in front of the Hoenn Champion, her nostrils flared in anger.

"Please, I don't mean to make anything worse between us. I just wanted to apologize for what has happened. I was against this and so was Cynthia, but Alder and Diantha were unsure. This is something that none of us wanted. Please understand as Lance had to make certain. It is hard bearing the weight of many on his shoulders-"

"Bearing weight on his shoulders?!" shrieked Delia, interrupting, absolutely furious. "Don't make me laugh. Have you forgotten what you just witnessed my son do? The incredible things he had done? How many times was the world saved because of just him? How many times has my son risked his life for others? Where were you and the other Champions or the Pokémon Master during all that? Hell, the Pokémon Master hasn't been seen in over ten years! Who knows what the hell that so called greatest trainer is doing? Where were any of you when the world was falling apart so many times or when people needed help? I didn't see you or the other Champions rushing to his aid or helping anyone. No, it was all my Ash. His whole life until this point has been spent helping and protecting others. I now know HE has been carrying the weight of the world his whole life while you and the others just stand around and pretend you're important and doing something for the people. The nerve of this one…Just leave," finished Delia, seething with anger. She had never let loose like that and frankly, it unnerved the ones who knew her best, like Samuel Oak. The four girls moved to take up positions next to her and glared at Steven.

"I apologize. I did not mean to downsize your son's actions. He has done more than anyone else and I agree that no one else comes close. Forgive me. I will leave you alone if that is what you wish but if you need anything, please let me know as I will be more than happy to assist. Here is my contact information," said Steven, reaching into his suit's front chest pocket and then withdrew his hand, holding out his card for Delia and the girls to take.

May snatched up the card and right before Steven's eyes, ripped it up into small pieces, her eyes blazing with fury and was barely able to control herself as she spoke.

"We don't need nor want anything from you or the other Champions," replied May with her father and mother swelling with pride over their daughter's actions.

"You heard my daughter Champion. I suggest you take your leave," advised Norman curtly.

Steven took one last look at Ash and all of his friends before turning around and heading towards the door. He stopped as he opened the door and glanced back.

"Ash is lucky to have so many stand by his side who care for him deeply," said Steven with a slight smile before walking through the doorway, finally leaving them alone.

Cynthia watched him leave before slowly turning her gaze back to look at the others. The four girls and Delia were staring at her, though not with as much coldness as they did to the other Champions. Even so, she knew that she probably couldn't get through to them right now but she had to try. She didn't want to miss a chance to show how much she cares about Ash. She took a few graceful steps towards the group and stopped when she was standing in front of Delia.

"Mrs. Ketchum," started Cynthia as she looked at her. "I want to apologize for what happened here and I just want you to know that I didn't want this. I did everything I could to convince Lance that Ash is innocent but when he gets something in his head, he won't listen to anyone until he is proven wrong. I know the type of person that your son is, having fought alongside him and some of his friends here back in Sinnoh when we faced Cyrus to stop him from taking over the world. Your son is a courageous and honorable man and I know that. I'm here for him so please tell me if you need anything. I know you may feel that I don't deserve to ask this, but I have a request for you; please make sure he gets better and I would want to hear from you when he does. I would've liked to stay by his side until he recovered but I have duties to attend to as Champion and I know you don't want me around right now and I don't blame you. Thank you for your time and I wish the best for your son."

Cynthia kept her gaze on Delia as she extended her hand, who didn't react for a few seconds. Starting to feel a little uneasy, the Champion of Sinnoh was about to lower her arm and leave when Delia let a small smile form on her face and she raised her hand and grasped the blonde Champion's hand. Cynthia let a smile appear on her face as well as they shook hands, relaxing a bit as Delia replied back.

"I can tell your words were sincere, coming from your heart and not just play like the others. Thank you for caring but I believe we just want to have some time alone with my son. I will however let you know when we have an update," finished Delia.

"Thank you. That's all I ask for," said Cynthia. When they finished their handshake, they separated and Cynthia gave her contact information to Delia. After that, Cynthia took one last look at Ash before nodding at the rest before she left. When she was gone and the door had closed, the blunette thought for a few seconds about something before she spoke up.

"She wasn't lying just so you guys know. Ash and I have crossed paths with her many times in Sinnoh, like you saw in the memory, helping us out and fighting against Cyrus with us. She's a very good person. I like her," said Dawn and the others nodded as they understood before Sabrina suddenly said something as she stepped forward.

"I want to apologize for the role I took that made this unfortunate event come to pass. Please forgive me. This was not what I had wanted to happen, especially to someone who had helped me so much in the past. Please let me know if you need anything," said Sabrina.

She glanced at Ash, who was still on the floor and then back at everyone else. Before they could say anything to her, Sabrina apologized to them all once more and then teleported away in a pink glow but not before they noticed her eyes water. Gary frowned at seeing his ex-girlfriend so sad before she teleported away as it brought back old memories that he would much rather forget. Queen Ilene saw Gary's reaction and wondered what happened between him and this Sabrina. Before she could dwell on it thought, Brock's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"C'mon guys. Let's get back to the room," said Brock, taking charge. "Gary, help me take Ash."

"That is not necessary. Gardevoir, teleport him to his room and put him on his bed," said Lucario before Gary and Brock could do anything. Gardevoir's eyes glowed blue and she and Ash disappeared but so did Lucario, Pikachu, Misty, May, Dawn and Serena. After they teleported, Goodshow finally broke his long silence and looked at the rest of them who were still there.

"I'm so sorry everyone. I had no idea Lance was questioning the attackers and that he was suspecting Ash. Please forgive me. I didn't think anything like this would happen. Please, let me know if you need anything at all," said Goodshow with a bow, which surprised everyone since he was around Oak's age.

"Thank you Charles, but it's not your fault. I believe we just need to go back to our room and be with my son," replied Delia kindly.

"Very well. Please take care of him and yourselves and if it's not too much trouble, I would like to hear of updates. If need be, I will postpone the tournament until he fully recovers. Just let me know a few hours before hand." Delia nodded and thanked Goodshow who waited until they all left and then followed after them before closing the door behind him.

Far away from the Indigo Plateau, a tall, lightly tanned man was sipping on some tea while reading the Saffron City daily paper. It was night yet he couldn't sleep. He had just finished reading one of the paper's articles about the stadium attack when he felt his daughter's presence. He smiled a bit and put the newspaper down. He finished his cup of tea before he got up and walked away from the dining room to see his daughter and wish her a good night.

His smile faded away only to be replaced by a frown as he drew closer to his daughter's room. He couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. He hurried to her room and when he finally reached it, he knocked on her door before entering the room without waiting for a reply. What he saw made his eyes widen; his daughter was lying down on her bed face down and she was shivering while the unmistakable sounds of crying was heard.

"Sabrina, what happened?" asked the girl's father as he swiftly crossed the room and sat on the side of her bed. "Did someone hurt you?" he asked her but the dark haired girl just shook her head as she continued to sob. "What did they do to-"

"Nobody did anything to me!" interrupted Sabrina suddenly as she lifted her head from her pillow. "I did something! I did something horrible to someone that helped me in the past and I don't know if he'll get better or not!" she cried out before burying her face into her pillow again as her father kept his stoic expression after she confessed but began thinking furiously about what she just told him.

So nobody hurt her, that's a relief. But she said she hurt someone and that someone had helped her in the past. Who? Who could it be? Whose pain could cause her to be so sad? Not even when she broke up with that poor excuse for a trainer, she wasn't this sad. Hell she didn't even cry over that. She has never cried at all since she was a small child. Who helped her in the past? Well, the only person that I could think of would be…wait…it can't be…

"Sabrina, does this have to do with the Aura Guardian Ash Ketchum?" asked her father.

Sabrina lifted her head again and glanced at him before she nodded slightly with tear filled eyes. Before her father could say anything, the door was opened and a middle aged woman came into the room. Before she could even ask her daughter what's wrong, Sabrina had launched herself to her mother and hugged her tightly as she cried.

"Dear Mew, what's going on here?" asked Sabrina's mother as she hugged her daughter and glanced at her husband. "I've never seen you cry since you were five years old. What happened honey?"

"Mom…I did something…terrible," cried Sabrina, making her mom rub her back.

"Sshh…It's alright sweetie. Just tell us what happened and we'll see how we can make things better. So start from the beginning honey okay?" she asked her daughter as she maneuvered her still hugging daughter to the bed and sat next to her husband with Sabrina who took several deep breathes as she tried to calm herself enough to explain what happened.

"It…it started when…Lance called me in…saying he needed me…"

Back at the Indigo Plateau, the group had gone up to their room and everyone went to Ash's master bedroom to check on him. They saw Ash lying on his back on the king size bed, eyes wide open but glossy, staring at the ceiling. The four girls were lying down on the bed as well, snuggled up against him, one on each side of him and two lying on top of him. Quiet sobs sounding out from the corner made them glance in that direction and noticed Gardevoir was sitting on a chair in that corner of the room, her hands covering her face, weeping over what she had caused to happen. Lucario and Pikachu sat beside her, looks of concern on both of their faces. Lucario had placed a paw on Gardevoir's back and Pikachu had lied down on the chair, eyes transfixed on Ash and the four girls. When they heard the room door open, the four girls glanced up to see who it was. When they saw who entered, they merely lowered their heads back down and snuggled closer to the raven haired man that they loved so deeply.

"Let's leave them be," suggested Lucy quietly, ushering everyone out, even the parents, who were wide eyed at what they saw yet they did nothing to break it up. The group of people filed into the grand living room and many took seats on the large couches. Brock, Cilan, Cress and Chili headed into the kitchen to make a meal for everyone, knowing it will help them all as food in the stomach usually helped everyone feel better and think more clearly, especially when they weren't hungry.

"My poor baby…Why does everything seem to happen to you?" whimpered Delia as she began to sob into a couch pillow after just letting herself drop onto the couch. Caroline, Grace and Johanna sat down next to her with concern and tried to comfort her though it only made her sob harder.

"You didn't know about your son's adventures and deeds?" asked Queen Ilene, still standing for the moment. She was astonished that Delia didn't know of all the incredible and miraculous things they had all just witnessed Ash has done in his life so far.

"No, I didn't know until now. Whenever he would return from his journeys, he would tell me some stories of his travels but he never mentioned how he was fighting against evil organizations, or legendary pokémon, or saving the world, or thinking himself not good enough for a girl…I didn't know about any of it at all!" cried Delia, sobbing even louder.

The group stayed quiet for a few minutes, the only sounds being Delia's crying, trying to think of a way to help comfort the sullen woman. Norman took up a position leaning against the nearby wall, crossing his arms with his son Max copying him. The two kept a silent vigil over the group as they slowly began to make conversations.

"Master Riley is there anything we can do to help?" asked Queen Ilene as she took a seat near the four mothers. Riley shook his head before replying back.

"Unfortunately my Queen, there is nothing any of us can do right now except to be patient. As Mewtwo said, it is now a waiting game. If we try something, it may make it worse. I have never seen nor heard of something like this. We can only hope and keep calm," advised Riley as he took up a position leaning against a wall opposite of Norman and Max.

Daisy Oak eyed Riley as he spoke, realizing that the man was wise and wasn't bad looking either. Despite the grave situation, she couldn't help but feel something inside of her for the man though she kept it to herself for the time being. There were more important matters right now and she was taken out of her thoughts by someone else speaking.

"Ash will get better. I have no doubt in my mind. I beat the Elite Four of the Johto region and he wiped the floor with me with just his Pidgeot. There's no way he won't recover from this!" exclaimed Sarah, looking around at everyone as she finished, as if daring for someone to disagree but nobody did.

"I hear you. After seeing Ash battle in the tournament, I thought I had the advantage since he's never seen me battle. But during our match, I saw something that I'll never forget." Leaf sat next to Sarah and took a breather before continuing, everyone's attention on her. "When I had my Volcarona use Hurricane, I had to brace myself, covering my head and face with my arms. I could barely keep standing. When I took a peek, I saw Ash standing tall on the other side of the field, but he had a smile on his face, like it was a summer breeze to him. He was like a mountain, impossible to go through or challenge. I knew then that I was facing someone who was on a completely different level."

"Ash has always been the one to pull off the impossible or miracles, even when we were young, that's a given," started Gary. Everyone looked at the young pokémon researcher now before he continued. "I just didn't know how many times he's risked his life saving everyone. And I was always giving him a hard time since we were kids," confessed Gary as he hung his head.

Gary's sister Daisy sat down next to him and rubbed his back, telling her little brother that it was alright and that what matters is that he knows better now. Ilene was impressed and admired the young man's honesty and remorse. Riley eyed Daisy as she tried to soothe her brother's nerves as she had caught his attention.

"It's alright Gary. We all did some stupid things and acted like a bunch of kids so don't think it was just you," commented Leaf, remembering her stupid actions when she was younger and Gary nodded.

"I always knew my sister Misty had a crush on Ash and I could tell why the first time I met him. But I never knew the true person he was until I saw the attack on the news and all those memories," sighed Daisy as her sisters Violet and Lily nodded.

"Ash has been a great friend to me and I would never have had so many wonderful experiences in my life if I hadn't traveled around with him. I've learned a great deal from him and view him as not just a friend but as my brother," said Clemont.

"Yeah, I see him as my brother too! Plus he taught Clemont how to be brave and never give up!" teased Bonnie. Some of them chuckled as Clemont went red before telling his sister to be quiet. The others laughed but soon stopped and glanced at Clemont's red face, smiling.

"I had the pleasure of becoming friends with Ash when he first got here to register for the tournament. I was at first amazed by his modesty and humility and when I learned that he was afraid of being found out that he was here, I helped him out before he revealed himself to everyone. I'm glad I got to know him and through him, I met the love of my life," said Joy, as she rested her head against Richie's shoulder, who blushed, the others smiling at the two.

"But why him?" asked Delia again, lifting her head off of the pillow to talk to everyone. "Why is it that everything seems to be on his shoulders? Why does everything seem to happen around him? How many times did we see him die and because of some miracle, came back, or risk his life to take care of others? To protect or save others? I'm not saying he's more important than any other person, but why does my son have to be the one who always sacrifices so much for others or throws himself into the fire to protect others?"

Many people shifted uncomfortably in their positions, as they remembered the times that Ash had risked it all to help them out or save them from certain doom. The memories only showed a fraction of the many times that he had helped them and others while traveling the known world. As they pondered about that, they each understood Delia's thoughts and didn't hold anything against her.

"Because your son is special and is a natural protector at heart Delia," responded Oak softly, taking advantage of the silence before everyone looked at him. "Your son is not one to watch from the sidelines and it's a shame that there aren't many like him in the world left. And even before he found out that he was an Aura Guardian, he has gone out of his way to help all those who came across him that needed or asked for help. It is in his nature because of who he is and his lineage. Ash is unique in that he is most likely the last true Aura Guardian. No offense Master Riley."

"None taken Professor Oak. I know what you mean by that. That he is probably the last one from the original Guardians chosen by Arceus. That is why his powers are so strong. I thought that the chosen bloodlines had all died out," commented Riley as the others thought about what they said.

"No they hadn't died out," remarked Delia and everyone looked at her, making her sigh. "No more use hiding it. Ash's father was an Aura Guardian as well and Ash inherited it from him."

Many gasps were heard before the group of people went silent, thinking about what Oak, Delia and Riley just said. Suddenly, Grace moved closer to Delia, reaching out with her hand and grasping Delia's hand. Delia looked at Grace, wondering what she wanted from her.

"Delia, I must say that when I first met Ash, I thought he was just a good friend of Serena's. I didn't know about my daughter's love for him then. When we found out that he loved her and three other girls, I felt sick and horrible, thinking he did something to them to trick them in being with him. But I'm happy to say that I was wrong, acting like a damn idiot and your son's memories showed me what a fool I was. My daughter loves him and your son loves her and has shown that he will stand against anything and everything to protect her no matter what as well as helping her to achieve her dreams.

I couldn't think of a better man for my Serena."

Delia smiled as her eyes watered hearing the praise for his son from one of his girlfriends' mothers and placed her free hand on the two they were holding already and so did Grace. Before she could respond, Caroline and Johanna also joined in, placing their hands on top of theirs as well. Delia faced the two as they spoke.

"I have seen Ash save my daughter Dawn in his memories and I don't know what would have happened if he wasn't there and I don't even want to think about it. He has shown that he is more courageous than an Arcanine and more caring than a Blissey. He also helped her understand that I will always be proud of her no matter what, which I am so grateful for. Your son is perfect for my daughter and I want you to know that I will be supportive of them one hundred percent. I promise," said Johanna with a smile.

"I have never seen anyone sacrifice themselves to save another and seeing your son push May into the escape pod and left himself in the sinking temple, it made me rethink what I thought I knew about him. He has even helped her achieve her dreams of being a top coordinator! He has done more for her than anyone else has ever done, including her own parents! Thank you for having such an incredible son," praised Caroline with a soft voice.

"Mrs. Ketchum," started Misty's sister Daisy Waterflower.

Delia and the three mothers turned to face her, giving her their full attention. Daisy went slightly red at the attention she was given, not really used to dealing with older people, especially parents. She glanced at her sisters and the three got up and joined their hands with the mothers who smiled at the three.

"My sisters and I lost our parents a long time ago when Misty was barely a child. We admit we weren't the best guardians and we didn't really take care of her. But when we met Ash, we knew he was a good person and the memories we have seen prove that he is one of a kind. I don't know what our parents would think about this, but I know for a fact that they would be as proud as we are that Misty was able to find such a noble man to give her heart to and have his in return," finished Daisy.

"Don't forget brave, courageous and selfless!" chimed in Violet.

"And handsome too!" finished Lily, making most of the group chuckle before Delia responded with tears running down her cheeks from all the praise for her son.

"Thank you all for your kind words. Please, all of you just call me Delia. It fills my heart that you all think of my son so highly. Words alone cannot describe what I'm feeling right now. I can say though, that I am extremely glad and proud that my Ash has found such great people to call his friends. I am also happy but also beyond astonished that he has found not one, but four beautiful and strong girls who have given him their heart and he has returned it with his own. I don't know what to say about that, since I was not expecting this at all. But I do promise to make sure that he never hurts your daughters or your sister," promised Delia, her eyes blazing.

"You don't have to worry about that Delia," remarked Leaf with a knowing smile.

"She's right. Ash is different from others," said Anabel.

"I don't know him as well as others, but I can tell that Ash would rather die than hurt anyone that he cares about," added Sarah.

"I hope it never comes to that," replied Delia, sighing.

"It will not."

Everyone looked behind them, surprised to find Norman commenting. When he saw that they were giving him his full attention with confused looks on their faces, he explained.

"He will not do such a thing. No sane person would waltz right up to a furious father half conscious and take their beating without so much as a complaint if they were not serious about the love they had for his daughter. After going through that and witnessing everything your son has done, I have no worry or doubt in my mind. Ash has shown that he will do anything and everything for May and that is what I want in my future son in law. Your son is the perfect man for May and I know that she will be happy, even with sharing him with the other girls. And surprisingly enough, I'm okay with that."

Everyone's jaw dropped at his speech except for Queen Ilene, Riley, Clemont and Bonnie who were beyond confused. They were lost from the beginning of the mothers' and sisters' declarations since they didn't know what was going on.

"What does he mean by taking a beating from a father and sharing him?" asked Queen Ilene, curious as to what Norman meant by that.

"Oh, that's right you don't know. Well, basically..."

Sarah and Leaf explained the situation between Ash and the four girls and what had happened between Norman and Ash at the hospital. The four were shocked when they found out and Queen Ilene faced Norman before speaking to him with anger.

"You attacked him when he was barely recovering after saving everyone at the stadium? What is the matter with you?" asked the Queen, furious.

"I was lost in rage and sadness over my daughter's past experiences and the cause of it, something you may experience in the future yourself, Queen Ilene. But that is no excuse. I was blinded by it. Looking back now, I'm ashamed by it. I vow in front of all of you here and right now, that I will do everything in my power to support Ash and the girls."

"Thank you Norman," remarked Delia. Norman gave her a curt nod and went silent again.

At that moment, Ash's bedroom door opened and Misty, May, Dawn and Serena came out into the living room just as Brock told everyone that dinner was ready. The four girls kept quiet and the group did not bother them at that moment, knowing that they probably weren't in the mood to talk. The large group of people filed into the dining room and sat around the two large tables to eat the delicious meal that Brock, Cilan, Cress and Chili had prepared.

"Oh my, this is absolutely amazing!" praised Queen Ilene as she took a bite of roast beef. She turned to look at the four chefs after chewing and swallowing her food. "Better than my chefs back home!"

The four chefs thanked her and everyone else for their praises on their cooking with short bows and soon joined them. They ate mostly in silence, with a few short conversations here and there before they finished and sat peacefully for a few moments.

"Girls," started Delia when everyone was quiet again. Misty, May, Dawn and Serena faced her, giving her their full attention. "Can you please explain to me, your parents and your sisters what exactly is going on between you four and Ash?"

The four girls sighed and they started explaining everything. They said how they had crushes on him, how he helped them and they him, how they felt he wanted to say something but was too scared, which they saw in the memories, how they had waited for him and not taken up another's offer, how he had come back and confessed to them about his feelings and how he figured out his father leaving him had messed him up, his promise to them and their agreement to go out together to see if they truly want to be together and how everything was going smoothly until the attack.

"And that pretty much sums up everything," finished Misty finally and took a breather.

"Yup, that's it. Misty and I have already had our dates. Serena was up next but then the attack happened and well, it's been on hold I guess you could say," said Dawn as the other three nodded.

"I see. Well, from what you've just explained and what we've seen in his memories, I don't think you need to worry about if he truly does love each of you and if each of you truly love him since the actions between you five are pretty obvious. You all will be great together," said Delia with a smile as she beamed at the four girls and they returned it with smiles of their own. After a moment though, Delia's smile slowly turned into a frown. "I just can't believe his father leaving messed him up that badly though," sighed Delia, becoming sullen.

"Why did he leave?" asked Leaf, curious.

"I'm not sure why. I woke up and found him gone from my bed. I looked around the house and when I came into the kitchen, there was a note from him that said he had to leave and wasn't returning."

"I'm so sorry Delia. I never knew until now. Why didn't you tell me?" asked Oak.

"Because I didn't want anyone to know and when people asked, I just told him he went on a journey and would be back soon. Made me look like a hopeless idiot years later, but I didn't care of that then, as I was trying to make sure that Ash wouldn't have to deal with it too much since he knew the truth," answered Delia.

The group went silent, each person trying to think up of something to say to end the awkward silence and cheer up Delia but before anyone could say anything, a horrific scream was heard.

"ASH!" screamed out the four girls and Delia at once.

They immediately jumped from their seats, leading the group of people to Ash's bedroom and they threw open the bedroom door and ran in. They found Ash on the floor holding his head again, his eyes blue. No shield was around this time though as Lucario, Gardevoir and Pikachu were right next to him, trying without success to help him.

"Master, it will be alright. You must fight it! Focus!" advised Lucario, kneeling in front of Ash and looking directly at him.

"Please, don't give up!" cried Gardevoir, rubbing his back.

"Pi pikachu Pikapi!" said Pikachu, patting Ash's leg gently.

The four girls dropped down next to Ash and held him, though none of them were crying. They had figured out that it would not help them at all and their energy was better suited elsewhere. Delia drew closer and so did Anabel, Sarah and Leaf.

"Are the emotions back?" whispered Misty.

Ash nodded, unable to speak.

"What can we do to help?" asked May softly.

Ash shook his head and then whimpered.

"Tell us what you're going through so we can help," advised Dawn.

"Can't…help…" answered Ash, starting to shake violently. Anabel, Sarah and Leaf yelped and covered their mouths with their hands seeing him like that again.

"Why not? Please let us try to help you Ash," replied Serena.

"Can't…inside…mind…"

"Can you describe it sweetie?" asked Delia.

"Too…awful…to…describe…" replied Ash as he began to sweat hard again and his shaking became worse before suddenly Mewtwo appeared in a blue sphere again.

"What happened?! What did you do?!" asked the purple feline the second he teleported there and knelt near his friend.

"We did nothing. We set him on the bed to rest and stayed by his side for a little bit before we went to eat and then we heard him screaming," informed May and Mewtwo understood and said nothing for a moment before he shook his head.

"Alright I understand. But this is worse than I feared. His emotions and feelings are far more unstable than I had thought previously," said Mewtwo as he stood up and faced the group behind him before turning his attention to the four girls that were hugging Ash and Delia who was standing beside them. "I can enter his mind and see if I can help him deal with the emotions but there is a chance of things going sour or I could lock up his emotions for good but then he will be a robot for the rest of his days."

Anabel, Leaf and Sarah had their hearts skip a beat as they heard the purple legendary say that Ash could end up being like a robot for the rest of his life. They glanced at each other before joining everyone else who had turned their attention to the five who also glanced at one another. After some silence, Delia finally spoke.

"I don't want him to suffer. But I don't want him to lose a part of him. I will always love him no matter what he becomes but I just don't know what to do!" confessed Delia, crying. The four girls just stayed silent, unable to make a decision either until a voice made them all jump.

"Mom…" said Ash weakly.

Delia stopped crying instantly and looked wildly at Ash before kneeling in front him as Lucario moved away. The four girls joined Delia, two on either side, not wanting to miss anything as they gazed at the man of their dreams.

"Sweetie?" Delia was looking at her son who was staring at the floor, still shaking.

Ash groaned slightly then went quiet. He started breathing rapidly and then he let out a low growl as his shaking lessened and he raised his head to face the girls and his mom. His eyes stopped glowing blue, turning into his brown eyes again and his breathing returned to normal.

"ASH!" said the four girls happily and were about to hug him when he spoke.

"Stop!" cried out Ash and the four girls stopped dead in their tracks.

"What's wrong Ash?" asked Dawn fearfully.

"I'm controlling it for the time being," replied Ash through his gritted teeth. "Mom, it's okay. I won't let you or anyone else take the blame. Mewtwo, enter my mind and help me with my emotions. Whatever happens to me, it was from my choice, not yours…so…please…just…AAAAHHHHHH!"

Ash's eyes glowed blue again and his shaking returned even more violently and his breathing became ragged. Mewtwo stepped forward.

"We must hurry as every second counts. Please step aside. I will enter his mind as he wishes and help him deal with his frenzied emotions," stated the purple feline and the five stood up and gave him some space.

"Mewtwo, please help my son," pleaded Delia. Mewtwo placed his three digit hand on her shoulder.

"I will do everything within my power to help your son. This may take a while."

Delia nodded and so did the four girls. Mewtwo took up a sitting position in front of Ash. The psychic legendary's eyes glowed blue and Ash was outlined in a purple glow outline. The raven haired trainer stopped shaking and his hands lowered from his head, and his breathing slowed down to normal. Mewtwo's body became outlined in a purple glow as well after a moment.

"Please be alright Ash." Misty grasped her necklace with one hand.

"I know you'll get passed this." Dawn held onto her necklace with both hands.

"We can't lose you again." May clasped her hands together and held them to her chest.

"Please come back to us in one piece." Serena took out the handkerchief he had used all those years ago and held it tightly with both hands.

Don't leave me Ash. I've just figured out that I love you. Please come back! Thought Leaf.

I've been thinking about you for years. Please don't give up! I can't watch you die! Thought Anabel.

I can't lose another person that I love! I've lost too many in my life. I've learned to deal with it but I don't think I can if you go too! Please, help him Mewtwo, thought Sarah.

Anabel, Sarah and Leaf said their own wishes inside their minds as they didn't want others to know about their feelings for the raven haired guardian yet. Especially not now, since it wasn't a good time.

"Let's leave Mewtwo and Ash alone so he can do what needs to be done," advised Brock.

He and Lucy ushered everyone out but Delia and the four girls wouldn't leave, wanting to stay by his side but Lucario told them it would be better that they were alone so nothing could bother Mewtwo as he helped Ash. Reluctantly, the five left the room after making Lucario swear that if anything happened to come and get them. The large group gathered in the living room again and in order to keep their minds busy and to pass the time, Gary turned on the TV and they watched a movie. Delia sent a couple messages with her phone as she sat down to watch with them.

During the course of the movie, the four girls got up to check on Ash and Mewtwo at different times and found them still in concentration and went back to the movie. When the movie finished, they started watching another movie and halfway through it, they heard a knock on the door. Gary got up to go see who it could possibly be at such a late hour and when he opened it, he was surprised to see that it was the Sinnoh Champion Cynthia.

"I got the message from Delia. Is he alright?" asked Cynthia as she stepped inside, not waiting for Gary to respond back to her.

Delia heard the blonde Champion and got up to greet her at the door. She informed Cynthia of what had happened and that they were waiting for Mewtwo to finish helping him deal with his emotions and that she was welcome to wait with them. Cynthia thanked her and followed her into the living room where she greeted the others. Most of the people in the room either kept silent or said halfhearted greetings to her but Dawn, Misty, Serena and May got up and welcomed Cynthia with a hug and handshake each. They invited her to seat with them and so the four girls and Cynthia sat together on the couch, watching the movie with the others in order to kill the time, though their minds were still on Ash.

Anabel, Leaf and Sarah each glanced at Cynthia for a moment when she first came in, thinking of the reason as to why she would come so late at night when it hit them; Cynthia must like Ash as well. The three girls looked at one another and shook their heads before letting out sighs. They turned their attention back to the second movie as they didn't want to get into that discussion since they had something far more important going on at that moment. When the second movie finished, they began watching a third movie since Mewtwo was still not finished helping Ash. Halfway through the third movie, Ash's room door opened and Mewtwo entered the living room. Gary turned off the TV as everyone's attention was on the purple feline.

"I have some news," said Mewtwo.

He looked around the crowd of people who were so quiet you could hear a pin drop onto the floor. When he saw Cynthia, he growled a little, knowing she was one of the Champions. Cynthia gulped in fear but Delia quickly informed the powerful legendary that Cynthia was one of them and that she could be trusted. When Mewtwo glanced at the four girls, they nodded in agreement with Ash's mother. Taking that as assurance, Mewtwo softened his gaze before speaking again.

"It was a success. I was able to help Ash overcome his emotions and there will be no permanent damage. He will be a little jumpy but after a while that will pass and Ash will be fine. I put him to sleep and he will awaken in the morning."

The group let out cheers and sighs of relief as the four girls and Delia gathered around Mewtwo, with large smiles on their faces.

"Thank you Mewtwo for helping and saving my son," cried Delia as she hugged the legendary pokémon. Mewtwo was in shock, not used to another human hugging him or praising him besides Ash. Delia let him go and the four girls gave Mewtwo a hug as well, they too thanking him, who went completely red at the girls' actions.

"You're welcome," responded Mewtwo as he recomposed himself when the girls separated. The five made to go to Ash but Mewtwo stopped them. "Please, leave him be till morning. He needs his rest. Lucario, Gardevoir and Pikachu are watching over him."

The five stopped and shortly after, nodded. As they moved back to join the group, May stopped when she was next to Mewtwo.

"What happened inside Ash's mind?" asked May, causing the legendary to sigh and shake his head. The group of people stopped their conversations and turned their attention onto him.

"Let's just say that it was no picnic but I assure you that he will be fine," replied Mewtwo finally.

"What do you mean by it was no picnic?" asked Cynthia abruptly as she leaned forward while sitting. Mewtwo glanced at her, making her sit back in her seat before he answered her.

"I had to help Ash overcome his strongest emotions that had taken form. That is the problem with memory viewing with emotions as no one is able to just let the emotions flow through. Once remembered, the emotions are dwelled on and compared to other similar feelings that have been experienced since then. And that is what causes them to get so strong that it damages the person's mind and can even result in death."

"Taken form? Like they turned into something?" asked Leaf. The others all gave looks of confusion as they stared at Mewtwo.

"Yes. In this case it was his negative emotions that he had to face. These particular emotions that he had felt the most often in his life, had taken on their own forms, manifested in a sense. In order for him to get better, he had to face each of them. I helped him to overcome them in order to fully release their hold on him," explained Mewtwo.

"So that's why it took so long? He had to face each of his emotions?" asked Sarah.

"Yes and no. Before we could finish dealing with his last emotion, we were sucked into one of his nightmares. We were stuck in that particular nightmare, filled with gruesome and terrible things until we were able to overcome his greatest fear."

"His greatest fear? Gruesome and terrible things? What happened in the nightmare?" asked Delia.

"I can't really explain as so much happened and its better if I don't even try to as I'm not sure if you should know about it at all since it is something that weights heavily on Ash."

Delia moved closer to the legendary pokémon and placed her hands together as she held them up in front of her in a pleading way.

"Mewtwo, you've done so much for my son and I truly appreciate it. But I must know what my son went through so please tell me what happened. I have to know what caused my son to feel such agony. I need to know. Please."

Seeing Ash's mother give him a pleading look was beginning to affect Mewtwo. The last three years spent with Ash had made Mewtwo care and sympathize in regards to another's feelings and experiences. He sighed before he gave his answer.

"And to think a few years ago and I wouldn't have cared at all…I will not tell you Delia but I will show you with my own memory. I must warn you and whoever wishes to see it as well, that it is not a pretty sight."

The group nodded and Mewtwo's eyes glowed blue and a memory sphere formed above them.