Questions And Frustrations...

Chapter 33 - Questions And Frustrations...

Ash had just beaten Paul in his sixth round match up in the Spirit Tournament in a double battle. After the match, he had Gardevoir inform his friends that he will meet up with them a little later and they were disappointed about that. When they were about to exit the stadium, they ran into the Champion of Sinnoh, Cynthia, who was waiting for them. When they talked with her, she let them know that Ash had gone with her fellow Champion Lance to question the stadium attackers and offered to take them to where the two will be and they accepted.

Cynthia turned and led the way with the rest of them following her. The four girls exchanged worried looks as they walked while Gardevoir stayed quiet, traveling besides the red head. Gary and Ilene were lost in thought but for different reasons as others made small talk here and there. Oak, Norman and the four mothers made some small talk with Cynthia as they walked.

In a building not too far away from the stadium, Lance was leading Ash, Pikachu and Lucario down a flight of well light stairs. As they reached the lower level, Lance turned to the right and walked about fifty feet before reaching two doors on the left. He opened the right most door and gestured Ash and his pokémon to go inside and he followed them in after and turned on the lights.

"Where are they?" asked Ash as he noticed the room was empty except for several foldable chairs.

"One of them is right in the room next to this one," answered Lance as he pointed towards the one way mirror on the wall. They could see someone sitting on a chair in front of the table through it. "I brought you here first to tell you that I will be watching you as you talk with him and I request that your pokémon stay here so as to not cause any problems."

"Very well. Lucario, Pikachu; stay here. I'll be fine." His pokémon obeyed and before Ash left the room Lance called out to him. "What is it Lance?" asked Ash flatly as he glanced back at the Champion.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for not trusting you and for causing the agony you suffered through. That was not my intent. But what happened to you?" asked Lance with concern.

"I wish I could say don't worry about it but I can't right now. After all we've been through together, from the Lake of Rage incident, to fighting Team Aqua and Team Magma and what you saw me risk in the stadium, you still doubted me over a crazed man's words."

Lance flinched as if Ash had struck him. Hell, he'd rather have the young man hit him instead of making this guilt fill him. Ash left the room and slammed the door shut behind him. He entered the room next to the room he was just in and immediately spotted the lone person with his head hanging and was handcuffed to the table. The lone person did not move or acknowledge that somebody entered the room, even when Ash sat down in front of him. Lance was viewing the whole thing through the one way mirror and so were Pikachu and Lucario who were both eyeing the handcuffed man with obvious dislike.

"What happened to you Tracey?" asked Ash after a moment of silence. He got no response from his ex-friend who was still wearing his attacking uniform dressed in all black. "Why did you try to force Misty?" No response. "Why did you bother the girls at the arcade?" No response. "Why did you attack the stadium?" No response. "Why did you tell them to ask me about the attack?" Tracey raised his head and let an evil smirk form on his face.

"Now that is the right question to get the fun started but you should know why by now Guardian," taunted Tracey. Ash narrowed his eyes as his brow furrowed.

"What are you talking about?" asked Ash but Tracey only continued to smile evilly at him. "ANSWER ME!" he shouted.

"You need to control your anger better Guardian before you let it grow and overwhelm you!" sneered Tracey. The way Tracey said that made Ash feel uneasy as something just clicked in his head.

"Wait. Something's wrong. Something's different than when you attacked the stadium."

"And everyone says that you're dense yet you figured it out. Still took a while though. About time you realized what's going on." Tracey had his eyes turn pitch black before glowing. Lance's eyes widened as he took in a sharp breath and Pikachu hissed while Lucario growled.

"YOU?!" exclaimed Ash, startled, as he jumped from his chair, sending it flying backwards.

"Yes. Me," replied the corrupted Tracey calmly though his evil smile was still plastered all over his face.

"How are you here?! What did you do to him?! Leave his mind and body now!"

"Oh you know, I just decided to hitch a ride and here I am. It's a little cramped where I am and wanted to stretch my legs so to speak. I did nothing else. I cannot just 'leave' and will not even if I could."

"TAUROS CRAP! DO AS I SAY!" roared Ash.

"Or what will you do? You won't do anything and can't do anything."

"That's what you think," growled Ash as his eyes glowed blue and his blue aura outlined around him. He raised his hand, palm forward, at the corrupted Tracey who kept his smirk, unfazed by the Aura Guardian unleashing his powers.

"What's going on?!" asked a concerned female's voice.

"Ash is trying to get some answers and…" started Lance but then stopped abruptly, realizing that no one else should be in the room. When he glanced around, he noticed that Cynthia and all of Ash's friends and family were in the room. He was so absorbed in what was going on in the other room that he didn't notice them enter his room. Somehow, they all fit inside the small area, barely enough space for them all. He glared at the blonde Champion. "Cynthia…"

"Later Lance," interrupted Cynthia and Lance narrowed his eyes at her before facing the one way mirror again.

A stream of blue aura energy traveled from Ash's hand to the corrupted Tracey. The moment Ash's aura stream connected with him, Tracey let out a scream as Ash tried to erase the corruption from him and restore Tracey to his old self. The raven haired guardian was feeling some strain on his body from the connection but kept it up. A couple moments passed as he did so, with Ash thinking he was making some progress until the scream turned into loud laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! " Ash stopped what he was doing and his glow died down as his eyes returned to normal. He was panting but also gave a look of surprise at the corrupted version of Tracey who stopped his laughing and eyed the Guardian. "You truly think you can save him. You are a damn fool. We aren't in a dream anymore. Tracey as you knew him has been dead for a couple days now. You are too late and even if you weren't, you aren't strong enough to have brought him back. You will never be strong enough to undue my corruption."

"Tracey's dead?" asked a stunned Ash as a sullen look appeared on his face. Even though Tracey acted horribly recently, he still used to be his friend and it saddened him that he had lost his way and traveled on a dark path.

Oak's face was overcome with sadness, having worked with the young man for so long. Daisy Oak even let out a sob, as she remembered her old boyfriend when they used to be happy together. Riley placed a hand on her shoulder to help her calm down. But it only helped slightly as the pretty blonde girl began weeping before she suddenly buried her face into Riley's chest as she hugged him. She couldn't believe how things had turned out. But the other thing that surprised her was that even though she was feeling horrible at finding out he was dead with his body being used by this thing, she felt comforted and safe from Riley's embrace who was gently rubbing her back as he tried to calm her down. The others glanced at each other in the other room, sharing surprised and sullen looks.

"Yes, he is. And so are the others. They are all nothing but empty vessels who have been enhanced and brainwashed by my powers to follow another's orders."

"Rudy, Kenny, Drew, Tracey…all dead and gone?" asked Ash to no one as he hung his head and took a step back. His friends' saddened looks only intensified as they heard this new bit of information. Ash raised his head, anger etched into his face. "What did you do to them? On whose orders? When did this happen?"

"You sure are a curious Guardian, I'll give you that. So here's my answer for your questions; don't know, don't care and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you."

"Maybe, maybe not. But I know one person who even you cannot hide the information from." Ash went quiet for a moment as he sent out a mental message. A blue glowing sphere formed in the room and Mewtwo appeared in front of them who instantly narrowed his eyes at the corrupted Tracey.

"Ah, the abomination shows himself," insulted Tracey. "Tell me clone; how does it feel that only one person can look at you normally and not think of you as a monster?"

Mewtwo growled and his eyes glowed blue. The corrupted person in front of them suddenly started screaming out in pain as if his body was burning up. Many people cried out in fear at the sudden torture but before any of them could do anything, Mewtwo stopped and his victim started panting heavily as sweat trickled down from the top of his head.

"I wouldn't insult him again if I were you," remarked Ash coldly. "And Mewtwo is no monster. He is my friend and the most powerful Psychic who has ever lived. The only monster I see is you," replied Ash with venom in his voice.

"Yes, I am a monster," agreed the corrupted Tracy after catching his breath. "But not the kind of monster you think I am. Oh, if you only you knew." He raised his head and looked at the two in front of him. "But then again, that's part of the fun isn't it? Not knowing until the final second? I will tell you everything Guardian. I promise. But I will only tell you right before I strangle you with my bear hands when I'm finally free.

"So what's stopping you?" asked Ash. "I'm right here."

"True but I have two reasons. First is I'm leaving that for when I'm in my true form. Not in this rented piece of meat. Second is I want you to cower before my full power when we finally meet."

"You are truly demented," commented Ash but the corrupted Tracey smirked and nodded his head as if he was just complimented. "Mewtwo, if you will please." Mewtwo nodded and the psychic feline's eyes glowed blue for a moment and then faded away.

"Ash, you're not going to like this," said Mewtwo suddenly.

"What did you learn?"

"That's the problem," started Mewtwo as he faced Ash before finishing; "Nothing."

"Nothing? What do you mean by that?" He didn't understand and neither did anyone else in the other room as the corrupted person laughed loudly.

"I got nothing...because there is nothing. His entire mind is blank except for a dark void and I can only sense pure evil coming from it. I can sense no memories, no thoughts, no feelings and…no soul. There is no sign of Tracey at all in the body," finished Mewtwo sadly.

Ash took in a sharp breath and glanced at the corrupted Tracey who let a nasty grin appear on his face. The others couldn't believe what they just heard, horrified that a real life body snatcher was in front of them.

"Hard hearing the truth isn't it Guardian?" cackled the corrupted Tracey, causing Ash to growl at him.

"Who or what are you?" asked Ash.

"Hard to explain that…But I'll dumb it down for you. I am the darkness. I bring forth chaos. I am every single being's worst nightmare made into form. I have no name but you can call me Ragnarok, for I will be the end of your world!"

"Ragnarok?" Mewtwo and Ash glanced at one another as they communicated mentally quickly before looking back at Ragnarok. "So now we have a name. Alright then. Let's get back to what we were talking about before. Who ordered the stadium attack?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," laughed Ragnarok.

Ash sighed before turning to Mewtwo. "Mewtwo, thank you but I'll handle the rest from here. Let me know if anything changes back home and also, tell our friend we need to speak to him. Tonight." Mewtwo nodded and teleported away. Ash moved towards the shackled prisoner and sat back down after picking up the over turned chair. "Who is calling the shots?"

"You know, I like this little talk we're having. It's been much more entertaining than with that egotistical Champion thinking he knows all and can control all. At least you understand that you don't have all the answers. What an arrogant moron," laughed Ragnarok making Lance heated up for two reasons; first reason was he knew everyone was staring at the back of his head and second reason was that he was getting angry at being insulted and humiliated.

"What is the objective?" asked Ash, ignoring the comments.

"Don't know really. I don't even care to know. I'm not in the inner circle as you can say. But I'll take a guess. I can say from seeing Tracey's memories before they were wiped that you're mother's attractive for her age. What is she pushing? 40? Maybe the man wants to kidnap her for some fun," jeered Ragnarok with a shrug. He was completely bluffing and just wanted to mess with the young Guardian's mind again. Delia's face flushed with color as she became embarrassed and frightened over what the corrupted Tracey just said. Caroline, Joanna and Grace went to her to comfort her and show her their support.

"What is the objective?!" repeated Ash louder. He was getting angry but controlled his rage for the moment, though his eyes were narrowed. He knew what this Ragnarok was trying to do and he was doing his absolute best to keep from giving it to him.

"Alright, fine that wasn't it. Hmmm…Wait, let me think…world domination? Probably…Take over the league? That's a given…None of that matters once I'm free though…Ah, I know what it is cause it's what Tracey and I wanted to do ever since she grew up and laid eyes on her; to fuck Misty's brains out!" cackled Ragnarok.

Ash flew off his chair and tackled Ragnarok with such force that the hand cuffs broke away from the table and both of them landed on the floor. The people in the other room shouted in surprise and fear as they watched Ash hit him with his fists several times across the face before he picked up Ragnarok and slammed him onto the wall before he struck him again several times. Some people made to move towards the door but Lucario stopped them by blocking their path to the door.

"NO! DO NOT GET INVOLVED! THIS MAY BE HARSH FOR YOU TO SEE BUT IT MUST BE DONE!"

They glared at Lucario but returned back to their previous positions. Lucario kept guarding the door and Gardevoir joined him and held his hand as she tried to calm him by showing she stood by his side. Lucario turned his head to view her better and grasped her hand tighter in appreciation. Both of them went slightly pink at the action. Pikachu jumped up onto Misty's shoulders and nuzzled against her cheek to soothe her. She calmed down a bit, feeling his warm cheek against her own. She scratched him underneath his chin and he cooed a bit in response.

"How dare you! Watch what you say Ragnarok or whatever your name is or next time I won't hold back!" threatened Ash after his last punch, his eyes glowing blue. The corrupted Tracey was sporting a black eye and a cut lip from the hits. "Now answer my question! Who ordered the stadium attack?!"

"Touchy are we? Hmm…Oh, I get it," he replied softly, avoiding the question again. An ugly smirk grew on his face. "She must've been a great fuck. Can I get a turn?"

"YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" roared Ash as he flung him across the room and he crash landed hard on the ground.

Misty went red and clasped her hands to her mouth, completely embarrassed that the intimacy shared between her and Ash was revealed to everyone. Pikachu patted her head softly. Delia, Caroline, Grace and Joanna had their jaws drop at hearing that before turning their attention onto the red head. Daisy, Violet and Lily looked at their younger sister with wide eyes. Most of the others just looked at her with surprised gazes but May, Dawn and Serena moved to their friend to help soothe her. Even Leaf and Sarah went to her but Anabel and Cynthia just stared at the red head and Lucy noticed. Luckily for Misty, the sound of breaking wood caught everyone's attention and they all turned their gaze back to the room to see Ragnarok grunting in pain as he was lying on top of the broken table on the ground. Ash picked him back up and slammed him into the wall again. Blood was coming out from some scratches and cuts that the corrupted man received from the guardian.

"I warned you," said Ash quietly with a cold voice that scared his friends along with glowing blue eyes. "No more games. What is the plan and who's calling the shots?" Ash shook Ragnarok and the corrupted vessel merely gave a chuckle.

"I don't know and I don't care. I'm just enjoying the ride for now. And you can't do anything to me. But I'll tell you one little thing Guardian; with each passing moment, I am getting closer to being freed. I will take all that you love and care about. Your pokémon's lives, your friends lives, but when I take your girls from you, I won't kill them. Instead I'll turn them against you like I did in your nightmare and then I'll have them become my own personal slaves and…"

Ragnarok couldn't finish since Ash's fist slammed into the side of his face, sending him crashing to the floor. Ash picked him up and slammed him into the wall again though this time it was with such force that the wall sunk in around the body a bit as he had used his aura to enhance his strength.

"I'm done with you. I should destroy you since you won't answer my questions and this is no longer actually Tracey but a pale imitation of him," threatened Ash as his free hand glowed blue and raised it, a small blue sphere of aura energy appearing in front of it. The people watching had their eyes widen, fearing that he may actually go through with killing the corrupted Tracey.

"Even if this is just an empty vessel and your old friend is long gone, I don't think you have the balls to do it. But I'll tell you one more thing Guardian since I've been having so much fun seeing you lose control. You will lose everything. You cannot win. And do you know why?"

"No I don't. Why don't you enlighten me," replied Ash sarcastically.

"Because you don't know the full story, you're being used. Ask the one who gave you this mission," said Ragnarok and this curve ball completely baffled Ash, making the Aura Sphere vanish.

"What? Why? What are you talking about? He wouldn't betray me or not tell me things."

"Is that so?" inquired Ragnarok. "Then how come he didn't warn you about our attack? All those gifted children of his and his own grand power; surely he must have seen it coming? Or is he not all that? And if he is, why didn't he warn you?"

Ash let go of Ragnarok who landed on his feet and stayed standing surprisingly even after the severe beating, though it was with some difficulty. The raven haired guardian took a few steps back as some sort of realization dawned on him. Lance and Cynthia's eyes widened and many of his friends had stunned expressions on their faces at seeing him back away from the corrupted Tracey.

"Figured out something have you?" taunted Ragnarok.

"No, he wouldn't. He promised me…" Ash trailed off as he started moving his gaze around the room as he thought about what Ragnarok said. He looked back at Ragnarok and saw his smirk. "NO! He would not! Stop trying to mess with my head!" roared Ash has he punched him hard with an aura infused fist.

Ragnarok went flying into the wall and he cried out in pain. Ash swiftly moved forward as his right hand's fingers curled into a claw shape and it glowed blue. He knelt down beside the corrupted body of Tracey that Ragnarok had taken over, grabbing the top of his shirt and raising him off the ground a bit. He raised his hand in front of him and a small condensed Aura Sphere appeared in front of his palm. While the men didn't move, all the girls, young and old clapped their hands to their mouths, their eyes filled in fear at what Ash was about to do and each of them thought the same thing; please don't do it!

"Go ahead Guardian. You heard Mewtwo. Nothing left in this worthless body. Go ahead. End the body that kept going when the soul has already left."

Ragnarok let an evil smile show on his face through the pain and laughed at Ash who scowled in response before the glowing ball of aura energy shot forward. The girls screamed and covered their eyes. After a moment they opened them and expected to see a gruesome image, but there was none. Instead of hitting the corrupted vessel, the raven haired guardian hit the wall next to Ragnarok's head and made a large hole. He glared at Ragnarok before speaking.

"I don't need to prove anything to you. I will find a way to get you to leave his body and he will be given a proper burial. Same goes for the others. Until then, enjoy being in a straitjacket and living out the rest of your days in a small padded cell you crazy son of a bitch."

Ash let go of Tracey's corrupted body as he stood back up and Ragnarok dropped to the floor with a thud. The raven haired guardian left the room as two league officials came in right after with a straitjacket to put on Ragnarok. He walked back towards the room that Lance was in and opened the door as he spoke.

"I'm done Lance. There is nothing-" Ash stopped talking as he noticed everyone in the room. "What are all of you doing here?" The only response he got was that the four girls shot to him and hugged him so tightly that he thought his lungs collapsed. "Can't…breathe…" He was starting to turn blue in the face until they finally let go. He took a few heaving breathes as he leaned against the wall before able to finally straighten up. "Thanks for letting me live. So what are you doing here?" he asked them as he stood up fully.

"Cynthia brought us here," responded Serena.

"Cause we missed you Ash," said Misty.

"She told us what you were trying to do," added May.

"And thank you for not going dark side on us," remarked Dawn, slightly joking, the other girls agreeing with her.

"No need to worry about that. I wouldn't do such a thing unless absolutely necessary." The girls smiled at him and he returned the smile before facing Cynthia. "But I should've known. I thought I said nobody should know Cynthia. Then again, you always liked doing things your own way haven't you?" commented Ash while shaking his head. The blonde Champion of Sinnoh merely shrugged with a smile, slightly blushing and glanced at Lance before facing Ash again.

"Alright enough." Lance stepped forward and stopped in front of Ash. "I have a feeling that you found out something when you talked to Tracey or that thing that was once Tracey. What did you learn?"

"I can't tell you yet," said Ash calmly. Lance looked like he was going to explode.

"WHY THE HELL NOT?" shouted Lance.

"Because I have to double check some things. When I'm sure I will tell you." Lance glared at Ash as the raven haired guardian turned to his friends. "I'm sorry if I worried you guys but I had to see if I could get some answers and find out what this was all about."

"We understand but you can tell us," replied Misty. "You know that you can trust us."

"I know I can. I just don't want you guys to worry about it. You've already seen my memories and my worst fear." The four girls blushed slightly at first, thinking of the memories but then sullen expressions took over as they thought of his worst fear. Ash noticed this and pulled the four girls into a large group hug, speaking softly to them; "I don't want you to worry about things that you don't have to. I want to keep all that away from you for as long as possible."

Their friends looked at the five silently for a moment, only exchanging glances at each other. Lance gave the five a curious look. He remembered Ash's memories but didn't know if they were together or not at the moment. He glanced at Cynthia from the corner of his eye to see how she would handle seeing something like this as he knew how she felt about him and saw her eyes were fixed onto the young man. Anabel caught Lucy's attention because the purple haired girl was crestfallen, seeing how much attention he gave the four. Lucy pulled her friend to her and hugged her, keeping her hidden from sight. Sarah and Leaf were both gazing at the five with envious looks. Ash and the four girls separated and Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulders.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu started nuzzling against his cheeks.

"Hey there buddy." Ash scratched his starter pokémon's head and he cooed in happiness. At that moment, he received a mental message from Mewtwo; he agreed to the meeting.

"We know you just want to protect us Ash, but keeping us in the dark won't help," said Misty as she wiped away the dried water marks on her cheeks. Ash sighed as he shook his head again.

"You're probably right but right now isn't the time. I have a feeling it will be soon so please just be a little more patient. Is that alright with you?" asked Ash.

The four girls looked at one another before facing him and they nodded together. They hugged him again, giving him quick pecks on the cheek, two on each side, before separating again. Jealous looks were shown at the sight by Cynthia, Leaf, Sarah and Anabel for a split second before they recomposed themselves. Luckily for them, nobody caught it.

"Thank you for understanding. I have to go see a friend but I will see you all soon. I know I said that several times today already, but things just keep coming up. Please forgive me. Gardevoir and Lucario will stay with you until I return."

And with that, Ash and Pikachu disappeared as they were teleported out of there in a blue glow. After doing that so many times in front of them, no one was surprised or shocked by it anymore. Misty turned to Gardevoir immediately after he left.

"Who is he going to see?"

"I can't say Misty." Gardevoir looked down on the ground. She felt two soft yet strong hands grasp her shoulders. She raised her head and looked into the cerulean blue eyes of the red head.

"I know when there's something wrong and there is something wrong right now. I've known him for a long time. Please tell me."

"I can't tell you," replied Gardevoir again. Misty hung her head in defeat. "But I can show you." Misty raised her head to see her sporting a small smile on her face and Misty copied it as did the other girls.

"NO! Gardevoir, we agreed not to say anything!" reminded Lucario angrily.

"I know. And we're not. He didn't say anything about showing them now did he?" replied Gardevoir with a smirk. Lucario's jaw dropped, unable to form a response to the devious work around.

"How will you show us?" asked Dawn.

"I will take you to where he is meeting our friend but you must be quiet and keep your emotions under control, no matter what you see or hear. It will help us stay concealed and not be noticed."

"Ah, is this going to be a dangerous trip?" asked Bonnie getting a little scared.

"Not if you listen to me and keep quiet," said Gardevoir. "Are you all ready?" Everyone in the large group nodded but Lance and Cynthia didn't move or respond. "I'll take you two as well with us but you must promise to behave. All of you must. The slightest thing could mean dire consequences for Ash."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Delia, obviously worried about her son being in a dangerous situation, not that he hasn't been involved in several before and could handle it but she still worried.

"What dire consequences?" Leaf was trembling at the possible scenarios forming in her head.

"Let's just say his friend is the one who gave him the mission. Now get ready. I will teleport us all right now." Gardevoir's eyes glowed blue and they all vanished from the room.

Gardevoir teleported herself, Lance, Cynthia, Lucario and the rest of Ash's friends to the VIP room in the stadium. It was around 8pm and the sun had set already with the moon and stars taking over. Cynthia turned on the lights but was smart enough to keep them at low power, just enough so they don't bump into the furniture or each other.

"Why are we here in the VIP room of the stadium?" asked Lance.

"That's why," replied Gardevoir as she pointed at the field. They gathered near the outside tinted windows and peered through. They saw their friend, his yellow mouse and the purple psychic feline standing in the middle of the field. It looked like they were waiting for someone to come.

"Why are Ash, Pikachu and Mewtwo just standing there?" asked Norman. As if to answer his question, three large portals appeared in the field and the three reality dragons flew through them, landing on the field gracefully regardless of their sheer size. Everyone had their jaws drop at the sight of the deity pokémon except for the two pokémon.

"They gave him the mission?! I thought you meant it was a person?!" asked Joanna, getting her composure back. Gardevoir shook her head in response. "Then who?"

"You'll see soon enough," replied Gardevoir.

"What are they talking about? Is there a way for us to hear them?" asked Grace.

"Yes there is." Cynthia went to the wall and turned a knob, adjusting the volume before pressing the button next to it. At once, the VIP room's speakers sounded out though not too loudly as the audio recording equipment in the stadium turned on and picked up their voices. They caught the conversation that was already going on in the field. They all listened intently, not daring to make a sound, fearing that they may miss something.

"Look, it's nice to see you three again, but I wanted to speak with Arceus. Mewtwo told me that he said he was coming so where is he?" asked Ash as politely as he could but it was obvious that he was anxious and inpatient to speak with the Original One.

"Father will be here soon. He is busy, just like all of us. He requested for us to come and let you know of that before he arrived. He also said that we should know of what is going on as well," replied Dialga.

"I see. Great…How long do I have to wait?" replied back Ash with annoyance.

"Do not let your inpatient attitude make you forget who you are speaking with!" shot Palkia a little angrily as Ash rubbed the back of his head.

"Shit, Ash better cool it," muttered Gary and several others nodded with him.

"Alright, I'm sorry. It's just been a hectic with everything that's happened so far," explained Ash.

"It is understandable Chosen One, but you must not forget how things are," reminded Giratina kindly.

"Okay I will. So how have you guys been? Have you been preparing as well? Any new visions or possible outcomes?" asked Ash as he tried to keep the conversation civil and to not let silence take over.

Vision? Outcomes? Many in the VIP room glanced at one another, hoping someone could explain what they meant but then they remembered Gardevoir and Lucario were there and they all turned their heads to the two pokémon, who were standing quite close together. Before they could even ask the two pokémon, they shook their heads and pointed towards the field. As they returned their attention to the field, a large white glowing sphere appeared in the middle of the field and a moment later, Arceus, the Alpha Pokémon emerged from it. His white glow slowly faded away and he floated down onto the ground, the three dragons making way for their father to move in the middle of them. The sight of Arceus made everyone in the VIP room take in sharp breathes.

"Ash, Pikachu and Mewtwo; it is good to see you again," greeted Arceus. "You have grown even more powerful than I imagined since last I saw you. I am quite impressed and pleased," he complimented. Mewtwo replied with a curt nod and Ash smiled though slightly, saying his greetings to the Original One. Pikachu waved and shouted out his own greetings, earning a smile from the Alpha Pokémon.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing!"exclaimed Delia, blinking her eyes multiple times.

"You and everyone else here Delia," remarked Oak, his breathing uneven. They were trying to comprehend how Ash was speaking to these deities, these gods, as if they were just his friends. They could see no worry or fear at all in him. And what astounded them more was that the Alpha Pokémon was treating Ash as his equal.

"So, you called this meeting Ash. What is on your mind? I'm actually quite surprised to hear from you, after not even a single peep was heard by you since we made that plan three years ago when I had given you your mission," said Arceus.

"Arceus gave him the mission?!" said several in the VIP room at once.

"Quiet!" hissed Lance, silencing them quickly.

"Yes. I have something to ask Arceus. But first, I'm sure you've witnessed or found out what's happened these past few days right?" asked Ash.

"Of course. I am aware of most things as soon as they happen. I could even tell you about something that's happening right now that's quite interesting." Arceus glanced at the VIP room making the people inside sweat drop before he turned back to Ash, Pikachu and Mewtwo. "That is not that important right now though. But why are you asking me this?"

"So much for not being noticed," commented Gary before he went silent to listen.

"Okay. Well, I knew that but I wanted to make sure before I ask you something else that I've been wondering about that recently crossed my mind; why didn't you tell us about the stadium attack?"

"What?" asked Arceus, obviously thrown off guard. He wasn't expecting that question.

"Why didn't you tell us about the stadium attack?" repeated Ash. "You could have warned us before it happened. We could have dealt with it before it become such a huge mess and endanger so many."

Arceus was quiet for a moment before he answered. "Because it was one of your tests."

"What?!" asked Ash. Now it was his turn to be thrown off guard. He couldn't believe that was the answer he just heard. Pikachu tilted his head and Mewtwo's eyes narrowed in realization. His friends in the room glanced at one another, mouthing the word 'tests' to each other in confusion.

"A test," repeated Mewtwo. "You knew that attack would happen and you did nothing to warn us. You wanted to see how we would handle such a situation without prior knowledge of it."

Arceus nodded in agreement before he spoke. "There was another reason for you to join the tournament when I told you about it three years ago Ash. I knew the attack would happen and because of our agreed plan, I knew it would be the best chance to truly test how strong you had become."

Ash lowered his gaze a bit as realization hit him. Many thoughts rushed through his mind. He looked up at Arceus after a moment of silence and his expression was one filled with anger. "You lied to us!" shouted Ash. "You said you would keep us updated and stay in communication with us and that you would help us! I barely beat them back! You betrayed us all for a test?!"

"I did not lie nor did I betray you, Ash. I have told you all you needed to know in the beginning and this was a test that you needed to go through and one that I knew you would pass."

"If you knew I would've passed, then why bother with the secrecy?" shot Ash. That silenced Arceus and everyone else around. Even the ones in the VIP room went deathly quiet as they hadn't seen him become so angry. "What was the damn point then Arceus?!" snapped Ash.

"ASH! Watch yourself! Remember who you-" started Giratina angrily but was silenced at Ash's outburst.

"I ALMOST LOST EVERYTHING I CARE ABOUT!" roared Ash at Arceus, ignoring their surprised looks. Even Mewtwo and Pikachu were stunned by him. "MY POKEMON ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM THE ATTACK! I ALMOST LOST THE ONES I LOVE! I ALMOST LOST MY FRIENDS! I ALMOST DIED! WHERE THE FUCK WAS THE HELP THAT YOU PROMISED ME? DO YOU EVEN CARE? IS THIS ALL JUST A DAMN GAME TO YOU?!"

Ash was about to continue when he was silenced by Arceus' deafening roar. Ash, Pikachu, Mewtwo, along with the reality dragons covered their ears the best they could and so did everyone in the VIP room, yet it hardly muffled the ear-splitting sound.

"Damn it Ash! Why'd you make him angry?!" muttered Gary in pain and the others cried out in agreement while pressing their hands against their ears.

"GUARDIAN!" shouted Arceus, his booming voice sounding like thunder as dark clouds formed out of nowhere from the Alpha Pokémon's power. "DO NOT THINK IT IS ONLY YOU WHO STANDS TO LOSE SOMETHING IN THIS!"

"THEN WHY THE HELL IS IT ONLY ME WHO'S RISKING EVERYTHING?! I'M THE ONLY ONE BEARING THE WEIGHT OF THE WORLD, JUST LIKE IT'S ALWAYS BEEN BEFORE!" countered Ash, surprising the Alpha Pokémon who was stupefied at his reply. The reality dragons were shocked to see their father not making a sound and Ash took advantage of that and continued his rant. "MY POKEMON ARE THE ONES WHO ARE GETTING HURT! MY FRIENDS ARE THE ONES WHO ARE IN HARMS WAY! I'M THE ONE WITH THE INJURIES! I AM THE ONE WHO HAS TO DEAL WITH THE DAMAGES OF IT ALL! I'M THE ONE WHO'S CONSTANTLY WORRYING ABOUT EVERY STEP I TAKE, WHETHER IT'S THE RIGHT ONE OR NOT! I HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL THE PAIN AND SUFFERING! I'M THE ONE WHO HAS ALL THE NIGHTMARES! I HAVE TO DEAL WITH ALL THE CONSEQUENCES! ALL YOU GUYS DO IS JUST SIT AROUND AND WATCH!"

Arceus went quiet, unable to reply back to the fuming Aura Guardian. Mewtwo was looking at his friend with a curious look. Inside the VIP room, everyone was shocked at his outburst but quickly understood where he's coming from after seeing his memories and nightmare.

"Then perhaps we should get rid of the distractions you hold so dear to you so that you only worry about the mission!" responded Palkia without thinking after a moment of silence between them all. A large blue sphere was hurled towards the deity of space and exploded on the ground near his feet. Palkia let out a roar of anger and surprise as he stepped back from the blast before fixing his gaze onto the raven haired guardian and started growling at Ash.

"Did he just attack Palkia?!" asked Leaf in both fear and awe.

"More like a warning shot but still that was completely stupid! Idiot!" replied Misty under her breath. She was filled with emotion seeing Ash stick up for them but was angry that he would be so reckless.

"Don't ever threaten them again Palkia! Friend or not, you cross that line and there will be hell to pay! Not even Arceus will be able to protect you!" warned Ash, his eyes glowing blue, while holding up another Aura Sphere in his hand. Pikachu hissed as he let out sparks from his cheeks, ready to back up his trainer and friend without hesitation. Even Mewtwo took up a battle stance. Giratina became intrigued to Mewtwo's willingness to fight and Arceus didn't react, keeping silent and still as he observed the increasingly tense situation while thinking.

"You will defy us, risking your life to side with a human? One from the very species who you held in such contempt and disregard just a few years ago?" asked Giratina in bewilderment.

"He is no ordinary human. He is my first true friend and has taught me much. I will gladly give me life for him as I know he will do the same for me, his pokémon and his friends. This is why I respect him and consider him my friend and family. And nobody messes with that. Not even you!" explained Mewtwo. Ash glanced at Mewtwo with a look of respect. They caught one another's eye before facing the three dragons once more.

"Then perhaps we should teach you both a lesson in respect!" spat Dialga. He and his two brothers got into battle stances as did Mewtwo, Ash and Pikachu with the guardian's aura flaring out.

"Is he really going to fight against them?" whispered an amazed Cynthia. She knew Ash had guts but this was absurd. Lance glanced at her but didn't respond and nobody else answered her, as they were paralyzed with fear and nervousness.

"ENOUGH!" yelled Arceus, his voice thundering over all and silencing them as they withdrew from their fighting positions and the aura from the guardian faded away. He gave a calculating look at the young guardian before continuing. "You love them that much that you would walk into oblivion without hesitation?" asked Arceus.

"Yes I would and you should know that by now. Especially if it concerns the ones I love so dearly. They are my heart. It would cease to beat without them. I cannot lose them. The attack on the stadium and my nightmare was proof of that. I will do everything and anything necessary to make sure they are protected. I will fight even you if you threatened them Arceus."

Misty, Dawn, Serena and May each melted at Ash's words, their hearts beating like mad. Each of them was hugged by their mother, though in Misty's case, her sisters hugged her and they each let out joyful sobs. Leaf, Sarah and Anabel looked at each other before looking at the four girls. Lance glanced at Cynthia to see her reaction but all he saw was a stoic expression on her face. Cynthia looked at the four for a moment but when she turned her head back to the watch what was going on in the field, she noticed the other three girls' expressions as they too looked at the four girls. Cynthia had a thought enter her mind that made her heart drop into her stomach; they like him too?!

"I see," replied Arceus. "Guardian, no one has ever had the gall to speak with me in that way and I respect the reason why you did so. I will allow this to slide, this momentary outburst of yours because of what's happened and since we made a plan and we must stick to it. Anything important that you need to know I will tell you."

"Why should I trust you?" asked Ash, making Arceus frown immediately. "You told me five years before the darkness shows. Only three years has passed and people and pokémon are showing up already corrupted. You told me the tournament would be an enjoyable time but you hid the fact that there would be an attack. And there is more that you're hiding but you won't tell me. So I ask again; why should I trust you? Why should I continue with the mission since it's not what we agreed upon? Why did you not tell me about Ragnarok?"

"Ragnarok?" asked Arceus, surprised to hear the name from Ash. Many things went through the Alpha Pokémon's mind as he stayed silent. "Are you sure?" asked Arceus after a moment.

"I am. I questioned Tracey, or rather the corrupted body of Tracey that is now being controlled by it. He said he has no name, that he is the darkness but to call him Ragnarok for he is the end of all."

"This is not good," replied Arceus as he walked past them towards the other side of the field. The three dragons looked at their Father in silence, worry evident on their faces. For such a large being, his golden hooves made no indentation in the ground. He seemed to be walking on air.

"You know who or what Ragnarok is," commented Mewtwo seeing how the Original One reacted after hearing the name. Arceus glanced at the psychic feline before locking eyes with Ash.

"No more Arceus," said Ash, making the Alpha Pokémon sigh. "No more lies, no more secrets, no more hidden agendas and no more tests. If we want to be able to trust each other, to defeat what is coming, we must not hide anything from each other."

"Ash, you don't understand. This is far more upsetting than what I've told you. It makes the vision I have seen much worse. I had hoped that it would not come to something like this but it seems to be the case. You are not yet ready my Guardian. It is much too soon to let you know," replied Arceus sadly, looking away.

Ash glanced at Mewtwo, who turned to face him. After a moment, Mewtwo nodded, encouraging the young guardian to speak his mind. Ash faced the Original One once more.

"Three years Arceus!" started Ash. Arceus turned his now stoic gaze back to the young guardian. "Three years I have been away from home, away from my friends, away from my mother. My pokémon have left their family and friends as well. We have given up our freedom to work on this. We have done everything we agreed upon so far. I have befriended and caught many powerful pokémon who agreed to join me. We have trained nonstop preparing for the war that is to come. Mewtwo, my pokémon and I have bleed for this mission. We have cried. We have pushed past our limits far above normal levels. We have suffered through horrible sicknesses, broken bones and endured through extremely hazardous conditions all over the world. We have been plagued with thoughts about our family and friends back home. We have sacrificed much to reach new heights in our abilities and strength. We more than deserve to know everything after what we went through. Especially when we got a taste of what's to come and that we will be the ones in the front lines protecting everyone and everything."

When Ash finished his speech, he noticed Arceus's face change to sorrow. He felt bad momentarily for making him sad but knew it had to be said. The people in the VIP room were moved by his speech and some of them felt their respect for the raven haired trainer grow leaps and bounds.

"Aura Guardian Ash Ketchum," said Arceus finally. "I commend you, Mewtwo and all of your allies for everything that you have done, the sacrifices you've made and the new heights you have reached. But you are not ready to know the full story yet. You will know in time."

"When Arceus? When I'm covered up to my neck in darkness?!" asked Ash with sarcasm. "I need to know now! The fact that I have pokémon who are still recovering from their injuries since you decided not to warn us about the attack, should be reason enough to give us that information!"

"You're pokémon being in such condition is your own fault," replied Arceus sadly without pause.

"What?!" Ash was stunned. "I'M NOT THE ONE WHO ATTACKED THE STADIUM!"

"Pika! Pi pika pi chu!" agreed Pikachu angrily.

"How dare you suggest it was his fault!" shouted Mewtwo. The people in the VIP room were outraged that Arceus put the blame of his pokémon being hurt on Ash. Arceus however was not swayed.

"You were the one who was fighting back were you not?" asked Arceus calmly. "You did well in the beginning, calling back your pokémon who were tired and bringing out others who were fresh and ready to go. You should've done that again. You had more than enough pokémon to rotate them out but you did not. You didn't call them back as you were too focused on defeating your enemy. You caused your pokémon's anguish and pain by not paying attention to them. You refused Mewtwo's help beyond blocking some attacks and softening up your enemies. He could've teleported the innocents away from the conflict so they wouldn't get in the cross fire. He could've helped even the odds, even while outnumbered."

"That didn't cross my mind…" started Ash as he felt down that he didn't think of that. "But I thought we could handle it and I didn't want to show all my cards at once," explained Ash, though the Alpha pokémon's words had struck a chord within him, making him feel uneasy.

"That's understandable and it may be necessary to not reveal all your tricks at once in the future but even so; you could've done many things differently that could have kept you and you're pokémon from going all out. I'll let you figure the rest out. But, you still should've rotated your pokémon. You so badly wanted to fulfill your role in the mission that you overlooked the obvious. You let your pokémon push past their limits in a dangerous way when it was not needed. You are the cause of their injuries and you didn't even know it. This is why you are not yet ready for the full details Ash. You still have a lot to learn."

"My pokémon were hurt…because of me?" repeated Ash quietly. He hung his head as the revelation hit him like a ton of bricks. Mewtwo and Pikachu glanced at him with worried expressions.

"Yes, because of you…but do not feel too badly Guardian," continued Arceus. Ash raised his head, his eyes filling with sadness to look at the Alpha pokémon but then looked away in shame. "You are still young. You have no experience of war. You don't know yet when to push past limits and when to heed them. You are not ready yet. This is why I did not tell you of the attack. You had to be tested. You had to face the unknown. You have faced powerful legendaries in the past, horrible events in the past, terrible organizations in the past, but you haven't faced anything yet like this. You are not yet prepared for what is coming and this is why you must be tested. You haven't taken a life yet either. You may need to in the future and do so multiple times to protect the innocent and the ones you love. You had a chance recently before this meeting and you didn't take it, even though you should have. Will you be able to do that when necessary?" Ash glanced back at Arceus with a startled look on his face. He didn't know if he could right now and his friends eavesdropping in the VIP room glanced at one another, now thinking about the same thing themselves. "Do you understand now my Guardian? There is more to this than you think. You aren't ready. But you will be though in time. You just have to trust me. I haven't led you astray and I will not ever. This was an important lesson to you in both battle control and being able to deal with being responsible for the pain and sacrifices that will most likely come in the future to you and others."

"If after three years I'm still not ready, why do you still believe in me? How can I beat back the darkness that is coming?" Ash's confidence in himself was going away. Pikachu jumped to his shoulder, patting his head as he tried to comfort his best friend. Mewtwo stood next to him and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Because you are different than everyone else as you are a pure hearted person. You make miracles happen, the impossible happen, you help anyone and everyone who you come across that needs help even before you found out that you are the last true Aura Guardian. That is why you are my Chosen One. Not because of your abilities. Not because of your strength. Not because of your heritage. You are my Chosen One because of your pure heart and your determination to do what is right. You have great friends and pokémon who trust you, love you and will stand by your side. Do not forget that either."

Ash slightly nodded as he heard Arceus's words but kept thinking about how he was the cause of his pokémon's injuries, how he had messed up again and how he was still not ready. Arceus knew what was troubling his Chosen One and decided to lift his spirits a bit with some information.

"I have some good news in wake of the recent events. You can relax for the time being as the corrupted pokémon and people who attacked were part of a test by the ones who will unknowingly unleash Ragnarok and his darkness upon the world in two years. That has not changed. The darkness hasn't emerged yet otherwise we would have had this discussion in my dimension so you still have time." Ash, Mewtwo and Pikachu nodded to acknowledge that they heard him and Arceus continued after he looked at them for a moment. "Now, I will tell you of anything that I come across that will drastically alter the vision I have foreseen but other than that, I cannot tell you of everything that might happen. You must be prepared for anything and everything on your own as that is what will happen in the future when I and my more powerful children will not be able to help much because of the darkness. Even now we cannot risk going after the people who will be responsible for the darkness since we aren't able to see who causes it to emerge since the darkness is protecting them and even if we did know, we cannot risk it in case we get affected in the attempt."

Ash was quiet as he listened to Arceus and he nodded in understanding when he finished. Arceus glanced at the three dragons signaling them to leave. The three dragons disappeared into three portals that appeared behind them. Arceus turned back to face Ash. Sensing how the young man was feeling so badly, he decided to try and lift his spirits.

"I am still proud of you Ash Ketchum. You are my knight, the last of an ancient line of Aura Guardians and the last true one. You are the bearer of light that will pierce evil's heart and vanquish it for good. You are capable of almost anything as long as you don't give up hope and believe in yourself. I know you will do whatever it takes to prevail."

"Arceus?" Ash looked up when he heard silence and saw Arceus's attention on him. "Are Tracey, Kenny, Drew and Rudy really dead? And could I have reversed the process if I was there to help them? Could I purge the darkness from them now so they can have proper burials when I get stronger? And is the corruption the reason why they were so cruel before the tournament started and during the stadium attack? How did it change them?"

"Don't do that to yourself. You must understand right now that you will not be able to save everyone. There will be loss of life and sacrifices and you must understand that now. As for the four you mentioned, I will not go into detail but the short answer is yes, the darkness had corrupted them before and during the attack. I will tell you the details of how at another time as it would be too long to explain right now. And no, you would not have been able to reverse the process. You are not strong enough yet and doing so even if you had the strength, even reaching your full potential as an Aura Guardian, there is a chance it could still rob you of your own life. Unfortunately, we must treat each corrupted we encounter as a lost soul and take them down permanently."

Ash gulped as he understood and so did everyone else in the VIP room. "I will try but I will also try to help them before I must end their suffering in that way. But, promise me something in return Arceus," requested Ash suddenly.

"Depending on what it is, I may do so. What do you want me to promise?" asked Arceus, curious as Ash locked his gaze with the Alpha Pokémon.

"Promise me that if I were to fail, to fall, that you will protect the people I love and care about. Promise me that no harm will come to them from anything and everything at least. Promise me that you will take care of them and take them away from the darkness if I'm unable to vanquish this Ragnarok and his darkness."

"I promise Aura Guardian." With that final statement, Arceus nodded at Ash, Mewtwo and Pikachu, who returned a nod of their own before Arceus disappeared in a white glow. Mewtwo and Pikachu turned their attention to Ash immediately. He had started to sob as soon as Arceus left, having held it in while they spoke with him.

"It's alright Ash," said Mewtwo. He was about to continue but Ash cut him off.

"NO ITS NOT!" countered Ash. "It's my fault my pokémon are hurt and I didn't even realize it until now! I let Ragnarok mess with my head again! I doubted Arceus! I kept secrets and lied to my friends! I let them get in harm's way! I thought I was ready, I thought I was prepared! I couldn't finish off Ragnarok and release his hold on Tracey! We barely overcame the attack! I'm not strong enough even though I've pushed past my limits! Three years of being away from everyone and everything and I'm no better than when I just started my journey! It's just too much Mewtwo! All of the responsibility on us! This burden placed on our shoulders! I don't think I can carry it anymore as I don't know what to do anymore!"

He clutched his hair and shouted out. Ash's frustration over everything made him grow angry with himself and no matter what Mewtwo or Pikachu said or did to try to make him see differently, they couldn't get through to him. The people in the VIP room were at a loss of what to do until four girls spoke up.

"We need to go to him!" they said at once and looked at Gardevoir, who got the hint and nodded. But before she could teleport them, a blue glow from the field caught their attention, turning their heads in that direction to see the cause and they were scared of the sight.

Ash's aura was flaring around him, but it was different than what they were used to seeing. He had an angry expression on his face and his eyes were glowing bright blue. A dome of blue aura energy swirling around him rapidly had appeared, which was something they hadn't seen before. It wasn't an Aura Shield as it wasn't transparent and it began expanding outwards. Mewtwo and Pikachu stepped away from it, not knowing what it would do to them and not wanting to take a chance. Suddenly, the very ground began to move before it shook violently as howling winds roared around the raven haired guardian. The dark clouds that gathered because of Arceus were now rumbling as blue lightning streaked across them as loud thunder was heard from them.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?!" screamed Bonnie in fright, trying to keep her balance. She hugged the closest person to her, which was Max, who went red with embarrassment but didn't push her away.

"Master's frustration at himself has consumed him!" replied Lucario with great worry as he knew what it was. "This isn't good! We must go to him and stop him before this goes too far! Gardevoir, teleport us to the field now!"

Gardevoir's eyes glowed blue immediately and the next second they all vanished from the VIP room and reappeared in the field. They all raised their hands to shield their faces from the incredible winds that were circling around Ash and tried to keep their balance as the very ground beneath them shook hard. Flashes of blue light every once in a while made them shield their eyes. They were amazed and scared that an Aura Guardian could have so much power that they could cause such reactions from the world itself. Even Riley was at a loss for words and Ilene noticed as she was about to ask him what they could do. They slowly moved towards him, calling out to him. Mewtwo and Pikachu heard them over the roaring winds and only one of them was surprised to see them there.

"MASTER!" shouted Lucario over the loud winds. "MASTER, YOU MUST CALM DOWN!" Lucario led the way, bending down a bit to get closer to the ground to overcome the strong winds and to keep his balance from the massive tremors shaking the ground. The others followed his lead and they came upon the energy dome with difficulty and they stopped.

"WHY'D YOU STOP LUCARIO?" shouted Sarah, trying to be heard.

"I'M NOT SURE IF WE CAN PASS THROUGH WITHOUT HARM!" answered Lucario.

"THAT DOESN'T MATTER RIGHT NOW!" yelled Misty as she stepped forward with Serena, May and Dawn right beside her.

"NO! STOP!" shouted Lucario, their parents, friends and sisters but the four girls didn't listen.

They each held out a hand in front of them as they neared the blue aura dome and without hesitation, applied pressure to push through. Their hands went through the shield and then their bodies. They felt no pain or any kind of resistance and that surprised them. They gave each other an encouraging look and continued forward. The closer they got to Ash, the more powerful the aura winds became that circled around the raven haired guardian as the ground continued to shake, making them focus to keep their balance. They were slowed down greatly as they attempted to overcome it all. They were a good distance away from the frustrated and angered man in the middle of the dome who held their hearts. They conserved their strength since the howling was too loud to shout over it, instead using it to push on through.

Seeing the four girls go through the dome with no problem beside the strong winds, everyone else attempted to push through. Lucario, Gardevoir, Mewtwo and even Pikachu were unable to move through the dome as it pushed them back. Utterly confused, they watched the others try to get through. None of the parents were able to. The Champion Lance wasn't able to. Master Riley wasn't able to. None of the guys were able to. Most of the other girls weren't able to either. Yet Cynthia, Anabel, Leaf and Sarah were able to push through the blue dome shield as well, following after Misty, May, Dawn and Serena but three of them ended up getting stuck after traveling about ten feet through, with only Leaf able to carry on after the four. It was as if an invisible barrier prevented the three of them from continuing more. They and along with everyone else could do nothing but watch as Leaf caught up with the four girls as they continued towards Ash.

Lucario was astonished at what he was seeing but then quickly understood what was happening when he remembered the Lore of Aura that Mew had passed on to him through the transfer of knowledge back at the Tree of Beginning three years ago. He couldn't believe it as what he saw answered some questions but also brought up new ones. He realized that he would have to have a long conversation about this with his Master afterwards if they were able to stop this. He pushed his wonderings aside and looked on as the brunette tried to reach the four in front of her.

Leaf was amazed that she was able to push through the dome when the others couldn't. Yet, she didn't let the shock keep her from moving forward, so she hurried after the four in front of her while shielding her face with her arms from the sharp winds and followed after Misty, Dawn, Serena and May. The four were about ten feet away from Leaf and about the same distance away from Ash who was now letting out rapid Aura Pulses that hindered their approach, slowing them down even more but fortunately didn't harm them. Leaf summoned up whatever strength she had left and moved even more quickly towards the group. She moved behind the girls to help cover more distance quickly as she drafted them to dodge the winds and waves of aura pulsing out to catch up to them.

It worked and when Misty, May, Dawn and Serena were about five feet from Ash, Leaf caught up to them, moving to be beside Dawn on the left. The four girls noticed movement from the corner of their eyes and glanced towards their left. Seeing Leaf there they were surprised at first but quickly let small smiles form on their faces as Leaf glanced at them. At that moment, the four girls understood just how much she cares for Ash and motioned to her for the five of them to move forward together. Leaf smiled back in response and nodded, moving with the four.

As the now group of five girls pushed on, the howling winds and pulsing aura was slowing their progress down to a crawl though they would not give up for they would do anything for the raven haired man in front of them. When they finally reached Ash in the center, they were surprised but also glad to find that in the center it was calm, like the eye of a hurricane and the winds weren't howling.

"ASH!" called out the five girls to the guardian who was still lost in his angered trance. They gathered around him and saw his face etched in fury. "ASH!" they called out again as they moved closer.

"You don't need to be angry at yourself," said May as she hugged his right arm.

"We know you always try your best," added Dawn as she hugged his left arm.

"We appreciate everything you do for us," said Serena as she hugged his back.

"We love you no matter what," finished Misty as she hugged his front.

The four girls glanced back and saw that Leaf stood a foot away, not moving but her eyes were on Ash, filled with concern and dare they think it, love. When Leaf dropped her gaze to them, they didn't react for some seconds. Finally, Misty, May, Dawn and Serena smiled at her and the red headed gym leader made some space for the brunette and gestured to her to come join them. Leaf smiled back at them before she joined in on the group hug.

"Please stop this Ash. We're here for you," said Leaf softly.

The five girls stayed like that; trying to use their hugs to convey their feelings to the man they loved, that everything will be alright. The others looked on helplessly, hoping that things would turn out alright. After what felt like a long time, it seemed to finally work as the howling aura winds that were circling around them began to die down slowly and a short while after, it finally ended. The ground stopped shaking, the dark clouds broke apart and the blue energy dome started to fade away before it completely vanished. The blue outline went away from Ash's body and his eyes stopped glowing blue, going back to his brown eyes. As soon as that happened, he collapsed onto Misty and Leaf with a groan.

"It's okay. You'll be okay," whispered Misty as she and Leaf caught him and tried to keep him upright.

Ash groaned again before he lost consciousness and fainted from using up too much energy. The other girls helped Misty and Leaf gently lower him to the ground, with his head resting on Misty's lap. The others quickly came to their side and stood around them with paled but concerned faces. Seeing Ash on the ground unconscious made them worry. Delia quickly knelt down on the ground beside her son and placed her hand on her son's forehead.

"Will he be alright?" asked Delia, her face marked with concern before she removed her hand as she felt that he wasn't burning up as she feared he would be.

"Yes. I believe he just used up too much energy at once," replied Riley. "But I have no idea what that was. In all of my years of studying and learning about aura, I've never heard of such a thing."

"I do," said Lucario. "That was one of the defenses that an Aura Guardian can use to keep everyone away when they are feeling vulnerable, at their lowest. It uses up almost all of their energy."

"Really? Then how come the girls were able to get through?" asked Norman, puzzled. Everyone looked at Lucario, waiting for him to answer, who sighed.

"I don't know. It's supposed to be impenetrable," lied Lucario. He didn't want to say the reason why some were able to go through and others weren't before he spoke with his Master.

Before anyone could say anything else, Ash murmured and stirred slightly. He opened his eyes slowly, drawing everyone's attention to him. The first thing he saw was the beautiful red head's cerulean blue eyes, making him feel a little better.

"Mist," whispered Ash in a barely audible voice.

"Ash!" cried Misty as she hugged him with him barely able to return the hug since he was so drained.

"I'm sorry," he whispered to her as she hugged him tightly. Ash then turned his sad gaze to the other girls sitting beside him when the red head straightened back up. "I'm sorry."

Dawn, Serena and May flung themselves on top of the raven haired man on the ground and they each hugged him tightly while the other four girls just gazed at him. When the three got back up, he then grasped Leaf's arm and pulled her to him on the ground. She let out a squeak in surprise and gave her a hug as well, with her quickly returning it. The four girls smiled at the sight, feeling surprised that they were not jealous at all, though Cynthia, Anabel and Sarah were another story.

"Thank you Leaf for helping to calm me down," said Ash.

"No need for thanks Ashy as I would do it again," replied Leaf quietly with reddened cheeks. When they separated, Ash let a small smile form on his face at her before he noticed the others around him. Even though everyone was smiling a bit, their faces had worried expressions on too.

"Are you guys alright?" asked Ash as he looked around at everybody, but nobody answered him. "Okay, what happened? You're all starting to freak me out."

"It's nothing Master," said Lucario, taking control. "Do you remember anything?"

"I don't remember much actually, sorry. I just remember losing control and then being hugged. Wait, did I hurt anyone?" he asked suddenly afraid he might have done something wrong.

"No, you didn't hurt anyone," replied May softly and Ash let out a sigh of relief.

"That's good. So you're all okay?" he asked while looking around at everyone from the ground who just nodded. The girls helped Ash sit up before helping him stand up, who in turn helped Misty get up onto her feet. Ash then turned to everyone else.

"I'm sorry everyone," he repeated. He went silent for a moment, thinking about something before continuing. "I think it's time. Time to tell you everything."

"But we already know," replied Iris.

"Yeah, we saw your nightmare," reminded Richie.

"And we kind of eavesdropped on you and Arceus," admitted Lucy, churning her hands around, worried he might get angry.

"So that's what Arceus meant…Well, that may be but you only heard parts of it. I will tell you everything from the beginning and what I know. But not here. Let's go back to the hotel." Ash turned to the two Champions. "Lance, Cynthia; I don't want to say this more than once. Come with us and tell the other Champions and Goodshow as well to join us."

Lance and Cynthia agreed and they contacted the others with their Poketch. Ash began walking back towards the hotel, Mewtwo at his side and Pikachu jumped up onto his shoulder and nuzzled him against the cheek, earning himself scratches behind his ear. The girls wanted to walk with him, but Lucario held them up, saying that he needs some time to himself to gather his thoughts and they reluctantly agreed. Everyone followed after the guardian in silence, thinking over everything they had just witnessed earlier on and what they could possibly find out in just a little while.

As Ash and company made their way back to the penthouse suite on the top most floor of the Indigo Hotel, Arceus and his three sons, the reality dragons, turned away from the viewing sphere that Arceus had brought up. They had watched the girls get to Ash and calm him down before they left the area. The Original One moved to his cushioned throne and sat on it while Dialga, Palkia and Giratina followed after their father before stopping at the base of the stairs that led to his throne. The viewing sphere disappeared and then the Dragon of Time spoke.

"The Guardian has so much power that it's frankly unnerving," stated Dialga with a slight shudder.

"It's incredible. His power is much greater than other Aura Guardians. Even Sir Aaron and his father didn't have this much power and they were the strongest of all the Aura Guardians even from all the bloodlines. The two of them were equal to five guardians each in total power. And Ash hasn't even realized his full potential yet," remarked Giratina before he glanced at Palkia. "You're lucky brother that he didn't actually strike you with his attack."

"What is that supposed to mean?!" replied Palkia, outraged at what his brother was implying. "You dare compare a human to me?! Even an Aura Guardian?! I am the Lord of Space! You two are my only equals with Father being the only one above us all!"

"You are wrong my son," said Arceus, making the three dragons snap their attention onto him. "There are two beings whose powers rival my own," revealed Arceus and his sons gasped.

"What?! Who? How?" asked Dialga, his eyes widened in shock with Palkia and Giratina stunned into silence.

"One of which is Ragnarok and the other you will come to know in time," answered Arceus and their eyes widened.

"If Ragnarok is as powerful as you, then how can he and Mewtwo hope to stop him?" asked Giratina. Arceus looked at his three sons for a long moment before he sighed and he told them.

"The prophecy," he replied back simply and the three dragons had disbelief spread on their faces.

"Surely you're not banking everything on that Father?!" asked Dialga with concern.

"I am not as I have a backup plan just in case. But with everything going the way it is, I have no doubt that it will come true," revealed Arceus and the three reality dragons' jaws drop at the fact that it would be coming true. Dialga recomposed himself faster than his two brothers.

"Father, you said you'll tell him of important things. But you haven't mentioned the true test. Why not? Surely he has earned the right to know?" asked Giratina and Arceus shook his head before answering.

"That is when the prophecy will come true unless we warn or aid him," explained Arceus.

"But I haven't seen that outcome Father," remarked Dialga.

"I know my son," commented Arceus. "But I have. It will come to pass. And Giratina is right Palkia," said Arceus suddenly and Palkia tilted his head in confusion. "You may be in charge of Space, but if Ash had hit you, it would've been painful. Once he reaches his full potential as an Aura Guardian, it would be ten times worse. He is my Chosen One after all. In short, do not anger him again." The Alpha Pokémon's revelation made his sons gasp at hearing that the young Aura Guardian could actually hurt them who were basically deities. Giratina turned his gaze to look at his brother.

"And you threatened his loves ones. Good going Palkia. You should probably watch how you act around him since you're probably on his radar now," advised Giratina and Palkia sweat dropped while Dialga shook his head at his brother's predicament. Arceus lied down on his throne and his sons understood. The three reality dragons left via portals and Arceus closed his eyes to rest as a million things went through his mind.

"The prophecy will come true," he said to himself. "It has to...I don't want to purge the world…and start over…"