The Awakened Lucario

Nightfall.

When the azure sky was completely tinted with darkness, colorful fireworks rose into the sky from all corners of Cameran Palace, transforming into one gorgeous firework after another, and the colorful light instantly filled the dark canopy.

The entire castle was plunged into an atmosphere of celebration.

After a day of bustling Cameran Palace festival, as the sky grew late, the cheerful atmosphere not only didn't diminish in any way, but instead became even more enthusiastic due to the holding of the ball.

The ball was held within the castle.

At the ball, Queen Ilene was about to bestow the title of 'Aura Guardian' on Ash, who had won the championship at the Battle Celebration and had traveled all the way to the end.

This was the coronation of the brave.

It was the most awaited event by the residents of Cameran Palace.

Aisha and Cynthia were also invited by Queen Ilene.

It was mainly because the two of them had arrived at the castle along with Ash that Queen Ilene realized that the partner of that not-so-smart Aura Guardian was actually Instructor Ai, who was a big hit on the internet nowadays and was said to have the strength of an Elite Four, as well as Sinnoh Champion Cynthia, who had a great reputation, and was undoubtedly one of the people at the top of the world's pyramid, and who was known as the Sinnoh Valkyrie.

Queen Ilene almost couldn't strain the smile hanging above her face.

Now the child relationship is a bit powerful...

Queen Ileen immediately dispatched a messenger herself and sent out an invitation.

"I thought that the two of us, topped it off by rubbing a little bit of Ash's face, accompanying a glimpse of the scenery of the ball as a brave man." Aisha scrutinized the knight holding the invitation in front of him, took the invitation, and repeatedly examined the seal above the invitation's envelope that belonged exclusively to the Cameran Palace's royal family, and said, "Hey, now that I've actually been invited by the Queen's own handwriting, I'm really flattered."

"Indeed."

Cynthia also took an invitation.

"Not bad for Instructor Ai."

"Miss Cynthia is flattering me."

Aisha smiled.

"I'm just a netizen with low popularity, and at the top of the day I'm considered an unheard of search officer in Dayan." Aisha waved her hand, pushing away the credit, saying, "Surely Miss Cynthia's reputation as the Sinnoh Champion is better, who doesn't know about the Sinnoh Valkyrie's elegance?"

"Instructor Ai is too kind."

The two of them were pretending to boast to each other in business before the castle.

The knight in charge of presenting the invitations couldn't stand it anymore, and wore a pain mask on his face that wasn't exposed under the steel helmet.

It's absolutely impossible.

It wouldn't have mattered if these two big shots were simply hanging out within the city.

However, they actually participated in the ball.

Since this was the case, it was not possible for Queen Ilene to let the two of them sit on top of the seats accompanied by Aura Guardian. Otherwise, it would instead be a bit of a burden for the castle side.

"The two of you..."

The knight also sweated and opened his mouth.

"From the beginning of the ball has not been much time, two if you are willing, may as well now enter the castle within, specialized maids can assist two to change dresses."

Aisha and Cynthia also looked at each other when they heard this.

Aisha could see the excitement and entanglement hidden within Cynthia's eyes.

Cynthia did not realize that there was a touch of panic lurking within Aisha's eyes.

Aisha: "..."

Bad, a hundred precautions, this time is actually planted on the ball's eve.

I wonder how many maids this dyslectic female champion can torture when choosing a dress?

Hey...

"Go."

"Go..."

Cynthia and Aisha barely reached a consensus.

"The two of you go this way."

The knight immediately made way.

After that, the maid who followed him became Aisha and Cynthia's guide, and the two of them split into two groups towards the specialized changing room within the castle.

"Hopefully, Cynthia can save a little time."

Aisha glanced at the time, there was still an hour before the ball started.

Hmm.

Possibly, a little less than that.

Cynthia's difficulty in choosing was something he could sort of relate to.

But...

This time Cynthia exceeded Aisha's expectations.

Almost twenty minutes later, Aisha saw Cynthia's figure again.

"Oh?"

Seeing this Sinnoh Champion who had changed into a gown, even Aisha revealed a flash of amazement.

Cynthia's dress was not the usual evening dress that women preferred.

She changed into a white lady's suit under the maid's recommendation, and her already tall and plump figure was even more proud under the setting of the close-fitting dress.

The elegant temperament was also visible.

"Instructor Ai is really suitable for wearing a gown."

Aisha wasn't the only one sizing up Cynthia, Cynthia was also examining Aisha as well, with undisguised admiration between her gray eyes.

"Well..."

Aisha and Cynthia stood together in front of the floor-to-ceiling mirror.

Cynthia was wearing a white suit, while Aisha was the opposite.

Aisha's figure and temperament were revealed under the appropriate clothes, and his handsome appearance supported his incarnation as an undoubted female assassin.

The fabric of the dress was undoubtedly a very expensive material, and the brand new texture showed that the royal family had not been perfunctory to them, the guests who had attended the ball.

He and Cynthia were together, a truly glamorous pair.

"What black and white duo?"

Aisha spat out with dead eyes hanging.

"Whew~ Instructor Ai is really humorous."

Cynthia was amused by Aisha's spat.

"Mee?"

At this time, Caterpie's voice reached Aisha's ears.

Aisha and Cynthia looked over and were instantly amused.

"Mee~"

Nowadays, Caterpie was actually wearing a Rayquaza costume, and the image of the huge figure as it was dragging a dragon's tail and wriggling on top of the ground was simply outrageous to the extreme.

Outrageous and even a little bit reasonable...

"Instructor Ai's ace Pokémon is actually Blazing Hollow Sitting."

Cynthia teased Aisha so.

"I also just realized it today."

Aisha stifled a laugh in response to Cynthia's words.

"Ow?"

At this time, the land shark with a Pachyderm plush headgear over its head seemed to have heard Aisha and Cynthia's laughter, and all of a sudden poked its head out from within the next room.

Aisha: "?"

Cynthia: "..."

"Roar?"

Looking at the duo's somewhat strange reaction, Garchomp also scratched its cheeks with a puzzled expression - mainly because it was afraid of breaking its headgear.

He didn't know why, but as soon as he saw the headgear, the shape of Pachirisu gave Garchomp a complete sense of security.

So the land shark immediately put on this plush headgear, completely ignoring the weird gaze of the maid next to him who was trying to say something.

"Roar~"

Garchomp revealed a cute expression that was very different from its fierce and majestic appearance.

Paired with Pachirisu's plushy headgear, Cynthia suddenly covered her face.

"Oops."

The Sinnoh Valkyrie's mood was a bit mixed.

"Hahahahahaha~"

Instructor Ai couldn't tense up all of a sudden and mercilessly mocked Garchomp.

"Roar?"

Garchomp was instantly annoyed.

"Roar!"

Garchomp lifted up Aisha all at once, after which, somewhat comically, it ran out of the fitting room.

"Garchomp, don't... Hahahahaha~ Stop it!"

Cynthia also let out a merciless mockery while catching up with Garchomp's pace.

"Mee~"

Caterpie, who was disguised as Rayquaza, then shook its head helplessly and followed the duo and their Pokémon.

...

Ash, as the Aura Guardian who was honored this time, had already arrived at the ball's hall ahead of the others.

He didn't need to change his clothes either.

Sir Aaron's Aura Guardian costume was very suitable for this kid.

"Hey..."

Nowadays, Ash was holding Sir Aaron's scepter with an uncomfortable face, sitting on top of the first chair under the Queen's seat, and next to him was Sir Aaron's mural.

"Guardian-sama, don't move around."

An old woman with gray hair so educated the wriggling Ash.

"Grandma, my stomach is hungry."

Ash looked a bit pitifully at the big meal over there.

"As an Aura Guardian you can't be so devoid of self-control, wait a little longer."

The old woman, worthy of being an old man serving the royal family, rebuffed Ash's words at once.

"Hey..."

Ash revealed a difficult expression.

Not being allowed to move was torture for him.

"Pi?"

Pikachu glanced at Ash, decisively betrayed their revolutionary friendship, and without looking back ran at once to the long table where the big meal was placed.

"Pika-chu-!!!"

Ash's wailing voice was mournful.

"Forget it."

However, Ash also knew that he couldn't force his Pokémon to be bored over here together, and since the old woman didn't stop Pikachu's behavior anyway, he said that he simply threw out all of his Poké balls at once, releasing his remaining five Pokémon, and simply letting them all run and start playing within the hall.

"Ah, Instructor Ai!"

After releasing his Pokémon, the sharp-eyed Ash also saw Aisha and Cynthia who had arrived in the hall before the gate.

The duo entered the hall and immediately attracted countless gazes.

Mainly because the face value is too high...

Cynthia had been in a high position for a long time, and had gotten used to the stares.

Aisha's mental quality was just as good, and he didn't have any stage fright at all.

"Pi~"

Pikachu saw Aisha and ran to him cheerfully.

The other Pokémon did the same.

They knew Aisha was the one who had bought them a big meal yesterday at lunch, and there was something they liked about this beautiful boy just as much.

"Well, well, hello everyone."

Aisha was surrounded by Ash's Pokémon.

"Squirtle and Bulbasaur."

"Squirtle~"

"Bulba~"

They hadn't evolved by the end of the day.

"Butterfree."

"Mee~"

This child turned into a missing person in the early part of the honeymoon, and only returned at the end of the party.

"Charmander?"

"Ow?"

Behaving at first, then rebelling, and finally becoming a general, it belonged to the Pokémon with the most excellent treatment within the unmarked team.

"Pidgeotto..."

"Pii?"

Oi.

This child is a bit pathetic, not much more to say.

Twenty years, anyway, know exactly what that means know.

"Guests, the ball, begins!"

Queen Ilene's gentle and watery voice announced the start of the ball.

The guests at the scene each looked for their own dance partner.

Aisha saw Jessie and James disguised as nobles and princesses within the crowd, and the two of them were now each finding their preferred partners to dance gracefully, but after a few moments of exchanging partners the circumstances were fated to come together again, and they immediately revealed expressions of dislike for each other.

Ash showed a bored expression on top of his chair.

His Pokémon were sharing a feast.

"Miss Cynthia doesn't have any ideas for dancing?"

Aisha looked at Cynthia next to him.

Today's Cynthia had an unusual charisma, and they were undoubtedly the heavyweights of the ball.

However, her uninviting aura isolated countless people who were ready to seek a dance partner - everyone was not without eyesight, next to Cynthia there was obviously an excellent partner who perfectly beat all the male creatures in the room in terms of both strength and appearance, so naturally, there was no one who was asking for trouble.

"Instructor Ai is not looking for a partner?"

Cynthia took a sip of his drink, her eyes hiding amusement, and asked Aisha rhetorically, handing him a drink in the process.

"Well~"

Aisha frowned a little and said, "There's one thing to say, I'm not much of a fan of these occasions, and I wouldn't be willing to waste my time on top of the dance today if it wasn't for some special matter."

"Instructor Ai is really straightforward."

Cynthia was also dumbfounded.

She had thought that Aisha should at least be polite for a few moments, but as a result, this beautiful boy actually expressed his aversion to the party scene without any hesitation.

"Meow?"

At this time, a cat's cry inserted itself into the duo's conversation.

"Meowth?"

Aisha spotted a Meowth standing next to him.

"What?" He was also a bit surprised and said, "Not afraid of me now?"

At that moment in Vermilion City, it and James had immediately grabbed Jessie and fled after seeing themselves.

Now it actually had the guts to come closer to itself?

"Meow?"

Meowth, however, gazed at Aisha unknowingly.

However, it immediately ran away again.

"Strange guy."

Aisha didn't care much.

He looked at the mural of Sir Aaron again... As well as Ash who was fidgeting underneath the mural.

Although it was said that the two looked at least seven times similar.

However, Ash's goofy look was just a bit out of Sir Aaron's style.

"Now we have the Aura Guardian, to perform the final rite of sacrifice!"

The song ended, and the old woman spoke the follow-up.

Ash stood under her command and posed as if under Sir Aaron's mural.

"Uh!"

At this time, Ash's movements froze.

"Granny Butler, did you hear something?"

"No, I think you heard it wrong?"

The old woman answered his question with a strange face.

Queen Irene thoughtfully rounded off the conversation at this time, saying, "Aura Guardian is perhaps too nervous."

"Oh..."

And so Ash raised his scepter once again.

Light, all of a sudden, blossomed out...

The guests in the room made surprised noises at the sudden and unusual situation.

Beneath the light, the figure of a Pokémon appeared out of nowhere.

"Oh?"

Cynthia's expression was a bit surprised, however, not by much.

As an archaeology expert, Cynthia had already explored an unknown number of ruins so far.

One had to say that the wisdom of the ancients was infinite.

Cynthia had seen several instances of ancient Pokémon being sealed by the ancients behind some energy apparatus, sleeping through a long period of time, and finally reopening their eyes in modern times due to some coincidental events.

"Hmm~"

Cynthia looked at Aisha next to her.

Aisha didn't react with any surprise, instead gazing at the suddenly appearing Pokémon with interest.

"Instructor Ai seems to have expected this?"

"Sir Aaron sacrificed his life in exchange for the release of the power of the Tree of Beginning to quell the war, and its Pokémon partner is nowhere to be found, so guess where it is?"

"I see..."

Hearing Aisha's words, Cynthia's expression brightened.

"This Pokémon is related to our investigation plan?"

"There's nothing to do with it."

Aisha's answer, however, was out of Cynthia's expectation.

"Huh?"

"The long hours are just too hard to bear." Aisha gazed at the Pokémon that was gradually solidifying into a substance under the bright light, and spoke his thoughts, saying, "It retains a trace of obsession in its heart, and I'm prepared to help, that's all."

"..."

Cynthia was also a bit speechless.

"...Instructor Ai is still really gentle."

"Not much." Aisha waved his hand and said, "Even without my presence, Ash could have assisted it in unraveling its mind just the same, however, the ending wasn't really that great."

"But, since I'm here."

Straightening his tie, Aisha stepped forward.

"The end of the story will no longer be the same."

The light reflected on his face.

For a moment, Cynthia didn't know what to say.

The light also gradually dissipated, accompanied by an aura that quickly scanned the corners of the hall, and a Lucario crouched between the halls.

''Why?''

A voice that resonated in the mind, angry and resigned, questioned Ash.

'Why, abandon the castle?'

...

The corner of the castle.

"Meow?"

"You... Who are you, meow?"

Meowth and Meowth were staring wide-eyed.

Meowth on Team Rocket's side was clearly confused - it wasn't as if it hadn't seen other Meowth before, mainly Meoth that were all-around indistinguishable equivalents of itself, one-to-one reductions, and today's sighting was a bit of a shocker, to be sure.

"Meow~"

The strange Meowth covered its mouth and laughed a bit, after which, bathed in pink light changed back to its original appearance.

"Mew!"

The call changed slightly, and Mew flew next to Meowth and Ash's Pokémon.

"What kind of Pokémon is this?"

The current Meowth was obviously not as knowledgeable as it would be later on, and even after witnessing Mew's form with its own eyes, it didn't know who it was.

"Mew?"

At this time, however, as if Mew had picked up some message, it flew next to Meowth and Pikachu in a flash and made an instantaneous move.

"Mew!"

The three Pokémon disappeared in a flash.

"Ow?" "Bulba?" "Squirtle!" "Pii?" "Mee!"

Leaving Ash's five Pokémon at a loss for words where they stood.