A/N: taking a break from a massive battle between me and my studies, I literally forgot that I have stories to write and some shizz. I then realized that I need to write anything just to make my mind work properly, even though it's poorly executed. (I apologize in advance)

Pokémon is my childhood, since I was young I always collect cards and even games and watch the anime almost every day (well except after Generation 4) but then I watched XYZ season which made to re-watch the originals again. But hey anything comes to my mind is enough, enjoy the prologue.

Ps: Let's just say pretend that the Sun and Moon series never happened and we're all set.

Summary: After losing the Kalos league, Ash returned to Hoenn as requested by Professor Birch to investigate a certain rising mystery involving the Key of Hoenn with a new threat rising to threaten the whole region, Ash travels back to stop it. But with a champion of a friend wanted to challenge the Hoenn league, a coordinator, and a tag-along Gym Leader, by his side. What could go wrong?

Prologue

Upon the darkness ensuring the whole place. Darkness engulfed the silhouette, giving clearance to whatever comes to pass. On the top of Mount Pyre, in the middle of the night, wind howling in the cold air giving chills towards the dead silence.

There stood a man, in his early adult years, stood in pride on the top of the mountain overlooking the whole Hoenn region even in the pitch darkness in his sight in front of him. Only comfort he has was the dimmed lights of every city in the distance especially the LIlyCove.

Another footstep entered his presence. A man dressed in white, shouting as a Pokémon Professor, approached the lone man in darkness with such intentions in his own self. A Mudkip on his side for self defense for whatever will come to pass. Birch glanced the darkness giving the man shrouded in darkness a stern look.

Without any thoughts or whatsoever, Birch spoke first. "I am here. You wanted me here. For what?"

The man in darkness sighed, even the darkness shrouded his face and appearance, Birch could still his shadow's movements. "To make things right. I sense something bad will happen if the balance is no more."

The man, behind the darkness, placed his hand in his pocket then fished something out of it. Birch stared at him wide eyed, but waiting for more answers. Up until the man thrusted his hands forward with something in his fingers. With curiosity, Birch took a step forward, with his right hand forward. The shadowed man took his hand and placed a small item then closed Professor Birch's hands. "This will make all things right. Protect it at all cost, without the protector, there is no balance in Hoenn."

Birch smirked in response, his eyes wandering on the item the man has given him earlier. Then his smirk disappeared realizing he had no clue what is the thing in his palm. "I don't understand, why me? And what is this."

"Only time will tell, and I know you will. A certain young boy has the will to wield this when the time is right." The man in darkness replied, giving his clues to the confused professor. Birch stared at him in disbelief, shaking his head with attempt to place everything in his head. The man remained in the darkness without any movement. "I assumed you now know why I called you here. You knew the boy long before I did but I tasked you to give it to him."

Birch grew speechless from this specific request. He knew this person ever since he began his job of being a Pokémon Professor. Ash is still young to be dragged in this mystery, isn't he in Kalos right now? The man remain silent and reading his thoughts. "I know what are asking, for our people he is our only hope."

"But he is a kid." Birch responded unsurprisingly. "I'm sorry but all these mystery leads to more questions, I cannot understand them all. I expect answers and I am hoping you can give them."

The man nodded understandingly. "I would do it for your sake, but alas I cannot. My time is short."

"Mudkip." Birch's Mudkip called him in a hurry, something Birch already sensed its coming. The mud fish Pokémon jumped to the professor's shoulder with fear. Birch stared to the distance seeing lights in the shores of Mount Pyre.

Dozen flashes of light drew nearer and nearer towards the two as Mudkip immediately sensed the threat of coming inevitable. Birch turned to his human companion with a worried on his face and troubled expression. "You have to hide, quickly!"

The man in darkness shook his head and didn't move a muscle, not even a bit. "You have to run." Without any cue, Professor Birch turned around, hearing the voices of marching men and battalion coming to his direction. Adrenaline pumped his heart, grabbing Mudkip in his arms and quickly ran towards the opposite direction and the pitch black darkness.

Sounds of running footsteps grew lighter and lighter as the distance he was gaining. The steep downhill of the mountain was dangerous to traverse, even with a Pokémon on his side. He glanced at his Mudkip with faith. "Be my eyes, Mudkip."

"Mudkip." His Pokemon affirmed in confirmation. Birch slowly used his weight to trek downwards of the mountain, up until the bottom. Mudkip moved slowly by his side, using few Pokemon tombstones to grip. He set his foot downwards as slowly as he could with Mudkip below him guiding his feet where to step to safety.

Step after step, he was gaining distance from the point, and one thing for sure he can call his Pokémon to fly himself away from this place, not until he is out of earshot. Mudkip slowly poked his leg, pointing at the bottom where the Pokemon cemetery was in sight and was surrounded by men dressed in black and resembles the appearances of Team Rocket but a bit different.

Above him two goons, arrived with their flashlights on surveying the area from anything threat to them. Professor Birch felt Mudkip crawling to his leg towards his shoulder in fear. He placed his hands into the Mudkip's mouth, motioning him to be quiet. Then patiently waited for them to pass, as Birch took a pen and paper conveniently was placed in his pocket.

With shaky hands, he slowly wrote even in the dead darkness of the place. His Mudkip slowly crawled down and continued his own path downwards. Not long as Birch folded the paper and placed the pen in his lab jacket, Mudkip slipped from the rocks and fell down. "No!"

"Mudkip!" Birch heard its distressed call while falling down, as he felt himself slipping as well and began tumbling down from the top and to the concrete floor. He groaned in pain, with Mudkip on his side trying to check if he is okay.

He placed his hands and patted Mudkip's head with a smile. "I'm fine Mudkip, how about you?"

Mudkip nodded and licked Birch's face in response. But not long for some three men to spot him in the concrete floor, but giving the professor enough time for him to get up and began sprinting with Mudkip in his back.

"There I saw him!" He heard one voice shouting behind him, causing him to run even faster even his Mudkip ran faster than him.

Three sights of flashlights trailing behind him, as Birch began to slow down his pace seeing a dead end of a cliff in his path. Gritting his own teeth, he took out another Pokeball and summoned it. "Altaria, I need you."

The large blue and white bird emerged from the ball and immediately floated in the sky. The professor slowly turned to his Mudkip and placed two things in its small palms, a small item and a piece of paper. "I trust you to give this to Norman. You will take this, it is safer for it to be with you rather than with me."

Mudkip nodded, holding the two item close to its heart. Professor Birch then turned to Altaria with commands. "Take Mudkip to Petalburg City, now!" He quickly placed Mudkip in Altaria's back upon hearing bunch of men running towards his direction. With a nod, Altaria swiftly flew away to the skies with Mudkip on his back farther away from him.

With an undying trust for his Pokémon and a heavy heart, he slowly raised both of his hands in surrender upon the arrival of the pursuing men with their flash light aimed at him, as Birch spoke no words and turned around to face the pursuing men.

The men approached him. "Well look who it is. The Hoenn's well acclaimed Pokémon professor." One of them sneered. Hands ventured around his pockets and lab jacket, searching for anything that could harm them.

Birch glared at them. "What do you want and who are you?"

At the top of the mountain, the man sensed the capture of the Pokémon professor, hanging his head low with defeat. His darkened aura behind the night shadows sensed another being approaching but knowing it wasn't professor Birch.

A Phantom.

Or at least he was. A man in dark robes heaving over his shoulder and waist with a dark boots tucked into his feet. His face was covered entirely by a mask and almost successful in concealing his face away from any wandering eye.

Behind him were a bunch of uniformed men with a sealed logo that looked exactly like his mask, shouting that this man is their leader, or whatever he was. The masked man stood in such poise of power around his head and posture, walking in such confidence.

Through the mask, a voice came out indicating he speaks even with his mask on. "I've been waiting for this in my whole life, and you knew this will happen?"

The man in shadows shrugged brashly, before stepping out in the darkness revealing himself towards the phantom man without any fear. The image of a young man, dressed in black suit which suited perfectly in his whole attire and his grey hair running thoroughly in his youthful appearance. In his hands, a Poke ball, ready to battle to defend.

The masked man looked at him, but no emotions shown due to his face concealed to the mask. Otherwise, the masked man spoke. "I never seen you grew up, but you are a man of honor."

In grim face, the young man shook his head ignoring the comments the masked man gave him. "I know who you are, and where you came from. I assumed you hid yourself from a mask to conceal your failure?"

The masked man sneered back. "I guess you never changed, Steven Stone. Son of the owner of the Devon Corporation. Pokémon League Champion and the defender of Hoenn. I am well surprised and pleased to be your acquaintance."

"Well I am not pleased." Steven bit back, venom dripping in his voice. "Why are you here?"

The masked man walked forward, reducing the distance between the two men, signaling his men to stay halt as the conversation continued. Steven glared the man as stoic as possible, and not giving into any of his talks. "I call myself as the Great Phantom, achieving the goal of harnessing the power Hoenn has never seen before. By my blood and sweat I built a stronger team, capable of harnessing the terror around the region where Aqua and Magma failed."

Steven remained stoic in introductions. "Enough formalities, Phantom."

"You know what I have come for." The masked man spoke as robotically as possible, heaving no emotions neither the venom from his mouth. "The Key of Hoenn, the one that can harness the balance between the worlds of Pokémon."

Steven remained silent, listening intently whatever the masked man is planning to say. "I know you have it in your grasps, even a single eye could say so. I demand you to give it to the Team Phantom."

Without hesitation, Steven drew his Poke ball and began to summon his Pokémon. "Not without a fight! Metagross! Go!"

The ball opened revealing a shape of a blue steeled Pokémon, appearing in between the two men as the Pokémon positioned himself in Steven's side. The masked man turned around, taking an Ultra ball from one of his men. "So subpar. But what's the fun without challenging the League Champion."

With a swift motion he summoned his Ultra ball, throwing it into the ground. "Go! Tyranitar!"

In unison, a massive behemoth Pokémon appeared in the middle of the two men. With two Pokémon ready, Steven ushered his first attack command. "Metagross, Metal Claw!"

The blue metal swiftly advances towards the behemoth, slashing it using its claws. Totally inflicting damage heavily towards the foe Pokémon. Tyranitar cried in pain, only to shook it off and focused on its opponent. Metagross revert to its stance in front of Steven, which the masked man sneered in fascination. "Good offense, what would you be in defense?"

"Clearly you underestimated me, the Hoenn's Champion." Steven sneered back, frowning from the words of the masked man. He glanced at his blue steel Pokémon with determination to finish quickly. "Metagross, Comet Punch!"

Metagross' fist lightened and turned light as the sun, and with a roar it charged with maximum speed at its maximum power punch. Tyranitar eyes focused on the punch as Metagross came closer and closer, inching their distance with a devastating power punch. Metagross drove its fists faster and faster, until the impact. The impact was so strong that it made Steven and the masked man flew backwards from the shockwaves it brought.

Steven immediately stood up, attempting to check his own Pokémon, but his sight deceive him. "It…. It can't be."

Tyranitar managed to catch Metagross' fists with such accuracy that it never hit Tyranitar itself. Metagross began to struggle from Tyranitar's grip but no avail. Steven immediately calls like his life depends on it. "Metagross! Get out of there!"

Metagross, attempting to be release from Tyranitar's hand, cannot shake himself free. The masked man took his chance to finish Metagross immediately. "Tyranitar, use Dynamic Punch! Full power!"

"Metagross! Light Screen!" Steven commanded.

Too late for Metagross to enact his trainer's command, giving the fact that Tyranitar's fist already collided with its head, the impact that almost cracked Metagross' body to particles. The blue steel Pokemon still remained into Tyranitar's grip, but weakened and injured from the Dynamic punch attack that Tyranitar brought.

"Oh no." Steven only managed to watch Metagross trying its last energy to escape Tyranitar's grip. "Metagross, use Psychic!"

"Too late, Champion of Hoenn!" The masked man sneered with such boldness and confidence of defeating Steven's Pokémon. "Tyranitar! Finish him with a Dynamic Punch!" with such quickness and power, Tyranitar's fist collided again into Metagross, but this time releasing it from its own grip thus making Metagross flying backwards towards Steven.

Steven and his Metagross collided with each other, crashing towards the ground, leaving the masked man raising his hand to command his men to upper hand him. The Champion groaned in pain from the impact only to holster up by the Phantom's men.

The Phantom laughed at the sight of his rival. "I clearly overestimated you, Champion of Hoenn. I expected you to be greatest trainer of Hoenn, but losing towards a Pokémon in which you have clearly the advantage. Pathetic!"

Steven hung his head low in shame. Clearly he should know better as the Champion of the whole region and bested easily by the last person he should beat. The masked man turned his attention towards another approaching men, with a battered Professor Birch in their grasps. "The Professor?"

Birch grunted in pain as he forcefully fell to his knees. The Phantom, kneeled in front of him, looking at him with a calculating stare under his mask. Steven struggled from the grip of the Phantom's men but no avail, watching Birch trying to assess the whole situation.

Silence is killing the whole group, as Birch sighed trying to break it. "So who talks first? You talk first? I talk first?"

"Steven gave it to you." The masked man concluded, standing up and began to command his troops. "Search him."

"Sir we already did. No signs of key items to be found in him." One troop nervously replied.

The Phantom glanced at Steven's direction, then left away but without saying a single command. "Knock him out, then throw him in the river."

"What!" Birch and Steven exclaimed in unison, as the former forced to watch his friend being dragged away, but not without Steven thrashing and struggling to break free. Birch then was holstered up by the other troops and carried away towards the team's transportation.

Steven on the other hand, still remains as conscious as he could be. He silently thanked that they chose not to take his Metagross and left it behind, thinking he can summon it later. He was dragged until the end of the cliff in the Mount Pyre, out looking the sea.

One bulky troop stepped forward, and sneered at his expense. "Hold him tight, I need to warm my fists upon hitting this wimp. Then throw him in the cliff."

"I think it's time for you to lose weight, buddy." Steven sneered back, in a mocking tone. "I hope you can punch better than tha-"

Then he saw darkness.

##

PETALBURG CITY

The night sky illuminated the whole busy city even in midnight. Houses and buildings still on the go with few vehicles roaming around the streets. Roaming in the skies, an Altaria swiftly flying at the top of the city, with a Mudkip on its back.

Mudkip immediately pointed the direction towards a certain Gym, where the Gym leader Norman resides as a request from Professor Birch. The Mud fish Pokémon's emotion turned dark, remembering his owner last words before their departure.

In the gym, Norman was up all night with his daughter overseeing his father's training. May sipped in her coffee, yawning before shivering in the breeze of the midnight wind. Her eyes scanned his father before turning to the skies, and spotted an Altaria rushing towards their direction.

"Father! An Altaria!" May called, snapping his father's concentration in training, thus looking up and spotted the rushing Altaria as well. With his defenses up, Norman immediately summoned his Vigoroth to counter it if in case this Altaria is wild.

Instead of their expectations, the Altaria landed swiftly in front of them. In their surprise a Mudkip jumped down from the Flying Pokémon's back, a piece of paper tangled in its mouth as it rushed towards the two.

"Hey it's a Mudkip!" May happily called out, as the rushing Mudkip ran to her arms, hugging it tightly and closely. The Mudkip smiled back in affection towards the Pokemon Coordinator. May then whistled calling her Skitty. "Look whose here?"

"Skitty." May's Skitty purred with such affection, brushing its head on May's leg. With Mudkip on her hands. The young woman immediately noticed the piece of paper on Mudkip's mouth. She hesitantly removed it from its mouth, as the content of the paper shocked her.

She rushed towards her father, who was sitting in a chair inside, drinking a glass of water. The lights around the room were dim, signifying that Max and Caroline were asleep. Birch's Mudkip followed her with Skitty on its tail, leaving the Altaria to stay outside and rest.

"Dad." May called, earning her father's attention from resting. "Something's wrong."

May then handed the letter to Norman who patiently read its content word by word, before setting it down slowly. Norman grew pale as May noticed. "This is bad. Birch probably seen this coming."

"What's going to happen to Professor Birch?" May curiously asked, indicating she cared for the Professor as well. "The letter didn't tell something about someone or somewhere? It's unknown, it would be difficult for us. Let's tell Officer Jenny."

"Haven't you read the whole note, May?" Norman sternly asked, which stopped May short in her thoughts. She shrugged, indicating she may read partially what's written in the letter. Norman sighed and immediately responded. "Go to the Pokémon center. Take my money in the desk and I need you to contact someone you might know."

"Who?" May asked.

"My friend, Professor Oak." Norman responded without hesitation.

"What about him?" May asked again, her hand touched the back of her head in confusion. But after a look that Norman gave her, she sighed and shrugged before walking towards the desk and took some money. "What should I tell him, Dad?"

"Just tell him to call Ash Ketchum and go to the Hoenn region. Don't forget to bring Mudkip with you!"

With a nod, May changed her shirt and hurriedly placed her shoes. "Let's go Mudkip, follow me."

Mudkip nodded as it followed the running May straight from the Gym towards the streets. The Pokémon center of Petalburg City is just few blocks away from the Gym, which May found convenient for trainers after her she or her father kicked the crap out of their butts. She herself wanted to be the top Coordinator of Hoenn after winning the Johto Challenge, but her father wanted her to take the roles of a Gym leader in order to sharpen her skills to its finest.

She and Ash grew distant for two years, after stumbling with him in Sinnoh and losing the Wallace cup. After hearing him in the Unova region, she never heard of him ever since up until the Kalos League. A few sprints later, she arrived at the Pokémon Center, opened for the whole nights for emergencies. Without any word, she placed Mudkip to Nurse Joy with her rushing towards the Call booth.

Upon few rings and few tries, the screen opened and revealing a tired, and a shaggy old man who just woke up because of call. Professor Oak yawned and scratched his head before recognizing the caller. "May? What are you calling for at this hour?"

"Hi Professor Oak." May greeted happily, as Oak raised his eyebrows in amusement but in a tired way.

"You woke me up in the middle of the night just to say hi?" Oak asked, smiling as May sighed from Oak's pun.

"Professor Birch is missing and in grave danger." May started, which piped the interest of Professor Oak, who wiped his eyes in a sleepy way. "He sent his Pokémon all the way from Mount Pyre, asking for help and for a certain trainer which I assume, is already there. By the looks of the letter, it is meant to be urgent."

"You mean Ash?" Oak asked tiredly. He sighed and nodded, before turning to May to respond. "Ash recently arrived here at Pallet Town from Kalos. I can say he is at his home, but I wouldn't dare to call him at this hour. But I'll make sure he would be there."

"Thank you, Professor Oak." May replied, before turning off the call. She secretly hoped that Professor Birch would be safe wherever he is. But for now, she can only hope that her friend could make it in Hoenn as quick as possible. She huffed at her seat trying to collect her thoughts and waiting for Mudkip to return.

He'll come here.

##

It was dark and cold. Those feeling entered Birch's senses, waking up being tied in the chair with no chance of escaping. He shook his head trying to collect the whole memory only to stop upon spotting the masked man, giving chills in his body.

"I have no idea that I we have the well-known Pokemon Professor of Hoenn in our board." The Phantom unemotionally spoke, as most of his expressions are hidden in his mask. Birch sighed upon hearing his own title, but spoke no words. The masked man, nodded as he stood from his chair, as if he was watching him intently. "Comfortable?"

"Not really." Birch replied.

"Good. Now let's shall go to business, shall we? Where is the Hoenn's key?"

To be continued…