(A/N: I suddenly realized that the summary in the last chapter wasn't adequate, so here's the real summary: the Ultra Beasts have been plotting to destroy humanity with a machine they've developed, with the help of their Beastkeepers, aka adult humans with similar interests. However, the last Keeper they had was different from the others. He took the role when he was a child, but cared for the UB's. Several years later, when he learned that they were planning to wipe out his race, he fled, not wanting to be a part of it. So he returned to his homeworld and came across the four travelers of the Kalos region whom we all know and love.

Hope that was better. Anyway, hope you like it; let me know what I could do better.)

New Arrival

"Chespin, that macaron's not for you!" Clemont said, chasing the Pokémon around the campfire.

"Chespin, ches!" it responded, doing its best to stay ahead of its trainer and balance the treat in its grip. Clemont leaped at it It swerved to the left in an effort to avoid Clemont's reach. Thus, the blond-haired young man soared over it and crashed into a tree.

Laughter rang in the air as Ash, Serena and Bonnie witnessed his comedic failure. Night had settled upon the four, blanketing the sky in a sea of deep navy and white specks. Trees flanked them on every side, taking the place of buildings in cities. Chespin slowed down and attempted to bite into the macaron he held, but Pancham rose up and gave chase, making the Grass-type Pokémon groan in frustration and resume running.

"Need some help, big brother?" Bonnie asked, standing up and ready to assist her brother. Dedenne hopped down from her head and onto her shoulder, its usual, innocent smile present.

"No thanks, Bonnie," he responded, rising up slowly. "I think that I've got this- GWAH!" He was cut off as his Pokémon jumped on his head in an effort to dodge Serena's Pancham. The poor gym leader took a nasty faceplant, his head being shoved into the dirt. He began to lift his head up again but was forced down again when Pancham copied Chespin's actions to follow after him.

"You sure about that?" Ash said between snickers. Pikachu wagged his tail, silently begging to be used. He eyed the two Pokémon running around the campfire, grinning in anticipation.

"No, I've got this," Clemont repeated firmly, after getting himself out of the ground and quickly getting to his knees to avoid any further ambushes. "All I need to do is form a plan, and catch him off guard. Should be a piece of cake."

"Really, Clemont, it's fine," Serena said, trying to hide her giggling. "There's more where that came from."

"No, it's not. Chespin's a serious glutton for food, and he needs to stop. One of these days he's going to be unable to battle because of his fat stomach because he didn't know when to stop."

"Ches!" the Pokémon protested, still running.

"Okay, I've heard enough," Ash sighed, retrieving a Pokéball and tossing it up. "Frogadier, get that macaron back!"

The Pokémon appeared in a flash of light and a cry of his name. He leaped at the Grass-type in a blur of motion and nabbed the treat from his paws. Chespin looked at him in surprise before tripping over his feet and crashing into a stump, and Pancham followed suit. The two immediately started swiping paws at each other in a bicker.

The Bubble Frog Pokémon landed nimbly on his feet, macaron in hand. He handed it to Serena in an elegant flourish, and she giggled at his overdramatic pose. She took it back from him; "Why thank you."

Ash nodded to his Pokémon; "Thanks a lot, Frogadier. Why don't you come on back?" He held up his Pokéball and called the Pokémon back. "You've earned it."

While Ash was still overjoyed with his triumph over Olympia, he still worked his Pokémon like he was preparing them for the Pokémon League. Most of each passing day consisted of rigorous exercises and going over a seemingly endless supply of tactics. His Pokémon were more than up for the task: they worked hard, and with vigor, not wanting to upset their trainer, though each day ended with them ready to collapse from exhaustion. And each time, Ash rewarded them with well for their works.

"Well, thanks, Ash," Clemont sighed, calling his Chespin back in his fighting. "I'll have to keep a closer eye on his eating habits. And sorry about the whole mess there, Serena."

"No trouble at all Clemont," she waved it off. "Like I said, I have plenty more macarons than that."

"Ooh, ooh!" Bonnie exclaimed, pointing up at the sky. "Look at the stars!"

Everyone looked up at the sky and let out an "Aah" of amazement when streaks of white appeared among the deep blue. They sat in silence as they watched the shooting stars whizzing by.

As they watched some shooting stars pass by, and Bonnie lets out a sound of awed excitement, Serena glanced at Ash nervously, and with a faint blush. While Ash's training had left her unable to get some time to talk with him, tonight was the perfect opportunity. Tonight, she made up her mind: she would do it. Tell him how she felt.

C'mon, Serena, she thought to herself, as her crush looked up at the starry skies with his buddy, you got this.

Her hands clenched her knees as she tried to find the words.

"Look at that one, Serena!" she heard Ash call.

She looked up and saw Ash pointing to a comet, with a blazing white tail flying by.

"That one was so cool!" he exclaimed, "Let's make a wish!" and his Pikachu added, "Pika pi!"

The four clasped their hands together and silently made their own wishes.

"I wish that I can make a successful invention," Clemont murmured.

"I wish that I can find more friends for me, Dedenne and Squishy!" Bonnie whispered ecstatically.

"I wish to become a Pokémon master," Ash prayed, voice low but still filled with confidence as always.

Serena pondered for a moment, before thinking, I wish I could tell Ash how I feel.

They all looked back up, scanning the sky to find any more shooting stars to make wishes on. Nothing more but the stars that were already present, glinting white against the dark blue sky. Dedenne suddenly perked its ears up and looked in the woods, whiskers quivering.

"What's wrong, Dedenne?" Bonnie asked, but by then, the small Electric and Fairy-type Pokémon leaped down and dashed off into the woods. The young girl dashed off after it, calling for it to come back.

"Bonnie, wait up!" Clemont yelled, picking up his Aipom-arm and racing after his sister. Pikachu dashed off as well, to make sure that they wouldn't fall into any more chaos.

That just left Serena and Ash alone, sitting opposite each other. Clenching her legs in nervousness, Serena stared at the ground, not meeting Ash's eyes. He was busy, thankfully, staring at the sky, trying to find any more shooting stars.

It's alright, Serena, she told herself. You can do this. All you need to do is say the words. Just do it!

She looked up at her secret crush, who was busy staring off where the others ran off. Throughout their journey together she had tried so hard to admit her feelings but each attempt had ended in failure. Whether it was an outside event or Ash's… lack of perceptiveness, it was as if the whole universe had conspired against them.

It was time for that to change. Starting now.

"A-Ash?" she asked, though her voice was barely heard. He turned to her, not noticing the pale pink in her cheeks. "There's something I wanted to say."

"Yeah?"

"Well, we've been on this journey a while now, right?"

"Yeah."

"And... we've known each other for a long time."

"Well, yeah," he smiled. "From the time we met at Professor Oak's camp."

"Yeah. Well, I've been meaning to say this for some time now, but... I think that-"

Before she could go on, a guttural roar split across the night air. The sound echoed through the trees around them, overflowing with rage. Pokémon that were resting for the night emerged from the branches, frantically flying away from the source. Serena had to duck as a Fletchling flew over her head in a panic.

Then, as quickly as it had happened, it stopped. Suddenly, a shriek of fright was heard, making them both look where it came from. Hurried footsteps draw near them. Just ahead, Bonnie was running back towards them, Dedenne right at her heels, while Clemont was heavily breathing like a Donphan. Ash leaped to his feet, but relaxed when he saw Pikachu sprinting back with them.

"There's a monster in the dark!" Bonnie cried out after her brother collapsed onto the ground behind her.

"What do you mean, monster?" Serena asked, confused at her statement.

"She just got scared of that sound earlier," Clemont explained, through huffing. "There's no such thing as monsters."

"Then how can you explain what I heard out there?!" she protested, with Dedenne waving its tiny arms frantically. The siblings continued their argument, making the watchers sigh.

"You think we should check it out?" Ash asked Serena.

"But Ash, you heard the roar from earlier! What if it's actually a monster?"

"Well, we don't know if it's a monster. Only one way to find out. We'll just have to see if there's actually something that made that sound." He stood up as he spoke, and she followed suit. Leaving the siblings to finish arguing, they headed into the woods.

"Should we split up?" Ash asked after a moment. Serena stared at him for a second, before nodding. She held a Pokéball aloft, silently summoning Braixen. The Pokémon appeared with a happy cry of its name.

"Smart idea," Ash commented. "Make sure you won't get lost in the dark."

She smiled faintly, and Ash nodded to Pikachu on his shoulder. "Whaddaya say, buddy?"

"Pika!" And the two of them were off before she could say a word.

As he left to investigate, Braixen gave her a questioning glance. She tried to give a reassuring smile but failed as disappointment filled her. The chance to confess was taken away once more. The opportunity was there, right in front of her. Yet she was too slow, and it had fled. With a sigh, she turned away and set out, Braixen holding her flaming branch aloft.

She made her way through the woods, her Fire-type Pokémon following behind in silence. Unease gripped her as she darted her eyes around, trying to spot any movement in the trees. There wasn't any she could see, but that didn't mean the threat wasn't visible.

"Brai!" Braixen said, pointing to a pair of bushes to her left. Serena glanced at them, noticing the bare branches, even though it was mid-summer. Peering through the bushes, she gasped at what she saw.

It was a scene of destruction before her: trees had been torn from the ground and thrown around like toys during a temper tantrum. Bushes were uprooted and scattered around, different berries now in the grass. The whole area was turned into a wasteland.

She stared at the sight of destroyed nature, before looking to her right. A small area of grass had been uprooted, exposing fresh dirt in a 5-foot radius. At the center of it was a figure on his knees, shivering madly.

"What the-" she muttered, as she hastily climbed into the plants and helped the stranger, currently sprawled across the ground, up into a position where they now lay against a log. Leaves and dirt sprinkled their jeans and dark grey hoodie. Serena caught a glimpse of them under his hood; a young man, face riddled with deep scratches. Dark brown hair fell down his face, falling over his eyes. From the looks of him, he looked like he was a few months, at least a year older than Ash.

His sleeves were peppered with cuts, his arms showing in some places, presumably from spending so much time out here. His hoodie had several gashes, possibly due to wild Pokémon attacks. The feature Serena was most concerned about was that his body trembled violently, and he breathed erratically.

"Serena, are you okay?" she heard Ash call.

"There's someone here!"

"What?!"

"Yeah, he's not looking too good!"

Some rustling later, along with a few grunts of pain, Ash emerged through the bush with an astounded expression as he saw both the surroundings and the person.

"What happened out here?" Ash asked, looking around them.

"I don't know," Serena responded, while Pikachu nudged him with his head, to see if he was alive. "You think that there might be something wrong with him?"

Ash took one look at the person before them, then at Serena. Serena silently cursed herself; Really? You had to ask him THAT? You're so stupid! Thankfully, he gave no indication that she was stating the obvious, instead opting to lower the person's hood.

"Based on how he looks now, definitely. I think a Pokémon attacked him."

"Think it was the roar we heard earlier?"

"Yeah, that was most likely a wild Pokémon attack. Here," he grabbed under one of the person's arms, "help me take him back to camp."

Serena nodded and took the other arm over her, helping the person up. Unfortunately, he was unconscious, so his bare feet dragged behind him, and he was still shuddering, making this task a bit more difficult. She started to struggle, but Braixen was already on it, stowing her branch in her tail and lifting his arm with her. Together, the three of them managed to hoist/drag the person through the plants and back to the campsite, where the other two siblings were busy getting ready for the night. As they looked up to see Ash and Serena, their eyes widened in shock when they saw the third person with them and they rushed over to help.

"What happened to him?" Clemont asked, looking concerned as they put him on the table.

"Well, I can't say for sure what happened, but he's definitely sick," Serena said, after setting him down on the table. The young man was still sleeping as they spoke. It may have been her imagination, but Serena thought he stopped trembling as he was set down. "We'll need to make sure that he's going to be okay. He may have been attacked"
"Did he get attacked by the monster from earlier?" Bonnie said, staring at the unaware form of the person.

"Bonnie!" Clemont scolded her sister, obviously irritated at her words. "Yes, he might've been attacked, but that doesn't mean that there are such things as monsters."

"But why was he in the woods?" she asked.

"He probably was walking through the woods and attacked by a Pokémon! There are some dangerous Pokémon that come out at night, anyway."
"Why doesn't he have his own Pokémon?" Serena asked, noticing his belt. There were no Pokéballs attached.

"Well, I don't know how else to explain how he ended up like this!" Clemont replied, growing frustrated. "We can ask him in the morning. I'm really tired now; let's get some sleep."

"Yeah," Ash said, yawning. "I'm all worn out."

The others nodded, but Serena looked a bit disappointed. She was so close to confessing to Ash, but it was all dashed to pieces with the new arrival. If he hadn't been found, or if the "monster" hadn't been heard, then perhaps she would have had more time to telling Ash her true feelings.

"Serena?" Bonnie said, making her return to reality, "Let's go to bed."

She nodded, cheered up a bit by her happy tone.

"See you when we wake up," Ash said, rubbing an eye sleepily; the others also said their farewells, then went into their tents. It was then Bonnie pointed out that it wouldn't be nice to leave their guest out in the open. After a minute of discussion, Ash agreed to donate his spare blanket for him. He retrieved it from his pack inside the tent, covered the person with it, and headed back for some sleep. The others did also and soon entered their various dreams.

The ground wasn't as comfortable as he remembered. It was more solid than usual.

After a considerable amount of stirring, the Keeper opened his eyes. He saw the stars above him glitter in the night, as they always did. Sitting up, he removed his hood and ran a hand through his hair. Dirt and grass rained down the front of his face. Some managed to get into his mouth, making him spit and recoil at the taste. He reached for his mask, but it wasn't there. Wasn't it-

Oh, yeah. He wasn't with the Beasts anymore.

He yawned, stretching his arms out and flexing his fingers. While rubbing his eyes, he shook his head to wake himself up. The blanket that he felt over him makes him think momentarily of the orphanage.

Wait a minute, he thought. I didn't bring a blanket with me.

He looked down at himself, surprised to find himself on top of a camping table, covered by a blanket. He swiped a hand across his chest, brushing away leaves that had stuck there. After doing so, he slid his legs over the side of the table, rising to his feet. He glanced around and blinked in bewilderment.

He appeared to be some sort of campground, with just two tents facing each other. The campfire had been put out, though the ashes inside were still smoking. The ground beneath held a covering of damp grass, fresh and green.

He looked at the trees around him, unsure of where he was. After searching for Pecha berries, he couldn't remember exactly what happened next. He had become frustrated, and let out a yell that probably carried through the trees. Not to mention uproot the environment in his tantrum; I'll have to be careful the next time I transform, he silently tells himself.

Then he realized where he was, and looked around. The facts dawned on him, with a mixed sense of dread:

A pair of tents facing each other, each probably holding a few sleeping occupants. The blanket that wasn't his. Not in the grove he had destroyed in his frustration.

The safe and pack had been left behind. And he was unmasked.

He growled, rubbing his forehead in irritation. Great, he thought. Not even a day out, and I've lost everything, along with my mask. Typical.

He swiftly strode past the tents, careful not to make himself noticed. The grass felt refreshing yet unfamiliar under his feet, compared to the rocky, uneven terrain he had grown accustomed to for years. He almost yearned to be back home.

However, his choice was made.

There wasn't any going back now.

He peered around him, trying to retrace his last steps. Because these people messed decided to bring him to their campsite, he lost valuable cargo. At least, he assumed it would be valuable.

If he could even get it open.

He passed by a pair of bushes, then paused. He turned and noticed that several branches were snapped off. It may have been a coincidence, but he decided to approach it.

As soon as he passed by them, he sighed in relief. He found the spot. Looking around, the Keeper studied the uprooted trees and bushes, scattered berries and nests of various Pokémon. He winced, not realizing the brutality of his last tantrum, and took a mental note to not let stress and anger get the best of his transformations.

Still, that could wait for later. He had a safe to find.

Passing through the destruction, stepping over fallen trees, he extended a palm. A small orb of fire appeared, firelight playing across the ground and trees. The Keeper glanced around him, worry expanding rapidly. Did the Beasts find it and take it back? Has anyone passed through here in my absence?

He walked around quietly, trying to pick out any sign of silver among the green. However, it looked like it wasn't with him as if something had taken it with them. The Keeper took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves, already on edge from lack of rest.

A glint of steel caught his eye, hidden under foliage. He spun on it, a spike of hope surfacing among the rising panic. He moved the branch aside with his free hand, and a grin broke across his face as he extinguished his fireball.

Sitting at his feet was the safe he had retrieved from the archives, his pack and mask leaning against its side. It looked ordinary, a steel box, slightly larger than his head. The front had an electronic keypad, silver buttons standing out among the dark gray. Above those buttons was a two-sided knob, guarding the secrets of the miniature vault. The only thing he knew about this was that it must've been important if the Beasts kept it well hidden from him.

He picked it up, not at all bothered by the weight of it. With a gesture of his hand, the pack rose off the ground, the straps snaking onto his shoulder. Then, looking down at his facepiece, he set it aside. He leaned down to retrieve his mask. It gleamed ominously in the moonlight, faint streaks of white visible among the black. He held it to his face, using psychic energy to tie the knots with the strings attached to it. After it was securely attached to his face, he looked around him. His vision returned to the everyday shades of multicolored light, due to the iridescent stained glass built into the mask. As the Keeper of the Beasts, he had to wear it as a symbol of his leadership, as the previous Keepers had once done. He knelt down and picked up his safe. It wasn't heavy, but it was going to hamper his traveling.

He exited the now-destroyed grove, quietly reveling in his luck. True, he may have gotten off to an unfortunate start, but that was quickly remedied with the return of the mystery safe and his mask. The Beasts had no idea where he could've gone, and the humans had unknowingly helped a fugitive. What could go wrong?

A sharp pain flared up in his chest. He stumbled, breath catching in his throat. Of course he had to ask that question; of course, the poison had to backfire. He wasn't sure what he was thinking when he thought about using the Silent Sisters' poison to create a memory-removing potion, it was poison regardless. Thus, he had been afflicted with the condition from the time he left the Beasts until now. By his guess, he had over a day before it would fully take effect.

He clenched his teeth, taking a minute to recollect his breath. After several seconds, the pain became tolerable, enough for him to continue traveling. He sighed and resumed his walking.

When the Keeper passed by the tents he paused. He glanced at the entrances, then at the woods ahead of him. These people had given him a temporary place to rest, even though they didn't know who he was. That wasn't what he expected from his teachings. Maybe they've changed, he thought. Those textbooks were outdated, anyway.

Or maybe they're setting up a trap, the real part of his mind chided. Ever think about that?

The Keeper muttered under his breath. He hadn't thought of that; there was always a part of him that tried to see the good in everything. Several years and the optimism in him was still existing. They were probably setting a trap for him, possibly scientists trying to discover his secrets.

From his time spent with his "former friends," he was taught (sometimes tortured) to remember one excruciatingly important detail: humanity was scum, and cared only for themselves. He was told Pokémon were no different, that they were the other reason why they suffered, but he didn't agree. He believed that Pokémon were often roped into the plans of his race, which either corrupted or enslaved them. Either way, humans were mostly to blame for the fault of Pokémon and his former cohorts.

And yet… they helped him. As painful as it was to admit, they gave him a place to rest. So he owed them.

An idea popped into his head. He set the safe down, then raised two fingers. A shaft of light appeared before him, no bigger than his thumb, shaped like a spear. It was only a fraction of his power, but he wasn't looking for attacking his hosts. He held it in his palm and flicked it, sending it into a spin.

I've got three options, the Keeper told himself. If it points away from the tents, I'll leave them. If it points to the sides, I'll wait to ask them for directions, then leave them at daylight. If it points to the tents…

You'll kill them.

No, not kill them. Most likely render them unable to travel, or bind them up until someone else finds them. Or they starve, whichever comes first.

The miniature spear finished spinning, the tip pointing to the trees away from the tents. The Keeper sighed, relieved that he wouldn't have to get involved with them. He retrieved his safe once more and set off. As he walked, he looked up at the stars, which had begun to disappear as the first streaks of dawn emerged from the twilight.

Better now than never, he mutely said. He pulled his hood over his head and walked off into the Keeper gave a glance at his crystal amulet, which pulsed a dull crimson and gold. Then he sighed and concentrated. He felt all of the confusion and irritation inside him, results of these humans' actions, before he cast them away, along with the other unnecessary emotions that were locked away and bottled up. Shoved away into an abyss where they would never be felt again. He stood there for a few minutes, controlling his breath and mood.

He looked at his talisman; it was now black.

He felt nothing anymore. And he liked it that way.

(A/N: So now, we've got some things going on here: who's the Beastkeeper? What's in the safe he's got with him? What was the thing that they heard in the woods? All of this will be answered, as the journey continues!

...

Sorry, couldn't help myself. Anyway, school's going to be a pain in the rear for me, so I may be late in updating this, but I will try to get a chapter out every so often. Apologies in advance. Let me know how I did. Did you like it? Leave a like and/or follow! Did you love it? Leave a like and/or follow! Did you hate it? You don't have to read, but let me know what I did wrong. Ciao!)