Chapter 4: Legends' Hall of Fame
Team Galactic and Pokémon Hunter J continued to raid inside the Tree of Beginning. The blobs seem to be nothing more than an annoyance. The goal: the peak of the tree and the capture of Mew. Those plans had hit a snag when Ash and Cynthia made their showing. Just had they were about to get beamed from existence, Mewtwo had emerged and teleported them to safety...but where? More bewildered than nauseated, Ash and Cynthia were shaking cobwebs from the teleport. "Where are we?" he wondered as Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder. That was when another Pikachu and another white cat, similar to the one with Team Rocket, came forward. The new Pikachu's ears had black tips just like Ash's Pikachu, only the blackness seemed to run a bit down the ears. The cat was a dimmer shade than what J caught and was on all fours. The cat and two Pikachus began to play around when Mewtwo reemerged.
"You should be familiar with this place, Ash," Mewtwo addressed. Ash had a feeling but puzzled at the new place. He realized that he and Cynthia weren't in the Tree of Beginning.
"Mewtwo, why are we at Mt. Quena in the Johto Region?" Before anyone could answer pinkish-furred kitten with a long tail entered, thrilled to see and hugged Cynthia.
"Mew!" she cheered with a giggle from both. "You still remember me after all these years?" Mew meowed in great happiness. Ash smiled, happy that he and Cynthia were able to find Mew before J or Cyrus did, yet he turned back to Mewtwo for answers.
"You know, even without finding Mew, Team Galactic will still try to reach the summit of the tree to use that dimensional tearing device to break through into another realm where they have a chance to capture Dialga and Palkia." Mewtwo seemed to know where Ash was coming from, yet he floated a few yards, his back turned on Ash. Ash believed that he offended Mewtwo, becoming apologetic. "Sorry. I was meaning that with all of us here, the Tree of Beginning is practically defenseless. We're handing Team Galactic the key to reaching the two Pokémon that mean space and time." Was Mewtwo even paying attention?
"I realize the dilemma occurring," he acknowledged. "We should not become driven by anxiety and anguish. There is time to awaken the inner masters of you and her." Inner masters? What was Mewtwo plotting?
"Inner masters?" Cynthia came up, interested with what was brewing.
"Before I wonder what you mean by 'Inner masters,'" she voiced. "I am interested in how you two have acknowledged each other so formally." She was interested with the back-story between Ash and Mewtwo. So was Mew. Mewtwo gazed at Cynthia, fascinated with the appearance.
"Such shall be evaluated. However, you're not the only human to express desire for knowledge. Behold." He turned to an entrance where a few people came in. One was a female, more of Ash's height but not quite as developed as Cynthia. Her chestnut brunette hair covered with a green bandanna and the orange shirt were enough to tell Ash of her identity.
"Hey, Ash," she greeted. Ash was flabbergasted with who came by. She was joined by a shorter raven-haired boy with glasses and a green polo t-shirt with brown short.
"May?" he gawked, knowing the girl first. "Max? What are you guys doing here?" Max scoffed a chuckle, unsure about Ash's confusion being a big deal.
"Come on, Ash," Max huffed. "You know why May's here in Johto." May was not so sure about her being the issue. She knew that Ash would already figure on her.
"I think Ash is wondering why you're here, brother," May pointed out. Max stopped his chuckling, realizing that the question was based on him.
"Yeah, I thought you'd gone back to Petalburg to help with Norman and the gym," he clarified. If that didn't clear up any confusion...
"Oh, yeah," Max hiccuped. "Well, I was missing May ever since she left to continue her training in Johto and you going to Sinnoh for your pursuit of more Pokémon. I felt like I was suffering from travel withdraw so I hopped on a ferry over to Johto. After some connections, I was able to meet up with May and Agatha of the Elite Four around the base of Mt. Quena where that Pikachu and Meowth guided us all in." That's some story. Ash was awed with the fact that this little boy maned up and made it to see his sister...and Agatha of the Elite Four?
"Agatha's here?" That's when a barely taller blond elderly woman showed herself in purple. Holding a cane, Ash knew that he had seen intimidation. "Agatha, how's it been?" Agatha snickered at the sight of today's youth.
"Oh my, Ash," she greeted herself. "I heard that you had beaten all seven Frontier Brains. If you had chosen to become a Frontier Brain yourself, I would've helped out with the designs. I am a retired architect designer after all." Ash shyly scratched the back of his head, wondering about that proposition. That's when...
"Grandma, it's you!" Cynthia cheered as she dove and hugged Agatha...or Grandma Aggie. At least one mystery was solved.
"Cynthia, how are you?" Aw, family reunion. "You're looking as lovely as ever. Sinnoh treating you well?" Ash, Pikachu, Mew, Max and May awed the reunion of grandmother and granddaughter. Ash figured that the relationship between Agatha and Cynthia made more sense than blood.
"Agatha must have raise her children and grandchildren how to be great trainers," he pondered. Family and Pokémon going hand-in-hand.
"You'd be a fine example of being bred in Pokémon training under her wings," May joked. Ash shot a smug at May, not too appreciative of the mocking.
"I'm doing fine right now." Sure you are. What about that crushing loss to Paul? Mewtwo came forward, smiling about his reuniting friends and family.
"Cynthia, you had requested knowledge about my history with Ash?" he replayed. Cynthia gazed at Ash and nodded. "My run-in with Ash was here, Mt. Quena. He had aided me against my employer to say lightly. After he and his other friends had staved off Giovanni from capturing me and the clones, I had released them on one promise that they would refrain from exposing the secrets of this mountain. So far, not one human had dared stepped foot near the summit of the mountain. I had also discovered from many telepathic messages from ancient and legendary Pokémon like Lugia, Jirachi and even Arceus about the remarkable feats one trainer performed for them. In the Orange Isles, commitment. In the Hale home in Greenfield, determination. At Alto Mare, justice. Along the outskirts in Hoenn, friendship. At the Battle Tower, knowledge. In the Tree of Beginning, trust. In Samiya, honor. In Alamos Town, guidance. In the negative world, respect. And in Michina Town, resolve." That's quite a list that Mewtwo read off...but what did it mean?
"What are you getting at, Mewtwo?" Max questioned. Mewtwo was silent for a minute. Something was brewing in it's head.
"What we have here are two Masters of Pokémon." Anyone say disbelief? Cynthia was already known but Ash? "And two descendants of the relics of Aura." Pokémon and Aura? Whoa boy!
"Wait a second," Ash spoke up. "Are you saying that Cynthia and I have been masters and aura users?" That's what it sounded like.
"I do understand your confusion. Why are you being labeled as a Pokémon Master even though you have yet to complete your journeys and challenge for top honor? Ash, you have demonstrated all the traits of the Master in front of the legends." Ash couldn't fathom himself as being a Pokémon Master so soon. Agatha and Max saw the dismayed face, knowing that Ash was receiving too much to bear.
"Mewtwo may be a powerful Pokémon, but he does speak the truth," she advised. Even so, Ash still felt overwhelmed with an honor that he wasn't sure he deserved. Suddenly, he froze...not moving at all. "Ash?" Cynthia and Mew came over to Ash, hoping to shake out of this frozen state.
"Ash!" she called. "Ash!" Nothing. May, Max and Pikachu were beginning to panic. Mewtwo came over and placed his deformed fingers on Ash.
"He appears to be in a telepathic meeting," he believed. Let's go inside Ash's head for the truth.
(Ash's Space)
Ash was standing all alone in the middle of nothing. Nothing there to see. "Ash," a voice rang out. Ash looked around, trying to find the voice. He did figure out who was speaking to him.
"Lucario, did you know what Mewtwo was meaning by me being a Pokémon Master?" he wondered. That's when a ghost of a blue creature materialized. The jackal-like creature looked to be about Ash's height, but had spikes embedded on its wrists and chest.
"Surreal, you're about to say. I, too, have studied and interviewed the Pokémon that you've touched. As Cynthia is a master of Pokémon's battling skills, you are a master of the Pokémon's inner hearts, the equivalency of uniting human and Pokémon all over the world. These two masters, united as one, cannot be defeated in any possible circumstance." The inner hearts... Ash started to understand what Mewtwo had addressed.
"I see. I also heard that Cynthia has aura powers like me. Are they or do I have to unlock it?" Lucario scoffed, leaning over to whisper something. Whatever it was, it seemed to freak Ash a bit. "You're kidding..." Whatever it was, it seemed too much to do. "We don't have that much time. Team Galactic and Hunter J will be near your final resting place and ready to tear a fabric in time and space." Right, time was running short.
"Think about the short version. You should know what to do."
(End Space)
May, Max, Agatha and Pikachu kept calling for Ash's name. Suddenly, Ash blinked. He seemed to be back in this world. "Ash?" May called. He peered up at Cynthia. Something involving Cynthia was meant to unlock her aura. He walked toward Cynthia, wrapped his hand and pulled her head down.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. Finally- Wow! On Galactic's airship, it was an accident. This was no accident...and Cynthia seemed to enjoy this smooch. May and Max freaked out, seeing Ash embracing Cynthia.
"Okay, let me do this," Max suggested himself as he started to walk over. Guess he wanted to pull Ash from Cynthia. That's when both began to glow in the blue aura. Max froze, unsure of what was going on. He might not know but Agatha had a suspicious guess.
"It would seem that our family lineage has a few skeletons in the closet," she hinted. "I do kinda wish I was 50 years younger for those lips." And how old were you?
"Ash has unlocked Cynthia's aura," Mewtwo reviewed. After a few minutes, both Ash and Cynthia released lips. Both began to smile, still emitting the glow of aura. "Now, they are unstoppable." Heaven, help J and Cyrus. Their butts were about to be kicked.
"I bet I know what that's all about," Cynthia teased. Oh, does she?
"Quicker than the alternative I was offered," Ash scoffed. Something could foretell that the alternative was more than just a romantic kiss. Mewtwo came forward, believing that Ash and Cynthia were ready to defend the ancient Tree of Beginning.
"It's time," he announced. Pikachu and Mew came by, ready to join Ash and Cynthia on the return to Kanto.
"We're ready." Agatha came forward, parting words to bestow.
"Ash, you and Cynthia be careful in your united battle," she warned. "I don't want to lose my granddaughter, less my soon-to-be grandson-in-law." She's already predicting marriage.
"We will, Grandma Aggie," she promised. Ash knew that he was breaking away from the siblings once more.
"May, Max, take care of yourselves, okay?" Ash requested. May and Max nodded before teleport time back. In a flash, the returning group vanished. May quickly folded her hands in prayer. Max had to rub something in since Cynthia and Ash appeared to be the item of each affection.
"Kinda wished that you declared your feelings for him, huh?" Max teased. May felt the mock press her feelings. POW! And for that, she plopped Max with a knuckle to the crown.
"Real mature, Max," she retorted. Max grasped his head in pain, humiliation and mockery...and whined. Back in Kanto, J and Cyrus were almost at the peak of the Tree of Beginning. Their Dimensional Splicer was intact.
"So, through this tunnel is where we reach the top of the tree," J figured.
"I thought that windy limbs area would do some significant damage to our Splicer," Cyrus surveyed the machine. "We were fortunate that your Salamence came through for us." They continued up the path until they reached a large room where two giant squared crystals stood side-by-side, black arm-long gauntlets resting in between them. Summit reached. "And here we are. After so many of those...things trying to stop us, we're here." They saw no Mew. J was displeased.
"Wasn't there suppose to be a Mew here?" Be careful what you wish for. A massive flash lit the area. Team Galactic and J's henchmen shielded their eyes for the minute. When the flashed dimmed, all looked. There it was. The Mew J was after...only to be defended by the masters of Ash and Cynthia with additions of Pikachu and Mewtwo. J, Cyrus and their flunkies were glaring at Ash and Cynthia, a storm in the tree brewing.
"Hello, boys," Cynthia smiled. Confidence between her and Ash seemed to be through the roof...and beyond.
"You miss us?" Ash added with a scoffing mock. The battle in the tree to reach the next dimension was coming.
TO BE CONTINUED...