Chapter 7: Shadow Master and the True Aura Champions


Agatha, the so-called Ancient of Darkness. Her youth was restored thanks to Washu's invention and the seemingly sacrificed Delia. Ash, Pikachu and Sakura were facing down who she called the last remaining original Aura Master. "At last, I can use the Shadows without the sacrifice of power like the centuries prior," she gloated. "All those years, those decades, those centuries of obtaining eternal youth and power and now I have the complete set." Delia's youth, Washu's technology, the shadows...the perfect setting.

"What do you mean 'the last existing Aura Master?'" Ash questioned. "Were you one of the original 17? Or are you the 18th, unappreciated one?" There were questions of whether the Shadow was an aura-attribute or not.

"It's both. I was the Dark Aura Master and the most disrespected of all. Let me tell you what it's like to have the highest of intelligence and the lowest of appreciation. I helped in the the Human/Pokémon war those hundreds of years ago when man poached, enslaved and murdered Pokémon for the thrill. Me and 16 other pacifists of the war listened and befriended the creatures, even developing the inner life force we all know as aura. Viewing the carnage from the Pokémon's revolt, we decided to step in. The Masters included Hikari of the Light or Normal, Gaia of the Earth, Eden of the Trees, Blazer of the Flames, Ryu of the Fists, Cleo of the Mind, Rocky of the Stone, Skye of the Winds, Nicolas of the Snow, Bee of the Insects, Phantos of the Spirits, Rex of the Mighty Wings, Trident of the Waves, Colt of the Iron, Zeus of the Thunder, Olive of the Toxins and yours truly. We 17 stopped the war that brewed from the humans and influenced the Pokémon to kill back. When peace between the humans and Pokémon was established, Hikari became skeptical of me and my aura, contesting the moral of darkness. They didn't want someone to inherit the power of darkness to use for personal game and they removed me from the team of Aura Master vie unanimous vote. Any followers I acquired disbanded after I was left isolated from the rest. I decided to reside here in Mt. Silver and every hundred years, a female youth is feasted upon and I retain my youth in exchange. It's a skill I developed during the war and therefore, I can drain the energy and live forever with it. Upon this, my desire was altered from protecting the Pokémon to world conquest, infecting the world which we all walk upon. My shadows will cloud all who walk from the elderly to the newest in existence."

Demented, enraged, delusional. She rebelled against her peers after being thumped from the elite due to ethnics of darkness. She had every right to act up in protest but taking her anger on everyone else was a line-crosser. She even kidnapped and sucked the youth out of Delia. That became the deal breaker on Ash's part. "And my own mom was the next to go? Why not some homeless person or an abandoned baby?" Oh sure, Ash, try to make her more heartless.

"Those were attempted and had horrific results." She's not only the villain but she's a scientist on top. "This time around, I don't have to exhaust power to gain the sheer dominance to overthrow your presidents, your dukes, your prime minister, your czars, your kings, your emperors. I needn't waste energy and use it aimlessly against all matriarchs and patriarchs. I have the power and skill to rule the world!" A shadowy veil vexed upon Agatha who was grinning with excitement and thrill to finally dominate all. "And I'll start with the small fries..." She formed Shadow Balls and tossed them at the three. Glowing arms akimbo, Ash swatted the Shadow Balls aside. Who or what's the small fry now?

"Hate to disappoint you but I work with Shadow Balls with my dad." Nothing got by him. Agatha wasn't phased.

"I suppose that was my warmup for what's to come. Allow me to further demonstrate." She had another Shadow Ball but instead of tossing it, she crushed it. When what appeared to be an empty hand, she flung her arm out and black lightning zipped by, Ash and Sakura dodging it at the last second. The lightning struck the wall behind them, major blast blowing with dust and debris flying passed them. Feeling that power, Ash was hindered in a little fear. "Shadow Thunderbolt. And those were just snacks compared to the feast I've prepared for you. Behold!" She materialized another large shadowy ball which was slammed to the ground. The ball splashed like water hitting a solid surface. Agatha wasn't done. She swung her arm in the air where wind blew. It pushed the dark water and created a makeshift whirlpool, striking the heroes and shoving them back to the wall. Once the spray stopped, Ash and Sakura were on their knees and Pikachu was on it's stomach. That's powerful.

"She can combine moves like that?" Sakura guessed, still stunned. Agatha snickered, acting as if there's more than that available.

"I'm rather encumbered that you haven't realized what else I possess." You mean besides the Shadows? A black flame lit in her palm, not burning her surprisingly. Her other hand spun a black tornado. This couldn't be good. She clamped her hands together, trying to combine the tornado and the flame. "No Pokémon can perform this move. Allow me to give you a flame with a major kick!" She thrust her arms out and out came a blasting stream of fire. Acting fast, Sakura snagged a card from her deck. The card had a white wing with a shield behind it. The caption read "THE SHIELD."

"The Shield! Protect us!" Suddenly, a pink barrier surrounded the heroes as the massive fire struck it. The fire bounced off and traveled in separate directions. The shield would dissipate but it did it's job and the good guys were safe. Only then did it dawn on Ash on how Agatha was so powerful.

"Of course!" he recognized. "Shadow Thunderbolt, Shadow Water Pulse, Shadow Gust, Shadow Flamethrower, Shadow Twister...because she's the last Aura Master, she's got the powers of the others in the palms of her hands." So, instead of just having the powers of Dark and Shadow, she had all the other attributes to go along with.

"Only now, with your lives nearing an end," Agatha sneered so confidently. "You realize what you are facing and how young lives will end in only moments. I can experiment with my newly reborn powers and dominate the human and Pokémon races." She has all this power circulating through her and her use was attacking two kids? Ash readied his arm to fight back.

"Well, then. Let me fight fire with fire." His fist was on fire as Agatha prepped another dark flame.

"The Shadows dominate all!" She fired her flame as Ash charged in. The dark flame came close and Sakura and Pikachu were fearing that Ash was charging in to his death.

"Well, you're right on some occasions!" He launched his punch which looked pathetic since he was yards from Agatha. However, the burning fist struck the dark flame. Ash's hot fist and the blackish fire had equal force, none gaining ground. That's when the flames mutated colors into a blue fire. As if that wasn't enough, he followed through the punch and rebounded the fire right at Agatha who was surprised to see the flame coming right back at her. So surprised, she was more mesmerized than worried. KABOOM! The impact of the blue flame jolted Agatha into the wall behind her. The devastating impact reeled Agatha so brutally, she had a difficult time finding her legs again.

"Wow! I guess after several hundred years, there are some things that differ from back then. I thought today's technology had soften the people." She thought wrong.

"Not everyone is lazy. My family's always moving around." That would explain why even Norman, May and Max were in pretty good shape.

"So you say! Looks like I may need to rely on a new tactic." She began to float into the air, practically an invite for Ash to strike.

"Pikachu, now!" The mouse performed a Thunderbolt but Agatha bounced it back. Monkey see, monkey do. Ash was zapped with the Thunderbolt and was covered in static, paralyzed. That didn't work. Agatha was ready to make her move.

"You have shown vigor and duration. I'm impressed. Perhaps your body will donate that relentless energy to me." She morphed into a blackish gas. Pikachu fired another Thunderbolt but the strike passed by, nothing done. Agatha laughed at the pointless attack. "It's no use, Pikachu! I may have respect to your kind but the humans will be on their knees with all the power I can obtain!" That's when Agatha entered Ash through the ears, nose, mouth, eyes and...his buttocks. Gross but the stench of poo failed to deter her. Ash's body was becoming black as Sakura and Pikachu watched on, wanting to make a move but not wanting to hurt Ash. She wanted to do something. That's when she pulled out a card with a lady in black and the text "THE DARK" underneath. She slid another card under "THE DARK."

'Ash,' she minded. 'I'm coming. Just hold on.' She began to concentrate on her task of ridding Agatha from Ash's body. 'Ash, you've saved and changed so many lives before and during my time with you. I may not be like you. I may not have elemental aura or a Battler's License or have a partner that I can rely on all the time. Kero...Li...Tory... Madison... give me the power to save him. Save the person that I've fallen in love for!' She muttered no words yet she still activated the magic from the cards. Two opposite colors, black and white, swirled around the room. The other card had to be "THE LIGHT." Suddenly, Sakura became the light and then covered with the darkness and entered Ash's head.


(Ash's dream)

Ash was stuck in the middle of what appeared to be space and floating there without any movement. Black clouds closed in from all directions and he was as still as calm waters. "Be encumbered in the shadows and become my puppet for domination!" Agatha's voice roared. That's when Sakura showed up, cutting through the clouds to reach Ash.

"Ash, snap out of it!" she pleaded. Ash's eyes were opened but no one's home. Sakura's feelings were about to pop as the clouds were within reach. "Ash, ever since I've entered your life, there were things that were different like you having a new father and siblings and that you were a great Battler aside from training with your Pokémon. You've shown me that you have the determination to overcome obstacles that a normal person would not attempt. I don't wanna return to my home...because you are my home, Ash. They say that love conquers all. That's why I love you!" Sakura then morphed back to light and softly pressed her lips onto his just as the clouds coated them both. Was it too late? That's when rays of light shone through the shadowing clouds.

"This...can't be! I am the ultimate Aura Master! I cannot be defeated by a nobody!" KABOOM! A huge explosion rocked everything. Was this the end of Agatha? Or were the heroes be the victims of the ancient Aura Master?


TO BE CONCLUDED...