Sorry for the mini-hiatus there. Enjoy the next chapter little ones.
The Legacy of Aura
Chapter 11
A Clash of Leaders
Sinnoh Region – Spear Pillar
In the grand scheme of things he'd be remembered as the pivotal card, played just at the right time. Just like he always knew he was meant to be. Everything, from their initial meeting, their journey together through countless battles, their unusually strong bond, all led to this moment in time.
Pikachu wasn't about to show up late to his grand performance.
In retrospect, those meddling with powers beyond the ken of humans on the Pillar shouldn't have forgotten about him. That, when reaching the summit, they probably shouldn't have let him sneak off so easily. For what could one small mouse do to stop the schemes of men who aspired to be Gods?
He leapt around crumbled stone and grassy boulders, nimbly finding a path towards the back of the mountain. Spear Pillar was constructed in a near perfect circle, so he had to keep a constant track on his bearings. The route was small, and anyone heavier on their feet would have real trouble navigating it. Another example of time and space having conspired together to bring him here. If Ash had started with any other Pokemon, none of this would have been possible.
Of course when the Original One started manifesting itself it was easy to orient himself.
The perfect blind spot.
He knew not how he knew about this. It was a message that had always laid in his psyche, dwelling deep within the depths of his subconscious, like a coiled serpent, waiting to be unravelled when the hunt called.
The hunt was calling.
A binding directive hammered into his brain. He had to act in a certain manner now, dancing to some omnipotent being's well placed strings. Spear Pillar was merely a stage; one that demanded things go according to the script of the writer.
He had a sinking suspicion he knew who that writer was.
Every Pokemon knew about the Original One. The Pokemon that came before all else; from whom all else was created from. In some past cataclysmic event, his vast energy was sundered, spilling life into the world. The legendaries consumed the majority of it, but the rest trickled down and infected the smaller beings, the ones with baser instincts and mind, bestowing power and intellect to those who lacked both.
Thus animals ceased to be. This knowledge was imprinted into every Pokemon's mind upon birth. It was a shared fact that bound every species; they were all hewn from the same stone.
Now the Original One was back, and he demanded his stolen life essence returned to him. Already the combined power drifted upwards from the ritual site, the golden dust that fell to the Earth all those years ago now falling in reverse, back to its original home.
Still, Pikachu found himself surprised that this event had been triggered without Arceus' energy. The strongest of the legendaries was still at large. Without him, the Original One would never be complete.
Now! His subconscious screamed as he became parallel with the back of the portal.
He leapt up onto the plateau, still going unnoticed by all but one of the beings occupying it.
Soreimaru looked up with bruised eyes, blood still leaking from his swollen mouth. He smiled, a rare sight, and closed his lids once more. His chest falling softly. The message was clear. He was entrusting the rest of the mission to him, leaving it in Pikachu's faithful paws.
Sprinting across towards the ritual as fast as his paws would take him, Pikachu watched as the binding that held Dawn started to loosen. By all accounts the powers restraining her should have held fast, but the universe conspired against control, and its entropy worked at her binds.
Brandon wasn't ignorant to it. He turned with an annoyed growl, frustrated that he had to deal with more distractions. "I was going to have fun with you, having you watch helplessly from the side lines, but you're more trouble than it's worth." He lowered the Staff of Life, pointing it in her direction.
Dawn stumbled free, her eyes alight with zeal and fear, knowing there was no way to avoid incoming blast building at the tip of the staff.
Too slow, much too slow. Brandon smirked as he loosed the compressed energy.
"Piiiiiiiikaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Pikachu roared, as he slammed headfirst into the haft of the ancient weapon.
So surprised from a creature he'd only just registered as even being present, Brandon lost his grip on the staff, his eyes widening in horror. "What…?!" He gaped helplessly as the small yellow mouse sailed past, eyes closed.
The staff landed with a clatter against the stone floor, only to be quickly scooped up in Pikachu's jaws. Clenched safely between his teeth, he ran like hell toward his friend.
It didn't take Brandon long to realize what was happening. "No! I won't let you!" He started after the staff, being carried rapidly toward his son by a scheming mouse, only he didn't get far before a large humanoid shape slammed bodily into him, knocking him off his feet and sailing through the air. "You!"
Dawn glanced up at him with a smirk as she wrapped her arms around his waist, binding him to her. She'd used her momentum after being unfrozen and used it to leap at the unsuspecting Guardian. "Go Pikachu! Go save Ash!"
Fortunately Ash wasn't far. Pikachu closed on him, leaping towards his stricken form when he was a mere metre away.
Brandon roared, his body erupting with psychic energy just before he hit the floor. Both himself and Dawn vanished.
Whipping his head around, Pikachu threw the staff towards Ash with all the strength he had left. "Piiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"
The weapon soared end over end toward its target.
Brandon and the bluenette materialized over his body, the elder Guardian's zealous gaze burning as he reached out to clasp his hands around the weapon.
The tip struck Ash's back just before he could wrap his fingers around the shaft.
A sound like a massive gong being struck resounded through the air, cutting the other noises to bloody ribbons. Blue light exploded outwards, filling the air and blasting into the sky with as much force as the ritual site.
In the centre of the explosion of primordial power, Ash stood, the Staff of Life held above him with both hands, his eyes blazing like two suns comprised of nothing but Aura. His hair torrented upwards into the air above him from the unleashed energy, its length snaking side to side as his clothes blustering about as though caught inside the fury of a hurricane.
He brought his arms down to either side of his body in a vicious snap, unleashing terrible destructive potential, a shockwave of nothing but concentrated Aura rippling out like a savage tidal wave of pure power. The ancient stone beneath him shattered to rubble, flying upwards and dissolving under the nova of merciless energy.
Brandon was hit full force and thrown backwards with a grunt of pain, whilst Dawn remained unaffected. She let go of him as he was buffeted back and dropped to the floor amidst the destruction. It was one the most surreal experiences she'd ever had.
An unnatural silence descended upon the plateau, as though time had frozen. The cacophony from above and around dissipated utterly, leaving the most perfect absence of sound as to be unreal.
When he turned to look towards her, and their eyes met, tears immediately started streaming down her cheeks.
It was all there, staring back at her. The hurt, the love, the pain, the fun, the misery, the glory. The betrayal. The happiness. Everything that made someone or something human was gazing down at her with unrelenting emotional force. He was more human than she ever remembered him being. It was as if the entirety of humanity was staring back at her, with all its associated flaws and talents.
Those eyes, those eyes that had always been so welcoming, so mirthful, yet lately so cold and distant, enveloped her in a tidal wave of raging emotions, wrapping around her heart and squeezing her soul. She slapped a hand over her mouth as the emotions ripped out of her lungs and through her mouth, bawling like a newborn. It was exuberating and despair all bundled into one. She had never at once felt so happy or so sad.
With a knowing glint in those orbs, Ash, the man, the Guardian, the Pokemon trainer, the son, the lover, smiled ever so slightly. He glanced up at the heavens, toward the destruction that was inbound, and raised his hand towards it.
World Government Base Camp, Royal Suite.
Serena lay on a king-sized bed, bedecked with all the glittering decadence of the mega-wealthy. It smothered her frame, easily sleeping ten but made for one.
She slept soundly, not stirring or murmuring, her chest raising a falling steadily as her eyes moved about every so often behind closed lids.
Beside her bad were her two assigned attendants. Dressed all in white with their hair tied up, they waited in relative silence for their new mistress to awake.
"I still can't believe she's the niece of Lord Rosemburg." One of them gossiped to the other absently, unable to resist.
"I must confess, neither can I," the other replied. "For as long as I've known of her existence, she's been criminal…"
The door to the room creaked open, slowly and without a knock. Both attendants glanced over surprised.
A solitary figured walked through, wearing a white cloak and a mask in one hand. They turned toward the attendants and held up a finger to full lips. "Shhhhh…" they said with a playful smile.
Both attendants fell to the ground, immediately unconscious, both falling into a deep sleep.
The newcomer approached the side of the bed, leaning over to examine Serena's sleeping face. "None of them ever realized what you truly were, did they?" they said with an exasperated sigh. "Even after I convinced Ash to spy on the Guardian group, he never once suspected you, for you never even suspected yourself."
The figure giggled somewhat mischievously. "Fear not Serena, your part to play in all this is quickly approaching.
Serena opened her eyes. Looking straight back at her were deep auburn eyes so full of wisdom that her heart skipped a beat. "Ash!" She exclaimed bolting upright.
The newcomer jumped back to avoid getting headbutted. "Woah, settle down there chirpy."
That voice definitely didn't belong to Ash. Serena blinked to clear her sleepy vision, taking a good long look at the person she'd just mistaken for her love. "Who… are you?"
Throwing away the white cloak and tossing the mask aside haphazardly, it was obvious that the person in question was female, although with a slight tomboyishness to her that wouldn't have been foreign on Misty. Wearing grey shorts with a red belt, and a dark tee-shirt with accenting red curves over her chest, white leg wraps and grey sandals, it was only really the cape affixed to her shoulders that marked her out of the ordinary. Flowing from her back was a majestic white cloak, pinned in place with dragon scales. She leaned forward with a cheeky grin, holding two fingers up in a peace salute. "Hey! I'm Zinnia!"
Serena looked at her blankly. "Uhhhhhm….. who?"
Zinnia acted as though stricken. "Who?! You haven't heard of me?!"
Serena cocked her head to the side, still retaining the look of bewilderment.
"The saviour of the world Zinnia? Master of the Celestial Dragons Zinnia? Loremaster Zinnia? Dragonmaster Zinnia? Nothing?" She asked, hopefully.
"No nothing. Sorry." Serena said blankly.
Sighing then laughing, Zinnia fell back and sat in a bedside chair. "Well there goes my ego. I guess you haven't really been able to keep up with most of the current events, given your past occupation."
Her expression switched to a serious manner, eyes narrowing as she regarded the princess. "How much do you really know?"
Serena blinked. "Excuse me…? I-"
"No lies, please." Zinnia cut her off. "I have no time for games."
Lowering her gaze, Serena let out a long breath. "I've known about my bloodline since I was a young girl. There was something seriously off about my heritage. Whenever I asked my mom about our family she would brush it off. I got curious. Decided to delve deeper. I was shocked to learn to the truth but never mentioned it. How could I? How could I have explained that to anyone?" She laughed then, blushing slightly. "Funnily enough that's how I met Ash. When we were staying in Kanto I had access to a whole realm of knowledge that wasn't around in the outskirts of Kalos. The universe is a strange place indeed."
"Indeed," Zinnia nodded, understanding her position fully. "I've had my destiny written in the stars since I was born. Did I have a choice? Perhaps. It's really impossible to say. Yet here we are, and I once again have to act in order to save the world. Only this time my power alone isn't enough."
Reaching inside her bag, Zinnia pulled out her phone and flicked through a bunch of photos. "Are you familiar with this?"
Serena glanced at the selected image. It was of an old parchment, tattered and worn. On it, written in a language she had never seen, was several lines of text framed by what looked like runes. She shook her head. "No, I haven't."
"This is written in the ancient language of the dragons. It's our oldest written language. Very few people today can have any hopes of reading it." She magnified the image, flipping it back around so she could view it. "On here is a written a prophecy. One that actively predicted what would transpire. My ancestors have been safe guarding it for generations, watching for the signs. It just so happened that it's being fulfilled in my lifetime." At that Zinnia chuckled again. "Of course it bloody did."
"What does it say?" Serena asked, absently.
"It's about your dear beloved, although I admit I didn't expect some Kanto upstart to be the one. Of course when he reunited the legendary birds and stopped the degradation of the Reverse World, I took notice, but those also involved others. Same when Deoxys went on a rampage in Hoenn. His name kept appearing though, which became troublesome. When I learned of his Guardian heritage, especially his particular bloodline, I intervened. Luckily I got to him just in time. There are terrible forces at play, and they almost twisted him to their ideals."
Serena furrowed her brows. "You mean Sir Aaron?"
Zinnia laughed then, rocking back in her chair.
"What's so funny?" Serena asked, puzzled.
Calming down slowly and composing herself, Zinnia finally contained her mirth enough to respond. "Ash's father thinks himself the master of events around him, but it's nothing so simple. Same with those arrogant fools running the government. None of them see the danger they play with. Fools playing with fire are like to burn themselves. Powerful influential fools playing with an inferno are like to burn the world down."
"Ash's father?!" Serena exclaimed, eyes widening,
"Yes lovey. That masked fellow you've all been dancing around is just an old fart of a Guardian in a pretentious mask. Although I think that illusion should be shattered by now. He does have a strong Pokemon team under his thumb, but that's about all he's got going for him."
Listening to her talk about one of the most powerful and influential people that she had met during her life so causally, Serena found it hard to take in.
"But enough chit chat. Things are moving quickly and we need to act before it all spirals into chaos. We have one chance to save this world from itself." Zinnia stood and offered a hand to Serena, her eyes boring down on the princess with serious intent. "I'll need your assistance."
They stayed like that for a while. Serena's thoughts whirled inside her head. Eventually she steeled herself. Nothing she had heard was a lie. That was abundantly clear. She knew it was all spoken without any deception, although she knew not why she felt so strongly about it. She didn't understand what she personally could do, but something about Zinnia made her instinctively trust her. Reaching up, she clasped the older woman's hand. "I'll do what needs to be done." For Ash. Always for Ash.
Smiling Zinnia nodded. "Just like we all must. Let's just hope it's enough."
Sinnoh Region – Mt. Coronet
Battle engulfed the mountain. Hordes of government officials and League trainers embattled the furious members of Shinonome in open war the likes of which had not been seen in eons. Despite the serious number disadvantage, the isolated members of the group were holding their own, the sheer overwhelming power and mastery they commanded in their Pokemon making them nigh unstoppable.
Sabrina watched it unfold from her perch, sitting lazily on a rocky protrusion despite the turmoil in the heavens above and the chaotic war below. Her eyes were rimmed with violet energy as she enhanced her vision to pick out the individual battles.
Drake and Surge are holding their own. Lucas is flagging. They'll soon reach me. Those three can only tie down so many. I never expected the government to command so many competent trainers.
She turned off her psychic vision as a giant lumbered next to her, looking down at the mess below with melancholy. "So much violence…" he rumbled.
Sabrina shrugged. "We knew it would come to this. Are you ready?"
He nodded, ponderously. "Much like in the age of war from which I came, I will fight. This cycle of violence needs to be stopped. Only our leader can do that. I strongly believe this to be the case. He's the King I never was…"
"Don't sell yourself so short," came a slimy voice from behind them. They both glanced over their shoulder to watch Colress walk towards them, pushing his glasses up his pointed nose. "You're a capable leader in your own right. It's a shame about that whole business with what was it again? Floette?"
AZ narrowed his gaze dangerously.
"Where have you been?" Sabrina said coolly, shooting daggers at him with her eyes. Ever since she laid eyes on him she had had an utmost disgust for the man. An inherent loathing that came to her on the most primordial of sense. It bothered her that she couldn't even pierce his mind with her formidable psychic sense.
"You wound me with that look," he said with a smirk, standing beside her. "I've been finishing my final preparations, of course. Everything is ready, although I think the battle above hasn't exactly gone to plan."
"You don't seem overly concerned with that." She said, once again looking down at the battle below.
Colress shrugged. "Should I be? My part in that fiasco is done. I've done as they asked, now as promised, I get to try out my… improved… team against the best the world can throw at us."
The way he said improved sent shivers down the psychic's spine. She had no idea what he had done to his Pokemon, but dreaded to think of the vile experiments he'd performed on them. Regardless or not if it made them stronger, his complete lack of humanity and always favouring results over any ethical conundrums revolted her to the core.
"Looks like they're coming." He said with relish, his eyes glinting behind his glasses.
Sabrina nodded. "I hope you're more than full of hot air. We mustn't let them reach the summit."
"Oh don't worry there." The grin of his face turned predatory. "This is what I signed up for."
AZ began walking down the mountain, one giant step at a time. "I go to take my position. Let this battle be the last."
Standing and dusting herself off, Sabrina lit up with psychic energy, floating into the air and following him down. "The moment of truth has arrived. Win or lose, we have challenged the order of this world to try and make it better. That's all anyone can do to enact real change. Never forget which side you're on Colress. I'll be watching."
The scientist smiled, watching them go. "I'm sure you will."
Surrounded on all sides by Pokemon, each firing their elemental attacks in a seemingly endless barrage, Drake smiled, relishing the challenge. "Seven Elite Four members and fifty trainers from the world government. Should I be honoured?" He asked through laboured breathing. They had already been fighting for two hours at this point, and it had been fierce.
"You're a sham to the world of Pokemon training," proclaimed Flint, looking up at the Shinonome member with disgust. "A former Champion formin' up with terrorists! Why are you trying to destroy the world?! Infernape Fire Blast!"
Infernape opened its maw wide and blast out a torrent of flames in the kanji sign the attack represented. Others threw in their attacks, adding Ice, Wind, Earth and Water to the attack, coming from all sides.
"Steelix, Adamantium Wall!" Drake countered. The Steel snake wrapped around its master and hardened itself beyond all expectations. The attacks hit it's hide and dissipated, barely leaving a mark. "Rock smash!"
Steelix unwrapped itself and then slammed its tail around with the same momentum, slammed it into the hard mountainside and knocking huge boulders into the air. Swinging its tail around in a vicious doubleback, it smashed the boulders towards its attackers.
Propelled to unimaginable force, the rocks struck home and flattened several Pokemon under the colossal barrage. Flint's Infernape threw up a barrier just barely in time, using its own incredible strength to push the rock aside.
"We're not destroying the world, you moron," Drake returned, grinning. "We're gonna save it from you corrupt fools."
Flint growled out his anger and was about to retort when a lightning storm blossomed into life nearby, showering the area in endless torrents of electrical bolts, zapping and paralysing countless Pokemon and their trainers alike. The Elite Four member had to jump back to avoid getting struck himself.
"Damn it Surge!" Drake roared over the dim of battle. "Watch where you're aiming! These guys are mine!"
"Wahahahahahaha!" Surge bellowed as he charged through the lines of trainers like a rampaging Rhyhorn. His strongest three Pokemon ran beside him, generating and releasing the storm of electricity in an endless cascade of released energy. Raichu, Electivire and a Mega Evolved Manectric struggled to keep up with the burly war veteran, his bunched muscles crawling with electrical discharge as he literally punched his opponents in the face with his fists even as his Pokemon's attack scorched them black. "Weaklings! I'll crush all of you! I live for this!"
In his rampage, he hadn't noticed the presence moving across the battlefield, changing the very flow of carnage with his presence.
"That's enough of that." The thunderous voice cut through the cacophony of battle. A giant-sized fist reached out and grasped Surge by the forehead, gripping his rage-strewn face and hauling the veteran through the air to come smashing down into the ground.
Surge's eyes darted toward the newcomer with relish as he spat out blood with laughter. "Oh fuck me, I wondered when you were gonna show up."
Dante loomed over the prone Shinonome member, eyes ablaze with righteous fury, his whole bearing that of one entitled, knowing his path to be true with unwavering faith. Every inch of his veiny skin exuded threat. "This farce ends here. Your little games are over."
Surge's Pokemon had reacted by this point, pausing in their carnage to turn on their master's attacker. Raichu, Electivire and Manectric charged with unbridled electrical discharge, aiming their fury and bellowing their names.
Dante gave them a look of contempt and held out three Pokeballs in one hand. "Go." He issued, and all three sprang open in his palm.
An explosion blossomed as the charging electric types met sudden unwavering resistance. Dust and rock showered the area as an unstoppable force blossomed into life before the World Leader, the red energy fading into the imposing forms of Golem, Rhyperior and Kabutops. As the dust cleared, it became obvious, like anything to do with the legendary three leaders, that these were anything but normal variants of their type.
Kabutops, Rhyperior and Golem were beyond enormous, making even the largest of their count recorded in the annals of history minute in comparison. Much like their master, they radiated power, self-assurance and unflinching determination to see their enemies ground into dust.
"All counter types," Surge laughed, "how fucking typical."
"You," Dante rumbled, turning back to face the prone veteran, "don't have the luxury to making snide comments." He reached down with his meaty fist, closing in on Surge's skull.
The former Gym Leader grinned as he watched his death approach, refusing to back down or show cowardice even in the face of certain annihilation. The fist suddenly stopped a few inches away from its killing grip engulfing his skull, however, and became engulfed in a violet glow.
"Hmm." Dante growled, turning his head to regard the new threat that had just teleported onto the scene.
"You won't be killing anyone else, Dante." Sabrina said, each word hammering home with psychic resonance, easily carrying over the battlefield. Her eyes shone bright with power, the very earth around her defying gravity as though caught in the awe of her presence. "It's time to end your hypocrisy."
The World Leader's eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Little girls shouldn't interfere with grownups' business." As he spoke, he began using his immense physical strength to try and overpower the psychic control being exerted on his forearm, slowly moving it further towards his original target, still pinning to the ground beneath him.
"ENOUGH." Sabrina roared. The whole sky turned purple. Her eyes blazed with a roaring brilliance as she opened her mind to her true power. The ground around Dante collapsed with the strain. It was as though gravity itself had magnified in that one spot a hundred times over. Try as he might the colossal World Leader couldn't resist and was forced to his knees, having to use his hands to support himself from being crushed.
"You're stronger than I ever imagined, Sabrina. You're hardly even human at this point." Dante struggled through ground teeth.
"I should say the same for you. There is enough pressure there to crush rocks into diamonds, and yet you still retain your life."
slowly got to his feet, now free of the World Leaders presence, and took a step back, grinning broadly.
The rest of the governments forces were avoiding the three of them and pouring their attentions on Drake, unsure as to how to act with their leader in the mix and not wanted to confront such eldritch powers as unleashed by the rogue psyker.
"Looks like you're the one whose about to be ended, Dante!" Surge bellowed, reaching for his remaining unused Pokeballs. He glanced over to where his Pokemon were on the losing side of a battle with the World Leader's ungodly rock-types, but still holding their ground enough to stop them from interfering. "In your position now you can't even summon anymore aid. I never thought I'd personally get a chance to end one of the big three!"
Sabrina's eyes widened suddenly. "Surge get back!"
A strange light enveloped Dante. One moment he was pinned under psychic power, the next he was standing, his eyes filled with murderous light. Before Surge could react, his mammoth arm had reached out and grasped him by the throat, slamming him with titanic force into the ground. Eyes rolling back into his head, the veteran lost consciousness, as nearly all life was choked out of him in a single move.
"Don't start presuming too much, little gnats." The World Leader intoned, turning back on Sabrina who was still trying to pin him down with her psychic mind. "You're reaching too high above your stations. The thought that you could kill me so easily is insulting."
His gaze bore into Sabrina's own with such intensity that it made even a woman who'd glimpsed the horrors of the void flinch. "I am the absolute."
It wasn't so much a claims as an admission, one born of certainty. As though the dictator of all reality, his will written out in that last unflinching, unbreakable litany. He was absolute. Nothing could stand before him in defiance. That was how he operated. That was how he thought.
So he acted thus. Faster than should have been possible for a human unaugmented by psychic powers or Aura, he rushed Sabrina, using his solid legs to propel himself towards her even with the mental powers working against him. Against his will it might as well have been air, for it broke, feebly, on his towering mind. His leg snapped out and slammed into her midsection. She barely had enough time to ward herself against the blow before she was flung into the mountainside, hitting trainers who had been battling against Drake and crushing them beneath her with the force of the impact.
She quickly teleported herself atop a nearby rock as the next blow was almost simultaneous. Instead of crushing her face into pulp, the World Leader's fist found only the unfortunates who had been trapped beneath her and ground them into the rock beneath in a shower of gore.
Panting Sabrina looked down on him with anger and contempt.
He stood and looked directly up at her, shaking his hand free of blood. Now that the war was on, it seemed he no longer cared enough to keep up appearances or his shoddy façade.
"It seems I have to deal with you the hard way," he said, reaching toward his belt and the rows upon rows of Pokeballs stashed there. His chosen rock-types from earlier had just finished dispatching their quarry and now came to stand beside their master. "You always were a difficult girl to control."
Clutching her own and keeping her fathomless power about herself, Sabrina scowled down at the man who would sit atop the world. "I've long dreamed of the day that I could bring you to justice, Dante. You won't find me a push over. Not anymore."
"I'll end this quickly." He said, enlarging five of his selected Pokeballs. "Once I'm done here I'll stop Ash and quash this silly war and rebellion. Order will be restored. That is my decree."
A corrupt order with a corrupt head. Her resolved hardened, Sabrina snarled down at him.
He grinned slightly, and launched his Pokeballs into the air.
To Be Continued…
