Pastoria City, a few days later...

Everyone was at the Water Festival. Juan and Wake were the hosts for the event. With Misty on stage - they made a wonderful intro. Misty smiled as she got off stage and hugged her two coordinator friends: Dawn and Ranee. Both girls giggled as the festivities started. The coordinators went over to the staging area. Dawn got into her pink contest dress, entering with Piplup. Ranee got into her purple contest dress, entering with Gorebyss. Misty decided to try her hand at contest as she bought herself a yellow and blue dress suit, entering with Corsola. Paul got into his dark purple contest suit, entering with Gastordon.

Ash decided to enter the contest for fun as he wore his suit from the Wallace Cup, entering with Buizel. Kenny got into his green contest suit, entering with Floatzel. Misty caught sight of Ash and blushed heavily. Ranee caught sight of Paul and also blushed heavily. Dawn caught sight of Kenny after so long and blushed heavily. Dawn was the first to perform by showing off Bubblebeam and Drill Peck. Kenny went next to perform by showing off Razor Wind and Water Pulse. Ranee went third by showing off her Gorebyss' shinny color. Paul went forth, nervously, showing off Muddy Water and Ice Beam.

Misty went fifth by showing off Spike Cannon and Bubble. Ash went last by showing off Ice Punch and Aqua Jet. Barry, Brock, Ritchie, Gary, and Erika all entered the battle competition. Brock was battling against Barry, using Croagunk and Barry was using Hitmonlee. Ritchie was battling against a girl named Kira, using Rose (Swellow). Gary was battling against Erika, using Umbreon and Erika was using Venusaur. Everyone was having a good time. The final battle was against Erika's Espeon versus Dawn's Piplup.

Juan stated, "Begin!"

Erika commanded, "Espeon, use Swift!"

"Wee," said the Sun Pokémon.

Espeon opened its mouth and fired the yellow stars.

Dawn quickly commanded, "Buneary, quick use Ice Beam!"

"Buneary," said the Rabbit Pokémon.

Buneary opened its mouth and fired the freezing beam. The stars were frozen over instantly but Erika knew what to do.

She commanded, "Psybeam, Espeon!"

The psychic beam came out of Espeon's red gem on top of its head and fired it straight at the frozen Swift. It made fireworks. Everyone was surprised, even Dawn.

"How'd you do that," Dawn asked.

Erika explained, "I studied your moves and Pokémon. A good trainer always observes their opponent."

'Maybe that's why I lost to Tobias,' Ash thought, 'I didn't observe him very well. How the hell could I be so stupid! I'll never get the Ketchum name off of the laughing list. I'm the reason we're still on it...' As Ash thought this, he made a fist and looked down. Misty perked up as she thought, 'What's going on with Ash? He's been really out of it lately...' Pikachu sensed Ash's sadness and got very worried. That's when he heard something.

"Rai chu rai!"

Ash spun around and saw Raichu running up to him.

"Raichu," Ash gushed as he allowed the Pokémon to enter his arms.

"Pika pika," Pikachu said, happily.


Team Rocket Headquarters...

Meanwhile, Giovanni was watching the battle between Dawn and Erika from their spy camera that Domino had set up there. He really couldn't trust Jessie, James, and Meowth with this important mission. There was a lot at stake...like nine year of research and suffering. This had to work. Zeger came into the room with Cassidy, Butch, and Silver.

He stated, "We are all set to go."

Cassidy added, "Annie and Oakley are ready to go as well."

"As is Domino," Butch said.

"We're all ready, dad," commented Silver.

Giovanni nodded as he commented, "Then let's get this started right now, Dr. Zeger."

Zeger nodded as he pressed a button on a computer. At Mt. Coronet, the receiver that Silver had placed there suddenly turned on. The other receivers in the Johto, Hoenn, Orre, Almia, Fiore, and Oblivia also went online. Once all of the receivers were online, they sent a yellow beam up into the heavens, looking like Raichu's Thunderbolt. 'Thunderbolt' hit the sky above and clouds started to gather less than thirty seconds later. The cloud looked like normal rain clouds but then the rain started to produce purple rain. Some of it hit the plants below, the others went into the rivers, and the others went into the caves.

The rain even affected the skies and the outer atmosphere. Rayquaza, the Sky High Pokémon, roared as it started to feel something wrong. Deoxys, the DNA Pokémon, also felt it. From the oceans, the water Pokémon felt the change. Kyogre, the Sea Basin Pokémon, felt it. Deep below, Lugia - the Diving Pokémon - felt it too. There were many Pokémon affected but it seemed that only the wild ones were getting affected.

Zeger stated, "Seems that it is working, Giovanni."

Giovanni replied, "Good, that means that we can start capturing them."

Domino came in, panting.

"Damn it, damn it," she swore.

"What's wrong with you," Silver questioned.

Domino shook her head and explained, "Not what's wrong, what's right. We found a trace of Mew...and Mewtwo."

Everyone present seemed surprised. The Team Rocket members effected by Mewtwo's mind wipe the second time, remembered everything - by pure accident - to do the potion that Zeger once gave everyone. Ever since, they knew that Project Shadow would get the Genetic Pokémon back on their side. Zeger noticed the lake trio: Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie, were also getting effected.

Butch pointed out, "But sir, won't that alert those kids?"

Giovanni smirked evilly and replied, "That's what I'm counting on."

With that said, the rain continued to come down - until eventually it was filling rivers and streams. It even filled some ravines. All of the elite Team Rocket members saw everything that they worked for coming into the light. Zeger was pleased. Giovanni just kept quiet as he watched what was happening. He was rather pleased too, most Pokémon were Shadow Pokémon right away. Legendaries, however, were putting up more of a fight - especially Mewtwo. But...that's what he wanted. He wanted the Chosen One to come...


Pastoria City...

Suddenly, during the match, Dawn screamed out in pain. Piplup got worried automatically, knowing the scream.

Piplup squeaked, worried, "Pip, pip lup!"

"Dawn, what's wrong," Kenny asked.

That's when Brock and Ash also screamed out in pain.

"Pika pi," Pikachu cried out, also worried.

Gary asked, "Ash, what's wrong?!"

"What the hell is going on," Erika questioned.

Ritchie seemed unsure but he knew that there was something wrong. Paul knew it too as did Barry and Ranee. Paul thought, 'Damn it, I shouldn't care. This is none of my business.' Barry looked up and saw that it was raining.

He asked, "Hey, when did it start raining?"

Ranee answered, "A few minutes ago."

Ritchie stated, "Perhaps this has something to do with the way the guys are acting."

Misty was beyond worried.

"Ash, Ash," she cried out as he screamed in pain.

Misty took his wrist and was transported somewhere. She looked around and saw a dimension.

She asked, "Where am I?"

"Mist," Ash questioned.

Misty spun around and saw Ash floating there behind her. His body outline was going blue as he hovered there.

Misty gasped as she questioned, "Ash, what's going on with you? Why are you glowing and floating? What's happening?"

Ash sighed as he explained, "You see, I'm connected with Azelf, the being of willpower. I think Azelf is trying to warn Dawn, Brock, and me about something."

"Are they connected to Azelf too," Misty asked.

Ash shook his head and answered, "No, Dawn is connected to Mesprit and Brock is connected to Uxie."

Misty asked, curious, "And the blue outline?"

Ash looked down at his own body and saw it.

He looked surprised as he asked, "Is this what I think it is...?"

"Yes, Chosen One. It is aura," said a very familiar voice.

Ash and Misty looked around, knowing the voice.

"Was that Mewtwo," Misty questioned.

Just then, all of their friends appeared in the dimension. Ranee was the only one with her body outline glowing white.

Brock asked, "What's going on?"

Erika explained, "I think we're in between dimensions."

Gary nodded as he added, "Psychic types sometimes create this to protect themselves."

Ritchie questioned, "But why is this happening?"

"It is happening because I need your help," said the same voice.

"Mewtwo, where are you," Ash asked, worried.

Mewtwo's voice answered, "There's no time to explain, Ash. But Project Shadow is going down. You must return home, Chosen One. We're all counting on you."

Ranee yelled, "Mewtwo, you're in danger, leave where you are before you are caught!"

"Huh," everyone said, except for Paul and Mewtwo's voice.

Suddenly, the dimension collapsed as everyone was returned.

"Pika pi," Pikachu cried out, worried.

"Rai chu rai," Raichu added, worried.

"Piplup," Piplup said, worried.

"Wee," Espeon added, worried.

Erika hugged her Pokémon, Dawn hugged her Pokémon, and Ash hugged the two Pokémon.

Gary turned to Ranee and asked, "How the hell did you know Mewtwo was in danger?"

"And what's aura," Misty asked.

Ash and Ranee grimaced, their secrets were out.


AK1028: And this chapter means that we are getting into the adventure. Ash is the Chosen One and has his aura. Ranee has her Dimensional Scream and if anyone follows the Pokémon Mystery Dungeon games (especially Time and Darkness), they should know what it is. If not, well, please stay tuned. Please read and review! And always think outside of the box!