Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, the Characters, or any Game, Movie, or TV Show content that are mentioned in this FanFiction story. They belong to their respective owners and I honor respect their great works.
~ Day 321 ~
Waning Power
(The World That Never Was)
Twenty days have passed since Xion was brought back into the Organization. Working alongside her, Draxon and Roxas kept on with their missions for the Organization. But today, the two boys had a strange dream.
For Roxas, his dream involved Sora, Donald, Goofy, and Riku during their encounter at Hollow Bastion. Sora's Keyblade was taken from him and it reappeared in Riku's hands. Riku tosses Sora a wooden sword, leaving him to his despair. Donald and Goofy were sadly forced to leave their best friend behind as they left with Riku.
For Draxon, his dream involved Devon arriving unconsciously on Berk after Destiny Islands was destroyed by the darkness. Devon was sitting against a tree in the forests of Berk when his Night Fury, Luna, approached and woke him up with a few licks to his face. Devon smiles and gently rubs his right-hand on Luna's head. Then, the dream changes again with Devon, Luna, and Toothless in the cove. Devon sat in a fetal position, sad about losing his friends, Sora, Riku, and Kairi, and his home, Destiny Islands. Luna and Toothless curled up around the young teen, offering him comfort.
Roxas woke up in his room and sat upright on his bed. He felt something wet streaking down his face. Putting his left-hand to his face, he looks down and saw a tear in the palm of his hand.
"What... is this?" Roxas asks
At the same time, Draxon woke up from his dream in his room and sat up on his bed. Like Roxas, he also felt a tear roll down his face. He puts his left-hand to his face and looks down at the tear drop in his palm, feeling confused. Mew, who was sleeping at the foot of Draxon's bed, woke up and looks at Draxon, tilting it's head right in concern.
"Mew?" Mew says
Draxon stares down at the tear, not taking his eyes off it. He just didn't understand. How could he be crying if he didn't have a heart?
(Moments later)
Draxon, Roxas, and Mew enter the Grey Area, ready to begin their next mission of the day. In the room, Xigbar, who was standing near the large window on the left-side of the room, leaning against it with his left-arm, Luxord, who was sitting on one of the white couches on the right of the room, playing tricks with his cards, and Xion, who was standing not far from Luxord. The trio approached Xion and greeted her.
"Hey, Xion." Draxon greets
The raven-haired girl turns to the trio and gave them a kind smile.
"Oh, hi, Draxon. Hi, Roxas." Xion greets
"Mew!" Mew greets
"Hi, Mew." Xion greets
Xion and Mew looked at the two boys and right away they notice something strange. Both of them had solemn expressions clear on their faces.
"Mew?" Mew says confused
"Draxon, Roxas, are you guys okay? You don't look so good..." Xion says
Before neither one of them could say anything, Saïx walks over to the young teens and small Pokémon, giving them their next mission.
"Draxon, Roxas, you will be working with Xion for today. Your mission is to eliminate an Invisible Heartless in the Kalos Region. Get it done." Saïx says
"Yes, sir." Draxon says
And so, the three Keyblade Wielders and Mew head into a dark corridor and left for the Kalos Region.
(Kalos Region)
Ash and his friends were currently now in Snowbelle City. They had arrived earlier the day before Draxon and his friends would come around and they were taking a break in the Pokémon Center. Ash had challenged the Gym Leader, Wulfric, to a match for his eighth Gym badge. He managed to put up a good fight with Hawlucha, Talonflame, and Greninja, but unfortunately, Ash lost and was wallowing in his defeat. That night, Ash stood next to Greninja as it rested on it's hospital bed.
Ash's thoughts drifted towards his battle with Wulfric and his Pokémon as he reflected on what had happened. At the start of the match, he had used Hawlucha as his first Pokémon.
(Flashback)
"Y'know what? Ice is extremely hard and fragile at the same time. So depending on what Pokémon you choose and their moves, I could be you're most challenging opponent yet, or a total pushover which is as it should be." Wulfric says
"Hawlucha, Flying Press!" Ash commands
"Cha-lu!"
Hawlucha lands a hit to Abomasnow, which was Wulfric's first Pokémon choice at the time, sending it back.
"Hawlucha, High Jump Kick!" Ash commands
"Cha!"
Hawlucha circles around Abomasnow and hits it in the face, defeating it. Ash and Hawlucha won against Wulfric in the first round. After that, Wulfric sent out his Avalugg. And that's when the match took a drastic turn.
"Hawlucha, Flying Press!" Ash commands
"Hawlu!"
Hawlucha was about to attack, but it was distracted by the hail that was in play on the battlefield, thanks to Abomasnow.
"Gyro Ball!" Wulfric commands
"Avalugg!"
Avalugg spins around and attacks Hawlucha, defeating it. Ash brings out Talonflame for the next round.
"Talonflame, use Flame Charge!" Ash commands
"Flame!"
Talonflame charges at Avalugg enveloped in a fiery red aura and lands a direct hit. Despite the super effectiveness of Talonflame's attacks, Avalugg manages to put it down with it's move.
"Use Avalanche!" Wulfric commands
Avalugg summons a powerful avalanche on top of Talonflame, defeating it.
"No, Talonflame!" Ash cries out
With both of Ash's Pokémon defeated, he went all out with his Greninja. They even used their Ash-Greninja bond during the battle.
"More stronger and stronger!" Ash says
Greninja was enveloped in it's water veil as it transformed into Ash-Greninja. Although Wulfric was surprised by this, he and his Avalugg stood strong as Ash and Greninja went on the offensive.
"Alright, Greninja, Cut, let's go!" Ash commands
Greninja summons it's white kunai blades and leaps towards Avalugg, ready to strike.
"Now Gyro Ball!" Wulfric commands
Avalugg spins around and slams Greninja away into the nearby wall, defeating it. Even with their strong bond, Ash and Greninja lost the battle.
"Greninja!" Ash cries out
"Greninja is unable to battle! Avalugg is the winner! And that means the match goes to the Gym Leader, Wulfric!"
"I hope you learned something today. Being rigid can make you tough, but fragile, too. You're better off being flexible? Some adapt like water without changing, but I'm stubborn. I love Ice Types. So. What about you, young man? How far you go depends on how much you believe in your Pokémon. The fact is you haven't earned your badge quite yet." Wulfric says
(Last night)
"I'm sorry about today, Greninja. If I had just been stronger... I should've been able to draw out your true power." Ash says
Ash lets out a sigh.
"If only I had been stronger..." Ash says
Pikachu, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie were sitting in the reception area, waiting on Ash. It wasn't long before he came out. He had a quiet, depressed look on his face.
"Ash..." Serena says
Ash grabs his snow jacket, slips it on, and heads for the exit, much to his friend's confusion.
"Pika pi?" Pikachu says concerned
"I wanna be by myself..." Ash says
"Out in the cold at this time of night?" Clemont asks
"It's okay. I'll be back soon." Ash says
After saying that, Ash heads out into the snow and disappears into the forest alone.
(Present time)
It was now day time and Draxon, Roxas, Xion, and Mew step out of the dark corridor and arrive in a snow-filled valley, standing on a hilltop which overlooked the area. And down below in the valley was Snowbelle City.
"So, this is the Kalos Region. Wow. Since you first talked about it, Draxon, I always wanted to see what it was like. A world where people and Pokémon co-exist together. I wonder if we'll see any here." Xion says amazed
Xion turned to Draxon and Roxas and saw that they were looking down in the dumps. Roxas looked away in silence while Draxon looked down at his right-hand.
"Draxon? Roxas? What's wrong?" Xion asks concerned
"Nothing." Roxas says
"You both look pale..." Xion says
Draxon and Roxas had to agree with Xion. Both of them felt off today for some reason. Not only that, they also felt weakened as if a heavy weight was bearing down on them. But not wanting to worry Xion or Mew, they made a white lie.
"We're fine. I'm sure we'll shake it off. Let's just get on with the mission." Draxon says
"Yeah. Let's go." Roxas says
"Well... Okay..." Xion says
Draxon and Roxas walked over to Xion and Mew and they glanced down at the valley.
"I wonder where we are." Xion says
"Well, there's a town down there. So, if we wanna find our Heartless, we can probably ask around. Maybe someone down there has seen it." Roxas says
Draxon stared down at the town. The snow-capped mountain, the wooden cabins, the pine trees of the environment. He had a feeling like he's seen it before.
"Wait... I think I might have an idea where we are." Draxon says
"You do?" Xion asks
"Yeah. The snow. The town. That mountain in the distance. If I'm right, this must be Snowbelle City! This is where Ash and his friends said they were going to next. Ash is gonna have his Gym Battle here to earn his final badge." Draxon says
"Maybe we'll bump into them during our mission." Roxas says
"Let's go see if he's in town." Draxon says
And so, the heroes head down the hill toward the town, beginning their mission. They took a stroll through the town, looking around at all the log cabins. They soon direct their attention to the Pokémon Center, believing that would be the ideal place to start. Inside the building were Pikachu, Serena, and Clemont, who were sitting around in the reception area, expecting Ash to be back.
"He still hasn't come back yet." Serena says
"Yeah. But there's really nothing we can do about it." Clemont says
Bonnie comes out from around the corner of another room with Dedenne and Squishy in her arms, greeting Pikachu, Serena, and Clemont.
"Good morning!" Bonnie greets
Bonnie looks around and notices that Ash still hasn't returned.
"Hey, where's Ash?" Bonnie asks
"Ash, he needed to be alone for a bit." Serena says
"Don't worry. He'll get hungry and come back when it gets close to lunchtime..." Clemont says
Suddenly, the door to the Pokémon Center opens. The Pokémon Heroes immediately direct their attention to the door, expecting it to be Ash.
"Ash?" Serena says
But it was not Ash, it was Draxon, Roxas, Xion, and Mew. Draxon stood at center with Xion and Mew on his right and Roxas on his left.
"Hey, guys." Draxon greets
"Draxon! Roxas!" Serena exclaims
Pikachu, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie notice Xion standing in-between Draxon and Roxas and they got a good look at who she was. Black hair, a black coat, blue eyes. There was no doubt in their minds that this was Draxon's missing friend.
"Draxon... Is this..." Clemont says
"Yeah. This is our friend, Xion. The one I've told you all about." Draxon says
Draxon looks over at Xion and introduces her to the group.
"Xion, this is Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie." Draxon says
"Hi. It's nice to meet you all." Xion says waving her right-hand
"So, if you guys are all here, then that down there is definitely Snowbelle City." Draxon says
"Wait... Where's Ash?" Draxon asks
Pikachu, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie each held sad expressions on their face.
"Pika..." Pikachu says sadly
Mew flies over to Pikachu and places it's left-paw on it's back, offering it comfort.
"Mew mew mew." Mew says
"Pikachu..." Pikachu says sadly
"Did something happen?" Xion asks
"Well, just before you guys arrived, Ash had his Gym battle with Wulfric, who is the Gym Leader here in Snowbelle City. But he lost..." Serena explains
Draxon was surprised when he heard this. From all he had seen during his time with him, Ash was a great Pokémon Trainer. Both he and his Pokémon fight extremely hard and they always strive to get stronger. Yet, to hear that he actually lost in a battle certainly something that Draxon did not expect.
"He... lost?" Draxon says flabbergasted
"Wow. I guess you can't win them all." Roxas says
"I'm sure he must've took the loss very hard." Draxon says
"He did. He went out for a walk last night and he hasn't come back yet." Clemont says
Draxon looks over at Roxas, then at Xion. Each of them understood the situation. It was all too similar to their own troubles. They knew what it means to aid a friend in need and they had to help.
"Then, let's go find him." Draxon says
"Huh?" Serena says
"Let's go find Ash." Draxon says
"First, we need to fetch Greninja. It was wounded during the Gym battle, but hopefully it's fully healed now." Clemont says
The group heads into the Surgery Room to check with Nurse Joy on Greninja's status, only to discover that it was also missing.
"Pika?!" Pikachu says surprised
"Greninja's gone, too?!" Clemont says
"It's strength is back, so there's nothing really to worry about. Any idea where it went?" Nurse Joy says
"I want to know where, too." Bonnie says
"Maybe Greninja went after Ash." Serena suggests
"But they could be anywhere." Clemont says
"Then, we'd better split up. Roxas, Xion, Mew, Pikachu, Clemont, Bonnie, you guys stay here in case they come back." Draxon says
Draxon turns and looks at Serena.
"Serena, you and me will go search the nearby woods." Draxon says
"Right." Serena says nodding her head in agreement
And so, Draxon and Serena leave the Pokémon Center and run out into the woods while Roxas, Xion, Pikachu, Clemont, and Bonnie watched them go from the patio.
"They'll be back, right?" Bonnie asks
"Don't worry. They will." Clemont says
Pikachu was perched up on Roxas' right-shoulder. The yellow mouse looks over at Clemont and notices that he was holding Ash's belt, which had three Pokéballs latched onto it.
"Huh? Pikachu?" Roxas says baffled
Pikachu jumps onto Clemont's left-shoulder and detaches the Pokéballs from the belt, dropping them into the snow. The Pokéballs grew larger and releases Noivern, Hawlucha, and Talonflame. With it's Pokémon friends now out, Pikachu speaks to them with it's voice, explaining the situation to them.
"Pika pika! Pika pi!" Pikachu explains
(Moments later)
In the frozen woods, Ash sat on a log, still depressed over his loss, letting out a sigh.
"I need to pull it together. I've got no choice. I have to." Ash says
Unknown to Ash, he was being watched by Team Rocket, who were up in the trees, observing him with binoculars.
"What's up with the Twerp?" Jessie asks
"Maybe he's sick." Meowth says
"Staring into space?" James says
"Don't look at me." Jessie says
"Hey, this just might work out for us." Meowth says
The troublesome trio look at each other with villainous smirks on their faces.
"Pikachu time!" Jessie says
"Go catch it!" The Team Rocket Trio say in unison
(Elsewhere)
In another part of the forest, Greninja sat on a tree limb, reflecting on it's battles against Sawyer's Sceptile and Wulfric's Avalugg. It lost both times to both Pokémon. Greninja stares down at it's finned hand, then looks away in shame.
(Meanwhile)
With Draxon and Serena, the two of them were running through the forest, searching for Ash. It wasn't long until they found him.
"Ash!?" Draxon and Serena call out
"Draxon? When did you get here?" Ash asks
"Just today. Roxas and Xion are here, too. They're back at the Pokémon Center with Mew, Pikachu, Clemont, and Bonnie. Hey, I heard about what happened during your Gym battle. You okay?" Draxon says
Ash looks down at the ground, setting his hat.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have just left you like that." Ash says
"Ash, if something is bothering you, talk to us. We'll listen. Anytime you want. Seriously. Anytime, anywhere. I know how you feel. I've been there." Serena says
"So have I." Draxon says
"Remember when I really goofed at the Showcase?" Serena says
Ash listened to Serena, but none of her words got through to him. Filled with grief and frustration, Ash stands up and yells at Serena.
"You don't have a clue what I feel!" Ash snaps
Draxon and Serena take a step back, shocked by Ash's outburst.
"Then tell me about it!" Serena shouts
"It's none of your business! Leave me alone!" Ash shouts
Draxon steps in-between Ash and Serena, trying to calm them down.
"Hey, hey! C'mon, guys. Tone it down a bit." Draxon says
"The Ash I know is full of energy. He's a leader. Always tries his best. He's always positive. And he never gives up! He hangs in there until the very end! You're not acting like the Ash I know! Stop it now! Give me back the real Ash! Because you sure aren't him!" Serena shouts
Serena runs off, leaving Draxon and Ash behind.
"Serena!" Draxon calls
"Real Ash? Whoa..." Ash says
Nearby, a curious Oddish, Budew, and a Sentret watch the two teens. After watching Serena run off back to the Pokémon Center, Draxon turns to face Ash.
"Serena does have a point, Ash. The past couple of months that I spent time with you and the others, I've always seen you as a someone who is full of energy. Optimistic, confident, overall an excellent Trainer. Brooding over your loss at the Gym won't achieve anything. Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, Pikachu, Greninja, all of your Pokémon. They all look towards you for inspiration as a leader. And so do I. You need to stand up and face your troubles head-on." Draxon says
Ash stares at Draxon, comprehending what he had just heard from him. His words seemed to have sunk in as a smile formed on Ash's face.
"You know, you're right, Draxon. I'm over thinking it. And it's making my head hurt. I've gotta get myself into gear!" Ash says
"Yeah! There you go!" Draxon says
Ash does a couple of stretches, twisting his body and stretching his arms and legs.
"If there's something I don't understand, all I've gotta do is get moving!" Ash says
Ash runs deeper into the woods with Draxon following him.
"Hey! Wait up!" Draxon says
The Pokémon Trainer continues running until he loses his footing and rolls down cliff.
"Ash!" Draxon exclaims
Ash falls off onto a Snorlax, bouncing off it's belly and falls down on his rump. He is approached by a Bidoof. The Snorlax rolls over towards Ash and Bidoof, shifting it's sleeping position. Reacting quickly, Ash grabs hold of Bidoof and jumps out of the way to avoid being crushed by the large Pokémon.
"That was close." Ash says
Ash lets go of the Bidoof and it runs off into the wilderness. Draxon makes his way down to Ash and rushes over to him.
"Hey! You alright?" Draxon asks concerned
"Yeah." Ash says
The two teens look around at the surrounding woods.
"Where to now?" Draxon asks
(Meanwhile)
At the Pokémon Center, Pikachu, Hawlucha, Noivern, and Talonflame were all training, testing out their attacks on the nearby trees. Pikachu uses Iron Tail to cut through a tree while Hawlucha practices it's punches at another tree. Noivern and Talonflame fly around in the skies above to improve their speed. Roxas, Xion, Mew, Clemont, and Bonnie were watching them, sitting on the steps of the patio.
"Now Draxon and Serena's disappeared, too." Bonnie says
"I'm sure they'll be back." Clemont says
Mew looks on ahead and it saw Serena walking towards the Pokémon Center with an angry look on her face. The others notice her as well.
"Mew?" Mew says tilting it's head left confused
"See? What I'd tell you?" Clemont says
Serena stomps past Pikachu and Hawlucha, catching them by surprise.
"Serena? What happened?" Roxas asks
"Drop it!" Serena yells
"Where's Draxon?" Xion asks
Serena walks up the steps and sits down on a nearby bench, crossing her arms.
"He's with Ash. But who cares?! I'll let him deal with that boy! Hmph!" Serena says
Roxas, Xion, Mew, Clemont, and Bonnie look towards each other.
"Did something happen?" Bonnie asks
Suddenly, snow began to fall from the grey clouds above them.
"It's snowing!" Bonnie says
"Everyone, please come in! The snow is supposed to get heavy." Nurse Joy says
"If Draxon and Ash are lost out there, we gotta find them before the weather gets too dangerous!" Roxas says
"C'mon!" Xion says
Roxas, Xion, and Mew head out into the woods while Pikachu, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, Hawlucha, Noivern, and Talonflame watch them go. Serena was a bit hesitant, still upset over her argument with Ash. But eventually, she decides to follow the two Keyblade Wielders and Mew. They were soon followed by the others as they all head out to find Draxon and Ash.
(Meanwhile)
As the snow falls down on the woods, Greninja was still by itself. It recalls Ash's words the night before.
"I'm sorry about today, Greninja. If I had just been stronger... I should've been able to draw out your true power. If only I had been stronger..."
Greninja punches the tree in frustration for not thinking about it sooner. The frog ninja stands up and jumps across the trees, setting out to find it's Trainer. The winds began to pick up and the snow got more and more heavy as a blizzard blows through Snowbelle City.
(Elsewhere)
Deep within the woods, Draxon and Ash manage to find a cave to settle in and take shelter from the snow storm.
"Man, what a storm." Ash says
"We should be safe here." Draxon says
Ash sits down on a rock while Draxon looks out at the storm.
"I hope the others can find us." Draxon says
(Meanwhile)
Roxas, Xion, Mew, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, Pikachu, Hawlucha, Noivern, Braixen, and Luxray travel together through the woods, searching for Draxon and Ash.
"Pika pi!" Pikachu calls
"Mew! Mew!" Mew calls
"Ash, where are you?!" Bonnie calls
"Ash, please answer us!" Serena calls
"Draxon?!" Xion calls
"Where are they?" Roxas asks
The group reach the spot where Draxon and Serena first found Ash.
"This is where Ash was before." Serena says
"Luxray, can you see Ash or Draxon?" Clemont asks
Luxray uses it's vision, scanning the surrounding woods for Draxon and Ash, but fails to find them.
"Luxray." Luxray says shaking it's head
In the skies above the trees, Talonflame flies over the woods, scanning the ground for any sign of the two boys. Pikachu and Mew went on ahead of the group and come onto a path in the woods. Suddenly, they encounter Team Rocket, who steps out on the path infront of the two Pokémon.
"Well, well, well, all alone, eh?" Jessie says
"No finer Pikachu than a Twerpless one." James says
"And we got Mew to boot!" Jessie says
"If Mew's here, then that must mean that Keyblade Twerp is here." James says
"Lucky for us he's not around. I call interception." Meowth says
"Wobbafett!" Wobbafett says
Pikachu makes it's stand and charges up with electricity, readying it's Thunderbolt.
"Pika..."
"No. Not that old trick." James says
"...chu!"
Pikachu strikes Team Rocket with it's Thunderbolt, electrocuting the three members. They scream, but the attack wasn't as strong as they had initially feared.
"Did you feel that?" Jessie asks
"Hardly." Meowth says
"It tickled me a little bit." James says
"Come on! Give us your best shot!" Meowth taunts
Pikachu charges up with electricity and hits Team Rocket again.
"Chu!" Pikachu says
Another Thunderbolt strikes the troublesome trio, but the result was the same.
"Best?" Jessie and James say in unison
"Zap us like you mean it, kid!" Meowth taunts
"Pika?" Pikachu says baffled
"I think your battery needs recharging." Jessie says
Pikachu puts more energy into it's third attack and sends another Thunderbolt at Team Rocket.
"Pi-ka-chu!"
"We and our big mouths!" The Team Rocket Trio scream
The Thunderbolt strikes the villains with explosive effect. Roxas, Xion, Serena, Clemont, Bonnie, and the other Pokémon heard the explosion.
"Whoa! What was that?" Roxas asks
"Look! Over there!" Xion says
The group look up into the sky to see smoke rising from the trees just ahead of them. Back with Pikachu, Mew, and Team Rocket, no matter how much energy Pikachu put into it's attack, it could not send the troublesome trio away. Team Rocket, who had their eyes closed shut, looked at each other confused.
"No blast off?" Jessie and James say in unison
"Wobba wobba?" Wobbafett says confused
The villains look towards Pikachu offended by such weak attacks. Normally, Pikachu would send them flying with it's Thunderbolt, but it seemed as though without Ash, it lost it's confidence. And it seemed as though Team Rocket were not pleased by the lack of the challenge of capturing the small yellow mouse.
"Your Thunderbolt stinks!" Jessie says
"Why the lack of pep?" James asks
"No Twerp may mean no zap." Meowth says
"I'd say catching a weak Pikachu hardly seems worth the bother." James says
"I agree. Think of the zapping we'd get from the Boss!" Jessie says
Team Rocket turns away from the two Pokémon and walk away.
"Let's go home!" Jessie says
"Where the heart is!" James and Meowth say in unison
Pikachu and Mew watched them go, then they look toward each other, baffled by this strange behavior.
"Pika?" Pikachu says even more confused
"Mew?" Mew says shrugging it's shoulders in confusion
"Pikachu! Mew!" Serena exclaims
The group arrives just as Team Rocket left.
"Pikachu, what's wrong?" Serena asks
"Pika..." Pikachu says feeling miserable
The impact of the snowstorm begins to increase as the winds got more intense.
"We need to find Draxon and Ash before this storm gets any worse!" Clemont says
"Clemont!" Bonnie says
"Bonnie? Are you alright?" Clemont asks
"I'm wobbly." Bonnie says
Squishy emerges out of Bonnie's pouch. Using it's powers, it traces a location and sees a cave in it's vision. Squishy exits Bonnie's pouch and leaps off.
"Wait. Squishy?" Bonnie says
Squishy finds a cell, which vanishes. Then, Bonnie notices the cave that Squishy saw in it's vision.
"Look! Squishy found a safe place!" Bonnie exclaims
"We should take a break for now." Clemont says
"Agreed." Roxas says
The heroes head towards the cave and settle themselves inside. They made a small campfire to help light the inside of the cave and keep themselves warm from the cold. Sitting around the fire, Xion and Serena began to worry about Draxon and Ash.
"Oh, Ash. I hope you're alright." Serena says
"Yeah. Let's not forget Draxon, too." Xion says
"I let something Ash said get to me, and I said something really terrible back to him. It's just... It's just I admire Ash so much." Serena says
"Me, too. Ash is one of a kind." Clemont says
"I feel the same way about Draxon." Xion says
"Yeah." Roxas says
"Mew." Mew says nodding it's head in agreement
"We'll get back to looking for them as soon as the storm lets up." Clemont says
(Meanwhile)
Draxon and Ash were sitting in their cave when they notice some Pokémon were hiding from them outside the cave. What they saw was the Oddish, Sentret, and Budew from earlier, a Zigazoon, and a Scatterbug. Ash felt bad for the Pokémon that were out in the cold by themselves and he invites them in.
"It's okay. We won't hurt you." Ash says
Suddenly, Ash remembers something from his childhood.
(Flashback)
Back when Ash was much younger, he was lost in a forest somewhere near Pallet Town. It was raining and the young boy took shelter in a hollow tree. Looking outside, he saw a Butterfree, a Caterpie, an Oddish, a Rattata, and a Weedle standing out in the rain, staring at him. Being the kind boy that he was, he invited the Pokémon into the tree.
(Present time)
Draxon places his left-hand on Ash's shoulder, gaining his attention. The Keyblade Wielder nods his head and smiles while the Pokémon Trainer smiles and nods back.
"You'll all be much warmer in here. Let's all stick together." Draxon says
(Later that night)
The group were all resting in their cave. Pikachu and Mew woke up and saw Squishy in it's 10% Dog-like Form standing at the exit of the cave. The two Pokémon then watch as it runs off into the woods.
"Pika?" Pikachu says
"Mew?" Mew says
(Meanwhile)
Draxon and Ash were also resting with the wild Pokémon when they heard distressed cries outside. Looking out into the storm, the two boys saw stuck high up in a tree near a cliff, freezing in the cold wind.
"Oh no! The Spewpa!" Ash exclaims
"Looks like they're trapped up in that tree!" Draxon says
"We gotta help them!" Ash says
Draxon went on ahead out of the cave while Ash tells the other Pokémon to stay inside.
"'Kay, everybody stay right here!" Ash says
Ash follows Draxon into the storm and the two teens rush to rescue the trapped Spewpa.
(Elsewhere)
Greninja was jumping across the trees, searching for Ash, when it saw Squishy down below. The frog ninja jumps down and meets up with the dog-like Pokémon. Through telepathy, Squishy shows Greninja a vision of Ash and Draxon's location. Greninja looks at Squishy and thanks it for it's help.
"Gren." Greninja says nodding it's head
(Meanwhile)
Ash climbed up the tree while Draxon stayed down on the ground. They had managed to save five of the Spewpa, leaving just one more on the tree.
"'Kay, one more to go!" Ash says
The wind blew more ferociously, causing the two teens to shield themselves with their arms.
"The wind's getting stronger!" Draxon says
The Keyblade Wielder and Pokémon Trainer look back up the tree to see the final Spewpa stuck further out on the branch.
"Hang in there!" Ash says
Ash climbs back up the tree, intent on rescuing the last remaining Spewpa. He reaches the height of the branch, clambers out on it, and offers his right-hand to Spewpa.
"Over here!" Ash says
"Spew!" Spewpa says frightened
"It's okay! Just be strong! You can do it!" Ash says
Ash moves inches further along the tree branch to get closer. His weight causes the branch to creak and break off a bit, though not completely. The sudden shift in movement shook Ash and Spewpa a bit, but they manage to hold on. Ash looks down and saw that it was a long fall over the cliff. They were running out of time.
"Ash! The branch is breaking!" Draxon warns
Looking back up, Ash calls out to Spewpa one last time.
"Come with me, please. I'll get you back to your friends!" Ash says
Spewpa musters up it's courage and jumps over to Ash, who catches the small Pokémon in his arms.
"All right!" Ash says
Although Ash had managed to catch Spewpa, their luck ran out as the branch finally snaps, causing them both to fall down the cliff.
"Ash!" Draxon exclaims
Ash and Spewpa fall several feet through the air, hurdling towards the ground fast. They both closed their eyes as they braced themselves for impact. Suddenly, a long tongue wraps around Ash and Spewpa and catches them in mid-air halfway down the cliff and pulls them back up. Draxon looks over to his left while Ash glances up. It was Greninja, who had caught Ash and Spewpa with it's tongue.
"Ninja!" Greninja says happily
"Greninja!" Ash exclaims
Suddenly, the wind blows even more stronger and Spewpa was blown off from Ash's hands. The small insect Pokémon falls through the air while Draxon, Ash, Greninja, and the other Spewpa watch in horror. Ash and Greninja glance toward each other and they nod their heads. Both Trainer and Pokémon synchronize, feeling the need to save Spewpa.
"Spewpa's in trouble. But together, we can fix that!" Ash says
Greninja transforms itself into Ash-Greninja in a veil of water and it jumps off the cliff, diving down towards Spewpa.
"Let's do it!" Ash shouts
Greninja's water aura disappears and it grows a pair of blue water wings on it's back, which transforms into a giant blue shuriken. Further down into it's dive, Greninja catches up with Spewpa and grabs hold of the small Pokémon. Continuing to fall, Greninja saw an incoming branch along the cliffside. Ash saw it as well since he was synchronized to Greninja.
"Dodge that branch! Go right!" Ash commands
Following Ash's commands, Greninja grabs the branch with it's tongue and swings over to the right, safely evading it. More branches come into view as Greninja continues it's descent.
"Another one! Dodge it!" Ash commands
Greninja flips over one branch, then jumps left and right along the cliffside, dodging more branches.
"All right, slow down!" Ash commands
Greninja decreases it's speed as it comes closer to the ground. The frog ninja grabs a tree branch with it's tongue, flips around, and lands safely on the ground. Spewpa was successfully saved. Overcome with joy, Ash and Greninja both thrust their right-hands into the air.
"We did it!" Ash cheers
"Greninja!" Greninja cheers
(Moments later)
Greninja returns back to Draxon and Ash gives Spewpa back to it's Trainer. Ash turns and sets Spewpa down with the rest of it's friends. Greninja reverts back to it's original form.
"Don't worry, Spewpa. You're safe now." Ash says
"Spewpa!" The Spewpa say excited
Ash turns and looks at Greninja.
"Greninja. Thanks so much. Sorry I worried you." Ash says
"Ninja." Greninja says nodding it's head
"Nice work, you two. Seems like you've finally mastered that special form." Draxon says
Ash and Greninja high-fived each other and smiled.
With the Pokémon now safe, Draxon, Ash, and Greninja return to the cave and settle inside. Ash looks at all the wild Pokémon that were in the cave with them, seeing that they were now happy to be out of the storm. This was just like the time when he was a kid.
"You know what? This happened once before." Ash says
"Ja?" Greninja says in a questioning tone
"You've experienced something like this before?" Draxon asks
"When I was just a kid, I always wanted to meet new Pokémon, so one time I went into the forest alone and got lost." Ash says
(Flashback)
Young Ash was walking through a wooded area, wanting to meet some Pokémon. But due to his premature age and the unfamiliarity with the area, he got lost. Ash managed to find a hollow tree and took shelter inside from the rain. He then offered Caterpie, Weedle, Oddish, Rattata, and Butterfree to join him. Each of them were happy together.
"I brought some Pokémon in out of the rain with me, just like what we're doing now. I was so happy, I thought about how much I wanted to become a Trainer, so I could travel around with my Pokémon." Ash says
(Present time)
Ash looks to Greninja on his left.
"I'm sorry, Greninja. I know that I promised we'd become stronger together. I realized it when I was alone. After I told Sawyer I'd win my eighth badge, I wanted it so bad, I had to beat Wulfric, no matter what! I got impatient. I thought I'd have to do it all 'cause I'm the Trainer. That's not Teamwork. Teamwork is when a team becomes stronger together. My friends are right here next to me. Friends I really care about." Ash says
Ash and Draxon glance down at the six Spewpa that were at their feet.
"Spewpa. I was totally determined to help you, too, no matter what. But I was able to do it because Draxon and Greninja were with me." Ash says
Ash gets up, sits down on a rock infront of Greninja, and stares at it with a determined expression.
"Greninja. Lend me your strength. Let's start from zero again. As a team." Ash says
"Ninja." Greninja says nodding it's head in agreement
With newfound trust, Ash and Greninja both shake hands. Draxon smiled at this. He was glad that the two of them were able to come back to their senses. Especially Ash. Draxon looks outside and notices that it was now clear with the full moon appearing in the night sky.
"Looks like the storm's finally passed. We should be in the clear now." Draxon says
"You all hear that? We're all okay now." Ash says
Draxon, Ash, Greninja, and the wild Pokémon all head outside, happy to see that the storm was over. Suddenly, the six Spewpa glow brightly with blue light. Right away, Ash and Draxon knew what was happening.
"Wow." Ash says amazed
"The Spewpa... They're evolving!" Draxon says amazed
The light soon diminishes and the Spewpa had now evolved into six beautiful Vivillion. Each of the Vivillion sing happily with their voices and they fly off into the moon-lit sky while Draxon, Ash, and Greninja watch them go.
(Elsewhere)
Roxas, Xion, Mew, Pikachu, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie come out of their cave, relieved to see the clear weather.
"The snow stopped." Clemont says
"I hope Ash and Draxon are alright." Serena says
Suddenly, the group saw three figures approaching them.
"Pika?" Pikachu says
"Mew?" Mew says
"What is that?" Bonnie asks
Soon, the figures came closer into view, revealing themselves to be Draxon, Ash, and Greninja. Squishy, who was in Bonnie's pouch was pleased that they were safe.
"Hey, guys!" Ash greets
"We're okay!" Draxon greets
"Pika pi!" Pikachu says excited
"Mew!" Mew says excited
Pikachu and Mew rush over to their human partners, relieved to see that they were alright. Pikachu jumps up into Ash's arms while Mew nuzzles itself against Draxon's face on his right-cheek.
"Pikachu! I'm sorry I made you worry." Ash says
"Hey! We've been looking for you two." Bonnie says placing her hands on her waist
"We're glad you're okay." Clemont says
"I'm sorry, everyone!" Ash says
"Uh, Ash..." Serena says
"Thanks, Serena. What you and Draxon said made me snap out of it." Ash says
"I'm glad. Welcome back." Serena says
Suddenly, Greninja senses an incoming attack. Turning around and glancing up, it appeared to be a barrage of Bullet Seeds. Greninja summons it's two white kunai blades and counters with Cut. The group was startled by the surprise attack. Looking over at a nearby rock ledge, they saw Team Rocket standing high up above them.
"Salutations!" James greets
"Team Rocket?!" Ash exclaims
"We've been waiting patiently for you to come back." Jessie says
"Pikachu, I'll bet you're ecstatic!" James says
"And primed for picking!" Meowth says
Pikachu moves infront of the group and stands on all fours, getting into battle stance.
"Pika pika!" Pikachu says in an angry tone
"Ooh! We are feeling better, aren't we?" James says
"That's the spirit we adore! Gourgeist, use Dark Pulse!" Jessie says
"Inkay, you use Psybeam!" James commands
"In-kay!"
"Gour-geist!"
Inkay shoots a colorful beam of psychic energy while Gourgeist shoots wave-like beam of dark energy.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt, let's go!" Ash commands
"Pi-ka-chu!"
Pikachu launches it's Thunderbolt, which negates both Psybeam and Dark Pulse and zaps Team Rocket, who was really feeling the increased power of the electric attack, screaming in excitement. Each of them had twinkles in their eyes.
"There it is! Just like old times!" Meowth says
"The power that refreshes!" Jessie says
"And it's worth the wait!" James says
The attack soon blasts Team Rocket into the air, sending them flying.
"Refreshing! A zap for the history books!" Jessie says
"Which means, time to get our eyes back on the Pikachu prize." Meowth says
"Worthy and wise!" James says
"So it's back to Plan A!" Jessie says
"Wobbafett!" Wobbafett says in agreement
"We're blasting off again, but having a nice day!" The Team Rocket Trio scream in unison
"Wobbafett!"
"Gourgeist!"
"Inkay!"
And with that, Team Rocket disappears into the distance with their twinkle in the sky.
"Man, what a weird bunch." Draxon says crossing his arms
"Heh. I'll say." Roxas says
Just when they thought they were safe, a black flaming orb of darkness comes flying at the group. Mew quickly flies up and uses Protect, generating a light blue barrier which shields it and the others from the dark orb.
"Now what?" Ash says
A scalloped, blue-bladed sword appears floating above the heroes. Then, a few seconds later, a large, muscular, humanoid figure fades into view, revealing itself. It was an Invisible Heartless.
"It's a Heartless!" Serena exclaims
The Invisible flies at the group with incredible speed and crosses it's sword across it's body, preparing to strike. Draxon quickly moved up front, summoned Soul Calibur into his right-hand, and leaps up toward the Heartless as it flew towards them. Within moments, both Draxon and the Invisible swings their swords with a right slash, clashing with powerful force. Draxon was able to hold off against the Invisible for a while, blocking one or two strikes, but with his weakened state, he was knocked down to the ground by the strong Heartless as it struck him with a downward slash. Draxon slams onto ground, falling on his back. The impact from the fall was so strong that it kicked up a ton of snow. The group looks on in shock, fearing that Draxon was hurt really bad. Xion was the most shocked compared to the others.
"Draxon!" Xion exclaims
Draxon was down on one knee, but he rose back up and got into battle stance. Roxas and Xion shared determined glances with each other. Summoning their Keyblades, they rushed over to Draxon and joined him as the three Keyblade Wielders prepared to face the Invisible Heartless together.
Making his move, Draxon rushes at the Heartless and strikes with his Keyblade. He manages to land a couple of blows to the Invisible's body, swinging his Keyblade with a left-downward slash, a right slash, a left-upward slash, a downward slash, and a right spinning slash, which hits four times. The Invisible swings it's left-arm to swat Draxon away. Draxon holds Soul Calibur up in defense, but was knocked back several feet away. The Invisible holds out it's free hand and conjures up a ring of dark blue flames. Then, it hurls it straight at Draxon, who jumps and rolls over to the left, dodging the attack.
Roxas throws his Kingdom Key at the Invisible, striking it's head. This made the Heartless turn towards him. The Invisible conjures up a dark energy sphere in it's hand and hurls it at Roxas. The young teen quickly jumps away to the right, dodging the attack, and raises his Keyblade into the air, summoning lightning bolts to strike down on the Heartless. The magic attack deals some damage, but it wasn't as powerful since Roxas was also feeling weak. The Invisible flies at Roxas and swings it's sword at him. Roxas holds up his Keyblade in defense, blocking the first strike, then ducks down to avoid the second strike as the sword sweeps over his head. Roxas swings is Keyblade with an uppercut slash, striking underneath the Invisible's chin. Catching Roxas off guard, the Invisible grabs him and throws him at Draxon, who was still trying to recover. Roxas smashes into Draxon and the two boys collapse hard to the ground.
Ash and his friends looked in shock. How could Draxon and Roxas be feeling so weak all of a sudden?
"Oh no!" Bonnie exclaims
"What's wrong with them?" Serena asks confused
"Come on, Draxon, Roxas! You gotta get up!" Ash exclaims
"Pika pika!" Pikachu says in encouragement
Xion looks over Draxon and Roxas as they laid flat on their stomach. They were still conscious, but very weak. It was all up to her to fight the Heartless. Gripping the Kingdom Key in her right-hand, Xion faces the Invisible Heartless and makes her stand.
The Invisible conjures up a ring of dark blue flames and hurls them at Xion, who leaps over to the right, dodging the attack. In retaliation, Xion pulls her arm back and throws her Keyblade at the Heartless with a left toss. The Keyblade glows with a bright light and it lands a direct hit to the Invisible's head. Xion calls her Keyblade back into her hand and she rushes at the Heartless. The Invisible swings it's sword down at Xion, but she jumps to the left, dodging the blow. She leaps up and delivers some quick, strong blows to the Invisible's chest, swinging her Kingdom Key with a right slash, a left-upward slash, a downward slash, a right spinning slash, and a somersault slash. The Invisible swings it's left-arm at Xion, but she jumps back with a backflip.
The Kingdom Key starts to glow with a bright blue light as Xion rises up on her feet, preparing her next attack. Rushing at the Heartless, Xion leaps forward and slices through the dark creature with a left spinning slash, destroying it right on the spot, thus finishing the fight. Xion lands behind the Invisible as it falls onto it's knees and falls forward, vanishing in a cloud of black mist. The Pokemon Heroes were amazed as to how fast Xion defeated the Heartless. Xion was amazed herself, though she was mostly confused.
"How... How did I do that? Where did that power come from?" Xion asks
Xion looks upon her Keyblade for a moment, stunned by what she had accomplished.
"Wow. Xion defeated that Heartless so fast." Clemont says
"Yeah." Ash says
Then, everyone remembered Draxon and Roxas, who were still down on the ground.
"Hey! What about Draxon and Roxas?" Serena asks
The group looks over at the two boys as they were still trying to recover. Roxas was up on his feet, but he was bent over with his hands on his knees, apparently exhausted. Draxon was on one knee using Soul Calibur as support for holding him up.
"Draxon! Roxas!" Xion exclaims
"Mew!" Mew exclaims
Everyone rushes over to Draxon and Roxas, checking up on them. Mew flew around infront of the two boys, very worried about them.
"Mew. Mew." Mew says full of worry
"Hey, are you guys alright?" Xion asks worried
"Yeah. We're okay now. Using the Keyblade these days... I don't know what's wrong with me..." Draxon says
"I feel it too. We just run out of steam." Roxas says
"You... you do?" Xion asks
"Mew?" Mew says
Roxas straightens himself up while Draxon rises up on his feet, de-summoning their Keyblades.
"You know what, never mind. Maybe we're just overworked, heh." Draxon says
"You sure you two are okay?" Ash asks
Draxon and Roxas shared glances with each other, then looked back and smiled.
"'Course we are." Roxas says
"Sorry to have worried you all." Draxon says rubbing his left-arm
"C'mon! Let's all head back to the Pokémon Center and get some rest." Clemont says
And so, the group heads through the woods, making their way back to the Pokémon Center to relax from all the excitement they had all day.
(Moments later)
The heroes were now back at the Pokémon Center. Draxon, Roxas, Xion, and Mew stood out on the patio with Ash, Pikachu, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie as they prepared to leave.
"I guess you guys have to go now, huh?" Ash says
"Yeah. We've got other places to be. We managed to defeat one here, but knowing the Heartless, they'll be elsewhere, causing havoc. It's a shame we can't stick around to watch you earn your last Gym badge, Ash." Draxon says
"Well, it was nice of you to drop by." Ash says
Ash and his friends glance at Xion.
"And it was nice that we finally got to meet you, Xion." Ash says
"I was glad to meet you all, too." Xion says
"Hey, Ash. Good luck with your Gym battle. I know it didn't turn out well for you at first. But now that you've got your spirit back, I'm sure you'll earn your badge for sure." Draxon says
"Thanks, Draxon." Ash says smiling
"Maybe we'll see you in time for the Kalos League." Roxas says
"That's something I'm already looking forward to." Ash says
"Just don't forget about what you learned today alright?" Draxon says
Ash nods his head in understanding.
"Okay. We're off!" Draxon says
The three Keyblade Wielders and Mew walk down the patio steps and move a few feet out into the snow. Draxon stretches his right-hand out infront of him, opening up a dark corridor. Before heading in, they turn around and wave good-bye to the Pokémon Heroes while they wave back at them. And so, having completed their mission, Draxon and his friends enter the dark corridor and they leave the Kalos Region. Once they were gone, Ash and his friends head inside the Pokémon Center as they rest up for the night, preparing for their next visit to the Snowbelle Gym and Ash's rematch with Wulfric.
(Twilight Town)
Draxon, Roxas, Xion, and Mew sat up on the clock tower in Twilight Town, sitting along the ledge with Sea-salt ice cream in their hands and paws. Mew floated alongside Draxon and Roxas on their right while Xion sat next to them on the let. Xion stares out at the sunset quietly for a moment, then looks right at the two boys, still feeling worried for them after their battle against the Invisible Heartless.
"Are you two really okay?" Xion asks
"This is getting weird." Roxas says
"Huh?" Xion says confused
"Since when do you ever worry about us?" Roxas asks
"Yeah. That's something unheard of." Draxon says
"What do you mean 'weird'?" Xion asks
"Usually, we're the ones that do all the worrying about you, Xion." Draxon says
"Yeah. I don't even think it's been the other way around before." Roxas says
"Certainly does feel strange." Draxon says
"Roxas, Draxon, of course I worry about you two." Xion says
"We're just glad you're back, Xion. Even though it might've been rough on you. All your friends have been worried about you, you know. Stoick, Gobber, Lapis, Ember, Flame, Sparx. All of them." Draxon says
"Is Axel coming today?" Xion asks
"Ah... Who knows..." Roxas says
"You didn't fight, did you?" Xion asks
Roxas looks down with a slightly angry expression.
"How could he? How could that jerk attack you like that?" Roxas asks
Draxon glances at Roxas.
"I'm with you on that, Roxas." Draxon says
Draxon then looks down with a troubled expression.
"What Axel did the other day was completely uncalled for, even for him." Draxon says
"But... I wouldn't be sitting here with you two and Mew if Axel hadn't done that. He's your best friend." Xion says
"We know, but so are you." Draxon says looking at Xion
"It's just not the same without all five of us..." Xion says
Draxon looks down and sighs. The three Keyblade Wielders and Mew continue eating their ice cream and stare out at the orange sun on the horizon.
(The World That Never Was)
Axel was walking along the ramp inclines outside the Castle That Never Was when a voice calls out to him.
"Axel!" The voice calls out
The red-haired Nobody looks over his left-shoulder and he saw Xion standing behind him.
"You need something?" Axel asks
"No... I just... Well, um... Something's wrong with Roxas and Draxon. You don't know why, do you? They say the Keyblade wears them out when they use it. And then today, I was fighting the same way they were." Xion says
"You would know more about Roxas and Draxon than I do now." Axel says
"What do you mean?" Xion asks
Axel lets out a sight, then turns around and faces Xion.
"Well, what do you think, Xion? Ask yourself what's it doing to them? " Axel asks crossing his arms
"I'm not sure." Xion says looking down
"Not sure, huh? Is it because you're a puppet?" Axel asks
Xion gasps in shock and looks up at Axel in surprise.
"You do know that. You're a replica whose original purpose was to copy Roxas and Draxon's powers. So if you see their powers getting weaker, while your powers are getting stronger... It could be that you're robbing them of their powers more than you oughta be." Axel says
"What can I...? Then, what should I do?" Xion asks
"I can't make that decision for you. You gotta think for yourself. 'Cuz I know you're not just a puppet. We're best friends. You, me, Roxas, Draxon, and Mew. Got it memorized?" Axel says
"Sure. Can I ask you just one other thing?" Xion asks
"What's that?" Axel asks
"I saw two boys today that looked just like Roxas and Draxon. Are they what I think they are?" Xion says
Unknown to them, Xigbar was a little ways further down the ramp, chuckling quietly as he listened in on the conversation.
Author's Note: Draxon is back in the Kalos Region and this time he's with Roxas and Xion. The trio meet up with Ash and his friends shortly after his match with Wulfric in Snowbelle City. Ash feels down in the dumps after losing against Wulfric and it takes some encouragement to get his spirits up. Draxon and Roxas also feel down, but not only that their powers with the Keyblade are weakened! Later on, it's revealed by Axel that Xion is a replica created to drain Draxon and Roxas of their powers. The days are closing in... Let me know what you guys think. No flames please. Hope you guys like and don't forget to review!
