Author's Note: Welcome to the third installment of the Aura Guardian "series." If you've read Parts 12 (check my page if you haven't) I think you will find that I had some of the most fun writing the story and battles from this part of my fanfiction. The stakes only get higher as the story progresses. We will also see the addition of two *NEW* characters to Ash's Ultimate Alliance of Trainers. I wonder what they will bring to the table? But what I am most of all excited for? We will get to see Alexa and her Team excel throughout this Part of the story, as she begins her training as an Aura Guardian with Ash. It's gonna be a good time, as they prepare for the end times.

-Kid Arceus

Hope you guys enjoy:

The Aura Guardian Part 3

The Hardest Goodbye

Ash, May, Ash's Meowth and Manaphy all stood on the shore of the beach to the Vermillion Bay. Days before, Giovanni had initiated a brutal attack on the Indigo Plateau, following Ash's triumphant victory The Mask to win the All-Star Championship. The aftermath of the battle resulted in Giovanni using a powerful Mewtwo of his own to brainwash Ash's Mewtwo and Charizard to come with him. While Manaphy played in the sand with the talking Meowth, Ash stood with an arm wrapped around his fiancé, looking into the sunset.

"I'm ready Mama," Manaphy said, turning to look up at May.

"Ok Manaphy," she said lifting the Pokemon up. The two of them walked down to the ocean together, followed by Ash with Meowth on his shoulder.

The two lovers stood with a very special Pokemon, one that was like a child to them. With the oncoming war, all three knew that it had to return to the Temple of the Sea. Not only to protect the temple, but to also protect Manaphy from the imposing threat that was Giovanni.

"We're going to miss you Manaphy," Ash said, wrapping an arm around May's shoulder as she held the Sea Prince.

"Thank you for coming to see us," May said, with tears welling in her eyes. "Once everything blows over, we will see you again. And that's a promise."

Manaphy raised a flipper and wiped a tear from the coordinator's cheek. "I love you, Mama, Papa, Meowth."

"Take it easy out there squirt!" Meowth said, holding back tears of his own. With that the Pokemon of the sea jumped out of May's arms and into the ocean. Its shape could be seen speeding underneath the water and out into the bay. Its outline could be seen once more jumping out of the water in front of the orange setting sun. May, Ash and Meowth all waved goodbye to the Pokemon they had formed a familial bond with. They waved goodbye to the Pokemon that really brought them together as a family.

The entire group of Ash, May, Alexa, Delia, Harrison, Gary, Paul, Dawn, Lance, Ritchie and Blue sat around a campfire back at Mount Silver in silence. Delia sat in between both Ash and Blue, trying to ease the rising tension between the two. After the abduction of Charizard and Mewtwo, the team of trainers were all very low on morale. It was especially hard for May and Ash, who decided it would be best to take Manaphy to the ocean so it could return to the Temple of the Sea. Manaphy was like a child to them, but all three decided that with the approaching battle against Giovanni, it was the best way of keeping Manaphy out of danger.

"So you're telling me that Samuel Oak is your grandfather too!" Gary exclaimed, looking at the older man who bore a resemblance to him. "Does that mean that you and I are the same person?"

"You guys do look very similar," Ritchie said, looking back and forth between the two men. "Except he looks waaay older than you. No offense."

"None taken," Blue said.

"It's theorized that in an infinite number of universes, there are an infinite amount of possibilities that can occur within every timeline…" Harrison chimed in. "Maybe in this timeline, your name was Blue instead of Gary?"

"It's a little more complicated than that," Blue said. "While we may both be Oak's grandson, my experiences are far different than yours. We each live through different timelines, each experiencing our own course of events. However, I have been a stowaway here for over two decades at this point..."

Ritchie fell backwards in his seat, pressing against his temples with his hands. "This is all really starting to hurt my brain!"

"I know you guys have a lot of questions about me. I think it's about time I explain myself," said Blue, who's scarred face looked into the flickering flames before him. "What Team Rainbow Rocket was able to figure out about Dimensional Travel is all true. Your Dad and I came to your universe long ago when we were around the age of 16 years old. Instead of using the Ultra Wormholes, we were brought here by a Mew that we were both in a race to catch from our version of Kanto. In my universe, my grandfather, Professor Oak, tasked Red and I to fill up the Pokedex, because for us, the Pokemon world held many mysteries. We each recorded all of the information we needed, except the elusive 151st pokemon. It drove the two of us mad and we were always on a race trying to find it. We gathered up some of our strongest Pokemon, and when we finally caught up with it had dumped us off here and disappeared in a flash."

"Eventually, we grew accustomed to life in this universe, but I always hated it because it wasn't my real home. Your father, on the other hand, met your mom and settled down and they began starting their life together while I began travelling across this world so I could find Mew and return home. I made regular visits with your family. Hell, I was even your Dad's best man at his wedding. A few years after you were born, I caught word that a Mew had been sighted at the Tree of Beginning in Kanto and I begged for your Dad to come with me so I wouldn't be alone. In his time here, he had trained to become an Aura Guardian, so I hoped that with his skill, he could help me traverse the Tree to find Mew. He was hesitant about it, but even though he was sure he was going to stay here, the kind man your father was decided to help me out so I could at least return home. It was a selfish and careless thing to do." Blue paused in order to collect himself.

"When we got to the tree, he was the one who battled and caught the Mew. Immediately, we realized that was a big mistake. The tree was sick and began dying because of it. We were both unaware of the symbiotic relationship between the two, and because of it, we threatened the safety of the people and Pokemon. You're father, the Aura Guardian who was ready to help me get back to my home, used his Aura and Mew's power to revive the tree, sacrificing himself in the process. Before he was absorbed into the Tree, he gave me a whole bunch of his Pokemon in order to save them before they met a similar fate. But I couldn't save his Charizard and Mew in time. Before he was taken from us, he told me to make sure that I would protect his son for him. Because of me, his wife and child would have to live without Red. Out of shame, and fear of what you guys would think of me, I wore a Mask to hide my true identity... and always kept my distance."

Ash wasn't sure what to think of what Blue had just told him. "I have to go to the Tree of Beginning. It's only a couple miles north of here! I need to find my father!"

"Woah woah woah!" Various members of the group exclaimed, standing up in order to prevent Ash from doing anything drastic.

"I already got through the Tree once before, I can do it again."

"Ash," Delia said. "You can't. I refuse to let what happened to your father happen to you. I already lost the love of my life to that Tree and I am not ready to lose my son!"

"This bastard is the reason why dad is gone!" Ash yelled at his mother in a fit of rage, pointing at the scarred face of Blue. "I'm going out there to find Mew! If it's Symbiotic with the tree, it can set Dad free!"

"Let me finish Ash," Blue said, extending his arm out. "The reason why I entered this tournament is because I know how we can get him back… but it's not going to be easy."

"Well if you know, then we're leaving right now!" Ash said aggressively. "I'm taking you, and we're freeing my dad!" Darkrai then appeared out of the shadows and restrained his trainer.

"Ash!" May said to her love. "I know you're hurting but you're not thinking with your head! The last time you were there, you almost died! Lucario gave its life to save you! You need to understand that Giovanni has both Mewtwo and Charizard under his control and we have to rescue them first!"

Ash calmed down when he remembered his teammates. He had no clue what kind of torturous experiences they were undergoing while under the possesion of Giovanni. "...You're right. Blue, I'm sorry for snapping at you. We will get my father out of the Tree. But for now, I need to get my friends back."

"That isn't the last of it unfortunately…" Blue said. "Giovanni is here in this Dimension for one reason. He is here to capture Arceus. There may be infinite Universes, but there's only one God of Pokemon. The jewels that are in your crown were excavated from the Sinjoh Ruins. To the general public they just look like fancy jewels, which is why they were made into a crown. The Jewels themselves however, have the potential to open up a portal to the Hall of Origins, a realm outside of space and time where Arceus resides. Once there, a Champion of Arceus will be crowned and will have the powers of a deity at his fingertips. I don't know when he's going there, but he's going to the Tree of Beginning. That's where the portal to the Hall of Origins is."

"The Hall of Origins," Paul said, with wide eyes. "And here I thought that was just an old Creation Legend."

"So you're familiar," the older man.

"I am. There's an old Sinnoh legend that talks about the planets aligning on the same day as an eclipse, the doors to The Hall of Origins shall appear in the Mortal Realm."

"I've heard that legend too," Dawn said. "No ones ever been able to find the doors, let alone know how to actually open them, so that's why it's still a legend."

Ash who had remained silent throughout the whole conversation, looked Blue directly in the eyes when he was ready to change the subject. "What do you know about Giovanni?"

"Red and I have dealt with him a couple of times in the past when we were kids," 'The Mask' said. "But he wasn't nearly as powerful. Once he learned how to use Interdimensional Travel, everything fell into the palm of his hand. If you can stand up to one of the most powerful men in the universe with an iron will, you just might come out the other end victorious. Then we can get your dad back."

"I entered this tournament to win the crown and take it to the Tree, then I was going to use it to see Arceus so I could plead with it to save your dad. But now that Giovanni has the crown he will use his powers to completely absorb this universe's energy. He will become the strongest being in the multiverse. Right now we have to focus on saving all of humanity!" Before anything else could be said, Ash rose up out of his seat and moved away from the group.