Hey everyone! Welcome back to the Chosen One's Wrath. This is chapter 29 of the story! I know! There are legitimately twenty-nine chapters for this story! Wanna know something else even crazier? Consider this; as of last chapter, this story broke 250,000 words! I'm speechless that this story has made it this far, and I can't wait to keep reeling it in as we come closer and closer to the core of the story.
If you're new to the story and enjoy my work, please consider following and favoriting the story as well as myself so you never miss an upload of mine!
Last chapter was a filler, as most of you already know. Obviously, there wasn't a ton of juicy content other than maybe an explanation of Lance's mistreatment of Zandra and the upcoming events that circle around Xavier and Abel. What happens from here? When's the next battle? When will May wake up? How will the traitors be dealt with? What's the purpose of the Yzerlock and how will it be utilized? These are the questions that shall be answered!
That's all my guys and girls. Hope you enjoy the chapter!
LegionZ Presents… The Chosen One's Wrath… Chapter 29
Last Chapter…
She really did look peaceful, even if it was for all the wrong reasons. He gently placed a hand on her cheek and stroked just below her eye with his thumb. Ash looked at her for another moment before slowly getting down to his knees and softly spoke.
"May… I… I'm so sorry. I didn't want this to happen. I never wanted to leave your side. I never wanted to be betrayed and… I'm sorry to think that for six years you were in league with those who wanted me dead. For that, I'm ashamed. May… hun, I need you back. I know it's been two weeks, but it's been two weeks too long. I miss you, I miss you… so much." A tear formed in Ash's left eye.
"Come back soon May… I've unknowingly waited six years for a chance at us. I'll be damned if I'm going to wait six more." He paused before speaking one more line. "Get well soon baby." Ash placed a kiss on her forehead and left the room, a little better for wear.
XXXXXXXX
"Precisely. We must move with caution if our plan is to work." Ash preached.
Zandra huffed. "Why exactly can't we just march in there, beat the crap out of them again like we did first time and get him out of there?"
Jesse sighed. "This base… it is far different to what you faced last time. It's going to be a steeper hill to climb, I'm afraid."
July blinked at this sentence disbelievingly. "You're telling me that the base we're about to try and breach is more complex than a base with an automatic moving rock wall and is carved out inside a hollowed mountain with hundreds of grunts?"
"That's exactly what I'm telling you."
Axel raised an eyebrow hesitantly. "I'm for getting Xavier out of the hands of those freaks as much as the next guy, but does this sound like a suicide mission to anyone else? What's to say one of us won't get captured by them in place of Xavier even if this works?"
Zandra looked miffed for a moment before she sighed and spoke. "As much as I hate to say it, Axel has a point. We'll need to iron out a plan if we're going to go in there."
Ash had a thoughtful look on his face, one that was noticeable enough that James had to make a comment on it. "Something interesting you'd like to share?"
Ash nodded slowly. "I've got a plan."
"Already?" Meowth crossed his tiny arms in skepticism.
"Yeah. I do."
XXXXXX Present
Darkness. Cold. Pain. That was all Xavier had known the past four weeks. Or was it five? Three? He couldn't remember; time became meshed together when you were kidnapped and tossed in a random room for, well, you know. He couldn't recall anything about his time in captivity other than it was the same two grunts who seemed to be feeding him a piece of bread every day and giving him a small pan of water to drink from.
Xavier prided himself on being a strong battler, but he knew that even if he managed to break free, he wouldn't last very long. He knew nothing of the layout of this place. He didn't have his Pokémon. He prayed to Arceus that they were alright. Days passed and he felt like he was forgotten by the rest of the outside world. His mind began to wander to Ash, July, Axel and Zandra. Were they worried sick? Were they even trying to find him?
Come to think of it, aside from the obvious that he was an elite four member, why had he been targeted for this kidnapping? Xavier hadn't been openly outspoken against Flare. He had been minding his own business with Malva for ages. Hell, he'd been somewhat estranged from his own elites with the time he'd been spending with his girlfriend. Ash was undoubtedly torn about rescuing Xavier now; he'd been temporarily removed from the league and now Xavier was kidnapped by the very group his girlfriend had once been a part of.
The more and more he thought about it, the less and less sense it made. Malva had to be worried sick, but as she wasn't a part of the group anymore, she was in an entirely different boat than his fellow elites. They may be looking at the situation from an entirely different angles. Did his fellow elites know that Xavier was technically suspended from the league?
Regardless, it seemed like a moot point to be angry over. Instead, he found his thoughts occupied by his leader, who could've had him dismissed at any point for what Xavier had done. Yet he hadn't. Xavier needed to get out, if for no other reason, to apologize. While he cared for Malva deeply and didn't want to let her go, nobody meant more to him than his brothers and sisters in the league.
He was interrupted from his thought line by a loud crashing of the door. His dirt-coated brown hair covered the majority of his face, but he could make out two figures standing in the blinding light. Both had their arms crossed and looked a good bit angry as far as he could tell.
"Food time already fellas?" Xavier jested weakly.
The two said nothing for a moment. "Oh come on, it wasn't even a real joke." Xavier groaned, thinking a quick kick or sock in the face would do the trick. This time, he did get a response. "Unbind him."
Xavier had the decency to look confused. "Pardon?"
Before he knew it, he felt a knee collide with him in the stomach. He wheezed and collapsed, the chain that was wrapped thoroughly around his leg preventing him from going far. As the brown-haired man turned to see why he was being assaulted without any warning, he got a glimpse of a boot hitting him squarely in the jaw before all began to go dark. Xavier began to drift in and out of consciousness for some time before he finally came to.
He was standing now in what appeared to be an office. Well, office was more or less a room overlooking a waterfront that seemed to combined with a mouth of a cave of sorts. And 'standing' was more or less two grunts holding him up under his shoulders. Ironically, the last thing he truly took in was the man sitting across from him. His face was hooded and therefore, his identity was concealed.
Xavier looked around the room, wondering why all was silent. Was he expected to say the next words? How long had he even been out of it?
"Not that I'm disliking the change of scenery here, but what gives?" the elite grunted.
One of the grunts snarled. "Shut it."
The cloaked figure spoke almost in pure monotone. Their voice was covered by a modulator of sorts. Xavier couldn't tell if the figure speaking to him was male or female. "Greetings Mr. Blackmon. I apologize for not introducing myself upon your arrival, or even now. I will keep you in the dark of my identity. All you must know is that I have been your warden these past few weeks, and I would like to express my gratitude before I send you on your way."
"Say what?" The elite didn't think he heard right. "You're letting me go?"
The figure chuckled. "Oh no, you're still our captive. However, you are going to be transferred to one of our sister locations in just a few moments. We will not be releasing you now, or ever. Having you as our bargaining chip will serve as extreme leverage for our goals. But no matter; the league shall be removed in not too long."
At this, Xavier couldn't help himself. He burst out laughing for the first time since he'd been captured. "What do you think you can do? It doesn't matter how many of your 'troops' you bring! We'll blow them all out of the water. Or was that message we sent you all four years ago not enough of one for you?"
The grunts were about to unleash their fury on their captive, but the figure held their hand up and the grunts didn't move any further. "You see Mr. Blackmon, we've underestimated you and your group before. That will not happen again. I am keen on making sure this is the last time your friends bother us."
Xavier snorted. "It's not just the elite four and champion you'll be facing off against; it's all of Alola. Don't you know you shouldn't have tried to conquer other regions when you couldn't even conquer the region you were formed in?"
The figure frowned. "That pest of a child and his allies were far stronger than any of anticipated. Now, things shall be different. Today shall prove it."
The figure stood, their gray cloak still covering their body entirely. Upon closer inspection, the figure also appeared to be wearing a mask of what looked like a silver robot. Their identity still was no closer to being uncovered. "Tell me Mr. Blackmon, just out of curiosity, who do you consider to be your allies here in Alola? Humor me."
Xavier chuckled. "If you'd done your research, you wouldn't be asking me."
"Who says I haven't?" The figure turned around to face the waterfront and continued speaking conversationally. "One of the more widely-kept secrets of the league is your association with the location known as Aether Paradise, no? Well, I have a surprise for you."
The figure turned back to Xavier. "You see Mr. Blackmon, your friends in the league were willing to slaughter hundreds of soldiers to get you back. They've exhausted themselves as of late, testing every known theory and contacting every single person they could to find your location. They succeeded… just as I expected them to." A look of bewilderment came from Xavier, and a response came shortly after. "In case you didn't realize what side you're fighting for, that's not a good thing."
"Oh no, it is. Before, it was they who sprung an all-out attack to find you in HeaHea City. Some of my finest men and women were lost in the battle. One of my Admins, Alex, was also killed in their carnage. Therefore, the only thing I can do to retaliate, is wipe them completely off the face of this world. And you, Mr. Blackmon, will be forced to sit in a cell the rest of your days, knowing it is your fault that they are dead."
Xavier looked a bit pale but didn't stop asking questions. "How do you even know they're attacking? Or are you just scared of superstitions from your own troops?"
An angry response came. "I know your pitiful friends are attacking thanks to them confiding in Aether Paradise. My lead source there has done tremendously, and now thanks to them, I shall wipe the Alola Elites and their precious champion in one move. As they attack this base, they will be caught in a trap, while you are transported safely away just before their arrival. There will be no convoy, as it may tip them off that you were moved elsewhere. Instead, you shall be moved by a single truck to one of our other bases, where you will be moved to a different region entirely directly afterwards."
The figure walked around the desk and stood in front of Xavier, who swore he could see a smirk on the face of the person who donned a mask. "You are never going to see the light of day again, Mr. Blackmon."
Xavier growled and gritted his teeth furiously against one another, knowing there was nothing he could do to break free. "Take him away. Bring him to Dock G-S3 and bring a squadron of grunts with you." The two grunts holding Xavier up nodded and dragged the injured elite out. "You there." The grunt guarding the doorway saluted. "I await your command, leader."
The figure nodded and reached into the desk in front of them. "Here." It was a belt containing five shrunken pokeballs. "This contains Mr. Blackmon's Pokémon. This button…" He gestured to the grunt. "Prevents the Pokémon from coming out on their accord. I want you to put it in a safe spot on the truck. If our ambush fails to defeat the forces the league brings, I cannot allow these Pokémon to fall into their hands. Am I understood!"
"Absolutely supreme leader, I will not fail! Is there anything else you require?"
"No, there isn't. The attack is coming within a half-hour span. Get him out of here. Take him to our base in Zuahvale City, use the docks across the island under the cover of night. Our safe houses should suffice until the boat can leave the docks without any suspicion. If anyone questions your authority soldier, say that they are questioning my own. Is that understood trooper?"
"I understand the mission! I shall not let you down." With one more salute, the soldier walked out. Silence came from the leader for a moment or two before they turned back to the waterfront. Slowly, the figure removed the mask. A smile graced their features as they sat down on their chair.
"Soon."
Meanwhile, just a mile outside the headquarters of Xeles Town on MeléMelé Island, a group of people were openly discussing their plan in a grassy field. Their Pokémon were all running about… the calm before the storm.
Ash was donning his black cloak, and his elites were sporting something they'd never once worn; body armor. Their plan was slowly coming into fruition. The group was speaking of the final plans of their operation. Ash had decided a secret move was in order.
"You did what?" July gaped in shock.
"Are you sure that was smart?" Axel was stunned.
Ash shook his head. "No, I'm not entirely sure it was the right move. I may come to regret it."
"Which part of the decision are you talking about?" James spoke uncertainly.
Ash grimaced. "Both."
XXXXXXX
The grunts inside Xeles Town HQ knew the plan. Ghost was likely going to come right in through the front door. If he didn't, all other entrances were primed and ready. The power couldn't be cut this time due to backup generators controlled in various parts of the base. The target they were protecting was gone. There was nothing standing in their way now, and they could attack freely.
The supreme leader had their mask on once again. They spoke aloud, knowing their mask had a radio-built in. "Remember sergeants, show enemies no mercy. Eliminate all who stand in our path for eternal glory." The responses came in swiftly.
"Copy command."
"Affirmative."
"Copy that."
Much like the HeaHea City HQ, the supreme leaders room had a large window that overlooked all of the base. It was essentially the lookout location. The leader knew that nobody could make it up to his room without a flying Pokémon or making it past their elite security. After a few more minutes of waiting apprehensively, a report came in from one of their scouts.
"Supreme Leader, I wanted to inform you that I saw a strange floating object in the sky, it looked like a… like a balloon of some sort, it was heading this way… wait, there's something coming… there's so many of them! What on good—oh my…. AUGGGHHHH!"
There was no time to waste. It sounded like the elite's Pokémon were indeed here and therefore, it was time eliminate the threat of the league once and for all. "All soldiers, battle positions! Pokémon out!" Across the base, rays of light could be seen by the hundreds. It was time for combat, and Flare knew they couldn't afford to lose again. This was their time to make their mark in Alola, and taking out the legendary Ghost and the remainder of his crew was how they would accomplish it.
For a moment, the base was silent other than the growls of Pokémon and the mutterings of the Flare grunts alike. Then, all of the sudden, the overcom placed around the base began to static. The Supreme Leader roared. "Report Tech! Get that interference out of here ASAP!"
Instead, another voice was heard. "Heh heh, sorry, not gonna happen."
The soldiers and Pokémon began to look around wildly as the voice carried throughout the entire base. The tension, if at all possible, got worse. "Who's there!"
"Oh please, like you don't know." The voice laughed menacingly.
The Supreme Leader wasn't having any games. "You'll pay for this. You're going to die here today Ghost, you and your league are going to regret messing with us. Surrender yourself now, and you may be spared."
"Counter-Offer; You surrender yourselves up to the forces of Alola. This offer is for every person inside this base; surrender now, and your life will be spared. If you do not accept this offer, you will all die a grizzly death. I'm sure you know the fates of your once-living allies of HeaHea City." The grunts began to look to one another, nerves clearly rising.
"I remember their screams… how they begged me to spare their worthless lives. I also remember how many I slaughtered that day; three hundred. Wait, no… four hundred. Or was it five… heh, guess I killed too many to really get that number spot on."
The tension in the base had only rose, and the Supreme Leader was doing nothing but waiting for his opponent to make his entrance. But, Ghost was playing right into Flare's hand. "Ghost, we know all too much about your exploits. You believe you're so invisible that you can walk on water. I speak for all my men and women in this base when I say no surrender!" The Supreme Leader roared, knowing very well that Ghost was coming through the front door. The leader's troops began to roar in unison.
"No Surrender! No Surrender! No Surrender! No Surrender! No Surrender!" Cheering and whooping came from the grunts, who all knew their battle stations and knew Ghost was walking into a trap. However, what came as an eerily familiar moment, the champion uttered a single sentence.
"So you have chosen… Death."
The Supreme Leader didn't have any time to react. In a mere instant, an explosion blew the top of their bases to smithereens. The cheers of the grunts turned into cries and wails of agony as their bodies were crushed with debris. Pokémon suffered a similar fate, though their battle conditioning helped their survival rate ten-fold. A shout from the grunts was clear. "Here he comes!"
But it didn't appear to be Ghost that came in first. In a flash, five large flying Pokémon soared into the base and began to wreak havoc. It didn't take long for Grunts to begin to panic.
"What's that!?" A female grunt cried out in horror.
"A Metang! And a Dragonair!" Another yelled.
"Wait! Ghost doesn't have those Pokémon! Neither do any of the elites! What gives?"
"Who cares? Take them AUGHH!" Their sergeant spoke before he was vaporized by a Charizard's flamethrower attack. Before long, all five flying Pokémon had become obvious to the remaining grunts in the main room; Metang, Dragonair, Altaria, Flygon and Charizard. The grunts Pokémon all across the base focused their attacks on the flying Pokémon; aimed at wiping out the intruders.
The Supreme Leader was gawking at the attackers in bewilderment. The riders weren't easily seen, but it didn't matter. "The… The Ultra Guardians? What are they doing here? How can they be here?" Something was horribly wrong; the contact in Aether Paradise should've warned them that the guardians were coming in as reinforcements. Instead, the trap that had so meticulously been planned was collapsing before their eyes.
And the league hadn't even attacked yet. 'Wait, where could Ghost be? Where is the rest of the league?'
It wasn't long before the flying Pokémon began to hover in the heart of the base, their armor absorbing a great deal of the attacks coming their way. The grunts from all across the base were dedicating their firepower to crushing the Guardians, who looked utterly unfazed by the waves of opponents swarming to face them. The leaders' troops were matching them as best as they possibly could, with gobs and gobs of troops getting engulfed by the battle by the minute. To the naked eye though, it looked like the grunts were coming out on top.
Whoops came from the troops at the front gate and they began to high five one another. It didn't take long for the ominous feel to wash over the supreme leader. Something wasn't right. Why wasn't the league attacking? It took one more look to the front gate to realize what Ghost was planning…
… and why it had worked. "NO!" The supreme leader roared. "You fools! Watch the main entrance!"
Too late.
BOOOOOOM!
The main gate was obliterated, a titanic explosion levelling the terrain by a handful of pokemon. The grunts who weren't paying attention were either killed or permanently maimed by the detonation, completely blanketed by the burst. Their Pokémon suffered similar fates. The smoke from the explosion made vision limited, and it certainly cost the grunts who dared to first investigate. In a rush, a flurry of attacks came from the smoke.
The first three grunts screamed in agony as a thunderbolt ripped from the billow and struck them and their Pokémon. "Pika-Pi! Kaaaa!" Ghost's faithful partner was the first through the gates, and mere moments later two more grunts and their Pokémon were struck down by it's Iron Tail attack. Another flash of lightning came from the darkness to reveal Ghost's Manectric, who crashed through the Grunts like they were a set of bowling pins. This was thanks to it's Wild Charge attack.
A handful of grunts were wise enough to attempt to clear the smoke from the area, but failed when a wave of flames burnt them to crisps. Their Pokémon attempted to react in time but had no chance as their opponent appeared from the sky and punched the ground with a fist of fire. The five closest Pokémon to Ghost's Infernape were nearly vaporized by the force of the move, while all others in a nearby vicinity were knocked out instantly.
Bodies, both human and Pokémon alike, fell from the sky at a rapid pace. Meanwhile, as the two electric types wiped out their opponents from the ground, high in the sky was a duo that was more than just a little unlikely to have been predicted.
Ghost was planning to use her in the next battle as a token for his opponent of sorts, but his faithful Garchomp flew across the skies with a passenger; Lyncanroc. He'd gotten Garchomp as a Gible. He saw it as a tribute to his Gible that he lost when he was betrayed, and took it in to raise it as his own. He'd been planning to reveal her against Cynthia, but decided that a pre-match warmup may have been to best course of action.
As Garchomp would fly for a few moments then land swiftly to then retake flight, Lyncanroc would use it's Rock Tomb attack from the sky to crush it's opponents in bunches. Sure enough, the grunts, despite their vast numbers, had no answer for the three 'man' force on the ground combined with a destructive air raid.
The Supreme Leader had no words as their forces were cut down like blades of grass. As they turned their attention back to the main entrance of the base, they felt a chill run down their spine as a figure began to come into view from the-now thinning smoke.
The color of the attire was clear first; black. Next came the style of attire; a cape and large black hat. Finally, the Pokémon guarding the man; a purple cat. The remaining forces of Flare that spotted the figure and his Pokémon sprinted at them, Pokémon snarling as well.
"Espeon, use Psychic." In an instant, bodies were thrown wildly from their path. The grunts and their Pokémon could do nothing as the purple cat mopped the floor with them and their futile attempt to stop them from their objective. The leader said nothing as they watched their forces fall so easily at the might of the champion. They said nothing as they watched the figure walk closer and closer to their location, until the figure was beneath them and looking up. Nothing was spoken as the two stared at one another, knowing very well that the other was the leader of their clear-cut opponent.
Ghost spoke one word.
"Surrender."
The supreme leader also spoke one singular word.
"Never."
Ghost almost seemed to approve of this message. "I thought not." His small smile turned into an almost evil smirk. "So before we destroy this base, we're going to take Xavier back. I'm going to torture you for hours until you give up everything I want to know. When that's done…" He took a step closer. "I'm going to end your pathetic life, for all the suffering you've caused people. You will be wishing that you surrendered. You will plead for mercy, and you will get none."
The supreme leader let out a loud laugh. "Ah Ghost, you think I wouldn't plan for a scenario like this?" Ghost said nothing, so the leader continued with a chuckle. "I'm afraid Mr. Blackmon is no longer here. You may have outwitted me and my men, but you made this trip for little other reason. Mr. Blackmon will be tortured and killed; he was already moved from this location just before your attack."
A cruel laugh escaped their lips. "You will never see your friend again."
Nothing was spoken from Ghost though. Just silence. The leader goaded him, "What's the matter, attack not going to plan?"
"Sir? SIR?"
"What is it? I'm in the middle of—" The leader whispered angrily.
"There's too many! We can't—AUGHHH!" The leader heard.
"No! Have mercy! Have NHAHHHH!" Another voice cried out from their comms.
"Troops, who is this? What's going on?" The leader spoke loudly this time, more than clear for Ghost to hear as well.
"S-Sir!? This is Sergeant Kilthers!"
A familiar feeling of dread swept through the leader. "With the convoy?"
"Affirmative! I-I don't know how Sir, but we're being attacked by the league! There's too many Pokémon for us to defeat sir! They're going to take the hostAGGGGGHHH!" The sergeants scream of agony cut off the communication.
"Sergeant? Sergeant?! Any soldier respond!" The leader yelled. Silence came from the other line; it was dead. The leader shook their head in shock; it couldn't be true; it couldn't be true. How had things come to ruin so swiftly?
They looked down at Ghost, who hadn't moved. The champion spoke one line, a hint of a smirk dancing across his lips.
"What's the matter, things not going to plan?"
The leader saw red and after a press of a nearby button, smoke filled the room the leader of Flare was in. Ghost was up in a mere instant thanks to Espeon's psychic, but it was useless; the leader was gone… vanished without a trace. The duo wiped out the nearby guards and swept the area cautiously to confirm their suspicions. Unfortunately, it did seem to be true; the leader had vanished without a trace.
Thankfully, as hoped, the mission appeared to be a huge success. Tapping his commlink once, he spoke with authority. "This is Ghost. The Ultra Guardians are finished the remainder of the grunts with my Pokémon inside Xeles Town headquarters. You have clearance to sweep the rest of the base Officers. I will tell my troops to pull out."
"Copy that sir. We'll move in within five minutes."
"Affirmative. Ghost out." One more tap of the commlink cancelled the communication entirely. One moment later and Ghost was tapping his earpiece. "Guardians, Elites and Rocket; mission is a success. Base cleared, package acquired. Can I confirm from all squads that they are healthy and missions have been completed?"
"This is Rocket; we are overlooking from a safe distance; all clear."
"Guardian leader Kiawé here; I confirm all of us are of good health; we're pulling out of the base for the law enforcement."
"This is Axel; we have Xavier. He's beaten and battered; but alive. Looks like they were trying to sneak him out under our noses. We're meeting with Rocket now boss."
"Affirmative. This is Ghost, and I am pulling out of the base. All units get to a safe location for regrouping." With that sentence, he cut off communication. He signaled for his Pokémon to gather on Garchomp and prepare for evac. He sat down on the ground for a moment in stunned disbelief. He'd done it; Xavier was rescued. He was back under the protection of the league and the Ultra Guardians.
Xavier was back.
XXXXXX
The hospital was a rowdy affair. Xavier was awake and slowly regaining health. The group all welcomed their friend back to the real world, explaining it had been a little over two weeks that Xavier had been kidnapped by Flare. Axel also explained that they'd spotted Xavier's vehicle coming from the base about five minutes before the attack had started but didn't want to openly engage until they knew Xavier was there.
Thankfully, the Flare Grunts attire gave them away poorly. The red hair was insanely obvious, and thus, the grunts were either eliminated or silenced accordingly.
Ash also took the time to explain his full plan and what he expected.
Flashback… Just before the attack… XXXXXXXX
"Let's go everyone, make sure armor's strapped on. July, don't forget your left leg. Axel, confirm with Rocket they're ready."
"Got it!" The blonde man gave a mock salute before walking not twenty feet to speak with Jesse, James and Meowth. The group stared amongst one another as the tension in the air toyed with them. Zandra seemed to be the only one not too fazed by the situation. In fact, she looked almost jubilant to be on the cusp of victory. She spoke with vigor. "They're going to regret taking him. I can't wait for this."
"I'd hold your words Zandra. I'm going to relay the plan—" Ash began carefully.
"We already know the plan. Let's flatten these bastards." July spoke angrily. "Precisely. We levelled them once, let's do it again." Zandra agreed with her fellow elite. Ash shook his head vehemently. "No."
Silence.
"No?"
"No what?"
Ash nodded. "No, we're not just going to run in there willy-nilly and come out unscathed. We're going to play this strategically. We're altering the plan." The girls gasped almost simultaneously. Axel, who'd just returned from speaking with Rocket, spoke. "What? We're altering the plan? Why? Didn't we spend hours honing it?"
Ash nodded slowly. "Yes, but we had a change of development."
Zandra spoke with pure incredulity. "What could've changed in the past twenty-four hours that would deem this? After all the scouting we put in? After all the work with Rocket? After raiding the last base?"
"Hm… how about a spy being reported at Aether Paradise?"
Silence came from the elites for a moment. "W-What?" Axel breathed.
"Flare infiltrated Aether Paradise? How?"
Ash pinched the bridge of his nose. "Lusamine informed me this morning that she has suspicions of a double-agent inside Aether Paradise. We relayed our information with Aether Paradise for the most precise attack pattern. Anyone at Aether Paradise can get access to that information, human or Pokémon. I need to alter the plan and… bring reinforcements. I kept Aether Paradise in the dark, and thus, came up with a new plan."
Ash motioned for Rocket to join them, and they were beside the elites in a moment. "What's the word boss? Is it go time?" Meowth saluted.
"No, I was just telling my elites that our plan has changed." James nodded. "Alright, if the plans changed, what's our role in this new attack?" The champion nodded, his hat concealing the small grin on his face. "For the most part, it remains the same." Ash motioned for everyone to listen closely. "First and foremost, I'll begin with Rocket in their balloon." The group eyed up the now-armored Meowth balloon.
'Old Habits still die hard.'
"We'll eliminate their scout. Meowth will hack into their frequency and I'll attempt to get them to surrender, which will inevitably fail. If there is indeed a spy at Aether Paradise, the fact that we're changing our plans will catch them off guard. They might think they know how we're going to attack, and we'll use that to our advantage. Since we know they likely won't surrender, Rocket will drop the bomb on their base as per usual. This will create a gap in the ceiling of the cave and provide us a space for us to send our Pokémon in; at least all the flying Pokémon."
Ash nodded to himself. "The Pokémon coming in will be commanded by multiple fliers. We'll keep them at bay for as long as possible. Since they expect us to come through the front door and then the sewers, an attack from the sky will bamboozle them. Once they're fully distracted, I'll come through the main gate with Espeon as my guard and Pikachu, Manectric, Garchomp, Infernape and Lyncanroc as the hunters. They'll take the aggression from the guards for long enough to keep the flying Pokémon from the first attack healthy. The armor is top tier; it's meant to repel Ultra Beasts, so grunts Pokémon should be light work."
Looking back to his elites, he kept talking. "Finally, if it's true that a spy has our old plan, Xavier will inevitably be moved as they know an attack is coming. Since the front door is on the water, they won't risk sending him out on a boat. They're going to try and sneak him past or… send a convoy with him." Ash addressed his three elites. "You three and your Pokémon are going to be the ones to inevitably rescue Xavier and prevent anyone from escaping. Leave no stone unturned. Three roads lead from this base. Each of you take a road and defend it. Stay in constant communication. If anyone tries to leave, wipe them out."
Ash straightened his hat. "That is our plan. Questions?"
"I have one; you're forgetting something Ash." July spoke slowly. "If the three of us are controlling the roads with our Pokémon who are armored from the sky, we'll have no Pokémon and no more manpower going in through the top of the base. What's our idea for that? Tell us you thought of a plan for that at least?"
Ash scratched the back of his head. "Yes… but I admit, it's a rather large gamble." Ash sighed and leaned forward to contemplate his next words carefully. "Alright, I'll be frank. These are the reinforcements I spoke of. I was contacted by the Ultra Guardians directly; they want in the fight ever since the region's been under attack. I gave them the approval to join us in our assault of Xeles Town HQ."
"You did what?" July gaped in shock.
"Are you sure that was smart?" Axel was stunned.
Ash shook his head. "No, I'm not entirely sure it was the right move. I may come to regret it."
"Which part of the decision are you talking about?" James spoke uncertainly.
Ash grimaced. "Both."
Even Rocket looked surprised by Ash's brashness. The champion let out a loud sigh and spoke in an apologetic voice. "I'm very much aware the guardians are used to Ultra Beasts and not Team Flare, but I was given little choice. Lillie was hellbent on defeating Flare; perhaps because Abel was just attacked or maybe because she just wants someone to vent on. Either way, Kiawé and Mallow came to me asking to join the fight separately. With the security risk, I know this two-part decision of changing the plan and asking a group who's possibly connected with the security breach isn't exactly something that's 1,000 IQ."
Ash bit his lip carefully. "That's why I informed them to not speak to Aether Paradise at all of this change of development… not even Lusamine."
"You're keeping Lusamine in the dark for this!?" Axel breathed in disbelief.
Ash looked at the group. "Yes, I am."
Even Zandra was impressed. "This is… a huge gamble, even for you."
"I'm aware of this. The Guardians will be in the heat of the attack; I've already warned them and they've prepared accordingly with their armor. They're going to distract the grunts and take out as many of them as they can. Rocket has two bombs; one will be used to cave in the ceiling and the other will be used by myself on the front gate. After that, Rocket's job is to act as a landmark for the police and serve as a lookout for any possible Flare reinforcements."
Ash's eyes were torn to the horizon, where he spotted five figures gliding towards them at a rapid pace. "They're here."
He looked to the group and spoke clearly. "Prepare yourselves."
XXXXXXX
It had worked to perfection. The grunts had no clue why the attack hadn't come from the front door first, and because troops had been guarding the sewers beneath the base, the roof caving in had trapped Pokémon and troopers alike. It had been a perfect assault. The guardians suffered minimal injuries thanks to their Ultra Beast training and high-tech armor. Rocket had signaled the police to come to their location while the grunts had tried to move Xavier as the attack occurred.
Ash's plan was spot on. The base was destroyed. The grunts were either captured or dead. Their Pokémon joined them. Xavier had been recovered and was now in recovery.
Perhaps the only thing that hadn't gone as Ash had hoped was captured Flare's leader, whom Ash fully expected to be in the base to see the league be 'defeated.' Sure enough, they were there and caught flat-footed. Unfortunately, they'd escaped before Ash could capture them.
Despite that though, it was undeniable; the league had struck a major victory today and now, there was a supposed two bases left. The media was all over the event and Ash had to give a great deal of reports, but he said the same thing in nearly every event: they were taking their region back, and if Flare believed they were safe, he was going to enjoy proving them wrong. He also was pleased to report that Xavier was back safely and that their attack had forced the leader of Flare to flee, with 'their tail between their legs.'
It didn't take long for ALT City and the region to catch the contagious momentum Ghost and his elites had forged. Per Lusamine's request upon finding out her guardians had been involved in the battle, Ash hadn't spoke of the Guardians' involvement of the attack. For the following hours after the battle, Ash had an undeniable glow radiating around him.
He'd trusted Lusamine's words and his instincts and they'd buried Flare when they believed they had the league figured out. Now, their leader would likely have to waste precious time covering their tracks and licking their wounds. With Xavier back, a painful conversation was bound to happen.
Strangely, Malva hadn't made an appearance to the hospital yet, and nobody had received any contact from the pink-haired bombshell of any kind. Xavier's rescue had occurred some time ago and the media had undoubtedly reported it hours prior. She should've been there by that moment, but she'd yet to be seen.
In any case, Lillie and the now armor-less guardians were checking up on Abel, who was awake and fully aware that the Guardians had assaulted a Team Flare outpost with success. Ash himself planned on checking up on the now-adult Abel Winchine as soon as he was done with his conversation with Xavier. Ash was merely leaning on the doorframe nonchalantly as Xavier was surrounded by his fellow elites and Pokémon, who were also recovered in the assault. The entire time though, Ash could see that Xavier seemed to be singling out a single person in the room, even as his friends and Pokémon mobbed him; Ash himself.
"Glad you're back buddy!"
"Those bastards are going to get it."
"Rorrrrr!"
After about eleven-zillion greetings, Xavier just chuckled in a raspy voice. "Alright alright you crazy kids, I need to speak."
"With who?"
"Him." The elites looked to the corner where their leader was now standing a handful of feet away from Xavier's bed. Axel looked around awkwardly. "Er… you guys need the room?"
Xavier began. "Yeah I think—"
"No. You all can stay. I think you need to hear this as well." Ash spoke authoritatively. The elites could sense the tension in the room; it could be cut with a knife. July was the next one to speak. "Guys? What's going on?"
Ash paced a flurry of steps before abruptly halting and speaking. "There's something I've been keeping from you three for quite some time now, and its high time I came clean with you all." He licked his lips, Pikachu looking at him knowingly on his shoulder.
"I told you all I was the first one on the scene when Xavier here was taken. That was true. What I… What I didn't tell you all was that I was already there, with Xavier. I knew that…" Ash stole a glance at Xavier, as if seeking his permission. The man nodded with an unreadable expression on his face, prompting him to continue. "I knew that he was still seeing Malva behind our backs, even after I ordered him to cease. Truth be told, we got into a heated argument when I went to Uraliz' shop. It didn't help that Malva was there fanning the flames; it only escalated things. After a few minutes of arguing, I lost my patience."
Ash held his head for a second or two before speaking. "I removed Xavier from the tournament, put him on probation as an elite and deemed him fit for house arrest."
The elites let out a synchronized gasp. "What?"
"Removed from the tournament?" Zandra gaped.
Ash nodded. "Yes, he was removed from the tournament. Even if he hadn't been taken by Flare, I wouldn't have permitted him to battle regardless."
Xavier cut in, stunned that Ash was being so honest, but also stunned that it looked like his equals had no clue of his tournament status. "H-Hold up, it's not all his fault, you guys didn't hear the full story—"
"It goes beyond that. My motives were violating the bylaws that founded this league, and without giving him a chance to rectify his actions or prove himself otherwise, I gave him the verdict. I did so without your aid as well, for that, I am truly sorry. I let my emotions get the better of me, and I will do my best to not allow them to do so in the future." Ash spoke to his elites directly, then he turned to Xavier.
"Xavier, I've had the great pleasure of knowing you for the past three years now, and those are three years I wouldn't want or take it any other way. You've been nothing but loyal to myself and your fellow elites, you've served Alola as best as you possibly could. You've never truly lost in battle. I know how rash it was to disqualify you from battle based on the situation I found myself in. For that, I need to say how truly sorry I am. We can't say we weren't having a tough time these past few weeks, but knowing you were out there being subject to Arceus knows what, I think I speak for everyone when I say that we're all relieved your back and in one piece."
The trio next to Xavier still looked stunned at the news of Xavier's probation and removal from the tournament. Before any of the three could speak, Xavier finally got a moment to get out what was on his chest.
"Ash, you need to stop taking all the blame. You had good reason to punish me like that. You know this. If you aren't going to explain why, then I will." Xavier turned to his equals and spoke. "I'd been sneaking around with Malva for weeks behind everyone's backs. I brought my Pokémon with me most times and thought I was home free. I was so angry that… that my feelings were just hogwash when it came down to the wire. When Ash confronted me and told me to go back to the league to discuss what he'd found out, I disobeyed his orders."
Xavier licked his lips. "I defied him, and he kept his cool. Once Malva started arguing, Ash lost his patience and revealed he knew about her involvement about Team Flare. After an insult or two, I just… I just…"
Silence. "… Lost it. I socked him as hard as I could. I just saw red. I can't explain it."
The elites gawked at Xavier in bamboozlement. Xavier, who was usually so calm and collected, had assaulted his own leader? Xavier? That didn't make any sense, it made no sense at all.
"Ash, I am so sorry. The guilt's been eating me up every minute I've been a captive. I need to come clean. You're right. Malva's a shady girl, but you know me; that's how I like girls. I didn't even consider the bylaws, how it would endanger you, Zandra, Axel or July. It occurred to me that maybe I was taken as a first move to all traitors."
Axel frowned. "What do you mean?"
The brown-haired man spoke. "Think about it. Prior to Flare taking me, we had no reason to think they'd still be in operations. Now, there's motive to take me; they were sending a message to Malva and every Flare deserter that they can't hide or can't forget that it happened."
"Wait, but if that's true—" July began.
"Professor Oak could be in serious danger. That would explain why he was so squirrely about concealing his identity as an ex-flare member; he knew people would come after him if Flare was ever reinstated as a criminal organization." Ash spoke softly.
"It also may explain why Malva hasn't been here to visit Xavier; if the attack was meant as a warning to her, she may not want to bring any more attention or harm to Xavier." Zandra deduced.
"Malva hasn't been here yet?" Xavier gasped.
"No, she hasn't. The news is renowned by now, we haven't gotten a single lick of news from her yet." Axel shook his head.
Xavier was quiet for a moment before he spoke again. "Ash, I'd like to begin my probation period now. I need to earn your trust back, I understand that. Please let me prove to you that I'm meant to be here alongside my friends. Please." The three elites looked to Ash, who had an unreadable expression dancing on his face.
Ash nodded slowly and held out his hand to Xavier. Relief flooded through his veins as the fire/ground elite shook his leader's hand firmly. "We can discuss further details later. For now, you're always going to have some sort of protection. Your Pokémon will stay here with you and at least one of us will be always in the building, at least for the time being. I'm going to keep the probation private from the media. We all are, yeah?"
"Of course."
"Naturally."
"Yep."
Ash turned back. "We'll figure out our next steps once you're back to full health. Unfortunately, we've already got our hands full."
"What do you mean?"
Ash licked his lips. "Take your pick. In the span of about a day or so, you were kidnapped, Lance pretty much told me to go to hell, and May fell into a coma."
Xavier gaped. "May's in a coma? How? How could that have happened?"
Ash remained silent, knowing it was fully his fault. Despite being caked with injuries and bruises, Xavier noticed his leader's silent look. "Wait… did you?"
"Yeah, I did. I told her, even after the crummy day I was having. Heh, should've been a sign to not say anything. I revealed myself. She collapsed; she's been asleep ever since."
"Where is she?"
Ash scratched the back of his head. "Here, actually. But I need to make another stop before I can go see her again. I need to see Abel."
"Abel? Abel Winchine? The dude who took out Zandra in the original tournament and was still in the last I checked? Why?" Xavier questioned unknowingly.
Zandra didn't seem miffed by the comment. "Yeah, that's something else you missed."
"Abel was attacked just a few days ago. We don't know much about the attack other than that Max gets himself a ticket to the final four. Which means, if Ash here beats Cynthia—"
"—He gets to face off against Max for the right to go to the championship." July nodded.
Xavier slowly absorbed the information he'd just gotten. "Damn, you weren't kidding; you do have your hands full right now, with Flare back, May in a coma, Abel out of commission, rescuing me… man. You need us to take any of that off your plate?"
Ash gave a small grimace. "With some good fortune, Mr. Goodshow will keep accepting updates from Zandra and Axel, while July keeps the league in safe quarters. We know there's a mole inside Aether Paradise, which means I need to stay cautious with information there. For now, Flare is on their heels, which is how we need to keep it. We still have no information about the leader of Flare either. I still need to address the traitors. They're going to get it, and I'm sure they think I've long since turned to dust. It's nearly time to introduce ourselves."
Ash stood next to Xavier and held his hand out formally. The man eyed the gesture with a confused glance, caution glazed across his eyes. After the brown-haired man confirmed there was no malice or ill-intent in Ash's eyes, he shook his leaders hand firmly. "We can go into deeper discussions later of what'll be expecting."
Ash paused before chuckling. "You got hell of a hook there, by the way. Felt that one for a couple days."
Xavier scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "I'd say I was working out, but that'd be a lie. No poker face here either, heh. So we're good?"
Ash chuckled once more. "Yeah, we're good." The raven-haired man made his way to the door, which had been shut for the duration of the conversation. "Now, I need to go speak with Abel about the attack. I'm sure he's been expecting me for some time by this point. I'm sure you're all dying to keep him company. Make sure someone's always on the watch. That'll be all elites, to your positions."
With that, the feared champion turned on his heel and walked out of the room, the full elite four in his wake. He'd felt as though a great portion of the weight that had been on his shoulders had been lifted, and boy was he thankful for it. Now, he had another matter to deal with: speaking with Abel.
Within moments, he was in the boy's room. It was on the same floor as Xavier due to both being 'high profile' people of interest. It was clear that a handful of people had at least visited the competitor, judging by the various items at the edge of his bed. The boy, now turned man, was wide awake and looked more than a bit miffed to be bedridden. He was staring forlornly out the window.
Ash stayed quiet for a good minute or two, noting how the legal adult hadn't even taken notice of the champion leaning against the doorframe. Finally, the all-powerful trainer spoke. "Must be something pretty interesting out there huh?"
Abel jumped in his bed and gawked at Ghost openly. "Er, how long have you been standing there Ghost?"
"Long enough to see a man who just wants to get out of the hospital but can't."
"What gave it away?"
"Xavier. We got him back." Ghost spoke, the faintest hint of a smile dancing at his lips.
Abel cast Ghost a grin. "I'm happy for you then. I don't get all the news around here unfortunately. How long ago has he been back?"
"Just got him back today. He's malnourished and has been out of it for the past few weeks, obviously, so he's just trying to get back into the groove of things. You know how it is, I'm sure."
"Yeah, I know how it is. Funny you should say you got him back today though, Lillie swung by today. She looked a bit like she'd been in a firefight of some sort. She had a small scar across her face. I was concerned but she said it wasn't anything too serious to be worried about; also wouldn't tell me how she got it in the first place though." Abel narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Ghost, not being fazed by the intimidating figure in the slightest.
"You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"
Ghost merely grinned coyly. "I can't say I know how Lillie spends her free time. Your guess is as good as mine."
The look of suspicion never did leave Abel's face. "Uh huh… sure." After a moment, he sighed. "Guess there's nothing I can do regardless. Why exactly are you here? I thought I'd be one of your first visits after the attack happened."
"That's what I thought too, a lot of stuff got thrown onto my place in rapid succession. How bad is it?"
Abel grimaced. "Take your pick; broken ribs, fractured ankle… upon others." Ash took in Abel's appearance and noted the multiple bandages and protective casings scattered across his form and bit his lip. "Doesn't look like a fun time."
"Doesn't feel like it either." Abel bit back. "Why are you here now? There's gotta be a good reason, yeah?"
Ash nodded. "Yeah. I'm thinking you were attacked by Max, right? He takes your Pokémon, Misty gets taken away for it, he wants some revenge and finds the perfect mesh of opportunity and chance at a party. He roughs you up, you get deemed medically-exempt from the tournament and get eliminated because you can't possibly participate?"
It looked as though Abel was swallowing an extremely large pill. "Don't remind me." The boy licked his lips and sighed. "Look, as much as I'd love for that pipsqueak to get what's coming for him, I'm sure you'll flatten him into the pavement if you get past Cynthia."
Ash looked him expectantly. "Wait, was it him and the croons who did this to you?"
Abel hesitated before he shook his head miserably. "… No. It wasn't him. I haven't even told my lawyer this yet, but it was actually a Flare grunt who did it."
Ash recoiled. "What?"
The slightly-pale boy sighed and closed his blue eyes. "Yeah. I was heading out to get some fresh air and found myself out by the pool. Nobody else was out there, so it was the perfect time to get some thoughts to myself sorted out before going back inside. It was quiet for a bit before all of the sudden I felt someone put me in a headlock. On instinct, I swung my body and got a good look at the guy. He was wearing that same Flare suit that they all seem to wear, but his head was covered by a hood. We wrestled until he shoved me up against the building and broke my ribs with some quick punches. As I fell, I grabbed his hood and yanked it off."
The boy shrugged a bit helplessly. "The guy looked absolutely pissed at me. It was undoubtedly a grunt. I don't know why they wanted me to get removed from the tournament; it wasn't like we were in the finals or anything. The dude roughed me up for a few more minutes. I just kept drifting in and out of consciousness for that time. Just before I blacked out, I heard him calling back his Pokémon, and he bolted."
Ash frowned, the attack had to be tournament related in his eyes. The problem was, Abel was right. By attacking Abel, Max was pushed further, but that only lined up Max to face either Cynthia or himself. If Cynthia won, maybe they'd target her next, but did that mean Flare and Max were working together? But on the flip side, maybe it was just a random attack?
In Heinz sight, maybe that's why the outfit seemed so obvious. Maybe it was just a move to increase fear? Come to think of it, the league had taken HeaHea base not too long before that… maybe that was a move to get back at the league, expecting Abel to spread word he'd been attacked by Flare to spread the culture of fear across the region?
It was then that a knock sounded at the doorway. The duo turned and saw a man in a suit standing there awkwardly. "Hello, are you Abel?"
The brown-haired boy blinked. "I am? You're not who I was expecting."
Ash stared at the bed-ridden boy. "Who were you expecting?"
"My lawyer."
"Oh yeah, you mentioned that. Why though?"
The man interrupted. "Sir, you don't have to say anything."
Abel looked curious for a moment or two before speaking again. "Actually, there's nobody in this region who I'd trust more than Ghost to be here as a witness for this." Silence for a moment. Then, Abel sheepishly added. "Except maybe Lillie."
"A witness for what?" Ash was still clueless.
Abel grimly smiled at Ash. "A will. I'd like for you to be here to substitute in for someone who… couldn't be here."
"Who couldn't be here? Why are you being read a will in a hospital bed? Don't you think there are bigger issues to worry about? So say… getting healthier before a certain girlfriend whoops your backside for not telling her about a secret meeting with a lawyer?" Ghost raised an eyebrow daringly.
Abel sighed. "I wish it was that simple. This is important to me; I need someone else here to act as a witness to this. Will you do it? Will you stay?"
Ghost looked a bit exasperated to say the least, but reluctantly gave in. "Alright Abel, you win."
"Thank you."
The lawyer looked a bit hesitant to say the least but agreed about as reluctantly as Ash had appeared to be. "Very well, I'll make some adjustments here to the will… that should do it. If you're both ready, I'll begin the reading."
The two men in the room waited pat. The lawyer cleared his throat. "My name is Thomas Cronwall. I stand before you today in place of Mr. Beaupre, who couldn't make it to Alola due to prior commitments."
'Wait, what? Did he just say Beaupre? Why does that sound so familiar?' Ash's mind reeled swiftly.
"Today, as requested by the writer, the contents of this will shall be released to the only two people who were deemed to hear said will. As requested by the writer, two people shall hear this will, with both names of the listeners as such: Abel Winchine, Ghost of Alola. This will shall include remaining wealth and the benefactors of such wealth. This will shall also include a final statement from the writer that is quite in depth. I will begin with the opening statement before proceeding first to the written statement."
Mr. Cronwall cleared his throat. "The lawyer addressing the will to the potential benefactors: Mr. Thomas Cronwall. The two potential benefactors are Mr. Abel Winchine, and Mr. Ghost. However, as the original will states, only the two specifically defined people from the will are permitted to collect the benefits, as such, all benefits shall go to Mr. Winchine, as the other benefactor is unfortunately deceased."
The man continued. "Mr. Winchine shall receive all wealth from the will, though I will still read out what was originally to be dealt to each person."
The lawyer spoke directly to the champion. "Is this suitable Mr. Ghost?"
"Of course." Ghost fought the urge to roll his eyes; what claim could he possibly have had on this? It was undoubtedly something that Abel should hold onto, after all.
"I'm glad you agree, I'm sure Mr. Ketchum would as well, if he were here."
Silence came for a brief moment.
Time seemed to slow in the room. Ghost felt the blood rushing through his ears. Chills were launched up and down his spine and Ghost felt the weight of the world come crashing down on him with brutal force. Ghost felt his mind spinning wildly, as though he was about to feint. He knew what he had just heard. Barely managing to speak coherently, the champion whispered faintly.
"… W-Who is the other benefactor?"
Abel eyed Ghost up curiously. Mr. Cronwall spoke. "As specified from the top of the will, the only two benefactors and therefore, people who are permitted to hear this will, are Mr. Abel Winchine of Hoenn…"
"… and Mr. Ashura Ketchum of Kanto."
Abel spoke next. "Yeah, I was always hoping to meet him, but he passed under really weird circumstances. I have no clue why he…" Abel's voice trailed off as Ghost's mind began working overtime. He was the other benefactor of a mysterious will that was given to Abel? Why? On top of it, why hadn't he been given the will? What were the odds of being given the will when he was in the same room as the other benefactor?
The lawyers authoritative voice snapped Ghost out of his trance. "Correct; as Mr. Ketchum cannot be here, Mr. Ghost is substituting to the deceased to listen to the written statement, permitted by Mr. Winchine and approved by myself as well. With the opening statement out of the way, we'll begin the written statement." The man cleared his throat once more and spoke again.
"With that, I, Mr. Thomas Cronwall, formally invite Mr. Winchine and Mr. Ghost to listen to the final will of my client…"
"… Mr. Tracey Davis."
Time stopped entirely for Ash, who was staring at the lawyer with a look of blank disbelief. There was only one word running circles in his brain, and it was one word that would only throttle his world entirely out of control.
'…What?'
XXXXXXXX
AN: Annnddddd that's it y'all! Hope you guys enjoyed! I told you boys and girls it was gonna be a banger! I told you there was a huge plot twist to keep you all on edge, and here it is. I know, it's a big one. Wait till you read next chapter though, and it may be an even larger mind-grenade.
Xavier is back, and somehow, there's a connection between Ash, Tracey and Abel! What's the connection? What will the will say? When will May wake up? Find out by coming back for the next chapter. Keep supporting the story boys and girls, and I'll keep posting. This was a huge portion of the plot that sets up the rest of the story, and this was a long time coming. I really, really hope you loved it.
If you enjoyed, please follow and favorite both myself and the story! It would mean a lot if you would show your support!
That's all ladies and gentlemen! You know the drill; if you've got questions, I'm here!
Till the next one.
LegionZ