AN: Updated 3/25/20
Chapter 8: The Knights of Rota
Brock gazed upon the snowy tops of Mt. Moon as he traveled along a dirt path in the forest with his new friends, Ash and Serena. It had been a wild few days after an awkward press conference where he passed the Gym back to his father. The people of Pewter City didn't know how to feel at first, but they were on board after a heartfelt speech with Forrest still being Flint's Trainee.
Traveling on the road again had been an interesting time for former Gym Leader. He prior traveled all by himself but with Ash and Serena it felt like he was traveling with a couple of his siblings.
While it was awkward for them to have a third party, they warmed up to him after trying one of his famous stews. Similar to the Pokémon when using his father's recipes. What fascinated him the most was Pikachu's obsession with ketchup. In his downtime, he would look up if it was a Pikachu specific thing or if electric types enjoyed the savory flavor.
As he had promised, he gave Ash some tips when it came to training. One regiment involved Charmander using Flamethrower through a hula hoop without burning the rim. Another tip involved his Pokémon launching attacks through a smokescreen to hit a target. Though it didn't stop Ash from coming up with his own ideas involving a Frisbee and his flying types.
He should have figured that Serena was a Coordinator with her sense of fashion. She had been working on her routines and battled against Ash to work on the battling style. Brock did provide feedback when he could like Ledyba's Silver Wind could propel Swift back into the air and how her Nidoran and Eevee could use their acrobatic skills for Contest Battles.
As they promised, they allowed the aspiring doctor to check on their Pokémon after intense training or battles. They were helpful in answering any questions he had and always doubled checked his work. So far, he hadn't done anything horrible so he felt more confident in his abilities.
The sun shined brightly with a light breeze that rustled the leaves. Not a Pokémon in sight but that didn't stop Pikachu and Eevee from heading up the road, sniffing the air and listening to the forest.
"So Brock, what can you tell us about Mt. Moon?" Ash asked.
The former Gym Leader reminisced about coming to the mountain when he was younger. "Where to begin? Most famously, Mt. Moon has been known for the discovery of major fossils. I tried looking for one when I was a kid to no avail. Then there's been a rumor as long as I can remember about a clan made of Cleffa, Clefairy, and Cleffable living inside."
"I hope we get to see them!" Serena beamed while skipping along the path. "They're just so adorable!"
"Sorry to burst your bubble," Brock sighed. "It's only just a rumor. Many people have tried looking for them including myself at one point. No one has found their home to this date."
The honey-blonde hung her head low. "There goes that dream…"
"Just because others have failed, doesn't mean we won't see one of them today!" Ash extended his arm upward.
The aspiring Pokémon Master suddenly held onto his stomach and head. His eyes widened began taking in shallow breathes. Without warning, he fell onto the ground before anyone could react.
"Ash!" Serena yelped, rushing by his side and shaking his body. "Are you okay? Say something!"
Brock immediately rolled him onto his back, feeling his pulse from his wrist. Needless to say, it was fast. He placed a hand onto his forehead and it was burning up. Did Ash catch the flu? No, he was just fine a moment ago. What was going on?
He unzipped his jacket and took off the Trainer's backpack while carrying him in his arms. "We need some shade and cool him off right now!"
Serena didn't argue while taking his backpack. They rushed off into the woods where they found a tree with shading big enough to lay Ash onto the grassy ground.
Brock decided to unroll his sleeping back to act as a cushion while he reassessed the situation. The Pallet Town native was still burning as he muttered a few words that were incomprehensible. Taking out his water bottle, he placed it against his head in hopes he will cool down.
Pikachu was by Ash's side with its ears down. Eevee tried its best to cheer it up by rubbing its body against it. Still, the Mouse Pokémon just looked at Ash.
Serena pulled on her hair, looking as if she wanted to help, but didn't know what she could do other than hand over her water bottle to help with the cooling.
None of Ash's symptoms made any sense to Brock as he tried to think of what could have caused him to faint. "Has this ever happened to Ash before?"
His friend shook her head. "I mean he's been sick before, but he had never passed out. Not especially when he was fine moments before. Is he going to be okay?"
"I'm not sure," Brock admitted. "We all had the same food and been to the same places. Could he be the only one affected by whatever is troubling him or could be we next?"
Serena touched her forehead for any potential fever. "If we're next, then we wouldn't be able to protect ourselves if a Gengar comes to take our souls!" As soon as those words left her mouth, she covered it. "Did I say that?"
"Get a hold of yourself!" Brock scolded her. "This is no time for scary stories. Ash needs to get to a doctor and fast!" He took out his phone to look at a map of the area. "It's like I thought, the nearest town is several miles away and he's in no condition to move."
"What about a Pokémon Center or a river?" Serena asked.
Brock sighed. "There's one on the opposite side of the mountain and the closest river is also several miles away."
Serena frowned with a few tears in her eyes. She must have cared for him a lot. "This can't be how it ends right?"
"I'll do what I can for him," Brock assured her. "Let's see if his conditions improve after an hour and maybe we can see about moving him to the closest town."
BOOM! BOOM!
Turning towards the explosion, Brock and Serena could see dust clouds appearing above the treetops. Even worst, it was getting closer to them. Different kinds of flying-types could be seen flying away.
Brock stood up with a couple of Pokéballs in hand. He never expected to be pinned in this kind of position. Not only was one of their party members down, but he was unable to defend himself. Let alone if a strong enough opponent came out, Serena wouldn't be able to provide proper support.
He pressed a finger to his lips at the honey-blonde. The best possible scenario was for them to remain quiet and hope the Pokémon causing problems.
Serena hovered around Ash as if her life depended on his survival.
Pikachu and Eevee got themselves in a position to face whatever might come out of the bushes.
Rushing out of a bush was a Cleffa. It tripped on a twig, looking up at Pikachu and Eevee and slowly backed away.
"Don't be scared," Serena whispered. "We're not going to hurt you." She held out her arms as if she was going to provide a hug and inched her way closer to the frightened Pokémon.
Brock scratched his head as the explosions stopped. Cleffa couldn't have caused that amount of noise by itself. Even if it used Metronome, the odds of it causing mass destruction was low. Still, he was amazed that Ash's prediction came true.
Pikachu's and Eevee's ears twitched as an Aura Sphere blasted out of the woods.
"Look out!" Brock warned.
Serena dove towards Cleffa and rolled away from the attack, but it headed straight towards Ash.
Pikachu used Thunder Shock while Eevee used Swift in an attempt to stop the attack. When it continued forward, Pikachu swung its tail to use Iron Tail to knock it out of the way of hitting Ash.
Brock could breathe again, turning back to the bushes where a Lucario wobbly walked into the clearing. Its eyes were narrowed, forming at the teeth, and sloughing. Interestingly enough, it had an armband with a particular kind of gem. There was no doubt in his mind what was happening.
"Golem and Steelix, help us out!" He tossed out his Pokémon.
A boulder-shaped Pokémon flexed its arms while the Iron Snake Pokémon stared down its target.
Lucario brought its arms together before revealing a bone-shaped staff and lunged forward.
"Steelix, Dig! Golem, Rollout!"
Steelix burrowed into the ground while Golem rolled up into a tight spinning ball.
Serena crawled on her back away from the action while looking at Pikachu and Eevee. "Eevee use Quick Attack! Pikachu, please use Thunder Shock!"
Lucario whacked Golem to a halt amazingly. Then it turned its attention on Eevee.
Serena stood up to catch Eevee with the force carrying her to the ground.
"Fire Punch!" Brock ordered.
Golem uncurled with fire consuming its stubby arms. It swung twice with both attacks being blocked by the Bone Rush. The third attempt landed a hit against Lucario's midsection.
Ash jerked upward, holding his stomach.
Lucario raised its staff in the air, twirling it before whacking Golem against the head. The force caused the Megaton Pokémon to roll back towards Ash.
Brock immediately recalled his Pokémon in disbelief that a Lucario could be as powerful to move a Golem. Maybe he would have to call upon his secret weapon.
The ground shook violently again, only this time Steelix popped out of the ground, sending Lucario flying.
Pikachu finally took aim with its electrical attack, zapping the Lucario but it did not appear to have done much.
Ash's body started to flail like he was a fish out of the water. What was going on?
"Wrap it around with your tail!" Brock ordered.
The Iron Snake Pokémon floated into the air and used its body to trap Lucario from moving. Pikachu continued to zap as Steelix ascended to the ground.
Now Ash's body looked constricted and acting as if he was being zapped.
Brock quickly reached into his bag and pulled out a Full Heal. Whatever was going on, he was sure it was due to Lucario. "Pikachu, stop!"
Ash's body stopped shaking.
The former Gym Leader rushed up to his Pokémon who appeared to be struggling to maintain its hold on Lucario. It appeared to be concentrating when Brock sprayed the bottle against its face. One whiff of it and Lucario collapsed in Steelix's tail.
Steelix recoiled, allowing Brock to gently place Lucario onto the ground. With his quick observation, he could see bruises and scratches all over its body.
Serena crawled over by Ash to check on his injuries. As Brock suspected, his troubles seemed to be a tie to the Lucario, but why?
"Why was that Lucario attacking us?" She asked with a hand over her heart.
"It was confused for one reason or another," Brock remarked. "Definitely well trained."
"What do you think happened to its Trainer?"
Brock shrugged while assessing the situation. They were in no condition to find any help now. All they could do was hope that its Trainer was okay. "Let's solve one problem at a time. Look after Ash and leave the injured Pokémon to me."
The aspiring doctor never would have guessed he would have been tested this soon after departing his home, but for the sake of Serena's sanity, he needed to stay strong. He examined Golem first and saw that it had a crack on its rocky shell. He massaged the area before applying some potions and a bandage. His Pokémon endured the pain, but it was in no condition to battle until that crack healed itself.
Eevee's fur was roughed up with a giant bruise on its body. The Evolution Pokémon squirmed in pain as Brock tried to think of the best possible treatment. He cleaned the fur of the dirt but it only made Eevee move more until it bit into his arm. Enduring the pain, he continued to clean before applying a potion and one of the water bottles to calm down the swelling.
"Vee…" Eevee had its ears down.
Brock wrapped his arm in bandages before petting its head. "Don't worry about it. Rest up."
Lastly, he took a look at Lucario. It terrified him that such a powerful Pokémon managed to get confused. Whatever or whoever it fought must be as strong. That was a problem for another time. He cleaned up its fur to the best of its ability, careful of the sharpness of its fur. For the scratches, he applied a potion while the midsection he had to be creative considering Golem's fire punch scorched it.
He consulted a book and some online materials and found that mushing of Rawst Berries would do the trick. Luckily, he had stocked up on different types of berries in case of an emergency. Good as time as any.
Serena held Cleffa, tightly in her arms. The poor Pokémon must have been through a lot to be far away from home. It often gazed upon Mt. Moon with a sad face. All the honey-blonde could do was pet it gently and rocking it side-to-side.
Her best friend laid in front of her. His fever broke and seemed to be resting peacefully. What a scare he gave her, but nothing about the situation seemed right to her. His symptoms were not consistent with any known medical illness. His movements during the battle with Lucario was unnatural.
She found out the Lucario was known as the Aura Pokémon and that it could manipulate the energy around it to understand human emotions and thoughts. Was Lucario the cause of Ash's sudden illness? It was all too confusing.
"Cleffa…" The little Pokémon held onto Serena's core.
"Don't worry, little one," Serena lifted it to see her face. "We'll help you find your friends and family again. We just need to wait for my friend to wake up and we'll head towards Mt. Moon!"
Cleffa wagged its stubby arms up and down. "Cleffa!"
Thanks for helping my friend! The honey-blonde heard a feminine voice.
Serena stood up, looking around the tree to see if anyone was there. No one was in sight. When she got back around Ash, she bummed into Brock and yelped.
"Easy there," he said. "It's just me. What were you doing around the tree?"
"I thought I heard a voice," she exclaimed. "But no one was there."
Brock scratched his head. "I didn't hear a voice. Did you?" He looked at Pikachu.
The Electric Mouse had been patrolling the area ever since Lucario's defeat. "Pika?" It sniffed the air, twitched its ears, and shook its head. "Pika…"
Strange. Her mind must have playing tricks on her or something.
"Anyways," Brock changed the subject. "I finished my inspection of the Pokémon if you wanted to check."
Serena shook her head. "I don't have the right mindset to play doctor. I'm sure whatever you did was fine enough despite you could have handled Eevee a little differently."
"Sorry about that, I just didn't want to bother you." He rubbed the back of his neck. "All we need is for them to rest and hopefully we can solve our other problems without any issues."
"Cleffa!" It cheered.
Serena giggled before frowning. "Thanks, Brock. I'm not sure what I would have done without you here."
"I'm sure you would have thought of something, especially when it comes to Ash's wellbeing."
Tears foamed around her eyes. "You're probably right. If I was the one in his position, he would probably do everything in his power to get me the help I needed. Even if every fiber in my body wanted to quit, I wouldn't until he's all better."
"You must care for him a lot," Brock chuckled.
Serena's cheeks burned while looking off to the side. "I mean, we have been friends for a long time. It's hard imagining my life without him."
Brock nodded slowly. "Must be nice having a friend like that." He stared off to Mt. Moon. "Why don't you tell how you two met?"
The honey-blonde wiped away the tears and told of her first summer camp in Pallet Town.
Ash's eyes snapped open. The last thing he remembered was heading towards Mt. Moon with his friends in the forest. Though he appeared to be in some sort of cave lined with man-made lights. Walking beside him was a Pokémon with greenish hair and appeared to be in a white dress. No doubt in his mind that it was a Gardevoir but why was one with him and where was he for that matter?
Looking at his hands, they weren't human hands but instead paws with one of them having an armband with a Mega-Stone on it. His chest had a spike and he stood high on his back paws. Did he turn into a Pokémon? He had read stories about it happening but never thought it could have happened to him. Did this mean he could be caught and be forced to battle other Pokémon? How could this have happened?
As he continued to walk further down the cave, several people showed up with familiar-looking 'R's on their chests appeared. Flying down was a series of Golbats that emitted a rainbow color of lights. His vision started to turn red and blurred; his mind couldn't contain a single thought; it was if his entire body was on fire.
He tossed and turned until his real body jerked upward. He breathed rapidly with his forehead full of sweat. A cool breeze of night washed over him as he looked around to see Serena and Brock by his side with worried faces.
"Thank, Arceus that you're okay," Serena sighed. "I was worried something was happening once again with your tossing and turning."
"Yeah," Brock added. "You gave us quite the scare."
Ash rubbed his head as Pikachu hopped onto his lap. "Uh…what happened?"
The former Gym Leader held his chin. "You mean, you don't remember getting sick?"
He shook his head. "Should I?"
"I must apologize if I made you ill," said an unfamiliar voice.
Ash turned around to see a Lucario, struggling to get onto its feet. Brock supported it but advised it to take it easy.
"Tell your friend that I appreciate the help, but I must get going," Lucario said.
"Y-You talked!" Ash exclaimed.
Serena placed a hand on his forehead. "Are we sure you're still not sick? Lucario isn't talking. At least not in human speech."
"But it did just talk in human speech!" Ash pointed at it. "It wanted to let Brock know its gratitude and it needed to leave."
"To find its Trainer?" Brock asked. "We can help you as soon as Ash and you regain your strength."
Lucario's eyes peered at Ash. "There's no time. Mt. Moon has been seized by the enemy."
An image of the 'R' appeared in Ash's mind that made him remember his nightmarish dream. He blinked several times while standing up, perching Pikachu onto his shoulder. "You mean Team Rocket has captured Mt. Moon?"
"Not them again!" Serena stood up with an equally disgusted look with a Cleffa in her arms.
"What could they be doing way out here?" Brock asked.
The appendages around its ears perked upward for a moment before coming back down. "I'm afraid my trainer was captured by them and being held prisoner somewhere inside. At least, that's what I hoped happened. I must make haste before anything bad happens to him."
Ash tightened his fists. "Let us help you too!"
"Wait a minute," Brock objected. "We can't take on Team Rocket by ourselves. We might be better off calling the police, a Ranger, or Guardian and waiting for someone to arrive."
"A Guardian is already inside," Lucario stated.
Ash nodded. "There's a Guardian inside. I say, we save them first and that'll up our chances."
Brock grimaced and pondered the thought. "Alright, but let's not do anything too reckless."
Ash turned to Serena. "You in?"
"Like you even have to ask?" She replied.
"Cleffa!" The little Pokémon yelped.
Pikachu gave Ash a nod. "Pikachu!"
The trio gathered their belongings and rushed off to Mt. Moon.
Ash followed Lucario up until the cave entrance. Serena was close behind him with Eevee around her neck and Cleffa in her arms. Brock had a Pokéball on hand at all times.
The appendages on Lucario rose with its eyes closed, most likely sensing the aura around them. It was some time before it opened them. The appendages lowered and it looked towards the ground. Ash could feel conflicted feelings.
"Lucario, is something wrong?" Ash asked. "Is your trainer not inside?"
The Aura Pokémon crossed its arms, appearing to have an internal debate with itself. "He's there alright. The issue is I wasn't alone in getting confused. We might have to go up against a friend of mine."
"You mean, Gardevoir?"
It nodded. "If we come across her, let's not try to hurt her too badly."
"We'll try our best," Ash promised while translating his conversation with his friends.
Entering the cave, they immediately saw the man-made lights hung on the walls. Perhaps it provided illumination for them not to get ambushed as easily, but Ash couldn't fathom what the Pokémon inside must be feeling. Water dripping echoed in the chambers.
The group decided to let Lucario lead the way and reassess at every corner. The Aura Pokémon kept looking Ash in an odd way. It was if he expected Ash to be someone else.
Eventually, they entered a large cavern with four branching pathways. Zubats laid on the ground, appeared to be knocked out and injured.
Brock wasted no time in heading out to check on them. Ash and Serena were about to do the same when Lucario tackled the former Gym Leader to the ground. Flying out of the leftmost path was a Shadow Ball, crashing into a wall. Shards of rocks scattered back in the chamber with the ground shaking.
Wobbling into the cave was Gardevoir with its eyes narrowed and sloughing. It too had an armband. Another Shadow Ball appeared in its arms as it launched it towards Lucario.
The Aura Pokémon sliced the attack into two with both halves circling around to the wall once again. Rocks started to fall from above.
"Gardevoir, it's me!" Lucario cried out.
The Embrace Pokémon foamed another Shadow Ball.
Lucario disappeared in a blink of an eye and reappeared behind its friend.
Gardevoir's eyes were imbued in blue as it effortlessly tossed Lucario into a wall with a Shadow Ball making a direct hit.
Ash winced at Lucario's pain and realized what he needed to do against a Psychic/Fairy type. "Butterfree, I choose you!"
"Ledyba, come one out!" Serena called out.
Gardevoir shifted its attention towards the bug-types and began to shine brightly in a rainbow of colors. Beams of light rained down in the cavern.
Brock gathered the Zubats underneath his body and acted as a human shield to protect the Pokémon from further harm.
"Protect!" Serena commanded.
A green bubble-like shield surrounded Butterfree with Ledyba. The shield absorbed some of the attacks but it was quickly overwhelmed, shattering into tiny green fragments.
Both Pokémon flew around to avoid the remainder of the attack.
Ash, Pikachu, Serena, and Eevee took cover behind some stalagmites.
"Butterfree, use Gust! Pikachu, use Quick Attack into an Iron Tail!"
The Butterfly Pokémon generated a gust of wind with Pikachu riding it to boost its speed. At max speed, Pikachu was able to hit Gardevoir with a super-effective move.
Despite all of that power, the Embrace Pokémon held its ground and psychically lifted Pikachu into the air, spinning the Mouse Pokémon around in the process.
Serena waved an arm across her body. "Mach Punch and help Pikachu out!"
Eevee clapped its paws. Did it use Helping Hands?
The Five Star Pokémon zipped through the cavern, punching Gardevoir in the face, and ending Pikachu's spinning nightmare.
"Butterfree, use Confusion to get Pikachu away from harm!" Ash shouted.
The Butterfly Pokémon lifted Pikachu back to Ash's arms.
Gardevoir was about to launch another Shadow Ball when Lucario pushed it into the middle of the chamber.
"Now, Ash!" Lucario called out.
"Sleep Powder!" Ash commanded.
Butterfree flew towards Gardevoir, releasing a light blue powder. One whiff and Gardevoir slowly closed its eyes, falling to the ground. Before it reached the ground, Lucario caught it.
The Aura Pokémon appeared to be less stressed out and grateful for Ash's help.
"Great work, Butterfree!" Ash complimented while rushing over to check on Brock. In response, his Pokémon performed a victory dance.
Brock rolled over to the side, curled up in a ball. Ash couldn't imagine the pain he was in. Gardevoir wasn't holding back at all in that last fight as far as he could tell.
"Hang in there," Ash said.
A bright blue light illuminated the cavern as Lucario performed some sort of ritual to get Gardevoir back onto its feet. The Embrace Pokémon pushed the Aura Pokémon as if it could have gotten back up on its own power. Then it faced Ash and Serena with a Shadow Ball ready.
""Gardevoir. Voir. Gard!" It shouted.
Lucario got in front of it. "Easy, they're not the enemy. These people helped me so I could help you."
Gardevoir lowered its stance. "Voir. Gard?"
"They're in the mountain, somewhere," Lucario answered before turning to the young adults. "Give me a moment to heal the human that healed me."
Ash and Serena gave Lucario some room.
The Aura Pokémon kneeled beside the aspiring doctor and placed its paws against his back. Just like with Gardevoir, a blue light surrounded it and Brock. When the light faded, Brock rose, rubbing his back.
"Thanks, Lucario," he said. "I'm not sure what you did but my pain is gone."
Lucario shook its head. "I have repaid my debt." Ash translated the message.
It worked alongside Brock in healing the Zubat back to health. By the time they were finished, Lucario was panting.
"Gardevoir," the Embrace Pokémon stated.
Lucario closed its eyes. "I'll be fine." The appendages begin lifting into the air once again.
Ash frowned as he could tell Lucario was lying. It needed to rest soon.
"It appears that our Trainers are down that way," the Aura Pokémon pointed towards the second path from the left. "However, I believe Team Rocket is down that way." It pointed towards the far-right path.
"Cleffa!" The pink-skinned Pokémon wailed. "Cleffa!" It pointed in the same direction.
Lucario growled. "Looks like Cleffa's friends are down that way."
"Zubat!" One of the Zubats grabbed the Aura Pokémon's attention. "Zubat! Zubat!"
"I see…" It folded its arms. "It appears that Team Rocket captured most of the Golbats in the area and that some of them retreated."
Ash informed Brock and Serena of the situation. "I don't get why some of them would retreat."
"There could a number of reasons," Brock remarked. "They could have gotten what they wanted or calling reinforcements to move the Cleffa line out of here. I say we get the Guardian to improve our odds."
Serena frowned, looking at Cleffa before shifting her expression to one of determination. "I vote to head straight to the Cleffa line and aid them until the Guardian gets there."
Both turned to Ash for the tie-breaker. Definitely a bind. He wanted to help the Cleffa line out, but he recalled their last run-in with Team Rocket. The fact there were more of them now spelled trouble, but if they do nothing they could be too late. How could they possible get out of this?
"Ash," Lucario spoke. "Distract Team Rocket until Gardevoir and I rescue our Trainers."
"A-are you sure?" Ash asked.
Lucario nodded. "We won't be long, but we cannot allow those villains to escape either. It's the only logical solution. Don't do anything too crazy."
Ash smirked. "Alright, let's do this!"
Ash and his friends traveled down the tunnel, leading to Cleffa's group of friends. All they had to do was follow the trail of man-made lights and a few pointers from Cleffa. The group moved at a brisk pace but slowed down at every turn. Neither of them liked how the cave was quiet. They would have thought to have run into one of the grunts by now.
Eventually, they found themselves entering a cavern with a large circular hole in the ceiling that had an amazing view of the moon. In the center of the room was a large, silver, sparkling circle-shaped stone like a table. On top of the stone was a group of pink-colored Pokémon within a net.
"But if the Cleffa line is there…" Brock trailed off.
"Where's Team Rocket?" Ash finished.
As if on cue, the trio heard laughter as Jessie, James and Meowth descended from the hole.
"Prepare for trouble!"
"Make it double!"
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite all people within our nation!"
"To denounce the world of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now or prepare for a fight!"
"Meowth that's right!"
As soon as they finished their motto, other members of Team Rocket descended from the hole, wearing gas masks. Following them was a swarm of Golbats. Other members released Muk, filling the cavern with a sewer-like smell.
Ash covered his nose at the horrible smell along with Brock. It seemed as if Serena wanted to hurl. Butterfree did its best to propel the smell back, but it was of no use.
"You two again…and a Gym Leader," James remarked.
"Haven't you heard, Jimmy? Brock is now the former Gym Leader!" Meowth corrected.
Jessie shook her head. "This is a terrible habit little ones. Don't you kids know how dangerous Team Rocket is after our last encounter?"
"You didn't look super threatening after Giovanni blast you three to the stars!" Serena fired right back.
Meowth snickered. "I suppose you need a refresher on Team Rocket 101!"
"It doesn't matter how dangerous you all are!" Ash clenched his fists. "We won't stop until we defeat all of you!"
"And I won't stand by while you endanger all of the Pokémon here!" Brock added.
"Humph, suit yourself," Jessie laughed. "Squad A, do your thing!"
The grunts that control the Golbats all shouted in unison. "Confuse Ray!"
"Ledyba, use Safeguard!" Serena commanded.
The Golbats' eyes emitted a rainbow wave of light.
The Five Star Pokémon was quick in setting up a veil to nullify the effects of Confuse Ray.
"Steelix, use Stone Edge!" Brock tossed out his Pokéball.
Ash tossed out his remaining Pokémon. "Pidgeotto and Butterfree, use Gust! Charmander, Flamethrower! Nidoran, Poison Sting! And Pikachu, use Thunder Shock!"
"Nidoran, use Poison Sting!" Serena tossed out. "Ledyba, Silver Wind!"
Eevee looked like it wanted to help so it clapped its paws, sending energy to one of the Pokémon.
The flying-types enhanced Charmander's Flamethrower by having it spread out over a wide range at the Muk.
Pikachu climbed onto Steelix, firing its electrical attacks at the Golbats in tandem with stones flying towards them.
The Nidoran pitched in by forcing the Golbat to move in unfavorable locations.
"Counterattack, Squad B!" James ordered.
The grunts shouted in unison. "Sludge Bomb!"
"Ledyba use Protect!" Serena countered.
The Muk shook off the flames and opened their mouths high as an assortment of purple acid ooze rain down upon their targets.
Ledyba put up a protective shield and similarly to before, it started to crack.
"Sandstorm and Gryo Ball!" Brock ordered.
Steelix called forth a heavy sandstorm while parts of its body started to rotate in circles, pulling in the sand as a protective barrier against the Sludge Bomb.
"Squad A, don't let up!" Jessie yelled.
"Golbat, use Air Cutter!" Squad A shouted.
"Turn up the heat!" James commanded.
"Muk, Flamethrower!" Squad B hollered.
Flying out of the sand was pressurized air disks that bounced off Steelix's body but caused every other Pokémon to move around to avoid getting hit. They were dodging blinding with each one ended up getting up. The entire cavern began warming up like an oven.
The sandstorm died down as the Muk continued their attack. Steelix stopped its attacks and got blasted by the flames and crashing onto the ground.
"Steelix!" Brock cried out in concern. The heat from the sand must have done its damage on Iron Snake Pokémon. The former Gym Leader returned his fallen Pokémon, grasping at the ball.
Pikachu struggled to stand while the rest of the Pokémon didn't move. Ash and Serena returned their Pokémon as well.
"Pika…" Pikachu panted while sparking its cheeks.
Meowth laughed. "Look around you pipsqueak, you're all alone and can't possibly defeat all of us!"
James flicked his hair. "You should have surrendered or at least put up a decent fight."
Ash stood by Pikachu. "As long as we have some fight in us, we're never giving up!"
"Pika!" The Mouse Pokémon's cheeks flared, ready to take on the army.
"Stubborn, eh?" Meowth shook its head. "Then fine, we're no longer playing nice! Attack Formation Delta!"
"Air Cutter!" Squad A yelled.
"Flamethrower!" Squad B shouted.
Ash froze, unsure what he could do to overcome such a combination attack. Pikachu alone couldn't overcome their combined might and if it didn't attempt to soften the blow for his friends, they all could get seriously hurt. Still, he had to try something.
"Thunder Shock!"
Pikachu stood on its back legs while launching a Thunder Shock into the flames that were surrounded by air disks. The electrical attack was consumed with the flames getting closer to the trio of friends.
Ash closed his eyes when a gust of wind brushed by him, knocking off his hat. When he opened them, an Arcanine stood in the away of the flames, absorbing the heat into its body while using Protect to defend against the Air Cutter.
Jessie and James looked at one another, shaking their heads before paying attention to what was going on.
"What's an Arcanine doing here?" Jessie stomped her foot.
That was the million-dollar question. For some reason, Ash felt a familiar presence and a lot of happiness despite the situation was dire. Could this Pokémon belong to the Pokémon Guardian? If so, where were Lucario and Gardevoir?"
Arcanine turned its head towards Ash with a smile. Then it turned towards Team Rocket, growling. "Arcanine. Arc. Can. Arcanine!"
"It's saying we're going to pay for harming its friends," Meowth translated. "Oh please, just because you're stronger than those twerps' Pokémon, it doesn't mean you can take us all out!"
James scoffed. "That's right, Meowth. Squad B, why don't we teach it a lesson?"
"Mud Bomb!" Squad B commanded.
The Muk opened wide and unleashed a bombardment of concentrated mud balls.
The Legendary Pokémon stood there as if it was waiting for a command.
Ash couldn't stand by and watch it get hurt. "Dodge it all!"
Arcanine lowered its body, ready to pounce but then it stood up.
Appearing in front of it was Gardevoir, using its psychic powers to stop the Mud Bomb in the air.
Behind the group, Lucario rapid-fired Aura Spheres at the Golbat.
Rushing into the room was a man in a blue blazer and blue fedora-like hat. He had dark blue hair and blue eyes. A woman was also with him in a white blazer with green highlights. She had blonde, wavy hair that was tied in a ponytail and had a fedora on.
"Looks like we made it just in time," said the man.
"Thank Arceus," said the woman. "Now, you all will pay for what you have done to us and the Pokémon in this territory!"
James readied a Pokéball of his. "And who are you two supposed to be?"
The man tipped his hat. "I'm Riley, Knight of the Rota Kingdom."
"And I'm Ilene, also Knight of the Rota Kingdom."
Knights of the Rota Kingdom? Wasn't one of them supposed to be a Pokémon Guardian?
Jessie placed her hands on her hips. "How fancy. Too bad there aren't princes and princesses to save here. Now buzz off."
Jessie placed her hands on her hips. "How fancy. Too bad there aren't princes and princesses to save here. Now buzz off."
Riley chuckled. "Our duties extend beyond those old fashion traditions. Last warning, surrender peacefully or else things get messy."
"Let's see, we outnumber you lot by a large margin," James laughed. "I don't see why you're in any position to make demands."
Ilene smiled, she had been waiting all day to take care of these people. "Don't say we didn't warn you. Gardevoir, Mega-Evolve!"
"Lucario, Mega-Evolve!"
Both trainers touched a gem on their bracelets. Beams of light reached out to their respective Pokémon. The Pokémon embraced the warm light that changed their appearances. Lucario's cream fur became longer, and its thighs slim down. It developed more spikes on the back of its paws, which have turned crimson. It also develops spikes on both of its feet, which have become crimson too. Its previously red eyes are now orange-colored. Its aura-sensing appendages grew longer, and two of them are tipped in crimson. Its shoulders also possessed a spike each.
Gardevoir's appearance also changed. Its body turned almost completely white; only its hair remains green. Its gown becomes longer and wider, resembling a bridal gown. The forearms were slightly thicker with a pointed extension above the elbow. Its facial spikes were larger and now curl upwards. In contrast, its hair was now shorter and more tightly curled. There were now two horns in the center of its chest, extending to either side.
Ash was amazed by the transformation. Sure, he had seen it on TV but never in person. Excitement washed over him as the light faded.
Jessie frowned. "Squad A, what are you waiting for? Attack!"
"Squad B, keep up the pressure!" James shouted.
The grunts of Squad A didn't know what to do so they called random attacks. Squad B ordered the Muk to burn them down to the ground.
"Lucario use Extreme Speed and Bone Rush!" Riley shouted.
"Gardevoir use Psychic!" Ilene hollered.
The Aura Pokémon disappeared to the naked eye and reappeared bashing the Muk with Bone Rush.
Gardevoir stopped all projectiles in the air, sending them right back and held the Golbats in place.
Arcanine ran to the trapped Pokemon, crunching the net to free them.
James tossed out a Pokémon. "Weezing, Smokescreen!"
A purple Pokémon consisting of two spherical heads connected by a thin tube with another sphere in the center appeared. Through its many holes, it released a thick layer of smoke that filled the entire cavern. Everyone without a gas mask started to cough.
Riley formed a blue force field around the trio of friends with him and Ilene inside. Amazingly, the force field filtered out the smoke.
Ash wondered how that was possible, but he was more concerned about Team Rocket. "What about Team Rocket?"
"Leave that to Lucario," Riley chuckled.
"Don't forget about Gardevoir," Illene added.
They heard people grunting in pain and falling over with the Cleffa line chanting. Soon gusts of wind picked up, carrying the smoke out of the cavern, revealing the grunts on the ground with a pile of Pokéballs. Lucario and Gardevoir reverted back to their original forms.
"We're blasting off again!" The Team Rocket trio yelped into the night.
Ash gritted his teeth as those three managed to get away again. Though it was not a total failure. His friend and him managed to keep them here long enough for Riley and Ilene to save the day.
Cleffa broke free of Serena's arms and joined in with the rest of the Star-Shaped Pokémon in a happy dance. They formed a circle around the stone in the middle, hopping and twirling in sync with one another.
Serena filmed the dance. "I can't believe we're seeing their famous Moon Dance!"
Ash and Brock looked at one another with a smile. They couldn't be happier that Cleffa found its friends and family once again.
One of the Clefables approached Ash, Serena, and Brock. In its hand were three silver stones that looked similar to the giant stone in the middle. "Clefable! Clef! Clefable!"
"It's saying thank you for bringing home its child," Ilene stated. "The Moonstones are a reward so to speak."
The trio looked at one another in confusion. First Ash could understand Lucario and now Ilene with Clefable? They each took a Moonstone, looking between it, the Clefable, and Ilene.
"Silly me," Ilene giggled. "I can understand Pokémon by reading their minds."
Brock's jaw dropped. "Does that mean you're a Psychic?"
"That's right!" She winked.
Ash couldn't believe he met a Psychic. Very rare people in today's world were able to harness such power, though there were notable Gym Leaders and Frontier Brains he was aware that possess the power. Still, not an everyday situation.
Riley eyed the entire group, appeared lost in thought for a moment. "Let's get all of these people out of here so they can dance in peace." He turned to Ilene. "Care to do the honors?"
"With pleasure." Ilene crackled her fingers before holding them out like Gardevoir. Together, they lifted the grunts and their Pokéballs and moving out of the cavern.
As they were clearing out, Ash looked for Arcanine. "Riley, where did Arcanine go?"
The knight held his chin. "Was that not one of your Pokémon?"
"Maybe it was a wild Arcanine?" Serena suggested.
"That's a possibility," Brock noted. "But why did it leave?"
Riley then approached Serena who was carrying Eevee in her arms. He performed the same technique as Lucario and healed Eevee's injury. He had better explain everything once they make it out of the cave.
Riley led everyone out of the dark cave using his aura to feel the terrain. The moon was still high in the sky with the stars twinkling alongside it. Along the way of heading out, the group decided to clear out the man-made lights much to the appreciation of the Pokémon living within the mountain.
Ilene tied a rope, psychically around the grunts while separating them from their Pokéballs. They were not heading anywhere any time soon. As she wrapped up, the man known as Brock approached her.
"Oh sweet Ilene, I wish you could read my mind. Words aloud cannot describe your beauty and what I feel whenever I look into your beautiful emerald eyes!"
Riley raised an eyebrow at the sudden change of behavior. Apparently, his friends were also dumbfounded by the exchange. Serena might be embarrassed to be associated with him.
"How about I pretend this didn't happen and you get to keep any memory of me," Ilene countered, classic.
Brock cowered behind his interesting friends. Looks like his heart was shattered by the rejection. Though, he should get over it pretty quickly.
"On behalf of the Rota Kingdom, I thank you for your brave services in pushing back the enemy," Riley exclaimed. "Without you, Lucario wouldn't have been cured of its confusion or had enough strength to take on a confused Gardevoir."
Ilene nodded. "Indeed, if we were at the kingdom, we would throw you a feast in your honor but take an open invitation to the kingdom especially around our annual Hero of the Aura festival."
Serena laughed while scratching her head. "We only went in because we thought a Pokémon Guardian was inside. We were shocked to find Knights."
"I suppose Lucario deceived you a little," Riley chuckled, turning to his Pokémon to get the full details through aura. "I'm actually an Aura Guardian."
The teens' jaws dropped.
"As in like Sir Aaron?" Ash asked.
Being outside the Kingdom was a strange experience for the Aura Guardian. "That's right. If you would believe it, Sir Aaron is one of my ancestors."
"Just like Lady Rin is one of my ancestors," Ilene added.
"No way," Serena leaned in. "They were real?"
The knights scratched their faces and nodded.
"Most definitely," Riley stated. "Perhaps to the modern world, they're nothing but fairytales, but the Rota Kingdom still believes in their existence due to the many teachings and historical texts we have of when they lived."
Ilene placed a hand on her head and imbued an image of a painting of the two legends in everyone's minds along with their signature Pokémon being a Lucario, Gardevoir, and a Pidgeot. Between all of them was a staff belonging to Sir Aaron.
"We're actually on a quest," she stated. "During the great war between our Kingdom and a rival Kingdom, they disappeared without a trace. By finding Sir Aaron's staff, wherever it might be, we will be able to prove to the world that they existed."
"Retracing their steps, we discovered they headed towards Mt. Moon," Riley continued. "We figured it would be the logical place to find the staff, but we had a run-in with Team Rocket before we were able to get very far."
Brock nodded. "I can't believe my favorite children's book turned out to be history."
"Same," Ash chuckled. "I used to pretend I was an Aura Guardian."
"I didn't know that," Serena smiled. "Must have been before we met."
Riley eyed the feather on Serena's hat before turning to Ash. "I'm rather surprised you didn't know Aura Guardians existed, Ash."
"Really?" The young man blinked. "Why is that?"
"Because, you're naturally gifted in aura yourself," he replied.
"I am!" Ash's eyes widened with his other two friends joining in on his confusion.
Riley considered his words carefully, not to overwhelm or put the burden onto him. "Aura is what connects every living thing to one another. Some people are more in tune with that energy that allows us to understand how people and Pokémon are feeling. Lucario is a special case as we can understand them like they can understand people."
"So Ash's sudden illness earlier today…" Serena trailed off.
"During Lucario's confusion, it must have been sending out waves of intense emotion that manifested itself in pain for Ash," Riley surmised. "In a way, Lucario was calling out for help. A trained aura user would have been able to separate his emotions from another being."
Ash faced Lucario. "Even though it was painful, I'm glad we found you."
The more Riley looked at the rainbow feather, the more he believed he needed to take Ash under his wing. Given the current circumstances, that was rather difficult nor should he make something out of an ordinary citizen.
"Why don't I teach you a trick to help you in case this happens again or you happen to run into a Riolu?"
"A Riolu?" Ash blinked.
Ilene showed everyone an image in their minds. "It's the pre-evolution of Lucario. As far as I'm aware, they're a rather picky Pokémon when it comes to who they'll allow for a partner. Often, they travel far and wide searching for a person whose aura resonates with their own."
Riley nodded to the information. "Riolu typically helps one train in manipulating aura and would know the move Aura Sphere. They almost always find their partner by the age of 10 so again I'm surprised you haven't met one yet."
"Really?" Brock asked. "I thought a Lucario learned Aura Sphere when it evolved."
"That's technically correct," Riley chuckled. "However, some are born with that move already learned. A sign that it is destined to be with an Aura Guardian. Though for some, it's possible for it to learn with enough dedicated work." He stared at Ash. "With your abilities, I have no doubt you'll meet one someday. Care for my lesson?"
"Sure!" Ash answered.
Riley guided him off to the side, sitting down in a patch of grass. Lucario sat beside him while Pikachu sat beside Ash across from them. Their friends watched it from afar.
"This is known as the Aura Shield," Riley instructed. He let himself focus on the shield around his body, going back to basics to allow his aura to reveal itself to Ash in a blue veil around his body. "This'll prevent any aura user from overwhelming you with emotions."
Ash and Pikachu had their jaw dropped.
"Once you get the hang of it, you won't glow like a Christmas Tree," he continued and concealing his aura. "To begin, I want you to close your eyes and take a deep breath in and exhale through your mouth slowly."
Ash did what he was instructed to do while keeping his hands on his knee caps. Pikachu mimicked Ash's movements.
"Breathing in, I want you to feel the energy around you. The warmth of every grass blade to every fiber in Pikachu's fur."
The young man took his deep breaths, but his subtle eye movements told Riley that he didn't feel a thing. Could he had been wrong in reading his aura? No, he was certainly gifted. He just needed some guidance as the typical Aura Guardian trained since the age of 10.
"Let aura be an extension of your senses," he explained. "You feel the warmth around you. You always have without realizing it. Allow it to guide you in seeing what's in front of you. Let go of your doubts and have peace of mind."
Ash tried again, this time relaxing his shoulders. His eyes did not move rapidly under his eyelids. Just as he was beginning to grasp the concept, he opened his eyes. "Do did perform the Aura Shield?"
Riley rubbed his neck. "Not quite, you were able to sense Aura that time I believe. Did you feel the ocean of warmth and see Lucario and me?"
"I remember feeling the warmth before seeing an outline of you and Lucario," he explained.
"I see," Riley sighed. Maybe it would take longer than tonight to teach him a basic technique, but he was being foolish. Ash had zero training in the aura. Anything that he has done with Aura was due to his natural abilities. "If you practice this breathing exercise, you'll be able to sense aura in no time."
"What about the Aura Shield technique?"
Riley considered telling him the steps. "Once you're able to hold your sight for about five minutes, I want you to think about wrapping yourself in a blanket. The aura around you will then cover your body to protect you. Though, maintaining it for long periods of time will take some time as your body needs to adjust to the strain. Don't go overboard and keep it on you for short intervals until you develop the endurance."
Ash leaned back. "Man, I guess being an Aura Guardian is tougher than it sounds. Though, why am I able to understand Pokémon's feeling so easily? Didn't you say I could also understand people as well?"
"Mastering the Aura Sight is key to reading people's emotions. Pokémon don't tend to hide their feelings, unlike people. Plus, I would say reading aura is different than manipulating so don't feel bad that you didn't get it tonight. Work hard and you'll become an Aura Guardian in no time."
The duo regrouped with the others, noticing a couple of Pokémon that decided to join them. A Zubat hovered around Brock. A Cleffa clung onto Serena.
"I guess you must have liked that I helped you and your friends," Brock said. "Does this mean you want to come with me?"
"Zubat!" It nodded.
With a Pokéball, Brock captured the bat-like Pokémon. On his phone, he saw additional information. Zubat, the bat Pokémon. It emits ultrasonic cries while it flies. They act as a sonar used to check for objects in its way.
Gender: Male
Ability: Inner Focus
Nature: Quiet
Serena frowned. "I thought you wanted to stay with your friends and family."
"Cleffa. Clef!" It replied while pointing at her.
"Cleffa admired your courage in protecting it against Lucario and bringing it home as you promised," Ilene said. "I believe it wants to be your friend and get to know you more."
The Pokémon nodded. "Cleffa!"
Serena beamed in joy as she took out a Pokéball for it to get captured in. Like Zubat, it did not put up a fight and let the ball do its magic. "Alright! I caught a Cleffa!" She posed.
"Eevee!" The evolution Pokémon joined in the celebration.
With her Pokédex, she looked up some more information. Cleffa, the star shape Pokémon. Because of its unusual, star-like silhouette, people believe that it came here on a meteor.
Gender: Female
Ability: Magic Guard
Nature: Careful
Riley, Ilene, and Ash congratulated them for making new friends.
The trio of friends waved goodbye, wishing the knights luck on their quest in finding Sir Aaron's staff while Riley and Ilene stayed behind to wait for the police to arrive.
Riley held his chin as the trio disappeared in the distance. Everything he knew about aura told him that Ash and Serena were impossible. But there was no mistake as even Lucario felt their presence.
"What do you mean their auras are similar to ours?" Ilene asked, reading his mind.
Lucario shrugged. "When I first met them, I had mistaken Ash and Serena for you two until I saw them."
Riley turned to Mt. Moon. "As far as I'm aware, no two auras are alike. Not even within a family though there might be similarities here and there. Unless they're family, we're looking at something that's not supposed to be possible."
"Hmm, Sir Aaron and Lady Rin were in love, but I don't think they ever had kin," Ilene scratched her chin. "Unless the historical texts were wrong or incomplete."
"Of course, what's troubling me more is the Rainbow Feather," he remarked. "Surely you must have seen it."
Ilene blinked. "I actually didn't until you mentioned it now. Does that mean another crisis is brewing? It does make sense for Serena to be chosen."
"So she does have powers?" Riley asked.
She nodded. "Somewhat dormant, but bits and pieces are coming to the surface. I don't believe she's completely aware of it."
"If she was chosen, then there's a possibility that Ash will be chosen as well. Perhaps our meeting with those people was not by chance." Riley kneeled at Ilene's feet. "How would you like to proceed, Princess?"
Ilene became flustered. "How many times have I told you to not call me that? We're not even in the kingdom! Can't I be a beautiful knight like you for at least a day?!"
Riley laughed while standing up. "And miss an opportunity to see you like this?"
"You're totally the worst champion of all time!" Ilene turned around with her arms crossed. "Anyways, I think we should stick around here to see if our lead becomes cold. Maybe a time-flower will be nearby for us to find. I'm not sure what the world has in store for us nor them, but I feel like we should keep a close eye on them just in case anything bad happens to them."
Arcanine stared off into the distance of a cliff on Mt. Moon. It eyed Ash and his friends as they trailed off and saw Ash's first attempts in learning aura. Time had a funny sense of humor. It transformed back into Mew with her pondering what to do as if that was a question. She transformed into a Clefairy to join her friends in performing the Moon Dance.
In a helicopter flying over the sea, a man in a black Team Rocket uniform, a beret, and has blue hair was looking outside the window. He then turned his attention to the metal briefcase beside him. He opened it that contained many fossils. He made sure to double-check the exact amount as his laptop started to play a ringtone.
With a press of a button, a video feed of Giovanni sitting in his office appeared. "Proton, report."
Proton showed Giovanni the different fossils. "We've collected about twenty fossils before Jessie and James told us to leave under your special orders…I apologize that we couldn't secure more."
"Don't look too sad old friend," Giovanni smiled. "This is more than enough. What's your ETA to Cinnabar Island?"
"About another hour or so," Proton replied while closing the briefcase. "I have to ask, what's so special about a group of kids? We could easily take them out and have secured more fossils."
Giovanni brought his hands together and leaned back in his chair. "Let's just say I'm curious to see what they learn or come across."
AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter and what and how I used Aura. Please let me know some of your thoughts on the chapter in a review or PM.
Next Time: Chapter 8: Waterflowers of Cerulean City ("I have a counter offer!")
Questions you might have after the chapter
Q: Who is Lady Rin and Ilene?
I just repurposed Queen Rin and Queen Ilene from Movie 8.
Q: Wait a minute, didn't the Rota Kingdom in M8 have the staff belonging to Sir Aaron?
Like I said at the end of chapter 1, I'm doing my own thing. The movies might not be in the cannon order either or I might be combining some ideas together.
Q: Doesn't Ash technically own the Rainbow Feather?
Yes, they just assumed it was owned by Serena because it was on her person.
