After a visit to the Lilypad Colosseum, Lyra and Khoury returned to Johto together, while we resumed our journey to Sunyshore City, for my eighth Sinnoh Gym Badge. Of course, no journey I am in is ever that easy. So, it came to no one's surprise that as we got lost in a dark forest and came across a mischievous Murkrow that created a fearful illusion to trap us. Luckily, my Poltergeist was out, hiding in my shadow, and protected us from the illusion and brought the Murkrow down. Which lead us to meet his trainer Mitchell, who after hyperventilating about attacking The Saint, calmed down and explained the situation. He had come to the mountain to train so he could beat his sister Rhyanna and her Misdreavus in a fight. However, his sister had also come to the mountain to look for a Dusk Stone to evolve her pokemon into a Mismagius. She was hoping that evolving her pokemon will help her brother become happy again. However, Mitchell got angry thinking that Rhyanna's purpose was to keep winning battles against him.
Which lead to us being dragged around by them while they tried to find a Dusk Stone before the other sibling. I was not having it, especially when they began to fight when we found the Dusk Stone. So, I sat them both down and scolded them, the same way I learned from mom. For some reason, Mitchell and Rhyanna ended up crying, while Pikachu comforted them patting their shoulders in understanding. In the end, Rhyanna and Mitchell discussed their issues like adults and made up, making a bet that the winner of the best of ten battles between them wins the Dusk Stone.
Soon after that, I had to part ways with my friends and send them to Sunyshore City on their own. I had received the news that Looker had been captured by Jupiter and was being held, prisoner. So, I called for my Sinnoh Team and left for his rescue. "Is everyone ready?" I asked my team. "Today we will bring down one of Team Galactic Commanders!"
"Born ready captain!" Josh smiled viciously, as the rest of the team nodded their heads behind him, with determination.
"This will bring us one step closer to our objective," Sarah continued. "The demise of Team Galactic."
"Good," I said. "Then we better get this done with. Sarah and Josh, you two are on retrieval duty. Get Looker and anyone there out and safe. The rest of you arrest every single Team Galactic grunt... leave Jupiter to me."
"Sir, yes, sir!" My team answered, reading themselves to go.
The mission... well, it was a disappointment if I am being completely honest. A total letdown. The grunts were easily incapacitated by the teamwork of my squad, the only prisoner was Looker and Jupiter... well, my Pikachu took her Golbat with a single Thunderbolt and her Bronzor fainted after a Flamethrower from my Flygon. The only one that gave us a bit of trouble was her Skuntank but by the end, my Honedge finally took them down with a Flash Cannon.
"Well, it looks that the strength of Team Galactic's Commanders was overestimated," I mocked her, as we were taking her to the drop-out zone, where Elite Four Flint was going to be there to take Jupiter to prison. However, she simply smiled mockingly at me... as if I was missing something. "What is your real plan Commander?" Her eyes widened at my question, which made me laugh. "Do you think I would not notice that you guys were a distraction? You wanted us occupied while the rest of your terrorist group did something else."
"We are not terrorists!" Jupiter shouted, jumping on her feet and fighting against her restraints, inside the armored truck.
"Sit the fuck down!" Rodrick cursed at her, roughly pulling her down.
"Why is it that you and your friends were the ones chosen by the three Lake Legendaries?!" Jupiter growled, glaring daggers at me.
"So, this has something to do with them?" I demanded to know, catching on to what she unknowingly let out. "What is Cyrus' plan with them?"
Jupiter did not answer, simply smiled mockingly at me.
"Answer the damn question!" Rodrick threatened her.
"Master, allow me," Espeon requested, laying as poise as ever on my lap. "There's no need for you to deal with a barbarian like her."
Once upon a time, I would have not even thought of asking any of my pokemon to invade someone else's mind. However, this was a serious situation, one that might affect the future of a whole region. "Go ahead," I finally allowed.
"Thank you," Espeon's eyes and jewel shined as she entered Jupiter's mind. She sat up, startled, and exclaimed in rage. "You barbarians! How dare you?!" Jupiter began screaming in pain, as she was being mentally attacked by my Espeon.
"Espeon, stop!" I commanded, it took a second, but her eyes stopped shining and she rapidly turned to me. "Explain!"
"Master! They are planning on attacking and capturing the Lake Trio!" Espeon informed me in despair. "Their first objective is Lord Azelf, Master. Legend says that if one of the three Legendary Pokémon is taken hostage, the other two will appear. That's their plan!"
"It doesn't matter!" Jupiter groaned in pain, but still smirked victoriously at me. "We've already won!"
"Shut the fuck up!" Rodrick cursed at her, but she simply laughed at us.
"Espeon knocked her out!" I ordered, one Hypnosis later Jupiter was asleep.
"This is Ace Ranger Ash Ketchum, we have a Code Delta Red going on, I repeat we have a Code Delta Red going on," I used my ranger communicator to contact both of my squads, the Elite Four of Sinnoh and Cynthia. "Team Galactic's real objectives are Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie. They are attacking Lake Valor to get Azelf. Mobilize rangers to that area, I am on my way there."
"Ace Ranger Ketchum, this is Elite Four Aaron," the Bug Master answered rapidly to my call, pausing for a second in trepidation. "I am in Lake Valor, we are too late..." No! I exclaimed in my head. "Team Galactic is in possession of the Lake Trio."
The atmosphere in the room was tense. We were at the Headquarters of the Sinnoh League, and both of my squads, the Elite Four and Champion Cynthia were there.
"What happened in Lake Valor?" I finally asked Elite Four Aaron, breaking the uncomfortable silence.
"Commander Saturn and Commander Mars attacked the zone with a group of grunts. Researcher Gary Oak was there and tried to aid the Legendary," Aaron answered. "Professor Rowan sent a distress signal for the Elite Four, I answered it but by then it was already too late. Commander Saturn was already gone and so was the Lake Trio."
"Gary was there?" I was startled by that. "Is he ok?" I asked, worriedly. A deep fear got hold of my heart, I did not even start a relationship with him and I might have already lost him.
"Yes, he was able to take down Commander Mars, but Commander Saturn ambushed him and knocked him out. He has some bruises but nothing life-threatening," Aaron assured me. "From Professor Rowan's report, Mesprit and Uxie took the grunts with a double Future Sight combo, before being taken away with Azelf by Saturn," Aaron explained with a grimace.
"At least, we've got two Commanders and more than two-thirds of their grunts in custody," Elite Four Flint commented, trying to look for the positive side of the situation. I would normally try to do the same, but... THEY HAD ATTACKED GARRY!
All bets were off now! I am going to ruin them! I growled in my head.
"Enough!" Cynthia's clear and authoritative voice rang in the suddenly silent room, making us all turn our attention to her. "The Lake Trio's imprisonment was not part of our plans and a stain to us as the protectors of Sinnoh. However, other than that our plans were going perfectly. So, all that we need to do now is prepare for their attack in Spear Pillar."
"What will be done to save the Lake Trio?" Elite Four Bertha asked calmly, but I could see the power of a mountain behind her calm demeanor.
"Elite Four Lucian, Ace Ranger Ketchum, and his Kanto Squad will be going into Galactic Team's Headquarters to save them," Cynthia ordered. "The rest of us will be waiting for Cyrus in Spear Pillar." I could see that my Sinnoh Squad was not happy with the idea of being separated for the final battle against Team Galactic, not when we were the ones that fought them head-on for most of a year. They wanted to finish this, the same way we started our journey, together. "Though from the looks, I am getting, maybe a change of squads is needed," she commented with a bemused smile.
I looked at my Kanto Squad and Utau, getting firm nods and smiles in return. I then turned to Cynthia and smiled. "I am taking my Sinnoh Squad to Team Galactic's Headquarters with Elite Four Lucian. Utau will be in charge of my Kanto Squad during the Spear Pillar mission."
"Good," Cynthia accepted with a proud smile, making me feel all warm and happy. It was as if I was making my big sister happy... in a way it was true. "Then, we better get going. We can't waste any more time."
I turned to both of my squads and took them to a quiet corner. "Although Team Galactic was incapable to take all of Veilstone City's meteorites, they took enough to craft a Red Chain."
"A Red Chain?" Rose inquired in trepidation.
"Cynthia found about it during her archeological and myth studies," I explained. "According to myths, Palkia and Dalgia created Sinnoh with their power. However, capturing the pokemon with a Poke Ball prevents them from using their full power... but with a Red Chain, the pokemon can be shackled, and use their power without restrain."
"That's barbaric!" Utau growled, sounding just like my Espeon.
"It is," I sighed, really tired of terrorist groups trying to use Legendaries to do their dirty work. "However, even with the Lake Trio's powers under their command, they will be incapable of controlling Palkia and Dialga completely. They need the orbs for that."
"Which they do not have," Josh smirked in victory.
"They don't," I agreed with a smirk of my own. "And they will neither have the Lake Trio when they hit Spear Pillar. Which they will still do, believing that we do not have the Spear Key and they have the orbs."
"They believe that the Red Chain and fake orbs will be enough to control the Legendaries... but in return, they'll get a nasty surprise," Sarah smirked viciously.
"That they will," I replied. "I want none of you acting like heroes, we will all return safe and sound, go it?" I warned my teammates.
"Sir, yes, sir," my squad members answered with a smile.
"Good!" I replied, and we all parted ways to get ready for the final battle.
This will end today!
Of course, things would not go easy. As soon as we infiltrated the Headquarters of Team Galactic, they knew of our presence. Sending Commander Saturn after us and a legion of their grunts, almost everyone that they had left. So, with a heavy heart, I had to leave my squad to face off against almost a third of Team Galactic's grunts and Elite Four Lucian to battle Commander Sturn, while I rushed forward to save the Lake Trio.
I got there just in time, to watch Cyrus, Commander Charon, and the remaining grunts teleport to Spear Pillar. "Why are they not taking Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie with them?" I wondered out loud.
"Master, I read the mind of that foul Cyrus," Espeon explained to me. "He is waiting to summon them as soon as he summons Lord Palkia and Lord Dialga."
"With us attacking their Headquarters?" Heracross asked surprised. "Are they that cocky?"
"He thought that while we might know where their Headquarters are, we should not know the place they are attacking. Not with the Spear Key lost, in the hands of Team Rocket," Espeon informed us.
There was a deep silence on my team's side. "Team Rocket?" I asked slowly. "Since when do they believe Team Rocket is involved?"
"So, that's what Meowth meant!" Pikachu exclaimed. "Back in Lilypod Town Meowth told me that James, Jessie, and he had a rumor going around in the black market that might help us out. They must have diverted Team Galactic's attention to Team Rocket!"
"I owe them big," I murmured. "Still, Cyrus must really trust his Red Chain, to be this sloppy. He must believe for sure that we will not be able to break it."
Suddenly we were attacked by three very powerful Future Sight simultaneously. Thanks to my pokemon's rapid thinking and the various layers of Protect, heightened by my aura power, we were able to withstand the attack. Otherwise, we would have been toasted. "Shit!" Charizard cursed. "Now this is getting interesting!" He had a bloodthirsty smirk on his lips, that had me chuckle.
My battle-hungry lizard never changes, I thought fondly.
"They have Red Chain fragments on their jewels!" I told my pokemon. "We need to break those. Lance found from his Clan's archives that the Aura of The Chosen One is more powerful than a normal Aura Guardian. You guys need to buy me time and give me an opening!"
"Leave it to us!" My pokemon replied with determination.
"Heracross! Charizard! Let's Mega Evolve!" I called out, and a bright shine covered the room. "Heracross and Espeon will be our main attack force, everyone else protects them! Got it?!"
"Yes!"
"Good!" I exclaimed. "Espeon Future Sight! Heracross Megahorn! Charizard Dragon Pulse!" While the pokemon kept the Lake Trio occupied, I turn to Honegde and Riolu. I hated to have my baby in such a dangerous mission, but Pikachu was there to have his back, and I needed my aura partner to aid me in summoning and controlling my aura. While Honegde will act as an instrument through which I can channel my aura powers to centralize the effects for more complex results. "Are you both ready?"
"Leave it to me, daddy!" Riolu assured me, jumping on my shoulder and closing his eyes.
I could feel him reaching out for my aura, and his aura answering for mine. He slowly, but steadily, began pulling my aura out. I firmly directed it towards Honegde. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my aura, as if by magic my senses ceased to exist. All I could do is feel the aura around me, I could see the different colors from my pokemon as they battled the Lake Trio. I could sense their attacks before they even chose to use them. Focusing on Azelf, Mesprit, and Uxie, I could sense the chains imprisoning them. They felt cold and vile... I loathed them!
However, I knew it was not my time to move yet. So, I stood firmly, connecting myself with Riolu and Honedge, mixing our auras into a perfect combination. When the moment came, the moment I saw an opening, I moved. I moved faster than a human should be able, and slashed Honedge, as one would slash a sword, and broke Azelf's chain, releasing him from captivity. However, Mesprit and Uxie chose that moment to work together for a pincer attack. I had a feeling that someone was shouting, but all I could feel was peace. Everything slowed down, as I poured more aura into Honedge, body moving on its own, centering myself as I slashed both hands, breaking Mesprit and Uxie's chains simultaneously.
I was heaving by the end, collapsing on my knees, as my senses returned to me slowly. I felt Pikachu tackling me on my back, which made me release both handles...
Wait...
BOTH HANDLES?!
I opened my eyes in shock as I watched Doublade collapse next to me, alongside an exhausted Riolu.
"Ash!" Pikachu was screaming on my chest. But I could barely hear him, I was very tired. I smiled as the Lake Trio floated above me, thanking me mentally. "Ash, don't fall asleep!"
My pokemon kept on screaming, but I was too tired and I wanted to take a little nap. I'll talk to them later. The last thing I saw as I fell unconscious was the worried face of my starter and the screams of my pokemon.