Chapter 4: The Expedition
Felix barely restrained Delia from charging straight into the jungle.
"Let me go! I'm going to find that damned Pokemon and wring her neck!" Delia snarled while breathing fire.
Ash still stared up at the island's peak while Grace tried desperately to calm Serena down. The young woman looked hysterical, hyperventilating, and shaking.
Daniel and Cynthia raced over with their Pokemon, both dumbstruck by what just occurred.
"What on Earth was all that!?" Cynthia muttered while clutching Stephen tightly in her arms.
"I have no idea." Daniel said, sweatdropping while turning to Ash.
"Ash-"
"She's gone to that temple, hasn't she." Ash spoke to the point like cold steel. Neither the former Kaiser nor Ash's wife or mother ever heard him speak in such a tone, yet they couldn't blame him either.
Ash turned to Charizard, who nodded with his other Pokemon.
"Let's go!"
"Hold on!" Daniel and his Pokemon barely restrained Ash and his team.
Ash nearly struck Daniel with an aura-enhanced punch, but the Champion caught his fist and let the Kaiser breathe heavily for a few moments as they exchanged fierce expressions.
"Ash, I understand you're distraught. If she'd taken Stephen, I can't say I wouldn't be doing exactly what you want to do. But that doesn't change the fact that it's reckless!"
"He's the strongest trainer in the world!" Delia snarled.
"That doesn't make him or his Pokemon invincible! You saw how Orahaoya took control of those wild Pokemon!" Cynthia countered.
Felix grit his teeth and slowly nodded. He let his wife go and slowly approached Ash, placing both hands on his shoulders.
"Ash, going in recklessly isn't going to help Satoshi." Ash trembled, tears filling his and his Pokemons' eyes.
"Satoshi!" Serena wailed while reaching out towards the island peak.
"Is everyone alright?" Mr. Ubbe asked as he approached with his Urshifu and a few security guards.
Grace and Delia both gave feral expressions before seizing the businessman together.
"A legendary Pokemon just kidnapped our grandson! No! We're not ok!?"
Ubbe and his Urshifu sweatdropped.
"Right. Quite unfortunate, especially considering she was aided by Gima and her Guardians."
"Why would they help her?" Cynthia asked.
"Perhaps we can explain." All eyes turned to one of the village elders who approached with his Lucario.
He led the group to another mural that depicted Orahaoya leading a dozen Aura Guardians, their Lucarios, and many jungle Pokemon against a Viking Army, all of their eyes glowing blue.
"Legends say that as the mother of Aura, Orahaoya could synchronize her Guardians' efforts via a powerful aura bond, allowing them to fight in perfect harmony. Additionally, she could use her aura to convince wild Pokemon to help her." The elder took a deep breath while staring at Orahaoya's mural in disappointment.
"I believe that Orahaoya used the Aura Guardian's connection with Aura to convince them that your son was in fact, Sir Aaron, as I'm sure she herself is quite convinced he is."
"Why does she think that!?" Serena sobbed.
Ash grit his teeth and braced himself against the mural.
"Sir Aaron and I have virtually the same Aura, and Satoshi's abilities are even greater than my own."
Felix nodded.
"The same aura can appear in two different people. It's entirely possible Satoshi has Sir Aaron's aura."
"Look at this mural." Grace muttered while pointing to another. Upon closer inspection, they saw Orahaoya holding Sir Aaron and realized that the baby depicted looked just like Satoshi.
"He looks like him too." Delia trembled.
"Regardless, it's vital we get your son back. Fear not. We know that Orahaoya once dwelled in that temple, meaning she's undoubtedly gone back." Mr. Ubbe said while gesturing upwards.
"Then why are we still just sitting here!?" Delia roared.
"Because like he said, Orahaoya has convinced the Aura Guardians to follow her and can do the same with the island's Pokemon. Going there directly will prove fruitless."
The elder nodded, but another villager approached, handing him a map.
"Fear not, for there's another way inside. One Orahaoya doesn't know about."
Ash and Serena both nearly jumped upon hearing this.
"She doesn't!"
"No, this was built after her sacrifice. Here." He showed them the map, which depicted a secret entrance to the temple via a waterfall near the base of the mountain.
"Wait a minute, if Gima and the others are with Orahaoya, can't they warn her?" Cynthia asked.
"Perhaps, but not if their attention remains diverted elsewhere." Ubbe said while gesturing to several dozen of his company's guards who assembled with their Pokemon.
"My men can accompany you into the jungle and draw the Aura Guardians' attention to them. With Orahaoya's followers distracted, you can enter her temple through the waterfall and rescue Satoshi."
The elder nodded.
"This could work."
Ash tightened his fist and turned to Mr. Ubbe.
"And you."
"Of course, Orahaoya must be stopped."
"We're coming too!" Maylene shouted, approaching with her Lucario.
"You've got us!" Cameron added.
"Grouuu!"
Ash and Serena almost teared up seeing them, Cynthia and Daniel all willing to help save their baby.
"We'll need you to watch Stephen for us." Cynthia said while handing him to Grace.
Charline stared at her and Charizard's egg for another moment and then reluctantly handed it to Delia. Ash's mother nodded to the Charizard, who nuzzled Serena tenderly.
"Bring back our grandson." Delia said firmly to Felix, whose eyes flashed blue with Lucario.
"Hai!
Ash and Serena stared at the temple together with fiery determination.
"Don't forget, Serena, Pikachu made it through the portal too." Serena's face lit up upon realizing Ash was right.
"We're coming, Satoshi!" She cried.
Inside the temple, Satoshi wailed, and Orahaoya gently rocked him as she did with Aaron.
"Shhh, don't cry. Mama's here, Aaron."
Satoshi didn't stop crying and looked down at the village while reaching out toward it with his tiny hands.
Orahaoya placed her palm upon his forehead and carefully eased him with the presence of her aura. This helped a little, but Satoshi was still reaching toward his parents below when suddenly his eyes flashed blue, and he gave an excited cry.
Initially, Orahaoya smiled, thinking she calmed him, but soon realized someone else was there.
Orahaoya dodged with less than a moment to spare, making Pikachu miss his attempted rescue of Satoshi by inches.
"Pika!" Pikachu growled, sparking his cheeks while facing the legendary Pokemon.
"You! What are you doing here!?"
"Pika! Pikachu!" Orahaoya gave a puzzled look, especially when she saw how happy Satoshi appeared upon seeing Pikachu.
"What? No, this is Aaron! He's my baby!"
"Pika! Pikachu!"
"He's Aaron!" Orahaoya raised her palm, which glowed blue with her eyes. However, Pikachu's aura connection to Ash protected him from Orahaoya's influence, making her blink in shock before growling.
Orahaoya raised her offhand again and blasted the ground in front of Pikachu with an Aura Sphere.
"Chu!" Pikachu narrowly dodged the incoming attack but felt its power, reminding him of Ash or Daniel's Lucario while Mega Evolved.
Pikachu sparked his cheeks while readying an electroball when he saw Satoshi's frightened expression and hesitated.
Orahaoya unleashed another Aura Sphere, which Pikachu blasted apart with Electroball.
Orahaoya frantically covered Satoshi with her body and heard his terrified crying.
"No!" The legendary Pokemon let out an aura-enhanced cry, and within moments, three Aura Guardians arrived with their Lucario.
"Guard him with your life!" She growled at Riley, who nodded while carefully taking Satoshi in his arms.
"Of course, Mentor." Seeing this almost made Pikachu sigh in relief. For now, he could fight Orahaoya without worrying about hitting Satoshi.
"Chu!" Pikachu readied another electroball when his heightened senses picked up the three Lucario, each preparing an attack.
"Pika!" Pikachu narrowly avoided or blocked the incoming blows, including an Aura Sphere, Bone Rush, and Power-Up Punch. By now, Pikachu was one of the most powerful Pokemon in the world. However, he noticed that all three fought in perfect coordination, their eyes glowing blue with Orahaoya's.
"Pika!" Pikachu then realized that the legendary Pokemon had organized them.
Pikachu dodged or evaded the next round of attacks and readied a counterstrike when Orahaoya surged ahead and hurled him backward with Extreme-speed followed up by an Aura Sphere.
"Pika!" Pikachu just managed to knock himself away from Aura Sphere via Iron Tail, but all three, Lucario and Orahaoya herself, immediately pounced upon him.
The coordinated offensive kept Pikachu on the defensive, and he grit his teeth upon seeing Riley take Satoshi away.
If only Ash were there to help Pikachu organize himself. He always did better with Ash directing him.
"Pika!" Pikachu cried out in joy upon realizing Ash was there in a sense.
Orahaoya's eyes widened when she saw Pikachu's eyes flash blue and then felt Ash's aura enter the chamber.
"Pikachu!" Ash cried upon seeing what his partner saw.
"Pika!" Pikachu smiled back at Orahaoya, who growled and resumed her coordinated offensive. However, with Ash now directing Pikachu, the small electric Mouse not only kept himself safe, but went on the offensive, pushing Orahaoya back and knocking out her three Lucarios with a single attack each.
Orahaoya herself barely avoided Pikachu's attacks and winced when she saw just how powerful he was.
"Go away! Just leave us alone!" Orahaoya hurled an aura portal straight for Pikachu, who masterfully evaded the blow. However, being in mid-air left him open for Orahaoya to teleport behind him via another aura portal.
"Grouuu!" Orahaoya roared. She slammed Pikachu from behind with a Power-Up Punch and sent him flying out into the main temple. There, Pikachu barely caught himself on the platform's edge.
"Pika!" Pikachu yelped upon seeing a series of bridges, walkways, vines, and tree branches connecting stone sections over a sheer chasm with multiple waterfalls.
"No one will take my baby from me! No one!" Orahaoya appeared in front of Pikachu and blasted apart the portion of the walkway he sat on with a Golem-sized Aura Sphere.
Pikachu tried desperately to jump back onto solid ground, but Orahaoya hit him with another Aura Sphere and sent him flying into the chasm below.
"Pika!"
"Pikachu!"
Satoshi also wailed in dismay upon seeing Pikachu disappear into the abyss.
Orahaoya exhaled deeply before Riley approached, offering Satoshi.
"Shhh, there there, Aaron. It's ok. The bad Pokemon is gone. You're safe with mama." Orahaoya nuzzled the baby while taking him into her arms. To her delight, Satoshi's crying stopped, and he let out an excited shout.
However, unknown to Orahaoya was the reason why.
Down below, Pikachu panted heavily while clutching onto a vine. Slowly but surely, the electric mouse pulled himself up before reaching a passage where he rested.
"Pika." Pikachu moaned, immensely disappointed in himself for failing to rescue Satoshi.
"Pikachu, it's ok. We're coming."
Author's note
Not a super long one but more of a setup to the expedition next chapter
So until next time,
Please review, comment, suggest, or ask (VIA PM)
