"Wake up Ash." The Mysterious Voice said.
"What's that who's there?!" Ash demanded. "Why am I upside down?"
"You are in a psychic bubble for your own protection, simply float yourself upright." The voice said. "As for who I am, we have met before."
"Well I'm not sure if you've noticed but I'm a bit blindfolded at the moment." Ash said, pointing at his face.
"My powers will keep the Primal Force at bay." The voice said calmly.
'YES OPEN OUR EYES SO I MAY TEAR HIM LIMB FROM LIMB FOR ATTACKING US LIKE THAT!' The Primal Force said.
"Yeah, I don't think that's a great idea." Ash admitted.
"Very well, use your other senses, I know that Lucario had begun to teach you that." The voice continued.
"Yeah two panic induced hours of practice, great." Ash said sarcastically. "And you still haven't told me where we are, or what you did with my friends." Ash reminded.
"We are at the heart of the tree, as for your friends, they are safe." The voice said.
"The heart of the tree? That's great! If anywhere could heal me, it's here!" Ash exclaimed.
"You will not find what you are looking for here." The voice said plainly.
"I keep being told that, but I was told this place could cure aura." Ash said.
"It can, it's why I was tasked with guarding this place, but the cure you seek is not here." The voice said, lowering the bubble Ash was in.
"Wait, I can sense you now." Ash said, moments after his feet touched the ground. "Mewtwo?"
"Much time has passed Ash." Mewtwo said. "You've grown in ways I never expected, yet you still do not listen."
"Why didn't you just tell me it was you?" Ash asked.
"If I told you, would you have reacted calmly?" Mewtwo asked.
"Of course I would." Ash said.
"And you truly believe that this tree can cure your problems?" Mewtwo asked.
"Yes!" Ash exclaimed.
"Then take off your blindfold." Mewtwo said. "Take it off and tell me what you see."
"I can't, if I do that, then he'll take control." Ash argued.
"Then you don't believe." Mewtwo said. "If you don't trust your other senses to tell you what you can't see, then you have doubt."
"Of course I have doubt, I have no idea what I'm doing!" Ash exclaimed. "I thought I did, but now I'm not sure."
"Then let me ask you one more time. Ash Ketchum, why are you here?" Mewtwo asked.
"I want to be able to have control over my powers again, without hurting myself." Ash said.
"The tree may be able to do that much." Mewtwo said.
"But you said that it couldn't cure me." Ash said.
"Because it can't. The Tree of Life cannot cure you of your disease, but it's springs could cure your aura." Mewtwo said.
"What's the difference?" Ash asked.
"There's nothing of your body to be cured." Mewtwo said.
"But Groudon, the Primal Force…". Ash said worriedly.
"You chose to allow them to take control as much as they have." Mewtwo said. "They have no control that you can't take back."
"GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Lucario shouted, breaking through a wall.
"Lucario?" Ash asked, as the fighting type landed nearby.
"Don't trust this one. He kidnapped me, and sent the guardians to attack us." Lucario said.
"The guardians weren't sent to attack you, they were sent to stop you. When I saw that it wasn't working, I called you back home for you to remember your purpose." Mewtwo said.
"My job is to protect the tree from humans." Lucario said.
"No! The guardian's purpose is to protect humans from the tree!" Mewtwo said. "When the tree split up the group, I sent the guardians to get them out of here!"
"And my friends think that the guardians are our enemies." Ash said, in realization.
"Then your friends are in grave danger." Mewtwo said, with concern.
Back with Brendan and May
"What are these things?!" Brendan asked, as he ran from a white blob.
"I dont know!" May exclaimed. "Snorunt look out!"
The blob harmlessly passed around Snorunt, avoiding the Pokemon altogether.
"Maybe our Pokemon are the answer." Brendan said. "Marshtomp! Rhydon! Aggron! Shiftry! Go on the offense!"
Marshtomp's Hoenn Pokemon joined Snorunt and Arcanine, beginning to attack the white blobs, but they did little to stop their advances.
"Brendan behind you!" May shouted in terror, as a horde of the blobs overran Brendan, a beam of blue light shooting from the vine covered rocks, towards Snorunt as more blobs got closer.
With Wally and Drew
"Wally look out!" Drew said, grabbing the boy by his jacket, as a white tentacle like blob shot out of the lake.
"Woah, close one. I could have sworn we defeated the Feraligatr." Wally said.
"Yeah, I don't think that's Feraligatr." Drew said. "Roselia use Petal Dance!"
"Farfetch'd use Poison Jab!" Wally called out.
Petals sliced through the tentacle as Farfetch'd dove right through it, landing safely in the pond.
"News idea, lets use our dragons." Wally said. "Vibrava use Dragon Breath!"
"Flygon, you use Dragon Breath as well!" Drew called out.
The two dragons flew around the tentacle like being, spewing blue flames before it went to swat at them, absorbing Wally whole!
"Wally!" Drew shouted, not noticing the cream colored beam shoot from the rusted statue towards his Roselia.
With Flannery and Roxy
"Flannery behind you!" Roxy called out, as flames shot at the white blob.
"Where did these things come from!" Flannery said, trying to find an entry point for the blobs, and hopefully an exit point for them. "On your left!"
"Lapras use Sheer Cold!" Roxy called out, freezing some of the blobs instantly. "There has to be a way to stop them all."
"Roxy, over there!" Flannery said, seeing an opening.
"Aerodactyl, we need a lift!" Roxy said, recalling Lapras, as the ancient Pokemon swooped in, neither noticing a white blob creeping up on her.
"Roxy!" Flannery exclaimed, shoving the girl out of the way.
"Flannery!" Roxy said in fear, as the red headed trainer began to be absorbed.
"Find Ash, and keep him safe." Flannery said, as she was absorbed.
"No!" Roxy screamed, backing up, a dark purple energy surrounding her shadow.
Back with Ash, Lucario, and Mewtwo
"What do you mean they're in grave danger?!" Ash said amidst a panic.
"The trees defenses will soon recognize them as something like a virus, and it will send out resources to destroy it." Mewtwo said.
"How do we stop it!" Ash exclaimed.
"We can't. If your friends have destroyed the guardians, then it's too late for them." Mewtwo said.
"There has to be something we can do. Lucario please there has to be something!" Ash plead.
"In theory, there is one way to allow your friends to leave." Lucario said.
"Whatever it is, I'll do it." Ash said.
"You'll have to sacrifice yourself. Your energy would be enough to satiate the trees resources long enough for Mewtwo and I to gather them and escape." Lucario said. "In theory at least."
"Okay." Ash said.
"Wait what?!" Mewtwo said in shock.
"I sacrifice myself, and you get them and my Pokémon out." Ash said.
'I HAVE SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS PLAN!' The Primal Force shouted.
"Pikachu, take the others to Brendan and Wally, they should be with their friends." Ash said, taking off his cap and placing the four Pokeballs in it. "Alright, let's go."
Ash was led through a corridor he had to guess, until he reached a pond that glowed extremely brightly.
"This is pure, unfiltered aura." Lucario said. "With the Primal Force in you, jumping in here will send all defenses this way in moments."
"Okay, and you promise you'll get everyone out?" Ash asked.
"Any of your friends remaining will be brought to safety, I promise." Mewtwo assured.
"Alright, let's do this." Ash said, walking towards the pond. "I'll see you soon Charizard."