Chapter 22: Rebirth of Oboneron

It had been about a month since Ash and his Pokémon came to Luna Nova Academy. Since then, aside from Anne's behavior, Luna Nova Academy accepted Ash and the Pokémon. His team came in and out of school and interacted with the teachers, even helping them like Ursula, Croix and Ellen. Students had, more or less, been comfortable with Ash. It had been a couple of weeks that Ash and Akko had their date in Tokyo. They were seen in Ursula's class talking about the manga books Ash picked up. "He reminds you of your teacher back home!?" awed Akko as she and Ash left.

"There's so much related to Professor Oak that I'm hearing him in my ear right now reading it," Ash admitted. "Poetry can be pretty unique, though most of the poetry I hear back home are Pokémon based." Akko pondered on her crush's comparisons.

"So, maybe I see… The little spark plug; Joyful electric cuddles; With thunderous boom." The attempt made Ash laugh.

"You're still new to Pokémon, but that was a good shot." The compliment made Akko laugh. Diana and Leavanny emerged from a different classroom and spotted Ash and Akko.

"Ash!" she greeted. Ash and Akko spotted the two coming by.

"Diana, did Leavanny help out?" he asked. Diana turned to the Nurturing Pokémon.

"Leavanny actually learned along with me," she smiled. Leavanny replied in confirmation.

"I still find it sweet how Leavanny was once hostile to you, Ash," Akko recalled. "I mean, as a Sewaddle." She stroke Leavanny's head, much to his comfort.

"Say, can I have Akko for a spell?" requested Diana. Ash nodded to Diana's wish.

"Of course," he accepted. "Wanna join me, Leavanny?"

("I do!") the Bug-Type Pokémon agreed. They reached Anne's room, but with Ellen inside. She wrote on some paper as Ash and Leavanny entered. The door opened as Ellen took a brief break.

"Miss Alepoe?" he voiced. Ellen looked to the male student and Pokémon.

"Ash!" she greeted. Seeing the paper, Ash became curious.

"Are you writing a report to the Council?"

"No, I'm actually doing some poetry. It helps when it comes to enchantments." The correction made Ash laugh. "When I learned witchcraft, I viewed poetry having some links to magic. One of the big influences of poetry is well known as William Shakespeare. I took notion to one of his favorited poems, 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.' I understood a great score of poets like Victor Hugo, Oscar Wilde and Maya Angelou. Their forms of poetry are wide."

"That is fascinating. Funny enough, Akko and I actually talked about it a little while ago. I have a manga which a character spoke in poems." The information made Ellen smirk.

"Knowing manga books from Japan, I'm guessing the poems are haiku." The briefing made Ash nod, but Leavanny awe.

"The same thing Professor Oak does when he speaks poetry."

"So, you've had experience. Here's one: The west wind whispered; And touched the eyelids of Spring; Her eyes, Primroses. That was written by RM Hansard."

("Amazing!") buzzed Leavanny. As Ash and Leavanny learned about poetry, Akko and Diana reached a spot where the two would talk with each other.

"So, what is it?" asked Akko. "Is it about Ash?"

"It is, and believe me," Diana started. "Ever since he was brought in after his arrival, I had been feeling blessed to have him around, even if he didn't become a student. I felt this strange connection and his desire to aid me when he saw fit… He's been a happiness that I hadn't felt since my mother was alive." Akko heard Diana and awed Ash's efforts.

"Wow, and it helps when you told us of your mom tutoring his mom. It's as if they reunited as you and Ash." The comparison made Diana irk her head slightly.

"You're… not far off on that assessment. The moment he quickly recovered from that vicious shot to the lower region was the straw that broke the camel's back." The quote made Akko raise an eyebrow,

"I don't think that's how the quote works."

"But you know what I mean, right? The way he bounced back, I just lost it. At that point, I wanted him more than ever. The date where we danced, I felt confident."

"I know what you mean. He's also a good singer and someone who wants to try new things." An item made Diana giggle again.

"He can sing? I thought you had gone to karaoke to sing to him, not the other way around. Yet, he's also brave. I still have thoughts of him in a magic battle with Aunt Daryl and my cousins." The more Diana mentioned Ash's fight with her family, Akko's smile grew.

"The way you make it sound, we should keep him for ourselves." The idea made Diana think.

"I believe we should." They shook on the exchange. At lunch, Ash had an announcement to the students.

"A campout!?" gawked Lotte.

"Yeah!" agreed Ash. "As a Pokémon Trainer, I have to tough it in the outdoors. Sure, I have friends… but the point is that you're out there catching Pokémon that you see wanting on your team."

"I see!" voiced Lotte. "The way you have it is that with long distances between cities, it's best to be prepared."

"Right," Ash confirmed. "I wager witches back then had to camp often." Sucy snickered to the thought.

"Well, I can imagine the mushrooms the witches grew on themselves," she teased. The students sighed.

"Sucy, that's gross," Molly irked. Hannah and Barbara saw Diana with her chin cupped in her hand.

"I've never camped out before," she admitted. Hannah and Barbara nodded to her claim.

"It's a new experience!" they complied.

"Well, we'll go tomorrow," Ash planned. "That way, we have gear necessary for the time." Everyone agreed before lunch ended. The rest of day played out learning new material. Croix entered the cabin after learning the event Ash made with the students.

"Don't you think it's a bit risky to take the students on this experience?" she questioned. Ash looked to Croix, knowing about the dangers.

"It's a fun exercise that I'm sure the girls are gonna learn about," he promised. "If witchcraft doesn't work, they can have a chance of become Pokémon Trainers." Croix giggled to the idea.

"I see… Hopefully, it's not to chaotic… like you are making love to the student-"

"Stop! This is a simple camp out! Again, I'm not that one professor in a manga someone mentioned!"

"Sorry, I just couldn't help the thought of a young man with all those young women." The thought made Ash groan. The next day, Ash was back in his trainer's garb. Students wore t-shirts and shorts or slacks. Backpacks had sleeping bags and equipment to assemble tents.

"I know that I brought some equipment for that interview," Wangari brought up, wearing a tank top and cargo shorts. "Ever since you became one of us, I came up with more questions to ask." Ash nodded to the interview.

"And I see that you brought Joanna and Kimberly along," Ash noticed. A brunette girl and a purple-haired girl in shorts and t-shirts nodded. The purple-haired had glasses. Ash looked around and noticed people missing. "I don't see Constanze or Diana."

"Constanze, we tried to have join," Amanda shrugged, wearing a blue basketball jersey with sparkle prints. "She screamed that she doesn't want to go, and even inked us in the face." Ash groaned to the occasion as Diana came out to the crowd.

"Goodness, I arrived on time!" she huffed. Everyone turned to the young Cavendish and gawked. Diana wore a tan explorer outfit and a backpack as big as her. "What's wrong?" Sucy decided to speak up.

"Is it alright for me to ask what you packed?" she spoke up.

"Of course!" replied Diana as she put the heavy bag down. "I packed a couple of nightgowns, some pans, 12 changes of clothes, several books, a laptop, fruits and vegetables, a few bottles of water, a couple of blankets, an inflatable mattress, an air pump…" The more Diana revealed what she packed made Ash, Akko and Lotte faint.

"Moderation, rich girl," Amanda mulled. "It's only for one night." Diana gulped to the over-packing. Meanwhile, Team Rocket returned to the cave of Oboneron's tomb. It had been weeks since Giovanni and the remnant of Babylon met.

"The boss has spent a long time with that ghostly figure," Jessie mulled. "I have to imagine that he has to eat to be able to bond with it."

"And that we're still going after Pikachu!" added James. They entered and saw a large shadowy figure. Fumes emitted from the figure. Jessie, James and Meowth awed the sight.

"Boss?" called out Meowth.

"My rebirth is about complete!" a demonic voice bellowed, shaking the ground. "Blessed with the heart of destruction, I will soon emerge to eliminate those who have sealed me!" James and Meowth became terrified, but Jessie became inspired. Curving devilish horns grew as eyes were replaced by a red fire.

"You definitely got the look of evil down pat," she complimented.

"But you'll be joining me in this path of revenge!" it snapped. Jessie and James blinked before a warm mist surrounded them. Meowth grew weary.

"Okay, we don't need dis around!" he gawked. A vapor touched Meowth's tail, which he jumped at. "YEOWCH! Dat boins!" The mist grew around and enveloped the trio, but James and Meowth screamed in pain from it. Evening began to fall as Ash and the students pitched tents and started campfires. Jasminka provided a pot and boiled stew which Pikachu began showing interest in as he climbed her shoulder.

"Nyet, Pikachu!" she playfully denied. "Ze stew's not ready for you." Pikachu whined to no food. Diana, now carrying less on her back, enjoyed the conversations with Lotte and Molly as Wangari, Joanna and Kimberly interviewed Ash.

"Did you think you'd follow in your mother's footsteps as a wiccan?" asked Wangari.

"It wasn't even a thought until I came here," Ash shyly shrugged. Akko, Lotte and Unfezant realized the friendship between Ash and the students was strong.

"You can't help but enjoy Ash as someone so special," Lotte assumed.

"You can't, indeed," Akko agreed. "Not only did I meet a boy that caught my heart, but it's amazing what he and I can do. It's like he's a teacher the Headmistress is monitoring." Unfezant cawed in disagreement. Akko and Lotte heard the Pokémon by them. "You don't agree?" Unfezant cawed some more. Sucy came to Ash.

"Stew's ready," she informed.

"Thanks," Ash accepted as he got some from Jasminka. He sat back down by Sucy.

"Stuck between a rock and a hard place, huh?" Her question made Ash turn to her.

"What do you mean?"

"You have a power that might rival the Shiny Rod. After all, the tome that you opened brought on challenges that makes the forum of magic the more influencing. It's like finding mushrooms that I never seen before. Every time, you're expecting to find Toadstools, but then you see new stuff like Chanterelles or Polypores." Hearing Sucy's comparison made Ash think about how unlocking Sir Aaron's tome changed the game.

"I see what you mean… and I'm still learning about what Sir Aaron's tome has in store. I may have unlocked its dead language barrier, but there's still so much in it that tome that I might do some nasty damage to witches' reputations without thinking. I mean, could you imagine if you were the one, I fell in love with and not Akko and Diana?" The question made Sucy scoff.

"There's no way that you and I would be lovers. I have plenty of fun as a witch on my own and I won't change it. To you, I'm no different from Akko or Diana or Amanda."

"And you're not. I've actually enjoyed the time with you as well. It's like with a Foongus or an Amoonguss, you could also have a Paras and a Parasect." The new names of Pokémon got Sucy interested.

"Paras? Parasect?" Bringing out the Dex, Ash showed an orange cicada-like creature with rather large blue eyes and a pair of claws. On its back were red mushrooms with yellow spots.

PARAS – BUG/GRASS – HT: 1' – WT: 11.9 LBS. - ABILITY: EFFECT SPORE

"PARAS, THE MUSHROOM POKÉMON," it computed. "THE MUSHROOMS ON PARAS'S BACK ARE TOCHUKASO, AND THEY GROW ALONG WITH THE HOST." Sucy seemed greatly fascinated with Paras. Ash had another Pokémon selected that looked like Paras with white eyes as the mushroom overlapped its body.

PARASECT – BUG/GRASS – HT: 3'3" – WT: 65 LBS. - ABILITY: EFFECT SPORE

"PARASECT, THE MUSHROOM POKÉMON AND THE EVOLVED FORM OF PARAS," it registered. "THE MUSHROOM ON ITS BACK SCATTERS POISONOUS SPORES AS IT TAKES COMMAND OF PARASECT."

"Now, that's interesting to see parasitic evolution," Sucy briefed. "Tochukaso is a fungus that's actually a parasite, but it's been used in various Chinese medicine."

"Same thing with Paras and Parasect trainers who practice medicine," Ash added. After everyone had their fill, night had fallen. Pikachu stayed with Hannah and Barbara, Oshawott stayed with Lotte and Sucy, Pignite stayed with Amanda, Unfezant slept with Molly, Leavanny stayed with Wangari and her partners, and Krookodile stayed with Jasminka. Ash was invited to Diana's tent where she and Akko were.

"I'm just glad that we came to a resolution before today," Diana mentioned. "It makes sense for the three of us to work together and help after I regained my sense of happiness. If not for him, I'd feel like Aunt Daryl, and it wouldn't be a good feeling... not being able to smile, let alone be happy, and I wouldn't have been able to love."

"But I do wish it was just the three of us," Akko muttered. "We do love you, more than Luna Nova Academy as a whole."

"Hey, I understand," Ash accepted. "Still, there Oboneron to worry about. I do hope Anna has what we need to face him."

"Well, right now," Diana suggested. "Let's focus on your sleep." She and Diana gave Ash kisses to his lips before falling asleep. Oboneron's awakening is nearing completion. Luna Nova Academy may be in the biggest battle of it all.

TO BE CONTINUED...