"Ash!" Wally exclaimed, seeing Ash run up the hill with a Pokemon by his side. "Who's that Pokemon?"
"Grovyle, he evolved." Ash said. "We ran into Diane, we need to get Brendan and get going."
"Diane, are you two okay?" Wally asked.
"Hold on who's Diane?" Ultima asked. "And what could she do to someone like you?"
"Evil lady, member of Team Magma, has enhanced her body to beyond any normal limits. And what do you mean someone like me?" Ash listed off.
"She knows about your aura." Wally said.
"Not about his aura." Ultima said, whacking Wally upside the head.
"OW! What was that for?" Wally complained.
"Because you fail to listen." Ultima said. "Aura is another word for life. Everyone, and everything has it. It flows through the world like a river, and connects everything."
"Even other worlds." Ash added.
"Yes in theory if there were other worlds then aura would connect them through a plane of sorts." Ultima said. "But what I'm interested in is your ability to harness your aura."
"What do you mean by that?" Ash asked defensively.
"Relax child, I am knowledgeable in the art of aura, I only wish to help, just as I do with Pokemon." Ultima said.
"I almost died because of your mission!" Ash countered.
"But you didn't because of your powers." Ultima said.
"Umm guys, Swampert at six o'clock, coming in fast." Wally said.
Swampert stopped, tearing up several feet of dirt in the process, before setting down Brendan's unconscious body.
"Incredible, I did not see this happening." Ultima said.
"You didn't see us both almost dying!" Ash exclaimed.
"Well no, but also both of your partners evolving, only one was supposed to." Ultima said. "Come inside, I have what's needed in there."
Inside Ultima's house
"This is deceptively thorough." Wally admitted, seeing the metallic building interior.
"When you have powers like mine, it's helpful to be prepared." Ultima said, pressing a button.
"What did that do?" Wally asked.
"Automated defenses." Ultima said. "You'll be safe in here."
"What about Brendan?" Ash said angrily.
"Yes yes, hold on." Ultima said, going into a cupboard. "This should snap him awake." Ultima said, breaking a small bag above Brendan's nose.
"Marshtomp!" Brendan shouted.
"Brendan calm down, you're safe." Wally said.
"Wait where are we?" Brendan asked.
"Ultima's house." Ash said. "Apparently she is very prepared for something like this."
"Come along you two, it's time to learn new moves." Ultima said, going to a staircase.
Downstairs
"This training room is huge!" Brendan exclaimed. "How big is it?!"
"How big is the hill?" Ultima said with a smirk, as she walked past. "Brendan and Swampert, you two are first."
"First for what exactly?" Brendan asked.
"The ultimate water type attack." Ultima said. "Hydro Cannon."
"Alright, are you ready Swampert!" Brendan said excitedly.
"Swamp!" Swampert cheered as they got into a circle.
"Now understand that this move requires the two of you to be in perfect sync with one another." Ultima said.
"Not a problem, we've been partners since our first day." Brendan said.
"Quiet!" Ultima said, smacking Brendan's head, only to watch Swampert recoil slightly as well. "Perhaps the two of you truly are in sync."
Across the room
"Ash, we're safe, relax." Wally said.
"I am, it's what Ultima said that has me thinking." Ash said. "She wants to help with my powers, but hasn't said how she knows how to help."
"Well you did launch yourself with your tendrils when leaving." Wally commented.
"I know, that was pretty cool right?" Ash asked.
'I TAUGHT YOU THAT!' The Primal Force shouted.
'You didn't teach me anything, I figured that out, before you came back.' Ash thought back.
'I NEVER LEFT! I SIMPLY GAVE YOU TIME WITHOUT ME AS I WAS FINALLY AT PEACE!" The Primal force shouted.
'Just stay quiet. We can discuss this later, along with the fact that you made me blind.' Ash commented.
'I DID NO SUCH THING! YOUR HANDICAPS WERE ALL YOUR DOING!' The Primal Force argued.
'And yet you told me it would kill you.' Ash reminded.
'I WAS WRONG! NOT LIKE I'VE TAKEN MANY BATHS IN PURE AURA BEFORE!' The Primal Force shouted, as Ash turned his attention back towards Brendan's training.
Meanwhile Brendan and Swampert had figured out the mechanics behind their new attack.
"Swampert use Hydro Cannon!" Brendan called out.
Swampert slammed his lower arms on the ground, before unleashing a powerful stream of water, blasting into the training dummies and shattering them into pieces!
"Alright Swampert, do it again!" Brendan called out, only for Swampert to be catching it's breath.
"Unfortunately Hydro Cannon takes a lot out of a Pokemon, and it will take time for Swampert to recover. Which is why it is important to use it as a last resort." Ultima said. "Alright Ash, you're up."
"Hold on, I have some questions first." Ash said.
"Don't worry, this is safe." Ultima assured. "With Frenzy Plant your next appeal is an assured success."
"I don't want a new move." Ash said, shocking Ultima. "I want to know why you knew Brendan and I would almost get killed, yet was surprised that it was both of us. And I never brought up that I'm a coordinator, or that I need a plan for another appeal." Ash said. "Who are you? And how can you know what might happen?"
"I haven't lied, my name is Ultima, the teacher of the Ultimate Moves." Ultima said. "And like you, I can harness my aura as my gift. However I have been blessed with incredible sight, I can see the most likely futures." Ultima said.
"So both of us weren't supposed to win." Brendan said.
"Precisely, something changed and now my visions are hard to tell what's real and what isn't." Ultima said.
"So you can't tell us how to beat Team Rocket." Wally said, sighing.
"This isn't as easy as reading the next page of a book." Ultima said. "What I can tell you is that you'll need the help of new allies."
"New allies, so more Pokemon? Or more friends?" Brendan asked.
"I said it isn't always clear!" Ultima said, smacking Wally once more.
"Why'd you hit me though? He asked the question?" Wally groaned.
"Don't question me." Ultima said, striking Wally once more. "I need to focus my energy."
"Why?" Wally asked.
"Because even my powers didn't account for Ash's to be so present." Ultima said.
"What do you mean by that?" Ash asked.
"I mean that your powers shouldn't have developed to where they are now, on their own." Ultima said. "Someone of your age with no proper training, this is unheard of to be so competent."
"Well I was infused with Groudon's spirit for a while." Ash admitted.
'STILL HERE!' The Primal Force reminded.
"And then I had a bit of training with a Lucario." Ash added.
"That's what I saw." Ultima said.
"What do you mean what you saw, you saw Lucario, when?" Brendan asked.
"He is one of the allies you need to find." Ultima said.
"Where are the allies we need?" Wally asked.
"I don't know." Ultima sighed. "I cannot sense when or where you will find them, just that you won't win in your current state."
"Then let's get a move on! We have allies to find!" Brendan said.
"Hold on." Ultima said. "I must request that Ash stays here."
"But you said we needed allies, taking out Ash is not going to help." Wally pointed out.
"Ash, while I cannot force you to leave, there are many things that I can teach you about yourself." Ultima said. "Things that you otherwise would not learn."
"But what about traveling between the islands?" Wally asked.
"I think Swampert should be able to hold the two of you with little problem." Ultima said.
"It's your decision Ash." Brendan said.
"Can you assure that we have a better chance of winning if I stay?" Ash asked.
"You are a wild card, I cannot tell what the future holds for you." Ultima said. "Just that Lucario will join you in the final battle."
"Guys, I think I'll have a better chance of sensing and reaching out to Lucario with more training." Ash admitted. "I'm going to stay here for now."
"Okay, we'll see you soon." Brendan said. "Take care of yourself."
"You guys do the same." Ash responded.
Elsewhere on the island
"Well well well, what do we have here?" Jessie asked, walking up to Diane.
"What ever are you implying." Diane said calmly, standing up.
"I'm implying nothing. I'm seeing you went after trouble." Jessie said, ice forming from beneath her feet.
"Relax will you. I just saved us a trip all the way to northern Kanto." Diane said. "The Groudon energy is in the child, and now its awake. We just need to steal it back from him."
"No, we won't be doing anything." Jessie said, as ice began to crawl up Diane's body.
"What are you doing! We had a deal!" Diane shouted.
"Deal's off." Jessie said, grabbing the red orb. "No one turns on me and gets away with it!"
"Go to!" Diane said, as she was cut off, now completely frozen.
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't catch that, here let me help you out of the ice!" Jessie said, as she formed a large rocky fist with metallic spikes, shattering Diane and the ice. "Guess I'll never know what you were saying. Oh well, thanks for all the help."
Brendan's Current Team and their moves
Swampert: Ice Beam - Rollout - Hydro Cannon - Mud Shot
Shiftry: Razor Wind - Faint Attack - Leaf Storm - Extrasensory
Aggron: Double Edge - Earthquake - Rock Tomb - Metal Claw
Rhyperior: Mega Horn - Crush Claw - Aqua Tail - Rock Blast
Hitmonlee: Blaze Kick - Rolling Kick - High Jump Kick - Mega Kick