The trip back to New Goldenrod was uneventful, though they had to take a helicopter back instead of a plane since Celadon could no longer support its airports. The little girl who had been separated from her mother had nowhere to go. Celadon could only afford one nursery, which was filled to the brim, and the girl's father had died in the war. That same story was shared by millions, though most of them were even less fortunate than this girl. After all, few could say they had the support of the Chosen One.
New Goldenrod had many shelters for children without parents, so Serena suggested they take the girl back with them and leave her there until Team Rocket was dealt with. The Officer Jenny's, unwilling to argue with a friend of Ash, allowed it. There wasn't anything left for her in Celadon either way. Serena had spent most of the trip back attempting to console her, which was difficult when they were ten-thousand feet in the air. Eventually, she was at least able to lull the girl to sleep to give her some semblance of peace.
Once they had arrived, the last place the young girl expected to be was at the top of Star Tower. Serena explained the girl's situation to one of Mr. Star's officials who had come to meet them. Luckily, they were happy to show her to a care center. Deciding to stick with her until she was dropped off, Serena volunteered to help the young girl get to her destination. Thus, she waved Ash and the others goodbye for the moment and walked with the official toward an elevator.
Ash looked up, spotting the glass hallway to Mr. Star's office ahead. "Mr. Star is eagerly awaiting you, Mr. Ketchum," Another official told him, beckoning for him to follow. "However, your friends will have to wait outside until the meeting is over."
Giving him an odd look, Paul asked, "Why's that? We were allowed in before. What changed?"
With an unconvincing laugh, the man looked up to the office and replied, "I apologize, sir, but this particular meeting is quite important. A number of important business officials like Mr. Star from around the world have gathered here today. If anything bad were to happen during such a meeting, it would mean further disaster worldwide."
Paul backed down and nodded. "Alright, I guess that makes sense." He glanced to Ash, a hint of a smirk on his typically-stoic face. "I suppose our resident Chosen One is a bit more important than the rest of us."
Ash halfheartedly gave him a dirty look, but did not reply. Instead, he asked the official, "What about the other team? Are they here too?"
The official shook his head. "No, they're still in Sinnoh. Apparently, Cynthia's retirement has enabled much more activity from Team Rocket and the Nova Branch than in most other regions." He looked down to his arm, revealing a Secretary-Bot of his own. "Right now, they're in Veilstone City," He said after scrolling through his notes. "A Nova Branch base is rumored to be near its outskirts."
Paul's eyes went wide. "You're kidding… They made a base there?!" Quickly, he whipped out his own Secretary-Bot and said to Ash and the others, "I've got to make a call—make sure my brother is okay." With that, he suddenly ran up the stairs that led from the helipad to the glass hallway and ran left, away from the office toward the elevators.
"I oughta call gramps too," Gary told Ash, walking off after Paul. "Just to make sure the situation is under control over at Pallet. You oughta call your mom when you get the chance." Just before turning around the corner, he waved to Ash lazily.
Ash turned to Tobias. "Guess it's just you and me. Is there anything you need to do?"
Shaking his head, Tobias replied, "Not really. Besides any business you guys have here, I've got none." He turned to the official and asked, "Is it alright if I just stay out here while Ash is in the meeting?"
He was given an odd look. The man replied, "Out here? You may wait in the overlooking hallway if you wish. It's insulated as well."
Tobias smiled, walking over toward the edge to peer down at the city. The official became pale as he drew ever closer to falling over three-thousand feet, but Tobias stopped just short of that.
"Nah," He said. The golden lights from far below glinted like the stars the tower gained its namesake from. "I like the wind up here. It reminds me of home."
By now, the official was as white as a sheet. "S-sir!" He protested. "Th-the winds up here are strong! Y-y should back away from the edge-"
He was cut off by a chuckle from Tobias. "Winds like these?" He scoffed. "Back in the days I rode on Latios, the wind was way worse than this."
"Ah, I see," Said the man. "...Wait...what?!"
Ash decided that it was time for him to get going. The sky was dark all the way up here, so it must have been late at night. Tobias would probably be fine by himself. ...Probably...
As Ash pushed open the wooden doors, he was met with the immediate sound of excited chattering. There were a few faces he thought he recognized, but many he didn't. The air of importance he felt from them was unmistakable, however. He felt bashful merely entering the room.
Upon noticing Ash's presence, a few of the people there gave him odd looks. There was a blonde-haired woman who eyed him coldly. Most others either stared at him blankly or seemed to be in awe of him. Mr. Star took notice of the sudden silence and traced their gaze. His face lit up when he saw Ash.
"Ash, my boy!" He chirped, pushing past the others to go and shake his hand enthusiastically. He attempted to wrap his arm around Ash's shoulders, but his short stature and bad posture only made that impossible. Instead, he settled on merely patting his back. "Your idea was nothing short of pure brilliance! I've been on the edge of my toes waiting for you!"
The woman with the cold stare said, "As have the rest of us, I'm sure. You've kept us all waiting for quite some time." The remark earned a series of silent stares among her peers. Mostly, it was shock that she would talk disrespectfully to Ash of all people. .
Ash sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, finding it difficult to meet her gaze. "Sorry about that. Is there anyone else we're waiting for, or was I the last one?"
Mr. Star shook his head and answered, "No, now that you're here, everyone is. Given that you're going to be working with the rest of us, I believe introductions are in order." He first pointed toward the only person in the room shorter than himself, a man with a beard nearly as large as himself and a backwards cap that gave off the opposite impression of professionalism.
"This here is Charles Goodshow," Mr. Star said, "Though I believe you two are already well acquainted."
Ash nodded, smiling at the man. "Boy, am I glad to see you," He said. With how far the Pokemon League had fallen worldwide, it was reassuring to see that the man in charge of it all was at least doing well.
The old man smiled at Ash endearingly, grinning widely and holding up two fingers. He replied, "Same to you, Ash. It's been far too long since we've seen one another, and look at how much you've grown!"
Mr. Star directed Ash's attention to the next attendee. Another old, grey-haired man. Though this one's beard was nowhere near the extremes of the last. "This," Said Mr. Star, "Is the President of Silph Corporation, William Silph. This is the genius mind behind the Master Ball and many other Kantonian products."
The man bowed. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Ash Ketchum. We all owe you our lives, and I, for one, am not quick to forget my debts." He sent an irate glance the way of the cold woman, who ignored him.
Ash sheepishly chuckled, unsure how to respond. "W-well, it's nice to meet you too. Don't feel like you owe me anything, though."
Next, Mr. Star looked to a jolly-looking man with whitish-cyan hair that was slightly spiked. "This is Mr. Stone, President of Devon Corp and father of the Hoenn Champion Steven Stone."
He smiled at Ash brightly and waved. "Ash, my boy! It's good to see you well. It has been quite some time since I last saw you."
Ash returned the smile. "It's, uh, good to see you too, Mr. Stone." He had no recollection of ever meeting this man in his life.
After him, Ash was directed toward another blonde-haired woman. Though to say her hair was merely blonde was an understatement. It almost looked golden, and it draped all the way down to her legs. The other woman's hair looked grey in comparison.
"This," Said Mr. Star, "Is Mrs. Lusamine. She is the founder of the Alola Region's Aether Paradise, a floating, man-made island that acts as a refuge and research center for Pokemon."
Ash's eyes widened slightly. Between the man-made island and knowledge of a region he hadn't heard of before, he found it difficult to know where to begin. "That's incredible!" He exclaimed. "At a time like this, that sounds exactly what Pokemon need."
Lusamine smiled at him kindly, resting her head on the palms of her hands as she replied, "Indeed, Ash. I'm glad to see we're likeminded on the subject."
Ash's face fell suddenly. "Oh, but that's gotta be putting you in Team Rocket's sights. How badly have they been messing with you?"
To his surprise, she laughed. "You would think that, and they've certainly tried, but we manage. My children have become quite adept trainers, and we have more than our fair share of security." Looking off to the side, she added, "And there's another rival team in Alola that's surprisingly adept at keeping them busy."
As she glanced out the window and looked off to the dark distance, that smile faded. "Although...Team Rocket's Nova Branch is another story. They've been able to siphon off Aether Paradise's data easily and without ever making an actual appearance. I don't know what use it is in their hands, but it's unsettling to know they have it."
"Sometimes, it feels like Team Rocket and the Nova Branch are almost different entities altogether," Remarked President Silph.
Mr. Star nodded. "Regardless, it's clear they rely heavily on one another. Should we take out one, the other will be crippled immensely."
President Stone looked to Mr. Star with concern and asked, "But which one should we deal with first? You and Ash have already begun taking measures against them recently, haven't you?"
Again, the old man nodded. "That we have, which is why I have gathered you all here today. To answer your question, I believe dealing with Team Rocket themselves may be easier." He took a remote out from his pocket and pressed a button, causing the television behind his desk to light up.
On it, the same videos he showed Ash and his friends began playing. Christopher Lee's declaration of war, the false footage they amassed and more. "The Nova Branch is crafty and evasive. So far, we have only found poachers and ordinary Team Rocket members. I have a feeling that finding Nova Branch bases will be difficult and costly, but should we fell Team Rocket, they will lose most of their funding."
"Ex-cuse me," Cried a sudden voice like nails on a chalkboard, making everyone else in the room wince. It was the greyish-blonde woman from earlier. Ash winced under her cold glare. "As interesting as this all is, there is someone you forgot to introduce."
Regaining his composure, Mr. Star coughed to clear his voice and replied, "I was getting to you, Ms. Oleana. I merely had to answer a question first."
The woman, now identified as Oleana, huffed indignantly. "If you are so busy with that, then I'll save you the trouble." Ash paled as he suddenly found himself at the mercy of her icy gaze. "As you now know, my name is Oleana of the Galar Region's Macro Cosmos energy company."
Yet again, an unfamiliar region to Ash. She continued, "Ordinarily, I would not care too much over your forgetfulness of my presence." Her face suddenly became as rigid as ice. "However, I am currently standing in as a representative of Chairman Rose, who could not make it here today…"
She glowered at Mr. Star, who shrunk in her gaze. "...Due to how quickly this meeting was issued. Because I stand here as the Chairman's representative, any action on your behalf toward me reflects into him. Calling him here so suddenly and forcing me to wait is a waste of his time and resources. And ignoring me is just like ignoring him, which is utterly unforgivable!"
Turning back to Ash, and causing him to wince in the process, she said, "In the effort of not wasting any more of the Chairman's time, why don't we move along with this idea that was important enough to gather us all here?"
"R-right," Replied Ash shakily. When Oleana moved away from him to take a seat, he wisely withheld a sigh of relief. "Mr. Star, could you give me a hand with this? I've already told you about it."
Mr. Star nodded eagerly, taking a place at his side. "Of course, my boy. Where did you want to start?"
Ash looked toward the others, wondering that himself. As he recalled the mother from the previous day, he figured that was a good place to start. "Right. So, it was actually yesterday that my friends and I fought and defeated that Team Rocket base Mr. Star told you about."
He allowed a small portion of his Aura to flow around himself, widening the eyes of all who beheld the silver glow, save for Mr. Star who smirked at their reactions. "I realized that most of Team Rocket is actually just people who lost everything and reached out to the first hand offered to them. I was able to sense this with my Aura."
He looked down at the helipad through the window. "There was...a mother who was in Team Rocket. She was separated from her child when she was arrested. We took her along with us and she's been taken to a shelter, but...she's one of the lucky ones." Turning back to the others, he said, "Most kids in that scenario probably weren't as lucky as this one. They didn't have us to take them here. Others are probably on the streets starving with no one to look after them."
"Such things cannot be allowed to continue," Interjected Mr. Star. "Everybody gathered in this room today represent humanity's last hope against Team Rocket's total control. It is high time we start acting like it!"
Mr. Goodshow asked, "But what would you have us do?"
Mr. Star looked to Ash, who nodded. Ash replied, "At first, I think we should do some kind of campaign. Like, an advertisement or something to rally people. Former trainers, Gym Leaders, Champions, stuff like that. We should also shoot for Team Rocket Grunts as well."
Appearing skeptical, Lusamine asked, "Do you think that would work? Most people have given up fighting Team Rocket or joined themselves. If they had any spirit for resistance, then they would have shown it already."
"Most people have given up because they had no hope to cling on to!" Countered Mr. Star. "I thought that I had been giving my best effort here in New Goldenrod City, but now I realize it is not enough! If the rest of the world falls to Team Rocket, even a bastion like this will eventually fall." He slammed his fist on his desk with more force than Ash thought the old man capable of. "And it will be our fault! We sit high atop our towers, acting as faces for our organizations while giving aid only to those directly under or around us! From now on, we need to be more personal! We need to extend our hand to everyone, including those who have already fallen under Team Rocket's influence. Otherwise, people will just keep falling through the cracks."
Though many of the other CEO's in the room expressed uncertainty in response to Mr. Star's claim, but none seemed willing to voice anything on the matter. Goodshow, however, gave him a sidewinding glance and a frown. "...You've got a point," He admitted, "And I'm probably the one most at fault. I should have been able to stop this before it began, but when people lost hope after the war, I let 'em. Figured that people just needed time for themselves. Before I knew it, Team Rocket was in power." Suddenly, a smirk crept across his face as he glanced toward Mr. Star. "You're right. It's time we stopped feeling sorry for ourselves and started doing something about the situation!"
If Ash couldn't sense her true emotions, Ash would have guessed that Oleana glanced his and Mr. Star's way with indifference on her face. "What exactly are you proposing that we do? Know that my position here is not one I can take lightly. While I do have the authority to make large business decisions on behalf of Macro Cosmos, agreeing to something that would be heavily costly on the company would damage everyone within it, including Chairman Rose and myself."
She looked Goodshow's way knowingly. "The Chairman's impeccable business sense is what allowed Galar to remain in relative prosperity after the battle against Necrozma. It has also kept Galar's Pokemon League stable and running. Hasty decisions will only hurt all of us."
Goodshow had no answer to that, but Mr. Star was not so quick to give up. "Should one region completely fall to Team Rocket, it is only a matter of time before they all do. Chairman Rose has voiced his detestment toward them on many occasions, as well as a desire to see the old world return."
Ash could sense the old man desperately resisting a smirk with every ounce of his will, causing him to be less successful than him on that endeavor. "With or without Macro Cosmos, I am putting my plan into motion," He said brazenly, shocking everyone in the room. Ash's smirk faltered at that in his sheer surprise, but soon found it returning in full force. He had never been more proud of the old man than now. "I'm an old, withering geezer without much time left in the world, but before I'm six feet under, I am doing everything in my power to make sure this world is better than it has ever been!"
He reached up, clapping a hand on Ash's shoulder. "And we have the key to make that happen right here in this very room! Ash is known worldwide as the one who saved the world from Necrozma! They will listen to him!" He glanced Oleana's way confidently. "And Macro Cosmos's reputation would be dearly hurt if he was the only major corporation who did not lead this new era against Team Rocket's hold over the world. I know Chairman Rose well enough to say with certainty that he would agree with what I'm about to propose wholeheartedly."
Oleana winced as if she'd been struck, then glowered at him. Ash felt genuine malice from her, though it circled back and forth between aiming at the old man and herself as she struggled over her answer. Eventually, it seemed to mostly settle on herself. With a level of composure Ash was impressed with, she responded, "...You have a point, but the Chairman wouldn't agree with being blackmailed."
Mr. Star chuckled, retorting, "I wouldn't have to blackmail him if he were here because he'd have already agreed with me." Looking back to the others, he said, "In any case, allow me to be specific about what exactly my plan entails. As you already know, it starts with an ad campaign. Ash here would speak to the trainers of the world in an attempt to rally their hearts against Team Rocket. Then, the rest of us would join him. We are key figureheads of the world right now. If we show the people that we stand together, they will find the hope to do the same."
He clasped his hands together, glancing about the room. "...I would also ask all of you something more. Personally, I will be offering as much aid as possible to those who would seek to be trainers again. After all…" He scooted back in his chair to open a drawer in his desk. Ash's jaw went agape when he saw what was inside. Mr. Star reached in and slammed a large wad of Pokedollars on the desk. "This," He said, "Is worthless to me. As of now, the only person who is richer than me is Chairman Rose. To a single person, this would make their lives."
President Silph's brow furrowed as he looked up from the wad at Mr. Star with worry. "You...are you asking us to employ former trainers against Team Rocket?"
Mr. Star snapped his finger and pointed at him. "Exactly!" He exclaimed. "During our time as collective partners, I have never asked something this big of you, but I assure you that it will be well worth it in the long run from both a moral and financial standpoint. You, President Silph, already focus on trainer-related products. Keeping trainers as a way of life benefits you as well."
He took out another wad, slamming it down next to the first. "Personally," He said as he reached down for another, "I see little value in this. My value is not measured by my wealth, but rather, my influence. It wasn't solely with money that I forged the Star Foundation and rebuilt Goldenrod City and its surroundings. I only acted as a figurehead for the people below us, who continue to build as we speak, and gave them the employment to do so."
Again, he thrust another wad down. Followed by another, and another, until the old man couldn't even be seen. The stack was knocked down by him, sending the wads scattering across the desk. They glided across its waxed surface toward the CEO's. Some fell off it entirely. "I can make this much in a day. I know you all do as well. Yet what do we do with this? It is not our money, but our companies', that employs our workers. This money is wasted sitting in dusty desks and inactive bank accounts, but to the average person, even one of these is enough to last them financially for at least a month."
He looked about the rooms, leering into the eyes of everyone there save for Ash. "I cannot force you to accept my proposal, and I realize that even proposing it to begin with jeopardizes our relationship, but with or without you, I will drop every last personal cent into seeing this world—our world—restored. But this problem cannot be ignored! I will pay each and every trainer who wishes to join our cause double what Team Rocket can afford if necessary! If the world's trainers regain hope, we will have a real fighting force against them! If we can take Team Rocket's ranks, the ones who had no other hand to guide them because we never gave them one, then we can be rid of them in months if not weeks!"
Goodshow closed his eyes, humming with a raspy breath. "...So you want us to work on a deficit?"
President Silph rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. Mr. Stone grumbled. Ash could tell he was debating with himself on the matter. Lusamine hesitantly replied, "...I have a duty to my Pokemon. I can only afford so much. Negligent spending may bring ruin to the Aether Foundation if I cannot support the Pokemon I guard." What's more, Oleana no longer appeared to be paying attention to the conversation. She was looking down as she tapped on her phone repeatedly.
"If there are no trainers in the future, there is no one to take part in the Pokemon League," Exclaimed Mr. Star to Goodman. He then looked to Mr. Stone and President Silph. "There won't be any trainers to buy your products." Then to Lusamine. "You have an independence from trainers, but you already know that, at this rate, it is only a matter of time before Team Rocket comes for the Pokemon you protect!" Lastly, Oleana. "The Galar Region flourishes now, but even if it is the last region to fall, that only means the inevitable conquest by Team Rocket will be at the hands of the entire rest of the world!"
His face had become beat red. Ash looked at him with awe. He had never seen the old man this angry. As he slammed his fists onto the table, he roared, "We cannot afford to be selfish any longer! If we do not act now, and with the full weight of our expenses and power, humanity is doomed to Team Rocket's tyrannical rule! What of the sacrifices of those lost to Necrozma?! Is that the future they would have wished?! NO!" He hit the desk again. "If you ignore the dire situation right in front of your face, it is only a matter of time until it reaches all of us, so...I beg of you…"
Everyone in the room found their jaws agape when, to their surprise, Mr. Star suddenly bowed his head and clasped his hands. "Please...help me save the world. Even with all my riches, I cannot fund everyone. The world can only be saved if we cooperate. We are the world's last figureheads of resistance. If even one of us falters...I do not believe we can win."
Nobody spoke for a while after that. Ash and the CEO's merely looked about the room, shifting uncomfortably as they waited for anybody to break the silence. A few sent the occasional glance to the exit door. As Olena looked about the room, she scoffed, placing her hand down on the desk. Ash sensed the intent to get up and leave from her. However, before she could push herself up from the chair, Goodshow spoke.
"...Y'know," He said, "You didn't let me finish." Mr. Star raised his head, looking at him with awe. Mr. Goodshow sent him a wink, then turned toward Oleana with a smirk. He placed his hand down upon the desk and said, "I've been itching to get off my behind and take on Team Rocket directly for months! I'm in, Star. The Pokemon League will seek to employ as many trainers as possible. I'll do whatever I can to empower the Champions, Elite Four and Gym Leaders as well."
Oleana raised a brow at him, like she was silently questioning him, but did not speak. Instead, she stood up. But before she could begin walking away, Lusamine clapped her hand on the desk as well. "...My children, as I've told you, have become fine trainers these past five months. The staff of Aether Paradise are more or less trainers as well. If I did not support them, the Aether Foundation would be doomed. I must seek out a bright future for them all at any cost."
Mr. Stone's unsure expression slowly melted away. Soon after, he found the confidence to place down his hand as well. "Devon Corp has always been about supporting trainers before. I couldn't call myself a proper father to my son, a Champion, if I neglected to give aid to even the most basic of trainers."
After him, President Silph followed the example of the others. "I might as well," He said. "I've had bad history with Team Rocket long before the war. It's time that they paid the price."
Ash felt a smile creep back onto his face. He resisted the urge to sigh in relief and turned toward Oleana. "What about you?" He asked simply in an attempt to remain polite. "Will you join us?"
Oleana scowled and looked away. "You really don't put me in an easy position. How am I expected to say no to the world's savior? If word got out about that…" She grumbled aloud, resuming tapping frantically on her phone with ire. "I've been updating the Chairman about this as it's been going on, but for something like this, he'll need to be here in person. If Chairman Rose didn't show up in an ad campaign of this scale while the rest of the world's leading corporations did, it would be a PR nightmare for Macro Cosmos."
She marched to the door and placed her phone on her shoulder, keeping it in place with her cheek. As she opened it, she turned around and pointed at the others with a glare that could kill. "I'm calling him now. If he graciously decides to join in, you will wait for him." With that, she marched out of the room in a hurry, muttering something over the phone, but the door closing after her prevented Ash from hearing more than a few words.
While Mr. Star and the other CEO's hastily began preparations for the ad, Ash decided to get some air. They were talking a lot of business things that Ash couldn't understand. Mr. Star assured him that it was okay for him to leave and that he would be told when to return. Tobias was still sitting over the edge. He thought to talk to him until he saw Poipole zipping around him through the air. He was laughing.
Deciding not to interrupt the first bit of real happiness he'd sensed from Tobias since their meeting, he smiled and turned away. "Well," He said to Pikachu, "Looks like it's just you and me, buddy."
"Pi, Pika Pi!" Chirped the yellow mouse, earning a chuckle from Ash as he rubbed his partner's furry head. With every day that passed, he swore he could understand Pikachu more and more. Not necessarily what he was saying, but rather the intent behind his 'words.' It was as if he could feel them rather than hear and understand them.
Ash glanced up at the glass hallway, smirking as he felt a sudden thrill. "Think we can make the jump?" He asked Pikachu. Evidently, Pikachu could understand him just as much as he understood Pikachu, if not more so because he returned Ash's look of confidence and nodded without hesitation. "If you think so. Hang on tight!"
His Aura surged to life around him, and for the first time since he healed Raikou, he felt the same sense of exhilaration that the actual use of Aura gave him when used for anything other than battle. That feeling of life itself coursing through his veins, flourishing around him. He knelt down and, without thinking twice, leapt off the edge.
He landed on the glass with, surprisingly enough, a clang. "...Is this stuff even glass?" He asked aloud, looking down at it. It sounded more like metal than glass. Probably some techno stuff that he wouldn't understand even if Mr. Star explained it to him.
Holding Pikachu to his shoulder tightly, Ash peered over the ledge. The further forward he leaned, the more he felt his heart pump. It was thrilling. Maybe Tobias had the right idea. He plopped down on his backside, placing Pikachu a bit further back from the edge. It was kind of funny. Nowadays, he might be even more durable than his own Pokemon. Maybe. He'd have to test that out one day. But he wasn't sure if that durability would let him survive a fall like this.
For now, simply looking down on the beautiful city Mr. Star had made was enough. It really was just like looking down at the night sky from all the way up here. No wonder the old man had the glass hallway. If he had a view like this, he'd sure as heck appreciate it. With his Aura, what would be frigid wind that might threaten to blow him down three thousand feet felt like a breeze.
He and Pikachu both jumped in fright as someone sat down next to them. Their shock became even greater when they saw who it was. "M-Mr. Star?!" Cried Ash. "How the heck did…" He glanced past the old man to the stairs from the helipad to the hallway. About the only way he could have gotten up here was by climbing the side of the stairway.
Chuckling, Mr. Star pointed toward his office, which still stretched up past the glass hallway, and replied, "I've got a few secret exits in case of emergency." That would have made sense had Mr. Star actually come from that side, but it seemed like he came from the helipad rather than the tower.
Shrugging it off, Ash asked, "So why are you up here? Shouldn't you be working with the other CEO's?"
"Eh, I just left that to Alice," Answered Mr. Star nonchalantly. "Besides the authorization to commission equipment, I'm not terribly needed down there. All I needed to do was recruit the others, and it seems like that worked out fine." He looked down at the city far below, then leaned back and took in a deep breath. "The air up here is crisp, isn't it? A bit cold, sure, but you'll never have a clearer breath once you get past the shivering."
Ash chuckled, raising a brow at him. "Should we go get a coat?"
Mr. Star was quick to dismiss the thought. "No, no, if I go back now, Alice won't let me leave again. I can deal with it."
Noticing that Ash was reaching for a Pokeball, the old man chuckled and stopped him. "I am fine," He assured Ash. "Though, it's reassuring to know you care for me so much. Anyways, I came up here because I figured you'd be here and I'd like to talk."
"What about?" Asked Ash.
Shrugging, Mr. Star replied, "Whatever comes to our minds, I suppose. You ask a question, I ask a question, maybe a conversation sparks up somewhere along the way."
Ash looked away, humming thoughtfully. Looking back at the office, Ash said, "You know, I haven't heard anything about those guys you work with down there. I heard a few region names I don't know too, so that's pretty exciting. What do you guys do?"
Mr. Star sneered halfheartedly. "I came up here to escape them, you know," He said jokingly, "Er, but what I do with them is rarely exciting. It's mostly a trade thing. I send supplies one way, they send some back, that type of stuff." He shook his head and added, "All boring stuff to you. It's just business."
iT's jUsT buSinESS.
Ash put a hand to his forehead, suddenly feeling woozy. Seeing this, Pikachu was quick to try and drag Ash back by his shirt so he wasn't so dangerously close to the edge. But that quote...where had he heard that before?
The old man grabbed Ash's shoulder and pulled him back. "Ash!" He cried, snapping him out of his trance. When his eyes met Mr. Star's, he let out a sigh of relief and clutched at his chest. "You had me worried there, kiddo! What happened? Are you alright?" He made a move to get up, saying, "Here, if you're feeling dizzy, this is the last place we should be."
"No," Quickly responded Ash. He vigorously shook his head to get rid of the last of his dizziness and smiled up at Mr. Star in an attempt to reassure him. "Sorry about that. I dunno what happened there."
He received a doubtful frown at that, to which he widened his smile and rubbed the back of his head. Mr. Star sighed and conceded, returning to his sitting position. "I'll believe you, Ash, but know that if you fall, I'm diving after you. Then Team Rocket'll win for sure."
Chuckling at the joke, Ash said, "Alright, alright. I gotcha. So, anything you wanna know?"
"A better question would be what I wouldn't," Said Mr. Star. "I've heard you've encountered many Legendary Pokemon in your travels even before the war. Not to mention Aura inhabiting your body! I bet you've got a veritable treasure trove of adventures and stories to tell!"
Ash rubbed his head sheepishly. "Heh. Yeah, probably. What did you want in particular?"
Mr. Star gave him an odd stare. "...You don't seem comfortable talking about them. Perhaps we shouldn't delve into the Legends then."
"It's not that," Said Ash, "It's just…" He looked off to the side. "...Nah, it's nothing. Ask whatever you want."
The old man huffed, seeing right through him. "You're a terrible liar, Ash. If it's an uncomfortable subject, I can ask something else. I don't need to know the details either. If you don't wish to discuss it, you can feel free to tell me, you know. I'd rather that than to be lied to."
Ash raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright, I get it." He chuckled and said, "Sorry. I don't really know what's up with me today."
Mr. Star stared at him blankly, while Ash was unable to meet his gaze. They stayed in silence as Ash attempted to come up with something to say. Mr. Star, meanwhile, kept his eyes fixated on Ash. Pikachu looked between the two with worry. "...I admire you, you know," Said the old man suddenly.
Surprised by this, Ash froze for a moment before turning to face him. "...Huh? You...admire me?"
"How could I not?" He asked. "You're the savior of our world, Ash! Whether you think so or not, that fact cannot be denied. You saved my life…" He widened his arms out toward the massive city far below. "...And theirs as well. Every living being on this planet owes you endless thanks, you know."
Ash was mentally groaning through it all. If he'd been rubbing his head any more, hairs would start falling out. It wasn't that he was ungrateful for the praise, but… there was something holding him back. He didn't know what it was, but whenever people praised him nowadays, he couldn't help but cringe in embarrassment. Even he couldn't explain it. Not too long ago and he'd be eating up that praise as if it were his mother's cooking.
"Mm-hmm," He said unenthusiastically. "Uh...thank you. I appreciate it…"
"But there's something else," Added Mr. Star, gaining Ash's attention. He looked to Ash with a kind old smile. "I appreciate what you've done before and what you're still doing. I know something's been weighing on you ever since the war, but not once have you hesitated to help out when I needed you. Not a lot of people can do that, Aura, Legendaries, Chosen Ones or whatever."
Ash's head perked up, looking at him in surprise. "...Huh?"
Giving a chuckle of embarrassment, Mr. Star rubbed his head and said, "This may sound creepy, but I looked a bit into your history in my spare time. I assure you that it was simply out of curiosity for your past achievements, and might I say, I am immensely impressed!"
Excitedly, he turned on the Secretary Bot on his wrist and scrolled down to a photo album. One of the images shown was Ash holding a trophy near a taller, spiky-haired man. "This was your first major tournament victory, over Champion Drake of the Orange League!"
Ash looked at the image with a slack jaw before laughing. "Oh, man," He said, "I totally forgot about that one!"
Mr. Star appeared so stricken by the comment that he nearly fell forward off the ledge. "Y-you forgot that one?! That was one of my favorites!" He swiped up to another image, this one of Ash and his Hoenn Team. "What about this one?" He asked. "This is your Frontier Battle Hall of Fame photo after you defeated Pyramid Master Brandon! Surely you haven't forgotten this!"
Again, Ash doubled over with laughter, leaving the old man looking distraught. When he managed to regain hold of his senses, he replied, "Please don't take this the wrong way, but I don't exactly have the best memory when it comes to specifics. I remember the 'overall' of what happened, but most singular moments are fuzzy."
Letting out a breathy sigh, Mr. Star said, "Well, that just won't do. These are triumphant moments, Ash!" He scrolled up to a fuzzy photo of Ash standing atop Lugia's back, opposing the Elemental Bird Trio. "Whenever you're not making a storm out of a battlefield, you've been saving the world for years! I believe such instances deserve to be remembered!"
Ash looked off into the distance, squinting his eyes to gauge just how long they had at this height before they'd see the sun. The sky was nearly pitch black. He looked down at Mr. Star's Secretary Bot thoughtfully and asked, "How much of my history do you have on that thing?"
"Only what I could find of your trainer history," Responded Mr. Star. Quickly, he added, "I-I made sure not to pry into personal stuff, mind you."
Waving him off, Ash said, "I'm not worried about that. But I was thinking that that thing probably doesn't have everything and you're a pretty knowledgeable guy." He looked to Pikachu, shooting his partner a grin that was eagerly returned. "Maybe you could help me remember this stuff better and I could tell you about the parts you don't know about." As Pikachu hopped atop his shoulder, he said, "It would be a shame if I forgot all the adventures we went on, huh buddy?"
Pikachu nodded earnestly, chirping, "Pi, Pika Pi!"
Turning back to Mr. Star, he added, "You don't mind, right?"
"No, not at all," Replied Mr. Star, attempting to straighten his back as much as he could to look attentive. "I said I wanted a conversation, and I'm sure this will keep us busy. By all means, start from the beginning!"
Hours went by as Ash told all different kinds of stories of his past adventures. He told Mr. Star about all the various people and Pokemon he had the pleasure of meeting and the crazy mishaps he'd always find.
He told tales of battles fought, of friends met and lost, the chronicles of his victories and his failures. And along the tales Ash could remember, Mr. Star filled in the gaps where his memory was fuzzy. Of course, Ash told him of the Legends as well. There was much he left out for their sake, but most of the tales were there.
"Incredible!" Marveled Mr. Star. "So your mother was really kidnapped by Entei!?"
Ash nodded with a chuckle. "Yeah," He said, "It's pretty crazy remembering it. Almost hard to believe."
Mr. Star looked down to his Secretary Bot, searching for a picture of the water-coated city of Alto-Mare. "And Latias truly does live here…?"
"Er," Said Ash, "Try to keep that to yourself. Legendary Pokemon like to be left alone, so it wouldn't be good if people knew where they were. I only told you since I know you're someone I can trust."
The old man was quick to answer, "I would never dream of it! A part of my ambition includes the preservation of all Pokemon habitats including Legendary Pokemon." Still, his eyes seemed to glisten with excitement as he looked at the pictures. "If Latias lives there," He muttered to himself, "Could the Soul Dew reside there as well?"
Ash was surprised by this. He intentionally left out that part for the sake of Latias's privacy. The look on his face was not lost on Mr. Star. When he caught wind of this, he gave Ash a reassuring smile.
"Oh, don't worry, Ash," He said. "When I was younger, I spent most of my time chasing all sorts of rumors and treasures. The Soul Dew was one of them, though I never found it." He was grinning ear to ear like a kid in a candy store. "Oh, but it's so exciting to finally know where it is after all these years. The Sea Crown and Temple, The Tree of Life, the Distortion World- oh, it's all too much for my old heart."
His excited grin grew wider when he looked away from the Secretary Bot, instead turning his gaze down to the gleaming city below. "But I'm far too old to go treasure hunting anymore. Not to mention, this city is my own personal treasure. I don't need anything else, save for making the world a place where young trainers can chase their dreams like you and I."
He laid back, resting his head on his crossed arms and letting out a satisfied sigh. "But...finding out that those treasures and places were real after all this time...it really lifts a weight off my shoulders." He looked to Ash. "And to know there was someone that fulfilled my dream...you really are something special."
Ash smiled down at him. That put his mind at ease. "That sounds like one heck of an adventure you had back in the day. You think you'd be up for another once Team Rocket's gone?"
"Nah," Mr. Star replied without hesitating. "I've already had my adventures. Just hearing about yours from time to time will be more than enough. That's another good reason among thousands to get rid of that foul bunch, eh?"
Chuckling, Ash followed the old man's example and lied back. Pikachu mirrored him. "You said it. Once they're gone, and when the world's back to normal, I'll make sure everyone can follow their dreams. But in the meantime, you've gotten me curious about your adventures. What led you to making the Star Foundation?"
"Hm," Said Mr. Star. "That's not what I expected you to ask about first." He rolled over to look up at the tower, his brow creasing as he attempted to remember. Then, suddenly, he barked with laughter. Ash raised a brow at him. "Ah, I remember now. After I failed to find any of the treasures I looked for, I became a deadbeat."
He showed Ash another picture. It was a woman with long, brown hair and eyes. "But then I met this looker! She trounced me in a battle and took the last of my money, but it still wasn't enough for what I'm owed. I ended up just giving her a map I was using at the time to locate a supposed temple made of gold. Obviously, it ended up being a lie, but to my surprise, she was into treasure hunting as well!"
Rolling over to look at Ash with the biggest grin Ash ever saw from him, Mr. Star said, "Thus started the best years of my life. Her name was Emily Star, heir to the renowned Star Foundation. We traveled the world together, finding all sorts of wonders while being funded by the company. A few years later, I asked for her hand in marriage, and she said yes! Since she had the more prestigious family line, I ended up taking her last name. We kept on going for nearly a decade, but sadly, all good things must come to an end."
Ash felt a growing wave of sorrow welling up from Mr. Star. His brows furrowed with concern, but the old man still carried a wistful smile on his face. "Sadly, she was killed on an expedition by a previously unknown Pokemon. I bear no grudge against it now, but the incident caused me to retire from traveling."
He beckoned up to the tower, then out to the city around them. "Many years later, her parents died of natural causes, so I was the only living air. I like to believe that I've carried on their legacy."
"Mr. Star...I…"
The old man suddenly sat back up. "Oh, don't let an old coot like me bum you out. But this reminds me of one expedition we went on." He turned around toward Ash and said, "We once met an Aura Guardian who accompanied us on a few journeys. One of which involved finding a place where one could activate latent Auric abilities, though that never led anywhere. Where did you first learn, if not from the being named Aura?"
Ash suddenly cringed as he remembered his last experience with Mew. "I'm not sure if I'm allowed to tell you that. Let's just say that a certain Legend likes their secrets."
Shrugging, Mr. Star replied, "I suppose I'll have to respect that then. But what about Aura, the being?"
Ash clenched his teeth, sighing through them and shaking his head in dismay. "What about it?"
Mr. Star gave him a look of concern. "Is that an uncomfortable subject? ...Come to think of it, you have that look on your face whenever anyone calls you the Chosen One as well." He scooted nearer to Ash, slowly putting a hand on his shoulder. "I will respect your judgement if you say no, but I'd like to know what's weighing on your shoulders. We're partners after all."
The word 'no' appeared in Ash's mind on instinct. He opened his mouth to decline the old man and to say he was fine. He was fine. That stuff was his problem alone; weight he didn't want anyone but himself to carry. After all, it was something fickle and stupid anyways. It was hardly worth even talking about when the world had bigger problems to worry about.
But the feeling of saying something about it, of sharing that weight with someone else, was a very attractive prospect. "...I…" But he hardly knew where to begin. He had been called the Chosen One long before he met Aura. The Orange Islands prophecy, in the Tree of Life, even Arceus had called him that.
So what was his problem with it?
"...Aura," Spoke Ash, making Pikachu and Mr. Star lean forward intently. The Pokeballs on his belt trembled at the name. "...Once told me that my actions were all my own. My decisions, my battles, my victories...those were mine, not its."
He lit an Auric flame in his hand, no bigger than a candle flame. As he stared into it, his trembling hand resisted the urge to snuff it out. "But Aura lied to me once. It also told me that time was frozen while I spoke with it, but people and Pokemon were being slaughtered by Necrozma all the while. Including many of my own."
Mr. Star's eyes went wide. "Ash...I'm so sorry."
Ash lazily nodded. "Thanks, really… Anyways, Aura let me go, it admitted to lying to me. Ever since then, I've been wondering if that wasn't the only lie." He scowled, dashing the flame, but not before flicking his wrist and sending a silver blaze out into the sky. "It told me that I was created directly from itself for the sole purpose of killing Necrozma. So…"
"You don't know if your accomplishments are even yours?" Asked Mr. Star.
Ash replied, "I don't even know if my life is mine. For all I know, Aura could still be puppeteering me, someone else, the world or fate itself." His fists clenched on their own, and his nails were driven into the palms of his hands. Pikachu's ears drooped with worry for his best friend. "Ever since then, when I focus on it for too long, I start to feel...isolated. Like I don't belong."
Sending a passive glance to Mr. Star, he held his arm out to guard him from the ledge. "This may be...trippy to hear."
But Ash could tell Mr. Star's concern was solely for him. On one half, it was reassuring. On the other, it was just another thing Aura left with him, among the deaths of billions, including his friends. "Aura did not create our universe," Said Ash, "But its first creations did. Two of them are Arceus and Mew."
Mr. Star blinked multiple times, dizzily putting a hand to his head. "That's, um," He stuttered, looking for the right words while trying to wrap his head around it. "Yeah...you were right. That's definitely trippy."
Ash nodded. "The thing is...I wasn't created by either of them. Aura did create me, then sent me here to wait for Necrozma, as I learned from it. Whenever I'm called 'Chosen One,' I'm reminded of how separate from everyone else I really am. I feel like I'm...entire worlds apart from even my closest friends and I hate it!"
Unbeknownst to him, his Aura had begun to rise up around him on its own as he became more and more frustrated. When he realized it was there, he scowled at it like it was as disgusting as dirt.
"...And yet, I have no choice but to use it," He said furiously. "I need it to save people and Pokemon." He recalled the injured Raikou at the bottom of the Burned Tower. "I need it to save the world. To save my friends and family from Team Rocket, as well as everyone else. But...am I really the one saving them? Or is it Aura? I'm the 'Chosen One' of Aura, and because of that, I just happened to become the Chosen One of just about every other Legend, who most other people never meet in their lives."
He groaned, shaking his head and wiping his wet eyes. "Of course I'm gonna keep fighting anyways. I'm not so selfish that I would let people suffer from Team Rocket because I don't know if I'm the one saving them. That's ridiculous."
Once he had managed to snap himself back into reality, he let out a weighty sigh and stretched his tensed limbs. "Anyways," He said, "Thanks for letting me speak my mind. Honestly, it actually does feel a bit relaxing to...get it all outta my system."
When he looked back to Mr. Star, the old man still appeared to be a bit dumbstruck by what he'd heard. His eyes flitted back and forth, though his head didn't move. Realizing that he'd been spoken to, he blinked, looking at Ash and replied, "W-well, I'm glad that I was able to be of some help, I suppose. Though Arceus was foretold to be the creator of the universe in Sinnoh mythology, it's a bit more surreal to know that it's true. Especially after…"
He shook his head all of a sudden. "Er, nevermind about that." Turning to Ash with a clearer look in his eyes and a smile, he said, "In any case, I'm glad to hear that your convictions remain solid. Know that I, and the entire Star Foundation, will support you in every way we can." He placed a hand on Ash's shoulder, giving him a light shake and earning a chuckle from the young man. "And I'm glad you confided in me. I'll always be here if you want to talk again. Even if it's over the Secretary Bot, I'll push off whatever I'm doing if need be."
Ash chuckled again and said, "Well, maybe we don't need to be going that far. After all, you're going to be even busier soon once you start hiring trainers."
The old man threw his head back and groaned, crying, "Ahhh, you're right! Between that and paperwork, soon I won't have the time to even scratch an itch." He shrugged with a defeated sigh. "We'll cross that road when we get to it. Anyways, I'd like to ask you something, ask something of you...and to give you something."
Raising his eyebrow, Ash wondered what Mr. Star could give him? He would be thankful for the thought either way, but right now, a gift might weigh him down. "Uh, sure," He said, "What do you wanna know?"
Mr. Star reached into his coat. Ash suspected it was for the gift. "You said you were created by Aura, the being?" Ash nodded. "That in and of itself may be more mind-boggling than Arceus and Mew… But to me, I want you to know that I don't think you are Aura. To me, you're Ash."
The smile from Ash that resulted from that was the widest it had been in a while. Pikachu noticed this, feeling a little warm seeing his trainer attempting to hide it unsuccessfully.
"But you said you spoke to it as well," Added Mr. Star. "That begs the question: Can you still speak to it? And if you can, could anyone else speak to it?"
Ash smirked at him. "Does that mean you want to?"
The old man returned the smirk, stifling a chuckle. "Ah, you caught me, my boy. It sounds a bit selfish, but...can you blame me? Talking to the being that created our creators...few could resist."
Looking off into the distance, Ash activated his Aura and attempted to picture the ivory expanse that he conversed with Aura in. There, he could not tell if he was surrounded by nothing because it was a void, or everything, because it was Aura. The formless entity that spoke with an unimaginable number of voices and from every conceivable angle, that could make you feel unimaginably small, yet erase fear. Though he had seen it once upon a time, it seemed impossible to imagine it now.
"...Probably not," Replied Ash at last. Mr. Star had been watching him anxiously all the while, only relaxing his stature after he answered. "That being, Aura… Even though I was created by it personally, and even though I have a part of it in me...I doubt that I even have the power to summon it. And if I could, I have no idea what it would do. We might have an even bigger problem than Team Rocket, or it might get rid of Team Rocket entirely. But…"
Visions of Arceus's past actions flashed in his mind.
"...It said that it didn't want to be part of the universe. It only saved us because we had no hope against Necrozma."
Mr. Star stared at him blankly for a moment, then began rummaging through his suit again. Ash looked at him oddly when he heard sounds of plastic and metal clacking together. Just how much stuff did he have in there?
"Well," He started, "I suppose I should consider us lucky that you can't then. The last thing this world needs is another potential Necrozma."
He took out a black box with a rainbow spiral pattern that Ash recognized. "No way," He said with wide eyes. "Is this…?"
Ash took the gift graciously, but Mr. Star placed his hand atop the box to stop him from opening it. "Hold on a moment," He told him. "I told you that I wanted to ask something of you as well first, didn't I? The thing is, after we are done with the campaign, the Star Foundation is hopefully going to have no shortage of trainers helping us. Not to mention, your actions have sparked rumors among some people already, giving us more personnel."
"Yeah?" Asked Ash. "So what do you want from me?"
Mr. Star removed his hand from the box. "...Put simply, your services are no longer required."
Ash felt his heart skip a beat. "Wh...what…?"
Beckoning to the city beneath them, Mr Star told him, "Tomorrow, we'll have no shortage of trainers. Missions such as mine are far too small for you. You're much too important for the future."
Ash opened his mouth to protest, but he was cut off before he could speak. "This is why I told you that the Star Foundation would continue to support you. You're already the greatest figurehead of the world, Ash! From now on, you don't work for the Star Foundation…"
He reached for the box and took off its lid. "...Because now, the Star Foundation works for you." Ash's eyes went wide when he saw its contents. There were two Mega Stones and a keystone, though this particular keystone seemed to visibly glow.
"Sorry for the mean joke," Mr. Star said honestly, though the smirk on his face remained. "I've been waiting all night to use it. The look on your face…" He coughed into his hand. "Anyways, what I wanted to ask of you is this: Will you go support the Legends personally? I'm sure they have a far greater need of you than I."
Ash had to force himself to look up from the stones. "...What brought this on? Is it because of what I told you?"
"It played a hand in it," Admitted Mr. Star. When he saw the look on Ash's face, he added, "But it's an idea that's been spinning in my head for a while. It's selfish of me to have you under my employ, so I thought the Legends could use you as an ally."
Ash didn't quite know what to say. He wanted to continue to work for Mr. Star, not to mention that he didn't even know what state the Legends were in. Not after...how his last meeting with them went.
Seeing the doubt in Ash's expression, Mr. Star said, "Of course, you may feel free to stay. I cannot force you. But I hope you consider it. I firmly believe that Team Rocket's downfall will be led by them, not I. You being among them may hasten it."
"...I'll think about it." Ash told him. "But...it's not a decision I can make alone. I have my friends to worry about. Plus, the Legends will probably have an opinion about other humans being in the…" He coughed, stopping himself from revealing the Hall of Origins by name. "...Being among the rest of them. I was granted the honorary status of Legend because Aura defeated Necrozma. Some already voiced...concerns about me being there, so I don't know how they would react to other humans."
Mr. Star frowned. "Is that so?" He shook his head slightly, then said, "Well, if it hinges upon their decision, then I suppose I'll have to respect it. Nevertheless, I urge you to try, and to tell them what I told you." Cringing, he said, "That sounded...really arrogant of me."
He looked to the sky, gasping when he saw its gradually-changing color. "Err...we seem to have been out here for a bit longer than I'd like. Alice is going to…" He shuddered, imagine the nagging he would get from her. Quickly, he stood up and offered his hand to Ash. "They haven't shouted for us yet, but they're likely going to start soon if we don't head back quickly."
Imagining Oleana's face, Ash mirrored Mr. Star's expression and swiftly accepted the hand, practically jumping to his feet. "Yeah, let's get down there quick. Oleana's probably gonna be all like, 'You're the Chosen One! Why are you keeping us all waiting?! Shouldn't the Chosen One be more punctual?!' or something like that?"
Mr. Star doubled over in a sudden snickering fit, prompting Ash to follow suit. Slowly, Pikachu fell into it as well. "Ahh, you're spot on and you've only known her for a day!" He said between laughs, slapping a hand on Ash's shoulder. "And then- and then she's gonna be all like, 'And You, Star! You're jeopardizing your relationship with Macro Cosmos!'"
Utterly taken aback by how scarily-accurate the old man's impression of her was, Ash and Pikachu devolved into further laughter to the point he felt his eyes watering. He pulled away from Mr. Star and took in a deep breath of much-needed air.
"Aw, man...she'd totally kill us if they heard that."
Mr. Star nodded solemnly, soon realizing his joke was a bit too realistic, considering it was likely going to play out exactly like he envisioned it soon. "Yeah...you're probably right…"
Author's Note
Pokextinction Fact of the Day: Mr. Star is actually approaching his nineties in terms of age, but he's still keeping spry. You could say age hasn't slowed him down one bit. That also means that his Tyranitar is his only remaining living Pokemon. Because of his age, he's getting a bit more brazen, realizing the scope of his power right now. He throws his weight around because he knows that he doesn't have much time left. But how much time exactly?
Extra Fact: Samurai (The guy with the intimidating Butterfree from Chapter three or four) was planned to make an appearance during the battle against Necrozma. At which point, he would try to intimidate Necrozma only for the demon to do the same to them and knock both of them out with a single look, which would have inspired a sense of despair among everyone who saw it because they would have been scared of Samurai and his Butterfree. It was scrapped because the war chapters were dragging on and on and on. They could not possibly fit more content.
Creator: Merry Christmas everybody. This chapter took a bit longer than usual since it was finals time for our college classes, so sorry about that. At least it's over now. I cannot stress enough how much of a joy it is to write Mr. Star. The good old fun grandpa. Seems like he's got a bit of interesting history behind him as well, doesn't he?
Hydra: Merry freaking Christmas everybody it's great to see you all again! Sorry about this chapter taking so long, but I just got a job so it couldn't be helped.
Now for the reviews.
Amourshipper35: Oh that doctor gives me the creeps and I hope he can be stopped.
Creator: There is no stopping death. It comes for everyone. It's just a matter of which death is greater? The Pokemon of Death, or the doctor of death?
Hydra: The legends are gonna have to get creative if they wanna save Yveltal and take down dr Benedict.
Guest: "Regarding to other possible future plots, I was thinking in Harper, the guy fried by Moltres during the attempt of take over of the people and agents of Lee, I was wondering if Harper could became someone like Darth Vader, in the sense that to considers his grave burns, he would needs some advanced equipment of life support to could functions normally outside from a medical wing, and this life support could be like an advanced and experimental power suit armor, like Darth vader's, that besides helps Harper to could functions without breathing issues or weakness by the severe injuries, this power suit gives him several capabilities, like super strength, super agility, super durability, thermal regulators, high resistance against heat, some neural interface connected to some optical sensors to give him back the sight sense, some thermal scanner to tracks fire types pokemon, and even several integrated weapons specialized to defeats and neutralizes fire types pokemon; like cannons that shoots CO2 concentrated like a fire extinguisher, ice beam cannons, some bombs of CO2 to suffocates the enemies and neutralizes fire types pokemon, guns that shoots syringes with an experimental specialized liquid nitrogen that last forever within the pokemon after the injection and neutralizes or debilitates their fire types attacks, and also this armor has some retractile blades, like Doom blade style, that are made from a special alloy highly resistant to fire.
I was thinking in this idea because to considers the hatred of Harper against Moltres, could be appropriated that he can get some equipment and gear that not only to could functions normally again, but also to get the capability of takes down Moltres, as he would needs a lot power to could faces and neutralizes some legendary pokemon by himself, and could be appropriated that his gear would be fireproof and incorporates some weapons designed to neutralizes fire type pokemon, to could be equipped to his payback against Moltres, to that the fire bird would needs some help if he wants to lives, otherwise Harper could tastes his revenge against the pokemon that ruined him.
Though that even if Moltres survives this encounter, maybe Harper can gives him a taste of his own medicine; that Harper manages to injects Moltres the specialized liquid nitrogen and this caused that Moltres lost his capability of uses his fire types attacks forever, making that Harper can gets some revenge against the fire bird, even if moltres isn't killed. I am not saying with this that moltres deserves some karma, but i was thinking that perhaps Harper can manages to injures the fire bird in a drastic way as revenge, because the fact that this man survived and had notable moment to talks about his hatred and revenge wishes against moltres, makes me think in the possibility that Harper would has some serious battle against moltres in the future.
And i also though in this idea by the fact that Harper ended severely burned during a battle, much like Darth vader during his battle against Obi wan in Mustafar, and in the case of the lord sith, he got a power suit armor like a life support after get burned, and some time later, Darth vader had finally his rematch against Obi wan and managed to killed him, making interesting that Harper also can his own power suit armor and can has his rematch against moltres and manages to fulfill his revenge in some way; killing the bird, or crippling to uses fire attacks.
PS. I agreed, as Doom Slayer is already too busy dealing with the demons and the Dark lord, to could be available to support the pokemon world against Necrozma, as the threat of the Dark lord of the Hell and the demons could be even worse than Necrozma and the ultra beasts, after all the demons of Hell can invades any dimension of the multi-universe to spreads their demonic energy and corrupts many worlds, implying a threat to the very existence, meaning that Doom slayer must to deals with them to all cost, to could protects the dimensions and the mankind, leaving tragically the pokemon world by his own against Necrozma, and bringing as consequence that occurred heavy casualties to this world, including some legendary pokemon, and that the original order of this world was broken and is needed re-establishes a new order, before shady people like Team rocket and Christopher Lee seizes the power and takes over the world.
Keep the good job."
Creator: Man, I love the sheer size of your reviews. They're always an absolute joy to read. You...should really consider a career in telling the future, because I think you can do it. Yes, we have grand plans for Mr. Harper. And in the near future too. We will be seeing him very, very soon...and in a state eerily-similar to how you described. You from the future or something?
Now I wanna see a battle between the Necrozma from this story and Doom Slayer.
Hydra: It's funny how dead on you are when talking about Mr. Harper, we literally always make Darth Vader jokes when talking about him. I think you'll really enjoy where his story ends up going.
DarkPugLord23: "Ah, the last Genesect. I'd almost forgotten about her. Looks like the Red Rage is starting to seep in her mind. And Yveltal as well! So this is where he has been, trapped in some underground facility with a complete and utter psychopath. Also, I love the fact that he's named himself as Dr Death, because I've always pronounced it as Dr De'Ath instead, so that's going to be rather humorous going forward. Loving the work so far, keep it up my guys!"
Creator: Your pronunciation of 'De'Ath' reminds me of Lilo and Stitch when that one invader alien calls Earth 'Ee-Arth.' Yeah, it's been a while since we've even seen Yveltal. About...thirty-seven chapters now. Jeez.
Hydra: I feel like a lot of people might've thought we forgot about Yveltal since it had been so long since we last saw them, but let me tell you this for the future, just because a character hasn't made an appearance for a long time doesn't mean they won't ever return.
Creator: Next chapter, we'll be seeing what the ad campaign may sow… as well as a summons from Arceus. From then, Ash will have to make a decision. Does he risk the safety of his friends to do more dangerous missions with the Legends, or stay working for Mr. Star and slow the crusade against Team Rocket? Have a Merry Christmas or otherwise until then.
Hydra: Alrighty boys and girls make sure to have a holly jolly Christmas and we will see you on the next one. Maybe in a plain of pure whiteness, maybe on a secret island in the Hoenn region ;)
