"A-Ash Ketchum?! I thought you were dead" Professor Oak said while attempting to hug Ash. Ash stopped him with invisible aura.
"Only a few people in this world are allowed to hug me. I'm still not my old self. I'm probably never going to be the same." Ash said finally releasing the invisible barrier.
"How have you been? I was so worried about you." Gary said. He had become less arrogant and had humbled due to the accident. He stopped boasting about his heritage and became modest. Honestly, it surprised Ash. He and Gary had always been friends and rivals, but a change like this was going to take time to get used to.
"I am fine thanks to my partner and best friend." Ash said, motioning towards Pikachu and Auria.
"Hello!" Auria said while waving.
"You have a lot of explaining to do sir." Professor Oak said firmly.
"I can tell you what I'm allowed to say. Auria, can you help me? You were there through everything. Morgan, can you yell if we get close to anything classified." Ash asked.
"On it." They said at the same time. Everyone went to the living room and sat down on a different couch with Ash, Auria, and Morgan sat down on the same couch. Gary took a cup of tea and sat down on one of the two recliners.
"After the incident I ran to Vermillion City and on the way, I was getting used to my aura. I had been cut by one of the grunt's knives and was trying to heal that as best as I can. I ran into an alleyway, so I didn't catch anyone's attention. Apparently, she saw me before I could get out of sight." Ash explained while raising his undershirt a little, showing a part of a cut that runs from his shoulder to his stomach. The Oaks gasped at the gnarly part of the cut.
"H-how did you even get away?" Gary asked. He felt so bad since he was there.
"My aura might have caused an explosion." Ash said.
"So that was what that scorch mark was that we saw on the way here?" Morgan asked. She was confused.
"I met Ash in the same alleyway. After that we moved to Mt. Silver where I had a few pokeballs from when I left my house, so I brought them. We caught ourselves two pokemon each and trained on the mountain." Auria helped since she knew that Ash had forgotten.
"So, let me get this straight, you two who were 10 years old, climbed Mt. Silver and lived there until I'm assuming Lance found you two?" Professor Oak said while rubbing his temples. He couldn't believe that these two children climbed the most dangerous mountain in the world and actually lived up there, when most grown men didn't even make up the mountain halfway.
"Actually, our mentor found us after he felt a strong pulse of aura coming from the mountain. He took us to the headquarters where he asked me if I wanted to join since I had been in a decent state for a while. Though I never verbally spoke unless I was alone with Auria. Luckily, I learned sign language until I finally felt comfortable speaking to others." Ash said. Though he could speak, he still didn't feel comfortable in large crowds. It gave him an anxiety attack to where he couldn't speak.
"How did those two join in? I thought it was the G-men." Gary asked.
"Auria convinced them that she could keep up with the guys and I disguised myself as a boy to join." Morgan said.
"And it worked until Auria had suspicions after you joined. Thankfully, they let you stay." Ash said as he grinned.
"Oh, well now that we have that out of the way, Ash, I challenge you to a battle." Gary said while standing up. Ash pulled down his cap over his eyes.
Ash chuckled and grinned. "I accept. This will be a 2 on 2 battle.
Outside the two were standing opposite of each other with a pokeball in their hands. "This is a 2 on 2 battle between Gary Oak and Red Tajiri. Battle….." Auria said trailing off. She felt large amounts of evil auras.
"Red, I sense 20 auras surrounding us. Team Rocket Grunts I presume."
"We'll have to postpone the battle. Green, get the Oaks inside. They can watch, just don't get seen. Blue, cloaks on."
"Roger Captain!" Auria and Morgan said while following their instructions. Morgan pushed the Oak's inside and closed the door. She ran back to the two captains with her cloak on as well.
Professor Oak turned on his computer and made it to where his cameras came on. "You think that they'll stand a chance?" Gary asked. The professor just nodded. He didn't want to lose Ash again.
Back outside, the three let their pokemon, and Ash threw Pikachu to land beside Silver, Vivi, Kirlia, Gold, Vulpix, Frosmoth, and Shinotic. They all could sense their trainer's stress. The pokemon got into a battle-ready stance. Auria and Ash sent an aura sphere towards the trees.
As soon as the sphere hit grunts came out. After that, everything was madness. A couple of grunts came running towards Ash with daggers. Ash just simply formed his aura into a staff and disarmed them before punching them in the temple knocking them out. Auria had her chakrams with vine detailing using them to defend before using various styles of kicks to knock them out. Morgan had her silver naginata with emerald detailing out sweeping tons of grunts out of her path towards Ash and Auria for them to do the knockout. The Oaks were surprised by what they were seeing. They weren't expecting to see the grunts to be taken out easily much less three teens with weapons. The grunt's pokemon weren't standing a chance against the five pokemon who were barely taking any damage. In about five minutes total, the grunts were all taken out except one. The cloaked grunt chuckled and threw a black tulip. The three trainers and their pokemon dodged easily. The black tulip exploded into a purple powder. The pidgey passing by above fell down poisoned.
"I had that one made especially for you three." The cloaked grunt said while pulling off her hood. Auria felt Ash's aura spike and was confused.
"It's so nice of you to come back to the place where you murdered my mother, who did nothing to you." Ash said with sarcasm and anger filling his voice as he spoke. Auria put her hand on his shoulder to calm him down, but he was enraged at this point. Auria and Morgan looked at each other with the same look in their eyes that said 'he's gonna blow'. The two ran into the house knowing what was going to happen.
"Why are you two in here and not helping him?" Gary asked.
"We've learned the hard way when Ash is angry, his aura tends to spike, and when this happens, he is powerful enough to blow up the whole forest.
"So that is how the big burn mark is south of Pallet Town got there?" Professor Oak asked. He knew it wasn't a pokemon move that had caused it.
"Correct, his aura was so out of control that Lance had to take him to the Orrean Desert just so he wouldn't blow anything up. I rewatched a video from the Orre News and they thought that there was a devastating earthquake." Morgan said. She remembered when she had to treat Ash because he had so much built up so much anger and sadness that his aura was out of control, and it took a toll on his body.
"He should be able to finish this up quick if his aura is as powerful as I think it is currently." Auria said. She knew he could if he wanted to. Knowing Ash, he would want to know their motives.
No one was expecting an arrow to come from the forest and hit Domino with a poisonous gas. Ash and Auria set up aura shields around everyone. They all saw a cloaked woman with black spandex and purple armor covering her.
"That is what you get for ruining my life." The woman said. She walked up to Ash and nodded.
Ash had this strange feeling. He checked her aura and was shocked about what the aura reading told him.
'Get everyone and meet me in the H.Q.' Ash said to Auria through his aura.
Auria got his message and sent out Kirlia. The four teleported to the G-men headquarters. Ash and the mysterious woman teleported thanks to Pikachu. Lance and Riley were shocked to see them all teleported in front of them.
"Hello again captains." Lance said.
"Morgan, take Gary and the Professor to conference room 15. I need to be alone with these four." Ash said calmly.
"Roger captain." With that the three walked out of the room and closed the door.
"Ash, what is going on? You haven't told us anything." Riley asked confused.
As soon as they said those words, a stream of aura pushed off the hood covering the woman's face. What they saw left them shocked. A woman had auburn hair that matched her dull auburn eyes. A scar covered her right eye. This woman was the supposedly dead Delia Ketchum. Ash looked straight into her eyes and ran to her engulfing her in a hug. He started to cry uncontrollably into his mother's shoulder.
"I thought you were dead." Was all Ash could get out.
"Shhh, it's ok now. I healed myself with my aura abilities and acted dead. I saw everything that they did to you, and I promised that I'd get my revenge on them. I'm glad that you're ok and alive." Delia said while rubbing the back of Ash's head. Ash finally got himself together and released the hug.
"How in the Distortion World did you know it was her?" Riley asked still shocked.
"I saw a similarity in our aura. Besides, only my mother would smell like she had just walked out of the kitchen." Ash said as he grinned.
"Now that this has happened, we should probably talk to Professor Oak and Gary. We have our new pokedexes and will have to be going soon." Auria said with a smile on her face. She was glad that her kyodai had found his mother.
The five walked out of Lance's office and walked down the hallway to conference room 15. They opened the door to Professor Oak and Gary sitting down in some of the swivel chairs near the table. Morgan was standing up leaning against the wall opposite of the door.
"Hey Ash, Morgan briefed us and…is that Delia?!" The professor asked shocked to see his 'dead' best friend.
"Yes Samuel, it is me." Delia said while hugging the professor. She missed the professor while she was faking her death. Morgan was just standing against the wall with smile on her face.
"I figured she was still alive. I was just waiting for her to show." Morgan said while walking towards them.
"Care to introduce me to these two?" Delia said to Ash while pointing to Auria and Morgan. Ash nodded
"The one with the black hair is Auria. She lived with me on Mt. Silver before we joined the G-men. She is also my kyodai. We are practically siblings at this point. Over there is Morgan. She is our friend from when my aura started going ballistic." Ash said while the other two waved. "Over there is Lance and Riley. Lance is our Commander and Riley is mine and Auria's mentor." Ash said while pointing to the two in the corner.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Ms. Ketchum." Lance said as he shook her hand.
"No need for formalities. Just call me Delia. I hope Ash hasn't caused any problems." Delia said with a smile.
"He has been a great help for us since he joined us two years ago. He saved our lives many times." Riley said with a reassuring smile. Ash then whispered something to Lance, Riley, and Auria. They all smiled and nodded their heads.
"Hey Mom, how would you feel about moving here for your safety? You could also join if you wanted to." Ash asked. Delia thought about it with a smile on her face. She wouldn't have to keep moving. She wouldn't have to worry about food.
"Your skills would be useful, but we won't make you join unless you wanted to." Lance said.
"If I move in, would I be able to see you more?" Delia asked Ash.
"When I'm not on a mission yes. Though if you joined, you could work your way in the rankings and could sometimes be a part of missions, and I have a feeling that you can kick butt if you kept Dad in line." Ash said with a smile. Delia laughed at this.
"Sometimes I was the only person that could other than his Lucario." Delia said thinking about her husband.
"Hey Ashy-boy! You owe me a battle before you leave." Gary said using Ash's old nickname to which Ash sighed at.
"Fine, I'll battle you. Commander, permission to move this mission back a day to regain my thoughts about the events that have gone down today. Might possibly have a battle tournament as well." Ash asked while turning to his superiors.
Permission granted. We need you to be at your best for this mission. Riley and I might join in later if we feel like it. Professor, Gary, do you mind moving a temporary lab in here? We feel like Team Rocket could strike again soon. The Research Team might help you with some of your studies." Lance said.
"Give me time to gather some supplies and I should be back here in a flash." The professor responded. With that he and Riley's Gallade left for the pokemon lab.
Outside on the battlefield, the small group of G-men and and the research team along with Gary, Morgan, Lance, Riley, and the Kyodai, were standing outside looking at a projector that had everyone's portrait up on the screen. Professor Oak (who had just returned) and Delia were up on the balcony excited to see Ash battle after so long.
All the participants watched as their names moved around the screen in an unorthodox manner. After about 30 seconds, the pictures stopped moving and they saw who their opponents were.
Ash vs Alex
Auria vs Akio
Morgan vs Sam
Gary vs Riku
Riley vs Harley
Lance vs Andrew
Jake vs Mack
Gabriel vs Blake
