Sorry about the long wait, I was working on some other projects I may be releasing soon. But I'm back, for now, and I'm ready to kick this story into overdrive.

Only a few more battles until this Arc will come to a close, and the main story will continue, and we're going to see some new characters (including sobble, of course.)

As always, please review. I want to hear what you think about the story. It helps me make decisions on how to progress the individual chapters.

Now, one concern that I have been seeing in my PMs is if I'm going to make this Story about Goh. Yes. This story is very Goh-centric because out of all the things I found disappointing about Pokemon Journeys, Goh's one-dimensional character is by far the worst. I like his design, and I think how he reacts with the other characters is completely fine, but his purpose in the story really sucks, and is more focused on the games rather than the anime, which is a horrible mistake.

I want to create a Goh that has some sense of personality beyond "I'm gonna catch Mew!" I think that's a dumb goal. I want him to have some aspirations beyond just capturing a hoard of pokemon. Ash has already had that, so now it's Goh's turn.

And then there's Arron. His story is about to progress as well. I won't be incorporating every episode of the animation because frankly, some of them are just really stupid. This fanfiction is going to be LOOOONG, so I'm going to make it more focused on the story than the episodic nature of the anime, but including the episodes is a necessary evil until we reach episode 49, which is where this AU with branch off from the main story and go completely bonkers :P.

For now, be patient. The most requested story development is about to happen in the next chapter or two. And It's going to be spectacular.

The morning was still surprisingly cool, around sixty degrees. Mild grey clouds hung overhead, contributing to the dreary attitude. A light drizzle was predicted to fall later on, but for now a few rays of sunshine still broke through the clouds.

Outside the Arena, Ash and Goh sat on a small bench, waiting for May and Korrina to arrive. Their battles were about to begin, and Ash was finally ready to confront May. Pikachu was resting on Ash's shoulder, napping until it was time to spectate.

The paved crosswalks were crowded again, small brick-contained trees studded the front crosswalks in a geometric pattern, and plenty of bird pokemon were washing themselves in the myriad of bird baths next to the benches and fountains. It was a nice sight, and it brightened up the area, providing even more natural beauty to a quite nice area. People watched the morning rush from their porches on the second and third story apartments near the Arena, sipping coffee and tea and eating pastries.

Ash was nervous, Goh could tell. He was fidgeting in his seat and tapping his foot in rapid succession. It didn't take a detective to find out why: Goh learned really quickly that May could, on occasion, have a truly nasty temper. And for as brave as Ash could be sometimes, he knew he was screwed in this situation.

Goh, to his credit, was nervous as well. Gurkinn's request was odd to say the least, and Ash had explained to him that Gurkinn wasn't a man that took things like that lightly. Moving Goh up the ranks so abruptly, while logical, wasn't something that he would have normally done. Goh was hoping to ask Korrina more about it when she arrived, since she was closest to him, and she would be present for the lunch as well.

Speaking of the Devil, Korrina rolled up to him and Ash, May in tow with a dark expression on her face. Ash Gulped before getting up and slinging his bag over his shoulder, ready to make a break for it if necessary. Korrina rolled her eyes before braking in front of Ash and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Ash, she isn't going to murder you, just maybe beat you up."

"I'm so relieved." Ash replied sarcastically. "You don't know her like I do, Korrina. She can be incredibly violent."

"I heard that!" May shouted in the background. Korrina sniggered, seeing Ash's fearful expression morph into a stubborn one.

"I'm sure everything will work out. You just need to be a man and grow a pair."

"I'll try that, but it's quite hard to do that after she castrates me."

Korrima's face morphed with disgust. "That's just awful, Ash. She's mad because you acted like an idiot and ignored her because of what Goh said to you."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Korrina began to roll away. "You suck, Ash!" She shouted, playfully.

"That seems to be the general consensus." Ash muttered under his breath before May walked up to him, her brow scrunched in disapproval. She smacked him over the head, causing him to flinch and rub his forehead. "Dangit, May, you didn't have to actually hit me."

"That's for you being an idiot." She said, before hugging him. "I missed you."

Ash sighed and returned the embrace. "I missed you too. How have you been?"

"All over the place. You?"

"Same."

"I'd expect that from you. I see that you have, once again, decided to start from scratch. I have no idea how you can keep doing that."

Ash shrugged. "I like the challenge. It helps me improve."

"That's debatable." May replied. "You don't exactly 'improve', you kinda just fail upwards."

"Thanks for the compliment, May," he responded. "So, what's my punishment?"

May took up a contemplative obviously an attempt at being condescending. "Well, I'm not going to hit you again. Probably. So I guess I'll just challenge you to a pokemon battle."

Ash raised an eyebrow. "That seems… kinda unfair."

"It is. That's the point."

"So why are you… oh. I see. That's a low blow, you know that right?"

"Yeah, just like sending Riolu out to fight a much stronger pokemon that he was also weak to. You'll survive. So square up: we're battling right now."

Ash wasn't giving in. "Goh is battling in half an hour, we don't have time for this."

"Correction: Goh might not have time for this. If I recall correctly, you lost yesterday, so you have no obligations." May then turned to Goh, putting on the sweetest smile Goh had seen in a long time. "Goh honey, darling dearest, would you mind if I took Ash off your hands for a bit? I won't beat him too badly, I promise."

Goh raised his hands diplomatically, not wanting to get on May's bad side. "You're trying too hard, seriously. Do what you want with him, none of this is my business."

Ash gave him a death glare, and May beamed. "Thank you! I'll make sure to be gentle, I promise."

"I doubt that. I'm going to go, I have to prepare, because I have a feeling that this is going to be entertaining."

"Some friend you are." Ash told him. Goh snorted.

"You'll be fine. She said she'd be gentle."

Before Ash could object, Goh slung his bag over his shoulder and stood up, watching with great interest. "Go on, Ash, battle her. I'll avenge you when I beat her in the tournament."

May blew a raspberry. "You wish, I'll beat both of you. I'm just saving you for last, Goh."

"Whatever you say." Goh replied.

May pulled out one of her pokeballs from her belt and palmed it aggressively. "Alright, Ash, to the battle park, it's not like we can battle out here."

Ash groaned. "Whatever."

May giggled. "Come and watch if you want, Goh, but I'd prefer to keep my roster a surprise. Besides, your battle starts in less than fifteen minutes. Good luck!"

And with that, May practically dragged Ash out of the Arena Grounds and towards the public park. Goh shrugged and got up, making his way to the lockers again to prepare for his next battle.

In the locker room, Goh had Arron, Raboot, Scyther and two other additions to his team that he brought to round out his roster: Misdreavus and Sandile.

The two latter pokemon seemed to work together very well, although they seemed quite wary of the rest of the team. Misdreavus sputtered around Goh, watching both him and Arron intently as they interacted, whereas Sandile seemed far more aloof, one eye open as he lazed about on a bench. Goh was giving them the breakdown of what was going to happen next.

"I'm predicting that Chance is going to choose a fire type, so ideally I'd like to counter that with Sandile."

Sandile looked up at Goh quizzically, as if he was surprised that Goh would even consider using him in a battle.

"But… I have a feeling that you aren't exactly ready for a battle like that. We need to train more. So, I'm going to with Raboot."

Arron gave Goh a stink eye, as if he'd prefer to battle. Goh glared back at him. "Don't even think about it. You're tough, Arron, but if I send you out there, and Chance chooses a fire type, you'd have a double type disadvantage. This isn't Verdanturf: Chance has trained pokemon, he isn't some rookie cop. Raboot has a real chance."

Arron almost seemed offended by Goh's terminology, but he wisely backed off and sat down on the floor, leaving his trainer to continue planning.

"If the worst comes to worst, we'll get physical. That's your best advantage, Raboot, you can hit hard with or without your fire. After Chance, We'll be in quite the pickle: this team isn't exactly balanced, and while Arron is tough as nails, he has way too many weaknesses for my liking." Goh sighed. "We're going to have to shape up, and fast."

Goh checked his watch. Three minutes. He had three minutes until his battle with Chance. He wasn't confident in his abilities, especially when he was so reliant on Arron and Raboot. The rest of his team, even Scyther, was overlooked in his quest to catch one of every pokemon. That would need to change.

"We're going to get stronger, and I mean that, but we need to get through this battle first." He returned everyone to their pokeballs except for Raboot. "Alright, let's do this."

Raboot nodded and hopped on his shoulder, and he left the locker room and went down the hall and into the mid-morning sunlight of the Arena as the crowd of thousands cheered. Goh looked to the other end to see that his Gamble had paid off: Chance had chosen his Talonflame instead of his Toxtricity, which might provide a tiny problem of Raboot couldn't hit it. Luckily, bird types tended to be more brittle than other pokemon, so the scales were evened out.

Chance eyed his selection. "You know, I was convinced you were going to choose your favorite. Rumor has it that new pokemon can survive anything."

Goh responded neutrally. "I like to play smart."

Chance kicked the dirt, a grim smile on his face. "Be that as it may, I doubt that you're actually playing smart, as if that'd do anything for you. Your entire team is dependent on that Pokemon. You're a one trick pony, Goh, the rest of your team is just filler."

Goh signaled to Raboot, who hopped off his shoulder and prepared for battle. "You keep believing that, Chance. I'm still going to beat you."

Chance didn't respond, obviously realizing he had no chance of breaking Goh's confident facade. He simply nodded and snapped his fingers, and his Talonflame took to the skies.

The noise of the crowd subsided as the two young men prepared for battle, and the announcer took his seat in the box above, preparing his Mic.

- our next two contestants are Chance Lagrange from Lumiose City and Goh from Vermilion City. Both of these trainers have made quite the splash in the Arena, so let's see how they square up against one another. Whoever wins will make it into the final thirty two, and will mark the end of the sudden-death matches. Trainers! Put on a good show! Begin!-

Chance snapped his fingers again, causing his Talonflame to focus on his command "Alright, Talonflame, use Flare Blitz!"

Chance's talonflame screeched as it ascended into the air, before diving like a falling star straight for Raboot. Raboot dodged easily, but Talonflame pulled up just in time to pursue, slamming into Raboot as she blocked the devastating attack with her small arms. Raboot instinctively kicked Talonflame away with her two feet, her soles striking the side of Talonflame's head and leaving it momentarily disoriented.

"Raboot, use a double kick!"

Raboot nodded and took advantage of Talonflame's unpreparedness by hopping into the air and performing a front flip, leveraging a devastating kick with both her feet in one smooth motion. The kick hit with the force of a baseball bat in full swing, leaving a loud crack to echo in the air. Talonflame was forced back some more, causing Chance to grit his teeth, now obviously very aware that he severely underestimated Raboot's strength and skill. Chance snapped his fingers again, causing Talonflame to regain it's focus before Chance commanded it again. "Talonflame, use a quick attack!"

Talonflame instantly began to speed up, moving towards Raboot like a bolt of lightning. Goh was prepared, however, and was already formulating a plan to take Talonflame down. "Raboot, use Flame Charge, then Double team!"

In a matter of moments, there were two dozen Raboots racing towards Talonflame, who was likewise racing towards them. The two connected, the clones quickly overwhelming Talonflame's senses while the real Raboot jumped into the air and once again performed another stellar double kick, slamming Talonflame into the ground.

-Incredible! Talonflame is having a hard time keeping up with Raboot's stellar counter attacks. If this keeps up, Chance could experience a crushing defeat at the hands of the underdog!-

Talonflame rose into the sky once again, but it was clear that the battle was taking its toll: bent and broken feathers mixed with an erratic flight pattern made it seem almost lost and dazed, and chance was having trouble regaining its attention. Goh saw the opportunity and took it.

"Raboot, barrage it with Ember! Don't let up!"

Raboot kicked up multiple pebbles before launching them in the air and then kicking them one by one into Talonflame's general direction, a blaze surrounding each as they took off. Talonflame was able to dodge the first few, but was struck i'm the beak by one and in the head by another, sending Talonflame spiraling down to the ground with a loud thud.

-Talonflame seems to be out of the fight, but we can't k on for sure-

Before the announcer could finish, Chance whistled, and Talonflame burst from the dust cloud surrounded by flames. Chance waved his hand and signaled to Talonflame to strike. "Talonflame, use Aerial Ace!"

Talonflame dived and sped towards Raboot once again, even faster than before and leaving a shouldering trail of burning feathers in its wake. This was a do or die move, Goh could tell, as Talonflame was sacrificing it's well-being to follow through with the attack.

"Raboot, use ember again!"

Raboot fired a series of little fireballs at Talonflame, each impacting and shedding off of it's coat of fire like snowballs. Talonflame was unfazed, and quickly closed the distance between the two, gripping Raboot in its claws and dragging it across the hard ground like a block of cheese against a grater. Raboot fought tooth and nail against Talonflame, attempting to break free, only for Talonflame to ascend once again, taking Raboot with it.

-The tables have turned! Talonflame has made a remarkable comeback, but Raboot isn't anywhere near out of the fight next. But Talonflame is in her element now, so how will Raboot fight back while in the air?-

Talonflame dropped Raboot in midair, only to dive and catch her again for a better grip, all the while Raboot paved and scratched at the flaming bird in desperation. Finlt, after reaching about fifty feet, Talonflame dropped her, and she landed on her head on the hard dirt ground. The crowd gasped lightly, but she got up again, wobbling from side to side from an apparent concussion.

-Talonflame is using her traits to her advantage, and Raboot is feeling the pressure now. Her confusion seems to be serious, can she retaliate fast enough?-

"C'mon, Raboot, you got this!" Goh shouted, realizing that the battle was neck and neck. Talonflame was burning herself out in an attempt to take Raboot with her, while Raboot was now concussed and unfocused. He had to finish this, and quickly before Talonflame could land a decisive blow.

Chance knew this too, Goh could see the grit in his expression. "Talonflame, finish her off with Aerial Ace!"

Talonflame screeched once again before diving towards her prey with a vengeance, wicked claws gleaming in the morning light. Raboot must have noticed, since she hunched down and prepared to strike if Talonflame tried to pick her up again.

"Raboot, use a double kick when Talonflame gets close, and make it hurt!"

Talonflame began to spin to increase speed as she shot towards Raboot like a missile, before impacting into her and causing a massive crack to echo throughout the Arena. A plume of fire and a dust cloud followed, obscuring the outcome of the battle to everyone, even the two trainers.

Goh could feel the crowd collectively holding its breath, and it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop, even on the coarse dirt of the Arena floor. But as the dust settled, one figure was still standing, albeit barely.

-Incredible! Talonflame is unable to battle, which makes Goh the winner!-

The crowd cheered as both trainers rushed to retrieve their pokemon, Chance cradling his burnt and battered Talonflame in his arms momentarily before returning her to her pokeball solemnly. Goh rushed and slid on his knees towards Raboot, who looked like she was about to collapse. Her chest had a nasty gash from her opponent's talons, stretching from her right shoulder to her left hip that was dripping blood. One of her pupils was unnaturally dilated and she was covered in smaller scratches, burns and scars. He picked her up and held her close to his chest, feeling her little heart beat at a million miles an hour. "Great job, Raboot, you did it!"

Raboot merely grunted before passing out in his arms, and he returned her to her pokeball. Chance had already done the same with Talonflame, but was looking at Goh expectantly. Goh stood up to greet him one last time.

"That was a good battle, Goh, I wasn't expecting you to put up a fight like that, not after how badly Ash messed up."

Goh nodded, sensing Chance's hesitation, but the boy followed through with what he wanted to say. "You and your pokemon, you have some serious talent. I didn't see that before, and that's my fault. You've got the brains to go places, so just remember that."

Goh nodded again, the awkwardness melting like ice in the sun. "Thanks, Chance."

Chance shrugged. "I'm heading back to Lumiose for a bit, but feel free to visit my dad's Cafe, I'll get you a drink.", Chance was preparing to leave, but turned back around. "And good luck."

Chance held out his hand and he shook it, and the crowd cheered at the Snapshot worthy moment. It would be considered one of the more memorable moments of the battle festival for months to come.

Ash was struggling to conceal his grin.

May wanted to battle him. That was a plus: it was always fun to battle his friends. Moreso friends he hadn't seen in a long time. But this was a special occasion, a very special occasion indeed.

He had tricked May.

That wasn't something he could do often. Ash wouldn't admit this out loud, but he wasn't exactly clever or sharp. He was a very straightforward person when it came to almost everything (except for battling, of course. Most of the time.) But there were a few moments where an opportunity practically fell on his lap and he had no choice but to take it and run. This was one of those times.

May hadn't seen his full team yet: she thought all he had was his Riolu and Pikachu and maybe a starter. He'd let her keep thinking that for now.

They were walking through the busy midmorning streets of Shalour, with kids playing in the streets and shops open for business. Young children splashed in the local lake and around the sprinklers that were watering a myriad of exotic flowers. Black iron gates separated the large town park from the streets, with the park itself taking up close to five square kilometers of open space, with countless fruit trees and bushes bursting with berries neatly planted in geometrical patterns to create an almost pseudo-maze-like space.

"I love this park. I come back here every so often just to see it. I know that sounds silly, but this is one of those places that I feel safe at, even if I can rarely come here."

They entered through a big black iron gate and made their way down a paved stone path leading into a grove of hazelnut and poplar trees. Flowers were blooming underneath the shade, with speckles of sunlight breaking through the thin canopy to warm their petals and leaves. Groups of fletchling picked and scavenged from the many Hazelnuts that were beginning to ripen and fall to the ground, and a few wild Pichus were gathering as many as possible to store for the winter in small burrows nestled in between the roots of the trees. The paved path became more beaten and moss-covered as the crossed the Grove and into a clearing with a small field for pokemon battles.

May looked good in the sunlight: her classic red and white blouse was replaced with a red short-sleeved jacket, a black t-shirt and skinny jeans. The weather was already starting to cool, so her Headwear was replaced with a white and red beanie with a flower design embroiled on it. Her black belt magnetically clicked to her pokeballs, making sure they'd never fall off even when she was running or climbing.

She looked more mature. Ash didn't. Suddenly, he was very self-aware about his very childish get-up. His shorts, vest and t-shirt were even less adult than what he had been wearing three years ago when he started it all. It was as if all his friends were growing up and making names for himself while Ash simply chose to stay young.

He should probably start wearing different clothes.

May sighed as she absorbed the sunlight, her eyes closed and her features conveying relaxation. "I love this time of year, when the heat of summer is ending but it isn't winter yet. All of the best things happen now, all the leaves change into such pretty shades of red and yellow, and the air becomes crisp and soothing with the smell of the orchards."

Ash was quiet as May spoke, her monolog making him slightly uncomfortable. But she seemed to be having a good time, so he didn't intervene.

May looked back at Ash, a sly smile on her face. "Y'know, I won my battle this morning, and you're out of the tournament, so I figured we could spend the day together, just you and me."

"I don't have a choice, do I?"

May recoiled, feigning offense. "I'm hurt by the mere fact that you'd think I'd force you into anything!" She placed her hand on her chest as if she had just been flabbergasted, but she quickly deteriorated into a fit of giggles. "And no, you don't have a choice. Come on, let's battle."

May tossed her pokeball in the air, and Ash noticed that her bangle was sparkling like something he'd only seen a few times before. "Is that… is that a Keystone?"

May nodded as she took her place on the left side of the Arena mound. "Yeah, I got it about a year ago while journeying through Hoenn again. It's great for contests and the like, although I don't do that much anymore. I've gotten more interested in battles recently."

"Yeah, I noticed "

May shrugged. "I don't like to use it too often, though. It would make me and Blaziken weaker if we relied on it too much."

"Any reason why you've gotten more into battling?" Ash asked, both genuinely curious and looking for a way to stall the battle while he pulled out a pokeball.

"We'll, they're planning on making the Petalburg Gym a Hereditary Gym… and dad wanted me to run it."

"I- but I thought you wanted to make a career out of contests? That was your passion, the reason you woke up every morning!"

May chuckled bitterly, her smile dimming a little. "Yeah, I did, and it was. But I don't exactly have a choice. Max has his own aspirations that my dad is in full support of, and contests are something I can always do, even when running a gym. Besides, my dad thought I'd be better for the role than Max anyway. It's a family thing: I don't have much of a choice."

"But… why did it have to be hereditary? What's the point of that?"

May shrugged. "For a lot of reasons. You don't have to find replacements for Hereditary gyms unless the head doesn't have kids. And I'll own it, it will be a part of my family until there's no more children to take up the mantle. And it's hard to find people to replace gym leader's in places like Petalburg City: it isn't exactly prime real estate."

"Oh. So… are you happy with that? Being a gym leader?"

May shrugged again. "I've known for a while. What's done is done, Ash, so drop it and battle me. I want to think about something else besides my dad at the moment."

Ash sighed before pulling out his own pokeball.

"Where's Pikachu? I figured you'd be battling with him today."

Ash snorted. "I'm surprised you just now realized he was missing. He's with Korrina, watching Goh's match. He wanted to be there to cheer him on."

"Well, I guess that makes the odds a little worse for you, huh?"

Ash gave her a sly smile, unnerving her. "I wouldn't count on that."

May steeled her brow. "Alright then, tough guy, I won't go easy on you. Blaziken, I choose you!"

May tossed out herbpokeball, and Blaziken appeared in the flash of rainbow light. The Fire pokemon had gotten bigger and more muscular over the years, towering over both Ash and May like a giant. He eyed Ash before howling, plumes of fire sprouting from his wrists.

"Well, I see you're not holding back. Good, because I'm not going to either. Dragonite, I choose you!"

Ash tossed out a pokeball of his own, with Dragonite bursting out, already soaring in the air. May went cross-eyed in surprise.

"When did you get a Dragonite? It's only been like…" May began to count on her fingers just to be sure. "Three months. You've been here barely three months and you already have a dragonite."

"Oh, not just a Dragonite. I have a Gengar as well."

"Of course you do." Replied May. "I guess I'll actually have to try now."

Dragonite howled again before descending and wrapping Ash in a Bear-hug so tight that he could hardly breathe. Dragonkte cooed while Ash struggled to break free from her monster grip, completely oblivious to his distress. "Dragonite! Can't. Breath."

Dragonite released Ash, rubbing the back of her head apologetically before soaring over to May to inspect her. Dragonite hovered around May for a few moments before encasing May in yet another Bear hug, which May embraced. "You are just the sweetest dragonite I have ever met, aren't you?"

Dragonite rumbled in agreement before flying back over to Ash, plopping down in front of him and preparing to fight.

"Wow, Ash, it seems you've outdone yourself this time. I still want that battle, though."

"So, I guess I won't be scaring you off then, huh? Alright, if you want a battle then I'll give you one. Dragonite, use Dragon Rush!"

Dragonite howled and charged at Blaziken, who was already perched in a defensive stance. May wasn't concerned in the slightest, obviously very confident in Blaziken's abilities.

"Blaziken, use blaze kick!" May shouted nonchalantly, and Blaziken spin-kicked Dragonite between the eyes just as she was about to slam into him at full force. Dragonite crashed to the ground and back towards Ash, who was shocked at the speed in which Blaziken had nearly dispatched Dragonite. Dragonite got up again, seemingly undeterred, but the big black bruise on the center of her forehead spoke otherwise.

"That looked like it hurt. You still think you can win, Ash?"

Ash snorted. "Don't get too cocky, I'm going to beat you."

May just shrugged. "Sure you are." She then snapped her fingers to get Blaziken's attention. "Use Blaze kick again."

Blaziken charged towards Dragonite with a fervor, his feet bursting into flames as he ran. Dragonite flew into the air to avoid him, but Blaziken merely jumped to intercept her.

"Dragonite, use dragon dance!"

Dragonite began to spin rapidly just as Blaziken reached her and struck out with his foot, kicking the whirlwind that was now Dragonite with all his might. A massive bout of flames burst from the point of impact, creating a cone of fire around Dragonite that nearly engulfed her. Dragonite quickly retaliated by delivering a withering blow to Blaziken before he could react, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Dragonite, use a hyper beam!"

Dragonite howled and a flash of white energy erupted from her maw, slamming into the ground where blaziken was just milliseconds before. Blaziken had deftly backflipped from his small crater in the ground and landed on his feet a few meters away from the blast. Blaziken growled as Dragonite descended to the ground, dust being kicked up from the ground by the force of her wing flaps.

"I gotta say, May, Blaziken has gotten really strong. But what I really want to see is his Mega-Evolution. When are you gonna show us that gem?"

May snorted. "Not here and not now, not when I don't need to use it."

Ash grit his teeth, his confident facade breaking ever so slightly. "Alright, then, I'll just have to make you use it! Dragonite, use another Hyper Beam!"

Dragonite released another blast with a howl, the bright chromatic energy shooting at Blaziken with blazing speed. Blaziken charged and slid under the blast before leaping into the air as Dragonite finished, arcing his foot for a devastating kick.

"Dragonite, use Iron tail!"

Dragonite reacted faster than either of the trainers thought possible, twisting so fast that her body became a blur as her tail became a silvery-white color before slamming into Blaziken at full force, sending him tumbling to the ground and several feet back. But as fast as he had been countered, he recovered, jumping to his feet and regaining his stance. "Blaziken, use mach punch!"

Blaziken charged with a grunt, dodging another iron tail before intercepting another with hisnforearm, a sneer plastered onto his avian face. With another grunt, he punched Dragonite square in the nose, causing her to recoil.in shock and pain. Like a boxer, Blaziken took advantage of her distracted state and pummeled her several more times before Dragonite caught his forearm with her jaws and clamped down, the sounds of bones cracking emanating from her maw. Blaziken hissed in pain and punched dragonite again, this time in her eye, causing her to release his arm and stumble backwards, her nose bleeding and her eye swollen shut.

At this point all camaraderie between Ash and May had dissipated, replaced with a silent intensity perpetuated by their stares and clenched jaws. Blaziken had stumbled back towards his trainer, clutching his mangled arm and wincing with every step he took. Dragonite wasn't faring much better, a gnarly nosebleed sprouting from both her nostrils and her right eye swollen shut. Still, it was clear that Dragonite now had a clear advantage over Blaziken, as Blaziken was heavily hindered by his fractured arm.

"Alright, Ash, you got me. I'll show you, but you aren't gonna see it for very long, just know that."

May lifted up her right arm, the tight golden bangle sparkling from the keystone embedded within. Blaziken's own evolution stone began to shimmer with energy, chromatic light overcoming his battered form.

"Blaziken, let's do this! MEGA EVOLVE!"

Blaziken howled as the chromatic energy burst from him, flowing like streamers in the wind until they wrapped around him once more. His form grew at least a foot taller, and blasts of fire pierced the shell of rainbow light, eventually overcoming it before that too dissolved, revealing Mega-Blaziken in all his glory.

Mega Bkaziken was a sight to behold; his once long cream-colored feathers that adorned his head had been reshaped into what could only be described as mock wings. Streams of hot flames emanated from his wrists like bolts of exotic ruby silk, shimmering in the sunlight to resemble the screeching cinders of a blazing inferno; In fact, his entire body was noticeably hotter, waves of superheated air venting from his body and shimmering in the mid-morning light. Blaziken howled, flames erupting from his wrists and his maw before he relaxed and returned to his traditional combat stance.

That's when Ash noticed something amazing: Blaziken's right arm, which a minute ago was a mangled mess, was now completely healed, as if it had pieced itself back together on ot's own. In fact, blaziken looked entirely refreshed, the many bruises and scratches that had adorned his body nere munster ago were gone, leaving his feathers and fur glistening and unsullied from the wear and tear of sustained combat.

Ash was enthralled with Blaziken's new form, mesmerized by the raw and unadulterated power he emanated. He then regained his composure, pumping his fist. "He might be refreshed, but we'll get him on the ropes, Dragonite. Use dragon rush!"

Dragonite howled and charged toward Blaziken once again, who was oddly unconcerned by her aggression.

"Blaziken, use Blast Burn!"

Blaziken's entire body erupted into fire and he extended his arms forward, hands open as the fire shot forwards in a withering cone of destruction. Dragonite was quickly engulfed, her screeching echoing throughout the woodland as the dusty ground was left permanently scorched by five thousand degree heat.

"Blaziken, use mach punch, then use blaze kick! Don't let Dragonite recover!"

Blaziken grunted and quickly sped towards Dragonite, who was still engulfed in the flames. Just as they dispersed, Blaziken's fist impacted with Dragonite's chin, forcing her head upwards. Then the back of Blaziken's foot was brought down in a diagonal angle onto Dragonite's head, slamming her into the ground with tremendous force. Dragonite squirmed, but Blaziken firmly planted his foot onto her head, keeping her down. Her body was covered in horrific burns, blistering and charred skin and swollen bruises. Yet her stubborn growls and snarls continued as she hadn't quite given in yet.

Ash was at a loss. He realized that in his base form, Blaziken was already a formidable opponent, but now there was no comparison.

"Alright, fine. I give up, May, I give up. Are you happy now?"

May chuckled, waving her hand to signal for Blaziken to release Dragonite. He did so, and Dragonite huffed in indignation before limping to her feet and casually dusting herself off, glaring at Blaziken.

"Not yet I'm not. We still have the rest of the day, and if I'm being honest, this was just an excuse to spend some time with you."

"Well," replied Ash. "I'm flattered. If you wanted to spend time with me you could have just said so."

May's grin dripped with sarcasm. "Yeah, I could have, but it's also very fun to watch you squirm. Now, do you have time to maybe… go out to lunch? My treat."

Ash's thin smile died a little. "I'm afraid I can't. I have plans with Gurkinn. But maybe dinner?"

May seemed a bit disappointed, but nodded. "Alright then, it's a date." May emphasized the word 'date' a little more than usual, making Ash somewhat uncomfortable, but she walked up to Ash and hugged him before returning Blaziken to his pokeball. "I can't wait."

"Yeah, me neither." Said Ash quietly.

Gurkinn knew how to prepare a lunch.

Ash and Goh weren't really prepared for how big it was going to be. The large mahogany table that took up most of the space in their dining room was littered with the many different foods that both Shalour and Kalos had to offer. Gurkinn invited the two boys to sit in the dining room, waving his hand invitingly as he took a liberal sip from his wine glass, which contained a light white wine that sparkled due to the sunbeams from the windows behind him shining through. A large pot of soup steamed on a special stand in the middle of the table, obviously recently removed from the stove top since he could hear the contents still simmering from the residual heat underneath the copper-steel lid. Spare crusty bread was arranged in a wicker table basket, cut into individual portions. What looked like Terrine was placed on a ceramic platter a little ways from the steaming pot so as to not pick up residual heat, and a rope of several oversized sausages, which had been grilled over fire. To the side was a platter of cheeses, crackers and Pecha Berry Preserves

Korrina was nowhere to be found, which sent klaxon alarms blaring through Ash's mind. He was already suspicious about Gurkinn's request, but this was really starting to make him nervous.

"Thank you for coming, I've been waiting to have this meeting since you first came to Kalos, young man." Gurkinn's eyes were dead focused on Goh, who also seemed rather uncomfortable with the whole situation. "Your pokemon, Arron, well he's stirred up a lot of questions about things we here in Kalos haven't seen or even heard about in a long time."

"So you've heard of Arron's species before?"

Gurkinn leaned back and knit his fingers together. "In a way, yes. Arron's… kind are species of pokemon that were thought to have died out long ago. This they're seen as incredibly valuable. Or so we think: I haven't seen him yet, so I was hoping that I could take a look at him for a moment. Just to see."

Goh shifted uncomfortably, but shifted through his bag before his face paled. "Oh… that's right. I passed him to Korrina before I began the match so he could cheer us on along with my other pokemon."

Gurkinn nodded. "Well, she should be here soon. How about we begin lunch? I'd hate for the Marmite Dieppoise to become cold."

Gurkinn reached out with a small oven mitt before lifting the metal lid, revealing a creamy white soup with several fish pokemon and seafood Ash couldn't identify. Consuming pokemon in such excess made him a bit squeamish, and when he looked to see if Goh was as troubled as he was, he found that he clearly was not comfortable with the idea of eating that much pokemon. Gurkinn seemed to notice their discomposure, as he set the lid to the side as he raised his eyebrow. "Are you two alright?"

Goh was somewhat flustered, so Ash spoke in his place. "Is it… common for pokemon to be eaten? It's very rare where we're from, Gurkinn."

Gurkinn realized why the two boys were uncomfortable. "Oh, I understand why you two are upset. It's much more common in Kalos for people to eat pokemon than it is in, let's say, Kanto because the majority of the people in Kalos choose to preserve old traditions rather than become homogenized like Hoenn, Johto or Sinnoh. A lot of people still cling to old beliefs, even superstitions. Eating wild pokemon is one of them."

Goh perked up when he heard Gurkinn mention Superstition "Superstitions? What do the people here in Kalos believe that could be considered superstitious?"

Gurkinn waved his hand in a dismissive motion. "It's not important, not many people still cling to that, us included. I was just pointing out that Kalos is a region rooted in tradition. It's why so many people come here; our practices are very different from the rest of the world."

Goh didn't seem satisfied with his response, but decided not to push any further. "So, since Korrina is still out, how about I tell you what you want to know while we… eat."

Gurkinn began pouring each of them bowls of the soup while Goh was speaking, nodding to show his approval. "I think that's an excellent idea. I think the most interesting thing would be his aura."

Goh's eyebrows scrunched in visible confusion. "Why his Aura? What meaningful information could you gain from that?"

Gurkinn shrugged. "Many different things. Aura is the gateway to the inner spirit, the energy that connects the mind, body and soul together. A lot can be learned about someone based on the Aura they possess and emit. For instance, someone trained in sensing aura, or a Lucario, can sense what kind of diseases people possess, like specific cancers or auto-immune disorders far faster and far more efficiently than any machine. But I digress: I would like to know if your Riolu had sensed Arron's aura yet." Gurkinn was now looking at Ash expectantly.

"I.. Well, I don't know. It's not like Riolu and I can really communicate. I'm sure he has tried, but I doubt that it would help you. He's still just a Riolu after all."

Gurkinn nodded with a solemn expression, as if he had expected that answer but was still disappointed all the same. "That's to be expected. You are correct in believing that Riolu's powerful gifts wouldn't have fully manifested yet: it can take a lifetime to learn how to discern all the little details that can be found within the aura of a creature. Only a Lucario with a relentless and dedicated desire to pursue such a path can truly discern the answers we seek."

"And what answers are you seeking?" Ash asked, somewhat enthralled by the idea of being able to sense aura.

Gurkinn coughed as he practically devoured his soup. "Well, the origins of mega-evolution is one of them. Despite all the 'wisdom' professor sycamore attributes to me, I am nearly as clueless as everyone else. Mega evolution is still one of the greatest mysteries of the world, and unlike what much of the scientific community claims, the people of Kalos in large believe that the key to solving that mystery comes from within, not dusty archeological excavations and bleached white physics labs. Maybe one day, our beliefs will be realized."

This time it was Goh who spoke up. "This conversation feels… circular. You want… no, you need Arron. You think he holds one of the secrets, don't you?"

"It's possible. In all honesty, it's simply because his kind disappeared a long time ago. We would like to… experience his aura, just in case he truly is the last of his kind to walk the earth."

The room became quiet and solemn, the realization that Arron truly could be the last of his kind sobering the conversation even further. They ate in silence, Ash and Goh choosing to eat the food provided as to not be disrespectful. Ash thought it was good, it tasted almost like a chowder although far more complex, but the knowledge that he was eating pokemon made him feel incredibly guilty. Even so, despite his current distrust for Gurkinn, he greatly respected the man and his knowledge, and even more so his humility, something that Ash recently realized he sorely lacked.

And beyond the more appropriate reasons, Ash didn't want to be rude because he had recently realized that he would most likely be relying on Gurkinn in the future for help with obtaining a mega stone and becoming proficient in mega evolution. Ash knew he'd never stand a chance against Leon without an ace up his sleeve, an Ace manifesting as the ability to mega evolve some of his pokemon. It was a selfish motivation, to be sure, but a necessary one in his eyes.

With a slam and a few thumps, Ash heard the door across the hall open and close, along with a cavalcade of giggles, signifying that a certain pair of girls had arrived. Korrina and May entered the dining room, pushing each other playfully. Korrina then set her bag down, rummaging through it before she handed him his poke-belt containing his pokeballs. Gurkinn cleared his throat, and the girls stopped giggling, realizing that Korrina's grandfather wasn't the happiest camper.

"Korrina, it's very rude to be so late, especially when you have all of Goh's pokemon. Apologize right now."

Korrina sighed and nodded. "I'm very sorry for arriving so late, grandfather." She then turned to Goh and did the same. "I'm very sorry for not bringing back your pokemon in a timely manner, Goh."

Gurkinn nodded in approval, satisfied with her apology. He then gestured for her to sit down next to him. "Now come on and let's eat, lunch is getting cold."

May stood awkwardly for a moment before Gurkinn gestured to her with a warm, welcoming expression. "Don't be shy, young lady, what was your name again?"

"My name is may, sir, it is a pleasure to meet you. Korrina told me a lot about you." Ash couldn't believe how meek she was, something he hadn't seen May be in… forever. If he had a camera he'd snap a picture.

"Now, no need to be formal. This is a lunch between friends, and a friend of Ash and my granddaughter is a friend of mine. We have plenty of food for another guest anyway."

May nodded and sat next to Korrina, Gurkinn sliding her a bowl of soup which she eyed suspiciously before taking a few bites, clearly satisfied with the taste.

"So, since you two are back, how was the match? I couldn't personally oversee it, I was attending to business, but I heard that Goh performed spectacularly."

Korrina perked up immediately. "Oh, you don't even know, grandfather. Goh was incredible! He took out Chance's talonflame like it was nothing!"

Gurkimn gave Korrina a critical look before her facade broke, leading to her confessing the exaggeration. "Okay, fine, it was really close, but Chance is tough! Goh beating him is a good sign."

Gurkinn nodded. "I suppose you're right. Goh seems to have an uncanny gift to think on the fly and keep his cool, just like Ash."

Ash didn't pitch in, preferring to poke at his remaining food with his spoon. Goh could tell that the previous statement definitely struck a nerve, but he wasn't going to show it. Despite the fact that they had largely put their differences behind them for now, the reality of the outcome still stung. Goh decided he'd save Ash some face, for now at least.

"Hey, sure I beat Chance, but I nearly lost. Ash has beaten tougher trainers, including you Korrina."

"Yeah, so? Sure he's tough, but we really weren't talking about Ash. We're talking about you, and you're going places." Said Korrina

"Yeah, Goh has some potential, but he and his pokemon have a long way to go." Replied May. "And who better to train with than Ash?"

Gurkinn cleared his throat again, signifying that the conversation needed to end. "Stop comparing the two. I don't care if you didn't intend to, you did and they are clearly uncomfortable. Now… I can see that everyone is mostly finished. I'll save the terrine and the andouille for a meal later in the day. I'm going to have a quick breath of fresh air while you all finish up the cheese, and then I'll bring out an apéritif before I take a good look at Arron.

Gurkinn stood up and stretched before he walked out the room, readjusting his belt as he went.

Ash sighed and Goh slumped ever so slightly in his chair, obviously weary from the unspoken interrogation that Gurkinn had subjected them too, as well as the prospect of Arron being alone.

"So… you want to do this, Goh?"

"Do what?"

"You know, let Gurkinn see Arron's aura?"

Goh sighed, seemingly accepting of the situation at hand. "It's not like we have much of a choice. Besides, it's not like anything bad can happen. Let's just go along with it and see what happens."

Ash was silent for a moment before leaning over and whispering in Goh's ear. "I don't trust him. I don't know why, but I just feel like something is wrong."

Goh nodded and took a deep breath before pushing his seat back and standing up. "Well, I don't mean to be a bad house guest, but I'm really tired, and I want to get this examination over with so I can go back to the hotel and sleep."

Korrina nodded. "Yeah, I understand. Maybe you two should go see him now, get it over with. I'm sure he's as eager to do it as you guys are anyway. The balcony is next to the living room, the last room on your right in the hallway."

Ash stood up and pushed his chair in, as did Goh, and they got their stuff and left to see Gurkinn.

Gurkinn was sitting in an old rocking chair on the balcony overlooking the ocean, a cigar in one hand and a glass of what looked like liquor in the other. His Lucario was standing beside him, hands at his sides. A small wisp of smoke sputtered from the half burnt cigar as the wind meandered by at a calm pace, wafting the salty scent of the ocean into the mainland. The sun was high in the air, but it was just crisp and cool enough outside for it to not be relentless.

"Ah, I see you didn't want to wait for me to open a bottle of apéritif, huh?" Gurkinn stood up with a grunt, cracking his back in the process. "Truth is, neither could I." He swirled his drink in an inviting manner, as if to encourage them to have a drink.

Goh rolled his eyes, but Ash remained composed so as to not offend Gurkinn. If the old man noticed, he didn't seem to care, as he walked forward, finishing the rest of his cigar and putting it in a small ceramic ashtray on a side table in the corner of the balcony. Then he took a sip of his drink, studying them casually. "So, are you ready for me to conduct my examination?"

Goh nodded. "Yes, just do whatever you need to do so we can get this over with."

Gurkinn raised an eyebrow. "Well, something tells me you have an objection. What seems to be the issue? Have I offended you somehow?"

Goh shook his head. "No… I just don't trust you. This request and this lunch, it was all so sudden, and now you are telling me things about my pokemon, things that even Professor Cerise doesn't know. I don't know what to think about all of this."

Gurkinn nodded, seemingly understanding Goh's plight. "I understand your hesitation, but I just want to tell you that I have no ill-intentioned plans. I would just like to know more about your pokemon, and sifting through it's aura is simply the fastest and easiest way to do so."

Goh's suspicious gaze didn't dissipate for a few more seconds before his shoulders slumped and he sighed. "Alright, then. But Arron isn't the most cooperative pokemon. He does what he wants."

"That's a potentially dangerous quirk for him to have. Have you disciplined him at all?"

"He's very stubborn."

Gurkinn hummed knowingly. "I see. Well then, let us begin. Lucario, are you ready?"

Gurkinn's Lucario, who was still as a statue beforehand, nodded.

"Good. Goh, bring out Arron so we can examine him."

Goh reached into his belt and pulled out Arron's pokeball, paling it before releasing Arron in a burst of chromatic light. Arron looked up at the newcomers with apathy and grumbled as if he was just interrupted from a good nap, which could have been completely true. But when he looked at Gurkinn's lucario, he narrowed his beady eyes, obviously not very happy with it's presence in the room.

"You declined to inform me of it's… predisposition towards Lucarios. Why is that?"

Goh shrugged. "I'm not sure. He got into a scuffle with Korrina and her Lucario at the beach. Maybe it has to do something with their aura?"

Gurkinn shook his head. "That would assume he could sense the aura of others. No, it's something more personal. How does it get along with Ash's Riolu?"

Ash snorted. "They barely tolerate each other, Gurkinn."

Gurkinn nodded. "That explains his attitude towards Lucarios." He then looked down at Arron. "We're going to examine you. Don't worry, it won't be invasive… mostly."

Before Gurkinn could begin, Goh placed a hand on his arm. "Gurkinn, I'm going to warn you only once. Arron is very hostile towards people who invade his personal space. Be careful."

"I'll be fine, young man. Your pokemon won't harm me."

"Are you sure about that, Gurkinn? Because I thought the same thing a while back." Goh gestured to the hand that was holding Gurkinn's forearm, and the elderly man looked down to see Goh's wounded finger, the nub having long been stitched up and healed, but still a reminder of what happens when you aren't cautious. Gurkinn's steely gaze faltered, but only for a moment. "Your pokemon is unruly, but I've dealt with worse."

Goh shrugged and stepped aside. "If you say so. But I warned you."

Gurkinn gave Goh a dirty look before he looked back down at Arron, who's expression could practically wilt flowers. Gurkinn didn't seem fazed however, and he knelt down and placed his hands on Arron's forehead. Then he looked over and nodded to Lucario, who nodded back and did the same, placing his hands on top of Gurkinn's. They both closed their eyes, the room becoming oddly cold as Gurkinn muttered under his breath quietly. Goh watched in anticipation as he felt an odd sensation overcome his body, and he felt as if he was intruding on something deep and personal.

It was like he was in an ocean… but not. An odd vibrating buzz scraped against his eardrums like a swarm of beedrill. Whispers and mutterings that weren't all entirely human wandered around him, making him dizzy and confused.

But worst of all was the shadows.

He saw shadows that shouldn't have existed… shadows of creatures he didn't recognize. Horned and winged beasts and monstrous insects and people wielding curved swords. There weren't any distinguishable features about them except for their outlines, but he felt the impact of their actions. Despite knowing nothing, it all felt so relevant somehow.

Why was he seeing this? He looked over at Ash, who was casually fiddling with his pokedex, scrolling through it mindlessly. He wasn't experiencing what Goh was experiencing.

Goh tried to move, but every movement was painful, like he was fighting gravity. The whispers became more frantic, the etchings of the shadows more violent. One stood out: a humanoid figure with a sword in one hand. It grew larger, extending over the room, angled over the ceiling. The whispers stopped, the buzzing silenced. The figure chuckled menacingly, two lavender shaded eyes appearing, gazing down at Goh. It seemed to be focusing on him.

"It seems that his anguish has only grown. Good. Let him stew in it. And I hope you and all he cares for suffer just like he does."

The figure laughed maniacally before disappearing into nothingness, the debilitating haze dissipated. Gurkinn rose from his kneeling position, as did Lucario. They both looked shaken, Gurkinn was sweating bullets, and his eyes were bloodshot. He let go of a raspy breath, as if he hadn't taken one in an eternity. Licario was trembling, but he quickly composed himself, eyeing Goh suspiciously as he crossed his arms.

"That was… informative. I need to… meditate on this. And Goh, I would like to talk to you later."

Goh took a deep breath of his own before nodding and leaving the room, ash glancing at him in concern, knowing he had seen something. Arron's apathy had long since disappeared, replaced with what seemed like concern, which was odd since Arron was rarely concerned about anything. The two of them followed him off the balcony and into the living room, Ash trying to get him to reveal what he had seen.

"I know you saw something, Goh. What was it? Are you okay?"

Goh shuddered for a moment before shaking his head. "It's nothing."

Ash blew a raspberry. "That's not true, if it was, then you wouldn't look so disturbed. What did you see?"

"I just don't want to talk about it. Maybe later. I'm just tired right now."

Ash sighed, obviously concerned for Goh's wellbeing. "Well, if you don't want to, I won't keep pushing you. But you know Gurkinn's going to ask, and he won't stop until he gets answers."

Goh nodded. "Yeah, I figured that. But I have some questions of my own."