"So I heard you were going to Alola soon." Wake said as we all walked into his house.
"Yeah, that's right. I have that press conference, and I am doing a charity event." Ash-oniichan responded.
"Thing is, I also happen to be going to Alola around the same time." Wake added.
"Wait you are? Why? I mean I am happy you are coming but why are you going to Alola?" Ash-oniichan asked surprised but happy.
"There is a wrestler there who challenged me that goes by The Masked Royal. I got a call from my producer that they are trying to get him to be more well known in the world." Wake responded.
"That makes sense," Ash-oniichan replied.
After that I tuned them out, I was happy to see Ash-oniichan and daddy again, but not desperate enough to get involved in a wrestling conversation. I am a princess! I do not do wrestling! Even if I enjoy a good fight every other day. So, I walked out of the house towards the backyard, where all the pokemon were. I quickly jumped my big brother Pupitar, we both laughed and cuddled under the shade of the only tree there. Most of the pokemon were playing in the pond that occupied most of the backyard's space. No wonder it is a Water-type Pokemon Gym Leader's house.
"I am so happy that you are back!" Pupitar-oniichan told me with a big smile. "How's your mom and Gary-oniichan?"
I smiled at my big brother. Out of everyone in my family, who I love tremendously, he is the one I am closest to and I spend the most time with. I can see that I am rubbing off him. It is not only that we are both claimed children of daddy, but also because he is the only one that asks about my mom. The only one who does not call her name with anger. I do understand that they are trying to shield me from their anger towards mom... but it is not something easily done when you have such a big and united family. I do understand that mom did something wrong, but it still hurt to see your parents not together.
Especially with that bunny hoe trying to take daddy away from mom! I growled in my head. Not to mention that mom is not going to do anything! Even when I know she felt hurt and sad when I told her about Buneary trying to steal daddy! Well, it doesn't matter. I'll just need to make a plan to bring them back together. Maybe I'll get Pupitar-oniichan to help...
"They are doing well!" I told my big brother. "They are almost finished with their project and told me that they were going to join us in Alola for the press conference and charity event!"
"That's great!" Pupitar told me, happily. I believe that he will be the only one happy about that news. Maybe the new pokemon might be... but who knows. "I don't believe you've met the new members of the family." He continued turning towards the only other three pokemon enjoying the shade of the tree. "These are Torrocat, Rowlet, and Gligar."
"It's nice to meet you!" I greeted them.
"Nice to mee-wt you," Torrocat purred, opening only one eye and smiling at me, before going back to rest his eyes.
"I'm so happy to finally meet you!" Gligar jumped in excitement.
I like it! I thought. Cheerful pokemon are the best!
"Zzzz..." I sweatdropped at the sleeping pokemon. Since I came back he has been asleep for 80% of the time, the other 20% he spent it eating.
"How does he train with that attitude?" I asked my big brother, still shocked by the fact that Ash-oniichan has been having trouble with teaching two flying-type pokemon. I would have thought it impossible!
"He has only just begun training," Pupitar told me, while Torrocat chuckled and Gligar laughed. "Since he was born most of what he does is sleep. We thought he had no interest in anything else until he met Champion Wallace's Milotic. I don't know what she said... but it worked a miracle. Then again, he stopped training as much as he did in Lake Valor since we left that place."
"What could she have told him?" I wondered out loud curiously.
"Hear me out young one. Do you know the legend of this lake? You don't? Then let me enlighten you. Deep down this lake lays the Legendary Azelf, known as "The Being of Willpower." He endows humans and pokemon with the determination needed to face any of life's difficulties. So, allow it to endow you with what you need to join your family and become stronger to protect them." We all turned towards the, once again, sleeping Rowlet in shock.
Did he seriously wake up just to tell us that and go back to sleep without explaining a thing?! I exclaimed in my head, and by the expression of the other three, they were thinking the same.
I shook my head in disbelief and return to my cuddling with Pupitar-oniichan. Soon afterward we had dinner and went to sleep early. Tomorrow was going to be a long day. By morning, Paul had already left Pastoria City, claiming that if he spent any more time with Ash he would get infected. I honestly don't know what he meant, by from daddy's snicker, I believe he had already been infected. By what no idea... and I'm not so sure I want to know. Daddy can be scary when he wants to.
I, unfortunately, had to return to my Poke Ball, as the Alakazam had to transport a lot of people in such a long distance. But I did not care much about it, because when I was released, I found myself in the most beautiful place I've ever seen. So much nature and beauty in one place, it was breathtaking! Not to mention the feeling! The island felt as if it was alive! Is this the Tapus work? I don't care! I just don't want to leave.
I wanted to go explore, but first, we had to check in to our rooms and go meet with the members of the Aether Foundation. They were sponsoring this event alongside James' parents. So, Ash-oniichan had to meet them and thanked them for their help. Dawn decided to skip it, saying that she had a pokemon to catch. A Ribombee from what daddy had told me. I asked Ash-oniichan to show me a picture of it on his Pokedex. They were so cute for being bug-type pokemon! I can't wait to see one! Catch one fast Dawn!
"It's an honor to meet you," a butler greeted us at the door of a wonderful mansion. "I am Hobbes, the Aether Family's Head Butler. If you would follow me please, I'll take you to Madam Lusamine. She is already here alongside her daughter Miss Lillie, Wicke, the assistant branch chief of Aether Foundation's Aether Paradise, and Professor Burnet."
"Thank you," Ash-oniichan replied with a bright smile. Although I could feel his uncomfort, he does not like wearing his suit. Even though, he looks very good in it.
"You can take your pokemon to the pokemon playground behind the mansion, I'm sure they'll have a great time there while you are in the meeting." Hobbes offered.
"Of course," Ash-oniichan replied, tensing slightly, while Riley-oniichan and Lucario-oniichan stepped closer to him.
My ears perked at that. Meeting? Wasn't this supposed to be just a greeting? I did what my daddy and Ash-oniichan taught me and allowed my senses to spread out. I did not sense any hidden danger, so that did calm me down a little bit. However, what stopped me from following daddy and Ash-oniichan to the office, was that Ash-oniichan did not look surprised about what Hobbed has said. That could only mean one thing, he already knew what was going on. But then again, why was I not told?
Was this above my abilities? No, if that was the issue Ash-oniichan would have not taken me here with him. Since taking the job as Ace Ranger he had made sure that no pokemon without the needed training would follow him into missions. Then, maybe it was because he did not need anyone to fight with him. That would mean that this is an Aura Guardian issue or that this is a meeting to discuss a plan or something. But at the end of the day, it does not matter. I have complete trust in Ash-oniichan, if he did not tell me about the meeting, he must have done it for a reason. So, I allowed them and Auntie Espeon to leave and follow Hobbes, while I was left in the playground with my big brother Pupitar to play. I loved the slides! They were so much fun! As we're meeting all the wild pokemon that came and went. It was a nice surprise to find out that the Aether family opened their gates to any pokemon that wanted to join.
On the other side of the playground, Torracat-oniichan, Floatzel-oniichan, Gligar-oneechan, Chimchar-oniichan, Turtwig-oniichan, Staravia-oniichan, and surprisingly, Rowlet-oniichan, were training under the tutelage of Uncle Bulbasaur. They were learning what Ash-oniichan had taught all new pokemon during the three months boot camp. To see beyond the use of our eyes, that those only limit us. To open our ears and to become more attuned with the scents surrounding us. To feel the vibrations on the ground and the wind around us. To allow nature to guide us and to use it to our advantage during battles. Ash-oniichan had been teaching those lessons to them since they'd been caught. However, before he could advance towards the next stage of training, terrain manipulation, they all had to pass a little test to see if they were ready or not. Before that Ash-oniichan had thought it would be a good idea to have them chat with Bulbasaur and ask them any questions they had. After all, Uncle Bulbasaur was the best one in terrain manipulation.
I was still breathless from the little demonstration he did during the boot camp back in the Lab. In seconds he had turned a beautiful green landscape into a deadly trap! Starting with rapid use of Sunny Day and Grassy Terrain. Not to mention the following clever use of Growth, which increased his special stat, and then he filled the green battlefield with landmines in the form of Leech Seeds covered with Sleep Powder, Worry Seeds covered with Poison Powder, and Grass Knot. By the end, he had summoned a Light Screen and had a powerful Solar Beam ready to shoot at any moment. All of that in under a minute! Speed is truly in the essence when it comes to this team.
None of us had wanted to try and face that nightmare of a battlefield. Not even uncle Charizard had wanted to, once Ash-oniichan had told him that flying above it was not allowed. So, yeah... Uncle Bulbasaur, no matter how cute he looks, can be as scary as Uncle Charizard and daddy. He could be even worse! As he possessed the patience, that the other two lack, to lay his traps and wait for the other to fall into them.
Good luck guys, you'll need it. I tried to send them my support via telepathy, which failed as I am not a Psychic-type. But there was no way I'll interrupt the lesson, Uncle Bulbasaur was left in charge of the pokemon back in the Lab for a good reason. Also, did I mention the slides here? Well, I really love them!
It was a good day, I had so much fun... that is until we heard the sirens of a police car approaching the mansion. All together we whipped our heads towards the mansion and began rushing towards our trainer. He might be in danger! Or at least, that's what we tried. We all stopped when Uncle Bulbasaur barked a command at us: "STOP!" He demanded, stepping before us at a speed I had only seen my daddy reach before. "What do you think you are doing?"
"We are trying to help our trainer!" Surprisingly it was Floatzel-oniichan the one who answered.
"Espeon is with Ash, do you think we would have not heard if our trainer needed help by now? Or that we would have not heard or sensed a fight going on inside the mansion between the time they had called Officer Jenny and the time she had arrived?" Uncle Bulbasaur demanded to know, making us all blush. Why did we not think about that? I thought embarrassedly. "I know you guys are worried about Ash, but remember that the Aether family is an important one not only in Alola but worldwide. We need to show them our respectable side. Otherwise, it will affect Ash's image."
"Good to see that you are keeping the order like always, Saur." Daddy commented, gratefulness clear in his voice as he approached us. But Ash-oniichan was nowhere in sight. "Don't worry, Ash is fine and unharmed. He is simply giving his statement alongside Espeon, Riley, and Lucario."
"Statement? What happened in there?" Pupitar-oniichan asked our daddy.
"Lusamine, the Head of the Aether Foundation, had approached Champion Lance a couple of days ago in need of help. She had investigated the Aura Guardian myths in her past, so she easily recognized Ash's Blue Knight title for what it really was. Her daughter had suddenly started to fear pokemon a couple of months ago and her son had decided to run away from home out of the blue. But no matter how hard she tried to think about it, it was as if something was blocked in her head." Daddy began to explain. "Faba, the Aether Branch Chief, was in charge of an important project for the Foundation. The creation of a new pokemon: they called them Pokemon Null. But he had also gone behind Lusamine's back and had opened an Ultra Wormhole inviting in an Ultra Beast... don't ask, I don't really understand it myself. Too much science! However, that Ultra Beast had tried to kidnap Lillie who was saved by Null. However, not to be caught, Fabio had used his Hypno's Hypnosis to erase Lillie's memories of the... incident. What he did not expect was for Lillie to develop a phobia for touching pokemon because of the repressed trauma or for Gladio to run away with Null. So, he erased the memory of the project from everyone's minds, and he had also had Hypno use the trauma of Lusamine losing her husband to trigger constantly whenever she starts thinking about Null, so she would forget about it."
"That was diabolical..." I murmured horrified.
"Yes, both Ash and Espeon are quite shaken about the whole matter." Daddy sighed. "It seems that Psychic-types have a rulebook and getting into innocent people's minds and messing them up is a big NO. Espeon had heard stories about it happening, but this was her first time seeing it. It doesn't matter now, Faba was caught and the affected are already on the road for recovery."
I tend to forget how dangerous the powers of Psychic-types can be. Espeon, Slowking, and Slowbro are very powerful, of that, there's no doubt, but they are also so kind and use their powers in a very responsible way. Following Ash-oniichan's rules to the letter. So, I never really thought much about letting them into my mind. But if not used correctly, they could cause so much damage. We are truly so lucky to have Ash-oniichan teaching us and protecting us. If only everyone else would do the same...