Indigo Plateau

The sun shined down brightly on the large gathering of individuals today. Champion Lance, garbed in his normal outfit complete with cape, took in the controlled chaos before him. Flashes of white, accompanying clicks, and a never-ending number of questions engulfed his senses. Cameras bored down on Lance, broadcasting his stoic expression to the entirety of Kanto. The man stood on a stage in front of the Indigo Plateau's main stadium. President Charles Goodshow stood at his side, and the carnivorous Kanto media rabbled on.

"Quiet down now! The champion has prepared a press release to disclose to you and to the people of Kanto. Any questions you still have unanswered may be asked at the end," yelled Mr. Goodshow, staring down the mob of reporters, who quickly acquiesced to the request, looking at Lance expectantly. The man gave his companion and grateful nod and stepped forward to a podium with a microphone.

"People of Kanto, a few days ago we experienced an unprecedented region wide storm. The figures are not final, but we have confirmed over 100 people have lost their lives," started Lance, pausing to allow that to sink in.

"In addition, the property damage reported from our various cities is mounting up, thought to be worth millions. Before this storm, the Kanto Region had been dealing with a noticeable uptick in Rocket Activity over the past few weeks. Today, I can confirm that these two phenomena are directly related!" firmly stated Lance, drawing gasps from the crowd.

"The increase in activity was a distraction to prepare for the events that would take place during the catastrophic storm. Furthermore, the storm was artificially created with a powerful weapon controlled by Team Rocket."

"What weapon did they use champion? Where is this weapon?" yelled out two separate reporters.

"SILENCE!" interjected Mr. Goodshow, allowing Lance to proceed.

"I cannot give too many specifics at this time as it is a matter of national security. Needless to say, the weapon has been dealt with. Continuing from the events of the storm, using significant leverage, the Rockets lured myself, the Elite Four, and a few others to a manmade island between Pallet Town and Cinnabar Island. It was there that Team Rocket attempted a coup d'etat to overthrow myself and the rest of the Elite Four, while instilling themselves as the new governing body of Kanto.

"How dare they! What took place on the island? Why aren't the Elite Four present with you now?"

"I SAID SILENCE YOU LEECHES! LET THE CHAMPION FINISH! ONE MORE INTERRUPTION AND YOU WILL BE BOOTED FROM THIS EVENT!" roared Charles, much to Lance's amusement. This quickly settled the agitated crowd of reporters, who very much wanted to hear more.

"Obviously, my presence here indicates that their plan failed. The events on the island similarly represent a threat to Kanto if exposed outright, but I will share a few details. Agent 009, otherwise known as Domino or the Black Tulip, was successfully apprehended. She is being held in a secure facility and will never see the light of day again. The weapon, as I previously mentioned, was also disabled. Finally, we have learned the identity of the elusive Rocket Leader. Team Rocket is headed by none other than the Viridian City Gym Leader, Giovanni Sakaki. A raid on the Viridian City Gym was conducted last night, with similar raids at other Rocket facilities taking place simultaneously. While a good deal of Rocket grunts were successfully apprehended, Giovanni and the Rocket Executives remain at large. They are considered highly dangerous, so please ensure any possible information on their whereabouts is passed along to the league hotline, which will continue to run for the foreseeable future. While the Rockets seemed to have escaped, the noticeable evacuation from their various facilities does seem to indicate that they are pulling out of Kanto, which can only be positive." Lance paused again, taking a sip of water, and pivoting the conversation.

"I would now like to take the time to recognize the heroes of Kanto. First and foremost, our first responders consisting of officers, firefighters, medical personnel, and Pokemon have done an outstanding job, which is to be expected. In addition, I would like to thank the Gym Leaders who coordinated the defenses and safety of our major cities. Several Gym Leaders have also passed on the names of trainers who were instrumental in Kanto's defense. You know who you are and you have the gratitude of Kanto. Finally, there were the heroes of New Island, or the manmade island I referred to earlier. My efforts were admittedly minimal there. The true heroes of New Island are the Elite Four, a trio of trainers, and their Pokemon. Before you ask, the trio's identity will not be disclosed for their own protection." Lance visibly drooped now, coming to the part of the press conference that he was dreading.

"Our victory was not without great sacrifice. Someone asked where the members of the Elite Four are. Will and Bruno remain in the hospital, having suffered grievous injuries during the struggle. Lorelei came out of this relatively unscathed, and she is elsewhere on official Pokemon League business. Agatha… Agatha gave the ultimate sacrifice on New Island and was murdered by Giovanni." Gasps and cries of horror flew from the crowd, with Mr. Goodshow not stopping them this time, as he to was lost in sorrow, tears running down his face.

"Agatha is gone, but she is not forgotten. She was defiant to the end, fighting Team Rocket with all of her might. She gave everyone on that island courage, and she was a close and dear friend. She leaves behind a legacy of over 30 years of exemplary service to the Pokemon League. I now ask that we honor her and the other fallen with a moment of silence," softly said Lance, bowing his head in respect. The others followed suit.

"In honor of her sacrifice, this year's Indigo League Conference will be dedicated to her memory. More details will come in the next few months. That is all I had to say today. I will now take a few questions," finished Lance.

"Mr. Champion, how can you be sure that the Rockets are truly fleeing Kanto?" asked one burly reporter.

"As I said earlier, all Rocket facilities that we raided have been abandoned. I can now reveal that we had several well-placed spies within the organization, so I am more than confident that we have not missed any Kanto bases. Next question," pressed Lance, looking elsewhere. He spotted a pink haired reporter and gave her a nod.

"Mary from Goldenrod City here. Mr. Champion will the league forces be pulling out of the cities now that the threat from Team Rocket has seemingly passed?" asked the spectacled woman.

"A fair question. They will be assisting with repairs and sticking around to ensure that the Rockets are in fact gone, but they should be pulling out within the next few months. One more question," said Lance, pointing in a random direction.

"With Agatha's demise, who will take up the vacant seat on the Elite Four?" asked a grubby looking man with no shame. Lance gave him a scathing look and an equally heated response.

"That is not an appropriate question to ask at this time! Know that someone has been selected and their ascension will be announced in the coming weeks. This press conference is over," concluded the man, walking away from the podium and into the stadium behind him. He left behind several rowdy reporters, screaming more questions at his retreating form, and an irate Mr. Goodshow.

Battle Tower

"That would explain why we haven't heard from her then," bluntly stated the blonde, garbed in her black robe. She was promptly smacked on the back of her head by the garishly dressed man with equally wild purple hair.

"Greta dear, show some tact please." Greta scowled from her spot on the couch, rubbing her forehead gingerly.

"Tough to hear. She was a nice lady for how grouchy she could be," sighed a rugged man in a red cap.

"Her ornery nature only added to her charm," chuckled the oldest member of the group, holding a cane. A man in a green jumpsuit and a woman with long-flowing black hair said nothing, focusing on the man at the center of it all. The man at the center was heavy set, had curly brown hair, wore a blue shirt with floral patterns on it, and had an ever-present pair of sunglasses on.

"Rest in peace Agatha. The world won't be the same without you," sadly smiled the man, staring at the TV as the press conference ended. Said TV was abruptly turned off by their host, who walked into the room with a cane of her own.

"Enough of this sulking. It's depressing, and at my age I've had more than enough of that," growled the older woman and host.

"I'd like a word with you Scott. The rest of you, can kindly scamper back to your own facilities," continued said woman, walking towards the man. Not one to irritate the elder lady, the various Frontier Brains obliged her, opting to leave with no hesitation. She sat down next to her boss, clad in a white jacket with a yellow undershirt, complete with a beautiful pendant.

"You're not normally one to make such a scene," commented Scott, an eyebrow raised behind his glasses. The elderly lady sighed, her muscles relaxing, as she gave the man a wry smile.

"Observant as always aren't you Scott? It was not without purpose. The lads and lasses are off and now I can speak with you in private." Scott merely chuckled and gestured for her to continue.

"Agatha's death shook me something fearsome you know. She has a family, and she has plenty of friends. It makes an old woman think, especially when she is around Agatha's age," murmured the girl. Scott visibly tensed, not liking where this was going at all.

"So, you see what I intend to bring up. Very well, I will put it out into the open. I intend to resign from the Battle Frontier and head home."

"But—"

"NO! There are no buts! I haven't seen my granddaughter in years Scott! Do you know how many video calls I get asking when grandma is coming home? Far too many! Not to mention all the specific research I can only properly attend to back in my home region. It is not a matter of if, but of when!" firmly said the elder lady. Scott looked at her with intense focus, trying to test her resolve. She wouldn't budge and the man slumped.

"Can you at least give me a year to find a replacement? It's not like most challengers get to face you anyway," pointed out the man with a sigh.

"For old time's sake, that I can do," smiled the woman, patting Scott's hand. He looked up and returned the smile, giving the hand a squeeze.

"Thanks Miss Magnolia."

Pewter City

"You take care Misty. See you in a few months! Be sure to say hi to your cute sisters as well!" Brock yelled, waving at his friend, who was quickly ascending back into the sky via helicopter. Misty could only roll her eyes at that last comment. Typical Brock.

After spending some time in Viridian City with Ash, Lance had requested that Lorelei fly Brock and Misty back to their respective hometowns for a few months. He wasn't exactly forthcoming with his reasons, only saying it was for Ash's safety. Being the good friends they were, Brock and Misty were happy to obey. With Brock now dropped off to spend time with his family and the vehicle flying towards Cerulean City, Misty was left alone in a helicopter with a pilot… and her idol. Looking at Lorelei sitting there and staring out the window with a cool collected gaze, Misty couldn't help but almost drool at the sight. The power and confidence she radiated was just unbelievable.

"It could be considered rude to stare," chuckled the older woman, head turning to Misty in a flash and face contorted in amusement. Misty's cheeks reddened; her obvious fan-girl staring caught and called out.

"S-Sorry about that," weakly stuttered the girl.

"No need to apologize. I'm flattered that I could provoke such a reaction from a trainer as talented as you," countered Lorelei with a smile.

"Y-You think I'm talented?" shot back Misty, taken aback from the praise. Lorelei instantly nodded.

"Of course. Not any trainer could take down a Rocket Agent like Double 009 and bring them into custody. That's not even mentioning the fact that you are a Gym Leader at 11 years old. You have a resume that is far more impressive than what I had at your age," explained Lorelei.

"No way! I mean, you're in the Elite Four. There's no way you weren't miles ahead of me," retorted Misty, not believing a word coming from Lorelei now.

"It's the truth. I didn't start drastically improving until I was around 15. I didn't even formally join the Elite Four until I was 20. Your decision to travel around with your friends is paying dividends Misty and I'd put you on par with my fifteen-year-old self in a heartbeat," said Lorelei.

"You really mean that don't you?" softly spoke the girl, her eyes sparkling.

"I do. The question is though, what drives you? Why do you have to be so strong at your age?"

"That's easy. I want to be a Water Pokemon Master," Misty said.

"I see. Misty, how exactly does one become a Water Pokemon Master? Does it involve a specific goal? Can you even reach that title?" the analytical trainer prodded. This time Misty chuckled.

"Ash actually asked me something similar on our journey."

"Smart boy that Ash," smiled Lorelei.

"When it comes to Pokemon yes. Anyway, when he first asked, I didn't really have an answer. I just knew that I wanted to be strong and have powerful Water Pokemon," said Misty, staring out the window, and looking at Mt. Moon beneath her.

"And now?" pressed Lorelei. Misty turned back, looking her hero in the eye.

"Now, I'm staring at what that looks like. I'd like to be a member of the Elite Four, specializing in Water Pokemon. I still want to be the best there is when it comes to Water Pokemon, but it's more than that. I want to help people like we did on New Island. I want to teach others about the wonders of Water Pokemon. I want to engage in fierce battles, always getting better and growing closer to my Pokemon. I know I can do these things as a member of the Elite Four, and that is my dream!" fiercely concluded the girl. Lorelei observed Misty for a while, neither person saying a word. Misty's resolve never left her face, and the Ice Mistress broke the silence.

"You're right. You can do those things as a member of the Elite Four. I think you have what it takes to make it to. Tell you what, I want you to train hard these next few months before the Pokemon League. After that, you and I are going to have a battle," declared Lorelei, making Misty's eyes go wide.

"A BATTLE?" blurted out Misty, who quickly covered her mouth in embarrassment.

"Yes, a battle," calmly answered Lorelei.

"If you impress me, I will offer you an apprenticeship, which would start immediately after our battle. At the end of the apprenticeship, and should I feel you are ready, you will take my place as a member of the Elite Four," concluded Lorelei.

"REALLY?" screamed Misty, this time not bothering to cover up her outburst.

"Indeed. Champion Lance has already given me approval to make this offer. However, as an apprentice, you would be expected to shadow me and stay by my side. There would be the occasional task I give you, necessitating you to head out somewhere else, but essentially, your journey with your friends would come to an end," warned the woman. That put a dapper on Misty's elation in a heartbeat, forcing the girl to consider leaving Ash and Brock.

"Now you understand the severity of the decision. I want you to think on it and give me an answer at the Indigo League. For now, our time is up," said Lorelei, opening up the door. Misty looked up, completely surprised to see that the helicopter had landed in front of the Cerulean City Gym. Standing up, she followed Lorelei outside, turning back to face her one final time.

"I-I will think about it. No matter what, I will train long and hard for a battle you won't forget though!" vowed Misty.

"I look forward to it," smiled Lorelei, offering the girl a hand. Misty shook it with ease, sealing a promise to train more than twice as hard for what was to come. First though, she would have to deal with her sisters…

Viridian City Police Department

Ash Red Ketchum sat in a police department with two of his most trusted Pokemon by his side. These were of course Pikachu and Espeon. It was not lost on Ash that these two had been with him the last time he had been in such a situation, nor did he fail to recall that he had encountered the law on multiple occasions now during his journey. It was a good thing his mother knew better, otherwise the boy could have easily found himself in a whole bunch of trouble for all these legal run ins. Speaking of his mom, Delia had headed back to Pallet Town earlier that day. Ash would have gone with her, but a meeting with a certain individual was going to delay him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Ash," Lance said from the open doorway, shutting it behind him and taking a seat.

"No problem Lance. I saw your press conference this morning and you looked pretty busy," responded Ash.

"Yeah, that was an experience," muttered Lance.

"Anyway, you have my thanks Ash. You and your friends were a big help against Giovanni and Team Rocket. Without you, Kanto very well may be under Rocket control," gravely said the man. Ash being Ash brushed it off.

"No big deal. Anyone else would have done the same."

"Not everyone would jump in front of a Shadow Ball from a Legendary Pokemon to save the lives of others," interjected Lance. Ash couldn't exactly think of a proper comeback for that, so Lance continued.

"Has anyone told you exactly what happened when you did that?"

"Um… my mom said my hands glowed blue, I threw the Shadow Ball back, and then I kind of turned to stone."

"That's basically it, but there is more to the story. You used a power called Aura Ash."

"Aura?" questioned the boy.

"I'm not surprised you haven't heard of it. The last publicly known Aura user, or Aura Guardian, was Sir Aaron. He died over two thousand years ago," said Lance.

"You said publicly?" picked up Ash.

"So I did. Your father didn't tell many individuals, but he was an aura wielder as well."

"Then why didn't he beat Giovanni? Why isn't he alive?" the boy asked with frustration. Lance merely sighed and shook his head.

"Your father had the ability Ash, but he didn't exactly practice it. All of his focus went into being a Pokemon Master, and while he was good at what he did, it did limit him," lectured the Champion. Ash nodded in understanding, though he was a bit miffed that his dad hadn't bothered to learn the potentially lifesaving skill.

"You think I should learn how to use it then?" Ash asked, shifting the conversation away from the unpleasantness.

"I do. It saved you Ash, even if you did need an act of Mew to bring you back. I'm not exactly sure why your Aura backfired like that, but I know who does."

"I thought you said the last known Aura user died out," frowned the boy. Lance smirked.

"The last human user did, but there are plenty of Pokemon who possess the ability. A grandmaster and his order exist in secret in a castle here in Kanto. It is known as Cameron Palace, and I would like you to train there the next few months. Everything is already arranged. They are ready to take you in and begin training immediately," explained Lance. It was certainly a tempting offer, but something nagged at the back of Ash's head.

"But, what about my mom? What about my Pokemon? What about the league? The Pokemon League is in just under 5 months and I have a ton of training to do! I can't just stop to learn Aura. I need to keep honing my skills!" said the boy with no small amount of passion.

"There's another reason why I want you to train their Ash," Lance started nervously.

"And it is?"

"When Mewtwo broke free on New Island, he managed to knock out Giovanni's camera network and recording devices. This means that he and Team Rocket think you are dead. I'd like them to continue thinking that for at least a few more months until we can be sure that the Rockets are clear of Kanto, and their leadership in custody," admitted the Champion. Ash was predictably irate.

"I WILL NOT BE A COWARD AND HIDE AWAY!" yelled the boy, slamming his fist on the table.

Heh. I did that in Giovanni's office during the night of the raid, thought Lance.

"You mentioned your mother. Do you not think she deserves a few months of peace at the very least? What about your friends?" tried Lance.

"Low blow," grumbled the boy, still unhappy.

"How about a compromise then? You don't have to go to this castle. I can arrange for a tutor to train with you in Pallet Town. This will let you spend plenty of time with your mom, your friends can visit, and you can train for the Pokemon League with all of your Pokemon," offered Lance.

"I guess that sounds fair," agreed Ash, liking the solution more.

"You have to promise not to leave though. Nor are you allowed to contact anyone in the outside world," sternly ordered Lance.

"Fine." The Champion smiled brightly at that.

"Excellent! Onto more pleasant matters. As a reward for your heroics on New Island, I am raising the max amount of Pokemon you can carry with you at a time to 9. The only other trainers with this privilege are League Tournament winners. Members of the Elite Four and Champions can carry more. This is a great freedom I am giving you, so don't abuse it."

"Thanks Lance!" cheered Ash, very happy with the new privilege. This would make training Pokemon on his journey way easier.

"I'm not done yet Ash. It seems that you just can't keep yourself out of trouble no matter how many times somebody asks you to."

"HEY!" yelled the yet again miffed boy. Lance ignored him.

"As a result, I think it would be beneficial to bring you into a special organization dedicated to helping people and Pokemon in a more official capacity," continued Lance, eyeing Ash speculatively.

"Wait… really?" the hopeful boy asked.

"Well, it depends." responded Lance offhandedly.

"Depends on what?" Ash asked with hunger and a fire in his eyes.

"It depends on how hard you train these next few months, the report your Aura tutor gives me, and how you do at the Indigo League Conference," coyly answered Lance.

"Just you wait Lance! I'm going train like there's no tomorrow, master this aura thing, and win the whole tournament!" Ash swore

"PIKA!"

"Yeah we got this!" added in Espeon.

Lance merely smiled, more than happy to have ignited the boy's fire. He didn't tell Ash, but the man had a strong feeling that Ash would indeed pull it off. Time would tell.

Pallet Town Oak Pokemon Lab

Immediately after their meeting, Lance flew Ash straight to Pallet Town, making sure to hide the boy's identity along the way. Ash arrived with little hassle, and Lance departed with speed back to the Indigo Plateau. The first thing Ash did was to stop by his house and say hi to his mom. Enjoying a slightly early homecooked meal for dinner was an added perk. The next thing Ash did was head to Professor Oak's lab. He had one final meeting that was long overdue, and he wanted every single one of the participants to be present for it. Ash made good time, getting to the lab just as the sun went down. Quickly passing through the lab and avoiding the inquisitive professor, the boy found his way out back to the ranch.

"Pikachu, do me a favor and go get everyone will you?" Ash asked his buddy.

"Pika! Pika!" answered the little mouse, nuzzling his trainer's cheek and hopping off the shoulder with great speed. Content that his friend wouldn't let him down, Ash sat down in the grass by Espeon, letting his Pokemon on hand out as well. Looking up, Ash could see the faintest beginnings of the stars coming out.

They look pretty good. Shining bright and in the sky out there for everyone to see. One day, that will be us.

Looking around, it appeared all of his friends had made it, and they were now focusing on him. Well, everyone except Scyther, who looked like he had been forced to come. Ash hadn't had the chance to do any training with the Pokemon yet, and considering it was trying to eat a Chansey's egg when they met… well Ash wasn't surprised.

"Thanks for coming guys. First, to all of you who were with me on New Island, you all fought until you couldn't any more. I-I can't tell you how much that means to me. Thanks for giving it your all," Ash said through wet eyes, which he promptly wiped away.

"Getting past that though, we're back where we started now. Back in Pallet Town. The Indigo League Conference is in a little less than 5 months now. I'd like to think we're pretty good already," Ash started, prompting much agreement from his Pokemon and quite a bit of bravado.

"But, we can get better," Ash added, deadly serious, staring intently at his friends in front of him.

"Other than fighting for our lives back on New Island, do you know what I saw? I saw potential. I saw the Elite Four's Pokemon. I saw my dad's Pokemon," finished Ash, nodding to a group of Pokemon that had gathered nearby about 30 feet away, who were staring back at the boy with curiosity, while exuding pure power.

"Look at them. Those are champions. We're not on their level yet, or the Elite Four's level for that matter," chuckled the boy.

"Yet, we can get there. With hard work, time, and experience, we can surpass them! We can be champions!" yelled the boy, joined by his Pokemon who roared in approval. Even Scyther had a small gleam in his eyes, riveted by the speech.

"That is why these next few months are going to be the hardest part of our journey yet. We are going to train, battle, train, strategize, train, eat well, train, and train some more. Some of you may hate me during the process, but I promise you will love it when the results come in. I promise to train just as hard by your side too! Will you promise me now to give your all?"

"Raooo!"

"Saur!"

"Pika!"

"Free!"

"Pidgeo!"

"Fable!"

"Cookie!"

"Gar!"

"Rogue!"

"Shellder!"

"Scy…"

"Let's kick butt!" Ash stood up, and started to stretch out, before looking to his confused Pokemon. "What are we waiting for? The night is young, and it's time to train!"

END CHAPTER

It's been a while. Happy to say that the busy part of the month is behind me though. Today we planted some more seeds for the future. Did you catch the Galar reference I threw in this chapter? Her past isn't well expanded on so I took creative liberties. Also, what's going to happen with Misty?

Next Time - Ash get's down to business with serious training! Maybe there will be some actual battling again. Who knows what else?

Reader - Thanks for the review! I have plans for Red Gyarados.

Guest - Thanks for your colorful review!

CaptainSammyAngel - Thanks for the review! Glad you like the mother son relationship. I do not have an AO3 account, but may consider it in the future.

Espeon860 - Thanks for the review! Johto is around the corner with plenty of fun to be had for sure. As for the Elite Four Member, see Lance's comments above ;)

Remember to review with your thoughts and critique :)

Smell ya later!