Hey all! DarkSlash9 here with another chapter of Pokemon: The Fellowship of the Aura. It feels good to put another chapter out after surviving the day-to-day hell that was taking two winter classes. I apologize for not getting this out in January like I said, but I honestly didn't expect to be absolutely bitch-slapped with schoolwork the way I was.
Anyway, where we last left off, Ash and the gang had arrived at the Corridors of the Aura, while a familiar face paid Delia a visit back at Pallet Town. This chapter continues those events. I hope the Advanceshippers here enjoy this one, because I think this chapter really hammers in the idea that May won the poll. But, as we already know, the romance in this story will cater to both crowds by the end.
Honestly, that's all I've really got to say up here, and in general. So... enjoy the chapter!
XXI
[The Corridors of the Aura...]
...
"We know why you're here..."
...
"It's quite the anomaly..."
...
"You're not gonna kill her, are you...?"
...
"You want me to go into her head and get choked out... again?"
...
May let out a silent groan as she placed a pillow over her face. A few hours had passed since the Fellowship's arrival in the Corridors of the Aura, and much to her anxiety, very little had transpired in them. It seemed that once Sir Hylus had led everyone to their guest rooms, nobody had thought to leave the guest rooms. It wasn't a crazy notion; the rest of the gang, save for Paul and Rosa, was probably relaxing. The guest beds were comfy, after all. However, no such activity was possible for May. It was easy to stay energetic and push back negative thoughts when others were around - her demons always liked to gnaw at her peace of mind when she was alone. And at the moment, alone was exactly what she was.
Any time that afternoon, Rosa's second probe into her mind would commence. While it was certainly assuring that Sir Riley would accompany the young psychic this time around, it was still an event May dreaded. Clearly, it was a dangerous endeavor, one that could've been avoided if she'd only been able to remember what had happened during the incident with Paul. While on the topic, she couldn't help but feel like that whole incident was her fault as well. If she hadn't lost control of her Aura, it wouldn't have broken Paul's focus; therefore, she'd never have been sent back 10,000 years. That was the first domino to fall, with the line's collapse ending in everyone sitting in a whole different dimension just so they could discover whatever entity had made a home inside of her.
"Why is it so hard to NOT screw things up...?" she thought, pressing the pillow harder into her face. "I'm such a... Ugh... I should stop. I should stop, breathe, and talk to someone before I start spiraling. Yep. That's what I'll do."
May sat up, removed the pillow from her face, and slid out of the bed. After adjusting her bandanna, she walked into the torch-lit hallways of the Corridors, instantly pausing. She had no idea where anyone's rooms were; Sir Hylus had shown her hers first. In any other locale, she'd have had no problem just feeling for everyone's auras. However, with Master Brecht's massive storm cloud of Dark Aura swirling outside, as well as several powerful Aura Guardian auras residing inside, her senses were nowhere near sharp enough to discern exact locations.
So she picked a random door nearby and knocked on it.
"...Come in."
Recognizing the voice, May smiled and entered the room.
"Oh wow," she began, looking around. "Someone's cozy."
The room was Serena's, and indeed, she was quite comfortable. While her room certainly had a bed identical to the one in May's, the honey blonde seemed to have chosen a different surface to nestle into: Pangoro. The Daunting Pokemon was sitting in a corner, arms wrapped snuggly around its honey blonde master, whose only response to May's comment was a light shrug.
"What's going on?" inquired Serena, rather quietly. "Is it time?"
"I wish." sighed May, leaning against the doorframe. "I'm just making some rounds, looking for social activity... Hard to just sit alone in my room with so much on my mind."
"You can say that again..." thought Serena, her face remaining straight. "Have you spoken to Ash yet?"
"Nope. Why?" asked May, finding the question somewhat random.
"He's seemed a bit out of it since we got back from Snowpoint City." explained Serena. "I'd go and talk to him myself but..."
"But...?"
"I'm cozy." finished Serena, slowly glancing up at Pangoro's head.
May smiled; despite its lack of recorded appearances, Serena certainly had a sense of humor. But what especially pleased May was the fact that Serena had even made the choice to say something so clever. To her, it was a sign that the honey blonde was opening up... at least a little.
"Touché." replied May, tilting her head. "Alrighty, I'll talk to him. Want me to come back here when I'm done?"
Serena shrugged.
"I'll come back here when I'm done." declared May, making the decision herself.
And with that, May turned around and stepped back into the hallway. However, before she could set her sights on the next door, a quick chill ran through her spine. Catching the source of the stimulus through her peripheral vision, she quickly turned to her right, spotting a familiar Aura Guardian with blonde hair and blue eyes. He was just standing there, staring. For a brief moment, May considered asking him why he had suddenly stationed himself outside of Serena's door, but she immediately realized it would've been a pointless action; Sir Hylus didn't speak.
Deciding his startling arrival wasn't worth investigating, May turned the other way and walked down the hall.
"How long is this gonna take?"
"Who knows? I've never healed a concussion before. What's the rush?"
"I'm gettin' hot and bothered having your soft hands nestled around my head, buddy. Such a gentle touch, you have."
"Shut up..."
*knock knock*
"Come in." answered both voices.
The room's door opened, revealing May. As soon as she looked at who was in the room, a wave of guilt washed over her conscience. In the guest bed was none other than Gary Oak, who she vividly remembered backhand bashing into unconsciousness when Paul had warped the Fellowship into the Distortion World. Beside the bed was Max, who seemed to be healing whatever damage the brown haired Researcher had sustained from the accidental blow.
"Hey..." she lamely greeted. "How's it goin'?"
"Oh, hello." greeted Gary, his eyes zoning in on the brunette. "I see you've come to beg for my forgiveness."
"Sorry..."
"Don't apologize, May. He had it coming." said Max. "You should've heard the things he was saying to Rosa right before we got here."
"Seeing as I have no recollection of this morning's events due to my traumatic brain injury, I cannot be held responsible for said actions." declared Gary, closing his eyes. "But anyway, apology accepted, May. We can go back to being BFFs now."
"...Right. BFFs." replied May, raising an eyebrow. "So uh, I was actually looking for Ash's room, so... yeah... I'm just gonna head out."
"Of course, of course. You're a busy girl. Be on your way." dismissed Gary, with a sly smirk. "Having a nice little heart-to-heart with you would do Ashy-boy good... I'm sure he's got a lot on his mind."
"Any idea what?" asked May. "Besides the obvious 'fate of the world resting on his shoulders' stuff, I mean."
"Not a clue." lied Gary, holding back a chuckle. However, the chuckle was quickly followed by a wince; the pulsating migraine of his concussion made it painful to laugh.
"I guess I'll have to see for myself, then." chirped May as she left the room, finding no suspicion in Gary's demeanor.
Max, on the other hand, had eyes narrowed as thin as paper. As soon as May had closed the door, he removed his hands from Gary's head, halting all healings. Feeling the difference immediately, Gary let out a long, pained groan, his migraine intensifying tenfold.
"Hurts, doesn't it?" asked Max, angrily nodding his head. "You all know something. You, Rosa, Paul, Serena, Ash, and heck, maybe Nate too. From what I can tell, it has something to do with May. I'm not continuing until you tell me what it is."
Gary clutched his head with both hands, letting out another groan.
"Ugh, y'know, that's a really drastic ultimatum-"
"Tell. me."
"Fiiiiiiiiine." wheezed Gary, glaring daggers at the younger Maple sibling.
Glad he was finally about to get some answers, Max put his hands on Gary's head again.
"Well?" he asked, expectantly.
His migraine subsiding, Gary let out a relieved sigh. And then, he got down to business.
"So... remember when I put that hidden mic on Serena?"
Upon finding the next door in the hallway, May followed her standard procedure and knocked on it. However, unlike the previous two times, there was no answer. But she knew someone had to be in there; light could be seen glowing out from under the door. Deciding to take a quick look inside, in the event that it was indeed Ash's room and he was just asleep, May slowly opened the door... just wide enough peek her head into.
It wasn't Ash's room. It was Nate's room. The fire-type teen was standing in a corner, leaned against the wall, arms folded. Spotting May's peek, he greeted her with a quick nod. In response, May nodded back. Appreciating the simplicity of their interaction, May leaned back into the hallway, closing the door.
"Where in the world is Ash's roo-"
"Hey."
Practically jumping out of her skin, May turned around. An arm's distance behind her was none other than the young man she was looking for, who seemed to have appeared out of thin air.
"Wha- I didn't- When did-... How did you get here?" stammered the brunette, placing her hands on her hips. "It's like you just... appeared."
"It's a little something I like to call 'Buried Presence'." explained Ash, scratching his head. "I just lowered my aura to an undetectable level and walked quietly. It's good for following people."
"So what you're saying is, you've been stalking me." accused May, smirking. "Scandalous."
Ash's face immediately reddened as his lips fumbled and bumbled, attempting to formulate a reply.
"Yes- No- I mean, I sensed you going to Serena's room and-"
"And what's wrong with me going to Serena's room?" interrogated a still smirking May, tilting her head. "Hm?"
"Well, I also sensed in your Aura that you're feeling uneasy so-"
"So you thought you'd follow me to see if I was going to her for comfort, and something worth investigating would happen as a result? Something, oh, I dunno... spicy? Is that what you were thinking?"
"..."
While Ash remained silent, May stared off into the distance for a second, a somewhat wistful glaze momentarily overtaking her eyes.
"Hah... wouldn't that be something..." she sang, bringing her gaze back to Ash.
Ash's eyes widened, his body undergoing that same freezing sensation he'd felt when he'd listened in on May and Rosa's conversation with Gary in the taxi. Only this time, it was even worse, due to May actually standing right in front of him, insinuating the existence of a side of her he secretly knew to exist... all with a teasing smile on her face. Noticing Ash's face getting even redder and redder by the nanosecond, May chuckled.
"Something tells me I'm right." she said, folding her arms.
"..."
After a few more seconds of silence from Ash, May's mouth straightened into a neutral line.
"Ash?" she uttered.
"May...?" he sputtered.
"Ash."
"May."
"Okay yes, these are our names." half-snapped May, rolling her eyes. "What's-"
"I want... to ask you something."
"I'm bisexual."
"Are you bise-... (._.)"
"Surprise! (• ᴗ •)"
"Yeah... surprise. (._.)"
"I'm guessing that's what's been on your mind, huh?" asked May, her lips returning to a smirk. "I'd ask how you suspected, but it's not like I've been all that cautious about keeping it under wraps..."
"It's just-... I figured you'd tell me... I've always felt like you and I could tell each other anything." mumbled Ash, brown eyes meeting blue. He didn't really know what he wanted to say, but his mouth seemed to be talking on its own. "But l-like, that's not to say I don't respect any reasons you have for not telling me... It's more like... especially right now... why wouldn't I be allowed to know if it's something you seem to talk so casually about? I figured finally asking you about it would be, I dunno, a task? You not telling me kind of makes me feel like... I don't know, less to you than I thought I was, maybe? I don't even know if that's an accurate way to describe it. I hope this doesn't sound insensitive or anything, I'm just... rambling. I'm sorry, I feel like I'm being-"
"Ash. Look at you. Look at how you've been all day." softly interrupted May, gently poking Ash's right cheek with her middle and index fingers. "You've been so flustered, hesitant, confused... just by having to process the idea of this. Listen, I know you like the back of my hand, five year separation or not. I know how you think, and I know how certain things can affect you. I knew it was news that'd have you in some kind of daze. I didn't want something as silly as this getting to you because you've already got quite a lot on your plate: a Fellowship to lead and a whole world to save. I wasn't going to keep it a secret forever, you have to believe me when I say that. You know I'd never do that to you... because I love you."
"...and Serena?"
"Yes, I'm into Serena. Very." confirmed May, putting her hands behind her head. "But you've left an impact on my life that can't ever be copied. It might sound a bit cheesy, but love isn't a matter of quantity; it's a matter of quality. What I feel for Serena and what I feel for you are two different things, but love, all the same. For separate, unique reasons, I'm attracted to you guys. You both just... make my heart smile. I like being around you guys. I like talking to you guys. I like looking at you guys. Maybe it's a little unorthodox to feel that way about two people at the same time, but you - of all people - should know where I'm coming from, right?"
"Fair..." murmured Ash, starting to slowly but surely regain a semblance of composure. "I'm sorry, I have another questio-"
"Stop apologizing."
"Sorry- I mean... Okay." complied Ash, nodding. "My question is: If you were going to tell me later... why tell me now?"
"I dunno..." sighed May, leaning back on the door behind her. "For some reason... I just feel like waiting to do things isn't what I should be doing right now. Something about being here - or probably, the reason why we're here - makes me want to get things like this out of the way before..."
"Before...?"
"Before anything bad even has the chance to happen." finished May, lowering her gaze to the floor. "I'm scared, Ash."
"Of the investigation? Even though Riley's going to help this time?"
May slowly nodded. In response, Ash closed his eyes. When they opened a split second later, it was as if a different young man had taken over. Gone were all traces of timidness, hesitancy, and softspokenness that ruled his vibes for the majority of their quest thus far. In their place emerged a deep, rock-solid air of conviction; the trademark fire of the soul that Ash Ketchum was known for since the age of 10.
"May."
"Yes?"
"You will never have to be afraid as long as I'm alive." he stated, looking dead into her eyes. "Ever. I know we're here for a concerning reason... you're not wrong to be afraid. But I need you to know that I will always do everything in my power to protect you from anything. I can't emphasize that enough. Whatever happens, good or bad... I will always put everything on the line to make you feel safe, to make you feel like you'll never have to worry again. You have to believe me when I say that. You mean the world to me. I love you. I've loved you since we traveled together in Hoenn... I was just too shy to ever tell you. I guess that was my little secret, back then. We went our separate ways, and I kicked myself every day afterwards over the fact that I thought I'd lost you, that I'd never have the chance to hold you and tell you things would be okay in moments of doubt. Now that I've been given the chance to do that again, you'd best believe I'm not passing it up. I'm with you now, I'll be with you when Rosa and Riley go in, and for all our days after that. I always will be. That's a promise I'd rather die than break, and I mean that."
At first, May smiled, her heart threatening to thump its way out of her chest with how fast it was beating. It was unreal how Ash could build her up and fortify her foundation whenever it was feeling frail. He'd always been like that, ever since they'd met. It was what she loved about him even back then; heck, it was what she loved about him the most of all. Needless to say, she was beyond pleased to see this side of him emerge once again. The way he spoke at times like these just seemed to crush her fears to dust, making them all seem so insignificant when, moments before, they'd relentlessly plagued her peace of mind.
But unbeknownst to Ash, his speech had caused another issue to plague her mind in the previous one's place.
"I... Ash... What about Serena?" asked May, tears welling in her eyes. "I don't doubt a single word of what you just said. It was everything I needed to hear, and everything I've always wanted to hear... But Serena... she needs all of that too, especially right now. I want her to be happy, she deserves it more than anyone else. The other night, when she got back from Vaniville Town... I told her she can have you, and I wasn't lying..."
"...She can." stated Ash, after a moment's pause. "May, I'm tired of this. All of this. I'm tired of feeling stuck between a rock and hard place. Ever since the two of you met at my house five years ago, during my entire time training here, and since the Fellowship began, I've felt like I've been tossed into such an impossible situation. It's felt like a choice I've never wanted to make has been stapled to my forehead, always dangling right between my eyes. I want to be there for you... both of you. And I want to be with you... both of you. Look... you love Serena. I love Serena. I love you. You love me. Serena loves me. You gotta help me out, I'm begging you. There has to be a way we can make this all work when there's that much overlap, isn't there?"
"Only if Serena were to magically fall in love with me... or at the very least, tolerate sharing you with me..." mumbled May, her eyes traveling to the floor. "Even if we were lucky enough for that to be the case... now wouldn't be the time to shoot that shot. She's dealing with a lot of pain right now."
"You're right..." concurred Ash, his voice taking a turn for the more somber. "Now isn't really the time, is it?"
"But it is the time for you to give her the support she needs. For us to give her the support she needs." noted May. "I want to help her recover too. Attraction aside, she's still my friend."
"So... what's the move? Do we just offer her our support for however long she needs it, and then whenever she's finally seeming okay again, we like... send her an invitation into our relationship?"
"Yeah. We'll send her an e-mail." giggled May, sarcastically. "'Dear Serena, we cordially invite you to join our love. Please RSVP by the date below.' Haha...*sigh* That'd be convenient, but I think the real way to try this would be to just play it all by ear, Ash."
"What if we wrote her a fancy letter instead of an email?" asked Ash, with a playful smile.
"You are so ridiculou-"
"And we'd have it sent to her by like, a shiny Delibird-"
"Enough!" cackled May, covering Ash's mouth with her hand. "You're such a goof."
"Yu wuv iht."
"What?" asked May, removing her hand.
"You love it." repeated Ash, grinning.
"I do." confirmed May, pulling the Chosen Guardian into a snug embrace. "I love you... and..."
"And Serena?"
"Well yes, we've established that already." droned May, momentarily pulling away from the hug so Ash could see her eyes rolling. Once she rested her chin back on his shoulder, she continued. "Anyway... I want to make sure you know just how much I love you. Words can only go so far... right?"
Noticing the sudden change in May's tone, Ash's eyes widened. He was beginning to get a feeling he was by no means a stranger to, but at the same time had never felt to such an intense degree. The cadence May adopted had a distinctly suggestive sound to it. Coupled with the fact that she'd lowered her voice to a half-whisper, Ash could feel the mood between the two of them take on a completely different essence.
"Uh-"
"I'm definitely feeling better..." she continued, slowly sliding her fingers through his hair. "But I think I still have that urge to get a thing or two out of the way today. You see, there are things I've wanted for quite some time now... things that'd make me feel even more than just... better."
By the time May had finished speaking, their embrace had become less of a hug and more of her pressing her body against his. With the way her fingers continued to snake through Ash's raven hair and caress his tense neck... it became all too clear what she wanted. And, with the sudden heat her beloved Aura Guardian was feeling surge through his body, he'd have been a fool to think he didn't want it either. But he had yet to outwardly express that he was picking up what May was putting down, so she decided to seal the deal with a sultry whisper into his ear, one that drove his endorphins to insanity.
"In short... I want you." cooed May, licking her lips. "Do you want me?"
"Yes." blurted Ash, as if May had just offered him an ice cream cone. "I-"
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
At the sound of an incredibly urgent-sounding banging noise coming from behind May, she and Ash quickly separated, both of them staring at the door that'd been behind them for the entirety of their conversation. Just a split second after the sudden interruption, they noticed a sheet of paper slowly slide under the door. For a moment, they stared at each other, wide-eyed. They were outside someone's room, weren't they? Such things were easy to forget in the heat of the moment.
Deciding to examine the item left for them, May picked up the mysterious piece of parchment, holding it at an angle that allowed Ash to read its contents as well. It was a note. The handwriting was in an incredibly neat and uniform cursive, with each line of text somehow staying perfectly straight despite the fact that the sheet didn't have any pre-printed lines to aid in such a feat.
It read as follows:
"Good Afternoon.
There are no words to describe how fortunate I am to have been given the opportunity to listen in on such a heartfelt, uplifting conversation. It was a unique and satisfying pleasure, the likes of which I may never experience from such a removed, third-person perspective. HOWEVER - - your dialogue has quickly taken a turn for the more intimate. I no longer wish to listen. If you could please take this elsewhere, as in NOT directly outside my room, I would be immensely grateful.
Best, Nate."
"...Where did he even get a pen and paper?" asked Ash, raising an eyebrow.
"Beats me." replied May, shrugging. "But you read the note; let's take this elsewhere."
"I'm game." agreed Ash, matching the hunger in May's gaze.
"Got any ideas on a nice, secluded place where we can... bury our presences~?" she purred. "I'd say we should go to one of our rooms... but with what I have in mind, everyone in this hallway will hear you."
"Me...? Why just me...?" asked Ash, blinking.
"Let's just say I won't hold back." stated May, slowly biting her lip afterwards. "I'm gonna-"
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
...
Ash's eyes traveled to Nate's door, and then back to May.
"Yeah, I've got a place in mind." he declared, doing everything in his power to keep his voice calm and steady. "Follow me."
"Hm?" hummed Sir Tobias, startled.
Rosa, Paul, Sir Riley, and Sir Aaron all looked at him, perplexed by his sudden outburst. One moment, they'd been discussing the events surrounding May's mystery, and then the next, Sir Tobias was looking around the room as if his Spider-Sense was tingling.
"Sir Tobias?" inquired Sir Aaron.
"Someone's entered the Room of Silence." stated Sir Tobias, eyes narrowing.
"Room of Silence?" snorted Paul. "Isn't any room without someone in it a quote-unquote Room of Silence?"
"Is this, like, the only way you know how to communicate with people?" asked Rosa, her question genuine. "Constant antagonization over semantics?"
"Yes."
"The Room of Silence is a chamber where all noise and forms of mental communication can be shut off. It's a place of complete isolation, and Sir Tobias' favorite room. Fitting, right?" explained Sir Riley, eyes glowing with Aura. "It's where Ash passed the test to become a Pokemon Master, as well as a master-class Aura Guardian. From what I'm sensing... it's him that just entered it... him, and... oh-... ohoho my god. Hahaha, HAHAHAHAHA!"
"What?" asked everyone else in the room.
"No fucking way bro..." murmured Sir Riley, grinning. "Talk about masterful choice of venue..."
At this point, he wasn't even looking at everyone else. His eyes were just fixed on the floor, his sensory skills picking up on a distinct pattern of Aura fluctuation that only occurred during a certain activity, an activity he was no stranger to back in his days among the living. He couldn't help but feel a sense of brotherly pride as he dismissed the glow in his eyes. This was it, he mused. Ash had finally embraced the proud, hungry beast within... though from what Riley had sensed, May was teaching that beast a lesson.
"Goodness, she's an ANIMAL..." thought Sir Riley, shaking his head in amusement.
"Sir Riley." barked Sir Tobias, growing agitated. "Speak. I don't like repeating myself. What is happening in the Room of Silence?"
"Let's just say he and May are killing some time." chuckled Sir Riley, leaning back into his chair. "It's nothing to worry about."
[Pallet Town: The Ketchum Residence...]
Though the savory, mouthwatering smell of homemade Mac and Cheese nearing completion filled the air of her home, Delia Ketchum's appetite found itself banished to parts unknown. It had certainly been a prevalent force about an hour earlier, but for some reason, it had receded into nothingness, having been replaced with a queasy nausea.
Perhaps it was due to the man she'd slammed the door closed on.
It had all happened so fast, she'd wondered if it even happened at all. Was the encounter real? It didn't feel real. It felt like the many dreams she'd had over the years of similar situations, yet this latest one was undeniably different - she hadn't woken up in her bed with leaky tear ducts. Unfortunately, she was awake, which meant it was real. Fundamental logic would lead her to not question the reality of the situation, but just to be 100% certain, she got up from her spot at the kitchen table and headed back to the foyer.
Mr. Mime was still standing by the front door, with a concerned look in his eyes. With a dismissing sigh, Delia gestured for him to move aside so she could take a look at what was on the other side. Sure enough, it all was really happening. Alexander was laying flat on the porch, his weakened state combined with Delia's door slam having rendered him unconscious.
Delia stared down at him, an unreadable expression on her face.
"...Mime mime?" questioned Mr. Mime, rather sheepishly.
"...Bring him inside, please." uttered Delia, her voice low.
"Mister mime." complied Mr. Mime, walking past his owner and out onto the porch.
While Mr. Mime knelt beside their guest and began lifting him over his shoulder, Delia turned around and headed back to the kitchen. The Mac and Cheese was done, and she refused to let it burn; at least one of the now two people in the house would probably be willing to eat some later. Once the dish was safely on the counter, she removed her oven mittens and walked to the living room. Mr. Mime had placed Alexander's body on the couch.
The Barrier Pokemon then left the room, figuring Delia wanted to be alone from that point onward. He may have been right, he may have been wrong; Delia wasn't entirely sure what she wanted at the moment. Was she angry? Was she surprised? Deep down, was she somewhat happy? Who knew? Such an unexpected turn of events left her unable to process her own emotions. But, at the very least, one thing was certain: she needed some answers from the man she'd loved with all her heart, the man she'd hoped to start a healthy family with.
The man who left her without saying goodbye.
After staring down at his body for what lasted somewhere between a split second and an eternity, Delia put her hands on his torso, closing her eyes. She was never very skilled at what she was about to do, and hadn't done it in over two decades. But she knew she belonged to the Arlon Clan, whose Auras were naturally the most potent of all; even if she was beyond rusty, it would likely still work.
"All these years later, you're still unpredictable..." she thought, her hands glowing with the healing light of Aura. "Dammit..."
...
...
...
"I feel like you might've overdone it."
"Pfft. Please. What makes you say that?"
"You can barely walk properly...?"
"And that's my fault? ...Well, maybe it is. Either way, I'm not complaining. That was amazing."
Ash sighed in content; May wasn't wrong about that last line. After completing what was by far the most exhilarating 35 minutes of their lives, Ash and May found themselves in Ash's room. Once the festivities had ended, they'd immediately bathed together, and after that, had resigned themselves to cuddling on the bed. With their bodies tangled in such a way, after such a wonderful workout, there was no better way to unwind.
Thinking about how splendid of a time it was, Ash closed his eyes.
"We should..."
"Do that again sometime?" finished May, snuggling her head closer to Ash's neck.
"Absolutely." agreed Ash, closing his eyes. "Many more times."
"How about right now?"
"You're a demon."
May giggled. She was just kidding; she was far too drained to attempt another round. At the moment, she wanted nothing more than to stay warm under the blankets with the guy she'd just done a number of unspeakable things to. She was the most relaxed she'd been in a very long time. After all, she had just checked a major task off on her bucket list. As she laid there, eyes closed, her mind began to wander to all sorts of whimsical fantasies and futures, with each of them sharing a single constant: Ash being there. Maybe they'd resume Pokemon Training and Coordinating and go on another adventure together after the world was saved. Maybe they'd accomplish their dreams and take breaks from their professions, traveling the world just for the fun of it. Maybe they'd have a small, not too extravagant wedding with all of their friends and loved ones in attendance.
Maybe... they'd eventually have children?
"Ash?" mumbled May, after 5 or so minutes of comfortable silence.
"Hm?"
"This is still far down the road..." prefaced May, rolling over and onto Ash. She wanted eye contact to be a part of this conversation. "But do you think we'll have kids someday? Or maybe just one, childbirth doesn't seem like something I'd wanna go through twice."
Ash's eyes widened ever so slightly, but not because the question was unexpected. Despite how relaxed he was, May's inquiry immediately called forth memories of a certain, important conversation he'd had with Lucario in the past. At the time, he'd dismissed the idea of raising a child with May for the very same reason she'd just dismissed the weight behind such a concept; it was far down the road. But now that they were together, with the possibility of them ever separating seeming as unlikely as Gary Oak removing the word "fuck" from his vocabulary... it was worth thinking about.
Noticing the bewildered expression on Ash's face, May blew a raspberry with her lips.
"'That scared of being a daddy, huh?" she joked.
"No, not at all." stammered Ash, shaking his head. "It's just that... Aura users of different clans reproducing together has been known to be a risky thing. What I suspect to be the first time it was done... Master Brecht was the result. The child is guaranteed to be a monster in terms of power... and having a lot of power from an early age can go to people's heads and lead them down all sorts of toxic paths. Just look at like, half of the celebrities that started out as child stars. They're nuts. It's a lot for a kid to handle."
"You're not crazy, though." pointed out May. "You're the product of two clans, too."
"I'm literally the Chosen One. I don't count." replied Ash, rolling his eyes. "And it's since I already carry genes of the Ketchum and Arlon clans that us having a kid would be even more dangerous. Then we'd add the Maple Clan into the mix. Our son or daughter would be a freaking god."
"So the answer is no, then?"
Ash raised an eyebrow.
"I didn't say that." he denied. "What I'm saying here is that... we'd have to be the best parents we could possibly be, and then some. Lots of love, support, counseling... we'd have to show little Bernadette or Geppetto the best childhood they could possibly have, while also preparing them to properly handle the pains of adulthood."
"Bernadette? Geppetto? With either of those names, our child would be guaranteed to brutally kill everyone, Ash. Starting with us."
"Think so?"
"Know so." droned May. "Regardless, I see where you're coming from. But if we end up willing to take the risk, have a child, try our best to raise them right... but still fail, what would we do?"
"I'd do everything in my power to bring them back to the light." answered Ash, as if it were the simplest thing in the world. "I'd never give up on that. It'd be my responsibility to make sure I do, no matter the cost."
"I would too... *sigh* Well, let's talk about something else; this is getting a weeeee bit darker than I intended." proposed May, rolling off of Ash to stare at the ceiling. "In the end, it's still a decision for much, much later. Besides, if the universe ends up being kind enough to allow everything to work out swimmingly with us and Serena, we could potentially avert all of the danger by having her be the biological mommy to our family instead. That is, if she'd be willin-"
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK*
At the sound of three knocks on the room's door, Ash and May looked at each other, then at the door.
"...Nate?" called Ash.
Taking Ash's call as a signal that it was okay to enter the room, the entity behind the door opened it. It turned out it actually was Nate. But it was also Rosa, Paul, Sir Riley, Sir Tobias, and Sir Aaron. They all had different expressions on their faces; some amused, some irritated, and some completely indifferent. Said expressions were the results of shared knowledge of what Ash and May had done in the Room of Silence. There was certainly a thick awkwardness in the air as the couple blankly stared at their sudden company, but the group in question didn't plan on acknowledging it.
There were far more pressing matters to be tended to.
"The time has arrived." spoke Sir Aaron, politely tilting his hat. "May Maple, please come with us."
While Rosa and Sir Riley could be heard snickering at the sound of the word "come", May turned to Ash, a worried look in her eyes.
"Come with me?" she asked.
"Pretty sure he already did, no?" murmured Rosa, under her breath.
Ignoring Rosa's comment, Ash nodded. To him, the question wasn't even worth asking. He already told her earlier he'd always be there for her, and he meant it.
"Of course." he assured, helping her out of bed.
A pair of forest green eyes slowly fluttered open, immediately squinting in response to the hues of a setting Sun shining on them. Alexander Ketchum hummed in intrigue; while the golden sunlight seemed be coming from behind him, a softer, blue light seemed to be radiating from in front of him. He eyed the source of the azure glow: two familiar hands placed on his chest, funneling Aura into his body. He then looked up at the owner of the hands, the woman who had spent valuable time of her day healing his burns away.
Alexander smiled.
"I'm impressed you still know how to do this." he stated, looking Delia in the eyes. "You have my sincere thanks... I figured you'd never want to see me again, but here you are, healing me in the living room."
"You're not wrong." wheezed Delia, removing her hands from his body. Now that he was awake and (mostly) healed, she could finally rest. With an exhausted sigh, she turned away from Alexander and sat on the floor, leaning her back against the base of the couch. "I didn't want to see you again... That's what I decided, despite parts of my mind begging me to reconsider."
"I suppose those parts of your mind are what convinced you to keep my last name?" asked Alexander, reaching a hand downward to stroke Delia's hair.
Before the first stroke could even be completed, Delia grabbed hold of Alexander's hand, tightly.
"Why are you here?" she asked, with hostility. "Where have you been? Where did you go?"
"I'm here because you're the one person I have left, Delia."
"'Have' is a strong word."
"Indeed it is." agreed Alexander, closing his eyes. "At the very least, I knew there was a possibility you'd be able to help me, though. Once again, you have my deepest thanks."
"So you just used me."
"No. I'd never. I still care about you... I still love you."
"Could've fooled me." retorted Delia, letting go of Alexander's hand. "You left me and our baby boy, without even a lick of an explanation. One night we fell asleep in each others arms, and the next morning, you were gone. Is that what someone does to the woman they claim to love? And now you just waltz back here after over 20 years, like some embarrassed dog with its tail between its legs, but are somehow still confident enough to talk about love? No. You're healed now. If you even want me to consider letting you stay here for the evening, you'll explain to me where you've been all these years. Now. Otherwise, I need you to leave my house."
Alexander opened his eyes.
"I joined the Dark Order and became its leader."
Delia turned her head, looking up at Alexander in nothing short of bewilderment.
"You what?"
"I joined the Dark Order, assumed command after displaying my strength, and have been calling all the shots for the past two decades." elaborated Alexander, keeping his gaze fixed on the ceiling.
Delia quickly stood up, looking down on Alexander with unbridled outrage.
"Our son has been fighting those people! He and his friends have been risking their lives against them! And now you're telling me-"
"It's because I was the big boss that he was never put into any situations he couldn't handle." interjected Alexander, glancing at Delia. "I didn't do what I did so that our oh so heroic little boy would be killed under my command."
"So why did you do it?" seethed Delia. "Even if that's true, the Dark Order's killed so many people! They're an evil cult that praises the literal embodiment of evil that Ash is destined to save the world from! I've never understood you, Alexander! You don't make any sense! You never have! It's infuriating! You've always spoken like you have some grand destiny, and that everything you do is for some greater purpose that's bigger than anyone can grasp! Has it ever occurred to you that you don't?! You're just a man! Our own son was chosen by Arceus to save the world, and here you are, leading his enemies? What purpose does that serve?!"
"1: I'm more than 'just a man'." began Alexander, his tone hardening. "2: I don't lead the Dark Order anymore. Due to recent events, that gig's turned sour. 3: It's been a long, long time since I've followed the teachings of Arceus, Delia. And 4: Everything I've done, every life I've taken, and every life I've lived... has been for a greater purpose. You're right. I'm a hard guy to understand, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the pain I left you with. Don't think that I wanted to leave you, because I didn't. You were the first love I'd had in a timespan so long you wouldn't be able to wrap your head around it. But I have responsibilities, ones that have been tied to me and me alone since long before we met. The road I've carved for myself has been dictated by said responsibilities, and I've come too far to deviate from that path."
"What responsibilities could possibly be so important as to drive you this far?" asked Delia, pleading for the raven-haired man beside her to start making sense.
With a low grunt, Alexander sat up and looked down at the palm of his hand, conviction burning in his eyes. In turn, a blood red flame of Dark Aura spawned in his hand. For a while, he stared at the energy, his gaze only hardening as the flame began to fluctuate and distort.
"Destroying Master Brecht." he stated, the flame purifying from the crimson hue of Dark Aura to the azure brilliance of regular Aura. "It's the only one that still matters."
[The Corridors of the Aura: Main Hall...]
Together, the group walked, with Ash and a weak-kneed May leading the way. On the short trek between Ash's room and their destination, Sir Riley had explained how the second probe into May's mind would work. By placing a hand on Rosa and syncing his Aura with hers, he would project himself into the same space Rosa would appear in upon entering May's psyche. Such an advanced technique would allow him access to all the abilities he had in his regular, physical body, for as long as Rosa would be able to maintain their presences there. Naturally, Ash had asked if anyone else could go with them; the answer was no. Shouldering the weight of Riley's Aura would be a considerable strain on Rosa's, one that would be lessened by Riley's superior level of control. Adding anyone else to the mix would go far beyond the young psychic's capabilities... especially the Aura of a powerhouse like Ash.
Although he desired to do more, all Ash would be doing there was watching.
"Alright, let's get this show on the road." announced Sir Riley, once everyone had reached the center of the hall. "Sir Aaron; the barrier, please."
Sir Aaron nodded, and with a quick tap of his staff onto the floor, a dome of Aura large enough to surround everyone appeared.
"A barrier?" asked May, already feeling uneasy. "What for?"
"Through our discussions with Paul and Rosa, we've decided erecting one to be a necessary precaution." replied Sir Tobias, casting his usual condescending glare over her. "Have a seat, please."
May did as she was told, with Ash helping her to the floor. However, once seated, Ash could hold onto her no longer. The party wasted no time; just moments after May sat down, Rosa sat down directly in front of her, just as she'd done during the last probe.
Hearing the shallow whimper May let out when Ash let go, Rosa offered a warm smile and grabbed May's hand.
"Just try to relax." she advised. "You'll be okay, I'll be okay... everything's gonna be okay... Okay?"
"Okay." echoed May, grabbing Rosa's other hand and closing her eyes.
"Sir Riley." called Rosa, closing her own eyes as well.
"On it." answered Riley, kneeling down to place a hand on Rosa's back.
"Be careful, Rosa." murmured Ash, a pit of anxiety forming in his stomach. "You too, Riley."
While Rosa simply nodded, Riley gave Ash an assuring wink.
"I always am." he replied, his body taking on a cerulean glow. "I'll be sure to look away when we pass by May's memories of your crotch."
Ash opened his mouth to defend himself from Sir Riley's jab at him, but before he could, Rosa's body began to glow as well, the glow spreading to May and mixing with Riley's. The procedure had begun, and as a result, all three of their consciousnesses were no longer available to interact with.
With nothing else to do but wait, Ash simply stood there under the barrier with Paul, Sir Aaron, Nate, and Sir Tobias, none of them feeling the need to speak... Until two small shadows could be seen outside of the barrier.
Sensing the entities attempting to enter, Sir Aaron raised an eyebrow.
"What in the-"
"LEMME IN, BITCHES!" rang Pikachu's voice in Ash's mind.
"It's Pikachu." muttered Ash, glancing at Sir Aaron. "Where have you been, anyway?"
"I showed Glaceon around the Corridors, that's where." explained Pikachu. "We tried to get Sylveon to come with us, but when we got to Serena's room, Sir Hylus was there. The way that fella silently stares at you is just... discouraging. But anyway, let us in. We're both tryna be present for this."
"Sir Aaron, if you could just...?" inquired Ash.
Sir Aaron nodded, opening a small hole in the barrier for Pikachu and Glaceon to enter through. While Glaceon immediately scurried over to May and sat next to her, Pikachu hopped onto Ash's shoulder.
"Oh, nice. Looks like I'm right on time." observed Pikachu, staring at May, Rosa, and Sir Riley. "Have I missed anything crazy in these past few hours?"
"...No." lied Ash.
He wasn't about to ignite what would've been a thunderstorm of hollers and celebrations if Pikachu had learned of his and May's sexual escapade. It wasn't the time for any of that, nor was he in the mood to indulge it. At the moment, all he wanted to do was watch... and hope Rosa and Riley's journey into May's memories wouldn't end up being a grievous mistake. The fact that a barrier was erected wasn't a good sign - it meant his masters feared the possibilities of what could happen.
And that made him fearful too.
[May's mind...]
It was a world of swirling gray mists with no path to walk upon. It seemed to have no end, but at the same time, no beginning. Such was the nature of the human mind, an amorphous amalgamation of thoughts and emotions in which anything could be made possible with the right amounts of control and synchronization. It was where Rosa and Sir Riley found themselves, with the latter of the two looking around in complete awe.
"This is pretty cool..." said Sir Riley, looking down at his feet. A thin, lavender path was materializing under them with every step he took, courtesy of Rosa, who was was getting around fine by just levitating. "How do you know how to navigate this place? Everything looks the same."
"Not entirely sure. It just comes with the powers, I guess." answered Rosa, levitating onward. "Follow me, the memory area is this way. Also, keep alert; I'm sure Rachel is lurking around here somewhere."
"Ah, Rachel." began Riley, following Rosa. "That's the name she went by when you and her traveled together a few years back, right?"
"Mhmm."
"And back then, she wasn't living her best life, was she? In terms of mental health, I mean."
"Not at all. I'm sure my old hyperactive, obnoxious personality wasn't helping, either."
"Did she have access to her Aura back then?"
"I don't know. What's with all the questions?" asked Rosa, looking over her shoulder. "Why didn't you ask them earlier?"
"They pertain to a matter that only those with high enough Aura control can even grasp. Sirs Aaron and Tobias aren't at my level in that field. There was no need to explain to them what I'm about to say when regardless, you and I were still going to be the only ones capable of coming here." replied Sir Riley. "Aura has two sides. Dark and light. Aura Guardians make use of the light side, the blue side. Most users aren't even aware of the dark, red side: Dark Aura. But when one immerses themselves in negative emotions for too long, be it through mental illness or just a prolonged rough patch in life, their body subconsciously makes the switch eventually. If May's Aura was red back then, then that would explain why there's a manifestation of her appearance at the time wandering her head. She's obviously switched back, but the remnant of that dark time still remains in her psyche."
"And that remnant is guarding whatever's inside her." finished Rosa.
"Exactly." confirmed Sir Riley, with a nod. "Darkness is only attracted to darkness. So, long story short, there's a likely to be a 100% chance that whatever we find in this expedition will be bad news of some way, shape, or form. Therefore, I need you to be ready to pull us out of here the very second I command it... if it comes to that."
"Well, that's comforting." groaned Rosa.
"Quite." concurred Sir Riley, matching Rosa's sarcasm. "Anyway, I'm guessing these are her memories?"
"Yes," confirmed Rosa, looking around. "They are."
By the end of their conversation, Rosa and Sir Riley had reached an area of the smoky gray void where several window frames surrounded them, each of them floating at different heights and elevations. Through the glass surfaces, different memories were displayed. It seemed the more recent the memory, the closer the corresponding window was.
"It's only been a few days since I last came here, so the one we're looking for shouldn't be too far off." reported Rosa, floating onward. "It'll be easy to spot; it's the only window that has curtains and closed blinds over it."
"Gotcha."
Sir Riley would've followed Rosa onward, but at as soon as he'd taken his first step, Aura lit his eyes nigh-automatically. At the exact same time, the gray void around them began to darken. Recognizing the darkened surroundings from her previous expedition, Rosa quickly turned around and looked at Sir Riley, a fearful look in her eyes. But his gaze did not meet hers. Sir Riley's eyes were already closed, wisps of Aura beginning to emanate from his body.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are..." he muttered.
As if on cue, a shadowy figure lunged out from the surrounding oblivion, its sights set on the master Aura Guardian that had beckoned for it to do so. Right as it did, however, Sir Riley clasped his hands together and opened his eyes. Before the sudden attacker's pale hands could even reach him, streams of Aura slithered out from in between Sir Riley's interlocked fingers. In the short distance between the two combatants, each stream evolved from simple strings of azure plasma to translucent blue serpents, with all 10 of the constructs coiling around the assailant.
Rendered immobile by the Aura snakes, the attacker fell onto their back, allowing Riley to get a good look at their face.
"Hm." he hummed, looking down on them. "Y'know... the black hair and green eyes wasn't a bad look for her."
Sir Riley looked to Rosa for her opinion on his statement, but received no such input. Rosa was far too busy staring at the manifestation of May's darkness he'd just subdued, with all the horror in the world. The last time she'd crossed paths with it, it had nearly choked her to death. Even now, when it was imprisoned, its very presence shook the young psychic to her core, and the fact that it was actively trying to escape its newfound bonds didn't do much to ease Rosa's distress. Indeed, though bound by the ever-tightening grips of the snakes, Rachel was still squirming around in futile attempts to break free, all while releasing guttural snarls and threatening growls.
"Relax." sighed Riley, calmly walking away from Rachel and past Rosa. "C'mon; let's look for that window."
"You're- You're not gonna destroy her?" stammered Rosa, sweating.
"I can't. Only May herself can truly vanquish it. It's part of her, after all. As an outsider, all I can do is keep Rachel out of our way - which I have." stated Riley, snapping his fingers. "Now let's go."
At Riley's snap, the snakes doubled in girth, squeezing Rachel to total stillness with their newly granted mass. Once the black-haired doppelganger had given in and stopped wriggling, the darkness shrouding May's mind subsided, the realm returning to its normal smoky gray essence. With Riley already walking deeper into the patch of memory windows, Rosa had no choice but to follow. But before she floated too far away, she looked over her shoulder one last time. Rachel, still restrained, was staring right at her... with wide, bloodshot eyes.
And she was smiling.
...
...
...
After about 2 minutes of silence, Sir Riley stopped walking. Having caught up with him in that time, Rosa halted as well.
"Looks like this is it." observed Riley.
In front of he and Rosa floated a window covered by thick, red curtains. In the thin space between the curtains, the repeated stripes of black shutters could be seen, with the light of May's hidden memory seeping through. The moment of truth had finally arrived.
"Ready?" asked Sir Riley, turning to Rosa.
"As if that matters..." sighed the brunette, eager to see what they came for and promptly leave thereafter.
Once Rosa moved the curtains, Sir Riley pulled the string controlling the blinds, collapsing the final barrier and revealing the sights within...
...
[Corridors of the Aura: Front Steps: 10,000 Years Ago...]
...
"Sir Ketchum!"
May looked towards the town, spotting yet another Aura Guardian running up the Corridors' massive staircase. His cloak was spattered with countless blood stains, and he seemed to have recently lost an eye.
"What is it, Sir Maple?" answered Sir Ketchum, the Guardian standing by May.
"We must retreat." gasped Sir Maple, catching his breath once he reached the top of the staircase. "We are losing too many. Entire clans are being wiped from the Earth before our very eyes. The madness must cease, for now. We are sustaining all these casualties, and Brecht has yet to even appear on the battlefield. We should retreat and re-evaluate our strategy with our remaining forces."
"Retreat to where, exactly?" questioned Sir Ketchum, with hostility. "The Corridors of the Aura are where we are at our strongest. If we cannot end this war here, then all is lost. We stand and fight, until the end. Such is the will of Arceus."
"No. The will of Arceus is not for us to perish like this." answered Sir Maple, closing his remaining eye. "We must-"
Just then, a massive shift in the atmosphere occurred, silencing Sir Maple. It was a power with magnitude unlike anything May had ever felt in her entire life, causing her stomach to turn in a fit of unfettered dread. Never had she felt pure malice, hatred, and rancor at such a gargantuan scale as what she felt right then and there. Its strength surpassed that of Sir Tobias's on the day he'd taken Ash, five years ago. It surpassed Kamerion's overwhelming power in his 9th and final form. Even though the very core of her soul hated to admit it, the dark and malevolent Aura May was sensing even eclipsed the colossal weight of Ash's Aura, which seemed to be bottomless. Just acknowledging this presence was enough to render her immobile, her vision and thoughts suddenly becoming far less clear and coherent.
She looked at the two Guardians standing before her. Their backs were to her, so she couldn't see their faces. The only response she could gauge from them was the duo powering up their own Auras so they could withstand such an immense spiritual pressure. Sirs Maple and Ketchum were powerful, from what May managed to perceive. However, they were not powerful enough to rival who or whatever was coming. Regardless, they both began began to move towards the source of the atmospheric shift.
"Brecht approaches." noted Sir Ketchum, closing his eyes. When he opened them, a pillar of Aura erupted right next to him. "Come, Sir Maple. I will be in need of your anger. You and I will keep him at bay for as long as we can, until Sirs Hylus, Gen, and Arlon can assist us."
Out of the column of Sir Ketchum's azure light emerged Entei, in all his regal glory. Without hesitation, Entei lowered himself so that Sirs Ketchum and Maple could mount him. The two Guardians wasted no time in doing just that.
"We must place our faiths in Arceus... as well as the Aura." declared Sir Ketchum, holding on tightly to Entei. "Regardless of what happens, this war shall end. Today. Now advance, Entei!"
Without skipping a beat, Entei then took large leap forward, carrying the two Guardians down the steps of the Corridors and towards the battlefield. Still barely able to move her body, May could only watch through half-closed eyes as the carnage and chaos further engulfed her surroundings.
It was then that the memory went dark. Chilled by what she'd just seen, Rosa turned to Sir Riley, who was staring at the blank window with wide eyes. Gazing through memory windows allowed the viewer to experience the events of the memory from a first-person perspective, while also relaying some of the emotions felt during the scene. All the fear and confusion May felt was partly transferred to the two of them as they looked at what she'd experienced, despite their varying levels of knowledge on the event that was shown.
"That was the final battle of the war against the Dark Guardians, 10,000 years ago." stated Riley, his voice monotone. "Master Brecht was sealed away, that day. Of all places... that's where Paul accidentally sent her...?"
"That... appears to be the case..." began Rosa, a hollow feeling in her stomach. "But... I don't understand. We did learn something... but that can't be all that happened, right? There has to be more. Barely anything happened to her, in the grand scheme of things."
Riley didn't answer. He simply continued staring at the window, visibly disconcerted. Rosa wasn't entirely sure, but it almost seemed like his skin was getting a little pale, too. However, right as she planned to ask if he was alright, new sounds began to come from the window, along with a new scene.
May's eyes quickly burst back open to the sound of a stray blast of Dark Aura narrowly missing her body, blowing off a large chunk of the Corridors' staircase. The impact of the ensuing explosion launched the brunette's body forward, sending her soaring into the air and down into the brawl below. After a few moments of ragdolling across the rocky ground, her body came to halt after colliding with a small mound of dead bodies. Too dazed to even notice what had stopped her painful journey, her eyes darted back and forth between all the warriors battling around her. There didn't seem to be many Aura Guardians left, and the ones that were still alive were barely hanging in there.
"Run..."
Hearing the plea, May looked downward, shrieking when she finally noticed that she was sprawled out atop a pile of corpses. The voice came from one of the bodies; one was still just barely alive, and they were looking up at her.
It was another Aura Guardian. Their voice was shallow; a clear indication that their next words were to be their last ones.
"He's coming..." warned the Guardian, tears streaming down from their increasingly dulling eyes.
May opened her mouth to reply, but found the action to be pointless - the Guardian had already stopped breathing.
"There he is!" roared a nearby Aura Guardian, rallying what few comrades he had left. "The damned bastard shows himself at last!"
May looked to the Guardian who had just spoken, as well as the small squad of fellow Guardians that stood near them. Everyone in the group was looking up at the sky, many of them already beginning to charge Aura Spheres in their palms. However, before a single sphere could be fired, a massive, orange beam of light descended upon them all. To May, it was unmistakably a Hyper Beam, but at the same time, far too powerful to be the work of a regular pokemon's. By the time the beam had dispersed, the group of Aura Guardians that once stood just 20 feet from May were completely gone, reduced to smithereens.
Wondering what kind of beast could possibly unleash such a blast, May looked upward. In the skies above flew a large, Y-shaped creature that was black, red, and white in color. Seeming to have made eye contact with the brunette, the winged beast began to lower from its vantage point, its blue eyes zoning in on a girl far too petrified to even consider running away. It came to a graceful landing just a few feet away from her, letting out a bone-rattling cry as soon as its talons were safely on the ground.
"Return to the skies, Yveltal." sounded a voice from behind the Destruction Pokemon's head. "I shall lead the siege on foot from here on out."
Heeding the voice's orders, Yveltal lowered its body so that the man who had been riding it could dismount. As soon as his boots touched the ground, May felt her entire body tighten in dread. Just being as close as she was to this man was enough for her stomach to threaten vomiting. He radiated the purest darkness, wielding a Dark Aura that seemed to forcibly penetrate one's soul, grab hold of their deepest fears, and yank them out for all to see.
While Yveltal flew away, the man turned around, sensing eyes on him. Deep, green eyes met sapphire ones as he locked eyes with May and May alone, sending yet another wave of discomfort over May's spirit. With his eyebrows raised, he began walking closer to her, a rather intrigued look on his face.
"Color me surprised. What is so much darkness doing inside such a petite, young woman?" he questioned, his eyes glowing with Dark Aura. His curiosity sounded genuine. "Your Aura reeks of befuddlement, perplexation, and fear... but also... darkness. What is there to be befuddled about? Have I not killed scores of Aura Guardians in my conquest? Were they not your comrades, girl? Will you not attempt to strike me down now, for their sakes, like several of your brethren have in the past? Where is your rage? Neither you nor I are exuding any; we may be the only two on this entire battlefield who aren't. Instead, you are perplexed. Might I ask why? Today's events leave no room for confusion, for either side. They were to be expected by all. Yet, here you are, frazzled, fearful, and frantic... But above all else, above all these oddities... there is a legitimate, tangible darkness dwelling within you. A darkness born from pain and suffering... A darkness I understand. Tell me: What are you doing here? You aren't of the same build as the rest of these fools. No no no, The Council of the Corridors would have never allowed another deviant like you to join their ranks... Not after what happened with me."
With a straight face, the man lowered himself to a low squat, allowing himself to reach eye-level with May. With his face so close to hers, May was unable to deny a simple fact that had been bugging her since he'd arrived: There was a strange, unmistakable allure to him. He spoke in a rather calm, melodic tone, one that could easily be fallen asleep to. His eyes held none of the darkness that seemed to uncontrollably seep from his Dark Aura; they were just as relaxed as his voice seemed to be... yet there was certainly a sharp intelligence in them too, a cunning wit always waiting to be put to use. His pale skin was clear, and his jawline was defined, the bright cream-like pigment of his skin providing hypnotizing contrast for his deep, forest green eyes. His raven hair was tied into a messy ponytail that extended halfway down his back, with some of the shorter locks of hair serving as bangs extending down the sides of his face.
But what truly resonated with May was the warm, half-smile this man was giving her. It felt oddly familiar, as if she'd seen a similar smile before.
"You interest me, girl." he cooed, igniting his eyes with Dark Aura once more. "It's almost as if... we're of the same vein. In you, I sense-"
"BRECHT!" roared a familiar voice, from behind the man.
Master Brecht quickly looked over his shoulder, spotting Sirs Ketchum and Maple approaching on the former's Entei. The Aura Warlord's glowing eyes narrowed in response to the sight, but then quickly returned to a calm stare as he turned his head back towards May.
"Tsk, how ill-timed... yet all too irritatingly predictable..." sighed Master Brecht, rolling his eyes. "I'm afraid this conversation will have to be continued on another day. I am compelled to humor him."
With a soft exhale, he then channeled his red essence into his palm, gently caressing the side of May's face with it. In turn, May began to feel a tingling sensation in her cheek.
"Wait..." uttered Rosa, eyebrows furrowing. "...What is he doing?"
Sir Riley didn't answer. He was still pale-faced, staring at the memory window in complete silence.
"Until then... In you, I place but a small fraction of me." declared Master Brecht, peering straight into May's soul. "Its power will shield you from death... Until I return for it, that is. Trivial as it may end up being, I would like to finish this talk."
The tingling sensation in May's cheek began to spread to the rest of her body. It was a burning unlike anything she'd ever felt - forceful yet empowering. It was as if a new entity was being fused into her own existence, bonding to her very sense of self. As the piece of Master Brecht's power further completed the merging process, May's vision began to fade into a sinister blood red, with the last thing she'd been able to see being the man in question turning around, intent on dealing with Sirs Ketchum and Maple...
"Rosa," began Sir Riley, his tone uneven. "Pull us out."
"That's..." murmured Rosa, staring at the blood red window in unprecedented horror. "He just-"
"ROSA!" cried Sir Riley, turning to the psychic. "PULL US OU-"
By the time Rosa's eyes had darted to her left, there was already a spike of Dark Aura piercing Sir Riley's body clean through. The construct came from the red light of the window, which seemed to be transcending the bounds of the memory and tearing its way into the mindspace. More spikes quickly followed suit, with all of them sharing the goal of running through Riley's body until it had no choice but to disperse into thousands of blue sparkles.
Ash, Paul, Nate, Sir Aaron, and Sir Tobias all shared a gasp as Riley's physical body disintegrated as well, leaving nothing behind. Having never seen such a phenomenon, Ash took a step forward, attempting to grab the space in which some of the sparkles still floated. But his hands held nothingness, having snuffed out the light of those he'd caught in his ultimately pointless action.
Staring down at his empty palm, he glanced at Sir Aaron, panicked.
"Is... is that supposed to hap-"
Unfortunately, his question would be cut off by a tremor, one that easily dwarfed any and all tremors the Corridors had undergone since the breaking of Master Brecht's seal. With the violent quaking came the sound of glass shattering over and over, each crash sounding more violent than the last. It was during these shatterings that Rosa's body removed itself from May's in the form of an unprovoked slide, the younger brunette careening into Nate as if a cannon had sent her. Rendered airborne by the sheer force of Rosa's spontaneous banishment, the two elementals' bodies crashed into and through the wall of Sir Aaron's barrier, destabilizing the entire construct.
With the barrier falling apart, the group was given a perfect view of the massive cloud of Dark Aura swirling in the Corridors' main hall. It was coming in through the newly shattered rose windows that once lined the walls; the symbols of Arceus' barrier which barred entrance to a universal evil.
"Impossible..." murmured Sir Aaron, staring at the conglomeration metasticizing overhead.
"Rosa!" shouted Ash, his voice cracking. "What happened... in... there...?"
Ash's words slowed down as he spotted Nate and Rosa's bodies slumped in a corner, twin streams of blood running down the latter's nose. Nate seemed to still be somewhat conscious, but Rosa...
"Damn it all..." growled Sir Tobias, drawing his blade. "ASH! STEP AWAY FROM MAY!"
Too overwhelmed to perfectly heed Tobias' command, Ash instead turned to May, who was still sitting on the floor. Her body was radiating an Aura the very same hue as the cloud that now covered every inch of the Corridors' expansive ceiling. The following events proved such a connection of colors to be no coincidence, as the cloud quickly coalesced around the brunette, entering her body from all angles. In mere seconds, the cloud was gone; May's body had seamlessly absorbed all of it.
And then, the shockwave launched.
The force of the wave was enough to knock all who had remained standing off their feet. All except one raven-haired Aura Guardian, one who hadn't taken his eyes off of the girl who all that corrupt power had just made a home in. She was standing now.
"May...?" croaked Ash, his voice raspy from his lungs unintentionally breathing in debris.
In response to Ash's call, May's eyes opened. But they were not the ocean sapphires he knew them to be. They were green. Her hair was not the tree bark brown it always was; it was black. Recognizing these colors to be out of the ordinary, a disturbed, scared - and most of all, concerned - Ash closed his eyes to blink. In the split second it had taken for his eyes to open again, May had somehow closed the gap between them, her face now directly in front of his. Much to Ash's horror, her eyes had changed in color yet again; now... they glowed crimson.
His blood running cold, Ash reached a hand out to the straight-faced girl who stood before him. He didn't know what he was reaching for, his body seemed to be moving on its own. All he did know was that in that hand of his laid all the love he had for her, all the care, all the promises he'd made. In that hand was everything. In response, May looked at the hand and met him half way, linking their bodies through the contact.
And then, without hesitation, she unlinked them, with the point of severance being Ash's entire right arm from the rest of his body.
...
Seeya next time!
~DarkSlash9
