Chapter 14: Arrival of the Sacred Mechamasters

Flying fortresses began to fly over the Academy. The students became worried about the fortresses that hovered over the lands. In Ash's dorm, Koro began nuzzling frantically to Ash's face. It squeaked in hysterics in trying to wake the trainer. Koro glanced to Pikachu and an idea arose. It turned around and shoved its tails into Ash's nostrils. "AH!" he gawked. This alerted Pikachu to wake up.

("Hey, there are better ways to wake us up,") he complained. Finally awake, Ash turned to the creature.

"Koro, what was that for?" he groaned. Koro leaped off and joined the Mouse Pokémon at the window. Ash reached the window and looked to find the fortress-like vessel. "What's that?" He got dressed while the creatures followed. They reached outside and looked up at the oncoming vessel. "Is it… the storm that masked woman mentioned?" Without warning, an explosion rippled through the sky and in the far back. Fiery smoke billowed into a mushroom cloud as Ash and the creatures spotted something inside: five Sacred Mechanoids in the sky emerging from said cloud. "Not good!" One girl behind Ash saw the explosion as well.

"That was the guard post!" she cried.

"Great, it's an invasion!" growled Ash. The Sacred Mechanoids turned to and shot lasers into the cliff's holes with giant rifles while holding circular shields. Ash's grit devised a short stint for the student. "Follow the rest of the students into the Academy and wait for further details!"

"Okay!" she agreed before running off. The post produced turret guns as they opened fire of the Sacred Mechanoids. Ash dashed off to the Student Council Office. In Maria's dorm, a cup of tea rippled as explosions were felt around.

"What in the Swan is going on?" she asked. Yukine hustled to Maria's side. "Yukine?" Leaning to Maria's ear, Yukine whispered to the princess. Maria blinked to the information. "That's impossible…" Ash and the creatures reached the Student Council Office where Lithia and Lapis eyed the smoke billowing.

"What is it?" asked Lithia.

"There's a lot of black smoke coming up," Lapis gulped as Ash came in.

"The guard post is under attack!" he reported, surprising Lapis and Lithia. "It's an invasion from rebels!"

"Ash!?" gasped Lapis.

"Are you sure, Ash?" doubted Lithia. "If we were, we would've received a call from them."

"Unless that's the first place they struck," Ash thought. "Take out communication, everyone here's in danger. We're sitting Psyducks now!" Lithia opened her desk where a phone was and picked the receiver from the hook. A busy signal was heard.

"They wouldn't do that unless the Control Room was already attacked," she cringed. She put the phone down, but soon it rang. Lithia was quick to answer. "Hello?"

"Lithia, you haven't left the Student Council Office!?" sounded Hannah. Lithia sighed in relief.

"Hannah, what's going on?" she asked. Ash heard the name and has a request.

"Lithia, can you put Hannah on speaker?" he wondered.

"Of course," she agreed and pressed a button and hung the receiver.

"Hannah, are you alright?" questioned Ash. Hannah blinked before composing herself.

"Ash, what are you doing in the Student Council Office?" she questioned herself. "Anyway, the Shitoreiyu Empire is attacking the Holy Land with their bandits. I'm telling you, they overran the Central Control Room and Dagmeyr's calling the shots." Ash cringed and slammed fists onto the table.

"I was right all along!" he growled. Lithia and Lapis blinked to Ash while two more Sacred Mechanoids emerged from the guard post.

"Wait, you knew Sir Dagmeyr was going to attack us?" guessed Lapis.

"Not actually attacking but I felt that he's planning something to get at Chiaia and the school," Ash believed. "This was an inside job." To Lithia, this made sense as to why alarms didn't signal as she pressed the button.

"Sir Dagmeyr played us for fools!" she growled. The phone rang again. "Now what?" She picked it up. "Hello?"

"Is Ash in your office?" asked Lashara.

"Yes, he's right here," Lithia confirmed before handing the receiver to Ash.

"Talk to me," he replied.

"Ash, the Headmistress has ordered the evacuation of the Academy and is issuing the Swan to takeoff!" reported Lashara. "We've sent Kenshi to help with the evacuation. We need your help as well." To Ash, Lashara sent Kenshi to Wahanly's workshop.

"You've sent Kenshi to get Wahanly?"

"Chiaia did." This made Ash take a deep breath.

"Lashara, don't tell Chiaia about Dagmeyr."

"Are you telling the empress what to do? Or is it that Maria's the chosen beau?"

"Dagmeyr's behind the invasion. Hannah confirmed this." Hearing the report, Lashara trusted Ash's word.

"Understood. Get to Kenshi. Some Sacred Mechamasters from the Shurifon Tribe have been deployed."

"Gotcha. I'll meet you guys later." Ash handed the receiver back to Lithia before running out of the room. Lashara had something else to say.

"And Ash… Please come back to us. You're the future husband we need." Lithia's eyes lit up to Lashara's confession. She stood recovered.

"I've already told him," she lied.

"Oh… thank you, Lithia." Ash and the creatures bolted to the workshop. Seeing the battle between different Sacred Mechanoids including those without shields. That's when cries of many Koros caught Ash's Koro's attention.

"Koro, what's up?" he asked. Koro ran out and found a den of Koros trapped in a net. "It can't be!" A laugh bellowed out.

"Listen, is that the twerp I hear?" started Jessie.

"We got it in our ears, loud and clear," added James.

"On the winds…"

"Past the stars…"

"And at possibly the worst time ever!" halted Ash. The trio gasped to Ash's interruption.

"Must you ruin a perfectly good motto, twerp!?" snapped Jessie. Ash was in no mood to hear of something like a motto.

"In case you're too stupid to realize, there's a battle of robots above that can crush you and not even Wobbufett's Counter can do much!" The trio scoffed to Ash's warning.

"Please, our machines are much more superior than those!" shrugged Jessie. "And while I know these aren't Pokémon, I can't help but admire their appearance!" The Koro whined in discomfort.

"We can release dese critters for Pikachu!" sneered Meowth. Ash realized the team won't listen to reason.

"Alright, if you wanna get smashed by these mechs, go ahead… but it's not like you've got a mech that can challenge those that are flying." Without warning, a blaster shot whizzed by Jessie's hair. Steamed, she ran past Ash and Pikachu to where she shook her fist at the Sacred Mechanoids.

"Hey, I'm trying to take Pikachu and leave!" she yelled. This left Ash with an opening. In a flash, he threw an uppercut into Jessie's spine. He followed up with a front kick to the back of Jessie's knee, doubling her over before Ash swung a spinning back-fist at Jessie's chin. She fell down in pain. James became a little fearful while Meowth snarled to the assault.

"Hey, what happened to no hitting other trainers, twerp!?" growled Meowth. Jessie started to stand.

"Did you forget, Meowth?" snapped Ash. "We're not in the Pokémon World, the laws don't apply… but even if they did, I'm doing what I can to save the Koro! In other words, your crimes are worse than what I did!" Jessie stood back up and became livid.

"So, that means I can kill you and no one will care about it!" she roared as she charged… only to receive a MechaWorker's arm, blasting her into the trees and knocking her out for good.

"JESSIE!" cried James and Meowth.

"Whoops, sorry!" apologized Kenshi.

"No, they're the ones who need to apologize," Ash corrected. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail to cut the net!" Pikachu complied and sliced the net without harming a hair on one Koro. With the Koro freed, Ash had an idea. "Koro, I'm gonna need your help." Ash's Koro blinked but became interested. "Guide the other Koro to help evacuate the students so that they don't get caught in the fight. Can you do that?" Ash's Koro jumped off and congregated with its fellow species before going toward the Academy.

"Wahan's coming to pick you up!"

"Thanks, Kenshi!"

"Sure! I'm gonna get Princess Aura! The Shurifon forces won't last long!"

"Be careful!" With his MechaWorker, Kenshi drove off. Ash turned to James and Meowth. "And I suggest you have two choices: stay out of the way or help with the Academy." To Meowth, there were more options.

"Like we'res gonna listen to youse after what ya did ta Jessie!" he snarled.

"Then leave," Ash gritted. "Otherwise, you won't be able to return." Wahanly rolled up with her MechaWorker and saw the ice-violet-haired and the cat.

"And I thought I've seen tacky uniforms before," she groaned as Ash boarded the MechaWorker. "Kenshi?"

"After Princess Aura," Ash reported.

"Gotcha," Wahanly accepted. The Sacred Mechanoids began to come after the MechaWorker when shots rang from the side. Ash and Pikachu looked to find the floor protruding turret guns. To Wahanly, the series of turret guns gave her a head's up. "The Headmistress must have turned on the Defense System!"

"She must be buying us time!" believed Ash. That's when he saw Lithia and Lapis at an opening and to a white circular platform. She knelt and placed something in a crevice before a handle protruded out. She twisted the handle and the platform opened, revealing a white Sacred Mechanoid. "Lithia's a Sacred Mechamaster?"

"Well, she didn't become Student Council President for nothing!" sighed Wahanly. Looking up, a rogue Sacred Mechanoid aimed a blaster at Lithia as she donned a maroon leotard. A shot rang out which blew Lithia and Lapis off their feet… but right into the MechaWorker with Wahanly catching the two.

"You two okay?" asked Ash.

"Yes, thanks to you," Lapis groaned. To Ash, the Sacred Mechanoids made him think as the voice rang out.

"This is the storm," he spoke.

"And I know what to do," Ash agreed. "Wahan, get to the workshop before you join the students."

"But of course!" agreed Wahanly. They reached the workshop where Ash and Wahanly jumped off the MechaWorker. "I'm gonna grab the armed MechaWorker! Should be up in a minute!" Seeing the old Sacred Mechanoid, Ash knew this was his moment and turned to Lithia. He undid his Pokéballs from his belt.

"Lithia, get Pikachu and my Pokémon to Empress Lashara," he requested. Pikachu and the girls gasped to Ash's offer.

"Ash, you can't!" shrieked Lapis. Ash looked to the Sacred Mechanoid and Lithia gasped to the thought.

"Wait… you mean to tell us-" she pictured.

"That voice is telling me I need to take action," Ash briefed. "As long as Pikachu's safe and all my Pokémon are out of harn's way, I'll be fine." Wahanly zoomed out with a new MechaWorker armed with rocket launchers and other weapons.

"Let's move, people!" she urged. Watching Wahanly leave, Ash felt confident in the plan. Pikachu whined that he wasn't allowed to help.

"Wahan will provide you cover. Besides, Pikachu… if you join me, you'll get badly sick. It's a risk I don't wanna take with you." Ash dashed back to the Sacred Mechanoid as Lithia sped off.

"He's got battlefield awareness and uncanny strategic senses," she listed. "I was stupid, I should've known…" Lapis and Pikachu blinked to Lithia's thoughts. Outside, Wahanly used her MechaWorker's weapons as the enemy Sacred Mechanoids tried to attack Kenshi as Aura came to Lithia's MechaWorker. "What's going on? Where's that Wild Beast!?" Aura shot a look to the cocooned Sacred Mechanoid as Kenshi palmed it. That's when a blinding light flashed. Maria and Yukine viewed the scene from afar on yet another unarmed MechaWorker.

"Was that… Kenshi?" asked Maria.

"No doubt of who," Yukine believed. Viewing from inside, Lashara saw the fortress.

"Babalun has returned and Aunt Flora made a unique appearance," she studied. An armored train fired cannons and blasters at the fortress.

"You've gotta give it to Queen Flora," Vanessa shrugged. Suddenly, Maria appeared.

"What's going on, cousin!?" she snapped as Headmistress also joined, splitting the screen.

"Would you care to explain this fiasco?" she demanded an answer.

"What pray tell do you mean?" the empress wondered.

"HIM!" shouted Maria. "HIM!" A new image appeared as Kenshi entered the cocoon. Finally, the Sacred Mechanoid emerged, a beastly white image that glistened among the smoke caused by the fighting. The Headmistress gasped to the sight.

"Can it be?" she believed. "Is he really a Light-Type?" Lashara and Maria looked confused.

"What's a Light-Type?" they questioned.

"The sacred text of the church tells us…" began the Headmistress. "'He who is garbed in light shall be the savior of the world while he who dawns the robes of darkness shall be bent on its destruction.'" To Lashara, the two types were equal.

"Light and Darkness…" she repeated. Headmistress had more.

"Both of these forces interconnect with one another: Light can take the form of Darkness and Darkness can form the shape of Light." Everyone watching was stunned, but Wahanly cackled.

"Who would've dreamed that we were in the midst of a pure white Sacred Mechanoid!?" lisped Lithia

"I'm not surprised," she grinned. "I always knew Kenshi was meant for that Sacred Mechanoid." Then came another rumble from the side Stepping though the door was the Sacred Mechanoid that was unearthed. Dagmeyr, in the Royal Blue Sacred Mechanoid, gasped to the new sight.

"Okay, that attendant's piloting the white Sacred Mechanoid," he studied. "Then… who's piloting that!?" The sky blue Sacred Mechanoid was larger in size compared to the other Sacred Mechanoids. That's when Headmistress realized the ordeal.

"The Legendary Sacred Mechanoid is active," she gasped. "Excalibur…" Lashara and Maria blinked to the name of the new Sacred Mechanoid.

"Excalibur?" they repeated.

"There's a legend that the first Sacred Mechanoid from so long ago was built. It was considered a godsend to those when the Sacred Mechanoid purged the evils to defend the Goddess and her domain. No tyrant would match it, no monster would best it… but it was considered uncontrollable and that no one could pilot it for ages. It was deemed Excalibur: a holy blade that only the chosen can withhold. Now, someone had been chosen… but who?" Lashara and Maria wondered to the information.

"Kenshi's controlling the pure white Sacred Mechanoid," Maria recalled.. "So, it's not him." Looking down and around, Yukine spotted Pikachu on Lithia's shoulder and had a realization.

"Where is Ash?" she questioned. Maria blinked in a perplexed confusion when Yukine pointed to Pikachu.

"If Pikachu's with Lady Lithia," Maria brought up. Finally, Lashara and Maria figured out the ordeal as did Wahanly.

"ASH IS EXCALIBUR'S SACRED MECHAMASTER!?" cried Lashara and Maria.

"Okay, I can get off Kenshi being a Sacred Mechamaster," Wahanly freaked. "But Ash is something completely different!" Hearing who's piloting Excalibur, Lashara and Maria froze in dire shock.

"Well, I never would've expected the legendary Excalibur to be operated by a child," Flora mentioned from the train. "But if this helps with taking my daughter's hand… I'm all for it." Lashara and Maria's infatuations grew more for Ash.

"We were right to claim Ash as our new emperor," Lashara smirked.

"I figured Ash was a knight in shining armor, but this makes it all worth having him close!" awed Maria. The rogue Sacred Mechanoids aimed their blasters at Excalibur which gave Kenshi's Sacred Mechanoid a chance to pounce. It raced past and in the split second, tore apart the red Sacred Mechanoid. The core cracked. Seeing the destroyed Sacred Mechanoid, the green Sacred Mechanoid tried to speed away.

"DON'T KILL ME!" that Sacred Mechamaster wailed. "DON'T KILL ME!"

"COWARD!" scorned Dagmeyr. Excalibur intercepted its path. It chopped the blaster from the green Sacred Mechanoid's hands.

"Let me guess," Ash growled. From the rim of the stadium, Chiaia and Mexiah's students heard Ash's voice. "You feel confident when it comes to the helpless down here, but now that it's someone your own size, you begin to panic?"

"Wait, that's Ash!" gasped Wreda.

"Ash is a Sacred Mechamaster as well as Kenshi?" guessed Bwoole.

"Who would've thought the two boys from the Highlands were Sacred Mechamasters?" awed Yeliss. Excalibur clobbered the Sacred Mechamaster's head off.

"AHH!" screamed Dagmeyr's partner. Excalibur turned to see a lime green Sacred Mechanoid going after Wahanly and her MechaWorker. Dagmeyr in his royal blue blocked Excalibur's path.

"You've betrayed me you underhanded-" he growled before Ash cut him off.

"Tell that to Chiaia when you see her again!" he snapped back when Dagmeyr fired a beam from the hilt of the sword. Using a jet exhaust, Excalibur rotated around the beam before nailing a rolling kick, flooring Dagmeyr's Sacred Mechanoid. Shots rained from above as more destruction surrounded Kenshi and his Sacred Mechanoid. Retreating to Kenshi's side, Ash had to do something. "Kenshi, let's bring them to the playing field." The white Sacred Mechanoid and Excalibur turned to each other when they nodded. They sprinted back to the coliseum and Chiaia wasn't liking their process.

"Why are those two idiots coming here?"she growled as she turned around. That's when she felt someone missing. "Wait… where's Mexiah?" None of Mexiah's students knew. More Sacred Mechanoids entered with Dagmeyr recovering. Now the real battle would take place. How could Ash and Kenshi escape from the coliseum with a series of stone pillars erected and a fleet of Sacred Mechanoids coming after them? And what's Babalun's intentions?

TO BE CONTINUED…