~Hall of Origins~

Arceus and her lake guardians, Mewtwo, Latias, and Giratina were all watching Ash and his situation through a vat located at the center of the main room in the Hall of Origins. Arceus and Giratina with a much more impassive expressions than the rest. Mewtwo stood with his arms crossed, glaring while the lake guardians were bopping around him lively. Finally, Latias was hovering over the vat watching with pure anticipation.

'Still think your plan was the right one?' Mewtwo shot at Arceus, tearing his gaze away from the vat. 'Without his Pikachu, the boy's moral compass and observation skills are critically impaired,'

'To be fair, he never really was that observant to begin with.' Mespirit chimed in cheekily, still swaying in the air. 'Neither was Pikachu. Brains weren't really their strong point, they go by their guts.'

'Shut it, squirt.' Mewtwo retorted angrily. 'No one's talking to you.'

'Ooh, big man!' She mocked. 'Look at me, I'm shivering!' She began giggling.

'Must you continue with the nicknames Mewtwo?' Arceus scolded. 'Please, this is a place of respect and honor.'

Mewtwo scoffed in response. 'Whatever. You didn't answer my question. This situation is getting worse by the second. Still going with the 'no interference' rule?'

'Of course.' Arceus stated. 'As I should. It was my decision long ago to stop interfering with the exception of creation.'

'But Ash is being deceived!' Latias added. 'Shouldn't one of us go down there and warn him of what is to come?'

'How will he learn to overcome if we are the ones to fix the problem. He must find the strength himself.' Azelf said calmly.

'Azelf is correct. Even if we put destiny aside, the Chosen One will benefit much more if we let him do this himself.' Arceus said nodding her head once. 'You should have more faith Mewtwo. Just because we are not there does not mean he will fail on his path.'

'Well excuse me if I'm not as well-endowed as your 'children' Arceus. Unlike them I was created by imperfect beings.' He snarled. 'And why didn't you tell Jirachi?'

'There is no such thing as perfection, Mewtwo. Not even I am perfect, that is why you are allowed to call my actions.' She said monotoned. 'As for why young Jirachi doesn't know, as soon as I sensed young Max's regrets, I decided against it. I decided it would be too much for me to do.'

'On another note, perhaps we could allow Zygarde 1 to fight with the young girl.' Azelf offered. 'That could, in theory, take some tension off the others who feel someone should be involved.'

'Yes, and he has been very stressed over young Bonnie lately.' Giratina added. 'What do you think?' He said turning to Arceus.

Arceus stood in thought for a moment and then sighed. 'I wish my children would practice the rule of non-attachment like I suggested. Still, I suppose it's unavoidable. I'll allow it, but he must steer clear of the Chosen One.'

'It's about time you made a good call.' Mewtwo snorted. 'I was beginning to think I misplaced my trust.'

'I never meant for you to doubt myself. My intentions are pure, of that you can be sure. Whether it seems like it to you or not I only want what's best for my Chosen.'

'You left him with Delia for a mother. You had to have known what she truly was.' Latias retorted.

'No. That is the nature of life. Everything starts out pure, but nothing is free from corruption. And corruption is everywhere. She was a good mother. Was. Even we, as the legends of this world, are not above malicious nature. You all know that.'

'I still say I should go down there.' Mewtwo said turning his attention back to the vat which now showed Ash, Aaron, Serena, and Kane walking down a hallway. 'That Lucario visited him in his sleep right under our noses without consequences.'

'Lucario acted out of brashness and ignorance to the severity of the situation. I should have known something like that would happen. After all, once they've passed on, they are no longer in my domain and don't adhere to my rules.' She said slightly annoyed. 'Still, he said little and it's hard to hold a grudge against my guardians' right hand.'

'So basically, he can do it but we can't.' Latias summarized. Beside her Mewtwo was eyeing Uxie who had barely moved in hours, save only for hovering in the air.

'You're awfully quiet, Uxie.' Mewtwo said.

In response Uxie turned its head toward the Genetic Pokemon. 'Some talk much, but say little.' The petite pokemon said in an unattached voice.

Mewtwo glared back at the knowledge pokemon. 'I'm going to assume you're not talking about me for your sake. And look at me if you're going to have a conversation!' He snapped.

Uxie shook its head. 'Eyes can deceive you. I've learned to only trust my mind, and am better for it.'

'Are you gonna tell us your take on the situation or not?'

'There's a reason Arceus is in charge. I trust her.' Uxie replied simply.

'That's it?' Mewtwo asked incredulously. 'There's a reason Arceus is in charge.' He repeated mockingly. 'That's your take on the situation? I thought you were the keeper of wisdom! Give us something more!' Mewtwo snapped. 'Something with, you know, wisdom?'

'Sometimes the wisest words are the simplest.' Uxie said back in monotone. 'Big words do not make a smart being.'

'Thank you Uxie.' Arceus said. 'Would you be so kind as to fetch Zygarde for me?' Uxie nodded and floated off slowly. 'Giratina, recall Palkia and Dialga back here and Latias make sure to alert Meloetta. Tell her to keep her distance from here on out. We must not interfere any more than we already have.' Arceus ordered.

XXXXX

"Ash!" Serena whined trailing behind the others. "I thought you said we'd go home!" She caught Aaron and Kane looking at her in inquiry. Aipom was also confused but was to focused on using his stubby appendages to hold himself up on Kane's shoulders to turn his head. Eventually he gave up trying to use his near vestigial limbs and opted to hang off Kane's shoulder with his tail hand.

Noticing the looks, Serena quickly backtracked. "No offense." She corrected herself holding her hand sup in mock surrender. "Honestly, you've got a really nice place, I just prefer places I'm familiar with."

"And how will you get to try new things with that attitude?" Aaron shot back. "In any case we're almost finished, but Ash and I wanted to do an... extra lesson before he leaves my humble abode. Won't take very long I promise."

His words sent shivers down her spine, thought she didn't know why. He still managed to creep her out even thought she had no idea who he was or where he she knew him from. She quickly picked up the pace and fell in line with Ash. "Straight home." She scolded quietly leaning over to him. "You promised."

"I know. I know. But this isn't about me, it's about Pikachu." He whispered back. "Just hang in there, Serena. We're healing Pikachu." He said determinedly.

"Healing? Ash, the doctors said the damage was beyond repair. This sounds too good to be true." Serena warned.

"Trust me." Ash pressed authoritatively.

"Normally when someone says that, bad things happen."

"We're here!" Aaron yelled holding out his arms in front of him presenting the room to the rest of the company, though both Kane and Aipom had been before. "The heart of the factory!"

Ash, Aaron and the others arrived at the center most room in the entire facility. Built specifically for the bossman himself, Aaron. A small, dimly lit, room with a complex computer with multiple screens located at the northern portion and six large circular pads located all over the room. Three to the right and three to the left.

"This is the heart?" Ash asked taking a look around. The four of them shuffled in the room. "It's not a room with a computer, it's a computer with a room!"

"Didn't anyone ever teach you not to judge things on base appearances? But never mind that, if we're going to help Pikachu, we'll need something first." Aaron declared.

"Do we need us to run to the market? A little late don't you think?" Ash said.

"No nothing like that." Aaron said waving his hand at the boy. "Something else. A person." He clarified.

"Excuse me, Aaron." Serena interrupted putting extra emphasis on Aaron. "We took Pikachu to one of the best surgeon's in all of Kanto. We were told it was hopeless. And considering you're just Aaron and not Dr. Aaron, I don't see what you could do that the surgeon couldn't." She glared crossing her arms over her chest.

The man chuckled in response. "Ever the spark of life in you. You're exactly right, though. It's often what you don't see that is the quickest solution. The reason I could help and that incompetent man could not, is because I can use aura." He said putting his left hand to his chest. "As can your friend." He took his hand and pointed to Ash. "Ash, you may remember one of the things I mentioned off handedly is that not only is aura key for meditation, but aura can be directly siphoned given the right circumstances." He started. Ash nodded once in understanding.

"When your body experiences grief, pain, sickness, disabilities, things like that, the aura around it becomes...tainted. I call this impaired aura." He explained. "The only way to fix your Pikachu's situation is to replace that impaired aura with healthy aura. It's an ancient, forgotten technique of the old aura guardians."

"How would you know something like that?" Serena asked. Beside her Kane looked like he wanted to say something, but kept his mouth shut and just gave Aipom a nervous look who in return just continued to swing back and forth.

"All will be explained in time." The boss replied levelly. "First we help Pikachu. Then I'll answer any questions." He smiled at Ash.

"But why-" Serena started

"So how do we create healthy aura?" Ash asked cutting Serena off. "What do we do?"

"Sadly, you can't just create healthy aura." Aaron replied. "Healthy aura is only created when new life is created, something we do not have the ability to do. So we'll need to...borrow...someone else's. Do not worry, having someone else's aura inside Pikachu will not harm him. He'll most likely feel sick for a week or so but eventually his body will assimilate the foreign aura into his own."

"Take someone else's?" Ash looked to his feet. "What kind of effects would that have on the other person? Oh, what does it matter, use mine!" He declared. "I don't care what I have to do just help my little buddy!"

"Ash!" Serena scolded.

"Admirable, truly admirable. From what I've learned, you should think of it as a swap. Whatever is healed in Pikachu will be taken from the subject. If you were truly to go through with this Pikachu would be healed, but you would be in his position. Paralyzed from the waist down." Aaron said.

"Do it." Ash replied without a second's hesitation.

"Ash!" Serena snapped her head towards him "You are not doing this!"

"Lucky for you I have a different idea. Follow me." He led them all to the computer at the front of the room and began typing on his keyboard. "As soon as I thought of this plan, I had one of my employees go on a special trip to Kanto. I knew you'd volunteer yourself, but It'd be a damn shame if you truly had to go through with it." He brought a finger up to his ear. "Dr. Sung, subject K13 to control room."

'Right away, sir.'

"Subject K13?" Serena asked.

"Kane." He turned to the younger man. "Got to that lever over there," He said pointing to the opposite side of the room. "and wait for further instructions." Suddenly a loud whirring overtook the room and startled the two guests.

"What's going on!" Ash said covering his ears.

"You're about to be offered the chance of a lifetime!" Aaron called back. At the right side of the room one of the circular pads lowered until a big hole was left in its place.

"What's that?" Serena asked trying to calm herself form the loud sounds around her. "What's happening?!" A single pod raised up from the hole in the floor. There was someone inside. It didn't take long for Ash to recognize who was in the pod. The pod came to a stop once it was fully in the room.

"My mother?!"

"Delia!" Serena gasped covering her mouth with both hands. Indeed, in the pod was a sleeping middle aged woman in a white cleaning outfit and her hair up in a ponytail. Peacefully resting with a smile on her face.

"I told you I'd been watching for a long time." Aaron said in a soothing voice. "We needed healthy aura. A soul such as you shouldn't have to go through what could very much be such pain to fix something that wasn't even your fault. With so much at stake, I knew you'd volunteer yourself, so I decided to provide an easier way out."

"There's no way she'd be okay with this! She was a driving force in crippling Pikachu." Ash stated.

"Yes, I know. When my underlings approached her about this, she was less than cooperative. She unleashed an Emboar on us. Not much of a challenge in the hands of an inexperienced battler."

Ash rolled his eyes. "Him again? Great. So, if she didn't want to help, why is she here?" He asked.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures. We needed a source. No one would blame us for choosing her."

"Wait a second." Serena interrupted. "You make it sound like you knocked her out and dragged her here. You know, kidnapping?"

"Kidnapping is such an ugly word. I prefer justice. Comeuppance. The way I see it, she had this coming. You didn't want Ash to do it, right?" He pressed. "Now he doesn't have to." He walked over to Ash and put a hand on his shoulder. "Are you in?"

Ash looked at Aaron for a moment and then back to his mother. He shrugged the hand off of his shoulder and made his way to the pod his mother was in. He stopped with his face inches away from the pod, eye to eye with his mother. "We meet again, huh? Never thought I'd see the day." He said to the sleeping form.

Aaron followed Ash's footsteps and came to a stop next to him. "You haven't answered the question. Do you still volunteer yourself? Or do we use your mom?" He asked. Serena watched with anticipation in her eyes. There was a slight gleam in Aaron's eyes, just subtle enough to sneak by Ash and Serena's senses, but not Kane's.

"She's my mother." Ash said turning his head and glaring at Aaron. "Not my mom. Any woman in the world can mother a child, but it takes someone much more special than her to be a mom." He turned his head back to the stasis pod. "How would this even work?" Ash asked. "What would I do?"

"During one of our sessions I asked you if you had any experience in manipulating aura. You told me you once helped a Lucario heal a Mew at the Tree of Beginnings." Aaron started. "It's much the same, except instead of healing, you'll be taking." He clarified. "You just center yourself, imagine Pikachu getting better, feel your mother getting worse. Then use your will. Make it happen."

"Doesn't sound very ethical, Aaron." Serena shot at the man.

"Doesn't it? I didn't know there is a clear definition of 'ethical'. My definition of ethical is what is just and what you feel in your heart." He shot back before turning his attention back to Ash. "The justice system failed you, Ash. No one truly got punished for what happened to your friend. If they won't do something, then who will?" He asked with a knowing smile. Ash just continued to stare at Delia.

"Ash I don't think-" Serena started taking a few steps toward Ash before being cut off by a powerful gust kicking up around Ash. The gust pushed her back so she was in the same spot she was before speaking and blew her hat clean off her head. She tried her best to stop it, grabbing the top of her head, but to no avail "Ash!"

"The lever! Now, Kane!" Aaron shouted pointing at the younger man. Kane nodded and, with slight reluctance, pulled the large lever and next to the stasis pod Delia was in a much wider but shorter pod raised up from the ground. The difference was this pod was empty and seemingly built with many different parts.

"Ash! Can't we talk about this?!" Serena pleaded clasping her hands together.

"He can't hear you." Aaron replied. Serena turned to see Aaron pressing buttons rapidly across his key board, brilliant white lights flashing underneath the keys. "He's too deep in concentration. He'll snap out of it soon." He told her without looking back at her. "I need a siphon connecting tube K13 and vat one." He called into his mic. A small, slender tube lowered from the ceiling and connected the two tubes. "All set."

Serena began making her way towards Ash again. "Ash!" Serena began taking steps toward Ash, working against the ever-growing gust surrounding him. Behind her Aaron pointed at Kane, grabbing his attention and gestured towards Serena. He then mouthed 'stop her' but didn't let any noise come from his mouth. She tried walking closer but she was stopped by Kane's hand on her shoulder, holding her back. "Do you mind?" She said glaring at him.

"I wouldn't do that." Kane suggested. "You should stay here, at a distance."

"Why?" Serena asked shrugging his hand off her shoulder. "Can't you see he's about to dig himself into a bigger hole?!"

"Uh..." He stammered trying to think of something. "What if you get caught in the middle of the transfer? You could end up hurt." He tried.

Serena turned to look at Kane and his pleading Aipom. "I'll take my chances." She turned her head back to Ash. "I have to-" Serena gave out a loud gasp and covered her mouth with both her hands. In front of her Ash, eyes closed and two hands out in front of him, was being surrounded by some type of blue electricity. She could see that it was a painful experience, but it looked like Ash's mind wasn't even registering the pain.

In the pod Delia was engulfed by what looked like blue-colored smoke and again it looked like Delia's reflexes were working but there were no moans of pain. In between the pod and Ash there was a giant blue sphere forming and growing in size. The more of what Serena assumed was healthy aura that spilled out of Delia, the more conscious it seemed Ash was becoming. Suddenly his eyes shot open and Ash quickly became aware of what was happening.

"What am I doing?!" He panicked unable to stop the transaction. He looked at his torso to see it buzzing with electricity and finally began feeling the effects. "I'm in terrible pain right now! Is it too late to change my mind? Somebody stop me!" He yelled. He looked behind him to see Serena, Kane, and Aipom staring at him in awe. "Serena! Now would be a good time for an intervention!" He yelled. Around him the gust of aura began to move less in a uniform path and more sporadically.

"Stop now and you might kill her!" Aaron interrupted. That was a lie. In truth, if Ash were to stop halfway through, then all the effects would be reversed and it would be as if it never happened.

"Kill her?! You never mentioned that part!" Ash snapped at the older man, enraged. "What do I do?!"

"Calm down. I told you, use your will. Force the aura through the siphon and into the other tube." Aaron instructed pointing at the larger of the tubes. "Visualize it." Ash nodded and closed his eyes again and the wind around him returned to its uniform pattern. Portion after portion aura spilled out of Delia's tube and into the empty one, where in conglomerated in the middle assimilating each new portion into a new form. The larger tube and siphon would also glow shiny cobalt whenever involved with any events aura-related.

Just as Ash was siphoning the last bit of the needed healthy aura in he fell backward quickly, landing harshly on the floor.

"Ash!" Serena shot forward towards Ash as the gust surrounding him died down completely. She came to a stop right next to him and dropped to her knees. "Ash!" She yelled shaking him gently. Kane joined her on the floor and put two fingers to Ash's wrist.

"He's alive, pulse is normal. My guess is he just fainted from stress." He informed her. Kane looked at the pod to see the previously siphoned aura beginning to transporting itself back to Delia. "Hey Boss!" He said pointing at the tube.

"Shit!" Aaron cursed. He rushed over and stuck his hands out in front of him which both began to glow cobalt blue and the circular wind returned around him. "Can't let it reverse." Being much more experienced he was able to finish the job much quicker than Ash would've been able to. The bunch of accumulated aura came to a halt in the wider tube, moving around violently, as if it was sentient.

On her knees Serena dozed off into space as scenes of days ago flashed before her eyes. She saw herself sitting in front of a TV with Clemont and Bonnie by her side. On the TV there was a much more elderly Aaron mocking them.

'Then that mean you're the one behind the kidnappings.' She heard Clemont's voice say.

'Yes, that was me.' She heard Aaron reply. 'I thought I'd show you what you're up against.'

Before her she saw Aaron climb in a pod next to another pod holding a lady she didn't know and watch as some sort of weird procedure commenced causing the young lady to grow older and Aaron to grow much younger. Then everything became clear. He was the bad guy. She had been in the den of the devil for days and didn't even know it. That's what her vision and headaches were. They were her brain trying to warn her. She blinked once to find herself once again back in reality. She turned to see Kane observing Ash and Aaron sitting on his swivel chair, working on his computer again.

"You!" She said jolting to her feet and pointing a finger accusingly at Aaron. "I remember now! You kidnapped everyone! You stole that girl's youth! And worst of all you've been manipulating my Ash from the very beginning, haven't you?!"

Aaron turned his chair around to face the young teen. "Yes. Yes. And yes. Though I must say if you think manipulating "your" Ash is the worst thing I've done, then your priorities are more than a little out of line. You know, you've been nothing but rude since you arrived here, and with all this incessant nagging you do, I'm beginning to wonder what Ash sees in you."

"I was rude because you were being a bad influence on Ash!" She said glaring at him. "Look where your help has gotten him!"

"Harsh words." Aaron replied leaning over and making a pyramid with his fingers. "You, little girl, are starting to get on my nerves. No doubt you want to tell Ash what a bad, bad man I am and drag him out of here immediately." He chuckled to himself. "But I've got you just where I want you. And you won't tell him a thing."

"Why's that?"

"Because you like your Braxien alive." Aaron replied.

'Braxien!' Serena remembered feeling her pockets for the pokeball. 'She was in my pocket when I left the lab!' That was starting to come back to her as well. How two older men attacked her. She remembered defending herself with Braxien, then nothing.

"Braxien's not the only one of your friends currently in my custody. It'd be a shame if something would happen to them because you couldn't keep your mouth shut." He added smugly.

"Is that a threat?" Serena snapped.

"Of course not. I just wished to inform you of your situation." Aaron replied. "So, make a choice on what course of action you wish to take, little girl, because I can feel him waking up in three, two, one..." Next to Kane Ash began to moan in pain, still hurting from the electricity produced by the overuse of aura.

"Ash!" Serena darted back to her friend. "Ash, are you alright?"

Ash hoisted his upper body up from his arms and did a quick take of his surroundings. He quickly noticed the tube which now held his mother's healthy aura. "Did it work? Please tell me I didn't kill her."

"According to my computer vital signs are showing." Aaron replied from his seat. "She's alive. You did well. I have to go check on something in the lab, Kane watch them just to make sure they don't make any trouble." He said. Serena knew the whole statement was directed towards her. But he was right, as much as she loved Ash, and boy was that a lot, she would never choose him over Braxien. She would just have to play along for now.

"So, it happened?" Ash asked turning his head to Serena. "I stole Delia's healthy aura?"

"Yes." Serena said somberly lowering her head in the process. "You did. What were you thinking? You came here to clean up your act and now this." She told him. "You realize he could use all this against you, right?"

"I don't think he would do that." Ash replied.

'If only you knew.' She thought.

"Serena can you be honest with me?" Ash asked with pleading eyes. "There's something I need to know."

"Anything." Serena replied.

"Have I become a bad person?" He asked. "I need you to be honest."

"What?" She asked softly but still surprised. "Ash, of course you're not a bad person. What would give you such a silly idea?"

"I never really realized it until after my confrontation with Oak but I've done so many questionable and terrible things." He replied. Unable to hold himself up on his arms any longer he slouched back onto the floor. "I'm a jerk to every new person I meet, even when they're nothing but nice to me, I've become unforgiving, I straight up killed a man, and now look, I've just stolen a woman's health without her even knowing."

"Ash..."

"And worst of all," He continued. "I'm not sorry. It felt...good. Hurting my mother like that. I may have told you I wanted to stop, but deep down I think I wasn't going to let anything stop me. It felt like I needed to do it." He said. "Does that make me a bad person?"

"Of course not." Serena replied without thought. "There are very few people on this world that I would label 'bad', and you Ash Ketchum, are not one of them." She said. "You're flawed. Oak hurt you in the worst way possible, by attacking your best friend, and Delia went along with it every step of the way. No one blames you for being angry and bitter. I can't say that if someone did that to Braxien that I would show mercy. I will admit though, I do miss the old Ash from time to time. I want you to try harder to bring him back. For me?" She asked with pleading eyes.

"Alright. I'll try. But first, Pikachu." He said trying to get up. Serena wrapped his left arm around her shoulder and slowly stood up acting as a support beam. For further support she pushed up on his chest with one hand.

"Let's get you something to eat first." Serena insisted. "Kane, take us to a cafeteria, or a freezer, even a vending machine would work."

"Alright, follow me." He nodded.

~Pokeball Factory – Lower Levels~

Aaron was walking down a dark corridor until he met up with another woman dressed up in a lab coat holding a clipboard standing just outside a heavily fortified door with a retina scanner to the left of it. "T." Aaron called. "You called? I assume that means our newest subject is all set up in his pod?"

"Yes sir." T replied. She wrote a couple things down and then held the clipboard out in front of her. Aaron took it without hesitation and flipped so he could read it. "Subject label S29 is set in his pod."

"Good." He walked past her and bent over in front of the lock on the door. A small bulbous figure located on the lock opened up and a green laser shot forward and scanned Aaron's eye from left to right.

'Access granted.'

The doors parted slowly creating an entrance for him to enter. This wasn't just any room though. Once inside he was immediately met with a small modified Z.Z. flyer he acquired from the Oblivia region hovering just above ground, but even more noticeable was that aligned against the left wall for as long as the eye could see, was stasis pod after stasis pod, each holding a captive inside seemingly unaware of their situation. Aaron, having seen this many times, payed no mind to it and quickly mounted his flyer.

"Flyer." He said with a commanding voice. Take me to sector S." He ordered. The flyer took off quickly down the hall it was located in and as Aaron looked to his left he could see a blur of faces as he moved farther down the corridor.

The flyer came to a stop at a pod labeled 'Subject S1: Casey Dean Saaz' which held a young girl of her 20's with long black hair and a red shirt and pants. She was also wearing an eevee hat and glasses. Aaron looked for one second then turned away. "Not what I'm looking for." He hopped off his flyer and made his way down the hall passing more and more tubes.

"S26...S27...S28...here." He called off. "Subject S29 'Brock Victor Stone." He smiled. "Or as I like to call him Plan B." Indeed, in the pod was Ash's most prevalent traveling companion, unconscious and in his normal outfit. "With you in my care, if Ash does decide to revolt, I'll have something to hold against him and he'll still be mine. And soon all your other friends will join you. Now if only I could get Serena in one of these without raising suspicions right now. I fear she's not going to let my secret identity slide much longer."

'Sir, it's Butler.' A voice went off in his ear. He pressed a finger to the microphone lodged in his ear.

"Butler. What is it?" He replied with annoyance. "And be quick."

"It's the boys' friends. They're just outside the premises. Should we intercept now, sir?"

"Only send a few for now. Lead them closer to the factory, then we spring the trap. I have stasis tubes ready for all of them. Also send out a message to everyone saying not to let Ash and Serena near anything that could alert them to the situation."

'Right away, sir.'