Of a Dragon's Bond
Chapter I: A Viable Seed

Ash stood guard in front of the gates of Cameran Palace, overlooking the city of Rota. The man sighed and shook his head, attempting to clear his thoughts. For the past hour he had kept vigil, another glowing translucent figure appeared before him yet again, wandering the bridge between the city and the palace.

Ever since he exited the Ethereal, the 'apparitions', as Ash called them, started to present themselves to the young man whenever he was weary. Some months ago, Ash had found out that each time his body entered a fatigued state; his Aura senses would become very sensitive to his surroundings. Unfortunately, as a human body adapts, so did his. The young man now was able to see these apparitions on a regular basis, be it day or night.

Though mostly harmless, it was not an ability Ash was very fond of. As one in his position would have naturally done, he consulted the First Knight of Cameran, Riley Gen, a senior in Aura use. Sadly enough, Riley's Aura sensitivity was not as high as Ash's, therefore unable to see the apparitions, but admittedly limited to auditory experiences. The two reluctantly received the existence of these otherworldly figures, incapable of debunking them.

Ash eyed the translucent figure as he cursed his high natural adaptability for Aura senses. The figure, a man dressed in what seemed to be a dated variety of Cameran Order's uniform, caught the young man's gaze and came closer.

The apparition carefully inspected the Knight, confirming the young man's awareness to his presence. "Ya' can see me?"

"Unfortunately," Ash replied as he gave another sigh. "Is there any… Unfinished business that requires you to be here? I would like to complete my vigil in peace. Though if you prove to be a quite pleasant partner in conversation, I might be inclined to letting you stay."

The apparition clasped his hand in joy, "Oh, thank the heavens!" The man turned around and sat on the edge of the bridge. "Been 'ere for some time, I 'ave! Well, on an' off, one might say. Ser Deerhound and Dalmatian 'ave a couple of us wandering the Palace grounds. Been searching for a bloke here, we 'ave!"

"I guess that explains the noises Riley have been hearing for the time he was in the Palace." Ash said.

The apparition snapped his finger, "S'he the one with the fancy, Ser Aaron-esque hat? Ah, really thought he was the one we've been looking for. Close, but no cigar, 'm afraid. Say, what's yer position 'ere in the Order? Yer coat gives off a fancy one, not one of a Castle guard."

Ash turned to the apparition. "Aura Knight General of Cameran."

"Ya' are?!" The figure shouted in surprise. "Ya' might be the fellow we're looking for! Ya' have to be! Say, can ya' conjure those Aura Sphere an' techniques wizardry an' the such?"

"I wouldn't really call it wizardry, but-"

"Ah, whom am I kiddin'? Of course ya' can! Ya' can see an' talk with the likes o' us! Thank ya', Knight General. Off I go, then. To Ser Deerhound!" the figure excitedly said, running off to disappear into the night.

Ash gently pressed his forehead, trying to grasp the events that had just happened. "Right… Talking with apparitions. Can't say I've had weirder days. Might be going crazy, I am. But he spoke surprisingly proper with that accent…" the young man muttered, returning to an on-guard stance.

"Oh? Ser Ash, you're on guard duty?" Sanzou asked from inside the gate, accompanied by Mr. Blackthorn. "What of the night guards assigned?"

Ash turned and gave a slight bow. "Evening. T'was one of the guards' birthday. I sent them home as a little gift."

"As generous as ever, I see." Mr. Blackthorn commented. "Just make sure you don't overdo it, now. You've been working hard as of late, with you successfully disbanding the PTA amongst other things. I don't think you've even slept for the past two days."

"I'm absolutely fine, Mr. Blackthorn. I've the day off tomorrow; I'll make sure my body gets some rest." Ash replied, smiling.

"Well, then, I wish you a good vigil, Ser Ash. Do enjoy your day off tomorrow. And do remind me that we need to talk the day after." Sanzou said as the two older men left the gates for the Palace. "And do try to find an activity; you've still got five hours left."

Ash turned and sighed for the third time in the last fifteen minutes. "I don't suppose there are more apparitions in need of a chat?" he murmured to himself, answered by the silence of the night.

"What do you need to talk to me about, Sanzou-jii?" Ash asked the former Knight General upon entering the latter's office.

"Ah, there you are." Sanzou started, looking up. "How was your day off?"

"Quite enjoyable, except I did nothing but sleeping. Amazing how I can sleep for twenty hours straight. Woke up groggy, but after a morning shower everything's great." The young man answered, taking a seat in front of Sanzou's desk. Pikachu stayed on his shoulder and resumed eating the small apple given by Ash for breakfast.

Sanzou nodded to himself and set aside the files he was reading. "That's excellent. Now, to pressing matters." The older man said as he brought his hands together. "You see, Ser Ash, you've been a great addition to the Order. The greatest, some might say. We are at our most powerful at the moment." Sanzou started, receiving a slightly confused look from the Knight General. "There is going to be peace soon, Ser Ash, as soon as we round up the last of the PTA. But I am a man that looks forward into the future. What if the peace doesn't last for good? That would be the likeliest case, I'm afraid."

"I'll be there to stop them again, of course." Ash said sternly.

"Of course you will, Knight General. It's in your good-willed nature to do that." Sanzou leaned back on his chair. "But what I'm referring to is not that. What if another threat comes to the regions and none of the current Three Knights are present to stop them? What if the next generation of Knights prove to be incapable?"

Ash shifted uncomfortable in his seat. "And how do you propose I can help? You called me here today for that very reason, no?"

"Yes, that I did." Sanzou answered as he took a stack of folders from his desk drawer. "You see, Aura talent is hereditary. Riley's father also served in the Order, though much like his son, his talent was also limited. You are the very first one with such… Limitless capabilities. You were already very strong when I first met you, yet you were able to grow even stronger."

Ash eyed the older man cautiously. "Sanzou-jii? I don't think I fancy where this is going… I'm very much comfortable with my current lifestyle."

"Alas, we still have to do this, and we have to do it soon. I've already gotten permission from the Queen. Actually, Her Majesty proposed the idea herself. We've given you a rather generous time limit." The older man said as he turned the files around for Ash.

"Don't I have a say in this?" Ash said as he looked at the folders, sighing.

Sanzou shook his head. "Afraid not, it's for Cameran's best interest after all. You're going to need to choose – or find – a bride. The time limit for your freedom of choice is one year. Go past that point and I'm afraid the Palace or the Queen and I will have to choose for you." The Palace Admin explained. He tapped the folders and opened them. "We've taken the courtesy to sort out the marriage candidates, it's up to you if you want to choose from the pile or find one yourself. And seeing as how you wonderfully suppressed most of the PTA, you can leave the remaining members to the rest of the Order, namely Riley and Zen. You've earned some time off."

Ash nodded to himself as he grasped the situation, looking over the marriage candidates. He then looked up to his mentor. "How about I keep working, rounding up the rest of the PTA and not choose at all?"

"Again, I'm afraid that's not possible. My apologies, Ser Ash, but the Palace has agreed to this." Sanzou said simply. "We know it's rushed, but you have all year to find a bride – it doesn't have to be a bride, though it is preferable – we would be content if you've found a partner. It does give the assurance that your talent line will continue. Of course, we would be more content if you could be formally engaged-"

"-I think I've fully grasped the point, Sanzou-jii. I'll try to find one, but I won't push my luck. Is that okay with you?" Ash interrupted the older man.

"Excellent! That's what I like to hear." Sanzou exclaimed as he stood up. "Ah, don't go yet, Knight General. I have a little task for you."

Similarly, Ash stood up. "Does it involve any more secret schemes you and the Queen have?"

"Fortunately for you, no." Sanzou stepped next to Ash and placed a hand on the young man's shoulder. "You see, I was supposed to go and fetch our VIPs for the upcoming Cameran's Royal Ball in four days. You're aware of this, yes? It's the fine celebration of Cameran's-"

"-Founding and incidentally, Sir Aaron's death, yes. It's been beaten into me by you countless times, Sanzou-jii." Ash finished the other man's sentence.

"Wonderful. As I was saying, I was supposed to fetch three of our VIPs this afternoon. Sadly, something came up, so I'm leaving it to you, Ser Ash. I've notified our guests that another person from the Order shall come and pick them up." The man explained, handing Ash three pictures. "These people are fairly important, so do be careful. You should know these figures, what with you being a trainer and all."

Ash took the pictures and looked over them. "Cynthia Shirona, Sinnoh Champion… Wow, really? Iris, Unova Champion. Is this real, Sanzou-jii? Iris actually became Unova's Champion?"

"Quite the uproar when Alder was beaten by a young girl three years ago, there was. Fantastic match, if I may say so myself." Sanzou commented.

"I see… Well, I'll get to confirm it myself, it seems." Ash muttered as he looked at the last profile. "Clair Blackthorn, Blackthorn City Gym Leader and member of the Blackthorn family. Alright then, where did you say I was supposed to meet them?"

"Alto Mare. Mr. Blackthorn said they wanted to take a closer look of an extraordinary Pokémon or the sort… Ask the man for what they might be doing there, Knight General. Though it shouldn't really matter to you. Ah, don't forget to bring your driver's license." Sanzou said as he opened the door for the young man.

"My license?" Ash asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, seeing as Miss Shirona is there, you might have to drive her jeep back here. Now, I must be going back to my work. Do have fun in Alto Mare, Ser Ash." The Palace Admin pushed Ash out of his office, closing the door behind the young trainer with the Pikachu.

"I guess we should head to Alto Mare, Pikachu." Ash muttered to his best friend, beginning to make his way. Having to pass through the dining hall to exit to the Castle's courtyard, Ash bumped into Brock and Gary, two of Kanto's Elite Four.

"Hey Ash, going somewhere? We were just about to ask you to grab some drinks." Brock said, giving Ash a friendly shake.

"Unfortunately, yes. It seems I have to go to Alto Mare to pick up quite important guests for the Royal Ball." The youngest of the three said as he gave Gary a shake. Ash sat down, the other two following suit. "I should be back tonight, hopefully."

"By the way, Ash, we just had another meeting with the Gym Leaders yesterday, and they were wondering when you were going to show yourself. If you keep sending Brock and I to relay your messages, I'm afraid they're going to get even more restless." Gary explained, after taking a sip from his drink. "I think it's a good idea to meet them, it'll be good for morale."

"Oh, believe me, I want to," Ash started. "The meeting will be fine and all, but they'll definitely ask some questions right after. I'm not exactly fond of a barrage of those."

"Well, it's up to you, really," said Gary, shrugging. "But the longer you wait the more questions they'll ask."

Ash sighed as he closed his eyes briefly. "I know, I know. And I don't do well under a lot of human gazes, see. I might even babble about what happened when we met again in Pallet to draft you for the Elite Four."

"Hey!" Gary shouted. "We've all agreed that this topic has become something that we do not speak of."

"If you talk about of that which we do not speak, have you not spoken of that about which we do not talk?" Brock said as he shifted towards Gary.

Gary immediately raised his hand to stop Brock. "Do not speak of that of about which we talk of not speaking… About."

"Interesting wordplay… Unfortunately, it culminates to nothing." Ash stood up, fixing his coat. "As much as I enjoy these mindless banters, I'm afraid I must go to Alto Mare now if I want to arrive there before it gets too late. I'll be back to entertain you until the start of the Royal Ball."

"See you later, then." Brock and Gary said unanimously.

Ash took a bottle of water and exited the hall, reaching the courtyard. Catching the sight of Mr. Blackthorn treating a group of plants, he approached and greeted the older man. "Morning, Mr. Blackthorn. Why are you tending the plants? What of the gardeners?"

"Ah, morning, Ser Ash," Mr. Blackthorn responded without turning back. "Gardening is actually a hobby of mine. Recently, I was given this small space for myself. It's all very exciting. I've spent the past hour just doing seed conditioning."

"Seed conditioning?" Ash asked, squatting beside the Royal Trainer.

"Separating the good ones and the bad ones," Mr. Blackthorn said, grabbing a handful of seeds. "Anyway, I hear that you're going to meet my granddaughter in Alto Mare."

"Uh-huh," Ash hummed. "If she's there together with the Champions of Sinnoh and Unova, the only reason I can think of is the legendary Pokémon Latias. That's the only interest they would have in common, if I have to take a guess."

Mr. Blackthorn looked at Ash, eyes widened in wonder. He then shook his head while chuckling. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. For all I know, you've probably met Latias and saved the city from impending doom."

"I was lucky enough to have the chance to meet Latias some years back, yes. By the way, is there any reason why Clair is the only Gym Leader invited to the Royal Ball?" the younger man asked.

Mr. Blackthorn sat down on the ground and crossed his legs. "She wasn't invited as a Gym Leader, Ser Ash. She was invited to represent the Blackthorn Family."

"What of yourself, then?"

"I'll be representing the Dragon Clan, of course." The Royal Trainer said with a confident smile.

"Ah, is that so…" Ash muttered as he nodded to himself.

The older man neatly tidied his tools and placed them in his bag, preparing to end his morning activity. "I understand you are to find a bride in a year's time?"

"Yes, apparently. I'm not too keen on the idea, but I would rather choose for myself than having a lady chosen for me. I don't know where to start, honestly." Ash said, taking a sip from his water bottle.

"Have you considered my granddaughter as a bride candidate, Knight General? I'm sure you two would make a wonderful couple." The Royal Trainer blatantly said, causing Ash to spray his water over the plants in surprise. "Ah, thank you kindly. I was just about to water them."

Still coughing, Ash managed to wave his hand. "Please refrain from making jokes as such, Mr. Blackthorn. You caught me completely off-guard with that statement."

"Oh? But I'm being completely serious, Ser Ash. Clair would be a fine partner for you. She's very attractive, I'll have you know. And she's only twenty-three years old, no less. Though most women from the Blackthorn family would have normally been married by that age." Mr. Blackthorn said as he started watering his plants.

"I'm not questioning her looks, Mr. Blackthorn. I'm sure she has better things to worry about than some… Absurd arranged marriage." Ash stood up and dusted the dirt off his coat. "It's been a pleasure, but I'm afraid I must get to Alto Mare soon."

"The human mind is an interesting matter, Knight General." The Royal Trainer once again said without turning to look, continuing his activity.

"Pardon?"

"Much like a good seed, once a viable interest has been planted in one's mind, it can do nothing but to grow." Mr. Blackthorn explained.

Ash chuckled and grabbed one of his flying Pokemon's ball and prepared himself for the journey coming. "I can assure you, Mr. Blackthorn, that no such thing has happened in the past five minutes."

The older man grabbed a black folder from his gardening bag and tossed it over to Ash. "Flying to Alto Mare will take about two and a half hours, Ser Ash. Do read it over; I'm sure it'll keep you from being bored."

Ash caught the object firmly, confused. "What's this?"

"My granddaughter's files to be your marriage candidate. I was just about to give it to Sanzou before you came out." Mr. Blackthorn answered simply. "Clair's mother and I have put it together upon hearing that the Palace wishes for you to be wed. Just so you know, Clair has no idea about this, so please don't let her see it. That'll definitely put me in an uncomfortable position at home."

The Knight General released a Pidgeot; the one which he released into the wilds years before. Having found that the pack the Pidgeot was protecting were now able to defend themselves, the Flying-type gladly returned to Ash's team. After saying goodbye to the Royal Trainer, Ash and Pikachu departed for Alto Mare.

"Pika Pika!" Pikachu said as he pointed to the black folder.

"You want to read this, Pikachu?" Ash asked as he placed the folder on a spot where it would safe from the sharp winds. The little rodent nodded eagerly. Ash smiled and petted the yellow Pokémon, opening the folder. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to look…"

"Oh? We've arrived at Alto Mare already?" Ash asked aloud, receiving a cry from Pidgeot in confirmation. "Look for a secluded place to land, Pidgeot. Let's not attract more attention than we already have." The young man said as he noticed some people pointing at him. "I guess we're not high enough in altitude to hope that people will mistake us for an aeroplane." After spending a moment deciding on an acceptable landing spot, the young trainer had his Pidgeot make a soft landing. "That's strange… I feel some unwelcoming Aura from the city."

Due to his Pidgeot's agility, Ash reached his destination in a little under two hours, though he was mostly busy reading over the files Mr. Blackthorn had given him. He checked his newly bought X-Transceiver, or more commonly known as the X-Trans, for the mission details Dousan Sanzou had messaged him earlier in Cameran.

"Let's see now…" the young man mumbled. "I am to meet them at sixteen-hundred hour in front of Alto Mare Museum. The time now is… Great. It's only noon. What can one do for four hours?" Ash asked to himself, taking a quick look around. "And I don't think I recognize our current location, Pikachu. Was there a forest in the vicinity of Alto Mare?" Ash returned his Pidgeot and started walking to better align himself with his current position.

After a short distance, Ash found himself walking on a paved walkway, leading to a small pond. Next to the pond was a small, blue crystal ball, shining an elegant radiance. "I must be in the secret garden place, then." Ash muttered to himself, staring blankly at the pond's waterfall.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" A man said as he stood next to Ash. "Your uniform suggests that you are the person Sanzou sent to escort the three ladies back to Cameran. Am I right?"

Ash turned to see the man standing next to him. "Yes, right on the money. Ash Ketchum, Aura Knight General of Cameran." The young man introduced himself as he took a slight bow. "And this is Pikachu." Ash continued, pointing to a happily waving Pikachu.

"Nice to see you again, Ash. It's been a while, hasn't it? I see you've changed a great deal." the man said, shaking Ash's hand.

"You don't seem surprised, Lorenzo," Ash commented. "I take it Sanzou-jii has told you about me in advance?"

"That he did, young man." Lorenzo started walking, gesturing Ash to follow him. "Come, meet Bianca and the others. You'll have to introduce yourself again, though. I don't think they've received the details as I did. They only know that some other man from Cameran is going to be escorting them to the Palace."

"You go on ahead, Lorenzo. I have something I want to do by myself first. I'll be with you shortly." Ash said.

Lorenzo nodded and continued walking. "I'll just tell them you've arrived, then."

"Thank you. I'll be done soon." The young trainer turned and stood at the edge of the small pond. After setting Pikachu down, Ash released his Lucario.

"You called, Master?" the Aura Pokémon asked.

"I'll be doing Reconnaissance over the city, Lucario. Do keep watch over me with Pikachu." Ash ordered his Pokémon.

"Of course, Master." Lucario promptly answered, staying close to his trainer.

Ash took a deep breath and calmed his mind. He closed his eyes and focused his energy on his Aura. Feeling comfortable, he released a thin burst of Aura energy, allowing it to resonate within the city of Alto Mare. Enough to allow him to scan the city, Ash found the source of the hostile Aura that he felt upon entering the city. Upon successfully pinpointing the location, Ash concentrated in bringing the oscillation of pressure omitted from the group of people harboring the hostile Aura, making it possible for him to listen in on their conversation in his mind.

"…Seems like that blasted Knight General has arrived to fetch our targets. Damned monster! I thought Dousan Sanzou was the one to escort our targets to Cameran!" a voice shouted, agitated. "We're able to take on Dousan Sanzou, but this damned Knight General… Why is he here?! This isn't good…"

"Calm down! We're one of the two groups left in the PTA, we must act carefully." Another voice chimed in. "But isn't this a good chance? We can take them out all at once, if we're smart…"

Ash continued to listen to the group of the PTA remnants talk amongst themselves, plotting to ambush the group in order for them to once again expand their alliance. When they finally finished, Ash released his technique and opened his eyes, finding his body almost completely drained of energy. Expecting this, Lucario and Pikachu immediately helped their trainer keep his footing.

"Thank you. How long… How long have I stood here?" Ash asked, regaining his composure.

"Are you feeling okay? You've stood still for about three hours now." A blue-haired woman asked, helping Ash stay on his feet.

Looking up, Ash saw the leader of the Blackthorn Gym in her travelling clothes, similar to when Ash first met her. Involuntary to his own mind, Ash started recalling his conversation with Mr. Blackthorn earlier in the day, and the contents of the folder given by the Royal Trainer. Having not much experience with the opposite sex himself, Ash quickly turned red. He politely shook off Clair's help, "I-I'm fine, Miss Blackthorn. Thank you for your concern." The young man said as he desperately tried to regain his composure. Curse that old fart, the seed did plant itself. Ash thought, while he turned toward Cameran's guests. "Miss Shirona, Miss Iris, Miss Blackthorn. My apologies for the terrible sight I've displayed."

"That's quite alright, sir." Cynthia said with a smile. "The ferry to Cherrygrove doesn't leave for another thirty minutes. Though I do wonder what you were doing. You weren't responding to any of our calls."

"Please, just call me Ashton." Ash told the three ladies, deciding it would be better not to introduce himself as Ash Ketchum just yet, especially after the trouble he had caused during the past few hours. His main task was to safely escort the guests to Cameran; any topic that could cause a distraction would be better saved for a later time. "I was exercising a routine meditation technique, though I did get considerably carried away. Again, I extend my apologies." Ash said, lying. "Now, shall we be off to the port to catch the ferry? We can save the chatter for a more proper time and place."

Accepting the offer, the group made their way to the port. Though most of the conversation was exchanged only amongst the three ladies, Ash did talk a little; mostly about the method of transportation the four were going to take to Cameran. Much like what Sanzou predicted, the task of driving Cynthia's jeep fell on Ash. A task the young man was not entirely fond of due to the long, five hour drive to Cameran. The four trainers spent thirty minutes on the ferry before finally reaching Cherrygrove.

"Your Lucario looks very well-trained, Ashton." Cynthia commented as they reached the jeep.

"Ah, where are my manners. I've forgotten to introduce these two rascals." Ash said as Pikachu hopped off his shoulder. "This is my very first Pokémon and best friend, Pikachu," introduced the young man, followed by a wave from the yellow rodent. "And this is Lucario. Greet them, Lucario."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintances." Lucario stated.

"It can talk!" Iris exclaimed, surprised. "How does he do that?"

Lucario turned to see Iris, equally stunned. "Master, it's the Unova Champion! She's the youngest person ever to make it to the Unovan Hall of Fame at the age of thirteen three years ago! Do you think we'll get a chance to battle her?"

"Oh, my. Your Pokémon seems to be able to recognize greatness when he sees one, Ashton!" Iris said with a confident smile.

Ash chuckled as he patted Lucario's head. "My apologies, Miss Iris. He is a bit outspoken." The young man said as he returned the fighting-type. "Shall we head to Cameran? I think it is in everyone's best interest to reach the Palace before midnight."

The guests nodded and started boarding the jeep. Iris and Cynthia got on the back seat, leaving Clair next to Ash in the driver's seat. Though still uncomfortable due to what happened earlier in the day with Mr. Blackthorn, Ash tried to make small talk with the blue-haired beauty.

"I hope you're familiar with the highways around these parts, Miss Blackthorn. I have the tendency to get lost, sadly, and I'm not very familiar with the highways. I don't drive very often." The young man said with an awkward smile.

"Is that so? Well, you're in good hands, Ashton. I frequently go to the Palace with my grandfather, and I know Johto like the back of my hands. Rest easy, you won't get lost with me in the passenger's seat." The Blackthorn native said confidently.

"Well, I shouldn't be worried, then." Ash said, starting up the jeep. He placed the folder given by Mr. Blackthorn beside him, deeming it to be too uncomfortable to be kept inside his coat.

The first three hours of the drive to Cameran was mostly lively, the three guests chatting about their day's findings in Alto Mare. Ash found that they were keeping the actual subject of the conversation a secret, though it was quite clear to Ash that it was Latias. With only two hours left on the trip, Ash found that the others had fallen asleep, which explained the silence in the jeep. With his navigator sleeping, Ash had to refer to his X-Trans' map a few times, though mostly only for route confirmations. After some time in silence, Clair woke up.

"Oh, sorry, I fell asleep." She said, rubbing her eyes. "We aren't lost, are we?"

"Don't worry; I checked my map a number of times. We're on the right track." Ash said with a chuckle. "It's mainly a straight road from here on. It would be fine to continue your sleep, Miss Blackthorn."

"Oh, no, I just fell asleep for a little bit, that's all. Besides, we're quite close to the Palace now." Clair said, adjusting her seating position. "Say, do you happen to know who the new Knight General of Cameran is? My grandfather has been talking about him quite a lot, lately. He sounds like an amazing person, if what I've heard about him is true."

Ash smiled as he checked the rear-view mirror, the other two still sleeping. "It seems your grandfather think very highly of me, Miss Blackthorn. I don't think I deserve such praise from such an accomplished man."

"Oh," Clair muttered as she turned to Ash, surprised. "I'm terribly sorry, Ser Ashton! Had I known, I wouldn't have called you just by your name. That's remarkably rude of me."

"No, no, that's quite alright, Miss Blackthorn." Ash said, waving it off. "I'm not too fond of formal speech and honorifics myself. You can just call me Ashton, as you were."

"That doesn't seem fair, does it?" Clair asked as she shifted her gaze from Ash to the folder next to him, its content spilled halfway. "What's this?"

Ash immediately placed one hand on top of the folder, refraining Clair from taking it. "I'd prefer it if you leave it alone, Miss Blackthorn."

"But I clearly saw my picture in there; surely it has something to do with me?" Clair retorted, keeping her grip on the object. "You have to make the next exit, by the way."

Ash instantly joined his other hand on the steering wheel, changing lanes. Turning back to the person in the passenger seat, the young man noticed that the blue-haired trainer was already browsing through the contents, the look of surprise plastered clearly on her face. "This isn't going to be pretty." Ash murmured.

"W-Where… Where did you get this?" Clair said, her face heating up from embarrassment. "This contains some of my personal history!"

"Your grandfather gave it to me this morning for my consideration." Ash answered simply, avoiding her gaze. "M-may I have it back? Your grandfather did tell me not to let you see it."

"No!" shouted Clair, clutching to the folder tightly. "Y-you… You haven't read it, right?"

"No, not yet." Ash said with a smile.

"Really?" asked the Gym Leader, her face brightening up.

"No, I read it." Ash chuckled.

Clair whined and covered her beet red face with the folder. "This is so embarrassing… I wish I can hide in a hole and spend the rest of my life there! He included some information that normally wouldn't be in a marriage candidate proposal!"

"Well, he did it together with your mother, he said. To be fair, your files did stand out from the others. I think it was very cute." Ash commented to find a rather adorable 'death glare' from Clair, which made him blush. "H-hey! Don't look at me like that, I just found out about this marriage ordeal this morning! And no, I'm not fond of having the idea of a surprise marriage sprang on my face too." The young man tried to explain as he noticed a few cars zoom past the jeep. "I'd love to continue this conversation, but could you wake Miss Shirona and Iris up and tell them to tightly hold on to something?" Ash said as he quickly grabbed his X-Trans.

The Knight General dialled Zen's number, which was answered after a few of the short beeps. "Zen? It's me. Have your men and Riley's ready to move immediately to round up a remnant group of the PTA. Yeah, they've been tailing us for the entire trip here. Us? We're Oscar Mike to the Palace. They're going to lead us to an ambush on an empty field one click northeast of the highway's Cameran exit. I want you to mobilize your men and round them up in ten. Fantastic. I'll see you in fifteen." The young man ended the call and placed his X-Trans back in his pocket. Finding his path blocked by a car; Ash turned the jeep, going off the paved roads.

"You knew that we were being followed?!" Iris shouted over the roaring jeep engine, tightening her seatbelt.

"Yes! That's what I was doing in Alto Mare, standing still for three hours. I was eavesdropping on their little scheming session!" Ash similarly yelled, stepping on the gas pedal to the fullest. "Don't fret, Miss Shirona! Any damages to the vehicle caused by this fiasco will be reimbursed by the Palace, if not by my personal expense!"

After a rather lengthier session of being chased and tree dodging than preferred, Ash slammed on the brakes once they reached the designated empty field. The pursuing cars arrived shortly after. Unfortunately for the chasers, they were apprehended once they stepped out of their vehicles. Ash exited the jeep first and helped the guests disembark. Once finished, he turned to Riley and Zen, presenting the undamaged vehicle he steered.

Ash then spread his arms wide and asked, "Was that not impressive?"

A/N: I had to alter a few characters' ages to make them work with the story, I'm sure you guys will understand.

You might also have noticed that I used 'Ser' instead of 'Sir', and there's really no reason for it. If I had to give a reason it would be to differentiate the fic from Ye Olde Englande.

Hope you guys have enjoyed this chapter.

On a side note, this chapter was uploaded on 10/11/'12. Time sequences make me happy.