A/N: Hello everyone. I do apologize for the lack of updates. Because my computer is getting old, every time I typed a couple thousand words, all of it was deleted, causing me to become demoralized. Combined with college, it was hard to work on this. However, I did manage to finish the third part. It's slightly long compared to the first two parts, so I hope you don't mind :)
Please enjoy Ash's third day in the Tree of Beginning. I wonder what will happen...
Disclaimer: Pokemon is not mine, but this story is.
Day 3
Ash was still dreaming about the practice he had with Ashton. He was so engrossed in his dream that he was performing some of the techniques in his sleep. Ashton had woken up earlier than his balance and he had to resist the urge to chuckle watching Ash fidget like that. He jumped off his tree and took a stretch. He was still thinking about how easily Mew crippled him yesterday. Ashton was surprised he didn't see her again yesterday and was dreading what she had in store for them today.
Ashton's eyes glowed red with slight anger. He hated feeling helpless and yet… Mew easily did it. He was determined not to be dead weight. He was determined to protect his balance the best way he could. Ashton curled his fist with strengthened resolve. He promised himself that he would let nothing happen to Ash or Aurora.
While Ash snoozed along, Ashton decided to forage for more berries on his own. He knew there was a real chance that Ash would wake up while he was gone, but he wanted to see if Ash could sense him and find him. With a small smile, he walked away from the sleeping Ash.
Several minutes later, Ash woke up with a yawn. His vision was a bit hazy at first. He lazily waved, "Good morning, Ashton…"
He was slightly confused when his counterbalance didn't respond. Ash rubbed his eyes and noticed that Ashton was gone. His thoughts immediately strayed toward Mew having something to do with his disappearance. Although he was concerned, he was oddly calm. He didn't know where this calmness came from either. Maybe it was because he knew Ashton could be fine on his own. Maybe it was also because he couldn't sense Ashton in danger.
He got off the tree and placed one hand on the ground. The brown eyed boy didn't know exactly what he was doing, but he knew he had seen Sir Aaron's Lucario do this before. Since he was distantly related to Aaron, he had a feeling he could try to find Ashton the same way Lucario was able to find Pikachu. His body began to glow a dark blue and his eyes began to also glow blue. Ash felt like he knew every inch of the tree. He felt like he knew it so well that he had the map of the entire Tree of Beginning in his mind. He knew where Ashton was and he also knew where Mew was.
It surprised him to sense that Mew was nowhere near Ashton. In fact, she was far from both of them and a bit closer to the lake from yesterday. Ashton himself wasn't too far away from him. He was surprised to see that he was able to sense his environment this well. He hadn't felt this alert since he performed the aura allegiance with Ashton the first time.
"Maybe the training from yesterday helped me become more in tune with my aura. I'm not really sure. For now, I should find Ashton." Ash decided to himself. The raven haired boy began to walk to where Ashton was. The more he walked, the more he noticed several berry trees. He could see the tops of the trees rustling. The boy immediately knew the cause, but was wondering why he couldn't see Ashton.
His question was answered when Ashton suddenly fell from a tree and landed on the forest floor with a thud. He seemed a bit tired, but determined. The strange thing was Ashton had appeared from thin air as he was falling. As soon as Ashton got up, he noticed his balance watching him.
"Heh. I knew you'd be able to sense me. Good on you Ash." Ashton complemented.
"Where did you come from?" Ash asked.
At first, Ashton was slightly confused by the question, but realized what his counterpart meant. "I was trying to see if I could do what Aruru did against us in her rampage. Do you think we can disappear at will like Ruru and Aruru can?"
"I don't think I'm ready that try something like that. After all, you seem a bit exhausted and you know more about aura than I do. How long have you been trying?" Ash inquired further.
"For several minutes now. I think my exhaustion comes from the fact that my endurance isn't the best. I feel so close to transforming into aura completely, but I feel like I'm missing something." Ashton sighed sadly.
"Missing what?"
"I'm not sure. I'm almost tempted to seek out Mew to ask her, but she wants to kill us at the moment." Ashton shivered. He decided to go in his leafy backpack and take out a few Oran and Sitrus Berries. Then, he ate them. Instantly, he felt revitalized.
"Mew is currently at the lake, waiting for us," Ash told him. Ashton seemed surprised at how certain he was.
"Really? I didn't expect you to sense Mew, too." Ashton said.
Ash looked down and frowned. Ashton wondered what was with the sudden change in emotion. Ash continued, "Yeah. With my newfound sensing ability, I know what Pokémon she transformed into because I can sense a combination of her aura and another Pokémon of ours. Can't you sense it?"
"No. Hmm... it seems you've inherited Ruru's sensing ability…." Ashton said under his breath. He said it so low that Ash couldn't hear him.
"What was that?" Ash asked him to speak louder. Ashton quickly scrambled to reword what he said.
"Um…. I said you seem to sense just as well as Ruru. It's probably because you and Ruru are both very empathetic." Ashton explained. Ash nodded in understanding. Ashton put a finger on his chin and said, "If what you sense is accurate, that means she wants us to come to her since our water supply is gone. I have a feeling she was watching us yesterday and waiting until we ran out. Ash, do you know of any other places of fresh water here?"
Ash closed his eyes and placed one hand on the ground. He hummed as his body became coated in blue aura. He took several moments analyzing all the areas in the Tree of Beginning and its water sources. The aura him vanished once he was done sensing. He sucked his teeth and hissed, "That lake is the only fresh water source. All other sources are cut off, are salty or are not found within this dream."
"Can't we conjure up fresh water? I mean, this is a dream." Ashton pointed out.
"We can try," Ash replied.
Both Ash and Ashton closed their eyes and concentrated. The two tried to imagine drinkable water right in front of them. However, they both received a bit of a headache trying. They hissed in pain and wished for the torture to stop. They soon got their wish the minute they stopped trying to conjure water.
"I'm going have to break the rules slightly if you do the same. I won't sense you or intrude in your heads unless you try to conjure anything. Treat this as if this is real life, dears." Mew's voice echoed in their minds.
"Gah! Did I just hear Mew?" Both Ash and Ashton exclaimed in surprise. They looked around and saw no signs on the mythical Pokémon. They got a bit of a spine down their backs.
Ashton was the first to properly recover, "Ash… you just heard…?"
"Mew? I… think so." Ash finished his question with a nod. He sighed, "I don't think we should try again if she's going to give us a mind-numbing headache."
"Agreed. Still, she's cutting off our options. We're going to have to meet her at the lake at some point." Ashton said with a bit of trepidation. The counterbalance thought a little bit before saying, "Think we can live off the berries' juice?"
"I think so, but eventually, Mew will pursue us even if we don't go to the lake. She's pretty fast and it will be nearly impossible to run." Ash said with unadorned certainty.
"Ash… what Pokémon did she transform into?" Ashton asked.
"I… I think she changed to be Greninja. I'm not sure. Her aura feels too similar to his." Ash said in a melancholy voice. "I don't want to be nearly killed by my own friends… and I don't want to fight them either. It… doesn't feel right."
"I feel the same way, dude. However, I am more willing to fight if need be. After all, I represent a little more of your harsher personality traits." Ashton put a hand on his shoulder. Ash smiled for a split moment before gaining a determined look.
"Ashton… let's go." Ash said seriously.
"Wh-what? Didn't you just say you don't want to fight…?" Ashton pointed out.
"Yes. I know. However, I need to see if I'm right about one thing I've been wondering about. Only Mew can answer this, too." Ash said nothing else as he walked back to the lake. Ashton quickly followed suit, but he had a bit of a worried expression on his face. Ash was oddly very serious and this worried his red-eyed counterpart because of how jolly he was normally. He hoped he could go back to normal soon.
Ash and Ashton eventually found their way back to the pristine lake. It looked just as beautiful as it was yesterday, but for Ashton, it was a place of dread. They saw no signs of the transformed pixie anywhere. Ashton took a step closer toward the lake, but Ash put a hand in front of him and stopped him. Ashton was confused at first.
He argued, "Dude, Mew isn't here."
"She is… and she's hiding under water. She wants us to approach so she can drown us. Remember, she is a water type today." Ash warned with an urgent voice. Ashton still seemed a bit doubtful, but decided to concede to his balance.
"I'll trust your word, Ash," Ashton said. Ash nodded and stared intently at the lake. His 'z' shaped marks started to glow slightly before returning to normal. Ashton didn't understand why he was so certain, but he knew how determined… and stubborn Ash could be. Still, Ashton was also impatient. He wanted something… anything to happen. After a few minutes of doing nothing, Ash decided to call out to the lake.
"Mew! Come on out! We know your hiding under water as Greninja!"
Suddenly, the lake began to bubble heavily. A dark figure jumped out of the water with a sharp gaze. Ashton gasped in surprise while Ash merely narrowed his eyes. The figure revealed itself to have a predominately dark blue body with a cream underside. It was bipedal with sharp pinkish-red eyes and webbed feet and limbs. She had a grin on her face.
"Excellent job, Ash. Your sensing is on par with Aurora's if you knew I was in this form. I'm impressed you knew what I had planned." Mew congratulated. Ash didn't seem amused at all.
"Mew. I have a question for you."
"What is it, dear?"
"Why…? Why are you trying to kill me with my own Pokémon? Don't you feel any sort of emotion doing something so… screwed up?"
"Emotion, huh? Well, I've been alive since before the beginning of time. I don't let my emotions get to me so easily… at least not anymore. I want you to learn to be more hardened… in case a situation happens where you need to make a harsh choice happens. You've been under a protective bubble for too long and I want to pop that bubble of yours."
"My bubble? Even still, what you're doing isn't right."
"Come now, boy. Do I really look like I care about your definition of right or wrong? I have the ability to decide what is right or wrong… not you. Humans have free will, but I sometimes wonder if they have a bit too much of it." Mew sighed wistfully.
"…" Ash couldn't properly respond of Mew's candidness. He merely stared at the ground.
"You are different from most Ketchums in that you were not exposed to me from a young age. As such, you question my methods a bit more. I do care about you in my own way, but you are not used to my caring being shown in the form of a trial. All Ketchums eventually accept that although my ways may seem harsh, they are effective. I can commend your self-righteousness. Maybe I'm wrong for pitting you against your Aspects. I do have an open mind. However, it all comes back to this certain question: Do you trust me to teach you in my way?"
"What about in our way? You don't control us." Ash growled. He clenched his fists tight and a blue aura started to surround him. Ashton looked slightly nervous while Mew seemed a bit passive.
"I may not control you, but I do guide and help you. Sometimes, humans do not wish for help because they don't think they need it. However, I can tell you two need more help than any other Ketchum I've trained yet. I will help you in the best way that I can… and have been doing that. You fail to appreciate all that I've done for you."
"What have you done for us other than make our lives more complicated that it needs to be?!" Ash hissed at her and released a shockwave of power. Ashton looked a bit fretful for Ash, especially with how Mew looked at him. Mew didn't flinch, but instead narrowed her eyes. She took the question as a challenge.
Mew stood up on her hind legs and approached Ash. She stood at about his height. Brown eyes clashed with light red. Mew touched his shoulder. Instantly, his 'z' shaped marks started to glow and he processed all the information Mew sent him. He got a slight headache afterward, but he looked at the transformed pixie in awe.
"You have no idea how many times I've aided you, boy. So many encounters with weak hearted people and Pokémon… and yet you always come on top. I've protected you from my legendary children's wrath time and time again," Mew said while staring into Ash's eyes. He was starting to get a bit intimidated by the transformed water type. She growled, "Do not take what I do for you for granted. You wouldn't still be alive if it wasn't for me."
Ash thought about all of his encounters with the legendaries. Has Mew really been the one who helped him? He never really felt her influence. However, he always wondered why he was the one to meet so many mythical Pokémon compared to other people. There were times where he thought he would die and yet he miraculously didn't. Was Mew really the reason? If so, then what did he do on his own merit? Mew noticed his expression and started to soften up a bit.
"I will admit that you have a fierce will and determination. You have done feats other humans would be jealous of. I want us to have a symbiotic relationship, but that can't happen unless you trust me." Mew said simply.
"Trust you to kill us." Ashton snorted.
"If you are a true Ketchum, you will be fine. Believe in yourselves. If you don't… well, this world will be destroyed anew. The last line of the Great Prophecy is 'Ruin or rebirth, the stronger loyalty succeeds.' You have to trust me to keep this world alive." Mew said.
"Trust doesn't get built overnight, you know," Ash said while crossing his arms. Mew seemed to have a bit of a depressed look before her gaze grew sharp again.
"I understand that. However, I know trust is built from both sides. It seems you two are hesitant on trying to trust me. If that's the case, I have nothing else to say to you. You will trust me soon enough, but before that happens, I will play my part as your teacher. You don't have to trust me for me to teach you. You will no longer have as easy a time as before. Come at me with your best shot because I'm going to be more relentless!" Mew snarled.
Mew's eyes started to glow as she summoned a katana made from pure water. They've seen Greninja create water shurikens, but never had they seen him create a water katana. It made they both wonder what else Greninja could create that they didn't know about. Mew no longer seemed as friendly as before and she looked intent on harming them. Ash and Ashton braced themselves for what would be a tough opponent.
Mew suddenly dashed forward and went for a horizontal slice. Ash and Ashton dodged the move with ease, but Mew wouldn't hold up on the pressure. She continued to slice the Ashes with her katana very aggressively. Ash didn't expect this sort of speed, but then again, they were going against Greninja of all Pokémon. Ash and Ashton knew that they couldn't dodge this onslaught forever, so they decided to make a run for it. Mew narrowed her eyes and immediately pursued them.
Ashton immediately pulled ahead of Ash, running faster than Ash can process. Ashton looked back and noticed how far behind his balance was. He sighed. Ashton didn't want Ash to lag behind so he called out, "Ash! Listen to your aura and go for it! Use your aura to go faster… imagine yourself being speedy!"
It was hard to process all of that and try to implement it because his life was in danger and he could see the lust for murder etched on Mew's face. This look was much more different from her earlier looks of patience or amusement. Mew fast approached him and started to throw water kunais at him. Ash yelped as he barely dodged each one. Any kunais that hit a tree pierced through it completely, causing a perfect hole. Ash got even more scared than before. Mew didn't seem to be messing around anymore.
Mew jumped up high and started to jump from tree branch to tree branch while still throwing kunais at Ash. Ash knew that she was getting dangerously close to hitting him. He couldn't see Ashton anymore, but he knew he wasn't too far away. Ash thought about his counterpart's words and grunted to himself. He might have feared for his life, but he knew Ashton was right. He closed his eyes while running and just started to sense the area around him. Ash managed to avoid all the trees. His 'z' shaped marks started to glow as his opened his eyes with a sharp gaze. They turned maroon for a quick moment before he started to run at an unbelievably fast pace.
Mew could not see how fast he was running and gasped. She had a begrudgingly impressed smirk on her face. She murmured to herself, "Heh. Now things are getting interesting. Time to match his speed, shall we?"
Ashton looked back once again, but saw no signs of Ash or Mew. He was beginning to get concerned. He was about to head back to see if he can help Ash, but he suddenly saw a large swell of dust building from a distance. At first, he was surprised. Then, he grinned. Ashton began to run again until he was able to meet up with Ash. Ash was a bit surprised that he managed to catch up with Ashton, but thankful. They ran through the caves and eventually reached the grassland from the first day. They stopped running when they couldn't see Mew anymore. They took a moment to catch their breath.
Ashton inspected Ash and noticed that there weren't any scratches on him. He was thankful, but astonished, "Dude… you managed to dodge all of her attacks?"
"I… I guess so. I stopped thinking and focused on getting away. Think we lost her?" Ash looked back cautiously.
"It seems so," Ashton said with slight relief.
"I'm not sure why, but I have a feeling that this isn't over." Ash crossed his arms and said with a frown.
"Ash, we ran an entire day worth in less than thirty minutes. I doubt she would be able to catch up." Ashton said, somewhat confidently. Ash shook his head.
"I'm not sure. Since Greninja is our Aspect, shouldn't he be able to do we do and vice versa?" Ash questioned. Ashton pondered the question slightly before responding.
"I don't know as much about Aspects as Ruru does. Still, I know that Aspects aren't as powerful as the base guardian. After all, Ruru's Pokémon had a hard time defeating Aruru without our help." Ashton pointed out.
Ash seemed to be lost in thought. However, his thoughts were interrupted when a swirl of dust quickly approached them. Their guard immediately rose when they became surrounded in a swirl of dust. Ashton growled and raised his fists up while Ash seemed a bit sad. However, they both gasped when the dust surrounding them disappeared.
Mew looked slightly different than before. It was clear that she was still a Greninja, but her face changed. Her cream underside now was in a 'Y' shape and her red irises grew sharper. She had black hair-like tufts on either side of her head and red 'z' like marks on either side of her face. She had a large water shuriken resting on her back/ She regarded the two of them with an eager expression and she was emanating a blue aura suspiciously similar to Ash's. Ashton gasped when Ash became surrounded in blue aura, too. He also noticed that he was standing in the same stance as Mew.
Before he knew it, Ashton was also emitting the same blue aura around him, but he had no control over it. He released he was standing in the same stance as Ash and Mew. He wondered why this was happening. Ash and Ashton were both confused as to why they felt good.
"Greninja can change forms?!" Ash and Ashton exclaimed in surprise.
"Not normally, dears. What you are seeing is called Bond Phenomenon. For a guardian or psychic, this can be done with any of their Aspects. This can also only be done when the bond between trainer and Pokémon goes through the roof. You and your partner combine to be a nearly unstoppable force, being able to feel each other pain, but simultaneously strengthening the other. What you see is what Greninja sees and vice versa. The major drawback is the fact that you are able to feel each other pain and you are more susceptible to fainting if your emotions run too high." Mew explained.
Ash and Ashton could feel the power radiating from Greninja. To be perfectly honest, they felt a little intimidated by it. Still, they were a bit confused.
"I do feel more powerful. This feels a bit weird. We're all even breathing at the same rate." Ash and Ashton observed.
"Your hearts are beating at one with mine at the moment, Ash and Ashton. This is the feeling of Bond Phenomenon once you mastered it. However, for the purpose of this test, I will act as if Greninja has the ability Battle Bond so you won't get hurt if I get hurt. This way, you will still fight this form, but you won't feel any direct repercussions." Mew said.
She closed her eyes and hummed softly. The blue aura around her faded. Ash's and Mew's heartbeats became desynchronized and Ash suddenly felt a lot weaker. Ashton sighed a little in sadness. He definitely liked the feeling of being together with Greninja.
Ashton decided to voice the two Ashes' thoughts, "How does Greninja get access to this form? I've always wondered how he never changed even after Olympia made the prediction that he was special this way."
"In this version of reality, you and Greninja never fully bonded with one another because you weren't as reliant on Greninja as you could have been. For instance, you used Pokémon from your previous travels instead of only using your Kalos partners in the Pokémon League. Because you were less reliant and more balanced with spending time with your Pokémon, you never activated Bond Phenomena. This is a good thing, though. In any other reality, you would have released Greninja by this point because his power would have been connected to Kalos's natural imbalance. However, should my plan come to pass, you will be much more powerful than the other versions of you who will head to the Alola region next instead of Hokori." Mew continued. Ash and Ashton had gaping mouths.
"Wait, wait, wait… what?! There are multiple versions of me? And what is the Alola region?" Ash said, interrupting her. He seemed completely confused. Ashton seemed just as bemused. Mew chuckled and expected as much.
"Think about it, dear. My children, Dialga and Palkia control the space-time continuum. Of course, they are going to create multiple planes of existence. Don't worry about quantum mechanics too much. Also, Alola is a tranquil region full of life and secrets. You'll go there in due time… but I suggest you get your head back into this situation." Mew's red eyes suddenly glowed and she made a competitive smirk.
Mew created dual katanas and got into a fighting stance. Ashton himself got into a stance while Ash seemed sad. He didn't get into a fighting stance and tried to reason with Mew again. "Mew, please, you don't have to do this. You can find another way to test us and help us get stronger."
Mew responded by swiftly slashing Ash across his stomach. Ash hissed in pain at the sudden attack. He clenched his eyes tightly and clutched his stomach. Ash's eyes widened in horror when he inspected his hand and found blood on it. Ashton gasped in horror as well. Once his surprise faded, he was irate. He growled as he ran to punch Mew. However, Mew was much too quick. She nimbly jumped over Ashton's attack.
Mew launched herself forward in the air and put her katanas in an 'X' shape heading right for Ash. Ashton raised his hand. Mew gasped when she was stopped midair in Ashton's aura grip. The water katanas disappeared. Ash was still in too much shock to help him, so Ashton put the situation in his own hands. Lifting his hand up and down, Mew mimicked his motions. She grunted every time Ashton slammed her into the ground. Soon, she had enough of it.
When Ashton lifted her back into the air, her body became surrounded in a purplish energy. She gained control of her body and attacked Ashton with a wave of negative energy. Ashton hissed at the sudden attack. Mew wasn't done there. While he was disoriented, she followed up her assault by kneeing Ashton in the stomach and knocking him away with a strong front kick. Ashton wailed as he got knocked on the ground.
Mew knocked the wind out of him from that kick. Ashton looked up at the water type with hatred. Mew looked at him unsympathetically. She narrowed her eyes and created another water katana while approaching him. Ash looked over and saw that Ashton was in a bind. He got over his pain and surprise and ran as fast as he could to aid his counterbalance. He tackled into the transformed psychic type. Mew grunted in shock, then promptly got back up. She didn't give Ash too much time to breathe as she once again slashed him, but this time at his back.
Ash groaned, "Ack!"
Drops of blood littered the grassy plan. Ash's face was beaded with sweat as he fell on his knees. He could barely keep himself up. The wounds stung both physically and mentally.
Mew would have continued to assault the balance, but Ashton had recovered his bearings enough to come from behind and grab Mew. With a sadistic smirk, he shocked her as hard as he could. Mew's eyes became hazy and she started to growl unlike herself. Using her tongue, she wrapped Ashton's arm as he was shocking her. Ashton widened his eyes. He soon yelled as she twirled him around in the air and threw him without breaking a sweat. Ashton collided with Ash and they both were soon trembling on the ground.
"This is how reality is really like. You will often be put in a situation where you are outmatched." Mew said as she grabbed Ash and Ashton coarsely by the throat. She squeezed them both tightly and looked them both directly in the eyes.
"You will often have to make a choice… life or death." Mew suddenly knocked Ash back to the ground and focused her efforts on strangling Ashton. Ash coughed, trying to catch his breath, but shuddered in horror as he noticed Ashton beginning to turn blue from the loss of oxygen.
"You will often lose someone precious right in front of you," Mew said as the last few breaths of life were being drawn from Ashton.
"However… are you strong enough to prevent those losses… or will you let your anguish overcome you?" Mew said while looking into Ashton's now dilating eyes. Ash knew that she was directing the statement at him. He could hear the taunting hidden message, "You're too weak to do anything, boy. Can you prove me wrong?"
Ash was shaking heavily. His hands quaked uncontrollably. Ash didn't know what he was feeling, but he knew he was beginning to feel a feeling foreign to his heart: bitterness and rage. Everything around him began to feel hazy. He was breathing deeply. In and out. Ashton's eyes finally fluttered shut from the lack of oxygen. Mew apathetically tossed him on the ground like he was some used toy and looked at Ash with a sadistic smirk. Tears freely flowed down Ash's face. That was the final straw.
Ash curled his fist tightly and roared fiercely. His body became immersed his dark blue aura. His twitching eyes slowly shifted from brown to maroon. Mew widened her eyes and stepped back in surprise. She certainly wasn't expecting this change. Continuing to breathe deeply, Ash began to form something in his hands. An extremely dark blue Bond Rush emulation appeared in his hands and it, too, was flowing intensely in his aura. Mew was shocked about this as well. She never expected Ash to be able to do that as a novice.
Mew was beginning to feel something foreign as well. Her webbed hands were shaking subconsciously. Her thoughts were racing, "What is this odd feeling… is this what fear feels like?"
Despite thinking this, she found herself even more eager than afraid. She knew that that was one of the only times where she could see Ash in his state. Mew wanted to see how he would fight and nothing could interfere with that. Mew began to make a sideways grin and she formed another water katana. Ash raised his hand and moved Ashton away from the two of them with his aura grip. He was still crying, but his tears were now salty and angry. He had one objective in his mind and he would stop at nothing to avenge his counterbalance.
Without warning, Ash rushed her down. Mew, having incredibly fast reflexes, blocked his strike by clutching his bone club. By touching the aura made object, Mew could feel all of Ash's newfound animosity for her. It gave her a shiver because his power was very inebriating. Mew knew she was the most powerful legendary, but Ash's power unnerved her. She never intended to make a guardian this strong. Not even the guardians of old had power this intoxicating.
Ash got increasingly more ferocious with his strikes, going faster and faster. Mew kept up with him fairly well, clashing with her water katana, but they both knew that she was being pushed back. Mew knew that she wouldn't be able to keep contesting Ash from up close. Mew suddenly created multiple copies of herself. Mew and her copies began to pace around the boy, asking him which one was the real one. Ash's ruddy eyes widened. Then, he hissed with annoyance.
Growling, Ash gripped his bone club tightly. Then, he slammed it on the ground. All the Mews jumped up before he was able to slam his weapon on the ground. However, Ash released a shockwave the affected both the ground and the air. Mew hissed as all of her copies disappeared. Then, she got electrified by Ash's shockwave. She had a much harder time dealing with Ash's electricity than Ashton's. She figured it was because his emotions were much more charged.
Mew struggled to regain footing once she landed. Small electrical sparks entangled her body, but she wouldn't let that stop her. Mew summoned several water shurikens around herself. With a yell, she launched them at the boy. Ash merely narrowed his eyes. His bone club morphed in shape. It soon turned into a large water shuriken. Using it as a shield, Ash blocked himself from Mew's onslaught of mini shurikens.
Ash began to twirl around with his aura made shuriken at hand. Mew frowned and created her dual water katanas. Mew put her swords in an 'X' shape, expecting to take the hit. With an intense yell, Ash hurled his weapon at the transformed psychic type. The shuriken moved so fast that Mew hadn't even blinked. She blocked it with her watery swords, but it kept spinning. She grunted as she struggled to keep her stance. The shuriken kept spinning and spinning. Mew started to sweat anxiously.
Eventually, Mew couldn't hold out. The water shuriken hit her directly and caused a large cut on her chest. Blood dripped onto the charred grass. Mew hissed and held her chest in awe. Ash looked just as unsympathetic as she did with him. Ash formed another weapon in his hand, but his time he made his aura in the shape of a sword. He slowly approached the stunned Pokémon. Mew gulped and realized she made a huge mistake pushing him too far.
Mew knew that if she were to continue this on, Ash would find a way to kill her as revenge. She could feel his blinding rage from a mile away. It made him act like an entirely different person. Truth be told, she was both excited and intrigued. "So... he does have that Ketchum killer instinct. Good. He must be ruthless when he has to be. To be on the receiving end of it is terrifying, but exhilarating!"
She recognized that Ash's state of mind was similar to if both he and Ashton were enraged in the aura allegiance. However, Ash showcased power that harbored both Ashton and himself. Though the transformed Pokémon wondered how this could be, she was more intrigued than anything. Mew never expected to be pushed into a corner by the up and coming Ketchum and grew excited as she imagined some things she would eventually teach him. Mew could only see improvement from here.
Still, Mew knew that he would eventually be successful in killing her, especially since she wasn't in her true form. So, she decided to try to cut off the fight. Besides, she was wounded and needed to rest. Mew raised her hands in surrender and returned to Greninja's base form. Although confused, Ash continued to inch closer. He gripped the hilt of his sword tighter. Mew sweatdropped and backed up at the same pace as Ash. Mew conveyed, "Ash, calm down! Your counterbalance is fine. I merely choked him enough to make him fall asleep. Please stop attacking!"
"Lies! You murdered him!" Ash snapped viciously. Mew frowned and expected such an answer.
"Ash, believe me. I haven't lied to you. Ashton is still alive." Mew continued to try to convince him.
"What isn't his chest moving, then?!" Ash hissed.
Mew sighed. Her eyes started to glow pink as Ash suddenly felt a new air of clarity. Ash was overjoyed to see Ashton beginning to move again. He was breathing slightly, but was still unconscious. Ash could feel tears well up in his eyes, but he quickly wiped them away.
"He's… alright?" Ash roughly replied, but in a relieved tone.
"Yes. I made your vision hazy to make it appear that Ashton wasn't breathing. I just wanted to see how you would fare against me without his help. I would never want to actually harm him or you. Besides, look at what you've managed to do, young one." Mew admitted.
Ash's eyes slowly changed back to their regular brown color. It was during this time that Ash began to properly survey his surroundings. He could see that the grass around him was scorched due to his electrical shockwave. Mew was slightly charred with a large gash on her chest, even though she was smiling. She was also panting heavily. Ash looked down and saw that he had a long sword in his right hand, primed for murder. Ash gasped and looked appalled at himself. He immediately felt guilty and made his weapon disappear.
"Mew… I…" Ash stammered. Mew approached him and hushed him with her webbed finger. She shook her head.
"I deserved everything you dished out on me. Don't worry about it. You have so much untapped potential, it's ridiculous. I will admit that I was too harsh on you and Ashton. For that, I have to apologize. However, I had to see for myself how you would do if you willingly fought. Now, I can gauge at how much I can push you the next time we fight. You've impressed me, Ash." Mew said as cheerily as she could. She winced slightly in pain.
"I… I…" Ash didn't know what to say. He was still in a state of shock.
"You should be proud. I don't get impressed easily by a novice of all things." Mew tried to cheer him up, but she didn't know how. She felt guilty, but she knew that this was good for the long run.
"I... I'm a monster. What… what if I did this to people?" Ash clenched his teeth and turned away, dejected. Mew's shoulders lowered slightly in pity. She gripped his shoulders and forced him to look directly into her eyes.
"Ashton Cornelius Ketchum… you are not a monster. Far from it. You'd be surprised to find out that all Ketchums go on in a rage during this trial. At some point in a Ketchum's life, they lose control outside of this trial and they begin feeling like you. Horrible. It's a phase that you will grow and learn from. Ash, this is only the beginning of your guardian path. You will grow from this." Mew said confidently.
"…"
"I'm sorry I can't say anything more comforting. I do hope you'll feel better."
"The… the fact I was able to do this as a novice…. Just imagine if I was a master guardian out of control. I'm… not sure if it is smart to train me." When Ash said this, Mew suddenly had a mini flashback. She made a small hidden smirk.
"Your mother had the same thoughts when she went through this trial, though she was an intermediate guardian at the time. You were with her and she went into a rage after I had kidnapped and hidden you somewhere she couldn't sense. She thought I had killed you just like you thought I killed Ashton. After she realized you were alright, she wasn't sure if she should continue her dream of being a master guardian. She eventually broke out of her slump and now is one of the most powerful guardians in the world." Mew said with a wink. Ash widened his eyes.
"Seriously?! Mom went through the same feelings as me?" Ash exclaimed in shock. Mew knew he didn't know she was talking about Aurora, but she had a feeling her words would have the same effect.
"Yes. You both prefer not to fight, but will fight when necessary," Mew confirmed. She looked down and sighed, "I do always feel awful invoking these sort of emotions from my Ketchums, but the harshness causes you to grow. Growth is integral to learning and acceptance. You will become a better man, Ash."
"…" Ash wasn't sure of anything at this point. Mew sighed and began to think. Then, she clapped her webbed hands together as she got an idea.
"Tell you what… tomorrow I will make no attempts to kill you. Rather, I wish to show you something. You deserve to know more about your guardian heritage. However, I will still transform into another of your partners and I want you to spar with me without your counterbalance's intrusion. Then, I want Ashton to spar with me. Tell him this once he wakes up." Mew asked and instructed.
"He won't need to. I heard everything." A third voice entered himself into the conversation.
Ash and Mew glanced behind them to see Ashton sitting up, stretching his arms. Ash looked happy to see him. When Ashton stood up, he immediately gave him a hug. Ashton had a small blush on his face and that blush grew larger when Ash hugged him tighter. Ashton, not being used to this sort of contact, didn't know what to think of it. He awkwardly patted Ash on the back and laughed nervously. However, Ash didn't seem too willing to let go. It was like he was afraid that if he let go, Ashton would crumble in front of him.
Soon, Ashton got too uncomfortable with the extended contact. He growled and flipped Ash over his head. Ash grunted when he landed on the ground, but he was too happy to care. Ashton was slightly fuming. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. You're relieved that I'm still alive. However, I told you before not to hug me. I don't like to get touched."
Ash responded by laughing and shrugging his shoulders. Ashton got even more annoyed. Mew was secretly beaming. Ash seemed to be jolly again and she was incredibly relieved. She did not like how relieved she felt.
"Glad to see you two having a brotherly relationship." Mew giggled. Mew winced in pain and held her stomach. Ashton seemed surprised at how injured Mew was and how scorched the battlefield was. Ashton looked at Ash with awe and wondered how angry he got. She suddenly grew more serious and she turned to Ash. "I should be going. One small note for the future… if Ashton had truly died, he would have faded from your mind and you would not have been able to use your aura to retaliate just now."
"Really? That would have been good to know thirty minutes ago." Ash said with a small frown. He didn't like getting tricked. Mew shrugged her shoulders.
"Enjoy the rest of the day, boys. You've earned it." With that, Mew smirked and jumped away from the two, running deep into the tree. However, she couldn't help but think, "That kid will be my greatest challenge yet. I look forward to the final day. Things are definitely going to get fun."
Once Mew left, Ash got up from the floor and began to inspect Ashton. Ashton growled at how close Ash was, but Ash didn't care. He looked closely at Ashton's neck to make sure he was alright. Ashton hissed, "I'm fine. Seriously. Stop acting like Ruru."
"I just want to make sure you're alright, OK? I'm sorry for caring." Ash crossed his arms in slight annoyance. Ashton sighed, slightly defeated.
"Sorry Ash. I don't like things to be too close to me. I do appreciate your concern." Ashton apologized.
Ashton looked down at Ash's chest and noticed that the large gash was healed and it seemed like Ash didn't notice. Ash's clothes were ripped, but thankfully, the tree was warm enough to where this didn't matter and Ash could heat himself up with his aura. Ashton noted that Ash can heal with his aura subconsciously. Ashton found this odd because that meant someone from outside the dream was giving Ash aura because both him and Aurora were still in the third stage of the conflict. The counterbalance wondered who was helping them.
Ashton began to properly take in his surroundings. He suddenly became a bit alarmed at how scorched the grass field was. He thought about how injured Mew was as well. Ashton couldn't help but wonder how angry Ash got on his behalf. Ash noticed Ashton deep in thought and wondered what was wrong.
"Ashton…?" Ash immediately noticed something was wrong.
"We should take the pixie's advice and get some rest. Let's go back to the forested area to sleep." Ashton began to walk ahead of him. Ash quickly caught up.
"Ashton, are you alright?" Ash asked in concern. Ashton shook his head and shrugged his shoulders in fake indifference.
"I suppose I will be eventually. Don't worry about me Ash." Ashton tried to ease his balance. Ash knew there was more on his mind than he was letting on. Although he was feeling guilty over what he did to Mew and terrified of his own power, Ashton came first. He would set aside his fears for him. However, he knew that Ashton would be too adamant to admit how he really felt. Ash decided to try asking again in the morning.
As they walked back to the forested part of the tree to sleep, Ashton couldn't help but think, "I'm… weak. Ash was able to cause so much damage in his rage and I couldn't protect him when Mew fought us legitimately. I'm supposed to cover for him and yet, he protected me. I know I should be feeling grateful, but I can't help but feel worthless. Will… will he even need me anymore?"
A/N: Developing a bit of an inferiority complex, Ashton? Can't say that I blame you.
Ash feels like a monster and Ashton feels like he's worthless. Mew really knows how to screw with a Ketchum's head. She doesn't do it because she finds it fun, either. That's just the way she teaches. Still, this is an opportunity for them both to grow and develop, so Mew does care... in her own weird way.
We are officially halfway through Ash's trials... and boy this one was a doozy! I hope I didn't write Ash too far from his character during the fight, but I think I've captured a glimpse of the potential he has when (or if) he becomes a master guardian.
Since I started this story before Ash-Greninja was revealed, I decided to twist it to fit in my own way. I had planned on Greninja being one of Ash's partners for quite a while and Bond Phenomenon was perfect to include. I hate the fact that the official name for Ash-Greninja is 'Ash-Greninja' (though it is more indifference than hatred). Bond Phenomenon is so much better as a name, especially since multiple trainers have an Ash-Greninja through Pokemon Sun and Moon. Expect other prominent guardians and psychics of Hokori (like Mirabelle, Aurora, and Charles) to be able to do this, especially in the sequel. Gym battles just got tougher for our hero!
How will Mew act toward them the next since they aren't seriously fighting on the fourth day? Which Pokemon will she transform into? What will the Ashes learn of their heritage? Find out in the next chapter!
Next Part: Tree of Remembrance: Day 4