Preparing To Face One's Past And One's Fear..

"Do you have any idea how worried we were?"

That was what Saria yelled when Joel called Ash's home in Pallet. She and Ash were at the phone but Ash was clearly afraid. Seeing as he stepped back a few inches to a foot. By this time a couple of the guests arrived including Johanna and Dawn..

"Saria.. I can explain.."

"Don't you dare give me that Joel Berlitz!" Saria yelled. Sure she wanted an explanation but she was too angry to listen. Johanna had heard her son's name. So did Dawn..

'Could it be?'

'My older brother?'

In the kitchen Saria calmed down enough and saw Joel's ring. Ash was shocked. When did this happen?

"Is that what I think it is?" Ash asked smiling.

"You bet. I couldn't be any happier. Yet nervous." Joel admitted. He looked down in sadness.

"I just wish I could share this news with my mother. She must still think of me as a beast.." Ash looked and saw Johanna on the verge of tears. He smiled. So did Saria. They been waiting for this moment.

"What if I could tell you I knew she doesn't? That she is right here and she wants to talk to you?" Saria smiled. Joel looked at them nervously.

"Don't mess with me. You know how long I've waited for this day.." Johanna spoke from off screen..

"I'd say fourteen years?" In a panic, Joel quickly hung up. He rather face Saria's Legendary Pokemon and Lily's bat than face his mom with no warning..

Ash sweat dropped.

"Boy, he never panics…"

Saria shook her head. This was Joel's chance. He had blown it. She looked to Johanna.

"I'm sorry. If it helps, He should be here this afternoon. You can talk to him then." Johanna nodded.

In Cerulean., Joel had just told Violet, Lily, and Daisy what had happened. After being calmed down (with the aid of Starmie and Dewgong's Water Pulse's) He managed to get ready. He wore his new sneakers, which were blue on the front and back and white in the middle. He wore a pair of blue jeans, along with a short sleeve black shirt. Around his neck he wore the silver Luvdisc necklace. On his left ring finger he wore his wedding ring. On wrists and ankles he still wore the bracers. ( he always will) on right wrist, he wore the bracelet Lily gave him. As he met his fiancé and her sisters downstairs they were wearing their usual attire. Daisy wore a white skirt, blue shirt, and pink blouse. She also wore navy blue shoes. Violet wore a red skirt with a white collar. Above it, she wore a yellow blouse and white shoes. Lily wore her usual light green shirt with red collar, tight blue shorts and red shoes with dark red bottoms. Around her neck was a silver Luvdisc necklace and she too wore her wedding ring. They couldn't help but smile and blush as they looked at each other.. Daisy and Violet couldn't resist teasing their sister and "little brother"..

" Any hopes for a son or daughter you two?" Violet asked giggling. Joel and Lily blushed harder than ever. Daisy just smiled.

"Yeah, spill." She giggled.. The engaged couple just held hand hands and stared into each others eyes. Joel started smiling..

"As long as the baby is healthy and happy.." Lily smiled brighter. He had wanted children, just like she did..

"I would love a son. I know he would be brave just like his father.."

At this Violet and Daisy were crying. It was such a beautiful moment. The way to the party was uneventful. Only the talking of possible names for a future little Berlitz..

The party at professor Oak's was now in full swing. With the exception of Joel, Lily, Violet, and Daisy, everyone had arrived. Everyone had learned a great deal. The most shocking was Ash being a prince. May and Drew were dating. Max was traveling through his home region of Johto. Dawn and Kenny were an official couple as well. Of course, poor Brock still hadn't got a girlfriend. Tracy and Daisy were a couple. He would lend his Marill to her for experienced trainers. Gary had decided to take over his grandfathers research lab once he had retired.

Saria watched as they all talked and laughed. They were all so close. They were all like one family. She thought back to her own. The ones she had lost six years ago. Her husband and one month old son..

'Daniel.. Michael..' a lone tear dropped from her eye. No one but Ash and his mother knew of the horror she faced that day. When the Dark Emperor himself had killed her husband had son. And she was powerless to save them. All she had left was her husband's staff and her son's blanket. She sat underneath a cherry tree and smelled a blossom that had fallen off..

'I'm so sorry. I'm no knight..'

Johanna was as nervous as could be. She watched as Dawn was talking with May. She did not know how her son would react to finding out he now had a sister. She heard the slam of a car door and Joel's voice..

"Tricky! Get back here!"

As Joel and the girls got out of the car, a small blue horse like Pokemon let itself out of one of Joel's Poke'balls. (for those who don't know it's a Keldeo) The girls awed. It was so cute. Joel on the other hand knew better.. Keldeo ran off to the party smelling a delicious scent..

"Tricky! Get back here!"

'Catch me if you can papa!' Keldeo giggled.

As they came running through the gate Joel yelled..

"Ash, Saria! Tricky! He's loose!" Ash and Saria each readied a poke'ball as did Joel. Tricky did listen to three Pokemon they had..

"Cobalion!"

"Terrakion!"

"Virizion"

A large metallic blue deer like Pokemon appeared from Ash's poke'ball. It had two straight yellow horns flowing backward on its head, a large white tuft of fur on it's chest and black hooves with gray ankles. A gray bull like Pokemon appeared from Saria's poke'ball. It had to brown horns. And It's ankles resembled cuffs. Out of Joel's poke'ball came a green deer like Pokemon. It had white on it's stomach down to it's ankles. Which were pink all around. It also had a leaf around it's neck. The three Pokemon knew why they had been brought out. Tricky was a legendary, but was just a child. He was also very quick. The Knights and Prince would never hurt if they could help it. The party goers had heard of these legendary Pokemon, but never seen them. Cobalion, Terrakion and Virizion trapped Tricky in a circle using Quick Guard. Virizion spoke in a kind voice.

"Tricky.. What is the meaning of this? You know you can't run off like that." Tricky looked down in sadness.

'I'm sorry. It's just.. I don't like being in poke'ball.' Joel came up to Trick and petted him. Lily noticed he had become fatherly already.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

'I don't know.. I guess I was afraid.' Tricky admitted shamefully.

"Everyone is afraid of something. Even me. It can be from your fear of being in a Poke'ball to even facing someone from over ten years ago." Joel than looked at his mother for the first time. She smiled and nodded. He smiled.

"I'll tell you what. If you promise me you won't run off like that again, you can stay out of your ball."

'I promise.'

All the Pokemon were let out of their balls. Ash also had Pikachu (of course), Lucario, Leafeon, Charizard, along with Rapidash and Oshawott. Saria brought a Pokemon that resembled a cat, Mienshao, a small deer like Pokemon Deerling. Because of the summer weather it's coat was green. She also had her Rapidash, along Audino, She even had a small otter Pokemon Oshawott which Misty adored. She secretly thought Ash's was cutest because it was just like him.. Joel had his Rapidash, Blaze, his Lucario, Gawain along with his Vaporeon, Storm. He also had a Swanna named Crystal, A Milotic named Lily, a Lapras named Violet and a Golduck named Daisy. He even had a Gorebyss named Misty, and a Gyarados named Cynder. All the Waterflower sisters could say to him naming them was..

"Kiss up.."

Soon came the moment of truth.. Johanna approached her first born as he brushed Blaze's coat as she laid in the sun. He knew she was behind him yet he didn't turn around.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I hope I did a good job with their teams. Aura knights can carry up to ten pokemon. Remeber to read and review. And please no flames.