A/N: Well, during the last couple of weeks, I've gotten myself into a little "Soul Eater" marathon, and I gotta say, I'm already HOOKED! ...Yeah, I think you could guess where this is gonna go... *clears throat* Anyway, on with this newest chapter, which I guarantee will have a little surprise appearance by someone special. ENJOY!

The Rocket Blimp
Near Ketchum City

Once the last of the group had fallen asleep, and the light in the hallway went out like a star being consumed by a black hole, Nate jerked his eyelids open. Truthfully, he was unable to sleep at all. Seeing those flashbacks through something as ancient and unorthodox as a Time Flower was quite an unnerving experience for him, and in more ways than one. Every time he remembered the blaze that nearly threatened Ecruteak City, Ho-Oh's still body, the first few seconds of the fatal battle between Frank and Shane, his grandfather and great-uncle, it made him sick to the stomach. He was beginning to regret wanting to learn the answers to these mysteries.

Yet, he couldn't help but wish to learn more about what transpired ten years ago. It was just like an incurable disease that ravaged through the body, the most primal of instincts, a complete mental compulsion. He wondered if he inherited this curiosity from Ash, whom he knew to have a desire to seek knowledge and solve mysteries from his childhood storybook... Nate shook his head in a fruitless effort to clear his mind of those thoughts.

Nate tried closing his eyes, but now, whenever he did so, he always saw that raging fire, the fallen body of Ho-Oh, cast mostly into shadow from the bright, red-hot fire and the devastated ruins of the old tower. He then opened his eyes, remembering the trip he had with Kelly to the Johto region when he was a child.

They visited Ecruteak City. They came across a stretch of field that appeared to be barren, scarred by something furious and destructive, yet sporting all of the signs of restored life, marked by the stump of a single rock that was embedded in the ground, which he and Kelly had sat on when they got tired of the walking. He wondered if that field was the original resting place of the tower that burned down to the ground, the location of the battle between Frank and Shane.

"Was all of this planned out from the start?" Nate asked to himself within his mind. "Was all of this prepared for me beforehand?"

He then remembered that Zekrom was sleeping directly outside the blimp, keeping itself well out of sight for any pedestrians conveniently wandering around the area. Instinctively, Nate sat up from his bed, took a fleeting glance at the sleeping forms of Kelly, Hugh, and Rosa, and silently crept out of the bedroom and into the hallway. The Trainer hoped that Zekrom might have some more answers, and that he might be willing to indulge them with him...that is, if Zekrom was willing...

It turned out that not everyone was sleeping. A strange, shimmering light was glowing across the living room, a light that struck a chord within Nate's memory...

Someone was viewing a Time Flower.

With all of the silence that he could muster, Nate tiptoed down the hallway, closer to the light, the voices of the people featured in the holographic image beginning to snake through his ears. It appeared that the image was depicting a young girl and an older man talking.

"What's your name?" The girl's voice sounded so realistic, so close, that Nate initially thought Rosa had woken up, come up behind him, and was now surprising him. But then, he realized that it was the image being played out, and continued to listen to it.

"Huh?" It was the older man this time; though he was obviously older than the girl, he still sounded young, and there was some sort of mystical tone to his voice...

"What's your name? Your real name?" the girl asked again. There was a brief silence. "Come on, now, N has to stand for something..."

"Natural Harmonia Gropius," replied the man. "Natural Harmonia Gropius is my real name."

"That's a weird name." A brief silence. "Sorry."

"It's okay. I get that a lot."

"Haven't you ever wanted to call yourself something else? Something more...regular? Having a name like Natural Harmonia Gropius sounds disconcerting."

"...No. Not really. Natural Harmonia Gropius is who I am, and who I want to be. I am Natural Harmonia Gropius, protector of Pokémon from human evil and exploitation. If you have a problem with my full name, young lady, then your hopes of having me reconsider have failed."

"...I'm sorry..."

"It's okay. Like I said, I get that a lot."

At that point, Nate recognized the girl's voice as belonging to a younger Hilda, for some reason. Just then, the image retracted back into the Time Flower, followed by a set of footsteps. Panicking, the Trainer immediately hid behind a large houseplant, hoping the person wouldn't see him.

She passed by, looking down at the ground, her face etched in a downcast expression, not noticing Nate's presence nearby. Nate stared at the adult Hilda, wondering why she looked so sad. Then, he quickly deduced that the man she was talking with in the holographic image might've been someone important to her.

Once she turned a corner and entered her own bedroom, Nate quietly tiptoed back into the hallway and found his way to the door leading out of the blimp. He peeked for a fraction of a second out of the window to see Zekrom's sleeping form before silently opening the door, retrieving his coat, and stepping outside into the snow.

He glanced at Zekrom again, and saw that the Deep Black Pokémon wasn't actually sleeping at all; instead, it was lying on the ground in a resting position, inspecting Mt. Silver, as if it expected something to happen on it. Nate slowly tiptoed towards the Legendary Pokémon, all the while marveling at the sight of it; after all, this was the first time he saw the legendary Zekrom up close, and it was an opportunity that not many Trainers would manage to experience once in their lives!

"There is no need to be silent, Nate Ketchum."

Nate felt his stomach tighten; he was obviously uncomfortable being called by his true name. However, he calmed down and stepped beside Zekrom, who sat up and looked at him with its great, deep-red eyes that seemed to pierce through Nate's body, observing his very soul.

"You are still curious, aren't you?" the dragon asked.

"I feel like this whole take-it-slowly thing isn't doing well for me," Nate replied. "I have to learn more. I need to. I mean, I've gotta know why all of this is happening-"

"Anyone sporting the Ketchum blood and name must have destiny following him or her wherever they go. It has always been that way since the passing of your earliest-known ancestor, Sir Aaron. Whether you desire it or not, Nate, destiny will always call for your name. That is all I have to say for now."

"But...I don't know if I can handle it... You see, now that I think about it, I've realized something. I've always looked up to Ash as my role model, and I've always hoped that I would become a hero like him. But now that a potential situation is before me, and I have to be a hero if I am to ensure the continued survival of both mankind and Pokémon-kind alike, I have this to say: training Pokémon is tough enough, but saving the world is way too hard..."

To Nate's surprise, Zekrom laughed, something that was impossible to imagine. "That is what your father said once, when destiny first called his name. You are definitely your father's son, Nate Ketchum." The dragon shifted a little. "Nate, if you desire a normal life, then it shall always be out of your reach. No matter how normal the days will usually be, there will, and shall always be a time when the Pokémon world needs you."

"Well then, that blows," Nate said. He then looked up at Zekrom. "Hey, Zekrom, how in the world do you fit in all of this?"

A strange glint flashed by Zekrom's eyes as he glanced back at Mt. Silver. "I have intentions of my own to pursue here. It is nothing that concerns you."

"I thought everything concerns me?"

"It is just none of your concern, Nate. Now, resume your rest. I assume there is a big day ahead of you tomorrow..."

"Yeah, yeah, I shall. Thanks for the talk, Zekrom..."

Zekrom didn't say another word, so Nate merely walked back towards the blimp. However, he stopped and looked back; Zekrom was still looking at Mt. Silver.

Nate then ran off towards Ketchum City.

Ketchum Center

The statue of Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu glimmered from the moonlight and the light emanating from the streetlamps. The center was now sparse with pedestrians, some of which were preparing to call it a day as they folded up their stands, others taking late-night jogs. The only civilian still present was a homeless man, who slept against the concrete wall of one of the buildings, the hood of his shawl cast over his face as he snored lazily. A flock of Butterfree flew across the sky, the magical trails of glitter falling behind them, resembling stardust. A small, single cloud lay suspended in the starry sky, moving across it for fractions of inches.

Nate silently approached the statue of Ash and Pikachu, looking up at it. The glimmer glinted in his eye, making him flinch for a second.

"Hello, Dad," he said, almost as if he were actually greeting the actual person. "I don't know if you're aware of it, but...I'm your son. Nate." Again, Nate fell silent for a brief moment. "Dad...is this where I am gonna go? Am I gonna have to save the world, just like you did? Am I gonna...die?" He sighed. "If so, then...I don't know if I can do it. I honestly don't think I can take something like this. ...All the pressure, all the fear of what's ahead of me." He stared into the engraved markings that were Ash's eyes. "How did you handle it, Dad? How were you able to handle such pressure, such fear? Did you just go for it like the storybook says? Or...were you scared too?"

There was, unsurprisingly, no response. Nevertheless, Nate collapsed to his knees, struggling to not cry, fear rushing through his body like adrenaline. The center was now completely clear of civilians, except for the homeless man, who was still sleeping soundly, so no one noticed his semi-breakdown.

"Please answer me, Dad! Please...answer me..." The Trainer began to sob. "I don't wanna die...I don't wanna save the world if I was forced to..." Again, there was no response, as usually expected. Nate clenched his fists as his sobbing continued. "I-I HATE this!"

"Do you?" a familiar voice asked.

Nate turned around and saw Rosa standing there, looking at him with a solemn expression etched on her face.

"What are you doing here?" asked Nate as he frantically wiped the tears from his face; he didn't want Rosa to see him crying and then use it to rub it in his face later.

"I heard you leave the blimp, so I followed you."

Nate turned away from Rosa. "Did you hear everything I said?"

Rosa was silent for a moment. "...Yeah. Listen, I'm sorry for everything that's happened so far-"

"How in Arceus's name are you sorry?" Nate interrupted bitterly. "Since when have you felt that sorry for me? You've got no involvement in this new affair of mine! Hey, in fact, the only reason you're only involved in this just because you randomly waltzed in and wanted to tag along for one reason or another!"

Taken aback by Nate's outburst, Rosa stepped backward. Realizing that he shouldn't be disturbed, she briskly walked away. Nate caught a glimpse of tears glittering in her eyes as she stormed away, and he felt inclined to apologize to her, but all grief, anger, and fear that he was feeling overwhelmed him like a tidal wave. Instead, he merely watched helplessly as she disappeared from view. He then sighed deeply and glanced back at the statue.

"Well, sorry about that, Dad," he said, sniffling. "That was Rosa. A good friend of mine. ...I probably shouldn't have yelled at her..."

Once again, no response. Nate gritted his teeth; he didn't know why he was here in the first place.

"TELL ME, ASH KETCHUM!" he shouted. "WHERE DOES MY DESTINY LIE?!"

"It all depends on the decisions you make, my boy."

Nate yelped out in surprise and turned around. Standing a few feet away from him was a man wearing a gold cloak, with crimson hair and a sinister smirk on his face.

"Who are you?" Nate asked, stepping back in caution.

"My name is Felix Ketchum," the man replied. "I am your cousin. Second cousin, to be precise. ...Well, adoptive second cousin. Anyway, that's beside the point." His grin widened considerably as he studied Nate's features. "You've got your father's eyes, Nate, and his sense of style. But you've also got your mother's hair, quite smooth and shiny and brown, if not a lil' messy." He chuckled heartily, as if this was a reunion between two good friends. "It's good to see you here, Nate."

Glancing at the strange golden cloak Felix was wearing, Nate knew that he was trouble.

"What do you want from me?" he asked.

"What do I want from you?" Felix replied, chuckling again. "Only your power and assistance. You fear accepting your destiny, for it might lead to death. ...Well, I have to tell you, Nate, it does lead to death. But-" He began pacing, a dark expression lingering over his face. "-there is more than one path to your destiny. And I have seen a path that does not involve your death in any way. Wanna know what that path is, Nate?"

Nate was silent, but Felix took it as an approving response, as he grinned maliciously.

"Joining me. I am the leader of an organization dedicated to eradicating the pandemic that is evil, greed, and corruption. The Sky Soldiers. You probably have heard of it already. They were active a decade previous as well, and would have still be around had it not been for your father's intervention.

"A shame, really. He was blinded by this, how should I say, moral that evil was meant to exist as long as there was good in the world, that without evil, good would be all for nothing, and vice versa, and yet, that moral was flawed, nothing more than a loose variable, junk science. Good can work without evil, for it is the driving force of the world, but has just long been hindered by the seductive pull of evil. You can say that if evil were extinguished like a fire on a building, then the world would be way more evolved, more civilized, more peaceful! It'd be a better place for itself! And yet, poor Ash allowed his life to be extinguished by that simple wrong turn of his.

"But you don't have to go down the same path, Nate. You will never have to, if you decide not to." Felix held out his hand towards Nate, as a warm gesture. "Join me, Nate. Do not listen to those liars back there. They are trying to blind you as well with that same immoral concept. Do not listen to their poisonous words. Join me, and you won't lose your life like your father did." His smile widened even more, in an attempt to seem warm and welcoming. "What do you say, Nate?"

Nate glanced warily at Felix's hand. He knew he shouldn't trust absolutely anything and everything with a Sky Soldier logo branded on it, but on the other hand, he felt as if he was being kept in the dark about the circumstances of his heritage. Like if he was meant to pursue some sort of destiny like his father did before him...

Then, he remembered Kelly, Rosa, Hugh, and his family, plus all of his other rivals and friends back in Unova.

"And what happens to the ones I care about if I join you?" he asked.

"What happens to them?" repeated Felix. "Well, they will be granted complete amnesty from our worldwide purge. In no way shall they be harmed. I promise that."

Nate glared at Felix's hand, then at the statue of Ash. He didn't know what to do. He knew he shouldn't be joining forces with the likes of Felix and his Sky Soldiers, but he had never felt so scared of the future. A lot of pressure, a lot of expectations, a lot of darkness ahead... It was all so bleak...

Felix recognized Nate's mood and lowered his hand, smiling. "I understand if you're conflicted," he replied, turning around. "I shall give you as much time as you need. But remember this, the Sky Soldiers once said this, years ago: 'Good and evil have waged war with each other for as long as the creation of the world occurred, and it always serves disastrous consequences to the innocents who never deserved to be involved at all, thus there must be a complete eradication of evil in order to ensure that life goes on, lest the innocents continue to suffer casualties.'" Felix faced Nate, smiling slightly. "Just remember that, Nate...remember..."

There was a sudden flash of light, and Felix was gone.

Nate stood there silently for a few minutes, contemplating over what had just happened. Then, he walked back toward the blimp, tight-lipped.

Little did Nate or Felix know that the homeless man had awakened by the time they started conversing. He raised the hood of his shawl, revealing auburn eyes.

"Well, this just got a little interesting," Ash muttered to himself as Lucario appeared on the rooftop.

A/N: TA-DA! The prodigal hero appears! And yes, you'll be seeing him more in future chapters. About damn time!

Also, I am fully aware that this is a shorter chapter than usual, but I had a bit of tight schedule at the moment. At least we get to see Ash in all of his former glory! :D

I'd like to thank those who reviewed (cannot answer reviews right now):

jg13145

Oreh

ThirteenMoney

BlueLightningXD

TheNightIsYoung97

random girlz

PsychicEevee0103

Alpha B. A. 7

Galaxian-the-Seedrian

Pokemon Trainer Josiah

Before we go, I am very pleased to announce that the anime series based on the Pokémon X and Y games is gonna premiere in the U.S. on October 29, 2013, through a special sneak peek. I have also learned from reliable sources that Serena, the female playable character of the XY games; Clemont, a Kalos Gym Leader; and Bonnie, Clemont's younger sister, are gonna be traveling with Ash throughout the Kalos region! How excited am I about this? MUCHO.

Maybe I can make a story about the group when the series premieres...

Well, hope you enjoyed this action-packed chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!