Chapter 27: Trials of Darkness.
Summary: on his own Ash must face his past enemy as he decides his path from this trial onwards.
Cyrus walked up to a tree, leaning on the tree he looked up to the final platform that was to hold the powerful pokemon, "you know I have been stuck here for six years right, it has been my prison of sorts," Cyrus stated with a hint of disappointment, he closed his eyes thinking about his past sins, "I didn't hesitate to hurt people, in fact I didn't hesitate to kill others," Cyrus opened his eyes and focused on Ash.
"What are you getting at Cyrus?" Ash asked the former leader of team Galactic.
"How are my former comrades?" Cyrus asked the Aura Master.
Ash looked at the ground with a sigh, "haven't heard from them since the stunt you pulled," Ash replied quietly.
"I see, I also see that you're alone, the young girl that was always with you," Cyrus pointed out, but was quick to notice the sadness of the trainer, "something terrible happened, didn't it?" Cyrus asked the trainer with a concerned expression.
"Yeah, I rather not talk about it," Ash answered the former leader of Team Galactic, thinking back to her sacrifice.
"She gave her life to save you?" Cyrus asked the trainer, "I might not be an expert in all of this, but don't you think that the time for mourning is over?" Cyrus asked the trainer about his sadness, "how long has it been?" he continued to ask the raven haired man with a more serious expression.
Ash lowered his vision, his fists clenched in anger but with tears rolling down his face, "five months," he answered softly.
Cyrus turned around and looked up at the dark spot in the sky, "five months?" he asked himself as he glanced over his right shoulder, "no amount self-pity, asking yourself would could I have done differently, will bring the dead back," Cyrus wisely told Ash.
"Then what about past failures?" questioned the trainer who was still hurting from his own failure to save Dawn.
"Failure, something I know a thing or two about, the reason why I am here, is because my failures have hurt a lot of people, this punishment I rightfully deserve," the former leader of Team Galactic replied to Ash's question, "but as long as people learn from their own imperfections, then they can move forward without regret," the man with reminded Ash of the direction he needed to take, "I thought that being perfect was the only way for me to change the world, but my defeat by your hands with Dawn and Brock made me rethink my ideals."
Taking a deep breath Ash, watched the darkness grow from one of the platforms, "alright I guess I need to think about how I was acting recently, sure I have become more positive as a person, but I still wasn't able to through away the sadness that was taking hold," Ash explained to himself as he continued towards a tree not too far from where he was standing.
(Flashback 5 years ago)
Ash and Dawn walked into a large city with their friend Brock, "so this is Veilstone City," Ash placed is right hand over is eyes, coving from the glare of the sun.
"Alright you two, I will be going to do some shopping for supplies for our next stop," Brock informed his friends.
Dawn still reeling from the embarrassing defeat at the Hearthome Contest, "um Ash, I am thinking, do you think we can go to the Pokemon Centre?" the bluenette asked the trainer.
"Alright," Ash thought with a smile, he moved forward with Dawn close behind him, "you know Dawn, there were times when I would have thrown in the towel after being defeated like that," Ash informed the girl with a smile.
Dawn continued to follow Ash, not saying a word in response, 'how do I tell him?' Dawn started to question herself, she looked up at the trainer, not taking any heed at the person about to cross her path.
"Hey Dawn, stop moving for a moment," Ash instructed the bluenette, the person cross the path while Dawn watched in amazement, "you need to watch where you're going, this is a busy city from the looks of it," Ash chuckled, scratching the back of his head. After opening his eyes he looked down at the teenager, seeing that she had a clueless expression to his words, 'man, she is cute, oh crap, that's right I love her,' Ash thought to himself as he turned away from the blue haired girl, hiding his blush.
After making it to the medical facility Ash waited for Dawn to make it back out with her Piplup in her arms, "alright, I have a way to improve my contest chances," the confident girl stated, not taking any notice of Ash, who was sitting in across the main foyer.
"Hey Dawn, over here," Ash called to his travelling companion.
"You're still here?" Dawn asked her raven haired travelling companion.
Ash started laughing at the comment of the girl, "of course I am still here," Ash replied with a goofy smile. Ash looked down at his partner pokemon who was trying to encourage him, Ash refocused on Dawn who was sitting in front of him, "can I ask you something?"
"What is it?" Dawn asked in response, almost unsure of what she was about to hear from the trainer.
Gulping for a moment, Ash felt sweat rushing down his back, "I.I was just wondering, i-if," Ash struggled to string together a sentence, "w-w…..would you ever go on a date with me?" Ash finally finished his question.
Dawn stared in shock at the request, her face quickly turned red, her heart started racing at the date request with Ash, 'he asked me out, I don't believe this, does this mean that he loves me?' Dawn asked herself in amazement, still feeling like it was too good to be true.
(Later that night)
Ash and Dawn were walking back to the Pokemon Centre, holding hands, for the first time, laughing and enjoying the walk back, "we rushed the date for tonight, but I still had a great time," Ash informed his travelling companion with a proud smile.
"Yeah I know, I really enjoyed the food," Dawn replied happily, she grasped onto Ash's arm and leaned in onto his shoulder, "now I cannot feel nervous about telling you something important anymore," Dawn confessed as the two walked slowly together, "I love you Ash."
(Return from flashback)
Ash looked up to see a large grey pokemon appearing from the portal, with red eyes and a large set of skeletal wings, "Giratina," Ash whispered the pokemon's name.
"Yes something called it here, is something happening in the real world?" Cyrus asked the trainer.
Ash hesitated in his move to battle Giratina, 'so you are going to continue hesitating?' a voice echoed in his mind.
'Why are you still there?' Ash asked the voice.
'I never left, but you were the one keeping me here,' the darkness informed the Aura Master, 'maybe me testing you achieved nothing,' the darkness stated with a displeased tone.
Ash appeared puzzled by the remarks of the dark being, 'you were testing me?'
'Darkness isn't necessarily evil, it is only one side of the coin,' Ash's darkness informed him.
"Without one you cannot have the other," Ash whispered to himself.
'Exactly,' replied the dark voice.
'When I lost the person that made my day shine even brighter, I was wallowing in sadness, I was consumed by it, never thinking that I could have moved forward,' Ash reminded himself, angry at himself for showing weakness in his own character, 'it was unlike me, not something Dawn would have been proud of,' Ash stated to his darkness.
'You finally figured it out,' the dark figure appeared in front of Ash and Cyrus.
"How did that happen?" Cyrus asked the dark counterpart of Ash.
"You have been trapped here for the better part of six years and yet you know very little," Ash's dark counterpart stated with a sigh, he turned his back to Ash and started walking, "how about this?" the dark counterpart pointed to the centre of the dimension, "we battle, a one on one pokemon battle, a battle to the end," the darkness of Ash requested.
"One final trial," Ash whispered.
"My pokemon well," the darkness of Ash clicked his fingers, appearing in a puff of smoke was a small electric pokemon. Ash staggered back at the sight of the pokemon, in shock at the small yellow pokemon glaring at him, "oh right I forgot, you aren't able to move on, if you can defeat this illusion, then maybe we can deal with getting you to take the right path," he stated confidently
Ash and his Dark counterpart started leaving the area they started at, moving quickly to the centre of the anti-matter realm, they each took separate paths, Ash walked on the western wall, hearing the waterfalls crashing above him, but not a drop of water seem to fall on him, Ash glanced for a second on the eastern wall, seeing the dark counterpart with the Pikachu, 'just what is y dark counterpart planning?'
The time passed with the two look a likes making it to the chosen battlefield, above them was the portal for the renegade pokemon to appear, "now Ash I will be using this Pikachu, you will be battling with Lucario," the dark part of Ash informed the Aura master.
"Lucario?" Ash asked, he paused for a moment and grabbed the aura pokemon confines, he looked at the red and white device and gulped, "I thought I was going to choose whatever pokemon I wanted," complained the trainer with a sense of disdain.
Ash called out the fighting type pokemon, before Ash could start his command the electric type unleashed a powerful blast of electricity catching the two off guard, "no time waste Ash," the darkness of Ash decreed.
"Use Bone Rush to deflect the attack," Ash ordered his Lucario, forming a powerful bone staff, Ash's pokemon started to deflect the attack by spinning the staff around. After the attack vanished, the bone staff vanished allowing for Ash to regain a sense of composure in the battle, "alright, counter with Aura Sphere."
"Plikachu, use Iron Tail to slice it in half," Dark Ash ordered the electric mouse. As the blue orb got closer to the small pokemon, the yellow pokemon leapt up and spun around with a stiffened tail, slicing the attack in half. Each half went in separate direction causing parts of the land to fall away, "Pikachu, use Quick Attack," Dark Ash instructed the electric mouse to attack.
"Lucario dodge the attack, then use Bone Rush to knock Pikachu down," Ash called for the attack. His pokemon leapt into the air evading the attack, as Pikachu skidded towards Ash, he looked down at the pokemon and winced slightly, "no Lucario stop," Ash ordered his pokemon much to the shock of his opponent.
"What the hell are you doing?" the frustrated opponent asked the real Ash. Pikachu jumped back as the attack landed with a hint of hesitation, 'crap, I can see it in his aura, he is hesitant to battle his pokemon, might need to pull a trump card,' the dark counterpart thought to himself, he looked over to Ash and smirked at him, 'might need to play dirty,' he looked away with a hint of disdain, "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on Ash," Dark Ash ordered the pokemon.
Unleashing a powerful blast of electricity Ash refused to call for a defensive attack, taking the electricity Ash fell back towards the edge, "hey what are you doing? At least defend yourself!" Dark Ash yelled at the trainer.
Ash walked slowly back towards the battle, "I cannot attack Pikachu," Ash replied solemnly.
"So let me ask you something Ash, what do you fight for?" Ash's darkness asked the trainer seriously, watching the fighting type pokemon getting up slowly from the intense battle between him and the electric mouse.
"I am fighting for….." Ash started before being interrupted by an electric attack.
"That isn't a good enough reason!" the darkness of Ash snapped at him, "you forget that I know what you are thinking," telling the opposing trainer of their connection while hitting him with an electric attack by the smaller pokemon, "I want a genuine reason, not revenge or because you want to, something that I can consider genuine," Ash's shadow stated with anger.
"Lucario, attack now with," Ash hesitated with his command, he looked down at the grass on the ground as tears started to flow down his face, "attack now with Aura Sphere," Ash finally ordered his pokemon to attack.
"You need to better than that, Pikachu use Thunder to deflect the attack," Dark Ash issued his instruction, with a mighty cry Pikachu unleashed a powerful current towards the ball of Aura, this time causing the sphere to explode.
Before Ash could get his bearings, he watched in shock as the electric mouse burst through the smoke crashing into his pokemon with a thunderous Volt Tackle, "Lucario!" Ash yelled in disbelief.
"What's the point of you resisting if you don't have a damn reason to?" Dark Ash questioned the trainer, as the smoke clear, he noticed Ash rushing to his pokemon, "you want to defeat the Shadow Lords, yet you are also fighting yourself," the dark counterpart explained as he approached the trainer who was sliding back in fear, "why do you fight? Answer me, I know you have the answer," Dark Ash asked the trainer demanding for Ash to answer his question, showing a hint of frustration at the trainer's hesitation.
Slowly getting back to his feet, the trainer collapsed again, before the darkness started to swallow him, he closed his eyes, an image of Salvia appeared in his mind, 'Salvia,' Ash thoughts quickly turned to the times where she was encouraging him, helping him through his dark times and was there to provide him the light he needed, 'you were there when I needed you, even now,' Ash reminded himself as he pushed himself back to his feet.
'Has he found an answer?' Ash's darkness asked himself, seeing the trainer with a more serious expression, "well, you lack the energy to continue the fight, not only that you also have Willow you need to defeat."
"To keep the person who has saved me safe," Ash replied but was too quiet for his darker half, he looked up with determination.
"It is great you say that, but who?" Ash's darkness immediately questioned the young man.
"Salvia, she is the one I fight for, in fact I would die for her," Ash continued his answer, Ash looked up to see his darkness laughing at him, "what's so funny?" Ash shouted his question at his foe.
"Finally a positive answer and no excuses," the darkness of Ash continued to laugh, he walked up to the trainer and nodded at the illusion of the electric mouse.
Ash watched the small pokemon disappear, "why did you stop battling me?" the shocked man asked his dark counterpart.
The dark counterpart placed his right hand his Ash's shoulder and chuckled at the man, "because, you were too busy trying to get revenge, you should know, no matter how you seek revenge, it simply will not bring Dawn back, revenge clouded your vision" he turned towards the legendary pokemon, "even Giratina knows this, it wasn't getting involved in our battle because, maybe it sensed the pain you were still in," Ash's counterpart watched the rogue pokemon hovering closer to Ash.
"I see, so, you knew about it," Ash lowered his vision.
"Well it seems like it wants to challenge you to a battle, I am going to get some popcorn and enjoy the show," the dark counterpart vanished causing Ash to glow with a purple aura.
The renegade pokemon glanced at the trainer, "Garchomp, I choose you!" Ash yelled out for his pokemon, this time no hesitation became more obvious in his voice, 'my dark aura counterpart is right, I can no longer cling to the past, not now, since I have a future to fight for,' Ash admitted himself as his powerful dragon got ready to face off against his final trial of the alternate realm, "living in the past got me nowhere, now it is time for me to take a new direction, a direction that will lead me to the future," Ash declared as he gave a focused stare at the legendary pokemon, 'the road will be tough, but I will endure it,' Ash cracked his knuckles as his dragon type prepared to receive a , watching Ash ferociously commcommand.
Cyrus watched Ash preparing to battle against Giratina, he quickly noticed the determined expression on the trainer's face, 'when he was first here, he was ready to throw his life away, but now something has restored his confidence, this is great to see,' Cyrus thought to himself, witnessing the collision of the two powerful pokemon.
Garchomp slid back but was showing the same willpower as his trainer, Giratina fired a powerful Shadow Ball at the mach pokemon, "alright Garchomp, evade the attack," Ash quickly ordered his pokemon, with the shadowy orb crashed in front of Ash who was unflinching, "Garchomp, attack now with Dragon Claw," Ash quickly ordered his pokemon to counter attack.
Before Garchomp could land the attack Giratina vanished causing confusion between the trainer and his pokemon, Cyrus who was witnessing the battle between the two combatants, 'that's Shadow Force, but why are they both not countering?' Cyrus questioned the trainer who seemed calm and less rash.
'When Giratina emerges for the attack, I will make my own counter attack,' Ash started planning ahead, waiting for the renegade pokemon to rise up for the next attack. Giratina emerged from the shadows, Ash nodded at his pokemon allowing him to evade the powerful attack, "Shadow Claw now!" Ash called for the next attack without waiting.
His pokemon slashed down on the legendary with a shadowy claw, the two pokemon fell back, sliding back the mach pokemon used his claws to keep his balance from the ferocious attack and staring up at the more powerful pokemon, 'amazing Garchomp isn't holding anything back,' Cyrus continued to witness the battle.
"Garchomp we wait for a moment, then when the time it right we unleash a powerful Dragon Claw,: Ash whispered to his pokemon. Ash watched the legendary pokemon rushing towards his teammate, waiting for the right time to call for the attack.
Ash closed his eyes as the pokemon got closer to the, with Cyrus witnessing the trainer remaining calm, "amazing, it seems like he is calm, a little while ago he was all emotional, so I can assume something happened moments ago," Cyrus assumed watching the young man ferociously commanding his pokemon to attack the opposing legendary pokemon, 'something inspired him, but what, it wasn't just his dark counterpart,' Cyrus started to wonder what was really happening, "he said the name of the princess of this region, is she?" Cyrus started to put the pieces of the puzzle together.
"I have decided which road I will take, so no more beating myself up, I have blamed myself too much for what happened," Ash glared at the more powerful dragon type pokemon, Ash glanced over to his dragon type pokemon and nodded, "attack now with Dragon Claw."
Garchomp evaded two more powerful attacks on the way to completing his attack, slashing down on Giratina, dealing significant damage to the renegade pokemon, Ash watched as the two pokemon leapt back, panting from the powerful attacks landing, Ash with a smirk crossing his face, clenched his hands tightly as he continued to show even more excitement in the battle, "it has been over a year since I was involved in a pokemon battle, I am a little rusty," Ash chuckled, he paused as he thought about his journey throughout the pokemon world, "now I get it, I am such an idiot," Ash started laughing.
'He has stopped, but why?' the watching Cyrus started questioning the young man.
Ash cracked his knuckles and prepared to command his pokemon again, "I am tired of living in the past, there is only one way for me to go," Ash paused, his gaze fixed on his powerful dragon type pokemon, "forward!" Ash yelled out with great conviction, "Garchomp finish this battle with Dragon Rush," Ash called for what would be the final attack of the battle.
Giratina was slow to get up, looking up to see the powerful foe roaring as it started to gain an orange aura, charging towards it, it tried its best to get out of the way, but was soon tackled by the large blue dragon and his explosive attack, falling back down after the deadly attack.
Cyrus smiled with pride at the trainer, he watched as the raven haired man recalled his pokemon from the battle, "that was impressive, no wonder I was defeated all those years ago,"
Ash glanced back as the dragon nodded in acknowledgement, "you know Cyrus. It might have been six years, but now, I feel like going forward with my life, not clinging to the past," Ash told the Team Galactic leader with a smile, "that was something I was doing for the last few months," Ash promised the former leader of Team Galactic, Ash turned to find the dragon leaving him and heading towards his home in its world, 'Giratina thank you, you showed me the way I needed to go, so far so many people and pokemon have done that, I better not disappoint them,' Ash gratefully reminded himself as he looked back to see Cyrus kneeling down.
Cyrus grabbed his hat and placed it on his head, "there is one more thing," Cyrus started with a smirk.
Ash looked over to the portal leading back to the real world, he noticed the princess calling for him, "the princess right, after the Shadow Lords are defeated I will confess my feelings to her, but for now, I think it will be safer to keep it to myself, not that would work anyway, my friends all know that I am in love with Salvia," Ash chuckled as he turned towards the portal, walking back to his world, "what about you Cyrus?" Ash questioned the Team Galactic Leader.
"Me, I have committed way to many sins, I plan on being imprisoned forever, plus the real world doesn't suit me," Cyrus stated while disappearing from sight leaving Ash to figure out what he meant by sins, "just look after the princess, that is all you need to do," Cyrus's voice echoed from the distance.
"Thanks Cyrus," Ash thanked the Galactic leader, he exited the anti-matter realm and back to his friends, Salvia walked up to him with a relieved smile, "it seems like we overcame something today," Ash stated while avoiding eye contact with Salvia.
Salvia started to tear up, this time jumping into a tender embrace with the young man, "Ash, I was scared that I would lose you," Salvia stated with tears starting to stream down her face.
"How cute, but what you three have done was help me realise my mission, you three have awakened Arceus," a woman stated was an immense white pokemon with golden rings around it, she laughed at the trio as their friends stood behind them.
"Salvia, stay back, I will deal with this," Ash smiled at the young woman.
"You couldn't handle a Pidgey let alone a god pokemon, this remnant has made her choice, I am going to live the want to live, not being dictated by the memories of another person," Dusk started glowing with a purple aura.
Ash feeling upset with the young woman's comment towards him, "hey how did you know about the Pidgey?" Ash asked the female Aura Master.
"Well, you just admitted it," Dusk informed the trainer as she walked up to the more powerful pokemon.
"Well if you two are finished with your comedy routine, let's get your demise started," Willow called to the two Aura Masters.
Ash built up his aura and prepared to battle against the God of Pokemon, "Salvia go now, you too Hilda and Hilbert," Ash instructed the three royals, Ash glared with intent as the pokemon continued to break free into the world.
"I am not going!" Salvia angrily snapped back in anger.
"You will just get in the way!" Ash argued back leaving the young royal in shock at what she had heard, "plus, I don't want anything to happen to you," Ash stated as he watched the Dark Aura Master landing in front of him and Dusk, 'I don't want to lose another person I love,' Ash told himself as he stepped forward to face the enemy.
"He is right, you aren't strong enough to face this enemy, Hollow is nothing compared to Willow," Dusk reminded the princess, she quickly turned to Ash and started following him, "there is no way I will be out done by Ash," Dusk remarked with a hint of competitiveness in her voice.
With the final showdown beginning the Dark Aura Master Willow has thrown down the gauntlet for the last clash with the other Aura Masters, will Ash and Dusk defeat a god? Or will they fall?
Next time: chapter 28: Last of the Darkness
Well the good news is, this story is almost finished, just 7 more chapters to write, 31-37 there are some that have been asking where is this story and where is that sroty, sadly my time is being drained in recent times meaning I cannot focus on fanfictions, so what I have done is started on new projects and continued on with others before releasing them so that way I can make release at later times, it doesn't mean I have abandoned them, it just means that I cannot release them all right away.
apologies for not releasing as often as I would like to, but they are being worked on, with new projects on there way, as well as projects from new franchises, like Gundam, Citrus (Saburo Uta) Kingdom Hearts. as well as Fracture for (Ash and Hilda) as well as the other stories which are getting worked on but not released.