Something I forgot to mention about Mulan: The reason why Ash can hear her in his mind is because he's a Pariah. He's been marked by Death himself, and since Mulan was once a dead human, he can hear her. Another thing about Mulan that even though she can understand Pokemon, she can't speak to them. She can only speak to Yveltal, Pariahs, or other ghost types, or anything associated with death.

Enjoy chapter thirteen.

Day Seven

"... No..." Ash muttered as he sank to his knees, slamming a fist into the ground, "Not again, not again!"

He wrapped his arms around himself, shaking. He couldn't look at Chester's dead body, and he felt himself trying to hold back tears. This couldn't be happening again... No one else was suppose to die, and now... Chester was gone... Just when Ash had finally started understanding him, connecting with him...

It had only been a week in this horrible world and two of his Pokemon were gone.

Ash flinched, a week. He had only been in this world for one week. It didn't feel like a week, it felt like it had been... an eternity. He had passed two gyms already, went through several cities, and had caught nearly as many Pokemon as he did during a single journey.

And now he was going through his second death here.

"Xen..." A quiet voice muttered behind him, and he felt his fists clenching. He didn't turn around, but he could see the shadows being thrown around the wall by Kindle's firelight.

"Are you happy?!" Ash spat at her, his voice dripping with anger, "He's dead! Chester's dead, just like the rest of his family! That's what you wanted, right?!" He pushed himself to his feet, spinning around. Kindle was looking up at him, clutching her wand close to her, the flames flickering in and out uncontrollably. Tears lined her eyes, and she took a step back. But there was no sympathy in Ash's gaze as glared at her.

Mulan hovered near by, humming with energy, Attacking a helpless family, She snorted through her telepathy, Disgusting.

Aura swooped into the room, landing on Ash's shoulder. The Pidgeotto stared at Chester's mangled body, wings quivering. Ash felt her talons dig into his shoulder, but he didn't care. A wave of sadness came crashing down on him, the same sickening, sadness he had felt when Midnight had died, but this was different. This time he wasn't just sad, but anger was brewing in him.

"Braixen brai!" Kindle cried, looking at Ash, then she spun towards Mulan, "Xen brai-"

Tell her I don't talk to people that attack the innocent, Mulan said stiffly, turning away, trembling, I saw so many helpless souls perish in the war...

"Skid!" Scape cried, running in front of Kindle defensively, "Skiddo skid!" She cried, looking around at the team.

Ash turned away, but he couldn't stop his tears for any longer. He reached for his belt, fumbling for Chester's Pokeball, tears blurring his vision. He aimed the small red sphere at the bloody shape, and the water type was recalled to the Pokeball for the final time with a beam of black light. A death beam, as Viola called it. Ash held the Pokeball close for a moment.

"I'm sorry," Ash whispered to it, "I'm so sorry for not understanding..."

Kindle stumbled forward, paws clenched around her wand. That's when Ash noticed the dead Axew lying near the wall of the cave, spine crushed the same way Chester's had been. His heart hammered, what had attacked them? Was it still around? Kindle stepped over the dragon type's body, looking at a small narrow crack in the wall. High pitched whimpers could be heard from within.

Kindle reached one arm in, pulling out a small green shape.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

Introducing: Erica

Axew: female

Level 14

Obtained at: Connecting Cave

Nature: Docile

Capable of taking hits.

*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*

The baby Axew's eyes were shut, and she hung helplessly in Kindle's grip. Kindle gently brought the little Axew closer, pressing it against her chest. The little dragon type buried its face into her fur, as if it didn't like the light that was in the cave. Kindle stuck her wand into her bushy tail, suffocating the flames, leaving the blue glow of Ash's Holo Caster to be the only light source in the cavern. Kindle then wrapped both arms around the Axew, cradling it.

It was a sweet sight, but Ash didn't seem to notice that. All he saw was Kindle, and all he heard was Mulan's echoing words in his mind. Kindle had killed a Pikachu... Kindle had killed a Pikachu. He could only picture his own little buddy in his mind, his best friend... Kindle had killed it's whole family... Chester's family... He remembered Kindle nodding in horror, confirming what Mulan had told him... Kindle hadn't wanted him to know what she had done... She had been keeping it from him...

Ash let out a bitter snort. What had he expected? This was just part of Yveltal's game, wasn't it? He had given him a starter he thought he could trust... Kindle had just been another one of Yveltal's lies. Everything was just part of his stupid game, and he was probably laughing his head off now that Ash knew the truth about his 'starter'. He had been tricked into trusting her, fooled into thinking there was someone here that thought like him. How often was this going to happen? How often would he learned that even the smallest details of this world had been orchestrated by Yveltal?

Ash reached for Kindle's Pokeball, but his fingers trembled against the sphere. He couldn't do it. He didn't want her near him, not even in a Pokeball.

"Come on guys," Ash muttered, quivering, "L-let's go."

Agreed, Mulan said, Let's leave this place of carnage.

Ash recalled Scape and Aura to their Pokeballs, hooking them onto his belt. From here on out he'd only have one Pokemon out when traveling. He couldn't risk any of them getting separated from the group, he couldn't risk anyone else dying. Ash reached down, scooping up the Holo Caster, then shoved his shaking hands into his pockets, storming down the passageway. He would have to find a place to give Chester a proper burial... But not here. Not in this horrible cave, Ash couldn't stand one more minute in here. Mulan darted after him, sword out of her sheath.

"Xen?!" Kindle called after him, but she didn't follow him. He opened his mouth, but it was dry, and no words came out. He couldn't say anything to the Braixen. He closed his mouth, biting hard on his lips as he simply readjusted his hat, walking away without another word.

Don't worry, Mulan told him, I vowed I'd join you on your quest. I'm sorry for the fall of Chestnut, but I'll remain by your side.

Kindle stared at Ash as he walked away, as he left her behind. She was too stunned to move, so she could only watch as he and the light of his Holo Caster vanished deeper down the tunnel. The Axew relaxed as their surroundings became darker again, and Kindle blinked back several tears.

This part of the cave wasn't as dark as the sections before it, so the exit probably wasn't far ahead. Her eyes slowly began to adjust to the limited light, and she could make out her basic surroundings. She sank to the ground, holding the Axew closer than ever. She looked at the small dark shape.

Chester had asked her to protect it as her own... Kindle thought she'd never be able to become a mother, since she was a starter, but now... Kindle bowed her head, she may have not been in control of her body when she killed Chester's family, but she still felt a small weight of guilt for what had happened. She would keep her promise, and she'd raise this little Axew as her own.

'Hello there...' She whispered softly to the baby as it curled up in her soft fur, 'I'm... I'm your new mother... And you're... Erica.'

The small Axew twisted at the sound of her new name, then pressed closer to her adopted mother. A smile flickered onto Kindle's face, and she planted a small kiss on the Axew's head. She gently set the dragon down between two rocks, and it immediately started crying out. Though the sound made Kindle want to run and embrace her new child, she didn't. Kindle stood up, stumbling towards the dead Axew.

She looked at the mother Axew, then carefully picked her up. She shivered as her paws came in contact with the cold scales, but she wasn't going to leave the Pokemon without some sort of burial. She held the body away from her as she looked around. The ground was too hard to dig a grave, so what could she do...?

She looked at the little crevice where she had found Erica, and Kindle blinked. Kindle carefully placed the dead Axew in it, arranging the body so it laid there peacefully. Kindle didn't have anything to make the burial proper, so she took out her wand, lighting the tip against her fur. She placed the fire near the Axew, letting it and the dead leaves in the den catch fire. She then withdrew the wand, setting it on the ground. Kindle grabbed a large rock, groaning as she picked it up. She placed it in front of the crevice, blocking the entrance to it. She grabbed another rock, repeating the process several times until the den was sealed off. Kindle knelt, placing one paw on the rocks, taking a deep breath.

'I'm sorry for your death,' Kindle told the unknown Axew, but as the words escaped her mouth she realized they just weren't for the Axew. They were for Midnight too. And for Chester, and his family. It was for the Vivillon she had killed at the gym. It was for every Pokemon that had ever fallen in battle. It was for every Pokemon that was born into this dark world, 'I'm... I'm so sorry...' She whispered, lowering her head, 'But I promise that I'm going to protect this little Axew, I swear I won't let her die! I won't let anything happen to her! Just like I promised Chester!' Kindle realized that she was crying, 'Erica...' She whispered, 'No one will disturb your mother's grave... I'm sorry you were born into this world, but I'm going to take care of you... I'm going to give you the best life that I can. And when the time is right... I'm going to get you to Ash's world, I swear! I won't let you live in this horrible world for long!'

There was no response but a whimper from Erica, begging for Kindle to return. Kindle wiped away her tears, shakily rising to her feet she stumbled over to the baby Axew, picking her up. Erica quieted down right away, and Kindle cradled her closer, then grabbed her wand. She held it in her free hand, keeping the tip lit like a torch. Kindle took a deep breath, her life was a mess right now, but she had a baby to protect now. She also had her promise to keep Ash safe. Even if he didn't trust her right now, she was going to find him. She would tell him the truth, she wouldn't stop until he believed her.

'Let's go, little one,' Kindle muttered, heading down the tunnel in the same direction Ash had gone.

"Interesting... He's left behind his starter... Sina, are you seeing this?"

"Yes, Lysandre sir, I am. The professor won't like that at all."

"Hmm... Well, it seems that he can understand the Honedge, and going off of what he says... It seems the legends are true... so Yveltal is truly out there..."

"Or the kid is crazy."

"Crazy, yet the Pokemon react to what he says, and they treat it as true. You saw all the recordings from his Holo Caster, Sina dear."

"... They are Pokemon, sir. Lesser beings of intelligence. They aren't stupid... but they most certainly don't have human level of understanding. They are creatures whose first instinct is to kill. Lysandre, you need to keep this in mind-"

"'First instinct to kill'... Yet if we combine the recordings from Serena's and Ash's Holo Caster, we discover that the Panpour seemed to be defending the Axew. Why would a Pokemon protect another Pokemon it didn't know if the first thing that is in their mind is to slaughter another Pokemon? We don't give these beings enough credit... I'm surprised they haven't done something themselves, as humans keep using them as tools for entertainment and even warfare... Look at how corrupt this world has become..."

"Lysandre sir-"

"Sina, take that little shiny hunting friend of yours and met up with Ash in Ambrette Town. Please instruct him to go to reflection cave and to... Look for a fossil for you. Or tell him something else, make it up if you must. Just get him to that cave."

"Sir, we have our forces there-"

"Yes, I know. I want to see how he reacts to them. What he does when confronted. This shall be a test for the boy."

"... Yes sir."

"Good, I'll be hearing a report back from you soon then."

"Yes sir. Good day, Lysandre sir."

"Good day, Sina."

"Vern!"

Sina sighed as her Noivern let out yet another screech, but she remained quiet since she knew that echolocation was the Pokemon's quickest way to navigate, no matter how annoying it sounded. The dragon type huffed, flapping its leathery wings as it soared towards Ambrette town. The cliff-side town was small, but well developed. With a large aquarium and a fossil lab, the small town wasn't overlooked like the nearby Camphrier town.

Her Noivern dove down happily, landing outside of the fossil lab that Sina had been to several times. She hopped off of her Pokemon, who looked relieved to no longer be carrying his trainer. Sina huffed, brushing off her clothes and running a hand through her hair.

"Hello, Sina, looking as good as ever," Sina jumped at the sudden voice, looking up in time to see a certain blond haired boy exiting the fossil lab and approaching her with a smile. Sina sighed, an annoyed and stunned look crossing her face.

"How did you get here before me?" Sina demanded, but Dexio simply smiled, "I called you only an hour ago!"

"Let me introduce you to the newest member of my collection," Dexio said, pulling out a Pokeball, expanding it.

"Oh no..." Sina muttered.

He opened the Pokeball, releasing a bright red, shiny, Talonflame. The fire type let out a long cry, feathers gleaming in the sun, "Not just shiny," Dexio said proudly, "But Pyro here has the rare ability Gale Wings! You wouldn't believe how fast he can go when using Fly! Even with me as a passenger!"

"Yeah, it's a miracle that your own two feet can carry you," Sina muttered, "Where on earth did you get that thing, I doubt that you've been training a shiny Fletchling without letting the whole world know it."

"I won Pyro in an online auction," Dexio said, recalling the shiny Talonflame, "Usually I prefer trades or catching shinies myself, but it was a red shiny! I've been building up my collection for years, I couldn't just pass him up!" He stuck the Pokeball back onto his belt, "Speaking of which, I need to start searching for a dusk stone online... Why do evolution stones have to be so rare...?"

"I could care less. Has Ash come by yet? I need to talk to him," Sina demanded. Dexio shrugged, pulling out his Holo Caster, searching the web. Behind him the doors to the fossil lab opened again.

"Just missed him," Professor Sycamore answered, walking out of the fossil lab, smiling at Sina, "Great to have you back though, but I know that Lysandre can keep you busy, even when you're an intern for me."

"You're here, Professor?" Sina cried in surprise, and he just nodded, chuckling, "Wait- Ash is gone? I needed to talk to him!"

"Don't worry," Professor Sycamore replied, "I just sent him to talk to a scientist up in reflection cave. He works at this lab, he's the one that does most of the fossil mining. I thought Ash should talk to him since they have... similar backgrounds... Ash will be back soon enough, you can wait for him. I, on the other hand, need to get going," Professor Sycamore said.

Sina paused, "Ash is going to reflection cave?"

"Yes, I'm sure he won't be long-"

"Okay, thank you Professor," Sina cut him off, relieved. Lysandre had just wanted Ash to go near reflection cave, how he got there didn't matter, just as long as he did. Her mission was already done, "Sorry for wasting your time."

"You haven't wasted anytime," Sycamore replied, releasing a Charizard from a Pokeball, "I need to head back to the lab now, I'll see you two there soon, hopefully."

"Dang it!" Dexio cried as Professor Sycamore flew off on his Charizard, "I was outbid by 1 Pokedollar! One freaking Pokedollar! Stupid time limit! Is it too much to ask for one little dusk stone?" He shoved his Holo Caster back into his pocket, muttering under his breath.

"Well, then maybe you should pay more attention on the Professor's assignments rather than your shiny collection," Sina replied coolly.

Dexio gave her a sly smile, "You know... Perhaps I could focus better if there was someone for me to-"

"No Dexio," Sina said, raising her hand for him to stop, "For the final time, I'm not going out with you."

"Come on!" Dexio said, "You never give me a chance! One date Sina, that's all! If you don't like it you can walk away, no questions asked, and I'll never ask you out again!"

Sina sighed, rubbing her forehead. Dexio was a good friend, he was just... overwhelming, and he'd just never stop asking her out. She paused, a sly smile of her own creeping up on her face, "I'll take you up on your offer on one condition: Get me a shiny Eevee."

"An Eevee...?"

"Yes, a shiny Eevee. You're the shiny hunter, right? Get me a shiny Eevee and I'll let you take me out on one date," Sina smirked, "Actually, it has to be a female shiny Eevee, or no deal."

"What!? Eevees are rare enough, let alone a shiny one! But a female? You know it's hard to get a female of rarer Pokemon- they are all in breeding stock! And if someone did have a shiny female Eevee they would probably be breeding it for more!" Dexio cried.

Sina turned towards her Noivern, "Well then, it doesn't look like you'll be taking me out for quite a while then, does it?" She said smugly, "I'll be seeing you at the lab Dexio, good luck!" She climbed onto the reluctant Noivern, and Dexio glared at her as she flew off.

"Hm, think you've just dashed all my chances, huh? You just wait, I'll get my hands on that Eevee for you, then I'll be the one laughing!" Dexio paused, "... Wait, then I'll be down a really rare shiny too... dang it Sina! You just made a win-win situation for yourself! Whatever..." He muttered, then paused, glancing at where Sina had taken off, "Wait... Didn't she want to talk to Ash? Why did she leave then?"

"Maybe she left because you're just talking to yourself," Someone said as she walked by the lab, and Dexio flushed red in embarrassment, quickly ducking into the fossil lab.

A glowing portal appeared above the fossil lab, and a small, purple shape slipped through. The Hoopa was quivering as it looked around, and the portal shrunk back to a ring, and she slipped it around her horn. The legendary quickly dove close to the roof, hoping that no human saw her. The Hoopa panted nervously, wondering how long it would be until Yveltal sensed her in his world. Of course this world was huge, and she was just a small legendary, but all legendaries knew that Yveltal didn't take well to trespassers in his world.

He had already blocked most of the major legendaries from his realm, but luckily, this small dimension-traveling Hoopa hadn't been sealed from Yveltal's world, yet. She was currently the only way for the other legendaries to learn of what was going on in Yveltal's realm, and she dreaded the moment if she were to be discovered. She feared what Yveltal would do to her, since he did have the right to attack trespassers, and she also feared what Arceus and the others would think if she was sealed from here. She couldn't fail the other legendaries, or the Chosen One.

Even if she was under Yveltal's radar right now, she had to be careful at all times. If humans spotted her and started talking, Yveltal would catch wind of it. Her job was to check up on Ash, but she was sure Yveltal wouldn't be far from his newest Pariah.

So she couldn't talk directly to Ash at the moment, but she could spy. See if there was some flaw or something Yveltal had overlooked. If the guardian of death was willing to use the loopholes in the ancient laws- then the other legendaries wouldn't hesitate to use them against him.

"Wingull gull?" Hoopa jumped as the water type Pokemon landed next to her on the roof. The Wingull blinked, staring at Hoopa.

'H-hello...?' Hoopa muttered uncertainly. The Wingull hopped closer, and Hoopa noticed that he was staring at the rings on her body, 'O-oh? Um, those are mine...'

"Gull?" He asked, 'Mine?'

'No, they're mine...' Hoopa muttered, drifting back, only for another Wingull to land on the roof, he too looking at Hoopa's rings.

'Mine?' He called, waddling closer as more Wingull landed on the roof, slowly surrounding Hoopa, all singing a chorus of 'Mine? Mine? Mine! Mine!'

'Oh no,' Hoopa's eyes went wide, and she quickly rose up high into the air, and the Wingull spread their wings, flying up after her as she ranaway.

'Mine! Mine! Mine!' The Wingull called as they pursued her, 'Mine!'

Hoopa quickly sent a ring into the air space below her, forming a portal. The Wingulls dove after it with a happy cry, all wanting to get the gleaming ring. The portal swallowed up the flock of Wingull, and another portal opened up, facing the side of the fossil lab. A dozen Wingull flew out of the portal, crashing head first into the building. Hoopa let out a sigh, retrieving her ring.

Hoopa slowly turned, glaring at the screen as she crossed her little arms, 'No more movie references, "author", or I tell Arceus.'

So remember when I said Hoopa breaking the fourth wall wasn't canon to the story...? Well it is now. I just love this little Hoopa too much, and she can now break the fourth wall because I say so. I'll won't do it all the time though, because that would get old and take away from the story.

Now before anyone starts telling me that Ash is out of character to leave a Pokemon behind- he isn't. This is Ash, the naive and heroic character that we all know. He loves Pokemon, and this world is started to chip away at him. He has just had two of his own Pokemon die- emotionally that is taking a heavy toll of him- and now he has just learned about Kindle's history. Though Kindle wasn't in control, Ash doesn't know that. All Ash can picture is his own Pikachu, and he now has it in his head that Kindle was simply another part of Yveltal's game. He didn't release her- but emotionally it was too overwhelming for him to stay near her, along with the fact that he had just lost other Pokekmon. He just doesn't know what to do.

Thank you for reading!