I lied didn't I? I unfortunately was not able to update due to random things coming up and preventing me plus I have another coursework for biology coming up in May so I'm going to be slightly busy. You should understand by now; I love writing these stories but they shouldn't really dictate my life. Enough with my rambling, let's go through the reviews.
Reviews
BlackRubyADV: So Giovanni (I don't know how to spell it) is Ash's dad, a lot of people think that's true. Are we going to switch to May's and Drew's training now?
Anyways funny chapter, it made chuckle Ash does want that cake huh. XD Now to wait for the next chapter :).
They are strikingly similar, Giovanni and Ash which is what appealed to me for a father-son combo. As for switching to May and/or Drew, that won't happen as this story, from the start is from Ash's eyes and his eyes only.
Guest: Jajaja the giovanni! I'm spanish. Good fanfic.
Creo que tiene que durar por lo menos 2 años el entrenamiento
Thank you for your support! Unfortunately, I cannot speak Spanish so I am in the dark for what you have said (Google translate is not to be trusted).
Stevexclax: This chapter was interesting. So I guess Giovanni is Xavier who is Ash's father. Keep up the good work. I look forward to next chapter. How is it coming along? I noticed that it has been a while since you last updated.
You got Ash's father right. Thank you for your support! The story is coming along fine, thanks for asking. The only issue I am facing is time as I have a bunch of coursework and exams lined up for the next couple of months so updates are, unfortunately, going to be slower. Don't get me wrong, I love writing but school has different plans for me and I must comply.
Alright, that's about it. On with the story. (Hint: More portal coming up!)
I don't own Pokémon.
CHAPTER 3: THE TARGET IS A LIE!
Several days had passed since Ash had been practicing with Professor Oak's holographic cake; or as Ash liked to call it, The Cake is a Lie! Ash was finally able to master the art of Aura vision perfectly and could maintain it for hours on end without breaking a sweat. A big improvement from falling flat on his face and getting distracted due to an empty stomach, he decided. Professor Oak had woken him early today (a little too early in Ash's opinion) with the promising prospect of something new when training today. Ash hoped it would be better than the lying cake.
If only he knew how wrong, he was.
Professor Oak led him back to the training grounds where an archery target was placed instead of the usual cake-over-the-pedestal. Ash figured he would now get the chance to perform what Professor Oak had shown when he first arrived but decided to keep his mouth shut just in case he was wrong.
Professor Oak seemed to have read his mind and said, "Oh no, no trick today! Simple target practice!"
Ash simply nodded, allowing Professor Oak to continue.
Professor Oak forged ahead. "You have already seen me do it on the first day you arrived here. I'll demonstrate again how you can conjure up projectiles and fire, the rest is for you to figure out."
Saying this, Professor Oak shut his eyes and concentrated on the palm of his right hand. Blue energy began dancing as he slowly opened his eyes. He then fired the energy right onto the target. Bullseye once more.
Ash kept his full attention on the proceedings. Once Professor Oak smashed the target, literally, he began trying to focus Aura onto his palm as well. Sparks of Aura shot from his palm as his concentration deepened. Suddenly, he started feeling dizzy and fell face first on the ground. Scowling, he got up from the ground and looked at Professor Oak expectantly.
Professor Oak smiled and said, "Impressive! You have already figured out that you expend life energy to create Aura. The first step now, is for you to identify how much you can expend without feeling dizzy because this is the meaning between life and death in combat."
Ash, rather annoyed, replied, "I could have killed myself and now you mention it?!"
Professor Oak, still amused, replied, "Seeing is believing. You would have just bought it had I mentioned it to you personally and in battle would have forgotten this fact and, well, actually killed yourself."
Ash gave a quick nod and retried conjuring Aura onto his palm. Now as he was concentrating he found something that he had overlooked in himself earlier. Some kind of energy reserves for conjuring Aura, depleting when Aura is used and self-replenishing when not using Aura. He realised that he could he easily spend 50% of his energy reserves without breaking a sweat, 75% would give him a little issue.
At once, he began using energy for conjuring Aura onto palm, hoping for success this time around. Once more, blue sparks flared from his palm as he began concentrating onto the middle of his palm. As more and more energy flowed, his palm began heating. A little too hot for comfort. Ash immediately broke his concentration and looked at Professor Oak. Professor Oak was about to explain the cause for overheating but Ash beat him to it.
"Let me guess, I am focussing on a spot too small so with all the energy collecting, it begins to overheat."
Professor Oak looked surprised but nodded in approval. He is too much like his father, always hitting the nail right on the head.
Ash, once again, began concentrating to conjure up Aura onto his hand, keeping in mind how much energy he was using up and not to concentrate on to small a point of his palm. Blue sparks flared and then, behold! The very essence of Professor Oak's bolts was now in Ash's hands as well. Ash slowly opened his eyes and shot a projectile onto one target from a couple of them lying together some feet away. The projectile passed through the target as if it was not even present.
Ash once again began scowling and looked at Professor Oak. "You're never going to let me celebrate, are you?"
Professor Oak smiled and replied, "Nope! Now, unlike the cake, these targets are very much real. The only problem is that they move and at imperceptible speeds for your eyes to follow. This, however, should not be problem should you find an innovative approach."
Ash simply turned and faced the targets once more. He shut his eyes and began using Aura to guide him. The target was certainly moving very fast. He had to find a way to slow it down. He shifted his focus on trying to use Aura to slow the target down, at least in his field of vision. Minutes passed and finally, Ash was able to bring the target, in his eyes, to a standstill and acting on impulse, he conjured Aura and began aiming down the target. As he aimed right for the centre of the target, he caught something at the corner of his eye. Beyond the walls of his training ground, something large had its trajectory set on a person lying on the floor, unmoving. The object falling comprised entirely of metal. A safe of some sort, Ash deduced. Then he panicked realising that the safe was about to fall on someone. He just had to identify who the person about to be crushed was and he had to be quick about it. He had already used too much energy for his target practice.
The person who lay still on the floor had a bit of metal on them as well. Ash noticed that it wasn't debris from the falling safe for this was a different kind of metal.
Iron! Ash noted. He then noticed that the iron on the person made a shape of some sort. An 'L' to be exact. Ash recognised that piece of metal as a birthday gift that he himself had given May on her 11th birthday. The bad taste of regret entered his mind as he reminisced that day, his unsuccessful attempt at confessing his feelings for her.
Flashback
Ash presented his gift to May once all the guests had left her house. He figured that that would be his best shot at pouring out all his pent up emotions. Love, Delia pointed out.
"Hi Ash! What did you want to talk to me about?"
Ash swallowed hard and nervously opened his mouth. "Well, I…err…wanted…to talk about…I wanted you to open my gift!"
Ash scowled. That was not what he wanted to say!
May looked surprised by his outburst but cheerfully agreed. "Definitely, in fact, that was going to be the first gift I opened!"
May brought his gift and began opening the neat wrapping. Inside, was a little box with words inscribed, "Happy Birthday May!"
May now looked very excited at the prospect of what was inside. She opened it and found a silver necklace with an 'L'.
May was at a loss for words. This must have cost at least a fortune. "Ash, why…why would you spend so much on me?", she whispered.
Ash smiled and replied, "Nothing is too expensive as long as it brings a smile to your face. Did you like it?"
May hesitated and said, "Me saying that I like it will be the biggest understatement of all time. Just tell me, what does the 'L' stand for?"
Ash saw this as his chance and said, "The 'L' stands for l…l…lo…'luck'. This will ensure that nothing bad will happen to you and that you will have a good life."
He silently cursed himself for messing up, once more. He turned to face May.
She looked almost…disappointed. She regained her composure and said, "Thanks a lot Ash, you are the best!" She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and left Ash to wallow in his misery.
Flashback end
Ash removed the thought of this sad day to focus on things more important. Like that person with May's necklace about to be crushed. Ash mentally smacked himself. Nobody wore May's necklace other than May herself, was he really that delirious, not being able to identify that fact?
Ash opened his eyes and looked in alarm for where Professor Oak might be. He then narrated what was happening to the Professor and collapsed from exhaustion due to expending his energy on Aura. Professor Oak took Ash to bed using Aura and then ran to Professor Sycamore's training grounds. He hoped, with all his might, that May would be alright.
And that's the end to rather long chapter of The Battle of the Aura. In a side note, do check out my other stories like The Forsaken and Drabble Time! and let me know what your thoughts are about them.
You know the drill, please R&R!