Makings of a Hero

by Hero in the shadows1

A hero is formed through struggle and hardship. Ash Ketchum knows what it takes to be a hero. But being branded a criminal and exiled from the Five Regions can change a person. What will he become, a fallen hero or a dark avenger? And what do the powers of life and destruction have to do with it? Contains blood, violence and death. Not for kids.

18. The end of it all

Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or it's affiliates.

A/N: Well her is the long awaited chapter that I promised. I would like to thank all of you for being so patient, I really appreciate it. Life has been a real problem this last month and I'm glad that I have such great readers who understand that and not badger me for chapters like I have seen with other stories, it means a lot. I want to give a big shout out to my awesome guest reviewer who left a great review as always and to Mark Andrew who also left an awesome review. Both of these guest reviewers have told me their vote for my poll and I intend to count them which makes the current standing 10 to 8 in favor of Ash making Pallet Town a gym. The poll will stay open until the next chapter is posted. The reason for that being that the next chapter will be the very last one of this story and I will then begin on my next story. That's really all I have to say for now, so on with the story.

Everyone in the room was holding their breath, awaiting the impending doom that was about to come. The darkness of the room only intensified the dread that Sabrina and the others felt while watching their friend prepare to attack them.

Sabrina couldn't help but stare into the dull, glazed over eyes of Ash as he held an aura sphere in each hand and aimed them with deadly intent at her and the others. Those weren't the eyes of Ash, either one of them. She remembered Dark Ash's eye's being cold, cruel and calculating while the real Ash, as Sabrina thought of him, had warm, curious, caring eyes. The same eyes that all those years ago saw the good in her even when she couldn't see it herself. But the eyes that she was looking at now held none of those things, they just stared blankly ahead with no emotion, no remorse for what they were about to do.

Seconds pasted like hours as the black aura spheres never moved from their creator's hands but never lost their intensity. The smirk that had been prominent on Lysandre's face was beginning to fade as the minutes ticked on and nothing happened. "I said fire! You will obey me!" Lysandre yelled in frustration at Ash and received no response.

Seeing the frustrated look on Lysandre's face and the unresponsive Ash, Yellow spoke up. " It seems whatever control Lysandre has over Ash isn't as complete as he had hoped."

"Yes, I think you are right dear." Red responded while still watching Ash carefully. "But I would like to know how he can control Ash and Yveltal in the first place? Neither one is a slouch when it comes to power, so how can they be manipulated so easily?"

"Ha. You simple minded fools. Always thinking power is everything, it's almost sad really."

Looking to the left about twenty feet away the group saw the source of the voice standing and observing Ash curiously with his hands behind his back. He was a rather plump man wearing a Team Flare suit and red glasses with an almost bald head except for a small bit of red hair that was spiked up in an unnatural way. "And whats that supposed to mean?" Red asked the strange man curtly.

"Doctor Xerosic, Team Flare's head scientist at your service." The man introduced himself with a small bow. "And to answer your first question about how he is controlling them, it is because they are powerful that he can control them. Their greatest power is what allows my machine to control them."

"What power do those two both have that let's you control them?" Cynthia asked while glaring at the arrogant, pale man.

"Aura." Xerosic stated. "Aura flows so strongly through those two that by simply tainting that aura with my machine they fall under its control in a matter of seconds. The aura then controls their bodies to do what ever they are told to do."

"What about the mind? Can it be controlled?" Sabrina asked while still watching the unmoving Ash.

"That is an untested variable. It would depend on the individual mostly but I wouldn't worry about it too much if I were you. In a few minutes you all will be dead and not have to trouble yourself with such things. Good day." Xerosic said with a small bow and began walking toward Lysandre.

"We will see about that. Dragonite prepare to attack Yveltal with Hyper Beam!" Lance ordered angrily.

"Wait! Didn't you hear that doctor? It's under Lysandre's control, it doesn't know what it's doing! You can't just attack it!" Yellow hollered at Lance as she watched his Dragonite begin forming the attack.

"Doesn't matter, it is the enemy and must be defeated. Fire!" Lance ordered and the orange beam streaked across the room colliding with the unmoving Yveltal and pushing it into the wall behind it.

Seeing Yveltal imbedded in the wall by the blast, Lysandre decided to strike back. "Ash change of plan, attack Dragonite!" As if flipping on a switch, Ash took off toward the recharging Dragonite at full speed. As he got closer he threw one of the aura spheres towards the beasts large under belly causing it to double over in pain. Ash then pushed up with his wings causing him ascend and when he was directly above the dragon he retracted his wings and fell aura sphere first straight into the back of it's skull.

"Dragonite no!" Lance yelled as he ran toward his fallen Pokemon. As the dust began to settle and he got closer, he could see Ash standing over the fallen form of his prized Pokemon. Seeing the condition it was in he quickly returned it to it's Poke-ball and then turned on Ash. "You bastard! How dare you harm my Pokemon!" Lance yelled as he threw a punch across Ash's face. Expecting a retaliation, Lance immediately went into a fighting stance but was surprised when none came. Ash didn't move at all from the punch but continued to stare blankly ahead as if nothing happened.

"Whats going on here? Why isn't he fighting back?" Misty asked, shocked that Lance wasn't in the same state as his Dragonite.

"He only does what I tell him to do, little girl." Lysandre said proudly from across the large room. "He can only attack when and who I tell him to. His free will is gone, his powers are mine to command as I see fit."

"You monster! How could you do that to a human or a Pokemon?!" Cynthia yelled in outrage at the cruelty Lysandre spoke of so casually.

"Ha!" Lysandre laughed. "Ash, Yveltal to my side." On command both moved to either side of Lysandre with Doctor Xerosic behind them. Raising both arms Lysandre gestured to Ash and Yveltal. "These are no ordinary Pokemon and human my dear. Yveltal is the Legendary Destruction Pokemon, one of a kind in this world. Flowing through it's body is the power to destroy everyone and everything on this planet." Pausing, Lysandre turned toward Ash. "Then there is Ash the aura prince, most powerful human aura user on the planet. He can go head to head with a Legendary Pokemon and win. What human do you know that can do that? No my dear these are not ordinary beings, these are gods. Gods with the power to change this world and that is exactly what I intend to do. Now leave this place while I still allow it."

There was a silence as the group absorbed Lysandre's words. Were Ash and Yveltal really that powerful? How could they be stopped? Would anywhere be safe from their power? Red was the only one with an inkling of a clue how powerful both Ash and Yveltal were and that was enough for him to fear for everyone's safety. "And what if we refuse to leave?"

"Then you die."

"I figured as much. Everyone get out of here, I'll handle this alone. Get somewhere far away from here." Red ordered as he began to reach for a Poke ball on his belt. Just as his hand clasped over the smooth, familiar surface a pair of hands gently grabbed his forearm and squeezed affectionately.

"Now you know that isn't going to happen dear. I'm with you forever and always remember." Yellow said while looking up into Red's eyes.

Red could see the fire and determination there just as he had all those years ago. He knew from a lifetime of experience that there was no arguing with the owner of those eyes. Her stubbornness had kept him in line all these years and it was one of her best quality's. "There maybe no walking away from this one dear. The odds aren't in our favor." Red explained still hoping to sway her from staying.

"Then at least we will be together." Yellow said with a smile as she took his hand in hers.

"Well I'm not going anywhere either. Can't let the two of you having all the fun." Paul smirked as he came to stand beside Red and Yellow with his arms crossed.

"We're staying too." Cynthia, Misty and Lily stepped forward to join the others.

Sabrina was still gazing at Ash but moved up to join the ranks, leaving Lance by himself. The others looked at him with a questioning look. "I'm not leaving without Ash." Lance said as he also stepped up with the others.

Seeing the group standing together and not leaving, Lysandre began to shake his head in disbelief. "So you have chosen death? Such a pity that so much talent will go to waste but so be it. Yveltal, Oblivion Wing now!"

Yveltal's red and black wings began to glow with a sinister black aura as the giant bird pushed off from the ground and headed for Red and the group. "Spread out and don't let it touch you! It drains your energy!" Red yelled as the group scattered and released their Pokemon to battle the Legendary.

Boom! Yveltal's wing crashed into the battlefield where the group was seconds before. Seeing an opportunity, the ones closest to Yveltal began to attack.

"Garchomp use flamethrower!"

"Starmie use thunderbolt!"

The fierce attacks struck the grounded Legendary for as long as the two powerful Pokemon could hold them but they eventually tired out and halted their attacks. When the smoke cleared everyone could see Yveltal begin to right itself as if the attacks had done nothing at all. "Hyper Beam." Lysandre ordered casually, not at all bothered with the massive damage that Yveltal had just endured.

The orange beam erupted from the powerful Legendary's mouth and it was fired from one end of the battlefield to the other, destroying parts of the rooms walls and floor in the process.

"Oh no Starmie!" Misty cried out as her prized hit by falling debris and buried beneath it.

"Hang on sis we are coming." Lily shouted as she and her Poliwhirl made their way toward Misty.

"Garchomp help move the rubble off Starmie! Cynthia yelled as she began moving toward the other two girls.

"Gar!" Garchomp nodded and began to move toward Misty when a Jump Kick collided with the side of it's head knocking it to the ground.

"Garchomp!" Cynthia yelled as a powerful Meinshao stood over her prized Pokemon. As the Meinshao prepared to attack again a blue glow appeared around it's body, halting it's movements.

"That's quite enough out of you. Alakazam take care of it." Sabrina ordered as she began moving the boulders covering Starmie.

"Hm. That women and her Pokemon are troublesome. Ash take out that Alakazam and then kill the women." Lysandre ordered while observing the ensuing battle. With no hesitation Ash pushed off with his black wings, rising up twenty feet into the air before descending rapidly toward Alakazam. Still busy slamming Meinshao into one of the walls of the large room, Alakazam didn't even see Ash coming until it was too late. Combining the speed of Ash's descent and the power of an aura infused punch, when Ash's fist collided with Alakazam's face the Psi Pokemon was forced into the ground and continued going for ten more feet where its crumpled and broken body finally stooped with swirls in its eyes.

Sabrina turned her eyes from the last of the rubble covering Starmie to see her loyal Pokemon partially buried in the battlefield and Ash ten feet from her walking towards her. She looked again at her Pokemon and could see that it was alive but seriously injured. Quickly returning it, she turned back toward the approaching Ash. "Why are you doing this Ash? Why are you letting yourself be controlled like this?" Ash continued forward silently with his dull eyes aimed at her. "You are better than this Ash. You came here to fix a mistake you made remember?"

Tears were flowing freely down Sabrina's face as she watched Ash raise his right hand and form an aura sphere while still walking toward her. He was only three or four feet from her when the gun shots rang out. Three quick shots, all hitting Ash in the chest knocking him off balance causing him to fall down. Sabrina turned to see Lance still holding his gun in the direction of Ash. "What did you do?! You shot him you bastard!" Sabrina screamed as she moved toward Ash's body.

"I saved your life, now stay back!" Lance ordered angrily. "He was going to die now or later doesn't make a difference really."

"Later I think will be the final verdict I'm afraid Mr. Lance." Lysandre spoke aloud with a smirk on his lips. "I think it would be best if I showed you what I mean. Ash stand up!"

Everyone was silent as Ash began to shift from his spot on the ground. Then slowly he pushed himself to a kneeling position and turned his head up so everyone could see the eerie stare that still graced his features. Finally with one motion Ash stood to full height with his wings retracted and everyone could see the damage that had been done. On the right side of Ash's chest there was blood flowing freely from the three holes that went all the way through his back. His shirt was torn and so saturated with blood that it was dripping and forming a puddle on the floor.

"Now I will prove to you that he is a god among men." Lysandre spoke proudly and then spoke into the mouth piece on his glasses. "Ash change to white aura and heal your wounds."

Ash then spread his pitch black wings and before everyone's eyes he began to change. First the black flames that covered his body flickered and went out only for brilliant white ones to take their place seconds later. The black bat wings seemed to fade away into nothingness and the feathery angel wings slowly spread out from his back. Then the flames on his chest and back glowed brightly for a moment and then faded to their original brightness revealing Ash's blood covered chest without a hole or scar visible anywhere.

"You see. Only a god can defy death so easily. With Ash under my control I can truly change this world into a utopia for all. There is nothing you have that can stop me from achieving my dream. Ash, change to black aura and kill all of them starting with that women in front of you." Lysandre ordered while pointing at Sabrina.

As Ash began to change back to the black aura, Lance raised his gun to fire on Ash again but the wind was suddenly knocked out of him by a fist to his gut. Just before he passed out he caught a glimpse of a Meinshao with one eye swollen shut and one of it's arms hanging limply at it's side. "Good job old friend. Return and have a good rest." Lysandre spoke with pride for his faithful Pokemon. Holding the Poke ball to his chest he said in a low whisper. "You gave your all for our cause my friend, allow me to honor your sacrifice by finishing this. Yveltal keep the others busy while Ash picks them off one by one."

Yveltal took flight and began firing a barrage of Dark pulses at Red and the others. As the group began scatter for cover, Yveltal landed with it's back to Ash and Sabrina cutting them off from the others.

---

Sabrina couldn't move, her brain told to run, to get as far away from Ash as she could but her body wouldn't budge. She could only watch with tears still streaming down her face as Ash finished his transformation back to black aura and began walking toward her again. Step by step he got closer and closer till he was close enough to reach out and grab her tightly by the throat. Sabrina resisted and tried to pry his hand off but it wouldn't budge. Looking into his eyes, Sabrina still couldn't see any part of the real Ash in there just the same empty look that showed he was still under Lysandre's control. Ash then raised his other hand and began to form an aura sphere in it which he slowly brought up directly in line with Sabrina's heart.

Knowing that there was nothing she could do and that her end was eminent she said what was in her heart while it was still beating. "I really was your friend Ash. I know this isn't the real you because the real Ash would rather die than than hurt his friends. But if this is to be the end there is something I have to tell you. Something that I've kept inside for awhile now because I was scared. Scared of what you would think but mostly of what would change between us. But I'm not scared anymore, so I'm just going to say it. I love you Ash, I love you with all my heart." Sabrina finished as she closed her eyes to wait for the end.

"L Love." A strained voice said in just above a whisper.

Sabrina's eyes shot open at the sudden sound. She looked at Ash, hoping beyond hope that she wasn't imagining what she had just heard. "Ash?" she asked nervously with Ash's hand still wrapped around her neck.

"Love. Sabrina is my... friend." Ash spoke in the same strained voice Sabrina had heard moments before.

"That's right Ash, I am your friend and I love you." Sabrina gasped out because of the pressure on her throat. "Please Ash you have to fight Lysandre's hold over you. I know you can do it."

"Fight for my friend." Ash said slightly louder as the aura sphere in his hand disappeared and his grip around Sabrina's neck loosened slowly and finally released. Ash then stood still with his arms at his side and the glazed look still on his eyes.

Rubbing her sore neck, Sabrina moved closer to Ash and touched the side of his face with her hand while she looked into his eyes. "I know you can beat this Ash. You are a good person who would never hurt his friends. The man I love wouldn't let himself be controlled like this." Sabrina said softly as she leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Ash's lips.

"Ash I said kill her now!" Lysandre yelled from across the dark room.

Sabrina watched and waited for a reaction from Ash, was he going to kill her or had she got through to him? As close as she was to him now she wouldn't have time to escape if he did try to kill her again but fate was on her side. The glazing on Ash's eyes began to flicker and then suddenly vanish causing him to fall down in a heap on the ground. The black aura faded away from his body as he groaned in pain on the ground.

"Ash are you okay?" Sabrina asked while kneeling down and touching Ash on the shoulder.

"I've been better. It feels like someone has been beating on my chest." Ash groaned as he pushed himself up so he could look at Sabrina with his chocolate brown eyes.

Sabrina smiled upon seeing the real Ash's eyes finally looking back at her. "Actually Lance shot you three times in the chest."

"Oh well that explains a lot." Ash said while rubbing his chest and looking at Sabrina. "Thank you for not giving up on me Sabrina. I don't think I could have gotten free from Lysandre's control without your help."

"I'm sure you would have found a way but your welcome none the less. By the way, what do you remember from when you were under Lysandre's control?" Sabrina asked curiously while wiping away some of the leftover tears that were still there.

A smirk crossed Ash's face as he stood while pulling Sabrina up with him. When they were both standing, Ash held Sabrina's hand and gave a gentle squeeze then leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Only the important parts."

Across the room Lysandre was furious and Doctor Xerosic was receiving the brunt of his anger. "What the hell is going on! I've lost control over Ash, how can this even happen!"

"The machine is highly experimental and untested. I told you that when we finished building it sir." Xerosic said while stepping back from the enraged Lysandre.

"That's not good enough! We need this to work or the whole plan will be ruined!"

"I'm sorry sir. There's really nothing else that I can do." Doctor Xerosic explained.

While Lysandre continued to vent his anger, a small door opened behind the two men and a head of pink hair gazed out at the scene unfolding in the room in front of her. She could see what having all that power was doing to Lysandre and how dangerous it would be if things continued the way they were. Reaching for a Poke ball, she spared a glance at Ash and saw how happy he looked. In the short time she had known him, she had never seen him smile like he was now with this beautiful green haired stranger holding his hand. A sad smile crossed her face as she released the contents of the Poke ball quietly and whispered an order to the released Pokemon and hoped everything would work out.

"You still have Yveltal sir. The plan can still move forward without Ash." Doctor Xerosic explained, trying to calm Lysandre.

"No. The plan can only move forward now with Ash out of the way. That is the only option now. Yveltal forget those fools! Kill Ash now!" Lysandre ordered as he turned away from the doctor and toward the battlefield.

Ceasing fire Yveltal turned around to face Ash with it's brilliant blue eyes still covered in a cloudy glaze. Making no extra movement Yveltal began charging a Hyper Beam in it's mouth. Seeing the attack being prepared, Ash scooped Sabrina up in his arms and waited till just before the attack was fired to dodge. Quickly reappearing behind Yveltal with Red and the others, Ash set Sabrina down and brought out his white aura and wings.

"Good to have you back Ash." Red said seriously as the room shook from Yveltal's attack.

"Good to be back Master." Ash replied while watching Yveltal carefully.

"Behind you you stupid bird! Turn around and kill him!" Lysandre yelled hysterically into the headset. Lysandre was so focused on Yveltal that he failed to see another bird Pokemon coming down from the ceiling with one of it's wings a metallic silver color until it was too late. Crash! The birds wing went right through the middle of the device on Lysandre's back, scattering it in hundreds of pieces on the floor. Lysandre could do nothing as he looked over his shoulder to see his precious device, the key to his plan, sliced open and scattered like dust in the wind.

"Talonflame return." A female voice commanded. Lysandre and Doctor Xerosic turned just in time to see the small door behind them close.

"No! This can't be happening!" Lysandre yelled as he fell to his knees in defeat. His plan, his perfect plan for a perfect world gone in a flash. All the years he had spent planning and trying to change the world for the good of everyone, had it all been for nothing?

"Tal!"

The screech brought Lysandre back from his thoughts and to the real world. With the device destroyed Yveltal was free to do as it pleased once more and that was to destroy everything. Unfortunately for Doctor Xerosic and Lysandre, Yveltal hadn't forgotten what they had done to it and decided that it wanted to get even. The black and red birds eyes were focused on the two men as it began to come toward them.

"Run! Lets get out of here!" Doctor Xerosic yelled as Yveltal began to close in on them. The two older men began to run toward the door but the Legendary was faster and caught them with ease making full use of the claws on each of it's wings. Once the men were caught, Yveltal's wings began to glow an eerie black color and the two men began to scream in pain.

"Argh!"

"Ah!"

Ash and Red knew what was happening to the two men and didn't wish that on anyone but now they needed to get everyone else out while Yveltal was busy. Sharing a quick glance Red and Ash turned to the others and Ash spoke. "You guys have to get out of here now. Its not safe for you all to be here with Yveltal so angry. I am going to try and awaken Xerneas and I don't want you guys to get caught in the middle of two Legendary Pokemon." Ash finished while motioning to the withered tree in the corner of the room.

"He's right, we would just be in the way. Sabrina can you teleport all of us out of here?" Red asked seriously while holding tightly to Yellow's hand. He hated leaving Ash but he knew that it was the only way to stop Yveltal for good.

"Yes but what about Ash? Even if he does awaken Xerneas he still won't be able to get out of here. The tunnels have collapsed from all the battling." Sabrina said in a worried tone as she moved closer to Ash, not wanting to leave him behind.

"I have Metagross, he can get me out." Ash said trying to calm Sabrina's worries. He looked to all the worried faces surrounding him and he couldn't help but feel happy, happy that he had friends who cared about him. But as Ash listened he heard the screams stop and that meant Yveltal was finished. "You have to go now!"

Sabrina grabbed Ash in a tight hug and whispered in his ear. "Be safe."

With a smile Ash nodded as Sabrina stepped back to the center of the group. Her eyes glowed for a moment and they disappeared in a flash. Once the group was gone the smile on Ash's face vanished as he turned to where Yveltal was tossing the two lifeless bodies away. He knew he only had moments before Yveltal went after the only other living thing in the room, mainly him, and he still had one last thing to do. "Mewtwo, I know that you can hear me. Come out, I need you."

A small flash appeared next to Ash but he didn't turn to it but continued to watch Yveltal. "This situation seems very familiar." Mewtwo spoke deeply.

"Yeah it kinda is. But I don't have much time to reminisce. I need a favor."

"Hm and what is that? Need a teleport out of here?" Mewtwo said with crossed arms and a smirk.

"No I'm staying. I need you to take that withered tree that holds Xerneas and my Poke balls to a safe place. Somewhere my Pokemon will be happy and no one will mess with the tree. Can you do that for please?" Shock crossed Mewtwo's face upon realizing what Ash was saying but Ash beat him to it. "I have to do this, It was my mistake that caused this mess and I won't let anyone else pay for my mistake. I've already made up my mind so don't try to argue with me. Will you help me?" Ash said firmly as he held his Poke ball belt out to Mewtwo with one hand.

Sighing Mewtwo nodded while taking the belt. "Goodby Ash." In a flash Mewtwo was gone taking the tree with him.

"Goodbye and thank you my friend." Ash whispered with his eyes closed. Opening his eyes slowly, Ash began to walk toward Yveltal with his white aura burning brightly and his wings spread wide. "I don't blame you for any of this. You are merely doing what comes naturally to you but I am going to have to stop you. I can't let you hurt this world or the people who live here."

"Tal!" Yveltal screeched as it spread it's wings wide while facing Ash, as if issuing a challenge.

"In order for you to return to hibernation and keep balance you have to absorb enough life energy." Ash said aloud as his aura began to glow even brighter than before. "If it's life you want then take mine. Take all I have to give and see if you can live with it. Now take it, take it all!"

"Tal!"

"Argh!"