Chapter Six

A/N: Hi everyone! Apologies for the delay, I've been hyper-fixated on my own novel lately, which means everything else has ended up taking a back seat! But I'm hoping to update this more regularly from now on!

This chapter may be a little rusty as I've not written anything in 3rd person past tense for quite some time, so please bear with me as I try to find that flow!

As always, I hope you enjoy!

Much to Ash's relief, the journey to Sinnoh thus far had been relatively uneventful. For the first time in what seemed like an age he felt as though he could relax.

Lysandre's sudden appearance the previous day had completely unnerved him, leaving him feeling unsettled and with a foul taste in his mouth. For whatever reason they wanted as much information on him as possible - perhaps due to the fact they were still searching for something to lord over him, for anything to use against him.

He wouldn't put it past Lysandre to dig until he discovered something that would completely force him into submission. Though Gary was right, he wasn't someone's toy, or their weapon as Lance had so tastelessly put it. He was his own person who possessed the right to make his own decisions.

On his lap Pikachu snored softly in perfect harmony with Gary who had dozed off almost immediately, his head resting upon the cool surface of the window.

In sleep he looked years younger, his fists were loosely clenched and he showed no signs of waking any time soon.

On his other side, Gou was scrolling through what Ash guessed to be some recent reports of Mew sightings and mumbling something incomprehensible to himself. One hand tapped rhythmically against the arm rest as he scowled at something with a furrowed brow.

"Ash" he eventually said, making the raven haired teen jump slightly.

"Uh yeah…?"

"You mentioned the Tree of Beginning when we talked the other day, did you- did you meet Mew back then? Did you see it?"

For a moment Ash considered lying. He'd promised not to speak of what he'd seen that day, but Gou was Gou and surely it wouldn't hurt to be honest with him of all people.

"Yeah" he whispered, "It feels like so long ago now. We kept it quiet to keep it safe. Seemed like the best thing we could do for it. So many other creatures lived in that tree. So many Pokémon relied on it for protection and in turn on Mew."

"You never speak much of it but- how many legendary Pokémon have you really met? Honestly…?"

Ash didn't quite know what to say, his encounters with the ancient beasts had been plentiful and every meeting he'd had, he cherished so deeply. It had never really been something he deemed completely necessary to share, instead it had always felt as though it were his little secret. The only reason he'd even told Gary to begin with was because the youngest Oak always seemed to have a sixth sense about these kinds of things and a lot of what he'd seen had always been in some way relevant to whatever research Gary was doing at that point in time.

He exhaled shakily. "I...uh, a few… Why'd you wanna know?"

"Because you're the best friend I've ever had and I'm starting to realise I don't know the first thing about you...Not really, not like Gary does… I mean I had no idea your Aura was the same as Sir Aaron's or that you'd even used your Aura before, is that why you and Lucario were drawn to one another? Is that why you can understand how Pokémon feel as well as you do?"

"Gou- Gary-"

"And you go way back, I know, he never fails to remind me!" His voice cracked slightly and he refused to meet Ash's gaze.

"Look Gou, listen to me. I don't know if my Aura is the reason I've met so many Legendaries or if that's why my Pokémon and I have the bond we do, I wish I could give you a definitive answer - but-I just don't know… In fact, even I-I'm starting to think I don't know the first thing about me..."

There was silence between them both, just for a moment before Ash eventually spoke once more.

"I'm really sorry Gou, I promise I wasn't intentionally keeping these things from you—"

Gou cut him off with a small smile, "No I know that, sorry I didn't mean to get so worked up about it. I just- you know you can trust me too, right? I know you haven't known me as long as you've known him but—"

"That doesn't matter! I absolutely trust you, please, don't doubt that! From now on, no more secrets, I swear!"

"Good, I'm always gonna have your back Ash. Thick or thin, we're in this together!"

He smiled slightly at that, giving Gou's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"Oh whoa, look! It's Sinnoh, we're finally here!"

The rugged peaks of Mount Coronet glistened beneath the sunshine, they could clearly see exactly where its craggy cliffs split the region in two, a multitude of colours painting the vast landscape.

Probably more abruptly than he should have, Ash reached over and shook Gary roughly awake, the youngest Oak groaned, muttering something unintelligible, but eventually onyx eyes fluttered open as he glanced around slow and sluggish.

"We're landing!" Ash whispered excitedly.

Gary brought up a hand to rub his face, running his fingers through unruly auburn hair. "Oh, thanks."

"How long has it been Gar? Since you were last here?"

"A year or more I guess? Feels like an age if I'm honest. I liked Sinnoh, I sometimes even miss Rowan's stuffy old lab!"

" So where is it we're to meet Lance again?" Gou questioned, looking between the two for a moment.

"Really Goulash, you've seriously forgotten already?" Gary snarked,

"Well excuse me, I've been a little busy trying to process the fact that Ash has the same aura as a legendary hero-–"

"Your best friend? Ash is my best friend, idiot!"

"Can you both just quit it?" Ash's head was pounding, his patience growing thin with every second the two spent on pointless arguments. "Can't you two please at least try to get along! We've bigger things to worry about, not to mention, we need to be in Canalave city in two days!"

Gary and Gou glared at one another once more before eventually relenting.

"Fine, let's get going then!"

"Ash, over here!" Ash whirled around at the sudden call of his name. The Sinnoh Champion strode towards him, elegantly as ever, her long, golden hair gleaming in the afternoon sun.

"Ms Cynthia? What are you doing here?"

"Visiting an old friend, one could say" she replied kindly.

From just behind her, Ash caught a quick glimpse of familiar mauve locks. "Huh… Paul? S'that really you?"

"Ketchum…" Came the curt response.

"It is! How have you been! How long's it been since our last battle? A couple months? How are you, how's Electivire?"

Paul simply groaned in response as he massaged the bridge of his nose, "Arceus, do you ever stop talking? Sometimes I wonder if you even remember to breathe!"

"Hey!"

"Who the hell is this guy again?" Gary hissed,

"One of his rivals from Sinnoh—"

"Oh that's right, the guy he beat in the Sinnoh league. He's got a piss-poor attitude, that's for sure."

It took all of Gou's self-control to suppress his scoff, "Like you're one to talk about attitudes!"

"What exactly are you implying Goulash?"

"You're smart, figure it out for yourself! And for the millionth time my name is Gou, G-O-U."

"Uh sorry 'bout them! So what brings you here Miss Cynthia? I wasn't expecting to see you…. Well at all really!"

"Lance contacted me."

"Ah, and what exactly has he told you?" Ash questioned cautiously.

Trust no-one.

The words echoed in his head, it's true, Cynthia had always looked out for him, there was no reason to assume the worst, at least not of her. Yet still he couldn't shake the unease that stalked him like a shadow

"Not much, he told me you'd want to fill me in yourself. But let's not talk here, too many people."

"Right good call, lead the way!"

They covered the ground quickly, Hearthome city was bustling with people, the air around them filled with copious amounts of chatter as the city goers went about their daily routines. The air was humid and still, not a single trace of a breeze to be found.

She led them to a small grey, brick house, unlocking the door quickly as she ushered them all inside. The room they'd entered was sparsely decorated but larger than Ash expected, quickly, and with Pikachu sitting snugly next to him he settled cross legged, upon the plush grey carpet, the others following suit soon thereafter.

"So how much do you know?" He eventually sighed.

Cynthia fell silent for a moment, from where she was seated on the worn, green armchair, her long, lithe, fingers tapped rhythmically against the skin of her pale cheek.

" Just the basics really, all the enemy teams joining forces and apparently all their eyes are on you."

"Right. Though there is a reason for that."

He recounted everything that had transpired quickly, explaining what he knew to the best of his ability. The Sinnoh champion's expression was inscrutable, she remained almost unnervingly still, her grey eyes fixed unblinking on Ash, as she listened intently.

Next to her, Paul's eyes had widened considerably, Ash could practically see the cogs whirring in his brain as he struggled to comprehend everything he was hearing.

"So let me get this straight." He said slowly, looking between Ash, Gou and Gary, "Team Vires are hunting Ketchum down because he possesses the power of a Legendary Hero? What do they want from you?"

"To force me into submission, at least that's what Lysandre said. They want to control me, but what it is they want me to do…I'm just as clueless as you are on that front."

"That's unhinged, you're a human being! Humans aren't supposed to be controlled!"

Ash couldn't stop the bitter laugh that escaped his lips. "Apparently not, but then again, according to Lance I'm nothing more than a weapon."

He was taken aback by the bite of his own words.

"Ash…" Gary whispered.

"Ah, sorry, guess what he said kinda got to me!" Ash laughed sheepishly, running a hand through his hair. "But is there anything you know, Miss Cynthia? Anything that could help us put some of the pieces together?"

She shook her head slowly, "Alas Ash, I'm just as lost as you are. They've hardly made any moves and our intel… Well, Looker's whereabouts continue to be unknown."

'Ash…'

'Ash…'

'ASH…'

Ash glanced around wildly. The whispers of his names seemed to be coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once. Yet the voice, it was so familiar…

He stood quickly to his feet, desperately trying to determine the source.

"Ashy….? ASH!" He flicked his amber eyes to Gary quickly, the youngest Oak, was waving a hand in front of his face, staring at him in concern.

"Ashy? Talk to me, what's going on?"

His head was suddenly spinning, the sound of his name grew louder and louder, though no one else seemed to be able to hear it.

"I–"

"The mirror… Hero… come to me…"

Shakily, Ash stood to his feet. Gary and Gou continued to reach for him, they repeated his name over and over. Though he chose to ignore them, pushing past their outstretched arms, he couldn't explain the feeling, as though something was pulling him, it was so strong he couldn't resist, in fact he didn't dare try.

The mirror that hung upon the opposing wall glinted in the sunlight as though beckoning him to approach and so Ash continued his slow, steady pace forward. He reached towards it, half expecting his hand to meet its cool, reflective surface, though it never happened, instead fingers continued through, meeting nothing emptiness and air.

"Ketchum? The hell's going on? What are you doing?" Though Paul's words were nothing more than a buzz like white noise. "What the—"

He was vaguely aware of the concerned shouts of his name, though suddenly they seemed miles away as a harsh tug of his hand sent him toppling forward and suddenly Ash was falling.

Down, down, down into an abyss of oblivion.