Pokextinction

by THE CREATOR and Hydra

The world is on the verge of collapse when a man who despises Pokemon with a burning passion and the ruthless rampaging Necrozma threaten world destruction. With tensions rising between every single Legendary Pokemon, even Arceus and Mew won't be able to stop the coming fire... And when all hope is lost, the world will turn to Ash.

19. Chapter 19: Lament

The night...was long. Arceus, with the help of Xerneas, managed to create a large field of flowers for the survivors to rest upon. Though the field was large, it could not hide the scarred battlefield that surrounded them on all sides. It didn't take long for the survivors to fall asleep. They were all exhausted beyond measure, after all. Ash, however, could not find the relief of unconsciousness. Conveniently and thanks to Aura, Ash's body had been left unscarred and full of energy. Even though he longed for a release from his thoughts, it evaded him.

He stood on the outskirts of the field, looking up into the empty night sky blankly. There was no celebration of victory. When Ash discovered those who were missing from his party, the two dear friends that weren't counted among the survivors, and the little girl who never had a chance at life, missing, he naturally searched the area with his newfound Auric capabilities...and found nothing. He did not scream or rave or cry. He simply went silent and froze up. It was then that the other survivors realized that there would be no celebration.

So, the savior of the universe itself stood alone, looking up into an empty blackness with an equally-empty stare. His body was mostly limp, but his hands were balled up into fists so fiercely that blood fell from his palms and puddled at his feet. At that point, he was hoping the blood loss would force him to fall unconscious to rid himself of the emptiness he felt, or perhaps shock him into feeling rage. But there was nothing. No rest or respite for the savior. No feeling.

Arceus relayed their victory to the world in order to put it at ease, though he only said just that. He didn't have the physical or mental strength to tell them what was lost to achieve that victory just yet. So, when morning came, a caravan of news vehicles came with it. A horde of bright-eyed, smiling faces erupted from the vehicles the second they came to a stop, eager to celebrate the brave trainers and Pokemon that saved their lives, but when they came to the edge of the battlefield...their smiles disappeared.

Their mouths went agape as they looked down upon a massive, blackened crater that went on as far as the eye could see where many forests and, of course, Goldenrod City once was. Of course, the rest of the world was now privy to this as well, thanks to them. Though the sight largely dashed their jubilation, they were not the type to give up so easily. The news crew hastily returned to their trucks and embarked once more, traversing the flattened landscape.

They split up to search for any potential survivors, and eventually, a lone crew of three spotted a patch of green amidst the reddish-black. "Over there!" Cried a newswoman suddenly. "I see something!" The driver immediately swerved toward the patch, alerting the others. The survivors were awoken by the sounds of the news trucks and helicopters. The woman who initially spotted them, eager to get the first scoop, leapt from the truck as soon as it stopped and made a mad dash toward the survivors. Her trusty cameraman scrambled to keep pace.

"Here we are!" She said to the camera. "The scene of our saviors! The brave men, women and Pokemon who risked their lives for ours!" She nudged her head toward the group of survivors behind her. "Let's see if we can get the whole picture, shall we?"

She, and all the other newspeople, began bombarding the bewildered survivors with question after question. Ash and the Legends were at the forefront of those questions. Giratina, already fed up with their annoyance, scowled at them before disappearing back into the refuge of the Distortion World. Mewtwo soon followed suit and warped elsewhere. Ash hadn't moved an inch from his spot, still looking up into the sky with an empty gaze. Arceus futilely attempted to answer all of their questions, quickly finding himself overwhelmed.

"Who are you?"

"I am Arce-"

"Are you the one who defeated Necrozma?"

"No, that was-"

"Do you know who was responsible for the destruction of the Orange Islands?"

"Yes, that was Necro-"

"Can you undo the destruction Necrozma caused?"

Arceus went silent upon that one. Seeing his lord's discomfort and anguish, Rayquaza snarled at the news crew to get them to back off. Though, all that ended up doing in the end was shifting their sights upon the trainers. Most of them were either too tired to give a cohesive reply or frozen in shock as their questions made the previous day's events flash before their eyes.

The first newswoman to arrive noticed something...off with the group. When she and her cameraman backed away, she realized what it was. The group was...immensely small in comparison to the vast number of trainers and Pokemon they knew were there. At least, if what the other news crews that broadcasted the battle before it suddenly cut off were any indication.

"Where…" She asked to no one in particular. "...Are the others?"

That question momentarily shut the other newspeople up and made many of the survivors unconsciously let out small gasps as their hearts skipped a beat. The first break of silence heard was a sniffle. Everyone's gazes snapped toward it, finding none other than their savior Ash Ketchum. A single tear had rolled down his cheek, falling to the ground amidst his dried blood. Soon after, he collapsed. The sorrow that had welled up within him could no longer be held back. He, quite literally, broke.

Ash buried his face in his bloodied hands, wailing. It was more akin to screaming than crying. A single question was all it took to shatter the walls that held in his emotions...and soon, the others followed suit. The newspeople were bewildered when, one after another, the trainers and their Pokemon collapsed to their knees and followed in Ash's footsteps. The Legends themselves even fell prey to this, save for the more prideful ones who would rather be caught dead than crying...though to say they did not feel the same would be a lie that even they could not tell with a straight face.

Arceus quite possibly felt their agony the most, especially when he unintentionally glanced over to the far distance where Palkia's remains lied. His face wrinkled tremendously, and he lowered his head to the ground to bury his face in the grass. Those who watched the broadcast from home knew immediately what this meant, their hearts collectively sinking. Of the hundreds of millions of people who had bravely put their lives on the line for them, only a handful thousand remained. Most others had been vaporized or buried under the layer of burnt ground that the newspeople stood on. The only exceptions were the fallen Legends, whose corpses were strewn about the battlefield.

A few dim-witted newspeople spoke up, attempting to return to questioning the survivors. The others, who weren't quite as mindless as them, promptly shut them up, "Let's give them a break for now," The first newswoman said. "And for Arceus's sake, literally, turn those damned cameras off!"

Thus, the watchers were left in the dark once more, and the news crew silently watched their agonized wailing from a distance to allow them the time they needed. Some of them were sent back to go get more help, while the others waited to give their heroes whatever they needed when they came back to their senses.

Many hours later and the part of the battlefield circling the small flower garden had been turned into a massive rescue site. Dozens of cars, trucks, helicopters and more shoveled relief items to the area, setting up tents and other structures to help whoever they could. Doctors, police and volunteers were busy giving the survivors whatever they needed. Though most Legends stayed far away from the bustling people, there were some who stayed behind to help who they could as well.

Thanks to Xerneas, most of their sustained injuries had been healed. The ones that could be healed anyways. She herself still suffered from the one Necrozma gave her, as she had only taken care of the basic care needed to keep her alive and mobile so she could help others. Soon enough, she was faced with a wound she couldn't heal.

A panicked-looking Excadrill confronted her, urging the Pokemon of Life to follow. It led her to a group of doctors huddled over a dark-skinned trainer with gigantic purple hair. There were no other Pokemon in sight. "What is the status on this one?" Xerneas asked them, making them jump slightly out of surprise.

After getting ahold of himself, one of the doctors spoke up. "This Excadrill here is adamant on us saving this girl. We found them both alone, toward the outer rim of the crater." He visibly winced when recalling the incident. "There were...pieces of other Pokemon there around her. Only this one was lucky enough to make it." He turned back toward the girl. "As for her, well...to put it bluntly, I don't think there's a chance. With you, though, that might change."

"I see," Said Xerneas. "Allow me to take a closer look." The doctors parted, allowing Xerneas to step toward the girl. She lowered her head and closed her eyes, attempting to infuse life into her...but it met with nothing. There wasn't an inkling of life left within her. Xerneas raised her head, shaking it sadly. "...She's already long gone. There's nothing I can do."

The doctor let out a long-winded sigh. "If even you can't do anything, then…" He went to round up the other doctors and leave for another person who might actually need them, but Excadrill tugged at his shirt and refused to let go. It pulled him back, vigorously pointing at the girl. The doctor attempted to explain that it was hopeless , but it refused to listen.

Xerneas turned away from the grim sight with a sorrowful sigh. She glanced over toward Ash and his friends. They, with the Pokemon Ash had left, attempted to distract themselves from their sorrow. Xerneas could only hope that he did not have to see what she did. What he had lost was cruel enough as it was. He didn't need to relive that sorrow.

Ash had largely returned to his vegetable-like state, sitting in the middle of his Pokemon...or what remained of them. Pikachu, Greninja, Noivern, Bulbasaur, Charizard, Sceptile, Goodra, Snorlax, Bayleef Quilava, Totodile, Torkoal, Buizel, Gible, Scraggy and Krookodile were the only ones that survived...not even half of them made it. Though they allowed the occasional friend to attempt to rouse Ash, they were adamant and fierce about repelling any paparazzi.

Most of Ash's friends had, after failing to snap Ash out of his stupor, decided that leaving him be for the moment was for the best. All but Serena. She refused to leave his side no matter what, even when talking proved to be useless dozens of times. So, she sat with him silently, resting her head upon his shoulder. Riley and Lucario monitored Ash's life force from afar intently. It was difficult for them not to be awed at how vast it was now, but they were duty bound to keep him safe above all else. His strength did not betray his current vulnerability.

The news continued to pester every survivor they could get their hands on, and Ash's friends were no exception. Many, like Alain and Misty, attempted to ignore them. It was getting increasingly more difficult to put up with their antics. Others like Brock or May tried to appease them by answering what they could, but the rapidity of their questions made it impossible. Dawn was in a state much like Ash, thanks to the Ultra Beasts' toxins. Clemont was busy consoling Bonnie over their father's demise, and though he feigned strength for her sake, he really could have used some consoling himself.

It wasn't long before the newspeople made the mistake of confronting Paul. Like with the others, they were ruthless in their inquisitive assault. They shoved a multitude of cameras and microphones into his face, not even giving him room to breathe.

"What was it like fighting Necrozma?"

"Did you lose any Pokemon in the battle?"

"Are you friends with Ash?"

"How did Ash defeat Necrozma?"

At first, Paul was able to keep his cool, merely walking away and turning in the opposite direction whenever they followed him. "You're annoying," He spat. "If you're not going to make yourselves useful and actually help, get lost. You're nothing more than a hindrance and would be better off out of the way."

This crude remark only served to fuel their questioning, much to Paul's annoyance. He closed his eyes, attempting to blot them all out. Then, one of them asked something that he could not ignore, and it made his blood boil.

"What is it like being one of the last trainers alive?"

Paul whipped around, grabbing the man who dared to ask such a thing by the scruff of his shirt and knocking the camera out of his hands. "Hey!" He protested. "That's expensive equipme-"

"You shut your mouth!" Roared Paul. "How dare you ask me that?! Do the lives of the trainers that died here mean nothing to you?!"

"W-well," Stammered the newsman, "I-I-"

"Heartless bastard!" Paul threw him to the ground, ushering in a few gasps from the other newsmen and women. "Get the hell out of here—all of you!" He sent them scattering off as he loosed his Pokemon from their Pokeballs. "If I ever see you again, I'll bury you like the trainers you're desecrating!"

Lugia watched on with a scowl. He'd already sent many of the annoying pests away, but they were persistent. He had also refused aid from anyone, including Xerneas. This didn't go unnoticed by a doctor who was nearby. "E-excuse me," She said. Lugia glowered her way, making her flinch. She was a pale, petite little thing with short black hair and glasses. She pointed a shaking finger at a large gash that ran across Lugia's abdomen. "I n-noticed that you're hurt. Would it be alright if...I treated it?"

"Leave me," Hissed Lugia in response, making the doctor jump. "As if I would let a human touch me!" After the incident with Christopher Lee, humans weren't exactly in his good graces. The Beast of the Seas turned away from her and took to the skies. He no longer had patience for any of this nonsense. Why Arceus stayed behind was beyond him, but he was done sticking around on Arceus's behalf.

The Alpha Pokemon, meanwhile, was busy attempting to appease a new band of braver paparazzi than the last. Much to Rayquaza's frustration, they bombarded Arceus about a lot of topics that he obviously wasn't comfortable talking about. Especially not when the world was watching. From his status as a god and creator, to what exactly Necrozma was and why he arrived in the first place, the Orange Islands, New Bark Town and more. Then, he noticed Lugia flying away. Many other Legends like Kyogre, Ho-oh and the Elemental Birds had already left since being around humans was generally uncomfortable for most.

It was then that he decided enough was enough. "Perhaps," He said, forcing himself to his feet, "It is best if we do not interfere in your lives any longer." Raising his head to the sky, he announced, "You are free to remain as long as you wish for the sake of aiding those in need, but I will be leaving. You will know where to find me." With that, he and the corpses of the fallen Legends were enshrouded in a golden glow, and Arceus disappeared into thin air.

---

It took the passage of three days for the survivors to return to a state of shaky normalcy. By now, a large group of builders, craftsmen and carpenters arrived and had already gotten around to planning the rebuilding of Goldenrod City. They were apparently under the contract of a man named Mr. Star and his "Star Corporation." What with all the chaos surrounding Goldenrod City before the war even started, its property value had fallen to almost nothing. According to the news, Mr. Star firmly believed in Earth's victory over Necrozma and bought up the entire land so that he could aid in its re-construction immediately afterwards.

Ash, now up and about, distracted his ailing mind by helping around wherever he could. Most people, both survivors and the reconstruction effort, tried to tell him that he of all people should be getting rest, but he refused to listen. The newfound Aura coursing through his veins made him antsy, constantly twitching when he wasn't moving. He hated the feeling. So, he did what his aching heart told him to: helped. It was in his nature.

While the manufacturers were busy attempting to fix the landscape, Ash and the other survivors were making a mural. It was a simple one. A ringed set of metal walls that looped around the flower patch where they had slept after their victory. On these walls, alphabetically, were the names of those who fell in the battle. It was up to those who didn't to carry on their names.

The survivors were busy carving the names they knew in the walls with Ash helping. The Pokemon were not omitted, nor were they given their own mural. They were put in by the names of their trainers so, even though almost no bodies remained, they could rest together for all eternity. Though Ash himself yet lived, he carved the names of his fallen friends in a blank space not yet taken. He would make sure they would not be forgotten.

He sighed after having finished engraving 'Talonflame' into the mural. Dropping his carving tools, Ash put a hand up against the mural, lowering his head. "...This shouldn't have happened," He whispered under his breath. Ash threw his hat to the ground and banged his arms against the mural, falling to his knees. A nearby photographer evidently witnessed the sight and eagerly captured it. Though Ash sensed the photographer, he let him get away with it. There was no point making a fuss out of it anymore.

As the photographer slinked away to give the photo to the overeager news crews, Ash lightly put his head against the mural. For the umpteenth time since their "victory," tears freely fell from the boy's eyes to the burned ground below. The reconstruction crew decided it best not to return that portion of the ground to normal. It would serve as a reminder just how horrific the war was, and in the years to come, would give people an idea.

After a few minutes, Ash dried his eyes and stood back up. By now, there weren't many more tears within him left to give. There was one last name he needed to carve. He began making his way through the mural from ring to ring, ignoring the looks he got from the other people there. Eventually, he came upon the one marked "Z." Ash didn't expect many names to be on this one, and therefore no one else. So, he was pleasantly surprised when he saw Hydreigon with a paper in one of its hands. It had Zero's name on it, and he, with his obvious inability to read, was desperately attempting to copy her name onto the stone.

The dragon was evidently failing, muttering to himself in frustration as his efforts only served to damage the stone. Ash couldn't help but chuckle, getting Hydreigon's attention. "Sorry for laughing," Ash said, "It's just that-" Hydreigon cut him off by tackling him with an overbearing hug. Though many of Ash's Pokemon had become more clingy after the battle, none of them quite matched Noivern and Hydreigon. Ash imagined that Noivern must have felt horrible after hissing at him and wanted to make it up to him. With Hydreigon…

"You really miss her don't you?" He asked, rubbing the dragon's head. "I miss her too… A lot." He clenched his other fists angrily, as well as his teeth. "It's not right what happened to her...she'd only just started living and-" He cut himself off, allowing his Aura to soothe Hydreigon. If he was too angry or sad, his Aura would have just made things worse. Hydreigon nodded solemnly, setting Ash back down and turning back toward the mural.

Ash approached it, finding a multitude of scribbles running down from the top of the mural to the bottom. His eyes slightly widened when he saw them. To Hydreigon's credit, every scribble, starting from the top, looked better than the last. The most recent one was actually legible. It was clear that Hydreigon was serious about making this mural. He must have spent hours upon hours trying to perfect it.

"Here," Ash said, showing Hydreigon his own chisel. "Is it alright if I give you a hand?"

Hydreigon watched intently as Ash chiseled "Zero" into a part of the stone. Then, Ash gave Hydreigon the cue to follow. Hydreigon eagerly went to it, scrambling to copy what Ash had done. Though, his eagerness led to haste, making the letters of his attempt mesh together. The dragon fumed at himself for making such a mistake, but Ash was quick to pat him on the back with a smile to tell him that it was alright. They had plenty more room to draw.

Over the course of several hours, Ash and Hydreigon went back and forth filling nearly the entirety of the Z-section of the murals with Zero's name. Each one of them being greater quality than the last. However, Hydreigon was not satisfied. The memory of his dear friend would have to be utterly perfect. For her, it had to be. However, they were quickly running out of room, and the dragon was becoming frustrated.

"GAAAUURR!" Roared Hydreigon, throwing his chisel to the ground.

"Easy now," Cooed Ash, rubbing Hydreigon's back. "Just take it easy. I'm sure we'll get it right. These things...take time." Ash stepped back from the dragon, looking at what remained of the Z-section. It was covered from front and back with their scribbling, and there wasn't much room left. Then, he saw it. The area with the large 'Z' was still completely untouched. A lightbulb went off in his head.

Ash hopped on Hydreigon's back suddenly, startling him. When Hydreigon looked at him questioningly, a grinning Ash pointed up at the large Z, and then it clicked in his head as well. Hydreigon floated up from the ground to the Z. Ash held out the chisel, and Hydreigon grabbed hold of it as well. Together, they began scraping stone from the mural. After another grueling hour of nonstop work and sweat, their work was complete. They stood back from the mural to admire their work and audibly gasped when they saw the finished product.

At the top of the mural, "Zero" was written perfectly. It was broad and bold in scope, and though the placement of the Z made it so that her name was not centered, such imperfections somehow made it seem better in the end. They couldn't have wished for a better outcome. Though this left the mural without a proper Z-section, that was an issue best saved for later.

"Hey, Ash," Someone said from behind, making the two jump. It was Riley, accompanied by Lucario. The Aura Guardian smiled kindly at Ash, then turned his gaze up to the mural. "We were worried about you, so we came to look for you. Though, it seems you're doing just fine. Would it...be alright if I added something?"

Ash nodded, returning the smile. "Go for it. You deserve it just as much as I do."

Riley nodded, and the two made their way toward the mural. Lucario lifted him with his Aura so that Riley could touch the top. Ash tossed the chisel his way, which Riley expertly caught. The guardian's work was done much faster than Ash's and Hydreigon's, much to their amazement. It was like watching a master craftsmen at work. When all was said and done, Lucario lowered Riley to the ground and he returned the chisel.

"What do you think?" Asked Riley.

Beneath the large 'Zero' Ash and Hydreigon had spent all day carving was an epitaph inscripted. It was marvelous, looking like it had been written by a king. It read, "Zero: a young girl who had only just started truly living life. She sacrificed her short life to save ours. We love you -Ash, Riley and Serena."

Ash was left speechless. "It's...amazing…"

Hydreigon, however, was not impressed. Snatching the chisel from Ash's hand, Hydreigon flew up to the mural and messily drew "and Hydreigon" after Serena's name. Hydreigon descended from the mural, making a face at Riley. Ash and his mentor merely stared at one another blankly for a moment before breaking down into laughter. Again, Hydreigon was not amused.

"You're right, Hydreigon," Riley said after calming down, bowing respectfully to the dragon. "I apologize for forgetting you. You have just as much of a right to be on that mural as we do."

Hydreigon snorted steam from his nostrils indignantly, though the two could sense that he wasn't actually angry. "In any case," Said Riley to Ash, "There's going to be a mourning ceremony on the flower garden. Apparently, it's being hosted by that "Mr. Star" guy that's been helping with the relief and repair efforts. A few Legendary Pokemon stuck around for it too." He nudged his head to his left. "It's starting up soon, so let's get a move on. They'll definitely want the man of honor himself to be there."

When Ash and Riley made their way to the flower garden, it was crowded with people. He recognized some survivors, but there were others he didn't. Families of the survivors or...the lost, most likely. The few Legends that remained, namely Xerneas, Victini and Hoopa, were at the center and chatting with one another. There was a set of stairs and a wooden stage in front of them, and on it, an old man in a labcoat with a hunched back. He was speaking with some disheveled-looking people. Survivors, probably. Others were carrying some things onto the stage, like seats and a microphone.

Ash noticed his friends at the front of the crowd just before the stage. Ash waved to them, getting their attention, and they waved back. "Hey!" Called Misty. "There you are!" She yelped as she was suddenly knocked aside by a cloud of dust that soon enveloped Ash. When that dust cloud cleared, Ash was in the midst of having his bones crushed by a brown-haired woman. His mother, whom he'd been conveniently unable to speak to since before the war, Delia Ketchum.

"What were you thinking?!" She screeched, shaking him in her grasp. "When I heard that terrible voice in my head, I tried and tried and tried to call you but you never picked up! Then I hear you were chosen by Arceus himself to lead us against Necrozma?! What in the world have you been doing?! Then, when the news finally comes back on, I hear that you saved the world again?! So, I come here afterwards, your birth certificate in hand because they wouldn't let me in otherwise, and people are shoving gifts in my face left and right! Everyone's saying you fought off Necrozma yourself! How could you do something so dang-"

She stopped her rambling upon seeing that her son's face had gone purple from a lack of oxygen and promptly dropped him to the ground, covering her mouth with her hands. By now, the entire crowd's attention had been caught by her noise, and they couldn't help but to feel sorry for their hero. "Oh, I'm so sorry, dear!" Delia quickly knelt down, helping Ash back to his feet. "I-It's just that- oh I was so worried and I didn't hear from you at all and-"

"I get it," Ash said with a laugh. "Sorry for worrying you. I had…a lot of responsibility thrown on me all at once. I didn't exactly have a whole lot of free time, and most of the power to Goldenrod was cut when it was…" He sheepishly rubbed his head as he looked down at the burnt ground behind them. "...Intact. After we won, well...I had a lot on my mind." A smile came to his face as he looked up at Hydreigon. "Though, thanks to him, I think I got the worst behind me."

Hydreigon proudly puffed out his chest. Smiling gratefully, Delia bowed to him. "Well, then I suppose I should thank you for helping my son." It was then that the rest of Ash's Pokemon arrived, crowding around the Ketchums. Pikachu hopped up onto Ash's shoulder, nuzzling his cheek while Noivern nearly knocked him over with a hug that was more akin to a tackle. Even the prouder bunch of Ash's Pokemon like Charizard and Sceptile, though on the outskirts of the group, huddled in with the rest.

Delia couldn't help but to giggle at the antics of Ash's Pokemon. She knew how much they loved him. There was hardly a day Professor Oak wasn't calling her over to help take care of them at the ranch. Bayleef and Muk especially were a handful, always begging to see Ash whenever they could. So, when she didn't see Muk among Ash's Pokemon, it was odd to say the least. There were the Tauros as well. How could she forget them? They would have certainly made the place more rowdy with their presence alone, so where were they?

"Ash?" She asked, getting him and his Pokemon to stop and look at her. "Where are the rest of your Pokemon? I heard that they were all here to help in the battle." Delia looked back toward Ash's friends, who were in the midst of helping Misty back to her feet. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen Iris or Cilan either. Did they go home before the ceremony?"

Ash's face fell at that, but he managed a dry chuckle. Slowly, he stood back to his feet, setting his trusty Pikachu aside for the moment. "It's…" He looked down at the flowers beneath his feet. A few of their petals were sent flying away by a sudden gust of wind toward his other Pokemon. When he saw them all in a big group like this, the...others flashed before his eyes. He couldn't help but to shudder.

Delia looked at him with worry. "...Ash?"

The boy wiped his eyes and turned back to face her. He smiled at her, but she could see that it was strained. When he spoke, his voice was trembling along with his body. "It's been a rough few days, mom."

Delia's eyes went wide, water rushing to them. She covered her mouth in an expression of shock, then leaned in to embrace her son tightly. "Oh, Ash...I'm so sorry."

They heard a gruff cough from their side and found a tall, official-looking man in a suit and shades. "I don't mean to interrupt," He said, "But the preparations for the ceremony are complete and Mr. Star is a very busy man."

A book hurtled into the back of the man's head, making him jerk forward. "The hell I am!" Croaked the old man in the labcoat. Apparently this man was the famous Mr. Star they'd been hearing about. He marched down toward the man, making his face light up in terror as the old man shoved a finger into his face despite their staggering height difference. "Just what kind of heartless bastard do you take me for?! I have as much time as what's needed to allow a family to grieve! What in Lord Arceus's name do you think this ceremony is for?!"

The suited man staggered backwards as if he were struck, then hurriedly bowed to his boss apologetically. "S-sorry, sir! A thousand apologies! I did not mean to make you look bad in front of-"

Mr. Star bashed his fist into the back of the man's head, making everyone collectively wince. "Apologize to them, you idiot! That man is our hero! The very reason you're still breathing right now! Can you not show the basic human decency of allowing him and his mother to grieve?! What kind of useless men have I been hiring?!"

Every word Mr. Star spoke made the man's skin become paler and paler, and his clothes became drenched in sweat. When his boss was finally done ranting, the man shot up like a bullet and bowed once more to Ash and Delia. "A-A thousand- no, a million apologies! I-I don't know what I was thinking! Oh, stupid, stupid, stupid-" He ran off suddenly, disappearing behind the stage's curtains while continuing to berate himself.

Sighing, Mr. Star turned back toward Ash and Delia with a much softer expression. "I'm sorry you had to see that," He said. "But seeing one of my own men disrespect you like that… You of all people! It makes my blood boil!"

Ash smiled at the old man. "Thank you, but really, it's no big dea-"

"But it is!" Cried Mr. Star. "You, and all the other brave men and women here tonight, saved this world! You saved not only my life, but everyone's lives! To be so...disrespectful to you is- ohhh, it's just unthinkable!"

Ash and Delia couldn't help but chuckle at the old man. Clearly, he was passionate about his beliefs. "You're a very kind man," Said Delia.

Mr. Star shook his head. "It's how everyone should treat you, I'd say. It should be common human decency." He turned back toward the stage. "But I've been rambling for far too long and everyone's legs are probably hurting by now, so let's get this show on the road, shall we?" He motioned for Ash to follow him and turned around, stopping halfway suddenly. "Oh, and bring your friends up here too."

Overhearing that, the group of Ash's friends quietly cheered amongst themselves before rushing onstage. Ash recognized Professor Oak among them. Paul was hesitant to join them, but when Dawn gave him a stern look, he sighed and obliged. Delia wrapped her arm around her son's shoulders and began walking him to the stage as well, but Ash stopped them when he noticed his Pokemon weren't following.

"What are you guys waiting for?" He asked. "Get up there! You deserve it as much as the rest of us!"

This earned a series of cheers from his Pokemon they hopped onto the stage one by one, surrounding the rest of Ash's friends and earning a hearty chuckle from Mr. Star. Then, Ash and Delia went up as well. Serena was tempted to rush to Ash's side, but stopped when his mother gave her a knowing smile and held his arm tightly.

With everyone in place, Mr. Star cleared his throat, took the microphone in his hand, and began the ceremony. "Ladies and gentlemen," He spoke through the mic, ushering the survivors into silence. "We are gathered here to celebrate a very joyous occasion...but also, to pay respects to what it cost to assure this occasion. Or rather, who."

He paced back and forth across the stage, looking down. When he next spoke, his voice was raspy and shaky. "You've...all lost so much." He looked toward Ash apologetically. Ash could sense genuine grief from the old man as if those lost were his own family. "And I cannot express how sorry I am for that. Why, if I ever saw that monster with my own two eyes, I would have-"

Mr. Star cut himself off suddenly, shaking his head. "...Sorry, everyone. You shouldn't have to be reminded of...I just get so angry whenever I think about it." He took a deep breath to relax. "...You're all heroes, you know. Every last one of you. But even heroes are still people, and people cannot just forget about the ones they love."

The old man forced himself to stand upright with a sickening crack from his back that made all who heard it flinch. "So," He said, apparently unperturbed, "Today is a day of mourning. A remembrance to the brave souls who did not make it. A day that marks the beginning of the future! After today, mankind will rise into a new age where we'll all be able to raise our heads high in defiance of the scourge that took so many from us!"

A roar of cheering erupted from the crowd, earning a smile from the old man. He looked over to Ash and the others, nodding ecstatically. Ash returned the smile with a thumbs up. Turning back to the crowd, Mr. Star spoke once more, silencing their cheers for the moment. "To mark our victory and our world's new age, I have spoken with some of the Legends."

He motioned behind him. On cue, two men in suits pulled back the curtains to reveal Xerneas, Victini and Hoopa at the center of the flower garden. They stopped speaking and turned toward the audience upon hearing the curtains. "They have agreed to make a statue dedicated to the war effort on our behalf." He turned around toward them and asked, "Would you do the honors?"

The trio nodded. "It would be our pleasure," Replied Xerneas. Hoopa took off one of her remaining rings and threw it to the sky. It widened to enormous proportions, and a bright blue glow encompassed its interior. Suddenly, a large, rectangular slab of raw metal fell, crashing to the ground with enough force to send tremors across the entire garden.

"Wait," Ash said, turning toward Mr. Star with an incredulous look. "Is...this it?"

Mr. Star laughed heartily. "Of course not, my boy!" He gently grabbed Ash by the shoulder, walking him down from the stage's backside to the metal slab. "When I was speaking with these three, we came to the conclusion that it would be best for you, Ash, to decide what it looks like."

"Me?" Asked Ash. He looked up at the giant slab oddly. "I...wouldn't even know where to begin…"

Xerneas stepped forward, lowering her head to the boy. Her massive, multicolored horns were enchanting, and Ash found himself lost in their glow. Though, he was snapped out of it when the Pokemon of Life began speaking. "You need not worry about the finer details. With your Aura, it will come to you." Her gaze turned toward the Victory Pokemon. "Once you have decided, Victini will mold the metal with his heat."

Ash looked down into the palm of his hand. "My Aura…?" He hadn't used it since...the being itself confessed what it had done. Even he didn't know how he felt about them. A burning rage made his body swelter whenever he thought about it, but the more he thought about it, the foggier his mind became until he had gone into a trance. He balled the hand into a fist, gritting his teeth. A white flame erupted from between his fingers suddenly without him even realizing, and before he could stop it, it engulfed him completely.

A multitude of screams rang out from the audience as well as Ash's friends. Xerneas was quick to abate their fears. "Do not worry," She said. "He is re-kindling his Aura. It completely changed after he battled Necrozma and that...entity took hold of his body. It will not hurt him."

The savior of Earth stared at the flames blankly, his mouth agape. Unbeknownst to the audience, the flames began to spread all across the flower bed in tiny, invisible trails. When they made contact with the survivors, visions began flashing in Ash's mind. He was taken back to the war. Ultra Beasts swarmed him on all sides, as well as the screaming of battle. He saw, through their eyes, what they went through during this horror. He watched loved ones being dragged into the swarm never to be seen again. Over and over, he was forced to watch these nightmarish images.

But the reasoning for this...was not lost on Ash. An instinct of some kind brought upon him by this new Aura. It was to know their sorrow and pain as if it were his own, just as Riley had taught him. No...they were his own. Every pain imaginable wracked his mind and body, yet an eerie stillness prevented him from reacting, even though he desperately yearned to. He couldn't help but wonder if this was how Aura itself felt. He should have felt disgusted with the entire prospect. To discard anything about the entity from his mind. Yet, he didn't.

When the flames faded, Ash was snapped back into reality with a start. Though, the flames in his eyes did not fade. Without saying a word, he walked toward Victini and held out his hand. He had his idea. When Victini touched his hand, the Victory Pokemon was briefly enshrouded by a white glow, while the one in the boy's eyes faded. Victini's jaw went wide for a moment in apparent awe. Looking back up at Ash, it nodded and went to work.

When Victini's flaming hands touched the metal, a rain of gittering sparks were sent into the air. The survivors watched on in awe, their eyes shimmering with the reflections of the sparks. Though the carving took hours, darkening the skies completely, to the awed survivors, it felt like mere minutes. Victini wiped its brow and let out a tiny sigh upon its apparent completion, standing back to admire its handiwork. Ash and the other survivors, however, were a bit confused to say the least.

"Why...is it like that?" Ash asked. Before him, the tower hadn't changed much. It was merely...redder from the heat.

He was suddenly nudged toward it by Xerneas. "Touch it," She urged. "With your Aura. Then, everything will become clear."

Ash gave her an incredulous look. Touch it? It was half-molten metal with the only difference being that it hadn't melted yet. There wouldn't have been much of a difference between touching that and touching something fresh off a forge. Then again, she probably knew more than him in general, so tentatively, he began walking towards it with bated breath. He held out his hand, ushering forth a small white flame. His trembling hand neared the metal until, finally, the Auric flame touched it.

The statue suddenly exploded with light. Ash's Auric flame soared up the slab of metal in rings and, when it touched the top, everyone present was suddenly blinded. Cries of shock rang out from the crowd as they shielded their eyes. Luckily for them, the light faded quickly, though not entirely. When Ash was able to open his eyes once more, his eyes went wide. The same could be said of all others who gazed upon it, with tears rushing to the eyes of many.

The statue that now stood before them seemed to tell a tale. Millions of people spiraled around the outskirts of the statue, immortalized in stone and rising to pierce the skies. They, and thousands of Pokemon toward the interior of the statue, were locked hand in hand, all staring up toward Arceus. The aforementioned Alpha Pokemon was larger than the rest. He and the Legends were interlocked, forming a wall to guard the people and Pokemon beneath.

Above even him was a young girl whose body was drenched in black save for her face. She wore the wings of an angel upon her back and faced the crowd with a kind smile rather than staring to the sky like the others. Above them all were two orbs, one black and the other white. Ash's white Auric flames flickered about the statues interior, lighting up the entire canvas for all to see in an eternally self-perpetual show. They burned the brightest around the statuettes of the fallen.

Mr. Star, his mouth agape, hesitantly walked toward the statue. "This is…" He appeared to be at a loss for words. Slowly, he turned toward Ash and asked, "Would it...be all right for everyone to get closer?" Ash looked up to Xerneas, who smiled down at him kindly and nodded. "B-Brilliant!" Chirped an ecstatic Mr. Star, hastily rushing back to the stage. Taking the microphone in hand, he said, "Everyone, you are invited to see the incredible statue Ash and these three kind Legendary Pokemon have created! Though, do be sure to give everyone a chance to find their families!"

Seeing the oncoming crowd making their way to the statue, Ash wisely decided to back away and allow them their space. A smile came to his face upon seeing the awed faces of his friends as they gushed over his work. Even the ever-scowling or stoic Paul seemed to be impressed. Who he didn't see, however, was Serena.

As if on cue, Ash's girlfriend appeared by his side, wrapping her arm around his and earning a chuckle from him. "Aren't you going to see the statue up close?"

She shook her head, hugging his arm tighter. "I think the view's better from here." Her eyes trailed up the glowing figure in admiration. The two held one another, looking upon the immortalized tale of the world's greatest battle in the bitter cold of night. Then she saw the little girl, and tears practically raced to her eyes. She sniffed, wiping her eyes with her free hand. "That's Zero...isn't it?"

Slowly, Ash nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. "...Yeah...that's her."

Serena winced, shutting her eyes tightly. "It's...it's just not fair! She suffered so much…" She was reminded of the time when Zero rode on her shoulders as she taught the young girl about life. Though she was rough around the edges and battle-hardened thanks to her...creation, she was still just a little girl. A curious child who wanted to learn more about life, yet hers was taken. "She deserved so much better than this!"

Ash held Serena closer and nodded. His heart still stung as if a knife had been plunged into it just from thinking about her alone. Let alone everyone else. In his grief, he painstakingly swallowed down a lump in his throat and simply replied, "...Yeah."

The two were suddenly approached by Xerneas. "There is one more thing I would like to ask of you."

"What is it?" Asked Ash.

Xerneas rose to her full height, gazing past the crowd. "Many of the souls that were lost during the battle are still buried beneath the hardened ash even now."

Ash and Serena's eyes went wide. "Th-that's horrible!" The latter cried. "You mean we've just been trampling over them this whole time?!"

The Pokemon of Life nodded. "Do not concern yourself with that. It's not as if you knew or had a choice. Their consciousness' are fading, so it's unlikely that they realize or care about that."

Ash was more disturbed by something else. "If they're buried...then they haven't passed on yet?"

"Precisely," Replied Xerneas. "In time, their energy will fade and so will they, but I wish for them to have a more peaceful passing." She turned back to Ash. "So, could I ask you to unearth them and deliver them back to their families one final time?"

To that, Ash crossed his arms and hummed to himself in thought. "I would love to," He said, "But...I'm not sure how."

"Then perhaps we could be of assistance."

The three turned toward the new voice, finding Riley and Lucario. "We couldn't help overhearing, and that sounds like a wonderful idea." He approached Ash, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I doubt my Aura can match yours anymore, but perhaps my experience could prove useful."

Xerneas nodded approvingly. "Your assistance would be delightful, Aura Guardian."

"Here," Riley said to Ash, "Kneel down and put your hand to the ground." Doing as he was told, Ash placed his hand upon the cool, soft grass beneath them.

"What now?" He asked.

"Now," Started Riley, "Block out all vision and sense for Aura signatures like I taught you.

Ash nodded, closing his eyes. A pulse of light flowed from his hand across the landscape. His face wrinkled upon seeing what Xerneas had told him firsthand. Millions of tiny, blue candle-like flames were buried beneath them. Even...them…

Riley gently placed his hand on Ash's shoulder. "Hang in there," He said. "I'll shoulder the burden."

Ash felt his same sick feeling from Riley when he followed in Ash's footsteps, though he was better at keeping his cool. He also felt Lucario join in. Together, their own Auras scrawled out across the battlefield and tracing over each one. "Now," Said Riley. "Pour your Aura into theirs. Right now, they don't have the strength to move."

Together, the three let their Aura flow into the ground, making the flower bed glow. The survivors stopped looking at the statue for the moment upon seeing the ground beneath their feet glowing. Then, blue lights began to rise from the ground. The lost souls were no longer bound. They were free to rise into the sky to find peace at last, but instead, many of them began to descend once more.

The survivors collectively gasped as the tiny blue flames approached them. But as they neared, any sense of danger they felt was replaced by one of...familiarity. One that they could not understand until an old, decrepit-looking man shambled out from the crowd and took one into his hand. "...M-Mia?" He asked to the flame. He collapsed to his knees suddenly, clutching the flame close to him and weeping. "M-my darling granddaughter...how could this cruel world take you before me?!"

One after another, the lost loved ones made their way back to their families and friends. It wasn't long before almost everyone gathered there descended into fits of sobbing as they clutched the tiny flames to their hearts. When the three Aura users shakily rose back to their feet, they couldn't help but smile at the scene. Misty and Brock were re-uniting with their own fallen Pokemon as well. Riley tapped his shoulder suddenly, and turned him around.

Serena was staring up at something in the sky with wide eyes. When Ash followed suit, he practically mirrored her expression. There were several flames above them, it didn't take long for him to realize who they were. Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder and reached out to them. "Piii…" Whimpered Ash's partner sadly.

"Beautiful...aren't they?" Said Riley. "Life in its truest essence...begets sorrow. It's poetic, isn't it?"

Ash's Pokemon that fell lowered themselves back to him. He and Pikachu held out their hands to them, embracing them in their gentle grasps. It was then that they joined the others in their weeping. A final cry to end the string. Before long, the flames began to fade. Their forms withered and wavered, becoming smaller and smaller until they faded entirely. Snuffed out like a candle flame in the wind.

Behind them, Hydreigon rose up from the crowd toward the visage of Zero. It reached out to it as if to embrace it, but jerked its arms back, apparently realizing that its own strength could destroy it. The dragon hung its head and wailed. Serena covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes wetting once more. "Hydreigon… Zero's soul...didn't come back, did it?" It hurt Ash to see Hydreigon like this. Especially after the moment they had shared earlier today. Ash took out an empty Pokeball from his pocket. He decided now was as good of a time as any.

Noticing this, Serena asked, "What's that for, Ash?"

"I was...going to give this to Zero after the battle...so she could catch Hydreigon and become a trainer herself." He shook his head, returning his gaze to Hydreigon. "But that isn't possible anymore. And I obviously can't just leave him alone."

Serena stared at the Pokeball sadly, but ultimately nodded. "That seems to be for the best."

Nodding back, Ash called out to the dragon and waved the Pokeball at him. "Hey, Hydreigon!" The dragon ceased its sputtering upon hearing Ash's voice. When it saw the Pokeball in his hand, his heart skipped a beat. "Can you come here for a sec? I wanna ask you something!" Swallowing nervously, Hydreigon slowly descended from the statue toward Ash. Just looking at the Pokeball made his blood run cold. His last experience with one wasn't exactly...a pleasure.

Ash could see the trepidation in Hydreigon's eyes and sighed. "You know what I'm asking, and I don't ask it of you lightly." Slowly, he held the Pokeball out to Hydreigon, making him flinch. Ash asked him, "Do you have anywhere to go?" To that, the dragon had no answer. Ash nodded knowingly to him. "There isn't, right? I know...your last trainer brings up bad memories, but you know I would never hurt you." He held the ball closer. "So, would you like to come with me?"

---

Pallet Town

A warm feeling welled up within Ash as he stared down at the new addition to his team. Pocketing the Pokeball, Ash went to his windowsill and stared out from it for the first time in seemingly forever. After the ceremony was completed, Ash decided that he would stay home for a while. For his mother's sake, as well as his own. He, and the rest of his team, needed this rest. Apparently Serena felt the same, and though Ash would have loved to have her stay with him, she had to go back to check up on her own mom.

On the desk before him sat a picture. He had it taken just before leaving for home. All of his friends that survived the battle, embracing one another. After the brutal awakening they'd received, no one knew what might happen to them. So they wanted every memory to count, for what their last might be was unknowable.

Before he left, Mr. Star had also asked him to come back once the repairing of Goldenrod City was finished, though he didn't elaborate why, only saying that he would tell once the time came. Ash didn't know how long that would be. With the state the burned battlefield was in, he wouldn't be surprised if it took years or even decades. An old man in a state like that, well...he didn't want to be cynical, but he doubted Mr. Star would even last that long.

A yawn forced its way from Ash's mouth, telling him that it was time to sleep. Pikachu had already passed out and was laying next to his pillow by the wall. He gently got into his bed so that he didn't wake his partner. As he pulled the blankets up to his neck, the last thing he saw before fatigue overcame him was his old Voltorb alarm clock. How nostalgic it would be to be awakened by that again…

---

Ash awoke with a start. Apparently he was already standing up because he fell onto his backside upon waking. "Agh!" He cried. "What in the…?" He appeared to be in some sort of cave system. All around him were crystals that lined the walls, and there were tunnels on all sides. He recognized where he was upon seeing a multicolored flower sprouting from between two crystals. "Is this...the Tree of Beginning?"

"REGI-RE-REGICE!"

The golem of ice erupted from the ground behind him, sending Ash into the air. It launched an Ice Beam at him, but before either of the two knew what happened, Ash was encompassed by his white Aura. The boy kicked off one of the walls and sent Regice sprawling into a corner with another kick, resulting in a thunderous crash that shook the ground around him. When the glow faded, Ash stared at himself in awe.

"What in the…?"

In a pink flash, none other than Mew herself appeared, waving her arms spastically. "Waitwaitwait, don't hurt hi- huh? HUH?!" Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when she saw the state Regice was in. The ice golem was implanted in a small crater in the wall. Its body was crumpled, and it was twitching spastically. Her jaw still dropped, she slowly turned toward Ash. "...What in the world did you do…?"

Ash's blood ran cold. If what 'Aura' showed him about Mew was to be believed, then that cutesy innocence hid a deadly ire and potent power that he did not want to be on the wrong end of. Unbeknownst to even himself, his Aura had appeared around him once more, and he slipped into a battle-ready stance.

Shaking off her surprise, Mew said, "Well, if you somehow managed to beat big bad Necrozma like Arceus said, I guess it only makes sense. Anyways, why are you giving me that look?" Before Ash could fumble out a reply, she slapped herself in the forehead. "Ack- duh! You just woke up here—no wonder you're scared.

Scared wasn't exactly how Ash would put it...but it was close after thinking about it further.

"Anyways," She said, "Sorry about the suddenness of bringing you here, but this isn't something that we can wait on." Before Ash could ask what she meant, he was once again warped somewhere else, and though it was still part of the tree, it wasn't a part he recognized. It was a gargantuan, round chamber. Tunnels lined the walls by the dozens, and besides them, there wasn't an ounce of wall that wasn't coated in crystal.

Two rounded growths rose up from the floor and down from the roof. An intense stream of Aura poured forth from the bottom to the top. Ash assumed this was how Aura traveled through the tree and, subsequently, the world itself. What was more interesting to him was the fact that every living Legendary Pokemon, including the ones he did not see at the battle, stood beneath it, and they appeared to be...waiting for him?

"Am I...missing something?"

"Not at all!" Chirped Mew. She 'urged' him to walk by gently pushing his back with Psychic. "You're the guest of honor!"

"Wh-what?" Stammered Ash. "Why me?"

Mew gave him an odd look. "For the savior of Earth, you aren't the brightest are you?" Suddenly, she got way too close to Ash's face for his comfort. "You saved the world, you dummy!"

"Mew, please stop antagonizing our guest," Arceus said from afar.

She merely giggled and warped the two of them to the group of Legends. Arceus approached him, still on slightly shaking legs, and smiled kindly at him. "I cannot tell you how much it gladdens me to see you doing well. When I last saw you...I was worried to say the least." His expression became more melancholy, and he gazed up at the Aura stream. "...That horrible feeling of loss...I know it all too well. That is why we are here today."

Ash realized then that this was no ordinary commemoration. It was also a funeral for the fallen Legends. "I'm...sorry about that," He told him.

Arceus shook his head. "Don't be. There was nothing you could have done that...Aura could not. The blame lies entirely with me."

They heard a dry chuckle from Giratina.

Arceus chose to ignore that. "In any case," He said, "This is both a celebration and...a time for mourning. We have...our own way of mourning the lost." He turned back to the Aura surge. "Unlike most beings, Legends were not created with mortal bodies. Thus, when they die, traces of Aura still remain within them. We allow the Tree of Life to take their bodies once more which become one with not only itself, but the entire world."

Ash nodded. "The roots of the tree spread all across the world, so it's like using their lives to create new ones."

The Alpha gave him a surprised look. "H-how do you…?" He shook his head. "No, I suppose that you were taught much by Aura." Once again, he looked up at the surge. "In any case, you are our savior and my chosen. With your rise to power, I thought it best to welcome you here as an honorary Legend."

A string of protests from the surprised Legends, and Ash himself, rang out. "Wh-what?!" Cried Rayquaza. "Are you certain, milord?!"

Arceus nodded without hesitation. "Absolutely."

"B-but he is human!" Cried Lugia.

"A human that saved your life and this world plenty of times," Countered Arceus. To that, Lugia had no counter. Arceus nodded to him and continued. "Ash has saved all of our lives on more than one occasion. Now that his power has risen to match his feats, whether he is Pokemon or not should make no difference. He has more than earned the right to be among us."

"A-actually," Ash piped up, "I'm not so sure of this myself. I mean, me, a Legend?" He shook his head, looking down at the white candle flame of Aura in the palm of his hand. "I wouldn't even know where to start…"

Arceus nodded. "I see. Well, you don't have to give me your answer right this instant." He eyed the surge sadly. "This day is for them. We can worry about all else later. I simply felt like you earned the right to watch this." He cleared his throat. "In any case, whether or not you accept the title, you are free to take part in any Hall of Origins meeting should you so choose. The knowledge of how to do so will come to you upon the next summons.

Ash felt a pang of guilt at that, and it wasn't helping that his accursed Aura was making him more sensitive to it.

"First," Arceus spoke, "Let us commemorate those whose bodies were lost." The other Legends crowded around Arceus and bowed their heads. Though Giratina did not join them, he, too bowed his head in respect. Ash hastily followed suit.

"Solgaleo, Lunala and Deoxys," Spoke Arceus mournfully. "Though you were not of our world, you defended it to your end...I cannot thank you enough for that. Thundurus, though you were chaotic in life, did not deserve this cruel fate. Heatran. Cresselia. Meloetta. Volcanion. Darkrai. Latios." Ash winced as he heard the whimpering of Latias at her brother's name. "...You served your trainer and I well, and I am sure he could not be prouder of you all. You will be dearly missed. Mesprit...you blessed this world with emotion, and it will not be the same without you."

The Father of all Pokemon appeared to be in pain when he spoke. His head and neck twisted at odd angles, and he was shifting in place. "...The Swords of Justice as well," He said. Ash heard Keldeo failing to stifle his sobs. Come to think of it, he never saw them at the battle. He balled his hands into fists when he came to the conclusion that Necrozma must have gotten to them beforehand.

When Arceus spoke the next name, he trembled, and his voice was unsteady. Ash was shocked to find a ferocious rage welling up within Lugia. The Beast of the Sea had been kind, gentle and wise when he first met him, but now...this rage was unlike anything he'd ever seen from him before. "...Zapdos...you should not have been killed. It's...my fault…" He stomped his foot into the ground, though his trembling legs couldn't put a scratch on it. "I was so foolish!"

To say Ash was confused would be an understatement. He wanted to ask what Arceus was talking about it, but sensing the sheer grief and remorse that he felt from him, Ash decided against it.

"And finally," Arceus said, "Celebi…you were perhaps the wisest of us all by trying to undo this mess, but you couldn't have known…" After a few moments, Arceus took in a deep breath, backed away from the Aura surge, and spoke once more. "...Now, for the rest."

Ash recognized Jirachi by her shape, though she was wrapped in golden sinew. "Jirachi…" Uttered Arceus. "Your wishes gave happiness to thousands. I know that they all appreciate those deeds even now." Her tiny body slowly floated toward the surge. Once it entered, it was turned into particles which were sucked along the course, likely to the rest of the tree. The next were Landorus and Tornadus who were cloaked in the same thread. "It is unfortunate that we cannot, at least, allow all three of you to join the tree together, but…" He shook his head. "May you three finally find peace with one another."

After their corpses entered the Aura stream and disappeared, the next that appeared was Kyurem. Again, Ash heard choked sobbing from Keldeo, though he was confused. Didn't they meet as enemies? Something must have happened between them before the final battle. Though, as he looked upon the youngest...or only Sword of Justice's sorrowful state, he decided that now wasn't the best time to be asking questions.

"Kyurem…" Said Arceus hesitantly. "...I believe I should have listened to you now. I should have treated you better. You deserved better than this!" He appeared to silently choke on his breath for a moment, only getting ahold of himself when Rayquaza worriedly checked on him. "I'm fine, I'm fine," He assured Rayquaza. Clearing his throat, he continued. "Kyurem fought valiantly and upheld honor to the very end. He will...be dearly missed."

Then, Kyurem's body disappeared into the stream, and Groudon's appeared. Ash wasn't entirely sure if it would fit, morbid and unneeded as the thought was. "Groudon...I heard that you meant to restore my faith in you, but it was never broken to begin with… You became greater than I ever thought you would when I created you. A true shining star." Ash's thoughts couldn't help but to drift to the extinction incident Aura showed him. How far Groudon had apparently come since then. There was no way he could tell anyone else now.

Groudon's body disappeared within the stream, but when it came time for Arceus to call upon the final body, he faltered. "Palkia, my son," He said in despair. "I should have been there! Confound the damned power, I should have been there! It mattered not in the end anyway!" He stomped his foot into the ground once more, and this time, it pierced through.

Ash flinched, the sheer amount of sorrow from Arceus exploding like a raging ocean. He felt Arceus's sorrow as if it were his own, and was forced to double over and clutch at his chest. His face wrinkled, and he wiped away pained tears. "I'm...sorry," He said to Arceus. "How terrible it has to be to lose your own son… I couldn't imagine it…"

"...Thank you, Ash," Arceus said at last. "You are kind." He cleared his throat again and mustered the strength to will Palkia's body above them. Dialga and Giratina flinched at the sight, even though it was covered in gold thread. "Now," He said, "We come to our...final loss. My son...the brother of two, and an irreplaceable loved one. Palkia. My foolishness led to not only his demise, but the demise of so many others. People, Pokemon and Legend alike." He closed his eyes, unable to bear to watch what came next. "Farewell...my son…" Then, Palkia's body was absorbed into the tree.

Arceus hung his head, letting out a long-held sigh to relieve him of the welling in his chest. "That will be all," He said, turning to the others. "I will hold a meeting within the Hall later."

Giratina turned to snidely ask Mew something that would surely provoke her, but to his shock, he couldn't find her. His fiery red eyes narrowed in rage. "...Did she leave after dropping off the boy?" He knew she was scum, but this was on a different level. She didn't even have the time of day to grieve for her dead children. "Does she even care at all?"

Most of the Legends immediately went back through their portals, which was a shame because Ash was looking forward to catching up with them. Though, the sorrow and rage he felt from them all was utterly suffocating, so it was no wonder that they had other things on their minds. The exception to this was Latias, who swooped in from behind and grabbed him into a hug.

"Ash!" She cried. "It's been so long since we got to talk! I never got the chance before, what with all that was going on, but I've wanted to talk to you so badly!" Ash sputtered something incomprehensible. "Huh? What are you-?" Ash's luck with hugs appeared to be slim, as his face was purple once again. She dropped him suddenly, letting him fall flat on his face. "Oh, I'm so sorry! It's just that I was so excited, you know! I haven't gotten to properly see you in years and-"

"It's all good!" Ash cried frantically, his face still planted in the ground. "It's great to see you too!"

Giggling, Latias transformed to mimic the Bianca from Altomare and helped Ash back to his feet. She grabbed hold of Ash's hands with an unsettling strength and stared into his eyes with glittering, watery ones of her own. "When I saw you disappear into Necrozma's attack, I didn't really get to feel sad. With everything else going on, I just felt...angry." She wrapped her arms around him with less choking strength than before, burying her face in his shoulder. "I...couldn't save Latios...so I'm just so glad you're alright…"

Ash eagerly returned the embrace. "I can't tell you how sorry I am about Latios. Losing someone twice...no one should have to suffer through it even once." Gently, he placed a hand on the back of her head. "But know that you're not alone. I'll be there whenever you need me, and I'm sure Bianca and Lorenzo will too."

A bright smile crawled up Latias's face at that. "Actually," She said, pulling her head away from him, "I was going to say something like that to you!"

Ash tilted his head in confusion. "Huh?"

"Well," Said Latias, looking away. Her expression fell. "Honestly, I've been dreading going back to that garden. I know Bianca and Lorenzo have been waiting for me, but...it already hurt losing Latios once. I don't think I could stand being there without him any longer…" She whipped her head toward him again, all traces of sadness disappearing in an instant. "So if you ever need any help, don't hesitate to ask!"

Ash gave her a kind smile that made her heart flutter. "Well, I'd love to have you along. You bet I'll give you a call when the time comes...but," A yawn forced its way from his mouth. "For now, I gotta get some sleep."

Latias giggled and let him loose from her grasp. "Yeah, I suppose it's about that time." She transformed back into her normal form and turned away from him. "I'll see you later!"

The boy waved her way. "Yeah, see you then!" Latias nodded and opened a portal back to Altomare. Though, just before she could leave, a sudden thought occurred to Ash. "Oh! H-hey!: He called.

Latias stopped in her tracks and craned her neck around. "Yeah?"

Ash couldn't bare to face her when he asked this. He rubbed the back of his head, shifting in place uncomfortably. "Um...back on that pier...were you-"

The remaining Eon Pokemon simply giggled at him, then disappeared through the portal. Ash attempted to stop her, but suddenly found himself incredibly tired. The world around him became fuzzy and swirling in a nonsensical manner, and before long, everything went dark. Unbeknownst to him, he was perched right back in his bed just as he'd been before. Pikachu had still been asleep the entire time.

---

Hall of Origins

When Arceus next summoned the members of the Hall, they couldn't help but feel awkward at its...emptiness compared to before. On top of that, it was all but dark due to the drainage of its energy, and rubble was still littered all over the floor. Many Legends floated over what was once their seats "So," Said Giratina, noticing that a certain new member had not joined them, "Where is our brand new 'honorary Legend?'"

"He will come for future meetings," Arceus replied. "At least, I hope he chooses to. As of now, he's in the midst of sleeping, and unlike us, his time is not without end."

Giratina nodded. He had enough respect for Ash to not pursue the issue, and instead asked, "Where's Mew, then? She didn't have the decency to show up during the ceremony, so she could at least-"

"Hey everyone!" Chirped Mew. She appeared in a small pink flash before flopping down into a bubble chair. "What's up?"

The Renegade Pokemon sent a glare her way. "Speak of the devil and she shall appear. Where the hell were you during the ceremony?!"

Mew returned the glare. "What are you giving me that look for? I was busy, but that's none of your business!"

"Like hell it isn't!" Roared Giratina. "Are you really about to tell me that whatever childish nonsense you're doing is more important than-"

"Please!" Cried Arceus, bringing the entire Hall's attention upon him. "Not now! Not today…. Please." He cleared his throat. "Now, let's start with the meeting."

Mew tilted her head. "Why? Aren't we going to wait for the rest? Only, like, half the Hall is here."

Giratina's eyes went wide. "Wait a minute," He said. "Does she not know?!"

"Please, I-" Arceus tried to get a word in to stop the coming storm, to no avail.

"Know what?" Asked Mew innocently. "What are you talking about?"

Giratina was at a loss for words. "You...are you serious?! What have you been doing during the fight?!"

Mew's eyes began darting around. "Um...I was...scouting around, of course!" She was obviously lying without a hint of care. "For any of Necrozma's forces that could have escaped!"

"Like hell!" Roared Giratina, pointing one of his tendrils at her accusingly. "I bet you were just goofing off with a paddle ball or something like the child you are!" Mew opened her mouth to retort, but Giratina was quick to shut her down. "No, shut your damned mouth! You don't have a single clue what happened, do you? All because you were playing games while we were throwing our lives away!"

"Oh, don't be such a baby," Replied Mew. "You're in one piece, aren't you?"

Giratina narrowed his eyes and hissed, "Kyurem can't say the same."

Mew was taken aback. "Wh-what? What are you talking about?"

"What I'm talking about," Started Giratina, much to Arceus's horror, "Is that the reason all of them-" He motioned to the rows of empty seats. "-Haven't showed up yet is because they're dead, damn you!" Mew's eyes widened, and she recoiled as if she'd been struck by something. "While you were having a party, we were dying in your stead!"

Mew looked over to Arceus, who slowly nodded his head. "I-I had no idea!"She stammered, attempting to fumble out a response. She could not find any words that would get her out of this situation. "Really, I didn't! I swear, if I knew any of you were really in danger then I would have-"

"If you knew?!" Demanded Giratina. "That's the problem with you! You never take anything seriously—not even a battle for the fate of the world, and because of that, all of them are dead, damn you!"

"I'm sorry!" Cried Mew. "What do you want me to do?!"

Arceus stomped his foot, attempting to intervene. "That is enough! This issue can be addressed later, but-"

Giratina's fury-filled gaze snapped toward Arceus. "Don't you dare start!" He seethed. "You just sat back and watched us die! Your power didn't even mean anything in the end! You said that yourself!"

Arceus flinched, unable to come up with a retort to that.

"And you!" He bellowed back at Mew. "Don't you remember what Kyurem told you, or is that as insignificant as our lives to you too?!" Again, Mew tried to respond, but Giratina beat her to the punch. "He said that our deaths would be on your hands, and he was right! His death, Palkia's death, everyone's deaths are on your hands all because you wanted to protect a tree that he never even went to!"

"W-well, I-I-"

Giratina snarled at her angrily. "Oh, but our own deaths don't even begin to describe the sheer scope of what Necrozma did to us! Do you know how many trainers and their Pokemon died?! Billions!" He laughed dryly. "It's fortunate that the boy didn't come after all, or else you'd have to hear the tale of how many of his own friends died in that battle from him!"

"When did you start caring so much all of a sudden?!" Mew asked, finally finding the footing to speak up. Nearly everyone in the Hall winced, knowing what was about to happen.

"I never stopped caring!" Giratina roared. "It's you who seems to have stopped! The prospect of how many lives could be saved by your presence never even bothered you, did it?!" He turned his sights upon Keldeo, though the young Legend didn't flinch at his stare this time. "Surely the life of Kyurem's mattered not to you since you dispelled his plea so easily! Now look at what's become of him!"

In his own rage, Keldeo found the courage to speak out against Mew. "He's right!" Keldeo cried. "Necrozma never even came to the tree! If you just said yes back then…" He shut his eyes tightly to prevent an oncoming stream of tears. "Then...I might have still had a home… I lost my family, and when I got another, I lost that too!" His eyes snapped open to glare at her. "It's all because of you!"

"Hey," Said Mew, attempting to defend herself. "I didn't come here just to get ridiculed! I messed up, I know that, but I can create new ones!"

The others were stunned into silence, which Mew, in her pride, thought to be a good thing. So, she was surprised when next Giratina spoke. "You...cannot be serious! Do you honestly think you can just replace lives like common…" He trailed off for a moment. "...No, that's exactly what we are to you, aren't we? Just worthless toys that can easily be replaced whenever they break. Is that right?"

"What?!" Cried Mew. "No, that's not-"

Giratina shook his head. "No, no, I get it now," He said. "Instead of risking your own life, you would rather we did so to our own so that you can just make new versions of us whenever we break like those toys you hoard!" He turned around to the other Legends. "Her power is equal to Arceus's! She could have easily kept Necrozma at bay until Arceus and that being arrived, but she would rather send us all to die! Isn't that right?!"

At that, the surviving Legends began crying out against Mew in Giratina's favor, something none of them would ever have thought they'd be doing until now. All the while, a boiling, seething rage began to well within the Mother of all Pokemon. "I CREATED YOU!" She roared. Her fur stood on end, and her eyes became a harrowing, deathly crimson like Arceus in days' past. Around her, energy of all elements began crackling against the walls and chairs of the halls. She held her arm back as if to strike her children. "AND I WILL NO LONGER SUFFER YOUR-"

Shrouded in a golden glow, Arceus appeared between Mew and the Legends. Only, he did not attempt to face both at once. He was exclusively facing Mew. "THAT IS ENOUGH! I WILL NOT HAVE ANY MORE BLOOD SHED-"

Looking past him, Giratina continued to speak out against Mew. "I did not ask to be created, let alone by you! I would have rather never been created than be your throwaway puppet!" He spread his tendrils outward, welcoming her to attack him. "But by all means, add one more body to the pile! It might as well be yours the same as it's Necrozma's considering their deaths are YOUR FAULT!"

"That goes for you too!" Barked Arceus to him. "There is no need for any further conflict!"

Giratina merely sneered his way. "Neither of you know a damned thing. I'll give you credit for actually fighting unlike the witch behind you, but you're just a pretender. You don't actually care for us!" He opened a portal back to the Distortion World. "You, in your senality, tricked yourself into believing you care but you don't! If you did, you would have been there from the beginning and forced her to come along!"

He was about to disappear into the portal, but stopped just short of it. "Oh, but wait a minute." The portal changed suddenly, and instead of the blackish-purple void of the Distortion World, it led to a grassy plain and blue skies. "Unlike you, I took part in the battle, and I will have my freedom!" He smirked down at Arceus and Mew. The former had a pitiful, defeated expression while the latter's rage hadn't died down in the slightest. "Though, not that you could stop me either way anymore, father." Then, he disappeared into the portal, and it shut behind him.

Before Arceus could speak to the others, they turned away from him and began walking back to their own portals, save for Dialga and Rayquaza. He didn't have the strength to stop them. Mew, on the other hand, was quick to try and stop them. "Where do you think you're going?!" She demanded. "I'm not done with-"

"Leave them," Ordered Arceus.

Mew was taken aback. "What? Why?! They've done nothing but disrespect us!"

Arceus turned back around to face her. "No," He said, "Their actions are completely within reason. It is we who failed them as their creators, not them as our creations."

Mew couldn't begin to understand what he meant. "Why are you taking their side?! We made a promise, remember? Before we even created this planet, we promised that we'd never fight each other!"

He turned away from her. "...I realize that, which is why I beseech you to see things from their perspective."

"I am!" Insisted Mew. "I offered to bring back the ones that were lost, but they didn't want it!"

Arceus shuddered. "That is...not what I meant." He attempted to face her once more, but found it difficult to do so. "I am beginning to believe Giratina was right about...many things. Things that we either ignored or unjustly punished him for."

Mew's eyes went wide, and she shook her head. "You...you can't mean…?"

"I do. The Tree was never in danger. Or rather, it was in far greater danger when neither of us were there to occupy Necrozma."

Still, she continued to deny his words. "B-but that doesn't mean-"

"Aura was there," Snapped Arceus, making Mew's eyes go even wider. "Our creator. Our plan was doomed from the start, and they knew it!" Before he could begin to lose his temper, Arceus took a deep breath and sighed. "Please, think on my words and conduct yourself better next time. Our creations deserve as much. To be treated like living, thinking beings like us rather than just our creations."

Before Mew could reply, Arceus called out to Rayquaza and Dialga. "You two, with me." They nodded, and the three of them disappeared in a golden flash of light. Mew was left alone in the dark, broken hall with her rage that had far from subsided. Unable to cope or fathom what she did wrong, the Mother of all Pokemon whipped around and slammed her fist into the wall.

---

Somewhere in the ozone layer.

Arceus, Rayquaza and Dialga stared down at Earth from afar. "Now then," Said the Alpha Pokemon, "I'm going to share something with you that only you two can know.

Dialga and Rayquaza nodded without hesitation. "Of course, Father," Said Dialga, "You have my word."

"Mine as well," Followed Rayquaza. "I won't let you down."

Arceus smiled at them kindly. "That is good. In that case, I must tell you something." His expression fell back into one of sorrow as he looked down upon the Earth. "Some Legends that died in the battle were key in keeping the world in balance. So I have no choice but to create new versions of them."

The two perked their heads up. "Wait," Said Dialga. "You mean…?"

Their lord-father turned back to face them and nodded. "Indeed. I have no choice...but to create a new Groudon and Palkia." He shook his head and sighed. Dialga and Rayquaza could see obvious strain on his face. The decision must have been impossibly difficult for him. "I do not mean to replace them, nor could I. They will be reborn from nothing. Or rather, they will be entirely new beings."

"If I may, milord," Spoke Rayquaza. "Why are you only re-creating them?"

"Because I only have the strength for two," Answered Arceus. "I expended most of my power battling Necrozma. Once they are born, my strength will be next to nothing." Rayquaza and Dialga nodded. They would spare their father any further questions. Arceus closed his eyes, his body glowing a brilliant white sheen. Dialga and Rayquaza were forced to cover their eyes to avoid being blinded. When the light faded, a gasp escaped from their throats.

Arceus heaved in exhaustion, most of his body going limp. Before him were two orbs. One was red, and the other, pink. Simply by resting his weary eyes upon them, a warm feeling coursed through Arceus's veins. "...In time," He wheezed, "They will grow to meet their status before long. When that time comes, I will need your assistance in raising them...so that my shortcomings do not interfere with their growth this time." He eyed the orbs with wonder, unable to keep himself from letting out a small, jubilant laugh.

"...Yes," He said. "Though this world and its inhabitants are broken...I feel, one day, all of our troubles will be over."

Far, far below on the wondrous Earth in a small town, a certain trainer felt the same way as he, with his trusty Pikachu on his shoulder, stared up into the endless blue sky. Perhaps, he thought...one day, their troubles would end. But before that day would come, he would enjoy his rest.

---

Author's Note

Creator: That's it folks. The final chapter of Pokextinction. I swear I didn't mean to single out Iris and Cilan because they were the least popular of Ash's friends. There were going to be others, but couldn't manage to fit the others anywhere else. Paul was meant to sacrifice himself either to cut a path so Ash could get to Talonflame or to somehow stop Guzzlord, but couldn't find a believable way to do either. Alder was going to take on Necrozma to allow Zekrom and Reshiram to escape after Kyurem's death, but the giant blast from the Legends earlier on would have killed the humans if I didn't have them escape beforehand. Before I came up with the idea for Guzzlord's nuke attack, Clemont would have died too, but we instead shifted that toward Blaziken Mask. (Also, as a note, Mew's unpredictable nature and ability to use every move, transform, etc would have been able to keep Necrozma at bay until Arceus arrived. On top of that, the Legends could have helped in killing the Ultra Beasts and saving lives. No one would have died except maybe a few random trainers/Pokemon.)

Hydra: Well after two long years the day has FINALLY arrived. Who would've that it would take this long but we did it, we finished Pokextinction! I cannot tell you all how much fun it was to come up with ideas for this story. I'm not gonna lie there was entire days where I would literally think of nothing but new ideas for this thing. I am so happy with the end result!

Creator: Now, let's get onto all TWO REVIEWS! (To those who didn't, y'all are fakes).

Amourshipper35- "Wow, what an ending. I'm glad Ash is alive and well, and that Necrozma is gone for good."

Creator: From the beginning, you joined our fledgling little story, and to the end, you stayed. It's been wonderful having you along with us. Thank you.

Hydra: Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for sticking with us to the end. I will always remember your dedication and devotion to our story even when we took long breaks you stuck with us and I cannot thank you enough.

DarkPugLord23- "Wow. Just...wow. This has got to be one of the best chapters I've ever read in a fanfic. I will say, the both of you have really outdone yourselves this time, especially Necrozma's actual death. His last words: "We shall see," just fill me with chills. I eagerly await the aftermath."

Creator: I assume the aftermath suited your expectations? There is certainly a future at hand for the world, though we won't get to see it. Perhaps it will be happier than before. Perhaps not. We can only imagine. Also congrats on being the only other reviewer. You're a real G.

Hydra: ah one of my favorite reviewers. Hopefully this ending was a satisfying finish. I'm not gonna lie me and the Creator used to always get excited when we'd see your review because it was one of the only ones that went in depth on what actually happened in the chapter. Thank you for all the kind words and we hope you enjoyed the story!

Creator: Thus comes to an end a fantastic tale if I say so myself. One that will hopefully elevate me to my life pursuit of becoming an official novel series author. It was quite a depressing final chapter, I must say, but I do hope it suited you as an epilogue. I wish you all a fine farewell.

Hydra: well I guess this is it. It's hard to believe after 2 years it's finally over but I guess before I leave I'd like to leave you all with one last hoorah! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR STICKING WITH US, EVERYONE HAVE A NICE DAAAAAAAAA…

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The night sky above the International Police HQ was pitch black. The HQ itself was far from grandiose or special, seeing as its location changed whenever it needed to, which was never for longer than a week. Inside, the head of the International Police himself was frantically talking with one of his fewest remaining agents and his newest one, Emma. Looker's young assistant.

"There's nothing we can do!" Shouted the Chief. "Most of our agents died in the battle against Necrozma! There's no way we can mount an investigation!" Their entire organization was currently falling apart and they had no idea why.

"We have to do something!" Insisted Emma. "What are we going to do? Wait around for whatever's going on to just kill us?!"

The chief opened up a drawer in his desk and grabbed a remote from it. "It won't come to that," He said. "I don't know what the hell is going on, but I'll be damned to let the International Police just die off."

A sudden loud thud made the entire facility quake. "What was that?!" Cried Emma. "What's happening?!" The chief didn't know what was happening himself, but he would be damned to drag a young girl into it. Especially after he'd lost so many good agents. He quickly slammed the phone down into its case and shattered the receiver itself to to cut any potential leaks. The Chief then burst out of his room, finding his agents scrambling about to get ahold on what was happening.

Rushing past them, he burst into the camera room. "What's happening?!" He shouted.

"I-I don't know!" Cried the only agent there. He was a young one barely out of training. All they could afford at a time like this. "Cameras are suddenly going down left and right!" True to the rookie's word, one by one, the cameras were shutting off with no clear indicator. No indicator, except for one thing. The chief shoved the rookie aside and replayed the video feed on one camera just before it was shut down. In the corner, there was a single, large man cloaked in militaristic black armor wielding a minigun.

A million thoughts were rushing through the chief's head now. "How do they have firearms?! I thought they were all destroyed!" There was another detail far more haunting to the chief than the gun, however. On the man's suit just over his heart was a patch that detailed a star exploding in the night sky. The same patch worn by the bastards that took Looker and Anabel.

He was snapped out of his train of thought by the terrified rookie. "S-sir!" He cried. "Look there!" He pointed to one of the other cameras. Another man in similar armor to the minigun wielder casually walked into the room. His face was covered by a thick helmet, and his visor stared up into the camera. Or rather, at them. Slowly, he drew a black, curved sword from a sheath on his back. The second the sword was loosed, the camera went black like the rest.

The chief rushed out from his chair and cried, "Get to safety any way you can! Tell the others that they're relieved of duty!" With that, he left the rookie baffled, terrified and alone. The chief shoulder-barged his way back into his room and hastily locked it behind him. The entire room was capable of withstanding a point-blank explosive. Even if the entire building were reduced to rubble and ash, his room would be able to remain.

Even still, he ducked underneath his desk and reached up into a drawer, taking out a metal object and holding it close to his chest like his life depended on it. Or rather, it would. The horrific sounds of screaming and gunfire lit up the halls suddenly, making him wince and shut his eyes. Apparently no one else had managed to escape after all. These enemies, whoever the hell they were, acted inhumanly fast. But even if he was alone, he would be damned to go out without a fight.

"Sixty-two years of this job…" He said with a sigh. "All for what?" As soon as it had come, the gunfire and screaming ceased. For what seemed like an eternity, the only sound occupying the chief's mind was that of his own frantic heartbeat. Then, a loud bang crashed against the door. And another. And another. One after another, the banging continued. The chief held the object in his hands even tighter with each one. The banging only stopped when it was replaced with a crack, and the door caved in on itself.

The chief swallowed a lump in his throat as the sound of footsteps filled the room. "Come out," One of them ordered. "We know you're in here." When the chief failed to comply, he heard someone snap their fingers, and the entire desk was lifted into the air. The chief's blood ran cold. He was completely exposed and at the mercy of seven men in similar armor, but their builds and weaponry were anything but similar.

At their head and who appeared to be their leader was the man with the sword. Beside him, a hulking beast of a man with a minigun strapped to his back held up his desk with a single hand. A short, slim looking one with a sniper rifle. The most unique of them had gas tanks strapped to his back and a mask with two air filters on either side of his chin. One that held a grenade launcher. One with a portable mounted turret. And finally, one with a simple chrome shotgun. Though perhaps 'simple' was inaccurate considering its size rivaled the minigun.

"You know," Said the man with the blade, "You've been a thorn in our side for quite a while now." He put his hand on the blade's handle, threatening to draw it as he stepped toward the chief. "But perhaps if you told us where we could find the remaining members of the International Police, we could work something out?"

The chief merely sneered at him, concealing the weapon in his large coat. "Like hell."

One of the others stepped forward threateningly, but the one with the blade held his hand up to stop him. Slowly, he turned back to the chief and said, "This will be the last time I ask you without repercussions." Faster than the chief could blink, the armored man grabbed him by the neck of his shirt and slammed him against the wall. "Where are the others?" The chief's response was to spit in his visor.

The man wiped away the saliva and hissed, "Wrong answer. Launcher, Sniper, grab his arms." The shortest of them and the one with the grenade launcher grabbed the chief by his wrists and held him up in he middle of the room. Though he struggled against their grasp, he couldn't seem to even make them move let alone free himself from them. Faster than the chief could perceive, his left arm was suddenly sliced open. "That was a one-inch deep cut," He was informed. "If left alone, it will only take an hour or so to bleed out, but there's no need for that."

He nodded to his side, calling over the man with the air filters. "Inferno, you know what to do." Nodding, the man now known as Inferno walked over to the slit wrist and held out his hand. A small part of his armor opened up, unveiling a lighter. He put the lighter up against the injury, making the chief hiss out in pain. "Cauterizing that wound should stop the bleeding," Said the blade user, "But I assume you're still not ready to talk."

"Go die...in a fire…!" He choked out between gasps.

The blade user nodded. "About what I expected. Chrome, if you would?" The man with the giant shotgun took the weapon in hand, holding it by the barrel. He brought it around his shoulder, then, as if he were wielding a bat, slammed the butt of his gun into the chief's gut.

The chief's eyes went bloodshot. His legs gave out under him, but Launcher and Sniper kept him from falling entirely. The man with the blade was about to issue another order, but stopped upon hearing another voice. "Hold it, Ryder," Said a gruff voice from outside of the room. "We can't get information out of him if he's dead."

A series of gasps emerged from the armored men, and they didn't hesitate to drop the chief and his desk to bow to whoever was outside. A tall man entered the room. He wore large shades that covered most of his face as well as black gloves over his hands. A large white overcoat enveloped him, but from what the chief could see underneath it, he wore that damnable patch over his heart as well. The Man wore an infuriating smirk that made the chief's blood boil.

'So,' He thought, glaring at the newcomer, 'This must be the boss.' His gaze trailed down to the revolver he'd successfully hidden in his coat until now. "In that case…" Before any of the armored men could react, he whipped the revolver out and pointed it at The Man. "If I kill you, this nightmare will end! Die!" A loud bang enveloped the room as the bullet was launched. However, The Man's smirk did not falter. To the chief's horror, the bullet suddenly stopped just short of hitting The Man, then dropped to the floor.

"Wh-what the hell?!" Cried the chief in disbelief.

To that, The Man chuckled and reached toward his neck, showcasing a necklace. Small chains wrapped around a shard of a white crystal that he proudly held out for all to see. "Thanks to this," He said, "Not even Psychic powers are beyond technology's grasp any longer."

The chief attempted to march toward The Man, but was quickly stopped when Ryder appeared in a blur and held his blade up against his throat. The other armored men quickly surrounded him as well, pointing their weapons his way. "One wrong move and you'll slit your own neck," Warned Ryder. "How dare you attempt to attack our master?!"

Ignoring them, the chief kept his glare trained upon The Man. "I know what you've done!" He said. "It was you who brought that monster Necrozma here! It's your fault all those people and Pokemon are dead!"

The Man chuckled, tossing the cigar aside. "You International Police lot never did know when to keep to your own business, did you?" He made his way toward the chief, and the armored men save for Ryder stepped backwards to allow him to. "And speaking of which…" He snatched the revolver out of the chief's hand to marvel at it up close. "I never expected anyone else to have kept firearms after all this time. I thought they were all destroyed after the last war between man and beast."

"It's a reminder!" Spat the chief. "A reminder to never go back to those times! It's been three-hundred years! We already achieved peace, so why did you have to go and mess it all up?!"

The Man couldn't help but laugh at that. "Peace?! No, this farcical "bond" between man and Pokemon is nothing more than a gilded cage. I am mankind's savior. Necrozma was just the beginning, but…" He tossed the revolver to the large armored man and pulled out the handgun he used to put an end to Necrozma. "You won't live long enough to see that. It's a shame, really. Until you decided to poke your nose where it didn't belong, I had no intention of destroying the International Police."

He pointed the gun at the chief's head. Upon further inspection of it, the chief saw that there was another crystal inside of a glass chamber on the gun's underside. "What are those things, anyways?" He asked.

The chief received a cold smirk as He cocked the gun. "Just a parting gift from a certain invader."

"People will know!" Cried the chief desperately. "When they see the bodies of my men and I, they'll know that I was murdered!"

"Who's to say there will even be a body?" The Man retorted, making the chief's face fall. "In fact, who's to say this whole incident wasn't simply caused by a group of rampaging Pokemon like the animals that they are?"

Before The Man could fire, Ryder spoke up. "If I may, sir, what about the whereabouts of the other International Police members?"

"Oh, I have a plan for them," Answered The Man. "We don't need their locations." He pressed the gun up against the chief's forehead. "All we have to do is spread rumors that old Chief here is still alive and in captivity. Then, all the remaining followers will rush to their deaths trying to save him."

The chief's heart sank at that. "No!" He cried. "You can't do this! The world is already in chaos! Without us, there will be-"

BANG!

His body, cloaked in a black fog that ate away at him, fell to the ground. The Man motioned for the armored men to follow him out of the room. He put another cigar into his mouth, took a puff and said, "That's what I'm counting on."

The International Police Headquarters were cast into flame. Several Pokemon, led by a fearsome-looking Tyranitar, fired upon the base with an array of attacks, all the while screaming and roaring like wild beasts. Behind them, The Man and his men recorded the entire thing. The wry grin he wore became larger with every passing second.

"Now," He said, "The age of beasts soon draws to a close, and the age of men will begin."