Volume IV's Winning Shipping: ShalourShipping
One-Shot 4: Squishy's Return
Two Lucarios faced each other. It was a battle with two silhouettes in the back of them. They charged and exchanged punches. There were kicks being thrown and blocks observed. One Lucario used Bullet Punch, but the other Lucario bobbed and weaved through the barrage. The other Lucario used Bone Club and swung at his opponent, but the first Lucario dodged all of their swings. The first Lucario used Aura Sphere, but the other Lucario leaped clear. The first's Aura Sphere flew up while the second conjured his own Aura Sphere. The first's Aura Sphere fell, but the Lucario who threw it saw it coming. He kicked the Aura Sphere as the second threw his own. They collided in the middle. They exploded, but the Lucarios were back in position. The looked back as their trainers lifted their arms, having their Key Stones ready. They were pressed. "MEGA EVOLVE!" two youths shouted. The Lucarios grabbed their Mega Stones and held it up. The beams came out of the two Stones and interlocked before the Lucarios morphed. Before long, they became Mega Lucarios. The battle wasn't done as their struggles intensified. The second Lucario did Bone Rush again. He swung, but the first Lucario vanished. The second Lucario gasped before looking to find more Lucarios around. Not panicking, the second Lucario used Metal Sound. It made copies of the first Lucario vanish, but one did Reversal, bashing into the second. They came forward with Power-Up Punch and Bullet Punch which collided in the middle like Aura Sphere. They backed off. They breathed heavily to the battle.
"I think that's enough for now," Goh stopped it. The Lucarios turned to Goh and Grookey as Korrina, Ash and Pikachu all came together.
"Lucario, your focus with your aura is getting better," Korrina praised as Lucario reverted from his Mega Evolution.
"Lucario, you're getting a lot faster," Ash complimented. His Lucario barked.
"I can tell Lucario's going to be a huge asset as you climb the ranks," Korrina remarked. "After all, the PWCS has tougher challenges."
"Don't worry about that," Ash assured. Goh figured out about this new visit.
"I see why you wanted to return to Kalos," he believed. "To better understand how to use Mega Lucario's abilities."
"Right, and since I first saw it with Korrina and her struggle to control Mega Lucario, who better?" confirmed Ash. Lucario awed the reason behind the visit when Pikachu heard something. He turned to a fixed direction and everyone noticed.
"Pikachu?" called out Korrina. Suddenly, a Greninja appeared. Korrina seemed surprised. "A Greninja!?" Ash smiled, an old friend returning.
"Greninja, did you sense me and came by?" he guessed. Greninja nodded before hopping down to see Lucario. While no words or speech was made, there seemed to be an understanding among the Ninja Frog and Aura Pokémon.
"Greninja, it's been awhile," Korrina awed. Greninja nodded.
"It has been a while for us, Ash," another voice spoke up. All looked, finding Squishy appearing.
"Squishy!" cheered Ash. "How've you been?"
"It hasn't been easy with the chaos within these woods," Squishy remarked. Pikachu reached and greeted Squishy while Goh and Korrina looked befuddled.
"Um, Squishy?" questioned Korrina as Goh got his Rotom Phone and pointed it to Squishy. It somehow didn't register.
"NO DATA," it computed. Goh and Korrina were puzzled to the lack of information on Squishy.
"No data?" repeated Goh. "How weird…"
"How do you know this Squishy?" asked Korrina.
"See, Squishy came with us shortly after Greninja evolved," Ash remembered. "He stayed being in Bonnie's care until Lysandre attacked." Korrina realized the moment.
"Yeah, and all of the Kalos Gym Leaders came to stop Lysandre," she recalled. "Valerie, Wulfric, Ramos… We even had Diantha help out!"
"Oh, I heard about it!" recalled Goh. "Man, I bet it was terrifying to be in that massive battle!"
"It was," Korrina admitted. "At least Team Flare's reign came to an end."
"It did with the death of Lysandre," Squishy pointed out. "However, remnants of the Giant Rock still plague the region." Ash knew they haven't finished the work.
"We may be able to help if it means chopping this Giant Rock by its roots," Goh mentioned. Korrina started to believe something amiss.
"Hold on…" she hushed. "Since you're here, wouldn't that mean there are roots are around here as well?" Goh, Ash and Pikachu gawked to the thought. Suddenly, a tremor.
("That's a good guess!") squeaked Pikachu. Out of nowhere, black roots emerged. The trainers and Pokémon braced themselves for the roots.
"Here it comes!" shouted Ash. Massive roots sprung up and attacked. Everyone cleared out of the way, including Squishy while in Goh's arms. He grabbed a PokéBall.
"Cinderace, come on out!" he summoned. Cinderace emerged, ready to help out.
"Lucario, use Aura Sphere!" ordered Korrina. Lucario threw an Aura Sphere, but another root batted it away.
"Use Pyro Ball!" ordered Goh. Cinderace kicked up a fireball before punting it at the roots. The impact rocked the root back.
"Pikachu, use Electroweb!" ordered Ash. Pikachu flicked Electroweb from his tail. It snagged and pulled the root further back, breaking it off from the strain. More roots emerged.
"It's not working!" gasped Goh. A root circled around everyone before it attacked Korrina by whipping her head. Her yelp made everyone turn to Korrina as her helmet flew into Ash's hands.
"KORRINA!" he and Goh gasped. Korrina struggled to get to her feet.
"I know that I wear a helmet for when I have an accident, but that wasn't what I had in mind," she groaned. A root soon took aim at Korrina while she wasn't able to look.
"Korrina!" shouted Ash. Greninja summoned Water Shuriken to slice the root down. "Good shot, Greninja!" He turned to and raced after Korrina. "Here!" He grabbed Korrina's hand.
"Thanks!" she praised. However, they looked surrounded by an entourage of roots as Greninja and the Lucarios reached.
"It can't end like this…" muttered Ash. They launched at Ash, Korrina and the Pokémon. "Greninja, Lucario, let's get through this at full power!" Ash, Greninja and Lucario were aglow while Korrina's Lucario looked on. In a flash, a Bond Phenomenom occurred. When the flash dimmed. Greninja was cocooned in water while Lucario looked to have transformed into his Mega Evolved form again. Suddenly, the cocoon spread out and chipped away at the roots. Greninja looked to have transformed into Ash-Greninja. Goh and Korrina gasped to what Greninja transformed into.
"What the heck!?" gawked Goh. "What happened to Greninja!?" The other Pokémon gasped to the moment.
("I thought he couldn't do it anymore!") squeaked Pikachu in shock. Feeling like he's in control, Ash took action.
"Greninja, use Aerial Ace!" he commanded as he made moves with his body. Greninja felt the movement and followed. "Lucario, use Aura Sphere!" Roots came after Greninja, but he vanished as Lucario threw Aura Sphere where Greninja was. It destroyed the root attacking.
"Amazing!" awed Korrina. More roots attacked, but Ash saw and moved his body toward them.
"Greninja, use Cut!" he called out. Greninja summoned a glowing kunai before slashing at the roots that slowed enough. "Lucario, use Bullet Punch!" Somehow, Ash's movements encouraged Lucario to follow and score Bullet Punch, destroying more roots.
"How is Ash doing that?" awed Goh. "It's like his movements are guiding their movements!" Squishy had an explanation.
"Ash has tapped into Bond Phenomenom," he briefed. "It was first learned shortly after Greninja evolved. Greninja and Ash have managed to perfect Bond Phenomenom, but I'm surprised they could still tap into the power after going down different roads. I don't quite understand Lucario's transformation, though."
"Yeah, he's back to Mega Lucario," Goh pointed out. "But I didn't see Ash use the Key Stone to do it!" Something started to click for Goh. "Could Lucario have that Bond Phenomenom as well?" Tremors shook the ground again as a huge stone emerged. Everyone eyed it, wanting to end the struggle.
"The Giant Rock," Squishy realized. Ash and an idea.
"Goh, Korrina, I'll need your help in this!" he voiced. Goh and Korrina nodded and Pikachu was willing to put in his own work.
"OKAY!" they agreed. The battle was on.
"Greninja, Water Shuriken!" he commanded. Greninja grabbed the giant shuriken from his back before hurling it at the Giant Rock. On contact, the giant shuriken made of compressed water started sawing into the rock. "Lucario, use Aura Sphere!"
"Lucario, use Aura Sphere as well!" added Korrina. The Lucarios made Aura Spheres.
"Don't throw it yet!" warned Ash. "Let Lucario combine his Aura Sphere with yours!" The Lucarios combined Aura Spheres together, making it massive. "Goh, now!"
"Okay!" agreed Goh. "Cinderace, another Pyro Ball!" Cinderace kicked another Pyro Ball, joining in sparks of the combined Water and Fire.
"Now, throw the Aura Sphere!" shouted Ash as he flung air. Lucario flung the massive Aura Sphere as more roots uprooted and chased the trainers. The massive Aura Sphere dug into the shuriken. Seeing the roots approaching, Goh felt they were almost out of time. "Ash, it's not enough!"
"It's not over yet!" grunted Ash. ""Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Pikachu agreed and leaped through the roots attacking. He struck Iron Tail onto the other attacks. It was barely enough as the Iron Tail became a hammer, nailing the Aura Spheres into the shuriken before it entered the Giant Rock. Pikachu bailed as the Giant Rock exploded. The concussive blast sent everyone to the ground. A minute had gone by when Pikachu looked to seeing everyone down. Goh started to rise with Squishy in his arms.
("Goh?") he squeaked. ("Squishy?") Goh looked to Pikachu with a groan.
"Pikachu, looks like you're okay," he muttered. The Lucarios and Greninja started to stand as well, but Greninja and Ash's Lucario fell onto their tails. Korrina stirred and looked to Ash who wasn't responding at all.
"Ash!?" she cried. "Ash!" She shook Ash while calling his name, but there was no response. "Ash, wake up! Come on!" Squishy had information about Ash using the technique.
"I should have explained that Bond Phenomenom have a link closer than any human and Pokémon possible," he started. Korrina's concern grew.
"What do you mean!?" she gulped.
"A trainer who can access Bond Phenomenom share damages to their Pokémon," he briefed. "If the Pokémon loses consciousness, so does the trainer. Ash somehow used Bond Phenomenom on Greninja and Lucario, putting extra strain on his body. He may be unconscious for some time… maybe days, weeks…"
"But it's not fair!" cried Korrina. "You're saying that Ash might have died protecting all of us!" Ash's eyelids twitched.
"Not so loud," he groaned. All turned to see Ash starting to wake up.
"Hey, he's coming to!" awed Goh. As Ash opened his eyes, a relieved Korrina hugged his head.
"My hero!" she cried. Ash sighed a smile.
"I'm… glad you're… okay…" he whispered. The gym leader couldn't be happier.
"Well, at least Ash won't be sleeping for weeks on end," Goh joked. "Now, is that the end of the Giant Rock and all of its roots?"
"No, there are still a few places where the Giant Rock's roots linger," the Zygarde disagreed. "The Giant Rock is gone. We can now proceed with destroying the rest of Team Flare's reign. Could you do me a favor?" Goh wondered about it. After getting help, Ash soon woke back up in Shalour City's Pokémon Center. He saw Pikachu, Cinderace and Lucario.
"Hey, guys…" he greeted. "Did everyone get out okay?" The Pokémon chimed to acknowledge Ash as Korrina came in.
"How's my hero this morning?" she greeted. She wore a gray t-shirt and biker shorts.
"Hero? So, we beat it?"
"The heart of it, but not everything. Squishy may have given Goh a favor, but I'd rather tell you that it and Greninja are going to finish the job." A smile came from Ash.
"I can't wait to bring Greninja back to Professor Oak's lab."
"Not before I bring you out on a date. After all, I had feelings about you since we first met. I may have had some jealousy from your time with Serena, but I want to have a chance."
"Of course…" Accepting, Korrina gave Ash a kiss to the lips and held it. The Pokémon gasped but enjoyed the sight. There may be a new Bond Phenomenom in the works, but the bond may lead to uprooting Ash's single life.
END of Volume IV