Traveler

by The Straight Elf

Ash Ketchum has been determined to become the best since he was a toddler. He has his eyes set on a charmander, but a twist of fate led him to the humble Nidoran. Note: Mix between anime and the games.

44. Chapter 44: The Beginning

A/N: What is this? I actually met my deadline? This doesn't feel right...

The Dream had ended. The Unown were bound away in the deceptively fragile stone of the tablet looped around his neck. Reality reasserted itself, and the last vestiges of their power fled the world.

Then he was on his knees. Ash gasped for air, vision blurry, as the weight of the day took its toll on him. For a moment it felt as though his brain had been split in two, then his senses reasserted themselves...

… the world was dark and quiet and seemingly a thousand miles away. The shapes of his friends and the approaching League forces blurred and lost all sense of vibrancy and definition, as though he stared at them from beneath the waves. Sounds distorted and hung in the air, slow and warped as though frozen and sluggish. The Truth of the world revealed to him by the Unown fell away, and his mind slowed to a crawl. What he had imagined as a frenzy of thoughts before seemed like slow molasses crawling, his brain so slow without the Unown granting him eyes and ears and thousands of other brains to divine the truth, to seek knowledge, to -

"Relax. We are here," a quiet, monotonous voice whispered into his ear. It took time to make sense of the soothing words, and Ash looked up with dull eyes that struggled to make sense of the pale face that looked down upon him. A cool hand clasped his shoulder gently, grounding him. Peace flooded into him, projected by the woman. Everything was just as flimsy and wrong as before, but some of the wild speculation of his brain stilled and relaxed and the distorted sounds and sights and stolen scents became a little easier to comprehend. "You did well, Ash Ketchum."

"Sabrina?" He gasped, still on his knees. Mind whirling, he was only barely aware of his team huddled around him. Comforted by the knowledge, he fought the urge to let his eyes rest. He was so tired… "What's happening?"

The psychic knelt to gaze into his eyes. She held his chin in one of her cold hands and held him firmly. "The Unown. Your brain grew adjusted to their support. It did not react well to their absence. You sealed them away too abruptly, I believe."

"Oh," Ash said simply. His vision swam. Nidoking lurched to be by his side and hovered protectively over him, joined by Torrent. The Kingdra's hard, heavy scales brushed against his side. Scarlet eyes glared at the newcomers, especially the Garchomp that approached.

"Ash! Are you alright?" Steven jogged ahead. Metagross came to a stop a few feet behind, aware that its approach wouldn't put anyone at ease. The tall, blonde woman hung back as well, though Ash could sense her interest. It bled off her.

He blinked blearily. "I'm okay," he mumbled. Steven looked at him skeptically, but nodded. Sabrina stepped away fluidly with a grace beyond any human. The former Champion grasped Ash's shoulders and hauled him up, supporting his weight easily.

"Don't worry, Ash, I've got you," Steven whispered as he turned to face the rest of the people trapped in the Dream. His eyes widened at the sight of his friend. "Lance? What are you doing here?"

The Indigo Champion said nothing at first. Heavy thoughts brewed in his skull. Ash could see it easily. "Ash brought me here," he said at last. "We discussed what to do with the Unown."

"So it was the Unown," Steven murmured. "Karen was right…"

It was then that his mother made her appearance known. Spencer stood back with Molly, the little girl clutching at his pant legs tightly at the appearance of so many people and strange, terrifying pokemon, but Delia didn't hesitate. "Give him to me! He's my son."

Steven blinked, caught off guard. The silver-haired man didn't even try to stop Ash's mother from pulling Ash's exhausted form away from him. "Ash?" She stared into his half-closed eyes. He mumbled something unintelligible in response. "Are you okay?"

He shrugged. It would be nice to sleep right now.

"He's stable," said Sabrina. The psychic peered at Ash with her red eyes. "Exhausted, but stable. He needs rest."

His mother held him close. He didn't resist. His team were huddled around him protectively and looked as though they'd charge anyone they didn't know. Ash was dimly aware of more and more League forces approaching, though they kept their distance.

"Dazed?" His mother pleaded some unspoken request. The Hypno nodded and shuffled across the wooden floor of the Hale Mansion to stand before Ash. Her eyes quirked into the familiar half-smile that he'd grown so accustomed to and her crystal pendulum began to sway hypnotically before him.

Rest, Friend-Trainer. You have earned it.

His body was all too eager to accept her gift of rest.

The world went black.

XX

He groaned as a beam of light landed squarely on his face and jerked him awake. "Where am I?" Ash mumbled blearily and blinked some of the grogginess from his eyes. A firm, dull pressured pounded through his head with every heartbeat. Was this what it felt like to be punched in the face by a Rampaging Bruiser.

Dull claws tapped against his arm and brought him back to reality. It took a moment for his mind to catch up, but Ash grinned at the sight of Nidoking beside him, soft grunts coming from his mouth. His poisonous spines lay flat against his back and face for once. The huge, muscular length of his tail was utterly still, as though he had to struggle with all his might to keep from thrashing it around and wrecking the room they were in.

"Hey," Ash grinned at the sight of his partner. Nidoking's beady black eyes turned to slits and he chuffed at him. He'd have to be deaf and blind - and in a way he felt he was, like the colors were a bit dimmer and the sounds a bit softer than he remembered them - to miss the unspoken question. "I'm feeling alright. I've just got a bad headache," he said. Nidoking nodded. Ash looked around the room he'd awoken in. Pristine whiteness everywhere, the too-clean stench of sanitized material, and a bright light that gave him plenty of ideas as to where he was. "Why am I in a hospital?"

Even as he spoke the words, he remembered. Being jerked away from the Contest Hall in Slateport - it felt like it had been years since that happened - to the unnatural stage of the corrupted Greenfield. Fighting his way past the Crystal Entei, working with Bruno and the King Under the Mountain to fight his way in, the arrival of the Legendary Beasts, and his explorations of Molly's bizarre realities.

His fingers reached to brush against the cold stone of the tablet the Unown had left him with. Ash grimaced at the reminder of their power and how close he'd come to losing himself entirely to it.

"We had rough day, didn't we?" Ash grimaced. Nidoking snorted, and nodded along with him. That left a grin on Ash's face and he pat his friend's arm heavily - anything less and Nidoking couldn't even feel it. "Where's the rest of the team? And where are we?"

Dazed appeared on his right side. There was no sign of teleportation, so she must have simply waited in the corner while he reunited with Nidoking. Her eyes quirked up and she allowed her eyes to fall from the bright white light overhead (had she picked up that habit again?) to watch him. She rubbed her pendulum against her mane as he felt a gentle mental force brush against his mind.

The rest of our brethren have been returned. We are in a healing-place. In 'Goldenrod', Master Claydol informed me.

Ash nodded along. That was the closest location to Greenfield. Now that his brain had caught up a little, he caught sight of his belt on the bedside table. He couldn't stop himself from reaching out to touch the pokeballs. It comforted him to know the rest of his friends were right there if he needed them.

A knock on the door. It made Ash jump (and Nidoking snarl) but he soothed his friend as best he could. His heart raced and he cursed himself for being so twitchy. They were safe now.

It didn't really help.

"Ash, it's Steven. Can we come in?" Steven's familiar voice, muffled by the heavy wood of the hospital's door, reached him. Ash waited a moment before nodding. Before he could say anything, Dazed's eyes flashed. Moments later the door swung open and several of the most powerful trainers in the world strode through his door.

Steven was first, pale and serene as ever. Lance came in behind him. The Indigo Champion looked exhausted, like he hadn't slept in days. Despite it, Ash could sense the invigorating heat of Lance's Feather beneath the long sleeves of his Champion's uniform. The Dragon Master smiled at Ash, although there was some undeniable tension and plenty of uncertainty. Despite their contention over the Unown, Ash smiled back without a second thought.

They might have disagreed about the Unown, but that didn't mean they weren't still friends.

Then came Karen. She clearly wasn't at her best (with dark bags under her eyes and a sort of detached look) but she looked like she'd walked straight off a magazine cover. Karen had taken the time to shed her combat uniform and replaced it with the pale yellow tank top and white pants he'd seen her in at the League's party back during the Conference. Ash returned the smile she sent his way, relieved that she was alright after their experiences in the Mansion. He'd worried about her.

Karen was followed by the tall, black-clad woman Ash vaguely remembered in the few scattered fragments of memory he'd clung to in the aftermath of releasing the Unown. It was impossible not to recognize Cynthia Carolina, the acclaimed Lily of the Valley Champion. She'd claimed her position with unassailable dominance and gracefully annihilated all opposition over the years.

Ash analyzed the newcomer with more focus than he'd given anyone else. She was something special in the world of trainers: a generalist. He'd watched her battles religiously for that reason. How could he not? Generalists tended to fall short of reaching the highest levels of training.

Their diversity offered distinct advantages (especially at the beginning of their career) but over time type-specialists tended to overcome generalists. Type-specialists learned their chosen type inside and out. They lacked the diversity of a generalist, but turned that into a strength. They learned every strategy, counter, and potential advantage out there. As such, it was easier for them to grow more and more skilled with experience. Not to mention a specialist only had to learn at the feet of a single Master for advanced training. A generalist would need to hunt down and pry the secrets of multiple Masters to learn specialized techniques for their team.

Cynthia had shattered that trend. She was recognized by a Master by fourteen, just like Lance, but walked a different path than the Dragon Master. Ash wasn't sure what she'd spent the years between attaining her Master-rank and claiming the Champion's Mantle doing, but assumed it involved a lot of research since she'd published the book his mother had gifted him.

He loved that book.

Ash shook himself out of his admiration. With the important matters out of the way he finally noticed her appearance. Cynthia was tall (at least a head above himself) and maintained a long, well-kept blonde mane that ran down her back past her waist. Her grey eyes were dark enough to verge on black, and her face held that same intensity he'd come to recognize in Masters.

He met her keen gaze for a time but looked away, his face flushed. Ash frowned inwardly. When was the last time he'd felt uncomfortable meeting anyone's eyes? He'd stared down Zapdos!

Thankfully, Steven interrupted him. "How are you feeling?" His mentor watched with concern as he stood by the foot of Ash's bed. The former Champion appeared to be in the best shape out of the group. He must've arrived relatively late to Greenfield.

"I've been better," Ash smiled as best he could. He propped himself up on his forearms to be on more even terms with the Masters. Nidoking stood still at his side, his black eyes on the newcomers with unrivaled intensity. Some of his spines had started to raise. "We're alive, at least."

Steven looked away quickly. "Yes," he coughed and glanced at Cynthia, "Well, I'd like to introduce you to a colleague of mine. I'm sure you've heard of her."

"I can introduce myself," Cynthia teased Steven, who rolled his eyes. She stepped forward (on Dazed's side, naturally) and reached out to shake his hand. Her eyes flickered down to the amulet that laid above his covers and traced the three Unown symbols etched into it. "My name is Cynthia. It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"Ash," he shook her hand and ignored the soft cuffs of her jacket brushing against his wrist. "It's nice to meet you too."

Cynthia laughed and stepped away, and Ash was relieved when Steven took over. "I really am sorry to disturb you like this," Steven looked pointedly at Nidoking and Dazed as well, "but these are important matters, I'm afraid. What happened two days ago was nothing short of a disaster and we still don't have a complete understanding of what occurred.

Ash blinked. Two days?

Karen laughed at the look on Ash's face. "Yeah, two days. You've been out like a light," the Dark Master smirked. "We were actually starting to place bets on when you'd wake up," she looked pointedly at Lance. "Speaking of..."

"Yeah, yeah," Lance grumbled. "I'll pay you when we get back to the Plateau."

Ash ignored the byplay and stared intently at Nidoking. He'd better have eaten while Ash was unconscious…

He was unwilling, but the Binder, the Torrent, and I did not leave him much choice in the matter.

"Thank you," Ash said to Dazed. She just nodded. Nidoking snorted, and Ash sighed. He shouldn't have been surprised. After a moment he looked back to Steven since the Steel Master seemed to have taken control of the proceedings. "Have you talked to everyone else?"

"I already gave my account," Karen confirmed. She put her hands on her hips. "But from the sounds of it, I had a pretty boring time in the mansion. All the really crazy stuff happened after I left. Not that any of us are surprised," she rolled her eyes at Ash. "You just love getting in trouble, don't you?"

He grinned. "I do my best."

Steven cleared his throat. "As Karen said, we have her account. We've also interviewed your mother, Spencer Hale, and Molly Hale," Steven looked unhappy at the mention of the girl, but Ash didn't say anything. Some surge of protectiveness rose up in him at the thought of Molly - he hoped she was doing alright - but he quelled it. "They've given us a great deal of information, but we need your perspective to complete our investigation."

"Understood," Ash said. His mind raced. He hesitated. "What happened to them?" The voice that came from his lips didn't really sound like his own. It was soft, hesitant. Weak. Ash hated it. "My mom…"

The group (especially Lance and Steven) shared a look. Karen was the first to say anything. "She's stable," the Master stressed. That didn't exactly bring Ash comfort. "Whatever the Unown did to her is still there. Sabrina took a look at her, though. She couldn't undo it but said that your mom should be able to reassert her real memories after a few months. Being exposed to the real world and reminded of her real memories is supposed to reinforce them, apparently."

He nodded, dread heavy in his stomach. It wasn't the best news he'd gotten, but at least she was safe. Ash knew he needed to speak to her, though. He couldn't imagine what she was going through right now…

"And the others?" Ash grit his teeth. He had to get his mind off his mom. "Are they doing okay?"

Steven leapt at the chance to distract Ash. "They're both doing quite well. Dr. Hale is resting, but he experienced the least stress during the ideal. I believe Molly is still being examined by Sabrina, but should be fine."

Ash nodded again. That was the best he could hope for, wasn't it? He was just relieved that they hadn't been permanently warped by the Unown.

His mother hadn't been so lucky.

Another question came to the forefront of his mind. "Was anyone else hurt?"

This time it was the pale, haggard Lance who answered. "Not badly," he said, and the relief in his voice was palpable. He ran a hand through his light red hair. The golden light of the Feather flashed beneath his sleeve. "Many SPECTERs were knocked unconscious by backlash, or knocked out by the fake Entei, and the League forces that stormed the battlefield after you went into the mansion were scuffed up. A few people in the fake Entei's path when it rushed to Goldenrod were given minor wounds or infected by the crystal," Lance's eyes narrowed to furious slits, "but nobody died. It's a miracle," he professed.

Ash practically collapsed at the news. He thought of the Crystal Entei's supernaturally powerful attacks, overwhelming physical strength, and single-minded purpose to protect the Hale Mansion (and Molly). It was almost impossible for it to have not killed anyone in its battles…

"Molly didn't want anyone to die," he whispered, the truth plain as day to him. And how could it not be? Even before he'd been granted the Unown and exposed to knowledge beyond comprehension, he'd merged with Molly to guide her through restoring Greenfield. For all Molly's fear and lashing out, she hadn't wished to kill. She couldn't even understand it. All she'd wanted was for everyone to go away and leave her family in peace…

"What was that?" Lance asked.

"The Crystal Entei couldn't kill," Ash muttered. Lance blinked and stared past Ash, lost in memory. His hands balled into fists. "Molly wouldn't let it."

Steven nodded along with the news. "Thank the universe for such favors," he murmured. His long fingers tapped against the plain metal of Ash's bed frame. The man's slate eyes easily caught Ash's weariness. "But please, let us get your accounts of the event. We don't want to keep you up any longer than necessary. You need your rest."

And so he did. Ash spoke of the entire day, from the vague sense of unease he'd felt through his link with Mewtwo back in Slateport, to arriving on the battlefield and meeting Karen and the arrival of the rest of the Elite Four. He recounted fighting his way to the Hale Mansion while the rest of the Elite Four fought against impossible odds against the Crystal Entei, to his and Bruno's plan to get Ash into the mansion.

Ash told them of how his team had faced down the Crystal Entei, how Infernus and the others had even managed to slay the creature's physical form for a time. How it had returned with its overwhelming might only to be torn apart by the arrival of the Legendary Beasts.

He explained how he entered the void of the mansion and was trapped in an endless illusion that sapped his strength with every step, of how he met Karen and that they'd fought their way through the mansion until they reached the second Greenfield and met Molly.

It was hard not to enjoy their surprise when he mentioned the appearance of Not-Ash (he still held some regret for the construct's fate) and how they'd fought, of how he ended up in the void viewing Molly's memories until Not-Ash collected him and took him to Molly.

The rest was a blur. Convincing Molly to return to the real world, working with her to rebuild the twisted, corrupted Greenfield, and claiming the Unown for himself. Ash even explained how he had chosen against Lance, his mother, and Uncle Spencer and how he chose to bind the Unown and render them inert and separated from the physical world.

He didn't miss Lance's discomfort during that discussion. Neither did any of the Masters.

And there were things he didn't mention: the encounter with the illusory Pierce, the details of Molly's memories, and the wisps of knowledge seared into his brain when he delved into the mysteries with the Unown. He didn't describe the Truth he'd seen, the thoughts he'd gleaned, or anything else revealed to him.

That belonged to him.

"You've given us quite a bit to think about," Steven said at last. The others were quiet. Karen and Cynthia seemed to be off in their own world, pondering what had been revealed. Lance looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but here, like he needed to run and cast off all the trappings of his station. "Thank you for your efforts, Ash."

He nodded. "So what now? Do we go back to Hoenn?"

"That…" Steven frowned and stroked his chin thoughtfully, "is an excellent question. I don't believe you should return to Hoenn - not yet," he amended at the look Ash sent him. Steven waved at the exhausted boy. "Look at yourself, Ash. You're exhausted. You leapt from facing down those Rockets - not to mention Hunter J and Jacqueline Durand - with me to being tested by the Unown with just a few days of rest in between. You look like you're about to shatter. Your body might be healed, but your mind is frayed. You need to relax."

Ash grimaced at the summary. Perhaps he'd have argued fruitlessly against Steven before his time in the mansion with the Unown. Even now his brain itched to fight his teacher on this, to return to training and growing stronger and pushing his team and himself to their absolute limits. To find the power to take destiny into his own hands.

But he wasn't the same. He never would be. The mansion - and the Unown - had laid him bare. They had flayed away some of his delusions and perceptions of himself until the truth stared him in the face.

He needed to rest.

"So what do I do?" He asked, somewhat lost.

"That is your decision," Steven said firmly. His lips quirked. "You don't need me deciding the terms of your vacation, Ash. That would be rather counterintuitive, wouldn't it?"

Ash grinned. "I guess you're right," he replied, though he felt confused as ever. He looked into the window, suddenly enraptured by the beams of sunlight piercing through a light covering of clouds. What was he supposed to do?

"Good," Steven nodded. "Take your time. Stay here for a while and make sure you're ready to move on. Let's say we'll meet at my apartment in Rustboro in a month or so. Does that sound fair?"

"That sounds perfect," he said quietly. His mind raced. What would he do for an entire month?

The former Champion watched him for a moment, then seemed to decide that nothing was amiss. Before he left, he gave Ash some parting words. "If you feel that you need some more time, simply let me know. I want to make sure you're okay before you rush into anything, alright?"

"Understood," Ash said.

Steven smiled and reached over to clap him lightly on the shoulder. "Good. Rest well, Ash. If you need anything, don't hesitate to contact me. You have my number."

And with that, the Steel Master left.

Karen stepped forward next. "I know you'll be alright, Ash, but take it easy. Maybe stick around for a while," she suggested, "you haven't even visited Indigo Plateau yet. Believe me when I say you have some nice quarters waiting for you - Will and I are pretty sure that Lance has been playing favorites," she chuckled.

Ash smiled back at the Dark Master. It was nice talking to her when they weren't trying to avert an apocalypse. "Maybe I will," he said thoughtfully. His grin turned a little more challenging. "While I'm up there we'll have to see if you or Will really deserve your positions."

The woman scoffed with her hand on her hip. "Please! Your team won't even slow mine down, you little runt!"

"We'll see," he glared back, and they both laughed as she waved him off and left the room. Well, that was one stop he could make. His blood burned at the thought of taking on a genuine member of the Elite Four… the last time he'd fought one was when he'd challenged Bruno so many months ago.

That was before he'd fought his way through the Storm, before he'd been through a hundred challenges and his friends had risen to new heights. He was unrecognizable from the trainer he'd been at Mt. Hideaway and he couldn't wait to test his strength against a Master again.

At least he knew Karen wouldn't just toy with him like Lance or Steven. It would be a fight where he could truly cut loose.

Cynthia and Lance exchanged a look and the Champion of Sinnoh stepped forward. Her heels clacked against the smooth tile. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Ash. And you as well," she nodded to Nidoking and Dazed. "I don't wish to intrude on your recovery, so I will take my leave."

"It was nice to meet you too," Ash rasped, all of a sudden aware of how terrible he probably looked. He wasn't really sure of what else he could say.

"I'll be based out of Greenfield for the next week or so while I take care of some business," Cynthia said evasively. "Would you mind if I visited once more before I left? I believe there are several matters we could discuss."

"Of course," Ash said slowly. He wasn't sure what she meant, but he didn't question her further. Cynthia had no doubt left it vague for some reason. "I'll meet you in Greenfield in a few days," he decided.

Ash thought Cynthia's smile could have lit up a room. "Fantastic! I look forward to speaking with you further," Cynthia declared. With a friendly wave and a twirl of her long black coat, she left the room. Ash watched her leave with a frown, still uncertain of what she could want to discuss with him. He honestly didn't know enough about Cynthia to decide anything.

That could be a concern for later. As of now, Ash (not to mention Nidoking and Dazed) rested their eyes on the sole remaining visitor: Lance.

An awkward silence hung over them all. Ash was fairly certain this was the first time 'awkward silence' and 'Champion Lance' had ever existed in the same room. Normally the man couldn't let more than a few seconds pass before telling a joke or going off about one of his adventures or otherwise trying to break anything resembling quiet. From the look on his face, Lance realized it too.

"So…" Ash trailed off, utterly lost on how he was supposed to approach this. It wasn't as if he disliked Lance (and he was pretty sure Lance didn't dislike him either) but right now he just didn't know what to say. They'd always been on the same page before now, but it seemed that Ash's choice to keep the Unown out of the League's hand had changed that.

He hoped it wouldn't be forever.

"Uh," Lance started, conflicted, "I've been thinking," Ash could only imagine what Steven would have said to that if he'd been here, "about everything. About the Unown, about the Legendaries, about your situation."

The Champion went quiet for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. Ash didn't rush him. "I can't say that I agree with your choice, but I do see why you made it. We haven't handled the Legendaries as well as I'd like," Lance's expression twisted into an ugly grimace, "and the fact that you, Ash, have been the one to handle them instead... well, that says a lot, doesn't it?"

Ash shrugged noncommittally. Lance wasn't wrong, but he didn't think it necessary to rub it in. One of his hands reached to idly toy with the heavy stone amulet around his neck.

"We can talk more later," the Champion assured him, aware of how tired Ash was. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm not angry or upset. I know you had your reasons. You've just given me a lot to think about, is all."

"I understand," Ash said quietly. It was as if a great weight waslifted off his shoulders. Oh, he knew all too well that things weren't back to normal between himself and Lance. The events of Greenfield had damaged the Champion, had reinforced yet again to Lance that he and his dragons weren't strong enough to protect the world. That he was no longer the undefeatable Dragon Master who could crush his enemies and shield his friends.

That Lance Wataru, the youngest Indigo Champion and Dragon Master, was a minor player in a game of unimaginable scope.

"Stop by my office if you end up visiting Indigo Plateau," Lance said. He reached forward to ruffle Ash's hair with a grin. Nidoking allowed it, though his nostrils flared. The exhausted Champion stepped away, not willing to push Nidoking too far. "I have a lot to deal with, so I'd best get going. But if you have any questions or concerns, you know how to reach me. Get some rest and enjoy your vacation, alright?"

"Will do," he nodded. Ash was a little relieved that Lance was leaving. It was a thought that bothered him, but the slight tension between them wasn't something he needed to deal with right now.

Before Lance left, his cape fluttering behind him, he turned to Ash and grimaced. "And Ash… keep a low profile if you can."

Ash blinked. He had a bad feeling about this. "Why?"

The tall man sighed and tapped the power button of the TV hanging in the corner of the room. It was already on a news channel, it looked like, and Ash instantly understood Lance's words.

"Unknown Disaster at Greenfield," he read the headlines with dawning horror. Footage from what was presumably Goldenrod (or a suburb) ran on repeat, showing a giant shadow in the shape of an Entei dashing across the land with squirming crystal left in its wake. Clips of the Elite Four chasing it, of Gengar and Dragonite and Machamp and their trainers.

Lance switched the channel again to the Indigo news station. Ash watched, stunned, at the sight of him and Bruiser approaching the camera crew that had driven up to Greenfield around when he'd arrived. The roiling, living crystal sea grew and contracted behind him, as though it were breathing. The volume was muted, but he remembered that moment all too well, and he could practically hear his warnings to the reporter in his ears.

"Rookie Finalist of this year's Indigo Conference Involved with League at Greenfield Disaster?" Ash recited. His blood went cold. This wasn't good. Numerous taglines beneath

"We can't hide you from the world anymore," Lance said grimly. He appeared nearly as troubled as Ash. "You did your duty and you did it well," the Champion said in a vain attempt to comfort Ash, and continued, "but there was no hiding what was going on this time. It's too public, and unfortunately they decided that you would make a good story. The whole world knows that you're involved with the Indigo League. We're going to have to give some kind of information eventually, but I didn't want to trouble you."

"Are people upset?" He asked, unsure of how his position would be taken.

Lance shook his head. "Confused, more like it. We'll need to announce you as an Elite Four trainee soon - when you're ready, of course. There are a lot of questions I'll have to deal with. The world knows something's going on now," he sighed and looked like a man twenty years older. "Everyone's suspected after the odd happenings that have taken place over the last year or so, but this is the first time anyone's openly brought up the idea of Legendaries."

"Sounds like a lot of paperwork," Ash quipped, hoping to defuse some of the tension even while a thousand half-baked ideas and concerns and worries blazed in his mind.

His teacher's faced twisted. "You're right," and Lance irritably ran his fingers through his hair again. "I have to get going, but just remember to stay out of trouble," he warned. Ash nodded. "Nobody knows where you are or the extent of your involvement. You'll just have to stay one step ahead of the media."

The Champion paused. "Get better soon, Ash," he said genuinely.

Lance left Ash to his thoughts.

Despite a sudden wave of exhaustion which suddenly crashed down on him (he had to glance over at Dazed to make sure she wasn't the source, but she innocently polished her pendulum), Ash instead stared at the TV. There were so many wild thoughts in his skull that it was almost impossible to keep track of them all.

The world knew. They knew that something greater was going on in the shadows. They knew that the potential for terrible things existed. They knew that there was nothing the League could do about it.

And even worse, they knew that he was involved.

Nidoking grunted sympathetically as Ash massaged his temples. Ash offered him a wan smile as he pondered their new circumstances. Overall, it probably wouldn't change much. The League wouldn't tell the world anything it didn't need to know. He hoped so, anyways. Lance would never authorize that. Everything to do with the Legends was sworn to secrecy - not that they knew all that much about them.

He frowned. Ash thought back to the little wisps of knowledge he'd gleaned with the Unown. There'd been so much they had told him, so much whispered to him and seared into his brain. Yet when he tried to recall it he could only focus on short glimpses, tiny fragments that offered everything but told practically nothing. What was there was frustrating: visions, images, sounds, sights, and smells that he'd never experienced.

Ash knew that he would understand so much if he could figure those visions out - the boy with Mew, the man with the glowing shards in hand, or even the First Champion Taimu's familiar visage. He allowed himself a light grin at the realization that he did understand one of the fragments, albeit one that didn't tell him as much as he'd like. The others were a complete mystery.

It was at that moment he swore to himself that he would discover them. He would learn those stories. He'd unravel the secrets he'd been offered.

Friend-Trainer…

"Sorry," he whispered. Ash took his eyes away from the TV, which showed more footage of the Crystal Entei's dash through Goldenrod and the utter chaos it had left in its wake, and grinned at her. "I didn't mean to get like that. How are you two feeling, by the way?"

Nidoking growled gently and shrugged his heavy shoulders. Ash took the chance to observe him. His friend seemed fine physically, but Nidoking hid his feelings well. He was sure that if Nidoking was disturbed or bothered by something he'd bury it deep and conceal it to avoid Ash's worry.

Ash wasn't amused when the thought struck him that it was exactly what he did.

Satisfied, that Nidoking was in good health, he glanced over to Dazed. She looked pristine, not a hair out of place. Even her pendulum looked shinier, like she had done nothing for the past two days but polish it endlessly.

An apt observation.

Ash rolled his eyes but laughed anyways. "I should've known. How are the others, then? We didn't have an easy time getting into the mansion."

He would have released them and asked his team himself, but Ash doubted that would go over well. They'd probably crush his hospital bed in their haste to check on him. It was hard to put it off, but he endeavored to address them all at once when he was able to leave the hospital.

The thought brought his attention to the other things he'd have to attend to once he left this hospital. Not only would he need to check in with his team, he needed to find his mother and speak with her as well. Ash tried to ignore the pang in his chest… that wouldn't be a pleasant conversation. Even though he longed to speak with her and make sure his mother was alright, he knew that it would hurt to see her. His mother's memories were still in flux and in a sense she wasn't the same woman he'd known.

His nails bit into his palms and he exhaled. Nidoking laid his heavy, blunted claws against his arm. Ash nodded to his friend gratefully. He needed that. "Sorry, buddy," Ash shook his head. Dazed stopped cleaning her pendulum. "Just thinking, you know? About my mom. You heard what they said…"

Nidoking nodded slowly. Deliberately. His beady eyes glinted with regret and he helpfully patted Ash on the forehead. It stung a tad, but Ash wasn't about to let that show. "They said she should get better, though. It'll just take time, right?"

Dazed blinked at the question directed at her. She went still.

I trust the Farseer. She sees deeper than I. You should rest your faith in her as well.

Ash toyed with his amulet some more. It was comforting in a way, despite being a relic of the Greenfield disaster. The weight was satisfying to lift and hold. He wondered how long his mother would take to fully recover. It wasn't that he didn't trust Sabrina - he knew for a fact that was more knowledgeable about such things than he would ever be - but he was too involved in the matter.

It was impossible to take his mind off it. Ash glanced up at the TV again. Just more footage, this time of Greenfield. He grimaced at the sight of it. Though the crystal had melted away and reality freed from its grip, he and Molly hadn't perfectly healed the land. The Hale Mansion and Greenfield itself were intact, but he didn't miss great scars along the lines where the League SPECTERs had dug in, or the long line of devastation left by the strikes of the League against the Crystal Entei.

All the same, it was impossible to believe that the gorgeous, healthy hills covered in flowers were the exact same place the League had waged war on the Unown just two days before. It looked just like it had in his memories aside from a few blemishes. Overall it looked amazing, however - even the massive furrows dug in by the King Under the Mountain (how had Bruno managed to defeat such a fearsome behemoth?) had been healed by Molly and himself.

It was comforting in a way. He supposed it felt like he'd accomplished something good, this time. That he'd managed to claim a victory, not just a stalemate with the Legends.

He'd take what joy he could in that, Ash decided.

Dazed laid a hand on his shoulder. Her thick, yellow-furred fingers curled against him and the Hypno's eyes quirked up into that odd smile she did.

We did well, Friend-Trainer. Enjoy your victory, and your rest.

Rest? Ash blinked, and realization dawned on him as cool red light pooled about him from Dazed's pendulum. He welcomed its embrace.

He knew nothing more.

XX

"How's everyone feeling?" Ash called out as his team materialized about him and took a moment to stroke Seeker's soft blue fur when she settled comfortably on his shoulder. They stood in a small field not too far from the outskirts of Goldenrod. He'd only left the hospital ten minutes ago (and had woken up not long before that) but couldn't bear to be stuck in that bed any longer.

Plume circled overhead as a black spot barely visible to the naked eye. He shielded his eyes from the sun and watched her for a moment as he was greeted by a series of growls, grunts, and gurgles. Aron blinked sleepily and finally warbled, having realized he was supposed to reply. Ash laughed and let his eyes rest on the team.

Nidoking was at his side, naturally. Aron plodded over to the poison-type and plopped onto the ground, stubby little legs happily kicking in the air as he rolled in the dirt. Oz had taken her position by Aron too, of course - he knew it wasn't because she wanted to hang out with Nidoking. They'd buried the hatchet, but their only real claim to friendship was the little steel-type between them.

The rest were arrayed in a semicircle in front of him. Ash traced his eyes greedily over them all: Dazed, Torrent, Bruiser, Sneasel, Tangrowth, and even Infernus watched him with the same look in their eyes. "I'm glad all of you are okay," he began and patiently allowed one of Tangrowth's vines to poke and prod him (the rest of the team suffered a similar fate, with varying degrees of patience) before he continued. "I just wanted to say thanks to all of you. You saved me from the Unown."

Ash didn't miss the way Dazed and Infernus stared at his amulet when he said that. It was blank and lifeless as always under the dying light of the sun. Shadows cast over the three Unown symbols on it, and he looked away. He wouldn't let the thought of the amulet rule over him.

"But it's over," he said with a sense of finality. His team snapped to attention. Bruise nodded along with him, powerful arms folded over his barrel-like chest. "We survived. We won. Now, it's time to go back to our lives. We're taking a vacation!" Ash declared. "We're in Johto for a while, and I have a few ideas for what I'd like to do."

They waited patiently. Ash grinned. "We're going to rest here a few days alright? My mom, Spencer, and Molly are supposed to be in the hospital somewhere resting. I want to spend some time with them before we leave. After that… well, we've got a month. Any suggestions?"

Infernus immediately snarled something, a gleeful light entering his eyes. Heat pounded against Ash's skin, and little flares of fire shone from deep within the barrels of Infernus' cannons. Ash rolled his eyes. He had a good feeling what Infernus meant by that. To make sure, he sent a questioning look at Dazed. She nodded with a long-suffering expression.

The Brute would like to find someone to battle, Friend-Trainer.

Ash snorted. There was the Infernus he knew. "We will," he promised. Infernus grinned savagely. "I bet there's plenty of Gym Leaders that could give us a nice challenge, and maybe we'll even find some decent trainers on the road. Does that sound good?"

Infernus nodded. The nasty smirk never left his face.

"Anyone else?"

Bruiser grunted something. Ash waited patiently for Dazed to translate. After he'd spent so much time with each and every member of his team it was normally easy for him to understand what they were communicating, but it was impossible to understand something without context.

That's where a psychic capable of telepathy came in. Ash hoped that Dazed would one day be skilled enough to directly connect him to the minds of his friends... it would be fantastic to be able to communicate with them directly. She'd managed to do it with Bruno, which gave him hope, but it was also easier to connect two similar minds. Two humans were simpler to mentally connect than a human and pokemon, for instance.

Dazed didn't glance directly at either of them. She seemed obsessed with staring into the last light of the dying sun, although her eyes flashed a brilliant blue moments later.

He wishes to seek out Bruno-Master. The Caretaker seeks to learn to temper his greater strength with skill.

"We'll find him," Ash promised Bruiser. The Machoke nodded, satisfied, and waited for Ash to continue. "We're going to stop in Indigo Plateau at some point to beat Karen," he grinned at the way Sneasel's feather and ears perked up, "and if he's not there then they can point us in the right direction. Does that sound good?"

Bruiser pounded his chest with a fist and grinned. Ash beat one of his fists against his own chest and marveled at how good it felt not to be sore, concussed, and miserable. He'd scarcely realized how far he'd pushed his body between his battle against the Rockets with Steven… he'd been nowhere near ready for Greenfield.

Tangrowth drew his attention with a wild gurgle, and a few vines draped heavily across his face before he was gently pulled into a tight hug. He laughed and patted the affectionate grass-type as he was pressed up against the spongy shell of Tangrowth's shell of vines before extricated himself and looked into his friend's big, round eyes. "What do you want to do this month?"

He wishes to return to the Corral. The Binder misses his friends.

"We'll stop by," Ash promised the grass-type. Tangrowth danced happily at that and bounced up and down on his big red feet, his every vine trembling in anticipation. That worked out quite well. He'd wanted to see Professor Oak again while he had the chance. Who knew when he'd next be in Kanto? It would probably be another year before he finished his training with Steven, atlhough he wasn't entirely sure of the timetable on that.

Just another thing to keep in mind.

"Anyone else?" Ash called out. Torrent shook his great head, apparently satisfied with the plans so far. He wasn't sure if Torrent's wishes were already being taken care of (he expected that Torrent would like to meet Lance before they left for Hoenn) or if he was simply content to come along for the ride.

Oz shrugged, more interested in Aron doing his best to eat a huge hunk of scrap metal in one bite than anything Ash had to say. He rolled his eyes and crouched to gently poke his youngest teammate on his big, domed head. Aron's sky blue eyes blinked, confused. "Small bites, buddy."

Aron nodded cheerfully and went back to his favorite activity. Nidoking grunted when Ash glanced his way. No surprise there.

None of the others tried to say anything, so he shrugged and took a step back. At least he'd gotten their opinions. If they wanted to take a detour or explore anything in particular he'd be more than happy to make it happen. Ash hadn't managed to come up with much he wanted to do.

"I don't have anything else," Ash admitted. He allowed his muscles to relax as he sat down next to Aron, content to watch him munch on his scrap metal. The rest of the team followed suit, eager to relax after the events of Greenfield. They'd gotten as much rest as he had but it was clear as day that the event still weighed heavily on them.

Nidoking rested by him and the others came a bit closer. Even Infernus was content to rest for once, although he remained a short distance away from the rest of the team and sat in a small circle of charred, crumbling stalks of grass and ash-covered earth. Sneasel in particular loped over to Ash and clambered up onto his shoulder (the one unoccupied by Seeker).

He blinked at Sneasel's concerned glance at his shoulders, then realization struck him. Ash squeezed his eyes shut briefly at the remembrance of Sneasel's claws hooked into his back pumping him full of dark-type energy, but didn't let it show for long. Sneasel obviously felt guilty and he didn't want to make it worse.

"I'm okay," Ash assured Sneasel as the dark-type stuck a soft, velvety paw underneath Ash's loose black shirt. It tickled slightly and he grinned. "I promise. Suicune and Molly healed me - I don't even know if I have scars," he admitted. Ash winced when Sneasel poked and prodded some more and eventually found a matching pair of small, puckered scars on the back of each shoulder. Well, that particular question was solved. They weren't as deep or as thick as he'd expected, however. The healing had taken off most of the residual damage.

Sneasel whined. Ash stroked his (and Seeker's) head to calm him down a little. "I'm fine," he repeated. "I promise you didn't hurt me too bad. What you did was necessary. I made you do it," Ash stressed, and Sneasel shuffled a little on his shoulder. "You don't need to worry, alright? I'm glad you did it. Nobody else could have gotten me across the crystal, you know."

That seemed to put Sneasel a little more at ease, and Ash relished the peaceful setting. Torrent floated a little closer, and for the first time in a while Ash felt truly complete. He tipped his hat over his eyes so only the faintest rays of light struck him, and allowed himself some rest.

The world could wait. For now, he was with his team.

XX

Ash hesitated before he rapped his knuckles against the thick wooden door of the hospital room. After yet another night of rest, he felt better than ever. The world still seemed to have lost some of the vibrancy he remembered, but so long as he was with his team and able to relax it didn't bother him.

This did.

"Come in!" A familiar, perky voice called out. Ash fought the urge to walk away and swung the door open. Sneasel hissed as he clambered to Ash's other shoulder, and he grinned at the dark-type. Most of the team was too bulky or shy (in Seeker's case) to walk around the hospital with him, but Sneasel had eagerly taken to the task. He didn't even try to cause much trouble.

The lighter feelings gave way to a deep dread that suffused his every thought. He felt like a man walking to his grave.

"Ash? You're awake!" His mother laughed at him and pat a spot on the bed next to her. Ash reluctantly sat down, though he'd prefer to pace about the room. "I tried to visit you but you were always asleep. How are you feeling?"

"I'm good," he said stiffly. His mother either didn't notice (unlikely) or ignored it. "Just thought I'd come visit for a bit. How are you?"

She reached for the remote and turned the TV off. Ash caught a few more speculative headlines about the Greenfield disaster and an image of his Conference ID photo before it went black. "I've been trying to rest," his mom said. "Spencer and Molly just visited," she said happily, though trailed off at the expression on Ash's face. "They're back at Greenfield for the next few days, I think."

"And your memory?" He cut to the heart of what he came here for. It was a relief to see his mother in good spirits after everything that had happened, but he couldn't stand to waste time with small talk right now. Ash leaned forward.

His mom looked away, a troubled expression on her face. "Sabrina took a look at me. She said that the other memories," she looked extraordinarily conflicted at referring to them that way, which left Ash feeling as though he'd been stabbed in the heart, "will fade in time. Just living my life normally will keep reinforcing the real memories. There's a psychic in Goldenrod she recommended that I see a few times per week after my classes to… help."

Ash nodded. He expected something like that. No doubt the psychic would need to keep tabs on her to make sure there were no long-term effects of the Unown's powers on her.

She grinned - a mirror of his own - when Sneasel leapt off Ash's shoulder and landed comfortably on her stomach. Through some strange skill even Ash didn't possess, she turned the ornery dark-type into a puddle of dark fur and sheathed claws in just a moment's work and focused quite a bit of attention on keeping him that way.

"Ash, I'm sorry about all of this," she spoke up after a long, uncomfortable silence. Ash jerked his head up and shifted around on the coarse linens of the hospital bed. "I know it's not easy for you… none of this is. You don't deserve this."

"You don't either," he whispered. Ash allowed her to grab his hands - noticeably larger than hers - in her own. He clenched his fists. "It's just… why couldn't I have fixed it? Why didn't the Unown change you back to normal?"

His mother smiled sadly. "I don't know. It doesn't matter though, does it? What matters is that I'll be back to normal in a few months. It's like your dad said -" they both paled, and Delia jerked her hands back. "I'm sorry, Ash. I didn't mean -"

He raised one of his hands. "It's fine," Ash said, even though he didn't really mean it. Frenzied thoughts lashed out through his head. Sneasel yawned and stretched out (was he always so long?) on his mother's lap, heedless of the events going on around him. "So… what exactly are these other memories?"

"That's the problem," she squeezed her eyes shut. "I don't know which ones are the other memories. It's like I've lived a dozen lives. One where I married Spencer and had you and Molly, some where you were born and then Spencer and I met each other, and one where I moved to Pallet Town after... " his mom trailed off, an ugly look on her face. "Well, it's where I lived in Pallet Town and raised you. And I know that's what everyone keeps telling me is the truth, even Spencer, but there's this part of me that just can't believe it!"

Ash laid a hand on his mom's arm. "It's okay," he assured her. His mind spun. "You'll get better."

She chuckled bitterly. "That's what everyone keeps telling me," his mom said in an uncharacteristically dark tone. At Ash's frown, she tried to perk up. "I know I'll get better. It's just…"

"I get it," Ash replied. And in a way he really did.

They sat in companionable silence for a time. The sunbeams landed in the room through the open windows and he relished a cool breeze that caressed him. He shut his eyes shut and savored the warmth of the sun -

He reached for the Feather. It had been quiet recently, less able to touch his mind after the events in the Hale Mansion. Had he truly managed to find some measure of control over the forces within it - no, not within the Feather but in him, he remembered - in that void? Ash prayed that it was so, that they couldn't keep trying to tug at him every time he saw or felt something that drew out a reaction.

Yet he still felt the vibrant pulse of life within it. It was impossible to ignore, the inner power that made the Feather so much more than a simple frame of obsidian.

And more importantly, he reached deeper. Past the Song - its mournful tune immediately instilled in Ash that it would be no help in this endeavour - and into the well of blackness that always existed in the back of his mind, the well that existed alongside all of his own desires, ambitions, and will for change.

Mewtwo didn't answer. Ash frowned, desperate, and reached further past the insistent resistance to his request…

You had your chance to restore your progenitor. You lacked the will and faith to do so, and I will not fix your mistake.

Ash reared back as though struck by Mewtwo's blunt words. He expected the familiar surge of barely-restrained fury that always accompanied contact by the psychic, but there none to be found. Instead, Mewtwo simply seemed very, very tired. Drained. Lifeless.

Despite his lingering bitterness (which Ash knew deep in his bones he would never let go of) at Mewtwo, he couldn't help but be somewhat perturbed at how contrary this was to the Shade's normal behavior. Mocking, snide, cruel, savage... all familiar, expected behavior from his mental bond with the psychic.

Tired? Slow? Dull?

These were all new, and Ash didn't like it.

"What are you thinking about?" His mother brought him back to earth before he could ponder the strange change in Mewtwo's behavior further. Ash shook his head.

"Nothing, just trying to think if there was anything I can do for you," he admitted. It was the truth, in a way. She just didn't need to know that he'd been trying to contact a godlike psychic with less-than-satisfactory morals to do it.

His mother laughed. "I should have known!" She said as she stroked Sneasel's fur. With a soft smile she cradled his face in her hand (one of her fingers traced down the long, ropey scar left from Articuno's Blizzard) and tilted his head so he had to look her in the eyes. "Ash, I'm going to be okay. You're still my son. You're my boy."

"I know," Ash mumbled. His mom shook her head ruefully and let him go. "I just want to help you."

"I don't think there's anything you can do. This is my battle," his mom said firmly yet kindly. She closed her eyes for a moment and laid her head against the plain white pillow the hospital had given her. "Just... sit with me for a while, will you? That's all I could ever ask of you, Ash."

He nodded. There was a lump in his throat.

The afternoon passed quickly.

XX

A low grunt woke him from his dreams of a tall, burnt tower. His eyes snapped open and he immediately zeroed in on the stooped, leering figure at the foot of his bed. Nidoking watched warily, his eyes narrowed into slits. "Agatha?" Ash asked, bemused. The Revenant Crone's thin lips curled up into a slight smile matched by her blue and black eyes. "What're you doing here?"

Left unsaid was how did she get in here? Ash didn't think it would help much to ask questions he'd never learn the answer to.

"You look better than the last time we met," she rapped the gnarled wood of her cane against the tile floor as she wearily sat in a chair to the side. Agatha's razor-sharp eyes traced his every move. Ash shifted in his bed - the feeling she left him with reminded him of when he'd spoken with George Grey back during the Conference. Nidoking didn't seem to appreciate his discomfort and loosed a growl from deep within his throat. "You aren't in half as pitiful a state as you were in Greenfield."

"I feel a lot better," Ash admitted. He sat up in the bed, tired of feeling vulnerable around the Ghost Master. "What are you doing here?" He repeated. If she didn't answer soon he'd have to physically hold Nidoking back from charging her. His friend didn't seem too happy with Agatha's sudden appearance.

A loud cackle was his response. Agatha shook her graying blonde hair as she descended into a coughing fit. Ash watched her with concern, but didn't dare ask her if she was alright. He knew the Revenant Crone well enough to know that she'd be offended by that.

"I always did like how blunt you were," Agatha mused once she'd recovered. Ash paid rapt attention to her. She absentmindedly tapped her cane to the ground, as if listening to an invisible orchestra only she could hear. "But I'd hate to waste your time. You seemed quite busy when I got here."

Ash rolled his eyes at her jab.

She turned a tad more serious. "I won't bore you for long. We both have more important business to attend to than this idle chit chat."

"Understood," Ash nodded. "So what is it?"

"Oh, nothing too serious," Agatha chuckled. She folded her hands over her faded dress. "I just wished to extend an invitation to the hero of the hour. Be a dear and stop by Lavender Town before you return to Hoenn, understood?"

Ash blinked. It wasn't so much an offer as a demand, but one he'd take up all the same. Agatha might be a tad unnerving, but she was an incredibly respected trainer. He wouldn't pass up the chance to speak with her further. "Is there any particular reason for me to visit?"

Agatha stopped, her eyes narrowed, then threw back her head and laughed. "Ha!" She suddenly rapped his hand with her cane before he could blink (he had no idea how she could move that quickly) and steadfastly ignored Nidoking's furious snarl. It took a verbal command from Ash before his friend snapped out of it. "You need a reason to visit I, Agatha of the Elite Four? It is a privilege and an honor!"

"Of course," he snorted.

"I thought you could use some advice when it comes to your future ghost," she smirked as Ash's eyes widened. "Oh, don't get so excited. Your team has a ghost-shaped hole in it. It's only natural to realize you'll fill that void sooner or later."

"Any idea where I could find one?" Ash asked, his eagerness plain to see. She wasn't wrong… he'd desired a ghost for nearly his entire journey. If they weren't so rare (not to mention they tended to deliberately avoid humans) he would have already tracked one down.

She graced him with a sneer. "You don't find a ghost, fool!" Agatha snapped. Ash jerked his hand back, halfway expecting another blow from her cane. "The nerve of the youth today! A ghost finds you. If you seek out a ghost it's liable to devour you whole!"

The Revenant Crone peered at him over her clasped hands. Something about her grew dark and the elderly woman seemed ancient in that moment. "Look at yourself, Ash Ketchum," she said quietly, "and ask yourself whether you're ready for a ghost? An ageless, alien creature born of Distortion that subsists on the emotions and spirits of this reality's inhabitants?"

Ash pondered her warning for a moment, then frowned. She certainly had a way of words. He'd never doubted that he could handle a ghost until this moment. They were troublesome, certainly, but how difficult could they be?

"And why wouldn't I be ready?" Ash challenged the Master, determination glinting in his stare.

Agatha slammed her cane on the ground and chuckled humorlessly when Ash flinched at the noise (and Nidoking responded more violently with raised quills and spines and a single drip of venom at the end of his horn).

"A ghost would find a feast in you, boy. So much doubt, anger, and vengefulness. So much fear," she hissed, and looked as though she were tasting a particularly sumptuous morsel. Both eyes were black, the blue long forgotten. "My ghost howls for the spirit of a little boy ruled by his fear."

"I'm not afraid," Ash snarled back, not about to be intimidated by a mere human. There was no Fire, Ice, or Lightning fueling his anger, only his own spirit. His nails bit into his palms. Nidoking lowered his horn. "Not of you, not of anything!"

The former Elite Four member reclined back in her seat, the shadow that ruled her features absent again. Ash breathed heavily, not quite over their argument. "So the hero still has a boy's heart!" she cackled, then wheezed heavily. One hand clutched to her chest, she stared at him unblinkingly. "Don't lie to yourself, Ash. Fear drives you. Fear of weakness, fear of loss, fear of Legends...fear, fear, fear," she tutted. "You hide it with willpower and drive and courage but there's fear all the same."

Ash looked away, mind ablaze. He couldn't even think right now. Was she right? He pushed the thought away for now. There was no point letting it irritate him now.

Agatha sighed, some of her fire lost. She looked very, very old. "Enough of that," the old woman decided. With a long-suffering grunt she pulled herself up and out of the chair. Ash didn't miss the cold scarlet eyes and nasty grin hidden in her shadow as she did so. It winked at him before it vanished.

"I'll be in Kanto for only a short time," Agatha said at last. She wrapped her thin fingers around her cane. "I'm here to visit my home for a month or two, then it's back to Orre to help that little brat Michael put the pieces of his region back together."

Now that piqued Ash's interest. "You've been working with Michael?" He asked. It made sense, he supposed. He was pretty sure there was no way to retire to Orre like Agatha had unless you wanted to be fighting a war for the rest of your life. "How's he been?"

"Oh, he's the same as ever. Always wanting to do the right thing," Agatha rolled her mismatched eyes. "He's quite boring, really. Reminds me of Samuel before he retired away to play with his toys."

Ash grinned at the mention of Professor Oak, his earlier annoyance with Agatha forgotten. "Well, tell him I said hello. Has he had any luck?"

"Some," Agatha said noncommittally. "There's only so much success to be found when trying to unite a shattered region. We've glued a few of the smaller pieces back together. I doubt it will last."

His grin faded. That was depressing. Ash watched Agatha turn to leave, her shuffle somewhat reminiscent of Dazed. It was odd that she was so decrepit. Wasn't she supposed to be around the same age as Professor Oak? He was only in his early fifties. Agatha acted like someone decades older.

"I'll be on my way," she called out to him. Ash nodded. Even as she prepared to leave his room (a long purple arm reached out to snatch the door open for Agatha), the old woman paused. "Be a dear and send Will a message, would you? He's been quite insufferable over Greenfield lately."

Ash nodded as his mind went to Will. He wasn't surprised the psychic hadn't handled the memories of his actions in Greenfield very well… Ash couldn't imagine being forced to fight against his friends. It would destroy him.

When he looked up, Agatha was gone. Ash let out a long breath and glanced over to Nidoking, who still looked furious over Agatha smacking Ash with her cane. "It's alright, buddy. She didn't mean any harm."

Nidoking chuffed, his spines finally lowering. The venom which leaked from his horn dried up. Ash shook his head and pulled a rag from the bedside table to wipe the dried remnants of the venom off Nidoking's long horn. No need to leave that on there.

"You don't need to get so worked up," he said soothingly as he worked. Nidoking's eyes shut while Ash cleaned his head, finally relaxed. "Not everybody's going to be nice all the time. It's just something we've got to deal with, alright?"

The poison-type opened one eye and snorted, his huge nostrils flared for a moment before the eye snapped shut. Ash just grinned and worked on wiping a few more spots off Nidoking. His thick, leathery skin was practically covered in his poisonous secretions.

He didn't mind, though. It had been a while since he'd gotten to spend some one-on-one time with Nidoking and he wasn't about to complain.

They lapsed into a companionable silence. Neither of them were disappointed.

XX

Ash pulled his cap low as he approached the Goldenrod Gym. There were a few substantial crowds he'd wandered through to get here, but overall he hadn't run into any problems. It was getting to be late - the gym wouldn't be open for more than another hour or two - and as such there weren't as many people around as he'd feared.

He breathed in the warm, fresh air gratefully. It wasn't like he'd remained entirely in the hospital for the last two days, but he'd spent a good chunk of his time recovering, sitting with his mother, or hanging out with his team in the fields nearby. To be honest, he'd really needed to stretch his legs and why not take the chance to give his team some exercise as well?

The Goldenrod Gym was a fairly impressive sight, he decided. It wasn't particularly complex, as it was just a large building with a massive dome projecting upward, but the structure towered over the surrounding buildings and held a simple sort of majesty. It was fitting for Johto's Normal-type Gym, Ash thought.

Seeker shivered on his back as a cool gust of wind swept past them. He reached back a gloved hand to comfort her, a grin on his face as the little Zubat burrowed into his warmth. She'd gotten spoiled by the warm, humid air of Hoenn. Goldenrod was a massive metropolis port city, but its sea was cold and harsh compared to Hoenn's tropical atmosphere.

He had to admit that he missed Hoenn itself. It was only mid-July, but Johto felt like it had started a slow descent into winter. Ash wondered if the bizarre weather conditions for the last year had any effect on that. Zapdos' massive storm, Mewtwo's hurricanes, the battles between the Birds at Shamouti… he doubted that the League's use of Castform to stabilize the weather had completely restored the normal weather patterns. Not yet, at any rate.

Hoenn, on the other hand, was warm and lush. Even now it was as if it were trapped in a neverending summer. Compared to Johto it was much, much more hospitable. Ash hadn't quite managed to adjust yet. Even this cool breeze sent shivers down his spine.

Ash sidestepped a few dejected trainers (they looked young, probably in their first or second years) and thanked his luck that they hadn't recognized him. So far he'd only attracted a few curious, overly long glances from a few pedestrians but he didn't doubt that somebody would recognize him. The news still plastered his picture up on every single report (along with a rundown of who he was and his performance in the Conference) and never tired of speculating on his relationship to the League and what he was doing in Greenfield.

He was just glad that the camera of those reporters he'd had to send away were suffering some kind of interference from the Unown's power. Their video was still clear enough to identify him, but it was dark and blurry enough that it was impossible to see the Feather pulsing with its faint light beneath his clothes. If he ever ran into the reporters again… well, then he might have to answer some questions.

"Sorry, girl," he whispered as Seeker chattered excitedly into his ear as one frustrated boy a few years older than him accidentally smacked into his side and jostled her. Ash sent the trainer a dirty look but didn't say anything since he'd already moved on. "So, who do you think I should use against Whitney?"

Seeker hissed something to him, then licked the side of his face. He laughed and scratched behind her soft, delicate ears. Ash marveled when the dying sunlight shone through the membranous skin, exposing a delicate net of blood vessels beneath Seeker's ears. It was fascinating.

He pondered his choices as he stepped into the gym. The lobby was plain but somewhat elegant. It wasn't anything to write home about but that didn't bother him. It served its purpose. Most importantly, he was relieved to see that he was the only challenger in the lobby. At least he knew he was right to wait before coming here.

His thoughts returned to which teammates he should use. Bruiser would be enormously effective, but he didn't want to send him out too early. Ash had no doubt he could beat Whitney with his true team - though he would make sure he didn't underestimate the Normal-type specialist - but where was the point in that? He needed to use the weaker and less experienced members of his team so they could perfect their techniques and get some solid practice in.

While he'd like to use Bruiser, he wanted to make sure Sneasel, Oz, and Aron (at a minimum) would also get a chance to battle. This was the perfect chance for Aron to fight on his own level.

Ash had to admit that he didn't know much about Whitney, but he'd heard plenty of hearsay from trainers he'd faced in Kanto. She was supposed to be deceptively powerful, and it could be easy to be caught off guard since she was pretty, bubbly, and friendly. Apparently her Miltank was the stuff of nightmares… at least for anyone who didn't know it was coming.

"Hi!" A receptionist in her late teens chirped as he stepped into the gym. She grinned at the sight of Seeker practically burrowed into Ash's shirt. "Aww, she's adorable! Does she have a name?"

"Seeker," he replied, surprised that the woman could identify Seeker's gender on sight. "How'd you know Seeker's a she?"

The girl smiled and rested her hands above her keyboard, ready to put in his Trainer ID. "Can you give me your number please?" She asked. He gave it, and she continued. "Oh, it's easy! Her fangs aren't very pronounced compared to a male Zubat's. My little brother caught one and I learned all about them…" the receptionist - Sally, he read on her nametag - trailed off. "Ash Ketchum?"

He nodded. Ash couldn't hide his wince at the interest she took after she read his name. Thankfully, the girl seemed to realize his discomfort and managed to hold off on any questions (although it looked like it took every she had not to give into temptation). "Alright, I've punched you in. Our last batch of challengers just left and Whitney's dealing with a straggler, so Whitney should be out to see you in just a few!"

"Thanks," Ash said. It was as much for not making a big deal out of his presence as it was for getting his match ready. He took a seat not far from the desk and waited patiently. Although part of him wanted to watch a few of Whitney's battles, he instead took his time feeding Seeker a few treats. After a while he got bored and tossed them higher and higher, allowing her the chance to swoop to and fro to expertly catch the little bits of food.

"She's pretty good!" Sally laughed as Seeker pulled off an expert maneuver to swoop up a piece of the dry food just before it touched the ground. Seeker wasn't as fast as Plume, but she was much more agile thanks to her small size. "Have you had her for long?"

"About a year or so," Ash replied absentmindedly as he flicked a piece of food to the other side of the room. Seeker chittered and shot over to catch it mid-air. Sally clapped and Ash grinned at Seeker as she victoriously circled back to land on his shoulder. Her tiny weight was barely noticeable.

Sally nodded. Just as she was about to say something, her computer monitor flashed and her eyes lit up. "Looks like Whitney just finished up with her most recent victim - err, challenger - and is ready for your battle. Just head through those doors and you'll find her," she motioned at the massive doors next to her desk. "Good luck!"

"Thanks," Ash replied as he stood up and headed through the doors. He grinned eagerly - he'd looked forward to this all day.

XX

"Hi, I'm Whitney!" A pink-haired girl a few years older than him (and a few inches taller) practically shouted at him as he stepped through into the battlefield. Ash jumped at the sight of Whitney waiting. He hadn't expected that. She shoved her hand at him and he shook it even though he was a little overwhelmed. "It's awesome to meet you, Ash. I've heard a lot about you."

"Oh," he said. Ash took a moment to glance over Whitney. She was dressed simply in a jersey of some kind and a pair of shirts. "It's nice to meet you too."

She grinned (it seemed permanently plastered onto her face) and leaned in closer. "I definitely owe you a thank you for helping out with that nasty Greenfield incident. I had to stay here to deal with all the fallout, but I read the report and it sounded awful! Jasmine told me all sorts of terrible things."

"Were all the other Gym Leaders there?" Ash asked, a little surprised Whitney hadn't been on the scene. Greenfield was in Goldenrod's territory. He'd have expected her to be one of the first on the scene. Then again, she did have to deal with the Crystal Entei charging through her city…

Whitney shrugged and played with her hair. Ash was distracted for a moment by the sight. "Most, I guess. I know Morty got there to help old Agatha, then Pryce, Jasmine, Chuck, and Clair all went to lead their trainers. Us younger Gym Leaders had to stay away and keep things organized," the Normal-type specialist looked uncharacteristically annoyed at that, but soon lightened back up. "But everything's okay now! I didn't know you'd be coming by. How do you like my city so far?"

"It's nice," Ash said simply. That was really all he could say. He'd kept his exploration to a minimum, mostly content to remain in the hospital. At first he'd been tempted to swing by the university his mother went at, but decided against it. Things were too...raw. Besides, he'd seen on the news that most of that area was closed down to repair the damage left by the Crystal Entei.

"Awesome! Goldenrod's just great," Whitney cheered, not at all dissuaded by his short reply. She messed with one of the pokeballs clipped to her belt. "But I don't want to keep you for too long... I'm glad I'll get to battle you! How do you want to do this? As a reward for all your help, I'll let you set the terms," the teen looked rather pleased with herself for coming up with that idea. "Sound good?"

Ash nodded and thought for a moment. "Three-on-three is good for me," he replied. Infernus would probably be upset, but he didn't think it would be fair to unleash the Magmortar here. All he really needed was a chance to let a few choice members of his team battle. He'd find some strong trainer later to make it up to Infernus, he decided.

Whitney gave him a thumbs up. "Sounds great!" She turned to walk away, practically skipping with glee. Ash blinked. She was even more excited about this than he was.

"Wait!" He called out as a thought entered his mind. Whitney kept her jog, but she looked back at him. "I have a new member of my team, an Aron. When I release him could you send one of your weaker pokemon out? He needs some experience."

"Sure thing, Ash," Whitney shouted just as she turned to stand in the Gym Leader's box. Ash nodded his thanks and took his position in the challenger's box. He sensed the shift in the room moments before the psychic barriers were projected to shield the humans from any harm. "You ready?"

He grinned and nodded. Seeker clung even tighter to his arm as he raised Aron's pokeball and released the little steel-type. Aron blinked and looked around, confused, but warbled happily at the sight of another human. He ran forward on his stumpy little legs to Whitney, probably to see if she had any scratches or scrap metal to give.

"Wait, Aron," Ash sighed, even if he wanted to laugh at Aron's antics. The steel-type paused and looked back. He seemed surprised to see Ash. His rasping tongue hung from the side of his mouth, and he panted at the sight of Ash and Seeker. "We're in a battle, okay?"

Aron blinked, then nodded. He turned back to face Whitney for real this time and squared himself for battle.

"Let's go, Aipom!" Whitney released the small monkey. It danced about with a wide grin on its face as it looked curiously at Aron. His friend warbled happily at his opponent, and the Aipom chattered something back as its hand-like tail swished back and forth. Ash got the feeling that both would rather be playing than fighting. Then again, most pokemon saw those two concepts as the same thing. "Let's do this!"

A bell rung to signal the beginning of their battle. Despite the low stakes, Ash's heart pounded in his chest like the rhythmic beat of a drum. His eyes narrowed and he couldn't stop the light grin from inching its way onto his face.

"Aron, Rock Tomb!" He ordered as Aipom charged with incredibly speed. Aron squeezed his eyes shut and focused, and a blade of stone swept up against the normal-type. Even though Aipom deftly clambered over it, Ash was proud to notice that Aron had learned from his battle with Leo's Electrike. Instead of a spear, the sharp stone was more of a slashing sword that covered more distance and pushed Aipom's ability to dodge. "Charge!"

Aipom squeaked and leapt to the side as Aron growled cutely and charged as fast as he could on his stubby legs. Whitney stayed silent, her pink eyes locked on Aron curiously. It looked like Aipom was on its own.

It didn't mind much. Aipom ran at Aron on all fours and screeched so loudly it made Aron and Ash both wince, and took advantage of their distraction to sprint at Aron with startling speed - Ash knew it had just used Agility to enhance its speed. Aron could barely react before Aipom leapt at him, angling its palm-like tail to slam into Aron.

"Protect!" Ash barked, and his paranoia was well-founded. Aron barely managed to manifest the flimsy green shield before Aipom's tail burst into hot, crackling flame thanks to a creative use of Fire Punch and smashed into the barrier with surprising force. Aipom squealed at the sudden surprise and leapt away, but Aron warbled a battle cry and used Mud-Slap to throw wet, sticky mud onto the normal-type. "Nice job, Aron! Keep pressing the attack!"

Aron sprinted headfirst into the slowed Aipom, who barely managed to counter Aron's charge by nimbly swerving past the charging steel-type and used its tail to push him forward. Unable to cope with the acceleration, Aron stumbled and fell with a short cry. Ash frowned. Aipom wasn't extremely powerful, but it was definitely skilled…

All he needed was to land one solid hit. Aron might be slow and not very maneuverable, but he hit hard. One charge would take Aipom out of the battle.

"Rock Tomb!" He ordered. Aron squeezed his eyes shut again, and moments later another scythe-like blade of stone was ripped from the earth and swung at the small normal-type. Ash noted that the attack wouldn't even faze Nidoking or Torrent, but against a tiny Aipom?

It was overkill.

Unfortunately, he underestimated Aipom yet again. Even a little winded, with mud all over it that slowed its movements, and at least a little tired from the quick exchange it had just left, Aipom swung beneath the Rock Tomb and chittered irritably as it was barely clipped on its shoulder. It reeled for a moment, and it was all the opportunity that Aron needed.

With a determined stare, Aron sprinted at Aipom. The monkey was ready to leave again, but as soon as it tried to sprint away Aron squeezed his eyes shut and an ethereal barrier was projected right in front of Aipom's face. It cried out as the weaponized Protect knocked it back, straight into Aron's path, but Whitney finally decided to make her presence known.

"Thunder Punch!" The teen commanded with a grin. Aipom managed to angle itself to where its tail smacked into Aron's domed head even as the steel-type bowled it over, stunning Aron with the sudden surge of electricity. Aipom limped away, wild grin temporarily gone, and squared its small body as it prepared to take on the twitching, defenseless Aron. His stubby legs twitched wildly.

Whitney frowned. "Wait!" She called out as Aipom prepared to sprint at Aron to finish him off. The girl nervously chewed on her nails. Ash waited. "I don't trust that it's actually down. Shock Wave!"

"Rock Tomb!" Ash shouted. Aron stopped twitching his legs now that the jig was up (Ash would have to let him know not to be quite so dramatic next time) and barely managed to pull up a quick barrier to absorb the underpowered Shock Wave. The net-like arcs of crackling electricity petered out uselessly against the stone, and Aipom chattered angrily to Whitney, motioning at Aron wildly.

He would have chosen Protect, but it was too draining. Aron's barriers weren't the most powerful around, and could even be shattered entirely by a sufficiently powerful strike, but they were still exhausting to shape. There was a reason Protect was used sparingly in combat. Once Ash had trained Aron to take advantage of other options he'd probably cut down on its use immensely.

"Mud-Slap!" He ordered. Aron had been trained extensively to use Mud-Slap since it was a simple, effective move. By now he knew exactly how to use it in any given situation. As such, Ash wasn't surprised when Aron managed to accurately kick up a spray of dirt and heavy clumps of mud with one of his suddenly shining feet. It landed all over Aipom, and the monkey danced furiously as it attempted to knock the clinging mud away. Whitney tried to calm it, but the Aipom was too worked up to listen to its trainer. "Bring it to you!"

Aron wouldn't be able to keep this up for much longer, but he was smart. He wriggled wildly to flip back onto his legs and charged even as Aipom yelped when a spear of stone shot straight into its back and propelled it forward.

"Yes!" Ash cheered and pumped his fist as Aron lowered his head and nailed Aipom in the gut. The monkey immediately dropped like a rock and was recalled by Whitney, who shook her head ruefully. "Great job, Aron! I'll buy you a pokeball to chew on tonight, okay?"

The steel-type perked up at the mention of his favorite treat (although Ash would have to make sure he didn't start associating the team's pokeballs with food) and all traces of exhaustion fled him. Ash didn't recall him, but instead motioned for him to come and stand by him in the trainer's box. The psychic barriers allowed Aron to pass, and he cheerfully waddled to sit by Ash's side.

Seeker hissed and fluttered down to land on Ash's pant leg. She chittered something at Aron and he warbled back. Ash grinned at the interaction and focused back on Whitney, who seemed quite interested in Seeker and Aron's conversation.

"That was nice!" She said cheerfully, not at all bothered by her loss. "You know, I keep telling Aipom that her temper is going to mess her up and she just never listens. Maybe this'll put things in perspective for her!"

Ash snorted. He could imagine a thousand ways to exploit that temper with a more versatile member of his team. To be honest, he was pretty thankful for it. If Aipom didn't get so angry about being covered in mud that probably would've been a loss for Aron considering Aipom's impressive elemental repertoire.

"What're you training Aipom towards?" He shouted across the battlefield. "She had a lot of elemental techniques for such a young pokemon."

"Oh, shucks, I can't go telling her secrets," Whitney teased. "Let's just say the best thing about the normal-type is its versatility."

He thought on that, and nodded. It probably just pointed toward his initial suspicions being correct. Aipom would be a quick, versatile attacker that could handle just about any opponent in close-range combat thanks to its diverse set of elemental attacks. Once it evolved he had no doubt that Aipom would be a nightmare for psychics and other ranged fighters.

"So the first round goes to Challenger Ketchum! Good job, Aron!" Whitney clapped for him, not at all bothered by her loss. An uncharacteristically menacing grin grew on her face. "I hope you're ready for Milty."

Ash examined the Miltank the teen released carefully. The cheerful bovine didn't look all that dangerous.

Then again, neither did Tangrowth.

To be honest, he was shocked that it was so renowned. Miltank was a heavyset pokemon better known for producing highly nutritious milk than fighting. Despite their peaceful reputation, they could be immensely powerful fighters if properly motivated. Their thick layers of fat helped protect them from physical and elemental attacks and hid their impressive speed. Not to mention they could drink their own milk to rejuvenate themselves in the midst of battle.

That said, the whole world agreed that Whitney had achieved something special with her Miltank.

Ash couldn't wait to see the truth for himself. He took a moment to decide which of his teammates to release. Miltank helpfully waved at them all, which he absentmindedly returned while Aron screeched back happily and Seeker fluttered around in an elaborate pattern.

While he intended to use Oz as much as possible in the coming days, he didn't think she'd find a good matchup in Miltank. Her attacks wouldn't deal a lot of damage against Miltank and he would prefer to train her against elemental fighters. She always seemed a bit more motivated against them. Maybe she thought of them as practice against Infernus?

No, he wouldn't use Oz yet. She'd be better suited to fighting other opponents. He'd wait and see what fighters Whitney had in reserve after Miltank.

For now he'd release Sneasel. It wasn't exactly a favorable battle for him either, but Sneasel had more mobility and plenty of experience in avoiding larger, stronger opponents.

Ash made a quick note to thank Bruiser for his help in that later.

Besides, Sneasel might be able to penetrate Miltank's protective layers of fat with his claws. Not to any meaningful extent - this was just a practice battle, after all - but it would give him more of an edge to poison her. That could prove to be the decisive blow.

"Let's go, Sneasel!" Ash called out his friend's name as he released him from his pokeball. Sneasel hissed eagerly at the sight of his opponent and unsheathed his wickedly curved claws. Little wisps of frost already gathered on them.

The bell rung, and both fighters sprang into action.

Sneasel decided to go with Jab, their technique that fused Shadow Claw and Poison Jab into a devastating lance, as his opener. His light body shot forward as a black blur thanks to his Quick Attack, and his curved claws slashed at Miltank in an attempt to poison her. Unfortunately, Miltank reared back and summoned a Protect that just barely stopped Sneasel in his tracks, although it vanished a moment later.

Ash grimaced at the sight. The Protect hadn't even left a few sparks of green light or a shimmer… Whitney's Miltank was extremely skilled with the technique. That could be troublesome.

Miltank teetered away, obviously a little caught off guard by Sneasel's savagery, but recovered as quickly as Sneasel. Even as he looped around the Miltank in hopes of finding a weakness, she reared back and slammed her hoofs onto the ground. Sneasel hissed helplessly and was knocked back by the intentionally weak Earthquake - Ash had no doubt that Miltank could rip this battlefield apart if she wanted - and barely dodged a Thunderbolt that Miltank cast at him.

"Double Team!" He cried as Miltank lunged at Sneasel with a glowing fist. Brick Break, perhaps? It didn't matter. Ash and Whitney had traded strategies. Now it was Ash's teammate who couldn't afford to be hit while Whitney's Miltank would only have to land one attack.

Though unable to follow Ash's order under Miltank's frenzied attacks, Sneasel displayed an impressive amount of acrobatics to avoid Miltank's practiced strikes and Thunderbolts, Fire Punches, and Iron Tails. He wove in and out of her attacks, avoiding defeat by a hair's breadth. Whenever he tried to escape, Miltank would work a Rock Tomb into her dizzying array of attacks to bring forth jagged spines of stone and earth from the battlefield, rending the flat dirt and leaving plenty of gaping holes for Sneasel to stumble over.

It was beautiful. Ash never would have pegged Miltank for such a quick, aggressive fighter.

"Ice Beam on the ground!" He snapped, just in time for Sneasel to dash to the side around Miltank's hard hoof and haphazardly fire a small spray of arcing, pale beams into the dirt around Miltank. The powerful creature mooed unhappily as it stumbled over the slick ground, but Ash felt his glee suddenly vanish in the face of Miltank's curled form…

Rollout. It was Whitney's specialty. Ash had heard that just about every newbie trainer in Johto had their dreams crushed and spat on by Miltank's relentless use of the powerful technique. It was difficult to train but absolutely worth it. Rollout essentially turned a pokemon into a wrecking ball. They would roll in a ball that would constantly pick up momentum and power the longer the user was in that state, growing stronger and stronger until they could devastate practically any pokemon.

There were drawbacks, of course. There always were. It was difficult to maintain coordination in that state. An inexperienced user could only use Rollout for a limited time before they became too dizzy and couldn't keep it together anymore. Using Rollout to its full potential relied on long, long experience with the technique. It also wasn't much use in rocky, mountainous territory either. The uneven ground could wreak havoc on the user's ability to maintain Rollout and only amplified the troubles with coordination.

But if used by a skilled, experienced pokemon on relatively flat, plain ground… well, Rollout had the reputation it did for a reason.

"Double Team, now!" Ash hollered at Sneasel. His friend seemed to realize trouble was coming his way and followed the command without hesitation. In a mere second he dashed to the side and was lost in a small horde of illusory copies, each and every one in erratic motion. Even Ash had a hard time picking out the real Sneasel.

"It'll take more than that to fool Milty!" Whitney laughed. She took a dramatic pose. "Milty, use Earthquake!"

Miltank had already entered into Rollout, yet somehow used the slight jump from rolling on one of her earth spears she'd ripped up with Rock Tomb to land heavily, releasing the rippling wave of force that left the battlefield shaking and shuddering with thin, spidery cracks webbing through it. Sneasel hissed and leapt just as the wave reached him (thanks to extensive training with Nidoking) to avoid most of the damage, but still landed heavily. It was just enough to break his concentration and a few of his copies from Double Team vanished. The rest stood eerily still.

Rollout was unleashed.

Ash had to marvel at Miltank's amazing speed and coordination as it rolled in a tight ball, propelled and guided by its limited psychic powers. It was barely even a blur, and even with his practiced eyes he struggled to keep track of its zooming, erratic motions - then he realized it was weaving its way throughout Sneasel's copies. One, two, three, four all smashed through in the span of a second.

Miltank reeled around the field as Sneasel barely shot out of the way of Rollout with a well-timed Quick Attack. Even as Ash snapped out orders constantly, Miltank focused in on the dark-type and refused to relent. Sneasel was pushed to his limit to avoid the normal-type wrecking ball that left wide, shallow grooves everywhere it shot.

It was getting faster and faster every second. Sneasel's dodges became closer and closer and soon Miltank would land a hit. Once that happened… well, Sneasel wasn't exactly the toughest of Ash's team. That would surely knock him out or injure him to the point he needed to be returned.

He eyed the panting Sneasel thoughtfully as Miltank's rolling body shot around and turned in a wide arc to focus in on his friend again. Miltank was pulling off impossible turns and angles with her Rollout. It was honestly amazing, but he couldn't waste time admiring the perfection of its technique.

Ash had identified a weakness. "Stay close to the psychic barriers," he muttered just loudly enough for Sneasel to hear. He didn't want to give Whitney an idea of their strategy. "Freeze the ground around you when it gets close."

Sneasel hissed and loped out of the exposed center of the battlefield. It was a veritable death trap there. Miltank utterly controlled the battle from that position - it had plenty of room to maneuver and could take its time pinning Sneasel. Fortunately, it was the perfect moment for Sneasel to dash over to the right side of the battlefield.

Even as Miltank homed in on her foe, doubtlessly in an attempt to force Sneasel back into the middle, Sneasel spun and snarled viciously as he spat more of the jagged, arcing streaks of Ice Beam onto the ground. It froze over smoothly, the circular patch of ice around ten feet across, and had barely solidified before Miltank struck.

Well, it would have. Miltank groaned as it spun out of control on the ice, though she still nearly struck Sneasel with her immense bulk before he shot out of the way with another Quick Attack. Ash grinned as Miltank slammed into the psychic barriers lining the battlefield - her Rollout carried so much force that they flared into plain sight, the entire force of the barrier concentrated at the singular point where Miltank smashed into it.

Miltank stayed in Rollout somehow and bounced off (that had to have hurt) but had lost most of her momentum.

Sneasel wasn't about to let that opportunity go to waste. He shot forward again with Jab, and his claws wreathed in shadow and dripping with poison carved their way into Miltank's flesh. She howled at the feeling but kept pushing forward, able to roll away with incredible speed. Sneasel cackled madly at the sight and flicked a few drops of poison away.

Ash grinned. He'd been worried for a moment, but Sneasel had proven himself well. He was still a bit limited in his techniques since they'd focused mostly on drawing out his dark-type aura recently, but Sneasel had used his techniques expertly to whittle down a superior foe. Miltank was a monster, but she wasn't invulnerable.

"Nice one," Whitney called out. She whistled and Miltank's Rollout slowed, and finally the large bovine stumbled out of it and landed on both hooves. Miltank's eyes were hard as she observed Sneasel and she sagged slightly in pain.

Good. She'd been successfully poisoned. That would slow her down a bit.

Then Miltank snorted, placed a hand on the light cut that Sneasel had poisoned, and shut her eyes. Ash snarled, and Sneasel shot into action even as the orb on the end of Miltank's tail shone a bright, pale blue and the chiming of a bell echoed throughout the battlefield. Her wound glowed the same blue as her tail and, although it didn't heal the actual wound, was purged of Sneasel's poison. Miltank barely had time to relish being cured of poison before Sneasel was on her in a frenzy of ice and claw.

A grimace emerged on his face as he watched the melee. Ash hated healing techniques… mostly because he didn't have any. Heal Bell was rare, and its rarity was only matched by its utility. The mechanics of the move were poorly understood by researchers, but it seemed to focus a pokemon's psychic energies to the point that it could affect the bodies of itself and others.

Guided by the pokemon's mind, Heal Bell was sufficiently powerful enough to heal all sorts of nasty conditions: it could soothe the pain and extent of burns, kickstart the cardiovascular system of a pokemon encrusted in ice or the nervous system of a pokemon paralyzed by electricity or poison, and accelerate the metabolism to purge the body of toxins, powders, and other ailments. It wasn't powerful enough to directly heal wounds, but it sure did a great job of fixing everything else.

Sneasel didn't seem to appreciate the use of Heal Bell anymore than Ash did. He hissed and spat and yowled as his every attack was blocked or neutralized by Miltank's overwhelming skill, then finally had enough when Miltank began to pull out Rock Tomb again to force him away.

He danced around Miltank's Fire Punch, flung himself between the normal-type's legs, and leapt up onto Miltank's back. The powerful pokemon squealed at the unpleasant surprise, then screamed at the sensation of Sneasel's razor-sharp claws stabbed into her back. They didn't manage to penetrate Miltank's thick layers of fat, but that wasn't what Sneasel needed.

Instead, Miltank collapsed in a spasming fit as Sneasel directly pumped dark-type energy into Miltank's system. She mooed and thrashed and finally threw the dark-type off, but Ash could see that it had done some serious damage. Miltank didn't stand as confidently as before, and she almost looked afraid of Sneasel.

Ash grinned at Sneasel's quick thinking, even though he sympathized with Miltank's pain. That hadn't exactly been a pleasant experience for him in Greenfield. He was grateful the complications of the attack had been fixed by Molly…

Miltank wasn't as helpless against it as Ash had been thanks to her body being substantially tougher, but it wasn't an attack to be brushed off either.

Sneasel seemed to realize that and hissed happily. He squared himself and readied himself for her charge, certain that he'd won.

"Now!" Whitney cheered.

Then Miltank swung her hoof… towards her? Ash frowned, then realization struck him. "Move!"

His friend nearly managed to escape the Rock Tomb, but he was clipped by a sudden spear of stone that stabbed him in the back. Miltank's eyes shone with a fearsome glint as Sneasel was temporarily defenseless in midair, and her hoof was wreathed in roaring flame that warped the air around it with its heat as it slammed heavily into Sneasel's skinny chest.

Ash winced at the blow (he should have expected a move like that after using the same strategy against Whitney with Aron) and shouted a flurry of orders to Sneasel. The stunned dark-type barely managed to pull himself to his feet before Miltank slammed into him with the full force of a Rollout. He was practically flattened by the ferocious attack and Ash thanked Sneasel for all his help when he recalled him. There was no way he could keep fighting after that.

"You did amazing, Sneasel," he whispered to Sneasel's pokeball. It shook ever so slightly, then went still. "Enjoy your rest."

He glanced at Miltank. It was quite impressive, and he found himself wondering why on earth Gary had such a low opinion of Whitney. She might not come off as an especially stern or powerful trainer, but there was no doubt that she deserved her Gym Leader position. He'd have to ask Gary about that the next time they met.

"Thanks for the trick!" Whitney actually smirked. Ash shook his head - he deserved that. He couldn't blame the Gym Leader for using his own tactic against him.

Miltank squared herself as Ash silently released Oz. The electric-type let out a fierce roar and smashed her fists together, her fur crackling with electricity. Ash grinned at the display and shouted out a few orders and pointers to her before the match began - just a general update on Miltank's abilities.

He'd been tempted to release Bruiser since he was the most logical response to a physical powerhouse like Miltank. But where would the fun be in that? Ash had no doubt that Bruiser would beat Miltank after the damage Sneasel had inflicted, and Oz would learn more from the experience. Besides, she deserved a chance to show off.

"Begin!"

At Whitney's shout, Ash watched eagerly as Miltank quickly pulled her stocky form into another Rollout and zigzagged towards Oz. Her body wore a deep groove in the ground behind her and kicked up a wild storm of dust and earth, but Oz was completely unfazed. A few wild arcs of electricity surged about her and she bared her fangs in a vicious snarl before she shoved her fists outward and a few crackling bolts were flung at Miltank. The normal-type expertly swerved out of the way, but Oz's Shock Wave twisted ever so slightly to slam into Miltank in a brilliant display of light and a booming clap of thunder.

Miltank fell out of Rollout, dazed at the Shock Wave, and Oz charged as she windmilled her arms to build up power. Her wild coat of black-and-yellow fur crackled furiously with every movement, tiny sparks jetting out every few moments in great showers. As she neared Miltank, Oz howled out a challenge and stopped just as Miltank prepared to lash out.

Surprised by the sudden movement, Miltank's Rock Tomb surged out of the earth and was flung into empty space. She had overstepped, and Oz grinned as she raised her hands together and clapped them together. Ash knew the technique well enough to shut his eyes beforehand, and his face twisted into a smirk as Miltank was blinded and deafened by the brilliant flash of electricity and its subsequent boom.

Oz had fallen in love with the Flash technique after using it so frequently against Dazed. It was almost certain to catch her foes off guard and he'd seen it used quite effectively against several members of his team.

Unfortunately for Miltank, that's not where Oz stopped. Miltank cried out in pain as Oz punched at her and a thin blue spark of electricity stabbed at the normal-type, overwhelming her formidable defenses and locking up her nervous system. It wouldn't last for long (especially with that Heal Bell he saw the beginnings of) but Oz didn't need much time to finish this.

Even as Miltank struggled to recover, Oz glared at her opponent and tensed. Her fur stood on end and huge surges of electricity (the hair on his arms raised up as she drew on her power) exploded from her body. Errant arcs of electricity danced about Oz's powerful body, scarring small, blackened gouges in the earth wherever they pattered.

For a brief moment Ash feared Oz had lost control, but his fears were quickly proven to be baseless. Oz roared with effort as she punched both fists directly at Miltank, guiding the violent, whipping blasts of lightning into the form of a Lightning Bolt.

Ash was momentarily blinded, but thankfully the psychic barriers managed to blunt some of the light from Oz's most powerful technique. "Yes!" He congratulated Oz as the dust settled and Miltank was revealed to be unconscious at Oz's feet. The Electabuzz sagged underneath the effort required to put Miltank down, but she seemed quite satisfied with her victory. Miltank was slightly weakened by Sneasel, but she was still a formidable force. Oz deserved to be proud of her win. "That was great! Nice job, Oz!"

Little arcs of electricity shot from Oz as she turned to bare her fangs happily at Ash, and he grinned at the look in her eyes. There was the Oz he knew.

"Wow," Whitney looked stunned as she recalled Miltank, though not particularly upset. "That was really impressive. Miltank's tough," she praised Oz, who looked surprised at Whitney's kind words. "But I think I've got a good challenge for you, Electabuzz!"

Oz readied herself for battle and prepared to burst into action at a moment's notice. With the charge she'd built up in preparation of Lightning Bolt she'd be much quicker to draw on her electrical attacks in this next bout. Not that Oz was ever slow. It only took her three or four seconds at most to unleash a Thunderbolt or Shock Wave. Other electric-types could take nearly ten if they hadn't already built up some kind of charge.

Ash eyed Whitney's next choice with quite a bit of interest. It had been a long time since he'd faced a Clefable. They were almost fantastically rare and their line tended to be quite elusive at the best of times. He could count the number of Clefable he'd battled on both hands, and that wasn't counting the ancient, absurdly skilled Clefable that guarded the Moon Stone.

He almost wished that was the Clefable he was facing. That would have been an incredible battle.

Not that he'd be disappointed with this Clefable. No Clefable could be described as weak, and this specimen was surprisingly stocky and muscled for its breed. It stood around four feet tall and was solidly built. Its soft pink fur covered its body and a large, thick lock curled between its ears. The friendly creature waved, which Ash and Oz both returned.

Clefable's wings fluttered in anticipation, and Ash barked out an order as soon as Whitney announced the beginning of the battle. "Quick Attack!"

Oz snarled and shot forward in a gold-and-black blur, her fist barely evaded by the surprised Clefable. It fluttered a feet away on its wings, though it couldn't really fly with them. As it dodged it made a complex motion with its stubby arms and a shimmering layer of psychic power (Magic Coat, Ash recognized) shrouded it, which effortlessly reflected Oz's Thunderbolt back at her.

She growled and easily absorbed the Thunderbolt, drawing on her exercises with Raichu to draw the bolt of electricity back through her body and amplify its power. Clefable cried out in surprise as its psychic barriers were shattered underneath the terrifying power poured into the attack by Oz and was put on the backfoot yet again. Oz stalked forward, wreathed in a cloak of dancing electricity, and snarled at Clefable.

Unfortunately, Clefable had managed to buy itself enough time to return the favor. Its eyes shut in concentration and it was wreathed in a crushing aura of psychic power before Oz was suddenly slammed to her knees. She howled as Gravity crushed her under its pressure (and Clefable steadily retreated) and her tail whipped back and forth furiously as she recovered from the powerful technique and shot to her feet… only for Clefable to release Gravity, causing Oz to stumble and overstep as she overcompensated and tripped over one of the grooves left by Miltank's Rollout

.

As Oz stumbled, Clefable waggled its arms again. The grooves around Oz shuddered and shone with the brilliant azure of Clefable's psychic powers, and Ash grimaced as innumerable splinters and shards of razor-sharp stone were torn from the ground and seemingly hovered all about Oz by their own volition. She was helpless against the Stealth Rock and growled as she was jabbed painfully by some of the stones.

Oz was forced to freeze lest she stumble carelessly into more of the painful rocks, and Clefable took the opportunity to put more distance between the two. The powerful pokemon took in a deep breath, and its eyes flashed azure again as it expelled the breath and a cyclone of burning orange fire exploded from its mouth, the Flamethrower hot enough for Ash to feel the warmth past the psychic barriers.

His friend narrowly dodged it, and he realized he'd have to command her if she was to avoid Clefable's maneuvering. While Clefable didn't seem to favor outright offense, it was quite skilled at manipulating the terrain and indirectly damaging Oz.

"Swift, Quick Attack, Thunder Punch!" He said quickly, though Clefable undoubtedly heard him thanks to its renowned hearing. It had already begun to wave its arms again to block the sudden flurry of star-like projectiles Oz hurled at it, though Oz was already upon it thanks to her Quick Attack. Clefable barely managed to erect a shield of psychic power before Oz hammered her way past it with a Brick Break and slammed a Thunder Punch into its shimmering chest -

Oz was flung backwards, caught in a sudden blast of psychic force. She quickly recovered and bared her sharp fangs when she saw that Clefable hadn't escaped unscathed. The force behind her blow had managed to penetrate Clefable's shields and it was somewhat stunned, though still cognizant enough to protect itself with yet another Light Screen when Oz tested it with a Thunder Wave.

"Flash!" He ordered, deciding the best way to handle Clefable was to overcome its senses. It had too good of defenses for Oz to break past otherwise. Unfortunately, Clefable seemed to pick up on his order even faster than Oz did. Its eyes burned azure and Oz whirred in frustration as her arms were locked in place by psychic barriers before she could slam them together.

Then she seemed to smile, and Ash's vision went white as a veritable explosion of electricity and light swept out from her. Clefable cried, clutching its eyes, and Oz took her opportunity to penetrate its defenses. She dashed forward, windmilling the whole time to collect power, and slammed past Clefable's attempt to deflect her blows with its psychic powers. The powerful creature shuddered as it slammed into another of the grooves left by Miltank and began to rise, but Whitney recalled it.

"I think that's enough," she commented. Whitney gave him and Oz a thumbs up as Aron and Seeker cheered happily at their victory. "Nice job, all of you! That was really impressive!"

"You too," Ash called back, and he found that he really meant it. Whitney had put up a good fight. That Miltank of hers was incredible - if he didn't already know about its mastery of Rollout it could easily have built up the momentum to take out Sneasel and Oz both easily. It was no wonder so many rookies and veterans alike fell to Whitney. Not to mention her Clefable and Aipom. Clefable was a defensive master, and he expected it would have outlasted Oz if she hadn't surprised it with Flash. Aipom had some growing to do, but it had the makings of an excellent fighter.

He recalled Oz after congratulating her some more and stepped forward to speak with Whitney. A part of him wanted to leave and explore some more, but he quelled that. There was no harm talking to Whitney - he had some questions he wanted to ask her, after all.

XX

"It's really beautiful out here," Ash mused to Torrent as they sat on a small ledge that hung over a tiny pond located just a mile or so outside Goldenrod's city limits. He hadn't gotten to spend much time with Torrent recently, and why miss the chance to explore? After wandering through the city to find Whitney's Gym he could use some time out in nature.

Torrent nodded alongside him, his control over his levitation practically perfect. Even when Ash stared at him it was difficult to notice any slight dips or bobs in his position. They watched a few tiny Sentret play on the other side of the pond, squabbling and chirping wildly at one another as they rolled through the dirt. He grinned and took a moment to enjoy the simplicity of the scene. It was almost dark after the battle and the sun's last light cast everything in a soft golden glow, though the sky's canvas was steadily painted by more and more of a deep blue.

"How are you doing after everything?" He asked Torrent. The mighty Kingdra tossed his head with a rumble and Ash snorted. "I should've known you wouldn't be bothered," Ash laughed and rubbed his friend's rough scales. The heavy plates appeared especially dark now, and he could only imagine that his friend would be practically invisible in the dark depths of the ocean.

The Kingdra didn't rumble or even make a movement after that. He seemed content to simply rest at Ash's side on the ledge (and soak up the adoration of a few Marill, Wooper, and one large, dopey Quagsire half-hidden in the muddy water). Ash admired him for a moment before he continued. "So I know you didn't ask to do anything while we're in Indigo, but I figured I'd tell you a new part of our plan," he grinned. Torrent peered down at him, obviously interested. One of the long, delicate spines atop his head twitched slightly. "The Gym Leader here, Whitney, told us that Clair was interested in challenging us."

Torrent's eyes narrowed, as though he recognized the name but didn't entirely remember. They also told Ash that he quite looked forward to whatever challenge she would throw their way.

"She's Lance's cousin," Ash elaborated, and Torrent looked happier than he had since they'd left the ocean behind in Hoenn. The fins on his neck fluttered wildly, as though trying to take him off into the sky. "Lance and Whitney have both said she's an incredibly powerful dragon-type specialist, and she has a strong Kingdra," Ash relished the sudden glint in Torrent's eye. It had been a long time since he'd been this interested in a fight. "Just thought I'd give you a heads up. Are you ready for her?"

His friend snorted, a soft mist of salt water spraying out. Ash laughed and stretched out. That was about what he'd expected. Torrent had loved battling Mael more than any of Lance's other dragons. There was just something about testing his abilities against another Kingdra that got his blood pumping.

"We can run through some tactics for her on the way to Blackthorn," he assured Torrent. The great Kingdra huffed at that, still obviously excited about the future fight. "Whitney said she should be strong enough for us to go all out against... I think we'll spend a few nights watching videos of her battles so we can start working on a plan. We're going to win this," Ash grinned madly. Torrent rumbled in agreement, the noise loud and deep enough to make the dirt around them shake ever so slightly.

Ash stared at the pond for a time. There was so much to do before then… he wanted to spend another day or two in Goldenrod. He felt well-rested but it wasn't bad to just spend some time relaxing. He still needed to respond to his friends, Cynthia said she'd stop by to visit (he had to admit he was looking forward to that), and he needed to track down Molly and Uncle Spencer. His mother had said that they were going to stop by for another visit tomorrow.

So much to do…

After he left, what would he do? It felt good to ask himself that question. Ever since he'd gone to Hoenn he'd been on a timetable. It wasn't surprising considering the man he was working with was the meticulous, overly organized Steven Stone. All the same, he was glad to have some time to do things himself. He'd forgotten how freeing it was.

What should his first stop be? His thoughts strayed to his recent dreams of a burnt tower, of a black night lit by flames and lightning and the cooling rains carried by the north wind. Ash smiled. Ecruteak sounded like a good place to visit. It wasn't too long of a journey, only four or five days to the north. Johto was somewhat less developed than Kanto with bigger expanses of wilderness between cities, so to make sure he made the most of this month he might need to fly over particularly rugged areas on Plume.

Part of him balked at the idea of backing away from a challenge, but the rest saw the point in it. He wanted to enjoy his journey, but he had plenty of goals he needed to achieve before he returned to Hoenn: visit Pallet Town, go to Lavender, stop in Vermillion to meet with Surge, stop by Greenfield and Indigo Plateau, and several other priorities.

It was manageable, and if he really needed to he could always let Steven know he'd be running late. Still, a part of him wanted to get back to Hoenn pretty soon. It would be great to revisit his home region and explore Kanto, but he'd started to really enjoy Hoenn for its unfamiliar sights, hot climate, and friendly people.

That made him frown. Not the thought of liking Hoenn, but of how he'd left. Daisy and Lisia must be freaked out after his abrupt departure from the Slateport Contest Hall. He really had to check his PokeNav messages when he got back to the hospital.

For a long time he was lost in his thoughts. The sun darkened and dimmed and shadows fell all across the land. The sky revealed the first twinkling stars, though the moon was hidden. It must be a new moon. Not even a little sliver of the silver crescent was visible in the blackness above.

"We should probably get back soon," Ash commented. Torrent rumbled his response and levitated a bit higher. Just as he reached for Seeker's pokeball to release his friend to accompany them on the way back, Ash froze. His senses screamed and Ash felt alive for the first time since he'd lost the Unown. An odd silence hung over the clearing.

A man walked into the clearing across the pond. The pokemon that had admired Torrent earlier were nowhere to be seen, hidden away at the newcomer. Torrent's eyes locked onto the shadowy figure and he grumbled a warning.

"Hello?" Ash called out, on edge. Trainers were generally pretty loud and open about their presence. It was a good way to let wild pokemon know they were coming and give time to avoid them. This man was nearly silent, with only the rustling of his clothes giving away.

Ash didn't like it.

He got a better look at the man as he walked closer, though not a very good one thanks to it being so dark. Without the moonlight he could only rely on stars and the faint haze of the city's lights.

The man was large. Not quite so massive as Lance, but he was tall and thin like a reed. He was covered in some sort of long red robe covered in grime, twigs, and several odd stains and faintly decorated with light teal lines and buttons that went all the way down to his feet and hid his arms from view. Ash didn't like that either, and wished that he had more of his team out.

He was able to catch more details of the figure as he stepped closer. Ash thought of calling upon Fire to provide some sort of illumination, but he thought better of it. That would be too risky. Not to mention stupid - he wasn't exactly confident in his ability to control the forces inside him. At best he could point them in a certain direction.

His first impression was that the man was sick with some awful plague. The man's face looked like it was once handsome, but was now a ghostly, pasty white and stretched tight over his skull. Long, grayish blue hair hung around his face in a lank curtain of greasy, twisted locks. It looked like it hadn't been washed in a long time, and Ash was getting more and more certain he should probably be calling an ambulance for the man.

Then the man looked up from the earth, and Ash's breath hitched. Despite his apparent poor health, the stranger's eyes burned in their sockets with the stark intensity of a madman. He glanced away, unsettled at the odd feeling. Torrent floated forward, ready to protect Ash. When he looked back the man's eyes were simply dark shadows hidden as they should have been.

"Who are you?" Ash demanded a second time. His hands traced along Dazed and Infernus' pokeballs. Dazed to lock the man down if he tried anything and Infernus because he really wanted some light right now. "I asked you a question!" He said sharply when the man just stared blankly at him.

The man held an arm aloft for a second, as though uncertain, and finally waved. His fingers curled like claws, and it felt more threatening than friendly. "Hello!" His voice came out as little more than whisper, and the man cocked his head in a birdlike way. "Tobias is me."

"Tobias, huh?" Ash muttered to himself, ignoring the man's odd way of speaking. It wasn't a name he recognized, but he felt like he should know this man. Despite his pitiful physical state, Tobias held himself with an air of confidence and unassailability. It was the way any Master he had met held themselves. "I'm Ash. It's nice to meet you," he said unconvincingly. Torrent grunted something to the man as well.

"And you," Tobias' skin was drawn taut as his lips pulled back into a 'grin' that reminded Ash of staring into a Gengar's maw. His gums had receded to reveal long teeth that were yellow and discolored. A few even seemed as if they were about to rot out of his mouth. Ash was again struck with concern for the man. How had he sunk into such a state? "You are...Ketchum?"

Ash nodded, yet his grip on Infernus' pokeball tightened. His instincts screamed at him to run, and the longer he looked at this haunted, wasted man the more certain Ash was that he shouldn't be around him. "Yes. How did you know?"

"Tobias has seen your face before. In the Greenfield," Tobias stated simply. His expression was unreadable. Ash again wished the man had approached just a few minutes earlier, back when there was still more light to read him with.

"You were in Greenfield?" Ash asked, his hand unwittingly clasped around his amulet. Tobias' hollow eyes caught the movement like a Swellow eying a Wurmple. "Are you with the League?"

Tobias paused. His gaunt face revealed nothing of his thoughts, though it was still twisted into that mockery of a smile. "They know of me. The Leader Sabrina and the Elite Agatha worked with Tobias in past. Tobias is no stranger."

Ash frowned. While he wouldn't say he was surprised that Sabrina and Agatha knew this strange, unnerving man it didn't necessarily put him at ease. It wasn't difficult to tell that Tobias wasn't normal. Was he one of the Masters that lost himself in the wilderness, or been consumed by his obsession? They weren't all that rare if you knew where to look. Of course, that begged the question of why Tobias had been at Greenfield in the first place, and why the League hadn't mentioned his presence before.

"So why were you in Greenfield?" Ash laid a hand on Torrent's side. He wanted to do his best to keep his friend calm. Tobias stood uncomfortably still save the frantic rise and fall of his chest, but when he'd waved earlier Ash had caught the glimpse of several pokeballs on his belt. They were old, scuffed, and covered in dirt and grime but they were undoubtedly functional.

"To make sure I was not needed," Tobias rasped.. He cocked his head again and his lank, greasy hair followed the motion. Ash was tempted to introduce the man to his mother - she'd fix him up in no time. "You did the job. No need for Tobias."

He nodded, still not at all at ease around the man. Odd speech habits and appearance aside, he didn't like the way he felt around Tobias. It almost reminded him of Agatha's discomforting aura, only worse. Instead of the odd prickling of his skin and raised hair, he felt as if he would soon slip into a full-blown panic. Ash had better control over himself than that, of course. He'd stood up to Mewtwo, the Birds, and claimed the Unown. What was a man in comparison?

"Okay," Ash allowed Tobias' not-so-helpful response. He had the feeling it was the most he'd get out of him. "So why are you here now? What do you want?"

Tobias didn't look like he fully understood the question. His fingers stretched out and back in, like a Persian unfurling its claws. "Tobias wanted to explore. Tobias found you," the man said simply.

Ash shifted around and finally stood. Even that made him feel better. "It was nice to meet you, Tobias," he said again (even less convincingly) and turned to walk away. "But I really need to be going."

"Bye, Ketchum," Tobias called out. He didn't move a muscle as Ash left the area. When Ash glanced back, he saw the tall, filthy man still standing there, watching him go.

He released Seeker, Sneasel, and Bruiser soon after, their appearances marked by a flash of beautiful, much needed light. They glanced him oddly for a moment, though Sneasel seemed to be in better spirits than usual and quickly scampered off to hiss and howl into the night.

Once they'd gotten a fair bit to Goldenrod, close enough to see the dark frames of buildings off in the distance, Ash heard the Song gently crooning into his ears. He paused for just a moment, as did Torrent. The others hadn't paused at all.

Ash hadn't even noticed the Song had stopped.

XX

...so I'm going to ask you again, what the hell are you doing in Johto and why the hell haven't you responded to the last three messages I've sent you? It's been days man! Alakazam says Nidoqueen keeps bothering him asking about your Nidoking and if he's safe and that's pretty annoying to me too because Alakazam keeps blaring the memories into my head. It's driving the whole team crazy, and that's the reason I keep sending you the messages.

Get back to me soon or I'm going to snap. I really don't even care how you're doing, but just send me a picture of your stupid Nidoking so Nidoqueen will leave me alone, okay? Also, you suck. I've been hanging out in Azalea Town and some reporter recognized me from the Conference last year and knew I was your friend. Thanks for having to dodge the press now.

Ash snorted when he got through reading the last of Gary's messages. Whatever his former rival claimed, he knew that Gary wasn't quite as uncaring as he seemed. The first message was actually sort of nice, which told him that Gary was pretty freaked out. He'd have to keep that one and mock Gary with it once they saw each other again (it was what Gary would do in his place, after all) - Ash had already decided to spend some time with Jonathan and Amelia, and had messaged them that he'd be in Mahogany Town after his visit to Ecruteak if they wanted to meet up. It was on the way to Blackthorn and he'd heard Pryce was a formidable Gym Leader.

So in his response, he let Gary know the same and gave him a rough outline of Ash's schedule in case he wanted to meet him somewhere else on his journey. Gary probably had a pretty busy schedule, and he'd like to hang out with him at some point. Who knew when he'd have the chance to meet any of his friends from Pallet?

He sighed as he looked at the other messages. There were more than he'd expected. Neesha had sent him one while he'd still been asleep after the Greenfield incident and he felt bad that he hadn't gotten around to checking his messages until tonight. It hadn't even crossed his mind, if he was being honest.

After a minute he started typing up a response to his fellow survivor of New Island. They'd traded a few sporadic messages after the Conference, but they'd both been busy. Neesha was out in Sinnoh, apparently, and had decided to try taking on the Conference there. Ash had no doubt she'd go far.

Just as he finished typing a response to her, someone knocked on the door. Dazed's eyes flashed and she quickly relaxed. She'd had trouble speaking to him tonight - Ash had no doubt that Tobias was somehow involved considering how similar he felt to Agatha, and repressed a shudder at the thought of the strange man - but was still able to transmit vague sensations, images, and sensations through their mental connection.

Ash grinned at the image she sent over. "Come in!"

Professor Oak smiled broadly when he walked into the room and pulled a chair closer to Ash's bed. "Hello, Ash. How are you feeling?"

"Pretty good. The best in a long time, actually," Ash said easily. Professor Oak nodded, pleased at his answer. He didn't miss the older man's concerned glance - their last conversation had been a tad stressful given that Ash been banged up after his encounter with the Rockets. "What are you doing here, Professor? Not that I don't appreciate it," he corrected hastily.

The Professor chuckled and leaned forward with a groan. Now that Ash had a better look at him it was easy to see that the older man hadn't enjoyed the last few days. No doubt he'd been stuck working constantly in the aftermath of the Unown's powers. "I've been busy," he said to confirm Ash's theories. "I wanted to check in on you sooner, but I was told you were stable."

"I understand," Ash said. To be honest he was glad the Professor hadn't taken it upon himself to visit - he had dark bags under his eyes, his eyes were red and bloodshot, and his body sagged as if he hadn't rested in days. Knowing Professor Oak, he probably hadn't. "Have you found anything interesting?"

"Not much," the Professor said, obviously frustrated. "The Unown took everything interesting with them when they vanished. We've managed to piece together quite a bit of information about their abilities and formed a few theories, but all we really know now is to be more careful when we're excavating areas they've been sighted at. I'm currently organizing an expedition to study them in the Sevii Islands," Oak brightened. "I'll be seeing Spencer tomorrow to begin the expedition. He's understandably interested in delving deeper into the mysteries of the Unown."

Ash winced as a few impressions of Molly's memories shot through his mind. "Would he be going himself?" He asked, all too aware of how lonely Molly was. It would only be worse after what had happened with the Unown. Ash had planned to meet them tomorrow anyway, but now he'd make sure to have a more serious talk with his uncle.

Oak shrugged. "Perhaps at some point," he said absentmindedly. "It's purely hypothetical right now."

He nodded, somewhat relieved at the news. For a time they sat in comfortable silence. To be honest, Ash was even happier than he'd expected to see the old man again. Professor Oak always seemed to make things more relaxed. Easier.

"I'm sorry for what happened in Greenfield," the Professor said at last. Ash started at the abrupt comment, and watched the exhausted man massage his temples. "It… I watched it happen. The League contacted me immediately. Lance refused my request to go in, and then your mother was taken," Professor Oak looked to the side, his hands balled into angry fists. His shoulders shook. "Just as Charizard and I were about to fly there, you charged into the mansion without a second thought. I saw your team kill the Entei," his mentor smiled broadly at him. "You're quite the trainer, Ash."

Dazed's eyes twitched upward as Ash shifted uneasily. "I can't take credit for that," he said awkwardly. "They're the ones that did the work."

Oak chuckled. "That's very true. But from what I've heard you accomplished quite a bit in the mansion. It's rare for Karen to speak so well of anyone."

Ash's cheeks colored at that. At least he didn't have to worry about Karen being so hostile anymore. It seemed like they'd built a lasting bond. "What did she say?" He asked, honestly curious.

The Professor just shook his head. "Enough," he looked pointedly at the amulet Ash was fidgeting with. "And for what it's worth, Ash, I agree with your choice."

He blinked. "Really?" Ash would have thought Oak would think similarly to Lance. He hadn't exactly expected a reprimand, but he certainly didn't anticipate acceptance either. "I thought you'd be annoyed."

Professor Oak actually laughed at that, a loud noise that came deep from his belly and broke what little tension Ash felt. "Oh no," Oak shook his head, "I trust you. I don't believe the League should have such great power."

"And why not?" Ash asked. Professor Oak smiled at the question, just as he always did when a student was interested, so Ash pushed harder. "Do you think they would misuse it? Do you think Lance and Sabrina wouldn't handle it right?"

The older man rubbed his hands together as he considered the question. "Can any man handle such power?" Oak challenged. Ash remained silent. "I don't doubt Lance's intentions. He's a good man with the best of goals," he smiled fondly, as though remembering some good memory, "The world's been spoiled with this new generation of Champions that Lance is the vanguard of. Kind, just, cooperative… yes, I daresay the world's quite a good place with men and women like Lance, Steven, Wallace, and Cynthia at the helm."

Ash frowned. That made sense. "I'm sensing a 'but' here," he commented.

Professor Oak graced him with an amused smile. "Indeed. But I do not believe it will always be so. Humanity is imperfect by its very nature. We live in a golden age, Ash. You youngsters have never had to see what mankind is capable of - you didn't have to see the Last War," he specified, deathly serious. "It was the first large-scale war where trainers could enter battles with dozens of soldiers on their belts, where cities were bombarded by dragonfire, cryobombs, and pyroshells. The devastation wreaked by both sides ensured it would never be repeated again."

The Professor steadied himself for a moment. Ash didn't dare interrupt him, too fascinated by his stories. He'd read about the Last War, especially in Cynthia's book where she revealed its effects on Hoenn, but never from someone who had lived through it. Dazed was clearly just as interested (not a surprise considering she 'read' the book with him) and had even paused in her ritualistic cleaning of her pendulum to listen.

"This golden age is because people are hopeful. We believe we will never return to the old days where nations were at each other's throats. We cooperate now, and the world is better for it," Oak explained with a wistful smile. "But the Legends are here to disturb our peace. The people will be afraid, and I fear that tensions will rise in the future. Not today," he interrupted Ash's impassioned tirade, "but one day. And when that happens, I doubt it will be Lance on Indigo's throne. It will be some brazen young person with the power of a god at their fingertips - the world will not stand for it, and I do not expect them to handle such power wisely."

"Huh," Ash muttered as he caught up with Oak's explanation. It made sense, he supposed, but it was hard to imagine the world as anything except what it was now. He couldn't imagine the regions and nations at war like Professor Oak described. "Why are you so sure that people will be afraid? Why don't you think they can work together?"

Professor Oak nodded along to Ash's argument. "Oh, we will. But perhaps my point wasn't made especially clear," he admitted, then pondered his next words. "My point is that the world will become more uncertain with the rise of the Legends. Civilians already know that strange things have been happening. Before long they'll know the truth - or the League will be forced to explain it," Oak grimaced at the thought. "But more importantly, the Unown wouldn't have remained in Lance's hands forever. Eventually they'd be passed on to a successor who couldn't handle their powers, or consciously misuse them. Or perhaps the Unown would be seen as a threat one day and spark another war, with various regions attempting to draw on Legendary power to supplement their own forces."

Ash started at the thought with utter disgust. If that was the future Oak imagined, then he was glad that he'd kept the Unown inert and away from the world. He could only imagine the devastation the Legends would wreak upon humanity if they attempted to shackle the Concepts down. Not everyone had the same respect for them as he did…

"I see your point," Ash admitted. He arched an eyebrow. "But you trust me with them?"

Professor Oak barked out a laugh. "I suppose I do. You respect them. You know the danger - I could see it in your face the moment I mentioned the regions going to war with Legendaries," he chuckled. "But more importantly, you aren't using them. You turned your back on them and I don't think that's something many people could do. I certainly couldn't," Oak admitted without hesitation.

Ash frowned. It was hard to imagine Professor Oak not able to do something. Genius scientist, powerful former Champion, charismatic leader… the One-Ringed Oak had it all. "Even if you knew how dangerous they were?"

"Not even then," Oak sighed. He ran his fingers through his trimmed hair and looked past Ash, as though staring directly into some vision. "There are a lot of things that I would change if I had the opportunity, no matter the danger. You're far wiser than I am in that regard," he smiled warmly at Ash, who flushed a little at the praise.

A pensive silence settled over them all as Ash absorbed what he'd just learned. He had to admit that some of it was hard to comprehend, but more out of being completely foreign to his way of thinking and experiences than beyond him.

"Thanks for coming, Professor," Ash said at last. "I really do appreciate it."

"Of course, my boy," Oak chuckled. "I'm sorry that I couldn't visit earlier. You and your mother…" he trailed off, a tired look on his face. "Well, I'd wanted to come earlier. Even this is just a short break before I return to New Bark Town to consult with Professor Elm."

Ash nodded along, not surprised that Professor Oak would throw himself back into his work. He wasn't sure that Professor Oak had a relax button… well, other than working even harder. It was amazing that one man could be so driven.

He hesitated before he asked his next question. "Professor, when do you think my mom will be okay?" Ash cringed as he said it, well-aware that Professor Oak wouldn't be able to tell him anything new. What could he know that Sabrina didn't? "Sorry, I -"

"No, no," Oak shook his head. He spared Ash a long look. "It's a question I wish I could answer, Ash," he said and stood (for a moment Ash feared that he was about to leave) but simply sat down at the foot of Ash's bed instead. Ash felt a little better after that. "But you have to understand this is something novel… nobody's ever suffered such deep memory manipulation. It's difficult to implant new memories, let alone overwrite an entire life. I agree with Sabrina, though. As she lives her life, her true memories will be reinforced and continue to assert themselves. Eventually she'll be the Delia we know and love again," he said wistfully.

Ash nodded slowly. "It's just…" he fought down the storm of guilt in his gut. "I feel like I could have fixed her. That if I'd been smarter or better or faster she wouldn't be stuck like this," Ash finished miserably. "She shouldn't have been pulled into this in the first place!"

"I agree that she shouldn't have been pulled in, but there's nothing you could have done - not even with the Unown," Oak assured him. Ash wasn't so sure, but he didn't voice that. He appreciated the man's support all the same. The Professor looked down at him.

"Remember that you don't have to face this burden alone," Professor Oak commented. Ash frowned at that, his every instinct telling him otherwise. "This pain is something we share together, and we can bear it together," he said seriously, tapping at his heart. "If you ever need anything I hope you know that you can call me at any hour. You're a brilliant young man who's been through more than most can imagine, and I'm honored to be a part of your life. I think you should know that," the older man finished.

There was a lump in Ash's throat at the Professor's heartfelt words. "I - thank you," he said simply, and Ash knew that it was all that was needed. "I appreciate it, Professor."

"Just remember that you're never alone," Oak said. He glanced at Dazed. "You have friends and family all over the place. They'll always be there for you."

For a time they sat in silence, then discussed easier things. Ash and Professor Oak traded stories about their respective adventures (he'd been shocked when Professor Oak revealed he'd battled the First's Rhydon as well after his brief ascension to Champion, and they commiserated over each other's brutal fights with the behemoth), and he even tried to keep up with a few of Oak's overly long, detailed explanations of his research.

Finally, they got onto the topic of Ash's vacation.

"So you're going to spend another day in Goldenrod, then head to Greenfield?"

"Yes," Ash said. Dazed paid rapt attention, having finally decided her pendulum had reached some arbitrary point of cleanliness. "I want to spend some time with Molly and Uncle Spencer. They visited my mom a few days ago, but I was still asleep. Plus I kind of want to see Greenfield again," he admitted. Without the crystal went unsaid.

Professor Oak hummed. "I'm certain they'll be overjoyed to see you. Spencer's expressed quite an interest in speaking to you in our brief correspondence since the incident," he admitted. Ash grinned. He was looking forward to seeing the man as well. "And then you've decided to visit Ecruteak?"

Ash nodded, but didn't go into detail. He didn't quite feel comfortable telling Professor Oak about his dreams. There was a certain insistence to them that was impossible to ignore, and he wasn't about to try. A part of him yearned to fly to Ecruteak this very moment and visit the ashen tower he couldn't get out of his head.

"It's a good city," Oak commented. "Very old. You should absolutely visit Morty if you plan to see either of the towers - they can be difficult to gain admission to otherwise."

"Thanks for the heads-up," Ash said gratefully. He'd planned on battling Morty anyways, so now he had two reasons to meet the elusive Gym Leader. It would be good experience against ghosts. Even Ash hadn't fought many, and he'd battled nearly every trainer he met in Kanto. "But yeah, I'd like to stay there for a few days to see the sights before I head towards Blackthorn."

Oak smiled. "I'm glad you'll be stopping to see Gary and the others," he said cheerfully. "Gary's been quite worried about you, you know."

"Oh really?" Ash grinned at being handed ammunition. Not that he didn't appreciate Gary's concern, but he knew that his former rival would hate to have it pointed out.

"Really," Oak rolled his eyes at Ash's smirk. "So is Daisy, for that matter. She's called me several times asking for an update," the man smiled at the thought of his granddaughter. Ash felt a lot better about sending Daisy a brief update earlier. He hoped it would calm her down until he could talk to her some more.

Ash paused for a few moments. "So what do you know about Clair?" He asked, changing the subject. "Is she everything Lance says she is?"

"And more," Oak sighed. He tapped his knuckles against the metal frame of the hospital bed as he recalled some old memory. "She's... strong-willed. Stubborn. Quite obstinate."

For some reason, Ash knew the Professor was thinking something much less flattering. "But is she a strong trainer? Do you think she'll be a good challenge?"

Professor Oak frowned and sent an assessing look at Dazed. Her eyes flashed and he reeled for a moment before he recovered expertly. Dazed must have sent some information to him telepathically. "Hmm. You've come quite far under Steven's tutelage," the older man complimented Ash, who grinned at the praise. "Your technique is better. Much less wasteful. I'd say that she could give you quite a fight, although I don't know who will come out on top. Clair could contend for a spot on the Indigo Elite Four if she wasn't needed in Blackthorn."

"Good!" Ash said happily. Dazed and Oak rolled their eyes in amusement at his response. "I can't wait."

"And what will you do after Blackthorn?"

Ash shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. "I plan on visiting Pallet at some point," Ash commented and grinned at Professor Oak's pleased look. "Vermillion is on the list so I can meet with Surge about Oz's evolution, and Agatha invited me to Lavender Town."

Professor Oak appeared shocked at the mention of his former companion. "I… she did?" He sputtered, actually caught off guard for once. Ash grinned at his reaction as the Professor quickly regained his composure.

"She did. Said she'd talk to me about finding a ghost," Ash shrugged. He was still a little irritated over Agatha prodding him during their brief conversation, but to be honest he should have expected it. The Revenant Crone was notoriously prickly.

"That's quite the honor," the Professor mused. He shot Ash a look. "Let me know how it goes, will you? It's been a long time since I've gotten news of Agatha."

Ash nodded. "What's the deal between you two? She isn't your biggest fan," Ash didn't have to tell the Professor how much of an understatement that was. Professor Oak's long-suffering grimace told him everything he needed to know.

"...we had a few disagreements towards the end of our journey together," the Professor allowed after a few moments of thought. He frowned. "Needless to say, we didn't part ways amicably. She hasn't talked to me in many, many years."

He frowned at the lack of detail, but didn't push. Ash assumed Professor Oak would tell him eventually, and he'd ask Agatha once he reached Lavender anyways. She'd probably give him some kind of information he could use. And if that failed… well, someone had to know what happened between them, right?

Professor Oak sighed and glanced at the clock. "I'm afraid that I'll need to be on my way, Ash," he sounded disappointed. "I'll be sure to keep in touch, however."

"Thanks, Professor," Ash said. He'd have to make sure he kept on top of that.

The aging Professor stood with a groan and rolled his shoulders to create all kinds of satisfying (and gross) sounding pops. He stretched a bit and patted Ash's shoulder. Professor Oak frowned and lingered for a few moments, though Ash knew he had to be crunched for time.

"Before I leave, I wanted to ask you a question."

"Go ahead," Ash said, curious about the Professor's angle. "What is it?"

Oak met his eyes. "Here's my question for you, Ash," he said slowly, every syllable strained. "What do you want? You've told me of Lance and Steven's plans for you. They want to help you grow strong. The League wants you to help them. Your mother…" the Professor frowned, "she wants you to be happy."

Ash blinked, not sure how to respond to that. After Professor Oak allowed the message to sink in, he spoke again. "But Lance, Steven, the League, even your mother… they aren't you. They aren't Ash Ketchum and they never will be. I daresay you've experienced things none of us can imagine. So I ask you again: who is Ash Ketchum, and what does he want?"

With that, Professor Oak moved to leave. Just as he reached the door, Ash spoke up with his own question, something that had been bothering him. "Do you know a man named Tobias?"

Professor Oak turned and frowned. "I'm afraid not. I believe Rowan has some sort of contact in his projects by that name, but I don't know anything about him," he admitted. Oak arched an eyebrow. "Why the interest?"

"No reason," Ash brushed Oak's concern off. He doubted that the strange, sickly man he'd encountered was the informant, but who knew? Tobias seemed to have some connection to the League, so it wasn't impossible. "Would you mind looking into him for me? I'd just like to learn more about him."

His mentor nodded uncertainly, but Ash felt pleased at his agreement. "Very well, Ash. Think on what I said, alright?"

"Of course," Ash said back. Professor Oak spared him one last smile and left the room.

Ash wouldn't be able to rest for a very long time.

XX

Plume circled high overhead. Every now and then she'd dart off with a shrill scream and shriek her presence to the world, but for the most part she dutifully watched for any threats. Ash plodded along the gentle hills and over several small streams, eager to explore the forest underneath the warm, comforting light of the noon sun. He'd already sent out his messages, visited his mother, and poked around Goldenrod for a bit earlier (with his cap pulled low over his face, of course).

Now he needed something a little more… familiar. Ash was on his own, for once. Normally he'd release Nidoking or Bruiser to accompany him on his jaunt but he felt Plume was plenty to keep him safe. It wasn't like his friends wouldn't be at his side at a moment's notice if necessary.

So he walked. He wandered. He marveled at the beauty all around and him and was endlessly disappointed that it was so much less than he remembered. Isolated from the sensory overload of Goldenrod, he could take the time to ponder what he seemed to have lost after the Unown had opened his eyes to what truly lay around him.

The trees were the easiest to notice. They'd once been clear and sharp and brilliant with vivid green leaves, sturdy brown trunks, and the odd flower. Ash frowned at the spindly, overgrown sticks all around him. What was once a shiny, glossy green seemed lank and dull now, as if its spark had been sucked out. Trunks lost the detail he'd caught with the Unown's eyes, appearing as little more than a blank, ridged shell.

Clouds were pale masses, fuzzy and indistinct. It was difficult to admire the shapes and figures he'd once imagined them with. The soft trickle of a forest creek was little more than a quiet murmur. The woodland scents carried to him by the wind had their sweetness sucked away by his old perceptions.

He sighed and pulled his hat off. It was wet and dark with sweat. Ash found a rock overgrown with great heaps of soft, lush moss and sat down.

Ash whistled up to Plume, ensuring she knew he'd be taking a break. Moments later she dove above the canopy and braked expertly, the recoil enough to shatter his every bone if he'd been riding her. Plume easily landed upon a heavy, thick limb near Ash's rock. She preened as he complimented her maneuver and eagerly shrieked again, the ear-splitting noise more than enough to ward off any pokemon in the area.

"Will you sit with me for a while?" He called up to her. Plume ruffled her feathers and cooed down at him, the Pidgeot's long crest glistening brilliantly in the faint rays of sunlight that penetrated past the treetops. She set to grooming herself as Ash sat cross-legged on his rock and peered up at his friend thoughtfully.

Plume was quick to notice his attention, of course. The vain bird seemed pleased and naturally put some extra care into making sure her every feather was in perfect condition. Ash shook his head, amused at her antics.

He put them out of mind soon after. Ash stared off into the endless field of tree trunks, boulders, and hills uneasily. The world wasn't any different than it had been before Greenfield had opened his eyes. Of that he was certain. He'd just learned to see… more, for lack of a better term, with the help of the Unown. To look past what lay before him and see the truth.

Ash frowned and shut his eyes, tired of the distractions. He wasn't sure how long he sat there, consumed with his own thoughts and fears and goals, but it felt like an eternity. It was peaceful out here in this lonely forest and he savored the solitude. Seeing his mother and the others over the last few days had been nice, but the constant hum of activity and bustle around the city grated on him.

Didn't anyone in Goldenrod ever just sit and relax? Something he'd always disliked about cities was how they were never quiet. There was always someone yelling or stumbling or walking outside his window or a hundred other things distracting him. That wasn't to say nature was any quieter. It had a clamor all of its own: rustling trees, wind howling off in the distance, and a million different creatures all trying to make their way. It was a different sort of noise, though. It relaxed him.

So he savored it. Ash embraced the peace and everything that came with it. He heard the steady drumbeat of his heart, the pounding in his ears, the unnoticeable sounds his body made every moment. And he heard deeper things as well: the sound of the Song lapping at his consciousness, the crackle of Fire and Lightning and the rumbling thunder of a Blizzard.

He even heard a maelstrom of thought that wasn't his own, the faintest echoes of confusion and fury and disappointment.

Those pangs were quickly carved away, though not by Ash.

Ash thought to what the Unown had done, the little wisps of tantalizing knowledge they'd revealed. He couldn't hold that against them - it was what he'd wanted, wasn't it? They'd allowed him to peer deeply within himself and deeper again, to reveal secrets that weren't his to know and grasp at comprehension that he couldn't quite retain.

What the Unown had given him was like a magnifying glass, a tool to analyze himself and chase after the connections bonded to him by forces much, much greater than Ash Ketchum.

What he had now was himself and his own desire to learn, to explore and understand.

Ash wanted to learn. Something clicked in his mind, and he opened his eyes to see the world, unchanged but for its brightness. For the briefest instant he saw the earth as it truly was. Indescribable, infinitely complex, and ever so simple. His mind recoiled at the truth, and Ash squeezed his eyes shut despite the insistent need to look again and again and again until it all made sense.

He sat for a long time. He thought and thought and thought until Ash feared that he'd exhausted every avenue. The light of the sun had faded somewhat, though it insistently shone down between the leaves to brush against his skin. Cool air swirled about, kicking up swirls of leaves and pine straw and dust.

After a time, Ash stood. His muscles were stiff and ached from sitting for so long, but he felt better than he had in a long time. A certain sense of clarity overtook him, and Ash felt a wide smile stretch over his face.

Ash had been on a schedule for a long time. But he'd made contact with everyone he needed to. He'd spoken to his mother about his plans and he'd told her he'd leave either today or tomorrow. He was stocked for his journey.

It was time to improvise.

"Plume!" He called out to his friend. She cocked her head and the great raptor's eyes lit up at his next words. "Let's saddle up. We're going to Greenfield!"

Ten minutes later they were soaring high in the deep blue sky, dipping and diving and laughing as Plume tested Ash's limits. He watched the forests and lakes and mountains blur beneath them as Plume darted across the sky as a tan blur, practically invisible with her speed. Ash navigated as best he could, but would it be so bad if they had to fly a little longer?

He found that he didn't care. For the first time in quite a while he was completely relaxed, and he didn't mind one bit. Ash's blood heated at the thought of meeting Molly and Uncle Spencer again (not to mention Cynthia) and he felt a wild grin take over his face as he held tighter on Plume's saddle.

Johto awaited him.

A/N: So here it is! I hope the wait wasn't too bad for everyone. Remember how I said I was going to try and aim for short 10-15k chapters? Turns out I suck at that. Brevity is not a gift of mine, but I think I'll get closer in the future. This chapter just had so much that needed to be done. I'm aware that it ended somewhat abruptly, but I felt this was a good place to end it. Originally I'd planned to include Ash's conversations with Cynthia, Molly and Spencer, but I felt like the chapter had become "Ash has conversations with different people" and wanted to interrupt that. Next chapter will wrap this up and we'll get to move onto Johto. I have some interesting stuff planned that I think everyone will enjoy.

Anyways, I hope everyone liked this chapter! I aim for the next chapter to be released late in November, but I will also be releasing chapters of my Skyrim story and Traveler: Recollections before I begin work on Traveler. You should definitely check those out!

Thanks again to everyone who has supported this story. If you're interested, feel free to check out my P atreon where I post updates on the status of the story, ask questions (and answer them), and post brief previews of my chapters for patrons and non-patrons alike.

Please review!