Chapter 2: Mega Evolution and the Prism Tower!
"Ahh!" Serena wailed and gripped rhyhorn's reigns so tight it made her knuckles pale. The rock pokemon bucked his back legs and jumped about, doing everything in his power to try and throw the young woman off.
"That's it, Serena you're nearly there." Grace leaned against their backyard fence with Fletchy with an encouraging smile. However, Serena's pretty face contorted into sheer terror and she longed for the training to end. "Come on, Serena, go for broke!" Despite Grace's cries, rhyhorn, at last, succeeded and threw Serena off his back. She landed face first, dirt covering her skin, hair, and pink racing suit. Grace cringed a little and remembered what it felt like when throw offs happened.
"Mom, I hate this!" Serena erupted so that half the town heard.
Miles away in Lumiose city, Ash raced towards the building marked on his map. Froakie lay in his arms, unconscious, and injured. Pikachu kept a close watch over the water frog from Ash's shoulder while Bonnie and Clemont came from behind.
"You're too slow, brother!"
"Please, wait up." Clemont gasped for breath and staggered forward like someone about to collapse. As much as Ash wanted to do something for Clemont, he had to get Froakie help first. He fixed all his attention on the multi-story building ahead of them marked with two pokeballs near the doorway. A sign beside them read "Professor Sycamore's Pokemon Laboratory."
"This is it. Hello, professor! We need your help!" Ash banged on the door so hard he feared it might break apart. However, it only took moments for it to open.
"Bonjour." A spacy voice came from the other side and within moments, a tall man in his mid thirties emerged wearing a white lab coat. His thick messy-black hair and five-o-clock shadow matched his dazed voice and grey eyes well and he looked over the party with intrigue. "Can I help you-" Sycamore's focus sharpened the instant he saw Froakie in Ash's arms.
"Professor, this Froakie is hurt." Ash held him up and the professor carefully took the water pokemon.
"Oh Froakie, not again."
"Again?" Ash and the others blinked in confusion.
"Follow me." He gestured them inside and through a reception area into an elevator. None spoke during the ride up, but Ash saw Sycamore remove a potion from his lab coat and spray it over the worst of Froakie's injuries. To Ash's relief, the water frog breathed a little more but the concerned look on Sycamore's face told him the danger had not passed.
"Will he be ok?" Bonnie asked with teary eyes.
"I'll do everything I can for him." The door opened and Sycamore led them inside a lab area full of tables, computers, and bookshelves.
"Sophie, Froakie's don't it again." He ran over to a young woman who stood by a table. She wore a lab coat with glasses over her green eyes. However, Ash's eyes soon lingered on the Pokemon already on the table. A small yellow fox with red fur on her ears and the end of her tail looked enraptured as Sophie brushed her. However, the lab assistant yelped when she saw Froakie and almost threw the brush aside to take him.
"Froakie, why do you keep getting yourself into trouble like this." She groaned and took out medical supplies. Ash and Pikachu shared a horrible sense of helplessness as the moments dragged on like hours. How they longed to do something more, but alas, it was in Sycamore and Sophie's hands now.
"Fen." A sharp growl came from the little fox who turned her head away, annoyed that her grooming was interrupted.
"Aww, a Fennekin, so pretty." Bonnie beamed and approached the little fox who backed away.
"Fennekin." How Ash longed for a pokedex. However, he guessed the pokemon was a fire-type by her features. Regional professors usually carried starter pokemon of water, grass, and fire for aspiring trainers.
"Is Fennekin a starter pokemon for Kalos?" He turned to Clemont who guzzled water from a bottle held by his backpack's Aipom arm.
"Oui, huff, so are Froakies."
"Froakie is a starter pokemon?" Ash looked back at the water frog with greater intrigue. After many more agonizing minutes, Sophia placed a breathing respirator over Froakie's mouth.
"He'll be fine." Sycamore answered Ash and the others before they could ask. His dreamy expression returned, and he stroked Froakie's head. "All he needs is some rest."
"Thanks, professor." Ash let out an immense breath of relief. "I'm Ash, by the way, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town." He offered Sycamore his hand and the professor's eyes widened again.
"Ash Ketchum, I've been expecting you! My dear old teacher, Oak told me you were on your way. Welcome to Kalos. You must be tired after a flight, come, let me show you around." Sycamore showed them more of his lab and introduced them to another lab assistant, Cosette. Clemont and Bonnie likewise introduced themselves. Eventually, Sycamore led them to a massive indoor pokemon enclosure. Much like Oak's, it had everything a pokemon could ask for. Grass, trees, ponds, and more. Ash and Pikachu lost themselves to dozens of pokemon moving about or resting. In particular, the ones native to Kalos caught his attention.
"Are these your students' Pokemon?" Ash asked.
"Oui, I don't have quite as big a collection as Oak, but one day perhaps." He laughed and showed them to a table where some tea and biscuits rested.
"Professor, you know Froakie?" Ash asked and he watched the color fade from Sycamore's face.
"Oui." The scientist exhaled and took a long swig of hot tea without flinching. "He's mine, or rather the lab's I should say. Like Oak and my other contemporaries, I give out starter pokemon to aspiring trainers here in Kalos. Froakie was intended to be one of those. However, he has problems."
"Problems?" Ash glanced back through the window at Froakie, a mixture of concern and intrigue on his face.
"Oui, the thing about Froakie is he refuses to take directions from his trainers. Every boy and girl who picked him ends up bringing him back. That or he outright abandons them. When he does this, Froakie gets himself into mischief around Lumiose."
"Like today." Ash explained how they came across Froakie, and for a moment Sycamore came to life when he heard about the figures in red.
"How frightening, are you alright, Clemont?"
"Oui, thanks to Ash and Froakie."
"Good. Well that doesn't surprise me. Froakie styles himself a guardian. If only he listened."
"But, he did listen to me." Ash said and Sycamore's eyes shot back to him.
"He did?!"
"Yes, well sort of. He was fighting two Golbat and I saw an opening for him to knock them both out. I told him what to do and he did. Of course after that he got defensive when I tried to approach him."
"Still, he obeyed your command." Sycamore stroked his chin, lost in thought. "Amazing."
Ash wanted to know more about Froakie, but Pikachu's nudging with the Charizardite Y in his hand reminded him of their other goal.
"Right. Professor, Oak sent me here because he wanted to learn about Mega Evolution." At this, Sycamore's eyes lit up and his dreamy smile returned.
"Ahh, I thought so. Mega Evolution a truly wonderous phenomenon. I've studied it for years and still only understand the basics." He extended his hand out and took the Charizadite Y from Ash. "Oui, this is a real Mega Evolution stone."
"Professor, what precisely is Mega Evolution."
"Something amazing." Clemont could not contain himself and Bonnie likewise bounced up and down in her chair.
"Well, in layman's terms, mega evolution is a condition where certain pokemon undergo an evolution beyond their natural capabilities. Their strength, speed, size, and power are all enhanced exponentially. However, unlike normal evolution, mega evolution is only temporary. Eventually the pokemon will revert to their normal form. Additionally, a pokemon can only undergo mega evolution under certain conditions. One of those is possessing a stone specific to the pokemon. This one you have is Charizardite Y, which as the name implies is used by Charizards." Before Sycamore even finished, Charizard burst from his pokeball and stared at the stone with gleaming eyes.
"Grau!"
"Professor, this is my Charizard. As you can see, he's eager to try mega evolution." Ash laughed as he patted Charizard's head while Pikachu shook his.
"Oui, quite a powerful Charizard by the looks of him." Sycamore got up and gave Charizard a scholarly examination. "My, he's far bigger than a normal Charizard, and in exceptional health. He reminds me of my top student's Charizard."
"So Charizard can mega evolve with the Charizardite?"
"Well, not with the stone alone. As I said, it is one of three conditions that must be met. For the longest time this answer evaded me until the student I mentioned found it. The second component of mega evolution is an additional stone known as a keystone. This leads to the third component, that being a human trainer."
"Trainer." Ash's heart hastened and he listened closer with Charizard.
"Indeed, mega evolution can only occur with a pokemon who has a trainer, not wild pokemon. They keystone connects to the mega evolution stone and feeds it via the bond between the trainer and pokemon. Or at least this is my hypothesis. For all the research I've conducted so far points to the conclusion that mega evolution can only happen properly if a very strong bond exists between the trainer and pokemon."
At this, Ash, Charizard, and Pikachu shared passionate smiles and tried to contain their enthusiasm. Once Ash and Charizard's relation was rocky, but that was over five years ago. Now they were as thick as thieves.
"So where can we find these keystones?" Ash tried not to shout, but Sycamore's nervous sweatdrop and head-scratch deflated Charizard and him.
"That's the thing. I still haven't acquired one. My top student has found a keystone and even used it to mega evolve some of his pokemon. However, I cannot ask him to give it up. Still, he promised to look for another and send it to me."
"I understand." Ash sighed with Charizard but than patted his head with a determined smile. "We'll find one, Charizard, I promise."
"Pika."
"Grau!"
"I wanna see a pokemon mega evolve up close." Bonnie beamed much to Clemont's chagrin.
"Bonnie, weren't you listening? Professor Sycamore doesn't have a keystone."
"No, but I have the next best thing. A pokemon who has mega evolved before." Sycamore had to back up as all three of his guests sprung out of their chairs together. "Right this way then."
Sycamore led them deeper into the enclosure and Ash resisted the urge to check out many of the Kalos pokemon with immense strain. Bonnie, however, had no such qualms and chased after every cute pokemon they passed.
"So cute!"
"Bonnie, leave them alone." Clemont had to pull her away with his Aipom hand more than once. However, he yelped and staggered behind Ash when they reached their destination. An enormous Garchomp loomed over them. Her massive claws and fangs pointed toward them while a third lab assistant cleaned her.
"Say bonjour to Garchomp." Sycamore laughed and stroked her head. To Ash, Pikachu, and Charizard's surprise, the Garchomp licked Sycamore and nuzzled him. Ash knew Garchomps to be very aggressive and difficult to train. His own Garchomp had a knack for biting and eating everything he saw since he was a Gible. However, the female Garchomp before him acted as docile as an Eevee.
"Clemont, it's ok, she seems nice." Ash guided the trembling inventor closer until Garchomp licked his face.
"Cute!" Bonnie ran over and leaped into the Garchomp's arms and giggled as she got hugged back.
"This Garchomp is one of my top student's pokemon. While she out of his current rotation I've been trying to study her. Garchomp if you wouldn't mind."
"Grouu!" Garchomp lifted her tail up and revealed a metal bracer at the end with a familiar stone embedded inside. The stone was almost identical to the Charizardite Y, except purple instead of orange.
"Is that?" Ash started.
"Oui, Garchompite. I have pictures and videos of her mega evolved if you'd like to see them."
"Yes!" Ash shouted above Clemont and Bonnie.
"Grauu." Charizard growled at Garchomp and nudged at her stone with a pleading expression.
"Grouu." Garchomp giggled and explained to Charizard what it felt like to Mega Evolve. Just as Sycamore was about to lead them on, they heard the lab door open and Sophie's voice.
"Froakie, no! Come back!"
"Froak!" Ash's heart leaped when he saw Froakie hopping toward them, a furious expression across his face.
"Froakie, stop this instant." Sycamore tried to get in his path, but Froakie evaded him. Ash was likewise about to try and stop him when the strange premonition returned. Something, was amiss and Ash followed Froakie's stare toward the lab assistant behind Garchomp.
"Froak!" Froakie leaped up and tried to blast her with water gun but was too late. The woman moved aside then slapped a strange collar around Garchomp's neck.
"Grou?" Garchomp looked down at it, baffled until a red light lit up and the dragon pokemon cried out in agony.
"Garchomp! Susan what are you doing!?" Sycamore and Sophie cried together. The lab assistant flashed a malicious grin.
"What I came here to do." The woman whipped off her lab coat and sunglasses. Ash, Pikachu, Clemont, and Bonnie all gasped. The strange woman wore a red suit just like the figures that attacked them earlier. She also wore thick green shades that matched her short green hair and lipstick.
"Who are you, what have you done to Garchomp!?" Ash demanded while Pikachu and Charizard backed him up.
"I am scientist like dear Sycamore, only one far more capable. As for Garchomp, she will be coming with me, as will you Sycamore."
"A scientist. Wait a minute, you're Bryony! Those two thugs who attacks us earlier work for you!" Ash put the pieces together and saw Bryony adjust her shades.
"So, they did fail again. How disappointing. No matter, I'll deal with them later."
"You're not going anywhere, creepy lady! My big brother's gonna teach you a lesson!" Bonnie proclaimed and pointed her finger at Bryony who smirked.
"Is he now?"
"I, I." Sweat poured down Clemont's face as he legs wobbled.
"You're crazy if you think you're going to get away with this." Ash emphasized the dozens of Pokemon in the enclosure who swarmed and surrounded Bryony with fierce expressions. Despite this, her smile lingered.
"Crazy am I. Well you brats wanted to see mega evolution, didn't you." Strange cylindrical devices rose up from Bryony's back and Clemont gazed in awe.
"What are those?"
"Our latest experiment, observe." The devices lit up red and Garchomp's Garchompite likewise surged red.
"Grou!" Garchomp thrashed about as red energy surrounded her in a sphere.
"Garchomp, what are you doing to her!" Sycamore cried. Ash threw caution to the wind and flung himself on Garchomp. The young man seized the collar and pulled with all his might.
"Froak!" Froakie, Pikachu, and Charizard all joined in but to no avail and a burst of red energy hurled them off her.
"Ash!" Clemont and Bonnie yelped. Despite his pain, Ash got up and saw what became of Garchomp. She had transformed into a much larger and monstrous version of herself. Her body appeared contorted in a painful fashion, with blade shaped fins pointing forward, more spikes on her torso, and a narrower head.
"Garchomp." Ash muttered and he saw her eyes glow red.
"Behold, Mega Garchomp." Bryony laughed. However, Sycamore turned pale in utter horror.
"What have you done!? You can't force mega evolution!"
"I believe I just did. Now then, let's give her a try. Garchomp, use Dragon Rush."
"Grou!" The docile and sweet pokemon that stood before them just a minute ago was gone. A feral and bloodthirsty expression took over Garchomp's face as she glowed green and smashed through a dozen pokemon in her path, then tore a hole through the walls. The entire building shook with her charge and in the chaos, Bryony ensnared Sycamore in a pair of electronic shackles.
"Time to go profess-" Bryony had no time to finish before Ash delivered a punch to her shoulder. The woman yelped, taken aback by the power behind Ash's blow and staggered backward.
"Help him, Dedenne!"
"De!" Dedenne ran from Bonnie's pouch and zapped Sycamore's shackles, breaking the magnetic lock.
"Ahh, merci, Bonnie."
"Brat." Bryony clutched her shoulder and raced after Garchomp, disappearing through the hole.
"Garchomp!"
"Pika!"
"Grau!"
"Froak!" Ash and the others sprinted to the opening and saw Garchomp rampaging through the street at Bryony's command.
"Grou!" She slashed through a car, scattering people and pokemon alike.
"Halt!" Officer Jenny and two of her deputies blew their whistles and ran at controlled Pokemon with two of the white furred dog Pokemon and a strange pink slug dragon.
"Halt? Why would we halt the progress of science. Bulldoze." Bryony pointed at the police and Ash watched in horror as Garchomp snarled, then knocked them aside like dominos.
"Jenny!" Ash climbed onto Charizard with Pikachu and Froakie then flew down.
"Charizard Inferno!"
"Grau!" Charizard unleashed a firestorm in front of Garchomp, however, as Ash wanted, he merely kept Garchomp away from Jenny and her pokemon. Poor Garchomp was under Bryony's control and he did not want to hurt her.
"Hmp, this brat isn't my objective, let's get out of here, Garchomp." Bryony turned to leave with her prize and Ash grit his teeth.
"Officers injured, 'huff' we have a rampaging Garchomp, police inadequate, requesting army support." Jenny groaned into her radio before Charizard landed beside them.
"Officer Jenny, are you hurt?" He came down to check on her, but she waved him off.
"I'll be fine, but someone needs to stop that Garchomp."
"Yeah." Ash tightened his fist and saw Froakie charge after her. "Hold on, Froakie. It's too dangerous to go alone. Let us help you."
"Pika, Pikachu."
"Grauu."
Froakie gave as a skeptical look for a moment, but something clicked and he needed.
Elsewhere in Vaniville Town, Grace sipped on coffee as she and Fletchy sat on their couch and watched the news.
"Fletch!"
"Oh my, Serena come quickly, something unbelievable is happening in Lumiose City!"
"Really, that's funny because something unbelievable has happened to my face." Serena glared at her mother as she emerged from the kitchen with multiple bandages across her face. Grace turned away with sheepish a sheepish expression and took another sip. Serena set her water down on the coffee table and sat down beside Grace, still bitter about what happened in training.
"What's going on?"
"Well, your father called and told me to turn on the news. He's right there in the middle of it." Grace turned up the volume and saw Serena peer closer.
"We're right here in Lumiose city as an enhanced Garchomp continues her rampage through the streets. Local police are unable to stop her, so soldiers from the local army base have been deployed to contain the situation."
"Huh?" Serena muttered, fear and confusion in her voice.
Back in Lumiose, Ash, his Pokemon, Clemont, Bonnie, and Sycamore raced past fleeing people and pokemon in pursuit of Garchomp.
"Please, I'm going to pass out." Clemont pleaded but Ash did not slow down.
"Ahh, look!" Bonnie pointed to Prism Tower and Clemont seemed to find his second wind, for he sprinted ahead beside Ash with a gaunt expression.
"No!"
Ash and the others saw Garchomp scaling the tower with Bryony on her back while a vast crowd formed around the structure.
"Why would she take her there?" Ash asked.
"They don't have anywhere else to run." Sycamore pointed out formations of soldiers ahead of them. Dozens men and women in camo uniforms and red berets with numerous pokemon adorned in Kevlar among them blocked off every path of escape on the ground.
"The army, what are they going to do?" Ash felt his voice tremble a little. He saw a tall and broad middle-aged soldier in the nearest formation with honey-blonde hair listen on a radio.
"This is Lieutenant Philip, South Boulevard is secure. They're not getting out this way. Lieutenant Charlotte, North Boulevard is secure. Captain Pierre, Veneral Ave blocked off."
"Copy all, we've got them trapped. Standby for further orders." He set his radio down and stared at Garchomp with an intense gaze that frightened the young man.
"Colonel Yvonne, what are your orders?" A nearby soldiers asked.
"We have no choice, Prism Tower powers half of Lumiose. We have to bring that Garchomp down." He released a colossal Ryhperior who huffed and stepped up beside a Dragonite and Haxorus sent out by the other soldiers.
"Wait!" Ash sprinted over and threw himself in front of the Rhyperior who looked down at him and huffed.
"Eh? Why are you?" The Colonel likewise emphasized his height over Ash before his Pokemon joined him.
"You can't hurt Garchomp, it's not her fault, she's being controlled." Ash pleaded.
"Oui, he's right!" Sycamore forced his way through the formation and panted a little. "I'm Professor Sycamore. That Garchomp belongs to one of my students. A scientist is controlling her with an unknown device. Please, we need to help her."
"No, it's too dangerous to approach her up close. Only Army trained Pokemon can bring her down in a precision strike that won't damage Prism Tower."
"But if you hit her from up there, she'll fall and-" Ash could not even bring himself to finish that statement. He saw immense lament and regret in Colonel Yvonne's eyes and knew the soldier understood this.
"Oui. We'll do everything in our power to catch her, but we can't sit by and do nothing either. Or allow teenagers to put their lives at risk." He shot Ash an iron stare that made it clear he saw through to his intentions.
"Get them and the other civilians out of here."
"Oui, sir." A few soldiers forced Ash and his team away, but the Dragonite had to drag Froakie with immense difficulty. Ash shook in frustration and panic, unable to take his eyes off poor Garchomp. He heard Sycamore still pleading to Colonel Yvonne but to no avail.
"Psst, Ash. I know a way to get to her." Clemont whispered to Ash.
"Huh?"
"I know a secret entrance into Prism Tower."
"Great, we can. Hold on. How do you know a secret entrance?" Ash, Pikachu, and Charizard all stared at Clemont together with deep suspicion. The young inventor shrunk a little and tapped his pointer fingers together.
"Umm, well, I just sort of found it one day."
"Fine, let's get moving then." Ash still wanted to know how Clemont knew this and why he did not mention it earlier, but saving Garchomp was far more important.
"Let's go!" Bonnie cried before Clemont loomed over her.
"You're staying here." For the first time, Clemont carried an aura of power and authority to him that all but made Bonnie tremble. It took Ash but surprise, but nor was Clemont wrong either.
"He's right, Bonnie, it's too dangerous for you."
"Hmp." The little girl puffed up both cheeks and crossed her arms. At that, Ash followed Clemont down a hidden service tunnel that went underground, up a set of stairs, and came out on one of the external walkways near the top of Prism Tower.
"Woah?" Ash saw just how far up they were and the vast crowd beneath them.
"Careful." Clemont stuttered and clung himself to the wall. A light flashed upon them from a news helicopter, but Ash ignored them. Froakie had the same idea and charged ahead toward Garchomp who thrashed about further down the walkway. More red energy surged through her as she tried in vain to resist Bryony's control, however, all it did was induce more suffering.
"Fight all you want, you're mine. Now then, let's see if you can glide me past these stupid soldiers." Bryony took out a pair of binoculars and peered out at the various army checkpoints.
"Bryony!" Ash's voice jumped the odd woman who dropped her binoculars and turned to face him.
"You? I knew you were headstrong, but now I see you're just plain braindead. Brat."
"Let Garchomp go, no!"
"Pika!"
"Grau!"
"Froak!"
"Hmm." The cold ruthless smile returned to Bryony who adjusted her shades. "I think not."
Inside her Livingroom, Grace set her coffee down to keep it from spilling when she saw the latest report.
"Oui, ladies and gentlemen you're seeing this right. A pair of teenage boys and their pokemon are on top of Prism Tower confronting the rampaging Garchomp and the mysterious woman controlling her."
"What on Earth do they think they're doing-" Grace's motherly instincts kicked in when heard a clutter and saw Serena's water glass fall from her hand. Her daughter's eyes went wide as she stared at the raven-haired boy in a mixture of awe and disbelief.
"Serena, Serena are you ok?" Grace waved her hand in front of Serena's eyes, but she did not react.
"It couldn't be." She muttered.
Back on Prism Tower, Bryony aimed her remote at Garchomp and shocked her again.
"Dragon Claw."
"Dragon Tail, Iron Tail!"
"Grau!"
"Pika!" Pikachu leaped up and bashed Garchomp's left claw aside while Charizard likewise knocked her right one upward with his tail.
"Froak!" Froakie leaped up and unleashed a water gun attack into Garchomp, but it did little to no visible damage.
"No, Froakie, we need to get that collar off. Bunnelby, Mud Shot!" Clemont sent out his pokemon who leaped up and shot multiple bursts of dirt which had no effect on the collar.
"I'm afraid my technology is tougher than your puny little pokemon. Now, how about this, Bulldoze!"
"Bulldoze?!" Clemont and Ash yelped together. Their pokemon and Froakie yelped too, and watched Garchomp smash her feet into the walkway which cracked upon each step.
"Charizard, she'll bring the whole tower down!"
"Grau!" Charizard threw himself at Garchomp and tried to hold her in place. However, the strain made him sweat and tremble. Ash wondered just how strong the forced mega evolution made her. Almost as if to answer him, Garchomp threw Charizard backward and slashed his left wing twice with dragon claw.
"Grauu!"
"Charizard, Froakie, use your frupples on her eyes, Clemont have Bunnelby help."
"Right, Mud Shot!"
Ash felt the sensation again and saw Froakie obey him without hesitation. Bunnelby blasted Garchomp's face with bursts of dirt that forced her to use both arms as a shield. With Garchomp distracted, Froakie leaped off the side of Prism Tower and hurled some white frupples into her eyes.
"What the?" Bryony put more juice into her collar and Garchomp flailed about, smashing the wall to pieces.
"Iron Tail!"
"Pika chu!" Pikachu leaped up and smashed the collar with his tail. With that one strike, the collar snapped apart and fell from Garchomp's neck.
"Grou." Garchomp reverted to her base form, panting, dazed, and exhausted. She stumbled about then collapsed onto her side, unconscious.
"We did it!"
"Pika!"
"Grau!"
"Froak!"
"Hmm, how disappointing." Bryony adjusted her shades again and walked toward the ledge.
"Where do you think you're going!?" Ash growled, but then lost the ability to speak when she leaped off the tower.
"Ehh!?" Clemont yelped. However, their terror morphed into frustration when Bryony reappeared with a jetpack attached to her back.
"This is your one and only warning, brat. Stay out of our way, or face the consequences."
"Yeah, we'll see about-" Ash went dead silent again when he heard a cracking noise. The world slowed around him when he saw Pikachu had landed on a section heavily damaged by Garchomp. Before he could even speak, the walkway gave way and Pikachu fell.
"Pika!"
"Pikachu!" Without thinking, Ash dove after his partner and caught Pikachu in his arms. However, in doing so, he too fell from the ledge.
"Ash!" Clemont screamed. Charizard tried to fly after them, but his wing proved too injured and he collapsed beside Garchomp.
"Grau!" Charizard wailed. Froakie's eyes went wide and his mouth hung open, unable to comprehend what he just saw.
Grace thought much the same and dropped her coffee in a state of panic that the mother in her exacerbated. However, any fear she had was overshadowed by Serena who wailed as in a sense of terror and dread that Grace never heard from her daughter before.
"Ash!"
Ash and Pikachu descended toward the ground below. It was brash, reckless, and stupid. But Ash did not regret it. He could not just let Pikachu fall. Regardless of the consequences, Ash embraced Pikachu and braced himself for the impact. They heard the terrified shouts and screams from below when another voice entered his ears, but from where, he did not know.
"No."
A blinding blue light overtook Ash's senses and he opened his eyes just enough to see a figure propel itself from a rooftop and seize him in its arms. With unbelievable strength and speed, the pokemon skidded across the ground but was otherwise unharmed. Ash and Pikachu trembled in awe of their rescuer. He looked like a Lucario, but unlike any they had ever seen before. This strange Lucario was bigger, with longer cream fur and slimmed thighs. More spikes grew on the back of his paws which had turned crimson. The appendages on his head likewise grew longer with red ends.
"Lucario?"
"Pika?"
"Grouu!" The Lucario set Ash down then leaped up back onto the rooftop beside a figure cloaked in darkness, who seemed to stare at Ash before disappearing with his Pokemon. Ash and Pikachu wanted nothing more than to know who this man was and what happened to his Lucario, however, an uproar of applause swarmed over them.
"Pikachu, are you ok?"
"Pika!" Pikachu narrowed his eyes at Ash, apparently upset with how reckless his trainer acted even to save him. Ash sweat dropped with a sheepish grin.
"I couldn't just let you fall, buddy." Ash chuckled before Pikachu hugged him. Ash savored the moment before a sense of foreboding overtook them. All the color left their faces when they saw Colonel Yvonne loom over them with his Rhyperior. Both were red in the face and shook like volcanos ready to erupt.
"Uhhh, we stopped Garchomp." Ash and Pikachu sweat dropped together.
Grace almost collapsed back onto the couch and tried to steady her breathing with help from Fletchy. However, she soon saw the change in Serena's face too. The fear transformed into something Grace almost never saw in her daughter, passion. Serena wiped a tear away and smiled at the boy with a hint of pink in her cheeks.
"Hmm?" Grace muttered in intrigue.
That night, Ash lay in bed at Sycamore's lab. The professor managed to smooth things over with Colonel Yvonne, though how, Ash did not know. The colonel had looked ready to strangle him. Ash shivered a little and dreaded the idea of ever meeting him again. Ash imagined the scolding he would get from his mother when she found out. Despite this, Ash smiled when he saw Pikachu, fast asleep on the pillow beside his head. After all the excitement, he had trouble sleeping and stared out at the city of lights through the guest room window. Clemont and Bonnie returned to their home while Charizard rested in the lab with Garchomp as they recovered.
"Quite a first day in Kalos." Ash laid back and imagined all the excitement and challenges in their new journey. However, a knock on the window snapped him back to reality. Ash jumped out of bed when he saw the figure and his Lucario standing on the ledge.
"You!"
"Pika? Pika!" Pikachu likewise scrambled beside Ash as the window opened. A pair of brown eyes bore into Ash from behind the hood and cloth over his mouth.
"That was foolish of you, boy. Jumping off a tower like that." The sternness in his voice caught Ash off-guard and he struggled to find words.
"I, I was trying to help Pikachu-"
"You could have died! What were you thinking!?" The man's Lucario, now back to a normal Lucario's appearance tried to ease him. Ash, however, squared off to him with a defensive expression.
"I'll never sit by and let my pokemon get hurt like that, not matter the cost." Ash spoke louder than he intended and feared that Sycamore might wake up. However, the figure's eyes and stance eased.
"I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Ash." For a moment, Ash thought he heard pride in the man's voice.
"Thank you for saving us. But why did you, and how do you know my name?" Ash tried to read the man's eyes, but he evaded him.
"I did what any decent person would do. As for your name, well, I've seen you compete in a few Pokemon Leagues." The man kept his eyes off Ash and his tone made Ash skeptical of his answer.
"Who are you?" Ash clenched his teeth in frustration when the man once more refused to answer.
"Your Lucario, he mega evolved didn't he." Ash suspected as much even before the man nodded, but he and Pikachu gazed in awe of the Lucario.
"Ash, you've noticed something as of late, have you not. Premonitions whenever you're afraid that froakie." His eyes returned to Ash, who almost jumped.
"How, how did you know that?"
"I know because you and I are the same. We have a connection to aura. But you already knew this, did you not."
"Yes." Ash nodded. His journey to the Tree of Beginning and time with Riley back in Sinnoh gave him knowledge on aura, and the fact that he could wield it.
"Are you saying that this premonition is connected to my aura?"
"I am. It's the reason you bond with pokemon so quickly. The reason why you feel a connection to Froakie. The reason you risked your life without hesitation to save your Pikachu. Once you learn how to control your aura, you will unlock abilities not only in yourself but your pokemon that you never dreamed imaginable." The man sent Ash into a state of awe and wonder. Since he first learned about aura, he never put too much thought into it. But what if there was truth to all this? What if his aura was why Froakie listened to him.
"Why are you telling me all this?"
"Because I want you to reach your full potential." The man reached into his jacket and to Ash and Pikachu's shock, he took out a pokemon egg. The shell was white with light blue spots across it, and Ash sensed the same premonition within the unborn pokemon even before he touched it.
"A pokemon egg?"
"Yes, I want you to have it. He'll hatch when the time is right, and not a moment sooner. We will see each other again Ash." Then as fast as he appeared, the figure and his Lucario vanished into the night.
"Wait!" Ash and Pikachu raced to the window, careful with the egg, but saw no trace of the duo. Both then looked down at the egg.
"I wonder who it could be."
"Pika?"
Ash struggled to sleep for a while, but woke up refreshed nonetheless. He stood in the main lab area with Sycamore, his assistants, Bonnie, Clemont, and the pokemon. Garchomp almost knocked Ash down as she hugged and licked him.
"Ahh, you're welcome, Garchomp."
"Groo!" Garchomp soon ensnared Pikachu too and gave Charizard an apologetic nuzzle.
"She's nice again." Bonnie beamed.
"Ash, Clemont, I cannot thank you both enough. I'd never forgive myself if something happened to Garchomp on my watch." Sycamore stroked the dragon pokemon's head as she turned her affection onto him.
"It was the right thing to do." Ash said in a confident, yet humble tone.
"I mean, I just sort of showed Ash the way." Clemont muttered before Ash wrapped his arm around him.
"You were just as important, Clemont." Ash assured him, and the inventor trembled.
"Now then. I suppose you ought to get underway with your journey." Sycamore handed Ash his new pokedex, which he almost snatched in excitement.
"Right, to Santalune City!"
"Pika!"
"Grauu!"
"Umm, Ash." Clemont's stutters worsened and he shook.
"I wondered, if um."
"We wondered if we could travel with you. My big brother needs to become a stronger trainer. If he travels with you, he could. Plus, I wanna see all of Kalos." Bonnie grinned and Clemont nodded.
"I'd love to have you two along." Ash laughed without hesitation. His acceptance of their companionship took Clemont off-guard but Bonnie jumped up and grabbed him.
"This is it brother!"
"Be sure to keep in touch with me Ash and let me know if you find a keystone or other trainers who can mega evolve."
"We will professor, just be sure to share anything with Oak." Ash turned to leave when he found his path blocked by none other than Froakie.
"Ehh? Froakie, is everything ok?"
The small water frog stared up at Ash with an intense gaze and looked conflicted. Ash sensed the premonition again and Pikachu leaned closer with a hopeful smile.
"Pika, Pikachu."
"Froak." Froakie said with a nod.
"Pika!" Pikachu nudged Ash who grinned in understanding.
"Well, I don't believe it. You've gained Froakie's trust, how about that. Take good care of him." Sycamore laughed.
"We'll grow stronger together." Ash took out a pokeball and tapped it against Froakie's outstretched fist. Froakie went inside and after a few moments, the pokeball sparkled.
"Alright, I caught my first Kalos pokemon, Froakie!"
"Pika!"
"Grauu!"
Back in Vaniville Town, Grace lamented as she watched Serena emerge from the staircase dressed in a black top, red skirt, pink hat, and matching handbag/backpack.
"Are you sure about this, Serena? You never showed much interest in being a trainer before last night." Grace blinked when she saw the fiery enthusiasm in Serena's eyes and smile.
"Oui, mama! I'll find my path when I begin my journey!" Serena's passion took Grace by surprise, and with a deep breath she pulled her into a hug.
"Be safe and call your father too. Also, don't forget to keep training on rhyhorn racing."
"Right." Serena's enthusiasm waivered when Grace mentioned the bit and after a goodbye to her mother's rhyhorn, she raced through Vaniville town heading north toward Lumiose city.
"I'll find you Ash."
Author's note
So a few changes from the anime, I'll let you guys decide if they were for the better.
For those interested, I have more chapters of this story uploaded on my watt padd account Fictionknight2 if you would like to read ahead. On that note, if anyone is interested. I have also published an original story there called Righteous Ambitions: A King's Journey. It is an original story, world, and characters made by me. The story is inspired by Spanish history and takes a lot of inspiration from anime like One Piece, Fairy Tail, and things like that. If you are not interested, I understand, but if you are, please consider giving it a chance and letting me know what you think of it. I put a lot of work into it and feel passionate about the world and would one day like to see it published.
So until next time,
Please review, comment, suggest, or ask (VIA PM)