"I'm still wondering what you're doing for my birthday," Togekiss hinted.
Misty winked. "Not telling, dear."
"Aww… come on, please?"
"Don't think you'll win me over that easily," Misty said. "What kind of trainer would I be if that was all it took?"
"A nice one?" Togekiss tried.
"Sorry, not happening. You'll have to wait, like all of us."
Tokekiss drooped. "Aww…"
"Besides," Misty went on. "I don't know which of Ash's ideas is going to happen. He's the one organizing it."
"But he left ten minutes ago! He's going to be out of the region by now!"
"Which means you don't have anyone to pester," Misty pointed out.
Meanwhile, Brock looked back and forth between his recipe book and the big pot on the stove. (The stove was Charizard.)
"Do you think this will be enough?" he asked Pikachu and Geodude.
"Given how many guests are coming?" Pikachu asked. "As in, Ash is inviting all his Pokémon, including five Tauros?"
He peered inside the big pot.
"...yeah, probably, since that's just the sauce," he decided. "Just do an absolutely massive amount of rice."
"Should be fine as long as you do lots and lots of rice," Geodude passed on. "Good enough?"
"Good enough for me," Pikachu confirmed.
I can give you the numbers, Psyduck said, waddling over with a big pack of rice balanced on his head. I double checked them myself.
"Are you sure?" Brock said. "Meaning no offence, but… you're Psyduck."
Are you sure you meant the first part of that sentence?
"All of your Pokémon? Really?" Professor Oak asked.
"That's right!" Ash replied, from the other end of the phone call. Dexter was placing it, and Ash was looking into the camera, though he was rocking up and down a bit. "Though, uh, not just yet? I'm sort of in mid-air here."
"Why, though?" Professor Oak said. "It's your choice, of course, I'm just… surprised."
"It's because of Misty's Togepi," Ash told him. "I'm not sure if you checked that one, but… she evolved to Togetic before Misty released her, then Togekiss before we came back in time, and it's just about the time she originally hatched. So we're celebrating her evolving, and her birthday, and it's…"
Ash shrugged. "Maybe sort of a thing about how we're safely here? It's a bit of a lot of things."
"Togekiss… let's see," Professor Oak said, then brought up the pictures. "Togepi, Togetic… and this photo's not one of the data dump, that's from a few days ago. Is that her, then?"
"That's right," Ash confirmed. "Dawn will have a Togekiss as well, but that one's… really complicated."
"Well, she does look like a lovely Pokémon," Oak said. "All right, I'll let them know. All five Tauros?"
"Up to them, I guess," Ash replied. "The two who didn't get reminded might not want to turn up… how are they getting on?"
"They're destroying a lot of the fences and causing the occasional earthquake… why did you teach them Fissure?"
"I didn't, they worked that one out on their own," Ash replied.
"Hmm," Oak responded, wondering if it was the herd leader who seemed to have better aim than the others.
"Oh, looks like we're nearly there, got to go!" Ash warned. "I think it's that one, Pidgeot!"
Pidgeot said something.
"Well, I don't know, maybe it's the other one then..."
"Glad you could make it!" Misty said, nodding to Jessie, James, Meowth and their Pokémon. (You couldn't really include Meowth in 'their Pokémon'.) "You're well tanned!"
"We were in hiding, is what we were!" James replied. "Hopefully that dreadful woman's moved on by now. We couldn't do anything because when we do we end up on the news!"
Calm down, James, Abra advised. We managed it, didn't we?
"I certainly hope so," James sighed.
Jessie put a finger to her lips. "Hmm. Isn't the Princess Tournament in a few days?"
"Of course!" Misty agreed. "I'm well aware you'll have more powerful options, now, but don't expect me to not defend my honour!"
"You know, it ain't normal for someone ta do the exact same contest twice in a row ta try and defend their honour of winnin' it the first time," Meowth said.
"I think somehow we're going to end up doing that a lot," James replied.
Togekiss floated down from overhead. "It's been a while hasn't it?"
"Wow, you've grown!" Meowth said, closing his eyes. "I remember back when you hatched, uh… later today? You were so tiny."
"And unpredictable," Jessie said.
"Yeah, did ya only know Metronome?" Meowth said.
"I think so," Togekiss replied. "I eventually learned Charm, though. And then Safeguard, and after becoming the Kingdom's protector I learned several more moves."
"It ain't like I can complain," Meowth shrugged. "Took me years ta learn anything that ain't just talkin'."
At that point, Ash arrived on Pidgeot, and then so did several more Pokémon including five rowdy Tauros.
After everyone had had a chance to talk a bit, Ash cleared his throat, then flicked an Aura Sphere into the air to get everyone's attention.
"So!" he said. "I know we were keeping Togekiss in the dark about her main gift, and… we're about to eat, right?"
"That's right," Brock confirmed. "Main course is ready!"
"There we go, then!" Ash said. "Now, I invited all my Pokémon, and some of you know who's missing."
He held up a Pokéball, and Ho-Oh came out.
Brock nearly dropped the empty rice pot. Team Rocket looked like they were contemplating gibbering.
"You never mentioned that, mama!" Togekiss gasped.
"Thank you for letting me out, Ash," Ho-Oh said. "It was my first time in one of those long-term, and it's an interesting experience."
"You could have come out any time, but thanks for waiting," Ash replied. "And thanks especially for making this a birthday to remember for Togekiss!"
"That is my pleasure," Ho-Oh replied, then spread his wings.
He took off, but only slightly, and floated through the air before alighting next to Togekiss.
"Hmm," he said. "Yes. Ash was right."
"About what?" Togekiss asked, still shocked.
"Faithful guardian of the innocent," Ho-Oh began. "Protector of those who could not protect themselves, and child of faith and fortune alike."
He stretched out his wing, and gently touched Togekiss all along the leading edge of her wing. There was a rainbow light display from the contact, and Togekiss blinked several times.
Then she inhaled, and blew out a thin stream of rose fire.
"Sacred Fire," Ho-Oh explained, with a solemn bow. "It is mine to give, and there is a symbolic weight in bestowing it to one of you time travellers, and you are a protector true who can make good use of it."
Then he turned. "And now, I was promised food."
Brock pointed. "But-guh-wha-how?"
"What?" Misty asked, sweetly. "Did we forget to mention that bit?"
"I did say Ho-Oh had recognized me as being of the Line of Cameran," Ash provided. "I meant it."
"So Ash did see Ho-Oh on his first day as a trainer?" Brock asked. "You mean I'm catering for a legendary Pokémon? An adult Legendary Pokémon?"
"At least you prepared enough," Psyduck said.
Professor Oak didn't actually wear glasses, so he couldn't do the scientist standard of taking them off, cleaning them, and putting them back on to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was seeing.
It was certainly very tempting to, though.
Ho-Oh! Ho-Oh hadn't shown up on the registry systems, either, so it had been a complete surprise – especially as Ash explained how he'd caught the Fire-type as literally his first Pokémon capture, before he'd even reached Viridian.
Dexter was probably involved in that, really.
Speaking of which…
Professor Oak muted the phone call microphone.
"Is there someone there who can understand this question?" he asked.
...I believe so, a voice replied. Good morning, Professor Oak. Do you have a name assigned for me?
Oak thought about that, for a long moment.
Dexter and Dee were both D-names, in keeping with their status as Pokédexes. And it felt right to keep up the theme.
Hadn't Ash mentioned one that would do?
"...Damos," he said. "The name originally belonged to a brave and wise man from the distant past."
Searching… I have located the appropriate file. Thank you.
"Then allow me to say, Damos – this is now your home, just as much as it has been mine."
He smiled, at the camera.
...yes, the right camera, this time. He'd checked.
I'm home, Damos said.
"Welcome home," Professor Oak replied, completing the ad-hoc little ritual.
"Thank you for the invitation," Ho-Oh said, as the sun set. "I can't decide if it was the food or the company that was better."
"Thank you," Togekiss replied. "For… I'm still coming to terms with it."
"It was a moment as good as any to affirm my commitment to our common goal," Ho-Oh responded. "And you most assuredly deserved it… but I will now take my leave. Live well, all of you."
Ho-Oh, the Storm's End, took off with a pair of powerful wingbeats and flew into the air with a sparkling wind behind him.
"Now, ain't dat just touching?" Meowth said, scratching irritably at something in his eye.
Yes, that was all it was. Really. Honest. Stop looking at him like that. Nothing to do with emotions at all.
You're not convincing anyone, you know.
Meowth scowled. "Shouldn't ya be asleep?"
Not while I'm eating. This food's amazing.
"Ah, welcome to the Queen of the Princess Festival contest!" the administrator said, at the Princess Festival. "I assume you're here to watch?"
"Actually, I was wondering," Ash admitted. "Is this a Contest contest, or just a tournament?"
"A tournament," the administrator replied. "...you're not planning on entering, are you?"
Ash shook his head. "No way, I'm here to watch! Misty's the one who's entering."
"That's right!" Misty said.
She paused, and looked at Ash. "And where's my shopping? I definitely kept giving it to you."
Ash held open his pouch. "It's in here, this gets larger every day. I'm glad there's this neat little Aura effect that makes it easier to find what you're after, or I'd never find my pyjamas…"
"Right," Misty said. "So… I'm wondering who to use…"
Ash reached into the pouch up to about his shoulder, then pulled out a large blackboard.
Misty blinked. "Um. How did that work?"
"It was my idea!" Riolu contributed.
"Well-" Ash began, then saw they were getting in the way of sign-ups and shifted them all over to the side. "Sorry. Anyway, the hard part was getting the blackboard in… but, uh, Jessie has Arbok, Cubone, Meowth, Abra, Growlie and Weezing available, and she might have Lickitung but I haven't seen them yet. Which is weird, really… anyway, I guess think about who you have to deal with those."
"Right," Misty said. "Starmie's got good coverage… Togekiss? Do you mind battling?"
"Not at all," Togekiss replied, landing on Misty's head until she got swept up in a cuddle. "But I'm not going to use Sacred Fire here for all sorts of reasons."
Misty smiled. "I understand, sweetie. I'm grateful for the help anyway… hmm, Ninetales, do you want to get involved?"
Ninetales leaped out of her Pokéball. "I would," she said.
"She would," Brock relayed, but Misty was looking at Ninetales in great surprise.
"I actually got that," she said.
"There you go!" Ash smiled. "You and Brock should be able to understand anyone from the group soon enough."
"I'm interested in taking part again, if that counts," Pikachu said.
"Oh," Ninetales added. "And I should mention… I think I've finally figured out Dark Pulse."
Riolu practically fell off his perch. "Teach me!"
"Maybe later," she laughed.
We won't bother with the early rounds.
It would be a bit mean.
"Fancy meeting you here," Misty said, facing Jessie across the field for the finals.
What do you expect? Psyduck asked, from the sidelines. That's just how the world works, isn't it? Name me any situation where you wouldn't have imagined this would happen.
"Pardon?" Ash asked.
Oh, just that in any competently seeded tournament the main characters always end up in the finals. Nothing important.
Jessie moved first, sending out her starter Pokémon. "Arbok!"
Misty replied by pointing forwards as a signal. "Togekiss!"
Togekiss had been staying out of her Pokéball for the last few hours, admiring the scenery and appearing in plenty of photos, but at Misty's command the Jubilee Pokémon banked around and shot forwards onto the stage.
"Remember, guys, don't break the stage," Brock warned, as Togekiss dodged away from a Poison Sting attack. "And don't aim too high, either."
I'm handling catching stray attacks, Psyduck passed on. But yes, don't overwork me.
Energy flowed over Togekiss' form, and a rock formed in front of her. "Ancientpower!"
The rock flew straight at Arbok, who didn't dodge, and bounced off his nose.
Mostly because it was about the size of a single bean.
Jessie blinked. "...that's it?" she asked, as Togekiss kept beaning Arbok in the nose with tiny Ancientpower pebbles. "That looked like Ancientpower, not something that weak."
"It is Ancientpower!" Misty replied, smirking. "What you should be asking yourself is, what can Serene Grace do with that kind of move?"
Arbok got it first.
"Oh, why me?" he asked, glancing down at the stage.
The stage which he wasn't allowed to Dig into.
"Togekiss, Stored Power!" Misty called.
The actual rocks had been a sideshow. Togekiss had been using Ancientpower for the side effects, which made her stronger, and which was greatly amplified by Stored Power.
The blast knocked Arbok flying, and he cleared the stage at about a foot above Jessie's head height. He did a twist, then landed on a convenient tent, and the organizer waved his hand.
"Arbok is defeated by Ring Out! Misty is ahead by one, and one step closer to meeting me!"
"Why is that a prize, again?" Ash asked.
"That's Fiorella Cappucino," Brock replied. "He's supposed to be a real pick-me-up for girls."
"I don't get it myself," Misty muttered. "Okay, who's next?"
Jessie snapped her fingers.
Then she snapped them again.
Meowth sighed, and flicked a Luxury Ball with his claws.
Alright, already, Abra muttered, appearing on-stage in a flash of light.
"Ooh, nice," Riolu observed. "Anyone got some cards I can hold up?"
The Psychic-type raised his hands, and opened his eyes. They swirled for a moment, then a red glow built up around him that matched the one around Togekiss.
Uh oh, Dexter said.
Brock and Riolu sidled out of the way a bit.
"What's up?" Ash asked.
I think that was Psych Up, which copies whatever powerups the target has, Dexter explained.
Ash made sure his hat was firmly on his head.
Misty hadn't heard, and pointed. "Start with an Air Slash!"
Abra formed a Reflect wall, then teleported away from Togekiss's point of aim.
"Huh," Misty frowned, as the Air Slash went straight through the Reflect – just as she'd expected, but making her wonder why Abra had done it. "Another Air Slash, then? And, uh, Stored Power!"
Togekiss used both attacks in quick succession, but each time Abra just teleported out of the way after making another Reflect wall, and Misty clenched her fist.
"Swift!" she said.
Togekiss fired out a barrage of Swift stars, but Abra teleported out of the way – and appeared directly behind Togekiss. A whole collection of his Reflect walls came with him, forming a kind of multi-layered wall, and he gestured.
The whole group of them expanded outwards, and catapulted Togekiss out of the arena.
"Okay, what was that?" Misty demanded.
Fling, probably, Abra replied, shrugging.
Misty looked around to make sure Togekiss was okay – then, seeing that the Flying-type had recovered, held up a borrowed Pokéball. "Ninetales!"
Ninetales landed with a delicate thump of paws on the stage, rolled her neck, then smiled pleasantly.
"Dark Pulse," she said.
Abra teleported away, but Ninetales had released it as a pulse – a wave of energy that spread out in all directions, much weaker than the more typical focused version of the attack but one which actually had a good chance of hitting Abra. It did so, locking down his powers for a moment and messing with his teleportation, and Ninetales directed a Flamethrower at her target.
This time Abra most certainly did use the right kind of shield, projecting himself a Light Screen that he used to break up the force of the Flamethrower, then once his teleport was working he blinked away again.
Another Dark Pulse hit him, interfering with his shield and messing with his teleportation, and once more Abra had to fort up behind a Light Screen to avoid being blasted.
"Look out!" Jessie called.
Abra looked around at her. Look out for what? Most of what I can see is fire!
One of Ninetales' tails wrapped around his own.
"Light Screen doesn't stop my very much physical tails," she pointed out, sweetly, then hit Abra with another Dark Pulse and whip-cracked her tail to throw Abra out of the arena.
"Are we going to get a defeat that isn't a ring out?" Jessie asked, reaching for another Pokéball.
"That's up to you as much as me!" Misty retorted.
Cubone appeared in a flash, and plucked a sort of sharp, curved blade out of thin air.
"Watch out, I'm not sure what sort of bone that is," Misty warned Ninetales.
"Hmm," Ninetales mused, tilting her muzzle, then her eyes glowed as she used Extrasensory. Cubone spun the blade in a blur, absorbing and deflecting the Psychic attack at the same time, and the Fire-type nodded.
"Liepard?" she asked.
"Correct," Cubone replied. "Do not think to best me with fire, or with psychic tricks, kitsune. I am one of those who has been touched by death's messenger, and I am still here."
"Oh, I don't think I can fight you with psychic tricks," Ninetales replied, glancing up at the sky, and sniffed. "Or fire… not directly, anyway."
She inhaled, then spread all her tails out at the same moment as she used Flamethrower. Her eyes glowed yellow, and the flames spread out and lost their intensity – but they covered the whole arena.
And she didn't let up.
"Uh," Ash said, stepping back from the sudden wash of heat. "She does know we're not supposed to damage the arena, right?"
"I'm more concerned about how I can't see," Pikachu said, squinting. "That's not just flames, that's Smokescreen. How are we supposed to see to fight Cubone under these conditions?"
Dexter manifested his projected body, and sent out lidar beams for a moment. Hmm. Large thermal currents detected… Psyduck, you've got your ability suppressed, correct?
What kind of quack do you take me for? Psyduck asked. ...wait, don't answer that.
Flashes of light and rumbling booms came from the battlefield, followed by a meaty THWACK and Ninetales went flying out of the arena.
Brock caught her, which was quite difficult.
"Thank you, and sorry," Ninetales said, getting off her flattened trainer. "Ow. She's got a strong right arm, hasn't she?"
She rubbed her flank with several of her tails, then turned her attention to Misty. "Starmie should go next. She's got a good set up now."
The flame and smoke were clearing, drawn upwards by the currents of rising hot air that Ninetales had set up, and Misty frowned. "Well, I guess if you say so… really? Didn't Cubone have something that was blocking your psychic attacks?"
"Yes, but, well… you'll see," Ninetales said. "Isn't it such a humid afternoon?"
Cubone spun her Liepard-tail scimitar, aiming to shield herself.
What was that Ninetales playing at? The flames had been impressive, and a reasonable distraction, but the Fire-type hadn't been able to slip behind her for an Extrasensory.
Then something hit her on the nose, with a plink.
Plink. Plink.
Cubone looked around for the source, then looked up.
"And… cue the rain."
The heavens opened.
"This is really impressive," Pikachu said. "I didn't see the Rain Dance at all."
"That's because there wasn't one," Ninetales replied. "Riolu told me about her unusual ability. Even when she's not fully using them, it was reflected in the world around us, and I noticed that when I sniffed the air… after all, the sky Riolu saw was overcast. The metaphor for that is holding back tears, so there's clouds nearly ready to rain."
She flicked her tails. "That meant all I had to do was to provide an upcurrent of air, and it all came right out."
"Nice," Togekiss declared, her own eyes glowing as she did her best to use Extrasensory and shield most of the participants and spectators. "I'm impressed!"
"Ninetales have to plan ahead," Ninetales replied, with a shrug. "I've got centuries to learn, but I may as well get started."
"Starmie, Surf!"
Cubone just about heard the order over the rain, and lined up for just a moment before flinging her Thick Club directly at Starmie. It hit with a whack, then came back, and Cubone didn't bother catching it as it splashed into the surging water.
She still wanted to have her scimitar ready in case Starmie tried something Psychic-typed, but if she was going to deal with a Water-type then she wanted a different weapon.
The problem was, she wasn't quite sure what a Starmie could do. They didn't really have bones at all, and so they could have a varied toolkit of moves…
"Bonemerang!" she decided, falling back on a more normal tactic, and twisted through the torrent of water to get a good throwing position. It wasn't forcing her back, at least, so she didn't have to throw any further, and she let out a huff of effort as she manifested first one bone and then another before throwing them at Starmie.
Starmie opened fire with a barrage of Ice Beam and Psybeam attacks, hitting the construct bones and destroying them, but not actually doing anything to Cubone… not beyond the rain-boosted Surf, anyway. So-
"Jessie is out her third Pokémon and down to one left!" the announcer said.
Cubone blinked.
What?
Was the man blind?
Then her foot slipped off the stage.
She dropped her scimitar, and Abra caught her before she hit the ground.
"What happened?" she demanded, without preamble.
The wave swept you out of the arena, Abra replied. Starmie was moving forwards so you wouldn't notice you were going backwards. I have to say I'm impressed with the drainage here.
Cubone slumped. "Another ring out?"
Well, we're all friends here, for… some reason.
The Ground-type snorted.
"How do I stop that happening again?" she asked. "The rain, I mean."
Not sure, Abra admitted. I overheard how Ninetales did it though. My best guess is that you have to mourn your dead?
"I have," Cubone insisted. "That's why I want to stay strong so it never happens again."
Abra spread his hands. Think about what I said.
Then he sat down and fell asleep.
Jessie held out her final Pokéball, and Ash blinked, then closed his eyes. "...huh."
"What?" Brock asked, then Jessie sent out Lickitung.
"I can't see them in Aura sight, or, just normally," Ash explained. "I don't think I can remind them. I officially have no idea how this works."
"Use the same move Lickitung always use!" Jessie commanded.
Lickitung got the point, lashing his tongue out in a Lick, and wrapped Starmie up to paralyze them.
"What?" Misty asked. "But I had Starmie use… camouflage… oh when she did the arena was soaked, not a town square, so she didn't get Normal. I feel like an idiot now!"
"You should!" Jessie replied. "Lickitung, throw Starmie out of the arena!"
Lickitung did just as instructed.
Ash sent out Pidgeot to handle catching duties, since it looked like Lickitung had flung Starmie at a window.
"Well, it's down to a one on one," Misty said. "After six ring outs in a row. Pikachu, you're up!"
Pikachu sprang forwards, paws splashing on the still-damp stage, then rolled his neck. "Okay, let's see what you've got.
What Lickitung had was a licky tongue, as it turned out.
Bzzzrp.
"Oh, huh," Misty said. "Turns out tongues are conductive! I guess it makes sense. Thanks, Pikachu!"
Pikachu went bounding over to Lickitung. "You know, it doesn't feel right without a ring out."
He lifted.
"...ow," he decided. "Lickitung is heavier than I was expecting…"
"Lift with your legs!" Ash advised.
Pikachu wobbled a bit, then managed to get Lickitung close enough to the edge to actually drop the Pokémon and have them flop over the edge.
"I do not know Strength," he decided.
"Well, that didn't go too bad," Meowth said.
"We lost," Jessie replied.
"Yeah, but I didn't personally get nearly drowned or thrown a long way or set on fire or electrocuted or any of those things, so it went pretty well I think!" Meowth replied.
Jessie grumbled something. "I should have used Growlie…"
"Nah, that ain't for him," Meowth shrugged. "Besides, he's off havin' a date now, though I guess he could'a taken part in the battle. Just dat they'd both do ring-out if he went against Ninetales."
"Hey, Jessie!" Misty called. "Wait up!"
Jessie turned, surprised, and saw that Ash and Charizard were following the Gym Leader. And carrying Misty's prizes from the tournament.
"Sorry, I can't remind Lickitung," Ash informed them. "No idea why."
"I was thinking," Misty explained. "Last time, the only thing I did with these was rub them in my sisters' faces… metaphorically, not literally. And that was a much better battle than the whole rest of the tournament… so I'd like you to have them!"
Jessie gasped. "Thank you! This is even better than if we'd ambushed you in the night and taken them!"
Misty wasn't quite sure how to react to that.
"Oh, we should tell you," James added, as Jessie stacked all the boxes in his arms one at a time until his voice was muffled. "The Boss is still running the Mewtwo program. We'll keep you updated – and give you a good challenge at Viridian Gym!"
"So, you've arrived," said the young man – Ieyasu, Aaron thought. "Let me test your bonds of friendship."
"Friendship, is it?" Sir Aaron replied. "I think I can test that."
He focused his Aura, and held out both hands.
"Sacred Sword," he murmured, and crafted two weapons. One was white, one was black, but they were otherwise perfect copies of one another.
Then he threw them at Ieyasu.
The young man took that as the beginning of their battle, and the gauntlets on his fists glowed with yellow light. He flung himself forwards, aiming for the gap between Aaron's blades and already ready to punch, but the blades changed course and landed glancing blows on both his flanks.
Then they were past him, but curling around like boomerangs, and Aaron formed another pair of curved falchions. A moment, and they flew as well, and now Ieyasu was having to deal with four Aura-crafted weapons at the same time – moving in trajectories that were impossible to predict with so little experience, as each white weapon exerted a magnetic pull on both the black weapons and each black weapon tugged on both white ones in turn.
Ieyasu's charge had stopped entirely, and he'd switched to calling up the golden light he wielded to defend himself.
That was perfectly all right with Sir Aaron. This technique had made him famous, but it was also hard to do properly.
"Sacred Sword," he said, again, and another pair of weapons appeared. This time he tossed them both into the air, for a Swords Dance, and they glowed with dangerously unstable light as he brought them ready.
The last time he'd done this, it had won a battle against an entire high command. It had ended a war.
It had given its name to the whole battle.
He directed the movement of the other four with little movements of his third and last pair of Sacred Swords. "Truth that sees through all disguise. Ideals that make friends and brothers. We fight as one, no matter how far we are apart."
He took a single sharp breath, then lunged. "Crane Wing!"
All six weapons crashed down on Ieyasu in the same instant, and there was a flare of white and black light that was answered by a brilliant flash of gold.
Splinters of shattered Aura rained down around them, and when the light cleared enough to see Sir Aaron found that his opponent was still standing.
Technically.
The young Tokugawa clan leader had his hands on his knees, unable to properly support himself after the exhaustion of deflecting the attack.
"I'm… most impressed, Sir Aaron," Ieyasu declared. "I find myself unable to fight. But I must insist that you battle my champion as well. Once that formality is over, we can unite this land together with the power of our bond, and rid it of the violence that has plagued it!"
"Of course," Sir Aaron agreed. "Where is he?"
There was a massive BOOM next to them, and the ground shook.
"Oh, really?" Sir Aaron asked.
Over six metres of giant metal second in command took a ready stance.
"Dialga, what are you doing here?" Aaron asked.
"Playing a role. Why?"
"Oh, never mind," Sir Aaron shrugged.
AN:
Yes, I did give Togekiss Sacred Fire. Why? Because she's another Pokemon we haven't seen for a while, and because… well, it seemed fitting for a Pokémon able to benefit from Serene Grace.
And the (strange) place Sir Aaron and the Space-time dragons are is the world of Sengoku Basara. 3, specifically. It's an utterly lunatic place where Oda Nobunaga is from hell, Hideyoshi Toyotomi is forty feet tall and can punch away the sea, and Ieyasu Tokugawa unites Japan by punching every single Japanese person in the face.
Oh, and Honda Tadakatsu is a Gundam.
The attack Sir Aaron used, though, is from Fate/Stay Night, as are the swords, Kanshou and Bakuya. I'm expanding on the way I see Sacred Sword, so that it's basically the ability to manifest a Noble Phantasm.
The "I'm home"/"Welcome home" exchange, or "Tadima"/"Okerai nasai", is a deep rooted part of Japanese culture. It's different if the place is just somewhere you live, for example, instead of your home, and that's what I'm trying to capture here.
Rewriting here included redoing the Jessie-Misty battle.