When Ash and Kurt along with Officer Jenny arrived in police station, they again explained everything that happened, and Kurt also mentioned the boss of the Rocket grunts, as he forgot about him earlier.
He said that it was a guy with a mask, and what he looks like with that mask, and his clothing, so Ash was able to figure out who he is, and got angry because this was to be a third time he runs into the guy, and swore next time he sees him, he will stop him for good, as he was getting annoyed by the guy, and the ruthless methods he uses to acquire what he wants.
After it was all over, and both of them explained everything, Officer Jenny let them go, and Kurt went to his house (while being followed by Marauder, who arrived in front of the station before Kurt and Ash left, and was waiting for them), while Ash went to the Pokémon Center to reunite with the others, and finally see Leaf after a long time.
Once he finished in the police station and arrived in the Pokémon Center, the sun has already passed the horizon, and was close to dark, so he went to the room the others took after he found out from Nurse Joy which rooms they got, and in which room Leaf was.
Ash got in the room that Brock got for the two of them, and knocked so Brock will open and let him in, but Brock apparently wasn't inside, so he went to the room where Misty and Serena were to see if he was there, but they were also gone, so he assumed they were all in Leaf's room, so he went there and knocked, and few seconds later, the door opened, and the next moment Ash found himself lying on his back on the floor, with someone's lips on top of his, kissing the hell out of him.
Ash looked at who was lying on top of him and kissing him, and saw Leaf was the one, with her eyes closed and without a care if someone is watching or not. Not that he cared himself, it was just surprising she just jumped at him like that.
And someone was watching, actually. Ash noticed Misty, Serena and Brock standing on the door behind Leaf, and glaring at him. Misty and Serena with blushes on their faces, while Brock was actually crying, though not as much as he would in this situation about 6 months ago.
After what felt like eternity, Leaf pulled back from the kiss, and Ash almost groaned, because he really wanted her to continue, but then he caught himself, and realized there is time for that some other time, when they are alone, and not in the hall of the Pokémon Center.
"That was one hell of a welcome, Leaf," Ash said, after he got up, and looked at Leaf's blushing face. "Not that I mind of course."
"Who would mind?" They all heard Brock mumbled slowly, as he was walking back into the room.
"Well, I missed you," Leaf said with a pout, as she and the others entered inside of the room after Brock, and closed the door. "And I guess I couldn't stop myself."
"Ok, well, next time don't even try to stop yourself," Ash said with a smirk that made Leaf blush again, and then he looked at Misty. "You shouldn't try to stop yourself as well, Misty."
"W-Wh-What," Misty stuttered? "What m-makes you think I want to k-k-kiss you?"
Ash smirked even more, and then approached right in front of Misty, took her by her chin, lifted her head a little and then kissed her just like Leaf kissed him earlier. Only without falling on the floor.
After few seconds of this, Misty went limp, and Ash caught her before she could fall on the floor, and saw she passed out. "God damn it," he yelled! "Is she going to pass out every time I tease her or kiss her?"
"Most likely," Brock said, as he, Serena and Leaf were watching Ash play with Misty.
Ash placed Misty on Leaf's bed, and said. "That needs to stop. She's my girlfriend, she shouldn't pass out every time I do or say something to her."
"Then stop doing it." Serena said with a shrug, acting like she didn't care, but on the inside, she wanted Ash to kiss her like that as well.
"Fuck no," Ash said, and the others looked surprised by his words. "I'm going to start training her."
"What do you mean?" Leaf asked.
"If you have a weakness to something, you learn to control it, or lose it, and I'm going to kiss and tease Misty every day until she gets used to it, and stops passing out." Ash explained.
"Are you serious?' Serena asked.
"Hell yea!" Ash replied, with determination in his eyes, like he just found a goal that he will pursue for his entire life if he has to.
Brock and Serena groaned, while Leaf smirked, and decided to add salt to the wound that Serena and Brock seem to have. "You know, I won't have a problem helping you to train her."
Ash and the other two looked at Leaf with raised eyebrows, and Ash asked. "And how do you plan to help me?"
"By kissing Misty as well, of course." Leaf replied like it was the most normal thing in the world, and as she said that Ash smirked like she was, as he figured out what she was doing, while Brock got a nose bleed from the mental image, and passed out, and Serena became a stone, as she couldn't believe what she heard.
"I like the way you think, Leaf," Ash said, while his and Leaf's smirk were matching each other, and he then extended his hand toward her. "So we've got the deal?"
"Deal!" She said, and took his hand, and they shacked them.
The two then looked at Serena and Brock, and saw Brock passed out, with a little blood flowing from his nose, and down his lips and chin, and Serena has turned into a statue.
"I think we overdid it," Ash said after he saw the two.
"Nah," Leaf waved it off. "They'll be fine. Just give them few minutes."
After that, Ash and Leaf talked about all that happened on their individual journey's ever since they was each other last time, and waited for the other three to pull themselves back together.
It actually took half an hour for Misty and Brock to wake up, and for Serena to unfreeze, and then all three started to tear a new one at Ash and Leaf, and yell at them how they can't do that to them.
So, it took another half an hour for Leaf and Ash to calm Serena and Brock down, and another fifteen minutes on top, for Ash to calm down Misty after he told her about his plan.
By that time, it was already time for dinner, so Ash went to take a shower, while the other four went down in Pokémon Center Cafeteria, and waited for him until he came, so they started to eat.
Once the dinner was over, the group of five went back to Leaf's room, and they talked about different stuff, and Ash told them about what happened in the Slowpoke Well, and the run In with Rocket Grunts.
Around 10, they decided it's enough for the day, so Brock and Ash went to their room, while Misty and Serena went to their room, and Leaf stayed in hers, and they all went to sleep, so they won't be tired tomorrow when they go to Azalea Gym.
Unfortunately, it was not destined for Ash to sleep that night, no, he was destined for something much more important on that night then to simply sleep.
XXX
When Kurt returned to his house late in the afternoon, he went to his work room, and started researching the GS Ball that Ash gave him, and tried to find at least something that can tell him who made this Poke Ball, or which Pokémon is inside of it. If there is a Pokémon inside anyway.
But now, it has passed midnight, and he still hasn't found anything, and was getting frustrated because of it.
"What the hell is up with this Poke Ball," Kurt asked himself? "Judging by everything I can see about it, it's just a normal Poke Ball, so why can't I open it?"
"Because, that Poke Ball can only be opened at the specific location," the voice said from behind Kurt, and he quickly turned around, and saw the Rocket boss that was inside the Slowpoke Well today.
"You," Kurt yelled, while backing away, as he was under no illusion that he can defeat a man twice younger than himself. "How did you find me?"
"I came back to the Slowpoke Well while you were still there with that kid, and I overheard your conversation about the ball," Marauder said, while walking toward the backing away Kurt. "I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that ball. I never thought I will be the one from Team Rocket to find it."
"What do you know about this Poke Ball," Kurt asked, his curiosity winning over his fear?
"Why should I tell you anything?" Marauder asked?
"I need to know," Kurt almost yelled! "I have spent hours researching this Ball, and I couldn't find anything, so I want to know."
The Marauder looked at Kurt with narrowed eyes for a few moments, and then smirked. "Ok, I'll tell you," Marauder said. "It's not like you can do anything even if I tell you."
"Tell me!" Kurt demanded with narrowed eyes, as he couldn't control his curiosity.
"Inside the GS Ball, lies the Mythical Pokémon, Celebi," the Marauder said, and Kurt's eyeballs almost fell from out of his head, and his jaw was on the floor.
"W-What d-did you say?" Kurt stuttered.
"It's as you heard old man," Marauder said. "That Ball is kept locked by Celebi, who sleeps inside, and once it is placed on a specific location, it will open, and Celebi will be released, and I will then capture it, and with its power, I would be able to do anything I want."
"B-But you c-cant," Kurt said. "Do you understand the consequences of using that powers that Celebi has? You can cause the disaster."
"I know very well about Celebi's ability to time travel," the Marauder said with a smirk. "And I have several ideas how to use that ability to my gain."
Marauder then decided it is enough of talking, and strikes Kurt across the face with his fist, and Kurt fell on the floor and passed out, while Marauder then took the GS Ball from the floor, and looked at it with a maniacal smile on his face.
"Just you wait, Celebi," he said to the Poke Ball. "I'll have you out of that ball in just a short while, and then you can use your power to help me with my goals. Whichever they are, as now I have to rethink them because I wasn't expecting to have you in my team."
He then turned around and walked out of Kurt's House, and left to the shrine in the forest not far from the house.
XXX
The Marauder arrived at the Ilex Forest Shrine about 15 minutes later, and that's where he was standing right now, in front of it.
"It's finally time." he said to himself, and walked right in front of the shrine, and placed the GS Ball on it, and then backed away several meters just in case, as he is not sure what exactly will happen.
Just as he got about 5 meters away from the shrine, the GS Ball started glowing in green color, and then the light started becoming stronger, and was spreading around fast, which caused the Marauder to back away more, and shield his eyes, or he'd go blind.
The light eventually became so big and strong, that it could be seen by everyone who was awake at that time, from miles away, and also a small tremor was felt over Azalea Town, but not strong enough to be felt by many people, so no one paid it much attention.
What was felt, was the great amount of Aura that was released from the light and all those who were aware of Aura and how to sense it, could feel it.
And right now, the only one like that in Azalea Town, was Ash Ketchum, who was woken up from is sleep by the tremor, which he felt, only for the tremor to be overpowered by the Aura.
"What the hell is that," Ash wondered, and walked out of his room, on the balcony that every room in the Pokémon Center has.
He was lucky that his room's balcony looks toward the Ilex forest, because of that, he was able to see a huge green ball in the middle of the Ilex Forest, and that the Aura was coming from it.
"What the fuck?" He almost yelled. "I need to go there and see what's going on, as this doesn't look good."
He turned around, and walked back inside of the room, and that's when he heard it.
"Help me!" The voice came from nowhere, and everywhere at the same time.
Ash stopped and looked around, and back toward the forest. He even touched his own head, as it looked to him like the voice was coming from inside of his head, which was confusing, as he can only hear voice in his head like that, when some Pokémon is using Telepathy, but since there is no Pokémon around him, it makes him feel strange.
Not knowing what to do, he said in his head, also using Telepathy, and was hoping that whoever was calling for help, will reply. "Who are you," Ash asked? "Where are you?"
"Please, help me," The voice came back. "The forest… Time…"
Ash looked toward the Ilex Forest, and saw the light was slowly disappearing, and the feel of Aura lessening.
"It's coming from there," Ash said in his head, and quickly pulled up his pants, took his Poke Ball's, and left the room through the balcony, without waking up Brock.
He had to go through there because the Pokémon Center is probably closed right now, and wouldn't be able to come out from the main entrance.
Once he was on the balcony, Ash took Pidgeot's Poke Ball, and called her out. When she got out, while yawning, Ash looked at her and said. "Sorry to wake you up, Pidgeot, but this is an emergency!"
"What's going on, Ash?" Pidgeot asked in human language, while looking at Ash's serious and worried face, which got her completely woken up in a moment.
"I need you to take me as quickly as possible to where that light is coming from," Ash said, and pointed toward the light in the forest, that by now, was almost completely gone.
Pidgeot looked at the forest, and saw what Ash was referring to, so she motioned to him to climb on her back, which he did, and they were gone in the next moment, flying like a rocket.
"What is that light, anyway?" Pidgeot asked as she was flying, and the light was now completely gone.
"I don't know," Ash replied. "But we are about to find out."
As they were flying, Ash was thinking about the word 'Time' that the voice said, and was thinking about what it could mean.
"There are two possibilities I can think of; one is that I should hurry because time is running out, and the other…" Ash though in his head, and stopped in the middle of the thought. "I don't even want to think about the other one. It will be a disaster if it is that one."
XXX
Back in the forest, after the light disappeared, and few minutes before Ash and Pidgeot were to arrive, Marauder stood in front of Celebi, who was floating in midair, and was looking groggy from the sleep.
"Finally I have you right in front of me, Celebi." The Marauder said, while smiling from ear to ear, and while holding one of his Dark Ball's in his right hand, which he then threw at Celebi, right after he finished his words.
Celebi lifted its head up, and looked straight ahead at where the voice was coming from, but it only got to see a dark poke ball coming at it, and the next moment, the ball hit it in the head, and Celebi found itself sucked inside of the Dark Poke Ball, without being able to fight back because of all the time it spent inside GS Ball, sleeping.
The Dark Ball with Celebi in it then fell on the forest floor, and dinged without even a second passing, which meant that Celebi was captured.
The Marauder looked at the ball on the floor, then approached it, and took it, and looked at it for a minute, and then after a minute, he grinned so much, his smile would have gone around his head if he didn't have his ears.
"YYYYEEESSSS," He yelled to the heavens! "I have finally captured the one Pokémon I have always wanted!
"Now, let's see what you can do, and is your legendary power real or not."
He was about to throw the Dark Ball, and let Celebi out, but was interrupted by the flapping of wings from above him, and when he looked up, he saw giant Pidgeot that he first saw earlier today at the Slowpoke Well, and Ash was riding on top of it.
"Oh great," the Marauder said, while Ash stepped from his Pidgeot's back, and glared at him. "You are the last person I wanted to see right now."
"What have you done?" Ash asked, and looked at Marauder, and then looked around the place they were on, and noticed the shrine, and right on the shrine, was the GS Ball, opened.
The Marauder smirked, and held the Dark Ball in his hand. "I have captured myself a Pokémon I always wanted," he said. "I have captured…"
That's where Ash interrupted him, and glared at Marauder with glowing eyes, and with Aura leaking from his body, which scared the shit out of Marauder. "Do not!" Ash yelled. "And I mean, DO NOT, tell me you have captured Celebi, because if you did. I will kill you!"
Marauder looked shocked, and backed away a little from fear. He knew that Ash was serious, and that he will really kill him if he says one wrong word, just like he killed Proton in Saffron City.
Pidgeot also looked at Ash a little surprised by his rage, and threat to kill that guy, but then again, she understands him, as Celebi is one of the most important Pokémon in the world, and capturing it could bring a disaster.
"Well, you see…" The Marauder tried to say, but the word just wouldn't leave his mouth from the fear.
Ash's glare intensified, and he felt with his Aura inside of the Dark Ball that was in Marauder's hand, and sensed the one Pokémon he really didn't want to sense in that situation.
He sensed Celebi, and on top of the weak feeling he got from it, he also felt pain, and that was the drop that went over his tolerance, and ability to control himself, as in the next moment, he had Aura Sphere in his right hand, and his eyes were glowing red.
Ash threw the Aura Sphere at the Marauder, who saw it coming, and jumped to the side and threw himself on the ground to avoid the attack.
"What the hell," Marauder yelled, while looking at Ash? "Are you really trying to kill me? You will go to prison if you do that. This time, it is a different situation then when you killed Proton!"
Ash didn't really care about what the Marauder was talking about, and only wanted to cause him pain, and kill him for daring to capture Pokémon like Celebi. "I won't go to prison if no one ever finds out I killed you!"
Then, Ash created another Aura Sphere, and again threw it at the Marauder, who again jumped to the side to get away, but then another surprised him, and this time his didn't have time to evade it, and only lifted his arms to shield himself, but forgot that Dark Ball with Celebi was in his right arm, and when the ball hit him in the arms, it crushed the Dark Ball, and caused him great pain, as his arms were now covered in burns, and the Marauder was rolling on the ground crying in pain, and he didn't even notice that the Dark Ball was crushed, and Celeb appeared from it, again surrounded with green light that enveloped it's entire body, and currently hid it from sight.
"What's happening, Ash?" Pidgeot asked, while looking at the light that Celebi is releasing.
Ash looked at the light as well, his eyes still glowing, though now they were yellow like they usually are when he uses his powers, which meant he was no longer as angry as he was a minute ago.
"Celebi is free again," Ash replied. "But let's wait for the light to disappear, and see in what condition it is, as I felt earlier it was in pain from the influence of the Dark Ball."
"You," the Marauder yelled, and Ash and Pidgeot looked at him. "How dare you do this to me? You cost me my arms!"
And he was right about that, as both of his arms were completely burned from the Aura Sphere, and probably useless for the rest of his life.
"You should consider yourself lucky I didn't kill you," Ash growled at the Marauder, who looked like he can't decide whether to be angry at Ash, cry in pain, or cower in fear. "But now that I think about this, death would be too good for you, as this way, with your arms useless for the rest of your life, it is much better punishment for all the pain you caused to all the Pokémon you captured with those god-damned Dark Ball's."
The Marauder looked like he wanted to say something, but stopped when he saw Ash coming right at him, and then kicked him in the face, which sent the Marauder into blissful unconsciousness.
The light that as surrounding Celebi disappeared soon after, and Ash and Pidgeot could clearly see Celebi floating in the air, and looking at them for a few moments, and then looked at beaten up Marauder, and again back at Ash.
"How are you feeling, Celebi," Ash asked? "Are you still in pain from the Dark Ball that guy used to capture you?"
"I," Celebi started, and then stopped and looked at itself. "I feel fine. Thanks' to you, I assume."
"You called me, I came," Ash replied. "It's not like I could just stand back and do nothing after you called and asked for help."
"I called you," Celebi said surprised. "When was that? I don't remember."
"What," Ash asked, as now he was surprised and confused. "I heard a voice in my head earlier when the light first appeared in the forest. It saw 'Help me" first, and when I asked who it was, it saw "Help me' again, and also 'The forest' and 'Time', after that I came here with Pidgeot."
After Ash explained, Celebi looked thoughtful for a moment, and then said. "It must have been me from the future," Celebi said, and Ash and Pidgeot raised their eyebrows.
"What do you mean," Ash asked? "I know you can travel through time, but I didn't know you can send Telepathic messages."
"Yes, I can send messages through time," Celebi replied. "I can do nearly anything with the time."
"Is that so," Ash asked, and Celebi nodded. "Well then it a good thing I saved you from Marauder. I don't even want to think the damage he could have done with your ability to time travel."
"Is that why you got so angry?" Pidgeot asked in a human voice, and Celebi looked like it had seen an alien, as it has never seen or heard about a Pokémon speaking human language.
"Yes," Ash replied. "Celebi's very special, as it is the protector of forest's and life, and can time travel. With it being captured, the damage could be irreversible. I would say that Ho-Oh and Lugia put together are not as important as Celebi, and capturing the two of them won't be as bad as capturing Celebi."
Celebi then flew right in front of Ash, and observed him for a while, and then also observed Pidgeot for a while, and after some time, it backed away.
"I see, so you are an Aura Guardian," Celebi said to Ash, and to Pidgeot. "And you have managed to evolve one more time, on top of your final form."
"Yes," Ash replied. "Should I ask how you figured it out?"
"I'm very knowledgeable Pokémon," Celebi replied. "I know a lot of stuff. Like, I also know you were gifted by Mew, who has awakened your Aura and Psychic powers, I know you have a connection to one very special Legendary Pokémon, and I also know that it was because of that connection that your Lucario and Pidgeot evolved again."
"What connection," Ash asked, looking surprised at this revelation? "I only have Lugia and Mewtwo, but I didn't notice any connection I have with them."
"You will," Celebi replied with a smile. "Eventually, that is."
"Ok," Ash said, not really getting it, but it was not important right now. "Anyway, is there something else I can do for you? Do you need help, or something?"
"It's ok, you did enough by saving me," Celebi replied, but Ash just waved it off.
"Don't worry about it, it's my job," Ash replied. "And even if it wasn't, I would have saved you, as it is the right thing to do."
"I know you would, Ash," Celebi replied, and Ash didn't even bother to ask how it knows his name. "Which is why I want to give you something, as thanks' for saving me."
"You know there is no need to give me anything, right?" Ash asked.
"I know, but I want to!" Celebi said, then it flew in front of Ash's face, and taped him on the forehead with its finger, and Ash started glowing with green Aura.
"D-Did my Aura just change color, or am I seeing things?" Ash asked, after the aura that was surrounding him, disappeared after few moments of glowing.
"You are not seeing things, Ash," Celebi replied with a smirk, as it backed away a little. "I have changed your Aura to be like mine."
"Ok, but why," Ash asked? "What difference would it make?"
"The color of Aura for all humans who can use Aura, is blue, and has no real ability to it," Celebi started to explain. "You can use the Aura to battle, shape attacks and weapons, but that's about it. But mine Aura and Aura of some other Legendary and Mythical Pokémon is special, as it is the source of their ability's."
"So, you're saying that now I have your powers!" Ash said, with raised eyebrows.
"Yes, but it's not time travel ability I gave you," Celebi said. "Your Aura now can affect plants and nature if you will it, just like I can control trees and other plant life."
"Really," Ash said. "That's awesome."
"It is awesome," Celebi smiled. "But remember to use that power for good things, and not bad, because even if it looks like this power can only be used for good, that's not the case, as like with any power, it can also cause damage and destruction."
"Don't worry, Celebi," Ash said. "I will pay attention to how I use this power."
"Good," Celebi said. "Now, I think it's time for me to leave. It's been a while since I was free, and I'm interested to see how the world is after I spent the last 40 years asleep."
"Ok, then," Ash said, while waving at the Celebi. "See you around some day."
And then, Celebi was gone from sight, and Ash and Pidgeot stayed to deal with the Marauder, who was still passed out.
Ash returned Pidgeot in her Poke Ball, and then took Marauder by his ankle, and dragged him through the forest, all the way back In Town, and then into the police station, where he found one policeman who was doing night shift, and watching over the station.
He then explained to the policeman what happened, and then they called Officer Jenny, who was not happy at first to be called in the middle of the night, but after Ash explained to her what happened, she lost her anger, and quickly came to the station.
Not long after she came, the phone in the station ringed, and after Jenny answered, it turned out to be Kurt, who was calling to report Marauder breaking into his house, and stealing a very important Poke Ball.
That's when he found out that Marauder was arrested by Ash, so Kurt decided to come in the station, to see and hear in person what happened.
The rest of the night Ash and Kurt spent in the station, with Ash again telling a long story about everything that happened in the Ilex forest, and Kurt explaining how it came to that point.