New chapter ready. This one is one of the chapters that I'm quite proud of as this is one of the chapters where I change things up. What kind of changes? You'll all have to see for yourselves. Lol

Enjoy.

XXXXX

"...we REALLY suck at following maps," Ash said dryly, and nobody was feeling like refuting him. It had been a few days since they left the Pokemon Village, Melanie bidding them farewell and good luck, and despite the directions she'd marked...they'd managed to accidentally leave the trail and were now a bit lost. Again.

"Maybe we should think about buying a PokeNav," Misty sighed. "Or at least something to give us directions. At this rate we're gonna spend most of this journey completely lost."

"I'll see if Professor Oak knows any good GPS programs next time we find a Pokemon Center," Ash sighed.

"And we should DEFINITELY find a compass the next chance we get," Brock added, before they all sighed tiredly along with Pikachu.

Eventually they sat down for a break, with Brock trying to figure out where they were, and Ash looking around for landmarks with a pair of binoculars. "Nothing really notable around here...just a lot of Spearows…"

Pikachu groaned at that, Spearows brought back bad memories for both of them.

"Well that's not helpful," Misty sighed. "Any luck, Brock?"

"Hm...I THINK we're not too off course, though we're not really close either. Good news is, if I'm reading this right, we should be getting close to a Pokemon Center if we go down that way," Brock said, pointing at a direction.

"Guess we don't really have anywhere else to try," Ash mused, Pikachu shrugging and soon getting on his shoulder.

The three of them went down the path...before they noticed a large shadow looming over them. Looking up, they were surprised by what looked like a large figure towering over them.

"What's that?!" Misty gasped, the three of them going into ready stances on reflex.

"It looks like some kind of giant Pokemon!" Brock gasped.

"Well if it wants a fight, it's a fight it'll get!" Ash said, though Pikachu looked a bit less confident, evident by him peeking out from behind Ash's head, clearly intimidated by the sight. However, as they were tense and ready to fight at a moment's notice...the wind blew and pushed some of the clouds that were giving shade out of the way, allowing the light to reveal that the giant was...a large rock that was jutting out of the ground with a Pokemon curled up on top. A Charmander to be precise. The moment they saw that they all visibly relaxed.

"Oh, it's just a Charmander," Misty sighed in relief.

"Though that's pretty lucky too," Ash chuckled, taking out his Pokedex and scanning Charmander. "Charmander, the Lizard Pokemon. Charmander is Fire-Type Pokemon native to the Kanto Region, and is one of the three Regional Starters. At birth a flame burns at the tip of a Charmander's tail and is tied to their lifeforce. The strength of the flame is a good indicator of a Charmander's state of health."

"When I started on my journey I was planning on picking Charmander, so finding one here is a chance I don't plan on letting go," Ash grinned, before going for Wooper's Pokeball, until Brock stopped him.

"I don't think you should battle it," Brock said.

"Huh? Why not?" Ash blinked, before Brock pointed, and they all looked to where he was pointing, namely the flame at the tip of the Charmander's tail. The tail was lit...but it didn't seem to be all that strong.

"I get it, the flame on a Charmander's tail shows how healthy it is," Misty gasped.

"And that flame isn't looking too great…" Ash frowned. "That means this Charmander isn't in the best shape…"

"Ash, try just using the Pokeball. If this Charmander isn't in good shape, you should be able to catch it without even battling," Brock said, earning a nod from Ash, who threw the Pokeball. The ball flew through the air and hit the Charmander, but when it did...a red aura seemed to be protecting it from the capture ability of the Pokeball, leaving it to return to Ash's hand, still a blank Pokeball.

"Wait...so it ALREADY has a Trainer?" Ash blinked in surprise, to which Pikachu, now rather curious, went forward and soon climbed to the top of the rock. Once there, he started talking with Charmander a bit hoping to get the story as to why Charmander was just sitting there waiting.

A minute or two later, and it seemed Pikachu got the gist of the situation, to which he quickly returned to the group and relayed the message. It took a bit of thinking since they still weren't FULLY used to Pikachu's brand of Pokespeak just yet. Eventually though they got the gist of it. "So...Charmander is waiting for someone to come for it?" Ash checked, earning a nod from Pikachu.

"That WOULD make sense. It's still locked to a Pokeball after all, so its Trainer should come to take care of it…" Brock frowned a bit. It's not that he didn't think the Trainer wouldn't come...okay, maybe he was worried that was the case, but as it was, Charmander seemed to believe they would come, so… "I think we should let its Trainer take care of it," he sighed.

"I guess you're right…" Misty frowned.

"And Charmander seems sure its Trainer will come so…" Ash trailed off. It was clear none of them were too sold on this idea, but as it was, there was nothing they could do. With that, they continued onward, following the path they'd chosen.

At first the road seemed to be just a rocky path more or less, but eventually that led them down a hill...and in the distance they saw the welcome sight of a Pokemon Center. "Hey, it's the Pokemon Center!" Misty smiled.

"Guess I got the directions right this time," Brock chuckled a bit. However, their joy was slightly short lived as Pikachu perked up, just in time to feel a drop of water on his head.

"Uh oh, we'd better hurry. Looks like it's going to rain," Misty blinked.

"Right," Ash and Brock nodded as they started on the way down, but right as they were taking a few steps, Ash perked up, stopping in his steps and turning back.

"Something wrong, Ash?" Brock asked.

"I don't know…" Ash frowned. "Just now...I had a REALLY bad feeling," he said as it started to rain. Despite that the feeling didn't go away, and the more he looked in the direction the stronger the feeling grew. "...I'm going back for Charmander," he said after a moment, and not waiting for any response, soon ran in the direction they'd come from.

"So much for getting out of the rain," Brock sighed a bit, but neither he nor Misty protested with what Ash was doing. They were worried about Charmander too to be honest.

The group ran through the rain, and soon approached the area where Charmander had been...only they found that the Pokemon wasn't alone.

Standing in the area was another Pokemorph, from the looks of it they were a Riolu like Ash...but the moment they got close enough to see...they could immediately feel that something wasn't right. The Riolu Pokemorph looked to be a couple of years older than Ash, dressed in a white tank top with a black vest, red pants, and black boots. On his head was spiky orange hair that was styled in a way they almost hid his ears, though the appendages on the side of his head were still visible. That though was where the normal part ended. Where the average Riolu had blue fur, or yellow/gold fur if they were a shiny, this one...had muted gray fur replacing the blue, with even the black parts of the fur looking slightly bleached in color. What was even more worrying was the cold look he had in his brown eyes, completely contrasting what should have been in there considering Charmander was hugging his leg.

However...when they looked closer, they realized Charmander was clinging on to his leg in a happy...yet desperate way...and he was covered in bruises...and they didn't like the way the other Pokemon that stood by the trainer's side were looking at Charmander either. As they watched just out of sight, Ash suddenly felt a pulse, his appendages flaring up a bit, before his eyes widened in horror when he realized what it was. Immediately moving, he ran out of where they'd been watching...just in time for the Riolu to swing his foot, delivering a strong kick into Charmander, launching it away from the Riolu...right into Ash who'd gotten in the way. However, when Charmander impacted against him, instead of cushioning and stopping the impromptu flight...Ash was met with enough force that he was sent flying back, his back impacting against a tree.

"Ash!" Brock and Misty shouted in alarm, Pikachu doing the same in his own way as everyone was soon by his and Charmander's side. "You okay?" Brock asked in alarm.

"Don't worry about me. I'm not the one who took a full powered kick," Ash grunted, as Brock didn't waste any time in examining Charmander. At the same time Misty glared and turned to the Riolu.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" she shouted, but the off colored Riolu seemed to look at her in a mix of boredom and as if she was very dull.

"Disciplining a weakling." he answered as if it was the simplest thing ever, while his two Pokemon, a Midnight form Lycanroc, and an Incineroar, simply nodded to his words as if this was normal.

"You call that 'disciplining'?!" Ash growled, standing next to Misty. "That kick could have seriously hurt Charmander!" he said, Pikachu letting out a few sounds of agreement, cheeks sparking as he was ready to fight at any moment.

"Your point?" the Riolu said dismissively. "I have no need for a weakling, especially one that stays weak even after all that. What happens to that thing after this is none of my concern."

That actually stunned them silent for a moment...before Misty broke it. "What in Arceus's name is WRONG with you?!" she shouted. "Even if this Charmander isn't very strong, that's no reason to try and kill it!"

"I'm not trying anything. If it was strong it'll live. If not, then that's just nature taking its course," the Riolu shrugged dismissively, not even a drop of concern in his voice. Something Charmander clearly heard if the heartbroken look it had was any indication.

"I don't know who you think you are, but you've got another thing coming if you think we're just going to let this stand!" Ash growled, Pikachu matching his expression.

"That's right! People like you shouldn't even be allowed to raise Pokemon!" Brock added, having wrapped Charmander in a blanket to at least keep it out of the rain.

"Is that so?" the Riolu smirked...and it wasn't a very nice one either. "I suppose if you know so well, you must be pretty strong."

"What of it?" Ash frowned.

"Then why don't you put your money where your mouth is," the Riolu smirked. "Show me how strong you are."

"And WHY would we want to do that?" Ash asked dryly...but stopped when Brock tugged at his sleeve a bit. "Huh?"

"Actually...if you fight him it'd be good," Brock whispered. "I've still got my emergency police beacon as a Gym Leader."

"Great idea," Misty agreed, whispering too. "If we use that, then while this jerk is busy fighting, we'll have the police on him. Someone like him has to have some kind of criminal record."

"Alright then, let's do it," Ash nodded.

"What are you three whispering about?" the Riolu smirked. "If you're so afraid, I'll even take all three of you on at the same time."

"Well someone's really confident of themselves," Ash frowned. "But fine, if it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get. What are the terms?"

"I can tell you're a Trainer-Fighter too, so you and me as Fighters. First to yield loses," he said simply.

"Fine by me," Ash frowned, putting his bag aside, and taking off his hat and jacket, Pikachu once again standing guard over his stuff, while also cheering his trainer on. Even if it was just to buy time, he hoped his trainer wiped the floor with this jerk.

"Excellent. Hope you're ready to lose," the Riolu smirked as he went into a stance...that Ash couldn't help but note was similar to his, though he chalked it up to using a similar base style. The two stared each other down, sizing each other up for a moment...before as if at an unseen signal, the two charged forward.

The Riolu was the first to strike, launching a fast jab, which Ash quickly blocked and countered with one of his own, his opponent blocking it as well before countering with a kick that forced Ash to back off a little. However, his opponent kept up the momentum and used it to spin into a Force Palm.

Ash reacted quickly and brought up his guard, the impact pushing him back, but he managed to cushion the blow. Quickly bouncing back from the impact, he surged forward, and landed a kick to his opponent's gut, causing him to gasp as he was pushed back, before following up with a pair of punches and a sweep kick, knocking the Riolu off his feet.

However, the Riolu wasn't going to fall that easily, and quickly rolled back to his feet, and countered with a Swift, aiming for Ash's head, forcing him to block it. The attack soon ended, but by then, the Riolu had regained his footing and charged forward, coming up with a Power-Up Punch...right as Ash had lowered his guard a little to see what was happening, causing him to take a punch right to the cheek, making him stagger back.

However, Ash quickly regained his footing, and with some effort reoriented himself executed a Counter, catching his opponent in the chest, pushing him back somewhat as he let out a gasp. However, the Riolu quickly recovered, and before he got too far, grabbed Ash by his shirt, and pulled him forward, causing him to lose balance, before he was lifted up and flipped over, causing him to hit the ground with a gasp.

Ash quickly tried to roll to his feet, but before he could properly get up, he was kicked in the gut, sending him crashing into a tree. "Is that all?" the Riolu asked, sounding bored. "I was expecting more with all that talk."

"You act like we haven't both been taking our fair share of hits," Ash growled, inwardly wincing at the impact, but quickly got to his feet and resumed the fight, throwing a punch that the Riolu evaded...only to be led into a kick which he followed up with several punches, the Riolu caught off guard with the first hit, but quickly moved to block and defend against the follow up attacks.

The two continued to trade blows, neither managing to tag the other in any significant way during the exchange as each blow was either blocked or evaded, forcing them into a stalemate. As the stalemate continued, the Riolu seemed to get impatient and even more than a little annoyed, evident by the increased rate of attacks, but Ash was able to keep up pace, and during one particular punch, he managed to duck under it and counter with a Force Palm right to his opponent's gut, actually causing the Riolu to gasp as he was blown back, clutching his gut. "Not bad. Guess you're not as weak as I thought," the Riolu begrudgingly admitted. "But you're going to need to be a lot stronger than that to beat me," he growled.

"What is it with you and being strong?" Ash frowned, getting a bit of range as they circled each other, both looking for an opening to strike. "I get you need to be strong to win, but just being strong isn't everything."

The moment he said that though, he swore his opponent's eyes grew colder, said Riolu suddenly surging forward and landed a hit strong enough that even when he blocked, Ash swore he felt a shockwave go through him, pushing him back. "If that's really what you think, then you're dumber than I thought," the Riolu said coldly, before soon upping the assault, forcing Ash to keep up the defense, and he swore he felt his bones start to buckle with several of the hits. "In this world strength is everything! Those without it won't amount to anything!" the Riolu growled, a cold flame in his eyes...and his paws glowing with what could only be described as a dark purple aura.

"That's...not normal at all…" Misty gasped from where they were watching.

"It looks almost like a Ghost-type move...but something's wrong," Brock frowned, getting worried at what he was seeing, a sentiment that was shared by Misty and Pikachu. However they couldn't just interfere unless things were getting out of hand...and so far Ash was holding his own...though they were still watching closely, ready to help if things got too far. They just hoped the police got here soon.

Back with Ash, he was gritting his teeth as he was blocking the attacks as best as he could. The blows had suddenly gotten heavier, but that wasn't really a surprise to Ash. While Ash himself hadn't quite learned how to use his aura...his dad DID teach him how to recognize if someone else was using it...and his opponent was definitely using aura. There was only one MAJOR issue, namely the state of the aura. "What...did you do to your aura..?" he couldn't help but gasp in horror at how...WRONG the aura felt. Heck, just being this close to it made his fur stand on end.

"Proof that I deserve to stand at the top as the strongest!" the Riolu declared as his latest punch managed to break Ash's guard, before following up with another punch that was GLOWING with the abnormal aura. Ash saw the attack coming, but with his current position the only option he had was to try and fight back with an attack of his own, using a Power-Up Punch to try and meet the attack head on, the two punches colliding and a strong shockwave was released from the impact...followed by a sharp pain going through Ash's arm, forcing him to back off, clutching his arm. However, he didn't get time to recover as the Riolu grabbed him by his shirt, and nailed him with a knee to the gut, causing him to gasp in pain. "Unlike you, I realize the truth of this world, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to reach the top!" he roared as he aimed a strong kick at the still recovering Ash...slamming into his chest, sending him flying back into a tree...and actually breaking through it.

"Ash!" Misty and Brock gasped, Pikachu also gasping in horror as they quickly moved to try and stop the fight. Just watching they could tell that this Riolu wasn't pulling punches at all. It was clear this Riolu didn't just want to beat Ash...he was going to put him in the emergency room if they didn't do something. With that they charged forward, ready to stop him (though Misty and Pikachu were ahead as Brock was still tending to Charmander). However…

"Stay out of this!" the Riolu said coldly, his Pokemon jumping out of the way as he held up his arm, and a burst of the aura was released, pushing them back, before said Pokemon got between them and the two fighters.

"Get out of the way!" Brock frowned, hoping they'd back off, Pikachu's cheeks sparking threateningly, but it seemed the two weren't remotely afraid, continuing to get in the way.

Back with the fight, the slight distraction had given Ash enough time to shakily get to his feet. Even so he could barely stand straight. His body was in pain from the fight and the impromptu sail through a tree. Worse, he was having a hard time moving...his entire body was in pain and he was pretty sure he might have had a broken bone or two, and his right arm hung almost limply, just trying to move it felt very difficult.

"This is the difference between you and I. Someone as half baked as you could never defeat me!" the Riolu declared, now all but glowing with the abnormal aura. "I am the one who will stand at the top!" he declared as he surged forward and delivered a powerful kick, one Ash raised his own leg to try and block...and grit his teeth as he felt the full force against his leg, the force blowing him away again, but he still got up, even as he felt pain shoot through the leg he'd used to block.

"You're strong I'll admit that much," Ash conceded. "But answer this. You got all that power, and then what?" he asked with a glare. "Even if you reach the top, what'll you do after that?! Answer me!"

The Riolu actually paused, as if he'd never considered that, his aura wavering for a moment, before he grit his teeth and shook his head. "Strength is everything in this world! Once I reach the top, nothing will be beyond my grasp!" he declared, aura flaring up again.

Despite himself Ash couldn't help but chuckle a bit even if it hurt. "Thought so. You're so obsessed with strength...because that's all you have," he said. "Someone like you, you might be strong but that's it. You've got nothing to really live for, do you?"

The Riolu stopped short, actually looking almost like he'd just been slapped for a moment there...before he grit his teeth and glared at Ash. "Shut up! Weaklings like you shouldn't act like you understand anything!" he roared, surging forward and focusing his aura into his palm.

Ash grit his teeth and focused for a Force Palm, and tried to counter the oncoming attack with his own...only for the attack to break right through...and slammed into his chest. This time there was no doubt the damage was...serious. Ash was sent flying back, and smashed into a boulder nearby, caving part of it in, blood dripping as he coughed up some from his mouth. In fact, the force was so strong, his shirt was torn up from the impact, and the aura had seemingly burned the front, evident by the singes on his clothes and some of the fur around his chest.

The Riolu was soon upon him, looking at him coldly before pinning him back on the rock with a foot to the gut, causing Ash to gasp in pain. "The strong prey on the weak. You're not bad, but not nearly enough," he said leaning closer. "That's why, take comfort that your strength...will become part of my own!" he declared, his fist glowing with the ominous purple aura. However, unlike before, it seemed almost...hungry.

Ash tried to move, but as it was he took quite a beating and he couldn't move what with him being pinned down. As such he couldn't do anything as the palm pressed against his chest and suddenly his eyes widened as a pulse went through him and the pain started.

"The only use the weak have is to make the strong stronger. Nothing else," the Riolu said coldly, completely uncaring of Ash's shouts of pain as the purple aura covered his chest, his own body glowing with blue aura...which was being sucked into the purple aura, making it, as well as the aura around the Riolu burn brighter.

"Leave him alone!" Brock shouted as Lycanroc and Incineroar fell over, Pikachu landing with an Iron Tail still glowing...and both with notable goose eggs.

"Pikaa!" Pikachu growled charging forward, cheeks sparking as he was ready to let loose a Thundershock on the Riolu, Misty and Brock not far behind him.

"Weaklings that keep coming together...are such an eyesore!" the Riolu growled, holding up his free hand, and releasing a powerful blast of aura, which slammed into the three of them, sending them flying back.

"What was that?!" Misty groaned as they painfully got up.

"I don't know. It's not a Move I've ever heard of!" Brock groaned as well. They quickly shook it off, ready to try again...only to be blasted back again.

"It's proof of my strength," the Riolu said simply as he kept up the pressure to keep them down. "You weaklings who can't use it correctly should just give it all to-" he didn't get to finish as a gunshot was heard, and a bullet pierces through his arm, the same one he used to pin Ash, forcing him to let go and recoil in pain, leaving Ash to slump forward and land on the ground just barely conscious.

"Hold it right there, Voidheart!" came the voice of the local Officer Jenny as she and several other officers entered the scene with their Pokemon out and guns already drawn. "When we heard a Gym Leader's Police Beacon we knew it could have been serious, but to think we'd find you here," she frowned. "Give it up! You're under arrest!"

The Riolu, apparently named Voidheart, growled, clutching his arm that had been shot. "Don't you dare...tell me what to do, weaklings!" he roared, the aura flaring up and actually releasing a strong pressure, forcing everyone back (while he also recalled his downed Pokemon while he was at it).

"You're not getting away this time! Growlithe, double Flamethrower!" Officer Jenny ordered as she and her Growlithe let loose a pair of Flamethrowers, forcing the Riolu to let loose another burst of the abnormal aura, blocking the flames.

The other officers though didn't need to wait for prompting, and started shooting as well, be it with their weapons, or with their own Moves, further hitting the aura barrier.

Voidheart growled as he kept up his defense, before eventually the strain became too much, and with a shout of pain, the aura barrier broke, but still managed to dispel the attacks, leaving him panting a bit as his aura flickered. Despite that, he knew better than to keep fighting, and with a glare, he quickly ran into the woods.

"Follow him! Don't let him escape!" Officer Jenny ordered, several of the officers following after him. "And get the injured some medical attention!" she added, as the medic they'd brought with them just in case went over to Ash and checked his condition.

XXXX

A couple of hours later…

"Are they going to be okay?" Misty asked Nurse Joy as currently she, Brock, and Pikachu were inside of the Pokemon Center. After what happened earlier, they'd managed to rush both Charmander and Ash to the Pokemon Center with the help of the police officers who'd stayed to help them. Nurse Joy was quick to have them rushed to the medical rooms, and had just finished diagnosing both of their conditions, the Chansey in the facility quickly moving them to the proper rooms.

"Both of them are in bad condition," Nurse Joy frowned. "I've sent a call to the nearest town to send a Doctor just in case…"

"That bad?!" Brock gasped in alarm.

"Charmander is in bad condition, but thankfully it's nothing we aren't equipped to deal with, so there's a good chance he should pull through," Nurse Joy reassured with a small smile...which quickly became a frown. "Your friend on the other hand…we don't think his life is in any danger at the moment, but we've confirmed several broken bones and we'll need to give him a more intensive diagnostic to determine the extent of the damage. The worst case scenario, we'll need to perform surgery," she frowned. "For now, all of you should wait in the lobby. I'll be sure to inform you if anything changes," she said...to which Pikachu jumped off of Misty's shoulder and would have ran to the emergency room if Misty hadn't stopped him.

"No Pikachu, we can't go in there right now…" Misty said softly, earning some protest from him, and she couldn't blame him.

Nurse Joy lowered herself to be closer to his height. "I'm really sorry Pikachu, but don't worry. I'll do everything I can to make sure your trainer pulls through," she reassured him.

Pikachu's ears drooped, but he nodded slightly reluctantly and didn't resist when Misty picked him up.

The three of them were soon back in the lobby, and noticed Officer Jenny talking to several of the Officers, the same ones that had gone after the Riolu from before...and she did NOT look pleased.

"What's going on?" Brock asked as they came closer.

Officer Jenny sighed in annoyance. "Unfortunately it seems Voidheart got away again," she frowned. "I can't believe you let yourselves get separated from your teammate," she frowned at the officers who bowed their head in apology. "And not just that, all of you should know that Voidheart isn't someone anyone should try to catch alone…" she trailed off, looking out the door...and Misty and Brock saw an ambulance wheeling in one of the officers...and he was in terrible shape..and one of his arms had been bent at an unnatural angle.

"That guy did that?!" Misty gasped in horror.

"Who was that guy anyway?" Brock frowned.

"Since you've seen him you might as well know," Officer Jenny sighed, before taking out a picture of the Riolu, specifically of a Trainer's License. "Cross Voidheart. He's a Trainer-Fighter who hails from the Alola Region. Well, former now that his license has been revoked," she started. "As you've probably seen, his profile shows him as a rather mentally unstable individual with an abnormal fixation on being strong."

"We noticed," Misty and Brock nodded. "Why IS he so fixated on that?"

"That is something we've never figured out," Officer Jenny frowned. "But at this point the cause is irrelevant, as it left him the way he is now. He's got several accounts of Pokemon abuse and abandonment, many cases of assault, and as your friend's unfortunately found out the hard way, dabbling in less than moral techniques."

"You mean what he did to Ash?" Misty frowned.

Officer Jenny nodded. "We're not sure where he learned that ability, but it apparently allows him to drain the Aura from his opponents. He seems to think that it adds to his own strength, though if that's true or not...we're not fully sure. What we DO know is that draining the aura of someone who's already been weakened or badly injured not only makes their condition worse, it even can hamper their recovery. That's why despite being only a teenager, he's already quite high on the wanted list…" Officer Jenny sighed.

"That's terrible…" Brock frowned. "I can't imagine how his family must feel…"

"He doesn't have any living relatives as far as we know," Officer Jenny sighed. "It's such a shame really. Someone like him COULD have had a bright future, but he's thrown it away at this point. The only place he's going is Juvenile Hall now, and if he keeps racking up charges, I don't really want to think of what the court might decide to do with him…" she frowned. "Whatever the case, as it is now, he's a criminal we need to catch."

"I hope you can get him soon," Misty agreed. Unfortunate or not, what Cross did was still unforgivable AND illegal.

"We'll do our best. You all stay safe now," Officer Jenny smiled a bit, before she soon rejoined her squad.

With her gone, it was back to waiting for them. By now a Doctor from the nearest town had arrived, so the light in the ER room was switched on. The group waited anxiously for several hours, so it was no surprise when the lights finally went off, and the door opened, they were all over Nurse Joy. Thankfully…

"Both of them will be okay," Nurse Joy confirmed. "Charmander was in bad shape, but we've managed to stabilize him. He should wake up within a day or two," she said with a smile, before frowning. "Though...I can't confirm his mental state when he wakes up…" she frowned.

"After how that Cross guy treated him...I can imagine…" Brock frowned. "And Ash? How's he doing?"

"He was badly injured and we had to treat him for several broken bones throughout his body. Fortunately it was nothing TOO serious, but I recommend he stay here to recover for about a week or so. It's a good thing Officer Jenny and the other officers found you all when they did. Draining a person's Aura also inhibits their ability to naturally heal. It was fortunate they managed to stop him before he drained too much," Nurse joy sighed.

"I'm afraid to ask, but how bad COULD it have been?" Misty frowned.

"I've heard some of the people who fought him were left comatose, and some even had to give up on their careers as Fighters. Fortunately so far we haven't had any fatalities though," Nurse Joy frowned deeply. "So believe me when I say your friend is VERY lucky all things considered."

The group could only gulp at that, but they had to agree. A full recovery that took some time was better than no full recovery.

XXXX

Ash groaned as he came to. His mind was fuzzy and his body felt numb and heavy. The first thing he registered was the soft beeping of a machine of some kind. Opening his eyes slowly, he turned his head a bit and saw said machine, as well as notice the oxygen mask strapped to his face. Blinking a bit as he moved his head a bit more and noticed that he was in a hospital room, and when he tried to move, he felt something keep him down. Shifting his head again he noticed a few straps kept him down on the bed...no doubt so he wouldn't move about too much. Were his injuries THAT bad?

"Hey, he's awake," came Misty's voice, before she, Brock, and Pikachu were soon around the bed, and pressed the button to call a nurse, to which one of the Chansey came in, and seeing that Ash was awake, quickly undid his mask and the straps, allowing Ash to slowly sit up a bit.

"How are you feeling?" Brock asked, even if he knew it would probably not be a good answer.

"Like I tried to stop a group of Golem rolling down a hill," Ash groaned a bit. "Did the police at least catch the guy?"

"Well...not exactly…" Brock sighed as they explained what happened. "So in short, while its not good...it could have been a lot worse…"

"I guess I should be thankful for that at least," Ash sighed. He wasn't too happy to hear that Cross guy got away, but considering he could have done worse...he's not complaining. "How's Charmander doing?"

"He hasn't woken up yet," Misty frowned. "Nurse Joy says physically he should be fine, but mentally…" she trailed off.

Ash didn't need to ask. Charmander trusted Cross and obeyed him...and all he got was being abandoned in response. That kind of abuse could cause serious damage to a Pokemon's psyche. "...we can't leave him alone," he suddenly said, Pikachu nodding in agreement, knowing exactly what his Trainer had in mind.

"Don't get too ahead of yourself though," Brock chuckled wryly. "Nurse Joy says you need to stay here for a few days before she'll let you go. That's plenty of time to help Charmander AND make sure you're fit to keep going as a Fighter."

"Yeah, guess you're right," Ash sweat dropped a bit. He WAS getting a bit ahead of himself for a moment there.

XXXX

The next day opened rather peacefully for the Pokemon Center. No emergencies, the guests waking up and were in the areas provided for them to have breakfast. Among them, Ash was with Misty, Brock, and Pikachu...slowly getting to the table as he had been given crutches to help him walk, currently dressed in one of his spare shirts and pants, his hat and jacket left in the room he'd been provided for his stay. Under his clothes his torso had been covered in bandages, his left arm also bandaged and in a sling, while his right leg also had several bandages on it, with the crutches helping him keep balance. "Okay...can't wait to not need these anymore," Ash grumbled a bit, putting the crutches against the table. While Nurse Joy said he technically could walk without any help, she strongly advised that he make use of the crutches to avoid aggravating his leg.

"Can't be helped. They said you had several fractures on your leg, so it'll take a few days to heal," Brock sighed before smiling wryly. "Though if it's any consolation, I know how you feel."

"Something happened to you in the past?" Misty blinked in slight surprise. Then again, being Fighters, an injury or two shouldn't be TOO surprising.

"Yeah, I kinda went overboard with some training and let's just say I ended up stuck in bed with mom fussing over me for a month. Took an extra 2 weeks before she agreed to let me resume training after that too," he sweat dropped.

"Must have been pretty bad," Ash sweat dropped.

Brock coughed a bit at that. "The point is, just be glad that Nurse Joy says you should be fine to leave in a week or two. And that you can still walk around even with crutches."

"That I'm thankful for. I'm just worried about how my parents are gonna react when I call them," Ash chuckled awkwardly. "By now they'd definitely notify Professor Oak, so…" he trailed off.

"There's...no way your parents don't know what happened," Brock and Misty sweat dropped.

"Yeah...I can see why you'd be a little nervous. Understanding parents or not they're still your parents…" Misty frowned. She could imagine that they'd be very worried, and with worry came a mix of emotions that could lead to just about anything. "Still, you definitely should call them as soon as you can."

"First thing I'll do after breakfast," Ash sighed, picking up a spoon to start eating. "If I don't call them for all I know they'll-" he didn't get to finish as the front door which was in view of the area they were at suddenly opened up...and in came a familiar (to Ash) Zoroark, followed by a Lucario who was quickly recalling a Dragonite that had no doubt been used as a mode of transportation. "...do that…" Ash finished lamely as he realized that yes his parents (especially his mom no doubt) had come all the way here after getting the news. "Hi Mom, hi Dad," he said wryly since this was really happening.

The moment he said that, a small gust of wind went through the Pokemon Center. The cause? Delia had covered the distance from the entrance to where he was sitting...and she was soon fussing over him. "Ash are you okay?!" she gasped frantically. "Does it hurt? Do you need anything?!" she asked as she was practically all over him.

"Dear, calm down," Carmine said, grabbing his wife by the shoulder. "Give him a chance to answer," he said, seeing as with how she was behaving, Ash wasn't getting a word in at all. Granted he was worried too. What kind of father WOULDN'T be worried when he heard his son had been hospitalized...and by a wanted criminal at that? But at the same time, smothering him wasn't going to help either.

Delia looked like she wanted to argue, but stopped when she realized Carmine WAS right in this one. "You're right. Sorry about that, dear. It's just, when we heard from Professor Oak that you'd been hospitalized I just got so worried…"

"It's fine," Ash said, smiling a bit. "Though it's not as bad as it looks. Sure they said I should be here for a week or two, but other than that I should make a full recovery," he said reassuringly.

"I'm glad to hear that," Delia smiled, hugging her son gently to avoid aggravating his injuries. "Now can someone tell me where the one who did this to you went so I can have a little...talk?" she said, and when she did, the temperature of the room went down a few degrees.

"Now on THAT one we agree completely." Carmine added, his hands igniting with aura.

"Well uh...as much as we'd like to tell you I'm afraid Cross Voidheart got away from the Police," Brock said with a large sweat drop. Even if the parents were keeping a level tone, it was PAINFULLY clear to everyone that they wanted nothing more than to rearrange the skeleton of the person who'd put their son in the hospital. Not that he could blame them in the least.

Both parents looked at Brock for a moment...before the temperature returned to normal as both sighed, and everyone in the room let out a breath they didn't know they'd been holding. An awkward silence descended, before Misty decided to break it. "So uh...Mr and Mrs Ketchum?" she started a little awkwardly. "It's nice to meet you both. Ash told us about you," she said pleasantly.

"Just as he's told us about the both of you," Delia smiled, happy to finally meet the two friends her son had made on his journey.

"We'll admit the circumstances could have been better, but it's nice to meet you both too, and thanks for taking care of our son," Carmine chuckled. "He can be a real handful at times, we know," he grinned, ruffling his son's hair a bit, much to the Riolu's mild annoyance.

"It's no trouble at all," Brock and Misty chuckled.

XXXX

A couple of hours later saw Ash sitting on a bench outside behind the Pokemon Center. "Thanks again for coming all this way. I appreciate it," he said as he watched his current team which consisted of Pikachu, Butterfree, Pidgeotto, Nidoran, Wooper, and Bulbasaur sparing against Dragonite, as Carmine sat by his son's side. After what happened before, and since they were all the way here as it was, Carmine and Delia had decided they'd stay here till Ash finished recovering. It was a LITTLE embarrassing for Ash, but he didn't exactly mind it either. Besides...he could tell his mom wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"What parents would we be if we didn't," Carmine chuckled. "I'm just glad that it's nothing TOO serious," he sighed. "Trust me when I say I've seen worse. A LOT worse in my time as a Trainer-Fighter…."

"You've been hospitalized too?" Ash blinked.

"Thankfully only a few times," Carmine sighed, his mind wandering to less than happy days when he was travelling, before he shook his head and decided to change the subject. "So….this is your team?"

"Well not everyone. I did send Beedrill to Professor Oak after I got Bulbasaur to try and even things out a bit," Ash said. "But yeah, these are my Pokemon," he grinned a bit.

"It's only been a few months but for the most part, I can tell you've been taking good care of them," Carmine said as he watched Pikachu clash against Dragonite with his Iron Tail, while the other Pokemon tried to support him...though unsurprisingly Bulbasaur still needed some work, being the newest addition to the team.

"Thanks Dad," Ash chuckled a bit. "So...how's Pallet Town been doing?"

"Oh, same old, same old," Carmine chuckled. "Professor Oak is always busy with something, business is good at Pallet House, and overall it's a really peaceful town."

"Glad to know some things never change," Ash chuckled.

"Very true," Carmine agreed. "So...how's the Journey been for you so far? Getting hospitalized notwithstanding…"

"It's been great. I've gotten two Badges already, on my way to get my third one, and I'm meeting a lot of new people and seeing new Pokemon I'd never have seen if I'd stayed at home," Ash smiled. "Though if there's one annoying thing that happens it's running into a trio of Pokemon thieves who seem to really want Pikachu," he frowned.

"...Team Rocket?" Carmine asked with a frown.

"You've heard of them?" Ash blinked.

"A few times yes," Carmine nodded, though for a moment Ash could have sworn his eyes turned distant, as if he was recalling something. "If some are after Pikachu, then take good care of him. Don't let your friends and partners get taken away from you for another's greed."

"I won't," Ash nodded with determination, getting a smile from Carmine. "So...since we're on topic, any tips for the next Gym?" he added jokingly.

"Focus on your recovery first," Carmine said in amusement, ruffling his son's hair. "But in all seriousness, odds are you won't fight the Gym Leader himself. You've only got 2 Badges."

"What does that have to do with this?" Ash blinked.

"The Vermillion City Gym Leader is a man called Matis Surge, or rather Lt. Surge to most," Carmine explained. "And that isn't just a fancy title. That's literally his Military Rank. As strong as Fighters can be, the average fighter is still treated in the same way an average Martial Artist would be regarded. Surge on the other hand being legitimate military isn't treated the same way as most others, so he's LEGALLY not allowed to have a Fighter Match with anyone who isn't at least 6 Badges and up."

"So I guess I won't fight him as a Fighter then," Ash frowned.

"Well, you won't fight HIM per say, but you might end up having to fight someone who learned from him. Either way, try to be prepared for that too," Carmine mused.

"Have you ever fought him?" Ash asked curiously.

"Once I did. And when he's serious he's no joke," Carmine nodded. "His Pokemon are also strong. He's definitely earned his position as an Electric type Gym Leader."

"Guess I should try using Bulbasaur and Wooper then," Ash frowned.

"Would be a smart move yes," Carmine nodded. "Just take it one step at a time and you'll be fine. There's no shame in losing if you learn something from it," Carmine chuckled.

"Right. Thanks, Dad," Ash said with a smile.

"Anytime, son," Carmine grinned. "Now come on, I think that's enough training for now. Knowing your mother she's probably commandeered the kitchen by now," he chuckled.

XXXX

True enough, Delia HAD in fact commandeered the kitchen. And she was really showing them how it's done too from the looks of it.

"Wow, she's really good," Brock blinked as they watched her work in the kitchen, handling several dishes at the same time while barely breaking a sweat.

"Really good? She's practically working the kitchen by herself!" Misty gasped.

"Yeah...that's my mom," Ash chuckled. "She's the owner and operator of the Pallet House restaurant."

"When we were travelling we ended up eating her cooking all the time, and before long she got better than a lot of restaurants not gonna lie," Carmine said fondly, remembering the old days. "And she's only gotten better since then."

"Oh you're too kind," Delia chuckled, having been close enough to the opening that allowed them to look into the kitchen to hear her husband.

"Just saying the truth," Carmine smirked a bit.

Ash sweat dropped a bit at the back and forth. He was happy his parents were happy, but well...this wasn't exactly at home.

"Your parents are sure…" Misty couldn't help but say when she and Brock shifted closer to him. She wanted to word it delicately but neither of them were really sure how to say that his parents acted like newlyweds.

"I know what you're thinking and yes. I'll be honest, how I don't have any younger siblings by now is beyond me," Ash whispered back with a sweat drop.

"I can imagine…" Brock sweat dropped. His own parents could be pretty lovey dovey when they were together too, and he knew where that could lead.

"Let's...just focus on lunch," Misty sighed.

"Yes please, it's going to be good. I promise," Ash said with a relieved sigh.

True enough it wasn't long before the food was ready and boy was it delicious. So much so the chefs of the Pokemon Center were all but begging her for the recipes. "Wow, this is really really good," Brock couldn't help but say. "How did you make it?"

Delia chuckled at that one. "That's my little secret," she said a little cheekily. "But if there's one key ingredient? Trial and error."

Brock nodded at that. "Right, this must have taken years to get right," he said in understanding. It wasn't something she could just give out. "Hopefully I can make something like this eventually too," he mused.

"Oh don't sell yourself short," Delia chuckled. "Ash tells us a lot about both of you when he sends emails, and he praises your cooking when it's part of the topic."

"That so?" Brock chuckled as he looked to Ash. "Glad to know I get the seal of approval."

Ash couldn't help but laugh at that one. "Well considering you do the cooking all the time, how can I not give it the seal of approval?" he shot back good naturedly.

"Besides, your food tastes better than a quite a few restaurants I've been to, and THEY had a full on kitchen and fresh supplies," Misty added, the three of them chuckling at that one.

"I know we said it before, but thank you for taking care of our son," Delia said with a gentle smile as she and Carmine watched the banter. "It puts us both at ease knowing he has such good friends with him."

"Mom…" Ash groaned slightly at that one. The care was appreciated. The delivery...not so much.

"Sorry Ash, but we can't help but worry for you," Carmine chuckled. "You remind us of ourselves...in both good and bad ways…" he said, adding the last one with an aside glance.

"Is this about how you two got into a lot of...shenanigans...when you were travelling?" Ash blinked.

"In as short an answer as possible? Yes," Delia sweat dropped. "Let's just say if your first day is anything to go by, you inherited both of our penchants for...trouble…" she sighed.

"Your first day?" Brock blinked.

"I randomly kicked a rock, it landed on a Spearow, and then that Spearow called its entire flock to get revenge," Ash deadpanned. "Me and Pikachu got them though," he quickly said, Pikachu nodding with an expression that was a mix of bitter memories and a bit of pride that they could beat all of them.

"Oh yeah...I remember that," Misty blinked. "...wow...and that was over a rock? Those Spearow were too much," she frowned.

"Even Professor Oak thinks that was abnormal behavior, even for Spearow," Carmine sighed in agreement as they continued their meal. Eventually though the food was eaten and the dishes cleared up.

"Thanks again for lunch," Ash said. He wanted to help, but Nurse Joy put her foot down, saying even though he could still move around, he shouldn't do more than necessary.

"It's no problem at all. While you're still in Kanto I'm always happy to cook anytime," Delia smiled.

Ash didn't really know what to say to that. On one hand it was a bit embarrassing since the moment he started his journey he should have been able to take care of himself. On the other hand though, it still felt nice knowing his parents were always there for him. "Maybe we'll drop by every now and then," he answered truthfully, blushing a bit.

"Don't need to act so bashful, Ash," Brock chuckled. "Your parents are great. No shame in wanting to spend some time with them," he said, before adding, "Though sorry if I end up trying to steal some of the cooking tricks, Mrs. Ketchum."

"It's no problem at all. You're welcome to try," Delia chuckled in amusement. "Don't think I'm going to make it easy though."

"I'd be surprised if you did," Brock chuckled in return.

As they were talking though, Pikachu noticed Misty was being rather quiet, like she was thinking about something, to which he tugged at Ash's sleeve and pointed at Misty, relaying his concern. "Misty? Is something wrong? You've got this intense look on your face," Ash asked, voicing Pikachu's question.

Misty blinked, his words snapping her out of it for a bit. "It's nothing too serious, but it's something I've been thinking about for a bit," she said.

"What is it?" Ash asked, now curious. The response he got was Misty standing up.

"Mrs. Ketchum, if it's not a problem I'd like to make a request," she said.

"Oh? What do you need?" Delia blinked.

"I'd like to ask for a spar," Misty said. "I'm going to take over the Cerulean Gym eventually and-" she didn't get to finish as Delia held up a hand stopping her.

"And you want to get more experience, especially since Ash has no doubt told you I'm a semi-retired Fighter, yes?" Delia gave a knowing smile, earning a small nod from Misty. "Alright then, I have no objections."

XXXXX

And done. Yes, in this chapter I took the premise of the Charmander episode and mixed it in with aspects of the 'I Choose You' movie. Also Ash's parents came running, because what parents wouldn't if they heard their son was hospitalized. Lol

Also here's the latest Retold File. Enjoy

File No. 5: Aura

Aura is a spiritual power that is derived from the life force of each living creature. As such it is present in both Pokemon and Pokemorphs, and is even the source of the various Moves that they can use, while also being a key part in their ability to take massive punishment with little to no real lasting effects. Pokemon and Pokemorphs have an instinctive ability to control and manipulate their own Aura in order to use Moves, but some are able to do more than that. Of all Pokemon and Pokemorphs, only the Riolu line is born with an innate ability to manipulate Aura further than just conventional moves, though this ability is more clearly apparent in Lucario.

It should be noted that while the ability to manipulate Aura beyond instinctive use is innate to Riolu and Lucario, that does not mean that other species are unable to learn to do the same. However the process is often more easily accomplished by Pokemorphs than Pokemon.