Chapter 3

The lights of Azalea town were now in sight as Ash looked out of the window to his right. They had been flying for about four hours now and he was eager to land and get some rest, before seeing his old friend again. Serena and Bonny had already fallen asleep, as May and Misty continued to chat with one another, while Clement was his usual alert self, as he turned away momentarily from one of his hand held gadgets to let Ash know they were going to be landing soon. Moments later, the pilot confirmed that they would be landing in two minutes.

Just a few minutes later they were leaving their seats. They found themselves at another harbour similar to the one they had left. It was a warm night, but a cool sea breeze brought some relief for Ash and his companions. They came to a road which would lead them into Azalea town, and called for a taxi. There was not a taxi bigger enough for all of them, so they caught two separate ones: Ash, Serena, and Misty in one; May, Bonnie and Clement in the other. They asked to be taken to the pokemon centre, where they were going to be lodging. About twenty minutes later, after navigating a small amount of late night traffic, they arrived at the Azalea town Pokemon centre on the West side of town. They were greeted by a kind nurse Joy and offered a late dinner, but Ash, exhausted and eager to get a good night's rest before his big day tomorrow, politely declined and headed upstairs to his room. All of the others, on the contrary, decided to stay downstairs and eat. It wasn't that Ash wasn't a little tempted by the food, but he was just so eager to meet his old friend the next day, in addition to meeting Kurt to discuss the GS ball.

Sure enough, it didn't take Ash, or Pikachu, long to fall asleep, and they both slept like logs. Clement had to wrestle Ash awake the next morning, "Huh, what you doing Clement" he responded belligerently, "Sorry Ash, but it was hard to wake you up, I had to call your name for more than a minute before you responded at all. It's already after 9:00, and I thought you would like some breakfast before meeting Kurt. I think he was expecting you by 10:30." For a moment Ash was too dazed to remember what he was supposed to be doing, but suddenly the lightbulb in his head switched on: "Oh, that's right, thanks Clement, I'll be down in a moment."

After scoffing down a breakfast consisting of bacon, Eggs and Jam toast, Ash was on his way to the north-west side of town to pay Kurt a visit. Clement accompanied him, while the girls were going to do some shopping in the centre of town. After a half hour or so, Ash and Clement arrived at Kurt's home. They walked to the door and knocked. They soon got an answer. The old man took a quick glimpse of each of them, and then began to look at Ash inquisitively: "have you and I met?" He asked curiously.

"Yes we have, I'm Ash, Ash Ketchum, we met a few years ago when I gave you the GS ball and helped you save those slowpoke." After a brief pause, the man's eyes lit up: "Ash Ketchum! Yes of course I remember you, I'm happy to see you again, you bring your young golden-haired friend in and we'll have a chat and a bite to eat don't you say?"

"I'd love that Sir, thank you." Clement also replied with a formal "Thank you very much Sir." Kurt seemed in quite a pleasant mood, perhaps the GS ball dilemma had not gotten to him as much as Professor Oak, Ash surmised internally. Kurt brought out a large plate of sandwiches: chicken on one half and salmon on the other, and another plate with cookies. Ash and Clement were very grateful, but it wasn't long before Ash got what he had come for, as Kurt started talking, "So how are you going with your journey young man?" he asked enthusiastically.

"I've actually taken a break for the last two years; I guess after coming so close to winning the Kalos league, it felt like the right time to sit back and ask myself a few of the tough questions you know?"

"And have you answered any of them?" Ash had to think hard about that, the truth was he wasn't really sure. "I guess I've answered a couple of them, just not all of them."

"hmmm" Kurt appeared intrigued, "You know my grandaugher Macy went through something similar after she lost the final of the Johto league around nine months back." Ash was worried he had come across as rude, he had completely forgotten about the girl who he remembered trying to woo him when he fought in the Johto league. "She felt a little disheartened for a while after her defeat and thought she needed some time away, but she came to me maybe two months ago saying she felt reenergised and that she was about to start a new Journey in Kanto, and you could tell she wasn't lying either: you could see it written on her face. And she said something interesting, she said she found no rest in her idleness, that while it was good for her to take a little time away just to think things through and know the feeling of not having responsibilities, if only for a short time, ultimately it reached a point where doing nothing was doing more harm than good. She also realised being a trainer was still a passion of hers, so she seems as happy as Larry now, and I don't want to intrude on your life Ash, but I feel as if you've been away for a little too long now, you seem to lack some of that energy you had the last time you were here. It doesn't mean you have to be a trainer, but whatever it is that you feel you're called to do, just get out and do it before it's too late, you're a great talent and a very kind young man, and the world could use someone like you right now, so it would be a shame to see it go to waste."

"What do you mean by 'the world could use someone like you right now' what's going on in the world that's any different to, I don't know, the last time I was here?" Kurt had a look of fear in his eyes.

"This isn't to do with the GS ball is it" Ash pressed.

"I…I don't know for certain but there are signs, and the signs are beginning to look more and more troubling the more I investigate. There are ancient texts that talk about a special pokeball containing a prophecy, that's to be revealed at a certain point in time…during the middle of a calamitous war."

"But there is no war" Clement noted, "And there don't seem to even be signs of war at the present time. What leads you to think we're living in that time, there are a number of reasons the GS ball may be glowing and it's probably not even the same ball."

"I thought the same way as you just one week ago young man" Kurt lamented, "Just one week ago things seemed so much simpler." He took a deep breath, "Ok, this is why I believe this is the ball: Because the text – 'Prophecies and relics of ancient people and legendary pokemon' – reveal a ball of gold and silver will reveal the prophecy concerning the great war. A war which will begin with an invasion of pokemon from the heavens, shielded by great three limbed animals from the sky, animals of silver. All the lands will be laid waste, but Kanto will be last of all, and it will not be completely destroyed. Just as defeat seems imminent the king will come out of his slumber, the one taken from the ancient royal bloodline, he will be chosen by the guardian pokemon of Kanto, and summoning the guardian pokemon from the ball of gold and silver, the king will lead the people and pokemon of Earth to victory. The pokemon from the heavens will be turned from darkness to light, the great three limbed animals will tumble to the earth, along with the great menace, who will also come from the royal bloodline, and all things will be restored as they were." Ash and Clement looked on, stunned by these words. "But how do you know we're living in those times?" Clement asked. "Because the prophecy also says these things will take place in a time of great peace and prosperity, I think it goes: "Soon after the dawn of the age of enlightenment, in a period of great indulgence, when they say there is peace and security, the war will then come upon them."

"I'm sorry Sir, but I think we should try to look at this scientifically. Firstly, we still don't know if this is the right pokeball, it may in fact be that people made these balls in preparation for the events you just described, like a form of self-fulfilling prophecy; second, I would ask you how many other prophecies, if any, have actually come true, and lastly, soon in their language could mean hundreds of years so even if it were true, these events could still be many, many years away. I mean yes, the GS ball is acting oddly but there's nothing in the prophecy about that, and you've only had it for a few years. Do you know who the previous owners of the ball were, and did they ever report it behaving strangely?"

"Don't get me wrong you two, I'm not saying I know this is the ball, let alone that these events are going to happen tomorrow, it may in fact be that these events are quite a few years off yet, even if they are true. But let me tell you this, if this happens in either of your life times, the world is going to need more people like the two of you to give people comfort, hope and direction, especially you Ash", he looked directly at Ash now; it was clear he was very serious about what he was saying."

"I think you underestimate my friend Clement, he's the smartest person I've ever met."

"Don't think I meant any offense towards your friend, I just said I think he's a fine young man, but you my boy are a one of a kind; I have a good sense for such things. Also, why do you think that Ho-oh has appeared to you three times, now tell me that? I'll tell you why: because you're special, start realising it. To acknowledge it doesn't mean to lose yourself. It doesn't even mean you're better than others, it just means you've being chosen for a special purpose, and it's up to you to find what that purpose is." A few moments later he left for another part of the house. A minute or so later he returned with the GS ball itself, currently its usual gold and silver colour. He approached Ash: "Here, I want you to take this. I think it's best in the hands of someone whom fate has marked as special." Ash was getting overwhelmed by this turn of events, but he managed to keep his composure.

"Ok Kurt, if this is what you want, I'll take it. I think that maybe I'll give it to Professor Oak once I've returned to Palet." Kurt looked slightly disappointed: "If that's what you wish, but I still feel like you're a better choice."

"If it's my destiny, it will be mine, so I suppose it doesn't matter much either way."

"Right you are Ash." As Ash took the ball it gave a small glow, Ash started shouting in excitement but Kurt did not seem to think much of it…"Hmmm, interesting, quite interesting" he responded in a somewhat dry tone.

After finishing their lunch, Ash and Clement departed from Kurt's home and headed back towards the pokemon centre. It was bright and sunny, and the Elm and Oak trees were in full bloom, their leaves in their early summer transition from light green to dark green. There was even a small group of children playing and laughing down the road, but for all of that, things didn't feel the same to Ash as when he had walked down the same road earlier that morning, and he sensed they never would be.

"I've got to say Ash, if he wants you to become a trainer again, I'm not sure that was the best way of motivating you, am I right?"

"You can say that again, I think that as brilliant as he is, unfortunately Kurt has spent a little too much time on his own. And besides, Professor Oak didn't look like a man who thought the world was about to be thrown into chaos when we spoke with him yesterday."

"Besides Ash, I have a very strong belief that men determine their own fate. And you know what I say: 'the future is now thanks to science.'"

"Or the future is now thanks to prophecy" Ash responded. "Oh well, I guess we'll know soon enough. But I'm not going to let it stop me from living my life. I've got almost everything I need now. And as for the missing piece, I will start my journey again, once this trip is over and I've visited home again. And I will be a pokemon master, just you wait and see."

"Welcome back Ash Ketchum."

"It feels good to be back."