Had a long work day yesterday. Not gonna say much. Enjoy.
Disclaimer I do not own POkemon
Dialogue Guide:
"This is normal speech"
This is a person thinking in their head
This is someone speaking telepathically or with Aura
("Pokemon Speak")
("Legendary Pokemon Speak")
Ash could safely say that the last thing he expected to see was his father's Pidgeot and Lucario getting ready to fight each other with looks that could kill. He wasn't the only one, as everyone in the training area was just as confused and concerned about what was happening. Still, nobody seemed to want to interfere as Ranmaru and Sorrin were giving off such strong battle auras that it was pretty intimidating to look at them. The only thing that stood out about Ranmaru was that she had a slightly plumper torso, which was the only physical difference one could tell between the genders of Lucario. Her paws were held out in a fighting stance while Sorrin was a few feet above the ground, neither moving an inch while maintaining focus on the other.
Then, as if decided by a split second, Sorrin moved so fast that he was almost a blur. Diving forward with a glowing beak, it attempted to tackle Ranmaru, who quickly jumped out of the way with equal speed as Sorrin. She twisted in the air and aimed an Aura Sphere at Sorrin, who veered right to avoid hitting his wing and flying around for another attack. Ranmaru fired a second Aura Sphere that Sorrin ducked low to avoid but unleashed a Twister attack so large it started blowing large amounts of dust in the area that forced everyone to cover their faces. Ranmaru gritted her teeth as the air cyclone blew her away into the sky, perfect for Sorrin to attack.
("Taste this, dog breath!") Sorrin cried out, glowing pure white with an energy cone emerging from his beak.
Sorrin was like lightning as he sailed through the air and hit Ranmaru in the gut with a powerful Aerial Ace that made everyone gasp upon seeing it directly hit. Ranmaru cried out in pain before being knocked to the earth and skeeted so hard against it that she left a small tunnel, but to the shock of everyone, including Ash and his Pokemon, Ranmaru was back to her feet with a quick backflip.
("Holy Ho-Oh! She took an Aerial Ace to the front like it was nothing!") Skye shouted in shock. ("That's one of Daddy's signature moves!"
("It shows a testament to her skills as a fighter,") Azrael said in awe.
"Yeah, and I've seen Pokemon get knocked out with a good blow of that move," Ash commented with his eyes widened. He knew his Dad's Pokemon were strong, but he didn't think they were that strong.
("Was that the best you got, you overgrown rat with wings?! I've taken harder hits from a Caterpie!") Ranmaru shouted with a mocking grin. ("Has age made you weaker?! I think I see gray in those tail feathers of yours!")
("Why don't you just play dead like a good little bitch?! Here! I'll help you out!)" Sorrin cried out as his wings glowed a bright mix of white and blue before unleashing multiple Air Strikes downward.
Ranmaru, who didn't hesitate, dashed forward and started dodging several Air Slashes that Sorrin was unleashing from above. With a boost of Extreme Speed, she could quickly jump, dodge, and flip over each attack, which left small craters in their wake. She continued doing this, getting closer and closer to Sorrin, who hadn't moved from his spot in the air. Once she was close enough, Ranmaru paused in her running and fired a quick Vacuum Wave that made contact with a prepared Air Slash that exploded in Sorrin's face. The Pidgeot fumbled in the air in distortion while Ranmaru made a few movements with her arms before connecting her paws. Closing her eyes, she began to glow red all over her body.
"What's she doing?" Ash wondered as he tried to figure out the move.
Oh, that's Work Up , Mew said telepathically. It's a move that raises the attack power of a Pokemon.
The red boost faded away as a growling Ranmaru jumped up just as Sorrin had regained their senses, only to get an aura-powered uppercut on the face. This was followed by Ranmaru snapping a kick into Sorrin's face, followed by a palm strike, another uppercut, a spinning right-side kick, and a double palm strike with the glowing power of a Metal Claw to accompany it. Sorrin was knocked back so far in the sky that Skye chirped with worry, and Ash grabbed her to stop her from flying toward her hurt father.
Sorrin wasn't down for the count. He soon recovered by twisting himself a few times before diving towards a falling Ranmaru who was crossing her arms. Sorrin made contact with her, but she was suddenly glowing with a mix of yellow and blue energy that shielded her. Sorrin was instantly knocked back by an explosion of this energy that sent him crashing into the ground as cracks appeared around his impact area.
("Who's playing dead now, featherbutt?!") Ranmaru taunted with a laugh
("What was that?!") Azrael asked out loud.
"I think that was Counter ," Ash recalled.
Landing down on her feet, Ranmaru jumped up again and prepared an Aura Sphere that she charged up and fired at the downed Sorrin. However, opening his eyes, Sorrin zipped up back into the air just at the nick of time. It amazed Ash, his Pokemon, and the others around him that Sorrin was still going.
("Lucky shot! Not gonna happen again!") Sorrin cried out.
("Sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of your coping,") Ranmaru taunted, making many Lucario, Riolu, and the students stare at her in confusion and shock. Ash was similar in mind as he wasn't expecting his Dad's Lucario to act like this since, most of the time, Lucario was typically always so serious as a species. It got even more ludicrous when she turned around, lowered her body, raised her rump on high with her tail up, and smacked it with her paw. ("How about you give up and kiss my blue furry ass, Big Bird?")
("I'll be putting your big furry behind in a coffin and write how big and stinky it was on your gravestone!") Sorrin cried out as he dived downward before pulling up and riding low near the ground.
Ranmaru got prepared for another attack and charged forward, her body glowing with aura. The two got closer and closer with each passing half-second. Ranmaru shot out a punch, but in a surprising twist, Sorrin flapped back, raising himself and using one of his talons to catch the punch. Before Ranmaru could react, Sorrin dragged her forward with his talon and smacked her in the face with the other one. This was the opening he needed to slam her down on the ground a few times before dragging her face first against the dirt as he flew as low as he could towards the ground. After making her eat dirt for twenty seconds, he dragged her into the air, released her, and unleashed a powerful Gust that shot Ranmaru straight back down, where she landed hard.
When the dust settled, Ranmaru lay on her back, eyes closed, and limbs spread out without moving a muscle.
Flying down next to Ranmaru's limp body, Sorrin touched it with his talons for a reaction, only to get nothing. ("Tch? Knocked out already? Wow, you have gotten weak in your old-")
Ranmaru's eyes instantly opened, and she jumped up to hammer him with a Metal Claw to the face, which made him squawk and get knocked back. Putting her arms together, Ranmaru gathered a smaller Aura Sphere than she had usually summoned. Still, it was enough to push back Sorrin when she unleashed it, and he used his wings to guard himself before landing on his two talons.
Growling, Sorrin shouted, ("Okay! That was a cheap shot!")
("Well, you did say to play dead. I just took it to heart,") Ranmaru teased with a grin. She then frowned and summoned a Bone Rush staff while twirling it a few times. ("Alright. Enough fooling around! Let's end this!")
("Couldn't have put it better myself, Spike Boobs!") Sorrin cried out as his wings began to glow white.
Everyone leaned forward and waited with halted breath as the two charged forward at each other one last time for a final decisive blow.
("Sorrinnnnnnnnn!")
("Ranmarruuuuu!")
The two blows clashed, and a white burst of energy emerged from the blow, making everything blinding as the force of the blows blew back a few unlucky students and Pokemon. Skye was also nearly blown back, but Ash kept holding her. The energy soon resided, and everyone waited with halted breath to see who had managed to win. Standing against one another, wing against bone, the two tired, bruised, and sweating Pokemon were taking deep breaths while glaring at one another.
They continued to growl spitefully like animals to the point that they even butted heads, and everyone waited for another showdown.
Only...then Sorrin started laughing.
It was a chuckle at first, but then it was giggles followed by full-blown laughter.
Ash and his friends blinked before staring at one another and gazing over at Ranmaru, who was stoic at first, but soon she snorted. Following that was a belly full of laughter as she reared back and joyfully cried out like she had been tickled. The two experienced fighters and old teammates started leaning on each other, endlessly laughing in front of a confused audience. One minute, they were trying to kill each other, and the next minute, they were practically hugging each other like they were old friends.
("Sorrin, you bastard!") Ranmaru shouted as she dived into the Pidegot's embrace and hugged the giant bird. Nuzzling his cheek, she exclaimed, ("It's great to see you again!")
("You too, old friend. You too,") Sorrin replied as he nuzzled back with a few tears in his eyes. There was some mist in Ranmaru's, but she hid them better as they soon separated and smiled warmly at each other. They then slammed the left paw to the right wing and the right paw to the left wing, both simultaneously, and gave each other a friendly headbutt to finish off their secret shake. ("Glad to see you remember that.")
("Glad to see you can still give me a challenge. Even though you were holding back,") Ranmaru replied with a grin, which amazed all the Pokemon and Ash. They all wondered just how powerful these two were if they were holding back their strength.
("You were holding back too, but I can tell you still got it,") Sorrin complemented with a wink.
Ranmaru chuckled a bit before noticing that everyone was watching them and sighed. Smiling, she suddenly sent a telepathic message via Aura to all the students and their Pokemon: " Sorry about that, everyone. It's just a friendly greeting with an old friend. Please go back to your training."
Everyone tried to do so, but it was clear that they all wanted to talk about what they had just witnessed, and conversations were spreading like wildfire. Everyone asked who Pidgeot was (with some gazing over at Ash from those who had seen him release Sorrin) and the moves both Pokemon used.
Ranmaru sighed and turned her attention back to Sorrin. ("So, what brings you to Rota? Shouldn't you be in Pallet Town? I mean, I'm not unhappy to see you. It's been nearly thirteen years. But I'm just a bit confused why you're out here in northern Kanto.")
("Well, part of it is to visit you,") Sorrin said with a nod. ("But mostly, we're here to give Ash some Aura training.")
("Ash?") Ranmaru asked as Sorrin nodded to the human behind her. She turned around, and instantly, Ranmaru gasped and went pale. Freezing in place, Ranmaru's were firmly on Ash, who slowly got up and started walking to the two senior Pokemon with Skye in his hand and Azrael by his side. Mew was floating around, invisible, and observing in silence. Ranmaru, mouth open and eyes wide, slowly moved towards Ash with her trembling paws reaching out and slowly grabbing Ash's shoulder. ("M-M-M-Master Red?")
"Huh? Oh, no. Red's my father," Ash said nervously, and he gave a small smile. "I'm his son. Ash."
("S-Son? Master Red's S-S-Son?") Ranmaru whispered as tears began to drip from her eyes. With a small wail, she soon wrapped her arms around a surprised Ash, who reacted by holding her back. Sobbing, Ranmaru hugged Ash and nuzzled his shoulder while shaking her head. "(Master Ash! Forgive me! I'm so sorry I was never there for you or Master Delia! I should have been there! But after Master Red died I...I...I should have... I'm so sorry!")
"Ranmaru..." Ash whispered as the fully grown Lucario continued to weep and hold onto him like a lifeline. His heartfelt sympathy for her, as it was clear his father's death had shaken her deeply and made her leave for Rota in sorrow. However, he held no hatred in his heart and soon put his arms by her shoulders so he could look at her face to face-with a caring smile. "Ranmaru. It's okay. I understand. I don't hold anything against you for not being there for me. You were...in mourning."
("Master Ash...")
"But we're here now. Talking to each other. I want to get to know you, and I'd like to tell you more about me," Ash said, beaming as he tilted his head. "Plus, I think learning how to use Aura from one of my Dad's Pokemon would be cool."
("...You really are his son,") Ranmaru sniffed as she wiped her eyes and bowed. "(I would be honored to train you, Master Ash. I promise I will do everything in my power to teach you the ways of the Aura. And I...")
Her eyes then widened. "(Wait a minute. You are talking to me...understanding me...but I can't sense any Aura being used?")
"Oh, that's because I can understand Pokemon now," Ash answered with a grin.
Standing up straight, she looked at Ash with awe. ("Y-Y-You can understand me? Understand Pokemon without using Aura?")
("Yeah, surprised me too. But the kid is able to understand any Pokemon. Useful too,") Sorrin said with a chuckle.
("I...I see I have a lot to learn about what has happened to you in your life,") Ranmaru said with a chuckle.
("Mom!")/ "Mom!"
Everyone turned around and saw two figures running towards them. One was a male Riolu with a blue scarf and a yellow Pokeball symbol on the ends; the other was a young eight-year-old boy. The boy wore a black t-shirt with a dark blue vest that symbolized the Aura Knights over their heart while also wearing blue jean shorts and black leather fingerless gloves. You could almost mistake him for a human version of a Riolu with his spiky black hair with blue tips at the edges.
("Nobuyuki. Yukimura.") Ranmaru greeted the two as they stopped to breathe. ("What's wrong?")
("Mom! Are you okay?! The others were saying you were in some fierce fight with a crazy Pidgeot!") Riolu asked with worry.
"Yeah! And they said you were pulling out all the stops!" the human boy said, which surprised Ash and made him wonder if he could understand Pokemon as he could. That was when he noticed the small glowing blue light in his eyes and remembered that the Aura Knights were trained to speak to Pokemon through their Aura. The boy soon noticed Sorrin and pointed to him in shock. "That's him! That's the crazy Pidgeot."
("What's the big idea pickin' on our mom! You wanna deal with us too?!") The Riolu shouted as his human companion looked ready to throw down with him. Both raised their fists, which were glowing with Aura.
("Hey! That's my daddy you're talking about! He's not crazy, you jerks!") Skye shouted in defense of her father.
("Now, Skye. I'm sure this is just a misunder-")
("Yeah, well, your dad is a jerk! I bet you are, too! Probably too coward to face us in a real battle!") The Riolu shouted while pointing at a fuming Skye.
("Oh, that's it! I'm plucking your eyes out!") The Pidgey shrouded as she looked ready to fly, but Ash managed to grab her in time before she could attack. ("Let me go! These brats are going to get a Gust to the face!")
Sighing, Ranmaru addressed her sons. ("Nobuyuki. Yukimura. Stop.")
The two quickly turned to her and stood in attention.
("This is one of my friends from my time traveling with Master Red. His name is Sorrin. I've told you about him before,") Ranmaru explained with a smirk. ("It was just a spar between old friends. I wasn't in any real danger. So you can relax.")
"Ohhhhh," The human boy said before he and his Riolu looked at each other sheepishly while bowing in apology. "S-Sorry about that, Mr. Sorrin!"
("Yeah! Our bad!") The Riolu apologized.
Sighing, Ranmaru turned to Ash and the others and smiled. ("Everyone? I'd like you to meet my sons. Nobuyuki is my birth son from my mate, Kenshin, who is on a mission. Yukimura is my adopted son that I took in years ago when he lost his parents in an accident as a baby.")
("I was wondering why the human was calling you his mother,") Azrael said as he tilted his head. ("Is it common for Pokemon to adopt human children?")
Pokemon and humans being adopted by each other is more common than you think, Mew said telepathically to Ash, Azrael, Skye, and Sorrin while still invisible. Sometimes, parents who pass away trust their Pokemon to raise their children and help them grow up. Others treat Pokemon like their children and leave everything to them. As for humans being adopted by Pokemon, it happens sometimes, and humans understand more about Pokemon than most normal humans due to living with them since infancy. However, they need help adjusting to civilization if they ever find it.
("Normally, Pokemon can't adopt humans in Kanto, but here in Rota, we allow Riolu and Lucario to be formally adopted by humans and visa versa. We're all equals here and share everything. Even see each other as family,") Ranmaru said as she patted her kids on the head. ("They might be a bit of troublemakers, but I love them nonetheless.")
("Try dealing with about fifty of them,") Sorrin muttered with a tired expression. ("Trust me. You'll wish you had only two!")
("Daddy!") Skye pouted as Ash and Azrael chuckled.
"Mom? Who are these guys?" Yukimura asked.
Ranmaru smiled and replied, ("This is Ash Ketchem. He's my Master's son. And this is his team.")
"Nice to meet you," Ash said, nodding as he introduced his teammates. "These are my partners, Azrael and Skye."
("Well met,") Azrael greeted with a nod.
("Yeah. Yeah. Whatever. Don't make fun of my daddy again,") Skye huffed while puffing her cheeks.
"Are you training to be an Aura Knight?" Yukimura asked.
"No, I'm training to be a Pokemon Master," Ash answered. "I recently learned I could use Aura, so I came here to get some basic training on how to use it."
("I've agreed to help Ash learn the basics, so he'll be training with us for the next week or so,") Ranmaru answered her boys with a smile. ("Consider him your fellow student and help him learn the starting points like I have done with you, okay?")
"Sure, Mom," Yukimura said with a big smile. "It would be nice to be an advanced student for once."
("Yeah! We'll teach Ash everything we know! By the end of the week, he'll be just as good as you!") Nobuyuki proclaimed cheerfully.
Scratching his cheek, Ash chuckled, " Well, I don't know about that Nobuyuki, but I like the confidence."
This made the boys both look at each other in surprise and then at Ash with confusion as the Riolu asked, ("Did...Did you understand me?")
"Oh, right! Sorry, I forgot to mention that I can understand Pokemon," Ash explained, which led to both boys looking comedically shocked, with their eyes bulging out. "Wow, I will have to explain this regularly, huh?"
("I can see it being quite annoying,") Azrael chuckled with amusement. ("But you have to admit the reactions are funny.")
"H-How are you able to do that without using Aura?! I can do it because I'm using it, but from what I can tell, you aren't even doing it," Yukimura asked in awe.
Nobuyuki's eyes glowed blue for a bit before he shook his head. "Yeah, he's using no Aura whatsoever. Are you psychic?"
"No, but a psychic kinda does come into play," Ash hinted as he heard Mew giggling while invisible. "It's a long story, but I think it would be best to explain it back at the hotel where Mom is."
("I would love to see Mistress Delia again,") Ranmaru said with a nostalgic and longing look. ("It's good to know that she became such a great mother with you, Master Ash.")
"Yeah, but nobody is a better mom than you, Mom," Yukimura stated happily, which earned him a pat on the head from his mother.
("Yeah, well, I got five moms. So that makes me five times the best!") Skye proclaimed happily.
("I don't think that's how it works,") Azrael said with a deadpan expression. ("Also, only one of Sorrin's mates is technically your Mom.")
("Five mates? Damn, Sorrin. Always the ladies mon,") Ranmaru chuckled as Sorrin blushed. ("And this coming from the guy who was always getting shot down when we were traveling with Master Red.")
("Hey, I could have gotten that Swanna to go out with me if you and Ingus didn't prank me by setting my tail feathers on fire!") Sorrin huffed as he glared at a smirking Ranmaru. ("Totally messed up the mating dance and got my ass kicked, thanks to you.")
("Her misunderstood reasoning was pretty funny,") Ranmaru said as he turned to the others and answered, ("She thought his dance was telling her she was fat and needed to lose weight. Lesson number one when it comes to girls: Never make fun of our weight.")
("Says the dog who's gained a huge butt since I last saw her,") Sorrin muttered.
This earned him an Aura Sphere in the face.
The reunion between Delia and Ranmaru at the hotel resort was one of hugs and tears as the two embraced one another. Everyone decided to give them space to chat as Ash, his Pokemon, Sorrin, and Ranmaru's kids sat in the living room, waiting for the two ladies to finish catching up. None of them knew what to say for a while since it was the first time both groups were meeting each other. Ash didn't expect Ranmaru to have children, especially adopting a human one, but he supposed it made sense. Pokemon found mates as they got older, and Sorrin had five mates and multiple children on his own. It made him wonder how Azrael and Skye would develop as they age.
Or myself. I wonder if I'll ever find a girlfriend? Ash wondered for a moment before realizing that Nobuyuki was talking to Skye.
("So you have five moms? And multiple siblings, both full and half? How does that work?") The Riolu asked in confusion.
("That's just how our line does mating. Males take multiple females as their partners and share them with each other,") Sorrin explained with a smirk. ("It's not uncommon to see a single male Pidgeotto or Pidgeot with three or more females or share those mates with other males. Although I hear in different regions, it's sometimes reversed, and the females have multiple males. But regardless, we are polygamous.")
("Wow,) Nobuyuki muttered in awe. ("Mom and Dad always said that different Pokemon had different mating habits, but I didn't think it was that different.")
"Oh, yeah," Ash said as he recalled his lesson on the Aura Pokemon line. "Your line only mates for life once, right?"
"Yup!" Yukimura said with a nod. "When a Riolu or Lucario finds a mate when they are old enough, they enact a special mating ritual that unites their auras. They are mates for life and will never have another one. At least the Riolu or Lucario will if it's not a fellow line member. Even if that partner were to pass away, they'll never take another because it would be disrespectful."
"Wow," Ash whispered in awe. It was cool to see just how similar and different Pokemon were from humans and each other. "So your parents are mates for life, huh? Where is your dad anyway?"
"He's out on a mission with his partner. So it's just us with Mom for now," Yukumura said with a big smile. "Mom always told us stories about your dad and their adventures together. He sounded cool."
"Yeah, he was," Ash whispered with a sad smile. "Wish I got to meet him."
"O-Oh, sorry about that," Yukimura apologized while bowing. "Didn't mean to make you feel sad."
"It's okay," Ash replied, waving his hand. "So you two are training to be Aura Knights?"
("Yup! My brother and I are going to be the best Aura Knights since Sir Aaron and Lucian!") Nobuyuki proudly proclaimed as the two of them fist-bumped. ("We only just started officially training, but we're going to work hard and be the best there is!")
("We're planning to do the same! Only we're going to be the best Pokemon Trainer team!") Skye vowed with pride.
("Hopefully, our training will be paying off when we start the Gym Challenge next year,") Azrael recalled his lessons about how the Pokemon League worked.
Yukimura tilted his head in confusion. "Why wait until next year? You guys look ready for this year's gym challenge."
"There was...a delay..." Ash muttered uncomfortably.
Thankfully, his mother and Ranmaru spared him the description of it all, telling them all they could enter the dining room. Delia had prepared a nice warm kettle of tea, using the hotel room's kitchen to make them a nice drink with some biscuits as a snack. After taking a few and pouring each cup, Delia happily looked at Ranmaru's children and smiled at them.
"It's nice to meet you, boys. I'm Delia Ketchem. Ash is my son, and your mother's trainer was my husband," she said, introducing herself.
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Ketchem," Yukimura said with a polite bow while his Riolu brother, who was biting into a biscuit, only nodded in greeting while giving a wave.
"So Ash," Delia said while sipping some tea. "Ranmaru has agreed that she'll train you in using Aura while we are here for the week. You can train alongside her sons with your Pokemon to get to know each other. After all, she's family. And if these are her sons, they're part of the family, too."
"Family?" Ash asked curiously as he turned to the two, who were just as surprised.
("It was something Red always called us whenever we were together,") Sorrin said with a nostalgic smile. ("Red never saw Pokemon any different from humans. In fact, he sometimes preferred them over his own kind. He saw all of us on the team as part of a family, and we see each other the same way.")
("So does that mean Ash is my cousin?") Nobuyuki asked with eyes widened with awe. ("Cool! I've always wanted a cousin!")
"Me too!" Yukimura said with a big grin. "You can be our big cousin, Ash! Your Pokemon too!"
"Cousins..." Ash whispered in awe as he stared at the two smiling brothers. He felt his heart move, as he always kind of wished he had a bigger family than what he grew up with. Both his grandparents died before he was born, and none of them or his parents had siblings. It was just Ash and his mom.
Professor Oak filled the role of a father and grandfather figure, but he wasn't around all the time until now, with most of his focus devoted to helping fix his mistake. The Professor and Ash had gotten closer to the point that Ash saw him almost daily in training or just talking and learning about Pokemon in general. He opened Ash's mind to just how big and mysterious the Pokemon world was, and he wanted to know just as much about it, thanks to his ability to talk to Pokemon.
Both Sorrin and Mew also became uncles and aunts. Sorrin was the calm uncle Ash could talk to about his doubts, feelings, and emotions that the Pideot would wisely advise him on. He was also the best information about his father in his youth. His mother might have had stories of them together, but Sorrin had been with Red since the start of his Pokemon Journey and the rest of his life afterward until the end. It made him almost feel like he was listening to his father talking to him whenever Sorrin went on about his past, but he also kept Ash focused on his own goals and not getting lost in the past.
Mew was, naturally, the fun aunt. She was the one who made Ash smile and remember to play and relax. He might have been a Pokemon Trainer, but he was still a kid who needed to remember to enjoy life. Her efforts to make him smile, laugh, and feel relaxed made him appreciate her so much. Ash could feel Mew nuzzling his neck right now, no doubt reading his emotions with her psychic powers, and once again grateful to Mew for saving his life. He owed everything to her, and Mew was a good Pokemon deep in her big heart inside her small body.
So what was wrong with adding Ranmaru as an Aunt and her children as his cousins?
Giving the biggest smile ever, Ash held out his fist and said, "Yeah, sounds great! Let's be best cousins who give it their all in their dreams!"
"Right!"/ ("Right!") The two Aura Knight trainees said as they first bumped.
("Hey, don't forget about me! I'm Sorrin's daughter! That makes you two my cousins too!") Skye said while fluttering her wings on Ash's head.
("Sure. You can be the dumb cousin with a big mouth,") Nobuyuki teased, which nearly made Skye go to peck his head off if it wasn't for Ash stopping her.
("I guess that means I'm a cousin too?") Azrael asked with amusement.
"Knowing you, you'll be the quiet yet protective cousin," Ash pointed out with a grin.
("I can live with that.")
Suddenly, much to the shock of everyone, Mew suddenly turned visible and happily spread her arms. ("Yay! Cousins for everyone! Let's have a big happy family hug!")
"MEW!"/ (MEW!") Everyone who knew of her already shouted in disbelief and disapproval.
("MEW?!")/" MEW?" Ranmaru and her kids shouted in disbelief and surprise.
Mew just rolled her eyes. What? Come on. We were going to tell them the whole story anyway. Might as well come out and show myself.
("...Could someone explain to me why the Legendary Pokemon Mew, who's supposed to be dead, is floating above the table right now and seems to know you all?") Ranmaru asked as her right eye began to switch.
"W-W-Well, it's kinda because of her that I can speak Pokemon now. Also, she saved my life after I nearly died on my first day as a Pokemon Journey..." Ash nervously answered while rubbing the back of his head.
... Mistress Delia? Please tell me you have alcohol here. I have a feeling I'm going to need a few strong shots of whatever booze there is.
("Mom? Dad says you aren't allowed to drink unless it's the weekend.")
("Dad can shut up because Mom needs her medicine for the headache I'm having right now!")
The conversation turned dark as Ash recalled what happened on his first day, and the others provided commentary on the parts he wasn't conscious of. Nobuyuki and Yukimura were horrified that such a thing happened to Ash and even got teary-eyed at the end. Ranmaru, however, had been calm and collected for the most part, but one could see the rage in her eyes and her Aura flaring out occasionally, especially during the moments involving Pikachu.
When it was all over, Ranmaru slowly sipped her tea until it was all gone before taking a deep breath. ("Master Ash...should I ever meet this Pikachu...he dies.")
Ash gulped and slowly raised his paws. "R-Ranmaru, please. We don't need to-"
("No, Master Ash,") Ranmaru said as she stood up and glared down at Ash. ("What happened to you is unforgivable, and this Pikachu is a wild beast that must be put down. I know this kind of person. They will continue to harm and hurt and even kill those they hate no matter what. This Pikachu is not a threat to you but to any human or even Pokemon that doesn't agree with his views. If he is willing to kill you in his rage, then it's best to put him down as soon as possible.")
Despite not using Aura to speak out loud, Delia seemed to get already a sense of what was going on and cleared her throat. "Ranmaru. I understand your fury. I am beyond furious about what happened to Ash, but seeking out this Pikachu is pointless. We should focus on the present and help Ash with his training so he can avoid being in danger in the future."
Agreed. I apologize, Mistress Delia. Ranmaru apologized in Aura this time. You are right, and I will refrain from my anger. But I will alert the Knights of this Pikachu in case he is in our lands so that we may get justice should it come.
Ranmaru then turned to Mew, Azrael, and Skye and bowed to her. ("Lady Mew. Azrael. Skye. I am eternally grateful that you each played a role in saving my Master's son. I am happy to know that Master Ash is being protected by you three.")
She then turned to her sons and placed her paws behind her back. ("Nobuyuki. Yukimura. Remember this well. Not all Pokemon are good, and those who act in such a manner are to be distrusted no matter what. Understood?")
("Yes, Mom,") / "Yes, Mom."
Now then, Ranmaru spoke with Aura again so Delia could hear. A week isn't enough time to teach you much, Master Ash. So, the main thing we will be focusing on is unlocking your Aura, spreading it around your body, and connecting it with your Pokemon so you can create a stronger bond that will be useful for battle.
"Oh, we can do that already. It was a bit hard too," Yukimura said to Ash while grinning. "Don't worry! We'll help teach you, cousin!"
("Hey! I got an idea!") Nobuyuki yelled in excitement while standing on his chair. ("Ash and his team can take part in the Rookie Shot Tournament this week with us!")
"Rookie Shot Tournament?" Ash asked.
It's a tournament for rookie-level trainers that is open for anyone to join, Ranmaru explained with a smile. So long as you are between the ages of eight and thirteen and have at least one non-evolution Pokemon, you can join the tournament.
"Is it a big tournament for the kingdom?" Ash recalled some tournaments in Rota being highly attended and filled with decor and celebration.
("Rota is known for having tournaments like these almost weekly," Nobuyuki replied. ("This wouldn't be anything huge—a small prize and maybe a gift. We planned on entering to test ourselves and your training.")
I say go for it! Mew telepathically cheered. It would be a great test to see how far your training has come!
Ash turned to both his partners, who gave serious looks of determination and nodded. Ash felt his heart pumping as he smiled and gripped his fist. "Yeah, let's do it."
It would be Ash's first official Pokemon Tournament competition.
His first serious set of battles since his recovery.
Something inside Ash was stirring deep inside, and he knew what it was. He wanted to prove to himself that everything was not a waste. That he could be a trainer who could still be the best.
And he was going to prove it to everyone.
"Great! Now," Delia soon smiled and clapped her hands together. "Since you missed so much of Ash's life, Ranmaru, I figured I could tell you all about Ash when he was a baby! I even brought his baby pictures with me too!"
"What?! Mom?! Come on!" Ash shouted while blushing beat red.
Oh, then I can tell you some baby stories about my kids, too! It's only fair," Ranmaru said via Aura, grinning with glee.
"Huh?! No, Mom! Please?!" Yukimura pleaded with desperation in his eyes.
("Oh, Arceus. She's going to tell them about the blue underwear incident,") Nobuyuki moaned as he covered his face with his paws to hide his embarrassment.
("Let me get involved in this. I have some good stories about Skye. Especially when she was starting to fly,") Sorrin claimed with a grin.
("Daddy!") Skye whined while flaring her wings out.
Needless to say, all four of them were forced to witness and listen to their parents torture them with mischievous and silly tales of their youth, all while Mew and Azrael grinned and were grateful that their parents were there with the others.