Ron the True Fan: FFN's stupidity is getting to almost abandonment levels. 'email provider rejected our email. Do this and fix it'. Well, I've DONE it, still GETTING THE FUCKING MESSAGE. There is NO EXCUSE FOR THIS. None.
Takeshi Yamato: Probably for the best that I don't upload stories anymore - just assist and beta read for others.
Ron the True Fan: Well, I suppose the only way to really gauge whether or not people actually like the fic is my YT account, at least on FFN. AO3 is fully. Fucking. Functional. I am NOT happy with FFN right now.
Greenfield - Johto Region- 1358 hours local time - Day 390 of Ash Ketchum's Journey
Belladonna Ketchum knew quick and decisive action was a requirement for survival. So her kneejerk reaction to pull out her handgun and blast the thing that was impersonating her adopted niece in the face was a good idea.
One upended when it just just deflected.
"Bad move, Belly." 'Sabrina' said before psionically shoved her aside, slamming her into the wall, then at Delia, who was shaken out of her hypnosis.
The construct Entei roared, leaping at the being, but all she did was raise a hand and TORE ITS' HEAD OFF with her mind powers.
"Hello, Molly." said the ancient creature, struttung towards her in what could be called a 'sexy cocktail walk', if her clothing wasn't torn and stained with blood. "Love what you've done with the place. You've opened a portal to hell and let me out. Let me thank you."
With that, the little girl was lifted up into the air and pulled to the woman, forced to hover there as she looked into the terrified child's eyes. Her eyes glowed before they heard a distorted, evil cry.
Molly was tossed aside before Sabrina's eyes widened. "Damn you, Ketchum!" she swore.
Pikachu looked up. "Pika." 'You DIDN'T.' he pleaded.
Ash chuckled. "Didn't have a choice. Thought the best way to kill two birds with one stone was… summoning him." he said, pain in every word before they finally got to the top, Serena settling him down.
"Shadow Lugia." she assumed. "You'll use him to take out Sabrina - the fake one - and then purify him? Sweety, that's risky. In your condition, it might kill you." her expression hardened. "And I will NOT approve of you turning yourself into a corpse."
Serena was gentle and kind, but VERY protective. Ash was starting to have some VERY unhealthy thoughts about her.
He couldn't deny her. All she had to do was ask and he gave up on his oath. How did Serena have this much power over him?!
…He knew why. Serena would put up with his shit to a very fine point. Torturing himself was well and truly beyond that point and the only reason she said nothing was because he was DAMN good at hiding things after six years of practice. If she knew, she'd've beaten it out of him, figuratively speaking.
"Well… if you don't mind temping for me…" he suggested. "Molly's not the only one with power here."
Serena smiled. "I knew there was a brain in that head of yours." she said teasingly, knowing full well he wasn't dumb. "Work your magic, Ash!"
He reached up, pulling her down for a kiss. Pikachu was torn between rolling his eyes and cheering, before Serena glowed royal blue.
"Go kick his ass." he said, getting to his feet. "I'll get Molly."
Main Hall - same time
Kyoji looked up at the cry as Asuka used her cybernetic arms to smash the crystal covered doors open. "He DIDN'T." he pleaded.
"Shadow Lugia's incoming." Sabrina said. "Great. One way to force Giratina to clean up his mess."
Asuka's fist punched through, a crossbow bolt shooting past, narrowly missing Sabrina and going into a wall.
"Sorry." said… Serena? Hair was off and she was wearing a schoolgirl's outfit, but it looked like her. "Thought you were the bitch. Ash changed the rules."
"How the hell did he change the rules and for that matter, who the hell are you?" Kyoji demanded.
"She's part of Serena's mind." Sabrina said, not taking the attack personally. "Her insecurities, pride and aggression. That's why she collapsed. All her personalities are out of her head. Interesting."
"If you don't mind, daughter…" said a very… VERY sensually dressed woman, with black hair, red eyes and a slinky cocktail dress that only accentuated her figure. "Your father needs your help. I'm talking to the Unown to get them to leave before it gets worse."
Kyoji scoffed. "Worse? XD-001 is on its' way here, apparently the thing that took over Sabrina is loose and you're out of Serena's head." he summed up. "How can it get WORSE?"
"Because the crystal isn't a construct anymore. It's reality." Jade said. "The thing's actions accelerated the bleedover effect. And if they don't leave soon, she'll have a body of her own instead of being locked in Ash's head."
"Oh, COME ON!" Misty cried. "Why the hell does the universe have it out for us?!"
The palace of crystal rocked as something slammed into it.
"It's here." Kyoji declared. "YOUR ASSES, THE GROUND! NOW!"
Plasma shot through the building, the form of Shadow Lugia appearing outside through the hole, SCREAMING.
"Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck." Kyoji said before lightning struck the bird, with a massive yellow beast leaping onto the bird.
"…That's a Raikou." Anabel said dumbly. "Was that a real one, or…"
Misty took charge of the situation. "Worry about that later! Upstairs, NOW!" she yelled.
Serena didn't like cheating any more then Ash.
But XD-001was a problem, so cheat it was. Sadly, she couldn't violate the laws of physics as much as Molly because Ash now had full control, but she did tap into his Aura powers.
So she could 'double-jump', but that would require help from a higher source to get onto XD-001's back.
Fire slammed into the Lugia, signalling the arrival of the real local Entei.
'You appear to need a hand.' said a female voice as Suicune landed beside her. 'I sense the aura of the Chosen in you. I presume he lent you his power because he is unavailable.'
"You could say that." Serena said, looking at the corrupted Lugia. "I need to make physical contact once it's weak enough."
'Done.' said the Aurora Pokemon before kneeling to allow Serena onto her back. Serena didn't even hesitate, climbing on and holding onto her mount.
"LUGIA!" came the yell of a VERY pissed off Sabrina, who, unintentionally, joined the side of the angels, hammering it with psionic pulses.
It didn't do much, but she probably wasn't happy with the competition anyways.
"Get me close! Once he's weakened, the purifying power might finally cure him!" Serena cried as Suicune lept into battle, a Bubblebeam launching from her maw as the Pokemon charged.
The original five - minus the still unconscious Serena - yelled as they saw Ash, seeing something WRONG with him in seconds.
Iris knew in seconds. "You have six broken ribs on your left side and seven fractures on your right." she said, feeling the bones in question. "I've broken all of those at least once and fainted when I broke more then three. How are you still conscious?!"
Ash chuckled. "I don't have time to faint." he said, Iris gently helping him onto his feet with help from Misty.
"You crawled up those stairs with almost every rib broken on one side." Kyoji commented, shaking his head. "Damn. That thing must've REALLY tossed you into a wall for that."
"Don't remind me." Ash groused. "I would've gotten up to Molly's bedroom sooner if I could walk properly."
"Oh, no doubts about that, buddy." Kyoji said, getting a glare from Ash. "I'm just saying it's REALLY impressive. I couldn't've done that."
"I've had worse." Ash groaned, before the building rocked. "Oh, good. He's here."
Kyoji facepalmed. "WHY?!" he demanded.
"Two birds, one stone." Ash answered. "Giratina could deal with the Unown and Shadow Lugia all at the same time."
A fair assumption. One glaring, but mostly unforeseen problem was the goddamn parasite that broke out of his head. Why assume it would get out in the first place?
They got to the door, finding Delia and Bell slumped against a wall, Red rushing to check on his mom while Asuka looked Bell over, followed by the technicolor guardswomen.
Molly… was sitting on the ruined bed, catatonic. Ash had a good idea WHY. Bell probably tried to impress on her that what she was doing was WRONG and that she needed to stop, then the parasite in Sabrina's form showed up.
Bell wasn't exactly good with kids that weren't Red or Yellow.
"UH…" Misty started before pointing outside, everyone looking to see the Legendary Beasts - the real ones, as Molly no longer had any control - swarming XD-001, with what looked like Serena on Suicune's back.
"Go get him, Serena." Ash said, fondly, before Kyoji noticed more… fondness. Open affection. Romantic affection.
He'd known Ash for over a year, done EVERY argument, every scenario to make him think and…
HOW did Serena make do what EVERYONE ELSE couldn't?!
Kyoji STARED at him for a good thirty seconds, his eyes all but popping out of his head before they hears the cries of… birds.
FAMILIAR birds.
Fire. Ice. Lightning.
"Tell me those aren't the Titans of Shamouti." Misty begged, just as the birds in question came into view.
They weren't. The colors of their feathers were lighter then normal. They were young.
"CAW!" 'Father calls and we come.' said the Zapdos, looking directly at Ash.
"…I don't fucking believe it. THey're the birds from the Seafoam eggs!" Kyoji exclaimed, before the Shadow Lugia got back up, a blonde girl on his back, turning her eyes to Ash, smiling.
Then she glowed with the brightness of the sun.
"DID SHE JUST-" Hikaru demanded, not being able to find the words..
"Aura nuke Lugia?" Anabel finished for her.
The second sun faded, revealing only a regular Lugia, all the color back to normal.
"Serena blew herself up…" Iris said, before the Lugia took to the air, flying away with the birds. "To purify Lugia?"
Anabel tapped Serena's shoulder, finding the ghost having returned to being incorporeal, no longer having the power to maintain her physical self. Then Serena's eyes opened, blinking.
"The Unown are gone." she said, before growling, noticing her… compromised position on Kyoji's back. "I get WHY. But you don't have an excuse now."
The Ranseian undid a knot, the Kalosian's bindings letting her drop to the floor. "What, did you want to drown in that stream?" Kyoji demanded. "It was this or leave you there."
"Oh, I get it. I also talked the Unown into leaving." said the noblewoman, eyes red, showing Jade was in charge. "I kinda summoned Darkrai from the Realm, who said Giratina WAS NOT happy with them. So, after a minute-"
"YOU summoned Darkrai?! As in Giratina's messenger, Darkrai?!" Ruby cut off. "AND YOU SOUND BORED! WHY DO YOU SOUND BORED?!"
"I have a better question." Mei asked, sounding a mix of pained and short of breath. Which was new for her. "What did you DO?"
The Kalosian minx smirked. "Oh, you know… I don't like being in second place anymore then Ash does." she said. "Or anyone else being less than they could be…"
Kyoji didn't want to know. But he had a good idea what Jade had in mind. Still… he'd better call Ash's shrink.
No one noticed, however, a light pink light in Molly's eyes.
No matter what happened to Ash… she was free.
Entry 129: The Greenfield Incident
In a nutshell, this is the fault of a research assistant not locking up an artifact of the Alph civilization.
Molly Hale summoned the Unown and manipulated reality, her grief-stricken mind transforming her home into a fantasy crystal castle and an Entei as a 'father'.
She then kidnapped Delia Ketchum as a 'mother'.
The end results speak for themselves. Cleanup operations are ongoing, with the Hales being returned from the Distortion Realm at the request of Serena Yeonne Gabena via Darkrai.
The deathtoll is massive: almost the entire town was wiped out, with only a few hundred survivors.
Ron the True Fan: Remember when I said Johto would be hell? WELCOME TO HELL, part one.
Takeshi Yamato: Yep. Greenfield's done, but the crystal is real now. And Molly… Well, I suppose 'Morochimaru' might be a fitting description. About as much as 'Sabrochimaru', even if it sounds silly.
Ron the True Fan: NEVER say EITHER of those EVER again. I'll keep putting these things up on FFN, but unless the mail situation is resolved in a way that makes SENSE - because I've done everything suggested. Guess what? STILL HAPPENING - readers should migrate over to AO3. At least then I can READ your comments instead of checking every six hours. But FFN readers? You guys can go to my YT channel. Link's in the profile. Subscribe. Watch the vids. Be entertained. Because I'm just a little depressed right now. Nothing wants to WORK.
Takeshi Yamato: Ouch. Go over to YouTube and watch those vids PRONTO, people! Sad Ron is about as bad as a sad Gible!
(Gibles surface, looking depressed)
Ron the True Fan: …GODDAMN IT, TAKE! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!
Ja Ne!