Chapter 3

(Flashback: 12 Years Ago)

"Where is everybody? Where did you all go?" A younger Lillie wandered through the dense forest, her voice trembling with worry. Her hands clutched the straps of her small backpack, and her eyes darted around nervously.

Suddenly, a Poliwag appeared from behind a tree, startling her. She stumbled backward, falling to the ground with a thud. Pain shot through her knee as she noticed a scrape, blood trickling down her leg. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"I knew I shouldn't have come to this summer camp…" she murmured, sniffling. The tears spilled over as she cried out, "Mom… I want to go home…"

The sound of rustling bushes broke through her sobs. "Poliwag, where are you?" a young voice called.

A boy emerged from the foliage, holding a Poké Ball in his hand. He froze when he saw her, his brown eyes filled with concern. "Hey, are you alright?"

Lillie looked up at him, her tears still streaming. She sniffed, trying to speak. "I… I hurt my leg…"

The boy knelt beside her, his expression softening. "I'm Ash. What's wrong?" he asked gently.

Lillie pointed to her bleeding knee, wincing. Without hesitation, Ash pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully tied it around her wound. "There. All better. Now watch this," he said, waving his hands dramatically. "Pain, pain, go away!"

Lillie let out a small giggle, but when she tried to move her leg, the sharp pain made her wince again. "It still hurts…"

Ash offered her his hand, his face determined. "Don't give up. It's not over until you try." He gently pulled her to her feet, steadying her as she swayed. Then, without warning, he scooped her up into his arms, making her cheeks turn red.

"See? You did it!" Ash said with a wide grin. "Now let's get back to camp. Don't worry, I'll help you."

Walking together through the forest, Lillie leaned against him, her blush deepening. It was the first time they met, but even then, there was something between them—something unspoken. Their auras resonated, drawing them to each other in a way neither could explain.

From that day on, Ash and Lillie were inseparable at the summer camp, bound by the connection of their shared auras.

(A Few Days Later)

The summer camp had ended, and the Aether family was preparing to return to Alola to continue their research on Ultra Wormholes. Wanting to say goodbye, Delia and Ash made their way to the Aether family's temporary home. Delia knocked on the door, calling out, "Lusamine? It's me, Delia. Are you home?"

There was no answer.

Delia frowned, glancing at Ash. "Maybe they're not home…" She knocked again, louder this time. "Lusamine? Mohn? Anyone?"

Ash's eyes caught something on the window—blood. His breath hitched, and he tugged on Delia's sleeve, pointing silently. Alarmed, Delia turned the knob and found the door unlocked. She pushed it open.

The sight inside froze them both. Lusamine, Mohn, and Gladion lay sprawled on the floor, their faces pale, barely clinging to consciousness. Blood smeared across the walls added to the horror.

Delia rushed to their side, kneeling by Lusamine. "Lusamine! Mohn! Gladion! What happened?" She shook Lusamine gently, her voice urgent.

With great effort, Lusamine weakly whispered, "Lillie… kidnapped…"

Delia's face went pale. "Lillie was kidnapped?" She stood, her voice shaking. "Don't worry, I'll call Officer Jenny. Ash, stay here and—"

Before she could finish, Ash bolted out the door. "Ash! Where are you going? Come back!" Delia's voice trailed behind him, but he didn't stop.

Ash followed his instincts, his heart pounding as he ran through the streets. Soon, he reached an abandoned house at the edge of the town. There, three men stood near a bound and motionless Lillie, who lay on the ground.

One man sneered, "You sure she'll actually sell?"

Another shrugged, eyeing her with disinterest. "Take a look at her. She's got a pretty face, but she's just a kid. Doesn't really strike my fancy."

The boss, a burly man with a scar across his cheek, scoffed. "I'm not interested in your tastes. We're selling her to the underground market in the capital. She'll fetch a high price at the auction. Plenty of those old perverts would pay a fortune for someone like her."

Lillie lay there, bound and silent, her eyes vacant. Her voice trembled faintly as she muttered, "Brother… Mother… Father… Ash…"

Two of the traffickers were chatting when they heard the creak of the door opening. They turned to see a young boy step inside.

"Excuse me," Ash said, his voice steady but his expression innocent.

"Hold it, kid!" one of the thugs barked, stomping toward him. "How the hell did you find this place?!"

Ash scratched the back of his head, feigning fear. "Uh… I got lost in the forest, and, um… I saw a cabin, so I thought I'd check…"

The thug squinted at Ash, his suspicion growing. He glanced over at his boss, who gave a subtle gesture—a slicing motion across his throat. Disposal.

"You know," the thug said, crouching down with a sickly sweet grin, "kids shouldn't wander alone in the forest. There are scary Pokémon out here, you know."

As he patted Ash's shoulder, the boy's hand tightened around the knife hidden behind his back. The thug leaned closer. "But don't worry. We'll take good care of you—"

Before he could finish, Ash struck. The knife plunged into the man's side, and he collapsed with a shocked gasp.

"Thanks for the advice, mister," Ash said coldly, pulling the blade free. "But I already know. Now die, you bastard."

"What the hell?!" the boss roared, leaping to his feet. Ash slammed the door shut as the man approached. Thinking quickly, Ash taped the knife to the end of a broomstick lying nearby, fashioning an improvised spear. The moment the door swung open again, he lunged, stabbing the boss square in the chest.

"Go to hell!" Ash snarled, an unsettling smile spreading across his face as he drove the makeshift spear into the man repeatedly. "This is what you get! This is what you deserve! Don't you dare get up again!"

Lillie, still tied on the ground, watched in stunned silence, her wide eyes reflecting both horror and disbelief as Ash's vengeful rage played out before her.

Ash turned to her, his breathing heavy but his voice softening. "You're safe now." He knelt beside her, cutting through her bindings with trembling hands.

"Ash… you came…" Lillie whispered, her voice shaky. Then she added, almost inaudibly, "But there were three of them…"

"What?" Ash looked up, confused—just as the third trafficker stepped back into the room. The man froze, his gaze darting to the two lifeless bodies on the floor.

"You little brat…" the trafficker growled. He lunged, kicking the knife out of Ash's hand and grabbing him by the throat. "Was it you? Did you kill them?! WAS IT YOU?!"

Ash gasped, clawing at the man's hands as he struggled to breathe. "F-fight…" he choked out. "Fight or die… win and live!"

Lillie trembled, paralyzed with fear. Her eyes darted to the knife lying just a few feet away. Every instinct told her to move, but her hands shook uncontrollably. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she whispered, "I can't… I can't…"

Ash's face was turning red as his strength began to wane. "L-Lillie!" he rasped, desperation in his voice.

Something inside her snapped. A surge of energy coursed through her, and her body moved on its own. Her aura awakened, a brilliant icy glow enveloping her. Letting out a yell, Lillie charged at the man with newfound strength, her blade slicing through the air.

The trafficker turned just in time to see the knife before it plunged into his shoulder, forcing him to release Ash with a scream of pain.

"His heart was pierced clean through the back with a single strike," one officer muttered to Officer Jenny as they examined the scene.

Officer Jenny stared at the lifeless body, her voice barely audible. "The kids… they did this?"

Outside, Delia stood with Mohn, her face a mix of anger and worry as she scolded Ash. "I told you to wait! Do you even realize what you've done?"

Ash crossed his arms, his voice defiant. "I got rid of those creatures. They were wearing human skin to hide their identities."

"Ash!" Delia's voice rose, her frustration boiling over.

"They would've escaped by the time Officer Jenny arrived!" Ash argued. "It would've been too late to save her!"

Delia's expression hardened. "Even so, you were just lucky, Ash! Do you have any idea how recklessly you threw your life away? That's what I'm angry about!"

Ash's resolve faltered, his voice trembling. "But… I just wanted to save her as fast as I could…"

Delia sighed heavily, the weight of the situation evident in her eyes. She turned to Mohn, who was gently holding an unconscious Lillie in his arms. "What are you going to do with her now?"

Mohn glanced down at Lillie, her face pale but peaceful, and his expression darkened. "Her Aura powers have awakened, but she's too young to control them. It may be best if she undergoes the same process Ash did…"

Delia's breath caught. She knew exactly what he meant, and her shoulders slumped in resignation. "I see…" she murmured, unable to argue further.

(Flashback Ends)

"Hold on, so that's when you were split into three people?" Ash asked, his surprise evident.

Lillie nodded. "Yes. And it was also my first kill… You were the one who told me to fight so I could live."

Ash sighed, his gaze dropping to the floor. "Yeah. The world really is cruel. When I was four, my Aura powers awakened. That's why Dad forced me to split into three—one version of me went to Kanto with my mom, another stayed with Professor Sycamore in Kalos, and the last was sent to Team Plasma… only to find himself betrayed."

"Betrayed? You don't mean Ghetsis—the leader of Team Plasma?" Lillie asked, her brow furrowing.

"Yeah," Ash confirmed, his tone bitter. "At first, Ghetsis went along with the plan: convincing humans to release their Pokémon and live in harmony. The six sages supported it, and everything seemed perfect. But then five of the sages, including Ghetsis, were consumed by greed. They formed the Black Team Plasma, and we had no choice but to take them down. The remaining sages, the ones who stayed true, are fine—they live on Sevestar Island now. I used to visit them through N, but I stopped after I absorbed him back."

He looked at her, his voice cold and steady. "People like those traffickers who kidnapped you… and leaders like Ghetsis… they're just creatures hiding in human skin. If I had to guess, Mr. Goodshow and the ones controlling the governments are the same."

Lillie frowned, her voice quiet. "Ash… that wasn't the first time you've killed, was it?"

Ash shook his head. "No. When I was five—as both Ash and N—I was trained to eliminate anyone who opposed the Aura Guardians. I hate killing, but like I said before, it's fight or die."

Lillie sighed, her own pain reflected in her eyes. "After that day with the traffickers, Dad started training me, too. Teaching me how to kill. And then he went missing… after the accident."

Ash's frown deepened. "And that's when you began fearing Pokémon, wasn't it?"

She nodded silently, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Ash broke the silence, his voice softer. "Do you remember my dream? About becoming a Pokémon Master?"

Lillie smiled faintly. "You talked about it all the time—in Sinnoh, Kalos, and even Alola. Of course, I remember. Why?"

"Becoming a Pokémon Master has always been my goal," Ash began, his voice steady. "But that wasn't the real reason I traveled across the nine regions. Dad gave me a mission—to observe how people think about Aura Users, how they treat us. And if I'm right… your memories of how people acted in Sinnoh, Kalos, and Alola aren't the whole truth, are they?"

Lillie looked down, her expression somber. "You're the same, Ash. We had to hide who we really were. We couldn't let anyone know… especially since we weren't traveling alone." Her voice wavered slightly as she continued. "But even so, it still hurts. They seemed so kind when we traveled together, but when it comes to Aura Users, they badmouth us without a second thought. They treat all of us like enemies."

Ash nodded, his jaw tightening. "I know how you feel. But do you know what I've been thinking?"

"What?" Lillie asked, confusion flickering in her eyes.

Ash's gaze hardened. "Because of what they've done to us, they're not our friends anymore. They're our enemies. And I intend to kill our enemies."

Lillie gasped, her heart pounding at the cold resolve in his words. "Are you sure, Ash? Do we… do we really need to go that far?"

"They didn't hesitate to kill us when we were defenseless," Ash replied firmly. "So why should we show weakness in front of them?"

Lillie was silent for a moment, her emotions swirling. Finally, she took a deep breath, her resolve matching his. "You're right. No matter what choice you make, Ash, I promise I'll stay by your side. After all… I'm your wife now." Her cheeks flushed as she spoke.

Ash softened, a rare smile touching his lips. "And I'm glad to have you."

Their words faded into silence as they leaned toward each other, sharing a deep, heartfelt kiss that sealed their bond.

Let's start a new life from the darkness

Until the light reveals the end

Fear, hatred, sorrow, desperation

Even you look miserable

Look down from above

I feel awful

The time has come

Let's all go home

Sinister faces, growing curses

This is my last war

Angels playing disguised with devil's faces

Children cling to their coins squeezing out their wisdom

Angels planning disguised with devil's faces

Children cling on to their very last coins

Destruction and regeneration

You are the real enemy

The next morning, Ash and Lillie woke up early, dressed, and stepped outside the castle. Waiting for them at the gates were two Rapidash—one with a fiery mane glowing in the morning light, and the other a majestic Galarian Rapidash with its shimmering pastel colors.

As they mounted the Rapidash, Lillie glanced at Ash curiously. "So, where are we going?"

"We're going to meet the representatives of the 18 Aura types," Ash replied as his Rapidash trotted forward. "You're the representative of Ice-Type Aura, so that leaves 17 more to find."

"Do you know where they are?" Lillie asked, her tone curious.

Ash patted the satchel on his side. "Dad gave me a map. It should lead us to their locations. Aura Users are generally welcoming toward one another. They only attack if they feel threatened."

Lillie nodded, a thoughtful look crossing her face. "I see… If they're anything like us, there might be someone out there who's just as skilled in weapons and Pokémon battles."

Ash grinned. "Exactly. But we won't know until we meet them."

Lillie smiled, her determination matching his. "Then let's not waste any time. Let's go."

With that, the Rapidash broke into a steady gallop, carrying them toward their next destination and the beginning of their journey to unite the remaining Aura Users.

And I'll end the chapter right here, as you can see, this is mainly the backstory of Ash and Lillie's first actual meeting and Lillie's first kill. I hope you like this chapter.