Chapter 6
Before the speech, Mr. Goodshow stood in the Macros Cosmos Company, speaking with Chairman Rose.
"I suppose, if I'm attacked, it'll be during the speech?" Goodshow questioned, his tone steady.
Rose folded his arms. "I can't say for sure, but that seems the most likely. Only then will most of our brass be gathered in one spot. However, protocol dictates we make escape plans at the last moment for Security."
"I want the children and the audience kept away from the politicians and important figures while seated," Goodshow insisted.
Rose's eyes widened slightly. "Are you sure about this?"
Goodshow nodded, his expression resolute. "We've had enemies crossing the sea and breathing down our necks—not just the Sevestar. If we allow them to stay together in one place, they'll hesitate to attack. But if they succeed, our plan to unite the eight regions will be ruined."
Rose furrowed his brow. "But even if they take the bait, the cost will be far too high."
"We'll sacrifice the incompetent officers," Goodshow stated coldly. "If the enemy's goal is to weaken our forces, it works perfectly. When you rebuild the military, the party will approve whomever you choose."
Rose's frown deepened. "But so many will die…"
"Some of them are Aura users," Goodshow retorted, his voice sharp. "They're no different from the spawn of the devil. Don't change your stance now, Chairman Rose. You've sent countless Aura users into machine guns and land mines. Does it matter whether they're wearing uniforms or not? Just keep doing what you've always done."
Rose lowered his head. "Let me say one thing: this isn't war. We don't know the enemy, their goal, or how they'll attack. Plus, the venue will be packed with a huge crowd, Mr. Goodshow. I doubt we'll be able to protect you. If we proceed, you will die. They won't pass you up as bait."
"Of course," Goodshow replied calmly. "I'm prepared for that. Unless I stand on stage, the world will not take notice. The champions, trainers, Pokémon, and Elite Four members won't gather in one place. If I am the sole survivor, the world will not become our ally."
After the explosion, chaos erupted. People scrambled in every direction, trampling over anyone in their way, driven solely by the instinct to save themselves.
"Damn it…" Misty muttered, clenching her fists. "They decide to attack right here, right now…"
"We can fight back!" Max shouted, determination lighting up his eyes. "We can't let the Aura Users get away with this!"
In the midst of the panic, Iris caught sight of the culprit responsible for the devastation. Her gaze sharpened, and she rushed forward, yelling, "Ash Ketchum!"
Ash turned toward her voice, his expression unreadable. "Dragonite, Hyper Beam!" he commanded.
Iris's eyes widened in shock; she wasn't ready. With fumbling fingers, she managed to release her Pokéball just in time. Haxorus materialized, intercepting the devastating beam.
"Use Dual Chop!" Iris shouted, regaining her composure. Haxorus charged forward, but Ash and Dragonite evaded the attack with precision. In an instant, Dragonite retaliated with Wing Attack, striking Haxorus hard.
Chairman Rose observed the unfolding chaos from a nearby vantage point. Leon arrived in a rush, his face pale but focused. "Chairman, the attack has begun. What's the plan?"
Rose kept his eyes on the skirmish between Ash and Iris. A faint smirk touched his lips. "This marks the beginning of the Counterattack. To think they'd make such a grand entrance… And it's the Grand Guardian himself, Ash Ketchum, in person. This spares us the trip to the island. Get everyone in position! Prepare for battle!"
Meanwhile, Ash pressed his advantage. "Ice Beam!" he commanded. Dragonite unleashed the freezing attack, but Haxorus nimbly dodged. Reinforcements arrived as several trainers joined Iris, releasing their Pokémon to support her.
"If you think numbers will make a difference, you're dead wrong!" Ash declared, his voice fierce. He stomped on the ground, triggering a massive Earthquake. Electric-type Pokémon collapsed under the tremors, unable to withstand the attack. But Flying-types countered with Hurricanes, their swirling winds converging on Ash.
Ash braced himself as the winds struck, tearing at his body. Blood seeped from fresh cuts, and bruises began to form across his frame.
"Tch…" he gritted his teeth, refusing to falter despite the pain.
Goh scanned the chaos and shouted, "Brock, how are the survivors?"
Brock, kneeling beside an injured League worker, grimly shook his head. "Not good! He needs to be sent to a hospital immediately!" he called out, his voice tense.
"Dammit… Where the hell is Gary?" May yelled, frustration and worry etched across her face.
Max clenched his fists, his determination burning through the panic. "I'm going to fight! As Hoenn's new Champion, I won't let them do whatever they want!"
"Me too! I'll fight as the Kalos Champion!" Bonnie echoed, her voice resolute. Without hesitation, the two charged into the fray.
Suddenly, a collective gasp rippled through the group as their eyes turned skyward. More figures in dark cloaks—dressed like Ash and Lillie—descended from above.
"What the…" Clemont murmured, his voice trembling.
"No way…" Cilan added, his expression frozen in disbelief.
Above the ruined city, the cloaked Aura Users from the Sevestar Region hovered, their gazes cold and calculating. One by one, they released their Pokémon into the chaos below, sending their forces into battle. The sky darkened as attacks lit up the scene, their cold efficiency sending shivers down the spines of those watching.
Ash, breathing heavily, wiped the sweat from his brow. He raised his hand high and yelled, "Lend me power! Latias!"
In a blur of red and white, Latias soared through the chaos, swiftly reaching Ash. With a leap, Ash landed on her back as she unleashed a barrage of Mist Balls and Psychic attacks, scattering the opposing Pokémon. The trainers below, however, weren't deterred and began aiming at him.
"Now Ash is stuck in the sky!" Leon exclaimed with a determined grin. "Let's finish him off! Without his Grand Guardian ability, they're doomed!"
"No," Rose interjected firmly.
Leon turned to him, startled. "What?"
"Killing Ash Ketchum only postpones the problem," Rose explained, his voice cold and calculated. "We need to capture him alive. As a hostage, he becomes leverage—our bargaining chip against the Sevestar Region."
"But sir…" Leon muttered, hesitating.
Before he could say more, a Dark Pulse shot through the air, striking Latias. She let out a pained cry as Ash was thrown from her back, tumbling violently to the ground. He rolled to a stop, groaning in pain, just as Haxorus loomed over him, its Guillotine attack poised to strike.
Iris stepped forward, her voice sharp. "Any last words?"
Ash's gaze remained locked on her, unwavering and calm. He took a breath, then spoke, his voice steady. "Now or never, Lillie. Alice."
Before Iris could react, a dazzling Moonblast and a blazing Mystical Flare erupted onto the battlefield, devastating enemy Pokémon and cutting through the trainers. Screams echoed as the sheer force of the attacks overwhelmed many, leaving a trail of fainted Pokémon and casualties in their wake.
Lillie stood commanding her Delphox, her expression cold and focused. Beside her, Alice directed her Sylveon, both pressing forward into the fray with precision and power.
Rose and Leon turned at the sound of destruction behind them, shock etched on their faces. Massive Stone Edges tore through cannons and dismantled their army in an instant. Above, more Aura Users descended, their weapons drawn and ready to join the counterattack.
"You guys actually came," Ash said to Lillie, who responded by swiftly pulling out a gun and firing at a trainer attempting to ambush him from behind.
"To think they'd pull such a reckless stunt just to paint us as the villains…" Alice muttered, her voice laced with venom. She summoned a Flower Shield to block incoming attacks, then lunged forward, stabbing another trainer with a gleaming sword. "Then again, I've been dying to take down these bastards once and for all."
Rose's voice boomed over the chaos. "Bring in the reinforcements! Kill every Aura User you see! Don't let a single one escape the stadium!"
Gunfire and rifle shots erupted, aimed at the Aura Users, but every shot missed its mark. The Aura Users moved with almost supernatural precision, evading the bullets with ease. Watching the futility unfold, Rose's thoughts darkened. Enjoy your moment while it lasts. There's no future for you now. With this massacre, you've guaranteed every major nation will intervene. The world will see the Sevestar Region as a threat—just like Goodshow planned. Now, no one will let you live.
Suddenly, an explosion erupted nearby, scattering Rose's forces. A bomb had landed amidst the trainers, its fiery blast sending them reeling. One of the trainers screamed, "You devil! Kill them!"
The culprit stepped forward, her expression fierce. Helen Gravy, the Fire-Type Representative, sneered as she prepared another attack. "As if you could kill me," she taunted. "Watch as I burn your world to the ground!"
"Focus your attacks on the major threats! Leave the innocents out of this!" Reisa commanded, her voice cutting through the chaos. Streams of water erupted from her Pokémon, dousing advancing Fire-types. Her expression was grim but resolute. "These people have killed countless friends and comrades. They've got it coming!"
Nearby, a boy directed his Stoutland to unleash a deafening Roar, scattering the enemy Pokémon. He was Nate, the Normal-Type Representative. His voice rang out with steely resolve. "Ash wants us to fight like devils. And that's exactly what we'll be. Devils like him, fighting for what's right!"
After Ash stabbed another trainer in his path, Alice, one of his Elite Four members, grimly observed the aftermath. Stray attacks meant for them had hit innocents instead. "So, they don't even care about their own people or Pokémon being killed…" she muttered, her voice filled with disdain.
"And we're far from finished," Ash said coldly, his eyes narrowing as he faced the Unova Champion. Iris stood before him, her Emolga and Excadrill still fighting fiercely, though Dragonite and Haxorus lay unmoving on the battlefield. "It seems Iris still has some troublesome Pokémon left."
"I know," Lillie interjected as she recalled her Delphox with a confident smirk. "But they're no match for me! Typhlosion! Mamoswine! Flame Ice!"
The two Pokémon burst onto the field, immediately combining their attacks. A fiery and icy onslaught engulfed Excadrill, sending it crashing to the ground.
Iris's eyes burned with fury. "That's Dawn's move! How dare you copy her?" she shouted.
"That's because I'm not just Lillie," Lillie replied, her voice calm but cutting. "One of the perks of being an Aura Guardian is mastering techniques like Double Team and Aura Disguises!" She pointed forward. "Mamoswine, Ancient Power!"
Mamoswine launched glowing boulders at Emolga, battering it with relentless precision. Meanwhile, Lillie noticed a riderless Galarian Rapidash whose trainer had been accidentally killed by friendly fire. Without hesitation, she leaped onto its back, her movements fluid and practiced. From atop the Rapidash, she pulled out a quiver of arrows and began firing into the crowd of opposing trainers, taking them down one by one.
From the sidelines, Clemont's sharp eyes caught the blue ribbon tied in Lillie's hair. His heart skipped a beat. "That's Serena's Blue Ribbon!" he exclaimed, his voice tinged with confusion.
"What's going on here?" Cilan demanded, struggling to make sense of the chaos. Beside him, his Crustle hurled a massive Rock Wrecker at Helen, who agilely dodged the attack, flames sparking at her fingertips as she prepared to counter.
At the same time, Chloe shouted, "Eevee! Use Copycat!"
Eevee focused intently, mimicking the Aura User's Aura Sphere. The glowing orb shot forward, but the Aura User calmly raised a shimmering shield, deflecting the attack with ease. As the dust cleared, the figure was revealed to be Mark Ketchum, Ash's brother.
"Nice try," Mark said with a smirk. "You might be able to copy my moves, but you'll never copy the power behind them!" He turned sharply and punched another trainer who tried to ambush him. "Golly! Are the lights ready?"
Nearby, Golly unleashed a Shadow Ball, her Chandelure hovering menacingly as it drained the life energy from a fallen trainer. "The lights are in place," she confirmed, her tone cold. "East will be arriving soon."
Suddenly, Ash, Alice, and Lillie turned as Max, Bonnie, and a trainer named Sun charged toward them. Sun's voice was filled with fury as he screamed, "I've been waiting for this moment! Go to hell, devil!"
Before Sun could drive his knife into Ash, a glowing shield materialized in front of him, blocking the attack. A girl stepped forward, her Umbreon snarling beside her. "Umbreon! Dark Pulse!"
Umbreon's attack sent Max and Bonnie flying backward. They hit the ground hard but weren't seriously injured. Ash exhaled in relief. "Thanks, Eve."
"You need to be more careful," Eve snapped, her tone icy. "If my sister dies because of your recklessness, I'll kill you myself."
"Really?" Alice rolled her eyes, brushing off Eve's comment. "I can take care of myself just fine, thank you."
Ignoring the exchange, Lillie stepped forward. "There are four champions left, and there are four of us. Let's handle this together."
The group watched as Max sent out Gallade, Bonnie called forth Tyrantrum, Sun summoned Primarina, and Iris released her powerful Garchomp. Lillie dismounted the Rapidash, tossed a Pokéball, and captured it in one swift motion. She immediately switched to another Pokéball. "Snowy! I need your help!"
Her Alolan Ninetales appeared, its pristine white fur shimmering in the light. Ash called out Pikachu, while Alice and Eve sent out Sylveon and Umbreon, respectively. The four stood side by side, Pokémon at the ready.
Ash raised his voice. "Let's do this together!"
The opposing champions froze for a moment, stunned by the sheer unity and ferocity of their opponents. As the Aura Users and their Pokémon charged forward, weapons gleaming, Max gasped. "Are they seriously planning to use weapons on Pokémon, too?"
The eight fighters moved as one, closing in with deadly precision. Bonnie gritted her teeth, her voice trembling as she yelled, "These guys… they really are the Devils of Sevestar!"
And here is a new chapter, as you can see from this darker version, it is not just Pokemon battles, but also human fights and kills. And the Aura Users are not that forgiving in my story since they have been suffering from the attacks of the 9 regions. I hope you like this chapter and the next chapter will be the result of the battle.