Chapter 17

In the desolate ruins of Petalburg City, May and Max huddled close to their parents, their faces pale with fear. Norman and Caroline wrapped their arms protectively around their children as a blinding light shone from above. Jirachi hovered, its eyes glowing ominously as it prepared to unleash Doom Desire.

"Stay close," Norman whispered, his voice trembling. "No matter what happens, we face this together."

May clung to Max, tears streaming down her face as they braced for the end. The light intensified, the air thick with the tension of inevitable destruction. But just as the energy reached its peak, Jirachi's glow dimmed. Its small body wavered in the air before it let out a soft, sorrowful cry. Without warning, it turned into a shining crystal and fell to the ground, silent and still.

The family looked at each other, stunned. "What… what just happened?" Max whispered, clutching May's arm.

Across the Alola Region, chaos was grinding to a halt. The Tapus, who had been laying waste to the islands with their overwhelming power, suddenly stopped mid-attack. Tapu Koko hovered over Hau'oli City, its electric aura flickering before it darted away toward the Ruins of Conflict. Tapu Fini, Tapu Bulu, and Tapu Lele followed suit, each retreating to their respective ruins.

Kahili, watching the scene from her damaged position near Melemele Meadow, lowered her Z-Ring, disbelief etched on her face. "They've… stopped? Why?"

The people of Alola emerged cautiously from their hiding places, exchanging looks of confusion and relief. The air was heavy with unanswered questions, but for now, the destruction had ceased.

In Kanto, the battlefields were eerily silent. Mewtwo hovered above a devastated Cerulean City, its cold, piercing gaze sweeping over the surviving humans and Pokémon. Its psychic power surged for a moment, as if deciding whether to continue its assault.

Then, as abruptly as it had appeared, Mewtwo lowered its glowing hand. It let out a low growl, its glare lingering on the terrified crowd. With a final, piercing look of disdain, it vanished into the horizon, leaving only silence in its wake.

Around the world, reports flooded in of Legendary Pokémon suddenly ceasing their rampages. Towns and cities that had been on the brink of annihilation found themselves breathing in a fragile peace. Survivors gathered, hugging loved ones and staring in confusion at the destruction left behind.

"What just happened?" someone asked in a broken voice.

No one had an answer. But one thing was clear: something—or someone—had stopped the massacre. And as the dust settled, the world began to wonder… what was coming next?

Across the scattered remnants of the world, the aura users stood frozen in shock, their hearts heavy with a chilling realization. The sudden halt of the Legendary Pokémon's rampage should have brought relief, but instead, it filled them with dread.

"They've stopped," one whispered, their voice trembling. "Does that mean… it's over?"

Another aura user shook their head, fear etched into their face. "No, it's worse. If the Rumbling is over, then we're going back to being nothing… to being slaves again."

The thought spread like wildfire, igniting the memories of generations of mistreatment. The Rumbling had been a horror, but it had also been a grim rebellion, a way to ensure the aura users and Pokémon could no longer be exploited by humanity. Now, with the power of the Legendary Pokémon silenced, they feared retribution.

"Humans won't forgive us," another said, their voice barely audible. "They'll make us pay for this… worse than before."

The air around them grew heavy with despair, their once resolute unity cracking under the weight of the uncertain future.

In the Sevestar Region, the chaos paused as the surviving leaders gathered in the grand castle hall, the walls still bearing the scars of the Legendary Pokémon's fury. The tension was palpable as Minami stood at the head of the table, her eyes wide with a mix of hope and fear.

"Has Brother Ash finally awakened?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Did he stop the Rumbling?"

Reisa, standing near the stained glass windows, folded her arms and stared into the distance. "Such power," she muttered under her breath, her tone filled with awe and unease. "No wonder the Rumbling was so dangerous. To control such a force… it's unimaginable."

The other leaders exchanged wary glances. No one spoke, but the same thought lingered in everyone's mind: if Ash had truly stopped the Rumbling, what would happen next?

Elsewhere in the towering office, Adam leaned back in his chair, his face pale as he processed the reports on his desk. Across from him, Tobias stood rigid, his expression unreadable.

"What's the death toll?" Adam asked, his voice low but steady.

Tobias exhaled, his tone grave. "Eighty percent. Eighty percent of the human population… gone. Wiped out by the Rumbling."

Adam's hands tightened into fists, the weight of the number suffocating. "And the rest?" he asked after a long silence.

"That's what concerns me," Tobias replied, his gaze sharp. "The twenty percent that survived—what are they going to do? They've seen what Ash is capable of, and they'll want answers. Revenge, maybe. Fear of the aura users and the Pokémon is only going to grow from here."

Adam's jaw tightened. "We're standing on a knife's edge. If Ash has stopped the Rumbling, then the world is about to change… and not necessarily for the better."

The heavy sound of hurried footsteps filled the hallway before Mark, Minami, Insey, Trenor, and the other leaders burst into Ash's room. Their faces were a mixture of worry and urgency, but they froze upon seeing Ash.

He was sitting on the bed, his head bowed and his hands tightly covering his ears. His body trembled, and his voice was a soft, broken murmur: "This can't be real… it can't be real…"

Lillie knelt beside him, her hands gently holding his arms as she whispered comforting words, though her own face was streaked with tears.

Luke stepped forward, his voice low but urgent. "Golly, what's going on? Why is he… like this?"

Golly hesitated, glancing toward Ash before sighing heavily. "Ever since he woke up, he's realized that the Rumbling wasn't under his control. That it caused a massive massacre. Now…" She trailed off, her voice trembling. "Now, he's having mental problems."

The leaders exchanged uneasy glances, the gravity of the situation sinking in. Even Drandon, usually composed, furrowed his brow in concern.

Drandon's gaze shifted to the two figures standing near the back of the room. "Brock. Gary," he said sharply, his voice tinged with suspicion. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you already be back in Kanto?"

Golly quickly interjected, stepping forward. "They helped heal Ash. Without their help, he might not have woken up."

Elline crossed her arms, her expression hardening. "And what if they're the reason he's like this now? What if they did something to him?"

Brock and Gary bristled at the accusation. Brock raised his hands, his voice calm but firm. "We didn't do anything to hurt him. We only worked to help him recover."

Gary stepped forward, his tone sharper. "If you want to blame someone, look elsewhere. We're not the enemy here."

Despite their explanations, the tension in the room only grew. Some of the leaders whispered to each other, their mistrust clear in their expressions. Mark frowned, stepping closer to Elline. "Let's not jump to conclusions," he said, trying to diffuse the situation. "This isn't the time to point fingers."

But others weren't so quick to agree, and the murmur of disagreement rose. The room became filled with tense voices, some defending Brock and Gary, others echoing Elline's suspicions.

"Enough!" Lillie's voice cut through the noise, startling everyone into silence. She stood, her hands balled into fists, her eyes blazing with fury and tears. "I'm not going to let you turn Ash's room into a battlefield!"

The leaders stared at her, shocked by her outburst. She took a shaky breath, her voice trembling with emotion. "Ash is suffering. He doesn't need this right now. None of you know what he's going through. If you're here to help, then help. But if you're just going to fight, then get out!"

Her words left a heavy silence in the room. Even those who had been the most suspicious looked away, chastened. Brock and Gary exchanged glances but said nothing, knowing better than to argue further.

Lillie turned back to Ash, gently taking his trembling hands in hers. "Ash, it's okay," she said softly. "We're here for you. You're not alone in this."

Ash didn't respond, his muttering fading into heavy, uneven breaths. The leaders remained still, the tension in the room replaced by an oppressive silence. Each of them understood that the battle for the world's future had only just begun—and Ash's struggle was at its very heart.

The tension in the room shifted as the door creaked open again, and Adam and Tobias entered, their faces grim and tired. All eyes turned to them, the leaders stepping aside as they approached Ash's bed.

Adam spoke first, his voice heavy with the weight of what he was about to reveal. "I've asked Arceus about what happened when the Rumbling started. It seems that Ash was… shot during the event."

Adam continued, his tone steady but somber. "The injury caused a massive toll on him, both physically and mentally. His body may be healed now, but his mind…" He glanced at Ash, who remained trembling on the bed, muttering incoherently. "His mind hasn't recovered."

Trenor stepped forward, his voice filled with worry. "Dad, is there any way to heal Brother Ash? He's… he's falling apart."

Tobias's expression remained stoic as he folded his arms. "There might be a chance," he said, his voice low. "The Infinity Gems we've recovered from the nine regions… they might have the power to help restore Ash's mind."

Hope flickered across the faces of the leaders, but Tobias held up a hand to silence their growing murmurs. "That being said, this isn't the only problem we're facing. While Ash's health is critical, the aftermath of the Rumbling has left the world in complete chaos. We can't afford to focus on one issue while ignoring the rest."

Minami stepped forward, her voice trembling with anger. "How can you say that? Ash is our big brother! He's been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders for as long as I can remember, and now he's broken. You don't even care about him?"

Tobias turned to her, his face cold and unyielding. "Minami, his recklessness caused this catastrophe. Eighty percent of humanity has been wiped out. Eighty percent! Do you understand the scale of that destruction? And we still have twenty percent left to manage—people who are scared, angry, and desperate."

Insey's fists clenched at her sides, her voice rising. "So that's all he is to you? A mistake? A responsibility to clean up after? He's your brother too!"

Tobias's gaze didn't waver, but his voice softened slightly. "I never said I didn't care. But we can't let emotions cloud our judgment. There's too much to do. Too many lives still hanging in the balance."

The room fell into a tense silence as Minami glared at Tobias, her frustration clear. Trenor put a hand on their shoulder, trying to calm them down. "Minami, Insey, we all care about Brother Ash," he said quietly. "But Dad's right. We have to think about the bigger picture too."

Golly looked from her sisters to Tobias, her expression torn. "But if we don't help Ash now, how can we expect him to help the world later? He's at the heart of all this."

Adam, standing beside Tobias, nodded gravely. "It's not a question of whether or not we care. We need to find a balance between helping Ash and managing the aftermath. If the Infinity Gems are our best shot, we need to decide how to act—fast."

Ash stirred slightly, his voice cutting through the tense silence. "I… I don't deserve to be saved," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "Not after what I've done."

Lillie immediately knelt beside him, her voice firm but filled with compassion. "Ash, stop saying that. You didn't cause this. We're going to help you."

Tobias turned his attention to Ash, his expression unreadable. "Whether you think you deserve it or not doesn't matter. The world still needs you, Ash. But you'll need to decide if you're strong enough to face it."

The weight of Tobias's words hung heavily in the air, leaving everyone deep in thought as they grappled with the enormity of the challenges ahead.

Here is a new chapter, and you can see that we have more discussion about the aftermath and I hope you like it.