AN:And here is the third!

Also I am a big fan of the whole "Legendary Council" thing fanfic writers do.

Also, Pokemon Legends Arceus is canon to this.

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")

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon

With Pokemon being everywhere it wasn't uncommon to see them flying, swimming, or scattering around in public places like towns or cities. Pallet Town was no exception as a Pidgey or Rattata could be seen practically every day going about their own business. Pokemon like these were often called "Semi-Wild" and they were pretty harmless for the most part. It was Pokemon like a Scyther or Salamance that stood out in this area, and if they were sighted, many hoped they were just a Trainer's Pokemon and not simply Wild that wandered from another area. Humans and Pokemon lived in peace for the most part, but there were still divisions between the Humans and the Wild Pokemon who each lived differently. This also holds true among the Civilized Pokemon and the Wild Pokemon.

However, everyone knew of the Dragonite that was flying near the edge of town on an afternoon stroll and were therefore not worried. After all, he belonged to the unofficial leader of Pallet Town and most favored and famous resident: Former Indigo Champion and renowned Pokemon Professor; Samuel Oak. The Dragonite, Yoshi, was one of Professor Oak's most renowned Pokemon among those in his possession as he was the one who delivered the final blow to the Champion's Alakazam and earned him the title of "Indigo Champion" many years ago. Everyone on Samuel's team was happy that they won; Yoshi most especially, seeing as he was technically the youngest in the team. Samuel had found him while he was training on Cinnabar Island as a Dratini, which was after he had gotten hurt by a hurricane that smashed him into some sharp rocks. Since then, Samuel had been like a father to him and he stayed by his side whenever he could, preferring to be outside of his Pokeball.

The relaxing flight was his well earned break from taking care of the other Pokemon in the ranch. Amber, Samuel's Arcanine, had agreed to take his spot for him while he went to stretch out his wings. He gazed over in the direction of Viridian City, wondering if the children who left Pallet Town on their journeys had arrived already. No doubt Gary had made it on his car (A gift his father left him in his will after he passed away) with all his cheerleaders (who he had no idea where they came from), as well as Chase and Emma who left early enough to be there by the late afternoon.

The question however was if Ash had made it and whether he managed to calm down that Pikachu.

Seeing Wild Pokemon react violently upon capture happened sometimes. Most Wild Pokemon knew of trainers at this point as the stories of them were often passed down from parent to child, but few reacted as violently as this particular Pikachu did. It wasn't that Pikachu couldn't be dangerous, Yoshi himself took a beating one time as a Dratini against one trainer's Pikachu from Johto. However, most Pikachu were more scared or nervous upon capture rather than violent. This one however, was just a ball of utter hatred and disgust, not just towards humans it seems, but also against Pokemon who he called "Slaves" for allowing themselves to be controlled.

Yoshi had heard it all before from others like this. Those who assumed that humans were their "slavers" who controlled all aspects of their lives and mistreated them. While some of them do exist (those of which Yoshi wouldn't hesitate to give a good Mega Punch ), most humans treated their Pokemon like family. Samuel had been that of the latter group and Yoshi had met many Pokemon who would never trade their lives with their masters for anything. The most memorable ones that Yoshi knew was an Infernape and his owner, who was also his wife, living in Sinnoh when they visited one time. The two were Pokemon and Human, but loved each other as true mates. Even adopting several children and Pokemon to raise as their own children due to their biological differences. If such a happy family like that can exist, then whatever nonsense that the radical minded believed could never have been more wrong.

So when Samuel made mention that he would be giving that Pikachu to Ash, Yoshi hesitated to tell him not to do so. Deep down, he was worried. Ash was a good kid. He was kind, gentle, and had this heart of gold that made Yoshi want to hug him tight and never let go. Practically every Pokemon in the ranch loved him, including Samuel's Team. He was practically part of the family with how close a bond his mother had with the Oaks, especially after Red's tragic death in the Shadow War. He hated how Gary and Ash never got along anymore, but they were young and kids that age did act silly more often than not.

He wanted to have confidence that Ash's demeanor and love of Pokemon would help his new Pikachu calm down and patch whatever issues that remained, but he had a bad feeling. A really bad feeling. And when dragons such as him have bad feelings it means something was wrong.

Maybe I should check up on him. I could fly fast enough to check the road and come back. The others will understand, Yoshi thought as he prepared to head out but then paused as he noticed two figures in the air heading fast towards his direction.

Narrowing his eyes, Yoshi wondered if these were Wild Spearow coming to roost on the town again (much to the annoyance of everyone the last time they did so). He readied himself to intercept them when he stopped to recognize the Pokemon leading them. Sorrin?!

He hadn't seen the Pidgeot since he came to see Ash after his birth, but he had met his many children and flock members since then. Often his children were the first Pokemon trainers in Pallet Town caught and a good portion of them ended up in the Ranch. They would occasionally fly away to see their old flock and return, but Sorrin never came back to Pallet Town and Yoshi often assumed it was because it was still a painful memory to see Red's hometown since his death.

However, Sorrin looked like he was on a mad flight to get somewhere. This became further evident when he noticed the determined look on his face that Yoshi hadn't seen since his battle against Agatha's team during Red's last Tournament many years ago. Sensing this was serious, Yoshi waved his claws and called out, " (Sorrin! Sorrin!)"

Sorrin took notice of him and gestures the Dragonite to follow, signifying to the others that he was friendly and maneuvered their flight formation allowing him to join. As Yoshi flew closer, he could see a few of them had some things on their backs. Yoshi was about to greet them when he noticed one of the figures on Sorrin's back, and he felt his scales nearly fall off in horror. "( ASH!)"

The once smiling and happy boy was damaged so badly that Yoshi nearly puked. His clothing was blackened from burns while his hair had a few bald spots and grayed in some areas. His skin was blister red and black all over with some of his veins visible from what little he had seen.

Yoshi nearly crashed into Sorrin upon seeing the once bright boy looking like a smoldering corpse. " (What happened?!)"

"(From what I heard, his Pikachu did this to him! We're heading to the hospital to save him! Is it still in the same place as I last visited?!)" Sorrin shouted urgently.

"(Yes! Go on ahead! I'll get Samuel and his mother!)" Yoshi yelled out as he broke formation from the flock.

They separated as they blazed into town; the flock continued their course to the hospital and Yoshi sped for the Lab. As he raced for his destination, the Dragonite cursed himself for not following his instincts. He knew that the Pikachu was bad news. He knew he should have told Samuel his fears about him, that giving him to Ash was a bad idea. And now that all was said and done, he cursed himself further for not (at the very least) following him to the next town. Most of all, he cursed the Pikachu for what he did. The thoughts of that rodent boiled his blood, pressing him further and faster to the Lab.

Passing over the ranch a few Pokemon called out to him, but Yoshi had no time to return pleasantries. He needed to get to Samuel. And in that haste he smashed through the window, scaring not just Professor Oak but all his lab assistants. Yoshi slammed his feet on the ground and skeeted towards Samuel who looked about ready to have a heart attack.

"Yoshi?! What in blazes-"

Yoshi didn't have time to respond. He ran for the nearest chalkboard and grabbed the white writing object. Thank Arceus they taught me to read and write, the Dragonite thought as he hastily wrote his message. As soon as he finished he practically shoved the chalkboard in front of a shock and now horrified Samuel Oak.

"ASH WAS ATTACKED BY HIS PIKACHU! SORRIN IS TAKING HIM TO THE HOSPITAL!

CALL DELIA! HURRY!"

"(Damn they're persistent!)" Raizen said to himself as he continued to run as fast as possible to get away from the flocks of Pidgeotto and Pidgey. They had been hunting him down ever since he escaped from his former "master" and he had to shock a few of them just to get them off his tail. He managed to lose them again further down the road, but he knew they were still not far behind. He hated to admit it but he was tiring out and knew he couldn't let himself be stopped here. "(Mom, Dad and Kota are waiting for me. I have to get to them! Nothing is going to stop me!)"

"(Hey! What are you doing in our territory?!)" Raizen looked up and saw five Spearows glaring down at him with fury in their eyes. The one in the center spoke again, " (This is our turf, and if you don't give us a good reason in five seconds we're going to peck your eyes out!)"

Why does everyone want to peck my eyes out today?! Raizen thought while rolling his eyes. He then remembered something that his father told him. Pidgey and Spearows, as well as their respective evolutions, were huge rivals and often had territory wars between them. He even overheard a few Pidgeotto and one Pidgeot in that human professor's home that they hoped their flock was doing well against their Spearow rivals. Mentally grinning, Raizen formed an idea to get his pursuers off his back.

Faking distress, Raizen cried out, "(Oh thank goodness! You have to help me! I'm being chased by these evil Pidgey and Pidgeottos! I was minding my own business when I overheard them saying they were going to invade some other flying Pokemon's territory! Before I could flee they spotted me and since then I've been running for my life!)"

This seemed to do the trick as each of the Spearows became livid. "(Say what?! Those damn Pidges are going to attack our territory?!)"

"(I knew it! I knew those fools were planning something!)"

"(Bad enough those humans are always passing our territory, now we gotta deal with those small-feathers?!)"

"(We should tell the boss! Gather the boys and get ready to counter attack!)"

"(Yeah! You go get the flock! We'll show those Pidges not to mess with us!)"

The center Spearow turned to Raizen and nodded. "(Thanks for the info. You can pass our territory if you want. If any Spearow tells you otherwise tell them Spade said so.)"

Raizen thanked them and soon dashed away feeling proud of his smart idea. Finally, I can head home with no interruptions. I just hope I don't meet more humans on the way. And if I do? I'll just shock them like I did to that stupid kid.

Dr. Hideo Yuzuhara had seen crazy things in his line of work, but today he had to admit this took the cake. Two Pidgoets, a Pidgey, and an Absol burst into the hospital, nearly scaring everyone half to death. He and his staff remained startled until the male Pidgeot cried out and presented them a horrible sight.

A burned and dying twelve-year-old boy.

Dr. Yuzuhara immediately went to work and called for a stretcher, nurses, an IV, Chanseys, and to prepare the emergency medical wing. One of the Chansey was already talking to the Pokemon who had delivered the wounded boy and writing it down. One of the policies that all Hospitals made was that their Pokemon staff learned to read and (in most cases) write so that they could ask the patients' Pokemon for medical information needed if their owners were unable to.

He winced when he finally received the information regarding the boy named Ash Ketchum's injuries: Paralyzed and shocked with powerful electric type moves from his Pikachu of all things. And it wasn't just once; he sustained a literal barrage of such attacks according to the worried Pidgey one of the Chansey Nurses talked to. The flock had given him some berries as first aid, but they were going to need a full treatment of Heal Pulses and other medical equipment to help Ash survive.

Of course, that wasn't the only danger. Victims of such cases could suffer permanent physical and mental problems due to the electrical currents damaging the muscles and nervous system. They would need to check both to make sure that Ash wasn't permanently crippled or worse, end up brain dead. And even if he would survive this, there is the trauma he will have to suffer with. Victims of Pokemon attacks were never really the same ever again, especially after such brushes with death.

It felt cruel that this would happen to one so young and innocent (if the Pidgey's testimony was anything to go by), but the world was sadly that, more often than preferred. Whatever the case, he will do everything he can to help the boy.

But it wouldn't hurt to pray to Arceus for assistance.

The Hall of Origin was the most sacred place in the world. It was here that the God of all Pokemon, creator of everything, the Alpha Being known as Arceus resided. Only few were ever permitted to enter the Hall of Origin, even among the Legendary Pokemon. It was the place where Arceus meditated and concentrated to ensure the universe was working as intended, and it was the meeting place where he would summon the Legendaries whenever there was a crisis or disaster and discuss what needs to be done. While most events they chose not to interfere and let the mortals deal with the situation, others required their touch to make sure that catastrophes were avoided.

Today was such a day as Dialga, Legendary Pokemon of Time and Son of Arceus, had sensed the entire time-stream of their world change beyond anything he had ever sensed. Everything in the future had been flipped and what was to be was gone for good and replaced with pure uncertainty. All because of what had happened to the latest Chosen who was now teetering between life and death.

In the grand chambers of the Hall, Arceus, who sat on his floating plateau, stared down at the Legendaries he had gathered.

His children of Space and Time, Palkia and Dialga.

Guardian of the Seas and Kanto Region, Lugia.

Guardian of the Skies and Johto Region, Ho-Oh.

Mother of Evolution and Arceus's most trusted friend, Mew.

Celebi and Marshadow were also summoned but were not present due each conducting their own investigations on the matter. The former was currently traveling through time to see how bad the damage was whilst the latter was hidden in the shadows and monitored the wounded Chosen in Pallet Town.

"(How much of our timeline has changed, Dialga?)" Arceus turned to his son.

"(All of it, Father,)" Dialga said with a sigh. "(It was nothing I have ever felt before: It was as though the world turned over its head, sank into water and rose up covered in mist. Not since the Darkest Day or Giratina's Rebellion have I ever felt such a disturbance.)"

"(That's not good,)" Lugia muttered as he narrowed his eyes. "(All of this because of one Chosen? Just how important is he?)"

"(Important enough to know that what has happened to him has changed everything,)" Arceus sighed as he tried to recall what other Chosen have ever had such an impact. The only few he could think of were such ones linked to him or Mew such as Akari, the First Chosen and the only one to be bonded to Arceus himself, and Sir Aaron, who prevented the Tree of Beginnings from dying.

"(So why are we just floating around or sitting on our butts doing nothing?!)" Mew demanded with a huff, "(Let's just go to Pallet Town, patch up the Chosen, and problem solved!)"

"(It is not that simple, Mew. We cannot just reveal ourselves, heal him and be done with it. We might as well announce to every Pokemon Trainer in the world of our intentions on one of those large billboard signs. Not to mention the unwanted attention the Chosen will be receiving by our actions. Especially against groups such as Team Rocket,)" Palkia argued.

"(Not to offend, but how are you involved in all this, Mew? Your sphere of influence is Evolution,)" Dialga asked with a raised eyebrow.

"(Eh, I overheard Arceus talking about a new Chosen when he was talking to Ho-Oh a few days ago. Plus, I was bored so I decided to get involved,)" Mew said with a wave of her paw. "(Doesn't matter now since I'm here.)"

"(Mew is right though. Something must be done to aid this Chosen, regardless of the circumstances,)" Ho-Oh pointed out which made Mew smile go wider.

"(Aw, thanks Ho-Oh. You rarely ever agree with me and my ideas!)"

"(That's because most of your ideas are ridiculous.)"

"(Come on! Using a modified Attract on Kyogre and Groudon would totally defuse whatever sexual tension those two are having!)"

"(For the last time, Mew, they are not in love and neither is there any sexual tension between them.)"

Arceus gently coughed into his hoof silencing the two, "(We must not take any action yet. We first need to know how badly the timeline is damaged and if it can be reversed. Second, we need to know the Chosen's current condition. We must therefore wait for Celebi and Marshadow to arrive.)"

Just as he finished, a small time portal opened up and Celebi flew into the Hall of Origin appearing pale and sweating profusely. "(I'm back, and I have good news, bad news, and really bad news.)"

"(Good news first,)" Arceus ordered.

"(Okay, so good news is that the Prime Timeline is still intact. I talked to the other Celebi and it turns out we're now on an Alternate Timeline. We're in no danger of the Prime Timeline collapsing which would be really bad for all of us as all the other Timelines connected to it would be in danger as well. So we avoided that horrible scenario,)" Celebi explained, to which Arceus, Dialga and Palkia sighed in relief.

"(I don't know what was said but a win is a win, right?)" Mew asked.

"(Let's just say that if the Prime Timeline were to be damaged or ruined we all might cease to exist. Even Father Arceus,)" Dialga explained.

"(Right. In other words, Timey-Wimey stuff is dangerous and fucked up,)" Mew summarized.

"(Language.)"

"(Also, I found out what happened that changed everything,)" Celebi said, which got everyone's attention again. "(It took some convincing to get some spoiler information but after explaining the situation and going back to see what happened, I found the linchpin in the chain. The Chosen? His Pikachu betrayed him and nearly killed him.)"

"(Betrayed by his Pokemon?)" Lugia asked in surprise. "(Why? What warranted this Betrayal?)"

"(The Chosen didn't do anything wrong! I traveled back to see when it happened and all I saw was him trying to befriend his Pikachu and being nice to a Pidgey, even offering her some food. I think the Pikachu just hates humans a lot because of his capture. While I understand his hatred; being taken from his family and all, but that was no excuse for attempted murder!)" Celebi shouted as he started to tear up much to the concern of the others. Tears dripped down Celebi's eyes as she covered them with her tiny hands. "(He just kept...shocking him so much. I saw him crying and screaming in pain! He pleaded for the Pikachu to stop and even cried out for his mother! It was so horrible! I was this close to breaking cover and saving him if that Absol didn't help him!)"

"(An Absol?)" Ho-Oh asked curiously, "(His Danger Sense called him to act perhaps?)"

"(If so, I take back everything I said about them being creepy emos,)" Mew said.

"(What happened next?)" Arceus asked.

"(The Pikachu ran away after the Pidgey's family arrived. Apparently, their flock leader was The Chosen's father's former Pokemon. The Chosen was rescued but badly injured and was flown to Pallet Town,)" Celebi finished before taking a moment to collect herself. "(I talked to my counterpart from the Prime Timeline shortly after. Apparently, this Chosen's name is Ash Ketchum, and he and his Pikachu were supposed to be best of friends. They were going to do amazing things together, but now that's all been ruined. Everything has changed.)"

There was a long silence in the Hall of Origin as Arceus then asked. "(And this was the good news?)"

"(Oh boy, if that was the good news I don't want to know what you have as the bad news and the really bad news,)" Mew whispered.

"(The bad news is that the timeline we are in now is so flux that things are a mess. But I was able to pinpoint one moment where things divide into two main streams: One where Ash lives and one where Ash dies.)" Celebi looked solemn as she turned to Dialga, "(I know you said crossing over into future streams that are in such a state are dangerous but I had to know what would happen if Ash died. So, I went a few years into the future and I saw… nothing.)"

This made the others confused. "(Wait, how is that bad?)" Lugia asked.

"(No, you don't understand. I saw nothing ,)" Celebi repeated with a grim look in her eyes. Far grimmer then any could remember. "(There was no life. No death. No planet. Pokemon. Humans. Legendary. I couldn't even find the afterlife or Distortion World. I couldn't even find Lord Arceus. There was just a void. A void of nothing.)"

And then, for the first time in memory, a dark aura of fear enveloped the entire Hall of Origin. There was a sense of doom and gloom that had never been felt before and even Arceus was shocked by what he had heard. A world without him? Without him there was no life. No afterlife. Creation and destruction would have no meaning. If he really was gone, if everything was just gone, how? Why? And what did Ash have to do with it?

"(... I take it this is the very bad news?)" Palkia whispered, her voice almost faint.

"(Yeah,)" Celebi answered with a shake of her head, "(Ash Ketchum isn't just some Chosen, he is THE Chosen. The ripple in the pond that could create a tidal wave. If he dies… everything dies with him within a few years. I don't know how, I don't know why, but for the sake of our entire existence he must live.)"

Samuel Oak had made many mistakes in his life. He never made up with his father after he died from a heart attack. Their split was due to his father insisting him to stop from becoming a Pokemon Trainer instead of working on the family ranch. Another mistake was not attending the funeral out of spite, which led to his family disowning Samuel even after he tried to make it up to them years later. Samuel never managed to make up with his ex-wife who divorced him when he spent too much time with his career instead of his family. It had been a brutal wake up call, even more so when he lost her to a car accident a year later, leaving him to raise their son Blue on his own. He and Blue didn't have the best relationship despite his efforts as Blue ended up cocky and arrogant. That was until Red was able to beat some sense into him. They eventually patched things between them, but their newfound relationship was cut short after his son died in the Shadow War, leaving him to raise Gary who was just like his father in all the good and wrong ways.

Oh yes, Professor Samuel Oak was not perfect and had many mistakes he would carry to his grave. That was why he could never have imagined that he could be any more wrong from his decisions leading to this day. Ash, his second grandson by all but blood to him, was in the hospital in critical condition due to the Pikachu he left for him. His mind reeled in horror and confusion, barely holding himself from throwing up. He couldn't understand it. What went wrong? He remembered the two of them from his childhood during their time traveling adventure with Celebi. He remembered them being inseparable; how their bond was so strong, so close and so happy. The sketch he made of Pikachu with Celebi was still there in his room, and he watched it with tears knowing that Ash would one day become a great Pokemon Trainer.

All of that was now in flames due to Pikachu's betrayal. He tried to kill Ash. Even after his assistants and his own Pokemon warned him of the Pikachu's behavior, he believed that Ash could calm him down and become the friend he was supposed to be. It was what he had seen, after all.

Now all he could do was curse himself and wish he could go back in time again and fix this mistake. He still had some means to contact Celebi, he was her Chosen after all. She would explain what had happened but for now his worry was for Ash. After Yoshi told him everything, he called Delia and told her what happened before heading to the hospital. Needless to say, she was in a frantic panic and he couldn't blame her. Any mother would be scared of their child in the hospital, especially in Ash's condition.

When he arrived he demanded to know the details, from Ash's condition to what had happened. He was also pleasantly surprised to find himself in the company of Red's released Pidegot, his mate, what he assumed was one of his children, and an Absol of all things. It was quite a sight for a lot of people who just stared at the group, but thankfully didn't disturb them. He didn't know if they chalked it up to the large bird Pokemon or the Absol itself due to their misunderstood reputation, but regardless he was thankful to learn that they had been the ones to save Ash.

He had just read the medical report, wincing at the damage when Delia Ketchum all but kicked the door down with her family's Mr. Mime, known as Mimey, following close behind her. Delia was outright hysterical and demanding to see her son and it took three staff members, two Pokemon, and Samuel himself to calm her down. That led to her slapping him in the face for giving Ash such a dangerous and wild Pokemon. Samuel didn't blame her one bit and promised that he would do everything in his power to make it up to her and Ash.

A promise he was going to keep no matter what.

Finally, a doctor by the name of Hideo Yuzuhara asked to see Ash's family. He, Delia, Mimey, Yoshi, Sorrin and his family, and Absol all stood up waiting to hear the results. Delia was the first to step forward, her face still cascading with tears that hadn't stopped once since she arrived. "How is Ash?! How is my baby?!"

"We're doing everything we can to help him, but the damage was severe," Dr. Yuzuhara explained as he looked at his chart, "Ash has suffered multiple internal and external burns from his Pikachu's electrical attacks. He also suffered serious nerve damage and his muscles are all but ruined in various parts of his body. We found some brain damage and there is some swelling that we're doing our best to lower. We might have to do brain and nerve surgery. I've already called a specialist from Viridian City to get here as fast as possible, but with the way his body is now we're afraid that any serious efforts could make his condition worse. Right now we have him currently in a Healing Tank which should stabilize the damage and numb most of the pain."

He sighed and lowered his glasses, "I'm not going to lie, it doesn't look good. Even if Ash survives he may be suffering from permanent neurological and physical damage. We don't even know how functional his cognitive state is due to the damage done to his brain. At this point, you might have to hope that the best case scenario is that he'll be wheelchair bound or bedridden for the rest of his life."

"What about Psychic or Aura healing? I know multiple powerful healers around the world I can get in contact with," Professor Samuel Oak asked as he quickly started reaching for his phone. He was more than willing to call every professor, medical expert, Pokemon Master, or even the League Committee at this point for help.

"Even if you did, the damage is already done. It would still take years to recover physically and mentally," Dr. Yuzuhara whispered as he shook his head. "Unless a miracle happens, I'm afraid that Ash's normal life is over."

This was too much for Delia as she finally fell to her knees, hands covering her face as she wailed as if her world suddenly came to an end. With tears in his eyes, Samuel slowly knelt down and wrapped his arms around her as tight as he could. Yoshi had started punching the wall while crying his own tears as Mimey was unable to stop himself also. Sorrin looked like he had been swallowed whole as his daughter was weeping and begging her father to do something as his mate tried to calm her down. The Absol looked like he had zoned out and was stumbling to catch himself while muttering over and over.

None of them noticed a shadow nearby slowly moving out of the hospital and into the open before teleporting away into the Hall of Origin with ill news.

The entire Hall of Origin was silent as Marshadow gave his report and the condition of the Chosen who had caused such a ripple in things that everything was no longer going to be the same. None of the Legendaries there felt well. Some, like Ho-Oh, Mew, and Celebi were sympathetic and sorrowful, wishing they could just go there and do something right now. Others like Lugia, Dialga, and Palkia were enraged over the Pikachu that had done this unspeakable crime and wanted to hunt it down and make it suffer.

Palkia was the one who broke the ice with a sigh, "(Father...)"

"(I know,)" Arceus whispered as he shut his eyes before opening with determination, "(I am reluctant to do this, but we have no choice on the matter. We must intervene for this Chosen. If Celebi is correct then Ash Ketchum must survive and whole for whatever dangers await us.)"

"(Healing him will not be a problem for us, but he must also receive active support from us for his development,)" Lugia advised, "( One of us should bond and aid him in his recovery.)"

"(Agreed. I shall see who he is most compatible with,)" Arceus said as his eyes went pure white. His wheel began to glow a golden aura as he levitated in the air. A rainbow burst of light erupted from each of the points of the wheel and spread out into the air disappearing in a spectacular light show. To the surprise of many in the Hall's grand chamber, these rainbow lights then appeared before Mew, Lugia, Ho-Oh, Marshadow, and even Arceus himself which he was taken aback despite being in this state. Once it was done, the Alpha descended back to his plateau with a surprised look. "(That was… unexpected.)"

"(I'll say! Not since Akari have you been compatible with a chosen, Father!)" Dialga pointed out in surprise.

"(The world will turn to ash...)" Lugia mussed to himself in cautious realization, "(Could he be...)"

"(I knew there was a reason I needed to be there today...)" Ho-Oh whispered in awe (and a hint of pride).

"( Interesting,)" Marshadow muttered.

"(Wow! So, all of us are perfect choices to bond with this Ash? … Neat! I call first dibs!)" Mew claimed with a wave of her hand.

"(It is not just us,)" Arceus added, catching all their attention, "(I sensed that Ash is capable of bonding with several other Legendaries as well. Suicune, a Latias in Johto which I suspect is Jetwave's youngest daughter, Darkrai, The Swords' latest apprentice Keldeo, Azelf, Victini, Tapu Koko, and three others I was not able to fully discern.)"

"(What the actual what?!)" Mew asked in disbelief, "(That's like… fourteen Legendaries?! What is he, the messiah or something?!)"

"(Fifteen,)" Arceus corrected before he sighed and looked at his children, "(Your sibling was one of them as well.)"

"(Giratina...)" Palkia and Dialga both whispered in awe and fear.

This astonished everyone, since the last time Giratina had a Chosen she was used by her bond to gain enough power to usurp against Arceus. It was Akari who stopped him and Giratina was heartbroken that the man she thought was her friend (and even lover) had used her as a stepping stone to become a God. It took Akari to help in finally healing her wounds and make peace with Arceus; but despite that she still refused to come out of the Distortion World, save for certain circumstances. Things might have been better than before, but there was still pain and anger in Giratina for what happened in the past. To learn that she and Arceus both had a chance of being Ash's bond was in of itself amazing and terrifying in equal measure.

"(Are you sure you can't tell us anything about what Ash's future was going to be? Because now I really want to know how he and She-Devil managed to bond,)" Mew asked, eyes wide with demand for answers from the Time Traveling sprite.

"(Sorry, but both my future selves and alternate timeline counterparts all told me that it was too dangerous to know and tell,)" Celebi answered, shaking her head.

"(Regardless, we must decide which one of us becomes Ash's bonded Legendary,)" Arceus said, "(We should eliminate those who are too young to be bonded partners. So Jetstream's daughter is out. And although Keldeo is two hundred years old, he is still too young by his species standards to be on his own. Furthermore, the Swords of Justice will refuse to allow him to go off without finishing his training, so he is out as well.)"

"(We also need a Legendary who has healing abilities to help heal Ash while bonding with him. This means Darkrai, Tapu Koko, Victini, and Suicune are also out,)" Palkia pointed out.

"(I am out as well. The only healing move I know is Recover and that's just for myself,)" Lugia sighed with disappointment, "(Although, I have a feeling that if Ash is who I think he is then we will eventually meet regardless.)

"(You mean the prophecy revolving around the Beast?)" Arceus asked, to which Lugia answered with a nod, "(Hmm, it is possible.)"

"(Wouldn't that be more of a reason for him to bond with Lugia anyway?)" Celebi asked.

"(Whomever bonds with Ash Ketchum will need to spend time with him. Not only to aid in his recovery but also assist in his journey as a Chosen. If the future depends on him, then we will need him to be ready for the trials ahead,)" Arceus pointed out. He then firmly stated, "(On that matter, whoever is picked should make sure that he will not be reliant on them. The true strength of a Trainer is how they grow and adapt on their own with their Pokemon. We cannot be crutches for him.)"

"(I purify, not heal,)" Marshadow pointed out.

"(So that leaves either Father, Mew, or Ho-Oh,)" Dialga said as he looked at Arceus, "(You are the strongest of us, Father. You should be the one to bond with the Chosen.)"

"(Under any other circumstances I would have agreed, Dialga; especially knowing how much the world's fate hangs in the balance,)" Arceus said but sighed. "(However, growing into my power would take a toll on the boy, even with our healing. His body will need time to slowly readjust itself, and I fear giving him my power so early in his recovery will have dire consequences. The bonding process needs to start as soon as possible so I am not suitable for him due to the circumstances before us.)"

"(My powers are more geared towards reincarnation, but I am capable of healing others,)" Ho-Oh claimed as he flared out his wings, "(On another note, a number of my Chosen have been great warriors and leaders in the past. Ash Ketchum could become another of such under my guidance.)"

"(Except that would be the worst option for him after a traumatic event like what he just experienced,)" Mew interrupted and floated into the middle of the entire hall where everyone stared at her. "(Training Ash to become a great warrior or a great leader is the last thing he needs. This isn't the old days when there were still knights and kingdoms, and survival was more important than wondering what's the next fashion trend. Kids his age wouldn't want to be any of that (unless they're raised differently). If I had to guess, he'd want to become a Pokemon Trainer like so many his age.)" She paused, crossed her arms and raised her chin with a confident smirk in emphasis of her next point, "(That is why he should be my chosen.)"

"(How so?)" Ho-Oh asked, tilting his head.

"(Look, the kid just had a brush with death and was betrayed by his first Pokemon on the day he became a trainer . I've watched humans for years and this day is supposed to be the greatest day of their lives that marks the beginning of their journey into adulthood. Ash just had that turned into the worst day of his life; one where he almost died at the young age of twelve. He's going to have some serious psychological issues because of that. He needs to learn to ease back into life, have a little fun, and gain back his confidence. He needs to feel like he can get back up at a pace that suits him and knows he has support from those around him. I can help him do that. If there is one thing I'm great at doing it's getting depressing and mopey folks to smile again. Ash needs a friend, and I'm friends with everyone!)"

"(Debatable,)" Palkia muttered under her breath.

"(Well, okay maybe not every Legendary likes me but I doubt the Jinns or the Galarian Birds like anyone,)" Mew shrugged before turning to Arceus. "(Come on, Arcy! I know every healing move in the book and it would be a cinch to help Ash. I'm powerful, but not so much as our bond will hurt him like yours will (no offense). I can help him and his Pokemon by teaching them good moves and how to properly work with them. I'm thousands of years old for crying out loud! But most importantly, I can make sure he laughs and enjoys life again!)"

Mew then put her paws together and gave her best Baby Doll Eyes . "(Please! It's been so long since I had a Chosen and I want to have this one!)"

Arceus stared at Mew for a long time as everyone waited for his judgment. After neatly five minutes, Arceus nodded. "(Very well, Mew. I trust you. You shall be entrusted to bond with Ash Ketchum.)"

"(Yippee!)" Mew claimed while doing a few flips in the air. "(I'll go straight down right away to help him!)"

"(Before you go, Mew, I want you to keep silent about telling Ash of his status as a Chosen. Merely state that you are doing this out of the kindness of your own heart after seeing what happened to him,)" Arceus warned. "(He is already on a long road to recovery, we would not want to burden him with anything else to worry about. Only if the time is right will you be allowed to tell him.)"

"(Can do Arcy!)" Mew agreed with a salute.

"(Father, not that I don't distrust your judgment but are you sure Mew is the best for this?)" Palkia asked, eyeing the floating cat Pokemon who stuck their tongue out at the Space Legendary in response to this, "(Powerful as she is, Mew tends to be a bit… childish when it comes to moments like this.)"

"(Hey! I can be serious when I want to be! I just don't do it often!)" Mew pouted while puffing out her cheeks.

"(Like the time you covered Rayquaza with pink ribbons in his sleep without him knowing?)" Palkia asked in a deadpan expression.

"(Hey it got Groudon and Kyogre to stop fighting because they were laughing too hard,)" Mew giggled.

"(I trust Mew, Palkia. She has a good heart and I believe her point stands about Ash needing friends and support. Something that she can provide very well,)" Arceus said before turning to Ho-Oh. "(Any objections?)"

"(What matters is Ash Ketchum. If this is what is best for him then I will accept it regardless of my wishes to have personally bonded with him,)" Ho-Oh replied with a bow.

"(Then we are in agreement. Mew, go forth and raise him well.)"

Mew saluted again before teleporting away. As she did so, Arceus turned to everyone else, "(Our meeting is adjourned. I will notify you all of any developments after Mew returns from healing and bonding with him. I am also enacting an edict that none of the events spoken here today will leave these halls, Legendary or otherwise, without my say so.)"

(Yes, Lord Arceus,)" came everyone's reply.

Arceus nodded before dismissing them. While doing so, his thoughts turned to Ash. I fear that you will face more trials in the future, Ash Ketchum. Destiny has turned her eye to you and we must do what we can for whatever dangers lie in its wake.