Riolu had never been to Ash's home before. Ash and Pikachu had talked about Pallet Town but that was it. Now he was seeing the territory where his trainer was from. Surprisingly, Pallet Town was much smaller than other human dens. Much smaller than Vermillion. Little individual houses in the middle, a small downtown for shops on the right and on the left was a large building that was apparently the Pokémon lab. The whole city surrounded by forest. Riolu liked it. Even the air smelled sweeter than in cities like Vermillion.

Pikachu sighed, "Pi pika pika (ah it's good to be home)."

"Raboot boot (This is where you're from?)"

"Pika chu pika (yeah don't sound too excited)."

"Ra boot Ra (it's kinda small)."

"Pi Pi chu (it's called being quaint thank you very much)." Pikachu crossed his arms.

"Olu Ri (I like it)."

"Pikachu Pi Pika! (that's it. And it only gets better! Wait till you meet mom! She's the best)"

"Raboot Ra (You call your trainer's mother 'mom')?"

Pikachu nodded, "Pi Pika (we all do. Even Charizard and he's got a pride issue)."

"Ri olu (could I call her that)?"

"Pikachu chu Pi (you probably should. Though be careful, you don't tick off Mom. Trust me I've watched her go up against Entei)."

"Ash! My boy! It's so good to see you!" spoke Professor Oak, a large grin on the elderly man's face, "Welcome home!"

The dark-haired trainer embraced the Professor in an eager hug. Professor Oak was the closest thing Ash ever had to a grandparent. His adoptive grandparents passing away when he was very young, and he had never met any of his mother's real blood family, but the old goofy professor had stuck around all throughout his childhood taking on that grandfatherly role when Ash needed him.

"Good to be home professor," Ash said.

Yeah, he was home. Man, did that feel good to say. Not that Ash didn't mind going out on adventures, and getting his daily adrenaline fix, but there was no place like home. And Pallet was the nicest town this side of Kanto. It was one of those small towns, where everyone knew each other, and if you pissed off one member you'd have to deal with the wrath of the whole community. The time where some rude trainers had threatened Mrs. Patchy, who ran the small pallet town inn, and Mom secretly over spiced their food whenever they came to the restaurant to eat as retaliation came to mind. Or when all of Mom's friends showed up to wish him luck on the day he started his Pokémon journey, sure it hadn't been as flashy as Gary's send off, but his mother couldn't really hire cheerleaders. Frankly, even Ash thought that choice had been a bit much, but Gary's ego needed constant stroking back then.

"Yeah, you're just saying that because you don't get stuck doing the paper work all day!" Tracey called from the back of the room.

"You're the one who took the job of a professor's assistant, Tracey! You could've stayed on the Orange Islands," Ash said.

"You and Misty would've killed each other the moment I left the two of you alone."

Ash shrugged, "I mean you're not wrong."

"Let me guess you know him too?" Goh said, almost tiredly.

"Yep! Tracey traveled with me when I competed in the Orange Islands."

Professor Oak laughed, "It's also good to see you again, Goh."

"You remember me?" Goh said, with a surprised blush on his face.

"Of course! How could I forget the boy who tagged a ride on a lugia!" Professor Oak said.

"Wait, really?! But uh Ash did that too," Goh said hesitantly.

Professor Oak let out a very heavy laugh, "Oh, that's not out of the usual for Ash."

"I take it that is why you're so calm with the reason for this visit?" Sir Aaron said, making himself known to the room.

"That's one of the reasons! The other was curiosity; I have some questions for you," Professor Oak said, shaking Sir Aaron's hand.

"I've been getting that a lot recently," Sir Aaron muttered, probably to himself.

Ash caught an odd glimmer in his older relative's eye, and he didn't think it was a happy one. Ash had never been very good at picking up on people's body language, facial expressions, or general social interactions. At least with humans, with Pokémon he was almost psychic, understanding everything without a word. However, that wasn't the case when it came to Sir Aaron. Ash could understand the knight's body language almost fluently and that was actually normal for him apparently.

Aura users despite being very reclusive in culture by nature, they were actually very social. Aura and the spirit were one, and within the spirit was emotion, if one could see the spirit, one could see the true emotion. They were practically a nation of empaths; sensing each other's feelings, and sharing each other's thoughts. At least that's what Sir Aaron told him (Ash immediately compared them to an alien hivemind from an old movie he liked to watch, which lead to a conversation of trying to explain the trope to Sir Aaron, but it only confused the knight further). And Ash was starting to feel the effect of the connection.

It was pretty clear that, while Sir Aaron said he was fine, all the questions regarding their lost culture was probably getting to him. Frankly, Ash could understand why, if he had grown up able to sense the emotions of all his friends like that, the new found silence for him would be deafening. The dark-haired trainer was very happy to learn that a new "hivemind" thing would eventually form between him and Sir Aaron, as well as Riolu and Lucario. Maybe even Riley and his sister too, if they were ever found. It wouldn't be the same thing as a whole nation of users, but it might make the whole stuck in a different century thing easier on the knight. Sir Aaron at least deserved that after all he was doing to save the world, and he was family after all.

Ash never had much of a family outside of his mother and Pokémon, but he held them close to his heart and would do anything to make them smile. Of course, the same standards would apply to Sir Aaron and Lucario when this was all over.

"Professor?" Goh said, "Have you or Tracey found anything on Professor Gen yet?"

Professor Oak sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, "Unfortunately not yet. Lorelei was always very private with her work, never shared anything with anybody unless it was required."

"But we still have a lot of files to go through," Tracey said.

"I can give you hand, I'm good at online research," Goh said.

Professor Oak nodded, "Tracey, get a station set up for him."

"Right away professor!" Tracey said.

"Now Ash, I do have a question to ask you," Professor Oak said.

"What?"

"Would you mind if we borrow Riolu for a moment?" Professor Oak stated.

"Why?" Ash tilted his head.

"The professor has started to make short videos about individual Pokémon species and post them on the lab's website," Tracey said.

"The lab has a website?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, you didn't know?"

"I'm not really good at tech, Tracey."

"Oh, right, yeah so anyways we haven't been able to find a Riolu to film with. Would yours mind?"

Ash looked down at the small blue and black Pokémon, who was still gazing starry-eyed at Lucario. It was honestly kind of adorable that Riolu was idolizing Lucario, Ash just hoped the baby Pokémon wouldn't pick up on some of Lucario's grumpy behavior.

"Riolu? You want to be in their video?"

"Olu?"

"You don't need to anything to difficult," Tracey said, "We'll just need you to run around, what Professor Oak talks."

Riolu nodded.

"Wonderful, in the meantime, why don't you head out into the gardens Ash," Professor Oak suggested, "There are a lot someones out there who are quite excited to see you."

A big smile appeared on Ash's face.

Lucario watched, as Ash's demeaner changed from slightly solemn and dim, to excited and burning. Clearly whoever was in the garden was someone he was happy to see. The running towards the pair of the crystal doors was also every telling.

"Why don't you join Ash?" Sir Aaron suddenly spoke up.

Should I, Master? He seems to know this place well.

"I think you'll enjoy it outside more than in here. The professor and his assistant will be busy as will Goh and I."

You, Master?

"Goh said he would explain how to operate a search engine to me."

Lucario raised a confused brow, ear drooping and head tilting.

"I don't know what it is either, but it is apparently a necessary skill in the future."

For humans you mean.

Sir Aaron nodded, "Besides, someone should probably be with Ash in case of an...incident."

Perhaps it best a join Ash then.

Sir Aaron nodded.

Lucario headed for the same doors, Ash exited. Walking through them just in time to see Ash standing in front of a herd of rampaging tauros.

Okay, maybe greeting his tauros head on wasn't the best idea, but how was Ash supposed to know that they would accidentally launch him in the sky? Well, hindsight was 2020 and at least it ended with him getting a hug from Muk. And nothing bad had happened!

ASH!

Ash flinched at the harsh spike of telepathy, the closest thing to a shout he would ever hear from Lucario. Speaking of Lucario, had the aura Pokémon followed him? Ash didn't hear him open the door. Oh, jeez...had he seen all that?

Get away from the boy you slimy fiend!

"Pikapi!"

Okay, yep definitely time to get up now. Ash scrambled out of Muk's hug and stood up. Getting between the confused poison type, and aura guardian.

"Put the aura sphere down!" Ash said, "It's okay Lucario!"

Okay? You were being held captive by a mount of poison. Did your mother not warn you about how dangerous their venom was to humans?

"What Muk? Lucario, Muk is one of my Pokémon. I caught him in Gringey City back when I was a rookie trainer. He's a big softy, literally. He doesn't even poison Professor Oak or Tracey when I'm not here."

"Pi Pikachu!"

Lucario's battle stance eased, the aura sphere dissipating, A tamed swamp creature. How strange.

Muk only glanced at Ash before slithering off to play with other Pokémon in the pasture and to probably put some distance between him and Lucario. Not that Ash could blame him, Muk hadn't been in as many battles as some of the others and Lucario was scary when the aura Pokémon wanted to be.

"Swamp creature?" Ash raised a brow, "Hadn't heard that one before."

I suppose the term has fallen out of favor in this century.

Ash shrugged, "I wouldn't know, I've never really focused on what was popular. Why would I call Muk that anyway?"

Does that species no longer occupy swamps and still water sources anymore?

"I mean they can but their mostly found in sewers systems these days."

Lucario nodded, So, you grew up here?

"Yeah, good old pallet town. Something wrong with it?" Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder.

No, it's...just not what I was expecting.

"And what were you expecting?"

"Pi?"

Well, outside of a few villages, Rota, vermillion and Shalor, I don't really have much experience with human settlements. Maybe I thought you would be from a modern city like them.

Ash snorted, "Heck no. I mean if my mom wandered into a big city as a pregnant amnesiac, she probably wouldn't have gotten any help. Not like small town people did anyway. Here everyone knows everyone's name and we call keep each other's secrets. In big cities people barely know who's next-door."

I wouldn't know the difference. The most humans I've come in contact, was the knights in Rota and the healers of the aura temple.

"There's a whole temple for Aura?"

Lucario nodded, It was the epicenter of the Aura Guild; a vault of knowledge and history. Every guardian was sent there to be trained...You had not heard of it?

Ash shrugged, "No."

The jackal Pokémon's gaze slinked to the ground, the pair of blood red glittering with a mix of confusion, concern, and denial. His long ears swiveling slightly, like a twitch.

"Something wrong?" Ash said.

"Pi?"

It's just another piece of knowledge that leads to more questions.

"What do you mean?"

The Aura Guild is...was one of the main systems of protection for the world. They were a powerful force that kept balance and peace between the human race and legendries, that existed all over the world. Every single aura user, and bloodline was allied with them...and yet they didn't find you.

"Well, I'm from a small town and single parent family so not that many connections. It isn't weird..."

No, users always know where each other are, and who is part of their fold. They always knew. If they never found you. That means they weren't looking...

"So, what? Maybe they don't need anymore. You said there were a lot of families that were all aura users."

And Mew said they had all run dry; they would need you even if they still had the bloodlines of old. Ash, where are they?

The young trainer sighed, "I wish I could tell you."

The mood grew somber quickly. Ash felt useless we it came to this. For someone who had come in contact with way too many Celebi he was bad when it came to time displaced people. Everyone always asked Sir Aaron how it was for him, but no one ever asked Lucario.

"Are you okay?" Ash asked.

I am conflicted...I know that centuries have passed and the world is different...however...I can't understand how an entire culture, one in Arecus's favor, can just seemingly vanish.

Ash opened his mouth to answer, but the dark-haired trainer was suddenly cut off by rumbling bang of an explosion. His head whirled towards the sound, with a quiet gasp. Pikachu's tail and ears pricked up in high alert, on his shoulder. As startling as it was, Ash had little fear. He was pretty sure he knew what it was from.

What was that?

Ash started running.

Over the closest hill, in the bottom of the small valley below, a Nidoking and Arcanine faced each other. Their eyes locked into an intense glare. The Nido snarled, while an enraged growl slipped out of the Arcanine's throat.

Ash bit his lip. Despite the seemingly perfect habitat that the lab's ranch was and the fact that most of the Pokémon here were usually docile due to having trainers, fighting would still sometimes happen on the grounds. It was one of the main reasons that only lab staff and experience trainers were allowed on the grounds without supervision. Anyone else needed expressed permission and sometimes an escort if they were considered underaged.

...Not that this rule stopped a little Ash from playing with the Pokémon in fields. Needless to say, the 16-year-old had plenty of experience when it came to breaking up scuffles between the residents of the lab.

In between the two fully formed Pokémon was a small spot of green. Bulbasaur. Of course, the little grass type was in the middle of this. It was Bulbasaur's nature to keep the peace between others. He took care of his home and the harmony of it. Something that both trainer and Pokémon shared. And not that Ash didn't have faith in Bulbasaur, but the tension was high and Ash knew that this situation could go south fast.

Bulbasaur's red eyes kept swapping between each agitated Pokémon, his vine whips held out like hands to keep the other two separated. This careful attention seemed to be keeping enough peace to stop a brawl from happening. However, that peace was broken for just a moment, when Bulbasaur glanced over long enough to recognize his trainer. Then all hell broke loose.

Heat built up in the Arcanine's mouth, flames could be seen licking the stark white fangs and the Nidoking's tail began to gleam with poisonous power.

All thought left Ash's head and impulse took over.

Legs pushed him forward.

Something warm and leafy in his arms.

Dirt scraping his clothing in skin as he rolled.

The heat of a flamethrower attack.

Pikachu screaming.

The buzzing panic Lucario gave off.

"Hydropump!"

A familiar voice snapped Ash's senses back into place.

His back was to the ground, Bulbasaur in his arms, the battle, or the tail end of it really, on his right side. Nothing felt broken, but he stayed still. Not knowing if the adrenaline had really worn off. Pikachu came running over to him, screaming, "Pikapi" the nickname the mouse had given to dark-haired trainer. Lucario had all but beaten the Nidoking into the ground, pinning the larger pokemon by twisting back one of the purple arms and forcing a black paw into the armored back. The Arcanine...was currently being sprayed by a Blastoise. A very familiar Blastoise.

"Skull Bash!"

A pale glow surrounded Blastoise as the water type rushed forward, ramming into the arcanine at full speed. The fire type stumbled backward with a whimper, before running off.

Ash closed his eyes and sighed in relief, hearing footsteps walking towards his head. Opening his eyes, he was met with a shock of acorn brown hair and a smug face.

"Well, well, well if it isn't Ashyboy," Gary said with a smirk, but offering a hand.

"Oh, shut up, Oaktree," Ash said with his own smirk, and took the offered limb.

Hands clasped together strongly, Gary pulled Ash up to his feet, cackling good naturedly.

"You, okay?" Ash said turning back to Bulbasaur. The grass type smiled and licked his trainer with a wide wet tongue, making Ash laugh.

"Pikapi!" Pikachu squealed running over, and climbing up the dark-haired trainer's clothing, "Chaa!"

"I'm okay," Ash said, feeling Lucario's mild concern and raging frustration over what just happened as the aura Pokémon came closer.

"I see you're still reckless," Gary said, "I had the situation under control, you know."

"And you're still arrogant," Ash said, "But at least you got rid of the cheerleaders."

Gary flinched, "I was young, and stupid okay."

Ash laughed, "So was I, but I never wanted cheerleaders."

"No, you just stayed stupid," Gary said.

Ash gave him a flat look, and Gary cackled.

I take it you are familiar with this human, Ash?

Gary's cackling cut off with something almost like a choke, but his mouth stayed wide open. Ash wanted to laugh again, the great Gary Oak, grandson of the Professor who created the pokedex, stunned to silence. While he and Gary had been on better, less competitive and somewhat slightly more mature, terms, their rivalry wasn't dead. Ash treasured every moment of something throwing Gary Oak off his rhythm that the dark-haired trainer got to witness. Today was a good day. A good day indeed.

"Ash? Did that Lucario just talk?" Gary said, not taking his eyes off of, a now very smug looking, Lucario.

"Well, technically he's using telepathy, but yeah," Ash said.

"You knew about this?!" Gary said.

"Gary, Lucario's been able to do that since I met him."

"And how did you meet him?"

"Releasing him from an ancient staff that belonged to one of my aura guardian ancestors, and then going on a rescue mission to save Pikachu after he was kidnapped by Mew," Ash said with a confident deadpanned.

Gary looked confused for a moment, before laughing, "Yeah, right! Come on, what really happened?"

Ash speaks the truth.

Gary's dark viridian eyes darted between Ash and Lucario. The former couldn't stop the smile on his from spreading.

"So...Ash what the hell?" Gary said.

Ash started laughing.

"When did this happen? What news story did I miss?"

"I don't think it was broadcasted," Ash choked out through his laughter.

"Who wouldn't broadcast that?!"

Ash laughed harder, Pikachu joining in.

I take it you are...friends?

Ash let Bulbasaur climb onto the shoulder that Pikachu didn't occupy and whipped the tears from his eyes, "Yeah, Lucario, meet Gary, he's Professor Oak's grandson. We grew up together. But I wouldn't call us friends."

"Oh, hell no," Gary said.

"Friendly rivals? Yes. Friends? No. Because he is an asshole," Ash said, pointing at Gary with his thumb.

"Agreed...Wait...Shut up!" Gary said, after realizing the second part of Ash's sentence meant.

Ash cackled again.

It's a pleasure to meet you Gary, house of Oak. Lucario nodded.

Gary's bewildered look made Ash laugh even harder, "Nice to meet you too," The young researcher said, confusedly.

"So, what are you doing here Gary? I thought you were galivanting around Unova," Ash said.

"Small break home before heading out again, I think I have a lead on a moltres," Gary said, "And 'galivanting'?"

"I've been hanging out with a time-displaced knight from the 1300s for the past few weeks," Ash said.

I have never heard Master use that term. Now perhaps you could tell me what possessed you to nearly kill yourself just now, Ash?

"Uhm...hehe..."

A/N:

Well, good day everyone. The gang is in Pallet Town! Now!

Now headcanons!

And Yeah, I think that Aura Users, are going to be pretty empathic. Sir Aaron did teach Lucario a way to mentally communicate. Who's to say that was the only extent to aura's almost psychic-like powers. Why would they only stop at teaching their auratic partners to communicate like this, they probably spoke like this to each other.

See ya'll next time.