Buckle up kiddos
Ash's hiccuping gasps were a harsh contrast to the serene sunset washing over him. Red eyes stayed locked on his hands, tentative and morbid curiosity guiding him movements, flipping and twisting them back and forth.
With his hands in fists, he could almost pretend it was a dream.
If he kept his eyes on the angry, twisting scars that extended to the back of his hands, it was almost a relief. Familiar.
But if he unfurled his hands, the reassurance shattered.
If they were just blackened and inky, he could have wrapped his head around it. It wouldn't be easy, but a color change was doable. Simple.
Ash's luck was never simple.
No, instead he had to look at withered, practically decayed fingers that were half mummified; but still unnaturally blackened.
Not charred.
Not bruised.
Not even like a blood blister.
Completely and utterly void.
When he flipped his hands over, the dying sunlight didn't highlight the edges, the ridges, the alternate coloration of his nails, knuckles, or veins. It was like his hands sucked in any light and snuffed it out.
The only reason he knew they weren't just discolored was because the edges looked… skeletal.
Did he even have nails?
Once more he flexed his hands, sensation muted but movement unimpeded. Jagged edges dug into the skin of his palm. Nails, check.
Rubbing his fingers together, it almost felt like they'd been in the water too long; wrinkled flesh dragging bluntly against wrinkled flesh.
His palms were spared, but inky tendrils extended past his proximal knuckles, reaching for the lines of his palms. They almost looked like capillaries.
Styx's heavy exhale did nothing to break his trance.
The Hydreigon was a few feet away, Ash having scrambled away and curled up so tightly he didn't risk touching any part of her. He was half astounded that she allowed his distance.
But after seeing the grass he had gripped after falling to his knees, he refused to risk his starter.
Reluctantly, Ash forced his gaze over to the circle of petrified grass; already crumbling and flaking into the frozen dirt.
His mind was making connections he didn't want it to make. But even now, when it was the last thing he wanted, his mind demanded he understand.
Eyes shut and chin trembling, he set his right hand down beside him, into the short, rough grass and moss that marked the edge of Allearth Forest. The sound of crackling, like pops of embers in a fire, forced his eyes open, and he could only watch helplessly.
Red glowing veins pulsed through the void-like fingers as the greenery turned to stone right before his eyes.
With a violent gasp, Ash wrenched his hand away, clutching it in a fist against his chest. A fist that bore no evidence of the wounds he sustained in his mad dash from Death. A chest that bore no aches, no exhaustion, no weariness from his panic or days of hard travel.
There was foreign vitality, an uncanny healing in his body that he knew he had stolen.
Because that's what Yveltal does. It absorbs energy from living things to take as its own.
And now it has extended this gift, this curse, to Ash.
He didn't want it.
"I DON'T WANT IT!" The words were torn from his throat, a flock of Fletchling startled from their perches and streaked away in an overlapping flutter.
Styx snorted, and Ash was brought up short at the amusement rolling off of her. Groaning, she lifted herself to her feet, and stomped towards him.
Ash felt panic, panic so much more visceral than that day in Pallet Forest when he'd almost lost Styx to a half-dead Primeape.
He scrambled backwards across the cold, hard ground, hands leaving trails of stone as he tried to stop the inevitable. "Stop, STOP! Styx!" He threw up a hand, trying, pleading with her to stop. The Hydreigon snorted again, her enormous steps closing the distance and she shoved her giant, scaly snout into his hand.
"NO-"
The words cut out as Familial Thrum vibrated up his arms.
All six of Styx's eyes were gently shut, her primary head's snout nuzzling into his palm. Heaving for breath, Ash watched, fixated, as his blackened fingers caressed cobalt scales. The vibrations and contented rumblings wrapped around him like a warm blanket, and before he knew it his arms were wrapped around a thick, corded neck, feathers valiantly trying to get stuck in his mouth.
He still gasped for breath, but now it was full of relief.
Thin, forked tongues flicked against his cheeks, his hair, his ears as the weight of a Hydreigon's main head rested on his crown. Her scales scraped against his scalp, but it was the most soothing thing Ash had ever experienced.
Before his eyes, Ash watched as the void slowly faded from his fingers like it had never been there to begin with. Healthy, slightly tanned fingers greeted his eyes.
When his shoulders shook, Styx didn't pull away.
"Why, you could have- you almost- I could have-" One of her secondary heads nipped his ear hard enough to draw blood, but it did stop him from voicing his fear. With a gentleness Ash rarely expected from his starter, she pulled away, fuschia eyes boring into red.
Her massive, barbed tongue darted out and peeled the tip layer of skin from his nose.
"Styx!"
Did she just… boop him?
Smugness practically radiated from her as she curled around him, one of her heads urging him to lean against her flank. Knowing better than to deny her anything, Ash hesitantly leaned back, staring at his unblemished hands.
Once more, he dropped a hand to the living grass at his side and watched with bated breath.
Unchanging.
Still alive.
So he had an 'active' mode. Great.
Staring at his hands, questions raced through his mind like Ninjask using Double Team.
What activated it? Why wasn't Styx affected? How much control did he have over this new… ability?
Why did Yveltal do this? What could it possibly gain? Why would Death share its power? Was Ash being punished, or rewarded? Neither?
Was this what the boy was referring to? The figure that carried Cosmoem like it was a mere Rattata, the specter that followed him around and said Ash would be like him soon enough? Or was it something else? Was Ash dying? Would the infection spread? Was the curse limited to his hands or would it cover his entire body?
Ash groaned, head falling into his hands. He heard Styx growl in amusement, the three guttural sounds layering over each other. He was aware of one of her smaller heads curling around him, lightly nudging the Pokéballs on his belt.
He was unsure, but Styx's institance won, naturally.
One by one, he released his team.
First Hemlock, the Morgrem cackling upon release and long claws clicking together. He waved at his trainer, his unique brand of amicable mischief on full display.
Second Bane, the Zoroark appearing as a Krokorok and snickering when Hemlock dove right through the illusion in a wild tackle.
Third was Mirae, the Mytheon prancing over to Styx to push his head underneath her chin, purrs sounding more like a string quartet.
Fourth was Sagitta, the Togekiss hopping over and smacking Styx's smaller head in the face with her wing, using the extended limb to drag Mirae's attention away from the Dragon. Sagitta lost a few feathers from the secondary head's retaliation.
Fifth was Libra, the Totem Hakamo-o rumbling like a rock slide and scales clanging like a whole roomful of tambourines. She smacked her meaty fists together, sending another round of sharp noise much to the irritation of the surrounding Pokémon.
Sixth was Nettle, the Poipole cheering upon release and darting around to tap each teammate atop the head, which only added to their irritation. Mirae was the only one that leaned into it. Reaching Ash, the little UB darted into his arms, snuggling up to his chest, bringing a small but genuine smile to Ash's face.
Seventh was Castor, who was unprepared for Hemlock to tackle him to the ground, a deep growl ripping out of his throat as the two wrestled like children. The Krokorok got his jaws around the Morgrem's head, victory shining in his eyes, when Hemlock's pointy hair jabbed him in the back of his throat. Gagging, Castor spit out his rival.
Last but certainly not least was Polaris, the Frogadier sitting proudly with his chest puffed up, still riding the high of his evolution. Yet he still hopped over to Ash's side, sitting with his slimy skin against Ash's hip.
Inhaling deeply through his nose and releasing it all in a controlled gust of air, Ash let the tension drain from his shoulders.
But then he noticed the silence around him.
His Pokémon were looking at him with expressions ranging from awe to fascination, but none were more expressive than his Darks.
Pupils dilated, muscles twitching, nostrils flaring, a visible shiver running through them. Hemlock, Bane, and Castor all crept towards him, approaching cautiously but intently. But all his Pokémon had enough wits about them to look at him with blatant question in their eyes.
Ash tightened his hold around Nettle.
"So, my luck strikes again."
Bane wasn't the only one to snort with ironic humor.
And throughout his explanation, unfiltered and bare, he couldn't help but notice something new.
Each one of his Pokémon lit up like beacons at the back of his mind, bright and hot with an awareness that wasn't there before.
When he returned to Cyllage City the next morning, it was with deep bags under his eyes and twitchy, glove-covered hands.
Hemlock had practically demanded to see his new ability, but Ash had refused. Even if Styx was seemingly immune to this curse, he wasn't risking his Pokémon to test it.
Ash had never been so aware of his hands before, how much he used them, gestured with them, touched with them. The black leather gloves were dug from his pack and Ash had made peace with wearing them for the rest of his life.
But even after only twelve hours, he missed the feeling of Styx's feathers, of Mirae's silken fur, of Nettle's smooth scales. His dexterity was already impaired from the scars, and now he felt like a toddler with fumbling coordination trying to do anything from tying his shoes to rolling up his sleeping bag.
He didn't realize how much he relied on tactile sensation to navigate his environment.
Ash messaged Serena to meet up outside Cyllage, at the entrance to Route 8. He couldn't stand the thought of being in public right now, of having eyes watching his every move. Was it obvious he had changed? It felt like it should be obvious to anyone even glancing at him.
When he saw Serena walking down the plain dirt path, Degas at her side, he watched as she raised an arm in greeting only to abort the motion when her Kirlia collapsed.
He took a step forward, only for Degas to curl into the fetal position, shivering uncontrollably. Serena was quick to return him, staring at the Pokéball with a look of abject bafflement. She turned towards him, pausing at the expression of guilt that undoubtedly radiated from him.
Wary but unafraid, she continued walking towards him.
"Ash?"
All he could do was give a singular, jerky shake of his head.
"...Okay." He could see the curiosity burning in her eyes, the worry for Degas, the conflict that showed she was torn between allowing him his secrets and demanding answers for what happened to her teammate.
"How was Kiloude?" His voice was weak, but he ignored it and started walking.
Serena was quiet for a long moment as she fell into step, but she allowed his deflection. "It was good. I asked a bunch of performers to donate one of their outfits from past Showcases and held an auction. It raised money for a rehabilitation clinic for abused Pokémon."
For the remainder of the daylight, Serena either filled the silence, carrying on a one-sided conversation, or left him to his somber introspection.
It was hard not to notice her uncertainty, not to notice how she didn't release any of her Pokémon until Ash released Nettle, Mirae, and Sagitta to fly overhead, the Togekiss having to create streams of air for the Mytheon to ride. Even then, Serena only released Hedwig to join the group in the skies. Ash was relieved to note she was in her Baile style and not her Sensu or Pa'u.
It was even harder not to notice the pinpricks of light that followed them.
The lone Absol that stalked the edges of the path, hidden from sight but not from Ash.
The Inkay that flashed their spots excitedly, rapidly, energetically.
The Stunky that crept through the foliage, only their tall tails visible as they kept pace with the group.
Something else that blinked in and out of existence every few hours. Inkay Teleporting, if he had to guess.
That night, Hemlock did his best to force them away, but Ash knew they were still there. He could still feel them there. Could feel them even as Hemlock chased them off. Could feel Hemlock in the trees.
Serena was obviously distressed at his behavior, gaining a troubled frown when Fawkes and Hela flinched away from him, like his very presence was abominable. He was quiet; well, more quiet than usual. He was on edge, and Stxy acted like the world's most dangerous barrier.
She was putting pieces together, keeping her Psychics and Ghost far away from him. Ash knew she wouldn't be able to tame her apprehension forever. But what could Ash possibly say?
'The Legend of Death gave me some terrifying powers, surprise!'
All throughout the following day, Ash's exhaustion pulling at his bones, his Pokémon played interference.
He was cognizant of how… caring his Pokémon were being even as he showed such weakness. Such fear. His Darks stuck close, very close, forming a shield around him while Bane put up hazy illusions of empty road that left Serena and her team fumbling to find them.
Sagitta led Mirae through the air to circle protectively overhead and Libra made sure to envelop Ash in the formidable circle of her armored arms as he slept. Nettle would bring him frosted leaves and muddy sticks as gifts to cheer him up, while Polaris tried to share the dead Bugs he caught.
Even in the face of such devotion from his team, he knew they didn't get it.
Pokémon were born with incredible abilities, power, and the capacity to hurt. Nether, both Hemlock and Libra had Drain Punch, and couldn't the argument be made that it was similar to Ash's new gift? So to them, Ash was now… just more like them. It built their respect when their trainer was blessed by a Legend.
But control was the missing factor, and Ash was far too reticent to test his limits.
Serena held out longer than he'd expected.
It came to a head their last night together.
They were camping a few hours north of Ambrette Town. Seated around the fire and bundled in blankets, Ash's eyes kept flashing to the darkness surrounding them, knowing how many eyes watched him. Libra tightened her arms, pulling him against her scaly chest as her glowing red eyes tried to pick out unseen dangers. It was a new, more fervent side to the Hakamo-o.
Libra seemed to take his… gift more seriously, more reverently, than any of the others. He doesn't know how he knows, but it was like she felt a kinship with him where before it was just duty and trust.
"Ash." He startled so violently he kicked Libra's arm, one of her scales knocking a log and sending a plume of embers and sparks crackling through the air. Libra gently rested her chin atop his head and rumbled, the sound sounding like a motorbike.
Libra's rumble, Nettle's weight on his shoulder, Polaris's mucousy skin beneath his gloves did little to calm him as Serena peaked over Libra's arms, shockingly ignoring the Alolan Dragon's warning growl.
"Talk to me."
Ash tucked his covered hands between his knees, hiding them. Nettle wrapped its tail loosely around his neck.
He warred with himself. His team had been a great source of comfort and protection, but they didn't understand the severity of him being changed against his will.
So he spoke.
"I saw… something when I was in Geosenge." He whispered, voice cracking in time with the fire. "I had been having weird dreams, and when I went to Geosenge, it was like something was calling me to Allearth Forest."
Serena stared at him for a moment. "Is that why you were acting so off?"
Guess he hadn't been as subtle as he thought. He nodded slowly. "Something happened to me, and I…" Ash swallowed thickly. "I don't know what to do." The admission was almost silent, yet Ash felt it blare like a Screech.
She was quiet for a few minutes, and when she spoke, her voice was gentle but carrying weight. "I know we've only been reunited for a short while, and I don't expect you to share things you don't want to. But, if you need it, I'm willing to listen. I won't lie and say I'm not curious, but I know you do things on your own timeline. So just know I'm here if you want to talk."
Her words were slightly disjointed, some hesitancy breaking through at points. Ash was relieved she didn't pry. He wasn't sure how he would have reacted.
"But the few times something significant happens to me, something so overwhelming that it's impossible to remember who you were before… I try to think about what I learned, or what I gained from it. It took me a while to keep that mindset, but when I remembered your tenacity when we were children, it helped."
She went further on her tiptoes to see him and then questioned, "So, what did you learn?"
He couldn't answer that. Ash didn't know. What could he, a measly human, possibly know about the intentions or motivations of a being as old as life itself? Death and Destruction were the natural order of the world, same as Life and Restoration.
Racing thoughts slowed to a crawl as Libra, Styx, and Mirae all started rumbling low in their throats, the vibrating air making his eyelashes feel like they weighed ten tons each.
The presence of his team surrounding him soothed him into a state that buckled under the past nights of insomnia. He slipped into sleep easily. Though his dreams were filled with warping shadows, glowing blue eyes, and burning pain, there was a strength present that promised survival.
He awoke well-rested. Some of his bangs were tickling his forehead, making him huff in an attempt to shift them. It took him a moment to realize the weird sensation in his bones was him having slept through the night.
Ash turned his head to look around, seeing slate gray hide shifting around him. Mirae, Polaris, and Nettle were curled up against him. Bane was a fluffy black pile at the base of Libra's neck. Sagitta's soft coos of her snores could be heard above.
The smallest gap between Libra's meaty clawed hands showed one blazing fuschia eye staring at him.
Styx's presence removed the tension from his body. It also made him want to smile knowing she refused to have him out of her sight.
Pushing himself to his feet, he took stock of everyone else. Hemlock and Castor must have knocked each other out or fallen asleep in the middle of a spar because Hemock's leg was between Castor's jaws. Serena was in her sleeping bag with her arm tucked under her head. Styx, with much more care than usual, quietly rose and set off with him to refill their water bottles from the nearby river.
Kneeling on the water's edge, he listened to the drip drip as the filters did their job and took stock of his body. The scars on his arms weren't flaring up, his migraine from the lack of sleep and paranoia had abated with good rest, and some of the soreness from the few days of travel had lessened.
All in all, he felt better than he had since his encounter with the embodiment of Destruction.
He wished those words were a sarcastic thought.
Ash sighed to himself, body energized but spirit weary.
Styx stayed alert at his side, all three heads put to work keeping stock of their surroundings. If there was one thing that brought Ash any measure of comfort, it was knowing the lengths his starter would go to protect him.
Trusting her more than he trusts himself, Ash allowed himself this time to think.
Serena's words from last night tiptoed into his head. What did he learn? Now that he was more rested, he could look back on the experience with a bit more level-headedness.
He had been drawn to Yveltal's cocoon. Its aura and presence had drained his energy and brought back every single bit of pain he's ever felt in his life and compounded it. It felt like he was dying.
But then… all the pain was washed away somehow. He had heard a voice in his head, but the words were incomprehensible.
Yveltal had stared right at him, its shocking blue eyes boring into his damaged soul and it let him go.
Legends weren't evil. They also weren't good. Humans were beneath them, or so Ash thought. If this particular Legend had a single job, which was Death, why had Ash been freed? Not only freed, but altered?
He knew something happened. He knew Yveltal did something to him. He just didn't know what.
Even if he had somehow impressed or otherwise made an impression on an immortal Legend, how did he? Why draw him there in the first place? The old woman from Geosenge had implied people avoided the Forest. What, did Ash have an open invitation to Death's home?
Oh no, the migraine was coming back.
Splashing his face and being left with soggy, frigid gloves, he grabbed the now full bottles and headed back to camp, Styx an ever-shielding presence beside him. Serena was awake and dishing out breakfast, which included Grumpig bacon and a few nanab berries.
She looked up when she heard him coming and gave a reassuring smile. "Here, should be enough to get us to Ambrette."
Ash took the plate and sat down, leaning against his starter. "Thank you."
"Anything you want to do in Ambrette? We need one more public outing before I Teleport out this evening."
Ash internally frowned at the remainder of their 'deal'. And although it was unfortunate she had to leave -she was easy to travel with- he needed to focus on, well, everything. He finished chewing and answered. "I'd like to see the aquarium, it's said to be the best in the world."
His companion grinned. "I'd love to see the aquarium. I didn't visit Ambrette Town on my original trek through Kalos." The two shared a nod before moving to start cleaning up camp. Ash took the dishes to the river while Serena collected the sleeping bags.
Their hike to Ambrette was only interrupted by one battle, Nettle getting its reps in with Dragon Pulse against a teen and her rather feral Axew. The technique was still nowhere near mastered, but it had become a fun pastime for Mirae and Nettle to work on it together.
The two had also taken to chasing each other through the air which had the benefit of honing Mirae's new flight capabilities.
His team was returned when they crossed the threshold to Ambrette town. The road was the same packed stone and dirt mix as it was on Route 8. The houses were sturdy, focusing more on practicality than aesthetics. Being built on a cliff face, the town was vulnerable to nature's more temperamental actions.
And as soon as people came into view, Serena and Ash clasped hands. He realized his gloves were still soggy from this morning when Serena gave him an odd look.
The only Pokémon center in the town was quaint, smaller than most he'd seen. The two dropped off the few teammates that needed healing, with Ash getting a room for a night. He wasn't going to visit Glittering Cave, instead flying to eastern Kalos early in the morning.
Serena threaded their arms together when they saw people watching, pulling him in the direction of the aquarium. "Come on, come on! I heard that sometimes they do shows, they had the Sensational Sisters perform last year. Nessa Rurina from Galar is going to come through in a few months!"
Ash just forced an awkward smile as he listened to Serena ramble on. He was pretty much being dragged across town, but just let it happen.
There was a stiffness coming back to their interactions as they played their parts.
Serena batted his hands away without looking when he went to withdraw his Pokédex, instead shoving her own at the receptionist to pay for their admittance. Ash rolled his eyes, and sighed, knowing this was her way of reassuring him.
They were checked for weapons, Pokédexes were run through the scanner, Pokéball locks were applied, and they were good to go. The aquarium touted some very rare, very valuable Pokémon within.
Once they were in, any other thoughts quickly fled as he looked around in awe.
The aquarium was huge, massive tanks spanning the length of the walls. The tank to the right was a rainbow of smaller fish Pokémon, Magikarp, Luvdisc, Remoraid, Finneon, Lumineon, Barboach, Whiscash, Goldeen, Seaking, Gorebyss, Wishiwashi, and Alomomola.
The tank to the left was more of a 'seafloor' ecosystem. Clamperl, Corsola, Staryu, and Starmie resting on the 'ocean' floor. Krabby, Kingler, Corphish, Shellos, Gastrodon, Binacle, Barbaracle, Pyukumuku, Clauncher, and Clawitzer making their way around the bottom.
Serena tapped him and pointed to one of the side rooms, this one pitch black. The two tanks within glowed beautifully with Chinchou, Lanturn, Starmie, Finneon, and Lumineon. Ash took note of how careful the construction had to be, keeping Lumineon separate from Starmie.
Ash and Serena stayed in the dark room for a little, the lights from the bioluminescent Pokémon dancing around. A few minutes later Serena subtly tugged on his elbow and he followed into the next area.
This room had schools of Tentacool, Tentacruel, Frillish, and Jellicent floated lazily through the water. A few Octillery inched along the glass, their movements very alien. Qwilfish puffed up when a Jellicent got too close. The floor was littered with Mareanie and Toxapex.
Then they came to the predator room. Ash really couldn't hide his surprise at seeing so many carnivorous Pokémon in the same tank with no fighting. Carvahna and Sharpedo swam with Basculin with no issue. Huntail and Bruxish didn't maul each other. Arrokuda and Barraskewda swam over Crawdaunt without being caught in massive claws. It was obvious, however, that the family of Totodile, Croconaw, and Feraligatr were at the top of the hierarchy.
Ash grinned when he entered the next room. The seahorse Pokémon. Horsea, Seadra, and Skrelp all coexisted easily, the two tanks having an excess of all three. But the two massive Kingdra were rightfully separated from the Dragalge. Serena indulged him by standing patiently for fifteen minutes, watching the regal Dragon types.
They came across an empty tank with a large banner reading Paldean Exhibit Coming Soon!
The next tank was purely for aesthetics. Mantyke, Mantine, Miltoic, Gorebyss, Luvdisc, Lumineon, and even a few Vaproeon circled the tank in a shining whirl that audibly took Serena's breath away.
Ash and Serena veered off course to enter a chilly area. The great expanse of the glass was lightly frozen over, but the Pokémon beyond were still visible. Shellder and Cloyster were at home on the bottom of the tank, filtering the water. Seel, Dewgong, Spheal, Sealeo, and Walrein barked at each other from their perches on small icebergs. He saw a family of Piplup, Prinplup, and Empoleon waddling around on one of the larger glaciers while Psyduck and Golduck took a smaller one.
Two very rare Lapras were swimming leisurely through the chilly waters, both a lighter blue denoting they were from arctic regions as opposed to more tropical areas.
When he turned to the other tank in the room, Ash gaped.
Holy shit.
It was an Arctoness.
They'd done it.
Ash hadn't really been keeping up with the breakthroughs in the scientific community since he left on his journey, but he'd thought he would have heard about this. They'd finally put the correct fossils together. It looked like a sharper, more dangerous Lapras, with a long neck that met a body that resembled a glacier. Spikes of ice decorated its head, dagger-like teeth glinting in the artificial light.
Stumbling forward, he read the plaque.
Arctoness: The Glacier Pokémon
Recently revived in Galar; Arctoness marks the first ever revival of a prehistoric Pokémon of the Mesozoic era to not be characterized by the Rock primary typing. Arctoness is a pure Ice type and an omnivore.
Sections of its remains were used in the unethical creation of Arctozolt and Arctovish.
*Will return to Galar's Extinction Laboratory on January 31st
Ash gazed in awe at the groundbreaking discovery. Arctoness had to be twice the size of a Lapras. He made a mental note to start researching tonight.
Eventually, Serena was able to coax him away and across a long walkway that took them into the next building.
The tanks changed in the next section of the aquarium. This time, in the various rooms, the glass showed tropic, shallow pools with muddy riverbanks, various rocks, sandy patches, or deep drop offs.
Poliwag, Poliwhirl, Poliwrath, and Politoed split their time between the shallow water and the land. Azurill, Marill, and Azumarill dozed on one of the rock fixtures alongside Slowpoke, Slowbro, and one Slowking. Buizel, Oshawott and Dewott played as a single Samurott watched over. Various Floatzel and Bibarel were uninterested in their actions.
Wingull, Pelipper, Ducklett, Swanna, and Cramorant roosted on a realistic cliff face within one of the ecosystems. Panpour and Semipour bouncing from rock to rock beneath.
One of the deep tanks had a family of Popplio, Bionne, and Primarina singing while Squirtle, Wartortle, and Blastoise slept on the bottom.
Ash had to grin at the next tank, this one with only a shallow bit of water, but with rocks and lofty platforms set up as an obstacle course of some sort. Froakie, Frogadier, and Greninja were showing off against Sobble, Drizzle, and Inteleon.
Wooper and Quagsire made themselves at home, buried in the mud alongside Mudkip, Marshtomp, and Swampert. A few Tympole, Palpitoad, and Seismitoad eyed the Head Swampert with challenge burning in their eyes.
The Wooper and Quagsire were their common azure coloring, and he couldn't help but think he had never seen a brown Wooper like Giselle Goodshow's.
Lotad, Lombre, and Ludicolo floated in the shallow depths. One Lotad even had an Azurill on its pad. Chewtle and Drednaw were kept in a separate area due to their propensity to, well, bite.
The two entered another offshoot room, this one housing the Bugs. Surskit and Masquerain* skittered about, sending ripples across the standing water. Dewpider and Araquanid were separated, a small plaque denoting the female Araquanid's desire to 'save' others by bringing them into her bubble.
It took Ash and Serena ten minutes of searching before they spotted one of the Wimpod. Its evolution, Golisopod, easily found stomping around.
He and Serena shuffled towards the elevator that would take them to the depths of the aquarium. "This is supposed to be the main attraction. No one would tell me what exactly it is, it's like an unspoken rule not to ruin the surprise. I just know there are two exhibits down here."
Ash focused on Serena's words, trying to ignore the other people in the elevator that pressed up on all sides, in particular the large man that loomed over him. He tucked his hands away, not trusting the gloves to do their job. Serena shifted slightly until he only had a wall on one side of him and Serena on the other. He sent her a small grateful smile, to which she only shrugged in response. Like it wasn't a big deal.
When the elevator doors slid open, he and his friend gasped.
They were under the ocean
The tube before them was all glass, allowing them to see all around them into the Western Coast of Kalos. A Gyarados shot past, chasing a particularly speedy Seaking. A rippling, colossal shadow soon fell over them and they looked up to see the biggest Pokémon in existence (bar legends) swim by. Wailord was flanked by a few Wailmer, but they paled in comparison to the absolutely immense Water type.
The two just stood in awe for a long while, watching the pod until it was out of sight.
They walked silently through the tube, their shoes tapping against the glass floor. Every ounce of attention was on the world beyond them. It was absolutely stunning. They took longer than necessary to reach the last section, but it was worth it.
Ash stepped across the threshold and his eyes almost bugged out of his skull.
The Fossils.
The final exhibits were revived Water and Rock types, alongside Relicanth. The huge, curved glass wall allowed them to see how Kabuto and Kabutops scuttled along the ocean floor, like they would have eons ago. Omanyte and Omastar were sedentary, their tentacles waving in the water waiting for prey to float by.
Tirtouga and Carracosta swam above, brushing past a few Lileep and Cradily that were latched onto the stone wall.
This was his first time seeing revived Pokémon in person. He hadn't seen any of Steven's Fossils back at the Vertress Conference, nor Lance's Aerodactyl. He reveled in the impossibility of it all. Science was incredible.
They turned around to see a smaller tank, with four Pokémon that at first glance looked like Basculin. Frowning in confusion, Ash walked forward, wondering why such common Pokémon would be in a fossil exhibit.
Upon closer inspection, there was a rather obvious difference.
Unovan Basculin were typically black and green, with either blue or red accents and differing fin shapes. Curiously, these four were white-striped.
Ash looked down, finding a plaque that looked shiny and new.
Basculin: White Striped Form
This extinct form of Basculin called ancient Sinnoh its home.
Having existed 500 years ago, it is theorized that this form of Basculin had an evolution.
The head scientist at Cinnabar Labs in the Kanto Region, Dr. Blaine Katsura, revived multiple Basculin using breakthrough genome mapping technology.
*Will move to Sunnyshore Aquarium on March 1st
It made sense, seeing as prehistoric Pokémon aren't the only ones to have ever existed. Gym Leader Blaine was also one of the scientists that revived Opal, the first Omanyte.
The man had to be in his 60s or 70s and he was still making revolutionary discoveries.
When Ash was finally done taking it all in he looked around for the exit. It was all the way back the way they came in.
Then it dawned on him.
"Oh Mew, that's genius." Serena turned to him with an eyebrow raised. "This is their security. The only way in or out is through elevators. I'm sure they have a service elevator somewhere for moving large cargo, but this way anyone attempting to steal the rarer Pokémon has to go through a lot of trouble to get out."
Serena's eyes widened. "How much do you want to bet they can seal off portions of the tube? Any trespassers would risk drowning if they tried to use force to get past any blocks. They'd rather the Fossils escape than risk them getting stolen."
"And if they tried to break in from the ocean, they also risked the Pokémon escaping."
The two shared some incredulous laughs as they made their way back through the underwater walkway. It took a good half hour for them to exit the aquarium, but neither minded.
When they made it back out into the daylight, it was two and a half hours later. "Late lunch?" Serena asked with an inquisitive smile. He nodded in response and let her gently lead him to a bistro that caught her eye.
She leaned up to whisper to him as they entered. "Palermo tipped off some photographers. They'll be watching."
Ash swallowed but nodded, forcing a smile like she just said something sweet.
He really hated Palermo.
There was a heaviness that lingered as they sat, though they did their best to keep the atmosphere light. Serena steered the topic of conversation to their Pokémon, and Pokémon they dreamed of catching in an ideal world. Serena had always wanted a Sylveon or a Roserade while Ash would have loved the opportunity to have a Tyranitar or Tyruntrum.
At one point, Ash swallowed and removed his jacket, but left his leather gloves on. He placed his scarred arms on the table, letting Serena take his hand. At that moment, Serena's expression was true compassion, and he allowed himself to appreciate the softness rarely aimed at his person.
Ash paid the cheque, and they walked out arm in arm.
They were quiet as they walked through the town, the sun dipping into the water and casting an amber glow. Ash couldn't say he minded the silence. It was comfortable. They walked along the railed-in cliffs, winter winds leaving the left side of Ash's face half-numb.
"Oh my gosh, Serena Yvonne!" The two froze, turning around to see a young girl, probably only nine or so, staring up at them with bright eyes.
Ash watched as Serena smiled gently at the young girl, approaching and kneeling down. "Hello, it's nice to meet you, what's your name?"
The girl flushed and brought her hands up to slightly cover her face. "I'm Josephine."
"Well, it's wonderful to meet you Josephine, are you a fan of Showcases?"
Josephine nodded rapidly, a smile overtaking her expression. "Yes! I want to have a Pancham just like you did!"
Serena beamed right back. "They are fierce partners, you have to be just as fierce back, can you do that?" Josephine nodded so rapidly some strands of brown hair escaped her braid. "Then you'll have no problem." The young girl then held out a tiny little notebook and a pen, and Serena wrote a little note and signed it with a flourish.
Josephine took the notebook back like it was invaluable, looking up at Serena bashfully. "Thank you." She peered around at Ash and smiled at him. He waved back. She loudly whispered to Serena, "You two are cute together."
Serena's smile was stressed but she hummed. "He's my best friend."
Josephine turned shy eyes towards Ash and clasped her hands behind her back. "I want a Froakie like you!"
Ash's jaw dropped before he could stop it.
With a giggle, Josephine dashed away, surely returning home as the sun started to touch the horizon.
The two headed towards the Pokémon center, Ash in an overwhelmed daze. Serena grinned at him softly, understanding what that little girl's words meant to him.
"Nothing else is needed from us. We can act normally from here on out. I'm sure there'll be speculation when you leave for Galar, but we'll be honest and say we were better as friends." Serena spoke to him lowly as they neared the center.
Ash nodded and sighed in both relief and a bit of indecision at what he wanted to say. "...I have missed you, you know." The only sound was the ocean and bitter wind rushing along the cliffs. "You were my best friend when we were kids and for a long time I didn't think I'd have that again. I think without this whole… thing hanging over us, we'll get back there. Truly." Honesty was the best policy, but honesty with vulnerability was one of the hardest things Ash has done.
Serena rested her cheek against his shoulder as they finally strode through the automatic doors.
"You've colored a lot of my life and a lot of my choices. Your friendship guided me long after we parted. You've always had this magnetic quality to you, and I couldn't help but want to make you proud, even if you'd never see what I have accomplished."
Ash has been called magnetic a few times on his journey, but this is the first time he's been told someone wanted to make him proud.
It meant a lot, coming from her.
Ash stiffly patted her hand. He caught the amused smile she tried to hide. He knew he was getting better with interacting with people, but he fell short a lot. Serena never made him feel like that.
She always seemed to understand. They had both been shaped by their experiences.
So as the Kadabra that would take her to Lumiose City stepped forward, Serena looked at him with a small smile. "See you in a month." She was swept away in a sudden Teleportation.
Styx's six wings cut through the air like it was butter, easily slithering through it and looking down on a region she could conquer if she chose. Ash smiled fondly, even as his heart beat wildly, and preened her feathers from his perch on her back.
In a fit of spontaneity last night, he made a decision. He didn't feel quite as confident as he had in the midst of his mad scramble for some form of control, but he wasn't one to back down from a direct challenge.
Even if he was challenging himself.
His thoughts the night before had been interspersed with training, his absolute terror from Yveltal, and his tumultuous mental state.
He was just so tired of being afraid.
Ash had felt off kilter the moment Yveltal marked him, maybe even long before that, and he hated feeling uncertain. He'd felt it for most of his childhood and he was tired of it. Never wanted to feel it again. So, he made a decision.
Santalune Forest.
With only Houndour and Styx. Oak had been ecstatic. Grimsley didn't know.
It wasn't like his starter would let him be alone. But she'd accepted the terms that she wouldn't be released often, allowing Ash and Houndour the chance to bond and work together. She knew the trouble that would often find Ash, and under no circumstances was he allowed to go off on his own with only a canine to protect him.
Absolutely not.
Even as his fingers wove between silky feathers, he felt bereft. His belt now has only two Pokéballs. Both Dusk balls.
He didn't know how long he'd be in the forest. He had two weeks before he needed to be in Anistar to meet Bill. He might just take the full two weeks.
Santalune was known for its rejuvenating atmosphere. People went into it, lost and weary, only to come out with a new lease on life, finding themselves whilst among the foliage.
That's what he needed.
He needed to feel settled. He needed to know this fear could be overcome. These few weeks of video calling Houndour were telling. His heart had barely jumped the last few calls. He was ready to put that past hurt and trauma behind him. Well, as much as he could.
Plus, he knew her. He knew her kindness, knew her bravery.
But his scars prickled and reminded him he'd never be fully past it.
If there was one good thing to come out of his encounter with Yveltal, it is that now he knew true pain. Yes, his scars pained him and distracted him, but it could have been so much worse. It was hard, more often than not, to know that he'd have to live with this constant reminder of the horrible experience. One of the worst experiences of his life. Even if he wore long sleeves, or got tattoos, or anything, the pain would always be there.
It struck him, some days, the unfairness of it all. And some day, it would boil over again unless he learned to cope.
Styx suddenly dove, no warning, and Ash had to desperately grasp the napes of the two smaller necks so he wouldn't be left behind in the air. As they broke through the low hanging clouds, he saw the massive expanse of trees. Tall, broad maples, oaks, and pines blended together, many leaves not yet lost to the winter chill.
Santalune Forest looked like a dark blot over the landscape, stretching miles in every direction. The canopy was so thick it blended into one emerald blanket with no hope of viewing what's hidden beneath.
It was the polar opposite of Allearth.
Southern Kalos was a tad warmer than northern, but not by much. He had to bundle in half his clothes just for the flight over. The Pokémon center that marked the entrance to the forest was more of a log cabin, but it was enough. It had only taken two hours to fly over Kalos, so he didn't need a room for the night.
So as Styx touched down, Ash jumped to the ground and shivered. "Alright, you know the deal. You'll only be let out for emergencies. Agreed?" Styx grumbled but nodded.
Pokéballs could put Pokémon in stasis, so technically, they could be left inside for years without any detrimental effects. However, there was a setting for that. The default Pokéball allowed the Pokémon within a certain level of clarity and awareness of their surroundings.
It gave Styx the excuse to let herself out whenever someone was mean to him. Cough cough, Lance.
For now, he brought up the Pokéball's settings on his Pokédex and adjusted it to just slightly more stasis-inducing.
Thus, two weeks in stasis wasn't going to cause any side effects.
He pressed his forehead against Styx's main head before returning her to her ball. His stop in the Pokémon center was to rid himself of most of his layers, but then he was ready for the forest. He'd stocked up on supplies while in Ambrette, so all that was left was one of the hardest parts.
Staring at the entrance to the massive national forest, he took a fortifying breath and looked around, only seeing a large man reading a newspaper.
Nodding to himself, he released Houndour.
The canine blinked and swiveled her head around before her eyes landed on him.
Her whole body wiggle threatened to knock her over. But the good girl didn't advance, skipping in place and keeping her distance, waiting for Ash to make the first move. He closed his eyes, focusing on the thudding of his heart, before kneeling down and holding out a hand.
He could tell that Houndour was holding herself back with everything she had, trying not to pounce on him like she really wanted. She hopped forward, unable to do less than that, and pushed her snout into his hands.
A spasm of pain raced up his arm, causing him to squeeze his eyes shut. Houndour whined and made to move back, but Ash exhaled and curled his fingers around her muzzle, scratching her heated cheek.
The broken whine she released tugged at his heart. His fingers shook slightly as he ran them over the short, thick fur around her snout. He knew this was as good as he could do right now.
"Okay, okay." He took another deep breath, focusing on what Grimsley taught him, the techniques practically second nature at this point. He drew his hand back and stood up. Houndour looked up at him with wide coal eyes. "We'll get there. It's just you and me in the forest for the next couple weeks, alright?"
Houndour's dejection disappeared as she yipped excitedly. She turned and bounded into the forest without hesitation. Ash shook his head and barked a weak laugh, following her into the woods.
The moment Ash crossed the first line of thick trunks, he breathed too easily.
Air flowed full and fresh into his lungs, a blanket of thin mist catching what little light pierced the foliage. Every inhale felt like it cleansed the smog and splinters in his soul, invigorating his spirit.
Ash gasped, panting to get as much as this healing air into his bloodstream. He didn't even flinch when Houndour brushed against him.
The first week was spent exploring deeper and deeper into the famous expanse. The deeper they went, the more refreshed and energized he felt. His arms prickled less, his heart was calm when he touched Houndour, and he slept easier.
The more Ash learned about Houndour, the more he loved her.
The way she jumped to catch falling leaves in her mouth. The way she was so full of energy in the evening that she ran circles around him and would more often than not trip over her own paws. The way she tried to creep over to him when he was half asleep in an attempt to cuddle.
The way she never made him feel guilty.
The way she looked at him with stars in her eyes.
The way she lit up when he smiled at her.
The forest really does heal.
The sun was peeking through the foliage when they came across what might be the only clearing in the entire forest. The whole of their time had been cast in green-tinted shadow, the canopy offering no respite, sunlight unable to pierce the layers of life. They slept between trees as thick as Steelix, beneath roots as numerous as Tangrowth's vines, encircled by willows as vast as Mt. Moon's caverns.
For the past couple days, every path the two had taken had been blocked in some way, a charred tree fallen here, Ariados purple-tinted webs there. It was a relief to find a place to stop where the sun beamed down.
This clearing was… well it was like stepping into another world. The grasses were vibrant and soft with no fallen branches or leaves to be seen. It was perfectly circular, with willow trees hanging like curtains around the outer edge. Something in the air caught the evening light, sending little flashes of rainbow light into Ash's periphery.
Smack dab in the center was an old white tree. No leaves covered its upturned branches, but that seemed to add to its magnificence. It reminded him of a movie he once watched, with a king and a white tree in a courtyard of stone.
The atmosphere was alight with sweet, fresh air and Ash had never felt more invigorated.
He let his bag fall to the ground and took the biggest inhale he could manage. The oxygen filled him and circulated through his body, bringing freshness to every cell. Houndour's nose was to the ground, sniffing around the expanse. She whined slightly but wasn't following a scent so Ash let her do her thing.
Opening his pack, he started setting up camp.
The past week had been… freeing in some ways. The only trainers they'd come across had been the first day, and although it took a little trial and error, he and Houndour eventually found a rhythm. Houndour was an eager battler and took any opening presented. He had avoided her Fire attacks for the first battle, but had eventually steeled himself to call for them during her second.
Houndour was strong.
Determined, steadfast, with incredible reflexes to boot. Her speed needed some work, but he noticed many of his teammate's handiwork in her agility and technique.
Ash had managed a two-handed ear scratch after her last battle without feeling like he was pushing too hard. Houndour had practically melted from the ministrations, but that could have been from her exhaustion.
He learned about Houndour, her likes and dislikes and mannerisms. She loved chasing fallen sticks and hated giving them back. She would wrinkle her snout and sneeze every time she smelled a new flower but continued to do so. She would clack the bony protrusions on her ankles together before charging at the few wild Pokémon they came across.
She hated spicy berries, but loved chili paste. She liked to stand between Ash's feet when he paused to look at his Pokédex, and tried to stay there when he started walking. She was always underfoot but Ash couldn't find it in him to be annoyed.
Ever since the first time Ash allowed her close, she always had her chin resting on some part of him, be it his shoe, his knee, or his shoulder when he was lying down.
Her warmth was borderline unbearable, but her soft breaths soothed something in him.
After the first day of battle, the rest of the week had been strangely barren, no trainers and hardly any wild Pokémon. He figured it was the season. Many Pokémon were hunkering down to hibernate or make shelter for winter. Even if the forest was almost twenty degrees warmer than outside.
There had to be some Psychic Pokémon in the forest, as those brief flashes of light in the back of his mind would appear and disappear at random.
Smiling to himself, Ash set up camp right at the edge of the clearing, not wanting to disturb the picturesque sight. The chilly breeze wasn't enough of an annoyance to convince him to set up a tent. He wanted to use the break in the endless canopy to stargaze.
He was hesitant to start a fire here, so he grabbed one of the premade sandwiches he always carried. Though the past week was wearing on his supply.
Whistling for Houndour, he poured her food into a bowl and mixed in the bluk berries. His canine came bounding over, tongue lolling out of her mouth. Ash chucked and set the bowl down, smiling as the canine dug in ravenously, even though she just ate a few hours ago.
"Alright, let's keep trying." Houndour's eyes darted up to meet him as she kept eating, showing she was listening. He flipped open his Pokédex to read from the list he'd been typing out for weeks.
"Venati?" A snort. "Circe?" A shake. "Corva?" A huff. "Ursa?" Another shake. "Antheia?" A pause, but another shake.
"Artemis?" She perked up. Her eyes were shining and she barked, bowing her torso while her short tail tried to wag. "Artemis?" He asked again, to which she nodded and hopped in place.
Her pure excitement struck something within him, and he didn't think twice before opening his arms. Newly named Artemis froze, before bounding forward and launching herself into his arms.
His breaths were shaky and his chest felt tight, but he grounded himself against the feel of Artemis, her fur, her warmth, the bony ridges that covered her forehead and back. Artemis shoved her head into the crook of his neck, some heated slobber getting on his shoulder, but he ignored it.
Some knot within his heart, his soul, loosened and gave way to the surge of affection he held for Artemis. He'd missed her. It was a wonderful moment, full of forgiveness and healing and peace.
But then that moment ended.
A gravelly rumbling resounded, mechanical and artificial. Artemis and Ash separated, Ash tilting his head in confusion. Three pinpricks of light were rapidly approaching. Artemis growled, an unnatural sound from the lovable Pokémon.
In an explosion of splintered wood and crushed branches, Ash gaped, grabbing Artemis and leaping away from the tree that came crashing down. He hissed as branches sliced his skin and his shoulder throbbed with the force of his landing.
Artemis wiggled out of his arms, snarling, and Ash was quick to unwind his arms. Throwing himself to his feet, Ash watched as an armored truck burst into the clearing. Gunmetal gray and bulky, clunky but durable, Ash had trouble consolidating such violence with the serenity that previously surrounded them.
It came speeding past the draped willows, ripping and tearing, and didn't slow down. The fallen tree that cut across the clearing seemed to lose its vibrancy before his eyes. The scrap of fabric peeking out from the fallen trunk made him grit his teeth. There went his sleeping bag and food.
The truck screeched to a halt, the flawless grasses torn and shredded beneath the heavy duty tires. The vehicle was wider than the space between trees and Ash felt nausea thinking about the trail of destruction left in its wake.
Hitched to the truck was a trailer, the bars of a cage seen just below an olive green tarp.
Ash scrambled back in confusion, Artemis growling from her place in front of him, constantly glancing back at him as she too backed up to stay close. His back was to the tree, and his gut was screaming at him to leave. But his bag was on the other side of that truck and he had irreplaceable keepsakes in there.
The Key Stone and Houndoominite being on the top of the list.
But even as he looked to the edges of the clearing, he paled as Ariados' Toxic Thread webs sprung up out of nowhere. They were dense, thick, and layered, the magnificent willow trees now tangled and withering.
The clearing had turned into a closed arena.
Pieces started to fall into place.
The sound of a door slamming shut and solid footsteps rounding the truck reached Ash's ears. The large man that came into view made Ash's stomach drop to his feet.
Hulking, broad, shaved head and cropped full beard, none of these things were immediately unsettling. No, it was the vest he was wearing. On one shoulder, a rainbow R. On the other, a spiked skull.
A spiked skull burned into a snowy mountaintop, scorched kit corpses scattered carelessly.
Omen.
"Gotta say, kid, you got some reflexes." His voice reverberated through the clearing like thunder; dominant and inescapable. A couple scars littered his face, a slash through the eyebrow - the stereotypical villain scar - was the most obvious. His nose was crooked from a past break and part of his left ear was mangled and half gone.
Omen radiated sadism. His smile was slightly feral with a confident edge and the toolbelt around his hips had a myriad of weapons; crowbar, pliers, a dagger, guns.
The mocking smile on his face as he clapped two gloved hands together immediately had Ash's hackles raising. Something about this wasn't right. He'd only been here for twenty minutes.
"Omen, how great to meet you." Ash's voice cracked and he couldn't find the mind to hate himself for it.
He was too horrified.
This man… he's been wanted by the League for a decade. He infiltrated Dragon's Den, one of the most protected places outside League strongholds, to poach the Matriarchal Kingdra. He's poached the Black Haxorus of Unova's Nature Preserve. He even poached the giant White Trevenant from Petalburg Woods right out from under Gym Leader Norman's nose.
He left ruin and devastation in his wake.
The man laughed, sending sick chills down Ash's spine. "Happy to know my reputation precedes me. Did you like my little maze? Congrats, you made it out!" His teeth were blinding white, which threw Ash off. He always expected 'bad guys' to have yellow teeth.
Ash scowled. "The fallen trees, the webs, rather amateur, don't you think?"
Something dark flashed in the man's gray eyes before it was wiped away with his laughter. "Come on, Ketchum, wasn't this fun? It was fun for me."
Oh Mew. He was here for Ash.
Ash felt his skin crawl when the distinct sound of Ariados' clicking mandibles sounded behind him. Houndour flipped around, standing braced between Ash's feet and faced the forest.
"What do you want from me." Ash bit out the words with as much vehemence and force as he could, even though his chest was spasming in fear.
His hands twitched towards his practically empty belt and he had never felt more naked.
Omen crossed his arms and leaned back against the truck, the two guns strapped to his belt flashing in an obvious threat. He looked for all the world like he was just out here for a chat. He held the power and he knew it. "You have something that belongs to me. Something my employer wants and unfortunately, delivery was already delayed. I figured the rest of your team would count as compensation for the chase you pointlessly led."
Suddenly, Ash was in a different forest, hiding in a bush as two men in dark clothes walked by, looking for their escaped Pokémon.
Bane. It felt like a lifetime ago.
"Sorry, buddy, can't help you." Ash shrugged, shooting for nonchalance. He didn't know if he succeeded.
"Excuse me?" There was danger in those two words. He knew fear, and although this registered, this guy couldn't compare to the personification of Death.
He got damn close though.
"Yeah, sorry man, only have Artemis with me. Better luck next time-"
BANG
Ash froze, feeling phantom heat ripple along his skin. He didn't turn, but knew a bullet would be lodged deep in the tree behind him.
The Dusk ball on his belt shook violently.
Ash couldn't even feel himself breathing. He didn't think he was.
All he could hear was his heart stuttering in his chest and Artemis snapping her teeth.
Omen's countenance had done a 180. His face crumpled into a sneer that, wow yeah, that was intimidating. He stood tall, pushing against the truck to walk forward, and even from meters away his presence loomed over Ash.
"I wouldn't lie if I were you. I saw your exceedingly rare Hydreigon drop you off." The large man… "Now, give me the Pokémon."
Ash lifted his upper lip and raised his chin. "Or what, you'll kill me? Go ahead." He was spewing shit, he knew, but he would rather die than hand over his family to a douche-nozzle like this. He was unprepared for how Omen smiled.
"That'll be purely a last resort." He walked slowly along the truck until he stood beside the trailer. Ariados' clicking grew more agitated. "No, I've been watching you, ever since I saw your little performance at the Battle Chateau. You might act like you're hot shit, but I think I have an idea of how to sway you." He ripped the tarp off the cage and it took Ash a few seconds to understand what he was seeing.
A strangled cry of shock was caught in his throat.
Chained to the bars, eyes hazy and drooping from what had to be pain and tranquilizer, was Euryale. Her mouth was wide open, panting as the collar around her neck restricted her airways.
Her pristine icy coat was matted and scorched in some places, fur marred with dried blood. A horrible gash to her hindleg was evident from how it was straightened at a weird angle.
To see the ethereal Ninetales brought so low felt like sacrilege.
Snarling and clawing through the bars, chains pulled taught around its neck, was her only surviving kit. The Vulpix wasn't in nearly as bad shape, and it was full of righteous fury as it tried to swipe the man who was so close.
Omen grinned and stood just a hair further than Vulpix could reach. Taunting. "Did a little digging, found out this pretty gal saved your ass. You're lucky, I was just about to deliver her and her runt. Figured she had one more use before then." He laughed, something unhinged, before he pulled out one of his guns, flicked off the safety, and pointed it at the downed Ninetales' head. "You might wear a tough guy facade, but you're a softy for Pokémon."
Ash took an aborted step forward, mind racing. "You're gonna risk your boss's displeasure by killing her?"
Omen quirked his lips, smug. "It's all about gains and losses, kid. Yeah, a 500 year old Ninetales is going to be strong and valuable, but you've got some golden eggs that make this one look pitiful." Vulpix howled in rage at the insult to its mother.
Ash just felt cold.
Hydreigon, Zoroark, Totem Hakam-o, Poipole, Togekiss, Mytheon, any one of them would be a collector's dream.
All of them? A diamond mine.
"So, why don't I give you a ride, you can collect your Pokémon, and we'll call it a day, yeah?"
Ash shifted, Artemis moving with him as one hand moved to his pocket, switching on the emergency beacon of his Pokédex, but Omen pressed the gun against Euryale's head. "Come on kid, what do you take me for? I have a jammer with a mile radius. There's a reason I'm the best. Now, why don't you show me your hands, and maybe I won't cut them off."
He tasted blood with how hard he was biting his cheek. His brain was running a mile a minute.
Time to be reckless.
Grimsley was going to kill him.
But there was no way in The Nether that he was risking his Pokémon to this fucker.
Ash pressed the release on his other Dusk ball as he screamed "Hyper Voice! Artemis, get the Ariados!"
The clearing descended into chaos. He slammed hands over his ears as Styx shrieked her wrath, Dragon instincts raging. Her Hyper Voice gave the distraction Artemis needed.
Her blue-tinted flames tore through the web, reducing them and various foliage to cinders, and caught the Bug and Poison type's leg before it skittered down the trunk. It was fast, and Ash knew Artemis needed him more than Styx.
"Odor Sleuth, Howl, turn up your body heat!" Artemis howled to the sky, nose flaring before her head snapped to the side. Ariados slammed into her side, eliciting a yelp from the canine, but then it screeched.
Its carapace was charred and its manacles clicked erratically.
Ash eyed it as Artemis released another plume of flames. This was no doubt a Gym Leader level Pokémon, Omen wouldn't have stayed free so long if his Pokémon weren't. Omen wouldn't have been able to poach the Pokémon he has without a strong team of his own.
Ariados was the trapper, the one that would tie up the 'merchandise' after leading them to a dead end, poisoning them to keep them down. But if Ash had to guess, this wasn't the main muscle.
He had to play this smart, even as his heart beat in his throat. He didn't know how many Pokémon Omen had.
He spoke low. "Howl, wait, Feint, then Fire Fang."
Styx's roar was the only warning he had. Ash reflexively threw himself to the side as two arms rose from the ground, missing him by a hair.
He heard Artemis's howl, but shouted, "Keep fighting, Artemis!" keeping his eyes on the shape rising from the ground. The matching pinprick of light was… off.
Dusknoir took one look at him, convulsed, and fled.
Styx's rage reached a whole new level, and Ash barely caught sight of her tearing into Dusknoir as it reappeared beside a massive Magmortar.
What made a Hydreigon a better bet compared to a human?
Omen was wriggling out from beneath the Hydreigon's tail, and he'd do it soon.
Another yelp had him focusing back on Ariados, seeing Artemis' leg clutched between its pinsirs.
"Smokescreen!" Ariados shrieked as it was blinded, the arachnid a visual and tactile hunter. "Flamethrower!" Their immediate area went up in poisonous flame.
Houndour's fire didn't have the same long-lasting effects as Houndoom, but the older they were, the more poison hid within the flames.
And Artemis was close to evolution.
The noise Ariados released was ear-curdling. Artemis didn't hesitate to pounce on the downed Bug and drive her flame-coated teeth into the opponent's abdomen.
Ariados' legs spasmed and curled.
Ash scooped up a too-hot Artemis. "Smokescreen the field!" and he ran back into the chaos.
Within seconds, the clearing was filled with thick, noxious smoke.
The sounds of battle around him ramped up his already high adrenaline. Flashes of fire and energy bounced off the smoky particles in the air. He saw dark shapes through the smoke, blazes of light making them shift like horrific shadows.
Ash dropped to the ground, hiding within the heavy smoke as the pinpricks of light in the back of his mind shot by. He put a gloved hand around Artemis' snout, halting the Smokescreen for a few heart beats.
Omen, towering above but unable to see them, wiped blood from his dripping nose. His face was twisted in an awful snarl that made him look possessed. Ash felt Artemis growling against his chest, but pressed his grip harder around her muzzle.
A flash, and there was a Hypno beside him.
"Find the fucker!" Omen snarled at the Psychic type, and from Ash's huddled position on the ground he saw the issue.
Hypno's shiny silver pendulum was bouncing erratically, quivering and spinning. The Psychic winced, eyes squeezed shut and stumbling as it tried to focus. Whether it was Ash, Styx, Artemis, or some unholy combination that affected the Hypnosis Pokémon, he wasn't sure.
But Ash was damn grateful all the same.
A Psychic whose strengths lie in hypnosis and teleportation would be a horror to fight. One trained by Omen?
Ash didn't want to consider the possibilities.
A Dragon Pulse flew over Omen's head, a curse spilling from his lips as he ran in the direction of his vehicle, the little spark in the back of his mind mimicking his movement. Hypno stayed put, head thrashing as it valiantly tried to lock onto their prey.
He couldn't rely on their good luck.
Gritting his teeth Ash released Artemis, setting her down. "Smokescreen, Smog, Crunch."
Hypno didn't have vocal cords, they didn't even have mouths. Ash had never given much thought to the odd Kanto-native Psychic, but right now he couldn't be more grateful.
He could imagine the scream when agony crossed its face as Artemis dug void-like teeth into it. A ripple of psionic energy disrupted the Smokescreen, but the panting Hypno had already inhaled enough Smog to put it on a time limit.
"Artemis!" He hissed, gesturing for the canine to disengage and follow him. They couldn't waste more time, couldn't give Omen the chance to pull back the advantage.
Gracelessly, he crawled along the forest floor, the smoke continuously getting thicker and thicker. Large chunks and splinters layered the once pristine ground, and Ash was thankful he had his gloves.
Time was inconsequential here, and Ash somehow made it to the massive metal contraption. He inched down, following the line of cold steel until he came upon bars.
He was really taking a gamble, calling Omen's bluff that he wouldn't actually kill Euryale. If Omen had taken the time to actually kill her, who's to say where they'd be.
Styx had gone right for him. What would have happened if Ash had his entire team? Omen seemed to think he did, but he was still confident in his upper hand.
Why?
Frowning, but eyes wide with fear, Ash grasped the bars. Poachers spared no expense on their cages, and used metal created specifically to protect properties from wild Pokémon. It was a favorite of Rockets to twist it into cages.
If Ash was lucky, it was the amended creation that had an extremely low melting point. If it wasn't… well, he had never been more thankful that Artemis had Ice-type Hidden Power.
Ash moved around to the end, furthest from the chained Ice types and picked up Artemis. "Flamethrower." It only took seconds for him to scowl. "Hidden Power. Again." He kept his voice low, even though the crashes and roars of battle grated on his ears. Intermittent Hyper Voices threatened to reignite Ash's headache, but he persevered. Lifting Artemis, his forearms yelled at him, but he held her near the bars.
As she worked, Ash's mind raced.
Ariados for trapping. Dusknoir for phasing through obstacles and inhibiting Teleportation. Hypno to incapacitate and for easy movement and a means of escape. Magmortar as the muscle and a Pokémon so hot other Fire types could barely stand up to it.
The burns on Bane when Ash first found him made more sense.
Hidden in the smoke, Ash had spied five Pokéballs on Omen's vest. Who was the last? He didn't know what Omen was doing in this mess, but he hoped he misjudged Ash. Did he think Ash would run? Hide? Hopefully he didn't anticipate Ash running straight towards him.
How would he think? How would he plan? Would Omen choose to protect his 'cargo'? Would Omen choose to try and take down Styx? If it was Ash, he would.
A Hydreigon was the obstacle. Terrifyingly strong, resistant to Omen's heavy hitters, capable of disabling both spectral and psionic abilities, and able to take to the skies. She was a threat, one that Omen couldn't maneuver around.
So he would focus on her.
Ash had never been more thankful for Styx's rarity.
How could Omen counter a Hydreigon if he had no idea what they were capable of?
As soon as the metal cracked, Artemis slammed her boney helmet against the brittle material. A hole about as wide as a Sealeo was enough for Euryale to fit through. Ash squinted his eyes and held in the cough, even though the Smokescreen threatened to clog his airways.
Vulpix was straining against its collar, rivulets of blood running down its white coat from where the metal sliced it. It growled at him but then paused, sniffed, and quieted. Ash let Artemis crawl in first before following. He held out a hand. "Yeah, you remember me, don't you." That spitfire Vulpix, the last sibling. "Let's get your mama."
As much as he hated that the thought came to him easily, Ash knew why Omen took one of the kits.
Leverage.
Threaten the Vulpix to keep the 500 year old Ninetales complacent.
Squeezing his eyes shut, Ash whistled. It was quiet, and barely noticeable, but it was enough.
Styx would hear it.
The cacophony was amplified as the Hydreigon upped her aggression, moving towards the sound to act as their bodyguard.
He hoped she took out Dusknoir, even if the Ghost was afraid of him.
As Ash inched closer to the horribly injured Ninetales, some lucidly flashed in her eyes and she snarled, shaking her head. Ash froze. Her eyes darted to her kit, her last baby, and keened. "Okay." He whispered.
He nodded to Artemis, who went back to work heating and cooling the chains. They'd work on the collar later.
Hopefully there'd be a 'later'.
The noise grew closer, and Ash kept some of his attention on the sparks in his mind. They were getting closer. There were so many sparks, but only six were moving. There was one spark that almost blinded him and he wasn't even 'seeing' in that sense.
It was in the middle of the clearing.
Ash scowled at himself and forced himself to focus. It's like an invisible clock was ticking above his head, counting down, and he knew time would run out soon.
What if Hypno regained its bearings? What if Omen directed Magmortar to bathe the cage? What if the poacher's last Pokémon was the one they most had to worry about?
He was running on borrowed moments, seconds, minutes. Every tick tock that passed could spell his death, Styx's death, Euryale's death. Artemis' death. Out of his control.
The snap of chains sharpened his focus. Artemis didn't even wait for an order, promptly starting on Euryale's chain. The poor Houndour was losing steam, but she was relentless. Ash would have thought, with someone as accomplished as Omen, he'd chain every part of the Pokémon's body, not just the neck.
Guess the poison, drugs, and whatever else works. Or has he become arrogant? Did he never think someone would fight back?
Ash could only hope.
The Smokescreen was thinning by the time the chainlink shattered. Ash scooped up Euryale, concerned by her light weight and showing ribs as Artemis grabbed the Vulpix's chain between her teeth, and they slipped out of the cage through the hole.
Styx was only a few paces away, and Ash had to duck beneath a stray Fire Blast that sent the trailer behind them wildly rocking.
The Smokescreen around their feet mixed with pink mist that Ash immediately recognized.
Misty Terrain. Shit. Styx's strongest attacks would be useless.
They sprinted.
But then something yanked, Ash lost his grip, and he stumbled. The weight in his arms disappeared.
Whirling around, ferocity flooded him when he saw Omen holding the chain to Euryale's collar, holding her limp body up by her neck as she gasped for breath. His other hand held a gun trained at Ash. Omen's face was twisted in a seething snarl, soot covering his body and a few burns littering his neck. His jacket had a few new holes that were lightly smoldering.
Good job Styx.
"You're a pain in m-"
Ash leapt.
It would have been funny, in other circumstances, when Omen's expression took on such a flabbergasted quality as Ash slammed a hand into his wrist, sending the gun flying.
Thank you Grimsley for the disarming lessons. The Elite had been seething when he heard Ash had thrown himself at the Rockets at Relic Castle. Grimsley mostly had experience disarming someone of a broken beer bottle but the technique was pretty much the same.
The man dropped the chain and stalked forward, swatting Ash's right hook away like it was a particularly annoying Cutifly. Omen was massive, he had to weigh almost 300 pounds and it wasn't because he was overweight.
He dwarfed Ash, and so Ash tried to use his much, much smaller size against him. If there was one thing he was proud of, it was his reflexes. For the first few seconds, he was able to duck, weave, and roll away from the dangerous, dangerous man.
But then Omen stopped playing.
Trainers didn't need to know how to fight. It wasn't expected nor was it common. Run, yes. Hide, yes. But not fight. They carried an army on their belts, one Pokémon was more than enough to take on a human. Ash had gotten into enough shit at this point that he worked with his team on dodging and striking.
Ash was strong for his age. He was a good fighter for his age. He was quick for his age.
Omen had to be three times his age. And it showed.
Ash couldn't hold in his grunts of pain every time he had to use his forearms to block a blow he couldn't dodge. Permanent toxins were pressed into flesh and bone every hit he blocked, he could almost hear the tissue sizzling in his head.
He bit his tongue, more blood flooding his mouth, and powered through. He tried to focus on using his shins to block what he could, but his long days of hiking were catching up to him. If he survived this, he'd be one massie bruise.
The blow to his jaw dazed him and the kick to his stomach sent him sprawling. Agony exploded through his lower ribcage. 'Please don't be broken, please don't puncture a lung.' He gripped the ground, panting painfully.
His vision was doubled, and his head lolled around. It took him a few delirious moments to identify Styx and her opponents. Magmortar and Galarian Weezing weren't looking too hot. Neither was Styx, but she was a force to be reckoned with, and she wouldn't stop. Not when her trainer was at risk.
He could feel her desperation, hear the distraught shrieks she shot at him. But she was unable to disengage the Weezing's Strange Steam.
What she did do, however, was launch Weezing into the tank two seconds before Misty Explosion.
Ash's hands flew up to cover his head and protect himself from the flying debris. The torture from his side made his brain turn to static. A plume of smoke and fire billowed into the air, tearing through the foliage. Yelping, he ripped his smoldering gloves off, small burns littering his pale hands. Pushing himself to his elbows, he blinked and paled.
Omen stood, vest discarded and smoldering on the ground. He was once again holding Euryale's chain, her breathing strained as the collar put pressure on her windpipe. He had his other gun pressed to her neck.
The first gun was melted on the forest floor. An intense wave of Deja vu washed over him.
Omen's eyes flicked to the battle before disregarding it. He didn't seem to care about his Pokémon, and at this point only Magmortar was still fighting. Dusknoir was nowhere to be found, and Hypno had collapsed in a twitching heap on the other side of the clearing.
His fist tightened around the chain as he lifted it further, Euryale wheezing thickly. Omen's own chest was heaving, but Ash was pretty sure it was from anger and not from exhaustion. "Now, you little shit, let's try this agai-"
Ash watched it all happen in slow motion.
Vulpix launched itself, teeth bared and claws poised, bloody neck wounds catching firelight now that the collar had been destroyed. It landed against Omen's chest, teeth tearing and claws carving, and in his surprise and pain, Omen reacted.
His finger tightened on the trigger.
The gun fired with an echoing crack.
Two cliffhangers in a row, my bad. Let's see how this plays out.
Honestly this story is just an excuse to give Ash all my favorite Pokémon. Artemis is a darling.
*Yes I know Masquerain is not a Water type but I included it for the ~aesthetic~
I'd like gamefreak to show us what the Galar Fossils actually looked like, that'd be fun. My reference for Arctoness is RZGmon200 (restored galarian fossil Pokémon) on Deviant Art
Also, call back to Chapter 4 - a Hisuian Pokémon has made its entrance!