Hiori led Ash and Aurian down yet another cold stone hallway, footfalls failing to drown out the anxiety pounding through the younger trainers' heads.
"You'll meet with Overhead before you begin," Hiori said. "From what I saw on the way up here, they're not holding back."
"I wouldn't want them to," Ash countered, Pikachu nodding approval from his shoulder. "They're at least taking us seriously. Any last-minute advice?"
Hiori frowned, eyebrows furrowing. "I'm not sure if I'm supposed to tell you this, but they traditionally put new Cadets up against the last recruitment class. Salamence got the last guys, and they're good. Brutally efficient, but good."
"Brutally efficient…" Aurian trailed off, deep in thought.
She didn't speak for another five minutes, gaze dark.
Hiori yanked an unassuming door open to reveal Lance, who'd traded his jeans and leather jacket for a more familiar get-up.
"Ready for Phase One?" he asked.
Ash nodded. "As we'll ever be!"
"Which comes first, hand-to-hand or battling?" Aurian bounced up and down on her toes.
"That's up to you. We plan to evaluate both, but wanted to give you an opportunity to start somewhere that's in your comfort zone," Lance said.
Aurian motioned towards the Pokeballs on her belt.
"We'll take the battle first, if you don't mind," Ash hoped they'd made the right decision. "That's really nice of you to let us pick."
"We're not monsters, I promise," Lance answered. "Right this way, we'll get you set up in the ring."
Ash took a closer look at the room as Lance led them forward. The unassuming door in the hallway gave no indication that it led to a Pokemon Gym-sized training area, the ground covered with different kinds of battle terrains. A raised boxing ring in the corner was littered with dummies and punching bags, all patched and well-worn.
"Each division has a room that they claim for physical training. This one happens to belong to Salamence since they have the honor of hosting new recruits over the next three months," Lance said, a few members of Overhead coming their way.
Aurian nodded. "If you don't mind me asking, why Salamence?"
"Tradition states that the corps with the newest members hosts the next recruitment class. Salamence kept all six of our last group, and to great success," Lance motioned towards Drake, who waved. "Obviously, Drake is quite proud of this."
Drake met them at the center of the battle floor, beaming. "They're good men, Lance, I'm glad they chose the best division."
"More like you claimed them and didn't let anyone else get a word in," Flint rolled his eyes.
"Cadets, it's good to see you again," Grimsley said. "Has Lance briefed you on battle procedures?"
Ash and Aurian shook their heads.
"Phase One comprises of two parts, as you already know. Each recruitment class splits into pairs to participate in a double battle. Since there are only two of you, your assignments are obvious," Grimsley shrugged. "If necessary, we'll ask for singles."
Flint grinned. "Then comes my favorite part– hand to hand! Your job is to survive, plain and simple."
All color left Aurian's face. Ash squeezed her hand in response, only receiving a faint nod in return.
"Questions before we begin?" Lance asked.
"No, I think we're good," Ash said. "Let's go!"
The duo settled in on the far side of the battlefield, Overhead perched in rickety bleachers on either side.
"Still confident in our plans?" Ash whispered, cracking his knuckles.
Aurian nodded hesitantly. "It's the best we can do with what we have. I hope it's enough."
"I know it will be."
She smiled. "I'm counting on you, Ketchum."
"Hey, someone has to cover my back when I make stupid decisions!"
"Cadets, your Phase One begins now! This is a double battle, with two Pokemon allowed per trainer. Your opponents will be Private Iwazawa and Private First Class Mayfield! Privates, choose your Pokemon!" Drake beamed, two men in their early twenties taking the other end of the field.
Aurian didn't hesitate, her Arcanine the first to appear on the field. Mayfield released an Ursaring, which let loose a mighty bellow.
Iwazawa tossed a pokeball forward with an overly dramatic flair, an Electrode appearing in front of him.
Ash took a deep breath before releasing Glalie, who responded to Ursaring's bellow with one of his own.
"Go!" Drake yelled.
"Ice Beam!" Ash said.
Glalie zoomed upward, spinning through the air while firing Ice Beam after Ice Beam. Ursaring couldn't quite move fast enough, an attack freezing its left arm solid. Electrode rolled effortlessly through the fray, dodging both Ice Beams and Flamethrowers.
The field changed almost instantly, what started as a simple hardwood floor now covered in massive stalagmites. All Pokemon on the field weaved through the pillars, dodging fragments of ice when attacks went awry.
Ursaring took a Flamethrower to the face before rolling away, colliding with an ice pillar before scuttling out of range.
"Thunderbolt!" Iwazawa cried.
"Dodge," Aurian answered, "then Flame Wheel into Dig!"
Electrode's aim was true, Arcanine suffering a massive blow. The scruffy dog managed to shake off the paralysis, evacuating underground to buy more time.
"Counter Shield!" Ash called.
Glalie hovered over where Arcanine rested underground, simultaneously building a shield of haze and hail while lashing out with whip-like extensions of ice. Ursaring and Electrode both backed away.
"Come out, come out!" Mayfield taunted. "How pathetic. Ursaring, Take Down on Glalie!"
Glalie waited, his opponent coming closer…
"Double Team!"
Eight copies of Glalie burst into existence. Ursaring rammed into an illusion, which dissipated on contact. The real Glalie circled back around the field, firing one last Ice Beam and freezing Electrode to the ground.
Mayfield panicked, urging Electrode to break free.
Aurian grinned. "Arcanine, go!"
While Ursaring lay dazed and confused on the floor, Arcanine ripped through the floorboards and sunk his flaming claws into the giant bear. Arcanine followed up with a massive Fire Spin, Ursaring falling away with significant burns.
Meanwhile, Glalie weathered a massive Thunderbolt from Electrode, smoke coming off his frozen body. Glalie returned fire with an impressive Sheer Cold, which missed by mere centimeters.
Ursaring wasn't as lucky, however, and bore the brunt of both a Sheer Cold and a Fire Blast. He fainted, returning to Mayfield's pokeball.
Ash and Aurian exchanged a glance and a nod.
"Fire Blast, close in!" Aurian yelled.
Ash crossed his fingers. "Glalie, Ice Beam!"
Iwazawa smirked. "Self-Destruct!"
Aurian let out a scream of frustration as the electric-type exploded, the accompanying blast knocking both Arcanine and Glalie out. When the smoke cleared, three Pokemon lay unconscious.
"The first round is a draw!" Drake said. "Choose your next Pokemon!"
Ash shook his head, calling Glalie back. "Aurian, this isn't sitting right…"
"Does everyone here fight dirty?" she bit her lip. "There's no honor in this match..."
The two G-Men called a Weavile and a Gastrodon to the field, the Pokemon exchanging nods before taking a step forward.
Ash tossed a Pokeball from the back of his belt forward, Torterra appearing on the field with an earth-shattering roar.
Aurian followed suit, Azul the Empoleon gauging the field once her feet hit the ground.
"Go!" Drake called, waving a handkerchief.
The Weavile jumped into action, a deadly Shadow Claw primed and ready for Torterra. Gastrodon followed, a Surf bubbling beneath his tentacles.
"Hydro Pump, intercept it!" Aurian called.
Empoleon knocked Weavile out of the air with a well-timed blast, the other Pokemon careening into the floor and skidding on landing.
Ash waited until Gastrodon's hold on the Surf wobbled, the wave almost out of control…
"Earthquake!" he called. Torterra opened a gaping chasm in the floor just as the wave crashed forward. Water vanished into the cracked hardwood panels.
Gastrodon lost no time, returning fire with a pinpoint Ice Beam. Torterra roared, eyes frozen shut.
"Crap," Aurian muttered, "Metal Claw into Brick Break!"
Empoleon rushed forward to clear one of Torterra's eyes, progress hindered by Weavile. Empoleon dodged most of a vicious Dark Pulse and returned fire by nailing Weavile in the chest with a glowing blue fin.
Ash shook his head. "Torterra, Leaf Storm to the northeast!"
Torterra took a blind shot at Gastrodon, the slug easily dodging the attack. Ash's tank let out a frustrated roar, trying again with no success.
"Azul, spin him!" Aurian cried.
Empoleon pushed hard on Torterra's tail, gaining momentum as she sprinted. Torterra's working eye cracked open, his maw filling with green energy yet again. Razor-sharp leaves scattered throughout the arena as he spun at top speed, several Overhead members ducking behind bleachers to avoid the attack. Empoleon hopped on Torterra's back, firing off a series of Hydro Pumps when both opponents came into view.
Gastrodon couldn't get away, several leaves embedding themselves in his skin. Torterra skidded to a halt within perfect range of the slug Pokemon.
"One more, Brick Break!" Aurian crossed her fingers, suppressing an internal cheer when Weavile went down.
Ash gave her a high-five, then called for a Giga Drain. Torterra's other eye snapped open, Gastrodon caught in a green tractor beam. A Metal Claw from Empoleon finished the job.
"The battle is complete! Victory to Cadets Ketchum and Copland!" Drake said.
Ash and Aurian stared at the decimated field in disbelief.
"We… did it?" Ash asked.
Aurian's somber expression shifted to a smile. "We did it! Ash, we did it!"
He exchanged another high-five with his new friend and called an exhausted Torterra back. "That was way too close for comfort."
"Excellent work!" Lance said, meeting the pair mid-field. "Half of Phase One is complete! Take some water before we send you into the combat eval."
"Thank you," Aurian gladly took the water bottle and chugged half of it in one go.
Lance and the other Overhead members spoke with Mayfield and Iwazawa while Ash and Aurian finished their water.
"I don't think I can do this," Aurian blurted.
He gave her a confused look. "This, as in…"
"Ash, I don't know if I'll be able to handle hand-to-hand. You saw how huge everyone is here, I can't knock anyone out!" she blanched. "I'm five feet tall, for Giratina's sake! All I am is elbows, knees, and spite!"
"If we play our cards right, that'll be all we need," Ash countered, squeezing her hand again. "Do you trust me?"
"What."
"Do you trust me?"
The storm in Aurian's eyes quieted with a calming breath. "Yes."
"That's all you need. If we could make it out of the forest and get here alive, we can handle two or three Salamence guys who aren't expecting to fight teenagers."
"Let's go!" Lance called, motioning the Cadets forward.
Aurian helped Ash into the ring, holding the ropes apart so he could step through. "Thank you."
"Welcome to the other half of Phase One," Koga began. "Your opponents will be Iwazawa and Mayfield."
"Don't forget, we always shake hands before sparring," Lance said.
Ash extended an arm, Aurian following suit.
"Let's see if the runts can fight as well as they battle," Iwazawa said, dropping Aurian's hand and retreating to the other end of the octagon.
Mayfield cracked his knuckles. "Y'all got lucky once, it won't happen again."
"Cadets and Privates, your job is to force the other side to yield, whether through knock-out or verbal assent. No time on the clock," Koga's eyes roved over the four trainers in the ring. "Go!"
"Any ideas?" Aurian yelped, ducking a fast punch from Mayfield.
Ash bit his lip, doing his best to deflect a series of Iwazawa's kicks. "Stall?"
"Fat chance," Iwazawa muttered, sweeping Ash's feet out from under him. Ash rolled on impact with the ground, barely avoiding a right hook from both Privates.
"You're a slippery one, aren't you?" Mayfield tried to grab Aurian's wrist, the smaller trainer slipping between his arms and retaliating with a left cross to the windpipe. Mayfield fell back, gasping for air.
Ash tried to take advantage of the opening, swapping with a wide-eyed Aurian. His attempt at a right hook was met with a kick to the chest, sending him careening into the boundary ropes.
"You okay?" Aurian called, dropping low to sweep Mayfield's feet out from under him. Her maneuver was half-successful, the older man unsteady just long enough for her to get under his feet and send him crashing to the ground.
"Working on it!" Ash called, shaking stars from his vision just in time to see a visibly enraged Iwazawa approaching on his left. He blocked a few roundhouse kicks, turning to keep an eye on Aurian, who took a shiner from Mayfield.
She popped back up, face red, on Mayfield's other side, landing an elbow to the small of the back.
Iwazawa closed in, fists ready. Ash dodged the first blow but couldn't dodge the second, the impact centered on the gash hidden underneath his shirt.
Ash fell back, vision narrowing to a slight tunnel as he grasped at the boundary ropes for support.
"Ash?" Aurian called, gaze flickering from her wounded ally to her two assailants. "Please tell me you're planning on getting back up!"
Ash gasped for air, vision wavering.
"That's all it took? What a punk," Mayfield moved in for the kill.
Aurian stepped in front of Ash, arms raised to block. One blue spark rolled off her fingertips, followed by two. The knot in her stomach unraveled as it met something stronger. Indigo flames sputtered into existence, flames licking the air over her balled fists.
Both the Salamence privates took a step back, alarm in their eyes mingling with the light from her aura.
Aurian launched herself forward, taking a flying leap towards the man closest to her. She knocked Iwazawa to the ground and slammed a knee into his gut, a lucky punch to the temple knocking him out.
Ash clambered to his feet, fists igniting, and charged Mayfield. He couldn't dodge an aura-charged punch in time. The blow sent him sprawling across the floor, leaving Ash to clumsily finish the job.
"Did you… did you know you could do that?" Ash panted, aura fading away.
Aurian motioned to her hands, still sparking indigo. "Nope."
Lance vaulted into the arena, all color vanished from his face. "Ketchum, Copland, we need an explanation. Now."
"Um, I'm dealing with a previous injury," Ash raised the hem of his t-shirt to show the web of bandages across his chest, balance faltering.
Aurian draped one of his arms over her shoulders before he could collapse. "I wasn't there when it happened, but I saw the aftermath. It's not pretty."
"While I really wish you would've said something about that before now, that's not what I mean! The aura!" Lance shook his head. "How in the world can both of you use aura?!"
"You could, at least, ask if they're okay!" Flint waved his arms around.
"Understatement of the century," Wallace muttered, joining Lance in the ring.
Drake and Drayden dragged the unconscious Salamence members away, speaking in hushed tones while vanishing out of the arena.
Harrison released an Audino. "Heal Pulse on Cadet Ketchum, please, torso-focused."
Ash sighed in relief as his vision cleared and the pain lessened. "Wow, thank you."
"How long have you been able to wield?" Lance asked, eyes wide.
"About a year, I think? I found out right before I came to Sinnoh," Ash said. "It's been an interesting discovery, to say the least."
Aurian shrugged, hair falling into her face. "Three years."
Riley met them at the arena entry, escorting both trainers out. "Does anyone else know?"
"Professor Oak," both trainers said in unison, prompting a laugh.
"A few friends know, but that's only because we were all in Rota when everything went down at the Tree of Beginning," Ash said, noting an excited spark in Riley's eyes.
Aurian shook her head. "From the reading I did in Kanto, I figured this wasn't something I should ever talk about."
"Geez. You've given us a lot to consider," Grimsley said, the rest of Overhead nodding in confirmation. "But congratulations on surviving Phase One! Excellent work on all accounts. We'll be in touch tomorrow morning about beginning Phase Two. Lieutenant Kai will take you back to your quarters. Enjoy your evening!"
Ash and Aurian waved a weary goodbye to Overhead before following Hiori out of the same entrance. Once the door closed, the duo collapsed against a wall.
"ArceusthatwassoscaryIneverwanttodothatagain," Aurian gasped, reaching for Ash's shoulder and squeezing twice.
He smirked. "And what was this about being made of nothing but elbows, knees, and spite? You handled yourself just fine out there!"
"Says the guy who saved Arcanine's tail with whatever the heck that 'Counter Shield' was! That was brilliant!" she finally laughed, stress melting away. "You're utterly unpredictable."
"Hiori, how often do people make it past Phase One?" Ash asked.
The lieutenant frowned. "We had three classes between you two and the Salamence guys. None of them made the cut. Iwazawa knocked out most of the guys in the battling eval, and Mayfield took care of the rest in combat."
"Any advice for Phase Two?" Aurian bit her lip. "You were super helpful for Phase One."
"Phase Two is normally an aptitude test. Kinda like your trainer certification test but on steroids? Lots of military things," Hiori crossed his arms. "You need a fifty to pass, a seventy to qualify for future officer training. I wouldn't worry about anything but passing, officer position openings are rare."
"Don't tell me, you were the kid in school that lived for test days," Ash nudged Aurian's side.
"How'd you guess?"
"Can I cheat off yours?"
"Not a chance," she nudged him back. "Thanks, Hiori. Anything else before I sleep for three days?"
Hiori grinned. "I knew that Salamence needed to be taken down a peg, but certainly not like that. The corps will talk about that for weeks once word gets out. I'll be back at 06:30 tomorrow morning to take you to breakfast– see you then!"
The Sinnoh native ambled down the hall, whistling a merry tune before unlocking a door five down from Ash and Aurian's.
"Do I want to know how much havoc we just unleashed?" Aurian asked.
Ash flopped back on his mattress, Pikachu curling up on his chest. "We'll find out tomorrow!"
"This is a good thing, right?"
"Absolutely. I've never had someone defend me like that, ever. Not even when crap hit the fan on Spear Pillar a few months ago. Thank you," Ash said. "We've known each other all of three days and you're already going the extra mile. You're great. I can't tell you what it means to not have to ask you for help– you're just there, always ready."
Aurian wiped a tear away. "It's easy for me to support you that way because that's the way I've always wanted to be supported. Somehow you do the same for me! I can't tell you the last time I actually enjoyed a double battle."
"We're a team now!" Ash threw his arms out, then regretted the motion. "Oh, ouch, that hurt. But! You're easy to battle with and be around, so I'm glad we're friends and I'm glad that we're in this together."
"Me too, Ash. Me too."
Thirty minutes later, ten men congregated in Conference Eleven, carrying conversations in hushed tones over various amounts of caffeine.
"It seems like we have two firecrackers on our hands," Lance called the meeting to order with a quick wave. "Shall we start with the battle round or the combat round?"
"Ketchum is an idiot for not telling us he was injured," Koga said, most heads nodding in agreement.
Wallace raised a hand. "If I may play Giratina's Advocate: he might have chosen not to tell us as to not hurt his chances at membership. For an outsider, that would be a logical train of thought."
"He's also a fifteen-year-old boy, the thought might not have crossed his mind at all," Flint shrugged, the older members of Overhead holding back chuckles.
"I thought both Cadets showed remarkable prowess in terms of battling," Drake stroked his mustache. "They hold themselves well and know their teams inside and out. Copland's Empoleon is impressive."
"As is Ketchum's Torterra. It's also important to note that two teenagers soundly defeated our last class of Salamence recruits," Drayden beamed at the dirty look Drake gave him.
Steven nodded. "Salamence recruits and long-term mission veterans, if I recall correctly. I find it very hard to believe that Ketchum and Copland only met a few days ago. It almost feels like they're two sides of the same coin; their teamwork is impeccable."
"Seems like we're in agreement on battling abilities. Hand-to-hand?" Harrison exchanged pens and kept writing, his legal pad already crammed full with notes.
Koga raised an eyebrow. "Sloppy, ill-prepared, and underdeveloped. They wouldn't have won without their little gimmick. I do have to credit Copland for her diversion. It was clumsy but effective."
"They came out alive. That was the goal," Flint said.
"Friendly reminder," Harrison interjected, "that there are no execution grades on missions."
Grimsley stifled a smile. "There's potential. Lots of it."
"Agreed," Lance crossed his arms. "The instincts are there, we just have to refine them. Other thoughts?"
The room dissolved into debates over the finer points of Ash and Aurian's Phase One, Koga battling back against any positive praise.
"Most of you have spoken your piece, but I'd like to hear from Riley. What are your thoughts on our Cadets' situation, given that you are our resident aura expert?" Lance said. "What do you make of all this?"
Riley sighed, taking a moment to collect his thoughts. "What you saw in their Phase One was unmistakable. Both Ketchum and Copland, if trained, have the makings of full Aura Guardians."
The room exploded in excited conversation, eyes wide and smiles bright.
"So they could potentially use aura, great, what's the point?" Koga asked, eyes narrowed.
Riley suppressed the urge to throw his clipboard against the wall. "Consider taking a chance on Ketchum and Copland as a massive return on investment. In three years, they have the potential to be the G-Men's greatest assets. Two additional Aura Guardians would redefine what we are capable of in terms of raids, stings, and long-term missions. They will need some tempering, but we will not regret accepting them."
"A pretty clerical way to say it, but I get the idea," Flint nodded. "I'm in."
Drayden exchanged a glance with Grimsley. "Us, too. We're definitely intrigued."
"They're still children. Young trainers are flaky, ill-prepared, and would pose a threat in a life-or-death situation," Koga huffed. "I wouldn't rely on them."
"Koga, these children successfully avoided a considerable International Police presence across four regions with no espionage training. I would hope you would have some inkling of compassion for two scared kids who, honestly, are handling themselves far better than I believe I would if I were in their shoes," Riley's gaze went cold.
All eyes flickered between the Armada commander and Koga, air sucked out of the room.
"Arceus knows there are plenty of unsavory people who would– and have– killed on mere suspicion of aura. I'm lucky I'm alive, at this point," Riley said, surprising himself. "I wouldn't doubt that both of our Cadets have lived through similar situations. If we don't help, no one will. They will die for their aura, potentially at the League's hands, and the world will be far worse off. By some miracle of fate, they wound up here with us. I believe it is a sign, and we would be fools to let them go."
Lance nodded, a sliver of a smile crossing his face. "All in favor of an express membership bid to Ketchum and Copland?"
Nine hands raised, focusing on the tenth. Koga, grudgingly, put his up, as well.
"Excellent. I'll notify them immediately," Lance beamed. "Cheers to a new era."
(A/N): Hello! I'm alive, I promise! Thank y'all for reading C6 of Light in the Aftermath! This one was a doozy but I'm so glad it's done. The last few months have been a whirlwind of exciting job-related and personal things- thank you for your patience. You can expect C7 within the next week! Special thanks, as always, to thechinskyguy for his fabulous beta reading. As always, leave a review if you'd like and share with a friend!
- PL