Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

From the moment Delia found out she was pregnant, she knew that her child would be special. Ash was her miracle baby. What no one knew was that Delia had troubles with conceiving; an unfortunate issue that the women in her family were cursed with. 

Sure, her son could be cocky, but he was a child. That much could be forgiven. Ash was headstrong, but had a heart of gold; and for that, Delia was proud of him. It did hurt when he left to start his own journey, but the proud mother knew that she couldn't keep the spirit of a trainer from consuming him. 

It was rather lonely without her son and husband around. Delia sometimes wondered if she should start her own journey, just so she could spend time with her son and his friends, but quickly thought better of it. What child wants to be smothered by their mother? Delia didn't when she was her son's age. 

But still, she found it odd that she hadn't heard from Ash in almost a month…

——

This was unexpected. The King wasn't sure if his newest release was a fluke, or if there was more to this kid than meets the eye. This was pleasant, but confusing. The King stretched, and studied the old orb that sealed him away. He made a vow to destroy it the next time he got the chance, but realized it would be foolish for him to do so to the only thing that kept him on this mortal plain. Good thing that the brat had something he could hide his prison in, otherwise he would have to give up his new body: and that wouldn't do, would it? 

"Stupid child. Didn't your mother ever teach you to not mess with things that didn't belong to you?" 

Knowing full well that his spirit wasn't available, the King laughed cruelly. He could have fun with this. After all, his host had set him free. That was good enough, right? The King thought for a second, his aura still adjusting.

It seems this child had the same aura as his son. Interesting. He could actually get revenge, and the child could just outright become his new body. How fun would that be? He openly loved how these questions could be answered in his favor. 

The King felt like he was on a cloud. It seems like the body was trying to reject him. How annoying. He had to give up control for a little while, and the King hated that. Feeling his spirit being repressed, he unwillingly gave up control to the host's consciousness.

Ash blinked, his vision blurry. Beside him was Pikachu, who looked at his trainer with equal parts caution, worry, and fear. 

"Pika pi?" 

Ash smiled at his long-time companion. "I'm fine, Pikachu. Really." Pikachu was skeptical, but tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. The rodent pokémon had decided to keep an eye (and an ear) out on its trainer.

"Ash!" Said boy snapped his head in the direction of that familiar voice. Just from the bass alone, he could tell it was Brock. 

"Guys! I'm trapped! Help me!" Ash called out. He tried to open the door, but it was sealed shut.  

Fine. I'll do you this one favor. Consider it a token of appreciation for freeing me from that prison. 

Ash jumped at the voice. It was nothing like Brandon's or Brock's. This one was annoyed, with a hint of desperation. He had no time to think about his new head mate, before his hands pulsated with a dark purple-blue aura. This surprised the young man, who trembled at this new, unknown feeling. Surprisingly, the door opened without much effort after that. 

"Ash!" May cried out. She hugged him, and Brock put a hand on his shoulder. Ash looked at them. 

"Young man, you need to control yourself. You could have gotten yourself hurt, if not killed!" Ash winced at the harshness of Brandon's tone. 

"Sorry…" Brandon let out a long sigh, and smiled. For some reason this irritated Ash greatly. 

"What is this place?" May asked. Brandon's eyes wandered along the walls. 

"It looks like an abandoned ritual chamber. Interesting." 

Your friend is clueless. 

"Any idea on who used it?" Max asked. 

"It is said that there were tunnels used by citizens of Pokelantis and aura guardians alike. It served as a communications spot during times of war and strife," Brandon explained, "but was sealed off after the King of Pokelantis was killed." 

So this is where they hid my orb. How fitting. 

Ash's eye was visibly twitching, an action that didn't go unnoticed by Brandon.

"Let's get out of here before this place collapses, again." Ash demanded rudely. May, Max, and Brock all nodded in agreement, while Brandon's eyes remained on the headstrong young man before him. Something wasn't right, he was sure of it…

———

"Ash, it's good to see you, again!" Scott greeted enthusiastically. Ash smiled, his cold demeanor seeming to melt. 

"Likewise!" 

"So, Brandon, are you prepared? This young man is quite the challenger. He's already won six Frontier Symbols." 

Brandon smiled at the boy, cocking an eyebrow. "Oh, is that so?" Ash nodded with a wide grin.

"Wow, I'd never guess that Brandon was a Frontier Brain," Max commented. 

"Brandon spends his time divided. It's not always easy to keep up with him." Scott explained. 

"So you study ruins, and battle challengers?" May asked in awe, her blue eyes studying him. Brandon chuckled. "I do." 

"Well, let's not sit around anymore! We have a battle waiting for us!" Ash pumped his fists. Brandon's own smile threatened to split his face. 

"I like your spirit, Ash. Very well." Brandon leads the group to a battle arena where Samuel was waiting. 

"Ready for battle?" Samuel asked with a slight grin. Brandon nodded, and his assistant made the proper preparations. Ash felt jittery. This was what he had wanted for a while, but it didn't feel right.  Something was on his mind, and boy did it bother him. Why did he blackout, and why does he now hear a voice that he knew wasn't there before? 

Before the question could really be explored, Samuel and Brandon were ready, and Ash could feel himself being pulled back slightly in his mind. 

I could take care of this, if you wish. Maybe you could even take a few notes. Ash promptly ignored the disembodied voice for now. 

"Alright! This battle is about to begin! In one corner, we have our challenger, Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and in the other, we have our man of the hour, the Pyramid King Brandon!" Samuel greeted enthusiastically. 

Hmph. I doubt he really is a king, but maybe I'm being just too technical. 

"The battle is one versus one, no time limit. Begin!"

"Regirock, I need your assistance!" Brandon brought out his choice. Ash chuckled, a cocky grin on his face. 

"If he's using a rock-type, then I'll use my grass type. Come on out, Sceptile!" 

Brandon couldn't help the smile on his face. This kid has some talent, but could he really be beaten by him? 

"Sceptile, use bullet seed!" Ash demanded. Sceptile followed his trainer's orders, but it simply wasn't good enough. 

"Iron defense, Regirock!" The rock pokémon obliged, putting its arms in a defensive position. This further irritated Ash. 

"Leaf blade, Sceptile! Let's go!" 

"Iron defense!" Brandon ordered. This outright angered Ash, who clenched his teeth in frustration. 'I'm not going to win like this. I've got to think of something.' 

How about you get out of the way and let me show you a real battle? 

Ash could feel his consciousness fade. This was bad. He felt himself be dragged into the darkness, his mind going blank as a result. 

"Sceptile, use leaf blade and aim for its legs!" Ash demanded. Sceptile looked at his master incredulously. He couldn't be serious! But that look of determination made Sceptile reconsider. Its trainer knew what he was doing, so it simply obeyed the command. 

"What? Ash, what are you doing!" May shouted. This wasn't right. Even Brandon was shocked by the instance of dirty battling.

"How does it feel to know that you're being bested by a child?" There was an awkward silence. Everyone was stunned. 

"Regirock, use lock on!" 

"Sceptile, use bullet seed!" 

But it was too late. The attack was successful, which meant that the next attack would be a guaranteed hit. 

"What does 'lock on' do?" May asked no one in particular. 

"Lock on makes it to where the next attack will be a guaranteed hit. It's a powerful move," Brock explained, much to Max and May's shock. 

"Looks like Brandon is trying to end this battle before his Pokémon gets seriously hurt. Can't say I blame him." May said, glancing over at Ash in the process. 

"Now, Regirock, use Hyperbeam!" Brandon shouted. The rock Pokémon obeyed and started to gather energy. 

'What can I do? With lock on the next hit is guaranteed,' 'Ash' growled to himself. This was irritating; the host's pokémon were weak. Quite fitting, actually, given how easy control came to him.

"Sceptile, use bullet seed on the ceiling, then use solar beam!" Its trainer ordered. Sceptile obliged, its attack hitting the ceiling, while the hyperbeam charged. 

"Ash, what are you…?" Brock wondered .out loud, and before he could say anything else, an explosion rocked the building. The two beams of energy had collided causing an earthquake. Debris scattered across the area, and once the dust settled, Ash's Sceptile was down. Samuel coughed for good measure, and quickly assessed the situation. 

"Sceptile is unable to battle! The victory goes to Brandon!" 

'Darn it!' The King hissed. This was inexcusable. He had… lost. He needed to get stronger. His host's Pokémon needed to get stronger, as well. 

"Ash!" May cried out. Disoriented, he looked at his companion, "May? Is that you?" 

"Ash, what happened?" Brock asked. He was worried about him. How touching. 

"I don't know. I think something hit me on the head," he winced. The noise was agony on his now sensitive ears. "Let's get you checked out." Brock said as he started to lead Ash out of the Pyramid. 

"Ash, I would like to have a rematch in two weeks. Until then, train hard young man!" 

"Right." Ash groaned. His head hurt, and his body ached. He just wanted to rest for a while. His eyelids grew heavy, and his vision blurred. "Guys, I don't think I feel so good…"  

"Then let's get you to a Pokémon Center for some rest. That battle was a lot more rough than it seemed at the time." It was moments like this that Ash was genuinely grateful for the support of his friends. He nodded his agreement and the group headed back towards the center.

It was nighttime and Ash was fast asleep. He felt warm, so he slept over his covers.

This host… His power is incredible. In all of my times being released upon this world, I have never had a body that could meet my very specific demands. How did this mortal release me? From what I remember, only descendants of my son could unseal the orb. 

Ash bolted up from his position on the bed. This did not feel right. Why was he lying in bed, when something weird had happened inside the pyramid?

"What's happening to me?" Ash groaned. 

"Pika-pi?" Pikachu's head shot up at hearing his trainer. 

"I don't know, Pikachu. I don't feel right. Ever since I hit my head, I've been hearing voices. I think I might have a concussion." 

"Pika?" 

"Thanks for understanding Pikachu," Ash rolled his eyes. He grabbed his hat and coat that laid at the foot of his bed, and wandered off into the dark. It was after midnight, and the moon glimmered in the sky. It was a beautiful sight. 

Sometimes you forget the simple things like a full moon and the stars. 

"Yeah, it really is pretty tonight. Makes me want to sleep under the stars." 

No. Not tonight. You have plans for tomorrow.

"What plans?" Ash whispered to himself. He didn't want to be too loud.

You'll see. For now, though, we have unexpected company.

Ash looked over his shoulder. In the darkness stood a familiar brunette. 

"Ash, you left so suddenly that it woke me up. Are you okay?" It was May. Her blue eyes were full of concern and fear. Ash looked away. He was ashamed for acting as reckless as he did earlier. 

"I'm just admiring the stars. I couldn't sleep after my battle with Brandon earlier."

"Oh."

"What about you, May?" 

"I've been worried about you, Ash. You've been acting weird all day, and it's bugging everyone!" 

"May…" He frowned. He didn't think he was being any different, but it was enough to cause his friends to worry. This wouldn't do. 

Gross. Friendship is sickening. 

Ash ignored the voice for the time being. He took May's hand into his, and looked into her eyes. In return, her porcelain skin turned a startling shade of red under the moonlight. His amber eyes met her baby blue ones, and he grabbed her hand. 

"May, I promise that I'll be okay. Something extraordinary is going to happen." A disturbingly vicious aura seeped out of his palm, and surrounded the brunette girl. Her eyes went wide, before she closed her eyes. 

"May, why don't you head back to bed? Everything will be fine. You have my word." Ash smiled, his eyes darkening a bit. The girl nodded and walked away, her eyes glazed over. 

Sorry brat, but your friends mustn't know about us, just yet. It's better if they don't get involved with our revenge. 

Ash snapped out of his trance, his head throbbing. His eyelids felt heavy, and Pikachu looked startled. Did something happen, again? 

"What revenge?" Was all Ash could think before he felt exhaustion creep up on him. He rubbed his eyes and decided to head back to the comfort of his bed. 

Good. Just sleep. You shouldn't worry about such things, right now. All will be made clear in time. 

"Right…" He grumbled softly, and nodded off. It didn't take much longer for sleep to consume him. 

The next morning, Ash woke up like normal. May, Max, and Brock were all still asleep. Thank goodness. Everything last night felt like a dream; and that really scared him. Ash grabbed his bag. 

He needed to go do some training. Maybe that would take his mind off of the weirdness that seemed to manifest lately. Without another word, he left the center. 

Meanwhile inside his subconscious, a lone figure stood in the empty space. 

"Finally, I have a body. How long has it been?" He wondered out loud. Of course he knew he wouldn't get an answer. 

He looked around the void. The area was covered in varying hues of red, purple, and black. How fitting. His new host seemed to be on the less intelligent end of the spectrum. This just proved it.

The King chuckled cruelly. At the current moment, he was weak. His spirit had been sealed for so long, he needed an opportunity to regain his aura. Then he could plot his retaliation against Ho-oh. After all, revenge is a dish best served cold. 

—-------

"Pikachu, use iron tail!" Ash commanded. Pikachu obeyed, its tail glowing before hitting a tree with enough force that it caused it to crater. 

Pikachu was exhausted. The pair had been training since the early hours of dawn, and it started to show. Ash looked stressed. 

"One more time, Pikachu! Iron tail!" 

"Piiiiii-kaaa!" 

Pikachu successfully hit the tree once again. The tree splintered and cracked, before it fell. Ash looked pleased with his handy work. He took out a water bottle that he packed in his bag and took a sip. It was slightly humid, but overall pleasant. 

"Here you go, buddy." Ash offered his companion some water. Pikachu gratefully accepted. The trainer sighed. It was a nice day and all, but he couldn't help the disappointment at his most recent loss. He got cocky and arrogant, which caused him to lose his match. Thankfully Brandon wasn't too upset about all the damage, but the loss still left a sour taste in his mouth. 

It's your fault. You got reckless. 

"I got reckless?" Ash hissed angrily.

Yes. You let your desire to win cloud your judgement. Rule number one of any battle is to study your opponent to gain any kind of ground. Then you use said judgement to strategize. A good strategy leads to bigger opportunities. 

"That's pretty solid advice. Thank you…" 

Heh. It's really no problem kid.

Ash yanked his bag up, only for a gust of wind to surprise him. The violent winds blew his hat back. A long tendril creeped up and snatched Pikachu, causing Ash to react rather horribly. 

"Prepare for trouble!"

"Make it double!" 

"To protect the world from devastation." 

"To unite all peoples within our nation." 

"To denounce the evils of truth and love." 

"To extend our reach to the stars above."

"Jessie!" 

"James!" 

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight, fight, fight!" 

"Meowth, that's right!" 

Who are these clowns? The King snarled, feeling his host's anger. 

"Team Rocket!" Ash growled. He could feel the anger and hatred boil in his blood. 

What are you going to do? 

"Swellow, I choose you!" Ash yelled as he threw his Pokéball.

"Swellow!" It chirped enthusiastically.

"Use aerial ace on the balloon, Swellow!" 

Bold move, but do you think it'll be enough?

Swellow got close enough to the balloon and unleashed the attack. A flash of energy surrounded the bird Pokémon, and it used its momentum to slice at the balloon. However, the attack seemingly bounced off. 

"Did you really think that we wouldn't come prepared? This balloon is made from a scratch-proof material that absorbs the attacks from any Pokémon!" Jessie exclaimed proudly. Her two other teammates laughed triumphantly, which only caused Ash to get even angrier. 

"Let Pikachu go!" Ash threatened. His voice got lower, not that the trio seemed to notice. He could feel a warmth emanating from the tips of his fingers. Those laughs were vexing, and their utter disregard for him was also bothersome. Ash and the King were both standing in solidarity; something had to be done about the nuisance that was Team Rocket.

"Last warning. Either you let my Pikachu go, or you will suffer the consequences." Ash said coolly. His eyes darkened, and there was a kind of wild look to them. 

"And what exactly are you going to do about it?" Jessie gloated. Ash smirked. 

"I'm so glad you asked." 

A blue energy formed in the palm of his hand as it mixed with a malicious purple energy. While Team Rocket was busy gloating even more, Ash expelled the energy. As it collided with the balloon, he couldn't help the evil smile that threatened to split his face. The balloon was destroyed. It exploded and the passengers were violently ejected. 

"What just happened?!" Jessie demanded. 

"I'll tell ya what! We got arrogant!" Meowth said angrily. 

"Oh well… Better luck next time…" James lamented. 

"Team Rocket's blasting off, again!" 

"Hold on, Pikachu!" Ash yelled. He jumped up to catch the electric rodent before it could make impact with the ground. The young trainer let out a sigh of relief. 

"Thank goodness you're okay!" 

Pikachu hugged his trainer and let out a soft 'chu'. "Let's get back to the Center so we can check to see if there is any damage." Ash grabbed his bag and ran as Swellow followed him. 

—--------

"Ash Ketchum! Where were you?!" May demanded. She was worried sick as the young trainer had just seemingly vanished into thin air. Ash, however, nervously backed himself into a corner. Sometimes May reminded him too much of his own mother, and it terrified him. 

"I just went out for an early morning training session! Then Team Rocket showed up to cause some trouble." 

May tried to continue to look threatening, before she just gave up. "At least you're okay. Brock called Professor Oak, so you should probably call him back."

"Right…" Ash nodded. He let his arms drop to his sides and walked past the brunette girl. He walked over to the phones and dialled Professor Oak's number. The older man picked up after the first ring, and his eyes lit up.

"Ash! It's so good to see you!" Professor Oak said excitedly. 

"Hey, Brock told me that he had called you. I'm sorry if I worried you." Ash apologized. 

"Not a problem at all! I figured you had gone out to train, and that your friends might have overreacted a little bit!" Professor Oak laughed. Ash smiled at this. At least Professor Oak understood him. 

"By the way, how did your match with Brandon go?" 

Ash's face soured, and his smile vanished. "I lost the match and had a bit of an accident." 

Professor Oak gave the boy a concerned look. "Were you seriously hurt?" 

"No, sir. I think a small bit of debris hit my head but I'm okay. I slept it off." 

"Well," he relented, "just be careful, Ash. You never know what could happen…" 

"Right!" Ash pumped his arms up enthusiastically, "I have to go, now. May is about to compete in the Grand Festival, and we need to leave soon."

"Take care of yourself," Oak smiled, "and call Delia! She's been worried sick about you!" He scolded before hanging up. 

Ash put the phone back and grabbed his stuff. 

"Come on, Ash! We'll miss our ferry if you don't hurry!" May whined cutely. Ash ran towards his team. 

His mind never registered the cruel laugh in the distance. 

Chapter Text

"Ash Ketchum, you had me worried to death!"  Delia's voice echoed in the small booth. Ash jumped in surprise at the harshness of his mother's voice. 

"Mom!" He whined, but Delia wasn't having any of that. 

"Don't you 'mom' me, young man! You're lucky I didn't have you come straight home!"

The King tried his best to not snicker at this. It was funny that his host was being scolded by his mother. 

"Mom, I was just out training!" Ash said, his face getting red with embarrassment. Delia still looked displeased, but just sighed. 

"At least you're safe. But don't run off without telling anyone! You had us all worried sick!" She chided him one last time. 

"Yes, Mom…" Ash groaned in embarrassment. 

"Well, just be careful! I get so worried about you when you don't call me…" Delia whispered gloomily. 

"I'll start calling you more. I promise!" Ash smiled joyfully, as if to prove to his mom that everything was fine. This seemed to satisfy his mother and she just hung up the receiver. Ash grabbed his bag and walked towards his friends, who were getting ready to board the ferry to the Grand Festival. May looked nervous and excited at the same time, much like how Ash felt with his fight in the Hoenn League. 

May had been acting even weirder around him since the previous night. This was worrisome for a number of reasons. Whenever he tried to engage her in conversation, she just looked away. 

Relax. You're acting suspicious. 

"How can I act normal when one of my friends is acting cold towards me?" 

You really are clueless, aren't you? She's clearly got a lot of stuff going on. Why don't you try asking her what's wrong? 

"May, is everything okay? You seem distracted," Ash asked quietly. May looked away, not even acknowledging what he said. A look of hurt had spread across the young trainer's face. He just sighed and fell away from the group.

No one seemed to pick up on Ash's newly soured mood, or the fact that a metallic hand was sneaking its way past them. Ash saw out of the corner of his eyes as the hand closed around Pikachu. Angry and confused, he looked at the source. 

"Team Rocket!" He hissed. Ash could feel that same dark energy slowly form at his fingertips, not even caring in the slightest. 

Jessie chortled in triumph. "You rang, twerp?" 

"Give me back my Pikachu!" He demanded. 

"Not a chance! You finally lose, twerps!" 

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded the electric rodent. It obliged, only for its own attack to hit it back. 

"Nice try! This machine is made from electricity resistant material! It absorbs it and deflects it!" Meowth said triumphantly. 

Upon hearing his best friend in pain, something snapped in the young trainer. There was a wild look about him. His hair seemed to stand on edge, and his eyes were cold. The look was unsettling on the usually happy-go-lucky boy. May shivered, a reaction that didn't go unnoticed by Max. 

"I'll give you one more chance," Ash threatened, "to give me back my Pokémon before I make you." 

"What will you do if we don't?" Jessie taunted. 

A cruel smirk threatened to split Ash's face. "I'm so glad that you asked!" He said happily. Ash took a Pokéball off of his belt.

"Sceptile, I choose you!" Ash summoned. "Sceptile, use Bullet Seed on the balloon!" The tall Pokémon did as it was told, but it had no effect. 

"We've come prepared. Our balloon is unbreakable!" James said smugly. Ash scowled with hatred. The dark aura pulsated at his fingertips, ready to be released. 

"Corphish, I choose you!" Ash called out. 

"Cor-phish!" 

"Corphish, use Bubble Beam on the machine!" 

"Corphish!" It cried out, as it let out a stream of bubbles. The attack was successful, much to Team Rocket's shock. The hand let go of Pikachu, as it fell at high speed.

"Sceptile, catch Pikachu!" He demanded. A dark look appeared on his face, but no one seemed to notice as they watched Sceptile do as it was told. It jumped just in time, and safely landed with Pikachu in its arms. "Now, Sceptile, jump in the air and use Leaf Blade to cut the balloon down."

Ash smirked, and it sent a chill down May's spine. She tried to make herself look smaller than she really was. Tears formed in her eyes. 

No. She thought. This isn't Ash! I have to do something!

Before she could even react, Team Rocket's balloon let out a loud whistle, indicating that Ash's attack had made contact. 

"Now that I have you right where I want, it's time to dispose of you three nuisances." There was a threatening tone in his voice. The look, however, was the worst of it. Now that the trio got a good look, the kid looked rather intimidating; and they would know what that was like! His normally expressive eyes were cold and calculating. The air around the four of them got heavier, leaving the trio shaking in fear. Ash stared them down, as if he was passing judgement to them. Jessie and James hugged each other to calm themselves down. A pulse of dark energy released from his fingers, and he just sat still. The winds picked up, the blank expression changing into a cruel smirk, "Time to be punished for your wrongdoings," he explained, but before he could do anything, he felt a warmth on his back. 

Ash turned around to see May hugging him from behind, tears forming in her eyes. 

"Ash! Stop it! Not even Team Rocket deserves what you are about to do!" She begged for them on their behalf. The dark look lifted from his face, and before Ash could register what was going on, he could feel his consciousness fading fast. Without another word, Ash fainted. 

Inside his subconscious, Ash awoke. His head hurt, and his body felt heavy. 

"Well, well, well. Look at who the Skitty dragged in! Welcome back!" 

Ash sharply turned around to find an ancient looking person sitting in a chair. The figure looked pleased with himself, judging from the triumphant smirk that was plastered across his face. Ash gulped. 

"Please, don't be shy. I don't bite!" The figure laughed. There was a slight edge to it, Ash noted.

"W-who are you?" Ash barely managed to get out. The figure looked thoughtful for a second, before he grinned. 

"I'm just a friend. I've been watching you for the last few days! Got to say, I like your spirit, kid! You're a real natural on and off the field!" 

Don't trust him! Ash could hear himself say. Something about this didn't feel right, at all. He just took a step back. The figure chuckled at this. 

"I get it. I haven't been the nicest person, but I do believe that a formal introduction is in order. Hi, Ash, my name is Cyrus!" The figure said as he held out his hand. Ash, however, wasn't buying it. 

"Wait a minute! You're that voice that I've been hearing for the last few days!" 

"How astute of you," Cyrus said flatly. He dropped his hand, as it was obvious that his host wasn't interested. Cyrus got up and walked towards Ash. 

"How did you get here?!" Ash demanded. Cyrus ignored him, and put both his hands on Ash's shoulders. 

"Finally figured out that we're in your mind?" Cyrus asked, ignoring his question. Ash nodded. "Took you long enough," he teased. 

Ash shrugged his hands off. "Wait, that doesn't explain what you're doing here, or how you managed to get here!" 

"That stone orb. The one you touched. I was released thanks to you!" 

"But how?"

"I'm not quite sure myself, honestly. I thought I was doomed to stay there for all eternity, until you came along," 

"How did you get there?" 

"The evil King of Pokélantis. He sealed me away in that orb for crossing him. I was his servant." Cyrus explained.

"That's horrible!" Ash yelled, utterly horrified. Cyrus smiled sadly. 

"He was a cruel king. He even let his own son die. I'm glad he's gone." Cyrus explained. 

"I bet!" Ash agreed with him, causing Cyrus to chuckle. 

"There is something I need help with before I can move on to the afterlife, though. Do you think you can help?" 

"Maybe, what is it?" 

"I want to check up on Ho-Oh. I know the King had a nasty vendetta against it, and as an aura guardian, it is my duty to correct this wrong." 

"Right!" Ash said enthusiastically, pumping his arms. Cyrus smiled. "Excellent! There is something else I must ask of you."

"Anything!" 

"You mustn't tell your friends about it. I don't think they would understand." 

"Why not?! I'm sure that they'd help!" 

"I don't think so. It would be hard to explain an ancient spirit sharing a consciousness with a mortal, wouldn't it?" Cyrus said. 

Ash pondered this for a moment, before his shoulders slumped. "I-I guess so," he whispered. 

"This burden isn't completely on you, though. You'll have me to guide you." 

"Right…" Ash said quietly.

"Looks like you are needed back in the waking world. Remember, it's our little secret." Cyrus says as Ash could feel himself waking up. 

Ash opened his eyes. He was laying down in a bed with a rag on his forehead. 

"Ash!" He could hear three separate voices say his name. 

"Guys, what's going on? Where am I?" 

"You fainted!" Max yelled. 

"We're at the Pokémon center." Brock clarified. Ash sat up, his head hurting. 

"Ash, what happened back there?" May asked. Her voice was soft and compassionate. 

"I have no clue. All I can remember is Team Rocket making me angry, and then, nothing…"

"That's odd," Brock said, appearing deep in thought.  

"Can you remember anything at all?" Max asked anxiously. Ash shook his head, looking guilty. "Nope. Sorry…" 

May clenched her fists; he was being dishonest, she could tell. Nothing about this was right. 

"Ash," May whispered his name, "why are you lying?" She looked at him with a fierce determination that shocked everyone. 

"May, what are you talking about?" Ash said harshly. 

"I've been around you long enough to know when you're not being honest!" She yelled back, crying. Ash was taken aback by her strong reaction. 

"May, it's okay," Brock said soothingly. He turned back to the young trainer in the bed, "Ash, you've been unconscious for almost two days straight. May's been worried about you, so don't take it personally."

Ash clenched his fists. So, he was trapped in his own mind for two days. It didn't really seem that long… 

He threw the blankets off of himself and got up. He honestly felt great! He took May's hands into his and stared into her eyes.

"May, I'm going to be fine. I've been through much worse without so much as a scratch! So try not to worry, alright?" He said softly. She sniffled and rubbed the tears out of her eyes. "Okay…" 

"Now, we just have the Grand Festival to look forward to!" Ash yelled. 

"Great to see that you're back to acting normal!" Max laughed. 

Inside Ash's head however, the joy was replaced by irritation. 'Cyrus' pinched the bridge of his nose. 

"Is this kid just naive or stupid?" He growled in frustration. The idea of sharing a body with someone who was intellectually inferior left a sour taste in his mouth. 

The King sighed. "It's not like I have any options, so he'll have to work." 

"But still, I wonder if this kid knows about his aura capabilities?" He whispered to himself. 

"If not, then we'll just have to make some adjustments…" The King just laughed. 

—----------

"Next stop, the Grand Festival!" Ash said, trying to ignore the events that had happened previously.  May, however, wasn't convinced at all. She was still extremely worried about Ash's sudden shift in personality. "Yeah," she whispered absentmindedly. The three other members of their group stopped suddenly, causing the brunette girl to bump into the dark haired male. 

"Aaaah! Sorry Ash!" May tried to apologize. His attention, however, was hyper fixated on the sky. "Guys, am I going crazy, or is there actually something in the sky?" He pointed. May, Brock, Max, and even Pikachu squinted to focus on whatever it is the other boy was staring at. "What is that ?" May asked. Ash just shrugged, until whatever it was came crashing down. Literally. 

"Watch out!" Max exclaimed as he ducked for cover. The object crashed into the ground, scattering debris all around them. Ash was the first to look up and see what had crashed, before realizing that it was a flying Pokémon. 

"It's a Pidgeotto!" Ash pointed out. Max adjusted his glasses. 

"What happened to it?" Max said horrified. 

"I don't know, but it needs help! We need to get it to a Pokémon Center!" Brock said with a sense of urgency. 

This is perfect, Ash! You can help it! 

"How?" 

Put your hands on it. I can help take care of the rest! 

Ash gently put his hands on the wounded Pokémon as a powerful energy formed around his hands. Unlike the energy earlier, this one was soothing, a trait that didn't go unnoticed by May. Ash carefully poured the energy into the Pokémon, and all the cuts seemed to just vanish. 

Just like that. 

"What even is this?"

It's an ability that humans used to have before it was lost; it is called 'aura' and humans were capable of using it for multiple purposes, like healing each other and Pokémon alike. 

The King was pleased that he seemed to ask all the right questions. Maybe this kid wasn't a total idiot, after all. 

"Oh…" 

This Pidgeotto should be as good as new after some rest. 

"Wait, but if this gift was lost long ago, then how can I do this?" 

Some people have a natural affinity for it. Such traits are hereditary, and so on. You must have had a powerful aura user in your direct bloodline. 

"Aura user?" 

Yes. Even though true aura users are rare, and even fewer actual guardians still exist, you have an exceptionally rare ability. You should be proud of yourself! 

"Guardians?!"

Aura Guardians lived to protect humans and Pokémon alike. They were even Knights in select Kingdoms. There has been speculation that they were blessed by Ho-Oh itself, even! Most guardians lived by a set code. To never get mixed up in politics, and always live to protect. 

"If that's the case, then what happened to them all?" 

Most guardians were hunted down and killed by our tyrannical King. His son was said to have been kidnapped at birth by guardians, and as an act of revenge, he wanted them all exterminated. 

"That's awful!" 

I know… We all tried our best to defend our ways of life, but it came crashing down. The King's empire was dying. Our members were dwindling. Many guardians eventually went into hiding to protect the families they had made. So the craft itself started to die off. But you have a special gift! A gift that you should go out and share with the world! Be the change! 

"How can I do that when I have no idea where to start?!" Ash demanded. 

You could try to find someone who knows of our legacy. I'm sure that even Kingdoms still exist somewhere. 

"That's actually great advice. Thank you!" 

Not a problem! After all, you're doing a great deal to help me out. 

"Right!"

"Ash!" May called out. Ash snapped back to focus, causing the light blue aura to disappear. 

"Sorry!" He said with a hint of embarrassment. Once the flow of energy halted, the Pidgeotto opened its eyes. 

"Ash," Brock said his name in shock, "what did you do?" 

Don't say anything. 

"I… I don't know!" 

"What's been happening to you? You have been acting weird since the Battle Pyramid!" Max shouted. 

"I really have no clue! Maybe that hit on the head did more than I thought!" He lied. 

"I'm certain that a concussion doesn't cause people to have weird powers, either!" Max argued back. 

"I could use some help here!" 

You're on your own for this one, kid.

"Great." 

"Enough!" Brock yelled, fed up with all the arguing that's been happening lately. "Fighting isn't going to help us get to the bottom of whatever is going on with Ash!"

"Sorry, Brock…" The three others said in unison. 

Brock regained his composure and looked at the boy in question. "Ash, are you sure you have no idea what's going on?"

"I'm positive." 

"Then I think that I can explain." Ash turned around to the voice only to see a boy he had never met. The King, however, was seething with rage. 

Aaron! He couldn't help but growl at the last man to seal him away.

"Who's Aaron?" Ash asked 'Cyrus'. 

Aaron is a tyrant who is a direct descendant of the evil King of Pokélantis. He is the reason why Aura Guardians started to go into hiding many years ago. He sealed me away again after trying to put a stop to his evil and wicked ways! Though, I do not know how he managed to live this long.

"So this Aaron guy is evil, huh?" 

Yes, do not trust him. He is a deceiver of the worst caliber. 

Ash just stared at the boy with a look that promised trouble if he stepped out of line. 

"Who are you?" Brock asked.

The boy's stoic face softened a little bit and he smiled.  "I'm Riley, and I am an aura guardian in training."

Of course the King let his hatred fizzle out. It was dumb of him to think that Aaron of all people would still be alive after all this time. But something was not adding up about this new acquaintance. For now though, he would let his host deal with it. After all, he didn't want to get his hand dirty just yet, did he? 

Chapter Text

"Aura guardian? What's that?" Max asked, obviously confused. 

"An aura guardian is an aura user who takes an oath to protect humans and Pokémon alike with their unique abilities. I've been training for this role from a young age," Riley explained. Max nodded in understanding. 

Interesting. So he's an aura guardian, as well. Maybe we can get him to help awaken your powers some more, Ash. 

"You really think so?"

Why not? It's worth a try.

"Why are you here?" 

"I was on my way to a festival at Cameran Palace when I felt a potent aura coming from around here. I followed it here to you four," 

Ash stepped closer to the boy, "That was me. I used it to heal a Pidgeotto," he explained. Riley smiled. 

"Then you used it for the right purpose. Tell me, are you also training to become an aura guardian?" 

"I wasn't sure what that was until just a few minutes ago, so no." 

"It's a shame, then. With a powerful aura like yours, you should really consider it," Riley said. Ash just stared at him in frustration.

"I'm not even sure where to begin! I have no idea how to even use these powers, much less train to master them!" 

"Then let me show you the ropes. I have enough experience to train you on the basics," Riley offered. 

Take him up on his offer. 

"Alright then, I think I will," he relented. 

"Then we can travel to the festival together. I know the way." 

Ash and his friends followed the mysterious boy, not sure what to think. He was as mysterious as one could be, and yet a soothing force for the young trainer. 

"So Riley, where are you from?" Brock asked.

"I was born and raised in the Sinnoh region, but my family has ties to both the Hoenn and Kanto regions. That's why I am heading to this festival in the first place."

"What's the festival about?" 

"It's to celebrate all the aura guardians from the past and present, and especially Sir Aaron, my ancestor," Riley explained, "who saved his home at the cost of his own life." 

"But why?" Brock asked. 

"He and Lady Rin were childhood best friends, and it was his duty to protect her. Sadly, the only way he could was to sacrifice himself to protect the castle." 

"Oh wow, that's so sad!" May gasped in horror. Ash, however, just got quiet. It was all a lie, he could hear himself think. 

The King, however, inwardly smirked. The seeds he had planted were finally blooming, and it was a wonderful sight to behold. 

"Cyrus, if what you say is true, then maybe I should stay away from Riley? I mean, he is the descendant of the person you despise." 

That is correct Ash, however, I am willing to look the other way on this so that you can get the proper training you need. 

"But why?"

We all have to make sacrifices. It's human nature. I had to make them when I served under the King of Pokélantis, and even his father before him. It's not pleasant, but it simply has to be done. 

"I see."

"Ash, are you okay? You've gotten quiet." 

Ash's attention snapped back to his friends. He could feel his face get a little hot with embarrassment, as he turned to them. 

"Yeah, I just got lost in thought," he said, looking at Riley. 

"Ash, was it?" Riley asked. He nodded. "Why don't we go ahead and start your training?"

"Right now?!" 

"Yes," Riley confirmed, "after all, your friends could use this time to take a break."

"Good idea," May said as her stomach growled. 

"Hey, Riley, how about you two train while I make some lunch? That way you can eat with us?" Brock asked. Riley grinned. 

"That sounds like a great plan!" 

—----------

"The first step to learning how to control your new powers is to focus. Without it, you won't be able to even summon them." Riley explained. 

"Focus, huh? I think I can do that!" Ash arrogantly claimed. 

"Then do it." Riley commanded. 

Ash took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he listened to the sounds of nature. A strange sensation came over him as a familiar warmth circled around his body. His eyes shot open and a light blue glow had engulfed him. Riley couldn't contain the smile. 

"Great job, Ash! You're catching on rather fast!" 

"Thanks!" 

"The second step to learning how to control your powers is to condense the energy once it flows outward. This is the trickiest part for new aura users." 

"Should I continue to focus, then?" 

"Yes, focus the energy on a specific point. I recommend your hands, since you're still learning the ropes."

"Right!" Ash said as he tried to focus his aura again, only to fail. This both frustrated and confused him. 

Ash, what's the matter? 

"I can't do this! What's the point in this training?!"

To better your abilities. It's always good to have the ability to protect those you care about, right? 

"I guess!" He snapped at the voice. 

Don't you dare snap at me. 

Ash grimaced at the harsh tone. 

"Sorry," he apologized. 

"Ash, don't take it too seriously. Training takes time and patience. You're doing phenomenal for a beginner." Riley smiled. 

"Lunch is ready!" Brock yelled to the two.

"Let's pick this back up later on," Riley said as he walked back towards the rest of the group. Ash's smile fell once he was out of sight. 

What's the matter, Ash?

"I don't know; something doesn't feel right… I don't trust him. I think he's planning something." 

Just be patient. His true intentions will become apparent in time. For now, just grin and bear it.

The King just grinned at this new development. It seems that his influence is starting to poke through; the kid has become much more skeptical. Soon, he will be able to alienate him from his friends and then he can continue to plot Ho-Oh's destruction. 

"If you say so. If he does something to hurt my friends, he will pay." Ash growled. 

I don't think I can blame you for that.

Ash walked towards his group of friends and sat down. He ate his food in silence after that. 

Meanwhile, Team Rocket watched the group through their binoculars.

"The twerps have a new member. I wonder if he has any rare Pokémon?" James said to his team. 

"His wardrobe could definitely use an upgrade." 

"Would you two focus?! We have to try to capture that Pikachu!" Meowth scolded them. 

"Would you relax? It's not like we don't have a plan, already!" Jessie quickly reminded him. 

"Can't wait to see how this one ends up…" James groaned. 

"I can feel it! Today is the day!" Meowth said enthusiastically, causing his human companions to look at him with a mixture of irritation and confusion. 

"I don't think that I want to mess with the twerps, considering what happened a little while ago." James confessed. Meowth, on the other hand, just gave him an incredulous look. 

"Why's dat?" Meowth demanded. 

"Something in those eyes seemed so inhuman. I've never known the twerp to look at us like that. With anger, sure, but not like that. I'm not sure what I saw," James shivered. 

"James," Jessie admonished, "you're not trying to chicken out of our plan, are you?!" 

"Of course not, but I wouldn't say 'no' if we decided to turn the other cheek with this one."

"Did you guys hear something?" Brock asked in the distance, causing the trio to cover their mouths. 

Ash's eye caught the bushes, and his amber eyes narrowed. He put down his food and walked over to the bushes, only to see nothing. 

Team Rocket sighed in relief. The twerp looked in the exact opposite of where they were hiding. 

Those goons you call "Team Rocket" are hiding in those bushes behind the tree.

"I know. I intentionally tried to spook them. Maybe they finally learned their lesson from last time." 

I highly doubt that. They seem to be the stubborn types.

"Yeah."

Ash sat back down and finished his lunch, completely ignoring the trio. He got up and looked at his Pikachu. "Are you ready to go train for our upcoming rematch?" 

"Pi-pikachu!" 

"Then let's go!" Ash said with a great amount of excitement. He grabbed his bag and ran off into the direction opposite of Team Rocket. 

"Whew! That was close!" James whispered breathlessly. Jessie nodded in agreement. 

"Time to go capture Pikachu!"

The trio stealthily crawled their way to the latest robot they had purchased. Soon it wouldn't be long and all of their hard work would pay off! Jessie could almost taste the different foods and luxuries that they  previously had to forgo! 

While the three of them warmed up their machines, Ash called out his Sceptile and Swellow. "Are you two ready to train? We have a rematch to win!"

"Swellow!"

"Sceptile!" 

"Good! Now, Sceptile, use Leaf Blade while Swellow tries to hit you with Wing Attack!"

Sceptile obliged as the leaves on its arms started glowing a pale green color. Swellow, however, flapped its wings furiously, trying to get as much wind as possible. This satisfied Ash greatly. 

"Sceptile, use Leaf Blade to cut through the Wing attack while Swellow tries to hit you with an Aerial Ace!" 

Sceptile carefully maneuvered itself around the attack and successfully cut through Swellow's Wing attack. 

"Sceptile, dodge and use Bullet Seed!" 

Meanwhile, Riley, May and the crew watched his training. "Ash is a talented trainer, huh?" 

"Oh, yeah! He really has come a long way!" Max beamed. 

"Ash has competed in three separate Pokémon Leagues and never came under the top sixteen. That's impressive for even a rookie trainer," Brock complimented. 

"That is impressive. When I first started my journey many years ago, I barely scraped by as a trainer. Then I found my Lucario as a Riolu, and discovered my family legacy. I have since learned to train hard while I try to figure out the rest." 

"Your family legacy?" Riley nodded. 

"I am a direct descendant of Sir Aaron, and as a result, have a very dark family legacy." 

"Care to share?" Brock asked, to which Riley smiled sadly. 

"Well, my family has been plagued by a curse for quite a few centuries. Aura Guardians were once a thriving civilization, and as such, had a lot of respect amongst the many kingdoms that existed at the time. 

"Once upon a time, my ancestral grandmother was once a beautiful princess who secretly took the mantle of a guardian. But she was arranged to be married to an evil, tyrannical prince who wanted nothing more than to destroy other kingdoms and rule the world." 

"That's horrible!" May said as her face quickly drained of color. Riley continued on with his story. 

"No one knew just how evil and corrupt this prince was, until he married the princess and became king. He destroyed countless civilizations in order to achieve his goal. That's is, until one day, his wife became pregnant. 

"Not many people know this, but people with potent auras typically have a hard time conceiving, as the stress of pregnancy can become too much on the body. 

"When the King's wife managed to conceive, he was ecstatic to finally have an heir to his throne, but when the baby was born, he was sickly. The King had also lost his wife to the complications of childbirth. 

"The baby was taken in by an aura guardian and trained from youth to control his powers. When the child of the King had become a young man the King attacked his new home in an act of revenge, despite wanting to be rid of the child. Of course the young man retaliated, and defeated the evil King once and for all. This young man was named Jordan."

"Wait, I've heard that name before!" Max said with some urgency. 

"Jordan had to do what he needed to, and outright killed the King so he couldn't hurt anyone else. Of course that came with its own complications, as the malice of the King was strong and corrupted Jordan, and he almost succumbed to the power of it. However, Jordan had a back up plan.

"Aura Guardians had the ability to seal people away if they deemed them as a big enough threat, so Jordan took one of the orbs that they used and sealed away the King's aura, and once that happens, only those that descend from that guardian can unseal the orb." 

"That sounds like something straight from a horror novel. How horrible." 

Riley's expression shifted. "Yeah, the King was an evil manipulator who could charm those around him. He had done horrible things in the name of his kingdom, and Sir Aaron got dragged into the middle of it because he was a descendant of Sir Jordan." 

Max looked at Riley, "And what about his Kingdom? What was it called?" 

"Pokélantis." 

"Wait, you're a descendant of the King of Pokélantis?!" Max all but shouted, causing May to clamp her hand firmly around his mouth. 

"Have you heard of him?" Riley asked. 

"Yeah, we kind of fell into some ruins the other day and Brandon was explaining it to us."

"That's fascinating!" Riley said, as a strong wind blew his hat away. In the distance, a faint— "Team Rocket!" could be heard.

"Ash! He's in trouble!" May said suddenly, as she quickly made her way to the clearing that Ash was at. She made it just in time to see him triumphantly smirking as he sent the same pulsating power at Team Rocket's robot. The sheer power must've damaged the giant machine, because at the point of contact, it started smoking and burst into flames. 

"I warned you three about messing with me, but now you have really tested my patience." Ash said in a voice that was much darker than May was comfortable with. She watched the interaction with an uncomfortable mix of fascination and horror, while hiding behind a tree.

"Pikachu, use thunderbolt to escape." 

The electric pokémon did as it was told, and let out a steady stream of electricity that had caused an explosion. Pikachu landed safely on the ground below with no visible signs of injury. 

"Not going to answer me, huh? Very well then," he smirked, "the 'twerp' as you call him sends his regards." 'Ash' gathered his aura at the palm of his hand and the small sphere grew until it was larger than Team Rocket's Meowth balloon. He flicked his wrist and sent the ball of energy their way, but before the aura could make contact with them, May came out of the area she had managed to hide from and called upon her Skitty. 

"Assist, Skitty, now!" The attack turned into a Silver Wind and blew the sphere into the tree she had hidden behind. It had exploded upon contact, further angering the trainer. 

"Stupid girl," 'Ash' snarled, "why did you do that?!" 

"What's wrong with you?! Are you trying to kill them?!" 

"What does it matter? They are nothing but a nuisance to everyone! They provoked me, so I am finally doing something about it." He explained as if it were a solution to a simple math problem. 

"Ash, snap out of it!" May ordered him around, causing her friend to snarl at her, "What's gotten into you! You've been acting weird lately and I don't think that I like it!" 

"You can very well leave, then, as I have no use for someone who seeks to get in my way!" 'Ash' said and pushed her into a tree that had been destroyed in the aftermath of the theft attempt. 

The last thing May felt was stinging pain as she made hard contact with the log that once was a beautiful tree. 

Cyrus, what are you doing?!

"She was getting in my way. Sometimes it takes a few tries for people to truly understand their place in the world."

Don't hurt my friends! 

"I will do whatever it takes to make sure no one crosses us! Even your friends!"

No, you won't! Stop it! 

"You're going to make me?" The King challenged him. 

The King could feel Ash trying to fight back for control, but just smirked. For once, all the cards were in his favor. He savored his freedom, and even ignored the brat. 

Cyrus, stop it! Don't hurt my friends!

"Relax, Ash, I'm not even going to harm a single hair on their heads. I'm taking care of a few loose ends before I give back control."

The King turned to the machine, as it busted out in flames. He watched with sadistic amusement as the force expelled the members of Team Rocket from the debris of the machine. Once they were blasted off, he turned his attention to the unconscious nuisance. 

"Now, time to deal with you…" He said as he walked over towards May. He put his hand on her shoulder and his aura flooded her body. 

"Once you wake up, you'll forget everything that has happened," he commanded. May stirred and her eyes opened. The King, pleased with his handy work, relinquished control. His host blinked a few times before he rendered aid to his pesky friend. 

"May, is everything okay?!" Ash asked worriedly. 

"What happened?" May said, clutching her head. 

"Team Rocket's machine erupted into flames and it sent you flying! You hit the tree!" 

"May, Ash, where are you?" Max yelled in the distance. It was obvious from his tone that he was worried about his sister and their friend. The battle wasn't exactly smooth, or quiet for that matter. 

"We're over here!" Ash called out. May's Skitty ran off towards Max, mewling softly. "May, Ash, are you two okay?" Brock asked both of them once he and Max caught up with May and Ash. May clutched her head. 

"I think May might need to get her head checked out. She hit it pretty hard." Ash said worriedly. 

"I think I'll be fine…" May said as she got up. She dusted herself off and turned to Ash. 

"Are you okay? All I remember is hearing you yell at Team Rocket and when I got here, I blacked out." 

Ash took a second to think about it before responding, "Yeah, Team Rocket tried to take Pikachu again and I dealt with it." 

"Who's Team Rocket?" Riley asked.

"A group of thieves who seem to never learn their lesson," Max clarified. 

"I see…" 

"Let's get going, then. We have a guardian festival to attend!" Ash said excitedly. Riley chuckled at the unprompted enthusiasm. 

"Afterwards we are heading to the Grand Festival!" May said with as much enthusiasm as Ash. 

Max used it as a chance to check the PokéNav, "It does work out! The Grand Festival is being held in the town next to where we are going!" 

"Then let's go!" Ash said as he started to lead the way. Once everyone was ahead of her, May's smile vanished. 

'Whoever that was a few minutes ago, it wasn't Ash,' she thought to herself before making her way back to the group.

—123—456—789—0—

"Whoa, this place is huge!" Max said in amazement. The group of five had made their way into the palace in an hour. 

"This palace gets a lot of tourism these days. It's famous for this festival," Riley explained. 

"What goes on in these festivals?" 

"Well, they have a fun pokémon tournament to decide the 'Aura Guardian of the Year'. It functions as a tribute to Sir Aaron and all that he had done in the Great War."

"Oh, wow! That sounds like fun!" May said starry eyed. 

"After the tournament, we celebrate with food and dancing and a fireworks display. Everyone in the city looks forward to this celebration, because it attracts a lot of tourists," Riley led the group to the front entrance of the castle, "and this is where the princess lives. Would you like to meet her?" 

Everyone nodded their heads and Riley left them standing there to find the princess. He knew just where to look, as he turned a corner and a beautiful blonde woman was helping prepare the palace for the after-party. 

"Lady Ilene," Riley greeted. 

"Riley, it's good to see you!" She greeted him back. 

"The pleasure's all mine," he acknowledged. 

"I didn't expect you to be here until tomorrow!" 

"I wanted to come help set up for the party," Riley said as he turned to the group, "and I brought some extra hands." 

"Hello there, I'm Lady Ilene and I'm the queen of this palace. What are your names?" 

"I'm Ash, and this May, Max, and Brock," he introduced.

"It's nice to meet all of you!" Ilene smiled. 

"How can we help?" Max asked.

"I do need some help moving some tables for the refreshments. If you would, please follow me," she said.

Max nodded and so did Brock, who couldn't stop trying to flirt with her (much to Max and May's annoyances respectively). 

Ash, however, just looked around the area. It was rather quaint, if he were being honest with himself. Then his eyes landed on a portrait with a familiar face. 

Aaron. The King said with as much venom as possible, but there was an underlying sadness as well. 

Ash stared at the painting of the hero, not really caring about time. It was strange to think that these people didn't see the truth; that Aaron was actually a monster.

"Ash? Hello! Earth to Ash!" Max called out. Ash snapped out of whatever trance he was in, and looked at the youngest member of his group. 

"Sorry, Max," he said sheepishly. 

"Sir Aaron was a fine knight and guardian," Ilene said sadly. She looked at the portrait with Ash, who just looked at her. 

"He actually saved my kingdom from destruction, at the cost of his own life. That's why we have this festival every year." 

May stopped what she was doing and looked at the princess beside her. 

"Why? That sounds so sad," she whispered. 

"Well, that story goes back even before Aaron himself was born. It starts with his ancestors before him, Sir Jordan and his father, the King of Pokélantis. At the time Jordan was born, wars were being fought constantly. The King was no exception, as he was a power hungry tyrant. Aaron tried to live up to a legacy that was corrupted. He died a hero."

As Ilene finished her explanation, a servant rushed up to her. 

"Sorry to disturb you, my queen, but we have a few more things we need to discuss before tomorrow." 

Ilene nodded and turned to the group, "I'm so sorry, but I have more things to do before the festival. Riley, can you do me a favor?" 

"Yes, Lady Ilene,"

"Can you give our guests a tour of my palace?" 

"I can, M'Lady," Riley smiled. 

"I'm counting on you," she said softly before walking off with the servant. Ash, however, tried to digest the information that had been fed to them. 

Aaron is no hero. He deceived the queen and her people. He was the one who sealed me away for protecting the kingdom! 

"Somehow, I don't believe you." Ash said plainly, which shocked the King. 

What possible reason would I have to lie to you?

"I can make a guess, but I can say for certain that you're deceiving me ! What reason would these people have to worship someone who was trying to harm them?"

To protect themselves. People will do anything to keep themselves alive and prosperous. Tell me, Ash, what depths would you go to achieve your dream of becoming a Pokémon master? 

Ash bit his lip. This was a question that he hadn't consciously thought about; and now that it was asked, he couldn't get it out of his mind. Cheating was definitely off the table, but… 

Besides, Aaron was never as overt about his motives, so he wouldn't raise suspicion. He manipulated everyone from behind the scenes— like a puppet, if you want to be technical. 

"I- I guess that makes sense."

Glad you see it my way. 

Ash studied the portrait of the late guardian with a fierce intensity. He looked so peaceful, but the dark haired boy could see that there was a haunting darkness in the portrait's eyes. He started shaking a little, and walked away from it. 

"Hey, May, I'm going outside to get a little fresh air. Wanna join?" Ash offered her. May nodded. 

"Hey, Brock, Max! Ash and I are going to get a little fresh air." 

The two young men ignored them in favor of getting the party set up. 

Once the duo were out of earshot of Riley and the others, May sat down with Ash following suit. It was a peaceful evening with the occasional sounds of Pokémon in the distance. 

"It really is a beautiful evening,"  Ash said. May smiled. 

"Yeah, it's so peaceful. I could enjoy this all night," she sighed dreamily. May bit her lip and decided that she would go for it. She rested her head on Ash's shoulder. 

Ash tried his best to hide the small blush. 

"May, what's going on out here?!" Max demanded. May jumped, letting out a cute squeak in response. 

"Nothing, Max! Just enjoying the breeze!" She yelled at him, her face a shade of red that would make a tomato jealous. 

"We better get back inside," Ash said with a slight chuckle. May and Ash both got up and dusted themselves off. Max watched the two walk back in. 

"That should just about do it. Thanks for all your help, Riley, Brock. We can leave everything else to the palace staff," Ilene instructed. The small group nodded and sat down in the various chairs that were set up around the room.

"As a thank you for helping out, I would like to extend an invitation for the five of you to stay in the palace until after the festival, on top of dinner and breakfast," Ilene offered, much to the delight of the tired guests. Ash was happy for their enthusiasm, but he wanted to get some more training with his aura control done, but that required him to practice hard. He bit his lip (he was doing that a lot more now, wasn't he?) and pondered what the right choice was. 

I would use the time everyone is asleep and train. Your friends are interfering too much, I don't want this to be a habit if I am helping you. 

Ash genuinely understood what Cyrus was saying. May's behavior had become more erratic and dangerous. She kept getting in the middle of his fights and put herself in constant danger. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if she got seriously injured while he was facing his and Cyrus's foes. 

I know that you'll be exhausted for your upcoming tournament, but the pride you will feel after a good training session will keep you fired up. I can promise you that. 

Cyrus was right, of course. He was always right.

—123—456—789—0—

Dinner was delicious of course, but Ash had more important matters to attend to. Once everyone settled in for the night, he left all of his Pokéballs and other items and snuck out. It was unsettling to him that there was minimal noise outside, but it kind of made sense given the time of day. He navigated himself in the inky darkness, (not before he ran into some bushes and other stuff) as he tried to find some place just out of earshot to train. It wasn't going so well, so Ash decided to just make his way back to the palace. 

Where do you think you're going? 

"Back to the palace. It's too dark for me to train at the moment," Ash paused that train of thought for just a second and added, "and I left all of my Pokéballs back in my room." 

Why would you need those? Pokémon would get in the way of training.

"Yeah, I know." 

"Ash? What are you doing at this time of night?" Ash turned around and saw Brock, who just looked worried.

"Nothing, Brock. I wanted some fresh air because I couldn't sleep. I'm pumped about the upcoming tournament tomorrow, and my rematch with Brandon!" Ash said with a little bit too much enthusiasm. 

"Okay then, don't stay up too much longer. Otherwise you'll be too exhausted to compete." As if on cue, Ash started to yawn. Brock was right, of course. If he didn't get any sleep now, then what would be the point of all this excitement? 

"You're right, Brock. I need to get some sleep," Ash stretched. Brock nodded in response to his statement. 

"Let's head back. We have quite the day ahead of us tomorrow," Brock said and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. 

I guess I have to agree with your friend. Aura training will just have to wait until after the festival. Go get some rest; you deserve it.

Once the duo made their way back to the castle, the evil spirit just smirked. Everything was going according to his plan. Once his full potential reared itself, the King could take his body and finally get to work on conquering the world. He just had to be patient with his host, even though those friends of his made it difficult. The King would have to do something about that. Those pesky kids were not going to stop him, even if he had to kill them with the brat's own hands. That he promised. 

The King tried to calm himself down. His blood (if he had any) was boiling. How much longer must he wait? A few millennia had already passed and he was no closer to his goal than when he had fought Jordan all those years ago. How much longer did he have to keep up this charade? That burning question had plagued his mind multiple times since his release. He had to play it smart, or else the host would figure out his plan before he could do anything. It was just a waiting game, but he was thirsty. He had keep reminding himself that it wouldn't be much longer.

Chapter Text

It was dark and Ash had butterflies in his stomach. He was sleepy, but his own anxiety and excitement were taking over. He needed to talk to Professor Oak to get some Pokémon for the tournament, and maybe for a bit of a pep talk. It was quiet, except for the soft snores of his travel companions and Riley. So he decided to get up and train some more. The urge to focus on his new aura abilities was there, alongside a spiritual companion who gave him tips now and again. It was a surreal experience. He left his Pokémon behind once again, deciding to focus on his new training regimen. Ash took a deep breath, his hair swaying with the wind. He tried to focus on condensing his aura but fell short every single time. He was getting frustrated, which was never a good sign when training. 

Maybe you should take a break. You're not going to get anywhere with frustration on your mind.

Ash blinked and decided to sprawl out in the dirt. Cyrus was right. Frustration would breed resentment and resentment would breed hopelessness. So instead, he decided to mentally check out for a while. He closed his eyes to meditate on a strategy for the upcoming series of battles.

Is something troubling you? 

Ash blinked at the sudden empathetic voice. He shook his head, unsure if he'd ever get used to a new voice in his head. 

“My thoughts are disorganized at the moment and I don't know what I should focus on: a strategy for the tournament, my impending battle with Brandon or training to control my new aura powers? It’s frustrating.”

I see. Maybe you should focus on the present. Focus on a strategy for your upcoming battle. You can always focus on aura training afterward. 

The suggestion irritated the King, but his host would be useless if he could not focus. This “playing nice” thing wasn't working out for him. It went against everything he stood for. The game was getting dangerous, but the rewards for completion would be so worth it! He'd finally have a body to his own specifications; one that Sir Aaron nor the snake he called ‘his son’ could take away from him. 

The King growled in frustration once he temporarily severed the connection to his new host. This Ketchum kid was dense. He believed the King on what merit? The thought of sharing a mind and body with this pathetic child was quite jarring to the evil spirit.

“Calm down. You're getting worked up again.” He had to remind himself. Showing his true colors this early would be preferable, but a bad decision overall. But biding his time wasn't doing anything to help the sadistic urge to erase his new body's consciousness for good. His anger was boiling over, making it impossible to keep himself under control. He really wanted revenge against Ho-Oh and his own bloodline. How long would he have to wait to get what he wanted? The more he questioned, the more he felt his own sanity starting to waiver. This stupid child was the key to his success, he just didn’t know it yet. The King decided to ‘sleep’ for now. His time would come; he just had to wait. 

The next morning was no different than any other one, except for the addition of Riley to their team temporarily. The night before, they had spent a few hours preparing the hall for the day’s festivities while alternating breaks. It was hard, but honest work. Brock stopped every so often to flirt with the queen and Max had to stop to put the lovesick trainer back in his place, of course. Ash had spent the night alternating between training his newly acquired aura abilities and quiet meditation. He had a plan to round his team out with different types of pokémon and pray for the best. He had faith in his abilities and pokémon. The first thing he had to do was call Professor Oak and get his team together. He was for sure going to keep Pikachu, Sceptile, and Swellow, but he needed to round out his other three slots on his team. Then he had to register for the tournament. It could be excellent practice for his upcoming rematch with Brandon. Ash pondered which pokémon he was going to pick for a second before deciding to use his Hoenn team. This tournament was as good as his. 

Ash hasn't heard a word from Cyrus all morning. Not that he was concerned, but it was uncanny how he had already gotten so used to his voice, when not even a week ago he was preparing for his fight with Brandon. But if he told anyone his worries, he’d be afraid that people would look at him like he was insane or something. So he decided to keep his worries and intrusive thoughts to himself. He already had enough on his plate to deal with. He stood up from the ground and, after dusting all the dirt off, made his way to the castle to prepare for the tournament. 

The King stood in the small area of his host’s subconscious. He was preparing for a pokémon tournament and trying to train his new abilities. It must have been taxing on the boy. 

“Ash,” the King called for him in a fake concerned voice. 

“Yeah?” He heard his host's voice echo in the small clearing. 

“Good luck today. Make sure you win,” he said with a smirk that Ash couldn't quite see. The King wanted him at ease for the next phase of his plan. Time was running out and his new host would soon learn the meaning of no mercy.

Ash, on the other hand, was stoked for the upcoming set of fights. First, he would need to pick a costume from the Queen's castle, then he would have to register. It was quite a bit of a headache, but Ash was up to the challenge. His grin was wider than ever and he anticipated a stunning victory. Besides, if his host won this tournament, then it meant that he was rather useful. 

Once all the preparations were done, Ash made his way to the arena. He bumped into Riley and gave the older boy a swift nod as he continued to the entrance. After he reached his destination, he just waited. On the other side, the Queen was making a speech that he didn't listen to. Instead, he appeared deep in thought, as if meditating on something. Then his name was called to come to the stage. 

“Our first challenger is a young boy from our very own Pallet Town! Give a warm welcome to Ash Ketchum!” Ash could hear the crowd was in an excited uproar for him. He smiled and made his way outside while waving enthusiastically at the onlookers. The sight of all these people being excited for him of all people; it made his heart melt a bit. The second contestant was introduced and made her way to the arena. Ash watched her cautiously as she sent out a Golem. He casually sent out his Sceptile without so much as a second thought. Flashbacks to his fight with Brandon briefly clouded his mind, triggering his anger. 

Time to play. Ash heard before his mind was consumed with darkness and faded away. 

The King ruthlessly beat the opposing Pokémon, showing no mercy towards the trainer. This worried May, Max, and Brock, who had all noticed the unusual way in which their friend had been acting lately. However, the young man just smirked at the face of the young woman whose Pokémon was brutally beaten. The girl was angry, which further fuelled the King’s sadistic glee. He walked away callously, without passing the girl a glance. The King’s goal was to pass time at this little tournament and to have a little bit of fun along the way. It simply wasn’t his fault that the girl was weak-willed and her Pokémon were just as weak as her. She simply had to be a bit more heartless the next time that she decided to battle. The King walked back to the area in the back for waiting trainers. He couldn’t help the grin that threatened to split his face at the abject fear and horror in the other contestants’ faces. 

People were whispering about him behind his back. This was a good sign. No one would cross him in this room, so the King found a corner and closed his eyes. He used this time to meditate on his plan and how he was going to take over his host. The young man was headstrong and stubborn, but the King was even more so. It wouldn’t be long before his powers fully returned and he could make quick work of the young man’s subconscious. He just had to wait to enact his plan. 

Pikachu was worried about his trainer. Ever since the events at the Battle Pyramid, Ash hasn't been the same. His trainer had developed these strange powers that seemed to override his own personality. He had never seen his trainer act as cold and callous as he had just witnessed today. Something was up, but Pikachu couldn't quite place it. 

The rest of the battles came and went, with Ash and another young woman as the finalists. The King had relinquished control back to his host as he had grown quite bored with these pointless battles; though he had to admit that the kid was a decent Pokémon trainer. The way this child handled his Pokémon reminded the King of himself as a young man. 

Ash, however, was having a blast. The battles ended up in his favor, with him and a young woman as finalists. She sent out an Azumarill, while he sent out Sceptile. This tournament was an amazing way for him to gain some more experience and practice for his upcoming rematch against Brandon. 

“Sceptile, use Bullet Seed and aim for the ground!” Ash demanded of the grass type. The force of the attack forced Sceptile into the air. But the brunette woman had a great counter, “Azumarill, use Water Gun to knock Sceptile out of the air!” 

The water Pokémon followed directions and successfully countered the attack. This irritated Ash. “Use Leaf Blade!” Sceptile followed his trainer’s commands without any fuss. The hit landed in a way that sent the Azumarill flying, a sign that it had made a critical impact. Ash smirked. Now was his chance to finish this fight. “Sceptile, finish Azumarill with a Bullet Seed!” He commanded. Sceptile once again followed his trainer’s command and pegged the water type’s body with its attack. When Sceptile was done, Azumarill was in no condition to fight. 

“Azumarill is unable to battle, meaning our winner and the title of “Aura Guardian of the Year” goes to Ash and Sceptile!” The announcer declared. Ash cheered himself on, proud of what he had managed to do. He looked into the crowd and watched as his friends cheered him on as well as his newest companion Riley. 

You did good, Ash. Well done.

‘It’s all thanks to you, Cyrus. I used your tips about battling and strategy to become a better trainer.’ 

This was a surprise. The King hadn’t realized that the boy had been taking his advice to heart. While unexpected, it was also a welcomed development. The King was pleased with this. His passive influence was leaving a mark on this boy and he was beyond excited. 

I’m glad. Now go and take your ‘crown,’ you've definitely earned it. 

Ash focused on the speech as well as a staff that was handed to him, but something about this staff was off. A familiar aura was lurking deep inside and the King couldn't quite place it. Then it hit him. This was Aaron's staff and the weapon that sealed him back into that orb last time. Now the King was livid. How dare they?! Ash, however, shivered at the bloodlust that ‘Cyrus’ was giving off. It was so unlike him to lose control of his emotions like that. Then again, Ash barely knew his new headmate. 

‘Cyrus, are you okay?’

Darn it! He lost control of himself. Slip-ups like this were dangerous this late in his little game. The King regained his composure to answer the concerned trainer. 

I'm fine, Ash. I just remembered something. That's all. 

Ash wasn't completely convinced but decided that Cyrus must have had his reasons for not elaborating. Instead, he focused his attention on getting ready for the upcoming party. He was excited at being the Guest of Honor. But the King had other plans. It was time to make the boy submit to him. His powers were almost fully returned and it was finally his time to make this boy into his vessel. With one final mental checklist, the King summoned the boy into his subconscious. 

The after-party was in full swing, with Ash watching the festivities on a pedestal. He was not having any fun due to the rules of him being a guardian, which was sitting and waiting for the signal to start the fireworks. He was bored out of his mind. Cyrus was unusually quiet and Ash didn’t quite know how to feel about it. He sat in silence, watching as his friends and Riley all danced the night away. He was rather jealous, watching May and some random guy dancing. He wanted to be down there, enjoying himself, but the rules stated that he was to stay put. A familiar feeling had dawned on him, however, and Ash was faced with Cyrus inside his mind. The older man looked pleased with himself, which confused the younger boy completely. 

“Sorry to pull you away like this, Ash. I require your help with something.”

Ash was annoyed. If Cyrus needed his help, all he had to do was ask. But something about this wasn’t settling right with him. Cyrus normally had a benevolent smile; the smile that was currently resting on his face was anything but. It was almost cruel-looking in a way. Ash started sweating. Something felt off, but what was it exactly? He soon had his answer, as a chain jumped out at him and securely pinned the boy by his ankle. “C-Cyrus, what’s going on?” Ash gulped. This was bad. Very, very bad. Ash struggled and tried to break the chain away, to no avail. 

“Kid, I’d stop that if I were you,” Cyrus sneered as he threatened him. He gave the boy a nasty glare and Ash froze. 

“Cyrus, what’s going on?” Ash asked again, hoping to get an answer. The King just ignored him. Instead, a few more chains grabbed him by his other ankle and his wrists. Ash was trapped, and if he knew anything at all, it was that being pinned in place like this was not a good sign. “Good, good. It looks like my power is back in full force. It would have been a shame if my powers hadn’t returned and I revealed my true nature beforehand. I might have been in trouble.” The King mocked the young boy in front of him. Ash’s blood ran cold. “Who- Who are you?” Ash asked yet another question, afraid of whatever the answer might be. The person in front of him just smirked cruelly at him in response. He wasn’t going to give his host the pleasure of responding. It was so beneath him. Plus, he lavished on the fear that it was producing. The boy was arrogant, and it so happened that the King loved to put the arrogant in their place. 

Ash struggled with his binds. He needed to get out of here and warn the others! This wasn't right! When did he fall into this trap?!

“That is quite enough, host .” The King commanded, his voice cold and malicious. The demand was like ice to Ash’s ears; the tone of his voice was very much different compared to what he was used to from the spirit in his mind. “If you refuse to listen to me, then I will have no choice but to make your existence a mortal Hell,” the King threatened once again. His descendant was a stubborn fool, but the King was even more so. 

“Cyrus, maybe there is some kind of misunderstanding?” Ash tried to reason. For the first time in a long time, he was afraid. 

“There is no misunderstanding. I was using you to gain your trust so that I could prepare myself for this moment,” the King explained. 

“Prepare for what?” Ash wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to know that answer. The King’s unnerving grin was all the answer he had needed to confirm his fears.

“My grand return. My plan to get revenge against Ho-Oh for his betrayal, and restore Pokélantis to its former glory. Then one day I can finally set out to conquer the world the way I was meant to.” The King said, looking at his host. 

“I won't let you!” 

The King let out a malicious laugh. “As if you really have a choice, boy. Tell me, how do you expect to stop me when I surpass you not only in experience but raw power and talent? Let’s not forget who taught you everything about being an aura user, ” the King taunted his host. The King roughly grabbed the boy by the collar of his shirt. “Well, are you going to do something?” He roughly pushed the young man by the same collar and Ash collapsed into the ‘ground’ as he groaned in pain. The King laughed mockingly at his pain, enjoying the ability to be himself. He had hated pretending to be nice to this idiot of a child; a child who looked exactly like his own degenerate of a son. This angered the King, who roughly grabbed Ash by the collar once again, and punched him in the stomach in his fit of rage. “If you were smart like your youngest companion, you’d just be obedient and not fight me, or else,” the King said as a warning and walked away, leaving Ash heaving in his subconscious. 

“Ash!” The King blinked his eyes open at hearing the voices of his friends. “Ash, are you okay? You passed out.” May noted. The King perfectly mimicked Ash’s smile, which put May at ease. “I’m fine, May. Just tired is all. I think the tournament wiped me out.” 

“Well, the queen asked me to try and wake you up. They're getting ready to start the fireworks and need you to give the signal,” May said as she pointed to a painting of Aaron. Unbeknownst to May, the King scowled at the painting when her back was turned. The brunette girl made her way back to the festivities, and once the head maid gestured to Ash, the King gave the signal. Fireworks blasted outside, lighting the palace up with various hues of red, green, and blue. It was quite a beautiful sight. 

“Master, why did you abandon us?” The King’s blood ran hot. That voice… It can’t be… The King was irritated by this revelation. He swore he heard Aaron's sorry excuse of a Lucario just then. He clutched Aaron’s staff. He was losing his mind. It was just paranoia keeping him on edge. It would be disastrous if someone discovered that he had existed. (Or that he had taken a new host.)

“Young man, why don’t you go and enjoy the festivities? Your job is done.”  “I’m fine. I’m enjoying the fireworks outside,” the King explained. The head maid nodded at him and went elsewhere to check up on other guests. The King on the other hand was watching the staff expectantly. If he had indeed heard Lucario, then his plan would be in danger before it had gotten started, and he couldn’t have that. When the King was sure no one was looking, he bound some of his aura to the staff as a precaution. “Master!” He heard once again. It was that same voice. Blast it! It was just like Aaron to pull a stunt like this. First, he seals him away, then he seals his ‘precious’ partner away. How ironic. Once the voice echoing inside of the staff died down, the King sat back. He wanted to enjoy his last night of peace before he started his plan.

Chapter Text

Ash chided himself for being such a fool. He had blindly trusted some spirit that had shown up, and he paid the price for it despite all the clear warning signs. He didn’t know who this spirit was or what it wanted, for that matter. He knew that everyone, including himself, was in danger. “Cyrus” had total control of his body, and Ash was powerless to stop it from happening. He could still feel “Cyrus” in the back of his mind as the spirit read his thoughts and ensured he was kept in line. Having no other options, Ash felt hopeless for the first time in a while. 

“Having fun?” An eerily calm voice said right behind him. Ash’s body went cold at the question. He turned to look behind him and saw “Cyrus” standing there with a smug look on his face. Ash was frozen in place, a mix of anger and nervousness overwhelming him. “Who are you? What are you?” Ash demanded, causing the spirit to chuckle in response. “I don’t believe it is of any concern to you who I am at the moment. Just know that I have plans and visions for this world, and it would be in your best interest to play along,” he threatened. 

“Do you think I’m an idiot? As if I’d let you do anything to hurt my friends!” Ash exclaimed rather loudly. The spirit continued to stare at him with an amused expression. Oh, this boy is going to be fun to break.

“I’m afraid you're not calling all the shots anymore, kid. You see those chains?” He asked his captive. Ash looked down as the spirit gestured to his wrists. “Those chains keep you at my mercy. In here, you have no control; you’re nothing more than a puppet. So get comfortable, because I have so much in store for you and your little friends , ” the King said menacingly. Ash was stunned. “I had better get going, then. We wouldn’t want them to get suspicious, would we?” Ash immediately jumped to his feet, trying to get to the spirit before it disappeared, but was obstructed by the chains keeping him in place. “Wait!” Ash called out to no avail. Before he could do anything else, the spirit left, leaving him trapped in his mind. Ash’s resolve crumbled at the realization that he was alone and could not protect his friends. 

—-------------------------------------------------

The King was bored after a while. The party had been going on for quite some time with no end in sight. Tormenting the brat inside their shared subconscious wasn’t as appealing as he had thought. Sure, his captive had more fight in him than he had previously anticipated, but the King was two steps ahead of him. He was, after all, in it for the long haul. 

“Ash,” the King snapped to attention at the voice of the kid’s female companion, “would you like to dance?” May asked with a slight blush on her face. The King smiled at her, “Sure, May. I’d love to.” He got up from the throne. If he wanted one last night of peace, the King would make sure he enjoyed it.

The pair danced for a while. The King had to admit that this palace knew how to throw a party. The dancing and decor reminded him of his home and his kingdom. It was nostalgic in a way. The King could see the blush as clear as day on her face. “Didn’t expect me to be a decent dancer, huh?” He teased her. “Not really, no. I didn’t think you had danced before.” May confessed. The King chuckled at this. He twirled her like a ballerina and came to a stop. If he continued this much longer, people would notice and get suspicious. He broke away from her embrace. 

“Sorry, May. I think I need a drink. This costume keeps heat,” he said lamely. May nodded in understanding. “Can you get me something, too? All this dancing is making me thirsty as well,” she said as she fanned herself. The King nodded and walked towards the refreshments table and poured them both a cup of punch. He noticed the Meowth of the two goons that he defeated a while ago. It was disguised as some random peasant of the kingdom. The King decided to give the Pokemon some grace and ignore it for the time being; he had a job to do. Grabbing the two cups, he wandered back to the brat’s little friend.“Here you go,” he said, handing her the cup. May gratefully took it and sipped on the beverage. “Thank you,” she said. He motioned for an area just outside of the dance floor. “Why don’t we go and sit down? I think we’ve danced enough for a while,” the King said, winking at her. May’s face went red at the gesture. The two of them wade through the group of people having a ball on the dance floor. 

The King gave May the chance to sit down first before sitting beside her. The King and May glanced out the windows, watching as the fireworks continued to explode. “It’s so pretty outside,” May sighed dreamily. The King nodded in agreement. “It is. Sometimes you get so busy you forget to take a second to enjoy the simple things,” he responded. May stared at him for a second. Ash had a solemn look on his face. He looked older than he had before. The two continued to watch the fireworks as the party started to wind down. 

It was well past ten o’clock before the party fully died out, and people were hard at work cleaning up from the night’s festivities. Riley, May, Max, and Brock decided to stay back and help with the clean-up themselves, whereas ‘Ash’ needed some fresh air. While it was fun, the night seemed to drag on a lot longer than was necessary, and the King needed to get away. The King had come up with a plan to rid himself of this kid’s pesky friends soon. That other guy, Riley, could potentially sniff him out, and then all the effort he went through to craft a body suitable for his habitation would be useless, and his plans for world conquest would be squashed in the same vein. He needed a way out without the boy’s friends figuring out what was happening and soon. 

Deep in his thoughts, the King hadn't noticed when one of the kid’s companions dropped by. This time, it was the one the host called Brock. “Ash,” he said with obvious concern in his voice, “are you feeling okay? You’ve been out here for over an hour.”

The King tried to put on a goofy grin that was similar to the host's, but it looked more like a pained grimace. “Yeah, Brock. Just wanted some fresh air. With everything that has happened recently, I wanted to enjoy a little quiet. Aura training has been a… tense experience,” he explained somewhat truthfully. Aura training has the potential to be brutal and taxing on the body; that’s why a lot of potential aura users couldn't become guardians. The King even remembered when his wife had taught him what he knew as a gesture of good faith before she died. 

Brock looked like he wanted to understand but came up short. Truthfully, he couldn't understand his friend’s new abilities or how to use them, for that matter. All of this was new to him, too. Riley tried to explain, but the mechanics of aura manipulation were beyond him. 

“I understand wanting space when you discover something new about yourself. I used to do it a lot before I started my journey. If you ever need an ear, I’m here for you; all of us are,” Brock offered. The King nodded and faked a smile. Satisfied, Brock returned to cleaning up the castle with the rest of the group. The King, on the other hand, was left speechless for the first time in a while. He knew that he needed to leave before he was figured out, as the weight of carrying on his façade was becoming too much to bear. 

—--------------------------------------

Ash continued to try and resist Cyrus’s control and influence over him as it was no fun to lose his sense of autonomy. He had to find a way to get his body back and protect his friends from the monster masquerading as him before something bad could happen. But it was becoming more and more hopeless as time went on. The chains that kept him in place were not easy to break, a testament to the will and hatred of his captor. The dark-haired boy couldn’t give up, though. He had to try. 

Ash let out a frustrated groan and dropped to his knees. He couldn't afford to expend all of his energy fighting a battle without some kind of solid plan. 

“I see you're in a bit of a bind at the moment,” an unknown voice said right behind him. Ash felt himself tense up. The last time he heard a voice like that, he ended up stuck in his subconscious. He turned his head back slowly and saw a young man who didn't look too different from himself. The man had dark hair, but instead of the dark eyes Ash had, he had piercing blue eyes that put May’s to shame. His features were soft, however, his eyes held a misery and wisdom that looked like they did not belong to him. “Then again, my father certainly doesn’t make it easy,” he mused out loud. He looked at Ash, his eyes refusing to leave the chains that kept him tethered in his subconscious.

“Who are you?” Ash asked with a fair bit of hesitation. He was genuinely afraid of the answer he would receive. The man in front of him let out a sad smile.

“My name isn’t important at this second. What is important is freeing you and your body from my father before he uses you to destroy the world. Let me help,” he said as he reached for a blade sheathed around his waist. Ash aggressively closed his eyes in anticipation of a blow that never came. Instead, he heard the metallic clanking and noticed that his wrists felt lighter in comparison. He opened his eyes, and the chains were discarded on the floor. 

“Thanks,” he said rather sheepishly. He rubbed his wrists and looked at the man who had freed him from captivity. 

“Can you at least tell me your name so I can properly thank you?” 

The man sighed. He looked back at Ash. “My name is Jordan. I am a part of the order of Aura Guardians and the one who sealed your captor away the first time,” he explained rather coolly. 

“What? You sealed Cyrus away?!”

Jordan, on the other hand, scowled. “Is that what he called himself to you? Figures the coward would use the name of a great man to further his own agenda,” Jordan seethed. “No, his name isn’t Cyrus. His name is Victor and he was the last crowned King of Pokélantis before its fall by Ho-Oh’s wings. He used the name of his former advisor, one of my greatest allies, to trick you. Though I don't blame you for falling for his manipulations, he did the same thing to my grandson Jonah after, and then Sir Aaron years down the line. You aren't the King’s first victim, but I doubt that you will be the last. He is like a plague that keeps coming back and refuses to stay down,” Jordan said, his voice slightly on edge. 

“King of Pokélantis? Why is he using me? What’s going on?” 

“You are our descendant, Ash. You were able to break the spell that kept the King of Pokélantis sealed within my orb prison. Your dormant aura abilities must have unsealed him, and he decided to use you, much like he used Aaron previously. Aaron and I stopped him last time, but I am afraid that my power to keep him at bay is at its limit. I can give you the knowledge that I know, but you and Aaron will have to handle it from now on. My presence is fading,” Jordan said wistfully. 

“What’s going to happen to you?” Ash demanded. 

“Once I am done training you, my spirit will finally be able to fully pass on, and I will be reunited with my wife and daughter in the afterlife. Aaron will have to guide you, too.” 

Ash looked skeptical. He didn't fully trust this new spirit due to past experiences. 

“What makes you think I could trust you, either? Look what happened to me when I did trust some random spirit!” 

Jordan looked almost sad again. “I understand your feelings. The King of Pokélantis is a master manipulator and has used you to usurp your body. But I’m not like him. You have to trust me,” he said softly. 

Ash thought about it for a second. Jordan seemed sincere; he did release Ash from confinement in his mind and is willing to train him to control his new abilities. But so did the evil King. On the other hand, he wasn’t shackled to his mind when the King had thoroughly manipulated him, either. He thought long and hard about it before deciding to trust this new spirit. What other alternative did he have? 

“All right. I’ll do it, but I need some kind of reassurance that you aren't going to do what the King is currently doing,” he demanded. 

“I’m afraid there is no way for me to give you that reassurance. You just have to trust my word. Now, do you still have the orb?” 

—------------------------

It was time. The King had grown weary around these people, and he needed to make a clean break before he was discovered. He still wasn't at 100% power yet, so he had to stay hidden for a while. After making sure that he had everything, he grabbed the kid’s backpack and made his way out through the corridors. Hopefully, it would be well into the morning before anyone noticed that the brat was missing. 

As he made his way out, the King couldn’t help the feelings of disgust at how too easy everything was for him this time. It was almost as if the brat had no desire or will to fight him back; it was proven as much when he easily chained the kid up in his mind, and he couldn't escape. 

The King was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn’t notice when he bumped into Riley, their newest companion. “S-Sorry, I wasn't watching what I was doing,” the King apologized. 

“It’s okay, Ash. It didn't hurt,” Riley smiled. The King nodded and dusted the imaginary dirt off of his outfit. “Are you okay?” 

“I think I will be fine,” the King said shortly. The answer appeared to have satisfied Riley, who nodded at him. “What are you doing up so late?” Riley questioned him, which further annoyed the King. “I couldn't sleep,” he said, slightly irritated at the line of questioning. The King had to get out of this situation before this boy became suspicious of him, and the King did not want that at all. On the other hand, Riley couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong . The older boy couldn’t quite pinpoint what was causing this, but he had to trust himself. 

“I couldn't sleep either. I haven't had a good feeling since the party, and I think it was something to do with one of the guests there,” Riley explained. He had to be careful with what information he disclosed. He didn't want Ash to become weary around him after all. 

“I was thinking the same thing,” the King lied, “something at the party didn't feel right to me, either.” This appeased the other boy, and his shoulders relaxed a bit. The King could feel some relief because he knew that Riley was no longer suspicious of him. 

“Glad I’m not the only one, then,” the other boy said with a slight drawl to his voice. Riley shifted his focus to one of the many tapestries that adorned the wall. Something about Ash felt…weird, and Riley couldn't put his hand on it to save his life. This baseless paranoia wasn’t like him at all on the best of days and barely registered on the worst.

“I think I’m gonna go on a walk to help. Do you want to come with me?” The King asked Riley. The other boy shook his head. 

“Not tonight,” he declined. “I have some things I need to do before I head home in a couple of days.”

The King shrugged, “Oh well, the offer was there,” he said lazily. Without another word, the King walked past the older boy in the direction of the exit. Riley watched him, suspicion adorning his normally soft features. Riley may have just cracked that sense of wrongness that was plaguing his mind.

Meanwhile, May found herself unable to sleep. The silence was uncomfortable and yet spoke volumes about the tensions that surrounded them lately. Ash was acting weird, and the way he battled in the tournament proved it. May briefly wondered if his weird patterns of behavior had anything to do with him getting stuck in those ruins or if she was imagining everything. 

Her eyes scanned the room. Her brother was fast asleep in the bed right next to hers, and Brock was asleep as well. Her eyes, however, landed on the empty bed where Ash had been sleeping not too long ago. It was empty and neatly made. May knew that her best friend wouldn’t be back anytime soon. She desperately wanted to wake up Brock so they could talk, but she knew it wouldn’t be fair to him. So, she got out of bed instead. 

May put on her shoes and walked out the door only to see Riley and the princess talking about something. She sheepishly approached them as their conversation started to die down. 

“I see. This is troubling news. I’ll inform the guards,” Princess Ilene said, worry adorning her features.  “Thank you, my lady,” Riley bowed. He turned to May, who looked confused. 

“What’s going on?” Riley pursed his lips, not sure he should tell her about the situation. He hesitated before speaking up, “Something is wrong with Ash.” 

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“I have a question,” Ash said quietly. 

Jordan paused what he was doing and looked at the young man before him. “What is it? Is everything okay, Ash?”

“Why did you show up just now? Why not when the King first took over my body?”Jordan sighed and turned to the boy. “I genuinely do not have an answer to that question. I can only say that I am here now, and we will defeat the King together,” he said. Ash wasn’t thoroughly convinced but accepted the answer for now. Ash focused with a certain intensity on his lessons on aura manipulation from his new teacher. Jordan was certainly a more humble and competent coach, but the intricacies of these abilities stumped Ash more often than not. He was used to Pokémon battles, not a battle for his soul. He tried to perform one more aura sphere but ended up short. Ash let out a frustrated sigh and collapsed to the floor. 

“I know you haven’t had much training with your abilities, but we’re running out of time,” Jordan warned. 

“You don't think I know that?! Some ancient, evil king possessed my body and is doing who knows what out there! I'm trying, but having you breathe down my neck about some ability that, up until a week ago, I didn't know I even had is not helping! ” Ash snapped at him. His frustration reached a new height. He was…tired of dealing with this situation. Some madman has control of his body, and he is powerless to stop it. 

“I understand your frustration, Ash. But I have a mission, too: to stop my father at all costs.”

This caught Ash off guard. “Did you say, ‘father’?”

Jordan nodded. “I did. The King of Pokélantis is my biological father, but I was adopted by the Order of the Aura Guardians. I was raised by a man named Jaden, who took me in after my father tried to have me killed as an infant.” 

Ash couldn’t process this information. It was so foreign to him, and yet, he believed Jordan. The man before him had a sincere face. “Are you ready to get back to training?” Jordan asked. Ash nodded. “I am.”

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

May, Max, and Brock stared at Riley in disbelief. “Riley, are you sure? I’ve known Ash for a while, and this doesn’t sound like him at all.” 

Riley’s face looked grim; the older boy was serious. “I sensed his aura, Brock; I’m certain that something about him is off. He might be in danger.”

May felt a tightness in her chest. Ash was missing, and neither of them had a clue where he had gone. Riley was telling them that Ash was acting off, but what proof did he have? It was better to be in doubt than feeling horrible if something was wrong. 

“If there’s something wrong, then we need to find him. If it really is nothing, then we were worried over nothing,” Max added. 

“Then let’s go.” Riley said, and the group made their way out of the castle.