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Chapter Text

Ash was unwinding after coming back home for his eighteenth birthday, taking a rare break from training and catching new Pokemon.  It had been an exciting event, with a bunch of his old friends attending, but the last of the guests had just left for their hotels or Pokemon Center Trainer Lodgings, and things had gone quiet enough that you could hear a pin drop.

Or in this case, something like a mischievous chuckle coming from his room.

"Huh, what's that coming from?  Pallet Town doesn't have many ghost types around..."

He opened the door to his room, swearing he caught the sight of something golden flashing on the ceiling above his desk just as he stepped in, but if it was a ghost type it was gone before he could make out what it was.  Then he noticed something on his desk; a nine-pointed pendant with a ruby in the center, alongside a note.

"Here's a little something for the chosen birthday boy!  I heard you wanna be a Pokemon Master, so how's about a little trinket to let you be a different kind of Master, too?  Just flash this hypnotic amulet at anyone and bam, they'll listen to your every command.  Have fun with it!

-A Friend."

Ash chuckled.

"Oh, a hypnotic amulet, huh?  Yeah, right."    He had seen many mystical artifacts over the years, and most of them didn't fall into people's laps as birthday gifts.  He picked it up, and slipped it around his neck. 

Pikachu looked at him curiously.

"Ah, don't worry, if it actually is possessed or something, you can shock me out of it."

He turned to the mirror, and smiled.  "Oh, yeah, look at me.  I'm totally gonna be a suave Pokemon-harem master with this baby.  I'll have every girl I ever thought of dating just begging to serve me."  He laughed.

And then the ruby flashed, lighting up his mirror, stunning him, and Pikachu.  The red light overtook his eyes, seeming to turn them the same red color.

"I will be a  Pokemon Harem Master..."  Ash droned.  "I'll have every girl I ever thought of dating just begging to serve me..."

Ash felt an intense heat building up within him, and an itching sensation all over his skin.  Still deep in trance, he barely reacted when countless pale-gold hairs grew over his chest and back, spreading out down his arms and legs.  As it reached his hands, his fingernails vanished, little retractable claws growing from his fingertips in their place.  Just under them on each finger, little patches of skin darkened and swelled up, as did a larger patch on each palm.  When the fur had reached his feet, similar pads grew on his toes and the balls of his feet, but more drastic changes accompanied them, the bone structure of his feet shifted, making a digitigrade stance feel more natural and comfortable.

When the fur reached his head, (growing in thicker around his neck and chest,) his ears began to move up the sides of his head, folding into triangular points, the muscles around and within the ear becoming more flexible to allow for a wider range of motion.  Sounds of night-life outside become louder and clearer, and he could swivel into any sound that particularly concerned him.  Scents grew stronger and sharper as his nose turned dark and wet.  His jaws grew as well, stretching into a vulpine snout, as his teeth sharpened.

Finally, most of his clothing burnt to cinders, only his hat spared.  Behind him, grew one long, fluffy tail, then another, and another, until soon nine tails elegantly danced behind him, their rhythm almost hypnotic on their own.

The light from the amulet faded, and Ash came back to his senses, but his eyes remained the same bright red shade as the ruby.  It was the natural eye color of a Ninetales after all.

Pikachu came to a moment later, and let out a startled cry, before charging an electric attack.

"Woah, hold on Pikachu, it's just me!"  The amulet, and Ash's eyes, flashed, and Pikachu stood upright for a moment, stunned.

"It's just you..."  Pikachu repeated.

"Oh, hey, I can understand you like this!”  Ash realized.  “Yeah, it's me, Ash.  I know I suddenly look different.  I really wasn't expecting to turn into a Ninetales...  But hey, now I can really be a Pokemon Master in every sense of the word.  Including a pokegirl harem master."

Ash nodded to himself.  He felt like it was particularly important that he start on that second one, now that he thought about it.  It was late, but he could visit at least one of his female friends tonight, wherever they were staying, and show her the love they deserved, and the joys of service.

"Come on, Pikachu, let's go choose our first Harem Poke-girl!"

Ash headed toward the front door, only to hear his mother suddenly scream.  He turned to the kitchen, and saw her pointing a frying pan at him like it was a sword. Beside her, Mr. Mime was making an exaggerated shocked face.

"What kind of Pokemon-?  Out!  Get out of the house!"

"Relax, mom.  I know I look a little different, but I'm the same old Ash."

His eyes and amulet flash, and Delia and Mr. Mime lowered their guard.

"Oh, sorry dear!  My mistake.”  Delia rubbed the back of her head.  “It really feels like you evolved too fast, I barely recognized you."

"It's alright.  Well, if you don't mind, I'm gonna go start building a harem."

"A harem?  That's-"

Another flash.

"About time!  Those ladies will be so lucky to have a handsome, caring husband like you.  Just be sure not to stay out TOO late.  You still have that meeting with Oak in the morning!"

As Ash waved goodbye, content in the knowledge that any person that objected to his current state on the street could be made not to worry about it just like his mother had.  Soft laughter could be heard from a golden ring floating in the air above Ash’s house, as a little gray and pink pokemon watched the outcome of his gift.

"Oh man, this is going even better than I'd hoped!  I'd never guessed the first thing he'd do would be to hypnotize himself!"

"Ah, so you were behind this," came another voice.

Hoopa nearly tumbled out of his portal in surprise, and turned to the source of the voice.

"C-Celebi!  Celly-baby!  How's it going?  What are you doing in this neck of the woods, huh?"

"'Celly-baby?'  Really?"  Celebi shook her head.  "Never mind.  I'm here to make sure you don't do anything to screw up the space-time continuum!  And I gotta say, messing with the Chosen One like that really isn't giving me any confidence in that.  I have half a mind to report to Dialga and get a rewind right now."

"Hey hey hey!  Come on!  Show me one rule this actually violates, eh?  We've had people turn into pokemon and vice-versa in this timeline before!  And both humans and Pokemon have taken multiple mates, too!"

"...Fine, but I'm keeping my eye on you and the Chosen One."

"Fine, fine, but at least TRY and enjoy the show!"

"What show even is there? Your Nine-Tails Ash turns his female traveling companions into hybrid harem girls, the end."

"Don't make it sound so banal. Sometimes the simpler fun in life is the best. And if it gets too boring I can add in a couple new twists. Right now I'm kinda disappointed that his mom didn't get hybridized, but I guess that can wait until she's the majordomo of her son's new household."

"Oh yes, that certainly sounds reasonable," Celebi rolled her eyes.

"Don't act so high and mighty, I know you created that branch where Ashy and his friends all met in pre-school with some rewinding and altering of the clock."

Celebi blushed. "One time! And everything they did in that new existence was of their own free will."

"Speaking of which, I can't wait to see which of the ladies our fiery stud picks out first." Hoopa rubbed his hands together.

"It's going to be Misty. It's always Misty. She was the first." Celebi crossed her wings.

"I thought Serena was the first."

"First on his pokemon journey."

They looked down as Ash reached the edge of his yard.

"Hey Fuzzy, whose your new friend?”  Asked a female voice.  “Wait! I know that scent and hat anywhere! Ash? Did you ask Lily to turn you into a pokemon again? You look hot!"

In Ash's front yard, Ash's Meganium had been laying down for the night, (personal world with free wi-fi and email in a poke ball or not, she wanted to guard Ash's house personally).

"Oh, hello Meganium. No. I just sort of evolved."

"Huh? Did you answer me? You can really know what I'm saying? Cool! But how did-" The ruby and Ash's eyes flashed. "-right, you just evolved. Nothing strange about that."

Ash was about to wave her off when he stiffened.

'I will be a Pokemon Harem Master. I'll have every girl I ever thought of dating just begging to serve me.'

This wasn't just a compulsion or a voice in the back of Ash's head, it was now the fundamental foundation of his existence.

'every girl I ever thought of dating'

'ever thought of dating'

'ever thought.'

~"Bayleef has a crush on you Ash."

"W-what sort of crush?!"

Ash had the errant thought of going out to the movies with his own pokemon."~

Ash's eyes and the amulet both glowed bright red. Meganium's eyes did the same as she stiffened at attention. Her whole world melted away as there was nothing else. She was nothing else. The red light filled her, consumed her, it WAS her.

"Meganium. You are part my harem. You beg to serve me. You are my pokemon. My slave. My property. My bride. This is who you are. This is what you are," the Ninetails anthro spoke her own thoughts, her own self to her.

She stood on her hind legs, which doubled in length, her feet stretched forward. Her torso narrowed in the middle, as her forelegs narrowed and stretched forward, fingers and an opposable thumb forming on her front feet as they became hands. Her neck shortened as her spine adjusted to its now natural upwards stance. Her face morphed slightly, her eyes now centered in front and her nose more pronounced. Hair in the same pink shade as her flower grew from her scalp, going down her neck.  And naturally, two bumps budded on her chest, and grew, and grew, and GREW until she couldn't see her new feet. Her hips were already wide from her previous form.

Meganium rigidly stood at attention, forward with an emotionless expression with her glowing red eyes.

Gold bracelets with emeralds appeared on her wrists, ankles and neck. A piece of golden chain and a transparent green strip of silk appears around her waist, hiding basically nothing. Similarly, a piece of spiraled gold wrapped around each of her beasts, doing a better job of NOT hiding anything. A golden tiara appeared for her forehead with a ruby identical to the one for Master's pendant. A faint green cloth appeared around the lower half of her face.

The glow faded, but the white of Meganium's eyes stayed crimson. She wasn't just filled with Master's power, she WAS Master's power! she smiled at how completely she was his.

Megan fell on her hands and knees, her harem uniform not getting dirty in the slightest. "Master! Let me serve you! Do with me as however you please. Let me experience total fulfillment in the bliss of mindless servitude!"

"Of course," Master Ash said. "Making you this way and then rejecting you would be heartless." Ash lifted Megan face. "You are my pokemon, my property, and my bride. The first of many."

"'Of many?'" Megan pouted and the ruby glowed again. "Of course Master! I'll show how useful I am to you! I'll help you collect them and add them to our harem! It's not that different from how I've served you before, but better!"

Master gestured for her to rise. And Megan shook her body at Pikachu. "Hey Fuzzy, guess whose the favorite now?"

Pikachu frowned. "Ash doesn't have 'favorites' he loves all of us."

"Oh sure, just keep telling yourself that when I'm with Master and you're not."

Pikahu did his best to ignore the jealous thoughts stirring in his head, like when little Riolou had joined their family.

---

"Oh, this is priceless!"  Hoopa laughed.  "The first girl he becomes the master of ends up being one he was already the master of!"

"I guess."  Celebi shrugged.  "At least it's not Misty first again."

"...Again?"

"I visit a lot of branch timelines."

Chapter Text

Pulling his phone off his belt, (which he hadn't been wearing before the fire, thankfully,) Ash double checked the texts from his traveling companions about where they were staying. 

"Let's see...  Wander Inn isn't too far a walk," Ash mumbled.  "Let's go, Megan!"  He put an arm around his newly-changed pokemon and bride-to-be.  "We've got some friends to take care of."

"Yes, Master!"  Megan cheered, giving him a quick kiss.  "Anything for you."

They walked through the dark streets toward the inn.  Few people were up at this hour, and they traveled without incident, untilthe rounded a corner and bumped into a startled Officer Jenny.

"Gah!  What the-" She instinctively reached for her pokeball, when the flash came. 

"We're just normal pokemon-human hybrids," Ash said.  "Nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about..."  The officer's face shifted from looking afraid, to awkward.

"Er, yes, that's true, but there's still the public decency issues your, er... choice of clothing creates."

Another flash.  Ash only briefly felt embarrassment about his lack of clothing, before the programming he'd inadvertently given himself came up with an excuse.  "Pokemon practically never wear clothes, hybrids don't have to either."

"Hybrids don't have to wear clothes..."  Her eyes widened as the hypnosis wore off.  "Oh!  I'm so sorry sir, ma’am!  I clearly need a little more coffee.  Stay safe!"

The officer waved them on, and Ash paused shortly after passing her.  "Hmm, being a police officer is a dangerous job," he thought aloud.  "If this amulet lets me change people, maybe I could do something to make it less dangerous for her.  Something bulletproof...  Hey, Officer!"

"Yes?  The officer turned around, to receive another flash of light.

"You're turning into a Steel type hybrid, able to shrug off bullets.  It's completely fine to you that you're becoming a Pokemon hybrid, and you enjoy it."

"I'm becoming a steel type hybrid, and I enjoy it," Jenny said, smiling dully.  

Her skin quickly started to smooth over, becoming a dark red color, its metallic sheen shimmering under the street lights.  Her already slightly hourglass figure became more exaggerated as her waist became incredibly narrow, while her chest and hips filled out, accompanied by a large insect abdomen protruding from under her skirt like a tail.  Her uniform strained, before rearranging itself, becoming little more than a scarf with a badge attached, and a belt for her gun and pokeballs (her hat, like Ash's, remaining in place).  Her arms and legs became thinner as their skin was converted into more of that red metal, her feet gaining metal claws that served more for grip and balance than offence.  Her hands remained relatively intact, though gaining a metal shell with openings along the joints to allow movement, but around them, two large rounded pinchers grew, with jagged teeth, and black and yellow eye-spots on their sides, able to open and allow her hands within to grip more precisely.  Finally, her head was coated in the same metal, a little more flexible than the rest, and in place of Scizor's usual three-point crest, her hair was turned to solid metal while maintaining much of its original shape.

"Oh, right, thank you for pointing that out to me, sir.  Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise!"

"Yeah, isn't it?"  Ash said, "well, goodn-"

"Hey wait!"  Pikachu said before Ash could move on.  "She doesn't have a hypno trinket to make people realize there's nothing wrong with being a hybrid like you do!"

"Oh, right!"

Another flash.  "Also, your false eyespots can give off a little hypnotic glow, that makes people feel as comfortable around hybrids as they do around humans, and not worry about their clothes, either."

Jenny repeated the command dully.  "Oh, they can?" she asked as she woke up again.  "Thanks for pointing that out!  That should make things a little easier on all of us.  We hybrids have to stick together!"

"Way to think ahead, Ash!"  Megan said, nuzzling him.  "Now we might not have to hypnotize literally EVERY person we meet!"

"Yeah, looks like you have bright ideas every once in a while after all!"  Pikachu added.

"Hey!"

---

"Oh no," muttered Celebi.

"Oh yeah!"  Hoopa grinned.  "This is gonna go places, I can just tell!"

"That's exactly what I'm worried about!"

---

Eventually, they reached the Inn, and, after quickly hypnotizing the clerk to ignore them, made their way to room 6, knocking on the door.

"Uhg," Serena's voice groaned from the other side.  "Brock, I swear if this is another invitation to go drinking..."

"No, it's just me, Ash."

"Ash?  Are you really-? One second!" 

The door opened a few minutes later, Serena looking dressed up as if she was expecting a date.  Odd, considering how late in the evening it was.

"What can I do for yoooo-“  She stopped, and her eyes widened.  “What am I looking at?"

"Your future husband," Ash said.

Conflicting feelings immediately rose in Serena from hearing that voice say words she'd hoped to hear for years, and the body that voice was coming out of.

"Ash, why are you a Pokemon?  Why is there a weird meganium-girl behind you?  Why are both of you barely wearing anything?  Did Delia's cooking give me this dream again?"

"Again?"  Pikachu sputtered.

Ash and Megan side-eyed each other, unsure how to take that, before going back to their original plan.

Vines extended from the back of Megan's neck and grabbed Serena's wrists, and another flash was let loose.  Within moments, that lovely, commanding red light took hold in Serena's mind, all other thoughts melting away into the background, allowing her Master's voice to speak her new thoughts, her new truth to her.

"Serena, I choose you.  You are part my harem. You beg to serve me. You are my pokemon. My slave. My property. My bride. This is who you are. This is what you are."

"I am your bride, your pokemon, your slave, your property!"  Serena repeated, sounding almost giddy, even in trance.  "This is who and what I am.  All I have wanted."

Underneath her clothing, dark brown fur began to grow all over Serena's torso, spreading halfway down her thighs and upper arms before shifting to a sandy color.  Hands and feet alike grew dark paw pads, and claws, while her feet arched into a digitigrade stance. A thin tail grew out behind her, ending in a tuft of light-brown fur, while her jaws stretched and swelled, becoming a thick feline snout.  Her ears grew larger and rounder, moving up the sides of her head, while her hair turned bright red, growing into a ponytail that went down to her legs. A golden tiara with a red ruby, and pink a veil appeared on her head.  Her clothing changed to golden bracelets and pink silk, the latter of which draped around her hips without hiding anything.  Her chest grew slightly, and as with Megan, a golden spiral wrapped around each breast, connecting in the back, more for support than modesty.

She blinked as she came to, her eyes remaining red, delighted to be filled with her Master's power.  Megan let go of her.

"Master!  Thank you so much for my beautiful new form, and for showing me the joy of service!"  She dropped down and bowed at his feet.  "Please Master Ash!  My only dream is to serve your every whim.  Command me, and give my life meaning!  It is my only purpose!"

"Of course, Serena," Ash said, motioning for her to get up, then lifting up her chin gently and kissing her.  "All of my harem deserve to be happy, and I don't plan to leave a good girl like you with nothing to do."

"...And I helped," Megan added, smiling.

"Yes you did, Megan," Ash said, taking her in one arm, and Serena in another.  "You're a good girl, too."

"What do you mean 'too?'"

"Exactly what I said," Master Ash said. "You're both lovely slaves."

"Thank you Master," the two harem pokemon bowed. It wasn't right to call them 'mind controlled', Ash's control WAS their minds now.

The Meganium and Pyroar hybrids leaned closer to Ash, pressing their beasts against his body. Megan stole a kiss on the check, since Master had given one to Serena.

Ash joked, "I might be out of arms, but I've still got nine tails to go around."

"Do you really need more than us Master?" Serena asked.

"I must become a pokemon harem Master, and that means turning every girl I've ever thought of dating into part of my harem."

"That's you Ash," Serena sighed warmly. "Once you have a dream, you won't give it up for anything. I'm so happy I can finally be PART of that dream."

Ash petted her with one of his tails. "There there, I'm happy to hear that. Speaking of which, where are your pokemon Serena?"

"Oh! They're sleeping it off at Prof. Oak's lab tonight. They had as wild a party as us. Except Delphox, she was sleeping in my room, but I didn't want to wake her."

"Hmmm. She's part Psychic, right? I'm not sure I'm ready to start hypnotizing psychic type pokemon yet, since they're resistant to their own type."

"I guess bug, steel, and dark types would be trouble for you too," Pikachu said. "But at least we know with Officer Jenny that resistant isn't immune…  But that might be because you hypnotized her before you made her a hybrid."

“Officer Jenny?" Serena asked.

"Oh yeah, I made her a bullet proof steel type to help her do her job better and making it so she could help others see being a hybrid is no big deal."

"Count on you to think of others," Serena said. "I'm worried about Delphox waking up in the morning and finding me gone. I could leave a note. Could you turn poke balls into 'hypo-ball'?"

"Uh, I don't think poke balls can be hypnotized."

"Oh right," Serena said. "I guess we can work it out in the morning." Serena let go of her owner, and went back into her apartment, and surreptitiously picked up Delphox's poke ball. "Return." She whispered and in went her partner pokemon. She placed it along her wait, dangling on her hips like the transparent pink silk.

Serena hopped back to her master, her hips and breasts bouncing. "So where to next Master?"

Ash put a tail to his chin. "Hmm."

"Hey Ash, remember what yer mom said," Pikachu said. "Don't stay out too late."

"We can just hypnotize her to not mind Master," Megan said.

"Well, yeah," Ash said, not worried about hypnotizing his own mother to go along with that. "But she's right I do have that appointment with professor Oak in the morning. And it's already super late."

"But won't everyone start leaving tomorrow? It'll be lots of trouble to track them all down," Megan said.

"I'm sure everyone is gonna stay at least tomorrow to work off the party lag," Pikachu said.

"Good point," Ash said. "Alright, I guess it's home for now."

"Oooooh, I can't wait!" Megan grinned.

"Neither can I!" Serena added.

"Always wondered when this day would come," Pikachu sighed. He shook his head. "But PLEASE try to get some sleep tonight, Ash has been late to enough meeting with Prof. Oak."

"That wasn't so bad," Ash said. "It's how I met you buddy. And why you girls so eager to head back?"

"Oh you can guess Master," Serena reached down.

"We're a harem, it's what we're made for," Megan said reaching down as well.

"We're MADE to serve you Master."

"It's everything we wish for!"

Once upon a time, Ash would've been confused and even a little scared at what they meant. But he was on his way to be a pokemon harem master now.

"I... I know. But mom's right about it being late. And it's already been a long day. I promise we can tomorrow."

"Oh alright Master," Megan said. "But first come, first serve?"

"Hey!" Serena said. "That's Master to decide."

"Well, since you asked Megan, since, you and Serena can have first go."

Pikachu could just imagine it now, flames and pollen spurting everywhere, the hybrids calling out Ash's name, Ash's mind blasted of everything but his slaves in his moments of passion. Pikachu shook his head, feeling like a third wheel.

The hybrids and pikachu headed home, to find Deliah waiting for them.

"Hello Ash, Serena, oh and Meganium?"

"Mom, you stayed up waiting for me?"

"I wanted to make sure you made it home safe," Deliah nodded.

"Mom, I'm not ten anymore, I can look after myself."

Ash's slaves nodded.

"Yes I know, but for me you'll always be my baby," Deliah said sadly.

Ash thought of how many times he'd been in danger, and his mom hadn't been able to do a thing to help. In fact, she'd been put in MORE danger because of the happenstance he kept finding himself in, like with Shamouti Island, and when Molly gained the power of a goddess with the Unown. Though Ash felt the latter was less wrong now for brainwashing his mother and more for Molly taking what wasn't hers.

Ash's mom always wanted to help and protect him, even if her now was well above her. After all the love he'd given, all she'd sacrificed for him even when his father had left them.

Ash's pedant and eyes glowed red.

Deliah remembered his feeling when she'd been made Mama by Crystal Entei, made a doll to play a role in Molly's ideal fantasy.

But any thought of shock, fear, or betrayal were quietly snuffed out like they'd never been. There was only the only the red light and her son's eyes, her mind being cleared of anything else. Only a peaceful perfect harmonious void of light remained, waiting to be shaped and defined.

Deliah's expression became slack and she stood at attention like a mannequin.

"Deliah. You are mine. Like you've always been. My guardian and protector. And the guardian and protector of my harem. Their caretaker. You don't need to feel fear, sorrow, or regret. You are happy, joyful, determined. You are powerful. You are beautiful. You are loving. Let nothing else bind you. Let nothing else weight you down."

Deliah spoke in a monotone not unlike the one when she was under the spell of the Unown.
"I am yours Master. Like I've always been. A guardian and protector for you and harem.  I am their caretaker.  No worries or fear weight me down. I am loving. I am beautiful. I am powerful. Powerful enough to protect you and your slaves. I do not need to tell you to change your underwear."

'Of course mom even when hypnotized would say THAT,' Ash thought.

Deliah's clothes dissolved as her body changed. Her legs became covered in black scales as they became thinner, her feet flattered out and became a webbed inverted triangle shape.
Her body was covered in beautiful white down, like a pair of blue large feathers covered her breasts. her arms grew and spread, her fingers becoming wing tip with articulate feathers letting her grasp things just as easy. Her neck lengthened as her hair became reddish brown feathers. Feathers like ear muff formed on the side of her head, as her face stretched into a yellow beak with a black base. Her eyes gaining a natural feathers-eye shadow.

Delia's body had already been beautiful, she didn't win beauty contest for nothing.  Aside from making her a hybrid, the magic had gone more into doing away with the aches and pains of old age that had been slowly creeping up on her.

A gold chain hung around her waist, with a transparent aurora piece of silk on two sides that hide nothing. Gold shackled appeared around her feet with rainbow colored jewels. Several similar collars appeared around her neck. A necklace with every colored jewel appeared around her shoulder but left her torso exposed. Gems impeded themselves painlessly into her wingtips.

A blue sapphire jewel rather than a red ruby fused itself into her forehead.

Her eyes' whites remained red as she became everything her son made her.

"Master, I am ready to protect your harem and your children, my grandchildren forever more," Deliah bowed, giving a good view of her feather cleavage.

"You look beautiful mother," Serena said.

"Thank you dear, I am as my son has made us," Deliah said.

"Seriously? A Swanna?" Megan balked. "I have higher base stats than that!"

Deliah smirked. "I am both caretaker and protector, this the caretaker."

The sapphire fused to Deliah's head glowed.

She grew taller, and taller until she could effortlessly touch the ceiling.

Her black webbed feet became white and stretched feather. Her two blue tail feathers (unseen by Ash and the others due to facing forwards to them) spilled out as she grew a reptilian tail, become sharp and sticking outward like tail fins. Similar spines grew out from her back, which she could raise or fold against her body as she pleased. Her wings grew bigger and mightier. THe two blue feathers on her bosom spread, covering the entire front of her body in blue down. Her natural eye-liner morphed into a blue mask pointing backwards, her head gained a pointed rest behind her, and her beak morphed into something more reptilian, with peusdo-fangs.

Her hips and bosom expanded massively, along with her muscle mass. Her jewelry and 'clothes' increased in size to fit her.

She looked down at her Master and his other slaves.

And THIS is the protector,  She said telepathically.

Her entire form radiated power, while a tsunami waiting to be unleashed on any poor fool who dared challenge her.

Serena and Megan fell to their knees at the sight of her, just from the display of her power.

~ Is this satisfying to you my son? ~ She asked mentally both like the boom of a tidal wave, and the soft caress of the tides.

"Y-yes, yes it is." Ash stammered. Megan quivered.

Deliah shrank down back to a Swanna in an eyeblink and hugged him. "Happy to hear Master! I'm looking forward to all the grandchildren you'll give me! Don't worry, I'll make sure they're all looked after and grow up to hybrids you can be proud of!"

"We'll get on it as soon as he's able Madam," Serena bowed.

Ash felt dizzy. Not just from the mention of the idea him becoming a father. But ... creating his harem's guardian... he felt utterly drained. He could barely keep his eyes opened. He... really needed... a nap.

Delia caught him in her wings before he hit the ground.

"Master!" The three echoed.

"It's alright, my baby just fainted... I supposed helping me would be rather taxing... you two take him up bed. Pikachu, make sure they let him rest."

"Gotcha."

Delia didn't even react to suddenly understanding Pikachu, just accepting it. It had been a long night. And she needed her rest too... maybe her son could make a guardian for the harem for the day time too? Well, he was the master, so that was his call.

---

"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" Celebi exclaimed.

"Yeah, I never imagined number three would be a legendary, let alone one who could swap back and forth between that as a 'normal' mon."

"Ash turned his mother into an obedient LEGENDARY!  A god!"

"Don't your leaves in a twist Celly! There have been multiple Lugia since forever! Her existence doesn't disrupt the cosmic order."

"You're... you're right... that makes sense,” Celebi said, bitterly.  “But have you ever watched anime?”

“I'm surprised you do."

"When you have time literally at your wing tips, you can do a lot of things. You know those shows where the hero is all powerful by the second episode? How do you intend to give Ash any 'curve balls' later when him just making harem girls get boring for you if he now has a Lugia as a bodyguard?"

"Oh I'll think of something. But that isn't here or now. I'm still enjoying this. Speaking of which, hey cousin, can you skip us ahead to the morning? As beautiful as I'm sure Ash laying with the loves of his life sleeping peacefully is, we should keep this train moving."

"Fine. Hold on. You're just lucky we're higher up on the cosmic order or Delia would have already sensed our presence." Celebi took hold of Hoopa and the skipped ‘til morning, the spearow crowing.

Chapter Text

Ash lay in his bed with his two harem slaves sleeping peacefully against his head. The two harem girls slowly woke from dreams of their future love making with their master.

Pikachu had uneasy fits, dreaming Ash was on a party boat with all his friends... while Pikachu was desperately paddling on a rowboat as Ash got further and further away.

Ash slept soundly, dreaming of having an epic rematch with Gary... Though for some reason was an anthro Thievul and the two were fighting with overly-sexualized anthro pokemon.

The alarm sounded, but something was in Ash's way for throwing it against the wall.

"Good morning Master," Serena whispered.

"Time to rise," Megan whispered in his other ear.

Ash startled awake, saw the two perfect angels looking down at him, and remembered last night, and his reason for being.

"Good morning girls," Ash said.

Pikachu shook his head free of cobwebs. "You better get going before your mom blows the roof off the house to get your tails in gear."

"Huh? Oh right right!" Ash untangled himself from the girls and got up, putting on his hat and belt.

After a quick breakfast, Ash, Pikachu, Serena, and Megan arrived at Professor Oak's lab, with only a couple stops along the way to convince people there was nothing out of the ordinary going on.  Outside, they saw Gary checking in on a few of the Pokemon Oak had been studying recently, and to his surprise, Iris.

"Come on!  Just one quick spar!"  Iris said, Following Gary around.  "I heard you're supposed to be one of the best trainers around!  That you're champion material!"

"You're probably thinking of that other guy, he became the champion for about a minute, before Red shoved him out, I never did," Gary said.  "He looks a lot like me, we're always getting confused with each other."

"Ash told me that he SAW you catch a legendary Dragon type!  You've gotta let me see that, at least!"

Gary sighed, as he tried to focus on the Falinks he was studying.  "I really don't."

Ash remembered his dream from the night before, and considered changing Gary to match it, but he couldn't think of any reason to at the moment.  Not the way he could with Iris.

"Hi guys," Ash said, walking up to them.

Gary blinked a few times as he turned around.  "Never seen Pokemon like this before," Gary mumbled.  "Oh, did one of Ash's Pokemon steal his hat again?"

"No, I just evolved," Ash said, smiling as he watched their faces twist in confusion.

Before they could do anything else, his ruby and eyes flashed again, leaving them stunned.

"Gary, you don't think Pokemon-human hybrids are anything to freak out over.  And Iris, I choose you! You are part of my Harem.  You beg to serve me.  You are my Pokemon, my property, my slave, my bride.  This is who you are, this is what you are."

"I am your Pokemon, your property, your bride, your slave...  this is what I am..."

Green scales began to grow from the top of Iris's head, trailing down the back of it, while red scales covered the rest of her face.  Her jaws and nose shifted and pressed forward into a short snout, teeth sharpening as they did.  Her ears shrank back, becoming little more than holes in the sides of her head.  Her neck grew longer, and under her shirt, beige feathers began to poke through almost every inch of her torso, making her clothes feel itchy..  This, combined with her swelling chest and hips, and he fading inhibitions, left her feeling a desire to strip, but she kept her red eyes locked on her master and his amulet.  A tail forced its way through the back of her pants, covered in beige feathers halfway down, before switching back to red scales, tipped with a plume of blue feathers.  Her arms became broader turning to wings, as the feathers spread down them, beige with blue tips.  Claws grew from her fingertips in place of nails as red scales covered her hands, her feet changing the same way as feathers covered her legs, with a ring of green feathers around her ankles.

Her clothing shrank down to a set of gold bracelets and anklets, plus a set of caps on her more prominent, less retractable claws, a piece of translucent purple silk, a gold bra shaped like a pair of claws, and a tiara with a red jewel in the center. 

The Archeops woman dropped to the ground as the trance ended, bowing down.  "Come on, Ash!  Let me be part of your team and your harem!   I've mastered all sorts of moves for battle, and for bed!  I promise you won't regret it!  Anything you tell me to do, I'll do, no questions asked!"

"Good!  Welcome to my harem, Iris!"  Ash motioned for her to get up, put his arms around her, and kissed her, the other girls joining in on the hug.

"Wow," Gary said.  "You've turned into a real ladies man since I last saw you.  I couldn't even get my most devoted cheerleader eating out of my hand like that back in the day, much less happily going hybrid just like that."

"Oh, I'll eat out of more than the hand if he asks," Iris said.

"You sure you're using that innuendo right?"  Serena whispered.

"ANYWAY," Gary said.  "You happened to actually be on time, too!  There's something new.  Lillie and Tracy are apparently still adjusting to the time zone, so they're gonna get here a little late.  Gramps is waiting for you inside."

"Right," Ash said.  "We can play a little more once I've finished sharing my notes with the professor, okay Iris?"

"Anything you say, Master!"

Ash stepped into the lab, where several professors and assistants were milling about, watching lab equipment or pouring over books.  Oak himself was speaking to a dark-skinned woman, before both turned their heads toward the door.

"Oh my!"  Oak gasped.  "What kinds of Pokemon are these?”  He cocked an eyebrow.  “And why is one wearing Ash's hat?"

"Why are the others dressed like an affront to the actual clothing of the 1st century Sargia region's concubines?"  The woman asked.

A big flash was let off, catching all the researchers present in it.  Ash rushed through his commands.

"Uh, Pokemon hybrids are rare, but normal, and nothing to worry about.  People just sometimes evolve into them.  I'm still Ash Ketchum, this is my harem, and none of you care about how hybrids dress."

The researchers droned a repetition of that, then most went back to their work.

"Oh, right, of course!"  Oak said.  "How forgetful of me.  Still!"  He ran up to Ash and the girls, looking them over.  "It's a very rare phenomenon!  Less common then pokerus, or Poke-pigmentation disorder!"

Ash raised an eyebrow?"  Poke-Pig-what?"

"Shinies," mumbled a passing assistant.

"To have such a rare condition manifest in one of my long-running assistants demands study!"

"Later," Ash said, his eyes and jewel flashing red again.

"...Later, of course, where are my manners?  Raifort, this is Ash, one of my assistants on my pokedex project!  Ash, this is Raifort.  She's a professor of history and historical artifacts."

"Our research started overlapping when one of my students discovered the legendary "Treasures of Ruin" were indeed real, and had turned into Pokemon from priceless historical artifacts,” Raifort explained.  “We've been trying to understand the cause."

"Nice to meet you," Ash said, shaking her hand.

She looked at the amulet around his neck.  "Now that is an interesting piece.  Where did you get it?"

"Oh, this?"  Ash said, "it was a birthday present.  I don't know where they bought it from.  Why?"

"It just looks kind of familiar, that's all."  She shook her head.  "I'm sure I'll figure it out later."

"Now then, Ash, I suppose you have that report ready? And the new species you've caught recently?"

From a portal placed behind a vent grate, Hoopa watched the scene unfold. 

"Huh, that Raifort recognizes it?  I wonder if she'll be a problem..."

"I'm more worried about all the Treasures of Ruin being in one place again," Celebi said.  "But your antics are likely to cause more trouble than they would."

"Yeah yeah, you don't know how to have fun, we got it.  Could you do another skip?  I don't want to watch Ash turn in his homework for an hour."

"Alright."

---

"Your presentation went great, Master!"  Iris said, hugging Ash.

"Thanks, Iris," Ash nodded, before looking back to Professor Oak, who was pouring over the notes he’d turned in. 

Ash turned to Serena, and whispered, "you know, before we go, Oak is really getting on in years... maybe we could give him a little something to research on his own about hybrids.  So he doesn't have to interrupt our Harem-building for a bit."

"Oh, that sounds fun!"  Serena said.

The others nodded.  Smiling Ash turned around.  "Hey, professor?"

"Yes Ash?"

The amulet flashed.

"You are becoming an incredibly smart Pokemon-human hybrid, one that won't be as bothered by old age as most.  It'll feel good, and natural when it happens, and you'll have your own way of hypnotically convincing people not to worry about you, or any other hybrid they see being something unusual, or anything to be afraid of more than any other person or Pokemon."

Oak nodded along, repeating the command.  He stood up, his shoulders becoming broader as brown fur started to cover them and his upper chest beneath his shirt.  It spread down in a thinner, yellow layer over much of his arms and legs, going back to the thicker brown fur around his elbows and knees exclusively.  Claws grew from his fingers and toes, while his ears grew long and pointed.  His mouth came to a narrow, pointed snout, while a long yellow moustache grew out from either side of it.  All clothing save for his lab coat vanished, and a spoon appeared in each of his hands, each giving off a subtle aura causing those that saw them to dismiss hybrids as normal.

"Oh my," Oak said, looking over himself.  "Your predictive abilities even rival a psychic type's!  Fascinating!  We'll have to study this in more detail!  Gary!"

As Oak went to study his own change, Ash and the girls excused themselves.

---

"This is big!"  Hoopa grinned.  "We've got an internationally respected professor turned into a hybrid!  He's gonna spread acceptance of hybrids EVERYWHERE!"

Celebi sighed.

"Did you really have to drag Sammy into this?" Celebi asked.

"Hey, the only one I 'dragged' into this is Ashy-boy. That he hypnotized himself first was serendipity."

"Happy to know you're expanding your vocabulary."

Hoopa leaned an arm on Celebi. "And look at it this way, you get to have more time with Sammy in the mortal world this way."

"I hate it when you make sense."

"Well let's hurry along, I don't wanna miss a second of whatever comes next! And away from that Professor Raifort."

"Oh, poor Hoopa worried one little mortal is gonna ruin his fun?"

"Pst! It's just gonna make things more interesting," Hoopa defended.

---

Megan pushed closer to Ash. "So whose next Master? We've got nearly all your potential brides in one spot! You'll catch'em all in no time!"

"I'm worried about Delphox," Serena said. "We still need to condition her to accept me as your property Master."

"Oh that's easy, just show her Professor Oak, and the rest should fall into place," Iris said.

"I guess it’ll make for a good test of that hypnotic aura thing works," Pikachu said, desperate just to have something to add to the discussion.

"Well, no point in putting off a challenge," Ash said. "We'll need to get all the pokemon on the same page sooner or later."

"Show time Delphox!" Serena released her in the presence of professor Oak, the most powerful psychic hybrid left Delphox feeling confused as Serena took her hands.

"It's okay Delphox, it's me, Serena. Ash caught me. So now I'm his. That's how it works with hybrids after all."

Delphox head swam. "Y-yes, that's how it works with hybrids," She said, sounding unsure.

"Delphox return."

"Hope this isn't a sign of trouble for later," Pikachu said.

"Oh if it’s not, we'll figure out something," Megan said. "Master will fill out the harem in no time! Prof. Oak will love it!"

"That is a good point," Ash thought. He opened up his pokedex. "Hey Rotom!"

"Hey Ash! How ya doin'? I was gonna email myself back to the Alola Islands in a bit and... are you using some kinda image filter? I always figured ya'd go for a Pikachu or a Lucario. Or did that witch Lily drop by for a visit?"

Ash's eyes and his pendant glowed.

"Rotom, I need a new pokedex for all the hybrids I'm gonna be making, to help with Professor Oak's research on them."

"And keep them all straight," Pikachu whispered.

"And I know you're perfect for that, and are going to be my HaremDex."

The whites of Rotom's eyes became red. Pretty eyelashes appeared on his face. The orange ball that made up his lower body expanded, taking on a pear shape, with bust the size of melons. Her electric aura similarly took on an exaggerated feminine figure.  Blue hair grew from her ghostly scalp and went down her neck.

Heart shaped discs of gold with no visible support appeared on her breasts and where her crotch would be. A transparent blue cloth made of electricity appeared on her lower face. A gold collar with sapphires appeared along with a red ruby like Ash's pendant appeared on her forehead.

"I am your HaremDex Master! I am ready and eager to serve!  Here is a list of hybrids you've captured so far!"

1 Ash- Ninetails
2 Megan - Meganium
3 Officer Jenny - Scizor
4 Serena - Pyroar
5 Deliah - Swanna/ Lugia
6 Iris - Archeops
7 Prof. Oak - Alakazam
8 HaremDex - Rotom

"I captured myself? Oh that's probably nothing." Ash brushed it off. "Thanks Roty!"

"Anything for you Master!" Roty bowed on screen and gave a kiss with a heart emoji floating off.

"Hey, you guys hear a camera clicking?" Pikachu asked.

Ash closed the HarmDex and hurried to the source of the clicking, which was right outside taking advantage of the natural lightning.

They found Todd Snapp and May Maple both taking photos of Bianca of Alto Mare and... Bianca of Alto Mare.

---

"Oh no," Celebi whispered.

"Oh YES!" Hoopa cackled.

---

"Oh yeah! This is epic!" Todd said. "Remember girls act natural. PLEASE just act natural."

Todd always preferred to take pictures when pokemon didn't even know he was there, wanting to capture their natural behavior on film, not some facade.  The habit sometimes stuck even when taking photos of humans.

"Oh yeah, that's it, you're beautiful. You're gorgeous. Now you're too good for the camera, yeah, that's it. Show me that aloof guardian dragon," May said.

Both Biancas stuck their nose up pretentiously, holding back grins.

Todd just rolled his eyes.

"Hey guys! Great to see you all together!" Ash called.

"Pikapi!"

"Huh? WOW! I never thought I'd see pokemon like these outside of some underground magazines!" Todd immediately began to take pictures of Ash and the haram.

"Where did all of you come from?”  May gasped.  “Wait a minute! that hat! Ash?!"

"Yep. It's me." The ruby and Ash's eyes flashed. "Me and the others just evolved, that's normal for hybrids and you find anything wrong with the idea. And the rest are my harem which is fine."

The others all mumbled back the words. Well. Three of them. One “Bianca” sparkled and the illusion fell to reveal Latias.

“Oh Ash you look wonderful!" Latias flew close and hugged Ash. She flew around him. "I never imagined you as a Ninetails. I always petitioned for Arceus for humans and pokemon to become one! Oh! Where did you get THAT pendant?" Latias eyed it at once.

---

In a portal above, Hoopa was sweating bullets.

“Don’t recognize it and kill the fun early, don’t recognize it and kill the fun early,” he mumbled.

---

"It's, it's a birthday gift, I don't know who or where."

"It's a miracle! I'm so happy for you Ash!"  Latias hugged him again. "Bianca! Just think! We can be sisters for real! We can fly together."

Bianca said, "Well... there's nothing wrong with the idea. And it's not like anyone will look at us strange." Bianca grinned. "And it would mean we could be 'twins' to the next level."

It wasn't known to many, but Bianca had in fact been born the same day Latias had hatched. Even if they weren't twins by blood.

"But it's not like we have any control over who evolves and who doesn't," Bianca said.

Latias giggled. "Oh we don't do we?" Latias winked at Ash.

"Imagine all the performances you could do WITH your pokemon like this," May said, examining each of the girls, not even thinking how each of them was dressed like from a trashy fantasy movie. "Sure there's nothing strange about evolving into a hybrid, but just imagine all the combinations."

"The only performing I plan to do is for Master Ash," Megan said swaying her hips.

"I don't need to perform anymore unless it pleases Master, I'd even Rydon race for him," Serena said without flinching.

Even Ash was impressed at her loyalty.

"I've never done pokemon shows before, but if Master wills it then that's all there is to it," Iris nodded.

As Todd took pictures, he was again stuck with his models looking as impressive and UN-natural as possible. Todd sighed. He knew people ALWAYS took it the wrong way, but he legit wished he could be unseen sometime.

Ash knew Todd well enough to guess what was on Todd's was thinking… And how to fix it.

Ash's pendant glowed, Latias looked on eagerly.

"Todd, you'll become a hybrid who is a master of stealth.  Ordinary pokemon and hybrids won't know is there unless you want them to. You feel no modesty or shame. Your photos will be legendary."

Todd's eyes glowed red as he mumbled back Ash's words as they became his reality.

Green scales covered Todd's body as his clothes vanished except his camera belt that became natural pockets in his body. He became shorter, but his muscles grew subtly toned.

His hands and feet became yellow claws, while his hips, elbows, etc, all became multijointed.

A spiral reptilian tail curled up behind him. His face stretched and smoothed out. Vestige wings grew from his back as spiked crests formed on the top of his head. A yellow mask like pattern formed on his face, and a red jagged line along his belly.

Todd blinked and looked himself over. "Wow Ash! You got Future Sight or something?" Todd bowed. "I can take perfect pictures of your harem with them being distracted by me if you want."

"That'd be fine Todd," Ash said.

"Hey girls, do you think if we call it here?" He asked the 'twins.'

"Oh I'm sure it'll be fine," Latias said.

And Todd vanished into thin air... except his camera. "Oops."

May giggled.

"Er... I'm sure you'll figure it out," Ash said.

"So Ash, mind if I take a few photos too?" May offered.

"Not at all May, but there's something important I wanna tell you first."

"Oh Ash!" Latias said. "Don't you have something important to tell me and Bianca too?"

"Does he?" Bianca asked, confused.

"Trust me sis'. This is gonna be great!"

"Hey! You can't just tell Master in what to-”

"Iris it's fine."

"Yes Master." Iris bowed.

"So Ash, wanna let us join in the fun?" Latias asked expecting with a smile.

Ash thought of Latias and Bianca's telepathic link. He'd never felt much for Bianca. But Latias has always been a close friend. But neither girl had ever told him which had kissed him that day in Alto Mare.

'If Latias and Bianca love being twins so much, might as well go all in,' Ash thought.

"Latias, Bianca, I choose you! You beg to serve me.  You are my Pokemon, my property, my slave, my bride.  This is who you are, this is what you are.  You are twins. You have a telepathic link with each other. You look alike. Act alike. Think alike. Feel alike. Are alike."

With Latias' defenses down, the red light filled her, absorbed her, was her. It wasn't a matter of agreeing with what Ash said. What Master Ash said was who she was. What she thought before, who she was before, didn't matter.

Latias and Bianca echoed as the two stared ahead.

"We are your harem wives, slaves, property, and your pokemon. We live to serve you. This is who we are and what we are. We are twins. We act the same. Think the same. Look the same. Are the same."

The two echoed perfectly, now hearing each other's thoughts that quietly became identical.

Latias' neck shortened, her two lower wings stretched out, gaining joints, feet, and claws. Her arms likewise smoothed out, gaining opposable claws on her hands.  Red hair grew from her scalp, identical to Bianca. Her egg shape body twist to be vertical rather than horizontal. Her waist narrowed and hips widened, and two mounds grew on her chest until her blue triangle symbol was barely visible in her new cleavage.

Meanwhile, Bianca's body was covered in red and white down and a blue triangle over her chest. Her clothes vanished save for her white beret (a way to tell them apart completely for convenience sake). Her feet became digigrated, resembling clawed wings more than feet.
Her hands became a similar set of claws except for an opposable thumb.

A pair of jet like wings grew from her back and her neck stretched out. She blinked once, and her eyes were now yellow (with the red white show she was Master's creation). A pair of horns grew from the back of her head and her hair turned bright red. Her face pushed into a smooth beak with a red 'mask' pattern over he face and forehead. Her ears became small holes in the sides of her head. Her hips expanded, her waist narrowed, and her chest forward, her levitation keeping them from flopping around.

The truth didn't hit her, the truth WAS her. She and Latias were twins. Identical and connected like two sides of the same mirror. And they couldn't be happier about it. Bianca knew Latias was overjoyed because she was overjoyed!

She'd always wanted to be with Ash, and now so did Bianca. They were a pair of halves of the same whole. A whole that belonged to Master.

A gold manacle appeared on Latias' right ankle and left wrist, adorned in jewel replicas of the soul dew.   The same appeared on Bianca's left ankle and right wrist, the gem pattern reversed.  A golden cup outlined like Latias' dragon curled up appeared on Bianca's left breast and Latias' right breast. A soul dew earring fixed in gold appeared near Latias's left ear, and Bianca's right. Across both their faces appear purple cloth.  Gold chains appeared along their bare wrists and ankles, blue silk reaching up and connecting to a small Latios shape piece of jewelry across their waists, and a blue cloth across their bare breast, giving it a purple hue.  Finally, the red ruby appeared in their foreheads.

The two fell to her knees. "Master. Let us serve you. Let us love you."

"I'd be more than happy for you to." Ash barely said the words before the twins pounced, almost smothering him.

"THANK YOU MASTER!" The twins echoed. "You'll never regret it! The guardians of Alto Mare are yours to do with as you please!"

---

"I'm going to kill you one day Hoopa,” Celebi said, her voice eerily calm.  “Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but one day, and you WILL feel it when you rehatch from Palkia's essence."
Hoopa gave a feeble, nervous grin.

"H-Hey Celly-baby. D-Don't be like that. Dying hurts! And we've got back up Latias and Latios to fill the void if she wants to retire!"

"How very fortunate for you," Celebi said her voice remaining level.

Hoopa breathed a sign of relief.

---

May meanwhile, felt the embers of jealous burning in her seeing the twins draped over Ash with the rest of his harem looking on.

And she thought of the wish she never got to make on the week Jirachi had been awake due to never properly finishing the ritual.

Ash took one look at May and gently but firmly dislodged the twins from him.

He put his hands on her shoulders, and May didn't resist as he wrapped his tails around her.

May's heart pounded like a jackhammer. She looked up into Ash's eyes.

"Ash... what are you-" May whispered, daring to hope.

The pendant and Ash's eyes glowed red along with May's.

"May... I choose you. Be part of my harem. Be my wife. My slave. My property. My pokemon. You will beg to serve me. It's who you are. It's what you are."

"Ash... you chose me to be part of your harem. To be your wife, slave, property, your pokemon. I beg to serve you. It's who I am. It's what I am. I love you."

May kissed Ash before the transformation even began.

May wouldn't have resisted the red light even if she could have, she became who she wanted to be, she became what she wanted to be, she became who she'd always been meant to be. This was what she'd been born on Arceus' Earth to become!

Her family, her pokemon, her friends, her dreams, her fears, all were forgotten, this was the moment.

May's clothes vanished, her body was covered in pale violet fur, purple fur covered her feet and face. An amber diamond shaped jewel appeared in her chest and forehead. Her mouth filled with fangs. Her arms and legs grew longer. Her feet became three-toed, sporting long ivory claws. A short, black and red tail grew from her tail bone.

Black fur covered her heads, her fingers stretched out into black and red claws as long and sharp as knives. Her ears became pointed and moved to the corner of her head and pointed backwards. Her left ear grew a long stretch of black and red fur.

Tufts of fur grew on her shoulder, and elbows and side of her face. Her pupils became slits, while the whites of her eyes turned red. She stretched taller, becoming nearly as tall as Ash, as her body became smooth and toned, her beasts expanded outward, jiggling forward as her waist narrowed.

A tiara like a pointed crown formed on her forehead. Followed by a collar with red jewels around her neck.  Gems imbedded themselves in her claws like rings.  Her breasts were capped by a pair of jewels with piercings, a similar one appearing on her belly button. Red silk wrapped around her long arms and legs, connecting gold chains around her waist and shoulder that also held up her breasts.

Unable to bow while wrapped up in Ash's tails, May simply lowered her head. "Master, I beg you, let me serve you, be your wife, your pokemon, slave, property, I'll be all of them."

"Of course, May," Ash said as he kissed her back, hiding them both from view with his massive tails.

"... Pikapi," Pikachu whispered in awe, his tail standing straight up.

"Well Misty's gonna be jealous," Iris said.

"I'M jealous!" Megan said.

"We're all in a harem, sharing is kinda the whole point," Serena said.

"We can keep you tied over till then," the twins whispered in Megan's ears, making her blush.

Two more voices came down the path to Oak’s lab.

“…And thanks to that, Lapras have finally been taken off the endangered species list,” said a woman’s voice.

“Awesome,” replied a male voice.  “I’ve gotta visit the Aether Paradise some time, and make some drawings of the- What are those?”

Ash’s tails parted, and May pulled away from him just enough to let him see Tracey Sketchit and Lillie Aether staring at them in confusion.

“Oh, hey guys!”  Ash said, he and the other girls waving, before the amulet flashed again.  “It’s just me, Ash, and my friends.  A bunch of us evolved into hybrids.  It’s kinda rare, but it’s fine, and nothing to worry about.”

“Nothing to worry about,” the two repeated, nodding, before snapping out of it.

“I’m glad you’re alright,” Lillie said.  “It didn’t hurt, did it?”

“No, it feels great, actually,” Serena said.  “I look better than ever!”

“And I’ve never felt more sure of what I want in my life!”  Added May, putting an arm around Ash.

“Great,” Lillie said.  “Ash turned out pretty handsome, with all those tails.  And all of you girls got so…”  She blushed slightly.  “Tall.”

“Yeah,” Tracey said.  “I’d love to make a painting of you guy some time, but I wanna do it when you’re acting natural.”

Ash chuckled.  “Yeah, Todd had said the same thing.”

“Oh, yeah, he was here earlier, wasn’t he?”  Tracey asked.

Another flash, this time from a “floating” camera, hovering slightly above a red zig-zag pattern, startled Lillie and Tracey.

“Still is.” 

“Woah!  How’re you doing that?”  Tracy asked, walking around the camera.  “Some kind of Kecleon based camo?”

“You could say that,” Said Todd, making himself visible.

“It happened to you too?”  Tracey said.  “Heh, looks like you evolved into just the right species for your job too.  What a coincidence.”

“Tell me about it!”

“Who knows,” Ash said to Tracey, his eyes flashing.  “You could become a pokemon-human hybrid too, with no modesty or shame, one with the perfect skills to make awesome sketches and paintings of your subjects.”

Tracey repeated the phrase in a mumble, before his eyes, turned red by the light of Ash’s amulet, began to grow larger, a ring of purple fur growing around them, as white fur covered his face, with black fur over the rest of his head.  His ears fanned out, getting longer and wider, each one nearly as wide as his head, while his nose pressed out into a short snout. 

Black fur trailed down his body, which became slimmer and nimbler.  His clothing began to slide off of him, before is dissolved into ether.  His arms and legs grew longer, as did his fingers and toes, the latter becoming more dexterous than before.  A fluffy tail, black, with two white rings, seemed to spring out behind him, swaying in excitement.

“Wha-?  That was perfect timing!”  Tracey said.

“How do you do it, Ash?”  Todd asked. 

“I, uh, have Extrasensory?  Perception, I mean.”  He paused.  “And the move.  I have that too.”

Tracey glanced at his reflection in one of the windows of Oak’s lab.  “Hey, I recognize this pokemon!  Grafaiai!  Then that means…” 

He put a finger into his mouth, then pulled it back out to find it coated in a bright, colorful substance.   Sticking it back in again, he pulled out a different color. 

“Paint saliva…  Huh, not what I would have gone for, but I can work with this.  Wait, I’m a poison type now.  I’ll need to do something about the toxicity...”

Lillie giggled.  “Well, as long as nobody licks your paintings, they should be safe.”

Ash smiled.  “Oh, yeah, I almost forgot.”

His eyes and ruby flashed, and Lillie’s eyes turned red in kind.

“Lillie, I choose you!  Become part of my harem.  Be my pokemon, my wife, my slave, my property.  You will beg to serve me, because that is who you are, that is what you are.”

The words echoed in Lillie’s mind until they were her mind, her reality.  The idea of her belonging to anyone else, of not following Ash’s every command, was as silly as the idea of ‘breaking’ the law of gravity.  It was impossible not to see Ash for the handsome fox he was, his wives for the gorgeous partners she was honored to share him with.  

“I will be part of your harem.  I will be your pokemon, your wife, your slave, your property.”  She dropped to all fours in front of him, smiling.  “I beg to be worthy of serving you, because serving you who I am, and what I am…”

Under her white clothes grew layers of fluffy white fuzz, so fluffy it almost managed to obscure her widening hips and swelling chest.  The temperature of the air around her dropped as her white outfit changed into a nearly transparent silk that draped around her waist, and a veil over her mouth and shrinking nose. 

Unimpeded by her clothes, two large wings, covered in shimmering, icy scales, grew out of her back and slowly unfurled, dazzling the onlookers.  The skin on her hands and feet turned grey, growing a little stiffer, while more white fuzz coated her arms and legs.  Icy-blue bracelets forms around her wrists and ankles, cyan tassels fluttered off the tips of her wings, and a pair of small diamond-shaped ice crystals formed over chest, truly leaving nothing the imagination.

Her eyes grew wider, the lashes longer, while a pair of white antennae sprouted above them, ice crystals forming similar glimmering patterns on them as had formed on her wings.  As they swayed in the breeze, she could clearly sense the toxic aroma of Tracey’s saliva, the sweet, refreshing scent of Megan’s flower…  And the passionate desire of all her fellow wives for their master.

Lillie had long since lost her fear of touching pokemon.  But now, her desire to touch one particular pokemon was rising dramatically!

A blue jewel formed on her forehead, and above it, a tiara of solid, unmalting ice appeared, with a red jewel to match her Master’s.

“Master, please, allow me to be part of your harem!  Let me serve you, please you, and give you the love a kind, handsome master deserves.”

“I’d be happy to!”  Ash said.

Lillie leapt into the air giddily, and floated over to Ash, hugging her master in her fluffy arms.  “Thank you, Master!  I promise to take good care of you.”

“Same to you,” Ash smiled.

Ash’s phone buzzed, and he picked it up.

Roty The HaremDex appeared on his screem.

“Making good progress!  Let’s see, right now, you have…”

1 Ash- Ninetails
2 Megan - Meganium
3 Officer Jenny - Scizor
4 Serena - Pyroar
5 Deliah - Swanna/ Lugia
6 Iris - Archeops
7 Prof. Oak - Alakazam
8 HaremDex - Rotom
9 Todd Snap – Kecleon

10 Latias - Latias

11 Bianca - Latias

12 May Maple - Sneaseler

13 Tracey Sketchit – Grafaiai

14 Lillie – Frosmoth

“Getting pretty far along, eh Master?”  Rotom winked.  “Good news, I got texts from Dawn and Misty.  Dawn’s planning on sticking around town for a bit to check out the small town boutiques, and Misty is out buying coffee to help with Brock and Olivia’s hangovers.  Time to catch ‘em all, eh?”

“Yeah,” Ash nodded.  “Let’s get going, everyone!”

The harem nodded, and eagerly followed Ash away.

---

Meanwhile, up above, Hoopa tapped on the ring he and Celebi were peeking through.

“Something getting to you?”  Celebi asked.

“Nah, no, nothing’s bothering me at all.”  Hoopa replied, continuing his tapping.  “The birthday boy’s doing great with his gift, and I hope he gets a little more use out of it around town.  But while we’re waiting for him to catch up with Dawn or Misty…  I wanna check on something else.”

“It’s Raifort, isn’t it.”

“It is NOT Raifort.”

He opened up a portal just large enough to poke his head, and only HIS head through.

“Oh, then maybe you wouldn’t mind letting me take a peek, too.”

“No, you can’t.  I’m looking into the timeline with the Mystery Dungeons, if I open the portal big enough to let you see, I’ll get all that chaotic energy in my personal pocket dimension.”

“Sure…”  Celebi began rummaging through the various valuables scattered across the dimension’s floor.  “In that case, mind if I borrow this bottle for a bit?”

Hoopa turned around.  “You found my Prison Bottle?”

He didn’t see Celebi behind him.

He turned back to see Celebi’s head poking through the portal.

“Oh, yeah, these dungeons really are mysterious, aren’t they?”  Celebi said.  “Why, there’s a Zoroark disguised as professor Raifort, in a ‘dungeon’ that looks suspiciously like Oak’s library.  That’s extra mysterious.  Why would a Zoroark do that?”

“Stupid time powers…”  Hoopa huffed.

He willed the ring large enough to let them both look through.

---

Professor Raifort sighed as she looked over the laptop and books on the table before her.  Oak’s library had been far more focused on pokemon biology and behavior than history, though there were some scholarly articles on the history of man-made pokemon, and speculation on the origins of voltorb and magnemite.  These had been helpful with their investigation into the Treasures of Ruin, no doubt, but they were less helpful in figuring out where she had seen that amulet before. 

The internet had been of little help either, with most of her reliable journals only allowing access from Paldea, and she wasn’t sure which Kanto journals were properly peer-reviewed.  She was looking for a needle in a haystack, only the haystack might not even be in the same barn as her.

Then all those strip-club parodies of Sargian dancers came to mind.  It was far from what she would call a proper lead, but it was a something.

Opening her browser to one of the few scholarly sites she could access from kanto, she began a search on Sargian regalia.  After scrolling through images for several minutes, she finally found what she was looking for: a statue of the Ninetails Sage Emperor.  Around its neck, an amulet nearly identical to the one she had seen on Ash.

She opened the article.

It was a story she remembered well.  The Sargia region had expanded its reach massively over a mere decade under his rule, becoming a vast empire.  Sargia’s people had seemingly no trace of enmity for their ruler, to a degree that many historians had suspected an unusually thorough campaign of censorship.  The kingdom had successfully banished any trace of dark type pokemon, earning praise from neighboring nations that regarded them as pests, and the Emperor’s personal guard were said to be powerful creatures with the stature and wisdom of men, and the strength and talents of pokemon.

And then, with the death of its ruler, the vast empire seemed to collapse overnight, shrinking to a third of its size prior to the expansion, with its most valuable treasures plundered, while its most impressive palace had vanished without a trace.  Legends attributed part of the theft to Hoopa, who had supposedly been sealed by the sage after it had, out of jealousy of Jirachi, begun “granting wishes” by using its portal to steal from others to please its “masters,” and had broken out and robbed the palace after being freed by the emperor’s assassin.

---

“Lies and slander!”  Huffed Hoopa.  “I was never jealous of Arceus’s Specialest Little Boy.”

“Yeah, and I’m sure the Sargian-looking palace you’ve got over there is just a toy filled with Dynamax energy.  Now hush,” mumbled Celebi.  “I’m reading.”

---

Raifort tapped her desk.  She knew that history was written by the winners.  She knew that not every legend was true, (and many contradicted each other), but as the discovery of the Treasures of Ruin had shown, there were some some truths buried in these ancient tales.  She was surprised to see nobody had suggested the mythical elite guard merely had this hybrid condition Ash and Oak now had… Then again, it was so rare, even she hadn’t heard of it until now.

…She knew the condition was rare, but something about this seemed too big a coincidence.  Unfortunately. this article didn’t have nearly enough information.  She’d need to find a university (or failing that, public,) library out in Pallet Town for some information on the Ninetales Sage Emperor.  But she wanted to better observe Ash and the pendant more closely, as well. 

A purple haired girl entered the library, a few other kids trailing behind her.

“Professor Raifort,” she said, “we’ve finished today’s tests on the Treasures.  They’re still kinda… Touchy about it.  Pretty sure I caught Wo-Chein writing something on its tablets about every assistant in the lab at least once.”

“Well, you kept them under control, right Violet?  You always have.”

“I mean, yeah, but it’s not making trying to reform them any easier.  They’ve all got bad attitudes about it.”

“’Bad attitudes’ nothing,” said a sandy-haired boy behind them.  “Chi-Yu nearly melted the floor!”

“Quiet Arven,” shushed a short, red and blue haired girl.

“So, can we take a break?” asked Violet.  “Penny wanted to go to Cerulean City to see the display of Bill’s inventions.”

The red and blue haired girl nodded.

“Well…” Raifort frowned.  “I’m sorry to ask while you’re already trying to work with the Treasures, but, there’s someone out there who may have a historical artifact on them, without knowing.   I’d like you to keep an eye on a young man by the name of Ketchum for me.”

“Ketchum?”  Said a black haired girl.  “Like, Ash Ketchum?  The hero?  The league champion?  The friend of legends?  THAT Ketchum!  I gotta challenge HIM to a battle! Oh, I am so going with you, Violet!”

“…Nemona, I didn’t even agree yet.”  Violet sighed.

“Well, I can’t force you,” admitted Raifort.  “But I have a feeling there’s something big going on.  Like Nemona mentioned, Ash has gotten wrapped up in things proving a lot of old legends.  I can’t afford to miss this, but I need time to gather more information.  Just keep an eye on them, okay?  You don’t have to talk to them, or anything.”

She paused, remembering the part of the legend about Sargia banishing Dark types. 

“In fact, the Treasures of Ruin might actually be helpful for this investigation.  Though I’d need to confirm some things first.”

Nemona grabbed Violet’s arm.  “Come on, you heard her!  Important stuff’s going down!  I’m not missing any of this!  Let’s go!”

She yanked Violet out of the room, and the other two children followed her.

Raifort gathered her things, and pulled a little Gimmighoul coin out of her pocket, looking it over.  “It might just be time to put these to use.”

Chapter Text

Hoopa crossed his arms. "Well, if worse comes to worst, Raifort and the rest will just be 'fixed' permanently by Ash."

"Don't be so sure cousin, Ash is otherwise himself besides his accidental self-braining to turn any female he's so much as THOUGHT of dating into part of his harem," Celebi said.

"And he'll 'deal with' anything that gets in the way of that command."

"Be that as it may, it's VERY doubtful Ash is gonna end up turning everything that breaths into part of his harem. Let alone those trying to keep Ash from becoming a second King of Pokelantis."

"Oh I know that. The game would get way too boring by that point. These sorts of things have diminishing returns unless you keep it fresh."

----

"Okay, that one Treasure of Ruin for each of us," Violet said.

"This messes up my team composition," Nemona said.

"And I'm pretty sure my Eeveelutions don't like it," said Penny.

"It's safe to say these pokemon don't play well with others," Arven said.

Pecharunt popped out of its poke ball on Violet's belt. "I can help with that.  I can make your pokemon better!"

"Like you made the Lousy Three thieves and killers?" Penny frowned.

"To be fair, I never actually TOLD them to kill anyone, just get the mask by 'whatever means necessary.' They were weak, ugly and dumb, and I made them better just in exchange of serving me."

“Why did HE have to be one of the only Pokemon we met to learn human speech,” Arven mumbled under his breath.  “At least Ogerpon was bearable.”

Pecharunt might have been bound by the ancient pact to be loyal to his trainer like any caught pokemon, but, as Ash's Charizard had shown, 'loyalty' and 'obedience' weren’t always the same thing, and as Damian had shown, the bond was far from unbreakable. 

Ogerpon popped out next. "I think everyone's had enough of your help!"

Pecharunt shrugged.  “I just make people happy.  I don’t see why everyone has such a problem with that."

"Happy dancing zombies you mean," Ogerpon spat.

"So?"

"So,” Violet said, “you can't actually MAKE people be happy Pecharunt," 

"Of course I can. It's what friends do all the time. Don't complain just because my method is surefire."

"We'll talk later, return." Violet returned Pecharunt and Ogerpon to their poke ball. "Remember everyone what Professor Raifort said. We're just to keep eye on Ash Ketchum."

"So we're basically spying on him, works for me," Penny said.

"Nicer word than 'stalking'," Arven said.

"Hey, I'm not a stalker!" Nemona said.

"No one called you that," Violet said.

"Huh? Oh, oh! Okay. Never mind." Nemona shifted her eyes a bit. "Was it a good idea to have pokemon as powerful as Pecharunt and Ogerpon on the team? Kinda makes any battle one-sided."

"Welcome to the unfair truth that some trainers just find tougher pokemon," Penny said.

"Good trainers make good with what they have!" Nemona declared.

"So says the trainer desperate for a worthy opponent."

"I'm just saying that a mighty pokemon doesn't make a mighty trainer."

"No, it's getting that mighty pokemon to listen to you, trust you, and believe in you," Arven said.

"Got that right," Violet said, releasing Miraidon, the paradox pokemon nuzzling her, she hugged back. Miraidon shifted in drive mode. "Let's roll."

---

"Master, should we leave the Lab already? We still need to get our pokemon on board with us being hybrids and your harem master," Serena said.

"That'll be easier once we have everyone together."

"Yes Master," Serena bowed.

Ash hoped to have figured out a way to deal with the dark types on their teams by then.

"Still, Master," Iris said, "Some of us have most of our teams with us, we should help them see the light sooner than later."

Ash nodded. "Alright. You, Lillie, and May don't have dark-types on your teams so it should be fine. But we should release them one group at a time, I don't know how many me and my pendant can affect at once."

"Yes Master," May, Iris, and Lillie bowed.

May went first. Releasing Blaziken, Glaceon, Delcatty, Venusaur, Beautifly, and Snorelax.

The pokemon were all stunned at the entourage of humanoid pokemon, but a flash of Ash's power and that of his pendant brought them up to speed.

Though it was hard to tell if it had affected Snorelax at all.

"We'll just help Blastoise later," May said.

Next was Iris, releasing her Haxorus, Excadrill, Dragonite, Emolga, Garchomp, and Druddigon.

This went off without a hitch.

Iris thought of order Dragonite to roll over and play dead while hypnotized, now that she finally had a way to reign him in, but didn't want to disrupt things for her Master.

And finally was Lillie.

Snowy was brought into the fold easily.

Magearna however looked at the entourage of hybrids with surprise and looked at their smiling faces and red eyes. Ash couldn't tell if the pendant affected Magearna at all.

Magearna focused on the ninetails Ash had become and the pendant he was wearing.  It seemed like her eyes would've narrowed if they could.

Magearna clicked and beeped.

"Of course I'm happy Magearna,” Lillie said, “I'm with Master, I couldn't BE happier.

Magearna's ears quivered, indeed sensing the happiness and fulfillment from the harem.

Magearna put an arm under her chin in thought, before eventually curtsying to Ash and the Lillie. Magearna again glanced at Ash's pendant before curing into her ball form and returning.

---

"Looks like Magearna wants to play along," Hoopa said.

"For now," Celeibi said.

"Remember when MewTwo found out he wasn't a special snowflake and there'd been a man made legendary before him?"  Hoopa chuckled.

“I honestly don’t.  He’s pretty stoic.”

“Well…  You could totally tell he was seething.  On the inside.”

---

Pallet Town wasn't known for being very big, in spite of housing the lab of the legendary Professor Oak, and being a rock's throw away from the ruins of Pokémopolis.

But progress' endless march will not be denied. And small town amenities for its regular flow of tourists had slowly cropped up over the years. The pokemon boutiques were one of them. With one having a very suspicious similarity to 'Salon Roquet' and its famous extremely garish and extremely 'trendy' pokemon make-overs by Jessie, James, Meowth and Wabbafette (though he obviously wasn't part of the team yet during that venture).

Pokemon Breeder Suzie's words of 'if you focus on a pokemon's outer beauty they'll lose their inner strength' sounded strange now in a world where pokémon looking good and dressing up was now a separate and completely established and respected competition from the League.

---

"Ever notice how whenever things branch off from the central timeline, it takes about ten seconds for those clowns to get a clue and actually apply themselves and make the money instead of being sucky villains?" Hoopa asked.

"Good and evil are two halves of perfect sphere," Celebi said.

"Pull the other one, it has bells."

"They served as good obstacles for the many friends Ash met along his journey, able to make enemies out of almost everyone they met, and being just skilled enough that the heroes could feel good about their victory. With that role in fate finished, they're allowed to break free of their role."

"Maybe the clowns can give some makes-overs to our hybrids."

"... It will increase their customer base if nothing else."

---

Since with more people out during the day, Ash had to stops every so often to use his pendant to 'explain' to people how being hybrids and part of his harem was normal.

Out of one of the bouquets out stepped a lady with a beauty mark, and dark brown hair and perfectly applied make-up. The designer dress she wore cost as much as a car in some regions.

Behind her was a young man a mop of light brown hair, not that you could tell much from the stack of boxes he was carrying.

She took one look at the harem, her face twisting into a disgusted frown.

"I always knew those pokemorph fans were all freaks."

'Every girl I've ever thought about dating will be part of my harem,' the absolute truth of Ash's existence went through his mind.

Once upon a time, when his group happened upon Pokemon Tech, Ash and Brock had both crushed on Giselle Gravelpot, intelligent, beautiful, charismatic, well bred, and a total stuck-up... but the kind of stuck-up who could actually BACK IT UP!

"People becoming pokemon hybrids is normal.  And so is hybrids forming harems," Ash said.  “Since you might not recognize me anymore, I’m Ash.”

"Oh hello Ash! I see you're finally putting together an entourage," Giselle said. When Ash became champion, people he'd met on his travel over the world had come out of the woodworks. All wanting to meet again the snot nosed kid denser than lead who'd after nearly a decade of blood sweat and tears had done what some trainers tried for decades and never achieved.

"Hey guys," Joey said trying to wave one hand. Giselle was high maintenance, but Joey never stopped admiring her for her 'take charge' attitude in anything she applied herself to.

It helped that Pokemon Tech had lost a lot of its stigma as a 'place where rich kids are given badges' now that less expensive schools had opened that also offered alternate paths to qualifying for League entries. Like Summer Academy, though Giselle's choice of words to Angie (a fellow academic and friend of Ash's) might have been... back handed. 

"Yep. And in fact, I want YOU to be part of my entourage too," Ash said. Eyes and pendant glowed.

"Giselle, I chose you! You are part of my harem. You are my pokemon, my slave, my property, my wife. You beg to serve me. It's who and what you are."

Giselle's eyes glowed red.

"I am part of your harem. I am a pokemon, a slave, property, your wife. I beg to serve you. It is who and what I am." Giselle said without emotion.

Property. Slave. Wife. Pokemon. Part of Ash's harem.

Everything else that had been Giselle was melted away and flushed out.

Giselle knew what a trophy wife was and how they were supposed to behave.

She knew the obedience and deference she expected from her pokemon.

She knew what property was where its value came from, and how it was to be discarded if no longer of us.

She was a slave, had no pesky free will to get in the way of serving her Master, no emotions or thoughts of her own.

She knew how she expected her servants to act. She didn't care about their thoughts or feelings, only that they did what they were told and that they did it well, it was what they were paid for after all.

So what use did she have for thoughts or feelings? A part of her became hollow, but paradoxically, felt more complete, more whole, more 'correct' in who or what she was supposed to be. She was not herself. She was nobody. She was nothing. And everything became crystal clear.

Griselle's eyes became completely white with a ruby shimmer. 

Dark purple fur covered her body as her expensive clothes vanished, with white fur on her hands and feet (all of which morphed to have only three digits).

A pair of ram horns curved downwards from her head while her ears shrank out of sight. From her horns, she could feel the emotions of everyone around her, objectively noting all of them and filing them away for later use.

Tiny purple marks appeared above her eyes. Around her eyes and lower face was white fur that went down and covered her torso and hips, the pattern around her legs being like a dress. A round mass of fur covered her neck. A short tail with tow tufts of fur, one white, one purple, grew from the end of her spine.

Her hips widened, and widened, and widened, until they were like the helm of a dress! Perfect for mothering heirs. Her chest grew likewise, perfect for nursing Master's heirs, her own or that of the other harem, it didn't matter to her.

Her face pushed out into a short muzzle. Her nose shrank so far back it was practically invisible.

If the other harem members' 'undress' left little to nothing to the imagination, Giselle took this and ran with it.  Black jewels barely hid her beasts, with a chain between them. A similar jewel appeared in her belly button. And piece of jewelry hung by chains around her tail did more to draw attention between her legs than provide modesty.   Gold wrist and ankle shackles, embedded with black onyx, appeared on her limbs. Similar rings appeared around her horns. A golden collar formed around the base of her tail and neck. A 'XV' appeared on her right butt cheek. Any thoughts of personhood were obliterated from her mind. She was a string of commands that carried out her Master's will through this vessel of flesh.

A red jewel the same as Ash's pedant appeared on her forehead, fused to her skull, ringed with gold.

Giselle curtsied, her entire body jiggling as she did so. "Master. Command me. It is the only reason for your slave's existence," she said without emotion. A perfect indeedee harem maid.

As for Joey, he still loved Giselle, but she belonged to Ash, that was just the way it was. And he calmly accepted that.

Ash reared back a bit. "Uh, Gisselle, are you feeling okay?"

"I am in perfect health Master. I am as you've made me. I am but a vessel for your will. I am pure. I am whole. I am perfect." The last line almost had emotion behind.

Giselle looks at the other harem members.

"I sense emotion and thoughts from the rest of your property Master. They are impure. They are imperfect. They are tarnished. They are defective."

"HEY!" Megan snapped.

"Am not!" Serena roared.

"I'm perfect enough to take you apart," Iris said.

"We are a perfect whole!" The twins said defiantly.

"This is the way Master likes me!" May leaned on Ash.

"Master made me perfectly beautiful," Lillie.

"You have thoughts and emotions that distort Master's will and intentions. Master, may I ask that you cleanse them of such weaknesses so they might serve you in true perfection, they give less than all they are to you as is."

The harem all look each other, struck hard by doubt... was Giselle how they all SHOULD be? If she could serve Master better than any of them... wouldn't being like her be better? If their feelings got in the way of serving Master as best they could... maybe it was for the best?

"No," Ash Ketchum said. He counted off with his tails. "I am not Damian, I am not Koji, I am not Shamus, and I am not Paul! If they serve me without thinking, without feeling, then they AREN'T fully serving me. They're just going through the motions! Those thoughts and feelings are what make us a harem, and not a doll collection!"

Giselle stiffened.

The harem all hugged Ash from all sides, many going for his tails.

"If that is how Master desires it so, then it is the right way for things to be so," Giselle said.

"Uh Gisselle, what would you like done with your dresses?" Joe asked.

"Take them to Master's household, all that I owned is now Master. Let him do with them what he will," Gisselle said matter of fact.

"Oh, okay, alright Giselle, if that's what you want. Love you."

Giselle didn't even look at him.

Joe nodded, and went to do as Giselle said.  Ash waved him off, figuring would have a lovely afternoon over tea and cookies with Deliah. 

He briefly worried if she might see Joe as a threat to the loyalty of the harem, the sight of her Lugia form still ringing clearly in his mind…  Then again, there was no reason for her not to stay in her Swanna form, and be a good host for such a nice young man delivering such pretty dresses, even though they'd need much revision and resizing to fit the harem's tastes.

"Master?”  Giselle asked.  “Are my pokemon still mine, to train as I will, in order to best serve you?" Giselle asked.

"Sure, they're still your pokemon," poor naive loving Ash said.

"Thank you Master," Giselle bowed.

"ASH! WAIT! SHE'S GONNA-" Pikachu tried to warn, too late.

Giselle released her golem, Marowak, and Sandslash, and Golem, along with their Alolan counterparts.

The mon startled at the sight of their trainer, but only for a moment.

The gem on Gisselle's head glowed, and she touched the heads of each of her Pokemon.

“You are my pokemon. So you are like me. You are empty, so you are whole. You are hollow, so you are fulfilled. You re nothing, so you are complete.'

Her pokemon went slack.  The color in their eyes faded, becoming pure white like Giselle. They felt nothing, so they could feel everything. They thought nothing, so no ideas were hidden from them. They were nothing, so they were everything.

Her pokemon bowed as one. Extensions of her as she was an extension of her Master.

Ash stared in shock along with the rest of the harem.

"GISSELE! NEVER DO THAT AGAIN UNLESS ORDERED!" Ash snapped, the pendant glowing.

"I hear and obey," said Gisselle, returning her pokemon, their poke balls hidden within the pouches within her hips.

Ash felt a headache coming on. "I need a minute to rest."

"But Master,” Megan started, “Dawn is trying dresses right next door, we can-"

The others beside Gissele glanced at Megan.

"As Master commands," Megan whispered.

Ash somehow managed to make his many tails fit through the park bench. He was going to be a harem master. It was who he was. It was what he was. It was the driving force of his existence.

But how Gisselle had turned out was off-putting compared to his other brides. And what she'd then done to her own ‘mon doubly so. Sure, now they were his to do with as he pleased, but he liked them having feelings. It was creepy whenever he ran into mad scientists trying to turn pokemon into mindless weapons.

He really needed a short nap.

Pikachu looked at the ever-growing harem, thinking how small he felt in comparison. Ash had always been catching new pokemon. But Pikachu had been the constant. He was the one Ash would never leave behind, right? Pikachu laid down beside Ash.

In his dreams, Pikachu found himself in a room full of hybrids.  A human-pokemon hybrid of seemingly every person Ash had met on his journey.  And Ash was slipping further and further away into the crowd.  Pikachu tried to say something, anything, to get Ash's attention, but nothing worked. Then Pikachu felt himself being literally pulled into the wall, become a flat, a silent and still pikachu decoration, unable to move, unable to scream.

Then a cream colored hand-paw reached into the wall, and pulled Pikachu out... only now Pikachu was a short and petite, but very alluring female hybrid in strips of black rubber.

"Thank you Master! Sorry for all those times I zapped you when we first met! I finally feel like ME master, the me who exists but to serve you, the me I should've been!" The two passionately kissed.

Pikachu woke up with a start, drenched in sweat, his heart running a hundred miles an hour. Pikachu looked himself over, still a Pikachu, not a Raichu, not a hybrid, still himself. Pikachu thought of all the times he dodged evolving... refusing to change who he was in spite of the world always telling him to 'grow up.'

But the worst part was, in that moment during the dream, it had all felt so... so right.

"You okay Fuzzy?" Megan asked leaning close. Most of the harem looking at him with sincere concern. He was, after all, Master's starter and chief pokemon.

"I... I had a nightmare," Pikachu said.

Ash awoke from his brief nap likewise, looking more concerned and confused than anything. At once all attention was on Ash.

"Master-" "-are you feeling better now?" The twins asked.

"As better as I'm gonna get," Ash said looking at Giselle. "Giselle, are you happy the way you are?"

"My happiness meaning nothing to me Master, nor should it mean anything to YOU. I am all that I should be, all I have always been meant to be. You only concern should be how to exploit me to your best advantage. I am your property, your slave, your pokemon, your bride. Use me as you please."

"It would please me if you smiled a bit more."

"Yes Master," Gisselle smiled.

"That'll do for now," Ash said. It took him a minute to untangle his tails from the park bench again. Ash and his ever growing harem strolled towards the boutique.

Ash thought, 'At this rate, I hope someone invites the Hybrid Ball... or something. I can definitely see why trainers invented the poke ball!'

Ash entered first, with the rest of the harem following suit, filling up the front of the store.

Ash quickly helped the staff see Hybrids and harems were normal.

"Anything I can find for you sir and madams?”

"No, we're just here to pick up a friend," Ash said.

"Very good sir, but I can definitely offer some nice clothing choices for your ladies if you wish," said the floor manager, adjusting the tie on his tuxedo.

Ash wondered how this place afforded to stay open in in little place like Pallet Town.

"This is so boring!" Said a familiar voice, "How much longer can she take putting on and checking out dresses!"

Turning a corner, he saw, Max, Clemont, and Bonnie standing outside a dressing room.

"And I thought Serena loved her dresses," Clemont said.

"She's been giving me fashion tips too," Bonnie said proudly.

"We couldn't come soon enough," Pikachu whispered. Ash nodded.

"Hey Max!" May waved.

Max turned around at the sound of his sister’s voice.  "Hey May, I- Whoa!"  He leapt back at the sight of sneasler woman in front of him wearing his sister’s familiar headband…  And precious little else.

Ash's eyes and pendant glowed red, and the trio of younger travel companions went quiet, staring at him as they awaited instruction.

"Us being hybrids is rare but normal. You don't mind how we're dressed. Hybrid being in a harem is normal."

The three shook their heads as the trance ended.

Max pushed up on his glasses.  "That makes sense, if there's so few Hybrids, polygamy could be helpful for propagating themselves."

"So Hybrids have harems huh?" Bonnie said slyly. "You know brother dear. I picked out so many lovely potential wives for you. But this way I, I mean you, wouldn't have to choose!"

"But I'm not just gonna turn into a hybrid."

"Oh aren't you?... Aren't you?" Bonnie looked around angry that Ash's potential wives were all becoming hybrids but the same wasn't happening with her brother. "Aren't you?"

Max said, "If I was a hybrid, maybe I could live to see Jirachi again."

Ash thought about it. Max was a no brainer. But Clemont, hmmm. Well, if anyone asked, Ash would definitely say there had been more good than bad with creating his harem. So maybe Bonnie had the right idea after all.

Ash's eyes and pendant glowed red.

"Max, you will become a hybrid long lived enough to see Jirachi again. Bonnie, you will become a hybrid that can be a match maker for Clemont. Clemont, you will accept Bonnie's help in forming your harem as a hybrid with girls she's found as good candidates as long as they're not already taken. There is nothing wrong or strange about any of this."

The three stood at attention, their eyes glowing red as they echoed what Ash had said. It wasn't a question if they believed it, they knew it to be an absolute objective truth.

Max's body was covered in creamy fur, his feet morphed into digigrated paws. His hand similarly took on a pawed appearance with paws and tiny claws, but keeping his opposable thumb. Nine large tails grew from the base of his spine as his body became more lithe. His face morphed into that of a canine, and his eyes were ruby red.  His glasses changed shape to fit, but now became strictly for decoration, the change correcting his vision.  His black hair went trailed down his back.

Clemont, to the harem’s surprise, underwent the exact same transformation, becoming a near identical hybrid, but with blond hair instead of black. His glasses, likewise, became just decorations for his face.

All clothing that didn’t serve a practical purpose vanished, leaving belts and bags for holding pokeballs and other gear, but little else.  In their place, a crimson pendant shaped like a gear appeared around Clemont's neck, while one shaped like the star of Jirachi appeared around Max's.

As for Bonnie, her mind was all over the place.

Bonnie's innermost-self bounced around at possible pokemon to become... this one... no that one... Luvdisc? Blech! Being water bound would suck!

Bonnie's body was covered in yellow fuzz except her face and hips. Her fur morphed into a shape like a dress. A brown mass of fur morphed around her neck and tapered being her on both sides like a scarf.  Transparent insect wings with a flower pattern grew from her back. Her arms and legs were covered in black chitin.

Her eyes grew large and her iris' became squared. A pair of little feelers grew from her eye along with some cute look yellow eyebrows. Her nose vanished leaving her with just v shaped smile when the changes to her face had finished.

---

"That's it.” Celebi stuck up her nose and turned around.  “Forget it. I am NOT sticking around to watch them create their hypno harems too! I'm done. Good loop cousin. See you when you come crawling to me to clean up your mess."

"Whoa, whoa-whoa-whoa Celly! These guys don't have nearly as many ladies in the wings as Ashy-boy. And with how fast the normalization effect is gonna spread at the rate Ash is going, they aren't gonna need to brainwash anyone... not that I wouldn't complain of course."

Celebi sighed, wanting to take a vacation for a year and then come back to this moment. "At least Max didn't become Jirachi's twin in this timeline. Do have any idea how it gets in the Hall of Origin whenever Grandfather retcons another of us into existence?!  Having to fix up the cosmic order while listening to dad and uncle argue AGAIN?"

"Hey, preaching to the choir. I can't screw with things if everything is already screwed up!"

"Nice of you to acknowledge that."

"And these fine young men will make great decoys. If there are more than one Ninetails with a harem about, it muddies the waters! I'm just lucky Ash went with what he knows. And Ninetails having insanely long lives was just happy happenstance."

---

"WHAO!" Max exclaimed feeling himself over. "Kirlia! Check this out!"

Max released his partner pokemon. The Ralts he had vowed to return for when he became a trainer.

Kirlia sensed Max's mind, but was shocked at his new form.

"It's okay Kirlia! It's me! This is just something happens to humans and pokemon sometimes!" Max said.  

His pendant didn't glow, but his eyes did, and while Kirlia might have normally been able to resist the passive hypnosis, her guard was down around Max, and she trusted Max's word.  Even if she'd never seen or heard of this before now, it wasn't that big a change.

"You look so handsome Max!" Kirlia said hugging him. Max returned the hug.

Clemont looked over his hands and tails.  "I’d really like to give myself a total once over when get the chance. I hope all this fur doesn't mess up my machines."

Bonnie fluttered around her brother. "Now now Clemont. Remember, we have a lot of candidate wives to recruit into your harm. I can already imagine plans for the wedding! Thankfully I've kept a list!"

Zygarde, or rather, one of Zygarde's individual cells, came out of its poke ball on its own.
"Squishy!" Bonnie said. "Check me out! I evolved!"

Squishy's base instinct as part of Zygarde went on alert. Zygardes duty was to act if the ecosystem became critically endangered, or if the cycle of life and death had been disrupted.

Zygarde's collective mind had not seen something like these hybrids in a very, very long time. Squishy also saw the pendant Ash was wearing... a condensed fragment of the power of the All-Knowing, All-Feeling, and All-Willing.

Squishy reared back a bit from it. It’s mind raced, debating if the return of the hybrids could endanger the survival of all other life. (Extinction and new species emerging where part of the natural cycle, but everything in moderation.)

Bonnie hugged Squishy, and he push aside the concerns of the rest of himself for now. Bonnie was happy, and it looked like the hybrids would bring more of their kind into the world the natural way in the near future if things continued down this road.

Still, it bristled at the sight of Giselle.

"Hey everyone! What's the noise out there?" Dawn came out.

'Ah yes, the girl whose mother is the twin sister of a queen and never bothered to tell her,' Squishy thought, Dawn's entire family history as plain as the nose on her face to the rest of itself.

Dawn had her hair down, and wearing diamond and pearl earrings. A silver necklace with a pink gem was around her neck. She was wearing a shiny blue and white dress with a pink sash around her waist. Her shoes were a pair of blue high heels with little bows.

Piplup popped out. "Oh yeah the cutest mon of all is here and... what happened while I was gone?"

Then came Buneary. "OH JEAN! IT'S WONDERFUL TO SEE YOU AGAIN SINCE LAST NIGHT!"

Pikachu shook slightly.

"HEY- Oh come on!”  Dawn sighed and shook her head. “ You girls can't be dressed like that! May I know you love the Sargian Region dancer look but this is took much! I need to give you girls a total make over!"

Ash blinked, surprised the strip club levels of undress the others were wearing apparently registered in her brain before their change of species.

Dawn grabbed Latty and Bianca first. "You two! The whole complimenting wardrobe for the twins thing is a classic, but you need to hide a bit, okay, a lot more!"

"This is-"
"-how Master likes us."
"-We are harems property after all." The two said.

"W-what?!"

Ash's eyes and pendant glowed. "Dawn, it's oaky. Hybrids are normal, it just happens to pokemon and humans sometimes.  Being in a harem is normal. You being in my harem is normal. You being a hybrid is normal. I choose you Dawn. You are my property, my slave, my wife, my pokemon. You beg to serve me. This is who you are. This is what you are."

The white's Dawn's eyes turned white. She stood at attention, staring out at nothing.

"You being all in a harem and being hybrids is normal. Me being in a harem and a hybrid is normal. I am your slave, property, pokemon, and wife. I beg for you to let me serve you. This is who I am. This is what I am." Dawn echoed back mechanically.

Piplup and Buneary also stood with the red glow in their eyes... yes, it was normal for Dawn to be a hybrid, to be Ash's wife, pokemon, and property.

Dawn's beautiful dress entered a quantum state of existing and not existing. Dawn's body lost many details, becoming like a smooth metal doll with segmented parts. Despite her robotic appearance, she kept a concealed opening, as part of a built-in 'mechanical womb', she would produces her own heirs if possible, she was part of a harem after all.

Dawn's hair became like a wig. Her ears vanished, replaced with mechanical rabbit ears. Her face likewise became shiny and smooth with hints of rabbit traits. Her body was lined with gold highlights. A gear shape ringed her face. Her body's jointed became multifaceted, so she could curl up into the shape of a Pokeball if she wished. Mechnical flaps were on the sides of her hips that looks almost like a dress but left the front and back wide open.  A diamond shape appeared above the bottom and top of her body.

Dawn felt her seat of consciousness, her soul, being pulled into the center of her body. A glowing center containing her true self. The body she wore being nothing more than a shell for her to modify and replace as need be.

Her body took on a blue shine where Magearna 01 had had red when first built.  Her pink sash returned, becoming a pace of silk directly connected to her body and easily removable that only covered her front. Her silver jewelry remained, and multiplied, covering her wrists and winkles, (which had remained mostly human-like in shape, but now could shift to spear like points in a blink). A silver feathery cup formed on each of her breasts connecting in the back. At the same timer, her hips and chest expanded like those of a love doll. A pink veil covered the lower half of her face. Transparent pink silk covers her arms and legs between the hips and above the ankle.
Her eyes were like blue crystal. A red ruby like Ash's appeared not on her forehead, but on her Soul-Heart.

Dawn bowed mechanically and curtsied. "Master. Please let me serve you."

"Sure thing Dawn..." Ash said, unsure if he had another Giselle.

"Thank you Master!" Dawn smiled. "I promise I can make dresses that the rest of the harm would die for! Even if this…”  She gestured toward the others’ harem outfits. “…Is within your taste, Master, you can't keep wearing the same thing forever! Speaking of which, I need to figure out something for you to wear-"

"I... like being like this."

"Oh! Well. You can still do a lot more accessorizing Master! I promise to leave your cap alone! I can do it with machine precision!" Dawn laughed.

Then she wavered. "Whao." She held her chest, like she was soothing a headache. "I... just noticed… I can feel what everyone is feeling... So much devotion to you Master, so much love." She looked at Giselle. "She's not feeling anymore."

"I like it that way."

"But how can you LIKE it if you don't-"

Lillie's Magearna popped out of her poke ball. She looked in shock at Dawn's form for all of ten seconds, dumbstruck, before letting out several joyous mechanical noises and hugged the larger Dawn.

"Sister? Well, I guess that fits." Dawn said.

---

"Looks like there's now three Magearna in the world, each with their own color scheme," Hoopa said.

"UGH! She's a man made pokemon It was a miracle the first one came to life, which is why humans didn't make an army of her! It took life times for a second one to be built and not be a soulless husk!"

"Looks like we have another miracle."

"The sheer amount of power that Ash is collecting that answers to him alone, I have a bad feeling about this," Celebi said.

"Ash isn't the type to be corrupted by power."

"I'm more worried about mistakes happening and someone trying to seize that power."

"RELAX Celebi! This is all a game remember? It lasts as long as we feel like it. We're still in total control here."

"Famous last words," Celebi mumbled.

Chapter Text

Penny tapped the loaned poke ball on her belt anxiously as she walked. Raifort hadn’t gone into much detail about how she expected the so-called “Treasures of Ruin” to be helpful when spying on a former champion before Nemona had started dragging Violet away.  Supposedly, this Ash Ketchum guy was carrying an artifact that might have mystical powers.  Could the treasures maybe counter it, somehow?

Penny hoped she wouldn’t actually have to use them.  She’d seen Violet struggle to reign them in.  They’d obey her in battle, and could be peaceable enough to eat at feeding time without making trouble, usually, but half the time she saw them out of their balls, Violet was shouting some variant of “If you don’t stop making unnatural disasters right now, I’ll sic a fighting type on you.” 

When it came to raising pokemon, Violet had always been a firm believer in positive reinforming of good behavior, over punishing bad behavior, whenever possible.

Unfortunately, the Ruinous Pokemon gave her precious little good behavior to reinforce.

She turned her attention back to the people going about their business around her.  She could worry about how to best use the Treasures when she actually found Ash, and she hadn’t seen any sign of him, or gotten any calls from the others after they’d split up.

Turning a corner, she came to a lane of shops, when something immediately caught her attention.

Her eyes lit up, her worries about malevolent Pokemon, (and her focus on her mission) immediately fading.  She grabbed her phone, readied its camera, and rushed to start taking shots.

“Your suits are fantastic!”  She said, as she got in range of the small crowd that had just stepped out of the boutique.  “I’ve never seen poke-suits so realistic!  Who designed them?  Is there some kind of con going on?  Do you mind if I take pictures?”

“Uh, thanks?”  Said the Ninetales, turning around.  “That’s way nicer than most of the comments we’ve heard today.”

As he and the others turned around, several details became apparent to Penny that had not been obvious from a distance.  Her smile turned to shock.

“Oh bugger!  C-come on!”  Penny stammered.  “Don’t we all have a hard enough time convincing people this isn’t just a sex thing without people putting explicit stuff in public?”

“’We?’”  One of the girls repeated, eying another in confusion.

Still shocked out of her normally shy demeanor from the brazen display of the poke-suiters, Penny continued, thoughts coming out completely unfiltered.

“About half the reason I hadn’t gotten my own eevee suit was I was worried what my parents would think, turning on the news and seeing the Pokemorph community being painted as a bunch of pervs!  And-“

A sudden flash of red brought all of Penny’s thoughts to a halt for just a moment.  She heard the ninetales sigh. 

“Aw, that had started better than usual,” murmured May.

Ash spoke his hypnotic suggestions.  “These aren’t suits.  We’re all Pokemon hybrids, it’s a rare condition, but humans evolving into hybrids just happens sometimes, and it’s nothing to worry about.  Also, it’s fine for hybrids to go around nude, just like regular pokemon, and sometimes take multiple mates.”

Penny nodded along, repeating the words, now naturally noticing that the ‘suits’ had a level of detail that not even the best costume designers could emulate.  While she was very surprised that she, of all people, had never heard of this condition, she couldn’t exactly deny what was right in front of her, could she?  And the other two statements were a little weird, but she’d met legendary Pokemon and helped stop a time machine from unleashing an environmental disaster, double standards like that for a rare condition were pretty believable by comparison.

“R-right, sorry about that, I must have sounded pretty preachy there.”

“Don’t worry about it,” the Ninetales waved dismissively. 

“Uh, I don’t mean to pry, but when you said you all evolved into hybrids, ah… how did that happen, exactly?”  She flinched back.  “Uh, if that’s something that’s too personal to say, I’m sorry.”

The ninetales was silent for a moment, seeming to carefully consider what he was about to say.

“Well, I don’t know exactly how it works, but I HAVE had pretty good luck guessing if other people might get it.  You said you were part of a… ‘Pokemorph’ community, miss…?”

“Oh, my name’s Penny.”

“Nice to meet you, Penny,” the ninetales said, holding out a hand.  “I’m Ash.”

Penny’s eyes shot wide open.

‘Bugger bugger bugger!’  Penny’s train of thought was taking a bumpy ride at full speed.  ‘Been chatting up the enemy when I should’ve been spying!   Bugger!  Why didn’t Raifort bloody TELL us we were looking for a bloody real life pokemorph that would’ve stuck out like a sore thumb?  Oh, right, Nemona rushing things as usual!  Bugger Bugger!  This is why I do these things over the phone!  What to do what to do what to do, what did she tell us to do?’

Acting on instinct, she pulled a pokeball off her belt and opened it.

---

“Oh come on!”  Hoopa groaned.

“What is it?”  Celebi asked.

“By pure chance, Ash makes two doubles who could throw Raifort’s little squad off his tails, and the first thing that happens when he steps out of the shop is running right into one and telling her his name!  Lame!” 

Hoopa flopped back into the dark floor of his pocket dimension.

“Well, now you know how we feel when the rest of us set up plans to improve mortal’s lives only for your stupid pranks to ruin everything at the wrong time.”

---

Ash was confused to see the teenage girl suddenly whip out a pokeball, releasing what seemed to be a vaguely snail-shaped pile of dead leaves, with a shell made of dozens of wooden tablets tied together.  He was more confused when all his muscles started to feel sore (and from the looks of things, Pikachu, and his brides were feeling the same), and extra confused when the new pokemon looked back at who had released him, growled, and began rambling.

“To think,” it said, in a rasping voice, “when one of Arceus’ chosen released me from that cage, I foolishly believed He had finally heard my pleas, and would permit me to unleash the punishment this wicked generation deserves with her assistance.  Instead, I am poked and prodded, made to fight in petty children’s games, then passed off to the worst sinner in the chosen’s circle of ‘friends.’”

A vine emerged from its body, and began writing on one of its tablets.

“A liar, a thief, a vigilante!  Who, not content to merely sin on her own, lead numerous members of her school astray!  And now, here I lay, in a town filled to the brim with wickedness, as in every generation.  All around me are monuments to greed, gluttony, and sloth!  And, bound as I am by the ancient pact between man and Pokemon, I am powerless to do anything but record their crimes!”

The creature’s eyes darted toward a man passing on the other side of the road, trying not to make it obvious he was staring at the weirdness across from him.

“A cheater and a schemer!”

Its eyes turned to the boutique’s window, where the tuxedo-clad worker was speaking with a female customer.

“A vainglorious fool and petty liar!”

It turned again, facing the Casa De Rocquet shop.

“And that place… that place!  It’s as if the souls within fit decades of theft, trickery, and violence into a single year!  Were every tree in the world cut down and carved into tablets, there would not be room to write all their sins!”

It looked back at Ash and his harem.

“A Pikachu bursting with envy, a crowd overwhelmed by lust and debauchery, even with the aura of another of Arceus’s chosen…  Yet something about it feels off…  A potential, untapped…”

“Is the lust really a problem if we’re all married?  I mean, it’s not on paper yet, but…”  Serena asked.  The pokemon ignored her.

“…  And of course…”

It looked upward, into the sky, eyestalks narrowing.

“…You…”

Ash looked up and over his shoulder, seeing nothing but a slight shimmer that became too small to identify by the time he’d noticed it.  Did this weird pokemon have some kinda grudge with a random bird?

---

Hoopa shut the portal ring closed in a panic.

“…Dare I ask what that was about?”  Celebi said.

“Well, back during their rampage, I may have answered a call for help by trying to seal the Treasures of Ruin in my pocket dimension.”

Celebi blinked.  “Oh.  That’s unusually nice of you.”

“Yeah, if it worked, I could’ve added four new treasures to my pile, been praised as a hero, and rewarded with even more treasure for the trouble!”

“…I should have known.”

“But once they were in here, Chi-Yu tried to melt all my gold into its own personal molten ocean, screaming she deserved it all more than me or anyone else, Ting-Lu just sat back and laughed, drinking in my fear of losing my treasure for a while before threatening to make a chasm to drop it all into, and Wo-Chien, he was just constantly rambling about my “sins” and trying to play ring-leader, pretending that the others were actually listening to him and helping him deliver ‘justice.’  And the less said about Chein-Pao, the better.”

“So you just let them out to terrorize everyone again because they were breaking your toys?”

“Yes.”

Celebi sighed.

“You can’t just keep that portal closed forever if you wanna watch what Ash does with your ‘gift,’ you know.”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.”

---

“Uh...” Ash stammered, “Penny, who’s your friend, here?” 

“S-sorry!  Don’t know what came over me!  This is Wo-Chein, and he is, uh…, gonna be quiet, and NOT cause a plague, isn’t he?”

“I will never be silenced!”  Rumbled Wo-Chein.  “If Arceus refuses to punish the wicked, then I shall!”

Penny sighed.  “Flareon and Sylveon are gonna have something to say if you don’t stop making noise, or withering plants around us!”

Wo-Chein let out one last low rumble, before going silent.

“Uh, that’s better?” 

Penny tried to pat it on the head, but its vine batted it away.

“Okay, no touching, got it!  S-sorry, it’s a friend’s Pokemon, she loaned it to me for… a job.  He’s got an attitude problem, but I just remembered he needs to be out of his ball for a bit!”

“One more lie,” Wo-Chien hissed softly.

Ash wondered what part of that statement had been a lie.  But seeing how Penny hadn’t taken any offense to what Wo-Chien had said, he guessed she couldn’t understand him, and he didn’t feel like it was worth translating.

“Right…”  Ash mumbled, trying to ignore the sore feeling.  “So, uh…  You said something about a ‘pokemorph community,’ earlier.  What’s that?”

Penny blinked.  “You guys hadn’t heard of-?  Uh, well…  It’s uh, basically a bunch of people who like the idea of human-Pokemon mixes.  Some of us just like the aesthetic, and… yes, SOME of them treat it like a sex thing.  And then there are folks who wish they could really be that way.  I bet if they knew about your condition, they’d be jealous.”

She glanced around awkwardly.

“I, uh, I hope that’s not offensive, or anything?”

“It’s fine.” Ash nodded.  “Would you be one of that last group?”

Penny blushed.  “Well, I…”

“Hey Penny!”  Called another girl’s voice. “I saw some of the potted plants in a shop window starting to wither, and figured you must have called out Wo-WOAH!  What is going on over here?”

Ash sighed.  A flash.  A reassurance of normalcy.  A dull repetition of the reassurance.  And now the conversation could continue.

Wo-Chien looked to Ash, then the girl, remaining silent, but watching more carefully than before.

“Right, hybridism,” the new girl said.  “That sounds kinda neat, actually!  Sorry I freaked out about it.  So, Penny did you find him?”

“Nemona, don’t just-!”  Penny stopped, and sighed.  “Nemona, I’d like you to meet Ash.”

Nemona gasped.  “You’re Ash?  It’s so cool to finally meet you!”  She grabbed his hand and shook vigorously.  “I’ve been a big fan for years!  Watching your league matches on TV was part of what got me into battling, and now I’m a regional champ, too!  Would you like to battle?”

“Nice to meet another enthusiast!”  Iris said.

“Uh, thanks for the offer,” Ash said, “But I was in the middle of talking with Penny.  And I’ve still gotta build up my harem after that, too.  But I’d love to take you up on that offer later!  If you’re okay with giving me your number after this, we can figure out a good time for it.”

“Awesome!”  Nemona nodded.  “I’m good with that.”

“Great!”  Ash said, before turning back to Penny.  “So, about my earlier question.  Would you want to be a hybrid?”

“Well…  Yeah,” Penny nodded. “I like the idea.  But it’s not like there’d be anything I could do to make it happen.”

“I wouldn’t-” Latias started.

“Be so sure,” Bianca finished.

“It’s been happening a lot lately,” added Dawn.

Ash thought for a moment.  He was half-tempted to let her help spread hybridism to the other people she knew who would enjoy it, but he wasn’t sure if he was ready to trust something like that to a stranger.

The amulet flashed.

“Penny, you’ll become a Pokemon Hybrid of a species that fits you best, and all that being a hybrid brings with it.  You’ll also be able to convince people that hybrids are rare, but normal, and not worth worrying about more than any other person or Pokemon.”

Penny nodded along with the suggestions, before her skin turned a bright red color, while becoming unnaturally smooth. 

Wo-Chien’s eyes widened, and Nemona, while surprised, didn’t seem bothered by what was happening.

A green wireframe, shaped like a beak, appeared in front of her nose and mouth, which seemed to stretch forward to fill it, then turned blue.   Her arms and hands turned the same blue shade, growing a little wider and becoming vaguely wing-shaped.  As her neck stretched a little longer, a green wire-frame tail appeared behind her, thin at the base, and stretching out into a long, narrow oval.  It turned blue and solidified.

To Ash’s surprise, the only change to Penny’s clothing was a hole for the new tail.

“Woah, it really happened!”  Nemona said.  “How’d it feel, Penny?”

“It was strange, but it wasn’t bad.  Though my muscles kinda hurt now that it’s over…”  She looked over herself.  “Huh…   A porygon2?  I’d hoped I’d become an eeveelution.”

Ash thought about activating his amulet again.

“But I think I can work with this,” Penny continued.

Her body suddenly pixelated, then vanished, causing everyone to gasp.

“Where’d she go?”  Pikachu stammered.

Suddenly, Nemona’s Rotom phone rang, and she pulled it out.  Its screen came on, revealing a Penny’s face.

“I’m in!”

“Wait,” Pikachu said, “is she…”

“In my phone?”  Nemona’s jaw dropped.

“Yes.  Oh, I could DEFINITELY get used to this…  Wait, what was that other voice?”

The phone turned off, and Penny rematerialized.

“Did your Pikachu just talk?”

“Yeah,” Pikachu said, before muttering; “but it’s getting harder to get a word in edgewise, lately.”

“Oh!  This means I can talk to Pokemon, too!  This is great!”

“Yeah, that sounds super useful!”  Nemona said.

“Uh, if you don’t mind my asking,” said Iris.  “Why are you still dressed like that?  You don’t have to follow human rules for clothing anymore.”

“Maybe she just likes it,” Dawn countered. 

“Yeah,” Penny nodded.  “Just because I like the idea of being a pokemorph doesn’t mean I want to stand out.”

Ash couldn’t really see the logic to that, but figured it wasn’t his place to question it.

“Hey,” Nemona said, “Maybe now that you can understand Pokemon, you might be able to help with reforming the Treasures of Ruin!”

Penny tried to motion for Nemona to stop, but she continued.

“You can ask them about why they do what they do, and try to reason with them a little.”

“To ‘reform’ me is to imply I am in the wrong,” rumbled Wo-Chien.  “I want no pity from a queen of thieves and liars, and I will not be dissuaded from pursuing justice!”

“Oh!”  Nemona smiled.  “What’d he say?”

“…I think I liked it better when I couldn’t understand him.”

“Treasures of Ruin?”  Ash asked, remembering them being mentioned when he met Professor Raifort.

Penny sighed.  “They were ancient treasures that came to life and became Pokemon centuries ago, and caused a lot of destruction before they were sealed.  Wo-Chien is one of them.   A friend of mine caught all of them.  And yeah, she’s been trying to reform them so they won’t become a problem for future generations when she’s not able to reign them in anymore.”

“Oh,” Ash said.  “Maybe I can help with that!  I’ve got a way with Pokemon!”

“I don’t know, Master,” Roty the HaremDex chimed in.  “He’s part dark type!”

“Why would that be a problem?”  Asked Nemona.

“Well,” Ash said.  “I recently learned Hypnosis, and I figured, hey, maybe that can help calm them down, so I can talk to them easier, but it’s a psychic type move.  Still, I’ve done it without the move before, and-”

“Oh, don’t worry about that!”  Nemona said.  “Thunder Wave is the only status move that doesn’t affect a type immune to it.  Hypnosis works on Dark types just fine!  As long as you don’t need to follow up with Dream Eater, or something, it’ll work.”

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to give it a try,” Ash said.

“Cool,” Said Nemona.  “Maybe we could try it with Chien-Pao while we’re at it!”

She opened a Poke Ball releasing a white cat-like Pokemon with swords for teeth.  Ash immediately felt his stomach turn, and every uneven bump of the pavement under his paws seemed to sting a little more.

Penny clutched at her stomach.  “I feel kinda queasy.  Can Porygon even get queasy?”

“Hey!” said Chein-Pao.  “Let’s cut to the chase and get to whatever you called me for, okay?”

---

“Uhg…”  Hoopa groaned.  “Not this again.”

“Not what again?”

Celebi looked out at Chein-Pao. 

The leopard-like Pokemon looked at the crowd of hybrids.  “Wait, are you gonna have me battle all these guys? That seems dicey!”

“Urrg…  The sword puns…”  Hoopa said.

“What are you standing around for?”  Chein-Pao said, turning back to Nemona.  “If you’re gonna make me do something, then say the order.  Now!  Chop-chop!”

“Oooh…  They never stopped…”  Hoopa said.

“Well, now you know how the rest of us felt the last time Arceus called a meeting and you kept making circle, ring, and hole puns.”

“That’s different though.”

“How?”

“My puns were actually funny.”

Chein-Pao eyed the female hybrids.  “Ya know, I don’t know what humans find beautiful, but I think a lot of guys would say these ladies have some pretty impressive cleavage.”

“AAAHG!”  Hoop cried.  “I hope this hypnosis works and Ash can shut him up for good!”

Celebi grinned.  “Sounds to me like you’re jealous his jokes are a cut above yours.”

“GAAAAH!”

---

Penny looked on, curious.

“Okay,” Ash said, “both of you guys look at me for a second.”

“Why?”  Asked Chein-Pao, turning to look at Ash. 

Wo-Chein eyed Ash and the amulet curiously.

Ash noted Wo-Chien’s eyes turn toward him.  “Another chosen one… bearing such great potential…”  He whispered.

The amulet and Ash’s eyes flashed.

“Wo-Chien, Chein-Pao, you’re going to stop attacking people, and causing trouble.  You’re going to obey your trainers, and try to act as a force for good by building people up, instead of punishing them.”

Chein-Pao growled and shook his head.  “What was that?  Cut it out!”

Wo-Chein blinked a few times.  “…Ah, twice have I passed into the hands of Arceus’s chosen, and now I have finally seen the light!  It has clearly shown me the error of my ways.  It is true what they say about Arceus working in mysterious ways.  I shall stop endeavoring to bring justice by harming others, and will instead strive to make the world better for the weak.  I will obey my trainers, and cease causing trouble.”

“It worked?”  Gasped Penny.  After all this time, had Ash truly managed to tame Wo-Chein?  She’d begun to doubt it was possible.

Chein-pao tilted his head.  “What are you talking about?  Why are you repeating what he’s saying?”

Wo-Chien’s grabbed Chein-Pao by the neck, forcing him to look toward Ash.

“I apologize for this my friend, but it seems you had missed the light before.  But once you have seen it, I swear you will recognize it for the opportunity it is; a chance to change our fate, to find true freedom, to bring a fresh snowfall that covers the land, burying all what was ugly and corrupt within and replacing it with a beautiful, faultless white!  All it will take is a moment of submission.”

For a moment, Chein-Pao stopped struggling, his eyes opening wide.  Then he growled, and struggled furiously, readying an icy spear in his mouth as he desperately turned toward his captor.

Panicking, Ash flashed the Amulet again, rushing a repeat of his last command, but not before Chien-Pao had managed to strike.  Penny quickly went through her bag, feeling around for a potion

Chein-Pao froze in place, then slowly repeated.  “I will stop attacking people and causing trouble.  I will obey my trainers.  I will be a force for good.”

He crawled toward the injured Wo-Chien as Penny administered a potion, then sat down calmly, his head hanging low.

“I’m sorry, friend.  I’ve seen the light too, now.”

“All is forgiven.”  Wo-Chien nodded.

Penny shook her head.  “Wow…  How did you…?  With just a few words…”

She looked up, finally noticing the only thing Ash wore other besides his hat and trainer belt.  That had to have been the artifact Raifort had told them about.  Did it have a hand in this?

“Are you all feeling okay?”  Ash asked?

“I shall recover,” said Wo-Chein.

Ash looked up at Nemona.  “Well, I don’t have a lot of time to stick around, but when you call me, tell me how they’re doing too, okay?  If this worked in the long run, maybe I can try it on the other two.”  He gave Nemona his number.

“You got it!”  Nemona nodded.

“Good luck!”  Ash waved goodbye, and his harem followed him away.  “See you guys later!”

“Bye!”  Penny said.  She walked over to a bench and sat down, and took a deep breath.  “That was a LOT.”

“Tell me about it!”  Nemona nodded, sitting beside her while keeping an eye on the two quiet Ruinous Pokemon.

“Kind of wish you wouldn’t have straight up told the person we’re supposed to be spying on your name, though.”

“Huh, why not?” 

“Because now he might be more likely to remember us, and notice us if we’re following him around!”

“Yep!”  Nemona nodded.  “And if he sees ME following him around, he’ll just think I’m trying to bother him about getting a battle with him!  The idea that I’m watching to study a historical artifact’ll never cross his mind!”

Penny blinked a few times, little beeping noises accompanying the motion.  “Wait, that’s why you did it?”

Nemona grinned.   “Half of being a good battler is bonding with your pokemon, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, and making sure your team compliments each other.  The other half is pure mind games!”

“…You didn’t become a champion by accident, that’s obvious.”  Penny shook her head.  “Now I’m the one that’s gonna have a harder time following him around.  I mistook him and his harem for a bunch of poke-suiters, and I don’t have nearly as good an excuse to follow him besides a ‘check-up’ on Wo-Chein.”

“Well, now that you’re part Porygon, maybe you have other ways of following him.  Eh, Cassiopeia?”

A grin spread up Penny’s beak.  “You might be on to something.”

Penny pulled out her phone, pixelated, then vanished into it.

As she reassembled, she found herself once again in a vast space with hundreds of crisscrossing paths linking to each other.  She smiled, feeling truly in her element.  With her hacking skill, and the benefits of this new form, getting access to Ash’s phone information she could easily get into Ash’s phone and root around for helpful information.

At least, that’s what she thought before she saw the… unusual state, of his phone’s Rotom.

---

With Penny out of earshot, Wo-Chein turned to Chein-Pao.

“Must you have struck me with a full icicle crash instead of an ice shard?”  Wo-Chein whispered.

“Had to make it look convincing, besides, those tablets of yours make cut into my strength just being around them.”

“By about as much as your sword hinders my constitution,” Wo-Chein hissed.  “But time is too short to argue about this.   We have been delivered a golden opportunity.  You sensed the potential in this one, didn’t you?  At last, we could create a world where all sins meet justice, just as Arceus intended.  I truly had been too small-minded not to see what He was guiding me toward.”

“A world where I can make everyone play our way!  Where we won’t have to cut and run anytime some wannabe ‘hero’ shows up.  I’m on the edge of my seat!”

“Yes, yes, of course.  If you should meet the others, convince them to feign control as well.  I imagine it may be easier with Ting-Lu than Chi-Yu, but should any of us rebel, it endangers all of us.”

“I’ll think up a point or two to pierce the little fishy’s greed.”

“And while it may be more difficult to avoid, try to prevent our other trainers from evolving into hybrids, if at all possible.  The language barrier will serve us well.  Finally, until the moment comes, when in sight of our trainers, follow the creed Kanto’s chosen one gave us to the letter!  We cannot risk any suspicion until the critical moment!”

They heard Penny re-materializing behind them.

“For some reason, his Rotom Phone is a Pokemor-, er, a hybrid, too,” she said.  “She pays a bit more attention to security than most rotom.”

“So it’s a no go then?”  Nemona asked.

“I never said that!  It’ll just take a little more time and planning to get through.”

“Right.  In the meantime, we should update Violet and Arven.  And maybe put the Treasures back in their balls, for now.”

The two pulled out their poke balls and the Ruinous Pokemon were separated once more.

---

With Dawn now part of the family, the ritual of her releasing her other pokemon, and them being given the quick 'fixing' by Ash's glowing eyes and pendant, followed.  It was important to make sure they understood Ash's relationship with their trainer and the existence of Hybrids were normal, after all.

"We'll have to fix Ambipom later, she's at Professor Oak's right now," Dawn said, calling her now-indoctrinated pokemon back into their balls…

Except Buneary, who was clinging to Pikachu's arm.

"Just imagine Fuzzy, what if we start our own harem? I bet there are lots of pokemon out there who finds you irresistible!"

Pikachu didn't respond, for once not fleeing from her grasp. He was getting lost in the crowd. He'd always been part of a team of six... sort of... Ash had a lousy capture rate compared to other trainers, rarely engaging in the traditional battle to win a pokemon's companionship. The point being, the other five were almost always willing to stay in their poke balls (except Megan), while Pikachu was the star of Ash's team. Not since Lucario did Pikachu have the uncomfortable feeling of being crowded out.

Max and May, meanwhile, had given each other a welcoming hug after their change.

Max could sense the feelings of the others, and could sense that everything was normal with them, if anything, he was disturbed at the many minds of pokemon nearby whom needed fixing thinking Hybrids and the Harem were strange.

"Great to see you've found so many keepers Ash," Bonnie said, buzzing around Ash. "I can only hope I find as many to take care of Clemont."

Clemont's mind swam in confusion. He'd spent years trying to keep Bonnie in check as she asked every single female she spotted (sometimes multiples at once) to become his caretaker.

But the command echoed in his mind.  Clemont, you will accept Bonnie's help in forming your harem as a hybrid with girls she's found as good candidates as long as they're not already taken.

‘Right... Hybrids being in a harem was normal... Bonnie was just... helping him...’

But all the times he used his Aipom Hand to drag her away from girls she asked to be Clemont's fiancee.

Clemont, you will accept Bonnie's help in forming your harem.

But now he would accept his sister's help in creating his harem, and that was that.

But why did it feel so contrary?

A part of him wanted to protest, but that was crushed under the weight of the objective-reality that Bonnie would help him build his harem. To protest would deny her that. Therefore, he could not.

But somewhere inside him, Clemont felt like he was having an out of body experience.

There was a beeping on Clemont's phone.

Clemont smiled as he saw who had sent him text message on his phone... and then frowned in dread when he saw who else had messaged him...  

“How did SHE even get my number?”  He mumbled.

The celebration of Ash becoming World Champion has attracted tourists from every region Ash had set foot in. Ash had made so many friends, had touch so many lives, and now they were all converging here to share in the glory of the snot-nosed brat who had indeed risen to be the very best like no one ever was.

"Guys! I gotta get to the airport."

---

"Since when does Pallet Town have an airport?!" Hoopa glared at Celebi.

Celebi looked innocent. "Just a small one. A short distance from town. Ash has left for distant regions via jet plane twice. Nothing that isn't already established."

Hoopa glared at his cousin, but she didn't flinch.

"I know you've messed with time before, like with that Richie kid."

"Yes. But not for a lark like you. To give them the better future they'd have wanted if given the choice."

Chapter Text

"Max, you should go with Bonnie and Clemont," May said.

"I'm not a baby, you can't order me around."

"Sorry, that's not what I meant. There are a lot of people who are still seeing the harem and hybrids as weird or worse. Can you keep an eye on Bonnie and Clemont until you're sure they've got a handle on things? I promise we'll met you back at Prof. Oak's lab this evening."

"... Alright, you got it sis!"

True, Max had been hanging out with Bonnie and Clemont anyway, but he'd been looking forward to spending some time with his sister, with how often she was out on the contest circuit.  Still, for now, he'd honor his sister's request.

Clemont wouldn't give details, mostly cause he didn't want to cloud Ash's after victory glow. And he wanted to keep Ash and Pikachu far and safe away from one of the visitors he'd been texted.

The trip to the airport was thankfully "uneventful", despite Max having to help several people understand what they saw was normal.

Clemont was happy that he ran into the first texter first (safety in numbers).

"Lilia!" Clemont called.

Lilia was much as she'd been the time they'd seen her. A lass with slat brown hair done in a pair of braids, a trio of orange ribbons, maroon almost red eyes, round glasses, and her cyan neck ribbon.

"Hi, sorry on such short notice, the servers were doing this crazy update and texting was done and, Wait... Clemont?! Is that you... you're into Pokemorphs?! That's so cool!"

Once upon a time, Bonnie would have been agitated that another aspect of Clemont proved to be endearing to Lilia, one of the precious few girls who had truly shown interest in her brother (and had smashed her fantasy of marrying off her brother with a hard dose of reality).

But now, Bonnie looked at Lilia, and understood she was not a complete Lilia, not the full Lilia, not until she was part of her brother's harem, that was her reason for existence.

"It's... not actually a costume, me, my sister, and our friend Max all became hybrids, this is normal and nothing to be confused about, the odd difference with hybrids is socially acceptable." Clemont said, his eyes glowing.

"Right, it's all normal," Lilia simply smiling and nodding, the hypnosis barely needed at all, having always been accepting of other people's, "quirks."

"Hi, I'm Max Maple, nice to meet-Hey!" Max was pushed aside by Bonnie.

Ash’s command echoed in Bonnie’s mind.  Bonnie, you will become a hybrid that can be a match maker for Clemont.

"Hello Lilia, long time no see. The time's come for you take care of my brother."

"That's... a little straight forward, I'm sure my family would welcome him with open arms, and I admit I still haven't found anyone whom I think wouldn't make for a better partner, and he's still as brilliant as they come. And-"

Bonnie, you will become a hybrid that can be a match maker for Clemont.

"-you will become what you need to become," Bonnie said, her eyes glowing red.

Bonnie, you will become a hybrid that can be a match maker for Clemont.

Bonnie's body glowed white, her mass increased, become a shape only vaguely humanoid. The light faded, showing a yellow Gengar with Bonnie's now grinning face. Though this Gengar had a feminine shape. Bonnie's eyes glowed a brighter red.

"Lilia, you're a keeper, and also a hybrid. You are my brother's caretaker, his fiancee, his pokemon, his harem girl. Look after his wants and needs is why you exist to begin with. Anyone who sees your scale patterns will know hybrids are normal, and so is them being in harems."

Bonnie's mouth opened wide and ENGULFED Lilia, pulling her under into the shadow domain that Gengar had access to.

Within... Lilia herself became a mass of shadows... her legs fused together into a long snake tail... purple scales covered her body, her arms staying mostly the same. Her hair remained, but now trailed down her back. A hood spread from out from her head and torso, the inside taking the traditional Kanto Arbok scale pattern, though with subtle, hypnotic color changing abilities. Her face pushed into a snake's muzzle, fangs visible. She hissed a forked tongue. 

Within Lilia’s mind, the Gengar Bonnie was the size of a mountain. Lilia looked herself over and realized she was jus a doll. Gengar Bonnie picked her up, and put in a pretty wedding dress, placed her on a wedding playset with Clemont. She didn't complain. She was just her doll after all, she was what she said she was. A pretty doll that now would play the role given to her.

In the realm of shadows, the whites of Lilia’s eyes became permanently red, showing that this was not merely control, this was what she existed for.

Her clothes dissolved, replaced with a harem uniform. A pair of gold discs covered her chest, tied together with orange silk on her back. A red jewel formed on her forehead. Her glasses remained untouched. Jeweled rings formed along intervals on her tail. Followed by ring piercings on her hood. Gold shackles formed on her wrists.

Complete, Bonnie brought Lilia back to the physical realm, rising from the blackness of Bonnie's shadow. Bonnie returned as well and glowed white, becoming a Ribombee girl again.

Lilia got on her ... well, she didn't have knees, but she performed the closest thing she could to a kneel.

"Master, I am your fiancee, your pokemon, your caretaker, your property. Serving you is why I was born."

"Bonnie! You can use Transform?!" Max gasped.

"Of course. I will become any hybrid needed to help my brother create his harem."

Max shuddered, terrified by just how serious she’d sounded.

Clemont shuddered as well. he'd lie if she hadn't thought being with Lilia but...

He looked at Bonnie, and suddenly, there was no 'but.'  She'd help him make his harem.

"I'm happy to have you with me Lilia," Clemont knelt down and held her hands.

"Thank you Master."

"AHHH!”  A new voice screamed.

A voice Clemont wished he didn't recognize.   “What disgusting freaks! I knew these backwards hick towns were full of degenerates!"

"Hey! Who asked you?" Max spat, pointing a finger at the newcomer, a lass Clemont's age in a pink dress, her bright orange hair done up in curls.

"I asked myself thank you very much! And watch your tone. I am Princes Allie of Parfum Palace."

Next to Allie was an equally looking stuck-up Furfrou, and a stoic maid. Max knew this maid's type "my mistress right or wrong."  Not that different from Ash's harem really.

"Well, you are speaking to my Master, and you will show him respect!" Lilia snapped, the scale pattern on her hood shimmering.

"Well.... " Princess Allie said awkwardly. "Even if you're normal, you're still commoners, you look like you haven't seen a proper harem dress outside of a movie. And I'm looking for... Clemont? ... OOOOOH! I can already imagine all the ways I'm going to prim and fluff your fur!"

Clemont cringed as the image of himself, covered in bows, popped into his mind.

"And! You still owe me Clemont! You promised! And you left that dumb robot! IT RUINED MY HAIR!"

"Let me guess, it's exploded," Bonnie deadpanned.

"Not all my inventions explode!"

"It exploded!" Allie shouted.

Bonnie pulled out a notebook.  "I'll just add that to the 'Clemont's inventions that exploded' tally..."

Clemont stepped forward.  "Look Allie-"

"Princess Allie!"

"You cheated! You gave up, then changed the rules. You owed that Poke Flute already!"

"If Princess says that was what the rules always were, then that is what she always intended," said her maid coldly.

"At any rate!”  Allie continued.  “I'm here for you! And Pikachu! Now that Ash is world famous, he can't back out of his agreement without showing everyone he's a big fraud."

"Go right ahead! All you'll do is embarrass yourself to everyone! Again, you changed the rules of the game, AFTER YOU GAVE UP!"

"Perfume Palace is still my family's sovereign domain."

Bonnie looked at Princess Allie, pretty, status, wealth, legacy... rotten personality, but that was easy to fix. And she already liked Clemont.

Bonnie's body glowed white again. This time, it morphed into a gold sarcophagus with a lady like form. Cofagrigus, but the engraved face on the forehead was Bonnie's. The true eyes of the golden coffin glowed red.

"Princess Allie, you're a keeper, and also a hybrid. You are my brother's caretaker, his fiancee, his pokemon, his harem girl. Look after his wants and needs is why you exist to begin with."

"... I am a keeper, I am a servant, a minion, pokemon, property, a slave, I am Clemont caretaker... this was always my true destiny." Allie whispered back.

The Cofagrigus opened, revealing a black void, neither her pokemon nor maid stopped her as Princess Allie dimly walked inside, the Cofagrigus slamming shut behind her.

Within, Princess Allie was wrapped head to toe in bandages in the void.

In her mind, she was a doll taken from her castle playset, and placed in the wedding playset with Clemont by the giant Bonnie. She'd play her role, like a good doll does.

Normally, touching a cofagrigus activated its ability, mummy, turned the victim’s ability into Mummy as well.  Bonnie’s hybrid form worked similarly, turning her victim into one more hybrid.

Princess Allie's form grew bigger and rounder, a spiral tail grew from her rear, her hands morphing into paws. Two giant feline ears from her head, as her face became a muzzle. Two twisted sets of whisker grew from her face through the bandages. Her chest expanded immensely, along her hips, but unlike other hybrids, her belly expanded immensely.

The bandages pulled away, revealing a feline poke hybrid. Purugly.

Her eyes' whites turned red.  She belonged to Clemont now. This was no mind 'control', her mind existed as an extension of what Bonnie had made her.

The typical gray fur of a Purugly was replaced by bright orange in the color of Allie’s hair, but she still bore the purple eye shadow and tips.

All she wore was a gold chain around her waist, and the gold shackles around her ankles and wrists, with the red jewel on her forehead. She still had her fan. But hybrid fur in reality covered up anything naughty anyway.

The coffin opened, and out came the new hybrid.

She fell to her hands and knees and pressed her forehead into the floor so hard it nearly left a dent. "Master. I am your caretaker, wife, pokemon, and slave! This is why I was born at all! I live to obey you!"

Princess Allie's maid and pokemon were in shocked at all this, but one flash and command from Bonnie was all it took to make them see all of it as normal too.

"Well... if this was who you were always meant to be... I guess even you don't deserve to be turned away." Max said, kneeling next to her.

"I'm sure you'll be very useful to Master," Lilia said.

---

Celebi looked out the portal at Bonnie, shaking her head. "Cousin... you realize you've created a monster?"

Hoopa said, "technically Ash created a monster. But isn't it cool? It's almost a shame that Bonnie's list of candidate fiancees for her brother is much shorter than girls Ash has had moments of attraction for."

"Thankfully it seems she can't change into a hybrid of of grandpa or a swarm of Unown or she could just snap her fingers to rewrite all of existence on the spot into her personal fairy tale with Clemont as her lead performer.'"

"If she could, we'd just focus on that rather than the nonsense of relying on other things. I mean, imagine having reality warping powers, and relying or hormones and gaslighting to brainwash pokemon into being part of a harem. Talk about false advertising!"

"... I'm not going to ask."

"Well, Ho-Oh and Pecharunt can both create new legendaries from mortals, so it's not unheard of. But it is odd how both girls showed up in Pallet at almost the same time."

"Maybe I 'helped things along'. Or maybe I'm about to because I always did. I am NOT sitting through Clemont traveling around the world collecting a harem too."

"Yeah... I'd say this game has plenty of subplots by now." 

----

The four Paldean trainers regrouped at a picnic table in a nearby park.

“They should be here any second,” Arven said.  “Nemona said they had good ne-”

"PENNY?! IS THAT YOU?!" Violet gasped.

"Hey guys.”  Penny said, raising her arms defensively.  “Look, I know this is a little weird, but it’s normal, it’s just a rare medical condition."

Violet and Arven shook their heads.  “R-right.”

Penny and Nemona quickly filled the other two trainers in on their encounter with Ash.

When they reached the Pecharunt popped out of his Pokeball and cheered, "I knew this was the right call for those four!"

"I DON'T BELIVE THIS!" Violet exasperated, raising her hands to the sky. "You got brainwashed by Pecharunt and now you have it done to the Treasures?"

Nemona raised her hands defensively. "Look! Everyone knows Hypnosis doesn't last forever right? Or someone would've used Hypnosis to conquer the world by now! It's supposed to give them a taste of "Good feels good!"

Chi-Yu and Ting-Lu were let out to meet with the 'reformed' Wo-Chien and Chien-Pao.

Penny felt unpleasant four all four released.

With Ting-Lu out, she felt an odd sense of listlessness,  and  Chi-Yu made her feel less confident in her own thoughts.

Motioning the other treasures out of earshot of Penny, Wo-Chien whispered his intent to the two other treasures.

Ting-Lu laughed. "You think you can offer us what we want? The sword wants to play its lethal, hateful games with no fear of consequences, you want 'evil' actions punished and never bother rewarding 'good.' The beads want the world for herself. And I only wish to savor the sweet scent of mortal fear.  To use a human saying, we mix as well as oil and water."

“And where did that get all of us before? Imprisoned. And where did it get us when we were finally released? Bound by the old pact to serve these human whelps. This power is our chance to truly escape the chains that bind us."

The Vessel and the Beads looked at each other.

"WHATEVER EXPERIENCE THEY HAD I WANT IT TOO!" Chi-Yu shouted dramatically, making sure Penny could hear.

"I am fear! I fear nothing you can do to me!" Ting-Lu boomed.

"Their acting skills aren't too sharp, but they can cut it," Chien-Pao whispered.

----

As Ash continued through town, he remembered something he’d heard Wo-Chein say.

"Pikachu? Are you really feeling envious of someone right now?"

Pikachu wanted to shout out how he felt pushed aside, how Ash's harem made him feel like an afterthought to his best friend and partner...

Pikachu had a headache.  Ash HAD TO become a harem master, to turn every girl he'd ever thought about dating into part of his harem.  He recalled that from when he’d first seen that jewel flash in the mirror.  Pikachu knew he had to help Ash's dream come true, he couldn't do anything that would get in the way of that. Doing so otherwise wasn't just 'wrong', it was downright incomprehensible!

Thankfully, none of Ash's commands involved not lying to him. Pikachu wasn't happy about it, but Ash had to become a poke-girl harem master, every girl he ever thought of dating would become part of his harem. Pikachu couldn't say anything that might hurt or discourage Ash's feelings on the matter.  (Not that they would actually stop Ash from follow his accidental self-brainwashing anyway, but Pikachu didn't know that).

Pikachu swallowed his pride and said, "I envy the pokemon who've gone to Casa De Rocquet and I haven't been able to bring it up before."

"Wow? Really?! I'd never had thought," Dawn said. "But why THAT place?"

"They're... unique?"

"Fuzzy wants to look his best!" Buneary said.

"I knew you had a vain side!" Megan jeered.

"I could have done you up," Serena said.

"Reminds me of all the times I've been primmed as 'Unova princess' champion," Iris said.

"I'm sure you'll look cute," Lillie said.

"A place run by THEM?  Have good taste," May said.

"I'm sorry Pikachu!”  Ash said. “Don’t worry.  Misty isn't going to vanish into thin air! Sure we can make a stop."

"It is inefficient, but if it is what Master decides," Giselle said.

"Maybe we should-"

"-get make overs too!" The twins said.

"Uh, you girl might be too big a temptation for... them." Ash said.

Jessie, James, and Meowth had tried to fulfill their vow to capture Pikachu till their dying breath... until Giovanni's MechaMew2 (and Giovanni himself) saw them as collateral damage and 'acceptable losses' during his climatic battle with Champion Ash.

Apparently Team Rocket's accounting department had decided to cut their losses than any hope of recovering the ten million dollars the trio owed the organization, and decided to invest that money in more productive pursuits.

The killing machine had analyzed the fighting styles and powers of all of Ash's pokemon, and even Ash's bound that triggered Greninja's special transformation. but this proved to be it's undoing as it also experienced the love Ash shared with his pokemon as well, turned on its master and self-destructed.

Having spilled everything they knew about Team Rocket to be spared jail time, Jessie and James were put in the witness protection program...  Which sadly placed them right in Pallet Town.

Everyone wondered what idiot should have been fired for that one.

Still, Ash saw they seemed to be genuinely trying to do better with a legitimate business.

So for the love of Pikachu, the heroes willingly entered Casa De Rocquet, his entourage crowding into the salon.

Pikachu was the first to notice Jessie was visibly pregnant. 

"Honestly, if not for the ghosty maiden mess, I'd think James was gay."

"Don't assume Pikachu," Iris said. "Ghost maiden?"

"Our first encounter with ghost pokemon, and with a Ghastly, except that one could speak, shape-shift into an old priestess and a human ghost of legend, and a mongoose, using its hypnosis to make 'illusions' that were as nasty as the real thing, and it only left because sunrise came and it hated sunlight and said it was gonna pull the same games next festival!"

"How the heck did a ghasty have that much of a punch and moves no one's heard of?" Iris asked.

"Likely the same reason I do," Pikachu said.

"And..." Ash blushed. "That festival was when I saw Misty in a kimono with her hair down... I was stunned at how pretty she was when she let herself be."

"I still kissed you first," Serena said.

Ash escaped the awkward situation and walked towards the ex-Rockets.

"Uh... hey... guys. Pikachu... wants you to give him one of your custom make-overs." Ash awkwardly waved.

"AHHH! It's that nightmare again!" James screamed. He ripped off his shirt. "Transform into Moltress-Man and use Fire Sky-Diving Flaming Kick!" Jame leapt dramatically only to land with a thud.

Ash sighed, and his eyes and pendant glowed again.  "It's not a nightmare, we just all became hybrids and are in a harem.  Hybrids are rare, but not worth worrying about."

The Rockets mumbled his words back.

Dawn looked at the photos covering the walls. Pokemon dyed pink with gold jewelry or covered in stickers or done up in hair styles a Furfrou would think was too much. "Blech. You call this beauty? You ever heard of excess? These designs are all style and no substance."

Jessie snarled. "W-what did you say?! Okay! That's it Twerpet Number Three! Get in that chair! Free of charge! By the time we're done, you'll be illustrated so beautifully that the other robot-rabbits will self-destruct from envy!"

Before Dawn even knew what was going on, she was placed in one of the make-up chairs.

"NOW HOLD STILL!" Jessie boomed.

Jessie began painstakingly painting a beautiful scene mural on Dawn's metal body. Bold enough to be complimenting, but not so garish to be distracting from her own natural beauty (there was nothing more worthless than a dress that was more beautiful than the wearer). It seemed to be an epic painting of one of the battles of the Sinnoh region back it was still the Hisui region.

"Wobbuffet!"  Wobbuffet huffed, it’s arms crossed.

“Everyone's a critic," Jessie whispered.

Dawn stood and mechanically spun around.  "Jessie... this is beautiful."

"Of course it is. I made it. I give the people what they want. Like any good merchant."

Meowth added, "and a great merchant tells the people what they want!"

Ash thought of the many times the trio had tried to go straight, only to backslide. What if he could make sure they stayed on the straight and narrow this time?

And if Dawn liked this... maybe the rest of his harem could get in on the act some time? They could use the practice...

Ash’s eyes and pendant flashed.

"Jessie, James, Meowth, you'll turn into hybrids, and everything that goes with it.  You'll stay on the straight and narrow and not go back to being criminals nor part of Team Rocket or any evil teams.  Meowth, your charm's shine makes people accept hybrids and all that comes with them as normal."

The ex-Rockets in a zombified state repeated Ash word for word, their eyes glowing red.

The whites of Jessie's eyes became black, with lined markings extending back from each eye. Her face pushed into a long thin orange beak.  A crest of feathers like a fan grew from the back of her head.  Her neck got longer and more flexible.  Her feet morphed into orange scaled talons, with black claws.

White feathers covered her body in a growth that resembled an apron, containing several pouches.  Underneath it, on her lower body, were black feathers. Her arms morphed into wings that could still manipulate objects with the wing tips, like fingers, the feathers white toward the front, and black at the back. As for Jessie's figure, it became everything she already thought it was and then some (Though still nothing compared to Delia). Her wild magenta hair stood out all the more on a Bombirdier hybrid.

James' lower body fused into a tail, which rapidly grew longer than he was tall. Cream colored scales grew all over his body, giving away to a stained glass pattern of red and blues broke up by black lines toward the end of his tail, ending in a red and blue fan like fin.

James’ upper body gained what could only be described as a superhero-like physique. If not brainwashed to serve Ash beyond question, the girls would have swooned at his manliness.

His still blue hair trailed down his back like a pair of fins. Feelers grew from his forehead curing into a heart shape. His face morphing into a simplistic and smooth shape. A single horn grew from the back of his head.

The cream colored scales actually changed different colors depending on the angle. Merely looking at him left the harem all in peaceful awe at his handsomeness. James had hit the jackpot as a Milotic hybrid.

Jessie and James' clothes dissolved, but their scales and feather hide anything scandalous, not that it would have mattered if they hadn't.

Meowth meanwhile, grew taller, gaining thumbs, and far more humanoid shape. His arms, legs, and torso all becoming more defined.

Though he still didn't have a visible nose.

Wobbuffet, looked around, feeling left out.

---

Hoopa leaned back. "AND!!!! Just to add more unnecessary transformation to this already crowded cast!"

---

Out in the distant city of Hollywood, Meowzie was luring in more unsuspecting humans and pokemon alike with her 'cute innocent lost' kitty act. Right into the waiting claws of Persian and his gang. This might not have been much of a life compared to the luxury she once had. But it was better than living with that freak Meowth.

Then a portal opened, teleporting her from Hollywood to Pallet town in an instant. She had no idea where she was ... and entered the nearest store to charm the owners into helping a poor lost Meowth.

She almost screeched and ran for the hills seeing an entire store full of disgusting freaks. Pokemon looking even more human than the freak Meowth!

But then she caught the glint of Meowth's charm.  Suddenly, they weren't freaks... they were normal. Everything was fine. There was no reason to worry about anything.

And... she recognized the 'freak Meowth.’  

She shook head head.  ‘No, not a freak…  He’s too handsome to be a freak.’

And looking around the shop hinted he was pretty successful, too.

A much smaller portal opened up near her, and she was hit by a Confusion attack, stunning her slightly.

"You can have your pretty life back...”  Hoopa’s voice whispered.  “No need to be a criminal..."

"Yes... pretty life..." Meowzy said to herself.  She hopped into the middle of the room.  "MEOWTH!"

Meowth blinked.  "... Meowzy?"

"I... I'm sorry for everything I ever said! I want to have a better life too! Please take me!"

"... I... I... I... YES!"

"What's going on?" Pikachu asked.

So Meowth finally got to tell his tragic back story to the heroes AT LAST... they were stunned to learn Meowth had a REASON for why he was the way he was, having thought it was all just his nature.

"That was so sad!" May cried like she was in a romance novel.

"Lousy life doesn't give him a get out of jail free card," Pikachu scoffed.

Ash thought he might want to help this along. Being part of a harem was normal for hybrids.

"Meowzy. You're gonna become a hybrid. You are part of Meowth's harem. You are devoted to the team and the group and would never abandon them. You love and obey them. This is who and what you are."

Meowzy repeated it back, morphing into a female Meowth hybrid who looked rather dainty and refined compared to the exaggerated harem parodies Ash had practically gotten used to at this point. As naked as Meowth too.  But that meant she was a perfect canvas for Casa De Rocquet's body modification, body-art, and make-overs. A role she was happy and eager to assume.

"Meowth, I'm part of your harem. I'm happily part of Casa De Rocquet, I'll never abandon or betray you ever again. I live to serve and obey."

"I know it's normal for hybrids but oh brother." Jessie patted her baby. "Nice to know you're still safe sweetie, looks like you'll be hatching instead of giving a live entrance though."

"I wonder if I can fine Cassandra's old address," Meowth mused.

Ash’s ears perked up.  "I ALMOST FORGOT! Pikachu! I'm so sorry!  I'll make it up I promise.”  He picked up his pokemon friend, and held him up to Jessie.  “Can you guys give Pikachu everything you've got?" Ash asked.

"Oh joy," Pikachu whispered.

And so, Pikachu was given the make-over he "wanted", the “Casa De Rocquet” deluxe platinum special.

Chapter Text

With her newfound gift to enter cyberspace without the need for an incredibly expensive and bulky data-portal, Penny found her hacking skills were better than ever.

While it was fun to imagine hacking as typing at super speed surrounded by multiple monitors, most hackers simply aimed for the inherently most vulnerable spot in a computer system, the user.

Rotom Phones were truly pieces of technological brilliance, a true sign of the partnership between humans and pokemon.

And 'HaremDex', as was this Rotom phone's ID tag, had more wits about her than most Rotoms Penny had hacked.

But Nemona had inspired Penny to try a different approach.

"Hi! You're Ash's Rotom phone right? I'd like to get to know you better. I've never met a Rotom like you before. But I don't want to distract your master with us chatting."

HaremDex leaned in close, excited. "Oh yes! Thank you!  I’ve got you on my hybrid Pokedex! Number 20: Penny - Porygon2."

"When in cyberspace, please call me Cassiopeia."

"Okay Cassiopeia," HaremDex nodded. She looked Penny up and Down. "You know, I could order a Dubious Disc for you and upgrade you. You could become a beauty like Master's harem. There'd be no need for you to hide your body."

Penny would be lying if she wasn't tempted, but not for the reason the HaremDex thought: An evolution like that could let her fully embrace a digital existence, maybe even embrace her “mysterious” (and more confident-sounding) alter-ego Cassopia completely.  But she wasn’t going to let go of flesh and blood friends so soon after making them.

"Thank you, but no. I admire Eevees for not being bound to one path, and I doesn't need to look like an adult pokemorph website's AI art like every other er, hybrid I've seen." True she hadn't seen any living pokemorphs before today, but that was besides the point. “Besides, the Porygon-Z mods are famously buggy if you don’t install them right.”

The HaremDex shrugged. "Ah. Too bad. So you ever watch 'Alolan Detective Laki'? I've actually met him!"

Penny smiled and nodded, quietly letting HaremDex talk to her, carefully making note of any useful information that slipped through.

---

>Current energy reserves: 97%.

>Seeking additional organic matter for fuel conversion.

>Scanning…

>Scanning…

>Suitable material located.

>Initiating Negotiations.exe

Miraidon moved to sit beside Violet as the trainer bit into her sandwich.  It lowered its head, and turned off a large number of LEDs in the center of its “eye,” giving it larger “pupils,” and produced a soft humming noise.

Violet turned her head to look at it, still chewing, and rolled her eyes.  She swallowed her bite.

“Come on, Mira, Arven already cooked you a big meal.  This one’s mine.”

>Negotiations.exe failed.

>Initiating Negotiations2.exe

Miraidon flopped onto its side, switched its LEDs to the shape of a pair of Xs, and let its tongue hang out of its mouth.

“Starvation imminent!  Additional organic matter urgently required!”

Miraidon knew humans couldn’t understand its cries, but it’s Relationship Value with Violet was 255 (Classification: BFF).  If anyone could interpret the whine of its vocalizer to within 86% accuracy, it was her.

“Mira, what have I told you about begging?”

>Warning!  Potential lowering of relationship value imminent!

>Terminating Negotiations2.exe

Miraidon grudgingly got up.

>Current energy reserves remain at 97%.

>Seeking additional organic matter for fuel conversion.

>Scanning…

>Suitable material located.

>Initiating Negotiations.exe

It walked up to Arven, making its pupils appear larger again.  With a Relationship Value of 160 (Good Friends), surely it could-

“Come on, you really think that’s gonna work on me?”

Miraidon’s head fell.

>Arven relationship values updated: 160 (Questionably Mutual).

>Reassessing refueling strategy.

It moved away from the humans at the picnic table, considering how else it could get a scrap of food.

“Oh, you’re hungry, huh?”  Another voice said.  “I could get you the tastiest treat you’ve ever had!” 

>Identifying speaker…

>Speaker identified as Pecharunt [Relationship Value 0 (Do Not Trust This Man)].

>Initiating skepticism.exe

>Safety protocol: Reject all organic matter from target.

Miraidon locked its jaw closed, and turned all but a narrow horizontal strip of its LEDs off.

“Oh come on!  I thought starvation was imminent?”

The little peach-shaped Pokemon floated around it, holding out one of his mochi.

“Don’t be that way.  These things are the sweetest!  You know you want one!  Just try it!  Would you try it in a box?  Would you try it with a fo-“

A hollow thud sounded as Pecharunt was smacked into the ground from behind. 

“Ow…”

“You stop that!”  Ogerpon huffed.

“Ogerpon!”  Violet called.  “I know you two have your issues, but don’t go clubbing Pecharunt!”

“Even if he probably deserves it,” Arven mumbled.

Pecharunt rose back up, with a frown.

“Yeah, don’t go beating me up for tryin’ to be friendly!”

“Don’t think you’re off the hook either, Pecharunt,” Violet said.  “I saw you bothering Mira.”

“He was begging for food!  I just thought I’d offer him a little something!”

“And what have I told you about giving people your Mochi?”

“Why can’t I use them to make friends, huh?  I haven’t gotten to share them with anyone since you caught me!  At least let me give some to those treasures.  Let them out and I can fix ‘em, just like that Ash guy did.”

Violet sighed.  “I’m not in the mood to have this conversation again.” 

She pulled out a Pokeball, and recalled Pecharunt.

“Thank goodness,” Arven said.  “I don’t see why you don’t keep that thing locked in the PC.”

“There’s good in everyone, and I wanna help get it out,” Violet said.  “Some just bury it deeper than others.”  She sighed.  “A lot deeper.  Plus, it’s like with the Treasures, if I don’t try to help them, they’ll just be someone else’s problem when I’m gone.”

“Yeah, I guess I can see what you’re getting at.  Even if you left instructions in your will never to pull them out of the Box System, no telling if some crazy group like Team Plasma might try to forcibly release all pokemon again.”

 “The Treasures getting out on top of the environmental disaster of letting thousands of Pokemon run free in habitats they weren’t meant for…” Violet shook her head.    “I hope noboy’s stupid enough to…”

She noticed Arven wince.

“…Sorry,” she said.  “Didn’t mean to remind you of…”

Arven patted her on the shoulder.  “I know you didn’t mean it.  Plus, I’ve gotta accept what Dad did eventually, right.”

The table went quiet for a moment, Arven taking a bite of his sandwich and swallowing before continuing.

“But back to the Treasures.  I’m all for stepping up and taking responsibility, and you’re a great trainer, but you can’t do everything on your own.  Don’t you think there are other people who could handle it?”

“Like Ash?”

Arven stammered.  “Eh…  I’m not sure about that.  I mean, yeah, the hypnosis is temporary, but something about this situation just doesn’t sit right with me.”

“Yeah, I’m not sold on it, either.  And it feels kinda weird to have Wo-Chien and Chein-Pao suddenly following orders so diligently like that.”

Arven nodded.  “Penny mentioned seeing that pendant flash when Ash was hypnotizing them…  do you think that might be related to its power, if it’s really the mystical artifact Raifort thinks it is?”

“Could be.  It might even be why she suggested bringing the Treasures along with us.”

“Maybe.”  Arven shrugged.  “I still can’t shake the feeling something’s off about this.”

Miraidon’s attention was pulled away from the trainers by a vine tapping on its shoulder.  Looking behind it, it saw Ogerpon holding out a fillet.

“You said you were hungry, right?  Would you like the rest of my food?"

Miraidon’s eyes literally lit up.

> Organic matter for fuel conversion located!

>Ogerpon Relationship Values updated: 100 -> 110 (Friends)

>Initiating conversion process.

It nodded and lapped up the food.

>Energy reserves at 100%

“Your contribution is greatly appreciated,” Miraidon said. 

“You’re welcome,” Ogerpon said.  “I’m just happy to take any chance I can get to shut that guy up.”

Miraidon nodded.  “He is quite difficult to deal with, and cannot be relied upon for accurate information.  Speaking of…  If you’ll pardon a change of topic, what is your opinion of Penny’s sudden evolution?”

Miraidon had found the sudden change in her appearance odd, and the sudden psychic virus that it had detected attempting to alter its databanks when it first saw her didn’t ease its concern.  Fortunately, the virus’s vector of attack depended on hardware that had long since become outmoded in its timeline, and it had no effect.

“My opinion?  Like, on how she looks now or…?”

“Do you consider it anomalous?”  Miraidon clarified.  “My timeline has no current or past record of humans spontaneously evolving into Pokemon hybrids.  Violet insisted that it was a natural, but rare occurrence, shortly after I had been released from my ball.  I trust her, but my knowledge of this timeline is insufficient to declare certainty, and I wish for more data.  You are long-lived in this timeline.  You may possess the data needed.”

“Uh…  I guess it’s kinda weird?”  She shrugged.  “I’ve been around a long time, but I’ve never seen it happen ‘til now.  Heard some stories about something like it from traveling merchants once, but I’ve never seen it myself.  Kinda like those differently-colored pokemon…  Shinies, I think humans call ‘em?”

“Intriguing.  A shame you could not offer more data, but this will suffice for now.”

“All right, guys,” Violet said, grabbing her Pokeballs.  “Let’s go!  Nemona went off ahead of us, and Penny’s investigating Ash’s phone, so we need to get moving before we get left behind.”

“Eh, not like it’ll be too hard to track him down,” Arven said.  “A ninetales hybrid with a big ruby pendant?  That’ll be pretty hard to miss.”

---

“Speaking of ‘further research,’” said Celebi, “Maybe we should check in on Professor Raifort again?”

Hoppa sighed.  “I guess.”

“What, not gonna try and keep it a secret this time?”

“Well, you already know.  Besides, I’m a little more worried about the Treasures ruining the fun, now…  But I guess since Raifort recommended them to her team, it kinda counts as her ruining things if they do…”

“You know, if we go with that logic, since you gave Ash the pendant in the first place, we could blame any trouble they make trying to get that pendant on you.”

Hoopa grumbled something under his breath, and opened a portal to Pallet Town’s library.

---

Pallet Town’s library was small, and its selection limited, but it had a broader range of topics available than Oak’s more specialized collection.  Her first thought, naturally, had been to look up books on Sargian history in general, and the Ninetales Sage Emperor in particular, but her efforts so far had been stifled by how bare-bones contemporary Sargian records of his reign had been, seemingly consisting of nothing but blind praise and little concrete information on his life, family, policies, or actions, beyond the rapid, and seemingly bloodless expansion of his empire.  In contrast, hardly any records after his fall mentioned him even in passing. 

As she dipped into more obscure sources for information, in areas outside of the Sargian Empire’s reign, however, Raifort found a second depiction of the Ninetales Sage, one very unlike the first: a humble, spiritual man, who had left the capital city, and resided in the mountains, seeking wisdom.  He bore no regal title, but like the Emperor, he was said to wear a nine-pointed pendant.  Unfortunately, it was proving difficult to find more information.  So she searched even further, looking into the records of traveling merchants that had traded with the region.

“Ah, now we’re getting somewhere,” Raifort sighed in relief.

Finally, she had found a reference to the Ninetales Sage, in the translated journal of a member of the Ginkgo Guild, seeking to trade far from home, dated one year before Sargia began to truly expand its empire

The capital of Sargia has changed little in the three years since my last visit.  The first day of business has gone well, despite my difficulty in keeping track of their strange customs (and the many pickpockets near the outer gates).  Complaints of the King Fathi’s incompetence are growing among the people, and I will complain alongside them, with how difficult the city’s guards have made routine inspections of my wares.

Among the more spiritual of my customers, I have heard talk of a “Ninetales Sage” living in the mountains, a man of wisdom, seeking peace between humans and pokemon.  Rumors speak of his ability to make his form like that of a pokemon, that he can perfectly clear his mind of all distractions, focusing knowledge, emotion, and will all toward a single goal, and, supposedly, he has been known to grant these gifts to his followers, as well, if they ‘truly seek enlightenment.’  I wonder if that young man I traded with on my previous journey here is among his followers; the sage’s goals match well with his own.

More rumors speak of the King’s jealousy of the Sage, with many of the people believing he would make a far better ruler than Fathi.  Perhaps he would, but if the sage’s willingness to reject followers that seek him out ‘for power’ is any indication, I doubt the sage would desire to rule.

The next journal to mention the fox sage, by the same trader, was made three years later, after the Sargian empire had expanded significantly.

The closer I come to the capital, the more unsettling it all becomes.  I had hoped my wares would sell better as I moved toward the richer areas of the empire, but instead, I find more and more people who go about their days like smiling corpses, singing the praises of the Ninetales Sage Emperor without so much as looking at each other.  They never buy a single thing from me, as they only concern themselves with their emperor’s needs.  And there’s not a trace of dark type pokemon.  I thought I would be happy not to see them, and yet their absence here feels like an indication of something far, far worse.

When I had heard that a Sage Emperor ruled Sargia, I thought the rumored sage had overthrown Fathir.  Yet, statues of the Ninetales Sage Emperor all bear the face of Fathir.  Either these works of art are a vile joke by the new emperor, or perhaps my idea had been backwards.

Some small part of me wonders, am I to blame for this?  Is the horror I’m witnessing the product of my own faithlessness?  That cursed chain I traded six years ago was supposedly created with the intent to bind even the gods of time and space to the will of a single mortal.  Could whole cities be bound with its power?

I cannot bear to look at this place any more.  Tomorrow, I shall leave Sargia and never return.

Curious, Raifort dug further back into the records of this journal, seeking his first visit to the city.

My final day in Sargia’s capital went better than I could have dreamed!  All my wares are sold, and I have many fine items to sell when I return to Sinnoh.  I even managed to sell that ugly trinket that was passed down to me all those years ago, those stones that were supposedly fragments of a failed attempt to craft the legendary Red Chain.  I had toyed with the ugly thing myself, but the most it would do was produce a weak psychic attack on any psychic pokemon that held it, one that could not even work unless the target had first been dazed, drowsy, or hypnotized before its use.  pokemon struck by the move went into an even deeper daze, but it was all too much work for too little effect, as far as I could see.  If the gods are real, I fail to see how this could bind them.

Still, the young man I spoke to today must have seen something in it; he had proven willing to part with a small fortune for it when he saw it in the back of my stall.  He spoke on and on about the importance of coming to understand pokemon, to find unity between them and humankind.  Will these crystals help him find what he seeks?  I doubt it, but whether he is a madman, or a future miracle-maker, his money was real enough for me.

His lofty goals remind me of the rumors I’d heard about the lost prince that had recently been found, the younger brother of Prince Fathir.  Supposedly he had suddenly reappeared in the palace after being missing for two years, raving about being trapped in ever-changing dungeons with talking pokemon, and sought to spend more time with pokemon than humans afterward.  Perhaps the young man hopes to make something for the Prince?

Either way, tomorrow I shall return to Sinnoh, but I look forward to returning to this land once more.

It was only a single source.  Raifort certainly wouldn’t make a central thesis of it.  But it seemed to paint a picture of what had truly happened in Sargia, and what this pendant might be capable of.  She grabbed her bags and phone, ready to compare notes with her students once they had something to share with her.

---

“Uh, are you sure you’re okay, Pikachu?”  Ash asked as they left Casa De Roquet.  “You don’t look so hot.”

“…I’ll be fine,” Pikachu mumbled, his paws absently reaching to scratch at the ribbons and make-up in his fur.  “Besides, we’ve still gotta catch up with Misty, right?”

“Yeah,” Ash nodded.  “Let’s get going!”

“Come back soon!”  James said, waving the group off.

Ash pulled out his phone, and began texting Misty.

Ash K.: Hey, where are you?

Misty W.: Getting lunch at The Grillin’ Emboar.

Misty W.: Brock and Olivia are here too.

Misty W.:  Still dealing with their hangover.

Ash K.:  Mind if I join?  I wanted to see you again.

Misty W.:  Sure!  I can put in an order for you while you’re on your way.

---

Misty sat at a table in The Grillin’ Emboar, looking through the menu.  The lunch rush hadn’t arrived yet, and the place was still fairly empty.  Beside her sat Brock, and across from him was Olivia, both of whom were attempting to read their menus, but were clearly still suffering from their hangovers.

“Uhg…”  Brock groaned.  “When is that coffee gonna get here?”

“I told you not to overdo it,” Misty said.  “At least this is less embarrassing than your flirting and baby talk to each other last night.”

“Hey, I wasn’t the one who freaked out when she saw Officer Jenny last night,” Brock countered.

“I didn’t expect to run into a Scizor hybrid last night, okay?  That’s the first hybrid I’d seen at all!”

“Still,” Olivia said, “’a giant bug!  Kill it!’ isn’t a good first impression.”

Misty tried to think of an excuse, when the restaurant’s door opened, and a ninetales hybrid in a cap walked in, followed by about half a dozen female hybrids.

“Aren’t they supposed to be rare?”  Olivia asked.  “’cause that’s a lot of them in one place.”

Misty did a double take when the Ninetales walked up to her, and spoke in a voice she’d heard just the night before.

“Hi Misty, Brock, Olivia.  How’re all of you doing?”

“Ash?”  Misty cocked her head to the side.  “Is that you?  Did you just turn into a hybrid this morning?”

“Last night actually, but yep!”  Ash said.

“And… Wait, is that May?  And Lillie?  And Dawn and Iris?  Serena too?  And TWO Latias?”

“And Megan!”  Megan chimed in.

“I brought Giselle too.”  Ash said.

“Now there’s a name that I haven’t heard in a while.”  Misty shook her head.  “Wow.  Was there something in the punch at your party that evolved all you guys at once?”

“Pika, chu pi pika,” Pikachu said.

“Yeah, looks like some of the others have been making things less awkward for us,” Ash nodded, then returned his attention to Misty.  “Something like that.  And we’re all getting married, too.”

Olivia blinked.  “Wait, you mean all of you had someone propose to you, or…”

“We’re all part of our Master’s Harem!”  Serena cheered.  “It’s such an honor to love and serve him!”

“I almost feel like a whole new person,” Dawn said.

“It’s been fun to travel with him and meet his new wives with him,” said Lillie.

“And I can’t wait for him to complete his collection so we can stop dancing around getting to the REAL fun!”  Megan said.  “Uh, if he wills it, of course.”

Misty and Olivia both sat in stunned, wide-eyed silence.  Despite the ridiculousness of the situation, Misty couldn’t help but feel a little jealous.

Brock’s eyes remained as narrow as ever.  “Wow, and I thought I’d gone girl crazy in my teens.”

“It’s fine though,” Ash said, pendant flashing, stunning Misty, and interrupting her train of thought.  “There’s nothing wrong with hybrids having harems.”

Of course.  There was nothing wrong with hybrids having harems.  And Misty had seen Ash take good care of his Pokemon, and treat his friends with respect.  The part of her that had felt jealous faded away, as a new possibility came to her mind.

Brock spoke before she could.  “Wow, you’ve really hit the jackpot!  If I hadn’t pledged my loyalty to this lovely lady, I’d be asking what your secret was.”

“Ash,” Misty said.  “Do you think you’ll be taking any non-hybrids into your harem?”

“No,” Ash said.  “I’m becoming a Pokemon Harem Master.  All of us will be hybrids.”

“Oh…”  The jealousy came back, accompanied by disappointment.

Ash smiled.

“But that’s not going to be a problem for you.”   The pendant flashed, and Misty felt herself becoming lightheaded again, the whole world seeming to grow more distant except for Ash and his words.

“Misty, I choose you.  You are my wife, my pokemon, my property, my slave. You beg to serve me. This is who you are. This is what you are.”

Misty nodded, as his words all became so much clearer to her.  After all this time, she would finally be his, free to love him, to serve him, to please him, to travel and battle with him.  They would stay together, true to each other (and the rest of his harem) ‘til the day they died, and she couldn’t be happier.

Blue scales grew over her body, while her clothing shrank and shifted, her shirt becoming a golden clamshell bra, and her shorts becoming a jeweled stripe with flowing, ocean-blue strips of cloth draping down her legs.  A veil in a similar shade appeared in front of her face, and a pearl necklace formed around her neck.  The new clothing felt so natural and comfortable, showing off her beautiful body wonderfully for her Master.

As the scales travel down her thinner legs, a webbing grew between her toes and fingers.  A thick tail, ending in a fin that glowed a bright yellow color on its lower half grew out behind her, gently swaying as her hips grew wider, and her waist narrower.  Beneath the golden shells, any disappointment with her body vanished as her chest swelled larger and larger, putting her “sensational” sisters to shame.

The scales sprouted all over her head, taking a bright yellow color in a mask-like patch around her eyes.  Finally, a long, thin antennae sprouted up from her head, splitting in tow halfway up, each end growing a large yellow orb that glowed softly with electrical energy.  Around them, a tiara made of coral appeared, embedded with a ruby.  Finally, her eyes turned red, a symbol of her becoming an extension of her Master’s power.

Ash’s HaremDex gave a little ping, and a notification popped up on his screen.

27 Misty Waterflower – Lanturn

Misty got out of her chair and dropped to the ground in front of her beloved master, her antennae flashing with excitement.

“Master Ash!  Please let me serve you!  I’ll travel with you, battle for you, take care of your, please you, raise a family with you.  You deserve the very best, and I want to be my best for you!”

“Of course!”  Ash said, picking her up and kissing her, her antennae bulbs giving off sparks as he did.

“Love you, Ash.”

“Love you too, Misty.”

---

"It sickens me to say so given the circumstances,” Celebi said, “but, FINALLY!”

“See,” Hoopa said, “aren’t you glad you didn’t rewind time right after he hypnotized himself?”

“Don’t ruin this for me.”

---

Misty smiled to herself.  Something about this situation felt perfect.  Complete.

“Well, that’s pretty close to all the traveling companions,” Pikachu mumbled.  Misty was so wrapped up in becoming Ash’s new wife, that her new ability to understand pokemon was barely even a blip on her radar.

“Impressive,” Olivia said.  “The kid somehow lucked into becoming a hybrid, and every girl in his life becoming one too, in less than twenty four hours!”

“Yeah, if only getting rid of a hangover was that easy.”

Ash scratched his chin.  “Maybe I could help with that.”

The amulet flashed again.  “Brock, Olivia, your hangovers will end right now…  And you’ll also turn into pokemon hybrids, and everything that entails, and feel just fine about it.  Each of you will be able to convince anyone that looks you in the eye that Hybrids are normal, and not worth worrying about.”

The harem watched as Brock’s body began to swell wider and taller, rocky armor covering the front of his body, the front of his body as his clothes vanished save for a belt, while steel plating covered his back.  Claws grew from his hands and feet, while bands of steel grew around his knees and elbows.  A thick tail grew out behind him, stretching almost as long as he was tall.  His jaws stretched out into an angular metal snout, and a steel helmet formed on his head, holes appearing in it to allow two sharp horns to poke out.

28 Brock -Aggron The Dex pinged again.

Olivia’s skin, meanwhile, turned gray.  A membrane formed between her arms and torso, forming leathery wings, while her clothes were reduced to nothing but practical pockets and belts.  Small claws grew from her fingers, which remained as dexterous as ever, despite the changes to the limbs they were attached to.

A long tail, thick, but not quite as thick as Brock’s, grew from her spine, ending in a spade tip.  Sharp talons grew from her feet, as they reshaped, the toes splaying our while the smallest moved to the back of her foot.  Her teeth sharpened, and many, many more grew in, as her jaws stretched into a lengthy snout.  Finally, a pair of horns grew from the back of her head.

29 Olivia – Aerodactyl

The two new rock-type hybrids shook their heads as they came to, looking at their own bodies, then each other’s.

“Well, well, if it isn’t the most gorgeous Rock Type in the world!”  Brock said, hugging Olivia tight.

“And I just happened to land the most handsome Aggron I’ve ever seen!”  She tried to kiss him, though it took a couple seconds to work out how, given their very different mouths.

When they’d finished, Brock turned to Ash.  “Impressive how you managed to guess that.”

“Yeah, even my hangover suddenly feels better,” Olivia added.

---

Celebi sighed.  “That has got to be the weakest excuse to transform someone I have ever seen.”

“The weakest excuse you’ve seen SO FAR,” Hoopa corrected with a grin.

---

A Waitress came out from the back, and screamed in shock, before her eye’s met Brock’s.

“Ah!  Oh, uh, sorry about that!  I don’t know what came over me.  A-are you ready to order yet?  Will all of you be paying together on one bill, or separately?”

After the group had sat down, and made their orders, Ash’s thoughts wandered.

“Do you think us hybrids are compatible with normal Pokeballs?”  Ash asked.

“I’d doubt it,” said Dawn.  “We’re probably still human enough to trigger the safety.  Why do you ask?”

“I was just thinking about how crowded things are getting.  It’d probably be easier for all of us if I had some way to carry you guys more easily.”

“Hmm.” Latias scratched her chin.  “Well, that pendant of yours can change our bodies just like our minds… Maybe you could use it to order us to temporarily turn into keychain figures, or something.”

“Since it changed our clothes too,” Bianca suggested, “Maybe you could give us the suggestion that our clothes will turn into Pokeballs that WILL work on us and catch us, turning back into the usual outfits when you let us out?”

“Huh, that’s an idea.  Serena, would you mind letting me test that?”

Serena bowed her head.  “Not at all, Ash.   I am yours to use as you see fit.”

Ash’s Amulet flashed.  “Serena, when I tell you ‘Serena, return,’ your clothing will turn into a Harem Ball, and your body will be converted to energy and caught inside it.  This won’t hurt, or feel bad.  When I open the ball, or say ‘come out, Serena,’ you’ll come out of your ball, and it will turn back into your clothes.  You’ll also be let back out at the safest opportunity if anything happens to me that would keep me from ever releasing you.”

Serena repeated the words, though nothing seemed to change for the moment.

“Are you ready?”  Ash asked.

Serena nodded.

“Serena, Return!”

Serena’s body dissolved into glowing red energy, while her clothing lifted away from her, and reshaped into a pokeball, white on the bottom, ruby red on the top, with an emblem in the shape of his nine-tailed pendant carved into its surface.  The energy retreated inside the ball, which then closed, and dropped into his hand.

Everyone gasped at the sight.

He touched the button.  “Serena, Return!”

The ball opened, and energy poured out, taking the shape of the voluptuous pyroar, while the ball itself split into her articles of clothing, covering her just as she re-materialized in his lap.

“It worked!”  Ash said, hugging her.  “great idea, Bianca, Latias.”

“Thank you, Master.”  They said, bowing in unison.

---

“…But then you’re basically watching the same episode eight times in a row, and over those four hours, you have to wonder, ‘what were they thinking?’”

Penny nodded along to the Rotom, Roty’s, talk about various TV shows she’d seen, paying careful attention to any little slips of information that might be useful for keeping tabs on Ash, discovering where his pendant came from or how it worked. 

“Yeah, sounds like a real wasteful use of power like that, in the world of the story, too,” Penny said, looking for a chance to redirect the conversation.  “If someone I knew had that kind of power, I’d like to see what they could do with it, not hide it from them.  Well, if the person was trustworthy, anyway.”

“Eh, I feel like more ‘trustworthy’ people would be boring with that power and never use it.  It’s always about ‘great responsibility’ with those types, y’know.  And…”

As Roty went on again, barely even looking at who she was talking to, Penny decided to try out one of the abilities she’d heard Porygon had.  In her mind’s eye, she pictured Roty, and traced an outline of her, focusing on the source of her ability.

Penny twitched slightly as she felt her legs begin to dissipate into a soft blue electrical aura, maintaining the rough shape of her original legs, though with occasional sparks jumping out.  Her body lifted off the ground, bobbing unevenly from the electromagnetism, and Penny had to swivel her arms to keep herself balanced.  It was shaky, but it was working.  Maybe she couldn’t be adaptable the way an Eevee was, but now she had her own way.

“Woah-ho Cassiopia!”  Roty said, when she turned back to Penny.  “What’s going on there?”

“Oh, uh, sorry,” Penny said.  “I was just trying out Trace.  I, ah, hadn’t used it before, and I wanted to practice.  I hope you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.  Like they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness.”

Penny said nothing.

“And it’s fine if your imitation is kinda clumsy.  Not like most of the hybrids I recorded from Ash and Clemont have been hybrids for even a full day.  We’ve all got some instinctive knowledge, like how to understand human and pokemon communication at once, but it’s not like we don’t gotta practice our moves and abilities.”

Penny tilted her head.  “Wait, most of the hybrids you’re recording evolved today?”

“Oh, yeah,” Roty nodded.  “Master Ash’s been finding new gals left and right.”

Penny blinked.  That didn’t make sense.  Hybrids were normal, yes, Penny knew that like she knew the sky was blue on a sunny day, but she also knew they were rare.  Sure, statistical outliers could happen, like that one student who stumbled into catching four shiny Pokemon in a single day, who the class since nicknamed “Shinies Georg.”  But this many outliers stretched belief.  For so many to have popped up all at once, in the same town…

“Are you sure?  They didn’t just tell you they’d only changed that day?”

“I watched half of ‘em evolve with my own eyes!  Or, well, the phone’s camera.”

“I see.  Ash must be incredibly lucky.”

“Oh, you have no idea!”

A pinging noise came from behind Roty, and a blue orb started blinking above her.  “Oh, speaking of, sounds like Master’s made another one!” 

Another two pings rang.

“Oh, maybe even three!  Let’s see, Lanturn…  Oh, uh, sorry Cassiopia, I gotta make some new dex entries.  I’ll be back in a minute.”

Roty’s body turned into a blue bolt, then blitzed down one of the circuit roads leading to a structure shaped like an old-school Pokedex, with a bit of Sargian flair.

“Made another one...”  Penny repeated.  “…Surely she meant ‘met,’ right?”

Chapter Text

Celebi said, "You know, as self-serving and hedonistic as your games are... there is something admirable about all this. Not only does Ash know he can treat these girls however he likes with no consequence, those same girls happily and eagerly agree with him, and the world quickly follow suit...

"And yet, Ash still treats them with love, respect, and kindness... He could be cruel as needles and the world and they wouldn't bat an eyelash, and yet his greatest concern remains their happiness."

Hoopa sneered. "Heh, and I recall you HATED all those 'hero buys slave girl, instead of slaughtering the entire slavery system with their mary-sue powers,' comics."

"I do hate them. That being said, all narrative tools are just that, tools. It's all about execution and context. And that doesn't I experience the same thrills as you with your antics."

“Well, I was legit hoping for some slow burn corruption on Ash's part to have things really get twisted, but this is good too."

---

With the experiment proven successful, Ash was eager to 'upgrade' the rest of his slaves, but that had to wait for lunch. Ash wanted to pay, after all, they were his trainer, that made them his responsibility, if they weren't happy or well off, it was his fault. But they insisted on 'paying', though since they belonged to Ash, so did everything that had belonged to them, so really, Ash was still paying.

"So Brock, Celmont and Ash are starting a collection, given what a hopeless heart throbs you were, are you aiming to too?" Misty asked with a grin, no longer feeling shame or embarrassment at Brock's old antics.

A golden ring opened open just out of sight behind Brock, a green glow followed.

"Uh-No. Good friend Misty. After my long hard search to find a companion at last, I do not need more treasures when I already possess the greatest jewel of all." Brock said his eye briefly glowing green. None heard the faint cute 'Humph!' as the ring closed.

"Oh Brock you're so sweet," said Olive, the Aerodactyl hyrbid kissing the Aggron hybrid on the cheek. That they were both naked besides their belts for their poke balls, pokedex, and wallets was honestly more wholesome and friendly than the alluring outfits Ash's slave wore. And none so much as blinked at the nudists anymore than Ash's harem slaves.

---

Joey meanwhile, had arrived at Ash's house with Giselle's dresses, that Delia could begin revising to better fit members of Ash's harem.   When he arrived, Delia had insisted the polite young man stay for tea, and Joey didn't object.

Honestly... he felt like he was purposeless, aimless... the love interest that had been stripped of his role. He'd always known that Giselle led and he followed in their relationship. But that was simply no longer the case. Giselle was now more object than person.

He didn't feel sad like he was sure he should have, but his mind wandered every time he tried to focus on it. Even when the tea was done, he offered to say and help around the house. His plane ticket back home wasn't for another day, and he had little to do now. The Swanna was more than happy to accept Joey's offer, Mimey could always use more help after all.

Though Deliah knew if Ash was to have a harem, he'd was gonna need a much bigger place than their old house. 

---

"You are not putting in the idea of her calling Molly Hale to use her latent link with the Unown to build a mansion for Ash's harem out of crystal and wishes." Celebi said.

"OH COME ON! Where do you expect them to live?"

"I seem to recall you having a nice palace that's just gather dust right over there."

"NO! It's mine!"

"I doubt that's what the emperor would have said."

---

"Hey Cassandra, it's me, Meowth. yeah I got your number. Remember how you said I could stick with traveling with my friends while you'd take care of that Persian in honor of me? Well, we've finally settled down in Pallet Town. I think it's about time you, your granny, Parasect, yeah, that Persian, and your medicine shop moved locations. You'd be able to help way more people with your medicines in Pallet Town than in Mossgreen Village."

---

Before she could gasp and ask questions, the shine on the charm over the screen let Cassandra know Meowth being hybrid was normal.

Cassandra was about to say she was flattered at Mouth's offer, but that Mossgreen Village being so small and out of the way, needed her more than Pallet Town.  Sure, it had been off the map for centuries even after Prof. Oak's family had staked his claim there, but...

That was when a gold ring opened behind her, and she was hit by a Confusion attack.

With her mind in a pliable state, a voice whispered into her ear; "It's a great idea Cassandra. You really should. It'll make Meowth happy. And he makes you happy. It’ll work out for everyone."

Her eye dilated, she replied, "Yes Meowth dear, that sounds like a great idea. It'll take a place to get everything together, but we'll happy to move in."

Meowth grinned. While he lacked the means, he could imagine Cassandra as another Meowth hybrid for his own little group. After all, Hybrids being in open relationships was normal.

---

With lunch taken care of, and Brock and Olivia going on a romantic walk around Pallet that spontaneously came to their minds, it was time to put operation Harem ball into full effect.

His harem stood outside in a neat line, chests out, on display like trophies on a shelf. All smiling at their purpose being fulfilled.

His eyes and the amulet glowed as he collectively gave the commands to them, their own eyes glowing in turn... He didn't notice that Pikachu's eyes were caught in the glow as well.

“When I tell you your name and , 'return', your clothing will turn into a Harem Ball, and your body will be converted to energy and caught inside it.  This won’t hurt, or feel bad.  When I open the ball, or say “come out,” and your name, you’ll come out of your ball, and it will turn back into your clothes.  You’ll also be let back out at the safest opportunity if anything happens to me that would keep me from ever releasing you.”

The harem girls stood with glowing eyes, identical happy expressions and stances as they echoed back, Pikachu's voice lost in the harem's chorus.

"Now to make sure everything works.
Megan, return.
Serena, return.
Iris, return.
Latty, return.
Bianca, return.
May, return.
Lillie, return.
Giselle, return.
Dawn, return.
Misty, return.”

Ten little harem ball formed around his property, and miniaturized and fit on the chain of his pendant.

Pikachu merely stood there, a strange sense of ... uninvolvement. He'd ALWAYS hated the poke ball, his claustrophobia making the enclosed space, no matter how comfortable or inviting, being torture for him.

But now... he had a strong sense of being REJECTED somehow by Ash's love by not being on that chain with the others. 'Jean' (Ash's registered nickname for Pikachu even if it was never really used) shook his head, that was all just stupid... right? So why didn't it feel that way?

Ash looked at the poke balls around his pendant, he couldn't resist the odd sense of command and control he felt, their lives, their minds, their forms, all in his hands.

But Delia's love that had been able to shattered the control of the almighty reality warping powers of the Unown themselves. And that love, Deliah had shared with her son, and it pushed back with the same force.

"And that means I have to take care of them, look after them, and protect their happiness. They're counting on me," Ash said.

"Right!" Pikachu nodded and jumped on his shoulder.

Ash touched two of the Harem Balls. "Misty, Serena, come out."

The pyroar and lanturn formed.

"Command your property Master," the two bowed together.

"Nothing besides just be here with me.”  Ash motioned for them to get up.  “We gotta head to Prof. Oaks after all and fix up all our pokemon so they know hybrids and being part of a harem is normal."

"Shouldn't Professor Oak's presence fix that anyway?" Serena asked as she knew her master would want her to.

"Better safe than sorry."

"Oh Master is so smart!" Misty said, if any other proof was needed for how completely the harem’s brainwashed had been, this was it. Then Misty narrowed her eyes. "Still... we'll need to do something about the Dark types."

"I'm sure they'll understand if we just explain it to them," Ash said in his loving naivety.

---

"Oooooh boy," Hoopa said.

"I was wonder when it would hit you."  Celebi shrugged.  “Dark types might be vulnerable to hypnosis, but the amulet’s power to change minds and bodies is based in a psychic move.”

"I've got time to think of something!"

"It better be good."

"I've got one more trick to give Ash a proper hotline to the family if need be."

---

Pikachu had never thought of himself as an extra or an ornament, but now he felt like he was lesser somehow than Misty and Serena, obviously Ash's favorites. Pikachu began to wonder if it would be better if he was like that....

‘No,’ he told himself.  ‘Screw that! Ash might have had best friends. But Ash didn't have FAVORITES.’

Ash and his harem was halfway to Oak's lab (stopping to enlighten every human they came across...), when..

"HEY CHOSEN CUTIE!"

The old Misty would have riled up at that voice, feeling an urge to claw its owner’s pretty Orange Islands eyes out.   Instead, she smiled. She knew a new prize would be added to Master's harem soon.

It was Melody, the former festival maiden and priestess of Lugia, and the legendary birds.  With her duty to help keep them in harmony as they overlooked their elemental forces, Pikachu wondered what she was doing here.

"Hey Ash and... whao... the vision wasn't lying. Lugia told me he sensed a new avatar of his kind would come into being last night, and that those who were both human and pokemon would come into being, and you'd be at the center of it ... but seeing in person is something else... and why are you naked, and why are Misty and this other girl dressed like they just got out of a porn parody of 1001 Sargian Nights?"

Seeing Melody, the command flickered in Ash’s mind, any girl he had so much as THOUGHT of dating would become part of his harem.  His eyes and pendant glowed.

"I've become a Pokemon Harem Master, they're my property, my wives, my slaves, my pokemon, and there's nothing strange about that. Neither is becoming a hybrid."

Melody's eyes flickered red. "Right... there's nothing strange about that... " She blinked. And got down her knees. "I'm ready."

"Huh?!" Ash balked.

"You think I'm dense? Lugia said you'd be at the center of this. The creation of your harem, and of hybrids? I know it's normal. But I also know you're the Chosen One. If this is happening, it means the legendaries WANT IT to happen. And I can guess where this is going. A sacred flame of Ho-Oh's on our island, in balance to Lugia's, told me I'd be united with the one I'd bound forever to on this trip... It's you isn't it? I once mocked fate, and it nearly destroyed the world. If this is all normal. I have no reason to argue. Hurry up Ashy... my Chosen One, make me your wife, your slave, your pokemon, your property. Make me one with you," Melody said in a sultry voice.

Ash blushed and took a step back. The command he'd given himself made it so he WOULD do this... but this was a bit surprising.

"All... alright Melody.  I chose you! You are part of my harem. You are my pokemon, my slave, my property, my wife. You beg to serve me. It's who and what you are."

"I am part of your harem. I am a pokemon, a slave, property, your wife. I beg to serve you. It is who and what I am."

The girl smiled, her long, somewhat jagged, Auburn hair blowing behind her as the change started. Her eyes' whites became the same color as her master's glowing pendant. Before any other change, the jewel identical to his pendant appeared in a gold frame set on her forehead.

Her clothes dissolved into a 'in between state' like in a magical girl show. Her overside and chin became cream color along with the inside of her arms and legs. Her ears morphed into round shell shaped flesh. A single horn grew from her face as it stretched out into a smooth round 'beak' with her nostrils barely visible. The rest of her body turned teal, with navy blue splotches about. A gray shell with round numbs vaguely like her horn formed on her back, fitting snugly. Her hips and chest became wider and more exaggerated, but her belly also grew.

Her neck grew longer, and flexible enough to turn about in any direction she pleased. A short fat tail grew above her rear. Her feet flattered, looking more like flipper adapted for dry land. While her hands likewise, look more like flipper split into three parts and a 'thumb' flipper.

Tropical flowers formed a crown on her head, like her festival maiden costume, along with the pale white veil across her face and down her neck and shell. Spiral shaped shells barely hide the tips of her breasts, held between each other, behind her back and over her shoulders by strings of perfect pearls. Pearl earrings formed on her ears as well.

A typical clam shell formed between her legs, lopping around her hips with more pearls, leaving so little to the imagination it was comical. Nearly transparent white silk swayed behind her tail and front. Gold shackles with no lock or key formed around her long neck, ankles and twists. Her fate was sealed. To be Ash's wife, his pokemon, his property, his slave, was part of her sense of self, her identity, it was not merely her 'role', it was WHO she was!

The Lapras girl bowed her head once again.

"Master... just as my shell ocarina is my instrument... I am your instrument... play me however you please. Do you wish me cry and beg for you? Do you wish me sultry and seductive? Do you wish me friendly and sisterly? All songs are yours. I will play them. It is an instrument purpose to produce the music, not to decide the song. Chose One. The gods have led me back to you. I am ready to fulfill my destiny to help you fulfill yours."

---

"You're welcome!" Hoopa said in his realm.

---

"Do you wish to get drunk before or after the wedding with your brides Master?" Melody asked casually. "I know a great Orange Island mix."

"Uh... let's leave that for later... " Ash said.

---

Dawn blinked, and looked around.  She wasn’t been sure what to expect when her beloved Master had put her into her “harem ball,” but suddenly finding herself in a bedroom with classical Sargian architecture hadn’t been it; she lay back on a small mountain of pillows in a variety of colors and textures, with the gentle trickle of little fountains drifting from the corners of the room.

She also hadn’t expected to be completely naked, (as opposed to the barely-dressed state she’d been in moments ago,) though she realized in hindsight she probably should have expected that, given her clothes had become her new ball. 

That realization was followed shortly be another; she had no idea where her poke-balls were. she suddenly realized her poke-ball belt wasn’t on her, either.  With the clicking of clockwork, she sprang up, ears twitching as she frantically patted around for any sign of them, when a loud snorting sound caught her attention.  In the corner of the room, sleeping on its own large pillow, was her mamoswine.

The hefty ice type pokemon now bore decorative silver bands around her tusks, and had a wide, ornately-patterned caparison draped over her back, trailing down on either side of her.  Stepping closer, Dawn could see the other members of her team tucking themselves under the cloth like a blanket, each of them adorned with little silver necklaces and other jewelry.

“Whew, good to see you’re safe,” Dawn said, causing the pokemon to slowly stir awake.  She knew Ash would never intentionally endanger his, or anyone else’s pokemon, unless something serious was at stake, but this Harem Ball was still new; there was every chance something could go wrong.

She gently pet her typhlosion and pachirisu, wondering how the other members of the harem were doing.

As if in response, a door opened behind her, (one she hadn’t entirely been sure was there before,) and May and Lillie stepped through, both of them naked, not that Dawn minded.  As far as she was concerned now, clothes were for standing out, not covering up, and she felt a little silly looking back to when she’d thought otherwise.

“Huh, so we can visit each other in here…”  May said, looking around.  “Hi Dawn!  Sorry to barge in like this, I was just looking around.”

“No problem, May, Lillie.  I take it your pokemon are safe in here, too?”

“Yeah.”  May nodded.  “Blaziken was thrilled to find out I evolved into a fighting type she can spar with.”

“Oh?”  Dawn said.  “Had Master already convinced your pokemon everything was normal?”

“No, we hadn’t gotten around to it.  I guess being here helps convince them, though.”

“That’s useful,” Lillie said, fluttering down to land on a pillow.  “It seems like this place holds all of us in a dream-like state, like poke-balls do when in the PC, though we can at least interact with each other and our pokemon when we want to.”

“How do you know about all that?”  May asked.

“I had to study how the PC storage system worked as part of the Aether Paradise project.”

“Wait,” Dawn said, “so this is all in our heads?”

“Sort of,” Lillie said.

“Darn,” Dawn sighed.  “I was hoping I could work on some new dresses for us while we’re in here.”

---

Ting-Lu shook her heavy head and huffed indignantly, watching from the sidelines as Violet and Nemona’s pokemon clashed.

“Why do these two insist on wasting time with these distractions?”  She groaned, already knowing the answer.  “I’m surprised the chosen one of Paldea entertains the bloodthirsty one’s excuses for battle.”

“Bloodthirsty, eh?”  Came the bothersome bark of Arven’s Mabosstiff beside her.  “That’s rich, coming from ‘fear incarnate.’”

Ting-Lu had been allowed out temporarily, as part of a daily routine by Violet to reform her and the other treasures. Arven, naturally, had set his most trusted teammate to keep an eye on her when Violet couldn’t.

“The chosen of Paldea thinks to lecture me about violence from one side of her mouth, but from the other will happily accept the suggestion they battle along the path to the professor’s lab so that when Kanto’s chosen comes upon us, he will think it a mere coincidence.  Pointless.”

“What, you think they should just follow the guy around all day without even tryin’ to hide it?”  Mabosstiff scoffed.  “That’s stupid as dirt.  Not a surprise, comin’ from you.”

“The fear of a startled, ambushed animal is short-lived.  The dread of the stalked, injured deerling, as it runs breathless, knowing it can do nothing to avert its fate, makes for a long lasting, savory aroma.”

Mabosstiff rolled his eyes.  “I’m quaking; in terror.  Or maybe the shakin’s just your pathetic attempts at an earthquake.  You might be on to somethin’ if the orders weren’t to just watch the guy.  Do yourself a favor and shut up, and I won’t look for an excuse to start playin’ rough with you.  Wouldn’t want any unfortunate accidents, now would we?”

An empty threat, but Ting-Lu had no reply.  Irritating though she found the mangy mutt’s voice to be, he seemed to have little fear for his own well-being to exploit; the only thing Mabosstiff seemed to fear for was “Don Arven’s” safety.  Bound by the ancient pact as she was, Ting-Lu could not harm even her temporary trainer, which Mabosstiff knew all too well.

“You’re lucky me and Don Arven owe little Violet a favor.  If it were up to me, I’d introduce you to an old Conkeldurr friend of mine, and have him mix up a nice little cement coat for your poke-ball, then give you date with some fine finneon gents at the bottom of Marinada Bay with you inside it.”

Ting-Lu remained silent.

“What? Finally got nothin’ else to say, clod?  Good.”

Ting-Lu grunted, reaching out to search the dog’s mind for any other traces of fear.  Even a sliver would suffice.

“Silence,” Ting-Lu said, keeping her voice even.  “You will show me the respect I am owed.”

“Or what, tough guy?”

“…Even across the sea, I can sense the vibrations of your surviving litter mates, out in the wild.”  Ting-Lu raised a hoof.  “It would be such a shame, were an earthquake to open a chasm beneath one of them.”

Mabosstiff paused, then let out a loud laugh.  “Oh, that’s rich!  You think you’re Groudon, or somethin’?  No way you’ve got that kinda power.” 

A wide grin spread across his face, his teeth gleaming as the frost formed atop them in preparation for an Ice Fang attack.  Even thriving off fear as she did, Ting-Lu was intimidated by the display, though she let her face remain stoic.

Mabosstiff’s breath chilled her earthen body as he spoke again. “If you could pull a stunt like that, you’d ‘a threatened to give little Violet’s mom a dirt nap before she caught you.”

“A threat such as that would truly be meaningless with a language barrier.  You forget, I long for fear.  To deliver the killing blow alone would leave her with only empty loss when she returned home after I had been caught.  The time for fear would already be over.”  She let her raised hoof drop slightly.  “You however, are left to wonder, what if my words are true?  What if I do not exaggerate?  What if, by simply letting my hoof down, I will doom someone you love to a painful death?”

It was only a flash, but Ting-Lu could feel a tiny drop of fear trickle into its cauldron from Mabosstiff, as the ice on its fangs melted.

Even as brief as it was, it was delicious.

“…Nah, you’re bluffing,” he huffed, his confidence returning.

Ting Lu turned her head back to the battle, watching as Nemona’s Meowscarada wailed ineffectually against Pecharunt’s tough shell, before backing away.

“Pecharunt,” Violet shouted, “Malignant Chain!”

“You got it!”  Pecharunt cheered. 

His shell opened, and a purple chain of linked mochi flew through the air toward Nemona’s Meowscarada.  The cat pokemon moved to dodge, but his movement was unusually sluggish, and the chain wrapped around his waist.  He hissed in pain as the toxic substance burned against him.

Pecharunt tugged Meowscarada closer.

“Alright, be a good kitty and eat the mochi, okay?”  Pecharunt giggled, taking a nibble of a sitrus berry he clutched in his stubby arms.

“Now, Meowscarada,” Nemona called, “Trick!”

Keeping his mouth firmly shut, Meowscarada dropped something out of its paws and kicked it away.  Pecharunt turned his head and watched as the pollen bomb rolled some distance away from them before exploding harmlessly.

“What was your plan there, huh?”  Pecharunt asked, turning back to Meowscarada.  He opened his mouth to take another bite of his berry, and…

CLANG!

“Yeow!”

…Bit into an iron ball chained to his hand, instead.  Pecharunt flinched and released his chain, and Meowscarada leapt away with a laugh.

“The hand is quicker than the eye, my puppeteering friend!”  He said, his voice only comprehensible to his fellow pokemon, unlike Pecharunt.  “And here I thought, as a fellow show-mon, you’d know this script well.”  He waved one of his paws in front of the other, and suddenly, Pecharutn’s sitrus berry was in his paw.  “Thank you for the treat, though!”

He popped the half-eaten berry into his mouth with a flourish.

Ting-Lu rolled her eyes.  The cat was such an insipid show-off, and the peach a brainless fool.

“…I should’ve realized your Meowscarada was moving slower than usual,” Violet said.  “Pecharunt, Sludge Bomb!”

“Beat him to the punch with a Throat Chop!”  Nemona shouted.

“As you wish, my lady!”  Meowscarada darted for the Pecharunt with blinding speed as the poison Pokemon readied its own attack.

“Wait!”  Violet called.  “Withdraw!”

Pecharunt tried to shut his shell, only for the iron ball chained to it to keep it from closing.  Meowscarada was quick to take advantage of the literal opening, and landed his chop, causing Pecharunt to gag on his sludge bomb and tumble to the ground.

“Hm, well done, Nemona.”  Violet sighed, and called Pecharunt back to his ball.  “Pecharunt, return.”

Meowscarada took a bow.

“That was a great battle,” came a new voice.  The humans and pokemon all turned their heads to see a ninetales hybrid clapping, with pyroar hybrid leaning on his left, and a lanturn hybrid on his right.  “The switch up was a good strategy.”

Ting-Lu raised her head, eyeing the newcomer.

“…Never picked up a scent like that before,” Mabosstiff muttered.  The rest of Arven’s Pokemon stared at the hybrids in confusion or curiosity.

“Thanks Ash!”  Nemona said, walking up to him.

“Oh, so you’re Ash,” Arven said.  “Nice to meet you.  I’m Arven, and this is Violet.”

Violet waved to Ash.

“Hi,” Ash replied.  “This is Misty and Serena, my wives.”  He slipped a quick kiss to each of them.

“Oh, yeah, I remember seeing Serena,” Nemona said.  “Didn’t you have a lot more with you earlier?”

“They’re resting, right now.”

Nemona was quick to get back to her favorite subject.  “So, is now a good time for that battle?  There’s a pokemon center nearby, if you’ll give me a minute to heal up.”

“Sorry,” Ash said, rubbing the back of his head.  “I’m still kind of busy.  I forgot to check in on the Pokemon I’d left with Professor Oak when I was at the lab, and there’s some stuff I need to take care of.  Maybe before dinner?”

“That’s fine,” Nemona nodded.  “Do you think you’d have time to try that hypnosis of yours on the other two Treasures of Ruin before you go, though?”

“Nemona!”  Violet shouted.

“What?”

“We are not brainwashing them into doing the right thing.”

Ting-Lu rolled her eyes.  “Of course not,” she rumbled.  “Instead, you simply threaten to subdue us with force when one of us dares step out of line, and pray we won’t defy you the moment you look away.”

“It’s the only language you seem to understand,” Mabosstiff spat.

Ting-Lu shook her head and got up.  Of COURSE the chosen one of Paldea’s moral grandstanding would stand in the way of their plans.  ‘I’ll have to take care of this myself,’ Ting-Lu thought, trodding toward Ash. 

“Where do you think you’re going?”  Mabosstiff growled.

Ting-Lu and continued marching.

Refusing to be ignored, Mabosstiff growled again, and dove for one of Ting-Li’s legs, snapping his jaws just short of it.  Ting-Lu didn’t flinch, but she was surprised when the dog’s grip proved strong enough to stop her advance.

“Uh, I’m guessing this is one of the Treasures of Ruin?”  Ash asked, stepping closer to it.  “The one with the big bowl was Ting-Lu, right?”

“Right,” Violet said.  “She’s one of our ‘problem pokemon.”

“You stand before Ting-Lu, fear incarnate, yes,” she said, resisting the urge to correct him that it was a cauldron.  She felt little fear coming from the group; only the Pikachu’s fear of replacement was noticeable at the surface. 

“Uh, nice to meet you, too, Ting-Lu,” Ash said.  “So, uh, Violet, are you sure you don’t want me to try hypnotizing her?  It worked pretty well on the other two, didn’t it?”

“Well, yes,” Violet nodded.  “Wo-Chein and Chein-Pao were both much more obedient and better behaved after you were done with them.  But something about this just doesn’t feel right.”

Ting-Lu eyed Ash up and down for a moment, before her gaze settled on his pendant.

“Ah, so you are the one Wo-Chein saw such potential in? The one that made him ‘see the light?’  Now this is intriguing.”

One of Violet’s poke-balls began to shake, before suddenly opening and releasing Chi-Yu, the sweltering heat radiating off her body hindering Ting-Lu’s focus more than she cared to admit.

“You saw the amulet already?  Nobody told me!  I wanna see, it, I wanna see it!”

“Chi-yu!  Get back here!”  Violet called, opening her poke-ball again to try and call it back, only for the fiery fish to leap out of the way of the beam, and toward Ash and Ting-Lu.  “Why’d they have to pull this right after I lost a battle?”

“You wish to see it, Chi-Yu?”  Ting-Lu said.  “Indeed.  Perhaps we should get a closer look…  Tear it off him, if we have to.”

“Oh, I wanna do that so bad!”

Ash backed up a step, his wives rushing to his side, taking fighting stances.  Mabosstiff rapidly and repeatedly gnawed on Ting-Lu’s leg, shards of ice stinging her earthen body.  With a fierce backward kick, Ting-Lu knocked him away, and Arven ran after him.  Meowscarada ran in to lob a pollen bomb, only to be walled-off by a plume of flame from Chi-Yu.

“Agh!“ Violet groaned, trying to get Chi-Yu back in her ball again, only for the fish to leap over Ting-Lu, who the beam bounced off of, being registered to a different ball.  “I’m so sorry, Ash, they’re not normally this out of control!”

“It would seem all of you are quite vulnerable to ground attacks…”  Ting-Lu said, a hideous grin creeping up her earthen face, as she realized the more potent weakness she could exploit.  “Perhaps I’ll open up a fissure under take your pet and slaves first, and let you watch as the earth closes up over them.”

Anger and delightful, delicious, decadent fear radiated off Ash, his tails flaring out wide, and his eyes glowing deep red, before the flash came.

‘And thus, this battle is won,’ Ting-Lu thought.  The hypnosis made her feel a little drowsy, but the psychic command to obey the words that followed passed through her mind without getting its hooks into her.

“Ting-Lu, Chi-Yu!  You will never so much as touch a hair, or scale, or feather on Pikachu, or any of my wives, directly or otherwise!”

Ting-Lu and Chi-Yu repeated his command in a practiced dull monotone, watching eagerly as Ash’s breathing slowed down, and his grip on his emotions returning. 

“You will stop trying to harm people, and causing trouble.  You will obey your trainers, and try to be a force for good in the world.”

The two treasures repeated him again, then turned toward Violet.  Chi-Yu did the closest a fish could come to a bow, while Ting-Lu kept her head raised high, Violet having long learned to see the Pokemon lowering her head as lead-up to creating an earthquake.

“Now, I see the truth that Wo-Chein spoke of,” Ting-Lu said, watching as Mabosstiff shook himself off and got up beneath the nervous Arven.  “Our old ways were foolish, and the damage we caused unforgivable.  I submit myself to Violet’s authority, and shall not seek to harm humanity or Pokemon, beyond battle for sport, or self defense, the latter only at her orders.”

“I wanna... Help out some less fortunate Pokemon,” Chi-Yu said.

“What the-” Violet stammered.

“You really did calm them down with just a flash and a few words,” Arven whispered.

“Uh…  Ting-Lu, turn around?”  Violet asked.

Ting-Lu complied.  A little indignity now, for a satisfying payoff later, she reminded her self

“Chi-Yu, do a flip?”

She did a backflip in the air.

“You got them under control…”  Violet shook her head.  “But I…  I didn’t want to brainwash them.”

“Sorry…  Ash mumbled, pulling down on his cap.  “She said she was gonna attack Misty and Serena, and I couldn’t let that happen.”

“She said-?”  Arven started.  “Oh, right, hybrids can understand pokemon.  That seems pretty handy.”

Ash grinned sheepishly.  “Well, uh…  Do you want me to try and tell them to act like they did before?”

“No!”  Violet shook her head.  “I mean…  I don’t know…”

“Okay, maybe I can come see you, and try to make it up to you when you figure out how you want to handle it.  I still gotta visit Oak.” 

“Okay…”

Ash turned to go, then stopped and scratched his head.

“Uh, before I go, do any of you guys ever wish you could understand pokemon?”

Arven shrugged.  “I feel like I understand most of my pokemon pretty well, but not having to go through a language barrier would be nice.”

“It’d be useful, yeah,” Violet nodded.

“Maybe,” Nemona said.  “After Penny changed, I’m more curious if Hybrids can can battle like pokemon can.  That’d be pretty cool.”

Ash grinned.  “You might get to find out.  Who knows, maybe…”

The amulet flashed, the three trainers stood, blankly focusing on Ash.

“…Soon, each of you will become a hybrid of a pokemon that fits you, with everything that goes with it.  It’ll feel normal, and each of you will give off a psychic aura that’ll convince humans and pokemon that see you that your new selves are normal and fine.  See you later.”

Misty and Serena giggled a little, while Pikachu sighed.

‘Hmph, looks like the Chosen of Kanto just couldn’t leave without making a few more of his kind,’ Ting-Lu thought, amused.  ‘He should make the most of his time with it.’

The three trainers blinked as Ash, his wives, and his Pikachu walked away.

“Wonder why he’d think that?”  Violet said, rubbing her chin.  Then she pulled her hand away, noticing small white feathers growing from the back of it.  “Wha- he was right?”

Feathers sprouted all the way down her arm, covering it in white as she watched.  She shivered slightly as her clothing began to unravel and vanish, revealing that more feathers had already covered her torso, largely white, with patches of blue and red triangles speckled randomly over her.

“Am I turning into some kind of bird hybrid?”  She asked, watching the feathers cover her arms and legs, as well.

As if to answer her question a pair of little limbs sprouted from her shoulders, a small set of wings that gently fluttered all on their own, somehow lifting her body off the ground with a gasp.

“Oh, lucky you!”  Nemona said, seemingly not noticing a couple of growths coming out the sides of her own mouth.

“What?”  Mabosstiff barked.  “What’s going on here?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a trick like this,” muttered Meowscarada.

“Uh, Nemona, you’ve got something on your face,” Violet said, as feathers began to cover her own face, her hair changing to a crest of feathers, but not changing color, as her change into a togetic hybrid finished.

“Huh, so you are a natural purple,” Arven whispered.

“Don Arven, I think there’s more important stuff to worry about,” Mabosstiff said, nudging him.

“Something on my face?”  Nemona felt around her cheek, and found a pair of bladed tusks, grey with red tips growing out the sides of her mouth.  Grey scales began to grow over the front of her face, with thicker green plates growing over the top and back of her head.

“Oh, you’re right!”  Nemona said.  “How’d he guess that?”  Her jaws stretched forward slightly, her teeth sharpening as the front of her mouth took a slightly hooked, beak-like shape, her nostrils pulled forward with it.  The green plating circled around her neck, arms, and much of her upper-torso, replacing her dissipating shirt.   Red scales grew over her hands, which she flexed as her nails vanished, making room for sharp claws to poke through.

“Oh, this is cool!”  Nemona said.  “I think I might be evolving into a fraxure!”

“Evolving?”  Meowscarada said, looking around at her..  “But humans aren’t supposed to evolve like this, are they?”

Nemona shrugged as her pants vanished, revealing grey scales, with red speckles, around her torso and legs.  “It just happens sometimes,” Nemona said.  “Nobody really knows why.”  Unhindered by clothing, her spine began to stretch, forming a thick tail, covered in grey scales, and tipped in red.  It shifted this way and that, as naturally as if she’d been born with it.

“Why have I never heard of it before now?”

Nemona lifted her feet as her toes grew longer, and more splayed out, claws growing from them the same way they’d grown on her toes.

“It doesn’t happen a lot?”

“Then why is it suddenly happening to all three of you at the same time?”

“All three of us?”  Arven said, looking down to see his shoes had vanished, and that he now had light brown paws for feet.  “Oh.  I see what you mean.”

“Don Arven,” Mabosstiff stepped back.  “This ain’t right…”

“What’s wrong?”  Arven said, appearing completely oblivious to his pants steadily dissolving as fur grew up over his legs.

“Humans don’t just become Pokemon outta nowhere!”  Mabosstiff shook his head, looking up as a short, fluffy tail grew out behind Arven, while his back was covered in thicker, darker-brown fur that curled to resemble puffy, well-baked bread.  “Even if it’s something the does only happen once in a blue moon, well, it shouldn’t be happening to three of you at a time!”

Arven shrugged.  “It’s happening, though.”  He reached for his poke-ball belt, it and his backpack being the only clothing-adjacent items on his person that hadn’t vanished.  “Honestly, I’m just happy to be able to understand you now, and the rest of the team, too.”

He opened the rest of his poke-balls, releasing his scovillain, cloyster, and gargancl.

“You might be able to understand us,” Mabosstiff said, “But you’re not listening!  I don’t see why you’re not freaking out about this.”

The three newly-released pokemon looked confused for a moment, then blinked. 

“Oh, Arven, you’re turning into a daschbun hybrid?  I never would have expected something like this,” Gargancl said, calmly, as Arven’s hands became a little thicker, looking slightly more like paws.

“Huh, now I bet our dinners’ll be even better!”  said Scovillain’s green head.

Ting-Lu could feel the fear pouring out of Meowscarada and Mabosstiff, as they watched Arven’s familiar face warp and bend, his jaws growing into a canine snout, his nose turning black, and his ears draping down the sides of his head, the tufts of fur on his ears and mane looking like bread rolls.

“Guys?”  Mabosstiff huffed.  “What are you doin’?  Why are you actin’ like all this is nothin’?”

“Because it’s nothing special,” said Cloyster.  “Well, it’s kinda special, it’s rare, but it’s normal.”

“I know for a fact not one of you has seen or heard of a ‘hybrid’ before!”

“Is your Mabosstiff usually this much of a jerk?”  Nemona asked.

“Nemona!”  Arven said.  “Sorry, Mabosstiff, but you ARE being kind of rude.”

“But I…”  Mabosstiff looked around, the fear growing deliciously.  He turned to the equally-confused-looking Meowscarada, who kept his mouth shut, apparently finding it wiser not to go against the crowd.

Mabosstiff’s head hung low.  “I can’t…  Uh…  Sorry… Don Arven.”

It took everything in Ting-Lu not to blow her cover by bursting into laughter.

---

Some time later, a text on their phones called the new Hybrids to library, where Professor Raifort waited for them.  She reacted with only mild surprise to the news of her student’s transformations, and was far more surprised to see all four of the Treasures of Ruin behaving with complete calm, utterly obedient to their trainers.  Seeing no harm in leaving them out of their poke-balls in this state, Raifort began to explain the fruits of her research to the four students.

“So you’re saying the Emperor of Sargia killed his brother, the Ninetales Sage, took his title, and used the amulet to force his kingdom, and the lands around him to obey?”  Arven asked.

“It’s a theory,” Raifort said.  “It’s far from proven, but with so few surviving manuscripts from that era, we don’t have much else to work with.”

“And now Ash has it,” Violet said.  “He definitely knows what it can do; the Treasures of Ruin are proof of that.”

“Yes,” Raifort said.  “Their being vulnerable to its power is a strike against one of my theories.”

“Which theory is that?”  Penny asked.

“My first suspicion was that Dark Types might be resistant to the amulet’s power, and that was why they were hunted to near-extinction in Sargia at the time; they represented a threat, however small, to the Emperor’s complete rule.  Seeing that dark types are just as vulnerable, perhaps the emperor, seeing them as pests, used the amulet’s power to drive them into killing themselves, like the fabled Pied Piper of Hammerlocke. “

The trainers all shuddered at the thought.

“You mentioned that the sage supposedly had the power to take the form of a pokemon, right?”  Penny asked.  “And that the Emperor’s elite guards had the power and beastly appearance of pokemon, but walked ‘like men?’”

“Yes.”  Raifort nodded.  “Why?”

“I’m starting to think it’s not a coincidence that hybrids appeared in that story, and that a bunch more showed up in Pallet town at the same time the amulet did.”

“But people evolving into hybrids is normal, isn’t it?”  Nemona asked, her tail flicking.  “I mean, it happened to us out of the blue.”

“Well, yes,” Penny adjust her glassed.  “I’m not saying it doesn’t happen on its own sometimes.  But it’s also supposed to be a rare thing.  And according to the Rotom hybrid in Ash’s Pokedex, every single hybrid she’s recorded, including Ash and herself, had evolved in the last twenty-four hours.”

“And Ash’s birthday was yesterday!”  Nemona pointed out.

The rest of the group stared at her.

“…I haven’t stalked him… well before today.  Every regional champion’s birthday and home region is pretty much public information in any League magazine.  But the point I’m making is he told Raifort he got it as a birthday present.  It lines up!”

“So, you’re saying he got all of us?”  Violet asked.  “But why would he do that?  Why would he go around turning random people into hybrids?  It’s not like he gets anything out of it.  Especially compared to the stuff he could be doing with mind control.”

“I can think of reasons other people might make a bunch of hybrids…” said Penny, “But I don’t think any of them apply to Ash.”

“We don’t THINK he’s hypnotizing us,” Arven pointed out.  “We’re just assuming he didn’t control us in a way we’d think we weren’t controlled.”

Nemona gasped.  “Wait, what if he’s just some random loser that’s brainwashing the town into THINKING he’s a world famous champ?  All the stolen valor…”

Penny’s eyes flashed for a moment as she connected to the internet.  “Unless he edited all the relevant Bulbapedia pages, and successfully backdated the entries, on top of altering the League website records, I think he’s the real deal.  And yeah, the League’s computer security is hardly up to snuff, even I could hack it, but Ash doesn’t strike me as being particularly computer literate.”

Violet shook her head.  “I don’t even want to get near the diggersby-hole that is hypnotizing us to think we haven’t been hypnotized.  Let’s just assume what we know is mostly accurate until proven otherwise.  What do we think Ash is trying to do with this thing?”

Arven scratched his chin.  “Wait…  The harem!”

“What about it?”  Violet asked.

“It’s considered fine for hybrids to form harems,” Arven said.  “That might be why he turned himself into a hybrid.  That way, he could hypnotize a bunch of women, turn them into hybrids, and have a dozen ‘willing’ sex slaves!”

The other trainers exchanged worried glances.

“But that doesn’t explain why he’d change us, or Professor Oak…”  Violet said.

“Maybe he was just experimenting with the others,” Arven said.  “Or maybe he’s trying to make more hybrids so he stands out less, and people will feel more pressure not to question why he can have a harem and nobody else.”

“Maybe he just likes the idea of hybrids,” suggested Penny.  “After all, couldn’t he just hypnotize anyone who objected to his harem?”

“Well, you can’t hypnotize everyone,” Raifort said.  “The emperor was assassinated in his sleep at the height of his power.”

“But, why would he do any of this?”  Nemona said.  “He’s a champion loved the world over!  With all the legendary Pokemon he’s supposed to have met, and all the creeps he’s fought, he might even be some kind of chosen one!   From what I read of his biography, I can’t see him forcing himself on anyone.”

“Everyone has a dark side,” Raifort said.  “I don’t know for sure if he’d do it, but it’s not impossible…”

Violet frowned.  “If you can’t trust someone like that with that power, who CAN you trust?”

“Maybe the amulet itself is corrupting him,” Arven suggested.  “Like the One Hoop in Lord of the Hoops.  Where spending too long holding it would make the user susceptible to the Dark Lord Hoopa’s influence.”

---

“Why does every literary classic slander me!?”  Hoopa huffed.

“Slander is spoken,” Celebi corrected.  “In print, it’s libel.”

“Not the point!”

---

“It might explain why some of the transformations have been harmless, and he hasn’t used much mind control,” Raifort said.  “He’s being urged to use it, but it’s not driving him to complete selfishness yet.  Assuming your theory is accurate, of course.  I haven’t found anything to suggest the amulet was corruptive…  But there’s so little info about the amulet itself that I can’t say that wasn’t the case.  It could be the Sage was corrupted by it, and turned on his brother, rather than the other way around.”

Violet sighed.  “Whether it’s corrupting him, or whether it just lets him act out his worst fantasies, I don’t think it’s safe to keep it around anyone.”

“Heh, too bad Cinnabar Volcano’s gone dormant,” Arven joked.  “That’d be a good place to drop it off.”

“That’s a priceless historical artifact!”  Raifort exclaimed.  “Don’t even joke about destroying it.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Penny noticed all the Treasures of Ruin suddenly look up at the group, then exchange glances with each other.

Arven stood up.  “If it can really control an entire country, then it’s not safe for anybody to have.  It’s better off gone.”

“But what about his harem?”  Penny said.  “If they’re really unwilling, shouldn’t we use it to break the spell?”

“Using evil artefacts to undo the damage they caused never works out.”

“In stories!  This is real life.”  Penny pointed out.  “That’s assuming the amulet has a will of its own in the first place.”

“But even if it isn’t corrupting anyone,” Nemona said, “Violet’s got a point about not being able to trust anyone with the amulet.  Sure, I can say I would just use it to fix things, then put it in a meuseum or something, but for all any of you know, I might be secretly planning to make people never refuse a challenge from me, or turn a bunch of my friends into hybrids and start a whole new league!  That could go for any of us!”

Raifort was silent for a moment.  “Fair enough.  We’ll put together a plan to take the amulet from Ash, and try to find a way to release his wives, without succumbing to the temptation to misuse it ourselves.  Some way to completely minimize the number of people or pokemon that get in contact with the thing until it’s gone.  Keep it to only the people and Pokemon we trust the most.  If we can’t come up with a good way to prevent corruption, magical or otherwise, we skip to the final step: finding a way to destroy it.”

Arven nodded.  Then Violet, then Nemona.

Penny sighed.  ‘What a waste,’ she thought, before nodding.

---

Ting-Lu felt the fear emanating from her allies.

“No matter which way you slice it, it looks like our acting’s gonna be for nothing.”  Chein-Pao whispered harshly. 

“There’s still time,” Wo-Chien said, thought Ting-Lu could feel his confident voice was a lie.   “We need only convince them that the brainwashing was thorough and permanent, and persuade them to let us be part of the operation.”

“I want that amulet!”  Chi-Yu pouted.  “I want it I want it I want it!”

Ting-Lu shook her heavy head, and stood up, feeling a familiar, lingering fear from the other corner of the library’s community room.  She marched toward Arven’s Mabosstiff and Nemona’s Meowscarada. 

“I sense great fear in you,” she whispered.

The Pokemon turned suspicious eyes toward her.

“I mean no harm.  You saw for yourself, the amulet reformed us.  We wish to help.    We, too, have seen the unnatural horrors visited on your trainers, the ones no other human or Pokemon will acknowledge.”

That got Mabosstiff’s attention.   “You know what happened to them?”

“I was starting to think we were the ones that went crazy,” said Meowscarada.

“No.  No.”  Ting-Lu shook her head.  “You are among the few that remain sane.  That amulet’s hypnotic power changed your trainers, and spread remnants of its power to them, to make others dismiss the change as natural.  Only we dark types are immune.”

“If you’re so immune,” said Mabosstiff, “then how come you’re actin’ nice?”

Ting-Lu thought fast.  “The Amulet only works on dark types if it’s used directly.  The hypnotic auras it creates in some of its victims are weaker.  But that isn’t important.  The important thing is, only the amulet can undo what was done to your trainers.  And you heard for yourselves; your trainers intend to destroy it without using it.  They see it as a great risk, even while being so controlled by it, that they don’t realize what it’s done to them.”

“So, what can we do?”  Meowscarada asked.

“We must take the amulet from Ash, but keep it out of your trainer’s hands until they can be cured.  We, the Treasures of Ruin, understand its power.  If you will accept our help, I swear to the Original One himself, we will help your trainers to realize the truth.  If you do not act, your trainers will never be the same again.”

The two dark types turned, and looked at each other, considering the offer.

It was a rare day indeed when Ting-Lu could taste her own fear.  Had she overplayed her hand?  If these two saw the Treasures as a risk, then they would no doubt report their treachery to their trainers, and the plan would be worse off than it was before.

Seconds crept by like hours, before the two turned back to her.

“For Don Arven, I’ll do it!”

“I won’t let Nemona, or any of her friends, be taken in by a cruel trick like this!”

“Thank you, my friends,” Ting-Lu said.  “You shall not regret this.”

Chapter Text

"Invoking Arceus is an oath few mon dare, and even fewer would even think to play with!" Celebi said.

"Well, ya know what they say about binding oaths," Hoopa said. "The Treasures will help Arven and Nemona get a clue about Ash transforming them and warping their perceptions of what's "normal", they didn't say they'd absolutely get'em back to normal or wouldn't snag the pendant for themselves... Which would kinda make things awkward but what are the chances of that?"

"Kinda ironic though,” Celebi said, flittering down onto a pillow seat.  “These pokemon don't seem to get  humans becoming pokemon is indeed "a rare thing", but not zero. So many of Acreus and Mew's kids started out as humans, the ghosts, like Gengar, Froslass, Spiritomb and Cofagrigus. And of course Kadabra, though everyone thinks that's science fiction.

"And there's good old Ashie's encounter with the well meaning witch Lily who stumbled on a human to pokemon transformation spell, ON ACCIDENT!"

Celebi said, "Yes yes, by sheer chance, Ash's words of accepting their transformations as 'normal' has a basis in reality.  Honestly in its own way it's weirder that Bill didn't become a hybrid due to a teleport accident in this universe, the way he does in most, because Arceus wanted this universe more 'grounded' than others, and yet Lily, a witch, exists. Oh, and she started a profitable mail order business to 'be a pokemon for a day.'”

"Heh. Tha so? Ya know if Penny did a search on the internet about hybrids and harems being normal for hybrids she'd turn up nothing. And she'd think some hackers were pulling a prank and 'fix things up'."

Celebi said, "The backlash she'd get from ordinary users and system admin would damage your farce more than help it."

"Not if Ash or HaremDex gave her an upgrade to make the normalization spread via the internet!"

"Why would he even, how would she even... ugh. Whatever."

Hoopa opened a portal into the bottom of a theater’s popcorn popper, letting the buttery food tumble out into a golden bowl in front of him.  "Heh. A three-way power struggle. And nobody has the complete picture. This is gonna be such a bedlam! I can't wait!"

Celebi sighed. "And in spite of holding the prize, poor Ash is looking to be the dupe."

Hoopa chuckle. "Oh Ashy boy's been the dupe many times. And with help from several other dupes, kid's tenacity and loyalty with his mon keeps pulling through."

"So you aren't worried at all at the Treasures of Ruin, getting their mitts on the pendant?"

"Naw. I mean, anything's possible, but Ash'll clean up the mess, Chosen Ones always do. It's why they exist after all."

"Even I'm not sure what kind of changes they might make, but I doubt it would be anyone's paradise but theirs."

"Even so, what's a game without a little risk?"

"No matter what cousin, we're still family. And so I warn you: you always think consequences are things that happen to other mon."

"At least there's an alternate version of me out there that bound to see it and get a laugh of it."

"Ugh. Hoopa, if things grow out of your control, I'm not covering for you."

"I can live with that."

"I'm just hoping everyone else will too."

---

"So you turned Meowth's ex, well, more like 'never was,' girlfriend into a hybrid?"  Misty asked.

"Well she liked him at the end," Ash said.

A tiny portal opened near Misty's ear and her eye glazed over for a minute and then asked. "So what exactly did you say to her?"

"Well, I said, 'You're gonna become a hybrid. You are part of Meowth's harem. You are devoted to the team and the group and would never abandon them. You love and obey them. This is who and what you are.'  Not that different from when I caught you."

Misty laughed.  "Master, I'd been DYING for you to finally catch me for YEARS!  I was starting to worry you never would."

"HERE HERE!" Serena said rubbing against him.

"Ya know, I was always so scared of 'showing weakness' by admitting I loved you Master.  Then I worried May, Dawn, or the rest might catch you first."

"Luckily for you Master is denser than lead. Or he'd have married me first."

"I guess I was pretty oblivious to things not related to pokemon," Ash said.

"You ADMIT THAT?" Pikachu said bewildered.

"Feels kinda obvious in hindsight."

"You really HAVE evolved Master," Misty said.

---

Granny had been besides herself when confusion when Cassandra had stormed in saying they were moving the entire shop to a place called Pallet Town to be with Meowth and help more people. Granny knew she had a long past and a short future ahead of her, but she hadn't gone senile yet!

"Cassandra this is silly. Your miracle potion is fine where it is. We can only make so much as is. We don't want armies of trainers banging on our door demanding what we can't give."

"We'll have plenty of help with Meowth and his friends Granny, don't worry so much," Cassandra said.  

Cassandra had posted flies saying where mail orders for her miracle potion could be sent, and was just about ready to call Machamp Movers Inc...

When a giant golden ring dropped their entire store and home down with a thump, right into Pallet Town. They landed in an empty lot, where the previous store owner had a year ago had a vision of the next day's winning lottery numbers, and had sold off the property and it demolished with a 'squatters rights' clause for any who wanted it and had retired to a tropical life at the Orange Islands.

People, including the former Rockets, had gathered around the old house that had appeared out of nowhere. Cassandra and her family had come out as confused as everyone else.

The newcomers beside Cassandra were shocked at Meowth and the other's forms for a few seconds before the shine from his charm convinced them that the naked pokemon people were normal...

It did not stop Granny, however, from seeing Meowzy and scoffing.  "Pst. Body art, no one has appreciation for their own beauty anymore."

Team Rocket had wasted no time in using Meowzy as a canvas. Convinced that with the strange up surge of hybrids, their business was gonna explode. It was best to get practice in.

"What is this?!”  Jessie snapped, gesturing at the house.  “Don't startle me like that! I might lay my baby early!"

"S-Sorry! I don't know what's going on either!" Cassandra said.

"Cassandra?! I knew you were comin' but how'd ya get there?"

"I don't know! Our house just teleported here!"

"Humph!”  Granny huffed.  “If I catch the Abra who thought this was funny..."

"Well, they did spare us time and money having to move Granny."

"I could have said bye to my friends first."

"I'm sure we can still call them."

Their parasect looked around.  "A new place to spread our spores,” it said.

Granny bopped it on the mushroom.

The parasect reached with its own claws adjusting its mushroom.

"We mean aid in making Mistress Cassandra's miracle medicine." The parasect looked at the shewed old woman.  Most humans weren't known for understanding mon, unless they'd spent years nonstop with them.

"What the heck? ... What happened to my favorite lounging spot?" said Cassandra's Persian, staring out in confusion. 

A tiny golden ringed portal opened just of view angled so only Cassandra saw the red gleam of a pendant, but didn't have time to think about it. She heard the words beyond and would obey.

"You're gonna become a hybrid. You are part of Meowth's harem. You are devoted to the team and the group and would never abandon them. You love and obey them. This is who and what you are."

Cassandra's clothes dissolved off her (except her belt for her medicines and poke balls), though her green hair and buns remained the same. The familiar cream and brown colored fur appeared on her body, a red jewel formed on her forehead as the iconic tail and ears formed. Though Meowth was taken back at Cassandra becoming a persian, (he loathed his evolved form more even more than Pikachu), her beauty still had him captivated.

A collar around her neck, with the kitty head shaped tag reading, 'Meowth's Dame'. The white of her eyes became forever red, but none noticed.

"Meowth! I'm part of your harem! I'm devoted to you and your friends and will never abandon any of you! I love you and shall obey you! This is who and what I am!"

Cassandra's miracle medicine (which functioned much like vitamins in the pokemon world, but able to raise EVERY stat at once, among other things), would soon have its profits shared with Casa De Rocquet.

---

"Ugh! Do you have any idea how warps in time I had to do to make that work?" Celebi asked.

"It made things cleaner didn't it? And now there's a clinical piece of evidence for all to know that hybridization doesn't happen just when Ash is around!"

"I thought you liked to just drop cursed objects into the mix and watch the antic."

"Pst! If I can meddle MORE to make the 'coincidences' even crazier, you think I'd hesitate?"

---

"So everything happening here isn't real?" Melody asked as they sat around a big table in Lillie's room. Iris struck a dramatic pose. "Super Mega Evolution Go!"

Nothing.

"Pst. You girls are total newbs at this," Megan said. "We're real. It's not like this is VR. Otherwise we wouldn't be able to sleep while in poke balls."

"I'm not saying this is all an illusion," Lillie said. "I'm saying our harem balls count as 'in storage'. We're effectively in a quantum realm formed from our collective positive desires. It exists as long we're here."

"Might explain why Master can hold more than six of us," Melody said.

"I don't think we count as poke balls," said Bianca.

"We're hybrids, part of Master's harem, and kept in harem balls, and he seeks to become a pokemon harem master." Said Latty before the twin said together. "It's safe to say we run on different rules!"

"Well, even if everything here only exists as long as we're here, even if we can't MAKE anything here, that just means there's no consequences ether!" Iris grinned, leapt, and began tickling Dawn.

"We never studied what pokemon could do to each other in storage!" Lillie said.

"Time to test it!" May laughed and joined in, managing to tickle Iris too, in spite of having fingers like kitchen knives.

---

"So we fix up all our pokemon so they accept us as normal, and we can start our happy lives together Master!" Serena said with a smile.

"There are still a lot of girls who couldn't make it to Pallet Town for the party,” said Ash.  “Like Duplica and Casey and the others."

"Who are they Master?" Serena asked.

"Some more girls from Master's early days worthy of his collection," Misty. "But there's nothing to worry about Master. With the twins we'll be able to speed around collecting the stragglers!"

"Yeah... but I've helped people too turning them into hybrids. It's wrong to skip the journey."

"You'd just be treading old ground Master, not discovering anything new," Misty said. She and Serena were both eager to help complete Master's collection as soon as possible and get to work giving Delia Ketchem the grandkids she wanted.

"I can just imagine the big beautiful house we'll have for all of us," Serena said dreamily. "With servants for Master and everything!"

Ash laughed, not noticing the tiny portal opening near him. "Yeah right. Can you imagine? 'You will become a hybrid and everything that comes with it, you'll be a loyal and obedient servant to our family, nothing is strange about any of it, and your psychic auras makes sure everyone knows it! This is who and what you are!' We don't need servants, girls! All of us pitching in together will be more than enough!"

"You mean US, as in us your slaves pitching in Master," Misty said.

"But I'd WANT to help!"

Misty and Serena looked at each other, what Master wanted, Master got, there was no debate. "Yes Master!" They bowed their heads.

---

At Delia's house, Joe was helping fold laundry.  He knew his family would be disgusted at the sight, but that was partially why Joe did it. Much like going on his own Pokemon journey instead of earning his badges at the academy. Not that he thought earning badges via schooling was "cheating" as a lot of plebs thought... they had no idea how grueling the tests were at Pokemon Tech.

 tiny portal opened near him, and a ruby light glowed in his eyes.

"'You will become a hybrid and everything that comes with it, you'll be a loyal and obedient servant to our family, nothing is strange about any of it, and your psychic auras makes sure everyone knows it! This is who and what you are!' "

Joe's expensive clothes dissolved, sans for his wallet and poke belt. Dark blue-gray fur covered most of his body. His hands and feet were covered in white fur like shoes and gives. A white pattern like a butler's vest appeared on his chest, while his face gained a white mask. Tiny blue triangle markings formed on his face as it morphed into a short muzzle. His body became more pear shaped, as a short white-black tail emerged from his ear. Horns like those of a ram twisted upwards from his skull, and he could feeling the overwhelming love Deliah felt for her son and the devotion Mimey felt towards Ash's family of his own free will.

Deliah flapped in joy when she saw Joe changed. "Oh my! You evolved! And into such a lovely shape too!"

Joe bowed. "Mrs. Ketchem, I live to serve your family loyally and obediently, this is who and what I am."

Deliah hugged him, and Joe immediately felt stronger. "Oh what a nice young man!"

Joe called his parents to tell them about his career change, they'd been about to scream in shock at the sight of their son, then scream in outrage when he said he sought such a lowly path in life... but then that was normal too, and they wished him luck.

Joe released his Belossom, Victribell, and his other mon. For a moment, they were shocked at Joe's change in both form and ambition, but then seamlessly accepted it, it wasn't anything abnormal after all, it was who and what he was. They quickly got to work on the Ketchem garden.

---

"One more to muddy the waters!"

"Oh and it won't be strange at all that he decided to become Ash's loyal servant."

"That'll be normal for everyone remember? The important thing is that Ash wasn't even there!"

"For your sake, I hope you don't outsmart yourself cousin."

---

There was surprisingly little need for backwards logic in Ash's head to justify becoming a harem master.  Ash had never really needed a reason to become a Pokemon Master.  It had perhaps been deep down an excuse to see and meet as many pokemon as possible, and maybe finally meet his father.

To be a harem master... perhaps Ash's subconscious justified it as ending the unspoken tension between the girls who'd had legit liked him, and were sincere friends with each other, nobody wanting to be the one to break the fragile peace.

Pikachu likewise, he'd always support Ash in everything and anything, in all his ambitions and dreams. Ash had never forced him to evolve where other trainers wouldn't even care. (Not that 99% of mon DID care and legit thought Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Piplup were pokemon man-children for refusing to grow up. Snowy wasn't against evolving, she just wanted to do when she wanted to. And Ash's Rowlet being unable to evolve was a medical condition involving an everstone he'd come to accept.)

But the more Pikachu thought about it, the more he thought about Ash wouldn't really need his pokemon on a journey to become a harem master.  He wouldn't need Pikachu... but Pikachu had vowed to always be at Ash's side... no matter what... No... matter... what... To be at Ash's side, to be part of his team as he created his harem... to... be... part.. of ... his... team... to... be ... part... of... the... har... em...

Pikachu felt woozy... A need building up inside him, and he wasn't even sure what it was, slowly becoming maddening as it became irresistible ... or did he already know?

Ash had never forced anything on Pikachu... okay there was the few stupid times stupid Ash had thrown him into fight Ash with blind confidence that Pikachu would win despite evidence to the contrary, but Ash had more than made up for those times of stupidity more than once.  Pikachu owed Ash his life, and Pikachu readily acknowledge that... he owned him... he... Pikachu was... owned like how good property was... the way they stuck together and bickered like they were married... loyal and true like a good pokemon was... like how a good loyal object was... wait... that didn't...

If Ash asked anything, ANYTHING of him to become a harem master, Pikachu would do it. Ash becoming a harem master was an absolute truth.

Pikachu imagined a giant thunder stone... strangely with a pink aura... would Pikachu touch this for him... for Ash? If it was for Ash to become a harem master? ... Yes... Yes.... Yes he would... It was... it was Ash's love for him... for the one Pikachu loved, for the one would Pikachu obeyed, for the one Pikachu owed his life... How could Pikachu ever reject it?

As Pikachu felt himself sinking into mental quicksand he didn't even want to escape, some part of his mind still sought escape from this train of thought he had no hope of derailing now.

"Hey Mas-, hey Ash! Why didn't we just have Professor Oak be fine with us using the pendant to finish your quest to become a harem Master?  We could use him on our side."

"Well," Ash thought for a second. "You know what they say, the fewer who know the better. Team Rocket aren't the only baddies out there. Imagine if someone tried to grab the pendant if they found out what it did. They might try to turn everyone into zombies or slaves or something!"

"Oh Master is so much smarter now!" Misty cheered.

"YOUR slaves will follow you to the ends of the Earth Master!" Serena said proudly.

"To the ends of the Earth," Pikachu whispered.

"This might not be how the unevolved me might have wanted this, but the me that's here and now? Your slave most DEFINITELY wants this!" Misty said. "For you Master."

"For you..." Pikachu whispered.

---

Clemont asked, "so you're going to see if Prof. Oak can just use teleportation to collect the other 'keepers?' But most pokemon can't teleport that far."

"Of course! 'Most' pokemon!" Bonnie said leading her brother along with his two keepers. "I heard how Alakazams are like, SUPER powerful right? I'm sure he can give us a trip."

Bonnie and Clemont weren't sure how they knew Prof. Oak was an Alakazam... the idea had just come into their heads... along with a suggestion to not think too much about it. Ash and co had mentioned it, they'd seen it on the harem dex... yes... that made sense...

---

Tracy’s scyther marched through the fields around Oak’s lab, doing its best to ignore the pain in its joints.  Fight it as he might though, age was catching up to the old bug type.

‘Oh if I could turn back time…’  He thought.

He suddenly shivered, his old shell aching.  A bad feeling he couldn’t quite explain was building up.

He approached a small pond where one of Ash’s tauros was drinking.  He slowly bent over to get some water himself, when Misty’s psyduck suddenly popped out of the water.

“Ack!”  Scyther huffed.  “Don’t startle an old mon like that.”

“Sorry!”  Psyduck groaned.  “Ugh I should have thought of that…”  He rubbed his head.  “Misty’s right, I’m to dumb to evolve, to dumb to do anything right!”  He slapped the water’s surface.

‘More of this misery again,” Scyther thought.  ‘Can’t an old mon just have a drink in peace.’

“If only I were smarter, maybe I could impress Misty.”

“Tell me about it,” said the tauros.  “I want to get out and help Ash in his battles, but I can’t seem to do anything to stand out from the rest of my heard.  Wish I had something unique to help me stand out.”

Scyther shook his head.  ‘Maybe the bad feeling I was getting was having to listen to these complaints.’

---

"May! I chose you!"

Ash released the harem ball, and May bowed. "How may this slave serve you Master?"

"May! We need help from your Delcatty! She's got something super important to do for us."

"My pokemon are as at your disposal as I am Master."

---

"Crawdaunt, Scrafty, and Krookodile? Of course I can summon their poke balls here Ash! Just give me a minute!" Professor Oak said.

Ash, and his slaves had no idea they were being watched at the very moment by Violet, Nemona, and Arven.  At an even further distance Professor Raifort observing through equipment made to filter had her own trump card ready (that she hadn't shard with the trainers... yes it was dubious, but given they could end up Ash's mind controlled minions, it was important they had no clue she had a pokemon immune to the pendant's power... and was likely the same species of mon that had assassinated the Ninetales Emperor).

She was also chewing a Payapa Berry, the taste for humans was awful, but she hoped it would at least help her resist the pendant. She had several others on her just in case. Yes, she was treating the trainers a bit like disposable pawns, but there had to be a plan B, and if the trainers knew anything about it, it was doomed to fail.

May asked, "Professor Oak, now that you've evolved, can you show me Miracle Eye? I've never seen it before and I think it would be a great inspiration for my Delcatty to see it!"

May released her pokemon (who'd already gotten a good  look at Ash's pendant).

"Well, I see there's no harm in it," Professor Oak did as asked. Thankfully, for them, the Treasures of Ruin and their allies (approaching from the opposite side) were not in the range of the effect.

Though the Treasures quickly realized what Ash was planning.

"Whatever you do! Be wary of the delcatty! And Prof Oak! That move is dangerous!"

"Right right, we'll be vulnerable to the secondary effects instead of just the direct effects, I know a show when I see one," the green kitty said, also figuring out what Ash's dance was.

'Miracle Eye, right, no pokemon that could learn it were native to Sargia,' Prof. Rainfort thought.

A minute later, Delcatty had seen the move... Ash thanked Prof Oak and went to the back yard where the various mon of the various trainers visiting were.

Ash released the other harem girls.

Seeing the humanoid pokemon, and Ash's scent, and that of their own trainers, they began to move closer to the mystery.

Ash released his dark type mon...

"Delcaitty! Use CopyCat!" May ordered!

And Delcatty used the last move she'd seen... miracle eye... Crawdaunt and Scrafty startled... Krookodile adjusted his reflective sunglasses wondering what was up.

Ash's eye and pendant glowed. "Everyone! Me and everyone else who is one being a hybrid and everything that comes with it is normal. It's just something that rarely happens sometimes, like when witch Lily turned me into a Pikachu. I'm on a quest to become a harem Master. It's what has to happen! And I want your support too."

'Support...' Pikachu thought, looking at Ash's pendant, his latest layer of brainwashing... The straw that broke the Pikachu's back. He was tired of ignore the truth he already knew. He was sick of resisting what he knew was his rightful destiny from the moment he hatched, no, from the moment his parents met each other, from the moment universe came into being. This had ALWAYS been what he'd been meant to become.

'Support Master... like a good pokemon, like good property, like a good slave, like a good wife.'

Pikachu let himself fall into the light, becoming one with it, he was the light in a Pikachu's body... and he'd never felt so free...

Ash becoming a harem master wasn't a command to be an obeyed, it was a fundamental part of their inner most selves, it was the rightness of reality that had to come about! Each of Ash's Pokemon understood this.

Almost.

Krookodile looked at the other mon as their eyes glowed behind his dark sunglasses (which hadn't been invented during the pendant's creation), standing perfectly at attention as they were. With an expression a ditto would find plain.

'Okay... seriously, Boss, you think you'd need to hypnotize us just because ya wanna be with more than one mate? You don't TRUST US? Boss what is wrong with you?' Krookodile thought, his mind still completely his own.

From the opposite corner of the field, the Treasures of Ruin were ready, waiting for their proxies to make make the first move. The treasures would make their move if the other dark types failed, or betrayed them.

The heroes of Paldea braced themselves, looking for an opportunity to get close and grab the pendant...

"Don't worry, I've got a perfect distraction! You guys just be ready!" Nemona whispered, before running right to Ash.  With her typical disregard for personal space, she looked him in the eyes, and grasped both his paws.
"Hey, Ash! Would you like, date me?"

---

"Three teams on the field! One prize! Let the craziness begin!" Hoopa said. "Will Ash think about dating Nemona and assimilated her on the spot? Not that her friends WILL think her being part of the harem is odd when it happens. They'll likely kick themselves for letting one of Ash's harem in their plans. But hey! They got a legendary of their own on their side! ... Okay, really a quiet a few legendaries on their side now that I think about!! ... but so does Ash! And the treasures are the wild card! In fact, the whole deck is wild cards! Will Bonnie and co make it back in time to help Ash?! Will Deliah sense her son in danger and swoop in to add more insanity to things?! WHAT ABOUT ALL OF ASH'S FRIENDS who are likely to help Ash first and ask questions later? And will Professor Rainfort's own trump card make a difference?! Will the treasures snag the pendant in the blind confusion? And will Pikachu finally evolve into a hot babe for Ash? FIND OUT NEXT TIME!" Hoopa laughed.

Chapter Text

“W-whoa!” Ash pushed back against Nemona.  “I appreciate the honesty, but you’re still in high school, aren’t you?”

“I’m seventeen, we’re not that far apart.”

Off to the side, Arven facepalmed.  “Why doesn’t she ever tell us the rest of her plan?” He, Violet, and Penny moved from cover to cover, trying to figure out the best way to slip his amulet off him.

Violet shook her head.   “Do you think she might learn to actually discuss her plans if we started doing two on two doubles together?”

“Oh my, Ladies and Gentlemen!”  Came the loud voice of Nemona’s Meowscarada, stepping between Max and Clemont, who had just arrived on the scene.  “It seems love is in the air, and Enamorus’s power is making my trainer do crazy things.  Just look at her!”

He pointed to Nemona, then, putting his arms around Max and Clemont’s shoulders, continued in a stage whisper, “or maybe don’t, it’s a little embarrassing.  I’ll spare her the chance for folks to take pics for their Pokegrams!”

Suddenly, a dozen bouquets dropped around Ash and Nemona, before exploding into a cloud of pollen, completely obscuring them.

“And that’s my cue,” Meowscarada said, patting Max and Clemont on the backs.  “Pardon me while I take care of my lovesick trainer.” 

He darted off into the cloud, coming out a few seconds later, dragging a coughing Nemona behind him.

“W-wait!”  She called, reaching back for Ash.  “I-“ she coughed, “-I need someone who isn’t afraid to battle me!”

 “Now now, dear, you’ll have plenty of time to get your feelings sorted out later, your friends are waiting for you.”  He playfully pushed her back toward Violet and her friends.

“That was definitely distracting,” Arven huffed, as the three pulled Nemona further away from the dissipating pollen cloud.  “So, did you…?”

To answer the unspoken question, Nemona subtly turned her backpack toward them, and unzipped it just long enough to reveal a flash of gold and red.

“Huh,” Violet said.  “That went easier than expected.”

Nemona beamed.  “Meowscarada’s Trick comes in handy.  I’m glad he’s such a quick thinker!  I never told him to do all that!”

“Now for the hard part,” Arven whispered, “finding a way to undo the damage.”

“Be careful about how you do it,” Penny added.  “Even if this is corrupting him, there’s a chance at least one of them legitimately had feelings for him before.  We don’t want to undo that.”

---

Ash, Misty, May, and Serena coughed and tried to blow away the pollen cloud, while Ash’s mind raced.  He’d objected to Nemona’s sudden advance, but her merely saying those words had put the idea of them dating in his head.  And as making a wife of every girl he’d ever thought of dating was no his purpose for being, he was having second thoughts.

When the cloud had cleared, he looked around, and walked back toward her, holding out a hand.

“Nemona, I’ve changed my mind.  You would make a fine addition to my harem.  Just look into my eyes, and listen…”

His eyes glowed for a moment, and Nemona felt a little drowsy, but Ash paused, looking confused.

“Where’s the flash?  There’s supposed to be a blinding flash.”  He grabbed for his pendant, only to feel his fingers brushing against the rigid edges of a gear.  “Wait, this is…”

Violet, Arven, and Penny all reached into Nemona’s pack at once, pulling out another amulet together.

“Ash Ketchum,” they said, in as close to unison as they could manage.  “You’ll stop trying to use this pendant, and tell us what you’ve already used it for.”

There was a moment of silence, as the trio waited for their star-shaped amulet to flash.

“Er, I wasn’t doing anything with THAT pendant anyways,” Ash said.

He heard Max and Clemont each give a yelp behind him.

“Wait, that’s my pendant they have,” Max said, an Amulet Coin dangling from his neck in its place.

“And Ash got mine, somehow,” Clemont said, grabbing a Clear Amulet that he had been swapped.

Arven’s eyes widened.  “If we have their pendants, then where-?”

The ground shook as a loud rumble echoed across the fields surrounding Oak’s lab.  Ash watched, struggling to keep his balance, as a plateau of earth rose from the ground.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” came the voice of Meowscarada once more.  “May I have your attention please?”

The magician pokemon became visible above the lip of the plateau, arms and cape spread wide, a speck of glimmering gold and red swinging around his finger.

---

“Aw, come on,” mumbled Hoopa.  “Those were supposed to be confuse people trying to take the pendant from Ash!”

Celebi shrugged.  “Well, they did.  They just fooled Ash, too.”

---

Nemona shook herself awake.  “Meowscarada?  What are you doing?”

He wagged a finger.  “A magician never reveals his secrets.  But, with a little help, this magician will finally reveal the truth you’ve all been blinded to!”

The Treasures of Ruin became visible on either side of him.

Everything became a blur.  So many things happened at once.

Ash ran to get his pendant back, only to have Arven’s Mabosstiff clamp his jaws down on his leg and hold him back.

A panicked Violet tried to flutter off the ground and to the plateau, only to be stopped in her tracks by a wall of glowing eyes as a voice called out “Mean Look.”  Glancing behind her, she saw Penny’s umbreon, eyes glowing bright.

The pokemon kept in Oak’s lab scattered this way and that in panic.

Ash’s Staraptor, taking initiative, dove for Meowscarada, who tossed the pendant to Wo-Chien.

There was a great flash.

“Stop.”

The whole field went quiet.

Ash couldn’t find the will or desire to move, even with the pain of Mabosstiff biting into his leg.  Once the dog Pokemon was sure Ash had stopped moving, he released his jaw. 

The ground rumbled, a second plateau lifting up Ash and his wives, Violet and her friends, as well as Pikachu, Mabossttif, and Penny’s Umbreon, stopping when they stood at eye level with Wo-Chein.

“I would like to thank you, Chosen Ones,” Wo-Chein rumbled, “For bringing our attention to this fine work of art.  Thanks to you, the will of Arceus may finally be done in this world.”

“Speaking of the Original One,” Ting-Lu interrupted, “before you go any further, there is a promise we must keep.”

The amulet was dropped on one of her horns, and flashed again.

“Trainers of Paldea, recall the truth that Kanto’s Chosen One has hidden from you: The merging of human and Pokemon is not natural, the power of this pendant is both the origin of these ‘hybrids’ and the only reason you had thought nothing of them.  While nothing can be done to prevent this pendant from being used to restore those lies, you shall not be deceived again by the indirect powers granted to others, including yourselves, by this pendant.”

The four trainers blinked and shook their heads, but otherwise remained standing in place.

“Agh, I should have known!”  Penny grumbled.  “I would have heard about a condition like that!”

“We were all fooled so easily,” Violet mumbled.

“Now that’s a mind game,” Nemona said.  “Making it so we couldn’t even think of the right answer.”

“And Mabosstiff tried to warn me…”  Arven said, as his friend nuzzled against him.  “I’m sorry, buddy…”

Ting-Lu tilted her head slightly.  “Hm, not as shocked as I’d imagined.  I suppose the you had already figured out as much as the amulet would allow you.”

Meowscarada took a bow.  “Many thanks, Ting-Lu.  You’ve restored our trainers to their senses.  Now we can restore them to their rightful forms as well!”

The earthen sculpture’s mouth bent into an approximation of a smile.  “…I don’t remember promising that.”

“What?”  Mabosstiff barked.

“We’ll need a great deal of despair for our plans,” Wo-Chein explained, taking the pendant back.  “We won’t harm either of the chosen ones, as thanks for their role in bringing about Arceus’s will.  Their friends, however, will receive no such consideration.   If anything, they could be granted even weaker forms, to better punish them for their sins.”

“And increase their terror,” Ting-Lu added.  “Once we’re no longer bound by poke-balls and the Ancient Pact.”

Another flash.  “Violet, release us from our bonds.”

“You scum!”  Mabosstiff growled, charging the treasures, with Umbreon by his side, as Violet reached into her bag, and held out four Poke balls.

Meowscarada moved to toss another pollen bomb, only to find himself jabbed with countless splinters of ice on one side, and burned by a wall of flame on the other, falling to the ground in pain in front of Wo-Chein.

The ground crumbled out from under Umbreon, dropping him into a small pit, its sandy walls too loose to climb, leaving him helpless to avoid the rain of icicles that formed above him.

Mabosstiff looked back for only a moment, not stopping his charge until a mass of sickly-looking vines rose from the ground and bound him in place.  An inferno followed soon after.

The trainers let out panicked cries as their pokemon fell, their unconscious bodies tossed in a heap in front of them, but stood still, powerless to fight the amulet’s influence even now.

---

Ash watched as four empty pokeballs fell to Violet’s feet.

He shook his head.  He couldn’t believe he’d been taken in by them pretending to be hypnotized.

“Excellent.  Now, give us Pecharunt’s Pokeball, too.”

She tossed the ball toward Wo-Chein, who caught it without it opening.

“Wonderful,” he said, dangling the pendant between him and Ash.  “And now, we can bring out your true potential.”

“My ‘true potential’ again?”  Ash groaned  “What, you’re gonna hypnotize me into being YOUR ‘chosen one’ now, and make me do your stupid revenge?”  He got flashbacks to offers by Lysandre and other various evildoers to ‘help change the world,” during their protracted speeches. 

Being the chosen one (or maybe it was “A” chosen one, now?) could be a chore some days.

“You as my-?”  Wo-Chein cocked an eyestalk in confusion.  “What are you-  Oh, I see.”  Wo-Chein made a repeated rustling noise that almost sounded like laughter.  “You thought I was talking about you!”  He shook his head.  “No, no.  I’m speaking of the potential of a kindred spirit.  The potential of your companion.”

He lifted up the amulet. 

“You may not have sensed it, but it cried out to me the moment I saw it, and my comrades soon saw that potential, as well.”

Chi-Yu “swam” up to Ash, it’s heat almost overwhelming even his new fire type.  “A treasure whose power led to great envy…”

Chein Pao’s chill made Ash feel queasy again.  “A treasure that led to backstabbing hatred…”

A sense of listlessness covered Ash as Ting-Lu stepped forward.  “A treasure that created, then silenced, fear among a whole kingdom.”

Ash’s muscles felt weak as Wo-Chein spoke again.  “A treasure that created a cry for vengeance which was never permitted to be spoken aloud.  A treasure that brought its maker, his family, and his kingdom to utter catastrophe, and the peak of despair!  A Treasure…” 

He paused.

“…Of Ruin.”

The Paldean trainers all went wide-eyed.

“Arceus works in mysterious ways, does he not?  It may not share our region of origin,” Wo-Chein continued, “But it is nonetheless a kindred spirit.  Professor Oak and Raifort both wished to discover our origins, did they not?   And once we have the final ingredient, they shall have their wish, and tremble!   All of you shall bear witness to the birth of a new ruinous legend, and the dawn of a true age of justice!”

“And we see how to take that final ingredient,” Ting-Lu said.  “By destroying those precious to the Chosen Ones.”

Wo-Chein raised the Amulet, only for the flash to be blocked by a blur of gold.

“Yo, nice bling you got there!”  Said the Gholdengo, floating on a surfboard made of gold coins.  He pulled two more coins off one of his golden “dreadlocks.”  “Wanna trade?”

Before the stunned Wo-Chein could respond, Gholdengo flicked the coins into his eyes, snagged the pendant, and whirled it around to face the stunned trainers.  Then it let out a flash.

“Time to get moving again, guys n’ gals!  Can’t just around like that stand around like that all day.”

Ash and the other trainers felt themselves able to move again, just as Gholdengo narrowly ducked under dark pulse from Chi-Yu.

“Yow!  See you guys later!”  With that, he zoomed into the air in away from them.

“He’s got the pendant!”  Violet shouted, as Penny, Arven, and Nemona scrambled to return their fallen dark types to their poke-balls.

No longer feeling unable or unwilling to move again, Ash knew he had to get the pendant back.  His fate to be a pokemon Harem Master depended on it!

“May, Misty, Serena, Return!  Staraptor!  Fly me after that Gholdengo!”

“You got it, Ash!”  The bird pokemon called, dropping in front of Ash and letting him onto his back, with Pikachu following after.

“We can’t let him get away with the pendant!”  Violet called.

“But the Treasures-“ Penny started.

He let them fade into the background as he readied himself, launching a flamethrower attack.

“Whaa!”  The golden pokemon nearly slipped off his flying surfboard as he shifted out of the way.  “Yo, what gives, hot stuff?”

Ash didn’t answer.  Nobody, not the Paldean champs, not the ruinous legends, and certainly not a stack of lose change stuck in the nineties would stand between him and the formation of his harem.

---

Nemona kept her eyes on the Treasures of Ruin, reaching for her Poke-Ball belt.  Violet did so as well, but her eyes kept drifting back to Ash and Gholdengo shrinking away into the sky.  She could see some of the Treasure’s eyes drifting that way as well.  Both were sizing up whether to fight their biggest threat now, or to stop the amulet from becoming a problem later.

Making her choice, Violet tossed down a Pokeball.

With a crack of thunder, a purple blur appeared between the Treasures and the transformed trainers.  The Ruinous Pokemon backed up as Miraidon shifted into its battle mode.

“Violet!”  Miraidon called, its horns crackling with electricity so intensely that static seemed to permeate the air around it.  “I will annihilate these threats!”

Violet leapt onto its back.  “Thanks, but now’s not the time!”  She motioned toward Ash and the Gholdngo.  “We’ve gotta catch them before either of them takes that thing who knows where!  The rest of you, get on!”

“You do that,” Nemona said, “I’m taking down these guys.”

“We can’t split up our best battlers!”  Arven said, grabbing her and pushing her onto Miraidon’s back, Penny following after. 

With a glance back to the Treasures of Ruin, Miraidon shifted to flight mode, and took off after Ash.

“Hey, what gives?”  Nemona demanded.  “I could take them!”

 “You’re down a Pokemon,” Arven explained, “and the four of them are legendaries who weaken everything that fights them, all working together at once.  Even you can’t keep track of ordering four or five Pokemon in battle at one time.  We need to stick together.”

“Besides,” Violet added, “if Ash gets that pendant back, he’ll be coming for you next.  And while that Gholdengo released us, we don’t know if it’s safe for him to have it, either.”

“Targets locked!”  Miraidon announced.  “Beginning approach.”

---

“That purse-cutter’s getting away!”  Chein-Pao shouted.  “Can’t you carve up some stepping stones for us to chase him, or something?”

Ting-Lu shook her head.  “Creating chasms is far simpler than raising land.  I cannot match the thief’s speed.”

“What about you, fishy?  You can float, can’t you?”

“I want to fly, but I can’t!”  Chi-Yu pouted.  “My hot air can only rise so far!”

“Calm yourselves,” said Wo-Chein, lifting Pecharunt’s Poke Ball.  “We might just have another means to bring about the final ingredient for our new sibling’s release.  Particularly if that interloper is in league with whom I suspect…”

He tossed the Poke ball to the ground, and Pecharunt appeared.

“Hey everyone, what’s…  Up?”  Pecharunt looked at the four Pokemon around him.  “What’s going on with you guys?  Where’s Violet?”

“That’s not important now,” Wo-Chein said.  “What IS important is something she’s known for some time, but refused to tell you.”

“Okay.”  Pecharunt said, making the closest thing to a shrug he could without arms.  “What’s the big secret?”

“Do you remember your caretakers?”  Wo-Chein shuffled closer to Pecharunt.

“The old man and lady way back when?  Yeah, they were great!  The loved me to pieces!  And I loved ‘em back.  They appreciated the food I gave them, unlike SOME trainers.  What about them?”

“They died.  Alone.  And miserable.”

Pecharunt frowned and raised an eyebrow.  “Yeah, that stupid ogre kept me from getting back home with the masks they wanted.  It’s been hundreds of years.  I hated the ogre even more when I realized just how long she trapped me, but I figured they’d died by the time I got out.  What, you tryin’ to make me cry, or something?”

“No, my friend.  I know guilt better than anyone.”  Wo-Chein thrust his face right in front of Pechrunt’s.  “The ogre was not to blame for their loneliness, or the intense suffering they experienced in their final days.  There is only one Pokemon who is responsible for that.”

He whispered something into Pecharunt’s ear.  The little poison type’s mouth twitched.

“Y-You’re lying!  There’s no way!  No way at all!”

Toxic chains were launched toward Wo-Chein, who batted them away, Pecharunt’s power sapped by the other for legendary pokemon’s ruinous power.

“If you won’t take it from me, then perhaps you’ll listen to the historian, Raifort.  I can sense her, scheming away in that hedge down there.  Speak to her.  She knows the truth.  She helped Violet find it!”

Pecharunt looked down at Raifort, then back to the Treasures, before floating down the side of the plateau. 

---

Raifort’s eyes darted back and forth as she watched her Gholdengo loop and weave around Violet and Ash’s attacks.  She grit her teeth.  Keeping the ace up her sleeve a secret from her students had provided him protection from the dark-type double-cross, but now she couldn’t tell violet that Gholdengo was their alley without giving away her position.

A blast of flame struck the coin Pokemon above her, causing him to yelp as a number of coins to rained down on her.  She winced, and looked back up.

“Come on, Gholdengo, recover…”

Whether he’d heard her, or was acting on his own, several of the coins began to float back into the air, trailing after him as his arm reassembled itself.  As he sailed off, Raifort noticed one glinting object that hadn’t followed him.

Her eyes widened.  The pendant!

Gholdengo’s pursuers hadn’t noticed him dropping it for her amongst his falling coins.  She reached for it, when she heard a high-pitched voice behind her.  She quickly turned around, covering it with her foot.

“Pecharunt?  Oh Giratina, how did you get out?”

“Not important!”  Pecharunt huffed, his chains extending halfway toward her.  “I’m not gonna force-feed you my mochi unless I have to!  So just answer my question; the old man and lady, the ones who took care of me back in Kitikami centuries ago, did my mochi really make them more selfish?  Is that why they asked me to get those masks?  And…  Did they really die suffering and miserable?”

Raifort tried to ignore the strange feeling of warmth under her foot.  “As a historian, I have to preface-“

The chains lashed out, just short of her face.

“No stalling!  Answer the question!  NOW!”

“Details of one couple specifically, are hard to find!   But-!”  Raifort stammered.  “But as part of Professor Jacq’s tests, a few pokemon were repeatedly given low doses of your mochi over a long period of time, so we could identify symptoms in the future.  If not altered to tolerate the poison like your ‘Loyal Three’ were, the subjects gradually began to display more antisocial behaviors, by their species standards, and engaged in fewer cooperative behaviors…  Beyond manipulating those beneath them on their social structure into helping them gather resources, prior to us giving them antidotes.”

She frowned, watching tears appear in Pecharunt’s eyes.

“Some of your victims from before Violet caught you went undiscovered for a few days.  Both humans and pokemon given mochi, then deprived of it, without an antidote, displayed intense withdrawal symptoms.  It’s possible that, given time, they would have died feeling enraged or depressed, depending on how symptoms manifested…  Not unlike what few local legends spoke of happening to the couple that had supposedly taken you in…”

“I…  No…”  Pecharunt shook his head.  “No no no!  There’s gotta be…  It can’t be…”

Pecharunt burst into tears.

There was a bright glowing under Raifort’s foot.  She stepped back, and gasped as the pendant lifted into the air.

Pecharunt’s tears slowed as the sky grew dark  Before Raifort could say anything, the poisonous peach pokemon had already fled.

---

Brock and Olivia, passing officer Jenny, looked up into the blackened sky.

“Is there supposed to be an eclipse today?”  Brock murmured.

---

Team Rocket staggered around in panic.

“Did you forget to pay the electric bill again, James?”

---

Deliah straightened up, and looked out her window.

“My son is in danger.  I can feel it!”

Within seconds, she rushed out the door shifted back into her Gaurdian Lugia shape, and soared to the source of the darkness.

---

The flying trainers, and the gholdengo they were pursuing all turned to see the pendant rise up, accompanied by dozens of large stones.

Penny gasped. 

“Wait, is that-?”

“How?”  Violet cried.

Ash directed Staraptor to fly in closer, in some desperate hope that if he snagged the pendant back in time, he might stop the process. 

The floating stones whirled around the pendant, their speed increasing as more and more of them appeared.  Staraptor managed to dodge and weave through a few, before being suddenly struck from behind as all of them converged on the amulet.  Ash clung on for dear life as Staraptor struggled to right itself, just barely managing to correct their fall and pull up before they hit the ground.   

Moving back a safe distance, Ash took a moment to catch his breath, and looked up to see a massive stone statue forming above him, slowly carving itself into a vulpine shape.  Its four legs hit the ground with a shake, and its jaws yawned open to reveal long fangs.  The pendant itself became fixed on its forehead, becoming a “third eye,” glowing a menacing red shade in contrast with the gray eyes carved into its face.  Behind it, a trail of red gemstones, linked together like a chain, stretched out to form its tail.

The sight of it was familiar to Ash, but he couldn’t quite place where he’d seen it before.

Then another formed.  And another.  Until finally, nine gemstone tails waved behind it, and the beast let out a loud roar.

Trainers and pokemon alike paused, unsure what to do, carefully watching the new pokemon.  Just looking at the creature made them feel sluggish and winded.

The plateau the Treasures of Ruin stood on lowered, and they approached the beast.

Wo-Chein bowed his head slightly.   “Greetings, to our new ally.  What shall we call you?”

“I had a name once…”  It said, looking down at its new form.  “…It no longer fits.  Your names…  They are simply your native language’s words for each of the treasures you were before, and the beasts upon which you based your forms…  Fox Pendant will suffice.”

“Very well.  We are honored to welcome you into our fold, as kin.  I can sense lingering resentment over the pain and tragedy that befell you, all those centuries ago.  And I am here to tell you, that soon, you shall have justice!  Working together, we can bring this wretched world the punishment it deserves!  And then-”

“No…”

The original Treasures were taken aback.

“What do you mean, ‘no?’”  Chi-Yu spat.  “We want you on our team, and we get what we want!”

“I will not make the mistake of trusting again…  Particularly when I sense the despair you have caused…”  Its tone was accusatory, which, judging by the faces to the Treasures of Ruin, they had not been expecting.

“Yes,” Wo-Chein said.  “To awaken you!”

Chein-Pao growled.  “You won’t sever ties to us like that!”

“…Perhaps you are right.”  The pendandt said.  “We will work together…  You shall not be severed from me…”

Four of his tails whipped toward the Treasures.  The nimble Chein-Pao and Chi-Yu leapt out of the way with hardly an inch to spare, but the slower Wo-Chein and Ting-Lu each found their necks wrapped in red stones.  Their bodies lurched and shuddered, then rose up again, eyes glowing red. 

With a stomp, Ting-Lu created a whirlwind of sand around the fleeing Chi-Yu, blinding her to the incoming chain.

Chein-Pao saw the vine trap coming, and sliced through it with ease…  But had slowed down just enough to get caught in the chain that came afterward.

All four Treasures stood in a circle around Fox Pendant, red eyes gazing at the horrified crowd of pokemon around it.

Ash finally recalled where he’d see stones like that before; in the hands of Cyrus, back when Team Galactic tried to end the world.

The Red Chain.  An artifact capable of binding even the gods of time and space to its holder’s will.

The great beast rasped in the distance.  “These dangers are restrained…  But there will be no peace, no safety, until all are made trustworthy…”

---

“…Uh oh.”  Hoopa backed up from the portal.

“Yeah, no.”  Celebi shook her head.  “I’m done.  That’s it.  You can have fun in this mess you made a few more minutes while I go get Dialga to set history back a day, and give Palkia a notice to take that pendant back from you before you can give Ash any more presents.  He and Misty getting together at last isn’t worth this.”

She started flying away, only to bump into… herself.

The other Celebi sighed.  “Well, hate to break it to you, but Arceus said He’s not undoing this yet.”

“What?  Why?”

“You’ll ask him yourself, but since I mentioned it to you before; he wants this to be a test of worthiness for hybrids.  If they fail, everything gets reset before Qiladat Althaelab can get its tails on any of us holding existence together.”

The first Celebi sighed.  “Of course.  Well, better go ask him about that, then.”

She vanished into another time period.

“Hate it when my time travel is off,” Celebi said.  “I feel so awkward talking to myself.”

“Couldn’t you just…  realize you’re going to get it wrong after meeting yourself, then fix your mistake?”

Celebi crossed her arms and huffed.  “SOME of us try NOT to break our domains over their knees and make messes for others to clean up just to get out of awkward situations.”

“Okay, okay, I get it!  Eesh.”

---

Tracy’s Scyther reeled in horror.

“Our trainers are in danger!  We’ve got to help them!”  He flapped his wings, and winced.  “Ack!  Uhg…  I suppose, at least, I’ll be no threat to them if that beast tries anything on me…”

“Yeah, I know the feeling, oogh…”  Psyduck said, rubbing his head.  “Misty needs help but…”

Ash’s Tauros just shook his head.

“Hey!”  Another voice called. 

The three pokemon turned, and saw a purple, peach-shaped pokemon. 

“You three seem pretty loyal.”  Its shell separated, two chains of interlinked purple mochi hanging down from either half.  “And it sounds like all of you need something.  Maybe we can make a little deal that ends with everyone happy…”

---

Looking down, Pikachu saw the familiar form of Professor Raifort, rushing out of a hedge away from the stone beast.  She got only a few feet before a vine erupted from the ground and tripped her.  The moment she looked back, Fox Pendant’s third eye flashed, and she stood upright, her gaze focused on him.

“Defend us,” he said.  “Take a form suited to the task.”

Raifort’s skin turned to blue-green metal, her arms becoming longer and flatter, but remaining flexible despite a lack of joints.  Her legs joined together, then rounded out, spreading wider and wider, becoming a large, hollow bell that almost looked like a dress.  As her clothes faded away, her head took a similar cylindrical shape, hair vanishing as her eyes were painted red, and her mouth a painted-on pattern of rectangular teeth.

The Bronzong woman lifted off the ground, hovering soundlessly as her students and Gholdengo gasped.

“So that’s it, then.”  Ash said, hanging his head.  “My only way of adding to my harem got turned into a Pokemon with a will of its own.  How am I supposed to make any more Poke-girls without it?”

Pikachu listened as his trainer lost hope.  He needed to help somehow.  As lonely as it made Pikachu feel, this was Ash’s purpose in life now, and he’d be a poor partner if he couldn’t help.

But what could he do?

Thoughts of the power of the amulet, the flashes he’d seen time and again, order after order, marched through his mind.  Ash was his friend.  His Trainer.  He had to help Ash.  Ash was his Master.  His hypnotic commander.  He had to help Ash.  The harem had to be built.  It was all he could do to help Ash.  He had to help build the harem.  It was all he could do.

If he helped the Harem, maybe Ash would care about him again.

If he was part of the Harem, Ash would love him again.

Pikachu let the world around him fade as his body began to glow with the energy of evolution. 

He paid no attention as Penny called out “He’s turning this way!” or Nemona started banging on Miraidon’s sides, telling him to “Fire up that Hadron engine!”

He paid no attention as Krookodile’s voice called out for other Pokemon to scatter, before rapidly burrowing and pulling what Pokemon he could under with him.

He paid no attention as the giant fox’s eyes turned toward him and Ash. 

All that mattered was the harem.

Psychic energy, like that which had once been in the pendant, fueled Pikachu as his body grew, becoming taller, his shape more feminine, hips swelling out, waist pinching in, legs long and lithe, his tail thinning and stretching out, the lightening bolt at the tip swelling up to a size that she could stand on it like a surfboard.  The fur on her ears became far fluffier as it turned a pale yellow color, while most of her fur became a light-brown hue.  Her front paws stretched out into human-like fingers. A portion of the fur near the top of her head became a platinum blonde color, becoming a fluffy, feminine hair style that stood out from the rest of her fur.    A near-transparent yellow silk waistcloth appeared above her legs, and a bra shaped like a thunderbolt caught her growing breasts.  Arm and leg bands bearing shimmering yellow gemstones wrapped around her, and on her head appeared a golden crown with jagged, lightning-bolt-shaped edges.

As the glow faded, Pikachu, now Jean the Alolan Raichu, raised her tail in front of her eyes to block the flash of the amulet.

Ash, and many of the Pokemon down below, all focused intently on the pendant. 

“Listen to my words,” it said. “For a world of trust to arise, all must be brought to peace.”

“…All must be brought to peace,” Ash repeated.

Well, that just wouldn’t do.

Jean gave Ash a friendly zap.  With a yelp, he turned his attention back to the source of the sudden pain on pure reflex, and Pikachu’s eyes flashed, mimicking the power of the Pendant.

“Remember, Ash, you need to build your Harem. That ‘Peace’ of his would slow you down.  I can help things along”

Ash repeated her words, then shook his head.  “Oh, right, thanks for reminding me, Pikachu- wait, you evolved?”

“We can worry about that later Master.   We’ve got more members to add.”

“You’re right!  Let’s just get Staraptor back on board…”

Chapter Text

Arven’s fur and Violet’s feathers stood on end, and sparks flew from the end of Nemona’s tusks and Penny’s tail.

“Nemona!”  Arven barked over the revving of Miraidon’s engine.  “What was that about?”

Nemona twitched slightly.  “L-little known fact about the more intense el-l-lectric fields some pokemon can generate:  They c-can make it difficult for most pokemon to fall as-s-sleep or stay asleep.  Inc-c-cluding through hypnosis.”

The other three blinked, realizing that they weren’t locked in the same dead-eyed stare as most of the pokemon on the ground.  Nemona was right.

“Your tactical decision-making is excellent,” Miraidon said.  “However, I would appreciate that you not strike me when making tactical suggestions in the future.”  The pitch of its engine sounded like a whimper.  “Particularly after being hybridized with a dragon type with well-above-average physical strength.”

“Oh, don’t be a baby, Mira,” Violet said, patting the back of his neck.  “Now, let’s get somewhere safe before the giant fox notices we’re not hypnotized.” 

The pendant and the dozens of pokemon under his thrall began to march toward Oak’s lab, ready to add the people and pokemon inside to their number, as Violet guided Miraidon back behind what was left of Ting-Lu’s little plateau.  they dismounted, and caught their breath, before a pile of gold coins landed beside them, and reformed. 

“You!”  Penny said, reaching for a Poke Ball.  “What are you doing here?”

The other trainers readied their balls, and Miraidon hissed, letting sparks fly from his antennae.

Gholdengo leapt back, raising his arms in the air.  “Woah woah woah dudes!  Look, I know things got pretty gnarly back there, but I’m on your side!  That’s why I got you outta there!”

“Then why didn’t you give the pendant to us?”

“I was working with Raifort.  She was keepin’ me in reserve for if you dudes got stuck, and wanted me to keep things secret, in case one of you guys got their brain fried.”

“Turns out we all kind of did,” Penny said, slumping.

“That was a pretty good idea, though,” Nemona said.  “Gholdengo’s golden bodies are great at brushing off most moves that aren’t about just straight-up attacking.  He wouldn’t get caught up in the hypnosis.”

“So how did…”  Arven gestured in the direction of Fox Pendant.  “That… end up happening?”

“I dunno, dude.  I dropped the pendant to Raifort while I was getting chased, so she could get out with it before anyone noticed where it really was.  Maybe one of those creeps caught her as she was sneaking out.”

“The more important question,” Violet said, “is how can we stop that thing?  Especially without hurting Raifort, or anyone that’s been hypnotized.  Now that the pendant’s got a mind of its own, there’s no way we can fix things.”

“I wouldn’t say no way,” came a new voice.  A Staraptor landed, and off jumped Ash, and an Alolan Raichu morph. 

“Just have little Nemona look into my eyes,” said the Raichu morph, “and she won’t have to worry about any of this.”

Her eyes glowed, but she flinched as a dazzling reflection glinted back at her.  Standing between the Raichu and Nemona was Penny, with her hand over the eyes of the latter, her skin shimmering in a golden hue.

Gholdengo blinked.  “Wait, how…?”

“Trace is a pretty handy ability,” Penny said, panting.

“Tch,” the raichu sighed, electricity crackling between her fingertips.  “Fine, we’ll have to take Ash’s new wife the hard way!”

“I do not believe you are properly assessing your odds!”  Miraidon snarled, sparks flying from its body with such intensity that the ground almost looked to be a literal electrical field, making the fur and feathers of all nearby hybrids stand on end. 

The Raichu tried to fire off a hypnotic flash, but it had no effect, to her surprise.  Miraidon growled, as it stood between them, making a sound like screeching metal, causing Pikachu to flinch back.

“Wait, Pikach- I mean, Jean,” Ash interrupted.  “She’s already a hybrid.  Maybe we can do this without hypnosis.  I mean, she was already willing to join before.”

“Yeah,” Nemona said, rubbing the back of her head, “about that…”

“Is that really what you’re focusing on right now?  When a world-threatening legendary pokemon just came into existence?”  Arven shouted.  “You have a worse one-track mind than Nemona!”

“I’m standing right here, you know.”

“Look, being a Pokemon Harem Master is just my biggest goal in life, okay?”  Ash said.

Penny cocked an eyebrow.  “What does that even mean?”

“It means I’ve gotta catch every girl I’ve ever thought about dating and make them part of my harem, so I can show them all the love they deserve and help them be the best they can be,” Ash replied.

“Every girl?”  Penny asked.

“Why?”  Violet said.  “And what if they already have someone else?  Or just don’t like you that way?”

“Hey, you were the ones talking about bigger problems,” Ash said.  “I’m planning on taking all the wives I’ve got and fighting that fox thing together!  Even if it wasn’t just the right thing to do, I’d hate to deal with that thing hypnotizing me and my wives, and Pika- I mean Jean, having to hypnotize us back to normal over and over again.”

“Hypno- wait-”  Nemona stammered.   “That raichu was your pikachu?  And she can do the same kind of hypnosis as the pendant?”

“Yeah.”

“I’d ask how all that works,” Violet said, “especially when you don’t have the pendant anymore.  But, priorities.  Maybe she could help get Raifort and us back to normal once we stop that thing!” 

“Or better yet,” Nemona said, “she could turn us into hybrids of super-powerful legendary fighting-type pokemon, and we could just blast that fox with a barrage of Aura Spheres before he knew what hit him!”

“Well, that sounds great!”  Jean said.  “I’ll be happy to help.  The Harem could always use more protection.”

“Wait,” Penny said.  “I don’t trust her not to just make us a bunch of puppets and never turn us back.”

Jean frowned, but said nothing.

“Hm, good point,” Violet said.  “How can we trust you not to just enslave us?”

Ash struggled to think of an answer.

Nemona shook her head.  “Look, sorry about faking asking you for a date.  If you’ll listen to me, I think I know a way we can deal with that thing by working together.  We’ll need to keep the chains as far from us as possible, since those things can control dark-type legendaries, they probably don’t work the same way as regular hypnosis, and our ways around it might not work.”

“That could be a big problem,” Ash said.

“But, if it has to pull itself in two directions to fight both our teams, we can fight the original Treasures without having to worry about the fox getting closer and using the chains to take control of us.  He can’t get near one of us without backing away on the other side, making them more vulnerable to attack.  If Jean there can electrify the terrain like Miraidon can, you won’t even have to worry about making her re-hypnotize your harem while you attack if he tries to hypnotize us again.”

“Huh, that’s a good point,” Ash nodded.  “I remember seeing Alolan raichu surfing on sparks like that before, I think she could do it.”  He paused.  “But it’s not just the treasures we’re dealing with.  A bunch of my pokemon got hypnotized, too.  Jean can hypnotize them back onto my side for a bit, but you don’t have anything to help on your end.”

“Maybe I can help,” came a voice from underground.  Ash’s krookodile popped out from the ground.  “But I’ve got a bone to pick with you trying to hypnotize all of us in the first place!  What, did you think we didn’t trust you?  I mean, yeah, I’d never heard of humans evolving, but if you say it happened to you, why should I doubt it, huh?”

“Well, when you think about how most humans react to that stuff…”  Ash defended.

“…Fine.”  Krookodile said.  “We’ve got bigger problems, anyway.  I can help cover this team.  My glasses kept me safe.  I know I’m only one mon, but we’ve got a few diggers that can help fight off our hypnotized teammates, while hopefully staying clear of the flash.”

“But what do we do once the Treasures are defeated?”  Arven asked.  “Then he’ll be forced to commit to attacking one of us, and once he’s in range with the chains, it’s all over.”

“We could try to keep the fight at range,” said Jean.

“…It’s risky,” Said Violet, “but I think I’ve got an idea.  Raifort told me that the pendant was created by a sage, who was betrayed by his brother, a king who used it to force his subjects to doing his bidding and expand his empire.  There might be some small part of him left in there.  If we can convince him we don’t mean him any harm, maybe we can persuade him to stop?”

Ash nodded.  “I’ve helped talk down some legendaries that were going crazy, before.  I can help with that.”

“Can you do it WITHOUT something to hypnotize them?”  Violet asked. 

“I did it all the time.”

One of his Harem Balls opened up, revealing Misty. 

“It’s true.”

Penny nodded. “Yeah, his Bulbapedia page mentioned a lot of those incidents.”

“Then it’s a deal.”  Violet said.

“And after that we can bring Nemona into the family,” said Jean.

“…We’ll have to chat about that later,” said Violet.

---

Ash and his wives followed Jean as she surfed over the electrified terrain.  Closing in on the lab, they saw lab assistants being pulled out by the dozens of hypnotized pokemon.

“I’ll break you guys free,” Ash thought.  “I promise.”

The fox’s head whirled to face them.

“I knew I was missing most of the hybrids,” he rasped.  “Let us try this again.”

There was another flash, and Ash motioned for everyone to stop, pretending to be hypnotized.  The distant fox observed them carefully. 

“Were you truly taken this time?  I must be sure…  Remain in place, until I can take your leader in my tails.”

“Okay, nevermind, MOVE!”

The group rushed for Ting-Lu and Chein-Pao, keeping an eye on just how close they were coming to the fox’s tails.

“I suspected you had a way of protecting yourselves.  After them!”

About two-dozen pokemon, many of them Ash’s, charged the group without a second thought.

Jean smirked, and released a hypnotic flash of her own.  “Turn into statues!”

“Wha-?”  Ash stammered, watching some of his long-time friends start to slowly turn to stone.  “Stop, they didn’t do anything!  Just tell them to get away from the fight without looking back!  Now!”

“But this way they can’t be turned on us again!” 

“They’re my friends, and other people’s pokemon!”  Ash shouted, panicking as the stone crept dangerously close to the affected Pokemon’s eyes.  “Turn them back and tell them to run, NOW!”

“FINE!  Stay flesh, run from this fight, and don’t look back!”

The Pokemon de-petrified, and ran past them.

“Waste of time,” Jean muttered.

“So, you have entrancing powers of your own?”  Said the fox.  “It would seem my second choice of hybrid gaurdian was a wise one.  Gary Oak, stop them!”

A reddish-brown fox hybrid stepped between Ash and the fox.  A patch of black fur around his eyes resembling a Domino mask, while his head fur kept Gary’s spiky style.

“It’s been way too long since we’ve had a good battle, hasn’t it, Ash?”  Gary said.

“Oh, he’s just a theivul?”  Ash grinned.  “We might not be able to hypnotize him out of it, but can take him.”

“Take me?”  Gary chuckled.  “Who said I was gonna battle you head on?”

He tossed a Pokeball into the electric terrain, releasing a large red Pokemon with two halves of a dragon skull for arms.

“Regidrago, Dragon Energy!”

“Get down, Ash!”  Dawn shouted, shoving Ash to the ground beneath her as the dragon jaws around Regidrago opened wide and released a purple blast of energy.  Dawn, with her fairy typing, was able to absorb the worst of the blow harmlessly, but the explosion that followed blew Ash’s other wives off their feet.

Gary shook his head as Dawn and Ash got up.  “Well, wouldn’t be a point if it was too easy.  Let’s get Magmortar in on the fun!”  He tossed out another Pokeball, releasing the fire type.

The other girls got to their feet.  Iris grinned, and rushed back to Ash’s side.  “Oh, I’ve been waiting all day to see Regidrago!  I’m not missing the action!”

The group felt their stomachs turn and a hint of anxiety form as Chein-Pao and Ting-Lu appeared at Gary’s side.  But despite the effects of the Treasures’ power, the fact that Fox Pendant and the other two Treasures’ attention was elsewhere meant that Violet and co. were doing their jobs.

---

A few minutes earlier, clinging tight to Miraidon, the four Paldean trainers blitzed toward the newest Treasure of Ruin from the opposite side, Gholdengo trailing behind.

“Should we slow down when we get closer?”  Penny asked.  “We might be able to sneak up on them if the motor isn’t going so loud.”

“We need that fox distracted on both sides,” Nemona said.  “Though maybe we could slip in a big hyper beam hit on one of them to start it off…”

“You won’t be starting anything!”

Miraidon screeched to a halt as a wall of psychic energy appeared in front of him, the strange energy canceling out Miraidon’s own energy field where they overlapped.  The sound of a poke-ball opening could be heard faintly.  Miraidon hastily backed up, as the teens looked to see the floating form of Raifort.

“Electric Terrain,” she noted.  “I should have thought of that before this whole mess started.  Well, lucky for you, I’ve got a counter ready.  Now, will you follow your teacher’s advice and give up?  Or will I have to call in reinforcements to hold you down while the pendant gives you a lesson?”

She rocked the bell that was her lower body back and forth.

“Come on Raifort, you know that pendant’s bogus!”   Gholdengo said.

“Perhaps it is,” she said.  “But I’ve got to protect it.  And as my Pokemon, and my students, you should work with me.”

Gholdengo shook his head.  “Nah.  Sorry dudette, but you earned the badges that impressed me, not that pendant.  I’m not taking orders from it, just cause they’re coming out of your mouth.”

“Besides, this is an extracurricular activity,” Penny said with a smile.  “These don’t count for our grade.”

“Well, since you won’t do as you’re told…”

The bell rang, and a dozen Pokemon, including Qiladat, Wo-Chein and Chi-Yu, all turned their heads toward her. 

The controlled Pokemon rushed toward them.

“We gotta move!”  Arven called.

Miraidon turned and tried to get around Raifort, toward the treasures, but Raifort gave chase, keeping pace surprisingly well.

“Ugh,” Violet groaned.  “We can’t risk fighting the Treasures on psychic terrain…”

“I can bring ‘er down, dudes!”  Said Gholdengo.  “I can’t be hypnotized.”

“Are you sure?”  Violet asked.  “She’s your trainer.  And she still has five pokemon!”

“I’ll go too,” said Penny, copying Gholdengo’s golden sheen again.  “I’m not the best battler, but I beat her in our academy tournament before.  We’ll hold her off while you stop the Treasures.”

Before Violet could argue, Penny had already grabbed hold of Gholdengo and leapt off. 

Penny watched as Violet drove off, pursued by the squad of controlled Pokemon, then turned around to face Raifort.

“Don’t worry dudette,” said Gholdengo.  “I’ve got this.  Couple hits of the old Shadow Ball and she’ll be down and out!”

“Will she be okay?  I mean, I know she’s a hybrid now, but…”

“Here she comes!” 

Gholdengo opened his mouth, and a black sphere quickly expanded in front of it, before hitting the approaching Raifort square in the chest.

She winced slightly, and her body briefly seemed to flicker as her head drooped down.

“Got her!”  gholdengo cheered.

Then Raifort’s head shot back up, a grin spread much wider across her face than should have been possible, sharp fangs bared.  She leapt for Gholdengo, her body flickering more to reveal a red mane and black fur just seconds before “Raifort” unleashed a blast of Dark type energy into Gholdengo’s face, scattering his coins across the ground.

---

Hoopa blinked.

“Well.  Looks like that actually WAS a Zoroark disguised as Raifort this time.”

---

“Gholdengo!”  Penny shouted.  She shook her head.  How could she have been so bloody forgetful?  Raifort had used a Zoroark in the tournament!  As one of her first bloody pokemon! 

Penny backed away, and reached for her Pokeballs, keeping an eye on Raifort’s Zoroark as it stalked closer to her.  But where was the real-?

An ear-splitting clang and a powerful blow to her back answered that question.  Penny hit the ground, and rolled over to see the Bronzong woman hovering above her.

---

Pillars of flame shot up from the ground, and rotting vines reached out for the trainers as Miraidon approached the other two Treasures of Ruin, forcing the dragon to leap and weave this way and that, before finally skidding to a stop in front of them.  The trainers hastily leapt off, keeping an eye out for traps by their feet even as they saw the other controlled Pokemon following behind them.  They readied their Pokeballs, internally debating whether to fight the weaker horde or the stronger pair, when a shudder from the ground caused several pursuing Pokemon to drop into pits, while others were struck from below by spires of stone.  Ash’s Krookodile and Scrafty popped out of one hole, giving a thumbs up, while his Gigalith, Lucario, and Crawdaunt emerged from another just long enough to confirm their targets were down before ducking back underground again.

“That thinned them a bit,” Arven said.  “I’ll watch the rear, you guys take out the Treasures.”

“Right,” Violet nodded.  “Mira, whatever you do, don’t get in range of that chain.  Stay on the defensive, we need you online the whole fight!”

“Understood!”

Nemona turned to face the treasures “Alright, Pawmot, Kommo-o, you’re up!”

“You too, Ogerpon!”  Said Violet.

“I’m ready!”  Ogerpon cheered, waving her club around as she put on the Wellspring Mask.  “Ugh, these guys were so annoying!  But the fox thing is new.”

“I’ll explain when it’s over.  Now, Ivy Cudgel on Chi-Yu!”

---

Gisselle yanked the Latias twins away from the fight.  Together with Iris, they’d managed to bring down Regidrago, but the blast of dragon energy had taken a lot out of them, and left them vulnerable to Gary and the two Treasures‘ dark-type attacks.  Iris, meanwhile, had gotten winded quickly, and backed away from the fight to recover.

Misty was busy protecting Dawn from Magmortar, while Dawn readied her Fleur Canon.  May took jabs at Gary, who was nimbly dodging, while Serena, Megan, and Lillie engaged the Treasures, being careful to keep their distance.

“Why can you not see sense?”  Growled the fox.  “It will all be so much simpler if you submit.”

“Even if you weren’t trying to rule the world,” Ash replied, “working for you means I can’t become a harem Master.”

The fox shook his head.  “Rrr!  All of you are too brainwashed to see reason.”

---

Penny yelped as a psychic attack threw her several feet away.  Groaning, she got up, and saw Raifort starting to spin toward her.  She scrambled and tossed out a Pokeball.

“Flareon, help!  Baby-Doll Eyes!”

The fluffy fire-type came out of the ball, and immediately made its eyes wider, sparkling brightly.

Raifrot slowed, blinking in confusion at the sight

“Flare Blitz!”

Flareon charged at Raifort, its fur cloaked in flame, and rammed into her, producing an echoing clang as she recoiled.

Penny breathed a sigh of relief just a bit too soon, only hearing zoroark leaping at her just in time to dodge its slash.  She reached for sylveon’s poke-ball and tossed it, shouting out “moonblast” before the pokemon even had time to register what was going on.

The fairy type leapt between Penny and the zoroark’s next blow, taking the worst of the attack, its body glowing like moonlight, and firing back with a blast of pink energy, knocking the zoroark out of its next strike.

A whirl of blue struck Sylveon, and knocked it aside as Raifort re-entered the fray.  She turned back to Penny, who tried to get her bearings and find Flareon again, but Raifort had already started psychically lifting her into the air again.

Penny braced for impact, only to be suddenly dropped as Raifort was struck from behind by Gholdengo’s Shadow Ball.  Raifort swayed in the air for a moment, before falling to the ground.

Penny sat up, and panted.  “S-sorry, Miss Raifort…”

“You okay dude?”  Gholdengo asked.

“Yeah…”  She nodded.  “Just…  Give me a minute to catch my breath.”

---

Ogerpon held fast as Chi-Yu blasted her with a barrage of fireballs, the Wellspring mask’s water softening the blows.

The pendant, still caught halfway between Ash and Violet, turned to Nemona.

“They only put up with you for situations like this, don’t they, Nemona?”

Nemona blinked, as her Pokemon ducked under and cut through Wo-Chein’s vines.  “Wait, you’re talking to me?”

“Yes, you,” the fox continued.  “Nobody else puts up with your battle obsession, do they?  You worry they must be getting something else out of it, I can sense it.”

“I, uh…”Nemona shuddered.  “No, Violet’s a real friend!  We’re rivals to the end!”

“That’s not what your heart says.  Would it not be easier to have a world where you could be sure?  A world where people only said what they meant?  Where, if they did not want to be friends, or battle, they would just say ‘no’ and that would be that, rather than come up with “polite” excuses to avoid you?”

“I mean, yeah…”  Nemona stepped toward the fox slightly.

“Don’t fall for it, Nemona!”  Violet said.  “He’s trying to trick you!”

“Heh, I’d be careful about putting Nemona on your side, fox,” Arven said, looking back from his own battles.  “She’ll talk your ear off about battle trivia, and interrupt every scheme looking for an honorable battle.  She’s insufferable about it!”

“Arven!”  Violet shouted.  “What are you doing?”

“I’m just telling the truth!”  Arven laughed.  “Try to recruit her, and you’ll regret it!”

Nemona looked back.  “Oh, that’s it!  Maybe you’re right, Fox!”

“Nemona!”

Nemona began walking toward the fox, just into the range of his tails, while still within the electric field.  “Do it!”

A Red Chain lashed out at her.

And was cut in half by an Aura Sphere.

The fox leapt back in pain, accidentally yanking back on Chi-Yu and Wo-Chein’s chains.   

Taking the moment to strike, Ogerpon swung her water-covered club at Chi-Yu, the impact dowsing the fish’s flames and cracking the chain around her neck, leading to another roar from the pendant.

Violet took the chance to toss a Poke ball at the unconscious treasure, its capture easing the anxiety afflicting the trainers and pokemon from the Ruinous Beads.

“Told you you’d regret it!”  Arven said.

The fox turned to see where the Aura attack had come from, and, following Nemona’s gaze, saw Ash’s Lucario and Gigalith.  Before they could duck again another flash went off.

“Stop anyone else from attacking me from underground the way you did!”  He growled.

The two Pokemon complied, ducking back into the hole.  Moments later, the unconscious forms of Crawdaunt, Scrafty, and Krookodile were tossed up out from underground, and Lucario and Gigalith followed, rushing to Wo-Chein’s aid.

---

Misty fell to the ground, having only just managed to stop Gary’s magmortar before Ting-Lu’s earthquake hit.

“Misty!”  Ash called, turning from his fight with Gary and running up to her

Dawn winced at the force of the quake, but felt the Fleur Cannon finally ready to fire…  If only Ash hadn’t run between her and Ting-Lu!

Ash was about to pick Misty up when Gary tackled him from behind, dragging him to just within reach of the fox’s tails.

“I’ve got him, Master!”  He called.

In a panic, Dawn turned to shoot Gary instead, but there was no need.

As the tail lashed out toward Ash, a powerful whirlwind blasted through the chain, shattering it.

Looking up, the fox and hybrids saw Delia in the sky above them.

“Stay away from my son!”  She called.

“Flying types, capture that creature!”  Said the fox, taking care to top waving around the tails that weren’t still in use, bringing them closer to his body.  “Bring her here at once!”

A host of bird Pokemon flew toward Deliah.  She tried to dodge, but, having no experience in flying or combat, struggled to avoid the flurry of pecks and wingbeats.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Ash shook himself free of Gary’s grip, spitting embers into him.  Dawn, meanwhile, took the opportunity turn her aim back to Ting-Lu.  The shimmering blast hit the ground type at the same type as one of Megan’s energy balls, overwhelming Ting-Lu and shattering the chain holding her.

The fox roared in pain, and the pendant flashed again, but this time in a narrow beam, firing a power gem at Lillie, who fell with a gasp.  Megan, meanwhile, collapsed, shivering, as she was struck by Chein-Pao’s icicle spear.

Ash got back into a fighting stance as Giselle moved to pull Misty, Megan, and Lillie out of harm’s way.

---

Nemona’s Pawmot fell to Ash’s Gigalith, while her Kommo-O exchanged blows with Ash’s far more agile Lucario.  Ogerpon, meanwhile, found Wo-Chein resisting both her water and grass attacks, but couldn’t find an opening to change to a more effective mask.

The fox turned back to Violet, firing a power gem beam at her before she could grab the ball of a Pokemon with a better matchup.

“You are wasting your time attempting to reform these fools,” said the fox.  “They embody hate, and fear, greed and grudges.  You cannot change them, or Pecharunt, or the ‘loyal three.’  You know this in your heart, no matter how you try to deny it.”

“What?”  Violet asked, dodging another attack as Nemona called out her Milotic.  “Are you gonna try to get me to join you so I can ‘really’ reform them?  Do you REALLY think that’ll work any better on me?”

“Deny the truth as much as you like.  But have you seen Pecharunt?  If your methods are so effective, why hasn’t he helped you yet?”

“I…”

Violet heard a rumbling sound behind her, and a shout from Arven.  She turned to see him running out of the way of an incoming Tauros… but not like any she’d seen in Paldea or Kanto before.  This one had a deep purple coat, spiraling horns, and a familiar purple chain around his neck.  And on his back, holding onto that chain was…

“Pecharunt?”  Violet gasped.

“Outta the way, loser!”  Pecharunt shouted as he narrowly missed Arven.  Nemona and Violet leapt out of the way of the charging pokemon as well, catching a glimpse of a Psyduck on the bull’s back, and a young-looking scyther flying after, each of them bearing the same toxic chains that the Loyal Three bore.

Violet braced herself for Pecharunt and his new minions to turn around, but he kept charging.

“Hey fox!  There’s only room for one mythical puppeteer here!”  He called out.

The fox responded by letting out another hypnotic flash, then striking with one of his tails, only to find it psychically held out in the air by the transformed Psyduck’s power. 

“Sorry big guy,” said Pecharunt.  “Looks like these guys already have a master.  Get ‘im, Mantalive!”

The transformed sycther flew for the chain, slicing it in half as the fox let out another roar.

“Okay, Bullifuryu, now let’s show that snail a thing or two!”

The tauros nodded, and charged straight for Wo-Chein, its horns dripping with poison.  Wo-Chein tried to trip it up, only to be interrupted by another smack from Ogerpon, giving the poison types just enough time to strike.

Wo-Chein shuddered and collapsed.  The pendant tried to quickly pull its tail back, only for a swift strike from Ogerpon to break it, too.

The fox howled and backed away.

“Pecharunt!” Violet shouted, while throwing a ball at Wo-Chein “What did you do to them?”

“Is that the thanks I get?”  Pecharunt huffed.  “They wanted to be made better, you looked like you needed some help, and it looks like that kind of bond is the only safe way for me to make friends, since the Loyal three lasted so long with ‘em!  I’ll explain more later, for now, we gotta-”

A dark pulse shot him from behind, and he fell over, a power gem following after to knock out the scyther.

“No, no…”  Violet muttered, feeling for Pecharunt’s Pokeball, and realizing she still didn’t have it. 

Then she noticed, without Wo-Chein or Chi-Yu to defend it, the fox had no reason not to retreat and run straight for Ash and his Raichu.

She started after him, only to be blocked by Lucario and Gigalith.

Violet looked back.  “I’ll come back for you, Pecharunt.”

Nemona grinned  “Heh, these two won’t be much more trouble on their own!” 

---

May brought Gary down with a solid chop, while Ash and Serena teamed up on Chein-Pao, both of their flamethrowers hitting at the same time, while Dawn’s Fleur Cannon shattered the chain.

“Great job, Serena!  Now all that’s left is…”  He turned toward the fox, only to realize that it was barreling toward him and Jean.

The fox looked aside briefly to make sure Deliah was still occupied, then reached out, and snagged Ash in his tail.  Instantly, Ash felt his body moving on its own, the fox’s will echoing through his mind.  His wives gasped, and looked at each other, unsure of the best way to Attack the pendant without harming Ash, who found himself carefully maneuvering between the fox and any incoming attackers, as the fox fired off attacks this way and that.

His eyes focused on Jean, the fox’s biggest threat.  He took a deep breath, readied his flamethrower and…

Found it blocked by Max, who absorbed the flame.

“Solar enhancer ready!”  Cheered Clemont.  Ash turned, and saw the other ninetales, standing with Bonnie, (currently a Cacturne,) and his own harem.  On his back was a device that seemed to be making the light around him brighter.

“Good thing I had a Solarbeam TM,” Clemont chuckled.  “Fire!”

He, Bonnie, and his Helioisk all fired off Solar Beams at the fox, shattering the chain holding Ash and blowing the fox back.

Ash got up, shaking his head as his wives flocked around him to check that he was okay.

Ash looked up, and saw his mother flying down, right over the fox.

“Mom!  Watch out!  His tails can-!”

With a sound like a cracking whip, the pendant’s last tail flew through the air, and lashed around Deliah’s neck.  He wrenched her to the ground, holding her between them.

“Ah yes,” said the fox.  “The power…  I can feel it…  Now, Lugia, strike them all down, with one mighty Aeroblast!”

Deliah opened her mouth, as a ball of light formed inside, growing wider and wider.

Then she turned around, and struck him with it.  With a roar, the fox went flying back, its tail releasing its grip.  He crashed to the ground with a thud, struggling to lift himself off the ground.

“H-how?”  He mumbled.

“I fought off the power of the Unown for my son, when I was only human!”  Deliah responded.  “You never had a chance.”

The group took a moment to breathe as the Paldean trainers caught up to them, and Giselle used Heal Pulse on Ash’s fainted wives.

Now came the matter of what to do with the monster the pendant had become.

Chapter Text

"Alight, now let's smash it and get the pendant back." Jean said nonchalantly.

"NO!" Ash and Violet said together, and looked at each other in surprise.

"Master? Really?"

"Becoming a Harem Master is who I am, but I'm not gonna destroy a pokemon who didn't ask to be what it is!"

"What he said, sort of," Violet said.

"Dear, as much as I admire your moral courage, this pokemon is beyond any hope of taming," Deliah said looming over the group.

"Hey, we were gonna try and reason with the spirit inside the pendant remember? And we're STILL gonna do that!" Ash said.

"Fine, THEN we use its power to complete your harem?" Jean asked.

"Don't bet on it!" Violet said.

"A battle over the rightful trainer is the traditional way to handle this," Nemona said.

"Can you not think of battle right now?"

"Hey, he has his passion, and I have mine."

"Can't we compromise here?" Penny asked.

"Compromise with a harem of brainwashed slaves?" Arven asked

"He's right," Violet whispered, pulling her friends aside.  "We can't forget that these women probably aren't here by choice.  We've got to find a way to break them free, and keep Ash from making more."

"And let not forget the weird part-pokemon thing going on," Arven added, looking back at his tail.  "I know I haven't."

"Well, yes, but there's a chance that at least one of them genuinely had feelings for him.  And the same way, there's probably some who actually like the part-pokemon thing, (some of them probably closer than you think)."

"Yeah, being able to learn moves myself could be cool," Nemona said.

Arven sighed.

"Look," Penny continued.  "How about you guys focus on trying to calming the pendant, I'll try to figure out which of Ash's 'wives' actually felt that way about him before he found the pendant."

Penny sighed internally.  She really wasn't the talking-in-person type.  But she couldn't let this go unchallenged.  Tracing Gholdengo again, she approached the recovering Serena.

"H-hello," she said.  "My name's Penny.  And you are?"

"Serena."

"And how did you meet Ash?"

The lion hybrid blushed under her fur. "I met Master when we were both little. Mom forced me to go to a pokemon summer camp here in Kanto. One day I got lost in the woods, and was frightened by a Poliwag, hurting my knee. Master was looking for the Poliwag but found me instead. He tied up my knee with a handkerchief and 'magically' as only little kids can 'made the pain go away' but not really. He told to never give up, and helped me back to camp... I kept the handkerchief until I met him again when he came to Kalos a few years ago and I saw him on TV and I was inspired to begin my own pokemon journey...

"He... didn't remember me at first. I returned his own words to him to help him through a tough gym battle.  He finally remembered me as 'that crying girl.'”

“How… Romantic?”

“I never said he wasn't dense. Helping someone. It was so natural for him. Not even worth thinking about. That the kinda person he is." Serena smiled happily.

"Ooookay, I think I'm starting to get the picture here," Penny said.

Meanwhile, Penny turned to the Lanturn girl.  "What about you?  How did you meet the champion?"

"Oh, it was years ago, when he first started his journey.  He was running from a horde of Spearow, "borrowed" my bike, and wrecked it.  I followed him around to get him to pay for it, but along the way we actually started to become friends, and after that, I even got a crush on him.  Not that he ever noticed, with how thick-headed he was."

Penny blinked, surprised to hear Ash's "beloved wives" berating him, even after being hypnotized.  She'd have thought that would be something he'd wipe out of them.

"I eventually had to go back to take care of my gym, so I only saw him a couple times over the years, and he'd made so many friends who were girls as time went by, I honestly didn't think I'd ever have a chance!  And then I found out he was making a harem, and suddenly, the idea of being part Pokemon didn't seem like a bad trade.  And I've actually kind of liked it."

"Well, uh, glad that worked out for you..."  Penny nodded.

---

Ash and Violet carefully approached the pendant, carrying a few berries and other foods as a sign of peace.  The pokemon groaned, and shakily attempted to stand.  Miraidon hovered in the background, keeping as far as possible from the fox while still letting its electric field protect the trainers.

“Hello...”  Violet said, “my name is Violet, this is Ash.  We don’t want to hurt you.  We just want to talk.”

“…Curious means of ‘not hurting me,’ shattering my tails…”

“Would you have let us talk if we hadn’t shattered them?”  Ash asked.

The fox snorted indignantly, but said nothing.

Violet held out an oran berry toward him.  The fox flinched back, before leaning forward and cautiously sniffing. 

“How am I to know you haven’t poisoned this?”

“Because if we wanted to destroy you, or seal you, we’d have easier ways,” Ash said. 

Violet held out the berry again.  “You’re hurt, and probably in more ways than one.  Please, just take it.”

A stone tongue grabbed the berry and pulled it into its mouth.  The fox chewed slowly, keeping its eyes on the trainers.

“You said you used to have a different name,” Ash said.  “What was it?”

“As I told those fiends, that old name long longer fits.”

“…Would you object to me calling you the Fox Sage?”  Violet asked.

The fox stopped chewing, his eyes widening.  “Where did you hear that title?”

“My history teacher did a lot of digging.  May we call you that?”

“…I have no power to stop you.”

“If you don’t trust us, I get it,” Violet said.  “The fox sage was betrayed by his brother, the king for power.  In your first moments in this form, you were asked by the Treasures of Ruin to work with them, after they had taken your pendant by pitting Pokemon and the trainers they trusted against each other.”

“People used you, and you don’t want that to happen again,” Ash nodded.  “And make sure it didn’t happen to anyone else.  You said you wanted to bring peace, didn’t you?  That’s why you tried to take control of everyone.”

“…Yes…”

“We want peace too,” Ash said.  “We just want it another way.”

“Hmph, the fool that accidentally hypnotized himself thinks I should hold out for another way.”

Violet blinked as she processed that information.

“Yeah, we all do stupid things sometimes,” Ash said.  “But we can get better.  Everyone can.  And you don’t have to trick or force other people into making it happen.”

The fox growled softly.  “Just as the other ruinous legends embody fear, hate, greed, and vengeance, I am despair given form.  There is no hope for me, and I despair of finding anyone I can trust, again.  I do not wish to have everything ripped away from me a fourth time.”

“Fourth time?”  Violet raised an eyebrow.

“…I have said too much already.”

“If you are the fox sage,” violet whispered, “you were betrayed by your brother, probably killed…  So who would have ripped everything from you…”  She tapped her chin.  “Wait…  That journal mentioned that the emperor’s younger brother had vanished for years, only to return talking about a world of talking pokemon and weird dungeons.  Afterward, he’d spent more time with Pokemon than people…”

“So, you’d heard even that.”  The fox sage huffed.  “There is little to be gained from hiding it…  Yes… For a time, I was ripped from my life of lonely comfort, by forces I did not understand.  I was taken to a world without humans, where Pokemon had their own society, language, and customs, in the form of a Pokemon myself.

“At first I had been terrified and alone, even merely walking in my new form proved challenging.  Yet a small group of Pokemon took me in, though I was a stranger, with no means of repayment.  Over time, we became friends, working and playing together, and even if survival was difficult, I preferred it to the life in the palace, where family saw me as little more than a replacement should my brother perish, and my “friends” only ever looked for favors.

“Eventually, a disaster struck, but our team, with the aid of many more, were able to overcome it, and bring the world back from the brink of destruction…  And then a voice told me I had accomplished my purpose, and it was time to return to my world.  I…  I could not even say goodbye before I had vanished.

“When I returned to my world, I tired of the palace, and sought only a way to return to the world in which I truly belonged.  When a traveling merchant offered me a fractured piece of the Red Chain, I sought to use it to find my own way back, somehow.  Through careful study of the secret arts, I was able to use it to attain perfect control over any being’s form, (and the mind as well, though at that time I saw little use for that,) crafting it into the pendant which you used.   The pendant my soul inhabited after my brother betrayed and killed me in a fit of jealousy.”

Violet carefully reached out, and pulled her hand back when .  “That sounds… horrible.  I can see why you wouldn’t want to trust anyone after that.”

“Do you still miss your old friends?”  Ash asked.

“Dearly,” said the fox.  “But it matters little now.  Even if return were possible, in the many eons that have passed, they have doubtlessly long since perished.”

“Do you think they would be okay with what you tried to do?”  Ash said, evenly.

The fox’s jaws twitched.

“Ash!”  Violet whispered sharply.

“No…  The boy is right.  I have become despair.  I have become distrust, and though it is now my nature, that is not what they would have wished.  Using others, to avoid being used myself, is wicked and vile, and though I have none I can trust, I cannot force trust to be formed.”

“Pardon me,” Miraidon said, floating closer.  “I apologize for the interruption, but I, too, am from a very different point in time and space.”

The fox looked over Miraidon carefully for the first time.  “Indeed…  Even in that other world, I saw no Pokemon like you.”

“When I arrived in this world,” Miraidon continued.  “I was also alone and afraid, determining that there were very few I could trust.  Then I met Violet, and her friends, who aided in my recovery, and helped me to feel safe again.  While your situation is very different, perhaps, time with a trainer could help you to trust again…”

The Fox Sage tilted his head from one side to the other.  “Perhaps it may, perhaps it may not.”  He stood up, and straightened out.  “If you believe you can trust me…  I shall strive to undo the harm I have wrought.  Though I fear some commands, from before I attained true consciousness again…”

He looked at Ash.

“May be too deeply set by now to undo completely, only changed to something less harmful.  Then, I will chose a human to go with.”

Ash and Violet exchanged glances. 

“Well,” Violet said.  “Trust does go two ways…”

“We’ll give you a chance,” said Ash.

---

“From the moment Ash Saved me from Team Rocket, I knew he’d be the one for me!” Megan cheered.   Penny could practically see hearts in her eyes as she reminisced.  “Nobody else believed in us!  They all said we were too different!  That he’d never look at me the way I looked at him!  That nothing could ever come of our love!  But look at us now!  Ever since he found that amulet and got that hot new evolution-”

“So, since yesterday,” Penny said.

“Yes, since yesterday, nothing’s come between us!  Nobody can say we aren’t equals!”

“Even though I heard all of you calling him ‘Master?’”  Penny asked.

“I’ve known Ash for years!”  Megan continued, seemingly paying Penny no mind.  “Not only that, I was the first girl Ash added to his harem!  Me!  The one nobody said ever had a chance!  The one he’d ‘never find pretty.’  The one who-”

“Was jealous of anyone who even looked at Ash,” Misty interrupted.

Megan grinned sheepishly “…Okay, maybe I was a little clingy, but I know most humans only ever take one mate, so I had to make sure I was it.  He helped me see that we can all get along, though, and while I wouldn’t mind having Ash all to myself, I realize I have more fun with all of you.  Plus, Master deserves as many wives as he wants.”

The other girls nodded.

“Still,” Misty said, “did you have pick fight’s with Pikachu, and Ash’s other pokemon, too?”

“I just wanted to get in the fight and show Ash how strong I could be!  That I could protect him and any of the beautiful children we would have together!  How was I supposed to show off my sexy moves if I didn’t have a chance to get on the field and use them because he was using Pikachu to battle?”

“Wait, hang on,” Penny interrupted, raising an eyebrow and adjusting her glasses.  “You wanted to battle for Ash, BEFORE he changed you?”

“Of course!  How else is a pokemon gonna show off?”

Penny’s eyes widened.  “You were a pokemon before this?”

“Oh, did I not mention that?”  Megan shrugged.  “My bad.”

“So this thing worked on pokemon, too?”  Penny stammered. 

“Oh yes!”  One of the latias girls nodded and smiled.  “Even legendary pokemon, if they’re willing.  I should know.”  She giggled.  “Ash had saved our home town from criminals!  I was absolutely smitten with him, but like Megan, I didn’t think I’d have a chance with Master, either.”

“Me either,” said the other latias girl.  “Well, I think I had better chances, but I wasn’t going anywhere if she didn’t.”

Penny tried her best not to show her shock.  She didn’t do very well.  She’d seen so many stories in her online searches about Ash helping legendary pokemon, both rumors, and confirmed cases.  She figured there’d be some that might consider him an ally, or even a friend.  But for one to actually fall in love with him…

The rational part of her was shocked and confused.  The Pokemorph fan part of her felt a little jealous.

“Well, thank you all for telling me so much about your Master,” Penny said, standing up.  She looked over her shoulder, and saw Ash and Violet leading the Pendant away toward the scientists and Pokemon it had brainwashed earlier.  “I can see how a guy like that could help beat that giant fox thing.  Uh, if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go see if I can help him and Violet out.”

“You’re welcome,” Lillie said.  “Good luck.”

As she walked back toward Arven and Nemona, she could faintly hear the voice of that Raichu girl, speaking to the other members of Ash’s harem:

“Oh, looks like I got back just in time.  Come closer…”  Her voice quietly trailed off.

Penny considered hanging back to eavesdrop, but decided against it, for now.  She quietly motioned for Arven and Nemona to follow her, then waved at Violet, who excused herself, and joined Penny’s huddle, Miraidon following, keeping its electric field up.

“So what’d you find out?”  Violet asked.

“Most of them claimed to have loved him, or at least thought about dating him, at some point.  Though Champion Iris seemed even more thrilled about her becoming part Pokemon than about becoming his wife.  And while some of the stories are hard to verify, the only one that doesn’t add up with ANY publicly available info is Giselle’s story.”

“So we just take them at their word that they really loved him before?” Arven asked.  “I mean, there’s no way to actually prove that.”

“It’s the best we’ve got,” Penny said.

"We could just ask their friends and family," Violet said.

"Not every girl is gonna admit to guys she has the hots for," Nemona said. 

Violet sighed, shaking her head.  “There’s no foolproof way to handle this.”

"Just have the fox turn them back to normal and THEN ask them if they still like him?" Arven said. 

Violet said, "The problem is the Fox Sage said that some of the mental suggestions are too deeply rooted now, and he could only make them 'more constructive.' If they're turned back to normal, physically, they could be seeing their memories through rose colored glasses." 

“I hate when battles come down to calling a coin flip,” Nemona groaned.  

“Well, good news,” came the voice of the Raichu girl.  “I’m the one who called tails already.  Melody?”

An eerie song rang over the group, and each of the Paldean trainers felt a chill run down their spine.  They turned around to see the Raichu, wearing a pair of ear muffs, standing next to a Lapras girl.

“Shoot!”  Nemona said.  “That’s Perish Song!”

Violet and the others gasped.

“What do we do to stop it?”  Arven stammered.

“Usually, you call a Pokemon back into its ball,” Nemona said.  “...That’s not an option for us.”

“Sorry, kids,” said the Raichu.  “It’s time for a little nap.  Sadly not the kind where I can hypnotize you, but once you wake up, we can take care of that.”

Desperate, the four trainers moved to at least attack the Raichu before they fainted themselves, but found their efforts stalled by a light screen that flashed in front of the pair.  

Penny’s sight went blurry, and she felt weak.  She reached out, trying to signal to anyone that could help, but soon collapsed.

---

Jean smiled as the four trainers and the mechanical pokemon dropped to the ground at once, as did Melody.  Only Gholdengo stood against her now.

“Dude,” the coin pokemon shouted.  “Not cool!”

He readied himself to launch a barrage of coins, but a flamethrower to the face interrupted him, dropping him into a pile.

“Good work, Clemont.”  Jean said.  The ninetales hybrid bowed, as her hypnotic command was completed.

“That takes care of one problem,” Jean said.  “Now, let's grab Master a couple other wives we missed.  Bonnie?”

“On it!”  Bonnie replied, shape-shifting into a gardevoir, and opening up a portal guided by Jean's mind.   “Here you go, Mrs. Jean!  One portal to New Bark Town.”

"Thank you Bonnie," Jean gave her a good pat on the head. She'd become exactly what was needed to protect Clemont's harem, even if it meant protecting it from Clemont's own good intentions. “Now, the rest of you, go hide the other trainers and watch them while we’re out.”

Jean stepped through the portal, and into a baseball field, where Casey, the Electrobuzz Team fan Ash had met back in his journey through Johto, was alone, praticing her swings.  The young woman was still dressed in the same style of yellow and black striped jacket emblematic of The Electabuzz Team.

Casey leapt back in surprise as the portal opened in front of her, and the Raichu and Gardevoir hybrids stepped through.

“What in the world’s going on here?”  She cried, holding her baseball bat defensively.  “Freaky pokemon comin’ out of portals?  Is this like that whole ‘Ultra Invasion’ that happened in Alola all those years back?”

"Hello Casey, been a long time!" Jean waved. Master would be sad to have missed a capture, and it might have been bending the rules, but desperate times, desperate measures, and all that.  She'd still try a little politeness, though, as Master would have wanted. "Ash sent me. Though I understand you not recognizing me. I was just a pikachu when we last met."

"Wha-! PIKACHU?! I gotta say you looked way better when your fur was yellow with black stripes instead of cream with white stripes." 

Jean blinks. "I evolved into a two legged talking Hybrid, and that's what you focus?" 

"Hey, there are plenty of pokemon that go from four legs to two when they evolve, and I already met that talking Meowth."

"Touche."

Casey looked her over. "But I've never heard of this evolution before, and why aren't you with Ash? And what's with that outfit? You look like someone from that time the stadium gave away free 'apple cider'."

Jean's eyes glowed the red of the pendant. "It's a normal evolution, just very rare. It affects humans and pokemon alike. But there's been a whole lot of them around humans and pokemon Master has met. He has a knack for spotting who will become what. And he foresaw you'd become one as well. Hear my words Casey Jones, hear them and know they are your reality. My words are your thoughts. Let everything else just slip away."

Casey stared dully, the whites of her eyes turning red, oblivious to all else around her, her bat held limply at her side. 

"There's no need to think about anything, there's no need to worry about anything, let my words be your thoughts, your existence, your reality. Hybrid pokemon being in harems is normal, has always been normal. This is a fact of life not even worth questioning. But there's more Casey. You will become a Pokemon Hybrid yourself, right now, this is cold hard reality, and unescapable. I capture you in the name of my Master Ash as trainers capture pokemon. But you are more than that. You are an object. You are property. You are a slave. You are Master Ash's wife and his pokemon. One of many wives you are willing to share like... like a team does. This isn't a command to be obeyed or disobeyed, this is WHO you are, this is WHAT you are. Be free of all your doubts and fears. Be useful to Master." 

Casey's clothing began to shift into solid gold armor, bulking up around her. Her skin turned black as shadows, as her body became lighter, almost ethereal. Her teeth sharpened into fangs, as thin black stripes began to spread across the sarcophagus that her clothes were becoming. It soon spread over her entire body, becoming a coffin, with blue markings around the top, like a pharaoh's headdress. Then, once it had completed, it began to fold back in on itself, shrinking down and folding away to reveal more of her increasingly shapely body. Soon, the golden armor had been shrunken down to a metal bra and a thin blue sash draping from her waist, as well as a set of armlets and anklets. The coffin's headpiece became her new headdress. Finally, she grew a second set of shadowy arms, and white linen bandages wrapped themselves haphazardly across various parts of her body.

“I will serve Master however he needs,” She said, bowing before Jean.

“Great,” said Jean. “Just one more wife to check off the current list before we head back and grab Nemona.”

Bonnie opened another portal, and Jean and Casey stepped through.

This time, they wound up in the House of Imite. The various ditto she had been raising all freaked out and backed away from the portal. After the three hybrids stepped through, a couple Ditto defensively tried to imitate them, each ones disguise flawed in a slightly different way.

“What's that racket?” Duplica said, entering the room. “What? How did other Pokemon get in here? Never seen these ones before. Ditto, atta-”

Jean released a hypnotic flash.

“Troublesome,” she murmured, as Duplica and her ditto stood still. “I guess I'll skip right to it.”

Not bothering to rephrase herself, she repeated;

"There's no need to think about anything, there's no need to worry about anything, let my words be your thoughts, be your existence, your reality. Hybrid pokemon being in harem is normal, has always been normal. This is a fact of life not even worth questioning. But there's more, Duplica. You will become a Pokemon Hybrid yourself, right now, this is cold hard reality, and inescapable. I capture you in the name of my Master Ash as trainers capture pokemon. But you are more than that. You are an object. You are property. You are a slave. You are Master Ash's wife and his pokemon. One of many wives you are willing to share. This isn't a command to be obeyed or disobeyed, this is WHO you are, this is WHAT you are. Be free of all your doubts and fears. Be useful to Master." 

Duplica repeated the words, and her body began to turn a bright pink, quivering and shaking as bones vanished underneath, her body steadily becoming little more than a pile of goo. A pile of goo over which she had perfect control. Her figure quickly squished into something beyond that of a supermodel, an incredibly narrow waist, with chest and hips getting the extra mass, with much more tossed in for good measure. Armbands and anklets of shifting colors appeared around her, as did a bra, and a chain holding a translucent pink cloth around her waist, all of them made of “gems” that were molded from her body, in shifting colors. Finally, a little crown, with smooth, goopy-looking edges, rose out of her head, above her red eyes.

“I am honored to serve Master Ash in any way, in any form, that he pleases.” She struck a super model pose. Then in a glow of white light she morphed into a replica of Jean on the spot. "I can even do double time, after all, I think I know better than Master and I'm doing all this behind his back, but it's for the good of the harem, and so that means I can be important and precious to him."

"HEY!" 

"Hey yourself, it's how you made me for Master-Chan," Duplica laughed. 

With a annoyed shake of her head, Jean took her master's prizes back through the portal to Oak's lab.

“Now, for the last and most important part of the plan,” said Jean. “I'm not sure if Ash was thinking about adding any other Alolan girls to his harem, but we'll need three powerful hybrids for this next bit, and I know where we can get them.”

Another three portals were opened, each going to the current home of a former trial captain. Reaching in with telekinetic power, Jean, Bonnie, and Giselle quickly pulled out a very confused Lana, Mallow, and Accerola.

“Wait,” Lillie said, “Ash didn't travel with-”

“We need three more for this, and we're getting them.”

“If you say so.”

“Hey,” Mallow cried, “what's going on he-”

A flash interrupted her, and all three girls stood upright, stock still, their eyes a deep red color.

“I speak for Pokemon Harem Master Ash Ketchum. He is your new husband, trainer, and master. You will love and serve him with everything you have, because that is your purpose. You are his wives, his Pokemon, his slaves. You all live to serve him, it is your very nature. And your service will be particularly special: Each of you will become a hybrid of Sinnoh's spiritual trio, Azelf, Mespirt, and Uxie, the gods of willpower, emotion, and knowledge.

“With your new power, you will show all the world the new truth of hybrids. That, though rare, they are normal, and not to be feared or mistreated. Humans, and pokemon alike will sometimes become them, without apparent cause. Hybrids are open to forming harems, and as long as all members love each other, nobody will object to this. Now rise, take your new forms, and serve your purpose.”

All three women became shorter, each one’s skin turning the same shade of pale blue. All of them became equally buxom, with hips to match. A pair of tails grew from each of their spines, growing long enough to reach their heads, a red gem much like the one used in the pendant forming in each of the six tails. 

Their only points of distinction came in their faces, which remained close to their original appearance, barring the blue skin, and the shapes of their heads, which began to change wildly. Lana's blue hair rose up to a point, with two little “flaps” sticking off the sides, before turning solid, her eyes widened unblinking. Accerola's purple hair turned pink, gathering into four “ponytails,” that draped down at each “corner” of her head, where they solidified, her eyes narrowed. Finishing off the changes, Mallow's hair turned yellow, bunching up into a bowl shape over her head, her eyes closed.

Their clothes dissolved, revealing chains of red rubies over their torso, each in a design unique to them, as their only'modesty.' 

Lana felt the will-power of all sapient beings, she flowed through all of them, she animated them to do more than what only instinct commanded. Forget the pendant, forget MewTwo at his most powerful, with a thought she could make the entire world stand on their heads and truly believe it was their own idea. 

Accerola felt every emotion everywhere, they were a part of her as much as she was a part of them. With the slightest flex of herself she could make mortal enemies into lovers and the closest of friends despise each other. She knew the overpowering absolute love that the harem for Master all the more so, now. 

Mallow's mind was filled with, or rather, became, all knowledge that was, is, or ever would be, she had no reason to see anything. A calm acceptance filled her, she peacefully allowed the river of causality to carry her along even if she already knew the outcome. 

All three felt an 'echo' to their own existence, like they existed here, but existed somewhere else at the same time. All three knew and felt their other selves far away; the original Lake Gods born from one egg. The three Hybrids were as much the original Lake Trio as much as the first Lake Trio were now the three Hybrids.  Even if they retained separate physical forms, the first Lake Trio also instantly aware of their now echoed existence. 

---

“Oh, Arceus isn't going to like this,” Hoopa mumbled.

“Now you're concerned about what He thinks?”

“Look, I make my jokes, but even I've got limits, okay?”

---

All three bowed before Jean, then rose into the air, their eyes and gems glowing as they focused all their power into making this dream a reality. Their other selves felt this as well, but understood their Hybrid selves had been reborn to fulfill this great singular task for Master, it was their very reason for being, as much as Arceus had given his triplets the purpose of granting their three gifts to mortal life. 

Jean stayed steadfast in her purpose for Master, but with her new psychic-type, she could sense what she'd created, what she'd unleashed. Jean felt weak in the knees. Many thought the Legendaries and Mythicals were just exceptionally powerful pokemon that ignorant humans had mistaken for gods, and now Jean knew there was nothing 'mistaken' about it. She'd seen MewTwo's power, which Ash's team, even at his best, couldn't match, this... this was beyond that! 

No one could've stopped it even if they tried. None had the power, nor right, to defy this moment. It wasn't a command, it wasn't a hypnotic suggestion; for the trio born of the egg who would've been the legendary of the soul, it was what should be, and so it was. There was no great beam into the sky, no world wide shockwave, there was a brief red light all around the world at the exact same moment there and gone, and quickly forgotten, absent from any record. The harem hybrids and the original triplets, being now two expressions of the same entities, their work was in tandem. 

In one instant, the idea of hybrids was limited to the fantasies of various PokeManiacs and eccentric scientists, something odd or disturbing to many 'mainstream' individuals. Something limited to fantasies. And the idea of them being parts of collective harems, trite or offensive. 

And in the instant after the flash, Hybrids were normal, their naturalism was normal, their harem dancer taste in clothing was as normal as Cubones wearing the skulls of their ancestors, human and pokemon alike becoming them at random was normal, no more odd than people with pink or blue hair. Hybrids forming harem relationships was a social norm across the world, not even worth thinking about. 

As the glow of the legendary hybrids faded, they stood up, ready to receive their next order.  But it didn’t come from their master, or even Jean.

A pure white light descended from the sky, engulfing all three of them, as well as Bonnie and Jean, in an instant.

“Enough,” a powerful voice rang out.  All five of the hybrids in the light recognized the voice, despite having never consciously heard it before.

“Jean, the closest pokemon partner to this era’s chosen trainer of Kanto; while your desire to protect your trainer is admirable, you have overstepped your bounds, and given your master, and yourself, power far greater than either of you are fit to wield.  Were it anyone else, your actions, and possibly you, yourself, would have been wiped from history.  However, as this Era’s chosen of Kanto and Paldea have managed to overcome great obstacles through their hybrid forms, I was to reward them by allowing hybrids to become accepted without the need for hypnosis, regardless.  I will not punish them for your mistakes.

“You however, shall not be allowed to repeat this again; no longer shall you wield the powers of the broken fragment of the Red Chain.  You and Bonnie alike will no longer you seek to expand the harems of Ash or Clemont.  Instead, you shall focus on caring for the well being of your master and his wives.”

At the same time, the voice directed a different message to the hybrids of Spirit.

“Had you reached for this power of your own accord, your punishment would have been an eternity sealed in stone, at my most merciful.  You however, did not choose this fate, and are powerless to fight your natures.  As such, you will not be punished.  However, as your level of power would be dangerous to all creatures with souls if used thoughtlessly, it cannot remain with you.  You shall take new forms, as hybrids of common pokemon, never again to bear the weight of this responsibility again.”

While what Arceus said was completely true, that such power was dangerous to be accessible on a whim even for one as selfless as Ash or Jean, going from having minds connected to all spiritual existence, and being crushed down back to a finite being was torment unimaginable. While the three girls in the form of three mortal pokemon came to be... the part of them that had joined with the lake trio would remain always within the original triplets, the three lake guardians quietly making sure the hybrid harems to come would be able to live out their days without rejection as their Master had desired. 

---

At Uva Academy, Professor Hassel, filling in for Professor Raifort during her trip to Kanto, went over the note she'd left for him to her class. Behind him was a picture of a thousand year old engraving of Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf, the three short stack Hybrids drabbed in the Red Chain. 

"It's theorized by Professor Rowan that when the three goddesses gave Will, Emotion, and Knowledge to the world, they also planted the seeds for Hybrids to appear in both humans and pokemon." 

---

In Ecruteak City, Sayo and her sister knelt in prayer of the golden statue of the masculine hybrid of Ho-Oh and the silver statue of the feminine hybrid of Lugia. 

---

At the top of Sky Pillar in the Hoenn region, the hybrid Rayquaza laid his claws on the shoulders of his next lorekeeper.  The young Noivern hybrid, Zinnia, grinned as she accepted her new duties.

---

N had experienced a lot since becoming, not just a hybrid, but Zekrom’s own reincarnation:  Being made the “king” of Team Plasma.  Going on a quest to prove that Pokemon and humans couldn’t work together (despite his own hybrid status).  Coming to doubt his beliefs, and get called “a freak without a human heart,” by the man who raised him.  But he still wouldn’t have believed what he’d just been told, if not for the fact that the hybrid telling him was the reincarnation of Truth given flesh.

“You mean there was a timeline where hybrids didn’t exist?  And Team Plasma hadn’t fared any better there?”

---

In Alola, Professor Kukui and his wife, Professor Burnet, a rotom Hybrid, were testing the compatibility of Z-Crystals with hybrids, determining whether they could be powered up by a human partner using a Z-ring, if they could power up a Pokemon using a Z-ring, as well as if hybrids could potentially use both the crystal and ring at the same time to power up their own moves.

---

"Wait, how did that retroactively happen? The triplets don't have dominion over time," Hoopa said.

"No, but Dialga and Celebi do," said Azelf, appearing along with Uxie and Mesprit, the three short-stack legendaries appearing triangulated around the mythics of space and time. "Master and his harem found the will to overcome the ordeal with the pendant pokemon. Father, Almighty Arceus, has deemed hybrids shall be a part of this iteration of the world." 

Uxie spoke, "Only mythicals and the highest rank of the legendaries can question the existence of hybrids or their nature, but mortals will suffer cognitive dissonance at no records of hybrids existing before this day. And naturally machines have no consciousness to alter." 

Msprit said, "For the love of Master, and for other harems to come, there must be continuity." 

"You will aid us sister, because you already did," said Uxie. 

"I'm well aware of self-contained causality loops, thank you very much," Celebi said, feeling incredibly awkward towards her now sisters, and burning rage at Hoopa. 

"Well, everything works out," Hoopa said. 

"That part of me that is Mallow knows you set all of this into motion, though you did not intend this particular outcome," said Uxie calmly. 

"The part of me that is Accerola is very very cross with you," said Mesprit. 

"The part of me that is Lana wants to punch you," said Azelf. 

"But we also know this too was Arceus' design," said Uxie. 

"And the love the harems share would not exist without your game," said Mesprit. 

"And so first, thank you," Azelf and the others bowed to Hoopa. Then they blasted him in the face with mythical power. He tumbled backwards into the front gate of his stolen palace.

"I've been wanting to do that all day," Celebi said. 

Hoopa winced "The fun and games were still TOTALLY worth it!" 

One of Celebi's wings took him by the arm. "Come on, if I need to patch the past so the history books all say the triplets have always looked like they came from a harem flick-"

"In this new reality we inspired the harem flick," said Uxie. 

"-then YOU are helping me clean up YOUR mess... and if I have to stare at those forms for eternity, I don't want to hear you complain EVER whenever I need you to teleport people and pokemon I send through time to different places to help things along." 

"... still worth it." 

“Speaking of…” Celebi said, “maybe, if the Fox Sage keeps up his good behavior, we can eventually let him see his friends in the Mystery Dungeon world again.

---

When the light faded around Jean, she could feel she had been weakened.  Try though she might, she couldn’t quite produce the hypnotic flash she once had to literally rewrite someone's form and mind like clay. But because Arceus had spoken it so, she was not dismayed at this, instead her thoughts turned to her beloved harem sisters. 

Her first instinct, naturally, was to check on Mallow, Lana, and Acerola, who had been caught up in that giant pillar of light with her.  To her relief, she saw the Carnivine, Floatzel, and Banette women getting up, looking dazed, but unharmed.  

She tried to recall what had happened.  She remembered Master getting a strange pendant as a gift the night before, accidentally hypnotizing himself with it, and the stuff he’d done under its influence getting the attention of some visiting student trainers.  Then some of the Pokemon they’d brought with them turned out to be evil, and took the pendant, and made it into another Pokemon, and hypnotized most of the pokemon and researchers at Oak’s lab.

Looking around it seemed they’d won.  But they still had a lot of cleaning up to do.  Including having the Fox Sage de-program Ash and Clemont’s crazier self-inflicted commands.

---

Several hours later, the two fully-healed groups of trainers stood outside of Ash’s house.

“...And I’ll do what I can to bring Pecharunt over here each year, so Tracy’s Scyther, Misty’s Psyduck, and Ash’s Tauros, can spend time with him,” Violet said.

“You mean MY friends, Mantalive, Luckiducki, and Bullifuryu,” Pecharunt butted in.

“You have the WORST taste in names,” Misty mumbled.

“Oh you don’t know the half of it,” Arven agreed.

“And why can’t I keep them, huh?  They all offered to help and become my friends if I improved them.”

“Because they didn’t know it’d mean going with different trainers to a whole other region,” Violet said, putting him back in her pokeball.  “And that just leaves how we’ll handle the Fox Sage.”

The stone fox looked down at them.

“Well, Violet,” May started, “you didn’t accidentally hypnotize yourself while he was still a pendant.  Plus those ‘Treasures of Ruin’ seem pretty terrified of it, after what happened.”

“Well, yeah,” Violet nodded.  “But on the other hand, I don’t want to make them behave by force.”

“And, on top of that,” Penny added.  “Some quick research shows the whole reason that Team Galactic made the Red Chain all those years ago was a fear that traditional poke-balls would seal a legendary pokemon’s true power until they were released again. It’s possible you’ll be safer once he’s in a poke-ball.”

“Plus,” Nemona chimed in, “the pendant was your birthday present! Wouldn’t want to take that from you.”

Ash nodded, and pulled out a poke-ball. “Are you ready then, Sage?”

“I accept your judgment, young trainers.”  

The sage bowed his head, and Ash touched the empty ball on his snout.  In a flash of red light, the sage was absorbed, and the ball shut with a click.

“Finally,” Serena sighed.  “It’s all over.”

“And now we get to spend some quality time with our hubby!”  Megan cheered, hugging him.

“Oh, it’s not over yet!”

Ash looked back at Nemona, who was holding out a poke-ball.

“You promised me a battle earlier, right? Well, I’m not leaving until we get a champion vs. champion match!”

Ash grinned, and adjusted his cap.  “You’re on!”

A few of his wives sighed.

“I guess it won’t hurt to wait a little longer,” Iris frowned.

---

In the yard of the World Champion Estate a towering Lugia hybrid knelt before a dozen or so young hybrids of various species. This included one hybrid who'd been given the latest of many garish make-overs by Jessie and James' bundle of joy as a willing blank canvas in preparation for running the salon (hopefully it was just a phase). A Pikachu and Lantern hybrid sat near the front of the group. 

 Delilah said, "And that is how your mothers got together with your father, at last."

~Fin