Pokemon

REVELATION OF THE MASTER

Disclaimer: I do not own pokemon, never have and never will. I writing this because I love pokemon and I’m making no money off it whatsoever so don’t sue me!

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Part 7: Standing alone

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"Pika!!!!!!"

Brock and Tracey had heard the shot but Ash was too far away by now for them to see clearly what had happened. Their attentions were soon diverted however as first Pikachu then all of Ash’s pokemon in view jerked awake for a moment and screamed out the loudest most mournful cries they had ever heard before collapsing again. The same pain-filled cries could be heard throughout the plateau and encompassed every one of his pokemon from Heracross to Charizard.

"What was that about?" Tracey asked visibly shaken by the amount of emotional and physical pain that could be felt from the cries they had just heard.

"I’m not sure…" Brock said as he contemplated. "Ash’s pokemon can sometimes feel when he’s in danger, when something has happened to him and I’m afraid something terrible has happened."

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Ash was in shock as he fell backwards, everything seeming to happen in slow motion. He felt little pain, the shot having temporarily overwhelmed his sense. His Pokemon League hat slipped from his head and with a gust of wind fell into one of many small fires set by the pokemon’s battles. There the battered hat burned slowly, almost symbolically away. Ash fell on his back and tried to get up. Straining he succeeded in standing only briefly before collapsing onto his hands and knees, blood flowing from his new wound.

Giovanni watched it all, his face emotionless. "And that boy is your reward… for your foolish dreams, naïve hopes and outdated ideals."

"It can’t end like this… I won’t let it!" Ash yelled despite his condition.

Giovanni cocked an eyebrow and decided that while he was down he may as well psychologically kick the mortally wounded trainer. "Silly boy, when exactly did you decide that what you thought or wanted amounted to anything? You know the side of good does not always prevail. Sometimes there are no happy endings."

Ash strained heavily to speak in defiance even as his heart beat began to die. "That may be true but its not going to happen this time. Evil may win some battles but when it really matters good always triumphs in the end."

Giovanni’s face twisted in frustration for a moment, even in death this boy refused to give up his beliefs. "Forgive me for not being moved. I simply have a hard time taking a dying fool seriously."

Ash tensed his whole body in anger and pain and continued to glare at Giovanni who smirked wickedly.

"Defiant to the end," he remarked, "just like your father."

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It had been about a half minute since Ash’s pokemon had stopped crying out and there had been no movement since. Yet Tracey and Brock kept their eyes glued on Pikachu knowing that there must have been more to their mournful reaction then met the eye. Almost too slow to notice Pikachu’s fur began to generate a faint yellow glow that grew ever brighter until it engulfed the mouse’s body. The same began to happen to Meganium and Venusaur, Noctowl and Pigeot each glowing in their respective primary color. From the air one could see the floor of the plateau began to glow with points of light of myriad color from every single one of Ash’s pokemon.

Even with all of their experiences Brock and Tracey could hardly believe what they saw next. Pikachu’s body glowed brighter and brighter until slowly the light began to rise from it soon forming into a glowing apparition of the pokemon. It floated upward followed by others.

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Misty was forced to smile in wonder as she watched the specters pass over her. Somehow she knew they were coming to help.

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Giovanni had seen the points of light appear early on and watched in speechless wonder as they ascended then descended towards them. Ash, unable to turn around, couldn’t see what was happening but didn’t need to. He closed his eyes, an overwhelming peace filling him. Somehow he knew everything was going to be all right, he wasn’t alone.

Looking like a shattered aurora the ghostly apparitions silently flew forward and circled high over Ash bathing him in light and slowly descending in a column formation. One by one they merged into him, bright blast of light and energy accompanying each at the point of contact. A whirlwind of energy soon surrounded Ash and lifted him into a standing position. He floated a few feet above ground eyes still shut and hair blowing about wildly. Snorlax’s apparition extended and went into his master as long ribbons of energy as Charizard followed settling onto Ash’s back and flowing into his body except for his wings which remained extended from in-between Ash’s shoulders. Soon it was too bright too see anything but the slowly turning cyclone of multicolored power.

"No! This was not mentioned in the prophecy!" Giovanni yelled shielding his eyes with one hand and struggling to not be blown backwards. He was completely at a loss to explain this change of events.

At last the energy began to dissipate, revealing a winged figure floating a few feet from the ground. Ash’s whole body was surrounded by a bright aura that randomly pulsed in different colors around different parts of his body. Every color was one that could be seen on at least one of his pokemons bodies. The wings were surrounded by the same aura and looked like Charizards except where Charizard had leathery skin there was a combination of Pigeot and Noctowls feathers. He floated down and landed lightly on his feet before the stunned Giovanni. Opening his eyes he revealed them to be piercing golden orbs filled with a blazing unquenchable fury.

Ash’s wounds were gone and he was filled with strength and power like he had never felt before. He could hear the voices of his pokemon echoing in his mind, encouraging him, and comforting him. The strange merging had brought to Ash all of his pokemons experiences and he soon understood what had happened. He raised his eyes, looking the same but for the bright yellow fire that seemed to blaze behind them, and glared into Giovanni’s.

"What have you become?" Giovanni asked stepping back, for one of the few times in his life truly afraid.

"Something you will never truly understand," he answered coldly then proceeded to explain why. "You disgust me. A real Pokemon Master is one who gains a oneness with their pokemon through years of love, patience and sacrifice. When perfected it can be as though the pokemon and trainer share one mind so that neither is complete without the other. It requires a level of love where you consider your pokemons life and happiness more important then your own. It is an equal partnership where you willingly share the same pains and struggles as your pokemon and through it you both become whole. That is a Pokemon Master. Now I at last truly understand what Prima meant when she told me that a truly great trainer can share their hearts with their pokemon."

Giovanni couldn’t care less about Ash’s long-winded speech and decided to use his new powers to analyze what had happened to the boy. His eyes flashed darkly then he smiled slyly; no longer afraid now that he understood what had occurred. "I see… your pokemon are so close to you that when they sensed your life-force dying they gave their own. I’ve heard of this. It is said that the great masters of the past could in times of great danger summon their pokemons abilities and make them their own. Very impressive but let me ask you this Mr. Ketchum, how long do you think your depleted pokemons life-forces will sustain you?"

Ash narrowed his eyes as he replied dangerously "long enough."

"We shall see…" Giovanni said slowly as he raised the gun and fired several times. Ash’s eyes flashed and a circular shield instantly formed around him, the bullets bouncing off it like so many pebbles. Ash raised his right hand and swung it forward as it began to glow bright green. A moment later a long Vine Whip shot from his wrist and knocked the gun from Giovanni’s hands. Retracting the vine he stretched his arm out and opened his hand as the aura around it turned red and orange. A stream of flame shot from his palm and quickly melted the gun. That done Ash turned to face Giovanni.

"Hmmm, so you really want to fight me then? Very well, after all I doubt I will ever face an opponent like you again." Giovanni’s dark aura returned full force as he powered up, the grass around him weathering and dying within seconds.

"You shouldn’t of hurt my friends," Ash said angrily, "now I’ll make you pay!" Ash’s wings disappeared so he could maneuver better as he rushed forward delivering a series of Primeape-fast kicks and punches. Giovanni blocked and dodged with the same incredible speed as Ash slammed his fist and struck his feet into earth and boulders, shattering them. At one point Giovanni got behind Ash and attempted to strike him in the back. Ash grabbed the attacking fist with his left hand and spun around kicking Giovanni hard in the jaw before flipping backwards into the air. Wings reappearing Ash extended his right arm again sending forth a thick stream of Flamethrower. Giovanni raised his own hand and shot a tongue of black fire from his palm canceling both attacks out in a powerful display.

Giovanni wiped some blood from the edge of his mouth where Ash had kicked him and smiled, "surely you can do more then that." With that the evil master raised both hands and fired a huge stream of dark fire. Ash’s eyes flashed as his spherical shield formed again and he gathered up the dark energy before sending it back at Giovanni. Giovanni frowned and leaped above the incoming beam, showing that he too could levitate, and flew at Ash to deliver a mighty punch. Ash dove to the side and raised his wings flapping them hard once and sending a wing attack at him. Giovanni knocked the wing-shaped swaths of energy aside as he flew forward and fired a strong blast Ash again dodging. They continued to fly about firing various attacks at each other but none fully finding their marks. Flying above him Ash extended his right arm and held his palm open as bright purple and blue energy formed in front of it eventually forming a shape like Heracross’ horn. "Mega Horn!" Ash yelled as the horn shot from his hand like a missile and rammed straight into Giovanni’s stomach causing him to crash into the ground in a cloud of dust and rubble.

Ash wasted no time. As soon as he saw Giovanni getting up he formed leaf-shaped green projectiles in his hands and tossed them at the man like throwing stars. Giovanni flinched as the Razor Leaves swiftly sliced into him; cutting his clothes and making him fall to one knee. Ash landed and folded his wings, a cocky smile on his face. He raised his right hand yet again, now glowing bright yellow and crackling with electricity, formed it into a fist and swung forward sending a GIGANTIC amount of lightning into Giovanni who yelled in pain and dropped to his hands and knees when the attack finally stopped. Ash watched for a moment to see if there was any fight left in him. Giovanni breathed heavily, "even if you are the prophesied master I will not be beaten by a child!" A stream of black energy descended from the sky and into Giovanni causing his aura and powers to grow, like an umbilical cord it remained strung behind him, feeding him. He spread one hand out on the ground, a wave of energy spreading into it and tearing the earth around him apart. Ash watched as the wave approached and at the last second spread his wings and floated up out of reach. Smirking again Ash formed an orb of bright energy in his hands and threw it forward where it lengthened into a Hyper Beam attack. The beam headed straight for Giovanni who only stood there and waited. Suddenly his whole body was coated in black and he disappeared in a cloud of darkness as the Hyper Beam shot through where he had just been. Giovanni reformed in the Hyper Beams wake, now he was smiling as tentacles of darkness spread from his back and arms in all directions. The tentacles grabbed onto Ash quickly and held him fast. As he struggled he could feel his energy weakening quickly, Giovanni was draining him!

Giovanni chuckled, "with your powers supplementing mine my invincibility will come all the faster." Ash struggled with all his might and in a flash of light managed to Teleport free. Quite tired from the exertion he breathed heavily. "You’re not going to win. I’ll stop you… somehow."

"You are welcome to try," Giovanni said in a taunting manner, "but my victory is inevitable this world has seen its last sunrise." Ash fired another Thunderbolt but this time Giovanni just swiped the lightning aside. Ash gasped, as he was not able to do that before. Forming the mighty attack in his palm again he shot a Mega Horn but Giovanni simply caught the front of this one in one extended hand. His shoes dug into the ground as he was pushed back several feet then stopped. Smiling wickedly he shattered the energy horn in his hand. Seeing Ash’s shock his smile grew broader. "Now you shall see real power…"

With a large discharge of energy and a raise of his hand a huge area of the ground hundreds of feet wide and over a hundred and fifty feet high ripped away from the shrines hill making one side of it look like a cliff that dropped into a chasm. Ash could only look at the levitated mass of earth and rock in awe and shock as Giovanni levitated it over him and threw it forward. Ash finally snapped out of it and Teleported high into the sky to avoid being crushed. The chunk of hill fell apart and spread over a large part of the ground in a breath-taking display. Ash hoped that after such an effort he would be drained at least for a moment and flew forward and low to the ground positioning himself about a hundred feet in front of Giovanni. Spreading his wings wide Ash launched a mighty gust of wind with a few flaps. It picked up many of the boulders and clods of dirt spread over the ground and sent them at the man but Giovanni broke apart any that came near him with powerful punches. For a moment it looked like he might be blown away but within seconds Giovanni’s eyes flashed pure darkness and he spread his hands wide obliterating the wind. He then swung his hands forward sending forth a huge wave of dark power. Ash just managed to fly above it as the wave disintegrated all the rubble left from the raised hill section. Ash settled down to the earth again, unsure of what to do.

"Did you actually think you stood a chance against me?" Giovanni mocked. "My power is growing every second. Don’t you see how futile your efforts are? While your powers weaken and die mine ever increase. They will continue to grow as long as the dark power above us increases until it covers all the Earth and I reach powers beyond your imagination. I am already strong enough to handle any of your attacks."

"Then I’ll just have to use all my attacks at once," Ash decided and stepped forward gathering all that was left of his pokemons strength. He extended his arms straight in front of him and spread them slightly as an orb of multicolored energy began to grow.

"An elemental surge? Clever but still futile," Giovanni remarked. He proceeded to raise his hands over his head and throw forward a huge amount of dark energy in a giant raging beam.

Ash yelled loudly as he unleashed his strongest attack yet the multiple elemental beam ramming into the dark one with great force. For a moment it seemed they were equal but Ash’s was soon being pushed back.

"And so it ends," Giovanni said ominously as the beam came ever closer to Ash.

"Guys we can’t give up, we can’t let him win," Ash pleaded to his pokemon. A cut opened up over his eyebrow from the strain and the blood leaked out. "I need you, we have to give this everything we have together. If we don’t beat him now we never will!" Images of Ash’s pokemon appeared behind him as they let out loud cries and gave their entire souls to the effort. Ash felt something unlock inside him and he poured it out into the attack. Slowly the beam began to grow thicker and stronger, Ash spread his hands wide and the beam increased in width pushing Giovanni’s back until they were once again equal. Huge waves of energy shot out from the point of impact shattering and tearing apart the ground around them as both attacks continued to gain power.

"It’s not possible!" Giovanni grunted as he tried to hold the beam back, "how can his power be growing faster then mine? Even at full strength his pokemon can’t be this powerful! I must find out how he is doing this…" He then looked deep into Ash’s inner being widening his eyes in shock at what he sensed. "No… it’s his heart. His pokemon have accessed the strength of his spirit, his desire to defeat me is empowering them to new levels." He then shook his head and snapped in denial "no! His will cannot be stronger then my own! I’ve done too much, I’m too close to lose now!" For a moment his beam intensified but it wasn’t enough as Ash’s continued to advance. Soon it was only a foot from him.

"Curse you…" he spat under his breath as the beam overcame him. Its energy swept through him, ripping from him all the stored dark power that had filled his body. It rushed out of him like a raging river into the sky leaving him powerless and catapulting back from the shock wave. As Ash watched Giovanni head toward the edge of the chasm he had created he flew forward. Despite everything he had done Ash didn’t want to kill the man. Before he could reach him however his wings vanished and he fell to the ground hard. Giovanni went down the chasm screaming in rage the whole way.

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Ash lay on the ground in shock for some time, the sensations he was feeling overwhelming. His aura slowly vanished. The pain, he had never felt it so strongly, it made the pain of his returning wounds seem like nothing. "They’re gone," he whispered his voice full of grief and disbelief, "they’re gone…" He could feel it, the energy left in his pokemons life forces had been used up there was nothing left. They were gone, all of them. Losing one pokemon was painful but this was unbearable. They were his life; they were a part of him. He loved them all more then he could say and they loved him. They had willingly died for him and now he would join them. He would be with them and Misty. He was tired of fighting; all it had brought him this night was pain. Any thought of the Master Ball was gone now all he wanted was a release, a release from this indescribable pain and loneliness. Nothing else mattered to him now. He was not superhuman; even he had a point where he would give up. This was it. He had nothing left to fight for. Why did he have to go through these things? What did he ever do to deserve to be afflicted with this pain?

However as he lay there, wallowing in self-pity and waiting to bleed to death he though he heard something. A voice, so faint it was barely audible. He concentrated and listened with all his might, it was calling his name. "Pikachu?" Somehow a bit of its life energy was still left.

"Ash you can’t give up," Pikachu’s voice echoed in his mind, "think about Brock and Tracey and Professor Oak and your mom, the whole world! You have everything to fight for!"

"Pika…chu…" Ash wept overcome by emotion.

Pikachu’s voice continued to encourage him. "Come on Ash you have to get up, you can still save us, all of us!"

"But what if I can’t?"

"You can!"

"But what if I…"

"Ash!" Pikachu yelled interrupting him. "You’ve always believed in us, I’m not about to let you doubt yourself now!" Pikachu cried in a caring voice. "The others helped me stay in your body longer because they knew I could get through to you better then any of them. Remember all the times you knew one of us could win a battle when even we didn’t? Well I know you can do this, you’re the best friend I’ve ever had and I believe in you with all my heart."

Ash could sense the remnant of Pikachu’s life force vanishing and spoke his fears. "Pikachu, I can’t do this alone. I need you."

"I am here. Even when you can’t hear or see me I’ll always be with you, all of us will. A little thing like death can’t separate us!" he cried happily. "Keep me close to your heart Ash, promise that whatever happens you won’t forget me?"

"I would never forget you in a million years, any of you. I love you."

"I love you too Ash," Pikachu said tiredly as his voice faded and finally extinguished.

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Tears welling in his eyes Ash looked up to see that while talking to Pikachu he had somehow managed to crawl to the edge of the shrine steps. He looked over his shoulder to see that the dark cloud that had started extending above where he now lay had already spread far beyond the plateau. It seemed that with or without Giovanni the world would turn to darkness and no doubt fill the next most powerful evil person on the planet. He raised his eyes in resolve and began to pull himself up step by painful step. There were only three but they felt like a thousand as he crawled over the wide steps that encircled it before reaching the four pillars that surrounded the center column. The top of the column began to glow quite suddenly and a small glowing sphere rose from it, the Master Ball. To Ash’s amazement it spoke, the voice sounding like many voices all talking in unison, male and female, wise and old as time.

"You have done well Ashura, but you face one final test. Remain strong, seize your destiny." It then settled back on the center column and once again became lifeless.

"Ashura? What do you mean, what test?" Ash whispered in confusion. He had no idea why it had called him this or how it could talk to begin with but at this point was more then willing to shrug it off. He crawled over the floor of the shrine and reached up the column. Weakening by the second he pulled himself up and seized the sphere before collapsing back to the stone floor on his side, blood pouring from his wounds and over the smooth shrine floor.

Ash held onto the sphere with all his remaining strength and tried willing it to activate… nothing. He imagined everyone healed and happy but still nothing. "Come on… work!" he cried in despair. Tears began to stream from his eyes again. "Please… please work…" he pleaded ever weaker but still nothing. Maybe he wasn’t the prophesied master. Still he would not give up. "Please… I don’t care what happens to me, just save my pokemon, my friends." Yet still the sphere remained inactive. He began to weep harder as his last breaths escaped from his mouth. "I’m sorry… Misty…" With that his eyes closed, his hand still clenched around the sphere in the death grip. Tears continued to leak from his eyes mixing with his spilled blood on the floor to make a disturbingly beautiful mix of liquid and swirling crimson. There he lay as the air grew colder and the sky, despite the coming morning, ever darker.

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Misty didn’t know what to feel what to think. So much had happened in the last few minutes that it had overwhelmed her. First happiness to sadness, overwhelming hope to indescribable loss. She held her arms around her battered body in an attempt to resist the cold and cried softly.

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Jessie and James lay side by side, their breathing labored and weak.

"Well Jessie," James gasped, "it looks like we’re not going to blast off again from this one."

"Yes," Jessie said in resignation, "but at least we’re together." They tightened their hold on each other’s hand.

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Brock and Tracey had put down their binoculars and stared off into space resigned to their fates. They clearly felt that their friends had in a way been the lucky ones. It was they who would have to endure the coming age of evil.

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Melody stood on the edge of a cliff looking over the sea, hoping against hope for a sign of some sort that everything would be all right. She had not moved from that spot since getting off the phone with Misty. Her older sister Carol walked up beside her.

"Melody you have to come in and eat something you’re going to worry yourself sick," she said in a concerned tone.

"Do you think they’re all right?" she turned and asked evading her sister’s comment.

Carol shook her head and sighed, "I don’t know but I do know the only thing we can do is wait and hope. We have to believe in them." She placed a comforting hand on her sister’s shoulder; Melody turned and managed a small smile.

Suddenly Melody noticed that the distant horizon had grown dark. "Is that a storm?"

"It’s not like any storm I’ve ever seen," Carol said narrowing her eyes in suspicion as she watched the unnaturally dark clouds approach at a fairly good speed. It was then she noticed something ahead of the cloud, a huge flock of flying pokemon was racing in front of it, clearly panicked by the dark force overtaking them. Down below large groups of swimming pokemon also attempted to outdistance the terrifying darkness.

Melody and her sister stepped back in fear as first a cold wind began to blow followed by dark tendrils and finally the cloud itself. "Something’s happened!" Melody cried in fear, holding her sister tight as overwhelming evil assaulted their senses.

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High above the Earth one could see that the dark cloud had spread over a large portion of the planet and continued ever outward covering the Earth in a suffocating blanket of black.

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As Ash drifted into death memories of the past several years flowed through his mind. So many experiences, so many sacrifices, it was all ending now. Quite suddenly however his fall toward the bright light of the afterlife slowed and he began to be pulled back. His life was not going to end with a whimper.

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The air was dead still within the shrine as if not daring to disturb the young hero who lay within it. Almost imperceptibly the slightest glimmer of a light began to grow in the center of the sphere. Within seconds it had filled the orb and began to glow brighter, spreading onto the shrine floor and disintegrating the tears and blood it was stained with. Like liquid light it moved outward until it had reached the edges of the shrine then flowed up the stone columns until the entire shrine was pulsing with light. It grew ever brighter until it was almost painful to look straight at the ancient structure.

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Brock and Tracey had resumed observing through their binoculars upon seeing the growing light.

"What is it…" Brock thought aloud not expecting an answer and not getting one as Tracey watched the scene in jaw-dropped awe.

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Misty strained to keep her eyes on the shrine despite the growing intensity of its light and her efforts were rewarded as the light in the center of the building seemed to part slightly revealing a tall dark figure. Misty nearly fainted in disbelief but she knew it was him. He could never fool her.

"Ash…"

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The figure slowly stood among the still raging light around him as it began to descend revealing his features clearer. He wore black boots and dark pants under his ebony shirt and vest. A long black Master’s Cloak flapped sinuously behind him in the reemerging wind, the hood down thus allowing his long spiky hair to blow wildly in all directions. His body was lean but muscular, his face handsome and he seemed to be in his mid twenties. He wore gloves on his hands similar to his old ones but black and held his right arm high still clutching the Master Ball as its light danced around him. He slowly opened his eyes revealing them to be a bright golden-brown, lowered his arm and looked down at the Master Ball his face shocked at his reflection within it. Scenes of his pokemon in titanic battles in a large stadium flashed through his mind, the audience cheering him on in the distance. He knew they had to be images of the future.

"But… How?" he asked as he considered this and the fact that all his wounds were gone. His voice was attractive and kind yet strong and intimidating at the same time. To his surprise the sphere pulsed and answered.

"Ashura, you had to prove once and for all something both to yourself and to us and in doing so you have passed your greatest test. You have dreamed all your life of being a Pokemon Master, it was your greatest goal but it was not apparent even to yourself how much you were willing to sacrifice for it. Yet this night when faced with the test you were willing not only to give up your life but far more importantly your dreams to save your friends. That is a mark of a true Pokemon Master, for to become the most powerful master in all of history would have little true value if one sacrificed the ones they love along the way. A true master does not consider the end to justify the means in such matters. We knew this to be true of you but it was important that you prove it under the most trying of circumstances. In so doing you have released the full powers of this sphere and as reward are seeing with your own eyes the future you always knew within your heart would come to pass."

Ash was still quite confused. "I understand what you mean about the sacrifice but why me? Misty, Brock, Tracey… even Gary would have been willing to do that."

"Yes, and they all have great futures awaiting them but it is you and you alone who by practicing these qualities can summon this sphere’s full powers."

"But if you already knew about how things would be in the future why did you even have to test me?"

"These events are no more certain then any other," it replied in its unearthly but strangely beautiful voice. "They are but one future Ashura, the one you will have if you stay on the correct path and have taken a great leap towards this night. Through your dedication and love for your pokemon you have unlocked the ability to make their abilities your own, a power lost for millennia. Now you will usher in an era of glorious discovery and a new age of pokemon training."

Ash looked vacantly at the sphere for some time, thinking, then closed his eyes and smiled, "I see…" but one question still weighed on his mind. "But why do you call me Ashura?" He rather liked the sound of the nickname.

"It is the name you are popularly known by as your future self," it answered plainly. "Now the time has come to revive that which has been extinguished, heal that which has been wounded and reveal to your friends their futures."

"Yes…" Ash smiled triumphantly and raised the orb high, "now… heal them!" As he yelled out the command the orb seemed to gather most all the light in the shrine around itself and fire it upwards in an awe-inspiring beam that cut through the dark clouds like a knife through butter and extinguished them wherever it touched. The beam continued upward until it could be seen even from space and then began to expand downward spreading in huge beams of light that began to cut through even more of the dark cloud cover. Back at the shrine the beams descended bringing with them bright shock waves of energy that spread throughout the plateau and continued outward. Soon the dark sky began to fragment and be eclipsed by the ever-strengthening glow. Then, one by one, small orbs of light began to descend from the brightening sky.

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Waves of energy passing around and through her Misty watched as the bright white orb of energy floated towards her and sat still, transfixed, as it touched her face enveloping her whole body in light. She closed her eyes in the warm glow, as her form became a silhouette of white. Her wounds vanished. Her hair flew about wildly and began to grow in length….

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About half way down one side of the hill *which had become more like a Cliffside because of Giovanni* a man in a torn suit hung onto a ledge. He watched in disbelieving awe as waves of energy fell over the top of the hill and down through the plateau.

"No… he can’t be! He can’t be the one!" Giovanni cried out as he finally fully realized that Ash was fulfilling the prophecies other prediction of events.

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All through the plateau the orbs descended, some on people, others on pokemon. One by one their wounds were healed and they began to wake up. Heracross rose to its feet and looked toward the source of the bright glow; Espeon soon joined it. Snorlax stretched and smiled at Raikou who smiled back. Charizard’s eyes snapped open and it looked to the awakening Articuno. The two let out cries of victory and rose into the air to join others that were already heading toward the shrine.

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Brock and Tracey were overjoyed as they watched Venusaur, Pikachu, Entei and the other nearby fainted pokemon heal and stand to their feet Pigeot cawing happily and spreading its wings. Their smiles turned to wide-mouthed gasps as two orbs descended on them enveloping their whole bodies in light. When it cleared it revealed a taller, slimmer but otherwise similar Tracey right down to the headband and a slightly taller and buffer Brock. He wore a muscle shirt and a dark brown Masters Cloak. As they looked at themselves, smiling in wonderment, the now healed Onix scooped them up on its back and slithered down the rock pinnacle as Crobat flew happily around them and joined the growing group.

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Gary, tall, athletically built and wearing a gray Masters Cloak got to his feet and smiled to Arcanine as Tyranitar lumbered up to them.

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Azumarril, Venomoth and Scyther healed and awed by the light show around them headed in the direction of the other pokemon and their master.

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Jessie and James their bodies cleansed of the poison and still holding hands, stood up and looked towards the shrine, their pokemon rising around them. They looked much the same but wore stylish civilian clothing and matching wedding rings.

"I knew he could do it," James said proudly. Jessie nodded in agreement and smiled.

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Meowth/Persian still lay on his side as his orb of life energy entered. In the resulting glow however his body changed shape and size resulting in Meowth reappearing in his old body. He looked at his paws in disbelief. "I’m Meowth again…"

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Strewn across the ground the bodies of the Elite Four, their pokemon and Gary’s began to stir, healed and back to full strength. Delia, Oak and the others got on the respective creature they had come on and headed into the plateau.

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Mewtwo opened his eyes slowly. It felt like he was waking from a dream. Light danced all about him as he stood and looked as Lugia rose into the sky, he soon joined it.

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Misty stood up and opened her eyes once she felt her transformation was complete. She was nearly as tall as Ash, a deep blue Masters Cloak complimenting her slim and lithe figure. Gloriously long red hair cascaded around her shoulders and blew freely in the passing wind. But her appearance mattered not; she only had one thing on her mind, "Ash…"

She ran swiftly and easily up the hill, Ash staring in wonderment at how beautiful she was. As she got closer he let go of the Master Ball which floated up a few feet over his head. Leaping into his arms she hugged him tightly for some time, content in the knowledge that they were both all right and together. They eventually broke away and looked into each other’s eyes. Misty blushed slightly and looked down then took Ash’s right hand noticing a simple but beautiful gold ring on it. Misty then looked at her own hand… the same ring.

Even Ash wasn’t dense enough not to see what this meant and smiled as he gently stroked her cheek. Misty in turn lifted her left hand and ran it softly through his thick black hair. Then without a second thought they bridged the gap between them and kissed passionately. As they kissed the light of the Master Ball shone even brighter over them, its healing rays expanding further and further, restoring everything they touched.

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High above the Earth one could see the light of the sphere spreading throughout the world, its rays cutting through the dark embodiment of evil that had formed until the air was completely cleansed of the foul blackness.

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Melody and her sister smiled as the dark horizon and cold air gave way to the beautiful sky and warm breezes typical of the Orange Islands. A sense of well being filled them.

"They did it…" Melody thought aloud as she looked into the horizon then yelled in excitement, "they did it!"

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In the kiss Ash and Misty saw their futures unfold in their minds. Their wedding, their family and friends all around them, Venusaur and Meganium spraying a large amount of Sweet Scent over them like rice as they ran down the aisle, Charizard flying them off to their honeymoon. Their home, a huge mansion near Pallet, where they lived with all their pokemon, still enjoying the occasional friendly argument. The two had never felt quite so much euphoria before as they did in those moments. At last they broke away to catch their breath but still kept their faces only inches apart. Misty’s eyes darted to the side and up for a moment as she spotted something and smiled then motioned for Ash to look as well. High above them in a circular pattern around the beam of light created by the sphere all the Legendary Pokemon capable hovered in place cheering. Mew and Celebi did back and front flips crying out happily while even Mewtwo couldn’t help but smile. Lugia and the other Legendary Birds screeched and cried in pleasure and congratulations to their savior. Down below the Legendary Beasts stood lined up in a row and roared in turn their thanks.

Scattered across the rest of the hill they now saw were all the other pokemon each crying out happily in their respective ways. Meanwhile Brock, Tracey, Jessie and James all clapped and cheered. Delia cried in happiness while the Elite Four, Professor Oak and Gary simply crossed their arms and smiled proudly. Pikachu couldn’t contain himself and ran forward shouting "Pika pi!" again and again. He soon reached Ash and leaped in his arms.

"Pika pika pi pika! [Wow Ash you got big!]" Ash only smiled and hugged his friend. At last the ordeal was over.

Misty looked up at the floating orb and asked in wonder, "who are you?"

The sphere flashed in response as it spoke. "We are the souls of the pokemon and their masters who were slain in the Great War of ages past. For reasons even we do not know we were joined together at death into this sphere and given knowledge of the prophecy. Now that the prophecy has been fulfilled there is no longer a need for the Master Ball and we can at last be at peace. We thank you." With that the orb shattered into a million pieces and disintegrated before their eyes in a bright flash.

The column of light dimmed and vanished as everyone returned to their normal appearance in a bright glow except their clothes were no longer ripped or torn, indeed they seemed like new. The sun was now rising, its first rays already spreading from the horizon. Still holding Misty and with Pikachu on his shoulder Ash turned and looked up towards Lugia smiling in thanks.

"We are forever indebted to you Chosen One," Lugia said kindly. "Should you ever require our help do not hesitate to ask."

"I won’t, and thank you," Ash said as he waved goodbye to the ancient pokemon.

"Then until we meet again…" Lugia rose higher in the sky, turned, and sped off toward the sea, the three Legendary Birds following close behind. Mew winked playfully then shot away, sparkling light trailing behind it, until it was only a light speck in the horizon. Celebi waved with one hand and opened a dimensional portal with the other then flew through it. The Legendary Beast ran like the wind in different directions, they were soon out of sight. Ho-oh hovered for a moment, smiling down at Ash, before it rose into the clouds, its rainbow wings leaving a cloud of bright sparkles behind it. In a manner of moments the Legendary Pokemon of the Earth had once again scattered to the far corners of the planet, beyond the rubble, leaving little trace that they had ever been there.

Pikachu pointed to one section of the sky and Ash turned to it, surprised to see Mewtwo still there floating silently towards them. It landed softly on the edge of the hills cliff side. Ash walked forward, giving Misty’s hand a reassuring squeeze as Pikachu jumped off and sat next to her.

The young man walked from the shrine steps and onto the soft green grass. Unafraid he continued on until he stood only two feet from the mighty genetically engineered pokemon.

"It seems you have saved me yet again," Mewtwo said at last breaking the silence. "As with the others I owe you a great debt."

Ash smiled as he replied sincerely and stretched out his hand toward the mutant, "no you don’t owe me a thing, friends don’t help each other just to get something in return. They do it because they care about each other."

"Friends?" Mewtwo said sounding quite confused.

"Yeah, we are friends aren’t we?" Ash asked still holding his hand out.

Mewtwo turned its face away ashamed, "I do not know if I am worthy to be called your friend. Because of me you’re life has nearly ended many times. How could you ever call me friend?"

"Well whether you believe it or not I am your friend. I care about you and you care about me. That’s all that’s really needed in a friendship, all the rest comes later on its own. Don’t you see? All that other stuff doesn’t matter." Ash’s smile was unwavering.

Mewtwo did not understand completely what they meant but he knew Ash’s words to be true and sincere. "Yes… Ash…" Mewtwo smiled, slowly raised its right arm and placed its clubbed, three fingered hand around the humans. They stood there for some time, their hearts communicating in ways impossible for mere words.

"Will I ever see you again?" Ash asked hopefully as Mewtwo released his hand and turned away.

Mewtwo looked over his shoulder and smiled again, "I wouldn’t be surprised. Fate certainly has a way of bringing us together. Who knows… one day you may even catch me."

"Where will you go?"

"Where my heart leads. There is much more I must do and see before I fully grasp the love that you have for your pokemon and your friends. I want to learn all I can about life from as many as I can. Only then will I know my full purpose and if that is to be a member of your family then I will seek you out."

"Whatever you decide I hope you find everything you’re looking for," Ash said encouragingly.

"Thank you and goodbye… my friend…" Mewtwo sprinted several steps over the ground before shooting up vertically, leaving his typical trail of light which faded into the distance.

As Ash stood silently, the wind blowing his hair and vest about dramatically, he felt a soft but strong hand take his. He turned his face to see Misty’s but before he could say anything another hand placed itself on his shoulder. Brock. Pikachu bounded up on his other shoulder and nuzzled him affectionately as Tracey walked up and stood next to them. He had his friends, his family, his pokemon, he had everything. It was truly a beautiful morning.

As they stood Mewtwo’s parting words echoed through the air for all to hear. "Follow your dreams, never give up. For as long as you have hope in your heart… you never truly fail…"

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Notes:

If you have any questions don’t worry this isn’t the end, you still have the epilogue to read J If you still have questions after that email me!

I give full credit to the great Ace Sanchez (author of the famous "Pokemon Master") for the name Ashura and some of the descriptions of the character’s as adults. I used them because they’re way better then anything I could come up with on my own.

Although not necessarily something needed to be a Master special cloaks seem to be one feature of the really great Pokemon Masters so that’s why I gave Misty, Brock, Gary and Ash one. Tracey’s a good trainer but he doesn’t want to become anything but a master Pokemon Watcher so I didn’t give him one.

Brock may want to be the greatest breeder but in order to be that he would in the process become a Master as well.