Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

Alright, I'm going to come clean here. Chapter 20 suffers from the same problem that chapter 18 did- it's necessary plot filler. Chapter 20 serves as a vehicle to further the plot a little and bring some important concepts up, but does not contain a lot of character-character interaction or growth. The problem is that 20 is in the same update as 19, which contained Dawn's entrance and a lot of revelations. Thusly while 20 is of average quality, it appears boring in comparison to its update partner.

Luckily I have the perfect personal answer to this deficit- I don't care. Apathy is a lovely quality to have, because right now I'm so busy trying to stay afloat at work that I could have uploaded a 20,000 word long string of curse words and I wouldn't care about the response I got. If you think this chapter is shit then feel free to say so, but I'm getting about 3-4 hours of sleep a night now- hell, I'm amazed this chapter is even readable. Leave negative reviews if you wish, I just can't promise that I'll be lucid enough to read them.

To my reviewers:

Unknown2615- She did rub Ash the wrong way, but he was able to see through it fairly quickly. This Ash, while still very dense, has had to become more perceptive in order to survive. Still, I can totally see Misty smacking her one.

Dark knight- I shall sir.

Crazywolf 1991- Thanks.

noshadowone- True. Ash's pokemon are still in the 'weak but versatile' stage. There are actually no more straight up, regulation pokemon fights in the tournament, but that doesn't mean the pokemon aren't important- Ash has his own personal fights, and he'll need all the help he can get.

An25- I truly do wonder if you know what that means to me. For me 'The Sun Soul' has always been the fic to look up to- it was the first fic I ever read and thought: Jesus, that's novel quality. I'm not there yet but... hell, a guy can dream. I'll keep working on writing, and maybe one day I'll be there.

Nobodyreallyimportant: 'dat Ash.

Burgerkong: Feebas is awesome. Too bad she's been sidelined- we'll see her again next update, but fot now she has to heal.

Sorry if I missed anyone. I think I already spoke to some of you via PM.

NOTE! THIS CHAPTER WAS PUBLISHED SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH CHAPTER 19! IF YOU ARE READING THIS FIRST, YOU HAVE SKIPPED A CHAPTER!

20- Shades of Grey

"Become a Master? I don't see the point, really. I mean, Gary caught 'em all once, and it took him nearly six months of antibiotics to get better."

-Ash Ketchum

All things considered, I was in a pretty good mood when death finally came for me.

I should have seen it coming, I really should. It wasn't like it was a new experience; I'd had more than one brush with death recently. But hell, can you really blame me? Even I couldn't be on edge all the time, and I definitely wasn't feeling on edge when it happened. In fact I was happy- a rare state for me, but one I had cause to feel. It had been a good morning. I had won my usual breakfast eating contest with May (a heroic feat, I assure you- it isn't every boy who can say they've forked May Maple), Dawn had seemed to be opening up last night, and, best of all, Candice was going to be okay. Brock, who by this point was practically living in the Center- that was the drawback of being a Joy, if you broke him you were obliged to put him back together again- had stopped by at breakfast to say that she'd probably be awake today or tomorrow. I'd been relieved. Although Candice hadn't given me the option of doing anything other than what I did, I was still glad she was okay- taking a shock to the head was a good way to get brain damage, but according to Brock a mild and transient case of retroactive amnesia was the worst we could expect.

So I was in a fairly decent mood as my friends and I walked down to the stadium that morning. I wasn't precisely what you'd call elated, but I was feeling good enough that we were halfway to our destination before I thought to ask why we were going at all.

"I thought there wasn't any fighting today?" I asked, perplexed.

"There isn't." May answered, snuggling Eevee. Whether it was for the warmth or for the fun of taunting his trainer, the little bugger had taken to curling up in May's shirt whenever he got the opportunity. Riolu, who thought it was some sort of game, had promptly taken up residence on Misty's head and declared it his territory. Neither of the girls seemed to mind, and when I'd offered to stop my Pokemon from being so clingy they'd made several snippy comments to the effect that I was no better when I could get away with it. Pikachu, who had wisely chosen to stay out of it, maintained his usual perch on my shoulder and despaired of us all.

"Then why are we here?" I asked, failing to keep the irritation out of my voice. It was the first day in a while where I hadn't had a battle to fight or one of the champions trying to train me into the ground. I hadn't actually seen Lance or Cynthia since my fight; by the time I'd gotten patched up neither one of them was to be found. That was annoying- I wanted to ask Cynthia about Candice- but the two of them had other responsibilities, and I suppose those had to be dealt with at some point. Whatever the reason for the disappearance, I had intended to take the utmost advantage of it by having a day off. Misty, despite being on the swim team, had proven reluctant to appear before me in a bathing suit since we officially began our relationship. My plan for today had consisted solely of bugging Misty and May until they went to the beach with me, and thereby achieve a fifteen year-old's one and only goal by convincing girls to take their clothing off.

"But," May continued, "there's some more training today."

"Again?" I asked, incredulous.

"Don't be lazy Ash." Misty reprimanded. I would have retorted, but that would involve telling the girls that I'd spent most of the rest days training with Lance, something I couldn't do. I suppose I did appear lazy to the outsider, but my reluctance to do regular training stemmed from exhaustion, not lassitude. Keeping up with the Champions was hard, and I couldn't exactly ask my friends to go easy on me with the training without telling them why.

"Besides, today is special."

"Why?"

Gary snorted. "Because enough people finally got hurt that they can say it's switched from qualifiers to elimination rounds."

"I would have thought Barry got pretty damn eliminated."

Gary shrugged. "It's just a title, Ash."

"But I thought we were done with qualifiers back in Kanto! Isn't this tournament already one-loss out?"

Brock coughed delicately. "I think they mean something else when they say 'elimination', Ash."

"What- oh. Was the last round that bad?"

Gary nodded. "No deaths, thank Arceus, but some the casualties were... less than minor, let us say. I heard some poor bastard lost everything from the knees down when his opponent slipped."

"Mew above!" May gasped, horrified. "Can't he sue the organizers for that?"

I shook my head. "He wouldn't have a leg to stand on. Even if he'd died it wouldn't matter- it's assumed when you step in the ring that you're taking your chances."

Brock smiled. "Still, the Joys here are the best I've ever seen- if you can be saved, you will be saved."

"Our bodies don't matter if this thing takes our soles." I muttered. May nodded obliviously, but Misty, who had known me and my sense of humour longer, sent a warning glare. The girl had a talent for glaring, somehow using her eyes to threaten the sex life that I did not, in point of fact, actually have.

"Anyway," I said hurriedly, "you were telling me why this is important?"

"A lot of people got hurt, so the organizers of the tournament decided they should give us access to higher levels of training. They've brought in some highly qualified battlers to train us."

"Really? Who?"

"The elite four."

I stopped walking and began desperately searching Gary's face for signs that he was kidding. He wasn't.

"Which ones?" I asked, suspicious. The elite four were, quite frankly, some of the strongest trainers any region could produce. Just the threat of sending them in was enough to resolve most minor conflicts, and using them to whip a bunch of whelps into shape seemed like a gross misuse of resources.

"Most of them." Gary answered. "Devon says that they couldn't just stand by while so many young people got injured, so they requested the help of the various governments. Said governments graciously sent there most sagacious agents to help preserve the warriors of the future."

By the end of the sentence Gary's tone has gotten so sarcastic I'm amazed he doesn't spit. The two of us, despite moving in vastly different social spheres, share a certain cynical view of the world and Gary's tone tells me the real story.

"Let me guess." I sighed. "The blood got good ratings and bad press. Devon's bringing in some of the most vicious bastards available to train us, which both covers their asses and ensures we get more adept at hurting each other. And the governments agree to this... why? Don't they need the elites at home to suppress unrest?"

Gary smirks. "No point in turning off the stove when the house is on fire. The governments agreed because none of them are willing to be upstaged by the other. This tournament seems to have come at a very opportune moment- a lot of interregional attention is being focused here. They sent the elites because they want to win- I'd be amazed if they hadn't received covert directions to train candidates from their own region more effectively."

I thought about the reaction that such an order would get from Cynthia or Lance and laughed.

"The elites aren't going to play ball are they?"

"Nope. They'll train whoever they like, and they aren't going to let the government tell them to ignore foreigners. Which is why I'm going to sign up to train with Lucian and Drake."

I nodded, unsurprised. Most regions did not make a habit of publishing information on the strengths of their forces for obvious reasons, but the elite fours were a bit of an exception. The groups were too small and too high profile to be truly secret anyway, and they'd taken on something of a celebrity status. My own knowledge of foreign elite fours was a little hazy, but as far as I could recall Lucian was largely a tactical fighter and Drake had been battling for the last eon or so. Both coupled power with strategy which suited Gary down to a tee.

Misty announced loudly that she was going to train with Lorelei, something that is utterly unsurprising to anyone who's known her for five minutes- Lorelei has been her idol since she was a kid. Brock apparently holds the same kind of regard for Bruno, a fighting-type user. May and Zoey ruminate for a bit, as neither one of them has any real preference. Eventually they decide to split their time between Steven, who seemed kind, and Lorelei, so they could be with Misty.

"The Champions are training too?" I asked them, wondering if this was my chance to talk to Cynthia. "Wouldn't everyone want to be trained by them?"

Zoey laughed. "You've obviously never met one Ash! Just do yourself a favour and stay away from them, okay? Steven is alright, but Champions Shirona and Wataru... well, being a champion is a stressful job. I don't think their actually allowed to kill you, but you hear stories."

"I could probably tell you a few more." I muttered. Luckily no one heard me, for at that point we had reached the stadium and everyone's attention was focused elsewhere. Entering, my friends and I join the crowd at one end of the room that has centered itself around a notice board. Pinned to the board are profiles of the various elites, each listing their strengths, visions and goals. Apparently we're supposed to pick the fighter or fighters we think we match up with the best, and then train with them for as long as we can stand. My friends disperse, wanting to get to their various lessons. I hang back to read the board, trying to decide whether or not going to any of these is worth it. I was pretty tired and would prefer to simply sleep, but Cynthia was listed here, and I really should go talk with her...

I said earlier that I was in a good mood when death came for me, and I was. The worst I thought I would have to look forward to was a training session with Cynthia, and considering that other people would be around, she couldn't push me too hard. Maybe I could even drop by Lucien's or Lorelei's classes to see my friends, and when we were done I was sure there would be enough light to hit up the beach by. It was a nice thought and I felt mildly upbeat, which was about as happy as I ever got.

That was when I felt the hand grab my shoulder. My own hand flashed downwards to grab one of my knives, but in the half second I had taken to react I'd been able to recognize the hand's owner and realized that fighting would do no good.

"Hey Lance." I said evenly, trying not to make any sudden movements. "Uh... what's up?"

"Nobody picked me." Came the sullen reply.

My gaze flickered back to the board and I cursed silently, realizing that Lance did indeed have a profile up there. I hadn't seen it at first, probably because I hadn't wanted to.

"Nobody chose to train with you, hmm?"

"Nobody ever picks me."

"Well Lance, maybe you should have written a better summary on your profile. As in, maybe you should have written something period. Did you really think pictures of yourself flexing was going to get many takers?"

"Strength is important." He grumbled, and I sighed. Lance, I was coming to realize, was not actually stupid, and did not possess even a trace of vanity. He was just simple. Strength is important, friends are important, pride is important, and to him that was about it. That didn't make him stupid, it just meant that his motivations and desires were about as complicated as a knife to the face.

"I agree Lance!" I told him with fake cheer, desperately trying to pull the hand off my shoulder. "Strength is important, which is why I should go train! I was thinking I should choose-"

"Even Cynthia got some takers." He said, completely ignoring me. "But you're a good apprentice, right Ash? You'll come train with me!"

I wanted to decline, I really did. Lance was in a mood, and when Lance got moody objects around him- like, say, me- tended to get broken. But I assented wearily, unable to turn him down. It was strange, wasn't it? The man could kill me with three fingers and a bit of string, but refusing to train with him would have been like kicking the world's deadliest puppy.

Lance leads me down a series of hallways, whistling to himself. I wasn't really in a whistling mood myself, and I just followed him dully until he ushered me into the room where the two of us were to train. It wasn't as large as the personal gym he and Cynthia had back at their rented manor, but it was large enough.

"So what are we doing today?" I asked, running through some stretches.

"Well, I thought we could address some issues that came up in your last fight. I'd forgotten how... spastic your education has been."

"Um, interesting word choice. Spastic?"

"Your style has no cohesion. You've been taught to different levels in different things by different people, and it shows- you can't integrate your moves into any sort of strategy. I mean, take that sword fight- has anyone ever taught you how to parry?"

"Yes, I know how to parry!" I snapped. "I did it to Candice's attacks, yes? What do you call that?"

"I call it flailing and getting lucky." Lance sighed. "My fault. I should've remembered that you never had access to decent training."

"Hey! Riley trained me fine!"

"He did. Moreover, you have one hell of a talent for tactics, and you're damned lucky when the chips are down. Those three factors combined are the only reason you're still alive." He raises his hands, forestalling my protest. "I'm not trying to insult you Ash. It's just, your major talent isn't fighting, it's surviving- staying alive in situations where no one else could. Candice was a member of the Sinnoh royal guard, Ash. Do you know what that means? She's been receiving top notch training in combat for over a decade now. I realize that you have more experience with actual, do-or-die fighting, but we need to get your formal training up to spec."

"Okay." I grumped, "How?"

"Well, Riley had the right idea there- throw the basics at you hard and hope something sticks. Still, we're running out of time, so I'm going to start using some high level techniques. You just work on evading them, and try to pay attention to what I do."

That was when Lance pulled the biggest sword I had ever seen out from behind a bench. 'Claymore' did not do this thing justice, it was longer than I was tall. Lance is simple, right? In other men the sword might have indicated a need to compensate, the photos on his profile might have been vanity. Not in Lance. To Lance a sword was a sword and muscles were merely tools used to shove various implements of death into your enemies nethers.

"What are you doing?" I asked nervously. He smiled, then whipped out a black hip flask and began to pour a clear liquid onto the sword's blade.

"Just giving you some motivation!"

"Lance, that isn't... that isn't gasoline, is it? Because it smells like-"

"Oh, don't worry. This isn't gasoline."

"That's good-"

"No gasoline doesn't burn nearly hot enough. This is a special type of Magmar glandular secretion. It's great stuff- it gets so hot, any wounds I inflict will cauterize, and we can just keep training without worrying about blood loss!"

Lance whipped out his lighter and touched it to the tip of his sword. The ensuing flame had no truck with normal, soothing red and orange fire; instead it exploded into an incandescent white blaze.

I backed away as Lance approached me, grinning.

"She is quite good, isn't she?" Lorelei asked, cocking her head to the side. Cynthia followed her gaze.

"You mean Misty?"

"You know her?"

"She's one of the princess' partner's friends."

Lorelei nodded placidly, questioning Cynthia no further. The ice mistress had a knack for taking things in stride, a talent she had developed after years of bonding with her ice types. She found that it was best to respond to any situation just as they did- coolly.

Lorelei nodded to herself. "Hmm. Yes, she really is good. A bit on the prideful side, but who isn't at that age? I think I shall have to have a talk with her teachers one of these days. Talent is far too easily lost when it isn't properly managed."

Cynthia nodded in agreement. "True. Are you going to bring her to the Plateau?"

"In good time, Cynthia. She's young yet- let her have her youth. Once she settles down a little I feel she'll make an excellent addition to Kanto's forces."

"Hallelujah." Cynthia answered grumpily. Lorelei smiled.

"What? Is the famous Baroness of Celestic upset over a foreign power acquiring a promising recruit?"

"Please don't call me that- you make me sound like a dowdy old bitch. And I'm not upset that you're recruiting, I just wish I could believe I'm not going to have to kill most of the people you manage to get someday."

"It might not come to that, Cynthia. Look at us- we get along, don't we? Maybe Kanto and Sinnoh can do the same."

"Sure. You want to see the state of Sinnoh's foreign relations right now, go take a look at what your student and mine are doing to each other."

Lorelei looked up and laughed. Cynthia, due to her fearsome reputation, had only had a few people brave enough to train with her. She had therefore decided to throw her lot in with Lorelei, an old acquaintance, so that she'd at least have someone to talk to. That arrangement meant that each group of students got more exposure to the styles of their fellows but unfortunately it also meant that Dawn and Misty had ended up in the same group. The girls were currently engaged in a practice spar that made most natural disasters look unenthusiastic in comparison- Misty had launched an unending barrage of accelerated water droplets at Dawn, who was using her wind based powers to push them back at Misty. The ensuing chaos had soaked both girls to the skin, and the two of them were also screaming at each other at the top of their voices. The term 'skank' seemed to predominate the discussion, although there were also aspersions cast on each others' parentage, intelligence and sexual orientation.

"Ah, to be young again!" Lorelei laughed. "I wonder what they're fighting over?"

"A boy."

"Ah. They are vying for the same young man?"

"Yes, although I don't think Dawn knows it yet."

"It sounds complicated."

"It is. Misty has been in love with him for years apparently, and Dawn... well, he confuses the hell out of Dawn. I think he even frightens her a little, although not in a bad way."

"So what makes you think she likes him?"

"She won't shut up about how much she doesn't like him."

Lorelei nodded as if this answered everything. Suddenly a smile crept onto her features.

"So how's-"

"Riley is fine." Cynthia answered, staring straight ahead. Lorelei giggled slightly.

"Is he-"

"Yes."

"Have you-"

"No."

"Okay, okay. Have it your way."

"I will, thank you."

Lorelei glanced sideways at her friend.

"I could lend you some toys that-"

"Dammit Lorelei!"

"Just trying to save the disaster that you call a love life, sweetie. And speaking of disasters, how is Lance?"

"Fine."

"Mmm, good. He will be unavailable later tonight."

"He will?"

"Yes, he's taking me to dinner."

Cynthia thought about the last statement. "Does Lance know about this?"

Lorelei grinned. "Not yet, but I'm sure he'll be amenable when he finds out."

"Let me guess: he had better be."

"See Cynthia? You're better at romance than you thought!"

"Well, at least having dinner with you will cheer him up. He's bound to get despondent when no one wants to train with him."

"Didn't you hear? He actually got a student this time."

Cynthia nodded aimlessly, but froze as what Lorelei had said actually registered. "What? Who?"

"I don't know, some boy from Kanto... is everything alright?"

"Lance is training a student, without you or I supervising and you're asking me if everything is alright?"

"Ah. I begin to see the problem. Girls!" Lorelei called to the assembled students, "Champion Shirona and I just need to... check up on Champion Wataru and his student for a moment, and we can't really leave you here unsupervised." At this point she smiled at Dawn and Misty, who looked abashed. "Therefore, why don't we all take a break and go see what's what, hmm?"

One of the girls raised their hands. "Ma'am, did I hear correctly? Someone was dumb enough to train with that psychopath?"

Lorelei sighed. "He's a very sweet psychopath once you get to know him, and yes, he is currently training a student. Or burying one. Let's try to find him before that point, okay?"

The girls chorused a wary assent, and the entire group moved to the hallway to begin the search. Cynthia led the way, striding purposefully down the halls.

"How do you know he's this way?"

"Notice the burning smell? Where there's smoke, there's Lance."

A few of the girls laughed at that, but Dawn merely asked a question. "Surely no one would be so foolhardy as to go off alone with a Champion whose reputation for reckless brutality is legendary?"

Cynthia didn't answer, she just winced and picked up the pace. Dawn and Misty looked at one another in shock, temporarily united by the horror of the thought they'd just shared.

"He wouldn't...?" Dawn let the question drop. Of course he would. Racing after Cynthia, the girls soon came upon the doorway through which Ash had entered earlier. Cynthia reached forwards and grabbed the knob, pausing when she felt the warmth in the metal. Bracing herself, she forced the door open and took a step into hell.

That was her first impression, anyway. The room was alight with the glow of a hundred small fires, and smoke billowed out of the doorway, obscuring the room. Through the haze the Sinnoh Champion could just barely make out the scene within, and immediately wished she hadn't.

Ash was living up to his name it seemed, as the boy was covered head to toe in soot. He was currently backed into a corner, his sword held protectively in front of him, and did not look to be in good shape- his breathing was ragged, a product of exertion and the toxic air, and his eyes had the glazed look of one who's mind is currently doing happy little cartwheels at the edge of insanity. Lance stood in front of him, stripped to the waist and laughing like a banshee. Sweat dripped from the Champion's body, but he appeared not to notice as he approached Ash with the flaming sword and a calculating look. Cynthia whirled around, slammed the door shut and leaned against it hard. The girls gaped at her.

"Uhh... Champion Shirona? What just-"

"What brother?" Cynthia asked guiltily.

"I'm sorry?"

"Nothing! Nothing! Nothing is happening okay?"

"We saw some smoke-"

"Everything is fine!" Cynthia wailed. Although this was quite evidently a lie, those assembled might have been willing to take a Champions word for it, but at that very moment there was an enormous twanging noise and Lance's sword burst through the door about an inch from Cynthia's head. After penetrating nearly a foot through the door it stuck there, causing the wood to smoulder. Cynthia and Lorelei exchanged the kind of smiles that indicated a certain red-headed champion was about to be skinned alive.

"Lorelei, would you be so good as to continue the girls' training? I'm afraid I'm needed at the moment."

"Of course Cynthia. Just remember to tell him about dinner tonight- I need him intact enough to swallow and pay the cheque."

Cynthia nodded distractedly, then opened the door and darted in. There was silence for a moment, and Lorelei began to count under her breath.

"Miss? Should we-"

Suddenly an enormous thud resounded, and the door shook in its hinges.

"Four seconds." Lorelei sighed. "Lance must be getting faster. Shall we go, girls?"

Misty cleared her throat. "Uh, I'd like to check on-"

Lorelei shook her head. "Relax, Cynthia will take care of Lance." There was a muffled scream from the room beyond. "Good care!" Lorelei added cheerfully, leading the girls back to their own room.

"You're an idiot." Cynthia told Lance hours later. I personally could not have agreed more, but was unwilling to get caught up in the fight to come.

"Oh, come on! At least now he knows how to fight with a sword! Tell her Ash!"

"Yeah, Ash!" Cynthia put in sarcastically "Why don't you tell us how you feel about Lance's little lesson? Was there any benefit to that at all?"

I pondered for a moment, unsure of how best to answer. "Well... I no longer fear hell..." I hazarded. This sets off another argument, with Lance making the point that fearlessness was a good quality to instill and Cynthia countering with the claim that Lance was still an idiot. I sighed and took another sip of the tea in front of me, trying to gather my thoughts.

After Cynthia had interrupted my little brush with death earlier (or Lance Macabre as I was already starting to think of it), she'd sent Lance and I back to the manor with strict orders that I bathe, bandage and feed myself. She herself had gone to finish training her students, so Lance and I had sat around the house, nursing our various wounds and commiserating over our experiences with women. We had tried to give each other advice, but it turns out that zero plus zero is still zero so that hadn't gone too well. We'd wanted to train- well, Lance had, and I was too tired to be afraid by that point- but were unwilling to risk another scolding, so eventually Lance had just begun to describe techniques while I'd sat there and absorbed as much as I could. Cynthia had returned late in the day, and had immediately put me on meditation training while she and Lance spoke. Apparently they'd been fighting the entire time I'd been meditating, because when I'd come out for my break they'd been involved in the current scuffle.

Watching two extraordinarily powerful warriors bicker like children was always good for a laugh, but today I didn't have time for it so I decided to interrupt.

"Cynthia?"

She huffs at her brother, but turns to face me. "Yes?"

"What happened with Candice the other day?"

Cynthia folds her arms. "I take it you're referring to her transformation?"

"Yeah. I mean, what the hell was that? I had this awful feeling and then she just... changed."

"I know. I felt it too. I just wish I could tell you what it meant."

"You don't know? She's one of your students isn't she?"

Cynthia smiled ruefully. "Come now Ash, remember where I'm from? When someone from Sinnoh has a secret, what's always the reason behind it?"

"Damn. Not bloody politics again?"

"Sorry. Candice is a member of the Suzuna family, an old clan of ice users. They guard their techniques very jealously-"

"Meaning it isn't surprising that she has a move you don't know about." I deflated. "Okay, let's look at this from a different angle. We were fighting, she was losing. Both Cynthia and I get this awful feeling and then Candice changes. How did we know it was coming?"

"It could just be battle instinct." Lance offered. "The drive to survive can seem like a sixth sense in retrospect."

I nodded. "True, but that doesn't explain why Cynthia felt it too. There is another explanation, however..."

I glanced at Cynthia and she laughed. "What, that we can both feel aura? Candice isn't an aura user Ash, I can guarantee that."

"Fair enough, but she didn't have to be using it for Ash to pick it up, right? Didn't you say aura is supposed to be a part of all things? Wouldn't a metamorphosis be enough to alter her aura flow, even if she wasn't actually wielding the damned stuff?" Lance asked.

Cynthia frowned, thinking. "It's possible, I guess." She nodded. "Yes, that must be it- Candice used a powerful Ki attack passed on from her clan, one that lets her change into the thing you fought. The transformation must have been distressing enough to cause a change in her flow of aura, one that we both picked up on."

I nodded uncomfortably. That was the conclusion I'd reached at first too, but my experience with the Tyranitar had led me to a different answer, one that was simpler and far nastier. "Yeah, that could work... but doesn't it seem a little pat?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that Candice isn't fighting in isolation..." I let the sentence dangle, too uncomfortable to finish. Cynthia, the quicker-witted of the two, draws herself up indignantly.

"Are you suggesting that Candice is an enemy?"

"No! Not exactly! You already said that she can't use aura, right?"

"Correct." Cynthia states, still a little ruffled.

"But I felt a disturbance before she changed- before, okay? Not during. So the effects of the change couldn't have caused the shift in aura, it had to be the aura that caused the change."

"I thought we agreed she couldn't use it?"

"I don't think she can, but it could still be used on her, right?"

"You think someone did this to her." Lance stated, looking thoughtful. "That someone managed to transform her... why? To get at you?"

"It wouldn't be the first time. Doesn't it make sense though? One of our enemies finds out that I'm here-"

"How?"

"I'll work that out later." I told her, unwilling to get into my experience with Lucas and Paul just yet. "Someone suspects me, wants me gone... but they don't want to attract attention by doing it directly. So they wait until Candice and I are fighting, pump a lot of aura into her-"

"And change her." Lance finished. "Making her powerful enough to kill you and insane enough to want to try. Would that work? I didn't know that aura could harness people like that."

"Neither did I, but when I fought her I was able to run it through my sword. Who says people aren't the same?"

Cynthia rose. Lance and I glanced at her, and then looked away quickly as we caught the expression of rage on her face.

"Where are you going?"

"To see Candice." Cynthia answered.

"I didn't think she was awake yet."

"She isn't. I'm going to go watch over her. And if I find out who's been fucking with one of my guards..."

She left the threat unfinished. Marching out of the house she slammed the door, leaving Lance and I alone again. He gave me a long, steady look.

"You know something you aren't telling us."

"No. I suspect something... something I can't tell Cynthia about."

"Spill."

"Well... I'm no expert in aura yet, but I don't think you can just hijack someone's mind randomly. I think people's defenses are a bit better than that."

Lance shrugged. "I've seen Riley do some incredible things."

"Have you ever seen him turn someone he'd never met into a coordinated killing machine?"

"Hah. No."

"Right. I don't think that some random person could twist Candice that badly. I think they had to be familiar with her- they'd have to know her mind, how it worked and where the right levers were."

"Meaning that Cynthia would also be familiar with them." Lance mused. "She is a powerful woman Ash. What exactly makes you think that there would be an enemy that close to her and she wouldn't know about it? She'd sense them in a heartbeat."

I paused, wondering how to proceed. Lance had faith in me, but this was his sister...

"What if she'd been told not to?"

Lance stared at me, and I decided to plunge forward while I still had the initiative.

"I know she's really powerful but so are our enemies! Sensei told me once that it's easier to manipulate people into doing what they already want to do, so-"

"You think her mind has been altered." He stated flatly. I shook my head.

"No, she's too cunning to be messed with directly. But she's a really good person Lance. What if one of the Grey One's- like, a really strong one- just gave her a slight compulsion to trust her allies? Wouldn't she want to do that anyway?"

Lance's stare continued, and I twitched uncomfortably. Finally: "They would have to be very strong. Cynthia is no mere apprentice; the woman has an iron will. To influence her even slightly..." Lance sighed. "Alright, what do you suspect?"

"Lucas and Paul are involved." I stated bluntly. "I don't know how or why, but they are."

He grinned. "Paul I can believe, but Lucas? Are you sure?"

"I'm not sure of anything, I'm basing this all on gut feelings. Isn't it perfect though? With Paul there, who would ever suspect Lucas?"

"True. Okay, so how do they fit in?"

"I'm not sure yet. Let's say one or both them can use aura, and they try to get Candice to kill me, or at least put me out of the tournament to keep me from stopping whatever it is they're planning. Meanwhile, their... backup, or superiors, or whatever influence Cynthia into trusting those close to her... which gets her coming and going. She really trusts her allies, but when evidence comes in that suggests they aren't what they appear to be-"

"Then she automatically suspects Paul. Lucas isn't even considered." Lance mused.

"Exactly. She thinks he's the reason Dawn is still sane- how much evidence would she need before she even considered him a threat?"

Lance whistled. "You got a devious mind kid. I never thought it would come to the day where I'd have to go behind my sister's back."

"I know. I'm sorry, but you see why I can't do anything, right?"

He nodded. "No evidence. No proof. Nothing but your word against Paul's, Lucas' and Cynthia's."

I sighed. "People are going to get hurt, Lance. I know it and I can't stop it."

Lance smiled and clapped me on the shoulder. "Welcome to the world of law enforcement, kid."

"What am I going to do?"

"Only what you can. Wait. Watch Lucas and Paul like a hawk, find out what they're up to. And when they spring it, we'll be waiting."

I nodded unhappily, and Lance shook his head.

"Besides, whatever Riley tells you there's more to life than Aura and the guardians. You also need to focus on the tournament. Go get Kanto some international recognition- we could use it."

"The tournament is just a cover!" I burst out angrily.

"I know. But if our enemies are going to try and pull something, when do you think they'll do it?"

"The finals. Nothing else makes sense- if they've gone to all the trouble of manipulating this tournament, then they want attention."

"Right. Get into the finals and watch your back. Let me deal with the rest."

I sighed wearily Lance glanced at me, concerned.

"You really don't look like you've been getting enough sleep, kid."

I shook my head. "I sleep fine, I just... I dunno. Dreams, I guess. I never feel rested."

"Riley and Cynthia were the same when they first learned this stuff. Glad I never had to put up with Aura- it's powerful stuff, but it fucks with your head. What do you dream about?"

"I don't remember." I told him miserably. "All I get are flashes and fragments-" I paused, remembering something Dawn had said to me yesterday. "Lance?"

"Yeah?"

"Who was Hikari Berlitz?"

"That old story? Just some Sinnoh myth."

"Oh... so she wasn't real?"

"She was real all right, I just doubt she did what the Sinnoh royal family would like to believe she did. Has Riley taught you about the Old Empire?"

"Just a little bit."

"Hmm. Well, after the capital was destroyed, a few aristocrats from the empire managed to escape. Apparently the Berlitz family was important even back then-"

"They date back to the Old Empire?"

"Yep. They're probably the oldest family in Sinnoh. Anyway, a few of the Berlitzes managed to get away from the chaos. They found a refuge somewhere and managed to set up a pretty comfortable life for themselves- back in those days, not being killed by age forty was the lap of luxury."

"They didn't fight the Grey Ones?"

"Some might have, but the majority just stayed quiet and hoped like hell that their enclave wouldn't be found. They were scared, see? Everyone was scared... at least until Hikari Berlitz was born."

"Why? What did she do?"

"Well, the story goes that she was always braver than the average Berlitz- she was more like her ancestors than her contemporaries, if you get my meaning. She wanted to fight back, but her parents and the Berlitz family advisors were always sitting on her, trying to keep her restrained. They might have succeeded too, except one day she fell in love with a soldier and ran away from home."

"Arceus... he must have had one hell of a good pick-up line."

Lance shrugs. "Yeah, well Aaron the Red always did have that effect on people."

"What?"

"Hikari fell in love with Aaron. Followed him around half the world if the tale is correct."

I waited for Lance to continue, but he stayed silent. "And? What happened then?"

"I don't know. I never did care for history very much, and the records are pretty muddled anyway. Eventually Hikari united the shattered remnants of Sinnoh and founded the Berlitz dynasty. Aaron died at Camaran. The Berlitzes like to claim that they're related to Aaron, but I doubt it- he never had any recorded heirs, and the person who took Hikari's place on the throne after her death was one of her cousin's children."

I closed my eyes and let my head slump, confused. Riley had told me to protect Hikari, a woman who must have been dead for thousands of years. Had he been telling me to protect her ancestor Dawn? Why ask in such a roundabout way? It was barely possible that he was giving me some kind of veiled hint or clue, but that didn't really explain why I'd made the connection between Hikari and Dawn before I'd known they were members of the same family. Could Riley have told me the same story and I'd forgotten it?

Too much. Too much too fast. I'd lost the first decade or so of my life to amnesia, and now I was imagining dead women in my friends' faces. I needed some rest. I stood up abruptly, grimacing at Lance.

"I'm going back to the hotel. I need sleep."

Lance muttered his assent, recognizing that further training would be pointless for today. I let myself out the back entrance and began walking back to the hotel. The sun had just began to set, suffusing the city with a strange orange glow and marking the time as late enough that there would be no trip to the beach today. I shrugged that off indifferently at least- I was full of worries now, and would not have enjoyed a trip even if there had been time. Entering the hotel and taking the elevator up to our floor, I paused as I passed by Misty's room. I hated to use her as some kind of emotional bandage, but it had been a hard day...

I knocked softly. There was a brief susurration from behind the door, and then a click as the lock slid back. Instead of the fiery red hair and loving scowl I'd expected, I'm confronted by the brown locks and devious innocence of May. She looks up, surprised, and smiles when she sees it's me.

"Uh-"

"Misty's in the shower." She tells me. "We were watching TV together. I can call her if-"

"No! I mean- uh... what's up?"

May grinned and patted me on the side. "It's nice to see you too Ash, but I can go get Misty if she's who you're looking for. I don't mind."

"It's okay. I don't really want to bother her."

I turned then, attempting to head back to my room. May, reacting to whatever telepathic signals girls are capable of when they enter a relationship, grabs my arm to stop me. I turn back to her and she leans into me, planting her head in my chest and wrapping her arms around me.

"You're upset." She stated. "Is this about training? Misty told me about that Wataru guy-"

"No." I muttered into her ear. "No, he's a hard-ass but he's okay. I'm just worried."

"About?"

"Everything. Whether I'll get hurt, whether you'll get hurt. Whether I fuck up whatever it is I have with you and Misty..." I sighed. "Sorry. It was just a long day. Will you go to the beach with me?"

She giggled. "What?"

"Before the tournament ends. You and Misty and I. We'll just head to the beach and relax..."

"It's a date." She promised. At that moment we heard the shower go off and I released May, who frowned.

"She doesn't mind if-"

"That isn't it. I just don't want to get beaten for being so angsty."

May smiled at that, wished me a good night and shut the door. I plodded back to my own room, unlocked the door, and nearly punched Riolu as he leapt at me from across the room. Checking myself just in time I grabbed him instead. Eevee, curled up on one of my pillows, snorts.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked, surprised. "I left you two with the girls, and-" my eyes narrow as I spot the lump of yellow fur trying to hide under the bed. "you ran away when Lance pulled the sword out."

(No shit I ran! 'Kebab' is not in my job description!)

"Coward. Are you a 'mon or a mouse?"

(Both, in case you'd forgotten.)

"Right. Where were you all day?"

(I spent most of it with May. She really took to Steven's first aid course.)

"She was good at it?"

(No, not really. She just looks smokin' in a nurse's outfit. You'll find out, I think she bought the thing.)

I grinned. Now if I could just find one in Misty's size, my next injury would be something to look forward to rather than run away from. "What about you, Riolu?"

(I went with Misty!) he squeals.

"And what was that like?"

(Awesome! I hope Ms. Dawn lady is okay though.)

"Dawn?"

(She was training with the blonde woman, but she didn't look too good. Her Aura was really sick.)

"What do you mean sick?"

Riolu does his best to explain, but it doesn't go over so well. That isn't much of a surprise- he's a dog who talks with his mind trying to explain a force that has more to do with feelings than with physics. In the end, all I can gather was that Dawn seemed extremely depressed, and although she fought with Misty she was more focused on avoiding her.

"I'll talk to her about it tomorrow, but for now it's bedtime."

Pikachu and Eevee nod, but Riolu protests as I jam a toothbrush into his mouth.

(No one else has to!) he complains through a mouth full of foam.

"Pikachu can survive on ketchup if his teeth rot out, and Eevee makes his own arrangements- no, don't ask me how, I don't want to know." I told him as he struggled. "Besides, Lucarios are omnivorous- don't you want a nice, intimidating set of fangs?"

That calms him down, and it isn't too long before I have him and the other two settled in bed. Ducking under the covers myself, I settled in, preparing for another night of fractured dreams.

It wasn't a dream, Lucas was certain of that at least. To dream you need a soul, and that was one piece of useless baggage the Sinnoh guard had managed to throw by the wayside years ago.

So it wasn't a dream, or at least not by human standards. As far as Lucas understood the concept, he wasn't asleep, he was just... elsewhere. It would happen some nights; he would close his eyes and wake up here.

Wherever here was.

He never was quite sure. Occasionally he got the urge to look around, to find out where he was, but that urge was easily quashed. Whenever he had tried it, his eyes had slid away of their own accord, refusing to obey his commands- it was as if his surroundings were too painful to look at. The scenery was twisted and tangled... wrong somehow, so wrong that his own body refused to observed them in order to protect itself. So no matter how much he tried to look away, his gaze was always drawn to the figure in front of him.

It was not particularly impressive as far as cowled figures go. Tall yes, but not impressive, not until you found out what it was capable of. It was man sized, but wore a dark grey cloak so faded and shapeless that nearly anyone- or anything- could be inside it.

The plan proceeds.

Lucas grimaced. Very, very few things were still capable of scaring him, but he detested his master's voice. It seemed to reverberate inside his skull without passing through his ears on the way past, as if the words were shards of glass being jammed into his consciousness.

Lucas didn't reply, as it hadn't been a question. If the plan was not proceeding, than Lucas would have failed. If Lucas had failed, he would be dead. Worse than dead.

Cynthia?

"Edgy but manageable."

Paul?

"Fine."

You sound uncertain.

"It isn't anything I can't handle."

Lucas' master nodded after the briefest of pauses. Lucas allowed himself a moment of relief, but it turned out to be premature.

Candice.

The tone was not accusing. It was curious, which was worse. Accusations could kill you rather abruptly, but curiosity could keep you alive for days- days in which you'd have nothing better to do than scream for a quicker death.

"Yes. I made use of her. We... may have a problem."

There are no problems. There are merely obstacles. These are dealt with... if one can find a sufficiently competent subordinate.

"I'm dealing with it! Just give me another day and I'll get rid of the problem for good."

Why wait?

"Because this problem is... delicate. I may have found another aura user."

Usable?

"As one of us? No. He's too bloody minded- I'd have to break him beyond the point of usefulness. But he might be useful as a distraction if I can push him far enough. I have a plan in motion- one that will make him suffer."

Good... but do not lose sight of our goal.

"I won't master. Soon we'll be ready and then-"

I know. Now be gone from my sight.

Lucas bowed hastily, and then flickered out as his master released him to his own devices. The grey figure did not leave, however.

I take it you were listening.

One by one, other figures flickered into visibility. One would be hard put to describe them- they slipped in and out of the visual range, never settling on one shape. Physical form was unnecessary at any rate- it impeded communication.

He was nervous. Is he up to the task? One of them asked. The grey figure turned.

You would impugn my servants?

Humans are unreliable tools. They break too easily.

We will succeed. Here or elsewhere.

The guardians-

Are dead and gone. There are no true guardians left, just children and doddering old men. They will not be a problem.

The other figure's seemed unsure, but the first ignored them.

This is not the old days. There is neither blood nor fire in men any longer; just money and more money. The world has grown too complacent to resist us.

The others continued to demur.

Berlitz. Wataru. Shirona. Oak. These are old names. Dangerous names. And how many others are still left? The Suzunas, the Hibikis, the Tsuwabuki clan... We may find that the world has more strength than we're ready for.

No. The plan proceeds.

But-

I have spoken.

The grey figure raised what, for lack of a better term, must be called its voice, and addressed the others as a group.

This world will burn. This I guarantee. And it will be us who pick up the ashes.

They nodded to one another and disappeared. There was nothing left to say.

I had always felt safer in darkness.

Trust me, that wasn't saying much. Through most of my life, I'd been to the world what a squirrel is to the forest- wary at best, terrified at worst, and utterly psychotic when cornered. Still, there was something comforting about shadows. True, they tend to hide danger, but then again doesn't the light do the same? You're everyday monsters- the rapist, the murderer, the politician- walk in the light as easily as the dark; scrutiny holds no terror for those who embrace their own evil. But in the shadows one can hide and wait for danger to pass by, one can curl up secure in the knowledge that they are invisible to the world. When I first came to the orphanage I would do just that- Michael was always pulling me out of closets or up from the basement. Other kids would do the same occasionally as hiding from an authority figure is fairly common in children, but Michael had always maintained that there was something weird about me. It was the way I could disappear into shadows when I was afraid, the way other peoples' eyes tended to slide off me when I didn't want to be found.

But not all shadows are places of safety. I'd learned long ago that there were different types of darkness; types that would conceal and welcome me and types that would just reveal me to the horrors that dwelt within them. Baal's caverns had been of the latter; I had found no comfort there.

This place was one of the former.

"I'm dreaming." I thought blearily. "I must be."

This place certainly didn't seem like it could exist in anything but a dream, however it lacked that sense of unreality I had come to associate with my dreaming state. This place felt real, it was just impossible.

I was floating in darkness.

Yes, yes, not particularly impressive, but... I can't really describe it with any detail. This darkness was alive somehow, constantly shifting and swirling. That was the other thing, there was no light but I'd swear that the blackness which engulfed everything was coloured. It was as if there were different shades of black, all mixing and separating until the overall effect became so dizzying that my mind gave up trying to understand it and just labelled it 'black' and moved on. I didn't appear to be laying on anything solid, but neither was I falling. Similarly I could move around but did not seem to have anything to push against, meaning this had to be a dream. Still...

"It feels so... lucid." I mumbled, unable to believe it. Most dreams play hell with our emotions, sharpening and manipulating them to the point where we felt at the mercy of our own subconscious. For this dream, I felt entirely normal- If the scenery hadn't been what it was, I would have sworn I was back on my bed.

(You are.)

Ah. Cue the ominous voice. That was more like it.

"Uh... hello?"

(Hi.)

And that seemed to be it. For a disembodied voice emanating from an endless abyss, it didn't seem to be putting much effort into things.

(Apologies. I had forgotten what theatrical creatures humans are- you need a show to understand.)

The darkness directly in front of me began to curdle into solid form. It twisted and contorted, passing through a variety of dimensions before deciding that three was probably safest. Then it began to take shape, forming into an enormous humanoid shade. The... thing... possessed a head, torso and shoulders, but its legs were nothing but a few fluttering scraps of shadow. A long mane of hair, blindingly white in the dark, fell from its head, and its eyes glowed a malevolent green.

"So I'm still in my bed, am I?" I asked weakly.

(Correct. Your consciousness has merely migrated to a different plane of existence so that I may speak with you.)

"Did it bring my bladder with it?"

The thing laughed, which was a relief. Anything with a sense of humour is sentient, and anything sentient can be bought, confused, or at worst run away from.

(I am not so terrifying Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town. Do not be afraid. I believe introductions are the human custom?)

"Well, you already seem to know me, but... hey, I'm Ash. From Pallet." I told it, giving a half-hearted wave. The thing reached out one enormous claw, touching it to the palm of my hand.

(I am Darkrai, prince of the void and master of unseen things. I have watched stars die and death live; I have seen both ends of time. I live within the depths of eternity and in the last breaths of dying men.)

"That's... interesting..." I told it, wondering if it would be possible to quietly edge away while trapped in an abyss.

(I guess. Eternity is nice enough, but the rent is killing me.)

I smiled. "The lord of Darkness makes lame jokes now? Isn't hell punishment enough?"

(I am not death and you are not dead. I am, in fact, a pokemon.)

"You know, somehow I don't think my balls are going to be sufficient."

Darkrai cocks his head to the side and again utters that booming silence he uses for a laugh.

(Please pardon my merriment at your terror. I do not receive visitors often.)

"Well, I can't say much for the locale. Why am I here?"

(We have the same enemies Ash Ketchum of Pallet. Most legendaries do not interfere directly with the affairs of men, but some of us have decided that things cannot remain as they are.)

"I'm sorry? You are going to help me fight the Grey Ones?"

(Why not? I like men. Before they came I was extant but formless. Now I am feared, admired, romanticized... They are stuck in their petty squabbles, but they are not so wrong as to deserve what is about to happen to them.)

"What is about to happen?"

(I am sorry. I cannot describe a ten dimensional idea in the three you have to work with. Suffice it to say that your enemies must be stopped- the world hangs in the balance.)

"Lovely... um, so you'll be helping out... how, exactly?"

(By keening the edge of the world's most unpredictable weapon.)

"You've lost me..."

(I am going to teach you how to wield the strength of your enemies.)

It takes a moment for me to process this, but when I do my jaw drops.

"You're going to train me?"

(Yes.)

"A legendary pokemon?"

(Yes. I can do no more, not without alerting Arceus.)

"Arceus is real?"

(Of course. He has long withdrawn from the world, however; he grew tired of men and their wars. I represent a small group of legendaries who could not stand by while you are left to die, and we decided that one of us would have to help you.)

"No offense, but why you? Aren't there other legendaries that are less... uh, bowel-rendingly frightening?"

(I was selected because my powers resonate with the darkness of your soul.)

"Oh. Wow. Really?"

(No. I won the rock-papers-scissors against Lugia and Ho-Oh.)

"What!"

(It wasn't that difficult. I'm the only one of us with hands.)

"Darkrai, you're killing me here."

(No Ash Ketchum of Pallet, I assure you that if I were killing you there would be no doubt about the matter. Now shall we begin? Good. While there are many 'dark' type pokemon in your world, our strength is not drawn from low light level itself, per-se, but is rather a reflection of a universal opposite endemic to the fabric of reality...)

Darkrai droned on and on, but as I made the attempt to listen his words were overtaken by their own meaning. Instead of listening I began to see what he meant, and then I could feel it- entire vista's of knowledge that had escaped me until this point.

One could argue that I'd spent my entire life in darkness of one form or another, but for the first time I opened my eyes to it.

I saw.

I saw Brock's concerned face hovering about a foot away from mine as I opened my eyes. Brock, for all his good points, is not something you want to see so close to you immediately upon awakening.

"He's awake." He called to someone I couldn't see. "You okay?" He asked me. I glared at him blearily.

"That depends. What did we do last night?"

Brock laughed. "He's awake and he's being an asshole!"

"Good." Said Gary, making his presence known. "That means he's in a good mood."

I pushed Brock aside and sat up, blinking the sleep out of my eyes. "What are you two doing here?"

"Waking you up. You were making weird noises in your sleep again."

"I don't want to be lectured on that by you Brock."

"Hey, I already have dibs on dream-Joy, okay?"

"I wasn't- never mind. What time is it?"

"Seven-ish. You've got a battle today too, so you'd better get up and eat."

I grumbled but complied, getting out of bed and getting dressed. Gary and Brock wait patiently while I strap various instruments of death to myself, and the three of us head out together to breakfast. As we approach a table towards the back I spot Misty and Zoey chatting cheerfully, while an enormous plate of food with a bandanna peeking over the top indicates that May has joined them. Gary, Brock and I sit down, making sure to greet Misty and Zoey and keep well clear of May. She was normally the sweetest of girls, but I'd nearly lost a finger trying to steal her muffin once and after that we gave her plenty of space at breakfast. Misty, in what I'm sure has to be a clear abuse of her position as a girlfriend, has already gotten my food for me.

"What is this?" I asked, poking the bowl of brown gunk with my fork. I manage to indent it slightly, but it rebounds with a rubbery 'glop' noise.

"It's Musli!" She said cheerfully. "Full of essential vitamins and minerals."

"Essential as in 'needed for proper metabolism', or essential as in, 'eat it or sleep on the couch'?"

"You sleep in separate rooms Ash." Gary reminds me, as if such a puling detail would stop Misty when she's angry. She'd move into my room just to make me sleep on the couch.

"You don't have to eat it if you don't want to." Misty told me a tad coldly. I nodded miserably and dug into the horrid stuff. I had been afraid that I wouldn't be any good at romance, but it turned out to be remarkably simple- it boiled down to doing whatever Misty and May said and still feeling vaguely guilty for some reason. Still, my grudgingly given compliance seemed to make Misty happy, which made it nearly worth it... until her next sentence anyway.

"Besides, you won't have to eat it when we get back home- I can make you something myself."

It was a good thing that I'd given May some room earlier, because it meant she wasn't directly across from me. If she had been then she would have taken some Musli to the face as I spat it out in horror, and given the consistency of the stuff she would probably have suffocated. As it is the half chewed food smacks into the nearest wall where it stuck.

"You? Cook?" Gary asked while I was still coughing. He looked nearly as afraid as I did, and for good reason. Home Ec was not a class that was really encouraged back at the academy, as we were far more battle focused. Still it was offered as an elective, and both Gary and I had seen what Misty could do when unleashed upon an unsuspecting kitchen.

"Why not?" She asked, genuinely surprised. Misty's lack of culinary talent was matched only by her faith in said nonexistent talent, a faith that I had helped propagate by being the only man ever to stay upright after eating the famous 'Waterflower Surprise'. The surprise turned out to be that I lived to tell the tale, but Misty had managed to confuse the fact that her food hadn't actually killed me with the fact that I enjoyed it.

"Because Ash has enough people trying to murder him-"

"Don't be like that Gary." I said woodenly, but then brightened up. "Still Mist, I can't expect a strong young woman like you to cook for her boyfriend- it would be demeaning!" I said, desperately appealing to her sense of gender equality. She just laughed it off.

"Oh, it's fine Ash. I more think of it as assisting the helpless- without me, you'd probably just eat junk."

Damn. There goes my out. Still, maybe I can turn this around...

"May?" I asked, turning to her, "You like food... can you cook at all?"

She nods excitedly. "Oh, definitely! I make wholesome, filling dishes- Daddy said that after eating one of my desserts, he couldn't eat another bite for days!"

I groaned, and Gary and Zoey snickered at me. Brock just patted me on the back, whispering into my ear that a little grated Pecha berry in my food would take care of almost any poison.

"Anyway," I grated, changing topics "what's in store for us today?"

"Another two on two." Gary answered. "Since we've moved into elimination rounds there's no more pokemon from here on in, just human against human."

That was something anyway. It would be lonely to go onto the field with no one but the princess to rely on, but I can't help be grateful that my creature's are out of it. Feebas, although conscious, was still convalescent and I did not ever want to see another member of my team hurt that badly again.

"How much more of this do we have to put up with? There can't be that many people left."

"I dunno." Brock muttered thoughtfully. "Bruno's class was pretty full yesterday."

Gary shook his head. "But not everybody attending is still in. I talked with a few of them, and most had already been eliminated. They just wanted to train with elites, and the elites don't seem to mind."

"So how many rounds left?"

"Two more for the elimination rounds; this match today and another two on two later in the week. After that we're into the final eight."

"Mew." I whistled. "Only thirty-two of us left?"

"Yeah." Gary replied darkly "And we know a third of them. The odds of all of us passing are... not high."

May dismissed this with a wave. "Oh, don't be a downer. There's the six of us, plus Leona and Dawn- that's eight, right? We can all get to finals!"

Gary and I exchange a glance, wondering if May knows how unlikely that scenario is. Or, more importantly, how likely it is that she'll be fighting someone she knows. The six of us had done well to get this far, but that luck could not continue. The smaller the pool of combatants got, the more likely it was that friend would turn into foe... and the more likely that I'd have to end up hitting someone I'd rather laugh with.

"Gary, is the next round-"

He nods. "Anonymous. Just like the last one. The last two on two is announced, but for today we're fighting blind."

I frowned. Only thirty-two of us left and we didn't know who we were fighting... I pushed aside my cereal. I hadn't had any appetite to lose really, but I didn't even feel like toying with the stuff anymore.

"Do you think-" I whispered to Gary, who cut off my question.

"Just fight." He whispered back. "If it's someone you know, fight. That's all you can do."

I shrugged, unhappy but accepting. He's right, all I can do is my best. That doesn't stop me from worrying though, and as the others and I walk down to the stadium, I stay moodily silent while the others discuss the battles to come. They were comparing timetables, which seemed pointless- the times we were called down to the holding area were staggered precisely so that we couldn't work out who we were fighting in advance. You could be waiting down there for ten minutes or two hours. Still, there was some good news- Misty and May's time was significantly later than any of ours, so I almost certainly wouldn't be fighting them. Gary and Brock's time was first, followed closely by Zoey and Leona's. Dawn and I were a few hours later- roughly midday- and Misty and May had a night time spot. The girls are glad of this, because it means that in between Zoey's fight and mine, they had time for- you guessed it- shopping. I did the honorable boyfriend thing and offered to come with, but Misty, in a rare display of mercy, tells me that need to focus on my own fight and that Gary will be sufficient to carry their things. Gary balks at this, until Zoey convinces him with a wiggle of her hips and a few choice comments. Finally Gary mutters his assent, the girls share a gleeful high-five, and I give Gary the grin of the spared man to the condemned.

The six of us arrived at the stadium and head for the stands in order to get decent seats. The seating areas are packed now, far fuller than when the first battles went down. I suppose that as finals draw nearer more people are arriving to watch, and word must have gotten around that the level of combat was getting higher, because the people in the stands seem far more excited than they had previously. Brock and Gary, after receiving a hug and a kiss from Zoey respectively, excuse themselves to head down to the holding area. The four of us wait nervously, with May, Misty and I doing our best to calm Zoey down. The girl was stolid and dependable- a true warrior of Sinnoh- but as she and Gary had drawn closer, she'd had gotten worse and worse at relaxing while he fought, as had he when she fought. It was cute as hell, and it might have even been funny if I hadn't been guilty of doing exactly the same when May and Misty fought. I thanked Arceus they were on the same team- I wasn't sure I could have taken it if I'd had to watch two fights with my heart in my mouth instead of just one.

Zoey, unresponsive to our attempts to relax her and unwilling to admit how badly scared for Gary she was, gets twitchier and twitchier until finally it's her turn to head down. That worried me- Gary hadn't fought yet, and I thought for a second he and Zoey would fight each other- but the second Zoey disappears, Gary and Brock appear on the field along with their opponents. I needn't have worried- their enemies are two jokers from Sinnoh. Nowhere near Dawn or Candice's level, these two are easily dispatched, and Gary and Brock leave the field without so much as a scratch. As soon as their off, Leona and Zoey come charging in to face their opponents- again, two people I don't know, one from Johto and the other from Hoenn. The boy from Hoenn is dispatched quickly (despite May's cheering for her fellow countryman, which is bellowed directly into my left ear), but the girl from Johto was a tough bitch. She leads Zoey and Leona on one hell of a chase, using her grass based Ki to trip, poison and stun them at every turn. Eventually Zoey has had enough dicking around, and the next time the girl makes the mistake of getting caught in the open Zoey blasts her with a huge gout of blue energy, freezing her in place.

"Damn." I whistled, impressed. "That was better than Candice."

"They grew up in the same place." Gary said as he slumped with relief.

"Did they know each other?" I asked sharply. If Zoey had info on Candice, I could find out exactly how likely it was that the girl's transformation had been induced. Unfortunately, Gary just shook his head.

"By reputation only. Apparently the Suzuna clan didn't like admitting that there was another ice user on par with their heir- they isolated themselves from the common folk."

I grunted, disappointed, but at that moment Zoey had returned to us and Gary's attention wasn't on me anyway. I leave the two of them to the sexual tension tango, and instead turn my attention to my own girls. They had been excited at the prospect of shopping earlier, but now that it's actually come down to it, they seem nervous to leave me alone.

"If you want us to stay..." May offered, looking worried. I shrugged her and Misty off, shooing them towards the exit.

"Go! Go have some fun. You two don't need to hang around here getting worried. Besides, I should go talk strategy with Dawn, and I know she gets you upset."

Misty grunts in assent. "What's her problem, anyway? She seemed fine two nights ago, and then yesterday she was a total bitch again."

"You're the one who told me that mood swings are a woman's prerogative."

"Only when it's me. Or May." She added graciously. I opened my mouth to protest her logic, but snapped it shut when she added: "Being right is also a woman's prerogative, Ash. Don't test me."

I mumbled something incoherent to that, and Misty just smiles and hugs me. May follows suit, and the two of them promise to be safe and to be back in time for my fight. The two of them then run off, eagerly discussing the shopping and speculating on approximately how much Gary can carry before his bones fuse together. He and Zoey, arm in arm, follow them out. It's just Brock and I left now, and although he's trying to do the good thing by sticking with me, I tell him he may as well go.

"Are you sure?"

I nod. "You might as well. I'm sure there are girls at the mall."

"There are girls here."

"The ones at the mall are a tad less likely to chop select bits of you off when they reject you."

Brock enters that dreamy state I've come to associate with him. "But if I get wounded there'll be Joys..."

I coughed politely. "Perhaps I did not go into sufficient detail when I said 'select bits'. Let's just say that your ability to appreciate the Joys would be removed permanently."

That got him going soon enough. With my friends gone I figured I was now safe to confront Dawn and see what in the hell was up with her mood. Both Riolu and Misty had mentioned she'd seemed odd, and I was hoping to get her alone- she'd be far more likely to give a proper explanation if she felt she didn't need her princess act. Unfortunately my hopes for getting her alone were dashed the second I got near her box. I was vaguely aware that Dawn was royalty, but I guess the fact hadn't really permeated- I'd been lucky enough earlier to see her with a small core of her bodyguards, and assumed they were like my friends and I. I was not, therefore, aware of the level of security surrounding the princess until it was brought to my attention by a pair of large, unsympathetic men.

"I'm uh... here to see Dawn..." I said, staring down a pair of drawn swords. The bodyguards, who wear a uniform similar to but less ornamented than Lucas', glare at me.

"Princess Dawn." One of them growls. I shrugged off the correction, which seemed to infuriate them further.

"Lucas doesn't like you." Spat the one who hadn't spoken yet.

"Lucas can shove it."

They reeled back, angrier than ever. "What?"

I pulled my knife from out of its sheath. "If he doesn't have anything to shove, I can lend him-"

"What is going on here?"

The voice is haughty and imperial, and it's therefore something of a shock when I realize it's coming from Cynthia. She's still wearing her street clothes, but I begin to see something of the Sinnoh Champion in her as she takes her grunts to task.

"There's this suspicious-" One of them begins, waiving at me. Cynthia ignores them, instead huffing at me.

"I should have known it was you. Come on then Ash, she's over here."

I pass the stunned guards, making a whipping noise under my breath as I pass.

"Shit disturber." Cynthia whispered at me. She sounded annoyed, but here features had just a hint of a smile about them.

"You know it lady." I whispered back. "How is her majesty?" I asked in a louder tone, managing to keep most of the sarcasm out of my voice.

"Upset."

"How so?"

"I think Paul's been at her again. She looks... scared."

I nodded, thinking. "Will she be okay?"

"Arceus knows. This thing with Candice hit her hard."

"I didn't think they were that close."

"They used to be, just like her and Leona. But Dawn got selfish and Candice went boy crazy, so..." Cynthia shrugged. "Still, Dawn went with me yesterday to watch over her. She's been acting kinder lately- I guess you're to thank for that."

I shrugged noncommittally. "She isn't so bad, you know. She's just fucked up- beyond fucked up."

"I know. I'm just amazed you've been able to make a difference- I'd all but given up."

I twitched uncomfortably at the words, trying not to dwell on the suspicions I'd voiced to Lance yesterday. Cynthia did seem at a loss to help Dawn, despite making every effort to have done so, whereas I had been able to see through her in a few days. Maybe that was because Cynthia was too close to Dawn to see the problem, or maybe-

"Bah. Enough doubting people. Just follow Lance's advice- watch your own back, try to stay alive."

While that was good advice, it still left something to be desired. I'm prevented from dwelling on it though, as at that moment Cynthia and I arrive at the box reserved for Sinnoh royalty. I could try and give you a description in which words like 'plush', 'lavish' and 'hedonistic' would have figured largely, but in the end this place is so different from the cold rooms of barren concrete I had grown up in that I'm not sure my vocabulary would be up to task. Looking at this place, I'm amazed at how well Dawn had actually fared when I took her to the lake for training- she couldn't have been used to that level of discomfort.

As I walk past the rows, various Sinnoh aristocrats glare at my shabby clothing in distaste. That might have been embarrassing, but both Lance and Riley had been proletarian to the bone, and had taught me never to bow to wealth.

"People are all the same Ash, whether they wipe their asses with silk or sandpaper. Never lower your head to a dollar sign."

I glare right back at the aristocrats, and then turn from them, heading for the princess. Judging by the cut of their clothes and the amount of jewellery these people wear, it isn't hard to see that they've been seated by proximity to the princess in order of how rich and powerful they are. I therefore take great joy in plopping down right next to her- in what is probably usually Candice's seat, as a matter of fact- and giving her a huge, sloppy grin.

"How's it hanging, Dawn?"

The effect was as immediate as it was hilarious. All around me the noble aristocrats of Sinnoh began whispering, outraged that such a lowlife would dare to speak with their glorious princess... blah, blah, blah. My grin just widened. I dealt with the miniature version of this same situation every time I'd spoken to Gary or Misty back at the academy, and had no doubt that the courtiers outrage was due more to an upset in their carefully crafted chain of social prestige than it was a protective impulse towards their princess. Dawn gaped at me, evidently not anticipating my arrival. Leona, to my immediate left, began to snicker. Lucas, on the other side of the princess, allowed his lips to tighten disdainfully, but otherwise refrained from commenting. Paul, to Lucas' right, just stared into space with the vacant look of hatred that seemed to be his default expression.

"Good morning Mr. Ketchum." Dawn said eventually, far more weakly and politely than I was used to. The politeness I could put down to being in the middle of her nobles, but the meek tone with which she uttered the words and the way her gaze kept sliding off of mine I couldn't place. Riolu had been right, something was wrong with her. "Have you met our entourage?"

I looked around me with a grin, making sure to give each and every disgruntled noble my most winning smile. The combined hatred back my way could have melted steel, but it was high-class hatred and therefore passive and genteel. I turned back to Dawn.

"Why does one court need so many jesters?" I asked, feigning obliviousness. Leona began to make choking sounds next to me, and even Dawn put on the blank mask of one trying very hard not to smile. One by one she introduced me to barons and baronesses, dukes and counts, viziers and viceroys. As I gave each one a scant, hasty greeting I began to realize why Dawn tried very hard not to turn her back on anyone when Cynthia wasn't there. I grew up in an orphanage where the best way to succeed was to hit other people until they stopped trying to take your stuff, but the greed and backstabbing I'd encountered there couldn't hold a candle to these people. I'm fairly sure I was guilty of at least three deadly sins just by shaking hands with them.

Eventually the introductions ceased, and I tried very hard to suppress the urge to wipe my hand on my shirt. While I was willing to risk a certain level of insouciance, I didn't want to start another bloody war, so I merely sit down and begin to chat with Dawn and Leona. That's a bit difficult, as Dawn seems to be doing her level best to avoid or ignore me and Leona doesn't want to submit to any situation that could force her to be friendly to Dawn. I ignore their evident reservations, and talked with them about any topic I could bring to mind- Brock's latest failed pick up line (it turns out that the Officer Jenny involved was willing to hold it against him, and had a restraining order to prove it), Gary's numerous and (surprisingly) unsuccessful attempts to get Zoey to sleep with him, that sort of thing. The girls, slowly but surely, began to warm up to the conversation.

"Dressed entirely in Saran wrap?" Leona gasped, giggling.

"I think there was oil involved too. Let it never be said that he isn't willing to follow his own advice."

She smiled at me, cocking her head to the side. "You talk about your friends a lot, don't you?"

I shrugged. "They're important to me."

At that Dawn stiffened, and I turned to her.

"Fine." She told me, trying to muster some coldness in her tone and failing miserably. "Just-"

Lucas stood up, cutting her off. Turning to Dawn, he bowed.

"Paul and I must leave to fight now, your majesty." His eyes settled on Pikachu at my shoulder, but it was obvious that his next comment was directed at me. "Do try not to contract anything- I hear that vermin carry disease."

There was some laughter from the assembled courtiers, and I nodded, allowing the shot. Still, I couldn't let it go unanswered...

"Don't worry, she's safe. I always use protection."

Now that shut everyone up pretty quickly. Lucas spun on his heels and left, refusing to comment. Paul followed close behind, and Leona, eyes bulging, turned to me.

"You two aren't actually-"

"No." I told her. "I'm already taken. But it got a nice reaction, right?"

She shook her head in disbelief. "You know, I used to wonder why Kanto hasn't been broken yet. I don't anymore. Do you people have any regard for your own lives?"

I shrugged. "I guess in Kanto things are just more black and white. Fight the enemy, protect your friends, watch your back. Sinnoh's fallen to the gray."

Now that last sentence got a nice reaction too. Several of the aristocrats had looked away the second I'd said it, and it seemed like I wasn't the only one to notice- Cynthia was in the back of the box, watching everyone like a hawk. Leona doesn't really react much though, and I frown internally. Cross one more suspect off the list.

I turned to Dawn, hoping to explore a more promising source of information. Before I can ask her exactly why she's acting so oddly, however, Paul and Lucas march onto the field. I snap my mouth shut, looking forward to getting my first glimpse of the two of them in action.

I watched the entire fight, beginning to end... and learn nothing. Not a single goddamned thing that I didn't already know. Their opponents were good but it didn't seem to help them; Paul and Lucas had split up, taking them on one on one. Lucas had danced around his opponent, using quick strikes with the rapier to keep him at bay. Paul hadn't bothered with the theatrics. He'd taken some early blows, waited until his opponent moved in, and then pummeled him. He had then moved over to where Lucas was, quickly and purposefully, and pummeled Lucas' opponent too. I'd thought for a second that their opponents might be dead- Paul had used nothing but his bare fists, and yet they were beaten so badly that death was not inconceivable. They're still twitching though, so Lucas- after publicly remonstrating with an apathetic Paul- gently carried them off of the battle field. All I'd learned were things I'd already guessed- Paul was a bastard and Lucas was a good actor.

The two of them returned to the box but quickly made their excuses, bowing to the princess and exiting.

"Where are they headed?"

Leona snorted. "Officially? Probably back to the compound to do sentry duty and maybe take an inventory. Unofficially? Lucas is getting Paul out of here before he does something stupid."

"I thought you liked Paul."

She twitched uncomfortably. "I don't think he's as bad as everyone says, but he gets... edgy after fighting. It's best to take him somewhere quiet for a while."

I nodded, filing that away for later. It was then that Dawn stood, and I glanced at her.

"We believe it is time for us to depart." Dawn said, making use of the royal pronoun. I shrugged and made to follow her, managing to dodge all the obsequious well-wishers who had surrounded the princess. Grabbing her arm I dragged her out of there.

"Mew." I muttered. "They're worse than gulls."

Dawn didn't answer, instead slipping out of my grasp and walking ahead. I walked faster, pulling even with her.

"You're avoiding me again princess. I thought we'd been through this."

"Leave me alone please." She pleaded.

"What? Why?"

"It's better in the long run."

She accelerated again, practically running down the hall. I ran after her, catching her up just as the two of us reached the holding area.

"Easy!" Complained the official sent to receive us. "There's enough death for the both of you."

I sent him a glare which he ignored. He pushed his glasses up his nose, peering at the clipboard in front of him.

"Ash Ketchum and Dawn Berlitz?" He asked eventually. We nodded.

"Good. Two on two, no pokemon, Ki and weapons allowed. Got it?"

We nodded again and he left. The second the door was shut I laid into Dawn, asking her why she was being so weird. She refused to answer, insisting that we should focus on the battle ahead. I assented wearily, discussing potential strategies with her. We actually had a fairly decent stratagem, which went out the window the second the gate dropped and she ran out, heedless of our plan.

"Damn it princess!" I yelled after her, running to keep up. The rocky desert that held our last fight was gone, replaced with what looked like grassland abutting onto a forest. Throughout the day almost all the fights had taken place in the grass, as the forest was too dense to do much in. It was for there that Dawn was headed, and it was for there that I ran, cursing the situation I had really hoped to not have to deal with a second time. Luckily for me, our opponents this time had apparently also failed to guess that Dawn would pull the same stunt twice, because they had split up and gone after us one on one. The first I knew I was being targeted was when I felt a cold wind at my neck. I dived, avoiding whatever it was that had tried to kill me, and rolled upright, hand on sword. In front of me stood a shaggy looking blonde man, grinning evilly.

"You're still alive! Maybe you'll actually keep me entertained? The other rounds have been so boring."

I ignore him, keeping my sword up and watching for a hint of movement. He swaggers forwards, still smiling.

"But I think that little blue haired tart with you can keep me even better entertained. So be a good boy and die quickly, would you?"

He takes a step forwards, and with a flick of his wrist a violent purple wave of energy is launched towards me, tearing up clods of soil. I dodge sideways, and then rush forwards, drawing the sword. He comes to meet me, attempting to slash at me with the same purple energy. He's slow though- he can't be too used to close quarters combat. I spin past his blow easily, swinging my blade down on his leg. The blow should have landed a nasty cut on his calf, slowing him down and possibly taking him out of the match. Instead his outline goes fuzzy around the edges, and my blade passes straight through him.

"What the-"

Ghost type Ki! Back off now!

I listened to Kaelus, launching myself backwards as the guy swings around to deliver a pulse of energy to where I'd been. His blow hits the ground, but instead of the small explosion I'd expected, the ball of energy merely caused the grass around where it had hit to die instantly. I backed off a little further as the man smirked at me.

"What's your name?" He asked, genuinely curious.

"Ash." I grunted, not taking my eyes off of him. He met my gaze and smiled, as a sudden burst of exhaustion overtook me.

"I'm Morty." He said. "It's been nice knowing you, Ash-"

I wrenched my eyes from his, and then lurched sideways, avoiding yet another strike. Morty looked put out that his plan had failed, but grinned again as he saw how hard it was for me to raise my sword. I was so tired...

"What is this?"

Hypnosis. Focus my host! This technique can't affect you, not if you don't want it to. Muster your mental defenses!

I grunted, forcing myself to focus. Morty's smirk morphed into a frown as I shrugged off the hypnosis, and he gritted his teeth and tried a different method. Suddenly the world began to spin, the crowd's cheers became louder, painfully so-

Steel yourself! Confusion is the same- it can be resisted by a sufficiently strong mind!

Slowly the noise of the crowd recedes, and the world began to stabilize. Morty backed away, unsure of what to do now that his favourite tricks had failed. I staggered forwards, still somewhat disoriented. Taking advantage of this, Morty gathered his Ki and rushed me again. I block the strike, reel sideways, and punch him as hard as I can, pumping electric aura into his side. Again he goes intransigent, but it doesn't work quite as well this time- his ghostly form may be great at shrugging off physical blows, but aura at least seems to damage it. Still, it's like punching smoke- I hit him, but he just rolls with the blow and escapes.

"Damn it! I need a better grip on him."

Impossible. He's a ghost user, you're an electric user. Just keep hitting him until he's too tired to fade out.

I might have just tried that, if it hadn't been for Dawn.

Unbeknownst to me, the fight with Morty had taken me slowly towards the princess. I heard her scream but ignored it, figuring that it was just an expletive launched at her opponent. It wasn't until the crowd rose and began yelling in excitement that I risked taking my eyes off Morty to sneak a glance.

Dawn was down.

She lay on the ground, clutching one of her legs- I could see the blood from here. Her opponent, a massive, armoured figure, stands over her, drawing back his sword. I couldn't be sure that it was a killing blow as my vantage point was not the best, but it sure as hell looked like one from here. I needed to get over there and I needed to do it fast, the only problem being there wasn't a chance in hell I could make it.

Oh, that and Morty had taken advantage of the distraction to rush me.

Move!

"No, I need him. Wanna see a trick, Kaelus?"

I may not be the brightest Ampharos in the lighthouse, but even I knew my basic typings. Dark beats ghost.

"Come on Darkrai, don't fail me now."

Kaelus couldn't help me with this. In fact he'd never even mentioned the lesson I'd received from the legendary, and I was almost certain he didn't know about it. That meant I was on my own as I began to focus...

"Okay, reflection of a universal opposite that... something something something, fabric of reality... fuck it, let's just hit him!"

A dark miasma sprung up around my fingers, covering my hands. I'm moderately surprised by how easy it was to call up- when I first used electric aura it felt like my arm was on fire, but Dark aura is almost soothing somehow. Instead of the hateful depression I was expecting it to cause in me I just feel slightly wistful, as if the aura were like an old friend I'd forgotten about.

Morty- and Kaelus, for that matter- are shocked as I deflect the blow aimed at me with Dark aura. Morty tries to escape again but I get behind him, grabbing him by the mullet. He attempts to fade but I pump darkness into him, freezing him and forcing him to stay solid.

Gripping the mullet I turn in Dawn's direction. Her opponent has begun the strike, and I have no time to get there.

Time for plan B.

Kaelus was a realist. It was something of a necessity when almost no one believed you existed.

He simply could not afford to waste time claiming that things were impossible, unlikely or unfair. What happened happened, and it did no good to complain about it. One simply had to deal as best one could with the current reality rather than sitting around gaping at the unfairness of it all. He had long ago come to the conclusion that who dares wins, and if one could dare faster and better than ones fellows then that was just the way it went.

Even so, the boy had managed to throw him for a loop.

It was impossible! For months, Kaelus had tiptoed around Dark aura- leading the boy on and then carefully edging him back, ensuring that he never did more than he could take. It was, of course, a tantalizing substance- the boy could never use his true strength without it- but it was dangerous for humans. The mental effects of Dark Aura tended to be disastrous in the long term, and even Dark Ki users had to be careful. They were normally trained for years on end to handle the stuff carefully- Ki and Aura were always dangerous, but the darkness had a will of its own. It had driven better men than Ash mad, and yet the boy- seemingly of his own accord- had called to it. And it answered! The aura had come to Ash like a dog to its master.

Enervating.

Strength was strength, and Kaelus liked strength. It would help keep Ash alive. But Ash was his. His! He should be the one to grant and remove power from the boy as he willed. He had shaped Ash from birth, he had made sure the boy had grown up the proper way, with steel in his nerves and spite in his heart. And then Riley had come along to open the world of aura to the boy. That was bad enough, but now this?

Kaelus forced himself to relax. Control, that was the key- he still had control of Ash, and he would have to maintain it. The boy was growing, and if Kaelus played his cards wrongly then Ash might just grow to the point where he felt he no longer needed Kaelus. That would be disastrous, and could not- would not- be allowed to happen. The boy was his.

His. Forever and always.

Kaelus relaxed, as outside the boy grabbed his enemy by the hair and turned to face Hikari. He always enjoyed it when Ash's anger and spontaneity got the better of him, and he grinned.

I love plan B.

Dawn was not having a good day.

Lucas had made it very clear this morning exactly what he would do if she tipped Ash off in any way with regards to the planned attack. Dawn had listened to it all in a stupor, nodding vaguely in the correct spots. She hadn't really been afraid of Lucas' threats of pain- considering how dirty she felt, she wondered if she deserved the hurt he promised to visit on her person- but she knew what would happen to Ash if she told, and that was enough for her to hold her tongue. He was such a strange boy- so angry and so calm, so pure and so jaded. On the surface he was nothing more than what she'd labelled him as: a belligerent, incompetent Kanto nobody. Underneath he was so complicated it confused her, and so honorable it frightened her. He would never, ever condone her current course of action, but it would keep him alive for just a little longer. For that it was worth it.

Then there had been this fight. It was bad enough that she had to lie to Ash, being forced to be close to him while doing it was unpleasant. She'd brushed him off as coldly as she could, but the boy was like a Growlithe with a stick- he refused to let anything drop. He'd realized something was amiss, and kept badgering her until she'd nearly let it slip. Then the gate had dropped and the fight was on, and she thought she was saved.

She'd been wrong.

Her opponent the knight had not been fazed in the slightest by her Ki. He had merely taken her attacks, waited until she was tired, and slashed her leg, making it impossible for her to run. Dawn had dropped to the ground and tried to scramble away, but the knight had caught her by the leg and flipped her over, halting her retreat.

The knight placed a foot on either side of Dawn's chest, looking downwards. She made an attempt to draw back, but a heavily armoured foot was placed on her chest, pinning her. The knight looked at her once, meeting her fearful gaze with the glare of his impassive metal helm, and then brought the sword down. Dawn flinched, waiting to die-

And that was when an enormous ripping noise sounded through the stadium. Morty, half bald and screaming, cannoned into his armoured partner, knocking both of them over. Dawn lay there stunned, and then turned her head in time to see her saviour running to her aid.

It was an angel, it must have been. The figure ran like the wind itself, propelled by a trail of shimmering gold...

I ran like hell itself was on my trail, letting the handful of Morty's mullet fall from my fingers as I went. He had proven to be a pretty good flail- a little heavy, maybe, but he'd served his purpose. I had to be fast though, the armoured guy had a hell of a lot of stamina. He was already getting back on his feet, and he lunged for Dawn. I dived on top of the princess, grabbing her shoulders and rolling us both away. The guy in the armour tried to correct his stab but overbalanced, lodging his sword in the soil. I might have tried to take advantage of that, but Morty was already getting up and I had no idea how bad Dawn's wound was. Standing up and grabbing the princess I dashed into the woods, hoping that the thick underbrush would prevent the other two from finding us immediately. As soon as I could be sure that pursuit was not immediately forthcoming, I set Dawn down at the base of a tree and began to tend to the slash on her leg. I was trying to be gentle, but the pain must have jarred her out of her fugue.

"It's fine." She snapped, an obvious lie. The blood had began to soak through her tights, staining them down to the ankle. The wound would not be immediately fatal, but the blood loss could be a serious problem if left untreated. I sighed and began tearing up my shirt. It wasn't actually mine- I'd run out, it was one of Gary's- but the wound on her leg is bad enough to warrant it. Applying a pad of cloth to the cut, I take a long strip of fabric and secure it to her leg. Satisfied that she isn't going to pass out on me, I begin cursing her up down and sideways.

"Do you even understand what teamwork is?"

"...sorry." She mumbled, looking away.

"Bah. Fine. Let's just get out of this mess. Any ideas?"

"Well, I don't think that that knight will be able to swing his sword in here. Why not just wait until the guy you were fighting comes in alone? He seemed impatient."

"Morty? He is, but he'll likely just come in for reconnaissance. He's afraid of me now; he knows to stay away from me. He won't attack while I'm here."

"Then it's an impasse."

"Yes and no. That bandage will help, but it won't undo the blood loss. You'll pass out eventually... and then it'll be two on one."

Dawn bites her lip, thinking. A light comes into her eyes then, one that's both familiar and frightening- she's got that look that May gets when she thinks she's being devious.

"I have a plan." Dawn announces, more confident than I've ever seen her. I groan slightly, and she glares at me.

"No need to worry!"

I groan louder.

Morty ghosted through the woods, cursing softly. He had run after Ash and the girl as soon as he was able, swearing revenge, but he'd lost the two of them. While that was annoying, it had provided him with some much a much needed cooling off period and he'd soon realized that if he'd been unable to take Ash on alone the odds of defeating him and his partner together were not high. Still, his aching scalp and bruised ego demanded vengeance, and so he refused to give up searching until he at least found them. After that he could try and flush them into the open, where his partner awaited.

It was as he was enumerating the ways in which he'd make Ash pay after the knight had crippled him when he heard the scream.

"Fuck you Ketchum!" came the high pitched yelling. Morty grinned. That was a girl's voice- it must be Ash's partner, and from the sound of things there was trouble in paradise.

Morty glided towards the scream noiselessly. It would have been hard to see his faint, insubstantial form in the daylight; in the darkness of the woods it was nearly impossible. He could not go truly invisible, but his ghost-type Ki allowed him to fade so far out of the visual range that the girl would never see him coming.

Coming to a clearing, Morty hesitated at its edge. Peering in, he got a decent look at Dawn for the first time, and began to grin. It was true she was young, but from what he could see of her figure such a detail was irrelevant. She lay on the ground, curled into a ball and sobbing in huge, gasping wails. Her leg really did look terrible- the blood had began to clot now, but the wound had done its damage. She obviously wasn't in any shape to be going anywhere.

"Fuck you!" She screamed again, her head buried in her hands. "Get back here you bastard!"

Morty nodded in delighted understanding. The boy- Ash- must have abandoned his partner, figuring she was too far gone to be of any use. It made sense, and was the decision Morty himself would have made in the same situation, but it did leave Dawn a little high and dry. In one way Ash's choice was annoying- it would take forever to hunt the boy down- but Morty was not one to look a gift princess in the mouth.

He stepped into the clearing, making sure to keep behind the princess. When no surprises were forthcoming, he came up from behind her and crashed down into her back, pinning her to the forest floor. Dawn yelped, surprised, and began to struggle. Morty, feeling her Ki gather, placed a foot on her leg, directly on top of her wound. Dawn hissed in pain and let her Ki flow away, unable to keep the proper concentration to maintain it.

Smiling in glee, Morty flipped her over. She was young and feisty, but unable to fight back- his favourite combination. One look into his eyes and he'd have her hypnotised- a willing slave to his desires. Well, maybe not so willing. It was always more fun when they fought back.

Looking at Dawn's face, Morty realised two things. The first was that he could not hypnotise her, not with her toque pulled over her eyes. The second was that the two of them were not alone. This revelation came far too late, as by the time Morty realized the danger he was in, Dawn had grabbed his arms.

"Too late, baldy." She laughed. Morty was attempting to fade from her grasp when Ash hit him from the tree branch above.

"Any pain?" I asked, retying the bandage around Dawn's leg. We'd taken it off to further the pretense that I'd abandoned her, and I was concerned that the brief exposure might have furthered her wound. She shook her head.

"It's fine, really. We need to work out what to do against the other one."

"Hmm... you said your attacks had no effect?"

"None that I could see. The armour just turned everything away."

"I'd like to see it turn away a few thousand volts. I'll just bake the guy in his own armour- end of problem."

She shook her head. "I doubt a professional set of battle armour would have such a weakness, Ash. Either it's shock resistant or it'll have some method of grounding itself. Either way, you'd have to get within sword range to tell."

That, ironically enough, was the one thing I had no fear of doing. Lance tended to have that effect- every danger I'd faced since training with him seemed pale in comparison.

"Don't worry about that, I'll get in close. My only worry is what happens if you're right and it doesn't work. Do you think blunt trauma will still get through? Even armour has to translate some force."

"It's possible, but..." she shrugged, gesturing to herself. "I couldn't really help you with that. I can't move fast enough to get anywhere near that knight anymore, and my Ki had no effect."

"You're wind Ki didn't..." I mused, as something Cynthia said came back to me. "Dawn, you have a Piplup and a Buneary, right?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Does either one of them know Ice Beam?"

"Of course."

"Then that means you can-" she waved me off.

"I know where you're going, Ash. It won't work. Yes I can use the move somewhat, but nowhere near enough to be useful- I'm not an ice user like Candice. Besides, our enemy is wearing actual battle armour- it wouldn't be used if it were easy to freeze."

"I don't need you to freeze it, I just need you to make it cold enough. This time, I'm the one with the plan."

Dawn muttered something and I laughed.

"Relax princess. No need to worry, right?"

The knight simply stood their patiently, the glare from the fluorescent lighting reflecting off his armor. I was, despite myself, impressed. There are few people who can make calm, rational decisions in the heat of a battle, but this one obviously could. Knowing his main weapon would be useless in the thick woods he had let Morty go and simply waited here until whatever happened happened. It took an immense amount of patience and tactical training to be able to stop and relax in a fight, but it was, for him, the best course of action and he had taken it. This was not going to be easy- we were dealing with a veteran.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Dawn hissed in my ear. The two of us were currently laying prone in the middle of a bush at the very edge of the trees, looking out into the clear area of the field.

"No. Are you ready?"

"As much as I'm getting. You do know I'm not an ice specialist, yes?"

"You seem pretty frigid."

"I think I'll choose to ignore that."

"Probably for the best." I murmured, scanning the crowd. They were restless- they couldn't see into the forest, so for them nothing had happened since Dawn and I ran- and I couldn't see my friends among them. That wasn't surprising considering I could only see a fraction of the crowd, but it was a little disappointing. I'd hoped to see a friendly face in the crowd before I put my life in the hands of a girl who'd abandoned me twice now.

"Dawn?"

"Yeah?"

"Just... before I do this, I think you should know something. I know it isn't really the time, but I think I have to say it before it's too late."

Her eyes bulge, and she gapes at me. Getting herself together, she stuttered out: "W-what is i-it?"

I sighed, giving her a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"You are a royal pain in the ass."

Delighting in the look of shock on Dawn's face, I leapt to my feet and rushed at the enemy. That'll ensure that Dawn plays her part- she'll keep me alive, even if it's only so she can kill me herself. Dashing full speed at the knight, I drew my sword. He saw me coming, and drew his own, ready to meet me. The two of us clashed with a mighty ringing of metal, and before I knew it I was engulfed in a full tilt sword duel, complete with the threat of death should I make a single misstep.

It is very difficult to describe exactly what it's like to be in a life or death sword fight. I've heard it likened to a high speed, high stakes game of chess, where each possible move and countermove must be considered in the brief interval between blows. I've always thought of that as a bad comparison- chess does not usually contain the danger of having your intestines ripped out, provided that you're bright enough not to play against Misty. A sword fight is a brutal, fast-paced event where a single mistake can lead to a terminal maiming, but I was surprised at how well this one was going. My training with Lance had been far more frightening and my training with Cynthia had been far more mentally taxing. True, My opponents sword was broader and heavier than my own, but Riley's sword was longer than usual, so despite the difference in makes the knight and I had about the same reach. I'm also unencumbered by armor, meaning his heavy blows hold little fear for me- I can back out of the fight far more swiftly than he can pursue, and I'm not getting nearly as tired as he is. All the same, I'll have to enact the plan soon. His armor has reflected all of my blows, whereas I've already been nicked twice by his sword. Dancing around him won't matter a damn if I can't hurt him.

He thrusts forward and I sidestep, pushing him back as he tries to sweep. The two of us aren't moving around as much as you might think- I've been pressing him, knowing that I have the advantage in close quarters due to his lower mobility- but we have been steadily working our way towards the tree line. That had been my goal all along, although it was damned hard to manipulate something as desperate as a duel in one direction, and it was nearly impossible to do that while making it look like you weren't. Regardless I'd managed it, and I doubt we were more than a few meters from the scrub that marks the beginning of the forest. I'm exhausted, but don't let it show- stamina is a soldier's best friend, and one thing that Lance, Cynthia and Riley had all taught me was how to push my limits. The knight is worse at it, and for the last little while has contented himself with just blocking me rather than attempting the huge, sweeping blows of earlier. The two of us are positioned now so that his back is to the woods and I approach him, causing him to raise his sword higher. I flourish mine, both so that I've got his full attention and so that Dawn knows it's time to begin. The knight, as far as I could tell, seemed puzzled by the flourish, but seeing that I wasn't doing anything with it decided to cautiously advance.

That was when a brilliant blue beam erupted from the woods and hit him square in the back.

Dawn was right, she wasn't as good at ice as Candice was. Where Candice's attacks had consisted of controlled, deadly bursts of frozen, razor sharp hail, Dawn's ice beam was a ragged affair. It was just a blue beam that tore through the air and probably wasted a lot more Ki than necessary, but it served its purpose. The knight remained unfrozen- that armor really was something- but I can see the flecks of frost form on the metal where the air moisture has frozen on it. His armor wasn't immobilized but it was damned cold, and that was all I needed.

Rushing forward and taking full advantage of the distraction Dawn had created, I placed both hands on the knight's chest and unload electrical aura as quickly as I could.

The combination of our attacks did what either one alone could not. Although Dawn had been correct- her ice could not freeze our opponent, and my electricity was simply displaced and grounded- what she had failed to account for is that anything that conducts heats up. The metal of the knight's armor was trying to expand in the front and contract in the back, and, unable to enact both changes at once, exploded. I was showered with metallic fragments- most of which, luckily, were too small to be dangerous- and our opponent was revealed.

I was not the kind of person to take well to prejudice. Admittedly, this was less of an altruistic trait than it was just me being a bastard- I hated everyone, whether they were male or female, black or white, straight, bent or bi. Still, I make mistakes. All humans do. And it occurred to me suddenly as the steam cleared and my enemy was revealed that it had been a mistake to refer to the knight as a 'he' even if it had only been to give hi- her a convenient label while we fought. Several thoughts flickered through my mind then, among them the ideas that knights could be female too, and that it was very difficult to tell someone's gender under a full suit of armor. That was not my primary concern, however. No, the thing that had me most upset was that I'd used a flat hand grab on my enemy's chest in order to maximize the contact surface of my electricity, and it turns out that he- sorry, she- was a member of the gender for whom the term 'breastplate' was one hundred percent accurate.

The two of us froze, each locked into our position by embarrassment and horror. The crowd whooped, and I decided that although I had no way to diffuse the situation, breaking the awkwardness would be better than doing nothing at all.

"Uh..." I said, wracking my brains for something to say. Unfortunately, the only experience I had with this sort of thing was second hand, related to me through Gary. I decided to just go for it.

"Knock-knock?"

The girl, an attractive brunette, screamed something incoherent at me and tried to slap me. That proved to be a mistake, as she overbalanced, tripped on the wrecked remnants of her armor, and fell over, knocking herself out against the ground. I just stood there, hands in the same open position, wondering whether it would be better to run away or just wait until the Misty and May killed me. Dawn, who was in a slightly more rational frame of mind, informed the ref that we'd beaten the shit out of Morty in the woods and were now the winners. He confirmed this, and declared us such. Dawn, realizing the state I was in, approached me.

"Who's there?" I asked weakly, still several seconds behind everyone else. Dawn grabbed my arms and lowered them to my sides gently, and led me back into the stands. There an ebullient Gary and an extremely amused Zoey waited to greet me.

"Brother!" Gary yelled, clapping me on the back. "That was beautiful! A perfect double handed foregrope- I couldn't have done it better myself!"

I shook off his arm and grabbed him by his collar.

"Listen!" I hissed directly into his face. "I need a boat ticket, a tranquilizer gun and an alibi! Move now and I might live!"

Gary laughed it off like it was nothing. "Oh don't worry about Misty and May, they aren't here."

"Huh?"

"They went to drop the things they bought off at the hotel before watching your match, but they must have gotten distracted- they missed the whole thing. Lucky for you, huh?"

"Where are they now?" I asked, a little more harshly than I'd intended. Gary stares at me.

"Still at the hotel, I'd assume." He said slowly. "Why?"

I didn't answer, I just walked off in the direction of the exit. I felt someone grab me- Dawn I think- but I shrugged her off without turning. Gary called an inquiry after me, but I didn't respond. By the time I hit the stadium's front doors I was running. Kaelus picked up on my rising panic, confused.

My host? What is wrong?

"They didn't come."

So? Perhaps they were distracted. Or maybe they watched it on the television in their rooms. Nothing to worry about.

I shook my head and picked up speed. Kaelus didn't understand, nobody understood. They had missed my match- had missed an event that could have killed me. They wouldn't do that willingly, just as I would never be away when one of them was in danger.

"Not if I knew about it, at any rate." Came a grim thought. I picked up speed again, something I hadn't thought possible. By the time I hit the hotel I'm going so fast that instead of opening the door I just kick it. This maneuver is an excellent way to bounce off a door and look like an idiot, but desperation is a powerful tool and the portal slams inwards, permitting me entrance. I forgo the elevator, instead leaping up stairs three at a time. I'm amazed that I still had any oxygen left in my blood by the time I get to my floor, but I don't even hesitate- I just kept running.

The door to Misty's room was ajar.

Sprinting down the hallway I reached her door, and for the first time, paused. That was not due to fear or exhaustion, but merely to shock- I could smell the blood from here.

The human body is a truly incredible thing. I had fought a hard battle, run all the way to the hotel, and then practically flown up the steps. In any other situation I would have fallen over, half-dead from exhaustion. But as tired as I was, the second the scent of blood emanating from my girlfriend's room hit me, every muscle, tendon and ligament in my body went nuts. Adrenaline crashed through my system and I blew her door open, sending it smashing into the room. I dashed in, terrified for my girls.

I had been having bad dreams ever since I came to this island- hell, ever since I heard about this damned tournament. They were nothing though, not compared to what I saw in that room.

This time the nightmare had become real.

As I said earlier, May and Ash's relationship will need to be clarified soon. I hope to get this done in the next update.

The knight in armour was Kidd Summers. I'm aware that it isn't that clear.

Oh, and the more mathematically minded of you will notice the discrepancy between the number of contestants now and the numbers given in chapter twelve. This is why one should never give out numbers until one knows where their story is going.

Again, be cautious when making assumptions about Ash's origins, Kaelus, the Grey ones and Lucas. Please remember that I only have one font to work with, so characters that talk the same way may do so accidently (Darkrai has a different font in my original, but it doesn't carry to FFN). I think this site can handle multiple fonts, but I don't know which ones.

I would also like to point out that this update was nearly forty thousand words long, and that my life was crazy through all of it. I will be utterly shocked if there aren't any plot holes, but no worries- undoubtedly some keen-eyed reader will point them out, and I can plug them with the lovely duct-tape that is ret-conning.