Ash, "Would it be alright if the rest of our Pokemon join us?"
Tyson, "Of course, the more the merrier."
Ash smiled, "Come out everyone. Join the party."
Noctowl looked around and flew to perch next to Tyrantrum, her shiny colouring and size catching attention of a few. Bayleef, Croconaw and Quilava caught the attention of some of the younger ones who were envious of the fact Ash had all three starters. Ash snarked on noticing the looks of envy pointing out how he would not have any of the starters if their trainers had not been assholes. That caused many to question him on how he met the three starters and Ash gave a quick run down of the incident.
Kayeta, a bright red haired girl with brown eyes demanded, "I want their names. Their names and faces, if I ever run into them."
Ash saw the other teens agree with her, "Well, I do have their names but I don't know what they look like."
Reishi her twin with raven hair spoke, "It's fine. Just give the name we will find them."
Ash eyed them, "Alright, but only if you promise not to get into legal trouble. Meaning you don't get caught."
The teens grinned at him and agreed before Ash gave them the names he managed to find out though he could not get their photos unfortunately. Brock shook his head at the chaos his young friend was creating while Max and Casey were making plans on how to deal with them, Gou was laughing at the whole thing. The three Pokemon in question snorted and half wondered if they would fulfill their request for their petty revenge against their ex trainers. The Elders shook their heads at the kids antics while Tyson took Ash and Brock to meet Lady Kohoko. Kohoko was an old lady with white hair with a regal air around her and a powerful looking Dragonite behind her.
Tyson was grinning, "Grandma look, Aura users."
Kohoko brightened, "Oh my! Oh my! It has been so long since the last one."
Ash bowed in respect, "Hello ma'am. My name is Ash."
Brock bowed as well, "My name is Brock, ma'am."
Kohoko huffed, "Call me grandma, none of that ma'am stuff. I'm too old for such fancy formalities."
Ash couldn't help it and he giggled making Kohoko's eyes twinkle in amusement as she called them to sit with her. Her Dragonite had also visibly relaxed from his protective battle stance as the three young ones joined them at her partner's behest. Brock and Ash had many questions but no idea where to start so Lady Kohoko decided to tell them her story of her meeting Simon for the first time. Brock perked up saying Simon was his guide to becoming a healer through Aura. Kohoko nodded and started her story, she was a young trainer, no older than Ash back then.
Kohoko and Dratini were close to Cianwood town, yes, it was still a town sixty years ago and a very lovely one. She was heading there to get her fourth badge from the Gym Leader when she stumbled upon a group who were trying to force Pokemon into cages. In the beginning, she had frozen but Dratini, thank her quick thinking, pulled her away to hide and observe what was happening. The two of them had hid behind an out crop of a few boulders as they observed the group of four poachers as they loaded the Pokemon. She had been over her head back then as she called her other Pokemon, a Kingdra, an Onix and a Nidoking to attack the poachers.
She managed to free the Pokemon but was badly hurt herself, that was when Sir Simon appeared to help her. He had been passing by on his way to Rota with his Blissey when they came across Kohoko and her hurt Pokemon and helped them. In the beginning, her Pokemon had been very suspicious of him, it also did not help that she had fainted due to poisoning. It took some time but Sir Simon managed to win her Pokemon's trust and heal them all, only leaving after making sure she and her Pokemon were safe.
Kohoko, "After meeting him I researched everything I could about Aura users. To think most of them were killed or hunted by those who wanted to control Pokemon, especially the Pokemon Gods."
Brock, "Let me guess, the Aura Users refused to help them and so they were killed in order to make sure no one else could."
Lucario snarled, -That is disgusting.-
Ash, "People are so greedy for things that do not belong to them."
Kohoko nodded sighing, "Indeed, you would not imagine how many times the Ryuu clan were attacked by people. Simply, because we would not hand over our Dragons or because we refused to help them with their hair brain schemes to take over the world."
Gou who was taking notes winced, "Ooof! That sounds like a pain."
Brock, "I really hope, we don't have to deal with any of those."
Ash, "Misty already has to play the voice of reason between Moltress, Zapdos and Articuno in Shamoutii Islands. Hope she is okay."
Kohoko, "What?"
Lance nodded, "Lorelei was telling me about that. Poor girl being pushed around by three powerful Legendaries. That too not just any Legendary but the Alphas."
Casey shivered, "Good thing she has the other girls to help her out."
Max, "Look on the bright side, she collected all four badges now. So, she will be challenging Drake as well."
Gou, "Oh yeah! Orange Islands have that rule where you cannot challenge a newly appointed Champion for five years at least."
Lance muttered, "I should have added a similar rule to Kanto then your older brothers would not have given me and the rest of the Elites headaches."
Ash, "After five years though Misty and I can decide who will be the main Champion between us. I also have to decide if I should challenge Red or not."
Lance, "You have that right as the winner of the Indigo Conference."
Claire, "You rushed to Jhoto after the Conference didn't you?"
Ash, "After New Years celebration, yeah I did kinda arrive here."
Kohoko cleared her throat, "Child, are you saying there's another Aura User out there?"
Ash nodded, "Yes there is, her name is Misty Waterflower. I had sent her an invite but she has her hands full currently."
Casey, "It does not look like she will be able to leave the Orange Archipelago, especially the Shamoutii Islands any time soon."
Lance, "No, it doesn't, does it? The Alphas are being very stubborn."
Kohoko, "Either way Lance, send her an open invite to the Blackthorn castle and estate. It would be remiss of us not to provide her a safe haven. Heaven only knows what sorts of trouble you youngsters get into."
Tyson eyed Ash, "True, you just arrived here and fought with poachers. That's not just a coincidence."
Ash shrugged, "It's sheer dumb luck."
Kohoko's eyes twinkled in amusement, "Yes, of course it is. Now, would you like to hear about the Dragon rider who fell in love with a beautiful Aura User."
Ash blinked, "Wait there was an aura user who married into the clan?"
Lance, "Yes, why are you so surprised?"
Ash, "Most Aura users do not have children for many reasons. According to what Red learned from Mewtwo who has been talking to Mew. Aura users are born when a Legendary Pokemon blesses a child before birth. There is a reason no one has claimed to be of Sir Aaron's line, because there's no one after him."
Lucario nodded, -It's true, and don't worry, Mewtwo keeps Red safe.-
Lance sighed, "I knew, he was up to something during those unmarked disappearances that he claimed was for privacy and family emergency."
Brock, "He found out a lot. I'll admit I was not expecting it. I just wonder who blessed us though."
Ash, "I'm just happy they are not kidnapping us claiming we are there kids now."
Gou, "Please don't jinx yourselves."
Max, "Yeah."
Casey, "It might just happen."
Brock, "Really Ash?"
Ash, "Sorry."
Lance shook his head, "Pretty sure, if they could they would. But considering how they have been hunted lately, I don't think they will put you in danger."
Brock mused, "Oh yeah! Now that I think about it Mewtwo basically hovered over Ash back at Mt Quena while Suicune was hovering next to me. Entei despite being mind controlled was protective of Ash and not to forget Raikou as well.
Ash, "He personally visited to give me a feather from Hooh. I thought I was imagining things but I guess not."
Gou, "They do seem protective, don't they?"
Meowth did not look happy though, "Nyarth would appreciate it if Nyarth's kits do not get their lives threatened."
Ash, "Of course Meowth. We would never search for trouble intentionally."
Meowth hissed, "No but Gonzalez will search for you."
Lance eyed the talking Meowth, "Say how long have you been talking? And Gonzalez? Who is that?"
Meowth, "For ten years nyarth. My late trainer taught me. Gonzalez is Team Rocket's new leader. He is worst than Giovanni. Giovanni at least admitted he was wrong and made many mistakes."
Claire, "Condolences for your loss."
Meowth, "Dun worry about it. He passed peacefully in his sleep."
Lance had a dark expression, "So they have a new leader. Why am I hearing about this now?"
Ash rubbed his hand, "I don't like to think about him."
Kohoko's eyes went to his arm which he was rubbing, "What did he do child?"
Ash, "Well... "
Gou, "Gonzalez thinks Ash is Giovanni's son."
Max, "And wants to brain wash him."
Casey, "He almost succeeded in kidnapping him at Mt Quena."
Brock, "Luckily we managed to stop him on time but."
Ash, "I'm pretty sure, he has been tracking my movements through the Team Rocket cells we stopped. I'm sure he knew it was me."
Lucario, -He left a message in the last one.-
Ash had an annoyed expression, "Apparently Giovanni also dressed up as different people as a child. I want to hit something because if that's what makes me his kid then Jessie and James would be too. I don't understand his thought process."
Casey, "Or the rest of us."
Max blanched, "I don't need a crazy Dad or Uncle thanks."
Brock, "I don't think you are even related to him."
Ash, "No, we are not, not one bit. Last time, I talked to Silver he mentioned Giovanni had cut off half the family after he started his own branch of Team Rocket. That man is salty and holding a grudge over the fact, his projects were stolen and yet, he was the one who was blamed for it."
Gou, "Your family drama never fails to surprise me."
Lance, "Ash, Brock, I know it has been said before but if you ever need anything and I mean anything just call one of us. The Ryuu clan will always be there to help you."
Ash, "Thank you."
Brock, "We appreciate it."
The rest of dinner and night went by with Ash and the gang sharing stories and more importantly airing out their grievances after they started talking about Team Rocket. It had started with Gonzalez then Ash spoke of his first night as a trainer and how he and Misty had to defend themselves from them. It had made both of them paranoid of any adults they did not personally know after that night and how they had bad dreams of having their Pokemon stolen. They spoke about what happened in Mt Moon and Ash shivered remembering the details of what Celine and Ben went through.
Ash murmured, "I hope Ben and Celine are doing well."
Brock, "Yeah, being tortured like that is just, well."
Gou nudged him, "I'm just glad you survived the awakening. When Misty called saying you had fainted due to overuse of aura, I had feared for the worst."
Max was hugging him, "Me too, I don't even want to think about living in a world where I didn't meet you."
Casey's face was grim, "They are down right bastards. To make it worse they are teamed up with poachers and hunters too."
Lance was listening to the details quietly as Tyson passed him a glass of the Blackthorn whiskey. Most of the younger members had returned to their rooms by now leaving the adults and the five guests. Claire quietly prodded more information from them about the aura drain and in a bid to distract them Kohoko spoke of the time Simon had over used his aura. That started another discussion of Aura usage and how it affects the user before the youngest Pokemon yawned and Kohoko ordered everyone to sleep. They could continue the discussion the next day at breakfast.
[A. N.: A lot of unloading is going to happen here. Yes, it's because their Aura is telling them they are safe.
Take care of yourselves as well, my lovely readers.]