The group relaxed after the tour and went to check out the place on their own in different directions. The girls went towards the market area hoping to get some items, clothes, band aids and souvenirs. Brock and Sorrel agreed to give a lecture on first aid for situations with the first aid kit and without. Gou, Max and Ash went to the battle ground to watch some of the battles and some of the students approached them and challenged Max to a battle. Charmender who had been beside Max tugged his pants wanting to battle, she felt better then ever before.
Max, "Alright Charmender but just one battle okay. You are still recovering."
Charmender grinned, "Char!"
Ash, "Mind if I referee?"
The red head boy who had challenged Max stuttered, "Ah.. Um... I.. I would.. like that, Sir."
Ash smiled, "Calm down! Take a deep breath, come on.... That's it. Calm down and Raon was it?"
Raon, "Yes that's me!"
Ash, "Remember to have fun."
Raon blinked before he smiled, his cheeks turning pink, "Yes, I will."
The battle was between Raon's Litten and Max's Charmender. Ash looked at Raon and wondered if he was from Alola, he certainly had the looks. His parents were most probably transferred to Jhoto, he decided. He remembers reading a fact which said families in Alola were more protective of their children and were the ones to support increasing the age limit. The match had ended up with Charmender winning but becoming completely exhausted from the battle. Max congratulated her on winning and told her to get rest only for Charmender to try to get up to battle again.
Ash, 'Ah! Memories!'
Lucario, 'Remember our Charizard as a Charmender?'
Gou, "She's quiet spunky, ain't she?"
Ash, "Yes, she is. It's up to Max to correct her though."
Max was trying to stop her, "Charmender you need to rest."
Charmender protested, "Char charmender."
Ralts, -You don't need to prove anything. We know you are awesome.-
Charmender, "Char?"
Max, "Really! And remember what I said before? We battle for fun."
Charmender muttered under her breath but acquised to her team's demands. She sat down next to Max not wishing to miss out the rest of the battles. The rest of the battles was a mixed result of winning some and loosing some. Charmender was half expecting Max to scold them for loosing but Max didn't scold them at all. Instead he made sure they were okay and encouraged them to do better next time. Charmender looked at Max and followed him to the Pokemon center where Max made sure she and the others were alright.
Breloom nudged her, "Loom?"
Charmender, "Char!"
Ralts, -Relax will ya? Max is nothing like Cross. Cross is a bastard. Max is a sweet kid and our family.-
Charmender was quiet then nodded, "Char charmender."
Mareep, "Marrrr marrrreeeeep."
Beedrill, "Bzzz bzzz."
That night Ash sent the paperwork for his fifth book in the Hogwarts Chronicles to Professor Oak via Alakazam service. Red and Blue who had returned to Pallet town for a weekend break were very ecstatic to read it. Blue had mumbled about big brother privliges that Ash pretended not to hear. He didn't mind if they read it first, especially since he knew they would never leak his identity. Mewtwo and his clone, who he claimed as his younger brother were very fascinated by the politics and had a discussion between themselves.
Red wisely made himself scarce when they started talking about how much paperwork the leader of the place would have to do in order to keep things in check. That stuff was Red's own personal nightmare, he hated paperwork like it was the plague. Ash gave a chuckle when Mewtwo, his Mewtwo, had contacted him about it amused by what Red considered a nightmare. The next day they thanked Korone for letting them relax and the blond smiled and told them they could visit anytime they want.
They resumed their travel and spent their time training, camping and having fun. Hiking through the mountain with friends and Pokemon is fun. Gou enjoyed taking notes on the wild Pokemon while Ash enjoyed taking photos of them enjoying the gifts of Nature around them. Max and Charmender's smile when they saw a group of Butterfrees fly off in the late evening light. The next morning was a misty one when they woke up and while they were training they had a visitor.
Lucario, - ..... Lord Suicune.-
Suicune stared at them, -Interesting.-
Ash, ".... Do you need anything... um... "
Suicune sniffed Ash, -You smell like the Ocean Lords and.... Has my brother been causing you trouble? You smell like Entei for some reason.-
Ash muttered as he felt Suicune sniff his neck, "We met a look a like back in Greenfield. But I am pretty sure he is different, as he was darker in colour."
Suicune nuzzled him, -I see, that must have been scary. Don't worry as long as you don't destroy this place you are safe.-
Pikachu, "Pikapi... "
Abra, -We are only walking through.-
Ash, "Yes, we don't want trouble."
Suicune, -Good enough.-
Verity was coming in search for Ash, "Ash... Ah! That's Suicune. Hey! What are you doing to my friend?????"
Suicune gave a tch and used heavy mist to cover them and escape from the area, -We will see each other soon. I have a gift for you till then.-
Verity rushed to check on Ash, "Are you okay? That Legendary didn't try to kidnap you again did they?"
Ash, "Calm down, Verity. He was just curious about us that's it."
Verity, "How am I supposed to calm down after that? That's how they start!!!"
Casey, "What's taking you so long? Eh? What's wrong?"
Gou, "Yeah, you are taking forever."
Verity, "Suicune was here and sniffing Ash."
Ash, " ... Why did you have to make that sound so weird?"
Gou was quiet before he approached Ash and started dragging him to the camp, "You are not going to train alone again."
Lucario, -You know what I can't blame him for that reaction.-
Ash, "Calm down, Gou, calm down. It's okay, I promise. I'm okay. We are okay."
Max, Brock and Sorrel were surprised on seeing Ash being dragged by Gou while Casey and Verity followed them quietly. Ash was trying to calm Gou down as they sat together at the camp table. Gou was furious though, it was bad enough what happened just a few weeks ago and now they were targeting his friend again. Ash decided to just let Gou calm down at his own pace, it was obvious he was not going to calm down easily. Lucario had been very quiet and simmering in his own anger as well but didn't stop Gou from tugging Ash away.
Ash, "Here, Gou, drink."
Gou scowled as he accepted the tea, "Thanks."
Ash, "I understand you are angry but don't let anger control you."
Gou grouched, "I think I have a right to be furious. I don't want to see you getting kidnapped a second time. Once was enough for me thank you."
Ash's eyes softened, "I'll be safe this time. I promise Gou. Last time I was caught unawares."
Brock, "You better be. Doctor or not if you get kidnapped again some is getting beaten up."
Ash was taken aback, 'Holy Mew! Big brother Brock is making another appearance.'
Lucario sat beside Ash, -I agree with Brock Meema.-
Ash, "How about we get into our alternate personas then. At least till we leave the mountain range."
Casey, "I'm not sure it'll help against the Legendaries but I suppose it's better than nothing."
Verity, "Plus we should stick together."
Max nodded, "I agree."
Sorrel, "Till we leave the mountain range, since the Legendary citings seem to be concentrated around this area."
Ash felt exhausted all of a sudden, "Yeah, we can do that."
Abra, -You okay Meema?-
Ash, "I'm fine baby, just annoyed by everything that is happening. Something big will happen and I don't know if it will be dangerous or not."
Gou apologized for freaking out after breakfast and Ash mentioned it was actually understandable as no one wants to see their loved ones kidnapped. Gou smiled at Ash and stuck close to him as they traveled upwards to the top of Mt Raizen. It started to rain half way and they hurried to find shelter from the lightning storm. Ash felt the storm was a strange one as they waited it out inside the cave they had found. As they were relaxing they all froze when Entei appeared at the entrance with a few Pokemon.
Lucario stood infornt of Ash, -Hello Lord Entei.-
Entei eyed the aura Pokemon then Ash, -So you are the one my brother told me about.-
Ash, "Hello Lord Entei. Suicune gossips?"
Entei was amused, -I suppose he does, how curious though. I didn't realize there was another Entei in Jhoto. I don't recognize them.-
Brock, "That Entei was created by the Unown. It was not exactly an Entei I think?"
Entei, -Ah... Them... They are creating trouble again I see.-
Gou was staring at him catiously, "Is there a reason you are here?"
Entei, -Curiosity mostly and I was bored so I was challenging a few human trainers.-
Ash felt like the Legendary was not lying and relaxed as they waited for the rainstorm to stop. Half way through they had fallen asleep and Entei rumbled watching him while checking his aura using his own. He was a little surprised to feel the oldest member having an almost active aura. Almost active, not actually active, hmm watching them would be interesting indeed. Entei hummed as the rain gave way to early evening light, when Ash woke up from his nap, Entei had already left.
Ash felt something in his palm, 'What's this?'
Lucario scowled seeing the crystal, -That is a volcanic stone.-
Ash, "Huh... It's pretty. I have an idea, the river pearl Suicune gave me. I can put these two together and connect it to Ho Oh's feather to make a neck piece."
Pikachu, "Pika pika pikachu."
Lucario, -Pikachu has a point. What if they think you accepted them?-
Ash, "I don't think they will. I mean I made a similar one with Lugia, Moltress, Zapdos and Articuno's feathers. They didn't seem to mind."
Lucario, 'That's because they were smug about it.'
Abra, -I want to help Meema.-
Eevee, "Vui."
Absol was still asleep, "Sol sol sol."
The others woke up after Ash put his small project away and they looked around. The evening scenery was very beautiful with the orange and red sunset colouring the forest in warm colours. It was a very peaceful evening and they decided to camp there for the night and leave early morning. Ash noticed none of his friends talked about Entei though Verity seems to be writing in her own diary. As they were sleeping Raikou visited them, she didn't want to be behind her siblings and left a topaz stone next to Ash's tent.
Verity, "Ash, where did you get that?"
Ash, "It was Pikachu who found it. I'm not sure which stone it is though."
Casey, "It shines in a variety of yellow, so probably belongs to the Topaz group."
Brock, "We can figure it out in the next town."
Gou, "We should go for now."
Sorrel was looking around, "Yeah, there are more trainers coming this way too."
Max frowned, "Is there something going on?"
Ash took out a pamphlet, "I think they are here for the annual rainbow festival."
Brock relaxed, "Oh I heard about that festival. It is very popular. But there are many Rangers around too to make sure no fighting takes place."
Verity, "I have an idea. We have been way too tense lately. So let's go enjoy the festival."
Casey, "Great idea."
Ash, 'Hmm.... I hope nothing crazy happens.'
As they followed a very well used path to the area where the festival was going to take place they overheard a few gossip. Some of the trainers were talking about seeing Entei, others were claiming to have seen Raikou and some were saying they saw Suicune. The group looked at each other before sighing and walking while talking about other things except the Legendary Pokemon. They had dealt with them enough to last them the whole year thank you. And none of them wanted to give any poachers the idea they knew where the Legendaries were. Yeah! Let's avoid that.
[A. N.: Next chapter will be the last one for this movie.
Hope you all are taking care of yourselves.
Stay healthy! Stay safe!
I love my darling readers.]