Chereads / Pokemon: Shadow of Time / Chapter 30 - chapter 30

Chapter 30 - chapter 30

New Island - Gathering Hall - 1020 hours local time - Day 100 of Ash Ketchum's Journey

The threat of nuclear annihilation was enough to make even Sabrina pause, Kyoji noted as Mewtwo stared them down.

Guns were useless: if they didn't work on Sabrina - Misty had a tale to tell about that - Mewtwo was just as immune.

"Your end is coming, humans." Mewtwo said, smug as sin itself. "Soon the storm will begin to consume Kanto. Johto will follow, along with Hoenn, Orre and Unova. A clean slate."

Kyoji - who had been pulled out of the crater, and multiple bruises on his body - looked at his watch. "Yeah, sure whatever…" He muttered.

"Why are you acting so nonplussed?" Mewtwo demanded. "Waiting for something?"

"Just for Groudon to come knocking, or the other Legendaries," Kyoji shrugged, "You're about to experience the ultimate smackdown when they get here."

"You place too much faith in the creators."

"And you place too little." The Ranseian countered.

"Since when does Arceus do anything? We have not seen the Creator in over 5000 years." Mewtwo said, amused at the thought. "Dialga and Palkia haven't left their realms in millenia. Giratina is content merely to lord over the dead. Who do you place your faith in?"

"Kyogre's got an ego." Misty said suddenly. "If anyone's going to flood the world, she wants to be it. She'll fight you out of spite. Groudon would end you, period. Yveltal-"

"Do not talk to me of Yveltal, you broken little girl." Mewtwo spat. "Giratina's spawn would kill all of you as well as I: it is the ORIGINAL Shadow Pokemon! I will cleanse this world of the plague once and for all: both of humanity and those tainted by Yveltal!"

Abruptly, the entire island shuddered - as the ocean began to bubble. Hot lava erupted from under the waves - as a new island rapidly began to take form. Kyoji looked… and he grinned.

"All hail…" he muttered, "...the King of Fire and Land."

BGM: "Rebirth" from Godzilla: King of the Monsters

The island erupted, as the newly formed volcano blasted soot and volcanic ash into the air - lava rocketing into the sky and pouring out as new land was formed. The raw heat emerging from it was blisteringly hot - most having to seek cover in what shade could be found. Then… a claw emerged from the lava, grasping upon the rim of the volcano, followed by another. Slowly, but surely, a burning red form emerged from out of the lava - its scales a bright crimson, and scorching red eyes. And as he emerged, a ray of sunlight burned through the storm with heat equally as hot - casting a shadow down upon the entire island.

Everyone was frozen - looking on with awe at the godly sight before them - eclipsing the sun behind him. The form scanned over them, before its eyes fell upon Mewtwo. And then… Groudon let out a loud, mighty, ear-piercing roar - reverberating the very air around them, bringing most others to their knees. "GROUDOOOOOOONN!" 'I HEARD YOU WERE TALKING SHIT MOTHERFUCKER!' roared the demigod, his minor psionic powers translating it for the humans present.

"I do not fear you, Continent Pokémon!" Mewtwo spat. "I am the most powerful Pokemon on this earth! I will crush you as easily as any!"

BGM: "Queen of the Monsters" from Godzilla: King of the Monsters

The storm intensified, Mewtwo losing control of the clouds before a loud, ear-piercing song could be heard. Groudon's gaze looked more pissed than before.

"...aaaand here comes the Queen of Ice and Oceans." Kyoji sighed - as he and Sabrina ducked under a table.

A whirlpool emerged from the ocean - opposite to Groudon. The storms coalesced around it, lightning striking it several times, the waves churning faster and faster. Waterspouts appeared as they circled around the island before water erupted from the whirlpool - and leaping up was none other than the blue-scaled form of Kyogre.

"Kyogre!" 'You will not wipe the lands clean.' chimed a female voice, clearly that of the whale-like legendary. 'My war is with Groudon. There are no others to aid or oppose us!'

Mewtwo charged Shadow Balls in his hands, anger evident on its face, only to hesitate as more lightning struck the tower, a quadrupedal form soon appearing, covered in black and yellow, with a tail tipped with a lightning bolt. The form used Thunder on Mewtwo, who deflected it, only for a Fire Blast to impact him from behind, nearly knocking him on his face.

"Raikou." Misty muttered as she looked at the legendary beast as he jumped to the arena floor. "Entei."

A beam of aurora-colored energy smacked into Mewtwo, coming from the last of the legendary beasts of Ecruteak as she landed on the stands, having run from shore.

Thunder intensified over the oceans once more, in such a way that Iris gasped in terror. "…Not him…" she muttered.

"Who?" Anabel asked, confused. "It's not Raikou doing that?"

"That's ZEKROM!" the dark-skinned girl yelled. "Zekrom hasn't been seen off Twist Mountain's peak for over a thousand years! And anyone trying to catch it… dies."

The heat intensified as something added to it. "…Uh… Does Zekrom have a brother?" Serena asked, nervously looking at the exotic looking girl, her more adventurous self wondering if she was a natural purplette.

"Sister, actually." Iris said. "Reshiram. But she's… gone."

"Apparently not." Sabrina deadpanned from under the table.

"Oh, here comes the Kings of the Wind and Sky," Kyoji casually pointed up - as two Rayquazas descended from the clouds - one a bright green, the other a pitch black.

"Rayquaza?!" Iris, Misty and Serena cried in shock.

"Wait, THERE'S TWO?!" Neesha shouted.

"Yeah, the green one's the one who inhabits the northern hemisphere, the black one is from the southern hemisphere." Kyoji said, "People tend to forget that."

Iris looked at the green one, smiling at it.

"Took a long time for me to catch up." said… her own voice before she looked to the source, finding a younger, shorter version of her looking up at the Sky High Pokemon. "Took long enough."

"…you better be using that Pokedex right now," Kyoji looked at Neesha. "Because this is your best chance to scan all these Legendaries in one place."

Neesha was way ahead of him - as were all the other Trainers with their dexes out, taking pictures of each of these Legendaries as if their lives depended on it.

Considering they were in the presence of the children of the gods and most of them were likely going to die, it fit.

"This doesn't matter," Mewtwo stated. "The age of Arceus is over. MY TIME BEGINS NOW!"

The gathering hall exploded, clones of all their Pokemon emerging from the smoke.

A fin poked up from the floor, a darker shaded yellow land shark emerging from the floor and joining the clones.

"…Gible?" Kyoji tilted his head.

The darker-shaded Gible attempted to look menacing… but it sighed in defeat before happily waving at the others.

"…I knew Gibles can't be evil," Kyoji nodded in assurance.

"Gib!" The Clone Gible tunneled into the Earth, before appearing by Kyoji's side.

"…why is it always the Gibles…?" Mewtwo groaned.

"Gibles are friendly to a fault." came a voice they didn't think they'd hear again as Ash Ketchum came out of the smoke cloud, his Pokemon and all of the ones belonging to the people in attendance behind and beside him. "And that's something that's never going to change."

"Gib!" Kyoji's Pac-Gible leaped up from out of the ground, before looking at its clone. "Gib?"

"GIble!" The Cloned Gible cheered.

"GIBLE!" The two Gibles hugged one another - before CHOMPing on one-another's heads.

"…awwwww…" Neesha muttered, "That's adorable…"

"They're like brothers now…" Kyoji nodded - barely containing his own composure.

"Yeah, and-" Ash looked around - finally noticing the intense heat… and spotting a significant number of Legendaries surrounding New Island - Groudon and Kyogre glaring at one another, the Legendary Beasts standing defensively around the other Trainers, Rayquazas circling the skies, and Zekrom and Reshiram in the skies as well. "…the fuck…?"

"Yeah, things sorta escalated while you were gone!" Kyoji called out, tending to the Clone Gible - which happily CHOMP'ed his own head. At the same time, a darker green Natu popped in next to him, followed by his own Natu. And scattering up next to them were a pair of Galvantula's - one his, the other clone - which began dancing. "…I'm gonna have a cuteness overload here…"

"What the hell…?" Mewtwo muttered, wondering why three of his Clones had gone AWOL so quickly.

"Well, Natu's are believed to be messengers of Arceus, so I can't imagine one going evil," Kyoji said, "And Galvantula… they literally just like to dance,"

"...I am both terrified of the Legendaries, but these guys are keeping me calm and sane right now…" Neecha muttered, huddling with Kyoji's Pokemon.

Mewtwo looked at the demigods surrounding New Island. He could kill them all. It was within his power. It was well within his power.

He looked at Ash, really looked at the young man, as if coming to a realization. They wouldn't be here if he wasn't here. There was something… off about the Crown Prince of Rota. Why would a dozen (or more: he couldn't exactly tell what with keeping up the storm AND preparing to face off against the demigod children of Arceus) legendaries… be… here…

"They're here… because of you," he said. "Arceus didn't need to come here personally. He sent YOU."

Ash wasn't some trainer, blood heir of Rota's crown or not: he was Arceus' Chosen Warrior!

"I wasn't sent here: YOU invited me!" Ash retorted, but Mewtwo wasn't listening. He had finally lost it.

He stopped charging the two Shadow Balls and reached out for Ash with all of his telekinetic might. "Take this message personally, Creator! YOU LOSE!" the Genetic Pokemon cried, flinging him towards the windmill tower, intent on seeing him dead. And at 300 kph, he WOULD die…

…if not for the timely appearance of a pink psychic bubble that drastically slowed his collision as he landed - still hurting - but still very much alive.

"Mew Mew? Mew!" 'Are you okay? Oh I am so sorry, I tried to move as fast as I could!'

Mewtwo looked at the Chosen One's rescuer. She was small, with a pink, cat-like form and an absurdly long tail… like him.

Mew. The so-called New Species Pokemon, mother of all Pokemon species from the humble Bulbasaur to the exotic creatures known as Ultra Beasts.

His DIRECT progenitor.

The first thing to come to Ash's mind when he saw Mew again was 'Damn it, why the pink cat?'

EVERY TIME he ran into a Mew, he DIED.

"I'm fine," Ash said, ducking as a Shadow Ball whizzed past his head.

"YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE, CHOSEN!" Mewtwo roared as he formed more Shadow Balls. "YOU WILL DIE!"

"Mew…" 'Someone's taking this personally.' the cat quipped, locking onto Ash and Teleporting him just as the Genetic Pokemon threw the balls.

"Mew." 'For what it is worth, Celebi has told me what happened. On behalf of our kind, I apologize.' Mew said before joining her children in the fight against Mewtwo.

The battle kicked off - as Mewtwo's clone army attacked their originals and the Legendaries, clashing with one another in a violent clash of titans as Gyardoses but one another, Kyoji's Charizard dueled with her own Clone in the skies (Ash's was taking a break, shouting helpful advice to her), it was just pure pandemonium… and meanwhile on the sidelines, another battle was being fought between Kyoji's Galvantula and his clone counterpart… by the way of a dance-off.

Hey, they were still fighting - it simply wasn't a violent battle.

Only one Pokemon wasn't involved in the brawl. Pikachu.

He refused to indulge his bloodlust. His Shadow nature was SCREAMING at him to take the fight to them, but he would not join the battle.

"Pi." 'So… you're me,' said another Pikachu that approached him. He bore none of his Shadow taint.

Lucky him.

"Pika." 'I am not fighting you,' Pikachu said to his clone, who scoffed, turning his tail to steel

"Pika." 'You presume I'm going to give you a CHOICE,' Pikachutwo spat at his progenitor.

Pikachu narrowed his eyes. "Pika." 'You do not want this battle, kid,' he said. "Chu-Chu." 'You do not. I'm a Shadow Pokemon. I'm not joining this brawl to the death because if I do… I WILL kill. And my brother is in no danger. Not this time.'

Mewtwo barely deflected a Thunder from Raikou, leaving him open to an Eruption from Entei, right before an Aurora Beam slammed into his back from Suicune.

"You serve an unworthy god!" Mewtwo roared, only to scream as a Fusion Bolt cracked into his side, making him cry out. Zekrom, the black giant of a dragon, partially emerged from the clouds glaring down at the clone.

"You dwell under delusion. There is no idealism in you," psionically 'said' the Deep Black Pokemon. "You will trouble us no longer."

"There is no truth in your beliefs," invoked his sister as a Blue Flare impacted a Protect field. In response, Mewtwo channeled fairy-type energy in his hands and fired a pair of Moonblasts at the Tao Duo.

"Shut the fuck up about your FEELINGS!" Mewtwo snapped before the earth erupted under him, forming sword-like shards of rock.

"YOU shut the fuck up!" Groudon countered as the Precipice Blades impacted the Genetic Pokemon's psychic shield.

Mewtwo roared, spewing ice at Groudon, making the master of land roar in pain. His victory was short-lived, struck in the side by an Origin Pulse. Kyogre apparently didn't like anyone attempting to kill-steal.

"He is MINE!" she cried, another Origin Pulse firing from her maw into Mewtwo's back, the Genetic Pokemon getting VERY annoyed at the second shot. "Do you hear me, you abomination?! MINE!"

Mewtwo snarled, only to realize what they were doing.

"You will not stop me! HE WILL DIE!" Mewtwo screamed as he looked for Ash - and spotted the young Chosen One running across the battlefield. "YOU!"

"Oh shit." Ash muttered, as he was frozen in place by MewTwo's psychic powers.

"DIE CHOSEN OF ARCEUS!" And with a mighty push, he flung Ash away with as much Psionic force he could muster.

Ash resigned himself to his fate. Mew was too busy with whatever her plan was, Suicune was blasting Mewtwo… in short, he was dead.

But he could take comfort in one fact: Pikachu would get it done. Cyrus wouldn't kill the universe a second time because Pikachu would end him.

He opened his eyes, ready to meet death face to face. He would not turn away.

Then he stopped, going forward and upward again.

"Huh?" he asked, confused before seeing… red. And marigold. He was in the talons of a giant bird.

"You are banished from death, child, so long as I draw breath," said a woman's voice, making him look at what was carrying him upward.

It was Ho-Oh.

"…I face death with dignity and this happens." Ash muttered. He may have not been truly suicidal, but he was willing to die for a good cause.

"One of my kind caused you pain," Ho-Oh said, closing her eyes, raising her head and pointing her beak towards New Island. "I and all of us owe you, Chosen One."

Ash looked at Ho-Oh… and it clicked. Seeing that form, that familiar form again… the memories… all of them, of his life and… his father. His real Father. It all just… came back all at once.

And after 8 years, his traumatized mind finally forced him to scream.

Mew sighed. Shadow Pokemon sucked. Giratina screws up ONCE and gives an organization access to a corrupting agent that makes them powerful and insane. No wonder it hid in the Distortion Realm so much: shame was a powerful motivator.

She looked at the returning Ho-Oh, Ash Ketchum safely in her talons. Celebi didn't do a good job piecing his two minds together. She was a time traveller, not an expert in mental reconstruction. At this rate, it would take Arceus itself to put his mind back together properly.

But Arceus did not have time and Ash's incredible will was keeping him together well enough. Enough to use what was locked deep in his mind against Mewtwo.

When he and Celebi came back from that dead timeline, Ash saw the Distortion Realm as only Giratina and Arceus could see it. Mew was amazed he was still alive, let alone sane.

She went there once. Giratina panicked and put up a distortion bubble to save her from the insanity of the realm of the dead.

Well, no time to be gentle. They may have been Arceus' demigod children, but Mewtwo outpowered them all, if only barely. They needed a solution and fast.

Kyoji and the trainers watched in horror as Ash was sent flying away, only to gasp in awe at the sight of Ho-Oh as the legendary bird circled around, and put Ash back down. The storm finally began to part ways, giving birth to a new sunrise in the distance with the arrival of the Rainbow Pokemon.

"Ho-Oh… huh…" Kyoji muttered from his place next to Sabrina. "Ya know… I remember there being a legend that, if you see Ho-Oh, you should make a Wish, because it would come true…"

"I heard that too…" Sabrina nodded, "…what do you wish for?"

"For Ash to grow a brain and accept his damn harem…" Kyoji muttered, but internally he thought 'For Sabrina to become my Girlfriend…' Of course, he forgot one important thing…

Sabrina blushed a bit, before she smiled at him demurely. "Wish Granted."

Kyoji blinked "Wait, what-" he began to say, before Sabrina wrapped her arms around his shoulders - and planted a kiss right on his hips - stunning the Ranseian trainer into awestruck silence. His Gible and the clone jumped happily next to the two, and the Natu's nodded in approval.

She pulled back after a minute, not only to let him breathe, but to process the idea that he was kissed.

"I… I…" he muttered before managing to re-rail his train of thought. "I thought I'd have to win you over! I mean, you're a psychic, you're a gym leader, Ash is your dad-"

"I'm a psychic, true," Sabrina said, silencing him. "And even if I met anyone I liked… the moment they saw me, or knew who I was, I'd lose any chance of getting to know them outside of reading their minds."

The greenette smiled. "But you aren't scared of me. You didn't know my reputation before we met. As for dad… I think he approves."

Kyoji continued to process this as Ash's Krokorok fired at Mewtwo with a particularly powerful Dark Pulse, as if trying to kill Mewtwo.

"KROOOK!" roared the dark croc, forcing more and more power into the pulse. Enough that his body couldn't take it.

Evolution took over, natural instincts to survive forcing him out of his second stage.

"Oh, he evolved." Kyoji mused, before Sabrina flinched a bit. "You okay?"

"Fine… just… dark-types," She sighed, "As you know, Dark-types are strong against Psychics, so even for me… being in the presence of one can be… startling in my mind."

"Oh…" Kyoji nodded, comprehension dawning as he smirked a bit. "Oh it must suck to be Mewtwo right about now…"

"It will. It will just take a moment for him to…" Sabrina said, only to pause and look at the small pink cat dodging Shadow Balls and Dark Pulses in abject horror. "NO. No, that is inhuman! Don't do it! Not even Mewtwo deserves that!"

"What?" Kyoji asked, looking between Sabrina and Mew. "What's happening? What's going on?"

The Mew's face stopped looking playful, like she was… doing something she didn't want to do.

Mewtwo forced Raikou into the melted stands, snarling. Raising his hand, he prepared to Shadow Ball Entei, only to hesitate as he felt something in the back of his mind.

"Mew." 'I am sorry child.' the pink cat said, sounding senere. "Mew." 'But you pose too much of a threat. You will overpower us given time.'

"Acknowledging my might will get you… no… where…" Mewtwo said before he fully comprehended what the 'something' was: a telepathic tether. "What are you doing?"

"Mew." 'Forgive me, both of you,' Mew said as Mewtwo felt the tether connect to something off to the west.

In the talons of the local Ho-Oh, he saw Ash Ketchum. It would be the last coherent thought he would have for a very long time.

Two people screamed as one.

Ash cried out, grabbing his head with his hands. Ho-Oh looked ashamed as she closed in on New Island.

Mewtwo convulsed in mid-air, his psionics failing him. He screamed vocally, slamming into the ground, even as Raikou got himself out of his hole. He and the Legendary dogs looked at Ash, making their own version of a wince and making their way to Kyogre.

And as all but Ho-Oh made their way to leave, the Rayquazas gave a glare at the Weather Duo to make them go, Ash realized what was happening to Mewtwo.

The same damn thing that happened to Sabrina.

"…Ash?" Misty spoke up, approaching the trainer with the other girls (plus Kyoji and Sabrina) towards the fallen form of Mewtwo. "…are… you okay?"

Ash twitched as he saw visions of a spotted trio of Kanto starters… and a young girl. "No." he said, admitting he was anything but. "I don't think I am."

Mewtwo cried as he was forced to see what no one should see, know or understand, curling up into the fetal position. Ash saw his fellow clones… his family… die.

Mewtwo wasn't just jaded because of Team Rocket. He lost everything and was lashing out. He never figured out what happened last time. Maybe both times it wasn't just Mewtwo having enough of Giovanni's shit.

And Ash could relate. He did punch Mewtwo in the face just for hurting Serena.

Neesha, Corey and Fergus poked their heads out from chunks of debris caused by the destruction of the hall, using them for cover. "Is it over?" Fergus asked, scared out of his mind.

"It is now." Ash said, pity in his voice for Mewtwo suffering what he saw when he went back.

"Look…" Corey said, shaking his head. "I was stupid. I ain't catching that thing. That thing fought Arceus knows how many legendaries off and...Fuck that!"

Neesha nodded, agreeing. "You catch the damn thing. Just keep us away from it!" she said.

"Mew." 'He is neutralized.' Ash looked up, spotting Mew floating in, an expression of disgust on her face. "Meeew." 'I am sorry for doing that, young one. But he would have defeated all of them, given time.'

"And that justifies making him look into my head?!" Ash snapped. "A psychic-type killed itself looking in there. Sabrina erased her own memories to forget! I wouldn't wish that on anyone!"

"Mew." 'Not true. You would wish it on a man with blue hair.' Mew replied. "Mew-mew." 'But that's here nor there. We have greaved you, young one. And we will trouble you no longer.' Mew turned around, preparing to leave. The battle was over, with the clones and their progenitors either too tired to continue or knocked out.

"What about them?" Ash asked, gesturing at the clones, exhausted from fighting their progentors and hurt from the collateral damage caused by the battle between the gods..

"Mew." 'I have seen a location in your mind to put them.' she replied. 'They will trouble no one and no one will trouble them. As for Mewtwo…'

"MAKE HIM CATCH THE DAMN THING!" all three of the other trainers cried at the same time. "That thing's too dangerous to be left in the wild!" Corey then added.

Ash opened his mouth to speak against it, but one of the pokeballs on his belt detached.

"No!" he cried as the red and white orb smacked into the immoble Mewtwo, turning him into energy and drawing him in.

The orb didn't even shake once as a sign of resistance before clicking and securing the Genetic Pokemon inside.

"Mew." 'This is necessary, young one.' Mew said, as if explaining to a child. Which, Ash figured, was true, but still, he didn't like being talked down to. "Mew." 'It will take him some time to recover from the experience. And he will need your assistance in recovering.' Her piece said the New Species Pokemon teleported away. The storm was finally dying off as the once controlling it disappeared. The clones started to teleport away with Mew, one by one.

The only Legendary that remained was Ho-Oh, who was perched on the far end of the stands, opposite the trainers.

"I am so sorry." Ho-Oh said, spreading her wings, and, in a steady rhythm, took flight. Passing over them, she gave out one last call, before disappearing over the horizon.

"...I think I need to sit down." Corey said, falling on his ass.

"You and me both." Fergus said, walking towards a wall and leaning on it, slowly sliding to the floor.

"Natu." 'Want to go home?' asked Anabel's Natu.

Ash nodded. "Home." he muttered, feeling like he was on the verge of passing out. "Home sounds good."

Pallet Town - Oak Ranch - 1123 Hours Local time

Samuel Oak had seen many Pokemon in his time. But the wireframe on the monitor was new.

And it was Ash's.

"I take it Ash solved this problem?" came his wife's voice from behind him, making Samuel look over his shoulder.

"Can you just knock on the door?" he asked.

"40 years ago, you didn't complain." Agatha replied, smirking as she looked at the old CRT monitor. "You didn't answer my question."

"He did. The 150th Pokemon discovered in Kanto." he replied. "I guess I'll have to revise the lists again."

"And the boy?" she asked, more gently. He was her grand-godson, after all.

"Mourning." he replied. "He remembers."

Outside the Ketchum Residence - same time

Kyoji made a tactical retreat from the Ketchum home. In less flattering words, he was running from a VERY pissed off Red and Yellow.

'Why the FUCK are they going after ME?!' Kyoji cursed as he put his Shinobi training to the test to run as fast as he could from the Ketchums who pursued him. 'I literally had NOTHING to do with this!'

Red and Yellow were of course VERY protective of Ash - and had spent a long, long time keeping Ash from remembering his whole… third degree burns thing… and now thanks to Ho-Oh, Ash remembered…

…and somehow, in the minds of the 9 and 12 year olds, they decided to blame Kyoji for their brother's current state.

How they rationalize that in their prepubescent minds is beyond him. Sure, he was the one who told them what happened and all, but why shoot the messenger?

They loved their brother too much to care. Serena and Misty were making sure he didn't fall asleep, leaving them to go after him.

And they were RELENTLESS, barely two steps behind him.

There had to be a way to…

Well, it worked back home.

BGM "Alert Theme" Metal Gear Solid Soundtrack

Sabrina walked down the paths of her adopted father's hometown, spotting Kyoji run past a bush, ducking behind a small hill.

And hiding inside a small cardboard box. Sabrina shook her head. That wouldn't fool whoever was after him.

Red and Yellow ran around the corner, looking at Sabrina "Where did he go?!" Red shouted.

…Or maybe it would. "He's heading for the Ranch." she lied. "Gible, or Garchomp, likes making big tunnels."

"He's gonna pay for making Ash remember." Yellow said. "He shouldn't've remembered."

As the two ran off to follow her lead, Sabrina walked toward the small hill, smiling as she tapped the cardboard box. "They're gone." She whispered.

"…I swear those kids are like bloodhounds…" Kyoji muttered as he popped out from under the box.

"They love their brother," Sabrina shrugged, smiling. "They… just need time to process it now, let Ash explain it to them."

"He better do it soon…" Kyoji muttered, standing up. "I can't keep avoiding them 24/7…"

"He's still processing this himself," Sabrina said. "Give him time. He's gotten over a lot of things."

"Gib," Kyoji blinked as he looked below Sabrina… and noticed the cloned Gible standing next to Sabrina.

"…wait, isn't that…?" Kyoji tilted his head, blinking as his own Pokeball activated, his original Gible popping out and the two Gibles cheered with one another.

"Well… I decided to keep some of the Clones, with approval from Mew." Sabrina giggled, petting the land sharks… as Clone Natu appeared on her head, and the Clone Galvantula crawled out of her backpack, waving at him.

"Well, I just hope Arceus doesn't… disapprove of me having a… girlfriend." he said, uncertain about Sabrina's status.

"You're helping Ash." she replied, shrugging. "I don't think Arceus minds if you keep it up."

"I know, but…" Kyoji sighed, "I… made a promise to give up my own relationships to help him, and she responded and… I sorta took that as a sign that I may never get a girlfriend, I mean… I was willing to accept it but then…" He blushed a bit, but Sabrina heard him say in his mind '…then I met you…'

Sabrina blushed a bit too, but smiled. "Well, maybe you'll be surpri-" she started before holding her left temple, groaning in pain. Then it happened.

'Let no one say I don't reward those who serve my cause faithfully.' A mystical, masculine-yet-feminine voice said in Kyoji's mind - causing both him and Sabrina to jump in surprise. 'And… consider this a bonus…' There was a noticeable SNAP sound as Kyoji winced - his head burning like the worst case of brain freeze that could ever be imagined.

"Kyoji? Are you okay?" Sabrina asked.

"Gib?" 'Yeah, are you okay big brother?'

"Yeah, yeah…" he groaned. "I'm fine you…" He froze as his eyes widened. "Wait…" He looked at Gible. "…say that again…"

"…Gible?" 'What do you mean?' Gible asked, tilting his head, as Kyoji's eyes widened.

"…I understood that…" he muttered, as Sabrina blinked.

"Wait…" She said, "Did… Arceus just-"

"I CAN UNDERSTAND POKEMON NOW!" Kyoji shouted, pumping his fists into the air in victor. "THANK! YOU! ARCEUS!"

"GIB!" 'YAY!' *CHOMP*

He might've had Ash's little brother and sister after him...but Arceus clearly approved.

No one argues with the literal voice of god.