And good morning to you too, Ash... Lucario said through his power of aura. Since he and Serena stayed up late the previous evening, he woke up a little late.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Lucario..." Ash said as he shook off his tiredness and sat up. "Say, where's Serena?" He asked as soon as he saw that the bed on the other side of the Pokémon Center room was empty.

Not sure... Delia said something about taking her out clothes shopping... Lucario answered.

"Oh... okay..." Ash said, a hint of concern in his voice.

Ash's thoughts were calmed once a certain yellow mouse Pokémon hopped out of his own bed and landed on Ash's lap. "Pikachu!" He squeaked, giving Ash a good morning nuzzle.

Ash chuckled. "Good morning, Pikachu..." He said while giving his partner a pet. All was well and good until...

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

What was that?! Lucario exclaimed in anger as he created a light yellow bone of energy and held it like a staff, being ultra-vigilant to whatever creature made that terrifying noise...

"Well..." Ash said. He put one hand over his stomach while he scratched the back of his neck with the other. "It's actually my stomach..." he finished his sentence.

Lucario facepalmed and the energy bone vanished into thin air. I see you're the same old Ash... He said as he walked away to give Ash some privacy.

"So, Lucario... have you gotten any stronger since last time?" Ash asked while he put on his black shirt. He's been asking Lucario dozens of questions about what happened. His questions ranged from; "How'd you manage to come back, I SAW you disintegrating?" To; "So does Sir Aaron like chocolate too?" You'd think that a person who's been resurrected  more than once would be less surprised when they see someone being resurrected, right?

Not exactly... Lucario said as he started to meditate. I have been trying to learn a new move, however. I believe it's called... "Flash Cannon"...

THUD!

Lucario opened his eyes and turned around after hearing the loud thud. He saw Ash on the floor with his hands on his shoe. I guess he tried putting on his shoe and fell down because of... something. Pikachu was already by Ash's side.

Are you alright, Ash?! Lucario asked, clearly worried.

Ash sat up. "Yeah, I'm fine..." He said. "But did you say you've been trying to learn Flash Cannon?" He asked, an idea clearly sparking in his head.

Yeah... Lucario answered.

"Lucario..." Ash said, pausing for a moment to stand up and look Lucario in the eyes. "You're a GENIUS!" He exclaimed. Ash then quickly ran out of his room, Pikachu following suit, while Lucario stayed there pondering.

"Pika Pika?!" Pikachu squeaked, basically asking Ash what on Earth is going on?

"Team Cipher are trying to make a Shadow Legendary Pokémon, right?" Ash asked, already knowing the answer. "Well, I know of someone who can give us a fighting chance if all else fails..." He smiled at his long time partner.

Pikachu thought for a moment and then smiled. He knew what Ash was thinking and he liked it.

"Hey, Ash!" Rotom said as soon as he saw Ash enter the Pokémon Center lobby.

"Not now, Rotom!" Ash responded. "I gotta make a call..." He continued before going to the Pokémon Center's videophone area to make a call.

"WILL YOU LISTEN TO ME?! IT'S IMPORTANT!" Rotom yelled this time.

Ash stopped what he was doing, knowing that this was unusual for Rotom unless he was scared. "Is something wrong?" He asked.

"Everything is wrong!" He exclaimed. "Delia and Serena went out shopping to try and disguise Serena, but an angry mob ambushed them! Then, Prof. Krane went out to help and I haven't heard from his since!"

Ash's eyes widened, but only for a second. His eyes then narrowed and he looked extremely angry. "Which way?" He asked sternly. Rotom displayed a map on his screen, showing where Delia said she was taking Serena. "Alright, but I'm gonna have to ask for a favor..." He said.

"What favor?" Rotom asked.

"Contact Prof. Kukui!" Ash exclaimed.

"Alright! I'll contact him and... do what?" Rotom asked again.

"Ask him to send over 'my Pokémon that knows Flash Cannon'..." Ash said as he ran towards the front door of the Pokémon Center, Pikachu hopping on his shoulder. In no-time, Ash found the angry mob that was terrorizing Serena, Delia and Professor Krane.

Serena was in a new outfit. She was wearing a pinkish-red "dress" with a bow wrapped around her waist. She was wearing black tight pants and brown shoes. She was also using the ribbon Ash gave her as a bow on her head.

Even though she was still a little self-hating, Serena was inspired by Ash's words and actions the previous night, and so decided to hold her ground. Of course she tried to be peaceful about the whole situation, but they were adamant on taking her out so she defended herself alongside Delia.

"Sylveon! Use Fairy Wind!" Serena commanded what could be considered her strongest Pokemon, her Sylveon. She pulls her feelers together, and the air around her starts to glow light pink. Sylveon then spreads her feelers wide open, sending a strong gust of pink sparkling dust at her opponents; a Hitmontop and a Tyranitar.

"Mimey! Ice Punch!" Delia commanded her Mr. Mime. Mr. Mime pulls back one of its fists, which are surrounded by swirling energy which changes from white to light blue. It then punches the opponent, which is the same Tyranitar that Serena's Sylveon attacked with Fairy Wind.

"Hitmontop! Gyro Ball!" "Tyranitar! Dark Pulse!" Two of the people from the mob commanded their Pokemon. Hitmontop then spun in a fast counter-clockwise rotation and as its spinning and as it spins a dark-blue aura surrounds it, with a bright brown light runnings horizontally across the dark-blue aura surround Hitmontop.

Simultaneously, Tyranitar opened its mouth and then a light purple and purple colored aura formed inside of it. It then fired black and purple circles from the aura inside its mouth at Mimey.

Both attacks hit, and these Pokemon were definitely well trained, because Sylveon and Mr. Mime were almost defeated instantly. Both of them collapsed to the ground and were barely able to stand up.

"SYLVEON!" Serena shouted as she ran towards her fallen partner. She held Sylveon close to her and started whimpering. "I'm s-so sorry..." she stuttered in front of the whole mob. "I never wanted to be in Team Cipher! I never asked for any of this! I never meant for Team Cipher to hurt anybody!"

"Well you so did a poor job of that, traitor!" A female voice called out from the crowd. Everybody looked towards the source of the voice and saw none other than Lovrina. "You leaving was so the thing we needed to perfect our machines AND find the one person who could take us out... so in a way I should be thanking you... and I so am thanking you!"

Lovrina then released her Pokemon, her Delcatty and a Gardevoir.

"Hitmontop, use..." Hitmontop's Trainer was about to give a command, but he and his Hitmontop started floating while being surrounded by a pink outline. Not only them, but the whole mob started to float as well. Except for the Tyranitar (who was a Dark type).

"Attract!" Lovrina commanded her Delcatty. Delcatty then winked her right eye at the Tyranitar and several pink hearts appeared around the Delcatty and then shoot towards the Tyranitar and hit it. Tyranitar's eyes then turned to hearts before it started to mumble incoherently.

"And as for you..." Lovrina said glaring daggers at Serena. Delia and Prof. Krane then ran over to try and protect her from whatever Lovrina had planned. "Y'know Prof, I was so disappointed when you decided to bail on us last time... which is why you're so gonna get it!"

"And you're so going down!" Ash exclaimed. He ran in front of Serena, Delia and Prof. Krane, spreading his arms to show that he was protecting them. Pikachu then hopped off of Ash's shoulder and stood in front of him, sparks flying out of Pikachu's cheeks.

"Y'think your Electric rat's gonna be able to defeat me and my so powerful Pokemon?" Lovrina asked sarcastically. "Even if you can, there's no way you're gonna beat all of us!" She exclaimed again, this time snapping her fingers.

A whole squadron of Team Cipher peons then showed up, apparently hiding out amongst the city. Lovrina grinned widely as the squadron surrounded Ash and his friends. A drop of sweat ran down Ash's forehead. He knew he could take down a few Cipher peons, but a whole squadron... he couldn't do it alone...

"ASH!" A voice called out. Ash and Lovrina turned towards the source of the voice, and saw it was Rotom. He flew towards them at high speeds, with a Poke-Ball in his "hands". "I came here as fast as I could!" Rotom exclaimed. "I got what you wanted..."

Ash's nervous expression immediately switched, and his signature confident smirk returned. "Thanks a lot, Rotom!" He said as he took the Poke-Ball.

"You think you can take all of us out with only one extra Pokemon?" Lovrina taunted. "You are so dumb..."

"We'll see about that... I CHOOSE YOU!" Ash exclaimed as he threw his Poke-Ball to the sky. The Poke-Ball opened, and in a flash of blue, a Pokemon appeared.

The Pokemon was large, silvery and with a humanoid build that consists mostly of liquid metal. Many dark gray are embedded in or attached to its body: one around each shoulder, one around the center of each arm, one in each hand, one in each foot, and a small one in the center of its torso. A large, golden hexagonal nut encircles its neck and a smaller one acts as its head. Floating in its head is a small, dark gray sphere. It has a small red tail resembling an electrical wire.

Lovrina's smirk instantly vanished. "WHAT IS THAT?!" She asked, so freaking out.

"This big guy is Melmetal..." Ash explained. "It's almost as strong as a Legendary Pokemon, and more than capable of dealing with multiple Cipher peons at once!"

"Oh, you are so gonna be mine!" Lovrina said, impressed. "You'll make a great Shadow Pokemon..."

"Not even in your dreams!" Ash exclaimed. "Let's take all of them out, Melmetal! Double. Iron. Bash!" He commanded.

Without wasting a second, Melmetal quickly rotated its body, making it look like a silver-ish tornado. Before any of the peons could call forth any of their Pokemon, Melmetal extended its arms, causing all of the peons to be hit at once. This left only Lovrina standing.

"Gardevoir! Use Thunder Punch!" Lovrina commanded.

"You too, Melmetal!" Ash counter-commanded.

Gardevoir's and Melmetal's right fists were surrounded by yellow sparks, which grow into two balls of electrical energy (one surrounding each fist). The two Pokemon then charge at each-other and punch each-other in the face. However, Melmetal's punch was much, MUCH stronger than Gardevoir's. Gardevoir was punched so hard that when it hit the ground, the ground cracked and created a crater.

Ash chuckled. "Eat your heart out, Tobias..." he whispered to himself. "If you want Melmetal to become a Shadow Pokemon, you're gonna have to beat it first!" He exclaimed. "And that so won't be easy..." he smirked even wider.

"If things are easy, they're not worth it..." yet another voice spoke. Everybody turned to face the voice, and everybody's jaws dropped.

What they saw was a Lugia. But it looked off. Its usually white skin was now a dark purple. Its blue belly and features were a dark silver. Its usually blue eyes were now glowing red and filled with malice. On top of Lugia was an old, short, bald man with glasses and a purple robe.

"Master Greevil!" Lovrina said before starting to bow to the man.

"You..." Delia snarled. She stood up and walked in the direction of the man. "You're responsible for this, aren't you?! YOU WERE THE ONE WHO REVIVED TEAM CIPHER!"

Ash looked at his mother in shock. He has never seen her this angry.

And Delia wasn't done yet. "YOU BACKSTABBING, HERATBREAKING, MURDEROUS, LOW-LIFE SON OF A-"

"Now now, let's not degrade ourselves to this kind of language..." Greevil said. "No daughter of mine will lower herself to that..."

"DAUGHTER?!" "PIKA?!" Ash, Serena and Pikachu all called out in shock.

Delia sighed. "Daughter-in-law!" She explained, only half paying attention to the kids. "And you have no right to call me your daughter! Not after what you did to this Region... to all of those Pokemon... to your own son..." Delia was trying her hardest not to cry.

"I know, I know I haven't been the best family to you lately..." Greevil said. "Which is why I'm offering you a chance to reunite with Wes... as well as gaining powers beyond your imagination..."

I SAY THEE, NAY! Lucario suddenly jumped up from behind a bush. Its body then became outlined with white energy. A white orb of energy with light blue energy forms around each of Lucario's hands. It then puts its hands together, firing a beam of white energy with blue energy at the Lugia. Lugia took the attack but quickly shrugged it off.

"Thanks for the support, Lucario..." Delia said.

You are welcome... Lucario answered. And if you are the one who caused all of this mayhem, then be prepared, for we will not allow your madness to continue any longer!

"Madness?!" Greevil said. "Madness?! YOU THINK I'M MAD?! You ignorant little Pokemon, all I'm doing is returning the world to its rightful state!"

"By stealing and brainwashing Pokemon, and blackmailing my mom?!" Serena shouted at him.

"I did not say we were doing it the moral way..." Greevil said. "Sorry about your mother, kiddo. But the part of making Pokemon our 'slaves' is no less moral than feeding a berry to your so-called 'partners'..." he explained. "Pokemon are nothing more than a plague on this world... because of Pokemon, humans have forgotten how to care for each other, and they spend all their time concentrating on their pets..."

"Pokemon aren't pets!" Ash exclaimed. "They're our friends and partners!"

"Pika Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed with Ash.

"And yet you keep letting your 'friends' feel the pain of battle and suffer the humiliation of defeat..." Greevil stated.

Ash was shocked. He never thought about it that way. He hated to admit it but... Greevil was right! No matter how many times he saw Pikachu beaten and broken, he kept pushing him to battle even stronger and more dangerous opponents. Not to mention all the times he was almost taken by Team Rocket. Ash felt sick, and he began to wonder:

Am I any better than them...?

"All of this is wrong!" Serena cried out upon seeing Ash's distraught face. "We care for our Pokemon like they're our family! They grow with us, laugh with us, cry with us, and we feel all the pain they're feeling! If Pokemon didn't want to battle, why don't they escape from us? There's nothing stopping them... yet here they are!"

"PIKACHU!" Pikachu backed Serena up on that statement.

It's true! Lucario spoke. If it wasn't for Sir Aaron, I probably would've died in that war! And if it weren't for Ash... I would never have learned what a friend is... what it means to be part of a family...

"And even if all you said was true, what does capturing Pokemon and taking away their will change about the world?!" Professor Krane exclaimed.

Ash looked at them. They were right! What was he even thinking? What Greevil and Team Cipher were doing is wrong. And they're here to save the day.

Greevil shook his head. "Pokemon with no compassion or love makes them naturally superior to any other..." he said. "It makes them worthy of serving us... but to any normal Trainer? They would be horrified by what their friend is capable of, and get rid of it! Then, and ONLY then, the world will return to its natural order..."

Ash took a step forward. In one hand he held four shrunken Poke-Balls. In the other, he held his cap's visor. Ash let go of the four Poke-Balls, releasing his Eevee, Houndour, Spheal and Breloom. And then Ash turned his cap's visor around 180°.

"You know we won't let that happen..." Ash said.

"Sorry... but you don't have much of a choice in this..." Greevil said. "XD001! SHADOW BLAST!" He commanded.

Shadow Lugia's red eyes glowed bright red as it creates a ball of purple and black energy in front of its mouth. The energy sphere had some white aura in the centre, with red sparks coming off of the white ball. Shadow Lugia then fired a purple and black beam from its mouth at our heroes, with red ring of aura bursting from around a part of the beam when it was being fired.

Ash instinctively grabbed Pikachu in his arms and ran over to Serena. He hugged her in a futile attempt to protect her from the blast. The beam hit them and created a large explosion.

"Woah..." Lovrina (who was still there) marvelled at the destruction the blast caused. It destroyed a whole shop that was behind our heroes.

"Wonderful..." Greevil said. "Now nothing will stand in our way..." he continued. He began to cackle as he and Lovrina took off on XD001's back.

...

Ash opened his eyes. He was surprised that he was still alive. He looked around to see if everybody was okay. They were, but that wasn't the craziest part.

The craziest part was the fact that they were wrapped by two large rainbow colored (or 4 colored) wings. The Pokemon that these wings belonged to was a Pokemon that Ash hadn't seen in over 3 years... Ho-Oh.

.......................................................................

Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas and happy holidays everyone! Yes I am still here and yes I do intend on finishing these damn stories... it's been too long! So long in fact, that I decided to make the next Chapter (either that one or the one after that) the finale! For no reason other than "I ran out of ideas 7 Chapters ago because I never played XD".

And just like Kevin did, I decided to write this on Christmas (day). I hope you enjoyed reading this Chapter and consider this a (possibly late) Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/whatever gift to all of you...

Like Ross and Rachel once said: "Here's to a lousy Christmas, and a crappy new year!" See ya later and as always:

Thanks for reading! ❤😊