Chapter Text
Chapter Fourteen
The kids quiet down with the eggs in their laps and Houndoom lying next to them, sleeping on the ground near Bonnie’s feet. They, as a group, turn to the back yard where all the other pokémon have moved to before looking over to the Ash who is watching them with an amused smile on his face.
“Can we go see your pokémon, Ash?” Lana asks as she watches Popplio interact with his water types and the others all look at him with eager eyes, while Lillie clutches the white egg to her chest.
Ash laughs lightly and nods in approval, holding his hands out for his egg. Bonnie hurries over to hand it to him and leads everyone outside bar Lillie, who is rubbing the shell gently, still amazed at being able to hold it. Ash moves to join her while the other adults follow the kids outside to make sure, they don’t get too mischievous.
Ash settles deeply into the couch, sighing in relief before looking over to Lillie next to him in thought. “You know…” Ash trails off, waiting for the girl to look over at him and once her bright green eyes are focussed on him, starts again. “You don’t have to answer this question and I’m sorry if I am pushing you too far, especially since you don’t know me that well. But do you have any idea why you have such a problem with touch pokémon?” Ash rushes to assure the girl that she needn’t answer but Lillie just smiles regretfully at his question.
Lillie looks back at the egg in her lap wistfully as she answers his question. “I remember being fine with touching any pokémon until I was 12, then I was suddenly terrified by the mere sight of any pokémon. I don’t have any memory of what caused such a major switch, but every time I so much as tried to touch a pokémon, I became too scared, freezing or running away to get away from them.”
As Lillie is looking at her lap and not paying Ash any attention, she didn’t see the fury present in his eyes at what she had told him. Ash takes a deep breath in to calm all of his raging emotions at the situation it brought back memories about and asks more questions to make sure his suspicions about the situation are accurate. “So, you can’t remember the incident that caused you to be so scared of pokémon?”
Houndoom looked up from the ground at her trainer, remembering how he reacted about his own incident while they were back in Pallet Town. She lays her head in Ash’s lap, next to her egg and allows her trainer to use her as a calming tool for regulating his emotions.
Lillie looks to Ash with a confusion expression on her face, she obviously doesn’t understand why he is suddenly so serious and angry. She nods haltingly in agreement. “Yeah… Are you alright, Ash?” She asks, reaching out to him before seeming to think better of it and dropping her hand back in her lap.
“Do you know someone with a psychic type pokémon?” Ash asks instead of answering her question, looking between both of her eyes and seeing the recognition in them, he doesn’t really need her to answer his question. “Yes, one of my mothers’ coworkers has a Hypno. Why do you ask?” Lillie answers the question, anyway, furrowing her brows in confusion at Ash.
Ash laughs humourlessly and shakes his head in denial. “I have an idea of what the problem might be and I don’t like it… Can you give me a moment, please? Hold on to this baby, as well?” Ash asks, holding out his egg and Lillie takes it from his hands gently, placing the egg next to the white one on her lap and watching Ash stand up from the couch and going to his computer desk.
Ash picks up his phone, unplugging it and quickly dialling someone’s number. Ash puts the phone on speaker, turning on his computer while he waits for his call to connect, logging in to his accounts and checking his email to see if his sanctuary application has come back approved. Prof. Oak answers the call. “Ash? Did something happen?”
Ash sighs in relief, seeing the approved stamp on his scanned application and answers the professor. “I got my approval back and wanted to begin sending through some of my pokémon. Just wanted to make sure you had the time to help me out?” Prof. Oak laughs slightly and agrees to help.
“Who did you want to start with?” Prof. Oak clarifies and Ash looks over his shoulder to Lillie sitting on the couch, catching her eyes and smiles reassuringly to her as he answers. “Would you be able to send my psychic types through first? Other than that, I don’t mind the order they come through.”
Prof. Oak furrows his brows at his request, wondering for the reason but moving to call for the requested pokémon, along with the others to be ready for their transfer. “Alright, I have them. Are you ready on your end?” The professor asks and Ash connects the transfer machine to the computer, waiting for the icon to show up and entering the Oak lab code. “Ready when you are!” Ash calls to the phone and waits for the first batch of pokéballs to come through.
As he waits, Ash looks to Houndoom, who is sitting beside him at the desk, and asks. “Can you go and get my mum? She will be able to help with the other pokéballs coming through.” Houndoom nods and makes her way outside.
Looking back at the machine next to the desk, Ash sees the first batch already there. He grabs them off and quickly releases them out all in the room. Espeon, Gardevior, Gothitelle, Reuniclus, Bulbasaur and Meganium come out of their pokéballs and rush their trainer to hug him. “It’s good to see you, as well! Would you be able to help me and mum taking the others outside? I need these four for a different job.” Ash laughs at them and points to the psychic types for Bulbasaur and Meganium to understand.
After sharing a look between them, they both nod at their trainer and move closer to the machine and have Delia join them there, as well.
The four other pokémon look to their trainer imploringly after they had looked around the room and only seeing the blonde girl on the couch, holing eggs, not understanding what they are needed for. “Ash. What did you need us for? There is only a girl here?” Espeon asks telepathically, with the other three nodding in agreement with her words.
Ash sighs resigned about the callousness of humankind and shares his memories of his chat with Lillie with his pokémon, Espeon hissing furiously at the picture being described by the young girl. “Poor girl.” Gardevior says, looking over to Lillie with sympathy in her eyes. Gothitelle pats the embrace pokémon on the back in comfort while Reuniclus crosses their arms frustrated with the breaking of a psychic types rule by this unknown Hypno.
“Yeah. That’s why I had called to have you guys sent here. You all managed to help me with my blocked memories and I knew we would need to help with this situation as well.” Ash speaks quietly to his pokémon and they nod in agreement. “Just one moment, though. I need to bring in their teacher, so I can keep him in the loop with the situation.” Ash holds his hand up to his pokémon and walks to the sliding door again, seeing his pokémon greeting the others around them.
Ash looks around his crowded backyard for the older man, finding him standing with his students and Meyer, just staring blanking at the many pokémon excitedly congregating around them. “Professor!” Ash calls and Kukui turns his head to where the voice came from, finding Ash standing on the veranda and waving him over to him.
Kukui tells the others to stay out here with Mr. Meyer and begins walking over to Ash. “What happened?” Kukui asks lowly, looking past Ash’s shoulder to see how Lillie was doing and only seeing her still on the couch holding both of the eggs, with four new pokémon watching her from a distance. Kukui looks back at Ash’s face when he doesn’t answer, flinching at the rage he sees in his eyes.
“I have concluded that Lillie’s memories have been blocked by a psychic pokémon and wanted to try and help her regain them, using my own pokémon. I just wanted to ask if you would like to be here while I continue.” Ash says seriously and Kukui furrows his eyes in confusion, willing his brain to catch up with the words Ash just said.
Ash watches Kukui’s eyes widen in disbelief before his expression quickly becomes furious. Kukui looks between his student and his TA before sighing heavily to calm down, asking. “Do you have an idea who would have done it?” Ash nods in confirmation and Kukui nods back. “Okay. Yes, I would like to be there while you work.” Kukui agrees with Ash.
Ash turned to the side to allow Kukui room to go inside, before he goes to the computer desk for his phone, seeing the call still ongoing. “Sorry, professor! I didn’t realise you were still here!” Ash apologized as he picks up the phone. Prof. Oak chuckles on the other side. “No worries, I was talking with Delia while you were busy anyway. I only have one more batch of pokémon before we are done anyway.”
Ash blinks in surprise at how fast they were moving. “That’s great! I have to do something soon and will need to use my phone for another call. Thank you for all of your help, professor!” Ash answers and Oak replies. “No problem, Ash! Take care of yourself, alright?” Ash agrees and hangs up when the last pokéballs come through, leaving the desk to get out of the way of his mother and joining Kukui and Lillie.
Instead of sitting too close to Lillie, Ash takes the armchair Meyer was using with his pokémon surrounding him, giving Lillie space from all of the pokémon. Ash sets up his phone to record the next part of the conversation. “Lillie, are you alright with me recording this conversation?” Ash asks and Lillie nods slowly, confused at the sudden seriousness of both of the men. “Thanks.” Ash smiles at the girl in thanks before starting the recording on his phone.
“The date is 17th of March in 3###. I am Ranger Ash Ketchum, and I am here with Professor Akumu Kukui and Lillie Aether.” Ash starts the recording and Lillie flinches at his words, looking to her teacher next to her who places his hand on her shoulder in reassurance. “Lillie, would you be able to explain, again, about this problem you have with pokémon?” Ash asks the girl, who looks to Ash’s eyes scared about the situation but complying with his wishes.
“And you have no memory of what happened to make you so scared of pokémon?” Ash asks again with Lillie voicing her confirmation. “Okay. Thank you, Lillie.” Ash says with a gentle smile to hopefully calm the scared and confused girl. “Now, I will tell you what I think has happened. I believe your memories have been blocked by a psychic pokémon. For what reason, I don’t know but I can help you unblock them with the help of my pokémon, if you are okay with that, Lillie?” Ash requests of the girl who looks between the two men and the pokémon behind Ash with a scared expression.
Seeing her scared look, Ash hurries to reassure her. “We don’t have to do it today. Sorry for rushing into this. We can come back to this when you are more comfortable.” Ash says gently and Lillie takes a few deep breaths before nodding in approval to Ash. “I would like to get rid of the block now, please.” Lillie states determinedly.
“Okay. We’ll put you to sleep, as when we first did this the strain caused a pretty bad headache for the patient. We’ll take back the eggs, and you can lay down on the couch, then we will begin.” Ash directs, turning off the recording and standing up along with Kukui, holding out their hands to the girl.
Ash moves to the doorway to the back yard once more, calling over Typhlosion, Amaura and Bonnie. “Typhlosion! Amaura! Bonnie! Can you come here for a second?” They come closer and Ash holds out the orange egg to Typhlosion while Kukui hands the white one to Bonnie. “Make sure to take care of these until we come back out? Bonnie, stay close to either Amaura or Glalie, okay? That egg needs to stay cool.” Ash instructs, getting a nod from all parties before they go back inside.
“Alright, Lillie. Are you ready? I will have Reuniclus put you to sleep, then Gardevior, Gothitelle and Espeon will work together to make sure they get rid of the blockage without touching you, just in case. We will stay here until they are done and wake as soon as possible.” Ash informs the blonde who is stiffly laying on the couch, fidgeting with her hands.
She nods in agreement, breathing in deeply before she closes her eyes while they begin to put her to sleep. Once Reuniclus nods, Espeons’, Gardeviors’ and Gothitelles’ eyes get a pink hue and they all focus on the girl.
***
While that is happening, the students are looking around at all the different pokémon here and wondering about what type of trainer Ash is to have such a collection. Lana is looking at all of the different water types with amazement on her face and Mallow urges the girl to go talk to them while she goes to talk with the grass types.
Kiawe approaches Infernape, who is with Emboar, Typhlosion and Charizard, staring at them all with awe in his eyes. As he introduces himself, he pulls out one of his pokéballs and the group of pokémon all nod in agreement. Kiawe releases his Charizard and the others circle around him, aside from Typhlosion who is speaking with Kiawe’s Charizard.
Ashs’ Charizard butts in between the two of them and challenges Kiawes’ Charizard to a battle, ignoring Infernapes’ and Emboars’ snickering in the background. Typhlosion looks between the pokémon around her with confusion but ignores their usual shenanigans, moving to the tree line and settling down with the others next to her.
Kiawe looks between the two pokémon, who are standing off against each other, in confusion before he hears laughter from behind him. Kiawe turns to find Delia standing there, laughing behind her hand and wonders aloud, “What is happening? Is this a challenge?” Delia nods to the boy and moves to stand beside him. “Yes, Charizard has issued a challenge that yours has answered approvingly.” Kiawe blinks blankly at the woman before looking over to the pair of Charizard’s.
Delia calls out to the pair. “Before you start, make sure the others all have time to get out of the way. You don’t want to hurt anyone, do you?” Charizard looks away from his opponent at his trainers’ mother directing him and nods in understanding, before turning to the rest of their group.
Everyone! I will be having a fight against this Charizard. If you don’t want to get hurt, make some space! Charizard exclaims and gets fond looks from his oldest friends, while they lead everyone to the tree line.
Don’t hurt him too badly! Squirtle calls out.
Charizard grins proudly back at the water type. I’ll try my best. Squirtle shakes his head at his friend before stating. I wasn’t talking to you, Charizard! I was saying that to the other one! Everyone laughs at Charizard’s annoyed look, while Kiawe’s Charizard watches the interaction with amusement in his eyes.
Bonnie ends up with all of the Kalos pokémon surrounding her, she is excitedly talking with her old friends and the familiar faces they saw throughout the journey that had joined Ash’s family after the trades. “Florges! Phantump! I didn’t know you wanted to join Ash! This is so great!” Bonnie bounces slightly in her position on the ground, being careful of the egg in her lap. Florges smiles at the small girl before pointing to Goodra as her answer. “Oh! You wanted to be with Goodra? That’s so cute! What about you, Phantump?” Bonnie squeals slightly at her answer and turning to the stump pokémon, who gestures around at the group in his answer.
“You wanted to join the party, as well? Or you wanted to go on an adventure?” Bonnie suggests to the ghost type and Phantump nods, giggling in delight along with Bonnie. “That’s great! I’m glad you joined Ash!” Bonnie congratulates the floating pokémon just as there is an explosion from the fight between the Charizard.
Sophocles was talking excitedly with Meyer when he found out Meyer runs a electronics store in Kalos, with Togedemaru talking with Joltik and Heliolisk in the background.