Jane stared at the boy in front of her, no.., the man in front of her. For a second, the image of the naïve trainer she had hunted years ago flickered and died, replaced by the being standing amidst the trees.
The moonlight filtered through the canopy, illuminating the grim set of his jaw and the terrifying clarity in his eyes.
"Obsession is the Hubris of every Prince..." Jane repeated his words, testing the weight of them on her tongue. She looked at Ash, really looked at him, searching for a trace of a lie. She found none.
"You are terrified of yourself," Jane observed, her voice losing its usual sharp edge, replaced by a rare moment of genuine curiosity. "You aren't afraid of the Legendaries, or the criminal syndicates, or even death... you are afraid of what you would become if you lost her."
Ash chuckled, but there was no humor in it. It was a dry, hollow sound that seemed to drop the temperature of the clearing by several degrees. He turned away from her, his gaze fixing on the moon above.
"The power of an Aura Prince is absolute in this world, Jane. We are created to rival gods," Ash said softly, raising his hand. A small, blue crystal materialized above his palm, spinning lazily.
"But absolute power requires an absolute tether. Without Elena... without my obsession to keep her safe, to see her smile, to build a future with her... I would have no reason to hold back."
Ash crushed the crystal in his hand. The sound was like a gunshot in the silent forest. The dust didn't fall; instead, it vaporized into pure energy that lashed out, slicing a nearby boulder in half as if it were made of paper.
Jane didn't flinch, though her eyes widened slightly.
She had seen him destroy her airship, but this casual display of destruction was somehow more unnerving.
"Does she know?" Jane asked. "Does my sister know that she is the only thing standing between you and... that?"
"She knows," Ash answered, his voice softening instantly at the mention of Elena. The dark aura that had begun to leak from him receded, replaced by a warmth that Jane could actually feel against her skin. "That is why she accepted the Soul Union. That is why she tolerates my protectiveness. She knows she is my anchor."
Ash turned back to Jane, his face returning to that mask of calm confidence. "And that is why you must learn control, Jane. You have a dark past.
Your aura is tainted by years of greed and violence. If you access the power of Aura without an anchor, without a purpose greater than yourself... it will consume you."
Jane scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest, falling back into her defensive habits. "I'm not a sentimental fool like you, brat. I don't need a lover to keep me sane."
"It doesn't have to be a lover," Ash corrected her, walking closer until he was standing toe-to-toe with the former hunter.
"It can be a dream. It can be a family. It can be a desire for redemption. But you need to find it. Because right now?" Ash poked her forehead with two fingers. "Right now, your only obsession is survival and pride. And for an Aura Guardian... that is not enough."
Ash stepped back, signaling the end of the conversation. "Meditate on that. We aren't leaving until sunrise. And Jane?"
"What?"
"If Sarah asks, we were discussing business strategies for APWA. I don't want her knowing I'm training you yet. She'll pester me for weeks to analyze the 'scientific properties' of Aura, and I really don't have the patience for her tests right now."
Jane rolled her eyes, though a small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. "Fine. But you owe me. Dealing with Sarah's curiosity is harder than dodging Hyper Beams."
"Deal."
(Scene Change)
The morning sun filtered through the curtains of the hotel room, but Elena was already awake. Truth be told, she hadn't slept well. The empty space beside her in the bed felt cold, a stark reminder of Ash's absence. Even though their bond told her he was safe, her heart still longed for his warmth.
"Wake up, sleepyhead!" A loud voice boomed as the door flew open.
Elena groaned, pulling the pillow over her head. "Go away, Sarah. It's too early for your level of energy."
Sarah, completely ignoring her sister's plea, bounced onto the bed. "Come on, Elena! We have a big day. I have three new proposals for APWA funding, and since Ash isn't here, I'm pitching them to you."
Elena peeked out from under the pillow, glaring at her genius sister. "Can't this wait? And how did you get in here?"
"I hacked the lock. Electronic locks are child's play," Sarah dismissed the felony with a wave of her hand. "Now, listen. Project Alpha involves studying the energy output of Electric-types to create a renewable energy source for small towns. It's brilliant, efficient, and totally safe."
"Like the island you sank?" Elena asked dryly, sitting up.
"That was one time!" Sarah whined. "Besides, Ash would love this. It helps Pokémon and people. Speaking of Ash... where is he? He wasn't at breakfast."
Elena felt a spike of nervousness but masked it quickly. "He had a late meeting with Jane regarding... security protocols for our artifacts."
Sarah narrowed her eyes. "Security protocols? Jane? Since when does our sister care about security unless she's breaking it?"
"People change, Sarah," Elena said smoothly, standing up to get dressed. "Now get out so I can change. If you want Ash to fund your project, you'll present it to him properly over lunch, not while I'm in my pajamas."
Sarah huffed but complied. "Fine. But tell Ash I expect a 'yes'. He owes me for being so charming."
(Scene Change)
The lobby of the hotel was buzzing with activity as trainers prepared for the next leg of their journeys or simply enjoyed the luxury of Sun Lake Town.
The group...Misty, May, Dawn, Brock, Gary, and Max were seated at a large round table, picking at their breakfast. The mood was somber. The revelation of Ash's relationship and his sudden disappearance the night before had left a sour taste in the mouths of his female companions.
"I still don't trust her," Dawn muttered, stabbing a pancake with her fork. "She's hiding something. And Ash... he's different when he's around her."
"He's happy, Dawn," Gary pointed out, taking a sip of coffee. "Can't you just be happy for him?"
"Not when he keeps disappearing!" Misty argued. "We're his friends. We traveled with him for years. He shouldn't be keeping secrets from us."
"Technically, he kept Elena a secret for three years," Brock reminded them, earning him three simultaneous glares.
Suddenly, the chatter in the lobby died down. All heads turned towards the entrance as the glass doors slid open.
Ash walked in. He looked exhausted. His clothes were slightly rumpled, his hair was messier than usual, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Yet, despite the fatigue, he carried himself with an air of power that commanded attention. Pikachu dozed on his shoulder, equally tired.
"Ash!" The three girls shouted, standing up.
Ash winced at the volume. His senses were still heightened from the Aura training, and the noise was like a physical blow. He walked towards their table, his expression unreadable.
"Where have you been?" May demanded, crossing her arms. "You missed breakfast. You missed the morning recap. You..."
"I was busy," Ash cut her off, his voice flat. He didn't have the energy to play the naive boy today. The weight of his conversation with Jane, the reality of his duty, it was heavy on his mind.
"Busy with what? That girl?" Misty asked, jealousy coloring her tone.
Ash didn't answer. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on the one person he needed to see. Elena was standing near the elevators, looking at him with concern.
Without a word to his friends, Ash walked past them. He didn't stop until he reached Elena. He didn't care about the people watching. He didn't care about the whispers. He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her neck, inhaling her scent.
"I'm back," Ash whispered, his voice trembling slightly.
Elena melted into his embrace, her hands coming up to stroke his hair. "I missed you," she replied softly, sending waves of comfort through their bond. "You're tired."
"Exhausted," Ash admitted. "But I'm home."
The scene was tender, intimate, and heartbreakingly beautiful.
Behind them, Ash's friends watched in silence. For the first time, the girls didn't say anything. They couldn't. The look on Ash's face wasn't one of infatuation. It was the look of a man finding his shelter in a storm.
"He never looked at us like that," Dawn whispered, a tear sliding down her cheek.
"No," Gary said solemnly. "He didn't."
Just then, Ricardo entered the lobby, looking frantic. He spotted Ash and Elena and rushed over, ignoring the glare Via was sending him from the coffee bar.
"Young Master, Young Mistress," Ricardo said, his voice low and urgent.
Ash pulled away from Elena slightly, his eyes instantly sharpening. The fatigue vanished, replaced by the cold, calculating gaze of the Aura Prince. "What is it, Ricardo?"
"It's about the excavation site in Mt. Coronet," Ricardo reported, handing Ash a tablet. "We lost contact with the security team an hour ago. The last transmission mentioned a red 'G'."
Ash's aura flared, invisible to most but suffocating to those sensitive to it. The temperature in the lobby dropped.
"Galactic," Ash growled. "They dare touch what is mine?"
Elena grabbed his hand, squeezing it tight. "Ash..."
"Prepare the jet, Ricardo," Ash ordered, his voice cold as ice. "We leave in ten minutes. It seems I have some pests to exterminate."
As Ash turned, his friends saw a side of him they had never seen before. It wasn't the trainer who loved battles. It was a King preparing for war.
And he was terrifying.
Authors note:-
I am back...
Old Readers.....welcome back....
New ones.... welcome.
It's been 5 years....long time no see.
The whole chapter sequences are messy.....and well I will be uploading this on fanfiction side as well.....
Also please comment ....this webnovel account is signed in by my Facebook account which password I forgot and my number changed so I can't change that.
So any solution for me to get this account to sign in with my Google account or stuff....otherwise I have to use my old antique phone...which may die anytime.
Also....remember the power stone pouring...