[Professor Oak: It's confirmed now, my guess was correct. This Riolu is calling out to Ash!]
[Dawn: Really? Could something this magical actually happen?]
[Bea: Fascinating… to feel one's Trainer again after a thousand years, Riolu must be overwhelmed with excitement.]
[Korrina: That's why Lucario is my favorite! Bea, you should catch one too!]
[Bruno: What you're saying makes sense, but… Lucario doesn't have any muscles. Not cool enough!]
[Korrina: Muscles aren't the only standard for coolness!]
[Ash: Why? Why does my heart race whenever I look at this Pokémon Egg?]
[Riley: Because the Aura is guiding you!]
Orudoran.
Riley stared at the livestream, falling into deep thought.
Could it be… was Ash truly his ancestor?
That familiar Aura.
And now Lucario again.
What on earth was going on?
He wanted to know!
After all, the legend of Orudoran had always had two versions.
One said that Sir Aaron sacrificed all of his Aura to save Orudoran.
The other said that Aaron sealed away his partner and fled.
Riley longed for the truth.
When would that long-buried story finally be revealed?
Lucario.
Aaron.
Ash.
What was their connection?
Could Riolu truly be the reincarnation of Lucario?
Everything was shrouded in layers of mist.
On screen—
On the way to the Pokémon Center, that voice kept echoing in Ash's mind.
If it were just once, it could've been a mistake.
But again and again—it was impossible to deny.
And the closer he got to the Pokémon Center, the louder and more urgent the voice became.
In a daze, Ash handed his Raboot to Nurse Joy.
After being sprayed with medicine, the always-cool Raboot finally couldn't hold back and let out a cry.
It even shed tears.
"Rabu!"
Sorry, Senior Sister isn't strong enough! I shouldn't cry!
The sight made Nurse Joy and [RECURRING] Chloe burst into laughter.
But Ash looked heavy-hearted.
That voice was still ringing in his mind—clearer, faster.
Following the pull in his chest, Ash walked deeper into the Pokémon Center.
"Ash, what's wrong?"
[RECURRING] Chloe quickly asked, seeing his strange state.
But Ash seemed not to hear her, still moving forward on his own.
Nurse Joy and [RECURRING] Chloe exchanged looks, unsure of what to do.
"What's happening with your friend?" Joy asked.
[RECURRING] Chloe and Pikachu shrugged.
They didn't know either, but she repeated what Ash had said earlier about hearing a voice.
At the mention, [RECURRING] Chloe shivered—
She was terrified of ghosts!
Strange, considering she had a Mismagius.
But the truth was she only disliked ugly Ghost-types.
While Joy and [RECURRING] Chloe spoke, Ash had already reached the research wing.
Turning the corner, a door opened automatically, and Ash stepped inside.
It was an incubation chamber filled with Pokémon Eggs.
But one Egg stood out from the rest.
Unlike the others, carefully nestled in incubation pods, this one was connected to two metallic rings, linked to a monitoring device.
But Ash didn't need machines.
With his Aura, the moment he entered the room he felt it—
A familiar Aura radiating from this Egg.
Just like back then.
"Lucario… is it you?"
Ash placed his hand against the glass of the incubator.
And at that moment, the Egg stopped releasing Aura.
Yet Ash was certain.
This was Lucario reborn.
Answering a promise made a thousand years ago.
The livestream flickered with countless images—
Like a slideshow, flashing scenes of Ash and Lucario's bond.
Even Sir Aaron appeared among them—
The legendary Aura Guardian who saved Orudoran.
Everyone was stunned.
Ash… really had ties to Aaron?
Could it be…
Was Ash Aaron's reincarnation?
The visions faded once the Egg calmed.
[Cynthia: It seems Ash's bond with this Riolu Egg runs deeper than we ever imagined.]
[Korrina: I really want to know what those pictures were! Ash and Lucario clearly share so many secrets!]
[Riley: …I'm stunned. I came to watch a livestream and found family! Who could've guessed!?]
[Mustard: I always knew Ash wasn't ordinary, but this… could his Aura really be inherited from Aaron?]
[Sonia: Then is it possible Ash could also be Galar's legendary Hero of Sword and Shield!?]
[Professor Magnolia: Sonia, if you want answers, you'll have to investigate. That's the only way to learn the truth.]
[Iris: Oh! In Unova we also have legends of the Heroes of Truth and Ideals! Could Ash be them too!?]
[Ash: Huh? Am I really that amazing?]
[Brock: Don't play dumb. You already hold the title of three different Heroes.]
[Cynthia: Honestly, I'm curious about Ash and Lucario. A bond spanning a thousand years… such a romantic tale.]
[Caitlin: Count me in!]
[Lusamine: Same here. What kind of magic does Ash carry with him?]
Not just the Champions—
All the viewers were intrigued.
These were legends!
And yet here they were, walking beside Ash.
Ash's mysteries had only just begun to be unraveled.
The secret of his exclusive Z-Move, "10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt," was already explained.
But now, Aura?
Ash was like a layered cake—
Every slice revealed a new secret.
And the audience couldn't stop devouring it, desperate to reach the truth!
[Sabrina: Can the livestream show us something about the Aura Guardian? I really want to know Ash's secrets.]
[Lance: ???]
[Lance: Sabrina, stop! If we trigger something we can't handle, we'll be punished. Remember what happened to Goh!]
[Sabrina: But I truly want to know.]
[Lance: Forget it, the power behind this livestream isn't something we can control!]
[Ding! Special condition triggered by Sabrina]
[After this scene, special feature will play: The Aura Guardian]
[Ding! Congratulations, Sabrina]
[Upon completion, Sabrina will also receive an exclusive livestream gift]
[Lance: …Wait, you can do that!?]
[Bruno: Hahaha! Lance, looks like the clown this time is you!]
[Cynthia: Finally, a way to uncover Ash's truth.]
[Lorelei: Oh my, Lance, this is embarrassing. Next time, don't admit you're a Kanto Elite Four.]
Meanwhile, Sabrina smiled warmly at the notification.
She didn't care about the gift.
She only wanted to know more about Ash.
Ever since discovering Ash was like her—someone with special powers—her feelings for him had shifted.
"Haunter, do you want to evolve into Gengar?"
"Gengar~"
On screen—
Finally, [RECURRING] Chloe and Nurse Joy caught up to Ash.
"Ash, are you okay?" [RECURRING] Chloe asked nervously.
Pikachu leapt from her shoulder onto Ash's.
"Pika?"
But Ash gave no reaction.
Pikachu followed his gaze and saw it—
The Egg in the incubator.
In the Pokémon world, every being has a unique Aura.
Even Pikachu, unable to wield Aura, could feel the Egg's energy.
It made Pikachu want to draw closer.
What was happening?
Joy rushed over, panting.
"This room isn't open to visitors," she said carefully, trying to stay calm.
Ash finally blinked back to reality.
He turned to Joy.
"Nurse Joy, this Egg…"
She understood immediately.
"You came here… because of this child?"
"Yes. It's calling out to me."
Ash pressed his hand to the glass again.
Sensing his Aura, the Egg burst into brilliant light.
[RECURRING] Chloe covered her mouth in awe.
She suddenly recalled something her father once said—
Wild Pokémon Eggs were rare, only found by those with fate.
Could this Egg really be calling out to Ash?
Her eyes sparkled.
As expected of Ash! Doing the impossible with ease.
"I see," Nurse Joy exhaled in relief.
Then she explained:
"This Egg was discovered in the wilds of Sinnoh. The finder hoped to hatch and raise it themselves. But no matter what they tried, it wouldn't hatch.
Eventually, they gave it to a Daycare. Even Professor Oak couldn't awaken it. After that, it passed through many hands—Sinnoh, Kalos, Galar—until it finally arrived here.
We thought it would remain the same as always… but recently, it started changing."
Joy's eyes shone as she looked at Ash.
"Perhaps it was waiting. Waiting for someone. And now I'm certain—that someone is you.
Your name is Ash, isn't it?"
Ash nodded.
"Then I entrust this Egg to you. Please, you must hatch it."
Ash didn't answer right away.
He turned to the Egg again.
The Aura spoke to him, whispering its long journey.
"I will."
[Sonia: Even if it isn't Lucario, after wandering through so many regions, it must have been waiting for Ash.]
[Elesa: Hah, fate really is mysterious. Just like Ash and Pikachu. This Egg surely carries hope with it.]
[Dawn: Everything is fate.]
[Ash: It's so moving! Whoever you are, I'll find you. I won't let you wander anymore!]
[Serena: Yes… Ash's bond with Pokémon always makes me jealous.]
[Diantha: My, my, what a lovestruck girl you are.]
Red.
Serena's face burned red!
Lovestruck!? No!
She was a pure-hearted warrior of love!
Her heart belonged to Ash alone!
On screen—
Nurse Joy handed the Egg to Ash.
For unclaimed Eggs, the decision was hers to make.
"Thank you, Nurse Joy."
She only smiled and waved it off.
Ash cradled the Egg.
"Come out soon. The world outside is far more exciting than in here."
At Sakuragi Institute—
Ash placed the Riolu Egg in the lab.
He was no stranger to hatching Pokémon.
After all, he'd hatched many before—like Tyranitar, whom he raised from a Larvitar Egg.
"Ash, don't worry. This Egg is perfectly healthy," Professor Cerise confirmed.
"Thank you, Professor."
After the check, Ash carried the Egg outside.
He wanted to take it for a stroll—
Keeping it happy was key to hatching.
With [RECURRING] Chloe guiding him, Ash toured every corner of Vermilion City.
Back at the Institute's yard, Ash released his Pokémon.
Dragonite, Raboot, even Gengar crawled out of his shadow.
"This will be our new partner."
"Pika!"
Ash lifted the Egg for them to see.
Dragonite immediately tried to hug it—
But the others quickly stopped it.
"Rabu!"
(Little Junior is still an Egg. You'll hurt it with your strength.)
Dragonite sulked in the corner, doodling circles in the dirt.
Raboot, ever the 'Senior Sister,' sighed and went to comfort it.
"Rabu~"
(Don't be sad. Even though you're not as cute as me, or as strong as Gengar, you're still my junior, and I'll take care of you.)
Dragonite froze, shattered like a broken statue.
"Gengar~"
Gengar burst out laughing.
Pikachu just facepalmed—
This team was too much trouble!
Still, playtime soon ended.
The Pokémon went back to training.
Lately, Pikachu had been carrying battles alone.
That gave the others a sense of urgency—
Especially after seeing Tyranitar's strength.
They had even met Ash's older Pokémon at Professor Oak's lab—
The pressure doubled!
If they didn't improve, they'd be left behind.
The road to the World Coronation Series had only just begun.
Only by reaching the Masters Eight could Ash challenge Leon!
And who wouldn't want to stand at the very peak of the world?
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