Equestria. A Hospital in Vanhoover. Day.
"Look at the size of that thing!" A resident of Vanhoover said as currently, something shocking was taking place at the local hospital here. Mainly, something related to a Desire.
A giant array of purple lights were flying everywhere, threatening to hit Pokemon in the air. Mainly Flying-Types or those that can levitate. Everypony within the hospital ran out for their safety while those on the outside kept a good distance, not wanting to be caught up in this mess.
The Desire had made tendrils that extended out of the hospital, threatening to grab whoever was within its light of sight. Unfortunately, with how many residents were in Vanhoover, it was almost everyone.
A few tendrils ended up grabbing many ponies by their hooves And once it got ahold of them, it opened all the doors of the hospital, aiming to bring them inside. "Wait, wait, wait!" One pony cried out, kicking at the tendril to no avail. They looked like they would be captives of this odd Desire with barely anyone left to stop it considering how many it had grabbed.
"Iron Tail!"
"Chu...Pika!" But, Ash and Pikachu were here, cutting the tendrils in half with an always reliable and strong Iron Tail. The ponies had been freed from these tendrils' grip as the Desire let out a horrifying screech.
"Ash!" Some of the residents said, seeing the arrival of Ash Ketchum.
"I got here as soon as I heard what was going on. What kind of Desire this?" Ash said before looking at the hospital. If a Desire was lurking around the hospital of all places, it must be something new or related to the hospital.
"Thanks for showing up here, Ash. Pikachu." A Canterot Guard walked up to Ash as a few of them had shown up to try and deal with this issue. "Got a bit too close there."
"No problem. What's happening in there? And are there others still inside?"
"Pika?"
"At least a few hundred. We couldn't get everypony out of the hospital in time, sadly. But everyone's alive and okay in there. The whole thing's a hostage situation with that Desire." The guard explained. "We're not sure who's Desire it is."
"I hear ya." Ash nodded before digging into his pockets. Taking out one of his Poke Balls, he sent out Lucario for this. "Lucario. Out you come."
"Lucario."
"Let's try and get through that field of Desire with your Aura. On my-" Ash spoke, but was soon cut off once he noticed something up ahead. The Desire suddenly opened the door for Ash, but it didn't pull out a tendril.
"Careful! It might pull you in!" The guard exclaimed as everyone stayed back.
"No, wait." Ash stopped them for a moment as he and Lucario could feel something up ahead. Their Auras were telling them that the Desire was inviting them inside. Mainly Ash. It wanted to see him. Ash was cautious, but he knew he had to tackle the problem head-on. "We're going in. Come on you two."
Ash, Pikachu and Lucario accepted the Desire's invitation. They weren't intimidated by the giant tendrils or vicious Desire forcefield that was covering it.
"Uh, we'll be here when you need us!" A guard shouted.
"Thanks!" Ash shouted back from a distance. "Just keep everyone clear of the building! We'll take care of this!"
"Pikachu!"
Inside.
Once inside, the door had been closed by the Desire as to not let Ash out. But when it closed the door, it still did not attack Ash. One minute it was hostile to everyone else, but now, it seems gentle while still carrying an eerie and menacing disposition, especially with the ominous sound the Desire makes constantly.
"Hello? Can anyone hear me?"
"I can hear you. Ash Ketchum. Is that you?" The voice of the Desire spoke. It sounded like a young colt with a reverb added to the voice.
"Yeah, it's me. And I'm here with my buddies Pikachu and Lucario. What's going on?" Ash started walking through the hallways of the hospital. Whatever it is, it's no reason to involve-"
His sentence was promptly paused after he had come across a fairly imposing sight around the corner. The few hundred ponies within the hospital could be found as they were indeed safe. But they were more than safe. They were all standing in a row, perfectly aligned. All of their eyes glowing purple as their attention had been turned to Ash, Pikachu and Lucario.
"Everyone in the hospital....?!" Ash finished his sentence with a gasp.
"Pikachu?!"
"I was waiting for you, Ash." The voice spoke again. But everypony here said it in unison with their unique tones and pitches. The Desire was speaking through all of them as one connected soul. "I'm glad you're here."
"You were waiting for me? Why?" Ash said to one of the ponies as he was still talking to the same Desire.
"Because good things happen to everypony when you're around. Bad things happen when you're not. Can you please come to me?" All at once, the ponies all pointed their hoof at a sole door at the end of this hallway. The Desire was telling him to move through the hospital.
"Pika-Pi? Pikachu?" Pikachu asked if this was safe. It could possibly lead to a trap that was sprung for Ash if this Desire was waiting for him.
"No need to worry, buddy." But Ash would tackle it either way. He followed the hoof-direction of everypony, going towards the door. He reached the end of this hallway, opening the door as it led to another room.
Within this room, other ponies who were all connected by the Desire also aimed their hooves in a different direction. To the next hallway and the next door. "Over there. This way, Ash."
Ash continued on his way, walking through the next hallway to the next door. This would be the last door for him to pass through as the Desire and colt were inside there. "If you need help, I'm here. There's something you want me for, right?"
He said as he opened the final door. But as he did so, he saw no danger here. Rather, he saw young colt within the Desire, sitting on a chair. And next to that chair was a bed with a pony next to it. "It's not me that needs help, Ash.
"Huh?" Ash pulled back after seeing the scene.
"It's my mom. Nothing's working." The colt whimpered. "I used the Desire to do what I could."
"You used the Desire? How?" He was surprised by that. So far, no one has been able to use the power of the Desire consciously. The Desires always acted on their own volition without anything or anyone to control them. But this little pony did and could.
"Mhm. I tried everything to help heal her. But nothing's working, Ash. The only thing I haven't tried is you." The colt stood up, pointing his wing feather at Ash.
"M-Me?" Ash pulled back.
"My mom's going away in a few minutes. They said it was some rare disease from someplace called Mage Hold or something like that. And I don't know what to do." He shuddered before looking at his mother on the bed. "But you can do something, right? You can do anything! You can break mind controls, battle giant dragons, save universes and all that stuff! I've heard about it."
"Pika..."
"My mom needs you, Ash. This is what you do. You save ponies, people and Pokemon. You can do anything...Right?"
"I'm sorry..." Ash paused for a moment before putting his hand on the Desire and colt's head. "I can try asking Twilight or-"
"No-no-no! I've already tried asking everyone I could and there's nothing for this stupid-stupid disease! I've heard what you can do!" The little colt backed away as the Desire was glowing viciously. "Please save her!"
"I can't do that."
"You can't or you won't!" His voice had been raised as the tendrils appeared around Ash, threatening him.
"If I could save her, I would. But I can't do everything." Ash closed his eyes before shaking his head.
"You help everyone all the time! Why can't you help my mom?!" The Desire carried him into the air as the hospital was trembling from his anger. The Desire was fully consuming and getting the better of him. But Ash stood there unphased while Lucario was ready to defend his trainer.
"I get your anger," said Ash. "I lost others close to me too." He then started reminiscing about Sir Aaron's Lucario and how he couldn't save him or even Latios when he sacrificed himself.
Entei also sacrificed himself to defeat the Unown and restore everything to normal and was destroyed as he was created by the Unown. Even Pokemon that were before his time and perished in the past as well as one human.
The father of Latios and Latias who died protecting his city of Alto Mare the same way his son did many years before. Alder's Volcarona, Mallow's mother, the trainer of Ninetales and a few others.
He knew how each of them felt. Mallow, Alder and Ninetales missed those that they loved. Even Victini, who had a king that cared for it many years at the Kingdom of Vale. So many have perished and passed on.
"It hurts a lot. For my friends and everyone." Ash walked forward despite the tendrils following him. "I wish I could do everything, but I've got my limits. But you don't have to go through this alone." He then kneeled, getting on the colt's level."
The colt couldn't attack Ash at all. The tendrils faded away along with the furious aura of the Desire. He knew that Ash was right, but it was hard for him to accept it due to his age. Ash then went to hold the colt as he descended.
"No far." He sniffled before wiping his tears. "Why not me? Why my mom? I don't want her to go, Ash."
"I don't have answers to that either. But I can tell you that you're not alone." He then comforted the little pony with a hug. And without the usage of Aura or defeating some sort of enemy, Ash had managed to soothe and put an end to this Desire.
And with the end of the Desire, the connection of the hundred ponies within the hospital had been broken. They all gasped as their heads felt a bit off. They weren't aware their minds had been tapped into. The glow also faded away from the hospital once the Desire left to be in peace.
And speaking of peace, the mother of the little colt was having her final moments, but she had a few words to say before she left. "Son? Ash Ketchum?"
"Mom?!" The colt looked over at his mother.
"Ah...That's a nice sight to see for a while." She smiled. "Lofty Sky. Please straighten your hair."
"S-Sorry." Lofty Sky straightened his hair while still crying.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about this disease first, Lofty. I had it for years now. I didn't want to scare you about this. But you're like your father. You catch on quickly, don't you?"
"Dad tried too but couldn't get anything," said Lofty. "I wish I was better at magic. But maybe we can-"
"No, no, no." She waved her hoof. "Nothing from Magehold can be undone. I'm fine with leaving now. Your father and I have raised you into an amazing young colt. A shame I won't be there to see you forever."
"But I came to see you every week! I wanted you to know how big I've grown! I even brought your favourite game Chess to-"
"Oh, those chess games were fun. But you've already grown up enough in my eyes. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you about my condition constantly. That would've just bogged the game and ruined my conversation, wouldn't it?" She chuckled slightly.
"I guess so." Lofty even laughed for a small bit.
"I can feel something coming now..." She groaned. "But let me get a few howls in. You have a great idol- no, friend by your side." She referred to Ash. "Ash. Why don't you play chess with my boy? And give him a good game."
"You can count on me." Ash would live up to that promise like he always does.
"Oh. And maybe, if by some chance I return to see you again, Lofty, that would be wonderful. But I'll always be watching from wherever I may be. So don't worry about acting tough. You're already tough enough in my eyes."
"Thanks, mom."
"Just don't make the same mistakes, I did, okay kiddo? Latch that onto your father too." She gave her a soon a final hoof bump before her eyes started closing. "And if I were you, I'd watch out...for the... Dread League..."
And those were her last words before she passed on. Lofty tried acting strong, but it was impossible for tears to flow. He was free to cry as he cried in Ash's shirt, getting his shirt wet.
10 days later.
10 days have passed since then. And Ash lived up to his promise. He was currently playing chess with the Lofty Skies in his home as his father was watching. He would keep him company always. And he would also come back to this house constantly, making a new friend as the mother had said.
"Oh, man..." Ash lowered his head as he was not good at chess at all. "This is tough!"
"Pikachu..." Pikachu sighed.
"Checkmate!" Lofty exclaimed, giggling as father patted him on the back. "I win again."
"Not yet! How about another round? I think I'm getting the hang of it." Ash leaned forward, wanting another challenge as he was getting into this game. "I hope so."
"You're on, Ash!"
As for the mother, she was long gone by now. However, there was a place she ended up in. A place nopony could think of. One that existed in the Pokemon World but could give anyone a view of both worlds. A place where Arceus can also be found. But that was a story for another time. Either way, she was indeed watching from somewhere as the journey continues.
Chapter 597 End.