Ketchum Chronicles

A Very Interesting Exposition Dump

Aria

We watched, as Ash tossed and turned on his bed, and we tried to keep him from turning to his wounded side. His face kept changing, from confused to angry and we heard him call for Pikachu a few times. Then, he woke up. First his mouth started to breathe more normally, and we started to calm down. Then his eyes started to open, and we all held our breath. Finally, he spoke again.
"Hey, what are you all looking at me for?"
"Ash!"
Bonnie immediately hugged him until he looked like he could choke.
"We were so worried about you Ash!"
"Hey, that was in the past now I'm fine [ow] mostly,"
Then he looked up.
"Greninja, thats you right?"
"Grenin!" And Greninja moved to embrace him.
"So Ash, what happened in the forest? We just saw you run in and not come back,"
"Well it was a long story..."
He explained his entire story to us.
"Are... you serious?"
"Yes, I remember it very clearly,"
"Well that fills in the details the Pokémon couldn't explain,"
Then I stopped for a bit. This is serious. What could Chaster want with Ash? They defined know something we don't, but I'm not going to bring it up now...
"Ash?"
"Yes?"
"You mentioned Delta Hoopa in your previous encounter with this... cult?"
"Yeah, it seemed like they were looking for him,"
"And where did Delta Hoopa tell you to look for him?"
"Black Ice Cavern?"
"Interesting... I don't think I've heard of those before, let me check my maps..."
I opened my backpack and took put several rolled out pieces of waterproof paper, and on them were detailed sketches and a few printed out maps for extra information. I rolled them all put on the table and started to scan, but the map did that rolling motion in the corners after you rolled paper for a long time, so I took some small rocks specifically to hold it down. Very convenient.
My eyes followed my fingers trail, going over mountains, into forests and down long winding trails to see. My eyes strained. Nothing. I needed to know more.
"Nothing? Nothing? There is nothing I can find that says Black Ice Cavern..."
"Maybe its a small local place, so it wasn't marked on any national map,"
"Ok, Bonnie look it up,"
Bonnie opened a device and typed Black Ice Cavern into it. It came up with Black Ice Cavern returned no results.
"Wait, if there is no such thing as black ice cavern, where do we look?"
Then Clemont asked a question. "Wait, what exactly is Delta Hoopa?"
"What do you mean Clemont?"
"Well Delta Hoopa is a Delta Species, but what is that even? You keep throwing these terms around, but could you at least explain them?"
"Thats... a long story. I don't have all the information and it also involves some of my own theories because some of the information is sparse. But if you want, I'll try. First off, I the Delta Species. Delta species or D. Pokémon are artificially created Pokémon that seemed to be made by alchemists in the early medieval period, y'know, the time when people were messing around trying to find the philosopher's stone, the object said to grant immortality and turn metals into gold? Yeah that time. It seemed they figured out how they could transform Pokémon to different types, like regional variants except they could make them to any Pokémon without natural selection. Later according to a few records there existed a cult that was specifically made to make Delta Species Pokémon, the Cult of Perfection. They believed that. Delta Species were better than their normal counterparts and started making every Pokémon they could get their hands on Delta. They even had a small uninhabited region to themselves for releasing Delta Pokémon and see what works,"
"Interesting,"
"Amazing!"
"Cool!"
"As for Delta Hoopa specifically, they tried to find a legendary Pokémon to turn Delta, but they couldn't find any, obviously so they decided to make their own,"
"Wait, make a LEGENDARY by themselves?" Ash asked.
"Yeah, that was kinds the point of alchemy, become immortal,"
"But did it work?"
"Good question, and after many failed attempts, they created Delta Hoopa,"
"Wait, they were medieval alchemists but they knew about Hoopa? Wasn't that in Arche Valley in Asone?"
"Yes, but they got some ideas about it through the Crusades, I'll tell you about those later. So anyway, they created their own legendary Pokémon,"
"Did it go on a rampage or something? Because that usually happens, doesn't it?"
"Well normally you'd be right Ash but in this case it didn't. They did lit its power by sealing some of its power a bit,"
"Okay. Then?"
"After that they decided to use their creation to summon the Philosopher's Stone, and unleashed all of its power. That went just as well as you'd expect, accidentally doing... something because the source ends there,"
"What do you mean?"
"Well the main source of this was a journal in a museum and I helped to translate. I'm not sure if you heard about it... its called the Codex Ignotius,"
Suddenly Clemont got up.
"Wait, the medieval manuscript no/one was able to translate? THAT Codex Ignotius?"
"Yep. But some of it is torn and other bits are covered and others burned,"
"Woah..."
"I know Bonnie, very interesting,"
"So what happened next?"
"I don't know, the manuscript is torn in multiple areas, burned or wet so lots of it is unreadable,"
"So what does that mean?"
"Well the group that was chasing you knew it was Delta Hoopa, correct?"
"Yeah?"
"So they were looking for it, and from Chaster, it can't be very good. D. Hoopa was a legendary Pokémon made with artificial means, and created with enormous potential. If it fell under their control, what do you think they could do? You saw Chaster was adept with magic..."
"Wait LITERAL magic?!"
"Wait, you didn't see that already? I thought he was a Pokémon of some kind..."
"Well he clearly is not a normal being. And if he is a Pokémon, he has some knowledge at magic..."
"Are you sure its magic?" Asked Clemont.
"Well if it isn't what is it?"
"It could a Pokémon like Ash suggested..."
"Well what about the make-rocks-move thing?"
"Psychic type,"
"What about the electricity?"
"Psychic-electric type,"
"What about choking Ash?"
"Knows a fighting type move,"
"What about the talking?"
"Alright! Could you at least not use the term? I don't like it..."
"Ok... well we all know Delta Hoopa is very strong, based off of the notes I found, and that the group Ash had his memories wiped by wants Delta Hoopa... probably,"
"What could they even use Delta Hoopa for?"
"We don't know what Delta Hoopa did, the pages are torn,"
"So what do we do now?"
"Well of you ask me I'm going to track them down. Delta Hoopa is potentially incredibly dangerous I need to prevent them from using Delta Hoopa for whatever reason, and learn about it,"
"I'm coming with you!"
"I'm afraid I can't let you Ash. I'm experienced in this kind of work, and your a kid,"
"I've done this stuff too!"
"Like what?! What kind of stuff could you have done to convince me you are capable of tracking down a legendary Pokémon?"
"Well..."
Ash looked down. He had such a determined look on his face like he could accomplish anything. But when I asked him the question instantly he looked confused, and then looked down in shame. It must have been memories. He was on the cusp of grasping them and suddenly fell short. With the look on his face I wouldn't be surprised if he tore his hair out.
"I..."
"..."
"..."
"Fine... I'll stay..."
"But Ash, what about taking down Team Flare!"
"Whaddya mean Clemont?"
"We took down Team Flare! When you came to Kalos first, you helped bring down a criminal organization!"
"What about that, Aria!"
"Did the organization have a person who could shoot fireballs from his hands?"
"Uh... not exactly..."
"And thats why,"
"Wait..." Clemont raised his hand up.
"What did you do that allows you to track down a Pokémon such as Delta Hoopa?"
"Well as you saw before I have aura..."
"Please don't say it like that..."
"Okay... well I have travelled through many regions, I have defended myself on multiple occasions, I have a full team with experienced Pokémon and I am an adult,"
"Well...,"
"Ash, what about your Kalos team?"
"A-what-now?"
"Oh right, your retrograde amnesia. You probably don't remember but you come from another region called Kanto in Nihon. You pretty much introduce yourself from there every time, and I can confirm. Last time we saw you you had departed for Kanto on a plane. We don't know what you did before you got to Kalos, but you do have at least your full team of Kalos Pokemon somewhere, if I had to guess, deposited with  whatever professor gave you your starter. Since your from Kanto, that would be professor Oak,"
"Impressive deduction from just his region and Pokemon," I said.
"Ahem. Anyways, normally trainers bring a full team with them, but you came here with only Pikachu, despite the fact it was clear this wasn't your first time battling,"
"Pika-pi!" Agreed Pikachu.
"Ash, have you partaken in more then one journey?"
"Huh?"
"Oh right, that memory loss,"
"Pika!"
"What is it Pikachu? Wait a second... is it possible... was Pikachu's memory untouched?"
"What are you getting at Clemont?" Bonnie asked.
"Pikachu, does Ash have his Kalos team in Professor Oak's possession?"
"Pika!" He nodded.
"So you do remember!"
"Okay then. Ash, you should at least have 6 more Pokemon stored in Kanto,"
"So why don't we get them?" Bonnie asked.
"While it is possible they could help with Ash's memory loss, they wouldn't have the same sync as they would have as before,"
"Your right..." Bonnie said dejectedly.
"Other than that, do we have any method of contact with Professor Oak? His phone number, his email address... anything?"
"Not really..."
"I'll go research and attempt to find his phone number, as well as who the person we just saw today was. He then turned away from Bonnie towards me. "So when are you setting out?"
"I'll be heading out at latest 7am,"
"Ok then. Where are you going to go? Even though were not coming we may be able to help research to help with this,"
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely,"
I smiled. It was small, but I definitely remember doing it. Seeing this kid open up to me a bit was comforting, in my travels I often didn't connect to anyone at all, and sometimes repelled, especially since this kid seems to have a fear of supernatural beings, it was nice to see him help. But Ash...
"Well I'm planning to head to a library. Maybe I can get some information on "Black Ice Cavern" and where the place even is,"
"Hmmm... well I hear there is a particularly large library at Santalune City, not far from here,"
"Good, then we'll head out there. It's not like there is anything dangerous, and I don't think you guys have any plans," And I gestured to the destroyed Lumiose City.
Clemont chuckled. "I guess your right,"
"Okay everyone, that's enough for today, now we can go to sleep,"
"Whaddya mean go to sleep?" Grumbled Bonnie.
"Well look at the time,"
Sure enough, it was already 8pm. Time really does fly when your discussing a journey that may lead to your doom.
I was packing up my maps when I got my journal again.
"Hey Clemont, so you want to read this?"
He turned back. "What?"
"You wanna read this?"
"Sure,"
I tossed it over to him, watch him fail to catch it and haul it back upstairs.
That left me with Ash, who had kept his head down the entire conversation. I wonder why he needed to go an a journey such as mine. Sure, trainers have journeys, but I seriously doubt he has done anything like what were about to do. Then again, he did stop a malicious organization, but he used his Pokémon, but in this state I don't think he can properly fight with them. If only I can help... maybe something in the library can help. Then again, if what Ash says is true, his amnesia is entirely due to memory wipe by Pokémon, and that means he either has to remember everything himself, or get the Pokémon that stole his memories his memories back. And neither looks like it will happen.
"Hey, Ash?"
"Yeah...?"
"So how did you know about aura earlier?"
"It just came from my mind. Like... I know something is supposed to be there, but every time I'm close, it just disappears from my mind!"
"It sounds like a test. You study all night and you forget everything the minute you see the paper,"
"Yeah!... maybe... I'm not sure about that but ok,"
"So what do you know about aura right now?"
"Well, something about inner feelings or something? I know that a Pokémon colored blue used it..."
"Lucario,"
"Yeah! So it uses that as a special fighting-type attack and some people can use it-,"
"Aura guardians,"
"Yeah then they can do awesome stuff like connect to other Pokémon, you can sense others... stuff like that!"
"Wow... you know a lot even though your memory is mostly gone,"
"Yeah... like it's embedded into my brain like Pikachu is,"
"Interesting. Maybe you can find more information in the library were going to go to,"
"Yeah... yeah! Need to stay positive!"
"Good for you, keep the attitude. Well, good night,"
"Yeah, you too,"
I left upstairs and went to get my sleeping bag. Because of the situation with the refugees from the burnt city, they couldn't provide everybody with their own individual rooms, so everybody fanned out to fill every nook and cranny on the entire Pokémon centre. We weren't touching, but I was still significantly closer than I would like. It was sorted out as such that infants and mothers could sleep in the hospital area in the basement along with their children and nurse joy, all the women would sleep on the second floor, all of the pre-pubescent trainers would sleep on the top floor, and then teens and all the men on the bottom floor, cafeteria and some of the outdoor hospitals. Because this was Lumiose City, the capital of Kalos, the Pokémon center was naturally large in size. The areas were divided as best as possible, curtaining certain areas off, placing tents, it was essentially a refugee crisis.
I made my way downstairs into the second floor. Bonnie normally slept with Clemont but since he couldn't with the sleeping arrangements I volunteered to keep her safe. Thankfully we managed to claim a big chunk of space, and we heard that Ash and Clemont did too. I'm lucky we got a large spot, on the overhead TV it said there was going to be a rainstorm, so the people outside started asking for trades for their spots inside. There was a lot of pushing, people walking over others trying to sleep and hemming and hawing over swapping spots but soon enough it all got sorted out. Then nurse joy walked in.
"Good night everyone," She chirped.
"Good night Nurse Joy," Everyone responded at the same time.
It was a little weird, seeing all these grown adults all respond like children at school being called. It sounded like it came from a school auditorium, and slightly funny to me. Nurse Joy seemed to find it awkward too. Then she turned off the light switch. Then I curled up and went to sleep.

Pokédex entries: Dream Eater
This move absorbs half the damage it inflicted on a sleeping foe to restore health.