After Ashley finished training she went to the Gym to challenge Lt. Surge but not before stopping by the Pokemon Center to collect her friends. Inside the Gym she was greeted by a man and a woman. 

"What do we have here? Another baby to send to the hospital?" The woman asked smugly. 

 "Hey boss! We got another victim!" The man shouted. 

"So. We got ourselves another baby do we?" Lt. Surge asked. But upon seeing some of Ashley's team Lt. Surge couldn't help but think this girl was something. She clearly wasn't going to go down.

 "I doubt she'll be the case. Judging by your team I'd wager that you're strong for a newbie. All of the Newbie Trainers I've faced I've sent to ICU. You however...I expect will be different." Lt. Surge said. 

"One on one, no time limit sound good to you?" He asked.  

"Fine by me." Ashley replied. 

 "Raichu let's put this girly in her place." Lt. Surge said as he let his Pokemon onto the field.  

"Lucario I choose you!" Ashley exclaimed as Lucario leaped onto the field and into an attack stance. Then Ashley touched her Key Stone and Lucario Mega Evolved.  "Raichu let's start off with Electro Ball!" Surge ordered.  

"Lucario use Aura Sphere on the Electro Ball!" Ashley countered as the two launched their attacks which ended up colliding creating a spark show. 

 "Yet another ingenious masterpiece." Wallace complimented."I'm glad to have stuck around." He thought. 

 "Now Lucario use Aura Sphere again!" Ashley ordered. 

 "Raichu dodge and use Thunder Shock!" Surge countered. 

 "Lucario use Attract!" Ashley countered the counter. Before Raichu could deliver his Thunder Shock he suddenly became infatuated with Lucario. 

"Now combine Force Palm with Dark Pulse!" She ordered as the poor Raichu was attacked by the Fighting/Dark Type move. 

"Now for the grand finale! Lucario use Focus Blast!" She ordered. Raichu was knocked out. 

 "Congrats kid. Here's the Thunder Badge as proof of your victory." Lt. Surge said as he gave Ashley the badge.  Just as the group was about to leave they were stopped.

 "Hey!" Ashley and the others turned but the sight before them made Wallace growl.  "Team Magma! What are you doing here in Kanto!?!" He asked angrily as he stood in front of Ashley to protect her.

  "We're here for the same reason everybody else is. Ashley Ketchum." Tabitha replied. 

 "Well you can forget that! We're not letting you take her for your selfish gain!" Lance exclaimed as he joined Wallace. 

 "You mistaken our intentions. We're not planning anything bad. All six Syndicates are after her. Two teams of three have different objectives. We, Team Plasma, and Team Flare are trying to protect her. While Team Rocket, Team Aqua, and Team Galactic wish to use her power for dark purposes. If you wish to avoid those three you will accompany us to Saffron City." Tabitha warned.  

"I don't sense any malicious intent from them. So we can trust them." Ashley assured.  Lance and Wallace looked at each other then back at Ashley, then back at Tabitha. 

"Good girl. Now come with us." Tabitha ushered as he lead the group away from Vermillion City with Ashley beside him. Wallace and Lance glared at the Team Magma Admin warning him if he tried anything he wouldn't get far. Half way to Saffron City they were ambushed by Team Rocket, Aqua, and Galactic. 

 "Hand over the girl...or else." A Rocket Grunt threatened.  

"Not this time." Ashley warned as her Aura flared to life. Her clothes changed into a royal regalia (think of Zelda's regalia from Hyrule Warriors but blue instead of pink and purple, and without the Hyrule crest. Her hair is now the same as Zelda's but black with a tint of blue, and she's still wearing the Arceus Amulet. And yes I have been wanting to use that design.), she has two Katanas on her back, and her eyes changed from brown to blue. When she stopped changing Brock and James were staring at her with hearts in their eyes. Tabitha blushed a bit but quickly forced it away. Arceus nodded his head in approval. 

"Okay you bastards. You want me? Come and get me." She threatened as she drew her Katanas then proceeded to slash and cut through all the hostiles. After she finished, everyone stared at her amazed. "What? I'm not a helpless damsel you know." She said before proceeding to follow Tabitha.  "Really? Then we did you get captured by Team Rocket?" Misty asked slyly. 

 "I was caught off guard. I wasn't expecting them to gang up on me like that." Ashley huffed.  "Regardless. That was truly a sight to behold. That regalia really compliments you." Wallace said making Ashley a blushing mess.  "You think I should keep the look?" Ashley asked as Wallace, Brock, and James nodded. Wallace being composed while Brock and James had stupid looks. Jessie slapped James with a paper fan while Misty hit Brock over the head with a mallet.  "I must admit it makes you look like a Princess. You have that regal authoritative atmosphere about you." Jessie gushed.

  "Totally. You look cute." Misty agreed.  Ashley used her Aura to revert back to her normal clothes...much to the boys disappointment. She took off her backpack then reverted back to wearing the regalia. She threw her backpack over her shoulder and the gang started making their way to Saffron City. Once they got there they went straight for the Pokemon Center. 

"Secure the perimeter." Tabitha ordered the Magma Grunts.

  "Yes sir." The Grunts saluted before circling the Center.  "Ashley Ketchum. At last we meet. I am Maxie the leader of Team Magma." Maxie introduced. He was wearing a black and red lab coat with a red 'M' on the black part, black pants, black shoes, and his red hair was slicked back. Maxie turned his attention towards Tabitha

. "Thank you Tabitha for bringing the Aura Goddess to me unscathed." He praised before readdressing Ashley. "I must say that you're more beautiful than I expected." He complimented making the girl blush. Lance and Wallace were trying to keep calm but glared at the Crime Lord. "We don't have much time before the 3 find us." He thought bitterly. 

 "'The 3'?" Lance asked curiously.  "That is what we have taken to call the more evil Syndicates. With the combined brains of Rocket, Aqua, and Galactic they are beyond dangerous than when they were separate." Maxie replied.

  "I agree. While we three are trying to change our ways, those three are too stubborn to even consider listening to logic." A man wearing a dark cloak with a eyepiece on his right eye, and pale green hair said. 

"G-Cis Harmonia Gropius. Leader of Team Plasma. Thanks to Maxie for finding information regarding the Aura Goddess we're changing our points of view to benefit Humanity...but our primary concern is keeping you away from the 3." Ghetsis explained. 

 "How long did it take you to find that information?" Ashley asked Maxie.

  "Months. Way before you were kidnapped. It was something in relation to Groudon and Kyogre. That the Aura Goddess was the only one who can control a Groudon and Kyogre. Archie is wanting to force you into flooding the world with Kyogre...and he'll use more sadistic means of getting what he desires should you fail to comply." Maxie sharply replied.

  "I can't let such beauty be manipulated by their arrogance." A man wearing a black and orange suit with orange spiky hair commented. "Lysandre. Leader of Team Flare." He introduced.  

"Lysandre do you think about anything but vanity?" Ghetsis asked.  "Nope. I want to keep this world beautiful no matter what. And the 3 are a major blow to those plans." Lysandre replied.  

"Focus you two. We're in a tight situation here. We must devise a plan if we are to be rid of them." Maxie berated.  "Sorry Maxie." Lysandre apologized.  "Wait. You said that you three were changing your views. What view is that?" Ashley asked curiously.  "Team Magma's plans were initially awakening Groudon in order to form more inhabitable land for both Humans and Pokemon alike." Maxie replied.  "Team Plasma's original idea was to liberate all Pokemon from being used as tools." Ghetsis replied.  "Team Flare's original goal was to make the world more beautiful...even if my method of doing so is a bit...horrible." Lysandre replied.  "How so?" Ashley asked. Curiosity turning into a scowl towards the man.

  "Mass genocide." Lysandre mumbled. Much to his dismay Ashley caught that. 

 "WHAT!?!" She asked now pissed off.  "I was afraid that Pokemon would be the result of all the beauty in the world being lost." Lysandre admitted.  "Jessie can I see your fans?" Ashley asked calmly.

  "Sure." Jessie replied as she handed Ashley her paper fans.  Ashley sighed and took a moment before slapping Ghetsis and Lysandre with them growing a tick mark in agitation. "Idiots." Ashley berated before giving the fans back to Jessie.

  "Why did you hit ME?" Ghetsis asked.  "Because both of your ideas are selfish! At least Maxie's heart's in the right place! Everyone else are just idiots! Team Rocket wants to take over the world! Team Aqua wants to flood it! Team Galactic wants to get rid of emotions by using Dialga and Palkia to recreate the world! Team Plasma wants to 'liberate' Pokemon! And Team Flare wants to commit mass genocide in order to preserve beauty in the world! Is Team Magma the only sane people out of the six!?!" Ashley asked irritated before storming away only to come back for more Pokeformula.  Maxie just stood there smirking.

 "She IS a firebrand." He commented before following her into the cafeteria to find her sitting at a table feeding Dialga.  "I'm surrounded by idiots." Ashley stated.  "Not completely. You have some competent friends at least." Maxie assured. "Mind if I sit down?" He asked.  

"Sure." Ashley replied as Maxie sat down next to her.  "That was very amusing back there." Maxie chuckled.  "They deserved it. Especially Lysandre. Who the hell would go through with mass genocide!?!" Ashley asked.  'Mamma what's genocide?' Dialga asked.  "It's nothing to worry about sweetie. I'll tell you when you're older." Ashley replied.

  'Okay mamma.' Dialga said before going back to feeding.  "Has anyone ever mentioned how you're good at that?" Maxie asked.  "Mewtwo has back on New Island. It was where I stayed for the most part after he freed me from being tortured by Team Rocket." Ashley replied.  "Yes. You had a lot of people worried after that incident I bet." Maxie said.  "Don't get me started. As soon as I called mom back in Vermillion City she gave me the BIGGEST scolding a kid ever wants to hear from their moms." Ashley grimaced as she recalled their "conversation"

 "I still wonder how I ended up on international news." Ashley thought.

  "A cameraman was following Lance around. And he didn't even know it." Maxie replied causing Ashley to sweat drop. 

 "Well that answers that question." Ashley stated.

  "Now not only does everyone know about...the kidnapping, but your privacy was compromised as well. Things are going to be different from now on so you might as well get used to it." Maxie said.  

"*Sigh* True. The information about me was going to come out eventually I suppose." Ashley thought.  "Why do you think that?" Maxie asked.  "I can't keep my damned mouth shut that's why." Ashley replied before getting up. "Since we're in Saffron City I might as well get my Gym Battle over with." Ashley thought.  "Uh...I don't think that's going to happen at the moment." Lysandre said running in.  "Why? What's up?" Ashley asked.  "They're here. And they're trying to get past our Grunts." Lysandre replied causing Ashley and Maxie to growl as they ran off to the main part of the Pokemon Center.