Scared of Vatonage? Now that Ash thought about it, that was probably true. While he had never been a "prince", he had been the chosen one a few times, so he understood Kellyn's fear, minus looking after an entire region. However, that fear was the reason why he needed to practice.
"Teamwork," Darkrai kept trying to say.
Ash put his foot down. "Kellyn, why don't we go outside and practice until Sven wakes up?"
"Ash!" Kellyn glanced at Ms. Winter.
"That is a great idea!" she said, pushing Kellyn's back. "Chop, chop, young man. Your friend's safe."
Kellyn, though, nudged her away. "I don't want this. I'm not a prince!"
"You can't go into Almia Castle with that attitude," Ms. Winter explained. "You need balance, and you'll only learn through practice."
"I don't want this!" With those words, Kellyn spun around and raced out of the cabin, Blu following him.
The others started after him, but Ash said, "Wait, let me talk to him. I know what it's like to be the chosen one." He exchanged glances with the others. "I was chosen to quell the Legendary Kanto Birds in the Orange Islands." He remembered that he almost died, but hey… That was part of the adventure.
"You did, Ash?" Wendy stood from her chair beside Sven. "Really? Well, then, you'd be perfect."
Ash nodded in response. "Just give me thirty minutes." He focused on Pikachu and scratched him under his chin. "Are you ready, Pikachu?"
"Pi-Pikachu!" Pikachu said.
"Then let's go." Ash flicked his wrist at the others and then left Ms. Winter's cabin.
Snow clouds had rolled in, leaving Ash to enter a new winter wonderland as snow fell softly. Still, it had grown darker.
There was Kellyn, clutching his head as the wind picked up, with his back turned toward Ash. Ash wondered if he had caused the snowstorm.
Blu, hovering beside Kellyn, faced Ash, his blue eyes full of fear.
Ash paused briefly before exchanging glances with Pikachu. He then stepped closer to Kellyn and said, "Kellyn, I know what it's like to be the chosen one. I was selected in the Orange Islands to calm Zapdos, Articuno, and Moltres, the Legendary Kanto Birds."
Kellyn, still holding his head, replied, "I don't want this, though, Ash."
"I didn't, either," Ash argued, "but we were chosen for a reason."
"Pika," Pikachu agreed.
"What reason?" Kellyn's voice cracked, and he spun around. "All because I purified a little Crystal? I'm too young to manage a region on my own, Ash."
"That's why we're here," Ash admitted. "To help you, Kellyn. Come on—Darkrai's not going to let a teenager save Parity on his own."
Kellyn kicked a snow mound. "I should have never returned to Almia."
"Why?" Ash narrowed his eyes. "So, you can hide from your problems? We can't escape our destiny, Kellyn—it's destiny."
"But Darkrai shouldn't have chosen me," Kellyn said, sitting on a log. "I'm too young."
"Age is just a number." Ash sat beside him and patted his thighs. "To be honest, Kellyn—if I were Darkrai, and a brave, young man saved Almia and me from darkness, I'd choose him as the next Guardian, too."
Kellyn lowered his head and raised his hand again, inspecting his gloved palm.
"Pikachu." Pikachu hopped down from Ash's shoulder and landed on the log. He and Blu started communicating with each other.
"What's Pikachu saying?" Kellyn asked Ash.
Ash chuckled. "He's saying that although he didn't choose to become my Partner, he's glad he stayed. It just took time."
"Pika, Pikachu," Pikachu said to Blu before facing Ash. "Pi, Pi."
"Hey, that's not a bad idea, Pikachu," Ash quipped. "Kellyn..." He looked at him. "Why don't you and I have a battle, and Pikachu and I will teach you about teamwork? It might help you."
"A battle?" Kellyn gave Ash a funny look.
He stood and explained, "We need to practice, too. Darkrai visited me yesterday."
"He did?" Kellyn shifted on the log. "What'd he tell you? He visited Sven and me, too."
"You're kidding…" Ash's voice trailed off. "Dawn, Brock, and Wendy haven't said anything. I guess you, Sven, and I need to learn something—that's why Darkrai visited. He told me that I'm trying too hard to prove to Sven that Trainers are just as important."
But they were. Ash had handled many end-of-the-world scenarios, but few involved people who didn't trust him and his friends.
"They are, Ash." Kellyn also stood up. "You proved that today by having Staravia and Pikachu help us with Sven. I wish he were awake to see that. Darkrai told him that he needs to open up more, although"—he lowered his voice—"I understand why he's acting this way."
"You do?" Ash said. "Why?"
Kellyn shuddered. "I-I can't tell you right now, Ash."
Ash slightly glared. But Kellyn just said that Trainers were just as important.
"It's not that I don't trust you," Kellyn included. "Why don't we get through Almia Castle first? Deal?" He offered Ash his hand.
Ash relaxed his face. Considering Sven's recklessness and overprotectiveness, a few theories came to mind, but he decided not to pry. Kellyn was right that Almia Castle was the priority at the moment.
Ash raised his hand and shook Kellyn's. "Deal." He smiled. "May we have that battle now?" A battle against a prince was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Even though Almia didn't have Gyms or Contests, its lore was one of the most fascinating things Ash had ever experienced. He didn't want this to end anytime soon, even though Sven was tough on him and his friends.
Ash's smile turned into a grin when Kellyn said, "Let's do it since we both need practice."
And Ash's day had just gotten a lot better. "Yes!" he whooped, releasing his hand and jumping up and down. "Let's do this, Pikachu," he said to his Partner. "Let's teach Kellyn about teamwork."
"Pika!" Pikachu jumped up and high-fived Ash with his tail.
***
The wind in the area died down, and now only a few snowflakes drifted from the sky. The area brightened, and a flock of Bird Pokémon soared over Ms. Winter's cabin.
She opened the door, saying, "Ash, Kellyn, your friend is…" She paused when she saw Ash and Kellyn battling in her yard. "…awake," Ms. Winter finished. Giggling, she crossed her arms and shook her head.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted, releasing his Thunderbolt.
"Blue-Bird!" Blu teleported and appeared behind Pikachu, who spun around.
"Iron Tail, Pikachu," said Ash, "and then Quick Attack to confuse Blu." He was lucky that Pikachu was a fast Pokémon.
"Pika!" Pikachu's tail glowed, and he struck Blu's head, stunning him. Before Blu could recover, he hurried away and ended up in front of Kellyn.
Brock, Dawn, and Wendy soon joined Ms. Winter outside, followed by Sven, wrapped in a blanket. His color was back, but he still looked a little chilled and put less weight on his right foot than his left. But he was awake, and his eyes widened.
Kellyn grinned at Ash and clenched his fist. "Amazing, Ash!" He glanced at Blu, who finally recovered. "You good, Blu?"
"Blu good!" the Pokémon squawked. He disappeared and reappeared beside Kellyn. He and Pikachu locked eyes.
Lightning bolts shot out from Pikachu's cheeks and Blu's wingtips.
"The key to good teamwork, Kellyn," Ash explained, "is patience and understanding your Partner. It's like your Vatonage power—only when you two are balanced will you succeed, whether you win or not." He had never seen himself as a mentor, but Ash hoped he was doing okay. He and Pikachu had been Partners way longer than Kellyn and Blu.
"Right," Kellyn said, nodding. "Balance equals teamwork."
"Age is just a number," Ash repeated.
"Age is just a number." Something glowed in Kellyn's palm when he said that—the divine light from before.
"Kellyn!" Ash said. "Your power—you're doing it!"
"My power." Kellyn stared at his hand.
"Blue-Bird!" Blu said, nudging him.
"Hm?" A worried look crossed Kellyn's face. "Wait, are you sure, Blu—after what happened with J? You're still young."
"Balance," Blu said. "Sister in danger. Practice."
Wait, was Kellyn going to try what Ash thought he would? Yep.
Blu moved to Kellyn's front, floating a few feet above him. "Balance," he said again.
Kellyn gulped but said, "Okay." He raised his glowing hand toward Blue-Bird, and Ash saw him relax his shoulders. "Vatonage!"
For the first time, the divine energy left Kellyn's hand, enveloping Blu in a golden light.
The trees nearby seemed to perk up, along with a few Wild Pokémon.
Ash couldn't believe what he was witnessing!
Blu grew bigger in the light, reaching the size of a Staraptor, with his wings expanding. He spun around and reappeared looking like a mix of a phoenix and a parrot. Black, phoenix-like feathers extended from his tail and behind his head, while his body and inner wings were rainbow-colored. His feet were black, and his blue eyes shimmered like crystals.
"Blue-Bird!" he cried, flapping his wings.
Wow, what a stunning Pokémon!
"Your Rainbow Forme, Blu!" Kellyn beamed. "We did it!"
"There you go, young prince!" Ms. Winter suddenly shouted from her porch.
Dawn, Sven, Brock, and Wendy jumped and covered their ears.
"Pi-Pikachu!" Pikachu hopped on two legs and flashed a peace sign with his fingers.
In the sky, the sun peeked out from a few clouds and shone on Blue-Bird.
"Blue!" he cheered, soaring around the area like an excited fairy. He approached Pikachu and tossed him onto his back with his neck.
"Pika!" Ash's Partner announced while holding a few of Blu's feathers.
Ash laughed and clapped, cheering his Partner on. "Go, Pikachu!"
Blu soon dropped Pikachu off and went back to Kellyn, transforming into his small form again. "Blue!" He threw himself into Kellyn's arms and hugged him.
"I can't believe we did it," Kellyn told his Partner.
Ash could. What happened was exactly why Darkrai chose him. It also meant that Kellyn was ready for Almia Castle. Hunter J, her goons, and Team Rocket didn't stand a chance.
Gem Guardian Lucario, they were on their way.