Lysandre was a descendant of AZ, the man who had nearly destroyed the world during the Kalos War more than three thousand years ago and created the Ultimate Weapon. By invoking this connection to the past, Lysandre had rallied followers under his banner and rapidly expanded Team Flare.
His plan to judge humanity and purify the world could be summarized as follows: research the Mega Evolution Wave energy released during Pokémon Mega Evolution, then use that energy to control one of the legendary Pokémon said to watch over the Kalos region.
Those legendary Pokémon were Xerneas, the Life Pokémon; Yveltal, the Destruction Pokémon; and Zygarde, the Order Pokémon.
Once he had brought one of them under his control, Lysandre intended to use its power to activate the Ultimate Weapon created by his ancestor, AZ.
And then, much like a certain purple-skinned alien from Marvel, he planned to carry out his own version of population control on the world—eliminating every human and Pokémon he deemed unworthy, while sparing only those he approved of. From the ashes, he would create an entirely new and supposedly more beautiful world.
Compared with Team Galactic in Sinnoh, Team Plasma in Unova, and Team Magma and Team Aqua in Hoenn, Team Flare had yet to cause widespread destruction before the protagonist's interference.
In the original anime, Team Flare's research into Mega Evolution Wave energy eventually allowed them to control Zygarde, the legendary Pokémon known as the Order Pokémon. Once they activated the Ultimate Weapon, the Kalos region suffered tremendous destruction.
It took the combined efforts of the protagonist's group, the vast majority of Kalos's Gym Leaders, the Fire-type Elite Four member Malva, Kalos League Champion Diantha, and Hoenn League Champion Steven Stone to overcome the crisis Team Flare had unleashed.
At present, Alain was still working as an assistant researcher at Professor Sycamore's laboratory. He had yet to become the hired muscle Lysandre used to collect Mega Evolution Wave energy for his organization.
Team Flare's plan to judge humanity and purify the world was probably still in its earliest stages. For now, they were likely focused on collecting and studying Mega Evolution Wave energy.
And Ash's Pidgeot was currently the first publicly known Pokémon in the Kanto region capable of Mega Evolution. Even Professor Sycamore's research institute had wanted to meet Ash and obtain relevant information from him.
Considering that Team Flare's plans revolved around Mega Evolution and the Mega Evolution Wave energy it produced, there was no reason to believe the organization would remain completely indifferent.
So, judging by the circumstances, did Celosia come looking for me today because she wants to challenge me and collect the Mega Evolution energy released by Pidgeot?
Ash quietly considered the possibility.
In fact, ever since he had revealed Pidgeot's ability to Mega Evolve, he had anticipated that it would attract the attention of more than just research institutions like Professor Sycamore's laboratory, which studied Mega Evolution as an academic subject.
There was also a very good chance it would draw the attention of Team Flare, an evil organization that had been quietly establishing its influence throughout the Kalos region for years.
Ash had already considered what he would do if Team Flare came looking for him.
He wasn't from the Kalos region. His home wasn't here, and he had no intention of staying in Kalos for very long. Strictly speaking, he didn't have much reason to concern himself with Team Flare or get involved in its affairs.
But there were people in Kalos he cared about.
His girlfriend, Serena, and her family were here. So were Tierno, Trevor, Shauna, Clemont, and the other good friends who mattered to him.
Until he possessed enough strength to confront and eliminate Team Flare, Ash intended to handle the organization in much the same way he handled Team Rocket back in Kanto.
He would maintain a deliberately ambiguous relationship with them for the time being—not getting too close, but not provoking them unnecessarily, either. As long as neither side violated his principles, there was no reason they couldn't conduct transactions or even cooperate.
His main Pokémon in his first battle lineup had already reached the peak of Gym Leader level, while Pikachu had broken through to Pseudo-Elite Four level.
With the help of [Bond Transformation], [Mega Evolution], and the [Willpower Enhancement] provided by his Viridian Force, Ash was now capable of directly confronting Trainers whose strength had reached Elite Four level.
Therefore, unless Lysandre himself, as Team Flare's leader, personally came after him—or sent a large force armed with weapons to surround and attack him—Ash wasn't particularly worried about his own safety.
Nor was he concerned that Team Flare would be able to snatch Pidgeot or his Mega Evolution equipment from him.
If Team Flare had approached him with a better attitude, sending someone to negotiate and offering compensation that satisfied him, Ash wouldn't have minded allowing them to collect the Mega Evolution Wave energy generated by Pidgeot. He might even have been willing to sell them some information about Mega Evolution.
What a shame. Your attitude is simply terrible.
Not only did you send over a woman who acts so sickeningly sweet and fake, but you even dared to attack me—and the people I care about.
Since that's how you want to play it, I suppose I should show you what I'm capable of. If I don't give you a proper lesson, you'll really start thinking I'm some helpless pushover you can bully whenever you please.
Looking at the purple-haired woman standing opposite him, Ash's gaze grew increasingly cold.
"Hey! Weren't you the one who wanted to battle me? Weren't you eager to see my Mega-Evolving Pidgeot? Well, my Pidgeot isn't a Pokémon just anyone can see whenever they feel like it."
"Send out your Pokémon. Win a battle against me first, and then I'll let you see my Mega Pidgeot!"
Ash tilted his head slightly as he spoke, his expression carrying a hint of mockery.
"Brat, enough of your nonsense!" Celosia shouted irritably. "I'm not interested in your other Pokémon! Hurry up and bring out that Pidgeot of yours—the one capable of Mega Evolution!"
"Heh. So you're not interested in my other Pokémon and only want to battle Pidgeot?"
Ash gave a faint chuckle.
"Unfortunately, that's not up to you."
Without bothering to waste any more words, Ash reached up and removed the Poké Ball hanging from his necklace. It had been reduced to the size of a small pendant. With a thought, he enlarged it again and tossed it into the air.
"Come on out, Charizard!"
"BOOM!"
"ROOOAR!"
The Poké Ball burst open.
A powerful Pokémon appeared in the small park's battlefield. Its entire body was a vivid orange, two horns rose from its head, and a blazing orange-red flame burned at the end of its long tail. With its imposing appearance and powerful wings, it resembled the wyverns found in Western fantasy novels.
The moment it appeared, Charizard threw back its head and let out a thunderous roar.
A fierce, overwhelming aura erupted from its body, stirring up powerful gusts of wind that swept across the battlefield.
"Whoa! Does Ash have a Charizard on his team?"
"Is that Charizard really Ash's Pokémon?"
"That Charizard's aura is terrifying! I can barely breathe just standing here. I had no idea Ash had another Pokémon this powerful!"
"..."
"..."
Tierno, Trevor, Clemont, and the others stared in astonishment.
The Pokémon Ash had sent out wasn't any of the familiar Pokémon they knew from his usual team. It was a powerful Charizard they had never seen before!
They were completely caught off guard.
"No, that's not quite right. This Charizard isn't actually Ash's Pokémon. Professor Oak left it with Ash to protect him."
Clarissa Joy spoke up, explaining the situation to the others.
"This Charizard used to be Professor Oak's ace Pokémon when he was younger. Its strength is extraordinary, but Ash rarely reveals its existence."
She glanced at Charizard, then turned her gaze toward the woman standing opposite Ash.
"Besides, Pikachu and the others are already very powerful. Yet Ash hasn't sent any of them out for this battle. Instead, he's brought out this Charizard—a trump card he's kept hidden all this time."
Clarissa's expression grew increasingly worried.
"That woman must have quite an unusual identity... and her strength must be just as extraordinary."