Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: It’s good to be back

Diantha: I know what you mean

Steven: You’re back in Pallet Town, I take it?

Ash: Yep!

Cynthia: Getting back from your first journey.  There’s nothing quite like it

Kate: It’s only been a few weeks, but that can feel like an eternity, can’t it?

Ash: It did.  And like no time at all.  Is that weird?

Leon: I don’t think so

Alder: little bit

Alder: but also no

Kate: I’m kinda in the opposite boat myself.  I’ve been gone for three months now, and it felt like no time at all, but right now it also feels like forever.

Cynthia: Time’s funny like that

Lance: People perceive it in weird ways.

Diantha: Also her flight got delayed

Steven: That would do it

Ash: Oof, sorry to hear that

Kate: How do you know that?

Diantha: I can track the progress of your flight from my computer

Cynthia: Is that sweet or creepy?

Alder: bit of both

Lance: Depends on how Kate feels about it.

Kate: I’d agree with both.

Diantha: I can live with that

Kate: Don’t suppose you know how long until my flight lands?

Diantha: Looks like another three hours

Kate: Ugh.

Ash: Oof, sorry to hear that

Kate: It’s fine.  So, Pallet Town?  What’s it like to be back?

Ash: It’s good.  Mimey’s kept the house nice and tidy while we were all gone

Ash: He even put a hot water bottle in my bed so it was nice and warm.

Kate: Lucky.

Leon: Hey, don’t worry about it!  I’m sure your bed at the Union will be just as inviting when you get there!

Kate: I’m not going to the Union.  My flight lands just outside of Vientown.  I’m gonna go to Chicole Village and spend the night at home.

Lance: Even better.

Cynthia: Nothing beats time with family

Ash: If you get the chance, call ahead and have someone put a hot water bottle in your bed!

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: Pallet Town is throwing a party

Leon: Nice!

Steven: To celebrate your performance in the Indigo League?

Cynthia: Or just because.  There’s nothing wrong with a party just because

Ash: For Gary and I both

Diantha: He is a Pallet trainer too

Alder: not as good though

Lance: I’m not sure that’s a fair thing to say.

Alder: ash made it to a higher round

Alder: numbers dont lie

Cynthia: I don’t know about that.  Seven’s awfully shifty

Alder: and terrifying

Ash: Professor Oak asked us if we’d like to say a few words

Leon: Speech!

Steven: What did you say?

Ash: I kinda got nervous.  It’s a bit of a blur

Ash: I think I managed to thank everyone for their support?

Lance: Well, that’s good if you did.

Cynthia: Ugh, I hate public speaking

Diantha: It takes a lot of getting used to

Steven: Did Gary say anything?

Ash: He thanked everyone for their support then hopped off the stage

Leon: So nothing much

Lance: It’s good that he’s appreciating them.

Alder: it is

Ash: Anyway, now that the speeches are over, I see a few food stands set up

Cynthia: Ooh, nice!

Steven: Well, you can’t ignore that

Leon: Chow!

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: The takoyaki is too spicy

Leon: Tako-what?

Alder: a little spice isnt bad

Ash: This isn’t a little spice.  This is demon fire in food form

Alder: oh

Ash: Misty had to get Staryu to wash her mouth out with water gun it was so bad!

Alder: ooh bad move

Alder: if you eat something spicy you want milk

Diantha: Moomoo milk?

Lance: Kinda surprised the takoyaki stand didn’t sell it if they sold spicy food.

Cynthia: Was Delia helping run it?

Ash: No, she’s taking the day off

Alder: good for her

Leon: She deserves it!

Leon: But seriously, tako-what?

Lance: It’s a kind of food.

Leon: I’d guessed that part

Steven: And it’s too spicy

Ash: Yeah, it really is

Cynthia: Who would make it that way?

Ash: Team Rocket, apparently

Cynthia: Really?

Ash: Yep

Ash: They snuck into the party and set up a food stall

Diantha: Did they at least get a permit for this one?

Lance: It’s an informal event in a small town.  I doubt there was a permit to get.

Leon: Are they trying anything or just selling food?

Ash: They’ve got Pikachu tied up beneath their balloon

Alder: did they not even get a cage

Ash: They also have some kind of firecrackers they’ve been throwing down at us.  Squirtle, Staryu, and Gary’s Blastoise are putting them out before they can go off.  As soon as there’s an opening Charizard’s gonna pop their balloon

Ash: Scratch that, as soon as there was an opening Charizard popped their balloon

Cynthia: Great!  Get Pikachu back from them and get back to the party!

Ash: Wait

Ash: That’s new

Leon: Oh no

Diantha: What’s new?

Ash: Not entirely sure what happened, but their popped balloon was disconnected and a new one inflated to catch them

Steven: An emergency backup

Alder: they needed it

Lance: To be honest, they’ve probably needed something like that for almost a year now.

Diantha: True

Ash: Jessie did send out Arbok to attack Charizard.  He was distracted and got tangled up by a wrap, but then Squirtle hid in his shell and had Gary’s Blastoise hit him with a hydro pump.  It sent him flying up at Team Rocket.  He bounced off Arbok and crashed through the balloon, sending Team Rocket blasting off

Alder: thats one way to shoot a shell at a rocket

Leon: Was that a pun?  I feel like that was a pun

Alder: hm

Lance: You and Gary worked together on this one?

Ash: No!  Squirtle and Blastoise worked together!

Lance: Right, my mistake.

Ash: Anyway, Charizard caught Pikachu and Squirtle and flew them back down.  Squirtle even caught a few pieces of takoyaki that had fallen from the remains of the balloon

Steven: Make sure he’s careful with it

Ash: No need.  Apparently, Squirtle likes spicy food

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Kate: Morning, everyone.

Ash: Good morning!

Leon: Morning, Kate!  Sleep well?

Diantha: Isn’t it the middle of the afternoon in Almia?

Kate: And the sun was already up by the time I was able to crawl into bed, so I don’t see your point.

Diantha: No point.  Good morning

Cynthia: And a good morning to you!!!

Lance: Good morning.

Steven: Good morning

Alder: good morning

Steven: Did you have a good flight?

Kate: Eh.  About as good as it could’ve been.  Food was pretty good.

Diantha: How in the name of Arceus did you find a plane with good food?

Kate: Brock gave it to me before the flight.

Lance: That would do it.

Leon: And when you got back to the house?  You still didn’t answer my question

Kate: I slept fine.  Not quite as long as I’d have liked, but I don’t want to completely ruin my sleep schedule.

Ash: Did you at least get a hot water bottle?

Kate: No.  But I did have another source of warmth.

Steven: Oh?

Alder: do tell

Kate: So.  Apparently, about a month after I left for Kanto, Hannah started hearing something moving around in my bedroom.  I was out of town, so this obviously confused her.  She thought it might be a burglar.  Dad went to check it out, and it turns out somehow a Munchlax had gotten into the house.  Fast forward to today and I woke up with her cuddled up against my side.

Steven: A Munchlax.  Those are rare

Cynthia: Infuriatingly so

Ash: And Munchlax was really warm?

Kate: Muffin.  Hannah calls her Muffin.  And yes, she is.  Like a furnace, almost.

Leon: That name is adorable

Lance: I take it that means Hannah’s keeping Muffin?

Kate: Yeah, she and Hannah have really bonded.

Alder: glad your parents are letting her stay

Kate: Not sure they’d be able to get Muffin out even if they wanted to.  They still don’t know how she got inside that first time.  And for some reason Muffin likes to hang out in my room, so I’d assume she’d keep showing up even if she didn’t stay.

Alder: maybe she enjoys the view from your window

Kate: It is a great view.  Overlooks the ocean.

Diantha: Very nice

Cynthia: By any chance, do you keep any honey in your room?  I hear Munchlaxes can be attracted to honey

Kate: No, we’re not allowed to have food in the bedrooms.

Ash: Is honey food?

Alder: you eat it 

Alder: dont you

Ash: It’s a liquid, so wouldn’t it be a drink?

Steven: That logic makes sense, but I really don’t like thinking about it

Ash: Sorry

Diantha: I don’t know if I can stop thinking about it now

Steven: So!  Muffin!  She gonna be Hannah’s starter when she’s old enough?  Or Partner if she decides to go the Ranger route?

Kate: None of those, I think.  I dunno, Hannah and Muffin… they’re kinda more like Miss Ketchum and Mimey, I think.

Lance: A Pokémon friend that hangs out around the house.

Leon: I can’t imagine Muffin helps out around the house as much as Mimey does

Cynthia: She probably helps take care of leftovers from meals?

Steven: Most likely

Ash: Remember how you guys were all claiming Mimey was my brother?

Leon: Oh yeah!

Steven: Delia started it

Cynthia: Good times, good times

Alder: yes

Kate: …I do…

Ash: Does this make Muffin your sister?

Kate: Wouldn’t she be your sister too?

Ash: Then you’d get Mimey

Kate: …

Kate: I have to think about this.

Ash: While you’re doing that, Professor Oak wants to talk to me at his lab

Ash: Let me know what you decide!

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: Kate, I think Professor Oak is a little hurt you left without saying goodbye

Kate: Really?

Leon: Wait, you didn’t say goodbye?!

Kate: I’m pretty sure I did…

Steven: What’s going on with Professor Oak?

Ash: Professor Oak has this friend Professor Ivy

Alder: another professor

Lance: In the Orange Archipelago?

Ash: Yeah, that’s the one

Diantha: What about her?

Ash: She called Professor Oak about a mysterious Poké Ball she found.  She hasn’t been able to figure out what it is and wants Professor Oak to take a look at it, but it won’t go through the transporter on Valencia Island

Lance: Wait, really?

Ash: Really

Cynthia: That’s not usual, is it?

Steven: No it’s not

Lance: Excuse me.

Kate: This is interesting, don’t get me wrong, but where do I play into this?

Ash: Right!

Ash: Professor Oak needs someone to go pick up this mysterious Poké Ball for him, and he suggested that me and Kate could go do it

Diantha: So he didn’t know Kate was gone

Ash: Yeah.  When I explained it he just said he didn’t know that and started talking about how we could get to Valencia Island

Alder: at least he took it in stride

Leon: Still, not being told goodbye like that must sting

Kate: But I did!  I said goodbye before we left the Indigo Plateau!

Steven: Guess he just misunderstood it

Kate: I guess.

Ash: Seems so

Cynthia: Hey, Kate.  Can’t you just go to this island and help out anyway?

Kate: No.  My vacation’s kinda over.  I’m going back to the Union tomorrow.

Leon: Just make it a quest

Alder: coming from a professor

Kate: That would be a mission.

Alder: it would be a mission

Kate: See?

Diantha: Professor Oak almost definitely has enough sway to get you assigned to the mission if he wanted

Kate: But he hasn’t.  And besides, I may be a Top Ranger, but at the moment I’m still an Almia-based Top Ranger.

Ash: Aw, so you’re not gonna be able to tag along on this one?

Kate: Not this time.  Sorry.

Ash: It’s fine

Lance: I’m back.

Ash: Welcome back!

Leon: Hey, Lance!  You’re back!

Alder: i can see that

Steven: Where’ve you been?

Lance: Talking to Bill.  He’s looked into it and says that the Valencia Island transporter is working perfectly.  Whatever the reason this Poké Ball can’t be transported, it’s not the transporter.

Ash: Good to know

Cynthia: So, you’re back at the lighthouse with Bill?  How’s that going?  Any new developments on that front?

Lance: No.

Cynthia: Aw…

Cynthia: You should really get on that

Ash: Get on what?

Lance: Don’t worry about it.

Diantha: So Ash, you’re going to Valencia Island soon?

Ash: Yep

Ash: We’re gonna leave soon so we can get to the Pokémon Center by night, then fly down to Valencia Island tomorrow

Ash: Brock just wants to do some quick planning, and we need to say goodbye to Mom

Cynthia: Good

Alder: on both accounts

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: Something weird just happened

Kate: Good or bad weird?

Cynthia: Or Team Rocket weird?

Ash: I don’t know

Ash: Okay, so, we were just about to leave, right?  We had everything packed, we were walking past Professor Oak’s lab, and then Charizard popped out of his Poké Ball.  I think he’s decided to stay at the lab for a bit

Leon: Oh.  That kind of weird

Ash: Yeah, that kind of weird

Alder: whens the last time he stayed at the lab

Ash: He hasn’t.  Charizard has literally never done this before

Diantha: You’re not talking just about him as Charizard, right?

Ash: Right.  Ever since he was a Charmander, he’s never stayed at the lab before

Steven: Why hasn’t he?

Ash: He’s never wanted to.  Anytime the subject came up, he made it clear that he didn’t want to

Ash: And now he does

Ash: Is that bad?

Alder: no

Leon: Did he make it seem like it was bad?  Did he get angry and fly away or throw fire everywhere or anything?

Ash: No, he didn’t do anything like that

Leon: Then I think you’re good

Lance: I must agree.

Ash: Really?

Kate: Really?

Lance: Really.  I think this is Charizard just letting himself take a break.

Cynthia: Which is good

Steven: Like that conversation you told us you and he had while kidnapped by Team Rocket.  Charizard doesn’t have to push himself and now that he knows that he’s letting himself rest a bit

Cynthia: Which is still good

Ash: You really think that’s what it is?

Alder: yes

Diantha: Did Charizard seem upset or like he wanted you to just leave him behind?

Ash: No.  No, he didn’t.  I mean, yes, he wanted to stay at the lab, but he definitely doesn’t want me to leave him behind

Leon: And he’d definitely make it known if he did, so I think it’s good

Ash: Doesn’t really feel good

Diantha: What’s wrong?

Ash: This is the farthest Charizard has been from me since I caught him.  It feels weird

Kate: Nerve-wracking?

Ash: Yeah

Kate: Like the second you turn your back something’s gonna go wrong?

Ash: Yeah, I guess

Kate: I know what you mean.

Ash: You do?

Kate: I think Togepi’s old enough that he doesn’t need the constant supervision I’ve been giving him.  I can take him with me as a full Partner without any other Pokémon, and I can leave him back at the farm as well.  So, yeah, I have a pretty good idea.

Ash: Sorry

Kate: It’s not your fault.

Ash: But it’s not fun

Kate: No.  But hey, we can form a support group!

Leon: Yeah!

Steven: I’ll join in

Cynthia: Isn’t that basically what we already are?

Ash: Sometimes, I guess

Diantha: I’d be happy to provide support whenever you need it

Ash: Thanks

Kate: Thank you.

Diantha: And that goes to any of you

Alder: i appreciate and reciprocate 

Leon: Oh, thanks!

Cynthia: Thanks, Mom!

Diantha: Don’t make that a thing

Lance: She’s going to make that a thing.

Cynthia: Oh, I’m gonna make that a thing

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: I think I might need support right now

Kate: What’s happening?

Diantha: What’s wrong?

Leon: Did something happen with Charizard?!

Cynthia: Team Rocket?

Ash: Even worse

Ash: We ran into Gary

Alder: oh dear

Ash: Yeah!  We were on the road to Viridian City, and Gary showed up!

Lance: Is he going to the Orange Archipelago with you?

Ash: No, he’s not.  He’s just off on his own journey, and apparently we’re going the same way for now

Steven: At least you won’t have to put up with him for long?  I mean, with his car, he’s gonna be gone soon

Ash: He doesn’t have the car.  He’s doing this journey on foot

Cynthia: Finally

Alder: what about the cheerleaders

Ash: They’re gone too

Kate: Wonder why?

Steven: Because carting cheerleaders across the region is weird?

Lance: It’s not the done thing.

Ash: Gary’s done it

Leon: Exactly

Steven: So for now you’re walking with him?

Ash: We’re on the opposite sides of the road, but more or less, yeah

Cynthia: Is he trying anything?

Ash: No.  And I don’t think he will

Kate: That’s good.

Leon: Right?

Diantha: It is

Kate: And he’s ditched the car and doesn’t have the cheerleaders.  I think that’s good

Alder: well

Alder: the car at least

Cynthia: Gives him a more authentic traveling experience

Diantha: Not that there’s anything wrong with doing it another way

Cynthia: I know, I know.  But the motivations!

Steven: Can’t argue with that

Kate: It is summer now.  Guess Gary’s trying to enjoy it?

Ash: I guess

Leon: Good for him

Ash: Well, yeah, good for him

Ash: Just… did he have to take the same road as us?

Lance: There’s only one road.

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: You guys are never gonna believe this

Alder: youd be surprised kid

Steven: What’s going on?

Ash: Remember how on my first day as a trainer I was attacked by a Spearow flock?

Leon: Oh yeah!

Kate: I vaguely remember that.

Lance: Just north of Pallet Town.

Cynthia: No!

Ash: Yes!

Ash: They’re back!

Diantha: Do Spearow hold a grudge, by any chance?

Lance: A grudge?  A grudge?!  Spearow are downright vindictive!

Ash: And they have long memories

Diantha: They’re targeting you

Ash: They’re attacking all of us

Leon: Can’t Pikachu just knock them all out again?

Ash: No!

Steven: Right, didn’t he take advantage of rain to do that?

Ash: You remember what it did to Pikachu last time!  I can’t ask him to do that again!

Alder: that too

Cynthia: He is significantly stronger now, though

Lance: This is still an entire flock of Spearow.

Steven: And they’re probably stronger too

Leon: So… run for it?

Kate: I don’t think there are any convenient bikes nearby for them all to steal.

Diantha: And even if there were, that wouldn’t be a good idea

Leon: As long as he doesn’t fry these ones…

Ash: So, the flock is being led by a Fearow

Lance: Makes sense.

Kate: Was there a Fearow last time?

Steven: I don’t remember him mentioning one

Ash: I’m almost positive that this Fearow is the original Spearow I got angry

Lance: Of course it is.

Ash: Gary tried to battle Fearow, but it’s completely focused on me

Ash: I don’t think it’s forgiven me for throwing that rock at it

Leon: Wait, you threw a rock at it?

Steven: I don’t remember that

Ash: I didn’t know any better!

Cynthia: I can kinda understand why Fearow’s holding a grudge

Ash: Anyway!  Fearow keeps trying to get at us, but even though we can keep him from getting too close he can also stay far enough away that none of our attacks can hit him

Alder: flying types are tricky like that

Ash: I think I’m gonna have to go with an aerial battle

Lance: Probably the best strategy.

Diantha: Have you ever done that before?

Ash: Once.  When I caught Aerodactyl

Kate: Are you gonna try to catch Fearow?

Ash: I don’t think so

Leon: You sure?

Cynthia: That would be awfully poetic

Ash: Yeah, but Fearow would hate to be caught by me

Steven: Can’t argue with that

Alder: good

Ash: Right, Pidgeot and I are off to battle Fearow.  Wish us luck

Leon: I wish you all the luck!

Kate: Good luck, Ash.

Cynthia: Luck!  

Steven: You got this

Diantha: Good luck

Alder: keep your cool and you and pidgeot can do this

Lance: I know you can do this.

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: Right, what do you guys want to hear first?  What happened to Fearow, the part with Team Rocket, or the flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto?

Leon: There were a bunch of Pidgey and Pidgeotto?

Cynthia: Ooh, Team Rocket!

Kate: Pidgey and Pidgeotto.

Alder: flock

Lance: What happened to Fearow?

Diantha: The Team Rocket part

Ash: Okay, Pidgey and Pidgeotto it is

Ash: It turns out that a flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto live in this forest.  With the Spearow and Fearow terrorizing them, they couldn’t really do anything.  They were too terrified to do anything but hide in the trees

Cynthia: That’s so sad!

Leon: Poor little guys

Steven: The Spearow and Fearow are really that strong?

Lance: Never underestimate how savage they can get.

Alder: plus fearow was probably the worst of it

Alder: an angry and evolved form like that

Alder: a huge bully

Kate: But they’re safe now, right?  You wouldn’t be telling us this if they weren’t safe?

Ash: They’re safe, yeah.  The Spearow all left to chase Team Rocket, which gave the Pidgey and Pidgeotto an opening to escape

Cynthia: Yeah, you said Team Rocket was there.  I take it they tried to capture all the Pokémon?

Ash: Not that I can tell.  I don’t know exactly what happened, but at some point they angered the Spearow and had spent some time hiding in a tree themselves

Leon: Valid

Lance: That’s about right.

Ash: I guess they thought with Pidgeot and I fighting Fearow, it would give them an opening to escape unnoticed

Ash: Didn’t work

Cynthia: At least Pidgey and Pidgeotto could escape

Steven: But what’s to stop the Spearow and Fearow from chasing them?

Ash: Well, we think that the main issue was Fearow.  Pidgeot’s confident that the others will be safe from just the Spearow.  Even if they do attack, without Fearow they won’t be able to do much of anything

Steven: Without Fearow?

Alder: you said you werent gonna catch fearow

Kate: Change your mind?

Diantha: Or did you send Fearow running away out of shame?

Ash: I decided not to catch Fearow

Ash: Turns out Gary didn’t make that decision

Steven: Gary actually caught Fearow?

Alder: huh

Kate: That is…

Diantha: You’re the one who battled Fearow, right?

Ash: Yep

Diantha: And Gary caught him.  That is terrible etiquette

Cynthia: Typical

Ash: Well

Ash: Gary did ask if it was okay with me

Cynthia: Wait, really?

Alder: thats better at least

Kate: He really wanted Fearow?

Ash: I think Fearow wanted to go with him if anything

Steven: How did that happen?

Ash: I’m not sure

Ash: Pidgeot and I defeated Fearow and sent him crashing into the forest.  We stopped to check on the Pidgey and Pidgeotto, and by the time we got to the clearing where Fearow had landed, Gary had already been there for a while and asked if I minded if he caught Fearow

Ash: Guess they bonded

Cynthia: I guess

Kate: Wow.

Leon: I did not see that coming

Lance: At least that means Fearow won’t be around to terrorize trainers?

Diantha: Or the flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto

Ash: Yep, they’re good now!

Alder: they should be able to take care of themselves

Ash: Pidgeot seems to think so

Leon: That’s good

Ash: So anyway, after he caught Fearow Gary left and I decided to update you guys on everything.  Now we’re about to keep going ourselves

Kate: Onward to the Orange Islands?

Ash: Onward to the Orange Islands!

Chapter Text

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Kate: It’s finally time.  Togepi’s first solo patrol.

Cynthia: !!!

Leon: You got this, Togepi!

Alder: good luck

Steven: He’s really ready?

Kate: I think so.  After what he did at the Indigo Plateau, especially.

Ash: What did he do?

Kate: He launched a Poké Assist.  It was the first time he’d done that, and I think that’s a good sign.

Lance: I’d take it as one.

Ash: When did that happen?

Kate: While you were kidnapped.

Ash: Oh 

Ash: Okay

Leon: Explains why you wouldn’t remember it

Alder: i have to agree

Alder: it sounds like togepi is ready

Diantha: Plus, you can’t keep coddling him.  Otherwise he’d never grow

Kate: That’s true.

Kate: Okay, we just left Chicole Village.  There’s no going back.

Lance: You got this.

Steven: And Togepi

Ash: Hey, why did Togepi need time to be ready at all?  When Riolu first hatched, he was ready to battle almost right away

Cynthia: Riolu are just built like that

Kate: Different Pokémon are different.  They grow and mature at different rates.

Steven: Even among their own species there can be drastic differences

Alder: nature vs nurture

Steven: Essentially

Cynthia: Also, you know, it probably helps that Riolu isn’t exactly a normal Riolu what with the whole de-evolution/reincarnation thing

Diantha: Was that ever confirmed?

Steven: Was it ever in doubt?

Ash: Riolu hasn’t really acted like it

Lance: He’s been very disciplined ever since he hatched.

Steven: He’s got an insane work ethic

Alder: also

Alder: you know

Alder: conveniently hatched the moment ash touched the egg

Ash: And I suppose I HAVE seen deevolution before…

Kate: Ugh, don’t remind me.

Leon: Guess that proves it, then

Cynthia: See?  Riolu is the Gem Guardian Lucario reborn!  You can’t deny it!

Steven: Somehow

Cynthia: Hey, aura works in mysterious ways

Cynthia: Speaking of…

Alder: there it is

Cynthia: Ash

Ash: Yeah?

Cynthia: You said that after the league you’d look into training up your aura.  Any updates on that front?

Steven: How long have you been waiting for this to come up?

Cynthia: Oh, ages

Ash: Not really

Ash: I haven’t really gotten the chance to try anything

Alder: fair

Leon: You had a busy League

Lance: You’re telling me.

Ash: Did you find anything that might be able to help?

Cynthia: Unfortunately not.  I’ve put out some feelers for other aura users, but nothing so far.  And none of the texts I’ve read say anything even remotely helpful.  I’m sorry about that

Ash: It’s fine!  We’ll figure it out

Kate: Not like you’re alone in this.

Ash: Of course not

Steven: We’ll just have to use good old trial and error for this

Leon: Weren’t you and Riolu gonna meditate in the mornings?  What happened to that?

Ash: We tried it once and decided to meditate at night instead

Alder: fair

Diantha: And how’s that been going?

Ash: Well, we tried it a couple times during the Indigo League, but things got so busy we couldn’t find the time

Cynthia: And after you got back to Pallet Town?

Ash: The last couple days have been really busy too

Lance: While that’s fair, I think this is something you’re going to want to make time for.

Steven: I agree

Cynthia: What they said

Ash: Yeah, okay

Ash: We’ll try it tonight

Diantha: You have Riolu with you right now?

Ash: I do

Kate: You’re going to Valencia Island today, right?

Ash: We are

Kate: How are you getting there?

Ash: Apparently it’s a bit too far to walk

Lance: Just a bit.

Alder: yes

Alder: thats the only issue

Ash: So we’ll be catching a blimp later

Kate: There’s lots of sitting around when flying.  Maybe you can use the trip to the island to meditate?

Cynthia: I second this plan

Steven: It should help pass the time

Kate: Which is a very good thing.

Ash: Okay, yeah, we’ll give that a try

Cynthia: Let the aura flow!

Ash: But for now we have to go get groceries for our trip

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Kate: You know, I just realized something.

Leon: Ooh, what is it?

Steven: What did you realize?

Kate: It’s been three months since I’ve been able to say this: I just got a quest.

Leon: Sweet!

Cynthia: New quest!

Lance: I guess this means you’re officially back to work.

Kate: Yeah, it does.

Steven: What’s the quest?

Kate: There’s a guy who was in Vien Forest having a picnic.  Alvin turned his back for a moment, and when he turned his lunch was gone.

Ash: Someone stole his lunch?!

Leon: That’s not right…

Kate: He turned just in time to see a Pokémon running off into the distance with it.  

Alder: not many forest pokemon can avoid the temptation of a picanic basket

Kate: So now Alvin wants me to track the Pokémon down and bring it back.

Ash: His lunch?

Diantha: I’m not sure that’s possible

Cynthia: That ship has definitely sailed

Kate: The Pokémon.

Steven: Why?

Leon: Imagine Kate dragging the Pokémon up to apologize like a mother dragging some unruly child

Lance: I would like an apology if it were me.

Alder: though

Alder: im not sure about making it a quest 

Kate: It seems like a good way to ease Togepi into things.

Alder: fair

Diantha: Good for Togepi, then

Ash: You and Togepi are gonna do great!

Steven: Do you know what Pokémon you’re looking for?

Kate: Not by name, but it’s been described as purple and with two tails that have hands on the ends of them, so I don’t think it’ll be hard to spot.

Cynthia: Nope, that’s definitely easy to recognize

Lance: Maybe not the easiest to track.

Kate: I’m sure it’ll be fine.

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: We just won a free blimp ride

Steven: Really?

Alder: how

Ash: I told you we were getting groceries, right?

Cynthia: Yeah

Lance: I recall that.

Ash: Afterwards we went to the blimp yard, and there was a promotion at the entrance.  We showed these guys our receipt and they gave us free tickets

Diantha: That’s… convenient

Ash: I know!

Steven: It sounds like the store was just having a promotion.

Lance: It’s common enough.

Leon: Yeah, especially since this is a blimp.  Not like they're gonna sell tickets otherwise

Alder: i like riding in blimps

Cynthia: They are pretty fun

Alder: one of my favorite ways to travel

Diantha: The airfield’s website does mention the promotion

Kate: Did you just check?

Diantha: Yes

Lance: Glad to hear that.

Leon: Were you worried it wasn’t legit?

Diantha: The thought had crossed my mind

Steven: Though promotions like this aren’t at all uncommon

Ash: We tracked down the blimp that’ll take us to Valencia Island, and the stewardess accepted our tickets, so it seems real

Cynthia: There you have it

Ash: The blimp looks really shabby

Diantha: Shabby?

Cynthia: How shabby, exactly?

Ash: I’m not sure how to describe it.  Old, messy, and so on.  But we took off, and they’ll bring us lunch in like an hour, so I think we’re fine?

Leon: It’s a blimp, of course it’s gonna look shabby

Kate: I don’t know if that’s a given.

Steven: It’s not

Alder: definitely not a given

Ash: Oh, we’re at cruising height now.  The stewardess said we’re welcome to send out our Pokémon, so I’m gonna see if Riolu’s up for meditating right now

Cynthia: Good luck!  Let us know how it goes!

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Kate: We found the Ambipom that stole Alvin’s lunch.

Leon: Good

Steven: You’re sure it’s the same one?

Kate: She matches the description Alvin gave us.  And she’s got chocolate on her cheek.

Cynthia: Ooh, chocolate

Kate: Yeah.  Is chocolate bad for Ambipoms?  I wouldn’t want her to get sick.

Lance: She should be fine.

Diantha: Not many Pokémon can get sick from chocolate

Alder: i think youre good

Kate: Good.

Leon: You captured Ambipom yet?

Kate: Working on it.  She’s moving around really fast.  It’s hard to keep track.

Cynthia: Sounds like a good time for a Poké Assist

Leon: From Togepi, right?  You’ve got Togepi with you?  This is Togepi’s first quest?

Kate: From Togepi, yes.

Leon: Yes!  You got this, little dude!

Steven: He’s right.  Togepi does have this

Alder: good luck

Kate: Right, Togepi’s ready.  Launching in three, two… one!

Lance: Good job.

Cynthia: Well?!

Alder: did it work

Diantha: Kate?

Kate: It missed!  Ambipom dodged the attack and ran through some trees!

Leon: No!

Cynthia: Oh, dangit!

Alder: sorry kid

Lance: Hey, you’ll get them next time.

Kate: No, Togepi!  Shh, it’s okay.  Don’t cry.  It’s not your fault.

Cynthia: Please don’t cry, Togepi!

Leon: Lance was right!  You’ll get them next time!  And Lance wouldn’t lie, would he?

Steven: Lance is not a liar

Lance: Thank you?

Kate: Togepi’s stopped crying.

Diantha: Good

Cynthia: That’s a relief

Steven: So, now what?

Kate: What else?  We’re going after Ambipom.  We can’t let this slide.

Cynthia: Yeah!

Lance: Good.

Diantha: Glad to hear it

Alder: dont take this lying down

Leon: You got this, Togepi!

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: Have you found Ambipom yet?

Kate: Not yet.  But we’ve found a trail, so it’s only a matter of time.

Ash: Good

Cynthia: So, meditating?  How’d that go?

Ash: Pretty good, I think

Ash: Apparently Riolu and I were out for an hour, and it definitely didn’t feel like it, so I think that’s a good sign?

Cynthia: Missing time

Steven: I think in this specific circumstance, yes, it can be considered a good thing

Lance: I guess.

Ash: Great!

Ash: Anyway, it’s lunch time now, so we’re taking a break

Alder: from meditating

Ash: Yep!

Kate: Can’t say I blame you.

Leon: I could go for some food right now

Ash: If you get soup, make sure to warm it up

Leon: Uh, thanks?  

Diantha: Good advice

Ash: Wish I could do that

Ash: This soup is ice cold

Cynthia: Ugh, that doesn’t sound good

Lance: You could complain to the chef?

Kate: I wouldn’t bother.  Airline food isn’t generally good.  That’s probably the best you can get.

Ash: I guess I can live with it

Ash: Hey!  Maybe Charizard can heat it up for me!

Cynthia: Ash…

Ash: Oh

Ash: Right, Charizard’s back at the lab

Diantha: Are you okay?

Ash: Yeah, yeah, I’m fine

Leon: Charizard’s fine.  You know that, right?

Ash: Yeah, of course

Ash: Woah

Alder: woah

Ash: The staff just went running through the halls.  Wonder what that’s about?

Diantha: Oh dear

Lance: That’s not usually a good sign.

Ash: Should we be worried?

Kate: Maybe.

Steven: Depends on what they’re running for

Cynthia: Maybe prepare to worry?  In case something’s going to go wrong?

Ash: I can do that

Jessie, James, and Meowth ran toward the cockpit as fast as they could.

“I can’t believe you didn’t think to make sure we had a pilot!” Jessie shouted.

“Hey!” Meowth snapped.  “I was busy makin’ all that grub for yous and the twerps!”

“And I was busy guiding the twerps to their seats!” James added.

Jessie rolled her eyes.  “I can’t believe you didn’t think to make sure we had a pilot!”

The three of them reached the door and slammed it open.  They fell through and landed in a heap inside the cockpit.

“Goodness!”  A young woman jumped out of her chair.  She rushed to crouch beside the three Team Rocket members.  “Are you three okay?  That looked like quite a fall.”

“I’m fine,” Meowth grumbled.  “The others squashed me so I wouldn’t bounce up.”

Jessie stood up and brushed herself off.  “You’re the pilot?”

The woman chuckled.  “Well, one of them,” she said.  She gestured to one of the seats at the front of the cockpit.  

A man glanced back at them and lifted his hand in a wave.  “Yo.”

“Yo,” James returned, waving back to the man.  “We wanted to check on the progress, make sure we were on schedule, you know?”

“Oh, we’re definitely on schedule,” the woman promised.  “Definitely on schedule.”

The three Team Rocket members started retreating through the door.  They got stuck for a moment when they tried to pass through all at once, but with a bit of jostling they got to the other side.  “We won’t take up any more of your time,” Jessie promised.  “Thanks for getting us where we need to go!”

“It’s our pleasure,” the woman said with a smile.

Jessie pulled the door shut and turned a sharp gaze to James and Meowth.  “You two got lucky,” she hissed.  “Now come on, let’s get back out there before the twerps get suspicious.”

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: They’re back and just asked if we’d like dessert

Ash: That’s a good sign?

Cynthia: Depends.  Do they have ice cream?

Steven: Yes, that’s a good sign

Diantha: That’s good

Ash: Great!

Lance: That’s a relief.

Ash: And yes, they do have ice cream

Cynthia: Get some!!!

Once the door closed on the three idiots, Cassidy let her smile morph back into a smirk.  “I can’t believe those three bought it,” she giggled.  She turned and marched back to her seat, dropping down beside Butch.  “Call him.”

“Right away,” Butch promised.  He pressed one of the buttons on the dashboard.  A screen rose up.  It flickered to life, revealing a man in an orange suit.  He had slicked back hair, and one of his hands was gently caressing a Persian sleeping on his lap.

Butch and Cassidy inclined their heads.  “Boss,” they said in unison.

“Is it done?” Giovanni asked.

“We’re in the process now,” Cassidy reported.

“Those bozos don’t suspect a thing,” Butch added.  He glanced at one of the screens beside him.  “We’ll be in position in a little under an hour.”

“Excellent,” Giovanni declared.  The hand that wasn’t working on Persian clenched into a fist, starting to shake.  “Those idiots have been a thorn in my side for too long.  They’re a disgrace to the good name of Team Rocket.  After what they did in my gym… I expect no mistake from you two.  Those three can’t be allowed to survive.”

“Of course, Boss,” Cassidy promised.

“They won’t know what hit them,” Butch added.

Giovanni hummed.  “Make sure the ship goes down far from civilization.  If the wreckage is found and it doesn’t look like an accident, the insurance policy won’t pay out.”

The screen flickered and turned off, leaving just a faint reflection of Butch and Cassidy.

Cassidy reclined in her chair, lacing her hands behind her head.  “I know I say this a lot, but I love being in Team Rocket.”

Butch laughed and held up a remote detonator.  “So do I.”

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Kate: I think we’ve about found Ambipom.

Ash: Great!

Diantha: Good to hear

Steven: What makes you say that?

Kate: The tracks are much fresher.  

Lance: That would do it.

Cynthia: Great!  You can catch up to the thief!

Leon: And let Togepi finish his first quest

Alder: togepi redemption

Ash: Hey!

Alder: woah

Ash: Togepi doesn’t need redemption!  He’s done nothing wrong!

Alder: Yes, you’re right.  I’m sorry.

Kate: It’s fine.  I know what you meant.  It looks like they lead into a clearing just up ahead.

Lance: You’re almost there.

Alder: good

Alder: punish the picanic basket thief

Cynthia: What he said.  But not how he said it

Kate: Oh.

Leon: Huh?

Ash: What’s wrong?

Lance: Kate?

Cynthia: What’s wrong?

Steven: Did something happen?

Diantha: Are you okay?

Alder: Everything okay?

Kate: It’s not a clearing.

Steven: What is it?

Kate: It… it’s the burnt part of the forest.

Cynthia: Oh

Ash: From the fire?

Kate: Yeah.  Sorry, I just… I’d forgotten how bad it was.

Diantha: Are you okay?

Kate: I…

Kate: I just need a minute.

Lance: Take your time.

Ash: Is there anything we can do?

Kate: No, no, I’m good.  I’m good.

Alder: Let us know if you need anything.

Kate: Of course.

Kate: Ambipom’s tracks are still here.  I‘m just gonna keep following them.

Leon: Yeah, that’s fair

Lance: You’ve got a job to do.

Kate: Oh.

Cynthia: Kate?

Ash: What’s wrong?

Kate: I found Ambipom.

Leon: Is she okay?

Kate: I… I don’t know.  She’s hiding out inside a fallen log.  It’s hollow, but… but really burnt.  I think… I think this is where her nest is.

Lance: Arceus…

Steven: She’s living in a burnt out log?

Kate: I think so.

Cynthia: That’s awful!

Ash: Poor Ambipom!

Steven: I mean… the fire would have… but…

Kate: I don’t think she took Alvin’s lunch just for the fun of it.

Alder: Definitely not.

Steven: With the fire food in general would be scarcer

Kate: It was all she could find.

Diantha: Especially if… if she’s really living in the burnt part of the forest…

Kate: I…

Kate: I don’t know if I can do this.  Ambipom… she didn’t… she just did what she had to do to survive.  I don’t… I can’t punish her for that.

Ash: Good!

Leon: Of course you can’t

Alder: You shouldn’t.

Cynthia: But what can you do instead?

Kate: I don’t know.  Ambipom’s not really doing anything.  She’s just curled up in her nest and watching me.

Lance: She’s wary?

Kate: Yes.  Alvin still wants me to bring her back to him.  Maybe if I do I can explain what’s going on?  Convince him to let her off the hook for this?

Steven: I think that’s a good idea

Leon: He’ll have to, right?

Diantha: He better

Ash: If he’s got a heart, he will

Kate: Okay.  I’ve captured Ambipom.  We’re on our way back to Alvin now.

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Kate: Alvin wasn’t mad at Ambipom.

Steven: He wasn’t?

Ash: Good!

Cynthia: Good to hear

Leon: He shouldn’t have been.  Not after learning what was really going on

Kate: No, even before that, he wasn’t mad.  He never was.

Lance: That’s good.

Steven: Did he know about Ambipom’s situation?

Kate: I don’t know.  He didn’t say, but he definitely sounded like he knew something, at least.  It turns out that Alvin wanted me to bring Ambipom back so that he could talk to her.  He didn’t mind sharing food with her, and even wants to do it again.  He’s promised to bring extra for her tomorrow.

Alder: i like the way this guy thinks

Cynthia: Great!

Ash: Alvin’s doing a good job!

Steven: Is this going to be a regular thing?

Kate: I mean, Alvin says he eats lunch in the forest most days, so it sounds like it.

Leon: As he should

Diantha: I’m happy for Ambipom

Kate: Yeah, me too.  Good for Ambipom.

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: We just flew into a storm

Alder: ah

Kate: Oh, flying through a storm…

Diantha: Is that safe?

Steven: What kind of storm?

Ash: Wind, rain, lightning

Ash: Stuff like that

Cynthia: How long until you land again?

Ash: Not sure

Diantha: You’re supposed to be landing in half an hour

Ash: Half an hour

Leon: You should be fine, then?  I mean, sure, it’s a blimp in a storm, but it won’t be a blimp in a storm for long?

Diantha: Leon 

Leon: Yeah, I’m stopping now

Lance: Surely the pilots knew about the storm.  They wouldn’t have flown into it if it wasn’t safe, right?

Diantha: I’m sure they wouldn’t have

Ash: I mean, why would they?

Kate: How’s the flight otherwise?  Is the storm doing anything to the blimp?

Ash: Kinda shaky, I guess

Ash: My drink fell off the table

Cynthia: Oof

Alder: turbulence is to be expected

Lance: You’re almost there.  I’m sure everything will be just fine.

The door to the cockpit slammed open, allowing Team Rocket to spill inside.  The three of them looked around the room wildly, checking every nook and cranny they could find.

“The pilots are gone,” James declared.

“They can’t be gone!” Jessie shouted.  

“Well, they’re not here!”

“We need them to fly the ship!”

“Maybe they’ll be back?” 

“Why would they have left in the first place?”

“Maybe they just went out to lunch?”

“We brought them lunch!  Why would they have left!”

“There could be a sale on one of the islands…”

“Do you even-”

“Enough!” Meowth shouted.  He jumped up and raked his claws across Jessie and James’ faces for good measure.  “We don’t have time to argue!”

Jessie sighed and rubbed her face.  “Fine,” she muttered.  “But only because you’re right.”

“What should we do?” James asked.

Meowth pointed up at Jessie.  “You and I will stay here and try to get the ship under control,” he declared.

“Sounds easy enough,” Jessie decided, moving to the control panel.  “I mean, how hard can it be to fly an airship?”

“That’s the spirit,” Meowth said.

“And me?” James asked, pointing at himself.  “What should I do?”

“Go check the cargo hold,” Meowth said.  “Maybe they have an inflatable auto pilot down there we can use.”

James nodded.  “On it!” he promised.  He turned and ran back through the blimp.

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: One of the flight attendants just sprinted through the room

Diantha: Okay, this is definitely worrying

Leon: I don’t like this

Ash: Neither do I

Cynthia: Nor I

Ash: Brock thinks we should go see what the pilots have to say

Kate: That’s a good idea.

Steven: If nothing else, they can tell you more about what’s going on

Alder: And that’s definitely useful information.

Ash: We’re going now

James flicked the lightswitch up.  The lights in the cargo hold turned on, bathing everything in a flickering light.  The room was a mess, with random bags and other assorted items just thrown everywhere.  

“Okay,” James muttered to himself as he wandered between the piles of cargo.  “Auto pilot.  Auto pilot.  It’s gotta be here somewhere.”  He reached the back corner where they’d stashed their deflated balloon.  The basket was on its side.  Half of their own belongings had been spilled out.  James groaned, but it was as good a place as any to start looking.

James started to look over the piles of cargo.  “My old basketball, the lamp, the christmas lights, the umbrella, Jigglypuff, an active bomb, my golf cl-”  James cut himself off and stumbled back.  “Jigglypuff?” he repeated.  “An active bomb?!  My golf clubs?!”  James shook his head, unable to look away.  “I don’t even play golf!”

Jigglypuff bounced away from the beeping bomb and towards James.  She took a deep breath and lifted up her marker.  “Oh no you don’t!” James shouted.  He turned and started sprinting back the way he came.

Ash knocked on the door to the cockpit.  “Hello?” he called out.  “Anyone there?”

“Can they not hear us?” Misty asked.

“Maybe it’s soundproof?” Ash suggested.  Beside him, Riolu hopped forward and knocked on the door himself.  There was still no answer.

“Maybe,” Brock said.  “And maybe if I…”  He grabbed the doorknob and pulled it down.  The door swung open.

“It’s unlocked!” Ash declared.  “Great!”  He jogged into the room properly.  His eyes landed on two people at the front of the room.  One of the flight attendants and who he was pretty sure was the chef had their hands wrapped around one of the levers.  “Wait, you’re not the pilots.”

The flight attendant snickered to herself.  “Of course not,” she agreed.  She released the lever.  It snapped up a bit, pulling the chef with it.  The blimp pitched back slightly.

“Hey!”

The flight attendant laughed and grabbed the fabric of her uniform.  She ripped it off, revealing the white uniform she wore underneath.  Her long red hair unfurled without her hat to keep it in place.  “Prepare for trouble!” Jessie declared.

“Team Rocket!” Ash, Misty, and Brock all shouted.

All of them stood in silence for a moment.

Jessie rolled her eyes and snapped her arm to the side again.  “Prepare for trouble!”

Ash, Misty, and Brock exchanged glances.  “Team Rocket?” they repeated.

Jessie sighed.  “Meowth,” she hissed.  “You know the procedure.  When one of us isn’t here for the motto, you fill in!”

“Little busy right now,” Meowth muttered.  Indeed, he was hanging from the lever, using his entire weight to hold it in place.

“What does that do?” Brock asked.

“No idea,” Meowth admitted.  “But it keeps the blimp from shaking.”

“What’s going on?” Misty asked.

“The pilots are out to lunch,” Jessie answered.  “Meowth and I were just filling in for them.  But as long as you’re here…”  She threw out a Poké Ball.  It popped open, sending out Arbok in a flash of light.  Arbok curled up and let out a soft hiss.

“Riolu,” Ash decided, looking down at the Pokémon beside him.  “You ready?”

Riolu nodded and jumped forward, landing in front of Arbok.

“Right, start off with-”

“Make way!  Hurry, out of the way, make way!”

Ash, Pikachu, and Riolu hopped to one side while Brock and Misty shuffled the other way.  James sprinted through the still open door, skidding to a halt beside Jessie and Meowth.  He bent over, leaning against one of the chairs to catch his breath.

“Find the auto pilot?” Meowth asked.

“Not quite,” James huffed.  “But I did find a bomb.”

“A bomb?!” everyone else in the room chorused.

James nodded hurriedly.  “A bomb,” he confirmed.  “We have to get off this ship now.  It could go off at any-”

An explosion echoed up from the cargo hold.  The blimp shook and pitched, sending everyone inside of it to the floor.  The blimp began to fall out of the sky toward the icy depths below.

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: A bomb just went off!

Cynthia: A bomb?!

Diantha: What?!

Kate: What’s going on?!

Ash: The flight attendants were actually Team Rocket!

Lance: They’re blowing up the ship!

Ash: No!  They’re not the ones who put it there.  They didn’t know about it either.

Steven: What exactly is happening?  You’re texting us, so you’re okay, right?

Ash: Yeah, for now.  The bomb went off and Team Rocket fell out of the window.  The blimp is falling down to the ocean, but not super fast?  We should have a few minutes to get off

Alder: That’s something.

Diantha: No no no, not again!

Kate: What do you have to work with?  Lifeboats?  Parachutes?

Ash: None, we checked

Steven: Whoever put the bomb there probably got rid of them

Leon: Why?!  Who?!

Cynthia: Not Team Rocket, apparently

Lance: Can you radio for help?

Ash: The radio’s busted too

Ash: Oh, great, the lights just went out!

Leon: So now you can’t even see!

Kate: Can one of your Pokémon light up the area?

Ash: I don’t think so

Ash: Hang on, I’ve got an idea

Ash fumbled around in the darkness, dropping to sit on the ground.  Pikachu let out a yelp from the sudden fall, nearly slipping off his shoulder.  “Sorry,” Ash muttered.  Pikachu let out a soft grumble, but didn’t sound particularly upset.  Ash clasped his hands on his lap, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.  Not that it changed much.  The blimp was so dark he couldn’t see anything anyway.

“Brock!” Misty shouted from beside Ash.  “Brock, where are you?!”

“I’m trying to find an emergency kit,” Brock answered, his voice echoing from somewhere behind Ash.  “There’s gotta be a flashlight somewhere.”

“Are you sure they’ll have one?  They don’t have anything else.”

“We should at least look.”

“Quiet,” Ash said, just loud enough to be heard.

“What?”

“Please, be quiet,” Ash said again.  “Just for a bit.  I’m trying something.”

Neither Brock nor Misty responded.  Ash took that as his cue to start again.  Ash kept his eyes closed and started to breathe in and out at an even pace.  He ignored the sound of the rain and wind, he ignored the feeling of the blimp shaking as it fell, he ignored everything but himself.

He didn’t really know how to do this.  He’d done it once before, but only on accident.  He didn’t know how to do it again.  But Ash did know that it might be their only chance.  They’d need to be able to see to get off the blimp.  If they didn’t, if they were still on the blimp when it hit the water, then… then…

Ash’s breathing started to speed up.  His hands shook slightly.  His face scrunched up.  And then he felt something soft on his hands.  Riolu’s paw, he was sure of it.  Riolu didn’t pull away from Ash, he just kept a comforting paw on his hands.

Slowly, Ash’s hands stopped shaking.  His breathing evened out.  He could feel his face start to relax again.  Ash tried to focus again.  He could do this.  He knew he could.  He just had to focus.

He just had to let the aura flow.

Misty and Brock gasped in unison.  Pikachu shifted on Ash’s shoulder.  Riolu gently squeezed Ash’s hands and let go.

Ash slowly opened his eyes.  The room was no longer dark.  Instead, everything around him was bathed in a soft blue glow.  Ash carefully looked down at his hands.  They were shining brightly with the same blue light.  Despite how bright it was, the light didn’t hurt his eyes.  It was more soothing than anything.

“Ash,” Misty breathed out.

“You’re glowing,” Brock said softly.

“Like before,” Misty added.  

“You’re… you glowing.”

“This is that aura you told us about?”

“Yeah,” Ash agreed.  He stood up.  The glow started to dim.  He gasped and reached out again.  The glow grew back to what it had been before.  He breathed a sigh of relief.  “Come on, we have to find a way off this blimp.”

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: I found a way to fix the light problem!

Leon: Great!

Steven: You found a flashlight?

Ash: Not exactly…

Ash: Actually, you see, I’m kinda glowing right now?

Cynthia: Glowing?!

Kate: Like that time before?

Ash: Yep.  Riolu helped me figure it out

Cynthia: Aura…

Alder: You turned yourself into a human glowstick.

Ash: Pretty much

Diantha: Good.  Now get off that ship

Lance: How much longer do you have left?

Ash: We can see the ocean, so, not that long.  A couple minutes

Kate: Then stop texting us and get out of there!

Ash: We might have an idea.  You remember how the blimp is really shabby?

Alder: Yes.

Diantha: Yes!

Ash: We think we can tear a hole in the side and have Pidgeot fly us to a nearby island

Steven: Can Pidgeot carry all three of you?

Ash: No clue.  We’ve never tried

Leon: No time like the present?

Kate: That’s probably the best chance you’ve got.

Ash: Great!

Lance: And you’re sure there’s an island nearby?

Ash: We can just about see it through the storm, yeah

Lance: Then Pidgeot won’t have to carry you far.

Diantha: You’re really doing this

Alder: It’s better than staying on the blimp when it hits the water.

Cynthia: What he said

Ash: Oh come on!

Lance: What?!

Kate: What’s going on?!

Cynthia: Ash?!

Leon: What’s wrong?!

Steven: What happened?!

Diantha: Is everyone okay?!

Alder: What is it?

Ash: Jigglypuff’s here!

The wind whipped through the hole in the wall, carrying droplets of rain into the blimp.  None of the people or Pokémon it started to soak seemed to notice.  Jigglypuff hopped up onto a fallen cabinet, standing in front of them as if she were on a stage.

“Jigglypuff, no!” Misty shouted.  “Please, don’t Sing!”

Jigglypuff lifted her marker up to her mouth, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.  Ash lunged forward, pulling his backpack off as he did.  He unzipped it and swung it to the side, scooping Jigglypuff up.  She cried out and squirmed inside the bag.  Ash quickly zipped it up again.  The bag started shaking and swinging around in his grip.

“What did you just do?!” Misty demanded.

“I panicked!” Ash shouted back.

Brock grabbed Ash and Misty’s shoulders, turning them both to face him.  “We don’t have time for this,” he said.  “We have to get out of here.”

“Right,” Ash agreed.  He pulled a Poké Ball from his belt and threw it out.  Pidgeot popped out, perched at the edge of the hole in the wall.  She trilled and positioned herself.  Ash and Misty clambered onto her back.  Ash looped one arm around Pidgeot while the other held his squirming and shaking back tight to his chest.

Ash shifted around and pulled a second Poké Ball from his belt.  He looked at Riolu standing beside them.  Riolu gave a single nod.  “Return,” Ash said, holding out the Poké Ball.  Riolu disappeared in a beam of red light.  Ash put the Poké Ball back onto his belt.  Misty looped her arms around his waist.

“Are you guys ready?!” Ash shouted over the wind and the rain.

“Ready!” Misty shouted back.  

Pikachu’s response was to cling tighter to Ash’s shoulder.

Brock looked out of the hole in the wall and down to the rapidly approaching ocean.  “We have to go now.”

Pidgeot trilled and flapped her wings.  She shot up, latched her talons onto Brock’s shoulders, and flew out of the descending blimp.  The wind and rain buffeted against her, sending her pitching every which way, and the weight of the three passengers wasn’t doing her any favors, but she pressed on.  She flapped her wings and carried them towards the outline of the island they could see through the rain.  She wobbled in the air, spiralling down under the extra weight, but she didn’t just drop.

Ash’s bag stopped shaking.  He let out a sigh of relief at that.  And then, muffled by the fabric, they heard the sound of Jigglypuff starting to Sing.

“Wait,” Ash began, fumbling with his bag.  He didn’t get the chance to say anything more.  The song caught up to him.  Ash slumped over Pidgeot’s back.  He vaguely registered the feeling of Misty falling on top of him.  As his eyes drifted shut, he noticed Pidgeot take a sudden and steep dive.  Ash’s glow flickered and disappeared, leaving them in complete darkness.

It was the light that woke Ash up.  He groaned and opened his eyes for a moment, but immediately recoiled and shut them again.  The sun was too bright.  Ash lifted one arm to lay it over his eyes.  The other dug into the coarse ground beneath him.  Sand, he was pretty sure.  That meant they’d made it to a beach.

Ash tried to roll over, but a weight on his chest kept him pinned in place.  He tilted his head down and cracked his eyes open.  The sunlight was still bright, but his eyes slowly began to adjust.  He focused on the weight on his chest.  At first it was just a vague blur of blue and white.  But after a few moments his vision cleared enough for him to look directly into the eyes of the Dratini curled up on top of him.

Chapter Text

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: Hey

Kate: Hey!

Leon: Ash!

Cynthia: You’re okay!

Alder: We knew he would be.

Diantha: It’s still nice to hear from him

Steven: Even if we’re not technically hearing him

Kate: You’re not.

Ash: Sorry I didn’t text sooner.  Jigglypuff put us all to sleep

Ash: How long were we out?

Alder: a few hours

Ash: Oh, okay

Lance: You got out of the blimp, right?

Leon: Please tell us you did

Diantha: I don’t know if I could handle it if you were at the bottom of the ocean again

Ash: Yeah, we got out

Alder: good

Ash: We were flying away when Jigglypuff started to Sing.  I didn’t actually see the blimp crash, but I assume we were far away

Cynthia: Let’s just say you were

Lance: Where are you?

Ash: Not sure

Ash: Some island

Ash: We just woke up on the beach

Steven: That unfortunately doesn’t narrow it down too much

Alder: Can you see anything else?

Kate: Is it an uninhabited island?

Ash: We haven’t seen anyone else, but we haven’t really left the beach either

Ash: Uh, I can see the ocean, some trees, what looks like a storm in the distance.  It’s not moving closer, though

Leon: Probably the storm you got caught up in earlier

Lance: Probably.  Though it looks like there’s been a few storms in the Orange Archipelago, so that doesn’t narrow it down too much.

Ash: I don’t see much else right now

Diantha: I’ve pulled up the flight path of your blimp.  You passed over a lot of islands, so you could be washed up on any of them.  Most of them seem to be inhabited, though, so that’s definitely a plus

Leon: Absolutely it is!

Cynthia: Good.  I really would not have wanted anyone stuck on a deserted island

Kate: I think you should go exploring, see if there’s anything else.

Ash: We will in a bit

Steven: Why not now?

Ash: Brock only just woke up, Pikachu’s still asleep, and Misty’s still washing off her face from Jigglypuff’s marker

Ash: And I’m kinda pinned in place

Diantha: What?!

Alder: You can’t move?

Steven: What’s happened?

Leon: What’s pinning you?!

Cynthia: Please tell me it’s not rubble from the blimp

Lance: How heavy is it?  Can you feel your body?

Kate: Ash, report.

Ash: I’m fine!  I’m fine, it’s nothing like that!

Ash: I just have a Dratini curled up on my chest, and I don’t have the heart to move her

Leon: Oh.  That’s better

Diantha: That’s much better

Lance: A Dratini?  You’re sure?

Ash: Yeah, she looks like the one from the Safari Zone

Lance: Is she wild?

Ash: I think so?

Lance: Is she the only Dratini around?  Or are there more?  Other Dratini, Dragonair, maybe even the occasional Dragonite?

Ash: I don’t know

Diantha: Lance?

Kate: You know where this is?

Lance: Maybe.  Ash, you need to check around when you get the chance.  If I’m right, I know exactly where you are.

Alder: And that is?

Steven: Where are they?

Lance: Dragonite Island.

Leon: Wait, there’s an island named after Dragonite?!  That’s so cool!

Cynthia: Is it like that Arceus place?  A landmass in the shape of Dragonite?

Ash: What is Dragonite Island?

Lance: The Dragonite breeding ground.

Steven: I didn’t know there was a Dragonite breeding ground.

Kate: Yeah, isn’t that why they’re so rare?

Lance: As far as the general public is concerned, there isn’t.

Alder: fair enough

Leon: Got it

Cynthia: Ah, government secret

Lance: More or less.  The Orange Archipelago have a few places like that.

Steven: Hey, we’ve got places kinda like that here in Hoenn too

Cynthia: Some places here aren’t really secret, but definitely restricted

Alder: same

Kate: Wait, if this place is restricted, is Ash going to get in trouble?

Diantha: No

Lance: It’s not technically restricted, and castaways winding up there isn’t unheard of.  There’s protocol in place.

Ash: That’s a relief

Ash: So, I should go looking for other Dragonite to make sure that’s where I am?

Lance: If you can.

Ash: Dratini just slithered off me, so we can go now

Diantha: Good

Leon: Good luck!

Cynthia: Say hi to the Dragonite for me!  And the Dratini and Dragonair!

Lance: Do not disturb them!

Alder: what he said

Kate: Please.

Ash: Don’t worry, we’ll be careful

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: So, you know how I promised we’d be careful?

Diantha: Yes…

Kate: What did you do?

Ash: Nothing.  I don’t think we need to be careful.  There’s nothing here

Cynthia: Oh

Alder: thats alright then

Lance: Interesting.

Leon: Does this mean you’re not on Dragonite Island?

Ash: I guess?

Lance: I suppose so.  Although… Dratini is still there, right?

Ash: Yeah, she is

Ash: We’ve just kinda been following her around

Kate: That would help you find others.

Cynthia: If there were any

Lance: I just don’t know why a Dratini would be there if it wasn’t Dragonite Island.

Leon: Maybe she swam over?

Alder: that would work

Lance: I guess… though something about this still bugs me.

Ash: I know what you mean

Steven: DId you find something suspicious?

Ash: I don’t think so

Ash: Though things just feel weird right now

Cynthia: Feel or FEEL?

Ash: I don’t think it’s aura?

Cynthia: Alright

Leon: Still.  Just keep looking for now?

Kate: That sounds like a good strategy to me.

Lance: I agree.  You need to find out where you are, Dragonite Island or not.

Alder: see if you can get to higher ground

Alder: that should be a much better vantage point

Ash: Yeah, okay

Ash: Oh boy

Leon: Oh boy?

Steven: Was that a good oh boy or a bad one?

Ash: The good news is that Jigglypuff is just fine after the crash

Lance: Ah.

Cynthia: That’s good to hear, at least?

Kate: I wouldn’t want Jigglypuff getting hurt.

Diantha: And I think I can guess what the bad news is

Alder: sleep well

Leon: So… Jigglypuff’s in the Orange Islands.  That’s neat

Diantha: At least they’re on solid land this time

Steven: And not something that always happens

Lance: Don’t remind me.

Leon: Well, now what?  

Cynthia: Kate?

Kate: Yeah?

Cynthia: What are you up to?

Kate: Just got to Pueltown.

Cynthia: Patrol time?

Kate: No, I’m just going through on my way back to the Union.

Cynthia: Aw…

Leon: So… what are we supposed to do?

Alder: dunno

Kate: Do you guys just not do anything but listen to what Ash and I are up to?

Leon: Well, I wouldn’t put it like that…

Alder: yes

Steven: Among other things

Cynthia: In our defense, your lives are very entertaining

Lance: You know, you do have jobs to do, right?

Diantha: It’s my day off

Cynthia: Ugh, don’t remind me.  I have a mountain of paperwork to sort through

Lance: You should probably get on that.

Cynthia: But I’ve been procrastinating for so long…

Leon: Yeah, it’s piled up and is just an impossible task now

Alder: thatll happen

Kate: You have paperwork too?

Leon: Homework

Cynthia: I am so sorry

Kate: Well, sorry to disappoint you, but I’m just going back to the Union today.  It’s getting late and I won’t be able to entertain you.  You’ll have to do your own jobs.

Leon: Okay…

Steven: I already am

Cynthia: *Sigh*

Kate: Suffer.

Diantha: Not me.  I have the day off

Cynthia: Now you’re just rubbing it in

Diantha: Suffer

Kate: Okay, I gotta go now.  I hear someone calling my name.

Cynthia: Oh?

Lance: Get back to work, Cynthia.

Cynthia: It’ll all get done in time

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Kate: You guys remember Melody?  I told you about her, right?

Alder: yes

Cynthia: Oh yeah, I remember her

Steven: Isaac’s sister?  How could I forget?

Lance: What about her?

Diantha: She’s the one who was calling your name?

Kate: Yes.

Steven: What did she want?

Kate: …

Cynthia: Say it, you know you want to

Kate: She has a quest for me.

Cynthia: Yes!

Kate: I’m not sure I want to tell you what it is.

Leon: Are you actually annoyed by us right now?

Kate: No, I’m not.

Cynthia: Good

Steven: So, what is this quest?

Kate: Isaac’s been working really hard lately.  So she wants to help him unwind by putting on a concert for him.  She even wrote a song, and wants me to pick up some musical Pokémon to help perform it.

Cynthia: Oh my Sinnoh, that is adorable!!!!!!!

Alder: that is incredible

Diantha: Good.  Very good

Steven: Isaac needs to take a break

Leon: Can I have Melody as my little sister?  I think I want her as my sister

Cynthia: Same

Lance: She comes across as a thoughtful and supportive sister.

Diantha: And I approve

Kate: As do I.

Steven: How long do you have to find these Pokémon?

Leon: And which ones?

Kate: The performance is tomorrow.  That’s very important, though Melody didn’t say why.  And she already has a list of what she wants.  A Chatot, Chingling, and Kricketune.  And, get this, a Jigglypuff.

Cynthia: Oh boy

Lance: I know where you can find a Jigglypuff if you really need one.

Kate: Thanks, but I think I’m good.

Alder: lets hope this one wont put isaac to sleep

Alder: or any of the others 

Alder: for that matter

Kate: They should be good.

Steven: Jigglypuff does seem to be a bit of an outlier in terms of the whole Singing thing

Diantha: I’m sure the Jigglypuff you find for Melody will be perfect

Kate: Me too.

Leon: This whole concert’s gonna be perfect!

Lance: Yes it will.

Kate: I’m gonna head back into Vien Forest now.  There are some Kricketune living there, and if I swap out Togepi for Kricketot it should be easy to get close.

Alder: sounds like a plan

Cynthia: Kate?

Kate: I just realized.  I’m going to be sending Togepi back to the farm.

Leon: Oh

Diantha: You gonna be okay?

Kate: Yes.  Yes, I’ll be fine.  Togepi’s excited, I think, so it’s gonna be fine.  It’s gonna be just fine.

Lance: You and he will be.

Kate: Yeah.

Kate: I did it.  Togepi’s at the farm and Kricketot’s here.

Diantha: How are you feeling?

Cynthia: Togepi’s completely safe right now

Kate: I know.  I know, my family wouldn’t let anything happen to him.  It’s fine.

Steven: He’ll be okay.

Kate: I know.  And he will.  He really will.

Alder: And you?

Kate: Yeah.  Yeah, I think I will be.

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: Something is definitely weird right now

Lance: Yeah.  Why is there a Dratini at all?  It’s not Dragonite’s mating season.  And if she were from last year’s, wouldn’t she be a Dragonair already?

Leon: Maybe she chose not to evolve?

Kate: It can happen.

Diantha: Ahem.  What’s weird, Ash?

Ash: Jigglypuff put us all to sleep, right?  And we just woke up

Alder: and here i thought you were texting in your sleep

Steven: Right…

Ash: We don’t have anything drawn on our faces.  Nothing.  Jigglypuff didn’t do anything

Cynthia: Oh

Steven: Okay

Kate: Really?

Alder: That is definitely weird.

Ash: Right?!

Diantha: I hope Jigglypuff’s okay

Kate: Is Jigglypuff okay?

Ash: I don’t know

Ash: She’s not here

Leon: Okay, I’m officially worried now.  She just left?!

Ash: It looks like it

Steven: What is going on on that island?

Lance: I don’t know.  But I want to find out.

Kate: Same here.

Ash: Hang on, Brock’s found something

Ash: There’s a bunch of scales here

Alder: Scales?

Lance: Light blue scales?

Ash: And white

Cynthia: Dratini scales?

Lance: Dratini do constantly shed their skin and scales.

Steven: It makes sense

Ash: Wait, Dratini’s not here!

Diantha: She’s gone too?

Ash: We’re looking now

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: We found Dratini

Leon: Good

Ash: Well, more like she found us

Diantha: Is she okay?

Ash: Yeah, I think so

Ash: We were walking through the forest when she showed up.  She had a few berries for all of us

Kate: She went to get you food?

Alder: That’s thoughtful.

Ash: Yeah, I think so

Cynthia: So, an after-nap snack?

Lance: Good job, Dratini.

Leon: Yeah!

Ash: We found a flat enough rock to use as a table, so we’re stopping to eat

Steven: Fair enough

Diantha: You need a healthy diet to keep your strength up

Ash: Oh, apparently the rock is flat enough to act as a stage

Kate: Jigglypuff?

Cynthia: Jigglypuff

Diantha: I hope they got to finish dinner this time

Leon: Ugh, falling asleep during dinner?

Alder: not much worse than that

Cynthia: So…

Kate: I’ve captured Kricketune.

Steven: Kricketot made that easy, I assume?

Kate: Nope.  The opposite, actually.

Lance: Oh, really?

Kate: Really.  I don’t think Kricketune liked that Kricketot worked with a human, because as soon as he saw him he tried to attack.

Diantha: You stopped him, right?  Before you captured him?

Kate: Kricketot strung some strings between trees to slow Kricketune down.  After that, it was easy.

Leon: Good

Cynthia: So now what?

Kate: It’s getting late.  I’m going back to Pueltown.  My browser says there are some Chatot that live there, then I’m spending the night at the Ranger Base.

Alder: good choice

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: It happened again.  Jigglypuff didn’t draw on us

Leon: Huh

Steven: I don’t know what to make of this

Cynthia: Character growth?

Diantha: Maybe, I guess

Ash: Jigglypuff’s gone again, though this time Dratini stuck around

Lance: Did you find another patch of scales?

Ash: Hang on

Ash: Misty’s found some, yes

Alder: You know what that means?

Ash: No

Lance: Were the scales there before Jigglypuff put you to sleep?

Ash: I don’t know

Lance: I see.

Ash: Anyway, it’s late and we shouldn’t go through the forest at night, so we’re setting up camp

Alder: thats a good idea

Diantha: I concur

Ash: Well, I say setting up camp

Ash: Really we’re just unrolling sleeping bags

Leon: Not bothering with tents?

Ash: Not really any point.  It’s a beautiful night

Lance: Clear skies?

Ash: Yes.  Lots of stars, too 

Cynthia: Sounds good

Ash: There’s just one problem

Leon: What is it?!

Steven: What’s wrong?

Ash: I’m not tired

Alder: well

Alder: you have been asleep most of the day

Ash: Yeah…

Diantha: You should still at least try to get some sleep

Ash: I know, I know

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: Hey, Kate, how does your browser work, exactly?

Ash: Kate?

Kate: Sleeping right now.

Ash: Oh, sorry

Ash: Sleep well

Kate: You too.

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Kate: …

Kate: What do you mean?

Ash: About what?

Kate: My browser.  What do you mean, how does it work?

Ash: Well, you said it told you Chatot live in Pueltown.  How does it know that?

Kate: My styler keeps a record of what Pokémon I capture, when, and where.  This information is added to the browser for me to check.  But it’s not just mine.  The browser is constantly being updated with data from every styler connected to the system, which gives me a constantly updating tracker that lets me find any Pokémon that’s been captured.

Ash: That’s so cool!

Leon: Wait, ANY Pokémon?

Kate: So long as it’s been captured by at least one styler, I can at least check the last known location.  And it’s just by species, not specific individuals.

Ash: That’s still cool!

Steven: It’s a nifty bit of technology

Kate: Yes, it is.  For example, looking at it, it says here that Chingling and Jigglypuff are both often found inside Crysta Cave, so I can go there in the morning to capture them both for Melody.

Alder: efficient

Kate: Yep.  Is that all you wanted to know about the browser?

Ash: For now, yeah

Kate: Great.  I’m going back to bed.

Ash: Sleep well!

Kate: You too.

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Kate: For the record, my browser still states that Chingling and Jigglypuff can both be found in Crysta Cave.

Alder: still efficient 

Steven: And once you’ve gotten them you have everything for Melody?

Kate: Yes.  I’ll be able to meet the deadline with plenty of time to spare.

Lance: That’s always nice.

Cynthia: Yeah, it does feel pretty nice

Lance: Surprised you know that.

Cynthia: Me too, buddy.  Me too 

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: You know how weird things were yesterday?

Diantha: Intimately

Alder: yes

Kate: Not like we could forget.

Steven: Why do you ask?

Ash: That’s nothing compared to right now

Lance: What’s going on?

Ash: Alright, we woke up, right?

Leon: Makes sense

Ash: And one of the trees started rustling.  We’d just gotten closer when Jigglypuff jumped out of it

Cynthia: And you’d just woken up…

Diantha: At least you got plenty of rest?

Ash: Not really.  Jigglypuff ran through our camp without Singing at all

Kate: …

Leon: …

Steven: …

Cynthia: …

Lance: …

Diantha: …

Alder: What.

Ash: Yeah!

Diantha: Something’s wrong with Jigglypuff

Kate: Are we sure this Jigglypuff is, you know, Jigglypuff?

Ash: She has the marker

Steven: That’s pretty definitive 

Leon: So is quite literally everything else Jigglypuff hasn’t done

Steven: You’re not wrong 

Leon: I know!

Diantha: What are you doing right now?

Ash: We’re all following Jigglypuff

Alder: That’s what I’d do.

Kate: Does she know you’re following?

Ash: I can’t tell

Ash: Dratini called out to Jigglypuff, but I don’t know if she’s ignoring her or just didn’t hear

Cynthia: Maybe all that Singing has messed with Jigglypuff’s hearing?

Lance: I don’t think it works like that.

Cynthia: You don’t know

Ash: Jigglypuff just ran into a cave 

Steven: Why would Jigglypuff be in a cave?

Kate: That’s my line.

Leon: You’re going into the cave, right?

Ash: Of course

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: Dratini don’t light torches, do they?

Lance: No.

Alder: nor evolutions

Ash: I didn’t think so

Cynthia: How would it even hold them?

Steven: Curl up around the base?  Slither along with it held aloft?

Kate: Cute.

Lance: So, torches?

Ash: They’re lining the walls

Diantha: I don’t think those are supposed to be there

Lance: I doubt it.

Ash: Yesterday you were asking about Dragonair and Dragonite, remember?

Lance: And I’d still very much like an update on that.

Diantha: I think this is the update

Ash: We found them

Lance: Dragonair and Dragonite?

Ash: Yes

Steven: How many?

Ash: All of them?

Cynthia: All of them?!

Ash: We found a cavern, and it’s full of Dragonair and Dragonite.  They’re all curled up around each other, sleeping away

Kate: Sleeping?

Alder: jigglypuff

Diantha: Sounds like it

Lance: But why would Jigglypuff round up all the Pokémon on Dragonite Island and leave them asleep in some cave?

Kate: She really wanted an audience?

Alder: stranger things have happened

Ash: Hang on, something’s happening with the Dragonair

Lance: What is it?!

Diantha: Are they okay?

Ash: Their scales just fell off!  Every single Dragonair was sleeping one minute, then their scales all fell off and they started moving around again!

Kate: Is that normal?!

Cynthia: Of course!

Lance: Shed skin!

Ash: Shed skin?

Lance: It’s Dragonair’s special ability.  If they have a status condition they can shed their skin to get rid of the infected scales, replacing them with perfectly clean and healthy scales.

Leon: That’s great!

Ash: Sleep is an infection?

Lance: No, but shed skin does come with a surge of adrenaline.

Kate: How are the Dragonair doing?

Ash: Angry

Cynthia: Understandable 

Diantha: What about the Dragonite?

Ash: They’re still asleep

Diantha: Really?

Lance: Dragonite don’t have shed skin.  They lose it in evolution.

Alder: weird

Ash: Dratini’s trying to show us something

Cynthia: The Lost Treasure of Dragon Knight?

Kate: Is that a thing?

Leon: I choose to believe it is

Alder: the name alone makes it worth it

Steven: Dragonite Island would be the place to find it

Ash: There’s a waterfall at the back of the cavern.  Why would she want to show us

Ash: Gah!

Lance: Ash?

Alder: you okay

Ash: Dratini hit me in the back!  Pushed me through the waterfall!

Cynthia: Is Dratini a traitor?!

Lance: Of course not.

Steven: Why would Dratini do that?

Kate: Wait.  Through the waterfall?

Leon: Secret tunnel! 

Ash: Team Rocket’s back here.  With Jigglypuff?

Diantha: I guess they’re working together on this one

Ash: I don’t know if they are or not

Ash: Jessie picked up Jigglypuff and threw her through the waterfall

Alder: i see

Cynthia: Back to where the other Pokémon are?

Ash: Yes

Cynthia: Can you hear Singing?

Steven: Oh!

Diantha: I see where you’re going with this

Ash: I can’t hear anything over this waterfall.  I can barely even hear Team Rocket doing their motto

Kate: Team Rocket’s using Jigglypuff to keep them asleep so they don’t run!

Alder: and the sound of the waterfall keeps them from hearing it

Steven: That’s honestly kinda ingenious 

Leon: Evil, though

Lance: But what are they going to do with all the Pokémon?

Diantha: Nothing good

Kate: They almost never do.

Ash: Oh, they’re done with their motto.  I’m gonna battle them now

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Kate: Not to steal the spotlight, but I think you guys will find something amusing.

Leon: Hey, the spotlight’s all yours

Diantha: You’re not stealing a thing

Steven: What is it?

Cynthia: I’m down to be amused!

Kate: Ash is in a cave with Jigglypuff and a bunch of dragon types, right?

Alder: right

Lance: Yes he is.

Kate: And I have to capture a Jigglypuff for Melody.  Jigglypuff is living in a cave.  And as it turns out Jigglypuff is friends with a Salamence, which is another dragon type.

Cynthia: You were right.  That is amusing!

Leon: Heh, cool

Alder: funny how that works out

Steven: Weird coincidence, but yeah.  Amusing

Diantha: Will you be okay with Salamence?

Kate: Oh yeah, I’m fine.  They let me approach and talk to them.  I didn’t even need to capture Jigglypuff.  Once I explained the situation, he was happy to help out.  Salamence even volunteered to join us.

Lance: That sounds about right.  Salamence can be very gentle.

Leon: Gentle giants, they are

Diantha: Good

Alder: just dont make them angry

Lance: That goes without saying.

Alder: well

Alder: not anymore

Steven: Still, though.  That is a weird coincidence

Leon: Yeah, I suppose it is

Cynthia: Well, Kate’s with Salamence and Ash with the Dragonite line.  So is it a coincidence? 

Steven: Yes

Lance: Yes it is.

Alder: amusingly so

Kate: I say so.

Ash: Still, though.  A cave, Jigglypuff, and a dragon.  It’s a weird feeling, right?

Kate: Yeah, definitely.  If I hadn’t been listening to you, I never would’ve even considered it before it actually happened to me.

Cynthia: Ah, you sent Team Rocket blasting off?

Ash: Not me, actually

Leon: So who did?

Steven: Maybe you should start at the beginning?

Ash: Well, to start, Growlie learned take down

Alder: nice

Lance: Good for him.

Diantha: Just so long as he doesn’t hurt himself

Ash: So yeah, he hit Squirtle with a take down that knocked Squirtle back into me, and then the two of us fell through the waterfall into the other side of the cave.  By the time we got there, Jigglypuff had already put everyone to sleep again

Steven: One of their more effective traps, I have to say

Leon: Not the most orthodox, either

Lance: At least it’s not a pitfall.

Cynthia: You would say that

Ash: Team Rocket followed us through the waterfall and we started battling again

Ash: Then Jigglypuff noticed we were still awake and she started trying to Sing again.  To stop that, Squirtle hit her with a water gun

Kate: Okay, yeah, that was not the time for Singing.

Diantha: That’s one way to train her

Alder: i cant imagine she liked that

Leon: Or Team Rocket

Lance: Squirtle probably enjoyed it, though.

Cynthia: Oh, absolutely

Ash: Squirtle was having fun.  He was also having trouble keeping up with multiple opponents at once, though

Kate: That can happen.

Diantha: It can be good training to battle multiple wild Pokémon at once.  Five is a pretty good number

Leon: There is no way that actually happens

Diantha: It does

Steven: Can confirm

Ash: The others were still asleep so I was going to send in Pikachu to help out.  Then we heard something moving around.  Dratini’s scales dropped off her body and she jumped into the battle

Lance: Yep, that’s shed skin alright.

Alder: so team rocket were faced with a small army of pokemon

Ash: No 

Cynthia: The Dragonair didn’t wake up?

Ash: No, just Dratini

Steven: They do have shed skin, right?  Why didn’t they wake up?

Lance: Could be any number of reasons.  Dratini hasn’t evolved, she’s younger, really anything like that.  Shed skin probably takes less energy for her.

Ash: Also, she was pretty angry

Kate: That might have something to do with it.

Alder: hard to sleep angry

Cynthia: How angry are we talking here?

Ash: Angry enough that she sent everyone blasting off with a dragon rage

Leon: That’s pretty angry

Alder: thats surpassed anger

Alder: and gone to rage

Cynthia: It’s in the name

Steven: Wait.  I thought you were in a cave?

Ash: We are

Diantha: And Team Rocket still went blasting off?

Ash: Dratini was really angry

Ash: The others are waking up now

Leon: Now that Team Rocket’s gone, think you’ll be able to find a way off the island?

Ash: That’s what we’ll look for

Diantha: We can safely say you’re on Dragonite Island now, right?

Lance: Yes.

Cynthia: I think so

Diantha: Great.  Can you arrange for someone to pick them up?

Lance: Yes.  Drake can go help them himself.

Ash: Thanks, but you don’t actually need to do that

Lance: Okay.

Kate: He doesn’t?

Steven: Why not?

Ash: A few Dragonair have offered to give us a ride off the island

Lance: Dragonair are very strong swimmers.  You’ll definitely be able to get where you want to go.

Ash: Dratini’s even giving Pikachu a ride!

Leon: Aww, that’s adorable

Diantha: I approve

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Kate: I got Melody’s orchestra for her, so we’re going to Altru Tower now.

Ash: Altru Tower?!

Diantha: That place is still open?

Kate: Yeah, it is.  Somehow.  I don’t know how.

Steven: Corporate politics

Cynthia: That building is a giant superweapon, why wasn’t it torn down?!  Why does Altru still even exist?!

Alder: i dont think they could have just torn it down

Kate: I guess…

Steven: And Altru itself doesn’t exist.  Last I heard its assets were seized as part of the investigation.  The tower is delicate and a special case, though

Ash: Yeah, but why is it open?!

Lance: Is it really a danger?  With the gems in place, I’d argue it’s the opposite.  It singlehandedly neutralizes Gigaremo across all of Almia.

Steven: And it is still a literal tower of state of the art labs

Kate: I guess it’s good that it’s being used for something good.

Cynthia: And we’re sure it’s good this time?

Leon: Isn’t Isaac working there?  That’s a pretty good sign

Alder: well

Diantha: His track record isn’t the best

Ash: It wasn’t his fault!

Kate: It wasn’t his fault!

Diantha: I never said it was

Lance: It was not his fault.

Kate: Good, glad we’re clear.

Ash: Because it wasn’t his fault

Kate: Still, though.  The tower is weirdly empty.

Steven: Most of the workers left.  Devon hired quite a few of them, actually

Cynthia: Of course they left.  Altru’s gone

Leon: But people are still working there?

Alder: volunteers

Steven: More or less

Ash: This is making my head hurt

Diantha: I have to agree.  None of this makes sense

Steven: That’s corporate politics for you

Kate: I don’t like it here.  It’s too quiet.

Alder: sounds like you could use some music

Lance: That sounds like a good plan to me.

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Kate: Melody kept some crucial information from me.

Steven: How crucial?

Ash: She didn’t!

Diantha: Is everything okay?

Cynthia: Please tell me this is nothing to do with Dim Sun

Kate: Don’t even joke about that.

Cynthia: Sorry

Lance: What is it, though?

Kate: She didn’t just want to do a concert for Isaac because he’s overworking himself.  It’s also his birthday today.

Alder: and she didnt tell you

Kate: No!  I’d have gotten him a present if I’d known!

Leon: That’s a real shame.  Like, a huge and massive shame

Ash: There’s gotta be something you can do.  Does he like jackets woven from Kricketot’s string shot?

Kate: There’s no way Isaac would like that.

Lance: That would be awfully sticky.

Diantha: And wouldn’t it dissolve after a few hours?

Alder: or in water

Alder: whichever comes first

Kate: …

Kate: Alright, I asked him.

Ash: And?

Cynthia: What’s the verdict?

Kate: Apparently Isaac would love the chance to see if he could find a way to incorporate string shot into fabric weaving.  If he could manage to keep the string from dissolving, or at least extend the shelf life, then that could drastically increase the resilience of clothing without losing any of the mobility of the wearer.

Ash: So that’s a yes?

Kate: That’s a yes.  Kricketot’s weaving the jacket now.

Ash: Great!  Glad that worked out!

Leon: I’m not sure what to say to that

Kate: Also, he has some ideas for Salamence scales.  All in all, I think that made up for not getting him a gift.

Alder: just say those are the gifts

Alder: easy

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: The Dragonair dropped us off at Valencia Island!

Cynthia: Valencia Island!

Leon: That’s where you wanted to go!

Diantha: That was nice of them

Ash: Yeah!

Steven: How do you know it’s Valencia?

Ash: There’s a sign on the beach

Kate: There usually is.

Steven: Ah, yes, that makes sense

Lance: I’m glad you made it.

Alder: now you can get that poke ball for oak

Ash: That’s the plan!

Ash: Oh, hang on, I think Dratini wants to say goodbye

Cynthia: Oh, say goodbye for me!

Leon: Bye, Dratini!

Kate: Aw, she’s leaving already?

Diantha: Be sure to thank her for all her help

Lance: She’s a good Dratini.

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: So…

Ash: Dratini didn’t want to say goodbye.  She actually wanted to battle me

Kate: Good for you.

Lance: Makes sense.

Cynthia: Wait…

Diantha: Did she now?

Leon: Does that mean what I think it does?

Steven: It’s quite possible

Alder: and how did this battle end

Ash: I caught… a Dratini!

Lance: Good.

Kate: Congrats!

Leon: Nice!

Alder: good job

Ash: I just let her back out of her Poké Ball and she wrapped herself around my neck

Diantha: Like a scarf or is she choking you?

Lance: Like a scarf.

Ash: Like a scarf, yeah

Ash: I think she’s a hugger

Leon: Aw, lucky!

Chapter Text

[Forest For The Trees]

Oak: Did Ash ever arrive to pick up that strange Poké Ball you found?

Ivy: Not yet.

Ritchie: Seriously?  No, that doesn’t sound right

Oak: He should be there by now.

Rowan: Respectfully, I have to disagree.  This sounds exactly like Ash.

Juniper: Yeah, there was no respect in that sentiment.  At all.

Rowan: Respectfully, I disagree.

Sada: Ash has shown a pattern for being tardy to appointments in the past.

Ritchie: That was one time!

Oak: And we can’t forget that he was kidnapped at the time.

Ritchie: Exactly!

Birch: Maybe he was kidnapped again?

Kukui: I hope not!  Who would even come up with such a nasty plot?

Ritchie: Team Rocket

Oak: Team Rocket.

Kellyn: Sorry, but I have to point out that it wasn’t just one time.  Professor Oak, didn’t you tell us way back on day one that Ash was late to get his starter?

Sada: He did indeed share that information with us.  It was shortly after telling us the story of Gary earning Squirtle’s respect and immediately before Kellyn’s transfer to the Pueltown Pokémon Ranger Base was finalized.

Kellyn: Yes, that day.

Oak: Okay, yes, but that was different.

Sada: I fail to comprehend how it was different.

Oak: It just was.

Ritchie: Of course it was different!

Magnolia: Sounds like it was different

Ivy: Whatever the case, Ash isn’t here now.

Ritchie: I’m sure he’ll be there soon

Birch: I mean, it sure sounds like it

Kellyn: Unfortunately, I may not be able to be online when he gets there.  I have to go pick up a couple copies of today’s Almia Times for my archive.

Birch: Remember to bring gloves

Kellyn: What do you take me for?  Of course I’m going to remember.  I always do.

Kukui: You say that, but one day you might have a bout of amnesia.  It happens to the best of us

Sada: Kellyn has yet to experience this amnesia.

Birch: But one day he might, and he’ll be glad to have the reminder on that day

Juniper: You can’t fault that logic.

Kellyn: We’ll see.  I’m going now.

Ritchie: Talk to you later!

Birch: Have fun!

Ivy: Kellyn’s on the right track, though.  I have to go take Gyarados out for his daily swim.

Ritchie: Yeah, I should probably start getting ready for the day too.  Cruise is getting antsy to start training his headbutt again.  If we don’t start now…

Kukui: He’ll throw a stomping tantrum?

Ritchie: Exactly

Ritchie: I should go take care of that

Birch: You also have fun!

Ritchie: Will do!

[Forest For The Trees]

Elm: Wait, Oak, the person you sent to pick up the mysterious Poké Ball is Ash Ketchum?

Oak: Yes, I chose Ash.  It was right after our victory bash.

Elm: Huh.  Okay then.

[Forest For The Trees]

Ivy: Birch, you were right.

Birch: I was?

Birch: What was I right about?

Ivy: While I was out with Gyarados, Ash showed up.  When I told him I’d been expecting him two days ago, he admitted that he and his friends had been kidnapped and then stranded on a deserted island.

Juniper: Wait, seriously?

Kukui: I… I didn’t think that could actually happen again

Magnolia: Was it Team Rocket?

Ivy: That’s what he says.

Rowan: What did this kid do to be so targeted?

Oak: What didn’t he do?

Juniper: They’ve really been stranded on an island?

Birch: Poor kids

Ivy: That’s what they say.

Magnolia: You doubt that story?

Ivy: No.  No, I don’t doubt it, exactly.  But I think there’s more to it that they’re not saying.

Sada: Is it something that worries you?

Ivy: No.

Kellyn: Do you know what it is?

Ivy: I have a theory.  None of them have said exactly which island they were stranded on or how they got off it.  And Ash has with him a Dratini that he just caught.

Juniper: There’s only one island with wild Dratini in the Orange Islands, isn’t there?

Ivy: Dragonite Island.

Oak: That doesn’t surprise me.

Birch: At least they got to Valencia Island safely?

Ivy: Yes they did.

Oak: Ivy, would you mind taking this conversation to a video phone?  I’d like to speak to you and Ash both about that special Poké Ball.

Ivy: Okay, we’ll call you in just a minute.

[Forest For The Trees]

Ritchie: Did you know that if you use headbutt on a tree, then a Pokémon might fall out of the tree?

Juniper: That sounds right.

Sada: The vibrations from the attack would dislodge any Pokémon in the tree.

Kellyn: It doesn’t even need to be a headbutt.  Any physical attack could work.

Rowan: That seems gauche.  Why wouldn’t you just lure the Pokémon out with honey?

Kellyn: That takes time.

Rowan: It does.

Elm: Ah, yes, I’ve seen that happen before.  Did that happen while you were training Cruise?

Ritchie: Yeah, it did.  We were doing a bit of target practice.  He missed the target and hit the tree instead.  It was actually kinda impressive.  The tree was in the opposite direction of the target

Kukui: Come on, you can’t leave us hanging here!  What Pokémon fell out?!

Ritchie: A Ledyba.  She wasn’t exactly happy to be disturbed

Sada: I wouldn’t have expected otherwise.

Rowan: Exactly why you shouldn’t rely on headbutt to get a Pokémon out of a tree.

Elm: What’s the harm?  So you have to battle the Pokémon.  That’s a standard experience.

Ritchie: Cruise did great in the battle, by the way!  Just a quick rock throw and the Ledyba was down for the count!

Rowan: Well, that at least went without saying.

Kukui: Obviously

Juniper: Also, Ritchie.  Scroll up real quick.

Ritchie: Sure thing

Ritchie: Wait, Ivy, you’re with Ash right now?!  

Ritchie: They made it!

Ritchie: They were stranded on an island?!

Ritchie: Dragonite Island?!?!

Ritchie: Ash has a Dratini now?!?!?!

Juniper: Thought you’d appreciate that.

Ritchie: We can’t fall behind!!!!

Juniper: Wait, that’s what you got from all that?

Rowan: You’re not falling behind.

Sada: You and Ash have both acquired a new Pokémon since your last encounter.  Since you were ahead at that time, you’d still be ahead now.

Ritchie: I’m not ahead!  

Ritchie: We’re neck and neck!  

Ritchie: And I can’t fall behind!

Ritchie: Kukui!

Kukui: Yes?

Ritchie: Any ideas for helping Cruise master headbutt?

Kukui: If he got the Ledyba out of the tree, it sounds like he’s doing good on power

Kellyn: He’s hit the first level, at least.

Ritchie: Yeah, he’s got plenty of power in him!

Kukui: So I’d recommend working on his aim.  You still have that target from earlier?

Ritchie: On it!

[Forest For The Trees]

Ivy: Ash now officially has the GS Ball.

Rowan: Should be delivered within a couple days, then.

Oak: I’m sure.

Ivy: I’ve invited them to stay here tonight and leave in the morning, so yeah.  That sounds about right.

Kellyn: Why is it called the GS Ball again?

Ivy: It has markings on the top half that vaguely resemble a G and S.

Kellyn: Are they meant to be there?

Ivy: I believe so.  They don’t look like scratches or any kind of damage.  And the rest of the GS Ball is in remarkable condition.  It wouldn’t exactly make sense for there to be damage to that one specific spot.

Birch: Aside from the damage to the latch

Birch: And whatever seems to be keeping it from transporting

Ritchie: Hey, what if the GS Ball isn’t broken?  What if whatever’s keeping it locked is intentional?

Sada: It is exceedingly difficult to lock down a Poké Ball.

Ritchie: But possible?

Sada: Yes.

Oak: Theoretically.

Ritchie: So maybe that’s what it is?

Sada: Perhaps.

Ritchie: Speaking of things that have been locked down, Ledyba knows mach punch

Rowan: That’s not something that just slipped your mind earlier, is it?

Ritchie: Nope.  Cruise kinda headbutted Ledyba out of the tree again

Oak: The exact same Ledyba?

Ritchie: The exact same Ledyba

Ivy: Wow.  What are the odds?

Sada: 100% at the moment.

Kellyn: She’s got a point.

Ritchie: What’s really weird is Cruise definitely hit a different tree this time

Birch: Guess Ledyba moved trees to avoid being jostled again

Rowan: We can see how that worked out.

Oak: And attacked Cruise with mach punch?

Ritchie: He really didn’t like that

Ivy: Understandable.

Ritchie: So he hit Ledyba with another rock throw and here we are

Birch: Hey, training’s training

Ritchie: Training’s training

[Forest For The Trees]

Ivy: I have to admit, Oak and Ritchie were right about Brock.

Ritchie: Thanks!

Oak: You doubted us?

Sada: That is the subtextual implication.

Oak: That just makes me sad.  And a touch mad.  And not even a little glad.

Ivy: Okay, I get it!  I’m sorry!

Oak: You are forgiven.  Though I really have to ask.  Why’d you say this now?

Ivy: You know how we’ve been having difficulties with some of the local Butterfree?

Juniper: They’ve barely been eating.

Ivy: Exactly.

Kukui: I thought that recipe I gave you fixed the problem?

Ritchie: Yeah.  Happy can’t get enough of it

Ivy: They’ll eat once every few days when they get really hungry, but other than that they prefer to forage their own food.  Normally that would be fine, but that storm a few months back ravaged the local flora.  There just hasn’t been enough to go around.

Ritchie: Poor guys…

Oak: And does Brock play the part I think he does?

Ivy: He watched us try to feed the Butterfree, took one bite of their food, diagnosed the problem, within five minutes had altered the recipe, and now they’re eating happily.

Ritchie: Wow!  That’s great!

Juniper: Impressive.

Oak: It took him five minutes?

Ivy: I know, I’m impressed too.

Oak: Well, I suppose after being stranded on an island, it’s understandable that Brock’s having an off day.

Ivy: You’re kidding.

Oak: I assure you I’m not.

Ivy: Wow.

Ritchie: At least the Butterfree are

Sada: You appear to have sent that message without finishing.

Kukui: No no no, I see where he’s coming from.  And I agree.  I’m glad the Orangian Butterfree are

Ivy: Not this again.

Juniper: Could you give me a minute to make popcorn?

Kukui: They, along with several other Pokémon in the Orange Archipelago, have different physical appearances than in any other region.  Take it from me: that is the textbook definition of regional variants

Ivy: Except they’re not regional variants!  They don’t have different biologies, different growth, different types, or different anything!  Just minor cosmetic differences!

Kukui: There is no rule saying regional variants have to be majorly different, you know

Ivy: They are minor.  Cosmetic.  Differences.  I have purple hair and you have black.  Would you call us regional variants of humans?  Would you?

Kukui: We’re humans.  Butterfree are Pokémon.  They don’t correlate

Ivy: I just did.  So, clearly, I can.

Kukui: Not when speaking scientifically

Ivy: Oh for the love of Arceus.  They have different wing patterns!  That’s not enough!  I can’t believe I have to explain this!

Kukui: I can’t believe I have to explain that they are regional variants

Ivy: Oh yes, some Pokémon have slightly different appearances here.  It’s no different to Sparky having more fur on his head than the average Pikachu.  Give me something substantial next time.

Kukui: Diets

Ivy: What?

Kukui: Orangian Butterfree clearly have different diets than the standard Butterfree.  I mean, all the Butterfree I’ve fed that recipe to love it.  And so does Happy

Ivy: The Butterfree you’ve fed in Alola, you mean?

Kukui: Yes

Ivy: The Orange Archipelago and Alola have near-identical climates.  Tell me, what do the Butterfree in your region look like again?

Kukui: The standard Butterfee

Ivy: So if Butterfree did have a regional form, why would it only be in the Orange Archipelago and not Alola?  

Kukui: It must be something in the water

Ivy: Answer: they wouldn’t.  So, no, not a regional variant.

Kukui: Yes, a regional variant that’s exclusive to the Orange Archipelago.  You said it yourself.  Near-identical climates.  Whatever’s going on with your water, it induced a slightly different evolution in the Caterpie line and resulted in the Orangian regional variants

Ivy: Or perhaps they just ate something that induced minor cosmetic changes?  That’s not exactly unheard of, you know.

Kukui: If that were the case, wouldn’t every Pokémon that eats this mystical food be changed like that?  Instead of just the few cases that is perfectly standard in regional variants?

Ivy: Different species have different reactions to food.  Or no reaction.

Ritchie: Hey!  Sorry, Cruise hit me with a headbutt and I fell back against a tree.  Ledyba dropped out and we had to take care of that battle

Juniper: Aw, it was just getting good.

Ritchie: What was?  What’d I miss?

Ritchie: Oh, that again?

Oak: Yes, that again.

Ivy: Don’t say that like it’s a waste of time.

Kukui: It’s a very important topic!

Oak: Ritchie, why don’t you tell us more about the Ledyba?  It was the same one, wasn’t it?

Ritchie: Yeah, it definitely was

Ritchie: This time he didn’t even wait to attack.  Just jumped right off my head and hit Cruise with mach punch

Juniper: Again?  Mach punch, really?

Sada: It worked before.

Ritchie: Yeah, again

Ritchie: I think Ledyba realized Cruise doesn’t like being hit by mach punch

Kukui: I can’t blame him.  Ledyba have six fists to punch with, and all of them coming at mach speed?  Not everyone can handle that

Juniper: Like you can?

Kukui: I have in the past

[Forest For The Trees]

Ivy: Is Brock as good at cooking for humans as he is for Pokémon?

Ritchie: I’m not sure

Oak: Absolutely.  Some of the best food I’ve had.

Birch: Hang on, why do you ask this?  Are you making him cook for you?

Ivy: I’m not MAKING him cook.

Magnolia: How could you?

Ivy: He volunteered!

Sada: You are the host.  Etiquette dictates that you don’t make him do any household chores.

Ivy: I’m not making him!

Oak: That’s not the issue here.  Brock loves cooking for people and helping out.

Ivy: Then what is the problem?

Elm: Is it the kitchen?

Oak: Yes.

Elm: I see.  I agree, Ivy.  How could you?

Birch: More importantly, WHY?!  Why would you subject him, or anyone, to the garbage dump you call a kitchen?!?!

Ivy: I told you, he volunteered!  Frankly, he seems pretty excited!  Said it was just like home!

Oak: I have been to his home.  That part does sound accurate.

Ritchie: I haven’t

Birch: Spill

Oak: Brock is the oldest of ten kids and for a time was their primary caretaker while his parents were away.

Birch: That just leaves me with more questions and concerns

Sada: Were his parents busy with work?

Oak: I don’t know.

Magnolia: I suppose I can see why Brock would be nostalgic right now

Ivy: It’s honestly impressive.  He’s cleaning the kitchen and dining room, setting the table, and cooking all at once.

Sada: That does not sound sanitary.

Ritchie: Yeah, no offense

Ivy: He washes his hands almost constantly, especially when he’s back in the kitchen.

Birch: Good

Magnolia: The food should be safe to eat

Ivy: I’m pretty sure I just saw him polish Hope’s glasses for her.  How is that possible?

Oak: I’ve been asking myself that same question for a long time.

Ivy: And?

Oak: The only answer I can give you is that it’s Brock.

Ritchie: That sounds about right

Ivy: Yeah.  It does.

Birch: I gotta say, I really want to meet this Brock

Ritchie: And Ash and Misty?

Birch: And Ash and Misty

Ivy: I should go.  Brock’s done with dinner now.

Oak: You don’t want to wait to eat Brock’s cooking.

Ivy: No I don’t.

Oak: Not only is Brock’s food supremely edible, it’s also supremely delectable.

[Forest For The Trees]

Kellyn: Report of Completed Quest: Charge Up The Trio.

At the beginning of my designated patrol I received a voicemail.  Nage, a scientist based in the Ranger Union, had a quest for an Area Ranger to complete.  Upon meeting him in the Ranger Union’s primary laboratory he gave me the details.

–He and his team are currently collaborating with a scientist based in Altru Tower by the name of Isaac.

–Their current project is an attempt to create a more efficient and streamlined method of generating power.

–To do so they needed access to three powerful electric Pokémon, all with different biological methods of generating, storing, and directing electricity.

—Raichu

—Ampharos

—Luxray

–The three Pokémon in question were needed at the same time for maximum results in their experiment.

–While no strict time limit was given for completion of the quest, the questgiver said that the sooner the Pokémon were gathered the better, as it would allow the research to begin right away.

–The questgiver gave his assurances that the experiments planned and unplanned would be entirely ethical and the Pokémon would be treated with both care and respect.

The first Pokémon I retrieved for Nage was Raichu.  The Raichu in question was one living in Almia Castle at the end of Hia Valley.  During my efforts to track him down I narrowly evaded attack by a duo of Haunter that live in the primary entrance hall.

–It is my personal opinion that the Haunter in question are not actively malicious to intruders.  Rather their natures would fall more under the categories of naughty and sassy.  This manifests in mischievousness and pranks directed at any newcomers to Almia Castle as a way to welcome them.

—For corroboration, please see Report of Completed Quest: Access The Ice Castle filed by Top Ranger Sven.

I did not encounter any more Pokémon during my time in Almia Castle, however I did witness a Scyther and Jynx coexisting within one of the kitchens adjacent to the main dining hall.  Once I captured Raichu with minimal difficulty I explained the situation.  Upon receiving his consent to be recruited for the experiments, we moved on to capture Ampharos.

Ampharos was already within Altru Tower, though had not yet been recruited for the experiment.  

–Ampharos is likely one of the many Pokémon that had been displaced by Team Dim Sun that, after the dissolution of Team Dim Sun as an organization, chose to stay within Altru Tower.  Whether this was a lack of desire or ability to return where she had originated from is unclear.

Ampharos had been causing trouble for the few employees still present within Altru Tower.  Whenever a human would get too close, Ampharos would grow hostile and attack.  Often these attacks would be powerful enough to drive off not only any nearby humans, but Pokémon as well.  These attacks would not stop until the human would disappear from sight, and Ampharos herself would take several minutes to calm down again.

The employees of Altru Tower have been attempting to bond with Ampharos and show her that they are unlike the previous occupants who initially poached Ampharos.  They haven’t made much success.  They stated that they were close to calling for Pokémon Ranger intervention when I showed up.

I decided that Ampharos would need to be captured, not just for the quest but for the safety of the employees of Altru Tower.  Thanks to a Poké Assist from my Partner Shieldon, Ampharos was left in a paused state, nullifying her attacks long enough for her to be captured.

Once Ampharos had been captured and calmed down enough for me to speak with her, I explained the situation.  Not just the situation of my quest, but also the situation of the employees of Altru Tower.  While skeptical, Ampharos was reluctant to relocate again.  Despite the undesirable ways in which she came to be there, Ampharos does seem to have made herself at home within Altru Tower.  After a period of deliberation, she consented to join Raichu in the experiment on the condition that when it ends she be allowed to stay within Altru Tower.

Despite Ampharos being reluctant to relocate from Altru Tower, she had no objections to leaving it for long enough to collect the final Pokémon for the quest.

By consulting my browser, I discovered that the only location within Almia where wild Luxray are reported to reside is within the Oil Field Hideout that was once a discreet base for Team Dim Sun.

–See Report of Completed Mission: Rescue Wailord and Wailmer! filed by Top Ranger Kate.

–See Report of Completed Mission: Reveal the Hideout’s Secrets filed by Top Ranger Sven.

In order to gain access to the Oil Field Hideout, I had to gain permission from Chairperson Erma to approach the otherwise restricted area.  The Pokémon within the Oil Field Hideout are largely feral and unwelcoming to outsiders, particularly humans.

The Luxray had grouped up in a pack on the lowest floor of the Oil Field Hideout.  While wary of my approach, none of the Luxray were as hostile as many of the other Pokémon that reside within the Oil Field Hideout.  Thanks to a few words from Shieldon, they agreed to hear me out.

Initially my pitch was met with dismissal.  I was about to contact the questgiver via voicemail to inform him that Luxray would be unable to be recruited for him.  Before I could, however, one of the Luxray approached me.  She showed interest in my Capture Styler.  I explained what it is and does, as well as how it serves as a symbol of my status as a Pokémon Ranger.

The moment I said that I was a Pokémon Ranger, Luxray perked up.  After securing my promise that she would be able to return to the Oil Field Hideout and the rest of her pack, she agreed to participate in the experiment with the rest of the gathered Pokémon.

With Raichu, Ampharos, and Luxray all secured I returned to the Ranger Union, where the questgiver remained waiting.  I explained the different terms and conditions that the Pokémon had given for their participation in the experiment, to which Nage gladly accepted them all.  The three Pokémon were transferred to his custody, whereupon he took them to Altru Tower for the experiment to begin right away.

Kukui: You know, I can’t blame Ampharos for being jumpy and irritable.  Being forced to a new location like that can’t be fun

Sada: Pokémon do have a tendency to get violent when they’re forcefully transported to a new and unfamiliar environment.

Ritchie: Even if it’s old and familiar, it wouldn’t be fun

Kukui: No it wouldn’t

Magnolia: Of course it wouldn’t.

Kellyn: Fortunately Ampharos seems to have made at least a bit of progress in that regard.  She was wary the whole time we were at the Union, but she didn’t attack anyone.

Kukui: Progress

Sada: Slow progress is still progress.  You’ll still reach the endpoint in the end.

Oak: Couldn’t have put it better myself.

Ritchie: Is Raichu okay living in that castle?  Didn’t you say it’s basically an ice castle?

Kellyn: It’s encased in ice inside and out.

Ritchie: Exactly!  Will Raichu be okay?

Oak: Raichu are very hardy.  They can thrive in most environments.

Kellyn: Raichu didn’t seem to be having any trouble with living in the castle.  He had a lovely little nest.

Birch: You didn’t disturb the nest, did you?

Kellyn: Of course not.

Ritchie: What about the Haunter?  Will they disturb his nest?

Kukui: They better not

Sada: I can’t see any reason why they would.

Birch: Some kind of ill-conceived prank?

Sada: Raichu won’t be there to see the results of said prank.

Ritchie: Still…

Kellyn: I can go back in the morning to check on it.  Make sure nothing’s been disturbed.

Ritchie: You don’t have to

Kellyn: It’s no trouble.

Ritchie: I mean, that would be great…

Ritchie: But really, you don’t have to

Kellyn: I know.

Sada: That is likely what makes it such a nice gesture.

Juniper: You don’t need to point that part out.

Sada: I see.  My apologies.

Elm: You know, emulating Pokémon for power generation is a strategy I haven’t heard of before.

Ritchie: What?

Kukui: Harnessing Poké-power isn’t exactly a new concept

Oak: The Pokémon Center in Viridian City has a group of Pikachu to power the backup generator.

Elm: No, I know that, but read the report again.  Nage wasn’t looking to use the Pokémon as natural generators, he was trying to create an artificial generator modeled after their own individual biologies.

Sada: Elm is correct.  Nage is currently attempting to create a more efficient and streamlined method of generating power.

Kellyn: That’s the goal of their research, yeah.

Birch: Okay, but what does Elm mean about this not having been done before?  And for that matter, what’s the point?

Elm: Think about it.  Imagine if a generator could generate electricity like an Ampharos, had Luxray’s ability to channel and direct the electricity, and any excess electricity could be stored like a Raichu would.

Juniper: Such a generator would be more powerful than anything else on the market.

Elm: Exactly.

Sada: It should be noted that any generator along these designs would likely be a clean source of power, unreliant on fossil fuels.

Magnolia: That’s always a good thing.

Oak: Well, then, I wish Nage and his team all the luck.

Elm: As do I.

Kellyn: So do I.

Juniper: Oh, absolutely.

Sada: I do like sources of clean and renewable energy.

Kukui: Yeah, charge it up and kick it into overdrive!

Birch: Good luck, Nage!

Magnolia: Obviously.

Ritchie: Me too!

Ritchie: Man, I keep forgetting just how amazing science is

Kellyn: Not entirely sure how that’s possible for us.

Ritchie: Neither am I

[Forest For The Trees]

Ivy: Could I get some opinions on something?

Sada: You can, yes.

Ritchie: Of course!

Oak: You absolutely may.

Birch: You don’t even need to ask

Rowan: Yes.

Juniper: What’s up?

Ivy: Brock just asked me if he could stay here at our lab for a while as an extra assistant.

Juniper: Really?

Birch: It seems like he’d be helpful

Ivy: He definitely would.  And he said it would also be a great help to him as well.

Oak: He dreams to be a Pokémon breeder.  Staying and working with you and your team would be very beneficial.

Ritchie: So, what, he’s just gonna leave Ash and Misty?

Sada: It would be more accurate to say they’re going to leave him behind.

Ritchie: Still, they won’t be travelling together

Oak: Not for the foreseeable future.

Ivy: Well, I haven’t said yes.

Juniper: That’s fair.  You just met him and you might not even be hiring.

Rowan: I’d have said no.

Ivy: I didn’t say no either.  I told him I’d think about it and give him an answer in the morning.

Birch: And you want us to do the thinking for you?

Ivy: I just want to get your opinions, that’s all.

Ritchie: I say go for it.  Brock would be a great assistant!

Oak: As do I.

Sada: Do you believe he would be a good fit for your team?

Ivy: I think so.  The girls would probably revolt if they learned I had the chance to hire him and said no.

Juniper: Because he can cook and clean?

Birch: That better not be the only reason you hire him.  Or even a reason, to be honest.  Brock’s not your maid.  Even if he likes cooking and cleaning, don’t take advantage of that

Ivy: We won’t.  Brock said he’d be happy to add housekeeping duties to his schedule, of course, though if I do hire him I’ll also be making sure the rest of us do better about cleaning up after ourselves.

Sada: Brock has shown that he can take care of the Pokémon as well.

Ivy: He also says he knows how to fix the leak in the roof.

Rowan: What about the administrative side of things?  Can Brock handle any of that?

Ritchie: Yep!

Ivy: He gave me a resumé.

Birch: Seems pretty conclusive to me

Juniper: Wait, he put one together that fast?

Ivy: Either that or he had one ready.

Juniper: If you don’t hire him, would you mind forwarding it to me?  I’m pretty curious about Brock myself.

Birch: You know, I don’t think I’ve heard a single argument against hiring Brock

Ivy: I think he has a crush on me.

Juniper: Ah.

Sada: That can definitely lead to difficulties.

Rowan: I see.

Ivy: To be fair, aside from an… interesting introduction, Brock’s been perfectly professional and respectful.

Ritchie: That sounds about right

Birch: Still, it’s something to consider.  It could lead to difficulties in the future if you’re not careful

Ivy: Which I would be.

Juniper: Oak, you know Brock best.  Do you think there’d be any issues?

Oak: No, I don’t.  Like Ivy said, Brock does know how to be professional if and when the situation requires it.

Ivy: And, for the record, you think he’d be a good fit for my team?

Oak: Yes, I do.

Ivy: Well, he did list you as one of his references.

Birch: So, that’s a yes?

Sada: It sounds like it.

Ivy: Yes, it’s a yes.  Brock’s going to be staying and working on Valencia Island now.

[Forest For The Trees]

Ritchie: Okay, so, it’s the middle of the night right now, right?

Sada: In Kanto.

Elm: Yes, I noticed.

Ritchie: And I was asleep, right?

Rowan: Evidently.

Ritchie: And I woke up to some kind of noise just inside the forest.  I followed it, and you want to guess what I found?

Juniper: Ugh, I’m gonna say Reshiram and a Stunfisk locked in an eternal fight to see who will rule the Kingdom of Cuteness?

Elm: What?

Juniper: I was having a really weird dream.

Ritchie: You’re pretty close.  It was Cruise and a Ledian

Rowan: Cruise?

Elm: And a?

Juniper: Ledian?

Sada: Ledian?  Any connection to the Ledyba from earlier?

Ritchie: It was using mach punch a lot

Rowan: It must have evolved at some point tonight.

Elm: Talk about not letting go of a grudge.

Juniper: I know, right?

Ritchie: I didn’t even know Cruise could leave his Poké Ball on his own

Sada: Either that or Ledian let him out.

Rowan: That’s not much better.

Juniper: I think you guys are ignoring the important issue here.

Ritchie: Who won the battle?

Juniper: Exactly.  Who was it?

Ritchie: It was Cruise

Elm: Well, yeah, of course it was.

Sada: Another rock throw?

Ritchie: Well, uh, kinda?

Ritchie: Cruise tried rock throw, yes, but Ledian was fast enough to dodge the rocks.  Instead they landed in one of the trees and got stuck on the branches

Rowan: That seems very unlikely.

Juniper: So about normal, then.

Sada: Why not just use rock throw again?

Ritchie: Cruise had been using it all day.  He was tired and couldn’t manage another rock throw

Juniper: Ugh, that’s terrible timing!

Sada: But not unforeseen.

Rowan: What about Ledian?

Ritchie: Ledian had no issues using mach punch.  He wasn’t that tired

Juniper: That’s just not fair.

Kukui: I mean, it does line up with my research.  Some moves drain energy faster than others

Sada: You said Cruise won the battle.

Ritchie: Yes, he did

Sada: How?  The situation you’ve described doesn’t sound like one that Cruise could win.

Ritchie: Well, Cruise may not have been able to use rock throw, but he still had headbutt

Rowan: Did you figure out the accuracy problem?

Ritchie: Cruise can hit immobile targets, but Ledian moved too fast and was able to dodge all of Cruise’s attacks.  So we had to find a way to mold that to our advantage

Kukui: As you should

Juniper: How’d you do it?

Ritchie: Cruise would try to use headbutt and Ledian would dodge to the side, letting Cruise hit whatever was behind him.  With a bit of patience, Cruise was able to herd Ledian directly under the tree with all the rocks in it

Elm: And you were still using headbutt.

Ritchie: Yep!

Ritchie: Cruise hit the tree with headbutt and dislodged the rocks.  Ledian couldn’t dodge in time, and the rock throw from earlier knocked him out!

Sada: Fascinating.

Ritchie: I know, right?

Rowan: Well done.

Kukui: Delaying an attack like that… that’s awesome!

Juniper: Did Cruise give a one liner?  This seems like the perfect time for one.  Just a quick and low “Larvitar.”  Just like that.  “Larvitar.”

Ritchie: No.  He went back to bed

Rowan: A prudent idea.

Juniper: Yeah, that sounds like a good plan.

Kukui: I should probably get to bed too

Elm: Yeah, I suppose I am a little tired.

Ritchie: Goodnight everybody!

[Forest For The Trees]

Ivy: Oak, can I ask you for a favor?

Oak: Of course.  What is it?

Ivy: Ash and Misty just left.  Brock’s worried about them.  Apparently they haven’t been without him in a long time.  Do you think you could tell me when they get back to your lab?  So I can pass on the message and help ease his mind?

Oak: Absolutely.

Sycamore: Considering how much work he did yesterday, Ash and Misty not being able to take care of themselves does seem like a genuine concern.

Kellyn: Would either of them have been allowed to go on a journey if they couldn’t?

Ritchie: Yeah, I’m sure they’ll be fine!

[Pikachu Fan Club]

Ash: The submarine is actually being run by Team Rocket!

Cynthia: I knew it!  Who else would make a submarine that runs on pedal power?!

Lance: I think we have other things to worry about here.

Diantha: Like how Team Rocket was able to infiltrate the travel company again?

Steven: They must have done the same thing they did the first time

Ash: I thought the replacement tickets the agency gave us would be legit!

Alder: what is with kids and trusting random strangers these days

Kate: Hey!  The guy said he saw a bunch of flying Gigaremo!  How was I supposed to know they were just Claydol?!

Leon: That’s fair

Ash: A Sharpedo just swam right through the window and tackled Jessie

Cynthia: Wait, really?  That’s hilarious!

Alder: think it was an accident 

Alder: or did sharpedo target jessie

Ash: I can’t tell

Lance: Hold on.  Sharpedo swam through the window?

Ash: Yeah…

Steven: Aren’t you underwater?

Ash: Yeah…

Diantha: Again?!