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Chapter Text

"Hey Dawn! No need to worry!"

Ash leaned over the railing at the stern of the ship, waving goodbye to Dawn and Piplup. Pikachu sat atop his shoulder, and Brock stood at his side, both doing the same. As the separation between the ship and the dock grew ever greater, Dawn and Piplup faded into the distance. Along with them, so did the continent of Sinnoh. The journey was over.

The cool sea breeze tossed about Ash's hair. He removed his cap and ran his fingers through the mess on his head. He and Brock stood quietly, watching the waves. Neither one wanted to speak. Wedged uncomfortably between them was an unspoken certainty. Both knew the truth of the situation.

This was the end.

That night, the two lay in adjacent beds in their moonlit cabin, the pleasant air drifting in through an open window. It had been such an awkward day. No matter how many times he started over, Ash never found it any easier to leave behind his friends. This time, he was going to have to leave behind perhaps his closest friend of all – except for Pikachu, of course.

It had been a week since Brock announced that he was giving up traveling and enrolling in medical school. When they parted ways tomorrow at the crossroads in Kanto, it was going to be the last time. Brock came back after vowing to stay with Professor Ivy. He came back when he left after the journey in Johto, and he came back again in Sinnoh. This time, there would be no comeback. Why? It was because for once, Brock had a commitment in his life. He had found his calling, it seemed.

Ash preferred not to think about it, but sleep wasn't coming easily tonight. There had been too much going on recently. There was too much on his mind. He sighed.

"So you're not asleep, either, huh?" said Brock.

Ash jumped beneath the sheets. He had no idea Brock had been awake. He hadn't been that loud, had he?

"No," said Ash. He watched as Brock sat up. "What's up?"

"Both of us, apparently," Brock said, rubbing his eyes. "But I've been thinking about a lot of things."

"Me too," said Ash.

"It was a tough day," Brock said.

"Yeah, it was."

"Well, what's bugging you?"

Ash, in all honesty, wasn't interested in discussing it.

"Eh, it's nothing really."

"Yeah, sure," Brock replied, heavy on the sarcasm. "I know you better than that."

"You do," Ash said, sighing again. He hoped Brock wasn't going to pry further, and he was relieved when after a long pause, he did not.

"I have to say, this med school thing is kind of scary," Brock said. "It's going to be a big change. I know it won't be easy."

Brock's stony tone conveyed his seriousness. Out of respect, Ash said nothing. He had never had a way with words.

"I hope I'm not getting in over my head," said Brock. "Not all changes are bad, though."

Change. That was a word that deeply bothered Ash. Of course not all changes were bad, but some were, weren't they? Throughout all of Ash's journeys, there were two things that had been nearly constant – Pikachu and Brock. Pikachu had been briefly kidnapped hundreds of times, but there had only been a handful of times when he had been gone for longer than a few hours. Brock, aside from a few short absences in the Orange Islands, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, had always been there.

Starting tomorrow, that wasn't going to be the case anymore.

Ash didn't like it at all.

"Not all changes are good, either," Ash said, breaking an extended silence.

"That's true," said Brock, with a solemn nod. "But, as Dawn would always say, there's no need to worry."

Ash raised an eyebrow at Brock. This was as odd a time as ever to use Dawn's catchphrase.

"Why?" Ash asked.

"Because there's no sense in worrying about it. Nothing good can come from worrying about it. When you get home, I'm sure you'll be heading off on another adventure soon enough, and when you do, I'm sure you'll meet lots of new people and Pokémon. You always do."

Ash figured Brock was right. It had always worked that way. Every time he went home, he was out the door as quickly as he came, with a new destination in mind.

"Do you think you'll go on another journey once you get home?" Brock asked.

"Yeah, I guess," Ash shrugged. "I haven't really thought about it."

"You'll have plenty of time to figure it out. Plenty of help, too. I'm sure Professor Oak can give you some direction."

"Yeah."

Again, Ash knew that Brock was right. He knew Professor Oak would be overjoyed to give him another upgraded Pokédex and send him on his way to another far-flung land, gathering new data. It wasn't Professor Oak's help that Ash was concerned about, though. It was Brock's.

Even though he was as dense as lead, the lessons of the past several years echoed loudly in Ash's head. On several nightmarish occasions, Brock had been injured or taken ill while they were out in the wilderness. Each time, Ash and the rest of the traveling party had quickly learned just how much they depended on Brock. The last time Brock was incapacitated, the ensuing disaster prompted Ash and Dawn to learn some basic cooking and first aid skills. Prior to that? They knew nothing.

It was a simple and uncomfortable truth – Brock was the foundation which had held the group together for so many years. He didn't talk as much as the others, he wasn't as energetic or reckless, and he was rarely on the front lines of the battle. Instead, he had quietly toiled away for years, always making sure the group was fed, sheltered, healthy, and headed in the right direction.

For the first time, Ash cared.

And for the first time, there was need to worry.

"You know, I wish I could stay," said Brock.

"But I thought you wanted to become a Pokémon doctor," said Ash.

"I did," said Brock, nodding in confirmation. "But, I made that decision because I know it's time for me to settle down. I can't stay on the road forever."

Ash wondered. Could he stay on the road forever?

"How do you know that?" said Ash.

"It's just a feeling I have. It's been in the back of my mind for a while now. I've reached a time in my life when I think I would rather stay home and focus on the future than be out on the road."

Ash didn't like the sound of that at all.

"Do you think I'll ever feel that way? That I'll ever decide I'd rather stay home?"

Brock shrugged.

"I don't know. Even though we've been friends for so long, we're very different people. Your goals are better suited for a life on the road. Mine are better for staying put. I've known for a long time that I wanted to spend my life helping Pokémon. It was only during our time in Sinnoh that I finally realized how I wanted to do it."

As always, Brock had a point. It would be far easier for Brock to be a breeder – or now, a doctor – if he stayed in one place most of the time. As for being a master? That pretty much demanded a life on the road. Ash figured he was okay with that.

But then, Brock threw him a curve ball.

"It's good to hear you asking questions like this," said Brock.

"What?"

"I mean, it's good to see you doing some introspection, for a change."

Ash was terribly confused.

"Doing some intro... intro-what?"

"Introspection. Doing some deep thinking about yourself. Self-examination."

"Uh... okay?"

Ash didn't know how to respond. Why was thinking about all this stuff so important? He would rather not think about it at all.

"I figured you would be confused," said Brock.

"You've got that right," said Ash, looking every bit the part.

"This is exactly why I wish I could stay longer."

"What is?"

"You being confused about all this stuff. I can easily teach you how to build a fire, set up camp, do first aid, and all that. It's much harder to teach someone how to grow up, to be an adult. Maybe it's impossible."

Ash said nothing. He stared at Brock with his mouth open.

"Whether or not you realize it, you're almost an adult. You've grown up a lot since I first met you in Pewter City. You've matured so much these past couple of years, and that's good. I've done the best I can to help you. You're almost there."

Ash remained dumbfounded. Where had all this come from?

"That's why I wish I could stay for a while longer, to help you the rest of the way. But honestly, I think I have some more growing up to do for myself."

The room was still, save for the light ocean breeze coming through the window. Gentle waves could be heard from outside, but nothing more.

Ash tried to listen for the sound of his mind breaking, but he couldn't hear it. Brock had never said anything like this before. Why now? What was he talking about?

"There's only so much I can teach you," said Brock. "There's still a lot about growing up that I haven't figured out for myself. I think being on the road for so long is part of that, and that's one of the reasons I'm going to stay home this time. Maybe there I can figure out how to be responsible and how to have real relationships. Or maybe I won't. Who knows?"

"But you are responsible," Ash said.

"I left behind nine brothers and sisters so I could travel and have fun."

Ash stayed quiet. He couldn't argue with that point.

"And I'm supposedly a grown man, yet I've never had a girlfriend, and that's not for lack of trying."

Ash couldn't argue, but why did that matter? Why did any of this matter? Ash wasn't sure he would have survived his adventures without Brock's help. In fact, without Brock, he almost certainly would have starved. He remembered the day when Brock appeared out of nowhere to save him, and May and Max, from a group of wild Taillow. They were out of food and out of luck. Didn't that rescue count as responsibility?

And again, why did never having a girlfriend matter? Ash had never had one either, and it didn't bother him at all. Brock had always cared more about that kind of stuff, but why was it so important?

For lack of anything better to say, Ash resorted to his basic response to Brock's continual plight.

"You'll find a girl eventually, Brock. You'll be okay."

Ash was well aware of how empty those words were. Brock was, too.

"I'm not so sure," said Brock. "Everyone always tells me that I just haven't found the right one yet, but I've found hundreds, maybe thousands, and it's never worked out. But you, on the other hand..."

Ash gave Brock an inquisitive look.

"What about me?"

"As far as I know, dating has never been on your mind," said Brock. "And even so, you've had more girls interested in you than have ever been interested in me. But you weren't interested at all! Don't mind me saying that I'm a little jealous. Maybe a lot jealous."

Wait. Wait wait wait wait wait.

Ash had a weird feeling in his chest. His heart rate sped up.

Girls were interested in him?

Since when?

"What are you talking about?" said Ash.

"It's true," said Brock, nodding. "We've met a lot of girls who liked you."

"You mean... liked me?" asked Ash.

"Yes."

"Who?"

"I'm not really obliged to say," said Brock, excusing himself. "It's not my place to tell you."

Ash looked around the room, dumbstruck. Was this some kind of prank? Were there hidden cameras recording his reaction? It wasn't like he cared, because he wasn't interested, but how could this have been going on without him knowing about it?

"What?" he said, rather loudly.

"I figured you'd just shrug it off," said Brock. "I guess I shouldn't have brought it up."

"Seriously, who?"

"Again, not my place to tell you," said Brock. "It doesn't matter, anyway. None of the girls who liked you are with us anymore."

Yet another point Ash couldn't argue. It was just him, Brock, and Pikachu, and soon it would be just him and Pikachu.

"Eh, I guess you're right," said Ash.

Really, why bother naming names? It wasn't like he was interested in that dating stuff, anyway. Ash figured it was just curiosity that made him want to know. After all, this was really, really weird. How could he not be curious?

"Yeah, don't worry about it," said Brock. "You'll figure it all out, if you want to. Maybe one day I will, too."

As weird as the day had been, and especially the last five minutes of their conversation, Ash couldn't help but crack a small smile at Brock's reassurance.

Without a doubt, he would miss that the most.

"Thanks, Brock," Ash said.

"Don't mention it," Brock replied, waving him off. He let loose a great yawn. "I think that's probably enough for one evening."

Brock lay back down in his bed. Ash gazed at him for a moment, in honest admiration. He had never realized it before, Brock was his mentor – not just in Pokémon, but in life.

"I mean it," Ash said, this time more serious. "Thank you for everything."

"Hmm?"

Brock looked up at Ash.

"I mean it. You've done so much for me," Ash said. "I don't know how to thank you."

Brock smiled.

"Hearing you say that is its own reward."

Ash could finally see it. Up ahead was an all-too-familiar fork in the road, with an all-too-familiar signpost. The end was here.

The duo remained silent as they approached it. Before them, the road split in three directions, just as the sign indicated. One road led north to Pewter City. Another led south to Viridian City, and then Pallet Town. A third path, one that would go unused today, led east to Cerulean City. When Ash and Brock reached the great divide, both bowed their heads.

"Well, here it is," said Ash.

"Here it is..." repeated Brock.

There was a long silence. Pikachu sat atop Ash's shoulder, mirroring Ash and Brock's emotions. Everyone present could remember the first parting at this landmark.

"I remember the first time we were here," said Brock.

"Me too," said Ash. "I'll never forget it."

In unison, without even discussing it, both of them turned and looked down the winding path that led to Cerulean City.

"That was a long time ago," said Brock.

"Yeah."

Growing restless, Ash looked down the other paths. At this distance, none of them seemed to lead to where they were purported to go. Both the paths to Pewter and Cerulean headed ambiguously toward the mountains, and the southward path led away from them. There was nothing noteworthy about this place, except for the memories.

Ash didn't like this place very much.

He wasn't sure how long he stared down the southward path. He remembered the day he parted with Brock and Misty all too well. It was one of the first times he realized how much he needed his friends – not just for support, but for survival. Were it not for Brock's boxed lunch (with matching cutlery) and Misty's handkerchief, he wasn't sure he would have made it out of Team Rocket's trap.

Then, like a scene from a memory, Brock was handing him something. It was a boxed lunch.

"With matching cutlery," Brock said proudly.

"Thanks," Ash said, gratefully accepting it.

"The last time, just like the first time," said Brock. "The cycle completes."

Ash stared intently at Brock's final gift. It was hard to see, mostly because of all the water in his eyes.

"Did you put onions in this?" Ash asked meekly.

"Not this time," said Brock.

Ash swallowed, hard. Now was not the time for tears. He rubbed his eyes briefly, and turned to face Brock. He felt far less ashamed when he saw Brock wiping his own eyes.

The two smiled sadly at each other.

"Time to go," said Brock.

Ash swallowed again. How could such a simple phrase stir so much emotion? Why did every single word seem so much more important all of the sudden?

Why did this have to be so hard?

Perhaps, he figured, it didn't have to be.

With as much courage as Ash could muster, he proudly extended his hand to Brock.

"Pokémon Doctor Brock," he said.

Brock gladly accepted Ash's gesture.

"You can do it," Ash said, firmly shaking Brock's hand.

"Pokémon Master Ash, you can too."

Ash passed through Viridian City late in the afternoon. It was several more hours to home from there, but he didn't see any good reason to stay the night for such a short trip the next day. He was sure his mother wouldn't mind him arriving late at night. Besides, the early evening road was quite pleasantly calm.

Really, it was too calm for Ash's liking. There had always been chatter when he was with his friends. Now, it was just him and Pikachu. Pikachu was great, but it was tough to have a real conversation. They could both understand each other to a degree, but it wasn't the same as human companionship. Still, it was far better than nothing.

"Remember our first time on this road, Pikachu?"

Pikachu replied in the affirmative.

Ash wasn't sure where he intended to take the conversation from there. Just like the crossroads, he wasn't too fond of this place, either. He was nearly killed here. He released Pidgeot here. This was where he had met Misty. There were a lot of memories here. He was getting sick of memories.

"I sure remember it," Ash said. "A lot has happened since then. We've come so far. It's incredible. I wonder where we'll go next?"

Pikachu clearly had no idea. Neither did Ash.

Ash continued to ponder their future, but something on the horizon caught his eye.

"Hey, is that-"

"PiPi-kachu!"

Ash recognized that phrase, if only because he had heard Pikachu use it hundreds of times.

It meant "Team Rocket."

Far off in the distance, he could see them, walking in his direction.

"Get ready, Pikachu."

His command came not a moment too soon.

"Listen, is that a lone twerp's voice I hear?"

"It's speaking to me, loud and clear!"

"On the wind!"

"Past the stars!"

"In yo ear!"

"Bringing chaos at a breakneck pace!"

"Dashing hope, putting fear in its place!"

"A rose by any other name is just as sweet!"

"When everything's worse, our work is complete!"

"Jessie!"

"And it's James!"

"And Meowth, now dat's a name!"

"Putting the do-gooders in their place!"

"Team Rocket!"

"We're in your face!"

"Wobbuffet!"

"Mime-mime!"

Ash, by this point, had instinctively pulled out a Pokéball in defense, and now Torterra stood next to him on the road. Just like Pikachu, Torterra had seen this routine far too many times, and growled at the advancing trio.

Despite encountering them hundreds of times, Ash was put off by their behavior today. They were simply walking toward him. There were no crazy machines. No disguises. No balloon. It was just them. And they were... waving?

"What do you want, Team Rocket?" Ash said through gritted teeth.

They continued toward him. They were... smiling?

That couldn't be good.

Could it?

"All alone today, huh?" said James. His tone was disarming. It was almost conversational.

Ash didn't answer. There was no sense in giving them the satisfaction of an answer.

"You can drop those defenses of yours!" Jessie said. "We're not interested in you today!"

"And we ain't interested in any of yo Pokémon, either! Not even Pikachu!" said Meowth. He sounded positively jovial.

Ash knew better than to believe this. Pikachu hopped off his shoulder and began charging electricity in his cheeks.

"Don't attack!" said James, holding up his hands. "We're not here to harm you!"

"Or take any of your Pokémon!" said Jessie.

"It's true!" said Meowth.

"Then what are you here for?" said Ash. "Tell me why I shouldn't send you flying!"

"We're on our way to Viridian City!" Jessie said, her voice dripping with joy.

"We got a call from da boss!" said Meowth. His eyes seemed full of stars.

"We're getting a promotion!" said James.

"What?!" said Ash.

The trio huddled together, melodramatically crying.

"After all these years of endless toil..." Jessie sobbed.

"We're finally going to get the recognition we've worked so hard for!" James swooned.

"It's our big day at last!" Meowth cheered.

Of all the absurd excuses Team Rocket had given Ash over the years, none of them were as crazy as what he was hearing now. Never, literally never, in all these years had Team Rocket succeeded at anything. They seemed to defy the laws of physics and the basic capacities of the human body on a near-daily basis, but other than that, they were worthless losers. How could they possibly get a promotion? Were the team's standards that low?

"That sounds unlikely to me," said Ash.

"It certainly does!" said James, exceedingly chipper. "But it's true! We got a phone call yesterday! From the boss himself!"

"All those times you've sent us flying are about to pay off!" said Jessie.

"We're gonna have bigger and better things to worry about den you, twoip!" said Meowth. "We've paid our dues! Now, we're gonna make it big time!"

"A pay raise!"

"All-expenses-paid vacations!"

"All da food we can eat!"

Again, the three of them huddled together, this time openly weeping.

After a few moments, James pulled himself together.

"So, this is goodbye, twerp," James said, drying his eyes.

Ash was lost for words.

"This is the end, our twerpy friend," Jessie said. Incredibly awkwardly, she patted Ash on the head.

Immediately, Ash ripped his hat off and inspected it for damage.

"Dere'll be no more Pikachu huntin'," said Meowth.

"No more awesome robots," said James.

"No more pitfall traps," said Jessie.

"Our time chasing you is through," said James. He extended a hand to Ash.

Ash looked at it warily.

James appeared sincere, almost as if he would miss the old times.

"I hope you understand if I don't shake your hand," said Ash.

James seemed hurt, but he nodded and withdrew his gesture.

"Absolutely," he said, bittersweet.

"So, dat's dat," said Meowth.

"Farewell!" they all cheered.

"Wobbuffet!"

"Mime-mime!"

They all ran past Ash. He watched them until they disappeared from sight. They never turned around.

They had looked happy.

Ash wasn't sure what to make of it. He wasn't sure he ever would. For his own safety, he veered off the road for a couple of miles, just to make sure there were no traps in the road. He never found one.

Chapter Text

The scene upon his arrival at home made Ash question what his mother's daily routine was like. It was well past ten o'clock, but she had dinner waiting for him on the table. As she explained to him, she had prepared it just in case he arrived tonight instead of tomorrow, like he had originally planned. Ash appreciated his mother's efforts, but he found it rather sad.

When Ash was full and finally escaped his mother's clutches, he found his bedroom much the same as he had left it. It hadn't been lived in by anyone in years, but despite this, it was well-kept. The surfaces were free of dust, and his bed sheets smelled fresh. He wondered if his mother cleaned in here regularly or if she had merely prepared for his arrival. He wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

He also wasn't sure why sleep was avoiding him yet again tonight. His meal sat heavily in his stomach. Normally, that would be cause enough for him to drift off into slumber. Pikachu snoozed comfortably, but Ash couldn't find a suitably soft spot on the bed. He forcefully sat up, deeply frustrated. A troubling question lingered:

Now what?

When Ash awoke the next morning, he was surprised to find that he had ever fallen asleep. He could tell from the weak early morning sunlight creeping in through the curtains that he hadn't been out for long. A Dodrio crowed in the distance.

The smell of another meal was calling to him from the space beneath his bedroom door. As he rose from his bed and stiffly made his way to the door, he noticed a package atop his dresser that surely contained a new set of clothes. A handwritten note was affixed to it.

It read, "For my champion, Ash. Love, Mom."

Ash felt his stomach turn uncomfortably as he read it. He paused, and a dreadful realization occurred to him that his life and his mother's had almost completely ceased to intersect. His childhood home had become nothing more than a rest stop on the road to bigger and better things. It was a gas station on the road of life. His mother was merely the attendant.

As such, Ash stuck around after the meal this time. He talked to his mother for hours. He introduced her to all of his Sinnoh Pokémon. He showed her each badge, and told her the story of how he had earned it. He told her about meeting Cynthia and fighting Team Galactic, about Dawn's contests and their brief reunion with May, about Paul and Chimchar, and about that one funny time that a Mismagius fooled all of them by making their dreams into reality. He told her everything he could think to tell her.

And then, he told her that he was going to leave.

"I know," Delia said.

"You do?"

"Yes, I do," Delia replied with a nod. "I knew there was no way you would be staying here. I even got you new clothes. Those old ones are looking pretty worn out."

"Do you know where I'm going?" Ash asked her, wondering if his mother could see the future. He definitely didn't know where he was going.

"No," said Delia, shaking her head. "Where?"

"That's the thing," Ash said, "I don't know, either."

"You should probably figure that out before you go," his mother recommended.

"Do you know if Professor Oak is around? I'd like to talk to him. I think maybe he'll have an idea where I should go."

"I'm sure he's around. He's usually in his lab at this time of day. I bet he'd be glad to have you pay him a visit."

Ash thanked his mother and made his way a few blocks down the street to Oak's laboratory. In short order, he found Professor Oak and Tracey, who were pleased to see him. There was cursory small talk about Ash's recently completed journey, but Ash was keen to push forward, and he did. Just as expected, Oak had an idea.

"Unova," Professor Oak said.

Ash repeated the strange word.

"Unova..." Ash said, a sense of wonder evident in his voice. "Where's that?"

"It's quite far away," Oak explained. "Much further away than Hoenn or Sinnoh. It's almost on the other side of the planet from here."

"But why there if it's so far away?"

"Because!" Oak said, excitedly holding up a finger. "I have an acquaintance there with whom I would like to work more closely."

"Another Pokémon professor," Tracey added.

"Her name is Professor Juniper," said Oak. "I met her at a conference in Goldenrod City. I told her all about your wild adventures. She seemed very intrigued."

"What did you tell her?" Ash asked.

"Well, she was impressed by your prowess in battle, but what she was most interested in was the extraordinary number of encounters you have had with extraordinary Pokémon."

Ash thought about that for a moment. He wasn't sure he liked that he was being advertised based on his incredible luck, but he couldn't deny that what Oak was saying was true. Ash remembered poor Eusine from Johto. That strange man had spent a decade hunting down Suicune. Ash had no idea if he ever succeeded. However, in a little more than half that time, Ash had seen dozens of legendary Pokémon, often with no intent of encountering them.

"Well, I guess I am kinda lucky with that," Ash said bashfully.

"It's not just luck," said Oak. "It's a rare gift."

"A gift?"

"Pokémon have a natural affinity for you, Ash."

"A what?"

"An affinity," Oak clarified. "They are naturally drawn to you. You're like a magnet for Pokémon. It is because of that, and your abilities as a trainer, that Professor Juniper believes your skills may be of assistance to her research."

"I'm not going to have to help her in the lab or anything, am I?" Ash asked. "There's no way I'm wearing a lab coat and running experiments!"

"No, of course not!" Oak replied. "All Professor Juniper needs you to do is travel through Unova and meet lots of Pokémon. You'll be able to go on another training journey."

"Do they have Pokémon gyms there?"

"Of course, yes! If you want to, you'll have another chance for a fresh start, just like when you went to Hoenn and Sinnoh."

Ash was grinning. He looked at Pikachu.

"What do you think, buddy?"

Pikachu was ready.

Ash wasn't sure about himself, though. His smile faded.

"Hmm..." Ash hummed.

Professor Oak and Tracey watched him expectantly.

"What do you say?" Tracey asked. "Will you go?"

"I'll think about it," he said.

Professor Oak and Tracey both frowned.

Looking like an ironic caricature of himself, Ash held his chin between his thumb and index finger, deep in thought.

Ash agreed to Professor Oak's offer, and with the professor's help he had secured a flight to Unova just three days from now, but there was still something amiss. He went with Pikachu to the south shores of the town, looking for a peaceful place to think. There, he watched the tide. Gazing at the water reminded him of his departure from Sinnoh. He wondered what Brock and Dawn were doing right now. He thought it was unlikely that they were wandering around lost in thought like he was.

He wished he could be with either one of them right now, rather than alone. Really, he would rather have been with any of his friends than be alone. He had set off on journeys alone before, but that was before he realized how much he needed his friends.

And really, he admitted to himself, he had kind of expected Brock to pop up again in both Hoenn and Sinnoh.

That wasn't happening this time.

Would he make new friends in Unova? Almost certainly. It wouldn't be the same, though. The experience wouldn't be the same without Brock there, guiding the way.

Experience. Ash held onto the thought.

Experience in the field. Experience traveling. That's what he needed. Someone who was experienced.

Ash's brain began ticking faster and faster. He had an idea. If Brock couldn't come along, why not invite another former traveling partner?

But then, as he considered his list of former traveling friends, he felt like the idea hit a brick wall. Brock was not an option, but as for the rest...

There was Misty, but she had taken over running the Cerulean City Gym full-time.

There was Tracey, but he was Professor Oak's assistant, and he had made clear his intent to stay and keep his position.

There were May and Max. May was in Johto performing in contests, and Max had dreams of going on his own Pokémon journey when he was old enough, which would be soon.

And there was Dawn, who had a modeling gig with Buneary, which had prevented her from coming with him to Kanto.

Could he get anyone to go with him?

Out of all those options, only one seemed possible – May.

She might still be in Johto, sure, but what if she was back? She might be looking for something to do. Perhaps she would be looking for a new region to explore. Maybe she would be interested in going on a new journey.

Or, then again, maybe not. She was with friends in Johto, if you could consider Drew, Harley, and Solidad to be her friends. When Ash had last seen them, Solidad was at best May's rival, Harley was an antagonizing nuisance, and Drew was...

Ash didn't know what Drew was.

No matter. May was definitely his best shot.

He found it.

A crumpled, beaten, worn, water-damaged scrap of paper.

Ash looked at the horrid thing. It had been folded, smashed, partially torn, submerged, dried out, sandblasted, and half-eaten, yet he still had it. Buried long-forgotten in the bottom of his old Hoenn backpack, he found it.

It was May's phone number.

He couldn't believe his luck. May wrote it down for him shortly before she and Max went home after the Ever Grande Conference. Ash kept it in his backpack until he got a new one when he went to Sinnoh. It endured the bumpy ride all through the Battle Frontier, and then it was forgotten in a musty closet for nearly two years. And yet, here it was. The numbers were faded, but legible.

Eagerly, Ash sat down at the video phone.

He really hoped May was home.

He dialed the number, and listened to the phone ring several times.

"Hello?"

A familiar voice came in on the other end. The video stream struggled to load, and he couldn't put a face to the voice.

"Hey! This is Ash!" he said.

"Ash?" the voice asked. It made him less sure he had dialed the correct number. He glanced down at the faded numbers on the scrap of paper.

"Yeah, Ash. Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town," he said.

Finally, the video stream came in.

It was Caroline.

"Ash!" she said, finally realizing the caller's identity.

Ash breathed a sigh of relief as he saw May's mother beaming back at him from thousands of miles away.

"It's been such a long time! How have you been?" said Caroline.

"Good!" Ash replied. "I've been good. I went to Sinnoh and challenged the Pokémon league there."

"Yes, May told me," said Caroline. "She said she had a great time when she visited you there."

"Really?" Ash said, pleasantly surprised. "I'm glad she did! I had fun, too."

"Wonderful," Caroline said, with a gracious nod. "So, what's the occasion? Are you looking for May?"

Ash had not considered how awkward it would be to call someone's house, looking specifically for a girl, and then get her mother on the phone. He felt himself cringe internally.

"Um, yes, I am," he said.

"Well, when she gets back from Johto, it won't be a problem, but she's not here right now. She's not scheduled to come into port until tomorrow."

Caroline said it like an apology, but Ash felt like he had hit an insane stroke of luck.

"She gets back tomorrow? That's perfect!" he said. "When she gets home, will you let her know I called? I need to talk to her."

"I'll let her know as soon as I can," Caroline told him. "Might I ask what you're calling about?"

"I just need to ask her a question."

Ash had hoped to dodge around the point. This call was already awkward enough. Of course, his response only made things seem more suspicious.

Caroline gave him a sly, knowing look. It made Ash feel like his whole body clenched.

"I'll let her know," she said, in a tone that Ash had no chance of reading. "Take care! It was great to hear from you again!"

"Thanks, you too."

Dinner came and went, and Ash found himself no closer to an answer. It was making him impatient. It was bad to have no ideas at all, but he felt that waiting for an answer was worse. There would be no word from May until tomorrow at the earliest, and even then she might decline his offer.

Until then, all he could do was prepare.

He scoured his old traveling gear for useful items. There was nothing to be found. May's phone number was the last hidden treasure he would find buried in his room. His Sinnoh backpack, though, could be emptied. He had a new one now. New clothes, too.

He put on his new outfit. It reminded him strongly of his Hoenn clothes. It seemed that his mother enjoyed dressing him in blue and black. He was particularly pleased by the Pokéball symbol on his new hat. Not bad, he thought. It wasn't as if he had any fashion sense to know if it was good. At least it all fit, and that was good enough.

He dumped the contents of his old Sinnoh backpack out on his bed. There was quite a bit of junk, most of which would need to be tossed. The things he cared about the most, though, were the souvenirs and heirlooms he had been given.

There was Misty's lure, a classic. He would always keep that.

The Soothe Bells from the Hearthome tag battle tournament. He was unsure about those. He set them in a pile of things to leave behind.

A few diplomas, certificates, and trophies. Those could stay here.

A wooden carving of a Teddiursa which May had brought him at the Wallace Cup. He liked it, but it would also be better off staying here.

And lastly, half of a contest ribbon. Ash carefully extracted it from the pile of junk. He would be keeping this one with him.

With his new bag packed, Ash spread out on his bed. He examined his half of the Terracotta Ribbon. It was in need of a good cleaning. He figured if he caught up with May, she would know what to do to get it shining again.

The day he and May won that ribbon seemed like it was a world away. He remembered the two of them putting their halves of the ribbon together at the hotel on Lake Valor. He wondered if his half had looked so tarnished back then. It had been dark out there on the balcony that night. There was no way he would have been able to tell.

Ash figured maybe he should show the ribbon to Sceptile while he was still in town. Sceptile was, after all, the one who split it in half.

He would be sure to visit all of his Pokémon tomorrow. He would have to get his Sinnoh team acquainted with his others on Oak's ranch. He wondered if he was making the right decision, leaving them behind.

"Ash!"

Ash sat up immediately, startling Pikachu. His mother was calling for him.

"Ash!"

"Yes, mom?" Ash called back.

"There's a phone call for you!"

A phone call? How could he have missed the sound of the phone ringing? It couldn't be May, since she wasn't going to be home until tomorrow. Maybe it was Brock? Or Dawn? Was there a problem at Oak's lab?

He considered all of these options until he sat down in front of the video screen.

May looked back at him.

"May!" he said. "Your mom told me you wouldn't be back in Petalburg City until tomorrow!"

For a brief second, Ash wished he had thought of something better to say. He hadn't seen or heard from May in more than a year, and now there she was, right in front of him on the screen. Ash had seen her eager face when he first appeared, but his words momentarily changed that expression to doubt. But then, the doubt faded.

"Good hear from you, too," May joked. "And my mom was right, because I won't be back until tomorrow. She was so eager to tell me you called looking for me that she called me aboard the ship."

"Ship?"

"I'm on a ferry back to Hoenn right now."

"Oh..." Ash said, feeling very dumb. "That's right, your mom told me you were on your way home."

"Yep! I'm headed back to Hoenn," said May. "What's up?"

"Not much, really," Ash said. He had no idea why he felt so nervous. He was sure May would see right through him. "How was Johto?"

"It was okay," said May, "but, I thought my mom said you had an important question to ask me?"

Ash couldn't remember calling it an important question. Caroline must have added that emphasis on her own.

"Yeah, I do," said Ash.

"What is it?" May said, leading him.

"What's what?"

"The question!"

Ash saw May roll her eyes. He couldn't believe how stupid he was acting. It wasn't his fault for being surprised, though. May's own mother told him that she wouldn't be home for another day!

"Right, the question," said Ash. "Um..."

He froze. He hadn't thought about how to ask this. The seriousness of the situation was beginning to dawn on him.

"Okay, so," he began. He saw May looking back at him curiously. He was being an idiot and he knew it. "So, I'm planning on going to travel in this region called Unova, and I, um, I wanted to know if you'd like to go with me."

Ash felt a wave off relief. That wasn't so hard, was it?

Trying to figure out what May was thinking, however, was very hard.

"Wow, um..." she started, looking astonished. She ran a hand over her forehead. "This is, well, unexpected."

May was nearly laughing as she said "unexpected." Was that a good thing?

"Sorry, I just thought of asking you earlier today," said Ash. "I wanted to see if any of my old traveling friends wanted to go with me, so I called you."

"Is anyone else going with you?"

"No. You're the only person I've called."

"Huh."

May looked blank with surprise.

Ash had no clue if May liked the idea or not.

"If you don't want to go, I understand," said Ash.

May raised an eyebrow.

"No, no, I do want to go, just, this is really sudden, you know?"

Ash shrugged. Maybe it was too sudden?

"I guess?" Ash replied. "Sorry, like I said, I just thought of it today."

"Of course you did," said May, grinning. "What's Unova like, anyway?"

Again, Ash felt very stupid. He had no idea. He knew nothing about the place.

"I don't know," he said. "I've never been there."

May gave him an amused look.

"I mean, um, I just heard about it today."

May laughed.

"Uh..." Ash droned, hopeless with his words.

"This sounds exactly like what I would expect out of you," said May.

"Uh... sorry?" Ash said.

"Don't worry about it," May said, waving a hand dismissively. To Ash's relief, she was still smiling. "I just need some time to think about it. I want to find out what there is to see in Unova. Do you know if they hold contests there?"

Ash felt himself becoming hot with embarrassment. He had asked right away about gyms, but he hadn't even thought about contests.

"I don't know," he said. "Sorry."

"If they do, I'll probably go with you," said May. "If they don't... we'll see."

May's statement hit Ash right in the gut. Ash realized that his carelessness might have cost him his only shot at recruiting a traveling companion. How could he have forgotten to consider something so important?

"Okay," was all he said in response.

"Can I call you back tomorrow?" May asked.

"Yeah, that would be great."

"Okay," she said. "I'll talk to you then."

There was a pause in which neither knew what to say.

"Ash?" said May.

"Yeah?"

"...it was good to hear from you again."

Ash smiled back at her.

"It was good to hear from you, too."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow," said May. "Bye for now."

"Bye."

There was a click, and the call ended. Ash put the receiver down and sat there quietly. Why had that been so nerve-wracking?

And furthermore, why had he even considered asking May to join him without first finding out whether or not there were Pokémon contests in Unova? Why had he asked her to travel with him to a place all the way on the other side of the world without having any idea what it was like there? How stupid could he be?

When Ash returned to his room, he shut the door behind him. He looked at his half-ribbon, still laying on his bed, right next to a curled-up Pikachu. He picked up the ribbon, and stowed it safely in his new backpack. He couldn't stand to look at the thing after that awkward debacle of a conversation. Pikachu looked up at him curiously.

"Pikachu, I'm a moron."

The next morning, Ash made his way to Professor Oak's lab once again. He kept quiet about the invitation he had extended to May. There was no need in telling Tracey and the professor about it if he still had no idea if May would accept. There was something much more serious he needed to attend to, anyway.

As always, setting foot in the corral behind Oak's lab was a dangerous prospect. In less than a minute's time, Bayleef had him pinned to the ground, Muk was smothering his face, Totodile was clamped onto his arm, Torkoal was crying, and Pikachu was exchanging a hand-vine shake with Bulbasaur. Tracey and the professor could only stand back from the scrum and laugh. It took several minutes to disperse the pile.

Then, introductions were in order.

Ash released his Sinnoh team. Gathered before the old guard were the newcomers – Infernape, Torterra, Staraptor, Buizel, and Gible. Within seconds, they all realized what was happening, and Ash felt a deep sadness building within him.

"Well, guys..." he said.

The Sinnoh team turned to face him. Right away, he felt even worse. Gible was blank-faced, as always, but the others' expressions were far more telling.

"This is Professor Oak's lab," Ash said. "It's where I keep all the Pokémon I've caught. It's like a family here."

As if to illustrate Ash's point, Bulbasaur walked up to the group and extended a vine to each of them.

"Bulbasaur was one of the first Pokémon I ever caught," said Ash. "He's been there for some of my biggest battles. Here, he's the leader of all the Pokémon on this ranch."

Ash's Sinnoh team eyed the diminutive Bulbasaur doubtfully. "Really?" was the expression several of them made. A few envious eyes shot at Pikachu, who clearly was not being left behind.

"I think you'll see that there are some very powerful Pokémon here," Ash said.

The heavy, plodding footsteps approaching them seemed to accentuate his point.

"Like Snorlax," Ash said, motioning to the last of his Pokémon to join the reunion. Snorlax, upon arrival, immediately swept Ash off the ground into a crushing full-body hug.

"And also, Sceptile," Ash added, once he was released. He gasped for air while he pointed at the nearest tree. Sceptile calmly watched the gathering from above, atop a sturdy branch.

The Sinnoh team continued to give the place a bunch of skeptical looks. A few days ago, the Pokémon League. Now, this?

"I think-"

And right there, Ash froze. He didn't know what to tell his Pokémon. It wasn't as if he simply forgot about his Pokémon while they were here, but it didn't seem fair. He looked at Sceptile's intense gaze. His faithful warrior of a Pokémon defeated a Darkrai not even two weeks ago, and yet here he was again, stuck on Oak's ranch until the next time he would be needed.

"I..."

Ash felt ashamed. It was the first time he had given the situation any honest thought. What was life really like here for his old teammates?

"I wish there was something I could say that would make things better for you all."

Ash's Pokémon looked at him. Even those who hadn't been on the road with him in years knew he was serious. It wasn't normal for him to sound so solemn.

"I've been so focused on catching and raising new Pokémon for so long. I feel like I haven't given you all the attention you deserve. I can't make any promises, but I'll do my best to call upon you all more often. I don't want any of you to feel like you've been forgotten."

He took a few moments to look every one of his Pokémon in the eyes.

"I haven't forgotten any of you," he said.

Then, he knelt down before his Sinnoh team.

"Group hug, guys. I'll miss you."

Ash spent the rest of the day at Professor Oak's ranch. There was nothing else for him to do anyway, at least not until he got his eagerly anticipated phone call, and it helped him ease his mind, if only a little bit. Most telling, though, was the few minutes he spent alone with Sceptile. He showed his old friend the half of the Terracotta Ribbon he still had. The fond look of remembrance the object received from Sceptile was something Ash figured he wouldn't ever forget. That, and the tearful goodbye he shared with his gathered Pokémon when he finally did leave.

The day seemed like a blur to him. There was so much to think about that he hardly realized it as day turned into night. He only recognized that the day was nearly over when he began turning down the sheets to get in bed.

And then, the phone rang.

As if the fate of the world depended on it, he bolted downstairs and intercepted the call before it went to the answering machine.

"Hello?" he said. The picture still hadn't come in. He hadn't even looked at the name on the call.

"Hello?" a voice replied. "Ash?"

"Yeah, it's me!" Ash said.

The picture came into view. It was May, just as expected.

"May!" said Ash. "You called back!"

Ash tried to temper his excitement. He knew that there was a very real chance May was about to turn down his offer. He'd had far too much time to think about that possibility.

"Yes, I did! Good to see you again, too," said May. She seemed pleasant this evening, more at ease than during their previous conversation.

"So, have you decided?" Ash asked. He wasn't interested in waiting any longer for an answer.

"I have," said May, with a nod. "The answer is yes. I'll go to Unova with you."

"Yes!"

Ash jumped out of his seat. He pumped his fist as if he had just won a championship battle. It felt like he had.

"That's awesome!" he said, looking back at May, absolutely beaming.

On the other end of the line, May was laughing at Ash's exuberance.

"I had no idea it meant that much to you!" she said. "But yes, I'll go with you. They don't hold contests in Unova, though."

Ash halted his celebration.

"They don't?"

"No."

Ash deflated like a popped balloon.

"Aw no, I'm sorry," Ash said. "I... I don't want to make you come along with me if it means you have to give up your dream. That's not right."

"I appreciate it, but you're not making me give up anything," said May. "I care about things other than being a coordinator, you know. When I left home on my journey, the main reason I left was because I wanted to travel. And really, taking some time to just travel would be great. There's a lot of awesome stuff to see in Unova, and there are lots of Pokémon that can't be found anywhere else. Even if I don't get to compete, the trip will be worth it, I'm sure."

Ash sat down again and thought about it. Much like with his Pokémon at Oak's ranch, he wondered if he was being fair.

"I mean it, May," he said. "If you're not sure about it, I don't want you to go. I don't want to stop you from being a coordinator. It wouldn't be fair."

"And I mean it when I say that right now there's nothing in the world I would rather do than travel with you again."

Ash felt his jaw slacken.

"I guess that settles it, then," he said. "So... my flight arrives in Nuvema Town two days from now."

"Two days?" May exclaimed. "Ugh, of course you schedule something like this on such short notice! Let's hope I can get a plane ticket in time. Not to mention pack."

Ash felt ashamed again as he realized what an inconvenience this all had to have been for May. He quickly pushed forward.

"So, um... see you in two days?"

He could see May with her eyes looking up toward the ceiling, silently mouthing words as she recited a mental list of all the things she would need to do.

"Hm? Yes, right," she said, halting her train of thought. "In two days, in Unova."

"In Unova."

There was a pause, neither sure what else to say.

"See you then?" May ventured as a goodbye. She looked eager to get going.

"Yep!" said Ash. "And, uh, by the way..."

"What?"

"Thanks for saying yes."

May smiled.

"No, I should be thanking you for inviting me," said May. "Now I have to go. I've got a lot to do."

"Right," said Ash. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Chapter Text

There was a reassuring touch of rubber on asphalt, followed by a powerful roar of rushing air. Ash gripped onto the armrests as his inertia pulled him forward in his seat. He was glad he had heeded the flight attendant's direction to keep his seat belt fastened. Without it, he would have squished Pikachu between his lap and the seat in front of him.

The pilot welcomed the passengers to Nuvema Town over the PA system a few minutes before landing, but it was only now that Ash felt like he was actually there. Outside the windows was his first glimpse of Unova. The thoroughly normal-looking trees and brush that lined the far side of the air field would have held no interest to him if they had not been his first sight of land in more than half a day. Ash did not dislike flying, but he did dislike being confined to such a cramped space for so long. He sincerely hoped to never spend that much time in an airplane ever again.

The airport was smaller than he would have expected for an international flight. From a view through a large window inside the terminal, he saw that Nuvema Town was not very large, either. It seemed like an odd place for an airport.

"Nuvema – The Start of Something Big!" a welcoming banner informed him.

As unimaginative as that slogan was, it reminded Ash that it really was the start of something big – a big wait. May's flight was scheduled to arrive four hours after his. Since neither of them knew anything about the town, the airport was their only reasonable rendezvous point, and Ash would have to wait there until May arrived.

Ash wandered in the terminal for a brief while, until he began feeling the effects of prolonged air travel catching up with him. He was surprised by how fatigued he felt. It made no sense that sitting around doing nothing for so long could leave a person feeling so tired. The time displayed on the clocks along the walls felt all wrong to him.

Pikachu snoozed comfortably atop his shoulder, and it made Ash think that his companion had the right idea. He found a suitable bench near May's scheduled arrival gate, laid down, and pulled his hat over his eyes. His consciousness quickly faded.

Various shades of red and yellow danced about before Ash's eyes. There was a fitful feeling to them, a notion he could not quite place. He was not sure what he was looking at, and he was even less sure if he should be uneasy. And yet, as he focused harder, he found himself staring at the sunset, overlooking the city. It was a beautiful evening in late spring, and all was well.

The streetlights came on one by one as he strolled down the sidewalk. It was an odd feeling. His mind had no idea where he was going, but his feet did. Without any apparent effort to control his body, Ash was merely along for the ride. He felt quite content to be pleasantly surprised at the destination. Into a neighborhood, across the street, two blocks down, third house on the right, up the front stoop.

Knock, knock, knock.

Ash stood in silence for perhaps half a minute until he heard the clicking noise of the front door being unlocked. He gulped. He could feel Pikachu tense up on his shoulder. For some reason, he was awaiting this with great anticipation. He did not know why.

"Ash?" called a familiar voice.

Ash jumped in surprise, so sharply that Pikachu lost his grip on Ash's shoulder and had to grab onto his hat for support to avoid falling. Ash's hat did a quarter turn on his head and ended up mostly over his eyes. Frantically, he tried to readjust it, but it was too late. His image of composure had been ruined.

"Ash?" May said again.

"Uh, yeah, hey," Ash replied, aware of how stupid he must have seemed with his hat completely sideways. He snatched it off his head and tried to smooth his hair away from his eyes. It was the best he could do.

"Wow! Ash, it is you!" May said. "It's so good to see you!"

"Yeah, it's g-"

Ash felt like his joints had all been replaced with silly putty. May leaped out the door and threw her arms around him. It took great effort for him to remain on his feet.

"It's, uh, good to see you too," Ash said weakly. He had difficulty breathing, partly due to May's strong grip, and partly due to nerves. He struggled to get his arms in a position to return the hug.

May pulled away after a few seconds, and she looked him in the eye.

"How have you been?" she asked. "I'm so surprised to see you here!"

"D- I've uh- I've been doing good!" Ash stammered. He could feel the heat rising on his face. "I've been good."

May gave Ash a curious look, but she welcomed him inside.

"Come on in," she said to him. "You can have a seat and I'll get some drinks and we can catch up!"

"Sounds great!"

Ash stepped inside. May ushered him into the living room, and then she turned around and headed to the kitchen. Ash took a look around while he waited for May's return. The house was very much the same as he remembered it, hardly any different from his last visit years ago. The only evident change was a new exotic-looking plant by the window. He walked over to examine it. It radiated good health, with rich shades of green, blue, red, and white. It was so vibrant that he wondered if it was fake. To test it, he placed his nose over one of the flowers and tried to catch its scent. His first try yielded nothing, so he moved his head in a little closer for a second sniff.

He felt a petal brush against his nose, and the next thing he knew he had been flattened on the floor in a flurry of flowers and leaves. Dazed, he tried to figure out what had happened. He recognized the familiar figure standing before him, if only vaguely. However, he definitely recognized the voice he heard coming from the other side of the room.

"Huh, if it isn't Ash," Drew said, casually walking over to where Ash lay. "Need a hand? Roserade can get pretty jumpy when you wake her up like that."

"No, I think I'm okay," Ash said, rolling over onto his knees and then slowly getting himself upright again. "Roserade, huh? I guess I should have figured your Roselia would have evolved by now."

"Yes, indeed you should have," Drew said. The two looked each other in the eyes. Neither bore a particularly friendly expression.

"I guess I also should have known you would be here," Ash said, making no attempt to conceal the bitterness in his voice.

"Well duh," Drew said. "What did you think was going to happen when May followed me to Johto and was there with me for so long?"

"Huh?"

"Oh, seriously Ash, how dense are you? All those roses? All that advice I gave her? Did you seriously not understand that I was interested in May?"

"No, I understood that, but... what happened while you two were in Johto?"

"What do you think happened?"

"Give me a straight answer!"

"Drew! Ash! What's going on?" May said, looking confused as she entered the room with two soft drink cans. Drew simply closed his eyes and shook his head. Ash was seething, fists clenched.

When she got no reply, May pressed the issue further.

"Ash, why are you so angry? What happened?"

"Eh, he's all worked up about something," said Drew, casually adjusting his hair.

"Worked up about what, Ash?" May asked. "What's the matter?"

"What happened between you two in Johto?" Ash growled. His own tone frightened him. He had no idea why he was so angry.

May gave him a blank look.

"What do you mean?" said May.

"What did you two do together while traveling in Johto?" Ash demanded, pointing accusingly at Drew. "What is he doing here?"

"We just traveled and trained together. Drew's only here to visit for a while before he goes home."

"Oh, don't listen to her, Ash. We did a lot more than just travel and train together," said Drew.

"What?!" Ash said.

"You heard me."

"What did you do?"

"Drew, knock it off!" May pleaded.

"You should have seen it," said Drew, smirking. "She denied her feelings for so long, until that spontaneous makeout session after the Goldenrod contest finally made it clear that she couldn't hide them any longer."

Ash felt like he had been hit by a train.

"And it only got better from there," Drew continued. "I'm telling you, you should have seen it. Sunrise on the shores of Olivine, on the white sands beneath the cliffs, not a soul in sight. Just us and the noise of the gentle morning waves and the soft sand caressing our skin."

Ash began to back away. He felt like he was going to fall over.

"Drew!" May shouted.

"And, of course, there was far more than caressing. She got up on-"

Ash couldn't register any more of the words Drew was saying, even though he continued to elaborate, much to May's evident horror. Ash was livid, and he didn't know why. He was on the floor, and he didn't know why. May was punching Drew in the shoulder, and he didn't know why. He felt like his brain was broken.

It seemed his body was broken, too. He couldn't get up. His vision became distorted, and once again, shades of red and yellow obscured everything. The sounds of Drew rambling on and May protesting reached a crescendo, and developed into a roar. The sound of voices deafened his ears.

There was fire all around him, and the voices in the crowd roared. Pikachu dashed through the flames. Close behind was a Latios, the source of the flames. Across the arena floor, standing calm amidst the chaos, was a man with dark hair over one eye and a dramatic red cape. The visible half of his face showed nothing but intense focus.

"Pikachu, you've gotta get out of there!"

Pikachu was being pursued much too rapidly to escape. There was simply no hope of victory. Latios was greatly superior to Pikachu in both strength and speed. The flames were closing in from all directions. There was nowhere to run.

"Luster Purge."

"Push it back, Pikachu! Thunderbolt!"

The attacks met in midair, but Pikachu's bolt of electricity was pushed back effortlessly. The jet of purple energy made a direct hit on Pikachu, knocking him backward into the flames.

"Pikachu! You've gotta get out!" Ash cried. "Run! Get out of the fire!"

There was no sign of life from within the flames. There were cheers as Tobias was declared the victor, but Ash didn't understand why – the battle wasn't over. Latios now turned to face him. There was another jet of energy, and Ash felt his body being flung limply through the air, his travel ending with an impact on the stadium wall. He slid to the stadium floor, gasping for breath.

"Pikachu!" he choked out. "Get up, Pikachu! You've got to get out of the fire!"

He continued calling out for some time, but it was useless. The flames stifled his weak cries as they crept up around him. Latios prepared another attack, and Ash prepared to be consumed.

The flames wrapped around him, but instead of their searing embrace, he found himself lost in darkness. He drifted away, determined not to return.

The next thing Ash was aware of was something of a commotion going on around him. He stirred from his sleep, unsure of how long he had been gone. He pulled his hat away from his face and saw Pikachu perched atop his chest, searching for something.

"What's up, Pikachu?" he mumbled drowsily.

Pikachu pointed ahead and urged Ash to get up. Ash refused to comply. He could feel that the bench had not been kind to his back. He could also tell from the noise that there were a lot of people in the terminal all of the sudden. They were disturbing his much-needed rest.

"Whatever," he grumbled, placing his hat back over his face again, shading his tired eyes from the light.

Pikachu protested and tried to remove the hat from Ash's face, but Ash held it down tightly.

"Knock if off!" he said. "Let me sleep."

Pikachu acquiesced, but Ash couldn't dismiss the notion that Pikachu was looking for something. He had no clue what it could be, and he didn't care to give the matter any thought. Right now, what bothered him more was a vague recollection of a dream, one with a connection to his consciousness that was so tenuous he wasn't even sure he had actually experienced it. In his middling state of half-sleep, he tried to recall what had happened, but his mind failed him. The visions were lost to memory. He began to drift off once again.

Then, he felt his hat get snatched away.

"Pikachu! I told you to kn-"

Ash bolted upright, grabbing in Pikachu's direction, but his companion tumbled off his chest. He squinted with his tired eyes, trying to figure out where Pikachu had gone with his hat.

"Wake up, sleepyhead."

It was May. She smiled playfully at him, conspicuously hiding his hat behind her back.

Ash froze, mouth hanging open. The sleepy state faded away, and things started to make sense. The crowd of people in the terminal were all disembarking from the gate. This was May's flight. He had slept the entire wait away, and Pikachu had been trying to wake him up to find May.

And now, here she was, standing before him.

"Hey," he said breathlessly, poorly concealing his surprise.

"Hey!" May replied. "Glad to see you could wake up for the occasion."

"Yeah, glad to see you made it here."

"I suppose you want this back?" May suggested, holding Ash's hat out at arm's length.

Ash nodded.

"Well then, you're going to have to stand up to get it," May said.

"Why?" said Ash, reaching for it, but refusing to leave his seat. May pulled it away from his reach and held it high above her head. "Oh, come on, don't play games! You know how serious I am about my hats!"

"Exactly!"said May, backing a few steps away. She barely contained a giggle. "All the more reason to keep it from you!"

Now Ash was forced to get up to pursue his hat. He jumped up from the bench, continuing to regret his uncomfortable choice of a sleeping location. He lunged toward May, hindered slightly by his stiffness, but to his surprise, she didn't move. Ash had no choice but to stop once he was within arm's reach, or else it would look to everyone else in the terminal like he was attempting to tackle her.

Instead of keeping the hat away from him, May winked at him, then let her arm down and plopped Ash's hat back onto its usual resting place.

"Huh?" Ash said, looking up at the brim of his hat. "What was all that for?"

He didn't have time to think, though, because May pulled him in by the shoulders and then wrapped her arms around him.

"May!"

"Hush!" she replied. Standing on her toes, her head was level with Ash's, her chin perched atop his shoulder. "It's been a really long time since I've seen you. You'll just have to get over all these folks seeing me hug you in public. It's only a few seconds of embarrassment, I promise."

In those lingering few seconds, Ash noticed what a spectacle they were causing. He looked around sheepishly, seeing that there were several pairs of eyes focused on them.

Stuck there with May hanging onto him, Ash had to concede that it truly had been a long time. They had both grown. May was still a few inches shorter than him, which gave him a clear view of the bandanna atop her head. It looked practically identical to the one she had worn on their first journey together. Her whole ensemble looked similar, once again dressed in shades of red and black. Ash couldn't help but note how good she looked, even if he was far too embarrassed by the thought to admit it.

May pulled away, and looked him in the eye.

"I've missed you," she said.

Ash tilted his head slightly to the side. There was a great weight to May's statement. He wasn't sure if she was sad, serious, or something else entirely.

"I've missed you too," he said. "But we won't have to miss each other anymore. It's time for a new adventure!"

Ash accentuated his point with a fist pump. Pikachu joined in to second Ash's statement. May smiled. She had seen this routine hundreds of times before.

"Ready to go, huh?" she said.

"Oh yeah," said Ash.

The two headed off down the long terminal hallway, bobbing through the crowd. Nearing the main entrance of the airport, May asked a pertinent question.

"Where are we going, anyway?"

"Professor Juniper's lab," said Ash. "Professor Oak wants me to meet with her before we get our journey started."

"Why does he want you to do that?"

"Because Professor Oak said that Professor Juniper is really eager to meet me."

"Why's that?"

"She's interested in how I've met a lot of rare Pokemon. At least, that's what Professor Oak told me."

Ash's explanation was giving May more questions than answers.

"Huh," she said. "I wonder why."

"I don't know," said Ash.

"Did Professor Oak tell you anything about this new professor?"

"No."

"Hmm. I wonder what she's researching."

"Beats me."

"Me too, but I guess we'll find out when we meet her. Speaking of which..."

"Hmm?" Ash mumbled. He saw that May was giving him a pleading look. "What's up?"

"Is there a specific time you're supposed to meet Professor Juniper?"

"No, I don't think so. Why?"

Ash had seen the look in May's eyes before. Usually, it had meant that he was about to have a terribly long day. On a handful of occasions, he had been lucky enough to escape. Now that he was alone with her, there would be no such luck.

"Well," May said, "I was thinking that maybe we could see the town first? It's such a cute place! I bet there's a bunch of neat shops and restaurants along the waterfront, and..."

Ash simply nodded along. There was no way in the world he'd be getting out of this.

Not even an hour of idle tourism had passed before Ash hit a massive stroke of luck, courtesy of May's fondness for noodle shops. After enduring only three seaside shops which held nothing of interest, Ash got a reprieve in the form of a bite to eat. A cup of noodles was hardly a meal, but it was enough of an excuse to get a break from shopping.

Among the various public piers along the waterfront, they found a suitable bench and sat, enjoying their noodles in relative quiet. There was finally time for catching up.

"So, I heard from Max that you made it to the semifinals in the Sinnoh League."

Ash pulled a bite of noodles from his cup and blew on them. It was a convenient gap in time as he thought about what May said. Knowing Max, he was pretty sure that what he had actually told his sister was that he lost in the semifinals.

"Yeah, I did," Ash said, pausing to take a bite. "I lost in the semifinals, though."

"Max said the trainer you battled was using a Darkrai and a Latios."

"That's right."

Ash stared into the steam rising from his cup. He honestly didn't want to remember. He could see May's concerned glance out of the corner of his eye. Pikachu seemed to share his feelings, looking rather glum.

"They were unbelievably strong," said Ash. "It was crazy. The guy's name was Tobias. I don't know how he got Pokemon like those. It took four of my Pokemon to beat his Darkrai, and two for Latios. Nobody at the tournament stood a chance against him. Not even me."

"Max told me all about it," said May. "It sounded like a really tough loss. He said you were doing great in the conference up until that match."

Ash set his cup down and grimaced. He was silent for a while.

"That's what bugs me so much about it," he said. "I really was doing great. My battle against Paul the round before was the best I've ever had. I might have been able to win the whole thing if Tobias hadn't been there."

"Who's Paul?"

"He was a trainer I battled a bunch of times in Sinnoh. He and I..." Ash trailed off, searching for the words. "He and I disagreed about a lot of things."

Ash showed a vague smile at the euphemism. He knew he was understating the matter.

"Like what?" May asked.

"Like how to treat our Pokemon," Ash said. "He was a skilled trainer, but he used his Pokemon like they were tools. He was really mean to some of them, and he had them use some dangerous battle tactics, too."

"I can see why you two didn't get along," said May, sounding rather put off by Ash's description. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know. He was determined to be powerful, but that's no excuse for all the things he did. We argued a lot, and that really heated up our battles. We weren't just battling for bragging rights. It was like we were trying to prove each other wrong. I guess that's why beating him in the Sinnoh League felt so great."

"And then you had that awful loss right after that match."

"Yeah."

"I'm so sorry it all happened like that," said May. "You're an awesome trainer. You deserve to win."

Ash turned to look at May. Now she was the one staring into the steam rising from her cup.

"Thanks," Ash said to her.

May busied herself with taking another bite of noodles.

"So, how did things go for you in Johto? How was the Grand Festival?"

Ash watched as May paused in mid-bite and clenched her eyes shut. She exhaled deeply, a painful expression on her face. Ash felt a pang of regret in his chest.

"I didn't go," May said, looking off into the distance.

"Are you serious?"

Now May was looking down again, into the rising steam.

"It's true. I was qualified to enter the festival, but I didn't go. I didn't want to go."

"Why not?"

"There's a lot to it," May said. She shifted in her seat. "I didn't feel like I was going to be able to perform my best, so I went home instead."

Ash couldn't believe it. Why in the world would May have just given up? He couldn't tell what the expression on May's face meant, but he was sure she didn't want to talk any more about it.

Silence hung between them, and both of them took great interest in their noodles.

Over the course of the next several minutes, there was a palpable change in the air. Something began to feel noticeably different. Ash eyed the horizon suspiciously. Pikachu was getting fidgety on his shoulder. He had no idea what the weather was supposed to be like here, but he became wary of a storm approaching.

May got up to throw away her empty cup, and she also noticed the sudden change.

"Is it just me, or is the sky getting darker?" she said.

"It's not just you," Ash said. "I see it, too. I think Pikachu can feel it."

"Do you think there's a storm coming?"

"Maybe, but..."

Ash trailed off. The clouds he was seeing didn't look like any weather formation he had seen before. Normally, when there was a storm, there would be dark clouds visibly approaching from the horizon. Instead, right now the clouds directly overhead were turning darker.

"It doesn't look right," Ash said.

Pikachu shifted around uncomfortably. It made Ash feel uneasy.

"We should probably head indoors," May said.

"Maybe so," Ash said.

He craned his neck upward. The cloud formation had gone from unusual to downright frustrating. He had a distinct feeling that the clouds were moving directly at him.

He looked around. It seemed they weren't the only ones who had noticed the change. Various townspeople were motioning toward the sky and appeared to be headed indoors. The gentle sea breeze from before had become much stronger. The water had become turbulent.

It didn't feel right. Ash had seen sudden storms before, but this was literally out of nowhere.

"Ash, where are you going?"

Ash walked out to end of the pier. He felt tremendously ill at ease. The bay had been calm only a few minutes ago, but now the choppy water bore white caps. As if appearing out of thin air, a sheet of rain began approaching rapidly across the body of water. The sun was plainly visible behind it.

"Ash, come on! I don't want to get rained on!"

Directly above, the clouds were rotating as if fixed about their exact location. They had turned a dark, threatening gray, nearly black. There was an audible commotion coming from the town, accompanied by a rumble of thunder. Clearly, this was not normal weather here.

"Alright, fine! You can get drenched, I'm going inside!" May yelled at him. The wind was now a gale, dampening the sound of her voice.

Ash clutched onto his hat to prevent it from being blown away. The rain was steadily approaching, yet he remained rooted to the spot. He was just about to tell May to go ahead inside without him when a spectacular, astonishingly strong bolt of lightning struck the surface of the water not even fifty feet away from him.

For a few fragments of a second, Ash felt like his world had ended. Pikachu's everyday electrical discharges were comically tame in comparison to the one he was presently experiencing. His vision overflowed with white, but for a dazzlingly brief moment in time he felt like he could see things that were invisible in ordinary light. The tremendous luminous burst seemed to reveal every hidden feature of every wave crest on the bay and every hidden contour of the clouds above. He saw in colors he didn't know existed. The blistering heat of plasma washed over him and disappeared in an instant. His veins temporarily felt like they were pumping fire, and then the sensation faded to a faint tingle. Within him, a primal instinct triggered, and he turned and ran from the spot. He knew he should have listened to May.

Ash thought he heard a scream coming from the direction in which he was running, but it was dwarfed many times over by the ensuing clap of thunder. He assumed it must have been May or perhaps someone else startled by the bolt of lightning. He tried to find May among the commotion of noise and wind, but he was halted in his tracks by the feeling of Pikachu leaping off of his shoulder.

Pikachu dashed back to the end of the pier, tail in the air, staring intently upward. Ash had just enough time to turn around and see.

Up above, the swirling clouds had formed a gaping, black void of an eye. From within that eye erupted a horrifying bolt of electrical energy that arced from the hole in the sky directly into Pikachu's tail. This time, the flash seemed to invert Ash's sense of sight altogether. The power and proximity of the discharge froze him in space and in time. The column of searing plasma seemed to vanish from existence before he even saw it.

There was another blast of heat, and then a deafening peal of thunder. It hit Ash as if he had been punched in the gut, toppling him over and knocking off his hat.

He didn't know what happened next. He wasn't even sure if his heart was beating. His sense of reality greatly disturbed, the next thing he was aware of was the vortex of black clouds above dispersing almost instantaneously into benevolent white wisps. In front of him, Pikachu was crumpled on the dock, uncontrollably releasing great sickly arcs of electricity, like some kind of slowly erupting firework. The pulsating sound wrenched Ash's gut.

Then, he was aware of May being at his side and helping him onto his feet. Bewildered, he stared at her agape for a few stupefying moments.

"The rain's gone," he said, his brain barely working. Somehow, the first thing he could put to words in this situation was the painfully obvious observation that the mysterious storm had completely dissipated.

May looked at him, similarly agape, and said nothing, turning her gaze to Pikachu. The erupting discharges diminished, as if the firework had run out of fuel.

To both Ash and May's considerable relief, Pikachu could be seen breathing, heaving deep, exhausted breaths.

"Pikachu?" Ash called.

He didn't get a response, but he wasn't sure he was really expecting one. Proceeding with great caution, he stepped forward toward Pikachu. Expecting an immense jolt upon contact, he bent down and picked up his partner. To his surprise, he received only a mild shock, like static.

"Is Pikachu alright?" May asked.

"I have no idea," Ash said.

"We need to get to a Pokemon center, now," May said.

"Do you know where it is? Did it say in any of your books?"

"I don't remember."

The two of them made haste down the length of the pier and back onto land. As they reached the end of dock, they were accosted by a stranger.

"I saw what happened!" the stranger said. "Where are you two going?"

"Pikachu got struck by lightning!" said Ash. "We need to get to a Pokemon center right away!"

The stranger gave Ash a horrified and apologetic look.

"There's no Pokemon center in this town!" she said.

Chapter Text

Ash and May stared at the stranger, horrified.

"No Pokemon center?!" Ash said. "What are we supposed to do?"

The woman before them seemed oddly composed, given the circumstances. She was clad in a simple white blouse, green skirt, and sneakers, with her hair drawn up in a bun atop her head.

"I can help you," she said. "I'm parked only a couple of blocks away from here. I can take you to a place where your Pikachu can receive treatment."

"Then let's go!" said Ash.

As Ash stepped forward to follow the stranger, who was motioning in what was apparently the direction of her car, he noticed May looking hesitant behind him.

"Let's go, May!" he called back to her.

"But-"

May didn't finish her phrase. Ash was already ten steps ahead of her. Who this person was and where they were going were completely irrelevant. They had to help Pikachu.

It was with a great deal of effort that May caught up to Ash. She pulled level with him and put a hand on his shoulder, halting him.

"Ash, you don't even know where you're going! And who is this person?"

"It doesn't matter!" Ash said. "If she can help Pikachu, I'm going with her!"

"Can't you just slow down for five seconds and find out who she is? How hard is it to ask?"

The mystery woman had clearly overheard them. She stopped, standing next to a rugged vehicle with its top down.

"My name is Aurea, Aurea Juniper," she said. "I'm a professor, and I have a laboratory in this town with a medical facility. I'll take you there, if you're willing to go."

Ash and May halted in their tracks.

"Wait – are you Professor Juniper?" said Ash.

"Yes, I am," she said.

"Whoa."

Ash looked at May, and saw that she was looking back at him with the same stunned expression.

"We were looking for you, actually," said May. "We were planning on visiting your lab later in the day."

"You were?" said Professor Juniper.

"Yeah," said Ash. "I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town."

Professor Juniper's eyes widened.

"Unbelievable..." she said, so softly that it was nearly a whisper.

"What's unbelievable?" asked Ash.

"It is a pretty weird coincidence that we would run into her like this," said May.

"It's not that," said Professor Juniper. "It's, well, I'll explain at the lab. We don't have time for this now." She motioned for the two of them to get into her car. "Come on. Let's go."

It was a familiar scene for Ash. Lying on an examination table in a room full of equipment, hooked up to at least a dozen wires, was his companion, in trouble once again. A new region, a new electrical disaster for Pikachu. It was an almost reassuring scene, were it not for the prevailing sense that his friend was in grave danger.

Professor Juniper and several of her assistants huddled around the table, considering a set of test results. Ash and May could only watch through the glass on the other side of the wall.

"I wish we could hear what they were saying," said May.

"Yeah, me too," said Ash.

There was a long silence. The hush wasn't for lack of things to say, but rather for a desire to hear something, anything, from inside the examination room. It was a hopeless endeavor, but a devoted one. It was like they were watching a long, pensive scene in a silent film.

Ash was becoming impatient, fidgeting awkwardly. He crossed his arms, then uncrossed them, then put his hands in his pockets, then pulled them out, then leaned on one leg, then the other.

"You know, this reminds me of the first time we met," said May.

"Huh?" Ash mumbled back. He appeared too intensely involved in his wait to process any thoughts.

"When I first met you in Hoenn, you were chasing after Pikachu because he was having electrical problems. Remember?"

Ash nodded.

"Yeah, I do," he said. "Weird stuff always seems to happen to Pikachu when I go to a new region. When I arrived in Sinnoh, Team Rocket kidnapped Pikachu. Dawn found him, and he fried her bike. That was how I met her."

"Just like me," said May. "You know, you never repaid me for that bike."

"It was just like when I met Misty, too," Ash said, hoping that May wasn't serious. "You know, she never stopped bugging me about that bike."

"I haven't seen anyone on a bike since we got here, so I think you're safe this time," said May. "There are no bikes around for you to fry."

"Don't even go there," Ash said, breaking the seriousness of the situation with a light chuckle.

"It could be worse. Pikachu could have fried someone's car," May said.

Ash just groaned.

"I guess I'm lucky he didn't discharge or anything while we were in Professor Juniper's car," he said. "Professor Oak made it sound like she was really interested to meet me. I wouldn't want my first impression to be like that."

"I think with that lightning bolt Pikachu took, you've already made quite a first impression," said May.

"Maybe," said Ash. He had returned to solemnly gazing through the glass windowpane.

Only a few seconds later, he and May saw Professor Juniper exit the room. As soon as she came through the door, Ash came running up to her.

"What's up with Pikachu, professor?" he asked.

Professor Juniper gave him an earnest look.

"I wish I had a clearer answer for you, but we're not exactly sure. Under most circumstances, what happened to Pikachu wouldn't be particularly noteworthy. It's fairly common for Pikachu to be struck by lightning in the wild, and those strikes normally cause them no harm, but that wasn't a normal lightning strike your Pikachu took."

Ash looked vindicated.

"I knew something was weird about that storm!" he said. "It was like it came directly at Pikachu!"

Professor Juniper smiled.

"The funny thing is, it probably did."

Ash and May both gave each other an inquisitive glance. Since when could the weather actually follow people?

"What do you mean?" said Ash.

"I think Professor Oak was right about you being a magnet for rare Pokemon and unusual events. We can't prove it, obviously, but we have reason to suspect that the origin of that storm was a Pokemon, and not some kind of natural phenomenon."

"A Pokemon caused it?"

"Unbelievable, right?" Professor Juniper said, appearing genuinely excited.

Her excitement was met with disbelief. She tried to temper her enthusiasm.

"Like I said, we can't prove it, but..."

Professor Juniper trailed off, as if lost in thought.

"But what?" said Ash.

"It's difficult to explain, because it's really only a hunch. You see, there are stories here in Unova, handed down over generations, about a pair of mischievous Pokemon that cause storms. They're merely tales, the stuff of legends, but, after all, Professor Oak told me that you have a knack for making the stuff of legends into reality."

Ash was incredulous.

"You think that we found a legendary Pokemon?"

"Maybe," said Professor Juniper. "But I think it was the one who found you. Or, more accurately, it found Pikachu."

"Why Pikachu, though?" said May.

"We don't know," said Professor Juniper. "But like I said before, it's fairly common for Pikachu to be struck by lightning. Pikachu are, quite literally, like lightning rods. More importantly, though, Pikachu is not a species that is native to Unova. They don't normally appear in the wild here. It's somewhat of a wild guess, but it's possible that the appearance of a Pikachu - a lightning rod, so to speak - drew the Pokemon's attention. Even if that were the case, it's still not clear why it would strike Pikachu with an attack, especially one with that much force. Again, though, it's mostly guesswork. We can't be sure."

Ash thought Professor Juniper's theory sounded crazy. But then again, the whole event had been crazy, so why not?

"So will Pikachu be okay?" he asked.

"We think so," said Professor Juniper. "The damage that Pikachu sustained is not unlike that of a regular battle, except that it's fairly severe. It's unlikely that Pikachu ever took a hit that strong before."

"I wouldn't be sure about that," said Ash.

"Perhaps," Professor Juniper said, "but the healing process should be like that after a normal heavy battle, only a bit slower. I suspect that Pikachu will be completely back to normal in a week, maybe two."

Ash frowned. That was much longer than the normal recovery from a battle.

"Was the blast that Pikachu took really that strong?" he asked.

"Yes, it was," said the professor. "If our measurements are correct, the lightning strike Pikachu took may have exceeded two billion volts."

Both Ash and May's eyes widened.

"That's... a lot," said May.

"That's putting it lightly," said Professor Juniper. "But anyway, Pikachu will have to spend tonight here so we can monitor the situation."

"Will we be able to stay here tonight, then?" asked Ash.

"Yes, actually," Professor Juniper said. "My living quarters are attached to the lab, and I have a guest room. The two of you are welcome to stay the night there. After your highly unusual introduction to the town, I feel it's the least I can do to accommodate you."

"That would be great!" said Ash.

"Thank you!" said May. "It's a big relief to not have to find a hotel tonight."

"If you'll excuse me, though, there's a conference call I have to take in ten minutes," said Professor Juniper. "I can't miss it."

"Absolutely," said May. "We understand."

"Will we be able to stay here with Pikachu?" said Ash.

"I don't have a problem with it, at least while the lab is open today," said Professor Juniper. "If any of my assistants give you any trouble, just let me know," she added with a wink. "Once I'm done on the phone, I'll be back and I'll show you two to my guest room."

"Thank you, professor," said May.

Ash had already turned away from Professor Juniper and was peering through the glass again. May gave him a firm nudge in the ribs with her elbow. He spun around immediately, rather red in the face.

"Oh, um, yeah! Thanks!" he said.

Both May and Professor Juniper couldn't help but laugh.

"Focused on your Pokemon, I see?" said Professor Juniper. "I understand completely."

"You do?" said Ash. There was a faint but definite forcefulness to his question. Professor Juniper seemed to understand, and replied accordingly.

"I'd like to think so," she said. "I've devoted my life to Pokemon, too, albeit in a different way than you have. I may not know the true extent of how you're feeling right now, since your bond with Pikachu is likely far greater than any I've ever had with any Pokemon, but I still care for Pokemon like you do. My assistants and I are in charge of hundreds of Pokemon for other trainers here."

"You are?" asked May. "I don't think we've seen any since we got here."

"Just take a look around outside," said Professor Juniper, with a gesture in the direction of the back door. "See for yourself. Now, I have to be on my way. Ciao!"

This time, Professor Juniper really did excuse herself. Ash remained fixed at the examination room window. He had to admit that this eccentric, youthful new professor was difficult not to like. She had a warm sort of personality, one that easily fostered trust, but he still wondered – did she really know the depth of his concern right now?

May placed her hand on Ash's shoulder. She tried to give him a reassuring look, but Ash merely acknowledged her with a glance and returned to staring through the window. The assistants tending to Pikachu had begun to slowly exit the room now. First one, then another a few minutes later, and so forth. Their nonchalance spoke some truth to Professor Juniper's belief that Pikachu was going to be fine.

Several minutes passed.

May tried to get through to Ash again, once more with a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," she said.

"Yeah?"

"Wanna go check out the area behind the lab? There might be a bunch of Pokemon there that neither of us have ever seen before."

"No, I think I'll stay here," he said.

May frowned.

"Do you know if your Pokedex has been updated for this region?" she asked him.

"Yeah, Professor Oak took care of it before I left."

"Then I'm borrowing it," she said, reaching into his backpack. "Because I'm going to take a look."

Ash kept his eyes fixed on the window, and May met no resistance whatsoever as she stepped out the back door.

Had Professor Juniper not intervened and demanded that Ash leave the lab for the night, he likely would never have gone to sleep. Instead, against his will, he was forced to retire to the guest room, where he found May sound asleep. She had already claimed the one bed in the room. Ash had no interest in risking waking May up by getting into the bed, so he took the spare pillow off the bed, found a blanket in the linen closet, and slept on the floor.

The next morning, he was awoken by the sound of May slipping into the bathroom for her morning routine. Without a word, he returned to his previous post at the lab.

This time, Professor Juniper's assistants let him into the room. Pikachu was sound asleep, and looked to be resting comfortably. Ash was instructed not to disturb his resting companion. He complied.

After some time had passed, Professor Juniper entered the room, causing Ash to jump in surprise.

"Good morning!" she said, amused. "I figured you would be back here."

She smiled at him.

"Take this," she said, extending her hand. She held out an apple.

"Huh?" said Ash. "Is that for me, or for Pikachu when he wakes up?"

"It's for you," said Professor Juniper. "You seem like the type who can get so worried that they forget to eat."

Ash took the apple, laughing.

"I'm actually the type who likes to eat way too much, all the time," he said.

"You don't look like it," said Professor Juniper, raising an eyebrow.

"It's true, I am," said Ash. "May is, too."

"I never would have guessed. Anyway-" said Professor Juniper, emphasizing her change of subject. "Pikachu's tests have come back negative for any kind of serious, lingering injury. Once he wakes up, you're free to take him with you again."

"Really?" said Ash. He pumped his fist. "That's great!"

"I thought you would be glad to hear that," said Professor Juniper, nodding. "It may be quite some time before he wakes up, though. It could be most of the day."

"That's no problem," said Ash. It didn't matter to him how long it was going to take, as long as he was going to get Pikachu back.

"Now, since it could a while before Pikachu wakes up, I have an idea," said Professor Juniper.

"What is it?"

"There are going to be some visitors to the lab today who I think you would be interested in meeting."

"Really? Who?" said Ash, punctuating his question with a big, crunchy bite of the apple.

"They're two new trainers who will be beginning their journeys today. I figured as a trainer yourself, you might be interested in seeing them off and helping them out in any way that you can."

Ash liked the sound of this idea.

"Sure!" he said. "That sounds kinda fun."

"Wonderful!" said Professor Juniper. She looked genuinely appreciative. "They should be here later today. I'm sure that-"

Professor Juniper was interrupted by the arrival at the door of one of her assistants.

"Professor, there's a visitor here to see you," the assistant said.

Professor Juniper gave Ash an apologetic look.

"I'm sorry, but I have to tend to this," she said to Ash, making to leave in a hurry. Ash could hear her continue speaking to the assistant as she walked down the hall. "I hope you haven't kept him- Well, no, after yesterday I-"

Left alone with Pikachu once again, Ash felt his mind wander from the monotony. He munched on the apple, wondering who the visitor could be. Professor Juniper said she wanted his help, but she said that the new trainers would be here later in the day. But wasn't it already later right now? What if the new trainers were just confused and here early? If that was the case, maybe right now she really did need his help.

Content that Pikachu was going to be fine without his constant presence, he left the room and headed down the hallway the professor had traveled a few minutes prior.

Following the signs on the walls, he made it to the front lobby, but there was nobody there. He searched for a sign of where Professor Juniper might have gone, but then May entered from the direction of the guest room.

"Hey, good morning," said Ash, coming to a halt.

"There you are," said May, her relief evident. "Good morning! I had no idea where you went after I went into the bathroom. You just disappeared."

"Sorry about that. I went to check on Pikachu."

"I thought so. How is he?"

"Better," said Ash. "Professor Juniper says that once he wakes up, he's free to go with me again."

"That's great news!" said May. "We're really lucky it wasn't worse."

Ash shifted uncomfortably.

"I don't even want to think about that," he said.

May shifted uncomfortably, too. She frowned.

"With all your worrying yesterday, you missed a fun time in the garden behind the lab," she said. "I saw lots of interesting Pokemon."

"Can you really blame me for being worried?" said Ash.

"No, I can't," said May. "I was worried, too, but I wanted to take a break from worrying. It would have been nice if you could have relaxed for a few minutes. I think it would have helped you if you had rested your nerves for a little while."

"Maybe," said Ash. May had a point, but how could he relax in a crisis when he could barely sit still on a normal day?

There was a brief silence before May changed the subject.

"It must have been comfortable on the floor last night," she said, with a sly look. "Did you find a soft spot or something?"

"No," said Ash, reminded of some persistent soreness in his back, left over from his nap on the airport bench the previous day. "No thanks to you taking the bed for yourself."

"I asked Professor Juniper if she had a cot or something for you, but she said she didn't, and well, I wasn't sleeping on the floor."

Ash tilted his head.

"That can't be right. I know I walked past a sofa on my way to our room."

"Whoops, I guess I didn't ask," May said, rolling her eyes. "I guess I just wanted the bed all to myself."

May stuck her tongue out ever so slightly.

"It was comfy, too," she said.

"Thanks," Ash grumbled back at her. "Next time there's only one bed, I'm taking it for myself."

"That's fair," May said, nodding in concession. "So, what's up today? Another exciting day of standing around and watching Pikachu sleep?"

"No, Pikachu will be fine without me there all day," said Ash. "Professor Juniper said there were going to be some new trainers coming in here today to start their journeys, and she asked if I could stick around and help them out."

"That's pretty cool," said May. ''Did she say when they were going to get here?"

"She said it would be later," replied Ash. "But she has a visitor right now. I don't know who it is. I was looking for her because I thought maybe it was one of the new trainers."

"I think I passed her office yesterday when I came back in from the gardens," said May. "This way."

"Good idea," said Ash, following May's lead. "I bet they're in there."

They turned down a long hallway, but they stopped almost immediately. Professor Juniper was exiting an office with someone they hadn't met.

"Is that the professor's visitor?" May asked Ash.

"I guess so," said Ash. "I didn't see him come in."

Professor Juniper's visitor was younger than she was, but several inches taller and considerably wider. Atop his imposing frame was a head bearing an impressive mane of wavy golden-brown hair that hung down well past his shoulders. His face had a severe look to it, with a crease in his brow and faint dark circles under his eyes. He didn't look pleased, and Ash suspected that the visitor's natural expression was not one of happiness.

Dressed in a simple black button-up with rolled-up sleeves and a pair of jeans, Ash had no idea what to make of this newcomer.

Professor Juniper and her visitor turned in the direction of the lobby.

"Ash! May! There you are!" Professor Juniper called to them.

Ash and May were both confused. Professor Juniper spoke as if she had been searching for them.

The professor came walking towards them, and her visitor followed.

"There's someone I'd like you two to meet," she said to them.

The visitor stood next to her, hands in the pockets of his jeans. The sleeves of his simple black button-up shirt were rolled up to the elbow. He appeared expressionless at best, unfriendly at worst.

"Who is this, professor?" May asked.

"This is Rex," she said, gesturing toward her large visitor. "He's a Pokemon trainer traveling around Unova."

Rex nodded, withdrawing a hand from his pockets.

"Hi," he said in a rather deep voice. He gave them a brief, polite wave, looking taciturn.

He went to stuff his hand back in his pocket, but Ash walked up to him.

"Hi! I'm Ash Ketchum! I'm from Pallet Town, in Kanto! Nice to meet you!"

It was a routine Ash had performed hundreds of times before. He extended a hand to Rex, looking up to meet him eye to eye.

Rex gave Ash's hand a suspicious glance, but after a moment of deliberation, he returned the gesture. To Ash's relief, Rex showed a small smile.

"And I'm Rex," he said, gripping Ash's hand. "Pleased to meet you."

May stepped up next to Ash and also extended a hand.

"I'm May," she said. "I'm from Petalburg City, in Hoenn. Nice to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you, too," said Rex, exchanging another handshake and a slight nod with her.

"So are you from Unova?" Ash asked.

"Yes," said Rex. "I'm from Opelucid City, up north."

"Rex is on a journey through Unova," said Professor Juniper. "He has seven gym badges so far."

Ash's eyes widened.

"Whoa, seven!" he said. "You must be a pretty good trainer!"

Rex seemed reluctant to take the compliment.

"I don't know that I'd say that, but okay," he said, looking rather uncomfortable. "I haven't qualified for the league yet or anything."

"Ash is a veteran of Pokemon League competition," Professor Juniper said to Rex. "He's competed, and placed highly, in the league tournaments of several regions."

"He won the Orange League!" said May. "And he defeated the Battle Frontier! I was there to see it."

"Well, if that's so, then what are you doing complimenting me?" Rex asked Ash. "I've got nothing on you."

"That's not true!" said Ash. "I came here to Unova with only one of my Pokemon, so it's like I'm starting all over again."

Rex gave him a baffled look.

"Why would you want to do that?" he asked.

There was a hush over the group. Ash suddenly felt like he didn't have an answer.

Rex looked like he regretted asking the question.

"My apologies," he said. "It's not my place to ask."

He pointed toward the rear of the hallway.

"If you all would excuse me, I have to tend to checking up on my Pokemon out in the gardens," he said.

Rex turned briskly, and headed to the back door. In a few seconds, he was gone.

The sound of the door closing echoed in the hall, and Professor Juniper laughed.

"That was awkward," said May.

"Weird guy, huh?" said Ash.

"That's one way to put it," said May.

"Don't worry about him," said Professor Juniper. "He's just slow to warm up to people, that's all."

Professor Juniper was about to continue, but she found herself cut off by the doorbell.

"I'm sorry," she said, "but I'll have to go see who it is."

Before she could leave, one of her assistants appeared in the front of the hallway.

"Professor, it's one of the new trainers," the assistant said. "He's here for his starter Pokemon."

"Oh my," Professor Juniper said, hurrying back to the lobby. "He's here well ahead of schedule!"

"He said he wanted to get an early start," the assistant said.

"Very well, then," said Professor Juniper. "Let's get him started."

The two disappeared around the corner, leaving Ash and May in the hall.

"This is what the professor wanted you to help with, right?" May asked.

"Yeah, it is," said Ash. "Let's follow them and see what's going on."

Ash and May turned the corner at the end of the hallway and entered the lobby. The young man waiting there now was as rigid as a machine. His eyes were distant behind his spectacles, aloof and calculating. His dark hair hung down past his ears. His clothing was tight-fitting. He acknowledged Ash and May's entrance with a mere glance in their direction.

Professor Juniper was sifting through a stack of paperwork in a harried way. She handed a paper to her assistant, who handed it to the machine-like visitor.

"Do you know where Bianca is?" said Professor Juniper, looking up from her stack of papers. "I was expecting the two of you together later in the day."

"I don't know where she is," the visitor said. "I told her that I intended to get started early, but she honestly has no sense of time."

"Do you know when she might get here?" said Professor Juniper.

"No, I can't say I do. Some time today, I suppose."

"Very well, then," said Professor Juniper, setting down the rest of the papers. "Come with me, and we'll get started!"

Professor Juniper turned to leave the room, but as she did, she noticed Ash and May.

"Ah, wonderful!" she said. "Cheren, there are some people I would like you to meet! Cheren, this is Ash and May. Ash, May, this is Cheren."

Cheren nodded and walked up to Ash and May.

"Hello," he said with a nod.

There was an exchange of curt handshakes. His hand was cold.

Professor Juniper beckoned for everyone to follow her. She took the group to a small room with a sealed glass case in the center, sitting atop a pedestal. Three pokeballs were visible through the glass.

The group gathered around the case and peered inside with wonder.

"Welcome!" said Professor Juniper, switching on the lights. "In the case before you are three pokeballs, each containing a Pokemon that new trainers here in Unova may choose as their first Pokemon!"

"I'm aware, professor," said Cheren. "I can choose from Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott."

"Wonderful!" said Professor Juniper. "I see you already know a bit about the process. But, before I can give you your first Pokemon, I'm required to give you the opportunity to choose between all three, so I have to introduce them to you."

Professor Juniper opened the case and pulled one of the pokeballs.

"First up, Snivy!" she said.

The red glow emitted from the ball materialized into a green, serpentine Pokemon with short limbs and a leaf on its tail. It was calm, aloof, almost pompous – not unlike Cheren.

"This one must be a grass type," said Ash, kneeling down to inspect the small Pokemon.

"It is," said Cheren.

"Looks like it has a lot of confidence," said Ash.

"Next up, Tepig!" said the professor.

This Pokemon was orange and black, with a snout, long ears, and a curly tail. It exhaled a few embers from its snout as it fell in line next to Snivy.

"This one's a fire type! It looks friendly, too," said Ash, patting it on the head.

Cheren simply nodded this time.

"And last up, Oshawott!"

Professor Juniper's final ball contained a timid-looking blue and white Pokemon, with a shell attached to its stomach. Its dewy eyes darted around the room before it hastily took its place next to Tepig. It stood alert and at attention, as if taking part in a military drill.

"This one's a water type, I'll bet!" said Ash. "Cute little guy, don't ya think?" he said to May.

May nodded, waving at Oshawott. The little Pokemon didn't seem to notice, looking directly ahead, focused.

"I choose Snivy," said Cheren, without even a second of deliberation.

Tepig lowered its head in defeat, but Oshawott, somewhat comically, looked like it had been slapped in the face. It recoiled in shocked horror and held that pose for several seconds before toppling over like a statue.

"That was quick," said Ash.

"I knew which one I wanted before I arrived," said Cheren. "I was planning on choosing Snivy."

"I'm certain you've put a lot of thought into it," said Professor Juniper. "And I'm certain you've made a great choice! Snivy seems to suit you well."

"Thank you," said Cheren.

"Now, everyone," Professor Juniper said, returning Tepig and Oshawott to their balls, "if you'll please come with me, we can-"

"WAAAAAAAAIT!"

Everyone turned toward the sound. A frantic voice came echoing down the corridor.

Cheren shook his head.

"WAIT!" came the voice again, getting closer.

"Miss, hold up! You need to-"

"WAIT FOR ME!"

An orange blur shot past the open door, and then the sounds of running and yelling halted abruptly. The person outside the door backed up a few steps.

She was in her late teens, around the same age as Cheren. She was in every other way his opposite. Her face was full of life, and her head was to a large volume of bright blonde hair and a huge green hat. Her green eyes were full of expression. She wore an orange sweater vest over her white dress, with orange stockings and a green bag.

She looked exasperated.

"Cheren!" she said through deep breaths. "I'm so sorry I'm late! I'm so, so, so sorry!"

"You're actually not late at all, Bianca!" said Professor Juniper. "Cheren was early. He just chose his starter Pokemon, and now it's your turn!"

"Really? Everything's okay?" said Bianca.

Her question seemed to be directed at Cheren. Her eyes pleaded with him.

"Yes! Everything is in order," said Professor Juniper. "Go ahead! There are two Pokemon left. Cheren chose Snivy, but Tepig and Oshawott are still available for you to choose!"

Professor Juniper opened the case once again, but this time skipped the formality of releasing the Pokemon one at a time. Tepig and Oshawott reappeared before them.

Bianca squealed with delight.

"They're both so cute!" she said, clutching her hands to her chest. "Oh, I don't know which one to choose!"

"Whichever one you like the best!" said the professor. "It's your decision."

Bianca zipped around the two remaining starter Pokemon, examining them. Both of them looked rather baffled.

Without any warning, she snatched Tepig up in her arms and began forcibly snuggling it.

"This one! This one!" she said.

Tepig did not seem nearly as excited as Bianca was, and promptly blew a cloud of hot embers in her face.

"WHOAOOAAOAA!" she exclaimed, swiping at her face as she flailed on the floor.

Oshawott again looked stunned beyond belief and toppled over. While Bianca righted herself and readjusted her hat, Ash knelt down beside Oshawott.

"Don't worry, little buddy," he said.

Oshawott looked at him with misty eyes.

"Someone is gonna choose you one day, I know it. I can see you've got a lot of heart."

He gave Oshawott a pat on the head and then stood up again. He helped Bianca get back on her feet.

"Careful with Tepig, Bianca," said Professor Juniper. "They are usually very amicable Pokemon, but they can be, pardon the pun, fiery."

"Right!" said Bianca. "I understand!" She scooped Tepig up in her arms again, much more gently than before. This time, Tepig did not put up a fight.

"Great!" said the professor. "Now, if you follow me, I'll be able to give both of you your Pokedex!"

The group filed out of the room and proceeded to another room near the end of the hallway. Inside were two small boxes.

Professor Juniper opened both boxes and handed one to both Cheren and Bianca.

"This device," she said, "is your Pokedex!"

"My what?" said Bianca.

"Your Pokedex, Bianca," said Cheren. "It holds and records information on Pokemon that you've encountered."

"Come, come Cheren!" said Professor Juniper. "Today is a happy day! There's no need to be so formal about it! Everyone has to begin somewhere. It's okay if Bianca isn't as familiar with the basics of being a trainer as you are."

"Yes, my apologies," said Cheren.

"And these," said Professor Juniper, extending a hand to each of them, "are pokeballs. I have five for both of you. You use these for catching wild Pokemon."

"Thank you, professor," said Cheren.

"Th-thanks!" said Bianca.

"And that's all I have for you," said Professor Juniper. "Unless you have any questions for me, you're free to begin your adventure!"

"I have one!" said Bianca. "Where are we going?"

Again, she seemed to be speaking to Cheren. The professor answered Bianca's question anyway.

"There's only one route in and out of town that's commonly traveled by trainers, and it heads north from here to Accumula Town," Professor Juniper said.

Ash realized that Bianca's question had just answered a question of his own. He'd had no clue where to go from here, until now.

"Hey, professor?" Ash asked.

"Yes?"

"Where's the nearest Pokemon gym?"

"It's in Striaton City, which is due north from here, past Accumula Town. For all of you, I recommend that you head there and test your skills!"

Cheren nodded.

"Okay!" said Bianca.

"And that reminds me," said Professor Juniper. "In all the commotion, I forgot to finish the introductions! Bianca – these two are Ash and May. They are both talented trainers from abroad!"

Bianca eagerly shook hands with both Ash and May. Her hand was sweaty.

Cheren seemed to be pondering something. He narrowed his eyes.

"Ash," Cheren said, "did you participate in the league tournament in Sinnoh?"

Ash's eyes widened, and he hesitated for a moment.

"Yeah, I did!" he said. "How did you know?"

"I saw you battling on television," Cheren said. "I thought I recognized you."

Ash felt an inexplicable need to defend his performance.

"I made it to the top four!" he said. "It was a really good finish."

"Indeed it was," said Cheren, nodding. He then turned to the professor. "Thanks again," he said. "I think I'll be on my way now."

Cheren started to leave, but Professor Juniper stopped him.

"Wait just a second!" she said. "There's a reason I introduced you and Bianca to Ash and May!"

"Yeah, didn't it have something to do with helping them?" said Ash.

"Yes," said Professor Juniper. "Ash is an experienced traveler who has encountered all kinds of obstacles on his journeys. He can help you two get on your way. Traveling can be difficult when you're new to it, after all."

"That's right," said May. "Ash helped me when I started my journey. I don't know what I would have done without him."

"I appreciate the offer," said Cheren, "but I'd prefer to get going on my own. Thank you."

"If that's what you choose, that's okay, too," said Professor Juniper. "Bianca, the offer is open for you, as well."

Bianca didn't hear what Professor Juniper said. She was too busy chasing after Cheren as he exited the building.

"Wait up!" she called out.

The door shut behind her, leaving an awkward silence in her tracks.

The silence was broken as Rex reappeared from the end of the hall.

"Professor?" he said. "I've made my exchanges. Thank you and your staff for watching after my Pokemon."

"You're welcome," Professor Juniper said, sighing as she massaged her temples.

Rex paused for a moment.

"Did something happen while I was outside?" he asked.

"Quite a bit happened," Professor Juniper said. "Normally, sending new trainers on their way isn't as hectic as that."

Professor Juniper's tone seemed to strike a chord with May, who nodded in agreement. Ash said nothing, remembering the first day of his journey and thinking that what he had just seen was tame in comparison.

Rex raised an eyebrow, but then shook his head.

"I don't even want to know," he said.

"I have a request for you all, actually," Professor Juniper said.

"What is it?" asked Ash.

"Could you follow the two of them, please? I have a feeling that things between them are going to get... messy."

Chapter Text

After finding that Pikachu was finally awake, Ash eagerly collected his partner and prepared to be on his way. Professor Juniper thanked them in advance for their assistance. In kind, he thanked the professor for all of her help.

Along with May, and with Pikachu atop his shoulder once again, Ash made his way to the edge of town, to the top of the hill where Route 1 began. The day was still young, and he felt full of energy.

"Can you see them from up there?" May called to him, trailing behind.

"Yeah, I think so!"

Ash could indeed see them. Bianca and Cheren appeared to be stopped at the signpost just up ahead. It looked like they were having a heated discussion, although Ash was too far away to hear them.

May, as usual, hated running, and she trailed behind Ash. Trailing behind May, though, was an unexpected third member of the party.

"How did I get dragged into this?" Rex grumbled.

"The professor asked for your help, too. Remember?" May said. "She had a request for all of us."

"But I don't even know what's going on," Rex said.

"Oh, you'll see," May said.

From her vantage point, she saw Ash disappear over the top of the hill. When she reached the top, she found Ash stopped at the signpost with Bianca and Cheren.

"So, mind filling me in?" said Rex.

"You haven't missed much," said May. "Bianca clearly wants to travel with Cheren, but he has other ideas."

"Sounds like a disaster," said Rex.

"I'm worried for Bianca," said May. "I'm not sure she knows."

Indeed, when everyone reached the signpost, it appeared that Bianca did not know.

"But it's the beginning of our journey!" said Bianca. "We should start it at the same time! Together!"

Cheren sighed.

"Very well," he said. "We can do it."

"Yay!" said Bianca. "We can all do it! Ash, you can join us! Your friends, too!"

"Leave me out of this," said Rex.

May gave him a sly glance.

"But you don't even know what's going on," May said, repeating his earlier words. Rex slapped his hand over his face.

"I'm not sure I know, either," said Ash. "Bianca, what are we doing?"

"We're all going to step onto Route 1 at the same time!" she said. "That way we can all start our journey together!"

Cheren stood next to Bianca with slack shoulders, looking defeated. Bianca looked elated.

"Oh my. It's much worse than I feared," Rex said to May.

"Hush," May said to him. "Let her have her moment of fun. Bianca! Ash and I will do it with you!"

Ash was more than willing to participate.

"Yeah, I'll do it!" he said.

"What about, um..." Bianca said, squinting at Rex. "Who's your other friend?"

"That's Rex," said Ash. "Professor Juniper sent him here with us."

"Sent him?" said Bianca.

May gave Ash a glance so fierce it made him feel fear in the pit of his stomach.

"She sent him along with us to show us the way," May said. "He's got a lot of experience traveling around Unova. Isn't that right?"

Rex raised an eyebrow at her.

"Um, yeah, that's right," he replied.

"Oh, well that's nice of you to help!" Bianca said. "Will you join us as we all start our journey together?"

"I'm already on my own journey," said Rex. "You kids can have your fun."

Bianca pouted.

"Oh, come on! Lighten up!" she said. "It'll be fun! It'll make a great memory."

"Forget about him," said May. "How do you want to do this?"

"Well, um..."

"Why don't we all get in a line?" Ash said. "And then we can all step off on the count of three?"

"Yeah, that will work!" said Bianca. "But wait! We need a line! Let's see, um... here!"

Bianca picked up a twig from the grassy area on the side of the road.

"Just a sec!"

With a great deal of focus, Bianca etched a line in the dirt road, explicitly indicating where Nuvema Town ended and where the great beyond began. It took her a minute, and she broke the twig once and had to continue with only half of it, but her effort was not in vain. When she was done, she proudly put her hands on her hips and beheld her line.

"Straight as can be!" she said. "And I made sure my hand didn't go across it when I drew it so that I stayed here in Nuvema Town and didn't accidentally cross it before the rest of you!"

"Alright then, so, we line up?" said Ash.

"Yep! Here, Cheren, you stand over there, and I'm here, and then May, then you Ash, then..."

She looked for Rex, but he was already standing at the line, waiting.

Bianca carefully aligned the toes of her shoes with the line she had drawn.

"Everyone, do what I did! Put the tips of your feet on the line!"

Everyone complied.

"So, do we get a countdown?" Ash said.

"Um, yeah! Step off on three!" said Bianca. "Alright, here we go. One... two... three!"

With the coordination of a group of toddlers, the five of them stepped across the line. Bianca was so determined that she took her step too forcefully and nearly tumbled over. Ash, who was never very good with numbers, stepped off late, and May busied herself with making sure Bianca stayed upright. On the opposite ends of the line, Cheren and Rex watched the other three with quizzical expressions.

Once Bianca had straightened her hat and ensured her shoes will still on, she held up her fists, as Ash often did.

"Alright! Now our journey can really begin!" she said.

She looked toward Cheren, but she found him looking away.

"What do you say? Cheren?"

Cheren shook his head at Bianca's question. He turned to face her.

"Bianca," he said, "What's all this about our journey?"

"What do you mean?" said Bianca.

"I never agreed to travel with you."

Ash found there was a nervous feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. He noticed May biting her lip, trying to avert her eyes. Rex had turned his back and walked a few steps away.

"But you never said no, either!" said Bianca.

"I also never said yes," said Cheren. "Nor did I say maybe. I never gave any indication that I was interested in it."

"You never said anything!" said Bianca. "So I assumed that you were okay with the idea!"

"I'm sorry," said Cheren, "but no. Maybe they will travel with you," he said, motioning to the others present, "but I would really prefer to go alone."

"But... but..."

"I'm sorry, but the answer is no."

"But... but I thought..."

Bianca sank to the ground, pulling her hat over her eyes. She continued stammering, her words becoming less and less intelligible.

Ash felt his stomach tying itself in a knot. He looked to May, who was no longer averting her eyes, but instead glaring at Cheren.

Then, May and Cheren's eyes met.

"How could you let things get to this point without ever giving her a straight answer?" she said.

"I didn't want to upset her!" said Cheren, raising his voice to something more than a monotone for the first time all day.

"Well, you have now!" said May. "There was no good reason for you to have kept her waiting for an answer for this long!"

"It's not like I'm going to change my mind!" said Cheren. "I've always intended to go on my journey alone. I even told her that! But she didn't get the hint! All through school, every time she talked about it, I never said or did anything that indicated I wanted to go with her. And I knew that if I said no, she was only going to keep asking me until I changed my mind. That's exactly what she did just now to get me to cross that line with her."

"That doesn't change the fact that you owe her an explanation for all this!" said May. "And an apology!"

"An explanation?" said Cheren. "She just heard my explanation! All of you did!"

"But... why?" Bianca moaned from within the confines of her hat.

"Why? I just said that I-"

"All you've said is that you wanted to travel alone!" said May.

"What more do I need to say?" said Cheren. "It's my own decision! I don't have to-"

"Enough!" said Rex. All heads present turned toward him. The severe expression that had been on his face when Ash and May first met him had returned. "The two of you are supposed to be Pokemon trainers now," he said, pointing at Cheren and Bianca, "so you should settle the matter like Pokemon trainers."

"How's that?" Bianca asked, meekly looking over the top of her hat, still clutched in front of her face.

"With a battle," Rex said. "If Cheren wins, he gets to travel on his own, like he wants. If Bianca wins, she gets to travel with Cheren, like she wants."

Cheren looked intrigued. Bianca looked terrified

"I would accept those terms," said Cheren. "We should settle it that way."

Bianca rummaged around in her bag. With difficulty, she extracted a pokeball from deep inside, her hand briefly getting stuck. She held it up and put on the best guise of determination she could muster.

"I'll do it," she said, her voice shaking. "I'll have a battle with you."

"There we go," said Rex, nodding. "I'll referee the match, if that's okay with everyone."

There were no objections.

"Let's take this off the road," he said. "There's an open area off to the side of the road that seems like a fine place for this."

Cheren and Bianca followed Rex off to the side of the road toward the clearing. Ash and May followed behind the three of them. They looked at each other. Both frowned.

"I don't like this," said Ash, keeping his voice low.

"Me neither," said May. "I don't think Bianca has any idea what she's doing, and Cheren knows it."

"Exactly," said Ash. "Now I understand why the professor wanted us to follow the two of them. What do you think would have happened if we weren't here?"

"Cheren would have left Bianca crying at the sign," said May.

She and Ash exchanged a look of understanding. They both knew this wasn't going to have a happy ending.

"Pika..." Pikachu added, sounding glum.

"I really don't like that they're going to use their Pokemon to settle this," said Ash.

"We should say something," said May. "They haven't started yet. It's not too late."

Ash thought for a moment about what to say, but he felt that nervous feeling in his stomach again.

"I dunno," he said. "Even if this isn't the right thing for them to do, it's gotta be easier than having them talk it all out."

May grimaced and looked away.

In the open area, Rex positioned Cheren and Bianca on opposite sides, facing one another.

"This will be a one-on-one Pokemon battle between Cheren and Bianca," he said, an arm extended in the direction of both trainers. "Each trainer will be allowed the use of one Pokemon, with no substitutions and no time limit. The battle will be over when one or both Pokemon are unable to continue battling. Do you both agree to these terms?"

Cheren agreed. Bianca, after watching Cheren do the same, shook her head in the affirmative.

"Very well. Trainers, send out your Pokemon!"

Cheren removed his pokeball from his belt and pointed it toward the field. A red jet of light shot out of it, and Snivy appeared, looking every bit as confident as its trainer.

Bianca clutched her pokeball. She looked around once and then gave the ball an awkward throw, landing only a short distance before her. Tepig burst out of it.

"Okay, Tepig," she said. "This is our first battle. Do your best."

Tepig blew some embers from its snout. A short distance away, Ash felt the heat from the embers wash over him.

"Well, at least Bianca has the type advantage," he said.

"Do you think it's going to matter?" said May.

"No," he said. Both he and Pikachu frowned. "Bianca's too nervous for this."

"It's just like stage fright at contests," said May. "First the trainer gets nervous, then their Pokemon sees it and mimics it. It's a textbook example."

"Trainers! You may begin!" said Rex. He brought his arms down, signaling the beginning of the battle.

Cheren pushed his glasses back against the bridge of his nose.

"Snivy, use Tackle!"

Snivy quickly went into motion and rushed forward. Tepig stood still, unsure what to do as Snivy ducked its head down and collided directly with its opponent. Tepig reeled back a few feet, landing right next to Bianca. Snivy instinctively backed off toward Cheren, knowing it was not wise to remain at such close range to a fire-type.

"Hey!" said Bianca. "That was really rough!"

Cheren stared at her in disbelief.

"This is how a battle works," he said.

"Um..." Bianca quivered and looked at Tepig, who stared up at her wide-eyed, awaiting a command. "Uh... well, if you want to be rough like that, then you use Tackle too, Tepig!"

This time, Tepig charged forward, rushing headlong toward Snivy.

"Snivy, intercept Tepig with Leaf Tornado," Cheren said.

Snivy held its small leaf-hands out before it, and a green aura of energy formed in between them. From it, leaves began to spout forth. First only a few, and then dozens, if not hundreds more. They swirled around in a funnel shape and blasted out in front of Snivy, headed directly toward Tepig. Bianca saw the attack and shrieked, and Tepig immediately halted and tried to turn on the spot. It was useless. The attack broadsided Tepig and sent it reeling again, this time sending it in a dizzying roll several feet backward.

"Whoa! That move's a new one to me," said Ash.

"Me too. I've never heard of it before," said May. "It looked strong."

Bianca held up her Pokedex and thumbed through its indices frantically, searching for what move she should use to respond. Tepig got on its feet and looked back to her, once again waiting on another command.

"Um, uh..." she said, her hands shaking.

"Snivy, use Vine Whip," said Cheren.

More than willing to exploit the opponent's indecisiveness, two slender vines emerged from Snivy's back and swept through the air, aimed directly at Tepig's blind side.

"Uh... Tepig! Defense Curl!" Bianca cried.

Tepig rolled into a ball shape and huddled on the ground, trying to shield itself from the incoming attack. Snivy's vines made contact, but instead of making a sharp cracking sound, they merely bounced off with a mild thump.

"Hey, that move wasn't bad at all!" said May.

"Yeah, you're right!" said Ash. "But I don't think a defensive move like that is going to be enough."

Bianca jumped up and down, brimming with excitement.

"Tepig! That was great! Yes!"

Tepig turned around fully to face her and beamed at her, tail wagging. Snivy stood directly behind, smirking.

"Oh no," said Ash, covering his face with his hand. It was all over now.

"Snivy, use Leaf Tornado," Cheren said.

There was just enough time for Bianca's face to change from happiness to horror. At point-blank range, with its opponent's back turned, Snivy's Leaf Tornado was a direct, clean hit. Tepig squealed and was blown away, rolling out of control and into the base of a tree stump. When the strewn leaves settled to the ground, the result of the battle was a foregone conclusion. Tepig did not move. A few silent moments passed.

"Tepig cannot continue the battle," Rex said, raising his arm in Cheren's direction. "Snivy and Cheren are the victors."

Bianca rushed over to where Tepig lay and fell to her knees. Cheren, meanwhile, bore a confident smile.

"Well done, Snivy," he said. "That was a good first battle. Thanks."

With that, he returned Snivy to its pokeball and reattached it to his belt. He turned and walked away without another word.

Ash clenched his fist, but did not give chase.

"Poor Bianca," said May. "What a mess."

May walked over to where Bianca was kneeling. Reluctantly, Ash joined her, and Rex followed thereafter. Much to the surprise of everyone present, Bianca wasn't in tears. She was holding Tepig, looking down at the ground and frowning. Tepig stirred in her arms, beaten but uninjured.

"I'm sorry, Bianca," May said.

Bianca said nothing. Instead, much like she did at the signpost a few minutes earlier, she reached for her big green hat as if to pull it over her face.

"At least Tepig isn't hurt," Ash said, as if it would be any consolation.

"Yeah," Bianca replied, shaking. She hid her eyes behind her hat.

May knelt down next to Bianca and put a hand on her shoulder.

"I know it was more than just a battle, and I know losing hurts, but it will be okay," May said.

"Yeah, don't worry about it!" said Ash. "Everybody struggles at the start. I know I sure did, and May did, too. It's totally normal to lose your first battle."

May gave Ash another fierce glance, and he knew immediately that he had missed the point. Bianca remained hidden behind her hat.

Tepig had been released from Bianca's clutches, and Pikachu hopped down to the ground to join it. While Tepig swallowed its pride, Pikachu shared a few words of wisdom.

"You did your best," said Rex. "There is no shame in that."

"He's right," said Ash.

"You're going to be okay," said May, "and Tepig will be, too."

"Osha-osha."

"What!" several voices cried out in surprise. Heads everywhere snapped around to locate the source of the sound. Oshawott stood several yards away from the huddled group, looking somber, evidently trying to offer some words of condolence.

"Oshawott!" said Ash. "What are you doing here?"

Oshawott gave Ash a chipper reply, accenting its statement with a slap of its shell.

"Is that the same Oshawott from the lab?" said May.

"I think so," said Ash. "It looks the same to me."

"Maybe it followed us?" said May.

Bianca looked at Oshawott, her eyes still partially hidden behind her hat.

"I think it's the same one," she said. "I got a good look at it in the lab."

"Yeah," said Ash, "I think you're right. But what are you doing here, Oshawott?"

In an effort to bridge the obvious communication gap, Pikachu confronted Oshawott. An incomprehensible conversation between the two ensued. Ash became engrossed in it and tried his best to follow along, but he felt quite lost.

Recomposing herself, Bianca straightened her hat atop her head. She scooped Tepig up in her arms, and then rose to her feet. She moved as if to take a step forward, and then faltered. She looked down, then shut her eyes tightly. This time, it looked like she really would cry.

"Bianca," May said, reaching out toward her, "where are you going?"

"I don't know," Bianca choked out, clearly fighting back tears. "Wh-where am I... supposed to go? Everything's ruined..."

"That's not true," May said, calmly shaking her head.

"Yes it is..."

Now, the tears really did come. Standing only a short distance away, Rex looked profoundly uncomfortable. He looked even less comfortable when May took Tepig out of Bianca's arms and handed the small Pokemon to him.

May lent her shoulder to Bianca and put an arm around her. Rex held Tepig at arm's length, looking like he had no idea what to do. Tepig stared back at him, just as confused.

Bianca sobbed.

Professor Juniper drummed her fingers on the kiosk impatiently. How many rings would it take for the man to answer the phone? And who in the world would set their phone to wait for at least sixteen rings before defaulting to voice mail? She knew he was getting older, but did it really take him that long to hobble across the room to answer a call?

Thirteen rings. Fourteen rings. Fift-

"Hello?"

"Ah! There you are!" said Professor Juniper.

The video stream finished buffering, and Professor Oak came into clear view.

"Aurea! To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I hope I haven't interrupted anything important, Samuel," Professor Juniper said. "There's been an interesting development."

"A development?" Professor Oak said, scratching at his chin. "What do you mean?"

Professor Juniper could barely contain her excitement.

"As I'm sure you are aware, Ash arrived here yesterday," she said.

"Ah, yes. I had hoped I would hear from him upon his arrival in Unova."

"Well, consider this his complementary correspondence," Professor Juniper said. "And please accept an apology from him on my behalf for not contacting you. Ash was rather busy upon his arrival."

"Was he? What was he doing? Did something happen?"

Professor Juniper beamed.

"Yes, something highly unusual happened."

"Highly unusual occurrences seem to follow Ash everywhere," said Professor Oak.

"You told me so, but I had know idea you meant it so literally," Juniper said.

"You know that I don't go around volunteering that information, Aurea," said Professor Oak. "I would swear on my reputation in the scientific community that not a single word of those accounts is falsified or exaggerated, but the claims are so outlandish that even in my position I doubt anyone would believe me. I've discussed these matters with the handful of reputable researchers who have seen them firsthand – Ivy and Rowan in particular – but they have also kept quiet thus far, simply due to a lack of a certifiable body of evidence. You are the first person from outside the local scientific community to inquire about them."

"You can add me to that list of firsthand witnesses," Juniper said. "When Ash arrived in Nuvema yesterday, he had a close encounter with what may have been a legendary Pokemon."

"Let's not jump to conclusions too quickly now, Aurea."

"There is a Unovan legend," said Professor Juniper, "of a Pokemon said to cause sudden, violent storms. People commonly claim to have witnessed it, and its equally mischievous cousin, during the stormy spring and summer months. In native folklore, the appearance of either one is considered to be a bad omen. The evidence for their existence is so scant that they may as well be UFOs."

"That's a bleak comparison," said Professor Oak. "And yet you claim you saw it yourself?"

"I believe I did," said Professor Juniper. "There was a sudden, unnatural storm cell that developed south of Nuvema in a matter of perhaps two minutes, which then rushed ashore, halting directly above the docks. From within the eye of the cloud, there was a bolt of electrical energy which descended and struck Ash's Pikachu. The lightning strike was far more intense than any natural bolt of lightning. Pikachu sustained serious, but not debilitating injuries. A lesser Pokemon would have been killed."

"Are you sure this wasn't a natural storm? Even I am familiar with Unova's reputation for volatile and severe weather."

"It was unlike anything I've seen," said Professor Juniper. "This storm was less of a weather system than it was a phenomenon."

Professor Oak clenched his brow.

"I do hope you realize that if this had happened to anyone other than Ash, I wouldn't even entertain the notion of believing you."

Professor Juniper smiled.

"So you do believe me," she said.

"Yes, I do," Professor Oak said.

Professor Juniper leaned back in her seat and sighed blissfully, looking upward.

"It's just so perfect," she said. "You agree to nudge Ash in my direction, he comes here, and within one day he has a possible encounter with a legendary Pokemon, practically in my front yard."

"That's what concerns me," said Oak.

"What's that?"

"That it's so perfect, as you say. Not to lecture you, but as I'm sure you're well aware, when something is too perfect, skepticism should be applied."

"I am aware. Still, you told me that you believed my account."

"And I do, but it's not so much the what that concerns me. It's the why. It seems... contrived."

"Tell me what you will about cognitive biases, but currently I believe that the best explanation for what I and several hundred inhabitants of this town saw yesterday is that a Pokemon caused the incident."

"I believe you may have misunderstood me," Oak said, shaking his head. "I am not saying that I suspect you of having an ulterior motive in telling your story. What I mean to say is that I wonder if the attack against Pikachu had an ulterior motive."

Professor Juniper grinned.

"Not to lecture you," she said, "but in the event of a particularly rare and unusual occurrence such as the one witnessed here yesterday, the most likely explanation is generally the answer requiring the fewest assumptions. In this case, that explanation is that it was a chance encounter, simple luck."

"Occam's Razor," Professor Oak said with a nod. "And although I admire your use of the principle, I'm not sure I follow."

"The theory which I posited to Ash was simply this – Pikachu in their natural habitat are commonly struck by lightning, their tails acting as natural lightning rods. However, Pikachu are not native to Unova, so when Ash and his Pikachu arrived here, the legendary Pokemon happened to be in the area, and Pikachu's naturally conductive qualities served as a beacon. Factor in the legend's supposed natural tendency toward mischief, and it follows that it would intentionally strike the new lightning rod in the area."

"A possible explanation," said Professor Oak, "but only if you are willing to make the considerable assumption that this event was indeed caused by a legendary Pokemon."

Professor Juniper frowned at the screen.

"You know who we're discussing," she said. "And you know better than anyone that in the case of Ash, it's more likely than not to be true."

"I do know," said Professor Oak. "And I also know that you're ecstatic to have potentially witnessed something so extraordinary so early in your career. And you'll have to pardon me, for I don't wish to slight you, but I wish it wasn't so. I worry for the boy's safety."

"Understandably so," said Professor Juniper. "But tell me, does that mean you agree with my theory?"

"I think it has merit," said Professor Oak. "But I also don't think that luck had anything to do with it."

"Why is that?"

"Because whenever Ash has one of these encounters, luck is rarely involved. I said that I thought the event seemed contrived, and I stand by that. I still believe it is possible that there was an ulterior motive."

"But what could it possibly be?"

"I don't know the answer to that, but I do think that the attack was intentional. Your supposed legend may enjoy partaking in mischief, but based on Ash and Pikachu's history, I have every reason to believe that the attack was anything but random."

"Care to elaborate?" said Professor Juniper.

"That, my dear, would require far more time than I can give you today. And didn't you tell me just the other day that you had an appointment scheduled for this morning?"

Professor Juniper grumbled, rolling her eyes.

"I see your memory is as sharp as ever," she said. "Yes, I did. That appointment is already over. You can't use it as an excuse to get off the hook that easily. I have all the time in the world today."

"My apologies, but it must wait."

"Very well," said Professor Juniper. She sighed deeply.

"Again, I apologize," said Professor Oak. "I am aware that I must be making things rather difficult for you, but I assure you it is done with good intentions. I like to foster an environment of healthy skepticism among the younger members of the scientific community. So, give the matter some more thought. There is no need for you to rush toward a major discovery at your age. You have so much time, and so much potential."

"Understood, and appreciated," said Professor Juniper. "I look forward to hearing back from you. Sooner rather than later, I hope."

"I'll see what I can do. Take care."

Chapter Text

Two days passed.

Two days of complaining, grumbling, poor meals, shoddy camps, slow progress, sore feet, and sorer feelings passed, and the traveling party arrived in Accumula Town. After checking in at the Pokemon center, they paused for perhaps ten seconds before shedding down their gear in their room and hitting the showers. All except Ash. Instead, he headed for a phone kiosk.

As he waited for his call's recipient to pick up, he found his shoulders sagging under the weight of a heavier load than usual. Pikachu sat atop one of his shoulders, and Oshawott sat atop the other.

The ringtone ceased, and the screen flickered to life.

"Hello?"

"Professor Juniper, is that you?" Ash said. "I can't see you yet."

"Who is this? Oh, it's you, Ash!" Professor Juniper said as the video came through. "Yep, it's me! You found me. And apparently you found Oshawott."

Ash looked over at Oshawott. Oshawott stared at the screen nervously.

"It was actually more like Oshawott found me," Ash said, scratching the back of his neck. He was worried what this call would mean for his blue friend.

"I'm glad he did," said Juniper. "My assistants and I weren't sure how Oshawott got out of here in the first place, but we were concerned about his whereabouts and safety. I'm glad to see he found his way into good hands."

Ash paused. This wasn't what he had expected.

"I was afraid you would be mad," Ash said, trying hard to contain his excitement. It was too early to celebrate yet.

"Now come, Ash," said Professor Juniper. "Why would you expect that?"

"Well, I couldn't really understand everything that Oshawott tried to say, but it sounded like he thought he was going to be in trouble once we called you."

"I would say that's a reasonable expectation," said Professor Juniper, causing Oshawott's ears to droop. "However, it's not entirely unexpected that Oshawott would run away like this, either."

"It's not?"

"No. I don't know if you gleaned as much from your attempts at understanding Oshawott's speech, but it's no secret here that Oshawott has wanted to leave for a long time."

Oshawott appeared to be hiding his face from the camera.

"I kind of did, maybe?" Ash said, unsure.

"You would of course have no way of knowing this," said Professor Juniper, "but you were the only trainer to pass through my lab in months who showed any serious appreciation of or interest in Oshawott. More than a dozen new trainers have started their journey from here in Nuvema Town in the past few months, and none of them chose Oshawott. He's been waiting here, getting passed over repeatedly, hoping a trainer would choose him."

"That had to be tough," Ash said. He reached up over his shoulder and patted Oshawott on the head.

"It would be enough to darken anyone's spirits," said Professor Juniper. "And I believe that the combination of Cheren and Bianca's rapid rejection of him, plus the empathy you showed, convinced Oshawott that you were the only way he was ever getting out of here. So, he escaped and went after you."

Ash nodded in understanding. The call went silent from both ends for a brief while. Ash could feel tension around him, the bated breath of the Pokemon atop both his shoulders reminding him that there was an unanswered question still hanging in the air. A big question.

"So," he said, "I really don't want to do this, but do I have to send Oshawott back to you?"

Ash heard Oshawott gulp.

"Under normal circumstances, I would say yes," Juniper replied. "As a regional professor, I work under guidelines to administer the release of Unova's league-approved starter Pokemon only into the care of new trainers. However, I don't think these are normal circumstances."

"Does that mean Oshawott gets to stay with me?"

"Yes, it does."

"Yes!" Ash cheered, pumping his fist. Oshawott toppled off his shoulder and onto the counter of the kiosk.

"Ethically speaking, I'm not sure I would be right to force Oshawott to return here, regardless of where he had gone. It was clear that Oshawott was taking the rejections very hard and that he was discouraged to the point that he felt he needed to break free and escape. If a Pokemon is in that kind of distress while in our care, I don't think it would be responsible for us to attempt to retrieve it. As an educator, my job is usually to look after the welfare of trainers. The Pokemon that the Unova League issues to me are selected for their ease of training so that new trainers will be better able to both compete in the league and to defend themselves on their journeys. Thus, the league stresses the importance of giving these starter Pokemon specifically to new trainers. However, on a purely moral level, it feels wrong to me to to confine Oshawott and subject him to the emotional barrage that he faced. I have to consider the welfare of our Pokemon as well, not just our trainers. If Oshawott would rather be with you, then it's for the best."

"Were things really that bad, professor?"

"I'm not a psychiatric specialist, but in my own estimation, I would say that Oshawott was depressed."

"Depressed?"

"Perhaps, or perhaps not, but Oshawott was certainly frustrated with the situation, at a minimum. Short of being selected back here by a caring and competent new trainer, I would say that the right treatment is for Oshawott to do exactly what he did. That is, taking matters into his own hands. Oshawott had no control over the situation, so he took control of it."

"Is that good?"

"It certainly is!" said Professor Juniper. "Lucky you, you've got a new Pokemon who is very strong-willed! Oshawott is undoubtedly better off with you than he ever could be in my lab or with any of the trainers who passed up the opportunity of training him."

Oshawott was again trying to hide his face, but this time because he was blushing.

"So yes, Ash, you get to keep Oshawott. I'll send his pokeball to the center in Accumula at once."

"Thanks so much, professor!"

"You're quite welcome!"

Back in the dormitory hall, now with only Pikachu atop his shoulder and a newly-occupied pokeball equipped to his belt, Ash found Rex leaning against the wall outside the door to their room. His arms were crossed and he was sopping wet, dressed in a soggy plain white t-shirt and a towel wrapped around his waist. His already rather long hair appeared longer when wet, and he dripped steadily onto the tile floor.

He gave Ash a resigned glance.

"I took too long in the shower, so the girls got back to the room before I did," he said. "I have to wait while they get dressed."

"How long have you been waiting?" Ash asked.

"Long enough. They should be done soon," Rex said. "What happened with Oshawott? Did Juniper make you send him back?"

"Nope! I get to keep him," Ash said. "She said Oshawott would be better off with me than back at her lab."

"Good," said Rex, giving Ash a small nod. He turned his head in the direction of the door. "Now if these two would just hurry it up, I can get changed into real clothes and we can get to addressing the issue of our lack of supplies."

"Yeah," Ash sighed, remembering the meager pickings of the past two days. Stale ramen and canned tomatoes with beans had not proved to be a satisfying meal after a full day on the road, especially with it split between four people.

"And while we're at it, we can get a real dinner somewhere here in town," said Rex. "If you all think I'm cooking for you again tonight, you've lost your minds."

Ash nearly salivated on the floor at the thought of a restaurant-prepared meal. Something warm and flavorful, something professionally prepared, seemed heavenly to him. He would be able to eat as much as he wanted and then come back to a real bed and a real bathroom. It was going to be great.

His reverie was broken by the turning of the door handle.

May poked her head out through the door. She held her bandanna, folded neatly in her hand. Her hair was still slightly wet and was hanging lower than normal, but otherwise she appeared ready. The first thing she saw was the dripping Rex in his sodden shirt. Just past him, she noticed Ash.

"Hey!" she said, walking out into the hallway. "How did it go with the professor and Oshawott?"

"She let me keep him!" Ash said, unable to contain his smile. May found herself unable to contain hers, either.

"That's awesome!" she said. "So did she send you Oshawott's pokeball?"

"Yep!" Ash said, removing Oshawott's ball from his belt and holding it out for May. "Oshawott's with us, now!"

Pikachu held up two fingers victoriously and voiced his approval.

Bianca emerged from the room now, adjusting her hat. Rex slipped past her and went inside, closing the door behind him. The lock clicked shut.

"Did you hear, Bianca? I get to keep Oshawott!" Ash said.

"Oh my gosh oh my gosh!" Bianca said, running up to Ash and looking closely at the pokeball he still held. "That's so great! Hi, Oshawott!" she said, waving at the ball. "Do you think he can hear me in there?"

Ash tilted his head.

"Um, I'm not sure," he said, looking toward May in hopes of getting an answer. May shrugged.

"I dunno," May said. "Some Pokemon seem like they can hear and understand what's going on outside their pokeballs, and some don't. It's kind of a mystery."

"Yeah," said Ash. "I've seen Pokemon that can break out of their pokeballs whenever they want! But most can't."

"Or at least they don't choose to," May said. "Most know that their trainers don't like it when they do that."

"Tepig hasn't come out of his ball yet unless I've sent him out," said Bianca. "Do you think he can get out without me?"

Ash shrugged, and so did May. How could they possibly know?

"I guess not," said Ash. "Normally, the Pokemon that don't want to be in pokeballs come bursting out right away."

"That's right," said May. "If Tepig has been traveling with you in his ball for this long without any problems, he probably can't get out without you sending him out."

"Wow, that's kinda scary, you know?" said Bianca. "Like, what would happen if I lost Tepig's pokeball and he was in it? Would he just be trapped forever?"

Ash was silent. He had no idea. He hadn't given this any serious thought before.

"Maybe so," said May. Bianca looked devastated, and she immediately revised her answer. "But it's not like it's bad in there! At least, I don't think it is. It's probably kind of like being asleep. I don't think the Pokemon are even aware of what's going on outside."

"But you guys just said that some are!" said Bianca. "You said you've seen it!"

May looked to Ash. Bianca had them cornered, and Ash didn't have a clue what to say. How were they supposed to answer this?

"I'm sorry, but I really don't know the answer," said May. "I'm not sure anyone knows what it's like inside a pokeball."

"Hmm..." Bianca hummed, lips tight, looking rather disappointed.

"Pikachu knows," said Ash, looking over to his partner on his shoulder.

Pikachu gave Ash an uncomfortable glance.

"Pikachu hated his pokeball when we first met. He refused to get back in it after I let him out, and I've never put him back in the ball since. He wouldn't even get back inside when we were in danger and it might have saved him a lot of trouble."

Ash's words hung heavily in the hallway. They implied a great deal, none of it good.

Everyone looked at Pikachu. Ever bashful, Pikachu nervously laughed and scratched the back of his neck.

"Is it bad in there, buddy?" Ash asked.

Pikachu's response was interrupted by Rex emerging from the room, dressed in his normal clothes again. He was no longer dripping wet, but his damp hair still hung lower than usual, much like May's.

"Why the long faces?" he said. "I told you I wasn't cooking tonight. We're going to go out and get a real meal."

His mediocre joke garnered no laughs.

"We were talking about pokeballs," said Bianca.

"What about them?" said Rex.

"What it's like inside them!" said Bianca. "Ash said Pikachu doesn't like them."

"They're supposed to be designed to be comfortable," said Rex, "but there are some Pokemon that just don't like them."

Pikachu shook his head, clearly disliking the subject.

"Yeah, Pikachu sure doesn't like them," said Ash.

"But what is it like inside them?" Bianca asked.

"I don't know," said Rex. "I'm not sure any human truly knows. I've heard and read lots of conflicting information and accounts about it. Some say that Pokemon are aware of everything going on while they're in there. Others say that it's more like sleep, or anesthesia, so that they can't sense anything. I've heard it can even vary by species and personality."

"But is it bad in there?"

Rex shrugged, at a loss for a better explanation.

"No human truly knows," he said.

"Even if it's nice and cozy inside them, can you really blame some Pokemon for wanting to get out?" said May. "Nobody wants to be trapped."

Pikachu appeared to agree with May.

"Very true," said Rex. "Now, are we ready to go eat or what?"

Dinner proved to be an excellent distraction from weighty topics and fatigue. Even more of a distraction, though, was the amount of food consumed. Despite Ash and May combined being about the size of Rex, both of them individually ate at least twice as much food as he did. Bianca and Rex both watched the grotesque consumption in awe, stunned that this was apparently normal.

Upon leaving, it was the topic of discussion.

"How can you two possibly eat that much and still be mobile?" Rex asked Ash and May. He and Bianca were a few steps ahead of them on the sidewalk, not nearly as encumbered by their meals.

"Beats me," said Ash, waddling along with his dinner resting comfortably in his stomach. "I just love to eat!"

"If I ate like that, I would gain so much weight," said Bianca, not attempting to conceal her jealousy.

"And I would gain more than I've already got," said Rex.

"Good genes, I guess," said May, a silly smile on her face. "I think we just both inherited a good metabolism!"

"What's a metabo-what?" asked Ash.

"I don't think I inherited one at all," said Rex, looking down at himself.

"So we're going shopping now, right?" Bianca asked, sounding more excited.

"Yes," said Rex.

"Yay!" she said, her steps turning into skips. "I can't wait to see what they have in the stores around here. This town is so cute!"

"I know, right!?" May said. Ash rolled his eyes.

"We're shopping for supplies," said Rex. He motioned toward Ash and May behind him. "These two eat way more than I thought they would. I wasn't planning on cooking for four, let alone the six that it's actually like. We're going to have to stock up."

"Oh," said Bianca, disappointed. "But can we go to the other stores later?"

"Yeah, seriously, we should go!" said May.

"Sure, it's up to you all," said Rex. "I just need to get supplies."

He paused and glanced at Bianca. He appeared to eye her up and down.

"Although," he said, "you might want to get some better traveling gear while you're out."

"Huh?" said Bianca.

"Your clothes," he said. "You mi-"

"What about my clothes!?"

Ash and May both held their breath.

"You might want to get something better for the road," Rex said. "Something sturdier, more suitable for traveling."

"What's wrong with my clothes!?" Bianca said.

She sounded insulted. Rex was either unaware or did not care.

"They're nice, but they aren't appropriate for the kind of journey we're on. You need better shoes, for sure."

"These shoes are cute, though!"

Rex gazed at her, looking incredulous.

"Are you serious?" he said.

"Yes! There's nothing wrong with them! I'll wear what I want."

"Suit yourself. When those shoes start to fall apart in a week, don't blame me. It'll be about ten days for us to get to Striaton City. If I were you, I would rather not have that happen out there on the road."

Bianca looked down at her feet, embarrassed. Her face turned red.

In the awkward silence, Ash's eyes wandered. He noticed movement across the street.

"What do you think is going on over there in the park?" Ash asked.

Everyone's head turned and looked in the direction Ash was pointing.

There was a congregation of people in the open field of the park in the center of town. A confused tone lingered in the sounds coming from there. Flying high above the crowd were several banners and flags.

"It looks like some kind of demonstration or something," said May.

"Like a protest?" said Bianca.

"Beats me," said May. "I don't know what they would be protesting. I can't read those flags."

"I'm going to take a look," said Ash. "I wanna see what's going on."

"Me too," said May, following Ash as he stepped out into the crosswalk.

"Guess that leaves us no choice," said Rex, looking at Bianca.

Bianca refused to look him in the eye, but followed nonetheless.

After crossing the the street while the stoplight was conveniently red, the group walked across the open lawn, stopping when they reached the rear of the crowd. They could see what was happening now, but the unfortunate truth was that getting closer to the scene didn't make the situation any clearer.

"Who are these people?" said Ash.

These people were a group of hooded figures wearing chain mail armor, each with a tabard bearing a bizarre insignia of black, white, and blue. The group was in lock-step, marching like a military unit across the park. The two on the front end and the back end of each line carried a flag, an ornate tapestry that matched the insignia on their armor. In the center of the formation was a man with long, grayish-green hair dressed in the most unusual set of robes Ash had ever seen. The two sides of his robe were color-reversed mirror images of the other, each bearing a glyph-like pattern of an eye. A monocle with a red lens covered one of his eyes.

"They're creepy," said May. "I don't know what they're up to, but I don't like the look of it."

"Me neither," said Ash.

"That makes three of us," said Rex.

The cadence of their marching suddenly halted. With practiced precision, the formation split, placed their flags, and fell back into position. This time, they lined up behind the robed man, as if in deference to him. It felt like the entire town had been silenced. The robed man rose his hands up in a triumphant, glorious motion. Ash felt his pulse pound for reasons he couldn't understand.

The silence was broken as the robed man spoke. His voice sent a shiver down both Ash's spine.

"My name is Ghetsis," he proclaimed to the townspeople. His voice was strong and he projected it well, as if he had a considerable amount of experience doing this. The unnerving part was his subtle, slow, trailing drawl. "I am here representing Team Plasma."

Ash's jaw dropped.

"Team what?" he said in a whisper, looking to May.

"Team Plasma?" said May. "Don't tell me this place has its own version of Team Rocket."

"I don't know," said Ash. "I had no idea about these guys. Sorry."

May gave him a curious look, but then the robed man spoke again.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Ghetsis said, "I would like to speak to you today about Pokemon liberation."

"Pokemon liberation?" Ash whispered, repeating what he had just heard. He wasn't sure if he had heard Ghetsis correctly, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to hear it.

"I am sure most of you believe that we humans and Pokemon are partners that have come to live together because we want and need each other. However, is that really the truth? Have you ever considered that perhaps we humans only assume this is the truth? Pokemon are subject to the selfish commands of trainers. They get pushed around when they are our 'partners' at work. Can anyone say with confidence that there is no truth to what I am saying?"

Ghetsis paused. The silence was suffocating. Not a single person spoke. Not even in the far-off distance was there any noise. The collective stomachs of Accumula Town were all tied into one nervous knot. Ghetsis scanned the audience before him, searching for anyone who felt confident enough that they might speak in opposition. He found nobody.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen," he said, "Pokemon are different from humans. They are living beings that contain unknown potential. They are living beings from whom we humans have much to learn. Tell me, what is our responsibility toward these wonderful beings called Pokemon?"

Again, there was utter silence. Ghetsis did not pause for nearly as long this time.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we must liberate the Pokemon. Then, and only then, will humans and Pokemon truly be equals. Everyone, I end my words here today by imploring you to consider the relationship between people and Pokemon, and the correct way to proceed. We sincerely appreciate your attention."

As if the whole unit was a machine, the line of knights in armor operated in reverse, retrieving their flags, falling back into formation, and then returning from whence they came, all in rigid lock-step. While they disappeared around a street corner and out of sight, Accumula Town returned to life.

Reaction among those present was greatly varied. Some were panicking, others huddled in circles discussing what they had just heard. Others seemed silent and fearful. Ash found himself torn between uncertainty and some kind of sickening fright. One look at May was enough to tell him that she felt the same way.

"And to think we were talking about the ethics of pokeballs earlier today," Rex said.

Ash felt a pang of worry in his stomach. The timing was unsettling.

"Yeah, that was really weird," said May. "That had to be a coincidence, right?"

"I hope so," Ash said. He paused, afraid for a moment to say what he was thinking. "But... do you think they had a point?"

"They didn't sound like Team Rocket, or Team Aqua, or Team Magma," said May. "I think that guy may have been onto something. I mean, it really makes you think, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it does," said Bianca. "But I don't want to think about it!"

"Me neither," said Ash.

"Why don't we get back to shopping?" said May. "I think I've had enough heavy conversation for one day."

"Me too," said Bianca.

As if the matter was settled, the group started to walk back to the street. Rex lagged behind for a moment and shook his head.

"Guys, those people are crazy," he said, catching up to the other three.

"What do you mean, crazy?" said Ash.

"They're a cult!" said Rex.

"A cult?"

"Yes! It was like all those people in armor worshiped the guy in the robes."

"But why would they do that?"

"I don't know," said Rex, "but I'm sure they're some lunatic cult. It's a positive feedback loop. An echo chamber. You start with one person who's insane, that guy finds a few people who agree with his nonsense, and then all of them are only hearing their preferred brand of nonsense all the time. When that's all you ever hear, that's all there is to believe. Without a dissenting opinion present, nobody ever thinks they could be wrong."

May thought for a moment, and then smirked.

"But what if we're the ones in that loop?" she said. "What if we're the ones who have never heard a different opinion before and we've all got the wrong idea because of it?"

"But-"

Rex started to say something, but he stopped himself. May had mentally pinned him. She grinned with amusement as she watched the gears in his head slow down and then grind to a screeching halt.

Ash said nothing, but he was impressed. Bianca giggled. Rex sighed.

"I can't disprove what you just said," said Rex, "but I think we have plenty of reasons to believe that we're not all deluding ourselves. I think the evidence is all around us that humankind's relationship with Pokemon works for both sides."

"I agree with you," said May. She looked so pleased with herself that Ash would not have been surprised to see her float into the air. "I still think what that guy said is worth thinking about, though."

"Yeah, it is," said Ash. "I mean, Pikachu and me have gotten along great for years, but what if we hadn't, you know? What if I had been training Pikachu this whole time, and that wasn't what he wanted?"

Pikachu chimed in with a few words, but his reply was interrupted. A strange individual came running up to them. He spoke to Ash.

"Your Pokemon... Just now, it was saying..."

Ash was so startled by how quickly the newcomer appeared that he jumped in surprise. It was like he had appeared from nowhere. There was something unsettling about him.

He was of tall, slender stature, and perhaps slightly older than everyone else present. On his head was a cap of black and gray, and streaming out from beneath it was a considerable length of green hair. His complexion was as pale as his white shirt, which stood in stark contrast to the additional black shirt he wore beneath it. Beige pants, green shoes, bizarre ornaments on both his wrists, hanging from his neck, and dangling from his pocket, he appeared as if he was at odds with every societal norm all at once. Perhaps strangest of all was his face. His eyes were as gray as cold steel, empty and distant. Despite that, he bore an enigmatic smile that didn't pinpoint any emotion. Not a single thing about him made sense.

There was a long pause.

"What?" Ash said.

"Your Pokemon, it was talking. It was saying that-"

"You could understand what Pikachu was saying?"

"Can you not?"

"I kinda can, but not always," said Ash. "Who are you, anyway?"

"How sad," the stranger said, assembling a set of facial cues that looked like an attempt at disappointment. "My name is N."

"N?" said Ash, not even attempting to conceal the confusion on his face or the incredulous tone of his voice.

"Yes, that is correct."

"Like, the letter N?" said Bianca.

"I told you my name because that is what people do when they introduce themselves to one another, is it not?" said N. "What is your name?"

Ash blinked a couple of times. There was something disarming about N's speech. He spoke much too fast, and the cadence of his words was unnatural, as if he had only the barest grasp on verbal language.

"I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town," he said. "I'm on a journey to become a Pokemon master."

"A master, eh?" said N. "So, you're going to confine many, many Pokemon in pokeballs for that, then. I'm a trainer, too, but I can't help wondering... Are Pokemon really happy that way?"

Nobody among the group made a sound. As far as Ash was concerned, this was all no longer a coincidence.

May ventured a chance at being conversational with him.

"So, did you hear that Team Plasma guy's speech, too?" she asked.

"Yes, and I wonder..." N said ponderously, not bothering to finish his sentence.

Unsure how to proceed, Ash followed May's example.

"It made me wonder, too," said Ash. "Those people were really weird, but they might have had a point."

"Yes," said N. "Ash, is it? Let me hear your Pokemon's voice again."

"What do you mean?" asked Ash. He pointed toward his shoulder. "Pikachu is right here. If you want to hear something, Pikachu can say a few words for you."

"No, not like that," N said. "Purrloin, my friend, let us demonstrate to them what we mean."

To everyone's surprise, N pulled out a pokeball from his pocket and threw it. Emerging from within, a purple, spotted, feline Pokemon appeared.

"But you were just talking about how you weren't sure if it was okay to keep Pokemon in pokeballs," said Ash.

"I want to hear Pikachu's voice again," said N. "It was saying something very interesting before."

"Okay," said Ash. "But I don't know what to do! Pikachu, do you wanna talk to this guy for a little while so we can find out what's going on?"

Pikachu shook his head. No, he did not want to talk to N. That was not something he wanted.

"You need to call out a move for it to use," said N.

Ash hesitated for a moment.

"Wait, you mean you wanna battle with me?"

"If that is what you want to call it, then yes, it is a battle."

"If you want a battle, then I accept your challenge!" said Ash.

"But we're in the middle of the street!" said Bianca. "Shouldn't we go somewhere else?"

"I think Ash has this under control," said May.

"Are you sure?" said Bianca.

"I'm very sure," said May.

Ash wasn't sure what to make of the competition. This was as curious a challenge as he had ever received. N was bizarre, and his skill level was uncertain. His Purrloin looked like it was experiencing mixed emotions. Something about this didn't add up. This battle didn't feel right to him. He wanted a better idea of what his opponent could do.

"I'll let you have the first move," Ash said.

"Use Scratch," said N.

Purrloin jumped forward, ready to pounce on Pikachu. Its claws were visibly extended, sharp and gleaming.

Ash was unimpressed by its speed.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack to dodge!" he said.

Snapping to life like lightning, Pikachu leaped forward, past Purrloin's strike, and began darting about in a frenetic manner. Front, back, above, on all sides, Purrloin's reflexes were far outmatched. There was no way it was going to land a hit with Pikachu moving at such speeds.

"Use Sand Attack."

Purrloin kicked at the ground, causing a cloud of dirt to stir up in an attempt to blind its opponent. It blanketed the area, covering everything.

"Up into the air, Pikachu! Use Iron Tail to launch yourself out of the sand cloud!"

Pikachu's tail glossed over with a silver, metallic sheen, and he shot into the air as if catapulted.

The maneuver did not go unnoticed. Purrloin easily jumped out of the cloud and followed Pikachu.

"Now, down, Pikachu! Strike it with your Iron Tail!"

"Use Pursuit," said N.

Pikachu descended down from above, and Purrloin leaped up from below. Pikachu, however, placed his strike much more accurately than his opponent. Tail collided with head, and Purrloin crashed back to the ground, swatted away easily. The sand cloud dissipated, and Pikachu made a deft landing, ready to strike again.

"Thunderbolt!" said Ash. Pikachu spent little time charging up for the assault. As the electricity flowed forth, Ash bit his lip, having second thoughts about what he had just commanded his partner to do.

Ash squinted. The brilliant flash of light from Pikachu's Thunderbolt bombarded his eyes. As things already were, Purrloin was struggling to stand. Ash knew that this battle was over, but he didn't want to look. Purrloin hadn't even been a challenge.

To his dismay, even after the taking a direct hit from the Thunderbolt, Purrloin hadn't given up. It was making a great effort to get back on its feet. It was best to end this as soon as possible.

Ash hesitated momentarily, not at all eager to deliver the finishing blow.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack," he said.

Pikachu dashed at Purrloin with his usual blinding speed, moving like a glowing blur. There was a firm thump as Pikachu drove his shoulder into Purrloin's face. Pikachu came to a halt, but Purrloin rolled over several times down the sidewalk, stopping when it finally collided with N's foot.

Ash felt uneasy as he watched Purrloin struggle, cough, and shake, giving up shortly thereafter. He averted his eyes from the sorry scene and instead focused them on N. As soon as he looked, he regretted it. N was as still as stone, expressionless and cold. His utter lack of emotion was unsettling.

"I... wow, sorry," Ash said, removing his hat out of respect. "Pikachu and I didn't mean to do that much damage."

Pikachu frowned, his ears drooping. Victory in battle was one thing, but delivering an unfair beating was another. Winning wasn't enjoyable at all when there was no competition involved. In fact, it felt pretty bad.

N was staring straight ahead, blank. His eyes were out of focus.

"I never expected to hear Pokemon say such things..." he whispered.

Ash tilted his head. He didn't understand. Neither of the Pokemon had said anything.

"I might not be able to understand how Pokemon talk, but I do understand Pikachu's feelings," Ash said. "I've spent years with Pikachu, and I know Pikachu hasn't said anything weird today. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, I am aware," N said, the words leaving his mouth before Ash finished speaking. Ash flinched in surprise. With the way N was gazing ahead, he hadn't been sure he was going to hear any of what he said.

"You should do something about Purrloin. It needs help!" said Ash, attempting to get N to look him in the eyes. N's eyes appeared completely vacant.

N knelt down and scooped up his battered Purrloin in his arms. He blinked a few times and then looked at Ash.

"As long as Pokemon are confined in pokeballs, they will never become perfect beings."

"So, what are you going to do?" Ash said. "You need to help Purrloin!"

"I have to change the world for Pokemon, because they are my friends."

At that, N turned and began walking away without any further words.

Chapter Text

May walked ahead of the rest of the traveling party. She held her fingers in front of her face as if they were a camera, framing an imaginary picture.

"Welcome, die-hard mystery fans and fellow travelers, to the program you've all been waiting for! It's another thrilling adventure on May's Expeditions!"

Ash laughed. It had been a long time since he had seen this routine. Bianca and Rex looked confused.

May spun around to face the rest of the group, as if she was filming them. Walking backwards, she continued her narration.

"Seeking out the wonders of the world, today our heroes find themselves on the road in Unova. Following this bubbling stream through the wilderness, they are on their way north to Striaton City! Nightfall is a few short hours away, and soon they must seek out a suitable site for a camp, or otherwise face the night cold and hungry, without shelter. What will become of them in this dire situation? Stay tuned!"

"Dire?" said Bianca, hand up to her mouth. "That's bad, right?"

May adjusted her finger-camera's positioning and zoomed in on Bianca.

"It seems there is unrest among the traveling party! Has morale reached a new low? How do our more seasoned adventurers feel?"

She panned her frame over to focus on Ash. Killing the drama, he was just laughing, hand behind his neck, with Pikachu doing the same atop his shoulder.

Then, she panned over to focus on Rex. He frowned and rolled his eyes.

"It's not dire," Rex said. "There's plenty of light left."

"Are you sure?" said Bianca.

"Yeah, no worries," said Ash. He pointed into the distance. "I think I see a clearing up ahead. That might be a good place for us to stop for the day."

Rex removed a crinkled map from his back pocket and unfolded it.

"If I'm reading this thing correctly, and if my memory serves me, we're not far from the edge of this forest. This stream should lead us into a meadow. We shouldn't be more than a mile away, at most."

May spun around, facing forward again. She squinted as she pretended to zoom in on the distance.

"Alas, it seems there is a sliver of hope for our weary travelers!" she said. "Your intrepid narrator can see more light poking through the trees up ahead. Could our navigator's hunch be correct? Will this fabled meadow provide them with the respite they so desperately need? How will they shelter themselves from the unknown of the creeping night? All this and more, after these messages."

"Come on, May! Can you please help me?"

Ash struggled under the load of heavy wood, taking step after uncertain step with a stack of fallen branches in his arms. The stack he carried reached all the way up to his face, obscuring his vision. Pikachu ran ahead of him through the edge of the forest, trying as best he could to direct Ash back toward the open meadow and avoid falling, but the communication gap was proving difficult.

May followed the two from behind, still pretending to film them. Framing the scene with her fingers, she continued to narrate.

"Now, one of our travelers has located wood for a fire – a fire that will provide everyone with warmth and light through the night. Observe the cooperation between Pokemon and trainer as Pikachu directs him where to go."

"I'm serious, if you don't help, I'm making you do this yourself next time!" said Ash. "Me and Pikachu will follow you the whole time and pretend we have cameras, too!"

"Frustration appears to be setting in," May whispered to her nonexistent audience. Then, she put her finger camera down and responded to Ash. "Oh well! That's the price I pay. This is too much fun!"

Ash turned his head and saw that May was now following him with her arms folded, a playful smile on her face. Meanwhile, his arms were straining. They seared with the paint of overexertion.

"Please, May!" Ash said. "I really need your help! I'm gonna drop all this!"

May shifted her eyes up and away, as if she was thinking.

"How about you give me one of your cookies?"

"What? No way!"

"If you let me have one, I'll help you."

"But I'm running out already!"

"Whose fault is that?"

"It's yours!" said Ash. "If you hadn't tried to get one from me every night since we left town, the box would still be half-full right now! Instead it's almost empty!"

"Maybe you shouldn't have let me have them, then," May said, sticking her tongue out at him.

"That's right!" said Ash. "I shouldn't have! You should have bought your own box back in town!"

"I'm going to buy my own box next time," said May, "but you should let me have one of yours tonight."

"Why?!"

"Because if you let me have one, I'll help you!"

For a moment, Ash felt an acute desire to rip his hair out, but the weight he was carrying prevented him from acting on that impulse.

"Alright, you can have one," he said, admitting defeat.

"Yes!" said May, pumping her fist.

"Just please help me," Ash said, whimpering as he handed off some of the load to May.

A few minutes later, back at their campsite at the edge of the woods, Ash let the load down. He groaned in relief, massaging his tired arms. He and May found Rex overseeing Bianca building an enclosure for their campfire out of gathered stones.

"Is this right?" said Bianca. She was kneeling next to her handiwork, pointing at the circle of stones.

"Looks good to me," said Rex. "I think it's big enough. Do you have the tinder?"

Bianca pouted, scooping up a fistful of dried needles and weeds from a pile next to the circle of stones and placing it inside the enclosure.

"Yes," she said. "I hate picking this stuff! Why do you always have to make me do this the hard way? Why can't we just use a fire Pokemon to light it?"

"Because you're not always guaranteed to have one with you when you're out in the wild," said Rex. "You've got to learn to do things by yourself. Be self-sufficient."

"When you were traveling alone, did you start fires this way?"

"No, but that's not the point."

"If you wouldn't do this, why are you making me?"

"So that you won't die of hypothermia if you're ever separated from the group and Tepig is injured."

Bianca continued to pout at him.

"Come on, this is an important survival skill," said Rex, trying his best to sound more supportive. "It's not so hard, either. Here," he said, taking a flint from a pocket of his bag and tossing it to her. "You know what to do."

Bianca did indeed know what to do. Over and over again, she struck the flint with the backside of Rex's bush knife. The sparks were flying, but fire was nowhere to be seen. The tinder was smoldering, but she couldn't quite seem to coax the flames out of it.

Ash and May exchanged glances of understanding. This was going to take a while.

"Wanna kill some time?" Ash asked her.

"Depends. What do you want to do?" said May.

Ash gave her a look she had seen hundreds of times before.

"I wanna battle!" he said. "I can test out my new Pidove against you!"

"Okay!" said May. "I accept your challenge!"

"Just keep it away from the camp, you two," said Rex. "And please don't disturb the other Pokemon."

Ash and May understood that the other Pokemon Rex was referring to were most likely his, and not disturbing them was undoubtedly good advice. The two of them looked warily over at the group of Pokemon gathered at the perimeter of their campsite. When they had shed down their gear for the evening, they sent out all of their Pokemon to get some fresh air, relax, and eat.

May had brought five Pokemon with her to Unova. As she had explained to Ash, the open sixth slot in her party was so that if she caught anything while she was here, she wouldn't have to wait until they reached a Pokemon center so she could swap out one of her other Pokemon for it. Among that group at the edge of camp were her five most trusted battlers: Blaziken, Venusaur, Wartortle, Glaceon, and Beautifly. Skitty and Munchlax, she had decided, were much better suited to staying with her family at home.

Joining May's Pokemon were those of Ash and Bianca: Oshawott, Pidove, and Tepig were all amicably playing and conversing with May's Pokemon, with Pikachu scurrying over to join them.

The other six in the group belonged to Rex, and their personalities all seemed to bear an uncanny resemblance to that of their trainer. Excadrill, Torterra, Camerupt, Gigalith, Conkeldurr, and Ferrothorn all lounged quietly in the late afternoon sun, seeming content to be left alone.

"Is there one of my Pokemon in particular you want to battle?" May asked.

"Yeah, there is," said Ash. "Hey Pikachu! Tell Pidove and Beautifly to come join us over here!"

Pikachu looked back at Ash and nodded, then spoke individually to both Pidove and Beautifly. The two of them took flight and soon thereafter landed with their trainers, out in the open meadow.

"So you must have wanted Pidove to battle against the only other flying Pokemon we have with us," said May.

"Yep!" said Ash. "That's right. I want to see what Pidove can do in the air. Are you ready?"

Ash directed his question at Pidove, who stood near his feet, pecking at the ground. Pidove did not respond.

"I guess Pidove isn't used to having a trainer yet?" May suggested.

"I dunno," said Ash. "Maybe it just needs some time to get used to all this."

Ash knelt down in front of Pidove and made eye contact with it. Now, seemingly understanding that it was being addressed, Pidove readily stood at attention, firmly focused. Ash scratched his head, thinking.

Pidove hadn't responded particularly well to being captured. Two nights ago, Pidove's first with the group, it had tried to fight with all the other Pokemon. Yet, to Ash's surprise, once Pidove realized it was upsetting everyone, it immediately calmed down and became gregarious and attentive. He wasn't sure what to expect from it in battle. Now, with nothing at stake, was the best time to find out.

The two trainers stood a fair distance apart in the open field. It was time.

"Ready, Beautifly?" said May. Beautifly sat perched atop her outstretched arm, and nodded in the affirmative. It took off and faced its opponent.

Pikachu sat atop Ash's shoulder, ready to support Pidove in any way he could. Ash held up a fist.

"Alright Pidove, this our first battle together. Just follow my commands and do the best you can!"

Taking Ash's address unexpectedly seriously, Pidove turned its head toward Ash and saluted in understanding with its wing. It made May giggle.

"Looks like it understands you so far!" she said. "Let's hope it stays that way."

Ash gripped the brim of his hat and adjusted it. Even though this was only a training battle, he had no intention of losing.

"Pidove, use Quick Attack!"

"Beautifly, Aerial Ace!"

In their opening contest of speed, Pidove had moved first, and it was the clear winner. As Beautifly attempted to strafe and get behind it, Pidove charged into its opponent's abdomen, landing a clean hit. Pidove then backed off, and it became clear that Beautifly was not particularly damaged.

"Use Gust, Pidove!"

"You too, Beautifly!"

Ash suspected he knew how this exchange would turn out before he saw it, and his guess was correct. The two Pokemon both directed gusts of wind at each other, but the larger, more experienced Beautifly's attack was much more powerful. It blew away Pidove's attack, and then blew away Pidove itself. Ash's Pokemon tumbled to the ground, flapping frantically to right itself.

"Now, Quiver Dance!"

May issued her command with a graceful hand motion and a full spin, a technique that Ash figured must have come from her contests. Still, he had no idea what the move she ordered was supposed to do. Beautifly was glowing and appeared to be vibrating, swaying from side to side rhythmically.

"Quick Attack, Pidove! Strike it before it can finish its move!"

Pidove looked at Ash and tilted its head, confused.

"Quick Attack!" Ash commanded again. Pikachu echoed him, trying to make the order perfectly clear.

This time, Pidove took off and charged at Beautifly, but it was too late.

"Now, Silver Wind!" said May.

Ash could see that Pidove was going to take a direct hit, and a strong one at that. It was plain to see that Beautifly's strength had greatly increased. While Beautifly gathered power for the attack, he gave another order.

"Forget about attacking Beautifly! Use Quick Attack to dodge!" he said.

Only a few feet away from its opponent, Pidove stopped in the air and turned around, once again looking to Ash with its head tilted to the side.

"No, Pidove! Get out of the way!"

It was no use. Pidove was blindsided by Beautifly's Silver Wind, and was hurled through the air a fair distance, crashing to the ground several feet behind Ash. Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder and ran over to where Pidove landed, with Ash right behind him. To everyone's surprise, however, Pidove was already back on its feet.

"Are you okay, Pidove?" Ash said, kneeling down next to his Pokemon.

The question seemed pointless as Pidove staggered while trying to step forward. The answer was clearly no, but Pidove was stubborn. Pikachu tried to urge it to rest, but Pidove took another step forward, and then spread its wings and took to the air again. Its flight was wobbly.

"Pidove, you should rest," said Ash. "That's enough for now. I appreciate you trying so hard, but I don't want you to get hurt."

Pidove didn't seem to be listening. It was flying toward Beautifly, unsteady.

"Ash, you should call Pidove back to its ball!" May called from across the battlefield.

Ash reached to his belt, but then had an unfortunate realization.

"Aw, no!" he said. "I left my pokeballs at the campsite!"

May froze for a moment, but then she had an idea.

"Beautifly, use Whirlwind!"

Beautifly complied. Whipping the air with its wings, it created a vortex of wind, then blew it toward its oncoming opponent. Pidove was sucked inside, then spun around and shot back out in the direction from which it came, dizzy and confused. As soon as Pidove could steady itself, it landed, collapsing to the ground.

The two trainers both rushed to where Pidove lay. Ash knelt down and scooped up Pidove in his arms.

"Thanks, Pidove," he said. "That was a great effort. You gave it everything you had."

"Yeah, definitely," said May. "If you always keep getting up like that, you'll be a great battler one day."

Ash smiled at May. He couldn't deny how impressed he was. May was a much stronger trainer than the last time they met. Her quick thinking had saved Pidove from further injury, and she complimented Pidove with exactly the words he was about to say.

Standing up, Ash looked at May with great determination. May smiled back at him bashfully.

"Thanks for the battle," said Ash. "That was great."

"You're very welcome," said May. Then, her smile turned devious. "And don't forget, you still owe me a cookie tonight."

Ash groaned.

The campfire crackled. May lay comfortably curled up in her sleeping bag, gazing up at the night sky. Nearby, gathered around the fire, she could hear Ash snoring, already asleep. Bianca was quiet, getting closer to slumber. Only Rex remained awake. The sounds of writing came from his direction, as he lay stretched between trees in his hammock, scribbling in a journal by the dim light of the fire.

Pokemon lay all around, sleeping outside their balls. Pikachu was sleeping next to Ash, and Tepig next to Bianca, but most of the other Pokemon were huddled together, watching over the perimeter of their camp. With the combined forces of May and Rex's parties, there was little doubt about their safety. The only other Pokemon not huddled in the group at the perimeter was Excadrill, who dozed at the base of one of the trees to which Rex's hammock was attached.

May couldn't remember the last time she felt this content. Their journey so far had been so carefree. The days had passed with she and Ash reminiscing about their travels together, and the two of them and Rex helping introduce Bianca to life on the road. It reminded her so much of the first days of her journey many years ago, with Ash and Brock doing the same for her.

It was so different from her time traveling in Johto.

And the cookie had been delicious.

May felt the refreshing breeze of the pastoral farmlands caressing her face and whipping through her hair. She found herself at a familiar vista, one she had found herself at years before. She was somehow more nervous now than she had been back then. Just like the last time she was here, she stopped at the road sign and read it four or five times, trying to be absolutely sure. Each time she read it, it remained consistent. Her destination was just ahead.

The downhill walk into the town was sobering, much like she remembered from her previous time here. To come all this way on a whim was a move risky enough to make her stomach uneasy, even though she loved being able to pick up and travel so far on a mere moment's notice. The reality of her situation sank in as she descended into the streets. No matter how she broke it down, logically speaking it was foolish for her to be here. Not only was the person she was here to see unaware that she was coming, she wasn't even sure if he was home.

Even if he was home, what was she going to say? It wasn't like last time, how she just couldn't give up traveling with him. It had been years since she gave that up. She needed a new explanation, and soon. She wanted to kick herself for not having thought about this earlier. She couldn't blame herself, though. Having the freedom to do something like this was enough to make anyone's head spin.

For the umpteenth time that day, she felt her heart flutter as the vivid fantasy of the ideal scenario crossed her mind again, playing like a movie in her head. His doorstep, the opening door, his surprised face, the overwhelming emotion, and then the embrace. And next, a confession? A kiss? An entire afternoon, evening, and most of the night spent with just the two of them cuddled up on the squashy sofa, watching cheesy movies on television and sharing stories from their time apart. Could it be real? Or would it only be a fantasy?

As she progressed down the sidewalk toward his side of town, she saw an oddly familiar figure off in the distance, seated on a park bench. The features were only vague at this distance. She couldn't be sure, but she had a good idea who it was. Or perhaps, a bad idea. Or maybe a set of ideas with a bunch of conflicting emotions. Yes, that was it.

"I knew I'd find you here," Drew said. He sat on the bench, loose and calm, one leg atop the other and an arm outstretched along the top of the backrest. He looked at her with his penchant half-smirk, his expression half sardonic and half sultry, with that glint in his eyes that drove women wild. May felt a chip in her armor, a sign of weakness in her resolve, as the realization hit her that he was in her way.

"Why are you here?" she said. She was not at all interested in making smalltalk today. She knew that he should have no business being here. The only reason he would have ever come to this place would be because of her.

Drew stood and whisked the hair out of his eyes with a flick of his wrist. He settled his hands in his pockets as he leaned against a lamppost. He eyed May levelly, his grin making it all too clear that he knew exactly how to get under her skin, and he loved it.

"Oh, no reason," he said. "I just figured I might stop by and watch the fireworks. This is a pretty place, you know."

May folded her arms and scowled at him.

"Oh please," she said. "Do you expect me to believe that? That's a lie if I've ever heard one. You're here to mess with me and we both know it."

"Maybe it is a lie," said Drew. "Maybe we do both know it. But why does that matter when we also both know that you're lying to yourself?"

"What in the world are you talking about?" said May.

"You already know the answer," said Drew. "You just aren't being honest with yourself."

"So you're here to aggravate me and call me a liar. Is that it?"

"No, I'm here to make it clear to you that you're making a bad decision. You're throwing away the obvious solution for something that you don't have any idea whether or not it will work."

"The only thing that's obvious about your 'solution' is that it doesn't work,' May said. "I'm not giving up anything."

"That's what you think."

May narrowed her eyes.

"What do you have up your sleeve?" she asked him. "I know you've got something up there."

"The only thing I've got up these sleeves of mine is the truth," said Drew. "And the truth is that you don't want to face reality. The truth is that you want to hide from your problems, to forget about them. The truth is that you're running away."

"I'm not running,"said May. "I'm facing reality head-on. I've already dealt with one set of problems and I'm here to deal with another, for better or for worse. Now, good-bye."

With that accentuated final syllable, May turned on her heels and stormed off down the street. Enough was enough. She knew in the first place that talking to him was going to be nothing but trouble, so why did she bother to do it anyway?

"You know this isn't over," Drew called after her as she grew farther and farther away. "It's a real shame you're making it like this."

Two dozen white picket fences later, she found the one she was seeking. A quaint little house much like all the others, the only reason she knew it was the one was because of the memory of arriving at the doorstep years before. She could smell the rich, earthy aroma of the well-tended and teeming garden, vegetables ripe on the vine and ready to be picked. All was quiet.

Her footsteps broke the drowning silence as she ascended the short wooden staircase onto the house's front porch. She wondered if there was anyone inside, and if they could hear her approach. She hadn't been aware of it until now, but she could feel the moisture on her palms. She tried to remember if she felt the same way the last time she was here, but she couldn't remember.

Without thinking, she pressed the button for the doorbell. She could hear a muffled chime come from within, but nothing more. She stood still. If nobody was home, then what was she going to do? Wait here until someone showed up? She didn't even know how long that would be.

She was startled as she heard the click of the front door being unlocked and the sweeping noise of it being pulled open. She was caught by surprise. Whoever had come to open it must have tread lightly. She had not heard their approach.

And then, she understood why.

Through the glass of the exterior door, May locked eyes with someone who also wore an expression of surprise. Someone who she wanted to see just as much as she wanted to see Drew. Someone who had just as little reason to be here.

Dawn shifted her slight figure behind the door awkwardly.

"Um, hi," she said to May, blinking a few times.

"Hi," said May.

May looked back at Dawn with confusion. This wasn't Dawn's house. This wasn't even the right continent. Why did she answer the door?

Without so much as the slightest explanation, Dawn shut the solid interior wooden door behind her and turned the lock. Before May could say anything, Dawn retreated into the confines of the house.

"Wait!" May called after her, slamming her palm onto the door frame.

"There's no use calling after her," said another familiar voice. "Trust me, I would know."

May turned her head and saw someone she didn't quite recognize, not until she looked the person in the eyes. Everything else had changed since their last encounter, but not her eyes.

"Misty?" said May.

Misty sat in an old rocking chair at the far end of the porch. She had matured considerably since they last met. She looked to be several inches taller, and her hair was several inches longer. Her eyes still shone with youth, but her face betrayed a great sorrow.

"Yep, it's me," said Misty.

"What are you doing here?" said May. Everything began to overwhelm her. None of this made sense. "What is Dawn doing here?"

"Oh, her," said Misty. She groaned, putting her head in her hands. "She followed him back here from Sinnoh."

"But why?"

"For the same reason you followed him back here from Hoenn. For the same reason I followed him for all those years. For the same reason you're here now, I think."

"How... how did you know?"

"It's way more obvious than you think. To everyone but him, at least."

"So why is Dawn inside, but you're sitting out here? Why did she shut the door on me like that? Did she do that to you, too?"

"Yes, she did."

"Why would she do that?"

"Because she won, and you and me both lost."

"What?!" said May. A feeling of panic began to well up in her throat.

"See for yourself," said Misty, pointing with her thumb toward a window. May noticed that the blinds weren't drawn all the way. Like a kid staring into a toy store, she pressed her face against the glass. She could see inside. As she looked around, she could feel her breathing intensifying.

Then, she stopped breathing altogether.

She could see them. They were on the sofa together. They were all over each other. Their lips melded together. Their hands wandered adventurously. They were lost in passion, unaware of their onlookers.

Tears obstructed May's vision. She stifled a cry as she collapsed to her knees beneath the window. She tried to speak, but nothing sensible came out. Instead, she gripped her hair as if she thought her head was going to implode, and she sobbed.

"I guess you see what I mean now," Misty said. "Believe me, I know it's hard to take. I've already had a few dozen good cries about it over the years. Heh, I think some of them were actually caused by me finding out how attached he was to you."

"But..." May choked, the tears dampening her collar and causing her hair to stick to her reddened face. "But... this can't be real!"

"What do you mean?" said Misty. "You can't escape reality. You're trapped in it."

May's eyes fluttered open. As she stirred from her sleep, she was grateful to see the smoldering remains of the fire a few feet away. It hadn't been real. It was only a dream.

Everyone else was sound asleep now. Ash's snoring had ceased, but he continued to breathe deeply, unaware in slumber. Bianca and Tepig still rested peacefully. Rex was still in his hammock, with his journal laying open, face-down on his chest. It appeared he had drifted off while writing.

May took in a deep breath and then sighed, quite a bit louder than she intended. To her surprise, she saw Excadrill open an eye and look at her.

For a moment, she froze, as if she was in a predator's line of sight. Then, timidly, she withdrew a hand from her sleeping bag and waved at Excadrill.

The fierce Pokemon gave her the slightest of nods, then closed its eyes again.

May shifted her gaze to Ash. His slow, steady breaths were accompanied by slight twitches every now and then. She wondered what he was dreaming about.

There was no way to know. Shifting around in her sleeping bag, she rolled from her side onto her back, and gazed up at the stars. For a few minutes, she watched the pinpoints of light above her as they performed their nightly dance across the sky. For as many times as she had watched them, they still seemed as unknowable as Ash's dream.

A rustling noise told her that she wasn't the only one awake. She turned her head and saw Rex coming back to life in his hammock, picking up his journal again and this time shutting it properly. As he reached over the side of his hammock to slip the notebook into his bag, he caught notice of her. Their eyes met.

"What are you still doing up?" he whispered to her. "My cooking can't possibly have caused you indigestion tonight. It wasn't that bad."

May allowed a hint of a smile to form on her face, and she shook her head.

"No, I just had a bad dream, that's all," she whispered back to him.

Rex slid his notebook into place in his backpack, taking care not to make too much noise.

"Understood," he said.

"What are you doing up?" May asked him.

"I just drifted off for a while," he said. "I'm always up late, though. I like keeping the night watch."

"Don't you think our Pokemon have that covered?"

Rex turned his eyes toward the dozen Pokemon scattered around their camp.

"Probably so," he said.

For a moment, he appeared to lay back again and look up at the sky, and May turned her head and did the same, thinking that was the last she would hear from him tonight. But then, not more than a minute or two later, she heard him rise from his hammock and search through his backpack.

May looked at him again.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

When Rex turned to face her, he was holding a black, metallic flashlight. He hadn't yet turned it on.

"If you're having trouble sleeping, would you care for a walk?" he asked her.

"No thank you," said May. "I shouldn't have any trouble getting back to sleep."

"Alright," said Rex. Without another word, he stepped past the sleeping Pokemon and out into the open field. May heard a click, and she saw a small patch of white light move away from the camp.

May stopped watching after a short while, when the footsteps became too soft for her to hear. She shifted again in her sleeping bag, trying to find a more comfortable position. After a few failed attempts, she started to reconsider Rex's offer.

Trying to make as little noise as possible, May pulled herself out of her sleeping bag and slipped her shoes back on. Tiptoeing through the camp, she made her way over to Blaziken, who was resting with the other Pokemon. She placed a hand on his arm and rubbed it a few times, stirring him back to consciousness.

"Blaziken," she whispered, seeing her Pokemon's eyes open and turn to look at her. "I'm going to go for a short walk. Would you come with me, please?"

Blaziken nodded and rose to his feet. Side by side with May, the two walked out into the field, searching for where Rex went. May's motivation in choosing Blaziken had been simple – with the flames on Blaziken's wrists, she had no need for a flashlight.

The field was a gentle, rolling hill that led from the edge of the forest down to a stream. Silhouetted in the darkness, May could see the outline of Rex seated by the bank of the stream, leaning back on both hands, looking upward. As May and Blaziken approached, Rex turned his head to see them. His flashlight was shut off now, sitting on the ground next to him.

"Changed your mind?" he said.

"Yeah, I did," said May. "I had more trouble falling asleep again than I thought I would."

"Well, plenty of room here," said Rex, motioning around. "You can claim whichever patch of dirt you like the best."

May examined the ground. There was nowhere that looked to be comfier than anywhere else. She sat down a few feet away from Rex, the cool grass tickling and scratching at her legs. Blaziken remained by her side, standing, arms folded, looking at the sky.

For a while, the only sounds were those of the flowing stream before them. May was wondering why she chose to do this. The dream that woke her lingered in her mind.

"So, you and Ash have traveled together before," said Rex.

"We did, a few years ago," said May. "I met him on the first day of my journey as a trainer."

"And he helped show you the ropes and got you started back then?"

"Yeah, he was a huge help. I don't know what I would have done without him. I was really clueless when I started."

"And now the two of you are helping Bianca get started on her journey, just like Ash helped you."

"Mhmm," hummed May, nodding. She smiled to herself in the darkness.

Rex smirked and shook his head.

"Well, that's just adorable," he said.

"Adorable?" said May, laughing.

"Absolutely," said Rex. "First Ash mentors you, then you go out in the world on your own, and then you reunite and help Bianca together. There's something poetic about that."

"You know," said May, "there kinda is, isn't there?"

Rex nodded. After a few quiet moments, he laid backwards and stretched out on the ground, tucking his hands behind his head. Not interested in dirtying her shirt, May remained seated upright. Her thoughts drifted to her first days on the road as a trainer. It was easy to see the comparison between how Ash worked with her then and how she and Ash were working with Bianca now. It was cute.

"There's nobody quite like Ash," said May. "I've never met anyone like him. I've seen him do unbelievable things. He always overcomes the odds."

May paused for a moment and saw Rex looking at her.

"Could I ask you a personal question?" said Rex.

May leaned away from him a few inches.

"Maybe," she said. "What is it?"

"You don't have to answer if you don't want to," said Rex, "but why did you decide to come to come to Unova, anyway? What brought you here? Was it just the chance to travel with Ash again?"

"It wasn't just Ash," said May. "There were other reasons."

May felt grateful for the darkness.

"Why do you ask?" she said.

"I'm just curious," said Rex. "Curious about what drives you. It seems like Ash has a clear goal in mind, but I don't know that you do. Not that there's anything wrong with that."

"Well, I am a coordinator," said May, "and I've been pretty successful with that. They call me the Princess of Hoenn."

"They?" said Rex.

"My fans," said May. "And a newspaper, once."

May felt her face turning red.

"You have fans?" said Rex.

"I do," said May. "Ash is probably my biggest fan."

"You're aware that there's no Pokemon contest circuit in Unova, right?"

"I know," said May. She rolled her eyes. "Ash didn't know when he invited me to join him here, though."

"He asked you to travel with him?"

"Mhmm."

"And you accepted his offer, despite the circumstances?"

"It was worth it to me. I felt like going on a carefree journey with him was the best thing I could do for myself."

"Is being a coordinator stressful?"

"You have no idea," May groaned.

Rex chuckled.

"I might," he said. "I lived in Sinnoh for a while. I've seen contests on TV there."

"You lived in Sinnoh?"

"For a few years. That's how I met my Torterra, and my Camerupt," he said. "They were only Turtwig and Numel back then, though."

"You don't seem like the kind of person who would watch a contest," said May.

"They were unavoidable, really," said Rex. "They were everywhere. They seemed... cutthroat."

"They can be," said May. "I've seen some really nasty backstage arguments. Most coordinators are supportive, but some do anything they can to sabotage their opponents."

"All for what? Prizes? Fame?"

"That's not all there is to it," said May. "You know how some trainers talk about bonding with their Pokemon in battle?"

"Yes."

"Performing with your Pokemon can create the same kind of bond. I've always done contests for the experience. I love the experience of performing, and I love sharing that experience with my Pokemon. I love sharing it with other people, too."

May reached into the pack on her hip and dug around for something.

"Like this," she said, holding up an unidentifiable object.

"What is that?" said Rex, squinting at it.

"It's a contest ribbon," said May. "Half of one, actually."

"Half?"

"It's my half of the ribbon," said May. "Ash and I won it together, a long time ago. We battled to a tie in the final round, and when the battle was over, his Sceptile split the ribbon in half so that we would both be able to keep it. I've kept it with me ever since. It's like a symbol of all the experiences I shared with him. I'm pretty sure he still has his half of the ribbon, too. He had it with him when I visited him in Sinnoh."

"Adorable," said Rex.

May couldn't see it, but she was sure that Rex was rolling his eyes. She giggled.

"It's the things like this ribbon that make it all worth it to me," she said. "When I left home, I didn't want to be a trainer. I didn't even know what a coordinator was. I just wanted to travel. I wanted to go out into the world and experience life. Being a coordinator has helped me do that, and I think that being here in Unova is going to help me do that, too, even if it isn't in quite the same way."

"What do you mean?"

May tilted her head to one side, and then the other, gazing upward in thought.

"I dunno," she said. "When I left home on my first journey, I didn't know where I was going, who I was going with, or why I was going there, but I still had all kinds of experiences that changed my life and gave me some direction. I think the same thing can happen here. I'm a couple steps ahead, actually! I'm here with Ash, and I know where we're headed."

"So does that mean you don't know why?" said Rex.

"Actually, I do know why," said May. "There are a lot of reasons for me to be here. I guess that makes three out of three, doesn't it?"

"It certainly does."

Chapter Text

"Are you sure the gym is this way?"

Ash cast Rex a doubtful look. This location didn't seem right.

"I'm very sure," said Rex.

"But..."

Ash's voice trailed off, looking around. His eyes and his nose were tugged in dozens of directions.

Behind him, May was quite certain she had found herself in heaven. The place smelled like how she imagined heaven, anyway. The traveling party was walking through a wide, bustling street near the heart of Striaton City. The roads were paved in cobblestone, evoking images of market squares from centuries past. People walked about freely. Every building in sight was occupied by a restaurant, bakery, or chocolate shop. Decadent aromas of food and baked goods hung in the air everywhere around them.

"This is wonderful," said May. Her voice dripped with ecstasy. She appeared to almost glide her way forward, guided by her nose. When Ash looked back at her, she seemed to him like she was possessed.

"Are you okay?" Ash asked her.

"I have never been more okay," said May. "I am the most okay I have ever been. I am in the fabled homeland of the cake. I am going to eat all of the cake."

Everyone present gave her a bizarre look.

"We're going to my gym battle, though!" said Ash. "I don't want to stop at any of these places right now. Can't it wait until after the battle?"

"Fine, then," said May. "First you're going to win your gym battle, and then I'm going to eat all of the cake."

Ash wiped his brow in relief. He had been waiting for this since their arrival in the city the previous night. He didn't want any more delays.

"Sounds good to me," he said.

"Yeah, we can get cake to celebrate when Ash wins!" said Bianca.

"All of it," said May.

"I, for one, am also in favor of all of the cake," said Rex. He nodded in approval.

Bianca giggled, but Ash was left scratching his head.

"So is this a cake-type gym or something?" said Ash.

"No, it isn't," said Rex.

"So what type is it, anyway?" said Ash.

"It's actually not devoted to one specific type of Pokemon," said Rex.

"So then what's the deal?" said Ash. "Is it still a normal battle? What do I have to do?"

Rex shook his head.

"Not telling," said Rex.

"You have the badge from here, don't you?" said Ash. "You've gotta know!"

"I do have the badge from this gym, but I don't think it's my place to spoil the surprise for you," said Rex. "I think it's important that you figure that out for yourself."

Ash grumbled to himself. He was getting impatient. He lost count of how many blocks they had walked.

It then that he realized that he had lost track of May and Bianca, too. He turned around to look for them, just in time to see Bianca's big green hat disappear through a doorway. He groaned.

"Hold up, Rex," he said pointing at the building Bianca had entered. "It looks like May and Bianca went inside this bakery."

Rex walked back to Ash, and he saw the building Ash was indicating. He raised an eyebrow at it.

Ash, on the other hand, had run up to the front window of the bakery to gawk. On the other side of the glass, a giant cake stood towering before him. It was a monster, with a dozen layers. It was easily eight feet tall, a beautiful, delicious monster. What Ash found most intriguing, though, were the decorations at the very top. There were figures of people up there, of a sharply dressed man and woman, hand in hand.

"Wilson's Wedding Catering," said Rex, reading the sign on the front of the shop.

The realization hit Ash as to what he was seeing. It was a wedding cake – a gigantic one. It was an amazing sight to behold, but he wondered why May and Bianca had gone inside. They could see the cake perfectly through the window, and there was no way they could afford something like this. Ash figured it must have been part of May's pursuit of all the cake.

When May and Bianca emerged from the shop a few minutes later, both completely empty-handed, Ash's curiosity remained unsatisfied. He asked them why they had gone inside, but the only answer he received was a vague explanation about it being a "girl thing" and a giggle exchanged between the two.

The group reached the far side of the market square. They stood before a building which at first glance appeared to be unexceptional and in no way different than any of the others all around them.

"This is the place," said Rex.

"But it doesn't look like a gym at all," said Ash. The ornate wooden door and the rustic signpost bore no mention of a gym.

"See that symbol above the door frame?" said Rex.

"Yeah," said Ash, certain that Rex was talking about the weird plaque depicting what looked like the fusion of a Pokeball and a bolt of lightning. "What is it?"

"That's the official seal of the Unova League," said Rex. "Whenever you see that symbol, you've found a gym."

"So is this really it?" said Ash. "Weird place for a gym."

"It looks just like all the other shops around here," said Bianca. "It's got the same front and everything!"

"Yeah, it's the same architecture as all the other places," said May. "I wonder what makes this one special enough to be the gym?"

"I was thinking the same thing," Ash said. "Let's go in and find out! Are you ready, Pikachu?"

Atop Ash's shoulder, Pikachu cheered. He was very ready.

"Great!" said Ash, pumping his fist. "I'm going to need you today, for sure! We've gotta be at our best for this! Now let's go!"

At that, Ash charged up the short set of wooden stairs and hastily turned the knob on the door, throwing the door open. He was not ready for what awaited him on the other side.

He found himself being stared at in astonishment by perhaps a dozen people, all of them well-dressed and sitting in groups at various tables, each in the midst of a meal laid out before them. Steam was rising from cups of tea and coffee, and a rich aroma of bread hung in the air even more strongly than in the alley outside. Everyone present was looking at him, even the waitstaff.

Quite unsure of what to do in such a fancy place, Ash froze on the spot. May and Bianca, both right behind him, could do nothing but look around, agape. They all seemed so out of place.

"My my, what have we here?" one of the waiters said. His comment was clearly intended for Ash, but the tone of his statement was as if he was making an announcement to the entire restaurant. Ash felt hot under the collar at the thought that perhaps he was being mocked.

"It seems perhaps we have new guests," another waiter announced in reply. A third one hurried his way up to them, bowing before speaking.

"Welcome! And how many are in your party today?" he asked Ash.

Ash felt like squirming on the spot. The waiter standing before him was much too close for comfort, leaning in toward Ash to the point of leering over him. The wild tufts of crimson hair on his head and his nigh-maniacal expression didn't help the situation.

"Um, four?" said May.

"Wonderful," another waiter said, stepping aside and then ushering them forward with a curt bow. His shoulder-length blue hair was parted in such a manner that it covered half of his face. Ash wasn't sure if the guy was smirking or not.

"Right this way," beckoned a third waiter. His demeanor seemed more level than the previous two, but his green hair was sticking up in the middle, and his voice was saccharine. He motioned toward a lavishly decorated table set for four, with fine wares and the flickering light of an ornate candelabra.

"Wait a minute..." said Bianca, putting her finger up to her mouth as she thought.

"This place definitely seems more like a cafe than a gym," May whispered to Ash.

"Yeah, I've got no idea what's going on," Ash whispered back.

"Please! Make yourselves comfortable!" the green-haired waiter said.

"Yes, indeed," said the blue-haired waiter.

"Yeah, come on!" said the red-haired one. He took a much more direct approach than the other two, coming up behind Ash and grabbing ahold of his shoulders, steering him to his seat.

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed as he fled from his normal resting spot. Ash's eyes shot wide open as he flailed underneath the waiter's grip.

"I guess we should sit down?" said Bianca.

"I hope so," said May.

In the wake of the commandeered Ash, the remaining members of the group filed in and took their seats around the table. The dining setup should have been rather comfortable, but instead it was stiff and unsettling.

"So!" the red-haired one said as he brandished a pad of paper and a pen, causing all four at the table to flinch. "What shall we be having today?"

"Might I recommend the honeymint tea?" the green-haired one said. "It's the newest addition to our menu, and an exceptional offering, replete with the warmth of spice but tastefully restrained by a cool hint of sweetness. Truly, guaranteed to bring a mellow contentment to all."

Ash grunted something unintelligible. The description was lost on him.

"Yes," said May, a gleam visible in her eyes. "I would love to try it."

"Me too!" said Bianca, waving at the waiter.

"Superb," the blue-haired one said with a nod. "We can certainly leave you all with our menu for now if you need additional time."

"Of course!" said the green-haired one. "We have an exquisite selection, so please, have all the time you require."

At that, the trio bowed in unison and turned to walk away, but Ash was having none of it.

"I didn't come here to eat! I came here to have a battle with the Striaton City gym leader!" he said as he stood on the spot, his rough movement causing the plates and silverware on the table to rattle. Just as had happened when he burst through the door, all heads in the room turned to him again, the trio of waiters included.

"If you wanted a battle, why didn't you say so sooner?" the red one asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Because this place is a cafe!" Ash said. "I came in here expecting a gym and instead you tried to seat me and my friends the second we came in the door!"

"It seems we have had a misunderstanding," said the blue one.

"Yes, we have" said the green one. "Chili, really, you shouldn't have rushed to seat them so quickly. We didn't even get a chance to ask them if they were here for dining or for battling."

"Hey!" Chili shot back. "Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, people come here for the cafe, not the gym! Can you really blame me for making that assumption?"

"From a logical standpoint, no," said the blue one. "But the correct procedure would likely be to never make any assumption at all. In doing so, we may have lost future customers by way of the trouble we have caused these four and the scene we have presented in front of those presently seated."

"Oh, come on, Cress!" said Chili.

"Relax," said the green one. "And don't worry," he said to Ash. "If it's a gym battle you're looking for, you've definitely come to right place. I suppose a proper introduction is in order. Don't you agree, brothers?"

"Of course," said Cress.

"Yeah, you're right," said Chili.

"Follow me," the green one said to the group.

He led the group to a door in the rear of the dining room, one that looked as though it belonged to a storage closet. Ash felt his jaw drop as he passed under the door frame and into the bright light of the other side.

They were all gathered together on a balcony, overlooking a battlefield. The dirt and rock field below was marked with chalk lines for trainer's boxes and boundaries. A staircase led to the field beneath their feet.

"Hey," said Bianca. "I think I get it! From the outside, the cafe didn't look big enough to be a gym, but that was because the battlefield is underground!"

"Whoa, yeah!" said Ash, realizing that her statement made a lot of sense.

"That must be it!" said May.

"And hey!" Ash said with a pump of his fist. "I bet that since the battlefield is underground, this is a ground-type gym! Or maybe rock, or steel!"

"Nope," said Rex, shaking his head. "You're way off."

"I am?"

"The location of the battlefield has nothing to do with the type of Pokemon used in battle here, as I learned when I battled here a while ago."

"Ah, so you already have the Trio Badge?" the green one asked Rex.

"Yes, I do."

"Actually, come to think of it now, I believe I remember our battle against you," the green one said.

"Whoa, hold on!" said Ash. He looked directly at the tri-colored trio. "Does that mean that the three of you are the gym leaders here?"

"It sure does!" the red one said. "The name is Chili, and I'm a user of fire-type Pokemon!"

"And I am Cress, a user of water-types," the blue one said, bowing.

"And I'm Cilan," the green one told them. "I use grass-type Pokemon. Together, the three of us are the leaders of the Striaton City Gym."

"I'm Ash, from Pallet Town in Kanto," said Ash. "But three gym leaders? I've been to a gym with two leaders before, but never three."

"Yes, indeed, all three of us are gym leaders here," said Cress.

"So, three leaders, and three different types?" said Ash. "What's the deal?"

"Since this is the first gym that most new trainers in Unova challenge, we put our challengers to a special test!" said Chili.

"Here in Unova, the Pokemon League sanctions two types of battles that are uncommon elsewhere," said Cilan. "Those two types are triple battles and rotation battles."

"I've never heard of either of those," said Ash.

"No worries," said Chili. "It's like Cilan said, you don't usually find these types of battles in other regions. And you said you were from Kanto, right?"

"Yeah, that's right," said Ash.

"Then, if you wouldn't mind, allow me to explain," said Cress. "In triple battles and rotation battles, both sides use three Pokemon each. The difference between the two is all about positioning. In a triple battle, all six Pokemon involved battle together at the same time, but in a rotation battle, it's a one-on-one battle with each Pokemon being allowed to tag out and switch with one of its teammates. The triple battle is simpler to understand, but harder for a trainer to orchestrate, since the trainer must command all three Pokemon at the same time. Conversely, the rotation battle is more complex in concept but much less chaotic and easier for the trainer to control."

"Here, at the Striaton Gym," said Cilan, "we give our challengers a choice of which of the two battle styles they would prefer. The challenger chooses either a triple battle or a rotation battle, and then faces the three of us in the chosen battle style. The challenge we offer is designed to test the fundamentals of Pokemon training and battling, such as focus, command, and strategy."

"So I have to choose, huh?" said Ash.

"Yes," said Cress. "Once you have made your decision, we will proceed down to the battlefield and begin our match."

"Hmm..." said Ash. "What do you think we should choose, Pikachu?"

Pikachu didn't seem to know, and replied with a shrug.

"Yeah, I don't know either, buddy," said Ash. "Rex, what about you? What did you choose when you challenged this gym?"

"I chose the rotation battle," said Rex.

"Well then, my mind's made up!" said Ash.

"Which battle style do you choose, then?" said Cilan.

"The triple battle!" said Ash.

Rex rolled his eyes. May and Bianca both laughed.

"I figured that since you and me couldn't be more different, I would be better off with the option you didn't choose," said Ash.

"Fair enough," said Rex.

Ash pumped his fist.

"This is it," he said. "My first gym battle in Unova!"

He and May locked eyes for a moment. Ash felt a surge of nostalgia.

"I'll be cheering you on from up here," said May. "Good luck!"

"Thanks," said Ash. He shared a smile with May, then turned toward the stairs.

Ash and the trio of gym leaders descended the staircase, down to the battlefield beneath the balcony. The trio split off from him and proceeded to the opposite side of the field.

"Alright, Ash," said Chili, "if you're ready to get started, it's time for us to send out our Pokemon!"

"I'm ready whenever you are," said Ash.

"Wonderful," said Cilan. "In that case, it's time, Pansage!"

"Let's fire it up, Pansear!" said Chili.

"Ready for battle, Panpour!" said Cress.

Together, the three of them tossed their Pokeballs onto the battlefield. What emerged from inside were three creatures that all looked very much alike, but were clearly of the three different types Cilan, Chili, and Cress had stated they used.

"Now it's time for you to choose your Pokemon, Ash!" said Cilan. "Which three will you choose?"

Ash realized that he didn't have much choice. He only had three Pokemon with him.

"Pikachu, you're up!" said Ash, sending Pikachu scurrying down his arm and hopping onto the battlefield. "Now, for the other two... Oshawott! Pidove! I choose both of you!"

Flanking Pikachu, Oshawott and Pidove materialized on the battlefield side-by-side with their teammate.

"Okay everyone, listen up!" said Ash. "This is a triple battle! That means that the three of you are all battling together at the same time against the gym leaders' Pokemon. You're facing a Pansage, Pansear, and Panpour - a grass, fire, and water type."

Oshawott looked around with what appeared to be a sense of wonder, perhaps as if he had never been inside a room so large and cavernous before. Pidove, on the other hand, blinked several times with a tilted head and a blank expression.

Ash thought for a moment, considering how he could match his team up against the opposition.

"Oshawott, I want you to cover Pansear!" he said.

"Osha!" Oshawott said, thumping on his scalchop in approval. He lined up opposite Pansear, in the center of the battlefield.

"Pidove, I want you on Pansage!"

"Pi-dove!" was the response he received, but his assurance in Pidove ended there. Pidove decided to walk over to Pansage rather than fly. Ash watched Pidove's head bob back and forth with each step. At the very least, Pidove ended up in the correct spot, to the right of Oshawott.

"And that means you're facing Panpour, Pikachu," said Ash. Pikachu nodded in understanding and then jumped over to his given location, ready for combat.

"Excellent," said Cilan. "As the challenger, the first move is yours, Ash!"

"Awesome!" said Ash, adjusting the positioning of his hat. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt on Panpour! Oshawott, Water Gun on Pansear! Pidove, fly up high and get ready to strike!"

"Pansage, Bullet Seed! Follow Pidove's path through the air!"

"Pansear, push back the Water Gun with your Flamethrower!"

"Panpour, Double Team!"

As expected, the result of six Pokemon in action at once was commotion. Panpour, at Cress' command, seemed to be everywhere at once, and Pikachu's bolt merely hit the dirt and dissipated. Oshawott's attack resulted in a stalemate with Pansear, neither side able to push the other's attack all the way back. The prolonged collision of fire and water filled the room with a thick haze of steam, which drifted toward the ceiling.

Pansage, on the other hand, did not attack. It was not out of disobedience or misunderstanding, but rather out of disbelief as to what its opponent was doing. Pidove was not flying. It was not taking to the air in any sense of the phrase. Rather, it was hopping up and down, as if in some ignorant first attempt to fly.

"Pidove, what are you doing?" said Ash. "I know that you can fly. I've watched you do it!"

Upon hearing Ash's voice, Pidove stopped hopping and instead tilted its head in blank confusion. Pidove looked so vacant that Ash doubted it knew where it was. Pikachu stared at Pidove in disbelief.

"What's going on?" said Ash. He had little time to wonder.

"While they aren't watching, Panpour! Use Scratch!"

Ash and Pikachu snapped their heads around to see Cress commanding Panpour into action. It was too late to react. Panpour got a clean swipe at Pikachu's back, sending its opponent toppling over with a squeal.

"Pikachu, watch out!" said Ash. Panpour, meanwhile, retreated. It was clear that Cress had no intention of having Panpour go toe-to-toe with Pikachu. With that in mind, Ash decided that was exactly what he was going to force Cress and Panpour to do. However, there were other matters to handle at the moment.

"Oshawott! Water Gun, again! Quickly!"

Oshawott wound up for the strike and fired another jet of water at Pansear. This time, it made contact, Pansear not having enough time to counterattack.

"Pansage, use Bullet Seed on Oshawott!"

While Oshawott was still preoccupied with firing the Water Gun, he found his attack cut off as he was sent reeling backward by a super-effective direct hit from Bullet Seed. With Pidove hopelessly lost, there was no point in Pansage maintaining its guard.

"Try to get up, Oshawott!" said Ash. "Pidove, do something! Use Gust! Pikachu, Volt Tackle on Panpour!"

Pidove did use Gust, but it was while planted on the ground, and was an exercise in futility. Rather than sending a blast of piercing air at Pansage, the attack kicked up dust all around. Pidove effectively used Sand Attack on itself.

On the opposite end of the battlefield, Panpour found itself facing down serious trouble. Pikachu was glowing like the sun and on a collision course.

"Double Team!" said Cress.

Ash knew better than to be fooled. The speed Pikachu attained by using this maneuver was sufficient to overcome a Double Team. Panpour once again dispersed into a circle of multiple copies of itself, but Ash knew just what to do.

"Pikachu! Make a turn and run all the way around that circle of images! Hit all of them! Flush the real Panpour out of there!"

One by one, in rapid succession, the self-images Panpour had created were destroyed on contact with Pikachu's volatile form, until there was a grand collision and the room lit up white.

When the light faded, Panpour was halfway across the room, out cold. Just as Ash had hoped, the water-type was caught in its tracks, and Pikachu's attack was much too powerful for it to handle. Cress and and Panpour were eliminated.

"Oh my," said Cress, holding out his Pokeball and retrieving Panpour. He looked at the ball with guilt. "I am quite sorry, my friend. The next time we battle, I will make sure not to get you trapped like that. My apologies."

"That's one of us down, but you've still got two more to go!" said Chili. "Think you can handle it?"

"Absolutely!" said Ash, clenching his fist.

"Then think again!" said Chili. "Pansear, use Fire Punch on Pidove!"

"Wha- oh no, Pidove!" said Ash. Pidove was still dazed from having blinded itself with the dust cloud. There was no way it could defend. "Oshawott, intercept Pansear with Razor Shell!"

"Not so fast!" said Cilan. "Pansage, another Bullet Seed for Oshawott, if you would please!"

Oshawott had not enjoyed receiving the first Bullet Seed, and this one was going to be worse due to being at closer range. Ash knew he had to react fast, even if it meant making a risky move.

"Pikachu, block the Bullet Seed with Quick Attack!"

Pikachu didn't like it, but he understood what Ash was trying to do and knew better than to question his judgment in situations like this. Regardless, it was unpleasant. Zipping across the field as a white streak, Pikachu put himself in the path of Pansage's attack and took it head-on. It stung like twenty lashes, but the maneuver accomplished the goal.

Free to rush in without any obstruction, Oshawott brandished his scalchop. The shell glowed a bright blue as he held it up to strike, and with a swift motion he cut Pansear off in its tracks and sent the fire-type skidding in the dirt. Pidove watched blankly, blinking a few times.

On the balcony, exchanged whispers went unnoticed by those on the battlefield.

"What do you think is wrong with Pidove?" said Bianca.

"I wish I knew," said May. "I've never seen any of Ash's Pokemon act like this before."

"Do you think Pidove hurt itself and can't fly?" said Bianca.

"I don't think so," said May. "Pidove looks fine to me."

"So then why won't it fly?" said Bianca.

"I don't know," said May. She looked toward Rex. His arms were folded over his chest, and he watched the battle with narrowed eyes.

"I'm not sure what's going on, but I have a hunch," said Rex.

"What is it?" said May.

"We've all seen Pidove fly, but have we ever seen it fly indoors before?" said Rex.

"I don't think so," said May. "Why would that matter?"

"It might sound weird, but think about it - many flying-type Pokemon can live their entire lives without ever having to go inside anything. Pidove is a Pokemon that roosts in trees and on top of buildings. It pecks around in fields and parks. It's not like it innately understands what it's like to be inside a structure."

May and Bianca gawked at Rex.

"Pidove are well-known for having difficulty with complex commands and new situations," said Rex. "I've heard stories of people being able to catch them by simply putting some food in a cardboard box and closing the lid when they landed inside."

"You mean Pidove might actually not understand that it can fly in here?" said May. "Is that even possible?"

"It's not out of the question," said Rex.

"Oh, no..." May groaned.

On the battlefield, Pikachu picked himself up. Pansear struggled on the ground.

"Pansear! Can you stand?" said Chili.

Pansear rose to one knee, but no further. Oshawott looked quite proud of what he had done. He reattached his scalchop and gave it a boisterous thump.

"Pansear doesn't have to be up on its feet to give Pansage a hand, if you know what I'm saying," Cilan said to his brother. Chili seemed lost for a moment, but then the solution came to him.

"Of course!" said Chili. "Pansear, use Sunny Day!"

Though Pansear couldn't stand, that didn't prevent it from forming a ball of light in its hands and tossing it into the air. Upon reaching the ceiling, the cavernous room was bathed in warm glow.

Oshawott wasn't fond at all of the sudden increase in heat, but he was soon to have a much more serious problem at hand.

"Pansage, Solar Beam!" said Cilan, spinning around and extending his arm, issuing his command with a snap of the fingers.

The process of charging the Solar Beam was expedited by the presence of the light from Sunny Day, and Oshawott knew right then that he was completely screwed. Pikachu had long since risen and come back over to their side of the field, no longer providing a meat-shield from the attack. Firing a Water Gun back would be futile. Such a pitiful counterattack would be obliterated by the Solar Beam in these conditions, already weak to it and weakened further by the presence of the light.

Oshawott simply shielded his eyes and hoped to wake up later.

Ash gritted his teeth as he watched the impact, which sent Oshawott careening across the room and slamming into the far wall, landing on the floor face-first with a dull thump.

"Sorry about that, Oshawott," Ash said as he retrieved his fallen team member. "If I had known they had that combo up their sleeve, I would never have let you end up in that position. You just take it easy for now and I'll get you to the Pokemon Center just as soon as this is over."

Noticing there was a lull in the action while he tended to Oshawott, Ash saw an opening. He wasted no time.

"Pikachu, take out Pansear with Quick Attack!"

A moment later, the white flash of Pikachu's swift movements sent Pansear reeling and down for the count. Already weakened, there was no chance of it withstanding another hit. It was Chili who then found himself retrieving his defeated teammate.

"Good effort, my friend," he said to Pansear. "It's all up to you now, Cilan," he said, stepping aside and joining Cress on the sidelines.

"No cause for concern!" Cilan said. "Thanks to you and Pansear, Pansage and I are still ready to fully exhibit our prowess in battle! The warmth of the sunlight shall guide us to the golden fields of victory!"

"You're gonna have to stay on your toes, Pikachu," said Ash. "Pansage can launch Solar Beam without having to charge it as long as the light from Sunny Day keeps up."

"Pi-ka," Pikachu said with a nod of serious understanding.

"Pidove," Ash said, staring at his hopeless Pokemon, unsure of what to say. "I don't know what to do with you, but if you can pull it together, we would really appreciate your help."

The outlook on Pidove was doubtful, though. Pidove now seemed unaware there was a battle in progress and had taken to staring directly at the artificial sun Pansear had created.

"Alright, Pansage! Solar Beam!" said Cilan.

Pansage drew in the golden sunlight and formed it into a ball, ready to fire. Pikachu stood at the ready, prepared to dodge.

"Quick Attack, Pikachu! Run around Pansage and try to knock it over!"

Pikachu once again streaked across the field in white light. His speed was much too great for Pansage to follow. The attack was on target, and Pansage went face-first into the dirt, losing control of the Solar Beam. The green orb of energy dispersed into thin air.

"Jump, Pikachu!" said Ash. "Get ready to hit it with Iron Tail when you land!"

"Quickly, Pansage!" said Cilan. "Turn over and fire Solar Beam up at Pikachu before it lands and hits you!"

For a few tenuous moments, the question remained as to what was faster. Was it going to be gravity pulling Pikachu and his metallic tail downward, or the blast of Pansage's Solar Beam? Even when the moment of truth arrived, the result was unclear. The blinding flash of the Solar Beam drowned out everything else, and it was not until the light faded that they could know.

Ultimately, it was the Solar Beam that was faster. Pansage was rising to its feet, unscathed, but Pikachu had been blasted clear across the field and wasn't responding.

"Oh no," said Ash. He couldn't stomach the thought that after such a valiant effort by Pikachu, the battle was going to end in such a disaster. Pikachu wasn't getting up, and that meant it was down to one-on-one, if it could even be called that.

Ash expected to see Pidove being mauled by Pansage, but that wasn't what he found at all. Instead, Pidove was spreading its wings, still staring at the artificial sun up above.

"Pidove?" Ash called, unsure of what was taking place. Pidove was beginning to move its wings. Not flying, but getting there.

Ash heard murmurs from the balcony, but couldn't understand them.

"Could it be?" May said.

"Ha!" said Rex. "I get it!"

"Get what?" said Bianca.

"Watch," he said, pointing at the field.

Slowly, Pidove lifted itself into the air. Flying in a wide, spiraling loop around the field, it was headed upward, toward the sunlight.

"Pidove thinks it's outside again because of that artificial sun Pansear made with Sunny Day," said Res. "I think that noow that it can see the sun, it understands where 'up' is, so it can fly again."

Bianca could only watch in astonishment. May, on the other hand, felt a huge smile forming on her face. This was classic Ash.

"Pidove?" said Ash. "Can you hear me? Can you battle?"

"Pi-dove!" Pidove cooed back at him. It was as though Pidove had never had any trouble at all.

"Pansage, Solar Beam!" said Cilan. "Before Pidove can strike!"

"Pidove, Gust!" said Ash.

Pansage was swept off its feet and went tumbling over several times. There was no time to get up.

"Now, Air Cutter!"

The crescent scythes of air shot out from beneath Pidove's wings, striking Pansage in rapid succession.

"Pansage, Synthesis!"

"Pidove, Quick Attack!"

There wasn't enough time for Pansage to recover. Pidove jetted forward, striking it directly, sending Pansage toppling to the ground.

As Pidove landed gracefully a few moments later, unaware that it had caused so much turmoil, Cilan found himself recalling his defeated partner.

"It's tough to believe," Cilan said, "but despite all odds, you were able to turn it around just in time, Ash. Congratulations!"

"Yes, indeed," said Cress.

"Yeah, great job!" said Chili, giving him a thumbs up. "What a crazy ending!"

Perched on Ash's arm, Pidove preened its feathers contentedly.

"Pidove, I don't have any idea what just happened, but I'm glad it did," said Ash.

He saw May dashing down the stairs to join him on the battlefield. He knew she had witnessed the whole ordeal.

Holding up a Pokeball and clicking the button, he retrieved Pidove. "Thanks for coming through in the end," he said.

Squatting down, he got on eye level with Pikachu, who had gotten up and hobbled back over to the trainer's box.

"You okay, buddy?" he asked.

Pikachu nodded, and held up two fingers in the victory sign.

"Ash!" said May as she reached the trainer's box, prompting him to stand up once again.

"Hey!" he said, feeling rather embarrassed all of a sudden.

"That was awesome!" said May, pulling in close and throwing her arms around him.

Ash froze. He hadn't been expecting a hug. It didn't last long. The moment was interrupted by the trio of gym leaders, who carried something that Ash wanted very much.

"Congratulations once again, Ash," Cilan said, extending an open hand. In that open hand rested a golden object, fixed with red, green, and blue gems. "In commemoration of your victory here today at the Striaton City Gym, it is our honor to present you with the Trio Badge."

"I shouldn't have eaten all the cake..."

May groaned. She sat next to Ash at a table in one of the many bakeries they had passed along the way to the gym. She slouched in her seat, hands held against her stomach.

"It was so good, though," said Bianca, rubbing her own stomach. "So worth it."

"A good way to celebrate, don't you think?" Ash said. He let out a content sight and leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head. "That was a great battle."

"Yeah, it was!" said May. "Just like you to turn it around right at the last second."

Rex had a half-eaten piece of cake on his plate before him. He sipped his coffee quietly, glaring at Ash over the top of his mug. Ash met his eyes momentarily.

"Aren't you going to finish your cake?" Ash asked.

Rex set his mug down on its saucer with a soft clink. The table went silent.

"Your victory was dumb luck, and you know it," said Rex.

"Aw, come on!" said Ash. "A win is a win! It doesn't matter if I was lucky or not!"

"Besides," said May, "you saw how Ash won even with Pidove completely lost almost the whole time. If it hadn't been confused like that, he would have won easily!"

"Yeah, that's right!" said Ash.

"But the truth remains that you won because of your opponent's actions, and not your own."

"That's how it goes sometimes," said Ash. "There are some battles you win because your opponent messes up."

"Certainly," said Rex, "but battles that end that way only show the full picture of a trainer's skill if that trainer intentionally set up their opponent to fail. You didn't do that. You won because of a ridiculous coincidence."

"Why does it matter?" said Ash. "I still won!"

May glared at Rex.

"Why are you attacking Ash like this?" she said. "We're supposed to be celebrating his victory, not telling him how he could have done better!"

Rex pursed his lips and looked down at his coffee.

"I'm sorry," he said. "It's just been bothering me that Ash has apparently had so much experience and success in leagues and other tournaments, yet he only won today, as I see it, because of luck. That's not what I was expecting."

Ash narrowed his eyes.

"Are you saying you don't think I'm a good trainer?"

"No, but what I am saying is that I was expecting to see a higher level of skill from you today."

"If you want to see a better battle, I can show you," Ash said.

Rex raised an eyebrow at him.

"Are you challenging me?"

"Yes, I am."

The group was silent. Ash and Rex eyed each other levelly.

"I will accept your challenge, under one condition," said Rex.

"What is it?" said Ash.

"You need to use a stronger team than the one you used in your gym battle today. I know that if you've battled in leagues before, you must have more Pokemon in storage somewhere. If you call whoever you need to call to make that happen, then I will accept."

Ash felt a corner of his mouth move upwards into a grin.

"I can do that," said Ash. He extended a hand to Rex.

"We'll battle tomorrow at noon in the abandoned lot on the east side of the city," said Rex. "Three on three. Deal?"

"Deal."

Chapter Text

"...huh? -ow..."

May covered her face with her pillow. She had no idea what time it was and no idea what Ash had said.

"The battle!" said Ash. He frowned at May, who was trying to bury herself beneath her sheets. Their room in the Pokemon Center was bright white, flooded with fluorescent light. Darkness was visible through the window.

"...whabaddle..." May said, her voice muffled by the smothering mass of sheets she was pulling over her head.

"My battle with Rex!" Ash said. "It's today!"

"...mmuh... time is it..."

Ash searched the walls of the room for a clock before pulling out his Pokedex.

"It's 4:55," he said.

"In the morning?"

"Yeah."

May tightened the cocoon of sheets around her.

"This dream sucks," she said.

"This isn't a dream," said Ash. "I need your help."

May massaged her forehead beneath the sheets. She pulled the sheets down and uncovered her face. Her eyes remained closed.

"Can't it wait until the morning?" she said.

"It is the morning!" said Ash. "It can't wait. The battle is at noon. I don't have much time!"

"You've got, like… ten hours," May said.

May pulled the sheets back over her head. Ash thought for a moment and then began counting on his fingers.

"I've got seven hours!" he said, holding up seven fingers as if he was showing his work.

"Can you guys please quiet down?"

Ash looked up at the top bunk and saw Bianca squinting down at him. She was red-eyed and disheveled.

"Sorry," Ash said. "I didn't mean to wake you up."

Bianca flopped back down on her mattress. After just a second of laying still, she covered her eyes. Frustrated, she rolled over again and looked down at Ash, peeking out from behind the shade of her hand.

"Why are the lights on?" she groaned.

"Um-".

"And where's Rex?"

The bunks on the opposite side of the room were both empty. The lower one, which Rex had occupied, was deserted. The bed had been made, and there was no sign of his belongings anywhere in the room.

"That's kind of why I'm up," said Ash. He pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket and held it up. "He left a few minutes ago, and he left us a note."

"Huh?" said Bianca. "What does it say?"

"It says that he needs to do some stuff before our battle today, so he got up early to take care of it, and he'll see us later. He left the address of the place where we're battling, and said we should meet him there."

"What do you think he's doing?" said Bianca.

"Beats me," said Ash, "but seeing him get up so early reminded me that I really need to do some planning for our battle, so that's why I'm up."

"So then why did you wake us up?" May grumbled from under her sheets.

"I woke you up because I need your help, May," said Ash.

"My help?"

"Yeah. I wanted your advice about which Pokemon I should use in my battle."

"You want my advice?" said May.

"Yeah, I do."

May peeked her head out from underneath the sheets. She squinted in the harsh light, but there was a smile on her face.

"I'm going to call Professor Oak and have him send some of my Pokemon here, but I wanted to talk to you first so I can get a better idea about what I want to do," said Ash.

"Okay," said May. "I'd love to help."

"Thanks!" said Ash, loud enough that he caused May to retreat behind her sheets again.

Ash noticed movement above him and looked upward. Bianca was smiling at him in a way that made him feel like he was missing something.

"What's up?" said Ash.

Bianca winked at him.

"Are you sure about this?" said May.

Ash looked up from the sheet of paper.

"I think so," he said. "This is the address."

"It's..." May said.

"Abandoned?" Bianca said.

"Yeah."

The three of them stood before a gate. The iron bars were rusted over, and the bricks framing them were beginning to crumble from disuse. The lot that was visible beyond the bars appeared overgrown.

"Well, he did say it was abandoned," said Ash.

"Is he here?" said May.

"I'm not sure," said Ash.

The gate before them was open. The field beyond the gate was empty, aside from overgrown weeds. Ash slipped through the open gate and waded into the sea of untamed growth. May and Bianca followed him.

"This place really is abandoned," said May, looking around in mild discomfort, the tips and blades tickling her legs. Behind her, Bianca was having trouble with her long skirt sticking to the grass. She tugged at it as she walked.

"Yeah, it is," said Ash. "I hope the whole place isn't covered in this grass, though. It's going to be tough to battle."

Pikachu voiced his agreement. The grass was much taller than he was.

Ahead of them loomed a building that was in complete disrepair. There was not a single window that remained intact. Sections of the walls were cracked, and some parts of the roof had collapsed. There appeared to be the remains of letters on the front facade of the building, but they had long since been lost to the elements.

"What do you think this place was?" said Bianca. "You know, before it was all destroyed and stuff."

"Dunno," said May, trying her best to avoid tearing her skirt on some thorns. "It looks like nobody's been here for a while, though."

"It looks like a factory or something," said Ash.

As the three of them drew closer to the shadow of the abandoned building, a voice called out to them. When they turned their heads to see the source of the voice, they saw Rex and Excadrill, approaching them from farther out in the field.

"There you are!" said Ash. "Finally!"

"We weren't sure you were here," said May. "Where were you?"

"I was out in the field with Excadrill, clearing a space for us to battle," he said. As he did, Excadrill bore his claws proudly. "Excadrill's X-Scissor was perfect for the job."

"Gotcha," said Ash.

"Thanks very much for your help," Rex said, recalling Excadrill to his Pokeball. "Follow me," he added, motioning to everyone to follow him.

The group did so, and after a brief walk they emerged in a clearing. It smelled of freshly cut grass. On the far side of a clearing was a large piece of a broken concrete slab.

"I tried to leave a seating area for the spectators," said Rex, pointing toward it.

May frowned at the thing.

"Thanks, I think," she said.

Bianca followed May over to their makeshift concrete bench, and Ash stood opposite Rex in the clearing.

"So, are you ready for this or what?" Ash said.

"I'm ready," said Rex. "Are you?"

"Definitely," said Ash, pumping his fist. "I'm so ready!"

"Shall we go over the rules once more?" said Rex.

"Three on three, right?"

"Yes, three on three. No time limit. Substitutions are allowed. Standard stuff. Does that sound right? Can we agree to that?"

"Absolutely," said Ash. He was glad nobody was close enough to see him trembling with excitement.

"Well then, take your place," Rex said, pointing to the far side of the field, "and I'll take mine."

The two of them turned and resolutely toward opposite sides of the clearing. When Ash arrived at his end, he instructed Pikachu to go join May on the sidelines. He wasn't going to be called upon in this battle.

Pikachu bounded over to may and jumped up into her arms.

"Hey Pikachu!" said May.

"Is Ash not going to use Pikachu?" said Bianca.

"Nope!" said May. "Not this time."

"But why not?" said Bianca. "Pikachu's really really strong, isn't he?"

Pikachu scratched his head, bashful.

"Yeah, Pikachu is very strong," said May, "but Rex has a lot of ground type Pokemon on his team, and they're immune to Pikachu's electric attacks. Ash and I talked about it, and we decided that it would be best if he used other types of Pokemon in this battle."

"Which Pokemon will he use?" said Bianca. "You guys didn't tell me! What did he get the professor guy to send him?"

A sly smile came to May's face, and her gaze shifted from Bianca to Ash.

"You'll see!" she said.

On the battlefield, both Ash and Rex held a pokeball in their grip.

"Shall we begin?" said Rex. The severe expression from the day Ash met him was on his face again.

"Yeah!" said Ash. "Who's going first?"

"I'll make it simple," said Rex, holding out the Pokeball in his hand. "I've got a Pokemon in this ball. Regardless of whatever Pokemon you send out, this one will be my first in the battle. You have my word that I won't change my selection, no matter what you do. You may have the first move."

"Well, in that case," said Ash, winding up for the throw and looking Rex in the eye, "I choose you, Muk!"

The ball opened, and an amorphous purple lump emerged from it and landed on the grass with a sound somewhere between a flop and a squelch.

Ash heard Bianca make a disgusted sound, and May laughing at her.

Rex sized up the opposition.

"Intriguing choice," he said. "I definitely wasn't expecting that."

"Ha, thanks!" said Ash. He knew that if he truly had caught Rex off guard, there was no better way to start the battle.

"Well then," said Rex, pulling his arm back for the throw, holding onto the same ball from before, "you're up, Conkeldurr!"

Ash felt his confidence reaffirmed as he watched the towering Conkeldurr appear on the field. If Rex had been trying to use his selection as a mind trick, it had backfired on him. Muk was at a type advantage.

"The first move is yours," said Rex.

"Muk, use Mud Bomb!"

"Conkeldurr, Stone Edge!"

To Ash's surprise, Conkeldurr's method of using Stone Edge was unlike anything he had seen before. Conkeldurr picked up its two concrete pillars, which began to glow. The intent wasn't to shoot a bunch of stone pieces at the enemy. Conkeldurr was going to strike with its pillars.

As a rather underwhelming response, Muk belched up a ball of mud, which went flying across the field at Conkeldurr.

"Block the ball with one of your pillars!" said Rex.

Conkeldurr held one pillar in front of its body. The Mud Shot struck it and splashed off like it was nothing. Conkeldurr then let go of the soiled pillar and left it behind, content to attempt to strike with only one.

They were at way too close a range for Muk to attempt to block it with another attack. Ash realized he was going to have to opt for defense instead.

"Acid Armor!"

As Conkeldurr closed in and swung the pillar at Muk as if it was a baseball bat, Muk squashed downward into the ground and dispersed, as if he had disappeared into thin air. Confused, Conkeldurr set the pillar down and searched for its adversary.

"It must be slithering around on the ground, Conkeldurr! Use Hammer Arm!"

Pulling up one of its gigantic fists, Conkeldurr gathered strength and then sent it plunging toward the ground.

"Pop back up and absorb the blow, Muk!"

Muk sprung up from the ground and reappeared at Conkeldurr's feet. Before there was time to react, Conkeldurr's heavy fist came thundering down on Muk's head.

Muk shook as if made of gelatin. Conkeldurr lifted his fist to reveal a fist-shaped dent in Muk's head.

"Well now," Rex said.

Ash smirked. Rex looked like he didn't know how to fight against Muk.

"Back away from it, Conkeldurr!" said Rex. "Stay at range!"

Conkeldurr picked up the pillar he had used for Stone Edge and retreated to where he had dropped off his other pillar when he blocked Mud Shot. Repositioning himself, he stood like a sentry behind his two pillars, ready to react.

"Well done, Muk!" Ash said. "Looks like we've got them surprised."

Muk reconstituted himself and returned to his normal shape. Ash heard Bianca make a retching noise on the sideline.

He tried to read the expression on Rex's face. It was clear that Muk was the perfect foil for Conkeldurr. He couldn't understand why Rex wasn't switching Pokemon. Excadrill was the obvious counter to Muk - a counter for which he had prepared.

"Conkeldurr, Bulk Up!"

"Don't let it strengthen itself, Muk!" said Ash. "Use Gunk Shot while Conkeldurr is wide open!"

Rex sighed and clasped his hand over his face.

Conkeldurr's shut his eyes. While he expanded and flexed his muscles, Muk barfed up another vile ball. This one was much more menacing, a veritable bomb of black tar.

A splat echoed around the clearing. Ash heard Bianca whimper, and May giggle. Conkeldurr was knocked backward and toppled over, his head taking the full force of the attack.

"Keep your guard up, Conkeldurr!" said Rex. "Listen for it if you have to! They're going to strike while you're down!"

Struggling to orient himself, Conkeldurr rose to one knee and tried to wipe the wretched black substance off of his face.

"Muk, use Poison Jab!"

Squirming the short distance across the field to where Conkeldurr knelt disabled, Muk drew back a fist of sludge and drove it right into his opponent's chin. Floored, Conkeldurr toppled over again.

Rex gritted his teeth.

"Great shot, Muk!" said Ash.

"Conkeldurr, can you stand?" said Rex.

Again, Conkeldurr rose to one knee. This time, he opened his eyes. They were a menacing shade of black and red.

"Look out, Muk!" said Ash. "Something's going on!"

Muk retreated a few inches.

"Ah, interesting!" said Rex. "It looks like Muk's poison attacks have triggered Conkeldurr's Guts ability."

The word "guts" in this context caused Ash to recall his battle against Paul at Lake Acuity. He had seen firsthand that day the power that Guts packed. Pikachu's Static had inflicted Paul's Ursaring with paralysis, but what should have been a crippling effect instead sent Ursaring into a berserker rage.

Reaffirming Ash's memory of how powerful Guts was, Conkeldurr stood up as if nothing had happened.

"Watch out, Muk!" said Ash. "You poisoned Conkeldurr, but that made it much more powerful!"

"Conkeldurr, Hammer Arm!" said Rex.

With crushing force, Conkeldur smashed his fist into Muk's head. This time, the effect was different. Muk flattened out and groaned, unable to spring back up. He was pushed down into a shallow crater.

"Muk, pull yourself together!" said Ash. "Conkeldurr may be powerful, but right now it's hurt and it's really slow! Use Gunk Shot at close range while you still can!"

Muk pushed his slimy hands against the ground, trying to pop back to normal size and configuration. Battered, he struggled to get up and prepare the attack.

"Stone Edge!" said Rex.

With a guttural growl, Conkeldurr hefted up one of its pillars. Again, the stone structure glowed with energy as he wound up for the strike.

When the two attacks were launched it was difficult to tell who fired first. It was unclear who made first contact, but Muk was flattened beneath Conkeldurr's concrete pillar, and Conkeldurr was knocked backward several feet, flat on his back and covered in sludge.

What was clear, however, was that Muk was finished. While Conkeldurr struggled and then got up on one knee, leaning over with his hand on the ground for additional support, Muk's only response was to squirm halfway out from beneath the pillar. His eyes were stunned and glazed over, motionless.

Ash's shoulders sank. He sighed as he held out Muk's Pokeball.

"You battled really well, Muk. You've earned a good rest."

Conkeldurr breathed heavily. He had not yet risen to his feet, and Ash doubted that he would. He removed another Pokeball from his belt.

"Swellow, I choose you!" he said, throwing the Pokeball high into the air. From the ball emerged Swellow's regal form, soaring high.

Before Ash could call out a command for Swellow, Rex held out a Pokeball and returned Conkeldurr, the battered giant and the concrete pillars all disappearing together.

"It's pretty clear that Conkeldurr's beaten," Rex said. "There's no hope in having him fight at a disadvantage again when he's already so heavily injured. I don't want my Pokemon to get hurt any worse than they have to, and I'm sure you understand and appreciate that. If you don't mind, I'm calling it a technical knockout."

"Sure," Ash said. He thought it was a prudent choice. A single Aerial Ace from Swellow would have been sufficient to take Conkeldurr out of commission. "Which Pokemon do you choose now?"

Rex removed another Pokeball from his belt. He smirked.

"You know, this is much better than you did in your gym battle yesterday," he said. "I'm very pleased so far."

"I'm glad you're enjoying it," said Ash. "I just hope you still feel that way when you lose!"

"Confident, aren't you?" said Rex. "You're up, Camerupt!"

Camerupt materialized onto the battlefield before them, and Ash was left feeling confused.

"Camerupt?" he said. "But Swellow is a flying type!"

Rex appeared unconcerned.

"Eruption!" he said.

Ash felt a wave of intense heat on his face, and knew Swellow was in trouble.

"Swellow, watch out!" he said. "You've got to dodge this!"

Before the words had finished leaving Ash's mouth, the volcanoes on Camerupt's back erupted with violent force, spewing smoke, lava, and brimstone high into the air. Flaming rocks flew in every direction up above, littering the sky with fiery debris.

Swellow's vision was obscured. It struggled to weave through the onslaught of volcanic fallout. Gradually, the debris precipitated out of the air, and dodging it became easier.

"Keep it up, Swellow! It's almost over!" said Ash.

"Camerupt, Lava Plume!"

Swellow's task of dodging everything became much more difficult. A semi-spherical sheet of lava erupted from Camerupt's back and expanded around it, once again blanketing the skies. The unexpected angle of attack caught Swellow off guard.

"Use Agility, Swellow!"

Swellow glowed white and climbed upward rapidly. Its movements became faster and faster, and as the last of the debris settled, it soared freely through the clear skies.

"Flamethrower!" said Rex.

The attack was powerful, but with Swellow's considerable speed increase, it was useless. Camerupt made an effort to aim, but Swellow dodged the jet of flame without difficulty.

Ash considered his position. Getting in close seemed like a terrible idea, but attacking from a distance wasn't Swellow's strong point.

"Flamethrower again!"

"Swellow, use Air Slash!"

Camerupt's Flamethrower missed its mark once again. Swellow responded by beating its wings and firing off a barrage of scythes made of air. To Ash's chagrin, at Swellow's present distance, the attack was ineffective.

"Normally," said Rex, "we don't get to do this because our opponents land a good hit after the first one, but I suppose it will work. Camerupt, use Eruption again!"

The sky above the battlefield was once again filled with fire and blazing brimstone. May and Bianca went running for cover. Swellow darted about frantically to avoid the attack, first as the rock and lava was ejected into the air, and then on its descent back to the ground. The situation was maddening. To Ash, it seemed clear who had the advantage in this matchup, and it wasn't him.

Swellow struggled more and more to dodge as each boulder passed. Ash clenched his jaw. It seemed like there was only one reasonable thing to do.

"Swellow, return!" he said. He held up Swellow's Pokeball, and Swellow was pulled from the debris-filled air into the safety of its ball.

The eruption ended. May and Bianca emerged from the woods, taking their seat on the sidelines again.

"That was probably for the best," said Rex.

Ash grimaced as he removed a third ball from his belt. This wasn't a good situation.

"Go, Sceptile!"

Ash could see that Rex was surprised by the choice. He saw Rex look Sceptile up and down.

"Well now!" said Rex. "Confident, aren't you?"

"'tile," Sceptile grunted, spitting aside the chewed husk of a seed. He placed his omnipresent twig in the corner of his mouth.

"Nifty accessory you've got there," said Rex.

Sceptile glared.

"Trust me, I saved the best for last," said Ash. "You haven't seen anything yet!"

"I believe it," said Rex. "Let's see what you can do."

"Sceptile, Leaf Blade!"

Sceptile charged at Camerupt. The leaves on his arms transformed into glowing green blades, poised to slash. Camerupt lowered its head, bracing for impact.

"Use Curse!" said Rex.

Camerupt appeared to glow both red and purple, surrounded by two distinct auras. Sceptile struck Camerupt's flank with Leaf Blade, but the strike didn't do nearly as much damage as Ash had anticipated.

Sceptile backed away from Camerupt, and Ash was left wondering what Camerupt had done.

"What is that move?" he said.

"Again, Camerupt!" said Rex.

"Sceptile, use Leaf Storm!"

Rex appeared concerned, much to Ash's relief. The seeds on Sceptile's back glowed bright white, and then leaves began to emanate from them, pouring outward. The leaves shot at Camerupt violently, hitting directly on the head.

Ash wasn't certain, but it looked to him like Camerupt had taken substantial damage.

"Camerupt, Overheat!" said Rex.

Ash felt like his suspicions were confirmed. He knew there was no way Rex would call for Overheat instead of Eruption if Camerupt had not been damaged. He saw the intense flames forming in Camerupt's mouth, and he knew exactly what to do.

"Sceptile, use Agility!" said Ash.

Sceptile glowed a faint white. Camerupt shot a white-hot torrent of fire from its mouth. Sceptile rolled to the side and escaped the blast, but Camerupt followed Sceptile's movements with the flames.

"Sceptile, jump onto Camerupt's back! Get in between the humps!"

Sceptile got down on all fours and made a mighty leap over Camerupt's head, past the source of the blistering stream of fire. He landed between the volcanoes on Camerupt's back, as if he was riding his opponent, backwards.

"Leaf Blade!" said Ash.

"What do you think you're doing?" said Rex. "Camerupt, use Lava Plume!"

Before Camerupt could ready the attack, Sceptile pounded its blades against both of Camerupt's flanks. To Ash's surprise, Camerupt did not seem to care. As fire began welling up in Camerupt's volcanoes, Ash issued another command.

"Use Quick Attack to get out of there!"

Sceptile leaped from Camerupt's back escaped in a blur. Camerupt fired Lava Plume, but the intended target was well out of range. The attack dissipated in the air long before it reached Sceptile. It was a much weaker Lava Plume than the one that had been fired at Swellow earlier.

Sceptile darted around the edges of the battlefield, with speed vastly greater than his opponent's.

"Bullet Seed!"

"Curse, again!"

Yet again, Camerupt was enveloped in two strange auras, but nothing else seemed to happen. To Ash's surprise, when Sceptile's Bullet Seed struck Camerupt, it seemed to have no effect. It caused Camerupt nothing more than mild discomfort.

Ash gritted his teeth.

"Camerupt's defenses keep going up!" he said to Sceptile. "We've got to find another way to break through. Try Solar Beam!"

Pausing to gather energy, Sceptile prepared to take aim.

"Camerupt, use Yawn!" said Rex.

Camerupt's mouth opened wide, and it let out a giant yawn. A white cloud escaped from its mouth, and it floated over to the stationary Sceptile, popping like a bubble when it reached its target.

Sceptile's eyelids began to droop.

"Sceptile!" said Ash. "You've got to fire that Solar Beam before you fall asleep!"

Straining to maintain focus, Scpetile aimed his hands in Camerupt's general direction and fired the brilliant white beam. Much like Camerupt's attempts at using Flamethrower against Swellow, it was wildly off target. Before Sceptile could collapse from sleepiness, Ash recalled Sceptile to his Pokeball.

"Return, Sceptile!" he said, the laser beam dissolving Sceptile into thin air. Wasting no time, he switched to another ball. "Go, Swellow!"

Swellow took to the skies once again, looking displeased to see Camerupt still standing.

"This isn't going to be easy, Swellow, but I really need you to come through!" said Ash. "Use Brave Bird on Camerupt!"

"Take aim, Camerupt, and use Flamethrower," said Rex.

Swellow gathered tremendous speed as it dived toward the ground, then changed directions and rocketed straight forward at Camerupt. Camerupt, meanwhile, gathered flame in its mouth, ready to unleash it.

When Swellow drew near, Camerupt released the attack. Swellow drove into the stream of flames and plowed through to the source, striking Camerupt in the head. Once again, as had been the case with Sceptile's Leaf Blade, Camerupt didn't seem to care.

Swellow, on the other hand, recoiled from the attack, singed all over. The damage was heavy. Swellow circled at a low altitude, unable to fly any higher. Its movements were labored.

"Camerupt, Curse!" said.

Ash was certain this strange move was the source of Camerupt's impenetrable defenses. He was also certain that it wasn't a coincidence that Camerupt had been almost motionless since using it. That was exactly what he needed.

"Swellow, use Endeavor!"

Camerupt remained still, surrounded by the red and purple auras, as Swellow dive-bombed its target.

There was the sound of a solid impact, a sudden cloud of dust, and then, an amazing sight. As Swellow struggled to regain altitude, Camerupt struggled to stand.

"Yes!" said Ash. "It worked!"

Rex couldn't help but smirk.

"Impressive," he said.

"Aerial Ace!" said Ash.

In the blink of an eye, Swellow went from circling above the battlefield to appearing behind Camerupt, a fierce glare on its face. Along the way, the blindingly fast finishing blow had been dealt. Swellow landed on the ground, and Camerupt toppled over, defeated.

May and Bianca erupted in cheers.

"That was a great effort, Camerupt," said Rex. "Return."

"You've only got one Pokemon left!" said Ash. "Are you ready to finish this?"

"That was a clever move," said Rex. "I'm impressed by your ability to think on your feet. In that regard, you're a much sharper battler than me. However-"

Rex punctuated his statement by reaching to his belt for what would be his third and final Pokemon.

"You can't always win with quick wit alone," said Rex. "Go, Ferrothorn!"

Ferrothorn looked just as unpleasant as usual, Ash thought. Ferrothorn was perhaps meanest-looking of all of Rex's Pokemon, which was quite an accomplishment. Ash had seen many Cacnea that he thought would have been more fun to pet.

Swellow eyed the new competitor doubtfully. The crazy thing looked like it was essentially stationary. There was no way it could battle in the air.

Ash wondered what Rex had planned. Ferrothorn rarely moved. There was no way it could battle in the air, and it was doubtful that it could compete against Swellow and Sceptile in direct combat. There had to be a catch.

"Shall we continue?" said Rex.

"Absolutely," said Ash. "Swellow, you're not going to have to worry about this one going anywhere. It can hardly move at all. Let's finish this! Show 'em a Brave Bird!"

"Use Ingrain, Ferrothorn," said Rex.

Ferrothorn confirmed Ash's hunch that it was immobile by taking root. Roots burst forth from its underside, thrusting downward into the ground. Some of them erupted back out the surface again and formed a network of tangled vines beneath and around Ferrothorn, suspending it a few feet above the ground.

Swellow plunged down from the sky, the pressure of displaced air causing a rush of wind, rustling the surrounding grass.

"Iron Defense!" said Rex.

Swellow made impact. There was an awful crunch. Ferrothorn remained where it had been prior to taking the hit, but Swellow lay on the ground before Ferrothorn in a crumpled heap.

Ash staggered forward in disbelief.

"What happened?"

"Those iron barbs that cover Ferrothorn's body are for more than show, you know," said Rex. "They hurt if you hit them. With all the damage Swellow had already taken, it's no surprise that attack backfired."

Ash cursed his lack of foresight. It was all so obvious. To make matters worse, he saw Ferrothorn's tangle of roots glow a distinct green. Ingrain was healing it.

"I'm sorry, Swellow," Ash said, retrieving his battered Pokemon. "As soon as this is over we'll get Nurse Joy to take a look at you. You'll be alright. I didn't mean to get you hurt like that."

He made an exchange of Pokeballs from his belt.

"It's up to you, Sceptile!" said Ash. "It's one on one now."

"So it is," said Rex.

"If we're going to win this battle, you're going to have to hit harder than you ever have before, Sceptile! Ferrothorn may be stuck in the ground, but it's got the strength to take almost anything we throw at it!"

Sceptile looked unconcerned, tightening his grip on the twig in the corner of his mouth. He and Ferrothorn glared at each other.

"Iron Defense!" said Rex.

"Before it can raise its defenses any more, Sceptile! Leaf Blade!"

Sceptile's uncontested, direct strike left nothing more than a shallow scratch. The scratch disappeared as Ferrothorn's roots surged with green energy once again. Sceptile glanced back at Ash, annoyed.

"Well, at least you didn't get pricked by the barbs," Ash said, scratching the back of his neck.

"Use Power Whip!" said Rex.

"Power wha- Run!"

The spike-covered seed pods on Ferrothorn's head extended a considerable length, the vines stretching outward as they would when a Pokemon used Vine Whip. The difference, though, was that for Ferrothorn this action was more like swinging a spike-covered mace than it was lashing something with a whip.

Sceptile did not hesitate. A moment after he jumped and backpedaled away, one of Ferrothorn's feelers went plunging into the ground where Sceptile had previously stood, tearing apart the earth around it. All three of the feelers slithered and weaved about, sending Sceptile on the run.

"Use Bullet Seed on it, Sceptile!" said Ash. "Try to get it to stop!"

Jumping and weaving through the swath of vines, Sceptile directed his jet of energy pellets at Ferrothorn's iron husk. The attack bounced off in utter futility.

Ash went silent, watching Sceptile dodge again and again without a command. Ferrothorn's defenses seemed too great to overcome. When he was planning his team with May, he had known that facing Ferrothorn was a possibility, but he hadn't considered it to be a legitimate threat. Rex had never used Ferrothorn for anything before, until now.

"Pin Missile!" said Rex.

"Counter with Bullet Seed!"

This time, Ferrothorn's attack was ineffective, much to Ash's relief. Sceptile's Bullet Seed was more powerful and easily held off the barrage of needles. The delay gave Ash precious time to think. He knew he needed another strategy, but he had no idea what to do.

"Hey, Sceptile..." he said. "Do you know how to use Fire Blast? Or something like that?"

Sceptile gave Ash a deadpan look. Ash heard May groan from the sidelines.

"Please?" Ash said, pleading.

Unsure of what would happen, Ash saw Sceptile take in a deep breath and lean back, preparing to unleash the fury. For a moment, Ash tingled with excitement, thinking that it was going to work.

It didn't.

Sceptile leaned forward to release the would-be flame, but all that came out was stale air.

"Good try, but that's not going to work," said Rex. "To the best of my knowledge, there aren't any grass-type Pokemon that can learn that move."

"I thought it was worth a shot," said Ash. "Sceptile has worked miracles before, so I never rule anything out."

"If that had worked, it really would have been a miracle," said Rex. "I would never let you get away with pulling a victory over me like that. But as I'm sure you're aware, as things are now, you're really not in a position to win."

"I know," said Ash. "But it's not over. We're just going to have to find a different way to attack Ferrothorn!"

"Well, while you get that figured out, I think we'll keep attacking the same way. Power Whip, Ferrothorn!"

"Keep your guard up, Sceptile! Use Agility and dodge!"

Again ducking and weaving, Sceptile used his speed as an advantage. With what was now a tremendous speed boost, this time it wasn't nearly as difficult to avoid Ferrothorn's strikes. The trouble with the situation was that the consequence for failure was immediate defeat. A single hit from Ferrothorn's feeler-maces would end the battle on the spot.

"Just focus, Sceptile!" said Ash. "Stay focused!"

The gears in Ash's head started to turn feverishly. There was an idea buried somewhere deep down in there.

Fire was Ferrothorn's obvious weakness, but what else?

"I don't know if you've ever done it before," said Ash, "but give it a try! It's the only hope we've got! Use Focus Blast, Sceptile!"

Sceptile had not done it before, but the name of the attack was instructive enough. Sceptile dropped into a ready stance and pulled his hands back by his side, cupping them together. Searching for a moment of calm, he quite simply pushed the energy out. To everyone's surprise, he held a shining ball of blue light.

Ferrothorn was only able to give its opponent a look of astonishment before Sceptile slammed the ball of energy into its face. There was a bang, and Ferrothorn's attack ceased, the vines retracting. Dust kicked up all around.

"There's no way!" said Rex. "Unbelievable!"

"Careful Sceptile, I'm not sure Ferrothorn's down just yet!" said Ash.

Ash's warning proved correct. Ferrothorn was battered, with streaks of dark all over its iron shell as if it had been charred. It looked angrier than ever, but clearly damaged. Sceptile smirked.

"Hah! There's no way it can take another attack like that!" said Ash, pumping his fist. "Give it another Focus Blast! All you've got! Let's end this battle!"

Rex shut his eyes and drew in a long breath. As he exhaled, he wore a strange expression, almost bittersweet.

Sceptile backed down into the charging stance again, ready to focus and form the attack. Ash could feel his heart pounding.

"You know, Ash," said Rex, "you made a fatal error in assuming that I intended to win this battle."

The hush that swept over the battlefield was deafening. Nobody understood.

Then, Ash felt his heart stop.

"Ferrothorn, Explosion!"

When the light faded, the dust settled, the heat dissipated, the screams ceased, and the wind calmed, it was over. The battle had ended.

Not a single person or Pokemon present had remained on their feet. Pikachu sat upright, looking around as he rubbed his head. He had taken quite a tumble from the blast. Everyone else had been knocked over, too. May was blown backwards all the way over the concrete slab, and she was now behind it on hands and knees, trying to make sense of which way which. Bianca was struggling to figure out where her hat had gone.

When Ash rose, he surveyed the damage. In the center of the battlefield lay the charred husk of Ferrothorn, completely spent from the amount of energy it had to unleash to use such an attack. Sceptile lay sprawled out on the ground, motionless and unresponsive. There hadn't been enough time to get away from the explosion.

"What happened?" said Bianca, picking her hat out of the tall grass and cramming it back onto her head.

It was quiet enough now that Ash could hear her. He looked over toward her.

"It's a draw," he said.

"A tie?" said Bianca.

"Yes," Rex said, making it back up onto his feet. "Neither Ash nor I have any of our designated Pokemon left to battle. The result is a draw."

"But why did you do that?" said Bianca.

"It was legitimately the best option I had," said Rex. "I was guaranteed a loss if Sceptile was able to fire off another Focus Blast. Using Explosion as a last resort was the only choice I could make that wouldn't result in a loss."

"Oh, come on!" said May, rising to her feet. "Would letting Ash get in the final attack for the win really have been so bad?"

"Yes, it would have," said Rex. "Stopping him from winning like that was my only goal. It didn't matter whether or not I won the battle. I only did this to prove a point."

"To prove a point?" said May. "What point?"

"That a trainer should rely on strength and strategy to win their battles, not luck! The outcome didn't matter as long as Ash didn't win by lucking out at the end. So, when it looked like that was about to happen, I ended the battle."

May frowned at Rex, but said nothing. All was quiet. Ash knelt down by Sceptile's side and returned him to his Pokeball.

"So, um, is everyone okay?" said Rex. "I didn't injure anyone, did I?"

"I'm alright," said Ash.

"My back kinda hurts," said May, "but I'll be okay."

"My skirt is all dirty," said Bianca, pouting. "There's dirt and grass stains and who knows what!"

"No worries," said May. "I can fix that. I've got some stain remover in my bag."

May rummaged around in her bag, then pulled out a small bottle, handing it to Bianca.

"Thank you so much!" said. She sat down on the concrete slab and began working to undo the discoloration.

While Rex tended to Ferrothorn and Bianca tended to her skirt, May and Pikachu walked over to Ash.

"That was really, really impressive, you know," May said as she approached him, her hands folded behind her back. "I haven't seen a battle like that in ages."

"Thanks," said Ash. "I gave it all I had. I couldn't have done it without your help."

"You know that's not true," said May. "There's no need to be modest about it. I may have helped you a bit with your team, but you had to lead them in battle. You came up with that Endeavor strategy, not me!"

"But I still needed your help!" said Ash. "Using Swellow was your idea. I wouldn't have been able to do the Endeavor move without your help."

May smiled. She folded her arms.

"Alright, fine," she said, exaggerating her tone of voice. "I guess you really did need my help. And you better still need my help when we get dessert tonight, because I still want cake! I just don't want all of it this time."

"So... you want my help? With eating cake?"

"Yes."

"I think I can do that," Ash said, laughing.

"Did I hear something about cake?" Rex said, walking up to the two of them. Bianca was right behind him.

"Cake!?" said Bianca.

"Yeah," said Ash. "May was saying she wants t-"

"Dammit, I knew I heard something blow up! We've got company!"

Everyone's head turned. The voice that had spoken was not a familiar one. There was a visibly angered person running in their direction, and that person was dressed very strangely. Chain mail, black latex, and a white tabard featuring a coat of arms.

May gasped.

"It's them, from Accumula Town!" she said.

"Team Plasma!" said Ash.

The strange man running across the field toward them faltered for a moment, unsure of what he had heard. When he figured it out, he pulled a Pokeball to the ready. He stopped only a few yards away and pointed at them.

"What are you all doing here?" he said. "And how do you know of Team Plasma?"

"What?" said Ash. "We were having a battle here, where it wouldn't bother anybody! What are you doing here?"

"That's none of your business!"

"We saw your lunatic talking head Ghetsis give a little speech back in Accumula Town," said Rex. "It would be hard to forget that kind of insanity."

"The impudence of it!" the Plasma grunt said. "You dare to insult one of the Seven Sages? The punishment you sh-"

"Like I care," Rex said, cutting him off. "Why don't you answer the question? What are you doing here? What is your insane cult up to this time?"

"Insane cult!" the Plasma grunt said. "You foolish people! For that level of ignorance Team Plasma will liberate all of your Pokemon from all of you!"

"Liberate?" said Bianca.

"I'm pretty sure he means steal," said Ash.

"Call it whatever you want, but Team Plasma more than has the right to take Pokemon away from the blind and unjust like the lot of you!"

"And how do you plan on doing that?" said Rex.

"By force, you imbecile!" said the grunt. "Dispose of these blasphemers at once, Watchog!"

The Plasma grunt let loose on the trigger and threw his Pokeball into the fray. Emerging from it was a Pokemon with an unsettling, piercing glare.

"Wow, paranoid much?" May said. The deranged Pokemon looked like it had been up for several weeks without sleep.

"Never seen that Pokemon before, but one thing's for sure," Ash said. "You're going to have to do a lot better than that! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

As he had perhaps a thousand times before, Pikachu leaped from Ash's shoulder and unleashed his Thunderbolt.

Watchog fell to the ground unconscious, charred all over.

"In case you can't count, it's four against one," Ash said. "And that was only a taste of what our Pokemon can do!"

"Hmph," said the defeated grunt, returning Watchog to its ball. "In case you've never been part of a team before and don't know what that means, I'm not the only one here."

Indeed, he was not alone. He was far from it. He was defeated, but at least a dozen people dressed similarly to him were coming into view from around the abandoned building. They were all headed to him, and they were all ready for battle.

"Guys, what do we do?" said Bianca. She was already retreating.

"We prepare for battle," said Rex. "Excadrill! Torterra! Gigalith! Go!"

"Yeah we do!" said May, winding up for the throw. "Blaziken! Wartortle! Venusaur! Glaceon! Beautifly! Take the stage!"

Ash reached for his belt, but hesitated. Muk, Swellow, and Sceptile had all just battled, and Pidove and Oshawott weren't ready for a massive battle like this.

"Pikachu, it's just you and me for this one, buddy!" he said, making a fist.

May looked toward Bianca, who was cowering behind them.

"We need you too!" said May. "Send out Tepig!"

"Are you sure?" said Bianca. She looked around as if hoping May meant somebody else.

"Yes! Hurry!"

After struggling to pull the ball out of her bag, Bianca released Tepig for battle.

"Alright, Tepig," she said. "We need your help."

Tepig looked clueless.

A dozen or more enemy Pokemon were being called out all around them, but the front three members of the resistance were not backing down. Ash, May, and Rex stood shoulder to shoulder, with their Pokemon ready to strike.

Team Plasma was upon them.

"Incoming!" shouted Ash. "Pikachu! Intercept with Quick Attack!"

Although Ash and May weren't sure what to make of the competition due to their unfamiliarity with Unova's local Pokemon, Rex looked less than impressed. There were several more Watchog, several accompanying Liepard, a couple of Scrafty and Krokorok, and a Garbodor.

Pikachu's Quick Attack had been used to trip up a charging Liepard, tangling its feet and sending it crashing to the ground. Liepard proved more resilient than N's Purrloin. In no time, Liepard was on its feet again.

Defiantly, Pikachu stood before the oncoming horde.

"Iron Tail!" said Ash.

To his surprise, Liepard struck before Pikachu could even get his tail ready. Liepard moved so quickly it seemed to disappear, finishing by kicking into Pikachu with both hind legs.

"Your little yellow snot like that Sucker Punch?" a grunt sneered at Ash.

"Give 'em a Thunderbolt, Pikachu!"

"Wartortle, Aqua Tail! Blaziken, Blaze Kick! Let's go!"

May, meanwhile, was facing down a Krokorok and a Watchog. Venusaur was holding down multiple opponents with her vines, making them easy targets for Glaceon and Beautifly.

Rex, on the other hand, was outnumbered.

"Rock Blast, Gigalith!" he said. "Shoot down as many of them as you can! Torterra, Frenzy Plant! Try to slow them so that Gigalith can get a clear shot! Excadrill, take out that Garbodor with Drill Run!"

Rex turned around to tell Bianca to get in the fight, but he found her with her knees to the ground, Tepig clutched in her arms.

"Bianca!" he shouted. "What are you doing?"

Hiding under her hat, there was fear in Bianca's eyes. Rex opened his mouth to speak again, but decided against it. He turned back to the battle.

"Excadrill, what happened?"

Excadrill, as instructed, had made contact with Drill Run. The problem was that he hadn't stopped making contact. Garbodor, as Excadrill had discovered, was disgustingly soft and squishy, and now he was stuck in the abomination's body like an oversized drill bit. Garbodor was now flailing around the battlefield vomiting up sludge and gas while making anguished noises, spraying what appeared to be acid out of one of its arms.

"Focus on the Garbodor!" Rex commanded his other Pokemon. "Get Excadrill out of there, the sooner the better!"

Ash took notice, and redirected Pikachu.

"Pikachu! Finish up with Volt Tackle and then go use Thunderbolt on that thing that's got Excadrill stuck! Your electricity won't hurt Excadrill!"

Pikachu's familiar windup charge finished with a strong flash of light, the collision completely blowing Liepard away, out cold. From there, he unleashed a bolt of lightning on the hideous creature that had Excadrill embedded in its stomach.

Garbodor convulsed from the electric shock, making a horrible noise and sending gunk and rot flying in random directions.

"Stop that disgusting thing, Glaceon! Use Ice Shard!" said May.

Glaceon fired off icicles like bits of shrapnel. The result was just as satisfying as it was horrifying. Excadrill was able to free himself from Garbodor's sticky body, but only because Glaceon's attack tore through the wretched Pokemon like bullets through a tissue. Chunks of garbage and decay that once composed its body were scattered on the surrounding ground. The monstrosity had visible holes in it, yet it was still up and moving.

Ash and May both looked horrified.

"Don't be alarmed!" said Rex. "This Garbodor has an ability called Weak Armor. When it takes hits, pieces of its armor, or bits of its body in this case, fall off. When that happens, it lowers Garbodor's defense but increases its speed."

"That's neat," said May, looking squeamish, "but is it, you know, going to be alright?"

"That's debatable," said Rex.

Garbodor was moving faster now, literally falling apart at the seams. Disgusting bits of rubbish and rot were falling out of it as it shambled around mindlessly.

"Stand your ground, Excadrill!" said Rex. "Prepare yourself! Use Swords Dance!"

Ash watched Excadrill begin spinning on the spot. Garbodor was closing in. He was confused. He had seen Tracey have his old Scyther use Swords Dance many times, but it was almost always for the purpose of using the air cushion the maneuver created to deflect something or blow something away.

"Get ready," said Rex. Excadrill had ceased spinning and was now standing firm, claws bared.

Pikachu jumped in to help Glaceon and Beautifly with picking off some of the slower enemy Pokemon. The battle was turning in their favor. Blaziken and Wartortle had defeated their opponents and were assisting Gigalith and Torterra.

"Gigalith, Sandstorm!" said Rex.

Ignoring the trio of Watchog that were trying in vain to gnaw on it, Gigalith shifted its attention toward Excadrill. The gems that covered its body began to glow a deep orange. With that glow came a rush of wind, and with that wind came the sand.

A driving wind of sand swept over the field, darkening vision and causing many to shield their eyes. In the midst of all this chaos, Excadrill stood ominously still. Ash wasn't quite sure of it, but he thought that he had a fleeting sensation of feeling the energy Excadrill was exuding. Excadrill's presence had become immense. He was soon to discover why.

"Drill Run!" said Rex.

With heretofore unseen speed, Excadrill snapped shut into its drilling stance and shot forward like a ballistic missile. For a moment, he was nothing but a gray and brown blur, and then there was an explosion of colors, green, blue, and pink among them. Garbodor was torn to shreds.

"What was that?" said Ash.

"Sand Rush!" said Rex. "When Excadrill is exposed to a sandstorm, its speed increases dramatically."

Ash understood that with a move like Drill Run, more speed also meant more power. The shock of what he had just seen had not yet left him, and he said nothing.

The sandstorm subsided, Gigalith's gems ceasing to glow and returning to their normal crystalline state. A hush fell over the battlefield.

"That's it!" yelled one of the Plasma grunts. "Garbodor was the best Pokemon we had! Forget battling, resort to Plan Sigma!"

For the remaining moment in which he could see, Ash saw several of the grunts reach for something. They all had ball-shaped objects, but they weren't Pokeballs.

They were smoke grenades.

A dozen blasts went off in rapid succession. The battlefield was utter confusion, shrieks and yells coming from all around.

After what felt like minutes, Ash emerged from the smoke cloud. His momentary relief was replaced with panic. A hundred yards ahead, the Team Plasma grunts had Bianca in their grasp, taking her underground into the ruins of the building, Bianca kicking and flailing and screaming all the while.

Ash saw May and Rex emerging from the smoke cloud behind him.

"We have to hurry!" he said. "They've got Bianca!"

The three of them and their Pokemon broke into a sprint toward the building.

"Why did they take her?" said May.

"Who cares?" said Ash. "We have to get her back!"

"What do they even gain from taking a hostage?" said Rex, his breathing labored as he struggled to keep up. "What are they going to do? Threaten to not hand them over unless we thrash them in battle again?"

"If we get in there they have no idea how bad they're going to get it!" said Ash.

"With the Pokemon we have backing us, I don't think it's a matter of if," said May.

Breaking ahead of the pack and charging beyond them was none other than Tepig, much to everyone's surprise.

"Whoa, it looks like Tepig is after Bianca!" said Ash.

"Look! It went down into the ground!" said May, pointing up ahead. "There must be a set of stairs there, or a ramp or something!"

"That's where Team Plasma went!" said Ash.

"I bet there's a locked door at the bottom of those stairs waiting just for us!" said May.

"And if there is, we're going straight through it!" said Ash. "With Pikachu, Blaziken, Venusaur... there's no way they can stop us from getting in!"

"Why do you think they took Bianca here, though?" said May.

"It's probably a distraction!" said Rex. "There must be something else around here that's important to them, so they're luring us into the ruins so they can make a clean getaway with whatever it is they're after!"

At the bottom of the staircase, Tepig was attempting to ram down a heavy pair of solid steel doors.

"Blaziken!" said May. "Help Tepig get that door open! Use as much power as it takes! Hurry!"

Blaziken kicked the door with brutal, burning force. A large section of it bent and gave way. Blaziken latched his talons onto the twisted metal and pulled. The door began to slowly bend, as if he was peeling a piece of metallic fruit. With a crash, the destroyed door was ripped off its hinges and tossed aside like a crumpled sheet of paper.

"Everyone in!" said Ash.

May returned Venusaur to her Pokeball, much too large to continue inside the building. Rex did the same with Gigalith and Torterra. The smaller Pokemon ran ahead, Pikachu leading the charge, with Blaziken, Glaceon, Wartortle, Beautifly, Excadrill, and Tepig following.

At the end of the hallway was another set heavy, locked doors. The windows were frosted glass, with wire inside. It was impossible to see what was going on behind them.

From inside came a shrill scream.

"No! What are you doing? Please, no! STOP!"

It was Bianca. Behind her screams, someone, or something, was crying out in anguish.

Ash felt his blood running cold. He looked to May and saw her face as pale as a sheet.

Tepig rammed headfirst into the door. It fell over limp, motionless.

"What's wrong with you people? Are you crazy? Stop!"

At that, Blaziken stepped forward and put his fist cleanly through the wired glass plate.

"Blaziken!" said May. "You'll hurt yourself!"

From beyond the door, Bianca sobbed.

"Stop it!"

Blaziken found himself terribly stuck. Trapped, arm shoved as deep as it could go through the jagged hole, Blaziken tried to pull his arm out through the shattered, tangled mess of the window.

"Blaziken!" said May. "What are you doing? Stop! You're hurting yourself! They'll see you from the in-"

May's voice cut out. Blaziken pulled his arm out of the hole in the glass, cut all over. The sight of it made Ash wince. He felt sick to his stomach.

Taking Blaziken's place in the assault, Wartortle and Excadrill began ramming the door.

May moved to tend to Blaziken's arm, but gasped and recoiled from it.

"Oh no, Blaziken!" she moaned.

Bianca's sobs grew louder.

"We have to get through the door, guys!" said Ash. Rex had joined in trying to ram down the door. It was no use. Ash saw May clench her jaw and take an unsteady breath.

"Blaziken, break through the door!" said May. "Do whatever you have to, just hurry!"

Flames erupted around Blaziken's ankles. He drove a burning foot into the door. It gave way slightly, bending open into the room beyond.

"Again!" said May.

Blaziken pounded on it again. It bent much further. There was an open space beneath it. Tepig dashed through it.

"Excadrill, inside, now!" said Rex.

Diving through the open slot, Excadrill snapped into its drill form and slid through into the other room. Without waiting for any sort of command, Pikachu followed. Wartortle and Glaceon went after Pikachu, the crackling of electricity already echoing from inside.

"Again, Blaziken!" said May.

This time, Blaziken backed off a distance, erupted in flame all over, and rammed into the door with Flare Blitz. Upon contact, forward progress did not stop. The door was torn away, Blaziken falling into the room along with the broken metal frame.

The group burst through the doorway like water rushing out of a crack in a dam. The scene on the inside paralyzed them. In the nearest corner of the room, Bianca lay on the floor struggling to get up, her hat several feet away on the ground. A visible welt was forming on the side of her head, clearly having been hit in an attempt to silence her. It hadn't worked. Her unfocused eyes were turned toward the scene on the far side of the room.

On the ground there, at the feet of several members of Team Plasma, was a Munna.

"Either make the Dream Mist or the beating continues!" said one of the grunts.

"Do it NOW!" said another grunt. "RIGHT NOW!"

Ash felt like the scene was moving in slow motion. Pikachu, Glaceon, Wartortle, and Excadrill were tearing through the room, knocking out Team Plasma members left and right. Beyond all the fallen grunts and their Pokemon, the Munna was struggling for its life. No longer able to float or even stand, it lay prostrate on the floor in a puddle of its own blood. It wailed in desperation.

As Tepig rushed over to Bianca's side, one of the grunts pulled back his leg and delivered a sharp kick directly to Munna's flank - one of what had clearly been many, many blows. The helpless creature cried out in pain.

The world seemed like it was spinning and twisting in strange ways. Ash began to wonder if Team Plasma had yet another plan as he saw the room begin to flood with a pink gas. But then, reality fragmented and nothing made much sense any longer.

"What are you fools doing?" said Ghetsis.

Throughout the room, the Team Plasma grunts froze. There was a deathlike silence. Standing in the center of the room was a man clad in purple and gold robes. His drawling voice was unmistakable.

"This is completely unacceptable!" said Ghetsis. "Your foolish actions have ruined this mission!"

Ghetsis disappeared, but then reappeared on another side of the room.

"You have disregarded my commands! I told you all quite clearly to not resort to this senseless violence to achieve our goals!"

Once more, Ghetsis vanished and reappeared.

"You have allowed yourselves and your inexcusable mistakes to be observed by circumstantial onlookers! Should word of these events reach the general public, it will ruin Team Plasma's credibility! Have I not told you simpletons that our purpose is for the greater good of all people and Pokemon in the world? There is no way that we will be able to show people the way to enlightenment if the populace believes that we are violent, cruel, and outright idiotic!"

For his final statement, Ghetsis appeared in three places all at once. His presence literally surrounded his subjects.

"This is an inexcusable transgression against Team Plasma! Every single one of you deserves to lose your place among our ranks for this farce of an effort! Never have I been so embarrassed and disappointed in my fellow followers of the True Way. This mission is over, effective immediately. Abort! Return to our base of operations at once, and may you all pray that I don't see fit to offer you a fate far worse than punishment."

The room became a frenzy. As soon as Ghetsis had vanished, every member of Team Plasma began to panic. Incoherent shouting echoed throughout the room. As if being chased by a manifestation of pure evil, they all fled. Not one of them laid so much as a finger on Munna or any of the other people or Pokemon present. They left with hardly a trace, the only sign of their handiwork the injured Pokemon on the floor.

The stillness that followed was heartbreaking. The only sound was of Munna's labored breathing. Nobody dared to approach. Ash wasn't sure what they could do. Munna's injuries were far beyond his minimal first aid skills.

Another sound caused everyone to freeze. There was someone coming down the stairs, a set of stairs on the opposite side of the room. Someone in a lab coat, with very long hair, and glasses.

She stood at the bottom of the stairs with a hand over her heart, her face full of worry. A pink Pokemon floated in the air next to her, one that looked rather similar to the one on the ground. A strange gas emanated from the Pokemon's snout.

"I'm so sorry you all had to witness that atrocity," the woman with the Pokemon said. "I regret not making it here much sooner. Musharna sensed that something was terribly wrong here, so we came as quickly as we could, but not in time to prevent what those awful people did to this innocent Munna. At the very least, Musharna was able to successfully use its Dream Mist to drive them away from this place."

Floating ahead of her, Musharna hovered over to its battered kin. Together, the two shut their eyes and appeared to enter a state of meditation.

"Dream Mist?" said Ash. "That vision of Ghetsis was a dream?"

"It was," the woman said. "A collective dream from the minds of those gathered here. I can't fathom why they dragged you all into this."

"But what can we do for that Pokemon?" said May. "Is there anything we can do?"

"Musharna and I will handle this from here," the woman said. "Musharna has been known in the past as the Trance Pokemon. It has the ability to instill a state of deep meditation and withdrawal from reality both in itself and in others. With this power, it will be able to put Munna into a deep sleep to ease its suffering - a medical coma, if you will. Its body will be able to focus its energy on physical needs instead of mental exertion. That will give us the time necessary to get Munna into treatment, and we should be able to save its life."

Ash watched as Musharna lifted Munna into the air via telekinesis.

"I know this is an awfully sudden interjection of me, but I really must be going," the woman said. "I need to escort Munna and Musharna out of here immediately."

"Where are you going?" said Ash. "To the Pokemon Center?"

"No, to my laboratory," the woman said. "I can treat Munna more adequately there by myself."

"You can?" said Ash.

"Yes. I have quite a bit of experience with this species of Pokemon. You all can follow me, if you'd like. My lab is not far from the Pokemon Center. If you ask Nurse Joy, she'll know where to send you. My name is Fennel, by the way."

Fennel hung her head for a moment. She opened her mouth as if to speak again, but appeared to change her mind. She ascended the stairs, followed by Musharna and Munna.

An awful silence took hold again. Whispering faintly through the calm was Bianca's voice, directed at Tepig. Tepig was curled up in her arms, and Rex was helping Bianca sit up, lifting her upright.

"I'm okay, Tepig," she said, her voice weak. "I'm going to be just fine. Thank you so much for coming after me."

Ash watched Rex as he took Tepig from Bianca and held the Pokemon at arm's length. He wore an odd sort of expression. Ash thought it might be one of respect.

"You're very brave," Rex said to Tepig, setting it down on the ground. "Bianca is lucky to have you watching over her."

Tepig stared at Rex as he sat down next to Bianca and propped her upright, leaning her against his shoulder.

"I'll take care of her from here," Rex said. "You have my word."

Bianca, who seemed to be fading in and out of consciousness, opened her eyes and found herself next to a strange, long-haired man. She looked up at him.

"Hi..." she said.

"Hi," said Rex. "I'm no doctor, but if you ask me, I think you'll be just fine in a day or two. Just rest now."

Ash and May had long since stopped paying attention. Seeing Rex sit down, it mutually dawned upon them that sitting might be a really good idea after all that stress. The concrete floor felt more welcoming than it should have.

May didn't look at him as he sat down. She stared into space, unblinking.

"That was really, really scary," said May.

Ash took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

"Yeah, it was," he said.

He couldn't think of anything more to say. He tried to search for more words, but he felt May slip her hand into his, and his heart began to pound furiously.

"Thank goodness we've got each other," May said.

"Yeah," said Ash, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Chapter Text

Ash rang the doorbell. There was a quiet chime audible from inside the building.

The group waited for some time. Ash stood at the top of the stoop, with May one step behind him. Bianca was with Rex at the foot of the stairs, an ice pack clutched against her head.

When the door opened, a girl stood in the doorway, wearing a light blue dress and glasses. She appeared to be a few years younger than anyone else present. She did not appear to be pleased to be answering the door.

"Hello?" she said. She raised an eyebrow at Ash. She clearly did not recognize him nor anyone else there, nor was she expecting company.

"Hi, I'm Ash. Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town. We're looking for Fennel. Is this the right place?"

Through the open door, from what Ash could see, every square inch of the room before him was covered in computer parts and other varieties of electronic equipment. There wasn't any furniture to be seen.

The girl sighed.

"Yes," she said, groaning. She turned her head and yelled toward the back of the cluttered room. "Fennel! You've got visitors!"

From within, Ash heard a faint reply.

"Tell them to come in!"

The girl gave everyone a sideways glance.

"Well, you heard her," she said. She stepped inside and held the door open. "Sorry about the mess. Watch your step."

Her advice was well-warranted. Tangled wires lay crossed and knotted all over the floor. There were a few narrow passages through which to walk, and the rest of the room was completely impassable.

Ash looked up at the ceiling. Unidentifiable computer equipment towered over him.

"What is this place?" he said.

The girl, leading the way toward the back of the room, turned back to face him.

"This is my server room," she said.

"Your server room?" said Ash.

"Yep! That's right!" the girl said. "My name is Amanita. I run the Pokemon storage system here in Unova."

Ash stopped in his tracks and took a better look at his surroundings. He saw that everyone else was doing the same. They were inside the nexus of all Pokemon transfer activity in the nation.

"Does that mean that every Pokemon that gets sent through a PC in Unova comes through here?" said May.

"It does," said Amanita. "All the devices you see in here help send Pokemon where they need to go. It takes a lot of power to transfer something as complicated as a Pokemon from one place to another. And if you mess up the routing, it can get sent to the wrong trainer, or worse."

"Worse?" said Ash. "What's worse than sending a Pokemon to the wrong trainer?"

"Data being corrupted, making the Pokemon irretrievable. Or a Pokemon getting sent to more than one place... simultaneously."

"Can that seriously happen?" said Ash. He felt a sick sensation in his stomach.

"It's never happened here in Unova on my watch," said Amanita. "We've never had a Pokemon get lost or corrupted or any other kind of accident, but it can happen. That's why this is my full-time job."

Fennel appeared in the doorway behind Amanita. She was wearing a pair of latex gloves.

"Amanita, are you scaring our guests?" she said.

"I'm not scaring them!" said Amanita. "I'm just being honest about the dangers of my job!"

Fennel gave Amanita a look that smacked of disappointment.

"The detail she's leaving out is that the system has built-in failsafes to ensure that data corruption never happens," said Fennel. "The Pokemon's data is transmitted first and checked for consistency with the original before the hard transfer occurs. If there's a problem, the transfer never happens. The system has operated that way for decades. My sister here just likes to make it sound more dangerous than it really is."

"Your sister?" said May. "But-"

Ash saw May gawking at Fennel and Amanita, and he understood why. There was an undeniable resemblance between the two, but Amanita was young enough to be Fennel's daughter.

"Our parents had us quite a few years apart," said Fennel.

"Since I work independently and have all this equipment, our parents let me live with Fennel here," said Amanita.

Ash Fennel's brow tighten, in contrast to her otherwise serene face.

"Please, come with me into my laboratory," said Fennel. "Musharna and I were able to stabilize Munna."

"That's awesome!" said Ash.

"Thank goodness," said Bianca, still holding the ice pack to her head.

As the group followed Fennel to the rear of the building, where her lab was located, Amanita broke away from them and disappeared into another room. From the brief glimpse Ash caught of the interior, that room was filled with computers, too.

Fennel's lab, on the other hand, seemed to consist of nothing more than a pair of beds and a few monitors hanging on the walls throughout the room. It looked more like a hospital room than a laboratory. Heavily bandaged, Munna lay in one of the beds, and Musharna hovered silently above it. A pink aura of energy surrounded both of them.

"This is your lab?" said Ash.

"It is," said Fennel. "It may not look like much, but this is where Musharna and I conduct our research on Pokemon dreams."

"Pokemon dreams?" said May. "I guess that explains the beds."

"It does," said Fennel. "Most of our research consists of getting Pokemon to fall asleep here in these beds. After they're asleep, Musharna feeds on their dreams. Once Musharna has eaten a dream, it can project it by emitting a substance called Dream Mist - the same Dream Mist you experienced the effects of earlier."

"Wait, what do you mean project it?" said May. "Does that mean that Musharna can show us what Pokemon are dreaming?"

"Yes, it does," said Fennel. "In fact, we're testing a device here that can do what Musharna does, but without Musharna being involved. The device will be able to monitor a Pokemon while it sleeps and record its dreams as if they were a video, showing them to us on a screen."

Ash scratched his head.

"That's really neat and all, but why would you even want to do that?" he said.

"I was wondering the same thing," said May.

"The reason for doing this is to better understand the minds of both Pokemon and people," said Fennel. "Most people don't realize it, but dreams are actually a visual manifestation of our unconscious thoughts."

Ash stared at Fennel, blank. He blinked a few times.

"Um..." he said.

"I guess I should explain, shouldn't I?" said Fennel. "I suppose you've heard the common myth that we only use ten percent of our brains?"

"I don't know about ten percent," said May, "but I do remember it being a low number."

"The number itself doesn't really matter," said Fennel. "The point is that the statement made in that myth isn't quite accurate. While it is true that only a small percentage is being used for conscious thought at any given time, the rest of the brain isn't sitting completely idle. The parts of the brain that aren't being used for conscious thought are actually engaged in subconscious thought almost all the time. Our minds are constantly thinking about things and coming up with ideas, and we aren't aware of any of it. Not until we go to sleep, at least."

"What happens when we go to sleep?" said Ash.

"We dream," said Fennel.

"What does dreaming have to do with this?" said Ash.

"Have you ever wondered what dreams actually are?" said Fennel.

"I guess," said Ash. He shrugged.

"Our dreams are the byproduct of our brains trying to reorganize things," Fennel said. "When we sleep, our bodies undergo all kinds of restorative processes. Tissues mend themselves, repairing little tears. Our cuts and scrapes heal, if only a bit each day. Soreness and fatigue are relieved as our muscles relax. Perhaps most importantly, though, it gives our brain time to sort things out, to make sense of everything going on inside of it. Of course, we aren't conscious when we sleep, so our subconscious thoughts get to sneak up to the surface. As these thoughts emerge, the brain has to try to come to an understanding of them, so it runs through them, like film on a projector. When it does, it results in us seeing the thoughts in the movie-like experience we know as a dream."

Ash stared at Fennel, blank. He blinked a few times.

"So, to summarize," said Fennel, picking up where she left off, "dreams are our brain's attempts to analyze and understand our subconscious thoughts. Everything you've ever seen in a dream is something that was already in your head – you just might not have known it was there."

Ash felt rather uncomfortable at this notion, considering the content of some of his recent dreams. He saw May staring out of the window, looking lost in thought.

"That's pretty weird," said May. "I've never thought of it that way before."

"It's kind of scary, you know?" said Ash.

"It's certainly a heavy concept," said Fennel. "Dreams work the same way for Pokemon, too. To understand their dreams would enable us to communicate with them on a level we've never been able to communicate before. That's the main inspiration in my work. The technology we're working to develop would help us bridge the communication gap that exists between humans and Pokemon."

Ash thought for a moment. He was still stuck on the idea that dreams were things that were already in his head.

"So, when we all saw Ghetsis, was that something those Team Plasma guys had dreamed?" he said. "Was Musharna showing us one of their dreams?"

"That's correct," said Fennel. "Musharna can eat and project human dreams with its Dream Mist, too, although usually we don't do that for ethical reasons."

"Ethical reasons?" said Ash.

"Most people wouldn't be comfortable with having their innermost thoughts revealed like that," said Fennel. "Would you?"

Ash felt his face turn unexpectedly warm. His mind started to race with questions. He saw May still staring out the window. Bianca was at Munna's bedside, face filled with worry. Rex was examining one of the monitors.

There was an extended silence. Ash saw Fennel bite down on her lip.

"My apologies for rambling for so long!" said Fennel. "I didn't mean to lecture you all. It's just an old habit of mine."

"Don't worry about it," said Rex. "It was enlightening. We appreciate your explanation."

"You're very welcome," said Fennel. "After the debacle you all went through, I felt like you all deserved some explanation."

"There's something I still want to know, though," said Rex. "How did you know to come to that place? How did you know what was going on?"

Fennel's serene expression turned into a frown.

"It's... complicated," she said. "The simple version of the story is that a group of Munna and Musharna have inhabited that building ever since the accident that destroyed it, and since my Musharna comes from the group that lives there, it was aware that one of its kin was in danger. But that explanation doesn't paint the full picture."

"An accident destroyed that place?" said Ash. "What happened?"

Fennel sighed.

"Honestly, I wish I knew," she said.

"What do you mean?" said Ash.

Fennel pursed her lips and looked down at her feet.

"It's not easy to explain," said Fennel. "And, well, I'm not very proud of it, either."

Ash opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, Fennel continued.

"The abandoned building you were inside today used to be a chemical plant for an industrial pharmaceutical company, and I worked there when I was just out of college, researching the effects of Dream Mist. We were doing cutting-edge work, really pushing the boundaries of what it was possible to do with the technology of the time. One day, the administration authorized the team I was leading to use an amount of energy for our experiments that we had never used before. When we performed the tests, something went horribly wrong. I still don't understand why exactly it happened, but the Dream Mist sample we were analyzing detonated. The blast took most of the facility with it."

"Was... anyone hurt?" said Ash.

Fennel grimaced.

"Yes, unfortunately," she said. "That was almost ten years ago. The company disbanded its Striaton City branch of operations. I downsized my experiments and moved in here. I've been studying dreams here with Musharna ever since. In that time, the building has crumbled and decayed into the ruin it is today. My experiments with Dream Mist, along with the property's constant state of overgrowth and disrepair, is how the place came to be known as the Dreamyard."

Fennel bowed her head. There was silence. Bianca appeared to be on the verge of sleep, slumped over the edge of Munna's bed.

Ash looked at Fennel, and she met eyes with him.

"We really appreciate all your help," said Ash. "Thank you."

"Of course," said Fennel. "You're welcome, but you don't have to thank me, really. When Musharna and I went to the Dreamyard, it was only because Musharna sensed that Munna was in trouble. I wish I could say that we went there to stop Team Plasma and save you all, but that simply isn't the case."

"There's no need to be humble," said Rex. "Whether you did it on purpose or not, you saved lives today."

"Definitely," said May. "I don't know what we would have done without you."

Fennel smiled in a said sort of way.

"You're too kind," she said.

Bianca raised her head from Munna's bed, looking up at Fennel.

"Thank you..." she said sleepily.

"Certainly," said Fennel.

"...for saving Munna."

Fennel faltered, about to say something before Bianca let her head down again, resting it on the side of the bed.

"My head hurts," said Bianca.

"I think we need to get Bianca back to the Pokemon Center," said Rex. "She needs to rest."

"I understand, but one last thing," said Fennel. She touched Bianca on the shoulder, stirring her from slumber. "Bianca, would you like to take Munna with you on your journey once it gets well again?"

Bianca smiled, her eyes full of sleep.

"I would love that," she said. "Oh, thank you..."

"I think I should be thanking you," said Fennel. "I'll be in touch when Munna is ready to go. Now, I can help show you all to the front door. It's kind of a maze in here, after all."

After navigating the labyrinth of cables and equipment, the group arrived at the front door again, where Fennel gave them an appreciative sendoff. Ash heard Fennel turn the lock behind them. He thought he heard a sigh.

"Hello, Aurea," said Fennel.

Professor Juniper smiled back at her through the video receiver.

"Well hello there!" Professor Juniper said. "I'm surprised to hear from you! Pleasantly surprised, but surprised nonetheless. What has you calling me this evening?"

"I think I just encountered that group of traveling trainers you told me about," said Fennel.

Professor Juniper looked elated.

"Do you mean Ash and his friends?" she said.

"Yes," said Fennel. "There were four of them in total."

"How? What happened? I wouldn't have expected them to run into you!"

Fennel removed her glasses and rubbed her temples with her thumb and forefinger.

"There was an incident in the Dreamyard," she said. "Musharna sensed that there was a Pokemon in danger there, so we went to investigate. I figured it was just a Pokemon that had gotten trapped in the rubble or something minor, but when we arrived, we found a group of henchmen from an organization called Team Plasma savagely beating a Munna for its Dream Mist, and Ash and his friends were caught up in a melee with them. Musharna put a stop to it all by using its Dream Mist to cause a mass hallucination that sent Team Plasma running back to their master."

Professor Juniper looked rather amused.

"That's typical Ash," she said.

"Typical Ash?" said Fennel. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you hardly know him."

"You are correct," said Professor Juniper, "but I told you about my brief encounter with him. If you recall, something quite extraordinary occurred."

"Yes, I remember," said Fennel. "That unusual storm even made the news. But-"

Fennel failed to finish her sentence, instead biting down on her lip and shifting her eyes away.

"But what?" said Professor Juniper.

"I just didn't get the impression there was anything extraordinary about Ash," said Fennel.

"Well, just like you said about me, you only spent a limited amount of time with him. Something extraordinary happened while I was with him, but not while you were. Even though luck seems to follow him, it doesn't mean that unusual things will constantly be happening around him."

"There are people who have been struck by lightning more than once, and we don't say there's anything special about them," said Fennel. "They were just unfortunate. Or fortunate, depending on your point of view."

"You've heard the stories, though," said Juniper. "Oak has record of more than a dozen cases of unusual encounters, and it's not just him. Rowan and Ivy do, too. Perhaps I should contact Birch."

"I know how much this interests and excites you, but even if all those researchers do have stories, they're still just stories," said Fennel. "I don't want to lecture you, but until some kind of plausible underlying factor is discovered, it's all just anecdotal evidence. It's rudimentary and I don't mean to insult you, but correlation does not imply causation."

Professor Juniper sighed.

"You sound just like Oak when I spoke with him," she said.

"I'm sorry," said Fennel. She frowned.

"I just really want there to be something there, you know?" said Professor Juniper. "I want to have found something for once."

"Still no breakthroughs?" said Fennel.

"No," Professor Juniper said. "I know not to get discouraged, but that's much more easily said than done."

"I know you would rather not, but have you considered asking your father for help?"

"The last time I heard from him he was in Aspertia City. I have no clue what he was doing there, but he told me there were some interesting developments and that he would be staying there for a while. With him, that could mean anything."

"Oh..." said Fennel. She looked down at her folded hands. "Well, maybe it would be best for you if you took a break from it. Why not come work with me for a while? I'd love your help. We could really get some good work done together."

Professor Juniper smiled.

"I would love to," she said, "but where would I stay? I know you and Amanita are cramped there as it is."

"I don't know, honestly," said Fennel. "It was just an idea that occurred to me. I hadn't thought it through."

"If you had some more space there, I would do it in a heartbeat," Professor Juniper said. "It's a pity you're stuck there."

"It really is," said Fennel.

"It's despicable how long the Dreamyard litigation has been going on," said Professor Juniper. "I can't believe it still isn't over."

"It's almost done," said Fennel. "We've only got two more court dates, and we should win both of them unless the judge is completely crooked."

"When are those?"

"One is in two months, and the other is in six."

"That's really not so far away."

"It's really not," said Fennel. "I need to start preparing, truthfully."

"Once those are over, you should be done with the case, right?"

"That's right. Then, Amanita and I will finally be able to find a better place than this."

The conversation went silent for a few moments. Fennel bit down on her lip.

"When will we get to see each other again?" she said.

"Soon, I hope," said Professor Juniper.

"Me too."

"I think you're right about me needing a break," said Professor Juniper. "I don't think I can take up your offer to work with you right now, but I might come visit for a few days."

"Soon?" said Fennel.

"Soon," Professor Juniper said, smiling back. "Talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay," said Fennel.

"Bye!"

"Bye."

Pikachu hopped across the counter and onto Ash's arm, reclaiming his spot on Ash's shoulder.

"Thank you for taking care of our Pokemon!" Ash said.

"You're very welcome," said Nurse Joy.

Ash clipped his pokeballs back onto his belt, but May paused as she looked at hers on the counter. There was one missing.

"Where is Blaziken?" said May. "Is he okay?"

"Blaziken will be just fine," said Nurse Joy. "The cuts looked much worse than they actually were. They weren't deep, and there shouldn't be any lasting damage. We're going to keep Blaziken overnight to make sure the wounds knit properly, and he should be good to go tomorrow."

May looked relieved.

"Thank you!" she said. "I was worried. It was really scary when Blaziken got hurt."

"You said that Blaziken punched through a wire mesh glass window, didn't you?"

"That's right," said May. "It looked like our friend Bianca was in trouble and she was trapped inside a room, so Blaziken punched through the glass in the door to try to get it open. It didn't work, though."

"That was quite a dangerous move," Nurse Joy said. "I hope you didn't tell Blaziken to do that."

May shook her head.

"I didn't. Blaziken did it himself when he heard Bianca and thought she was in danger. He was just trying to help."

Nurse Joy smiled.

"If that's the case, it's admirable that your Blaziken would do that. That must have taken a lot of courage. I think you should be happy knowing that you have a Pokemon that cares about you and your friends so much. Although, I wouldn't count on Blaziken trying something like that again. From what I saw in the triage area when Audino was patching Blaziken up, she was giving him quite a stern lecture about how dangerous that was."

"I'm very lucky to have Blaziken as my partner," said May. "We've been through a lot together. Please take good care of him tonight."

"I certainly will," Nurse Joy said, bowing before heading back into the treatment area.

At that, May reattached the rest of her pokeballs to her belt, and she and Ash walked back into the lobby of the Pokemon Center.

"I'm sure that Nurse Joy's right that Blaziken will be okay," Ash said.

May gave him a bittersweet smile.

"Me too," she said.

"What he did for us was really brave," said Ash. "You're totally right that you're lucky to have Blaziken as your partner. He's an awesome Pokemon. You've done a great job training him."

Pikachu voiced his agreement.

"Thanks, you guys," said May.

Ash pulled one of the pokeballs off his belt.

"And you know," he said, "one of these days there's a battle that me and you need to finish!"

"Is that Sceptile's Pokeball?" said May.

Ash nodded, grinning at her.

"Sceptile and Blaziken never got to finish their battle at the contest," he said. "We should settle the score some time."

Ash was pleased to see a look of determination in May's eyes.

"Definitely," said May. "Are you going to keep Sceptile with you, though?"

Ash clipped Sceptile's ball back onto his belt.

"I think so," he said. "I've never tried it before, but I think it might be a good idea to keep some of my more experienced Pokemon with me to help train my newer ones. It's different, but it's worth a shot."

"I think that's a really good idea, actually," said May.

"I'm going to keep Sceptile and Swellow with me for now," said Ash, "but I'm going to send Muk back to Professor Oak. I want to keep a spot on my team open in case I catch anything - just like what you're doing."

May rolled her eyes.

"What can I say? It is a pretty awesome idea," she said.

"I think Muk misses Professor Oak, too," said Ash. "Every time I've seen them on camera, Muk has been hugging him."

May giggled, and she gave Ash an incredulous look.

"I think that's just Muk's personality," she said. "Don't let Muk hug Bianca, though. I think she would faint."

Out in the lobby, the two of them found Rex seated on a bench, gazing at a television monitor. As they approached, he noticed them and rose to his feet.

"Where's Bianca?" said Ash.

"She's in our room. Sleeping, I hope," said Rex. "She really needed to lay down. She needs to rest."

"Did she say if she wanted anything for dinner?" asked May.

"No," said Rex. "I'm not sure she even knows where she is right now. She was really out of it." He paused and gave May an apologetic look. "I had her lay down in the lower bunk. I know that's usually your spot, but there was no way she could get into the top one tonight."

"It's okay," said May. "I understand. I can take the top bunk tonight, no problem."

"So, are we going to get dinner?" said Ash. "I'm super hungry!"

"Yeah, I thought that's what we were doing," said May.

"You two enjoy yourselves this evening," said Rex. "I think I'm going to head out alone."

"Alone?" said Ash. "Why?"

"I was thinking I would go to the pub a few blocks down from here and watch the game," said Rex.

Ash looked up at the screen which Rex had been watching when they entered the lobby. It was showing a preview ad for a baseball game.

"You kids have fun," said Rex. "I'll be back late tonight. See you guys."

Rex waved and then headed out the front doors of the Pokemon Center.

"So, now it's just you and me," said Ash, looking at May.

"That sounds great to me," said May. "We can go get dinner together, just the two of us. It'll be fun!"

The mention of food prompted Ash's stomach to make a loud noise.

"Yes, please," he said, groaning. "I'm starving."

May pulled a guide book out of her bag.

"There are some really cute places around here," she said. "Let's go find one!"

Much later that evening, May found herself settling into the top bunk above Bianca, her dinner settling comfortably in her stomach. Under normal circumstances, she would be in the bottom bunk, but with Bianca incapacitated, that wasn't possible. Climbing wasn't May's thing, but she managed.

Now, May stared at the ceiling as she tried to drift off to sleep, finding it much closer to her face than normal. Across the room, in the other top bunk, Ash was already fast asleep. As satisfying as dinner had been, sleep was still eluding her. She'd had a wonderful time this evening, but at the present moment, with both Ash and Bianca out like rocks, she felt alone. She was growing restless. Her eyes didn't want to cooperate with her. Every time she shut them, a short while later they would spring open again. It was like her brain didn't want her to sleep.

That idea made May think. She recalled what Fennel had told them about dreams and their origins, and how their brains were trying to sort things out. If that was how it worked, then she really needed to sleep well tonight, because with everything that had happened during the day, there was lots to sort out. It made her inability to fall asleep even more frustrating.

More frustrating than her insomnia, though, was the notion that everything in her dreams was something that was already inside her brain. If that was true, what did her dreams say about her?

May found herself walking on a sidewalk. It was a gray, cold, wet day. She knew it was wet because she could feel it on her feet. They were bare.

As she looked down, she saw that most of her body was bare. She had on nothing but a plain white shirt. It was several sizes too large and covered much more of her body than one that fit her properly would, but it was still nowhere near what she would be comfortable wearing in public, let alone in this weather.

She knew where she was. She was in Petalburg City. The trouble, though, was that she was on the opposite side of the city from her home. She had nothing with her at all – not even her usual bag. She couldn't have hailed a taxi or taken a bus even if she wanted to. She had no money.

There was good news, though. Nobody seemed to notice her. It was going to be a long walk, but she could make it home. She moved quickly. The fewer people who saw her, the better. She didn't even want to think about what would happen if a police officer found her. How would she ever be able to explain that to her parents? How do you talk your way out of trouble when you're found half-naked and alone on the other side of the city?

Several cars passed her. The reality began to sink in regarding how long this walk was going to take. It was going to be hours. Up ahead, she noticed a familiar convenience store, one she had visited a few times before. It wasn't like she could get anything, but she felt compelled to stop go inside.

For a moment, May realized that she fell short of the no shirt, no shoes, no service policy posted in the store's window, but she disregarded that concern when she saw all the people there. There were throngs of people all around the store. It looked like there was some kind of event taking place there. There were food vendors on the sidewalk, with lines of people waiting to be served. From what May could see, it all seemed to be free. Free food was of great interest to her.

Just as she was considering if she should get in line, she found her parents among the crowd.

"Ah, there you are!" Caroline said to May as she walked over to her.

May was mortified. The unthinkable was happening. Her parents were going to see her lost and barely clothed. It was going to be the end of her life as she knew it.

Or, at least, she thought it was, until she realized that just like everyone else around, her parents didn't notice, either. Caroline and Norman stood there with her as if there was nothing out of the ordinary at all. May felt her panic turn into immense relief. If there was anyone who could help get her out of this crazy situation, it was them. She would be safe now.

"Are you ready for the gala?" said Caroline.

May had no idea what her mother was talking about. She looked around. It seemed she had misunderstood the situation. These weren't food vendors on the sidewalk at all. They were caterers. This was some kind of formal gathering. They didn't have food carts; they had tables with white tablecloths and fancy heated serving trays. Everyone was dressed well, including the service staff.

Everyone except for her, of course.

May got in line with her parents. Their wait seemed to pass in an instant. Before she knew what was happening, she had a plate full of food and was sitting down with them at a table. There was a stage a short distance away. It looked like the stage set up for someone to come out and speak.

May bit into a slice of bread. It was unbelievably salty.

An unfamiliar figure appeared on the stage and walked up to the podium.

"Good afternoon everyone. I'd like to formally welcome you all to the fifty-ninth annual Coordinators Association Charity Gala."

There was mild applause. May looked around, confused. This was an event for coordinators?

"At this time, we would like to welcome some distinguished guests to the stage."

May continued to look around the tables, becoming more confused by the moment. What distinguished guests could there possibly be here? She didn't recognize anyone.

"Winner of the Kanto Grand Festival, Solidad!"

May wasn't sure how she missed Solidad earlier, but it was her. She looked radiant. May figured she must have had her hair professionally done for her appearance here. The black dress she wore couldn't have fit her more perfectly. She looked flawless.

May shrank in her seat. She was well beneath the dress code for this event.

"Winner of the Johto Grand Festival, Drew!"

May froze. How could she have missed Drew, of all people? How had he missed her? It didn't make sense. However, as she looked down at her bare legs, she was glad they hadn't encountered one another. May knew that if Drew saw her in this situation, he would never let her live it down.

After the initial shock passed, another one hit her. Drew had won the Johto Grand Festival? How had she not heard about this? It was unbelievable, but yet as she watched a sharply-dressed Drew step up to the stage, he had a certain swagger in his step. His body language betrayed the truth.

"Winner of the Sinnoh Grand Festival, Zoey!"

Zoey looked on-point, just as May remembered her. It was no surprise at all to hear that she had won the Sinnoh Grand Festival. It was clear at the Wallace Cup that she was a formidable coordinator. What was surprising to May, though, was to see Zoey in a suit for an event like this. May knew how slight Zoey's figure was. How could she not show it off a little when she got the chance?

"Winner of the Wallace Cup, Dawn!"

Speaking of slight figures, May felt a pang of envy in her stomach the second she laid eyes on Dawn. Her ensemble oozed class. The little black dress she wore showed off plenty of leg, and it was accompanied by black gloves which went up past her elbows. She was sleek. She was elegant. She looked like something from a high fashion magazine. May looked down at her bare legs, far thicker and less shapely than Dawn's. She was the opposite of what Dawn was right now. She was a mess.

"Winner of the Terracotta Contest, Ash!"

May's heart stopped as she watched a tuxedo-clad Ash make his way onto the stage. This wasn't right at all. Nobody had won that contest. They tied for first place. If anything, Ash was only a co-winner. It wasn't even an official contest! Why was he being honored for it? Why wasn't she being recognized for it, too? Why was he standing so close to Dawn on the stage? Why was his arm around her?

"Winner of the Ever Grande Conference, Max!"

Max walked up onto the stage. May sat limp in her chair, stunned. She stopped breathing. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw her parents jump out of their seats and cheer far louder than anyone else present. May was silent. Max hadn't even been on his journey for a year. How could he have won the Hoenn Pokemon League already? How could he have done it without her knowing about it?

"Isn't this amazing, honey?" Caroline said to May, grabbing her by the shoulders and jostling her in excitement. May looked up at her mother and saw tears streaming down her face. "He's a champion!"

"That's my boy!" Norman said, clapping with tremendous conviction. "He's done this family and the Petalburg Gym proud!"

May felt her eyes start to glaze over. She felt the whole scene start to retreat from her vision, and then her senses slipped away. In a moment's time, what she felt and what she felt like were precisely the same – nothing.