Chương 60: 11,12
"There it is," Ash said, as they watched the fair set up. "I guess we should go down there, huh?"
He glanced down at Dexter. "Am I remembering this right? I think we first met that guy Butler in the big top..."
Correct. He was running a magic show, and you and Max took part.
"Oh, yeah, I remember!" Max nodded. "There was an act where we got locked in a box, and then the floor moved down."
"Oh, that's how it worked?" May said. "I'm surprised it was that simple – I was expecting a teleporter..."
"The point of a magic show is that the magician's not doing what you expect," Brock lectured. "So when you think he's showing you what he's doing, he's already done the trick."
"I guess," May agreed. "It's a lot more impressive when a magician can make it look like he's walking on water than when Ash actually does..."
"Hey!"
"Thank you for your help," Butler smiled. "It's always a pleasure to have volunteers from the audience."
Ash chuckled. "It was nothing..."
"Well, I'd say it's more than nothing," the magician said firmly. "A good assistant is hard to find, especially when so many of them just stay disappeared after the act..."
Max looked faintly nervous, and Butler chuckled. "Sorry, just a magician joke. There's only a few..."
"...and you ran out years ago," Diane added tartly.
"What's that?" May asked, indicating the crystal formation he'd been carrying around.
"Oh, this?" Butler hefted it. "That's actually one thing I wanted to speak to you about – Max especially."
"Why me?" Max asked, curious.
"Whoa!"
Everyone looked at Ash, who was rubbing his eyes.
"Sorry," he added, looking faintly embarrassed. "I just looked in Aura Sight, and that crystal's so bright it dazzled me."
"Can you be dazzled by Aura?" Brock asked. "I mean, it involves closed eyes..."
"Well, yeah," Ash pointed out. "It just happened..."
"We'll take your word for it," May said.
"Right," Butler said, frowning. "Oh, yes – the crystal."
He held it up. "This is – I believe – the legendary Pokémon Jirachi."
The reaction he got was not all he'd hoped for.
"Right, so if Jirachi only awakens every thousand years there must be a lot of stored power in there," Ash said with a nod. "I guess that's why it was so bright..."
"You seem underwhelmed," Diane observed.
May shrugged. "Well, I guess it's neat to meet another Legendary Pokémon, but Ash has... how many is it?"
"Four right here," Ash replied with a glance at his belt. "I picked up Keldeo and Entei for training – Entei's nearly got Energy Ball working..."
Butler's jaw dropped. "How many?"
"At this point we're kind of getting inured to surprise about Legendaries," Brock supplied.
"I can see why," Butler said, shaking his head. "Right... anyway, according to legend Jirachi needs a friend to awaken when the Millennium Comet comes – which is tonight. And I thought that you, Max, would be the one."
"I guess there's a good reason for that," Ash said. "If I'd been in a crystal for a thousand years, the thing I'd want more than anything else is an understanding friend..."
May noticed his expression. "Were you thinking of Lucario?"
Ash nodded.
"...you've been in a situation like this before?" Diane asked. "I can see that Butler was right to notice you."
"Yeah, though I was dressed like someone Lucario thought had betrayed him," Ash supplied. "There was a bit of a fight before everything got sorted out, I hope that won't happen here."
"I see," Butler said, not sure how to take that.
He shook his head. "Well, Max – do you think you can do that?"
"Sure!" Max agreed.
"Where did you find Jirachi?" May asked, as Butler handed the crystalline formation to her brother.
"It was around here, actually," Butler said. "Just a few months ago. I'd been looking for Jirachi because this place is associated with him in some ancient legends, but it took quite some time to actually find what I was after."
"You know," Ash said with a frown, "I actually can't think of what to wish for. I mean, all the ideas I have are kinda boring..."
Brock nodded. "I've got what I'd wish for..."
"Yeah, a girlfriend," May chuckled.
"You're not wrong."
"What about you?" Ash asked, nodding to Butler. "What would you wish for?"
Butler shrugged. "I'm afraid, like you, I'm not really certain what I'd most want. There's a Pokémon that I'd love to see, and I think that's the single thing I'd most want, but aside from that... no, nothing really comes to mind."
"What Pokémon's that?" Max asked, looking up.
The magician smiled. "Allow me a few secrets..."
"Is it Lugia?" Ash asked.
"No, not Lugia," Butler said, still smiling. "Really, I'd rather-"
"Pity, I could have done that one..."
Butler blinked, losing his smile. "Wait, what do you-"
"Ho-Oh?" Ash went on. "Oh, I know someone who's good friends with a Mew..."
"Neither of those," Butler said. "Really, I'd rather keep it a secret, it's not a public matter..."
"Well, if you're going to wish for it then we're going to see sooner or later," Max pointed out sensibly.
"Nevertheless, I'd rather not discuss it before then."
"Hold on a moment," Diane said, snapping her fingers. "Now I remember! I saw some of a news programme about the Silver Conference a couple of months ago. You were the kid who had, what, eight Legendaries?"
Ash counted under his breath. "...yeah, that many."
"Eight..." Butler repeated. "Wow, Ash, you're certainly an unusual fellow!"
"Tell us about it..." Brock muttered
"Ash?"
Ash looked up from their table. "Oh, hi – Diane, right?"
Diane nodded. "Yes, that's me all right. Do you mind if I have a word?"
"Sure," Ash agreed. "I think there's space for another chair..."
"I'll go get one from the waiter," Brock volunteered, standing up and adjusting his sombrero.
"Thanks," Ash said gratefully. "What was it?"
"Well – I thought I'd let you know what Pokémon Butler really wants to see," Diane said. "I'm really not sure why he's so secretive about it, I mean... if anyone would be able to understand it's you."
"I guess," Ash agreed. "What is it?"
"Groudon," she told him. "He's been researching Groudon for years, even tried to revive a fossil-"
Ash was about to say something, but a flash of light interrupted him.
"He wants to see Groudon? Revive a fossil?" Suicune repeated, blinking. "That sounds... a spectacularly bad idea."
Diane took a step back. "Suicune? You – of course, sorry, I wasn't expecting that..."
"I'm kind of glad we're out in the awning," May said, putting down her fork. "I mean, Suicune appearing in the middle of a restaurant..."
Suicune glanced around, and winced. "Sorry about that, I was just..."
Another flash, and Entei joined her. "Indeed," he nodded. "Simply bringing Groudon to the surface would be bad enough, but if he seeks to revive a fossil-"
"A fossil Groudon?" Ash said, frowning as something occurred to him. "Don't fossils have to be dead? When did a Groudon die?"
Entei stopped. "That... is a good question..."
"Perhaps it's just a scale, or something," Suicune frowned.
"What do you mean?" Diane asked. "Suicune – why would it be bad to revive a fossil Groudon? People have been reviving fossils for at least the last couple of years, and a lot of them revive by themselves."
"Those are lesser Pokémon," Suicune explained. "I've spoken to Mewtwo before, his cloning took many months to produce a live Pokémon, and his own vast power helped in successfully cloning others more quickly. But producing a Legendary is... hard."
"How hard?" Diane asked, worried.
"If not done right..." Suicune's eyes carefully did not flick to Ash. "Especially if Jirachi tried and did not have enough energy... the result would, in all likelihood, be a mockery of Groudon – a monster created with only a burning hunger to consume, and none of Groudon's majesty or fire."
"That sounds... well, it sounds terrible," Diane winced. "We'd better go and tell him."
"Right," Ash nodded. "Do you know where he is?"
"I'll show you where we're staying," Diane decided.
"But... I don't understand," Butler said, shaking his head. "Jirachi grants wishes. There's a thousand years of power from the Millennium Comet stored in the Wish Maker, or will be when he awakens... so why can't he make Groudon?"
"Suicune said that Groudon just requires too much energy, especially to create in one go," Ash explained. "She said it might take months, or years – and Jirachi's only going to be around for one week..."
"Suicune told you that?" Butler shook his head. "I don't... but Suicune is a water-type Pokémon! Wouldn't she want to make sure Groudon didn't return?"
"Butler-" Diane said, shocked.
"It's just like those fools in-" Butler stopped, and shook his head. "No, I don't believe it. Jirachi can do anything."
Suicune materialized, and shook her head. "Not even Arceus can do anything. There are always restrictions – and Jirachi may be powerful, but all I have heard from Lord Ho-Oh suggests that he cannot create life at all."
"All you've heard?" Butler said, focusing on that part. "So you don't even know?"
"I'm only a century old," Suicune replied. "And there are no other Jirachi on the islands, I've never had a chance to meet one."
"You've literally got a Legendary telling you it's a bad idea!" Ash burst out. "What's it going to take to convince you?"
"I'm certain of this!" Butler replied. "And it'll take more than-"
"Butler, listen-"
"I-"
Entei roared.
The sound rippled around the room, making the windows shake, and all three humans and Pikachu put their hands or paws over their ears.
"Thank you," Entei said, as the echoes died away into a ringing silence. "Now... Butler."
"Yes?" Butler said, a lot more quietly now.
"My sister has told you it is a bad idea. My trainer – who has had more experience with Legendary Pokémon than anyone else on the planet – has told you it's a bad idea. And now I will join them – if you seek Groudon, you will not find him this way. The Lord of the Land slumbers for good reason, but if you truly seek him he is there to find."
Entei shook his head. "Jirachi only has a week, and is still a child. Do not draw him into this."
Suicune flashed him a grin. "I see you've worked out the Aura trick for speech," she said, not bothering to make her words understandable to the two magicians.
"I've been working on it," Entei replied.
"Groudon... can be found?" Butler asked, slowly.
"Yes – though it is hard, for good reason."
"Then..." Butler sighed. "I'd still like to see Jirachi, and ask..."
"Butler..." Diane said. "That might not..."
"I cannot see the harm in asking," Suicune admitted. "But ask only, do not force."
"I understand," Butler nodded.
There was a tap on the window.
Ash looked up. "Crobat?"
"Who's got a Crobat?" Diane asked.
"Brock does," Ash told her, pushing the window open. "Crobat was staying in his sombrero. What is it, Crobat?"
"Brock sent me to make sure you knew where we're camping," Crobat said.
"Oh, okay – sorry, I've got to head back!" Ash told Butler and Diane. "Talk later!"
"We're further out of the fair than I was expecting," Ash said, looking around at the rocky pinnacles rising either side.
"Brock said it was better to be safe than sorry," Crobat replied. "It's not much further..."
"There we go!" Pikachu pointed. "Just down there!"
"I see it!" Ash confirmed.
He was about to run the rest of the way, but something caught his eye overhead.
Slowly and magnificently, the clouds parted – revealing, in the darkening sky, the Millennium Comet shining overhead.
"...wow," the trainer said, blinking. "That's pretty amazing."
"Yeah," Pikachu agreed. "Even the second time, it's still breathtaking."
Then a flash came from the direction of the camp.
"I bet that's Jirachi waking up!" Ash realized. "Come on, let's hurry!"
The blue crystal floated slowly out of Max's hands, pulsing with echoes of the pale light overhead as the legendary within began to awaken.
"This is pretty amazing," Brock said. "I mean... well, not many people have ever seen this for any Jirachi, let alone for this one specifically..."
Max nodded, a lump in his throat. "Yeah," he said. "I hope..."
He shook his head – then, as the light coalesced to reveal Jirachi, he stepped forwards to catch the young-old Legendary.
"Hi, Jirachi," he said softly. "I'm Max."
Hello, Max, Jirachi replied, still sounding a bit sleepy. Blinking, he looked around. Who are you?
"I'm May, Max is my brother," May explained. "This is Brock."
Hello, May, Max is my brother, Jirachi said. And hello, Brock.
"...no, I'm just called May, I was explaining that Max is my brother," May chuckled.
Oh, I see, Jirachi said.
He looked around. Where are we?
"We're near the fair close to Forina, just a little way into the countryside," Brock said. "We're camping here for the week – you're welcome to join us."
I think that would be fun, Jirachi replied. He focused on Max. What do you think, Max?
"Well, it's your choice," Max said. "There's a fair we could visit, too, that could be fun-"
Ash came running into the camp. "Hi, guys, sorry I'm late – hi, Jirachi!"
Hello, Jirachi replied. Who are you?
"This is Ash," Max said. "And his Pikachu, too – they're good friends."
Ash and Pikachu, Jirachi repeated. Nice to meet you.
"Nice to meet you too!" Pikachu waved. "Ash, is he-"
"What do you mean too?" Ash asked, blinking. "He hasn't... said...
Blushing, he took off the hat he'd gotten from Cameran Castle. "Whoops... telepathy..."
That's funny, Jirachi giggled.
"Ash, I was going to ask," Pikachu said. "Did you check if he's possible to remind?"
Ash nodded, and closed his eyes – then winced. "Ow, still too bright to see..."
I'm not bright, Jirachi said, looking puzzled. I'm white. That's different.
"I guess the best thing is just to test it," May suggested.
"Right," Ash agreed. "Jirachi – this is kind of... well, complicated."
What is? Jirachi blinked.
"We've been involved in time travel," Ash explained. "Last time around, you met Max when you came out of hibernation – and you were great friends!"
That sounds amazing! Jirachi said. Time travel? I wish I knew what you meant-
The moment he said that, Jirachi looked worried. Wait, I've never done a wish for myself before...
His tags began to glow.
"How's that going to work?" May wondered. "Didn't we find that Jirachi can only do some things?"
"Right," Brock agreed. "Like-"
A sudden gust of wind caught Ash off guard, and he overbalanced. His flailing left hand caught Jirachi as he fell, and then his right managed to snap out in time to absorb the momentum and prevent him faceplanting into the dirt.
"That was close..." he said, bringing one foot forwards and coming back to his feet.. "What happened?"
It worked! Jirachi beamed, and hugged Max. I remember now!
"...that's a bizarre way to grant that wish," May muttered.
"You really remember me?" Max said, a smile spreading over his face. "Jirachi – I've missed you so much!"
I've missed you too! Jirachi agreed. Only kind of not as much because I've been asleep most of the time.
"That does kind of suck," Max said, and the Psychic-type giggled.
A moment later, he frowned. Wait a minute... who are they?
Max followed his finger.
"Greetings, wish-maker," Suicune said, bowing lightly. "It is an honour to meet you."
I don't remember them from last time... Jirachi said, head tilted on one side. Who are you?
"I am Entei, Jirachi," the Fire-type said. "This is Suicune, my sister. Our brother is elsewhere for now, but may be available to meet you soon."
Wow... Jirachi said, eyes wide. So you're other Legendaries? I've only met a few before, and none the last two times I was awake...
"Three thousand years ago..." Brock whistled. "That's a long, long time..."
It's not long to me! Jirachi smiled, then looked a little sadder. Though that's because I keep leaving people behind...
"I really do wish you could stay around for longer," Max agreed.
There was a tiny flash from Jirachi's tags.
"...what did that one do?" May asked. "And we really need to be careful how we say things..."
Didn't you try wishing for that last time, Max? Jirachi asked. I don't think it worked... but if it was because I was tired then, shouldn't it have taken a lot of power? I barely even felt that one...
Ash looked over at Suicune and Entei, who both gave a rippling shrug.
"So... what do we do now?" Max asked. "What do you think, Jirachi?"
I don't know... Jirachi frowned. Oh! Do we need to watch out for that Butler person?
"I hope not," Ash said. "I tried to convince him it was a bad idea to try and use your help to create Groudon – after what happened last time, I mean..."
Yeah... Jirachi said, and sighed. Then he perked up. Oh – do you think we can go to the funfair, then? Just for a couple of days, I mean...
"That sounds like a good idea," Brock agreed. "Why only a couple of days?"
I'd still like to go to Forina, Jirachi explained. It was nice and peaceful there.
"If that's what you want, then sure!" Max said readily. "Oh, that reminds me – do you want to meet my Pokémon?"
You've got Pokémon now? Jirachi beamed. Cool! I'd love to meet them!
"Okay," Max smiled, reaching down to his belt. "Let's see... this is my starter, Arc."
Arc materialized, and tilted his head on one side. "Hi!"
Hello, Arc! Jirachi replied, floating out of Max's arms to reach the same level as the Electric-type.
Arc gave him a sniff. "You smell like crystals."
I was one this morning! Jirachi nodded.
"And this is Cinder," Max went on. "She's a Dark-type, so you might need to speak out loud for her..."
Speaking out loud is boring, Jirachi huffed.
"Okay, everyone!" Ash said, the next morning. "Have fun at the fairground!"
"This will be interesting," Suicune said with a smile. "I don't think we've ever been to the fair before..."
"I have!" Raikou announced. "It was dashed good fun!"
"...wait, I heard about this," Suicune said, pointing a paw at him. "Didn't you get on the Ferris Wheel and overload it?"
"Oh, that!" Entei chuckled. "He's lucky it was at night and nobody got hurt..."
"I didn't realize you were there as well," the Water-type said, blinking. "Was I the only one not invited?"
"You were busy making sure that the Lake Trio were alright," Raikou replied. "Boring stuff like that!"
"Any rules?" Lucario asked, speaking over the three Beasts.
"I guess don't cause too much trouble," Ash said with a shrug. "Be sensible, you know... that's one reason I didn't get Squirtle, for example."
Nods.
"Okay, I guess – meet up back here at one PM," Ash added. "Off you go!"
"What's this?" Guy asked, peering over the counter.
"I heard about this!" Keldeo said. "It's a coconut shy!"
"How does that work?"
The man running the stall blinked. "Did... did you just talk?"
"Of course!" Keldeo grinned. "Pokémon talk all the time, the difference is that usually they can't speak in a way humans can understand."
"...you know, for some reason I never thought about it like that," the man admitted.
He shook his head. "Well, you're one of those, I can see. I guess you're here for the shy?"
"That's right!" Keldeo agreed. "What about it, Guy?"
"What do we have to do?" the Shroomish asked.
"I think you have to knock over the coconuts," Keldeo frowned. "Is that right?"
"Almost," the man said. "You're not allowed to just use a Pokémon attack to blast them down, though, you need to use these wooden balls."
"Okay!" Keldeo nodded, getting out a little of the money they'd all been given to enjoy themselves with today. "How much is it?"
Transaction handled, each got three balls to try with.
Guy looked at his balls, then at the shy. "Uh... I may not have thought this through..."
"Oh, yeah, good point," Keldeo admitted. "Hmmm... uh, what about if you try using them as a bullet seed?"
"Good idea!" Guy agreed, and picked up one of the balls in his mouth.
"Don't get them too wet!" the shy owner said with a wince. "I'll need to clean those!"
"I'm the Water-type," Keldeo pointed out. "If anyone's going to get something wet-"
Guy fired. The wooden ball was larger and heavier than he was used to, and dropped below the line of coconuts pretty quickly.
"Whoops..." the Grass-type winced. "Guess I need to aim up..."
He took the second one and fired that too, and this time he was closer – enough to clip a coconut, but not enough to knock it off.
"Good!" Keldeo grinned. "Just one more go, you can do it!"
Guy inhaled, readying this shot – and fired.
It pinged off one of the coconuts, making it wobble on the edge of the cup – then, slowly, fall off.
"Not bad for a first-timer," the man running the shy said with a grin. "Exeggcutor, replace it if you would."
"Sure thing, boss!" the Psychic-type agreed, and levitated the fallen coconut back to its place.
"My turn!" Keldeo said with a grin.
"Tell you what," the man said. "I'll let you combine your scores to see what you get. It's not every day a Pokémon comes along wanting to play..."
"Thanks!" the Fighting-type said, and adjusted the positions of his balls on the counter with one hoof.
"How are you going to throw them, actually?" Guy asked. "With your mouth?"
"Nope!" Keldeo replied, braced himself slightly, and lined up his hoof with the balls.
"Wait, what are you-" the man began.
Keldeo used Hydro Pump.
Three high-speed wooden balls pinged around the shy, making the man dive for cover, and knocked down no fewer than six coconuts in a series of clattering impacts before bouncing off into the distance.
"...whoops..." Keldeo winced, as water dripped down the fabric of the shy. "Sorry... I didn't realize it would work that well..."
"Why'd you just get a hat and a Pikachu toy?" Guy asked. "You could have got a lot more..."
Keldeo stashed the hat in his saddlebags, then sighed. "It's because it's not long before I have to leave," he explained. "A couple of months at most."
"You have to leave?" Guy repeated. "Why?"
"Well... I love travelling with Ash," Keldeo began. "I've learned a lot, and taught a lot, and it's been really fulfilling... but I'm missing home, as well. I've been away from Unova for nearly a year now, and I miss Cobalion, Virizion and Terrakion."
He smiled. "So that's why I got them. They'll remind me of Ash and Pikachu, and that will remind me of this whole adventure."
Guy nodded. "I get it. That's nice!"
"No, Ash," May said firmly.
"Aw..." Ash said. "But May-"
"I've already had to tell Blaziken not to," May added, unmoved. "And that goes for Lucario, too! No Aura enhanced super strength on the test your strength machine!"
"Spoilsport," Lucario said quietly.
"So, how does this work?" Suicune asked. "I'm not familiar with how things like this function..."
She looked out over the lights of the fair. "I'll admit, it's a nice view... but is this all there is to it?"
"I should say not!" Raikou grinned.
"Your tone of voice worries me," Entei muttered. "What's the trick, Raikou?"
"It better not be-"
The platform dropped.
Two Pokémon, one blue and one brown, darted out of it on reflex before it finished the plunge.
"Raikou!" Suicune called, as she skidded to a halt. "That was – wait, was that what it was supposed to do?"
"I fail to see the appeal," Entei muttered.
Raikou just started to laugh.
I remember this! Jirachi announced happily. Can we get some cotton candy, Max?
"Sure!" Max agreed readily. "What flavour do you guys want?"
There's more than one flavour? Jirachi asked, gaping slightly. I want to try all of them!
"The strawberry's the best!" Mawile announced from her seat. "Isn't it?"
"It's okay," Tyranitar admitted. "I know it's your favourite, though."
Mawile gave a self-satisfied nod. "That's right, it's the best."
"...I'm not sure that's how it works..."
"What's that stuff?" Goomy asked, from Tyranitar's other shoulder. "It looks scary..."
"It's just candy!" Mawile explained, walking down Tyranitar's arm and taking hers from Max. "It's... uh, I think sugar... all spun up and pretty."
"Just sugar?" Goomy repeated. "Not a Swirlix?"
"Nope!" Mawile nodded. "Whatever a Swirlix is."
"I think it's a Fairy-type," Tyranitar rumbled.
"Here you go," Max said, passing some cotton candy up to Tyranitar. "Is this flavour okay?"
Tyranitar nodded his thanks, and started on the sweet treat. As he did, Max's grip slipped on the next stick of cotton candy, and Cinder pounced – snapping it out of the air before it hit the ground.
"Cinder!" Max said. "I was going to give you some anyway..."
"But this would have gone to waste," Cinder replied sensibly, licking her lips and Biting through the stick.
Max chuckled, one eye on Kris' screen for the translation. "I guess..."
"Here!" Mawile said, holding her cotton candy out to Goomy. "Give it a try!"
"Uh... okay," Goomy said, and took a hesitant bite.
His eyes widened. "Wow, you're right! This is nice!"
"Told you!" Mawile beamed.
Excuse me? Jirachi asked. Can I come up there too?
Tyranitar kept nibbling away at his cotton candy.
Excuse me?
"Oh, right," Mawile nodded. "My brother's Dark-type now, so he can't hear you."
Ohhhhh... Jirachi said, realizing.
"What's that?" Tyranitar asked, looking down. "Sorry, did you say something?"
"Can I come up there too?" Jirachi repeated, aloud this time. "I want to see more of the fair!"
"Sure," Tyranitar agreed readily. "You weigh basically nothing anyway..."
Max grinned. "I'm glad you're having fun, Jirachi," he said.
"Can't this thing slow down?" Marshtomp demanded, clinging on with one hand to the seat and the other to the scrabbling Arc.
"I don't know!" Pikachu replied, holding on to the other seat. "The Pichu are overcharging it!"
Heads turned as the roller coaster car sped past overhead, sparks crackling from the wheels and from the motor at the front.
"I don't like roller coasters any more," Arc said, as they hit a bump and nearly flew out of the ride entirely. "They're too scary!"
"They're usually slower!" Brock's Water-type replied. "See if you can get them to stop!"
Pikachu moved forwards, wobbling as the cart took a corner hard enough to go up on two wheels. "What's the problem, you two?" he demanded.
"It's not our fault!" the slightly older Pichu Big said defensively. "That dance with the Magnemite and Geodude and the two Duskull and-"
"I remember the dance!" Pikachu replied, and held on as the cart went through a dizzying loop. "But what's the problem?"
"My tail's stuck!" Pichu Little said, sounding upset and frightened.
Pikachu craned his neck to see, and winced.
Pichu Little's tail was, as he said, stuck in the casing for the cart's motor. His intermittent sparks of electricity were more than enough to keep the electric motor running at full power, and whenever it tugged he released extra energy and the whole thing sped up further.
"What should we do, mister Pikachu?" the older brother asked. "Can you help?"
Pikachu thought about what to do.
"Whooaaa!" Marshtomp yelled as they took a corner even faster. "Look out, big bend!"
The centrifugal force of the turn flung Pikachu against the inner wall of the cart with a squeak. He shook himself, resolving to pay more attention to clinging to the floor – then looked up.
Marshtomp was not kidding. It was a very big bend.
More to the point, it was a very tight bend.
Scenarios flashed through Pikachu's mind, and he quickly came to what seemed the best idea.
"Okay, Little," he said, and the young Pichu both looked at him with expectant eyes. "This might be a bit startling."
With that, he raised his tail – which glowed a steely silver, then flashed blue.
"Iron Tail!"
The outer housing of the motor smashed as Pikachu rammed an Aura-enhanced Iron Tail into it.
Unfortunately, the bang startled Pichu Little, who dumped a great big burst of electricity into the motor all at once.
There was a smell of burned insulation, and the whole thing managed about two seconds of even higher speed before falling apart completely.
Pikachu, two Pichu, the cart, Marshtomp and Arc all went flying out into the air.
Swellow banked easily, wondering what to do next.
She'd had fun on the ring toss... mainly trying to fly through the rings after they'd been thrown but before they landed.
There was that hall of mirrors, too, where she'd looked like a particularly flat Pidgeot.
Perhaps she'd have something to eat now...
"...aaaaAAH-"
Flipping around with casual agility, she snatched the hurtling Pichu out of the air.
Electricity crackled over her feathers, and she shrugged it off. "Hey, what's up? Apart from you, I mean?"
"Look out!" he shouted, and Swellow turned mid-sentence to see what he meant.
"Whoa!"
Her free claw caught Arc's left foreleg. "Okay, is it raining Electric-types today?"
"Thanks for catching me!" Arc beamed. "Uh – incoming!"
Rolling her eyes, Swellow glanced up.
Her beak grabbed onto the scruff of Pikachu's neck just in time to stop him from falling past, and her wings began to work harder to keep the weight in the air. "Mf?" she mumbled through the side of her beak.
"Dodge!" Pikachu yelped, and then Marshtomp arrived at speed and knocked the whole assemblage out of the sky.
Tail wagging happily, Houndoom finished the last of his hot dog.
He was a hot dog, so he thought it was funny. And tasty, especially with extra mustard!
"I don't know how you can eat that much spice," Beautifly muttered next to him, delicately chewing on a pretzel.
"Hey, it's not all that hot," Houndoom replied.
"Not to a Fire-type..."
Something landed on Houndoom's back.
"Hi mister Houndoom!" a familiar Pichu's voice said. "Pikachu told us you'd evolved!"
"Oh, right, him," Beautifly said. She was about to go on, but noticed something overhead.
A lot of somethings.
"Uh... look up, Houndoom!"
Houndoom looked up.
His eyes widened, and he cracked his tail with a yap before diving for cover.
In a series of flickers, about two dozen Beat Up doubles of assorted Pokémon materialized in the space he'd been occupying.
Most of them promptly burst as Pichu Big, Pikachu, Marshtomp, Arc and Swellow landed on them, but the result was what Houndoom had hoped for – his collapsing doubles soaked up most of the momentum and left the Pokémon safe to stumble to the floor.
"Ow..." Pikachu muttered, wobbling a bit before sitting down quite firmly. "Thanks, Houndoom..."
He blinked. "Wait, where'd the cart go?"
"Look out!" Sceptile said, pointing.
Meganium looked, and dropped her ice cream. "What the-"
She shook her head, and focused. "Okay! Sceptile!"
Sceptile nodded, arm-blades already glowing green. "What should I do?"
"Slow it down, I'll catch it!" Meganium said, and then the cart was arriving.
Sceptile stepped in front of her, and he spun to bring his leafy tail around into it with a wooden whack.
The moment he did, Meganium's vines came lashing out. They grabbed the cart's wheels, and she let it go past before digging in her feet and roots and pulling.
There was a brief moment of tension, then her vines went taut with a whunnnng as the cart came to a complete stop.
"Phew," she said, releasing it. "I wonder what happened?"
"Good question," Sceptile agreed.
They looked around for the source of the trouble, alert for any sign of hostile attack.
"Wait, aren't those Pichu over there?" Sceptile asked.
Meganium looked, then nodded. "Oh. Well, that explains it."
"Yep," Sceptile agreed.
He passed her his still-intact ice cream. "Here, you dropped yours."
"Oh, thanks!" Meganium smiled, touched.
12
"Is it okay for us to see him?" Diane asked.
Max thought it over for several seconds.
"Ash?" he asked. "Is Lucario available?"
"Yes," Ash replied. "I can get someone else as well if you think it'd help."
"No, they're having fun," Max replied. He glanced at Brock for a moment, who smiled encouragingly, and then nodded. "Okay, I think it should be okay."
Butler swallowed, and tried to smile. "Thank you, Max."
"But if Jirachi says no, that means no," Max added.
"Right," Butler said, and took a deep breath.
"Okay, Jirachi," Max called. "It should be okay."
Jirachi poked his head up from behind Max's shoulder, then floated a bit higher.
"Hello, Jirachi," Butler said. "I... what have you heard?"
I know you wanted my help to make a Groudon appear, Jirachi said, slowly. But I can't do that... Groudon's more powerful than I am, and I can't really make living things. It's really hard to make things at all.
"You can't?" Butler blinked. "But I thought..."
Teleporting things is easier, Jirachi explained. And I'm not great at knowing how my wishes will get fulfilled...
"But all I need is more power," Butler said, grasping at straws. "I just need to wish for power – enough power to revive Groudon from the fossil I have."
Jirachi floated back a bit, hiding behind Max, and the young trainer shot him a concerned look. "Are you okay?"
I'm... yeah, I'll be fine, Jirachi said. But I'm kind of scared...
"Butler!" Diane admonished. "Remember, Jirachi's just a child – treat him like one."
Butler was about to reply hotly, but reined himself in. "Diane, you know this is something I've been working towards for years," he reminded her instead.
"I know," Diane sighed. "But you used to be so much happier, before all this started. Before you got in with Team Magma."
"Not this argument again," Butler said. "Team Magma was-"
"Why does Team Magma want to have a Groudon under their control?" Ash asked.
"Well, I don't want Groudon under control, exactly," Butler demurred. "I just want to see him – and I'm sure that he'd be a force for good, by correcting the climate."
"Correcting... the climate?" Brock asked, confused.
"There's ice caps on both poles of our planet," Butler said. "That's not normal, geologically speaking. If the world was warmer, then there'd be-"
"-most of the coast flooded out?" Brock interrupted. "All that ice would have to go somewhere..."
"Not with Groudon's power," Butler replied.
"Then wouldn't it-"
"Guys!" Ash called. "I don't speak geology... but, uh, wouldn't it be better to just not provoke a powerful Legendary?"
Butler noticed that Jirachi was almost completely hidden behind Max now, only peeking out with one eye. "I... sorry, this has been something I've worked on for a long time, and..."
"Butler, please," Diane said. "Just... you discovered the Jirachi of Forina. Isn't it enough?"
The magician and scientist wavered, then let out a long sigh. "I... well, I suppose," he said. "I just wish I knew if I was right about that fossil."
Jirachi's tags began to glow.
"Jirachi?" Max asked, turning – staying between Butler and the Psychic-type. "Are you okay?"
Uh... Jirachi's mental tone was distracted. I kind of don't know...
The air wavered, then the whole group was engulfed by an image.
Everyone there except Butler, Diane and Brock's Pokémon recognized it instantly – it was what had happened last time around, with the fossil and the machine that had used Jirachi's power.
Butler and Diane gaped as the machine activated, light engulfing it – then the construct mockery of Groudon appeared.
The next minute or so was humbling for the scientist-turned-magician. He saw some – but not all – of the battle, flickering impressions divided up by the viewpoint moving around crazily as Jirachi dodged attacks.
There was enough, though, for an answer to the question he had wished for. Whether that was a fossil of Groudon or not – and it seemed to be – it was not possible for Jirachi to revive.
The image collapsed, and Diane gasped. "What was that?"
"Future Sight, I think," Brock said – not sure himself but happy to describe it that way. "I guess that's what would have happened if you'd made Jirachi help."
"I see." Butler sat down hard. "Well..."
He put his head in his hands. "What a waste."
"Butler..." Diane began, softly.
"No, I..." He sighed. "Never mind."
Diane put her hand on his shoulder – then blinked. "Wait, where'd they come from?"
Most of Brock's team waved awkwardly.
"Stantler had them under an illusion," Brock explained. "It was basically in case there were problems – we'd heard about the Team Magma thing, and some Team Aqua grunts attacked us in a Pokémon Centre a week or two ago... so..."
"An understandable caution, I suppose," Diane said.
"Diane-" Butler began.
"We do have a Salamence," Diane pointed out. "And they're right to be wary... I'd have thought you'd appreciate it, you're a magician."
Butler surprised them – and himself – by chuckling.
"Alright," he said, after a moment. "I suppose... well, I suppose I'll have to be happy with that."
He frowned. "Wait. The valley in that... vision... looked like Forina. Is that right?"
I think it was Forina, Jirachi confirmed. It looked kind of familiar.
"Would you like to go there?"
Jirachi frowned. Well, I guess I kind of have to... I'd like to stay around here first, though. The fair's fun.
"I'm sure we can help make it fun for you," Diane agreed.
She smiled, as an idea came to her. "Actually... we do need a couple of people to help us in the stage show. How would you kids like to join the circus for a day or two?"
That actually sounds fun, Jirachi said. Can the other Pokémon join in too?
"I'm surprised you use that word," Butler said. "It's less than a thousand years old."
I learn quick! Jirachi replied.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Butler announced, flourishing his wand and shaking a stray Swablu off it. "Allow me to introduce – the great escapologist, Brock of the Locks!"
Ash and Max, both dressed as clowns, threw glitter into the air as Brock walked onstage.
"In order to demonstrate his skills," Butler went on, voice projecting through the entire big top, "Brock of the Locks will escape from these handcuffs!"
Ash brought out the handcuffs, and Diane locked them on with a click.
"While tied up in this rope!"
Max brought this out, trying not to grin, and Diane efficiently lashed Brock's arms to his sides.
"When in these handcuffs!"
Another set, these larger and more ornate.
"And footcuffs!"
"What are footcuffs?" Ash asked out loud.
"Handcuffs for feet!" Max replied. "Pay attention!"
Butler went on, listing item after item. After the footcuffs went on, there was a chain. Then a cage. Then a larger cage, with a padlock on the door and another padlock on the padlock.
Finally, the whole thing was wrapped in a heavy, locked tarpaulin and lifted into the air on a crane.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Butler called, with another flourish of his slim wand. The same Swablu from before landed on it, and he shooed it away with a swish and a flick. "The great Brock of the Locks will now escape from his trap! Ten! Nine... eight... seven..."
The audience counted along, and began to cheer as they reached zero.
Nothing happened.
"Oh..." Butler said, surprised. "That's not happened before... lower the cage!"
Ash and Max nodded, and went over to lower the crane.
A few people in the audience started asking one another questions. "What's going on?"
"Did something go wrong?"
As soon as the contraption reached the floor, Ash and Max began to laboriously undo the locks on the tarpaulin – working around from the front to the back, one each at a time.
Then the tarpaulin fell.
"What the-!?" Ash asked, from inside the cages. "What just happened?"
"Why are we in the cage?" Max asked.
Brock finished lowering the tarpaulin, and raised his arms from behind the cage. "Ta-dah!"
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Butler called. "Brock! Of! The Locks!"
That was a lot of fun! Jirachi giggled, once the crowd had left. I helped with a magic trick!
Max grinned. He'd been the one to actually make the wish – a simple one, wishing for Brock to swap places with him and Ash – and Jirachi had quickly granted it in just the way they meant.
"It's fascinating to watch," Diane added. "I know Jirachi can grant wishes by teleporting things, but I do wonder what else he can do."
Um... Jirachi frowned. I can do... well, giving energy, if there's not too much. You know about teleporting things... and I can use Psychic. I've got an attack, too... but that's scarily powerful.
He shrunk in on himself slightly. I don't really like using it. I don't like hurting people.
"That's a good thing," May assured him.
Yeah, I know, Jirachi agreed.
He shook his head. What should we do now, Max?
Max smiled at the much happier tone in Jirachi's voice, and thought about it.
"Well, maybe we could do some training? I mean, just... well, exercise. My Pokémon enjoy training, so you could give it a go too – and then we can go on more rides in the afternoon."
Do you think the roller coaster's fixed yet?
"Last I heard, they were still working on it," Butler said. "But they seemed nearly done."
Let's do that, then! Jirachi said.
"Just stay clear of any Pichu you spot..." Pikachu said ruefully.
"Like this," Butler's Kirlia said, opening her hands to reveal the glowing spark of light. "This is Wish, it's a move that heals people or Pokémon. Did you see how I did it?"
Jirachi frowned. Uh... you kind of made a light?
Kirlia sighed. "This could take longer than I'd thought... shouldn't you know Wish already?"
I know how to grant wishes! Jirachi replied, indignantly. I just don't know the move...
"Okay, I'll show you again." Kirlia blew the light out, and focused again. She clasped her hands, and a faint light appeared inside.
So it's... wait, is it just energy?
"Shaped energy, but yes," Kirlia told him. "Do you know how to focus the right kind of energy?"
Uh... I'll give it a try...
As Jirachi focused his energy and tried to make it into a concentrated spark of healing light, there was an outbreak of barking a little way across the packed earth.
Houndoom rolled onto his back, got both forepaws underneath Cinder, and pushed her off with a huff of effort. He came back to his feet, but then Butler's lupine Mightyena slammed into him from the side.
"Good!" Max called. "Don't let him recover!"
"Not fair!" Houndoom whined, knocking the Mightyena away and swiping his tail at Cinder.
Then there was a crash, and a grey-white shape burst into the clearing.
"Don't worry, I can-"
Heads turned, and the newcomer's pace slowed.
"...help?" she said, a little more uncertainly. "Uh..."
"An Absol?" Diane asked, surprised. "What's an Absol doing here? Is there going to be a disaster?"
The Dark-type scanned the clearing with glowing red eyes, seemingly at a loss. "I... well, I thought one was going on right now... the whole place is saturated..."
She noticed Jirachi. "Wish Maker! Are you alright?"
A light began to crackle up her horn. "Have you been kidnapped?"
"No!" Jirachi replied, speaking both telepathically and out loud at once. "I'm having great fun!"
"...then what's going on?"
"I think I know," Lucario said, lowering his leg from the snap-kick he'd frozen in mid-spar.
Absol turned to him, tilting her head. "I'd love to hear an explanation..."
Lucario pointed. "That's my trainer."
Absol looked, did a double take, and took a pace back. "...wow."
"The last Absol I met tried to jump through a window," Ash said.
"Can someone explain what's going on?" Butler asked. "I thought Absol were warnings of disasters."
"Ash is a disaster," Brock chuckled.
"I'm still kind of surprised by the number of legendaries here," Absol said, a couple of minutes later. "It's not what I expected at all, when I came here."
May leaned over to show Ethan's screen to both Diane and Butler, to keep them following the whole conversation.
"Why did you come here?" Max asked, glancing at Jirachi. "I mean, I guess it's because of Jirachi, but..."
"I sensed great danger," Absol reiterated. "The potential for extreme disaster, to the Wish Maker and to others, and strong enough I noticed from miles away."
"That doesn't sound like it's just the normal Ash situation," Brock frowned. "From what I heard, Karen's Absol didn't notice until he was in the room."
"I see," Absol nodded her bladed head slowly. "Then... maybe it is not just this trainer's influence."
She blinked, slowly. "I will see what I can tell."
"You can get information about that kind of thing?" Suicune asked. "I've heard Absol can tell calamities approach, but nothing about the specifics."
"I have something of a gift for chance-sifting," the Absol said. "Lots of practice."
"It sounds like to get practice you'd have to experience lots of disasters, close up," Pikachu frowned. "Otherwise you'd never be able to tell..."
"That's correct," Absol agreed. "Let me see..."
The blade of her horn seemed to shimmer faintly as she closed her eyes. It reflected the light of the sky overhead, and she took a deep breath.
Then her eyes snapped open.
"Run!"
"What?" Ash asked, jumping to his feet. "What do you mean?"
"We need to get to safety-"
"Now, Gorebyss!" shouted a voice that none of them recognized.
Then a huge wave of water blasted across their backstage training ground, knocking humans and Pokémon about and carrying most of them along with the almighty Water attack.
Latios decloaked, shimmering into visibility, and looked around a little frantically.
There!
He darted forwards and down, and his arms closed around Max before hauling him out of the subsiding current.
"Are you okay?" he squeaked.
Max coughed out water, and Jirachi hovered anxiously over.
"What happened?" May asked, as Blaziken lowered her to the ground – feathered legs steaming as he pushed away the worst effects of the water. "Max – did you swallow any water?"
"That was an attack," Brock said, stating the obvious. "Wait, where's-"
He looked around, locating humans and Pokémon one by one, and a silvery-blue blur shot across the ground in the direction they'd come.
"Is that Ash?" Butler asked, pointing.
Brock followed his finger and saw Ash, palms glowing and with Pikachu on his shoulder, running towards the trainer who'd attacked them – a bald man in a bandana with a Gorebyss wrapped around his torso.
Then everyone was gaping, as the Aqua agent gestured – and the water rippled around him.
A bubble of water came quickly up to his torso height, and then slammed out at Ash – who was forced to block to avoid several kilos of water knocking him flat on his back.
Jirachi floated a little lower, and his face scrunched in concentration. A spark of light appeared in his palm.
"I wish Max was better," he said fiercely, and the light flashed for a moment before flickering out and hitting Max – making him sputter again, but then take a deep breath.
More Aqua trainers came out of hiding, Pokémon appearing from their Pokéballs, and Suicune was diverted from her charge to support Ash by the appearance of a Stunfisk.
A moment later, her brothers joined her, and the three Beasts of Ecruteak roared a united challenge.
"No!" Absol spluttered, then coughed out the rest of the water. "No!" she repeated, more easily. "We can't do this here!"
"I don't think Ash is going to run away," Brock said, wincing as Entei slammed down a Heat Wave which evaporated much of an incoming Hydro Pump.
Another of those blasts of water came pulsing out from the Aqua admin – who had to be a Psychic of some kind – and Ash batted it away with his staff, then Pikachu fired a Thunderbolt which was hastily deflected by a Protect from the Gorebyss.
"No – there's going to be people hurt!" Absol insisted, nodding towards some startled fairgoers visible through the support struts of one of the rides. "If this fight happens here, people will get badly hurt!"
"Then we need to go somewhere else!" Keldeo decided, and swung his blade to deflect an attack aimed at the group. He followed it up with a scything Sacred Sword, but a Shedinja swooped in and absorbed the attack. "We can't let bystanders get hurt!"
"Right!" Max said, wiping his mouth. "Jirachi!"
"Yes?" Jirachi replied.
"I wish we could get out of here!"
Jirachi's tags flashed, and then there was a flare of bright light-
-and everyone landed on a hillside.
"What happened?" Ash demanded, as he recovered from a stumble. "Guys?"
"I got Jirachi to teleport us!" Max explained.
"Absol said that too many people would be hurt if the battle kept going," Brock explained.
"We'd have won if you'd given us another minute..." Entei muttered.
"Where..." Butler began, then looked around. "This is Forina, isn't it."
"Yeah," Jirachi said. "This was the best place I could think of."
"That's the valley we saw!" Diane added, pointing. "Look, down there!"
"Wait!" Ash said, worried. "Where's Houndoom? And the Absol, and Cinder and the other Mightyena?"
"...Jirachi?" Lucario asked, after a moment. "Do you have Miracle Eye?"
Jirachi looked uncertain. "I've got this thing on my chest..."
"Oh, no!" Max said. "The teleport must not have picked up the Dark-types!"
"Cinder?" Houndoom asked, looking around at the mostly-bare battleground. "The others just vanished – this isn't good..."
"Get that Absol!" the Aqua admin said, pointing. "And the others! We can at least use them as hostages!"
The grunts nodded, sending out the rest of their Pokémon.
Absol backed away, growling, and the other three canines moved up to cover her flanks.
"What are you good at?" Cinder asked, softly. "In battle, I mean."
"I'm a good chance-dancer," Absol said. "And I'm good with my blade... you?"
"Trips," Cinder said shortly. "Working on some other stuff."
"About the same," Butler's Mightyena confirmed.
"Right, looks like I'm the muscle," Houndoom said.
Absol glanced back at him, remaining alert to the skeins of chance. "How so?"
Houndoom smirked, and his tail snapped.
Suddenly there were twice as many Mightyena as before, and a near-perfect duplicate of herself.
Absol blinked, and then the three shadow copies charged.
Pulses of water hammered into them from the Aqua admin and destroyed them, but at that moment Absol saw her opening.
She lunged across the muddy ground.
Both Mightyena fell in beside her, protecting her flanks, and she jumped away from a crackling Thunderbolt attack from the Stunfisk before swiping at one of the newly-released Pokémon – a Meditite – with a Night Slash crackling on her horn.
The half-Psychic type fell back before coming around to attack again, and Cinder grabbed him by the arm before tossing him around in a Play Rough that left him much the worse for wear.
Houndoom took a nasty hit from a Brine as he was producing more Beat Up doubles, and yelped as the Water-type attack staggered him before rallying and sending out a thick, dense Smokescreen.
Using the smoke with the ruthlessness of the Dark-type she was, Absol slashed at the Feraligatr who was her biggest single obstacle. There was a crash and a whimper behind her as one of the Mightyena was hit, and then the smoke was blasted away by the wings of a Pelipper.
Cinder pounced skywards through the thinning smoke, favouring one foreleg, and clamped down on the Pelipper's wing with a Thunder Fang.
Still trying to stay on the best path she could sense, Absol stepped back and evaded a counter-attack from the big alligator she was focused on. The other Mightyena tried to use her as a distraction to get in a telling blow, but the enemy leader spotted him and blasted him with a watery attack.
Absol's sense of calamity warned her to duck, and Houndoom shot an Inferno over her head which startled Feraligatr and forced the human leader to shield himself with his water. Coiled like a spring, she launched herself up as soon as the attack was dissipating and hit Feraligatr hard with another Night Slash.
Suddenly the probabilities screamed at her, and a moment later a Poliwrath pummelled her into the ground.
Shaking her head, clearing the stars which had been filling it, Absol stood – a bit shakier now.
"Poliwrath, hypnosis!" one of the grunts called.
Absol bared her teeth.
"...you're a moron," the human leader said. "Just knock them out."
Her instincts gave her warning, and Absol dodged to one side away from the blurring X-Scissor attack of a Ninjask.
As she did, and as Houndoom caught it in an Ember and sent it crashing to the ground, something else appeared.
It was an outside probability of severe property damage from a sonic boom – something so unusual that she wondered what it even meant.
"A little to the left!" Ash called, over the rushing sound. "And – okay, slow down now!"
His hands and feet pulsed with Aura as he gripped tightly, and Mega Latios shed speed – braking as hard as Ash could handle.
They'd left it so late that Mega Latios only went subsonic a mile or so away, and skidded to a stop in mid-air sending a blast of wind in all directions.
Lucario emerged from his Pokéball while the Aqua agents were still gaping, and picked up the startled Absol by the neck and the back.
"Sorry," he said, and threw her upwards.
"What-" Amber shook his head, and pointed. "Stop them!"
Lucario threw an Aura Sphere at him as Ash returned first Houndoom, then Cinder, then the other Mightyena – all three of whom looked exhausted – and Mega Latios caught Absol in both clawed hands.
Another red return beam flicked out, catching Lucario, and then Mega Latios shot off again.
"...well, great," Amber sighed, letting his latest water bubble drop back to the floor with a splat.
"Sir?" one of the grunts asked. "What now?"
"Follow them, of course!" Amber replied. "Get the Seakings back in the air, that way we can find out where Jirachi went!"
"Right!" another agreed, returning his Poliwrath. "You're the boss, skipper!"
"I know," Amber said, rolling his eyes. "Right, make sure to grab all the knocked-out Pokémon, too..."
"Aye aye, sir!" several enthusiastic grunts called, fired-up from seeing their opponents run, and got to work.
"Skip?" his second in command asked, with a frown. "Aren't you worried that that was a Legendary? That there were three other Legendaries there – at least?"
Amber shook his head. "No, Lady Kyogre will destroy them all."
"Of course, sorry."
A few minutes later, two big amphibious helicopters lifted off in a thunder of rotors and turned to follow the direction Mega Latios had come from.
Three pairs of eyes followed it.
"Well, guess it's time ta get back ta work," the shortest of the three said. "Da fair was pretty fun..."
"You know what they say," James said, putting his icecream down. "There's no rest for the wicked."
"Den we really did turn over a new Leafeon," Meowth noted. "At least two weeks'a rest!"
"We'd better follow them in the plane," Jessie decided. "Who's got the keys?"
Mega Latios popped up over a ridge, already slowing down. He banked, wings tilted to dig into the air, and shed speed a little more slowly – and safely – than back at the fair.
By the time he reached the others, he was just skimming along – and once they were near the ground, Absol jumped gratefully out of his arms.
"That was... an experience," she said, shakily. "How fast were we going?"
"More than the sound barrier," Mega Latios replied. "Not sure the exact numbers."
"Did you get the others?" Max asked, and Ash tossed him and Butler the borrowed Pokéballs before jumping down from Mega Latios' back.
There was an orange shimmer as Mega Latios became just Latios, and caught the falling Latiosite with one hand.
"Thank you, Ash," Butler said, sending out Mightyena to check on his condition. "Kirlia, can you help-?"
Nodding, his Fairy-type bent over and began to build up a Wish.
"What do we do now, Ash?" Max asked. "Those Aqua guys were after Jirachi!"
"They must be trying to do the same thing that I planned," Butler said, frowning. "But with Kyogre instead of Groudon, obviously."
"What would happen if they tried?" Diane asked. "I thought you didn't leave any other versions of your machinery around..."
"No, it's encrypted," Butler confirmed. "Even if they got it here, it wouldn't function."
"But it's the middle of the comet's pass!" Jirachi said, worried. "I'm strongest today, I might actually be able to kind of make the fake Kyogre myself!"
"You could?" Suicune asked. "I hadn't realized you were stronger today..."
"It only shows up when my eye is open..." Jirachi indicated the eye on his chest. "I... don't really know a lot about how my wishes work, but I feel like it might actually make... the kind of fake version of the Legendary."
"I guess we need to get ready, then," Ash said. "At least this place isn't as densely populated..."
In fact, it looked like there were no people for miles – and not even very many Pokémon.
"How long do you think it'll take?" May asked, glancing at Latios.
"I don't know," Latios replied. "A while... it depends how they get here."
"Right," Brock said, and sent out his starter. "Steelix? Are you ready for this?"
Steelix nodded, Mega Stone glittering.
As Diane sent out the Salamence she and Butler shared and checked his saddle, May frowned.
She sniffed, and her frown deepened. "Huh... that's strange."
"What?" Ash asked, glancing over.
"I can smell..." May sniffed again. "I think it's sulphur."
"I can't smell anything," Cinder said, sniffing as well.
Absol's eyes flashed as something reached her disaster-sense. "Look out-"
A lithe man with hair over one eye seemed to appear out of thin air, and grabbed Jirachi's torso with his right hand.
"Jirachi!" Max yelled.
"What the-" Butler began. "Blaise!"
"Jirachi, I wish for Groudon!" Blaise said forcefully. "Right here, right now!"
Jirachi's face scrunched up, his tags glowing, and a moment later Latios blurred forwards and rammed into the Magma agent to knock him backwards.
Blaise staggered, then recovered and shimmered out of view again.
"It must be an illusion!" Brock said. "Stantler, can you help?"
"Jirachi, don't!" Max called, as the Legendary clutched at his star-headpiece. "You don't have to!"
Sorry, Max! Jirachi managed, then cried out as his eye opened. A glow built up to blinding intensity around the little Psychic-type-
Flygon snapped awake.
Something was very wrong. The ground shook, and then a roar came throbbing through the canyons of Forina – a roar like nothing he'd ever heard before.
It sounded... almost liquid.
His wings snapped open, and he flew skywards – aiming to get an angle to see what was making the noise.
The Dragon-type rose into the air... then saw what it was, and promptly dove again.
"What's the problem?" a Tropius asked, as Flygon came down to hovering altitude. "What did you see?"
"There's a giant evil Groudon in the next valley over!" Flygon said. "Everyone run for it!"
The Pokémon of Forina exchanged startled glances.
"A what!?"
"How?"
"Are you sure?" a Linoone asked.
"It's Groudon-shaped and it's got weird tendrils of green goop!" Flygon went on. "You need to get out of here!"
"What do you mean, you?" Tropius replied. "Why just us?"
"I'm the fastest," Flygon replied. "Except for Ninjask, and he's too small – he should help warn everyone. But I'm going to try and distract it to give you time to get away."
The green-and-red Dragon-type turned and flew back towards the chaos, and after a moment Ninjask followed him.
Glances were exchanged among the others, and then they began to run.
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