章節 22: 6,7,8
"We're off the map, aren't we?" Brock asked, looking down at it and then around at their path.
"Yep." Ash tapped his pocket. "Blame 'dex, he's been giving me the turnings."
For good reason, Dexter confirmed. We do still have to go some places we got lost last time... and here's one reason.
"What?" Ash asked, glancing down.
"Hi!" someone said, running up. "Have you seen any Cyndaquil?"
"Oh, right." Ash switched his attention to the kid. "No, not seen any. Are they around here?"
"Yeah!" the boy replied. "But you're not getting one!"
"Why not?" Ash asked. "What's wrong with-"
"I'm getting a Cyndaquil, and I'll fight you to make sure you don't get one!" he snapped.
"Sounds good to me," Ash said promptly, and tapped Pikachu on the side. The little mouse looked up at him, then nodded and jumped down from Ash's shoulder. "Bayleef, want to give this a go?"
"Sure," the Grass-type said.
Koji blinked, a little thrown. "Uh... yeah!"
He released his Sandslash.
"Get that Bayleef!" he ordered.
Sandslash nodded, and charged forward. His claws glowed for a Slash.
Bayleef stepped back smartly, and used her vines to block the attack. "Are you alright?"
The Sandslash frowned at her, confused.
"Sand-attack!" Koji ordered.
Bayleef closed her eyes to block the sand.
"In front!" Ash said, switching smoothly to telling her where her foe was, and she sent her vines out in a wide circling motion to the front. One snagged on something.
"That's him!" Ash added, as the vine went taut.
"Got it!"
Razor Leaves whipped out, some of them connecting with the Sandslash. Bayleef opened her eyes again as she felt her vine break, and frowned.
"I'm trying to be polite, believe it or not. I know it's a battle, but you could at least do me the courtesy of answering my question," she admonished.
"Battle is for battle. Talk has no place there," Sandslash said.
Bayleef thought about how that had been said, as she whipped her head around to avoid a Poison Sting.
It had been... uncomfortably quick. Rote, almost.
"What place does talk have, then?" she asked. Her foreshortened right vine snapped out, threatening his left side, and he swiped at it with another Slash.
"...I-" Sandslash began, then shook his head. "That doesn't matter."
"Of course it does!" Bayleef replied. She winced as her remaining vine was shredded near the tip by a Fury Swipes, and began to release Sweet Scent.
Sandslash sniffed it, then sneezed, and backed a little way out of the cloud.
"My trainer and I talk all the time. His other Pokemon talk all the time. Talking is important – I've learned that lesson, and it was a hard one..."
She sighed, then used Razor Leaf to block a storm of Swift stars.
"I guess my point is..." Another Fury Swipes came in, this time connecting and scoring long lines down her flank. She kicked out, knocking him away, and released Stun Spore to force the Sandslash to keep his distance. "My point is, you remind me of some other Pokemon I've seen."
"What's taking you so long?" Koji snapped. "Use your Fury Swipes properly, you stupid Pokemon!"
"And now I'm sure." Bayleef used Power Whip, tripping Sandslash, and walked over while slowly healing herself with Synthesis. "Sandslash... your trainer isn't a nice human."
Sandslash glared up at her. "Koji is a strong trainer!"
"That's not what I said," Bayleef replied, as Sandslash rolled upright. "Not all strong trainers are nice, not all nice trainers are strong."
She glanced over at Ash. "I'm lucky to have one who's both."
Sandslash looked terribly sad for a moment. Then he slashed out, and Bayleef was forced to fall back or be hit.
Pikachu ran along, sniffing the ground.
Where was that familiar scent...
There!
He followed it as it grew more recent. At first, all he could tell was that there was a Cyndaquil... then, as he closed in, he could smell first that she was the right gender and finally that she was in fact his old ally.
"Hello?" he called, looking around as he reached a clearing. "Don't worry, I'm not trying to hurt you..."
Another sniff. "Cyndaquil?"
"What do you want?"
The voice didn't quite come from anywhere.
"Cyndaquil," Pikachu began, then stopped. He took a breath. "This is going to sound strange, but I know you. I know you don't know me – not yet."
There was no reply.
"I can prove it. You were hatched with a brother and a sister, about... two miles south of here."
"Anyone from nearby would know that."
Pikachu flipped an ear. "True. But I'm from Kanto. Anyway... you're not very active at the moment. You tire easily. You've got a lot of trouble using fire attacks, at the moment... and, for some reason, you know Agility. Your goal in life is to be able to use fire-type attacks when you need to, and... I think you also once said to have a safe home, with good friends."
A pause.
"Assuming I believe you, how do you know me?"
"I will know you – in the future." Pikachu winced. "I know. It sounds ridiculous. And I don't have proof with me, but I know where there is some."
Another long pause. Then Cyndaquil emerged from behind her tree.
"Where is this proof, then?"
"My trainer. Ash." Pikachu shrugged. "He's currently battling to make sure a rather horrible trainer doesn't get you. Since he knew you in the future-" Pikachu noticed Cyndaquil about to ask a question, "-please don't ask, the tenses are a nightmare – he can... sort of remind you. It will be as though you lived both lives."
"If it helps..." Pikachu hesitated, then went on. "When you are reminded, you will be able to use fire attacks with ease – and you will be a Quilava. I hope you'll agree to follow us – he was your trainer, back in the future – but if you say no to either this or that then both Ash and I will respect that."
"...I see." Cyndaquil considered that. "So long as he does not capture me against my will, then."
Both panting, Sandslash and Bayleef stood across from one another in the road.
"You're useless!" Koji ranted. "You'd better win this, Sandslash, or..."
His voice trailed off.
"Or what?" Bayleef asked.
"No food," Sandslash answered without thinking. Then he flinched, as if that had been the wrong thing to say.
"Your trainer is horrible," Bayleef concluded.
"Hey, wait..." Koji looked up from the battle. "Where's the Bayleef's trainer?"
"I give in!" Ash said brightly, from where he was sitting behind Brock, Misty and Lucario. "Mind you, I haven't seen any Cyndaquil."
He stood. "Just this Quilava."
Quilava's mouth quirked in a smile as she looked at the boy who had intended to catch her.
Then stuck out her tongue.
"What? But... Sandslash! Get them!"
Sandslash gave his trainer an incredulous look. "I'm exhausted!"
"Don't give me that look!" Koji scowled, and took out his net. "Fine! I'll catch it myself!"
Misty blinked. "Wow. Obsessed much?"
"It seems to be a theme with Ash and Fire starters," Pikachu mused. "Remember Charmander? We may have saved Quilava from a similar fate."
Koji swung his net at the unconcerned Ash.
The net promptly snapped in half.
"I would not advise that," Lucario advised, lowering his glowing palm. "Perhaps you should go, and treat your Sandslash better. Maybe then, you will be a trainer worthy of him."
Koji gaped. Then, with fumbling fingers, he returned his Sandslash and fled.
"I don't think I've ever thanked you before for making sure he didn't catch me," Quilava said. "So... thanks."
Ash let her down. "No problem."
Then he sighed. "Hopefully he'll improve, though... that poor Sandslash..."
That night, Ash called his Pokemon together for a talk.
"Okay, guys," he began. "And girls."
Quilava smirked slightly. Bayleef glanced over at the Fire-type, then smiled as well.
"First – one of the things I want to make sure happens is that you're all trained as well as you want to be." Ash nodded over at Lucario and Pikachu. "I mean, these two are already ridiculously good."
"Thank you for the compliment," Lucario said.
"What about me?" Heracross asked, frowning. "I thought I was alright..."
"Oh, you are," Ash agreed readily. "It's just... Pokemon like Pidgeot, Charizard and Pikachu have fought actual Legendaries in the past, and Lucario probably could."
"Thank you for the reasonably confident estimation," Lucario almost-repeated, in the same tone of voice as his first comment had been.
There were scattered chuckles at his deadpan tone.
"Anyway." Ash shrugged. "I'm probably not going to use them in most Gym battles, for example – make sure the rest of you get a fighting style developed with good depth, and also that I know what you can do... and can help you."
He nodded. "Heracross, for example – you're my first choice for some things, like fighting Darkrai..."
"How did that fight go, actually?" Heracross asked. "I was asleep for most of it..."
"You never saw the video?" Pikachu asked. He turned to Ivysaur. "Why didn't you show him the video?"
"I was too busy trying not to have my sap drunk, that's what!" Ivysaur replied.
"Oh, man..." Pikachu shook his head. "Ash, we need to find some way to show everyone that."
"What's this?" Quilava asked. "I heard about it, but I don't see what's so-"
"We're getting off topic," Ash interrupted. "Basically, there was a guy called Tobias at the Sinnoh League who had a Darkrai and was using him first."
"And you wouldn't?" Pikachu teased.
"No – if I had his team, I'd use the Latios first." Ash shrugged. "Or whatever else he has, I don't know what there was. Anyway – Pikachu and Lucario don't need as much training."
Quilava raised a paw. "What should be my style? I've not battled much since evolving."
"Hmmm..." Ash thought back. "What moves do you have that have changed since last time I used you in battle?"
"Well..." She thought. "Not many... but Flame Wheel is different now."
"Cool!" Ash said. "Let's see!"
Quilava stood up, and her flames burst into life. One forefoot went down, under her body, and the other stretched out. Her back feet dug into the ground.
Then she pushed off. The moment her back feet were off the ground, she rolled into a ball, and her flames blazed up brighter. For a few seconds, she rolled slowly forwards...
Then spun in place for a second, and went rocketing off.
Bending into the turns, she accelerated, and did three laps of the group before skidding to a stop... overbalancing, and flopping over onto her back.
"Not bad," Ash said, helping her up. "You okay?"
"Still a bit dizzy..." Quilava admitted, shaking her head. "I need to work on that."
"Quilava!" Misty called, from the other side of the clearing. "Oh, well... hey, Kabuto? Want to practice water gun?"
The fossil clicked, and fired water from its concealed mouth. The stream extinguished some of the smouldering grass.
"Nice work – now, do it again!"
Ash and the others watched for a bit as Misty followed her newest Pokemon around letting it put out the nascent fires.
"Okay, cool, we can work with that," Ash said, getting back to the topic. "Bayleef?"
"Well... I'm not all that good at fighting, not really," Bayleef admitted. "I can do a good Slam, but most of my talent seems to be in healing."
"That's fine, really," Ash said readily. "Someone needs to be able to, the kind of scrapes we get into. But – still, I'd feel more comfortable if you could hold your own."
"Got it. I'll try."
"Heracross..." Ash shrugged. "I think the main thing that you need is experience – and possibly a few ranged attacks."
"Right." Heracross nodded.
"And as for you, Dexter," Ash added.
Yes?
"You kind of need the opposite – close in attacks."
"Um... Ash?" Quilava asked. "Why are you talking to your Pokedex?"
She blinked. "For that matter, why is it talking back?"
I'm a he, not an it. Now, anyway. Dexter materialized. Ta-dah.
"Huh. Okay." Quilava shrugged. "Fair enough, your Pokedex is now a Pokemon."
"What about Kingler and Muk?" Pikachu asked.
"Good point – I really need to use those two more," Ash agreed. "Kingler's best in and under the water, though... and I don't really know what to do with Muk."
"Wonder what he's doing now," Pikachu mused.
Oak Labs:
"No!" Professor Oak cried, staring at the CCTV monitor. "Not the TMs!"
Muk flowed over the box of new, freshly-recoded Technical Machines.
"Oh, why me?" Oak asked of the air.
Those are cracked, you know, Damos reported. They can still be used again.
"Are you volunteering to clean them up?" Oak asked.
There was a crunch noise.
Is he... Damos' electronic voice took on a startled note. Eating them?
Muk mumbled something that sounded a lot like the Muk for "Cooookieeeeees..."
Oak sat back on the chair. "Do we have any Pokemon that could stop him?"
I already alerted Tracey, so yes.
On the screen, Scizor ran in and started trying to save as many TMs as possible from the ravenous Muk.
"I'm sure he's doing fine," Ash said. "Right. Who's working with who?"
Whom.
"That's what I said," Ash agreed. "Whom's working with who."
Ow. That was worse than the first time.
"Perhaps I should work with Quilava," Pikachu suggested. "When I use Iron Tail, I often do a forward spin with it."
"Sounds good." Ash stood. "Hey, Heracross, want to try to learn Aura Sphere?"
"How curious..." Kurt said, looking the GS ball over. "It's remarkably strong, and an excellent example of the craft...but I don't know how or why it could be this strong. Or why it doesn't open, no matter how hard I try."
"We were kind of hoping you'd be able to help with that, yeah," Ash admitted. "No ideas at all?"
"Not really, no." Kurt shrugged. "Sorry. I can spend a few months studying it, that might turn something up.
"Go ahead," Ash said, though he had his doubts. It hadn't worked last time, after all.
"Hmmm..." The Pokeball maker frowned. "It seems a shame to send you away without any progress... perhaps we could do a deal? If you collect some Apricorns for me, I'll make you some Pokeballs."
"That'd be great!" Ash said. "Sure! How many do you want?"
"Well..." Kurt pondered. "For every three Apricorns, I'll give you each one speciality ball I've already made. That way you won't have to hang around here for weeks."
"Makes sense!" Ash shook his hand. "Let's go get some Apricorns, guys!"
"What's this we business?" Misty asked after him.
"We'd better get going," Brock told her. "You know what he's going to-"
There was a loud explosion.
"Too late."
When the friends reached him, Ash was underneath a Forretress, with a scorched tree next to him and a small circle of blackened grass around them both.
"Hi, Brock!" he said, voice a bit muffled. "Can you get her off me, please? I can't breathe..."
Brock tapped Forretress on the carapace. "Is that you?"
"Brock!" Forretress said, rolling off Ash (who turned out to also be quite scorched). "How are you?"
"I'm okay, I guess," Brock said. "Did you fall out of the tree onto Ash?"
"I did, yes," she agreed. "Fortunately, I was just a Pineco at the time, so I didn't crush him... sorry about that, by the way."
She paused.
"Wait. Did you just understand me?"
"We'll explain later," Brock said. "Right now, we've got some Apricorns to pick."
"Apricorns to pick? That I can help with!" Forretress headed over to a nearby tree. "How big an explosion do you want?"
"Let's start with 'tiny' and work up from there," Misty suggested.
"Well, there we go," Brock said, looking at their prizes. "One Fast Ball, one Lure Ball and one Level Ball each."
"Actually, guys," Ash said, glancing between his friends. "Want to swap?"
"What for what?" Misty asked.
"I'd kind of prefer the Fast Balls," Ash admitted. "Because – you know."
"Right." Misty nodded. "Well, I don't see any reason why not... which would you rather have, Brock?"
"I guess the Level Ball," Brock decided.
"Sounds good to me."
The exchange thus made, Ash shrunk down the three Fast Balls and stowed them carefully away.
"One day, huh, Ash?" Pikachu asked.
"Yeah," Ash agreed. "Here's hoping."
A huge container ship shivered, as its engines swung it round to point west.
Laden with hundreds upon hundreds of containers, it was one of the links in the chains of world commerce. Carrying cargoes far too large for Pokemon transit, it served industries across the world.
For a long, winding hour, it nosed slowly up a muddy river estuary. Past first the sweeping tidal flats where Water- and Ground-Types lived, then into the villages and towns which dotted the estuary.
Eventually, and after a voyage which had totalled a little over four days, the ship came to rest alongside a vast pier, nearly forty kilometres upriver and almost into the city proper for which many of the goods were intended.
"The engines have stopped," Virizion said. "Finally."
"Does that mean we're there?" Terrakion asked.
He looked around at the games of battleships, chess and the like which were scratched all over the floor and walls.
"Why did we have to go this way, Keldeo?" he added.
"Because I could only get so much money," Keldeo replied. "Air freight costs too much."
"An impressive effort, nevertheless," Cobalion stated. "Now, we should make our way to the location as fast as possible. How far is it from here to Johto?"
Keldeo checked the atlas. "Uhh... a bit further than we were before."
"Say what!?" Terrakion yelped. "Did we just go directly away from Johto?"
"Kinda, yeah," Keldeo agreed. "But – look, I looked up how much it would cost for us to get shipped to Johto, and it was way too much. Plus, it'd mean more like three weeks in a box."
"I... had not expected that," Cobalion admitted. "What do we do now?"
Keldeo laid out the atlas, and the others crowded around it. "We walk."
"How far?" Virizion squinted at the maps.
"Six thousand miles," Keldeo stated. "But at least it's not across the pole."
There was a grating sound outside.
"Sounds like they just took away the one next to us," Keldeo added. "Ready?"
The Swords of Justice nodded.
Keldeo paused.
It felt so cool to be telling the Swords of Justice what to do – even if it was just because he was the one who'd done the research.
"Now!"
The big crane smoothly lowered a yellow standard container, belaying the cables holding it up, and then released it once it was sitting on the pile of other containers.
"Good work," the foreman radioed. "Now, get the green one next to it."
"Got it, sir-"
There was a loud screeeech of tearing metal.
The end of the green container burst open, and four blurs shot out. They stopped just long enough for the astounded foreman to see they were a lot like Ponyta or Rapidash – and then vanished at such a speed that he didn't even see which direction they went.
"...well," the foreman muttered. "That happened."
"What was that?" asked the man on the other end of the radio.
"Got no bloody idea," the foreman admitted.
"Which way now?" Cobalion asked, some minutes later in a small copse.
A Pidgey flew down, and he absently shook his head to prevent it landing on him.
"This way," Keldeo said confidently, gesturing south. "There's a tunnel to Kalos. From there, we head east."
"And this is the quickest way to Johto?" Terrakion asked, as they began to canter towards the white cliffs.
"No, it's the most affordable way," Keldeo answered him. "It was hard enough to get the money for one ship journey... you three can run on water, right? Otherwise it might be tricky to get across the Sea of Japan..."
7
"Welcome to my gym, Ash Ketchum," Bugsy greeted. "I saw you coming, so I hope you don't mind if we do this outdoors."
"Yeah, for some reason Falkner was kind of jumpy as well," Ash said, frowning. "Wonder why..."
"You have a reputation," Misty told him. "My sisters complained about you – and so did I! - and you kind of reinforced the stereotype since then."
"Everything went fine with my gym..." Brock said.
"You're the exception," Misty replied. "Besides, didn't Pikachu punch your Steelix across the room?"
"...I had tried to forget that," Brock admitted.
"Right." Bugsy picked up a box of Pokéballs. "This match will be four Pokémon per person, with two out at a time. Only the challenger is allowed to switch out. Do you have your Pokémon for this fight chosen?"
"Yep!" Ash replied promptly. He turned to Pikachu and Lucario. "Like I said last night, guys."
"Understood."
"Begin!"
Ash held out two 'balls. "Okay! Heracross, Bayleef, time for battle!"
Bayleef nodded. "Got it."
"I'll do my best," Heracross added, taking a stance.
Bugsy released his first two Pokémon, who materialized next to one another.
"That's a Venonat and a Pineco, right?" Brock asked, as the former picked up the latter.
"That's right." Bugsy nodded. "Bugs are varied, which is one of their strengths."
Bayleef frowned. "Okay, let's see... Grass moves aren't great against bugs."
She glanced across at Heracross. "You go for the Pineco."
"Got it." Heracross lumbered forwards.
Bugsy pointed. "Venonat, use Skill Swap!"
Venonat clicked, eyes glowing, and a light passed between it and Pineco. The utility power had just finished when Bayleef's Razor Leaf attack arrived.
The furry Bug was barely inconvenienced at all by the attack, and released Poisonpowder before jumping out of the way as Bayleef tried to Body Slam it.
"Ugh!" Bayleef said, shaking her head as the clouds of poison washed over her. She grimaced, then closed her eyes and concentrated for a bit.
Her bulbs opened slightly, and a soothing scent washed out of them. It countered the purplish poison in the air, and then burned it out of her body as well.
"There," she said, pleased. Then jumped out of the way as Venonat launched a Fury Cutter attack, clipping her foreleg.
"That could be a problem," she observed.
A loud explosion resounded from the other side of the battlefield.
"Are you doing okay?" she called.
"Just fine!" Heracross replied. "I think... this thing keeps exploding!"
He pointed his horn down again, and managed to flip Pineco into the air. "Aha!"
"Gyro Ball!" Bugsy instructed.
Pineco began rotating at blurring speed as it rose, reached the apex, and fell.
"Whoa!" Heracross stumbled, just about managing to avoid contacting the spinning Pokémon, and rolled over until he was standing back upright. "Sneaky!"
Pineco replied by showering spikes in all directions.
"Okay, let's try this!" Heracross brought his forelegs together, and concentrated.
Glowing faintly, a ball of blue energy formed as he brought them apart, then destabilized.
"Oh, dear... okay, second time lucky?"
As Heracross tried to get his Aura Sphere working, Bayleef backed across the battlefield using her vines to deflect attacks from Venonat.
His complicated variety of status attacks weren't doing him any favours, as by now Bayleef was in a constant haze of healing honeysuckle scent from her Aromatherapy, but the odd Signal Beam was a significant threat that had to be stopped with dense showers of leaves or by physically getting in the way of them with her vines.
"Aha!" she said, as she finally managed to get a vine past the mess of conflicting attacks and grab him around the middle. "Now let's see if you-"
Her foot landed on one of the spikes.
"Aagh!" she cried, her grip loosening a bit, and Venonat nearly wiggled free before she got the other vine in to strengthen her grip. "Right!"
She began swinging him into trees and the floor with her vines, producing an interesting array of squeak noises.
"Finally!" Heracross announced, as he got the Aura Sphere working. "Take this!"
The wobbly, poorly stabilized Sphere crossed a now very spike-strewn battlefield, and blew a divot out of the ground underneath Pineco.
"Rapid Spin!" Bugsy ordered.
Pineco spun faster, taking off into the air. It tilted, and began to head for Heracross at high speed.
"Now, use Explosion!"
Heracross dove for cover as the ballistic pine cone went off.
"Does this mean I win?" he asked, once Pineco rolled to a stop – clearly out of it.
Bugsy held out two Pokéballs. "Your turn, Durant!"
"Aren't they from Unova?" Ash asked.
"I know Burgh, he lives there," Bugsy replied. "Good eye, though."
The Bug/Steel type clicked his pincers.
"Finally, something I can hit!" Heracross advanced, and promptly stepped on a spike. "Ow... okay, this could take a while."
Bayleef, meanwhile, was looking curiously at Venonat. "Shouldn't you have been knocked out by now?"
Venonat replied by firing a Psybeam.
Bayleef dodged – and only then realized who was just behind her.
"Sorry!" she called back at Heracross, who'd taken the attack in the side and was visibly staggering. "Try to get over here so I can help protect you!"
Venonat used the distraction to bite his way out of her vines, and then fired a beam of light at Durant – a second Skill Swap.
Heracross lumbered over to Bayleef. "How is this going to work?"
Another Psybeam came in, and got blocked by Bayleef's carefully aimed Razor Leaf. "Like that. Try and use Aura Sphere, I'll keep us both safe."
"Venonat!"Bugsy called. "Use U-turn!"
Venonat shook his antenna, and then launched himself forwards. Heracross blocked the attack with a punch, and knocked it out.
"That was easy," Heracross said. He brought his rear leg up to his horn and tried to pull out a Spike. "Two down, two to go. What now?"
Bugsy released his final Pokémon.
"Oh, neat!" Heracross added. "They're from Hoenn, right?"
"Durant, Entrainment!" Bugsy snapped, pointing at his newly-released Shedinja.
Uh-oh... Dexter observed.
"What?" Ash asked, taking his Pokédex out of his pocket.
I've been keeping track – Bugsy's been passing Sturdy around like a baseball defence. We're in trouble.
"I'll handle this!" Heracross called, charging forwards through the Spikes. He reached Shedinja – and passed through.
"What?" he asked, shaking his head.
"Shedinja's immune to attacks that aren't super effective!" Ash called.
All attacks, Dexter corrected.
"What?" Ash blinked. "What do you mean, all attacks?"
That one just picked up Sturdy instead of Wonder Guard.
Ash worked it out. "Oh."
"What happened?" Misty asked. "I forget how that works."
Shedinja has an extremely small amount of life force, Dexter explained. And the ability Sturdy lets a Pokémon naturally use Endure, retaining at least a small amount of life force so long as it has as much as it can. And for Shedinja, the two thresholds are the same.
"Which means that Shedinja can't actually be hurt by attacks," Ash finished.
He cupped his hands around his mouth. "Heracross! Just get the Durant!"
"Got it!" Heracross replied, dodging a Shadow Ball from the now essentially invincible Shedinja. "Take this!"
Durant scuttled backwards out of the way of a Focus Punch, and an X-Scissor hit him from behind.
"Are you okay, Heracross?" Ash called, worried.
"Yeah!" Heracross replied, as a shower of leaves from Bayleef prevented another attack from reaching him. "I can do this!"
He lunged forwards, crushing Spikes under him, and this time his Focus Punch connected. Durant clicked, then used Guillotine and finally knocked Heracross out.
"Nice work, Heracross," Ash said. "It was a bad matchup, but you did good work."
He took up another Pokéball. "Okay, Quilava!"
Quilava landed between two fields of spikes, and nearly got a Shadow Ball to the face.
Jumping out of the way, she Flamethrowered both her opponents. This had very little effect on Shedinja – protected by Sturdy – but Durant screeched in pain.
Shedinja zoomed in, and hit her in the side as he passed through her.
"Ow!" Quilava said, dancing a half-step sideways.
Her quills flared up again, and she sent out shots of fire. Shedinja dodged them, and hovered back to the centre of the spike field.
"Over here!" Bayleef called. "Hurry!"
"What?" Quilava replied. "Why? I'm – ow!"
"What you are is poisoned!" Bayleef pumped out more Aromatherapy. "You need to get over here so I can heal you!"
Quilava nodded, and launched herself into a somersault. Her quills flashed with flame and dug into the ground, and she spun off – caroming off Spikes and nearly hitting a low hanging tree branch, before skidding to a halt next to Bayleef and coming back out of her Flame Wheel.
She took a breath, and sighed. "Thank you so much, that's much better."
The two female mid-level starters exchanged wary glances with their insectoid opponents.
"What now?" Quilava asked.
"First – you get rid of that Durant," Bayleef decided. "Come over here if you feel any attacks hit at all, they might be Toxic."
Quilava shuddered. "Got it."
Taking another breath of the sweet honeysuckle, she curled up again and reactivated Flame Wheel.
"Your Pokémon are quite good at teamwork," Bugsy observed, as Quilava came in on a Flame Wheel attack. She skidded across a patch of harder ground, leaving embers behind her, and then launched herself at Durant.
The Bug/Steel Type scuttled out of the way, then Shedinja came in and stung her with Toxic again.
Quilava's path became a little more erratic, but she canted around and took a wide, high speed return journey to come to a halt within the Aromatherapy cloud. A few seconds of steady, soothing breath, and she set off again.
"Quilava!" Ash called suddenly. "The Durant used Rock Polish, it's dodging your attacks that way!"
"What do I do, then?" Quilava asked, as she crushed a Spike under her rapidly spinning body and accelerated. "I've got to go faster, right?"
"Yeah!" Ash agreed. "Jump into the air while spinning, and then use Aerial Ace!"
"Got it!"
"Durant!" Bugsy said, realizing what that meant. "Look out!"
Quilava ramped off a tree, spinning up it in a trail of fire and then uncurling and spinning off. In mid-air she rolled back into a ball, spun up again – seemed to hang in mid-air for a moment, and then shot straight at Durant at blurring speed.
"Yes!" Ash called, as the Fire attack connected and knocked Durant out. "Now, keep it up! Use it again, and attack Shedinja as often as you can!"
"That won't work," Bugsy informed him.
"Won't it?" Ash replied, grinning.
Panting, Quilava spun to a halt next to Bayleef. "I'm getting really dizzy now..."
Another breath of honeysuckle, and she smiled. "And that always makes me feel better."
"Just make sure you don't get too dizzy," Bayleef cautioned. "I can't cure everything."
"Right." Quilava took up her stance. "Do you think this is going to work?"
"Eh?" Bayleef blinked. "You mean the battle?"
"Yeah." Quilava shrugged, not taking her eyes off the Shedinja. "I mean... I don't see how this is going to work."
Bayleef nodded. "True. But Ash does, and that's good enough for me."
Quilava observed her out of the corner of one eye. "Did you tell him?"
"...oh, you knew." Bayleef pursed her lips.
"I worked it out."
"Well..." Bayleef shrugged. "He found out. He was quite sympathetic, though... his answer was no."
Quilava nodded solemnly. "I'm sorry."
Then she shot off in another trail of fire, launched herself into the air, and went hurtling forwards in another of those unerring mid-air attacks.
This time, when she hit, there was a flash of orange fire around her target as she passed through. It flinched, and promptly fainted.
"Yes!" Ash said, as Shedinja fell to the floor. "I thought so!"
"...what?" Bugsy asked, watching as Quilava skidded to a stop and flopped on her back, chest heaving. "How did you-?"
"Sometimes – very rarely – Fire type attacks set their target on fire," Ash replied. "I guessed that would still work!"
It seems you were right, Dexter said – a little startled. The progressive injury from the burn bypassed its Sturdy ability. Do you always guess in battle?
"Not always," Ash replied. "Usually."
"Well." Bugsy returned his Shedinja. "I'm kind of glad we held this outside."
Ash took another look at the battlefield.
It was, frankly, a wreck.
Spikes were strewn everywhere, the ground was torn up in long furrows from Razor Leaves, missed Whips and the odd attack from Heracross, a huge pile of broken Spikes covered the centre of the battlefield, Toxic residue hissed on the ground, and most of it was smouldering from dozens upon dozens of Flame Wheel tracks.
And there were the craters from the repeated explosions, too.
"Well done, Ash," Bugsy admitted, shaking his hand. "Your Pokémon are good at adapting to impossible situations, and they work well together – which earns them, and you, the Hive badge."
Ash accepted it, and beamed. "Great!"
He collected Quilava from the battlefield, stepping carefully over the Spikes. "Nice work, Quilava. I think we'll have to remember that attack."
Quilava nodded, yawned, and tapped her Pokéball to return herself.
"Don't you usually use a Scyther, though?" Ash asked, as Bayleef walked over to him with equal care.
"Against you?" Bugsy snorted. "Don't make me laugh. I say the Scyther's my best, but really he's my best against people who haven't won Leagues before."
"...huh," Ash said. "Suppose I'm a victim of my own success, then."
"I know you two are having trouble," Ash said, looking between Sylvester and his duck. "But a lot of new trainers have trouble. Pikachu and I had trouble to begin with!"
Pikachu nodded, and gave Ash a demonstrative zap.
"Think that, but all day," Ash went on, unfazed. "We pretty much hated one another. But then we got into danger, and from then on we were great friends.
"You bet!" Pikachu agreed with a cheerful nod.
"How?" Sylvester asked. "I mean – I'm no good..."
"It's not easy, no," Ash continued. "But that's how you get better – practice."
He changed his gaze to Farfetch'd. "I know it sometimes feels like you know a lot more than your trainer. And that might be true! But... I work with my Pokémon."
Pikachu took over. "He does. Ash keeps an eye out for things we don't notice, and if we have trouble with something he gets us through it."
"Just give him a bit of a chance, okay?" Ash asked.
Farfetch'd considered that, then nodded reluctantly.
"Besides," Ash added. "You know what he means when he says 'Cutting attack'. I'm sure you can work it out."
"Right," Farfetch'd quacked.
"Think that'll work?" Brock asked, as they continued through Ilex.
"I've got no idea," Ash admitted. "Hope it does, though."
He held up the block of sweet-smelling wood they'd been given. "This is probably a good sign, though."
"Hi, guys!" Brock said, waving. "Long time no see!"
"Yeah," Misty agreed. "It feels kind of strange."
"Well, we're glad you're missing us," James said jovially.
"No, more in the sense of peaceful," Misty amended.
"That's cold," Meowth muttered, mock-shivering.
"Anyway, what brings you here?" Ash asked.
"Well." Jessie shrugged. "Lickitung is alright, but you never restored him. And I have to admit, we're missing the big doofus."
"Wobbuffet, right?" Ash shook his head. "How long did you have that guy, anyway?"
"Well, I'd'a said long enough," Meowth groused. Then he shrugged. "Eh, at least we ain't bein' hit by attacks as often when he's around."
"How's everyone?" Ash asked, as they fell into step.
"Well..." James sighed. "Abra's still as lazy as ever."
"He's got an actual book where he works out how ta optimize his sleep regime," Meowth contributed. "O' course, he only works in it five minutes a week..."
"Arbok and Weezing are fine," Jessie said. "I've been training them for contests, and they work well together. Weezing has this lovely line in stage mist, which had everyone applauding."
Meowth sniggered. "And all the other contestants passed out."
"Contests?" Ash asked, then nodded. "That's right, you did those..."
"And I think we did well," Jessie agreed.
"Gyarados gets exercised once a week around the Seafoam Islands," James took up the list. "I don't ask, but he usually comes back looking a bit bruised and quite smug."
"And Victreebell?"
James couldn't answer, because there was a plant on his face.
With calm efficiency, Jessie and Meowth hauled the Victreebell off.
"This," James summarized.
"Wow," Ash said. "He really does just keep latching on, doesn't he..."
"I'm sure Ninetales told you about Growlie," James resumed, returning his Grass-type.
Ninetales nodded, with a small smile.
"And Cubone..."
"She's..." Jessie searched for a tactful way to put it. "Listless."
"We kinda hope da latest mission's gonna perk her up," Meowth added. "We're competin' in da Pokéathlon!"
Ash, Brock, Misty, Pikachu, Lucario and Ninetales all stopped in their tracks.
"You're doing what?" Ash spoke for all of them.
"Why not?" Meowth asked, shrugging. "What's so wrong with dat concept?"
"...well, now I feel kind of silly," Ash admitted. "Because all I've got is "That's stupid..."
"Thanks!" Benny said, clutching the Pokéball. "And I hope you get on well with Wobbuffet, too!"
"I'm sure we will," Jessie replied.
When he'd left, she promptly passed the Pokéball to Ash. "All right, you should definitely be able to restore him, he's been around you for longer than just about any of your companions."
"Not continuously, but yeah." Ash opened the 'ball and gave Wobbuffet a tap.
This didn't change his expression.
"Uh..." Jessie tapped him as well, making him bob gently back and forth. "You awake?"
Wob-wob-wob.
"Alive?"
Finally, Wobbuffet stirred. He looked down at Meowth. "What just happened? Where did the birdie go?"
"Dat was a Woobat, ya doofus," Meowth sighed. "An' welcome back in time."
"Right." Wobbuffet turned to Jessie, and saluted. "Reporting for duty!"
"Is that what he was saying all this time?" Ash asked. "Huh."
"Actually, it ain't," Meowth shrugged. "About half of it was puns. Jessie an' James are lucky I wasn't translatin' them."
"You think it would be punishment?" Wobbuffet asked.
"Ow." Ash winced. "Right, we're getting out of here before we hear too many of those. Where next?"
There's the Fire and Rescue Grand Prix. There is, however, a problem.
"I think we'd be pre-emptively banned, knowing Squirtle..." Misty joked.
That's the thing. We are.
"...oh."
After that, the next major event is a riverside a few days travel away. Both you and Ash have a Pokémon to catch there.
"That sounds better," Misty perked up. "Let's go, then."
Once the friends had left, and the Rockets were themselves well out of town, Wobbuffet turned to Jessie. "Time travel?"
"That's right," Jessie agreed, once translated. "Pretty much all of us."
"Why?"
"Dat's what your pre-evolution says..." Meowth muttered. "Anyway, it ain't all da same stuff again. Meet da new guys!"
Jessie and James started opening Pokéballs.
Wobbuffet bent over the snoozing Abra. "He seems quite a good psydekick."
"Oh, shaddup..." Meowth said. "An 'dis is Growlie."
"Named after his younger self? I see an old dog can learn new tricks."
Meowth threw a coin at him. It bounced off with a boing noise, and smacked Meowth in the cheek.
"Okay, dat wasn't da best choice..."
Gyarados waved a tail.
Wobbuffet seemed about to come up with another pun, but backed off at a glare from Meowth.
"And her?"
Cubone looked up. "I've heard of you."
A bone formed in her paw. It bounced off the floor a couple of times, then went flying directly at Wobbuffet.
Boi-i-ing!
She blocked it with an identical bone, and both shattered.
Her expression became considering. "Interesting. How many times can you do that?"
"I don't understand the question."
"Good." Cubone produced a pair of bonemerangs. "I request your help with training."
"Wait a sec," Meowth said, raising a paw. "Remember dat fing we talked about?"
"...you are correct." Cubone nodded. "I will limit my practice to four hours per day, for reasons of health."
"Dat's better." Meowth gingerly patted her on the shoulder. "I know, ya threw yourself into it. But it ain't normal, even Ash spends a lotta time havin' fun."
"Thanks again, Quilava," Brock said. "Without Charizard, it's a little harder to cook enough food when everyone's out."
"Think nothing of it," Quilava yawned, and pushed up the heat from her quills again. "My flames feel a little tingly..."
"That's fine, I think," Brock reassured her. "It's the same thing as when muscles hurt a bit after they're used for a long time."
"Good to know."
"What are we having?" Stantler asked, peering closer. "That looks strange..."
"It's a risotto," Brock explained. "I've done some bacon, as well, so the Pokémon and people who want to can add some, but the main meal is just lots of risotto – which is fine for everyone."
"I see. That's clever." Stantler nodded, absorbing the information. "I suppose you have to think like that, when there's a lot of different kinds of diet. Everyone back with my herd ate the same things, because they're all Stantler."
"That's right." Brock rubbed Stantler's ears. "How are your illusions coming?"
"I'm working on learning how to make an illusion of Ninetales." Stantler bobbed his head. "It's harder than I was expecting to get her right – especially making sure the walk is convincing. At the moment the illusion is sort of... static."
"Practice makes perfect." Brock swirled the meal around. "Okay, this looks about ready."
He raised his voice. "Ash! Can you get the bacon?"
"Where is it?" Ash called back.
"I left the plate on that tree stump!"
"Oh." Ash walked over, holding a plate. "I think I just remembered where we are."
He put it down, revealing it to be completely empty.
"...oh, right, I remember!" Brock said. "The Houndour, right?"
"Yeah." Ash looked around. "Where was it they lived..."
"Ash..." Brock asked, concerned. "You're not going to try to get the bacon back, are you?"
"What!? No!" Ash shook his head emphatically. "No, there's an injured one somewhere, that's why they stole the food. I'm gonna find it and bring it to the Pokémon centre to get healed!"
"...sure." Brock sighed. "I know better than to try and stop you. Just – have some food, first, please?"
"Ash!" Pikachu called, panting. "Slow down!"
Ash kept running. "I may have stopped long enough to get food, but that Pokémon needs my help – and I'm not going to let it be hurt by my being late!"
Lucario looked down at his teammate. "Do you need a lift?"
"Yeah, yeah... sure." Pikachu nodded, and jumped up and along Lucario's proffered arm. "I'm a lot smaller than you, you know... and I'm running on a full stomach."
"I'm sure." Lucario accelerated again, until he was running alongside Ash and matching him stride for stride.
"Thanks," Pikachu said.
"Think nothing of it."
It wasn't much longer before they came out onto a cliffside overlooking a cave, and beheld a dramatic scene.
Half-a-dozen Houndour stood in a defensive pattern outside the cave mouth, with two flanking a clearly badly injured fellow who was no longer able to stand.
Before them, grumbling and growling, was a Golem.
Lucario halted. "Ash, what should we-"
Pikachu interrupted him. "Ash!"
Lucario glanced to his side.
Ash was no longer there. In fact, he was in mid-air over the Golem and descending fast, his palms glowing blue.
"Did he even slow down!?" Lucario asked, exasperated, just before his trainer delivered a Force Palm attack to the big Rock-type.
The blow knocked Golem off its feet, and it rolled over before coming back upright. Ash, for his part, landed lightly – the attack having negated most of his momentum from falling – and unslung his staff, which began to crackle with blue light.
"Well, he's got a sense of showmanship..." Pikachu said weakly.
"Who cares, let's help him!" Lucario stepped forwards and went down the steep cliff edge sideways, with one foot leading at full extension and one crouched up behind.
Before they reached the bottom, Ash had already blocked a Rock Throw attack with another burst of palm-delivered Aura and used his staff for a stunning overarm blow, and was winding up for an Aura Sphere with his free hand.
Lucario landed on bended knees, waited a moment to let Pikachu jump free, and then darted forwards with one foot glowing. He planted the free foot, pivoted on it, and slammed a kick into the Golem's left knee just as the Aura Sphere arrived.
"Seriously, Ash," Lucario said, as the Golem hurtled off into the distance. "You should have waited for us."
Ash shrugged. "Are you guys okay?" he asked the Houndour.
They were mostly too busy staring at him.
"That was awesome!" one said, before being glared at by the leader and going silent with a whimper.
"All fine?" Ash checked. "Good. Now – one of you is hurt, right?"
There was a round of growls, as the reminder shook the Houndour out of their astonishment and back into pack mode.
"No, I don't want to hurt him!" Ash denied. "He needs help – there's a Pokémon centre a few miles away."
The alpha cocked his head on one side, then turned away to glance between the others.
Ash heard the faint muttering that resulted.
"-he's in a bad way, we should-"
"-can't trust any of-"
"-that's a Lucario, boss. Lucario are-"
"-...I'll say yes. If it means he'll be fine."
As the alpha turned back, Ash nodded. "Don't worry. He will be."
The leader stopped. "You speak Pokémon?"
"Yeah, I keep forgetting that's not normal," Ash admitted. "Aura, basically."
"So cool!" one of the pack said, and got glared at again.
"Okay, I need to pick him up," Ash said. "Can I come through?"
After a moment, the leader barked an order, and the pack split in two – leaving a path to the injured one.
Ash crouched down, and gathered the ill Pokémon into his arms. "Don't worry, you'll be fine."
The Dark-type coughed weakly.
"Dexter!" Ash called. "Which way to the Pokémon centre?"
Start. Straight on for four hundred yards, then take the first left at the bottom of the hill.
Ash got moving again, Lucario padding alongside – with Pikachu – and the pack falling into formation around him as a kind of honour guard.
Five miles or so was a fairly long run, especially over broken terrain... but someone was counting on him. So Ash didn't care much how far it was.
"It's a good thing you got him here when you did," Nurse Joy said, scanning the Houndour. "It looks like an injury got infected, so Antidotes wouldn't have done much. Not even berries are very good at coping with an infection – they just help with the symptoms."
She shrugged. "But he should be fine in the morning."
Ash nodded his thanks, still a bit winded. "Thank you."
"Recently caught?"
"Not caught at all," Ash corrected. "He's wild – so are the others."
Joy peered over her counter, and spotted the half-dozen or so other wild Houndour dotted around the waiting room. "Oh. Are they... safe?"
"I'm sure they are," Ash told her, sitting down. "They were worried for their packmate, that's all."
"Quite understandable."
As Ash got his breath back, the pack leader walked over.
It coughed lightly to get his attention.
"Yes?" Ash asked, mopping his forehead with a towel.
"We owe you," the alpha said bluntly. "I don't like having an unpaid debt."
"Don't worry," Ash replied. "Really. Helping an injured Pokémon like that is its own reward."
"You're a really strange human."
"I get that," Ash agreed.
"I would say we'll be here when you need us, but... you're clearly a traveller." The alpha thought something over. "Where do you live?"
"Uh... I kinda plan to spend the next several years on the road," Ash said. "But I grew up in Pallet town, in Kanto."
"I see." The alpha frowned, tail wagging slowly. "Hypothetically speaking, if we turned up there, what would happen?"
"I guess Professor Oak would probably want to study you," Ash frowned. "He doesn't get to work with wild Pokémon often, especially not groups of several of them."
"Interesting."
The next morning, Ash set off back south to find his friends.
The Houndour pack – back to full strength – were about to head in the same direction, but their leader raised a paw.
"Wait."
"What is it, boss?" one asked.
The leader padded over to a corner, and came back with a piece of paper. Dropping it, he spread it out – a map of southern Honshu.
"I spoke to his Quilava last night," the alpha explained. "She said this Professor provides food – if the Pokémon can't get enough themselves."
He tapped the map. "It sounds like a better deal to me than what we have around here. We get studied, yes, but studied doing what we do anyway – and in return, we get security from hunger and ready medical attention."
For a moment, the alpha fixed his gaze on his newly-healthy son, then looked between his sons, daughters and mate, as well as his brother. "I don't want to lose any of you before I have to."
Folding the map up again, he turned. "We're going east."
"Ignis will never be defeated!" Hideyoshi exclaimed. "For Ignis! Monferno, attack!"
Sir Aaron rubbed his temples. "Hey, Arceus?" he called into the sky, as Monferno beat up Palkia's ankle. "These antagonists aren't exactly the most intelligent in history."
I was in a great hurry. I'm still working on designing the rest.
The huge Dragon/Water Type lifted his foot, inspecting the small scratch marks. "This is not much of a challenge. Hydro Pump."
Squeaking in alarm, the Monferno was carried away by a colossal torrent of water.
"Do you yield?" Sir Aaron asked, pointing one of his swords straight at Hideyoshi.
"I-" Hideyoshi stopped talking, freezing in place.
There we go! Arceus said, pleased. Right, you wanted a challenge?
"A bit of one, yeah," Aaron agreed.
Good.
Hideyoshi unfroze. "-most certainly do not! Infernape!"
Palkia kicked the Infernape into the middle distance as it charged.
"What about now?" Sir Aaron queried.
"I've still not sent out my champion! Reshiram, get them!"
"...wait." Dialga pointed. "Did he just say-"
Blue Flare hit Palkia directly in the face.
Reshiram keened to the sky, flames skirling out of its tail turbine, and followed up its first attack with a colossal Dragonbreath.
"Okay, that hurt!" the Space Pokémon roared, claws sliding out and smashing away the remains of the attack. "Aaron, orb me!"
"Got it!" Aaron replied, throwing the Lustrous Orb.
Palkia caught it, and grinned.
"Here we go! This is gonna be fun! Spacial Rend!"
Reality twisted in half, and fired itself at Reshiram.
As the explosions started, Giratina floated down to Aaron's level. "When's our turn?"
"Dunno," Aaron admitted. "Any elemental locations you'd prefer?"
"Psychic would be nice. I'm good at Psychic."
8
Ash laughed, as Totodile licked his face. "Yeah, I've missed you too!"
"You did? Hurrah!" Totodile let himself be plucked off Ash's front, and bounced from foot to foot once he was set down. "It's been a long time since we journeyed together, Ash!"
"Yeah..." Ash rubbed the back of his neck, wincing. "Sorry about that."
"That's okay!" Totodile nodded, irrepressible. "It means I got a lot of time to practice my juggling!"
He peered around. "Ooh, new friends! You're big!"
Lucario nodded.
"And you're not quite as big!" Totodile cocked his head, looking at Togekiss. "Where's Togepi, is she hiding behind you?"
"No," Togekiss replied. "I am Togepi."
"...you used to be shorter." Totodile shrugged, and looked around again. "Who else is new?"
"Me?" Stantler asked. "I don't think we've met."
"Nice to meet you." Totodile offered a claw to shake, and Stantler lifted his hoof to match. "You've got huge antlers!"
"They're quite small, really..." Stantler replied, shaking his head. "I'm still young."
"So am I," Totodile shrugged. "What's your thing?"
Stantler concentrated, and a Ninetales shimmered into place next to him. It stood completely still, not even breathing.
"Whoa!" Totodile said, gaping. "That's so cool!"
Brock's actual Ninetales padded around them, inspecting her doppelgänger. "Not bad, though I see you still have trouble making it move."
"Yeah." Stantler let the illusion collapse. "I'm still trying to get that working."
"This one's much better, though!" Totodile said, pointing at Ninetales. "This one moves and everything!"
Ninetales thwapped him lightly on the nose with a tail. "I'm the real one."
"Oh!" Totodile nodded sagely. "That explains it."
He ran back over to Ash. "Let's go!"
"Someone's enthusiastic!" Ash smiled. "All right, come on."
"Come one, come all!" announced a female trainer. "Come and use a Fire-type Pokémon against my Skarmory!"
Jessie blinked. "That's not normal, is it?"
James shrugged. "Maybe she wants it to learn how to lose with dignity. Well, I've got a Fire-type. Growlie!"
The Arcanine burst into existence, and James gave him a scratch. "Okay, go!"
Growlie looked at the Skarmory, lip curling... then sniffed, and his attitude changed completely. He went from battle-ready to suddenly very happy, and he bounded off over a nearby hill.
"...that doesn't usually happen," James made clear. "Actually, that must mean-"
Growlie bounded back over the hill again, Ninetales running alongside.
"Hi!" Brock called, cresting the ridge, as his Pokémon and Growlie curvetted around one another. "I didn't realize we were so close!"
"Nor did I," James admitted. "Your Pokémon seems to have distracted my Pokémon."
Now reacquainted, the two ran up to James. "Hey, James?" Growlie asked. "Can we fight together?"
"What about it?" Brock said, putting the question to the Skarmory's trainer. "Want to give your Skarmory a real challenge? Two-on-one?"
The young woman – Miki – thought about that. "What do you think, Skarmory?"
Skarmory looked between the two Fire-types. "Skaar," it said after a moment, and took off.
"Right!" Miki pointed. "Iron Defence!"
Skarmory's feathers sheened with silvery light, and it cawed.
Growlie glanced over at Ninetales. "Shall I lead?"
"Go ahead," Ninetales replied.
Then they began to pace forwards, side-by-side.
"Fury attack!" Miki ordered.
Skarmory cawed, and swooped down on Growlie. Its beak glowed.
Growlie waited a few seconds, until the Skarmory was almost on top of him. "Now!" he said, jumping to his left – away from Ninetales – and drawing the Skarmory to alter course to deliver the attack.
Ninetales' fur crackled with tiny sparks. Five of her tails came up to her mouth, touched an orb of fire, and drew out five long arms from it.
Then the Fire Blast went off.
Skarmory heard the attack coming, and left off his attack on Growlie before more than a few blows had actually hit home. Climbing frantically, he got out of the fire blast basket with no more than a singed tail.
For his part, Growlie let the attack wash over him. "Nice," he said, once it ended. A Flamethrower returned the favour, and Ninetales' Flash Fire absorbed it just like his had.
"Thanks," Ninetales nodded, and returned her gaze to the Skarmory overhead.
She inhaled, and fired off a Flamethrower.
Skarmory dodged it, sliding to the side and out of the way, and another burst of flame from Growlie made him slip lower still.
The two streams of fire curved around, sustained by the loping canines, and intersected just as Skarmory ran out of sky room.
The Steel-type rapidly heated to a dull red, then launched Swift stars at the duo and forced them to break off.
"Iron defence again!" Miki said, and Skarmory nodded. As it cooled, silver-sheen flashed on its wings, and it flew back up into the sky.
"What just happened?" Ash asked.
"Fire damages steel by making it weaker," Miki explained. "My Skarmory has learned to use Iron Defence to reverse the process, so single blasts of heat can't knock him out!"
"Right." Brock exchanged a look with James. "Uh... which one of us is in charge here?"
"I think they are," James replied, pointing at the two conversing Pokémon.
"Right." Growlie nodded his assent. "Okay, here we go!"
He blurred into motion, running off to the other side of the hill, and left Ninetales alone.
Skarmory took the opportunity, making an attack run. Ninetales shot flame at him, and he dodged with easy speed.
Growlie came bounding back over the hilltop, and jumped off. Skarmory aborted his attack run, rising up and out of danger.
Ninetales threw her head back, and launched off a Fire Blast. It rose into the sky, reaching up for Growlie's form on an intercept course – and exploded.
Her boyfriend put it to good use. Using the soft pillow of overpressure, he gained enough purchase for an Extremespeed and rocketed further into the air – abruptly looking down at Skarmory.
Before the startled Steel-type could react, Growlie released his own Fire Blast. The attack hit Skarmory, driving him down from overhead, and Growlie controlled his fall with the jet of flame to keep himself over Skarmory for the whole descent.
The sustained heat was bad enough, but then Ninetales – pacing them on the ground – leapt atop Skarmory as soon as he crashed to the ground and placed flame-enshrouded teeth near his throat.
"Yield."
Skarmory nodded.
"Good match!" Miki said, releasing another Pokémon. "Vaporeon, soak Skarmory for me as soon as that Ninetales gets off?"
Her Vaporeon did so, producing a huge cloud of steam and cooling Skarmory from an orange-yellow heat back to something much more safe. (It also extinguished the grass, which had been burning merrily.
"They work well together," Brock observed, as Growlie and Ninetales padded back over with heads held high.
"You're right," James agreed. "Well, that was fun."
Wobbuffet emerged from his Poké ball. "That was fighting flyer with fire!"
Several humans and Pokémon groaned.
It's been done, Psyduck remarked critically.
"Really?" Wobbuffet asked. "When?"
...never you mind.
"Okay, this could be tricky," Ash said, looking around. "Somewhere, there's a shiny Noctowl – and remember, he's clever."
"Yeah," Pikachu agreed. His cheeks sparked, and he started delivering a continuous light tingle of electricity into Ash's shoulder. "That should keep you from being caught in an illusion."
"Thanks," Ash replied. "Now, if I was Noctowl, where would I be..."
There was a loud thwack.
"Over there?" Lucario suggested. "It's as good a lead as any."
They pushed through the brush, and found a man flailing away at a – normal – Noctowl with a big branch.
"Go away!" he said. "This isn't for you!"
He turned, and saw the friends. "Aha!"
"Who are you?" Misty asked.
"I am Doctor Wiseman," the man replied. "I'm trying to catch an oddly coloured Noctowl which flies around here. It's very clever."
There was a hoot.
Wiseman turned, and saw an oddly coloured Noctowl flying around there. "Aha!"
He picked up a long pole, with some berries hung on the end. "Here you go!"
"Doctor?" Ash asked. "Why are you trying to lure a normal Noctowl?"
"No, this is the shiny one!" Wiseman said, looking at Ash with confusion. He then looked up at the Noctowl, which was eating the berries at high speed.
As he looked, it flashed, and reverted to brown in colour.
"Damn it!" he raged, snatching the berries back out of reach. "This always happens! I swear this Noctowl keeps outsmarting me!"
"Sounds like a smart Pokémon," Ash observed.
"Rather," Noctowl said, landing on a branch overhead.
"Aha!"
Wiseman ran over to the tree and started climbing it. The third branch he grabbed for was another illusion, and he fell unceremoniously back down the tree.
"Better luck next time," Noctowl observed, taking flight. "Know your enemy and know yourself, and all that."
As he went past, he helped himself to a berry from the stick.
"This could be tricky," Ash muttered.
"I challenge you!" Ash called.
"You do? Who are you?" Noctowl asked, flying around in a circle.
Ash grinned. "I'm Ash Ketchum! And I want to earn your respect!"
"Good luck with that, quite honestly." Noctowl bobbed his wings. "Very well, let's see if you can impress me."
"You got it!" Ash sent out Ivysaur. "Okay, Ivysaur, use Vine Whip!"
"Ash-" Ivysaur began.
"None of that!" Ash cut him off. "Just do what I tell you."
"...sure." Ivysaur's whips lashed out. Noctowl blocked one with a quick wing-flap, but the other wrapped around him just as he came down to land on a branch.
"I've got a good grip," Ivysaur said, dubiously. "But it doesn't-"
"Doesn't matter!" Ash interrupted. "Now, bring him over here so I can catch him!"
Looking even more concerned, Ivysaur reeled his vines back in.
-and Ash threw a Poké ball over his shoulder.
There was the unmistakeable sound of the 'ball connecting, a surprised screech, and then a dull thwap on the ground.
"...oh, right," Ivysaur said, as the illusion he was holding collapsed to reveal a bunch of berries and part of a tree branch in an elaborate decoy. "So you knew he was using an illusion."
"That's right!" Ash said, picking up the 'ball. "That do you?"
"...rather. Absolutely top hole, old chap." Noctowl shook his head, and perched on Ash's outstretched arm. "But really, Ash, did you have to hit me on the beak? That stung."
"I hit you with a Poké ball I was throwing over my shoulder," Ash reminded him. "I'm glad it worked at all."
"Well, I suppose it's lovely to be back. Why are we in the past?"
"Remember when we met a horde of Unown?" Ash asked. "And Mewtwo? And Celebi? And Latios and Latias?"
"I do." Noctowl's head went round in a circle. "Do you mean to say one of those was responsible?"
"No, it was Arceus and Dialga." Ash shrugged. "It's just that saying that straight off sounds like I'm insane."
"You are, at the very least, eccentric." Ivysaur waddled over. "Hi, Noctowl."
"Are you alright, old chap?" Noctowl asked, frowning. "You seem to have put on a beastly amount of weight."
"I evolved."
"Is that what they're calling it?" Noctowl flared his wings. "Well, to each his own. I can't have any business whatsoever with evolving. I evolved once – never again."
Ash sniggered.
"I must say, it's nice that you understand me now." Noctowl hooted, then took flight again. "Well, shall we go see the other chaps and chapesses?"
"Why are you talking like that?" Ivysaur asked, as he and Ash headed back to the clearing. "You're from Johto."
"So?" Noctowl flew around him, this time with a small illusion perched on his crown.
A top hat.
"A gent can dream, can't he?"
"Am I seriously the only one of your Pokémon who isn't strange, Ash?" Ivysaur asked.
"That's not fair, Ivysaur!" Ash said, shaking his head. "Admittedly, I can't think of anyone..."
He glanced down at his waist. "It's a compliment, really."
Near Viridian Forest, dark shapes moved on silent feet.
"Nearly there," one Houndour reported. "I found a road sign which mentions Pallet Town. It's just a few miles south."
"Good work." The alpha consulted the map one more time, then set it ablaze. "Now, follow my lead."
For the third time, there was a series of scratches at the door.
"All right, all right.." Oak yawned, pulling on a dressing gown. "I swear, getting an innocent researcher up at the dead of night... what do I pay Tracey for..."
He opened the door. "Who's there?"
The answer appeared to be that no-one and nothing was there.
Then there was a soft growl, and about eight pairs of eyes opened. White markings gleamed faintly in the night, and Oak abruptly realized what he was looking at – eight Houndour.
"Hello there," he said, crouching down – and feeling a little silly, in Buneary slippers and a striped dressing gown.
One of the Houndour stepped forwards, and barked something.
"Oh, dear..." Oak looked up. "Damos?"
He said hello.
"Oh! Hello, then." He held out a hand, and the Houndour looked at it.
I don't think they understand the concept of handshakes, Professor, Damos observed quietly.
"Right, right. Sorry." Oak withdrew his hand. "What brings you here?"
The Houndour – presumably the leader – began to bark again, tail wagging back and forth slowly as he explained.
Let's see... Damos said. They're here because they heard about Oak Ranch from... should have guessed. Ash did it.
"You're right, that doesn't surprise me." Oak nodded to the alpha to keep speaking.
It seems that Ash saved his son – the one third from the right, back row. The Houndour weren't sure how to take that, but they've decided to come here while they make up their minds.. Damos paused. The alpha also offers to let you study pack behaviour in Pokémon.
"That's actually quite an interesting idea," Oak admitted. "I learned a lot from studying the Tauros, and not just how to repair fences quickly."
The alpha had said his piece, and stood in front of the doorstep with calm patience.
"How is the funding situation?" the Professor asked.
We are swimming in money, Damos replied. Even without the royalties from your radio program, when it starts, the sheer amount of grant and prize money earned from the completed Home Islands Pokédex is immense.
"There's still a couple of missing entries," Oak protested.
Yes. Two. And that will reduce to one as soon as the good Doctor Akihabara manages to complete his UpGrade package.
"Well, that's me told." Oak shook his head. "It looks like there's no problems here, then. Go ahead – it's around the back."
The alpha held his gaze for a moment, then nodded to him. He barked, and the pack set off for the ranch.
This Pokéathlon thing sounds like a lot of effort, Abra said.
"Yeah, it kinda is," Meowth admitted. "But-"
Abra Returned himself.
"Lazy so-and-so," Meowth muttered. "Okay, there's five kinds'a contest, with events spread out among 'em."
He scanned down the brochure. "Where was it... aha! There's Speed, Power, Skill, Stamina, an' Jump."
Arbok raised a tail. "Jump?"
"Yeah, not all of you are gonna be good at all of 'em," Meowth agreed. "There's ten events. Let's go down 'em all."
Weezing frowned. "Can I just float?"
"...dunno. Anyway. First event, Hurdle Dash. It's in the Speed an' Jump contests, and it's basically the hurdles. Faster is better."
"Why don't they just call it the hurdles?" Wobbuffet asked.
"'cause-" Meowth stopped. "Let me tink about dat one-"
"Dashed if I know!" Wobbuffet finished, laughing.
Gyarados gave him a whack with his tail, sending him wobbling back and forth.
"Right." Meowth looked down the list. "Next up is Ring Drop – 's kinda like sumo wrestling, but not really."
He glanced back up. "Remember, da thing here is teamwork – it's all groups of three. 'an this is a Stamina event."
Gyarados blinked. "Does that mean I can compete?"
For a moment, they all thought about what that would look like.
"We'll certainly try ta get you in," Meowth decided. "Let's see. Snow Throw?"
"Snowball fight!" Wobbuffet cheered. "Cool!"
More groans, and another tail-to-the-face.
"Basically. Dat's skill. Then there's one which is Jump, which is da Lamp Jump. Da more lamps you get in one jump, da better."
"I will dominate that," Weezing proclaimed. "I can float!"
"We're gonna need to check da rulebook, ain't we..." Meowth grinned. "Right. Then we got Relay Run."
Growlie looked smug.
"Yeah, ya big bad Arcanine." Meowth shrugged. "But it's a relay, so – like da rest – teamwork. That one's in Speed and Stamina."
The Scratch Cat scanned the rest of the list. "Running 'em off quickly – Block Smash... Circle Push which is another kind'a sumo... Disc Catch – guess what that one is... a flag capture game, 'an football."
"What kind of football?" Victreebell asked.
"Football," Meowth reiterated. "This ain't Unova or Orre, ya know."
"Then why didn't you just say Soccer?"
"I shouldn't have ta say it!" the Scratch Cat snapped.
"Question!" Wobbuffet raised an arm. "Are we trying to win, or trying to look good?"
"Ain't dey the same?" Meowth asked, confused.
"No, they're not!" Wobbuffet shook his head emphatically. "If we do badly but look funny doing it, that's going to make us look good. If we win after barely clawing our way back, that looks great! But easy victories are boring."
"...that's deep, that is," Arbok stated, to general agreement.
"Where'd ya pick that up?" Meowth asked.
"Here and there." Wobbuffet tapped his tail on the floor. "If we pay attention to that, victory is insight!"
Meowth looked suspicious. "...did ya just tell another pun?"
"Nope!" Wobbuffet told him.
"I'm watchin' you..." Meowth stated. He then turned to Cubone. "You okay? You ain't said a thing."
"It feels like a bit of a waste," Cubone said morosely. "Using our abilities for this... especially if all we're doing is deliberately making mistakes."
"I dunno," Meowth admitted. "Wanna talk about it?"
"...no." Cubone walked off.
"By da way," Meowth said, once she was out of sight. "If any o' you got any ideas how to help her out of dat funk, lemme know."
None were immediately forthcoming.
"Where, exactly, are we?" Cobalion asked.
Keldeo checked the map, then looked up at the signs. "I'm... not sure. All the signs are in a different language."
"Let me see." Virizion stepped up and examined the sign. "It says that the road we are on leads to Lumiose City to the north-west, and Santalune City to the south-east."
"Got it!" Keldeo looked at his map. "Whoops..."
He put his hoof on Santalune City, then slid it north-west. "Here's where we are."
The hoof then slid north. "And here's where the tunnel was. We've gone in the wrong direction. Sorry, guys."
"Don't worry, kid!" Terrakion consoled him. "Doing better than I would!"
"Thanks." Keldeo looked at the map again, and then his atlas. "Right, I think we just need to head east from here. To the rising sun."
Cobalion inspected his handiwork, and nodded.
Keldeo packed up the atlas, map and their small amount of spending money, and shrugged on the saddlebags he kept them in.
They were about to set off, when someone shouted for help.
"Quick!" Virizion said, leaping into motion. Her fellow Swords followed behind her.
"What about me?" Keldeo asked. There was no reply, so he shrugged and followed along behind.
"Come on, quickly!" Virizion said, trotting alongside a large number of Bunnelby as she led them away from the brushfire.
Behind her, there was the clash of swords and the occasional roar as her two fellow Swords fended off the pride of Pyroar.
Virizion hoped they were doing all right. Certainly, Cobalion and Terrakion were strong – but, well. There were a lot of Pyroar back there.
Certainly, they needed to be stopped – they were clearly causing fires without putting in the effort to be sure they wouldn't spread – but she was worried. For Cobalion, especially.
Finally, the Bunnelby reached a river, across which they hurried. Free from her obligation, Virizion drew her sword and charged back to help her comrades.
The fire had intensified even in the short time she'd been gone. In fact, it was starting to roar, and a breeze was freshening – drawing air in towards the dry vegetation.
This was probably going to result in a forest fire – maybe even a firestorm.
Then she was abruptly soaked.
"Whoaaa!" Keldeo's voice drifted down from overhead.
"Keldeo!" she called up. "What are you doing?"
"Hydro Pump!" Keldeo replied. "I've been working on it, but I can't steer great – whoa!"
Water went everywhere, sluicing into the inferno and producing great clouds of steam.
"Whatever you're doing, it's working!" Vizirion called. "Keep it up!"
Her reply was another soaking, and she caught sight of Keldeo rocketing across the path ahead... with water spraying from his hooves?
"Are you flying by shooting water out of your hooves?" she asked, not quite believing her eyes.
"Yea-aaaaah!" Keldeo disappeared off towards the fire, and then there was a loud thump.
Waves of water sprayed out in all directions.
"That was close," Cobalion said, once the fire had gone out. "Good work, Virizion, Terrakion... and Keldeo."
Keldeo beamed.
Then he glanced towards his back – his bare back. "Oh no! I lost the map – and our money!"
"Eh, no problem!" Terrakion announced. "We know which way to go, we'll get on without! We head east, right?"
"I..." Keldeo looked downcast, but then nodded. "Yes, that's right."
"Then that's all we need." Terrakion nodded firmly.
Cobalion gave his assent, and Virizion made it unanimous.
"Let's go, then!" Terrakion added, lumbering into motion.
"I wonder who they were," Gary said, as the four strange Pokémon disappeared before he could get close.
I know.
Umbreon blinked. "You know, Dee? How? I thought Dexter never got to Kalos."
He didn't. But those are Unovan.
Gary took out his 'dex, and watched as she cycled through images.
They're Legendaries from Unova.
Dee cut to one particular image – the wounded Keldeo, being fed back to health alongside Ash and his Unovan friends.
Ash helped them. Keldeo especially.
"You already said that, when you mentioned they were Legendary Pokémon." Gary sighed, and hefted the bag he'd found. "Maybe this saddlebag is theirs, then... it's got Unova-printed money and books in."
Umbreon laughed. "Send it to Ash when you get the chance, he'll run into them sometime."
"True."
"...so, anyway," Ash finished. "The Unown thing is pretty soon, Dexter says. So be ready, okay, Charizard?"
He took his finger off the record button. "Done."
Sent. Dexter's lights flashed. Pretty soon is right – we're only a mile or so away, and on schedule.
Brock nodded firmly, and unclipped his crowbar from his belt. He hefted it, and gave a few practice swings. "I'm ready."
"That poor girl," Misty said. "I hope we can help her quicker this time."
"So do I," Ash agreed. "She's not getting my Mom, though."
(Actually, Delia Ketchum had stated her intent to stay over a hundred miles away until the whole thing was thoroughly solved.)
"Do you want to call on anyone else?" Brock asked. "Now you've got the chance, I mean."
"Yeah, actually." Ash frowned, then flipped Dexter open again. "Professor?"
A moment of static, then Oak appeared. "Yes, Ash? You're near the Hale manor?"
"That's right, Professor," Ash agreed. "I might need reinforcements in a hurry. Can you get everyone ready?"
"I certainly can, my boy," Oak agreed. "I'll let everyone know. Oh – do you want me to ask the Houndour pack?"
"...so that's why they asked where I lived!" Ash said, pleased to have worked it out. "Please ask them, yes."
"Okay." Oak turned away, then back to the screen. "Be safe, Ash."
The link cut off.
Molly Hale lay back against the furred bulk of her papa.
"Papa?" she said, raising her voice.
Yes, Molly? replied the Entei. What is your wish?
"I love you, Papa," she said, nestling a little further into the warm fur. "But I want mama as well."
Invisibly, the Unown considered how to interpret her request. Thoughts and concepts flashed between them like lightning within a thundercloud, invisible except by their consequence.
Molly's favourite Legendary Pokémon was Entei. But she liked all three of the Beasts.
A consensus was reached.
Hidden Power, given strength by endless hordes of Unown and form by the wishes and desires of a heartbroken young girl, crested and solidified.
You will have a mother, Molly, Entei told her. I, your father, to protect you; a mother, to nurture you; an older brother, to fight for you.
"Really?" Molly said, smiling. "Can I see mama now?"
You can, said her mother.
"Mama!" Molly said, getting up and running forwards. Entei rose and padded behind, alert for any danger.
"I missed you, mama," Molly said, hugging her mama's cool blue leg. "I'm glad we're a family again."
For you, anything, the Suicune said, nuzzling her.
Anything at all, echoed the Raikou who had followed her in.
"Who are you?" Molly asked, curious.
I am your older brother, Raikou informed her. You will never be in danger again, not while I keep you safe.
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