(Note: Credit goes to rat_in_the_hole's idea for the Owen scene)
Preparations
"So I'll just insert the item here, and there we go!" the Doctor said, as he placed-what he now called Arceus's item-inside a panel of the TARDIS. He then closed the panel and looked at everyone. "Now the TARDIS can track the unique energy signature from Arceus's item. I program the TARDIS to take us to the place that has the same unique energy signature, which would be Arceus's world."
"How long will it take to work?" Jack asked.
"How long will it take for you to get ready?" the Doctor asked. Jack looked at the other members of Torchwood.
"I think I can get my team prepared in about an hour or two," Jack said, looking back at the Doctor and smiled. The rest of the Torchwood team looked slightly confused.
"Jack?" Gwen began.
"You want us to come with you?" Ianto asked. Jack looked at them, still smiling.
"Do you think I'll pass up a chance to save a god?" Jack said. "The Doctor's right. It's going to take more than one person-"
"Time Lord," the Doctor corrected.
"Fine. It's going to take more than one Time Lord to save a being like Arceus," Jack said, and he smiled. "You're the best people I can think of for this venture."
"Jack, I think I can speak for all of us, when I say that we're flattered," Ianto said. "But if we all leave, who's going to protect-"
"That's not a problem," the Doctor said, taking a step forward. "Once we saved Arceus, I can set the TARDIS to come back in a few hours here. So no matter how long we stay in Arceus's world, it would only seemed you were only gone for a few hours in your world."
The other members of Torchwood looked a little confused.
"Well, if you think time as-" the Doctor began.
"Please, just believe him when he says that he can do it," Martha politely interrupted. "You do not want to hear his 'wibbly-wobbly, timely-wimey' explanation."
"What's wrong with it?" the Doctor innocently asked, as the other members of Torchwood hid their smiles; Rhys almost chocked trying to hold back his laughter.
"The point is that the world won't be taken over while we're gone," Jack said. "If you want to stay, I'll understand, but you're going to miss out in all the fun."
"Jack," Ianto said, taking a step forward. "I . . . would like to come with you."
"You're going to need my help," Owen said.
"I'm coming too," Tosh said.
Gwen looked at Rhys, and then she looked at Jack, and she nodded at him. Jack proudly smiled at his team.
"What about you, Rhys?" the Doctor asked, who noticed the silent exchange between Rhys and Gwen.
"What about?" Rhys asked.
"Don't you want to come along?" the Doctor asked, walking up to Rhys.
"I told you, I won't be of any help," Rhys said, as the Doctor stopped in front of him.
"I didn't asked if you could to help," the Doctor said. "I asked if you wanted to come along. I know you humans. Even the meekest among you have this spark of adventure: to escape everyday life, to find some place else that is new, different, and exciting. You may not believe me, Rhys, but I can see that spark within you. This is your chance to light that spark. Plus, you won't be alone! You'll have me, Martha, Gwen, even Torchwood! You've only seen a fraction of the wonders of Arceus's world! Don't you want to see all of it? This is an opportunity that very few people get."
After a moment of silence, Rhys sighed, frustrated, and ran his fingers through his hair.
"I could take a couple of sick days . . . Fine, I'll go," Rhys reluctantly said. The Doctor smiled.
"Welcome abroad, Rhys," the Doctor said, with a huge grin. He then looked at Jack. "Meet you at the Millennium Centre in two hours?"
"Sound like a plan," Jack said, with a small smile.
"Good. See you then," the Doctor said.
"Owen," Jack said, after the Torchwood team and Rhys left the TARDIS. Gwen was walking with Rhys back to his car. "We need to talk."
"About what?" Owen asked, turning to face Jack.
"Is there anything you like to share with us?" Jack asked. "You seemed . . . distracted."
"Nothing's wrong," Owen said, and continued to walk back to the SUV, but Jack grabbed Owen's arm and stopped him.
"Owen," Jack said, as Gwen joined the others. "This is a very important mission. I want my people to be at the top of their game, and I know when something's off. So you're going to tell me or you're not coming, and I'm going to make that an order."
Jack then let go of Owen's arm. Owen sighed and his eyes.
"Fine. Stop by my place and I'll show you," Owen said. "Just promise me you won't laugh."
Jack promised, although he was a little confused.
"Okay, Owen, what is it?" Jack asked, as the rest of the team entered Owen's apartment.
"Here," Owen quickly said, as he handed Jack a video game box.
Jack looked at the title of the game: "Pokemon." He remembered what Arceus said what humans called its creatures: Pokemon. Jack looked at the title again, then back at Owen, at the title once more, then at Owen again.
"I thought it was a little weird seeing Jirachi," Owen said, taking the video game box back from Jack. "But after seeing the rest of the Legendaries-"
"'Legendaries?'" Tosh asked.
"They're rare, powerful Pokemon," Owen explained, sounding slightly embarrassed. "Most of them you have to go to an event to get-look! After seeing all the Legendaries, there was no mistake, they're the same!"
For a moment, no one said anything.
"Don't ask me why this game is based off another world!" Owen said. "Maybe the guy accidentally fell through the Rift into our world, and decided to make a game off the world he came from! I don't know! All I know it made the guy rich. There's the games, comic books, toys, a cartoon series-"
"Do you watch it?" Jack asked, with a small teasing smile.
"No!" Owen defensively said, with a frown.
"But you do play the game?" Ianto asked, slightly cautious.
"Yes, I do play the game!" Owen said, still sounding defensive. "With fighting aliens every day, I would like to get drunk and crawl into bed, but I know you don't want a drunk doctor, so I play the game. I'm probably too old for it, but it really does relaxes me, and it's . . . fun."
There was silence for a while.
"Is that it?" Jack asked, unfazed.
"Yeah, that's it," Owen said, calming down. "What do you have to say?"
"Whatever you do in your spare time is none of my business," Jack said. "As long as it's not illegal or takes down Torchwood."
"All right then," Owen said, feeling a little better.
"Do you mind if I tell the Doctor about this?" Jack asked. "I would like to hear his opinion."
"Yeah, that's fine," Owen said, as the others started to leave his apartment.
"Thanks for telling me this, Owen," Jack said, as he exited Owen's apartment.
"Yeah? Why's that?" Owen asked.
"Because the Doctor will be happy we're bringing a Pokemon expert," Jack said with a smile.
Jack laughed as Owen slammed the door in his face.
"Rhys, do you know where we put the extra batteries?" Gwen asked, as she entered their bedroom with a couple of torches.
"Top shelf," Rhys said, indicating where the batteries were, as he looked up from his packing.
"Thanks," Gwen said, as she went over to the drawer. "Did you call yet?"
"Yeah, they approved of my sick days," Rhys said, putting another pair of pants in his suitcase.
After Gwen got the batteries, she noticed what Rhys had in his suitcase. Besides clothes, Gwen noticed binoculars, a camera, a book . . .
"Rhys, this isn't a vacation," Gwen said, placing the torches and the batteries on the bed.
"I know, I know," Rhys said, as he stopped packing and sighed. He then sat on the edge of the bed. Gwen sat down next to him. "I can't believe I'm doing this! This is crazy! What do you bring to save a god? I can't believe I let that . . . Doctor talked me into this! What was I thinking? How am I-"
Rhys stopped talking when Gwen began kissing him.
"I'm glad you're coming," Gwen said, after their kiss.
"What?" Rhys asked, slightly confused.
"I'm glad you're coming," Gwen repeated and smiled. "Because I will miss you, if you stayed home, and I know you will miss me. Coming home and seeing you keeps me sane. Do you think I'll survive being cooped up with the others?"
Rhys had to chuckled hearing that, but then he stopped and looked serious.
"I'm scared," Rhys said.
"I know. So am I," Gwen said, as she ran her fingers through Rhys's hair and kissed his forehead. "I'll protect you."
"Thanks," Rhys said, as they looked into each other's eyes. Gwen then stood up.
"Come on, I'll help you pack," Gwen said, looking over his suitcase.
"Gwen," Rhys said, standing next to her.
"Yes?" Gwen asked, looking at Rhys.
"If something does happens to me, promise me that you will shot that Doctor, or rip out his tongue . . . whichever is easy," Rhys said.
Gwen just smiled and laughed.
"Tosh, can you give me a hand here?" Owen asked, trying to carry a first aid kit on top of some boxes of medical supplies. Tosh looked up from her laptop and walked over to Owen.
"Sure," Tosh said. She then noticed that Owen had his satchel on. "Can't you put the first aid kit inside your satchel?"
"No, I already have something in there," Owen said.
"Oh," Tosh said, accepting his answer. She then reached over to get the first aid kit, but Owen's hand slipped, and he accidentally dropped the boxes, causing some of them to spill opened.
"I'm sorry," Tosh apologized, as she bent down to help Owen pick up the items.
"No, it's all right. I probably didn't have the lid on tight enough," Owen said, as he put the medical supplies back into the boxes.
As Tosh helped Owen clean up the mess, she noticed something stick out of Owen's satchel. Before Owen could react, Tosh had snatched the item out of Owen's satchel. Tosh now had in her hands a book, a PokeDex: a Pokemon encyclopedia. Tosh looked at Owen's satchel again, and it was full of Pokemon books. She then looked at Owen.
"I thought . . . it might help if I brought more information on the . . . Pokemon we'll encounter," Owen reluctantly admitted. He took his book from Tosh, replaced it back in his satchel, and closed it.
"You probably think I'm immature playing that game," Owen said, as he and Tosh finished cleaning up the medical supplies.
"I don't," Tosh said, as they stood up.
"You don't have to lie; tell me the truth," Owen said.
Tosh sighed that Owen didn't believed her.
"If you want the truth: here it is," Tosh said. "I wish you had told me earlier. It makes you . . . cute that you can have fun. I . . . like that. We could have played together."
Tosh then left Owen and went back to pack up her equipment.
"You're right," Owen mumbled to himself, as he picked up the first aid kit and medical supplies. "I should have told you earlier."
"Brought enough guns?" the Doctor sardonically commented as he leaned against the doorway, watching Jack carry another crate of weapons into a room of the TARDIS.
"Arceus wasn't specific on what the threat was, so I would like to be prepare for whatever it is," Jack said, as he got another crate. He then stopped and looked at the Doctor. "Don't you have anything else to do?"
"Fine, I'm leaving," the Doctor said, and walked away.
Jack signed as he placed the crate down. He went back to the last crate, which was a little larger than the others. However, when he reached out to get it, his hand didn't touch the crate; his hand touched another hand on top of the crate. Jack looked up and saw Ianto looking at him. There was a plain opened box next to Ianto's feet.
"Need some help?" Ianto asked.
Jack nodded back, and they both carried the last crate inside the room.
"Did you feed Myfanwy?" Jack asked, when they were done, walking out of the room. The last thing Jack wanted was to come back to the Hub was a hungry pterodactyl.
Ianto nodded back when they left the room. Jack then noticed the contents inside the box that was next to Ianto's feet. Inside the box were smaller boxes of teabags, cream, sugar, milk, honey, coffee ingredients . . . Jack then looked at Ianto.
"I thought . . . it would be nice to bring a piece of the Hub with us," Ianto explained. "This seemed to be the most reasonable. I can put them back."
"No, it's a good idea," Jack said, and gave Ianto a quick kiss on his cheek. "I think it makes the TARDIS feel like home to everyone."
Ianto smiled a little.
"Jack?" Ianto asked. "Is it all right for all of us to go?"
"Yes," Jack said, wondering what the point of Ianto's question.
"Even Rhys?" Ianto asked.
Jack sighed and scratched the back of his neck.
"That wasn't my decision, that was the Doctor's," Jack said. "The Doctor wouldn't invite anyone who was trouble. All I know is Rhys is smart enough to not get in our way. Sometimes it's best not to question the Doctor's decisions; otherwise it will just give you a headache."
Ianto smiled again.
"I actually think it's a good thing that Rhys is coming along," Ianto said. Jack gave him a curious look. "It's good for Gwen. She'll not worry about Rhys, since he'll be nearby, instead back home. Also, he'll be with her, so he won't worry and wonder if something has happened to her. Who knows? Maybe he'll tolerate us more after this is over."
Jack laughed a little hearing that.
"Because it's hard being away from someone," Ianto continued. "The tough part is not knowing what's happening to them, and all you can do is worry, but it's not doing anyone any good. You just worry if they're okay, what they're feeling, what they feel about you, and . . . you just miss them. Am I making any sense?"
Jack put a hand on Ianto's cheek, and looked at him.
"Yes," Jack said. He and Ianto began to lean in closer to each other, and-
"Ah! Ianto! Just the man I was looking for!" the Doctor called out from down the hall. Jack and Ianto quickly broke apart, and Ianto picked up his box as the Doctor walked up to them.
"I'm just making the sleeping arrangements; do you have any requests?" the Doctor asked Ianto.
"Will it be okay . . . if my room is next to Jack's?" Ianto asked.
"Not a problem," the Doctor said, smiling.
"Thank you," Ianto said, and then looked at his box, before looking at the Doctor again. "Oh, where's the kitchen?"
"Go down the hall and make a right," the Doctor said. "If it's not there, ask Martha."
"Thanks," Ianto said.
Jack and Ianto quickly nodded to each other, then Ianto left them. The Doctor looked into the room where Jack put the weapons and shook his head.
"Is that all you're going to bring? Guns?" the Doctor asked, looking at Jack.
"Of course not! I'm planning to take some music along," Jack said, and that reminded him of something. "Which I should probably get. Excuse me."
"Oh, Jack," the Doctor said, making Jack turn around and look at him. The Doctor winked and smiled at Jack. "He's a good man for you."
Jack rolled his eyes and shook his head before he left.
Jack was right. In two hours, every member of Torchwood, and even Rhys, was ready to go. Soon everyone was gathered around the controls of the TARDIS, where the Doctor was making the last setting.
"Okay . . . team? No, I still don't like using that word, that's more of Jack's style . . . Well, everyone, it's time for us to go to Arceus's world!" the Doctor said, and a huge grin appeared on his face. "Oh! You're going to love this!"
The Doctor then activated the TARDIS, which hummed to life at his touch, as lights flicker across the walls. The TARDIS shock a little as it left Cardiff, and began traveling through dimensions, space, and time. For a moment, serene, peaceful, silence filled the TARDIS, but it was all broken when Owen yelled and swore.
"What?" everyone asked Owen.
"I forgot to bring a camera," Owen said.
The others groaned, scolded and chided Owen for startling them, or did all the above. Rhys then reluctantly raised his hand.
"I got . . . a camera," Rhys said, and lowered his hand. The Doctor smiled, as he walked over to Rhys.
"See Rhys? You are useful," the Doctor said, as he patted Rhys on the back.