Chapter 2: Spinning Remorse
Sonic the Hedgehog led Ash, Max and Pikachu, among his other friends back to the mansion Chris resided in. Max held Cheese for Cream. "I can't believe this is alive, let alone that I can hold it," Max awed.
"You've never heard of a Chao?" wondered Cream.
"Never!" shook Max. "It's like holding a baby… though I do wish I had a chance to hold Misty's Togepi before he evolved to Togetic." Frances blinked to the name Max mentioned.
"Togepi?" she repeated. "Togetic?" Ash giggled while walking by Sonic.
"When we get to the mansion, I'll show you on the Dex," he promised.
"Dex?" repeated Amy. Sonic snickered to the perplexing reactions.
"It's funny that Ash and Max are the 'New Kids on the Block' and we're the ones who don't know what's going on," he laughed.
"Meaning that you don't know what's going on yourself, right?" snapped Frances. "On a side note, I have one of their albums somewhere at home."
"Not really," Sonic shrugged about Frances' question. "It just means that another world is ripe to explore." Ash laughed, understanding Sonic's take.
"You and me, both," he agreed. Sonic laughed, shooting a finger at Ash.
"You know it!" he sneered. They soon arrived at the mansion. "Here we are!" Ash, Max and Pikachu turned to see the mansion. Their eyes bulged from the size of the mansion.
"This is where you're staying!?" gasped Max.
("It's huge!") squeaked Pikachu.
"And I thought James' home was something to see!" awed Ash. Max blinked before turning to Ash with Frances by their side.
"Hold on…" stopped Max. "James, member of Team Rocket, has a mansion? And he's a criminal on the run?" Ash and Pikachu nodded to the claim. "He's loaded and he's after you and Pikachu? Wow, talk about disorganized."
"Well, the reason he ran is his fiancée," Ash added. "And she looked a lot like Jessie. He admitted to Misty, Brock and the two of us that marrying her would be 'the worst mistake of his life', and after the stuff they did, I don't blame him." Max's eyes lit up at the sound of James' past.
"Next time I ask about something from Team Rocket, I'm turning to you," he warned. Chris and Vanilla emerged.
"SONIC!" voiced Chris. Everyone started coming to the door.
"Hey, Chris!" greeted Sonic. "My timing's good as usual."
"I bet if Eggman attacked again," Vanilla believed. "And Cream, where's Cheese?" Cheese flew back to Cream to show that it's still with her. That's when Chris spotted Ash and Max.
"Sonic, who are they?" he asked. Sonic saw Ash and Max approaching while Pikachu leaped onto Ash's head.
"You know how Eggface tends to show up after us?" started Sonic. "He and his wife seemed to attack Amy, Cream and Frances and these two came to help." Ash and Max stifled their laughter from Sonic's belief of Jessie being Eggman's spouse. Chris groaned at
"Sonic…"
"I know, I know… Anyway, Ash Ketchum, Max Maple and Pikachu." Ash stepped up and offered a hand.
"Hi!" he greeted. "I'm Ash."
"Chris Thorndyke," Chris named himself as he shook Ash's hand. "Do you wear gloves where you go?"
"Yeah, it's been a signature appearance of mine," Ash chuckled. Pikachu leaped back from Ash's head to his shoulder.
("Hi, Chris!") squeaked Pikachu. Giggling, Chris petted Pikachu.
"You're a cute mouse!" he giggled. "It's a good thing Helen's here." Frances seemed rather surprised to hear the news.
"Oh, did she come by when I was with Amy and Cream?" she questioned.
"She and Danny, both," Chris confirmed while Ella arrived to see who else came by.
"Oh, goodness!" she gasped. "Who do we have here?" She plucked Pikachu from Ash's shoulder and gave it a good scratch behind the ears.
("I needed that!") the Mouse Pokémon laughed.
"That's Ella, our housemaid," Chris identified. "There are more inside." Aside from Amy and Cream, everyone followed Ella inside the mansion.
"Amy, do you remember the fortuneteller and her prediction?" she pointed out. To Amy, the fortuneteller wasn't important.
"Let's not worry about her and just get these guys introduced," she settled. Cream nodded before they entered and saw Tails, a heavily tanned raven-haired boy in a green jacket over a black shirt and faded denim pants, and a blond girl in a pink uniform over a white t-shirt and pink skirt while sitting on a wheelchair.
"Sonic, when did you get back?" wondered Tails.
"You know I don't go too far when Eggman's around!" bragged Sonic. "But he had help and so did I." Tails turned to Ash and Max who seemed surprised with the fox's twin tails.
"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" gulped Ash.
"If you mean the two tails," Max guessed. "Yep." Tails snickered, knowing their shock.
"I was born with this and could fly if I need to help my friends," he explained. Even Pikachu couldn't help but gawk at the tails from… Tails.
("I can't believe it,") he squeaked. Tails reached for a petted Pikachu's tail.
"Is that a real lightning bolt?" he asked.
("It's my tail,") he confirmed. The blond awed Pikachu and pushed a joystick, allowing the wheelchair to move forward.
"Can I see it?" she asked.
"Sure, Helen!" accepted Tails. Pikachu leaped onto Helen's lap, much to her laugh. To Ash and Max, it wasn't something they've ever seen.
"What happened to you?" asked Max. Helen broke from her petting of Pikachu's fur to turn to Ash and Max.
"Oh, are you two brothers?" she wondered. Ash, Max and Frances giggled.
"They told some of us already, Helen," Frances relayed. "They're from different families." The tanned boy came forward to help out.
"I'm Danny," he greeted with a hand out to Ash. He shook Danny's hand. "Frances, Helen and I go to school together with Chris."
"Oh, and these others are friends of Sonic?" guessed Max.
"We are," Tails answered. "I'm Miles Prower, but I go by Tails… for obvious reasons. Helen and I have a shared connection of being born with… abnormalities." Ash, Max and Pikachu were astonished to learn.
"We can see yours, Mile- er, Tails," Max corrected. "But… what about Helen?" The blond groaned, saddened by being judged.
"The poor girl was born with a condition that drastically limited her mobility," Ella explained. "She can walk but not so much." Ash mulled to Helen's situation.
"I'm sorry, Helen," he somberly apologized.
"It's nothing you could've done," Helen assured. "Anyway, is this little guy yours?"
"Pikachu's mine, alright," Ash allowed. "He loves making friends when he's not battling." Seeing how quickly Helen and Pikachu clicked, Max had an idea.
"Ash, let's show them the rest of your Pokémon," he suggested. Everyone blinked to the idea.
"You have… more?" wondered Vanilla. Chris became excited to see what else Ash had.
"Hey, show us!" he urged. Ash threw five red/white balls in the air.
"Everybody, come on out!" he summoned. The balls opened and balls of light dropped to the ground. The lights turned into different creatures: A tortoise in a charcoal shell, a large black swallow with some red feathers around the eyes, a tall green gecko with leaves on arms and a vine protruding from the head, a red crustacean with rather large pincers and a giant ball of ice with horns and a face. Everyone gasped to the new creatures.
"What did you do, bring a zoo in here?" joked Sonic.
"This is what Pokémon Trainers have," Max briefed. "Ash has the maximum allowed to carry. Besides Pikachu…" He began to point, first to the crustacean approaching Chris. "Ash has Corphish…" Next, Max pointed to the gecko by Danny after putting a twig in its mouth. "Grovyle…" After that, Max allowed the swallow to land on his arm. "Swellow…"
"My favorite right now," Sonic declared as he pointed to the floating ice ball with the face. "Not so much that one."
"Probably Glalie's face tends to look menacing," Max shrugged. He found the tortoise approaching Helen. "Lastly is Torkoal." Vanilla stood by Ash noticing Torkoal and Helen seeing each other.
"Do you want help getting down?" asked Vanilla.
"No, I think I can do this," Helen smiled. She stood after Pikachu leaped off the lap. She took a few steps before she sat on her knees near Torkoal. She rubbed the heated coal-colored shell.
"I never felt a tortoise with a hot shell," she awed. Interested, Amy came over and felt Torkoal's shell.
"Hey, you're right," she gasped. "What's the deal?" Ash pulled out a red hand-held device and opened the lid. He handed the device to Amy that pointed to Torkoal, a picture of him appearing with smoke billowing from his back.
"TORKOAL, THE COAL POKÉMON," it registered with a woman's voice. "ENERGY WITHIN TORKOAL IS PRODUCED BY BURNING COAL WITHIN ITS BODY. IT WILL EMIT SMOKE TO CONFUSE ENEMIES." Amy and Helen seemed surprised with Torkoal.
"That's… hot," Helen gulped. "But I know you won't burn me, right? You look far gentle than that." Torkoal cried, startling everyone.
"For a Fire-Type Pokémon," Max sighed. "Torkoal can bring out the waterworks." This stumped Sonic and Tails.
"What do you mean, a Fire-Type?" repeated Tails.
"Fire is one of 17 Pokémon types back home, including Pikachu's Electric and Glalie's Ice," Ash briefed.
"Oh, really?" awed Sonic. "That's actually cool! No pun intended." Glalie growled happily, knowing Sonic didn't mean anything extreme. That's when a car was heard outside. To Sonic, it was familiar. "Nelson's home! Boy, won't he be in for a surprise with who else came." Into the room walked in three people: A tall brunette in a greenish yellow suit, an orange-haired woman in a red dress and a raven-haired man in a butler outfit.
"Hey, guys-" the brunette started before all of them noticed the Pokémon. The three were in shock.
"Uh, Chris?" the orange-haired voiced. "What's… going on?" Ella came to see the three.
"Sonic had helped Amy and Cream and Frances," she started before pointing out Ash and Max. "But those two boys helped out as well." She turned to the boys and waived them forward. Ash, Chris and Max approached. "Ash, Max, this is Nelson Thorndyke and his wife, Lindsey. By them is Mr. Tanaka, the butler." Ash and Max awed the parents.
"So, what's this about helping the kids?" asked Lindsey.
"Well, it was a coincidence we came and stopped Eggman's attack," Ash giggled while itching his head. Vanilla turned on the TV which began to play a news story.
"Station Square though we had one special hero who came to the city by the name of Sonic the Hedgehog," a woman voiced. Everyone turned to the TV where a redhead woman in orange sat at a desk. At the bottom, "SCARLET GARCIA" was read. "However, Doctor Robotnik, AKA the Eggman, encountered two forces, one that could be a potential ally and one boy and a strange electric-emitting mouse who teamed up with the speedy hedgehog to stop the two." The screen shifted to Team Rocket in the helicopter-like machine and Eggman in his Egg Mobile with Ash in the foreground. "It is unknown on a few questions like alliances between Eggman and the woman in white, or if this is a new friend of Sonic since his animal friends were protected. Although, if my suspicions are true, I may find him at the Thorndyke Mansion." This made everyone a little concerned.
"We may be expecting a visit from Mrs. Garcia soon," the butler warned.
"Are you sure, Mr. Tanaka?" wondered Nelson.
"I can almost guarantee it," Tanaka replied. The grandfather emerged soon after hearing all the ruckus.
"Wow, what's with all the noise?" he groaned. When he looked, he froze at the sight of Ash's Pokémon. "Oh… my… goodness… What in the world is going on!?" Ella sighed, believing the grandfather would have a heart attack.
"Chuck, why don't you sit down before you faint," she advised.
"Yeah, good idea," Chuck agreed and sat on the couch.
"Ash, Max, that's my grandpa," Chris introduced. "Chuck Thorndyke." Ash and Max began to wonder while Nelson turned to Tanaka.
"Say no more," Tanaka believed. He left as Chris sat by Nelson and Lindsey. Amy turned to Max with an interest.
"What about you?" she asked. "Don't you have anything like Pikachu or Torkoal?" Max shook his head over crossed arms.
"I'm not a Trainer like Ash," he denied. "I don't have a Pokémon." Sonic seemed upset by Max's lack of creatures of his own.
"How come!?" he questioned.
"See, Pokémon Trainers are at least ten years old," Ash explained.
"And I'm around a year before I can become eligible to train Pokémon, so I do get in some on-hand learning," Max added.
"Well, that sucks," Sonic mulled. "Chris, Frances, Danny and Helen would qualify as Trainers. Amy, Knuckles, Tails and I would too." Ash and Max blinked to the name.
"Knuckles?" they repeated.
"When he comes around, I'll introduce you too him," Sonic promised. Tanaka returned with a tray loaded with cups of tea and sugar.
"So, what's the story with these two and… these… Pokémon?" gulped Chuck, hoping not to mispronounce anything.
"See, Ash came to my region of Hoenn from his home in Kanto," Max started. "He first met my older sister, May when she was going to get her first Pokémon. Then I joined since I didn't want to be waiting for another year or two to go and explore and soon enough, Ash's friend and former Pewter City Gym Leader, Brock, joined up."
"Max, they're wondering about the incident, not the backstory," Ash directed.
"Oh, sorry…" apologized Max as Cheese flew back onto Max's lap.
"Anyway, we got to the next town where May wanted to participate in the city's Pokémon Contest and Brock got word on someone who was running a seminar on Pokémon Breeding," Ash resumed. "Max actually heard about new traveling devices including new models of the Pokénav." Max pulled out a yellow hand-held device with a screen. It read "OUT OF RANGE" and blinked.
"He means this," Max displayed.
"Oh, so this is like your GPS device," Tails believed. "And it tells you your location back where you are."
"Pretty much," Max shrugged.
"I couldn't leave Max alone and so I went with him to see what Pokénavs he'd like when Team Rocket attacked us in a Hoppip helicopter," Ash continued. "Pikachu tried to use Thunderbolt, but it didn't work and we ran… and that's when we came across Amy, Cream and Frances and… well, you saw the rest." Everyone had tea and awed the story.
"Dear me," Lindsey hushed. "And that's how you found us!" Ash, Max and Pikachu nodded.
"That is messed up," Sonic huffed. "Now, not only is Eggbrain a problem, his wife and her affair are gonna make plenty of obstacles for all of us."
"Which means we need to work together to put an end to their schemes," Ash trusted. Max groaned, Ash missing something in the conversation.
"Ash, did you not hear Sonic refer to Jessie and James as something so messy, it reminds me of just before your Gym Battle with my dad?" he remembered.
"Max, I like Sonic's attitude towards how to deal with Team Rocket and Eggman at the same time," Ash steered away. Amy reached Ash's side while facing Max.
"Besides, you may be helpful, even without some of these guys on hand," she offered. "Besides, Cheese thinks you're a friend." Max chuckled, sensing Cheese's interest. Ella looked outside as the sky got redder.
"Oh, dear," she gasped. "It's starting to get a little late." To the kids, it meant the day's fun ended.
"Yeah, we do need to get ourselves somewhere to rest before trying to find a way back home," Max pondered. Chuck had an offer of his own.
"Why not stay here in the mansion?" he suggested. Ash gasped to the offer by the eldest person in the room. Staying in a mansion seemed surreal to him.
"No, that's okay," he refused. "I'm sure we can tough it out before we try to find Brock and May." Nelson shook his head.
"My father may be a bit off-kilter at times," he teased. "But he's right. It's that I know you want to help everyone and spending time here and helping Chris, Sonic, Vanilla…"
"What my husband and father-in-law are saying is that we'd welcome you at anytime," Lindsey proposed. "Sure, knowing Eggman, he'll now have a great interest in coming after these creatures… not to mention, I believe May and Brock may find you guys before you go back." Ash and Max looked to each other while Helen, Danny, Frances and Chris prayed they stayed. Finally, Ash faced the parents with a smile.
"You guys win," he sighed. "We'll stay and help out." The Thorndyke family smiled, happy to have Ash, Max and the Pokémon around.
"Trust us, Ash," Nelson spoke up. "You may learn as much here as we'd all like to learn about you guys." Ash, Max and the Pokémon began to think of the encounter being helpful.
"I guess we can see you all tomorrow," Danny wished. Ash and Max nodded as Tanaka helped Helen back to her wheelchair and Danny left.
"Ash, is it okay if I have Pikachu over?" she requested. Ash seemed rather surprised with the idea. To Pikachu, this was a new friend.
("Can I, please!?") the Mouse Pokémon added. Realizing Pikachu's plea, Ash surrendered with a smile.
"Okay, you can have him," he gave. Pikachu hopped into Helen's arms while Frances reached the wheelchair's handles.
"Thanks again, you two," Frances chirped. She helped Helen and Pikachu leave. At night fall, Ella showed the boys a room upstairs with Amy, Cream and Vanilla by their side.
"Here you go, you two," she said. Ash and Max saw the room being a carpeted room with two beds by either side. It also had a TV set and a drawer.
"Thanks, Ella," Ash praised. "And we didn't want to burden the family by staying."
"Oh, no, dearies," Ella denied with a smile. "The burden's with Eggman and Team Rocket, not you two."
"And it will be easier to know more about your world, should we come and visit," Vanilla added.
"That's true," Max agreed. "Well… goodnight."
"You two, as well," Amy replied. Ash and Max entered while Ash looked to the window.
"Max, I gotta be honest," he opened up.
"It's about Helen, right?" countered Max. Ash gawked to Max's guess but nodded. "Believe me, that's the first time I've seen someone in a wheelchair, less know about this condition that limits her mobility without it." Ash seemed to think about Helen's struggles.
"If that was me, I'd never be able to leave my home, let alone be a Pokémon Trainer." The admittance took Max off-guard.
"But, there are so many Pokémon that could carry you from land to land, sea to sea and across mountains and valleys."
"Yeah, but… if I wanted to move, I'd want to move… not be fastened to wheels… but at the same time, Helen… she didn't have a choice." Max had a hard time believing the words Ash had muttered.
"It's… not like you to say that unless you feel something that deep about her. Being this awesome Pokémon Trainer from Pallet Town, you feel as if this is another burden that you want to help. Helen's case is an exception. Don't beat yourself over it."
"Yeah, I shouldn't. Some sleep may help." He and Max tucked themselves in the separate beds. "Night, Max."
"Yeah, night Ash." The two fell asleep, as did Helen and Pikachu at her home. They had a long road ahead of them and it started tomorrow.
TO BE CONTINUED...