"Alright, everyone come out!" Ash said, tossing out three Pokeballs. "I'd like you all to meet our new friend Jirachi!"
Pikachu had already met Jirachi last night, but Ash and Brendan's other seven Pokemon were excited to meet a new friend, even if they did look a bit off.
"Hey Ash, can I talk to you for a second?" Brendan asked, seeing that Nuzleaf and Treecko were watching over the group.
"Sure Brendan, whats up?" Ash asked.
"Don't you find it a little bit strange that Butler just happened to have a meteor containing Jirachi?" Brendan asked.
"A bit, but it could've happened to anyone." Ash commented.
"No, I mean not just have it, but also bring it here. Why would he even keep a meteor, it really should have been in a museum." Brendan said.
"Look, I get you don't believe in magic, but that doesn't mean you can question something that is only a coincidence." Ash argued.
"That's what I'm getting at! There's too many coincidences." Brendan said. "Why would you bring a meteor that just happened to hold Jirachi, a Pokemon known for granting wishes, to a festival about a comet that grants wishes?"
"You're saying that you think they knew about Jirachi?" Ash asked.
"I'm saying it's a good possibility." Brendan sighed. "Look, just keep an eye on Jirachi, maybe you're right, maybe I am overthinking this."
'Hungry'. Jirachi said, appearing in Ash's arms suddenly.
"Hey Brendan, let's get everyone some breakfast while we wait." Ash offered.
"Good idea." Brendan said, having dropped the topic for now.
As the Pokemon were having breakfast, Butler and Diane showed up, in more casual clothes than what they wore for their shows.
"Butler, hey." Ash said, walking up, as Jirachi hugged into Ash's chest.
"Ashton, Brendan, good morning." Butler said, seeing the gathered Pokemon. "Ashton, I wasn't aware you also had a Treecko." Butler said in shock.
"I guess he is the only one you wouldn't have seen yet." Ash commented.
"So we thought we could just go around and enjoy some of the activities that the festival has to offer." Diane said.
"Sure, that sounds like fun." Ash said.
The groups first stop was at a few different game stands that had been set up
"Okay Jirachi, you'll have to sit in here for the time being." Ash said, putting Jirachi in his backpack then flipping it around so that Jirachi could still watch.
"Jirachi sure trusts you." Diane commented.
"Yeah, I don't know what I did to deserve it though." Ash said with a light chuckle, picking up a few rings.
"Okay, the rules are simple, get the ring on a bottle, win a prize." The operator said.
"Sounds easy enough." Brendan said, taking aim and tossing his first ring, only for it to overshoot and land in the operator's area.
"Watch a pro at work." Ash said, tossing one of his rings, only for it to fall in between several bottles.
"Boys, the trick is to flick it." Diane said, flicking her wrist lightly, scoring on her first try.
"Okay, let's try this again." Brendan said, only to launch his next ring right into the operator.
Ash had to laugh at the bad aim of his friend.
"Okay, let's see you try it." Brendan said.
"Red bottle, just watch." Ash said, looking at the sign that said that would win him a big prize.
Jirachi opened it's eyes, as the tassels on it's head began to float as Ash's ring spun around the bottles, before landing perfectly around the mouth of the red bottle.
'Yellow one!' Jirachi cried out, reaching it's hands out toward a large stuffed Pikachu.
"I'll take the Pikachu." Ash said.
"Sure, here ya go." The operator said, handing it to Ash.
The group quickly found a place where the Pokemon were free to run around, and play.
As the Pokemon ran about, Brendan noticed one member of their group was surprisingly absent. He hadn't seen Butler since earlier.
Brendan walked off to see what had happened, he still was skeptical about the coincidences.
"Sir, I'm telling you we need the backup sooner than you said." Butler said to the monitor.
"You seem to have changed your tune since last night, I hope something didn't happen for your sake." The man said.
"I believe the child from the Petalburg Woods incident is here." Butler said. "The rock was glowing green in his presence, and he has a Treecko."
"I thought you said he could be swayed to our side." The man said angrily.
"The Petalburg Woods?" Brendan said under his breath, having heard the conversation. "Team Magma!" Brendan said a bit louder than expected.
"Shh." Butler said to the man on the screen. "I think someone heard us."
"Make sure no one knows of our intentions until we get there." The man said.
Brendan was panicking, there was nowhere he could run or hide in time. Butler walked out of his trailer, as if he hadn't been having a secret conversation, walking around the area, checking for anyone here. He walked right in front of Brendan, staring right at him before turning around and walking away, making sure he locked the trailer up before leaving. Finally Brendan took a sigh of relief. How did Butler not see him? He had no time to think about that though, he had to make it back to Ash and fast!
Brendan rushed through the city, taking any shortcuts he could find to beat Butler back to Ash. If he wasn't there, Butler might notice something.
"Brendan, where'd you go?" Ashton asked.
"Butler. He's. With. Team. Magma. Coming. For. Jirachi." Brendan said out of breath.
"Brendan, this again. I thought you were going to drop this." Ash said angrily.
"I'm telling you, I heard him talking with someone, about a child who caused an incident in the Petalburg Woods." Brendan said. "And he mentioned a green glow, and your Treecko as points."
"I thought you didn't believe the green glow?" Ash asked.
"I didn't, but Butler, he looked right at me, and didn't see me." Brendan said. "I don't know how, but he did."
"Then we need to let Officer Jenny know, if they're part of Team Magma, this could be bad." Ash said.
Later that afternoon
"Ashton, Brendan, Officer Jenny? Is there anything we can help you with?" Butler asked.
"I'm sorry to bother you sir, but these boys seem to believe you are working with Team Magma." Officer Jenny said. "If it's alright, I'd like to take a look around, just to make sure." Officer Jenny said, as she and her Growlithe waited.
"Boys, whatever makes you think that?" Butler asked.
"I heard some things, and I'm just worried." Brendan admitted.
"Understand this isn't questioning you or your show." Officer Jenny said.
"Of course." Butler said. "Go ahead, feel free to take a look, but do avoid my Pokemon if you can. They don't like to be disturbed." Butler said calmly.
Officer Jenny began searching throughout the area, checking every nook and cranny to make sure the peace is kept.
"Grow! Grow!" Growlithe barked.
"What did you find?" Officer Jenny said, going over to her Growlithe, to see a crate with the Team Magma logo on its side, hidden off in the corner.
"I assure you, this isn't what it looks like." Butler said. "The logo was there when I got the crate."
"Then you won't mind opening it." Office Jenny said.
"I'm sorry but one of my tricks is in there, it would ruin the experience." Butler said.
"Except that you said, only your Pokemon are part of the tricks. Everything else is magic!" Brendan argued.
"Officer, I've done nothing wrong, you can't really be taking these boy's words over my own." Butler said.
"Please open the crate sir." Officer Jenny said. "We won't say anything about your magic trick inside, just to put the boys at ease."
"I'm sorry, I can't do that." Butler said.
"Then you leave me no choice." Officer Jenny said, walking over to Butler and cuffing him. "Butler, you are under arrest pending investigation for assisting a terrorist group."
Later that night
"I can't believe Butler was a part of Team Magma." Brendan said in shock. After he had been cuffed they were able to get the rights to open the crate to find a strange machine with a matching logo on it.
"I wonder if Diane knew?" Ash asked, fiddling with the trinket, flipping another piece over.
"I just hope she's okay." Brendan said. "I didn't see her with their equipment."
"We can look for her tomorrow and let her know." Ash said.
Back at Butler and Diane's site
Diane snuck past the police blockade and into the trailer, taking the laptop and keys.
"Yes sir, Butler was caught. He got sloppy." Diane said over an earpiece. "Yes, I have the keys, but the machine is out of reach. No the boys don't know we were both part of it, I still have the element of surprise. Of course, I'lll see them here tomorrow." Diane said.
Not far out of the city a team of six armored vehicles each adorning the Team Magma logo drove towards the city at a rapid pace. High in the air however was a green hot air balloon with a green and yellow S on it.
