"Hey Ashton, why do you look so glum right now?" Brendan asked, as he curiously poked his friend.
"Because Diane and Butler were our ride back to Mauville." Ash reminded.
"But we never made it to Mauville." Brendan pointed out.
"And if I can't figure out the best way to get there, we never will." Ash said. "Without a boat, or some form of vehicle, its a 5 day walk through a desert to get there."
"Oh." Brendan said, realizing what Ash was going on about.
"As fun as this has been, the festival is over after tomorrow, and then we need to find a way out of here." Ash said. "You're more than welcome to go and explore in the meantime though."
"Look, I'll ask around, surely someone can help us out." Brendan offered.
"Good idea, I'll keep looking through all this to see if I can find a way to get us train tickets, or something I guess." Ash said, pulling out another stack of papers. "Maybe find a boat service, get us back to Slateport if possible."
Brendan had already left as Ash continued muttering to himself, looking through all the different services he had found, when a cloaked figure approached him unnoticed, and knocked him, Pikachu, and Jirachi out.
"Mmmmm, what happened?" Ash asked, as he stirred from his sleep, looking around, and noticing he was tied to a chair. "Brendan?" Ash asked, feeling someone behind him.
"Huh?" Brendan asked waking up.
"Any idea what happened?" Ash asked.
"No, the last thing I remember is some figure approaching me, and." Brendan said, trailing off.
"Good, the two of you are awake." The cloaked figure said, walking up.
"What do you want with us!" Brendan demanded.
"What do I want? I want you to suffer in the same pain that I did." The figure said.
Ash couldn't place it, but the voice sounded very familiar, a bit off, but still familiar.
"What did we ever do to you?" Ash asked, as he wiggled his wrists, trying to get them free.
"Oh, you don't remember, well maybe this will help!" The figure said, throwing off the cloak's hood, revealing a face covered in burn scars.
"Nope, no clue." Brendan said, mind you he was facing the opposite direction.
"No, it can't be." Ash said, putting the pieces together. "How are you alive?"
"How is who alive?" Brendan asked.
"After you two and that dreaded elite four representative stopped me, my body was all but dead, thankfully we had a second secret project that stabilized me." The figure said. "Too bad there won't be any for you."
"Cut it Diane, you did this to yourself!" Ash argued.
"Diane? She's alive!" Brendan said in shock.
"Of course I'm alive!" Diane shouted, quickly getting in Brendan's face.
"Eww." Brendan said. "I mean… no yeah, there's no better description."
"Not helping Brendan." Ash said.
"What would you like me to say?" Brendan asked.
"Your screams of agony will be enough." Diane said, walking over to a strange machine. She clicked a few buttons as a glass orb containing Jirachi rose out of it. "With the help of Jirachi, and this fossil, I will bring in a new age for the Hoenn Region." Diane said, clicking more buttons.
"Ashton, what do we do?" Brendan asked worriedly.
"I need a second, I can't get these ropes undone." Ash whispered.
"Look Ashton, if we're going to die, I need to tell you something." Brendan said.
"We're not going to die." Ash argued.
"Just let me say this." Brendan said. "I was wrong, magic is real."
"Great, thanks. At least I know you aren't so stubborn." Ash said, still struggling.
"Look, I know, because I can use it." Brendan said.
"Brendan, a card trick won't help us here." Ash said,finding he only made the ropes tighter.
"I wasn't thinking of using a card trick." Brendan said focusing. If what Butler had said was correct, then he should be able to do this. "Ashton when I say so, launch forward." Brendan said.
'Snap'
Ash and Brendan launched forward, as the ropes caught fire ever so slightly.
"What?! How did you!" Diane said. "Nevermind, you're too late. Jirachi I wish to revive Groudon!"
A red beam of light shot out from the glass dome, hitting the fossil, and engulfing it in the red light.
"Yes! Yes!" Diane cried out, as more light even hit her.
From the fossil came a ginormous Pokemon, growing larger and larger in size with every passing moment.
"Ashton, we need a plan." Brendan said worriedly.
"You stall Diane and Groudon, I'll get Jirachi." Ash said, sending out Treecko and Surskit to help Brendan.
"It's happening!" Diane said gleefully as red lines began to cover her body. "Lord Groudon lives again!"
"Not if we can help it. Mudkip use Mud Slap, Nuzleaf use Bullet Seed, Taillow use Wing Attack, Aron use Rock Tomb, Pikachu use Quick Attack, Surskit use Bubble Beam, Treecko use Dig!" Brendan commanded.
"Do you really think that even with so many that those simple attacks will do… pbthhh." Diane said in annoyance as Mudkip's attack hit her in the face.
"Come on Jirachi." Ash said, prying at the casing.
'I can't do it.' Jirachi's voice said.
"Of course you can, we're going to get you out of here." Ash said.
'I can't grant it.' Jirachi said in pain.
"Jirachi, I'm not worried about what happened, I just need to get you out of here." Ash said.
'No, your wish.' Jirachi said. 'I can't grant it.'
Ash stopped pulling at the casing, he hadn't wished for anything.
'The wish in your heart, I can't do it.' Jirachi said.
"What about a different wish?" Ash asked.
'A different wish?' Jirachi asked.
"I wish to be strong enough to defeat Groudon and Team Magma." Ash asked.
'I can do that.' Jirachi said, as it's second tassel began to float.
A beam of green light shot out from Jirachi, hitting Ash and Pikachu.
"Pikachu use Quick Attack!"
Pikachu sped forward slamming into the Groudon, causing it to stumble backwards.
"Groudon use Flamethrower!"
"Pikachu dodge it and use another Quick Attack!"
"Looks like Ash haas Groudon handled, lets take care of Jirachi." Brendan said, switching jobs.
"Pikachu use Thunder!"
"Groudon use Rock Slide!"
Pikachu's electricity shattered the falling rocks, as Brendan and the remaining Pokemon dodged the shards, making their way over to the machine that was holding Jirachi.
"Pikachu use Thunder again!"
"Groudon use Slash!"
Pikachu rolled out of the way of the attack, before launching forward, with electricity flowing through him.
"Come on there has to be a release somewhere." Brendan said.
"Treecko!" Ash's Treecko said, slamming his tail onto the machine.
"That might work too, everyone attack that thing!" Brendan said.
A few attacks later and the machine finally released it's hold on Jirachi. Without the psychic type being controlled, the giant Groudon began to melt away.
"No!" Diane shouted, as a Team Magma van rolled up.
"Uh oh." Ash said, as a familiar woman stepped out.
"You two may have won the battle, but the war is far from over." The other woman said, grabbing Diane and speeding off.
"Ashton!" Brendan said, rushing to his friend, as Ash began to fall down.
"I'm fine, just a little exhausted after that." Ash admitted, lets head back to the hotel.
"Good idea." Brendan said.
Later
"Seriously after everything, you're still doing that?" Brendan joked.
"What, you believe in magic, and me believing this charm will grant a wish is crazy?" Ash questioned.
"I don't believe in magic, there's simply something I'm missing that explains it, besides you have a being who can grant wishes right there." Brendan reminded, pointing at Jirachi.
"Maybe, but this is still a fun idea." Ash said, as he flipped the sixth panel over.
Elsewhere
"Your failure is noted." A man said, looking at Diane and the woman who rescued her. "However, it was not without loss." The man said, pulling down Diane's hood, the markings of Groudon permanently tattooed on her. "When the energy was released, another signature was found. I believe you may have found us the real Groudon." The man said. "For your service to this team, I am promoting you to admin."
"Thank you Master Maxie." Diane said, bowing.
"As for you Courtney, I want you to investigate something, we need a new way to control Groudon, and I have heard of an artifact." Maxie said.
"Yes, Master." Courtney said.
Authors Notes
Yes I know it was anticlimactic, this isn't the end of Team Magma, or of Groudon though, so there is still plenty more to have happen. Also, it isn't even the end of the festival.
