Chapter Three
The Ashes' Idea
It was a bright and early day in Pallet Town when the beeping of Male Ash's PDA awoke the Ashes. By now all PDA's had video messaging, so Female Ash, who had quicker reactions then her husband, reached out and opened it, looking sleepily to see who it was.
"Good morning." Cyril said chirpily. Female Ash groaned.
"I wish you'd remember that where you are the sun rises an hour earlier than it does here. It's not long past dawn!"
"Oops, sorry." Said Cyril.
"It must be important to ring now anyway, so what's up?" she asked, using her foot to give Male Ash a shove in the small of his back hard enough to push him out of the bed. He scowled at her, but then heard what had prodded her into that action: Derek had been woken too, and was up and about, and probably dying for his usual early morning Pokémon battle with his Dad.
Cyril quickly detailed Sherle's visit and what he'd divulged, and both Female and Male Ash listened-the latter while he was getting dressed. It was Male Ash who spoke first.
"Send over the helicopter and we'll be ready by the time it arrives. I'll brief both Derek and our son Ash, and we'll all come and throw some ideas about." As he spoke, his oldest son, also called Ash, came in.
"Did I hear Tobi's name mentioned?" he asked.
Tobianna and Young Ash had been lovers not so long ago. When she had decided to go on her round the pokéworld trip, Tobianna had asked Young Ash to try and be patient and wait for her if he loved her, but had also ended their relationship. At first, Young Ash had been rather hurt, until she told him that she had only done it to free him if, in her absence, he found somebody else. "If you don't, then we can pick up where we left off upon my return." she explained. Privately, Young Ash was certain he wouldn't find anyone else. After all, who came to Pallet for more than the ferry? In any case, why would he want to look for anyone else when he had Tobianna's return to look forward to?
"Yes." Male Ash explained what Cyril had said to his son, and Young Ash was as stunned as anyone else, but had the presence of mind to ask Cyril if Cipher were still recruiting, or had they stopped some time ago. "From that, we might be able to work out how long she's been involved, and try and figure something out from that."
"I'll call Sherles." Cyril said. "He can tell me. I'll expect you about noon, then? I'll go over and send Keith in the big 'copter as soon as I get off here." Female Ash nodded.
"You'll see us at noon." She confirmed.
They were ready by the time the helicopter arrived. They heard it arrive, and were outside their house by the time it landed. Keith poked his blonde head out of the door, carefully keeping it below the level of the rotors, and waved them in. It was hard to believe that this good-looking amiable young man had once been little Keith, the Electabuzz boy, one of George's first Pokémon people who had had such dreadful parents that all he had wanted was to be useful, so he wouldn't be abandoned again.
The Ashes and Derek, also showing a healthy respect for the right-of-way of the rotors, came over and ducked into the 'copter. They all got strapped in, and Keith took off as soon as they had done so. Once they were airborne, Keith invited Derek to unstrap and come forward to the seat next to him. Once Derek was strapped in again, Keith pointed out landmarks, and sometimes interesting Pokémon, visible from their vantage point.
It wasn't long before Keith was pointing out the three Titan Islands and telling Derek about the Shamouti Legend (Male Ash's ears began to go red) and then Shamouti Island itself hove into view. Five minutes later, they were landing outside Cyril's house. Ten minutes after that, they were sat in Cyril and Rachel's spacious living room with glasses of fruit juice available, discussing the situation with Cyril, Rachel, Alex, Julie, Lawrence, Alan, and Amber. Tobias's wife Adele was entertaining both his and Lawrence's other children, Cyril told them.
"I contacted Sherles." Cyril told them. "He said he didn't know how long Cipher had been recruiting but that they were still doing so, and he can't even arrest them because they're still doing nothing wrong-at least not openly."
"No clues there, then." Young Ash said. Cyril shook his head.
"No, none. We need to find out why she's there, whether she knows what she's gotten herself into, and if she needs any help." Cyril said.
"I could go out and get myself caught again and see if I can see her or find out what's happened to her." Julie said, with obvious reluctance.
"Absolutely not." Lawrence stated. "Getting you out of Shadow was difficult enough last time, and we don't know if they've refined the process. You could end up truly unpurifiable. Even if not, how can you pass the information back to us-even if you find anything out before they shadow you-which we have no guarantee of."
"I guess I could go and get recruited, but apart from the fact that I've fought Cipher often enough to probably be recognised, Tobianna takes after me and if someone notices that likeness, it could put her in danger." Cyril said.
"Hold on a minute, maybe you are too recognisable and with an obvious family resemblance, but I've only fought Cipher the once, and I'm not related to her." Young Ash said. "Let me go, I can try and get recruited, track her down, and find out what she's up to." The two adult Ashes looked at their son and blinked in surprise. None of them had thought of this before. Male Ash nodded slowly.
"You know, I think it might work." He said.
"I'll get Martin to start up the little helicopter." Cyril said to Young Ash. "When do you want to be in Orré?"
"As soon as possible. She might need my help." He replied. At the looks the adults gave him, he said "I know I'm meant to be finding out why she's there, but I know Tobi. She's taken an opportunity that's arrived to do a bit of sleuthing. Tobianna's smarter than you give her credit for. Bit like you, I do agree that she may have gotten in over her head, and if that's the case, she'll have me to lend her a hand."