Note: I'm back, and the next Arc of this fic is completed! I will once again be uploading every Sunday until the arcs completion. Life's been hectic but I'm already making progress on the third Arc of this fic.

Thanks for being patient, and enjoy.


Sinnoh: Distortion (Arc 2)

Sinnoh Prologue

Jubilife city could be regarded as the Silver Town of the Sinnoh region, the only major difference was that it was much, much bigger. It wasn't just the largest city in Sinnoh, but one of the largest cities in the world. The airport was densely packed with people, not an uncommon scene to behold even before the merge. While modern cities were developed with economic spacing in mind, they could never have been prepared for the doubling of an entire population. Even after a few weeks the chaos hadn't fully subsided.

After a few hours, Yellow and Ash finally managed to escape customs. Once outside they could see that the sun was setting. They had already reserved a small hotel nearby to stay the night, before trekking over to Mount Coronet. They would also be meeting some of the younger dexholders over there, to assist in their search. They stood outside the airport entrance, surrounded by sizable apartments and high-flung branded stores, passerbys hailing cabs and lugging around heavy suitcases.

"The place is nearby," Ash noted, looking at a map on his phone. "We can make it on foot in a few hours."

"Pika…?" Pikachu said timidly.

"You can stay on my shoulder bud"

"Pikachuuu!" the little pokémon smiled.

"Or we can hail a cab," Yellow suggested. Ash pondered for a bit, before he was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Hey, it's a nice night out, how bout a stroll down Jubilife's lively streets."

Ash and Yellow turned around. Behind them were two familiar women with a Piplup standing beside them. The small blue penguin pokémon hopped in the air, delighted to see them.

"Zoey? And Dawn!" Ash exclaimed.

Zoey stood a bit taller than Dawn, and her spiky orange hair and dark red eyes contrasted with the other girls' more done-up, blue dominated style. They both dressed similarly however, both sporting designer shirts that screamed "city folk". Ash wasn't surprised to see them together. They've been dating for a few years now, after all.

"Ash! You know you can call and say you're in town," Dawn said.

"Lup!" Piplup exclaimed in turn.

"Now let's be nice Dawn. I'm sure he was just about to give you a call," Zoey responded with a wink.

"Ya, of course!" Ash said with a giggle. That got him a soft punch from Dawn. It stung a bit more than he thought it would. He opted to keep his mouth shut, though his grin betrayed his noble intentions.

"Speaking about being rude," Zoey turned to Yellow. "Hello there, what would your name be?"

"Name's Yellow. Nice to meet you."

"Name's Zoey."

"And my name's Dawn," Dawn raised Piplup by its waist, holding him out in front of Yellow. "and this is Piplup."

Yellow placed her palm on Piplup's forehead. Piplup's face grimaced, feeling her thoughts reach into his.

"Your Piplup has a lot of energy, but I've rarely seen such a loyal pokémon," Yellow said.

"Huh… umm..." Dawn looked to Ash for some sort of explanation.

"Yellow can read the minds of pokémon."

"Right…" Dawn said. I hope she can't read human minds!

"Don't worry, it only works on pokémon" Yellow said with her hands raised. Dawn was not convinced. Zoey wasn't all too concerned.

"Why are we sticking around here?" Zoey exclaimed, looking out at the big city. "Let's get going!"


They were not the only young adults out on the streets, but they might have been the loudest. The group of trainers had been walking down the busy Jubilife streets for almost an hour. The sun had now completely set, but the streets were far from lifeless. The streets were teeming with all kinds of people, on their way to eateries, bars, or just prowling the nighttime roads, letting the good times find them. Friends, families, loners, socialites, it was like the city functioned as its own ecosystem, as dense and intricate as the great Marsh of Pastoria city.

"...I'll never forget the look in his eyes. I've never seen him angrier than on that day. Luckily, I was faster," Ash said, finishing his tale.

"Of course you of all people would lose a z-crystal," Dawn exclaimed in the midst of laughter.

"Hey, I didn't lose it, I just forgot it at home!" Ash retorted

"Still counts as losing it," said Zoey.

"Too bad Kiawe didn't get a hold of you. Might have finally smacked some sense into ya," Dawn chuckled.

"Wow, go gettem Dawn!" Zoey exclaimed.

"Thanks. Guess I'll have to watch my back," Ash said.

"I mean I can always get Pikachu to shock the lights outta ya, right?" Dawn said.

"Pika!" Pikachu's cheeks flared, causing Ash to flinch, though all Pikachu let out was a mischievous grin. The trainers burst into laughter.

"Everyone really has it out for you, don't they?" Yellow said.

"Stay around him long enough, you'll find a reason," said Dawn.

The group of trainers continued down the Jubilife streets. Pikachu and Piplup walked side by side, almost as if they were marching together. That was at least until Piplup slipped in a small pothole on the sidewalk, full of water. The small pokémon tumbled, splashing the water up right next to Dawn. She jumped out of the way, though lost her own footing, falling right on her back. The group erupted into laughter, though Zoey quickly helped her up.

"Piplup!" Dawn scolded, admittedly through a giggle that she was not trying to hide. Piplup quickly got to his feet, glaring at Pikachu as the yellow pokémon laughed at him.

"You and Piplup really are perfect for each other," Yellow said.

"Wait, hold up," Ash said through his chuckles. He noticed something shiny on the floor where Dawn fell. He reached for it, picking up a small pair of keys.

"My keys!" Dawn plucked the keys out of Ash's hand in an instant.

"Ash losing a sacred crystal, Dawn losing her keys," Zoey looked to Yellow. "How are we gonna get these two through the night!"

"Through a lot of luck," Yellow replied.

"Oh please, me and Ash are perfectly capable. So there's no need to wor…"

"Ahh!" Zoey caught her in the act. "Come on Dawn!" She said in mock disbelief.

"Well it's true!" She said as the trainers passed a stoplight, quickly crossing even as the sign blinked red.

"Speaking of losing things, you lose anything big in the merge?" Zoey asked.

"A candle, but I got lucky. How about you guys?" Ash asked.

"I think I lost some pencils… and a shoe," Zoey said.

"I didn't lose much, but the weirdest thing happened!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Oh right! The other Johanna!" Zoey interjected.

"Other Johanna?" Ash asked.

"Yep! After the merge I head downstairs to check on my mom, and then there's two of them! Super weird, right!"

"Right…" Yellow pondered for a moment. The name sounded familiar…

"Hey, look!" Zoey pointed at a small building across the street. It looked like a small, semi-fanciful lounge. Next to the door was a sign. Traveling Comedy duo! Sinnoh Stars!

"A comedy show? Really?" Dawn said, feigning surprise.

"What? Sounds like fun. We can also grab something to eat too…" Zoey said.

"Sounds good to me," said Ash, the prospect of food being all the persuasion he needed.

The group hastily crossed the street. Yellow would have preferred to use the crosswalk, but she wasn't about to be left behind. Luckily there wasn't a car in sight. The trainers made their way into the lounge.


The 'Piping Purugly' didn't sound like the most prestigious of locales, but Ash was never too picky when it came to where they ate so long as the food was good.

The trainers sat in a dark room at a circular table, surrounded by roughly a dozen others. They were lucky that the lounge had a free table at all, owing to a family that had to cancel just a few minutes before they arrived. The place was packed with people, all chatting away about who knows what, their conversations colliding into an ambient drawl of noise.

"You ever been to a place like this Ash?" Zoey asked, mozzarella stick in hand.

"Once or twice," Ash said, attempting to decipher the drinks menu. Maybe I should just get a soda…

"How about you, Yellow?"

"A few times, sure."

They were interrupted by a young man walking up to their table, a small notepad in hand.

"Hello, welcome to the Piping Purugly, what can I get you kids today?"

"We'll get two Magikarp Mojitos," Zoey said, placing her menu down.

"A Verspenemoth for me," Yellow said.

"I'll take a Kanto-city brew," Ash said.

"Alright, I'll get your drinks in a minute!" The waiter walked off, almost blending into the crowded room.

"Just a beer, Ash?" said Dawn, eyebrow raised.

"Ya," Ash responded, taking a moment to bite into a mozzarella stick.

"You drink?" Zoey asked, somewhat surprised.

"Not often. Just a few here and there."

"Pika pika," Pikachu chimed, seeming to approve of Ash's drinking habits.

At that moment a bright light shone into the room, highlighting the stage at the front of the room, backdropped by a large red curtain. It was quite large, built for elaborate stage plays and intricate sets.

"Now presenting tonight's featured appearance, a duo of trainers who saved the Sinnoh region more than once in their world…" A booming voice rung from the ceiling, emanating from a handful of hidden speakers "Everyone give a hand for Diamond and Pearl!"

From behind the curtain burst forth a pair of young men, both dressed in fine suits and ties. The boy on the right, Diamond, sported short, sleek black hair and dark blue eyes. Opposite to him was a Pearl, sporting a slightly messier set of blonde hair and orange eyes.

"Well, this is quite the crowd we got here tonight, wouldn't you say!" Diamond said.

"Yes, and look how many of them have their pokémon out!" Pearl responded.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried out, feeling acknowledged.

"Pip-lup!" Piplup also cheered. A number of other pokémon could be heard, calling out in ample delight.

"...aannnddd' Pearl said before the duo took a collective deep breath, delivering the next line in unison with the utmost enthusiasm.

"Speaking of pokémon!"

"Hey, it's Diamond!" Dawn called, though the others at the table could barely hear her through the applause. Wait a second? The other one looks like… Barry?

"Hey Pearl! I see a Pie-plup in the crowd!" Diamond said

"Dia, you know it's Piplup, right?"

"Oh of course, my bad Pearl."

"Glad we got that sort…"

"It can't be a Pie-plup cause they hate it when the water gets pi-ping hot, right?!" Diamond said before getting a swift slap to the face from Pearl.

"Now that's enough!" Pearl screamed, much to the delight of the crowd.

"Sorry Pearl. Anyway, I think I see an Oddish out there too…"


"No Dia!" Pearl screamed, delivering another clunk to Diamond's thick skull, the following hyperbolic "ouuccchhh" from his partner drawled out at the perfect length. The practice was paying off and it showed, the room continuing to erupt in raucous laughter, even after almost an hour.

"We can't agree on anything Pearl!" Diamond objected, rubbing his non-existent wound.

"Well what about the crowd? Don't you just love em, Dia?"

"I don't know Pearl, if they got their hands on me, they might have just beat ya to the punch!"

"I'll show you a punch!" Pearl screamed before charging at the other trainer. He chased him in a circle, their arms and legs flailing widely, just fast enough as to not at all close the distance.

"Got ya now!" Pearl proclaimed as he grabbed Diamond in a headlock, forcing his mic right in the other trainer's face. "Now tell these people what you really think!"

"I think… that they're all really nice and we couldn't have gotten a better crowd" Diamond cried through crocodile tears, a smile plastered on his face as the crowd roared in applause.

"And I think so too," Pearl said, releasing his victim. "We love you all! Have a great night folks!" The duo took a bow to the applauding crowd, before the curtains closed.

Ash and the rest of his table were joined in the collective applause, smiles and cheers all around.

"Ya know, I really know how to pick em'!" Zoey said.

"You sure do! Wow…" Ash wiped a tear from his eye, finally catching his breath after almost an hour of belly-laughter.

"I didn't know that Diamond and Pearl were that good," Dawn said, catching Yellow's attention.

"So, you know the juniors?" She asked

"Of course! Diamond lives in the same house in his world," Dawn replied. She paused to take a sip of her drink. "Juniors? Oh! You're one of those Dex holders he was telling me about! Super small world huh?"

"Yes, I am"

"Heeeey, speaking of look-alikes…" Zoey pointed towards the center of the room. At another table sat two young women. One of them looked almost identical to Dawn.

"Oh? Another Dawn?" Ash asked.

"This like, what? The third one now?" Zoey said.

"Hey!" Dawn got up, waving towards the other women. She got her attention, her look-alike looking surprised, and somewhat lost at how to respond.

"It's alright junior, come on over," Yellow waved at her. She got up, as well as a younger girl that had been sitting beside her. She also looked similar to Dawn, though more like a close relative. They both wore formal dresses, and the younger girl's hair was shorter than Dawn's. Up close the trainers noticed that they both had gray eyes.

"I figured you wouldn't be far from Diamond and Pearl. How are you doing, Platinum?" Yellow said.

"I am doing well, senior Yellow," Platinum said. Her voice was identical to Dawn's as well, though her tone of voice was notably softer than the energetic coordinator.

"And I don't think I've met you before," Yellow said, looking at the young girl.

"The name's Moon, a pleasure to make your acquaintance," she said, holding an air of stoicism betraying a wisdom far past her age.

"My name's Dawn," Dawn said, Zoey and Ash quickly following suit.

Moon smiled, somewhat awkwardly. Platinum placed an assuring arm around her shoulder.

"Moon here's my little sister. She just turned 12, so we're celebrating."

An uncoordinated deluge of happy birthdays rang around the table. Moon was praying to every deific pokémon who might have been listening that they didn't start singing.

"Thank you, seniors," Moon said, showing a small, though genuine, smile.

"We should get back to our table," said Platinum. "But maybe we can talk afterwards?"

"Well, we do have to check into our hotel after…" Yellow said.

"Where are you guys staying, anyway?" Dawn asked.

"The Berlitz inn" Ash answered "It's close to here, I think"

"That's where we're staying too!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Perfect, I will see you all there," Platinum said.

"But the rooms are all sold out… and it's gonna be pretty late when we get there".

"Oh it's not a problem," Platinum said, turning around. "I own it". She walked away with Moon, leaving the table goers stunned.