Viridian Forest

Viridian City, Kanto

Regular World

While Ash was busy battling Team Rainbow Rocket on Iron Island, his two friends, Goh and Dawn, were embarking their own adventure as they left Vermilion City for Viridian Forest. It was quite a distance from the city for the forest, but the duo had finally arrived after walking for roughly an hour. They were exhausted, but the sight of the dense and green forest reinvigorated their energy.

"So, this is Viridian Forest!" Dawn exclaimed, glancing at the tall, brown trees and feeling the gentle breeze in her hair. Even though she was here because of Ash, she couldn't but help feel excited for the chance to explore her friend's home region.

"Grookey!" Grookey added, happy to see the forest. Despite Cerise Park having trees, he was always overjoyed to see trees in the outside world.

"Yep!" Goh responded as the two began to walk into the forest. The dense foliage of the trees' leaves blocked some of the sunlight, but there was still enough to see clearly. "I been here once before with Ash when we were on an errand to deliver a parcel to Professor Oak."

"Really! You visited Pallet Town and met the poet!" Dawn responded enthusiastically, clasping both of her hands. "Maybe I can visit him! It's been a while since I've heard any of his Pokémon poems!"

"Pip! Piplup!" Piplup agreed with his trainer, nodding his head.

"Uh… poet?" Goh questioned with hesitation, arching an eyebrow before remembering that Professor Oak would recite poems on television. "I guess he is a poet, but he's more of a professor." However, Dawn didn't listen to Goh's words as she skipped happily ahead. She was engrossed in her thoughts and was looking forward to hearing a Pokémon poem again.

"Now that we're in the forest," Goh stated, going back to the topic and looking around in all directions. "We have to start finding the two flocks the professor mentioned. There are a flock of Spearow and a flock of Pidgey, and both have some sort of rivalry between them. The professor wants us to investigate this rivalry and the reason behind it."

"Alright! That sounds simple enough," Dawn responded, looking up towards to the sky. "We just have to find a Spearow or a Pidgey and then follow it!"

Goh began to chuckle while bringing out two Pokéballs. "That's one way of doing it," he spoke, tossing the balls into the air. "But I have another idea! Spearow! Pidgey! Come on out!"

"Spear!" Spearow exclaimed as he emerged.

"Pid!" Pidgey cried out, wondering what his trainer wanted him to do today.

"You have a Spearow and a Pidgey!" Dawn said, examining the two bird Pokémon native to Kanto.

"Spearow, Pidgey, I have a task for the both of you," Goh softly exclaimed, crouching toward the Pokémon on the ground. "I want you to find and join a flock of Pokémon that is the same species of you. Dawn and I will follow one of you, and each of us will learn about one of the flocks."

"That's a great idea!" Dawn replied as she looked back and forth between Spearow and Pidgey. "So, who should follow which?"

"I'll follow Pidgey," Goh announced, thinking about how he always wanted to catch a Pidgeot. "You follow Spearow. We can keep in touch with each other using our Rotom Phones," he added, holding up his own red phone. "Now, let's start our research!" The two parted their ways, following their respective Pokémon deeper into the giant forest and keeping an eye out for any of the two flocks. Both trainers had their mind on the mission, but a small part of them was still concerned about their friend Ash.


Abandoned Mine

Iron Island, Sinnoh

Team Rainbow Rocket

Ash and Pikachu collapsed onto the floor, groaning from the sprint. Even Ash's Lucario was tired and was sitting on the ground, catching his breath. The trainer and the Pokémon had finally stopped running, and they were currently in a dark and deserted tunnel part of the massive and sprawling abandoned mine. They weren't alone, and this was plain from the gasping sounds Riley made from the run.

"Thank you!" Ash eventually said, still lying on the coarse and hard floor. Without Riley, he would have probably been captured by Team Rainbow Rocket.

"Pika!" Pikachu remarked who was still tired from the battles and from being carried by his trainer.

"You're welcome," Riley responded, closing his eyes and searching for any sign of the evil team with Aura. "I think we lost them, but it's best if we keep moving." With that, he and Lucario got up. Ash held his injured Pikachu in his lap and quickly followed with his Lucario trailing behind him, making sure that nothing would sneak up on them. The Aura Pokémon refused his trainer's requests to return to his Pokéball. He knew that Ash was feeling conflicted and that it was best for him to keep an eye out for his trainer while Pikachu recovered.

The duo quietly walked through the mine in silence, afraid to disturb the chilling stillness in the air. Even though the mine was completely dark, it wasn't a problem for Riley and his Lucario due to their Aura sense. As for Ash and his Lucario, they had some trouble navigating throughout the dark sometimes, but Riley would always be close enough to be barely visible.

A bunch of questions were inwardly nagging Ash, and the raven-haired trainer couldn't resist his urge to stay silent. Thus, he broke the quietness with his words. "So, Riley," Ash said, causing the man to momentarily pause for a second before continuing walking. "Why are you here on Iron Island?"

"I'll answer my question if you answer mine," Riley responded in a matter-of-fact tone. "Your Aura is strange. It isn't anything like the Aura I have ever seen in this world. Who are you, and why are you involved with Team Rainbow Rocket?"

Ash nervously laughed, trying to find the right words to explain his situation without sounding crazy. He couldn't find a good way of saying that he is from another world, so he decided to tell the truth. He started from the beginning and explained to Riley about his predicament. The Aura Guardian listened attentively to Ash's story, occasionally glancing at the raven-haired boy.

When Ash was done, he was worried about what would Riley think of him, but he was surprised when Riley mumbled, "Interesting. Under normal circumstances, I would doubt your words, but I can't deny that you Aura seems out of place in this world. There's also the fact that you have a Mega Stone. If Team Rainbow Rocket knew sooner, your face would be all over the place, or you would have already been captured long ago."

Hearing the last sentence made Ash gulp. Even Pikachu who was still hurt moaned at that thought. "Okay. Then, where are we going?" Ash inquired, asking another question of his.

"To a safehouse for you to hide," Riley abruptly replied. "There, you should be safe, and we can decide what to do with you."

"We!?" Ash exclaimed with confusion on his face. "Who's we?"

"Luca!" Riley's Lucario suddenly yelled, warning his trainer to be careful of what to say. Even though the boy fought against Team Rainbow Rocket and had an unusual Aura, the Pokémon still didn't trust Ash completely.

"Lucario!" Ash's Lucario retorted at the accusation.

Riley paused for a second before carefully responding, "The Resistance, of course," The Aura Guardian then stopped at a fork in the tunnel and closed his eyes, trying to find the right path to their transportation.

"Wait… the Resistance!" Ash said with shock as his eyes lit up. "Can they help me go back to my world!?"

"Pika!" Pikachu weakly noted, happy to hear good news for once.

"I don't know," Riley answered, opening his eyes and turning right. "The Resistance does have some strong members, but I'm not exactly sure if they are willing to help you."

"Why?" Ash sighed unhappily. He was hoping that the Resistance had a solution to his problems.

"Our goal is to defeat Team Rainbow Rocket," Riley curtly responded, trying to avoid the sharp rocks on the group as he walked. "Helping a mysterious boy from another world isn't a priority, but you are a very strong trainer. They might be inclined to try if you help them stop the evil team."

"Really! So, there is a chance!" Ash eagerly proclaimed before tripping. He nearly fell onto the ground, but his Lucario grabbed his backpack and stopped him. "Thanks, Lucario," Ash said with a small chuckle.

"Don't be too happy," Riley stated, noticing Ash's enthusiasm. "The Resistance isn't very unified. We are only going to meet a small part of it and let them determine what to do with you. If you're lucky, you might meet some high-ranking members or even the Council itself."

"Why isn't the Resistance united?" Ash inquired, causing the man to stop again.

"Mainly communication problems," Riley admitted, turning around to face Ash. With Aura, he was able to see the boy's curious facial expression. "It's hard to use devices like phones and computers without being caught, and transportation has to be off the grid to prevent Team Rainbow Rocket members from tracking us. Another issue is differences. Some people want to return to the world before the takeover. Others want something completely different sine they blame the old world as weak and incompetent. It's quite complicated, and I don't know all of the details."

"Oh," Ash faltered, feeling once again dejected by Riley's words. "Speaking of Team Rainbow Rocket, how did they seize control? Why are there people like me in the team?" He spoke the last question with anguish, remembering his encounter with the Red Manibuzz and how he felt baffled on why his friends would join such an organization. The thought of battling them to protect himself deeply disturbed him.

"They took over long ago. About twenty to twenty-five years ago, I think. I barely remember what our world was like before the attack," Riley revealed, shaking his head and attempting to recall what exactly happened. "I don't know much of the details, especially why they would recruit children, but I do know that Team Rainbow Rocket used to be multiple teams."

"You mean, Team Rocket and Team Galactic!" Ash blurted out, startling Pikachu for a second.

"Pika," Pikachu mumbled, trying to rest in his trainer's arms.

"That is what they used to be called, but there are others," Riley chimed in as he placed the palm of his right hand on his forehead. "If I remember correctly, Rainbow Rocket is made out of seven main teams: Team Rocket, Team Magma, Team Aqua, Team Galactic, Team Plasma, Team Flare, and the Aether Foundation."

"What!?" Ash loudly shrieked as heard the names of the evil teams he encountered before. This was a lot worse than he originally imagined. "This is terrible!" he continued to wail.

"That's not all," Riley gently added as he let out a breath of air. "There's also a de facto organization part of the team with some degree of influence. It was called… hmmm… let me think… Macro Cosmos. It's some sort of business led by a crazy chairman."

"Chairman Rose," Ash automatically responded, prompting a growl from Lucario. Both of them faced against the Chairman in a Double Battle and defeated him. They also worked together with Zacian and Zamazenta to stop the Darkest Day. If Macro Cosmos was a part of Team Rainbow Rocket, then Rose must have gotten what he wanted.

"That's right," Riley acknowledged with a nod. It was becoming easier for Ash to see Riley's figure, and dim light appeared at the end of the tunnel. "We're almost there. I'll take you to my boat, and then, we'll go to the safehouse." Soon, both trainers and their Pokémon found themselves in Riley's boat, and Ash watched Iron Island disappear as they traveled farther and farther away. It was a crazy couple of days, and Ash had a feeling that things were about to get worse for him.

"Pika," Pikachu began to groan as the Electric Mouse Pokémon started to shuffle erratically around on his trainer's lap. He really was in a lot of pain.

"Pikachu! Are you alright?" Ash asked with alarm in his voice, drawing Riley's attention.

"These wounds don't look good," Riley stated with a frown, approaching and examining Pikachu. "He needs treatment as soon as possible. Do you have any medicine?"

"No," Ash replied with worry. "I was hoping to bring him to a Pokémon Center, but…" His face had a distant look that revealed what he wanted to say.

"I understand," Riley responded, immediately turning his attention to the boat's controls. "I know a healer in the safehouse who can help Pikachu. I'll try going as fast as I can."

"Don't worry, buddy. You're going to be okay," Ash comforted, along with Lucario. He shouldn't have pushed his partner too hard, but the battles they fought weren't by choice. As Ash and Lucario huddled around Pikachu, he still didn't know that his Rotom Phone had fallen into the wrong hands.


Plasma Frigate

Above Nimbasa City, Unova

Team Rainbow Rocket World

A chopping noise slowly died down as a sleek black helicopter started to descend on the mysterious vessel in the sky. The Plasma Frigate was a sight to behold for the Red Manibuzz who were piled near the windows seeing the legendary ship the first time for themselves. Even Jessie, James, and Meowth who joined the elite unit was awed by the craft's exterior. While they have all heard rumors about the ship, none of the stories could have done justice to the boat itself. The vessel's main interior was made from brown, oak wood, light enough to keep the ship afloat above the clouds and unsuspecting to the common eye when it had to return to sea. Three large masts in the ship's center were seen fluttering in the wind with two swordfish-shaped masts at front and a fin-shaped sail at the back. A series of bright propellants encompassed the entire craft: two on each side, one behind, and three below, all levitating the sacred vessel above the earthen surface and cloaking it with a blue eerie light. In front of the ship was a long and thin blue rod that illuminated the vessel's front and gave it a menacing and dangerous presence. Many of Team Rainbow Rocket's experiments were stored on it, and not even Commander Mars knew all of its secrets.

Once the aircraft safely landed onto the frigate, a whooshing noise was heard as the doors opened and Mars stepped outside onto the ship. The rest of the Red Manibuzz hurriedly lined themselves up and scurried after her. Team Rainbow Rocket Trio too composed their postures before exiting the helicopter. The group was greeted by a short and stubby young man with orange glasses and mauve hair that appeared to resemble a shield from behind. Too many, he was unknown, but to Mars, he was an old friend.

"It's good to see you, Charon," Mars spoke with a small grin, extending her arm out to the scientist.

"Likewise," the man responded, clasping the girl's hand and shaking it, all with a smile on his face. It was good to see a familiar colleague from the past, and Charon felt comforted by standing near Mars, remembering how supportive she had been to him when he first joined Team Galactic. Those memories belonged to a bygone era. Now, the scientist was a member of Team Rainbow Rocket, the most powerful organization in the entire world.

"I apologize for the sudden arrival," Mars explained with mild urgency in her voice. "But it is extremely important."

"It would be if you are here," Charon spoke with a small chuckle, glancing behind the commander and seeing the others. "This is the company that you brought. I presume the children are the Red Manibuzz you lead, while the other three are the elites. I have heard news of your unfortunate failure at Iron Island. You have my condolences, but I am curious about what happened."

Before Mars could tell her tale, Charon raised an index finger, stopping her. "Let's go inside first. It must be cold outside," the scientist gently spoke, gesturing everyone to follow him. "First, I will bring you to the other scientists, and then, you can state your story. Meanwhile, your group is free to explore the ship. It would be good for them to see the role the Plasma Frigate plays in our organization. In fact, I even arranged a tour with them by Unit Porygon! As for the elites, they can do what they want as long as they don't interfere with our plans."

Once the group was inside the ship, Mars continued to follow Charon down a long hallway brightened by yellow ceiling lights. As the Red Manibuzz watched their commander walk away, they stayed put, waiting to meet Unit Porgyon, faintly hearing the footsteps Mars made before the commander vanished into another room. The elites were also standing nearby, unsure what to exactly do before the scientists dissect the Rotom Phone. Jessie was fiddling with her hair, Jessie was polishing the bottle caps he was carrying in his pocket with a handkerchief, and Meowth was sharpening his claws, wanting to be ready for the next time he fought the Pikachu. They were all waiting for the main door in front of them to open. There wasn't much in the waiting room except for a couple of chairs and tables scattered throughout the small room.

The door suddenly slid open, and the group expected Unit Porygon to step out, but they were disappointed when a girl with gold hair in the shape of a large V and a boy with smooth green hair walked out. Like most Team Rainbow Rocket members, they were wearing black shirts with a rainbow-colored R drawn in the center. At least, the Red Manibuzz were. The Team Rainbow Rocket Trio, on the other hand, was shocked to see the two.

"Well, well, well," the girl spoke with a wide smirk, stopping her movements when she noticed the magenta-haired agent leaning on a wall. "What brings losers like you, Jessie, to the Plasma Frigate? Don't you know that only the best of the best can be here?" She teased the last part by wagging her finger.

"Cassiday!" Jessie uttered through clenched teeth, glaring at her rival in front of her. "I should be the one asking questions! Why are you two here!?"

"Ha! I'm not surprised that you don't know!" the boy piqued, shifting everyone's attention to him. "The Plasma Frigate is where we get our assignments from! Dr. Samba is one of the leading scientists on the frigate!"

Feedback could suddenly be heard from a loudspeaker on one of the walls, and everyone had to cover their ears from it. "It's Dr. Namba!" a scrawly voice angrily yelled before the loudspeaker disconnected, leaving the Red Manibuzz both confused and surprised.

"Good to know that he still has good ears," James sarcastically remarked, grabbing the bottle cap he dropped and putting it into his pocket for later.

"I would love to stay and chat," Cassiday teased as she waved her hand and walked toward the exit. "But Biff and I have an important mission to do, unlike some people!" Jessie's face turned bright red at that comment, and she was practically ready to explode.

"Butch! It's Butch!" Butch shouted with exasperation, correcting his companion for the hundredth time, before stepping out of the door and heading outside towards a nearby helicopter.

"I have enough of them!" Jessie snarled, pressing her face against the one of the windows and watching the helicopter with Butch and Cassiday leave. "That girl thinks she's better than me! Next time we meet, I'll show her!" With that said, Jessie angrily stormed off, trudging toward a random hallway, forcing James and Meowth to chase after the angry woman. They knew that Jessie was a great friend and a strong trainer, but moments like this sometimes made them regret being on the same team as her.

"She sure has a bad temper," Hau noted, listening to how loud Jessie footsteps were even though he could no longer see the women. Gary was about to make a snide remark about Georgia's temper, but the door slid open once more, and the Red Manibuzz turned their heads to see a group of children stepping out.


Viridian Forest

Viridian City, Kanto

Regular World

"Spearow!" Spearow cried out, causing Dawn to stop for a second and look towards the direction the Tiny Bird Pokémon was motioning towards.

"What is it, Spearow? Did you find something?" Dawn asked, and a nod from the Pokémon confirmed her suspicions that they must be close to a flock.

"Piplup!" Piplup exclaimed from his trainer's arms, trying to find the flock with his own eyes.

All of a sudden, a huge gust of wind blew over the forest, and Dawn had to clutch her hat with one hand and Piplup with the other. "What was that?" Dawn said, straining to see the source of the unexpected gust of wind. She was surprised to see that the source was coming from many Spearow who were flying upwards, but what made the scene even more striking was a Fearow leading the Spearow.

"Woah! That Fearow is huge!" Dawn spoke with awe, trying to get a good view of the massive Pokémon. "It must be the leader of the whole flock!" Even Piplup was impressed by the strength and power of the Bird Pokémon.

"Fearow!" Fearow roared, commanding all the Spearow. The flock acted as one and continued to soar in a straight line.

"Spearow!" Goh's Spearow proclaimed, flapping his wings and flying into the air to join the flock himself.

Taking this as a cue, Dawn tightly wrapped her arms around Piplup and ran after the Fearow as fast as she could. She was curious about the Pokémon and wondered where the Spearow were going.


"Still no luck?" Goh inquired to his Pidgey who was circling above in the air. The look of disappointment on Pidgey's face told Goh what he needed to know.

"Grookey," Grookey sadly moaned as he slouched on his trainer's shoulder. He thought finding a bunch of Pidgey would be an easy task, but the forest was much larger than he imagined.

"Don't worry, Grookey," Goh reassured his discouraged Pokémon by petting him. "I'm sure Pidgey will find the flock soon." A large shadow swiftly appeared for a second, blocking the sunlight and catching the trainer's attention. The black-haired boy immediately looked up and saw a massive bird Pokémon soaring through the air. "That's a Pidgeot!" Goh eagerly exclaimed, recognizing the Pokémon. He started to sprint in order to follow it and awkwardly grabbed his Rotom Phone out of his pocket to scan the Bird Pokémon.

"Pidgeot, the Bird Pokémon. A Normal and Flying type. This Pokémon flies at Mach 2 speed, seeking prey. Its large talons are feared as wicked weapons," Goh's Rotom Phone announced.

"Alright!" Goh yelled as he put his Rotom Phone away. "I'm going to catch you! Pokéball, go!" He threw a regular Pokéball toward the lofty Pidgeot, but the Bird Pokémon saw the ball from the corner of his eye and dodged out of the way, making the ball hit into a nearby tree.

"Pidgeot!" Pidgeot howled as he flapped his wings, sending a powerful Gust attack toward Goh and his Pokémon.

"Grookey!" Grookey muttered, struggling to hold onto his trainer's shoulder and closing his eyes from the wind.

"That's strong!" Goh admitted, but he couldn't do anything but hang onto a neighboring tree while Pidgeot flew away. Once the wind died down, Goh continued to run toward the direction the Pokémon flew away towards. He was determined to catch a Pidgeot. He already had a Pidgey and Pidgeotto, so a Pidgeot would complete the evolution chain for his Pokédex.


"They're getting faster!" Dawn remarked as she continued to dart cautiously through the rough forest terrain while watching the Spearow in the air. It was hard to catch up with the flying Pokémon, especially with the Fearow at the lead. The thick leaves from the tree also made it more difficult for Dawn to spot the Beak Pokémon, but she wasn't giving up on her chase that easily.

"Piplup!" Piplup spoke, encouraging his trainer and helping her by pointing where the Spearow were going with his fins.

The pursuit continued for a couple of minutes before the flock finally stopped at a clearing in the woods. Dawn was panting and nearly drenched with sweat from the run. "I… won… der… what… they're up to," she spoke to Piplup as she took deep breathes to slow down her heart rate. She peeked through the bushes to get a view and was appalled to see Fearow and a couple of Spearow attacking some Pidgey for virtually no reason!

"Fear!" Fearow shrieked as the Beak Pokémon charged toward three Pidgey with an Aerial Ace, slamming the Tiny Bird Pokémon as they collapsed onto the ground.

"Pid!" the Pidgey collectively groaned, trying to get up. However, the nearby Spearow shot out attacks of their own and proceeded to harass the injured Pidgey who were forced to endure even more pain.

"What are they doing!?" Dawn squealed with a gasp, covering her mouth with one hand. She was horrified at the Fearow's barbaric behavior and the fact that wild Pokémon could be so cruel to each other.

"Piplup! Piplup!" Piplup furiously barked, enraged to see the large Fearow bully the group of small Pidgey. It made his blood boil to see the Pidgey suffer.

"You're right Piplup! We have to help!" Dawn announced firmly, standing up and preparing to intervene, but a voice from behind stopped her and made her turn around.

"Dawn!" Goh exclaimed, running up to the girl with Grookey on his shoulder. "Did you see a Pidgeot anywhere!?"

"Uh… No," Dawn responded, perplexed by Goh's question and how he and Grookey started to look everywhere around them. "Why do you ask?"

"It should be around here somewhere," Goh remarked, ignoring Dawn's question and intently searching for the Pidgeot. Grookey was also helping as the Chimp Pokémon jumped off his trainer's shoulder and unsuccessfully looked for the Bird Pokémon from the ground.

"Fearow! Fear!" Fearow roared vociferously, interrupting Goh's hunt and reminding Dawn of the ongoing fight. The girl quickly faced back towards the clearing to determine the source of the unexpected noise.

"What's going on?" the boy questioned, giving up on his search and approaching the bushes and directing his eyes toward the clearing. There, he saw the Pidgeot that he was looking for, and the Pokémon was battling a Fearow.

"That Fearow's huge!" Goh commented, grabbing his Rotom Phone to scan the Beak Pokémon. He remembered seeing multiple Fearow when he rode Lugia with Ash, but this one was unusually large and powerful.

"Fearow, the Beak Pokémon," Goh's Rotom Phone rang out. "A Normal and Flying type. It has the stamina to fly all day on its broad wings. It fights by using its sharp beak."

"Pidgeot is protecting the Pidgey," Dawn said as she carefully watched the ensuing battle between Pidgeot and Fearow. The two birds were circling one another, preparing to exchange more blows. Sensing the disadvantage, Fearow let out another cry, and the Spearow started to attack Pidgeot as well. The Pidgey who were nearby tried to help, but they were already injured from before.

"Interesting. They must be rivals," Goh noted, pressing the record button on his phone. He was documenting this fight, so he could show it later to the professor back at the laboratory. While the black-haired boy wanted to remain a passive observer, Dawn couldn't just stand by and watch Pidgeot take on that many Pokémon at once. It was an unfair battle, and it was clear that the Spearow and Fearow were bullying the Pidgey and Pidgeot.

"We need to help Pidgeot!" she determinedly declared, raising her right hand and forming a fist with it. One glance at Piplup told her that the Penguin Pokémon agreed with her, so the two started to rush into the clearing to help Pidgeot, but a hand pulled the duo back, causing Dawn to stumble backwards.

"Piplup!" Piplup complained who was still wrapped in Dawn's arms.

"We can't intervene!" Goh criticized after he stopped Dawn and Piplup from joining the fray. "This is a part of the natural order! We came here to investigate the two flocks, and we'll ruin our data if we stop this!"

"Forget about the investigation!" Dawn retorted back, running into the clearing. "Pidgeot needs our help, and I'm not going to stand by and do nothing."

"She's just like Ash," Goh muttered with resignation, shaking his head and recalling the moment where Ash wanted to help Ivysaur. Dawn really was like Ash, and Goh could see how Ash influenced the blue-haired girl greatly.

"Grookey?" Grookey inquired with curiosity on his face, unsure of what they should do. Goh just sighed for a second before putting his phone away and picking up the Chimp Pokémon.

"Forget about it. Come on!" Goh said with a small grin, pointing toward the clearing. "I guess we'll help out too."

"Grookey!" Grookey happily exclaimed as Goh placed him on his shoulder. He was glad that they were going to help their friends Dawn and Piplup.


Plasma Frigate

Above Nimbasa City, Unova

Team Rainbow Rocket World

"Sorry that we were late!" a thin young boy nervously chuckled as he scratched his orange hair. "Anyway, we're here and ready to show you the Plasma Frigate!"

"Trevor," Trip acknowledged by dipping his head slightly downward. Even though he wasn't a big fan of most people, he found Trevor to be mostly tolerable due to their shared passion of photography. Both would take pictures of important moments during their missions, and they would share them with each other when they met.

Standing near Trevor were four other boys who were also a part of Unit Porygon, and they nervously shifted amongst themselves as gazes from the Red Manibuzz were on them. Most of them were comfortable working with each other but were rather shy with other people, especially the newest member Clemont who never met the other children before.

Chloe's eyes lit up when she saw her childhood friend again in the group, recalling the fun memories that had when they participated in a Rainbow Rocket Training Camp long ago. Almost all of the special units in the organization had met each other in the past, but communication between them was usually very scarce, unless it was for missions that required multiple units to collaborate together. This was one of the rare opportunities where she could talk with Goh without being pressured from an ongoing mission.

"It's nice to see you, Goh!" she fervently said, careful not to sound too eager as she approached her old friend, but it was no secret to the children that the duo was very close.

The boy chuckled in response, focusing on his childhood friend. He didn't like to socialize with other people very much and tended to find himself in awkward situations with them, but Chloe was an exception since they were friends from the very start. "It's good to see you too, Chloe," he replied with a wide grin. The two started to converse immediately, ignoring the rest of the Red Manibuzz.

Gary rolled his eyes at the duo and cleared his throat. "Anyway," he casually said, stepping forward and scanning Unit Porgyon. "Aren't you going to introduce us to the newbie here?"

"M…M…Me?" Clemont stuttered as all eyes were on him. He didn't like to be at the center of attention, and he wasn't sure how to properly interact with other Team Rainbow Rocket members. Thankfully, Tracey, the oldest of the unit, stepped in, sensing the blond-haired inventor's discomfort.

"This is Clemont, everyone. He's the newest member in the team, and he's an excellent inventor that creates many handy gadgets," Tracey brightly introduced the boy with a smile as Clemont sheepishly raised his hand and quickly waved it. Tracey was always kind to the members in the unit, and he acted like a big brother to them.

"Oh," Georgia remarked with a bored tone, glancing at her fingers in an uninterested manner. She skimmed through the members of the unit once more, and her eyes suddenly stopped when she realized someone was missing. There was supposed to be a young and annoying kid who would always follow them around. "So, where is the little squirt?" she asked, remembering about the irritating boy in glasses who thought that he was smarter than most people. Despite her question, she was secretly glad that the little prick was not nearby.

"You mean, Max?" Sophocles responded nonchalantly. "He and Bonnie are currently learning from two Galar researchers." Even though the orange-haired boy was sometimes teased by other Rainbow Rocket members for being short and fat, very few doubted his technical abilities, especially the robotic devices he would create for the organization.

"Bonnie? That's a new name! Who is she?" Hau said with enthusiasm, curious to hear that there was a girl presumably around Max's age on board.

"She's Clemont's younger sister," Trevor answered, drawing attention to the inventor boy once more. "Since she wanted to be near her brother, and we believed it would be good for Max to interact with a person around his age, she was assigned on the Plasma Frigate with us."

"Really? That's so sweet! They can see each other all the time," Chloe interjected, rejoining the general discussion between the two special units. She contemplated for a moment before continue saying, "I feel bad for Max though. I don't his sister visits him very often."

"Bad? He should be lucky!" Gary put forth, raising both of his hands in the air. Before the incident with Ash, Gary was notorious for a lot of things, including his attempts to flirt with girls in Team Rainbow Rocket. One incident that ended very badly for him was when he flirted with May, one of the members of the infamous Silent Shedinja. Needless to say, Gary was still traumatized by what May threatened to do to him if he tried to flirt with her again.

"Alright," Tracey announced, clapping his hands to snap Gary out of his dark thoughts and to bring everyone back to the main subject. "Now, let us begin the Plasma Frigate tour! I'll start by showing everyone our custom lab!"


Viridian Forest

Viridian City, Kanto

Regular World

"Stop it!" Dawn yelled, dashing into the clearing and surprising the Pokémon who were fighting. The interruption caused them to stop for a second as both sides glanced at their intruders.

"Pidgeot?" Pidgeot panted who was thankful for the break and could use the time to recover. Meanwhile, Fearow was not amused by the blue-haired girl's interference and angrily roared toward her, warning her to stay out of their battle.

"Piplup!" Piplup retorted back at Fearow, criticizing the Beak Pokémon and telling him not to bully others. This only made Fearow more enraged as he began to direct his attention toward Dawn and the Penguin Pokémon.

"Fear!" Fearow ordered, commanding the Spearows to deal with the girl, but Dawn was ready for this and quickly made her own move.

"Piplup!" she shouted, pointing toward the hovering Spearows in the air. "Use Whirlpool!"

"Pip! Lup!" Piplup exclaimed, jumping into the air and summoning a massive vortex of water. The vortex soon came crashing down on the Spearows, knocking them out of the battle.

"Spear," the various Spearows muttered with swirls in their eyes.

"Fear!" Fearow screamed as the Beak Pokémon's beak glowed and charged toward Piplup. The attack made its mark, and Piplup began falling towards the earth.

"That's Drill Peck!" Goh commented as he joined the scene and saw Piplup tumble onto the ground from the attack.

"Fearow!" Fearow proclaimed toward the fallen Piplup before turning his attention back to Pidgeot. His wings started to glow blue as he struck towards the Bird Pokémon, causing both of them to collide.

"Pidgeot!" Pidgeot groaned from the attack. Despite the damage he had received, he was still able to fight and prepared to counterattack with a Quick Attack.

"Piplup! Are you alright?" Dawn asked, watching her Pokémon get up. Piplup shook of the dust on his face as he stood firm.

"Piplup!" Piplup reassured with a serious expression, gazing at the Fearow and Pidgeot in the sky.

"They're so fast!" Goh added as the two bird Pokémon fought and crashed into each other. Their movements were a blur, and it was hard to see which Pokémon was which as the battle between the two intensified.

"Grookey…" Grookey moaned after staring at the fight for a while. His eyes were in swirls, and he almost fell down from his trainer's shoulders.

"Ah!" Dawn cried out in frustration as she squinted her eyes, failing to see an opportunity to strike with Piplup's Bubble Beam. "It's no good! We can't help if we accidentally hit Pidgeot! What should we do?"

"Hey! Don't give up!" Goh encouraged as a plan formulated in his mind. "Besides, I have an idea! We can end this rivalry once and for all if I catch Fearow!"

"Catch it?" Dawn inquired, looking back at the Fearow and Pidgeot who were still clashing. Goh did have a point. If the boy would catch the Beak Pokémon, then the Pidgey wouldn't have to worry about being tormented by Fearow or the Spearow ever again. "Okay," she said after considering the notion. "But how? You can't exactly throw a Pokéball right now, and Piplup can't hit Fearow without attacking Pidgeot!"

"Just leave that to us!" Goh pronounced, summoning one of his Pokémon by tossing a Pokéball into the air. "Inteleon, time to show them our strength!"

"Intel!" Inteleon slyly remarked as he appeared onto the ground.

"Piplup!" Piplup spoke with awe. His eyes were sparkling as he admired the Secret Agent Pokémon's handsomeness. A small but awkward smile formed on Inteleon upon noticing Piplup's newfound respect for him.

"Inteleon. What kind of Pokémon is that exactly?" Dawn mumbled as she grabbed her own Rotom Phone. Even though she saw Goh use Inteleon before when battling Alternate World Team Rocket, she still didn't know much about the Pokémon. The professor told her that the phone could act like a Pokédex, so she decided to test the feature out with Inteleon.

"Inteleon, the Secret Agent Pokémon. A Water type. Inteleon has many capabilities hidden all over its body. It can shoot water from its fingers and glide using a membrane on its back," Dawn's pink Rotom Phone chimed.

"Inteleon! I want you to aim at Fearow and use Snipe Shot!" Goh ordered, making a gun posture with his left hand.

"Intel," Inteleon responded, understanding his trainer's command. His eyes became smaller as he focused on the fighting Pidgeot and Fearow. He extended his right arm, waiting for the right moment to strike. Time seemed to slow down for him as he carefully concentrated on the Bird and Beak Pokémon.

"You can do it, Inteleon!" Dawn cheered, raising her arms in the air to support her support for the Secret Agent Pokémon.

"Pip!" Piplup remarked, encouraging his new idol as well. He was confident that Inteleon would succeed.

"In! Tel!" Inteleon exclaimed as the water formed from his fingertips shot out at lightning speed. Fearow didn't have time to dodge the devasting and accurate move as the water blasted into one of his winds, causing him to lose his balance and drop toward the ground.

"Pid!" Pidgeot remarked, shocked by the precision of the attack from the blue lizard-like Pokémon.

"Now's our chance!" Dawn yelled, pointing at the disorientated Fearow. "Piplup, use Bubble Beam!"

"Piplup! Lup!" Piplup exclaimed as he shot out a stream of bubbles, which successfully slammed into the damaged Beak Pokémon.

"Alright! My turn! Pokéball, go!" Goh shouted, throwing an empty Pokéball that collided with the Pokémon. Fearow was sucked into the ball, and the Pokéball fell onto the ground, shaking. Everyone, including Pidgeot in the air, watched as the ball continued to tensely wobble, until it stopped for a moment.

"We did—!" Goh started to celebrate, but the Pokémon broke free, and Fearow was furious by the capture attempt.

"Fearow!" the Beak Pokémon growled once more, observing the pesky humans below him. At first, he had the advantage, but the trainers interfering ruined his chance of eliminating the annoying Pidgeot permanently. However, the Spearow were starting to stir, so the battle wasn't over yet.

"Pidgeot!" Pidgeot shot back, warning Fearow to stand down and to leave with his flock. However, anger had already clouded Fearow's logic, and the Pokémon refused to back down, instead commanding the Spearows to eliminate the Piplup and delivering an Aerial Ace attack straight toward Inteleon.

"Inteleon!" Inteleon groaned from the impact as he lied on the floor. Both trainers were shocked by the quickness of the attack. Being outraged made Fearow stronger and more dangerous.

"Inteleon, are you okay?" Goh asked as his Pokémon slowly got up. Bruises could be seen on Inteleon, but a wink from the Pokémon signified that he was fine for now.

"Piplup! It's time for us to fight back!" Dawn ordered, noticing the Spearows who had mostly recovered from their wounds. "Use Whirlpool once more! This time, send it straight towards Fearow!"

"Pip! Lup!" Piplup exclaimed, using all of his might to summon a massive swirling whirlpool. He rotated the whirlpool multiple times, trapping the Spearows who flew too close to it, and directed it toward Fearow, slapping the Pokemon with a barrage of water and Spearows.

"Fear!" Fearow proclaimed after the attack was over. Even though the Spearow were knocked out again, he successfully endured the attack. He gathered all of his remaining energy and dived toward Piplup, spreading his wings for a powerful Wing Attack. Piplup stayed put, waiting for the perfect opportunity to dodge the attack and then quickly strike Fearow, but that wasn't necessary when Fearow was intercepted by Pidgeot's Double-Edge.

"Pid!" Pidgeot cried out as he slammed into Fearow's side, inflicting massive damage of both Pokémon.

"Let's end this, Inteleon!" Goh announced as Fearow crashed into a neighboring tree and moaned. This was their chance to end the battle and catch Fearow. Pointing toward Fearow, he shouted "Liquation!"

"Intel!" Inteleon yelled as water formed on his hands and feet. He rushed toward the Beak Pokémon, striking him multiple times before Fearow got a chance to recover.

"Fear. Fear," Fearow said, tumbling onto the ground. He was too injured and exhausted to get up, and Goh knew that now was the moment.

"I'll use a curveball," he spoke, tossing the ball at an angle before it slammed into Fearow's head. The ball quivered once again on the ground for a couple of seconds, but it stopped when a ding confirmed the capture.

"Fearow has been registered to your Pokedex!" Goh's phone added as smiles formed on the trainer's and their Pokemon's faces. They had done it. Dawn and Goh had captured Fearow, and the Pidgey flock was safe at last. Seeing that their leader was no more, the rest of the Spearow got up and swiftly left, fearing revenge from Pidgeot. The Pidgey were busy cheering for their victory; however, the Bird Pokémon was deep in thought. He was here to protect the Pidgey flock. Now that Fearow was gone, he could finally return to his trainer. But he didn't know where Ash currently is, and he was interested in the blue-haired girl, watching her and the boy celebrate his successful catch of Fearow.

"Pidgey?" one of the Pidgey inquired, flying close to the leader after seeing the stern expression on Pidgeot's face.

"Pidgeot," Pidgeot answered, confirming Pdigey's thoughts. It was time for Pidgeot to leave and to return to his trainer. Hearing this, all the Pidgeys assembled around their fearless leader, taking one last look at Pidgeot and leaving as they thanked Pidgeot for protecting them over the years.

"What are they doing?" Dawn asked, disrupting Goh as he was scrolling through his Pokédex. She was the first to notice the unusual phenomenon, and the duo and their Pokémon slowly watched all of the Pidgey leave, until Pidgeot was the only one remaining.

"Pidgeot," Pidgeot intently stated, gazing at the two trainers below him and hoping they would understand what he wanted.

"I understand!" Goh proclaimed excitedly, instantly grabbing a Pokéball and holding it out. "Pidgeot wants to go with me! Awesome! I can finally complete the Pidgey evolution chain!"

"Grookey! Grookey!" Grookey praised, happily lifting his stick into the air, but Pidgeot simply ignored Goh and his Pokémon and flew over near Dawn, wiping the smile off Goh's face and replacing it with despair.

"I see," Dawn noted, carefully looking at Pidgeot's eyes and viewing her and Piplup's reflection in them. "You want to come with me."

"Pid," Pidgeot agreed, taking interest in the blue-haired girl. She reminded him of his trainer, and he hoped to be able to find him through her.

"Ugh! Why do Pokémon choose other people over me?" Goh complained while sadly looking down at the ground. "You're just like Ash. All the cool Pokémon want to go with him!"

"Intel," Inteleon remarked, making a mental note that Goh didn't think he was cool. Piplup seemed to understand what Inteleon was thinking and made a face at the poor boy. Grookey was the only one who attempted to sooth his trainer by patting Goh's shoulder over and over again with his stick.

"Pid! Pidgeot!" Pidgeot excitedly shrieked and furiously flapped his wings upon hearing his trainer's name.

"Wait!" Dawn spoke as she analyzed the sudden reaction from Pidgeot. "Do you know Ash as well?"

"Pidgeot! Pidgeot!" Pidgeot answered, which surprised both Dawn and Goh.

"You must be one of Ash's Pokémon then," Goh inferred from Pidgeot's response, but he was still confused why Pidgeot was here and not in Pallet Town with the rest of Ash's Pokémon. "Aren't you supposed to be with Ash's other Pokémon in Professor Oak's Laboratory?" he further questioned while looking at the Bird Pokémon.

"Why don't we ask Professor Oak himself!?" Dawn suggested, noticing that the sun was starting to set. "Isn't Pallet Town very close here? We can make it there before nightfall and find someplace to stay. I also always wanted to see where Ash grew up!"

"That sounds like a good idea," Goh replied after recalling Inteleon back to his Pokéball. "I guess we'll go to Pallet Town and ask Professor Oak about Pidgeot."

"We might as well hear a poem from him too!" Dawn added, causing Goh to sigh and cover his face with his left hand.

"Piplup!" Piplup concurred with a nod, wondering what sort of poem the professor would say.


Plasma Frigate

Above Nimbasa City, Unova

Team Rainbow Rocket World

"And this is where we eat!" Sophocles cheerily announced, pushing open the set of double doors and revealing the ship's own cafeteria room. Tables and chairs were scattered throughout the spacious room, and there were many scientists here, discussing about the latest advancements and how to utilize their research to support the team. There was even a group of people hunched over a map, planning their next potential operation.

"This is Sophocles's favorite room," Trevor remarked while rolling his eyes, but Sophocles was already at the other side of the room, ordering a snack from one of the cooks.

"What would you like to eat today, Sophocles?" a green-haired girl questioned, disinterestedly tapping her fingers on her counter. As she listened to Sophocles's long description of what kind of ice cream he wanted, she would occasionally nod to show that she was listening to the absurdity of the boy's request for his dessert.

"…on the very top should be a cherry! Not just any cherry! A large and juicy cherry!" Sophocles ranted, using his hands to show how big the cheery should exactly be. The others only managed to catch a snippet of the boy's demand, but it was more than enough to reveal Sophocles's love for eating, especially when it comes to ice cream.

"Really, Sophocles?" Tracey inquired as he shook his head. "Mallow's a good cook. In fact, one of the best ones I ever met, but I'm not sure she can fulfill your wish."

"I could if I have the proper ingredients," Mallow responded, rummaging through her supplies and attempting to create a similar ice cream to what Sophocles wanted. "But we haven't had one in weeks. When's the next supply run again?" She directed the question to Unit Porygon who were awkwardly staring at the ice cream Mallow was making as the ice cream slowly increased in size.

"I think there's one this Friday," Clemont responded, one of the rare moments where the boy would talk to other people. "Apparently, we're going to Castelia City to restock since the city is close to the site for one of Colress's own operation."

"Colress," Georgia repeated with her arms folded when she heard the name. "Isn't he the leader of the Plasma Frigate?"

"In a way, yes, but some of the other scientists like Xerosic and Charon don't like that fact," Goh replied to the question, while Mallow made the finishing touches to Sophocles's ice cream. Even though the food didn't match all of Sophocles's descriptions, the boy didn't mind at all as he took a massive bite and ate the dessert.

"Thanks, Mallow! It may not be everything I described, but you're the best!" the short boy complimented, continuing to lick and devour the tasty treat. Mallow was about to respond to the praise, but words from the loudspeaker stopped her and captured everyone's attention in the cafeteria:

"Red Manibuzz and Unit Porygon, please respond to the main laboratory immediately."

"Finally!" Gary exclaimed as he started to move towards the doors. "I was getting bored!"

"Let's hope it's good news," Trip stated, indignantly marching toward the exit as well. Ever since his battle with Ash, he couldn't stop thinking about the raven-haired trainer and his Pokémon. He wondered how the Resistance managed to conceal such a young and powerful child and why Ash chose to foolishly expose himself to the team.

"I wonder what Colress wants us to do," Clemont pondered to himself as he and his new companions departed the cafeteria and headed to the laboratory. He too was curious about the Ash that the Red Manibuzz kept mentioning and speculated if he could learn from this Ash to discover ways to protect himself and Bonnie from the dark clutches of Team Rainbow Rocket.


Old Chateau

Eterna Forest, Sinnoh

Team Rainbow Rocket World

"Hang in there, buddy!" Ash reassured, cradling Pikachu with one of his arms while the other arm held onto the cloak that concealed most of his figure. "Riley says that we're almost there!"

The two trainers were currently in Eterna Forest. Riley had disembarked the boat at the edge of the forest, and both were running through it, hoping to reach the Resistance safehouse as fast as possible. The Aura Guardian and his Lucario guided the way, while Ash and his Lucario trailed behind them. Riley had given Ash a long and dark cloak and instructed him to use it to cover most of his body, especially his face, since Team Rainbow Rocket was out to get him. Even though it was highly unlikely for an agent to be amongst the woods, it was better to be safe than sorry. After running for what seemed like forever to Ash, the two were now within Eterna Forest, and Ash could see a large and abandoned mansion up ahead.

"Are you sure this is it?" Ash questioned, observing the rundown and broken building. It didn't seem like a safehouse or a place to live in.

"Yes," Riley replied, cautiously looking around, before stepping toward the manor's entrance. "It may appear to be uninviting, but it is practical. Almost no one dares to enter our safehouse, and the rumors about ghosts usually keep them at bay."

"G-g-ghosts!" Ash gawked, recollecting all of the moments where he and his friends visited spooky houses in the past. "There aren't actually any ghosts, right?"

Riley's response was a mysterious smile, which only made Ash more unnerved, but the raven-haired trainer was still focused on his Pikachu and knew that treatment lied inside the mansion. So, he bravely followed Riley as the two of them and their Lucarios strolled into the building.

"Luca," Ash's Lucario mumbled when he saw how dark and worn down the place was, but the sorry state of the manor didn't slow Riley and Lucario down as they weaved through hallways and entered doors. Eventually, the group paused before a final door, deep inside the chateau.

"This is it," Riley announced to Ash before knocking the door exactly four times and waited for an answer. The sound of rustling feet could be heard from the other side, and words from a girl interrupted the still silence that was present in the entire mansion.

"Where was Sinnoh born long ago in the past before it became the ruins we knew today?" the unknown person probed from the other side.

"The Spear Pillar," Ash thought since he learned about the story behind the ruins and even got to see them with his own eyes when he, Dawn, and Brock had to confront Team Galactic on top of Mount Coronet.

However, Ash was perplexed that his answer was wrong when Riley said, "The Temple of Sinnoh." The door unlocked, and it was slowly pulled open, revealing a girl dressed completely in black and white.

"Correct," she responded towards the Aura Guardian before turning her attention toward Ash and his Pokémon. "Who do we have here? And my, a hurt Pokémon!" She added the last statement upon noticing Pikachu laying in Ash's arms, but the trainer was shocked when he saw the girl, realizing that she looked familiar.

"You're Mai!" he interjected, trying to recall the girl's name, but the deadpan expression on her face meant that he remembered it wrong or that there was nothing wrong. It was hard to tell what she was thinking since Ash's memories informed him that the girl usually displayed indifference on her face and would rarely smile.

"No. My name is Marley, but you seem to know me," she flatly clarified, gesturing Riley and Ash and their Pokémon to come in. "I'm curious about our guest, Riley, but I'll lead the boy to Cheryl right now. That Pikachu needs help at once, and she's the only one who can heal him."


Plasma Frigate

Above Nimbasa City, Unova

Team Rainbow Rocket World

"Thank you all for coming everyone," a man dressed in white prattled, bowing to all the people in the room. The laboratory was filled with an assortment of people. Other than the Red Manibuzz and Unit Porygon, Commander Mars, Colress, and Charon were in the room too. The Team Rainbow Rocket Trio was present as well, standing near the edge and impatiently waiting to hear any news about Ash.

"Talk to us, scientist," Jessie rudely piped as she twirled her hair. "Where's the information about Ash? We were instructed to hunt him down."

"Patience, young lady," Colress smoothly responded with a smile. "We haven't gotten it yet. Commander Mars was merely informing us of the unfortunate incident with the trainer Ash and supplying us all the necessary details."

"What!?" Jessie fumed, wanting to tear the snarky smile off Colress's face, but she was restrained by both James and Meowth. "All that time, you and the commander were just talking about what happened! How are you all so slow!? We have a mission to do!"

"Let the man finish first!" James consoled, straining to contain Jessie's fury. "I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason that he called us in now!"

"Yeah! Cool down, Jessie!" Meowth implored, pulling Jessie back as well. "We don't want to be kicked out for being rude!"

"Indeed, there is a reason," Charon added to the conversation with a small chuckle. "This dilemma about the Rotom Phone is the perfect opportunity for Unit Porygon to showcase their skills!" Before the Red Manibuzz could ask about what the problem is, two young children stumbled into the room before they composed themselves in front of the adolescents and adults.

"Sorry that we're late!" Max apologized, bending down toward the floor. "We were held back by the two Galar researchers! There was some sort of accident in the classroom, and we had to help them clean up."

"We're sorry!" Bonnie elucidated, bowing as well to show her atonement.

"Glad that you could both join us," Colress commented, dismissing their tardiness for the time being. "Now, I want you two to watch and see what Unit Porygon is capable of! First of all, can anyone tell us why extracting the data from a Rotom Phone is tricky business? Anyone?"

"I can," Goh answered, raising his left hand. "A Rotom Phone is different than a normal phone because there is a Rotom in it. While the Rotom cannot move the phone physically like a Rotom Dex, it attempts to prevent others from accessing the information stored in the phone."

"Correct!" Charon bellowed, cutting Colress off from speaking. "In order to hack into the phone, we need to remove the Rotom. Does anyone have any ideas to accomplish this task?"

Silence was the answer from Unit Porygon, and Colress scanned through the members, seeking a potential candidate. His eyes eventually stopped at the inventor boy who was sweating profoundly and hoping that nobody paid attention to him, but luck was not on his side today. "Clemont, my boy," Colress professed as he stepped toward Clemont. "You have a knack for making inventions. Surely, you must have one that can draw out Rotom from the phone.

"Uh…I….I do… sir," Clemont timidly stuttered, walking toward the phone on the table. He took a deep breath before using his Aipom Arm to grab one of his inventions out of his backpack. "I call this one, the Electric Simulator and Sucker," he announced feeling more confident when he saw the amazed faces on some of the Red Manibuzz members.

"Woah! That's so cool!" Max and Hau both exclaimed at the same time, admiring the Aipom Arm and how it placed Clemont's invention onto the table.

"Here we go again," Bonnie muttered after hearing the invention's name, but no one seemed to care except her.

"This machine sends out a powerful electrical pulse that can instantly force a Rotom to leave the device it is inhabiting," Clemont explained as his glasses flashed in front of everyone. "Once Rotom exits the phone, the vacuum nuzzle on top of the invention checks for Rotom's special electrical field and sucks it into an electric-proof jar." He tapped the transparent jar to prove his point and then proceeded to turn on the machine.

"I must say. This is quite interesting," Mars admitted who was intensely watching Clemont's device as it delivered an electrical shock to the phone, causing the Rotom Phone to shake violently. The phone shook faster and faster, until a Rotom shot out of the phone. The Plasma Pokémon immediately zoomed around the whole laboratory rapidly, knocking items off the shelves and crashing into furniture. Despite Clemont's assurances, the nuzzle did not activate, and his invention did not capture the Pokémon.

"Agh! Stop that thing!" Gary protested as he ducked under the table to avoid being hit by Rotom. Trip wasn't as lucky when Rotom slammed into his face, making the blonde-haired boy fall onto the ground before the Rotom continued its erratic movement.

"No! Not the hair!" Jessie wined as she instantly dropped to the ground and tried to cover up her magenta and massive hair with her hands. She didn't want that filthy Pokémon ruin her gorgeous hair.

"That's strange. It looks like the sucker part of the invention isn't working properly," Clemont remarked calmly, who was the only one in the room standing up straight. He didn't seem to be disturbed by the turmoil caused by Rotom and was still studying his machine, trying to find out what went wrong with it.

"Do something, big brother!" Bonnie pleaded as she crawled on the ground toward Clemont. "Make it stop!"

"I'm trying!" Clemont retorted, placing his backpack on the table and pulling out a wrench. He started to tinker the device with the tool, but the rogue Rotom crashed into the machine's upper part, triggering sparks of electricity on the invention's exterior. "This can't be good!" he commented before the machine exploded, making the inventor fall onto the hard surface of the ship.

"I have enough of this!" James shouted while crouching near the floor to avoid the moving Rotom. He groped for a specific Pokéball around his waist and threw it into the air. "Malamar! Stop it with Psychic!" he begged as the Overturning Pokémon was summoned into the chaotic scene.

"Mal!" Malamar proclaimed as his eyes started to glow blue. Once he focused on the Plasma Pokémon, Rotom stopped midair, and the upheaval created by the mischievous Pokémon was over.

"Ow! Is it gone?" Trip groaned, getting up and scratching his hurt nose. The others arose as well, seeing that the Rotom was finally taken care of. The two scientists surveyed the damage caused by the Pokémon and sighed by what they witnessed. Accidents weren't unusual in the lab, but they were sometimes expensive to repair. Thankfully, their mission was a success since Ash's phone had reverted to a regular device.

"Thank you, elite," Charon mumbled, recovering from the unexpected assault by Rotom. "Everything is under control now, so the next thing we need to do is to basically hack into the phone. This should be easy task for you, Sophocles."

The boy nodded when he heard Charon's words and approached the table. He placed down a miniature Pikachu device that projected a screen and a virtual keyboard through its eyes and mouth. He was the best hacker in all of Unit Porygon, so this was his job. After checking the phone, he grabbed a thin wire from his pocket and linked the device with his Pikachu machine. "Alright! Let's do this," he said to himself, typing on the keyboard and attempting to break into the object with the code he was writing. Most of the people lost interest in staring at the jargon Sophocles was hastily typing and wandered through the damaged room, waiting for the boy to decipher the secrets within the phone.

After a couple of tense minutes, popups appeared on the screen, each containing pieces of valuable information from the phone, and a smile formed on the hacker's face. "We're in!" he stated, wiping away the sweat on his forehead. A round of cheers was the reward for the effort that he put in.

"Finally!" Jessie rejoiced, pushing away the children in front of her and leaning very close to Sophocles. "What does it say!?"

"Hm," Sophocles considered, going through all of the information about Ash. "There isn't a lot of stuff about him on here. I'm guessing that he isn't a social media user."

"Wonderful," Chloe uttered with a tone of disappointment. She was hoping that the phone would contain everything there is to know about Ash but clearly, she had set her expectations too high.

"Aha! I found his profile! It gives a general overview of who he is!" Sophocles excitedly remarked, bringing back interest to the object. "There's some stuff here, but at the very top, it says that he is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town."


Author's Note: This chapter is also very long and has a bunch of important information from all three perspectives. There are some things that are casually mentioned, but they will be expanded on in later chapters. Hopefully, the next chapter won't be as long, but it's probably going to since it will have all the perspectives, and it will focus on the various characters' reactions to the things they learn.

Ash can use z-moves ? Thanks for chapter.

Yes. He has his Z-ring and a Pikashunium Z in his backpack since he used it for his battle against Volkner.

Me gusta esta historia por cierto Ash también tendrá aura si que Riley desida enceñarle además de la mega evolución Ash también tendrá a la mano su movimiento z y la gigamax? PD sigue con el buen trabajo

Yes to both questions. Ash can use Z-moves wherever he wants, but he has to be in Galar to Dynamax/Gigantamax his Pokémon.

Thank you so much. I love this chapter. I hope that ash's companions will opportune for finding him and with him for saved that world from team rainbow rocket. By the way what are ash's companions and friends react when realize that world he didn't exist?

Most companions will have different reactions since each one's feelings toward Team Rainbow Rocket are different. Some of them will hate Ash and view him as a pesky threat to TRR's goals, while others might secretly have complex feelings toward Ash as they learn more about him and the world that he comes from.

I'm super hyped for what's next. Is there a chanche has with him his Z- crystal?And since Ash isn't in this world what happened to Greninja? I can say he hasn't found a trainer worthy enough in this world

His Z-ring and Pikashunium Z are with him. As for Greninja, I plan on him staying with Sycamore who's going to be on the run or a part of the Resistance.