"Hey Chrysa, normally I'd ask about it before putting it in my possession, but what's in that package?" Ash asked.
"That's confidential. Sorry Ash." Chrysa said. "Thanks for picking it up though."
"Just so long as I know I won't be questioned about it." Ash said.
"You won't be, don't worry. I'll take care of it though." Chrysa said
"Why doesn't that make me feel better." Ash said.
Later in Ash's room
"I call shenanigans." Goh complained.
"I'm telling it as it is." Ash admitted.
"After you tricked me earlier, how can I trust that?" Goh said.
"So we tricked you, we still are telling the truth." Chloe said.
"You're honestly telling me that there is an artifact related to Registeel that lets me communicate with them?" Goh said.
"They prefer he, but yes. Chloe's necklace, and I have this." Serena said holding up a bracer.
"Kind of clunky, don't you think?" Goh asked.
"It holds this stone I found back where we found Regice." Serena said, popping out a perfectly round stone.
"I think I might know where it is, but I have to go through my things back in storage." Goh said. "Dying makes things difficult to refind."
"Lab automation uplink successful." A voice called out.
"Fun as this is, it's getting late." Chloe said. "And I'm not sure I want to know what that automation system does at night."
"I'll stop by my parents tomorrow to look for it while you are at school." Goh said.
The next morning
'Good morning resident Ash'. The AI said
"Morning?" Ash replied a bit weirded out.
'You slept peacefully last night.' The AI stated.
"Why were you watching me sleep?" Ash asked concerned.
'My primary purpose is to keep checks on the health of all in the lab, humans and Pokémon.' The AI said coldly.
"Okay, weird." Ash said, deciding to get ready. "Definitely going to have to talk to Chrysa about a level of privacy."
As Ash, Serena, and Chloe left for school, the AI observed in confusion.
'Error, resident Ash is a male, appearance female. Error resident Serena is a female, appearance male. Reformatting data log.'
"I'm heading for my parents place, I'll be back soon. I hope." Goh said, heading in the other direction.
Back in the lab Pikachu and Eevee were chasing one another. Days while their trainers were at school were long but they found fun ways to pass the time. Today however they knocked a box over, onto Pikachu himself. A surge of electricity filled the room from the impact.
'Error, error, error. Rebooting.' The AI said.
Later that day
"Ash, why only Tauros?" Chloe asked.
"Because I have thirty of them." Ash responded.
"No, why'd you only bring Tauros when you know other students still try to beat you." Chloe pestered.
"It throws them off their game. If I keep sending out the same Pokémon, it confuses even strong trainers." Ash admitted.
"Do you think Goh found what he was looking for?" Serena asked.
"I'll check on him on my way to my room." Ash said. "If he's not back, we can try and help him."
Back at the lab
"Hey buddy, did you have fun today?" Ash asked as Pikachu ran up to him. "Come on let's go see if Goh is back."
'Knock knock knock'
"Goh you in there?" Ash asked.
…
"Hey weird observing AI, is Goh in the lab?" Ash asked.
'Resident Goh is not in the lab at this time.'
"So you can be useful." Ash amused. "Well in the meantime, I'm at least getting out of this skirt."
Walking up to his room, Ash scanned his phone to enter.
'Error, invalid resident.'
"What?" Ash said, double checking he was at the right door, before scanning his phone again.
'Error, invalid resident.'
"What do you mean invalid resident? This is my room!" Ash called out.
'Incorrect, this room belongs to resident Ash, male. You are Resident Ash, female.' The AI said.
"If this is about my comment about you being useful." Ash said.
'I am here to keep checks on health and safety, not hold grudges. For yours and Resident Ash, males safety, I'd recommend you wait for him to arrive, or head to your room.'
"This is my room!" Ash argued. "Chrysa!"
Ash found Chrysa in the main lab already being confronted by Serena.
"Let me guess, our new home health system thinks you are Resident Serena, male." Ash said knowingly.
"Yes, and now I can't get to my things." Serena said.
"I'm telling you, the AI shouldn't be doing that, let me check your phones." Chrysa said.
Scanning the phones showed Ash's and Serena's lab files with their correct gender underneath.
"See, I told you it's fine." Chrysa said.
"Weird AI who can apparently see everything but not believe me that I'm a guy. Who am I?" Ash called out.
'You are Resident Ash, female, or Resident Ashley Ketchum.'
"I didn't even hint at that part! Chrysa, this AI is broken!" Ash said.
"Okay, just relax and give me a few minutes to call tech support. They should be able to figure it out." Chrysa said.
Ash and Serena slumped down in some chairs while Chrysa made a call to Silph Co.
"So good news is they can fix it." Chrysa said. "It's just a glitch that happened, likely when it was entering new data."
"Why do I have a feeling that there's bad news?" Ash asked.
"Their next available appointment is Monday." Chrysa said.
"It's Tuesday Chrysa." Serena said, slightly annoyed.
"I know, I'm sorry. I'll get the Professor, he should be able to unlock your rooms for you at least." Chrysa said.
"And then what, we'd have to get him to unlock them every time." Ash pointed out.
"No, you'd just need to go to new rooms for the time being." Chrysa said a bit quieter. "In the other areas."
"Chloe and I were forced to share a room before the first upgrade, I guess this is at least better." Ash admitted.
"Locked doors means privacy, no matter where they are." Serena shrugged.
"Good, I'll have the Professor get your rooms open, and give access to new ones as soon as he can." Chrysa said.
"I'll get some Pokémon to help." Ash said, heading to the park.
Later at Ash's new temporary room
"Heya neighbor." Chloe joked.
"Hopefully they really can fix this." Ash said. "And that this is just temporary."
"Is it really that bad?" Chloe asked.
"It's not that it's bad, just that it's degrading." Ash admitted.
"Being a girl is degrading?" Chloe said, offended.
"You know that's not what I meant. Stop acting offended." Ash said, throwing a plush at her.
"Well, since you're here, can I, for old times?" Chloe asked.
"No, and I'm not budging this time." Ash said.
"That's what you said last time, and the time before that, and every time I asked." Chloe said. "And every time you always relent."
"Chloe, I have unpacking to do, at least until Monday." Ash said. "So unless you plan on helping, just go."
"Fine, I'm going." Chloe said.
"Leave the plush." Ash warned.
"Why do you keep this one though, not exactly your style." Chloe pointed out.
"Serena gave this one to me. It's special." Ash admitted.
"You still care for her." Chloe said with a smirk.
"Never said I didn't." Ash replied.
"Hey, do you get the feeling we forgot something important?" Chloe asked.
"No, I don't think so." Ash said.
Meanwhile at Goh's Parents house
"Guys, are you coming?" Goh asked in a room filled with boxes. "This isn't funny anymore!"