"I finally figured it out!" Ash said excitedly, slamming his hands on the table, causing Chloe to spit out her breakfast.
"Ash! What have we said about big ideas before breakfast!" Chloe scolded.
"It doesn't involve you. Just me, Serena, and Rillaboom." Ash said.
"You figured out why he doesn't like you?" Goh asked.
"Not in the slightest, but I got in contact with someone who might be able to help." Ash said.
"What's the catch?" Serena asked. "Things are never this straight forward."
"That's what you might not like, apparently, according to Brock, the person who might be able to help, at least last time I saw them, had a major crush on me." Ash said.
"Why would that be a problem?" Serena said, bending her spoon, then breaking it in half. "When do we leave?" She said creepily smiling.
In the skies
"Serena is this outfit really necessary?" Ash asked. He had on a gray sweatshirt, and a pair of yellow baggy pants.
"Yes, completely." Serena said.
"There it is, right ahead." Ash said, as Dragonite went in for a landing.
"That tower? Who's there?" Serena asked as Mandibuzz followed behind the dragon.
"Ash, I must say I was surprised about your call." A purple haired woman said.
"Anabel, it's good to see you, thanks for helping with this." Ash said.
"The idea of a Pokémon showing that much directed aggression is frightening, but not unheard of. Where is the little guy?" Annabel asked.
"He's right here." Serena said. "I'm Serena, Ash's girlfriend."
"I'm Anabel, Ash's friend and the Battle Salon Maiden." Anabel said. "So how big is Rillaboom?"
"About as big as a Snorlax." Ash informed.
"And this Pokémon attacks you on sight?" Anabel said in shock. "How are you still okay?"
"I've developed a bit of powers myself since our fight." Ash said, his eyes glowing momentarily.
"Well, let's get set up, but I will need Rillaboom outside of his Pokeball if I want to help him." Anabel said calmly.
Ash was ready just in case Rillaboom was going to attack him. As Anabel was ready to talk with the Pokémon.
"Rillaboom, come on out!" Serena said.
As soon as Rillaboom was out of his Pokeball, the gorilla charged at Ash, pounding away at the quickly formed aura bubble.
"Rillaboom, please calm down. I want to help you." Anabel said approaching carefully.
"Rillaboom, please Ash is our friend, you don't need to attack him." Serena said.
"Guys, try something else, talking isn't helping." Ash said, as fists slammed right in front of him.
"Rillaboom, we can't help you if you don't listen." Anabel said, as a flash of light occurred.
"Where are we?" Serena asked.
"It looks like a hospital." Anabel said.
"Or a lab." Ash realized. "Look over there!"
On a table in a small cage was a Grookey and a toy plane just out of its reach.
"Don't worry child. Once we finish some more tests, you can have the plane." A distorted woman's voice said, grabbing some cables.
"Test 307, reaction to electricity. Doubling the power from last time to see extended results!" The voice said, attaching the cables to the cage.
Screams from the Grookey cried out as they were electrocuted.
"Stay away from them!" Serena yelled only to pass right through the woman. "What in the?" Serena said confused.
"I don't think this is happening, at least not any more. Between mine and Ash's powers, we must be in Rillaboom's memories." Anabel said.
"But then why here, why this one?" Ash asked.
"Hoo! How is our newest shadow Pokémon coming along?" A different voice said.
"Sir, I'm sorry, but these things take time, considering we have no previous data to go on, it's hard to say if we ever will get the project rolling again." The woman's voice said.
"Excuses!" Miror B said, swatting the woman away. "I want results, redouble your efforts, now!"
"Yes sir." The woman said, her dark hair fluttering slightly. "Test 308, what should happen if I move the subject into a smaller cage?"
The room spun, the woman now clearly more frazzled, and Grookey now in an almost too small cage.
"Test 957, what happens if I destroy subjects possessions?" The woman said, looking at the plane. "I must be thorough. Where's my hammer?"
As the woman was searching, Serena got a great look at her face.
"Ash, this is crazy." Serena said. "She looks almost identical to you. The hair, the eyes, even the little lightning bolts."
"Rillaboom hates me, because he thinks I'm the one who hurt him." Ash said in realization.
"Uhh, guys. If we're here, what's Rillaboom doing?" Serena pointed out.
Ash suddenly snapped awake, as his aura barrier broke, and Rillaboom readying to slam his two fists down on Ash.
"I'm sorry!" Ash cried out, flinching.
Rillaboom slowly lowered his arms, amazed at this reaction.
Back in Rillaboom's head
"Now say goodbye to your plane." The woman said lifting a hammer.
"Grookey!" The Grookey cried out launching the cage into the woman and breaking free.
"You terrible ingrate! Get back here!" The woman shouted, chasing after Grookey with the hammer.
"What happened to him?" Anabel asked.
"We know he was experimented on, but not tortured, had we known…". Serena began.
"You can't think about the things you could've done, only what you can do. Now let's see if we can find a way out like Ash did." Anabel said.
Back outside
"I'm not the one who hurt you." Ash said shakily. He had no idea how much time had passed, but he didn't have a lot of reserves left, likely not enough for another shield. "I wish we could have found you sooner, prevented them from hurting you, but we weren't." Ash said. "I understand why you don't like me, but I won't give up trying to change your opinion."
"Boom." Rillaboom said calmly, offering his hand, helping Ash up.
"Well it seems like things are a bit better between you two, Rillaboom isn't attacking you, at least for now." Serena said. "Thanks again Anabel."
"Not a problem, but you two did most of the work." Anabel said confidently.
A few days later
"Hey have you guys seen Ash, he ran out after school was over." Chloe said.
"I think he's out back, he came running in with a large box." Ren said.
Out back in the park
"Okay Rillaboom, I know it isn't the same one, but you're a bit bigger now and this is the closest style I could get." Ash said pulling out a model plane from the box. "Now you have to be careful with this, but it's yours." Ash said.
Rillaboom looked at the plane, smiled and began running with it in his hand, he had his plane back, it was different like him, but he was happy, and his new friend gave him it.