Violet:


Ash picked the ball up from its place in the transfer slot, and opened it. "Hello again, Pidgeot."

"It's good to see you, Ash," she replied, brushing her wings against his arms. "How have you been?"

"Fine. Just fine." Ash rubbed the back of his neck as she followed him out of the centre. "How's Lugia?"

"He's fine. The Birds are a bit upset, but they seem to be remaining quiet for now." Pidgeot cooed laughter. "I think they feel they made a mistake, but they won't actually admit it."

Ash nodded. "Makes sense. How's Aeroblast coming?"

"I think I've got it – well, the weak version. I still can't do the plasma version, I keep losing the airstream."

They reached the edge of town, and Charizard waved. "Hi!" he called. "I keep having to carry Ash around now you're not here, he weighs a lot!"

"Hey!" Ash said, as Pikachu and both Flying-types laughed. He couldn't keep the smile off his face, though.

After they got it out of their system, he looked between them. "Okay, you three are my team for this challenge." Ash looked specifically at Pidgeot. "It's Falkner, in case you didn't know."

"I've heard of him, vaguely..." Pidgeot looked over at the tall, expansive gym building. "That's... big."

"He's the Flying-type leader here in Johto. I think the roof opens too or something." Ash clapped his hands together. "So. Which of you should I send out first?"

"What does he have?" Pidgeot asked.

"I know he's got a Pidgeot." Charizard and Pikachu nodded ruefully at that. "And a Dodrio. There was a Hoothoot too, but he might not use it..."

"Right."

"I should be good against anything that isn't Grass or Ground typed," Pikachu volunteered.

"...send me out first," Charizard asked. "Save Pidgeot for last, she's the fastest, and we don't want him to have a counter for Pikachu out last."

"Sounds good." Ash looked between them. "Let's go!"


Burned Tower:


"I see you escaped," Raikou said.

Suicune glanced down at her leg. "Barely. Ash Ketchum is a very, very strong trainer."

"You mean his Pokémon are," Entei corrected.

Suicune shook her head. "They are too, of course – but he's a strong trainer. He brings out the best in everyone he meets. Lord Ho-Oh has said as much."

She smiled. "And you heard what the Lord Lugia had to say about it."

"I did," Entei admitted. "Impressive."

"More than impressive!" Raikou laughed. "Even when we count his unusual situation, he is far more than most humans aspire to be."

Suicune pursed her lips. "I wouldn't put it quite like that, Raikou. He's more than most humans are, certainly – I regret that, it seems, I did not know him better in that old and gone world. But more than they aspire to be?"

"I don't see," Entei admitted.

"What do humans want to be?" Suicune asked. She jumped up onto a heap of rubble. "Not what they want to do, what they want to be. Almost every child dreams of being a master trainer or coordinator, of having a rapport with their Pokémon... of being a hero."

"They want powerful Pokémon, you mean," Entei argued.

"Yes." Suicune accepted that without argument, and made a show of inspecting her flanks. "That's because powerful Pokémon are... novel, and exciting, and above all impressive. But ask yourself – why do most people reach an end to their journeys?"

Neither of her brothers answered her for several seconds.

"Because they have the Pokémon they want, I suppose," Entei said – thinking of those he had seen.

All kinds of people. Trainers, yes, but for their jobs...

The sea captain who had a Wingull, and who relied on them for readings of the wind and the tides. Placing his life in her hands every day, for all she was hardly a powerful Pokémon.

The elegant lady whose Pokéball held a Vulpix. Because she wanted a friend she could trust and rely on, and who loved her in return.

The artist whose Smeargle was her partner, who collaborated human-and-Pokémon to make their pictures – for the simple joy of creation.

The martial artist who demanded the same of himself that he did of his Pokémon, and always strove to do better.

And the young boy who saved the world, who had tirelessly pulled together a powerful band of Pokémon through practice and care and love.

"I see," Raikou said softly. "It's all about teams and teamwork, isn't it."

"Mostly, yes," Suicune agreed. "There are bad trainers, but there are bad Pokémon as well. Ash is not a bad trainer."

Entei agreed with that much, so had nothing to say to that.

"So," he said, after a moment. "You convinced us to let him catch us if he can. Why should we give him the chance, Suicune?"

To his surprise, she chuckled.

"I've got several reasons," the Aurora Pokémon said readily. "But here's a good one – I've never had a trainer before, and I kind of want to see what it's like to have one like Ash."

Raikou blinked. "You're planning on fighting as part of his team, aren't you?"

"If he'll have me, yes," Suicune agreed.

Her electric brother boomed laughter. "Aha! That explains a lot!"

His eyes twinkled. "I'd almost agree with you, but with that Pikachu of his he's unlikely to see much need for another Electric type!"

Suicune cocked her head. "There's always contests. You'd look nice with ribbons on your tail."

"Not half as nice as Entei would look!" Raikou riposted.

Entei watched, bemused, as his siblings laughed. "Weren't we just having a philosophical discussion?"


Violet Gym:


"Welcome, challenger," Falkner said. Then blinked. "Oh, great. It's you."

"That's not very polite," Ash pointed out.

"I heard what you did to Cerulean. And about half the other gyms you've been in. I only started work here a couple of years ago, I don't want it broken." Falkner sighed. "Okay, we'll use the roof. Can you give me a minute? I want to grab a couple of Pokéballs..."

"Sure," Ash agreed readily.

"Does this mean a bigger challenge?" Pikachu asked.

Ash shrugged. "Probably. I mean, we've got League titles this time."

Falkner looked around. "Did you just hold a conversation with your Pokémon?"

"Yeah, I do that."

"...right." The Violet gym leader visibly decided to just ignore it.


Violet gym roof:


"Okay, challenger." Falkner stood on his platform. "This match will be three Pokémon a side. Challenger sends their first Pokémon out first, and is allowed to change out Pokémon during the match."

"Got it." Ash took the first ball from his belt. "Charizard!"

Charizard emerged, landed on the roof, and crouched – ready to spring. "Bring it on!"

"I can see you're ready for the Violet gym's unique aerial combat style," Falkner commented. "Very well. Aerodactyl!"

"Do those even-" Pikachu's comment was broken off, as the Pokémon emerged.

It was, indeed, an Aerodactyl. The ancient Pokémon screeched a war-cry, hovering in the winds over the top of the tall structure.

"Where'd you get one of those?" Ash asked, astonished. "I though they were extinct!"

"I don't actually know, not for sure," Falkner admitted. "Pidgeot and I found him looking a bit lost a few months ago, and after a great deal of effort managed to catch him. I don't know more than that."

"Ash..." Charizard said, looking intently at the pterosaur. "I remember this one. It's the first Pokémon I ever fought as a Charizard."

"Wait... back when we found Togepi's egg?" Ash blinked. "Wow. Guess something had to have happened to it."

Falkner looked politely curious. "What's that?"

"Oh – right. I think we might have been involved with unfreezing him," Ash said more loudly.

"Interesting. Well... begin!"


Charizard leapt skywards as soon as the arm came down, and rose slowly but steadily straight up – the better to keep an eye on Aerodactyl.

For his part, Aerodactyl matched Charizard foot for foot. Beady eyes flickered, taking in every detail of Charizard's wings and body.

When they were almost three hundred feet up – well over the gym itself – they stopped climbing, as though by mutual agreement, and began to circle.

Aerodactyl made the first move. His body glowed, then a similar ring of energy formed overhead.

"Look out!" Ash called, barely heard at this altitude. "You have trouble with Rock moves, remember!"

Charizard launched a blast of flame at Aerodactyl, hoping to interrupt the attack. This wasn't sufficient, and Rock Slide began to rain out of the ring of energy.

One of the rocks hit Charizard, who roared in pain and dove to get out of the attack's range basket. Aerodactyl promptly ended it and dove after Charizard, screeching a challenge.

Charizard continued his dive, using his weight to pull him to great speed, and then pulled up into an abrupt climb and rolled. His Dragon Rage hit Aerodactyl coming the other way, producing a cloud of smoke and giving notice that this wouldn't be a one-sided fight.

The cloud roiled for a few seconds, then Aerodactyl fired an Ancientpower out of it. Charizard barely dodged it in time.

"Thunder Fang!" Falkner called.

Charizard's neck twisted around and he breathed fire back behind him as he flew. Aerodactyl came right through it, wings brushing it aside and only being lightly scorched, and grabbed Charizard's tail with one claw before swinging closer and delivering a Thunder Fang.

Charizard cracked his tail like a whip, sending Aerodactyl spinning away. "Pikachu shocks harder!"

"That's not saying much!" Pikachu called up. "I shock harder than just about everyone!"

Charizard shot him a glance as they swooped past, then went into a forward loop which barely avoided hitting a nearby skyscraper and came back up roaring with Dragonbreath.

Aerodactyl conjured three rings of energy which solidified into Stone Edge, and peppered Charizard with shrapnel as he came up – though the Dragonbreath eroded much of the potency of the shards.

Another roar, and Charizard cannoned into Aerodactyl in a full Body Slam before clawing with metallic-sheened claws.

Aerodactyl swallowed, and shrugged the Steel attack off much more easily than he should have done. He charged another Stone Edge, and Charizard was forced to break off.


Kalos:


"Welcome to the tower, mister Oak."

Gary nodded respectfully. "I'm honoured."

And puzzled, but he didn't mention that.

"What do you do here?" he asked. "I understand that you wanted my advice on something, but Professor Sycamore was quite secretive."

"That's entirely understandable," Gurkinn agreed. "I asked him to be. It's still something we're researching."

"What is?"

Gurrkin waited until the door was closed, then beckoned Gary towards the stairs. "What do you know about the reason why this tower is here?"

"Very little, I'm afraid." Gary shrugged awkwardly. "I grew up in Kanto, in Japan, and Kalos is a long, long way away."

"Of course, of course. Well. Legends of the Kalos region tell that this area is where the first recorded mega evolution took place."

Gary blinked. "A what?"

I second the question, Dee said.

"Who's that?" Gurrkin asked.

"Oh, that's Dee." Gary's hand slipped into his pocket, and he removed the red-purple marble of her projector. A flash of light, and she solidified into a Porygon. "She helps with my research."

"Ah. Well, welcome to you as well, Dee." Gurrkin coughed. "Anyway. Mega Evolution was considered to be more or less mythical – just a misunderstood form change or the like."

"I notice a was there," Gary observed, as they reached the top floor landing.

"Very astute! Watch."

Two Lucario paced over to the elderly Gurrkin, and bowed.

"This is the keystone my ancestor used," Gurrkin informed Gary, holding up a small bluish crystal. He then produced a red armband, in which was a large sphere with a curious red-yellow flaw. "And this is Lucarionite."

He gave the band to one of the Lucario, who slipped it on, and they paced out to opposite sides of the training area.

Gurrkin closed his eyes, touched the keystone, and concentrated. The Lucario with the band did likewise.

As Gary watched, the blue crystal flashed into sudden light. Matching it, the Lucarionite glowed orange.

Then, under his astonished eyes, the Lucario... Mega Evolved.

It was almost like a regular evolution. There was the same wash of light... but this time, it was orange. The Lucarionite disappeared, along with the armband.

And when the light faded, Mega Lucario stood there.

"We'd thought they were just symbolic, to be honest," Gurrkin admitted, eyes open again. "But about... ooh, a year and a half ago... we were all a little surprised when Lucie mega evolved spontaneously when we were cleaning them."

He nodded. "That's her, there. She and Lucen take turns using the stone – we're still looking for others."

"So it only started working a year and a half ago?" Gary asked. "Did you do anything different that time?"

"No, same thing we'd done for decades." Gurrken nodded. "A puzzler, isn't it... I'm hoping you or your grandfather might know something that happened around that date."

Gary counted back in his head. A year and a half ago-

He'd set off on his Pokémon journey.

So had Ash.

And that had been when he'd come back in time.

"Mister Gurrken," he said, slowly. "I'm about to test a hypothesis. Was the date this happened on or about the first of April?"

Gurrken gave him a look. "Almost," he said. "Very late in the evening, March 31."

Gary worked out the time difference, and nodded. "I see."

After a few seconds in which he did not elaborate, Gurrken shrugged. "You young types, always so mysterious. Oh well. Lucie, Lucen, want to show our guest what Mega Evolution means?"

The Lucario and the Mega Lucario nodded. They faced one another, bowed again, and exploded into motion.


Violet gym roof:


"Charizard isn't doing well," Ash said, wincing.

"Not surprised," Pikachu agreed. "Aerodactyl isn't a great opponent for him."

"Yeah..." Ash agreed. "Charizard! Over here!"

The Fire-type heard him, warded off Aerodactyl with an Overheat, and hurried over – with Aerodactyl close behind.

An Ancientpower shot past and nearly clipped his wing. "What? I'm kind of busy!"

"Blast burn!" Ash told him. "Airburst!"

"Now that, I like the sound of!" Charizard swept low over the roof, the wind of his passage snatching at clothes, and his wings hammered the air to gain more speed.

Aerodactyl followed, screeching, and already charging another Ancientpower.

Charizard went into a shallow dive, and used one of the other buildings in Violet City to drop out of sight. Aerodactyl reacted by going high, ascending into the air and looking down to try and spot his prey.

"I have to say, I've never actually heard of a move called Blast Burn," Falkner said. "Why are you covering your ears?"

A beam of glowing, bluish gas shot up from behind Sprout Tower. It reached its apex half a mile in the air, about a hundred feet from Aerodactyl, and blossomed out into a sphere of smoky gas ten feet across.

Which then exploded.

Aerodactyl was knocked out of his flight regime by the blast overpressure, and tumbled almost to ground level before managing to recover and stabilize his flight path.

Fortunately for Falkner, Charizard had been keeping the power of the attack below what he could achieve. As a result, no windows were actually broken in Violet City (they were reinforced anyway, the local Gym Leader had supersonic Pokémon) and it was merely LOUD rather than deafening.

Charizard popped back up above roof level, wings driving hard to close in on Aerodactyl. As the Rock/Flying type began to circle to attack again, his wings shimmered with steel on their leading edge and he bored in – as Aerodactyl had expended his Babiri berry earlier, the attack would work properly.

"Grab him! Then use Sky Drop!" Falkner ordered quickly.

Aerodactyl performed a complicated acrobatic manoeuvre in the air, evading the Steel Wings but not a reaching Metal Claw. Grunting in pain, it latched onto Charizard – fouling his wings - and dragged the two of them towards the ground at speed.

"This feels familiar..." Charizard muttered – he'd have preferred being on the other side of it, though. He responded by flashing into flame, using Flare Blitz.

His first hope had been that it would startle Aerodactyl, but when that didn't work he started struggling to control the attitude of their dive much as he had against Dragonite.

Aerodactyl's claws slammed repeatedly into his breast, trying to weaken him enough to let the impact finish the job.

The two hit the ground, still entangled, and a cloud of dust and cinders went flying up.


Falkner grimaced. "I don't know quite who won that one."

Ash nodded – both Pokémon were passed out in the crater.

"Basically a draw," Ash suggested, and Falkner nodded.

"Send out your next Pokémon, challenger. Pidgeot!"

Ash jerked his head. "Pikachu!"

"Sure thing!" Pikachu jumped forward. "Right!"

Falkner's Pidgeot took off in a cloud of dust, and rocketed up and away. Lightning bolts followed him, and he rolled around them with casual skill.

"How's he doing that?" Ash asked, interested.

"He's learned to feel the static charge on his tail," Falkner replied. "We face a lot of Electric attacks."

"Right, then." Pikachu set himself. His orange cheeks sparked, and the charge danced up to his ears and down to his tail. "Let's see how many kinds of Shock Wave I remember."


Oak ranch:


Professor?

Oak looked up. "Yes, Damos?"

I have completed my search. No sign of Team Galactic at known locations from last timeline. This suggests they've not set up yet.

"We hope..." Tracey agreed. "I mean, they could have just chosen somewhere else..."

I have also verified the current positions of the Lake Trio. They are as normal.

"Well, that's a relief," Oak said. "Keep a look out, please."

Of course.

"Where were we?" Oak asked.

"I think we were discussing what to do about reinforcing the building," Tracey contributed.

"Oh, I always dislike those discussions..." The elderly Professor rubbed his temples. "Well, it has to be done."

A series of light clangs came up the corridor outside. They stopped, and the door opened.

"Tracey?" Scizor said. "Professor? I'm afraid Squirtle is doing it again."

"You'll have to be more specific," Tracey recommended.

"He is riding Ash's Tauros. All five of them."

"Oh, why is that an again?" Oak asked, with a heartfelt sigh.


"I see," Primeape said. "So the sleep is the healing, itself."

Snorlax snored.

"And I must learn to use it as not merely mental but also physical refreshment."

The big Pokémon rolled over in his sleep, and continued to snore.

"Thank you for your lesson, sensei."

As he turned to leave, Kingler accosted him.

"Did you actually learn anything?"

Primeape nodded.

"How? He was asleep for the whole lesson!"

"Ever heard of Sleep Talk?"

Kingler stopped. He raised a claw, then lowered it. "That's not how it works."


Violet gym roof:


Lightning snapped skywards.

Pidgeot dodged around one attack, was just clipped by a second – making him hiss and snatch himself onto a different vector – and blocked the third with a cloud of feathers.

He glanced back, seeing more electricity gathering, and soared further still into the sky.


Pikachu squinted. "He's a really long way up, now. I can't target properly."

"Is this really a proper battle?" Ash asked.

Falkner smirked. "Flying types fly. It's not my fault if you assumed that an Electric type would be the perfect weapon against them."

"Except I kind of didn't..." Ash shook his head. "Whatever. But he must be miles away by now!"

Falkner shrugged.

Ash glanced down at the other Pokéball, and seriously considered calling Pikachu back.

"Nah," he said. "Hey, Pikachu – if he's going to stay out of the way, let's take advantage. Charge!"

Leaving off his attacks, Pikachu did so. "What now? I know that tone of voice."

Ash rummaged around in the piles of stuff in his pouch. "Here. Have a boxing glove."

Pikachu looked at it dubiously, then his eyes widened. "Gotcha!"

"What's that?" Falkner asked. "A boxing glove? What could that possibly..."

"Watch and learn," Ash said.

Pikachu put on the glove, and pointed it at Pidgeot. "Here goes!"

"Okay, Pikachu..." Ash shared a look with Pikachu, both grinning. "Rocket punch!"

Electricity crackled around the glove.

Then, to the astonishment of the gym leader, it emitted a huge cloud of smoke.

When the smoke cleared, Pikachu was nowhere to be seen.

"What just-"

Ash pointed up.

"...he's using a boxing glove as a rocket. How is he using a boxing glove as a rocket?"

"I taught him that," Ash said proudly.

Falkner began to speak, then stopped. He tried again. "That just raises further questions..."


Pidgeot soared, safe, high above Violet.

He would be able to wait for a few minutes, until the Pikachu was no longer so alert – then head back to ground level and hedge-hop at speed to launch powerful wind-based attacks on him.

It was a plan they'd used before against Electric-types. And he had a Wacan Berry, just in case.

He looked down, and blinked.

It looked an awful lot like a rocket had just taken off. There was a tiny red dot, with a gigantic plume of smoke coming out of the back of it.

Unsure what was going on, Pidgeot circled around. He frowned, trimming his wings to better use the wind, and tried to work out just what was going on.

The red dot grew with shocking suddenness as it neared him. First it was just about resolvable as a circle, then it was abruptly evident – it was a boxing glove, of all things.

A sudden suspicion formed in Pidgeot's mind, and he jinked-

Lightning speared out from below the glove, which stopped emitting smoke, and skirled around Pidgeot's tail. Another blast was barely blocked in time by a cloud of chaff-like down.

Pikachu threw aside the mangled glove, and bolts of electricity speared out from him in all directions. "Gotcha!"

The bolts went well past Pidgeot's distance, then spread and connected – in a matter of moments, the Flying-type found himself inside a gigantic cage of electricity hundreds of metres wide and still rising along with Pikachu.

There was a sizzling sound as the connecting bolts joined up, until just three sustained the cage. Pikachu panted, then connected the bolts to his ears and tail, and turned to face Pidgeot. "Like it?"

"There is no way you're just doing that casually." Pidgeot circled, warily staying near the edge of the globe.

"Well, no, it's not casual," Pikachu agreed readily. "But it's still something I can do. Care to try to escape? It has three layers."

Pikachu reached the apex of his trajectory, and began to descend. Slowly at first, but quickly accelerating to terminal velocity. (Terminal velocity for a Pikachu. It wasn't actually all that fast.)

"Perhaps not." Pidgeot blurred into motion, launching a Whirlwind at Pikachu. The Electric type went whirling away from the effect, but kept the globe up – and Pidgeot was forced to follow him anyway as a result.

"Okay. Let's try something else." Pidgeot began to glow with white fire, as he charged a Sky Attack.

"I'm game," Pikachu agreed, righting himself. "By the way, Shockwave."

Pidgeot cawed with surprise, as the globular attack pulsed out and crackled over him, breaking his concentration. "How do you still have power for that?"

"It's called a Light Ball."

With a gulp, Pidgeot swallowed his berry, and endured the next Shockwave more easily.

He looked down – they were still several thousand feet up.

It would take longer to reach the ground – where he could potentially escape – than his berry would last.

Put like that, the answer was easy. His wings beat more rapidly, summoning winds which whirled in a small space and grew ever stronger.

Then he released a Hurricane.

Pikachu was blown towards the ground at incredible speed. Pidgeot followed, wings hammering, and managed to barely stay inside the globe of electricity.


Ash watched as the ball of light fell towards the ground. "That sped up a lot all of a sudden."

Falkner nodded. "Any idea why?"

"Nope."

"Any idea what it is?"

"Pikachu does this sometimes." Ash shrugged. "Not too unusual."

Falkner gave his challenger another look. "Okay, now you scare me. I mean, I was confused by the rocket thing, but your attitude to a quarter-mile-wide ball of electricity scares me."


Kanto:


"Oh, hello!"

Duplica waved to the trainers coming up the path. "It's good to see you. I can't thank you enough for how much you helped my poor Ditto."

"Our pleasure," James replied, smiling. "You do a great show."

"And such good outfits!" Jessie agreed.

"I'm glad you think so." Duplica took off her disguise. "Come in, please."

She piled the big Dragonite costume on a table. "I've been trying this one out... anyway, what did you want?"

"Well, we've been speaking to our boss," Jessie began. "He wanted to come around and see your work."

"He did?" Duplica blinked. "Oh, goodness..."

"Eh, don't worry," Meowth put his feet up. "It'll be fine, da boss ain't that bad once ya get to know him..."

"And I'm sure we'll feel more comfortable once we get to know him," James muttered.

"It's mainly for his mother, actually," Jessie continued. "Or that's what he said, anyway. Don't worry, Duplica – you'll be fine."

"Oh, thank you for the vote of confidence." Duplica nodded. "Anything you think they'd like?"

"I've got an idea," James suggested. "Perhaps we should help? I've got some lovely costumes..."

"Yeah, we all know about da Moltres," Meowth said, sotto voce.

"Perhaps you could take requests?" Jessie proposed. "Add an extra element of challenge to it for you."

"That does sound like a good idea."


"She's nice, ain't she..." Meowth said, as they left a few minutes later. "Cooks good, too – dose cookies are ta die for!"

"She is," James agreed. "Wonder why Ash never turned up here?"

"He was probably doing somethin' important," Meowth shrugged. "Anyways – ain't like he helped all dat much last time, we're da ones who taught dat Ditto both times."

"True." Jessie grabbed a Pokéball off James' belt. "Right, let's go get lunch. Abra!"

Abra cracked open one eye, deposited them in the Seven Stars restaurant, and went firmly back to sleep.

"...okay, then," James said, looking around. "I guess we're having a battle first, then."

He blinked. "Isn't this place in Sinnoh?"

"Yes, it is," Jessie confirmed. "Let's hope we can convince Abra to wake up enough to send us back once we've eaten..."


Violet City:


Pikachu clenched his teeth grimly, watching as the ground approached.

Closer – now!

With a burst of electricity, he used Magnet Rise at maximum power, slowing rapidly and hitting the ground with merely enough force to bruise. The outer layer of his trap collapsed as he redirected the electrical energy, and Pidgeot used the chance to kick up a cloud of mud and dust from the ground with Mud-slap and ground out some of the now-dome-shaped electrical curtain.

He flew through as it reformed, tiny electrical sparks sleeting across his skin, and rounded a building just ahead of a hasty Thunderbolt.

Pikachu shrank down his globe to a few inches above his skin, hopped onto the side of the nearest building, and ran up it with Agility.

When he reached the top, he looked around – closing his eyes to search better.

Aura was strange, when you thought about it.

Aha!

Recreating the collapsed third layer, he expanded the globes out, shrank them down to rings, and set them spinning.

It had nearly worked against Suicune. It should work here.


"What's your Pidgeot doing?" Ash asked.

"It's a move called Roost," Falkner replied. "It lets Flying-types heal by resting somewhere high up where they're safe from attack."

"Yeah..." Ash winced, spotting Pikachu on a building a few streets away. "About that..."

"What?"

A line of electricity connected Pikachu's tiny form with a suspicious looking gargoyle on top of Sprout Tower, sending it jerking into the air before falling off.

"Holy Tornadus!" Falkner yelped, blinking and seeing an afterimage in front of his eyes. "What was that?"

"Trade secret," Ash replied glibly.


As Pidgeot had been Roosting, he hadn't actually been knocked out by the attack – amazingly. But he was clearly heavily damaged, and had in fact been set further back than he was before using Roost.

Bolts of electricity snapping across his feathers as the charges equalized, he struggled for height, and Pikachu began sending out Thundershocks.

They weren't very strong – most of his energy had gone on the perfect target for a Volt Crash – but they were enough to stop Pidgeot climbing and force him to stay behind cover.

For several tense seconds, Pikachu circled warily, trying to follow the moving dot in his aura vision. It was a lot harder to keep track of something moving so fast...

A blur resolved itself into Pidgeot, who bored in, delivered a Wing Attack and sped away. Pikachu launched another Thundershock after the evading bird, and sighed as it hit the stone facade of a building.

This could get annoying.

As his voltage wells started to recharge, he built up a Charge again to be ready in case an opportunity presented itself-

"There!"

Pikachu pulsed out a Thunder Wave.

Pidgeot tried to evade, but wasn't quite able to turn in time. He ran into the paralyzing attack, wobbled in the air, and came crashing down on top of Violet Gym.


"Pidgeot!" Falkner said, running over to him. "Are you okay?"

Electricity crackled over Pidgeot's form, and he twitched. "I... I've been paralyzed."

"He says he's paralyzed," Ash translated. Over on the other building, Pikachu jumped up and down to see what was going on.

Falkner whispered something to his Pidgeot, who nodded. The Gym Leader sighed, and stood. "Pidgeot is unable to battle. I'm going to switch to my last Pokémon."

"I'll do the same," Ash replied. "Hey! Pikachu!"

Pikachu nodded in the distance.

"Nice work! Return!"

Pikachu nodded, and walked off towards the roof door.

"Where's he going?" Falkner asked, rummaging around for a Paralyz Heal and spraying his Pidgeot.

"Probably to use the lift." Ash shrugged. "He doesn't like Pokéballs. Anyway."

He picked the other 'ball up. "Okay. Ready?"

Falkner nodded. "Skarmory!"

"Pidgeot!"

Falkner's Pidgeot shook his head, regaining feeling in his wings and legs. He looked up, and blinked. "Wow."

Ash's Pidgeot glanced down at him, then took off. Skarmory chose to walk to the edge of the roof and drop off, using the fall to gain flight speed.


Mount Quena:


Mewtwo looked up. I see I have a visitor.

"My apologies for arriving unannounced." Ho-Oh drifted down over the crater rim of Mount Quena, wings catching the slightest breeze, and alighted in a clearing near the clones' homes.

"I would have sent Suicune, but she was busy. I trust you are well?"

Better now. Mewtwo glanced skywards. No rainbow?

"I wish to respect your desire for privacy. A large sparkling rainbow is contraindicated." Ho-Oh folded his wings with finicky precision. "I have heard from Mew that you are more at peace now."

Better than I was the first time, at any point. Mewtwo glanced towards the village of cloned Pokémon, and smiled. I have learned to take joy in my friends – almost my children, I suppose – and in becoming more than I was intended to be.

He coughed. My forays into the arts, however, have not gone well.

Ho-Oh chuckled.

The two Legends stood across from one another for a silent half-minute.

"You have memories of the other time," Ho-Oh said, eventually. "What differs?"

First... Mewtwo's mouth twisted. I was far more antisocial. Far, far more. As it is, I occasionally speak to a human or two – hundreds of miles from here, creating the impression I live to the north – but I am still a recluse... but in that other time, I wiped the memories of all who knew of me and hid underground.

"Except Ash, and his friends," Ho-Oh added.

The first time, I did. Not the second. Mewtwo paused. It's curious, you know... whenever I met them, those three Rockets. The blue haired one, the redhead and the Meowth...

"I know the ones," Ho-Oh confirmed. "The ones who Ash Ketchum brought back in time, in mind at least."

Yes. Well, they were always on his side. It is a most curious thing. I was startled to learn they were usually antagonistic.

Ho-Oh nodded. "People change."

Yes. Mewtwo looked to the sky, to the bright sun in the cloudless blue. Yes, they do.

A white shape flew overhead. "Welcome, lord Ho-Oh!"

Ah. Togekisstwo. Mewtwo nodded to her. Ho-Oh, will you be able to stay?

"I have little that is urgent to do," Ho-Oh replied. "I can spare the afternoon."

Excellent. Togekisstwo, please inform the others that we will have a guest.

As the Jubilee clone flew back to the village, Ho-Oh raised an eyebrow. "Are they all still named with numbers?"

They are.

Ho-Oh chuckled. "That might cause some confusion, since Lugia tells me that Riolu at least has evolved."

He has? Mewtwo nodded to himself. Interesting.

With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the topic. We should eat. I'm sure the others have a lot to say to you.

Ho-Oh cocked his head, then smiled, and started walking forward on his clawed feet. "I'm sure they do."


Violet City:


Pidgeot came around in a tight curve, spinning off an air control layer and using it to foul Skarmory's climb. He snarled, and launched an Air Cutter at her.

Pidgeot accelerated, leaving the air cutter behind, and dodged behind a building.

A few seconds later, she came out of the maze behind Skarmory, and hit him with a Razor Wind.

Almost unharmed, the tough Steel-type sped towards her, using his respectable speed to try and intercept. Pidgeot pulled up into a Kulbit, leaving him grasping on air, then rolled upside down as she righted herself and dove.

With a screech, Skarmory followed her – right down to the deck.

She flitted down the street at a little above head height, going between the lamp-posts and having to climb to avoid hitting a bus. Skarmory followed her, matching her movements, and using the occasional shortcut to close the gap on her.

Then she was out, going over the academy low enough to make the weathervane spin wildly, and soaring back into the sky. Wings of air formed, snapping out with a low boom, and she went on a great shallow circle out as far as Dark Cave before coming back in.

In her wake, currents of air began to seethe and combine into a much larger Razor Wind.

She blew past Skarmory at about five hundred miles an hour, evading his Steel Wing attack, and the Razor Wind hit him from behind.

Still barely injured, Skarmory began to circle and build his own air constructs – while climbing higher and higher with each turn.


"Your Pidgeot is magnificent," Falkner said, watching her as she periodically hammered Skarmory with Gusts or Razor Winds, flying on a complicated looping trajectory which brought her in-and-out too fast for the slower Steel-type to react.

"I'll say..." Falkner's own Pidgeot said absently, following her with his gaze.

There was a creak sound, and the doors opened.

Pikachu walked out, and dramatically flopped to the floor. "Why doesn't Falkner have a lift?"

"Pikachu..." Ash shook his head, and picked the Electric Mouse up. "Did you take the stairs?"

"I had to, there's no lift."

"You're exaggerating, aren't you." Ash placed Pikachu back in his customary shoulder-riding position, and turned back to the battle. "Oh, here we go!"

Falkner had seen it too. He, Ash and Pikachu covered their ears at the same time, just before the first sonic boom arrived.


A condensation shock cloud formed and broke around Pidgeot as she reached mach one, and she released her Gust at maximum speed. She went back down through the sound barrier again and it shot past, aiming to hit Skarmory's current project.

"Hah!" Skarmory made a sweeping motion with his wing, and the ball of swirling wind he'd created burst apart into a wave of Air Slashes just before the Gust hit

Pidgeot was clipped by one of them at the closest point of her attack run, which destabilized her air control envelope for a moment and made her flight path worryingly erratic until she could reform it.

Clearly, this strategy of repeated close-in attacks was no longer tenable. And direct physical attacks on a Pokémon with wings made out of swords was just plain stupid.

Option two, then. Long range.

Strengthening her air-construct wings, she bored skywards. The abused sound barrier broke again, resulting in a long and thunderous rumble sound heard throughout Violet City.

By now, school was most definitely out. Everyone was watching, as their local Gym Leader faced the toughest challenge in years.

Reaching operating altitude – two miles up – Pidgeot's ascent slowed. She began to circle, layering wind into a series of nested rotating cylinders.

Fortunately, their battle had drifted over water. That was going to be useful.

She needed a backstop.


Skarmory glowed, using Autotomize, and shedding weight for speed.

He didn't quite understand how it worked, but it made him weigh far less than usual – and a lot faster.

Now, he should be able to surprise that Pidgeot. She wasn't the only one who could go supersonic.

Skarmory looked up, trying to tell if she was on the way down. If not, he'd have to go up to face her, but that might accidentally reveal his now-greater speed by the way he flew.

When he did, he saw something... worrying.

An almost invisible circular... no, cylindrical... shape, coming out of the sky towards him.

As it dropped, it became easier to see, condensation forming as it incorporated and cooled the more humid air near the lake.

That was about when Skarmory recognized it as nothing less than a funnel cloud.

"What the heck?" Skarmory stared for a moment, then yelped and flew for it.

The tornado's cloud followed him, snaking along the length of the lake, and he soon discovered the downside of his newly lowered weight – it made it much harder to resist the increasingly powerful winds pulling him back towards the funnel.

With a gigantic splash, the tornado touched down and began to draw up water from the lake itself. Skarmory flew harder, bringing up reserves he didn't know he had, and finally broke away from the sucking vortex of wind.

Pidgeot watched for a moment, then cancelled the tornado.

"Hah!" Skarmory called into the sky, as it began to rain back a significant fraction of lake (and some rather surprised Magikarp). "What do you think about that?"


Pidgeot fixed her target, and inhaled.

It was a massive inhalation. Far more than a Pokémon her size should have been able to – but none of it actually went into her lungs.

No, it was all focused together in a very small point just ahead of her beak.

Just before the air temperature and pressure reached the point it would flash to plasma, she opened a tiny cavity in the air-control marshalling the ball of concentrated air.

And the sky split open.


Petalburg City:


"So, kids!" Norman said, spreading his arms. "What do you think of our new house?"

May and Max looked it over. Then, they exchanged a glance.

"Well," May said, frowning. "If I get the first room to the left as you go up the stairs, that'll be fine. Otherwise, I hate it and can we move to Unova?"

"I'll take the first to the right," Max added. "Otherwise, I'd prefer Kalos."

"But you've... never..." Norman lowered his hands. "Oh, yeah. Forgot."

"It's okay, Dad." May's frown turned into a smile. "We're just having fun with you. It's the same house we lived in last time, so we know it well."

"That's good to hear." The newly transferred Gym Leader sighed. "I'm still getting used to this whole... time... travel... thing?"

"So are we." Max held up his Pokedex – like May, his rarely left his side now. "Kris and I have been looking back over Ash's League challenge, and it's really bizarre to see him doing things like that."

"Yeah," May agreed. "He was already strong, but now..."

Norman couldn't think of anything to say for a few seconds, so stayed quiet. Then he realized there was a question he could ask.

"You called your Porygon... Kris?"

"I did."

That is correct. Kris beeped. Max placed her chassis on the ground, and she formed around it. We discussed the matter, and Max decided to name me Kris.

"I see. Well, nice to meet you. I think we're going to see a lot of one another for the next year or so."

As do I.

Norman turned to May. "Have you named yours?"

She frowned. "Not really... we didn't settle on a name."

"Well, let me know if you do." Norman clapped his children on the shoulders, one each. "I don't fully follow what's happened to you, kids. But I'll help as much as I can. That means – if your new Pokémon need training, let me know and I'll help. I'd feel better if you had a strong Pokémon by your side when you set off."

"I already will," May assured him. "Ash said he can restore Pokémon who he knew a lot, and my Blaziken counts."

"Still." Norman squeezed, then released their shoulders. "I want to help. And Normal-types are my specialty."

"Norman! Kids!"

"Sounds like your mother wants to speak to us," Norman said. "We'd better hurry."


"There you are." Norman's wife nodded at the kitchen counter. "I just noticed – there was a package waiting for us on the doorstep, and the movers put it in one of the drawers."

"Thanks, dear." Norman picked it up. "It's addressed to... well, the two of you, May, Max."

May, as the oldest, took it. "It says it's from Akihibara Industries? Isn't that the man who makes that CyberMon programme?"

Aha! Kris said. I think I know what this must be.

"Well?" Max asked.

Open it and see.

May duly did so, revealing a bubble-wrapped package with two small objects inside. One was a small octagonal medallion which appeared to be made of bronze, the other a red brooch shaped like a feather.

I thought so! Kris floated over to the table. These are our projectors. Both of you pick one, and we'll hard-code them to respond to us. It's how we can battle without the Pokedex being inside.

Brother and sister glanced at one another.

After a few seconds, May picked up the brooch. "I'll take this one, I think."

"Fine by me." Max collected the medallion, and held it out to Kris.

Accessing... hard-writing authentication code into PROMs.

May placed her own projector onto her Pokedex. "Is that close enough?"

It is.

The process took not much more than a minute, with first one and then the other Porygon reporting the process complete.

May picked hers up again. "So... this is you now?"

One part of me. I can use either.

"Wow." She toyed with it for a moment longer. "Ethan."

Pardon?

"I think I'll call you Ethan." She smiled. "Seems right somehow."

Ethan it is.


Violet gym roof:


"That's..." Falkner's jaw dropped. "That's... Aeroblast..."

"You know it?" Ash asked.

"I've only ever read about it," he said, absently. The enormously powerful blast of focused air, glowing faintly even at noon, hit Skarmory like a freight train and drove him entirely into the waters of the lake. "It's the attack known only by Lugia."

"Almost only by Lugia," Ash corrected.

"I think I'm in love," Falkner's Pidgeot said, beak hanging open.

"I..." Falkner shook his head, as Pidgeot splashed into the lake herself and pulled the unconscious Skarmory back out. "There's no... you win the Zephyr badge. No-one's ever earned it more than you."

Ash declined to mention his other powerful Flying types. "All right!"

He grinned. "Hey, at least your gym didn't get broken, right?"

"That's true." Falkner exhaled. "But I'm going to have to explain things to the people of Violet City..."


"Well?" Misty asked.

"I got the badge, that's what!" Ash patted Pidgeot's wing. "Thanks to some lovely work from Pidgeot, Charizard and Pikachu!"

"I think you might have overdone it, Ash," Brock said. "Have you noticed that Charizard used Blast Burn, Pikachu used Volt Crash and Pidgeot used Aeroblast? The poor man!"

"...oops." Ash shrugged. "Oh well, he'll get over it."

He turned to Brock. "So, where next?"

"Azalea Town, eventually." Brock examined his map. "This way."

"Hold on a moment." Ash turned to Pidgeot. "See you soon, Pidgeot."

"I hope to be there when you need me, Ash," Pidgeot said. "I'll help the Professor keep an eye on Sinnoh once I've perfected Aeroblast, but – if you need me, I'll be there."

"That's all I could ask for," Ash replied. "Good luck."

Pidgeot tucked her Pokéball into a small bag, to let her use the transit system if needed, and took off in a rush of wind.

"Nice to see her," Pikachu commented, as she climbed into the sky and headed off south – to the Orange Islands once more. 'The scenic route', she'd called it.

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "I wish I'd gone back for her before... last time, I mean."

Pikachu nodded.

"Um..."

They turned, to see Brock's Stantler. He was looking puzzled, one hoof raised. "Was that Pokémon one of yours?"

"She's my Pidgeot, yeah," Ash confirmed. "As far as I'm concerned, if a Pokémon of mine wants to live somewhere else, they can. It's their choice."

"Right." Stantler nodded. "Thank you for explaining it. Do all humans do that?"

"Not all of them, no." Ash shrugged awkwardly. "I guess we all try to do our best."

"I see."

Brock and Misty were already headed south. "Hurry up, Ash, there's still a good few hours of daylight!"

"Coming!" Ash called back. "We'd better catch up."

Stantler trotted alongside, asking occasional questions about the battle, as they headed to join their friends.


Unova:


"What do you think?"

A tall, blue Pokémon frowned. "I don't know. It is a long way, you must admit."

The Grass-type Pokémon who had asked the question tossed her head. "We've been further before."

"That is true."

A third Pokémon frowned. "What's the trouble? Virizion, Cobalion, you know what I think."

"Yes, we do, Terrakion." Cobalion smiled. "You always say exactly what's on your mind, all the time – and you think we should cross the ocean."

"Of course I do!" Terrakion snorted. "Danger? Since when has danger stopped us? Or is it distance? We wouldn't be the Swords of Justice if we let distance get in the way of going where we're needed!"

Virizon raised a hoof, cutting off Terrakion's speech. "Cobalion, I think the question is clear. It is whether we are needed."

She went on. "We have a Pokémon created by humans, who was used as a weapon until he escaped his entrapment. We have many clones, Pokémon who were often created as adults. And we have all of them residing in peace."

Putting her hoof down with a clop, Virizon completed her case. "Maybe that does not sound like we are needed, but I argue something slightly different. We need to go there. To learn from them what we can, and how they managed to overcome such handicaps."

Cobalion inclined his head. "Well said, Virizon. Very well, I agree. Now, only one question remains."

"Ah." Virizon nodded. "A difficult question indeed."

"No it's not!" Terrakion looked between his friends. "We take him. It's not even a question we should have to discuss."

Terrakion nodded firmly. "Sure, he's not one of us yet. But he's going to be. And you keep saying what he needs to learn is inner peace – where else is he gonna get it?"

Cobalion considered that. "An excellent point," he said eventually. "Keldeo joins us."

"Yes!"

All three Swords looked around.

"I mean, uh..." Keldeo trotted out from behind a nearby rock. "Sorry for listening in..."

Virizon smirked slightly. "Well, Keldeo, as you overheard – a new piece of work for you, to test your ability to plan."

"I'm ready!" Keldeo nodded firmly.

"How are we going to get to Johto?"

The Colt Pokémon blinked. "Uh... might have to get back to you on that one..."


AN:

Poor Falkner. He'd probably have a stroke if he knew that Ash (technically) has two Flying-type legendaries.

Did something unusual for this chapter with the switching viewpoints, letting us get a look in on the Beast trio, Gary, Oak Ranch, the Rockets, Mewtwo, Max and May, and some Unovans. For a good reason – it's chapter 50!

Also it means the fic is now past the two-hundred-thousand word threshold.

Edit - whoops, forgot the é in Poké. Hopefully I got all of them.

I'll just take this opportunity to mention that this fic has a Trope page... edits welcome.