This is the first of two chapters today.


"Doctor Namco?"

The Doctor sighed. "Namba, as you well know."

"...actually, no, I didn't," the grunt said, looking confused. "I got told it was-"

"Oh, never mind. Report."

The grunt nodded. "Right. Target two is still following the normal behaviour patterns, and the decoy has been put in place."

"Good." Namba smiled. "And target one?"

"We've not seen it recently, but no departure was noticed – and since target two is still there-"

"Very good." Namba nodded. "Our countermeasures?"

"I'll answer that," said one of his allies, striding into the room. "At ease."

The grunt nodded to him, and stood back.

"Doctor Nerva, we-"

"Why do I even bother?" Namba interjected. He waved a hand. "Sorry. Do go on."

"As I was saying, we have delivered on our end of the bargain." The tall, gaunt man handed over a bag. "Six Shadow Pokémon. Two each Magnezone, Dusknoir and Probopass – they should suffice for the trap."

"Excellent," Namba said, earlier irritation forgotten. "These will be most suitable."

The gaunt man waited.

When the silence stretched, he sighed. "And your side of the bargain?"

"You know as well as I do what that is," Namba said, waving a hand in dismissal.

"Please. Do remind me."

Namba sighed. "Very well. You get the adult, properly converted and enhanced by the machine. The child is mine – suitably enhanced, of course."

"Of course," his interlocutor agreed. "A pleasure doing business with you... Doctor Samba."

Namba's eye twitched.


Ash squinted, looking ahead on the path. "Wait – is that..."

He grinned. "It is! Hey, Ritchie!"

At his shout, the figure turned. "Oh, hi Ash!"

Sparky waved, too, long orange-tipped black tail flagging back and forth, and the other boy stopped to let Ash and his friends catch up.

"Man, I've not seen you in months!" Ash said, jogging up. "How's things?"

Ritchie shrugged. "Well – I told you about Almia, right?"

Ash nodded.

"We handled it – Cid evolved while we were there. He's a Gallade now." Ritchie chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. "The final battle was just awesome – I was on Zippo, blowing chunks out of this gigantic war machine, and Cid just jumped on board and started wrecking the insides."

Sparky nodded. "I helped, too!"

"Yeah, Sparky helped," Ritchie agreed, scratching his Raichu. "He was swatting missiles out of the air left and right... we all owe one another, really."

"I know the feeling," Ash said, with a nod. "How about since then?"

"Oh..." Ritchie reached up again, and Sparky's tail wrapped around his finger. "Since then it's been pretty quiet, actually. Last several months, we've just been going around Japan trying to pick which League to challenge next. I'm thinking Sinnoh, but Sparky disagrees."

"I want somewhere with a Water or Flying gym," Sparky explained. "Or Hoenn. Hoenn has both."

"Well, I guess I can understand that," Ash said, and nodded to the side of the path. "Hey, let's catch up all the way – how are the others?"

Taking the invitation, Ritchie swung his bag off his back. He braked it with a quick burst of psychic energy, and sat on the grass next to it. "Okay... well, you know Zippo's a Charizard, of course, and I mentioned Cid."

So saying, he released the duo. Zippo sat with a pleased growl, spreading his wings out in the sunlight, and his Gallade gave each trainer there a measured bow.

"Lighten up, Cid," Ritchie invited. "They're friends."

The Psychic-type spread his hands. "That is how I show respect to friends, Ritchie."

Shaking his head, Ritchie looked at Ash as if to invite comment. "Yeah, it's this all the time. I keep telling him he needs to relax..."

The trainer shrugged. "Oh, yeah, the others. This is Cruise."

He released a Pupitar, who hovered there for a couple of seconds before hovering gently to the ground.

"He's not been as active, recently," Ritchie apologized. "He says it's just the evolutionary stage, but I'm not so sure..."

Cruise animated long enough to give his trainer a look, then settled back to the grass and closed his eyes.

"Layabout," Ritchie said fondly. He then took another Pokéball from his belt. "Oh, yeah, you know Eevee..."

"Still not evolved?" Ash asked, curiously, as the little Normal-type ran around in circles and Sparky kicked off to join him.

"Yep," Ritchie confirmed. "Still can't decide. I guess there's that much choice."

"I'd have figured Espeon," Ash admitted. "You know, with the psychic thing."

"He's not great at psychic training," Ritchie replied with a shrug. "We have tried."

"You two really know one another well, don't you?" Brock said, half his attention on Sparky playing keep-away with his lightning-bolt tailtip and Eevee.

"Actually..." Ash frowned. "We only met once, at the Indigo League."

"I guess we just hit it off well," Ritchie agreed. He then blinked, and rummaged in his bag. "Oh, yeah, I forgot! This is Fortune, he's new too."

The Pokémon who solidified from the Pokéball was a sleek Rapidash. He looked Ash over, then nodded.

"I use him to get around when Zippo's kind of a bit big," Ritchie filled in. "I've got a few more... there's Goldie, my Cherrim, Soaker – a Finneon – and a Poochyena called Sooty... and I think that's about it."

He glanced over to make sure that Eevee was okay, then turned back to Ash. "So – who do you have who I've not met? Who's evolved?"

Ash took a breath. "This could take a while... okay, Riolu evolved-"

Ritchie looked up at Lucario. "I'd never have guessed."

"It was quite dramatic," Lucario assured him.

"Apart from that..." Ash counted under his breath. "...right, let's do them in chronological order. I met a Lapras..."


"You've been busy," Ritchie complimented him, as the list approached the end.

"Yeah," Ash agreed. "I know."

He looked up as Brock handed him a plate. "Oh – thanks, Brock, you're awesome."

Brock smiled, passing another plate of food to Ritchie. "Well, this is turning into a picnic."

"You have cool friends, Ash," Ritchie said, smelling the food. "That smells delicious, Mr. Slate."

"Please, call me Brock!" Brock asked firmly. "Mr. Slate is my Dad. Makes me sound old!"

Ritchie chuckled. "I'll remember that. So, Ash – was that the end of the list?"

"Not quite," Ash hedged. "There's a couple-"

He looked up. "What was that?"

The scattered conversations between the Pokémon went silent too.

For a moment, there was stillness. Then a tremor of movement ran through the camp as over half the Pokémon came to their feet.

"Who else heard that?" Lucario asked, paws already sparking into bright blue life.

"I certainly did!" Zippo roared. "What was it?"

"A Lugia," Lucario said, having teased out the voice itself. "In severe pain. We should hurry!"

Brock's food fell to the ground, forgotten, as all four trainers set off at speed.


"Marvellous," Namba said, chuckling.

Catching the young one had been easy enough, but the adult... that had posed more of a problem.

Or it had – until six Shadow-enhanced Pokémon had simultaneously caught her in a powerful Gravity trap as she crested the hill searching for her babe, and slammed her into the ground hard enough to knock the wind out of her.

The grunts – mostly from Cipher – moved in to get their specimens underground. It would be important to have this Lugia in the machine before she recovered enough to fight.


Ritchie got there first, with Fortune's help.

Unfortunately, he couldn't head straight on in. By the time he got there, the Cipher team was ready for him.

He was attacked by a Liepard as he dismounted from the Rapidash, its wicked tail-scythe slashing at Fortune's legs, and he returned the Rapidash before switching out to Cid.

For his part, Cid opened hostilities with enthusiasm. Grabbing the tail just behind its scythe with one arm, he pulled the startled feline towards him and volleyed in a Brick Break before it managed to eel out of his grip and regain some distance.

"What the hell's going on?" Ritchie asked, gaze flicking back and forth and noticing the other three admins – as well as at least a dozen grunts, all standing back as reserve.

Liepard darted back in, tail lashing, and Cid raised both arms in a Quick Guard – successfully deflecting its attempt at Fake Out – before giving a pace and blocking a Night Slash.

His next move was a sudden switch to aggressiveness. Lashing out with a Power-up Punch, he knocked the incoming Dark-type backwards and pounced forwards as a follow-up – then grunted as the local gravity suddenly tripled.

Ritchie grunted, looking up, and saw a Dusknoir with strange purple-shadow highlights was focusing on the area. Probably that was the one using the enhanced-gravity move.

A slap-BANG drew his attention, as Cid used Vacuum Wave – barely slowed by the higher gravity. It licked out and punched the startled cat in the face, sending it skidding backwards.

The Liepard shook his head, tried to get up, and slumped back.

Apparently the man Ritchie was fighting considered the battle as good as done as well. He scowled, and switched to some kind of bizarre hieroglyphics-like flying Pokémon.

"You back here as well, Cid!" Ritchie instructed, flipping open his Pokédex with one hand. "Huh. Sigilyph... okay, Sparky, you handle it!"

Sparky's cheeks... well, sparked. He jumped forwards, taking Cid's place on the battlefield, and snapped off an exploratory Thunderbolt.

The Raichu's bolt crashed forwards, then splashed off a series of Light Screens, and both human and Pokémon frowned.

"Looks like it's not going to be as easy as all that..." Ritchie sighed, and Sparky nodded.

"Perhaps we should try – whoa!"

A beam of psionic energy hit the ground where Sparky had been. Not wanting to be hit, the Raichu dodged away from the next two blasts as well, and focused.

His tail lashed back and forth, glowing for a moment, and then stopped glowing and he volleyed in two more blasts of electricity.

"I predict you're in trouble," Sparky said lightly, still running around in circles.

"That's not going to help," the Cipher man said with a chuckle. "You realize that trying the same thing when it failed the first time is insanity?"

Ritchie grinned.

Then a ball of light appeared next to Sigilyph, hovered there for a moment, and shot sideways.

"Future Sight!" Sparky explained, tail snapping, and he sent forwards a Thunder Wave just as the Future Sight ball hit.

Distracted by the multi-pronged attack, the Sigilyph's screens let through the crackle of electricity. It slumped to the ground, and Sparky pounced with a Wild Charge.

"Still think that was insanity?" Ritchie asked, as the Psychic-type skidded along the ground from the force of the Electric attack.

The Cipher man pursed his lips. "I'm afraid you're unlikely to appreciate this properly, boy, but needs must. This is a Shadow Pokémon! Druddigon!"

Ritchie winced at the sight.

It was a Druddigon, right enough, but it was... wrong. Purple energy gathered on its claws and on the edges of its rocky skin, and it had dead-looking eyes.

"Watch out, Sparky..." he said, frowning. "This could be a tough one."

"Shadow Smash!"


Brock gaped. "You're... are you real?"

Miror B pointed to a grunt. "Music!"

Some Latin-styled dance music began playing from a boombox.

"There we go!" Miror B said, starting to dance. "But I got to tell you, you ain't gonna have an easy time of it with me!"

He reached to his waist. "Go! Ludicolo! Ludicolo! Ludicolo! Ludicolo! Ludicolo, and Ludicolo!"

"That's..." Brock was lost for words.

"Ludicolous?" Ninetales recommended.

He gave her a look. "You're not helping."

"Sorry..."

"Okay" Brock took a breath. Right. Ludicolo.

At least he knew how to handle that Pokémon, having used it himself.

"Crobat! Forretress!" he sent out.

As the two Pokémon materialized, Miror B was giving his own commands. "Rain Dance! Now, just plain dance!"

The six Ludicolo started dancing.


Ice roared skywards, and a Tropius with crackling purple energy running over its wings jinked to one side.

A second blast followed, and this time the Grass-type wasn't so lucky. It was caught in the powerful Ice Beam, and came crashing to the ground.

"Hm," Misty's opponent said, seeming offended. "So much for the vaunted strength of Shadow Pokémon... some brat finished it off."

Misty shook her head. "You really expect a Water-type specialist not to have some plan for Grass-types?"

She shrugged. "Besides, Shadow or not, it's still got the same weaknesses as usual!"

"You'll pay for that," her opponent promised. "But if weaknesses are the problem... Manetric!"

Misty was already returning her Gyarados, and switching to Staryu. "Okay, Staryu – Cutting Water Dance!"

"Hah!" Staryu replied, spinning up into the air.


"Look out!" Ash called, and Lucario ducked below a sweeping Blaze Kick from his opponents' Blaziken.

Palms glowing, he slapped the follow-up punch aside, and slammed home a Force Palm as Blaziken overextended a little.

"Hm," Nascour said, frowning. "Feisty little boy, aren't you..."

"More than you'd think," Ash said with a grin. As he said that, Lucario formed an Ice Punch on his off-hand, and started giving ground from the Shadow Pokémon he was fighting.

Nascour looked closely. "There's no way that's... what are you up to?"

There was a sudden crash from behind the Cipher admin, and he looked around – the puzzle of Lucario's tactics forgotten.

His gaze fell on the Shadow Dusknoir who had been forming part of the trap for Lugia – or, rather, one of them in particular, who was currently being beaten up, down and sideways by phantasmal copies of several wildly distinct Pokémon. (Including, strangely enough, a Lugia.)

"Got him!" Houndour yapped to Ash, poking his head over a small rise next to the Dusknoir.

"Good work!" Ash called back. "Now get the next one!"

As he said that, the duplicates disappeared, and the Shadow Dusknoir fell to the ground.

Nascour looked back to the trainer, just in time to see his Lucario do an uppercut which went nowhere near Blaziken.

To his astonishment, an instant whirlwind formed from nowhere at all, sweeping his bewildered Fire-type into the air. Lucario blurred after him, delivering a combination of stunning mid-air blows, and then finished off with an axe kick which sent Blaziken slamming back to the ground.

Undeterred, Nascour switched to his Alakazam.


"Hang in there, Sparky!" Ritchie said. "Just one more... there! Electroball!"

Sparky's long tail whipped out in a circle, pulling together the electricity for an Electroball before launching it forwards. It was especially potent against such a slow Pokémon when fuelled by his earlier Agility, and despite the unfavourable type it proved to be enough to finish the Shadow Druddigon off.

"Good work!" he added, as Sparky landed next to him.

His opponent sighed. "Eelektross, handle this peon."

Ritchie blinked at the sight – another Shadow Pokémon.

"Cruise, you handle this!" he instructed. "Have a rest, Sparky."

The Pupitar jetted into position, and hovered there for a moment as the shadowy Eelektross began to circle.

"Giga Drain!" the Cipher admin shouted suddenly.

Eelektross lashed its tail and darted forwards, teeth glowing inside the sucker-like mouth-

And Cruise fired a Hyper Beam.

"What!?" the admin asked, startled at the sudden eruption of brightly-glowing energy.

Ritchie shrugged. "He learned it back in Almia," the young trainer volunteered, as Eelektross staggered back. "Good work, Cruise – now, Smack Down!"

A circle of glowing rocks formed, orbiting Cruise at speed. They spun faster and faster, then speared out at the recovering Eelektross and knocked it to the ground.

"Earthquake!" Ritchie added, hoping to hit the grounded Electric-type before it recovered.


Crobat skimmed low over the heads of his opponents, spinning off Air Slashes to hit the Ludicolo.

They barely seemed to notice, continuing to dance.

"Uh..." Brock began, hesitantly. "You've been dancing for the last five minutes. Are you going to fight?"

Miror B shrugged, dancing himself. "Why would I do that?"

"Not sure, it just seems like the thing you do in this situation," Brock admitted.

Forretress opened her shell slightly, and fired a Signal Beam out – playing it over one enemy at a time, hitting all six in sequence.

Again, no reaction. That could just be because they were using Rain Dish to heal, though.

There was a plume of flame from behind Miror B and his Pokémon, as Ninetales managed to sneak up on one of the Magnezone and Fire Blast it.

This got no more reaction from Miror B or his Ludicolo than anything else.

Brock took the time to try and get some kind of overview on the fight.

Ash and Misty seemed to be doing fine... and as he watched, Ritchie's Pupitar finished off a Shadow Electric-type, so he was doing well too.

There was a bang from the other side of the battlefield, drawing Brock's attention. None of them were over there, so what was that?


Lucario lowered his paws as his opponent slumped to the ground.

It had taken longer than either Ash or Lucario were comfortable with to beat the Alakazam, and he'd managed to get a few nasty psychic blows before going down...

On the plus side, Houndour had managed to get the other Dusknoir, so there were only the two Shadow Probopass left blocking the friends' large Flying-types.

"That Lucario of yours is... inconveniently powerful," Nascour said, frowning in irritation. "Very well – I'm sure this will handle him."

Out came a Camerupt.

"Okay, Lucario, take a break," Ash said. "Your turn!"

Suicune emerged, landing lightly, and smirked. "I'll do my-"

"What!?" Ritchie called from halfway across the battlefield. "That's awesome!"

Ash waved, a little embarrassed. "Yeah, I was about to mention..."

"Did you actually catch her?" Ritchie asked. "That's so cool!"

"Camerupt!" Nascour snapped. "Sunny Day!"

The sun blazed brighter in the sky, banishing the clouds.

"Now, Solar-"

There was a rumble of thunder, and the clouds returned.

Taking advantage of the reprieve, Suicune fired a Hydro Pump at her still-charging opponent.

"Miror B!" Nascour said, in tones of complete exasperation. "What the hell was that for?"

"You're not the boss of me, man!" Miror B called back. "I be dancing!"

"We've got a damned Legendary to deal with now!" Nascour admonished him, and got a rude gesture in return.

One of the 'balls on Ash's belt trembled.

"Not yet," he said to it, as the two Cipher admins continued arguing. "They've still got some of their trap set up. Just a little longer."

No further movement, but he could tell Lugia wasn't happy with even as much waiting as they were doing.

Nascour sent out a Luxray next, who promptly got a faceful of Brine.

"What was that for?" he growled, looking with intense irritation at Suicune.

She smirked back. "A friend showed me." With that, she darted in, and slammed her paws down to deliver a Bulldoze.

Luxray went skidding backwards from the blow. He snarled, and snapped off a Thunder at this irritating Water-type-

Which grounded off his tail back into his fur.

"Told you," Suicune said, and rammed home a second Bulldoze.


"Man, I can't believe these guys all got out of prison," Wes said.

"I guess we missed a few," Rui replied with a shrug. "Hey, at least we managed to catch up with them."

"I guess."

Their mount rocked a little.

"Hey... that's strange," Rui added, frowning. "I think there's some Aura adepts over there."

"Really?" Wes looked up. "Where?"

"I think it's some of the kids. Not that one with the Raichu, though."

Another Cipher grunt jumped in their way, and released a Girafarig and a Medicham. "You won't get past me!"

Wes sighed. "Metagross?"

Affirmative. Meteor Mash.

Raising his two forelegs, Wes' Metagross slammed home a Meteor Mash onto both Psychic-types.

When he resumed his advance a few seconds later, neither were conscious.

"These guys aren't very tough," he added, as the peon sent out a Delibird and a Parasect. "But it's taking ages to get through them."

He came to a decision. "Okay, you two," he said, releasing his twin starters. "See if you can help clear us a path."

Umbreon and Espeon jumped down from Metagross, landing lightly, and began lending supporting fire with Dark Pulses and Psybeams.


The ground shook slightly.

"Hurry up!" Dr. Namba hissed, eyes flicking across the control panel.

It didn't help, of course. The whole Shadow-ification process was going to take as long as it took, especially when combined with his Rage Crown modifications, and it wasn't going to be sped up by berating the computer.

Perhaps he should have started with the younger specimen. That one might have taken less time...

As he considered it, the young Lugia cried out in its native language. Namba wasn't sure what it meant... probably something about calling for a parent, actually.


The Chandelure fell to the ground, wavering, and its flames dimmed.

"Good work, Cruise!" Ritchie said, grinning. "Nice Stone Edge!"

Cruise floated there for a moment longer, as Ritchie's opponent scowled.

"Right, you brat!" he said, simmering. "That rock lump of yours isn't going to last the match! Simisage, Seed Bomb!"

Simisage emerged from his 'ball, and stepped forwards with a Seed Bomb charging in his hands.

Ritchie's reply was a grin. He returned Cruise, and switched Pokémon. "Zippo, blast him!"

Simisage's attack fizzled out as he looked up (and up) at the burly Charizard.

He sighed, and put his hands over his eyes just before Zippo used Flamethrower.

"Got anything left?" Ritchie asked, as Simisage collapsed to the ground.

The admin looked frightened.

"Guess not," Ritchie decided. "Come on, Zippo, let's go!"

"Grunts!" the admin shouted. "Stop them!"

The Pokémon the grunts sent out were underwhelming to say the least. Ritchie left them to Zippo, sending out Fortune once more and swinging onto his back. "Come on, Fortune, let's get into that lab!"

Fortune snorted an affirmative – then staggered, nearly losing his footing as the ground shook.


Kabutops slashed his scythes through an incoming Charge Beam, deflecting most of the electricity aside in twin blasts which blew troughs in the ground.

Some of it got through, though, and crackled up his arms. He grunted, pivoted on one leg and swiped his left scythe down with a Night Slash.

The Grumpig he was facing was knocked backwards, reeling.

Capitalizing on his advantage, Kabutops ran forwards. He pushed through a pulse of telekinetic energy intended to check his advance, crossed his scythes, and brought them down-and-across in an X-Scissor.

That was finally too much for the Psychic-type, who passed out.

"How did you do that?" the admin asked. "I – but – you're a single-type trainer!"

Misty grinned, and flashed a V-sign. "Single-type trainers do have weaknesses, but they know what they are and train to overcome them!"

The admin muttered something.

Deciding to ignore him, Misty looked around to see if her friends needed much help.

Kabutops stood from where he'd finished off the Grumpig, then jumped – back, towards Misty. His scythes flashed out, cutting a Vine Whip as it reached out for Misty.

She looked around, startled, and then towards a grunt with a Tangela already readying more vines.

"Gyarados!" she called, pointing. "Get him!"

The grunt suddenly looked a lot less confident as Gyarados charged up a Flamethrower.

His Tangela got a brief reprieve, though, when the ground shook. It fell over, but the flamethrower was aimed where it had been and missed.


Brock snapped his fingers. "I know! Forretress, use Toxic Spikes!"

Forretress glanced back at him, nodded, and did so. Her shell glowed as she sent out dozens of the toxic caltrop-like spikes, aiming them especially where the half-dozen Ludicolo were dancing.

"Hey!" Miror B said, as his Ludicolo started to wince and flinch – finding the spikes as they danced. "Stop messing up my dance, hombre!"

Brock shrugged. "Sorry, but this is a battle..."

"Huh." Miror B frowned, looking honestly confused. "I thought it was a dance-off, man."

"...why would you think that?" Brock asked, thrown.

"Well, look at your Forretress!" he said, indicating her with a gesture. "She's breakdancing!"

"...that's just spinning."

Miror B shrugged. "Same difference."

Brock shook his head. "I've got no idea how your thought process works. Crobat – Venoshock!"

Crobat came swooping in, trimming his wings, and delivered some globs of greenish gunk on a low-level bombing run of an attack. When they hit one of the Ludicolo, there was a flash of discharging energy and the Grass-type staggered.

They were still dancing, though.

Then the ground shook, knocking Brock and Miror B staggering and all six Ludicolo off their feet.


Ash frowned, as Pikachu opened up enthusiastically on the shadow Walrein in front of him. "I heard something there! A faint-"

The 'ball at his waist shook again, more strongly still, and then burst open.

Ash! Lugia said, opening his wings. That was Silver, I'd know his voice anywhere!

Nascour gaped. "You have... a Lugia?"

Then he grinned. "It doesn't matter – we've still got our trap set up, after all. Probopass, use Gravity!"

Lugia grunted as the two powerful Gravity attacks clawed at him, and began to glow as he resisted the psychic attack.

Then the force on him abruptly halved, allowing him to begin to gain height.

Nascour blinked. "What just-"

Ash punched him in the chin.

Nascour went down like a sack of potatoes, and Ash shook his hand to get the stiffness out. "Man, he was annoying..."

"Secret Sword!"

Keldeo's voice echoed off the nearby hillside as he fired the ranged version of his signature attack. It scythed across the outside of Namba's lab, carving a path through the rock facing, and slammed into the remaining Shadow Probopass.

The Rock-type didn't stand much chance against Keldeo's powerful attack.

"Sorry I took so long!" Keldeo called. "I was trying to take the one over here by surprise!"

Ash glanced up, and saw Keldeo was in fact standing on the unconscious Probopass.

With a crackling bang, Walrein went down, but then staggered back upright.

"You doing okay, Pikachu?" Ash asked, worried.

"I've got this!" Pikachu replied. "Lugia needs your help now!"

Ash nodded, and jumped aboard as Lugia gained height.

This lab should not exist, Lugia said firmly, inhaling in preparation for his signature move.

Just before he did, though, the whole place trembled.

"Was that you?" Ash asked.

No, it wasn't... Lugia informed him, puzzled. I wonder if-

The lab exploded from the inside out.

Clinging on, Ash gaped as a completely transformed Lugia climbed free of the ruin – gaining height quickly. Rather than the usual downy white feathers sported by all Lugia Ash had seen before, she was completely different in colour – a dark purple, nearly black, with glowing red eyes.

Love! Lugia called, suddenly.

"That's your mate?" Ash asked, bewildered. "Why does she look-"

I don't know! Lugia replied, mental voice full of anguish. But that's her! I'd know her anywhere!

"Lugia!"

Lugia looked down to see Suicune facing up at him.

"We'll help your son! Go save her!"

Lugia glanced up to see his mate heading east at speed – already a considerable distance away – then back down to Suicune. I will. My thanks, Suicune.

He whirled, turning almost in his own length, and set off after his mate.


AN:

The Lugia Incident. I've kind of expanded this one out, slightly.

A couple of characters we've met before – Ritchie's evolved his Pikachu, Sparky, into a Raichu, and his Kirlia who turned up in the League in this fic has become a Gallade.

As for Wes and Rui, they're the protagonists of Pokémon Colosseum – one of the games with which I've merged this incident, the other being the sequel, Pokémon XD (that's where the Shadow Lugia's from, though the idea of it being Silver's mother is merely common fanon rather than canonical to the game).

Oh, Fortune is a 'mon I've sort of "imported" from the excellent series of Nuzlockes by Kitfox-Crimson. Well, I imported the name-mon combo, not the personality – Fortune's kind of different to this in the Platinum Nuzlocke. (Apologies to Kit if he's offended!)