"That's an interesting way of flying," Brock noted, as Flygon flitted forwards a few steps with a hopping spring before furling his wings again.

"Thanks, I think?" Flygon said, frowning slightly."Is there a problem?"

"No, it's fine," Brock told him. "I'm just interested that you're kind of half-flying along with us."

"Well, I don't want to leave you behind..." Flygon explained. "When I was with Ninjask, he always had to take care not to leave me behind, so I'm just doing the same thing in reverse."

"That's very thoughtful of you," Ash said.

"Thank you." Flygon trimmed his wings slightly and came down to his latest landing. "Where are we going, by the way? I mean now specifically."

"Oh, right, you didn't hear that bit," Brock nodded. "We're headed to Slateport, which is a coastal city another few hours down the road from here."

"I've never seen a city," Flygon said, interested.

Max looked up from Kris. "Slateport is kind of interesting – it's got no real gym, but there's a contest hall and a museum."

"A museum of... the sea, right?" May added.

"I think so."

"Oh, okay. Forina's kind of... well, not-a-city," Flygon noted. "It's rare to see humans at all in the central zone, so this is the longest I've been around humans... probably ever."

"You picked good ones," Pikachu assured him. "It's not very calm or quiet around Ash, but he's certainly a good person."

"Thanks," Ash smiled.

"Right." Flygon flitted another few paces onwards. "I don't think I'll mind excitement too much, it was a bit too calm in Forina..."

"Forina is a very nice place," Absol noted, walking alongside. "It's not very prone to things going badly wrong... well, apart from the odd gigantic fake Legendary Pokémon."

"That was by far the most exciting thing there's ever been there," Flygon agreed. "And it was... well, I felt so proud of helping out. Is that normal?"

"Helping's certainly a thing to be proud of," May contributed.

"Good!" Flygon said, then his head snapped round.

"Did you-"

"I saw it too," Lucario said. "Or I saw something moving, anyway. What was it?"

"...that's what confuses me," Flygon said. "It looked a lot like a Shiftry carrying a human woman under his arm."

"Huh," Ash said. "Well, I guess we'd better find out what's going on."

Brock sent out Crobat. "Can you follow the Shiftry?"

Crobat's reply was to launch himself into the air with a clap of wings. He swerved, and began to fly off into the trees.

Absol blinked. "...oh, dear... this is normal for you, isn't it?"

"Pretty much," Max said. "Let's follow Crobat!"

"I'll help!" Cinder announced. She jumped into the foliage, and began to sniff. "Got it! Come on, this way!"


With care, the Shiftry deposited his sleeping passenger on a shelf inside the trunk of a tree.

He tapped her on the shoulder, and after a moment the Joy yawned and began to move.

"What happened?" she asked, blinking, and looked around. "Okay, either my sister remodelled the Pokémon centre without telling me, or..."

A Tropius called, and she looked up. Then the Shiftry spoke up. "Shifffft. Try!"

"...did you put me to sleep and kidnap me?" she asked. "That's manners for you..."

"Try?" the Shiftry asked.

"You could have just asked, you know..." the Joy sighed. "Or brought whoever it is you want me to help over to me instead."

The Shiftry looked blank.

"Okay, who is it you want me to help?" Joy asked.

Then there was a commotion below.


"Look, we just want to make sure she's okay!" Ash said.

"A likely story!" a Seedot said, hiding behind a big Gloom. "You just want to catch us!"

"I've got enough Grass-types," Ash protested.

"I've got Guy, that's enough for me," Max said.

"Ludicolo!" Brock said.

Everyone looked at May.

"...it's not my fault I only have three Pokémon so far," she muttered.

"You have to admit, it's not very nice to just kidnap a healer," Cinder pointed out. "What if someone else needs her too? More urgently?"

There was a general shuffling and exchange of embarrassed looks.

"...when you put it that way..."

"Look, can we at least go up and see she's okay?" Brock asked. "We could even help out – I'm qualified in Pokémon medicine."

"...okay, but just one of you!" the Seedot insisted.

Ash reached down to his belt and clicked a Pokéball off. "Brock, here," he said, passing it to him. "You've got the experience, and Meganium has a healing move to help you out."

"Thanks," Brock said, touched. "Uh... Flygon, would you mind getting me up there?"

"Not at all!" Flygon assured him.


"Okay, he looks like he's mainly running a fever," the Joy said. "Now, if I had my medicine, this would be easy to deal with..."

The Nuzleaf hovering over her friend looked up, and looked a bit... shifty. "Leeeaf," she said, shaking her head and shrugging.

"I guess Shiftry was just frantic, huh?" she asked, keeping her tone soothing. "Okay, I'll see what I can do... can you get some water?"

There was a buzzing, and she looked up as a Flygon landed on the branch just outside.

It was quite a tight fit.

"Do you need some help, ma'am?" a trainer asked, clambering down. "I've got a Pokémon here with Heal Pulse..."

"That would be marvellous, thank you," Joy smiled. "It's just a fever, but those can be tricky to deal with without at least basic medicine..."

"Hold on, I think I can see some Oran berries," the trainer told her. "I'll just be a moment. Meganium, can you help her?"

The Meganium emerged, and nodded. "Gain."

There was a crash from below.


"We already explained this!" Ash said, exasperated. "We're just here to help."

"Why so many of you?" Shiftry demanded.

"We were all travelling together!"

"A likely story. Leave before I make you!"

Shiftry advanced menacingly forwards, and then a blur of light whipped past him and slammed into the ground – cutting a furrow.

Keldeo glared, horn already lit with a second attack. "Stop! We're trying to help – at least listen before just dismissing what we have to say!"

The Grass-type blinked and took a step back. "...what was that?"

"X-Scissor," Keldeo explained. "I can make it do that. So please listen."

Absol tilted her head. "...you can make X-Scissor do that?"

"Yeah, it took a while to get it worked out, but-"

Ash raised a hand. "Uh... question?"

The Shiftry scowled. "What now?"

"What would convince you that we're not trying to trick you?"

That actually made Shiftry pause for thought.

"...I don't know..."

"Ash?" Meganium called down. "Everything's sorted!"

"Really?" Ash asked. "Wow, that was quick..."

"Yeah, a Potion cleared it up," Meganium told him. "We're coming back down now."

Keldeo smiled. "Would that do?"

"...I'll think about it."

"Oh, shut up, dad!" the Seedot said suddenly. "I know you told us to stay away from humans just in case, but this is just silly!"

"I can't be too careful!" Shiftry protested.

"Didn't you just kidnap someone, which might have meant humans actually attacking to rescue her?" Max asked.

"...uh..."


"That took a lot longer than it probably could have," May sighed. "Okay, which way's Mauville?"

"This way, I think," Ash said, pointing.

Nope.

"...yeah, that's why I didn't just head off that way," Ash admitted. "Okay, which way is it?"

Take a left turn... there. Now you're looking the right way.

"Thanks!" Ash said, setting off in what was now the right direction.

Absol blinked. "...is this a common problem?"

"Never – never – let Ash have the map," Brock said.

"I see..."


"...so, basically, these were Sir Aaron's spare set," Ash explained, as they walked along the road. "He told me he had two pairs during the time we were in the bubble of reality after the end of the world, and since the first time around the gloves had responded to me they had to be from the spare pair... so I picked them up as soon as I could."

Jirachi nodded. I think I understand... so, what do they do?

Several seconds passed in silence.

"Ash..." Max said, with a snicker. "Jirachi asked you a question."

"He did?" Ash asked, lifting the hat. "Oh, right, sorry... yeah, the hat basically means I count as a Dark-type for the purposes of psychic powers."

Right! Jirachi nodded. I get it! That could be really useful!

"It has been," Ash agreed. "As often when someone like Pikachu or Lucario's using it, though... but it was really helpful with Mewtwo."

Jirachi considered that.

What about the other stuff?

"Well, the gloves-"

Ash was interrupted by a gasp.

"It's the legendary hero!" someone said, in tones of great excitement. "Look, he's got a Pikachu, and he's wearing blue-"

"Yeah!" another voice agreed, this time male and sounding younger.

"...what?" May asked. "Ash, have you been giving out business cards or something?"

The sources of the voices came crashing out of a bush.

They were a young boy and a slightly older girl, with three Pokémon between them – a Plusle, a Minun and a Magnemite.

"Wait, wait!" Ash said, holding up his hands. "What do you mean, legendary hero?"

"It's an old legend of our village!" the boy explained, tripping over his words in his excitement. "The Light Stone was given to the village by a hero with a Pikachu, wearing blue – it's the treasure of our village!"

"And you're the legendary hero!" the girl picked up. "It fits!"

"How long ago was this?" Brock asked.

"...I'm not sure," the boy admitted. "My grandfather told me about it."

"I'm pretty sure it wasn't me," Ash said slowly. "I'm thirteen."

Both kids deflated slightly.

"Oh," the girl said.

"But... why are you only pretty sure?" the boy asked, refusing to let the idea go.

Ash counted under his breath. "I've time travelled... at least three times, and those are just the ones I can remember offhand. It could be me, but if it is I've not done it yet."

Now both of them were staring.

"It's true," Brock said.

"Wow..."

Absol sighed. "I keep reminding myself, this is my new normal..."

"Hey, at least it's not boring," Brock pointed out.

"Well... if you're not the legendary hero, then can you still give us some training?" the boy asked. "Oh – I'm Thatcher, by the way, and this is my sister Alyssa."

Remembering – vaguely – that he'd helped them last time, Ash nodded. "Sure, I've got some experience helping Electric-types..."

"I do most of the work," Pikachu quipped. "Mind you, Raikou asked for it..."

Thatcher noticed his Minun was gaping. "What is it?"

"...did you say Raikou?" Minun asked.

"What's that?" Raikou inquired, erupting out of his Pokéball. "Sorry, I was having a nap..."

"...okay, now I'm sure you're the legendary hero," Thatcher decided. "You've actually got Raikou!"

"A Raikou," Ash corrected. "There's two just on the islands – him and another one, who's shiny."

"Ash, if you were trying not to look like the legendary hero, you're doing a terrible job at it..." Brock pointed out.

"...oh, yeah, right," Ash blushed. "Whoops..."


"...so the important bit with Electric-types, especially, is to keep a close eye on their voltage," Ash explained. "It's a talent that they learn to take better care of as they age, but it's always good to top them up if they need it."

Thatcher nodded. "I see... so your Pikachu had to do that?"

"That's right," Ash agreed. "Back when we first met, he often used up all his charge in one really big attack, and that's not always a good idea."

"Right... I've trained Plusle and Minun to charge one another back up with Helping Hand, is that a good thing?" Thatcher asked.

"It's a really good support trick," Ash confirmed. "But make sure they can battle on their own, as well – it's good to have teamwork, but you can end up too reliant on having that teammate."

"Right," Minun agreed. "I think I see."

"Apart from that, the thing to remember with any Pokémon is – get to know them, learn what they can do, and trust them."

"Is that how you got Raikou?" Alyssa asked. "How'd you meet him?"

"Well, his sister told me that they'd let me chase and try to catch them," Ash said, with a shrug. "I think the main reason why they did that is that they heard how I helped Lugia with the Shamouti birds."

"Sister?" Thatcher asked. "Wait – you helped Lugia?"

Max sniggered.

"What?" the boy asked hotly, turning to him.

"You don't watch much TV, do you?" Max asked.

"...not really," Thatcher admitted. "It's hard to get reception, so we often have to order in shows we want to watch."

"Seriously, look Ash up," Max advised. "At the last Silver Conference. You're in for a treat."

"If you say so," Alyssa decided.

"What does this thing do?" Raikou asked, loudly enough that Ash could hear him from inside the lighthouse.

"What have you found?" Ash called.

"Some kind of stone!" Raikou reported. "It's very strange... and where's the light?"

"I think the stone is the light!" Ash replied. "It's powered by Electric attacks!"

"Right!" Raikou said, in tones of determination.

"What was that?" Thatcher said, looking confused. "All I heard were roar sounds, apart from what you said."

"Raikou found a stone in the lighthouse," Ash said. "I think it's the one you told me about-"

There was a very, very bright flash from the lighthouse.

"Argh!" Raikou yelped. "My eyes!"

"I think you overdid it!" Ash called. "Excuse me, I think I need to make sure Raikou doesn't trip down the stairs..."


"What's this place again?" Max asked. "I kind of remember it..."

"I think it's the trick house," Ash replied. "That place where there were all kinds of challenges in there... like a maze, I think."

"Oh, yeah, with all the doors..." Max nodded. "I remember now. Should we give it a go?"

"I don't know..." Ash said.

"Can we go?" Mawile asked.

Ash looked down at her. "Who's we?"

"Me and Jirachi and Goomy and Tyranitar!" Mawile replied promptly. "It'd be fun!"

"Did you understand that?" Ash checked with Max, who shook his head. "Okay. Basically she wants to go in with Jirachi, Goomy and Tyranitar."

Can I go, Max? Jirachi asked. Please? It sounds like great fun!

Max considered.

"Okay," he said. "But remember to wish yourself back to us straight away if you get in trouble!"

What about Tyranitar? Jirachi asked. Isn't he tough enough?

"That's a point, he's Dark-type and you can't teleport a Dark-type without putting them in a Pokéball or something," Ash said. "Hmmm... Tyranitar?"

The big Rock-type emerged. "Yes?"

"Do you think you should take your Pokéball, so in an emergency you can just go right back in?" Ash suggested.

"That sounds pretty sensible," Tyranitar admitted. "I'm able to walk pretty well, now, but fighting's different... so running for it is probably the best option."

"Right," Ash said, and unclipped the Pokéball. "Here you go, you know how to use it."

"It's only how I get to and from home," Tyranitar agreed.

While he was accepting the ball, Mawile clambered up his back and sat on one shoulder. "Let's go! Come on, Goomy, it's time for some puzzles!"


"Welcome to the trick house!" the Trick Master said. "I'm afraid there's no special prize today, just the usual, but you're welcome to come in!"

He made a flourish. "So, who's coming in? Is it the gentleman in the back? The young lad?"

Us! Jirachi said proudly.

The Trick Master blinked. "Who said that?"

I did! Jirachi waved. I'm the psychic one, so I'm the one who's saying things for us!

"Is it okay for our Pokémon to go in?" Ash asked.

"Well..." the Trick Master considered today's puzzle. "I guess so – just be careful, okay?"

Right! Jirachi nodded, and Tyranitar lumbered carefully through the door.


"Hmmm..." Mawile frowned, looking over the room. The floor was tiled, and covered with big blue arrows – and a few red ones. "Is it like a kind of maze? Where you have to follow the arrows?"

Looks like! Jirachi agreed, floating overhead. But I can't see a route through...

"Don't forget to speak so Tyranitar can hear you," Goomy pointed out.

"Oops – sorry..." Jirachi blushed. "Okay, the door's over there, and there's some switches..."

"I see a way to one of the switches!" Mawile announced. She hopped down from Tyranitar's arm, and walked over to one of the paths. "I think it's this-"

Her foot hit one of the tiles, and she shot off along the floor with a surprised yelp and a zzzzzzip!

"Whooaaaah"

"Mawile, are you okay?" Goomy asked, following her progress – forward-up-right-back-down and ending up in a heap.

"Owie..." the Fairy-type said, rubbing her head-jaw. "I didn't know they did that..."

Shaking her head, she reached over to the lever and gave it a pull.

"It's not moving!"

"I'll come over and help," Goomy decided. He descended Tyranitar's leg, and followed the same path as she did.

Working together, the two Pokémon managed to haul the lever across.

"Did that do anything?" Goomy asked.

"Yeah!" Jirachi reported. "One of the red tiles changed direction!"

"I think I can see how to get to the next switch, too," Tyranitar volunteered, leaning over – then stumbled forwards slightly as he nearly overextended. "Come back here and I'll show you..."


Gradually, switch by switch, the four Pokémon worked together to get the puzzle solved. Each switch flipped a red tile, showing the way to another switch, and after about ten minutes they had the whole assembly set up properly.

"We reached the door!" Mawile cheered. "Great work!"

Goomy smiled, glad the puzzle was solved. It had been a lot of fun.

"Yep!" Jirachi agreed, floating down to land next to them. "Okay, Tyranitar, your turn!"

"Um... okay," Tyranitar said. "Which panel is it?"

"Left a bit... left a bit... that one!" Jirachi said.

Tyranitar stepped on it.

The tile grabbed him and whisked him off towards the left. After four or five tiles in one direction, the next one made him turn a sharp corner towards the right.

Then another right turn.

Then he was heading for the raised flyover section, and realized a problem was coming up. "Wait, whoaaa-"


"What was that bang sound?" Brock asked, looking up.

Ash frowned. "Not sure..."


"Ow," Tyranitar muttered, pulling himself out of the dent in the wall.

"Are you okay?" Mawile asked, hurrying over. "That looked painful!"

"It was," Tyranitar agreed, rubbing his shoulder. "I don't think this is built for Tyranitar..."

"Still!" Mawile said, smiling suddenly. "We did it! We solved the puzzle!"


"Ready for the gym?" Ash asked.

"Sure am!" Max replied. "My first choice is going to be Arc, because he's not had a battle yet... then I think Guy, he's got an advantage, and if it's supposed to be three it's Cinder's turn too."

"Sounds good," Ash agreed. "I think Pokémon should sometimes have a go at fighting gyms they're weak to to get used to it, but Delta's kind of too vulnerable to the Electric-type."

May nodded, following along. "What about Jirachi?"

Ash frowned. "Not really a great choice, he's still working on having attacks..."

"Right," May agreed. "Who are you going to use?"

"Well, Swellow was one option," Ash said. "I know I'm not going to use Pikachu..."

"Why not?" Pikachu asked.

"You beat him in two minutes last time, it was kind of embarrassing," Ash pointed out.

"...wasn't my fault..."

Brock chuckled.

"But I guess it depends on if he's got a special setup," Ash went on.

Max nodded. "I'll just bring everyone, because I can still do that."

May sighed. "I miss Skitty... at least with her around I'll have nearly as many Pokémon as you, Max..."


The door opened.

Absol looked around, and frowned. "I had heard that gyms had gym leaders... and, for that matter, battlefields. Do I understand that wrongly?"

"No, there is, I think," Ash replied. "Look."

He indicated a platform. "I think we get on here."

"Some people build puzzles or tricks into their gym," Brock noted. "Of course, for whatever reason most people in Johto didn't have them put together when Ash showed up..."

"Yeah, they liked their buildings in one piece," Pikachu chuckled.

"So... we step on this?" Absol repeated. She stepped forwards and tapped it, then concentrated. "It seems relatively safe..."

They all got on, one at a time.

A moment later Absol's eyes widened. "Wait, now it-"

The platform shot off into the depths of the gym, accompanied by a surprised cry from the Dark-type.

"What's going on?" she asked. "Why did it suddenly do that?"

"I think Wattson does it!" Brock called back. "He's probably running it personally!"

"Right, that would do it," Absol admitted. "I didn't look that far into the potentials..."

"So the battle room's at the back of the gym," Max said, adjusting his grip on the handrail to avoid falling over. "Wait, is that a moat?"

"I guess Wattson really likes his privacy!" May agreed, as they zipped over it with a splash.

"Or just messing with people," Pikachu added.

A door loomed up at the end of the slanting corridor, and hissed open – revealing a great big Raikou.

The beast roared, then crouched down.

"...okay, now it's a lot less impressive," Max said. "It's surprising how jaded you can get from knowing the real Raikou..."

At that, a Fast Ball on Ash's belt flashed and opened.

"A what?" Raikou asked, then saw his double. "Hmmm... so, a robotic duplicate of me, huh?"

He prowled forwards, claws clicking softly on the floor, and as he did the mecha-Raikou roared at him.

"Roar yourself," he muttered, and tapped it with a paw. "It's not very talkative, is it... and my eyes aren't even that colour."

"They are red," Ash said.

"Not the whole of them, they're not," Raikou replied. His double roared again, and he swiped at it irritably – producing a clang. "And while I'm at it..." Pacing around it, he ran a paw along the metallic mane. "This is just an insult. My mane is not this stiff!"

The mecha-Raikou snarled, and then the gym leader came hurrying up – holding a remote control.

"I should have recognized you, my boy!" he boomed, nodding to Ash. "Of course you're one of the trainers I saw on the Silver Conference who had a Raikou! Wonderful!"

"Uh – hello, Wattson," Ash said – a little bemused. "Sorry we didn't find your robot very impressive..."

"Oh, the real thing's much more spectacular," Wattson admitted freely. "No surprise there, by Jove! But-"

"Who's Jove?" Max asked.

"Ancient Roman name for Thundurus," Wattson replied promptly. "So, who's here to challenge my gym?"

Ash and Max raised their hands.

"Capital!"

The bombastic Electric-type gym leader then indicated Ash with a pointing finger. "But don't think I'll go easy on you just because you brought Raikou!"

"I wouldn't even want you to," Ash replied. "What's the setup?"

"Well!" Wattson chuckled again. "My team for someone with only a few Hoenn badges is one thing, but you need something special! I'm going to set up a triple battle for you – and the three Pokémon you use should be linked somehow!"

Ash frowned, thinking it over.

"...you don't want me to get Suicune and Entei too, do you?"

"Nope!" Wattson said, with a shake of his head. "Not a chance, by Zeus!"

"Who-"

"Another ancient name for Thundurus." Wattson chuckled. "No, a gym battle with all three Beasts of Ecruteak could only go one way... but I'm sure you'll come up with the group you want! I certainly have a team with links like that!"

"What about me?" Max asked.

"Ah, Norman's lad!" Wattson boomed. (It was already clear he had a volume control with the dial broken off.) "Well, you're more of a tyro, but I have just the Pokémon for you! Just one point first..."

He grinned maliciously. "Your starting challenge is for you – and all the Pokémon you're going to use - to stay on Raikou for thirty seconds!"

Tapping a button on the control, he made the mecha-Raikou thrash violently.

Max frowned. "...okay, I know how."

He walked over to Ash's Raikou and whispered in his ear. The Electric-type chuckled, and crouched down.

Max got on.

"Let me know when thirty seconds are up," he said.

Wattson stared for a moment, then began to laugh again. "Well, I should have seen that one coming! But what about your Pokémon?"

In reply, the trainer tapped his belt. "All on here."

"All right, all right, you got me," Wattson said, smiling broadly. "I really should have made clearer what I meant!"

"Well," Max said, seriously. "I'd have just had my Electrike zap the robot so it stopped moving, and then stand on top of it until the time was up."

"I can see it's not going to be easy to pull a fast one on you, lad," Wattson chuckled. "Right, who's first?"

Ash and Max exchanged glances.

"You first, Ash," Max suggested. "It's been me first the last couple of gyms."

"Right," Ash said, and flipped open Dexter as Max got off Raikou. "Dexter? I'd like to get a couple of Pokémon from the lab..."


"Okay, Wild Charge!"

The Luxray leaped forwards, electricity crackling around his sleekly brushed fur. Some of it bled off, forming a distinct shape around the Electric-type's mane, and he pounced skyward in a blast of energy.

His fangs reached for the leg of his target, and snapped closed just short – but the clashing teeth produced a bang and all the electricity in his mane discharged at once – reaching just a little higher and grazing her thighs.

"Excellent work!" one of the judges said, and one of the point bars went down.

"Grab him!" the other coordinator called, and the Moltres dipped in her flight to snag her foe's fur in her two taloned feet. "And Sky Drop!"

Moltres beat her wings, gritting her beak against the electricity crackling into her, and performed a hasty backwards flip.

That spun Luxray around, disorienting him, and she released him when he was headed floorwards before curving around into a much faster forwards half-roll.

Beak opening, she strafed him with flame as he fell, and then spun her wings in a roll to come back to a steady attitude.

"Oh, and Moltres is certainly fighting back!" the local Joy said, as this time it was the other point bar which dropped.

"Finish it, Moltres!" the not-really-disguised Jessie said. "Flaming Sky Attack!"

"Watch out, Luxray!" her opponent said. "That could be tricky – try and get her before she finishes getting it ready!"

"Luuux!" the Luxray roared, bass deep, and electricity crackled over his fur.

"Kick off the wall and do a Thunder!"

Luxray pushed off, muscles bunching, and used the retaining wall as a second push-off point. Thunder boomed and lightning crackled around his fur-

-and Moltres used Sky Attack.

The glowing golden aura separated from her almost completely, and soared forwards in a blaze of light – connected to her by a long trail of flame blown from her beak which formed the tail.

Luxray released his Thunder to try and destroy it, and there was an almighty BANG.


Flames trailing from his fur and covered in scorch marks, Luxray landed on the floor with a slight stumble.

The expanding cloud of flame he'd passed through had been too diffuse to actually knock him out, but it had been pretty nasty anyway – and if he hadn't managed to burst it, then he'd have been out. But he was still in the fight, and he turned to-

"Time's up!" the Joy called.

Both Pokémon looked somewhat disappointed.


"At least you've got as many as the twerps now," James observed.

"They're not nearly as busy as we are," Jessie replied, handing the Pokéball back. "I don't know why the Boss wanted that sealed crate, but picking it up from a tiny island twenty miles south of Mossdeep..."

"At least it was better dan when we had to get dat one from da tree!" Meowth said.

Both the others nodded, wincing.

There were few worse times to hear a chorus of "Beeeeedrillllll..."

"I just wonder what's in there..."

I could tell you, Abra noted. But I won't, because I'm like that.


Giovanni smiled, noticing the other man had finished reading.

"So," he asked, smoothly. "What do you think?"

"Well..." the mayor frowned. "I don't know... it all seems in order..."

That wasn't actually true. It pushed the boundaries of legality to the exact limits of what the most generous reading of the law would allow, and at least one court case had decided that that generous interpretation did not hold water.

But... it would make them both quite a lot of money.

"Explain it to me again?" the mayor asked. "I'm not quite sure what these machines do..."

"It's simple," Giovanni said, with a winning smile. "They're just quiz machines, with the occasional minigame – they occasionally ask you to do a little puzzle. It adds to the variety."

And it was the computer itself which decided if you hit the target, even with perfect aim.

They'd be quite nice little moneymakers.

"And, of course," Giovanni added, "I'm having a special giveaway of Pokéballs – a lucky dip of five kinds of Pokéball from Kalos. Unfortunately I was unable to secure enough Master Balls to make it worthwhile giving them away, and so they're going spare... all six of them."

The mayor of Goldenrod frowned. "You mean – oh!"

He swallowed. "Well, I'm sure there's no problems. Uh, a pleasure doing business with you."

"The pleasure's all mine," Giovanni said, with a sincere smile. "Why don't we have dinner to celebrate?"

He shifted a rectangular box in his pocket. Just slightly. Just enough to catch the mayor's eye.

That was the beauty of setting up a fully legal game corner in the city, of course... all the attention was focused there, not to the bars and their game machines.

Not to mention that it was a good reason to get an excellent dinner.


"Vaporeon, your turn!" Daisy called, and sent out the watery vulpine with a flourish. "Acid Armour!"

She took in the situation at a glance, then hit the pool and dissolved into it with a soft plip.

Her opponent frowned. "Okay, that makes things harder... Riolu, can you tell where she is?"

Riolu considered, paws gently pressing on the floating platform as she adjusted her weight. "I can see her aura, master, but it's... distributed."

"Right, so she's... I guess spread out over the water-"

One of the waves in the pool coalesced.

"Strike zone!" Casey said as quickly as she could.

Riolu whirled, her Aura appendages flying out from her head as she turned, and the float wobbled slightly. It made it harder for her to keep her footing, but she managed it – and then Vaporeon emerged from the wave, and blasted a stream of bubbles at her.

Riolu's Aura Sphere cracked out, and managed to clip Vaporeon on the tail – but the Bubblebeam hit her harder than she'd hit her opponent, and her follow-up attempt at Force Palm missed as Vaporeon dissolved back into the water.

"Okay, Vaporeon!" Daisy said. "Tip that platform!"

Casey took a moment to realize what that meant, then yelped. "Look out!"

Vaporeon's tail shimmered out of the water, and slapped hard into the edge of the platform – which wobbled, once, and then tipped over with a ponderous finality.

Riolu plunged into the water, and Casey ran a few steps forwards – making sure she could still see that yellow-black form.

She was still so calm, that was the surprising thing. Casey was more worried for Riolu than the Fighting-type was for herself, she could see that.

There was a blue flash as Riolu punched out a spike of Aura into the water around her, aiming for Vaporeon.

It missed, the Water-type slipping away through her element and melting back into the pool.

Casey came to her decision, and recalled the Fighting-type.

She frowned for a moment, and switched to Pichu. "Okay, Pichu, zap that water!"

"Chuuu!" Pichu said, and blasted the pool with an Electric attack.

There was a splash, and Vaporeon jumped up onto the platform she'd previously tipped over, electricity crackling over her.

She gave Pichu a look, then pounced forwards in a ripple of movement.

Pichu charged up another attack-

-and there was a flash of red-white light.

A Chinchou materialized in the place of the Vaporeon, and drank in the electricity with a grin.

"Oh, no..." Casey sighed, recognizing the Electric-type as one she'd had Meganium damage earlier – now healed.

"This could take a while," she said, considering, and sent Riolu out again to stand next to her.

Vaporeon to hide in the water. Chinchou to deal with her Electric-types. And Meganium had been hurt a lot by the Dewgong before she'd knocked it out.

At least the Gym Leader only had two Pokémon left.

"Okay, Pichu, electrocute the water!" she said. "Give it a big blast!"

As she said that, she readied her Pokéballs – and pulled the switch as fast as she could.

The surprised Pichu was snatched out of battle, and Meganium came in in her place.

"Constrict!" Casey called, and the Chinchou was lifted into the air by Meganium's vines.

"Signal Beam!" Daisy said.

"Quick – Leaf Storm!"

The reddish beam of light flashed from Chinchou's twin lights, and then a tightly focused swirl of leaves came cascading upwards.

For about two seconds, both Pokémon held their attacks – the red beam barely visible inside a tornado of leaves – and then Meganium crumpled, pushed beyond endurance.

"Riolu, now!" Casey said, and the Fighting-type leaped forwards. "Fastball!"

Daisy tried to return her Electric-type, but was just a bit too slow. The swirling ball of Aura hit Chinchou as she fell, carrying her into the wall and knocking her out.

"Phew," Casey sighed – just the Vaporeon to go, now...


"That was a good fight," Daisy complimented her, handing over the Cascade badge. "Very watery, lots of switches."

"Thanks," Casey smiled, and glanced around the pool – noticing that the water was already running back into it from the ridged tiling. "I guess this place gets wet a lot?"

"Well, we rebuilt it a couple of years ago, and we paid attention to that kind of thing. Vaporeon helped, actually..." Daisy chuckled. "Mind you, it was my sister who had that battle."

Casey frowned. "You mean Misty, right? Wait – was it Ash who did it?"

"Oh, right, you battled him..." Daisy chuckled. "I remember watching that one."

"Actually I met him loads of times," Casey said. "Wait, was it here he started destroying gyms?"

"Probably..."

Casey giggled.

"So," Daisy asked, after a moment. "Where next, for you?"

"I was thinking somewhere like... well, I've done Saffron – that was hard," Casey admitted. "So perhaps I should do Vermillion or Celadon next..."

"Leave Viridian for last," Daisy advised. "The gym leader there is so cool – he's always wearing a business suit, which is really stylish!"

"Sounds like you might like him," Casey said.

Daisy stuck her tongue out. "Ew. He's stylish, but he's... like... old."

There was a knock on the door. "Hey, Dee, you done yet?"

"Sure!" Daisy replied. "Just a minute!" Turning back to Casey, she shrugged. "We're going out to a gig..."

"Nice," Casey agreed. "They're the other gym leaders?"

"Right," Daisy nodded. "Sisters, heh?"


AN:


Sorry about the line break trouble, ate the line breaks on upload.

The thing the Shiftry does is a bit... silly. In the episode, too. (And yes, they did lose track of where they were going.)

As for the puzzle house... it's not built for Tyranitar.

And, oh, the mecha-Raikou. Real Raikou is not impressed.

Not because of the mockery, it's because of the design.

Oh, yeah, and we check in on some guys. And girls.

Giovanni's a smooth operator.