"This still feels kind of bizarre," Ash said for the eighth time, fiddling with the entirely non-functional symbolic sword the Mirage Kingdom had pressed on him.

"We know," Max replied. "You've said it enough..."

"What I can't get over is that you're Sir Ketchum," Pikachu said. "Sir Ketchum of... what was it?"

"The Wall Garden's third quarter," Lucario supplied blandly. "A noble location."

May gave him a suspicious look. "You're trying not to laugh, aren't you?"

"No," Lucario told her, cool as ice. "It makes sense, anyway. After all, they're not a very big kingdom, they don't have much land to bequeath."

"I guess that explains why they gave Misty a pond," May agreed. "I'm still not sure why I got a shed, though..."

Brock shrugged. "At least you didn't get a rock."

"It was a very nice rock, I thought," Ninetales observed with a smile.

"A rock."

As they reached the crest of the pass, as if by a spoken signal, they halted.

The friends looked back over the Mirage Kingdom, and after a minute or so Max pointed. "Look!"

A cloud of dust and debris swirled up, and Team Rocket's transport aircraft rose into the air before switching to horizontal flight and sweeping off south.

"It's a good thing they were here," May observed. "I wouldn't have liked us to have to face the whole force ourselves."

After some more contemplation, Ash turned. "All right, let's go!"

"I guess we should be glad he waited this long," May sighed.


"You know, I'm glad we did this," May said. "This is much quicker than walking through the desert."

"I'm glad to hear it!" Flygon told her, wings buzzing steadily. "I don't mind a desert, but I understand other people and Pokemon think differently..."

May frowned. "I think I got that... you're happy with the desert?"

"Pretty much."

"Yeah, that was about right," Brock agreed.

Both Dragons flew on under a hot sun, well above the shifting sand that would have taken exhausting hours to walk through.

"Where should we stop, Brock?" Flygon asked, looking ahead. "I think we're reaching the outskirts of the desert area."

"I think you're right," Brock agreed. "Okay, can you fly closer to Latias?"

Flygon did so, moving a little to the right and closing up with his wingmate.

"Hey, Ash! Max!" Brock called. "Where do you think we should stop?"

"I don't want us to miss Skitty!" Ash called back. "I'm pretty sure she's around here – so we should land fairly soon. What about by that building there?"

"I like the sound of that!" May weighed in.

Both dragons, one green-and-red and one pink-and-white, banked towards the compact shape of a building.

"Is it me..." Max began, after a moment. "Or does that look kind of familiar?"


"Welcome, travellers!" Victoria Winstrate said heartily, waving as they landed. "We usually see people on the ground, but anyone's welcome!"

"That's very hospitable of you," Brock replied, sliding off Flygon's back and giving him a grateful caress. "I guess it's living by a desert, right? Everyone you meet is a bit unprepared, so you get into the habit of helping?"

"What? No!" Victoria shook her head. "We get bored stiff just battling each other! Speaking of which..."

"I guess you'd like a battle?" Brock asked, as a series of flashes marked the others sending out their walking Pokemon – Ash added Lucario to Pikachu, Max sent out Cinder, and May opted to let her Blaziken have some time out. "Well, I think it's more likely to be my friends who'd like a good friendly match right now."

"Yeah!" Ash agreed. "We're doing the Gym Challenge, and I'd like to give some of my Pokemon some good training!"

"That sounds like a fine idea," Victoria nodded. "Hey, everyone! There's some trainers here!"

Three other Winstrates came bursting out of the house.

"Is it time for a battle?" asked the youngest, Vivi.

"That's right!" Victoria told her daughter. "Now, you all know which order we go in!"

Vivi nodded her agreement. "Momma's stronger than Papa, I'm stronger than Momma, and Grandma's stronger than me!"

"So it's my turn first," the father agreed. "Let's go to the arena!"


"Zigzagoon, let's start this off!" Victor said, releasing his normal-type.

"Okay, Mawile, your go!" Ash told her, sending the Steel-type out. "See how you do!"

"Okay!" Mawile agreed. "Hi!"

"Hello yourself," Zigzagoon waved.

"Mawile..." Ash considered. "Start off with Ice Fang!"

"Right!"

Mawile advanced, leaning forwards slightly as she ran, and her horns snaked up a little with ice glittering on the teeth.

"Left and attack with Thunderbolt!" Victor ordered, and his Zigzagoon skipped to the side before launching a bolt of lightning.

The attack hit Mawile in the side, crackling over her body, and she giggled.

That made Victor blink. "Did she just giggle?"

"Mawile's kinda tough!" Ash said.

"It was kind of painful, a bit, but mostly tickly!" Mawile informed everyone, still giggling a bit, and swiped with her jaws to try an Ice Fang.

Zigzagoon – no fool – jumped back and warched her warily.

"Okay, try a Quick Attack!"

Clang.

"You're funny," Mawile said, watching as Zigzagoon rubbed his head with his paws before ditching that idea.

"Hm, I might need to think about this one..." Victor admitted.

"Iron Head!" Ash said.

Mawile nodded, and jumped forwards to deliver a Steel-infused headbutt with her overhanging jaws.

Zigzagoon blasted her with another Thunderbolt, which made her giggle and stumble, and got clear before she could recover.

"Right, this is going to have to be done carefully," Victor said.

"Come on, Dad!" Vivi called. "You can do it!"

"I wouldn't go that far," her grandmother said, and winked.

"Vicky..." Victor sighed. "Okay – Zigzagoon, Belly Drum!"

Zigzagoon got a safe distance from Mawile, and then rolled onto his back and drummed his belly for several seconds.

"Look out, Mawile, he'll hit pretty hard now!" Ash called.

"Okay, got it!" Mawile said, focusing. "I'll just make sure I'm not an easy target!"

She put her balled fists up in a martial-arts pose, and puffed herself up.

Shaking himself out, Zigzagoon blinked. "You look seriously adorable..."

"Iron Tail!" Victor instructed.

Zigzagoon – looking a little winded now – lunged forwards, and went into a roll before striking out at Mawile with his iron-infused tail.

"Play Rough!" Ash ordered.

Mawile staggered as the Iron Tail hit her, then grabbed it before Zigzagoon could get away.

"You're not very nice!" she informed him, giving him a shake. "You should be more polite, you big meanie!"

"I – uh... sorry?" Zigzagoon asked, a bit bewildered.

"Is this okay?" Mawile stage-whispered up at Ash. "I'm not quite sure how to do it..."

"That's fine!" Ash said. "Now, Ice Fang!"

"Okay!" Mawile agreed, brightly, and then her jaw swung around again and Zigzagoon briefly wondered why he'd felt sorry for something with so many teeth.


"Not bad," Victoria said, as her husband returned Zigzagoon. "She's quite nice... well, would you rather battle me or my daughter next?"

"Can I?" Vivi asked. "If Mr. Ketchum doesn't mind..."

"Right!" Ash agreed. "I guess I should switch out?"

"That's what we'd prefer," Victoria said. "Vivi has actually got a Fairy-type too."

"Really?" Mawile asked, walking back over to stand by Ash and watch.

"Okay, Marill!" Vivi said, sending the Water-type out. "Ready?"

Marill's tail bobbed up and down. "Yep!" she said.

"Tyranitar!" Ash called.

Victoria took a step back. "...oh."

"Do you think you're ready for this?" Ash checked, as Mawile beamed and began cheering.

"I'll give it a go," Tyranitar replied, planting his feet carefully.

"Is this fair?" Victor asked.

"Shut up and get on with the fight!" Vicky called, and Vivi giggled.

"Okay..." she said, and frowned. "Right, I think we should be okay. Keep on the move, Marill!"

"Tyranitar, start with Dark Pulse!" Ash said, sticking to ranged moves for now.

Tyranitar opened his mouth, inhaled briefly, and sent a blast of Dark energy forwards.

Marill jumped out of the way, bouncing once before running along the arena floor, and fired a stream of bubbles at Tyranitar.

"Good!" Victoria said, as Tyranitar carefully raised an arm to protect himself from the barrage.

Vivi smiled, glad of the praise. "Now, close in!"

"Uh, can you try and Stomp?" Ash asked.

"I don't know that-"

"Silly, you just tread on them!" Mawile said.

"Oh..."

Arms out for support, Tyranitar's foot rose and fell.

It came nowhere near Marill, who jumped up onto his tail and thwacked him with an Aqua Tail.

"Ow!" Tyranitar roared, and thrashed his tail. The violent movement unbalanced him, making him stumble a step or two, and by the time he'd regained his balance Marill was back on the ground – safe.

The Water-type promptly barraged Bubblebeam at Tyranitar again.

"Ow, ow, ow!" Tyranitar complained, bringing up an arm to block – more fluidly, now, as he gained confidence. "Dark Pulse!"

Dark-typed energy blasted out at Marill, who ducked under it and ran in for another Aqua Tail.

"Tyranitar!" Ash called. "Do you think you can do Iron Head?"

"...not really," Tyranitar admitted, smacking Marill away with his tail. The bubbly Water-type compressed from the impact, bounced twice on the floor, and rolled to a halt before firing a Water Gun. "Do you have any other suggestions?"

Ash considered. "Iron Tail?"

"I know the theory..."

Marill jumped in for an attack, and Tyranitar's arm shot out. He grabbed his opponent by the spring in the tail, and promptly got a faceful of water.

Reaching out with his other hand, he turned Marill to be facing away from him.

Then the pom-pom on the end of the tail glowed blue and whacked into him.

Taking his hand to deal with that meant he had to let go of Marill's body, and he got blasted by water at least twice more before ultimately ending up with the Fairy-type's head in one hand and the tail in the other.

"...what now?"

"Does that count as winning?" Ash asked.

"Nope!" Vivi told him. "Marill, use Superpower!"

Marill's little arms reached out, grabbed Tyranitar's thumb, and in a topologically questionable move threw him over her shoulder.

"...how did that work?" May asked, blinking, as Tyranitar measured his length in the dirt with a ground-shaking crash.

"I don't know, and it happened to me..." Tyranitar muttered, pushing himself back to his feet. "Ow..."

A white glow developed around Marill as he did so, and Ash winced.

"You know, Ash, you should really start charging for that," Brock chuckled, as Vivi's Azumarill emerged from the light.

"Wow, you evolved!" Vivi said, with a smile. "Okay, Superpower again before he recovers!"

Azumarill chambered a punch and jumped at Tyranitar.

The blow hit hard – very hard, knocking Tyranitar skidding backwards into where the stands would be on an official pitch and leaving a long furrow in the ground.

"...wait," Vivi asked. "Why's he glowing?"

Tyranitar used Bide.

Azumarill dodged as best she could, and the eruption of returned energy only clipped her in the side – sending her rolling and bouncing across the arena in turn.

"You're doing great!" Ash called.

"I don't feel it..." Tyranitar replied, rubbing his upper torso where the Superpower had hit.

"You can do it, little bro!" Mawile cheered, waving two fluffy bits of tinsel May had given her. "You're the best!"

Tyranitar frowned, then seemed to realize something.

A blue light formed at the base of his tail.

Max and May stared as the light spread – rising up his tail, lighting up spine after spine, until it reached his neck.

Unfortunately for Azumarill, she hadn't seen it. She leaned forwards, spring-tail flexing, and then launched herself forwards with the impetus from her tail.

Tyranitar used Hyper Beam.

The Fairy-type was swept away in the torrent of bright blue energy, sliding away along a path that left a scorch mark in the floor.

She ended up in a heap at the side of the arena. "Ow."

Unfortunately for Tyranitar, Hyper Beam had a lot of recoil.

He ended up going over backwards, and the last dregs of the Hyper Beam stuttered skywards before giving out.

"Are you okay?" Mawile asked, dropping her pom-poms and hurrying over.

"...I guess that counts as a draw?" Vivi asked tentatively.

Ash looked at his Rock-type, who seemed to be pretty out of it. "I guess so... hey, Max, you want to do the next one?"

"Sure!" Max agreed. "Who am I fighting?"

"Well, me," Victoria told him. "Since your friend fought Vivi."

Max nodded. "Okay – I've got a Pokemon who's not battled much yet, so I'll use him!"

"Sounds good to me," Victoria agreed.

He opened his bag. "Jirachi, want a go?"

"Ji-what?" Vivi gaped.

A yawn came from within, and then Jirachi floated out.

Sorry, I was asleep... he admitted.

"Want a battle?" Max asked. "We can try out that new move you've got!"

Sure thing, Max! Jirachi agreed, perking up considerably.


"Okay, so I'm battling a Jirachi," Victoria said, shaking her head. "Right... Roselia!"

Roselia emerged, did a double take, and gave her a look.

"I know, I know," Victoria admitted. "But give it a go, okay?"

The Grass-type sighed, nodded, and turned to face her opponent again.

I'm kind of new to this! Jirachi said, waving, and then frowned suddenly.

His tags waved as if in an invisible wind, and lit faintly with a soft yellow glow.

"...what are you doing?" Roselia asked.

Yah! Jirachi announced, and the glow and wind vanished.

Two or three seconds went by with nothing happening.

Roselia shrugged, and pointed her right flower. "Pin Missile!"

Jirachi floated sideways in a somewhat anaemic dodge, and then there was a sudden whack from behind Roselia that sent her sprawling forwards.

"Ow," she muttered.

"Good shot, Jirachi!" Max said.

"Was that Future Sight?" Victor asked.

"That's what it was!" Victoria agreed. "Okay, Roselia, stay on the move! Don't let him get you with the Future Sight!"

Jirachi's tags lit up again, and pulsed – but stayed lit, pulsing regularly.

Now on the move, Roselia pointed one flower and shot another stream of Pin Missiles.

Ouch! Ow! Agh! Jirachi yelped, trying to not be poked too hard by the sharp missiles flying at him.

"Reflect!" Max called.

I don't know how! Jirachi replied, as explosions of psychic energy began to erupt behind and around Roselia.

"You kind of... make a wall of psychic energy, I guess?" Max said, half-asking.

I'll... uh... Jirachi concentrated, and a shimmering wall appeared. Aha!

Roselia halted for a moment, aimed as the blasts caught up with her, and fired a half-dozen Pin Missiles.

The first one hit the Reflect, and it shattered. The other five came through, and Jirachi yelped as the attacks hit him.

Fortunately, Roselia had to dodge then and couldn't keep the attack up.

"Jirachi!" Max called. "Try just using lots of Future Sight instead! Don't bother guessing, just spray randomly!"

Okay! Jirachi agreed, and his tags began to react as though they were in a high wind.

Roselia dodged, ducked and rolled, and then zigged when zagging was the answer. A blast of Future Sight threw her into the air.

All right! Jirachi cheered, as the Poison-type shook her head and reoriented. Then he realized all the blasts were still on the ground, and Roselia could concentrate on attacking him. Wait – uh-oh!

Pin Missiles came towards him in a salvo.

I wish I was over there! Jirachi said very quickly, and vanished in a teleport before the Bug attack connected.

Looking around, Roselia found him again, and kept him in sight as she landed on the (no longer exploding) floor.

Both flowers raised this time as she targeted the Psychic-type.

"Uh – Jirachi, blast the right hand side!" Max said. "And then move it across!"

Jirachi nodded, and curled up slightly before letting his tags stream out again.

A series of blasts began to form at one side of the arena, and swept across towards Roselia.

"Get ready to jump over!" Victoria ordered.

Roselia nodded, turning to face the oncoming wall of blasts – and then one went off directly underneath her.

As she went skywards, a second one detonated, and then a third, and she was rocketed off into the air looking rather surprised.

"Nice work, Jirachi!" Max called.

Thanks! With a giggle, the Steel-type floated back to the floor. I thought – hey, she's standing still!

"Good idea," Max agreed. "And the other ones?"

Well, she went flying into the air last time...

Roselia hit the ground with a thwap.

"I think she's kind of unconscious," Max said after a moment.

"All right," Victoria agreed. "I think that gives you the win."

"Great!"

"That was pretty good!" Vivi said, and Max blushed slightly.


Giovanni shuffled some papers, and signed one with an ornate fountain pen.

His Persian yawned, blinking sleepy eyes.

Jessie, James and Meowth stood at attention.

Giovanni shifted the papers again, raised an eyebrow, and put something into a drawer.

Then he looked up.

"You know," he said, conversationally, "I can't tell if you're hypercompetent and just look silly, or you're the luckiest people who don't actually have a Victini."

He paused. "You don't have one, do you? I'm sure I'd have remembered if you did..."

"Nope!" Meowth confirmed. "Just a humble Moltres, dat's us!"

Giovanni considered that, and Meowth felt a little like a Bug-type under a microscope. (Probably a Joltik.)

"Well, it certainly went well," he said, after some time. "We now effectively have a location to build on in Hoenn, which is... useful."

A pause.

"Now, do explain the specifics of how you ended up knighted."


"Okay, last one," Vicky said. "Now, young man, what's your Pokemon going to be?"

"Actually, can you give me a minute?" Ash requested.

"Certainly," she agreed amicably.

Ash sent out Goomy. "Do you think you're okay giving this a go?"

Goomy frowned. "I'm not sure..."

"It's okay, it's just a practice!" Mawile assured him. "I'm sure you'll do just fine!"

"Really," Ash said, crouching down. "It's okay, Goomy – I won't force you if you don't want to, but you've come a long way so far. I think you're ready to do some actual battling."

Goomy thought about it.

"Okay," he decided. "I trust you."

"Great!" Mawile beamed. "Good luck, Goomy!"

"Ready?" Vicky asked, releasing her Camerupt onto the battlefield.

Goomy looked up at it.

There was quite a lot of up.

"Can I change my mind, please?"

"You'll be okay!" Ash called. "Remember what we discussed?"

"Right..."

"Begin!" Victor punctuated the command by lowering his hand sharply, signalling the start of the match.

Goomy took a deep breath, and concentrated.

Clouds began to condense out of thin air, quickly forming a blanket above both Goomy and Camerupt – then they roiled, and it began to rain.


"Hmmm..."

Suicune looked over at her brother. "What is it, Entei?" she asked, as they pelted across the water to Sinnoh.

"Oh, I just feel very glad I'm not in Hoenn right now..."


Camerupt snorted, shaking his head and blowing smoke from his nostrils as the rain began to patter down around him.

"Well, I guess it's a good start," Vicky admitted, with a nod. "Camerupt! Eruption!"

"Get back, Goomy!" Ash said quickly.

Camerupt lowed, and his two caldera began alternating blasts of flame and smoke. There was a hiss of steam as the fire-spikes cut into the increasingly torrential rain, and flaming debris landed all around Camerupt as he snorted.

"What should I do?" Goomy asked, worried.

"Just stay back, that's okay!" Ash assured him, raising his voice to be heard through the rain. "Now – Bubble!"

Goomy inhaled, and fired out a stream of a dozen or so small bubbles.

They floated through the air, serenely unaffected by the rain, and then a couple of them were hit by flaming embers showering out of the column of the Eruption – promptly making them burst.

The rest hit, and Camerupt flinched before continuing the steady pulsing of flame.

Goomy looked back at Ash. "Well, I did Bubble... now what?"

"Let's get rid of this rain!" Vicky said. "Sandstorm!"

"Rain Dance again!" Ash countered.

A great puff of ash and smoke came bursting out of the forward crater on Camerupt's back, and the rain clouds parted as ash began to swirl. Then the rain clouds intensified again, and the ash was quickly rained out of the air into a kind of ashy sludge on the floor.

"Take Down!"

Camerupt blew air out of his nostrils, and charged forwards – making the ground tremble as he moved.

Goomy yelped, and began to ooze away – not nearly as fast as his opponent.

"Bide!" Ash said.

Goomy visibly gulped, then began to use Bide. His skin flickered red for a moment, and then Camerupt hit him.

The impact sent him flying through the air, making him bounce once and leave a trail in the ashy residue on the floor, and when he came to a stop he shook himself.

"That hurt less than I was expecting..."

"Remember to release the Bide!" Ash called.

Camerupt stepped on him.

"Ow," Goomy squeaked.

Then there was a bright white light, and a blast of energy erupted from under Camerupt's foot and drove him backwards.

When the blast ended, Goomy blinked. "...I did that?"

"You sure did!" Mawile agreed brightly. "Great work!"

"Okay, Camerupt, new plan!" Vicky said. "The old plan, just more of it! Eruption!"

Camerupt nodded, concentrated, and there was a wet BLAM from its back.

The spectators threw up their arms to block the wave of smoke, and when it faded there was quite a startling sight.

Camerupt had one crater – the back one – simmering away, producing smoke and flames.

The other one, however, was cold and inactive. And by the startled, worried look on his face, it was clear he hadn't planned this.

"What happened?" Ash asked, then blinked. "Wait – I know! It was the rain!"

"Not just the rain," Brock corrected. "The rain and the ash must have gummed up his craters! I guess only one of them was unstickable..."

"I feel funny," Camerupt muttered.

"Bubble again!" Ash said, and Goomy obliged. "You're doing great, Goomy!"

"Heat Wave!" Vicky ordered.

Camerupt did so, exhaling a blast of heated breath which washed over Goomy and left him smouldering.

"Ah! I'm on fire!" Goomy cried, and then frowned. "Wait... no I'm not. What just..."

"It's Hydration!" Ash told him. "It's fine – just keep using Bubble!"

Goomy nodded, and inhaled.

Much to his surprise, he did not use Bubble.

What came out of his mouth was bubble-shaped, but there was just one of it and it moved much faster than his earlier Bubble attacks.

The globe of water flew gracefully across the space between him and Camerupt, then intersected one of the glowing embers from the Eruption.

It burst into a shower of water, which sprayed all along Camerupt's front and left flank.

"That was Water Pulse!" Ash called, as Camerupt shook his head to get the sheets of water off it. "Great! Can you do it again?"

"Uh..." Goomy tested.

He could, indeed, do it again. This Water Pulse didn't get intercepted, and burst on impact with a splash and a roar from Camerupt.

"Magnitude!" Vicky ordered, and Camerupt reared up on his hind legs.

"Bide!" Ash said quickly.

Camerupt's crater flared, sending out a column of fire and propelling his forelegs into the ground with considerable force.

The ground shook, making Max stagger and nearly fall, and Pikachu had to use his claws to hold onto Ash's shoulder rather than topple off.

Goomy came off worst, bounced around by the ground moving under his foot, and by the time the Magnitude ended he was upside down.

"Quick!" Mawile called. "Face the Camerupt, or you'll break their house!"

Goomy shook his head, reoriented himself, and turned to face Camerupt.

A blast of white light shot out as his Bide unleashed itself.


Slowly, the rain stopped.

Ash walked out onto the field, boots skidding slightly on the ash-sludge surface, and picked his tired Dragon-type up. "Good work, Goomy."

"Did I win?" he asked.

Ash looked at the upside-down Fire-type. "...yeah, I think you did."

"Good."

"That was so cool!" Mawile contributed, hurrying over. "And you didn't break their house!"


"Thank you for the battles," Ash said, shaking Victor's hand.

"And thank you," Victor replied. "It's nice to get visitors willing to battle."

He sighed. "I just wish we knew where our son was, he's been gone a while..."

Max? Jirachi asked. Should I?

Max nodded, remembering last time.

Jirachi's tags began to glow.

"...wait," Vivi said. "Papa, did you say you wish you knew?"

"Whoops..." Victor winced.

Then there was a flash, and a teenaged boy appeared.

"Wha!?" he said, looking around. "Why – wait, I was over there a – but... how?"

"Son?" Victoria asked, startled.

Vivi ran over and hugged her brother.

He wasn't even very far away! Jirachi reported. Just over that hill there.

"He was? You were?" Victor frowned.

"...I was trying to work up the courage to come back," Vito said. "What happened?"

"I said I wished I knew where you were, and..." Victor gestured.

Vito noticed Jirachi.

"What happened while I was gone?"


Thank you for your time, Pidgeot, Lugia smiled. It's not very often that we get to go on a family holiday together.

"I understand," Pidgeot assured him. "How was the Land of Fire and Ice?"

It was beautiful, he told her. There's great rifts in the earth which hiss flame and smoke, and thick ice sheets, and dormant volcanoes everywhere... and the local Lugia and his charges do a lovely air show.

Pidgeot smiled.

"Speaking of which," she added, a little tartly, "Moltres began showing off by flying very close to the lip of his crater. Articuno and Zapdos copied him."

I dread to think, Lugia winced.

"Yep, all three knocked themselves out about two days ago. I had to get the local Joy to check up on them, just in case..."


"Good!" May said, pointing. "That's what we're after!"

Arc looked back at his fur, where sparks were still crackling from fur strand to strand in a rippling, discontinuous curtain. "Oh, right! I get it now!"

"I don't," Houndoom said. "So... I need to make the fire do the same thing?"

"Just about," May agreed. "Make sure it's going down over your body in waves, rather than as a continuous surge."

"Right," Houndoom said, a little dubiously. "Ember?"

Flame washed down his body.

"No, you're still doing it in a single pulse," May told him. "You need to do it for a bit, then stop, then do it again – alternate."

"Okay..." Houndoom frowned.

He let off another pulse of flame, this one shorter. "How's that?"

"You're getting there."

There was a whoosh from over where Beautifly was training with Ash. Meganium's vines whipped out, aiming to snag the Bug-type out of the air, and Beautifly dodged with a lazy-looking sideways roll.

"Great!" Ash praised. "Now, let's see a counterattack!"

Arc frowned, sniffing. "Hey... I smell something..."

"Is it singed fur?" Brock asked.

"No... it's something else..."

Arc sniffed again. "Aha!"

He loped off towards a bush, and there was a frightened squeak from underneath.

"What was that?" Houndoom asked, following the movement of the other canine.

May's eyes widened. "Wait..."

She knelt down. "Is that Skitty?"

"It's a Skitty!" Arc replied, head poking back out of the bush. "She seems kind of ill, though..."

May stepped forwards, and reached under the bush. "Sssh, it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you..."

Skitty said something.

She's not very trusting, Ethan informed her, since his screen was now out of her line of view.

"Don't worry, you'll be okay," May went on. "My friend has a Pokemon that can heal you – and I promise you'll be free to go," she added.

Silence.

Then, a poorly-looking pink-and-yellow feline crawled out from under the bush, and let out a feline whine.

May held out her hands, and Skitty looked suspicious – then, working out what May meant, clambered into her arms.

"Ash?" May called. "Can I borrow Meganium? And – you might want to come over here yourself, too..."

"Right!" Ash called.


"Okay, just hold still," Meganium said.

She inhaled, letting the breath hold in her lungs for a moment, then breathed out a long stream of shimmering pink mist.

Skitty twitched as the Aromatherapy washed over her, then began to relax. Her tail twitched, and she smiled faintly.

Meganium sent a second cloud of Aromatherapy out, then added to it with a Heal Pulse which helped even more.

"There you go," May said. "That better?"

Skitty looked up at her, and shrugged – before starting to purr.

"I think that's the best answer you're getting," Max said, stifling a chuckle.

"Yeah, so do I..."

"Skitty?" Ash asked. "This is going to sound really weird, but... May met you before."

Skitty gave Ash a confused look.

"Time travel," Ash explained. "I can sort of... remind you of what happened, and how you got to know May."

He held a hand out. "Do you want to?"

Skitty mrowled. "Remind? But, like, how can you remind someone of something that's not happened yet?"

Ash blinked. "...pardon?"

"Yes, she was always like this," Pikachu confided.

"Sure, I guess," Skitty added. "It's not like I was, like, planning anything today."

"May?" Brock said. "You might want to reconsider learning to speak Skitty."

"I'm sure it's not that bad," May shrugged.

Ash reached out, hand glowing, and touched Skitty on the back.

Her tail stood out straight. "Like... wow."

She looked up at May, purred, and gathered herself to leap into May's arms – then stopped, flirted her tail, and sniffed. "Well, I guess you're, like... tolerable..."

"Come on, Skitty," May said, reaching down.

"...oh, okay then."

Skitty graciously let herself be picked up and stroked.


"After me, me hearties," the Aqua gangster said. "I pledge me word to the Cap'n, Archie."

"I pledge my word to the Captain-"

"No, no!" he said, shaking his head. "You has to say it right! You pledges your word to the Cap'n!"

There was some muttering among the half-dozen-or-so 'middies' – recruits – as they considered that.

"I pledge me word to the Cap'n," one of the girls said, saluting, and the others followed suit.

"An' to follow Kyogre an' give due honour ta all Water-types."

The girl led the others in repeating that as well, making sure to put the accent in.

"You catches on quick, young lass," the gangster said. "An' I pledge to follow 'is flag."

"An' I pledge to follow 'is flag."

"There we go," he said. "Welcome ta the Crew."

As the new grunts filed out to head to their stations, he stopped the girl who'd been first to pledge. "You'll go far, you will," he told her. "I'll be askin' the Cap'n if he needs any special jobs for a Middie, so I will."

"Thank'ee," the girl said, a little uncertainly. "'tis grateful I am. Uh... arr?"

Chuckling, the gangster clapped her on the shoulder. "That's the right attitude, so it is."


AN:


I should probably apologize for what I did to Skitty.

Anyway.

The Winstrate family, here.. letting me show various members of teams. In two cases it's a first fight debut, which is nice... and in one case, Tyranitar, it shows he's well on the way to fixing his problem.

Recoil's a problem, though.