"I think this is the coldest we've been in Hoenn yet," Max commented, watching with a smile as Cinder and Arc traded snowballs. The Dark-type dove into a snowdrift with a crunch, then vanished – only to ambush Arc from a different direction entirely.
"Yeah, this is one high mountain range," Brock mused, looking around them and then at the sea far, far below. "I wonder if it's actually a volcano complex or something."
He glanced over to May. "Hey – can I borrow Ethan for something?"
"Sure," May agreed. "That's okay, right, Ethan?"
The Porygon2 materialized. That would be acceptable. What is your question?
"Well, I was wondering – this doesn't seem quite right," Brock said. "I mean – it's summer, and we're pretty far south."
"I don't mind!" Stantler called. "It's a lot like winter back home."
"Aha!" called Geodude, whirling, and picked up a snowball. "So that's which snowdrift you're hiding as!"
The snowdrift in question gulped, then a snowball hit it with a thwack.
Analyzing… Ethan stated, his form changing from pink-and-blue to a complicated matrix of equations for a moment. You are correct. This mountain range is a cold point to a degree greater than that explained by normal terrain. The area should be producing relief rainfall, not relief snowfall.
"Did you understand that, Brock?" May asked. "I kind of got confused about why we're supposed to be relieved."
"It's okay, I did," Brock nodded. "Relief is… well, mountains and hills, how high the ground is. So this kind of terrain should be forcing rain out of the clouds… not snow, it's not high enough."
"I guess that must mean there's a major Ice-type around here or something," Ash suggested.
"That makes sense," Brock agreed. "I wonder if it's an Articuno, a Regice, or something else."
"Maybe it's a Kyurem," Ash suggested. "Those are okay, but a bit moody."
"I remember Keldeo talking about it," May volunteered. "He sounded nice, compared to… well, Kyogre and Groudon, say."
There was a splat as four snowballs hit a gently hissing snowbank, and Ninetales shook herself free of the snow. "How did you all find me?"
"You've got some steam," Brock pointed out, then ducked as a snowball went past towards Spoink – who grabbed it, bounced it on his head twice, then sent it back again.
He looked over at Ash. "Who did you send out to join in?"
"Uh… well..." Ash looked nervous. "It's – look out!"
"Ha-hah!" Raikou called, pushing about half a ton of snow ahead of him in a great wave aimed towards Geodude. And Stantler, and Cinder and Arc, and for that matter Ninetales too – who had the bad luck to be facing the wrong way.
The craaash of snow went past, making all the other Pokémon scatter, and then they all began to focus on the new threat. The only exception was Ninetales, who'd been covered in several feet of snow and was busily melting herself clear again.
"What made you think that was a good idea?" Max asked, brushing snow off his clothes. "He's loud enough he might cause an avalanche."
"Well..." Ash shrugged. "He wanted to?"
"I guess that makes as much sense as anything," May said. "Hey, what about Pikachu? Isn't he usually right there?"
"I think he's planning something," Ash replied, not particularly concerned. "He took Lucario off to do it."
"...so your plan, then," Lucario said, slowly. "Is for me to do all the work."
"Well, it does fit with your very particular set of skills," Pikachu waved off, tail flipping back and forth. "I'd do it, but I can't do… well, any of the steps required. Except walking in a circle."
"It's not a circle," Lucario muttered. "It's a spiral. Very different."
"I'm sure," Pikachu agreed. "So, how about it?"
Lucario looked around at the pristine snowfield around them, only marred by the small footsteps of Pikachu and the faint depressions his snow-walking Aura trick had left. "...okay, fine then. Are you going with it?"
"What else?" Pikachu asked. "I'll jump off to be caught up in it – do not throw me."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Lucario assured him. "I do it enough while I'm awake."
Pikachu snorted.
"Okay, here we go," Lucario went on, sparking one of his fists into flame. Pikachu quickly jumped up onto his shoulder, and watched as the Steel-type traced a pattern in the snow.
His Fire and the natural Ice of the area formed the contrast required to make the spiral work, and the air grew restless for the several seconds it took Lucario to prepare. Then he crouched, fire burning on his fist, and punched upwards.
"Flying dragon uppercut!"
The warm and cool air clicked over to mix, and a sudden intense storm formed which pulled at least a foot of snow into an instant snowstorm.
Lucario felt Pikachu tense on his shoulder, and start to jump – then yelp in surprise, and grab quickly at Lucario's ear.
"Ow!" the Fighting-type whined, taking Pikachu in both paws and pulling him back down. "What was that for?"
"Did you just whine?" Pikachu asked, thrown.
"No, I didn't," Lucario informed him blandly. "Was that it?"
"No, wait, it was something else," Pikachu overrode himself. "I saw something important… over here!"
Squirming until Lucario let go of him, the Electric-type bounced across the snow. "I thought so! There's a Snorunt over here!"
Lucario was alert in a moment. "Do you think it's that one who you mentioned?"
"Not sure," Pikachu replied. "Ah, hello – do you mind if we talk for a moment?"
The Snorunt looked up at him, grin gleaming in the shadow of his cloak. "I might," he allowed. "What's in it for me?"
"Nothing," Pikachu said. "We took the doors off, but it's still a bit too small."
Snorunt sniggered. "Okay, you I like," he decided. "Who's the big blue guy?"
"Lucario," Pikachu replied. "I know, the name's not very imaginative..."
"I like it," Lucario shrugged.
"Well, I think it's him," Pikachu added, looking up. "We'll need Ash to be sure. Where's Ash again?"
"We just dumped about six tons of snow on the area he's in," Lucario reminded him.
"...oh, yeah, whoops..." Pikachu scratched the back of his neck. "Think he'll be upset?"
Snorunt sniggered again.
"Your Pokémon, Ash..." Brock sighed, brushing snow off his hair. "Were they trying to outdo Raikou?"
"Don't ask me, I don't know," Ash replied. "Uh… okay, that was Lucario, I think."
There was a crump of snow as Cinder dug her way out, shaking her coat to send snowflakes flying in all directions. "I'm glad I can dig."
"I should have got Glaceon out," May decided, shivering a little. "And perhaps worn something a bit thicker… Blaziken, can you help?"
Her Fire-type nodded, weaving a fiery spiral out of thin air and making it do turns around her. "That should help you warm up."
"It is, thanks," May agreed, stretching. "Man, that's toasty…"
As the other Pokémon got themselves out of the snow, most of them clustered around May and her private flame-spiral to get the remaining snow melted.
"What I'm not sure about is where Pikachu went," Max said, shaking the last slushy snow off his glasses. "I mean, if that was Lucario, what's Pikachu planning?"
"Freeze shock?" Ash asked, then shook his head. "I hope not..."
Latios drifted down from overhead – no fool, he'd gotten out of the way of the artificial snowstorm. "I can see him, he's with Lucario and another Pokémon – I think it's a Snorunt."
May blinked. "Snorunt? Ash, you don't think..."
"Could be," Ash agreed, closing his eyes to check. "Yeah, that looks like it's got to be Snorunt – there's Pikachu and Lucario over there, and there's a bright blue Ice-type."
"It is kind of a pity that Snorunt's male," Brock mused. "He never really got the chance to choose if he wanted to be a Froslass or a Glalie."
"Same sort of thing for a Kirlia, right?" Max asked. "Male Kirlia get the choice, but girl ones don't – they can only evolve to Gardevoir."
Correct.
"Oh, hey, here they come," Ash added, pointing as Lucario came skidding down the snowy hill as if he were on a snowboard.
"He's a real showoff sometimes, isn't he?" Max asked, glancing at Guy – now none the worse for wear for his snow bath. "Kind of does look cool, though… think you'd be able to do that?"
The lithe Breloom shrugged. "Never tried."
Lucario braked in a spray of snow, and came to a stop in front of his trainer. "Hello," he said, calmly.
"Did you really have to use that much snow?" Brock asked.
Lucario waved a paw. "Well, the decision was made to use snow, and that's how much snow got used. It's not as if I can control the tornado that well."
"What are you talking about?" May asked. "Didn't you use it to fly with once?"
"Besides that," Lucario waved off. "Oh, Pikachu and I found someone Pikachu thinks you might know."
Snorunt popped his head up over Lucario's shoulder. "Yes. But you don't look familiar."
"It's a long story," Brock said. "Basically, Ash knows you, but you don't know him yet."
"And you seem really calm for how we can understand Pokémon," Ash added.
"This Lucario here told me about it," Snorunt said, grinning. "He said it was to spoil the surprise."
"I felt it would simplify the conversation a lot," Lucario contributed.
"I guess it has," Ash agreed. "Maybe we should do this next time, too."
"It's pretty funny this happens so much you have to think about the most efficient way to do it," Latios said.
Snorunt looked up, spotted Latios, and looked down again. "Okay. So, Dragon-type Legendary, huh?"
"That's right," Ash said with a nod. "And… okay, this is still going to sound weird. Basically, I've time travelled, you were one of my Pokémon, and I can remind you of what that was like."
Snorunt nodded in turn. "Yep. That does sound weird all right."
He held out a hand. "Go ahead. I guess it'll be fun, if nothing else."
Ash smiled. "Great to have you back."
As he took Snorunt's hand, there was a little blue spark. Then a bright glow, and Snorunt evolved into Glalie.
Glalie was so surprised that he forgot about levitating for a moment, resulting in Lucario going crash to the ground at the unexpected addition of a quarter ton of weight.
"Ow," the Fighting-type wheezed.
"Sorry," Glalie said, floating back up into the air properly. "...wait, you're new, right? I didn't realize before, but… when did you actually get a Lucario, Ash?"
"That was back in Kanto, the second time through," Ash told him, helping Lucario back onto his paws again.
Pikachu came running up through the snow. "Hi, Glalie," he said, slowing and looking up. "Everything okay?"
"Just surprised about Lucario," Glalie supplied. "You two seem good friends."
"Yeah, we've been working together for over two years," Pikachu told him. "He and Ash practice Aura a lot together, too."
Glalie tilted sideways. "Oh, that Aura thing. You actually put effort into it… cool. And this is an Ice-type speaking – we know cool."
Brock winced. "Okay, that was painful."
"Thanks!" Glalie grinned. "I try. So, who else do you have with you, Ash? I'd like to catch up."
Ash reached for his belt, then stopped. "...oh, right."
"Ash?" May asked. "What is it?"
"Glalie wants to catch up with the Pokémon he knows," Ash said.
Max snorted with laughter, interrupting them.
"I just realized," he explained. "You've got… Mawile, Latios, Raikou, Absol and Dexter, as well as Lucario and Pikachu."
"...so I guess I'm not meeting any old friends just yet?" Glalie asked, a little disappointed. "Ah well."
"It's okay, I can update you," Pikachu said. "Well, not quite so much on how the others are doing, but on all the adventure stuff."
"Can you start with why there's a Raikou over there making about a hundred snowballs?" Glalie requested. "And how exactly that Latios actually came with Ash – wait, if this is time travel, is he the one who you once said died on Ash's birthday?"
"...should we wait to have most of this discussion?" Brock asked. "Because I think it's at least another couple of hours to the Pokémon Centre, and we don't really want to spend the night out here."
"We'll talk on the move," Ash suggested. "That okay, Glalie?"
"What?!" Raikou asked, bounding over. "We're moving? But I'll need to leave my ammunition behind!"
"Okay, we're moving on," May said quickly. "I think that'll lead to being hit by less snowballs."
"Are you sure this is okay?" Goodra asked, glancing back at Ash.
"It'll be fine," Ash assured him. "You won't hurt him."
Glalie nodded.
"It's not really that I'm worried about..." Goodra replied, taking another look at Glalie. "I mean, Sceptile's really tough, and so are a lot of your other Pokémon… and he's an Ice-type... so I'm kinda worried about how well this fight's going to go."
"I'll go easy on you," Glalie said, then sniggered.
Goodra sighed, and took up a stance.
"If you want to stop, just tell me," Ash added. "But I'd like you to give it a go."
"I will," the Dragon decided. "I'm just nervous..."
Ash smiled. "That's great, Goodra. Okay, let's go!"
Goodra opened up by firing a Dragon Pulse, using his tail as balance to make sure the recoil didn't make him miss.
"Ice beam!" Glalie replied, horns flashing bright blue, and the beam of ice that erupted from them reached about four feet from his face and bloomed into a broad icy shield.
The Dragon Pulse struck it, smashing through, but it took long enough that Glalie could move out of the way of the attack.
"Okay, that's pretty neat," Goodra said, clenching a fist. "I can see I need to step up my game!"
"Ice shard," Glalie informed him, horns still glowing, and the remnants of the shield flipped around before flashing forwards.
As they went, a beam of ice flicked between one shard and the next, and as it did Glalie turned them into icy Taillow.
"That's… new, right?" Brock asked. "I don't remember that."
Goodra spun, tail uncoiling and lashing out, and he smashed the icy birds into tiny pieces with a Dragon Tail. Some of the cold got through his layer of green energy, making him wince, but he finished his half-spin and used Dragon Pulse again.
"Liftoff!" Mawile cheered. "Great aim!"
Glalie watched as Goodra came rising into the air towards him, doing another half-spin with his fist ready to lash out.
Another flash of blue, and the Ice-type materialized a kite-shaped shield of ice which absorbed Goodra's powerful punch – though the Dragon-type blew a hole in the shield, sending ice scattering back towards Glalie.
For a moment, the shield hung there, with Goodra using the large hole he'd blasted as footing on the levitating ice, and charged another Dragon Pulse for a point-blank attack.
So Glalie headbutted Goodra.
The impact of so much heavy Ice-type sent Goodra rocketing backwards, propelled away from the disintegrated shield, and he had to use his tail and Dragon-Pulse motor to flip around into an angle he could land easily.
"Are you okay?" Mawile asked, as Goodra pushed himself back onto his hind legs after the landing. "That looked like it hurt."
"I'm fine," Goodra assured her, going cross-eyed for a moment and rubbing his nose. "Well, it did kinda sting… I didn't think you were so good up close."
"Yeah, it's a really fun trick," Glalie agreed, chuckling. "I use all this ice stuff so that enemy Pokémon think I'm weak up close… then BAM!"
"That is sneaky, I guess," Mawile said, nodding. "But you should apologize!"
"Sure, I can do that." Glalie turned to Goodra. "Sorry for hitting you on the nose."
"That's okay," Goodra replied, accepting the apology.
"That's a pretty good way of fighting," Ash said. "Uh… I can't remember your best moves, though – sorry for not using you for a while."
"Well, I've got another trick or two," Glalie assured him. "Hey, there was one I was working on to make a big dragon out of ice that could fight on its own..."
"I'm familiar with the trick." Lucario stepped forwards. "I wouldn't mind helping you work on it – I hope that's okay, Goodra."
"Oh, go ahead," Goodra chuckled. "I don't think I want to fight an ice dragon…"
"Actually, it would only be as bad as a dragon dragon from your point of view," Brock said. "Right?"
"What, just a dragon?" Ash said, looking puzzled.
"No, I get it," Glalie mused. "So Charizard's a flying fire dragon, and something I make would be an ice dragon… and Latios up there is a psychic dragon dragon."
"But wouldn't that mean that you could have a Vibrava which isn't a dragon even though it is a dragon?" Brock asked.
"I think I've forgotten what we were talking about," Ash complained. "And the word dragon has lost all meaning..."
Future sight! Jirachi announced.
Cinder just sat there, and a moment later a blast of psychic energy erupted around her.
"That was about one and a half seconds," Max said, looking up from the screen Kris was showing him. "That's not bad, but you need to speed up a lot – the quicker you can get it, the less time an enemy Pokémon has to dodge."
I get it, Jirachi said. But what if I just try and guess where the enemy Pokémon's going?
"Well… I read this thing about chaos theory," Max said. "It was about weather and stuff – and the basic idea is that you can't tell for sure where something's going unless you know absolutely everything, and realistically you just can't tell it apart..."
He pointed. "So… you can guess where Cinder's going to go if she's fighting, but the further ahead you try to guess the more likely you are to be wrong. So a quicker time is better for that too."
Oh, I see now! Jirachi agreed, nodding. So it's like.. she has longer to decide to do something different.
"That's the basic idea," Max said. "So… okay, try a really small attack and then a really big one. Then do some with in-between sizes."
Still on Cinder?
"I can't hear half of this conversation," Cinder hinted. "But I'm pretty sure you're talking about repeatedly trying to blow me up."
"Only because it won't work," Max assured her. "Okay, Jirachi, let's try this – small one first!"
How is he?
Not good. I don't know how much longer he'll last.
We have to do something!
What can we do, dear? I don't know anything that could help – did you learn Wish when I wasn't looking?
A pause, then a mental denial. No… I didn't learn anything that could help either. But… surely there's something?
After another pause, the younger of the two sent another message. Perhaps… could humans help? I don't know if they'd be even able to, but…
You're right! A flash of a building – the details indistinct. I've never seen a Pokémon Centre, though… so I don't know where to start.
Better than I have, mom…
A third mental voice interrupted them. Uh… can I have some water?
Of course, dear.
"Okay, now!" Max instructed, raising a hand to shade his eyes from the foom of psychic energy. "That was great!"
He gave another look at the scorch mark. "You… missed a lot, though."
I thought maybe if I aimed to one side, I'd have to get lucky sooner or later, Jirachi said, crossing his arms. I thought it was clever.
"It was, I think," Max said. "It's kind of like guesswork, though."
"I'm so glad I'm Dark-type," Cinder said, looking at the blasted grass. "Right. Another go?"
Sure!
Did you hear that?
The Gardevoir looked up from her son, now thankfully asleep again – still tired from his illness. I didn't. What happened?
Her daughter, a Kirlia, pointed. I heard an explosion from that direction – it was sort of faint, but I'm sure. Can I go and see?
I don't think that would be a problem, Gardevoir said, sending a mental pulse of reassurance. Just remember, come straight back if there's any trouble.
Will do, mom! Kirlia replied, flashing a smile, and headed off towards the sound.
"Okay, so that didn't work," Max sighed. "Pity, I thought it would."
We clearly need to think about this again, Jirachi agreed. I thought for sure I could make a really, really big Future Sight!
"What about if you do lots of small ones in a pattern?" Max asked. "And make it so there's safe spots.. then change the pattern to a different one where you hit those safe spots?"
That sounds a bit complicated… but I like it! Jirachi smiled, floating up into the air again. Uh… we're getting close to running out of grass, though. Do we need to use a new clearing?
"I think this clearing's fine for now," Max shrugged. "We might need Venusaur to regrow the grass, though."
Cinder licked her paw. "Every time I think I know what you're talking about you say something else..."
Mom! Mom!
Gardevoir tensed, ready to run to defend her daughter.
She didn't want to lose them both. What is it?
Mom, you have to see this!
The elder Psychic-type frowned, relaxing slightly since Kirlia didn't sound like she was in any real threat. But she did sound excited… What did you find?
I found a human – and I found Jirachi!
Gardevoir sat bolt-upright like she'd just been hit by a Thunderbolt. You did what!? But Jirachi is only awake for a week every thousand years – and we saw the comet pass months ago!
Maybe there's more than one of them or something, Kirlia replied impatiently. I don't care – there's actual Jirachi here, mom! He can help!
It took only a moment for Gardevoir to come to her conclusion.
Where are you? Is it far?
Not far at all, Kirlia replied, and sent a series of mental impressions – a map in pictures. Hurry!
Gardevoir picked up her son, careful not to jostle him, and began to run through the forest – using the landmarks Kirlia had sent her, each one visible from the last.
Jirachi waved his hands, making a series of psychic eruptions form in a wheel shape. It was patchy and inconsistent, but it was enough that Cinder had to keep running around in the same direction as the wheel or be in at least the fringes of one attack.
Yah! The Psychic-type sent, clenching a fist. The wheel kept turning, and then – about a second and a half later – abruptly reversed direction.
Cinder skidded around in a turn exactly as the change happened, and pelted in the other direction – avoiding being hit, staying in the same clear space as before.
Awww… Jirachi sighed, ending the Future Sight barrage. What went wrong?
"Why didn't that work, Cinder?" Max relayed.
"Actually, it was kind of simple," Cinder said, panting a little as she slowed to a stop. "I saw your gesture, and I waited the time it would take to make the effect change."
Jirachi deflated. I guess I didn't – uh, "I guess I didn't think of that."
"Finally, he remembers to talk out loud," Cinder said, smirking. "But yeah, if a Pokémon you're battling doesn't know the timing, they'll be caught out by that – the first time, at least."
"See?" Max asked, smiling. "You are making progress! Hey, maybe you can battle… uh, whoever runs the Water gym this week?"
Cinder was about to reply, but her head went up. "Wait," she requested. "I smell something… over there."
"Did it just arrive?" Max asked, reaching for Arc's Pokéball. "Do you think it might attack us?"
"I don't know if she's been there for a while – the wind just shifted," Cinder told him. "And it might be here to attack, I don't know – I can smell excitement."
"Huh," Max said. "Well, I guess that's good to know."
A moment later, a small group of Pokémon came out of the trees.
"Great Wish-Maker, we need help," said a tall Gardevoir. "My son is very ill, and we do not know how to heal him."
"But we bet you can!" the Kirlia added. "You can do anything, right?"
Well, quite a lot of- Jirachi began.
"I know you!" Max interrupted. "Cinder – Jirachi – that's the Ralts I told you about!"
Cinder blinked, then sighed. "Max… I know you can be more subtle than this."
"You know my son?" Gardevoir asked, completely thrown off-balance. "But I have never seen you before – how can that be?"
"...okay, oops," Max admitted. "I guess I'll have to explain the time travel now… Jirachi, can you help Ralts out?"
Of course! Jirachi agreed, nodding.
"Then – I wish Ralts was better!" Max said, straight away.
Jirachi's tags began to flare up, sending him rising into the air, and then a flash of multicoloured energy pulsed out across the dozen feet or so between him and Gardevoir.
The energy all rushed into Ralts, who coughed before shaking his head. "Uh… what happened? I feel…" his voice began to grow in confidence. "I feel much better! Mom, what did you do?"
"I didn't do anything," Gardevoir told him. "This human did… but I don't know why."
"...Cinder, can you go get May and the others?" Max asked. "Especially Ash. I think we'll need them."
Cinder nodded, then turned tail and loped off into the forest.
Okay, so, this is going to take ages to explain, Jirachi began. But it's honestly really cool once you've heard the whole story.
"Does it also include why you're awake?" Kirlia asked curiously.
Max glanced down at Kris again. "I think we'll need to do the long version..."
Lucario ran past at high speed.
"You know, that looks pretty fun!" Mawile said, putting a finger to her chin as she and the others took three steps to the side. "I bet it'd be a lot of fun to do that next time I go Mega – you know, a big chase through the air with ice chasing me!"
Lucario ran past in the other direction.
"Okay, I think that's enough!" Ash called. "Glalie's proved he can keep it following you – now let's see how strong it is!"
"Finally," Lucario said, putting one forepaw to the ground and using it in a wide skidding turn – so he was sliding to a halt facing back the way he'd come, bleeding off the last of his momentum.
His feet glowed blue, then stuck to the ground, and he drew back his other forepaw.
"Shattering Palm!" he called, slamming it into the indistinct wave of ice following him.
Everyone winced at the crack sound.
"Did that hurt?" Brock called.
"What?" Lucario asked, looking back in puzzlement. "Oh – no, that was just the ice shattering."
"I can make it come back, you know," Glalie said, looking disappointed as his attack fell to bits. "What move was that?"
"Yeah, I've not heard of that one before," Ash added. "New move?"
"...no, actually, it's just a Force Palm," Lucario said. "I put a bit more Aura into it, that's all."
"Quick question," Glalie ventured. "You didn't actually call the end of the battle yet, right?"
"No, why?" Brock asked.
"Second wave!" Glalie replied, horns pulsing, and the shattered fragments glowed blue before rising back into the air all around Lucario.
The Fighting-type considered that as they began to grow and join up into a continuous icy weapon, then jumped straight upwards.
"Aura Storm!"
"Okay, now I know you're showing off for Glalie," Ash said, chuckling as Lucario landed. "Don't worry, Glalie, that's not one of his normal attacks."
"I should hope not," Glalie agreed. "Otherwise he'd be able to fly with that much thrust."
Mawile brightened. "Hey, Lucario? Can I-"
"Not now," Lucario interrupted. "Maybe later, though. I think it'd take too much energy to be useful for long periods."
"Flying Lucario," Brock said, shaking his head. "Now that's a scary thought."
"Why?" Mawile asked, turning to him. "Aren't Lucario super-good?"
"...actually, that is a good point," Brock admitted.
Cinder came loping into their training area. "Hey!"
"Oh, hi, Cinder," May smiled, crouching down. "Is it good news?"
"Maybe Max is stuck in a well," Glalie suggested. "A wishing well."
"We just ran into that Ralts he told us about," Cinder said. "And Jirachi helped cure him… but..."
She made a face. "Can someone slap Glalie for me?"
Glalie quickly retreated into the sky.
"Anyway, Max mentioned the time travel thing, so he's trying to explain to them and he sent me to get you," Cinder went on. "Can you come quickly?"
"Them?" Ash repeated. "So… Ralts's mom and his sister, right?"
"That's right," Cinder nodded, turning to lead the way as they got going. "A Kirlia and a Gardevoir."
Mawile clambered up Goodra's back, nestling in against his shoulder for the trip. "A Kirlia? They're pretty..."
I think I understand, Gardevoir sent. So… this Mewtwo made it so that you could stay awake?
Right! Jirachi confirmed. He put a bit of the Millennium Comet where I could still get power from it, so I'm awake! I'm… a lot weaker than I was, though.
Clearly strong enough, if you saved Ralts, Gardevoir assured him.
And this time travel thing means – you met Ralts before? Kirlia added. How?
Max frowned. "Well, I guess it was about this time, and I heard him crying out for help – but the others didn't hear anything."
Gardevoir looked surprised. You're the only one who heard him? Interesting… I'd have expected that the Wish Maker would have as well.
"Jirachi had to stay at Forina the first time," Max told her. "I actually didn't have any Pokémon at all then – Ralts even made me promise I'd come back to get him, though I didn't manage to."
Why not? Ralts asked, looking up at him. Did you not like me?
"I did want to come back," Max defended himself. "I just didn't get the chance – I would have done if I'd known, I was even planning to do it because I was finally nearly old enough to have Pokémon."
He sighed. "But after the whole time-travel thing, I really looked forward to meeting you – but I didn't know where to find you, not until… well, now."
Max shrugged helplessly. "And I didn't even know if you-you would want to come with me at all, without my saving your life… but – I don't know if it's right to let someone get in trouble so you can save them, either!"
You sound like you've thought about this a lot, Gardevoir said. And not come up with an answer.
"I have," Max nodded. "And you're right, I didn't."
There was a bark, and he looked around. "Cinder!"
"I'm back!" Cinder agreed, slowing as she approached. "Three trainers, just like you wanted."
Gardevoir stared. "...I'm not imagining the Latios and the Raikou, am I?"
"Wow, you're really cool time travellers!" Kirlia said. "And is that an Altaria? I've heard they can turn into Fairy-types!"
"Hi, Max," Ash called. "You're right, it's the same Ralts – and I can remind him."
"Reminding… what's that?" Ralts asked, tilting his head.
"It's something special Ash can do," Max told him. "It means it's like… you remember everything that happened up to when we went back in time."
"Does that mean he'd be older than me?" Kirlia asked, sounding vaguely disquieted. "That's not fair – I'm the older sister!"
"That's not the most important thing right now," Gardevoir pointed out. "Well… it's your decision, Ralts."
"Does it hurt?" the Fairy-type asked.
"Not really, no," Max assured him. "It kind of tingles, and it made me feel a bit dizzy, but it's safe."
"We've all done it," Cinder said. "Well, except for some of the newer Pokémon – Altaria hasn't."
"Then… I guess I should," Ralts decided, glancing back at his mother. "Is that okay?"
"Like I said, dear, it's your choice."
Ralts absorbed that.
"How do I do it?" he asked.
"It's easy," Ash said, kneeling down. "Just take my hand."
Ralts reached out, and then there was a flash of blue light.
"That was Aura!" Gardevoir gasped. "I've only seen it a few times, but it's unmistakeable..."
Her voice trailed off. "Ralts? Are you okay?"
Ralts shook his head, both hands going to his forehead. "Uh… you're right, that did feel funny..."
He refocused, saw Max, and there was a flicker of pseudomotion and the Psychic-type was hugging Max. "Max! It's great to see you!"
"It's great to see you, too," Max agreed, hugging back. "Sorry I didn't manage to come back for you before."
"It's okay, you already explained why," Ralts said, still squeezing tightly.
"Ralts?" Gardevoir asked. "What did you just do?"
"Huh?" Ralts replied, loosening his grip a little and turning to look at his mother. "Teleport – you know? We were learning it just… just..."
"Just what?" Kirlia asked. "Justice?"
"No, just… two years from now," Ralts finished. "Sorry, this is so weird – I thought you'd be back soon, Max, so I thought I'd try learning to Teleport because it's useful. So Mom started teaching me."
"But… I haven't learned to teleport yet," Gardevoir said.
"Yeah, time travel's really confusing," Ash told her. "We're getting a bit used to it, but.. don't worry, the headache's normal."
"So Ralts knows some moves which you taught him, but you can't teach me because you haven't learned it yet?" Kirlia said, waving a finger in the air as she tried to keep track. "Lame."
"We can work on-" Gardevoir began.
"Wait, wait, wait," Ralts interrupted, taking a step back. "Uh… Max? How come I only remember being Fairy-type once?"
"Oh, yeah, that," Max said, groaning. "Ash? Brock? You were there, one of you explain this."
"Right," Ash nodded. "Okay, this is kind of complicated, so…"
He took a deep breath. "My kind-of-adoptive-sister created an Eevee with the help of the Unown that can turn into any Eeveelution, including Sylveon. When we helped Celebi to get free from someone wanting to use her powers for his own ends, that Eevee came along, and the time collapse brought us back to the creation of the world."
All three Psychic-types had wide eyes and mouths hanging open.
"She turned into a Sylveon to keep us safe from an attack by Dialga and Palkia, which meant there was a Fairy-type at the creation of the world, and so Arceus created a Pixie plate as well," Ash went on. "So… Molly created the Fairy-type."
Silence.
"I'd… ask for proof, but I'm scared to," Gardevoir said, after a moment.
She shook herself. "Right. Well… you've certainly given us all a lot to think about."
"And I'm going with Max!" Ralts insisted.
He glanced at Max. "That is, uh… if you still..."
Max laughed, hugging Ralts closer. "Of course I do! I've been waiting to find you again for over a year!"
"Well..." Gardevoir smiled, blinking. "I suppose that means we'll have to say goodbye, then."
"It doesn't have to," Brock told her. "You could stay somewhere where Ralts can visit – or you can take one of our transceivers, so he can come back to you any time."
"Then you really have thought of everything," Gardevoir said, in not a little awe.
"We've taken a while to work this out," Ash said, wincing. "Some of this stuff was stuff we really should have thought of the first time."
"Well, then… I'm not sure what our choice should be," the older Psychic-type admitted. "Kirlia? Do you have any thoughts?"
She looked around. "Kirlia?"
"What's that, mom?" Kirlia asked, frowning. "Hey, this Altaria says that that boy's dad is a Gym leader!"
"Yeah, that's right," Max said. "Dad's Norman – the Gym Leader of Petalburg City."
"Then perhaps we should stay there," Gardevoir suggested. "Do you like the sound of that, Kirlia?"
"Yeah, that'd be great!" Kirlia agreed readily.
"That sounds really nice!" May said. "Hold on, I can call mom and dad to make sure they don't mind..."
Norman picked up the phone.
"Hello?" he asked, then brightened. "May! What's the occasion?"
"I call every night, dad," May protested. "It's hardly an occasion."
"Then that must mean it's normal," Norman replied. "Unless… Ash hasn't broken something else, has he?"
"Not lately," May reassured him. "Actually, we just met that Ralts that Max met last time, and his sister and his mom would like to stay back home with you. Is that okay?"
Norman shrugged. "I suppose it's fine. Are they captured Pokémon, then?"
"No, they're not," May said, audibly thinking. "Hmmm… hold on a sec."
She said something her father didn't catch, then got back on the phone. "Dad? We'll bring them when we come back before the League and the Festival. They'll just come with us for a week or so."
"That's me told," Norman chuckled. "Well, see you then."
"Sorry about the inconvenience," May said, hitting the icon on Ethan's screen to hang up. "I hope that's not a problem."
"It sounds fine," Gardevoir said. "Besides, it looks like my daughter's going to enjoy it."
"...it doesn't matter how much memories he has," Mawile said earnestly, "he still hatched after me, so he's my little brother! That's maths!"
"Yep!" Kirlia agreed. "What did you say he was?"
"Tyranitar!" Mawile told her cheerfully.
That made Kirlia blink, looking again at how tall Mawile was, and then she giggled.
"She's really cute," May smiled. "Okay, so… what's next?"
"Sootopolis!" Ash answered. "For the last gym battle of Hoenn!"
"...of course, how could I possibly forget..." May sighed. "Water type, right? Think he'll ban Pikachu?"
"He'd better not," Pikachu stated, cheeks sparking. "I'm overdue a good battle."
AN:
So, two new Pokémon!
Plus two temporary companions, too.
