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Pikachu had hardly left Ash's bedside. He looked up weakly as Brock and Misty walked in, but his eyes lacked the sprightly spark they once had.

Professor Vattha opened his bag and drew out a tangled mess of wires and controllers. "My invention was useless, with just myself. But I think your friend may be the key."

"What does it do?" Brock asked.

He placed a large circular steel band on his head. "It allows us to amplify his brain waves and project them into our own minds. Here, you put these on too." He handed similar devices to Misty and Brock, and put one on Ash as well. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

They nodded.

"All right." They took their seats in a set of comfortable chairs surrounding the bed. "Now, his brain waves are still very weak," he continued, "so you need to clear your minds and be totally relaxed. Understand?"

"We're trying to save our friend," said Misty nervously. "How can I relax now?"

"Here, this should help." He pressed a button, and a soft sound began to play. Jig-gly-puff, Jig-guh-lyyyy-puff…

—

They opened their eyes. Brock looked around, taking off the headset. "Oh no, it didn't work!"

Misty took off hers as well and stood up. "Come on Brock, we're leaving."

"Wait," said the old man. "Pinch your nose and sniff."

The utterly random command rendered Misty and Brock speechless.

"Do as I say. Now."

They obeyed, not knowing what else to do. "Wait a minute, what the hell?" said Brock, shocked by the result.

Misty tried it again. "This… isn't real?"

"All right. Let's go."

Vattha opened the door out of the room, and stepped into a vast white wasteland. Misty and Brock surveyed their surroundings with an awestruck gaze, looking up at the blank sky and down at the eroded ground. A city. A lifeless, broken city.

"What is this place?" asked Misty.

"This… is Glitch City. The city of deadlocked instructions, of infinite loops."

They stepped over the disjointed puddles, by the half-sliced tree, across the crooked ledges, towards the open doorway up ahead.

"Now you must be very careful," Vattha continued. "Do not lose your focus! Concentrate on the things you see, the sounds you hear, and remember what you've come here for. Or you will find yourself back in your chair, awake."

"Where are we going?" Brock inquired. They continued through the door, which led by impossible geometry to yet more doorways.

"Your friend has been here, since the Glitch defeated him. He's been opening these doors with his keys. All we need to do is to follow his path."

"How… how do you know all this?" asked Brock.

"I was… here, once," the professor began. "I searched and I searched. Years it must have been. From one door to another, looking for a way out, any way. But then, I saw something."

"Saw what?" said Misty.

"It was a theorem. A result so beautiful, so profound – in a moment I saw it. Then I knew it. I knew that I'd be trapped here forever. But just as soon, it all drifted away. There I was, awake in my bed. I ran as fast as I could, trying to find a pen, a pencil, a crayon – anything. Anything to write down what I had seen. But by then, it was too late."

"What do you mean?" asked Brock.

"Faded away. Just like that."

"You couldn't remember it?" said Misty.

"You don't understand. I spent years here, searching for that theorem. But when I woke up, it all just so easily blew away, like a tracing in the sand… I've been trying to find it ever since. But no matter what I tried, none of it worked. So when you came to me, I thought, finally, a chance to come back here, and find my theorem again. Maybe this time will be different?"

"Maybe…" Misty replied. Fresh footprints in the dust laid out a clear path before them, indicating that they were not far from the one who left them. They continued on, through the next door–

"Wait, did you hear that?" whispered Brock. They stopped silently to listen.

A jingling of metal…

"This way!" Brock ran across the graveled road to another open door, the others following close behind. He shouted out ahead: "Hey! Is that you?"

—

They are coming.

I turn around. Three figures are running at me, towards the last door. I hurry back to it, as fast as I can. I slam the door shut. But a foot blocks its closing.

Yowch! comes a cry.

I hold the door with all my strength. But then, the three pursuers break through, tumbling on top of me. They knock me to the ground.

The keys! the old man shouts. He gets up and runs over to the other door, where I have left them. He opens the door and runs through it, his footsteps fading out of earshot.

You're here! the girl whispers.

But never mind them. I need my keys back! I follow the old man, through the next door.

Wait, come back! the boy yells.

I follow the trail of open doors. I catch up with the old man easily. I come through another door, see him opening up the door in front of me. He goes through it.

Eureka! I've got it! ASH! THE DIAGONAL! he shouts. A clink of metal on stone. I run in after him. He is gone. The keys lie alone on the ground. I pick them up.

There are now only two doors, solid black, facing opposite one another. The one on the left has no handle, no lock. The one on the right has nine.

The boy and the girl come in after me. I place the keys one by one into the locks. Ash, what are you doing? he says.

I turn the handle. The door opens into another clearing. There is an open doorway, right up ahead. A kid is standing in it. I step through to follow him. He walks away, through the next door.

Ash, please! she shouts.

I keep walking.

Don't you remember? You are Ash Ketchum from the town of Pallet, and you wanted to be the very best!

I ignore her nonsense. That kid has my keys! I reach the door, but still no closer to catching him.

She falls to the ground, on her knees, crying. Please, Ash, just remember…

I quicken my pursuit. The kid starts running. Hey, come back!

Ash, stop this now! the boy says. You're not going anywhere!

I run as fast as I can, through more and more doors. But it's not fast enough. The kid outruns me still. I can't reach him!

The girl looks back up at me. Listen to me, Ash! Do you ever get that feeling…?

Can't… let him… get away…

Like somewhere, someone is waiting…

Waiting…

Yes, Ash! Waiting for you! Someone you once knew, and loved!

Waiting for me… to… return?

She collapses again into tears. I look at the keys in my hand. They slip through my fingers to the ground. So do the keys of the kid up ahead.

I go through the door to catch up with him. But he walks on forward. I kneel and look down at the keys he left behind. In the shiny mirrored metal, a face stares back up at me.

That kid…

But that must mean that–