"It's weird to think about where they pick to have gyms, sometimes…" Ash said, as they crossed the bridge to Larousse City. "This place is really high tech, and it's sort of flashy, but it doesn't have a gym. You'd think it would."
Max adjusted his glasses. "I wonder what Type it would be. Steel, maybe?"
He shrugged. "But it could just be that nobody's wanted to set up a gym here. LaRousse is famous for the Battle Tower, though."
"That's why we're here!" Ash agreed, then frowned. "It… is why we're here, right?"
"I hope it is!" Pikachu said. "Even if I don't get to take part – don't say anything, I know I have to take my turn with everyone else – it's still fun to watch!"
"Actually, I was thinking about having you and Torkoal battle," Ash told Pikachu. "I guess it depends what the Battle Tower's rules are, though."
Brock coughed.
"Yes, Ash, it's why we're here," he supplied. "Though don't forget that not all of us are as interested in the Battle Tower. You could spend all week there or until you run out of Dratini… which would probably take less time."
Rayquaza giggled.
"You know, I'm slightly surprised Ash ended up on the right floor to enter the Battle Tower," Max admitted.
"I know we joke about him a lot, but he's not that bad," Brock said. "Actually, the joke came about when we all got lost near Cerulean City."
Max sniggered. "It's still funny, though, right?"
"Of course," Brock agreed. "Oh, this should be him."
The screens lit up, showing Ash and his teammate – a girl called Rebecca – and their opponents, called Rafe and Brendan.
"Huh…" May said, leaning closer, then shook his head. "Sorry. That kid with the white hat seems vaguely familiar, but I don't know where from."
"I know what you mean," Max frowned. "Maybe he was in Petalburg once or something? I think I'd remember the hat, though."
Brendan sent out a Swampert, and Rafe a Blaziken. Against them, Rebecca used a Metagross, and Ash sent out Torkoal.
"Hmm," Rebecca said, checking her laptop. "Both of their Pokémon could be a problem for mine, but your Torkoal is most at risk from the Swampert. That's assuming I can treat your Torkoal as a Torkoal, anyway… I'll have to change my assumptions depending on what Torkoal can do."
"I like to think he's pretty strong!" Ash replied. "I'll-"
The buzzer went, and the battle opened.
"Metagross, Reflect!" Rebecca called, as Blaziken dashed forward to use Blaze Kick and Swampert slammed the ground for an Earthquake.
"Surging Strikes!" Ash ordered.
Steam hissed out of Torkoal's nostrils, and he moved forward at immense speed. He intercepted Blaziken just before the Fighting-type would have reached Metagross, kicked his opponent into the air, and hammered Blaziken with three successive blows to keep him airborne.
"Now, Storm Throw!" Ash went on, and Torkoal kicked out. He missed, but the strike had so much air pressure that it briefly formed the shape of a roaring Pyroar out of pure compressed air – and knocked Blaziken back across half the arena.
"...I'm just going to put all your Pokémon down as Smeargle," Rebecca said. "It'll save time."
"Oh, this should be good to watch," Brock said, as Ash switched to Pikachu and Brendan sent out a Flygon. "After how many times he's done this kind of thing to Geodude it's nice to see someone else have to deal with it…"
"Hey, um… May?" Max said. "I… need to go to the bathroom soon."
"Is that my problem?" May asked, then giggled at Max's expression. "I'm only teasing, Max. Take Mightyena with you, though, in case you get in trouble – I don't think you will, but…"
Max looked torn between several different ways of replying, then looked up at where Ash was trying to explain to Rebecca that it would be really convenient if Metagross Thunderpunched Pikachu.
"I'll be quick," he said, taking Mightyena's Pokéball, and headed off.
A few minutes later, and three floors up, a boy called Tory peered around a corner.
"...I hope they've gone," he said, under his breath.
"Oh, hi," Max waved. "This place is a bit of a maze, do-"
"Ssh," Tory interrupted. "There's a Plusle and a Minun out there who keep chasing me, and they won't take no for an answer!"
"Huh?" Max replied, quieter now. "Uh… is that a problem? Are they trying to attack you?"
"Well… no, but… I'm afraid of Pokémon," Tory explained. "I didn't used to be, and… they're fine at a distance, but these Pokémon don't want to stay at a distance, and they won't listen…"
Max listened, then nodded.
"So… I've got some friends," he said. "And a sister – do you have a sister?"
Tory shook his head.
"Good choice," Max told him.
That was enough to make Tory giggle.
"Anyway," Max went on. "One of my friends can understand Pokémon, and another of my friends has a Pokémon that makes it so that anyone can understand Pokémon who are talking nearby. And… I think that we could probably help you with your problem, but it is going to mean getting some Pokémon involved."
He reached into his pocket, and took out Mightyena's Pokéball. "This is a Mightyena," he told Tory. "He's mine, but my sister is the one who's registered as his trainer because I'm still too young for it. What I'd like to do is to send Mightyena with a message to get my friends, and we can help you out… does that sound good?"
Tory thought about it, then nodded.
"That makes sense," he told Max. "Thanks for telling me your idea first."
"I learned a lot from how my friend Ash deals with Pokémon like his Ninetales," Max explained.
Tory gasped. "One of your friends is Ash? You mean, Ash Ketchum?"
"That's him," Max agreed. "He's a bit of of a goof sometimes, but he's a really good trainer…"
The young not-a-trainer-yet-technically then winced. "Uh, and I just remembered the reason I came up to talk to you," he added. "While Mightyena is getting my friends, can you show me where the nearest bathroom is? It's easy to get lost around here… I'm glad Mightyena has Odor Sleuth or he'd never find his way back to May and the others."
Tory sniggered. "I can show you," he said, taking out his passport and touching it to a nearby reader. It went beep, and he chose a few options before pointing. "Just over there."
"Thanks," Max told him. "You go first, then I'll send Mightyena back."
"That was fun!" Ash declared, outside the main battle floor. "Right, Pikachu?"
"You bet!" Pikachu agreed. "It was great to get to stretch my tail out again!"
"Just so you know," Rebecca told him, propping her laptop open. "I've been putting in the data I got from your battle into my battle simulator to see if I can work out any better strategies… you might want to take a look."
She turned the screen around so he could see. "I've never seen it report back that something is error type chart undefined before…"
"Speaking of which, do you have any idea how to register an amendment to the type chart?" Pikachu asked.
Then Swablu came drifting down towards Ash.
"Max found someone who needs help with a Pokémon problem," he summarized.
"Got it!" Ash replied. "Where are you headed?"
"Five floors up, I think," Swablu said. "It's something about someone having a phobia towards Pokémon."
Ash winced. "Okay, uh… Pikachu, you should probably get in my bag, then. And Rayquaza, it might be quicker if you flew me up the tower, and I'll ask, but you might need to go back in your Heavy Ball once we're there."
"All right," Rayquaza agreed.
Rebecca had only understood half the conversation, did a double-take at the word Rayquaza, then stared as Ash lifted gently into the air without any visible means of support.
"This way!" Swablu said.
"So… I have a question," May began, as they walked through a greenhouse – Tory showing Max around, glad to let his new friends know about where he spent his time. "Exactly how many Pokémon are in Ash's bag at the moment?"
"Four or five, or maybe six," Ash replied, and began counting them off. "Pikachu, obviously. Vulpix, so that everyone can understand what the Pokémon say. Rayquaza, because Tory says he was okay with Pokémon being out of sight and Rayquaza prefers to spend her time out of her Pokéball when she can. Zygarde, because he doesn't have a Pokéball. And I'm not sure where Marshadow is at the moment, so he could be in the bag or in my shadow… and I'm not sure what Ibid is, so he could be a Pokémon or he could not count as one."
"Incidentally, if you try to fit any more Pokémon in here it will be too cramped," Vulpix said. "My fur's already such a state, I'm going to need a full brushing. Hint."
"You deserve it, Vulpix," Brock told her, trying not to laugh.
"And this is my friend," Tory said, up ahead. "It's… well, I don't know what it is. But it's nice."
The friends looked at Tory's friend – which was more of a green energy construct than anything – and Ash frowned slightly.
"That seems sort of familiar," he said. "I'm not sure where from, though… it's a pity I can't ask Mew or something."
He raised his voice a little. "Tory? Is it okay if I ask my Pokédex what your friend is?"
"I don't think it's a Pokémon," Tory replied, sounding a bit defensive.
"Right!" Ash agreed. "I'd like to check though, because there might be an answer… and if your friend is a Pokémon, that might be a clue about how to help with your phobia."
"My Swablu had a fear of flying, when he joined my team," Brock contributed. "Fear like that is really hard to beat, even when it's something you don't want. Especially when it's something you don't want, because it's not about being afraid because you don't understand. It's being afraid because of something in the heart."
Tory swallowed. "I… all right," he decided.
Ash got Ibid out of his bag, which meant Rayquaza and Vulpix had to shift their tails around a bit. Ash's bag was about sixty percent tail by volume, depending on how Rayquaza counted – it would have been higher but Zygarde had shifted to Core Form – but eventually the Pokédex was extracted and Ash held him up.
"Scanning," Ibid announced, then turned into a miniature Deoxys. "This is a psychic residue carrying the signature of Deoxys. Deoxys is a Pokémon from outer space. That is all I can tell you."
"It is?" Tory asked. "My friend's a Pokémon?"
A feeling of polite confusion washed over all of them.
"Was that you?" Tory said. "Do you not know what a Pokémon is?"
Another feeling, this time of agreement.
"Hoo boy, this one is going to take a bit of work," Vulpix said. "Pikachu, get your ear out of my ribs… right. Okay, everyone…"
A feeling of bemusement pulsed out, then suddenly turned into words.
…oh! Is this working. One. Two. Testing.
Each mental word had a bit of a high-pitched overtone to it.
"Who's good at this?" Vulpix asked. "I'm good at this. Taught a space alien how to speak in psychic Vulpix."
"I can understand you!" Tory gasped. "I mean – really properly understand you! That's amazing!"
You are a good friend, Deoxys said. But I must warn you. There is danger.
"Danger?" Max repeated. "That… doesn't sound good."
There is a big two legged non Pokémon food provider studying my core. He does not know that there were two of us. My counterpart will be coming to find me.
"Big two legged non Pokémon food provider?" Tory repeated.
"Sorry, that's me," Vulpix admitted, a bit embarrassed. "Just give me a moment to correct that one…"
Ah, Deoxys 'pathed. Yes. Human.
Ash looked up, spotting a shimmer of light in the air, then pointed. "Hey, look! That looks like Ibid's model picture of a Deoxys!"
My counterpart will be seeking me, Deoxys declared. My counterpart will be thinking that I am in danger. I am not. I am being studied. But I can understand why they would be concerned, and they will want to find me.
"Where are you being studied?" Ash said. "Because I have a Pokémon who can help with that… if that's okay, Tory?"
It is in the laboratory in this city, Deoxys said. Around ten light microseconds from this location.
"Whoops, forgot measurement units too," Vulpix confessed. "You've got to admit, it's still impressive though!"
Tory swallowed, clearly thinking hard, then nodded.
"If it's to help Deoxys," he agreed.
Ash sent out Unown.
"Can you help?" he said. "I'd ask Hoopa but we're going to need a Hyperspace Hole to the lab, and then from the lab to wherever Deoxys is, and Hoopa's portals have to go through Dahara."
"I can do that," Unown replied, and began spelling out. H, then Y, then P, each letter taking a bit more than a second.
"What is going on?" Professor Lund asked. "We've never seen this much activity in the crystal before!"
"Professor, something's appeared over the city," one of his assistants reported. "It could be connected – the time frames are close."
Then a golden ring appeared in the middle of his lab.
"Oh!" Tory said, looking through the ring – the other side of which appeared to be in the greenhouses. "Hi, Dad – uh – sorry, but we need to get Deoxys out of that machine, because another Deoxys has turned up and thinks you're keeping this Deoxys prisoner?"
An E-unown floated through the ring as well, followed by several Pokémon trainers, and the Unown changed into an H.
"Really?" Professor Lund asked, flabbergasted. "I don't – but – what's going on?"
Your son is being helpful, a telepathic voice said, somehow sounding like yapping foxes at the same time as being completely comprehensible. So are these humans and Pokémon. I will be happy to answer your questions later today now that I can answer them properly.
Professor Lund sat down hard, because it was easier than falling over.
"Good work, Unown," Ash said, as the Psychic-type bobbed up and down slightly.
There was now a second golden portal in the lab, with the other end in the sky over LaRousse, and Tory's friend was exchanging information with the other Deoxys.
"This is such an amazing scientific discovery," Professor Lund breathed. "And… by the sound of things, Tory, you're responsible for a lot of it. I should have known – I knew the crystal core was a part of a Pokémon, I knew it was regenerating, but I never thought about just… trying to be friends."
Tory hugged his father, embarrassed, then everyone looked over as a roar came echoing through the portal.
Both Deoxys turned to look up – towards a green shape descending towards them – and one shifted to their blocky and dense Defence Form.
The other shifted to Attack Form, and began gathering power until the Defence Form one held up an arm. Let Tory and their friends try a solution first.
Ash's Rayquaza slithered out of Ash's bag, apologizing hurriedly to Pikachu and Vulpix, then flew through the portal as well.
"Wait!" she called. "Don't attack!"
The green shape halted in mid-air about a mile away. Then, much more slowly and with his mouth firmly closed and held shut with a claw, the adult Rayquaza approached the far side of the portal.
"They are not meteorites!" Ash's Rayquaza insisted. "So… please don't try and fight them?"
The bigger Rayquaza looked at Deoxys and Deoxys, and slowly opened his mouth. "When they appeared before they were in a meteorite," he said, defensively.
Please clarify, Tory's friend asked. Why would you specifically want to fight a meteorite?
"Meteorites can do a lot of damage when they hit the ground," Ash's Rayquaza explained. "So the job of a Rayquaza is to shoot them down so they don't do as much damage. But I think you got in a fight because none of you knew all the things you needed to know."
She crossed her arms. "And if you do want to fight, then, um… please don't anyway?"
"You are literally too adorable for me to refuse," her older counterpart told her.
"That boy had a Rayquaza in his backpack," one of Professor Lund's lab assistants said. "A Rayquaza. In his backpack. And it's shiny. And tiny."
"Can we get out now?" Zygarde asked. "I would like to try some of the local food, as we did not have a chance before."
"I'm sure we can!" Ash agreed. "But I might need to check with Tory first in case it'd be better if you came out later… huh?"
A Taillow with a bag flew through the portal, did a right turn, and flew right up to Ash.
"You're Ash Ketchum, right?" he asked. "I've got a letter for you."
"That's me," Ash confirmed, and the Taillow alighted before opening his bag. There was a letter inside, and he passed it to Ash.
"Oh, uh, can you go over to the corner please?" Ash said. "The boy over there finds Pokémon hard to deal with… he's being chased around by a couple of Pokémon we're going to find later and ask not to do it, but really any Pokémon doesn't help."
The Flying-type took that with reasonably good grace, and Ash opened the letter.
"Oh!" he said. "It's from Absol. Uh… the disaster was solved before I even had time to show up this time, good work. And it says please turn over."
"What's on the other side?" May said.
Ash turned it over.
"It's just a lot of the letter A," he frowned. "Huh."
"I'm not sure," Pikachu said. "But I think that's meant to be screaming."
AN:
Trauma is a hard thing to deal with, but fortunately with Deoxys' help – and a pushy Plusle and Minun duo thoroughly talked to, by Deoxys if not by Ash – Tory should be able to get over it with time.
Oh yeah also the Rayquaza thing.