As thrilling as the hustle and bustle and flashing lights of Nimbasa had been, the fresh air and rolling hills of Pallet Town were familiar and comforting. Even as Ash, Dawn, and Pikachu tiredly blinked to fight creeping drowsiness, the late spring breeze nudging their bangs and ears just felt nice.

It was stimulating enough, anyway, to help them on their way back to the Ketchum household from the bus stop. Ash and Dawn occasionally leaned into each other while walking, putting a poor Pikachu in between them.

Ash jiggled the door handle. It was locked. "...Oh."

"Oh?" Dawn asked, rubbing her eyes. "Oh, what?"

"It's… locked," Ash replied. "Mom almost never leaves it locked. Not when she's home."

"Oh. Well, with everything-"

"Yeah, I know." He didn't like thinking that their efforts had reached this far. That they'd reached all the way home. He swallowed his guilt, and knocked on the door instead.

"Mime!" Mimey was quick to open the door, greeting the group with kind smile. "Mime-mime!"

"Hey, Mimey. Good to see you." Ash smiled at the first sign of familiarity, stepping inside of his home. He didn't even have time to ask, before Mimey grabbed a hold of his suitcase and started pulling it up the stairs. "Oh. Heh. Thanks, fella. You're the best."

"Mr. Mime!" Mimey stopped halfway up the stairs to point towards the kitchen, before going on his way.

"Mom must be waiting for us," Ash said, and walked into the kitchen. He stopped, blinking, causing Dawn to nearly walk into him. "Professor Oak! Gary?"

Indeed, while Delia was setting stacks of pancakes and fruit on the kitchen table along with omurice, Professor Oak and Gary were sitting down with a cup of tea, each.

Delia nearly dropped the plate she was holding, setting it down to walk over and throw her arms around the three. "Oh, honey… Dawn, Pikachu! It's great to see you."

"It's… great to see you, Mrs. Ketchum!" Dawn awkwardly hugged her back to the best of her ability, still squished up against Ash and Pikachu.

"Ow-ow-ow…!" Ash winced, and Delia quickly released them.

"Oh, sorry, Ash… Is your shoulder still hurting?" She bit her thumb. Worries never ceased.

"A little," he fibbed, neglecting to mention the Venoshock incident. He hated seeing his mom worry, which was more than enough motivation to change the subject. "It's nice to be home. But hey, what're you guys doing here? Not that you're not…" Ash finished most of his sentence before loudly yawning. "...welcome."

"Well, we heard you would be coming back today, Ash," Professor Oak answered, sipping from his cup. "And I assume that you'll want to see Professor Willow, no?"

"That's right! Willow!" Ash smacked his palms down on the table, making the silverware clatter.

"I almost forgot!" Pikachu exclaimed in his own tongue.

"Now, now, my boys," Oak eased, with a hint of a smile. "Though it's nice to see you so spry, there's such a thing as too spry. Ahem." Oak coughed into his hand. "A lively Diglett. It might surface much too soon! Prudence is better."

"Oh, that was…" Dawn was stifled by a yawn, covering her mouth with her hand. "...a poem!"

"...She's barely responding to your poems, Gramps," Gary acknowledged.

"My word. That is a tad concerning," Oak replied, frowning.

"It's the jet lag," Ash explained. "We were on there for fourteen hours. It threw us off the day we got to Unova, too."

"Well, you bunch must be exhausted," Delia said, as she pulled out their chairs. "Why don't you sit down and give me your Poké Balls? I can set them up to be fed, out back!"

"And I'd like to help!" Professor Oak volunteered. "I never did get to spend time with that Zoroark of yours. She was quite content to keep to herself when she first came through."

"Meema's like that," Ash said tiredly, as he handed over his six. "She feels like she's a burden. Just try to give her a warm welcome."

"Oh, dear… A burden?" Delia frowned, as she took Dawn's, as well. "Well, that won't do! I'll have Meema feeling like a Pallet Town local in no time flat!"

Delia and Oak stepped outside, and called on the twelve Pokémon sitting within; from Dawn, Empoleon, Buneary, Pachirisu, Typhlosion, Togekiss, and Rura. From Ash, Pidgeot, Tauros, Torterra, Mismagius, Rosa, and Meema.

"Breakfast time, everyone! I'm sure it's nice to be back in a familiar place, isn't it?" Delia chirped, passing out bowls of Poké Chow to each one.

"Yes," Oak agreed, "though I suppose 'familiar' is relative for the two of you." He stopped at the Zoroark and Zorua, resting his hands on his knees. "Unova is quite the ways away, isn't it?"

Meema looked between the two adults, and the other Pokémon, who were paying them no mind. ~...Yes.~ She finally spoke, telepathically. ~I am told that Leader's home is quite a distance from native Unova. If this is his dwelling, then we will do our best to be gracious guests.~

Afterwards, she nudged Rura, who rolled his eyes. ~Yeah, yeah! Gracious, or whatever.~

"Oh, my! You can talk." Delia cooed, cupping a hand over her mouth. "Like little Rosemary!"

~More or less,~ Rosa agreed from nearby, raising her paw to volunteer her thoughts.

"My, my… Two rare faraway Pokémon with telepathy! That's quite a find." Professor Oak beamed, leaning forward to get a better look at them. "I hope you don't mind if I gleam some new data from both of you."

"Samuel, please!" Delia chided. "Try not to overwhelm them."

Rura stared at Oak with his unmoving blue hues. Suddenly, he disappeared into a spiral of shadows. In his place, a direct clone of Professor Oak stood, leaning into the elder's personal space.

"A-another Samuel!?" Delia exclaimed.

"My word…! Your illusory abilities don't disappoint!" Oak said, only impressed by the sight before him. "Now, how do they work, exactly…?" He tried to poke at his other's face, only to find that there was no reaction to it at all. His hand just seemingly vanished. "Oh! Well, it stands to reason that the pre-evolved form's illusions aren't quite as refined."

~Ehehehehe!~ The fake Samuel giggled with Rura's voice.

~Rura! Behave yourself,~ Meema scolded. ~We've been welcomed into your pack, so it's only proper that you know. You can pull a Zorua's tail if you want to put an end to their illusions. You have my full blessing, with Rura.~

~Aw, what!? Don't tell 'em that!~ Rura barked, before Delia did exactly so. The second professor vanished, and he returned to normal. Grunting in annoyance, he buried his face in his food.

"Children are children, no matter their appearance, I suppose!" Delia giggled. But, watching the larger fox, she couldn't help but frown. "Meema, aren't you going to eat your breakfast?"

Meema stared at her and shook her head, nudging the bowl towards Rura. ~I… am not wanting for food. It's more important that Rura gets his fill.~

Little did Meema know, she would find herself in the harrowing, overpowering gaze of the other mother present. Kind, soft brown eyes glowered with an overpowering aura.

"Now, Meema," Delia chided, arms crossed over her chest. "I understand that you're concerned about your growing boy. You're talking to Ash's mother, and believe me, he needed every calorie his little hyperactive self could get his hands on. But it's important for a parent to take care of themselves, too!" She chirped, winking with all too much candor for what basically sounded like a demand. "Get it?"

The Zoroark stared at her, before sheepishly placing her snout in her bowl. ~If you're Leader's mother… Very well. I'll do as you demand.~

Professor Oak cupped his chin, humming in thought at her odd behavior.

Delia, however, was satisfied. "Good~! I just know we're going to get along! It's not too often I get to spend time with another mother, you know. We have to stick together!"


The lack of adults left an awkward silence in the kitchen; one only filled by the sounds of the teenagers jabbing pancakes with their forks and sipping tea. Not that Ash, Dawn, or Pikachu were feeling particularly talkative at the moment, to begin with.

"So," Gary broke the quiet. "How was your trip?"

"Unova was fun," Ash said. "Lots of new Pokémon."

"Nimbasa's such a lively city, too," Dawn agreed.

"I think it was good for us," Pikachu said, sitting atop a stack of pillows. He stopped talking to nibble on some omurice. "We had some conversations there that I think we really needed."

"You're right," Ash agreed. He only realized, then, that he'd have to give context to Dawn and Gary. "We met some people there who put us back on the right track. Some old friends, too."

"That so?" Gary raised a brow. "Well, that's definitely reassuring. Pardon me for asking so soon, then, but about your Gym Battle…"

Ash's expression turned stern, as did Pikachu's. "What about it?"

"You said you couldn't battle me until Pikachu was taken care of. Assuming that Professor Willow settles any leftover doubts, do you think you're ready for our rematch?"

"Am I…?" Ash frowned, furrowing his brow. "I'm… not sure. I mean, that's technically true. Pikachu, how do you feel?"

"I'm… feeling better, I think," Pikachu said. He didn't sound as certain as he really would've liked to. How could anything feel certain, at the moment? But, he hardly wanted to say no.

"If Pikachu's alright, then I think you should go for it." Dawn reached for Ash's hand, squeezing his palm. "Didn't you tell me about your winning streak at, what was it, the Battle Institute?"

"Uh-huh. We did great. But, Pikachu couldn't battle, there…" He poked at his pancakes again. "Well, it wouldn't be right to force him so soon. I could always bring in Meema."

"Meema?" Gary grimaced. "You mean the new Zoroark? Ash, you just caught her. Bringing Rosemary is one thing…"

"Yeah, yeah, you're right." Ash shook his head. What was he even thinking? "I just wanted to give her a go… but she is new. I could always call on one of the other Pokémon at the ranch-"

"Ash, listen to yourself!" Pikachu shouted, turning towards his trainer. "It's fine! I'll battle."

"Pikachu…?" Ash addressed his partner. "That's sweet of you and all, but you saw what happened last time. You almost had an episode-"

"And I won't, this time!" Pikachu argued. "That was days after the incident, Ash. I've had a few more. I… know that sounds insane when I say it out loud, but I've always been part of our Gym Battles." He abandoned his seat to hop on Ash's arm, walking around to his opposite shoulder. "It's our last Gym Battle before the League. I want to be there with you and pull my weight!"

"Pikachu…" Ash sniffled, rubbing at his eyes. It was too early to be crying like this. "I can't fight that argument. You know I can't… Alright!" He raised a fist to Pikachu. "You've got yourself a deal. We'll tackle it together!"

"That's all I could ask for!" Pikachu chirped, satisfied. He bumped his paw against Ash's fist.

"So, Pikachu's on the roster…" Gary trailed off. His gaze lingered on Ash and Pikachu, but whatever was on his mind was lost to the conversation, when the back door opened.

"Ah, what a lively bunch!" Professor Oak chuckled, stepping inside. "Your Pokémon are all taken care of."

"How's Meema?" Ash asked, leaning on the back of his chair.

"And Rura," Dawn added.

"That Rura of yours!" Oak laughed. "He's quite the illusionist!"

"And I made sure that Meema ate her fill!" Delia chirped, coming in afterwards. "We had a real Mom-to-Mom moment."

Ash smiled at that. But his mind drifted back to the topic they'd started on. "That's good. But hey, what about Professor Willow? Is he here?"

"Ah, yes." Professor Oak tutted, smacking his lips. Ash could swear he spotted a look of discomfort on the elder's face, but he wrote it up to his lack of sleep. "Professor Willow and Ray took the mobile lab out of town to go do some field research. I'll go and give them a call."

"That's a great idea," Delia agreed. "For now, why don't you three finish breakfast, and then go nap off that jet lag? If we're going to have company today, you could certainly use it!"

"If that's all well and good…" Gary said, scooting out from his seat to place his dishes in the sink. "Then I'll use that time to go prepare for my Gym Battle. Thanks, Mrs. K." He bowed his head politely to her, and headed for the front door. He lifted a hand to see off the rest of the group. "Ash, Dawn, Pikachu, smell ya later."

While Dawn waved him off, Ash hummed, exchanging a look with Pikachu. "Actually…" A yawn. "...A nap sounds good. Might be the best way to get supercharged for our battle."

Pikachu answered with a loud, drawn out "cha!" of a yawn, if not in words. He agreed.


A nap had been just what they'd needed. After recharging for a couple of hours, Ash, Pikachu, and Dawn had been informed that Willow's camper was back in Pallet Town, not far from Professor Oak's laboratory. Ash had slipped back into his standard traveling gear, complete with his red jacket, teal gloves, and his favorite Pokémon League hat. Dawn in her black shorts, tank top, and pink sleeveless jacket.

"It's nice to see you all, today!" Professor Willow said. "...All of you." With Ash, Dawn, Pikachu, Professor Oak, and Ray joining him in the small mobile lab, it was just a tad crowded.

"Thanks for coming, Professor," Ash said, holding Pikachu in his arms. "Professor Oak said that you figured out the Dark Ball thing?"

Willow nodded. "It took some tinkering with the Poké Ball storage system, and a lot of test catches and transfers with some very helpful field volunteers. But with a bit of ingenuity and elbow grease, I believe we're ready to put your Pikachu back under his proper trainer's name!"

Ash looked down at Pikachu, and laughed. Nothing was funny. There was just the catharsis of relief that made him glow like he hadn't in quite a while. He felt the same from his partner.

"Then you haven't made the trade, yet?" Dawn asked.

"We could have," Ray interjected, "but with how Pikachu's been feeling, we thought it might do him some good to see it happen in real time! Make righting those wrongs official before your very eyes, you know?"

"A fine decision in my opinion," Oak nodded twice in approval. "Aside from Pokémon League legalities, Pikachu's physical and emotional health has been the number one priority from the get-go, after all."

"That makes sense to me, I guess," Ash said. "Alright then, we're ready! Right, Pikachu!"

"I've never been more ready in my life, to be honest!"

"Right, then!" Professor Willow shimmied by the group, opening a small case to retrieve two Poké Balls. One, the twisted, dreary cage that was the Dark Ball. The other, an ordinary Poké Ball with a lightning bolt sticker on it. It was worn down with time, but Ash never quite wanted to remove it, even if it was never used. "I'll just place each of these in the trade machine…"

Each was placed in a groove beneath a mobile trading device, with a screen placed above its centerpiece. Willow pressed a couple of buttons, displaying complex settings on the screen.

"Initiate the registration transfer…" He pushed one more button. "...And, begin!"


The Poké Ball and Dark Ball were each sucked into the machine, as a diagram appeared on the screen. Pikachu's silhouette appeared on the left of the screen, popping out of the Poké Ball icon representing the Dark Ball. The image slid across the screen, and then entered the opposite one. After a moment of pause, the Poké Balls fell back into their grooves.

"...Well, I think that does it!" Professor Willow announced.

"Would you like to confirm it for us, Ash," Oak asked, "and point your Pokédex at Pikachu?"

"Oh! Right!" Pikachu boarded Ash's shoulder as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the red encyclopedia to point it at his precious partner. As Dexter started reading off Pikachu's Pokédex entry, Ash scanned his partner's information on the screen, looking for just one tidbit.

"Original Trainer ID: 01301. Trainer: Ash Ketchum."

"...There it is!" Ash beamed, reading over those same lines over and over. He almost couldn't believe his eyes. "It worked! Pikachu's with me again!"

"Ash!" Pikachu laughed, only to be snatched up into his trainer's arms. He couldn't even complain when he was practically smothered, nuzzling his cheek into Ash's chin. "I'm back!"

"You're really back! Aw, I'm so happy, Buddy! This is amazing!" Ash didn't care how crowded the lab was. He didn't care who saw them rejoice. He didn't even care about the static snapping at his skin, and sparking at his tears. He was just overjoyed to be reunited… If only symbolically.

Dawn smiled fondly at the scene as well, wiping the tears that were welling up in her own eyes. There was no denying how utterly happy her boyfriend and his best friend were. If there were room for Empoleon in this lab, he'd surely join in the waterworks.

"I'm so moved!" Ray gushed, wiping at his own eyes, as well. "Congratulations, Ash and Pikachu."

"Thank you… Thank you, all of you!" Ash laughed as Pikachu boarded his shoulder again, and offered a hand to Professor Willow. "I know this was a lot of hard work, but it means the world to us!"

The field researcher laughed, taking Ash's hand for a firm shake. "It was my pleasure. I'm just relieved that my work allowed a trainer and their Pokémon to be reunited properly. After all, I'd say that friendships like these are the essence of the relationship between the two!"

"Yes, indeed," Oak agreed. "The passing days have been difficult, but ultimately, good will triumph over evil, as long as all who inhabit our world work together."

"Right!" Ash agreed, pumping a fist. Riding the high of his reunion, he punched it in the air. "And now that we're together again, it's time to move forward! Right to the Viridian Gym!"

"Ah, I'm sure Gary will be happy to hear that!" Professor Oak laughed heartily. "He's been putting in a great deal of work to prepare for you."

"Then, we can't let him down," Ash replied. "...Oh. Sorry Willow, Ray. I hope it's not too rude if we go and bail on you, right now."

"Actually," Ray replied, "if you don't mind, Professor, I'd like to go with them and see it for myself. After all I've heard about Ash and Pikachu's bond, I want to see it in action!"

"I think that's a fine idea!" Willow said. "I may as well take the next short while to catch up with Samuel, and compare notes. You kids go and have fun."

"That sounds lovely," Oak agreed. "I'll ask Tracey to keep an eye on your new Pokémon, in the meantime. Best of luck, to the both of you!"

"Fine with me! Get ready, Ray." Ash turned to their new friend, grinning. "You're about to see one heck of a Gym Battle!"


Standing before the double doors to the Viridian Gym, once again, Ash took a deep breath.

"You ready, Ash?" Pikachu asked, noticing his trainer's hesitation.

Ash laughed. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

"Please. You know who you're talking to?" Pikachu asked, cutting a smirk.

"One stubborn bastard," Ash chuckled.

"Hey, uh, what's up with Ash and Pikachu?" Ray leaned closer to Dawn. "I know they're close, but Ash is speaking like he understands Pikachu's every word."

"That's because he does," Dawn answered with a smile. "It actually happened over the vacation, but Ash's bond with Pikachu is so strong that it's like their minds are one!"

"You don't say…" The ruddy-haired teen's eyes glimmered. "I'm even more excited, now!"

With mental preparation out of the way, Ash pushed the large double doors open, stepping into the Gym. "Hey, Gary!" Ash shouted. "I hope you're ready, because we're here for our match!"

"Well, well, well." The spiky-haired brunette stepped into the light, twirling a Poké Ball on his index finger. "I was hoping you'd show up sometime soon, Ash. And, Ray! What a surprise."

"I wanted to see what a real Gym Battle is like for myself," Ray volunteered.

Gary nodded in acknowledgement. "And… Dawn," he trailed off, his tone flat.

Dawn stood along with Ash, along with Empoleon and Buneary at her other side. Once again, she'd taken on her signature pink cheerleading uniform with white and blue trimming, and her two pink pom-poms. Buneary wore a watching uniform, and Empoleon held his own pom-poms; too large for the traditional outfit. "Well, duh! Of course I'm not going to miss this."

"I assumed so, but I wasn't expecting the pep rally," Gary snorted.

"Oh, I know Mr. Ten-Cheerleaders-and-a-Corvet isn't talking," Ash scoffed. He, along with Pikachu, cut a sidelong glance at Gary for his hypocrisy.

Gary coughed into his hand, fighting a streak of red on his face. "Let's not go there, please."

"Wait, seriously!?" Dawn exclaimed. "You're joking! Gary did that!?"

"Oh yeah, it was a whole production," Ash replied. "Everywhere he went."

"Let's leave skeletons in the closet where they belong," Gary snorted. "Unless you want me bringing out some of yours, Ashy-boy." Clearly, as he'd grown, his old behavior had become a blip in time that he'd rather forget.

"Y'know what? Great idea. Let's cut the chitter-chatter," Ash said hastily, rushing over to his end of the field. "Right, Pikachu?"

"Roger!"

"For what it's worth," Ray whispered discreetly to Dawn as they approached the spectator seats. "I think the whole gesture is incredibly romantic! It reminds me of something in Talia's manga."

"Ehe, does it?" Dawn giggled. "Honestly, I started doing this long before Ash and I were dating. I just felt like I should give him my support, as thanks for all the help he's given us!"

"Ah? Sounds like the writing was on the wall long before even you read it!" He chuckled.

Before Dawn could ruminate on that any further, they turned their attention to the match.


"Alright, Ash. I hope you're ready." Gary stood in his trainer's box, lightly juggling a Poké Ball in the palm of his hand. "I plan to give you everything I have and more, as your last Gym Battle."

"You better believe we're ready!" Ash argued back. "But hey, uh, where's the referee? You had someone here last time for that. Are they running late?"

"Ah, them?" Gary coughed into his hand. "Ahem. This isn't a conventional Gym Battle. Although it'll still be on the record, I'm not just facing you as a Gym Leader, but as your friend, too. I wanted to keep this personal. If that's okay with you, of course."

"That makes sense, I think," Ash blinked. He shook his head. "Whatever. Doesn't matter to me!"

"Then, let's get down to business!" Gary threw his Poké Ball. "Garchomp, I choose you!"

For the second time, the powerful Mach Pokémon showed herself with a snarling roar.

"There she is." Ash smirked, picking his own ball. "This won't be like the last battle. Mismagius!"

The Poké Ball spun through the air and burst open, calling on the ghoulish witch. "Magius~!"

"...I choose you!"

"So, you evolved your Misdreavus!" Gary noted. "How interesting. She's always been a formidable one. I assume she has some new tricks up her sleeve."

"I normally enjoy encores, but that last performance won't do." Mismagius chuckled to herself.

"Yeah, I'm with her. We've got a whole new act!" Ash gestured forward. "Use Icy Wind!"

"So much for a new act," Gary replied. "Garchomp! Flamethrower!"


Mismagius howled as she fired a cold front more chilling and brutal than before. However, it met Garchomp's blazing Flamethrower shortly afterward, and battled it briefly before flooding the field with a cool, blanketing vapor.

Mismagius rose above the mist, scouting for her foe. "Now, where could our dear friend be?"

"Hmph. You shouldn't underestimate a Garchomp's keen sense of smell. We won't fall for the same trick twice," Gary said. "Garchomp! Dual Chop!"

Garchomp lunged out of the vapor, wielding emerald scythes to swing at Mismagius.

"Gotcha," Ash smirked. "Use Skill Swap!"

"Mag~!" There was a devious gleam in the ghost's eye, as a purple, mysterious orb spawned in front of her. It shot forth, colliding with a startled Garchomp.

Both Pokémon shone, and a projection of each of them flashed before disappearing. After that brief pause, Garchomp soared far higher than intended, and Mismagius sank to the floor.

"Skill Swap… Now, that's a new one." Gary raised a brow, as his Pokémon struggled to orient herself above the fray. "I'm going to hazard a guess and say you picked this up in Unova?"

"You guessed right!" Ash replied. "I ran into something else like it, while I was battling there. There was this move called Simple Beam that changes abilities, and it made a huge difference. I ran into the Technical Machine for Skill Swap, in the prizes! Figured I'd give it a go."

"I do quite like the freedom being a ghost gives me," Mismagius said, scooting around on the floor with a few twirls. "But I also like this! I feel like a mortal, with all their confines! How funny."


"Now, that's an interesting choice," Ray said. "Why would Ash give up Levitate? It's a great ability, especially if he's facing a Ground-type."

"Gary's Garchomp used Dig, in their last battle," Dawn explained. "But the biggest danger behind it was never the attack, but how Garchomp could keep hiding with it. Maybe Garchomp… can't go underground with it? At least, that's my guess."

"That would make sense," Ray replied. "Ordinarily, that shouldn't be the case. But if an ability is thrown onto a Pokémon who's never used it before, they could have a hard time with it!"


"Well, you weren't kidding about new tricks," Gary conceded. "But it's not as if a Garchomp is foreign to the air! Use Flamethrower!"

Garchomp soared over the trickster ghost, spewing flames from above.

"Stop it, with Psychic!" Ash commanded.

Several psychic pulses collided with the incoming flames, effectively bringing them to a halt with an intangible barrier. Flames fanned from the impact point, leaving the attack at an impasse.

"Use Crunch!"

"What!?" Ash exclaimed. The new attack caught him entirely off-guard, as it did Mismagius. Garchomp plummeted through the fiery remains of their struggle, sinking his jowls into a squealing Mismagius.

The ghost struggled for a moment against Garchomp's grip, but she was quickly released. Garchomp backed off, nursing the nicks and scrapes acquired from Mismagius's oddly abrasive form. "Gah~!"

"Right, of course." Gary frowned. "Skill Swap means you've picked up Rough Skin, as well."

"You should watch that awful appetite of yours," Mismagius scolded, as she righted herself. She'd taken heavy damage, but she was still in the game. "It may come back to bite you!"

"I don't like your jokes," Garchomp spat.

"Unfortunate. Not everyone can have good taste!"

"Rough Skin gives us some protection against your physical moves," Ash explained. "But, I can't say I saw Crunch coming. Didn't Garchomp already use four moves last time?"

"You may have made Dig more trouble for us than it's worth, but you're not the only one who can break the move limit, you know," Gary retorted. "It's typically something that takes a lot of experience. I've only had Garchomp since the beginning of this year, but you know, there's a bit of a shortcut to making it work."

"I know!" Ash interrupted. "It's when a move is something that comes naturally to a Pokémon!"

"Exactly," Gary replied. "A Garchomp obviously won't forget biting, or digging, they're instincts. They only have to relearn the technique and power behind them! Some barriers are easier to break than others. I'd say you've done your homework, but I'm sure you learned by experience."

"That's how I roll," Ash agreed. "Now, let's keep going! Icy Wind!"

Mismagius continued, firing another gust of cold.

"Dodge it! Use Crunch, again!"

With their new airborne prowess, Garchomp skirted around Icy Wind, and came down with snapping jowls.

"Use Phantom Force!" Ash commanded.

Just as Garchomp snapped at Mismagius, she sank into a small, black portal in the floor. It vanished afterwards, leaving Garchomp bewildered and looking about.

Immediately after, another portal opened directly above Garchomp. Mismagius smashed into the Mach Pokémon, tackling her into the ground. She backed off, chortling. "Too slow~!"

"Now, that's another new move," Gary said. "That one could be a problem."

"That's the third reason for Skill Swap," Ash explained. "None of that nasty recoil, for us!"

"You've thought this through well, Ash," Gary praised. "Flamethrower!"

"Phantom Force!"

White-hot flames shot at Mismagius, but she disappeared into darkness, first.

"Stay sharp, Garchomp!" Gary instructed. "Listen for her, and strike with Dual Chop!"

The eerie, uncanny sound of ghostly activity rang in Garchomp's sharp ears. Swinging around, she struck at the opening portal with glowing fins.

Mismagius appeared, and immediately disappeared into another portal.

Garchomp cried out, feeling a strong pressure collide with her back. Snarling, she swung at Mismagius again.

"Good, Mismagius," Ash praised. "Again!"

Watching the ghost disappear, Gary grimaced. "What an irritating move. But, I'm sure Ash is counting on us losing our cool. All we need to do is get the timing right, once."

'He's figured it out.' Ash watched on, smirking. 'Good. We've got 'em right where we want 'em!'

Gary's sharp eye caught another spot of blackness appearing. "There, Garchomp! Dive in and use Crunch, as soon as she appears!"

The Mach Pokémon's golden eyes honed in on the void. Snarling and beyond fed up, she snapped at the emerging ghoul.

"Icy Wind!"

Bitter white snow and winds shot out of the void, blasting a crying Garchomp.

"Oh, no!" Gary watched his Pokémon take the move to devastating effect. With a quadruple weakness, Garchomp emerged from the attack shivering. Frost clung to her scales, and a blue light washed over her to denote a decrease in speed.

"Awesome job, Mismagius," Ash praised. "How're you doing over there?"

"A bit… winded, I'll say…" Mismagius scooted back towards her trainer. Indeed, her ghoulish energies were starting to dwindle with Phantom Force's repeated use. "But, I believe I can say the same for our scaly friend! Ohoho!"

"Hmph. You've left me with very few options, Ash," Gary said, as he raised a hand in the air. "Garchomp! Draco Meteor!"

A glowing core of energy manifested in Garchomp, rising until it was held between her claws. She tossed it into the air, hanging above the fray. "Gahr!"

Draco Meteor burst, raining over the field.

"Now's our chance! Mismagius, Psychic!"

Once more, each Meteor was frozen in mid-air; with a greater modicum of control, now that Mismagius had evolved. With a haunting cackle, she tossed them all towards Garchomp.

"You can't expect the same trick to work twice, Ash!" Gary shouted. "Use Dual Chop!"

Rather than burrow, Garchomp rose to meet the barrage head-on, this time around. She cried ferociously, striking at the meteors with glowing fins and claws in a frenzy.


"He's knocking away the Draco Meteor…!" Dawn gasped. "Gary had time to come up with a counterattack!"

"Pol! Empoleon!" Empoleon sputtered, hiding behind Dawn and Ray. Why did that accursed move continue to haunt him!?

"Erm…?" Ray raised a brow.

"It's a long story."

Buneary tutted, shaking her head.


"That could be a problem," Ash muttered. Meteoric shots of energies were flying and pulverizing the field at random. Worse yet, one was heading directly towards Mismagius. Gary had turned it back on them so easily… Ah. There was that glint in Ash's eye. "Phantom Force!"

"Mag!" Mismagius understood Ash instantaneously. Thinking on the same wavelength as him, she disappeared into her shadowy portal. The meteor plummeting towards her followed, disappeared into it before it closed.

Watching this, Gary raised a brow. "What's he…?"

Standing amidst clouds of dust and smoke, Garchomp's golden eyes scanned for her foe. Suddenly, space opened up right before her eyes. Mismagius poked out of her gate, cackling madly as she leaned right into a bewildered dragon's personal space.

Mismagius smiled far-too-sweetly. "Oh, we do need to get together like this, more often~!"

Gary gasped, putting the pieces together. "Garchomp! Move!"

Mismagius sank back into the floor. A bright, orange flash followed her, and detonated.

Smoke flooded the field once more, before finally clearing away.

Garchomp laid flat on her belly with swirls in her eyes.

"Well, that's that." Gary recalled his Pokémon to her ball, pocketing it. "Take a rest for a while."

"Yes! You did it, Mismagius. Awesome!" Ash cheered, laughing as the ghoul slinked around him from the floor below.

"I have to hand it to you, Ash." Gary laughed, shaking his head. "That's exactly the kind of odd tactic I'd expect from you! Just insane enough to work."

"It's all thanks to Mismagius," Ash explained. "She loves to put on a show and fluster her audience. A nasty surprise attack is just the best way to go, for her!"


"Way to go, Mismagius! Making winning look fabulous~!" Dawn cheered, executing a cheer in tandem with her team.

"That was spectacular!" Ray chuckled, taking in the aftermath. "Ghost Pokémon are known to be quite unorthodox, but I've never seen them operate quite like that. The match has just started, and it's already rather intense."

"You haven't seen anything yet," Dawn boasted, winking. "This is Ash at his best!"


"I'm happy to see that you and your Pokémon have found your rhythm," Gary said, as he tapped the center button on his next Poké Ball. He left a kiss on the metallic shell. "Let's see how long it lasts. Go, Umbreon!"

The lithe shadow appeared before Gary, with his glowing golden rings, and eerie red eyes.

"Umbreon… I've been waiting for you." Ash smirked, leaning his posture forward.

"It's only going to get tougher from here…!" Pikachu took on a stern expression. The last beating he'd suffered hadn't been completely forgotten, in all the recent chaos. "Be careful, Ash."

"Don't worry, Buddy," Ash replied. "I've got it figured out."

"You seem pretty confident, Ash." Gary said, studying his foe. "Umbreon! Snarl!"

Umbreon howled horribly, sending malicious waves towards Mismagius.

"I know you're tired, but I'm gonna need to count on you again," Ash said. "Phantom Force!"

"Yessir!" Mismagius vanished into yet another void. Though, this time, she took a bit longer than usual.

Ash, in the meantime, grabbed two Poké Balls from his belt.

The same void started to appear behind Umbreon, this time around.

"Now, I won't be falling for that again," Gary said. "Umbreon! Behind you…!"

Umbreon turned to face her would-be-assailant, catching her out of the corner of his eye.

Ash pointed an empty Poké Ball, and tapped its center button. A flash of red escaped it.

"Toxic!"

Umbreon gathered the poisonous secretions from his fur, whipping it into a voluminous sludge.

Mismagius was hit by the red beam of light, vanishing into it.

With his opposite arm, Ash slung the other Poké Ball towards the ongoing exchange.

Gary could only watch the bait-and-switch with bewilderment, as a flash of light materialized where Mismagius' portal was giving away, directly in the path of Umbreon's Toxic. The emerging form appeared to be humanoid, with long ears and a fluffy tail.

Rosemary was splattered with Toxic. The poison trickled off of her harmlessly.

Ash grinned, pumping a fist. "Now, Copycat!"

Rosa's eyes took on a blue glow, as the past couple seconds replayed in her mind in reverse. She analyzed them in a split-second, and fired purple toxins out of her paws, blasting Umbreon.

Umbreon stumbled backwards, sporting a streak of blue over his muzzle.

"What… was that!?" Gary blurted out. His jaw hung slack in a way it rarely did.


"I have to admit," Ray laughed, "I think I'm just as lost as Gary is."

"You'd understand if you saw their last battle," Dawn explained. "Gary goaded Ash into using a super-effective move that activated his Arcanine's Flash Fire, and Umbreon's Toxic gave Pikachu a lot of trouble at the end of the match. So, Ash came up with this counter-strategy when we were on the plane home from Unova. He was so proud of it, he was grinning about it for, like, an hour straight!" Dawn laughed.

"Aha! I didn't think Ash was capable of being that petty. But, I guess I've only known him a short while," Ray conceded.

"Oh, trust me," Dawn beamed, looking back towards the fray. "Ash is a very sweet guy, but he's got a lot of pride, under that attitude. And Gary's just the kind of rival to bring it out of him."


"How do you like that?" Ash huffed, puffing out his chest. "That's our special father-daughter combo."

"That… was devilish," Pikachu laughed, shaking his head. "You outdid yourself, Ash."

"I don't even know where to start," Gary scoffed, shaking his head. "I'm as impressed as I am frustrated. Is that payback for my U-Turn maneuver, last time, or what?"

"A little," Ash admitted, brushing his index finger over his nose. "But, it's not just that. Don't get me wrong; stuff like the way I handled Garchomp is still off the cuff. But I was talking to Rosa, while we were away. About how you pointed out what we did with Copycat, the first time."

~About how we were using it wrong, and trying to outgun Garchomp's specialty,~ Rosa continued, executing several stretches. ~And it reminded us of how I battled the best I ever had, in our Gym Battle with Janine. I didn't limit myself to just guts alone, there!~

"That blend of fighting spirit and creativity makes us, well, us!" Ash explained.

"Well, now. I can't disagree." Gary smirked. "But I hope that stunt isn't where your good ideas end. Umbreon, use Psychic!"

The Dark-type collected himself, illuminating his eyes and rings with a bright blue. Telekinetic pulses gripped his opponent, suspending her in mid-air.

"Substitute!" Ash shouted.

An ethereal blue construct resembling the Lucario appeared in front of her, absorbing the bulk of the psychic grip that'd held her. She dropped to the gym floor, and sprinted towards Umbreon.

By the time she closed the gap, Umbreon had only just destroyed the Substitute, and was left face to face with the Lucario winding up her fist. Before he could redirect his focus, he recoiled from poison.

"Reversal!" Ash barked. Rosemary crouched and then sprung, striking Umbreon's jaw with a spinning uppercut.

As Umbreon soared, Gary retaliated. "Foul Play!"

Umbreon used his time airborne to lean his weight forward, and hug his front and hind legs around the Lucario's torso. Snarling, he fell into a backwards somersault. He smashed Rosa against the hard floor in an unforgiving supplex.

"Rah!" Rosa cried, rolling backwards to catch herself on all fours. ~That was a nasty move.~

Umbreon huffed and titled his head up haughtily, as if to ask 'what did you expect?'

Rosa had no more clever words. But, she did feel a strong sense of indignation at the underhanded method of fighting. Poison, attempts to lower their abilities, using her own power against her.. It was nothing her trainer wouldn't do, she knew. But, she couldn't shake an inherent fury towards it all.

Much like the sickness she felt when evil intentions leaked into her subconscious, her anger spread throughout her and manifested. A deep-seated feeling that may as well have been genetic. Maybe even more deep-seated than that.

A gold aura leaked off of her body. The hooked spikes on her wrists doubled in size, as did the one pointed spike on her chest. She roared, flexing a powerful burst of aura that kicked up dust.


"What's that!?" Dawn exclaimed, taken aback. "I've never seen Rosa do that, before."

"Em-pol…" Empoleon held a wing to his beak. He'd never seen his little sister so fierce.

"I think I recognize this!" Ray exclaimed. "If I'm right, it's a Lucario's hidden ability: Justified. When they're hit by a Dark-type move, they get outraged by underhanded tactics and their attack increases. It's a trait common in Pokémon that fight for justice."

Buneary watched on with interest, not saying anything.


"Well, this is new," Gary said. "I think we have a problem, here."

"You sure do!" Ash gestured a hand back, in tune with Rosa. "Use Aura Sphere!"

Rosa made the same motion, charging a teal blast before lobbing it overhanded.

"Stop it, with Psychic!"

Umbreon's eyes flashed blue again, exerting a mighty resistance to Aura Sphere that made the orb meld and bend. His telekinetic prowess started to push it back, before a sudden surge of sickness made him writhe. Poisonous bubbles emanated from him, slightly worse than before.

Aura Sphere powered through, blasting Umbreon's hide.

Gary tutted in disappointment. "Toxic broke her concentration… Use Snarl!"

Umbreon put his frustration into a nasty howl, blasting Rosa with ill thoughts.

The Lucario staggered, but stood her ground. A blue aura washed over her, as she felt her connection to her aura dwindle. Conversely, she was bathed in gold and red. Her spikes grew and sharpened, once more, along with her attack power.

"How're you hanging in there, Rosa?" Ash asked.

~Hurtin', a little,~ Rosa admitted. She looked over her shoulder, though, nodding to her trainer with more resolution than he'd ever seen. ~But, tougher than ever. Let's keep it coming!~

Ash nodded, and turned his eyes to Gary. "I'm surprised! Not one Moonlight from you guys?"

"Don't play dumb," Gary countered. "I'm on to your game. Using that move against Rosemary would only let her heal, along with Umbreon! And she can't be poisoned… I'm locked in." He laughed, shaking his head. "I hate to admit it, Ash, but you're using Copycat to its fullest."


"I believe I see what's happening here," Ray said. "Battling isn't my specialty, but I know enough to know that Umbreon are defensive powerhouses, known for the dangerous toxins in their perspiration that help wear a would-be attacker down."

"Right," Dawn agreed. "But Rosa turned the tables by poisoning him, and with her Steel typing, she can't have it done back! Plus, there's what Ash and Gary just said about Moonlight."

"Umbreon can't make this into a battle of attrition," Ray continued, nodding. "Ash is making Umbreon fight in a way that's more Rosa's speed than his!"

"That's the Ash I know," Dawn said mirthfully. "Turning a tight situation right on its head!"

"Pol! Empoleon!" Empoleon cheered tearfully, rooting for his little sibling.

"Bun! Bun! Buneary!"


"Reversal!" Ash shouted.

Rosa lunged at Umbreon, drawing back a blazing fist that shone with more power than ever before. She shrieked, swinging at him.

"Foul Play!" Gary countered, as Umbreon ducked right under the punch. Moving his lithe body strategically, he let Rosa pass over his head. He shifted his weight, and bashed her torso with a donkey kick.

The Lucario was sent tumbling, taking even greater damage from Foul Play.

Umbreon stumbled, then, though, hissing in pain. Toxic was beginning to make him feel dizzy.

The battle was, indeed, a battle of attrition. Rather than long and arduous, though, it was swift and brutal.

"Aura Sphere!" Ash cried passionately, swinging out his hands. "Back to back!"

Rosa spun, slinging two spheres backhanded with all of her might.

"Umbreon! Psychic, now!" Gary ordered.

Once again, the Dark-type exerted his willpower over the coming masses. This time, though, they were weaker. They bent more easily to his will. With a wide-eyed shout, they were repelled.

"Substitute!" Ash cried.

Another light construct materialized before Rosa, just in time for both Aura Spheres to collide with it in a blinding flash of teal.

Ash grunted, guarding himself and Pikachu with his cap. His jacket billowed wildly behind him.

Rosa stumbled out of the light, panting heavily. She'd been untouched, but she felt weary.

"Finish it, Umbreon!" Gary shouted, pointing forth. "Use Foul Play!"

In a moment's notice, Umbreon was upon her. Rosa's ruby eyes shrunk in astonishment. She was moments from being pulverized. But, that moment never came. Umbreon writhed, poisonous bubbles seeping from his skin.

"There!" Ash's eyes snapped open. He wound up a fist, and punched high. "Rosa! Reversal!"

Fighting-type valiance leaked off of Rosa's drawn-back fist like bubbling magma. All of her pain, all of her exhaustion coalesced with the bright chivalry of Justified. She swung with all her might.

Her paw collided with Umbreon's stomach. Time seemed to stand still, as a burst of orange light shot past Umbreon, climbing towards the ceiling before dying off like a shooting star.

Umbreon was sent flying, before ultimately falling limp on his back. Unconscious.


"Awesome!" Dawn cheered, jumping out of her seat to thrust her pom-poms in the air. "They did it! That's two Pokémon beaten, with none down!"

"Empol! Empol! Empoleon!" Empoleon hollered, giving Rosa and Ash his blessings.

"Bun! Buneary! Bun!" Buneary hopped in somersaults, cheering Rosa on with glee.

"That was… So amazing!" Ray marveled, with glowing emerald eyes. "What a climactic finish!"


"Thank you, Umbreon." Gary recalled his Pokémon to their ball, looking upon it. "Rest easy, for a while." Pocketing it, the brunette turned his attention to his foes. "I have to say, I'm impressed!"

The Lucario facing him was breathing heavily, winded from her trials and sacrifices. But, she was still the complete opposite of her last outing. She fought smart, and it paid.

"Not just for that performance, but everything I've seen so far. There's a clear difference between today and our last match, Ash, Rosemary." His deep green eyes gleamed with some mixture of pride and excitement. "I hope I haven't seen the last of it."

"Not even close," Ash replied. He looked between the fresh Pikachu and the tired Rosemary; all three of them grinned. Fighting spirit and optimism surged between them all.

"This is me and my Pokémon at our full power!"