This 100th episode special is dedicated to all the readers of Cosmic Quest. Thank you.

Episode 100: From the Ashes

A high-tech hovercraft glides smoothly across the sea. Hovercrafts may be no special sight in Tenno, but this one is different. Its sleek and almost alien design seems to imply technology above even Tenno's technological capabilities. From behind, a young girl is seen standing at the tip of the bow of the ship. She wears an outlandish silver one-piece outfit with blue trim. Her hair is bright orange and is long and spikey in a messy, yet still organized way. A Pichu climbs up her side and sits on her shoulder. She giggles at it, and the two of them look out into the ocean ahead of them.

Now a boy of about the same age, maybe a little older, walks out. He too is only seen from behind. Like the other, he is dressed in an unorthodox one-piece outfit, though his appears more masculine in design, and is primarily blue with silver trim. His hair is a dark brown, almost black, and spikey to an absurd point.

Seeing the girl, the boy groans, "And there you go, trying your best to look like Dad again."

Without turning, she scratches the Pichu's ear, and responds, "Hey, it's not my fault that Pichu takes after its father. It likes standing on my shoulder." She pauses. "I thought you got over your resentment of Dad."

"Just because I don't resent him, doesn't mean I want to be him."

"Whatever." Her attention is suddenly captured by a sight ahead of the hovercraft. She points and exclaims, "Look, there it is! The Tenno Region is in sight!" Sure enough, a landmass can be seen ahead.

Pichu cheers, "Pichu!"

The girl turns to her brother, revealing her identity to be Ember. "You ready for the next step of our journey to begin, Cinder?"

The boy, in fact Cinder, can be seen now. He nods confidently. "You bet I am."

Ember and Cinder have disembarked, and now walk through a metropolis even more futuristic and advanced than what is to be expected of Tenno in Ash's time. Hover cars fly through the sky, and holographic displays light the walkways. Ember and Pichu look around with awe and fascination, while Cinder attempts to hide his wonder.

Today, on this very special day, we join not our regular heroes, but the next generation of heroes, Cinder and Ember, the son and daughter of a legendary Pokémon Master. Last time we saw them, they had traveled back in time to save history. Now it's time to see them in their own time.

Ember speaks up, "You know, Cinder, I can't stop but thinking about what Dad said before we left for Tenno."

Cinder nods. "Yeah, I've been wondering about that too."

They have a flashback to the mentioned event. There, the two of them are having a conversation with someone just out of sight. Ember asks, "Dad, you said that Tenno had special meaning to you. What did you mean?"

A hearty chuckle comes from their dad. After taking a moment to contemplate his response, he answers, "In my journeys as a Pokémon Trainer, I did many important things, but in Tenno, there was one thing I did that was more important than anything else I had ever done. I don't think I realized that at the time, but in hindsight, that's definitely what it was."

This piques Cinder's curiosity. Trying to not sound overly-interested, he asks, "And what was that?"

Ember, sounding extremely eager to learn, asks, "Yeah, you got to tell us the story."

The man chuckles again. "I think that that's something you two should find out for yourselves. It would be a valuable lesson to you."

The flashback ends. Ember echoes, "A valuable lesson? What's that supposed to mean?"

Cinder cynically replies, "He's just trying to sound all cryptic and cool. He wants to brag without sounding like he's bragging."

"Regardless, what do you think it was? Dad sure did a lot of important things in Tenno."

Cinder surmises, "Dad battled against Team Planetary at least five times. It's got to be one of those."

Ember is skeptical. "I don't know, Dad battled a lot of bad guys in his journeys. What makes battling Team Planetary any more important than Team Galactic or Team Flare?" She thinks a moment more. "Dad also saved the world as the Sol Champion when he teamed up with Heliosol to fight Nemex. I bet that's it."

Cinder points out, "Or don't forget the time he stopped Terratlas and Seluna from battling, while also restoring the memories of Myoken."

Ember ponders, "Come to think about it, he could also be talking about the time he had to stop the two Mewtwo from battling with each other and completely destroying a city in the process."

Cinder realizes, "Hey, he could be talking about the time he teamed up with us and time traveled back to the first day of his journey. He saved all of history on that day."

Ember realizes, "Wow, Dad really has done a ton of important things in Tenno. Any one of those could be the most important thing that Dad ever did."

Cinder shrugs. "We'll be in Tenno for a while. If what Dad did really was so important, I'm sure we'll hear all about before our time is done here."

One Week Later…

Cinder is in the middle of an intense battle. He's commanding his Dragonite against a Meteormight. It would seem his opponent is the Horizoport Gym Leader, Crate. Crate is beginning to show signs of old age with graying hair and some wrinkles on his face. Despite that, he's still dressed ready for another meteorite-hunting expedition.

Cinder orders, "Dragonite, use Water Pulse!" Dragonite generates an orb of water between its arms and hurls it at the opponent.

Crate orders, "Meteormight, stop it with Meteor Mash!" The powerful Pokémon leaps straight at the Water Pulse and attempts to punch through it. On contact, the Water Pulse explodes, blasting Meteormight backwards. Once the dust settles, it is revealed that Meteormight has fainted.

A robotic referee declares, "Meteormight is unable to battle! The challenger, Cinder of Pallet Town, is the winner!"

Crate walks across the field and hands something to Cinder. "And there you go; the Meteor Badge is all yours. You earned it, kid."

Cinder graciously accepts the badge with a bow, and then clenches it in his hand, taking a moment to silently acknowledge his victory.

Crate speaks up, "You know, I must admit I was surprised to learn your father was Ash Ketchum. He was quite the trainer when he was your age."

Cinder instinctively resents the statement, but Ember comes running down from the bleachers. She ask excitedly, "You knew our father?"

Crate grins proudly and nods. "Yes. In fact, much like you two, my gym was the first one he visited in Tenno. He certainly left an impression on me. First it was his gym battle with me, and then what came next."

Ember, sounding intrigued, asks, "What? What happened after the gym battle?"

Crate reminisces. "You see, I had recently procured a very special meteorite sample for an important client of mine. Ash and his friends were observing my specimen, when suddenly it mutated. It turned out that thing was actually the core of a Deoxys. And not only that, but it turned out that another meteorite I found was actually Deoxite, the Mega Stone that allows Deoxys to Mega Evolve."

Cinder doesn't believe it. "Wait, that would make this at least the fifth Deoxys that Dad encountered. You expect me to believe that?"

Crate shrugs. "I saw it with my own eyes. Don't know what else to tell you."

Ember points out, "Dad always seemed to be meeting with one Legendary Pokémon or another, is it really that crazy that he would meet another Deoxys?"

"I suppose not…"

Crate continues, "Anyways, your father teamed up with the then-Hoenn Champion, Steven Stone, and defeated that Deoxys to stop its rampage. It sure was a sight, seeing that famous Pikachu of his riding atop Steven's silver Mega Metagross."
Ember says, "Wow, teaming up with a Champion to stop a rampaging Legendary Pokémon from space, that might be the most important thing Dad's ever done."

Cinder isn't convinced. He shakes his head. "No, I don't think so." He then looks back to Crate and bows again. "Thank you for telling us the story, sir. We really must be off now."

Crate grins. "It was my pleasure. Do tell your father that I say hello."

Cinder nods. "Of course."

After saying goodbye, they leave the gym. Completely unnoticed by Cinder and Ember, a shadowy figure stands on the side of the gym and watches them leave. Once they're gone, he says into a small communicator, "This is NP4. The subjects have left gym. I am proceeding to tail them."

Two Days Later…

Cinder and Ember are now strolling down a pleasant pathway, surrounded by grass and trees. Ember complains, "It sucks that the Kanaveral Gym was closed."

Cinder reminds her, "If I remember correctly, the same thing happened to Dad. He had to wait to battle the Kanaveral Gym until last. It doesn't matter. Orbitz City isn't too far from here."

"Yeah, but still." Up ahead, Ember notices a traveling merchant's stall. She shouts with glee, "Cinder, look!" She runs up to the stand and begins to gush over some small flowery head pieces. "Wouldn't Pichu look absolutely adorable with this?"

Pichu cheers, "Pichu pi!"

Cinder asks with annoyance, "Must we?"

Ember gives him a look that could kill.

Cinder relents, "Fine, just please, let's not take too long."

The two merchants grab the accessory that Ember was looking at and thrust it into her hands. The male merchant says, "You have exquisite tastes!"

The female adds, "And your Pichu would look downright fabulous in that piece. Please, take it free of charge."

Ember is ecstatic. "Wow, really!? No kidding? Thank you!" She quickly places the piece behind one of Pichu's ears. "So cute!"

The male agrees, "Couldn't be cuter."

The female adds, "And now it's ours!" She pulls out a remote and presses a button.

Ember leaps back in surprise as a net made of energy, sourced from the accessory, ensnares Pichu.

Pichu cries out in fear, "Pichuuuu!"

The man catches Pichu from the air. Suddenly, the stall falls apart, and from the ground a hovercraft lifts with the two merchants aboard. The hovercraft is shaped like a Meowth with an oversized head.

Cinder shouts with anger, "Not them again!"

The two merchants cast aside what must have been disguises, revealing their true identities. First the male reveals himself. He's a young man with purple-red hair. Most of his hair is aligned in a massive spike that juts straight forward above his forehead. He wears a sleek white jumpsuit with an unmistakable red R on its front. He declares, "It's time for trouble!"

His partner is a young woman with blue hair and a bob cut. She wears a similar jumpsuit, but hers is more formfitting. In her mouth she holds a rose. She continues, "We're making it double!"

"To incite the world's devastation!"

"To rule all people in every nation!"

"To destroy the evils of truth and love!"

"To rise up beyond the stars above!"

"Clyde!"

"Bonnie!"

"Team Rocket will always blast off at the speed of light!"

"Forfeit to us now or prepare to fight!"

A Meowth wearing a bow on its head leaps up and declares in a feminine voice, "Meowth, you bet that's right!"

Then a Wynaut appears and declares, "Wynaut!?"

It is followed by Chingling that sings, "Chingling-ling!"

Ember shouts, "Team Rocket! You better give back Pichu!"

The man, Clyde, laughs. "This Pichu is the daughter of one of the most powerful Pokémon to ever live, and it's finally ours!"

Bonnie shouts, "Glory to Team Rocket!"

Cinder yells, "Team Rocket disbanded years ago! Will you just give it up!"

The Meowth shouts, "Team Rocket lives as long as we do, and we're not going anywhere!"

Ember shouts back, "You know you can't beat us! You never have before!"

Bonnie says, "You clearly don't know where we are now. It was at this very spot twenty years ago that the greatest trio of Team Rocket operatives to live were promoted! This is a place of victory for Team Rocket!"

Meowth adds, "There's no way a couple of twerps like you could ever beat us on such hallowed ground!"

Ember shouts, "We'll see about that!" she throws a Pokéball. "Boodini, I choose you!" A Boodini appears before her. "Boodini, use Psychic and free Pichu!"

"Boo-dini!" Boodini waves its wand and uses its Psychic powers to rip the net open, freeing Pichu.

Team Rocket's eyes go wide in horror. They collectively say, "Uh oh…"

Now Ember commands, "Pichu, use Thunderbolt!"

Pichu grins mischievously at Team Rocket. "Piiiiiii chuuuuuuuu!" Pichu leaps from the hovercraft and zaps them with a powerful blast of electricity. This causes the hovercraft to explode and sends Team Rocket flying into the air.

While they're flying, Clyde shouts in a fit of rage, "Meowla, you said that net would be twerp-proof!"

Meowla, the Meowth, crosses her arms. "From the inside! I never promised anything about the outside!"

Bonnie sighs. "Here we go again…" She looks to the Chingling floating at his side. "I'm so sorry you have to put up with this, Little Ching."

They then all shout together, "Team Rocket blasts off yet again!" They disappear from sight.

Five Days Later…

The scene shows a peaceful and serene sky. Other than a few clouds in the distance, there's nothing to be seen. At least until two people and two Pokémon come flying downwards. Ember is dressed in a purple wingsuit, while Pichu is in front of her with balloons tied to it. She's in a skydiving battle with her opponent, a woman in a white wingsuit and goggles. She commands an Orbitross. The battle seems to be at a momentary standstill.

The opponent declares, "You've put up a strong battle, but none can stand up to my father's Orbitross in aerial combat!"

Ember says back, "Pichu and I have been training for this."

The opponent orders, "Orbitross, Wing Attack!"

Ember quickly reacts, "Pichu, down!"

Pichu's tail glows silver as it uses an Iron Tail. "Chu, pi!" With its tail, Pichu cuts through one of the balloon strings and the balloon flies away. This causes Pichu to drop, and thus avoid Orbitross' attack entirely.

"Thunderbolt!"

"Piiiiii chuuuuuuuuuu!" Pichu quickly swerves around, and then zaps Orbitross as it soars past.

Orbitross quickly shakes off the attack. Its trainer orders, "We won't miss again! Aerial Ace!" Orbitross climbs upwards into the sky, and then dives down with great speed at Pichu.

Ember thinks fast and orders, "Pichu, get rid of the rest!" Pichu slices through the remaining balloons, freeing it entirely. As Pichu falls faster, it also barrel rolls to the side. Not even the high accuracy of Aerial Ace is able to hit this target. "Now Volt Tackle!"

Orbitross has dived beneath Pichu, and now Pichu, falling faster due to the lack of balloons, begins to dive down and catch up. As Pichu does so, it covers itself in electricity. "Pi, pi, pi, pi, pi, pi, pi, chu!" Pichu rams into Orbitross, knocking out its opponent.

A skydiving referee bot declares, "Orbitross is unable to battle! The challenger, Ember, is the winner!"

Having landed on the ground and met up with Cinder, Ember's opponent presents her with a badge. She says, "And here you go, the Stratosphere Badge."

Ember proudly takes it. She holds it up triumphantly, and proclaims, "Yeah, I just got the Stratosphere Badge!"

Pichu leaps in and adds, "Pi, pi-pichu!"

Cinder approaches her and says, "It figures you would do what Dad did to win that badge."

The gym leader shakes her head. "Not at all. My dad told me the story about your dad. He said that your dad came up with the idea of using balloons for training for a skydiving battle, but he didn't use them in actual combat. Your sister took inspiration from your dad, but improved on the method."

Ember nods. "Yup, I was thinking about what Dad said he did, and how I would need to do something even more creative if I wanted to give Pichu a chance."

Cinder considers this. "Come to think of it, when Dad battled Skyler, Pikachu didn't even last past Skyler's first Pokémon."

The gym leader grins. "My dad always said that your dad came up with one of the most clever approaches to a skydiving battle he had ever seen. You managed to take that approach and made it your own. Great job.

Off in the distance, the same shadowy figure from before can be seen spying on them from behind a tree.

Cinder and Ember are back on the road, but their progress has come to halt as they seem to be in the middle of an argument with someone they met on the road. It's a boy about their age. He's dressed in gray pants and a coat, with reflective portions. Ember shouts at him, "You take that back!"

The boy laughs. "Come on, you know it's the truth! Ash Ketchum is nothing but a joke!"

Ember demands, "How could you say that!?"

The boy responds, "I've watched the old archival footage of him before he was famous. He couldn't do anything right! He blundered left and right, couldn't grasp the basics of type match-ups, and constantly lost against brand-new trainers who had far less experience than he did."

Ember, overly defensive, shouts, "That's not true!"

The boy laughs again. "Remind me, how many leagues did he lose?"

Ember begins to object, but stops.

The boy nods triumphantly. "Exactly. Ash Ketchum is no Pokémon Master."

Having been silent up until now, Cinder suddenly asserts, "Shut up."

The boy and Ember both look to him with surprise. Ember asks, "Cinder?"

Cinder states, "You're looking only at the negative, completely ignoring everything that lies beneath the surface! Our dad may not have been perfect when he was younger, but that's the point! No one is perfect! But everything that makes him one today's greatest trainers was still there back then, lying beneath the surface."

Ember can't believe she's hearing her brother stand up for their dad. On the verge of tears, she says, "Cinder…"

The boy laughs. "And what makes you say that?"

"Because what you're saying is exactly what I used to say! I used to resent my father, and because of it, I looked for any excuse I could to defame him, to make him seem less perfect. It wasn't until I-" He pauses, as he tries to figure out how to phrase the next line. "It wasn't until I saw him in action up close and personal that I realized how wrong I was."

The boy shakes his head in disapproval. "So now you just buy in to the same lie that everyone else is. How does that feel?" He laughs.

In uncharacteristic anger, Cinder pulls out a Pokéball. "If you're such an expert, then how about you prove it?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

Who's That Pokémon!?

This Pokémon rolls to move. If the ground is uneven, a sudden jolt from hitting a bump can cause it to explode. It's the 100th Pokémon in the Pokédex.

Cinder and the boy have taken positions for battle. The boy declares, "The name's Jerry. I wanted you to know the name of the person who beat you."

Cinder ignores the jab and pulls out his Pokéball. "Go, Vespidron!" A mighty Vespidron appears, bearing its stinger-lance ready for battle.

Jerry throws his own Pokéball. "Let's go, Krakannon!"

Cinder orders, "Vespidron, use Poison Jab!" Vespidron's lance glows purple as the bee Pokémon rushes at the opponent.

Jerry counters, "Aqua Cannon!" Krakannon attacks with a powerful cannonball of water from its mouth.

Cinder quickly advises, "Agility!" With a burst of speed, Vespidron dodges to the side. This allows it to deliver its jab attack.

Jerry doesn't let this discourage him. In fact, he grins. "Krakannon, grab it!" Krakannon manages to wrap one of is long tentacles around the lance, as well as Vespidron's arm.

Cinder's eyes widen slightly, betraying his otherwise calm demeanor. "Get out of there, Vespidron." Vespidron attempts to escape, but Krakannon's grip is too strong.

"Throw it!" Krakannon spins Vespidron around in a circle, and then hurls Vespidron into the air. "And Hydro Pump!" With pinpoint accuracy, Krakannon hits Vespidron with a powerful blast of water, sending it flying even higher into the sky.

Cinder shouts, "Vespidron, get control of yourself!" Flapping its wings rapidly, Vespidron manages to regain control over its flight. "Now use Fell Stinger!" Vespidron dives straight down at Krakannon, pointing its lance straight forward, as if this were a joust.

"Krakannon, Aqua Cannon, rapid fire!" Krakannon begins to attack with cannonball after cannonball. Vespidron adeptly weaves through them. Realizing this is going nowhere, Jerry switches tactics, "Stop, and charge for a big one!" Krakannon begins to accumulate water in its mouth.

Cinder encourages, "Keep on going!"

Just as Vespidron is mere feet away from Krakannon, Jerry shouts, "Aqua Cannon!"

Cinder also shouts, "Fell Stinger!"

Krakannon fires a massive water cannonball from its mouth, and Vespidron thrusts in lance into the projectile with all its strength. The Aqua Bomb explodes, blasting both Pokémon back.

Ember strains for a better view of what happened. Once the mist and smoke from the explosion clears, she sees that both Pokémon have fainted.

Cinder raises an eyebrow, conveying curiosity. Jerry seems annoyed.

Jerry recalls his Pokémon and gives a nasty glare to Cinder. "Next time we meet, you won't be getting off so easy. Your dad's a joke, and so are you. You just got lucky this time." He turns to leave.

Cinder recalls his fallen Pokémon as well. He seems to be silently brooding over the results of the battle.

Ember walks up to him and says, "Hey, come on Cinder. Just ignore him. We both know he's wrong. Besides, what does it matter if one person doesn't like Dad?"

Cinder shakes his head. "It's not about what he thinks. It's about what that means. I used to say all of the same things about Dad. But all that was just an excuse. Seeing Dad in action in the past made me realize how wrong I was. But not everyone has that luxury. I was hoping that maybe, if I battled like Dad, I could be the one to show him he was wrong instead."

Emer smiles. "Cinder, emulating Dad is my thing." She laughs.

Cinder smiles faintly. "It wasn't until the battle was over that I even realized that's what I was trying to do. It was all subconscious." He chuckles. "Maybe I'm just as bad as you, I just don't admit it."

Ember beckons to him. "Come on, let's get back on the road."

Cinder nods in agreement.

It's Voltorb!

The Next Day…

"Cinder, look!" Ember's holding a virtual poster up to Cinder's face.

Since it's too close to read, Cinder asks, "What, what is it?"

Ember exclaims, "It's an advertisement for a special show tomorrow in Starside City!" She reads, "A Contest Appeal Demonstration will be performed by none other than the famous Top Coordinator, Brenda."

This gets Cinder's attention. "Brenda, as in Dad's friend from Tenno?"

Ember nods. "Exactly."

"Interesting."

"So, we can go, right?"

"Why not?"

"Maybe we can even ask her about what Dad did in Tenno that was so important."

Cinder and Ember are in the audience of a massive Contest Hall. Down on the main stage is the instantly recognizable Brenda. Clearly, she's grown older, now sporting longer hair that hangs loosely instead of being tied, but it's still her. She wears a dazzling gown with silver and gold sequins. In front of her on the stage is a Kappaquarius, undoubtedly her Kappaqueous from older times. It stands on a platform in the middle of a pool.

Brenda energetically calls, "Kappaquarius, Hydroshock!" The Pokémon slams a hand down on the water in front of it, sending psychic pulses of energy through it. Moments later, water explodes upwards in a brilliant spray. "Now Hydromancy!" Kappaquarius stands back up and catches every last drop of the suspended water with its psychic powers.

The audience is captivated by this brilliant display of shimmering drops of water suspended in the air.

"Ice Punch, straight up!" Kappaquarius springs upwards, its fist glowing white. Once sufficiently high in the air, Kappaquarius uppercuts one of the largest groupings of floating water. The water instantly freezes, and a chain reaction ensues. The ice spreads from water drop to water drop. By the time Kappaquarius has landed back on the ground, all of the floating water has frozen completely. Now, instead of water, iridescent ice crystals float in the air.

Brenda pauses just long enough to allow everyone to take in the sight, and then commands, "Let it drop." Kappaquarius releases its psychic hold on the ice, and all at once it cascades down to the ground. All around Kappaquarius, ice crystals fall, and shatter on the floor.
From this shattering, diamond dust now floats in the air around Brenda and her Pokémon.

Surrounded by the dazzling sight of this dust, the duo takes their bows. The audience breaks out in applause.

A security guard is blocking Cinder and Ember from getting through a door. Ember begs, "Come on, please. Just tell her that it's Ember and Cinder. She's a family friend. She'll know us."

The guard shakes his head. "I've heard that one before."

Ember sighs.

Then a voice calls from the other side of the door. "Did I hear Ember and Cinder? Let them in, let them in."

The guard groans, and reluctantly steps aside. As Cinder and Ember step in, Ember sticks her tongue out at the guard.

Inside is a private dressing room. Brenda sits at a chair in front of a mirror. She's currently brushing a Pokémon's pelt. The Pokémon if wolf-like and stands on its hind legs. Its torso is disproportionately large. The Pokémon seems to be covered in various plants. Specifically, some sort of fungus or moss-like growth covers much of the Pokémon's body.

Brenda looks up to them. "Wow, Cinder and Ember. You've both grown so much!"

Cinder is slightly confused. "I'm sorry, but you know us, Miss Brenda?"

Brenda laughs. "Please, just Brenda. The 'miss' makes me feel old." She looks them over and grins. "Yes, I met you two when you were still babies. I was visiting the Kanto Region on an exhibition tour, and it was the last time I saw your dad. How is he, by the way?"

Ember responds, "He's the same as always. I'm sure you know him well enough to know that."

Brenda nods. "Yes, indeed I do." She takes a moment to reminisce. "Your dad was a very important person in my life. He's a big reason why I'm where I am today."

Ember takes a moment to look at the Pokémon Brenda is grooming. She comments, "I've never seen a Pokémon like this before" She taps a spot right beneath her ear, activating some sort of mechanism. A virtual screen appears in front of her face, displaying various images of the Pokémon. A smooth female voice says, "Lichenthrope, the Werewolf Pokémon, and a Grass and Dark Combo-Type. A layer of lichen covers much of its body. When the Moon is full, this lichen grows larger and takes control over the body of the Pokémon. Evolves from Lupine with use of a Moon Stone."

Brenda says, "I first met Lichenthrope when I was traveling with your father." She thinks back to old times. "I only traveled with him for such a short time, and it's been twenty years since we parted ways, but I constantly find myself looking back to those times. So many things that had a lasting impact on my life, like meeting Lichenthrope, happened while I was traveling with him."

Cinder speaks up, "Actually, we were hoping to ask you something about that."

"Really, what?"

"Well, before we left to travel in Tenno, Dad told us that one of the most important things he ever did, he did in Tenno, but he wouldn't tell us what it was. Since you traveled with him, do you know what he was talking about?"

Brenda smiles. "I don't know what it is he thinks, but I can tell you what the most important thing he did for me was."

Cinder is a little let down by this answer. Ember, however, seems very interested. "Please, do tell us."

"Tell me, do you know anything about the significance of the Starside Contest Hall to me, which we stand in right now?"

Cinder and Ember shake their heads. Ember says, "No, not at all."

"You see, when I first started my journey, everything seemed to come naturally to me. I was perfect at everything I tried, no training or practice required. It was here, in this very contest hall, where I first encountered failure. I didn't just fail, I crashed and burned."

Ember objects, "But you're a Top Coordinator, it couldn't have been that bad."

Brenda smiles at her ignorance. "It was worse than you could imagine. At the time, the Starside Contest was a Double Performance. I messed up so badly that I didn't even make it past the appeal stage. As far as I was concerned at the time, I was ruined. If I could screw up so badly, it must have meant that I wasn't meant to be a coordinator. From that point, the rest of my journey with Ash wall about getting over that one loss."

Cinder asks, "Did it really affect you that much?"

"Probably worse. Regardless, the point is, I was only able to make it through and recover from that because I had such good friends. Your father was perhaps the one who helped me the most. He not only emotionally supported me in one of my greatest times of need, but he also helped me figure out how to train and practice, which was completely new to me." She smiles to herself. "Your dad was one of the best friends I've ever had. If it wasn't for him, I probably would have dropped my dream of becoming a Pokémon Coordinator altogether, and I wouldn't be where I am in life now."

Ember asks, "Dad really made that much of an impact on you?"

Brenda nods. "That and so much more. In fact, that's what made your dad special. He had a way of impacting the lives of everyone he met. You'd be hard-pressed to find someone he met in his journeys who didn't feel he left a mark on them."

Cinder looks somewhat annoyed to hear yet another person praising his father in such a way.

Brenda notices this. "I'm sure you must hear a lot about how great your dad is, you must be pretty tired of it by now, but I think you and I can both agree that I'm in a better position than most to give such praise. These are not hollow platitudes."

Cinder, slightly embarrassed by being called out, but attempting to hide it, nods. "Yes, of course."

"Regardless, my point is that if you want to know what your dad did that was so important, then talk to the people. You had the right idea asking me, you just asked the wrong person. Surely you'll meet someone who knows exactly what you're talking about."

Ember nods. "Of course, thank you so much, ma'am."

Brenda glares at her.

Ember giggles. "Sorry, I meant Brenda."

In a montage of events, Cinder and Ember continue their journey across Tenno. First, Cinder battles against an older Neutrina at the Starcore Gym. His Dragonite defeats her Haking with a Dragon Pulse attack.

Then, both Cinder and Ember take part in a city's local tournament. According to a banner, it's the 40th annual Aurora City Pokémon Tournament. The final round comes down to Cinder and Ember, who battle with their Dragonite and Alakazam. The battle ends in a tie, and both are presented with the trophy to share. In the audience, the mysterious figure continues to spy on them.

Now it's Ember battling against an unknown opponent using a Mahemoth. Given her winter clothing and Ice-Type Pokémon, she would seem to be the current Versal City gym leader, replacing Halley, who was older even when Ash faced him. Ember pulls off a victory with her Boodini's Pyromancy, which melts away an icy barrier erected by Mahemoth.

Having traveled back to Tenno Minor, Cinder and Ember take part in what has to be Professor Pine's Astro Camp. Cinder is paired up with a Starmie as his space Pokémon partner, and Ember has a Solrock. They float in simulated zero gravity, pilot a space shuttle simulator, and battle with their partner Pokémon. At the end of it all, the ask the now elderly Professor Pine something, likely about their father. The nearly bald professor shakes his head reluctantly, with no answer to their question.

Later…

Ember and Cinder stand side-by-side. Ember shouts, "Alakazam, use Psychic to throw Dragonite!"

Cinder adds, "And Dragonite, you use Dragon Rush!"

Dragonite covers itself in purple-blue energy which takes the form of a serpentine dragon. Alakazam raises its spoons and lifts Dragonite into the air. Dragonite is sent flying at an Eatyai."

A man shouts, "Yuifoe, Barrier!"

A Yuifoe quickly flies between the Eatyai and Dragonite and erects a barrier to block the incoming Pokémon.

Upon closer look, their opponent is Allen. He now wears even larger thick-rimmed glasses than before, almost looking like he's wearing two magnifying glasses in front of his eyes. His hair is white, thin, wiry, and unkempt. As is normal for him, it would appear he forgot to shave. He declares, "That was a great combination attack, but it's going to take more than that to stop us! We've been honing our teamwork for 20 years now! It was against your father that I first offered a double battle at my gym, and ever since then, I have done so exclusively! You're going to have to work a lot harder than that if you want to beat us!"

Cinder and Ember look to each other, and then laugh.

Allen is slightly confused. "I fail to see what's so funny."

Cinder answers, "Before the battle started, we were both wondering how long it would take you to give us that exact speech."

Now Allen is even more confused. "What's that supposed to mean? How could you guess such a thing?"

Ember now answers, "You see, we tend to get 'inspirational' stories about our dad a lot. And since you wanted us to team up for your gym, it seemed pretty obvious that you would try to inspire us to work together by telling us about how Dad battled you."

Allen is caught off guard. "Well… that doesn't mean I'm wrong. Your team work still leaves something to be desired."

Cinder chuckles confidently. "And since we knew you would say that, we also prepared a little something." He suddenly orders, "Dragonite, use Hurricane!" Dragonite begins to flap its wings and whips up a powerful whirlwind in the center of the field.

Ember adds, "Alakazam, contain it with Aeromancy!" Alakazam raises its spoons and uses its psychic abilities to limit the outward spread of the Hurricane. Unable to spread outwards, the twirling column of wind grows upwards and spins faster.

Allen says to himself, "What in the world are they planning?"

Cinder commands, "Switch to Draconic Fire!" Dragonite stops creating wind and starts breathing purple fire. The fire enters the vortex and integrates into it. Moments later, the Hurricane has transformed into a raging tornado of purple flames.

Allen's eyes widen. He preemptively orders, "Yuifoe, use Light Screen!" Yuifoe raises a barrier around it and Eatyai.

Ember grins, not at all concerned by the shield. "Let's get a localized Gravity, and then release!" Alakazam generates a psychic field around it and Dragonite, locking them down the ground. Moments later, it stops its Aeromancy attack, letting the whirlwind go free.

Within moments, the fire tornado goes completely out of control. It expands several times its already massive size. The Light Screen may protect Allen's Pokémon from the random lashes of fire from the vortex, but what it can't do is stop them from being sucked right into the vortex. They're tossed around all around the place. Quickly the Light Screen breaks, and now the fire too can cause its damage. Meanwhile, Alakazam and Dragonite remain anchored to the ground.

Less than a minute after it was released, the vortex of fire fades away, leaving Allen's Pokémon knocked out on the ground. The robotic referee declares, "Both Eatyai and Yuifoe are unable to battle. The challengers Cinder and Ember win!"

Cinder and Ember high-five.

Allen recalls his Pokémon. "It would seem I did speak too soon. The team work and coordination required to pull off that combo move was stupendous. I suppose I should have expected as much from-"

Cinder cuts him off, "With all due respect, please don't bring our father into this again."

Allen laughs. "I wasn't going to. I should have expected as much from a sibling duo of trainers."

Ember laughs at Cinder's expense.

Two Days Later…

Ember shouts, "Stay away from Pichu! She's not yours to take!"

In a cave, standing opposite of Cinder and Ember, is Bonnie, Clyde, and Meowla. Bonnie has a Ferrothorn and Clyde has a Vipyre out for battle. Clyde shouts back, "That's where you're wrong, little girl. Everything is for the taking of Team Rocket!"

Bonnie adds, "And when we get that Pichu to The Boss, he'll have no choice but to come out of retirement and reinstate Team Rocket!"

Meowla adds, "And then we'll be the heroes of Team Rocket!"

Bonnie orders, "Ferrothorn, go tug that Pokémon over here!" Instead of going for Pichu, Ferrothorn turns around and leaps at Bonnie. It latches on to her with its thorny appendages. Bonnie cries in pain and shouts, "I said tug, not hug!" She rips the Pokémon off of her and throws it at Pichu.

Ember orders, "Pichu, use Iron Tail!"

"Chu, pi-pi!" Pichu uses its tail to knock the incoming Pokémon away.

Clyde commands, "Vipyre, get underneath them with Dig!"

Cinder throws a Pokéball and orders, "Spiritomb, use Shadow Ball on the ground!" A Spiritomb emerges from the Pokéball and attacks the ground beneath them with Shadow Ball. Vipyre is blasted up and out of the ground.

Cinder begins to shout something else at Team Rocket, but suddenly the ground beneath them begins to shake. Moments later, it collapses, sending Cinder, Ember, and their Pokémon falling down a hole.

Team Rocket is left behind, staring dumbfoundedly at the hole. Meowla asks, "What do we do now?"

Bonnie asks uncertainly, "Should we… help them?"

Clyde suggests, "Or, we could just leave here and pretend like nothing ever happened."

From a Pokéball on his belt, a Wynaut appears and questions, "Wynaut?"

Clyde, sounding annoyed, returns it to its Pokéball and grumbles, "Nobody asked you."

Meowla says, "Still, let's do that."

The three nod at each other and sprint out of sight. As they leave, they run past an ancient looking statue of what could be a Pokémon.

Cinder and Ember awaken from their fall to find themselves on the edge of some sort of ornate chamber with high a vaulted ceiling. The walls and floor are covered in plaster and tile, making it look more like the interior of a temple than a cave.

Ember complains, "My head hurts…"

Cinder grunts and recalls his Spiritomb. After a few moments of gathering himself, he looks around. "Where are we?"

A voice from behind them says, "Ah, so you awaken, children."

Cinder and Ember turn around to see an old man behind them. He wears the robes of a monk, has a shaven head, and wears a talisman with a Keystone around his neck. At his side is a Raichu, who wears an ornate piece of jewelry with a Mega Stone attached.

Ember quickly apologizes, "Sorry for… dropping in on you… Could you tell us where we are?"

The man chuckles. "You're in a holy place to the practitioners of Mega Evolution."

Cinder suddenly realizes, "Wait a second! We were in the Crater Gate! Remember what Dad said was beneath Crater Gate?"

Ember exclaims, "We're in the Den of Mega Evolution!"

The man asks, "So then, was my Raichu correct? Are you the children of the one known as Ash?"

Cinder nods. "Yeah, we are."

Ember asks, "So, does that mean you're the monk that our dad met here twenty years ago?"

The monk smiles. "Indeed, I am. And it is fate that has brought you to me."

Cinder asks, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your father saved this sanctuary from the darkness. If it weren't for him and the other that was with him, this place would no longer exist, and there would be no one to teach the secrets of Mega Evolution. On that day, it was your father's ability to overcome his differences with the one he thought to be an enemy that saved the day. Any less enlightened person would have had no chance, but he did it. He saved us. For that, I owed your father a great debt of gratitude. I would have offered him his Key Stone, so that he too may access the power of Mega Evolution, but unfortunately, I had none to offer him at the time. But now that you are here, I can repay my debt." From a pouch, he produces two brilliantly shining Key Stones. "Children, take these items and wield the power of Mega Evolution."

Ember takes the stone and stares at it with wonder. "No way. Mega Evolution…"

Cinder bows in respect as he accepts his. "I cannot thank you enough."

Ember suddenly realizes, "Hey, wait a second… When Dad told us about saving the Den of Mega Evolution, he said that you were an old man. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

The man simply laughs and responds cryptically, "There are many mysteries in this world not meant to be solved."

In another quick sequence, Cinder is in a rematch with Jerry. His Dragonite battles against Jerry's Slashogun. Dragonite flies at Slashogun to attack with Dragon Rush, while Slashogun runs at Dragonite to attack with Giga Impact. After trading the two powerful attacks, both Pokémon faint. Much to the disbelief of the trainers, it's another tie.

Then it's Ember battling in her next gym battle. Her opponent is Astrid, aged twenty years, to now be a middle-aged woman. She battles with her trusty Cycloptic against Ember and her Boodini. Boodini casts a spell and attacks with Pyromancy, sending fire from its wand towards Cycloptic. Cycloptic uses Photon Beam, and the beam of light blasts through the fire, and hits Boodini dead on. Ember recalls her Pokémon and sends out Alakazam to replace it. Alakazam now wears an ornate bracelet with a Mega Stone attached. She wastes no time, and immediately reveals the bracelet of her own with the Key Stone. She Mega Evolves her Pokémon into Mega Alakazam. Cycloptic attempts to attack with a Lock-On/Hyper Beam combo, but Mega Alakazam effortlessly deflects the attack with its enhanced psychic powers. It then attacks back with a mega-powered Focus Blast. The orb of energy hits Cycloptic and knocks it against a wall. Cycloptic has fainted, and Ember is declared the winner.

Later…

Cinder and Ember arrive in a relatively small city. Ember lavishes, "Finally, we can take a break. I really need it."

Pichu agrees, "Chu pi."

Cinder says, "Come on, it hasn't been that long since the last city."

As they walk off, someone watches them nearby. It's the same shadowy figure that's been following them since the beginning. The man reports, "Targets have entered Centum City. Be prepared to take action."

Cinder and Ember are lounging at the local Pokémon Center. In the background, a Nurse Joy says over an intercom, "Would Dr. Brock please report to the operating room?"

Not noticing the announcement, Ember says excitedly, "You know, we've got six Tenno gym badges. Dad always said that it was after six badges that things started getting really interesting."

Cinder asks, "Are you suggesting that it might be the same for us?"

Ember shrugs. "You never know." Ember looks up over Cinder's head, and notices behind him, a young woman taking nervous glances towards them. Ember smiles and whispers, "Don't look now, but I think that woman behinds you knows who we are."

Cinder sighs in exasperation. "And by that, you actually mean knows who our dad is."

Ember nods. "Most likely."

"For once, just once, I'd like to be recognized because of the name I've made for myself."

The woman begins to approach them. She greets, "Hi, is what I heard true? Are you the children of Ash Ketchum?"

Cinder rolls his eyes. "Yup, that's us."

Ember asks, "Who told you?"

The woman responds, "I actually don't know who he was. I'd never seen him around here before, but he seemed pretty interested in gossip. He told me that that's who you are."

Cinder asks, "If you don't mind me asking, what does it matter to you?"

The woman is somewhat taken aback by his bluntness, but she answers, "Well, actually, my name is Hecta, and I knew your dad when I was a young girl. He came through Centum City when he was on his original journey in the Tenno Region."

Hearing that she knew their dad so long ago changes Cinder's attitude. He's now more interested. "Oh, really? I can't say I remember dad ever mentioning Centum City in any of his stories."

This surprises the woman. "Really? Not to sound self-centered or anything, but some pretty big stuff went down on that day."

Ember is very interested. "Is that so? Could you tell us?"

Hecta smiles, gaining some confidence. "Yeah, sure. You see, back then, Centum City was well-known for its prime attraction, the Meteoric Gem."

Cinder questions, "Meteoric Gem?"

"Yes, it's thought to be an extremely special Meteoric Shard that was crystallized when it fell to Earth. It's one-of-a-kind."

Ember says with excitement, "Meteoric Shards came up a lot in Dad's stories!" She pauses for a moment. "Hey, do you think we could see the Meteoric Gem?"

Hecta is taken aback for a moment. "Well… um… you see, it used to be publicly displayed, but ever since your dad was here, at his own advice, we've kept it locked away in a hidden place." She stops and looks over Ember and Cinder. "But… your dad helped us so much. I don't think my dad would mind unlocking it show you. You see, he's the one in charge of safeguarding it. Please, follow me. I'll show you."

An elderly gentleman leads Cinder, Ember, and Hecta through an ornate storeroom of sorts. He exclaims, "Imagine that, the son and daughter of Ash Ketchum arriving in our little city without even knowing of its significance. Life truly does work in unusual ways." He approaches a wall covered in various machinery, and begins to enter codes, turn keys, scan palms, and more. "Just a moment, an I'll have the Meteoric Gem unlocked for the first time in twenty years."

Ember asks, "If it was the pride of your city, why is it locked away?"

Hecta remembers, "Oh yeah, I never finished the story about your dad. You see, while he was here, some people tried to steal it. You'll never believe this, but it was-"

At the same time, Cinder and Ember both guess, "Team Planetary."

"Exactly! It was Team Planetary. First, they demanded we give it to them, but when we refused, they attempted to steal it. If your dad wasn't there, I don't think we would have ever seen it again. Afterwards, he suggested that we should keep something as irreplaceable as this locked away, at least until the Team Planetary threat went away. And while team Planetary was later reformed, we just never felt safe removing it from protection since."

The old man at last opens a safe in the wall, and removes a brilliant silver gemstone. "And here it is, the Meteoric Gem. I nearly forgot how beautiful it was myself."

Ember exclaims, "It's so pretty!"

A voice suddenly shouts, "And now it's ours!" From the direction of the voice, a grappling hook-like device launches at the gem and rips it out of the man's grasp. Everyone turns to see the shadowy figure. He laughs, and sprints for the stairs.

The old man shouts, "Stop, thief!"

Hecta begins to cry. "No, not again."

Cinder looks to her and assures, "Don't worry. I will get that gem back."

Hecta's eyes widen. She has flashback. A young girl, no older than five, sobs. Ash approaches her and says with the same confidence as cinder, "Don't worry. I will get that gem back." Back in the present, she and her father are left behind, as Cinder and Ember pursue the thief upstairs.

They chase him outside but are forced to come to a stop. They're surrounded on all sides by uniform wearing goons. The one who's been spying on them stands in front of them all. For the first time, his outfit can be seen, and it's the same as what all the others are wearing. It's a white jumpsuit with some gray and black trim. On its front is the Team Planetary emblem.

Cinder shouts, "Team Planetary!?"

Ember demands, "What's going on here!? Team Planetary was reformed years ago! What are you doing!?"

The man laughs. "We are not Team Planetary. Team Planetary was weak. It didn't have the strength to finish what it started. We are Neo-Planetary, and I am a Neo-Planetary Commander, Nova! And we will conclude the great and glorious mission that Team Planetary started, beginning with this Meteoric Gem!" He laughs.

At this point, Hecta and her father have caught up.

Nova laughs more. "I really must be thanking you. Nobody but the children of Ash Ketchum would have been able to get this thing taken out of that vault. It was worth tailing you for so long."

Ember demands, "You've been spying on us!?"

Nova grins mischievously. "More than that. I've been orchestrating your entire journey, so you would end up here. For example, remember the man who suggested you rest in Centum City yesterday? That was me."

Cinder is angered. "You used us to steal a rock!?"

"Not just any rock, the one and only Meteoric Gem! A perfect capacitor for meteoric energy. Had Team Planetary had this all those years ago, then maybe they would have succeeded."

Hecta pleads, "Please, you have to give it back. That gem is an irreplaceable piece of history and is the identity of our city. My grandfather is the one who found it! If you use it the way you plan, you will most certainly destroy it!"

"We take this for the good of everyone! If you can't see that, you're nothing but ignorant and selfish!"

Hecta is taken aback.

Cinder shouts, "Don't listen to him, Hecta! Team Planetary is just a giant group of hypocrites!"

"Think what you like, we're the ones with the gemstone! Return to base!" At his order, the entire group begin to head towards one of the city's exits.

Seeing them get away, Hecta's eyes widen in terror. "Not again…"

She has another flashback. She, as a child, watches as a group of Team Planetary grunts, led by Cosmo, escape with the Meteoric Gem. She begins to cry. But just as all hope seems lost, Ash shouts, "Stop right there, Team Planetary! There's no way you're getting away with that gem!" Young Hecta watches Ash's bravery with awe.

Now, in the present, Hecta is inspired into action. She shouts, "Stop! I won't let you get away with this!"

She runs at them, but is suddenly forced to stop when one of the Neo-Planetary grunts has a Lunatone attack her feet with a Stone Edge. The grunt shouts, "One more step, and that attack is aimed at you!"

Hecta gathers strength, and then keeps on running.

The grunt shouts, "Wrong choice!" His Lunatone uses another Stone Edge.

"Dragon Pulse!" A Dragon Pulse from Cinder's Dragonite destroys the incoming stones. Cinder and Ember run up behind Hecta. Hecta asks, "Are you going to help?"

Ember nods. "Of course we're going to help. There's no way we could let Team Planetary get away with something like this. We'll fight them to the end."

Hecta remembers Ash shouting, "I'll fight you to the end!"

Cinder takes a survey of their opponents, all of whom are sending out Pokémon to stop them. He observes, "We're outmatched approximately a hundred to one. They must have sent in their entire forces to make sure we don't stop them."

Ember laughs. "This should be fun." She sends out Alakazam, and orders, "Alakazam, use Psychic!" Alakazam creates a psychic shockwave that knocks several opponents off their feet.

Cinder agrees, "My thoughts exactly. Dragonite, use Hurricane!" Dragonite attacks with a massive windstorm.

These attacks may have done massive damage on the small scale, but have done little to the opposing force as a whole. Specifically, Nova, still with the game, is free to move. He moves to make his escape while his underlings keep Cinder and Ember occupied.

Hecta shouts, "He's getting away!"

Between attacks, Cinder grunts. "There's nothing we can do!"

Ember adds, "There's too many of them for us to battle and then stop him! We can't do this alone!"

As if on cue, a voice orders, "Lichenthrope, use Dark Pulse!" A dark Pulse impacts the floor just in front of the fleeing Neo-Planetary member.

Nova demands, "What's this!?"

Ahead of him is Brenda and her Lichenthrope.

Cinder and Ember shout in unison, "Brenda!?"

Brenda grins at them. "Hi kids! I hope you don't mind, but I brought some help."

Nova attempts to run in a different direction, only to be stopped when Crate appears and orders, "Meteormight, Rock Blast!"

"Crate!?"

Nova runs in yet another direction. This time it's, "Raichu, use Thunder!" The Mega Evolution monk and his Mega Raichu block the man's path.

In another direction, the man encounters a Muttnik that growls at him. Standing behind it is the elderly Professor Pine.

A different direction leads him to a Ferrothorn and a Vipyre. Cinder and Ember can't believe their eyes. "Team Rocket!?"

Meowla explains, "Don't get used to it! Team Rocket must continue to assert its dominance against Team Planetary!"

Nova runs in yet another direction, this time to be stopped by a Krakannon, Jerry's Krakannon. Cinder asks in surprise, "You too, Jerry!?"

Jerry sighs. "I've got to come clean. It was your dad who inspired me to become a Pokémon trainer. At some point along the line, I figured it would make me look better if I pointed out his ineptitudes." He gives a lopsided grin to Cinder. Cinder grins back, the two coming to an unspoken and mutual respect.

In a last-ditch effort to escape, Nova begins to climb a fire escape. In the biggest surprise yet, a bold and deep voice proclaims, "Never fear, the Guardian is here!" Standing atop the fire escape is the ninja superhero and his Ninjato sidekick. "Ninjato, Night Slash!" Ninjato attacks its target, knocking him off a ladder.

Ember can't believe it. "No way! The Guardian!? Here!?"

The Guardian explains, "Your dad helped me save the day on numerous occasions. I owe him a great debt of gratitude!"

Brenda grins and says, "And that's not even it!"

From behind her, even more people come into sight. There are gym leaders, such as Neutrina, Allen, and Astrid. There are also old friends of Ash's like Braydon. There are even people that Ash only met once, like Marie and her Parabox, Arianna and the Tardiguard Squad, the diving couple Rob and Samantha, Jay, the Pokémon ornithologist, Charles, self-proclaimed master of the skies, and his Calumba, Olivia, the Pokémon magician, with her Alakazam, the dancer, Cadence, and the pirate-like Captain Ahab. Even the (possibly former) Tenno Champion, Galileo has shown up. Perhaps most surprising of all, is the Pokémon Trainer Brandon. Everyone has clearly aged, but is also able to be recognized via various signature characteristics or qualities. Everyone is prepared to do battle against Neo-Planetary.

Cinder and Ember can't believe this. They're in awe at how many people have shown up to help. Ember is speechless. Cinder asks, "What is this!?"

Brenda explains, "I happened to be in town for another exhibition contest. While you were inside, I saw Neo-Planetary gathering to surround the building. So I put out a call for anyone close enough who knew Ash to come help. You see, these are all people who met and were inspired by your father in some way or another. They were all more than happy to drop what they were doing to come here and help you in the name of your father. This is the true power of your father, this is what made him special!"

Cinder can't believe it. "They all came here… because of Dad…?"

Hecta is also very surprised. She murmurs, "History is repeating itself…"

Ember hears this and asks, "What do you mean?"

Hecta explains, "This exact same thing happened before. Team Planetary outnumbered him and his friends by way too much, so he put out a call for all the friends he had met in his journey to come and help." She remembers a very similar, but younger, assembly of people, coming to the aid of Ash twenty years ago. "It was a sight like I couldn't believe, and now it's happening again…"

Ember realizes, "Cinder, this is it! This is what Dad did that was so important!"

Cinder nods. "Brenda was right. Dad's power was to inspire people, and this is proof of that. Dad has helped each and every one of these people in some way, and even if he only met them once, all of these people came to his aide twenty years ago. And now here they come again, his impact on them was so great that even twenty years later, they're still willing to do anything to help him. Forget what happened twenty years ago. This, right here, right now, is Dad's greatest accomplishment."
Nova has recovered from his fall and is outraged to see his group has now lost the advantage in numbers. In anger, he shouts, "Teleport us out of here, now!"

Many of the grunts have sent out Elgyem and Beheeyem. They order their Pokémon to use Teleport all at once.

Brandon is quick to react, sending out his Boodini. He shouts, "Oh no you don't! Boodini, use Shadow Bind!" Shadowy chains fly out of the shadows of each Elgyem and Beheeyem, locking them in place and stopping them from using Teleport. The chains fade away, but the effect remains.

Nova is infuriated. He shouts in rage, "Break through their blockade! We will escape!" The grunts all charge into battle.

Both sides clash as battles break out in every direction. Brenda and her Lichenthrope do battle with multiple grunts at once. Lichenthrope runs from Pokémon to Pokémon, clawing at each one, knocking them to the ground.

Galileo is using his signature Dracosmic to plow through grunts with Dragon Force.

Jerry does battle one-on-one with a grunt using a Gigastar.

Arianna has the Tardiguard Squad all use Mirror Coat at once to reflect multiple incoming attacks.

Olivia has her Alakazam teleport away opposing Pokémon. Now you see them, now you don't.

The Guardian and Ninjato rush from opponent to opponent, rendering them each unable to battle in one swift strike.

Cinder and Ember also do battle. Ember has Mega Evolved her Alakazam, and Cinder has switched from Dragonite to his Spiritomb. He then Mega Evolves it. In the process, the Odd Key Stone beneath Spiritomb cracks all the way. Spiritomb takes on a larger and more amorphous form. Tiny spirits begin to exit and re-enter Mega Spiritomb's body. Also, additional faces appear on each of the arms of the spiral that forms Spiritomb's body. Cinder orders, "Mega Spiritomb, use Rain of Terror!" Shadowy energy rains down onto multiple opponents.

Within minutes, nearly all of Neo-Planetary has been defeated. Nova stands, holding the Meteoric Gem, and surrounded by everyone. In a last-ditch act of desperation, he holds the gem above his head and threatens, "Everyone stop where you are, or I throw this gem to the ground!"

Ember shouts, "You wouldn't!"

"I would, and I will! So, unless you want this thing broken into a hundred pieces, you'll let me through!"

Hecta shouts, "No!"

Everyone backs up slightly, not sure what to do.

Nova grins with satisfaction. "That's more like it. Now, you are going to let me leave this city. The moment I see any one of you moving to stop me, I will not hesitate to break this."

Ember whispers to Cinder, "What do we do?"

Cinder shakes his head. "I don't know."

Nova begins to walk off, people slowly move out of his way as he does. Then, from nowhere, a massive beam of light wizzes by the man, and as it does, the Meteoric Gem is flung upwards into the air and Nova is knocked back.

It flying upwards gives Cinder and Ember the chance to run forward and dive at the gem, both of them catching it just before it hits the ground.

Ember asks, "What was that?"

Cinder, looking in the direction that the light went, points and exclaims, "Look, on top of that building!"

He points to a Pokémon standing majestically atop a nearby building. The Pokémon is quadrupedal, and almost cat-like, though very large. Much of its body is covered by, or made from, faintly glowing gold and silver crystals. The parts that aren't, glow an intense gold, as if made by light. The hind parts of its body almost seem to stretch off and fade out, as if an effect of motion blur, despite the fact that it's standing still.

The Pokémon looks Cinder and Ember straight in the eyes, and then suddenly vanishes, as a streak of light appears around it and moves quickly from sight.

Ember can't believe it. "No way, could that have been…?"

Cinder's eyes are wide in disbelief. "I don't know…" He activates his futuristic Pokédex.

It says, "Velocivity, the Lightspeed Pokémon and a Light-Type. This Legendary Pokémon is said to be made of crystalized light, allowing it to run at the speed of light. It is virtually never seen, as it is not visible when running at max speed. Does not evolve."

They both say in disbelief, "It is…"

Cinder says, "Even Velocivity wanted to repay its debt to Dad…"

Ember muses, "Dad really is amazing."

Surprisingly, Cinder agrees, "Yes... He is…"

The police have arrived, and Officer Jenny, wearing futuristic police gear, is reading all the energy-cuffed grunts their rights. Nearly everyone has left, leaving Cinder, Ember, Hecta, and Brenda. Brenda asks, "So, Ash considers Centum City the most important thing he ever did?" She nods. "Yeah, I suppose I would agree with that."

Ember says, "Brenda, we really can't thank you enough. If you hadn't come in when you did, Neo-Planetary would have gotten away for sure."

Brenda shakes her head. "Nope, don't thank me. It was all your father."

Cinder smiles. "And we'll be sure to thank him too, next time we see him."

Brenda asks, "So what's next for you?"

Ember answers, "We've still got two more Tenno gym badges, and then it's off to the Tenno League."

Brenda grins. "If my journey in Tenno with Ash was any indication, you kids have some great times in store ahead of you. I truly do envy you. I wish you the best of luck in your journeys."

Cinder says, "You're right, we have so much behind us, but there's still even more ahead. Our journey might as well still be just starting. And to tell the truth, after today, I can't wait to see what else comes our way."

Ember nods. "I feel the same."

And so, our adventures in the future come to an end, as does a whole era. But as Cinder and Ember said, we have so much more still ahead of us. Thank you so much for always staying tuned, and thank you for continuing to stay tuned, as the journey continues…

To Be Continued…

Make sure to visit the Cosmic Quest Official Website, to see the special Tenno PokéRap video, created to celebrate the 100th episode.