It was now Friday morning and at Kukui's lab, before he, Rotom-Dex, and the Alolan Professor went to school for the day, the Kanto trainer got an urgent call from Professor Oak. It was about the new Steel Type Pokemon that everybody discovered and after analyzing the data he had been given, the Kanto Professor wanted to share his new findings with the boy, the Living Pokedex, and the Alola couple.
"Alola, Professor Oak!"
"Alola! Now, about that new Pokemon, your suspicions are correct! it's indeed a new kind!" Professor Oak confirmed, much to their surprise and delight.
"Wow, really?!"
Professor Oak nodded as he continued, "Mm-hmm. I've decided to name it Meltan, the Hex Nut Pokemon. And, just like you suspected, it's a Steel Type through and through. Great observation work, my boy! You folks as well, Kukui, Burnet!"
"And, with that, I've now entered Meltan's information into my database!" Rotom-Dex buzzed proudly after downloading the Meltan data into his system.
Of course, while they were discussing the new Pokemon, Pikachu, Rowlet, Lycanroc (Dusk Form), and the rest of their Pokemon (safe for Torracat as he was resting on Burnet's lap) were enjoying their breakfast. But, all of them were completely unaware of Rowlet's new friend as it crawled out of Ash's backpack and it looked around at what could be its new home. After befriending Rowlet after he saved its head from a wild Murkrow, the newly-christened Meltan became fond of the laidback Grass Quill Pokemon and it grew so attached to him, it decided to join him which caused Ash to unknowingly take it home with them.
"Hmm?" Meltan looked around the house, looking for its own breakfast until it spotted a nearby frying pan and excitedly cried out, "Food!"
As the Hex Nut Pokemon happily ate its makeshift breakfast, however, it drew Rowlet's attention as he turned to his new friend and saw him eating the frypan before he panicked in shock at it, "NO!"
Quickly, he flew over and took the damaged pan away from his new friend as he kept Meltan away from it before taking the new Pokemon back to Ash's backpack and hiding it again, much to its confusion. Rowlet sighed with relief that he managed to keep his new friend out of sight but he turned to Meltan as he gently scolded his new friend, "Please, Meltan, don't go and eat everything you see. Not everything around here is food for you."
"Why?" Meltan asked, still confused as it tilted its head at him.
"Well then, Professor Kukui, Professor Burnet, I'll leave the rest to you," Professor Oak said, deciding to hand over his research on Meltan to the Alolan Professor and his wife.
"Sounds good to us!" Kukui and Burnet agreed happily.
"Thanks, see you later!" Ash replied.
"Bye-bye!" smiled Professor Oak as he ended the call.
"Alright, Meltan! So, that's what the new Pokemon were before, I hope we get to see them again today."
Professor Kukui smiled as he reminded Ash, "Say, Ash, it's time for you to get going. Are you all ready?"
"Of course! Come on, guys, time to head for school!" Ash nodded before calling out to his Pokemon.
"Hmm? Okay!"
"'Kay," Pikachu and Torracat replied as they and Lycanroc joined him.
"Kay, Rowlet, in you go," Ash added, putting Rowlet in his backpack before he heard a strange noise inside it, only finding his Grass Quill Pokemon in it and still not in the know about his new friend. "Hold on, hmm?"
Eventually, he dismissed the thought and he, his Pokemon, and Kukui made their way to the Pokemon School for class, "See ya later, Burnet!"
"Have a great day!"
"Thanks, same to you!" Burnet smiled as Ash and her husband said goodbye before she turned to the counter and gasped, seeing the frying pan Meltan had eaten a hole through for breakfast, greatly confusing her. "What...happened here? Could it be an Ultra Wormhole? Hmm..."
[New Theme Song - Drunken Lives (Young Hero Fong Sai Yuk - ft. Johnny Ip) {Roughly Translated Ver.}]
(The new opening begins when we see legions of Pokemon trainers and their Pokemon training in a giant stadium and amongst them, Sarah, Ash, and the Pokemon School gang are training with their own Pokemon, preparing for the most important chapter of their lives before the trainers and their Pokemon stood at attention and the gang got into a group fighting pose as the song begins. They will eventually take part in the finalized Alola League to determine who is the top Pokemon trainer in the entire Alola region)
When life is rough and too dark to see, my regrets wash over all of me~
Pain is immense but don't you cry or pout, you'll very soon find your way out~
(In small snippets and previews of what's to come or will be happening now, Sarah and her friends are living out their normal lives again after the demise of Lothor and Team Eclipse including Sophocles and Vikavolt taking part in a Vikavolt Race, training for the upcoming Alola League, the arrival of a little Pokemon looking like it's made from metal, and Mallow, Lana, and Lillie along with Sandy, the female Shaymin, and Snowy taking part in a TV program)
Live a life worth living, make it beautiful, and work hard to be strong and happy~
In the mortal world, your life is so meaningful, so go and prove your own mettle~
(All the while, at specific points in the last volume of the story, Race and Sarah reaffirm their love for each other while Gladion continues his family's mission to uncover more about their father, Mohn, and to determine his current whereabouts, hoping to reunite with him once again as the Alola League was finally completed and approved)
So, who would you connect with to meet up with me as friendly voices cut through the peaceful sunny crest~
Your heart is now mine forevermore, your sincerity shines at its best~
(The opening ceremonies kick off before Race and Sarah stand together in the midst of a fireworks celebration during a festival as their love continued to blossom and the gang takes up a bit of a sport called Pokemon Golf while helping a famous golfer and her Toucannon out of a slump they're in)
So, who would you connect with to meet up with me as friendly voices cut through the peaceful sunny crest~
Your heart is now mine forevermore, your sincerity shows me your love I can't detest~
(Guzzlord somehow enters Sarah's world along with other Guzzlords to join him after the Alola League reaches its climax, forcing everybody in the region to try and stop them from destroying Alola and repeating the tragic history of Dia's world. In the short instrumental, the gang takes part in battling at the Kantonian Gym in Malie City on Ula'Ula Island as short snippets of the gang getting themselves into scrapes throughout their misadventures are shown)
So, who would you connect with to meet up with me as friendly voices cut through the peaceful sunny crest~
Your heart is now mine forevermore, your sincerity shines at its best~
(Lana is then shown facing the toughest challenge of her life as she and Brionne come across a Kyogre and she has to do her utmost to tame it as she reels it in when its life is in danger. Sandy, Mallow's Shaymin, Sarah's Shaymin, the metal-like Pokemon, Breezeon, Sho, and Donka explore Malie City unsupervised after trying to recover a hair ornament before coming across Team Rocket again. Pikachu (and his entire team) and Blitz (with some of his brothers and sisters) go on an adventure to find Ash, Torracat, Sarah, and Silvally disappeared on them when the quartet traveled back in time and meet a younger Kukui as he starts out on his Pokemon journey that leads him to become a Pokemon Professor in studying Pokemon moves)
So, who would you connect with to meet up with me as friendly voices cut through the peaceful sunny crest~
Your heart is now mine forevermore, your sincerity shows me your love I can't detest~
(Finally, snippets of the Ultra Rescue Rangers' final missions involving Evox with their and the Beast Morphers Rangers' final clashes with him and his followers, the return of Necrozma and their efforts to restore him as the Bright One, the gang all taking part in the Alola League including Sarah or Ash facing off against Guzma and learning how he became the trainer and punk he is now and why he was running away, and a final battle with either one facing off against Kukui and Tapu-Koko in a final full 6-on-6 Pokemon battle and a match for the ages in Alola are shown. The intro then ends with Sarah reviving Necrozma in his true form and standing with him along with Cresselia, Zygarde (10% Forme), Zacian, Zamazenta, Xerneas, Giratina, and Rayquaza while she turned into her Lion Form and roared proudly as the titles appeared above the group on the ground)
Pokemon Sun & Moon - The Warrior Princess
Yesterday, the appearance of a mass outbreak of Meltan threw the entire Pokemon School into a panic! What next?!
After arriving at the Pokemon School for class, Pikachu and the other Pokemon along with the baby/younger dragons and Pokemon began playing together again while the larger Pokemon and dragons in Sarah's family watched from their usual spots on the beach and fields close by. At the same time, Ash told everyone what he, Burnet, and Kukui learned about Meltan from Professor Oak.
"Amazing! So, it really is a new type," Kiawe grinned in amazement.
"And, Professor Oak named it Meltan!" Ash added. "Putting our heads together like that when they first came over really paid off," Lillie smiled, feeling proud of the research they all did.
"I love the way they were spinning their heads thinking back to how they acted when they tried to eat the school bell," chuckled Mallow, remembering their last moments with the Meltan party they were dealing with.
"Maybe they're hiding around here right now! DAH, look, there's one!" Sophocles said, looking around as he wanted to see and know more about them until he gasped in surprise and found what looked to be a Meltan at Lana's desk. But, it was only Lana dressing up to be a Meltan as she got awkward looks from everybody and an annoyed look along with a groan from a sleep-deprived Sarah as she rested at her desk, "That's no Meltan, Sophocles. That's just Lana dressed up as one and it's not even Halloween yet..."
"Nice design, really," Mallow praised awkwardly.
"Hey, Lana, maybe they'll come out again if you call them," Sophocles smiled, liking the design idea and what she did.
"Yeah! After all, they showed up in the classroom yesterday so maybe they're all still hanging around," Lillie grinned, getting an aggravated groan from Sarah as she slammed her head in exasperation on her desk, shocking the others as they saw how annoyed and worn out she really is once they finally saw the bags forming under her eyes.
"Will everybody stop going on about those metal menaces, even just the thought of them is hurting me to no end," she grumbled, still not over the entire incident with the Meltan outbreak and angry about the lack of sleep they've given her following Clefable's distress call about them.
"...Sarah, are you feeling okay?" Kiawe asked meekly, fearful of the princess' current state.
"Uh... Yeah, you're not looking so chirpy today," chuckled Mallow weakly, sweatdropping at how much of a mess Sarah is.
Lillie smiled awkwardly as she said to her best friend, "Sarah, please don't take it too personally. The Meltan may have been nothing but trouble to you after they tried to go after your family's heirlooms and Magearna but they're not so bad once you get to know them once we find one."
"I'll be fine as long as they stay as far away from me and my family as possible. If any one of them shows up, I'm gonna freak and ban any one of them from entering my home if they're still hungry. I swear, they're nothing but bottomless pits the way they eat all the metal they see around them, augh..."
Ash chuckled nervously as he tried to soothe the aggravated princess, "Come on, Sarah, this is a great discovery! And, they're really cute! You can't be still mad at them over all that, you know..."
"Tell that to the second group that trespassed into the Command Center last night," Sarah retorted tiredly and angrily as she rubbed her eyes and want to leave so she could sleep in, shocking her friends once more as they gawked at her and she continued, "That call while they were entranced by the school bell being rung, they called their friends over and they snuck back in with them via the vents in the middle of the night..."
"Really?!" Ash, Kiawe, Lana, Mallow, Lillie, and Sophocles shrieked, still shocked.
"Oh, brother..."
"Now, what are we going to do?" groaned Race and Asha, not wanting a repeat of their first encounter with the Meltan intruders as well.
Sarah's sleep-deprived anger and hatred for the Meltan were not unwarranted; true to form, the Meltan from before had made their home in the Command Center as one of them happily ate away at the metal from one of the supercomputers only to be plucked off by Harmony before she took it back to its friends.
"'Oi, you! Off the computer, varmint!" Trooper barked, frightening another one of the Meltan he saw eating at the computers before the Dragonstone Patrol leader plucked it off and also took it back to its friends.
"Oh dear, this is worse than we thought," sighed Lusamine's Clefable sadly, seeing the mess the Meltan were leaving behind as she plucked yet another Meltan off the computers and put it back with its group (much to their happiness about being together again) while Aurora got to work repairing the computers.
The late-night incident with the Meltan's return to the Command Center and the other incidents with their antics and what nearly happened to the family heirlooms and Magearna was starting to take their toll on her, Sarah, Nikki, James, and Tsukumaro as they didn't know what to do with their hungry intruders anymore. It had gotten so bad that when the call was put out to the rest of the latter quartet's family for anybody that can help with them, Aurora, Trooper, and Harmony decided to come over from Dragonstone Island and give them a hand.
With how badly sleep-deprived James, Tsukumaro, and Nikki were, the three Dragonstone Patrol pups decided to join them and Clefable in keeping an eye on the Meltan so Aurora (being the tech-wiz pup that she is) can also help them fix the equipment being damaged by their appetites.
"Hey! Stop that, you idiots!" Nikki griped, finding another three of the Meltan gathered eating yet another computer and plucking them off to bring them back to their group.
"Oh, what are we going to do now?" Clefable groaned, reaching an impasse.
"Alola, everybody!" Kukui greeted as he entered and addressed his entire class.
"Alola!" the students save for Sarah (who had fallen asleep) greeted back.
Kukui blinked in surprise as he noticed the sleeping Sarah not bothering to greet him back, awkwardly asking, "...Uh, Sarah?"
"Sorry, Professor, blame the Meltan for how much of a trainwreck she is. Apparently, the group that we were with on Wednesday came back that night and they brought along a couple of friends to the Command Center. Clefable had to call Sis, Mom, Dad, and Tsukumaro in the middle of the night to help her deal with them before they make any more trouble," Asha explained.
The Alolan Professor soon understood as he chuckled sheepishly with a sympathetic sweatdrop before recomposing himself, "Oh, I see, heh... Well, if it helps to wake your sister up along with a hot drink and some breakfast, Asha, I got just the thing. Today, we're going to have some Pokemon battles!"
"Alright!" Ash cheered, eager for some Pokemon battles.
"Finally, some real fun!" Pikachu agreed.
"Hey, Ash, let's battle each other! Then, we can both pit our skills and Pokemon against Asha, Race, or Sarah she wakes up," Kiawe challenged.
"Awesome! Bring it on, Kiawe!" Ash accepted, nodding at him.
"Let's do it, Mallow! What do you say?" Lana said to Mallow.
"You got it, Lana!" smiled Mallow as the pair turned to see Aqua and Primarina making balloon bubbles that Sandy and her Shaymin were floating in with Tsareena watching to make sure the younger Pokemon weren't hurt. "Tsareena, Shaymin, are you ready for a battle?"
"Alright, yeah!"
"But, of course, Mallow, darling!" Tsareena and the female Shaymin agreed eagerly. "Sandy and Primarina, let's do our best!" added Lana to her partners.
"Sure thing, Lana!"
"Groovy, groovy!" Primarina and Sandy cheered.
"Sophocles, does a 'Snowy vs Vikavolt' battle sound good to you?" requested Lillie to Sophocles.
"Sounds great! But, I'm not losing, though!"
"Same here!" Sophocles and Vikavolt smirked.
"Yeah!" cooed Snowy.
"Go for it, guys! Go to it!" Togedemaru cheered for her friends.
"Time to wake up for a battle, Rowlet!" Ash called to his Grass Quill Pokemon as he unzipped his backpack, only to see him snoozing about as usual.
"Here we go again," Pikachu smiled in amusement at his Alola Grass Type friend while Ash looked a little embarrassed.
"Doesn't seem to want to wake up, oh well," Ash sighed before turning to his Lycanroc (Dusk Form) and Torracat. "Come on, gang!"
"Pokemon Battles, here we come!"
"Yeah!" Pikachu, Lycanroc (Dusk Form), and Torracat cheered.
"You want to rumble with me while we wait for your sister or do you want to help Kukui prepare something for her while the others party?" Race asked Asha.
"I'll join you later; gotta get something for Sis so she gets those bed bugs off her," Asha replied.
"Don't worry you worry your heads off, you two. I'll prepare something for Sarah with a bit of Agility so she'll be up and about after her little Meltan drama, you get to work battling each other for a minute," smiled Kukui as he went off to get a meal for Sarah to spring her awake and cheer her up.
"'Kay," the pair nodded as they and the others went outside to begin their battle assignments.
With the room empty and Sarah was left alone to sleep until Kukui returns, it was quiet but the minutes passed before a wild Cutiefly passed by along with a wild Jigglypuff from the other direction. Ash's backpack opened and Meltan woke up, looking around the classroom curiously before seeing Sarah fast asleep and with her repaired family heirlooms on her desk. But, the oddball Meltan wasn't interested in eating them anymore as it was more fixated on playing with its new friend, trying to wake Rowlet up so they can play while nobody was looking.
Rowlet, however, was a heavy sleeper as he didn't hear Meltan's calls until he became annoyed when it spun its head and whacked it to wake him up until he stopped it and flew to the railing, trying to sleep again.
Meltan was undeterred as it tried to wake him up affectionately so they can still play but each time it tried to while spinning its head, Rowlet became more and more annoyed as he couldn't get the beauty sleep he wanted. But, just as Meltan tried to wake him up for the umpteenth time, a familiar Murkrow flew by it spotted Meltan's hex nut head as it sparkled in the sun's rays. Seeing its chance and now knowing that nothing, not even Rowlet is standing in its way this time, the glitter-loving Darkness Pokemon swooped down and snatched it before it flew off (its successful attempt finally startling Rowlet awake as he was knocked on his back).
Meltan was terrified as he screamed for Rowlet to help it and flailed in its mouth, the Grass Quill Pokemon (realizing what had happened to his new friend) cooed in horror and flew off towards the little Hex Nut Pokemon to save it. Murkrow was still hanging onto Meltan with its beak but the Alolan Grass Starter soon caught up to it as he furiously kicked at the Dark Type to make him let go, causing the little Steel Type to scream in terror again as it fell towards the school pond.
Acting fast, the Alolan Grass Type dived in and saved Meltan as he grabbed its squishy body, feeling relieved until Meltan called it and he looked down, growing pale in his horror as he realized what had happened: Poor Meltan lost its hex nut head in the scuffle and they had to find it fast.
Meanwhile, out of sight and on the road leading to the Pokemon School from the left, Team Rocket was in their Masalada truck but they got a puncture on one of their tires so they have to fix it before they could be caught out by the heroes and they can continue their undercover Masalada sales, unaware of the crazy adventure Rowlet and Meltan were about to endure that'll also put the trio right in their path to finding its head.
"Hey! Hurry up, will ya? Are you three done?" Jessie complained. "Our 3-in-1 Combee Masaladas are hot but our sales have a flat tire!"
Meowth simply retorted as he, James, and Wobbuffet tried to find the problem while they replace or fix the flat tire, "No-duh! Look, my 'Operation Crazy-Sales-In-Front-Of-A-Movie-Theater' would've been a super gigantic success! My horoscope I found in the morning paper told me today's my lucky day, ya dig?!"
"AHH! Found it! The culprit of today is this faulty hex nut!" James exclaimed, finding and taking out a cracked hex nut from the engine.
"That's a canyon of a crack."
"No shit, Sherlock," Meowth and Wobbuffet commented in surprise, seeing how big the crack is.
"Then, I guess we'll just have to get another one if we're to keep going." "Well then, why not use this?" Jessie suggested using a Masalada that's shaped like a hex nut.
"Perfection plus!" James remarked before he ate it, obviously knowing that it is impossible to use a hex nut Masalada to fix the engine. "A Masalada as tasty as that wouldn't fit the electric bill in a million years!"
"But, they sure tasted a lot better..."
"Yeah. But, look, we need an actual hex nut and unless we cut the real deal, we're a bunch of sitting Psyducks."
"And, spinning our wheels in the process," Meowth and Wobbuffet sighed.
"Man, wouldn't it be great if they just dropped out of the sky...huh? Like that." And, lo and behold, by sheer coincidence following his gripe, Meltan's hex nut head suddenly dropped down on Meowth's head and it struck him as he screamed in pain, catching Jessie and James' attention as they turned to him and Jessie commented, "What? Looks like you got a bad headach-DAH!"
The two of them yelped in bewilderment as they saw that Meowth had the hex nut they were looking for on his face, not knowing that it belonged to Meltan while Meowth moaned, "Look, be careful what you wish for 'cause you might end up getting smashed on the bean."
"Uh, I don't believe it," Jessie blinked, seeing the hex nut.
However, for James, he was amazed and in awe of the hex nut he saw as he examined it closely, "Hmm... AHH, that's nuts! This one; its shape, its sheen, its strength... It's a perfect nut for what ails us, a hex nut to end all hex nuts! YAY! YA-HA!"
Deciding to see if Meltan's hex nut head fits, James took it off Meowth's face and fitted it to their truck's engine while he chuckled, seeing that the nut fitted perfectly and its engine started up again, sounding and looking as good as new.
Team Rocket cheered as they were back in business even though they had no idea what they were borrowing let alone taking with Meowth cheering, "That did it! Look out, 3-in-1 Combee Masaladas, you're wanted!"
"They'll be flying off our well-stocked shelves!" Jessie grinned.
"Yeah!"
"Let the baking begin!" The boys yelled heartily, ready to resume their Masalada business.
At the school's grass field, Poor Meltan was in complete distress as it whimpered over the potential loss of its hex nut head with Rowlet looking unhappy at the turn of events going for them as he slid back a bit from the sobbing Steel Type, trying to whistle innocently but slowly getting concerned for his new friend. Meltan continued to whimper as it gave a tearful puppy dog eye at Rowlet, mentally begging him to help find its head while the Grass Quill Pokemon got stressed out and emotional before a lightbulb went off in his head and he flew off to try a suitable replacement for its head.
First, he tried to give it a berry for a replacement head but Meltan grew irritated as he threw the berry away, shocking Rowlet and confusing him before it added, "My hex nut head is roundish inside while having sharp corners outside!"
"Roundish, got it!" Rowlet saluted.
And, so began Rowlet's efforts to replace his friend's head with different objects or to find its real head but no matter what he tried, they just didn't feel right to Meltan.
He tried to use a roll of tape but Meltan was unsatisfied as he threw it away, disappointing Rowlet again. He then tried to use a soap sponge but that was no different. He tried everything that was round from a beach floatie to an opened can with a whole, from a Comfey to a Klefki, to a Sandygast and a hoop, and finally, a tambourine that did lift Meltan's spirits up at first due to the musical rattling sound it makes as it danced but it became sad and distressed again.
Now, Rowlet could see how truly depressed his new friend was without his head; the hex nut head it needed was everything to it and he felt incomplete and naked without it. What was worse, none of the items he tried out to replace it didn't seem to satisfy it and unless it had its real head back, it won't be happy again. Poor Rowlet felt helpless but not wanting to let his new friend down, he steeled himself with a special fire in his eyes and vowed to find Meltan's head, taking his friend in his talons as they flew off in search of its head. This was where their time together as friends and most likely, in due time, brothers-in-arms, would truly begin.
Meanwhile, out on the school's battlefield, Ash and the others were battling each other for their assignments for the day. Asha and Race, in the meantime, decided to give Duke some time to battle and train, having him pitted against Zircon and Bella to help him become stronger in the honor and memories of Poipole and Queen Naganadel.
In the letter that came with his Pokeball, Sarah, her friends, and her family learned from Poipole and Naganadel that a Poipole can only evolve into a Naganadel after said Pokemon learned Dragon Pulse. Ironically, Duke did know Dragon Pulse at one point before the Necrozma incident but he had forgotten the move and would have to learn it again.
What's even stranger is that Duke was shockingly at Level 40 so far as a Pokemon/Ultra Beast of considerable battling prowess but he was in no hurry to evolve into his queen's Poison Pin Pokemon species his princess would eventually become once she takes over for her. That is what everybody hoped to accomplish at some point so the little princess' Dragon Types and Proud and Ziracon opted to take turns in helping Duke learn Dragon Pulse and reach Level 41 even if they have to do so as he wished regarding his training.
In the meantime, while the gang does their battling assignments (with Kiawe and Ash going for a Triple Battle, Lana and Mallow with a Double Battle, and Sophocles and Lillie going for a classic Solo Battle) the rest of Sarah's family opted to train each other as they always do but also on behalf of Sarah for her project's sake (having finally woken up thanks to Kukui's meal and was now watching her sister and boyfriend battle each other, training Duke to learn Dragon Pulse):
- Azelf, Uxie, Danny, and Danielle opted to teach Aqua how to use Light Screen, Reflect, Calm Mind, and Psychic, all Psychic Type moves based on defense for upcoming battles, especially regarding her friendly rivalry with Hau's Dartrix should he eventually evolve
- Kaji's move set was comprised of mostly offensive attacks so with Mesprit and Luna as his teachers, he would learn: Counter, Sunny Day, and Reflect
- Cyndaquil, Fennekin, Phanpy, Altaria, and Stufful were training under Slurpuff with the Meringue Pokémon giving the most attention to Stufful to help her gain the self-confidence she needs to overcome her shy nature in future battles
- Star and Cobalt's move sets are comprised of mostly offensive moves as well so the Swords of Justice would teach them Metronome, Nasty Plot, Iron Defense, and Bulk-up with Metronome being a big test of their adaptability on the battlefield given the possibility of their using nearly all existing moves even if they can't normally learn it
- As for Zeraora, since he specializes in speed with his Electric Type prowess coming second, the Legendary Beasts decided to teach him their shared speed attack which is Extreme Speed
- While juggling her battle with Race regarding Duke and Dragon Pulse, Asha also took some time to train her sister's Pokemon in battle with Proud going through some training rounds with Tyrunt, Cranidos, Amaura, and Lolita (given that it has been a while since the Younger Royal Classy Cat Pokemon learned a new move)
And, once again, as Sophocles, Lana, Lillie, and Mallow along with their Pokemon had finished their battles and Asha and Race were wrapping up their own with Duke, Proud, and Ziracon the latter two and Asha finished their training round with their sister's Pokemon, Ash and Kiawe are ready to end things off with their Triple Battle with the former using Pikachu, Lycanroc (Dusk Form), and Torracat and pitting them against Turtonator, Charizard, and his family's Marowak (who once again joined Kiawe for class for the day and Pyroar on the sidelines, allowing his fellow Fire Type to step up so he can see what he was capable of in battle).
"Torracat, use Fire Blast!" Ash bellowed, having Torracat make the first move as he launched Fire Blast which Marowak tried to bat away only to take the attack as it hit him.
Turtonator followed up on that in defense of his family member with Flamethrower as he fired at Lycanroc while Ash called out, "Lycanroc, use Stone Edge!", allowing his Rock Type to fire several stones from the ground to counter the powerful Fire Type attack.
"Alright, Pikachu! Iron Tail, let's go!"
"Now, Charizard, use Aerial Ace!"
Now the last ones up to the plate, Charizard and Pikachu charged at each other as they prepared their attacks, both of them getting solid hits at each other when they finally made contact just as the final bell rang, signaling everybody that it was time to go.
"Okay, that'll be all!" Kukui smiled at them, ending class for the day.
Kiawe and Ash smiled, both of them satisfied with the results they got from their Triple Battle as they recalled Torracat, Turtonator, Lycanroc (Dusk Form), Pyroar, and Marowak before Ash joined up with his fellow student and chuckled as they shared a handshake, "Battling with you is so much fun, Kiawe! And, you've gotten stronger, too!"
"Thanks a lot, Ash. You're definitely improving yourself but I wanted to ask you. You've won all four Grand Trials just as Sarah did, right? So, what are your plans now aside from the Pokemon League coming soon?" Kiawe inquired.
Ash blinked in surprise as he realized that, apart from participating in the Alola League when it's given the green light and plans for it are underway, he didn't have anything else planned at the moment, quipping, "My plans?"
"No problem, right?" Pikachu asked, having no worries as he joined his partner.
"Let's see, what do I do next...?" the Kanto trainer wondered until he and Pikachu spotted a familiar Pokemon up ahead. "What's that?"
Kiawe looked up as well and they and the others didn't know right away but they thought they saw Rowlet flying overhead, carrying Meltan in his talons and not hearing his confused trainer as he called out to him while he flew off, still determined to find his new friend's head and not stopping until it is safely back with them.
"Huh? Uh...I'm gonna go check it out, later," Ash said as he hurriedly left.
"Got it," Kiawe nodded as everyone watched before he realized that Sarah still hadn't woken up and wasn't with them throughout the whole class. "Huh? Hey, guys, Professor, wasn't Sarah supposed to be up for the whole class?"
Kukui chuckled as he answered, "Oh, the entire Meltan affair took much more Hidden Power out of her along with Nikki, James, and her godfather down below much more than I realized. So, I decided to give her the day off but it seems like her family with us got her project completed while she slept. I'll take care of her, don't worry."
True to his word, back in the classroom, Sarah was still sleeping and unaware of Kukui returning with an energy drink along with a sandwich and some Spicy Paldea Pasta (inspired by one of Murdock's dishes from Pokemon Horizons Ep. 7 which he acquired the recipe for some time during his own travels in his youth as a Pokemon trainer) for her with Wooloo and Skitty joining him to give their human aunt some company and help her wake up again. The Alolan Professor had to smile as he saw the little princess finally being able to relax after the horrible ordeal she and her family went through regarding the Meltan on Wednesday and the night after school when the two Meltan groups reunited and gave them and Clefable even more grief.
Wooloo and Skitty giggled to each other as they jumped onto her desk with the Kitten Pokemon poking and pawing at her right cheek since she was on her right.
"Wakey wakey, auntie, nya," Skitty meowed as Sarah groaned, swatting her hand as she woke up to the smell of the pasta and saw her meal before her, looking confused at Wooloo and Skitty before she turned to Kukui who was next to her from her left along with Wooloo.
"Feel better after that Rest, Princess?" smiled Kukui while she rubbed her eyes. "I realize now those Meltan have been quite the nightmare for you if you were able to sleep through class."
The little princess groaned again and while she felt better, she was still a little sore on the subject of the Hex Nut Pokemon, "Remind me to call Lusamine so she can figure out how to wrangle them and keep them away from the Command Center's machinery."
Wooloo and Skitty giggled as the Sheep Pokemon then joked, "Had a nice sleep, auntie?"
"Yeah... Ugh, really? I actually slept through class because of those Meltan and the thought of them coming back to the classroom?"
Kukui laughed, "Don't worry, your sister told me about what happened with the Meltan so I've excused you from class for today. Now, eat up if you're hungry."
Sarah nodded in thanks before she got to work on her meal, indulging herself as she felt a little hot from the pasta but then smiled in satisfaction as she continued to eat while having her sandwich and her energy drink in between bites. Skitty, Wooloo, and Kukui couldn't help but smile warmly at the sight of her slowly becoming her old self having the Meltan as far away from her mind as possible from finally being able to sleep and a hearty meal and the others watching from the open door could only do the same.
Back at the Command Center, Tsukumaro, James, and Nikki were fast asleep as their tired Pokemon, Aurora, Trooper, Harmony, and Clefable had managed to put the trio on makeshift beds and plucked another Meltan from the group they rounded up in a box that acted as a crib for the Hex Nut Pokemon. It had been a trying day for them having to look after the Meltan and keep them from eating the machinery and causing trouble for them and they were finally at an impasse.
"Oh, I can't believe it!"
"This is ridiculous, how much longer can we keep this up?" sighed Bambi and Axew in disgruntlement as Clefable put another of the Meltan back in the box the rest were in.
"Whatever are we going to do with you little troublemakers?" she pondered, taking out a piece of metal it was eating amongst the metal junk they had to salvage which got them excited.
"Hmm?" the Fairy Pokemon got suspicious as she then moved the metal from one side to the other, the Meltan following it as she went until she gasped in realization, "I got it!"
"Maybe since they tried to eat so much, we should call them the 'Hungry Metal Hippos'," panted Deerling.
"I agree," moaned Oliver as he plopped to the floor and was on his last legs with the Meltan with a heavy sigh.
"What'll we do now? Those little mischiefs don't know when to behave let alone know what to eat and what not to eat," Whimsicott pondered, desperate for answers.
"I wish I knew," Dragonite admitted.
"Oh, darlings!" Clefable called cheerfully as a gleam came from her eyes, getting the Pokemon's attention. "Good news, I've just got a brilliant idea!"
"Huh/Huh?" they asked, wondering what Clefable had in mind regarding what to do with the Meltan.
Back with Rowlet and Meltan; the two of them were flying across Melemele, hoping to find some sort of clue that will lead the pair to where Meltan's missing hex nut head could be. It was a long flight given their size and while Rowlet became exhausted, the Hex Nut Pokemon continued to look around. That was until a wafting sweet smell brought him back to his senses as he sniffed and feeling like they could use some food to help them carry out their search, he flew over to where the scent was coming from.
"Come and get it, folks! Step right up, don't be shy! It's Chow Time! We've got a super special for you today! Feast your eyes on...our very own exclusive 3-on-1 Combee Masaladas!" Meowth called to any potential customers in Hau'Oli City as he, Jessie, James, and Wobbuffet made and advertised their new Masalada special for the day after setting up shop in the market square.
Even so, nobody seemed interested and the only one around was a movie theater ticket vendor who was sleeping and the marketplace was empty so Team Rocket was disappointed that their sales weren't happening as fast as they hoped and even a Cutiefly bypassed them, not interested nor hungry at the moment. This seems to suggest that the movie people are watching at the moment is longer than an hour-and-a-half or two hours than normal and the movie-goers are not going to file out until it ends which won't be for a while.
"Face it, Meowth, your 'Operation Crazy-Sales-In-Front-Of-A-Movie Theater' is nothing more than an 'Operation Get-Crazy-Poor-Quick' failure!" Jessie barked in disappointment.
"It doesn't help that the movie they're showing is six hours long and it just got underway."
"Nnnnnnope," James and Wobbuffet remarked.
"Oh, forget it! This isn't working! I'd say we shelve this loser's bet and find and face those insolent Laser-Face Metalheads instead."
Jessie's words seemed to have triggered James as he clearly remembered the Meltan and what they did to his bottle cap collection, "Laser-Face Metalheads...? Grrr... How dare they destroy my precious bottle caps and our equipment?! WHEN I FIND THEM, I'M GOING TO MAKE THEM PAY! OH, YES! THEY'LL PAY! THEY WILL PAY! THEY'LL ALL PAY!"
Jessie, Meowth, and Wobbuffet winced in fear at James taking what the Meltan did to his bottle cap collection personally, the former silently regretting mentioning the Hex Nut Pokemon as the Scratch Cat winced, "Yeesh, he looks more like a Mimikyu with a bad headache after having an off day and being drunk."
"I like the Old James before he ended up becoming a demon wanting to kill those creatures!" gulped Wobbuffet fearfully.
"Hold it! We've one problem, how are we gonna find those metal-munching Pokemon? They could be anywhere no matter where we look," Meowth pointed out, knowing what their earlier problem was given the Meltan's size.
"Simple, we know that they eat metal. We'll use some metal knives and forks as bait. Or, maybe even a couple of hammers or screwdrivers," Jessie suggested.
"Yeah! To those hex nuts, that junk is like metal Masaladas to them! Man, wouldn't it be great for us if more junk just dropped out of the sky like before? Huh?" Meowth agreed as he looked up at the sky before he saw something else dropping down toward them.
That something was none other than Meltan who landed right on top of Meowth's face, causing the tambourine it was using as a temporary head to fall to the ground, prompting Wobbuffet to pick it up and start playing.
"I've never heard of a flying tambourine before," James quipped in confusion.
"Check it out!" gasped Meowth, getting his comrades' attention as they saw Meltan wearing a hex nut-shaped Masalada. "The Laser-Face Metalhead!"
"Now, that you mention it..."
"But, look closer. Something's not quite right with it," James and Jessie remarked, looking at Meltan atop the Masalada pile it landed on while it eyed them in confusion.
"Hey, Meltan! You okay, buddy?" Rowlet cooed as he rejoined his friend on the Masalada pile before he sniffed the sweet aroma of the Masaladas Team Rocket tried and failed to sell and he cooed in excitement, proceeding to eat them as he grew hungry at that moment. "MASALADAS! Mmm, mm, mm, mm, mm, mm! Yummy, mm, mm, mm, mm! Delicious! Mmm!"
"You know what? I think we've seen that thing before."
"True, and it has all the familiar earmarkings of a twerp thing," the pair noticed once they saw Rowlet.
"Our Masaladas! Hey, pallie! Get your beak out of them, NOW!" Meowth snapped, trying to use Fury Swipes at Meltan and Rowlet to stop them before the Hex Nut Pokemon jumped and he passed by Rowlet as the Alolan Grass Starter continued to eat, causing him to dive toward the Masalada truck. "NOOOOOOO!"
Meowth couldn't stop in time and he ended up crashing into the truth, hitting it so hard that Meltan's hex nut head was knocked out of the truck's engine, surprising the little Steel Type as it saw its head, took off the Masalada it was wearing, and put it back on after it caught it. Meltan started welling up in its eye with overwhelming joy as it then cheered for the return of its head.
"We found it... My head, it's back! IT'S FINALLY BACK!" screeched Meltan, overjoyed as he did a little happy dance while Rowlet joined him, also feeling happy for his friend. "WE DID IT, ROWLET! WE FINALLY FOUND MY HEAD! IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE, IT'S FINALLY HERE!"
"Congratulations, Meltan! I'm really happy for you!" Rowlet smiled as he patted Meltan and felt pleased for it.
But, Team Rocket finally recognized Meltan with its head back on as they cried, "Hey, it really is that Pokemon! The Metal Muncher from yesterday, we're closing up shop!"
Quick as a wink, they wrapped up their undercover sales for the day and changed back into their old uniforms so they can finally take their revenge on the Meltan even if they have to fight Rowlet's friend to do it, "Team Rocket, let's fight!"
"That's right!"
"That's how we do it!"
"Alright, you little metal-eating menace! It's payback time for the bottle caps you've eaten!" James snarled as he held a net in his hands only for Rowlet to get in front of the scared Meltan protectively, realizing Team Rocket had a score to settle with it and its old friends (even if he didn't know about them).
"Prepare for the fight of your life!" James soon jumped and his net swooped down as he threw it but he missed as Rowlet flew up with Meltan in his talons and he fired Seed Bomb (with, surprisingly, out of all things, an Everstone he had likely eaten sometime before).
James was startled by this and that caused him to be hit in the face by Rowlet's attack with the Everstone and he caught it in its mouth again, the resulting attack causing Poor James to develop a nasty bump on his head that Jessie and Wobbuffet winced at.
"That's gonna leave a mark," Jessie squeaked as Rowlet landed and stood protectively in front of Meltan again, glaring at Team Rocket while Meowth glared back at the pair.
"Serves you right, Team Rocket! You're not going to hurt my friend, not while I'm around!" Rowlet threatened as Meltan held him from behind, still frightened of Team Rocket.
"Translation?"
"I know what he's thinking, he's gonna protect that little nut no matter what we do," Meowth translated, snarling at Rotom and Meltan.
"Heh, I wouldn't count on that, you measly night-walker! Meowth, give our friends a demonstration and show them why!"
"Aye-Aye, skipper!" Meowth stalked them as he scared Meltan, forcing Rowlet to continue standing in his way to prevent him from reaching the Steel Type even though the Normal Type readied his Fury Swipes attack. "You're not going anywhere!"
"Not happening! Razor Leaf!" Rowlet shouted as he fired Razor Leaf only for Meowth to majestically dodge the attack as he made his way to Meltan.
"Nice try! It's like I can see what I'm doing in slow-motion, I feel like the Matrix himself! My horoscope was right, I'm on a roll...with butter!" Meowth sneered as he moved like an acrobat, getting closer to his target as Meltan grew petrified with fear. "My Fury Swipes will take the shine out of you, permanently!"
But, just as he was about to land his attack, Rowlet immediately got in Meowth's way and took the Fury Swipes attack as he shielded the whimpering Meltan, shocking it as he gave it a determined, almost-brotherly look.
"Don't worry, Meltan! I got you," he sighed with relief, his determined glare still on his face.
"Rowlet, you...!" Meltan cooed, realizing its new friend saved it for the third time since they met and feeling worried for him.
Meowth smirked as he remained undeterred and he continued using his Fury Swipes attack to try and put Rowlet out of his misery and force him out of the way but with each attack made, Rowlet just steeled himself, shielding Meltan again and again, letting out pained coos and getting more serious wounds on him. But, all that time, he never backed down, knowing that he had to protect the little Steel Type he now saw as a little brother, taking in every Fury Swipes attack as the minutes rolled by (the entire incident, surprisingly, not waking up the movie ticket clerk from all the commotion).
Amazingly, even though Rowlet was now in a terrible state with all the multiple scratches he now bore, he managed to stay firm while Meowth was on his last legs even with his luck for the day, the Scratch Cat Pokemon now panting heavily.
"Tired already? Come on, wiseguy, wrap this ensemble up, and then you can pant!" Jessie ranted.
"Ugh, thanks for the advice, genius!" Meowth grumbled before he glared at Meltan and Rowlet. "You Twerp Pokemon really burn me up!"
"Rowlet, no! You can't die!" cried Meltan, now deeply worried for who it now saw as its big brother as it whimpered.
"It's...okay, M-Meltan...! I-I'll, pro-protect, y-y-you," Rowlet reassured, stuttering in pain as he continued to shield the Hex Nut Pokemon.
"Alright, playtime's over! Time to put you babies to bed!" Meowth sneered, ready to unleash one final Fury Swipes attack on both of them only for a now-angered Meltan to jump in and save Rowlet as it jumped in front of him with a loud and righteous, "NOOOO!", and took the hit which broke his claws and canceled his attack in the process. "Yipes! That's not nice!"
"Meltan...!" gasped Rowlet in surprise at his little brother figure as Meltan now became protective of him, plucking up the courage it needed to save its big brother from Team Rocket.
"Flash Cannon!" Meltan roared as it fired its Steel Type attack at Meowth and sent him flying, landing on top of James and shocking Jessie.
"AHH! I said, 'After you wrap this up'! Are you crazy?!" she exclaimed before she noticed the angry Hex Nut Pokemon as it glared at her and prepared another Flash Cannon. "DAH! No, now wait a minute! Let's talk about this, okay?! LASER-FACE!"
"THIS IS FOR MY BIG BROTHER!" Meltan screamed with righteous fury, firing another Flash Cannon and hitting Jessie as she got burned and collapsed in defeat.
"That was toasty..." she groaned before she felt a familiar brown paw touching her cheek and she looked at its owner before going pale. "Uh-oh..."
"Hi, Auntie," cooed Stufful happily.
"Hi, that only means one thing..." she fretted as Bewear appeared with a "Hello, dearies", before she loaded the defeated Team Rocket onto the truck and Stufful was placed in the driver's seat.
"YAY! I'm driving, Mama! I'm really driving!" he cheered as he took the wheel and he and Bewear smiled happily at each other before they left with Bewear pushing it all the way back home.
"New blast time!"
"Not again!"
"That's all, folks! BYE!" Team Rocket and Stufful shouted (the Flailing Pokemon cheering, actually) and finally causing the ticket clerk to wake up and wonder what was going on.
"Big Brother! Are you hurt, are you okay? Say something! Anything!" fretted Meltan as it checked on Rowlet as he was battered and completely worn out from shielding it from Meowth's Fury Swipes attacks.
"...Ugh, A-Ok, bro!" Rowlet grunted reassuringly, giving Meltan a thumbs-up and making it happy as it cheered and hugged him while spinning his head, startling the Grass Quill Pokemon again.
"ROWLET!" Pikachu screamed, catching their attention as they looked surprised to see the Kanto Mouse Pokemon and Ash coming towards them.
"Hey, Rowlet!" Ash called as the pair finally found the Grass Quill Pokemon and his little brother.
"You okay, man?" Pikachu asked Rowlet, not minding how battered he had gotten despite not knowing about his and Meltan's scuffle with Team Rocket.
But, Ash was startled when he saw how battered and bruised his Alolan Grass Starter was, "Huh? Hey, what in the world happened to you?!"
"Long story," Rowlet sheepishly replied before Meltan went in front of him and cheerfully replied, "Big Brother saved me!"
"What the-?!" cried Pikachu in alarm.
"Ah, it's Meltan!" gasped Ash, smiling as he recalled seeing it and its friends the day they infiltrated the Pokemon School and caused quite a ruckus for everybody, Sarah included with their going after her heirlooms and Magearna. "I wonder if it got separated from its buddies..."
"He's okay now and everything's alright!" Rowlet replied reassuringly as he and Meltan stood side-by-side, both of them ready to tell everybody what had happened between them.
When they got back to the Pokemon School, unlike Sarah, everybody was shocked when saw Meltan with Ash, Pikachu, and Rowlet with Kukui crying in bewilderment, "You found Meltan?!"
"It looks like Rowlet's been taking care of it the whole time," Ash grinned before he was met with a very angry Sarah and Magearna as they glared darkly at him.
"...Why did you find and bring that thing back here? And, how did you come to have one of them with Rowlet, anyway?!" the princess ranted, not happy that Ash had one given what she, her family, and Magearna went through with them previously.
"Need I remind you that those little menacing bottomless pits for Pokemon tried to eat me and my creators' treasures when they came into the school and ate Mr. Sophocles' tools without warning, behind our backs?" Magearna added, seething at the Meltan with Rowlet while everybody else congratulated Rowlet and cooed at the friendly Meltan with him.
"Aww, come on, you two. Everything's okay now, we just need to find its buddies and it'll be like nothing happened," Ash replied with a sheepish smile before Sarah got in his face and gave him a dark frown, a frown used only by her real mother if she was really angry or disappointed about something.
"Well, just as long as you keep them away from me, my family, and Magearna, we'll be peachy. That's the deal, you have it stay away from us and I won't go on a diatribe at it. Got it, Ash Ketchum, Mr. 'I wanna be a Pokemon Master'?"
"...O-O-Okay," Ash stuttered fearfully, nodding in agreement.
"Of all the Pokemon in the world, it had to be that little metal-gobbling phantom menace," Silvally groaned.
"This is a disaster," groaned Dawn (Midday Lycanroc) as he buried his head in his front legs and paws while he laid down, sighing heavily as Misa nuzzled him to comfort her fellow Lycanroc.
"Hmm, how about that? Our resident laidback pillow case CAN do more than just sleep all day," Luna mused thoughtfully, looking at Rowlet and feeling impressed.
"Well, now, who'd thought?" Virizion grinned.
"You're such a good little Pokemon!" Lillie cooed at Rowlet.
"Now, all we need to do is find its friends," Kiawe said.
Their answer came in the form of the elevator to the Command Center opening and everybody saw a much more cheerful Clefable joined by a worn-out Nikki, James, and Tsukumaro (the three of them feeling a little better after finally getting some sleep earlier) along with their Pokemon, Aurora, Harmony, and Trooper coming out. Apart from Sarah's godfather and adoptive parents, their Pokemon, Lusamine's Fairy Type, and the pups seemed to be proud of something only they knew regarding what happened on their end.
"Hey, it's Clefable!"
"And, Tsukumaro, Nikki, James, and their Pokemon!"
"Aurora, Trooper, and Harmony, too," Ash, Mallow, and Lana noted in surprise.
"Clefable, is everything alright? Sarah told us this morning about the Meltan that snuck into the Command Center the night before yesterday," Lillie asked her mother's Pokemon.
"Just watch," grinned Clefable as she marched forward and everybody saw Meltan's friends all following her.
"Meltan!?" Lana gawked as everybody else gasped in shock save for Sarah, her family, Race, and Asha.
"Company, halt!" Celfable ordered, the Meltan stopping as they listened to her before she gave another order, "Pyramid!", then the Meltan formed a pyramid and she finished with, "About...Face!"
The Meltan faced her in a single line which amazed everybody watching as they saw what Clefable was able to do with them while Aurora, Trooper, and Harmony along with their Pokemon crew watched over the little Steel Types.
"Wow!"
"Did you see that?"
"Amazing!"
"They're all listening to Clefable!" Ash, Kiawe, Lillie, and Mallow grinned while Nikki, James, and Tsukumaro chuckled over the ingenious idea Clefable came up with.
"Turns out those Meltan behave the same way as dogs; give them something like a dog treat made of metal for them and you train them so they'll do whatever you tell them to do," James said as Clefable happily tossed them some metal bits to eat and Rowlet brought his little brother to its friends.
"Well, that was an easy search and rescue if I've ever seen one," Kiawe grinned.
The Meltan Group, once they were done eating, noticed their friend and they were happy to see it and even Meltan was happy to see them. It was just about to join them but then, it stopped and looked back at Rowlet, its friends seeing it staring at him longingly.
"...Meltan? Aren't you happy?" Rowlet asked in confusion before Meltan made up its mind and ran to him while spinning its head, not wanting to leave its "big brother" behind.
"That Meltan sure likes Rowlet," chuckled Mallow while the other Meltan spun their heads happily, feeling pleased to see one of their own finding a friend and a new family in Rowlet, giving their approval for it to stay with him.
"Ash, I think this little Meltan wants to stay with Rowlet after what happened between them," Nikki told Ash.
"Goodbye, buddy/See ya/Take care/Bye/We'll miss you/Later!" the other Meltan chirped happily to their friend, Meltan doing the same as it cheerfully said goodbye to them and continued to hug Rowlet as Ash came up to them.
"Hey, Meltan, do you want to stay with Rowlet?" he asked as he got an excited, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!", out of the Hex Nut Pokemon.
"Oh, boy, here we go," Asha sighed as her sister and their family groaned while slumping down and comically falling over, not liking where this was going save for those who just chuckled and shook their heads in amusement.
"Oh, why not? Go ahead, Ash, it's been a while since you've caught your last Pokemon, right? We'll see how the little guy does with you having it on your team," Terrakion grinned, laughing.
Ash grinned and held out a Pokeball, "Awesome! Would it be okay if I caught you?"
Meltan looked over to its big brother figure as Rowlet nodded and hopped onto Ash's empty Pokeball, giving it a peck and his approval, making Ash even more excited. "I had a hunch, Rowlet! Meltan, starting today, you're our friend! Pokeball, GO!"
But, as Ash threw the Pokeball to catch Meltan, the first attempt bombed as it landed on Meltan's face and got stuck in the whole of its head, causing everybody, save for Sarah and Magearna, to gasp in shock, surprise, and disappointment as he retrieved the ball for a second attempt.
"One more time! Go, Pokeball!" And, this time, Ash was more successful as his aim was true and it hit Meltan, sucking it inside, and then, shaking three times before the lock clicked shut, his capture a success.
"YEAH! I JUST CAUGHT A MELTAN!"
"BOOYAH!" Ash and Pikachu cheered before the former brought Meltan out of its Pokemon and back to its rightful place with Rowlet by its side, the Hex Nut Pokemon cheering as it excitedly approached and hugged him again while spinning its head (Rowlet also feeling happy despite the pain he felt from its head spinning like crazy from their brotherly love).
"Heh, look at those two."
"You take care of each other, now."
And so, Rowlet and the newly discovered Pokemon, Meltan, have formed a great team! From now on, they'll always be together as friends, and perhaps more, perhaps even, brothers...as the journey continues!