Unown's advice helped, once Ash remembered to consult them, and the King's orb ended up sealed away behind a Fairy Lock – courtesy of Mew, who turned into a Klefki for the purpose – and while that wouldn't necessarily stop the King from getting out it would stop anyone else from touching it.

Then it got wrapped up in a bag covered with warning signs, and Mew put it inside the statue itself – somewhere that it was easily retrieved if they came up with a better idea, but also somewhere where it wasn't going to be easily accessible without going into the site.

"Thanks, Mew," Ash said, smiling. "And sorry about the short notice."

"You don't have to be sorry, dad," Mew replied.

"Yeah, but… I feel like I should," Ash answered. "I know this wasn't anyone's fault, but – I'm grateful for your help."

He nodded. "And I did notice you used the dad word… and I don't mind at all."

Mew beamed.

"You have a strange family," Brandon said. "Not a problem, just an observation… now, I think there was a battle we were going to have?"

"Yeah!" Ash agreed. "Mew, do you want to watch?"

"I'd like that," Mew said. "I've still got some things to learn from Mewtwo, but I could watch. I…"

They curled their tail a little, and took it. "I don't know if I'm going to be okay battling in future. That's not me saying that I don't want to battle, I mean that I just… don't know."

"That's fine," Ash assured them, immediately. "If you don't want to, you don't have to. If you want to, I'd be glad to help you learn. It doesn't matter to me."

"Ahem," Pikachu said.

"...okay, it'd be nice to share something with you, but it shouldn't matter to me," Ash amended slightly. "And if it does… that's a problem with me."

"It makes me happier to battle for you because it's a choice," Koraidon contributed, then looked at Absol. "...actually, does it count as a disaster if Ash loses the coming battle?"

"If it does, I can't sense it," Absol said.

"No surprise there," Pikachu riposted.

Absol glared at him, then shook his head. "But I'm pretty sure rematches are allowed. So it wouldn't be one."

"Okay!" Koraidon said, nodding. "I wondered."

When they got to the Battle Pyramid, Mew spent a minute flying around the outside, then came down again.

"Is that all solar panels?" they asked.

Ash passed that on, and Brandon nodded a confirmation.

"Yes, it's able to sustain power to the countergravity units and rotors indefinitely in sunlight, and it can store the power for a soft landing followed by a climb to ten kilometres even in darkness," he said. "It's got a maximum altitude of fifteen kilometres, though it has to be sealed and pressurized to do that – that way it can fly above the weather."

"Wow," Max said, whistling. "Have you ever done battles that high up?"

"No, I haven't," Brandon answered. "There's not really much point, because the arena's inside… though I did consider having a Battle Dirigible at one point, but that just didn't fit the right style."

"Ah, there you are, Brandon!" Scott waved. "My word! Is the Mew a new Pokémon?"

"Mew's with me," Ash said. "We had… kind of an unusual experience in some nearby ruins, and Latias went to get Mew, Unown and Absol to help us out… but they're all just here to watch, now."

"I am here to do other things as well," Unown corrected, paused, then drifted over to Koraidon.

Koraidon listened to something they said, then replied quietly, and Unown floated back up again.

"Correction," they said. "I am here to watch, because I am mostly eye."

"Was that a joke?" Ash asked. "I think it was pretty good!"

"This match will be three Pokémon a side," said the Battle Pyramid's referee.

He was called Samuel, and Brandon had introduced him as both a referee and a research partner, but right now the important bit was that he was the referee.

"Three, right," Ash said. "I guess… yeah, I should be good. That actually makes it easier to choose than if it was two or four."

He picked a Pokéball out of his saddlebags. "Okay, ready when you are!"

"Can all those not competing please leave the arena itself!" Samuel asked, and Koraidon realized that probably meant her.

She turned, jumping up into the ranks of seats around the arena, and once she was properly seated Samuel raised his hand.

"Begin!" he instructed.

Ash sent out Grovyle, who landed on springy feet, and opposite him Brandon sent out a Solrock.

"Hmm," Ash frowned. "That means – Grovyle, look out! Razor Leaf!"

"Fire Spin," Brandon responded, and Solrock surrounded itself with flame from all eight points as it whirled like a fireworks wheel. The Razor Leaf attacks disintegrated, then the spurts of flame all combined together into a single barrage that washed down on Grovyle and engulfed him in flame.

"Grovyle – Extremespeed!" Ash called. "Move faster than the flames!"

Grovyle crouched, then blurred across the arena in a shoom of displaced air, and the flames remained behind for a moment before collapsing in on themselves. Some of them formed a great trail reaching out across the arena towards the Grass-type, but didn't reach him before going out.

"Great!" Ash called. "Do that whenever you get hit – now, Razor Leaf!"

"Sunny Day," Brandon countered. "Psywave."

The Psywave pulse disrupted Grovyle's attack, and Ash frowned.

"This would be really good if Grovyle had Solar Blade…" he admitted, glancing back to make eye contact with Pikachu for a moment. "But – Grovyle, Extremespeed before you attack! Razor Leaf from an unexpected direction!"

"Fire Spin," Brandon instructed.

"Wait!" Ash called, as Grovyle finished blurring across the arena and whirled to attack. "Hold it – and – again!"

Correctly interpreting what Ash meant, Grovyle darted back across the room, then used Razor Leaf as the Fire Spin began to fade. His attack got through, hitting the Rock-type in several places, then Brandon called for a Flamethrower and Grovyle got doused in Sunny-Day boosted flame.

Then there was a crack as he used Extremespeed, leaving the flames behind, and Ash pointed.

"Extremespeed in and up!" he called. "Night Slash!"

"Fire Spin!" Brandon said, but he was just a moment too late that time. Grovyle got too close to Solrock too fast, and hit the Rock-type with a Night Slash that knocked Solrock spinning backwards through the air.

"That's one tough Pokémon," Ash admitted, because Solrock didn't seem fazed so far. "Keep it up, Grovyle!"

"Start making wider attacks," Brandon instructed. "Grovyle's dodges are letting him avoid your single target ones… Solar Beam."

"Huh?" Ash asked, then Solrock fired down a jet of focused sunlight. It didn't do much damage to Grovyle, but it dazzled him, and Ash pointed.

"To the left!" he said. "Quick!"

Grovyle dodged left, out of the way of the Shadow Ball aimed his way, but didn't quite control his speed properly and slammed into the side wall of the arena not far from a corner.

"Flamethrower!" Brandon ordered.

"Breaking Swipe!" Ash replied, and Grovyle was engulfed in flame for a long moment.

Then a pair of glowing arm blades slashed their way out of the Flamethrower, scattering it, and Sceptile exploded out of the arena corner before returning fire with a Razor Leaf.

"All right, Sceptile!" Ash called. "Keep it up – dodge left, spring off the wall and Extremespeed! Night Slash!"

"Keep yourself cloaked in Fire Spin," Brandon said, calmly. "Sceptile's going to have to come close to attack."

"He's right about that, Sceptile," Ash said. "Are you up to it?"

"Of course I am," Sceptile replied, crouching slightly, then darted in to attack with Night Slash, and exploded away from Solrock again as soon as he'd landed his attack. "If I have to take a hit to attack, that's exactly what I'll do!"

"Ouch," Mew winced, as Sceptile got slammed into the ground by a Flamethrower – then sprang away from it with a whoosh that left the flames behind. "That looked painful."

"Sometimes battling is like that," Koraidon agreed. "I think… a lot of what makes it okay is that the Pokémon go into it okay with it. Does that make sense?"

"I think so," Mew said. "If you make someone do something they are not okay with, whether that is through social pressure or some other means, then it becomes not okay."

"Right!" Koraidon agreed. "That's really the important bit."

She glanced up at where Zorua was sitting. "It's okay to take a while to make up your mind. It's okay to change it too. And-"

"Razor Leaf, point-blank!" Ash called, accidentally interrupting her. "Grab on!"

Sceptile reached out to Solrock's points, grabbing on to the Rock-type, and bombarded them with close-range Razor Leaf attacks.

"Fire Spin!" Brandon retorted, and Solrock engulfed them both in flame. Both Pokémon kept attacking one another for a long moment, then Ash gestured sharply with a hoof.

"Extremespeed up!" he called. "Knock Solrock down!"

Sceptile did just that, springing away from Solrock hard enough to reach the roof and knock Solrock towards the floor, and Ash followed up as soon as Sceptile was nearly to the roof. "Now, kick off the roof and come back down – Night Slash!"

"Psywave!" Brandon called, then Sceptile went right back down through the still-fading flame and hit Solrock into the floor with a crash.

"Thank you so much, Sceptile," Ash said, as the smoke cleared – revealing his Grass-type breathing heavily and swaying on his feet, and Solrock out for the count. "I'm… yeah, I'm going to call you back, okay?"

"I… do appreciate that," Sceptile admitted, and Ash recalled him before he actually fell over like he was clearly threatening to do.

"You don't want to hear what my next Pokémon is first?" Brandon checked.

Ash shook his head. "No, I already know who I'm using next."

He raised a second Pokéball, and Brandon nodded firmly. "Very well, then… for someone like you, Ash, I'm bringing my strongest Pokémon. Regirock, I need you!"

"Charizard!" Ash retorted, and his tough Fire-type came out in a flash of light. "Like we practiced, all right?"

"Got it, Ash!" Charizard replied, taking off to hover overhead.

"Begin!" Samuel instructed.

"Stone Edge!" Brandon said, immediately.

"Steel Wing and roll!" Ash replied.

Charizard's wings flashed with a silvery-grey light, and smashed aside the half-dozen rocks that came flying towards him. Then he just kept going, flying past Regirock at close range, and Ash raised his voice.

"Dragon Breath!" he called.

Charizard blasted Regirock with a jet of greenish flame, catching the Rock-type from behind, then spread his wings with a crack and pulled back up out of range – avoiding a swipe from Regirock.

"Hmm," Brandon frowned. "Regirock, Lock On!"

"Fire Spin!" Ash retorted. "Charizard, hide your position!"

Regirock's Lock On flashed into the cloud of flame, and Brandon frowned as he tried to judge if it was working.

"Zap Cannon!" he called.

"Focus Blast!" Ash retorted, and a glowing sphere whipped out of Charizard's dissolving Fire Spin. It crashed into the Zap Cannon, detonating both attacks in a cloud of sparks, and Brandon waved his hand.

"Look out for another one of those!" he said. "Regirock – Iron Defence!"

"As you command," Regirock stated, glowing with steely light, then Brandon called for Shock Wave attacks and Regirock opened fire.

Charizard flew higher over the arena, moving fast, then banked around and fired a Focus Blast down at Regirock. The Rock-type countered with Stone Edge on Brandon's command, sending fragments flying everywhere and largely negating the attack, and Ash cantered to the side a little to get a slightly different view.

"Fly low!" he called, waving. "Come straight in for a Dragon Tail to knock Regirock over!"

"Lock On, Regirock," Brandon instructed.

Charizard banked around, following Ash's orders exactly and dropping until he was barely above the ground, and Regirock's Lock On pulsed out.

"Zap Cannon!" Brandon ordered.

"Steel Wing!" Ash countered. "Slide it along the floor!"

Regirock used Zap Cannon, and got a direct hit, but the sliding, sparking contact of Charizard's Steel Wing along the ground drew away almost all the force of the attack. It swerved Charizard off course a little as well, but that was nothing compared to the enormous benefit of simply not taking the main blow from the Zap Cannon, and Charizard rolled back on course before hitting Regirock with a Dragon Tail that knocked the Rock-type flat over onto their back.

"Nooo!" Brandon protested. "Regirock, back on your feet!"

"Compliance," Regirock confirmed, pushing itself back upright, and Ash glanced between Regirock and Charizard.

Both Pokémon were still hale, ready to keep going, and he nodded. "Keep it up, Charizard!"

"Something about this is really bringing home how much Ash has improved," Brock said, softly. "Not just in having powerful new Pokémon, but his relations with the Pokémon he has… it really shows with Charizard."

"It does?" May asked. "How come?"

"Oh, I think I know," Max realized. "You're thinking of Ash's first League, right?"

"Not just that, but yes," Brock confirmed. "Charizard… there was a period when he fought for Ash, but not with Ash. He'd only bother to get involved if it was a serious fight, he'd disobey all the time… he went to sleep and forfeited Ash's first League battle."

"Wow," May said, watching as again Ash gave Charizard exact instructions, and Charizard followed them without question – and Ash turned out to have just the plan for the situation, leading to a powerful hit on Regirock that justified the risk. "What happened?"

"They both grew up," Brock answered. "I wasn't there, but I heard about it… and, well, Charizard learned to trust that Ash had his best interests at heart, and Ash learned how to manage Charizard."

They all winced as one of Charizard's Steel-Wing shields went a little wrong, and Stone Edge rocks got through to hit Charizard's body. The Fire-type wasn't having it all his own way, but the battle was still going and Charizard was fighting hard.

"I wonder when…" Max began, then shook his head. "I'm sure he's got a plan."

"Charizard," Ash called, and his Fire-type adjusted his course to circle much closer to Ash – too close for Brandon to hear. "How are you holding up?"

"Just fine, Ash!" Charizard said, wings beating as he adjusted his trajectory a little.

"Think it's time?" Ash added.

Charizard was silent for a long moment, as he examined Regirock.

"Yeah," he said, nodding. "Yeah – let's do this!"

"Right!" Ash said. "Charizard – Overheat!"

Charizard launched down a mighty blast of swirling flame, bright enough that Brandon and Samuel both threw up their arms in reflex, then Brandon blinked the after-image out of his vision and frowned.

"Why would-" he began. "Regirock, look out!"

The blast of flame had also made Regirock lose track of where Charizard was, and Brandon didn't have enough time for a proper warning. Charizard hit the Rock-type from behind in a full-bodied charge, grabbing Regirock by the shoulders and lifting them into the air with a convulsive wing-slamming heave, and Ash whooped.

"All right!" he said. "Now – Charizard, Seismic Toss!"

"Zap Cannon!" Brandon called.

Charizard roared as Regirock hit him with a Zap Cannon, and lightning flashed around his wings. Then he spread them, golden light surging around his scales and throwing off the paralyzing impact of the Zap Cannon, and soared high into the central hall of the Battle Pyramid.

"Take THIS!" he demanded. "SEISMIC TOSS!"

Light spattering off his wings, he pulled Regirock around in a complete loop, then threw the Rock-type at the ground with an almighty crash that shook the whole Pyramid.

"I'm very glad we went for the expensive shock absorbers," Scott said, shaking his head a little. "Is Regirock still able to battle?"

"...no," Samuel judged. "Pyramid King Brandon is down to his last Pokémon."

Ash raised Charizard's Pokéball, but the Fire-type held up his forepaw.

"No, Ash," he said, panting. "Not yet. I know who your third choice is… I know Sceptile's tired, probably more tired than I am. But knowing who Brandon's third Pokémon is is going to be really important for you here."

He stretched his wings out. "It's up to you, but… please. Let me be the one to take the risk."

"Charizard…" Ash said, touched, then nodded. "All right. If you want to – go ahead."

"You have a strong bond with your Pokémon, Ash," Brandon nodded, recalling Regirock. "Now, it's time for you to see my third Pokémon for this match – the Pokémon you need to overcome to win the Brave Symbol."

He held up their Pokéball, and Registeel emerged in a flash.

"Two Legendary Pokémon… that's not normal, right?" May asked. "I've just realized I actually need to ask."

"Not normal, no," Max answered, before Brock could. "Steel type."

May grumbled something, then Samuel called for them to begin.

"Flamethrower!" Ash ordered, straight away, and Charizard hit Registeel with a jet of flame. It was weaker than his earlier Flamethrowers had been, though, the Overheat impacting his strength, and Brandon frowned slightly.

"Sandstorm!" he instructed, and Registeel spread both arms out to make a T-shape before starting to spin like a top. It might have been based on Gyro Ball, they weren't sure, but it was definitely forming a Sandstorm now, and within moments the air was full of flying sand that hazed out the whole area.

"Zorrr," Zorua said, tilting his head.

"Me-eew," Mew replied.

"Registeel jumped!" Ash warned. "Charizard, look-"

An orange flash of light appeared through the Sandstorm, then there was a crash. Charizard fought back despite the Hyper Beam, spitting another Flamethrower at Registeel, but when the Steel-type landed on him that was it and he was out for the count.

"Thanks for everything, Charizard," Ash said, recalling him, then shook his saddlebags off. "Latias, can you-"

"Got them," Latias replied, taking the saddlebags, and Pikachu jumped to her back as well.

"Challenger, you should send out your third Pokémon," Samuel pointed out.

"I'm doing it," Ash replied. "Hang on a second…"

He considered carefully, then selected the Knuckle Badge. His ring changed colour, and he cantered forwards onto the arena.

"I'm my third Pokémon!" he said. "Everyone else who's battled for me in the Battle Frontier has done such great work… I want to be part of it too."

"Interesting," Brandon assessed. "Is there anything specific about this you want to pass on?"

"Well… Pikachu's going to be giving me warnings of things if I don't look like I've seen them," Ash replied. "But apart from that, I'm doing this myself. It's not the first time!"

"Good luck, dad!" Mew called, and Ash glanced up with a smile.

"Very well, then," Samuel said. "If you have no objections, Pyramid King?"

"I have no objections," Brandon told him, formally.

"Resume!" Samuel called.

"Whirl up the Sandstorm again!" Brandon instructed.

Ash cantered around in a half-circle, focusing his Foresight to see through the sand, then used Flamethrower. It hit home, lighting Registeel up with a ruddy orange colour for a moment, then the Steel-type cooled off again.

"Hm!" Brandon frowned. "Focus Punch!"

Ash slid to a halt for a moment, gazing through the sand and watching as Registeel prepared their attack.

"I assume you know about this!" Pikachu called.

"Yeah, but thanks!" Ash replied, then used Extremespeed to spring into the air just as Registeel committed. The Steel-type's attack missed, and Ash fired a Flamethrower down through the whirling sand before landing with a bit of a stumble.

"Ow," he said, shaking himself slightly.

"Look out!" Pikachu snapped, and Ash pushed himself forwards to avoid an Iron Head attack directed right at him. Registeel flew past at close range, hitting him with a Mega Punch, then flipped around and landed with a whung.

"Systems functional," they declared.

Ash considered for a moment, then used Flamethrower.

"Lock On!" Brandon instructed, as the sandstorm faded away around them. "Zap Cannon!"

Ash darted to the side, whipping up rooster-tails of sand, and Registeel went straight from Zap Cannon to Flash Cannon. That moved much faster, and despite Ash's use of Extremespeed to dodge Registeel managed to play the beam across his body three times before it faded away.

"Ow," Ash muttered, shaking himself out, then used Recover and followed it up immediately with a Sky Attack. That hit Registeel quite hard, doubly so when Ash used Flamethrower at close range, but Brandon called on Registeel to use Gyro Ball and whip the flames away with the force of their spin.

"Ash, you're not hitting hard enough," Pikachu advised. "Flamethrower's your best move for this right now, but I don't think it's enough."

"Yeah, I need to work something out," Ash agreed, then began moving faster. He used Flamethrower and Confusion at the same time, holding the result in a kind of psychic blob, then threw it all at Registeel at once.

The Steel-type dissipated it with a whirl of Gyro Ball.

"...I really hoped that would work," Ash sighed, then got hit by a Flash Cannon again.

Up in the stands, Koraidon perked up suddenly.

"Wait!" she said. "Dad chose the Fighting type, I guess he was hoping to work out a new move, but he's not properly fighting in a Fighting way. That's what he's missing… um… hey, Mew, you know a lot of things, right?"

"I know some things," Mew replied. "What do you want to know specifically?"

"Is it cheating to give advice?" Koraidon asked. "I know that Pikachu can tell Dad things, but can any of us?"

"I don't actually know that," Mew admitted, then noticed Max leaning over to Brock.

"I think it's okay as long as you're not taking over being the trainer," Brock replied.

"Got it!" Koraidon said. "Dad! Fight in a Fighting way!"

"...right!" Ash realized. "Thanks, Koraidon!"

He skipped back a few steps, watching again as Registeel attacked, then dodged left and watched what happened.

Registeel immediately whirled around to target him with the Flash Cannon – and Ash slammed the floor with his hooves, switching from going left to going right.

And Registeel had to first stop, then come around the other way.

Fighting in a Fighting way. Like Primeape. Noticing what you and your opponent could and couldn't do, and using it.

Ash charged, closing most of the distance to Registeel in a moment of air rushing through his ring, then kicked out at Registeel with the last of his Extremespeed speed. The impact knocked Registeel sliding away, and as they turned to respond Ash darted the other way – right across Registeel's arc of fire.

Whirling on one hoof, Ash kicked out with his rear hooves at Registeel this time, getting in the full extension of all four legs into a single powerful blow.

"Gyro Ball!" Brandon ordered, to fend off Ash's next attack, and Ash adjusted his position slightly.

When he'd been flying after Pidgeot, he'd kicked off against thin air… so he could do the same now!

His hooves lashed out again, but this time they didn't quite make contact with Registeel. The shockwave they left did, though, forming pulses of Fighting-typed energy, and the impact knocked Registeel over.

"Noooo!" Brandon cried, seeing what was about to happen.

The Gyro Ball instantly became a liability, slamming Registeel's arms into the ground several times and leaving large dents.

The moment Registeel stopped, facing upwards, they used Hyper Beam, and Ash staggered back from the force of the attack before using Extremespeed to run off to the side.

Rearing up, he responded with another shockwave of Fighting energy, and both blasts hit Registeel. A Flash Cannon came back at him, and Ash ducked it before using Recover.

It looked like he could get around behind Registeel, and unless the Steel-type got up he'd be able to-

"Stop!" Brandon instructed. "Registeel, status report!"

"Motive power disabled," Registeel replied.

"...oh, uh, Registeel can't move?" Ash said. "If they can't move, does that mean…?"

"I am not willing to drag this out over a foregone conclusion," Brandon explained. "Well done, Ash Ketchum. You have overcome my challenge, and with it, the Battle Frontier."

Latias whooped, and Koraidon jumped out of the stands to come down and join him, and as everyone reached him Brandon gave Ash a golden symbol marked with a stylized view of the Battle Pyramid from above.

"You have earned it," he said, then blinked as Pikachu got Ash's Pokédex out of the saddlebags. "Is something wrong?"

"Brave souls and strong hearts will never let down their friends," Ash said. "The Frontier Symbols have all had these things they say, it's… uh…"

"Done," Pikachu reported, then looked up.

The Brave Symbol was glowing. So were the other six Symbols in their case, and all seven floated free and into the air to form a circle.

The circle rotated around its centre, faster and faster, then compressed into a single point of glowing light… which, a moment later, formed into a single piece of gold. An amulet, in the design of Ash's ring, and with a small loop at the top for a string.

Ash held out a hoof, and caught it as it fell.

"One heart is the key to another's true strength," he recited. "...huh."

"Ooh," Zorua said, peering at it as Pikachu started typing again. "Shiny!"

AN:

That's weird.

And that's the Battle Frontier, or at least the Battle Frontier itself. There's still a bit more to do in Kanto.