The next morning, Rowan explained their third activity – which wasn't meant to start until around sunset, so they had the whole day to get themselves prepared.

"This is because it's all about two things – Ghost-types, and teamwork," Professor Rowan told them. "Ghost type Pokémon are some of the Pokémon which people have the most trouble approaching."

"That seems correct," Miraidon said, with an electronic sigh. "Poor uncle Giratina. That has never really been different, has it?"

"It's different now," Koraidon said, stepping back to pat her sibling on the shoulder. "Giratina is happier now, and I bet Dad will take us to visit him again later. Right, Dad?"

"Yeah, but don't forget Professor Rowan is explaining," Ash pointed out.

"Sorry," Koraidon winced.

Professor Rowan had stopped while the byplay took place, recognizing it even if he couldn't understand most of the conversation, and he fixed both of the Dragon-types with a stern look and a bristly moustache.

"Ahem," he said, reprovingly. "If I may continue… because Ghost-type Pokémon are Pokémon which people have trouble approaching, what you will be doing today is going in pairs through a forest to the Summit Ruins. The forest has plenty of Ghost-type Pokémon in it, and to show that you've gone there you will need to retrieve a Summit Medal from the ruins before returning to the starting point."

Mew raised their tail.

"Who are the teams going to be?" they asked. "And how does that change for us?"

Ash translated that, and Professor Rowan checked his clipboard.

"Well, Koraidon and Miraidon are the two Summer Camp attendees," he said. "But there's no rule about who you should team up with, and that's exactly why we're starting this early. You have all day to form your teams of two students, and since you won't be setting off until seven PM or later you'll also have time to get to know your teammates – however you want to do that."

"I think I see," Miraidon decided. "So because you're with me, then it's sort of like I'm forming a team and you come along with me. And when Koraidon is with someone, Zorua and Sandshrew would go with her but they wouldn't count as the other half of the team."

Ash translated that as well, and Mitchell tried not to giggle.

"It's a lot more complicated than just saying it's two humans, but I guess that's just what makes sense, right?" he asked.

"Indeed it is," Professor Rowan nodded. "Now, you can pick your teammates any way you wish, but if you haven't done it by lunch… well, I'll be quite surprised!"

As people started looking around, trying to find partners, Koraidon glanced at her siblings.

"Should we form a team together?" she asked. "It doesn't feel like that's really how it should be."

"Meet people," Zorua agreed, looking around, then turned his attention to Ash. "Right?"

"Yeah, I think Koraidon's got the right idea," Ash said, with a nod. "I'll do my best to go back and forth between you so I can help you both have conversations with whoever you end up working with, okay? And – don't forget to use your telepathy in an emergency, okay?"

Mew nodded.

"Got it, Dad," they said.

"I really need to learn telepathy," Latias admitted. "Maybe you could teach me later?"

Mew nodded, a bit hesitantly.

"I guess that would work," they said. "It might take a while though."

"You don't need to worry!" Kendall said, thumping his thumb into his chest. "I'll protect you from the Ghosts we're going to encounter!"

Dawn frowned. "That's… not really what we're meant to do, right?"

"It is," Kendall defended himself. "We're going to be running into Ghosts, so I'll make sure to keep you safe."

Piplup sniffed.

"There's no need to be rude, Piplup," Dawn said. "But – what I'm getting at, Kendall, is that Ghosts are just Ghosts. They're Pokémon."

"I know they can be scary, but we won't have anything to worry about," Kendall insisted. "Nothing at all."

Dawn exhaled a sigh.

"Right," she said. "We don't have anything to worry about, because in most cases people don't need protecting from Ghosts… I mean, look at Cynthia's Spiritomb."

"I will be honest," Kendall began. "I would very much prefer not to."

Dawn shrugged. "Your choice, I guess," she said. "But Spiritomb's nice. They help with cooking."

"Okay, now I'm a bit intimidated by you," Kendall added. "Seriously? You get help from Cynthia's Spiritomb with cooking?"

"They know Will-o-Wisp," Dawn replied. "And they're really good with it… anyway, do you have a Pokémon with Flash? That might help us see where we're going."

"Um," Mitchell said. "I'm… not really sure how we're going to have a conversation?"

"My dad will be available soon and we will be able to talk then," Miraidon said, then raised a metal paw in a considering gesture. "Though you do not understand the explanation, of course, which makes it of limited use."

"I guess you're polite," Mitchell decided, managing a smile. "...actually, that is a guess, but… what Type are you, actually? I don't think I've ever seen another Pokémon like you. I'm guessing maybe Steel and Electric?"

Miraidon raised their head, and used Dragon Pulse. A tongue of greenish fire rose into the air, then they lowered their muzzle again and briefly relaxed their control on their Ability.

"...Dragon and Electric?" Mitchell guessed, and got a nod. "And, obviously, Smeargle is Normal-type – oh, actually, do either of you know moves that are any good against Ghosts? Elekid's got Thunder Shock, but his only other damaging move is Swift and that's useless against Ghosts. Um, obviously."

Miraidon considered.

"I think you've got better options?" they asked Mew. "Well, obviously you would."

"That's right, but I hope I don't have to use them," Mew agreed. "It's the kind of thing to only do in emergencies."

They flicked their tail, and used Shadow Ball.

"Okay, that's neat!" Mitchell said. "That makes me feel a lot better about this… I've seen Ghost-types before but I've never actually deliberately tried to meet a lot of them."

"I never knew a Ghost-type could be so fluffy," Angie said.

Zorua tried to follow Angie's hand as she scratched him, then got twisted up and toppled over onto his back.

"Oops," he said.

"I'm glad you like Zorua," Koraidon decided. "This is a good team up."

Ash chuckled, then passed that on, and Angie looked relieved.

"I'm glad you think so," she said. "It's really weird, still, to be working with a Pokémon – I'm trying not to let it affect what I do, because it shouldn't, but obviously it does because I can't ignore it. So, uh… sorry about that?"

While she was speaking, her Shinx came up to inspect Zorua.

The Ghost-type waved, then rolled upright and waved properly.

"Hello," he said.

"What kind of Pokémon are you?" Shinx asked. "I've never met a Zorua before."

"Normal Ghost," Zorua replied.

Shinx looked confused.

"You mean… Ghost type?" he asked. "Just Ghost?"

Zorua shook his head.

"Normal Ghost," he repeated.

"I think we're going to have to explain in more detail," Sandshrew said, trying not to laugh. "Zorua is Normal and Ghost type."

Shinx frowned.

"Were you actually designed as the perfect teammate for this challenge?" he asked. "In a lab, or something?"

Zorua shook his head.

Garchomp said something.

"Good question," Lucario admitted. "I'll pass it on to the boss. Please hold. Your call is important to us."

"Gaar," the Dragon-type said.

"Something up?" Cynthia asked, as she arrived at the finish line for the Summit Ruins challenge.

"Well, Garchomp was wondering about the trainer who was going to have to miss out on this," Lucario replied. "And what they're doing. Since there's only twenty-nine camp attendees."

"That is a good question," Cynthia replied, looking ahead to Professor Rowan at the finish line. "I suppose if Rowan doesn't have an idea, we could give Rowlet some experience working at night… Professor?"

"Thank you for your help with this, Champion," Rowan told her. "You've got the times each pair started?"

"Yes," Cynthia agreed, putting the sheet down. "So who's the odd person out?"

"Hmm," Rowan frowned. "Well, Team Rayquaza is the one with only nine people attending, so it should be one of them… Yozo?"

"Professor?" the assistant replied.

"You didn't send the spare person back to the dorms, did you?" he asked. "We did have a consolation activity planned for them."

"What spare person?" Yozo replied. "I definitely had ten kids, that's five pairs."

"Well, that's not worrying," Lucario said. "I wonder what's going on here?"

"Go and have a look, Garchomp," Cynthia instructed. "Just check on everyone in Team Rayquaza."

Garchomp nodded, then took off with a whoosh of air.

"...sometimes it's hard to remember a Ground-type dragon can do that," Yozo admitted. "At least Flygon gives you hints."

"Well?" Samurott asked, Seamitars ready. "Are we going to make an issue out of this?"

"...no, ma'am," the Gengar replied, shaking his head firmly. "We're just out to scare people, that's all, and you're clearly not someone who can be scared and nor is your trainer. We'll be on our way now."

The Haunter next to him giggled.

"That was funny, though," she said.

Samurott looked over her shoulder at where Kendall had made a creditable attempt to break the land-speed record for a boy in running shoes.

Dawn was torn between a giggle and a sigh. "I'm reminded of what everyone was like back in Jubilife Village when a Shinx wandered into town…"

"What I want to know is why he doesn't have a Pokémon with Foresight," Samurott said, shaking her head, and sheathed a Seamitar. "Dawn?"

Dawn looked around at the sound of her name in Samurott, and Samurott pointed in the direction Kendall had gone before gesturing in the direction they were supposed to be going.

"Good point," Dawn agreed. "We are supposed to finish this as a team… Sneasel, do you think you can go and get him?"

"I feel a bit sorry for Miraidon," Koraidon admitted, as they headed down into the Summit Ruins. "Because you've been around for me so much of the time today."

"I know, it's kind of tricky," Ash admitted. "I tried to do my best to switch back and forth between you and your siblings, but I have to pick someone here."

"Yeah, I'll have to make it up to them later," Koraidon decided. "Any ideas, guys?"

Zorua considered, sitting back on Koraidon's head.

"Sandwich," he suggested.

Koraidon looked conflicted.

"...all right, that is a good idea," she said, eventually. "You're good at this, Zorua."

Zorua looked pleased.

Then Garchomp went overhead with a whoosh, waving briefly, and was gone.

"Huh!" Angie said. "I wonder what was going on there?"

"Yeah, so do I," Ash agreed. "That was Cynthia's Garchomp, right?"

"Name another Garchomp you'd expect to be around here," Pikachu said. "But, yeah, that was her."

There was a loud bang which made Angie jump, then Garchomp came zipping back over again.

"Just to make sure I'm right about this – unless I'm wrong, you know Foresight?" the Dragon-type checked.

"Yeah, I know Foresight!" Ash agreed. "Is something wrong?"

"Ruin's haunted," Garchomp explained, shortly. "A non-Pokémon ghost who tried to trick someone into walking off a cliff. If you can use Foresight when she comes back down again, that would help."

Zorua growled.

"Not nice ghost," he said.

"Comes back down again?" Ash repeated, and looked up.

He could see something moving up there.

"Dragon Tail," Garchomp clarified. "Should be about… five, four, three-"

"Thank you," Mitchell said, with a sigh of relief. "And… I never thought I'd see Ghost type Pokémon this way."

"What, with your eyes?" a Shuppet asked, sticking his tongue out.

That got a giggle from the Misdreavus next to him, before the other Ghost-type took another bite of her berry.

"Wherever you come from, whatever you are, that doesn't define you," Mew said. "It's what you do that defines you. Right?"

"Right," Miraidon agreed. "And the funny thing is… I know exactly what my reason for existing is. And I… go back and forth on whether I think that's a comfortable thing or not. Because I was made to save a life, and solve a problem."

Mitchell's Elekid gave Miraidon a weird look.

"That's oddly specific," she said.

"So is why I exist," Miraidon replied. "And if I think it's a comfortable thing, that means I'm proud of it… but if I'm not in that kind of mood, I know that what matters is who I am. Which is what I do now, not what I was made to do."

"Exactly!" Mew agreed, nodding.

"Hi, guys!" Ash said, trotting past, with a Garchomp floating above him holding a kind of spectral-looking human ghost in an armlock. "Sorry, we need to get this sorted out quickly!"

"Need help?" Latias asked, her squeaky voice coming from about six feet over Miraidon's head.

"No, I think Garchomp and I have got this!" Ash replied. "Thanks for the offer!"

"...huh," Mitchell said. "That's odd."

He frowned. "Actually, uh – is it okay if we go and get our Summit Medal now? I think I sort of forgot about that bit."

"Yes, good point!" Miraidon replied.

Then began trying to work out how to do charades to indicate that it might be quicker if Mitchell sat on their back.

"...why did your eyes just turn into hourglasses?" Mitchell asked, after a few seconds.

"I hope you've all been enjoying your time at the summer camp?" Professor Rowan asked, the next morning.

Late the next morning, because everyone had been up quite late that night.

"Yeah, it was fun!" Koraidon said, nodding enthusiastically. "Except for the bit with the evil ghost who tried to trick people in bad ways that would have hurt them a lot – or worse. That bit wasn't fun."

"What she said," Conway agreed.

Everyone gave him odd looks.

"You don't know what she said," Kendall pointed out. "I don't know what she said."

"She was nodding," Conway replied. "I guessed that meant that I'd agree with her."

Koraidon exchanged a glance with her siblings.

"I've got an idea for a prank now, but I probably shouldn't do it," she said, then shook her head. It was in a sort of tilt-one-way-then-the-other way, and Zorua clung to her feathers as she did.

"Whee," he said.

"There's one main activity left," Rowan said. "And that's the Pokémon Triathlon. It's a three-part race, where competitors don't use any of their own Pokémon, but instead they use two random borrowed Pokémon."

He put a map on an easel, but it wasn't a very good one. "Everyone starts here, at the building, and they go into the forest to a checkpoint. When they get there, they borrow a random Pokémon and ride on that Pokémon to the second checkpoint. That's at the far side of the lake from here, and they swap their first Pokémon for one to cross the lake – then, once they're on this side, it's a straight dash to the finish line back here."

Miraidon raised their paw.

"Miraidon?" Professor Rowan asked.

"How will that work with us?" Miraidon asked. "I am bigger and heavier than a human and so is my sister."

"Miraidon and Koraidon weigh a lot more than humans do," Ash translated. "And I guess they do run a lot faster, too. So, uh… is there a way for it to work for them?"

"We actually did think of that, but it's not a great solution," Professor Rowan admitted. "Since without the two of you there's nine members for each team, we thought it might work out if Koraidon and Miraidon had their own race with three laps instead of one."

"That would be interesting," Koraidon admitted, as Zorua crouched down with his tail wiggling. "Though that would just mean we were having a race with one another. I'm not sure if I like that."

"It wouldn't have to be a serious race," Miraidon said. "We'd just be having a nice run, going in the same direction."

They looked up, in contemplation. "What about if we make it a rule that we have to cross the lake without touching it, the second time?"

Koraidon looked at her sibling suspiciously, head twitching a bit as Zorua jumped off her head and floated over to Latias. "Can't you float?"

"Yes," Miraidion agreed. "But I would still feel like I had failed if I had to switch out of gliding mode..."

The race actually did work out quite well, partly because Ash and Latias and Staravia were all keeping pace and following along too, and first Koraidon then Miraidon managed to edge out a lead as they thundered (metaphorically or literally depending on sibling) down the course before springing into the air and gliding their way over the lake.

That was meant to only be on the second run, but they got mixed up and did it on the first, then it was so much fun they did it the other two times as well.

By the time they were on the third lap, the Triathlon teams – who'd set off earlier – were reaching the lake station as well, switching from land riding Pokémon like Dodrio and Spoink and Hippowdon to lake riding Pokémon like Floatzel, Feraligatr and Lapras.

There was also a Garchomp, who seemed a bit star-struck by Cynthia's Garchomp being nearby, and who nearly forgot he was supposed to stop at the water's edge.

Koraidon and Miraidon dodged back and forth through the race crowd, making sure to avoid them all, and when they took the leap over the water and flew side-by-side through the air towards the finish.

"Maybe we should learn to fly," Koraidon said, looking at Latias. "I mean properly fly, like you do. Or like Staravia does."

She frowned. "I don't know if I can flap my gliding wings, that might not be enough, but… it'd be nice to be able to gain height again, right? Without touching the ground, I mean."

"That would be nice," Miraidon agreed. "Maybe there is a way of doing it."

"Maybe, yeah," Ash frowned, thinking. "I guess… it's hard because we don't know what moves you're going to learn. Or what you could learn."

"Which is funny, really," Miraidon pointed out. "I do not know which kind of funny, but it is funny, because we were both created by you."

"True," Ash agreed. "I don't even know how to teach myself Fly, even though I've been flying around a lot since I found out how to do it."

"That sounds strange," Staravia frowned, doing a roll. "Oh, here comes the shoreline."

Koraidon and Miraidon exchanged a glance, then both dropped down to land on the shoreline. They gathered themselves, then broke into a sprint for the last bit of the journey to the finish line, and Ash used Extremespeed to follow them.

It was a close finish, but ultimately Miraidon's Electro Drift proved to be a slightly better last-minute speed boost than Koraidon's Collision Course, and after they'd apologized for all the dust that went everywhere the two siblings cheered as all the other racers sprinted to the finish line.

Then, to close out the Summer Academy, there was a big cookout with lots of food.

And plenty of sandwiches to go around.

"You know, I wonder where Professor Rowan got the idea for that triathlon race," Dawn said, leaning back against a tree.

Samurott made a noise that could be approximated to contentment, because she'd had a lot of food over the last hour or so, and Riolu looked up at her.

"Rii-olu?" he asked.

"I'm assuming he's asking about what brought that to mind," Cynthia said. "I know I am."

"It makes a change from wondering whether you're going to have another hot dog or another burger," Lucario pointed out.

"Of course you brought that up, you rascal," Cynthia chuckled. "But what did bring it up, Dawn?"

"It's because of the Noble Pokémon," Dawn explained, rummaging around and bringing out her Celestica Flute from her bag.

She put her fingers over the holes, going through the motions of the song needed to summon Lord Braviary without actually blowing on the flute, and shrugged. "Whether or not people remember it, about half the Noble Pokémon of Hisui were Ride Pokémon. They didn't give their help to just anyone, I certainly had to earn the respect of Wyrdeer and Ursaluna and the rest, but they were a part of Hisuian culture – so an event that's about riding Pokémon is exactly the kind of thing that has a deep cultural significance in modern Sinnoh, even if people don't know it."

Cynthia wrote something down.

"Another monograph idea for the pile," she said. "I really should have seen that connection myself."

She put the book down, looking up at where Mew was trying to convince their siblings that a scone was a kind of sandwich if you prepared it right, then nodded.

"I know exactly what I'm going to do now," she said. "I'm going to get dessert."

"Piip-pip!" Piplup asked. "Lup."

Grotle raised a foot. "Grooo-tle, tle-otle-gro."

"There's an idea," Lucario said. "Just get one of every dessert, and pick whichever one's left once everyone else has had some. That way you definitely won't have trouble choosing which one to have…"

AN:

You know how it is, you decide to learn telepathy and then you don't get around to it…