"How are you doing?" Ash asked Donphan, after a trip to the Pokémon Centre. "I know this can be tricky, right?"
"Yeah, I'm not really sure how to deal with it," Donphan agreed, rolling experimentally, and wobbled. "It feels so normal until suddenly it's not and I don't know what to do."
Dawn's Samurott sent herself out with a white flash, and looked at the Ground-type.
"Hmm," she said. "Do that again?"
"There is no way you know how to use Rollout, is there?" Piplup asked.
He glanced up at their teammate, on Dawn's shoulder. "Sneasel, back me up here. Surely Samurott can't know Rollout?"
Sneasel shrugged. "I wasn't on the team for the battling bit back then. I was a recent join when you met me, Contests sounded interesting."
"It's not Rollout that's the issue," Samurott said, much of her attention on Donphan. "Okay, so you'd have… right… okay, stop me if this sounds familiar."
She sat back. "Your body feels wrong, and right at the same time. It's how it should be, but it's not how you remember it being. And most of the time, moving in the way you expect works the way it should, but then suddenly something about it catches you off guard, and every time that happens it makes you feel more wary about the next time."
"...yeah!" Donphan agreed. "That's it exactly!"
"Right, I know how to deal with this," Samurott said. "What you're going to need to do is to pivot your style. Pick something that's still the same, and then rebuild everything else in relation to that. It's not starting from scratch and it's not trying to work with something that should work but isn't."
Donphan frowned.
"...um," he said. "I'm not sure I get it."
Samurott sighed.
"I'll explain again," she said.
As the Dark-type kept going and Dawn took Sneasel and Piplup off for Appeal practice, Koraidon turned to Ash.
"That's nice of her," she said, quietly. "And what Donphan is doing… that's like how when a Pokémon evolves they sometimes have to learn how to do something new, right?"
"Yeah, that's right," Ash agreed, then paused. "But… hold on… it's a bit more complicated than that, maybe? Because, sure, that's a simple way of saying it, but there's lots of different ways it can happen too."
He looked around for an example, and pointed at Riolu who was trying not to squee. "If Riolu evolved to being a Lucario, he'd look basically the same, he'd just be taller, and there'd maybe be a few changes because of his tail… but apart from that, the way he moved wouldn't have to change much. He'd still have two arms, two legs, and a tail. But at the same time, it'd be a bit different for him to battle any specific Pokémon. Right?"
"I get it, yeah," Koraidon said, nodding.
"I don't," Miraidon admitted. "How does it work?"
"It's because Lucario would be taller than Riolu is," Koraidon explained. "So if he tried attacking… say, Pikachu… the same way as before, Pikachu would be smaller than before. So he'd still have experience battling, but he'd have to relearn or rethink how to battle a specific Pokémon."
"Yeah, exactly," Ash agreed, "And then there are times when a Pokémon goes through a really big change, like, uh…"
He paused, frowning.
"Butterfree, right?" he asked. "Because Butterfree battled completely differently from Metapod."
Pikachu stifled a giggle.
"You probably mean Caterpie," he said. "Metapod was tough, but he couldn't actually battle very well."
"He beat that Pinsir!" Ash protested. "But I guess so, yeah – anyway, Metapod could battle by being very tough, but for Butterfree it's completely different. And it's a good thing he didn't have trouble flying…"
He looked down at his hooves. "I guess that's lucky for me, too."
"Oh, yes, that is a good point," Miraidon said, visor flashing an exclamation mark for a moment. "It is difficult for us to remember you did not always look like that, dad. We're only used to you now."
They tilted their head.
"Maybe there is something similar in how I had trouble once I switched to my battle mode?" they said. "And Koraidon needed help in learning how to use hers, too."
"Yeah, there's a lot of ways Pokémon can change," Ash agreed. "I think it happens to humans, too, as they grow bigger? Because it's gradual instead of all at once…"
He looked up. "And then I guess… with you, Latias, when you Mega Evolve you look almost the same, you've got the same kind of body shape, but you're faster and even that is hard to deal with."
"Yeah, and training it isn't easy," Latias agreed, with a squeaky sigh. "Not when I'm worried about tiring you out way too fast."
She rotated a little, tilting her head and raising a claw to her muzzle. "I was going to ask why Samurott is so good at understanding that, but then I realized that she really would know, wouldn't she?"
"Yeah," Ash agreed, frowning, then straightened up a little. "Okay, I guess we've got some training of our own to do! I know the Ice-type gym is next up, that's way up north at Snowpoint… maybe Sandshrew can help? She'd probably be good at it, but I mean providing the ice."
"Oh, maybe I should train to be more resistant to ice?" Koraidon asked. "I should really do Fairy too but starting with Ice might be safer."
"Dad, I have to ask?" Koraidon said, an hour or so later. "Because something just occurred to me."
She shook herself, and icy fragments went flying off her feathers and scales. "I was thinking about the other Pokémon on your team, and I realized… has how you catch Pokémon changed? Because Noctowl told me about how you caught her, and I think I heard about how you caught Pidgeot and Kingler. But – I can't think of a Pokémon who's joined us who you caught, you know. That way."
"I guess that's right," Ash agreed. "I didn't only catch Pokémon that way, before, but I guess… at first, I thought that was how it worked. And I got lucky with how it turned out… and sometimes I had trouble with Pokémon who didn't work out, at first at least, like Primeape especially. But the way I think about it has changed, yeah."
He looked puzzled. "Or maybe it's more like I've got better at telling when a Pokémon is trying to give a challenge so I can catch them, instead of trying to actually get away? I'm not sure. Because even early on, Bulbasaur and Charizard and Squirtle, when I caught them it was because I knew what they wanted. But with Muk and Snorlax, it was more like… getting them to stop being problems, and that was the only way I could think of. And I'm glad they worked out so well."
Koraidon nodded. "Okay," she said. "I wanted to ask because it was distracting me… sorry Sandshrew. We can get started again?"
"Actually I'd quite like a break," Sandshrew replied, panting a few times. "It's been great training but there's a lot of you to Powder Snow."
"That is a shame, but I understand," Miraidon said. "I was wondering if I had an ice travel mode."
"That would be cool!" Koraidon declared, then coughed. "Ahem. You know what I mean, right?"
Zorua giggled.
"Silly," he said, then stood up and stretched. He did his front legs first, then his hind legs, and shook himself out before walking in a circle on Miraidon's head.
Apparently satisfied, he sat right back down again, and Miraidon's visor showed a pair of closed eyes as they smiled.
"Excuse me?" a Jenny said, waving as she entered the park. "I'm fairly sure you're Ash Ketchum, right?"
"That's me!" Ash agreed. "Is something wrong?"
"Yes, but I'm not blaming you," Jenny explained. "I'm actually looking for Cynthia, there's a problem and if she's still in Canalave she's our best choice."
"I know where she is," Koraidon volunteered, holding up a paw and glancing at Ash.
"Yeah, we can show you where she is," Ash confirmed. "Koraidon, lead the way!"
About a minute later, Jenny was explaining the problem. The Canalave harbour had a whole pod of Wailord blocking the entrance, so it was impossible for ships to enter or leave, and Dawn frowned.
"That's no good," she said. "Canalave is a port city, so the port being blocked off is bad news."
"Yes, and why the Wailord are doing it is an interesting question," Cynthia agreed. "It wouldn't benefit them to do it without a motive, so we should find out what the motive is."
Jenny blinked.
"...forgive me, Champion," she said. "But based on your reputation I would have expected you to respond in a different way."
"That's the problem with a reputation," Cynthia said. "It's hearsay. Ash, Dawn – if there's Pokémon doing something like this, we should go and find out what the problem is."
Miraidon raised a paw.
"Do you have a Pokémon that can travel in the water?" they asked. "If you do, that is fine, but I am quite sure both my sister and myself can help if there are not enough to go around."
Ash translated, and Dawn nodded.
"That would be nice," she said. "Samurott knows Surf, but I prefer not to ask her to do it if I don't have to."
"I've got Gastrodon, so I'll be fine," Cynthia explained. "But thank you for offering."
"Good afternoon," Cynthia said, one hand on Gastrodon's head to balance herself. "Would you be able to tell us why you're blocking the entrance to Canalave harbour?"
The Wailord she was facing looked very confused.
"Normally trainers don't ask us questions," he said. "Normally they don't understand the answers."
"Cynthia doesn't understand the answers, but I can," Ash explained. "And I can tell her."
"You can speak in the human language?" the Wailord asked. "What kind of Pokémon even are you, anyway? There's at least three Pokémon here I don't recognize… no, four, I just saw the one on the head of that one with the feathers."
Zorua waved.
"You've never seen a Zorua?" Riolu asked, from his seat on Koraidon's back.
"I thought they were a different colour," the Wailord admitted.
"And looked different," another Wailord contributed. "Who would expect a Zorua to look like a Zorua, anyway?"
Zorua looked confused, then changed his colours so he looked like a Dark-type Zorua.
"Better," he said, nodding to himself in satisfaction.
"Well, that's me told," the second Wailord said.
"It's that one of our family has gone missing," the first one explained. "A Wailmer… we're pretty sure he's in here somewhere, but we can't fit into the city to try and find him."
Ash translated that, and Cynthia frowned.
"I think there are better ways to raise the alarm," she said. "Though you might not have known about how to actually ask… I assume you don't know any Pokémon who can speak in a way humans can understand, like my Lucario, but usually Pokémon Rangers are very good at finding out what's troubling a Pokémon. And there's other Pokémon who can use images to communicate…"
She shook her head. "But, more importantly, aren't you friends with any Water-type Pokémon who can fit into the city? That way they could at least look around for your missing Wailmer."
"We move around a lot," the second Wailord contributed. "So we don't really know anyone around here."
"I think I can guess what's going on," Dawn said. "You're scared, aren't you? There's things Cynthia is coming up with, and – a lot of them probably would work, or could work. But when you're scared, it's easy to just do something not because it's a good idea, but because it's an idea and you want to do something."
"That sounds very wise," Miraidon frowned. "But I am not entirely sure it is helpful."
"Maybe it's not," Ash said. "Or maybe it is, because it helps Wailord know that we're willing to understand they were panicking… but I guess the way to solve this would be for us to find the Wailmer, right? If you can get out of the way so the ships can keep moving, at least."
"That sounds fair – okay, look, what kind of Pokémon are you?" one Wailord asked. "Because I've never seen a Pokémon stand on the water like that."
"Surskit can do it, I think," Pikachu said.
"Okay, fair, but I know what a Surskit looks like," Wailord replied.
"I'm an Arceus, I'm able to stand on the water because I'm Water-type at the moment," Ash said. "Do you have any idea where Wailmer is?"
"In the city, that's about all we know," the second Wailord said. "Nothing else."
"Right," Ash frowned, thinking. "And I guess… okay, I think I know how we can find Wailmer."
"Oh?" Cynthia asked.
"Yeah," Ash agreed. "Well, we should look in other ways too, because it might be quicker. You can help, right, Latias?"
Both the Wailord fell over, and Ash, Gastrodon, Koraidon and Miraidon all rode the resultant wave.
"Sure!" Latias agreed, decloaking. "But I think I can guess what you mean, Ash… can I try?"
She looked back at the city. "Is it because… it'd be a disaster if we couldn't get him back to his family?"
"Yeah!" Ash agreed. "So we just need to go back to a Pokémon Centre to pick up Absol, and then we can get to looking properly."
"What does it feel like, to be able to sense disaster?" Mew asked.
Absol looked over at Mew, and tilted his head.
"Don't you… know what that would be like?" he asked. "You're a Mew, and you should know about just about every Pokémon, by definition."
"I do, but – it's different," Mew replied.
They frowned. "Or maybe it isn't. But I've sensed so many things, and when I think about the one time I've been an Absol, it feels like… data. Information. Numbers, really. Like everything."
They flicked their tail up, and gave it a squeeze, then the group came to an intersection and paused.
Absol concentrated, stepping in one direction, then another, then waved.
"Probably that way," he said.
"You seem to be getting less accurate," Pikachu said.
"Yeah, because we're getting closer," Absol replied. "The detour if I get things wrong is less. I can only get you to the rough area."
"That's still really helpful, Absol," Ash said. "I guess this means we should keep our eyes peeled, though! And try to listen to anything, as well."
As the others moved ahead, Absol looked back up at Mew.
"It's not like that, no," he declared. "You haven't done it since you… you know."
"Since I was born," Mew agreed. "I think that's the only word I can really use for it. And no, I haven't done it since then, because… I'm afraid that that's how I'd feel it again."
They shook their head. "It's another one of those things I need to work out, some time. But it's another of those things I have time for. I don't want to go through everything with Dad at once, because there's so many little things… and because I've got time. Because knowing Dad is there for me… helps."
They shook their head. "But I asked you a question, and I think we got distracted… could you tell me, please?"
"Right, right," Absol agreed. "So… it's something I've been used to all my life, but I'll do my best. Actually…"
He paced along in silence for several seconds.
"I guess the best way to recognize the difference is how it felt when I first met Ash," he tried. "Because that was a difference. It's like… anxiety, maybe? Like the feeling that something might go wrong because you left something out in the rain when it's not supposed to get wet, only… you don't know what it is, not automatically, but you can sort of work out some of the details if you're personally involved?"
The Dark-type shook his head. "That's the best I can do, really."
He looked over. "Are you taking notes?"
"I know my trainer's going to want to hear this," Lucario explained.
"And – Mew?" Ash asked, from up ahead. "I just want you to know… you can wait as long as you want, or tell me any of those things right away. Because – because I don't want you to ever feel afraid to tell me something, but I also don't want you to feel afraid to not tell me something. I want you to be – comfortable with me."
"I already am, Dad," Mew said. "But it's good to hear it… so thank you."
"I think I can see some Pokémon up ahead!" Koraidon called. "One of them looks like a Wailmer to me!"
She glanced at their sibling. "Also, I feel jealous of how you don't have a nose."
"I do," Miraidon replied. "And I'm hurt that you think I don't."
"Sorry," Koraidon said, contrite.
"I have, however, turned it off," Miraidon added. "So you can feel jealous of that instead. Does that help?"
Koraidon stuck her tongue out at them.
"Are you okay?" Ash asked, crouching down to get closer to the Wailmer. "You're really lost, right?"
The other three Pokémon – a Luxio, Whismur and Nidoran – all looked at him in confusion.
"Um," the Whismur said. "Are you a Legendary Pokémon?"
"That's actually a good question," Pikachu said.
"And I've got an answer!" Absol interjected. "Yes."
Pikachu and Ash both looked at him, slightly puzzled.
"Normally here you give a longer speech," Pikachu said.
"Normally I don't get such a good prompt," Absol replied.
"Whismur – are you okay?" Ash repeated. "He doesn't look like the Wailmer I've seen before, he looks unhealthy."
"If I had to guess, I'd say he was dry," Cynthia contributed. "Gastrodon can get a bit like that after she's been fighting under sunlight."
She sent the Water-type out. "We should get Wailmer rehydrated before we work out how to move him, because if he can swim that's going to make this much easier."
"I agree," Dawn nodded. "And then… well, we've done the hard part, right?"
Latias raised her hand, decloaking with a shimmer as Gastrodon started using Surf and dousing Wailmer in water. "I remember the way back out," she said. "I could tow Wailmer."
"You could?" Ash asked. "You'd be okay with that? I know the water here is dirty… is that maybe why Wailmer got sick? Is that how it works?"
"Okay, what is happening?" Nidoran asked. "Why did, um… I count three… and I don't recognize some of… are you two Legendary Pokémon as well?"
Koraidon and Miraidon exchanged looks.
"Probably!" Koraidon said.
"On balance, yes," Miraidon stated.
"Why did five Legendary Pokémon show up to rescue you, Wailmer?" the Poison-type said.
"We could help," Ash answered. "We heard out he was in trouble, and we decided to help."
"...actually that's a good answer," the Luxio conceded. "Good point, well made. Especially since we were doing just about exactly the same thing, only with less… Legendary Pokémon… involved."
"I wonder how much that's like what Pokémon Rangers do," Riolu said, leaning out over the railing of their ship as it left Canalave bound for Iron Island. "Just… showing up, and helping out."
"Thinking about being a companion Pokémon for a Ranger?" Cynthia's Gastrodon asked. "Or a Ranger yourself, even?"
"Not really," Riolu replied. "I like the idea of battling, and I like training… it's just one of those things that's interesting to think about, you know?"
He turned to look further along the ship's side, to where Ash was occasionally jumping in the air and trying to see if he could make it so the ship left him behind or he left the ship behind. "What makes some humans decide to be Rangers, and others decide to be Pokémon Trainers? And what about the people who don't choose either, not really, and just have a Pokémon companion or two?"
"That's humans for you," Gastrodon said. "Or it might not be, I don't know. Cynthia isn't exactly a typical human and I'm fairly sure neither are most of the other ones I've spent much time with. Dawn isn't very typical either, for example."
The gastropod waved her head. "But that's unsurprising. Being an outlier is a lot of fun if you can do it."
Then the whole ship got doused with water, as the Wailord pod saluted them.
Latias put up a shield just in time to save Ash's bags.
AN:
Normally when someone's got lost down a well it's a dog that finds them, not a god.
Wait, no, Absol was involved. Close enough.