"Not that I'm complaining, but why are we at this park again, rather than your gym battle?" Rosa asked.

"Ahh, the answer is simple, the gym leader Clay isn't available for any battles today." Ash said.

"He can just do that?" Rosa asked.

"Apparently." Ash said with a shrug. "Something about his daughter visiting in town or something like that."

"Daughter, Clay, I swear I'm missing something here." Elliot said.

"Elliot are you alright?" Ash asked.

"Yeah, just I feel like there's something obvious that I'm missing." Elliot admitted.

"So are we here to try and coax out Dewott then?" Rosa asked.

"If we see him I'll see what I can do, but I also figured it's nice out and we don't have anything going on, so it'd just be a good day for everyone to get out and stretch a bit." Ash said, grabbing his Pokeballs. "Come on out everyone!"

Pikachu hopped off of Ash's shoulder, joining Servine and Riolu, while Darumaka once again lifted up Larvesta and Braviary took to the skies.

"If you can't beat them, might as well join them." Rosa said, setting Minccino down before sending out Herdier.

"Porygon2 you join in as well." Elliot said, even letting his Pokemon enjoy the day with their friends.

"Elliot? Is that you?" A girls voice said, drawing the attention of the group to behind them where a girl with shoulder length pink hair was with a large cowboy.

"Umm, hello?" Elliot asked.

"Hey I recognize that symbol, you must go to the Blueberry Academy!" Ash said. "Are you one of Elliot's friends?"

"Oh, hi, I'm Lacey and this is my dad Clay." The girl said.

"Ahh, so you're the gym leaders daughter. I'm Rosa, and that's Ash, and well you and Elliot must already know each other, no wonder he's been so off ever since he heard your dad was the cities gym leader." Rosa said.

"I'm sorry, but there must have been some miscommunication." Lacey said.

"Lacey, be careful." Clay commented.

"I am dad!" Lacey said angrily before calming down. "Elliot, you don't remember me at all, do you."

"Sorry." Elliot admitted.

"It's fine." Lacey said. "I didn't think you would."

"Hey don't be so hard on yourself." Rosa said.

"I, I'm not, Elliot, well, he isn't…" Lacey paused trying to find the right words.

"You two are the first ones to give me a chance with my system." Elliot admitted.

"The problem isn't that people don't give him a chance, it's that he doesn't give people a chance to show what they can do. He became an outcast because of it." Lacey admitted.

"Hey, he's not that bad!" Rosa argued.

"Look, I'm not trying to be mean, but honestly I didn't realize he wasn't at the academy until I saw him just now." Lacey admitted. "He, just doesn't have friends at school."

"Alright that's it!" Rosa said angrily. "Sure he's weird, and a bit socially awkward, and knows way too much about trains, and doesn't like touching people, and I'm going on a tangent. But he was a fellow student and none of you even noticed he was gone! It's been weeks!"

"It's not my fault! He's an outcast! I don't keep tabs on everyone!" Lacey said.

"But you knew him enough to recognize him from a distance! Did anyone even ask Professor Briar what happened?!" Rosa said angrily.

"Why are you getting angry at me, some of the students are probably happy he's gone!" Lacey said. "They called him a freak!"

"Lacey!" Clay snapped.

"Sorry dad, but it's the truth. No one stood up for him not even himself. I know you taught me to stand up against bullies, but it was like he didn't even care what they said." Lacey admitted.

"That changes today." Rosa said angrily. "I don't care if you're the champions kid! I challenge you to a battle!"

"Oh, this is going to be good." Ash said. "Elliot, are, are you okay?"

Elliot just stood there as if he was broken, watching but not emoting.

"Alright buddy, let's go sit down and watch the battle." Ash said, guiding Elliot to a park bench.

"Alright we'll make this clean and quick this will be a two on two match, no substitutions at any time." Clay said. "Lacey you won the coin toss so you can choose who sends out first."

"I'll go. Excadrill come out!" Lacey exclaimed.

"Minccino I choose you!" Rosa said.

"Elliot, anything." Ash said, still trying to get him to speak again. "Don't worry we're still your friends man."

"Minccino use Attract!"

"Excadrill use Drill Run!"

Excadrill hopped into a drill like shape before spinning right towards Minccino, the attract bouncing right off of the metallic claws.

"Minccino dodge it!"

Minccino proceeded to try and run to no avail as Excadrill easily caught up, striking the normal type from behind.

"Minccino use Tail Slap!"

Mincinno spun around, clearly hurt, striking Excadrill 5 times in a row successfully.

"Excadrill use X Scissor!"

Excadrill popped back out, striking Minccino with his claws, knocking the normal type out.

"Minccino return!" Rosa called out. "Herdier come out and use Work Up!"

Herdier rushed onto the field barking up a storm.

"Excadrill get ready."

Excadrill readied their claws.

"Herdier use Return!"

"Excadrill use Iron Head!"

The two Pokemon rushed forward, colliding with one another as Herdier was sent tumbling back.

"Such power, and she's the gym leaders daughter." Ash said in surprise.

"Excadrill use Drill Run!"

"Herdier use Return!"

Herdier raced forward as Excadrill collapsed into its drill form, spinning at and into the normal type, knocking them out for a clean victory.

"Elliot, I'm sorry, I lost." Rosa said in defeat.

"You weren't fighting to win though." Clay pointed out.

"He's right Rosa, you were fighting to stick up for Elliot, and that's what matters." Ash pointed out.

"Thanks Rosa, it means a lot that you stood up for me, even when I don't." Elliot admitted.

"And don't take the loss too hard, I'm one of the better trainers at the academy." Lacey said. "And Elliot if you return to the academy, I promise I'll do a better job to try and stick up for you."

"You know if you kids would like you're welcome to join us for some lunch." Clay offered.

"Thank you very much." Rosa said, as she and Lacey went with Clay to set up the food.

"Ash, now it's my turn, what's wrong?" Elliot asked.

"Everyone I talked to said Dewott would interfere in any battle on this park." Ash said.

"What's your point, maybe he's elsewhere." Elliot said.

"Yeah, maybe, I just have a bad feeling about it, but it's probably nothing." Ash said, walking to join the others.