Pokémon Gray

by Carlos Shiny

Pokémon Gray. What if Ash had never traveled to Unova before now? Ash, now eighteen and strongest trainer in the world, wants to take an important step in his journey to become a Pokémon Master. It's not about participating in another Pokémon League Tournament or defeating other champions, but doing something new and completely different.

11. A Sad Truth

Our Heros, while waiting for the bus to cross the Girandola Forest, were caught in a heavy downpour. Fortunately, they found shelter in a villa in the middle of the forest, inhabited by a gentleman and his daughter, but you know... appearances can be deceiving.

A Sad Truth

That day, the four got up rather late, compared to usual. They had had dinner much later than usual and consequently went to bed much later than usual.

Fortunately, the Nurse had given them the keys to the Pokémon Center entrance, so the four could come back whenever they wanted.

After breakfast, the four left the Pokémon Center and headed to the bus stop.

«What are our plans for today?» asked Carlos, as soon as they stepped out of the Pokémon Center. «Honestly, I don't know. Yesterday was quite an intense day... so what do you say we take a day for ourselves? We rest... no battles... no training... after what happened yesterday, I think it's the least we can do.» proposed Ash. «Come to think of it... the Contests have been suspended... Anita has just won her second badge... I'd say it's not a bad idea.» replied Serena. «If it's okay with you...» Anita added. «Maybe we could visit the Amon factory, after all, you won it, right?» proposed Carlos. «Sounds like a good idea.» replied Ash. «What do you think?» asked Ash, getting a positive response from both girls. Not that they were particularly interested, but since it was partly their effort too, the idea of enjoying the results of their and their Pokémon's hard work wasn't a bad one.

Luckily for them, Austropoli's public transport system was one of the most efficient in the world.

The ATPA, Austropoli Public Transport Company, was the company that handled the service. It had a large fleet of vehicles and on every line, the waiting times were minimal on all routes.

Moreover, the price of subscriptions and tickets was extremely convenient, ensuring that almost everyone paid for tickets and subscriptions. After barely two minutes, a bus arrived, one of the many vehicles in the fleet. Like most of the company's vehicles, it was made by Amon. It had a simple but recognizable livery, mainly white, with some orange parts.

On the top of the windshield, there was a light panel indicating the line number and the terminus. Not having any particular plans for that day, other than visiting the Amon factory.

As soon as the bus stopped, the driver pressed the buttons to open the doors, allowing the passengers who needed to get off to do so and at the same time allowing Ash and his friends to get on board. Fortunately, they found some free seats to sit in.

The terminus of line XE was White Square, in the city center, not too far from Reshiram Palace, home of the Black Chamber.

From there, they would start a tour of that part of the city, and then dedicate the afternoon to Carlos's much-desired visit to Amon.

Ash, during the bus ride, took the opportunity to book the visit they won at the tournament. Luckily for him, it was a pretty simple procedure. He just had to send a message to the number he was given two days earlier.

"Good morning, I am Ash Ketchum, one of the participants in the Zefiropoli Double Battle Tournament. I paired with Anita White and we won the first prize, a visit to the Amon factory."

In that message, Ash tried to be as concise as possible. In any case, the response didn't take long:

"Hello Ash. We are very happy to see that you decided to come to visit our establishment. We will be happy to welcome you and your friends. We are available at any time, the only important thing is to give at least three hours' notice, so we can be perfectly ready for the visit."

Ash replied to the message immediately.

"Is it possible to book a visit for this afternoon?" wrote Ash.

"Certainly. And, in fact, I can guarantee that you couldn't have made a better choice. To guide you and your friends, there will be Hiroshi Amon himself, the current president and CEO of the company. See you soon!

Remember that the address is Saffron Street 80"

After reading the message, Ash simply returned the greetings.

Meanwhile, the bus had made several stops, and many other passengers had gotten on and off. In five stops, it would be their turn to get off, unless they wanted to take another round.

«Well... so? Did you manage to book the visit?» asked Carlos, rather impatiently. «Done... done. This afternoon we will go. At least we'll have something to do.» replied Ash.

The girls didn't seem very enthusiastic about it, they just hoped that the visit wouldn't last too long and that they could soon devote themselves to more interesting activities.

After a few minutes, the bus stopped at its terminus, in a corner of White Square. As the name suggested, the square was completely made of white marble.

The pavement was made of large white slabs that reflected the light almost blindingly. The same material made up the benches next to the trees.

In the center of the square was a large statue of a white Pokémon, with a majestic appearance. It was an enormous Pokémon resembling a bipedal wyvern. The excellent craftsmanship of the statue allowed for the capture of even the smallest detail, like the white feathers and plumage that covered its body. The head resembled a sort of fox or something similar. The face was covered in white fur. Behind its nape, it had a long white mane, with some tufts of fur on top. The neck was long and thin. The wings were huge and had four white claws at their ends. On its hips, it had a section with longer, rather messy fur. The large lower legs had less dense fur. Each leg had four large claws, three in front and one behind. The tail resembled a huge turbine with feathers and fur forming two rings around it, illuminated by a powerful red light. Outside the turbine tail, there was another tail.

«That Pokémon is Reshiram. And it is the Legendary Pokémon of Truth. And it is also the symbol of the Black Chamber.» explained Carlos. «In fact, the Black Chamber is not far from here, but I don't think it's open to the public.» he added shortly after.

«Since we don't have much to do...» Carlos began to absentmindedly cross the street.

Ash, after quickly looking both ways, tried to grab his friend by the shirt, trying to prevent him from getting hit, without success.

At that moment, a scooter was passing by, hitting the boy and knocking him down. Fortunately, the person driving the vehicle had noticed the boy's presence and had started braking, leaving a rubber strip on the asphalt.

«Ouch!» Carlos got up, massaging his left side where he had been hit. «But be more careful next time!» he complained. «Thank Arceus I didn't get badly hurt, otherwise...»

The person driving the scooter, meanwhile, had gotten up and turned off the engine, then secured it by putting it on the stand. She also took off her helmet.

«You owe me a new...» The boy's voice gradually lowered until it completely faded when he made eye contact with the motorbike driver.

A beautiful girl with long black hair almost reaching her bottom, with delicate facial features. She had large green eyes and was slightly made up with violet eyeshadow and lipstick. She was a bit shorter than Serena and had a physique very similar to the native of Kalos.

She wore a black faux leather motorcycle jacket, branded jeans, and elegant-looking shoes that appeared quite expensive. «Are you alright?» The girl asked, apparently quite worried about Carlos. «Sorry for hitting you! I'm so distracted! Please forgive me!» She tried to apologize.

«Don't worry... I'm fine... I just felt the impact a bit at first... but now I'm okay...» The boy gritted his teeth to avoid admitting his true condition.

«Oh...! How rude of me!» The girl scolded herself. «I haven't introduced myself!» She added. «Nice to meet you... I'm Asami.» The girl introduced herself to the group.

«I'm Ash and this is my friend Pikachu.» The native of Kanto introduced himself first. «Pika-Pikachu!» The Mouse Pokémon introduced himself. «Nice to meet you! I'm Serena.» The native of Kalos introduced herself.

«P... pleased to meet you... I'm Anita...» The young Trainer introduced herself. «And I'm Carlos... I must admit it wasn't bad being run over in the end.» Carlos tried to lighten the situation.

«Please... can you not mention this incident?» The girl asked. «Oh! Of course!» Carlos answered without even thinking.

«You see... my father is quite overprotective. Imagine if he found out I had an accident with the motorbike...» The girl explained. «Listen... to make it up to you... I'll give you a tour of the most touristy places in the city... what do you say?» Asami proposed. Having nothing much to do, the four accepted. The girl secured her motorbike, then joined the group.

«Tell me something...» Ash addressed the girl, who had joined the group, making Serena quite jealous. «Are you a Trainer, a Performer, or...» The girl interrupted Ash before he could finish the sentence. «I'm not a Trainer.» The girl replied. From her tone, it seemed like the most normal thing in the world to her. «My father doesn't want me to become a Trainer.» She replied sadly. «After what happened to mom, he decided so.» She explained sadly. «Sorry... I didn't mean to...» Ash tried to apologize. «Oh! It's okay. You couldn't have known.» The girl tried to take the blame.

Meanwhile, the five had walked a bit, reaching a marble-clad building with a large entrance gate.

«This is the Austropolis Art Museum.» The newcomer introduced the large building to the group. Ash and Carlos didn't seem particularly enthusiastic about it. Another museum to visit after the one in Zephyr City? For the two boys, it wasn't appealing. «I love this place... I come here very often. I think Manuel must be getting tired of it by now.» The girl let slip some unnecessary information. Luckily for her, no one seemed to take it too seriously.

A few moments later, Asami approached the counter.

«Oh! It's you! Asami... two tickets as usual?» Asked the young woman at the ticket office. «This time I need five.» The girl replied. The ticket attendant smiled. «I'm glad to see you have new friends.» She commented while tearing the tickets. Without a word, Asami paid the amount due. The ticket attendant gave a quick look at the group of people a little behind her. Not recognizing any familiar faces, she asked the inevitable question: «Excuse me if I'm being nosy, but can I know why Manuel isn't with you?» Asami tried to come up with an excuse: «Well... um... he wasn't feeling very well, so my father thought of finding someone else to accompany me.» The attendant, not entirely convinced, decided not to ask further questions. She simply handed over the tickets to the girl, who then distributed them to Ash and the others.

The museum visit lasted almost two hours but was unexpectedly interesting, even for Ash and Carlos. The two expected the usual incomprehensible paintings or giant statues with dubious interpretations. But nothing of the sort. Quite the opposite.

Thanks to numerous interactive exhibits, the two had a lot of fun despite their low expectations.

Upon leaving the museum, it was lunchtime.

As with the museum visit, Asami took the initiative: «Since it's lunchtime, how about we go eat at a restaurant? I know a delicious one not far from here... you'll see... it will amaze you!» She invited them. «Don't worry... it's my treat!» She added shortly after. The four couldn't refuse the girl's offer.

«Just to get to know each other a little better...» Carlos tried to start a conversation. «You said you're not a Trainer... so... what do you do in life?» He asked. «Nothing special. My father owns a large company, so money isn't an issue, even though, as I said, he's very overprotective. If I don't have school or martial arts classes, I hang out with my friends. Even though we're never alone. My father always insists on having someone check on me and make sure nothing happens to me... as if I couldn't handle myself perfectly fine.» Carlos made a brief gesture, as if to ask a question: «Is that Manuel you mentioned?» The girl nodded: «Even though my father never asks him anything, he trusts him that much.» She explained. «Sorry if I'm being intrusive...» Ash asked in turn. «But... are any of your friends Trainers, or are they, like you, not Trainers? If so, it seems strange. Because, apart from a few exceptions...» Ash teased Anita slightly: «I've always seen people eager to start their journey. Also, keep in mind that here in Unova the minimum age to start is sixteen, while in other regions it's ten... you have to wait even longer here...» Asami shook her head. «None of them have Pokémon. Even talking about it is taboo.» Ash seemed surprised by those words. After a short time, even Anita had learned to appreciate the charm of Pokémon battles. «It seems strange to me.» Ash commented. «Even if you don't have Pokémon... you must have watched battles... Varieties or...» Asami shook her head again. «Never. My father has always forbidden it, and with Manuel always watching. As I said, it's because of what happened to my mom. Since then, he not only told me he would never allow me to become a Trainer, but he didn't even want me to study from books about Pokémon. And the same goes for outside the house, with Manuel. Every time we go to the library, he checks every single book I want to read or borrow. Consider that you are the first Trainers I know.» Ash nodded in understanding. «It seems really strange to me that he doesn't even let you watch them, but okay... I won't insist.» Asami smiled. «No problem. What about you? What do you do in life?» She asked. «I'm a Trainer, but my dream is to become a Pokémon Master. And to do it with Pikachu and all my other Pokémon friends. I don't quite know yet what I need to achieve that goal, but after winning the World Coronation Series, I realized it wasn't enough. To do it, I would have to help someone else achieve their goal.» Ash told the usual story of why he came to Unova and how he met Anita. «Fascinating!» Commented Asami. «As Ash said, I'm a Trainer. My Pokémon and I still have a lot to learn, but Ash says he's happy with our results. So far, we've won two badges.» Anita recounted. Again, Asami seemed quite fascinated: «Traveling wherever you want must be fantastic!» She commented. «I'm a Pokémon Performer and Coordinator.» Serena recounted.

«We Performers perform together with our Pokémon in Showcases. These are shows centered around Pokémon in front of hundreds of people. The performances are divided into two phases. In the first, we tackle a themed challenge, such as Pokémon quizzes, grooming competitions, or contests where we prepare PokéPuffs or similar things. In the second phase, we create combinations of moves and dance steps. While the goal in Contests is to highlight the beauty of the moves and the Pokémon, even in battles.» Asami seemed equally fascinated. «I… on the other hand…» Carlos tried to tell his story but was interrupted. «Here we are!» Asami pointed to the sign of the Àlamode restaurant. It was a small door topped by an equally small LED sign written in cursive.

At the entrance, a young, tall, and thin man dressed rather elegantly scrutinized the five. «Miss Asami… I see you've brought some friends… I must say, I never expected that. Of course… to do so, you had to dress as shabbily as they do.» Asami let a part of her out that she had never shown until then: «Listen… either you let us in or I'll ask my father to shut you down!» Frightened by those words, the boy motioned for the group to enter. «Please, go ahead.» He invited them. After walking through a narrow passage, the five reached a small room with just half a dozen tables. Shortly after, the boy seated the five at the only large table available.

«I assume you'll be having the Gourmet tasting menu, right?» Not noticing any response, the boy explained what it consisted of. «The Gourmet tasting menu includes several courses, which are the best dishes this restaurant has to offer.» The boy explained. After a quick exchange of glances, Asami confirmed the choice.

From the very first courses, which arrived after some time, Ash realized the mistake. The type of dishes they served was completely contrary to his tastes. If it were up to him, they would have had lunch at Big George's, the same place where they had dinner the night before. With each taste of those strange foods, with improbable shapes and colors and incomprehensible flavors, he missed Big George's hearty portions. By the end of the meal, Ash was even hungrier than before. After lunch, the five left the place, wandering aimlessly.

«Do you have plans for this afternoon?» Carlos asked. «We have booked a tour of the Amon factory, what do you think, want to come with us?» He proposed.

«Oh! There's a little problem… that I haven't told you yet… the owner of Amon is my father. And he's probably wondering why I haven't returned home yet. I'd like to ask you a small favor.» The girl tried to put on the sweetest look possible. «Anything.» Carlos replied. «Can you pretend that we don't know each other? You know… my father…» The girl tried to explain. «No problem!» Carlos replied, not even letting her finish the sentence. «I was saying…» The girl seemed a bit annoyed by the interruption. «My father doesn't want me to become a Trainer and might think I'm battling or performing with other people's Pokémon.» She tried to explain. «Although I imagine my friends would be terribly jealous to find out that I've met Trainers. Maybe we can exchange numbers, so when my father is away on business, I can introduce you to them… since if I stay home, Manuel has no reason to come. So, what do you think? Can we exchange numbers?» The girl proposed. «Of course! Absolutely!» Carlos seemed quite enthusiastic about the idea.

After exchanging numbers, the five returned to White Plaza, where Asami had parked her scooter. The girl took her helmet from the storage compartment under the seat and went to put it on. «See you later!» She said goodbye before driving off.

Back to being four, with not much to do, they decided, by mutual agreement, to head towards the address Ash was given, where they were supposed to visit the Amon factory.

«Alright…» Serena opened the maps application on her Smart Rotom. «Well, to get to Saffron Street, we need to take two buses. We have to go ten stops on the S line, which starts here, then we need to take the QR line and go fifteen stops. The bus stops right in front of the entrance.» The native of Kalos explained.

«And I think it's about to arrive.» Ash took a quick look to the right, noticing an S line bus passing by. A few moments later, the bus stopped with a hiss right in front of the four. Quickly, the driver opened the doors, allowing a large number of passengers to board and Ash and his friends to get on. «Don't worry, I'll let you know when it's time to get off.» Serena offered.

After several stops, it was time to get off to catch the second bus, which arrived a few moments after the previous one. Unfortunately for them, the bus was quite crowded, and unlike the previous rides, the four had to stand for all ten stops.

Arriving at the entrance of Saffron Street, Serena requested the stop. A few hundred meters later, the driver stopped the vehicle, allowing the four to get off.

Saffron Street was a long, wide street lined with endless rows of steel and glass skyscrapers. They all looked exactly the same. On the sides of the road, numerous parked cars, most of them from Amon. Among the various parked vehicles, there was also Asami's scooter.

After walking a few meters, the four reached the indicated building. The enormous logo on the facade left no room for interpretation; it was the building where Amon was headquartered.

«But weren't we supposed to visit a factory?» Carlos asked, quite puzzled. «The address they sent me is this. Maybe before showing us the factory, they want us to visit the headquarters?» Ash hypothesized. «If that's the case… then let's go!» Carlos seemed to regain all his enthusiasm at once.

He quickly climbed the steps separating the entrance of the building from the sidewalk, forcing Ash and the girls to follow him. The boy was quickly swallowed by the revolving door, reaching the inside of the building, followed by his friends.

As soon as they entered the building, the four were greeted by a large and bright entrance hall with light-colored walls. The room was filled with plants of various species, while some walls were adorned with paintings by famous artists. There were also numerous chairs to sit in during the wait. In front of them was a table with various brochures, one for each product of the company. From the smallest scooter to the largest four-engine airplane. There were also some brochures dedicated to boats, but unlike all the others, it was specified that the shown models were renders and not actual products, due to the company's customer respect policy.

On another shelf, not too far away, stood a coffee machine, one of those that ground the beans directly. Carlos didn't have time to grab one of the brochures when he was immediately interrupted by a female voice. «Ah! It's you! The ones who won the exclusive tour of Amon! Just a moment, and I'll be right with you!» Understanding that it was a matter of moments, the boy gave up his idea and simply imitated his friends' behavior, sitting on one of those chairs.

A few moments later, the four were joined by a woman in her thirties. She had dark brown hair tied back and light brown eyes. She wore a white blouse and a pink skirt. Her shoes were black with rather low heels.

«Oh! Hello!» she greeted them. «So you're the ones who won the visit here? I think I saw you on TV… before the Team Plasma attack… You must be Ash...» The woman extended her hand to the boy from Kanto. «Nice to meet you.» She then turned to the youngest Trainer. «And you're Anita, right? I think you battled alongside Ash in the tournament.» Timidly, the young girl confirmed her title. «By process of elimination… you must be Serena…» the woman addressed the honey-haired girl, «And you must be Carlos...» she concluded.

«You've arrived a bit early, but that shouldn't be a problem. Mr. Hiroshi Amon should already be in his office. I'm Trisha, his assistant. He's asked me to bring you to him.» The woman gestured for the four to follow her. «His office is on the eightieth floor.»

In no time, the five crossed a hallway and took the elevator. The elevator was spacious and well-lit. «Mr. Hiroshi doesn't particularly like Pokémon… if you could have them go inside their Poké Balls...» The woman tried to be as polite as possible. «I'm afraid that's not feasible. Pikachu hates being inside the Poké Ball… that's why he's always here with me.» The boy petted his Pokémon, which, at the mere thought of going into the Poké Ball, began to emit faint sparks from its cheek pouches. «Don't worry. I won't make you go inside the Poké Ball.» he reassured him.

«I believe the World Champion can be an exception.» The woman's tone seemed quite reassuring. A brief chime alerted the five that the elevator had reached its destination.

«Wow! That was fast!» Carlos seemed amazed by the speed of the elevator.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, the secretary led the four to a nearby door. It was made of fine, very dark wood and was highly finished. «This is Hiroshi's office… I hope he's not busy.» The woman approached the door, leaving Anita and the

others a few steps behind. She pressed the button to activate the video intercom.

A few moments later, a male voice responded: «Ah! It's you… Trisha, come in. I assume the kids who won the visit are also there… is that correct?» he asked. The woman simply nodded. «Then don't be shy! Introduce them to me!» he invited, while triggering the door's opening mechanism. The woman entered, followed closely by the four.

The room was enormous and well-lit. At the far end was a mahogany desk with a glass top. Various paintings by famous artists adorned the walls, and there were ficus plants placed on the floor. In front of the huge desk was a large, ornate carpet. The floor itself was an expensive parquet.

Sitting in a leather office chair was a robust man in his fifties. He had graying hair and a slightly square face. He wore round glasses with a gold frame. He was dressed in a suit and tie. Despite being a widower, he still wore his wedding ring on his left ring finger.

Beside him, on a similar chair, sat Asami, who had come to visit him after saying goodbye to the four. «So you're the lucky winners of the Amon factory tour?» the man asked rhetorically. «Pleased to meet you. My name is Hiroshi Amon, and I am the president of this little gem. This, by the way, is my daughter Asami.» The girl had to make an effort to seem like she was meeting the four for the first time.

After the usual round of introductions, the man and his daughter joined the group. «Trisha… you have the rest of the day off. Go home. Tomorrow I'll be leaving for a business trip. I'll be away for at least a week. I need your help.» The man addressed his assistant. «As for you… I see you all keep your Pokémon in their Poké Balls… except you… Ash… right? Can you have him...» Before leaving, Trisha whispered something in her boss's ear. «No problem… but only because it's you. You seem like a pretty bold and courageous guy. You'd do well in a highly competitive world like the business world.» The man complimented him.

«Initially, I had planned to show you just the factory, but then I thought it would be interesting to also show you the company museum.» he explained. The six took the elevator to the sixtieth floor. With impressive speed, the elevator reached the floor selected by the man.

«Here is the museum, or rather, the first level of our museum.» The man began to explain even before showing anything.

The elevator opened, allowing them to enter a huge room illuminated by large windows. Inside were carriages and very primitive-looking cars that closely resembled carriages. Hanging from the ceiling were planes, also with a rather primitive appearance.

«Amon has been in the transportation business for two hundred years. The company has belonged to our family since Kamui Sato, an immigrant from the distant Johto region, arrived in the Unima region. Fleeing from modest living conditions, Kamui immigrated to the Unima region, specifically to Austropoli. As you know, back then, immigrants were not well-regarded. People thought they brought diseases or stole jobs from honest workers… you know how the mentality was back then.» The man began his tale. «For an immigrant, finding a job was extremely difficult, unless it was for very humble positions, like shoeshiners or street sweepers. Jobs that no one wanted to do. The luckiest ones worked in factories, for hours on end, with starvation wages. They didn't even have money to buy bread. Those who were a little luckier...» For Asami, this was a story she had heard many times, so she showed no expression, unlike Ash and his friends, who seemed quite intrigued by it.

«... worked as laborers. And fortunately, this was Kamui's case. After working in humble professions for several years, he managed to be hired as a laborer by a coachbuilder, a workshop specializing in the construction of carriages. It was one of the most famous coachbuilders in Austropoli and the entire Unima region. Back then, the most common way to transport people and goods. Trains were still in a rather experimental stage and were mainly used in mines. Anyway… Kamui was quite liked by the owner of the coachbuilder, an elderly man, widowed and without heirs.» Ash and Carlos were beginning to feel quite sleepy, and from Hiroshi's words, it seemed the story was far from over. Meanwhile, Hiroshi had continued: «Kamui was diligent in his work, and his boss noticed him particularly. When Mr. Gunther realized he didn't have much time left, he decided to name Kamui as his sole heir, under one condition.» The man glanced briefly at Ash and Carlos. Noticing that they were about to nod off, he decided to liven up the story a bit: «That Kamui adopt his surname, Amon. After Gunther's passing, the business continued to thrive, despite not being run by a Unima native. Despite this, Kamui seemed rather unsatisfied. It felt like something was missing, though he couldn't explain what.»

Finally, the man gestured for his guests to follow him. After a few steps, he pointed to a carriage with two plastic Bouffalant statues attached. «Of course, before the invention of the combustion engine, it was normal to use the strength of Pokémon like Bouffalant or Tauros. In cases where more strength was needed, they used Mudsdale, powerful Pokémon native to Alola. Well…»

The man's expression changed briefly, becoming almost disgusted. «In some regions, Pokémon are still used for tourist purposes, with carriages not too different from these.» He took a few more steps forward.

«This piece represents a revolution in the world of transportation. It is one of the few items in the collection that is not an Amon product.» The man approached a strange contraption, not much different from a carriage, except for the absence of Pokémon statues in front of it. «This is the first automobile ever. As you can see, it is extremely similar to a carriage, except that it does not have Pokémon pulling it.» He took a few more steps forward. «This, however, is the first car produced by Amon.» The man pointed to a vehicle not much different from the previously shown carriage, except that it lacked side walls and had a canopy roof covering the rear bench. The front bench, made of leather like the one at the back, had a bar and several levers in front of it. Just ahead, the vehicle had two rudimentary round brass headlights, which were acetylene lamps. «This is the Amon KP03, the third prototype car produced by Amon. I imagine you are wondering why it is called KP03 and not KP01, right?» he asked rhetorically. Asami made a small gesture with her hand, indicating to the group, whom she had met that morning, that Hiroshi loved to go on at length. «The reason is very simple. KP stands for Kamui Prototype, while the number indicates the order in which the prototype was made. The KP01 and KP02 were destroyed in fires that occurred during testing.» the man explained. «At that time, not many believed in the success of automobiles. They thought it would be a passing fad and that carriages pulled by Pokémon would remain forever. But fortunately, Kamui's stubbornness paid off.» The man gave a slight smile.

«Before passing the company to his son Takuma, he managed to oversee the project for the first mass-produced car model. The Amon KS01, which you can see here.» The man pointed to a vehicle with a shape already quite different from that of a carriage, with a rather short and squared-off hood. The similarities with the KP03 were mainly due to the shape of the headlights and the canopy roof, which this time also covered the front bench, now featuring a proper round steering wheel. «KS naturally stands for Kamui Series. And the KS01 is the first mass-produced car by Amon. In about twenty years, fifteen million units were produced, making it the world's first mass-produced car.» The man led the group to a scale model of a primitive airplane made of wood and canvas, with two propellers between the thin wings.

«This scale model is a reproduction of the first airplane produced by Amon, the AFP1.» The man continued the tour, showing numerous items, including the first car produced when Kamui was succeeded by his son Takuma, who also ordered the production of both freight and passenger trains. «Another great achievement of Takuma...» the man resumed after having coffee offered to everyone, so they wouldn't fall asleep, «...was launching Amon into automobile racing. What you see here is the ARP1, Amon Racing Prototype 1, the first Amon car to race in a championship. Compared to current cars, it seems very antiquated, but I assure you that the sporting results it achieved were quite respectable.» The man pointed to a white and blue squared-off vehicle, with the front dominated by a large radiator. It had tall, thin wheels, and the long engine hood had numerous air vents. The cockpit was extremely rearward, with the driver appearing almost to sit on the rear axle. «Unfortunately, Takuma never saw it win.» The man's tone became sad. «My great-grandfather Akira, however, did see it win. In fact, he himself drove it to victory in the Boreduopoli 500 miles.» he recounted with a hint of pride. «Although his goal was another... to expand far beyond Unova. And, to do so, nothing was better than racing. The best way to advertise. That's why he decided to participate in the first overseas race, the Gloriopoli 24 Hours in the Kalos region. And a few years later at the Azurria Grand Prix, the most prestigious of the CMA, although Amon was also among the teams that participated in the first CMA Grand Prix, the Galar Grand Prix...» In that case, they raced with the AEP01, which you can see here. The man pointed to a vehicle with shapes more similar to a road car of that period, including two teardrop-shaped headlights, although it had an open body.

«Unfortunately, in the first two editions in which it participated, it never managed to cross the finish line. The third year was the good one. The crew composed of my great-grandfather and Rory, a driver and designer, managed to win. The great success brought a lot of publicity. And everyone wanted to buy our cars. Among Akira's great merits was also betting on jet aircraft, a technology that was still in its infancy but...» Mr. Hiroshi narrated the entire story of how the company experimented numerous times before achieving success and how Akira also then passed the baton to his son Haru.

Meanwhile, the group had taken the elevator to the sixty-first floor. «Now let's move on to the bloodiest pages of Amon's history, the Six Years War.» the man recounted. «Like many other companies, Amon was practically forced to convert its production to support the war effort. Many companies, after the war, pretended nothing had happened, trying to clean up their image. But, by my grandfather's decision, this was never done. Just as it was decided to continue motorcycle production. Initially, motorcycle production was supposed to be exclusively for the military, but since, after the war, many civilians wanted them, Haru decided to produce two-wheelers for civilians as well, in various displacements.» The man showed some tank models and some scale models of warplanes. Shortly thereafter, connecting to the topic of motorcycles, he showed the various two-wheelers on display.

The tour continued with Hiroshi recounting how the company suffered numerous damages from bombings and how post-war reconstruction was extremely difficult. «Moreover, Amon was able to produce an extremely strong and light steel, which was very useful in the war. Fuels were rationed, and having a lighter but equally or more resistant tank than the enemy's allowed Unova to win that bloody war.» He recounted how Haru and his son Kazuki led the company through those delicate phases, managing to produce highly successful models suitable for people impoverished by the war.

He also told how, after a few years, Kazuki took the reins of the company, allowing it to re-enter the world of racing and make people dream again.

He finally recounted how, before passing the reins of the company to him, Kazuki started the production of buses, both urban and intercity, and long-distance luxury coaches, as well as the production of road tractors.

At that moment, the six had reached the third floor of the museum, where the current production models and prototypes were on display. «Coming to the present day, Amon is a giant in the transportation industry... and, following family tradition, I have also made my contribution by further expanding Amon's production sectors, betting on the naval transport sector, including container ships and cruise ships, not neglecting private luxury yachts. When the time comes and Asami takes the reins of the company, it will be up to her to choose which sector to innovate in.» After such a long and, in some ways, boring visit, Hiroshi invited the group to take the elevator again, heading to the upper floors of the building. As always, the elevator was extremely quick to reach the designated floor, the last one served by the elevator.

«Unfortunately, we will have to take the last floor on foot.» Hiroshi invited the five to follow him. «Now, you will finally be able to visit one of Amon's plants. We will go there by helicopter, at least this way we can avoid the traffic.» explained the man. The six of them climbed a flight of stairs, reaching the roof of the building, where a large black helicopter was parked. It had two enormous Amon logos on the sides. «Of course, this was also produced by Amon.» commented the man proudly. «It represents the pinnacle of helicopter technology. Even a child could pilot it, it's so automated.» he commented jokingly.

«Once on board, the man lifted the helicopter into the air, maneuvering the controls with extraordinary delicacy. In just under twenty minutes, they reached a series of colossal gray concrete buildings, around which hundreds of cars were parked. All of them were Amon cars, naturally.

«Seeing a small part of our empire from above is wonderful, isn't it, my dear?» the man addressed his daughter, seated next to him. Asami seemed to ignore him. She knew well that her father was a vain man, and usually tried to humor him, but not this time.

The man steered the vehicle past the landing point, intending to show something else. Soon after, he ascended several meters higher, moving beyond the series of buildings towards a destination that quickly became clear to everyone. Initially, a large row of rather tall trees appeared. «These trees are very useful for soundproofing our test track.» the man explained. «Amon has test tracks at its main facilities. This one in Austropolis is the longest. As you can see...» The man continued the flight, passing the pits. «It is situated on quite hilly terrain, making it a track rich in ups and downs. Of all the Amon tracks, it is also the longest, nearly five and a half kilometers. It is certified Grade 1 by the FMA and FMM, so any car or motorcycle event can be held here.» the man narrated. «And since Amon has its own Racing Team, we use our tracks to test our racing cars. Asami also participates, with excellent results. This year, she will also compete in the Charity Twenty-Four Hours of Spiraria, as training for the next Twenty-Four Hours of Gloriopolis.» the man continued, praising his daughter but also making her uncomfortable. «Baa! Some things are better kept to ourselves!» she scolded him. The man pretended not to hear, completing the flight over the track, which was empty at that moment. «Any result we achieve will still be a success. As a Team, on an experimental basis, and with a special waiver from the FMA, we are using a strategy department without Pokémon.» Ash had a puzzled expression. «How can Pokémon help in a race if it's the people racing?» he asked. «Many teams use Pokémon as strategists because of their abilities, although there are limits. It's quite boring to explain. We are experimentally using a supercomputer for the same task. If it works, it would be beneficial for the Pokémon, who wouldn't have to stress traveling around the world.» These words were enough to convince Ash. «Wow! That sounds like really incredible technology!» he commented.

After finishing the flight, the man landed the vehicle in the designated H-shaped space. Once on the ground, the man opened the door and got out, inviting the others to do the same. He walked a few meters in a straight line, then veered onto a path marked with yellow lines.

«Now, please follow me... these lines on the ground are guide lines for visitors... a sort of safe path. This way, we avoid possible accidents and don't disturb the workers.» the man explained proudly. Shortly after, Hiroshi opened a door and let his daughter and their guests inside. It was a rather small room with white walls and a metal staircase. «From here, we'll go up to a sort of elevated walkway, which will allow us to observe the work in the factory without disturbing.» he explained.

Once they climbed and reached the elevated walkway, the man began his explanation. «In this part of the plant, the first phase of the production of the car bodies takes place. It starts with these...» The man pointed to large coils of metal sheets. «These are special steel sheets, lightweight and corrosion-resistant.» he explained. «They are loaded into a machine called an uncoiler, where they are, as the name suggests, uncoiled and flattened. We have a coil for each part of the car, as each component needs to behave differently in the unfortunate event of an accident. The part that makes up the cabin must be almost indestructible to prevent the occupants from being crushed, while the front part needs to deform, absorbing as much energy as possible. I realize this is a bit complex, but... let's move on. After being uncoiled, the sheets are cut according to the size of the pieces they need to form.» As they continued walking, they approached a large machine that was cutting the various sheets into different sizes.

«Once this is done, the sheets are stamped to give them the desired shape. After that, some parts, which consist of multiple components like doors and hoods, are assembled through a welding process. In addition, thick metal bars are inserted into the doors to increase their strength. What you see here are the doors of the Spectre, a four-seater coupe.» the man continued with his explanation.

«Since all the parts to assemble a single body are stamped simultaneously here, each component that comes out is identified by a unique code. Each car is thus assembled with parts that have the same identifier, even though this process takes place in another building, which we will reach shortly.»

While the group continued their visit to Amon, in one of the city's police stations, work continued as usual, dealing with the city's defense against crime, taking reports, and handling small and large matters. Everything changed when a document appeared on one of the officers' desks, reporting an alleged sighting of several Team Plasma Followers in an anonymous and dreary neighborhood of Austropolis, consisting of many identical skyscrapers. There were no flowerbeds or green areas; the neighborhood was also known as the CEA, acronym for Administrative Building Center.

According to the report, the sighting had taken place from an office of one of the many companies headquartered in one of the many buildings in that neighborhood. The report didn't contain many other details, except that a civilian-dressed boy was with the Followers. Unfortunately, the report didn't provide further details, but fortunately, the person who received that document considered the information more than sufficient to proceed.

«Ladies! Come here!» the officer called her colleagues' attention, and quickly half a dozen officers gathered around her desk.

«As you can see from this document, it seems that Team Plasma has kidnapped a civilian and taken him hostage.» the woman presented the situation to her colleagues, who immediately perked up.

«The building is in the CEA district and is one of the oldest, according to the statements. It's a very risky operation; we'll be dealing with people who are against Trainers. They could be hostile towards us if we bring Pokémon with us.» she explained. «We have a specialized unit that operates without Pokémon.» one of the colleagues reminded. «We could have them intervene, using the excuse of a simple inspection. We can come up with any believable excuse, even just finding out who owns the building. I haven't been able to find out who the owner is. We could use this as an excuse for the inspection if needed.» she added shortly after. «Great idea!» her colleagues replied in unison. The organization of the plan was rather quick. The head of the department dedicated to operations without Pokémon support was contacted.

The department head stood out from her colleagues due to the various decorations on her uniform. Upon arrival, she took the document with the report and quickly read it.

«So it's the Team Plasma… I understand why you've requested the intervention of my department. According to the law, as long as they're demonstrating their ideas, they're free to do so; the law permits it. However, if crimes are committed, such as in this case, kidnapping, we must intervene. Since it's an organization for the liberation of Pokémon, we can't risk your Pokémon being endangered. For this reason, you'll handle only the coordination. You'll follow the operation from a distance and intervene if necessary.» she explained.

In a few hours, the operation was set up. By six in the evening, five police cars reached the innermost part of the CEA district. A neighborhood of administrative buildings, mainly made of steel and glass, with the older buildings made of concrete, like the one mentioned in the report.

The two leading cars stopped and parked a little away from that building. Four agents got out of each car and headed toward the indicated building.

Upon reaching the metal door, covered with a wood-like film, one of the eight agents knocked and waited, in vain, for a response. She then tried the intercom. «Police! We're here for an inspection!» she shouted. No answer. She tried again, with the same result. «If you don't respond, we'll be forced to break down the door!» she threatened. Still no response. The agents were reluctantly forced to breach the door with explosive charges. They were small metal cylinders.

The police officers placed them at various points on the door. To an untrained eye, these points might have seemed completely random, but they were actually specifically chosen to use the least amount of explosives and thus minimize risks. After all, they were still dealing with explosives.

After placing the charges, the officers moved to a safe distance before detonating them. An explosion caused the door to fall inward, creating a loud noise. It seemed that no one noticed, neither outside nor inside the building.

The officers stormed into the building, drawing their guns in case of necessity. The building appeared to be completely empty.

After searching several rooms on the ground floor and finding nothing, they proceeded to the upper floors, again finding nothing.

The building seemed completely untouched. All the offices were perfectly clean and in order. Desks with computers and filing cabinets.

The officers examined each cabinet and computer, finding nothing. The computers were perfectly unused, never turned on. The cabinets were empty and untouched, as if no one had ever used them.

The same was true for the subsequent floors. They finally reached the top floor, where the elevator maintenance worker's apartment was located. This, too, was empty and clean, as if no one had ever lived there.

«I think the report was a false alarm!» one of the officers complained, frustrated. «We've just wasted our time!» another commented. Quickly, the police officers left the building and returned to their cars. Two other agents would guard the building until workers arrived to repair the door.

The atmosphere at the police station was tense. «It almost seems like that tip-off was a ploy by Team Plasma to waste our time. That building was pristine, despite its age.» one officer commented while chatting with her colleagues before finishing her shift. «I think they somehow knew about the search and made everything disappear. And we can't ignore the testimony about the kidnapped boy being taken there.» another responded. «But how?» a third officer interjected. «If they kidnapped someone, they must have left some trace… am I wrong? The kidnapping at the tournament happened in front of hundreds of people.» the first officer continued.

Meanwhile, the group had concluded their tour of the Amon facility, seeing from above how the Spectre was assembled, starting from the stamped and welded sheets, to the assembly of the body, the subsequent anti-corrosion treatment, and the painting process, where the body was dipped in a vat of paint.

Once the paint was baked in a large oven, the car's underbody and other parts were treated with a special rough finish.

Only then did the assembly procedures begin, with all the components that allowed the vehicle to move and stay on the

road. Only then did the complex electrical system get installed, followed by the luxurious interiors. Finally, the final assembly phases took place, such as headlights, wheels, and bumpers, and the various fluids were added. The cars were then taken to a separate area for final testing.

«And that's how one of our cars is born.» Hiroshi concluded. Ash and the others had managed not to fall asleep. «I'm glad to see young people still interested in these things… many today think it's all easy, that things come out of nowhere, but…» he added shortly after, as he accompanied the group back to the helicopter, which would take them back to the company's main headquarters.

«Don't worry, we'll accompany you to the exit.» Hiroshi reassured them as he led them to the elevator. After the brief elevator ride, the six exited and reached the building's exit. «I hope to see you again!» Hiroshi bid farewell. «I hope so too.» Carlos replied, looking at Asami. The girl didn't seem to appreciate the attention.

After reaching the bus stop and waiting just a few minutes, the four boarded and began planning the next day.

«After a day of rest, we'll resume training tomorrow.» Ash proposed. «This time, I'd like to join as well, if you don't mind. Houndour seemed very satisfied with the training the other day.» Carlos replied. Ash didn't seem bothered by the suggestion. «Fine by me.» Anita responded. Moments later, Serena whispered something in her ear. «I don't trust that Asami…» Serena remarked. Anita just smiled at the words. Impressing Asami as a trainer, with the World Champion by his side. «And then, Asami's father said he'd be away on business, and she told us that when he's away, she'd introduce us to her friends, so I thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to… well… have an exhibition match, you know?» Carlos proposed. «And then, I am still the acting Gym Leader of Levantopoli, so we could simulate a match between Challenger and Gym Leader.» he added shortly after.

«An exhibition match?» Serena asked. «Are you sure there's nothing else to it?» she added, already knowing the answer. «Absolutely sure. I think it would be more helpful for Asami to see two trainers of a more normal level… let's say from the Basic Class… rather than a World Champion.» the boy tried to justify. «I think it's a good idea.» Ash simply responded, unaware of everything.

The next day, the four got up early and, after breakfast, headed to the battle field at the back of the Pokémon Center. «And after a good breakfast, I'd say it's the perfect time for a good training session.» Ash proposed, meeting with everyone's favor and Carlos' enthusiasm, while Anita remained calmer. After all, training had become the norm.

Before starting the training, Ash had called some Pokémon from Professor Oak's laboratory in exchange for some of the Pokémon he had with him.

«I'd say we can start the training. Carlos has two Pokémon with him, so we'll train by simulating a double battle where we each use two Pokémon...» Ash turned to Serena.

«No… you all go ahead without me. Even though I still don't know when the Varieties will resume, it's better to be prepared.» replied the native of Kalos.

«No problem, there's enough space for everyone.» Ash reassured her.

«If you're ready, we can start.» Ash invited them, grabbing two of his Poké Balls. «Then we can begin.» he invited again.

Anita and Carlos didn't need to be told twice and did the same. Carlos sent out Houndour, while Anita sent out her Herdier. Ash, on the other hand, sent out his Bayleef, a quadruped Pokémon with a reptilian appearance. Its skin was a pale yellow-green. It had a long neck and sturdy legs with a single flat claw each. Its medium-sized tail and large eyes with red irises were distinct features. Its small nostrils and turtle-like mouth added to its unique look. The neck was adorned with seven green, curled leaves. On its head, there was a larger leaf with a stem bent backward, which looked like it had been nibbled on the left side.

As soon as she was out of the Poké Ball, the Pokémon rushed towards her Trainer, showing her love. «It's not me you should be doing that to!» Ash gently chided her.

Anita scanned this strange Pokémon with the Pokédex function of her Smart Rotom: «Bayleef, Leaf Pokémon. Grass type. Female specimen. It is one of the starter Pokémon from the Johto region. It is the evolution of Chikorita. Bayleef's neck is adorned with leaves, inside which is the tiny sprout of a tree. The aroma emanating from this sprout has an energizing effect on humans. Known moves: Razor Leaf, Body Slam, Ancient Power, Grassy Terrain.»

She then focused on the second Pokémon Ash had sent out, his Quilava. A quadruped Pokémon with an elongated and slender body. Its fur was predominantly cream-colored, except on its back and head, which were dark green. The ears were triangular on the outside, while the inside was red, as was the iris. The muzzle was rounded, and the front legs were longer than the back ones. Large flames erupted from the head and the rear of the body.

The Volcano Pokémon was analyzed by Anita's Smart Rotom: «Quilava. Volcano Pokémon. Fire type. Male specimen. It is one of the starter Pokémon from the Johto region. It is the evolution of Cyndaquil. Known moves: Flamethrower, Flame Wheel, Swift, Eruption.»

The girl put her Smart Rotom back in her bag. «If you're ready, we can begin.» Ash invited. «This time we'll start!» he announced. «Quilava! Hit with Flame Wheel! Bayleef, you attack with Razor Leaf!» he ordered.

As the flames on the Volcano Pokémon's body started to grow and envelop his body, the Pokémon began to spin towards both opponents, while, from behind him, Bayleef launched a massive barrage of sharp leaves.

«Houndour! Try to burn those leaves! Use Ember!» Carlos ordered. The Dark Pokémon spewed a burst of flame from its mouth, which quickly reduced the leaf storm to ashes.

Herdier was in a much less favorable situation, continuously trying to escape from its pursuer, who didn't stop chasing it. Soon it would be caught, and it seemed its Trainer had no intention of giving it a command. It was as if she was hypnotized by watching the two Pokémon chase each other. «Let's try this! Use Dig!» the girl finally ordered after thinking it over. The Loyalty Pokémon quickly dug a hole in the ground, hiding underground.

«Pursue!» Ash ordered. «Bayleef! Use Ancient Power!» he added shortly after.

While Quilava launched himself into the hole dug by Herdier, large boulders surrounded by a violet aura rose from the ground. Quickly, Bayleef hurled these stones towards her opponent. «Try to dodge!» Carlos ordered as his Pokémon jumped from side to side, trying to avoid the boulders.

Meanwhile, underground, Quilava had reached and hit Herdier, forcing her violently out of the ground. Meanwhile, Houndour was hit by one of the boulders.

«Bayleef! Use Body Slam! Quilava, use Swift!» Ash ordered. The Leaf Pokémon started running rapidly towards her opponent, while Quilava had begun generating star-shaped energy beams, which in turn started launching light beams at both opponents.

As soon as the energy beams hit the battlefield, raising a large amount of dust that hid Bayleef from her opponents' view, Anita tried to order an attack, after both Herdier and Houndour had been on the defensive. «Herdier! Try to figure out where Bayleef is and attack with Fire Fang!»

Flames began to form in the Loyalty Pokémon's mouth, quickly enveloping it entirely. The Pokémon lunged at her opponent, biting her leg. «Leeeaaf!» screamed the Pokémon.

«Get her off you! And attack again with…» Serena, who was meanwhile training with her team for the next Variety, though still unsure when it would be, interrupted them. «Asami just messaged me. Her father has left for work, and she said that if

we want, we can go over to her place.» she explained.

«I think it's a good idea.» Carlos responded. «If I say yes, she'll send her driver to pick us up.» added the native of Kalos shortly after.

«In the meantime, let's get the Pokémon who just battled checked out. They gave their all in this training.» Ash brought everyone back to reality. Meanwhile, Serena had responded to the magnate's daughter, accepting her proposal. Within half an hour, a driver would pick them up and take them to her house.

After taking care of their respective Pokémon, the four left the Pokémon Center, waiting for the driver, who didn't take long to arrive. He was driving a light gray minivan, produced, of course, by Amon.

As was often the case with such vehicles, the rear windows were tinted, but chrome trim around the window frames streamlined the design.

As soon as the man stopped the van, the four approached. One of the rear sliding doors opened, driven by an electric mechanism. Shortly after, an electro-hydraulic mechanism raised the rear seat to allow access to the third row of seats, where Carlos settled, leaving Ash and the girls to sit in the second row. Once everyone was on board, the driver closed the electric door.

The interior, as one could infer from the class of the vehicle, was well-crafted and made of high-quality materials, though not real leather but rather an eco-friendly material that perfectly imitated it, along with walnut wood trim.

«Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Pastor, and I am Miss Asami's private driver.» he introduced himself. The four greeted him, introducing themselves in turn. Shortly after, the man tried to strike up a conversation with his passengers: «It seems strange to me that Mr. Hiroshi allows his daughter to meet Trainers, but I don't protest. After all, I'm paid to drive his daughter and her friends around, not to ask questions.» the driver commented, continuing to drive towards the Amon family residence. After making a U-turn, the man began the real journey towards the Amon family home.

«Miss Asami told me that you had already met when you visited the Amon factory and that she was very impressed by you.» he started.

«Yes, indeed, every time we talked about our experiences, she always seemed very fascinated.» Ash replied.

«Her father never allowed her to meet Trainers before. It seems that the strongest Trainer in the world managed to convince him.» The four exchanged a quick glance.

«Pokémon shows in front of hundreds of people. These shows are divided into two phases. In the first, we face a themed challenge, such as Pokémon quizzes, grooming contests, Poké Puff baking competitions, or similar activities. In the second phase, we combine moves and dance steps. While the goal of Contests is to highlight the beauty of moves and Pokémon, even in battles...» Serena, the native of Kalos, tried to explain.

«It sounds interesting.» replied the blonde, «but it also seems quite tiring.» She added shortly after. «Bringing a smile to the faces of those watching you perform, especially people going through tough times or other challenges, makes all the effort worth it.» replied Serena.

«It's a bit like when my father gives bonuses to his employees. They also smile when they earn something extra, even though they have to work very hard for it.» said Asami. «Well... more or less...» Serena replied, slightly embarrassed.

«The best thing about becoming Trainers is that anyone can do it. Anyone can aim high and achieve anything. No one judges you for who you are or similar reasons. We all start from scratch. Pikachu and I started from Pallet Town, a small town in the Kanto region... back then we didn't get along at all... now we're inseparable.» Ash began to recount. «Like in the World Coronation Series, where we are the reigning champions. Everyone starts from zero... from the basic class, and by winning, you climb higher and higher. Although before getting there, we came a long way...» Ash recounted his journey, from when he set out on his first trip to the Kanto region, alongside two much more experienced Trainers, to how he himself became the reference point of the group. He also talked about how he became World Champion with his Pokémon and why he decided to embark on the journey to achieve his dream.

«It seems really tiring!» commented the brunette. «Actually, when you spend time with friends and have fun, you don't think about the fatigue.» Ash replied. «Really?» asked the girl with the big bow. «The only way to understand it is to try it.» he replied.

Asami decided to lighten the mood: «Usually the staff handles these things, but I want this to be as informal as possible. So... be patient, I'll take care of it.» The young girl began. «Do you want something to eat?» she offered. «Oh! Of course! No problem!» Carlos replied. «If you want, I can help you carry things.» he offered. «Very kind of you.» she replied. «Let's go.» she invited him.

The two quickly reached the kitchen, Adrian the cook's domain. If only he were there. At that time, he usually went shopping to stock the pantry with food. Naturally, the girl had informed him about the guests' presence and that they had simpler and less refined tastes. Before inviting the boys she met the day before and her friends, she had ordered sweets from a city bakery. She had also arranged for various types of drinks to be delivered. A sort of mid-morning snack.

After eating, it was finally time for Ash and his friends to reveal the real reason they had accepted her invitation. Amidst the chatter, Carlos finally found a way to introduce his topic. «I was thinking about something...» he began while finishing a double donut. «Since none of you are Trainers, seeing a Trainer like Ash, who is the World Champion, battle might make you think that battles are something elite. However, if someone with a bit less experience battles, it's the best way to get closer to battles.» he added shortly after. His words had a clear intention, which did not escape the girls.

After the snack, Asami presented the biggest problem at that moment: «Unfortunately, we don't have a battle field or anything like that in the house. And, we're quite far from the city.» Ash signaled her not to worry: «On the road, you don't always have a proper field... even an open space large enough with no objects that could get damaged is fine.» he explained. «We've battled in forests, by lakes, and many other places. I imagine there's a courtyard or something similar in this house...» The hostess stood up and invited the others to follow her. «Well, yes, in fact, we have a small courtyard. It might work, if, as you say, an open space is enough.» In a few minutes, the group reached the "small" courtyard. An extremely large area made of large non-slip slabs.

Although it was quite normal for a courtyard to be made this way, this ruined Anita's plans, as she couldn't use Dig while battling with Herdier. She had learned to use it as an evasive strategy. Although simple and easily countered, it was still her first real strategy. But, on the other hand, she didn't want to disappoint her friend by having another Pokémon battle.

«Since this is the first time you'll be watching a battle, I advise you to pay attention.» Carlos tried to draw Asami and her friends' attention, who had sat on a swing bench. Around the large courtyard, there were plants of all kinds and various garden decorations. «Surely the person who takes care of this place has quite a job to do.» commented Ash, observing what, by Asami's standards, was a small courtyard.

Shortly after, he sat down next to Serena on one of the swing benches on the side of that courtyard. Pikachu had instead settled on his lap.

«This is a demonstration match, so there's no need for a referee.» Carlos explained as he sent out his Houndour. Anita, as planned, sent out her Herdier. «We can begin!» Carlos took the initiative, catching Anita by surprise, who almost hadn't had time to position herself on her side of the improvised field. «Go ahead and make the first move.» he invited.

«Let's give it a try then. Herdier! Use Tackle!» ordered the girl. The Loyal Dog Pokémon started running towards its

opponent, ready to strike. «Houndour! Try to dodge and then attack with Ember!» The Dark Pokémon moved aside just before being hit by its opponent, while a small flame shot out from its mouth towards its opponent.

«Try to dodge!» ordered the girl. The Pokémon quickly moved, avoiding the opponent's blow. The first turn of the battle ended in a stalemate.

«So? Are Pokémon battles just about dodging the opponent's attacks?» asked the blonde. «Not at all!» replied Houndour's Trainer. «Use Fire Fang!» ordered the boy.

The Dark Pokémon's mouth was engulfed in flames as it quickly approached its opponent. «Herdier! Use Tackle!» ordered the girl. The Pokémon started running towards the opponent, surrounded by a pinkish aura. «But that's not Tackle!» commented Ash, recalling the last time he had seen such a move. Until he remembered Lenora's Herdier. «Of course!» The World Champion's tone was that of someone who had made a very important discovery. «That move is Play Rough. It's a very powerful Fairy-type move.» he explained to his friend.

Meanwhile, the two Pokémon collided, with Houndour being thrown into the air by the impact's violence. «Use Ember now that you're in the air!» ordered Carlos.

A weak flame shot out from the Dark Pokémon's mouth, aimed at the ground, which, unfortunately, failed to hit its target. «Wait until it lands and use Play Rough!» ordered Anita.

A few moments later, the Dark Pokémon landed just a few meters from its opponent. «Use Ember!» ordered Carlos. The weak flame from the Pokémon's mouth struck the opponent, not causing significant damage, and still allowing it to complete its attack, throwing it to the opposite side of the courtyard.

«Houndour!» Carlos's tone sounded quite worried. Shortly after, he turned towards his Pokémon. It was lying on the ground, unconscious. The boy approached the Fire/Dark puppy. As soon as he arrived, the Pokémon tried to stand up to get closer to the Trainer. «Better not to make an effort, rest a bit!» The boy returned his Pokémon to its Poké Ball, followed shortly by Anita, who did the same with Herdier.

«So this would be a Pokémon battle? It doesn't seem that exciting to me.» commented the girl with the big bow. «Nothing worth it.» added the blonde. «Maybe it would have been better to have Ash do this demonstration.» Carlos commented in a dejected tone. «I, on the other hand, found it quite fascinating! If it weren't for my father...» Asami went against the opinion of her friends, making Carlos smile.

Shortly after, the hostess glanced at her phone. «Oh! It's almost lunchtime.» the girl called everyone's attention. «What do you think? Stay here to eat?» she proposed. Everyone accepted without reservations; after all, refusing such a kind offer was definitely not a good idea.

Thanks to Asami's guidance, the group reached the dining room. The table was already set for everyone. The house staff hadn't thought of the Pokémon, but it wasn't a problem. Knowing Asami's situation, the four had brought bowls and Pokémon food with them. At least for lunch, they were set.

After lunch, which fortunately was more in line with Ash and his friends' standards, consisting of dishes that already looked and smelled quite familiar, Asami explained, «I noticed your reactions the other day, so I asked Adrian, the chef, to prepare something a bit simpler. And it seems he kept his promise.»

While lunch was being consumed at the Amon family's mega villa, Mr. Hiroshi had already been on his journey for several hours. If everything had gone according to his plans, he would already be aboard his private plane, probably already at several thousand meters of altitude. However, a small unforeseen event made the magnate turn back.

At the city exit, the man encountered a long line of black pickups with the Team Plasma insignia. They were all heading in one direction, a narrow country road. Knowing well what had happened at the Nacrene City tournament sponsored by his company, he wanted to clarify. As soon as possible, the man turned around and headed to the police station. This would mean delaying his departure a bit, but if it benefited his image, it was worth it.

He reached the police station, a historic building in the city, in the shortest time possible. As soon as he arrived and got out of his car, he was immediately greeted by one of the policewomen on duty there.

«Oh! Hello Mr. Amon!» The officer greeted the magnate as soon as she met him. «Hello, miss.» The man greeted the officer in turn. «What brings you here, sir?» asked the woman. For the policewoman, it was quite unusual for one of the region's richest citizens, if not the richest, to come in person to handle such matters.

«As you know, my company sponsored the double battle tournament in Nacrene City, as it has for eighteen years. And as everyone knows, the last edition of the tournament was marred by a Team Plasma attack.» the man explained. «Sir, I am well aware of what happened. It could have been a disaster, but we managed to limit the damage, even though one person was kidnapped.» the officer replied. The man tried to show as much regret as possible. «I hope that girl is well and has returned home safely.» he said. «Unfortunately, we have no news.» The man adopted a worried expression. «In any case, I came here precisely because of Team Plasma.» the man began to explain, capturing the officer's full attention. «Go ahead, Mr. Amon. Any information can be useful in defeating Team Plasma.» the officer responded. «As I was leaving the city, on Rossa Street, I saw several vehicles belonging to Team Plasma. They were black pickups from one of our rival companies, Mayen, all heading down a side road. I don't know the name of the street, but it was the only paved road accessible from Rossa Street.» he explained. «Interesting...» replied the policewoman. «How many vehicles?» she asked shortly after. «There were at least a dozen, and they seemed loaded with goods. It was covered with tarps, so I don't know exactly what was inside.» he explained. «Unfortunately, I have no other information.» he added shortly after. «That's quite alright, Mr. Amon. Your contribution could be crucial in defeating Team Plasma.» the officer thanked him. «Goodbye, miss!» The man left immediately after filing his report. He didn't even wait to collect the document certifying his presence there. He seemed to be in a hurry.

The magnate's testimony quickly passed into the hands of other officers in the meeting room. The same officers who had authorized the failed operation at the CEA the day before were present. «Ladies...» one of the policewomen began. «We are dealing with Team Plasma again. This time the testimony comes from Mr. Amon, the head of the namesake company.» The officer who had taken the report began to explain the situation to her colleagues. «He says he saw several vehicles with Team Plasma logos heading down a country road at the exit of Rossa Street. They were loaded with goods, but since it was covered with tarps, he couldn't identify it. He also said it's not hard to figure out which road they took because it's the only secondary paved road.» she explained. «In some ways, it's much more detailed than the anonymous report at the CEA, but we can't risk a second failure.» a colleague responded. «Since it's still Team Plasma, the Specialist Unit will intervene.» the first policewoman began to plan. «We can't let them barge in like last time. We must first learn more about the location of that building and act accordingly.» a third policewoman interjected. «At least we know where they operate and have a more substantial testimony.» the first one retorted. «So, the first thing to do is to find out if this building actually exists and to whom it belongs. We weren't able to find out who owned the building at the CEA, but maybe, in this case, we'll be luckier.» she explained. «Meanwhile, let's try to figure out where this building is located...» The officer opened her laptop, and after it completed the startup procedures, she opened the map program. Unlike civilian programs, the military one was constantly updated.

Starting from Rossa Street, it didn't take the policewoman long to find the road the man had talked about. Following it, even if only virtually, the policewomen discovered the presence of a large, anonymous-looking prefabricated building. It featured large windows and some shutters. At the time the photos were taken, just a few days earlier, the building was completely closed.

«Now that we know the building exists, we need to find out who owns it and then investigate the actual presence of Team Plasma.» the first one explained.

Meanwhile, the group had finished lunch, and the staff had started clearing the table. «What do you think? Shall we watch a movie?» Asami proposed, meeting everyone's approval. The girl led the group to the home's theater room, an enormous room with numerous dark faux leather chairs arranged like in a cinema to allow even those in the back to see the screen. A powerful projector was attached to the ceiling. As soon as Asami took a remote from the wall and pressed a button, the projector turned on, displaying the default image on the large white screen at the back of the room. Ash, giving a quick glance around the room, noticed the presence of numerous speakers positioned strategically to allow for greater immersion from that perspective as well.

«We have so many movies to choose from...» The girl showed the others a screen with a long list of movie titles. Ash didn't recognize a single one. «We also have a popcorn machine, so help yourselves if you want.» The hostess's offer was met with enthusiasm from Ash.

The next two hours were an ordeal for Ash, Pikachu, and Carlos. The movie was a typical romantic film featuring the usual unlucky and clumsy girl who falls in love with the most handsome guy in school, the captain of the sports team—whether it was soccer, rugby, or something else didn't matter. In this particular film, it was rugby. Throughout the movie, the girl went through various misadventures, but by the end, she managed to win over the guy, prompting emotional reactions from the girls and complete disinterest from the boys, who had fallen asleep about a quarter into the film.

«I have an idea...» Serena proposed. «Since Carlos and Anita gave a demonstration of a battle earlier, what do you think about me and my team giving a performance demonstration, like in the second stage of the Showcase?» The native of Kalos suggested. «Yes, I'd love to see a performance, especially from a professional like you.» Asami's admiration was clear in her words. The girl once again led the group to the same courtyard where Anita and Carlos had given their battle demonstration.

As before, everyone who wasn't involved in the demonstration sat on the hanging benches. «I'm sure you'll enjoy her performance.» Ash said, anticipating his friend's showcase.

Unable to use moves like Stone Edge, Serena decided not to include Pancham in her performance, sticking to Delphox and Sylveon. She would have liked to debut Lilligant, but she feared the Pokémon might be too scared in front of a sizeable group of people. The girl sent out her two Pokémon with a small dance step. From the Poké Balls emerged her Delphox and Sylveon.

«Delphox is the evolution of Fennekin, one of the Pokémon given to new Trainers in the Kalos region. Sylveon is one of the eight evolutions of Eevee, a very special Pokémon that can evolve into different forms.» Carlos explained while showing Asami and her friends the Pokédex entries of the two Pokémon. «So, Eevee evolves into Sylveon only when it forms a strong bond with its Trainer?» Asami asked. «How fascinating!» She commented.

Noticing that she had the audience's attention, Serena began her performance.

«Let's start! Delphox! Use Hidden Power! Sylveon! Use Swift!» The girl commanded. The Fox Pokémon generated bluish spheres of energy from her wand, launching them into the air. Moments later, the Intertwining Pokémon leaped up, generating star-shaped energy beams that mingled with Delphox's energy spheres. «Delphox, use Fire Blast!» She ordered shortly after. The Pokémon created a giant star of fire that enveloped the previous attacks. «Delphox, use Psybeam!» She instructed next. The Fox generated a violet energy beam that hit the fire star, bouncing off the energy spheres and stars launched by Sylveon. «Let's finish this! Sylveon, use Fairy Wind!» The Intertwining Pokémon created a powerful gust of wind that blew through the previous composition, making it explode into a shower of sparks and colorful dust.

Serena concluded her performance with a bow.

«That was truly wonderful!» Asami commented. «I wonder how much work goes into such a performance.» She added shortly after. «I see you enjoyed our performance. That makes all our effort worthwhile.» The native of Kalos replied.

After the skilled Performer's showcase, Asami's friends left, bidding farewell to the girl and her guests. Once she was sure her friends had been escorted by Pastor, Asami addressed her guests. «Please forgive them. They're not very used to these things. I find them extremely fascinating and thought they might too.» She apologized with a small bow. «It's okay.» Ash replied. «Maybe for them, watching isn't enough, and not being able to battle or perform, they can't experience it firsthand...»

A few moments later, the doorbell rang again. It was Kelly. Without a word, Asami opened the door, allowing her friend back in. The girl quickly joined her friend and the guests. «I'm sorry I said I was leaving and now I'm back, but... now that Sorya and Magali aren't here, I can say what I really think. I feared being excluded with them around. But the truth is, like you, I found the battles and performances extremely fascinating. I just don't have the courage to go against my parents and become a Trainer. For you, it's even harder. Your father monitors your every move with guards. My parents aren't that strict, but they want me home every evening and think Pokémon are dangerous... but your Pokémon seemed so friendly, and I thought maybe my parents are wrong.» The girl tried to explain. «Maybe one day I'll find the courage. Maybe you'll manage too. Then we can travel together, face every challenge, and be unbeatable.» Kelly looked at Asami with dreamy eyes. «You'll see, one day you'll become a Trainer. And you'll change your parents' minds about Pokémon.» Ash encouraged her. «I hope so. But now I have to go. They'll be wondering where I am. See you!» The girl with the big bow bid farewell to the group, heading back to the vehicle to be taken home.

«Forgive me if I'm being intrusive, but why doesn't your father want you to become a Trainer?» Carlos broke the silence. The hostess sat on the couch and motioned for her guests to do the same. «You see... my father, like Kelly's parents, is very protective, but after what happened to my mother... it became an obsession.» The hostess began her story. «My mother died when I was four years old. Her name was Kara. So, I didn't get to know her well. Almost everything I know about her is from my father.

My mother was a true adventurer, someone who dedicated her life to taking care of Pokémon, but she didn't want to stay in one place. She wanted to travel everywhere and take care of Pokémon. It didn't matter how big or dangerous they were. She was always on the front lines to help them. She wasn't a Trainer. She just cared about their well-being. Often, the Pokémon she cared for had been victims of unscrupulous people who tried to capture them to make money. Often they failed and abandoned them, leaving them severely injured. She became famous for how she could, with her skills, save even cases many considered hopeless.» The four listened intently to her story. «She decided not to become a Trainer after what happened to her parents, my maternal grandparents. They died in a plane crash when she was fifteen. Their Pokémon were entrusted to a specialized agency so they could be adopted by Trainers. She was still too young to become a Trainer. This made her give up the idea of becoming one, making her desire above all to care for Pokémon, especially those without Trainers. In a few years, she became instantly famous for this, occasionally attending ceremonies where she was awarded for her efforts. At one of these, she met my father. My father wasn't yet the head of Amon. But that's not very important. After their first meetings at these events, they began to see each other in more informal settings. But that's not very important. Even when they got engaged and married, my mother continued, as much as possible, to care for wild Pokémon. My father told me she did the same even when she was pregnant with me, until the doctors stopped her. She resumed her activities almost completely when I was very young. According to my father, she would take me to daycare.»

In the meantime, Grandfather thought he was too old to continue running the company, so he passed the baton to my father, his eldest son. Grandfather had already started sponsoring various events and tournaments, so my father decided to continue his work. Everything was going well until, on one of her many missions, Mom encountered a large wild Pokémon. According to my father, it was red and very aggressive. It had been severely injured by some people, and... she tried to help it.» The girl's eyes began to fill with tears. «But it mistook her for someone who wanted to attack it and attacked her. There was nothing that could be done for her. Since then, my father has completely changed his opinion about Trainers, forbidding me from becoming a Trainer and sending guards to watch over me at all times.» Serena handed the girl a tissue so she could wipe away her tears. After several minutes, Asami regained some composure, eager to continue talking, albeit about lighter topics. «Additionally, my father has focused more on his image and the company's image, continuing to sponsor tournaments and other events. He says he did it to maintain the company's image.» She resumed. «In fact, I remember that before every tournament match, it was repeatedly announced that Amon was sponsoring the tournament.» Ash responded. «To organize a tournament like that requires a lot of money, and the same goes for the Performances. After all, if admission is free, they have to get the money from somewhere.» Carlos intervened. «True, from what you've shown me, both the battles and the Performances are really wonderful to watch. I understand why people want to see them. But, and I apologize here, because I don't want to seem like my father or grandfather, who only think about business, but...» «Go ahead!» Carlos encouraged her. «Neither the tournaments nor the Performances seem like a successful business model if they need sponsor money to keep going.» Serena shook her head. «It's not exactly like that. The tournaments and Performances are broadcast on television and the internet. And the companies that broadcast them have to pay those who organize them to air them. And they also give us Performers a fee. The same goes for the contests.» Explained the Kalos native. «I imagine the more famous you are, the higher the fee, and you seem to be one of the most famous, right?» Asami asked. «Well, let's say the fee varies more based on the prestige of the Performance or contest, but experience also counts. For example, the Austropolis Performance is the most prestigious of all, while the most prestigious Pokémon Contest is the Adriano Cup.» Serena explained. «The same goes for the tournaments. The more prestigious the tournament, the greater the rewards.» Carlos explained. «And it also depends on the placement. The further you advance, the higher the compensation. And I can only imagine what the compensation is at the World Tournament...» Meanwhile, Serena showed Asami how those cards worked. By clicking on the Trainer Card, the payment system screen would appear. Anita did the same. Unlike her older friend, the girl had to set up her fingerprint. Once done, she could access the same screen as Serena. Playing with the settings, she even managed to see the two credits made so far. «That's why I always pay for everything.» Ash had grown tired of talking so much about money and wanted to end the conversation as soon as possible.

Understanding Ash's words, Asami decided to change the subject. «I was thinking... why don't you stay here with me for a few days? At least I won't be alone.» She proposed. «I think that's a great idea. What do you guys say?» Carlos replied. The others accepted the girl's proposal with fewer scenes. After all, spending a few days in such a luxurious residence wasn't something that happened every day.

Fortunately for their Pokémon, the kids still had a good supply of food, but for the following day, they had to order more, which was done quickly.

During dinner, Asami turned on the television, which was tuned to a channel that continuously aired various history programs, only interrupted by a brief newscast at eight-thirty.

«Thus, it is believed that the Buried Castle, located in the desert...» the calm and composed voice of the narrator was interrupted by the newscast music. Strange. It was nine o'clock. The eight-thirty edition should have already been broadcast. On the screen, after the newscast logo, TG 35, since the channel was the thirty-fifth, the words "SPECIAL EDITION" appeared. Shortly after, a single journalist, sitting at her desk, with blonde hair tied back in a simple ponytail and wearing an elegant suit, appeared: «Good evening. We apologize to the audience for the interruption, but we are compelled to broadcast a brief special edition of TG 35. The Police have just arrested the Gym Leader of Austropolis, Burgh, for collaborating with Team Plasma. A report mentioned a building on the outskirts of the city where several followers had gathered. The property turned out to belong to the Gym Leader, and it was searched by authorities. Inside, materials with their insignia and plans for devices they used were found. The Gym Leader is accused of being the mastermind behind a terrorist attack, a kidnapping, and an alleged kidnapping.» The woman explained. «On-site is Jean Faby.» The image switched to a man in his forties, with very short brown hair and eyes of the same color. He was dressed in a suit and tie and seemed to be a professional in the field. «A few minutes ago, Gym Leader Burgh was arrested directly in his Gym. He was facing a challenger at the time. When the authorities reached him, the man did not resist in any way, boarding the police car with his typical calm demeanor. His statements and those of the Pokémon League are awaited, although his suspension is a certainty. More updates later.» The man closed the report, returning the line to the studio. «Awaiting further news, we conclude this special edition and resume regular programming.» Announced the journalist.

«To me, Burgh is completely innocent!» Ash slammed his fist on the table. «He is a Gym Leader. He truly loves Pokémon. He would never collaborate with Team Plasma.» He added. «Do you think someone is trying to frame him?» Serena asked, doubtful. «Certainly. We just need to figure out who and why.» He responded, extremely convinced. «As far as I know, they can't arrest him without a trial. In this case, he can remain in preventive detention for only thirty days. Tomorrow you could go talk to him.» Asami suggested. «I will definitely do that.» Ash replied. After dinner, the five watched a movie in the home theater. This time not a romantic movie, but a comedy. At least this way, the kids, including Pikachu, didn't fall asleep during the screening. After the movie, Asami showed her guests to their respective guest rooms.

The next day, the five got up early. The morning visiting hours were quite early, so Ash had to postpone his training for that morning.

Right after breakfast and after washing and changing, Ash was immediately accompanied by Pastor to the city jail, specifically to the detached section for those awaiting trial.

The building was nondescript and made of gray concrete. It had an extremely sad and austere appearance, but after all, the purpose of that building was not a happy one.

Ash entered alone, walked the few meters to the entrance, climbed a short staircase, and entered the building. At the entrance, an Officer was sitting at the desk in front of a large flat screen. On the same desk was a pile of paperwork and a pen holder.

«Good morning!» Ash greeted as soon as he entered. «Good morning to you.» The Officer greeted him. «I imagine you're here to visit someone... is that correct? In that case, visiting hours start in five minutes. In the meantime, we can proceed with the search... should I do it, or would you prefer a colleague to do it?» Ash remained completely calm. «Go ahead.»

After a quick search, the officer found nothing unusual. «You're clean. Give me a moment to call a colleague who will accompany you to the person you're looking for.» Moments later, a second officer, identical to the colleague, emerged from a room. «Okay... so you're entrusting him to me? Has he already passed the checks?» She asked. «All clear.» The first officer responded.

«Alright… Ash…» prompted the second officer. «I'll take you to the visiting room. Who have you come to see?» she asked.

«Burgh, the Gym Leader. He should be here… after he was arrested.» Ash replied. «You're not mistaken. I'll bring him over. In the meantime, I'll escort you to the room.»

The Champion and the officer walked through several hallways until they reached a rather small room equipped with several cameras and microphones. «Don't worry. The cameras are just to prevent visitors from passing prohibited items to the detainees.» explained the officer. The room contained only a large metal table and a chair. At the far end of the room was another door.

Moments later, that door opened. Two male officers appeared, escorting the man into the room. He was handcuffed to prevent him from posing any threat. «Behave yourself, or your record will get even dirtier.» one of the officers warned before leaving.

Once Burgh and Ash were "alone," the Gym Leader immediately spoke up. «Ash. I was expecting your visit, but not this soon.» The Champion responded with a smile. «I know you're innocent, and I know the real culprit is the one who got you arrested.» The Gym Leader looked saddened. «It's not that simple. This isn't a Pokéwood movie.» «Movie or not, I'm sure you're innocent.» Ash replied. «They've completely framed me. They found all that material on my property. It doesn't matter who put it there. They found it.» «But if you didn't put it there, how did it end up inside?» Ash asked. «I only recently bought that warehouse. You're the Champion, you know. Gym Leaders must maintain the order and decorum of their Gym. I'm an artist and I love painting and displaying my paintings, but the Gym was getting too full. I risked suspension or worse. So, I bought a warehouse to store some of my works. My idea was to open an exhibit or something like that.» he explained. Ash listened attentively, noticing nothing unusual. «I intended to install an alarm and surveillance system and had considered several options, and I had even ordered one, but it took time to install, and I urgently needed to move my works from the Gym to the warehouse. So, I hired a guard.» Ash nodded slightly without speaking. «I have no enemies. Everyone in the city likes me. Perhaps only…» Suddenly, the door through which Ash had entered opened. An officer entered the room. «Visiting time is over.» she stated simply, escorting Ash back to the entrance. Moments later, Burgh was also escorted back to his cell. Reunited with the driver, Ash returned to Asami's villa, finally able to start his training.

The following two days passed in the same way, with training sessions closely watched by Asami and watching movies with the four friends.

Everything was going well for the five of them, and Asami, for the first time, was even able to have closer contact with the Pokémon, even petting and playing with them.

However, she declined offers from Ash and Carlos to try battling and from Serena to attempt a performance.

During one of the training sessions, Asami's phone rang. Out of respect for their host, Ash and Anita paused their simulated battle, which at that moment saw the boy's Bulbasaur facing off against Oshawott.

Asami moved the phone away from her ear and covered the microphone. «It's my father. He said he's back early from his business trip due to an unexpected event. He's about to arrive here, and… he must not know anything.» the girl hastily explained before resuming the call. «Sorry, I had to tell Adrian something…» Asami tried to come up with an excuse for her father. «No problem. I'm ready to wait for you! Love you!» The girl bid her father goodbye.

Immediately, Asami guided her guests to one of the many rooms in the house. «Please. Be quiet. I know my father well. As soon as he arrives, he will greet me, kiss the photo of my mother, and go to the tool shed to indulge in his DIY hobby. When he's there, you can leave.» explained the girl.

Ash and his friends followed her instructions. Meanwhile, Asami went downstairs to meet her father, who had just entered the house.

As the girl had predicted, the man kissed the photo of his late wife and then approached his daughter. «I'm glad to see you're doing well… but I didn't expect anything less. After all, one day you'll have to manage a giant like Amon. It's only right that you start with something smaller.» he greeted her. «Let's not exaggerate… it's not the first time you've left me alone at home.» the daughter replied. «You know, with me, Grandpa also had me manage the staff before letting me run the company…» the man replied nostalgically.

«But now, excuse me, I'd like to relax a bit with some DIY. If you need me, you know where to find me.» he added shortly after, as he exited the house to head to a shed a short distance away.

As soon as her father left, Asami immediately contacted those she could now consider her friends. She sent them a message: "My father has gone to the tool shed. You can go now." She wrote.

Ash and his friends left the room, trying to be as quiet as possible, and approached the entrance, ready to leave after a few days of living the good life.

Just as Ash and his friends were about to leave, someone rang the outer doorbell. Asami quickly looked to see who was at the door. It was two ordinary Officer Jennys, in their usual brown uniforms.

«Hello, Officers.» Asami greeted them. «How can I help you?» she asked. «We're looking for Mr. Amon. We have a few questions for him. It's nothing serious, to be clear. We just want to talk to him about a small matter… nothing serious.» the girl opened the outer door without asking further questions.

The two officers walked the long path from the gate to the actual entrance of the house. Once they reached the real entrance, they had to ring another video intercom. Asami opened the door again, allowing the two officers to enter.

Upon entering, the officers did not find a fifty-year-old man with a robust build and graying hair, but a young girl with long black hair and green eyes. Behind her were two boys and two girls. On one of the boys' shoulders was a male Pikachu.

«Oh! Hello! I assume you're Mr. Amon's daughter…» one officer greeted her. «I assume these are your friends.» she indicated the four. «You're not mistaken, Officer.» Asami replied. At that point, the second officer intervened: «As we said at the intercom, we would like to speak with your father.» Asami smiled. «No problem. He should be in the tool shed. You know, in his free time, he likes to do DIY projects.» she explained. «Then let's go!» invited the officers. The girl accompanied the two women without hesitation. Ash and his friends remained there. It was quite rude to leave without saying goodbye to the host.

«Do you think they're here because of the Team Plasma incident?» Carlos asked, breaking the silence. «I don't think so.» Ash replied. «Mr. Hiroshi isn't a Trainer and is very protective of Asami, but that's not a crime. And if he were against Trainers, he wouldn't sponsor a battle tournament.» Serena responded. «True, but then why are they here?» Carlos asked. «I don't know, they must have their reasons.» Ash replied.

Meanwhile, the girl had accompanied the two officers to the tool shed. It was a rather small building, a kind of prefab. It had a couple of windows that allowed adequate natural light.

The entrance door was ajar, allowing the girl and the two officers to enter.

The two women drew their service pistols, ready to shoot if necessary. «There's no one here!» complained one of the

officers. «Maybe he's in the bathroom. I'll knock.» the hostess suggested, knocking on the small bathroom door.

The girl expected to hear her father's voice complaining about being disturbed or something of the sort. Instead, she got no response. «So where is your father?» asked one of the agents.

The room was perfectly organized. On the walls hung a variety of tools—wrenches, socket wrenches, screwdrivers, hex keys, different types of lubricating oils, and on various workbenches were several machines, from lathes to grinders, to

drills and Dremels, alongside instruments that seemed more suited to a horror movie than a DIY workshop.

«We heard he returned early from his business trip. We just wanted to ask him some questions. He filed a report about Team Plasma, which was very helpful to our investigation. He might know more.» explained the second agent. «I understand. But I really don't know what to say.» the girl seemed quite disappointed.

«He might have gone somewhere else.» suggested one of the officers. «Impossible. This property is protected by a surveillance system managed by artificial intelligence. It recognizes the faces of anyone on the premises. If you want, I can initiate a search to see if my father has moved.» the girl said, taking out her phone and opening the surveillance app. She immediately started the search to see if her father had moved somewhere else. The result was clear right away: "No match."

«So where did he go?» asked one of the officers. «Does this shed have cameras or…?» asked the second agent. «Not that I know of. My father values his privacy.» the girl replied.

«Yes… but how long are they taking!» Carlos was starting to get impatient. «We'll never find a place to stay for the night if we keep this up!» The boy seemed genuinely nervous.

«What can you do? They're discussing very important matters, we can't interrupt them.» Ash replied. «As you wish, but I have a bad feeling about this.» Carlos replied. «Don't you find it suspicious that Burgh was arrested and two days later, Mr. Hiroshi returned from his business trip?» he asked shortly after, with a detective-like demeanor. «Then you went to talk to him. You insisted so much on his innocence.»

Ash was starting to lose his patience. Carlos was beginning to push too much. «Alright! Let's go. But if they ask us to leave, don't insist.» Ash tried to appease his friend.

The four of them headed towards the tool shed, where they could hear the two agents questioning the girl. At that moment, they were asking why she hadn't become a Trainer, despite her father sponsoring battle tournaments and other events.

The two officers were surprised by the presence of the four. They thought they would stay inside the house. But perhaps their contribution could still be useful. No sooner had they arrived than one of the officers started asking them questions: «From what I understand, you've been guests of Miss Amon these days… have you noticed anything strange or not?» The four shook their heads no. «Everything's normal. We trained, and Asami watched our sessions. Then we watched a few movies…» Carlos replied, trying to exonerate the girl.

«Ash! We need to talk in private.» one of the agents called Ash's attention. The boy approached without protest. When they were close, the officer invited him to step outside. The boy obeyed the agent, following her. The two left the shed and headed back towards the villa to ensure they were in an isolated place, away from prying ears.

«Finally, we can talk in peace…» the officer addressed Ash. «I imagine you've figured out who I am. You're probably wondering why I came here.» Ash felt overwhelmed by the events. «More or less…» he managed to reply. «I know you spoke with Burgh shortly after he was arrested. You managed to talk to him even before his lawyer. I, like you, believe in his innocence. Can you tell me what you talked about?» she asked.

«Well, not much. He told me he was framed. He doesn't know who did it, but it seems someone used his warehouse as a Team Plasma depot. Only he doesn't know who it was or why.» Ash replied. «I know you and Burgh fought against some workers in the Twisty Woods. The news was spread everywhere.» «We just did what was right.» the boy responded. «There might be a connection between your fight against the workers and his arrest.» the agent hypothesized. «Moreover, nothing was found in the building where Team Plasma was previously located. Finding information about the owner was not easy at all. Then I discovered it belonged to…» Before the agent could finish her sentence, her phone started ringing. The agent immediately answered the call. «We're coming back.» she responded at once.

They quickly returned to the shed. «So where has Mr. Hiroshi gone?» asked the agent who stayed with the kids. «Maybe there's a secret passage or something.» suggested Carlos. «Come on! This isn't a movie!» Ash retorted upon re-entering. One of the agents defended Carlos: «It's not an implausible hypothesis. If Mr. Hiroshi hasn't left the property, isn't here, and isn't in the house, we can't rule anything out.»

Ash took one of his Poké Balls from his pouch. «In that case, I know who can help.» Ash released his Gengar from the Poké Ball. As soon as it came out, the Ghost Pokémon started laughing, unsettling everyone present. «Alright, Gengar! We need your help! Can you see if there are any secret passages or something like that here?» Ash asked. The Shadow Pokémon hid underground, searching for something. It stayed underground for quite some time, raising questions among the group about what it might have found. Some time later, the Shadow Pokémon resurfaced.

«Did you find anything?» Ash asked. The Shadow Pokémon nodded affirmatively, then tried to explain what it had seen in its own way. «So there's something wrong underneath?» Ash asked. The Shadow Pokémon nodded again. «Interesting, but unfortunately, that's not enough. We need the assurance of… an independent justice collaborator. And getting their help requires several permits… it's not a small matter.» explained one of the officers. «Don't worry about that… I can be particularly convincing.» replied her colleague, taking out her phone. «Excuse me if I step away for a bit, but I have to make an important call.» she tried to come up with an excuse to step away.

A few minutes later, the officer returned to her colleague and the kids. «Alright. To get the Collaborators, we'd have to wait several hours. Meanwhile, the situation could worsen. We should act.» her colleague countered.

The first officer sighed. «Alright! But you know if we make another mistake, we risk our jobs?» «And do you want to risk your job because we didn't intervene?» retorted the second officer, clearly more interventionist.

«Alright!» the first officer lost her patience. «Let's see if this secret passage exists and where it leads.» Her tone clearly showed her lack of confidence.

«Gengar… could you indicate the best spot to strike?» Ash asked. The Shadow Pokémon again went through the floor, looking for the most suitable spot. It resurfaced after a few moments, indicating the spot it deemed most suitable for a strike. «See, Pikachu? Hit that spot with Iron Tail!» Ash ordered.

The Mouse Pokémon jumped from the boy's shoulder and, after gaining momentum, struck the indicated spot with precision. The impact of its tail with the floor split part of the floor in two, revealing what lay beneath.

A metal slab, covered with tiles identical to those of the rest of the floor, concealed the entrance to an underground staircase.

From the bottom, the two hydraulic pistons that would normally have lifted that part of the floor could also be seen. Before the officers and the five others could enter, the more skeptical of the two officers turned to the homeowner: «Miss Asami, did you know about this secret passage?» The girl shook her head. «I only knew about the shed and his passion for DIY.» she tried to explain.

«If you have nothing to hide, then come with us. If it makes you feel more comfortable, bring your friends.» the second officer replied.

The group, escorted by the two officers, descended the staircase, which led to a long hallway illuminated by several lights on the ceiling. «Everything seems calm... too calm.» commented one of the officers. They continued to walk for several meters in silence, with only the light sound of their footsteps on the metal.

Their path was interrupted by an electric barrier that prevented them from going further. «And how do you explain this?» asked the officer. «I don't know what it is.» the girl insisted. «Whatever it is, it's definitely to keep intruders out of his business.» the other replied. «In any case, if we need to move forward, we have to find a way to pass.» she added shortly after.

«If we were to destroy it, we would risk creating a lot of smoke and making the air unbreathable... I don't think destroying it is a good idea.» commented the second.

«Do you have any Ground-type Pokémon?» asked the first, while sending out her Excadrill, a Pokémon resembling a large mole with predominantly brown fur, decorated with red patches on its body. On its knees and the sides of its forelegs were large spikes. The hind legs, smaller than the front ones, had three small toes, while the forelegs had three huge claws that seemed to be made of steel. Its snout was white, its nose pink, and its cheeks had two vertical red stripes, the same color as its small ears. Part of the Pokémon's body was covered with armor made of a material similar to steel that covered its neck and much of its forehead.

Anita analyzed the Underground Pokémon with the Pokédex function of her Smart Rotom. «Excadrill, Underground Pokémon. Ground and Steel type. Male specimen. It builds a labyrinth-like nest 100 meters underground. Sometimes it makes holes in subway tunnels. Known moves: Iron Head, Drill Run, Rock Slide, Dig.»

«If it can help, I think Sandile is happy to lend a hand.» Ash sent out the Sand Crocodile Pokémon. «Oh! It can certainly help!» replied the second officer. «Very well, position yourselves under the barrier.» ordered the officer.

The two Pokémon obeyed, positioning themselves under the electric barrier. «Don't worry, they're Ground-type Pokémon, they're immune to electricity.» explained the officer, as the Ground-type Pokémon interrupted part of the electric barrier, allowing the group to pass through.

Once through, the officer and Ash recalled their respective Pokémon into their Poké Balls. «Be careful, there might be other protection systems or other traps.» the second officer advised the group.

The group continued to walk along the metallic corridor without encountering further obstacles until they reached a large gate, as tall and wide as the entire wall. «And now what?» asked Asami, more determined than ever to get to the bottom of the matter. No one knew what to say. The gate seemed very resistant. There didn't seem to be a way to open it. The gate didn't have hinges that could be broken down, but it was a sliding gate. «Maybe I have an idea.» Ash observed the gate more closely. «Pikachu has no way to lean on to break it with Iron Tail, but maybe I know what we can do.» he reasoned. «One of you...» He turned to the officers. «Has an Excadrill. And I heard from Anita's Pokédex that it knows Drill Run. It could use it to make an opening.» he proposed. «A bit extreme, but we don't have much choice.» replied the second officer. «Come out, Excadrill!» The woman sent her Pokémon out again. «Come on, Excadrill! Use Drill Run on that gate!» she ordered. The Underground Pokémon jumped and started spinning rapidly, drilling through the gate and creating a sufficiently wide opening for everyone to enter. The room was dark and unexpectedly silent.

As soon as they entered, they were greeted by a male voice, covered by a radio-like effect. «I knew you would get here! Ash is a very clever boy. I knew he would find a way to locate the entrance. I knew he had a Gengar. I knew your Pikachu would easily break down the door to the secret passage. I knew that with a Ground-type Pokémon you could neutralize the electric barrier. And I knew that somehow you would even break down this gate. But your race ends here!» Moments later, a loud metallic noise was heard, as if something bulky and extremely heavy was moving. Shortly after, a large series of lights turned on, illuminating the room as if it were daytime.

Hanging on the walls, at the back of the room, were several Team Plasma signs. Not far away, a series of robots, several meters tall, made of black metal. They had cables and hydraulic pistons that allowed them to move.

At the top, in what looked like the chest, there was a small cockpit with a seat and various controls. «And what is this place supposed to be?» asked Asami, incredulous. «My daughter... and yet I thought you were a smart girl...» the voice responded.

«When I discovered that your friends are Trainers, I couldn't see clearly anymore. You know well that I didn't want you to become like them.» The robot began to move, following the man's commands.

«Humans are evil. They treat Pokémon as if they were their slaves! They destroy the environment to live better, not caring if this hurts or kills Pokémon! And, as if that weren't enough, you make them fight to the death!» The robot began to move. «But this will end soon! When Team Plasma wins, Humans and Pokémon will live separately, and then the world will live in harmony!» By now the robot was a few meters from the group.

«Go, Pikachu! Hit it with Thunderbolt!» ordered Ash.

The Mouse Pokémon jumped, releasing powerful electrical discharges from its cheeks, then launched the powerful attack against the robot. «It's useless to try, these technological marvels are resistant to any Pokémon attack! They were designed specifically for Trainers like you! Hahahahaha!» The man laughed evilly.

«If Pikachu alone is not enough, then I'll get help from the others!» Ash sent out the other five Pokémon he had with him. Bulbasaur, Bayleaf, Gengar, Quilava, and Sandile. For the first time since she had joined his team, the boy did not have Servine with him.

«And what do you think you can do with them? Do you think unevolved Pokémon can somehow be a threat?» Hiroshi commented, dismissive of the danger.

«Sandile! Use Dig! Try to make the ground as uneven as possible! Gengar! Use Shadow Ball! Bayleaf! Ancient Power! Bulbasaur! Go with Energy Ball! Quilava! Eruption! And finally, Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!»

Quickly all six Pokémon followed the orders. The officer's Excadrill, without her saying anything, joined Sandile in the mission to alter the terrain.

Quickly that series of powerful attacks composed of a powerful electric discharge, a series of dark purple energy balls, similar green energy balls, numerous rocks enveloped in purple energy, and a massive blast of fire hit the robot, which in the meantime seemed to struggle to stay balanced due to the two Ground-type Pokémon that had caused numerous depressions in the terrain around the robot.

was meant to be.» He began confessing. «When you and your friends participated in the Zefiropolis Tournament, I immediately knew I would meet you. And that you would visit my factory. Then, when you and Burgh had my workers arrested. That's when I knew I had to act. I arranged to bribe the guard in charge of the security of his warehouse, ensuring that Team Plasma's materials were brought to him. Then, when I saw Team Plasma's pickups heading to his warehouse, I went to report it. That way, I would be above suspicion. In fact, I would be seen as a hero. The one who helped defeat Team Plasma.» The man explained. «With Amon's funds and experience, we would have created an army of these machines, making us unbeatable, able to overcome the strength of any Pokémon, to convince even the most reluctant Trainers to change their minds.» The man concluded his confession. «Mr. Amon. You are under arrest.» The two policewomen declared.

«»

Metagross

I admit writing this chapter was a lot of fun; I admit I took a bit of a risk by having a Gym Leader arrested for being part of Team Plasma. I know it's a particular and perhaps risky choice, but I thought it could lead to interesting narrative developments.

And I add that I hadn't even thought about Ash's Quilava evolving into Typhlosion. And no, I didn't do it to delay Oshawott's evolution... noooo! But don't worry. It will come soon.