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.

14. New Discoveries in the Desert Resort

Hello dear friends, this is Reshiram Lego, and today we're having a lesson in Paramedicity (I think that's what it's called).

Jokes aside, we're back with a new chapter because we are people who don't give up! Results might come soon, very soon... actually, sooner than soon.

Alright, I've said enough. Let's jump into the story, but first, let's review the previous episode.

In the previous chapter, so many things happened! Anita's Oshawott finally evolved, Asami officially became a Trainer and won her first badge, sparking a friendly rivalry with Anita.

And the good news doesn't end there. Our heroes also met Yara, a deaf-mute girl who, thanks to Ash's help, finally became a Trainer. But that's where the good news stops. Team Plasma is stronger than ever, and they seem to have set their sights on poor Asami.

New Discoveries in the Desert Resort

«For a week now, I've been having the same dream every night…» Carlos sipped his cappuccino. «I wake up, leave my room, and head to the bathroom… but as soon as I step inside, I find myself in the hallway of the Pokémon Center. I'm wearing a shirt with Psyducks on it... I try to go back to my room, but the door is locked, just like all the other rooms.

I go downstairs, but there's no one in the café… I wander further inside and start feeling very hot… drops of sweat trickle down my back.

I turn around and see a girl… a girl I've never seen before. She greets me: «Hi, Carlos.»

«How do you know my name?» I ask her.

«Well, it's written on your Psyduck pants,» she says… and she's right.

«What are you doing here?» I ask.

«I'm cooking pasta. Come here and help me!» You know, I like cooking, and apparently, the same goes for my dreams… so I go closer… but as I try to reach her, a curtain of smoke rises in the room, and at some point, I realize the girl has disappeared.

After a few seconds, I hear laughter, fake or forced somehow. At that point, without meaning to, I recite THE THREE JESTERS, a nursery rhyme I remember from when I was little. But I mess up some verses and start shrinking more and more, until I'm about to disappear…

«HI CARLOS,»» The boy paused.

«…And out of nowhere, Ash shows up and wakes me up, bringing me back to reality. Can you believe it?»

The girls exchanged glances. Serena, rather puzzled, asked a question:

«Why did you start reciting that nursery rhyme?»

The boy scratched his chin. «I don't know, it felt like it just came out naturally.»

Serena touched her temple. «They say some dreams carry a message. I don't know if you believe in that sort of thing. I personally don't put much stock in it.»

Carlos rolled up his sleeves and, trying to change the subject, turned to his friend:

«Ash, how much farther do we have to go?»

The World Champion reassured him:

«We've got a bit more to walk, but we're almost there.»

Then he continued the dream-related conversation Carlos had started earlier.

«You know, I had a dream last night too. I dreamt I was battling a Trainer I've never seen before... after winning, a table full of all kinds of delicacies appeared before me. But then I realized I didn't have hands. So, I had to eat with my face straight into the plate. I ate so much I turned into a giant meatball rolling down a hill…»

Serena tried not to laugh. «I should've expected that from you, knowing your love for food and battles.»

Carlos sighed, rolling his eyes, while Anita said nothing, completely embarrassed by the conversation. Part of her hoped they'd reach the Desert Resort soon, but another part couldn't hide her concern:

«There aren't dangerous Pokémon in the desert, are there?»

Ash tried to reassure her:

«Don't worry. If it's called the 'Desert Resort,' there must be a reason.»

Carlos chimed in:

«So, we've got nothing to worry about? Are you really sure?»

The World Champion showed a bit less confidence:

«Yes, I think it's fairly safe.»

Carlos thought, "Ah, just great, really great."

Anita, who had immense admiration and trust in Ash, sighed in relief and smiled again.

«Tomorrow, I'll have to train for the Showcase. It's this Saturday, and to win the Princess Key, my Pokémon and I will have to train hard.»

Everyone nodded while the Kalos native continued:

«And you, don't forget, you have a Gym Battle to prepare for. I want to celebrate your victory with you.»

After a seemingly endless concrete path, Pikachu finally spotted something in the distance. Without wasting any time, he alerted his Trainer:

«Pika-pika!»

The World Champion raised his head and quickly understood what his Pokémon friend was trying to tell him:

«Around that bend, we'll reach the Desert Resort.»

Serena checked her Rotom Smart device:

«No sandstorms are forecast, thank Arceus. Everything's calm; we won't end up like that time in the woods...»

Carlos smiled wryly, while Ash started running.

«What are we waiting for? Let's go!»

The three, having little choice, ran after him.

«Finally, we're here! The Desert Resort awaits us. You'll see, it'll be an exciting adventure!» The World Champion rubbed his hands together. «It's really vast!»

Anita was amazed by the size of the golden sandy expanse.

«There are some ruins nearby. You can usually find Rellor here.» Serena explained while consulting the Pokédex page for that area.

«Oh… right. The perfect Pokémon for Mildred!» Carlos remarked, reminding Serena of one of her rivals.

The group continued to the right. In the sand, they could barely make out Sandile and Roggenrola playing in the sand, completely ignoring the humans' presence...

The girl from Soffiolieve scanned both Pokémon with the Pokédex feature on her Rotom Smart, starting with the smaller

one.

Its body was approximately spherical in shape. Its blue body was covered with large, smooth facets. In the center of its body, there was a yellow hexagonal opening. On top of its body was a brown crest, the same color as its tiny feet.

«Roggenrola. Mantle Pokémon. Rock type. Female specimen. It moves in response to noise. It's warm to the touch due to the energy core inside. Known moves: Rock Tomb, Earth Power, Tackle, Harden.»

«What peace... I almost feel like taking a nap, but I can't, or I'd get my clothes full of sand.» Carlos joked.

Anita was deep in thought. That silent, peaceful desert brought back memories of the dream she had the previous night.

She was seven years old and heading to her father. In her dream, her parents had separated for unclear reasons.

It was a windy day, and she was on her way to school. On her back was a Luvdisc-shaped backpack. It contained nothing except her snack, a packet of Torchic-shaped cookies she had mistaken for plum cakes.

Her mother hadn't accompanied her because she knew her daughter was a responsible child. The road was straight, impossible to get lost.

On the way, she met another little girl, Pearl, the teacher's daughter. Pearl approached her and said hello:

«Hi, Anita!»

Anita replied: «Hi, Pearl. Where are you going?»

«To my dad,» Pearl said, continuing to stare at her with lifeless eyes.

«I'm sorry for what happened.»

Anita, showing a certain maturity, replied:

«I can get through it.»

At that point, Pearl began levitating for no apparent reason.

«Do you really think so?»

Anita stepped back a bit.

«There must be a reason why your parents split up!»

Pearl's pink jacket turned black, her face became pale, and she continued to rise higher.

«I knOw thE detAils thAt you dOn't knOw!»

Pearl's voice turned distorted as she tilted her head to the side.

«It's yOur fAult, AniTA. All becAuse you Didn't joIn the yOung caDets of thE orgAnizAtion yOur pArents wOrk for…»

Anita didn't believe those words, so she tried to counter:

«NO! THAT'S NOT TRUE! THIS IS A LIE!»

Suddenly, the girl teleported in front of her:

«And now… leT's celEbraTe thE discOvery of tHe trUth. Do yoU wanT to plAy hidE and seEk?»

Anita started running until she was stopped by a wall.

FirSt, let Me stArt coUnting, AniTA,» Pearl's lifeless eyes sent shivers down Anita's spine.

Without hesitation, Anita ran in the direction of her father's house, knowing she'd be safe there.

Every second that passed, the girl felt as if she was growing taller, with each step shortening her hair... until suddenly, she woke up.

The road was straight and seemed to stretch toward infinity. A great gust of wind had risen, and little by little, a dense, dark fog formed, causing her to lose her sense of direction.
«That way lies the cliff!» Various voices around her began to give her chills.
Amid all that fog, the girl managed to sense the presence of someone.
«Anita… I've found you, and now…» It was Pearl, although by now she had turned into a monster.
She approached the young girl with a creepy smile, and Anita covered her face in fright.
Suddenly, something emerged from somewhere in the midst of all that fog. It was a Pokémon she had never seen before… almost entirely blue, except for some black and red scales, and a sort of cannon on its head, similar to Magmortar's arms.
That strange creature had chased away the being her friend had become. Shortly after, the creature turned toward Anita.

«PIKAAAAAAAA!» The Mouse Pokémon tried to catch the attention of his Trainer, then leaped from his shoulder.
«What's wrong, buddy?» The boy asked.

In the distance, through all that sand, a group of tents could be glimpsed, surrounded by various equipment used for filming a television show.
Among the tents, it was impossible not to notice a man with curly hair, a poorly trimmed beard, blue eyes, and a typical colonial explorer outfit.
He was sitting next to a Pokémon that looked like a quadrupedal dragon. Its body was primarily blue. Its belly was covered by a gray armor made of several plates, while the lower part of its neck, its wings, and its eyebrows were red. The man was intent on rereading some notes.
«I think it's time to go. Come on, Salamence, you too, Machoke.»

From one of the tents emerged a Pokémon with a nearly humanoid appearance, mixed with reptilian traits. It had an extremely muscular, purple body, with red streaks on its arms, a shade very similar to its eyes. Its arms, brimming with muscles, matched the rest of its body. It wore a sort of briefs held up by a golden belt.

Carlos scratched his chin. «I've seen that man before… somewhere, but I can't remember where…»
Anita also had the feeling she had seen that man somewhere. «He seems familiar to me too… but where have I seen him before…»

«What are we waiting for? Let's go check it out! When will we ever get the chance to visit these places with such a guide?» Carlos seemed really enthusiastic, running like a child and forcing his friends to chase after him.

«This is the route we'll take. As always, we'll handle the theoretical parts later…» Another man with a thick beard and green eyes, dressed in practically identical clothes to his colleague, was illustrating the work plans to the presumed explorer.

The kids approached the man, seeking information.
«Hello, sir… you look familiar.» Carlos dove right in.

«Who do we have here, eh… four young Trainers on an exploration.» The man looked at them more closely.
«You must be Ash Ketchum! The world's strongest Trainer? And this is your famous Pikachu!»

The boy replied with a smile. «That's me.»
The Mouse Pokémon also greeted the man with a small wave of its paw.

«And you must be that Pokémon Performer who came to Unova to participate in this season's variety show… Serena Gabena.» The explorer, like a true gentleman, kissed her hand.

«It seems I've already made a name for myself here.» The girl commented, appreciating the man's kindness.

Not knowing Anita and Carlos, the man addressed them with more detachment:
«And what are your names? And more importantly, why are you wandering around with these two celebrities?»

The native of Soffiolieve introduced herself first. «P… pleased to meet you… my name is Anita. I'm from Soffiolieve.» When

the man kissed her hand, the girl blushed. «Uhm…»

To prevent the situation from escalating, Carlos introduced himself.
«I'm Carlos, but if you want, you can call me Charlie… I'm from Nimbasa City.»

At that point, the man introduced himself as well:
«If I seem familiar, it's because I'm that documentary presenter…»

Carlos shook the man's hand, springing up like a jack-in-the-box.
«So you're… Walter Angel!»

Anita's jaw dropped in astonishment, while Ash and Serena were frozen in place.
«You're my father…»

«NOooooo!» Ash said, laughing as he tried to hold back, quickly recovering. «Let's not go overboard here. I'm just doing my job!»

Carlos was on the verge of fainting.

While her friend was realizing who they were dealing with, Anita took the opportunity to explain to her friends who Walter Angel was:
«He's a naturalist, historical, and scientific broadcaster. He travels all over the world showcasing the beauty of nature and the latest scientific advancements. Back when I was in Trainer school, I used to pass my history and science exams thanks to him.»

«Ah, okay, I get it.» Ash replied.

«So, kids, since you've come all the way here, how about doing a little job with us?» he proposed.
«You'll be extras during the filming. You'd be a big help, not just because you'll make the show more interesting. And don't worry about money you'll be paid handsomely.»

The four accepted without hesitation.

However, Walter had other plans:
«I actually meant just these two.»

The man pointed to the Unova natives.
«You two are too famous. In this program, people want to see new faces, you understand?»

Ash raised his wrists upward. «You're not wrong.»

Serena, however, said nothing.

The man led the group into one of the tents. As expected, the interior of the tent was empty and bare. Inside, there was a desk and some chairs.

«Greg, I found the extras!»

The broadcaster's colleague was sitting at a desk, reviewing some graphs on the computer. To avoid straining his eyes, he was wearing reading glasses.

«Sounds great.»

Shortly after, the man directed his green eyes toward the Trainers. «OH OH, is that Mr. Ash Ketchum? And Pokémon Performer Serena Gabena? And you two must be their friends, right?»

Walter explained the situation to his colleague:
«Those 'friends' you're talking about need to sign the usual papers, and then we can start.»

Greg took some stapled sheets from a drawer.
«You need to sign these papers. This authorizes us to show your faces, record your voices, and so on.»

Carlos looked at the man, somewhat puzzled. «That does make sense…»

After Carlos and Anita signed the papers, Greg scanned them to archive them on his computer.

«Very good. We have everything we need.» The man continued.
«Walter… you know what to say, and you know where to go, so we can get started.»

The man pointed to a tall sand dune.

«Come on, kids. Before we head out, we need to make an important introduction!»

Machoke and Salamence were already outside the tent. Machoke was holding a large camera with his powerful arms, while Salamence had an equally large one mounted on its back.

As soon as they exited the tent, Anita scanned the two Pokémon with her Smart Rotom:

«Machoke. Superpower Pokémon. Fighting type. Male specimen. It has a rigorous and tireless physique. It helps people carry heavy loads and perform other demanding tasks. Known moves: Bullet Punch, Mega Punch, Knock Off.»
Shortly after, she scanned the other one: «Salamence. Dragon Pokémon. Dragon and Flying type. Male specimen. It soars through the sky with the large wings it gained upon evolving, breathing fire out of joy and scorching everything. Known moves: Flamethrower, Dragon Claw, Fly, Zen Headbutt.»

Anita exclaimed: «Salamence seems like a really strong Pokémon! It can use very powerful moves like Sky Attack.»
Ash's eyes sparkled: «Sky Attack is the strongest Flying-type move of all; Salamence is truly amazing!»
The Dragon Pokémon smiled at the compliment, while Machoke resumed filming with the camera.

«Now we'll begin. Remember, absolute silence. What I say needs to be clear, or we'll have to redo the shot.» Everyone covered their mouths, and that's when Machoke turned on the camera:
«Welcome to a new episode of Noesis. As you can see, I am in a desert... more precisely, in the Desert Resort, located in the Unova region, one of this region's gems, along with the capital, Castelia City, which is a few kilometers south of our current location. To the north is Nimbasa City. But we won't discuss that now; let's dive into the sands of the desert in this new episode of Noesis.»

Machoke gave a thumbs-up and put down the camera.
«Why was he moving his hands so much?» Ash asked.
«Because they'll add graphics in post-production to make everything more engaging.» explained the native of Kalos.

Walter Angel approached the group: «Don't overdo the compliments; now we need to enter the desert. Let's head to the ruins.»

Serena walked over to the Unova native. «Anita, I need to talk to you about something. I could use some girl advice...»
The Unova native turned to her friend: «What's going on?»

Serena took Anita aside and explained:
«You know earlier, when they were talking about recurring dreams? Well, I remembered a real nightmare I had a few days ago.»
Anita listened intently: «What happened?»
«It was me and Ash, in a room at the Pokémon Center, I think. But that's not important. We were talking about you and how much progress you're making as a Trainer, when, all of a sudden, a Swoobat came in through the window...»
Anita asked, «A Swoobat?»
Serena gave a small nod before continuing:
«I quickly realized it wasn't a normal Swoobat. Its nose was split in half, but despite that, it seemed fine. It came closer and handed me a letter. I opened it and read its contents: 'I want to challenge you to a double battle. If I win, he must follow me and forget about her; if you win, you'll save this Swoobat.' I thought I understood, and I didn't want to accept, but Ash, as usual, insisted on helping that Pokémon.»

Anita felt concerned: «Oh… did anything else happen?»
Serena hesitated before replying:
«We went outside and met an old acquaintance of mine, Meringue. Anyway, we battled, but she only fought with that Swoobat. As the fight went on, the two halves of the nose started to separate more and more with each attack, until…»
Anita urged her to continue: «Until?...»

After exchanging glances, the Unova native understood and reassured her: «Don't worry...»
«Until… until the two halves of the nose fell to the ground. On one side was me, on the other was Ash… it was… horrible.»

Anita struggled to hold back the wave of sadness that washed over her as she tried to comfort her friend:
«Come on, Serena, don't cry. You're a strong girl. Don't let these things bring you down!»
Serena tried to explain her feelings:
«You see, I care about Ash a lot, and since I had that awful nightmare, I'm afraid something bad could happen...»

After the tough moment passed, the girls rejoined the group. Perhaps taking part in the filming could lighten the mood.

A few minutes later, the kids and Walter arrived near a cluster of stone structures.
«Here we are, at the ruins of an ancient city, known as the Lost City. Based on archaeologists' analysis, imagine that when this ancient city sank, the desert didn't even exist. There were fertile and lush lands. According to studies, these ruins date back 1,500 years ago, precisely to the era of the Frenesian Wars.

We don't have a precise idea of why this city was built, but it was probably used as a military outpost by Emperor Marzius I. As you might guess, the month of March is named after him, while his son, Aperidomus, inspired the name for the month of April. The point is that this city was like a second child to Marzius. In fact, if we move forward...»

The man began to recount the detailed history of the city and Emperor Marzius, while the kids silently followed him.
«This area used to be the main square of what was likely this city, which, at its peak, is estimated to have housed ten to twenty thousand inhabitants. Unfortunately, finding documentation is extremely difficult. Sadly, ninety-nine percent or more has disintegrated over time, and the rest has been destroyed by looters. That's why today we can only see these few remaining structures, which have now become home to numerous Rellor, Sandile, Yamask, and even, more rarely, Hippopotas; and what was probably the Emperor's residence when he visited this city. Today it's known as the Buried Castle, which we'll visit later.»

Machoke stopped the recording to pause Walter's monologue.
«I wasn't expecting that… I didn't know about the months and Marzius.» Carlos commented, quite impressed.
«That's why we call the ninth month September.» Ash observed.
«When I first heard this story, it seemed so strange to me.» he added.

At that moment, the man spotted a kind of rock painting. It depicted several Pokémon.
«This magnificent painting you see, which our experts have restored to its former glory using sophisticated artificial intelligence...»

«As you can see from the reconstructions, this is a depiction of Regigigas, the leader of the legendary Golems, originally from the Sinnoh region. A Pokémon that, according to legend, resides in the Snowpoint Temple, a place accessible only to a select few.» Walter refrained from touching the ancient painting to avoid causing further damage. «These other spots seem to represent more common Pokémon it's thought they depict a Mantyke, an Infernape, a Buizel, and a Qwilfish with large spines.»

Anita whispered something to Serena: «This Marzius really loved this city.» Serena shrugged and slightly spread her arms. «This large stone circle I'm standing on was used to collect rainwater and distribute it to the many fountains that adorned the city.» Machoke stopped the recording and gave an okay signal.

Carlos approached Walter with a question: «Why did they build such tall monuments?» Walter tried to answer clearly and concisely: «Marzius I feared that his people might be wiped out by a natural disaster or invasions from a nearby people, the Surupolites. The island where they had settled was destroyed by a violent underground volcanic eruption, which caused a massive tidal wave that submerged the island. To prevent a similar catastrophe, Marzius had this elevated area built with more durable materials, ensuring traces of their existence could be left behind for future generations, though the precise reason for his choice remains unclear.»

Carlos suggested, «You should add that to the program.» The man placed a hand on his shoulder. «Thanks for the advice, kid!»

Machoke began filming again as Walter resumed his explanations. Meanwhile, Salamence wandered over to Anita's bag. She had set it down next to Ash and Carlos's backpacks and Serena's purse, not far from a table where some cameras were arranged. Salamence bumped the bag, causing one of the Poké Balls to roll out. «No, no, stop...» Anita tried to remain composed as the Dragon Pokémon sniffed at Dewott's Poké Ball. Ash noticed and said to his friend: «You know, maybe Salamence wants you to let Dewott out of its Poké Ball.» The native of Unova asked, «Do you really think so? It hasn't fully recovered from that battle yet...» She exchanged looks with the Pokémon, trying not to think about its enormous jaws.

«Alright... come out, Dewott...» From the Poké Ball emerged Anita's first Pokémon, who immediately bumped fists with Pikachu in a show of camaraderie before turning to face the large blue dragon with fearsome jaws. Dewott didn't let those sharp teeth intimidate it and cheerfully greeted the big Pokémon. «It looks like Salamence is curious about your Pokémon.» Worried, Anita put her hands in front of her face but kept watching. «Don't worry, Dewott knows what to do.» Salamence continued to circle around the Water Pokémon, who, although not yet in peak condition, was ready to wield its two scalchops if it needed to defend itself.

After a while, Salamence returned to Walter with a dejected look, while Dewott appeared proud of itself. «Alright then, you can tell me, Salamence.» The Dragon indicated the Pokémon it had inspected moments before. «It's a Dewott, so what?» Salamence kept insisting. «Did you sense something?» Walter asked. Anita, not understanding what was happening, mustered her mental energy and asked for clarification: «What's going on? Why did Salamence sense something? And most importantly, what?»

The man approached the girl's Pokémon to inspect it himself. «AH-HA AAAH-HAAA …INTERESTING! Well, then… eheh...» After prodding Dewott in various places, Walter explained: «Guys… this Dewott has something other members of its species don't.» With one sentence, he captured everyone's attention: «What?» He completed his thought: «You've been incredibly lucky…» Ash smirked ironically as Walter continued. «It's a direct descendant of the strongest Hisuian Samurott ever recorded… It has great potential, and your job as its Trainer is to bring it out. I'm sure you'll succeed, especially with the help of a Champion like Ash.»

Carlos broke the growing tension with a completely off-topic question: «How do you figure out how many years have passed since a monument was built?» Walter tried to stifle a laugh. «I'm glad to hear so many questions. It's a bit complicated, but I'll try to explain it in simple terms. The Sun's rays radiate the Earth and react with molecules in the atmosphere, creating radioactive carbon dioxide, which is absorbed by plants during photosynthesis. These plants are then eaten by various Pokémon, who are in turn preyed upon by others. When a Pokémon dies, it stops eating and therefore stops absorbing Carbon-14. Over time, Carbon-14, like all radioactive substances, undergoes a process called decay, in which its emitted radiation decreases progressively. By calculating the amount of Carbon-14 remaining and following specific steps, we can date the remains.»

As Carlos continued asking questions, Machoke turned the camera back on, and the group headed toward the Buried Castle. «That over there is the Buried Castle. As you can see, at its entrance are four statues of Darmanitan, the evolution of Darumaka, a very common Pokémon in this part of Unova. According to studies, there were once at least sixteen statues arranged to form an octagon. To this day, no one knows what happened to the other twelve; they seem to have vanished into thin air. Among scholars, a legend has spread suggesting that twelve Darmanitan lived in the castle with the king, protecting him from any danger. It's said that each pair of Darmanitan cared for a small Darumaka. After their deaths, their souls did not leave this world. The spirits of their six young Darumaka still wander the castle, searching for a new Emperor to protect.

It's a rather unusual legend... how could an Emperor manage twelve Darmanitan and six Darumaka inside his castle? This isn't explained by the sources we have. The only clue supporting the tale seems to be a damaged fresco from the era depicting the Emperor and twelve indistinct figures holding what appear to be Darumaka. These six Darumaka were honored with six columns in a room we'll visit later. For now, let's focus on these magnificent Darmanitan statues.»

The man approached one of the stone Darmanitans: «These four statues were likely constructed either due to a mistake by the era's geometers or at the request of Marzius I, who wanted to build a very high terrace with an octagonal shape.» Walter continued: «Now, thanks to a special permit, we'll enter and show you what the Emperor's castle looked like, which today we call the Buried Castle.» Machoke stopped filming and gave an okay signal.

Ash commented curiously: «Why did Marzius insist on an octagon?» Walter replied: «It's said that Marzius believed the octagonal shape had mystical properties. Let's not forget that religious aspects were central to daily life in ancient times. Furthermore, the octagon represents the number 8, which, when turned sideways, is the symbol of infinity a clear message that the city was meant to be remembered forever.» Ash added another comment: «Wow… you're really knowledgeable about everything, Mr. Angel!»

The man smiled at the compliment. Meanwhile, Salamence took the lead to protect everyone from potential wild Pokémon attacks. «But… is it really safe to go in here?...» Anita asked, visibly worried. «I'd like to know that too.» Serena chimed in. «Nothing will happen. The sand that's filled it in has stabilized the castle; it's virtually impossible for it to collapse. Plus, we don't have to worry about attacks from wild Pokémon. We have Salamence, Pikachu, Dewott, and if needed, Machoke will step in.» The Superpower Pokémon lifted the camera as if it were a barbell while the group entered the castle.

Walter resumed his explanations: «This castle had no windows by the supposed will of the emperor. Internal ventilation was provided by a sophisticated system of ducts. It seems that the sovereign's wish was to see the outside only from the top or the main entrance.» In one of the inner rooms, the group found six columns, each with a name carved on it. «Here we are, in the room dedicated to the six Darumaka. Each of them had a name: Trekol, Mardul, Kolap, Mangle, Julius, and Artemisio…» Following those words, a deathly silence fell for a few moments. «No, I'm not joking. One of Marzius's Darumaka was named after the Gym Leader of Austropoli, our friend Artemisio, who watches every one of our episodes with great enthusiasm.»

Machoke turned off the camera for a few moments before pointing it at one of the frescoes decorating the room.
On it, a human face and eighteen indistinct figures were visible, twelve large and six small: «This is all that remains of Marzius's fresco. We can clearly see his face, in the early years of his reign, as he lay back drinking wine from a golden chalice.»

Machoke gestured to Walter to finish his recording, then put down the camera, visibly tired. «Okay, everyone, let's take a break.» Walter announced as he pulled several plastic containers from his backpack, each holding various sandwiches. «Thanks a lot, Walter!» They all chimed in.
As they ate, Walter took the opportunity to learn more about his guests: «So, what are your dreams, your goals here in Unova?»

Ash started first: «I was lying in bed, lost in thought, tossing and turning under the blankets. I just couldn't sleep. I was thinking about how to become a Pokémon Master. And to do that, I realized I needed to help another Trainer achieve their goal. Thanks to Professor Oak, I learned about Professor Juniper, who then introduced me to Anita, and…»

«Okay, very interesting and noble of you, putting your experience to help others. What about you, Carlos?» The boy put on a perfectionist expression. «Honestly, I don't have a precise goal. For now, I just want to travel, improve as a Trainer, and then we'll see.» Walter was somewhat surprised. That boy truly had no clue what he wanted to do.

He then turned to the girls: «I participate in Showcases to win the title of Queen of Unova.» Serena explained. The man gave a small pat on the shoulder of the Kalos native. «You can do it. You've already won a Princess Key. Another Showcase should be happening soon, and if you win, you'll be one step away from the Professional category.» Serena blushed: «Thank you for the encouragement.»

Shortly after, the man turned to the native of Mistralton City: «And you, Anita? What are your goals?» The girl blushed but managed to stammer something: «To become… well… for now, I'm focusing on Gym battles, and…» Walter didn't flinch: «I imagine you aim to become Champion. Many aim for that title, but not many can count on a close-knit group of friends like yours.»

During the break, Anita and Carlos took photos with Walter, while Walter snapped some pictures with Ash and Serena.
The man stood up to approach his Salamence: «Are you ready, Salamence?» While Walter addressed the Dragon Pokémon, a Pokémon emerged from a pile of sand. Its body was red, with large eyes and a constant smile. Between its eyes was an orange circle, and on its chest were three yellow ovals. Its hands and feet were orange with three fingers each.

Anita immediately scanned the Pokémon using the Pokédex feature of her Smart Rotom: «Darumaka. Zen Charm Pokémon. Fire type. Male specimen. Because its droppings are very warm, people in ancient times kept them in pouches to stay warm. Known moves: Fire Punch, Rollout, Tackle.» Walter paused for a moment: «This is surely a descendant of one of the emperor's Darumaka! We need to record this. Are you ready, Machoke?»

Meanwhile, the Zen Charm Pokémon started running toward another unlit room. «We have to follow it!» Machoke grabbed the camera as the group chased the little one. «Hey! Wait for us!» The others dashed forward, accidentally knocking Anita over, who was saved at the last second by Dewott.

Darumaka's run came to a halt at a pile of sand, seemingly identical to the rest of the sand accumulated in the castle.
What the Zen Charm Pokémon didn't know was that this sand concealed severe damage to the floor. Darumaka began to slide downward.
«Oh no! It's going to fall; we have to do something!» Walter shouted in a worried tone.

Without hesitation, Ash dove in headfirst and grabbed Darumaka's hand: «We'll pull you out, Darumaka. I promise!» The rest of the crew pulled at Ash's legs to help him lift the Pokémon. «Come on, everyone, all together!» The World Champion shouted. «Ash!» Serena seemed truly worried. Without thinking, she started pulling his right leg.

«We're coming!» Carlos and Anita joined the rescue effort, followed by Pikachu and Dewott. «Let's go, Salamence!» Walter called out. After a few seconds, Ash found himself flying across the room, clutching the Darumaka he had just saved.

A loud STOMP echoed as Serena rushed to Ash, who had landed hard on his back, reminiscent of the incident in Hiroshi Amon's lab.
«ASH! ASH, CAN YOU HEAR ME?» Serena called out in panic. Ash looked up at her, slightly pained: «I'm fine, thanks…» Darumaka opened its eyes and looked at its rescuer: «It's okay, Darumaka. You're safe now. That was a close call.» The boy from Pallet Town reassured the Zen Charm Pokémon.

He remained in Serena's arms, who made no attempt to hide her concern.
Moments later, Walter pulled a Poké Ball from his bag, containing his third Pokémon. «Chansey, I need you! Use Heal Pulse!» From the man's Poké Ball emerged a Pokémon with an oval shape, its body entirely pink. On its head were growths resembling hair, with darker pink tips.

Its arms were quite short, as were its feet, which matched the color of the growth tips. At the center of its body was a dark pink pouch holding a white egg.
The Pokémon approached Ash, its body emitting a pink wave of energy that enveloped him, restoring him to perfect health.

Now that Ash was back in shape and the group's primary concern had subsided, Anita was finally able to scan Chansey using her Smart Rotom's Pokédex feature. «Chansey. Egg Pokémon. Normal type. Chansey is exclusively female. A selfless Pokémon that lays highly nutritious eggs, sharing them with injured people or Pokémon. Known moves: Mega Punch, Body Slam, Heal Pulse, Giga Impact.»

At that point, Darumaka approached the World Champion again, with dreamy eyes, clinging to his pants with both hands.
«Darumaka…» Walter spread his arms: «Mr. Champion, it seems one of Marzius's Darumaka descendants wants to become your Pokémon!» Energized once again, Ash exclaimed: «Alright, Darumaka! I'm happy you want to join us, but there's a little problem…» The boy scratched his head, embarrassed. «I'm out of Poké Balls. The last one I had, I gave to Yara. Can anyone lend me one?»

«Here it is! But remember… its name is Marck.» Carlos took one of his Poké Balls from his pouch.
Ash almost snatched the empty Poké Ball from Carlos' hand, then knelt down toward Darumaka. The Pokémon tapped the opening button with its forehead before being absorbed into the sphere.
The Poké Ball shook once, twice, three times, four times. The capture was successful. «Yay! I caught a Darumaka!» The boy celebrated. Shortly after, Ash released the newly captured Pokémon from its Poké Ball to introduce it to the group.
«So, Darumaka, my name is Ash, this is Pikachu, and these are my friends, Serena, Anita, Carlos, and Walter… and these are Machoke, Salamence, Chansey, and this one is Dewott.» Then he added, «Tonight, you'll get to meet the rest of the team.» Darumaka gulped in fear, dreading judgment from the boy's other Pokémon.

«Alright, guys, let's head deeper in; we'll visit the throne room, and then we can get out of here.» The group made their way toward an ancient staircase, carefully avoiding damaged parts of the castle floor, until they reached a very large room the largest in the entire castle.

Machoke turned the camera back on and pointed it in Walter's direction. «This was the throne room, where Marzius I used to sit and receive guests or make the most important decisions for the kingdom.»
Shortly after, Walter tripped over what seemed to be a stone or something similar. «Oh, it looks like there's something here. I need a hand, Salamence.»
The group didn't intervene, sensing that the incident was part of the program. The way the man reacted felt almost staged.

After a few moments, two peculiar-looking rocks emerged from the sand: «Here, these are two fossils of Pokémon that lived long ago.»
The man showed both fossils to the camera. The first fossil had the shape of a turtle shell and was grayish in color. «This fossil is a Cover Fossil, the remains of an ancient Pokémon called Tirtouga. As you can guess from the fossil's shape, the Pokémon resembled a turtle.»
Soon after, the man focused on the second fossil. Its color was slightly darker than the first, and its shape was more irregular. A feather was embedded in it. «This, on the other hand, is a Plume Fossil, the remains of an ancient bird Pokémon called Archen.» The man paused briefly, signaling Machoke to stop recording.
The Superpower Pokémon complied without hesitation.

Half an hour later, the group had left the building. The filming location had moved outside. The crew had set up a large steel table. On it were two metal cases, lined with soft padding inside.
Walter placed the two fossils, one per case, handling them as delicately as possible to avoid damaging them.
«Thanks to a project initiated by the University of Castelia City and funded by the Ministry of Education and Research, we have the opportunity to donate these priceless fossils to two lucky Trainers. These Trainers will have an important task in research. It will be their responsibility to take them to the University of Castelia City, where, through extremely complex DNA reconstruction processes, it will be possible to bring the Pokémon that left us these precious traces back to life.» Walter's tone sounded extremely enthusiastic.

«It will be their task to study the behavior of ancient Pokémon in everyday life and observe their conduct during battles. These are studies that are extremely challenging to carry out in the academic field for various reasons but are everyday fare for young Trainers.» Suddenly, the man's tone turned serious. «They will need to film the battles the revived Pokémon participate in, allowing researchers to learn about their behavior in daily life.» Having finished, the man signaled Machoke to stop recording. The Superpower Pokémon complied without hesitation.

Moments later, Walter turned to the group: «Alright, guys, now we need to film the part where we present the fossils to you. Remember to act natural.»
Carlos whispered into Anita's ear, «That's what those signatures were for.» Anita felt a bit uneasy at the way her friend addressed her.

Soon after, Walter gestured to his Machoke to resume filming. Walter pointed at the two fossils again, almost like a salesperson.
A few moments later, he turned to Anita and Carlos: «Alright, how are you two doing?» Carlos replied immediately, while Anita remained silent: «Good, thank you.» Walter wasn't particularly surprised by the response and got straight to the point: «I know you two are extremely promising Trainers, and we believe you're the ideal candidates for an important scientific research project. The Ministry of Education and Research has funded a significant project involving ancient Pokémon fossils.»

«WOW! That sounds amazing!» Carlos pretended to be astonished.

«As I was saying, the University's project involves studying the behavior of two ancient Pokémon in a more realistic

environment compared to what scientists can replicate. The two Trainers who receive the fossils will study the Pokémon's behavior during battles and observe how they interact with Pokémon that didn't exist in their time.» The man explained before taking a brief pause.

«That said, it's time to hand over the fossils to the lucky Trainers.» Machoke focused the camera on Carlos, who tried to

stay in character: «Thank you very much for this incredible opportunity. It will be amazing to get to know such an ancient

Pokémon.» he said, winking at the camera.

«Which fossil do you prefer?» Walter asked. Carlos stepped aside to leave the spotlight for his travel companion. «Ladies first…» he commented. Anita blushed and swallowed audibly as she approached one of the fossils.

«Well, young Trainer, which fossil do you fancy?» Walter asked. The girl from Driftveil responded timidly: «They b-both s-seem interesting… but I think I'll t-t-take… th-this one…» Anita gently lifted the Plume Fossil. Carlos, as usual, interjected: «That means I'll take the Cover Fossil.»

Walter cheerfully concluded the episode. «Well, that wraps up this episode of Noesis, but don't worry, we'll be back soon with a new episode where we'll visit the Arctic peaks of the Paldea region. Goodbye for now.» Machoke put down the camera and rubbed its hands together.

«Well done! Really, you were all great! Everyone caught something today, well, except me.» Serena complained.
«Don't worry. I'm sure you'll find a new Pokémon to join your team and help you with the Contests soon.» Ash reassured her.

«It's gotten late now, but don't worry. We'll make sure to take you to Castelia City so you can revitalize the fossils.» Walter explained. «From there, getting to Nimbasa City is a breeze. That's where the next Contest will be held, but I imagine you already know that.» he added shortly after.

Walter smiled and began bidding farewell to his guests, starting with the World Champion: «Ash, take care of yourself and your friends they rely on you a lot.» Shortly after, he turned to the native of Kalos. «Goodbye, Serena. Don't forget to get that Princess Key.» Once again, like a true gentleman, he kissed her hand, making the girl blush. «Oh... well, thank you...»

Next, Walter retrieved two cards from his bag and approached the Unova natives: «Alright, guys, remember that these fossils are the stars of that research project I mentioned. Handle them with care. With these cards, you'll gain access to the University of Castelia, where they'll be revitalized. Be sure to tell the attendant at the entrance that Walter Angel sent you. I recommend going in the afternoon.» After his instructions, Carlos firmly shook Walter's hand: «Sure thing... father.» Ash couldn't help but laugh but quickly restrained himself when he glanced at Serena, who seemed lost in thought.

«Everything okay?» he asked. Ash approached the Kalos native, and she pulled him into a warm, tight hug. «Yes, now it is.» She replied.

Meanwhile, Walter turned to the youngest Trainer. «Anita, I hope you win that badge. It would be a big step forward...» As he did with Serena, he kissed her hand. The young girl turned bright red, feeling as if she might burst.

Once calm was restored, Walter recalled Machoke, Salamence, and Chansey into their respective Poké Balls and moved toward the rest of his crew.

After about fifteen minutes, the group was joined by one of the crew's off-road vehicles. The vehicle was boxy and utilitarian in design. On the roof was a sturdy metal frame supporting various equipment and a pair of spare tires. It had enormous wheels with high-profile tires. A ladder made of the same material was affixed to the rear door, allowing access to the roof. From the left fender, a large plastic pipe extended upward, ending in a rectangular air intake on the roof.

The driver stopped a short distance from the group. Once the vehicle came to a halt, he rolled down the window to be heard. «Come on, hop in! It's going to be a bumpy ride, so make sure to buckle up!» he instructed.

The four climbed aboard. As usual, Ash took the front seat, leaving his three friends to the rear bench. The vehicle's interior was as plain and robust as its exterior. The dashboard was made of dark, thick plastic and was quite basic in design. Apart from air vents and a few knobs for adjusting the internal ventilation, there wasn't much just some off-road driving instruments and a thick, sturdy handle for passengers to hold on to.

Thankfully for everyone inside, the vehicle was equipped with air conditioning; otherwise, it would've quickly turned into a sauna. Unfortunately, that was the only positive note about the journey. The ride was remembered as one of the bumpiest and noisiest the four had ever endured.

After an indeterminate amount of time, the group finally reached Castelia City. The driver was kind enough to stop right near one of the Pokémon Centers in the city. «Thanks for the ride!» The group thanked him in unison before heading into the Pokémon Center. Their main concern at that moment was to book rooms for the night.

As soon as they stepped inside, they were greeted by Nurse Joy and her Audino. «Hello, everyone! How can I assist you?» She welcomed them.

«Good evening. We'd like to book two rooms for tonight.» Ash replied.

«No problem. We have plenty of available rooms.» The nurse turned around and retrieved two electronic key cards from a sort of organizer.

«Here are your keys. In the meantime, if you'd like, I can take care of your Pokémon.» She offered. No one refused, and soon the nurse's counter was partially covered with the group's Poké Balls. Moments later, even Pikachu hopped onto the counter.

While waiting, the group sat on one of the couches provided for Trainers visiting the Pokémon Center. As usual, a large stack of newspapers and magazines was piled on the coffee table in front of the couch.

«Alright, everyone, I'm done. Your Pokémon are in perfect shape.» After about half an hour, Nurse Joy had finished her checks.

By then, it was nearly dinnertime, and the group, along with their Pokémon, headed to the Center's restaurant. Before eating, the four released all their Pokémon from their Poké Balls. «It's time for some introductions.» Ash announced, addressing both the newly captured Darumaka and all the other Pokémon present.

«Okay, Darumaka, let me introduce you to our other Pokémon friends. You've already met Dewott and Pikachu, but there are many more I'd like you to meet. This is Sandile, though I imagine you've encountered Sandile before, considering he's also from the Desert Resort. Don't underestimate him; he's really something. And this is Servine.» Ash pointed to the Grass Snake Pokémon. «She loves battling and is determined to become stronger.»

Ash continued the introductions, addressing not just Darumaka but the whole group. «This is Swellow. I caught him years ago in the Hoenn region when he was just a mischievous little Taillow. He's got a strong spirit and never gives up.» The boy gestured toward a bird Pokémon about 70 centimeters tall, with predominantly blue plumage. Its head and part of its chest were red, as were its legs, while the rest of its chest was white. Its tail featured two thick red feathers.

Curious, Anita scanned the Pokémon using the Pokédex function on her Smart Rotom: «Swellow, the Swallow Pokémon. Normal and Flying type. Male specimen. It circles in search of prey and dives to catch it. Known moves: Brave Bird, Aerial Ace, U-turn, and Steel Wing.»

Meanwhile, Ash had moved on to introducing another Pokémon. «And this is Gible. Be careful not to provoke him; he's a real hothead.» The boy gestured toward a land-shark Pokémon with a prominent dorsal fin, round black eyes, a wide mouth with sharp teeth, and bluish skin. It had stubby limbs, a simple tail, and a red belly. The sides of its head featured missile-shaped protrusions resembling jet engines.

As with Swellow, Gible piqued Anita's curiosity, prompting her to use her Smart Rotom again. «Gible, the Land Shark Pokémon. Dragon and Ground type. Male specimen. When it senses movement, it jumps out and bites. It often injures itself, but it doesn't seem to care. Known moves: Draco Meteor, Dig, Dragon Claw, and Rock Slide.»

Ash then introduced his friends' Pokémon, starting with the Seamstress Pokémon. «This is Sewaddle; she's very calm and

sociable.» Next, he pointed to the Loyal Dog Pokémon. «This is Herdier; she's tenacious and doesn't give up easily, just like Swellow.» Finally, he introduced the Scale Pokémon. «This is Vivillon; she's a bit vain but very friendly.»

Moving on to Serena's Pokémon, Ash began with the Mischief Pokémon. «This is Pancham; he's very competitive and already looks like he wants to battle you.» he joked, interpreting the Pokémon's expression. Sensing tension, Sylveon approached Pancham to calm him down.

Ash concluded with Serena's remaining Pokémon: «This is Delphox; she loves taking care of her appearance and performing in Showcases.» Then he moved on to the Intertwining Pokémon. «This is Sylveon; she's a bit shy but very kind.» Lastly, he introduced the newly added Lilligant. «This is Lilligant; she's a bit timid and struggles to connect with others, but she's very sweet.»

«The last ones he introduced were Carlos's Pokémon. "This is Umbreon. He tends to keep to himself and might seem cold and distant, but he's a good guy. And last, but not least, Houndour. He has a tough past and is still getting used to this new environment."»

Then the boy turned to the Pokémon present: «This is Darumaka, a Pokémon I caught this afternoon who will be traveling with us. He's descended from one of the Darmanitan that belonged to an ancient emperor who ruled the Unova region, so please, treat him well!»

The native of Pallet Town, caught up in introducing his new Pokémon, didn't notice Sylveon doing her best to restrain Pancham.

«Alright, everyone, I think it's time for dinner. Tomorrow we'll train, and we'll need plenty of energy.» Ash proposed.

His Pokémon didn't need to be told twice, diving into their bowls of food the moment they were served not much different from their Trainer.

The next day, the four had the entire morning free. In the afternoon, they had an appointment at the city's university to start the project Anita and Carlos had been assigned.

After breakfast, Ash rushed straight to the battle field, eager to begin training his new Pokémon.

«Anita, would you mind helping me train Darumaka?» he asked.

«Alright.» The girl agreed, especially after imagining the consequences of saying no.

She sent out her Herdier, while Ash, as announced earlier, called out the Darumaka he had caught the previous day.

The daruma Pokémon glanced around for a moment, instantly recognizing his friend. He couldn't help but smile and wave at her.

«You can start whenever you're ready!» Ash invited.

«Alright! Herdier, start with Baby-Doll Eyes!» Anita commanded. The Loyalty Pokémon dashed toward her opponent, her body enveloped in a pinkish aura.

«Darumaka, stay focused. When the time is right, dodge!» Ash instructed his Pokémon, who nodded slightly to confirm he understood.

Not far from them, Serena was also training for the Nimbasa Showcase. The girl was eager to debut Lilligant in the competition, even though she knew the Pokémon was afraid of people.

She had managed to win the battle against Dusclops, but only because it was just her, her friends, and two strangers, who, fortunately, turned out to be helpful spirits.

The other time Lilligant had been in front of a large audience, she stayed calm only thanks to a Sprigatito she had befriended.

Knowing this, the native of Kalos had devised a backup plan: a performance where Sylveon, not Lilligant, would take center stage.

«Lilligant, I'd love to perform with you in Nimbasa. I know you're scared of people, but I'm sure we can overcome it together.» She encouraged.

«Lili?» The Pokémon responded.

«I'm certain you'll do great. Just listen to me, and you'll see it'll all be fine.» Serena reassured her gently.

«Alright, Lilligant, you'll be in the center of the stage. Pancham and Delphox will be in front of you.» The girl began giving the first instructions, which the three Pokémon followed without hesitation.

«Lilligant, use Magical Leaf!» She commanded. The Flowering Pokémon generated a vast number of colorful leaves, quickly sending them toward her teammates.

«Delphox, control them with Psychic! Send them toward Pancham! Pancham, hit them with Ice Punch!» Serena ordered.

The leaves Lilligant created were quickly surrounded by a pinkish aura and hurled at the Mischief Pokémon, who struck them, covering them in a frosty glow.

«Lilligant! Ready? Dance like me! Use Quiver Dance!» The girl began performing a few dance steps, mirrored perfectly by her Pokémon.

In seconds, Lilligant's body glowed a light green as she moved in perfect harmony with her Trainer.

«Pancham! Now use Stone Edge! Encircle Lilligant delicately!» Pancham delivered a strong punch to the ground. The Mischief Pokémon generated a large number of sharp, bluish rocks that grew taller and sharper as they emerged from the ground.

«No! Pancham! Not that way!» Serena immediately noticed something was wrong. Pancham seemed intent on picking a fight with Darumaka.

Darumaka dodged Pancham's attack trajectory, only to be hit by Herdier's move and sent flying several meters into the air.

Only Delphox's Psychic prevented Darumaka from crashing into the innocent Lilligant.

«Thank you, Delphox!» Ash and Serena thanked the Fox Pokémon simultaneously. A moment later, the Performer turned to Pancham: «Why did you attack Darumaka?» She asked sternly.

«Cham Pa-cham!» The Pokémon replied, regretfully.

«I think he just wants to battle Darumaka.» Ash suggested. «Kind of like with Bulbasaur, remember?»

Serena nodded in agreement. «Is that it, Pancham?» She asked.

«Cham!» The Pokémon confirmed.

«But you were training...» Both began the sentence simultaneously.

«With Anita...» Serena continued.

«For the Showcase...» Ash added.

«And I don't want to interrupt you.» They both concluded with identical words, smiling at each other.

«Go ahead. It's fine with me.» Anita tried to excuse herself from the situation.

«You heard her, Pancham.» Serena said to her Pokémon. «You'll get to battle Darumaka. Happy now?» The Fighting-type panda nodded slightly.

«You can start anytime.» Ash invited.

«Alright, Pancham! Let's start with Arm Thrust!» Pancham quickly closed in on his opponent, his arms glowing with a reddish light as he prepared to strike.

«Darumaka, try to avoid his attacks! Move like Lilligant!» The daruma Pokémon began spinning around like a whirlwind,

evading every strike from his opponent.

«Great! Now hit him with Fire Punch!» Ash ordered. Darumaka's small arm became engulfed in flames as he unleashed its power in front of him only to realize Pancham was in a completely different direction.

«Pancham, now use Stone Edge!» The Mischief Pokémon struck the ground violently, generating massive blue rocks that tore through the terrain.

«Rollout!» Ash commanded. Darumaka started spinning like a wild top, smashing parts of the rocks and sending fragments flying back toward Pancham, though he seemed unable to land a direct hit.

«Pancham! Use Dark Pulse!» Rings of dark, violet energy began to form in the Mischief Pokémon's hands, radiating ominously.

Darumaka managed to avoid the attack thanks to its uncontrolled spinning, though it seemed unable to stop itself. «That's enough, Darumaka!» Ash commanded his Pokémon to stop.

The Daruma Pokémon came to a halt after a few moments, a bit shaken from all the spinning but still not too far from its opponent.

«Now, use Fire Punch!» The small arm of the Daruma was cloaked in a thick layer of fire as it unleashed its power forward. Yet, as before, the attack missed entirely.

What didn't miss was Pancham's Stone Edge, which sent Darumaka flying into the air once again, defeating it.

Ash immediately rushed to his Pokémon, who was beginning to regain consciousness.

The first thing the Daruma Pokémon clearly recognized was Ash's face. The boy's expression was rather puzzled. He didn't appear angry despite the defeat, just deeply thoughtful.

«I'll take care of you now!» Serena approached shortly after, holding a red plastic spray bottle filled with a seemingly clear liquid. She aimed the spray at Darumaka's injuries and spritzed it. The Pokémon let out a small cry of pain but soon calmed down.

After tending to Darumaka's wounds, Serena walked over to Ash with her Rotom Phone in hand. She had the Pokédex page for Darumaka open.

«Look, Darumaka's ability is Hustle. The Pokédex says Pokémon with this ability deal very strong attacks but have a hard time focusing on their opponent and landing hits.» She explained.

«All that strength is useless if you can't control it.» Ash commented. «I know exactly who can help it learn to control its power.» he added shortly after.

The boy entered the Pokémon Center and headed toward the Pokémon transfer machine. After contacting Professor Oak, Ash exchanged one of his Pokémon for one at the professor's lab, then returned to his friends.

«Took you long enough. I was starting to daydream.» Carlos teased, eager to see some action.

Ash, however, seemed in no rush. He approached Darumaka and knelt down to its level.

«Don't worry. I know who can help you control your power. I believe that once you master Fire Punch, the other moves will follow naturally. And I know just the right partner for you.»

The boy pulled a Poké Ball from his bag.

«Infernape! I need you!» From Ash's Poké Ball emerged a fire-maned chimpanzee. As soon as it appeared, the Pokémon immediately took a defensive stance.

«I'd like you to teach Darumaka how to master Fire Punch.» explained the Kanto native. The fire monkey simply nodded.

Darumaka shivered at the sight of the chimpanzee, seemingly able to sense its immense strength.

As Ash stepped aside, the fire monkey threw a powerful flaming punch forward.

«Wow! What power!» Carlos commented, astonished. And this is just training. Ash told me its true strength only comes out when Blaze is activated.

Darumaka reacted similarly to Carlos. Ash, on the other hand, seemed quite used to it.

Before resuming his training with Anita, Ash glanced quickly at the two Fire-types. Infernape had turned toward its pupil, motioning for it to attack.

As with Pancham, Darumaka's attack was unsuccessful. Infernape gave a second demonstration, then a third.

Meanwhile, the training between Ash and Anita continued.

The Kanto native had sent out Sandile, while Anita had chosen her Sewaddle.

«This will be a simple practice battle, but I want everyone to do their best.» Ash said, addressing both Anita and her Sewaddle, as well as Sandile, who hadn't battled in a while.

«You can start.» Ash invited them.

«Sewaddle, let's begin with Razor Leaf!» Anita commanded. The Sewing Pokémon generated a multitude of leaves shaped like crescents, their edges thin and sharp.

«Sandile, dodge using Dig!» The Desert Croc Pokémon quickly burrowed into the ground, avoiding the enemy's attack and vanishing entirely underground.

«Let's try this, Sewaddle! Attack with String Shot as soon as it emerges!» Anita ordered.

Ash smiled, anticipating that his friend would use a strategy like this. He was eager to test her skills.

Sandile popped up from the ground right in front of its opponent, who was already prepared to spit sticky white silk from its mouth.

«Aim for its mouth!» Anita directed. The sticky silk quickly wrapped around the crocodile's jaws, even as it hung midair.

«Break free with Fire Fang!» Ash ordered.

Sandile's jaws became enveloped in fiery energy, burning away the silk in seconds.

«Now grab the silk and swing it!» Ash instructed.

The Pokémon obeyed, gripping the thin white thread with its jaws and spinning it around.

Was he showing me the limits of my strategy? Anita wondered. Or pushing me to try something different?

«Sewaddle! Attack with Razor Leaf!» The Sewing Pokémon generated another barrage of crescent-shaped, razor-sharp leaves.

«Quick! Cut the thread with Shadow Claw!» Ash commanded.

Before the sharp leaves could reach Sandile, the Desert Croc Pokémon used its dark glowing claws to sever the silk binding it to its opponent.

While Sandile took minimal damage from the attack, Sewaddle was launched violently into the air.

«I think that's enough training for Sewaddle. You both did a great job.» Ash said, returning Sandile to its Poké Ball.

«Ash, can I ask you something?» Anita returned Sewaddle to its Poké Ball as well.

«Of course. What's on your mind?» Ash replied kindly.

«When you had Sandile break free from Sewaddle's String Shot, was it to show me that my strategy wasn't good, or…?» Ash scratched his head, puzzled.

«Well… actually, no. Your strategy is great; it just doesn't always work. Against some Pokémon, it's nearly unbeatable, but against others, it's less effective. That's true for all strategies. You always need to be ready to improvise, and you're really

good at that.»

Anita smiled at the compliment.

«In a battle, you might even have to use your opponent's moves to surprise them and turn the tables.» Ash added.

Anita was surprised by Ash's words.

«Use the opponent's moves?» She asked.

«You know me by now. I prefer practice over theory. Let us give you a quick demonstration of what I mean. Gible, come out!»

Meanwhile, Serena had resumed her own training.

«If you're ready, we can begin.» She addressed her Pokémon, who nodded in agreement including Pancham, who had resolved its earlier issue with Darumaka in its favor.

«Lilligant, remember that you'll be at the center of the stage. Pancham and Delphox will be in front of you.» The girl began giving the first instructions, which the three Pokémon followed without hesitation.
«Lilligant, use Magical Leaf!» ordered the girl. The Flowering Pokémon generated a large quantity of colorful leaves and quickly sent them toward her companions.
«Delphox, control them with Psychic! Send them toward Pancham! Pancham, hit them with Ice Punch!» She commanded. All the leaves created by Lilligant were swiftly enveloped in a pink aura and launched toward the Mischief Pokémon, ready to strike them and envelop them in a frozen aura.
«Lilligant! Are you ready? Dance like me! Use Quiver Dance!» The girl started performing a few dance steps, mirrored perfectly by her Pokémon.
In a matter of moments, Lilligant's body began to glow with a light green aura as she moved in perfect sync with her Trainer. «Pancham! Now use Stone Edge! Gently encircle Lilligant!»
Pancham punched the ground hard. The Mischief Pokémon generated a large number of pointed blue rocks that grew higher and sharper as they emerged from the ground.
In no time, Lilligant was surrounded by the rocks.
«Now break free with Energy Ball! Pancham, get ready with Dark Pulse, Delphox, prepare Fire Blast!» The girl spun on her heel.
Lilligant, with her powerful attack, shattered the rocks into tiny blue fragments in mere moments. «Launch another Energy Ball! And use Quiver Dance again!» Serena and Lilligant moved in unison as the Pokémon created several light green energy orbs resembling eyes.
Quickly, the fiery star launched from the Fox Pokémon's staff, the dark energy rings shot from Pancham's hands, and the greenish energy spheres from Lilligant crossed paths, forming a fiery star with green and purple edges surrounded by frozen leaves.
«And now Delphox, hit it with Hidden Power!» concluded the girl. Delphox created a bluish energy sphere and shot it at the combined creation, causing it to explode into millions of red, blue, purple, and green fragments.
«Ta-da!» The girl made a deep bow and then ran to her Pokémon.
«Lilligant, you were wonderful!» She praised, flashing one of her sweetest smiles. «Gaaant!» The Pokémon responded enthusiastically to the compliment.

Meanwhile, Ash and his Pokémon were ready for their demonstration.
«Here's what I mean when I talk about using the opponent's moves. Gible! Use Draco Meteor!» From the land shark's mouth emerged an orange and purple meteor, which the Pokémon quickly launched into the air.
In an instant, the meteor reached several hundred meters in altitude, exploding into dozens and dozens of pieces. «Alright, Pikachu, it's time for the Draco Meteor Climb!»
The electric mouse leapt from Ash's shoulder and quickly reached one of the meteors launched by the shark. «Now strike some with Iron Tail! Gible, take a few steps back and hit the ground, making a long row of pointed rocks appear, which were struck by the fragments of meteors launched by the electric rodent, exploding into thousands of fragments.»
«So powerful!» Anita commented, her mouth agape. «I wonder if I'll ever come up with strategies as ingenious as yours.» She complimented shortly after, watching Ash pet Pikachu and Gible.
«I don't do anything extraordinary. I pay attention to what's happening around me. For example, I came up with this technique when Pikachu, Serena, and I traveled through Kalos. We were with Clemont, the Lumiose City Gym Leader, and his little sister Bonnie. Maybe one day we'll tell you the whole story, but, in short, that time we helped a wounded Skrelp that lived with other aquatic Pokémon in a shipwreck. If I'm not mistaken, it was called the Salgari. Thanks to some underwater archaeologists, we explored the ship, but during the exploration, Team Rocket attacked us, trying to steal the treasure hidden in the ship. They severely damaged it in the process. To make things worse, that area of Kalos is known for its currents. The entire area was covered with pieces of the ship. The injured Skrelp was trapped, but Froakie managed to save it by carrying it on its back and jumping across the ship's wreckage.» Ash recounted.
«Wow! That's amazing!» commented the girl enthusiastically, though her excitement was short-lived. «But I don't know if I'm that good at observing. What if what I think doesn't work?» She asked, looking worried. «It doesn't matter. By now, you should have learned that failure shouldn't bring you down but motivate you to improve.» Ash reassured his friend. «Thank you.»
«Just like the strategy you and Sewaddle used with String Shot. It's not a technique that always works. You can use it to your advantage in many other ways. But anyway, besides this, there are many other interesting techniques you can use in various situations, like, for example...»
«Don't you think you've explained enough for today? My head is spinning from all the explanations you've given, and I was just watching.» Carlos interrupted him.
«Maybe you're right.» Ash scratched his head, then turned to Anita: «Do you want to continue, or would you rather take a break?» he asked.
«Well... um...» The girl replied. Ash's battling style was mesmerizing, and she could have watched it for hours. The same could be said of his stories.
Shortly after, Ash turned his gaze toward his Fire-type Pokémon. Darumaka's training was going great. Improvements were already visible.
«Guys, go ahead and take a break. It'll be lunchtime soon, and I imagine you're pretty hungry.»

After lunch, Darumaka and Infernape resumed their training. The fire chimpanzee was only partially satisfied with his student's work.
After a couple of hours, the four headed to the bus stop not far away. They had to take the XE line to White Plaza and from there the UEX line, which would take them directly to the University.
The UEX line shuttled between White Plaza, the main university campuses in the city, the central University campus where the four were headed, and Black Plaza, with a long series of intermediate stops. Once it reached Black Plaza, the vehicle would start its return route.
The four boarded and, after validating their passes, took their seats. After several stops, they reached the final destination, White Plaza.
From there, they had to take the UEX line and make several stops to reach their destination, the central University campus.
Luckily for them, the vehicle stopped just fifty meters from the entrance. The less distance those fossils had to walk, the better.
And even though Ash had offered to carry Anita's briefcase, the less walking they had to do, the better.

«The building housing the University's main headquarters was one of the oldest in the city. Unlike most of the capital's buildings, it was not made of steel and glass but of stone yellowish stones.

It stood three stories tall and had small windows framed with light wood.

The entrance to the building was a wide glass door. On the glass was printed the university's logo: a circular design featuring the three Legendary Pokémon of the Region.

The four crossed the threshold unnoticed, managing to traverse more than half the length of the entrance hall before someone finally noticed them.

It was a boy a few years older than them, with a rather large tuft of blonde hair and blue eyes, along with a barely visible beard. He was quite thin and fairly tall.

Judging by the badge on his somewhat wrinkled, thinly striped blue shirt, he must have been the entrance attendant. However, the fact that he was holding a small paper cup with a faint stream of steam rising from it and his overall disheveled appearance suggested a lack of professionalism.

«And how did you all get here?» he asked, his tone annoyed, as he looked them up and down.

«We came here to revive some fossils. Walter Angel sent us for a project…» Ash began to explain.

The attendant took a closer look at them. «Well, you could have told me earlier that you're Ash Ketchum and Serena Gabena. I just wonder what those two are doing with you…»

From Anita's bag emerged a whitish light, which soon materialized into a bipedal otter with a bluish color. Dewott drew both its scalchops.

These extended dramatically, glowing with a bluish light, and the Discipline Pokémon pointed one of them at the boy.

«Uh… sorry…» The boy raised his hands, sweating profusely. «I didn't mean to offend your Trainer.» The otter lowered its weapon. Almost immediately, Anita silently returned her Pokémon to its Poké Ball.

«I just wonder why a Champion of Ash's level and a Performer and Coordinator of Serena's caliber would decide to travel with beginner Trainers.» Still shaken by Dewott's threats, the boy tried to rephrase his statement.

The four explained their motivations to the boy, who found their reasons rather curious.

«I see why Walter decided to entrust such precious fossils to you and Serena.» The attendant responded.

«Actually, he didn't entrust them to us.» Ash replied.

«What? He didn't entrust them to you? But he posted pictures with you on Poké Link, so I thought he had given them to you.» The boy tried to justify, raising his hands.

«Apologies for my behavior. I'll take you to the labs right away.» The attendant motioned for the four to follow him.

After passing through several hallways, the five reached an elevator.

«The lab is located on the second basement floor.» he explained, pressing the button that directed the elevator to their destination, which was reached quickly.

The group continued through more hallways until they arrived at a door that looked like all the others.

«This is the lab.» The attendant indicated the door. «There shouldn't be any problems, but it's better to notify them.»

The attendant rang a buzzer.

«Ah. It's you. Have the fossils arrived?» a female voice asked from the other end.

«Exactly.» The attendant replied.

In moments, an electric buzz confirmed the door's opening, and the five were finally able to enter.

After navigating yet another hallway, they finally arrived at the lab.

Before them stood a control panel with a keyboard, trackpad, and three large flat monitors. Nearby, there was a strange metal device resembling a kind of sarcophagus.

On the far wall was a large flat screen, which, like the other monitors, was off.

«These are the Trainers to whom Walter Angel entrusted the fossils.» The attendant said, indicating Carlos and Anita.

«I've been expecting you.» greeted a dark-skinned woman.

She had dark brown hair and eyes of the same color. She wore a white lab coat with light blue trim.

«This device will allow you to bring the fossils back to life. For obvious reasons, we can only revive one fossil at a time. But I assume Walter explained this to you.»

The four shook their heads slightly.

«In any case, it doesn't matter. I assume he at least explained what you'll need to do once you've captured them, right?» This time, the woman received a nod.

«I won't bore you with unnecessary details. Just know that this device can revive ancient Pokémon from the remnants of DNA found in the fossils.» The woman explained.

«It won't take much time. When the Pokémon is revived, it will be drowsy and confused, which is the best time to capture it.» She added, while setting up the device by pressing various keys on the keyboard.

«The device is ready. Which fossil would you like to revive first?» She asked.

Ash handed the case back to its rightful owner.

«Ladies first, I believe.» he said.

Anita handed the case to the scientist, who quickly placed it on a table.

She then opened it. «Oh! Here we have a Plume Fossil!» She remarked after a quick look at the fossil.

«If everything goes well, it should come back to life in no time.» The woman explained, carefully placing the fossil into the sarcophagus-like device, which had just opened.

«According to the timer, it will take about two hours. In the meantime, how about we grab something at the university café?» The woman suggested.

No one objected.

Some time later, the machine had almost completed its work. Only thirty seconds remained.

After those moments had passed, the sarcophagus-like device opened, releasing a cloud of steam.

Inside was a bipedal Pokémon resembling a prehistoric bird.

It had a red beak that appeared to be made of stone and sharp teeth. Its feathers were mostly yellow, while its neck and tail were red. Its head and the underside of its wings were blue.

The wings had two claws, and the hind ones were red with three toes. Its tail was long, tipped with a large, diamond-shaped blue feather.

«This is an Archen. We've revived and studied several specimens.» The woman introduced the Pokémon, which looked around, confused.

«If you want to capture it, now is the best time.» She reminded.

Anita didn't need to be told twice, grabbing one of her Poké Balls and throwing it at the Pokémon, which was quickly

absorbed into the ball.

«Archen is classified as the First Bird Pokémon. Based on our studies, we believe it's the common ancestor of all Flying-type Pokémon.» She began to explain, showing slides on the large screen.

«Most fossils have been found in forests, but these were discovered in the Desert of Silence. They were likely decorations in the Emperor's castle.» She added.

«The same could be said of the other fossil.» She remarked while opening the case Carlos had brought.

«The process will also take a couple of hours in this case.» The woman explained, her expression hinting that she already had an idea of how to spend that time.»

«Maybe, to make these two hours less boring, I can take you to see one of the areas where fossil Pokémon are studied in their natural environment. What do you think?» She proposed.
The four, having nothing else to do, decided to accept her suggestion.

As before, the scientist escorted them to their destination, one of the wings of the university building.
«This part of the building is a very special area. It's rare for visitors to come here, and I regret that.» The woman explained as she took a badge with her personal information out of her pocket.

The group stopped in front of a large green and gold metal door, divided into two parts. The center of the door featured a large circular lock, similar to those in bank vaults. However, unlike a vault, there was no handle to turn or anything else, making manual opening impossible.

Next to the door was a card reader, a small box fixed to the wall, made of light gray plastic. At the top of the device was a small liquid crystal display, backlit in green, while at the bottom was a green area for placing the badge. The woman brought her badge close to the designated reading area.

After a fraction of a second, the device emitted a short beep, and the metal door opened. The central structure split into two, the right side opening like a clamp and releasing the left, allowing the door to slide along the walls.

«As you can guess, this wing of the building was added later, compared to the rest. This door was a safety measure put in place when we began studying the first fossils.» The woman explained, putting her badge back in her lab coat pocket.

«Initially, we thought the Pokémon revived from fossils might be dangerous to people or other Pokémon, so we took as many precautions as possible.»

The group passed through a long corridor. The walls were covered in metal, while the ceiling featured fluorescent tubes embedded within.

At the end of the corridor, they reached another metal door, identical to the previous one.
«Beyond this door is the protected area. You'll be able to observe some Archen in their natural environment.» The woman explained. Once again, the only way to unlock the door was with her pass.

Beyond the door, the true marvel awaited.
A gigantic tunnel made of metal and glass, much like a greenhouse.

«This observation point allows us to study the Archen in their natural habitat.» The scientist explained. Ash and his friends looked through the thick glass and were left speechless.

It seemed as if someone had transported a piece of a forest around them.
The ground was covered in small plants, very low due to the limited light they received, while numerous rocks were blanketed in thick layers of moss and lichen. But the most striking feature was the majestic broad-leafed trees that significantly reduced the amount of light entering.

The dense vegetation not only reduced the light but also played a crucial role in maintaining the humidity of the area. Hanging from the trees were numerous yellow and orange fruits, about ten centimeters in diameter and elongated in shape.

Upon entering the tunnel, the scientist continued her explanation:
«In this environment, the humidity, air quality, soil type, and so on are constantly monitored to ensure the best living conditions for the Archen. Naturally, an Archen has no problem living in our environment or eating modern Pokémon food…» The woman pointed to one of the fruits hanging from the trees. «Archen fed exclusively on these berries you see. Fortunately, we found fossilized seeds of these berries next to the Plume Fossils.» She explained.

«For Tirtouga, we followed a similar approach, but since they are carnivorous Pokémon, working on their diet was more challenging. However, replicating their natural environment was done in a way similar to this.» The woman explained. «The only difference is that the Tirtouga wing is not as easily accessible as this one. We would have had to build a suspension bridge and an underwater observation area, similar to the aquarium in Undella Town. But that would have been too expensive. To prevent incidents, special, costly glass is required.»

«In any case, we can see the Archen, but they cannot see us. It's the best way to study them. At least this way, their behavior isn't influenced by our presence. For this reason, you can stay as long as you want. On one small condition.» The woman said, turning to Anita.

«DO NOT let your Archen out of its Poké Ball under any circumstances. If it sees its kind, it might try to reach them and, in doing so, destroy the glass or worse.» She warned, her tone overly stern.

Due to the prolonged stay in the observatory, the group arrived just moments before the second fossil Pokémon was revived.
This time, from the sarcophagus-like device emerged a Pokémon resembling a sea turtle. Its body was mostly blue. The shell was a darker shade and had circular recesses on each of its six upper sections. Its four limbs resembled flippers, and its head featured a large beak.

As Carlos prepared a Poké Ball to capture the newly revived Pokémon, the scientist shared her knowledge about it:
«Tirtouga is classified as the Prototurtle Pokémon. It lived in oceans, and its shell was incredibly resilient. Since many eggs have been found near ancient oceans, it's believed they laid their eggs on land.» She explained.

«Now that you both have a fossil Pokémon, what do you think about letting them battle? It would be very interesting for our research. We scientists don't have much time to dedicate to battles. We limit ourselves to studying their behavior in controlled zones replicating, as much as possible, their natural habitats. But we've never had the chance to see them fight.» She explained.

The four nodded at her words.

«Luckily, the university has a battle field in the courtyard. At least this way, we won't risk causing damage.» The woman said, inviting them to follow her.

After retracing all the corridors and rooms, the group found themselves back at the building's entrance.

«The battle field is in the inner courtyard. We just need to go down that hallway and exit through the door on the far left.»

The woman explained, pointing to a nearby hallway. The group continued to follow her without asking questions.

After all that walking, they finally reached the inner courtyard.
An extremely spacious area, surrounded by numerous trees and flower beds, and also equipped with benches for sitting and relaxing. However, what stood out the most was the presence of four battle fields.

«Guys, luckily, you'll only need one. As I mentioned earlier, we don't have time to make them fight. That's one of the reasons we've entrusted you with this task. I'll install an app on your Smart Rotom to record and send all the battles your two

Pokémon will take part in. We'll use them for our research.» The scientist explained.

«The application installation completed, and at last, the much-anticipated battle could begin. Before taking her position on one side of the field, Anita handed her Smart Rotom to Serena, ensuring the battle would be recorded as the scientist had requested.

As tradition dictated, the battlefield featured an electronic refereeing system. The scientist quickly set it up just moments before Anita and Carlos reached for their Poké Balls.

«The Trainer battle is about to begin. Each participant may use only one Pokémon.» announced the electronic refereeing system.

Upon receiving the signal to start, both Anita and Carlos sent out their Pokémon.

«As far as we know, Archen knows Wing Attack, Quick Attack, Rock Throw, and Ancient Power, while Tirtouga knows Ancient Power, Aqua Jet, Bite, and Zen Headbutt.» The scientist explained.

Anita and Carlos merely nodded.

«You can go first.» Carlos invited his friend.

«Let's give it a shot, Archen, use Ancient Power!» Anita commanded.

The ancient flying Pokémon's body glowed with a violet aura, while large boulders, surrounded by the same energy, rose from the ground. In no time, the prehistoric bird hurled the boulders at its opponent.

«Tirtouga, use Ancient Power too!» Carlos ordered.

Like its avian counterpart, the ancient turtle's body radiated a violet aura, raising massive boulders that clashed midair with those of its opponent. The resulting collision generated a powerful explosion and a cascade of rock fragments.

Both Anita and Carlos shielded themselves with their arms to avoid getting hurt.

Despite the impact, both Pokémon were still ready to fight.

«Tirtouga! Use Aqua Jet!» Carlos instructed.

The ancient turtle quickly cloaked itself in a thin layer of water, launching itself at high speed toward its foe.

«Archen, dodge with Quick Attack and follow up with Rock Throw!» Anita called out.

The ancient bird elegantly veered away from the incoming attack, generating a flurry of rocks and hurling them at Tirtouga, who effortlessly shattered them on impact.

Before Anita could issue another command, Tirtouga was already charging toward Archen again.

The prehistoric bird was knocked to the ground by the forceful blow but managed to take flight once more, although the damage was evident in its strained movements.

«Archen! I know you can do it! Use Rock Throw!» The ancient bird mustered its strength, but the rocks it launched were noticeably smaller and slower. Tirtouga easily dodged them.

«I think that's enough.» The scientist intervened, halting the battle before its natural conclusion.

«It seems that unlike other Pokémon, Archen struggles under pressure. Its attacks become slower and weaker. We'll need to study this phenomenon further. By analyzing videos of other battles, we might determine whether this is a fluke or a unique trait of Archen.» She explained, pocketing her Smart Rotom after jotting down notes from the battle.

«Now it's best to let your Pokémon rest. I'll take you to the infirmary.» She suggested.

The group followed her without protest, arriving at a facility identical to a Pokémon Center, run, as usual, by a Nurse Joy.

«Hello, everyone! How can I help you today?» She greeted warmly.

«Could you take care of their Pokémon? I need to deliver the initial research findings. Goodbye!» The scientist said as she left.

After Nurse Joy had finished tending to the group's Pokémon, Ash and his friends thanked her and headed for the building's exit, aiming to return to the Pokémon Center.

After getting lost several times in the labyrinth of hallways and rooms, they finally managed to find their way out. They headed to the bus stop, planning to take the UEX line back to White Plaza and then switch to the XE line to reach the Pokémon Center.

There, Infernape and Darumaka had just finished their training. The Zen Charm Pokémon was eager to show off the progress it had made under its mentor's guidance.

The moment Darumaka spotted its Trainer and friends, it rushed to Ash, clinging to his leg and looking up at him with pleading eyes.

«So, you and Infernape have been training this whole time?» Ash asked.

The Daruma and the chimpanzee Pokémon nodded.

«Then you both deserve some rest.» Ash replied.

But Darumaka refused to let go, tugging on Ash's leg to grab his attention.

Ash glanced down at Darumaka, who had now released its grip, eager to showcase its improvements.

Once assured of its Trainer's attention, Darumaka launched two powerful, fiery punches with impressive precision and force.

«Still full of energy, huh?» Ash commented. «Are you saying you want to battle Pancham again?»

Darumaka simply nodded in response.

«As you wish.» Ash said.