A New Path

by TheCouchEffect

Ash has finally achieved his dream after so many years. He has become the champion of a Pokemon league. Despite this victory, he feels lost with no sense of direction. Weeks after his victory, he is framed for a crime he didn't commit. Unwilling to accept guilt, he will be drawn into a battle to clear his name and bring Team Rocket to justice before they can become unstoppable.

25. Where There's Smoke

Fuchsia City, Kanto, 14 Years Ago

Hesitation is defeat.

It was the mantra of the Okawa clan since their founding. In the ancient days of feudal Kanto, warring daimyo's and royal families fought to decide the fate of Kanto. Grand armies clashed on the battlefield and courts of nobles hid ambition behind deference, but they were not the ones who dictated the future.

It was those who lurked in the shadows. The one's who sacrificed their souls and lives to change the world. People of self-sacrifice and honor used by those with greater ambitions and tossed aside when they were no longer useful.

There had been many names for them over the years. Traitors, guerillas, shinobi, mstovaris, quimitchin, pawns, spooks, men-in-black, and many more where that came from. But in the modern world, there was a far simpler and less glamorous name for them.

Spy.

Throughout history, spies had been the reason empires rose and fell. Entire dynasties ruled because of their influence, and many more had been wiped from history because of them. A poisoned chalice here, a knife in the dark there, a whispered secret at the right moment; there was no greater weapon than a spy. More than any monster, weapon, or piece of tech, it was spies that won wars.

The Okawa clan had served Kanto for centuries. It was thanks to them that Kanto had risen to such heights. They'd helped the first emperor unite the land amongst the warring nobility. Even when the time of empires ended and the common people took power, the Okawa were in the shadows silently guiding the nation.

It was a duty that Koga had always strived to uphold.

A knock at his door drew Koga's attention away from his thoughts. Two heavy knocks followed by a lighter tap after a slight pause. One of his students, then.

"Speak." He commanded.

"Sorry to disturb you, sir, but there's someone here who says he needs to speak with you." Their muffled voice carried through the door.

It wouldn't have been a rival or old enemy. They wouldn't be polite enough to announce their arrival. A new student? Possible, but most new better than to introduce themselves so blatantly. No, this had to have been someone new.

Someone different.

"Who is it?" He asked.

"The Bloody Baron."

Koga was silent for a moment. Then he stood up and walked towards his dresser, turning on the kettle to boil some water. His guest would need some tea. "Send him in."

The door slid open and in walked the hero of Kanto, Giovanni Cassano. The terror of Johto and Kalos alike; a man of unrivaled strength of will. A man… with absolutely zero fashion sense, if his garish orange suit was anything to go by.

Koga allowed himself a tiny smirk. "Nice suit."

The corner of Giovanni's eye twitched, but only slightly. Unnoticeable unless you were looking for it. "Thank you."

"Have a seat." Koga told him. "I've just put the kettle on. How do you like your tea?"

"I don't suppose you have kombucha?" Giovanni asked.

"No. This isn't the Orange Islands. We have standards here."

The orange man snorted. "Black, then."

Koga nodded and set to work, swiftly gathering the cups and leaves needed for them. "So, what brings you here, Mr. Cassano?"

"To talk."

Koga quirked an eyebrow. "That's all?"

"Should there be more? You are the headmaster of the most prominent ninja school in Kanto." There was no hiding the teasing lilt to the war hero's voice.

A pang of annoyance twisted in Koga's gut. This academy… centuries ago, it'd been a hidden oasis of training and tranquility for new initiates into the Okawa clan. The finest assassins, spies, and saboteurs were trained in these halls. Yet now, it was a place for wandering trainers to play at childhood fantasies and somewhere rich parents sent their spoiled brats.

It was disgraceful.

"I suppose." Koga allowed, taking the kettle once it had finished and pouring them both a cup of tea. Once everything was ready, he turned and handed his counterpart one before sitting opposite of him. "Why? Do you have a child you'd like to send here?"

"Ah, no children for me, fortunately." Giovanni laughed easily, sipping silently at his tea. "I'd be a cruel man indeed to deny the lovely men and women of the world my company."

Cocky and arrogant. The hallmarks of most officers during the war who'd cast aspersions on the fighting men and women from their armchairs. Yet Giovanni had fought on the front lines. He'd been little more than a common grunt. The things he'd seen and done would shatter any overconfidence.

A feint, then. But for what?

"So, why are you here then?" Koga asked.

"Curiosity." Giovanni admitted. "When I heard that Kanto's most lethal assassin was running a school for ninjas, I just had to see it with my own eyes."

A frown split his face. "Those files are classified."

"I'm a war hero. There's not many things that I don't have access to." The orange-suited man told him. "I was impressed by what I saw. If it hadn't been for a lucky custodian finding those bombs, you would have wiped out the entire Galarian cabinet of ministers."

They always said that no plan survived contact with the enemy. No one knew that better than him. He'd worked for months to get every detail of that assassination right. If it'd succeeded, Galar would have been crippled from the loss of their civilian government.

Damnable custodians sneaking a smoke break in the meeting hall hadn't been something he prepared for.

"My name shouldn't even have been in those reports. How did you find out that was me?" Koga asked.

"There's no looser set of lips than a politician at the annual fundraiser." Giovanni chuckled. "They'll do anything to avoid the boredom that comes with sitting through dozens of long-winded speeches. Trust me on that."

Of course, the natural enemy of all spies: a bureaucrat.

"I see. Well, I find it hard it hard to believe you came here just to satisfy your curiosity. So, what's the real reason?" Koga demanded.

"I want to put you and your clan to better use. Give you all a chance to use those vaunted skills of yours."

The shinobi narrowed his eyes. "Our loyalty is to Kanto and its people. The Okawa clan cannot be bought, Mr. Cassano."

"And I'm not trying to buy it." Giovanni took another sip of his tea. "You know what Kanto has become since the end of the war. Our technology and culture is stagnant. Our people firmly believe in their own superiority and deride other regions, even after our failure and the horrors of the Great War."

Koga closed his eyes. "I am aware of our failings."

"That's not even mentioning your people." Giovanni pressed his advantage. "You were once the greatest weapon against our enemies. Now you entertain spoiled brats, guard the rich, and spy on their enemies. From loyal masters of subterfuge to lapdogs."

"And what would you do if we gave you our loyalty instead?" Koga challenged.

"For starters? Get Kanto back on the path." Giovanni stated. "I'll drag our people into the future kicking and screaming if I have to. Anyone and anything in the way of that can either join or be swept aside."

"My people are not mercs for hire, Mr. Cassano." Koga said.

"I have muscle aplenty, Koga. If I need a hammer, there's an endless amount of them out there to choose from." Giovanni leaned forward. "What I need is a scalpel. Someone with a keen mind that can see beyond just the surface."

Koga was silent for a moment. Honor dictated that he kill Giovanni for daring to suggest they switch masters so easily. Yet honor hadn't saved the lives of those lost during the war nor had it done anything to help the people since.

Perhaps it was time to leave such antiquated notions in the past where they belonged.

"I cannot simply swear the clan to you." Koga slowly said. "If you wish to have my clans loyalty, then you must earn it. Show us how different you are."

"How?"

Koga felt his respect for the man go up a tiny bit. Most would have taken that demand as an insult and demanded they work with him for free or in the chase of some grand ideal. Perhaps even walk out entirely. Yet when presented with a problem, his mind turned to solutions.

It was impressive.

"Defeat in a duel of mortal combat. Show your strength and we will follow. Fail and die." Koga explained. "Does that sound agreeable?"

Giovanni frowned. "Fair enough. Where and when shall we do this?"

"The forest outside the estates grounds should suffice." Koga stood up. "Come. We start now."

Giovanni followed suit and stood up. Wordlessly, the two of them walked through the grounds of the estate. While they passed by some of the rooms filled with wandering trainers playing at training, they also passed some of his genuine students. They saw the silent promise in his step and left to distract the children from what was about to happen.

No one wanted them getting ideas in their head from this.

Once they reached the edge of the forest, they came to a stop. Koga glanced back at the man who'd come to earn their loyalty. "I will give you a thirty-minute head start. Go into the forest. Make whatever preparations you need. After that, I will hunt you down."

A crooked smile split Giovanni's face. "Thirty minutes? How generous."

Koga grinned. "I'm not a cruel man. Why not spare some hope for a dead man walking?"

The war hero chuckled. "How thoughtful."

Without another word, Giovanni marched forward and soon disappeared behind the trees. True to his word, Koga waited half an hour in silence by kneeling before the trees and meditating. Once the half hour was up, he kept his eyes closed but cupped his hands before him.

"Articuno, Master of the Arctic and Lord of Hunters, may my hands be steady, my feet swift, and my Pokemon be true. And should the worst come to pass, grant my daughter safe passage through this life."

His eyes snapped open. Koga unleashed his Venomoth and Toxicroak. Lifetime partners who'd been by his side since he was a child taken in by the clan. There were no two Pokemon he trusted more than them.

"Venomoth, take to the skies. Keep a look out for a man in orange, Pokemon who don't belong in these woods, and anything else out of the ordinary." Koga ordered. "Toxicroak, scout ahead for me. If you find any traps, deal with them."

His partners nodded. Venomoth flew into the air with a mighty flap of their wings, the heat in the sun intensifying to choking degrees. Toxicroak sprinted off into forest, their scales blending in perfectly with the shadowy underbrush. For his part, Koga took to the trees and moved along the tree tops.

They moved through the forest like shadows in the moonlight. Not a single patch of earth was disturbed nor a branch broken. The forest itself was silent – an omen for what was to come. The wild Pokemon who made this place their home knew they were on the hunt and went into hiding, desperately hoping to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

The traps they found were scattered, but well hidden and potent. Spike trips set to impale them on thorns and slabs of stone. Snare traps that would drag them through patches of poison ivy or suspend them in the air. It was impressive, what Giovanni had managed to accomplish in such a short time.

Yet that same haste had made him sloppy. Uneven patches of grass, snapped branches, and small bits of orange cloth left on stray thorns. It all left a clear trail to follow.

The heat must have been getting to him if he was being this sloppy.

It was almost disappointing when he found Giovanni crouched in a field, using his not destroyed suit to fashion another trip wire for a trap. Koga shook his head, cupping his hands before his mouth and whistling through it to form a cry akin to a baby Pidgey.

One of the many signals his clan used to communicate in secret.

Toxicroak moved as swiftly as the wind. He leaped out of the underbrush, claws flashing in the light and ready to rip the man asunder. A pale blur crashed into him in the air before he could land a strike, however.

Toxicroak and the interloper – a regal and powerful Persian – tumbled along the ground. Fang and claw clashed as the two struggled for dominance in a cloud of blood and dust.

Venomoth saw the clash and swooped down from upon high. Just as he breached the treetops, however, something camouflaged against the trunks unfurled its own wings. A massive purple stinger lanced out, stabbing Venomoth through the back while two massive claws snapp around their wings, smashing the bones holding them aloft.

His aerial support tumbled to the ground as a Gliscor ripped into them from behind.

Koga cursed and dropped down from the treeline, hurling a throwing dagger at Giovanni's back. The man in question rolled to his right over his shoulder. In the blink of an eye, he drew his pistol from his hip and fired.

A gunshot deafened the clearing, sending flocks of Flying-types across the forest scattering for safety. Koga stumbled back, clutching at his shoulder in pain. Before he could move or even think, another bullet pierced his leg just below the knee and sent him tumbling to the ground.

Everything went still. Koga simply laid there for a moment, his gaze drifting towards his partners. Venomoth's wings had been clipped and blood pooled beneath them, a stinger coming out their sternum. Toxicroak was pinned beneath the Persian, his throat in the jaws of the sadistic feline.

Footsteps drew closer. Koga looked up to find himself staring down the barrel of a gun, Giovanni's cold eyes staring back at him.

They were helpless. One wrong move and it was all over. They'd walked right into Giovanni's trap… and paid for it dearly.

"Do you yield?"

Koga took a deep breath, willing the pain coursing through his body to vanish. "Victory is yours. The Okawa clan and all our resources are yours."

A smile graced Giovanni's face as he holstered his gun, clicking his tongue twice. Reluctantly, Persian and Gliscor released their prey and stepped back behind their master. The Viridian native extended his hand towards him.

"Come on, return your Pokemon. We need to get you and your Pokemon to a hospital." He smirked. "Your clan needs their leader, after all."

In that moment, Koga knew the kind of man Giovanni was… and that he would be proud to follow him into whatever future he had planned.

---

Ash awoke to a loud crash coming from the kitchen.

His team reacted in an instant. Sparks danced across Pikachu's cheeks as he darted off Ash's chest. Bewear lumbered off the ground, muscles flexing and murderous intent filling her eyes. Vines extended from Lilligant's back and Latias' eyes glowed with psychic energy. For his part, Ash rolled to his feet and grabbed his revolver from his waistband.

They rounded on the kitchen as one. Ash snapped his pistol up towards the intruders head-

Petrovic froze, a glass of OJ halfway to his lips before he froze. "Woah there kiddo! It's just me and a couple slices of floppy bread!"

As if on cue, the toaster on the counter rang that it was done, popping two perfectly golden brown slices up. Some butter and jelly lay on the counter next to a plate, waiting to be served.

An exasperated sigh escaped Ash. "Petrovic… what the fuck are you doing here?"

The veteran agent shrugged. "I was hungry."

"I meant my hotel room, not my kitchen." Ash could feel a headache coming on.

"Thought I'd come see how the high and mighty contenders were living it up in paradise." Petrovic said, reaching for his toast.

"I can still kill him." Bewear offered.

"He is trespassing." Latias chimed in. "Technically, this would be self-defense. No one could blame us. We might even get a medal."

Pikachu snickered. "Looker'd give us a raise, at least."

Ash thought for a moment before shaking his head and setting his revolver on the counter. "He's not worth the hassle."

"Love ya too, babe." Petrovic snarked, smearing his condiments on his toast.

While his Pokemon all dispersed to stretch or relax around the hotel room, Ash sat at the counter across from Petrovic. "Why are you really here?"

"Thought I'd come check on ya. Last night was pretty rough." Petrovic said.

He frowned. "I'm fine."

"Are ya?" The older man munched loudly on his toast, turning back to him. "Ya seemed pretty angry last night."

Ash held his gaze. "People were in trouble. I let my emotions get the best of me. I'm sorry."

"Ya should be. But since I'm such a nice guy, I'll let ya off easy." His counterpart smirked. "Just put in a good word for me with that spicy momma of yers after we clear yer name and I'll call it even."

Ash scowled. "I will shoot you in the balls if you even look in her direction."

Petrovic cackled evilly.

"Murder is still on the table." Latias whispered into his mind. "Come on… hiding a body can't be that hard. I'm pretty sure we could just have Bewear eat the evidence."

"Pass. Human's taste disgusting." Bewear said, munching on a bowl of pineapple.

He banged his head against the table with a groan. "It's too early for this."

"It's almost noon, ya lazy bastard." Petrovic rolled his eyes. "Stop whining and grab yerself some coffee. We need ya at yer best for later today."

Right… he had a match later today. A Contest battle against Drew, if he remembered. A top tier Coordinator and a veteran agent. This was going to be a tough match… a small ember of the competitive fire inside him flared to life.

Maybe today wouldn't be so bad after all.

"How are we handling last night?" Ash asked.

"It never happened." Petrovic said between bites of toast. "Officially, the minister'll die of some tragic swimming or car accident. Other random acts of god for his security and the staff who died."

He frowned. "What about the survivors?"

"Paid off. Money, new jobs with stellar benefits, promises to keep it quiet for national security." The purplette shrugged. "Same shit, different day."

Another Aether Foundation, then. A dangerous mission to be hidden from the public and filed away in some warehouse. No one would ever know what had happened. And if anyone ever leaked it to the public?

They'd be labeled deranged conspiracy theorists and raving lunatics.

"I guess it's for the best." Ash snatched up Petrovic's orange juice, downing it in one go.

His eye twitched. "Oh no, help yerself."

"It's my OJ. I can do what I want with it."

"Jackass." Petrovic grumbled. "So, ya think ya can handle the match later today? Cabbage head ain't a slouch with those little kiddy fights."

Ash blinked. "You have a problem with Drew?"

"He's a stuck-up brat. Thinks he's better than everyone else. And those damn roses of his piss me off!" Petrovic growled. "Motherfucker knows I'm allergic and he still keeps sending the damn things to my room!"

His Pokemon laughed, but Ash managed to keep a straight face. "And why does he do that?"

"I may or may not have left him trapped in the sewers for a week on one of our missions together." The man grinned devilishly. "His fault for showing up to a stakeout in a tuxedo. Kid needed to learn humility."

Ash pinched the bridge of his knows. "Sometimes, I wonder who the adult is between us."

"Hardy har. Now, enough stalling. Ya think ya can beat him or not?"

Ash didn't answer right away. He got up from his seat and walked around the counter to rummage through his fridge. Once he found the carton of OJ, he twisted off the cap and drank straight from the box.

It was… hard to say. Ash was a Champion with years of experience on his side, but Drew was no slouch. He was one of the few who hadn't just beaten Ash, but made him rethink how he approached battles. More than that, he was an expert at these kinds of fights.

On paper, the match should go to Ash. In reality? It was too close to call.

"Could go either way. He's skilled. I don't want to underestimate him." Ash eventually decided on.

"Right… so, what do ya want me to do?"

Ash blinked. "What?"

"What can I do to help?" Petrovic asked. "Want me to steal his Pokemon? Put laxatives in his food? Kick him in the balls? Dump Grumpig blood on him when he walks on stage? Ya name it, I'll do it."

Despite everything, Ash laughed. "You must really hate him."

"With a fiery passion." Petrovic growled.

"Well, as confident as I am in your abilities, I respect Drew. When I beat him, I want it to be because I'm a better Trainer than him." Ash grinned. "Besides, I don't want to get drawn into the middle of this little war you two have going on."

"Pussy." Petrovic grumbled. "Can ya at least wipe the arrogant smirk off his face?"

He rolled his eyes. "I'll do my best."

"Thank ya kindly." The older man tipped an imaginary hat at him. "Know who you'll use?"

"Latias and Pikachu." Ash said. "I've got some ideas for how I can impress the judges."

"Shouldn't be too hard. Anabel's gonna go easy on ya and Looker's banging Cynthia, so there shouldn't be any issue there. And with yer history with that Maple girl, ya should have the advantage." Petrovic finished his toast with a loud crunch.

Ash frowned. "My history with her?"

Petrovic shrugged. "Yeah, ya know. Girl ya used to travel with. Yer ex."

"We were never together." He deadpanned.

"Could have fooled me." Petrovic drawled. "Come on, ya can be honest. What, didn't want the attention that came with being a power couple so ya kept it quiet?"

"I'm serious. We were just friends."

"Really now?" Petrovic leaned forward, a shit-eating grin splitting his face. "So, yer telling me that if ya walked into a room and found her on yer bed naked as the day she was born, legs splayed and crooking her finger at ya that ya would have said no?"

Ash couldn't help himself. The image popped into his mind faster than he could stop himself. Latias started choking on some whipped cream behind them as Ash's cheeks turned bright red and Petrovic roared with laughter. He tried his best to banish the image from his mind.

It was harder than it should have been.

"That doesn't- I'm not- You-" Ash sputtered before eventually resting his head on his arms with a tired groan. "I fucking hate you, Pet."

"Don't be a sore loser, Ashy-Boy." Pet teased. "Consider this payback for all those times I had to save yer ass. Ya've got quite the debt built up, and I'm here to collect!"

This day couldn't possibly get any worse.

---

"You ready for a break yet?"

Max felt sweat gather on his brow from the intense rays of the sun, glancing at his team. While most of them were still standing, he could see the exhaustion in their bones. The labored breaths and squinted eyes; the panting tongues and dropping sweat; the shaking legs and swaying bodies.

He sighed. "Yeah, I think that's a good idea. Alright, everyone! Take five!"

On cue, his team all collapsed to the ground in groaning piles of fatigue. They couldn't even muster the energy to crawl into the shade of a nearby tree. Kirlia could barely raise her arm and levitate their water over for the group to drink.

Not that he could complain. They'd been working hard today. From their secluded training spot in one of the cities many parks, he and his team had been working hard to think up new strategies and take some punishment.

They'd need it for the challenge ahead.

A slushie was shoved in his face. "Drink up. Your team needs you at your best too."

He blinked, taking the blue drink before smiling. "Thanks, Rosa."

The brunette smiled. "What are friends for if not pumping you full of sugar?"

"Not for this." He told her. "For helping me train."

She shrugged. "It's not like I'm just doing this out of the kindness of my heart. If I can't beat Spartan, then I'll just have to live through you!"

He blinked. "You really think I can beat him?"

"If I didn't think you could win, I wouldn't be helping you train." She flicked his nose, causing him to flinch back. "I'd take you out for chili dogs instead."

It probably wasn't meant to make him feel so good, but Max stood a little taller anyway. Even if she was just saying those things, it still meant a lot for him to hear it.

The tournament had announced the roster for the quarter finals tomorrow and he'd gotten the luck of the draw. He was up against Spartan as the first match of the day and people were already making bets against him. Last he saw, someone actually bet half a million dollars on him losing.

His pride couldn't be anymore in the toilet, but the bright side was that meant he could only go up. The thought of being the one to beat that powerhouse and prove his haters wrong was just too much to pass up.

Even if the odds were stacked against him.

"Thanks." He pushed his glasses back up his face. "I'll prove you right."

"You better. I'm counting on you being the one to knock him off his game." Rosa sat down on the ground and patted the spot next to her. "What about you? Do you think I can win?"

Max sat next to her, hiding his answer behind a sip of the uber-sweet slushie. The truth was… no, he didn't. The man had made mince meat of Trainers stronger than him. Despite his best wishes, Max wasn't an idiot. He knew that short of a miracle, he wasn't walking out of tomorrow's match the victor.

That didn't mean he couldn't still win, though.

"I don't think I can take on his entire team." Max admitted. "But if I can beat just one of his Pokemon, I'll consider it a win."

"It helps that it'll make you better than everyone else who's faced him so far." Rosa said.

He grinned. "Including you?"

Her eye twitched and she elbowed him in the side. He flinched and rubbed his bruised kidney while she puffed out her cheeks. "Oi! I was having an off day! The sun was in my eye and… and I had a stomachache! It doesn't count!"

Years of being on the receiving end of his sisters bruised pride had taught him the perfect way to defuse the situation.

"Still means that I'm better than you, though." Max went to sip on his slushie.

Then started to choke as her palm hit the underside of the large plastic cup, sending the straw and a wave of the arctic ice slamming into the back of his throat. His eyes bulged and he sputtered, collapsing backwards onto the ground.

"Arrogant jerk!" Rosa growled. "Think you can back those words up? I'll take you and anyone else you need for help right now without breaking a sweat!"

… damn it. He'd forgotten that this wasn't May he was dealing with! Snark wouldn't help him here! This wasn't what he wanted at all! Thankfully, he still remembered the advice his dad had given him for dealing with angry girls outside the family!

Apologize, admit you were stupid, and never bring it up again!

"I-it was a joke! I'm sorry!" He held up his hands above his head, eyes shut. "Please, have mercy! You're obviously stronger than me!"

Debatable, but that wasn't important right now!

Rosa glared down at him… then she snickered. Soon enough, she was in a full-blown laughing fit, doubled over and clutching her stomach. It was such a sight that even their teams had stopped to stare at her.

He stared at her in bewilderment. "What… what's so funny?"

"You! You should have seen your face!" She said between bouts of laughter. "Did you really think I'd have that fragile of an ego that I'd take it out on you?"

There was no right answer to that question.

"Why did you make me chug my slushie then?" He asked.

"I thought it'd be funny, and I was right. You're hilarious when you look like a fish on a hook." She teased.

Great… so much for playing it cool.

"I'm so glad I could entertain you." He groaned, getting up and setting his now ruined slushie aside.

"Oh, hush up. I'm sure you've got thicker skin than that." Rosa rolled her eyes. "If you're going to be this much of a baby, I'll just keep your present for myself."

He froze. "You got me a present? But we haven't even known each other that long."

"So what? A friend is a friend, no matter when you meet them." She said. "Now, do you want your gift or not?"

He nodded vigorously. "Of course! What is it?"

Rosa reached into her pocket and pulled out a teal stone of immense beauty. Sunlight glint off its smooth surface, almost sparkling in the golden glow of warmth. In the center, pink and green swirled together in an eye-catching display of elegance.

Max was left speechless. He was pulling off his best impression of a fish, mouth agape as he stared at the Mega Stone with wonder.

"This is… this is a Gardevoirite." He mumbled. "Where did you get this?"

The Unovan girl shrugged. "I made a bet with a boy back in Unova that I could scale a mountain faster than him."

"And he willingly put this up as the prize?" Max asked with bewilderment.

"Ha!" She barked with laughter. "No, I waited until his back was turned and stole it from him while he was sleeping."

His stupefied look morphed into one of utter horror at the criminal admission.

"Oh, hush. The guy had it coming." Rosa assured him. "Jerk liked to pick on trainers just starting out and crush them in battle. He even demanded I give him a fossil I was keeping if he won. So, I figured he needed to be taught a lesson."

On the one hand, stealing was wrong. No one deserved to have such a precious item like a Mega Stone stolen from them. On the other hand, if the person she still this from really was such a bad person, then what was the harm in taking it? Some people could go their whole life without seeing a Mega Stone….

"You're sure you want to give this to me?" He asked.

"Wouldn't have offered it if I didn't." She smiled reassuringly. "Go on, take it. Not like I can use it without a Key Stone, anyway."

He shouldn't have even had one in the first place. It'd been an impulse purchase after he beat his first Gym. He'd nearly emptied his bank account and more than jumped the gun, but he'd been high on life at the time. He was certain finding a Mega Stone would be easy pickings for him!

Cut to a week later after eating nothing but cup ramen and saltine crackers, and he'd damn near thrown the Key Stone into a lake. Only that little voice in the back of his mind telling him to save it for a brighter day.

He was glad he'd shown restraint back then. Now he'd not only found a Mega Stone, but one compatible with his oldest partner!

How lucky was he?

"Thank you." He tentatively reached out to take it from her, holding the stone tightly in his hands. "This is the nicest gift I've ever gotten. I don't know how I can repay you."

"It's a gift, moron. You don't have to give me anything back." She grinned. "Buuuuut if you really want to? Knock the mask off Spartan tomorrow and I'll consider us even!"

He chuckled. "You really don't like him, huh?"

"Lies and slander!" She cried without malice.

The two stared at one another for a moment before breaking out into laughter again. A couple strangers passing by in the park sent them odd or knowing looks, but otherwise left them be. Neither of them said anything for a while until someone else joined in.

"Well, well. What have we here?"

The two paused and turned to see Pryce standing nearby, a kindly smile on his face. Rosa went still next to him, but Max returned the older man's smile and stood up.

"Hello, sir. How are you doing?"

"Doing well, Max. Thank you for asking. You and your friend look like you're having fun." He teased.

Max's cheeks turned the lightest shade of pink. "We're just taking a break from training is all!"

"Training? In the middle of such a grand festival? For shame." The man chuckled. "But I commend you all the same. It's good that you're putting in the work to win tomorrow. You'll need it."

Max nodded resolutely. "I know. Spartan'll be my toughest opponent yet." He held up his hand, flashing the Mega Stone. "But now, I've got the perfect tool to win!"

Recognition flashed through the Gym Leaders eyes. "Oh my. Where did you get this?"

Max pointed to his friend. "Rosa gave it to me."

Pryce turned to Rosa, hand on his cane and his smile still ever-present. "Really? You must be a kind young lady to part with something so rare."

Rosa snapped out of whatever stupor she was in and quickly pushed herself to her feet. "Yeah, I thought it'd make a nice gift for my new friend."

"It's certainly bound to leave an impression." The man poked to the two in the chest, a teasing lilt to his voice. "Do you have a Gardevoir, young man?"

Max shook his head. "No, sir. Just a Kirlia. We're working hard, though. She's close to evolving, I can feel it. We just need a little more to push us over the edge."

"Would you like some help then?" Pryce offered.

Max's eyes practically bugged out of his skull. "R-really? You're offering to help?"

"Of course. I respect a man willing to put in the work for his victory." Pryce said. "And as old as I may be, I like to believe I can still pose a challenge."

That was an understatement. He was the most feared Gym Leader in Johto, even if he wasn't the strongest. The man knew how to put fear into the hearts of Trainers everywhere.

"I'm honored, sir!" He spun on a dime and smiled at Rosa. "Isn't this great? We get to train with Pryce!"

A hesitant smile wormed its way onto her face. "Yeah… great."

"Don't think I'll be going easy on you." Pryce told him. "We have little time until your match tomorrow, so I'll need to push your limits. Think you can handle that?"

He nodded vigorously. "Of course! Whatever it takes!"

"Excellent." Pryce nodded. "We'll begin immediately. Later, we'll attend Spartan's contest match to gain some more knowledge. It should help you develop a strategy. I have high expectations for you."

Could this day get any better?

---

"Are you alright, Anabel?"

Anabel kept her eyes on the cup of tea in her hands, watching the steam rise. It smelled faintly of saffron and honey. "Could be better. Could be worse."

Looker frowned, taking a seat across from her at the table. The rays of the sun filtered through the blinds as it rose higher in the sky. Her mentor leaned back, stirring his blueberry yogurt with a tiny spoon.

"You want to talk about it?" He asked.

"I'm not sure you'd understand." Anabel rubbed her temples. "It's a… Psychic problem. One I never thought I'd have to deal with."

"Give me some credit, Anabel." He said. "I may not be a Psychic, but I've worked and fought with my fair share over my career."

"Why are you even here?" She tried to deflect.

"Thought I'd come check on you. I like to make sure my team is doing okay." Looker told her.

"I have not once seen you check on Petrovic." She pointed out.

Looker smirked. "I said my team. Not the rabid dog I got saddled with."

A laugh escaped her despite her dour mood. "I still can't believe we got stuck with him. Someone up top must really hate you to think that was a good idea."

Looker grimaced. "No, even they wouldn't do that. Spiteful as she may be, she wouldn't stick me with Petrovic."

Anabel blinked. "She?"

"Not important. Now, stop trying to dodge the question. What's wrong?" Looker pressed.

She sighed, not meeting his eyes. This was just going to worry him if she told him the truth. The kinder thing would be to lie and make him think it was some trivial issue. He was too smart to fall for that, though, and she didn't want to lie to him either.

He deserved the truth.

"I've been having visions of the future."

Looker's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"Since we got to Hoenn, my dreams have been filled with visions of the future." She explained. "It was small at first. Just little flashes of things I passed off as meaningless. But they've been getting longer… it's getting harder to just pass them off as nothing."

"How can you be so sure these are visions of the future?" He asked.

"It's a feeling. A sense of a déjà vu, but instead of something happening again, it's something that will happen?" Anabel sighed. "Sorry. I'm explaining this wrong. There's no other way to put it. I just… know."

Looker leaned back in his chair. "Earlier, you said that you never thought you'd need to deal with this. What does that mean?"

Anabel sipped at her tea, withholding her grimace. "Psychics aren't all the same, Looker. Some of us can read minds or feel the emotions of others, some of us can create barriers strong enough to tank explosions or have telekinesis strong enough to rip steel apart."

"And some of you can see the future." He finished.

"Only the most powerful can see the future." She corrected. "Those are the Psychics that ancient religions turned into Oracles for the gods or ended worshipped as gods by primitive cultures."

"You don't think you're strong enough to qualify?" Looker asked.

"This isn't a matter of self-confidence issues, Looker." She chastised. "I'm a weak Psychic. Empathy and limited telepathy are the extent of what I can do."

When she was younger, Anabel had been so disappointed in herself for her weakness. Even the weakest of other Psychics she knew could at least bend a spoon, but not her. Try as she might, all of the more advanced forms of these powers were beyond her grasp.

Bitterness had driven her on a journey to prove herself when she was a kid. Those demons had long since been put to rest, however. She'd mastered what powers she did have and was damn proud of it.

"Apparently not." Looker said. "If you can see the future, this is an advantage for us."

"Not as much as you think." Anabel closed her eyes in thought. "The future is always in flux. Nothing is set in stone. Most visions might as well be completely useless for all the good they can do. They can even be counterproductive."

He frowned. "How so?"

"Imagine a Psychic has a vision of a grand battle. A battle to decide the fate of a city. In this vision, you see your victory is assured and you completely route your enemy as they fall to defenses." She began.

"Go on." He bade her continue.

"Now – with all your confidence in your victory – you start to take the threat less seriously. You neglect your defenses thinking they'll be fine as they are or don't think of any clever strategies to help aid your army in the fight. Maybe you ignore offers of help or neglect to take advantage of an enemy weakness because it wasn't in the vision."

"And all of this overconfidence leads to that vision never happening. I become the cause of my own downfall, in this instance." Looker finished.

"Yes, but it's not just that." Anabel set her tea down on the table. "These visions are unreliable. They can leave out key pieces of what will happen or blindside you with something that won't."

In a word? Everyone who believed in the certainty of future sight was a fool.

"Alright, I understand. This future sight of yours can't be trusted." Looker allowed. "Still, I want you to look into training this new skill. We won't rely on it, but it's still another tool. Who knows? It might help us down the line."

She sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that… alright. I'll try to hone it so the accuracy is less shit. Just remember that the best we can hope for is a fifty-fifty chance something will be true."

"Better than nothing." Looker said. "One more thing. This vision you've been having. What was it?"

She grimaced. "I was afraid you'd ask that."

Looker reached across the table, taking one of her hands and giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'm sorry. I can see this is difficult for you. But I need to know if it has you this worried."

Anabel looked away. "Alright. Just give me a minute. I'll… try to force the vision to return."

She leaned back in her chair and took one large gulp of her tea. Setting it aside, she took in a deep breath and cleared her mind of all distractions. Psychic energy swirled around her being, flowing through every tender nerve and permeating every thought she had.

Nothing happened for a long time. Yet Looker didn't speak up or try to break the silence. He merely sat and waited for Anabel to finish what she had begun. As an image coalesced within her minds eye, a soft gasp escaped her.

An ocean as still as a forest in the middle of a hunt was revealed to her. Oily black shadows swirled above the surface of the water, obscuring everything beneath the water. Tendrils lashed out from the shadows, dragging her consciousness beneath the unforgiving waves and into the deep.

There, she found an ornate bottle of white, magenta, and gold. Pure, foreboding power radiated from the battle. All her instincts warned her to run as far as she could and burn the image of it from her mind.

The bottle cracked. Just a small thing along the base, almost invisible to the naked eye. Then another and another and another. The cracks spread like wildfire across the bottle, iridescent magenta energy escaping from the cracks until the bottle exploded in a blinding white light.

When the light vanished, so had the ocean. Anabel stood in the center of a vast open field with grand forests all around her. Ancient fortresses from the days of mythology stood not as relics of the past, but in their prime. Battlements patrolled by soldiers of legend who had fended off the worst the world had to offer.

In the distance was a white tree so grand that even the sun paled in comparison to its beauty. An ethereal glow surrounded it. A song so beautiful that it resonated with something deep in her soul rested on the wind, bringing tears to her eyes. All around her, life sprouted from the ground and spread as far as the horizon could see.

Then it all began to rot and decay… yet the growth only grew more uncontrollable. A blight upon the land that would never end, not until the entire world had been consumed in its ravenous hunger.

Suddenly, she wasn't in that rotten world anymore, but a shimmering metropolis. A marvel of modern engineering with towers that pierced the heavens, monorails that spanned the entire length of the country, and a city bustling with people from all over the globe.

It all descended into chaos. It started slowly, at first. People began to argue and Pokemon roared their challenges at one another. They all grouped together, shouting to be heard over everyone else. She didn't seen who through the first punch, but soon the entire city descended into chaos as people started to rip one another apart.

Mothers abandoned their children to chase down the objects of their anger. Men fell from buildings they were tossed out of by enraged coworkers. Pokemon rampaged against everyone and everything they saw, growing to enormous sizes and slaughtering entire crowds at once. Every piece of technology she saw exploded and stopped working.

The tallest tower in the city exploded with a deafening bang, showering the city in burning shrapnel. Storm clouds black as night gathered over the city, sending the inhabitants into even more of a frenzy than before.

Above all the chaos and violence, a roar was heard. One so loud that it shook her to the depths of her soul. All hope fled her in that moment. Doom fell upon the unknown city as the clouds parted… and death rained upon the land.

The visions never stopped. She saw a city's defenders turn on its own people, corralling them like animals and sacrificing them to the flames of their ambitions.

A hooded figure stood in the middle of the graveyard, a lantern in one hand and a scythe in the other. Shackles materialized around its limbs and throat, pulling it to the ground and binding them. Another figure with a soul as poisonous as they came stepped out of the shadows, snatching up the scythe and using it to reap the world.

She felt all that was good in the world – all hope, joy, empathy, and imagination – vanish from the world in an instant. Shadows swept over the land, consuming and corrupting everything that it touched until nothing but despair remained.

In a foreign land where peace and justice reigned, a tower arose. An ugly insult to all that was beautiful about the natural world. Guardians of the light, watchers in the shadows, and even the gods themselves banded together to tear the tower down. Each of them fell – one by one – until the entire world lived to serve the will of the ultimate sin.

The last of the visions that flashed through her mind was one of the apocalypse. Stars blinked out of existence in the night sky. Oceans rose and the land split itself open. Across the world, Legends unleashed their might and reshaped the world in their battle to the death. Pokemon cowered before the strength of the Legends.

In the midst of it all, Humanity stood united. Mighty armies and hidden weapons were turned against the Legends that threatened them. Champions rose and fell in the final hour of the world.

A crack appeared in the sky. A fault in reality that defied all logic. As the world came to an end, the anomaly spread and split the heavens themselves to reveal an eye. An eye so enormous that it was larger than all of creation. And as its judgmental gaze swept across the world, such overwhelming hatred washed over the world….

And turned its attention to her.

Anabel jolted out of her trance, nearly falling out of her chair. She held up a hand to stop Looker from getting up to check on her, heart hammering in her chest. Slowly, Anabel calmed her raging her and readjusted herself, taking a shaky sip of her now lukewarm tea.

"How long was I out?" She asked.

"Twenty minutes." Looker told her. "I wanted to shake you out of it, but I didn't know what that would do to you."

Nothing except save her from those visions.

"What did you see?" Looker asked.

And when she was done explaining? He looked as conflicted as she felt. His fists tightened and a dangerous fire lit itself in his eyes. He slowly worked his jaw, clenching his teeth as thoughts raced through his head.

"Keep this to yourself. Try to focus on our mission here, if you can." Looker told her. "I'll pass this on to the higher-ups and the Director. This may all just be bullshit like you said, but I'd rather be safe than sorry."

So would she. Yet as much as she hoped that her visions were false… deep down she knew they were nothing but the truth.

And it was up to them to avert all the horrors she had seen.

---

"Hello? Is this thing working? Can you hear me?"

Cynthia rolled her eyes, hiding her laugh behind a sip of her coffee. The sun had nearly reached its apex in the sky, illuminating her hotel room with a warm, golden glow. "Yes, Steven. It's working just fine."

The younger man let out a sigh of relief, leaning back in his chair. "Good. I was worried the reception out here wouldn't be good enough."

She shrugged. "It'd be a small price to pay. You're working at the dig site of the century."

And that was putting it mildly. So much of Human history was lost. Whether through the unending march of time, war, natural disasters, greed and ambition, or just plain bad luck, so much of their past was a mystery.

By Arceus, they could have incredibly detailed records of how the disparate kingdoms of Hoenn came together through political marriages and assassination while at the same time being completely oblivious to anything happening in Unova at the same time.

Sometimes, all they had to describe entire millennia's worth of history was old folk lore that could barely fill a thimble. It was like being given a puzzle with half the pieces missing!

But with the new discovery in Kalos? They might have found another crucial piece to the story of their life.

"This temple is amazing." Steven said. "It's unlike anything I've seen in my time traveling across Hoenn. I'd even say it rivals the Spear Pillar in Sinnoh."

Those were strong words. Ever since the Spear Pillar had been pulled into their world after the battle with Team Galactic, it'd been the focus of study for hundreds of archeologists and scientists. The connection to the Legends of creation and their own history wasn't something any self-respecting expert could pass up! Even after years of study, there was still so much to learn.

If this new temple was the same? Then they'd be reaping the benefits for years to come.

"What are you calling it?"

"There's Xerneas iconography on every inch of this place. Even in the decayed old books we found, their symbols for the life-giver live on." Steven said. "They're calling it 'Le Jardin d'Éden'. But in common, it's-"

"The Garden of Eden." Cynthia finished. "Cute name for a temple."

"You know Kalosians. Love to dress everything up with poetry." Steven grinned. "Still, I can't blame them for that. Take a look at this."

A picture appeared on screen. It was an old tapestry – worn with time and torn in a few places, but still legible. It depicted a land ravaged by war and famine, fire and death spreading unabated. A king of shadows sat on a throne of skulls, the featureless figures of their enemies impaled behind him. Then, a radiant deer descended from the heavens surrounded by an ethereal energy. Everywhere they went, they brought an end to the suffering and hope to the helpless.

It wasn't hard to see the message here.

"Amazing." Cynthia mumbled. "A myth the ancient Kalosians told to bolster their congregations? Or a record of some terrible tragedy?"

"It could be both." The younger man suggested.

True. It wouldn't be the first time a religion had used a war or disaster to bolster belief in their gods. The more hopeless and desperate people became, the more willing they were to look to those promising salvation. All it would take was one sighting of Xerneas in the flesh and people would fall to their knees in allegiance.

"Is there anything else you've found in the temple that could help us figure out this little mystery?"

"Nothing I can make sense of." He admitted. "There's been signs of treasure hunter coming through here over the centuries."

"What kind? Footprints? Objects out of place? Remnants of old campsites?" She asked, her mind abuzz with potential answers.

"Bones." Steven said. "A couple impaled on spike traps. Some that died from a collapsing floor. Even found one that starved to death after getting trapped behind some rubble."

Cynthia winced. That was the fear of every archeologist and treasure hunter out there. Secrecy wasn't the only defense the ancients left for them. The traps guarding their secrets had felled many a careless treasure hunter.

And in this case? Kept the Garden of Eden from the world.

"Other than that, we've found pottery in good condition and some books still legible… for the most part. Even rusted weapons and some surviving clothes from the period." Steven said. "We're still uncovering new artifacts every day. This place could keep us busy for decades to come."

The fire inside her was igniting. A problem without an answer and an adventure diving through history. She was practically salivating at the thought of what she could uncover! Oh, she couldn't wait for this festival to end! She needed answers, damn it!

"I'll admit, I'm still surprised you went there." Cynthia sipped at her drink, savoring the taste for a moment.

"I may be more of a geologist than an archeologist, but that doesn't mean I can't appreciate learning about it." Steven yawned, rubbing some of the sleep from his eyes. 'I did some radiocarbon dating when I first arrived here. This site is well over three thousand years old!"

Cynthia's wide eyes gave away her shock. That was among the oldest ruins in all of Human history! Back to the mythical Age of Gods and Heroes, when Legends seemed insurmountable and great heroes arose to pave the way for Humanity.

If those readings were accurate? This could be the start of something wonderful!

"That settles it. The instant this festival is over, I'm booking the first flight I can to Kalos." She declared.

Steven frowned. "Cynthia, no."

She balked. "What do you mean no!? I'm an archeologist, damn it! You can't just show me the opportunity of a lifetime and then yank it away!"

Steven gave her a flat stare. "Cynthia… how do I put this delicately? You are not an archeologist."

Her glare could have killed Yveltal on the spot. As it stood, she took great pleasure in seeing the way he quivered under her gaze. "Care to repeat that?"

"I-It's just you have a tendency to destroy the places you visit." Steven stammered. "I've heard the stories and-"

"Lies and slander!" She slammed her fist on the table, growling. "I was barely ever involved in any of the damage! And even if I had been, I was protecting those artifacts from thieves and extremists!"

It wasn't like she was aiming to destroy anything. That was better than them getting away with priceless artifacts of Human history, though! Who knew what they might do with them?

"I'm just telling you what the word on the team here is. They just think you're a little too reckless to be around such a delicate place." He hurriedly finished.

Her eye twitched. "Reckless? I'll show them reckless." She huffed. "You should really take lessons from your father. He, at least, knows how to talk to people."

"He's a businessman. Talking to people is his bread and butter." Steven chuckled. "How is the old fossil doing, anyway?"

"Alright. As inquisitive as always." Cynthia said. "He's been enjoying the festival. Spends most of his time visiting the attractions and talking with people."

The Hoenn Champion rolled his eyes, a pleasant smile working across his face. "That sounds like him, alright. Most people would use this chance to network with other businesses or boost his public image. Not him, though. He was always a softy at heart."

Cynthia kept silent. While Joseph certainly seemed like a kind man, she wasn't naïve enough to think that was all he was. You didn't rise to the top of the business world by being a pushover. She'd bet every dollar to her name that Mr. Stone had some skeletons in his closet.

And if his secret meetings with Looker were any indication?

They were the kind that shook society to its core.

"Much as I'd love to talk about your dad, this temple is just too interesting to ignore." Cynthia changed the subject, leaning forward. "Tell me more about the site. What Pokemon live there? Were there any fossils or remains leftover from the millennia?"

Steven frowned. "That's the weird thing… we haven't found a single Pokemon for miles around, living or dead. Even seismic surveys don't show any under our feet, and I've seen flocks of Flying-types actively avoid coming anywhere near this place."

"Ominous." She muttered.

Pokemon didn't just pass up territory. Hunting grounds, shelter from the harsh weather, a place to keep their young; Human ruins were the perfect place for any Pokemon to make a home. That even the surrounding territory was considered off limits to them?

Something terrible must have happened there in the past.

"What about your Pokemon? Have they been acting strange when you release them?"

"A little. Some of them have refused to stay out of their balls at all. Others are on edge. Jumping at shadows." Steven sighed. "It's getting to the team. Some of them are saying this place is haunted."

Cynthia tapped her finger against the rim of her drink in thought. "What do you mean?"

"It's like… like the shadows move when we aren't watching them. The walls are singing and there whispers when we're alone, but no matter how hard we listen, we can't hear what they're saying." Steven slowly said.

Her eyebrows shot up in alarm. 'We? You've experienced this too?"

"I have." He admitted. "I think it's just a lack of sleep. Most of us have been neglecting that since we got here. Too excited about the discoveries we'll make. I'm sure once the novelty wears off, we'll be fine."

"Don't be so reckless. This could be something worse." Cynthia scolded.

He rolled his eyes. "Stop worrying so much, mom." He teased, knowing damn well she hated the nickname. "We've got doctors here. If it's mold or a fungus causing this, we'll have the best medicine on hand to treat it."

So flippant. She couldn't hold it against him, though. What was a little danger in the face of discovery? Nothing worth having was easy!

"Just promise you won't go getting yourselves killed." She demanded. "I want to see these ruins with my own eyes, preferably with you all there to see my great triumph."

"Before or after you break something priceless?" He asked with a grin.

"You little-"

That was it. The next time they battled?

She was going to crush him.

---

"Gooood afternoon, everyone! We here at the Falling Star Festival hope you're having a spectacular day today!"

The crowd of spectators cheered as the sky hung high in the sky. Hot dog and popcorn vendors moved between the aisles, offering confections to anyone hungry enough to pay for them. Cameras were trained on the stage, poised to capture every moment down to their finest detail.

Up on stage, Viviane smiled brightly and held her hand in the air. "We're so glad that you could be here with us! After days of breath-taking performances and intense battles, we're reaching the end! What a tragedy!"

The woman spun in place, shooting the cameras a saucy wink. "But don't let that get you down! We've still got the best and brightest Coordinators in the world ready to give you the performance of a lifetime!"

Cheers met her grand news.

May sat back in her seat, silencing her mic. "You know… I'm honestly gonna miss being a judge when this is all over."

Cynthia snorted, rolling her eyes. "No, you won't. This whole process has been nothing but torment the entire time we've been sitting here."

Wow. Harsh.

"I agree with Cynthia." Anabel spoke up, blowing some stray locks out of her face. "As fun as the actual matches have been, sitting through those opening performances was torture. I wouldn't be surprised if that's one of the punishments in hell. The cramps we got alone could bring down a Legend."

"The cramps I can handle. It's having to keep a smile on my face and energy in my voice for hours that gets me." Cynthia said.

May laughed into her hand. "Okay, I get it. It's not the most glamorous job."

She'd definitely skip out on judging any events this big ever again. If the day ever came that anyone asked her to do it for the Grand Festival, she would politely but firmly tell them no and ask them to leave.

"I just mean that I'll miss being on this side of things. Seeing the creativity of others from the outside. Watching people throw their heart and souls into their performances and battles." A pleased sigh escaped her. "I've learned to look at Contests a whole new way thanks to this."

"I think I understand what you mean. When I became Champion, watching others strive to reach the same heights I did was… eye-opening. It showed how far I'd come, and how much potential those new Trainers all had." Cynthia said.

Anabel nodded in agreement. "It was the same in the Battle Frontier. When you become a hurdle for others to overcome, you get to see the true measure of a person. How strong they are, the depths of the perseverance, everything."

"It changes things." May said. "I don't think I'll stop competing, but if I ever do? I wouldn't mind becoming a judge."

Their attention was drawn back to the stage once Vivian had finished her speech and the crowd stopped cheering. The auburn-haired commentator cleared her throat. "Now, as much as I'd like to say that we're this excited for all our matches, I don't think we need to lie. I know who you're all here to see!"

That was a little unfair to the other contestants. Everyone still in the Contest had proven their skills. May knew Vivian was just doing her best to hype up the match, but if she'd heard that when she was a contestant, she'd have been devastated.

Even if she kind of agreed with the sentiment behind those words.

"Today is the day two titans clash! The prodigy of the past VS. the dark horse of the future! Two men who've swept aside all their competition and stand leagues above their competition! But only one of them can advance to the next round!" Vivian tossed the microphone up into the air, spinning and catching it as it came back down. "But just who will win?"

She threw her arm wildly to the left as Spartan emerged. The crowd cheered with excitement as he ascended the steps to the blue side of the arena. He ignored the applause and accolades of the crowd, entirely focused on the task ahead of him.

"The dark horse of the festival! A powerhouse upsetting every bookie and betting house in the region! A man to make men and women alike drool at the thought of who might be under that mask. The illusive Spartan!"

Cynthia kept her mic off and leaned closer to them. It was the only way she could be heard with how loud the crowd was. "My money is on Spartan. He has the power and skill to beat anything thrown at him."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Anabel said.

Vivian spun on a dime towards the red corner. "And facing off against him is the Prince of Perfection himself! Hoenn's most eligible bachelor! The rival of the Princess of Hoenn and personal student of Wallace himself! Drew Shepard!"

The cheers for May's oldest rival were even louder than they were for Spartan. Whether it was a home field advantage, ravenous fangirls, or just years of powerful reputation being too much for Spartan to overcome, everyone was excited to see what Drew had in store for this fight.

Unlike his opponent, Drew stopped before ascending to the arena and turned to the sea of people. Smiling, he flipped his emerald hair out of his eyes and tossed a single red rose into the crowd. May couldn't tell who caught it, but the crowd went into a frenzy over it.

May groaned, shaking her head. "Why is he always like this?" She asked. "You'd think he'd be more focused on the battle than flirting with the camera."

Anabel laughed into her hand. "That's his image, isn't it? The handsome playboy with a heart of gold? How else is he supposed to keep up his image?"

Cynthia smirked. "Sounds like we know who you're rooting for."

The purplette side-eyed the Sinnoh Champion. "I am as impartial as they come. I'm just saying this is nothing new for him."

"Mhm. Sure." Cynthia chuckled. "So, what about you, May? Who's your money on to take this match?"

That was harder than she thought. On the one hand, Drew was her rival. She knew better than anyone how strong he could be. The man could dance circles around opponents decades his senior without breaking a sweat.

Spartan wasn't someone to underestimate, though. He'd shown his strength when he ripped his way through the strongest Trainers in the festival. More importantly, he'd shown he had the finesse and creativity to capture the hearts and minds of a crowd with his performances. He may have been a rookie, but he was far from weak.

And this was far from a set match.

"It could go either way." May admitted. "We'll have to wait and see."

Vivian cleared her throat, stepping back and spreading her arms wide with a bright smile. "Alright, boys! Be sure to put on a good show for us and give it your all! Your fans are practically dying to see how this plays out!"

"Kick his ass, Drew!" Someone shouted from the stands.

While everyone else looked towards the source of the voice to question who had shouted that, May just buried her head in her hands.

Arceus damn it, Max….

Drew moved first, drawing two Pokeballs from his belt. "Gothitelle, Flygon, you're up!"

The two creatures materialized in a flash of light. Flygon did somersaults in the air above the arena, their scales shimmering like emeralds as the sun hit them just right. Down below, Gothitelle – a purple humanoid in a monochrome dress – kept her head bowed and eyes shut. It was like the world itself didn't exist to her.

Spartan reached into his trench coat, clutching two balls between his fingers. "Pikachu, Latias, take the stage!"

The crimson dragoness and electric rat both materialized before their eyes. Sparks danced across Pikachu's cheeks as he rolled his neck in anticipation. Latias hovered in the air, waving at the audience with a bright smile on her face.

Just then, a Pokeball on her belt jiggled. May gasped in shock as Glaceon released herself from her ball, hopping up on the judges table and taking a seat. "What the- Glaceon! What do you think you're doing?"

People were staring at them, dang it! She wasn't supposed to be the spectacle!

Glaceon shrugged her shoulders and purred, eyes locked on the battlefield.

Anabel chuckled. "She just wants to watch the battle. I don't see any reason she can't."

"Returning her now just draws it out." Cynthia added.

May groaned. She knew why Glaceon had come out. It was her strange fixation on Spartan's Pikachu! She should have known her partner would pull something like this and left her Pokeball in her room. Now, it was too late.

"Fine, you can stay out." She said. "Just don't cause any problems, okay?"

Glaceon bobbed her head happily.

Vivian cleared her throat. "Can we get back to the show, please?"

May blushed in embarrassment, looking away to hide her face. "R-right. Sorry. Yes, please continue! Haha… ha."

Kill her now.

Vivian shot the judges a warning glare, before plastering a camera-perfect smile back on her face. She leaped back. "Let the battle begin!"

"Gothitelle, Psychic Terrain! Flygon, Dragon Dance!" Drew ordered.

Gothitelle's eyes glowed and she extended her arms wide. A dome of translucent purple energy expanded around the field. A violet aura surrounded Gothitelle and Latias as the ambient energy empowered them. Above her, Flygon somersaulted and spun as they danced through the air. Cerulean electricity danced across their scales the entire time.

On the other side of the field, Latias mirrored Flygon's movements with a dance of her own. Crimson lightning danced across her feathers and illuminated the field. Pikachu narrowed his eyes and disappeared in a blur of speed. He reappeared in the air above Gothitelle's head, his tail a bright silver.

Just as it was about to slam into her head, she moved. With her head still bowed and her eyes shut, her arm snapped up. Pikachu's tail collided with it and sparks flew from the clash as a barrier kept it at bay. With a flick of her wrist, Gothitelle redirected his attack and sent him flying aside.

"Gothitelle, use Psychic to rip up the ground!"

All across the battlefield, the ground fractured and splintered. Pikachu tried to regain his footing but winced as the shards dug into his paws. A tiny growl escaped his lips before he unleashed a blast of lightning towards Gothitelle.

She simply raised her hand and summoned a shield of invisible energy, allowing the electricity to splash harmlessly against her defenses.

"Flygon, Dragon Claw! Bring Latias to the ground!" Drew shouted.

The emerald dragon stopped circling the skies. Cerulean energy extended from their paws in the shape of large claws. Across the field, Latias mimicked those movements as crimson claws extended for her. In a flash, the two clashed in the skies above the arena.

The two dragons were little more than a blur to the eyes of the audience, only briefly appearing every time they clashed in midair. Each time, they would disengage to try and find their advantage or an opening in their opponent.

Spartan raised his hand above his head and snapped his fingers. Pikachu nodded his eyes and shimmered. Over a dozen copies of him surrounded Gothitelle, blasting her with electricity from all angles.

"Protect!" Drew ordered.

Gothitelle had already moved before he even finished speaking. A silver dome of energy surrounded her just in time to block the electricity coming at her from all angles. It was so bright that you could barley even look at it without being blinded by the light.

Drew smirked. "Expanding Force!"

Nothing appeared to happen for a moment. Then – ever so slightly – a violet light began to overpower the golden energy in the center of the arena. Psychic power clashed with lightning before the Psychic energy exploded outward!

It flooded across the battlefield, smashing through every copy of Pikachu and sending the electric rat flying into a pile of rubble. Up above, Flygon and Latias were locked in a clash when the wave struck. It washed harmlessly over the emerald dragon, but decimated Latias.

As the crimson dragoness was thrown back by the powerful attack, Flygon pounced on her weakness. Their cerulean claws raked across her flesh, drawing cries of pain from the Legend. Snapping her throat in a vice grip, Flygon carried her forward and slammed her into the ground, dragging her through the stone rubble.

"What a devastating opening by Drew!" Vivian shouted into the mic. "Has he found the crack in Spartan's impenetrable façade!?"

Glaceon grumbled with discontent. May reached out to start stroking her partner, a tiny frown on her face. A quick look at the scoreboard showed that Drew had a commanding lead over Spartan's points.

If he didn't find a way to turn this around, this match would be over soon.

"Expanding Force again!" Drew shouted. "Don't let them breath!"

Just as Gothitelle folded her hands and started collecting the energy for her attack, the ground beneath her shifted. She leaped away just in time to dodge Pikachu as he came shooting out of the ground. Yet as he ascended higher into the air and electricity coalesced around his tail, it was clear she wasn't his target.

"What is he trying to do?" Cynthia hummed.

Pikachu shouted, launching a ball of electricity at the Psychic dome surrounding the battlefield. It collided with the dome – and for a moment, it looked like it might hold. Then the ball pierced the Psychic energy and exploded above the battlefield, raining beautiful sparks down on the arena as the Psychic energy dissipated.

For the first time in the match, Gothitelle's eyes snapped open in alarm. The crowd was left speechless as Pikachu landed atop a small pile of rubble, shooting a victory sign back at the cameras.

Flygon looked up at the rapidly fading Psychic terrain with alarm. The second they looked away, Latias' claws wrapped around their arms. They reared back around just in time for Latias' lips to collide with their own.

Before their eyes, Latias' wounds healed. The bleeding stopped and her flesh knitted back together as energy drained from Flygon's paralyzed body. Once she was finished, she pulled back and slashed the emerald dragon across the face with her crimson claws, sending them skipping across the battlefield.

Glaceon and the crowd cheered at the display.

Drew chuckled, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his purple vest. "Not bad, Spartan. Guess this won't be as easy as I'd hoped."

Taunts. They were a common part of Drew's battle style. Get into your opponents head and you could control the battle. Spartan employed the same tactic, albeit much harsher than the Hoenn native.

Everyone expected Spartan to ignore it.

Instead, some laughter escaped the faceless man. "I could say the same to you." The man said. "You're a lot stronger than I expected."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Drew drawled. "Well, I've got plenty more to show you. I think it's time I took the kid gloves."

Spartan's stance shifted – hunched shoulders, fingers flexed, and feet squared. "Prove it."

Was he… excited? Even with the synthesized voice, this was the most attention Spartan had shown since his debut in the festival. It was like he'd completely forgotten about upholding his persona and was fully engorged on the battle.

A small smile spread across May's face.

Drew was equally as pleased with the battle. He snatched a Pokeball and held it aloft in the air. A rainbow of energy swirled around the ball, giving the orb a mystical and crystalline appearance. "Prepare yourself!"

He hurled the ball towards Gothitelle, sparks of energy raining down upon her. To the crowds amazement, crystals erupted from the ground and encased the Psychic type within them. They didn't have to wait long to find out why when the crystals shattered, exploding outwards and disintegrating harmlessly in the air.

What emerged was the same Gothitelle as before but… different now. Changed. Her body was crystalline now – onyx in shape and color. Above her head hung a laughing, maniacal face.

"What the hell is this?" Spartan asked.

"A little something called Terastallization. You should visit Paldea sometime. They're crazy for it over there." Drew flipped some hair out of his eyes. "Flygon, pick yourself up. This fight isn't over yet."

Flygon moved at their Trainer's commands, flapping their wings and pushing off the ground.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack! Dart across the field!" Spartan ordered. "Latias, use Light Screen beneath his feet!"

May and the other judges all shared a look. He'd abandoned using telepathy to communicate with his team. That must have been a good sign. If the cheers and movement of the crowd were any sign, their excitement was augmented by his own.

Latias' eyes flashed, invisible barriers spreading across the fractured battlefield. Faster than their eyes could track, Pikachu darted across the battlefield in a zigzag pattern. The only sign of where he'd been were the brief flashes of yellow as he spun on the spot.

Drew narrowed his eyes. "Gothitelle, use Swift! Flygon, Earthquake!"

Flygon's roar drowned out the stadium as he dived down, smashing into the ground with enough force to shake the entire stadium. Levitating herself off the ground with her own Psychic powers at the same time, Gothitelle surrounded herself with stars made of pure energy and launched a barrage of them. Despite his speed, each of them honed in on Pikachu with pinpoint accuracy.

"Latias, keep it up! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Spartan shouted, thrusting his fist forward.

Pikachu leaped into the air just before Flygon slammed into the ground. Using the dragons head as a springboard, he launched himself into the air where another Light Screen awaited him. He bounced between new ones generated beneath his feet, sparking with golden energy and creating after trails of lightning across the entire arena.

Just before the swift could hit, a barrier appeared in their path. The stars exploded harmlessly against the Psychic defense, allowing Pikachu to continue unabated.

Vivian gasped. "Amazing, folks! Despite spending the entire tournament with an unstoppable offense, Spartan is showing the full depth of his adaptability!" She grinned. "Who knows what web he's crafting for dear Drew!"

Anabel leaned forward. "What could he possibly be thinking?" She mumbled.

Cynthia narrowed her eyes. "I can't wrap my head around it, but there must be some purpose to this."

May happened to agree, but the mystery behind that wasn't what caught her attention. This technique reminded her of her journey with Ash. The last Contest she'd ever been in by his side. It was funny, he'd joined that Contest with her and used a technique eerily similar to-

"Pikachu, Iron Tail!"

A tiny gasp escaped May. Cynthia and Anabel shot her confused looks but quickly focused on the fight again. Glaceon was the only one who looked at her with understanding.

Pikachu's tail turned to solid steel. Electricity closed in from all around him, conducted by his tail. He spun on a dime, slamming his tail into the lightning and shaping it into a ring and hurling it back into the arena below him. He repeated this process until all of the electricity he'd generated had been shaped and sent below.

Drew's eyes widened in shock. "Flygon, protect Gothitelle!"

Flygon moved as fast as they could to shield Gothitelle with their body, but cried out in alarm as an Ice Beam from Latias slammed into them from above and sent them careening into the ground.

Gothitelle wasn't idle as this happened. She threw up an instinct protect as the first ring of lightning would have struck. It bounced harmlessly off the barrier and ricocheted around the arena. The process repeated with each of the half dozen other rings, each one forming small cracks in dome.

Until – by a stroke of bad luck – they all collided at once and smashed through the barrier. They struck Gothitelle, electrocuting her and illuminating her crystalline body. Yet the pain was so intense, no sound escaped her lips as she fell to the arena floor.

Up above, Pikachu backflipped onto Latias' back.

One of May's hands tightened into a fist.

That was Ash's move.

"Oh! Spartan has just brought Drew's Pokemon to their knees! Is this the end for Hoenn's Prince of Perfection!?" Vivian narrated, looking every bit as excited as the crowd.

Drew ignored it all. Rather than look worried or angry, there was nothing but excitement in his eyes and a pleased smile plastered on his face. "Get up you two! We're not out of this yet!"

The Dragon and Psychic both struggled to their feet, shaking off the pain they felt.

"Flygon, use Outrage! Don't let them have a second to think!" Drew ordered.

Flygon stilled, their pupils constricting until all anyone could see were the whites of their eyes. A red aura flared to life around them. The emerald dragon let out an unhinged roar so loud, everyone was forced to cover their ears. With a beat of their wings, they launched themselves at Latias and Pikachu.

"Latias, Ice Beam again!" Spartan stepped forward, throwing his whole body into the command.

Frost formed within the jaws of Latias. Her skull lurched forward, sending a beam of concentrated arctic energy towards Flygon. Rather than dodge the attack, they took the blast square in the face and carried on through like it was nothing.

Latias and Pikachu barely had time to react as the rampaging dragon reached them. Latias darted back, dodging a swipe of their enemies claws by a hairs breadth. As the Flygon lashed out with their tail, Pikachu leaped off Latias' black and slammed an Iron Tail against it mid-arc.

Only for Flygon to wrap their tail around Pikachu and spike the rat into the ground fast enough to form a small crater and kick up a cloud of dust. Pikachu had barely even hit the ground before Flygon darted down to the ground to continue their assault, feral grunts escaping them the entire time.

Latias snarled and flew after Flygon, crimson dragon claws flashing once more as she was hot on her enemies tail.

"Now, Gothitelle!" Drew shouted, thrusting his fist into the air. "Tera Blast!"

A sparkling, dark purple orb of energy formed between Gothitelle's hands. It was as if all the light in the stadium was being sucked inside and snuffed out. Wind picked up her just before she fired the energy blast straight at Latias.

Spartan gasped in shock. A first for a crowd used to his unshakeable aura. "Hyper Beam, Latias!"

Latias' claws disappeared. In their place, a ball of golden energy formed before her maw. Veins bulged and her eyes glowed as she let loose a blast of energy so powerful, they blew out every mic in the stadium.

The two beams clashed in the air above the stadium. Gold and black caught in a stalemate for what seemed like an eternity.

Until Flygon came crashing in from below, knocking the wind out of Latias as their claws and thrashed against her stomach. Just as her Hyper Beam vanished, they batted her straight into the path of the Tera Blast – exploding on impact and being sent flying across the arena.

"Latias!" Spartan cried.

The Legend tumbled across the ground in a smoking heap. Everyone held their breath as it looked like she was down and out. Slowly, however, she forced herself up off the ground and hovered in the air, clutching an arm that dangled uselessly at her side.

Nearby, Pikachu was still dragging himself out of the crater he'd been tossed into, gasping for breath.

"You're on the ropes now, Spartan. I wouldn't blame you if you surrendered." Drew offered.

The crowd could practically feel the wide smile on Spartan's obscured face. "You're one to talk. Your team is about to keel over."

It was true. Their ragged breaths and wounded bodies gave away that much. Not even Flygon's frenzied state could hide the way their body strained with every movement. Nor could her crystalline appearance hide how hard her chest heaved with exertion.

Drew smirked. "Then I guess this next clash will be what decides it."

The greenette snapped his fingers. Flygon strained their throat with a roar and rocketed forward, claws extended in their rage-fueled state. Gothitelle cupped her hands together, forming another orb of dark energy within her hands.

"Psychic! Use the battlefield to contain that thing! Then get yourselves into the sky!" Spartan ordered.

The rubble on the ground shook for a second before launching at Flygon. The rampaging Dragon tried to power through them, but as the stones piled on and coalesced around their body, they could move. It wouldn't hold for long, but it would do for now.

Pikachu jumped onto Latias' back and gripped her feather tight as they soared into the air. As they reached the apex of their ascent, Flygon ripped their way out of their stone bonds.

"Latias, Draco Meteor!"

The crimson dragoness didn't hesitate. An orb of golden energy launched itself into the air high above the stadium and exploded, raining down dozens more upon the battlefield. Flygon either didn't notice or didn't care; too focused on defeating their enemies.

Drew, however, knew just how bad this was.

"Gothitelle, use Psychic!"

The energy within her hands disappeared. Gothitelle glared at the rapidly descending orbs and held her arms high above her head. A primal scream escaped her as she tightened her fists, the very air itself becoming heavy as she exerted her power over the stadium.

And just before the meteors could strike their targets… they halted in mid-air. Hovering there uselessly.

Drew's relieved smile was only matched by the excitement of the crowd. He didn't seem to hear any of it, though, not even Vivian's commentary hyping him up.

"Send them right back at them, Gothitelle! Finish this!" Drew ordered.

Gothitell thrust her arms forward, launching the captured Draco Meteor at Latias and Pikachu from all sides. Flygon was rapidly gaining ground, muscles bulging from the effects of their Outrage.

This looked like the end for Spartan.

They should have known better than to underestimate him.

"Pikachu! Thunder Armor!" Spartan cried.

May's heart froze.

The crowd watched on in amazement as Pikachu's cheeks sparked. The tiny yellow rat poured every ounce of his power into one final Thunder, electrocuting both himself and Latias. Every orb of draconic energy struck in that moment, shrouding the duo in a cloud of smoke just as Flygon reached them.

It was as if time stood still. Everyone watched with bated breath for the smoke to clear. All anyone could hear were the grunts of Flygan as it thrashed against Latias and Pikachu within the confines of the smoke.

And to everyone's shock?

The first one to fall from the smoke was the dazed body of Flygon.

As the smoke cleared, Latias and Pikachu remained in the air. Yet now, they were covered in a shimmering golden armor made of pure lightning. Not a single meteor or blow from Flygon had made a dent in their armor.

"What the fuck is this!?" Drew shouted, completely losing his composure and forgetting the rules against profanity.

Not that May could blame him.

Laughter erupted from Spartan. "That's what I'm talking about!" He shouted. "Dragon Claw, Latias! Finish this!"

Crimson claws of pure energy extended from Latias' grasp. With the golden glow of her Thunder Armor, there was nothing anyone could do to stop her. She honed in on Flygon, raised her claws high, and-

Bzzzzzzrt

The timer for the match went off.

Latias froze, her claws inches away from Flygon's face. No one dared to make a sound. Slowly, everyone looked towards the scoreboard to see what the final outcome was.

Drew was down to about a quarter of his points. Spartan had less than a tenth left.

It was over.

"Remarkable! After an explosive, nail-biting match between these two amazing contestants, we have our winner! Drew Shepard will move on to the semi-finals!"

The crowd lost what little control they had, erupting into ravenous cheers of excitement and glee. Food was tossed into the air in celebration, Pokemon let off their own minor attacks, and some even blew air horns.

There was even one banner saying 'Crawl back to your swamp' aimed at Spartan being waved around.

Slowly, the opposing teams all gathered in the center of the arena. The Thunder Armor surrounding Latias and Pikachu dispersed, Flygon shook off his nausea and confusion, and Gothitelle's crystalline body morphed back into its usual flesh.

"That was a good match." Drew said as they met in the middle.

"It was." Spartan stuck his hand out. "You deserved that win. Even if it only came down to the timer."

Drew snorted, shaking his counterpart's hand. "Please. I'd have found a way around that little trick of yours, even without the buzzer."

"Care to prove that?" Spartan asked.

The greenette smirked. "Any time."

Vivian hopped into the picture, wrapped her arms around the two boys' necks and pulled them close to her chest. "And that's just what we like to see! Good sportsmanship to match their skills in the ring? These two are just full of surprises!"

Drew and Spartan both shared a grimace.

The commentator let them both go, spinning on a dime. "But let's hear what our illustrious judges have to say about the fantastic battle we just witnessed!"

Cynthia was the first to speak up. "I think it was a wonderful match. Spartan and Drew both showed superb battle instincts, keen tactics, and more than a few surprises during the match. They're both going to go far."

Anabel grabbed her mic. "I agree. Both of them managed to pull off maneuvers I would never have thought possible! Whether you're a Coordinator or a Trainer, everyone should learn from this."

May was silent.

Cynthia nudged her in the side, snapping her out of her stupor. "Any thoughts, May?"

She shook her head and smiled. It didn't reach her eyes, but no one would notice. "I think they're both the best Coordinators I've seen in a long time. They should be proud of the bonds they have with their Pokemon."

"You heard it folks! The judges are in agreement – these two are going to go far!" Vivian winked at the camera. "Be sure to stay tuned! There's plenty more contests and battles in store – all for a good cause!"

Ambient chatter started to fill the stadium. Glaceon hopped off the table and raced towards the group. Pikachu had only just managed to slide his body off of Latias when she collided with him. Everyone – Trainer and Pokemon alike – laughed at Pikachu's misfortune.

Not May, though. She didn't even hear if anyone was talking to her. Her mind was too focused on the battle.

Thunder Armor… that was a move she'd only ever seen once before, and it wasn't in some grand televised match. There was only one person alive who knew how that move worked.

And he should have been far away from here.

---

It wasn't often that the Pokemon at Oak's ranch got together. With so much space to wander and roam – most of it tailored to specific types of Pokemon – they tended to stick to their territories. The few times Pokemon tried to wander outside of those invisible borders, they tended to clash without a mediator to help smooth things over.

The only exception to that were Pokemon who had the same Trainer.

All Pokemon wanted to grow stronger and sought out Humans for just that purpose. That didn't it didn't hurt to leave their friends and family behind. In many cases, they'd never see or hear from them again. The other Pokemon caught by their Trainer became their family.

Or comrades. Clan. Tribe. Pack. Herd. Honestly, there were so many different cultures between Pokemon that it honestly became hard to track. At the end of the day, all that mattered was that they were close.

That went double for the Pokemon of Ash Ketchum, though. Even though many of them had been caught years apart during different journeys, all of them had that sense of connection with one another. The daily struggles to grow stronger, the joys of traveling, and the terror that came with meeting Legends.

They'd all die for one another, and more importantly, live for each other.

It was what their Trainer would have wanted.

Snivy sighed, trudging through the grass towards Oak's lab.

Ever since Ash had disappeared, things had been… tense. None of them knew what to do. Half them were trying to move on with their new life at the ranch, and the other half were trying to stage some great escape to track their errant Trainer down.

If they'd had any of tracking him, she was half-convinced the Flyers would already have left.

As it was, they were left at the lab. Delia and Professor Oak always came by to check on them every now and then, but that was it. With no Trainer to take them out for adventures anymore, this was their world now.

It left a bitter taste in her mouth and it didn't take a genius to know it was the same for the others.

She shook these thoughts from her head as she finally arrived at the lab. To her surprise, all of Ash's Pokemon were in attendance. From Kanto to Alola, all of them were here.

Snivy blinked, reaching out with one of her vines to tap Gible on his fin. "Oi. Do you have any idea what's going on?"

It took a few seconds, but the tiny land shark turned towards. It was then she noticed a tiny boulder being mashed in his mouth. "Not a clue." He said between chomps. "All I know is the Hoenn gang seemed pretty insistent on it."

That was odd. The last time all of them had gotten together for this had been the day they learned what happened to Ash. This couldn't have been good.

Krookodile huffed, adjusting his glasses. "Wonder what it could be. They're not usually one's to cause a fuss."

A yawn answered him. For a moment, Snivy didn't know who it was until she looked up at the rafters of the roof. There Rowlet sat, teetering on the edge of consciousness. "Whatever it is, I hope it's over quick. This is exhausting."

Snivy rolled her eyes. "Existence is exhausting to you, Rowlet."

The owl didn't bother answering. He'd already fallen back asleep.

"Much as I hate to say it, I agree with Rowlet." Bulbasaur said. "I have to settle another dispute after this. The longer I'm gone, the harder that's gonna be."

"Anything I can help with?" Hawlucha asked.

The ranch's resident mediator sighed. "No. The South River Water-types are bickering with the North Glade's Dragon's again. Supposedly, this all started over some stolen berries… Sometimes, I hate my job."

It continued like this for a few minutes. Voices mixing together and becoming incomprehensible unless she focused on them. Everyone was anxious to find out why they were all told to come here.

Soon, however, the door to the lab opened. Out stepped Sceptile, one of Ash's strongest. The veteran Pokemon's eyes scanned them all for a moment before nodding. "Good. You're all here." He said. "Those you too big to come inside, stay by the windows. The rest of you, go to the living room."

Despite their confusion, most of them shrugged and followed him inside. Some of the larger one's like Charizard or Krookodile were able to fold their wings into their body and crawl on their claws. Others – like Snorlax – were forced to walk around the side of the building.

The entire herd of Tauros didn't even try. Their alpha let out a groaning moo and marched them straight around with the others.

Halfway through the lab, they stumbled upon Professor Oak. The elder Human's eyes widened and his jaw hung open in disbelief, caught off-guard by the sheer number of Pokemon standing in his home.

"Ah, what brings you all here? And in such numbers?" The professor asked.

Sceptile didn't even spare the man a glance. "Muk. You know what to do."

An amused hiss escaped Snivy. She almost pitied the poor Human.

The living pile of toxic waste and ooze cheered, massive arms morphing out of his body. He stretched and contorted, the others easily clearing out of the way and doing their best to plug their noses.

Oak's eyes widened, holding his hands out and frantically shaking his head. "W-wait! No!"

"Come here, you old coot!" Muk laughed, dragging the man into his embrace.

And with how adhesive his ooze was, Oak wasn't getting out of there any time soon.

The man frantically looked at the others, outstretching his hand in desperation. "Help! Get him off me!"

They all shared a look. Silent understanding passed between them. As one, they turned and marched past the flailing Professor.

"Traitors!" Oak cried as he was pulled further into Muk's embrace.

Talk about overdramatic. He'd be fine. This wasn't the first time Oak had endured Muk's affections and it wouldn't be the last. Long as he stuck to consistent two-hour showers for a few weeks, the smell would come out.

Hopefully.

… might be best to steer clear of the old geezer for a while, just to be safe.

The small horde of Pokemon all managed to squeeze their way inside of the living room. The rest of the Hoenn team was already there waiting for them, gathered around the TV in the room. With the rest of them here now, it was more cramped than anyone would have liked.

One benefit to her small size, though, was that she could easily hope onto someone else's shoulder or head. Her vines deftly wrapped around Charizard's horns and let her pull herself up onto his head.

"Hey, big guy. Hope you don't mind me using you as a chair today." Snivy said.

Charizard chortled, smoke blowing out of his nose. "Fine by me. Do what you want."

Sceptile cleared his throat from his position besides the TV, leaning against the wall with a twig hanging out of his mouth. "You must all be wondering why we called you all here."

"It'd be nice to know why we're banishing Oak to the outhouse again, yeah." Bayleef said from her spot in the corner, blowing her leaf out of her face.

Sceptile clutched the remote awkwardly in his hands. His large fingers carefully pressed a button, turning on the TV. "This."

The TV flared to life and a recording of a battle showed up. One between a strange masked man and a green ponce for the entertainment of the masses. A contest battle, if the scoreboard was any indication.

"This is that festival your friend of yours is hosting, isn't it?" Snivy asked.

Glalie bobbed up and down, face stretched with in a smile. "Yep! We wanted to show our support!"

That was pretty common for their group. Whenever one of their former traveling companions was performing or battling on TV, the Pokemon who knew them best always made time to watch. Oak was normally happy to let them do it, too.

So, why the need to sic Muk on him?

Then she saw it. The Trainers sent out their Pokemon… and there he was. Pikachu. Their leader. Which could only mean one thing.

"That masked Human is Ash!" Torterra shouted from his spot outside.

"We found him! Ahahaha!" Palpitoad bounced on the couch, not bothering to contain his excitement.

Bulbasaur frowned. "Are we sure this is really him?" He asked. "It is a pretty old TV. That could be a different Pikachu."

As usual, he was the voice of reason.

Sceptile paused the recording, awkwardly dropping the remote a few times before he got it. "We're sure. He pulled off a move that as far as I'm aware? He's the only one to have discovered."

Snivy blinked. Really? She wondered what move that could be. If it wiped away all doubt in their minds, then it must have been something outlandish and unthinkable.

An Ash Ketchum specialty.

"It's not just that, though." Swellow added. "May's Glaceon ran straight for him after the match was over. Pinned him down and everything. Only one I've ever known her to do that to is our glorious leader."

Sweltering heat flooded the room. Her instincts to run and hide flared up – as any sane Grass type would – but she forced them down. Slowly, her eyes tracked the heat to its source.

There in the corner of the room, Infernape's flames had flared to life. They flickered back and forth between their typical bright orange and cyan blue. He didn't say a word, but there was no mistaking the snarl on his face for anything but rage.

Charizard sighed. "Looks like he's blown his top again." He glanced up at her. "Mind doing your thing? I'm too tired to handle him right now."

She smirked. "Happily."

With a wink, she sent a trio of bright pink hearts straight towards the angry monkey. He didn't even bother trying to dodge them. Once they made contact, his expression shifted. A positively love-struck look entered his eyes.

"Infernape, be a dear and tone down the fire, would you?" She asked. "I doubt Oak would be happy if you burn down his lab."

In an instant, the flames quelled. "Of course! Whatever you want!"

"Wonderful." She slapped him across the face with her vine, knocking the Attract out of him. "Better now?"

The fire monkey rubbed his cheek sheepishly. "Better. Sorry, guys. I just got so angry seeing him and knowing there's nothing I can do to reunite us all."

Bayleef frowned. "What do you mean? We've got a whole flock of Flying-types here. Let's grab our balls and get going!"

Charizard shook his head. "Wouldn't work. Crossing continents and oceans is hard enough on your own. Trying to protect dozens of fragile Pokeballs at the same time? Next to impossible."

Sceptile nodded his agreement. "The festival will be over in a few days anyway. Even if we could make it to Hoenn in one piece, he'll be long gone by then."

Snivy frowned. "Then why show us this if we weren't going after him?"

The lizards tongue flicked out of his mouth for a moment. "Because before, we didn't know if he was dead or alive. Now we know where he is. And with that? Some hope that we'll see him again."

"Lotta good that does us." Infernape muttered under his breath.

"Have some faith." Sceptile smiled. "If he's fighting in this festival, it must be for a reason. Maybe it'll even help clear his name. And when he does? He'll need us all at our strongest to help him."

Snivy and the others all stared at the screen in unison.

None of them had ever lost faith in their Trainer. Wherever he'd been for the past year and whatever he'd done, he was still their family. The day would come when they'd reunite and he'd need them again.

And when it did?

They'd be ready.

---

Hello everyone, glad to have finally finished this chapter. Work keeps me busy, but this was fun to write in my downtime. Sorry for the wait, but I thought it'd be best to get this done soon. Most of December is gonna be crazy hectic for me, so no time to write! Here's a chapter filled with so many plot bunnies and important moments that it should keep you satisfied for a while!

As a sidenote, Snivy was originally going to rejoin Ash's team as the Grass type before I settled on Lilligant instead. I just couldn't find a way to get her to Ash without causing trouble. So, instead she gets to be the POV for this fun little ending scene. Hope you all enjoyed!

Stay safe, be kind, and I'll see you all next time!