Episode 163: Into the Unown

It's the middle of a moonless night and a breeze blows over a vast field of grain. Everything is dead silent.

But then there's an ethereal flash of light and suddenly the field is filled with life. Small, floating Pokémon are now scattered about in every direction. The Pokémon are made up of green rings that form into geometric patterns around a single eye. Each one looks to be different from the next.

The Pokémon collectively chant, "Un-own. Un-own. Un-own."

The mysterious Unown variants flit and float about. As they move in a strange dance above the stalks of grain, the crops seem to respond to their motion and flatten down.

A vantage point from above reveals that the Unown are carving intricate and detailed geometric patterns into the crops. The patterns are similar to the ones of their own bodies, though on a much larger and more complex scale.

But then the serenity of the night and the dance of the Unown is interrupted when a massive robot on tank treads rolls in, leaving a trail of its own in the crops behind it. The robot tank thrusts out an arm in an attempt to grab several of the Unown out of the air, but they narrowly escape.

The rhythmic dance of the Unown has turned into a frenzy. Their musical chanting has become discordant shrieks.

As most of the Unown flee, one floats closer to the robot. It shouts, "Unown!" It channels energy through its body and glows with a captivating blue light. But before it can do anything, it's smacked away by the robot. It crashes into the ground.

This has bought the other Unown the time they need to escape. There's a flash of light and all the Unown are gone. Or rather, all but the one that fought. Looking extremely exhausted, it collapses to the ground and is buried in the wheat.

The next morning, Ash, Brock, and Brenda are walking on a path up a hill.

With the Grand Festival at last behind us, the next item on our heroes' itinerary is the Cosmic Conference, and to get there, our heroes will first need to travel back once again to Kanaveral City. But that doesn't mean they can't take the scenic route on the way back.

Brock explains, "We should be able to see the field from the top of this hill. It's one of the largest in all of Tenno."

Brenda says, "Wow! I bet it's a gorgeous view."

Ash shrugs. "Eh. It's just a bunch of overgrown grass." He steps to the top of the hill and freezes. "Um…guys…"

Brenda laughs. "I guess it's a lot more than grass, isn't it?" But then she freezes in shock too when she sees what Ash saw. "Woah…" From the top of the hill, they have a vantage point of the very same field the Unown appeared in the previous night. And from up high and in the daylight, the magnificence of the patterns left behind are truly marvelous.

Ash questions, "Crop circles? Like the ones aliens leave behind?"

Brock, who is also impressed by the sight, points out, "There has never been any scientific link made between crop circles and aliens." He pauses. "But still…seeing them in person does make you question how any human could make these."

Brenda suggests, "I think I read something once that suggested they're made by Snorlax rolling through the grain as it eats. It claimed that behind every mystery there's a Pokémon, or something like that."

Ash looks at Brenda critically. "Come on, Brenda. Do you really think a rolling Snorlax made that?"

Brenda shakes her head. "No. I suppose I don't."

Suddenly, Ash declares, "Let's get a closer look!"

"Pika!"

Ash and Pikachu bolt down the hill for the field, forcing Brenda and Brock to chase after them. He runs into the field of grain.

But Ash has to skid to a stop when a person pops out from within the wheat. "Woah! Sorry!"

The man seems distracted by something and doesn't say anything as he continues to observe the surroundings. When he finally looks to Ash, he asks, "Sorry, what was that?"

He's a tall, middle-aged man with an athletic build. His green hair is somewhere between neat and unkempt. He wears a dark green turtleneck sweater and khaki pants with an earthen colored explorer's jacket. He also wears rugged boots and fingerless gloves.

As Brock and Brenda catch up, Ash asks, "Did you not see me almost crash into you?"

"Oh, did you? Sorry, I was preoccupied with my studies. I've never studied crop circles so fresh."

Brenda asks, "Do you study crop circles? Are you some sort of alien hunter?"

The man laughs. "Alien hunter. No. I'm an astrobiologist."

Brenda nods skeptically. "Okay…so you're an alien hunter."

Brock explains, "Astrobiology is more about the theoretical study of alien life, than the practical."

The man nods. "That is true. Most of the time. Unfortunately, I'm also the type who likes to get outdoors. So, I find an excuse like this to get out of the lab, I do. My name is Dr. Elwood Pine."

Ash doubles takes. "Pine? Are you related to Professor Pine?"

The man laughs. "That would be my little brother."

Brenda tries to remember. "Hey…wait a sec… I remember that Professor Pine once told me his brother was a part of the Elite Four."

Elwood nods. "Guilty as charged. That's my other job."

Ash looks at the man with a newfound respect. "Wow, Professor Pine's older brother and a part of Tenno's Elite Flour. That's so cool! My name's Ash. This here is Pikachu."

"Pi-pika!"

Brenda adds, "And I'm Brenda."

"My name's Brock. A pleasure to meet you. Dr. Pine, what do you think caused these crop circles?"

"Please, call me Elwood. I know that would be less confusing to you, since you know my brother as Pine. Anyways, the cause of these crop circles is a mystery to me. However, I suspect that someone nearby might have an idea."

Ash asks, "Oh? How come?"

Elwood points down the field a little way. "Look down there. Notice how the pushed-down grain is completely different." Elwood is indicating the area that was run over by the robot tank. "Notice how everywhere else the wheat is flattened down completely without damaging the stalks. But over there, it's all crushed. It looks to me like a large tread of some kind, such as a tractor or tank might have caused. Somebody saw something they weren't supposed to, I imagine."

Brenda nods. "Huh. It does look completely different. Wait, does that prove that everything was flattened by something otherworldly?"

"I wouldn't go so far yet, but it does show a good comparison of what can be done by humans and what by the unknown."

Ash walks towards the trampled stalks for a closer look. But after one of his steps, there's a shriek. Ash leaps back in shock. "Guys, I just stepped on something!"

From the trampled grass, the Unown that caused the explosion floats up. It looks weak and injured, but it also looks very aggressive. It shouts, "Unown!" It tries to gather energy like it did the previous night, but studders and fails, then falls to the ground.

Ash asks, "Woah! What was that thing!? It almost looked like a…" He rips out his Pokédex.

"Unown, Tennoan Form, the Symbol Pokémon, a Psychic and Grass Combo-Type. Groups of them have been spotted in the vicinity of crop circles, leading some to believe they represent an alien language. Does not evolve."

Ash gasps. "An Unown… No way…"

Brock pushes past Ash. "And this one seems hurt. Let me help it." He carefully picks the fallen Unown off the ground. The Unown struggles at first, but seems too weak to even do that. Brock says soothingly, "There, there. I know you must be scared, but I'm here to help. This will sting a little, but you'll feel better really quick." He pulls out a Potion. The Unown squirms some more as Brock sprays the Potion. "See? Better."

The Unown seems to calm somewhat. For a few moments, it relaxes in Brock's hand, but then it floats up and frantically looks about as it shouts, "Unown! Unown! Unown!"

Brenda asks, "What's wrong with it?"

Elwood suggests, "From what I know, Tennoan Unown are always found in groups near crop circles. But seeing as this one is all alone; I would guess that it got left behind. Perhaps because of whatever happened here." He beckons to the destroyed wheat.

Brock adds, "If Tennoan Unown are anything like regular Unown, then they always stay in a group. This one must be distressed at being left behind."

Before they can speculate any further, the ground beneath them begins to rumble. Everyone looks up to see the robot tank from the previous night moving towards them.

Brenda shouts, "That must be what caused all the damage!"

An amplified voice announces, "Hand over that mysterious Pokémon from space!"

Unown cowers in fear and hides behind Brock's backpack.

Ash shouts, "It must be Team Rocket! Only they would have a machine like that!"

"I would agree. It has to be us in there!" James is apparently standing just behind Ash.

Jessie agrees, "I've never seen anyone else with a robot like that."

Meowth adds, "Good call, Twerp."

Ash nods. "And if it's Team Rocket, then… Wait a second!" He pivots around. "Team Rocket!?"

James seems to suddenly remember, "Oh yeah, if we're standing here, then that can't possibly be us. How did I not see that?"

Jessie questions, "But if we're standing here, then who's that standing up there?"

The cockpit of the machine has opened up to reveal two figures obscured by smoke. A male voice announces, "Wherever there is mystery in the world…"

A female follows, "There will always be Pokémon to be found there as well!"

"And we'll be there too!"

"The Pokémon Mystery Club!" The smoke suddenly clears to reveal two people in black trench coats with red trim and sunglasses. The man has green hair and the woman purple.

Together they shout, "P! M! C!" As they shout each one, they form the letters with their arms.

"I'm Ken!"

"Mary!"

Ash and Brock look to each other. Ash asks, "Hey, Brock, don't those guys seem familiar?"

Brock scratches his chin as he slowly nods. "They do, but I can't quite place them."

Ken points down at them and shouts, "How could you possibly forget us! We're the Pokémon Mystery Club!"

Mary adds, "We're world-renowned for our organization's research into Pokémon from outer space!"

Together they shout again, "P! M! C!" while doing the poses.

Team Rocket are also scratching their heads until James suddenly exclaims, "Hold on! Aren't you the weirdos that got in the way of us stealing that Cleffa that fell off a spaceship in Johto?"

Jessie adds, "Oh yeah! And you also got in our way of stealing the Lunatone that fell in a meteor in Hoenn!"

Meowth shouts, "You two have a lot of nerves showing yourselves before us again!"

Ash and Brock both remember who they're dealing with thanks to Team Rocket's reminders. Ash says, "Oh yeah, those guys…" Then he groans. "Those guys…"

Brenda asks, "And who are they?"

Mary shouts, "Weren't you listening, we're the…"

"P! M! C!"

Ignoring them, Ash explains, "Basically, they're just Team Rocket, except they only steal Pokémon they think come from outer space."

At the same time, Team Rocket and PMC both shout, "Hey! How dare you compare us to those weirdos!" Then they look at each other and angrily shout, "We're not weirdos! You're the weirdos! Stop that! No, you stop that! Hey! No!"

This continues on as Brenda nods. "Yeah, I see what you mean now."

Brock demands, "What do you two want with Unown?"

Ken laughs. "Isn't it obvious?"

Mary explains, "The PMC hypothesizes that Unown of the Tennoan variety are a message sent to us by aliens."

Ken adds, "If we can decode that message, then it would be the greatest mystery we've ever solved. We need to study that Unown."

Brock demands, "By forcefully taking it with a robot!?"

Mary laughs. "We do what we need to do. So, we'll ask one last time. Hand over that Unown."

Brock shakes his head. "No way! Unown doesn't want to go with you!"

Ken asks firmly, "So you'll just keep it for yourself? That's rather hypocritical of you, don't you think?"

"I'm not keeping Unown, I'm protecting it!"

James chuckles, "I'm afraid to burst your bubble, but neither of you will be keeping Unown."

Mary asks, "Oh yeah? Why's that?"

Meowth shouts, "Because I already have it, and possession's nine-tenths of the law!" He holds Unown above his head as he runs away with Jessie and James in tow.

"Un! Own!"

Jessie shouts tauntingly, "Catch you later, Professional Moron Club!"

Ken shouts, "Hey! That's Pokémon Mystery Club and that's our club's mystery Pokémon!"

"P! M! C!" They slip back down into their cockpit and drive forward in pursuit of Team Rocket.

Brock urges, "We better get out of here, now."

Ash objects, "But what about Unown?"

Brock grins and turns his back to Ash to show that Unown is sitting in a pocket in his backpack. "It teleported back to me right after Team Rocket nabbed it. I guess it trusts me now."

Brenda says, "Then let's run."

They, along with Elwood, run off in the opposite direction of Team Rocket.

Once clear of the field, they slow down. Ash asks, "What are we supposed to do with Unown now?"

Brenda asserts, "We have to get it back to its friends."

Ash asks, "But how?"

Elwood watches the Unown as it floats in circles around Brock. "Usually, crop circles aren't an isolated incident. When one appears in one field, another will appear in a nearby field. If Tennoan Unown really are related to crop circles, then there's a good chance that the same group will move from one set to another."

Brock nods. "That sounds like our best course of action. We'll find the closest field large enough to support crop circles and, hopefully, get there before Unown's group appears there tonight." He's pulled out his Pokéssistant. "Hmm… it looks like there might be another field of similar size about a day's walk from here. We could make it there by some time tonight if we hurry."

Ash asks, "Then what are we waiting for? Let's move it."

After fighting for some time, PMC's robot has been reduced to ruble, but Team Rocket's Repiv and Haking look exhausted from the fight. Jessie asks, "Had enough, Pure Mediocre Club!?"

Mary asks, "What was that? Because you were clearly speaking to someone who isn't us! We're the Pokémon Mystery Club!"

"P! M! C!"

Meowth is cheering Jessie and James on, but pauses. He says to no one in particular, "You know, I have this odd sensation that I'm forgetting something important. Something very important." And his face is suddenly overcome with panic when he realizes what he forgot. "Guys! That Unown gave us the slip! It's gone!"

James pivots around and demands, "You lost it!? How did you lose it!? It was in your hands!"

"I don't know! It just up and vanished!"

Ken and Mary grin upon hearing Meowth's misfortune. Ken declares, "Then you losers have nothing left for us! It's time to track down that Unown! Mary, the Radio Frequency Tracker!"

"Right!" Mary opens a briefcase that she pulls out of nowhere and hands one piece after another to Ken. Ken takes each piece and stacks them together. Together in their rhythmic motion, they assemble a small machine with a satellite dish.

Ken looks at Team Rocket and laughs. "With this baby we'll track the natural radio signals that Unown create! We'll find it well before you ever have a chance!" They run off laughing. It takes both of them to carry the bulky machine.

Jessie announces angrily, "Oh, they think they're so special with their fancy gadgets! Well, we have something to track Unown with that they don't!"

James questions, "We do?"

Jessie nods. "We do." She closes her eyes, points a finger forward and begins to swipe it left to right as she hurriedly chants, "Eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Catch a Gligar by the toe. If it hollers, let it go. Eeny meeny, miny, moe!" She thrusts her pointing finger in the direction she ended up pointing at the end of the rhyme.

Meowth hesitantly objects, "Um…Jess…I don't think Eeny, meeny, miny, moe is really the best way to tell what direction a Pokémon ran away in."

James adds equally hesitantly, "And I think you're only supposed to use it when you have distinct choices, not any possible direction."

Jessie puts her hands to her hips and demands, "You got any better ideas?"

Meowth and James look to each other, shrug, and walk off following Jessie.

Who's That Pokémon!?

When air fills the flotation sac on its neck, the sac balloons like an inner tube. This Pokémon floats with its head out of the water.

As Ash, Brock, Brenda, and Elwood travel, Unown floats in circles about Brock. Brenda comments, "Wow Brock, that Unown has really taken a liking to you."

Brock nods. "It must appreciate me helping it out."

Elwood comments, "Tennoan Unown have been known as extremely enigmatic Pokémon who are nearly impossible to understand. To see one express gratitude in such a familiar way gives me hope that someday we may be able to understand them after all. I'm sure my brother would love to hear that as well." He chuckles at the thought.

Suddenly, Unown emits a frightened-sounding shriek.

Brock asks, "What is it? What's wrong?"

Ash points ahead, "Quickly, everyone hide!" Down the road from them is the PMC. Everyone gets behind a large nearby tree just as Ken and Mary walk by. Fortunately, the pair are more focused on their machine than their surroundings.

Ken complains, "That Unown should be somewhere around here."

Mary agrees, "No Pokémon is so mysterious that it can hide from the PMC."

Ken suggests, "Let's check down the road some more."

Once they're out of earshot, Brenda asks, "How did they find us?"

Elwood suggests, "Given that device they were carrying, I would guess they're tracking Unown's natural frequency."

Ash questions, "Frequency?"

Elwood nods. "Brock, would you mind turning the radio on your Pokéssistant on?"

Brock nods. He pulls out the Pokéssistant and taps the screen. Instead of music, the device begins to play an odd and ominous assortment of beeps and electronic sounds.

Brenda questions, "Why is that playing on the radio?"

Elwood explains, "Unown is emitting a radio signal which is being picked up by the Pokéssistant. It would be an extremely easy way to track an Unown."

Ash asks, "Okay, then how do we avoid being tracked? Is there some kind of way we could block the signal?"

Elwood considers the question. "I suppose a Faraday cage is out of the question on such short notice."

This inspires Brock. "Maybe it isn't." He pulls off his backpack and digs around. Unown watches him with curiosity.

Brenda asks, "What's a Faraday cage?"

Brock explains, "It's a cage of metal that can block electromagnetic waves, such as radio signals. Aha!" He pulls out a long, thin box. "This aluminum foil when wrapped around Unown should work like a Faraday cage."

Elwood nods. "Good thinking, Brock."

Brock looks up to Unown as he unrolls some of the foil. "Do you mind, Unown? It will stop those guys from being able to follow us."

Unown nods. "Un." It floats down into Brock's hands.

Brock gets right to work wrapping the Pokémon in the foil. Once done, he pulls out the Pokéssistant again and turns the radio on. Only regular music plays.

Brenda cheers, "It worked! Now we can move without fear of PMC tracking us!"

Ash urges, "Then we better get moving again." They step out from hiding and back onto the road.

But also hiding nearby is Team Rocket. James comments, "Wow, it looks like Jessie's idea actually worked. Unown is with the twerps."

Meowth shrugs. "Even a broken clock is right twice a day."

Jessie is about to complain about the comparison, but then pauses. "Wait…is it? How can a broken clock ever be right?" She pauses to think it over. "Oh! I get it."

James says, "Now we just need a plan to nab that Unown before PMC does."

Meowth points ahead. "Speak of the devil."

Ken and Mary approach Ash, Brock, Brenda, and Elwood.

Ash casually asks, "What's up, guys?"

Ken stares at him suspiciously. "You wouldn't happen to know what happened to that Unown, would you? We were tracking it in this area until the signal disappeared."

Brenda answers with fake ignorance, "Unown? We haven't seen it since Team Rocket ran off with it. Have you tried asking them?"

Mary notices the foil bundle in Brock's hands. "And what would that be?"

Brock asks innocently, "This? This is lunch. Peanut butter and pickle sandwiches. You want one?" He moves to start unwrapping it.

Ken recoils in disgust at the description. "Keep your nasty sandwich choices to yourself, please."

Brock shrugs as he replaces the foil he unwrapped. "Your loss."

Mary asserts, "You be sure to tell us if you see that Unown anywhere."

Ash nods. "Oh yeah. We definitely will. Wouldn't want to get in the way of the prestigious Pokémon Mystery Club in the middle of an important investigation."

Ken and Mary grin smugly. Ken nods. "No, you wouldn't. And don't forget it." They turn and leave.

The moment they do, everyone breathes a sigh of relief.

Back with Team Rocket, Meowth asks, "Did you just see that?"

Jessie responds, "I did, but I don't see the significance."

Meowth explains, "If we showed up and started asking the twerps questions, we'd be blasting off in under a minute. But the twerps seem afraid of PMC, or something. They're willing to try being sneaky with them. And the only reason it worked is because PMC didn't know they had Unown. But we do."

James grins mischievously. "I sense a plan coming together."

It's Buizel!

Ash and the others have resumed their trek to the next field. The foil bundle in Brock's hands wiggles a little. Brock says soothingly, "Just a little longer, Unown. Once we've gotten far enough from PMC, you can come out."

But then someone asks, "Far enough from us? Why would you be doing that?"

They turn around to see Ken and Mary behind them. Although, something seems off about them.

Ash groans. "What do you two want?"

Mary announces, "We're the Pokémon Misery Club!"

Together, her and Ken shout, "P! M! C!" Though instead of the usual hand gesture they make for M by putting their hands out, they arch their hands over their heads to form an M.

Brenda questions, "Did she just say misery instead of mystery?"

Ken shouts defensively, "No she didn't! Obviously, she said mystery! That is our name, after all! You need a hearing a check!"

Brenda responds with a drawn out, "Okay…"

Ken explains, "Your personal health issues aside, we decided to change our minds. We'd love to take you up on your offers of…peanut butter and pickle sandwiches…" He has to suppress a shudder as he says it.

Brock takes a surprised step back. "Oh…those… We already ate them…"

Mary asks, "Then what's wrapped in that foil now?"

Brock hesitates as he tries to come up with an answer. But before he can, someone demands, "What's going on here!?"

Behind the PMC is…another PMC?

Brenda shouts in surprise, "There are two of them!?"

The first Ken nervously darts his eyes left to right, then shouts at the newcomers, "What are you doing, you phonies!?"

The other Ken shouts back, "Phonies!? You're the only phonies here! We're the Pokémon Mystery Club!"

"P! M! C!"

The first Mary laughs. "As if! You copycats couldn't mimic your way out of a paper bag!"

While they're arguing, Ash and the others take the opportunity to step away and escape without being noticed.

The other Mary declares, "If you're the real PMC, then prove it! Build a gadget."

The first Mary freezes. "A…gadget…?"

The second Ken nods. "Yeah, like this one."

The second Mary opens her briefcase and hands one piece after another to the second Ken as they assemble a cannon-like gadget.

The first Ken laughs nervously. "Easy. Piece of cake for the real PMC. Right Mary?"

"Um…right…Ken…." She pulls out a briefcase too, but when it pops open, Meowth falls out.

Meowth shouts, "We've been had! Run for it!" The three of them run off, with wigs falling off of Jessie and James' heads as they flee.

The real Ken and Mary fire balls of energy out of their cannon as Team Rocket weaves from side to side to avoid the assault.

Jessie shouts as she runs, "This isn't over, Pure Madness Club!"

"That's Pokémon Mystery Club! P! M! C!" They fire another shot that hits Team Rocket dead-on.

"Blasting off again!"

Several hours later, night has fallen. Everyone has stopped for a break around a campfire.

Brock unwraps Unown and lets it float away. "It's been long enough since we've seen any of those goons that I think it's safe for you to come out now."

"Unown!" Unown floats about happily. It takes joy in being out in the open again.

Brock turns his attention to making dinner for the group.

A little later everyone is eating from bowls of stew. While they eat, they watch as Unown dances about with the Moon and stars as a backdrop. It musically chants, "Un-own. Un-own. Un-own."

Brock asks, "Dr. Pine, what do you think it's doing now?"

Elwood watches the Pokémon for a few moments more. "It's impossible to say with any certainty. There's far more we don't know about Tennoan Unown than we do. It does seem to be much more at peace now that it's doing this. Perhaps this is simply its natural behavior. Or maybe there's some sort of ritual it's performing."

Then Brock asks, "Do you have any speculation on what alien word this Unown might represent?"

"I do not. However, I would think that the personality of each Unown would be defined by the concept it represents. This one seems quite peaceful overall…"

Unown floats down to Brock and looks him in the eyes. "Unown."

Ash grins. "I think Unown is trying to thank you, Brock."

Brock smiles at the Pokémon, "You're welcome. I'm glad I can help."

It flies back up and resumes its dance.

Elwood comments, "Ask any Pokémon researcher, and they'll tell you how full of mystery the world of Pokémon is. But I don't think they know the half of it. Perhaps our world is mysterious, but what about everything beyond it? At least we live in this world. That gives us a strong foundation to build our knowledge upon. But what of other worlds? Pokémon like Unown are a complete enigma to us. It's that mystery that inspired me to become an astrobiologist. I may have little to study practically, but the questions I have to answer are the biggest of them all. I want to know everything I can, not about this world of Pokémon, but about this universe of them."

Brock remarks, "That's a wonderful drive."

Elwood silently watches Unown for a few moments. "At the risk of making a bad pun, I want to know the unknown."

Everyone laughs at him.

After some more travel, the group has made it to a large field of grain. Brenda cheers, "That's it! We did it!"

Ash points out, "But there are no crop circles. And definitely no Unown."

Brock suggests, "Perhaps the Unown just don't show up until later in the night. It's barely midnight now."

Elwood advises, "It's too late now to try to go anywhere else. Let's go into the field and hope we get lucky."

Unown floats ahead of them and happily flits about the field. It seems much more at ease than it has been. The others follow it.

Brenda suddenly points up, "Look! In the sky! What's that!?" A single point of light is zigging and zagging across the night sky.

Ash shouts, "It's a UFO! Could it be related to Unown?"

Elwood crosses his arms skeptically. "A UFO? I may study the idea of alien life, but there's no way unidentified flying objects are anything of alien origin. It's just not realistic."

The light begins to grow brighter and larger. Brenda exclaims, "It's coming this way!"

And then it gets close enough to see. It's a flying saucer with multicolored light around its brim.

Ash groans. "Oh no…" A large red R is printed on the front of the saucer.

Via a loudspeaker, Jessie announces, "Prepare for a close encounter of the third kind!"

James adds, "Make it double and keep an open mind!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people in our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!" Jessie and James appear atop the saucer.

"T! E! A! M! R! O! C! K! E! T!" They form the letters with their arms.

"That spells Team Rocket, as you can see!"

"Meowth, I agree!"

"Wobbuffet!"

"Mime mime!"

James announces, "We'll be taking that Unown now!" Unown cowers behind Brock.

Brock steps forward and shouts, "No you won't! I won't let you!"

Jessie suggests, "Meowth, let's show Dr. Twerp what this machine can do."

"Yes, let's." Meowth presses a button and two arms and two legs extend from the sides and bottom of the saucer. A head also emerges from the top, turning the UFO into a robot mech.

Ash is preparing to throw a Pokéball, but Brock cuts him off. "I'll handle this fight, Ash." He pulls out two Pokéballs. "Go! Meteorfight and Guardgoyle!"

As soon as Meteorfight appears, someone gasps. "Is that another extraterrestrial Pokémon from outer space!?"

Suddenly, Ken and Mary have appeared on the other side of Meteorfight. Ken is using a measuring tape on the meteorite Pokémon, while Mary is taking pictures.

Meteorfight quickly gets annoyed by their close proximity and delivers an uppercut to both of their chins. They both fly away, much like Brock would after being hit by the punch. "Meteor."

But both Ken and Mary quickly stand back up. Ken shouts, "I hope you weren't planning on handing that Unown over to them! Its rightful place is with the PMC!"

Jessie shouts, "Hey, Pitiful Misfit Club! Team Rocket was here first! Get in line!"

Mary shouts, "It's Pokémon Mystery Club! Get it right or don't say it at all!"

"P! M! C!"

Ken shouts, "Maybe you were here first, but we were the ones who first found Unown! Finders keepers!"

James shouts back, "Well, losers weepers!"

Ken declares, "Mary, let's show them our ultimate gadget!"

Mary nods. "Right!" She opens the briefcase and they begin to assemble another machine.

Jessie and James laugh. Meowth asks, "What kind of gadget could you possibly assemble to defeat our giant robot using parts from that briefcase…" He trails off in surprise as he sees what they've built. Jessie and James also have their jaws drop.

Ken and Mary now stand on the top of a massive cigar-shaped UFO. Then, just like Team Rocket's mech, arms, legs, and a head extend out from it. The two grin smugly, then slip into the cockpit of the robot.

James shouts, "It doesn't matter if they just defied the laws of physics! Get them!"

Jessie declares, "There's no way we'll lose in a robot battle with the Putrid Monster Club!" Their robot breaks out in a sprint for PMC.

"Pokémon Mystery Club! P! M! C!" The robot itself does the arm movements with the letter, then runs to meet Team Rocket.

When the two robots collide, they get locked in a boxing match. The two UFO-based mechs trade successive punches.

Brenda asks, "What should we do? Once they're done with each other, they'll be coming for us next."

Brock shakes his head. "I don't know…"

But Unown does seem to know. The sight of the two robots fighting seems to upset it. Unown flies forward towards them.

Brock shouts, "Unown!"

But it keeps going. As it does, it begins to glow with the same blue energy as the previous night.

Elwood realizes, "It's using Unknown Power! There's no knowing what that attack will do!"

"Unoooooown!"

Both Team Rocket and the PMC look towards Unown with surprise just as a wave of soft blue light washes over them. There's an immediate change in both parties. They've all calmed down completely.

Jessie says, "You know, on second thought, you Perfect Magnificent Club guys aren't all that bad."

Ken, without a hint of anger says, "It's Pokémon Mystery Club, but who really cares? You guys are great, too!"

James asks, "Why were we even fighting?"

Mary shrugs. "Beats me."

Ash asks with great confusion, "What in the world am I watching right now?"

Elwood realizes, "I was right earlier when I noted Unown's peaceful demeanor. Now I can say with certainty that this Unown represents the concept of peace. Using Unknown Power, it just shared that peace with Team Rocket and PMC."

Brock grins. "Sorry, Unown, but it's time to ruin that peace. Meteorfight, Rock Blast! Guardgoyle, Stone Edge!"

Both Pokémon attack together with giant rocks to hit both robots at once, causing them both to explode. Jessie, James, Meowth, Ken, and Mary are sent flying away.

As they hurtle upwards, James says with a goofy grin, "I love you guys! All of you!"

Ken says with an equally goofy grin, "Not as much as I love you!"

They all shout together, "We're one big, happy, blasting off family!" Then they leave sight with a twinkle.

Brock breathes a sigh of relief. "Hopefully that will solve that problem." He looks to Unown. "That was great, Unown. You have an incredible power."

"Unown!"

Ash suddenly shouts, "Guys, what's that!?"

There's a flash of light, and suddenly Tennoan Unown of all different shapes appear above the field. Just like the previous night, they begin their dance and carve out shapes in the field as they float above it."

Brock's Unown happily cheers, "Own!"

Brock encourages, "Go. Join them."

"Unown!" Unown floats away and seamlessly joins in the dance.

Everyone watches the sight completely transfixed. Elwood comments, "This is amazing. Nobody has ever witnessed the creation of crop circles before. Now we can definitely say that it's the Unown that make them. Incredible. The universe of Pokémon is truly beyond belief…"

They watch for hours as the Unown create ever more intricate patterns across the field. But eventually, the dance begins to slow and the Unown cluster in the middle of the field.

Ash questions, "Is that it? Are they done?"

Their Unown flies back over to Brock. Its single eye looks saddened. "Un…"

Brock grins at the Pokémon. "It's time for you to go, isn't it?"

"Unown…"

"Then go. I'm very glad we got to spend this time together, but you belong with them. We'll see each other again. I know it. And every time I see a field of grain, I'll be thinking of you."

"Unown!" The Pokémon flies up to Brock and nuzzles against his cheek, before turning and flying back towards the other Unown. It pauses just before reaching them and turns back to Brock. It shouts, "Unown!"

Brock waves. "Bye, Unown!"

Ash, Brenda, and Elwood also wave goodbye to it.

"Unown!" It turns back and flies the rest of the way to the group. It is quickly lost in the swirling mass of Unown. A second later, there's another flash of light and they're all gone.

Brock grins.

There are so many mysteries in both the world of Pokémon and beyond it. So many unknowns. But today, our heroes made the unknown just a little more known.

Ken and Mary are near a farmhouse. Ken points up, "Look, Mary! There it is!" In the sky above them is a Yuifoe.

Mary pulls out a camera and snaps a photograph of the Pokémon. It prints from the camera. For some reason the photo is in black and white. It shows the flying saucer Pokémon flying across the sky with the farm house in the bottom left corner.

Mary shouts, "We got it! Undeniable photographic evidence of an extraterrestrial Pokémon!"

Ken declares, "To seek the truth that sets us free!"

Mary adds, "To solve another mystery!"

They raise their arms as Ken shouts, "Accept no other sub!"

Mary continues, "Pokémon Mystery Club!"

"P! M! C!"

A farmer steps out from the farmhouse. "What? That? That's just Yuifoe. It likes flying here in the afternoons."

Mary demands, "Are you saying it's not a mysterious Pokémon from outer space?"

The farmer is a little confused. "Well…it's from outer space, I reckon. Everyone knows that. Not much mysterious about it, though. Last I heard, it's well-studied."

Ken crosses his arms. "You Tenno people are boring."

To Be Continued…