Today we find out heroes in the desert between Castelia City and Nimbasa City, where they've now stopped at an Archeological Dig site
"How long are we going to be here?" Elliot asked. "I like more modern amenities during our breaks."
"As much as I don't like to agree with Elliot, I have to agree with him here." Rosa said, wiping sweat from her brow.
"Just relax and enjoy the adventure a bit." Ash said, as he gave some water to Pikachu.
"I'd relax more in air conditioning." Rosa groaned.
"Are you three trying to leave here to head north?" A backpacker asked, walking over to where they were sitting in an old building.
"Yeah, any advice on how to get there?" Ash asked.
"Leave and find another way." The Backpacker admitted.
"These ruins are the quickest way to get through the dessert though." Elliot pointed out.
"Yes, but there's a group of Crustle at the north end of the site, blocking anyone's path out of the city." The Backpacker said. "Some scientist is over there working on getting them to move peacefully, but he seems to be struggling a bit on that."
"A scientist?" Elliot asked. "Maybe we can help him out."
"I'm not much of a science guy, might be best for us to find another way." Ash admitted.
"Yes, but I might be able to help him. Porygon is mostly code and I figured him out fairly well." Elliot admitted.
"Might as well give it a shot, what can it hurt?" Rosa offered.
"Fair enough." Ash said. "Alright Elliot, let's see if you can't help out this scientist."
Near the north end of the ruins
"Are those Crustle?" Ash asked. "They look like big Dwebble."
"Very accurate." A man in a lab coat said. "Crustle are in fact the evolved forms of Dwebble."
"And you are?" Rosa asked.
"Colress, I'm a scientist looking into these Crustle and controlling them enough to remove them from the immediate area." Colress said.
"Control them, that doesn't sound good." Ash pointed out, grabbing a Pokeball presumptively.
"Relax, I'm simply going to move them from here to somewhere safely, the control is simply sending a signal from this remote to them." Colress said. "I have no intentions in harming them."
"But it hasn't been working, has it?" Elliot asked.
"No, the signal keeps fluctuating, I can focus it to get through their rock shells, but then it isn't at the right wavelength to communicate with them." Colress said.
"Meaning that if you put it at the right wavelength to communicate, its not strong enough to reach them through their rocks." Elliot said deep in thought. "What about a second signal?"
"it would work in theory, but I don't have the equipment here to go it myself." Colress commented.
"Maybe I could help. Porygon come out." Elliot said.
"Ahh, a Porygon, ingenious creations if I do say so myself." Colress said.
"So for those of us who are lost, what is your plan?" Rosa asked.
"I'll have Porygon read and copy the signal to breach through the rocks with Signal Beam so that way Colress can send the second signal to them." Elliot explained.
"Sounds like a good plan. Here is the primary signal." Colress said, sending out the first signal.
"Porygon copy it and use Signal Beam." Elliot commanded.
"Pory." Porygon replied, sending out a series of beams striking all of the Crustle's rocks at once.
"Got it?" Elliot asked.
"One way to find out." Colress remarked, changing his signal and then sending it back once more, each of the Crustle shivering before coming out of their shells.
"Crust!" One Crustle cried out angrily.
"Alright, they're angry." Ash said. "Pikachu we're up! Use Iron Tail!"
Pikachu flipped into the air, slamming his tail on top of the Crustle.
"Perhaps I can help." Colress said. "Come out Magnemite, use Charge and send that energy to Pikachu."
"Pikachu use Charge Beam!"
"Porygon use Signal Beam!"
Pikachu sent out a beam of electrical energy, boosted from Magnemite, and combined with Porygon's own attack, causing the lead Crustle to back off.
"Those Crustle, they seemed not that aggressive." Ash admitted.
"That's because as a species they rarely are, only fighting usually when their territory is threatened." Colress said.
"Is there a chance our signals made them think that?" Elliot asked.
"It is a possibility, I doubt they were too happy about the signal we sent." Colress said. "Though I am curious to find out whether or not that is the case."
"So you're saying you knew that it was a possibility?" Ash asked.
"Of course it was, we were waking them up to move them, but you were ready." Colress said.
"I fought them because it was necessary when they were getting ready to attack us." Ash argued.
"Either way I am helpful for both of your help in my research." Colress said, reaching into his pocket, pulling out a flash drive. "Here I believe this will be useful to you someday." Colress says, handing it to Elliot.
"Thanks, I think." Elliot responded, taking the flash drive as Colress went on his way.
"Anyone else get a weird feeling from him?" Ash asked once Colress was out of earshot.
"No more than N." Rosa said, causing both boys to turn.
"Rosa?" Elliot asked.
"Yes who else would it be?" Rosa questioned.
"Well…" Ash paused, causing Rosa to pull out a compact seeing both hers and Lillipup hair completely frizzy.
"This, is why I hate the heat." Rosa groaned.
"Don't worry, we only have a trek through a dessert and then we'll be in Nimbasa City. You'll see, we'll be there in no time." Ash reassured.
"Not one word from either of you. Got it!" Rosa argued.
Both Ash and Elliot nodded in fear of her actions.
"Good, now let's get going, the air conditioning won't get to us on its own." Rosa said walking ahead.
"This is going to be a long trip." Elliot sighed.
"No kidding." Ash replied as the two tried not to laugh at Rosa's hair.