Surmount

by HDK315

Although they travel down a long, merciless road that has overwhelmed all but the very strongest to eventually throw in the towel, they do so with unrivaled resolve and convictions. This is the story of Ash Ketchum and his beloved family of Pokemon, and how they became the greatest of all time. Cover by Atenburgh.

45. Show Must Go On

Domino's world changed without warning two weeks after she turned seven.

Donna's basement was decorated with the prettiest mixture of yellow and pink Domino had ever seen. It was raining so hard outside that you couldn't see through the windows, but the room was too bright and happy to pay attention to it. Party music played from the radio, a catchy song sung by a new female pop idol. Nine girls, including Domino herself, occupied the basement playing games and eating cupcakes.

One girl with green pigtails read a somewhat sloppily written message on a piece of paper ripped from a notebook. "Okay, okay, next up: What will Tyler give Sharon before summer break?"

The brunette girl's brow wrinkled in bewilderment. "Why Tyler specifically? We aren't even in the same class."

Domino's blue-frosted lips stretched into an eager smile. "That's what the fortune is saying, silly! Come on Donna, spin it!"

Donna's black ponytail moved up and down as she bounced on her cushion. "I gotta see this, let's do it!" She placed the spinner wheel on the table, divided evenly into several different, triangular shaped sections before flicking the arrow as hard as she could. The arrow spun and spun and spun, and just when the anticipation had begun too great to bear, it finally began to slow down.

It landed on "first kiss."

"Ew!" Sharon's response was more automatic than anything else, hands shooting up to cover her crimson cheeks as all of the other girls giggled.

"Make sure you pucker up!"

"But keep your tongue in your mouth, that's gross."

"He doesn't even know my name!" she protested. "Why would he kiss me?"

"Summer break is two months from now," Domino giggled through her hand. "That's plenty of time, Anyway," the blonde girl looked over to Donna for approval. "It's my turn next, right?"

"Mhm," Donna announced, as chipper as ever. "Let's see what your fortune is… oh!" After randomly selecting a piece of paper, her eyes lit up upon reading it. "This is what your starter Pokemon is going to be! So we use this one, then…" she replaced the spinning wheel with a different one of equal size, divided into multiple sections labeled with Pokemon names. "Are you ready?"

"You bet!" Domino nearly shrieked. She couldn't wait to find out what partner she was destined to have. "Spin it already!"

"Yeah!"

"Do it, Donna!"

A chorus of encouragement sounded from all eight girls as Donna held her hands up. "Okay, okay, I'm doing it. Let's see what this is…" for some reason, it felt like the arrow was taking a lot longer to slow down, but it finally did.

And landed on "Drowzee."

Domino's eyebrow almost rose to the top of her forehead. "Drowzee…?"

"Those things are creepy," Sharon suppressed a shudder. "You sure that's what Domino's starter is?"

"The fortunes don't lie…" Donna scratched her cheek, although even she was bewildered.

Unexpectedly, the door opened before any of the girl's present had the chance to debate the topic further. Donna's mom walked into the room, an apprehensive expression on her face. "Hello girls, I'm sorry to interrupt. Is everyone having fun!" her guilt almost doubled when all nine girls said "yes," and barely holding back a sigh, she turned to Domino. "Domino, I'm really sorry honey, but your parents are here to pick you up."

Domino's eyes widened in shock, and soon after a mixture of disappointment. "Wha…"

"But we're all supposed to stay over for tonight!" one girl protested.

Donna's mom breathed sadly. "I'm very sorry, sweety. I really am. But your dad says it's an emergency that can't wait. You're not in trouble, don't worry."

/

All of a sudden, there was nothing distracting Domino from the hard rain drenching the grass and pavement outside. Her dad's umbrella shielded her dejected and downcast expression from being soaked as he helped her into the backseat of the white van.

The interior alarmed her - it was packed with tons of stuff from the house, as much as could fit in the vehicle. Water splashed around the van from all sides as it drove through a puddle covering the streets of Violet City's suburban district. The girl wanted to check the time, but there was too much in the van to see the clock from the back. It was also hard to get comfortable - scratch that, impossible. She was stuck between objects that barely even left enough room in the middle for her body.

With her dad behind the wheel, Domino's mom looked back at their young daughter in concern. "Kayla, I'm really sorry we interrupted Donna's slumber party." The adults always called her Kayla - only the kids called her Domino. Just like how Racer's real name was George.

"You said I could stay over for the weekend." Domino's voice was void of energy. The sudden pickup had smashed the air out of her balloons.

"Kayla, dear…" her dad brought a hand to his forehead, but made sure not to block his view of the road. "We really did not expect this any more than you did, but it was important for all of our sakes that we had to leave immediately."

"Why?" she was so lifeless she could barely get the single syllable out.

"Because we're moving," her mom said carefully. "And we aren't coming back."

That brought her energy back, and if she wasn't practically pinned to her seat by everything in the van, she would have launched right out of it. "WHAT!? But all of my friends and-"

"Kayla, just LISTEN." her dad's voice was sharp, with a stress that she could not detect. Defeated, the girl relented. "I didn't want you to know this until you were a couple years older, sweet pea, but our hand has been forced by this." he sighed. "I'm sorry…"

"Sorry for what…" Domino blinked back tears. "Mommy, daddy, why aren't you telling me anything!?"

"Because it's a really long story, honey," her mom started. "And your father and I didn't expect to tell it to you for a while. Trust us, this is all coming out of nowhere for us as well, but we're doing our best."

Her dad cleared his throat. "Right, so, anyway…"

"Let me, darling." Domino's mom briefly placed a hand on the man's shoulder. "Just focus on your driving." He complied and went silent while she gathered her thoughts.

"Mom…" Domino spoke up after a good few moments of nothing.

"Let's see, where to start…" her mom trailed off for a moment or two before finally speaking again. "The truth is, honey, your father and I have a very important job. Much more important than the ones you know about." she clenched her teeth. "You see…it's a crucial secret that we've been keeping until the time is right. We are joining an organization, and..." she took a breath, trying to calm her heart rate. "I need you to know, Kayla, the only reason we did not tell you about this sooner was because it needed to be kept secret. Our lives depended on it, yours too."

"So, what's the secret?" Domino held her stomach. "Mom, you're scaring me."

"Kayla, I am really really sorry," her mother insisted. "I'm not trying to. " she bit her tongue and swallowed for a moment. "It's called… Team Rocket."

"Team Rocket?" Domino repeated the foreign phrase with nothing but confusion. "Are you guys part of a secret club?"

"No, no, it's not a club, honey. It's a military group. Independent of the League. In fact, its purpose is to destroy the League and make the world right again."

Domino rapidly blinked. "Destroy them?" But that didn't make sense. The League were the ones running Indigo. Sharon's brother and mom even worked at the Violet City Gym. What was wrong with the League.

"It's way too much to explain now, honey," her mother coaxed. "Thankfully, there are people who can fill you in better than I can. But the gist of it is, the Indigo League needs to go. Humanity wasn't meant to be bound by a single power governing everyone and making all of the rules everywhere. Team Rocket's purpose is to set the world right and return Indigo back to when everybody was independent for themselves. For the past couple of years, your father and I have been supporting them. Making donations and doing jobs. Doing whatever we can to help the cause, basically. We wanted to wait until you were almost ready to be a trainer before getting you involved, but we've been forced to speed things up."

"Why?" Domino tried to follow her mother's story. It still didn't quite make sense to her, but her mom had promised that it would later, once the full story was explained to her. For now she was simply trying to absorb everything that she could, in order to at least somewhat understand it for now, and hold herself over. "What's going on?"

"We were… we've been caught," her mother hissed. "We were tipped off by a close contact of ours who has been helping in communications with a couple of the higher ups. The League is onto us, and they were planning on coming to our home and arresting us. They were going to take you away, honey. To a foster home. Some "normal" place where they could brainwash you."

Domino's fearful eyes began to wetten. "You mean… bad guys? But Sharon-"

"Sharon's family are just misguided, honey." her mom reassured. "They are cogs in a machine, which is not what we wanted to be. Anyway, we had to pack up as fast as we could - most of our stuff is still at the house; furniture and other things that are too big for the van. We're going to have to part with them. We needed to leave as quickly as possible, which is why we're picking you up so suddenly." she looked back at her daughter, and as she feared, Domino was crying. "I'm really, really sorry, Kayla. I know this is scary, but I promise you that everything is going to be okay. Team Rocket is already aware of our situation, and we're currently driving to a meetup point where they can assist us. They'll be escorting us to a secret hideout that we'll be staying at for the time being with other members, and you'll be safe there. Don't worry. We'll all be safe, and you're going to be trained and prepared, the way we have been."

"Train?" Domino asked. "You mean like Pokemon?"

"That is part of it, yes honey." her mother turned back onwards the road. They were arriving at the outskirts. "There should only be a few minutes left. Don't worry, Kayla, we are not going to let them take you, or us. Once we get to the base you can get some sleep, and in the morning you can meet Executive Petrel. He's a very important man, and very good with kids. Be on your best behavior, okay honey?"

Had she been able to move better, Domino would have slumped in her seat. Now that she was away from the party, she was starting to get tired, but there was no way she could ever get to sleep in such a cramped space. Fear washed over her, and flowed through every edge of her body, but her mother's reassurance offered her just enough comfort not to panic.

Her parents knew what they were doing. Everything would be fine, and she was not going to be taken. Whatever bad things were on the way, she hoped this "Team Rocket" could protect her.

/

Neptune towered over Silver as he followed the youngest of the Team Rocket Executives through the metallic hallway. The grunts that stopped to salute or bow to him must have been at least ten years older, a fact rarely acknowledged since his promotion. The giant Feraligatr, known amongst the ranks as the creature that had once devoured Goldenrod Leader Wade, added much to the fifteen year old's presence, but even looking at his currently unmasked face, the idea that he was still a child felt ludicrous to consider.

At the end of the hall stood the biggest set of doors in the building, enough to even dwarf Neptune himself. Standing in front of them with a pause, Silver allowed himself a moment to breathe before allowing the reader to scan his card. One green light and a beep later, and the doors slid open, granting the pair access.

The glass tube in the chamber could have been the size of a tower. Computer terminals surrounded the structure, with a few scientists supervising the panels, but Silver's eyes were not on them. Instead, his head craned up to take in the creature inside of the panel.

It was bigger and wider than even Neptune. Suspended in cables, its eyes were closed, locked in a deep stasis with its head slumped down, giving Silver a full view of its beak. Its golden spiky feathers glittered with sparks of static that danced in place. The sight of the creature took his breath away, and even Neptune himself was not eager to get too close. No sane creature would be.

"This is your first look, is it not?" Silver's head whipped to the side, almost startled to see Archer approaching them.

Immediately, he knelt down in front of his superior. Neptune mimicked his trainer's actions, despite his massive frame defeating the purpose. "Commander, my apologies for not greeting you. I was not informed of your arrival."

"It is quite alright," Archer raised his hand to signal the boy to rise to his feet. "I was under the impression that you were on your way back to Fuchsia. By now, Domino will have made her way to Pelsberry Inc.'s base, correct?"

"Yes, she has." Silver answered. "I wanted to… see this before I left. I've been procrastinating during my stay." he dared to look away from the Commander, who allowed him to do so, following his gaze up to the magnificent bird encaged in their tube. "Marauder's mission went off without a hitch."

"Yes, and the Master Ball prototype was the only reason it would be possible." Archer commented, looking over to the boy. "We have it because of you, of course. None of this would have been possible without your success in Celadon."

"Thank you, Commander."

"I should be thanking you. You have grown so much in just four meager years."

"I had the proper guidance."

"I am glad we could give it," Archer replied, looking back up to the comatose bird. "Ariana is nearly buried in projects right now. The cloning formula, the restraint system, and the final Master Ball model must be ready in time for the Crested Slumber. Thankfully, that second one is coming along faster than anticipated."

"In time for the mission at the S.S. Anne?" Silver's eyes did not leave the giant bird.

"Hopefully…" Archer trailed off for a moment, before his head turned to Silver. His neutral gaze carried a weight and air to it that few human beings could match. It was an aura worthy of one of the three most wanted human beings on the planet. The man who would spearhead the Indigo League's annihilation. "But you leave that to her. I know you have your upcoming mission on your mind, and you know she has everything handled well for now. No need to distract yourself, Silver."

It was a struggle to remove his eyes from the bird. A creature of such fabled power. "In that case, I will make my leave, with your permission." Final farewells were exchanged before Silver and Neptune left, making their way to the base's exit.

'Proper guidance.' Silver hated to reminisce. His anger and hope for vengeance had all been so aimless before the street gang he had joined had been assimilated by the Rockets. They had evolved into an ambition, which he clung to with full commitment. The only positive from his life from before had been his old friend. Even the memory of his mother was tainted by the dying, sickly expression that had undeservingly defined her face.

A fate that had gone ignored and unpunished. What he now fought for was far bigger than just that, but it was still a self contained part forever burned into him. Not replaced, simply expanded. He was grateful for learning to channel all of it properly, for how the Rockets had taken him in and inspired him. Commander Archer was as life changing a man as he was eye opening, and Executive Proton had mentored him personally, hepling him to achieve the status that he now held.

The personal quest the young executive had carried with him from the moment he had stolen from the lab half a decade ago, was still just as committed, but it wasn't just that. That was what he had needed to learn - the full scope. The League itself would fall as well, and Operation Origin would grant them the power to finally bring it about.

Team Rocket were the underdogs. Outnumbered and outgunned against an unstoppable force that was also an immovable object, but not permanently.

The unwanted thought of his mother made him think of Damian. His concern for the boy had increased tenfold when learning the news of his parents. He feared he may remind him of his old self more than he already did. And that unwanted thought produced more unwanted thoughts still, the memory of what he had allowed to almost happen to him, if not for Neptune. The fearful part of him worried that there would only be so much he could do for the blue-haired kid, but the more the memories came back, the more he was reminded of its importance.

If there was one thing a mission as daunting as Team Rocket's were to teach you, it was that the dire stuff would never be easy. That was what made it dire.

"We're late getting back," Neptune leaned down, allowing Silver to caress his massive jawline - the same jaws that were the bane of virtually any enemy. The humongous blue reptile was among Team Rocket's greatest killers, yet currently as docile as a domestic house pet. "Our mission awaits, my friend."

/

Grampa Canyon was probably just a few miles from the Pelsberry camp that had been set up around the main building near the Pokemon Center. The temperature had gone up to a noteworthy degree since arriving in the area, and Angelina had run out of water before even making it to the camp. She was grateful for the seemingly limitless supply of bottles - and the air conditioning. Without either she wondered what her chances of surviving were.

She had just gotten back from eating breakfast at the Center, sitting herself down on a couch in Pelsberry's lobby. Flaaffy and Poliwhirl were playing elsewhere in the room where she could see them. Against the blue-haired girl's better judgment, she took out her badge case, looking at her Rainbow and Cascade Badges a bit longer than intended before sighing and putting them away.

"Hey, what's with the frown, girl?" Angelina perked up at the familiar voice, and her mood brightened a bit as another girl sat down next to her. She was olive-skinned, with hazel eyes and a black, braided ponytail.

Brenda was the daughter of Russell, one of Pelsberry's managers and Shane's right hand man for the upcoming excavation project. She was only a year older than Angelina, who was delightfully surprised to find somebody her age. In the short time she had known the other girl, Angelina had found herself drawn to looking up to her. She was composed but inviting, always having her head high yet sweet in a calm sort of sense. She would spend a decent amount of time at the entrance to camp, greeting people and making them feel welcome right off the bat, as she had done for Angelina and her team not too long ago.

And to top it off, Brenda was gorgeous. Angelina had always been fairly confident in her own appearance, hardly a model but proud of the way she looked nonetheless, but spending time with Brenda was enough for even her to be given pause. She couldn't imagine a single boy in their age group turning their heads in any other direction when Russell's daughter was in the same room. It could have been a source of envy, but instead it mostly added to the sense of respect and admiration that she had for the girl.

"Hey, Brenda," Angelina greeted as Brenda took her seat on the couch. "Sorry, I was just thinking about my plans for after this, or lack thereof."

"Didn't you say you wanted a break from all that?" the other girl pointed out. "Because things have been going rough since you set out?"

"Yeah, I did," Angelina agreed, half reminding herself. "It's just harder to take my mind off of it than I thought."

"That makes sense," Brenda remarked, making herself comfortable. "Still, as far as I know, you're having a pretty typical rookie year experience. It's not as big of a deal as it seems."

'Not as big of a deal as it seems.' 'Typical rookie year experience.' Those were things that Angelina tried to remind herself of as well, yet still much easier to be said than done. Besides, what would Brenda think if she was stupid enough to tell her everything?

Before she could continue the conversation, both girls' attention was directed to the doorway. Angelina immediately recognized the large, brown-skinned man who came into the lobby, wearing a blonde ponytail and followed by a female Pachirisu. His name was Shawn, and he was one of the workers in charge of the actual digging that would be done during the excavation, and it hadn't taken long for him to be an additional source of anxiety for the young girl, as if she needed another.

Without ceremony, the intimidating man dropped a set of metallic equipment onto the floor, and Angelina almost gulped when his eyes found their way to her and Brenda. Impressively, Brenda did not seem as phased.

"You," it almost looked like he was glaring at her. "Can you bring your Poliwhirl over here? Decent chance some wild Pokemon took a leak on this shit."

"Uh-um…" Angelina lost her voice for a second. "You mean me?" she quickly regretted her dumb reply.

"Yes I mean you, the Poliwhirl's yours, isn't he?" he snapped back sharply. At his feet, Pachirisu looked up at him with a visible frown. "Do I look like I have all day!? I need this hosed off pronto."

"Take it easy, Shawn." Brenda stood up from her seat with her hands half raised. She shot Angelina an apologetic look before turning back to address the man. "We'll get it cleaned up for you, but I think you should take it outside before-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what are you doing?" A worker entered into the lobby after Shawn, his tone one of clear protest. "You can't bring that in here, it's soaked in urine!"

Shawn whirled around and snatched his (comparatively smaller) coworker by the collar. "Well who the hell left it there overnight, huh!? We've been here for how long, we should know where the local wildlife is using for a toilet by now!"

"It wasn't me I swear!"

Brenda wisely took a step back as the exchange continued, and Angelina managed a sigh, feeling the tension in her chest and stomach. Over in their spot, Flaaffy and Poliwhirl had paused their playtime to look over at the commotion. Looks could be deceiving, but Shawn wasn't: His intimidating posture and almost permanent scowl went hand in hand with his short temper.

"Is there a problem over here?"

Mild relief washed over the blue-haired girl at the new arrival, although it was accompanied by a different kind of tension. A tall girl with long brunette hair and a beautiful pair of blue eyes entered the room: It was Patricia Racewood, Shane's appointed head trainer for the excavation.

When Angelina had found out that one of Indigo's top trainers was on this project, her heart had nearly stopped. Even now, it was hard to look at the fifteen year old girl and the large, female Meganium flanking her without being starstruck. She felt blessed that she hadn't accidentally slipped up and stupidly asked for an autograph every time they spoke, even briefly. It was a weird thought, given how she lived in the same town as Samuel Oak himself, but it was different when the only thing she had seen of Patricia until now was on TV, wreaking havoc across tournaments with her Charizard and Gyarados and placing third in the last Indigo Conference (only losing to winner Will in a match that clearly could have gone either way).

Shawn did not share in the awe. "Tch, great, here comes the princess."

"Miss Racewood," the other worker quickly stepped in front of the irritable man. In most scenarios, an adult speaking to a teenager like they were the boss would feel ridiculous, but Patricia did outrank most of the people involved in the project and was a celebrity trainer, not to mention came from a very wealthy family that was close to Leader Erika - allegedly her Meganium had been a birthday gift from Celadon's Gym Leader as an Egg. "I'm sorry, we found this piece of equipment that needs to be cleaned up, we'll get it outside right away."

"I see…" Patricia's nose wrinkled as her eyes landed on Shawn. "Can we please go a day without you shouting? Russell tells me you've already had a couple of incidents before." Behind her, Meganium turned her head to Angelina and Brenda, waving to them with a vine and an easy smile. The sight made the younger girl's heart jump, but she did her best to return the gesture without too much delay.

"I don't need you lecturing me, silver spoon." It was a miracle Shawn had the guts to talk to her like that. Angelina didn't know if she should have felt offended or scared. "Have you heard from my brother yet? He was supposed to be here yesterday."

Patricia shook her head, her firm expression not flinching from Shawn's tone of voice. "No word, sorry."

"Figures," without much regard for the celebrity in front of him, Shawn's gloved hands reached down to lift up the equipment. "Little brat must have gone and gotten lost again. Miracle he doesn't go in circles on his way to the bathroom." with a huff, he hauled the equipment out the door. "Should have taken a damn cheat day." Pachirisu followed behind him, offering Patricia a quick apology, to which the girl considerately waved.

"Sorry about him," the worker apologized again. "He's got a headache, but we're good over here. I'll grab the hose." he quickly took off after Shawn, leaving Patricia to sigh to herself before giving Meganium a light frown.

"Never a dull moment," she commented before looking back at Angelina and Brenda. "Sorry you two had to see that, how is your morning holding up?"

"I-It's fine," Angelina managed through rose tinted cheeks. "Nice to see you, Patricia."

The older girl's smile was so easy for a trainer of her status. Looking at Brenda, she said "Shane's having me do one last run, so I might be gone for the next couple of days if the stuff isn't ready for me to pick up right away. Beth is coming with me, I just need to survey everything before taking off."

"Right…" Brenda nodded slowly. Understandably, she found Patricia a bit more intimidating than Shawn, not that she didn't handle it way better than Angelina did. "Good luck."

The anticipation passed through Angelina as she and Brenda watched Patricia and Meganium leave. 'One last run.' she repeated in her mind. It felt like she had been waiting forever, but pretty soon, she was actually going to be at Grampa Canyon. For a real excavation of Pokemon fossils! Brenda was right, stressing about badges and travels could come later. Right now, this was just what she needed.

It felt like she had been slightly more on edge ever since that thankfully avoided near run-in she almost had with Ash Ketchum at Fuchsia. She had no idea how he of all people had come all the way out here, although she had managed to remind herself that he had likely taken the easy route across the bridge like she did. No way he would have survived the dangerous road from the north, although it begged the question of what could have possibly given him the spine to come to Fuchsia City in the first place. It obviously wasn't to challenge Koga, it was far too early for that, assuming he'd ever have a shot against him…

The girl almost shook her head. Ash Ketchum. That was another subject she needed to keep her mind off of for now. She wasn't ready, and with some dread, she didn't know when she would be.

/

Breakfast was as quiet as an empty room. Sitting on a rock several miles east of Fuchsia City, Ash found that the food was replenishing very little of the energy that had been sucked out of him. He was beginning to wonder if the spring in his step coming out of the city on the previous day had been in his imagination. Today, it was a new day on the road and a new leg of their journey, with the general plans all mapped out for a healthy combination of traveling and training.

Waking up to the unignorable absence had taken the wind out of his sails.

Ash had almost looked around for Janine when he first got out of his tent, and the immediate reminder to himself just about a second later had left him silent and deflated. Now he sat down watching six Pokemon instead of twelve. Even simply eating felt like it took twice the time for him.

Conversation was not any more present amongst his team. Glaceon's absence was not the only one that was felt. Six more Pokemon were also unaccounted for, and the air surrounding the six present felt awkward even from where Ash was sitting. Silica seemed to feel it too, the mild tension tugging on her nerves and producing a small amount of sand for a brief moment. She had ventured closer to her trainer as a result, but would look up to see his empty expression more than a few times.

Empty…

Ash tried to think about his plans en route to Pelsberry's meeting camp. They would do their morning exercises, use his bike to cover a good amount of distance before lunch, and would likely mimic the pattern before settling down for dinner. Already, the landscape in the distance was beginning to turn rockier and less lush, and once they were in the Grampa Canyon area the temperature would unsurprisingly become less comfortable, so rationing the water was as important as ever. He wondered if he was likely to encounter many trainers on this side of Fuchsia. He wasn't sure if anyone not heading to the canyon as well would come out here or not…

…

…This was the kind of subject he would be discussing with Janine. Bouncing off the upcoming bullet points in their schedule. Today, he was pondering on his own.

He did his best to be his usual self when speaking to the team before training. He knew it would be hard to put up a true front when Valiant was there, but the lack of drive was something he needed to push through, even if it meant brute forcing it. Such a thing was easier said than done, and he wondered how stilted he sounded to everyone else.

Silica stayed by his side while the rest of the team did their exercises. Her attention was primarily trained on Tempest, who was finally going to be practicing Hammer Arm. He had seemingly inherited the devastating move as an egg move, but Ash had known that in order to truly try to learn it he would likely need to evolve first. The attack had more brute force behind it than anything else in his arsenal, at the cost of being slower and far more difficult to use. It wouldn't be the river crab's only project, however. With his evolution long since broken in, and his water control having received much practice from Surf and Counter Shield, Tempest would also be moving on to learning Hydro Pump, and Ash's heart did a flip just at the thought.

The idea that he was teaching a member of his team such a move felt unreal. Hydro Pump was effectively the poster child for truly powerful water type moves. Incredibly strong, but not to be used carelessly. It would require a lot of work just to properly produce the move, and even then just one blast would likely suck so much energy from Tempest's body with the amount of power it took to truly use it, but the time had come to start taking that step.

On a similar note, Nebula was going to be starting on a move that many enthusiasts associated with her species: Close Combat. A mad rush of furious blows with no defense apart from a good offense, it was almost similar to Reckless in an incidental manner, and could provide her with a much needed upgrade to her close quarters game.

And then there was Pikachu.

Silica was immune to electricity, so she should have had nothing to fear, but that didn't stop her brown face from paling as the mouse's body transformed into an electric missile. With exhilarating force, Ash's starter charged towards Tempest, who was ready to block the attempted Volt Tackle with Iron Defense. Pikachu's lightning cloaked body smashed into him, forcibly sending him sliding back from the collision. The moment he hit, however, the electricity dissipated almost all at once, leaving behind lingering sparks dancing across the ground surrounded them while Pikachu fell into a sitting position on the charred pavement in a daze.

The Hippopotas hung back as Ash quickly went over to check on him. "Hey buddy, are you okay?" Pikachu accepted his help, rising back to his hind legs, only to start stumbling after his trainer let go. He kept his balance long enough for Ash to catch him. "Time for a break."

Even with the electric type dazed, Ash could see Pikachu's dejected expression while carrying him back to his spot. Kneeling down, he gently rested the rodent's back against the rock. Silica kept a mild distance, approaching Pikachu just enough to give him a sniff before backing away a bit.

"That was a strong one," Ash complimented. He almost added "Glaceon would be impressed" but managed to stop himself. It was an insensitive thing to say. "I'm sure Tempest would agree, right big guy?" he looked over to the Kingler, who was massaging his stomach before nodding the affirmative.

Yet another high level move, and another egg move no less. Volt Tackle was a long time coming, but Pikachu was more determined than ever to finally break the ceiling that had been looming over his head. His usage of the move had gotten much stronger, but the power wasn't the main threshold he was struggling with. It was the compromises that came with the move. He wasn't knocking himself out anymore, but his body in its current state wasn't known for boasting durability.

Though he never said it to the mouse's face, Ash knew one particular motivator that had been on Pikachu's mind, and seemed to have intensified further since the group had departed from Fuchsia City. Glaceon may not have been here with them, but she was in Pikachu's head.

It was a shift Ash would not have seen coming back before Celadon. For a while after Eevee had first been caught, Pikachu seemed to be a source of jealousy for her. She had lagged behind the rest of the team, and although her outright ire had been exclusive to Nebula, the struggle to keep up with the electric type had been an insecure subject that had left her envious and with a chip on her shoulder. That had run its natural course, however, especially after she had caught up to him and stood side by side as his equal.

Now the roles were reversed. Eevee's evolution into Glaceon (which Pikachu himself had given up his own chances of evolving to let her achieve) had brought her far ahead of the very mouse that she had once been jealous of, and now he was the one struggling to keep up. But instead of being motivated by jealousy, Pikachu was enamored with his ice type teammate, and wanted to catch up in hopes of impressing her. Ash's talk with Valiant had made sense of a lot of things regarding his starter's current state of mind, an odd mixture of being distracted yet more motivated than ever.

And with Tempest and Nebula having evolved, and Phenom going through a growth spurt, Pikachu and Valiant were both rapidly running out of ways to stay in the game. The solution was two stones that eluded their trainer.

/

The day coasted by like a bike on training wheels. Despite his best efforts, Ash frequently found himself subconsciously on autopilot, and sooner than he realized, night had fallen. By now, the lush landscape from before had waved a silent goodbye, and with its departure Ash had realized a miscalculation that he had failed to consider: The area by Grampa Canyon resembled that of a desert, and although this inevitably meant hot days, it also meant cold nights. As far as he knew, it was due to a lack of humidity that made it more difficult to maintain heat. It was not a major problem at the moment, perhaps because they had not fully entered the area yet, or because the area itself was not a true desert, but the night brought a chill nonetheless. Thankfully, he was not unprepared.

Silica and Tempest appeared unbothered by the cooler than usual evening. Bedtime had arrived for the group, and the Hippopotas slept soundly, leaning comfortably against the Kingler, who did not reciprocate nor resist the contact. Elsewhere at camp (enough of a distance to respect Silica's boundaries), Nebula and Phenom had been provided with quilts. The Staraptor had worked the hardest out of everyone in the group (including Ash himself) to flex her newfound muscles and work on breaking in her evolution, and had also been the first to go to sleep.

Among the Pokemon, Pikachu and Valiant were the only ones still awake. From a mild distance, the mouse's eyes were fixed on the sleeping form of the large bird, who had become so powerful. Much more powerful than him.

Pikachu was overjoyed for her in the heat of the moment. She was a hard worker who had not had the easiest or smoothest of experiences in recent memory, the short-lived abduction from the Scarfists being a sore subject that everyone did their best to avoid discussing whenever not necessary. The mouse was hopeful that her evolution was a positive sign for things to come, as she had rightfully earned for herself.

He just wished that "hard work" could have been the answer to his problems too.

The latest on the list of major evolutions within the Pokemon family was a new reminder of the subject that loomed over his head without any need of reminders. The more Pikachu trained, and the harder he worked, the wider the gap seemed to become. His companions were performing (and even training) at a standard that he was increasingly incapable of replicating.

And now, the same Starly that had been with him through everything since days two and three. Even his best friend had left him behind.

He had no right to complain. Losers waited, and winners worked. His trainer, a boy who had closed the gap between himself and the challenges ahead had done so through hard work. Tempest had surged to the top of the roster with an evolution that he had earned by being debatably the hardest worker of them all, and Tyrunt's startling growth spurt (he was getting pretty big) was matched only by his own work ethic. Glaceon, who had once been greatly outclassed struggling to keep up with everybody else after first getting caught, had worked herself to the bone to close the gap, and rightfully deserved the Ice Stone that had propelled her ahead afterwards. Pikachu would be spitting in the face of all of that if he let himself get jealous.

He worked as hard as he could. Ran as fast as he could. Swung his tail with as much might as he could. Put everything that he had into Volt Tackle. But none of it seemed to make a difference. He wasn't even sure if he was improving all that much anymore. At his current level, the ceiling was stronger and thicker than ever, and likely, evolution was the only thing that could break it. And without a Thunder Stone…

It did not matter how much he worked to be a winner. In the end, he was forced to wait. And that made him feel like a loser.

Was this how Glaceon had felt as an Eevee, back when she had first joined the team? Pikachu had always thought that he understood the source of her frustrations from that time. She had been so far beneath the rest of them, and it was not an easy fix. Of course she was going to be upset. But maybe he had taken for granted how it must have felt. Did she feel this empty and deflated whenever she saw how strong the others were? Did it make her feel powerless?

But in the end, she had not been powerless. Eevee had overcome her jealousy and the gap separating her from her stronger companions, and she caught up to them without taking any shortcuts. She had saved Pikachu's life against Damian's Charmeleon, and was the winning Pokemon against Sabrina, defeating an Espeon. Much like Ash, her starting point did not define her. And then she had evolved, and become so mesmerizing. As strong as she was gorgeous, and it was so hard to focus on anything else when she was around.

She was not around now, though. It was a relief. Whenever she was nearby he always had the tugging urge to look at her, hopefully without her noticing. Being in her company was too nerve racking.

And yet, he did enjoy it. He wanted to be near her. To see her standing idle with her alluring, frosty aesthetic. But also how incredible she was when in action. But that only reminded him that he was nothing compared to her. It was like every move she made reminded him that he was not at her level. She had blown past him, and he was left chasing the dust she left behind with no signs of catching up.

From the corner of his eye, Pikachu saw Valiant approaching him. The Kirlia asked if he could sit here, and Pikachu quickly nodded. His psychic friend made himself comfortable in their spot, the tiredness in his eyes visible, before asking Pikachu if he was doing fine.

Pikachu felt his tail stiffen. It was hard to keep things Valiant - he wasn't a mind reader, but his ability to read emotions felt like the next best thing, as the mouse himself had recently found. No doubt, he could tell how nervous the electric type was. Or was nervous the right word? Stressed, anxious, something along those lines…

Whatever label one was to use, Pikachu realized that he was more comfortable sharing it specifically with Valiant. It was occasionally hard to remember, but the Kirlia was in the same position as him, regarding evolution. That helped the words roll off of his tongue as he explained what he was thinking to the young psychic, about falling behind and not being able to measure up to the rest of the team.

Valiant understood, although to Pikachu's mild envy, it did not seem to eat at him as much. "Envy", that was a word that had described Pikachu's feelings toward the young emotion Pokemon before. The psychic/fairy type's close relationship with Glaceon had left the electric type jealous and insecure at his chances of being noticed (not that he had been super confident in his chances in general), and although he had tried to keep it to himself, the emotion detecting Kirlia had eventually pieced things together, and assured Pikachu that he and Glaceon did not see each other that way. It had been a relief, but also brought mild guilt to the mouse for letting such things nearly get in the way - Valiant was his friend too, after all.

Valiant spoke up, saying that he wants to be strong enough to keep helping Ash in his goals. It had always been the source of his drive ever since they had rescued him. He gave Pikachu a sympathetic look, and abruptly, the mouse saw that his friend did have something on his mind. Something that he was willing to share with him if it meant him knowing he wasn't the only one struggling.

The Kirlia talked about his "fight" with Leader Koga's Haunter, and how painful it had been. He had managed to put on a mostly brave face regarding it, in hopes of lessening their trainers' guilt, but the incident still stuck with him. Not because it was Ash's fault, but because of how powerless he had been in the last Gym battle compared to the rest of the team. He never wanted to let Ash down like that again.

Pikachu's ears drooped. Maybe it was because he couldn't feel emotions, or maybe Valiant was just better at hiding them than he thought. The young psychic had always wore his heart on his sleeve until now. A part of him felt a sense of comfort knowing that the two of them could understand and confide in each other, although thinking along those lines did not help his guilt. He did not want to benefit over another friend's hardships.

Valiant spoke up again, and for whatever reason, this time he spoke telepathically, gently prodding inside of Pikachu's head. The mouse almost found the sensation soothing.

"Glaceon hasn't forgotten about you, you know. She still appreciates what you did in Lavender, and she's rooting for you."

Pikachu blushed, and his eyes moved along the camp before finding their way to Ash, who had distanced himself from the rest, although he had not bothered raising his tent, simply in his sleeping bag. He was the only one other than them who was still up.

Looking up at the starry sky, Ash was tired, yet his motivation to get to bed was low. Trying to think back on today, it almost felt as though he had wasted all of his energy on auto pilot. Everything felt off.

He had been wearing the clothes that Janine had bought for him back in Fuchsia City, and she was right: It did go really well with the new cap Caleb had given him in Lavender. The Charm of Maya still hung around his neck, beautiful as ever. He found himself looking at the jewel more than once before returning his gaze to the sky. Normally, he and Janine would be talking right about now, too. About what, it barely mattered. The spot next to him felt empty, like he had opened a box that was supposed to have something in it.

Still holding the charm in one hand, Ash reached up and touched his cheek. He thought about what Pokemon she could have caught at the Safari Zone. The possibilities were broad, especially with her talents. He wondered if she was thinking about him right now. Did she miss him? It felt like every activity he did these past couple of days, he imagined her and her team being there with them.

A surge of frustration coursed through him. Why did he keep thinking like this? It wasn't right, he was dwelling on it so much, when he should have been focused on what was going on. Not on…

He felt a small sting as his eyes began to water. "No." he said to himself quickly, his delivery of the word coming out choked and weak, trying to rub his eyes before the tears could come out. Rolling over on his side, he blinked multiple times. "What's wrong with me?"

His mind was full and unfocused, and his chest ached. It was a long time before he managed to doze off.

/

The vibe of the morning made Silica increasingly uncomfortable. She had not been around long enough to truly understand this group, but things did not feel right. Breakfast was awkward and stilted, and Ash seemed like he was on a different planet. Back in the village, she remembered the energy he gave off during training. An alien commitment that she had not been able to recognize. Now, it felt like he was gone. She could not place exactly what the difference was, but something was not there. That was what her instincts kept on telling her.

Phenom stood across from Tempest, baring his teeth in preparation while the large water type rubbed his pincers against the rocky ground. At Ash's feet, Silica observed with interest that he did his best to replicate. Sometimes it felt like he was not looking directly at his friends, or truly speaking to them. He resisted the urge to reach up and clap his hands against his cheeks, as though doing such a thing would sharpen his senses.

"Okay," he said. Looking over to their trainer, Phenom and Tempest could tell much more clearly than Silica that Ash wasn't in his best shape. His posture, the stilted sound of his voice, and his strained, uncommitted gaze. It was almost distracting. "Silica, I think we should get some more distance, just in case, since Phenom will be practicing Bulldoze." The hippo offered him a nervous nod before looking back to Tempest. His reciprocating eyes eased her just enough, and she took some steps back while Ash followed. "Alright Phenom, you go first. Start with a Scale Shot."

Readjusting himself, Phenom took a moment to gather his focus before locking onto Tempest, who was braced with anticipation. Opening his jaws, the Tyrunt fired a series of glowing dragon scales. All of that experience with Rock Blast had given him fair practice with rapid fire, "machine gun" styled moves, and as a result, even his early attempts with Scale Shot inspired confidence. Of course, Tempest's solution was par for the course. With his defenses as sharp and durable as ever, he used Iron Defense to block the attack, easily defending himself. That said more about him than it did about Phenom, however, and the dragon felt fairly satisfied with the strength behind his attack.

Ash nodded, trying to draw on his enthusiasm, which he was feeling. "Good, good." Although it could naturally use refining, the current form of Scale Shot was usable in battle. Rough around the edges but still packing a punch. "Okay buddy, time for Bulldoze. Get ready Tempest."

Phenom took a moment or two longer this time. After taking in a breath with closed eyes and tense muscles, his gaze narrowed in determination, and he began stamping his feet against the ground. Progressively faster, doing his best to both maintain - and increase - the force while still quickening his pace. He snarled with effort as he hammered away at the rocky ground, urging it to shake and produce the toppling shockwaves of Bulldoze.

Earthquake was a move far beyond Ash's reach; an almost taboo technique that even high level Pokemon could understandably struggle with. Bulldoze was a far more manageable variant of the move, lacking its infamy but still certainly useful provided it was used well. It had similar components of lesser power and scale, but he had seen the potential of the move on TV plenty of times. More manageable or not, however, it still required practice. Even if they could get it into a battle ready state, it would hardly be mastered. There was a sloppy and unrefined, raw attack, and there was the disciplined usage that surrendered no ferocity.

Right now, the Tyrunt's Bulldoze was neither battle ready nor disciplined. The bite sized quake shook the ground, but was hardly sustainable, nor were the shockwaves forceful enough to so much as make a durable sparring partner like Tempest even flinch. What's more, Phenom finally came to a stop more frustrated than tired, unable to keep the move going even long before he would have exhausted himself.

Ash suspected that if he could understand a Pokemon's language, Phenom would be cursing right about now, and Silica's uneasy shifting at his feet was hardly the only thing that gave that away. "Hey, hey, settle down, buddy. Practice makes perfect." It was the same song and dance: Taking training to the next gear, learning some new moves, and getting the hang of them to further expand their arsenals in battle. It was what they always did, what they had been doing for months, and what they would continue to do now.

What would Janine say? He tried to imagine the input that she would give, but all he got was a stinging in his chest.

"Okay Tempest, it's your turn now." As Ash talked, he felt like he was walking against a moving treadmill. "Try Hydro Pump. Phenom, get ready." Saying the words "Hydro Pump" still made him feel Butterfree in his stomach. 'We are actually learning Hydro Pump.'

Silica's tension increased. She was certainly in no danger of getting hit, but seeing Tempest fire the move - even the imperfect, hardly ready version of it that he currently produced - always made her nervous.

Now it was the Kingler's turn to take a breath. His Tyrunt sparring partner was on edge and alert while he banged his pincers together, trying to steady himself before taking aim. He concentrated, gathered his energy as much as he could. He could feel the power building up in him, still not nearly enough, but he would need to get as much of it out as he could.

When the surge of water was fired, it was more like his pincer had belched it out. There was a lot more of it than any other of his attacks, and yet it was broken apart, as unstable as a structure missing half of its foundation, and splattered everywhere. Even if it had come out properly, it hardly would have been the incredible blast of water one thought of when thinking "Hydro Pump".

The execution had improved from the previous attempts, however. More of the blast reached Phenom before falling apart, striking him with compromised force that he shook off. Even when knowing that the attack was coming, a startled Silica still involuntarily performed a tiny hop when the water came out of the pincer, soaking the ground between her two teammates.

"Hey!"

The voice was foreign, and now it was everyone else's turn to be startled. The rest of the group were quickly attentive as three new figures came into the area:

One was a weirdly dressed man who's… uniform? Was a mishmash of black, brown and gray colors. His hair was a dirty blonde, almost green, tied back into a thin, decently long ponytail. Based on his waving arm, it seemed like he was the one who had called out, although that would have been obvious regardless, as his human companion was far too young to have produced the same, clearly adult voice.

The second figure, following behind the man, was a brown-skinned boy with a buzzcut of crimson red hair. Next to him was a Heracross, who looked between Ash's gathering Pokemon with a curious expression.

Silica was backing away, both from the abrupt newcomers, and also the rest of the team grouping up near their trainer. Pikachu climbed onto his shoulder, and almost on instinct, Ash looked over to Tempest, who's eyes were predictably fixed on Heracross. The boy knew that challenging expression anywhere. "No, Tempest. At ease." He couldn't fully blame the grumble that he got in response - having not met anyone else on the road so far, the group had not had any proper battles since their showdown with Janine. But you couldn't assume that every single person you met on the road was in the mood for a fight.

Nonetheless, the sight of two humans returned some of the life to his eyes.

The strangely dressed man seemed unfazed by the attention, even as his younger companion and the Heracross held back. "Sorry to interrupt your training session, we weren't expecting to see anybody out here. Not until we reached the camp, anyway."

The mention of a camp jumped out at Ash. "Wait… are you talking about Pelsberry, by any chance?"

The boy offered his somewhat awkward input. "Uh, yeah. We were heading there to take part in the Grampa Canyon excavation. It's been a couple of days since we ran into anybody."

Ash's stomach tugged on itself. "Oh wow, we were actually heading there too. It's probably only a day or two away at this point."

"Is that so!?" Ash wasn't sure what to make of the strange man's excitement. It seemed so exaggerated, but he couldn't tell if it was intentional or not. "Well that explains what you're doing all the way out here! No sense prolonging the introductions then." he rapped his fist against his chest. "I am Dennis, treasure hunting extraordinaire and expert in all things buried! My mission is to unravel the secrets that live underneath our world."

Ash tried his best not to appear too bewildered before Valiant's voice projected itself into his mind.

"Ash, this guy is giving me the creeps, but I don't think he's malicious."

'So he's just weird.' is what Ash wanted to say. It was like this Dennis person thought he was auditioning for a play. Or worse, was an actual character who came out of the pages of the script. Looking over to the boy standing next to the dirty blonde man, his younger companion was not doing a very good job of hiding his clear discomfort, and Heracross didn't seem much better. As their eyes met, the red-haired boy's gaze turned apologetic.

"So…" he spoke up carefully, as though wishing he could be anywhere else. "We're going the same way, then?"

Ash nodded. "Yeah…" with some thought, he turned to the rest of his team. "Take a break, everybody."

/

"Sorry about Dennis," the other boy's shoulders sagged. "I'd say you get used to it, but it's been five days, and…"

He had let out two more Pokemon: A Phanpy and a Vulpix, who found their own space with Heracross. Nebula had been the one to break the ice, approaching them with Pikachu following behind her. Valiant and Phenom stayed closer to Ash, although the former's eyes were more focused on Dennis, who had wandered off to do his own thing, releasing a Sandslash. Silica had completely withdrawn from everyone else, Tempest generously choosing to keep her company, although Ash was prepared to recall her entirely to spare her the discomfort.

"So this isn't just an act?" He tried not to sound too judgmental when he said that, but it was hard to imagine any real person behaving the way Dennis introduced himself without irony. Although thinking along those lines reminded Ash of the Bug Catcher gang from Viridian Forest…

Suppressing a sigh, the other boy shook his head. "Nope, this is pretty normal. But anyway," he offered his hand. "I'm Jaden, second year. From Olivine City."

It felt good shaking another person's hand, especially someone in his own age group. "I'm Ash, a first year from Pallet Town."

"Nice to meet you," Jaden eased up. "So, you're into fossils?"

"I wouldn't say into them," Ash briefly glanced over at Pikachu and Nebula, who seemed to be starting a decent conversation with Jason's team. "I was sort of given the idea to come out here, for the money and experience."

"That's cool," Jaden nodded. "I've loved the prehistoric era since I was a kid. My older brother managed to get me a spot, although he might be mad that I'm running late. Speaking of which…"

Ash finally realized that Jaden's eyes had been going back and forth from Phenom, and the Tyrunt seemed to realize it too. "Oh, this is Phenom."

Jaden looked like he was staring at something incomprehensible. "A Tyrunt, right…?" The dragon lifted his chin a bit before nodding. "How did you…"

"An egg," Ash answered. "I got his egg as a gift from a Breeder. That's actually a big part of why I need the money, I'm in, uh…" he blushed. "Pretty steep debt."

"Whoa…"Jaden's eyes shone with amazement as he leaned in a bit, as if to get a closer look at Phenom. "They must have been a really good Breeder to get their hands on a Tyrunt egg."

Ash decided not to mention Elacia's name. "Yeah, probably. Anyway I really want to be able to pay her off next time I finally see her."

"Well Pelsberry is offering good money to trainer's who volunteer, you're right about that." Jaden commented. "Did you know they hired Patricia Racewood to be the lead trainer on the project?"

Ash's gaze turned sheepish. "She's actually the one who suggested I come along. We met by chance."

"Awesome," Jaden turned to look at Dennis, who was feeding some treats to his Sandslash. "It's nice to have some extra company. Traveling with Dennis has been a bit… well, taxing, to be honest." a tiny shade of pink appeared on his cheeks. "Although I don't feel like I have a right to complain; I kind of got lost before I ran into him. He's been leading the way here. Listening to him regaling all of his "treasure hunting" business is a decent trade off, I guess."

"I see…" looking over to Dennis, Ash felt like a stick was prodding at his mind, almost like deja vu. But where was it coming from?

"Something wrong?" Ash didn't realize how weird his expression must have looked until Jaden spoke up.

"Oh, sorry," he said. Having not been able to place his suspicion, he turned back to the other boy. "So, do you know what Dennis does exactly?"

"According to him? A lot of digging and collecting. He says he goes to the mountains and stuff and just… finds things, I guess. Rare items like evolution stones and other valuables. He seems to know a lot about them, so it's not just empty talk. He even showed me some of the stuff he has on him right now."

"Evolution stones…" Ash repeated to himself out loud. It was ringing some kind of bell, but why…?

…

"He had not just quite a few Evolution stones on him, but a bunch of valuable materials that can be acquired through mining. A bit too energetically proud of himself if you ask me, but the collection was certainly something."

The lightbulb finally went off in his head. "Wait a minute, I…" His eyes widened.

"You okay?" he wasn't sure if Jaden seemed curious or concerned.

Ash thought back to his meeting with Misty back in Saffron City. A weird guy obsessed with stones and treasures who also had his sights set on Grampa Canyon…

…Could this guy be the same person Misty had made that ludicrous bet with?

/

"Oh yes, I remember that quite well." Dennis confirmed.

The three sat at a foldout table, with Sandslash at her "trainer's" side (Dennis claimed that he was not a dedicated trainer) and Heracross and Phanpy (the former male and the latter female, apparently) with Jaden. Vulpix (a male) seemed to have taken a shine to Pikachu and Nebula, eating a snack with the Staraptor while the mouse joined Ash and Valiant at the table. Elsewhere at the camp, Ash had recalled Silica to give her a break from the unexpected company, and Tempest and Phenom resumed their sparring together.

"She was quite the fiery handful," Dennis continued. "And she seemed to appreciate how valuable these stones are, agreed to the bet wholeheartedly. I had to part with both my Water Stones after she won our battle. A friend of yours, I'm assuming?"

"Yes," Ash nodded. Mentioning Misty now, he wondered how she was doing. "She told me about a guy who fits your description, so I was wondering if it was you."

Dennis' smile was a little bit too proud for Ash's tastes. It almost reminded him of Gary, but then again, so did Misty at times. "I see. So then," as his eyes scanned Pikachu and Valiant, Ash suspected the man was picking up on his intentions. "You're wondering if you could make a deal with me to evolve these two, correct, boy?"

"Ash," he quickly reminded on instinct. "And yes, both of them want to evolve. And sorry, but I can't wager all of my money like she did." Regardless of Dennis' claims, Ash didn't know how strong he was. Just that Misty had beaten him in a battle where she had a lot more to lose than he did, and he might not have used his strongest Pokemon. He wasn't unconfident in his chances of winning, but if one thing went wrong, it wouldn't be worth the risk.

Looking at Pikachu and Valiant, who gripped the table at either side of him, Ash knew how hopeful both of them must have been feeling, even if they managed to not show it outwardly too much. They needed this.

"Fair enough," Dennis seemed a bit more lucid compared to his earlier theatrics. "So if not a wager, do you have money to make a purchase?"

"No," Ash admitted. "Not enough, but I was hoping to trade." he resisted the urge to wrinkle his nose. Unfortunately, there was probably no way he would be able to get both stones at once, even if Dennis took him up on his offer. That meant that they would have to make another choice, just like they did in Lavender. Whoever was generous enough to step aside would be more left out than ever. And unfortunately, he had a feeling that both Pikachu and Valiant were selfless enough to make that sacrifice. It did not help his guilt.

"Hmmm," Dennis' eyes fell on Pikachu for a moment before returning to Ash. "Well unfortunately, I'm afraid I do not have a Thunder Stone at the moment."

The mouse's ears dropped, and Ash did not need to be Valiant to feel his heart shattering. The guilt on the Kirlia's face was almost immediate. It made things easier on the bright side, if there was only one option anyway, but…

"I'm sorry, buddy…" he rubbed his starter's back. "I promise everything is gonna be okay." Pikachu tried to take in a breath without sighing, and across from them Jaden offered a sympathetic look. Almost reluctantly, Ash looked back at Dennis. "And… the Dawn Stone?"

The dirty blonde haired man raised his index finger, signaling that he needed a moment. Leaning down, he shuffled through his rather large backpack before pulling out a small, glass case to place on the table. A Dawn Stone was inside the case, complete with the glow it naturally gave off.

The Dawn Stone was like a magnet for Valiant's eyes, which shone with a nearly trance-like focus as he stared at the object that could turn him into a Gallade. The one that could shatter his ceilings and never look back. After a moment however, he blinked, and looked at Pikachu, conflicted guilt in his eyes. The electric type bit his lip, but after another moment closed his eyes and shook his head. He wouldn't be getting a Thunder Stone anyway, so there was no sense holding his friend back.

Whether he liked it or not, he would have to be the weak link.

Valiant could feel his teammate's pain, and it churned his stomach, yet looking back at the Dawn Stone reignited the almost gravitational pull that the object had.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Dennis said. "Nothing quite like these, if you ask me. So, what were you looking to trade me?"

Ash snapped out of it, but kept his gaze on the Dawn Stone for a moment longer before pulling his own glass case out of his backpack. It contained the Ice Stone that he had purchased in Lavender Town. Setting it down next to the Dawn Stone, the difference was pretty clear, as the Ice Stone was still used up, with no glow or energy to give off.

"Hmmm…" Dennis leaned forward to observe the stone more closely. "I'm assuming you already used this?"

"Yes, on my Eevee." Ash nodded. "But I was told it would recharge eventually. It hasn't shown any signs yet."

"Yes, they typically do," the treasure hunter confirmed. "You won't mind if I examine it?"

"Go ahead." Ash nodded.

Opening the case, Dennis reached in with his gloved hand and pulled out the stone, which was easy and safe to handle given that it had been deprived of its energy. Pulling out an unrecognizable device that seemed like a futuristic sort of magnifying glass, he appeared to completely shut out the world around him while looking over the stone.

Everyone did their best to be quiet (and patient) while Dennis did his examination, turning the stone over and looking at it from multiple angles with uncompromised focus. Ash felt his palms itching while watching him - this was a man who clearly took this very seriously, and although he hardly blamed him for that, it made the experience rather nerve racking.

After several minutes, Dennis put the device away and placed the Ice Stone back in its case. With a bit of a sigh, he looked back at Ash. "Sorry, but I'm afraid this stone alone won't be enough."

Ash's heart sank. "But… why?"

The man gently placed his hand on the casing. "It's not durable enough."

"Durable…?" Ash's brow furrowed in confusion. "What does that mean?"

"Well you see, here's what you need to understand about me." Dennis pressed his knuckles against his chest. "I am a genius, when it comes to this stuff. Years of exploring and studying has made me an expert in how items such as evolutionary stones function, where they could be found, and so on. So you can count on me to be as reliable a source as you can ask for. And over the course of my years of building expertise, I've also gotten very good at examining and observing these stones. Things about them that somebody like you wouldn't be able to see."

"Such as?" Ash felt his nose wrinkle in irritation.

"Well," Dennis started. "As you already know, evolution stones use up all of their energy when used to evolve a Pokemon. It can take a varying amount of time for that energy to recharge, and indeed, these stones do have regenerative properties, but not all are created equal. Some take longer to recharge, and others could be used less before they stop recharging entirely, often a combination of both. None of them are infinite, they'll be exhausted eventually, and when they are, they won't be much more than a pretty rock. Evolution stones as we know them are just offshoots of their energy sources, like the Moss Rocks for Leaf Stones, or more importantly, the Moon Stone. If you need me to dumb it down, think of them as batteries. Your battery is weaker than mine, so it's not worth as much."

"Because it was already used?" Ash asked. He hoped he sounded more curious than desperate.

"Yes and no," Dennis responded. "As I said, they aren't all created equal. A more durable stone than yours could go through a single usage without showing as much decay. Unfortunately, according to my observations, your stone has already used up a pretty good portion of its lifespan, and its next usage has a good chance of exhausting even more than the first, now that it's already starting to show its inner cracks. Whether or not its next usage will be its last isn't entirely clear, but as a collector, not a trainer, our two stones are simply not of equal value to me, so my answer is no."

Ash could feel his tense muscles release in defeat. He managed to look at Valiant, patting his friend's head. "I'm sorry, we'll think of something else."

"I understand." Valiant's voice projected.

'Of course he does.' Ash thought to himself. His psychic friend was as unselfish as ever.

Near Dennis, Jaden seemed like he was trying to wrap his head around the miniature lecture that they had been given. "I… didn't realize it was that complicated." he admitted.

"It makes sense that you wouldn't," Dennis' voice was shamelessly unchanging. "Neither of you are a gifted expert like me, so it's not your fault you wouldn't understand the details. Most trainers just see these beautiful things as items to use, but as a genius of the field, I simply have a superior comprehension of them. Nothing to be ashamed of."

Blushing a bit, Jaden sent Ash an uncomfortable look, mouthing an apology before turning to Dennis. "What if Ash gave you the Ice Stone and some money? Could you give him a discount?"

"In theory, I could." Dennis confirmed before scanning Ash's expression. "But that depends on how much money."

"I probably don't have enough," Ash admitted. He had spent a lot on preparing for the trip before leaving Fuchsia City. "This is all I have to bank on."

"Or," Dennis offered. The boy tensed again as the man's eyes landed on the Charm of Maya. "Instead of the Ice Stone, that necklace you're wearing is probably worth-"

On reflex, Ash gripped the charm. "Never." he caught himself after realizing the tone he had spoken in, and loosened his grip. "Sorry, it's just personal."

"Then I won't ask again," Dennis promised. "If it will improve your mood, it looks like your Ice Stone will begin recharging shortly, if you ever need to use it again. Or if you sell it to another trainer, they would probably be happy to buy it if they needed it right away and it was ready for use."

'Doesn't really help me right now, though.' Ash thought to himself, trying not to look too dejected. With Glaceon evolved, and Pikachu and Valiant not, an Ice Stone wasn't what they needed, and neither was the money they would receive from one.

"I promise I am not trying to con you," Dennis said. Whether or not Ash was doing a good job of visibly hiding it, his dejection wasn't likely to be a secret. "If your Ice Stone was worth the trade I would have no reason to turn you down. Pelsberry may have their eyes on Grampa Canyon for the fossils that have been discovered there, but anywhere in the vicinity of Evolution Mountain shouldn't be ruled out, especially since they could be unearthed in unexpected places. And you get your hands on anything else during the excavation project, or are willing to dip into the paycheck they'll be given you, I'd be more than ready to revisit our deal." he pushed the case with the Ice Stone back towards Ash. "But right now, you don't have anything I want."

"Right," Ash avoided a sigh. "I get it."

And unfortunately, he did. Regardless of his attitude, Dennis was the expert.

/

The rest of the day was spent traveling, and this time they were not alone. Given that they were all headed in the same direction, Dennis and Jaden tagged along for the trip, the former with a spring in his step. With Pikachu on his shoulder, Ash allowed him to take the lead, lagging behind to walk side by side with Jaden.

Ash had been almost too quick to accept the offer to travel together, almost like the idea was as much of a magnet to him as the Dawn Stone had been to Valiant - except this one was in his reach. The chance to walk down the road with another human again had reached out and grabbed him, and he had almost compulsively tried to start a conversation with the boy - only a year older than he was.

It didn't take long for him to enjoy the company. Jaden was easy to talk to. Open and inviting, just another kid like he was. They spent most of the stretch talking about each other's teams and current training. Ash didn't rub in the boy's astonished reaction when he had told him how many badges he had, and who he had won his latest badge from, but he had to admit that it had felt good. Jaden hardly seemed judgmental or condescending, so it wasn't like Ash had anything to prove to him, but the reminder of what he and his friends had managed to achieve so far was still uplifting.

Heracross was Jaden's starter Pokemon, whom he had received through his mother's personal connections to a bug breeder. Phanpy and Vulpix were both newer recruits that he had caught this Season, and currently on hand he also had a Sudowoodo (female), Pidgeotto (male), and Cacnea (female), although Ash didn't meet the latter three until camp was set up that night. The more they talked, the more it felt like they were latching onto each other, even over the course of just one day.

With dinner winding down, Dennis found a secluded spot to read a magazine, which seemed to relieve Jaden.

Sighing a bit, the red-haired boy turned to Ash with a grin. "I'm glad we ran into you. It's nice to be around someone… well, normal."

"You're the first people we've met since leaving Fuchsia City." Ash confirmed, looking off in the direction Dennis had gone too. "It's nice to share camp with someone again."

'Again…' his mind repeated.

Looking back at the brown-skinned boy, Ash followed where Jaden's eyes were, and saw that he was glancing at Silica. The young hippo was keeping her distance even a bit more than usual, and seemed reluctant to part her gaze from him, especially when he was looking at her.

"Don't take it personally," Ash chimed in, catching Jaden's attention. "She's not good with strangers. Even most of my team, actually. It's… complicated, but as long as you don't push her boundaries she'll be fine. Speaking of which…" quickly, he shuffled through his backpack before handing a banana to Valiant. "Here, it's your turn to give it to her." Taking the yellow fruit, the Kirlia slowly made his way to the ground type while the two trainers watched.

Jaden looked like he wanted to ask a question, but seemingly hung back. Instead, he said "So, you mentioned you had an Eevee, or Glaceon now because of the Ice Stone?"

"Yeah…" the thought didn't ease the aching feeling, but Ash still managed to smile. "She's on vacation. This is actually my first time having to travel without a member of my team, after catching Silica. It's taken… getting used to."

"It definitely felt wrong the first time I had to do it," Jaden agreed. "I guess I got used to it because I had too."

"Well, I suppose it's just more motivation to get eight badges," Ash said, watching Silica accept the banana Valiant offered her. "Then the limit will be nine."

"Heh, yeah…" Jaden averted his gaze for a moment with an uneasy smile. "I can't believe you already have… five badges. And one from Koga? This time last year I was nowhere close."

Ash scratched the back of his neck. "It wasn't nearly as easy as it might sound to you, trust me. Heck, it honestly didn't even feel all that quick, at least for me."

"Well it's really amazing from where I'm sitting," Jaden assured. His smile turned somewhat sad. "I… didn't make the Conference last Season. Most rookies don't, but I'm planning on fixing that this year. My second go has felt a lot better already. You must be taking things way more seriously than I did."

"I want to be a Master." Ash answered. At his age it was a pretty bold thing to claim as a goal, but he said it with no embarrassment.

Jaden blinked. "You mean… you're not just saying that?" Ash couldn't blame him for questioning it. How many kids grew up saying that they wanted to be some grandiose thing before eventually coming back down to Earth? There was a reason why being a true Master was a rarely serious goal; it was a defiance of what was "supposed" to be possible in the training world, even for top level trainers competing in the Conference finals.

But he said it easily. "That's where my heart is."

"But you never had a dream, did you? Not a real one." The dressing down Gary had given him back in Benver's Lodging had not left him. Maybe back in the day, Ash really did just pursue his goal as the childish fantasy that it was. But he was determined to make it into something more, and after everything that had happened to Fuchsia, he had reason to believe he was off to a good start.

Jaden stared at him a bit before giggling through his nose. "Well if you really are serious, then it explains a lot." he offered. "I'm planning on enjoying a few solid years as a trainer before moving on. Have that experience, y'know?"

Ash nodded. It was the most common path for a trainer to take. Not everyone became an Ace Trainer or a Gym Leader, or a pro League star like Patrica Racewood and Tanner Redgate, and not everyone aimed to. Often, a trainer's journey was treated as a coming of age ritual to discover themselves. "So what do you want to do after that?"

"Go to school and become a researcher," he answered with just as much confidence as Ash had. "I want to study fossils and prehistoric Pokemon. Oreburgh University has the most prestigious program in the world for it. Graduating from there is my dream."

Ash inwardly whistled. That was another thing: being a Master was hardly the only fantastical dream one could have for themselves. There was a lot more to the world (even Pokemon alone) than just battling, after all. Oreburgh in the Sinnoh Region was just about the pinnacle of the prehistoric Pokemon field. It was where fossil restoration technology was made a reality, with the greatest collection of minds within the field working there. And of course, the same could be said for the city's University, into which all of that talent and expertise bled to cultivate the next generation.

"That's a great dream to have," he approved. "It's a really hard school to get into."

"Yeah, you're right." Jaden agreed. "That's why I need some good stuff to put on the application. What better starting point than here? I'm planning on recording this whole experience in my journal. I'm really lucky and grateful that they're letting me in."

Hearing that made Ash remember something. "You said your brother worked for Pelsberry?"

"Yeah," Jaden scratched his hair. "He's doing me a big favor. He's a leading member of the excavation team, so he can pull a string or two, within reason. His superiors approved after he showed them my essay on fossil Pokemon from last year."

"For the Qualification Exam?" Ash asked. Angelina had done hers on the same subject, as far as he knew. But the less he thought about her and the rest of Gary's clique the better.

"Right," the other boy answered. "I owe him one for that. Not sure if they'd let some nobody trainer join in otherwise -" he stopped himself, face turning red. "Not that I think you're a nobody or anything. I mean if they see your badges I'm sure they'd be convinced. Plus I'm sure they'd listen to Patricia's input. I'm just going by what my brother says about Mr. Shane and all, but you should be good to go."

They talked for a little bit longer before preparing to turn in. As Ash laid down in his sleeping bag and relaxed, he found his mind wandering again, and it quickly became clear that this could be another uneasy night.

Despite having a relatively good day (bar the inability to acquire the Dawn Stone), he still felt that familiar ache inside of him. It was sometimes just in the back of his mind, and further encouraged him to keep talking with Jaden, about whatever was on their mind along the way. He really did find himself liking the newcomer.

But he wasn't Janine.

/

Glaceon did not realize it at first, but she had awoken later in the morning than she had in a long time.

Her time at the Oak Corral up to this point had been spent exploring the grassy and snowy areas, taking it easy for the most part. It had occurred to her, however, that she may have been taking things a small bit too easy. It wasn't like she had neglected her training entirely, but she could definitely stand to do more than she had been. Ash had called this a "vacation" of sorts, but they both knew that a healthy balance needed to be struck.

So after eating her breakfast, she took matters into her paws and resumed training. She started off rather light at first, giving the food a chance to settle, but later on she was galloping through the snowy section of the Corral, testing her speed with Trailblaze.

Being in a wintry environment was a subtle yet noticeable sensation. She wondered if this was how water types felt to be in bodies of water, or even fire types in a volcanic area. The air felt fresher than ever, and the atmosphere surrounding her was empowering and inviting. She was not sure if it actually made her stronger, or if it was all in her head, but it was a feeling that she embraced. The scenery was to die for as well; white hills covered with gorgeous snow, the green trees decorated like the most beautiful and delicious of frosting. Even the footprints she left behind in the wake of her running practice had some flavor of satisfaction to them whenever she looked back.

Up ahead, the land elevated to overlook another beautiful view: A large lake of ice cold water. Picking up speed, Glaceon launched herself off of the ledge and dived for it, plunging into the water and being overtaken by the gleeful satisfaction of the frigid liquid surrounding her from every direction. As her head surface, she paddled along the water, adjusting to the new environment before swimming at a good rate. Jumping into the lake had not been her plan from the start, but the urge had come over her in a split second decision. Swimming was a fun distraction, but it was also great exercise, so she was content to know that she could play around without truly slacking off.

She didn't stay in for too long, however, climbing out of the lake and shaking the water out of her fur, sending tiny crystals scattering in every direction.

"There you are! Did I come at a bad time?"

The ice type's ears perked up, and she quickly turned to the side to see a woman approaching her from the near distance. Squinting a bit, she could not immediately identify the newcomer, who was bundled up nice and snuggly for the winter climate, but soon realized with some surprise (as she came closer) that this was Ash's mother.

/

"Here," Delia's breath was visible as she laid the bowl in front of her son's partner. "Brought some treats for you."

It was not her first time in this part of the Oak Corral, although it was a section that she rarely visited. The winter did not appeal to her as an adult the same way that it once had when she was a child. But as long as she was dressed accordingly, boots and all, some cold air and snow was hardly a big price for paying her son's Pokemon a visit.

As Glaceon gratefully dug into the snack (or lunch, at this point in time, Delia realized that she was probably spoiling the girl) the woman sat down and watched her eat in brief silence, and fond glint developing in her eyes the longer she looked at the ice type. She had never seen a member of Ash's team in person before, aside from Pichu when they had first left town. "You look so much more beautiful up close, you know."

Lifting her head, Glaceon offered Delia a trusting smile and a friendly bark. Her head lowered just enough to welcome the woman's gloved hand, leaning into her touch a little bit as she petted her.

"Ash told me about your battle with Leader Koga back in Fuchsia," Delia brought up. It was clear from the way he looked and talked that the match had been an… experience, but he had also seemed so proud and fulfilled. So unlike the look in his eyes that she had known for years… "You guys have taken care of him so much, and I know it's sudden but, well…" with a sigh, she put her hand to her chest. "I just want you to know that I'm really grateful, more than I could ever say." Every day she saw how much her son had changed was among the best moments of her life. All of the bullying and bullshit that he had dealt with from Gary and the likes of Mark and Angelina, but it seemed like Ash was finally healing, and that the results were showing.

His team was at the center of all of that.

Glaceon took a break from the food to brush against the woman's leg. On some levels, Delia Ketchum was barely more than a stranger to her, but with all of the gushing that her trainer had done about his mother, maybe that was why seeing her in person triggered a sense of attachment. Delia smiled sweetly as Glaceon snuggled her, not minding the cold sensation against her leg as she reached down to rub her frosty back.

"So," after a few more pleasant moments, Delia pulled back. "I brought a few pictures, if you want to know what your trainer looked like as a baby." a barely suppressed giggle escaped through the cracks of her voice. "Or with sauce on his face." The ice type's lips elevated mischievously.

That day, both Delia and Glaceon's families became a little bit bigger.

/

Pikachu hung onto Nebula's back as she carried him through the air, far above the heads of Ash and their new companions. According to estimations, they should be reaching the camp not too long after lunch; the group had enjoyed a light meal before committing to the final stretch of travel. As they often did, Ash's first two teammates had taken to the skies to scope out the path from a distance.

Taking in the great view of the land beneath them was somewhat helpful in clearing the young mouse's head. It bordered on privacy, as peaceful as ever, although he found himself conscious to her back being bigger than it used to be.

As Nebula achieved her usual height, her electric type passenger peered out to the horizons ahead of them before relaxing into her feathers. Carrying Pikachu was easier than ever for her; her oldest friend was as light as a literal feather with all of her newfound strength. It had required work and practice to carry him as a Starly (enough to where it was actually worthwhile exercise for strength training), but quickly became second nature as a Staravia. Now, as a Staraptor, it was hardly even nature at all. Once Pikachu evolved himself, that may change (although she was certain she could handle the weight of a Raichu after having time to adjust), but for now, it required quite literally no effort for her.

She always appreciated the opportunity to stretch her wings while simultaneously giving herself and Pikachu a chance to talk. He had been progressively quieter as of late, however, and after several minutes of flight, she was prepared to ask him if something was wrong when her train of thought was interrupted by a sudden squeal.

Lifting himself up a little bit (but still making sure to keep a good grip on his friend), Pikachu pointed diagonally, calling for her to look. Turning her head, Nebula squinted for a moment before her eyes lit up in recognition: The camp was visible from here, and the sight fo the Pokemon Center was as familiar as ever. She quickly raised her voice to alert Ash's attention from the ground, when something else caught her eye: Something in the sky, flying in their direction.

Ash looked up to see what the commotion was about, when the approaching creature quickly stole his attention as well. He almost jumped back in alarm: It was a huge, black lizard, carrying something in his claws, and two figures on his back. Next to him, Jaden mirrored the reaction. "Whoa, what the-"

"Hello, down here!"

The voice was friendly, and somewhat familiar. The humongous lizard towered over Nebula's form as he stopped in front of her, but did not show hostility. On her back, she could feel the sparks from Pikachu's cheeks brushing against her, but they went away as the duo managed to take in who the lizard was carrying. As the newcomers descended, the Staraptor exchanged nods with the electric type before slowly following them down.

As the lizard approached them, Ash's surprise turned to astonishment, and soon astonished recognition: This black lizard was a Charizard. A rare breed of a different color, classified as a "Shiny" among researchers. The Charizard line were among the most rare shinies, yet they were easy to recognize due to a certain trainer who had received one as her starter.

It was to stop the air from locking in his throat as the Shiny Charizard approached. Charizard were always a special sight to behold (Professor Oak's Charizard, despite his age, had quickly taught Ash that as a kid), and this one was not only massive, but also gave off an almost immediate vibe of disciplined, regal ferocity - the same that he had always conveyed when Ash saw him battling on television, most recently at the previous Indigo Conference. In his claws was a large container, but Ash's main focus was on the two girls riding the beast.

Patricia was in the front, waving down to the group while her starter approached the ground. Holding onto her waist was a red-haired girl, thirteen years of age, who Ash recognized a few moments after Charizard landed: Beth, one of the trainers he and Janine had met at Benver's Lodging.

Almost involuntarily, Valiant and Heracross backed up fast as Charizard landed in front of the group. The black lizard rose to full height as smoke leaked from his nostrils like a pair of cigars, and Ash felt like he would have to back up himself in order to take it all in. The sudden presence casted an oppressive shadow over the boy as he blinked almost dumbly at the monstrosity of a creature. Patricia and Beth slid off of his back, the former approaching the group while the latter hung back.

Jaden was stammering, but Dennis did not seem fazed by her arrival, nor did Sandslash for that matter. The treasure hunting enthusiast offered her a quick greeting that Ash almost missed, briefly shifting his focus to Nebula and Pikachu landing beside them. Dismounting the Staraptor, Pikachu climbed up Ash's body and perched himself on his shoulder, nuzzling his cheek for a moment.

"Glad I caught you, Dennis," Patricia spoke with a familiarity that didn't take long for Ash to pick up on. "I was wondering if you got sidetracked along the way."

Dennis' laugh almost seemed uncharacteristic for the short time Ash had known him - because it was genuine, hearty laugh, lacking in the obnoxious undertones he usually gave off. "Perish the thought, Racewood. You know I wouldn't miss this project. I'm assuming you just finished a supply run?" his eyes landed on the large container resting safely in Charizard's claws.

"Yeah, should be the last one, actually," as Patricia answered, her eyes landed on Ash next, and her lips curved up in welcoming fashion. "Nice to see you again, Ash. How did Koga's Gym go?"

Even though he had gotten to know her a little bit the last time they had met, being in the older girl's presence was still a startling experience for the boy. This was a famous trainer that he had seen on TV several times, and one of the four current favorites to win this Season's Indigo Conference. About as strong as a trainer could reasonably become without passing that fabled, seemingly impossible threshold to Master.

Her question still brought a grin to his face. "Well, I have a Soul Badge now."

It could have been his imagination, but her bright blue eyes seemed to light up further for a moment. "Fantastic! That makes five then, right?" At his nod, her eyes landed on Jaden. "Nice to meet you, too. I'm Patrica."

"I know," Jaden managed to get out. Ash could tell that he felt quite small right now, a feeling that was not unshared. "I'm uh, I'm Jaden."

"Jaden…" the name thoughtfully rolled off of her tongue. "Oh, wait. Are you Shawn's brother?"

"Yeah."

The brunette nodded easily. "I'm sure he'll be relieved to see you, he was talking about you last time I was there."

Still not seeming totally comfortable, Jaden nodded back. "Okay…"

Soon after, Ash felt a hand on his shoulder, looking up to see Dennis standing next to him. "Racewood, Ash has not been registered yet. You can take him to Shane to get that situated, right?"

"Mhm, of course," she confirmed, getting a bit closer. "We only have one other rookie recruited, but if you show him your badge case I doubt he'll turn you a…way…" Patricia trailed off for a moment, and soon after Ash realized where her gaze was: The Charm of Maya. The necklace was like a magnet for her eyes, which shone with recognition as they looked back up to meet his. "Whoa, you're just full of surprises, aren't you kid?"

The boy felt his cheeks lighting up, but managed to keep the embarrassment under control. "I guess so."

"Heh," her face shifted in approval. "Well, showing him that would certainly make a difference." she gestured forward. "We're not far from the camp, so I'll lead the way." She took off jogging, with Charizard following her, carrying the large container just about as effortlessly as Nebula carried Pikachu. The rest of the group were close behind, including Nebula, but Ash hung back for a moment, his starter still on his shoulders as he went over to Beth, who had watched the exchange in silence.

"Hey," he offered the red haired girl. "Are you alright?"

She looked over to him with a shaky smile. "Oh, it's fine. I just… rode on the back of Patricia's Racewood's Charizard." her cheeks were steadily reddening as she gripped them in her hands, and a series of giggles escaped her lips.

Looking at Pikachu, Ash could hardly blame her for being as flustered as she was.

/

"Patricia, Beth! You're back!" At the entrance to the camp, the group was greeted by a pretty olive skinned girl with a black, braided ponytail.

"Hey, Brenda." the brunette replied, patting the younger girl's back. "Still at it, huh?" She turned to the rest of the group, which consisted of everyone except for Nebula, who had been recalled. "This is Brenda, her father Russell is the manager helping Shane run the project. Brenda, this is Ash, Jaden and Dennis."

"It's nice to meet you all," Brenda tilted her head invitingly. Her smile looked like it could light up a cave all on its own. "We really appreciate your help!"

"No need for thanks," Dennis patted his chest. "I know how stoked your dad and his boss are to have a genius such as myself assisting you. Please, I am at your service."

A light chuckle left the girl's lips, fizzling out a bit as her eyes moved back to Patricia. Ash could have sworn her she was asking a silent question with the look just before the famous trainer mouthed something to her. Brenda's grin returned in full as she looked between him and Jaden before scanning their Pokemon. "You guys got here just in time, it should only be a few days or so before we get started. Daddy is leading the initial team to go ahead and scope everything out, very soon. He should be in Mr. Shane's office talking things over right now, actually."

"Cool," Dennis replied, leading Sandslash away. "I will be sure to pay them a visit soon."

"The office isn't that way." Beth offered.

"I have to unpack first, naturally." he responded easily. "The Center comes first."

As Dennis and his partner excused themselves, Ash turned to Nebula. "I'm gonna recall you for now, but I'll let you back out once we've gotten a room at the Center. Sound okay?" the Staraptor nodded in understanding before disappearing into her ball. Looking back at Patricia, he said "I should probably check in with your boss first, right?" Unlike Dennis or Jaden, this Shane person did not know he was coming.

She nodded. "Yeah, I can take you there. Charizard," she turned to the massive lizard as though she was speaking to any other person. "You don't mind dropping off those supplies real quick, do you? Don't worry, Meganium has been taking very good care of the Egg while we were gone."

He nodded obediently, but Beth stepped in, somewhat shy. "Uh, hold on. I can have Aggron carry the supplies."

Ash almost blurted out "You have an Aggron?" Patricia was such a top contender in the trainer field that he had almost overlooked the red haired girl, who despite being a couple years younger and not having the same reputation, still had a few years to her own name.

Patricia thanked her friend before starting to lead Ash and Jaden away, while Charizard set the box down and lifted himself up to fly towards the Center, drawing the attention of more than a few eyes his way. Just seeing him take off up close felt unreal, as though Ash had achieved a new milestone just from being there to witness it.

It finally began to sink in that he was going to be working with the Patricia Racewood, of all people.

The now smaller group did not get very far before a new figure stopped in front of them. He was a muscular, brown-skinned man with a blonde ponytail. A Pachirisu was perched onto his large shoulder, and her eyes lit up as she waved her paw with a greeting call. After a second or two, Ash's head turned to Jaden - the one she seemed to be addressing.

The boy smiled. "Hi, Shawn." he looked to Ash. "This is my bro-"

"You're late." Shawn interrupted, and Pachirisu looked at him with a small frown.

Jaden's smile faded. "Oh uh, sorry." he reached back to scratch behind his neck. "I got lost for a bit."

"Yeah, I figured that. Now come on," closing the distance, he placed a rough hand on the boy's arm and yanked him away, forcing Jaden to walk with him just to maintain his balance. "Mom and dad have been waiting for you to call. Now."

Jaden winced at the supposedly tight grip, looking back apologetically at Ash as Heracross quickly followed after them. "I'll catch up with you later!"

Ash waved back, masking his unease when he turned back to Patricia. "So… that was Jaden's brother?"

She exhaled. "Yeah… he's a ray of sunshine. Anyway, it's just us now I guess." In a short span of time, the group had shrunk down to only the two of them, Pikachu, and Valiant. After looking back at the Center where Jaden and Heracross had left with Shawn, she turned back to their original path and gestured toward them. "Anyway, are you ready?"

"Yeah."

With Pikachu still on his shoulder, Ash followed Patricia through the camp with Valiant at his side. It was bustling with activity, not just people but Pokemon as well, with a particular emphasis on muscular species like Machoke, which were very common in trades such as construction, shipping, and he assumed this as well.

"Wow," he commented. "This whole thing really is a big deal, isn't it?" He wondered what Janine would say to a scene like this.

"They've been planning it for months," Patricia confirmed. "And activity has only increased recently now that we're finally gearing up to start." Looking back at him, she added. "A job like this can't say no to a good sum of volunteering trainers. Security, digging and the like. They'll put you to good use, and your bank account is going to get a reasonable boost when it's over."

He snorted. "I can never say no to that."

"It really would be worthwhile to make a habit of this whenever you can, you know," she said as the main building came into view. "Of course a lot of jobs are going to be smaller than this one, but when you're a trainer it's pretty easy to find gig work. It's another reliable way to keep your funding afloat, and it doesn't involve wagering money in battle. I know a few who do it all Season long as they travel, looking up any jobs in the area whenever they arrive in town."

"It does sound pretty helpful when she puts it that way." Valiant's voice filled Ash's consciousness.

"So, do you do it often?" Ash asked. He knew Patricia's family came from money, and being at the top of the professional field was a paycheck all on its own, so he imagined she wouldn't need it nearly as much as the average trainer. At the same time…

"I do work for the League a lot," the older girl voiced Ash's thoughts. "Right now, Pelsburry wanted to hire a trainer to help lead the team, so here I am." They approached the door to the main building. "Shane's office is on the second floor. He's not the most approachable person you'll meet, but he does take things seriously."

As they stepped into the lobby, Ash immediately felt the blast of air conditioning, and next to his ear, could hear Pikachu hum in pleasure. The relief made him want to sit down and rest, but he followed Patricia to the counter where she spoke to the secretary. After a quick trip through the elevator, they approached the office.

The door opened when they were halfway down the hall, and a man stepped out. He had a somewhat large frame, an aqua blue beard just thick enough to fully cover his jaw and chin, well groomed hair of the same color, and wore an expensive looking red dress shirt. His attention quickly fell on Ash and Patricia, although she greeted him first.

"Hey, Russell," she said. "Brenda told me you were here."

"I was just leaving," the manager stopped in front of her and smiled for a moment as the two shook hands. "Glad to have you back, I hear everything went smoothly?" As she nodded, his gaze turned to Ash, and Valiant tensed. "And this is?"

"Ash Ketchum," she prodded the boy's back, and he found he wasn't too nervous. "He'll be joining us for the excavation as a freelance trainer, I was just going to get him and Shane introduced."

"I see, nice to meet you Mr. Ketchum." Russell offered the boy his hand, and Ash quickly took it, matching the man's rough grip.

"Same here," Ash was almost proud of how even his voice was when he looked Russell in the eye. "I'm glad to be of help."

"Yes, I'm sure you're excited about the money." Russell spoke with a straight face, and as Ash's cheeks reddened, he tapped the back of the boy's unoccupied shoulder. "Just pulling your leg, kid. You gotta keep the newcomers on their toes." he looked back at Patricia. "Anyway, I'm glad I didn't miss you, but Shane wants to start cracking the whip as usual, so I need to be off."

"Got it," she waved as he walked down the hall and towards the elevator. "That was Russell, he's the second in command of this project, so what he says goes, remember. You're going to be answering to me moreso, but I answer to him and Shane."

Ash tried to gauge his first impression of the man. His casual choice of words and the way he carried himself seemed to oddly clash with one another, which made it a little bit hard to get a read on him. "So, what's he like?"

"He's friendlier than Shane," she admitted. "He doesn't try to be intimidating, so you don't have to worry. Anyway, we should step inside." She knocked once before opening the door.

The office was more spacious than Ash remembered Koga's being. A large window behind the desk provided a view overlooking the rocky landscape which the boy most likely would have appreciated had he not been focused on the man in the chair. Russel had looked like he may be somewhere around forty years old, now that Ash thought about it, while this man seemed to be at least in his fifties.

He hardly looked elderly, face showing signs of age but not with any severity, but his thick ponytail was a deep gray, enough to where his previous hair color was a mystery to the boy. He had vaguely noticeable facial hair on his cheeks and chin, and his black eyes fell onto the pair of trainers as he turned his chair around, setting the bottle of beer in his hand down on the desk.

"Racewood," his eyes almost seemed perpetually narrowed for a moment, and his voice was stern with a mild rasp. "Glad the supply run went well."

And that was it. Not "Glad to have you back." Or even just "How was the supply run?" Just that. For some reason, the wording mixed with his voice pricked at Ash's nerves, although he hardly felt fear. This man wasn't very scary at the moment, but looking at him definitely did not make him feel invited.

Patricia seemed unfazed, although her tone had shifted upon entering the room. She stood straight, wore a sturdy expression, and spoke evenly, different from before. "Everything on the list is accounted for, sir. We should be able to continue on schedule."

"Good," he answered in a blunt way that didn't convey approval. "We've had enough setbacks for a project of this budget as it is. Now then, I see you've brought a friend?" his gaze only barely shifted to Ash, still focusing more on her.

Patricia's hand rested on Ash's shoulder, although it was more firm than comforting. "Ash Ketchum, sir. Ash, this is Shane Pelsberry, the man in charge."

"He looks rather young," Shane made it clear that he was speaking to her, not to Ash. "I don't recall hearing anything about an Ash Ketchum. What year is he?"

"Rookie, sir." Patricia answered.

The man did not snort, but Ash wondered if he was tempted to. "Not that I don't trust your judgment, Racewood, but what are this kid's credentials? The only other rookie we have on the team, while hardly promising if you ask me, was at least backed by a letter of recommendation from Professor Oak."

'Professor Oak vouched for someone here?' Ash wasn't given much time to process that bit of information as the conversation continued.

"Mr. Ketchum has five badges, sir." Patricia answered with confidence.

All of a sudden, Shane did not seem so impenetrable. Ash allowed himself to be proud of the surprise on the man's face - a genuine look of shock that pierced through the uninviting sternness. "What!? But the Season's not even half done! You!" he snapped his fingers at Ash. "Show them to me, now!"

With a bit of haste, Ash went through his backpack and pulled out the badge case, opening it for Shane to see.

"Mew's crest be damned…" the man's eyes were glued to the five small, precious objects in the container before signaling for Ash to close it back up. He seemed rattled for a moment before his composure returned. "Okay, perhaps you are worth considering."

"Take a look at his necklace." Patricia offered.

With a blink-and-you'll-miss-it nod, Shane glanced at the jewel hanging around Ash's neck. "Wait… is that a Charm of Maya?"

"It is." Patricia confirmed.

"Huh," Shane leaned back and stroked his chin. "So, a trainer with Leader Koga's eyes on him, eh? Well that's not any easier to turn away than someone with Oak's approval. Very well, pencil him in. Mr. Ketchum, you're dismissed. Tell Nurse Joy you're with us."

"Yes sir," Pikachu hung onto Ash's shoulder as he offered a quick bow. "I appreciate it."

"Well, Koga wouldn't give that to someone without manners." Shane's eyes were no longer on Ash, his voice dismissive. "Now go make yourself scarce. Nothing more for us to discuss, so leave it to Racewood here."

"Right," Patricia nodded, looking down at Ash approvingly. "I'll show you around camp-"

"Not now," Shane rapped the desk with his pencil, in the direction of the chair on the other side. "Ketchum goes, but I need you here so I can tell you what Russell and I discussed."

Patricia frowned. "Sir, Ash just got here. He doesn't know his way-"

"He needs to check into the Pokemon Center first, doesn't he?" Shane interjected. "I'm sure a trainer with five badges can at least find his way there."

The teenaged girl nodded reluctantly, offering Ash an apologetic look. "I'll call Brenda, she can give you a tour after you're settled in at the Center. We'll catch up over dinner if you'd like."

It was such a nonchalant thing for a celebrity trainer to say to him that Ash almost blushed. "Sure, thank you Patricia."

/

"Being around that man does not feel pleasant." Valiant's voice projected into Ash's mind as they stepped out of the building, taking a moment to recall which direction the Pokemon Center was in.

"He clearly doesn't want to be friends," Ash said. "But we've seen a lot worse than him, so I'm not too bothered. What about that Russell guy?"

"I'm not sure," Valiant confessed. "We didn't see him very long. I can't really tell what to think."

Pikachu closed his eyes as Ash scratched beneath his chin for a moment. "Well, we made it here pretty easily, so that's good." As he lowered his hand, his mind went elsewhere. "Janine's probably left the city by now, going back north to Saffron the way we came before. I hope she's doing alright…"

"She's strong enough to handle it." Ash felt what seemed to be a trace of sadness in Valiant's voice.

"She sure is," involuntarily, Ash took in a breath before releasing a sigh. "If anybody can make it through Fuchsia alone, it's her." He didn't say much more after that.

Camp was a bit noisy, and Ash did his best to take in the sights to the best of his ability. Even if that Brenda girl from before would be showing him personally, he felt compelled to at least take in what he could see for now. He would be working here soon enough; in fact, technically he already was.

'Our first job.' he thought to himself. And considering Patricia's advice, it may be the first of many.

It wasn't too long before he had passed through to the Pokemon Center's campus. It was roughly the average size one would expect from a Pokemon Center on the road, hardly as big as the massive ones in the cities, but definitely as big as it needed to be nonetheless. As the building came into view, Ash had felt a not entirely abrupt urge to lay down in his soon to be assigned room's bed and relax for a bit, but he knew he could not. He was officially employed, even if only temporarily. Besides, he wasn't too tired.

"You want me to give you to Nurse Joy?" he asked. Both of his friends shook their heads, the day likely having been less tiring for them. They could wait. "Alright, we'll just check in then. I'm sure Nebula's looking forward to the room." Speaking of which, he realized he had never been in a hotel with Silica before. Would she get sand everywhere? He'll have to ask her if she was comfortable staying in the room without him - it may depend on whether or not Tempest would be there, but even then…

The automatic doors to the Pokemon Center opened for them, and Ash enjoyed another blast of comfortable air conditioning - it really had gotten hotter outside since leaving the city. The lobby wasn't too active, and he wondered if most of the people staying at the Center were whatever trainers Pelsberry had hired. Aside from Nurse Joy, the only figure in the lobby was a girl with a blue ponytail, hugging the Flaaffy that passed over the counter - having likely finished a checkup. Turning her gaze back up to the pink haired woman, the girl offered her thanks, and began exchanging a few words. Ash could begin to make out what they were saying as he and his friends started to get closer.

"-Gotta meet with Russell soon. Come on, Flaaffy."

"Good luck out there!" Nurse Joy's voice was as soothing as ever.

But the girl's voice stopped Ash in his tracks. He had only heard it for a moment, but he knew it anywhere.

As Flaaffy hopped off of the counter, the blue haired girl turned around. Her easygoing smile came into full view, and then it vanished on the spot. In its place, her mouth hung slightly open, and the look in her painfully familiar eyes was unreadable.

He was used to seeing her with pigtails rather than a ponytail, which was why he had not recognized her from behind, but the moment he saw her, it took no time to process. An ice cold brick settled into Ash's stomach, and Valiant felt the shift immediately - a change so sudden that he may have even recoiled, had his trainer been looking at him to see it. Next to the girl, the Flaaffy paused as well, taking a moment to look up at her trainer.

Ash could feel his heart thumping for a moment, his chest twisting in the process as he came face to face with Angelina.