PokeSquad

by Jet Engine

When Team Rocket's plan goes awry, leaving Pikachu stranded and alone, he meets some pokemon who are willing to help. As Pikachu and his new friends search for Ash, having their own adventures along the way, a new virus is driving pokemon into states of madness. Ash is recruited to research this virus...and ends up getting more than he bargained for. ("Speaker Duology" Part One)

31. Family Reunion

This chapter turned out to not be double the length of the last one like I expected, but it's still just over 16,000 words. Buckle up.

---

Family Reunion

"I am yours. No refunds." - Unknown

Charizard

A run-in with an angry Fearow gets us a little turned around. How were we supposed to know where his territory was? And, we were in the sky for Mew's sake! You can't own a piece of the sky!

Butterfree and I land to lick our wounds from the fight. Nothing serious, but that Fearow was no slouch. And, a complete asshole on top of it.

Butterfree is on the grass beside me and stops licking to look around. "Call me crazy-"

"You're crazy," I quip.

He gives me a look that's half-amused and half-irritated. "-but, I think we went in a circle."

I pause in lapping at a scratch on my arm. "What are you talking about?"

Butterfree flicks his antennae around as he explains. "See the positions of the trees? That big boulder over there? That bush that looks like a Meowth if you squint? It all looks mighty familiar, don't you think?"

"Not really."

Butterfree shakes his head like I'm the crazy one. "Trust me, Charizard. I've got an eye for these things. And, we done went in a confounded circle. Yes, sir, we did."

I scan the area for real just to be sure. Only to growl under my breath when I realize that he's right. This all does look familiar.

"Damn Fearow," I mutter.

"On the bright side," Butterfree says, "this means we know where to find ourselves some oran berries. Those oughta perk us up."

He flaps his wings but plops down on the ground with a hiss. I thought he had a hard landing, but I just assumed he was eager to get away.

I crouch down for a better look. "Are you alright?" Stupid question, I know.

Butterfree squints at me. His voice is slightly strained from the pain. "Reckon my wing got a mite jacked up. I can still move it, so it ain't broke or nothing. Just hurts a lot."

Satisfied that his wing "ain't broke or nothing," I rise to my feet. "I remember where the oran berries are. You stay here. I'll get them."

"Thank you kindly, partner," he says.

I almost tell him not to call me that, but we kind of are partners here, aren't we?

---

Ash

"You really think she's Pikachu's mom?" Ella asks as we trek through the forest.

I nod. "A female shiny alpha Raichu? That can't be a coincidence."

"Even if it's not her," Patches says from her usual spot on Ella's shoulder, "I'm looking forward to meeting another shiny pokemon. I'm the only one I've ever known!"

Joltik shivers on Ella's head. "I hope she isn't too big. Big creatures scare me."

Gardevoir peers around me to say to the smallest member of our group, "You seem fine with all of us."

"And, what about when you still lived at Electrode Horde?" I add, picturing that alpha.

Joltik shuffles his front feet. "I'm fine with big creatures I know won't hurt me. But, meeting new ones is scary."

Ella grunts and slouches a bit. "I wish I knew what pokemon were saying."

"Sorry," I say with a suppressed chuckle. "We were just speculating about Alpha Raichu. Oh, and Joltik gets nervous around larger pokemon he's never met."

"Yeah?" Ella reaches up and rubs her finger over Joltik's back. "I guess that makes sense."

Out of nowhere, Gardevoir darts away from our group. He stops a few feet away then blows out a breath.

"Something wrong, Gardevoir?" I ask.

He turns back to me with a relieved smile. "I thought I saw a fire, but it turned out to be a Charizard's tail."

"What's up?" Ella asks me.

"It's nothing," I assure. "Gardevoir mistook a pokemon's tail for a…a…"

Gardevoir and I lock eyes. The gears in our heads turn.

We ignore Ella and her pokemon calling after us as we bolt in that direction. My heart hammers in my chest then beats even harder when we come face to face with a fire/flying-type I've known since I was ten years old. He is in the process of plucking oran berries from a tree branch. His orange skin is scratched up and there are some minor cuts in a few places, but he is otherwise fine.

He gawks at me, clutching a few oran berries in his clawed hands. The first intelligible words I hear from my Charizard come in the form of a stunned, "Well, shit."

I throw myself at him. The berries fall on the grass and squish under our feet as he stumbles backwards from the force of my hug. He used to seem so large. Now he barely surpasses me in height. Yet, like all my beloved pokemon, he fits so well in my arms, even though I'm mostly hugging his long neck. And, he's so warm and his tail flame is burning bright and strong.

He's okay. Injured, but okay.

My whole body quivers with emotion and my eyes fill with tears as he slowly returns the embrace. Two of my friends have been missing for what feels like years. One has been found. A piece of my heart is fitted back into place.

I pull away first and pat him down, double-checking that he's real even though we just hugged. He grins at me in a sheepish way.

That's when it boils over.

"What. The. Fuck, Charizard?"

"There's the anger," he mutters.

That just makes me madder. "What were you thinking? Do you know how scared everyone is? How scared I am?"

Gardevoir tip-toes to my side and says an awkward, "I-I'm just gonna crawl back in here." He taps his finger to his pokeball and sends himself inside.

Ella's voice makes me peer over my shoulder. "I think Gardevoir has the right idea. We'll be over here." She scampers back the way she came with her pokemon.

"Friends of yours?" Charizard asks.

"Yes," I say before jabbing my finger at his chest. "How could you do this? Why would-"

"Did you just answer my question?"

I start to snap at him to not change the subject, but I realize that he's looking at me in disbelief. I forgot he doesn't know about this yet. "I can understand pokemon now. All pokemon. Not just Pikachu."

I let him chew on that until he drawls a processing, "Okay…"

"Which means that you have no excuse to not give me a damn good explanation!"

(Even if it's simply because you don't trust me as your trainer anymore. After what happened with Pikachu, I wouldn't blame you.)

"Back up. You know what I'm saying right now?"

"Yes!" I exclaim impatiently.

"The exact words coming out of my mouth-"

"Charizard!"

He growls under his breath in exasperation. "You're just springing this on me, Ash! Forgive me if I'm a little confused."

I need him to answer because my fury is cooling back into fright and hurt, and I'm terrible at concealing my emotions. "Why did you leave?"

"I just wanted to find Pikachu!" Charizard snaps before composing himself. "I wanted to find Pikachu. That's why I snuck out. And, I've finally got a solid lead! There's this horde of electric-types that he visited not that long ago. At least," he scratches his head, "Pawmo made it sound like it wasn't that long ago. Regardless, someone might know something- Uh, Ash? You're-you're laughing?"

It's true. I'm laughing. Cackling, more like. I am doubled over with my arms around my stomach, and I can't. Stop. Laughing.

Because Charizard didn't leave because he hates me. He just wanted to help. For some reason, that is so damn funny to me.

Charizard takes a cautious step back. "N-now you're crying? I am so confused!"

"How do you think I feel?" I straighten, take deep, composing breaths, and wipe the tears off my face. "First Poke-X shows up. Then Pikachu gets kidnapped. Then you zip on off to Timbuktu. I don't know where either one of you is!" I pace back and forth and the more I speak, the more pain and frustration pours out of me. "I… My god, I've watched pokemon die! I've seen their corpses! I watched them tear themselves apart! I watched them sit there and quietly suffer!" I march up to Charizard, who looks horribly guilty but also like he wants to fly out of here. "Do you know me? Do you know what that's done to me? And, on top of it all, two of my friends, both of whom could catch Poke-X like that," I snap my fingers, "are some unknown place where I can't protect them! I'm not mad at Pikachu because it wasn't his fault. But, you vanished on purpose!"

"I…I hadn't thought of it like that," Charizard says meekly. "I'm sorry."

Getting mad drains me too much for me to keep doing it. So, I groan and run my hands over my face and say, "Whatever. I'm just glad you're okay."

"Charizard!" A new voice calls from a distance. A pokemon voice that makes Charizard grimace. "You doing alright?"

Charizard looks in that direction and curses. He jerks his thumb toward the voice and explains, "I picked up a travel buddy, and he got hurt. I'm supposed to be gathering oran berries."

I wince at the all smashed blue fruits on the ground. "I can help. Let me grab Ella and- Oh, even better!"

I release Gardevoir from his pokeball. He appears beside me and asks timidly, "Is it safe?"

"For us, yeah," I tell him. "Charizard has a friend who got hurt. Will you help him while I grab the others? Gardevoir can use Heal Pulse," I explain to Charizard.

"Perfect," Charizard says.

He tells me where to find his friend then takes off in that direction with Gardevoir. Meanwhile, I seek out Ella and her pokemon.

I find them sitting together under a tree and don't give them time to ask questions. "Charizard's friend needs help. I sent Gardevoir with him. Follow me."

"Hey!" Ella calls as I charge away. "At least wait for us!"

I slow down so she and her partners can catch up but still keep a good pace. Until the mental image of too many innocent pokemon covered in their own gore slithers into my mind. I run faster and hope my friends can keep up.

When I reach Charizard and Gardevoir, the latter is crouched down and using Heal Pulse on a Butterfree. That must be Charizard's friend.

His friend…who seems kind of familiar.

Can it be?

Butterfree shakes out his wings after Gardevoir finishes up. "How do you feel?" Gardevoir asks.

"Hoo whee!" Butterfree somersaults in the air as he flutters to Charizard's eye level. "I feel like a spring flower that just bloomed, by golly!"

Gardevoir stands up with a bemused smile. "I'm guessing that's a good thing."

Charizard catches my eye. He frowns in thought then laughs. "Oh, that's right!"

He shoves Butterfree in my face. The bug/flying-type offers me a confused wave and a hesitant, "Howdy ho, stranger."

I hear Ella panting behind me. I'm too preoccupied to check on her.

Butterfree sends me no hint of recognition. I remind myself that I haven't seen this pokemon since I was a scrawny ten-year-old. "Butterfree?"

He nods. "One of many, yup yup."

I press my hands to my chest and feel a smile pull at my lips. "Butterfree, it's me, Ash!"

Butterfree makes a skeptical noise and scans me up and down. "Nah," he mutters. "Ash is, like, half that size."

Charizard nudges Butterfree with his claw. "Remember when you didn't recognize me because the last time you saw me, I was a Charmander? Ash isn't a kid anymore, genius!"

"It is you, isn't it?" I ask breathlessly. "Butterfree…"

A spark of recognition forms in Butterfree's eyes, and he does another mid-air somersault, laughing and kicking his feet. "Well, I'll be a Mankey's uncle! Let me get a look at you!"

I giggle as he flies around me, examining and poking at every part of my young adult body. Butterfree. This Butterfree. I can't believe it!

I have so many questions. How's he been? How's his mate? Do they have kids yet? Does he like his horde? Where are all the other Butterfree, anyway? How did he meet up with Charizard?

"Um, Ash?" Ella says from behind me.

Oops. I totally forgot about her.

Gardevoir gets as close to me as he can when there's a large pokemon fluttering around me. "I'm also confused."

I turn so that I can speak to both of them plus Ella's pokemon. "Guys, this is Butterfree. He was the first pokemon I ever caught, back when I was ten and he was a Caterpie. But, he- Ah! Okay, Butterfree!" I grab his round body and lift him up and away from…that. "I think you've performed a very thorough examination."

Behind me, I swear I hear Charizard trying not to laugh.

Butterfree flicks his antennae sheepishly. "Sorry. I forgot humans are sensitive there."

"No worries," I reply. "Just be careful." I let go of him, and he hovers beside me. I return my attention to the rest of the group. "Anyway, Butterfree left a few months after I caught him because he found a mate. It's been years since we've seen each other!"

"Oh, wow!" Ella exclaims. "Small world!" She steps up to Butterfree. As usual, Patches is on Ella's shoulder, but Joltik has switched from his trainer's head to her other shoulder. "Hi, Butterfree! I'm Ella. And, this is Patches and Joltik."

Patches dips her head. "Nice to meet you."

Butterfree nods back. "Likewise, little missy. Little mister," he adds to Joltik.

"Y-you're a bug-type like me, right?" Joltik asks.

"I ain't never seen your kind before," Butterfree holds out a hand and lets Joltik climb over him and rest between his antennae, "but I reckon so."

Huh. Joltik must be more comfortable around his own typing. Maybe that's why he didn't mind the larger pokemon at Electrode Horde.

"Aw!" Ella places her folded hands under her cheek. "You guys are already friends!"

Patches gives her tail a content wag.

Gardevoir clears his throat, and I say to him, "Oh, sorry." I direct my old friend's attention to one of my newest friends. "Butterfree, meet Gardevoir. He's my latest catch."

Butterfree holds out his stubby hand. "How goes it, partner?"

Gardevoir lets his mouth hang open as he processes the odd wording, then he shakes Butterfree's hand. "It, uh, goes?"

Charizard crosses his arms and says in amusement, "Butterfree always talks like that. You'll get used to it."

If that's the case, then Butterfree is going to be a lot of fun to talk to! "So, how did you guys meet up, anyway?"

"Random chance," Charizard says. "Plain and simple."

I grin. "That's the best way to do it!"

Butterfree turns a skeptical look toward Charizard. "Am I actually crazy, or did he just respond to you?"

"Oh, I guess you don't know yet," Gardevoir says. "Ash can understand us now. It's new."

"What?" is Butterfree's only reply.

I have a feeling I'm going to be explaining this a lot to people and pokemon alike. "It's true." Butterfree's head whips my way. "One minute, it was all gibberish. Then the next, boom!" I clap my hands together. "Zapdos told me a whole story about it."

"Zapdos?" Butterfree drawls as he takes it all in.

Charizard moves to pat him on the head but stops when he remembers Joltik is sitting there. "Life became a lot more entertaining after you left. That came out wrong, but you get the idea."

"I love hearing you talk to pokemon," Ella says to me, "but I'm still really jealous. Tell me what's going on!"

I gesture toward my pokemon friends. "We're all just getting acquainted." I turn back to Butterfree. "What are you doing out here, anyway? And, where's your mate? Is she here too?"

A change comes over Butterfree. "Um…"

Charizard places his hands on our backs and pushes us away. Then, he plucks Joltik off of Butterfree's head. "Why don't you two wander off while I get to know Ash's new friends?" Charizard suggests solemnly.

I do not like these implications.

---

Butterfree explains himself with the somberness of a veteran. His mate - Flutter, he calls her - had been a victim of Poke-X. After losing her, Butterfree fell into a serious funk and eventually decided that he would try to find happiness by joining my team again.

I am as touched as I am heartbroken.

"Butterfree…" is all I can get out.

By the end of the story, I had sat down on a rock and Butterfree was nestled in my lap. One of his huge wings is pressed against my chest, and the wing's edge nearly touches my throat. My arm is bent around it so that my hand lays on his back.

Butterfree looks up at me, his sorrow replaced by a hard determination. "Charizard tells me that you're looking into this Poke-X business. That so?"

"Uh, yeah." How selfish is it that I'm worried this means he changed his mind about coming back?

However, that's not what's on Butterfree's mind. He repositions himself so that he is clinging to my knee and facing me head on. "I want in. I know I probably can't do anything directly, me being susceptible and all, but I'd like to know what all this is about. And, I don't know…" He shuffles his feet, massaging my leg in the process. "Maybe I could get some closure out of it." He misinterprets my silence. "But-but, I wanna stick around anyway! Not just for closure! I'd like to rejoin the team, no matter what that entails! Please?"

"Butterfree, I would love to have you back," I say truthfully. "But, are you sure that's what you want? I don't want you to regret anything if this is just the grief talking or something." I scratch the space between his antennae. "If you really do want to be my pokemon again, I'll pull out a pokeball right now and re-catch you. But, you need to be absolutely certain first."

Butterfree tilts his head, assessing me. "You really ain't a kid anymore, are you? Makes me feel old," he adds humoredly. "This is what I want, Ash. I wouldn't have set out on this little quest if it wasn't."

He seems certain, so I reach into my backpack and fish out an empty pokeball. He stares at it eagerly. This is going to be my most bittersweet catch ever.

I can't give him his mate back, but if this small thing can bring him happiness in the wake of his grief, then I will gladly oblige.

I move the pokeball forward, and he meets me halfway and bops the button with his nose. The pokeball opens and sends him inside in a flash of red light. One, two, three shakes later, and the pokeball clicks.

My chest is warm, and there's a real but sad smile on my face. "Welcome back," I say to the pokeball, which wiggles the slightest bit in response.

I hope Butterfree isn't making a mistake. But if he does change his mind, especially after seeing the extent of the mess I'm in, I won't force him to stay.

Clang!

A loud noise followed by a pained cry makes me jump and turn my head. There are voices coming from the same direction. I can't make out the words, but they sound agitated. Someone's hurt!

I very briefly debate going back to get the rest of my group, but if someone is hurt or in danger, there's no time to waste. I take off in that direction, and the voices get clearer the closer I get.

Clearer…and more familiar. I slow to a stop and listen.

"I thought you said this was ready, James!" comes an angry woman's voice.

"I could have sworn it was!" James replies.

Team Rocket? Here? Now? I should head back and warn-

"Well, fix it!" Jessie commands. "Do you expect that alpha Raichu to just leap into our hands?"

All rational thought leaves my head. I storm through the forest, not caring if those jerks hear.

Team Rocket is huddled around a human-sized cage with some kind of magnet-shaped device attached to the inside. I don't know what it does, and I don't plan on finding out. One of the bars appears to have fallen off and is lying next to Wobbuffet, who is rubbing his head with a tight expression. He must have been the one who cried out. In any other situation, I would have more sympathy. Or, any sympathy.

Meowth spots me first. His mouth falls open as he points to me and makes panicked noises. Wobbuffet follows suit.

Jessie and James don't turn around in time to see me lift them up by the backs of their shirts and toss them backwards. I spin around to try and murder them with my eyes. They stare up at me with blank, shocked faces.

"Uh, prepare for trouble?" Jessie says lamely.

"Make it double?" James adds in the same tone.

I put my hands on my hips. "You dumbasses don't know when to quit, do you? And, didn't Meowth just get out of the Pokemon Center? For shame!"

"We weren't doing anything yet, twerp," Meowth says from behind me. "We're taking a few days off. James was just tinkering, is all."

"Is that a fact?" I say over my shoulder. Then I realize that Meowth isn't merely crouching; he's actually standing on all-fours. "I've never seen you quadrupedal outside of a disguise before. You doing alright?"

Meowth and lifts one paw. "Just peachy for the most part. Might be a day or two before it doesn't hurt to stand like you, though."

Jessie and James climb to their feet. "See?" Jessie says. "No wicked schemes today." She puts one hand on her hips and flicks her fingers at me. "Now run along like a good little twerp."

"Not happening," I say. "If you think I'm gonna let you creeps anywhere near Alpha Raichu, you've got another thing coming!"

That gives them pause. "How do you know about that Raichu?" James asks.

"Through the grapevine." I'm not going to paint a target on Ella's back. Team Rocket has already gone after her shiny Pachirisu. "Butterfree."

He dutifully hops out of his pokeball and hovers beside me. "Awaiting orders, boss! By golly!" he chitters in shock. "I've been back for all of five seconds, and here comes trouble!"

"Make it double," Wobbuffet quips.

"I don't know what your moves are now," I say to Butterfree before pointing to the weird cage, "but pick one and blast that thing to smithereens."

"Hey!" James objects, leaping in front of it. "Do you know how long it took me to set up that magnet?"

I grab him by the shirt collar and push him into Jessie when she tries to get in the way. They collapse on top of each other.

The moment he gets an opening, Butterfree takes it. Meowth and Wobbuffet leap to safety as Butterfree flaps his wings and sends cloud-like whips of air at the cage. The bars are sliced clean through, and the magnet erupts in a mini explosion.

"That was Air Slash," Butterfree says needlessly. "I've also got String Shot, Bug Buzz, and Bug Bite."

"Good to know," I say. "Nice work, by the way."

Butterfree puffs out his chest. "First task complete."

While we talk, Meowth yells at Wobbuffet, "Why didn't you deflect that?"

"Deflect…" Wobbuffet drawls. "Oh, yeah. I have Mirror Coat." Meowth hisses at him.

The humans in the group untangle themselves from each other, and Jessie is the first to her feet. "What is with you, twerp?" she snaps. Her fists are held threateningly in front of her as she bears her teeth. "Since when do you get physical?"

Since I found out that Pikachu's mother might still be alive. And, that she was on Team Rocket's hit list. I know my buddy would do the same for my mother.

"Listen up," I say. "You knuckleheads owe Pikachu a lot, right? He saved three out of four of your hides, didn't he?"

"What about it?" Wobbuffet asks tentatively.

I glare at each Rocket grunt in turn, making sure they can all see how serious I am. I also loom over them a little. I don't usually emphasize how big a guy I am, but my dad's genes do come in handy. "Here's something you can do to repay him. You can leave his mom alone."

"His mom?" Butterfree mutters. I'll fill him in once Team Rocket is gone.

Blank stares meet my demand until Meowth asks, "What's his mom got to do with anything?"

And, I thought I was dense in the head. "Hello? Pikachu? Raichu? Why do you think I'm being so aggressive? That shiny alpha you're after is Pikachu's mother, you dipshits!"

"She's who-what?" Butterfree exclaims. "Good gosh and golly, why am I just hearing this?"

The way he said that… "Butterfree, do you…know Pikachu's mom?"

"Why sure 'nuff, I do!" he exclaims. "In fact, Charizard had a little chit-chat with her just last night. Can you believe that?"

My mouth falls open. "You're-you're kidding! Charizard knows her too?"

"So, it's true?" Jessie asks. "We're seriously targeting Pikachu's mother?"

"Man," Meowth gripes. "Why'd this have to happen after Pikachu saved our butts?"

James's shoulders slump. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I don't think I'm up for this anymore."

"Me neither," Jessie sighs.

"Or, me," Meowth agrees.

Wobbuffet's salute is less enthusiastic than usual. "That's right."

The tension seeps out of me. That's four less problems to deal with. And, four less reasons for Alpha Raichu to distrust me.

According to Pikachu, I look and smell a lot like the leader of those poachers who destroyed his home and killed several of his horde, including his father. I can't do anything about that, but at least I could do something about this. Plus, from the sound of it, I have Butterfree and Charizard to vouch for me. I hope it's enough.

"Glad we're all on the same page," I say. "Come on, Butterfree."

Butterfree's wings beat a choppy breeze on my back as he follows me back to our friends.

I feel a tug on my jacket at the same time Butterfree lets out a startled, "Hey!"

I whirl around and see that James had yanked on my backpack. Jessie had grabbed Butterfree's wing, and he spins out of her grasp and latches on to my backpack. The sudden extra weight almost pulls me backwards.

"What the hell?" I exclaim to Team Rocket.

James holds up his hands with a nervous smile. "Sorry for startling you, but is there any chance you might be searching for Pikachu's mother as well?"

"What's it to you?" I demand.

Jessie cocks her hips and waves a dismissive hand in front of her. "Don't get so huffy. We're not up to anything sinister. We just want to meet her, is all."

So much for having four less problems…

"Ain't every day a shiny pokemon or an alpha pokemon pops up," Meowth says. "And, this chick's both!" He raises his right paw. "We promise we'll be on our best behavior. Crook's honor."

Wobbuffet salutes again. "Trust us, for we are crooks."

Even if they're sincere, letting them anywhere near Alpha Raichu can only end one way. At the same time, if I say no, there's a good chance they'll follow us. Call me paranoid, but I still don't trust them not to grab Alpha Raichu and blast off with her.

Butterfree whispers a summary of my thoughts. "I don't know about this."

That being said, an idea forms. I say to Team Rocket, "Follow me."

They gawk at me, and I start to walk back to my group and hear them trailing after me.

"Ash, I know I've been gone a while," Butterfree whispers, "but I reckon we can't trust these folks as far as we can throw them, can we?"

"No, but I've got an idea," I breathe. "Will you go on ahead and send Charizard and Gardevoir over here?"

Butterfree makes an intrigued noise but does as he's told.

"So…this Raichu," James says to fill the space. "What's she like? Is she anything like her son?"

Pikachu told me that she's sarcastic and doesn't beat around the bush, so she can come across as a bit of a jerk. But, she has a heart of gold underneath it. "She really was a sweet pokemon," he'd said. "You just had to get used to her."

If my scent and appearance are as similar to that poacher's as Pikachu claims, there's a good chance Alpha Raichu won't let me get used to her. Miriam's device is a suddenly uncomfortable weight in my backpack. Alpha Raichu has to be in charge of, or at least a part of, that horde Miriam told me about. I hope Alpha Raichu is willing to hear me out. Though, I have a horrible feeling that she's going to drive me away the moment she lays eyes on me. Ella, too, just because she's with me. Maybe it would be better to let our pokemon go first-

"Hey, twerp!" Jessie snaps. "James asked you a question."

Oh. Right. For a split second, I'd forgotten that Team Rocket was here.

I stop and turn to face them. They look at me with a cautious interest. "I've never met Alpha Raichu," I say honestly. "But, based on what Pikachu told me, she isn't going to take kindly to a bunch of humans showing up in her territory."

Meowth lashes his tail. "One of those, huh?"

"That's ironic," Wobbuffet says.

Understatement of the year. "Here's what's gonna happen. Ella and I are going to send our pokemon to talk to Alpha Raichu. Depending on what-"

James raises his hand. "Not to interrupt, but who's Ella?"

"You've seen her before," I remind the four of them. "Brown hair, glasses, about my age." When that doesn't spark anything, I sigh and add reluctantly, "Shiny Pachirisu."

"Oh, that chick!" Meowth says.

Jessie flips her hair over her shoulder. "So, she's a twerpette now. Makes sense."

"Anyway," I drawl. "How Alpha Raichu responds to our pokemon will determine whether or not the rest of us talk to her."

If she refuses to speak to me, I'll have to call Aunt V and explain the situation. She'd understand if I didn't want to go behind Alpha Raichu's back, and I hope Miriam would be just as understanding.

The sound of footsteps and Team Rocket's wary looks over my shoulder tell me that reinforcements have arrived. Gardevoir has his hands on his hips and regards Team Rocket cooly. Charizard's teeth are bared, and he flexes his claws.

Given how close Charizard is with Pikachu, maybe including the fire/flying-type wasn't such a good idea. But, it's too late now.

"Butterfree filled us in," Gardevoir says. "What do you need from us, Ash?"

I nod back at Team Rocket. "Keep an eye on these guys. Don't let them go anywhere until I get back."

"Excuse me!" Jessie snaps. "You said you would take us to Raichu!"

"No, I didn't," I correct. "I just told you to follow me."

James clasps his hands together and pleads, "We won't do any harm! We swear!"

"Throw us a bone, twerp!" Meowth begs.

"We gave you our honor as crooks!" Wobbuffet adds.

Charizard ignores all of them and asks a little too eagerly, "Permission to use force?"

"Don't overdo it," I warn. He huffs in response

This isn't like when Pikachu was left with them on the ship, I tell myself as I walk away with a dark feeling in my stomach. Charizard and Gardevoir are going to be watching Team Rocket's every move. And, I'm pretty sure those guys are afraid of their guards anyway. The knowledge won't stop me from worrying, but I do my best to put it out of my mind.

Ella ambushes me as soon as I return. "Where have you been? Butterfree came back and Charizard and Gardevoir left and I don't know what's going on!"

I rub the back of my neck with a sheepish grin. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you." I'm not going to add that I forgot she couldn't understand pokemon.

I explain the situation, and she regards me with a thoughtful frown. "You're not actually gonna let them near Raichu, are you?"

"You don't know those guys like I do," I say. "Sometimes they really are sincere. But, I'm going to let Alpha Raichu decide if she's willing to meet them."

Butterfree flies to Ella's side. Joltik is on his head again. "She needs to be willing to meet y'all first," the bug/flying-type says. "She and I get on just fine, so let me do the talking."

I nod at him and paraphrase to Ella, "As luck would have it, Butterfree and Alpha Raichu are friends, so he's gonna take the lead."

"Really?" Ella says. "That is lucky."

Patches climbs on to her trainer's shoulder with a disdainful sniff. "I don't care what you do. Just keep Team Rocket away from me."

Joltik hops off of Butterfree and lands on Ella's other shoulder. "Is Alpha Raichu nice, Butterfree?"

"Sure 'nuff," Butterfree says. He flies forward then turns back to us. "Y'all coming?"

"Just a sec," I say. "Before we go any further, I need to warn you guys about something."

Pikachu's story isn't mine to tell, but I can't predict how Alpha Raichu will react to me. Pikachu was openly antagonistic when we first met. He shocked me and bit me and hissed at me and did everything to make his hatred known. It made sense after he revealed the reason why a few years later, and it would make just as much sense for his mother to behave in a similar way.

Or, a worse way, I realize. Pikachu lost everything, yes, but his mother lost everything and was trapped with those poachers for God knows how long. Who knows what she's been through?

I have to tell my friends something, so I give as much information as I can without revealing too much about Pikachu's story. "There's…a poacher. Apparently he and I look a lot alike. According to…some pokemon I know, we have really similar scents, too."

Ella and her partners frown at me in confusion. Butterfree, however, must have heard about the poachers from Alpha Raichu. He looks like he's putting the pieces together.

"And, from what I've heard," I continue, "this particular Raichu was captured by him once. So, uh, yeah. If she attacks us on sight, you know why."

"I'll…keep that in mind," Ella drawls, still confused.

Patches, I've noticed, is a bit more perceptive than her trainer. "What aren't you telling us?" she asks with a suspicious squint.

I adjust my hat. "Just trying not to betray a confidence."

Patches hums but doesn't reply.

"All the more reason to let me do the talking," Butterfree says. "Got anything else on your chest?"

I knock my fist against my chest. "All good. Lead the way."

"I'm never gonna stop being jealous of your pokemon-talking power," Ella says as we trail after Butterfree. "It's so cool!"

Despite the situation, my lips pull upward. "It is pretty awesome."

Butterfree leads us toward the tallest and longest wall of shrubbery I've ever seen. I expect him to lead us around it.

I don't expect something huge and shimmery and orange to burst through an opening I didn't know was there. Alpha Raichu is massive, which is to be expected of an alpha, easily surpassing Butterfree in height if you include his wings. She is on all-fours, and her long, long tail is folded against her back. Her ears are back, and her teeth are bared. The scar on the side of her face, the mark that confirms that she is Pikachu's mother, is in full view.

And, her brownish yellow cheeks are practically glowing, they're sparking so much. I knew this wouldn't be easy.

"A real shiny alpha Raichu," Ella whispers reverently. I don't think she understands how badly this could go.

I lightly elbow her and whisper, "Let Butterfree do the talking."

Joltik makes a weary sound and shrinks into himself.

Patches leaps to the ground and lands on all-fours with her tail high in the air. Not threatening, but prepared for a fight.

Butterfree is facing away from me, but I can hear the nerves in his voice. "Howdy, Raichu! Nice seeing you. How you been…since this morning… Um…" He glances between me and Raichu then gestures to me. "This is Ash. He's the guy I told you about. He re-caught me. He's my trainer again. He's also Charizard's trainer. Charizard ain't here right now, but, um- And, this is Ella. And, her pokemon, Joltik and Patches. I think 'Patches' is a nickname. Ain't got a clue what her species is."

"Pachirisu," Patches drawls.

Butterfree nods at her. "Thank you kindly." He turns back to Alpha Raichu, who is less hostile but is still staring at me in a way I can't interpret. "Patches is a Pachirisu. And, eh… Ash is a nice guy. And, he ain't no poacher. Reckon he was just a little kid when you got captured, and um… So, Ash is a nice guy…"

This is going horribly.

Alpha Raichu speaks for the first time, keeping her eyes on me. "You cannot be serious."

Ella sucks air between her teeth and whispers to me, "I'm guessing this isn't going well."

Butterfree whirls around and whines to Ella, "I got flustered when Ash said he looked like the poacher!"

I swallow a frustrated sigh. "It's okay, Butterfree."

Alpha Raichu glances at Butterfree and waves her hand toward me. "What the hell is going on here?"

Time to switch tactics.

I clear my throat when Butterfree starts to speak. Then I sit cross-legged on the grass so that Alpha Raichu and I are at eye level. She tilts her head and watches me, never dropping her defensive stance.

"I…" is all that comes out of my mouth.

How do I start this? By saying I know her son? By saying I'm not the poacher? By saying that the mere thought of what she and her son and the rest of their horde had to live through rips me apart from the inside? Alpha Raichu looks like she's debating on whether or not to fry me like a fast food hashbrown.

Here goes something. "Alpha Raichu…I know about the poachers, about what happened to your old horde. I know I look and smell like that man, but I'm not him. Like Butterfree said, I was just a kid when that happened. And…" I shake my head. "My god. I can't fathom it, why anyone would do something so cruel. It breaks my heart to know that…that you had to go through that. And, that your son had to… Oh, he was so young…"

Alpha Raichu breaks through the darkness creeping into my heart by saying, "What do you know about my son?"

"A lot," I reply. "I know a lot about your son."

Alpha Raichu takes a startled step back and turns to Butterfree for confirmation. "Oh, yeah. He can understand us," Butterfree says. "Don't ask me how it works, though."

"W-what in the name of Arceus?" Alpha Raichu sputters. "Humans knowing what pokemon are saying! Now I've heard it all!" She narrows her deep blue eyes at Ella, who has finally grasped the seriousness of the situation and flinches under the weight of the alpha's gaze. "Can you understand us, too?"

"No, she can't," Patches says. "It's just Ash."

"Alpha Raichu," I say. "Please hear me out."

The alpha squints at me then says wearily, "You can just call me 'Raichu.' If you're who you say you are."

I nod. "Okay. Raichu." I swallow thickly. "As I was saying, I know your son. He's alive, Raichu. He's my friend, my partner, the first pokemon I could ever call my own." I clear my throat again when my voice starts to break. "I love him so much. I would never do anything to hurt him. Or, you. Or, any pokemon."

Raichu's ears twitch, but she sits back on her haunches. Her guard is still up, but it's lowered significantly. That makes me breathe a little easier. "If what you're saying is true," she says, "then where's Pikachu?"

My heart hurts again. "We got separated. It's a long story." I push the pain aside for now. "Raichu, we're not here to cause trouble. All we want to do is talk. But, if you'd rather we leave, I understand."

But, I hope she's willing to listen at the very least. If it works the way I'm told, Miriam's machine could be the only thing keeping Raichu and - I assume - her new horde safe from catching Poke-X.

The silence drags on until Raichu turns to Butterfree and says, "Make sure they stay put. I'll be right back." Raichu darts back the way she came.

My legs shake as I climb to my feet. I have to force the air into my lungs.

"What do we do now, Ash?" Ella asks.

I cross my arms because my hands are shaking, too. "We wait."

It's sinking in that I just spoke with my buddy's presumed dead mother. I had a conversation with a walking miracle. One who hates me and has every reason to, even if I'm not who she thinks I am.

I wish I could go back in time and take those poachers down before they could make their move. Even if it meant I never met Pikachu, at least he and his parents and their family would have made it through the day with everything physical and emotional intact.

I remember the night Pikachu told me about the attack. I was thirteen, and we'd had our first of several encounters with a poacher who called herself Hunter J. She'd managed to steal Pikachu alongside several other pokemon, including Team Rocket's Meowth. All the pokemon made it out, but Pikachu had nightmares for several nights in a row. And, he always woke up screaming in terror.

Looking back, I think he was screaming because my face was the first thing he saw.

I didn't want to force him to talk about his nightmares, but after night four, I couldn't stand it any longer. I finally brought him away from our group and begged him to tell me what was on his mind. Maybe he couldn't stand it anymore either, because he told me everything. The attack, how I was near-identical to the poachers' leader, how Pikachu's father hid him in an alcove in a tree, that alcove being the reason he couldn't handle being in his pokeball, his mother's capture along with some others, the bodies, his father's body.

We both cried that night.

Butterfree's guilty tone brings me back to the present. "I'm sorry I was no good at negotiating."

"It's okay," I say. "That still went better than I thought it would."

"Oof." Ella is nervously playing with one of her pigtails. "I really thought we'd have to fight."

"We still might," Patches squeaks. "Raichu clearly doesn't trust us. I wouldn't be surprised if she came back with reinforcements."

Joltik does a nervous shimmy. "I hope she doesn't. I'm an okay battler, but I don't think I could take on an alpha."

We brace ourselves when we see the bushes shake. It's not Raichu who bursts out and stares wide-eyed at us. It's-

My knees give out, thunking down on the grass.

He's lost weight, his fur is scruffy, and his ear - that god damned ear I was warned about - is missing. He looks more like a wild pokemon than a trainer's pokemon. But, he looks healthy.

He looks real.

Tears roll unbidden down my cheeks. "Pikachu…"

My buddy sobs with me as he leaps into my arms and nuzzles his wet face into my neck. He feels so small in my big hands, smaller than he used to, but the familiarity of his fur against my skin, his tiny hands latching on to my clothes, makes me cry harder.

Charizard brought a piece of my heart back. Pikachu brought the rest.

Little sparks prickle my skin once we calm down. A request. As if he needs one.

A wet smile pulls at my lips. "Do it."

It hurts. It always does when he electrocutes me. But, with very few exceptions that are brought on by circumstances out of our control, it is never malicious, never meant to cause damage. It's the gentlest zap he is capable of. Which, if I'm being honest, isn't very gentle. But, the meaning behind it is gentle.

It means, I'm here. I'm happy to see you.

I love you.

The angry red of my skin will go away in a moment. The love between us will last forever.

"Well, that answers that question," Raichu mutters. I didn't see her come out.

Pikachu pulls back enough to grin at his mother in mild embarrassment. "Oh, yeah. Uh, Mama, meet Ash."

A high-pitched squeal catches our attention. Ella standing over us and knocking her fists together. "I can't take it anymore! It's so sweet!"

"Ella? Patches?" Pikachu says. He leaps out of my arms, and Patches joins him where he lands. "This is a surprise."

"We can say the same thing," Patches replies. She and Pikachu rub their electrified cheeks together in greeting, and Patches looks over her shoulder. "Come on, Joltik. Come meet Pikachu."

Ella whips out her phone for pictures while Joltik hops off of Ella to greet my buddy. "Uh, hi. I'm Joltik."

"Hi, Joltik." Pikachu shakes Joltik's tiny claw, sending a few sparks into the smaller pokemon. "I'm Pikachu. But, you know that already."

"Uh, excuse me." Butterfree lowers himself to the ground. "Remember me, partner?"

Pikachu's mouth falls open. "You…you can't be that Butterfree!"

Butterfree gives his wings a proud flap. "Can and am, old pal. It's been a time, ain't it?"

Pikachu laughs in disbelief. "It sure has! You look great!"

"And, you…" Butterfree trails off, and I know he's eyeballing the space where Pikachu's ear used to be.

Pikachu's smile becomes a little forced as he points to that spot. "Oh, the ear? Yeah, that's…recent."

"Is it?" Butterfree asks. "I-I didn't wanna say nothing in case it was, you know, the norm these days."

Patches flicks her tail. "I wasn't gonna bring it up."

Pikachu cautiously turns toward me, gauging my reaction. My reaction must be pretty bad, because he sheepishly lowers his head. "Um, so about that-"

"I know," I say. "I ran into Team Rocket. They told me what happened." I shake my head and a grief stricken chuckle falls out of me. "You are so brave and so stupid. And, I'm not just talking about Hatterene. I know about the Pokemon Center, too."

Pikachu lifts his chin in defiance. "I'd do it again."

"I'd expect nothing less," I say. "Believe me when I say that I'm as proud as I am pissed."

Before Pikachu can reply, his mother calls out, "Yeah, yeah. That's all well and good. Now can someone get this lunatic away from me?" I see now that Ella has lost interest in us and is taking pictures of Raichu on her phone from every angle. Raichu, for her part, seems to be making a conscious effort to not attack Ella. "She keeps staring at me and holding that weird box in front of her face. It's freaking me out!"

I stand up. "Back off, Ella. You're making Raichu uncomfortable."

"Am I? Sorry." Ella puts her phone away and grins manically at Raichu. "But, you're a shiny alpha pokemon! You're so cool!"

"That's nice," Raichu mutters. "Get away from me."

"Don't worry, Mama," Pikachu says. "You can trust them." His ear perks up, and he says to me with a grin, "Oh, my friends! You have to meet my friends!"

"That's right," I say. "Ella mentioned you were with a group of pokemon. Is it the same one she knows?"

"Is it?" Ella asks eagerly.

Pikachu's tail wags as he drops to all-fours, prepared to race off and find his friends. "Yeah. You're gonna love them!"

Which reminds me. "Oh! Charizard and Gardevoir are here too!"

"They are? Wait." Pikachu tilts his head. "When you say Gardevoir…"

Right. He doesn't know about that yet. I give my jacket an awkward tug. "Um, I kind of caught a pokemon without you. But, he said he knows you-"

Pikachu throws his head back and laughs. I don't know why I was so worried. "Why am I not surprised?" He starts back the way he came but stops right as he's about to leap through the bushes and turns around. "He…said he knows me?"

"Why do you sound so surprised by that?" Raichu asks him. "If anything you should be the most used to it."

This is going to be harder to explain. "Um, so this is kind of…new…"

The dawning understanding on Pikachu's face keeps me from saying anything else. The smile on his face is sad but genuine. "Somebody told me this might happen. I'll tell you later. And," he winks, "I'll show you my new move."

"You have a new move? That's awesome!" And, it makes me feel better about essentially learning my own new move without him. "What is it?"

"Later, Ash. But, can you bring out Charizard and Gardevoir?"

Butterfree shakes his head. "Sorry, Pikachu. We ran into some trouble, and they're standing guard."

At Pikachu's questioning look, Joltik says, "There's a group of bad guys called Team Rocket. They wanna meet your mom."

Even towering over him, I can see Pikachu's fur standing on end. Ella nudges me and whispers, "What's going on?" I paraphrase while the pokemon keep talking.

Patches continues the explanation. "Ash says they dropped any evil plans when they heard Raichu was your mother, but he's having Charizard and Gardevoir keep an eye on them just in case." She turns to Raichu, who has been silent up to this point. "Ash wants you to decide for yourself whether or not you're willing to meet them."

"I was there," Butterfree says to Raichu. He flies to her eye level. "They ain't looking for trouble. They just wanna see a shiny alpha. Or so they claim."

"You might as well say yes," Pikachu says in resignation. "If I know Team Rocket, they won't go away unless you agree to meet them. Two of them are humans, word of warning. Honestly, though, they're not that bad when they aren't being jerks."

Raichu considers this then decides with a shrug. "Worst case scenario, I blast them out of existence. Don't need a bunch of bad guys cramping my style."

I…guess that's a yes?

"Hey, Ash," Pikachu says thoughtfully. "Do you know a Growlithe named 'Growlie?'"

I scratch under my hat. "Uh, Growlie? Sounds familiar. Why?"

"I'm gonna go get my friends," Pikachu says instead of answering. "And, I think I need to grab him, too. Just a head's up," he adds as an afterthought. "One of them doesn't like humans any more than my mom does."

"Good to know," I say. Pikachu darts back through the brush, and I say to Ella, "One of Pikachu's friends doesn't like humans."

Ella is unphased. "I bet it's the Absol. That one was kind of frosty with me the last time I saw it."

"While we have a moment." Raichu walks up to me on two feet, putting her at her full height. Which to me and Ella is still pretty small, but for a Raichu is gigantic. "I find it odd that my son, who presumably has been at your side for quite a while, didn't know you could talk to pokemon."

I shrug. "I don't know what to tell you. I've been talking to him since I was ten, but I couldn't understand other pokemon until yesterday. It just kind of cropped up out of nowhere."

Raichu clearly doesn't believe me, but she doesn't comment. "Bottom line, I'm putting up with you humans for my son's sake. So, no funny business. Got it?"

Patches lets out an annoyed hiss. "We told you-"

I hold out my hand to silence her then say to Raichu, "No funny business. I promise."

Ella must have read the room, because she says, "Me, too. We'll be good."

"See that you are," Raichu warns.

Before we know it, Pikachu returns with his friends: a Victreebel, a Flareon, an Absol, a Wobbuffet, and a Growlithe. The former two look roughed up, as if they'd just had a battle. As soon as introductions are made, three of them crowd around me instantly. The fourth - Absol, obviously the one who doesn't like humans - hangs back. He sits down and stares a hole through me. The fifth, Growlie the Growlithe, who does seem vaguely familiar, watches with a cautious interest.

"Oh my goodness, it's you!" shouts Sprout the Victreebell - newly evolved, I assume, since Ella had mentioned a Bellsprout.

Flareon - also probably a recent evolution, as Ella had mentioned an Eevee as well - gazes at me with wide eyes. I can instantly tell that he's the youngest, still a child at that. "Ash is huge!"

"All humans are huge, Flareon," Wobbles the Wobbuffet says analytically.

"Yeah, but Ash is huge!" Flareon counters.

Pikachu joins the party. "Actually, Ash is pretty big by human standards."

"See?" Flareon says pointedly to Wobbles, who makes a noncommittal sound.

I laugh and bend over with my hands on my knees. "It's so great to meet all of you! Thanks for looking out for my buddy. You have no idea how much he means to me."

"Hello?" Ella is waving her arms up and down. "I'm here, too! Remember me? And, Patches? And- Actually, Joltik wasn't there when we all met."

Sprout gives her leaves a shake. "Oh, I remember you guys!"

Flareon's tail wags. "Hi, Ella! Hi, Patches!"

Absol nods in greeting and adds, "And, it's a pleasure to meet you, Joltik."

"What am I? Chopped liver?" Butterfree quips from where he hovers nearby. "I'm Butterfree."

Wobbles flicks her hands dismissively. "Yes, yes, greetings and salutations." She puts her hands on her hips and says to me, "So, Ash, Pikachu tells us that you started understanding pokemon while he was away."

I straighten and say proudly. "Yep! Sure did."

While the rest of the newcomers react with shocked noises and murmurs, Wobbles gets closer and asks quickly and eagerly, "How did that happen? Have you been studying our language? Do you have magic powers? Where did you come from? Where did you go? Where did you come from, Cotton-Eyed Joe?"

"Uh, my-my name is Ash," I stammer.

Absol rolls his eyes. Sprout shakes her head. Flareon gives his chest an embarrassed lick. Pikachu says to me, "I am so sorry."

I get the sense that Wobbles's friends have to apologize for her a lot.

Growlie speaks up for the first time. "Um, pardon me." He takes a few shy steps closer and says to me. "I was told you may be familiar with a human male named James?"

I kneel down with my arms crossed over my knees. "Yeah. You know him?"

Growlie brightens. "I-I do! He's a dear friend, and I've been trying to find him! Will you please take me to him?"

Vaguely, I recall a few incidents involving Team Rocket and… "Oh, man! That's how I know you!"

"Right?" Pikachu says with a happy wag of his tail. "Isn't that wild?"

"At this point," Raichu says curtly, "it might as well happen." She drops to all-fours and shakes out her pelt. "Are we good? Does everyone know each other now? 'Cause I am morbidly curious about where all this nonsense is going."

"Mama," Pikachu scolds, "be nice."

Raichu shrugs. "I am being nice."

Pikachu huffs, and I stand up and say quickly, "I-it's fine, buddy. No worries." Please don't fight, is what I mean. "Let's go meet with Team Rocket. If only so you guys can meet Charizard and- Well, most of you know Gardevoir, but not all of you."

"So, we are taking Raichu to Team Rocket?" Ella asks.

Ugh. I keep forgetting that she doesn't know what's going on. "The short version is that Growlie - that Growlithe - he used to be James's pokemon, and he wants to see him again."

"Oh, wow! Really? The world keeps getting smaller!" She purses her lips and glances at Raichu. "And…Raichu's coming too?"

"We'll make sure nothing happens," I say and hope it's true. "After all, Team Rocket are pretty outnumbered."

But, when has that ever stopped them?

Pikachu leaps on to my shoulder in two strides. The familiar and comforting weight of him, the almost instinctual lack of hesitation on his part, almost makes me cry again. I know Pikachu is feeling the same because he blinks quickly and headbutts my cheek. I bring my hand up to press him closer, and he purrs against me.

He's home.

While we all make the trek back to where we left everyone, I listen to the pokemon's conversations. Patches gets chummy with Raichu after revealing that they are both shinies; Raichu didn't notice because she'd never seen a Pachirisu before. Sprout, Wobbles, and Flareon nearly trip me in their many attempts to get to know me. Pikachu giggles and tells them to give me some breathing room. I don't mind, though. I'm as eager to get to know them as they are to know me.

Wish I could say the same about Absol, who is keeping his distance and watching me out of the corner of his eye. I don't think he wants to know me as much as his friends do.

Suddenly, I see the way he favors his foreleg and the patch of fur missing from it. I kick myself for not noticing sooner-

We all stop in our tracks when Growlie runs ahead suddenly, crying, "Oh, heavens! I can smell him!"

"Growlie!" I call.

"Don't run off!" Ella shouts uselessly. To me, she says worriedly, "What was that about?"

"I think he picked up James's scent," I reply.

Pikachu sniffs the air. "I smell him, too. And, the rest of Team Rocket." He takes another whiff, and his ear perks up. "And, Charizard!"

He leaps off my shoulder and runs ahead as well, and I call out a frustrated, "Ah, come on!" I explain to Ella, "Now Pikachu's got Charizard's scent."

Butterfree flies forward. "I'll keep an eye on them."

Joltik had been riding on his head again but hops on to Ella's shoulder as Butterfree goes after the others.

"Thanks, Butterfree," I call. "Be careful."

"Careful's my middle name, yup yup!" he calls back. "Well, actually I don't got no middle name. Or, last name. But, you get the gist."

"I assume Butterfree's keeping watch?" Ella asks.

I confirm this, and Wobbles says with a salute, "Good luck to him. Pikachu does whatever he wants."

Absol gives her a tired look. "Said the female who does whatever she wants."

"Exactly," Wobbles says without apology. "I know his type."

"Electric?" Flareon asks with a confused head tilt.

Sprout explains, "She means she's familiar with folks who have personalities like Pikachu's."

Flareon barks a drawn out, "Oooohhh."

I laugh. "You guys seem like a lot of fun!"

"They are pretty cute," Ella says.

"Can we keep moving?" Raichu says impatiently. "I just wanna get this over with." She tilts her head. "Why are you all staring at me?"

Because Joltik somehow hitched a ride on her head without anyone noticing.

Now Raichu also notices, reaching up to pat the spot where Joltik shrinks up with an anxious squeak. "Um," he chirps in embarrassment, "we Joltik can't make our own electricity, so we have to take it from others. I'm sorry. I should have asked."

Raichu softens so much that she seems like a different pokemon. "Hey, I'm not here to judge. Just make sure you leave some for me."

Joltik practically melts in relief. "Thank you."

A smile forms on my mouth. I'm starting to see the resemblance between Raichu and Pikachu.

Ella giggles beside me and takes a few pictures on her phone. She sees me watching her and says with a wide grin. "What? They're adorable!"

I agree, but I don't get to say so because Patches squeaks, "Hey, I just thought of something." She climbs up on to Ella's shoulder and asks me, "Does Charizard know about Pikachu's ear?"

Uh…

A scream of, "Sweet Arceus! What did that?!" answers her question.

We don't waste any more time, bolting to where we left Team Rocket. We walk into quite a sight. Team Rocket are huddled together on the ground, and James has Growlie nestled in his arms. Gardevoir and Butterfree are standing/floating awkwardly to the side. Pikachu is held up by both of Charizard's hands. As for Charizard himself, his eyes are bugged out and locked on the now-one-eared Pikachu, and I'm seriously concerned that Charizard's jaw might actually hit the ground.

"Oops," I say sheepishly. "I guess I forgot to warn you about that."

Charizard glances between me and Pikachu, then Pikachu gives a startled squeal when Charizard gives him a hard shake demands to know, "What the fuck happened to you?!"

"Um…" Pikachu drawls. "It's a long story."

"I have time!"

I move to intervene but feel a nudge at my side. Absol is looking up at me with that same calculating expression as he nods for me to follow him.

When I hesitate, Ella says, "Go on. I'll keep an eye on them." She glances at Absol, who has limped a few steps away and is watching me over his shoulder. "That looks important."

I thank her and trail after Absol. Once we are out of hearing range, he sits on his haunches, and I sit crossed-legged in front of him.

"How's your leg?" I ask. I eyeball the bare, slightly red spot that should be covered by long white fur. "That looks pretty recent."

Absol drops forward so that he is lying on his stomach. Taking pressure off his foreleg? "I've had worse. So," he drawls before I can comment further, "you're the famous Ash."

Famous? I smile, but it feels awkward under the weight of Absol's piercing red gaze. And, I thought Miriam's Hatterene was intense! "Guess Pikachu mentioned me, huh?"

"He has," the dark-type says vaguely. "He speaks highly of you."

That should make me happy but, "You say that like it's a bad thing."

Absol shrugs. "It's just that he seems to think a mite too highly of you."

"What does that mean?"

He squints at me for a moment then licks the paw of his good leg and runs it along his horn, forming his thoughts. "I used to have a trainer."

I can't gauge whether or not that's a good thing. "Is that so?"

Absol nods and hums in affirmation. "She had very high expectations for me." He tilts his head, reading me now. "Tell me, Ash. Do you have high expectations for your pokemon?"

I consider the question. "I just want them to do their best."

Absol tilts his head the other way and narrows his eyes in thought. "Maybe I didn't ask the right question. How about this? Do you ever, say…encourage your pokemon?"

The question is so silly, I can't help but laugh. "Of course! I'm always encouraging them!"

Apparently, my answer isn't satisfactory. "Okay, but…do you encourage them too much?"

The severity of his gaze makes the gears in my head turn. "You mean, like, do I pressure them?" I scratch my cheek, "I don't think so. I try not to. Wait," I add as this conversation starts to sink in. "Do you think I pressure Pikachu?"

"I can't answer that," Absol says.

Do I pressure Pikachu? He would tell me if I did, wouldn't he?

Absol stands up, placing more weight on his good leg. "My friends and I have grown fond of Pikachu. I think I speak for all of us when I say that we consider him a member of our group. He's been in some...interesting moods because of you, and they didn't make any of us happy."

"W-what does that mean?" I stammer as my stomach knots.

If Absol was going to respond, the sight of Pikachu's mother - Joltik isn't riding on her anymore - walking quadrupedally to us cuts him off. "Are we interrogating the human?"

Absol gives his pelt a firm shake before walking past her and saying, "All yours."

I turn in my seat to face Raichu and wonder how much more my brain can withstand. What has Pikachu told Absol and their friends? Do I put too much pressure on Pikachu? What kind of "interesting moods" was he in?

On a related note, what does it say about Absol's old trainer that he felt the need to ask me such odd questions?

On another related note, despite the anxiety creeping through me, I'm happy that Pikachu had such a good friend through all this. And, it sounds like Wobbles, Sprout, and Flareon care about my buddy as much as Absol does.

Raichu waits until Absol is out of sight to speak to me. "I'm gonna be blunt with you, Ash. I'm tolerating you because my son trusts you. You obviously know my history, so you understand that, if it weren't for Pikachu, I wouldn't be so welcoming."

This is her being welcoming? I know better than to comment. "Yeah, I get it. But, I promise you that I have no intention of hurting anyone. I adore pokemon, and your son is my best friend in the world!"

"That falls in line with what he told me." Well, that's good at least. "Nevertheless, I spent the past several years assuming my entire family was dead. Now that my son has returned, I don't plan on letting anything happen to him."

I nod. "I feel the same way. About him and you." Her ears flick in surprise. "Do you know how scared I was when I found out that he'd been hurt? Or, how happy I was to see him alive and well? Minus the ear, of course. The hugs and the tears? They weren't fake. I love Pikachu with all my heart, and I never want anything bad to happen to him again! And then, there's you. Pikachu was in the same boat you were, thinking his whole family was dead. Man, I can only imagine how happy he was to see you. No matter what, I would want you to be safe. But, you're my buddy's mom! That doubles - no, triples - how much I care about you."

"We just met," Raichu points out. "Clearly, I'm doing a poor job of driving you away." She hears the humor in her voice and repositions her scowl.

I pretend I didn't notice her brief shift in demeanor. "Bottom line, as long as I'm around, no harm will come to you or your horde. I know Pikachu would say the same thing to my mother."

Raichu hums in acknowledgement then turns around, saying, "Alright then."

She walks back to the group, and I try not to be hurt that she still doesn't trust me. It's not like it's unfounded. Whatever she went through with the poachers couldn't have been good, and that's not even getting into what happened to her original horde, to her family.

My head is swimming. So much has happened in such a short time. I'm having trouble processing it all.

I climb to my feet and hike up my backpack, which reminds me of the reason I came here in the first place.

Pikachu

After my story about Hatterene ends, Charizard proclaims, "In other words, everything was hunky-dory fine until Jessie and Wobbuffet reared their ugly heads." It continues to go as well as I expected.

It's not easy to keep a seven-foot tall, four hundred pound fire-breathing beast with claws and sharp teeth from maiming someone, but the combination of Gardevoir's Psychic and my Thunderbolt gets the job done.

Sort of.

"Well, I can't beat up Hatterene," an extra crispy Charizard complains, "and those two are right there!"

"It wasn't our fault!" Wobbuffet argues. "Hatterene had psychosis. It's a mental illness exclusive to psychic-types."

Meowth chimes in, standing on all-fours in front of a cowering Jessie, James, and Growlie. Meowth's fluffed up fur betrays his anxiety. "Yeah, how were they supposed to know the chick was nuts?"

"She wasn't nuts!" I snap at him. "She was sick!"

Meowth flicks his tail in dismissal. "Potato, potahto."

I bite back a hiss.

"Can we all just breathe?" Sprout shouts, flailing her leaves.

"There's nothing to be done about it now," Absol adds more calmly. He disappeared for a bit then came back near the end of the story.

Ash is still missing though. My mother has vanished as well, probably to escape Team Rocket's ooh-ing and aah-ing at the sight of her.

But, my focus turns elsewhere. While the others try to talk down Charizard from murder and Meowth lets Jessie, James, and Ella (who joined them to listen) know what's going on, a hushed conversation between Ella's pokemon captures my attention.

"Do you think it's the same Hatterene?" Joltik asks.

Patches frowns deeply. "It sounds like they met in the same place. And, Hatterene aren't found in Kanto, right? Now that we know the whole story, it definitely isn't out of the question."

I have to jump in. "You guys know Hatterene?"

Patches hums in confirmation. "We met her at the same old shack you did. Ella wanted to catch her, but then her trainer," she adds with disdain, "showed up."

My fur prickles. Please don't let it be the woman I'm thinking of! "You sound like you don't like her trainer."

Patches lets out a small hiss. "The woman dropped a lie every time she opened her mouth."

Joltik nods. "She told us and Ella that she only left Hatterene there for a few days, but you saw that shack. I don't know much about human structures, but I know it takes a lot longer than that for one to end up in that state."

I hate how right he is. "Hatterene told me a little about Miriam. I assume that's who you're talking about?" They confirm this, and I wish they hadn't. "Hatterene made it sound like something bad happened to Miriam. But, if what you're saying is true…" I sigh and shake my head. "I don't want to think about what that implies."

Patches swipes her paw over her ear. "It gets worse. Miriam came back to the shack, and Hatterene re-joined her party."

Given what we've been talking about, I should have expected that, but it still throws me for a loop. Hatterene was probably over the moon, but Miriam… She has to be the same Miriam who put out that machine that spread Poke-X. I'm more convinced than ever that it's not a coincidence. I hope Hatterene is okay.

"Raichu!" Ash calls, startling me out of my thoughts. "Hey, Raichu!"

I was so engrossed in what Patches and Joltik were telling me that I hadn't noticed my mother return to the group. Ash runs up to her, and the rest of us turn to see what crazy thing is about to happen.

Because at the rate stuff is happening today, not even Arceus themself can tell me what will happen next.

"There's something really important I need to talk to you about," Ash says to my mother.

"Oh, yeah!" Ella chimes. She stands up from her spot with Team Rocket. "That machine!"

Machine? Sounds like I'm not the only one who's been busy.

"I have something to say as well," Growlie says. He hops out of James's lap with an eager wag of his fluffy tail. "Though to you chaps."

"Growlie's got something to tell us," Meowth translates.

James grins and picks up Growlie. "I hope it's an explanation as to what you're doing all the way out here by yourself!"

Jessie stands. "Why don't we step away and chat where we won't have to talk over twerps?"

Gardevoir turns to Ash and asks, "Should we keep an eye on them?"

"Nah," Ash says. "At this point, I don't think we have to worry about them trying anything."

Jessie huffs and cattily flips her hair. "We gave you a crook's honor, didn't we?"

As Team Rocket wanders off with Growlie in tow, Butterfree waves and calls, "Good luck, Growlie!"

Charizard shakes his head fondly and mutters, "He's gonna need it."

Why do I feel like they know something I don't?

Flareon paws at Ash's sneaker. "Why do you have a machine?" The fire-type straightens and wags his tail with interest. "Do you build stuff? Are you one of those scientist things?"

Ash laughs. "Me? No way. But, I know some scientists. In fact," he puffs out his chest and puts his fist over it, "I've been working with my aunt and her crew in Lavender Town to figure out how to stop Poke-X."

"That's so cool!" Flareon barks.

Relief floods me. I should have known Ash wouldn't let himself do nothing but fret over me. It's not his style. When there's a problem he can't solve, he switches focus, keeping that problem on the back burner until a solution presents itself.

"Hold on," Wobbles says suddenly. She turns to me and the PokeSquad with a strange expression. "Weren't we in Lavender Town?"

Uh…

Ash sputters a little. "You… W-when did you go to Lavender Town?"

I'm still brain-dead, so Flareon answers. "It was a couple days after we met Pikachu."

"I got there a week after Pikachu disappeared!" Ash exclaims.

"Wait. Wait." Ella glances rapidly between Ash and me. "Am I interpreting this right? You guys…could have…you know…"

Charizard smacks the side of his head and growls under his breath, "Son of a bitch."

Sprout's whole body shakes. "Oh my goodness! We could have avoided all this!"

Yes. We could have. But, I look around at exactly what we could have avoided. If I'd stayed in Lavender Town, would the PokeSquad and I have been the friends we are? Would I have met Ella, Patches, and Joltik? Probably, since Ash knows them, but even so. And, what about Butterfree? Would he have reunited with Ash if Charizard hadn't been looking for me? Would I have met Electrode Horde or battled Zapdos? What would have happened to Jessie and Wobbuffet when they went after Hattrem? Would Meowth be alive right now if I'd stayed put? Would I have spent the rest of my life thinking my mother was dead?

"I'm glad we left," I decide. When my friends, especially Ash, look at me in surprise, I explain. "We did kind of a lot. Not all of it was good," I turn a meaningful look at my mother, who gazes at me with pure love when I say, "but some of it was pretty great."

"Whatever you have to tell yourself," Wobbles mutters.

Ella turns to Ash and asks, "What did Pikachu say?"

Ash grins in that boyish way he never outgrew. "In short, he and I have a lot to catch up on! But, it'll have to wait." He kneels down and takes off his backpack, setting it between himself and my mother. "Raichu, do you know what Poke-X is?"

"I've heard of it," Mama says cautiously. "What's this about you trying to stop it?"

Ash modestly fiddles with the brim of his cap. "Well, not me specifically. I don't really get all the sciencey stuff, but I'm helping where I can. Right now, that means putting out a special machine in a place with lots of pokemon in it." Ash unzips his backpack and pulls out a metal disk that's a little bigger than his hand. "When I turn this on, it'll release special pharaoh phones-"

Ella snorts. "Pheromones."

"Yeah," Ash says without embarrassment, "those things. When they come into contact with a pokemon, they protect the pokemon from catching Poke-X."

Absol asks the question on everyone's mind. "Does it work?"

"Well," Ash eyeballs the machine. "I haven't seen it in action. But, they wouldn't want it in the field if it didn't work, right? Anyway, Raichu, since you're in charge around here, I wanted to get your permission before I left it near your horde."

"A wise decision," Mama says. She gives the disk an analytical sniff. "Smells weird. But then, so does most human stuff."

"You can trust Ash," I tell her. "I told you he loves pokemon as much as we do. He wouldn't hurt us."

Ash smiles in thanks, and Mama rises to two feet with a disdainful side-eye at my buddy. "I'm not convinced."

"Maybe if you show us how it works?" Joltik suggests.

"Okay," Ash says. "I don't know how big it's supposed to get, so let's make some room."

"Are we sure about this?" Absol ponders as we all back away.

Mama turns to the dark-type and says, "I like you. You have sense."

Absol smiles a little. I decide to ignore the exchange, and Ash seems to be doing the same.

We watch with intrigue as my buddy opens a panel on one side of the disc and presses a button. He closes the panel and sets the machine button-side-down. Then he rises and stands back. Everyone, Ash included, makes curious noises as the machine increases in size until it is about my height. When it reaches its full size, it resembles a silver fire hydrant with four spiky legs and a band with holes around the top…

Sweet merciful Arceus, no…

I'm not the only one who sees it. Sprout screams and runs away until she collides with a tree and falls over. That might be comical in other circumstances.

"Is she okay?" Ella asks.

"She's fine," Wobbles says quickly. She holds out her arms uselessly. "Everyone stay back! That thing doesn't do what he says it does!"

Mama's fur fluffs up in an instant. "What do you mean?" she asks dangerously.

"Guys, it's okay!" Ash says naively. "I know it looks kind of weird, but it's totally safe! See, when a pokemon gets close to it-"

"We know damn well what it does," Absol snarls. His hackles are up, and his teeth are bared. "If you know what's good for you, you'll deactivate it right now!"

"Do what he says!" Flareon is shaking as he hides behind Absol with his reddish paws over his face. "I don't wanna get sick!"

It seems that the PokeSquad and I are the only ones who know what this thing is. Everyone is staring at us in genuine confusion. Except my mother, whose narrowed blue eyes look from Ash to Ella in suspicion.

"Um, Ash?" Ella says carefully. "What's going on?"

"That's what we'd like to know!"

Jessie's voice switches our focus. Team Rocket must have heard the commotion and come running. Growlie is nestled in James's arms, and James looks like he's been crying. I wonder what Growlie told them.

Jessie scoffs and turns her head haughtily. "You twerps are making so much noise, we can't hear Growlie's sob story."

James turns on her with a snarl. "Growlie's plight is not some sob story! Don't demean him!"

"I'm not demeaning anyone," Jessie argues. She points to Ash and demands, "Now, what's with all the noise, twerp? And, what's with the tiny fire hydrant?"

"Uh, Ash?" Butterfree asks cautiously. I just realized he'd perched him high up on a tree branch. A few leaves fall off as he quivers in fear. Maybe the PokeSquad and I aren't the only ones who have seen this machine before. "Where did you get that?"

Ash looks from pokemon to pokemon, his eagerness gone, replaced with a dreadful uncertainty. "I… S-someone who works with my aunt gave it to me." He shakes his head. "You-you're mistaken. This thing isn't dangerous. It… Aunt V wouldn't… She… It's not dangerous!" Desperate brown eyes switch between me, Charizard, Gardevoir, and Butterfree. "You guys know I wouldn't have brought this here if it wasn't safe! Tell them!"

I finally find my voice, but it comes out shaky and hesitant, "I believe you…think this is safe."

Charizard massages his forehead and interrupts Ash's sputtering by saying, "Ash, I don't know what's going on any more than you do, but I think it's best if you turn that thing off for now."

"Charizard's right," Gardevoir says. "I think these guys know something we don't."

He has no idea. None of them do.

Except Butterfree, who says when Ash only stands there, "Ash…remember when I told you I lost my mate to Poke-X?"

What? I'm too panicked to grieve for him.

There's a dawning realization on Ash's face as he nods at Butterfree, who drops the next bomb. "She-she got sprayed by-by one of those things. She got sick after."

Charizard says it for me. "You're kidding."

Ash shakes his head. "It's a coincidence. She… Maybe she was already carrying the virus and-and it was already too late when-"

"Um, Ash," Gardevoir says cautiously, "Absol and Raichu are giving you the evil eye. I think you should turn that thing off."

A shutter rips through me when I see that he's right. Mama and Absol are crouched down, prepared for a fight. Absol is growling, and Mama's cheeks are sparking.

I leap in their way. "You can trust him! Look at him! Does he look like he knows anything about this?"

I whirl around when I hear a thud, but my panic dissipates somewhat when I see that Ash is down on his knees and had simply dropped the device.

"Sorry," he says quietly, unsteadily. "My hands are shaking."

I have never seen Ash like this.

Ella moves to his side to help him with the machine, and I turn back to my mother and the PokeSquad. "You guys don't know Ash like I do. He loves pokemon! Whatever's going on isn't his fault!"

"Pikachu," Mama says carefully.

Charizard interrupts. "No, Raichu, he's right. I don't know what that thing is, but I do know that Ash Ketchum would never knowingly harm a pokemon."

"Ketchum?" Absol barks. "Did you say his last name is Ketchum?" Before Charizard can answer, Absol whirls on me, and I shrink back under the weight of his glare. "You never told us his name was Ash Ketchum."

"I-I guess it never seemed important?" I say unsurely.

"Will someone tell us what in Mew's name is going on?" Wobbuffet demands.

"Yeah," Meowth agrees in the human tongue. He flicks his tail toward Jessie and James, who are crouched down beside him. "These two keep bugging me to tell them what's going on, and all I'm getting is that that doodad the twerp has is bad news!"

I don't even know what's going on at this point.

A groan makes me look over my shoulder. Sprout rolls over from where she'd been laying - forgotten by all of us, I confess - and slowly rights herself.

"Are you alright, madam?" Growlie asks from where he still rests in James's arms.

Sprout shakes herself out. "I had a nightmare that Ash brought a Poke-X machine." Then she takes in the scene and screams, "Oh my goodness! I was awake!"

Nobody breathes until Ash and Ella figure out how to turn that death machine off. Once it's back in its harmless (right?) disc form, Absol leaps past me and leaps in front of Ash and Ella so fast that both humans fall on their rears. "Who gave you that machine?" he demands. "Tell me now!"

As Gardevoir and Charizard work together to pull back a snarling, furious dark-type, Ella asks Ash, "Now what's happening?"

Ash just sits there open-mouthed.

Butterfree has apparently decided that it's safe to come down, and he lands beside me. "Ash, who gave you that thing? You said they work with your aunt?"

Ash blinks back into existence. "Her name is Miriam. She-"

"Miriam Waybright?" Wobbles asks slowly.

There is a desperate hope in Ash's voice. "Y-yeah. You know her?"

Oh, Ashton, what have you gotten yourself into?

Flareon's ears are back as he creeps out from his new hiding place behind Wobbles. "We know her," he says. "She's mean! Really mean!"

"I mean," Ash's Adam's apple bobs, "she was kind of rude, but I wouldn't say-"

"Who's your aunt?" Absol demands, ripping himself out of Charizard and Gardevoir's grip. "You said she works with your aunt. And, that you've been doing the same. Who is your aunt, Ash Ketchum? What's her name?"

"Her-her name?" Ash stammers. "It's Vivian. Vivian Ketchum."

Absol hisses and shrinks back with his teeth bared and a tremble in his gait that wouldn't notice if I weren't right next to him.

My stomach drops, and my fur stands up. I shake my head. "No. Absol, don't tell me."

"Absol?" Flareon prompts when Absol doesn't say anything.

Absol blows out a breath and looks up at the sky for a moment. He lowers his head but doesn't look at me when he drops the next bomb. "Yes, Pikachu, your trainer is related to mine."

Vivian? Ash's Aunt V? That can't be right! Sure, Vivian can be a little insensitive, but she's not a bad person!

"You're that Absol?" Ash exclaims.

"You've heard of me," Absol says.

Adam's apple again. "She said she had a partner who-who just went nuts one day and attacked her. But, that can't be you! I know Pikachu. He-he wouldn't be friends with you if he thought you were dangerous."

Absol chuckles with disdain. "So, she said I was the dangerous one, did she?"

"Okay," Patches squeaks, her tail lashing behind her in frustration. "What the holy hell is happening right now?"

"I have some questions as well," Mama says.

"Only some?" Wobbles asks.

Sprout shouts out another, "Oh my goodness!" and suddenly everyone is talking over each other.

Some, those of us who know Ash, are defending him. Some, namely my mom and Absol, are arguing that we need to drive him and Ella away. Some are just trying to get the full story. The rest are humans who don't have the faintest idea of what's happening.

Until Ash has had enough and slams his hands on the grass and screams, "Everybody shut it!"

Silence.

Ash takes a few breaths and rubs his forehead. "I don't get any of this. But, I trust my aunt."

Absol steps forward. "Are you calling us liars?"

"No!" Ash shakes his head vehemently. "No, I'm not! But…but, Aunt V, she…" He lowers his gaze to the disc-shaped death trap in front of him. "She knows how much pokemon mean to me. And, she loves me. So, she wouldn't… Because if she did, then…" So quietly, he adds, "God, what did I do?"

"Ash?" Ella says worriedly. My buddy doesn't react when Ella places her hand on his back.

He does react when I walk up to him and put my hand on his knee, even if it is just turning panicked brown eyes on me. "Whatever this is," I say to him, "it's not your fault. I know you, Ashton." To everyone else, I say, "I trust Ash implicitly, and I'll be saying that on my deathbed."

"Pikachu," Ash breathes.

Charizard's arms are crossed over his chest. "I second that. If Ash really did bring something dangerous here, he was obviously tricked."

Gardevoir gives a mock-salute. "Ten-four. I think I've known him long enough."

"I'll admit," Butterfree says, "I've been away a while. But, take a gander," he adds with a nod at our still shell-shocked trainer. "You can't fake emotion like that."

"Agreed," Patches says. "I don't know Ash well, but he seems like a good one. Something's up, and I don't think Ash is as involved as that doohickey there would suggest."

"We've known Ash for a long time," Wobbuffet says.

Meowth adds, "He's too much of a goody-goody to pull a stunt like this willingly."

Much to Meowth's annoyance, Jessie starts poking him in the back of the head. "Meowth? What's happening?"

Absol sits on his haunches with a huff. "Fine. We'll assume that Ash is a pawn."

"He is!" I hiss at Absol.

Behind me, Ash makes a small, scared noise.

Sprout comes forward and puts her leaf on Absol's shoulder. "I hate to even suggest this, but maybe it's time you told us about your trainer?" She nods at the machine that's still sitting on the grass. "If she really is involved, then…"

"Maybe Miriam tricked Aunt V?" Ash suggests quietly. "Is that an option?"

"Tricked?" Ella gives Ash a little shake. "Ash, what are you talking about? Help me out here!"

Meowth is the one who helps her out. "The twerp's aunt is bad news, apparently."

"Bad news?" James asks. "How so?"

"I'd like to know, too," Joltik says. He'd been cowering behind Patches through all this but steps into full view. "I'm not following along very well."

"Me neither," Flareon says.

Mama huffs and sits down. "I don't think anyone is. Though," she bops her tail against Absol's head, making him glare at her, "this one seems to have some idea. What's the scoop?"

Absol stands up and slowly spins around to find that everyone is looking at him now. He groans and plops down, facing me, Ash, and Ella. "I knew this would come back to bite me." All the pokemon get closer. Absol's pelt prickles, but he doesn't tell us to back off. He opens his mouth then closes it with a grimace. "Look, I get why Ash and Ella should know, but does Team Rocket need to be here?"

"Hey!" Meowth, Growlie, and Wobbuffet cry at once.

"Probably not," Charizard says, "but someone's gotta translate for Ella and, uh," he points his thumb at Ash, who…might be listening, but he seems to be in a haze, "I think Ash is broken."

I have a hunch that he's going to be even more broken after this. I sincerely hope, for his sake if no one else's, that this really is a misunderstanding.

Because at this point, it sounds as if a member of his family was making him… Arceus, if that's true, what will it do to him?

Meowth waves Ella over. "Hey, twerpette. Yeah, you with the glasses. Get over here so I can tell you what Absol's saying."

Ella looks from him to Absol then crawls over to sit with Team Rocket. "Are we finally getting an explanation?"

"I hope so," James says tiredly with his hand in his blue hair. "My head hurts."

Absol sighs and mutters, "I can't believe I'm doing this." He says to the crowd, "Everyone get comfortable. I may as well start from the beginning."