There was a knock at the door, and Professor Oak mumbled something to himself.

Then, sighing, he got out of bed, picked up his dressing gown, and pulled it on as he made his bleary way to the door.

"You know it's six AM, right?" he asked, opening the door.

"Our apologies," said a tall Legendary Pokémon with a steely blue coat. "We are still on Unova time."

Professor Oak blinked.

"...um," he began, looking at the Legendary, then past him at the other three Legendary Pokémon stood behind him – one green, one brown, and one excited-but-nervous tan-coated Pokémon at the back.

There was no possible way to mistake them. These were the Swords of Justice.

"...why are you here?" he asked, then yawned.

"You may recall our email conversation?" Virizion asked, helpfully. "We were asking about enrolling our ward in your summer camp."

"The parenting books say that a summer camp is a good idea for a young boy, especially one who does not have friends where he lives," Cobalion contributed. "It is a good way to make them."

"Is something wrong?" the Keldeo asked, stood behind the low-slung Terrakion and sounding very young.

"I guess he's just not woken up yet, kid," Terrakion suggested.

Professor Oak did his best to go from being unsure what was going on to being woken up, though it was a bit of a struggle.

He did remember something about…

"Iron Will at Unova dot Sword?" he asked, suddenly making the connection.

Everyone else who was enrolled in the summer camp, he had their names and pictures and the names and pictures of their parents or guardians, and with just one to go he hadn't really put much effort into chasing them up. After all, with only one left it would have been a process of elimination…

"Yes," Cobalion confirmed. "I apologize again for the earliness of the hour. Is there anything that we need to sort out, and when should we turn up to drop him off?"

He coughed. "Depending on the time, we may be somewhat teleport-lagged."

Professor Oak thought that through carefully.

"The meet and greet is this afternoon," he said. "I suggest you get some sleep to try and reset your internal clocks to Kanto time… where are you staying? I need an emergency contact."

"We have a booking at a local room share place," Virizion supplied. "I can provide the details if you have a moment…"

"We have a problem," Terrakion said, three days later at breakfast.

Probably breakfast. Their internal clocks were still somewhat confused.

"What's that?" Cobalion replied, inspecting the steamed rice and sliced Sitrus, then took a bite.

It was better than he'd expected. The Sitrus really helped the flavour.

"Well, uh… I guess it's not a problem so much as a good thing?" Terrakion hedged. "But Keldeo's really getting on well with one of the kids at the camp, I mean, really well. They've hit it off great."

He shrugged. "Thing is, uh… it's the first time he's had a friend at all, anything like this, and I don't know how much he'd like being separated."

"What are you suggesting?" Virizion asked.

"Well, I'm not suggesting anything," Terrakion objected, then shook his head. "Yet. I'm not suggesting anything yet. Just, uh… like I say, it'd break Keldeo's heart if they had to say goodbye."

Virizon and Cobalion exchanged a glance.

"I'm not sure there's another option," Cobalion said, poking at his food before taking another bite.

"Hmm," Virizion said, thoughtfully. "What's the local Legendary Pokémon, anyway?"

She and Terrakion both looked at Cobalion.

"I think it's… Ho-Oh, yes," Cobalion said. "He covers this area, and Johto as well, well, he lives in Johto. There's technically a Zapdos as well I think but they're not very reliable. Why?"

"Oh, just wondering…"

"Man, I wish this camp lasted longer," Ash sighed, glancing over at Keldeo. "Right?"

"Right," Keldeo agreed, holding out a hoof, and Ash fist-bumped it. "But I do have to head off some time, because… well, you know."

Because Keldeo lived in Unova.

They were mostly just waiting for Keldeo's… parents? Guardians? Keldeo said they were the Swords of Justice, but Ash didn't really get what that meant, except that they were Pokémon and somehow pretty important Pokémon.

Ash really should have been home by now, but he lived about ten minutes' walk away from where the summer camp had been happening, so he hardly had to bother. And waiting here with Keldeo would mean a good chance to say goodbye.

Ash thought Keldeo was lonely a lot of the time. A lot more lonely than Ash ever was, because he had Gary to speak to even if Gary was a butt, and there were the other kids too… but Keldeo didn't really have anyone.

Hopefully they'd be able to stay in touch?

Keldeo looked up, and Ash did too – seeing that the blue Pokémon, Cobalion, was trotting closer before halting.

"Are you ready to go home, Keldeo?" he asked.

"Yeah," Keldeo replied, with a sigh. "I guess."

He drew his legs up, and slowly stood. "This was a really great experience, and I know we have to go back to training now, and I don't mind that. It's just, uh… the other thing."

"The other thing?" Cobalion asked.

There was something funny about his voice.

"About not being around any friends any more," Keldeo explained.

Cobalion nodded, slowly.

"I'm sure you'll be able to handle it, Keldeo," he said. "But I understand. Perhaps your friend here would like to accompany us some of the way… Ash, I think you said his name was?"

"Come with you?" Ash replied. "You mean, to where you're going to head home?"

He frowned. "Actually, you teleported, right? Does that mean that you can just go back from anywhere?"

"It's difficult for a Pokémon to teleport you if you're not where it is," Cobalion said.

"Right," Ash said, thinking. "And – oh – yeah, if that's okay? I know I can't come with you to Unova because I'd need to ask my mom…"

"That won't be a problem," Cobalion said, confidently, and Ash stood up.

If it meant he got to meet all of Keldeo's… guardians? Then he was okay with it, they were pretty cool Pokémon.

Keldeo was mostly paying attention to a conversation with Ash, talking about Pokémon types and what it was like to be a Fighting-type, so he didn't really pay attention to where Cobalion was leading them.

Until, that was, the Steel-type suddenly stopped.

"Are we… um… there?" Keldeo asked, confused, because it didn't look like they were there. He couldn't see any of the kind of powerful psychic Pokémon that could send them halfway across the world in a single overpowered teleport.

Instead, they were at a large building, sort of like a barn, which had several Machoke and a Dragonite carrying supplies in and out of it and talking cheerfully about renovations, while that Professor Oak guy was holding a set of plans and talking to Virizion.

What was going on?

"Professor Oak?" Ash asked, sounding just as confused as Keldeo felt. "Isn't this the old barn?"

"Hello there, Ash my boy!" Professor Oak replied, cheerfully. "Well, that's what it is now, but before long it's going to be a renovated two-story four-bedroom barn house! Specially reinforced, as well!"

He was, by all appearances, incredibly pleased.

"I see you've already made friends with your new neighbours!" Professor Oak went on.

New what?

"Neighbours?" Keldeo repeated.

"Yep!" Terrakion agreed. "We talked about it, and then when your friend there used some Aura without realizing it, that really made our minds up!"

"Aura?" Ash asked.

Cobalion sighed.

"Terrakion," he said, repressively.

"What, was I not supposed to mention that bit yet?" Terrakion asked. "...oops."

"You mean we're staying here?" Keldeo asked, his voice brittle, then swallowed a lump in his throat. "That's… I… thank you, thank you! I really didn't want to have to say goodbye…"

Then he frowned. "But, uh… who's handling things in Unova?"

"Are you sure you're a Sword of Justice?" a Deerling asked, dubiously.

"I'm a Dog of Fast," Raikou replied. "I hope that's okay?"

"Well… um, we're supposed to get help from the Swords of Justice if there's a disaster," the Deerling explained, looking over her shoulder. "And there's a forest fire!"

"I'm sure Father will be able to handle it," Raikou said, with a nod, then paused.

"...how could the Swords of Justice handle a forest fire?" he asked.

"Tally-ho!" Ho-Oh declared, sweeping low overhead, and rainbow light seethed off his wings.

"So, I'm not really an expert, but isn't Ho-Oh a Fire-type?" a Tranquill inquired, nervously.

"Yes, but he's also a rainbow Pokémon," Raikou explained, sitting on his haunches. "And rainbows require-"

"RAIN DANCE!" Ho-Oh shouted, which promptly resulted in a downpour.

"You know, it's good to see him getting out of the tower, meeting new Pokémon and having fun," Raikou added, thoughtfully. "I wonder where Entei and Suicune have got to, actually. If Entei is underneath this, I'm never going to hear the end of it from her about her fur…"

"What's so special about Ash's friend, anyway, Gramps?" Gary asked.

Professor Oak looked up.

"You don't sound very happy, Gary," he noted.

His grandson sighed.

"I'm not… look, I'm not unhappy," the pre-teen said, kicking the wall in a way that proved he was probably not telling the truth. "I just think it really… I don't get why this Keldeo is so important. Or why you're spending so much time researching him and the others."

Professor Oak thought for a moment, then put his pencil and notebook down.

"You know what I do as my profession, don't you, Gary?" he asked.

"Yeah, of course," Gary answered, confused. "You're Oak, the Pokémon Professor. Everyone knows that."

"I mean what a Pokémon Professor does," Oak replied. "I study Pokémon, and this is… an opportunity that I could never otherwise have. To study Pokémon society, even if it's from an unusual perspective, and to do it with Pokémon who can talk to me about it. The difference with what we do about every other Pokémon is significant, and that's before considering that they are Legendary Pokémon."

Gary frowned.

"...I still don't get what it is about Ash that makes them so interested," he said.

"I'm not entirely clear about that either," Oak admitted. "They've said what they call it, and given me some explanation, but – well, I won't know for sure until I can properly relate it to what I know. It's like building a jigsaw, I've got several pieces put together, but I need to connect them to the edge."

Gary nodded, slowly.

"I think I get that," he said. "Or, uh. I know why I don't get it, I guess. And whatever Ash is doing seems to involve a lot of being really exhausted."

He made a face.

"But I'm going to be a better trainer than Ash, anyway!"

"I'm sure he'd say the same thing," Professor Oak replied, so warmly that it would take Gary some time to work out what that actually meant.

Time passed, and all boys leave home someday.

"Pika-chuu," Ash's new starter complained, squirming to try and get out of his grip, then zapped him.

Again.

"Hey, stop that!" Ash complained, then coughed out some smoke. "I get it, you don't really like me all that much, but we've only just met! At least give me a chance!"

This got him zapped.

It was becoming something of a trend.

"Chuu, pika-kachu," Pikachu muttered to himself, shaking his head.

"What are you calling me, anyway?" Ash asked, lifting Pikachu up and turning him around a bit so they could have a face to face conversation. "Because I'm kind of… having trouble with the way you speak, and I've only really learned a few so far so it'd really help to have some kind of clue!"

"Pikaa-chu!" Pikachu said, blasting him mostly out of habit.

"Traveller!" a familiar voice said, and Ash turned – switching how he was holding Pikachu so he was supporting the Electric-type under one arm instead.

"Keldeo!" he said, with a grin. "How come you're out here?"

"Virizion and Terrakion said I should go out and do some adventuring on my own!" Keldeo replied, prancing back and forth slightly. "It's great that it's the same day you're heading out! It took a while for Cobalion to decide it was okay, but I guess it is a big step, right!"

Pikachu had stopped squirming or complaining and was just looking confused.

"...kachu?" he asked, head tilting and ears twitching.

"Oh, yeah, I should introduce you!" Ash realized. "Pikachu, this is Keldeo, he's from Unova! He moved into Pallet Town a few years ago, he's…"

Ash trailed off.

"...are you my closest friend or one of my closest friends?" he asked, in tones of deep puzzlement. "I really don't know how to count it."

"I guess 'one of' is right?" Keldeo suggested.

"Yeah, that should do," Ash agreed. "He's one of my closest friends! Him and his guardians have taught me a lot of cool stuff."

He adjusted his backpack with a shrug, trying not to jostle Pikachu too much. "And, Keldeo, this is Pikachu! He's my starter Pokémon, I guess he's still not one of my closest friends just yet, but he seems pretty strong! I think he doesn't like his Pokéball… is that right?"

Pikachu folded his arms. "Ka-kachuu, Pika!"

"He doesn't – you don't understand Pikachu yet?" Keldeo asked, tilting his head. "How come?"

"I'm working on it," Ash grumbled. "The last time I had a new Pokémon to learn it with it was that time the Arcanine turned up, right? The one with the bad leg?"

"Yeah, I remember," Keldeo agreed. "Anyway, uh… where are you going?"

"Well, I was going to go to Viridian City first!" Ash said. "Because… I guess it's the only option? But I don't want to start out my Pokémon journey with a gym battle against a Ground-type gym leader with only Pikachu, that seems way too hard… so maybe to Pewter City or something?"

Keldeo nodded.

"That sounds like a great place to go on a quest to!" he said. "We should probably travel together."

"Yeah!" Ash agreed, nodding.

"Pika!" Pikachu said, waving his paws. "Pika-ka-chuuu, pikachupi?"

"What?" Keldeo replied, defensively. "No, there's nothing suspicious about it! We definitely weren't up until about four AM last night working out how to do it!"

Pikachu sighed.

"Anyway, we should get going if we're going to reach Viridian City!" Ash declared. "Or we could stop for lunch, I guess. Is it nearly lunchtime?"

He put Pikachu on Keldeo's back absently as he reached for his bag, taking out a lunchbox. "I think… yeah, this one's yours…"

"Chuu," Pikachu said, shaking his head. "Pikaa-chuu."

Then looked up. "Ka?"

Keldeo and Ash followed his gaze.

There was a very interested looking Spearow staring at the open lunchbox.

And a lot of other Spearow at slightly greater distances, also looking at the open lunchbox.

"...hey, Keldeo?" Ash said, thoughtfully. "You know that time we did long distance endurance training?"

"Yeah," Keldeo agreed. "Last one to Viridian City's probably going to get pecked by Spearow!"

"Are they going to be okay?" Ash asked, later that afternoon.

Nurse Joy lowered her scanner.

"Your Pikachu is going to need some assistance, because he's strained his cheeks," she said. "That should be something we can handle on an outpatient basis – it won't take long. And your, uhm… I actually don't recognize the other Pokémon."

"I'm Keldeo," Keldeo informed her. "And I'm Ash's friend, not his Pokémon. We're just travelling together."

"My word," Joy said, with a smile. "It's nice to have a patient who I can understand! We do our best with body language and the like, but sometimes it's nice to just get a single firm answer. Anyway, Keldeo will probably be all right – by what you said, it was mostly you and Pikachu who were having trouble anyway."

"That's a good point, Ash," Keldeo said. "Are you okay?"

"It's just scratches," Ash replied. "Most of that was when I tripped down the bank anyway! I only wish I'd been able to keep running…"

He shrugged, then looked at the tired but not particularly unhappy Pikachu lying on the counter. "Oh, yeah, and – Pikachu doesn't like his Pokéball, and Keldeo doesn't have one. Is that okay?"

"We can treat them without putting them in Pokéballs," Joy assured him.

"I feel better about humans already," Pikachu quipped.

"Pokémon Centres always seem really nice," Ash noted.

As Pikachu was taken into the back for some physiotherapy, though, the door opened again and a panting and dishevelled trainer came through the door.

"I knew it!" she said, marching right up to Keldeo and pointing a finger at him. He looked down at the finger, eyes crossed, then glanced at Ash.

"What did she know?" he asked. "Is this a human thing?"

Ash shrugged.

"You're a Legendary Pokémon!" the girl declared. "And not just any Legendary Pokémon, a Water-type! I thought I recognized you when you went past, but you didn't slow down when I asked! And then I got mobbed by Spearow!"

She paused. "Which, uh. In hindsight does kinda explain why you didn't stop, but still! How are you so fast that you beat me here?"

"I run a lot?" Ash suggested.

"I came here by bike!" the girl replied. "And you still got here before me – that's just…"

She frowned. "How come you're so… not-surprised… by seeing a Legendary Pokémon?"

"Why would I?" Ash asked. "Keldeo's my friend! And he's my next-door neighbour, too."

"...huh," the girl muttered. "Where are you from, anyway?"

"Ash Ketchum!" Ash introduced himself. "From-"

"You're from Ash Ketchum?" the girl said.

Keldeo giggled.

"I wasn't finished!" Ash protested. "I'm from Pallet Town! And Keldeo is, uh… how did Mom put it?"

"I'm from Pallet Town, but of Unovan extraction," Keldeo provided.

"Maybe I should have visited it before now, then," the girl said, thoughtfully. "I thought it was just some two-bit town that's completely unimportant."

"Hey!" Ash complained. "Professor Oak lives there! Where are you from, anyway?"

"Cerulean City!" the girl told him. "My name's Misty – remember it!"

"Misty Rememberit?" Ash said, curious.

The Chansey at the desk was the one who giggled this time.

"...well!" Misty said, with a sigh. "Look, my name's Misty. Just… Misty. And… look, where are you going, anyway?"

Ash blinked.

"I guess I was thinking of going to Pewter City?" he said. "Why?"

"Well, one, I'd love to travel with someone with a water Pokémon like that!" Misty explained. "Or, with someone who's with a water Pokémon like that. And, two, I'm… kind of hoping for some help getting through Viridian Forest anyway, I don't like bugs much."

She coughed. "And, three, the Spearow ate all my food. Staryu and Starmie did their best, and Goldeen did really good moral support all things considered, but I don't have anything left."

"I think I might still have some food," Ash replied. "Pikachu and Keldeo fought most of them off and I got a few good moves in too, and I don't think they got into the lunch boxes…"

He picked up his bag. "I guess you could see how much there is you like?"

Misty took the bag from him, and came very close to toppling straight over forwards in a vertical-to-horizontal ninety degree sweep.

Fortunately Keldeo's hoof caught her in time.

"What the-!?" she asked, confused. "This has got to be, what, fifteen kilos? How can you carry this?"

"Is that a lot?" Ash asked.

Misty put the bag down, and shook her head.

"I guess we should eat here this evening," she said. "If you're okay with me coming along?"

"Sure!" Ash agreed. "I think, anyway. Right, Keldeo?"

"Yeah!" Keldeo agreed, with a firm nod.

They'd only just finished eating when the power went out, and two people with extravagant hairdos sent forth three Pokémon – including one talking one – into the Pokémon Centre, as the lights came back on in a wavering sort of emergency way.

They introduced themselves, which was nice.

"What are you doing here, anyway?" Ash asked.

"...we just did the motto, kid!" Meowth declared. "You gotta listen to this kind of thing, right? Or you ain't gonna get far!"

"We're Team Rocket, that's what!" Jessie added. "Now let's go get those Pikachu!"

Keldeo objected, bracing himself on three hooves and firing a blast of water from the fourth, and both Ekans and Koffing got carried out of the building in a wave of high-pressure water.

"You're not going to steal any Pokémon while I'm around!" he said. "Especially not my friend's first Pokémon!"

"...uh," Meowth said, then his eyes lit up. "So, uh… you're sure that the Pokémon here ain't bein' kept in a bad condition?"

Keldeo and Ash both blinked.

"...what?" Ash asked, confused. "Pokémon being kept in a bad condition in a Pokémon Centre?"

"Of course!" James agreed, sounding entirely on board with whatever it was that Meowth happened to be saying.

"Yeah, see?" Meowth agreed, glibly. "Because trainers have got all kinds of protections, so sometimes you've gotta do things to rescue a Pokémon from bad trainers – and that means doin' it when they ain't around, because otherwise they'd get in the way!"

"That's what we're doing!" Jessie said, though there might have been a question mark at the end of the sentence. "...of course!"

"How could you think anything else?" James added.

Keldeo and Ash exchanged a glance, then both looked at Misty.

"I've never heard of Team Rocket doing that," she said.

"Of course, you wouldn't have," James said.

"Yeah, the rich guys who own the media love to make it out like anyone who helps rescue Pokémon from trainers is some kind of monster," Meowth agreed, nodding.

"We're watching you," Jessie finished, then the three of them left in a hurry to pick up their waterlogged Poison-types.

"...I never really thought about that," Keldeo admitted. "And it must be hard to find out when they actually need to help, so they have to guess… I know Cobalion and the others always talked about how I had to be careful because I could get it wrong when I try to help..."

AN:

Because the idea of Ash and Keldeo growing up together was fun, so I put together a way it could work.