Welcome back to the show! I know it's only been a week but for some reason it feels longer. As a treat for the 3-day weekend, we're doing a double upload today. Enjoy two chapters on this cold Friday in the East Coast.
hateamour: So for one ending is May gonna Die! Please don't do that
Alright, I'll just say it so everyone can have piece of mind. There will only be one ending. This won't be like Man in the Mirror. I can't say what characters' fates will be, but I encourage patience!
Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy Chapter 6 & 7!
Chapter 6: Survivors
"When I saw their eyes briefly turn red, I knew something was wrong," Ash recalled.
May rubbed Ash's back as she shifted her eyes to Tracey. "Were you able to learn why their eyes glowed like that?"
Tracey sighed. He'd seen better days. His face was bandaged up, and his arm was in a cast. "Sadly, no. However, Clemont has volunteered his expertise since he returned to Lumiose City. If anyone can figure it out, it's him," Tracey said, an optimistic look in his eyes. He slammed his fist on his palm.
"I see," May nodded.
"What we do know is that they came to destroy the Draco Plate. What was it even doing here, Tracey?" Ash asked.
The lab assistant stood up from the couch. "I'll let the professor explain," he said, gesturing them to follow him. As they walked through the cracked hallways, the couple reminisced on how the lab had seen better days. It would take months to rebuild to Professor Oak's specifications, according to a construction crew. Fortunately, that didn't stop the professor from continuing his work and using what he had. "Professor, we have company," Tracey said, entering Oak's study.
Chloe stood alongside the professor, assisting him. "Ash, May!" Chloe hugged the couple. She backed away with tears in her eyes. "Ash, it's so good to see you here."
"You too, Chloe," Ash smiled at her.
"You've been busy, haven't you?" May also grinned.
"Professor Oak is a good friend of our family. I couldn't leave without lending a hand," Chloe admitted.
An injured Tracey valued that, "We can't thank you enough." Chloe bowed in appreciation.
The old Oak turned his chair away from his laptop. "It's so good to see you two on your feet again." The Professor's head was bandaged up after Hypnosis caused him to bump his head.
"It's good to see you up and about, Professor," Ash bowed.
"We were worried about you," May had a sheepish smile.
A bashful Oak rubbed his head. "It'll take more than that to knock this researcher's lights out."
Ash raised his fist. "That's good to hear, Professor Oak, because we have some friends to save."
Professor Oak saw the lightning in his eyes. "Agreed. The Iris and Alain I saw that day were not the ones I'm familiar with. As for the girl who resembles May, we will bring her to justice for what happened to Pikachu. I will do everything I can, young man."
"Thank you," the couple responded.
Professor Oak returned to his laptop. "I'm willing to bet that you're curious to learn what the Draco Plate was doing at the lab in the first place. After all, that is what they came for." Ash and May nodded. The elderly Oak pulled up images of the glowing Draco Plate and Dragonspiral Tower. "The truth is that Cedric Juniper contacted me about it. He asked if I could research the plate. Ever since he uncovered it at Dragonspiral Tower some weeks ago, he's been unable to determine the cause of its strange glow. I agreed to look into it for him."
"The plates belong to Arceus, don't they?" Chloe questioned.
Professor Oak rubbed his chin. "That's right. However, I've never heard of the plates glowing without Arceus present. It's a strange phenomenon."
Ash stepped forward. "I've seen the plates before, but these looked much smaller."
"Yes, the plates you encountered on your previous adventures belonged to Arceus himself. However, these smaller plates were gifts from Arceus to the ancient people of Sinnoh, formerly known as Hisui," Oak informed.
"Then what was the Draco Plate doing in Unova?" May placed her finger on her chin.
Professor Oak chuckled. "The ancient people of Hisui didn't stay in their region. Craving for adventure, they ventured to other lands with the plates. Eventually, the plates gifted to these people got scattered around the world. Their whereabouts unknown." His smile turned into disappointment when he thought about the shattered plate. "Unfortunately, I couldn't learn enough of the Draco Plate before it was destroyed. It was foolish of me to believe that I could understand such power, and I'm equally responsible for what happened to Pikachu." Ash, May, Tracey, and Chloe got caught off guard by his apology. "If I hadn't brought it to the lab, they wouldn't have come. I'm sorry," Professor Oak lamented.
"Professor," Chloe grabbed his shoulder.
"You were only doing what any researcher would do," Tracey argued.
"You never thought this would happen. Nobody did, so don't blame yourself and don't apologize," May insisted.
Ash met Oak's lowered gaze. "They're right, Professor Oak. None of it was your fault. We'll get to the bottom of this together."
Professor Oak looked at the young man. The colorless gaze in Ash's eyes days before weighed on his mind, but with the trainer's spark, renewed him. Ash wouldn't give up. Neither would he. "Youth is a powerful force," the humble Oak closed his eyes and smiled. When he opened them, he got up. "Now, then, I'd like to show you something. While I wasn't able to discover the cause for the plate's glow. We did learn something," Oak grabbed a remote to turn on the monitor.
Chloe bent over for a closer look. "Those are the radiation readings."
"Correct. A scan of the plate's glow revealed that it emits non-lethal levels of radiation," Professor Oak lectured Ash and May.
"We couldn't understand the reason for the radiation, but all that changed when Iris and Alain appeared," Tracey added.
Chloe continued, "After studying the radiation patterns, we noticed the Professor's sensors recorded a spike in the radiation reading on May's birthday. The time of the spike coincided with when they arrived."
Ash and May were surprised. "Are you suggesting that Alain and Iris triggered a higher radiation reading?" May wondered.
"But they weren't near the plate when it spiked," Ash determined.
"I'm aware. Hence, I don't believe the plate was reacting to Iris and Alain. I believe the plate was trying to tell us something," Oak hypothesized.
"Like a signal?" Tracey was baffled.
Professor Oak nodded, "It sounds far-fetched, but it is the best explanation I have. The plate didn't experience any such spike during the weeks it was here until the lab was attacked. It's almost as if it cried for help."
"What could it mean?" a concerned May placed her fist on her chest.
"If Alain, Iris, and that mysterious girl were seeking the Draco Plate, who is to say that they aren't seeking out the other plates?" Professor Oak put his hands in his lab coat.
Ash raised his eyebrow, "You're saying that we should try to find the other plates?"
Oak gave a knowing look, "It's the only way you can hope to find Iris, Alain, and stop any more madness. I fear anyone who meddles with the power of the plates is bound to wreak havoc."
"But how can we find the plates? They're scattered around the world," May saw a dilemma.
The Professor acknowledged that, "I'm well aware. I don't have the capability to detect the other plates' radiation readings in my lab's current condition, but I know of someone not too far who does." Oak's smile shifted to Chloe.
"My dad!" Chloe realized.
"I already sent Gary along with Goh to Professor Cerise's lab. He's been briefed on the situation and is working with them to study the radiation readings as we speak," Professor Oak revealed.
Ash and May's faces radiated hope. They finally had a lead to save their friends. May tightened the knot of her red bandana, "Then our next stop is Professor Cerise's lab."
"You coming, Chloe?" Ash flashed a confident grin.
"You bet!" the research fellow pumped her fist.
"Friends on a journey. Fearless and resilient. Ho-oh blesses them," Professor Oak recited a haiku as he watched the young adults gear up for another perilous adventure. They clapped for Oak when he finished.
After getting help from Professor Oak, Ash, May, and Chloe set their sights on Vermilion City. Before Ash left Pallet Town, his mother wished him a safe and successful journey. It was a risk to let him venture into the world, but the risk seemed even greater for Delia now. Nevertheless, she wouldn't stop him. It wasn't in her heart to stop him, and it wasn't in Ash's heart to listen. He'd do whatever he could to get his friends back and honor Pikachu. Ash would go to the ends of the earth for his friends, yet the thing that eased her heart was that he wasn't alone. He had May.
May let go of Ash's hand when she saw the staircase to the Cerise Lab. "Last one there is a Slowpoke!" the coordinator ran ahead.
"No fair, May!" Ash got caught off guard.
"You heard her, Ash," Chloe giggled and ran in second place.
"Eevee vee!" Chloe's Eevee chased after them. Ash ran after the girls. The years didn't strip them of their propensity to be playful, and they enjoyed it.
May laughed as she held the lead. When she reached the top, she saw the doors open. The brunette saw Gary, Yamper, and Goh at the entrance. She was startled when Goh yelled, "Gary, watch out. It's Evil May!"
"Huh?" Gary was confused.
Yamper bolted out the door. "Yamp yamper!" the cheerful Electric-type barked.
Goh worried, "Yamper, no, come back!"
"Evil May?!" May's jaw fell. Goh tried to shut the door before she could enter. May lunged forward to catch the door, "You idiot, it's just May!" The coordinator's teeth were razor-sharp and her eyes spit fire. Gary and Goh shrunk in size when she became angered.
"What's all the ruckus?" Chloe arrived at the top and caught Yamper when it leapt into her arms.
Yamper licked her face, "Yamper!" Chloe petted the canine, happy to reunite with him.
"Vee!" Eevee called to Yamper, who jumped out of Chloe's arms and ran inside to play with the Normal-type Pokémon.
Amongst the commotion, Ash appeared behind Chloe. "May, what's wrong?"
A sweat dripped down Goh's face, "Oh, so you are just May." The former research fellow tried to laugh off the embarrassment.
"Why did you think she was the lookalike, Goh?" Chloe narrowed her eyes at him.
Goh scratched his face, "I didn't see Ash when she ran here, so I thought it wasn't the May we know. Sorry."
His response prompted Chloe to snicker, but May was less amused. "It's not like we're glued to each other," the coordinator rolled her eyes.
"Oh, Goh," a sheepish Ash pitied his friend.
"You sure about that?" Gary doubted May's remark.
May side-eyed the young Oak, "Did you all forget our situation when Ash became a research fellow?"
"Oh yeah, good point," Goh raised his finger.
An annoyed Chloe nodded sideways. "Let's hurry inside. My dad is probably waiting."
"Right," the friends followed her down the hallway.
When they entered the research fellow room, they were greeted by the Professor and his assistants. They also spotted Yamper and Eevee chasing each other in circles. "Well, look who it is," Chrysa greeted the familiar faces.
"Long time, no see," Ren waved to them.
"Hi, everyone," Ash waved.
May bowed. "It's great to see all of you, too."
An empathetic Professor Cerise approached them. "Ash, May, Chloe, I'm so glad you made it here in one piece. I'm sorry to hear of everything that happened in Pallet Town."
"You'll help us, won't you, Professor Cerise?" Ash gave Cerise an intense stare.
"Of course," Professor Cerise assured him.
"Dad, what have you learned so far?" Chloe asked.
"You mean, 'we,'" Goh held his hips.
"We have research experience too, y'know?" Gary commented.
Chloe smirked. "I'd believe it if you hadn't caused a scene back at the door." Goh and Gary facepalmed themselves. "Just kidding, I know you've been working day and night, too," the young Cerise teased them. The five friends gathered around the Professor Cerise's monitor.
Professor Cerise presented a map of the world. The young heroes identified the various regions as the professor pulled up his notes. Suddenly, there were multiple flashing red icons scattered around the map. "We've studied the Draco Plate's radiation patterns sent over by Professor Oak. Fortunately, we were able to replicate the signal and match it against similar readings identified across the world. Those flashing red indicators that you see are radiation readings for the other plates."
"Whoa," Ash and the gang were in awe. Even Gary and Goh hadn't seen the full map.
As Professor Cerise observed the indicators, he spoke, "Chrysa, please remind me how many plates exist."
"There are 18 recorded plates:
The Fist Plate, the Sky Plate, the Toxic Plate, the Earth Plate, the Stone Plate, the Insect Plate, the Spooky Plate, the Iron Plate, the Flame Plate, the Splash Plate, the Meadow Plate, the Zap Plate, the Mind Plate, the Icicle Plate, the Draco Plate, the Dread Plate, the Pixie Plate, and the Blank Plate." Chrysa listed them.
Professor Cerise crossed his arms, "Odd, I thought there were only 17."
Ren stated, "The Blank Plate was recently documented, but very little is known about what it does compared to the other plates."
"Hmmm," Professor Cerise rubbed his chin. "Still, there are oddities here. The map indicates only 15 readings, excluding the Draco Plate."
"That is weird," Gary tried to make sense of it. Goh and Chloe tried to recount the indicators while Ash and May tried to determine the reason for the readings to begin with. None of them could pinpoint the cause for it.
Professor Cerise sighed, unsettled by the missing readings. "Unfortunately, I'm not sure what we can make of it. However, we must work with what we have." Ash, May, and the others agreed without a word. The patriarch of the Cerise family mustered a smile, "But I'm confident you can uncover the answer for the missing plates as you find the others."
"Is there any chance we can identify a plate based on its reading?" Chloe inquired.
"We tried to, but the wavelength patterns mirror each other. There's no distinguisher among them," Goh regretted to inform them.
Ash formed a confident smile, "That's alright. A plate is a plate, and at least we have something to go off of."
"Hey, Ash," Goh addressed him. When Ash looked at him, Goh smiled, "It's good to have you back," Goh held out his fist.
A beaming Ash gave him a fist bump, "I'm ready."
Goh balled his hand into a fist, "Just like old times as research fellows!"
"Since we're going after these plates, does this make me a research fellow?" a playful May tried not to feel left out among her friends.
Professor Cerise and his assistants laughed. The man nodded, "Of course, it does. Welcome to the team, May."
"What's the nearest reading, right now?" Gary asked.
Ren had the screen zoom in on the Kanto region, "According to the map, the nearest reading is coming from Viridian Forest. That's only about a day away from here."
Chrysa walked to them, "Would you mind lending me your Rotom phones?"
"Sure," the gang handed their devices.
Chrysa synced them to her computer to download an application. "Your Rotom phones will be equipped with the same technology used to pinpoint the readings on the map. You'll be able to locate the readings straight from your devices when you're out on the field."
Ash received his first, "Wow, thanks, Chrysa."
"We stayed up all night developing it for mobile applications. We hope it helps," a tired Ren chuckled.
"It will," May assured the lab assistant.
"Alright, Viridian Forest, here we come," Goh made a fist.
Ash and May smirked, "Yeah!"
"I'll also tag along. Ash has May to look after him, but someone needs to keep an eye on you. Right, Eevee?" Chloe reminded the eager trainer.
Eevee jumped into Chloe's arms, "Eevee!" the joyful Pokémon cried.
"Hey!" Ash and Goh snapped while Chloe and May giggled.
Gary snickered as he turned back to the map, "I'll stay here to help Ren, Chrysa, and the Professor monitor these readings and see if anything changes."
"Sounds good, Gar," Ash acknowledged.
Yamper joined Professor Cerise by his side when he gave his daughter a worried smile, "You four stay safe. I don't know what you're up against, but it shouldn't be taken lightly."
Chloe winked at her dad, "Don't worry, Dad. I have my friends, two of whom happen to be the strongest trainers in their fields and the other was part of Project Mew." Ash, May, and Goh smiled at Chloe when she turned to them.
"Vee eevee!" Eevee chimed.
"And Eevee, of course," Chloe laughed.
Professor Cerise sighed, "I know, but a father worries."
Yamper panted, "Yamp yamper yamp!" The dog-like Pokémon encouraged Professor Cerise to smile.
"Even Yamper knows it'll be alright," Goh placed his hand on the Professor's shoulder. "Don't worry, Professor Cerise. We'll all watch our backs."
The father found comfort in their confident grins and determined eyes. The future of the world was in good hands with spirits such as theirs. "Thank you, to all of you. I look forward to learning of your progress."
"The journey starts today," an unwavering Ash adjusted his gloves.
"With you," May wrapped her arm around him.