Chapter 64:
The Missing Puzzle Pieces
Bealbeach City
A few days have passed since the battle of Nuclear Plant Omicron, which thankfully ended with the power plant suffering only minor damage that didn't affect its functioning. While some Nuclear Pokemon remained, CURIE had taken most of them with her, so those left behind were easily captured by the Rangers.
The Rangers decided to return to Bealbeach City and take Kellyn and Cameron with them in order to treat the wounds they suffered during the battle. Ash and his friends decided to accompany them, as did Theo, while Sayaka stayed behind in order to help her people make sure that their home island was no longer under any danger.
Theo gave a call to Natalie and Vitor in order to tell them what had happened and the situation their father was in. The twins told him that they would head to Bealbeach City as soon as they could.
News came of irregular radiation spikes coming from Nuclear Plant Zeta, spikes that matched CURIE's movements, which led the Rangers to believe that the mysterious individual had made the place her base of operations. The Rangers were already planning to assault the place in order to end her threat once and for all, but just like before they needed more manpower.
"You can count on us!" Ash had told Wendy, the acting Head Ranger while Kellyn recovered. "We have plenty of experience dealing with Nuclear Pokemon!"
Alas, it wasn't so simple, as the power plant as well as the surrounding area was still heavily irradiated. Normal hazmat suits wouldn't cut it, and Pokemon wouldn't last an hour before mutating into Nuclear Pokemon. Fortunately, the Ranger's scientific division, working alongside other researchers, were working on a solution to the problem.
In the meantime, all they could do was wait. The group decided to stay at the Pokemon Center and use most of their time to train for when the moment to attack came.
After finishing one of such training sessions, the group decided that it was time for lunch, for both them and their Pokemon. The group of five was sitting on a table at the Center's cafeteria, which was moderately crowded. The mood was somber and even a little tense, as almost no one spoke, merely focusing on their food.
"...as the Rangers continue their efforts to contain the threat of Nuclear Pokemon, league officials discuss the possibility of delaying, or downright cancelling the Tandor League," the anchorwoman in the TV announced, eliciting a bunch of grumbles and murmurs from the people in the cafeteria. The screen then switched to a still footage of the battle of Nuclear Plant Omicron showing CURIE next to Urayne. "In the meantime, the question in everybody's heads is: who is CURIE, and when will she strike again? This is Kate Lockwell from TNN."
"Man, I hope they don't cancel the League," Bonnie groused. "It would be a bummer after Ash had to work so hard for his badges."
"I know, but if this isn't solved soon..." Ash said, shaking his head. "I agree with you, but the safety of the region is more important than some competition."
"Piiika..." Pikachu regretfully agreed, no doubt sad over the possibility of missing the league after all despite having a clean bill of health.
"You know, that CURIE... I swear I saw her somewhere..." Clemont murmured.
"What do you mean that you saw her before?" Serena asked.
"I mean, that suit she wears... I know I have seen it somewhere, but I can't put it..." Clemont replied.
"It looks pretty similar to some of the uniforms worn by Team Omega grunts. It looks familiar because of that," Ash replied.
But Clemont shook his head again. "No. I mean that costume, as it is. I know I have seen it somewhere. I know it has some relation to Team Omega. Perhaps if I review the files I downloaded from their servers-"
Clemont was interrupted by Ash's pokegear beeping. He raised an eyebrow upon looking at the caller ID.
"Uh, it's professor Bamb'o..." Ash said. They haven't seen the eccentric professor since Rochfale Town, quite some time ago. Back then, Ash had yet to win his fourth badge while Serena only had two ribbons. Opening the pokegear, Ash greeted the caller. "Hello?"
"Oh, hey, Ash!" Bamb'o greeted. "So, how's everything going? Okay, sorry, dumb question. I know things aren't going well at all... I trust you guys are doing good at least?"
"We do, professor, thanks for asking," Ash said. "We're in Bealbeach City, waiting to see what the Rangers plan to do next to deal with this mess."
"Oh, you're at Bealbeach? Excellent! I'm with Vitor and Natalie! We will be there in a pinch! Wait for us at the lobby of the Pokemon Center!" Bamb'o said.
Ash nodded as he ended the call. They took no time in finishing their meals and went to the Pokemon lobby to wait for the professor and the twins. And after half an hour of waiting, the automatic doors slid open, as the two brown haired preteens entered the building.
The twins didn't carry themselves with the usual youthful vigor and energy, looking a little troubled, which wasn't unexpected given the effect the news of what happened to their father had on them.
"Vitor! Natalie!" Ash greeted them.
"Hey guys," Natalie said. "How're you doing?"
"Not bad, given the circumstances," Serena replied. Upon noticing something, or better said, the lack of something, she added, "Where is professor Bamb'o? I thought he was coming with you?"
"He's outside. He said he wanted to call the Ranger HQ once we were here, and see if we could visit our dad," Vitor explained.
"I see. Hope he's well enough to get visits," Clemont said. "I'm sure he will be happy to see his children."
They nodded, but didn't say anything, and the conversation reached an uncomfortable silence. Before it could get any worse, Ash resumed it with a change of topic.
"And how have you been doing?" the Kantonian asked, his eyes resting on Natalie. "Last time we met you had seven badges. Do you have your eighth?"
"Oh, sure!" Natalie said, the question improving her mood a little. "You're looking at a proud Tandor League participant!" she boasted, puffing her chest a little, before deflating. "Or I would be, if they don't cancel the league..."
"Don't worry. You'll see how this mess is solved before the League begins," Ash assured her.
"Pika!" Pikachu nodded in agreement.
"And on the bright side, if the League is cancelled, you can still use the badges for next year's League," Vitor added.
The brown haired girl rolled her eyes. "Thank you, bro. That helped sooooooo much," she groaned. "Like, what am I supposed to do for a whole year? Just train? Also, if the Rangers are unable to stop this threat soon enough, I don't think there will be a 'next year' for this region."
Before her twin could answer, the gates of the Pokemon Center swished open, and professor Bamb'o walked in.
"Good news, everyone! Well, as far as good any news can be these days," he amended. "I've been talking with the Rangers and they told me that Kellyn is good enough to get visits."
"Really? That's great!" Vitor said.
Natalie looked at Ash and his friends. "Do you want to come with us?"
"If you don't mind, sure," Ash replied, and looked at the others, who nodded as well.
All of them except one.
"I think I'm going to stay here. I'm going to examine again some of the files I got from the Team Omega servers," Clemont explained, before looking at the twins. "Sorry for not coming. Tell Kellyn I hope he makes a swift recovery."
"Don't sweat it. Come on guys, let's go!" Natalie said.
…
The walk to the Ranger HQ was a silent one, which was quite the contrast with the normally noisy and busy city. Despite the recent disaster, people continued doing business as usual. Still, they could hear many people murmuring about the incidents on the nuclear plants, meaning that, despite everything, they weren't immune to worry.
When the large group entered the HQ, a woman in Ranger uniform quickly approached them.
"Greetings, Professor Bamb'o. We were waiting for you," she politely said. "Head Ranger Kellyn and his friend Cameron are in one of the rooms of the medical bay," she explained. "If you follow me, I'll take you to them."
"Much appreciated," Bamb'o said.
As the group followed her, Natalie opened her mouth to ask something.
"By the way, how is dad?" she asked. "I was told that he got a pretty bad hit from a really strong Nuclear Pokemon."
"That's true. And while we did worry for both him and Cameron, the two of them are both stable and out of danger," the Ranger said, as she climbed a flight of stairs. The relief on the twins could be felt even if they didn't say anything. "We expect them to make a full recovery in the following days."
After getting to the second floor, the Ranger took a turn to the right and led them through a hallway with several doors on it.
"Kellyn and Cameron are in the room at the very end," the Ranger said, before adding, "You can stay as much as you want, but please don't overwhelm them, alright?"
"Don't worry, miss. You have nothing to worry about," Vitor assured her.
The ranger merely nodded, turned back and walked away from them.
Bamb'o opened the door, leading the group inside. It was a fairly large hospital room with eight beds disposed in two rows of four, even if only four of them where occupied, two of them with Kellyn and Cameron, with Theo sitting on a chair next to the latter's bed, their beds next to each other, and other two people that Ash assumed were two Rangers – he remembered that Urayne had done a number on some of them besides Kellyn –.
The twins' reaction upon seeing their father was instant.
"Dad!" they shouted in unison, and quickly rushed to him, wrapping him in a hug from both sides.
"Vitor, Natalie," Kellyn weakly said, returning the hug as best as he could. "I'm so happy to see you." Then, he noticed Ash and his friends (sans Clemont) and turned to them. "They told me that it was you guys who took the initiative and scared that Urayne thing away from me and my men. For that, you will always have my gratitude."
"It was nothing, really," Ash said, chuckling modestly.
"Though, now that you mention it," Theo spoke up. "What is that Urayne thing? I don't think I ever saw anything remotely close in my whole life!"
"Me neither. And I have seen my fair share of weird stuff," Ash added.
"Piiiika," Pikachu emphatically nodded.
"I think I might have an idea," Cameron said.
All eyes were turned on the bedridden redhead.
"You... you do?" Kellyn asked.
Cameron took a deep breath, as he struggled to sit up. "I think it's about time you guys know the truth about me. All of you who know me, either recently or for all your lives, think I'm just a father, an engineer, and a retired Pokemon trainer. But the truth is, I used to be a member of the International Police."
That drew a collective gasp from all people present. Well, all except one.
"So, you were like, a secret agent? That's so cool!" Theo gushed.
Cameron chuckled at her son's enthusiasm. "It's less cool than you think, son. You see, eleven years ago, when you and the twins were babies, I was tasked to investigate the activities of an underground criminal organization. Said criminals not only trafficked Pokemon of all kinds, but realized all kinds of perverse experiments with them."
"Team Omega," Serena quickly said in realization.
Cameron nodded. "Exactly. My investigations lead me to believe that they had built a clandestine laboratory under Nuclear Plant Epsilon where they performed their experiments."
Ash, Serena, Bonnie and the twins looked at each other, remembering that there was indeed such an underground lab, where Team Omega had taken them after knocking them out. Their race to escape the place after toxic vapors began to fill it, which ended with Pikachu suffering so badly from radiation poisoning that he had to stay several months inactive and resting, was something Ash wouldn't forget anytime soon.
"Unfortunately, it seems like those bastards realized I was after them and I was about to bust their little secret lab," Cameron continued, his voice turning bitter. "So in order to cover their tracks, they caused the power plant meltdown and fled."
A heavy silence followed Cameron's words.
"Team Omega... caused the first meltdown?" Serena asked in horrified shock.
"So it wasn't an accident?" Natalie asked.
"That reactor was designed by Lucille, and she made sure there was never a cog out of place or a nut that was too loose." Cameron continued. "The day of the meltdown... the initial diagnosis was okay, but then, for absolutely no reason, the reactor began to fail. There's no other explanation other than human sabotage."
"And eleven years later, when things have calmed down, they return there in order to retrieve whatever was down there," Vitor said.
"I hate to admit it, but that makes a lot of sense," Natalie added.
"Cameron, if you knew about all of this, how come you never told me anything?" Kellyn demanded.
"Because I didn't have solid evidence that the meltdown wasn't an accident. And given how badly you took Lucille's death, I was afraid that it would only make you worse," Cameron replied, shifting in his bed. "Then, shortly before the second meltdown happened, after I and the security guards were escorting all the people to boats, I saw them."
"Them?" Bamb'o repeated.
"Urayne and CURIE," Cameron said. "Urayne was nothing like any Pokemon I saw before, Nuclear or not. And CURIE... the way she commanded Nuclear Pokemon... I knew that they were what Team Omega wanted to retrieve from the laboratory. But I didn't know anything about them. That's why I disappeared and tried to find more things about them. I made many discoveries, such as the fact that Urayne needs to consume radioactive fuel to survive, that's why they're attacking the power plants. By tracking their movements, I could predict what they would do next."
"So you were the one who sent that warning about plant Omicron about to be attacked!" Lilia said in realization.
"Indeed," Cameron nodded. "But even if we stopped CURIE from destroying another plant, this only bought us some time. By this point, Urayne must be close to consuming all the uranium reserves in Plant Zeta. I'm afraid to think what CURIE will do once it runs out. That's why she needs to be stopped as soon as possible."
"Don't worry, Cameron. My Rangers are preparing an offensive as we speak," Kellyn assured him. "On top of our forces, we asked for any skilled trainers to join us for this mission. Those monsters won't threaten our region any longer."
"Hey, if you need volunteers, you can count on me," Ash offered. "I had more than one scuffle with Nuclear Pokemon."
"I will go too," Serena offered.
"We will join you as well!" Natalie energetically stated. "We're not going to let whoever harmed our dad get away scott free!"
"Same goes for me," Theo agreed.
"Me too! And I'm sure Clemont would volunteer to go as well if he were here," Lilia stated.
"Huh, now that you mention it, where is the nerdy guy?" Theo asked, titling his head. "He's always with you."
"He had a hunch that the data he retrieved from Team Omega might have some information on Urayne and CURIE," Serena stated. "And given what Cameron had told us, he might have been onto something."
"Let's go back to the Pokemon Center. I'm sure Clemont found something useful among all the data he got," Ash suggested.
"You go. If you don't mind, Nat and I are going to stay with dad a bit longer," Vitor said.
"Of course. Stay with him as long as you need," Serena understandably replied.
…
"Ah, I see you're back!" Clemont, sitting on a table at the Pokemon Center's lobby, with his laptop opened, said upon seeing his friends return. "How were Kellyn and Cameron?"
"They need to stay a few more days under observation, but hopefully they'll make a full recovery," Serena replied. "What about you? Did you make any progress?"
Clemont's eyes practically glinted at the question. "You bet I did! And you will never guess what I just found!"
"That Urayne and CURIE were created by Team Omega in that underground creepy lab?" Bonnie asked, crossing her arms.
Clemont immediately deflated, lowering his head. "So you did guess..."
"Cameron figured out that there was something going on with those criminals," Lilia said, as she walked towards the inventor, and patted him in the back. "But there were still many mysteries and unanswered questions in his investigation, so let's hear what you found. Perhaps you have the missing puzzle pieces."
"Sure," Clemont said, as his fingers struck several keys as everybody gathered around him. Windows popped up displaying all sorts of data, but it seemed that only Clemont was unable to understand any of it. "I remembered that Team Omega was very fixated on something called 'Project 092', and after some digging, I finally found what it was. An artificial Pokemon."
"An artificial Pokemon? Like... Porygon?" Ash ventured to ask.
"More or less, but the capabilities of this Pokemon were way greater than a Porygon's," Clemont continued to explain. "Team Omega had always been interested in the capabilities of Nuclear Pokemon, both natural ones like my Geigeroach and Nucleon or those that mutated after being exposed to gamma radiation. Hence they wanted to create a Nuclear Pokemon from scratch that would fully exploit that potential. The archives are incomplete, but from what I've been able to piece together, said Pokemon would be able to produce energy through atomic fission, at a seemingly infinite rate."
"But... that would be incredible! If a Pokemon like that were to exist, it could provide infinite, clean energy to the entire world!" Lilia said in amazement.
"The Pokemon also has other capabilities, such as the ability to mutate its body as its power increases, as well as being able to use the energy it produces to repair its body," Clemont continued.
"Wow. A Pokemon like that sounds like a big deal. It could compete even with Legendary Pokemon," Ash said, impressed as well.
"Wait a minute, that super powerful, man-made Nuclear Pokemon... it is Urayne, isn't it?" Serena asked.
"Bingo," Clemont said with a nod. "It's not called that way in any of the files, but all evidence points out that it is Urayne."
"Well, if the Pokemon we fought was this 'Project 092' then it was a far cry from how it was on paper," Ash said. "Cameron told us that it's perpetually hungry and needs to eat uranium like, all the time. That's how we were able to shoo it away. Even if it was still pretty strong, though, given all the damage it did."
"By the way, did they have a way to control that Pokemon?" Serena asked. "Because a Pokemon as powerful as that decided that it didn't like to follow orders..."
"That's where the second piece of the puzzle comes in," Clemont said, as he continued to type. The windows closed, and in their place another one appeared, taking the full screen. It displayed what appeared to be the blueprints of a hi-tech armor that looked identical to CURIE. "So, I don't think you need me to tell you what it is."
"That's her, right? CURIE," Ash said, just in case.
Clemont nodded. "The Cerebral U092 Relay and Inhibitor Engine, or CURIE for short. It's a highly advanced armor that can withstand all kinds of hazards, radiation exposure included. But the most interesting part is that it can project the user's brainwaves onto Nuclear Pokemon, Urayne included, in order to mind control them."
"So that's how she was able to command Nuclear Pokemon..." Ash said mostly to himself.
"I remember that some Team Omega thugs also had similar armors, and used Nuclear Pokemon," Serena said, as she and Bonnie remembered their tense battle against Captain Darren, which was won by the skin of their teeth thanks to Dedenne's sneaky intervention. "But they needed to use some kind of mind control collar on their Pokemon."
"Yes, I found some logs from both Professor Larkspur and some of his scientists as they struggled to replicate the CURIE suit, but they could only come up with vastly inferior facsimiles," Clemont said.
"That only leaves us with one question. Now we know about that suit, but... who is inside that suit?" Lilia asked. "Some Team Omega goon?"
"I find that unlikely. To recap, we know that Urayne and CURIE were somewhere in the lab under the old power plant. Now we also know that they were the reason Team Omega sent Alina and Anika to that place," Clemont explained, before pushing his glasses up. "The fact that the attack on the power plants began as soon as they were released is further evidence of this. But none of CURIE's actions seem to align with Team Omega's general goals, and if CURIE was in league with them, how is it that they needed to come up with new versions of the suits from scratch instead of asking her?"
"The Rangers have Larkspur under custody, right? Maybe they could ask him," Ash said.
"True. If somebody would know anything, it would be him," Serena said.
"In that case, let's tell the rangers," Clemont agreed. "Any information they may get out of him can make a difference between success and failure when they attack Nuclear Plant Zeta."
"See Clemont? The information you found wasn't redundant," Lilia happily said, rubbing his shoulder.
"Haha, yeah," he chuckled, blushing a little.
Bonnie, meanwhile, was looking at the screen intensely, as if she was forcing her brain to come up with an idea of sorts. "So, you said that this thing can mind control Nuclear Pokemon, right?"
"Exactly. Why?" Clemont asked.
"Could she mind control Nucleon or Geigeroach?" she asked.
Clemont's face paled a little as the possibility dawned upon him. "I... I don't know. I sent them out when we defended Plant Omicron from CURIE, and they always fought by our side. The mutated Nuclear Pokemon are feral, so maybe that's why it works on them and not on my Pokemon. Still... the chance that he can turn them against us, as small as it may be, disturbs me quite a bit."
"So, from what you said, this thing is like a radio, right? Broadcasting that jerk's thoughts into Pokemon's mind and controlling them," Bonnie continued.
"That's right. Where are you going with this, Bonnie?" Clemont asked.
"I can't believe I'm going to suggest this, but maybe you could invent something to stop her from doing that?" Bonnie asked. "Like, something to counter her brainwaves or something? Like how you can't hear the radio whenever there's a really big storm."
Clemont's face lit up upon hearing Bonnie's suggestion. "Bonnie, that's... brilliant! Yes, you're right! I believe I can build something like that! With the data I have here, it should be no problem! Thank you, Bonnie, you're the best!"
Bonnie giggled as she puffed her chest out in pride.
"Alright, let's take all of this to the Rangers!" Clemont excitedly said. "This is going to make a difference, I can feel it!"
…
Turns out the Rangers were very receptive to Clemont's idea, and together they began working on the building on the hypothetical disruptor. The inventor believed that it would take them a couple days to finish a prototype.
They also interrogated Larskpur once they learned of the alleged link between Team Omega and CURIE, but the rogue scientist refused to say anything until he was granted a full pardon first, something that the Regional Government refused to, reaching an impasse.
And with Lilia also involved in its construction, that left Ash, Serena and Bonnie with little to do besides train their Pokemon. Even then, the days were far too long to do just that.
"How about if we just... relax? I saw on my travel guide that, besides the beach, one of Bealbeach City's hottest spots is a huge park where people take their Pokemon to play with. Maybe we could go there and have a nice time?" Serena had suggested.
Both Ash and Bonnie loved the idea, so the trio headed to the park. Thankfully it didn't take them long to find the park. As Serena said, it was pretty big, a massive expanse of greenery, surrounded by trees, with roads of cobblestone and a large fountain in the middle, with many benches and picnic tables scattered around.
There were many people, mostly kids but also a good number of adults, running around and having fun with their Pokemon.
And as soon as the trio arrived, fourteen more Pokemon joined those in the park. Unsurprisingly Bonnie chose to join the Pokemon while Ash and Serena sat on a bench together and watched their Pokemon and the blonde girl play.
"Whew," Serena wheezed as she rested her head on Ash's shoulder, while Ash placed a hand on her shoulder. "I think I need this. When was the last time we had just some time to ourselves?"
"It's been quite the busy few past weeks, yes. Between the Grand Festival, me going for the last badge, the mess with that other Power Plant, and now that CURIE guy..." Ash recapped. "Let's hope Clemont and Lilia also get some time to unwind."
"This feels like Team Flare all over again. Let's just hope this doesn't get as bad as it did," Serena said.
"Hey, don't trouble yourself with negative thoughts like those. Let's enjoy the moment, okay?" Ash told her.
"Yes, you're right. We should enjoy this peace and calm while it lasts," she agreed.
Their Pokemon had split up into smaller groups, with some going on their own. Naturally, such a large and diverse number of Pokemon, especially some species that couldn't be found in Kanto, attracted quite a lot of children – and more than one adult – who wished to see them closer or even play with them. Thankfully, all their Pokemon were eager to play with the children as well.
Splendifowl, Syrentide and Coatlith formed an impromptu singing trio, while Pangoro danced to their tune, quickly drawing the attraction of many people. Some kids even dared to dance alongside Pangoro, the panda more than happy to teach the children his dance moves.
Meanwhile, Ash and Serena remained on the bench, laying against each other, their eyes looking up to the blue sky, partially clear with only a few harmless clouds here and there. A flock of Birbie and Aveden flew high above them.
"Hey Ash," Serena whispered.
"Hm?"
"Do you remember how we left Amatree Town? Flying on Dunseraph and Coatlith's back?" she asked.
"What about it?"
"That was the first time I ever rode a flying Pokemon," Serena began, her voice sounding as if she was recalling a really sweet dream. "Soaring the skies on Coatlith's back, touching the clouds, seeing all the land spreading below me... it was amazing."
"It really was, wasn't it? Riding on a flying Pokemon isn't an experience you get tired of, no matter how many times," Ash said, chuckling lightly. "Say, would you like to go on another ride?"
Serena turned at Ash, her eyes a little wider. "Wait, what?"
"If you ask me, I think the two of us could use a little leisure flight," Ash replied, as he got up from the bench. "The skies are perfect!"
"Um, not that I don't like the idea, but..." Serena hesitantly said, as she got up to follow her boyfriend. "But one thing is to use our Pokemon to avoid traveling through potentially dangerous areas... will they be okay with that? It's supposed to be their time off as well."
"Of course!" Ash confidently replied. "If anything, Coatlith will love that you want to do something with her that no other of your Pokemon can. Come on, let's go!"
…
A few minutes later, Dunseraph and Coatlith were flying above Bealbeach City, with Ash and Serena, respectively, riding on their backs.
And she had to admit, Ash was right. Reviving such an exhilarating experience like soaring clear skies was doing wonders to her mood.
"Wohooooo!" Serena cheered.
"Cooooo!" Coatlith happily cried alongside her.
"So, how are you doing, Coatlith? I'm not much of a burden, am I?" the honey blonde asked, as she gently patted her in the neck.
"Co, lili!" Coatlith replied while nodding. In fact, far from reluctant, she seemed to be enjoying the flight as much as Serena did.
"See? I told you she'd like it," Ash said, as he and Dunseraph pulled close to her. His grin widened as he asked: "Say, how about a race?"
"A race? Are you kidding me? Coatlith is way faster than Dunseraph. It would be a no contest," Serena proudly stated.
"Co, coa!" Coatlith agreed.
"I wouldn't underestimate Dunseraph. His speed has improved a lot since he evolved. Right, buddy?" Ash asked, patting the dragon on the back of the head.
"Very well then. How about we fly to that skyscraper over there and then land on the park as a finish line?" Serena suggested.
"Sounds good to me! Come on buddy, let's show them who's the better flier!" Ash boasted.
"Oh, you're on!" Serena replied.
The two dragons shot forward towards the building Serena had marked, flying close to each other but without getting into each other's way. However, it soon became apparent that Serena's words were true, and even if Dunseraph's speed had increased over time, he wasn't fast enough to keep up with the slimmer, more agile jungle dragon, and slowly but surely, a growing gap began to form between them.
"Yes, go, Coatlith!" Serena cheered as her dragon perfectly flew around the skyscraper, and then passed Ash and Dunseraph, still flying in the opposite direction. "See you at the finish line!"
"Well, it looks like he was right," Ash said, as Dunseraph circled the skyscraper as well, but at that point Coatlith kept getting further and further away. "However, she isn't counting with our secret weapon! Come on Dunseraph, use Sky Fall to propel yourself forward!"
"Dun, dunseee!" Dunseraph cried, as he tapped into his power over air currents to form a sphere of compressed air at the tip of his tail, which exploded with a thundering boom, launching the angelic dragon forward, passing Coatlith and Serena.
"Hey, no fair!" the Kalosian girl protested.
"How is it not fair? We didn't agree that we couldn't use attacks to increase speed!" Ash laughed. "See you at the finish line!"
"Oh, so that's how it's going to be, huh?" Serena huffed, a scowl forming on her brow. "Let's give them a taste of their own medicine! Coatlith, use Solar Beam to propel yourself!"
"Liiiiith!" Coatlith cried, as she opened the flower bud at the end of her tail, quickly gathering solar energy – made easier and quicker by the sun shining brightly in the sky without any clouds covering it – before firing a green-yellow beam upwards.
This allowed Coatlith to shoot forward much faster, allowing her to retake her lead, much to Ash and Dunseraph's surprise.
"What the-" Ash barely had time to say as Coatlith passed him like a green missile.
"DUNS?" Dunseraph cried in indignantly.
"See you at the finish line, Ash❤ " Serena said in a sing-songy way while blowing a kiss at him.
His stupor quickly faded into fondness as he watched his girlfriend and her dragon speed away towards the finish line and inexorable victory.
"I love that girl so much..." Ash sighed.
When Ash and Dunseraph reached the park, Serena had already got off of Coatlith, and was waiting for them, surrounded by a multitude of children cheering her, with the smuggest grin imaginable plastered on her face.
"And that's what you get when you mess with the best," Serena said, puffing her chest a little.
"Guess so," Ash admitted, as he also dismounted his dragon, before patting him on the neck. "Don't worry buddy, we'll get them next time."
"Duuuun!" Dunseraph scoffed, as he looked away.
"Well, he didn't take his loss that well," Ash said, scratching his cheek. "Oh well, better leave him alone for the time being."
"Wow, that race was amazing!" a child said.
"Yeah, your dragon Pokemon are sooooo cool!" another said.
"Even if one of them is kind of a grump!" said another.
"Hey, could you give me a ride on your Pokemon?" a little boy asked Serena.
"Me too, me too!" a girl quickly added.
Soon, every child there (Bonnie included) was begging Ash and Serena to let them mount on their dragons.
"Well, why don't we ask them?" Serena said, as she and Ash turned towards Coatlith and Dunseraph.
Dunseraph coiled into a roll and began to snore loudly, making clear what he thought of the idea – Ash deduced that he wasn't in the mood after losing the race – but fortunately Coatlith cried in affirmation.
"Okay, it seems Coatlith is up for the task! Isn't she a sweetie?" Serena said, much to the children's joy. "She's pretty big, but she won't be able to carry all of you at once. So, form groups of three, and we'll determine the order you'll go."
Serena picked the first group to go, much to the disappointment of the other children, who had to wait their turn. Fortunately, they quickly turned to the rest of the Pokemon, who were more than happy to play with them until their turn arrived.
That moment, shortly after Coatlith took off with the first group of children, Ash heard Bonnie squeal loudly. Turning towards her a bit alarmed, Ash saw Clemont's sister hug another girl her age, with fuzzy brown hair, wearing blue overalls over a pink t-shirt. Next to her was a Feleng, meowing at Dedenne. The girl she was effusively greeting seemed familiar, but Ash couldn't recall where he had seen her.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Ash Ketchum!" the jovial voice of a woman said behind him, a voice that was also familiar. "Long time no see!"
Turning around, Ash saw a middle aged woman with long curly brown hair dressed like a farmer, and a Tanscure standing next to her. And the Kantonian suddenly remembered why that other girl seemed familiar.
"Whoa, Mrs. Ripley!" Ash greeted the smiling woman. "Long time indeed!"
"Pi, pika!" Pikachu greeted her as well.
"I wasn't expecting to see you here. What brings you to Bealbeach City?" Ash asked. Ripley wasn't a woman who enjoyed a bustling city like this one.
The woman's expression soured a little, as she put her hands on her hips. "I'm not here of my own volition. They moved all of us Wheatfield folks here when the power plant went to hell. Until the situation gets better, we're stuck here."
"Oh... I'm sorry to hear that," Ash said, kicking himself for forgetting what had happened to Ripley's home area.
"Don't be. It's not like you had any part in that disaster. If anything, quite the opposite," Ripley said as her smile returned. "My husband has been telling me how much you and those friends of yours have helped with this crisis."
"Heh, it's nothing, really," Ash chuckled bashfully. "I just did what anybody else would have done in my position."
"Not everybody who is in a position to help do so, so don't downplay all what you have done," Ripley said. "In fact, he also told me that you and your friends are going to be part of the Rangers' attack on the destroyed power plant, right?"
"Yeah. From what I heard, we will be parting soon," Ash said.
Ripley nodded. "Let's hope you guys succeed and all of us can go back to our homes already."
"By the way, where are you staying here?" Ash asked.
"The Regional Government rented many hotel rooms for me and the rest of the farmers to stay while the crisis lasts. Though, while I appreciate it, I can't wait to return home. Too much noise, concrete and metal, not enough nature and quiet," she said with a sigh. "Oh well, at least Becky seems to have fun here."
"Wait, I remember you had so many Mareep and Baashaun, were you able to save them?" Ash asked. "Are they here with you?"
"Thankfully, yeah. Though the Rangers had to relocate them somewhere else, since this city has no place for cattle. Bah!" the woman said, grimacing a little.
This seemed to bring Ash a little bit of relief. "Well, good to see that not all Pokemon succumbed to the nuclear radiation."
"Though, enough talking about me. What about you, boy? How are those badges going?" Ripley asked.
Ash's face quickly lit up "I have all eight already! Including one from Hinata and Kaito, Tandor's strongest leaders!"
"Heh, I knew you would go far. I don't think I'll be able to see the League live, but I'll make sure to watch all your matches on TV," the brown haired woman said. "Heh, with a trainer of your caliber helping the Rangers, this crisis will end in a jiffy!"
"Both me and my friends will try our best. Our Pokemon have been training like crazy for this," Ash assured her.
"Oh, that reminds me! What about that annoying fire dinosaur? Is he still with you?" Ripley asked.
"Oh, you betcha! Just wait until you see him now!" Ash told her, before turning around. "Archilles, get over here!"
A few seconds later, Archilles quickly appeared next to the duo, startling the middle aged woman.
"Ar, archi!" Archilles happily howled, before turning his head at Ripley. "Arrrrrch!"
"Heh, he remembers you," Ash chuckled.
"My goodness, it's that him? He surely thrived under you, didn't he?" Ripley asked. "He even looks less jittery than when he was a Raptorch. Guess Becky was right. All he needed was a way to channel all that pent-up energy."
"Yeah, he's full of energy, and I taught him to put him to good use. Right buddy?" Ash asked.
"Archi, ar!" Archilles agreed, blowing a small plume of fire into the air.
"Well, I'm glad that the little bugger found a place where he fits," Rippley said, daring to pet the Fire and Ground-type Pokemon on the forehead.
"Chiiiii..." Archilles gently hissed.
Ash and Ripley continued talking with each other. A few minutes later, Serena's Coatlith returned from the sky, touching ground, with the kids quickly sliding through her body towards the ground, as Serena helped another group of children to hop onto the dragon's back, Becky being part of the second group. As Coatlith took off once again, Becky shouted at her mother to look at her, while Ripley told her daughter to be careful and hold on tight.
Thoughts of the coming assault filled the Kantonian's head. But rather than fear or worry, said thought filled him with resolve.
"The battle ahead will be a tough one," Ash thought. "But we will win. You will get your home back. That, I promise"
Author's Note: After all the action from the previous chapter and before all the action that will be coming next, a more relaxed chapter to set everything up was in order.
Cameron reveals that there's more to him than what it may looked at first glance, and thanks to both his explanation and Clemont's findings, our heroes have most of the pieces of the puzzle that is the mystery of CURIE. The only question left is who is behind the mask? (even many of you already know the answer).
And hey look, an unexpected Ripley return! Given that she used to live in what it's now the Hazard Zone, I believed it was a good idea to bring her back if only to show how the lives of people who used to live in Route 8 were affected by the power plant blowing up. She and Rebecca seem to be doing okay, all things considered.
Thanks to Fox McCloude, BrighNova169, TheDoctor1998 and MarkusDarkus87 for reviewing the previous chapter.
Next time, the attack on the Hazard Zone! In the meantime, don't forget to leave a review!