Vaniville Town

"You won't be able to get back before Ash could use your help, correct?"

At her question, Pidgeot shook her head. They were the only ones out in the dark night, illuminated only by the full moon and the stars above.

The blond girl sighed, but stroked the beak of the bird affectionately. It was at that point she noticed that a letter was tied to the bird's leg, well fastened for a long trip.

"That's too bad. You won Ash that badge and managed to fly all the way out here to Kalos. You really are strong. It's amazing really, he always knew what he wanted to be and he's already so far on his way there, and I still don't know what I want to do with my life."

Pidgeot let out a reassuring chirp, before flapping her wings and taking off into the sky above.

As she flew away a single brown and white feather fluttered back down to her, which Serena caught in hand and examined it.

The pale white under feather was beautiful, the quill felt strong and sturdy. She could see why people always wrote with them in old documentaries about ancient times.

"I wonder what he'll write back. I do hope he answers my questions about his cousin," Serena mumbled to herself as she fingered the feather around.

It was something she noticed back at the Battle Dome competition but it really stood out at this one, Red and Ash really looked alike.

Ash didn't have siblings, so he had to be a cousin right?

Her mother agreed with her when she brought this up, after making a joke about Red being what Ash would look like if he was a classic movie character rebooted by modern Hollywood.

At least if that was the case she didn't have to worry about Red invading her dreams then. Angst was something Serena did not find attractive at all. Her dreams belonged to Ash and Ash alone…

Blushing at the thoughts of said dreams, Serena walked right into the wall a few feet away from the door, dropping the feather and muttering in pain.

Back at Fuchsia City: Round 2 Battle 2

"Hmph. That Red isn't half bad, is he?"

His partner's comment made one of Gary's nerves twitch irritably as they walked to the battle field for their round 2 fight.

'Red isn't half bad' was an understatement. Even if Gary knew he would beat the guy someday, he would never say that Red was unskilled. Saying he wasn't would be an insult to his own skills.

He had never understood that trope. Unless you were able to defeat someone, and do so easily, suggesting their power is nothing made you look either like less than nothing, or just about nothing.

"Yeah, he's pretty good." Gary agreed, leaving out certain bits of information he didn't feel like sharing.

"I can see where all the talent went in the family."

Gary wasn't sure what his face looked like but his partner was giving him a mild scowl.

"What, are you dense? That Red kid looks like Ketchum. Heck if his last name was Ketchum, I'd be telling you that they are twin brothers or something. They must just be cousins or something."

Not possible. Ash's mother was an only child. He wasn't sure if her parents had siblings (or siblings who survived to have kids).

Still now that Paul pointed it out... he could see it. Red did sort of look like Ash, more so the more he looked at him.

He just hadn't noticed it before. Ash talked enough that Red's general silence obscured their similar looks like a giant hat obscuring his face.

But if Ash had no cousins, what did that make Red? Did someone clone Ash...

Gary resisted the urge to hit himself for thinking that. Why would anyone want to clone Ash? For that matter Gary was rather sure that cloning was impossible. If there were clones running around right now someone would know about it, and people would be complaining about it on Vulpix News at the very least.

It had a rational explanation, like maybe Red just happened to inexplicably look like Ash in a multitude of ways.

Or maybe Ash's father cheated on Red's mom with Ash's mom. That was certainly possible.

Either was likely, one just gave him a name to the face he'd punch one day. Mr. Tajiri.

Still didn't explain the little girl who followed Red around all the time. Those marks on her face didn't look like Ash's, did they?

"Round 2 of day 2 of our tournament will now begin! Trainers, choose your Pokémon! Septimus will have the first Pokémon!"

He stopped his mental comparison of birthmarks (?) as the round was starting.

"Go, Haku!" A somewhat tanned looking kid yelled in a Hoennese accent. The ball burst open revealing the Pokémon nicknamed Haku.

"Gyara!"

And it was a Gyarados snarling at everything. Well, that scared off all thoughts of Ash and Red right quick.

"Raichu, stand by for battle!" Paul responded second. The ball burst open, revealing a female equivalent to the ace of Lt. Surge.

She saw the Gyarados and flinched in fear.

"You have the advantage, remember that!" Paul told her. Gary couldn't put his finger on it, but something about the tone Paul used rubbed him the wrong way.

"A Raichu huh... Cubone go!" The female Trainer, a girl who looked preppy for lack of a better word with really long legs, threw out a Pokéball that burst open to reveal the ground type.

"Exeggcute, go!" Gary sent out his Pokémon of choice for this battle. The pink multi part Grass-type spilled out, ready to get a crack at them.

"Begin!"

"Use Hyper Beam Haku!" Septimus shouted. Gyarados began charging massive energy before it's gaping maw. Several babies cried out in fear in the audience.

"Use Thunderbolt!" Paul was quick to counter. Raichu began to glow yellow and sent the bolt flying, only for the attack to bend and fly right into a motionless Cubone.

"Lightning Rod!"

"Most certainly." The girl grinned a sinister grin as the Hyper Beam neared completion.

"Sleep Powder!" Gary called to counter. Exeggcute bounced up and down as a green powder flew towards the leviathan. The powder was sucked up due to the charging, and Gyarados began to grow drowsy. The Hyper beam began to loosen, bits of energy dissipating off the sides.

Gyarados then collapsed to the ground, right towards Exeggcute and Raichu.

"Yeah, use Slam Haku!" Septimus convinced no one that this was planned. Also Gyarados could not use Slam.

Body Slam yes, but not Slam itself.

"Dodge it!"

"Use Dig!"

Gary's command led his Exeggcute split up into parts, rolling away from the center like pool balls. Raichu meanwhile burrowed into the earth. The end result was the same, as a sleeping Leviathan cut the field in half and the girl was looking rather smug now.

"Split up like that, an Exeggcute isn't nearly as tough. Cubone, Stomping Tantrum!"

Cubone, flailing around like Gary did when he was five, charged to the left of Gyarados. The bone slammed into one, two, then three parts of his Exeggcute set, sending them flying towards the sleeping Gyarados.

They slammed against it for minimal, if at all, damage. They then bounced back towards toward Cubone, who continued to Tantrum.

"The application of same attack boosted power with repeated use and minor pain stimulation to awaken a sleeping comrade. I hope you enjoy my self-taught skills," the girl declared as Septimus eyed her with a frown.

"If you knock Haku out, I'm going to show you that a fancy education doesn't mean squat in the real world with Hound, Azul, and..." The girl held up a hand to silence him.

"Oh I am well aware of that. I was given a rather rude wakeup call about that a while back." She grinned darkly as she noted the earth behind Cubone begin to crack.

"Cubone, let's play whack-a-mole with that overgrown mouse shall we? It's not quite a Pikachu, but it will be good practice..."

"Cu!"

Raichu burst out of the earth to use the second part of Dig, only to get backhanded by a Stomping Tantrum swing. Raichu was sent into the air, spinning a few times, before landing near the edge of the arena with a whomp.

Paul growled at the sight of that. Oddly Gary felt like the growl wasn't coming from where the attack had come from, as anger at their partner's injuries often were. Gary wasn't sure what the guy was glaring it. It couldn't be Raichu right?

However he did notice that his three non-whacked Exeggcute seeds had just gotten on top of Gyarados.

"Okay, counterattack time! Use Energy Ball, then Dream Eater!"

Hopping into the air to join the less damaged ones, Exeggcute formed a green sphere above them. The sphere was sent flying towards Cubone, who took the hit head on and was pushed back towards Raichu.

The seeds then hopped over towards Gyarados' crest and began glowing red, a glow that began to cover Gyarados.

"And with that Cubone is on the ropes and Gyarados' energy is being drained! Can Team Septimus and Giselle make a comeback?"

"Brick Break!"

"Block it with Brick Break as well!"

Paul and Giselle's commands collided as two glowing fists collided in a matching exchange of force.

The red aura draining Gyarados flickered away as the beast's eyes opened wide. It roared a yawn that spilled many condiments in the stands, before shaking and knocking Exeggcute off.

"Waterfall!"

Water began to circle around Gyarados, forming into a powerful water barrier that expanded out and pushed the Exeggcute further apart. Three rolled towards Cubone and Raichu, the other three away from Gyarados and any other Pokémon.

"Quick Attack!"

"Bide!"

The speedy attack from Raichu set off just after the latest Brick Break clash, sending the glowing Cubone flying back. The red glow intensified from the impact, and then flared up a smidge after two of his Exeggcute rolled into it.

"Iron Tail and Quick Attack are sealed," she declared smugly.

"Not really a problem. Dig," Paul declared. Raichu dug into the ground as the charging glow flared up.

An explosive white aura blew out from Cubone, sending the Exeggcute around it flying into the air.

"Guess it was time to flip those eggs!" The announcer made a terrible pun.

"Exeggcute, Sleep Powder!" From above the three lost eggs began leaking powder. The three far from Gyarados did so as well.

"Not again!" Septimus complained.

"I don't think so, Cubone use Pro..."

"Rai!"

Raichu popped up from right beneath Cubone, sending the thing into the air and right into the sleep powder. Gyarados also got another whiff of the stuff.

End result, two plopped down Pokémon falling from intense heights.

Crack!

"Cubone is unable to battle!" the ref declared amidst a lot of cringing and worry.

"No!" Giselle exclaimed at the sound.

Make that one. Gary was somewhat glad to see that the bone that went crack was Cubone's bone arm from the fall, and not a neck or spine. He never thought he'd be so happy to see a crooked arm.

As she returned the Cubone she glared at him. Gary responded with flailing arms even as his Exeggcute landed on Gyarados and hopped back over to the others, reuniting.

"Sorry, that wasn't intentional. I didn't mean to break..."

"Thunderbolt!"

At Giselle's gasp and his shock, Paul lit up Gyarados like a lightbulb.

"Hey man, what's that all about! There is a little something called common courtesy. Waiting a few moments after breaking an arm is..."

"Gyarados is unable to battle! The winners are Paul and Gary!"

"...A waste of time when the opponent is distracted." Paul declared as he returned Raichu. He eyed the ball for a moment, before turning around and walking away even before Septimus returned Gyarados.

Gary watched him walk away even as he felt his Exeggcute roll over to his leg. The crowd was murmuring, and it wasn't in excitement and frenzied passion.

"... Who in the world am I partnered with?"

"Ex." He was sure Exeggcute had an answer if only he could hear it.

….

As Lilo's Crabrawler beat up an opponent's Lickitung, Red was more focused on holding Ash's Pokédex up to the Pokémon.

Yellow mentioned that he had already fought the fighting type, so he didn't need to observe it that closely. He seemed more interested in gaining information on the species in general.

"Crabrawler, the Boxing Pokémon. Crabrawler constantly punch each other in competition for 'the high ground', and are known for climbing things to achieve a valuable elevated point. Crabrawler arms that fall off will grow back within a week, and the limbs they do lose are delicious."

"I…. could have gone my life without that information." Ash felt his face flush green. He could have gone his life without the image of arms falling of Pokémon that, somehow, led him to imagine Team Rocket popping out of nowhere and chewing on it.

"It was once common place for sea farers to restock on food in Alola by plucking arms off Crabrawler. A king of the Kamehameha line beheaded several explorers to get the idea across that they didn't approve of it," the Pokédex quipped. "Legend says that the mother of that king, a Queen Acerola the 7th, beat an explorer to death with a Crabrawler arm he was about to eat, which is generally believed where he got his strong views on it from."

"…. Charming," Red quipped.

"They had a beautiful painting of the scene made in neo-classical Alolan. It currently hangs in the Lilicove Museum of Art after one of the now former royal family sold it. The current heir, an Acerola who doesn't bother with a pretentious numerical designation, has no desire to reclaim it, though there are politicians in Alola who make a stink about it. But enough on art history. If you are curious about any other Pokémon this Lilo is known to have, do offer up names. I feel like accessing new information."

"Alolan Exeggutor and Mudsdale," Red stated.

"What about Komala?" Yellow, a cotton candy stick in hand, questioned. Red shrugged.

"I doubt that Komala will be used to battle. It seemed like a pet more than anything." Yet that still didn't tell Ash what exactly a Komala was. He'd check the Pokédex for it later.

'Alolan Exeggutor?' Anabel expressed her confusion on that title to Ash, a confusion he shared. What did that suggest, that Alolan ones were different?

The Pokédex showed an Exeggutor, then split its screen in half to show a second one. One that was….

"What!?" Ash exclaimed as he saw the long necked something that looked like an Exeggutor.

'That is…something.' Anabel declared.

"Told you," Yellow quipped mid cotton candy bite. She had said something about a strange Exeggutor earlier, didn't she?

"Exeggutor's Alolan Form. Exeggutor's height grew due to the extensive sunlight available to it in the tropical Alolan Region. Due to the low amount of Ice Pokémon in the region, Exeggutor developed into a Grass-Dragon type. Alolans proudly declare that this is what an Exeggutor is meant to look like."

'Huh? It lost its Psychic type? How did that work? What benefit does giving up the ability to levitate things with one's mind provide?' Anabel sounded immensely confused about the whole thing.

"So, does that mean that if you keep Exeggcute under a lamp and hide your refrigerators they'll turn into dragons?" Ash questioned the Pokédex.

"Negative. That would not lead to a 'True Exeggutor' as Alolans call them."

If that was a true Exeggutor, Ash didn't see the problem with false Exeggutor. True several once hypnotized him, but Ash didn't carry a grudge.

They also didn't look like they could get blown over by strong gust of winds, unlike the 'genuine article'.

"Finally, Mudsdale." The Grass-types vanished for the massive four-legged Pokémon.

"Mudsdale, the Draft Horse Pokémon. Mudsdale are powerful and immensely heavy work Pokémon used by Alolan farmers. They do not move fast, but even laden with ten tons of supplies they can pull for three days and nights without rest. They are a pure Ground-type, and evolved from Mudbray."

"…I didn't get a chance to fight this one," Red noted as he clicked a few buttons on the Pokédex to look at data Ash rarely looked at: weight, height, possible moves it could use, etc. Ash wasn't sure what anything but the moves would be good for, but if Red wanted to poke and prod at the Pokédex it was his choice.

"Winner!" Down below Lilo had taken the match.

Later

"All I'm saying is I think we could use some practice together."

Paul gave Gary a long look of unamusement.

"And why should I do that? All that would do is slow down my own training to accommodate you. Believe me when I say that there are some who really can't afford to be hampered trying to dumb it down for you."

"Because next round we could go up against Red or that Alolan woman, and we should actually have a plan."

"We do have a plan," Paul deadpanned.

"Win?"

"Not exactly. See, the plan is I'll carry us through while you put in a minuscule amount of effort so you can tell your mommy that you helped."

Paul was as deadpan in his response as he was in catching the fist that Gary flung at his face.

"What's that supposed to mean!? My Exeggcute didn't exactly do nothing in our last fight, and unlike you I have six badges!"

"Sure, they actually performed acceptably, but what did your Growlithe do for us in the first round? And I've seen your six badges. Ignoring the fact one of your badges is a Cascade Badge that still doesn't answer why I, someone with just four badges, am outperforming someone with five badges and a consolation prize!?"

Gary hadn't returned to the Pokémon Center or the nearby Don George Battle Club since. He really, really did not want to deal with that guy right now.

He'd have to tomorrow, but tomorrow was another day. Maybe if he was lucky Paul would wake up on the right side of the bed and be more agreeable.

Or at least less of an...

GRUMBLE GRUMBLE

Oh yeah, food. He should eat something. The Pokémon Center was a no go for now, it would appear he was going to be eating out tonight.

"I have funds, right?" Gary asked the Pokédex.

"You do sire. You are more than capable of affording a meal tonight, with a tip."

"Good, now where's a restaurant around here that doesn't serve barbecue."

It was with his sister's special barbecue rib rub, or not at all in his book. When he got back he really needed to get her to teach him the recipe.

Five minutes later and he found a nice eatery of diverse products. Pasta, steak, burgers, the works.

However, pouring out of it was a lengthy line of individuals, families, and more than a few Trainers. He even saw that man, woman, and Meowth he met in Viridian Forest in line. All of them had a palpable aura to them of 'I really am annoyed at this line'.

There was also a green tracksuit-wearing blond youth sitting at the base of a motor bike playing a guitar right next to the line. He was wearing a silly hat that might look appropriate around the holiday season, but not now.

"... The entire place is backed up." Ceasing his guitar playing the green fellow answered his unspoken question. The song seemed to have reached a natural point, so it didn't anger any of the line waiters any more than the wait already did.

"Any idea why?" Gary asked.

"I have no idea. I'm just a traveling bard who occasionally plays for free when it's moral to do so. All I know is that it's a Monday, so it's either this place or the barbecue shacks."

Sighing Gary got in line, though the bard held up a golden triangular guitar pick his way.

"If you're stuck, got any requests? The rest of the line already did one each, though if you could avoid asking for Bink's Sake or Bink's Brew I'd appreciate it. I love the tune, either the Hoenn or Unovan versions, but I've done in a few times already tonight."

"... Do you do the blues?"

Without a word, the bard began to play.

HopHopHop Town

Yawning as she foraged in the fridge, Anna noted what was there and what wasn't idly, her pillow already calling her in one ear to join it for the night.

"We have milk, just enough butter for tomorrow, could use more orange juice, now where did I put that aspar… ah there you are, asparagus."

It was the end of the day. School was done, shopping was done, the legal process of adopting Laila was moving on along faster than she expected, and all the other little things of her life.

Before putting Arnold and Laila off to bed, they had caught more of that tournament, and the two boys from the Battle Dome tournament.

The two who looked just like her son, just a few years older and with Pikachu on their shoulders.

She was still curious about that. Arnold's father had been in her life for less than 24 hours, was it the same with their mothers as well, or did the father stay with one of them?

She was in no place to ask of course. It would be incredibly rude and awkward to hunt one of them down and demand answers. Perhaps if one of them ever saw Arnold and asked…but what were the chances of that?

Anna closed the fridge door and turned in the direction of her pillow, only to find a very different set of pillows in her way.

Someone very tall, and with rather large breasts it would seem, if one would excuse her blue humor.

She stepped back from the person who had been hidden by her fridge door and got a better look at her. Really tall, black hair with green strands at the front, Z-face marks, female obviously….

The woman looked at her with red eyes, quite familiar ones really. Arnold's father had the same eyes.

"Your son, his name is Arnold correct?" she asked in a deeper tone than most women.

Anna nodded.

The woman held a hand up to her as if she was about to karate chop her in the face. Said chop hand glowed purple, much like a Poison Jab attack.

Anna was rather sure that it was in fact what it was.

"Can he do something like this?"

"Do you mean 'is he a Bloodliner'? Yes, he is," Anna stated, feeling a bit surprised. This woman who looked like her son and his father, was a Bloodliner too?

Did that mean Arnold's father was one too? Who was this woman to him then, his sister? An older niece and thus…. whatever it was a father's niece was to a son?

Though she was surprised that this woman's bloodline wasn't the one her son had.

Her hand turned back to normal as she bent over to look her in face. Anna noted the woman's face, despite her height, felt younger than what she was expecting. Was she overestimating her age?

The woman's (Girl's? Young woman's?) eyes glowed orange-brown as she spoke next.

"Have your son's eyes ever flashed a color like this?"

"Yes. Once." Anna felt the answer fly out of her like a Pidgey flying the coop.

The female whose age Anna wasn't sure of anymore resumed her full height and was now beaming, her eyes back to red.

"Then he must be…. yes, he really is another brother of mine!"

What? Brother, not nephew or cousin or….

The girl suddenly grasped her hand, bending over and giving her a look of unyielding excitement that felt more at home on Arnold's face if they found a cookie based amusement park than the girl who had been asking her serious questions just moments ago. It honestly made her seem even younger and further confused her on just how old she was supposed to be.

"Tell me everything. I want to know all about him!"

This was weird. Still Anna doubted that she could make her go away, and it was either her answering the questions, or this girl would break into her son's room and wake him up to do so.

Even ignoring the Bloodliner part of the equation she didn't have any of her Pokéballs on hand and this girl was bigger than she was in more ways than just tracts of land. So, she couldn't force her way out, and reaching for a phone would probably end badly.

So, talking was the only option. At the very least it might let Anna figure out just how old she actually was, or at least satisfy her long enough for her to leave for long enough for Anna to finally get that security system that James Sandin from down the street peddled.

"Well let me see, Arnold was born on April 18th….

…..

"…. after that we were briefly questioned by the police. They still haven't captured those Team Rocket grunts, but that really hasn't affected our lives outside of political ads on the television I mute." Anna finished as the girl, whose name she had gotten during the conversation as Belladonna, nodded.

Girl. Anna could not believe this girl was sixteen. She knew well grown men who were shorter than her.

That did explain why Arnold had such big feet. This girl looked a lot like both Arnold and his father, and both Belladonna and their father were quite tall. She was a few inches shorter than he was actually, if her memory served.

Mrs. Figg was right, Arnold's puberty was going to be hell on the clothing budget. Great, she admitted the old woman was right. Was she obligated to adopt one of her Meowth kittens now?

"Well, thank you. I really do appreciate hearing all about him. Pity he has that big test tomorrow: Aurora wouldn't like it if I made a kid fail one of those stupid government tests."

"Yes, it would be bad, wouldn't it?" She lied. There were tests tomorrow true, but Arnold had a breathing day then before they threw him back to the grinder. She just would prefer her son not be woken up by this girl.

She wasn't nasty or psychotic and she was quite sure there would be no stabbing or burning or such morbid thing, but something was clearly off with her. Her moods swung rapidly and she had some...words about regular people she'd prefer Arnold not imitate.

She didn't like Team Rocket, but Belladonna had said things about their actions that made her feel bad for Team Rocket and worry about their safety if she ever ran into them. That was a really rare sentence for her to think about, and she'd prefer to not think it again.

Belladonna turned towards the door when a wave of guilt swept through Anna.

She didn't like lying, even if it was to protect her son from a bad influence. For someone who broke into her home and ambushed her with questions the girl had been more polite than what was typically warranted in break-ins.

The fact she didn't do so to steal was also eating at her a bit. The girl did seem to be mostly curious about Arnold, her possible brother, which was hardly a crime.

There had to be something she could do to make up for the lie. But what she could offer was…

Wait that was an option!

"You didn't mention anything about your father. Did your mother ever talk about him?" Anna prompted the guilt absolving question. Belladonna stopped walking out before looking back at her with an expression of interest.

Hook, line, and guilt resolution was now to commence.

"Let's see…I met him thirteen years ago or so. It was a hot July night, and I was out at a night club. Sadly, it's closed down now, but I had fond memories there. The Indigo-Go's, Love Händel…. well doesn't that make me sound old."

"Yes, yes it does." Belladonna confirmed. Love Händel was long broken up after all.

"He was a tall fellow, as I am sure you might have guessed. Taller than you, which I guess is a rare thing for you to hear these days. I can sort of half remember through the party buzz of a height contest that he won during it. At least two meters I think it was, six foot six or seven inches…some measurement like that. He was pretty muscular too, pale skin..."

She struggled to try and bring up a certain important detail of the human form for a moment before giving up.

"…. His hair color keeps escaping me, but I know it wasn't blond or red. His eyes were red, that I remember, and he had a faint accent. An Orrean accent to be specific."

"Orrean?" Belladonna sounded surprised to hear that.

"Yes. Orrean."

"As in the region filled with crime and sand?"

"Also, old people. A lot of old people." Old people can be really crazy when it comes to avoiding taxes. They will move to barely hospitable places to avoid paying for roads and schools. She couldn't really understand the reason for it. It seemed like more trouble than what it saved them.

"So, let me guess, after flirting under a festivity high you two darted off somewhere and five minutes later he was out like a light." Belladonna assumed dryly. The tone suggested she had little faith in the male capabilities, or at least her father's.

Anna blushed, not believing she was going to have to explain such details to a living soul. She thought she'd just have to see if she could remember.

She was going to have to…. well the girl was older than Arnold. She did open herself up for this one.

"Oh no, oh no no no. He wasn't my first or the last person I have shared a pleasurable night with, even if I've never found a relationship that would last afterwards. However, he was most definitely the most physically pleasurable lover I have ever had. Five minutes you say, oh no he was a lot longer than that."

You asked for it with that comment, Belladonna. Oddly enough the girl's mortified look had a different tinge to it than just an 'I could have lived my life without knowing my father was the real-life version of a trashy bodice-novel male protagonist' manner. Was she having an 'I inherited that from him' moment or something? Anna wouldn't pry but she supposed that would be a tad unsettling to find out. She might be sharing bits of her sex life, but Belladonna's business was entirely her own. Even if she was having a 'I inherited that from him!?' moment.

She'd skip over describing the night in vivid detail then.

"Of course, I did say he was just the most 'physically' pleasing man I've ever been with. Believe me when I say that he was, in fact, the most physically pleasing men I've ever been with. However, there was something missing from the entire thing the more I look back on it. It lacked a…spark…I suppose you'd call it, a spark I had with other people who I felt could I have definitely had a future with if not for work transfers or death."

Pity too. Arnold had liked both of them and they had both been interested in being his step-father. Sadly, the one who moved got transferred to a miserable place that he had adamantly requested she not follow him to (Tiksi Branch was horrible she had heard and he agreed both before and after the frostbite and rock slide combination).

"I'm sorry to hear that," Belladonna stated in response to Anna's failed love attempts since her 'encounter' with hers and Arnold's father. She did seem a bit less mortified looking now, particularly after the spark of legitimate feelings were mentioned to have been lacking.

Was that something she had with whoever she was with? Good for her then: emotional connections made it all the better.

"Well that's about it. Unless you want me to…"

"I'm good, I'm good. Thanks. Orrean huh…." She muttered to herself as she once more moved towards leaving.

Early morning, Fuchsia

"Ash, I am not sure you are aware of the good news I have for you."

"You figured out what that Pokémon was I saw in my dream?" Ash asked the device drowsily.

"Or, did Misty and Iris get an opponent yesterday that was actually, as Iris yawned…. a good battle…." Their battle after Lilo's had been a quick victory yesterday.

"Negative. Instead I hacked into the Verich Shipping Companies data files."

Ash failed to see how that was a good thing. Unless that Pokémon he saw was the 'Prison Warden' Pokémon of course. Or maybe the 'Prison Escape' Pokémon, given that Prison Wardens wouldn't do him much good in such a situation.

"The Verich Shipping Company is infamous in the Pokéball community for discovering an item transport glitch that created duplicate Pokéballs. No one is quite sure how, and they have yet to fully duplicate it and it is common knowledge showing off how the process is done openly would warrant action by major corporations both legally and illegally against the glitch. Only now have they had some luck with duplicating it in a manner, if only with Safari Balls."

"I think that violates the laws of physics," Ash pointed out.

"Pokémon routinely do so as well, what's your point?" Ash had to nod in agreement. "Anyway, I have managed to successfully isolate and duplicate the Pokéball duplication process where a thousand humans have failed, have formatted the glitch into a proper program, and am now in the process of installing said program into the H.O.P.E gloves. You will soon have the power of unlimited Pokéball supply, as well as the one called Gary Oak. He'll have to figure out that he has the program though, his Pokédex is a bore who had a personality that doesn't want me to upload a new personality to itself."

"Really…." The vision of such a concept as infinite Pokéballs flickered in Ash's mind for a moment, before he was brought back to reality.

"Is that legal?"

"It is as legal as it makes sense to traditional sciences. Just don't sell the balls created, and you should be fine. Verich Shipping normally sells the balls to several companies including Venus Entertainment and the Gorigan Engineering Firm in the Orre Region, where Pokéballs are less well stocked than in Kanto. They are legal to use, at least in Orre, but not to sell. But don't think about that: you will soon have unlimited Poké, Quick, Timer, Premier, Nest, Heal, Nest, Luxury, and Great Balls thanks to your escapades on the St. Anne."

Yawning at the revelation that was interesting but, at the moment, not all that important Ash rested his head on the pillow. He had sleep to get back to.

"In less important news, a message has come in from Gardevoir via Probopass electromagnetism. I am currently doing further research on the topic, so wake up and take in the information. However, do note I will be recording it for later use."

The Pokédex's statement woke Ash from slumber, even as he reached for the device and held it up to his face.

"…I still don't get how that works," Ash tiredly muttered. Pikachu stirred and unsteadily stared at the device, not appreciating the wakeup call, before yawning a 'tell me in the actual morning' and plopping back down on the pillow on his side of the bed.

"I could explain the details, but I don't feel like it right now so for now just say I did it with multimodal reflection sorting. Humans like that term right? Anyway, she found another one."

The Pokédex screen glowed, revealing a blue-haired Trainer with red eyes and marks on his cheeks. Either because the Pokédex added them or he hallucinated them to be absent before a pair of scale marks rose up on either side of the guy with the two common units of measure on either side. This only served to comment that this guy was tall.

"Cleff Matsuoka. Age 16. Born in a village found on the route between Violet and Ecruteak Cities, and yes there is a route that does so. His paternal parentage is unknown, his maternal parentage is traceable many generations to the area, where her earliest known ancestor was a soldier in a battle between the Charific Kingdom and the Warlord of the Golden Crobat."

"The Golden Crobat?" Ash muttered. He met a Golden Sudowoodo once, right? Was it that sort of thing? He was pretty sure the Sudowoodo got that way because of science, and science and 'many generations ago' did not mix.

"The soldier is recorded to have been present for the confrontation between a Mega Charizard and a Crobat that absorbed light and turned to gold during the climax of the war. And yes, I have updated my Mega Evolution information since then, so I can tell you all about Mega Charizard."

"Yawn…. maybe later."

"Very well. Cleff started his Pokémon Journey a year before you did. His starter was a Sentret that records suggest was provided by a school teacher of his. His registered Pokémon currently are a Furret, a Politoed, a Misdreavus, a Wigglytuff, a Sunflora, and a Machoke. While further research on the origin of the first additional four Pokémon is needed, the Machoke was obtained between his first and second battle with the Olivine Gym Leader, suggesting…."

"Fighting-types super effective," Ash mumbled as the Pokédex let out a party streamer sound effect.

"He can be taught! The Machoke increased his battle efficiency in his rematch by 14%, allowing him to avoid the close loss of the previous attempt, just to inform you on that extraneous detail. He placed Top 8 in his first League Conference and is known to be planning to enter the next iteration for the Silver Conference. His financial information suggests he used his money from the conference to buy several acres of land in the Violet City countryside. The terrain was cheap for being fairly remote from major roads and other elements of value."

"He used his prize money, to buy a house?" Ash wanted to check he heard that right. That was just…. well he'd have never thought of buying a house first thing. Did the guy dream of owning his own or something?

"Land for a house, and products to make a house with his own hands, but yes, he did buy a house with his prize money," the Pokédex clarified.

That information caused the blue haired lookalike of him as visualized in his mind to start whistling while whacking a log with a mallet. Ash was pretty sure you didn't build a house like that, and his mind was too tired to consider any other way of doing it.

"There is something else. Gardevoir's observations have determined that he shares an unusual behavior quirk with Belladonna Tyrian."

"He murdered people and stole material to build his house?" Ash paled. He did not another criminal potential relative. Particularly one who stole and killed over welcome matts, tea kettles, and good picture frames.

"No. The other unusual behavioral quirk done by Belladonna Tyrian."

"Mood swings?" It wasn't genetic, was it? That would be worrying.

"The other, other unusual behavior quirk done by Belladonna Tyrian."

Ash tried to figure out what else there was, before his mouth hung open.

"You have got to be kidding me."

"Given human and thus Bloodliner emotions, the fact that Gardevoir observed him give the three girls kisses in view of each other without flare ups of jealousy, anger, or murderous intent suggests that this was not human infidelity at play. Gardevoir was unable to get information on if Cleff and the girls who live with him are sexually active with each other beyond sharing the same bed, but she would be willing to stay in the area and see if…"

"I don't need to know that," Ash quickly cut the device off.

"Very well. I'll transmit back to Probopass that such information is unnecessary. Hang on…I've just hacked into previous records of Cleff's travels and thus can provide some information on the girls he's living with. Chouko, last name currently unknown, is first recorded prior to his trip through Ilex Forest, Shinju Sekigan who was first recorded in tandem with Cleff in the ferry systems between the Whirl Islands and Cianwood City, and Charlotte Match, a daughter of an immigrant who is first recorded in the outskirts of Mahogany Town around the time a fire burned a local Pokémart."

"...Are they bloodliners?" Ash asked in one last attempt to see if he might just escape this without…

"Gardevoir saw Charlotte spit fire at a Beedrill swarm. You don't gain the ability to do that after eating curry."

…. Maybe Tamato curry could, but Ash somehow doubted that was the case here. But escape impossible, he'd have to ask the question.

"How probable is it that two people, who may or may not be related to me, are polygon…poliwhi…. polygomo… whatever I'm trying to say, with multiple bloodliners…"

"And be a bloodliner himself. I forgot to mention that Gardevoir saw him perform the Sing attack to deal with a Ursaring two days prior to this message. As to your question…it is highly improbable."

Lying his head back on the pillow, Ash had one more question before he went back to sleep.

"Is this going to be a thing that keeps happening?"

"The data is insufficient at the present time to determine a response to your quite unspecific question. Ask me again after we reduce the margin of error and you can make your question more specific."

….

"Ash Ketchum and Red Tajiri vs Tim Mortis and Mike, begin!"

Red wondered why this Mike fellow didn't give a name, but that wasn't really important.

"Ninetales, I choose you!" Mike, a Trainer who looked like should be in one of his mother's old historical films about Unovan Mafia types, shouted, throwing a Luxury ball forth and releasing the many tailed fox. Rays of light intensified as it appeared on the field.

"Ninetales, the Fox Pokémon. A trick to remembering this Pokémon's exact spelling is the fact that there are nine prominent tall tales of what will happen if you touch its tails. It occasionally amplified sunlight."

"Yeah, it does. It's like Sunny Day was used." Ash noted, apparently unfamiliar with the Drought ability. Then again it was rare to see that ability, so Red didn't hold it against him.

"You know, I really wanted to use Squirtle, but this is as good a time as any. Charizard, go!"

Red felt his eyes widen slightly as the fully evolved Charmander appeared on the field with a massive roar.

That was….an interesting move. Fire with fire. He could understand that. He knew he felt more energetic under this intense…

"Misdreavus, go!"

The younger partner threw out a Great Ball that burst out into a floating specter that looked feminine.

"Misdreavus, the Screech Pokémon. Misdreavus are rarely found in western Kanto and eastern Johto, though they are somewhat more common in the Sinnoh region. They like to pull people's hair and are generally a nuisance." The Pokédex gave information that he never knew on this Pokémon, though Red would appreciate move pools and strengths and weaknesses personally.

But beggars couldn't be choosers. Though Red did wish he had a Pokédex of his own.

Red did have a Haunter, but its ball was currently inactive and in Yellow's bag. He wouldn't be able to use her today.

He did have a solution though.

"Persian, go!"

The sleek white cat Pokémon would have sufficient ability to handle the ghost Pokémon that was Misdreavus.

"Persian, the Classy Cat Pokémon. Persian are irritable and claw happy Pokémon, though they are oddly fond of criminal men and elderly women. They have a unique form in the Alola region."

They did? Were their legs massive stilt structures that went higher than he was tall? Did they have massive canine fangs?

He'd ask after they take this win.

"Flamethrower!"

Ash and Mike shouted in tandem as their two Pokémon's flames collided. Charizard's looked more intense and powerful from Red's point of view, but the Ninetales' Flamethrower moved faster.

The impact was at an angle favoring the weaker Ninetales flame, cancelling both out. Red had the suspicion that the resulting smoke cloud would be used to launch a…

"Misdreavus, Shadow Ball!"

He was correct it seemed.

"Persian, use Bite right through the Shadow Ball!"

With a loud meow Persian charged into the attack. The black ball disintegrated the moment it hit Persian's white fur, allowing the fast feline to speed right towards its source.

The cry of the Misdreavus was confirmation of impact.

"Misdreavus!"

"Not so fast little boy! Solarbeam, Ninetales!"

Mafia man's commanded move fired even faster than the Flamethrower if Red's ears were working correctly. There was no time for Persian to dodge it despite it's good speed. A sunny Solarbeam was just too fast even before factoring in Ninetales itself.

Persian was going to have to take the da…

"Block it with Dragon Tail!"

An explosion cleared up the smoke that Flamethrower collision had generated revealed Charizard standing between Ninetales and his still chewing Persian, tail glowing with the power of dragons and smoking from an impact point.

"What good teamwork! Ash and Charizard move quickly to protect their teammate!"

Quite quickly in fact. That reaction time…that was the sort of thing that a Trainer and their first Pokémon got after at least a year working together.

Red heard much of Ash Ketchum's life story two nights ago at dinner: Charizard had not been with Ash that long.

It wasn't because of the power he had sensed in Ash when they fought in Lavender. He'd have picked that up.

Speaking of which, he'd have to get Ash to talk about that tonight, he didn't like the idea of possibly fighting Lilo or possibly that Paul guy without Victory Sight and he wasn't going to lose because Ash kept choosing not to do it for no good reason.

He could accept Ash not using it for a good reason, but that wasn't proven yet. Though he did have to win this fight first.

"Misdreavus, Spite!"

Persian glowed even as Misdreavus was freed. Persian growled as Bite found itself unable to work.

Well damn, that was going to be fun. Spite was a nasty little move that made moves unable to work until certain healing items or techniques were used, like Leppa Berries. Red wasn't sure why that was, and the Pokédex wasn't explaining it right now.

He'd need a new plan.

Persian darted over to Charizard, guarding its back as Ninetales and Misdreavus prepared to attack.

"Hypnosis!"

"Psybeam!"

As the two attacks charged up Red knew what had to be done.

"Persian can use Taunt to stop that Hypnosis, you block Mis…"

"We should stop that Spite move instead!" Ash fired back with a grin that his Pikachu shared. "I can stop that Hypnosis. Charizard protect your eyes with Flame Charge!"

Charizard promptly burst into flames, said flames colliding with the blue energy waves that came from Ninetales. The flames turned blue, but Charizard itself was unaffected.

Somehow? He would never understand where Ash got these random flashes of inspiration, or how he knew they could possibly work.

But if Ash wanted to stop Spite, Red couldn't say he disagreed. It was a wise move anyway.

Persian darted to the side as the Psybeam only knicked a bit of the Flame Charge before he gave the order.

"Taunt!"

Persian's gem flashed red as the color wafted over a now peeved looking Misdreavus.

"With that Taunt Misdreavus' dreaded Spite attack is no more! Can they come back from this!?"

"Shock Wave!"

Blue electricity shot from Misdreavus right into the deflamed Charizard. The attack struck for damage.

As the electric attack finished Charizard growled. Ash seemed to nod in response before saying a single word.

"Trade?"

Red nodded before pointing at Ninetales.

"Slash!"

"Metal Claw!"

Taking into the air Charizard flew over Persian as the two went to the opposite sides of the field, both with elongated claws.

The two attacks struck their targets simultaneously, Ninetales stumbling in the aftermath as Misdreavus was sent flying into the wall.

The ghost made a light impact, but was still dazed. Ninetales recovered quicker however.

"Solarbeam!"

And the quick blasting attack struck Persian and sent her tumbling across the field.

"Misdreavus use Shadow Ball!"

"Flamethrower!" Mike shouted, just as Ash did the same.

"Persian, Dig!"

All four attacks fired off.

Despite moving faster, the Shadow Ball was overwhelmed by the Flamethrower and Misdreavus was scorched.

Persian got under just fast enough to avoid Ninetales Flamethrower, with Ninetales sent flying moments afterward as Persian sprung up from the earth.

Both enemy Pokémon hit the ground, defeated.

"Ninetales and Misdreavus are unable to battle! The Winners are Ash and Red!"

Charizard gave out a Flamethrower into the sky in celebration while Ash and his Pikachu let out an exuberant cry in victory.

Persian looked satisfied while his own Pikachu shrugged and gave him a look that said 'I could have won that in half the time'.

Later that day

Unlike the Battle Dome, Ash was allowed to use any amount of Pokémon he wanted here. He could use a new one each round, or just have Charizard burn everything in his path down.

As much as Charizard would like that, that wasn't smart by any stretch of the imagination. For one thing Gary might have his Blastoise around at this point. Paul was also around, and thinking Paul wouldn't pick that up was an insult that even Paul didn't deserve.

He was many things, but 'making Cameron look like he could play chess with Cynthia regularly' was not one of them.

Did Cynthia even play chess?

Regardless of what board games Cynthia did or did not play, Ash was going to have a different Pokémon fight each time. He just had to figure out who to use and when.

That's what training was for.

And the splattering of Sludge Bombs that Servine was avoiding suggested that his newly evolved grass-type was in fact deep in training.

"Servine, use Leaf Storm!"

Servine nodded as a billowing leaf vortex formed behind her as she stopped and prepared to fire at full power. It was aimed straight at Muk, who took the hit head on.

The leaves were blunted in their force by Muck's gelatinous form, though Ash was able to see that they weren't completely negated.

Was that a physical special thing, or a power thing, or something?

The quiet little training arena on the edge of the city he had come across wasn't just about testing the trans-time endurance of sludge however: he could see in the corner of his eye Squirtle practicing by dodging Sliggoo, whose Dragon Breath was getting pretty good.

Squirtle had been working with Butterfree, but Squirtle had been a little too quick at de-rusting his firefighting aim and Butterfree was currently drying off to the side.

"Pi!" 'Ash, heads up. They're back.'

Ash heard his buddy's heads up before the words came to him, allowing him to turn and catch the arriving trio of Misty, Iris, and Anabel, looking oddly bothered by something.

It couldn't have been about food, Misty had already suggested they reserve a place to go eat tonight in about an hour. It was another addition to the list of things that the Pokédex could do.

"...Is something up?" he asked. At the question all the practicing Pokémon stopped, with Muk looking ready to give a comfort hug if need be.

Or if not need be, truth be told. How would Iris react to that...

"Lara and Hex called," Misty explained.

Ash blinked as his mind defaulted to the first possible issue at hand.

"Did we forget something with the Laramie Ranch?"

"No. It's Dario."

Ash frowned, a cheater and jerk across two timelines, Dario was high on his list of jerks that he'd like to never see again. It was a pity that Dario didn't get a personality shift like Lt. Surge and Burgundy, but no, he remained a jerk.

"Did they finally get him? Are we going to have to testify in court?"

'That's the thing, they don't know where he went,' Anabel informed him, looking as uneasy as the rest of them.

"So, we should make sure our windows are locked? Maybe ask Nurse Joy for a windowless room? Have Psyduck stand guard?"

"Not unless you want to die," the Pokédex pointed out.

"Dario did not outrun them, it is more like Dario just vanished," Iris elaborated.

"So, he flew away?" Did his Dodrio jump miles through the air with him on it or something, or was he giving Dario too much credit as a Trainer?

'No. They found his Dodrio, but Dario was nowhere to be found and all they smelled was Psychic-types. There was no scent trail of Dario, or the Psychic Pokémon, anywhere from that point,' Anabel finished.

"So, someone helped him escape?" And Dario had a plan to do so ready? That seemed... unlikely.

"His Dodrio was injured from what looked like a Psychic attack; I doubt it was someone who wanted to help him."

Iris's point just raised more questions. Was Dario kidnapped or attacked by Psychic Pokémon?

Who'd do that, and not throw him to the Laramies to be punished? Team Rocket maybe? (He hadn't seen Cassidy or Bob in ages after all, did Dario owe them money?)

It didn't sound like Hunter J...maybe that Felgrand guy?

Did he do kidnapping? Or was he just fond of smuggling Pokémon and illegal minerals (whatever those were).

"There they are!"

Yellow's shout stopped any discussion further on Dario. The darting form of Yellow was approaching, with Red following at a slower pace.

Was something up? Did Red want to discuss battle strategies again?

Yellow braked to a stop in a manner that Ash could almost hear car brake sounds going off.

He was sure there was a Pokédex somewhere who'd have inserted those sounds for the heck of it. Or perhaps he shouldn't have played the classical cartoon channel in the background when he was trying to fall asleep the other night.

"Oh good, you're all here! Red really, really needs to talk to you," Yellow explained as Red managed to catch up, being in proper speaking distance instead of yelling distance.

"Really, what for?" Ash asked, not sure what could make Red 'really, really need to talk' to someone.

Did something happen to a family member that required him to go back home? No, that couldn't be it, Red mentioned he didn't have any living relatives when they had that dinner together, potentially being related to himself, Belladonna Tyrian, John Archer, Ashley Sennenryu, and Cleff Matsuoka notwithstanding of course.

Did he have to skip town? Maybe he was coming down with something….

Red held his hand out before himself, Misty, Iris, and Anabel with a neutral expression on his face, before his hand burst into flames.

That just happened, and the idea of him having to go to the hospital for the mumps was immediately dashed.

The blazing inferno around Red's hand continued for a good fifteen seconds of silence (with only Yellow and Red not looking at the hand in shock) before the flames snuffed themselves out and Red spoke.

"I do believe that is sufficient. Let's cut to the chase shall we: I know you are a Bloodliner as well, Ash."

'Oh, does that mean I can actually talk?' Anabel blurted out quickly. Yellow gaped at Anabel in surprise, but Red seemed unperturbed, at least externally.

"Sure."

'Lovely.'

"Now that the Meowth is out of the bag, let's get to the point." Red pointed right at him, eyes flashing in a familiar glow.

His glow. Belladonna's glow.

Well, so much for hoping that ever growing mess didn't expand.

"I know you're a Bloodliner, I'll assume the same of your friends if Anabel is any indication, and that you've been holding back this entire time."

"Holding back?" Ash questioned, wondering what Red was talking about, and frankly what he was doing. It wasn't like with Belladonna with the truth flooding out of him against his will.

Red's eyes continued to glow as he elaborated.

"I have two Bloodlines. If we ignore the fire that can slip out if I talk too much for a moment, the relevant one allows me to determine every possibility. It allows me to play any scenario that could occur before me in all possible outcomes. I can see everything, if I so choose, a million times from every angle."

"I swear that sounds like something I saw in a Don George's comic book." Misty blurted out. Red ignored her in a manner that made Ash suspect she was right.

"It also allows me to pick up on abilities similar to my own. I have only seen this twice: with Yellow and with you."

Ash didn't get a chance for the part about Yellow to sink in, and neither seemed to be quite aware of what that implied as he continued.

"Tell me, what exactly can you do?"

Ash was cut off from explaining it by Anabel, who gave him a look of 'I'll handle this'.

'Ash is able to give Pokémon around him an immense boost in power.'

Red's look at Ash grew somewhat surprised.

"How much power?" Yellow inquired.

'Enough for a Charmander to defeat a Kingdra from what I've been told'.

Red looked like someone had just told him that a Magikarp had defeated Rayquaza. Or possible a Mega Rayquaza, if such a thing was possible.

"I mean it's not that cool. I don't use it for battling and it only activates on its own if I get really stressed. So, we've won all our battles here completely without it."

Ash informed Red of this fact with earnest, intent to reassure Red that they had accomplished everything without magical powers that he woke up with when time got warped and rewound.

"What?!" Red gave him a baffled look, as if he had heard complete and utter gibberish

"I don't cheat," Ash explained simply.

"Cheat?" Red parroted. He still sounded weird, like he was just told that water was dry or that a Pikachu was blue. Red's own Pikachu was doing the Pikaface palm. Ash's own wasn't though. Odd. Normally Pikachu did that unison if he did something stupid enough to earn it, but he couldn't think of what it could be.

"You know, give yourself an unfair advantage? Using a cell phone to look up test answers, taking steroids, bringing a Gyarados to a knife fight, that sort of thing."

Yellow looked at him in confusion at that one.

"It's a movie reference. One of my mom's favorite movies actually." She apparently saw it with her dad, his grandfather he never met, three times.

'The second movie was the best,' Anabel gave her two cents.

"I have never seen any of them…."

"It isn't cheating."

Red's declaration cut off Iris's statement.

"Yes, it is. I can basically turn anything that isn't going my way around just be glaring the right way and hoping really hard. If that's not cheating I don't know what is. If it was life or death and I was falling out of the sky or something that's one thing. But using it to win fights is cheating. I mean I'm not accusing you of cheating Red…."

"Like I said, it isn't cheating."

Red's statement silenced Ash as he looked at Red in horror and a growing sense of anger.

"You…"

"All six of us were born with special talents that set us apart from everyone else. It's not all that different from someone being born more athletically capable or smarter than the average person. Do geniuses have to avoid using their full capabilities on tests, or runners have to be slower? Cheating is bringing in something foreign into an environment to give oneself an advantage, answers hidden under a cap or a Pokéball to a knife fight, or violating a rule. There is no rule in the Leagues that say what I do, what I am, is illegal."

Red tapped the left temple of his head for emphasis.

"All I am able to do is process information and probabilities far more efficiently than regular people can. The same way what you are able to do is the same as giving one's Pokémon a pep talk for a second wind, but unaffected by musculature."

"That is not how it works," Ash growled, anger at Red for his behavior growing. He idly noticed Misty giving Red a look of some annoyance, apparently realizing the source of his comeback at the Battle Dome.

Anabel looked neutral, as if pondering both their points….

Iris, Ash noticed with some unease, looked like she agreed with Red.

"Isn't it? Many matches have been won because Trainers are able to inspire Pokémon to push past their limits and overcome fatigue long enough for one last blow. That's what you can do, it would have let you beat me back in Lavender Town."

"Wait, you cheated at the Battle Dome!?" Ash liked to think he didn't throw that word around lightly anymore. Suggesting Giselle did so with Bonemerang was beyond him now, though he still had to wonder about Blaine and his lava dunking.

But this…. he cheated against him. Against Misty. Against Iris. Against that random kid that Gary defeated with his Umbreon that time he caught up with him in Johto. He would not stand for that.

"Hardly," Red stated with an immensely frustrated sigh. "Your very presence throws my abilities off. The way you are able to think and move makes my abilities useless. I haven't been able to use them in battle this entire tournament. Why do you think I want you to stop holding back?" Red said this in a tone that basically admitted he had used his ability against everyone else.

"Well good. Maybe you can actually be confident in your own abilities instead of relying on a shortcut," Ash declared as Red gritted his teeth and turned rapidly away from him.

"I am confident in them. I just don't feel like running with only a single leg. Unlike you I don't think that's normal." Red stormed off with that parting shot, Yellow scampering after him.

"…. Red used Parting Shot. The human team's Teamwork harshly fell," the Pokédex declared. "I'd suggest resetting yourself with a withdraw and redeployment before tomorrow's match."

"Fat chance."

"Can you at least stop squeezing me in anger then? I won't break but damaging your hand will also lower your stats in throwing."

A few hours later

"…. I don't get it. How could you possibly agree with him!?"

"If a Unfezant is able to catch and eat a Sewaddle because it can fly, I would not call that cheating."

'I'm conflicted. I'm a telepath….'

"It is totally different. It's kind of obvious that's the case with you. There is no sign that that jerk has a mind like he's some sort of supercomputer. Unlike an Unfezant, which I assume has feathers."

"They do. Still this argument is strange. Humans are the only creatures that care about cheating…"

'She is right you know'.

Ash was snapped out of his thoughts by Pikachu, who was reflecting on part of the argument that Iris, Anabel, and Misty had earlier.

He had been too angry at Red to participate. To think he respected that guy so much, to find out that he got as far as he did by cheating.

The Battle Dome, all his Gyms, who knows how many Pokémon battles between. All won by cheating.

Intentionally, for his own gain. Not unintentionally, not in a panic as one fell to the earth. As intentionally as anything.

At least Paul, for all his faults, did not cheat, at least in the old timeline. He'd assume the same in this timeline until he saw him buy illegal fertilizer for his Torterra.

"Pikapi." 'Humans are the only creatures I know of that can have moral debates on what is fair or not fair in a fight. I mean some Pokémon have rules of honor, but humans take the cake with how intense they can get when debating it.'

"There is no debate. Red has been cheating the entire time," Ash growled.

"I'd like to remind you of my earlier comment in defense of the tall Unovan's position, no one has put a rule in about what he can do into the official League rule books. It keeps being on the menu but every time it's on the docket time gets eaten up by controversial calls and more pressing rule concerns. "

Once again, the Pokédex commented in and once more Ash ignored it from its spot on the bedside table.

"It's the principle of the thing," Ash declared with finality.

"Principles. Many a human greater and lesser than you have died for them, gone to prison for them, or failed to do something vital. Are you really prepared to take such a stand?" the Pokédex questioned.

"I work hard to get what I have. Charmander didn't evolve because of some fancy eye power. Pikachu didn't regain Thunderbolt because of anything special. Trainers, Coordinators, Connoisseurs…."

"Pokémon Performers?"

"…Sure. All of us get where we do because of hard work and determination. The times I have gotten a boost because of my powers were triggered because of my emotions going out of control, or to save people. I don't use them to win things just to win them. Red doesn't have enough emotions to have that problem. He doesn't have any issue turning his eyes on or off."

"Pi." 'Perhaps you don't use your powers to win badges and Leagues. That's all fine and good, and I'm fully on board with that. We all are. But Ash…. what happens if something is on the line? You may have a plan in case we lose tomorrow or the next day, but if it came between risking everyone's lives and freedoms breaking into the Safari Zone, or cheating to ensure that we keep all our Tauros, our safety, and our reputations intact….is cheating really the worse option?'

Ash opened his mouth to give a response, but found the words failing him.

"Interesting. You've managed to render him speechless even in his current mental state. I wish I knew what you actually communicated. I feel it would be quite useful to silence him when I want to give exposition," the Pokédex inquired.

"Chu." 'It's not exactly useable in most situations. It only works because this is a specific situation where humans probably would agree it's better to cheat than to break the literal law and risk being shot at by a crazy old man even back before the universe had giant wars and crazy dream demons.'

"…. You know, 'Chu' does not give me any useful information right?"

Pallet Town, the next day

"…. And with that stunning finisher Betty Snyder is defeated! Black Gaiman's run continues to the Top 4! But how will Unova's rookie of the year fair against Dino? Find out, next time!"

The T.V's declaration was not met with much interest by Professor Oak nor Delia as the hour prepared to change.

"I already know how that ended; I'm here for my grandson and Ash, not the latest Unovan winner," Oak declared as the T.V defied him.

"Battle Recall is brought to you by Coco Moo!"

"….." Oak muttered something unintelligible as Delia laughed.

"It's just infomercials. They'll pass in time."

"…. A Cleavon Schpielbunk film…."

"Television has to pay for itself somehow."

"I'd kindly ask you to not fight my distaste for mindless commercials with logic," the Professor declared. He was still tired from having talks to get Boxer's tech out there. They had gone well, but he was really at his limits for corporations.

"…. sponsors this pre-battle report. SDC mining, a totally trustworthy company! Now, we join Shiro Shinobi in the main studio, over to you Shiro!"

"Might as well call yourself 'the Benevolent Corporation'," Delia quipped about the tagline as the Professor gave her a look. She grinned.

"I can snark about it, I don't get all Krabby about it." He was kept from responding by the T.V announcer beating him to it.

"Thank you! Now, let's get a look at our competitors down here in Fuchsia! The dynamic duo from Western Kanto taking the Gym challenge by storm: Ash Ketchum and Red Tajiri! Fun fact folks, Ketchum hails from the same town as Professor Oak himself and carries with him a Pokédex made by his own hands. While Tajiri is not connected to anyone nearly as famous, I am 99 percent convinced he's the son of a boxer from my days doing Women's Boxing. Or am I the only one who sees Shinku 'Slammin' Tajiri in his eyes? My attempts to ask the boy about it have been met with silence."

As the two were shown on screen Delia immediately frowned.

"Professor…" she asked as he nodded grimly.

"Yes, I see it too. Something's off with Ash, and Red as well." He eyed the two, noting the way they stood, the way they avoided looking at each other, the tenseness in their hands, and the fact their Pikachu were on the farthest shoulder available.

Something had happened. Perhaps it was an argument, or a misunderstanding. It could have been the aftermath of a serious argument over how to train, or they both had wanted the last piece of pie.

But whatever it was, it had definitely done something to their chemistry as tag partners, and at the worst possible time too.

"….and joining a Kanto local is a visitor from the tropical Alola region! I haven't been there since I got that bonus, but I'm sure that if you ever did get the spare cash to head out there this local beauty could show you around. Ladies and gentlemen, Lilo!"

Because not only was this foreign Trainer powerful, but Oak feared that Ash didn't quite get what her partner was doing. He himself had only picked it up when her partner used Sunny Day in tandem with the Lurantis a few days earlier.

He wasn't constantly failing; he wasn't even trying to fight. He was doing support tactics to ensure that Lilo was covered!

"And they're off!"

Oak's eyes went wide as he realized that the battle had already begun. The screen had four Pokémon icons on it now: Ash's Pikachu and a Haunter on the right and a Pidgeotto and Mudsdale on the left.

"Say Professor, what type is Mudsdale?" Delia asked as the first commands were given.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"Mudsdale use Stone Edge!"

"Haunter Shadow Ball!"

"Pidgeotto use Tailwind!"

The last command was followed by the Professor paling.

"Oh crap."