Saffron Gym

After slipping from the battle, Raichu found the door to the basement and went down the stairs. At the bottom, she found a door, and several Natu guarding it. She was expecting more, but perhaps the heavy hitters were called to the battle upstairs? Nevertheless, it was in her favor as a quick Thunder wiped out all of the Natu.

Once that was handled, she opened the door. Well, break down after she learned it was locked really. The way things were going, Raichu was pretty sure that the only person who'd care was that crazy woman.

Inside, chained to the wall, was the Primeape Ash wanted to save. A very familiar Primeape.

"Rai." 'No way...'

Primeape looked up and his face was tinged with recognition as he scowled at her.

"Primeape!?" 'You!? What are you doing here!? Did you always work for that crazy woman!? Is that why you blasted me to near death!?'

Raichu flinched at the reminder of what she did while she was still with Paul. It looked like the good luck from the lack of security was averaging out.

"Chu." 'I… Um… I…"

"Primeape!" 'What do you want!? If you're here to finish the job, then go ahead and do it!'

Primeape shouted that, but right afterwards, he closed his eyes in resignation. Raichu saw tears fall down his face. She wasn't sure what the best thing to say next was, but she needed to say something.

"Raichu." 'What happened after you were blasted away?'

Primeape opened his eyes, and Raichu was shocked by what she saw. In his eyes, Raichu saw someone who was past the point of despair and had given up on hope. She saw that before. She saw that in her own eyes when Paul left her to fend for herself, without even letting her heal properly.

"Primeape." 'I almost died from the crash. An Arbok almost finished the job, but that was when that woman found me. She drove off the Arbok and took me here where she healed my wounds. I thought of her as a savior, but…'

Primeape spat.

'The moment I was fully healed, she placed me in these chains! She told me I was useful bait for an 'Ash Ketchum' to come challenge her Gym! As if any random human would come save me!'

Was that why Ash was here right now? Was that why Sabrina kidnapped him? If so, then Raichu knew what to say next.

"Rai!" 'He's here! That boy is here!'

"Prime?" 'What?'

"Raichu!" 'Ash Ketchum is here! He told me to rescue you with this!' Raichu held out the Timer Ball. 'You enter this, we can escape!'

Primeape was silent for a long while. Raichu could tell he was hesitant to feel any hope.

"Primeape?" 'Why? Why would a random human brave this fortress to rescue me? Who is this Ash Ketchum and why would he do this?'

"Raichu." 'He is one of the kindest and most understanding humans I know. When my previous Trainer abandoned me without treating my injuries, Ash found me. He offered to catch me and heal me, and told me that he would never force me to fight if I didn't want to.'

"Primeape." 'Even so, to come to rescue me was suicidal. Why would he do this?'

Raichu thought about that.

"Rai." 'He might have known you before. I overheard some of the others talking about it. That's why that crazy woman thought you were good bait for him. If you want proof, then here's how he reacted when he saw you blasted away. Ash Ketchum was shocked and angry that it happened at all. He was far angrier than might have been warranted for a wild Pokemon almost dying. I know you only have my word, but please, believe me!'

After Raichu finished, the room was silent for a long while. Primeape looked at her carefully, as if he was trying to find any hint of deceit. Eventually, though it was small, Raichu saw a glimmer of hope in Primeape's eyes.

"Primeape." 'I… I believe you.'

Raichu nodded, and tapped the Timer Ball on Primeape. After Primeape entered the Timer Ball, there was no struggle. The Timer Ball registered the capture immediately.

Raichu noted the Timer Ball teleport away to the Professor's lab and ran back up the stairs to Ash's side. After that talk, she couldn't let Primeape or Ash down.

Servine was always eager to toss herself on a new fight, and her time with her idiot definitely provided her with plenty of action in both regions and timelines they had gone through. That said, even for her, a horde of powerful Psychic-types might've been too much to handle, even after her battle in Gringy City.

Keyword being might.

After charming two male Kadabra with Attract and blowing a female one through another room with a Contrary-boosted Leaf Storm, the Unovan starter fell back on the ground with grace, only to immediately be tossed into another skirmish as several Natu surrounded her and attempted to peck at full strength. She made short work of them with carefully-aimed Aerial Aces, and the birds were thus fried by a generous heaping of Flamethrower from above.

She traded a quick thumbs up with Charizard and ducked out of the way of an incoming horde of Exeggutor, just as her idiot's own herd of Tauros stampeded in to help. The Grass-type held a hand over her racing heart and rubbed away the sweat on her face before she gave a cursory glance of the battlefield. It was pure chaos: between that woman's horde of assorted Psychic-types and her idiot's veritable army of Pokémon old and new, every Pokémon was doing their best to gain the advantage, with Flamethrowers, Psychics, Water Guns, Rock Blasts, Zap Cannons, Swifts and all other manner of moves dotting every corner of the Gym.

Servine frowned and took a deep breath, observing her hands. She was strong, and her Contrary ability made her Leaf Storms even stronger, but even she had a limit. She could feel that her moves had gotten less powerful the more the fight went on, and she needed a way to recharge. Easier said than done, when she had to toss an Attract and a few Aerial Aces as some persistent Slowbro attempted to get to her, and a few Xatu had the same idea. The enemies were so numerous that the idea of giving up felt more and more tempting with each attack.

As the desperate fight went on, however, Servine felt even more galvanized instead of fatigued. She couldn't give up just there, not when everyone else was putting their lives at stake for her idiot. She had been loyal to him ever since she was a Snivy, and that wasn't gonna change no matter how many evolutions, regions or timelines they went through. And now, she needed a way to recover her energy while still kicking as much ass as she could.

That was when her eyes fell on one of her idiot's recent captures, that Farfetch'd with three leeks, currently engaged in a frantic duel with two of those weird spoonsaber-wielding Kadabra, twisting, jumping and parrying hits like he was having the time of his life as his opponents barely kept up with his leeksmanship. And then, Servine grinned as a spark of inspiration hit her.

She gave a quick look around, and found a few Kadabra with spoonsabers ready to strike coming her way. Servine beamed and rushed after them, tackling one of them on the ground and sending the psychic 'blade' flying. She quickly caught it and held it in her arms, rather glad to still have them, and swiftly sliced at a couple more. More spoons flew at her as her first one exhausted its psychic energy, and the Grass-type quickly grabbed those with a huge grin. Ahead of her, the Kadabra appeared much less confident of their plans as they backed down. Servine took her chance to leap at them instead.

"Ser!" 'Come on, show me what you've got!'

And thus, going from one psychic blade spoon to another, Servine joined the battle with renewed vigor, energy welling up within her as she recovered her strength little by little.

Though eventually, she did find herself back with Chansey again, just in time for her idiot to execute a new plan.

Throughout her life, Roggenrola had wished to be a faster Pokémon more than anything else. And smack dab in the middle of an escalating war, that desire was being even more pressing than usual.

After narrowly dodging a beam clash between Butterfree's Psybeam and a Slowbro's Hydro Pump, the Rock-type took a few seconds to rest, only to be ambushed by a flock of Xatu that tried to use Psychic on her, before a few well-aimed Rock Blasts sent them all sprawling on the ground. She tried to rush somewhere else, only for quite a few Kadabra to try to blast her away with Psywave. She ducked under a hit, and then attempted to Iron Head her opponents before she rushed out of the way. The Xatu came back, as did the Kadabra, before she could leave to safety as they forced the sentient rock on the defensive.

They were too many, they were too fast for her, and everyone else was too busy fighting elsewhere to come to her aid. She was alone against everyone, and she had no time to mount an effective counteroffensive.

Faced with her opposition, however, Roggenrola didn't leave. She was outnumbered and slower, but she was clever and resourceful: she was the one who managed to solve the mystery of her friends' disappearance one timeline before, back when she first met Ash, after all. It didn't matter if those Psychic-types were more numerous or able to make complex calculations in three seconds flat: she would find a way to outsmart them. And as she surveyed the ground underneath her, an idea formed in her mind.

She dodged the latest barrage of hits, focused, and then blasted several Rock Blasts groundward. The floor proved sturdy and didn't break, but the knockback was strong enough to send her skyward, right above a narrow Psywave. The Rock-type would've grinned if she could've, and then started to fire several Rock Blasts at machine gun speed, until she was almost on the ceiling.

The Xatu tried to fly at her, but Roggenrola was already on the move: she twisted around herself and another barrage of Rock Blast ensued, every single piece of stone raining down her opposition: They tried to stop them with Psychic, only for the rocks to grow higher and higher, until they became too quick for them to keep up with, and they were all buried under Roggenrola's assault, falling down unconscious.

Roggenrola landed on the ground right after as the Rock Blast ended, wobbling on her feet before she steadied herself. Her head was spinning and there were still several more enemies to face, but she couldn't help but feel energized by what she managed to do. Who cared if she was slow? She just had to think quick and strike smart, and then there wouldn't be any problem.

And thus, she jumped back on the fray with far more energy than before, ready to help out. And where better to start than with Ash's new plan.

…

"Attack!" Ash ordered again as he took the old attack order from before with a bit more to it.

As before Pikachu fired Thunderbolt, Servine spun a Leaf Storm, Vivillon shot a green glowing Struggle Bug, Goodra unleashed Dragon Breath, Butterfree blew Silver Wind, Squirtle shot at Alakazam with Brine, and Muk spat Sludge Bomb.

In addition though, Pidgeot were flying overhead and fired a glowing Air Slash, while Krabby provided a Bubblebeam.

Mega Alakazam's five spoons glowed, and all the attacks clashed into each other and cancelled each other out.

Sabrina shook her head before holding her palm out opposite of Alakazam. It glowed, freezing the charging Ambipom, Yanma, and Bulbasaur (with Shadow Claw, Quick Attack, and Tackle respectively) in place.

Still holding them there, she looked at him with a 'really' look, as if expecting better out of him that that.

She promptly got to see his better when a flaming form charged into Mega Alakazam, arm around the Mega Evolved Pokémon in a lariat style.

Charizard slammed Mega Alakazam into the wall before flying back and glaring at it.

"Rrr…" 'You know, you feel lighter than the last two regular Alakazam I beat,' Charizard observed, before unleashing a torrential Flamethrower right into the Mega Evolved Pokémon.

However mid-stream the fire glowed purple and turned towards the three Pokémon that Sabrina held immobilized. She floated out of the way of the flames, while still holding them in place for the attack.

"Cover for them!" Ash shouted as Squirtle shot a Water Gun across the Flamethrower's redirected path, wiping it out and leaving only a hot steamy mist in its wake.

Charizard growled and held up a Metal Claw for the next attack, but he himself glowed and was pulled back into the overall battle melee (in which Ash could hear the insane cackling of Farfetch'd and many Tauros bellows).

A few Pidgey and Pidgeotto were blown into the healing circle, followed by Pidgeot flying back into the overall chaos as Sabrina raised an eyebrow before absently tossing Ambipom, Bulbasaur, and Yanma away.

"You need more Pokémon here to fight my Mega Alakazam, yet that would lead to the melee of Pokémon your Pokédex brought in faltering. Yet it would be so easy if you would just fight with everything you have instead of having some silly restriction upon yourself."

"If I do that, you win," Ash reminded her bluntly.

"And is that so bad? I win all the time, I win whenever challengers proves themselves worthy, and I win when they don't. Still, what do you hope to pull out for the win if you are so insistent on not using your paternal ability? Perhaps that Thunder Armor thing?"

Pikachu sparked his cheeks, looking ready to try it with the nearest Swellow-substitute.

Ash gripped his hands together tightly, feeling the same hand covered in a lot of dust and crystal shards as it had before. He gripped even tighter in response as he stared right at Sabrina.

"Maybe I'll do that, or maybe I'll find another way. If you claim to know everything, you should know that I have gotten out of tough battles before."

"Yes, I am aware of what you have accomplished with a combination of quick thinking and those old proverbs of 'Innate, Resolve, and Spirit' people love in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. Though tell me, what do you plan on trying to achieve?"

"We'll all find out I suppose," Ash held out the fist he was gripping a handful of that odd sand out at Sabrina in a gesture of resolve, only for the hand to start glowing in a yellow-orange aura.

"And it would seem we have," Sabrina noted as the yellow-orange aura gained a purple hue, before sucking in purple aura from all over the battlefield. The purple aura began overwhelming the previous color, causing his hand to glow deeply in the color while his arm shook so violently he had to grip his arm with the other hand to have any control of what his arm was doing.

All Pokémon present stared at his hand in shock as the Pokédex had its own thing to say.

"You are generating odd energy readings from your hand! What exactly are you doing?!"

"If I knew, I'd tell you!"

Sabrina observed his still shaking hand in interest, though she made no move to attack him during the process. She was apparently curious as to what he was doing too.

A more light-based glow of bright pink began leaking out between his fingers as the aura flared up one more time before receding away. The light faded moments later, as did the sheer shaking of his hand. Something solid was now in his hand and he pulled his hand back and dropped whatever was in his hand now into his other palm.

What he found was a pink crystal, resting in the center of his palm as if he had not made it out of seemingly nothing.

As all of his Pokémon present stared at the crystal in surprise, the Pokédex spoke up.

"Ash, are you aware of what that is?"

"A violation of at least one law of physics I guess?" At least the remnant of his science classes was shouting that in the back of his mind.

"Possibly, but more than that. The readings of that crystal indicate that it's a Z-Crystal, much like the one that Lilo used. Best I can determine at this time, that crystal was created by some combination of the residual energies given off by Pokémon and the energy you naturally give off as a Bloodliner. Most likely with an additional third element as a catalyst, which I'll hypothesize to be the make-up of a Z-Ring given the seen incidents so far. That crystal itself is a Psychium-Z, used for the Psychic-Z move."

That point made Ash stare at the crystal in his hand.

That time against Lilo, and later against Elwood and Aideen, it wanted to lead to this?

"How interesting. I think I know all your surprises Ash, and you throw a new surprise at me."

Sabrina's observation put the focus back on her from the crystal as the woman continued.

"It is said in Alolan folklore that the first great king of Alola, Kahele, created all the Z-Crystals in a method only he himself knew. If he did so like you did just now, he has become much more interesting to me."

So his creation of a crystal in a manner he had no idea how to do again, was going to get her to watch a documentary?

"Read a book actually."

Oh yeah, the mindreading thing. She was still doing that.

Ash looked at the crystal in his palm for a moment, then at the Z-Ring. After a moment he placed the crystal in the top of the ring.

Step one, placing the crystal. Done.

Step two, activate it. That, he wasn't sure on how to do.

"As I mentioned before, Alolans manifest the power of Z-Moves..." The Pokédex glowed and was yanked into the melee before it could finish explaining by a Kadabra, who promptly Teleported out of the way of Farfetch'd who instead crashed into a Alakazam instead.

While he did need the reminder the Pokédex had mentioned it before, he could probably figure it out.

In fact he actually could remember seeing it performed in that weird vision thing that happened after he got the Z-Ring, and the Keystone too for some reason.

"If you are asking for why that happens, don't ask me. It actually happened with me too and I couldn't tell you why."

Ignoring Sabrina reading his mind again, he didn't need to look behind him to know that Butterfree had flapped over to him to see if this would all work.

"Okay, this will apparently do something because you know a Psychic-type move. Be prepared for anything Butterfree!" Ash declared as Butterfree gave an acknowledging nod.

The first thing was an arm cross, which he did as he felt the crystal and Z-Ring flash. That was probably a good sign.

"Protect," Sabrina simply said as Alakazam formed a glowing orb around himself. However he didn't stop.

After arm cross, he was supposed to poke his temples. He did so, and he felt a further spark of energy course through him as he did so.

It felt a bit weird though, as if some of what he was feeling had been held back.

Next was taking his right hand and holding it out, palm facing out. He did so, and he glowed the same initial color he had seen in the forming of the crystal.

Orange-yellow, which promptly flew at Butterfree and surrounded him, turning a pink color similar to that of the crystal seconds after impact that kept building and building up in higher intensity, moments away from release.

Sabrina simply stepped behind Alakazam. She was apparently quite fine with letting him get off the move, though she seemed quite sure that a Mega-evolved Protect would be sufficient in stopping it.

Perhaps it was, Ash wasn't really sure. However, she had missed something, something he had kept out of his mind as to not to remind her.

However Sabrina promptly was shown what she had missed when a glowing leek was thrown right at the Protect bubble even as the full power of the Z-Move was building up in Butterfree (who was currently buzzing so much he was half wondering if he'd turn into a Beedrill from the power).

Said glowing leek caused the Protect to fade away into nothing, before the Feint powered leek bounced right back into the jaw of the Pokémon who had used it.

"Far," declared Farfetch'd bluntly as the name of the Z-move came to him.

"Shattered Psyche!" Ash shouted as Mega Alakazam was surrounded in the same sort of aura that was around Butterfree.

The Mega Pokémon was promptly sent flying across the battlefield, knocking over a Girafarig and Exeggutor before hitting an invisible wall. From said invisible wall Mega Alakazam ricocheted over a Slowking and a second wall that sent Mega Alakazam into the air, before the light exploded in a massive burst of power that illuminated the entire field.

On top of that impressive display, each time Mega Alakazam hit one of the walls Ash felt a massive wave of, something. He wasn't sure what it was, it did not feel like heat, wind, or some scent that was wafting through everything. He wasn't the only one feeling it either, given the odd looks Servine, Pikachu, and the others were giving each burst.

He had to catch Butterfree though, who seemed rather exhausted from using the Z-Move.

He did not miss the feeling of a Vine Whip from Bulbasaur slotting the Pokédex back in his jacket pocket while he was catching him however, which was glad to give some clarification.

"Your attack, which I must admit some respect for doing without my guidance, has created three waves of radiation. Before you ask, yes I have built in radiation detection software for all sorts of scenarios. However, I cannot tell you the exact reason for the radiation discharge, only that the radiation was not detected when Lilo used it, my scans detect no adverse harm to any of the Pokémon in this building or to the two Bloodliners present, and that the radiation wave from the final attack did go through part of the nearby city area, though if all present were unharmed I can safely assure you that you will be responsible for no ill effect bar some sync issues in certain electronics."

He did what!?

"Also, Raichu placed the Primeape in the Timer Ball while I was away from you. Congratulations, the ball is now at Professor Oak's with the Exeggutor."

Sabrina just stared at him in a weird mixture of shock, anger, and respect, which was highlighted when a telekinetic pull from another of her Pokémon dropped a defeated Mega Alakazam at her feet.

It flashed orange and returned to normal, even as Raichu popped out of a hole and let out a cry of self-satisfaction at a task well done.

All Pokémon around him other than Pikachu promptly glowed the same color as Sabrina's eyes, before being flung out of the area. Seconds later he found himself surrounded by Psychic Pokémon from Starmie and Exeggutor to Xatu and Alakazam.

"I would really prefer to not have to resort to such measures. However, for you I will make an exception. Stop limiting yourself, use your power liberally, or suffer the consequences."

Sabrina's tone sounded like it was borderline cracking with frustration as the Pokémon around him began charging what appeared to be Psyshock.

"Pikapi!" 'I got the ones of the left, you get the tree.'

Ash nodded and prepared to see how this would all go, when a second Teleport went off.

Ash would have said it spelled their further problem, before he saw who had popped in.

"Get away from him!" Misty's shout was followed seconds after by the Whirlpool that slammed into the Xatu and spun it away.

Iris pretty much snarled as she lunged at a Alakazam, knocking it away with sheer physical force. No Bloodline ability in action, just pure human strength and anger fueling her assault.

Anabel didn't say anything as she stood still and telekinetically swung the Starmie away as she looked for her next target.

"Step away from my brother."

Ash had to look a second time as Belladonna of all people struck the Exeggutor with Poison Jab, while Evanna punched the Hypno in the stomach with Power-up Punch.

Aurora froze the Mr. Mime's hands together while Vedia struck an Abra that had popped in behind him with a shadowy hand.

"…What?" Sabrina all but mouthed as a fresh wave of exhaustion, brought on by the addition question of why Belladonna of all people was here, caused him to drop to his knees. He quickly felt his body held by two pairs of arms, summoning whatever energy he could Ash looked up to see who the arms belonged to.

One pair belonged to Misty, the other were Belladonna's, and both looking at him in relief and concern, which quickly gained a hint of confusion as a fiery explosion that was probably Charizard's doing went off behind them.

"…What is even going on here?" Evanna asked of said loud boom, before absently punching away an Abra.

"You came in the midst of the second escape plan, which had been ongoing for some time before your arrival. I'll admit your arrival, while unexpected, is advantageous."

Belladonna stared at the pocket where the sound had come from in confusion.

"I was quiet when your lover froze him to a wall. I'm an artificial intelligence given to Ash Ketchum by an old man. You can call me the Pokédex, Dexter, Handy, or whatever you please. Regardless of what you wish to call me, there is no use dawdling. Can Vedia restrain someone?"

"I take it you mean the bitch over there?" Belladonna eyed Sabrina darkly.

"Of course. To ensure we can get everyone out, we simply need to ensure she can't try anything bothersome," the Pokédex declared, even as a shadow moved to strike her.

Sabrina simply glared, and Vedia was sent flying into Iris instead. However she didn't have long to enjoy the feat before a stream of icy energy struck her, causing a solid layer of ice to form around Sabrina.

Aurora, whose hands were steaming from the cold she had unleashed, looked different than when she had frozen him. She seemed a tad more enthusiastic about it, as if freezing Sabrina in a solid block of ice was more enjoyable to her than freezing him to a wall.

She quickly began blasting at it again as cracks began forming on it, a concerned look on her face that quickly lessened when a glowing aura formed around her ice and slowed the cracking. Anabel's psychic glow reinforcing the frozen bindings.

Barely a second after Sabrina was in the ice, ten Teleports were heard behind him, then ten Teleports out.

This repeated quickly, in and out rapidly. A Teleport popped in front of him, obscuring his view of Sabrina's icy cube she tried to escape from with the form of an Exeggutor.

The Exeggutor seemed to stare at Sabrina, an emotion wafting off it in a manner Ash could only describe as hatred.

"Tor." Exeggutor seemed to practically spat before Teleporting away.

A thought occurred to Ash, these Exeggutor's original owner, as the Pokédex had theorized. Did Sabrina have something to do with their released status?

The thought was quickly snuffed out by exhaustion though, so when the Pokédex declared everyone (every Pidgey, every Grimer, the Jigglypuff and the crazy Farfetch'd, etc.), was at Oak's ranch, even Servine, Muk, Tauros, Squirtle, and Roggenrola, everyone huddled around him and with Anabel as the final touch, they Teleported away.

Just as Sabrina finally broke out of the ice, looking a combination of so many emotions Ash would struggle even at full awakeness to tell if she was furious, utterly impressed, or just wanted to go to bed at this point.

They had Teleported back to where this long, long, very long day had begun, and Ash knew just what to do.

With the day finally over, Ash walked right into the very Secret Base after a token nod and a clear, non-verbal recognition from everyone that he was dead exhausted and to talk to him in the morning about it.

He threw the Item Capsule for his bed seconds before he collapsed on it, just wanting to go to bed and be done with today.

Pikachu didn't even get that far, and settled for a corner of the base instead. Given he had dropped his jacket earlier; Pikachu had claimed it for a nest tonight.

He'd find a laundromat for it tomorrow if he needed to after that. He had also dropped his backpack at the foot of the bed, but Pikachu did not claim it for a place to sleep.

Perhaps another Pokémon would sleep in his backpack someday, but today was not the day that would happen.

Right now, he just wanted to sleep.

He turned rapidly as he felt a Teleport pop in about five minutes into trying to fall asleep and not managing, though he didn't actually strike the one coming in.

Anabel was not an enemy after all, he could tell that even when dead exhausted.

Anabel, having used the five or so minutes since he got out of that crazy place to change into her sleep clothes unlike himself, lay next to him with a concerned look on her face.

'I don't want to wake up tomorrow and find you've been Teleported away again,' Anabel told him, her tone leaking with concern.

"I don't think…." Ash tried to reassure her that Sabrina would probably not grab him again, before another body thumped behind him.

"This is not a thinking thing," Iris told him from behind him. He heard Axew off somewhere in the base, probably taking up his own corner. She moved closer to him, and he could feel her body heat. If she went any closer he could probably start feeling her body against his.

Then would he ever get to sleep?

'It's a worry thing. Let us be sure this Sabrina thing is over, at least for tonight.'

Pikachu's comments from earlier rang up in his mind briefly. That wasn't what was happening, right?

Footsteps at the front of the secret base rang out, as he looked up to find Misty looking at them.

He wasn't sure the exact emotion she was displaying right now, it was a look that was both 'really', and 'how nice', and 'why didn't I do that already'.

Those feelings and the rest of the composition of Misty's odd look (that didn't seem aimed at him specifically, at the very least), were replaced by surprise as she was shoved in by a grinning Belladonna.

"Oh stop overthinking. That bed can totally hold you as well. Go make sure my little brother is alright tonight, the more the merrier! Not expecting you to do anything crazy, but do the thirteenth thing. We'll have pancakes tomorrow if you manage it."

Belladonna's tone was giddy, and she left with a wink his way, followed by a thumbs up also meant for him.

Misty stumbled from the push Belladonna had given her, but didn't fall and looked ready to yell at Belladonna with a blush heavy face.

"My Dear can freeze you in there with a wall of ice if you'd prefer," Belladonna both teased and warned her. Misty promptly no longer looked ready to yell at her, though she did mutter something about needing something better to sleep in.

Ash quickly offered her one of his spare shirts in his unclaimed bag, and Anabel dropped a slender arm on his face for Misty's privacy.

"Is that really necessary?" Iris questioned Anabel, his blocked sight not hiding the sounds of Misty's clothes hitting the floor with a plop.

…

Even knowing Ash wasn't staring at her, Misty felt pretty odd at changing clothes in front of him. Not exactly uncomfortable, and since he had already seen her wearing bikinis it wasn't like she had that much left to his imagination. However, that wasn't important right now.

Once she was well covered, Anabel removed her arm from Ash's eyes, and Misty glanced at them.

"Ash, I …"

She stopped there, unsure as to how to follow. It was like the night they left Cerulean; she wanted to apologize for snapping at him and not properly thanking him for saving her life. Then again, that time it was easier, given it had been just the two of them.

As much as she'd love a private moment with Ash, she didn't have the heart to tell Iris and Anabel to leave. She wasn't the only one in there who cared for Ash, neither the only one who was frightened when he vanished. Anabel and Iris exchanged glances, and without further words they rolled over a bit to make more room for her on the bed, though Iris went back into her earlier place when Misty put herself in front of Ash in Anabel's old spot.

'It's okay. We all feel the same way after today. You don't need to feel embarrassed.'

Misty sighed. Was she making it that obvious? "Alright," she finally said as she sat on the bed and laid next to Ash. Close, but not that close. Though she still had a bit more contact with the others than she was used to.

"Look, you guys don't really have to do this, I…"

"Shhh…" Misty placed a finger on his mouth. "Even if we don't, after today, I want to be close in case something happens. I just… I don't want to lose you."

She had to struggle to let the last five words out. She had been keeping them to herself for a long time, probably since that time she felt jealous of Iris. Admittedly, her fear of losing Ash still lingered, but it wasn't so much as losing him to Iris, or Anabel, at least not in that sense, let alone after the effort they made to find him, and showing they cared for him as much as she did.

No, what she feared was that someone would want to hurt him. She had already gone through that when Hunter J kidnapped him, and after this... she didn't want to take any more chances. Iris was right. She had to become stronger, stronger to protect him. And she couldn't do that alone.

So at least for that night, she wouldn't mind sharing him with the others. They would all keep him safe, together.

It had taken Belladonna some time to fall asleep, and she was pretty sure she was using Evanna as a pillow when she eventually did. However when she eventually did she found herself in a place she'd rather not be.

Dreams.

Dreams had always been weird for her. When she wasn't having a peaceful sleep, she was prone to having dreams of just the most random things.

Like this one, where she found herself on a floating island next to a small white house with a red roof.

The house had been nicely sized, when she was ten. Now she doubted if she could even fit in it.

Especially as the door to the little house swung open and a Pokemon darted out of it before staring up at her for a moment, before hissing.

She narrowed her eyes at the Pikachu doing the hissing, though she wasn't sure exactly why she was doing that. The narrowing seemed to be autopilot.

Said Pikachu wasn't Ash's, or Red's for that matter. The Pikachu had an older appearance, with gray-yellow fur around its nose and lines around its eyes similar to what you would see in aged humans.

"A rodent, really?" the words that left her mouth weren't her own. They didn't sound like her at all.

The words were colder and more sensual.

The Pikachu hissed at her more, cheeks sparking as her body continued to move on her own and talk with a voice that wasn't hers.

"You could have done so much better. You are my son, and yet you ended up with that pitiful creature. What is a Pichu worth?"

Her body promptly moved as to glare over the Pikachu, as if at something behind the old Pikachu.

Or someone.

She felt her eyes flash with power, though her own wasn't the one being activated.

"You’re not going to sleep for forty-eight hours." The not her own voice came out of her mouth moments before the Pikachu fired an electrical attack.

She woke up before she felt the attack, her eyes jolting await.

It turned out that, in fact, she was using Evanna's toned stomach as a pillow, just as Aurora was using her own the same way.

She didn't move to avoid disturbing either of them, though she wondered how long it would take to fall back asleep.

She might have that dream again.

Unbeknownst to her however, in a region far away an elderly Pikachu also awoke from a bad dream, though a tad less unnerved than her.

For he had done something he had wished he had actually done all those years ago, and electrocute the evil woman who had made his friend and master's life hell.

Belladonna however, wasn't the only one having an odd experience in dreaming.

In a stadium filled with cheers, her very body glowed with the power she and her partner shared via Mega Evolution. She had thought there were no powers equal to it.

She had been proven wrong, and the Chesnaught whose billowing grass aura blew away to reveal a changed appearance was what had shattered her belief in how the world worked.

And yet despite that, the idea of testing herself and her trainer's might against this pair was a thrill she hadn't felt in years.

"Alright Chesnaught, let's win this! Spiky Shield!"

The Chesnaught didn't use the move like a normal one would. A spinning vortex of leaves and green energy formed on its right forearm, forming into a round shield. The Chesnaught threw the shield, said shield growing spikes as it neared impact with her.

"Iron Head!"

White light surrounded her form as the energy of steel flowed through her, and she countered the imminent impact with her own blow.

The moment her first collided with the shield she felt, something. A burst of energy that wasn't tangible, warm, cold, the blowing of wind, or even having a smell, radiated off the impact like a damage less explosion.

It would be one of many such bursts of energy that battle. Nor the only such incident of it that tournament, for she vaguely recalled it in his battle against young Remo as well.

...

At the moment of first impact, and the feeling of that radiation stream from the impact the Pokémon's eyes shot wide open, her expression one of unease and concern.

Her partner was woken up by her own waking, and stared at her in concern.

"Mawile, did you have that memory in your dream..."

Her nod led the old woman to sigh in her bed, a sigh of someone who carried a great weight on her shoulder.

"I suppose we can only hope it didn't happen in a stadium this time, or worse."

Thus Mabel's first thoughts this day were one of worry and dread.