Note_to_Compiler: This episode is LONG because there is a lot of dialogue which takes up a lot of space on the page, but not much episode time.
New Scene(@Temporal = Night)
Ash stands at the counter of the pokémon center, facing Nurse Joy. May and Max are sitting at the table behind him playing cards. Ash nods slowly.
Nurse Joy: Thanks for understanding.
May: So they’re going to keep Pikachu overnight?
Ash nods again.
Ash: That guy, Kitterson, thinks it had something to do with that mechanical Raikou.
QST.camera turns to show that on the couch-bench across the pokémon center, Benjy is fast asleep. QST.camera now switches back to the table where Ash’s Dymano badge is sitting. Next to it, May activates the effect of "Darklord Asmodeus" and Max chains "Shadow-Imprisoning Mirror", and May further chains "Dark Bribe". May and Max glance at each other, then begin to resolve the chain.
Ash: I still can’t help but–
<Flashback::Between_Episodes>
Ash stands facing Jane, whom has now changed out of her jumpsuit.
Jane: Take it, Ash. You really did earn it. Don’t forget about that dragon.
Ash: But I–
Jane: The ability to work with others to get things done is more valuable than you’ve been lead to believe. It’s not all about power, as your friend just said. Ability comes in many forms.
Jane takes a deep breath.
Jane: You aren’t just taking it for yourself, but for your pokémon as well. This way you don’t have to subject yourself or them to this kind of mess again.
Ash stares at the Dynamo Badge in his hand.
</Flashback>
Ash watches Benjy sleeping peacefully.
Ash: And then you told me that sometimes it’s too much to ask to win the way you want to win. I guess you’re right. In the long run it probably won’t matter, just as long as I don’t change the way I battle because of this. Wattson probably won’t be able to battle again for a while anyway, and it wouldn’t be fair to everyone to make them wait while he recovered.
Ash picks up the Dynamo Badge from the table, causing both May and Max to look up from their duel. Ash takes out his badge case, and starts to put his new badge away.
Ash: I accept that I earned the badge. However I don’t have to be satisfied with how it went down. I can’t let anything like that happen to Pikachu again.
Refresh Scene(@Temporal = Morning)
Ash and company are having breakfast in the pokémon center, sitting at the table that May and Max were playing cards at the previous night. On the top of the couch-bench, Pixielite basks in a sunbeam, recharging its energy.
Max: So what’s the status on Pikachu?
Ash: Apparently he woke up last night, briefly.
Brock: But Wattson and Sarah still haven’t.
Max: Who’s Sarah?
Brock: That’s Wattson’s referee. She’s also a trainer, apparently. But both of their conditions are getting better, though Kitterson’s really nervous.
May: Does he know what happened to them?
Brock: Not really, but they seem to be getting better.
May turns to Benjy, who looks extremely puzzled as he picks at his food.
May: You’re really quiet today.
Max: He’s usually quiet, May.
Benjy looks up, finally acknowledging that his name was mentioned.
Benjy: I’m thinking.
Max: About what?
Benjy: Yesterday.
Benjy picks at his food some more.
Brock: You okay?
Benjy: I’m not really that hungry right now. Just confused.
May: Huh?
Benjy: That’s the second time I’ve seen that dragon.
QST.camera goes into split-screen on Ash, May, Max, and Brock as Benjy says this.
Max: You’ve seen it before?!
May: Where?!
Benjy takes a small bite of his food, then braces himself and swallows.
Benjy: Back home. It was a few months ago.
Benjy takes a long pause.
Benjy: I’ve been trying to figure out what the connection is, if there is one.
May: Do you think it followed you here?!
Brock: May, I…
Ash: Benjy, what happened the last time?
Benjy pauses.
Benjy: Not sure. It was in the sky, and then it–
Brock: Are you sure you didn’t just imagine it?
Coal’s Voice: Don’t be rude.
Ash and company look up to see Coal in the doorway. The Millennium Gameboy Advance glows softly.
Yami Benjy: Are you sure you’re not just imagining me?
Yami Benjy looks at Brock curiously.
Brock: I didn’t mean to–
Yami Benjy: That was a serious question. Benjy and I saw that electric dragon on the day we met. I blocked one of it’s attacks, and then it disappeared. At least that’s what both of us remember.
Brock stares at Yami Benjy, speechless.
Yami Benjy: It was a full month before I arrived here.
Max: Does that mean we all are going to disappear in a month?!
Brock: Correlation doesn’t imply causation.
Yami Benjy nods.
Yami Benjy: That’s extremely unlikely.
Yami Benjy: Yet technically possible…
Nurse Joy: I couldn’t help overhearing. Are you an off-worlder?
Yami Benjy looks up at Nurse Joy standing behind the pokémon center counter. Yami Benjy nods slightly.
Ash: How is Pikachu?!
Nurse Joy: Getting better, but slowly. We’ll need to keep him overnight one more night, then he’ll be ready.
Ash nods slightly, and Nurse Joy turns back to Yami Benjy.
Nurse Joy: What planet do you come from?
<Flashback::Time to Shine()>
In the Slateport Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy pulls out a giant syringe.
Nurse Joy: That’s completely impossible!
Ash, Coal, Brock, and Max stare in shock, and Benjy begins backing up. Nurse Joy in turn takes a step forwards.
Brock: It’s a weak antipsychotic… But this much–
Nurse Joy cuts Brock off by jerking the syringe forwards. Benjy dodges the attack but trips over a coffee table in the process. QST.camera switches to what Benjy sees as Nurse Joy looms over him, and thrusts the syringe downwards. A tinkle is heard as the needle breaks from the syringe crashing into a barrier from the Millennium Gameboy Advance.
</Flashback>
Yami Benjy shutters.
Yami Benjy: I’d rather not say.
Nurse Joy: Okay, fair enough. If you want to learn about Fenyra, there’s a planetarium in town.
Brock: Yeah, we were going to ask about that, does that have an entrance fee.
Nurse Joy: No, it’s totally f–
Nurse Joy is cut off as the doors to the pokémon center open and a woman (who resembles a pokémon breeder from Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald) enters the center, carrying a bag. A Budew follows at her heels.
Woman: Oh my! That’s such a cute Shroomish!
Before Yami Benjy can react, the woman reaches out her hand to pet Shroomish under Yami Benjy’s chair. As she does, Shroomish appears spooked and responds by opening her (Shroomish’s) mouth to bite the hand (in an Azumanga-esque animation).
Woman: It just makes me want to say, "Kaw–"
The woman is unable to finish her sentence as Shroomish takes a bite out of her hand, causing the woman to scream and drop the bag that she is carrying, which causes Budew to rush under the couch-bench in terror. Yami Benjy quickly jumps up and pokes Shroomish, causing the mushroom Pokémon to release the woman’s hand, which is now covered in blood. Brock is now rapidly searching through his things for gauze for the woman’s hand, and Yami Benjy backs up nervously, the Millennium Gameboy Advance glowing softly.
Benjy: Remember when you guys asked me why I don’t let Shroomish out more? This is why…
Nurse Joy: Could I please have a look at that Shroomish? And your pokédex?
Benjy: Pokédex?
Nurse Joy: That’s not typical behavior for a Shroomish. Your Pokédex might have a reason why Shroomish is acting like that.
Benjy: I don’t have a pokédex. I’m not an official trainer.
Nurse Joy: Oh, right. You’re not from this planet. Could I please just see Shroomish then.
Benjy: I don’t have any money either…
Nurse Joy: It’s okay, I can do the check up for free. I just need to make sure it doesn’t have rabies…
Benjy suddenly freezes up and QST.camera synchronizes with what Benjy sees as he stares at Shroomish.
Benjy: Rabies…
QST.camera starts to go black.
May’s Voice: Benjy!
Refresh Scene()
Benjy is sitting on the couch-bench in between May and Max, while Nurse Joy carries Shroomish into the back room of the pokémon center in a plexiglass box. Ash is standing in front of them.
Benjy: Rabies…
May: Do you guys want to check out the planetarium while… you know?
Ash: You guys can, but I’m going to stay here in case I’m needed.
Benjy: I think I have to–
Ash: I can watch Shroomish too, if you’d like.
Benjy nods slowly.
Benjy: Where did Brock go?
Ash: Didn’t he say he had another date?
May: I thought he was going to go look for one.
Ash: That makes a bit more sense.
New Scene()
Benjy, May, and Max are walking down the streets of Mauville.
Benjy: She said the planetarium was around here somewhere?
Max: I still can’t believe you fainted like that.
May: Max that’s not nice.
Benjy smiles slightly.
Benjy: It’s okay. But you try holding something that might have rabies.
Benjy, May, and Max now walk past a truck that is doing something with a nearby streetlamp. May looks around the street.
May: I thought the planetarium was supposed to be around here somewhere…
Max: Hm… Let me check the pokénav.
Max boots up the pokénav and begins to search.
Benjy: I think it’s another block.
Max: Let me check… Let me check…
May: So, Benjy, what do you parents do?
Benjy: My parents? Um…
May: I didn’t mean to…
May trails off, and Benjy scratches his head.
Benjy: Let’s see. My mother is a professor of political history at the local community college. Max, did you find the planetarium yet?
Max: I’m having trouble getting a signal.
Benjy: Lets keep walking. I think it’s on the next block.
Max agrees with this, and all three start walking again.
Refresh Scene()
Benjy, May, and Max are still walking along the sidewalk. May spies a round building in the distance, and points it out to Benjy and Max.
May: Hey! Is that it?
Max and Benjy turn to where May is pointing.
Max: That’s odd, I expected it to be bigger…
Benjy: Me too…
QST.camera follows the gazes of Benjy, May, and Max as they stare at a small building between a bakery and a hardware store. The planetarium is in a small round building about fifteen feet wide. Benjy, May, and Max eye it curiously and then proceed inside. The building’s doorbell rings as they enter.
Inside the planetarium is a dark room, about forty feet from back to front. All three look around as they enter the building. Noticing them, a man at the front desk puts down a book he’s reading.
Man: Can I help you?
May: Um… We’re here to check out the planetarium…
Benjy nods in agreement.
Man: Do you have money for the entrance fee?
Max: Entrance fee? But Nurse Joy said it was free.
Man: It is free, but there’s also an entrance fee.
Benjy stares at the man curiously.
Benjy: I feel as though I’ve just stepped through the looking glass… again…
Benjy: How is that possible?
Man: I’m not quite sure what you mean…
May: Just tell me how much it is…
Man: Let me see…
The man punches some numbers into his register.
Man: For the three of you children, your total is 0{P}
Suddenly, the millennium gameboy advance starts glowing with bright light, even catching Benjy off guard.
Yami Benjy: I’ll have you know we don’t take kindly to having our heads messed with.
The receptionist stares at the Millennium Gameboy Advance for a few seconds, before he shakes his head to snap himself out of the trance.
Man: I assure you sir, there are no hidden fees.
May holds out her empty hand to the man.
May: Then I’ll pay for everyone.
The man motions as if he is taking something from May’s hand, and taps on a key on the keyboard, and prints out a receipt and hands it to May, who stares at it, then pockets it.
May: Thank you.
Max: Is this the entire planetarium?
Man: No, the rest of it is right down the set of stairs ahead of you.
QST.camera shifts over to the set of stairs down to the floor below.
New Scene()
Benjy leads the way into the dark basement of the planetarium, and looks around confused. As he does, Max nearly crashes into him in the darkness. May hears the bump, as both Benjy and Max struggle not to fall over.
May: You guys okay?
Max: Yeah.
Benjy: M-hm.
May: What’s going on, it’s so dark in here…
Benjy walks slowly searching for walls with his hands.
Benjy: I’ve got a feeling that the lights are on motion sensors. Lets see…
Max: Motion sensors?
Suddenly, tiny lights turn on across the ceiling lighting up the area as Benjy waves his arm, lighting up a pattern on the ceiling resemblant of stars in a spiral galaxy.
Max: Wow! It’s huge!
May: There’s a sign here… It says that we can…hm…oh! Max! We can use the pokédex to tell us about the different planets!
Max: May, I don’t have a pokédex.
May: It says pokédex, pokénav, or other CH-0 compatible device, so you should be able to–
May turns around as Max has already taken off and points his pokénav at a nearby sphere.
Pokénav: Drunth. I-E-C Serial B55. A class-L planet located near the edge of the galaxy.
Benjy: So where are we.
May looks down at the railing, and then sees a red button on the railing labeled "locate home." She pushes it and red arrows light up on the floor.
May: This way!
Max has already run off to check out the other planets, and Benjy and May set off down the path lit up by the arrows. They walk fast, and while they walk, Pixielite’s great ball begins to wiggle in Benjy’s sweatshirt pocket, and Pixielite pops out and flies by his side. Benjy looks back to see that May’s Beautifly is right behind her.
Pixielite soars towards Beautifly in a friendly manner, which causes May to turn around, and jump at seeing Beautifly, falling on her bottom. Pixielite and Beautifly both fly down to her to make sure she is okay, and May puts her hand out to prevent them from getting too close.
May: I’m fine you guys, honestly…
Beautifly: Beau.
May gets to her feet, but by now the trail has faded, and Benjy looks around confused as to where Fenyra is.
Benjy: We lost the trail…
May: It’s okay, Fenyra is right ahead of you.
Benjy turns in the direction that May points.
Refresh Scene()
Benjy, May, Pixielite, Torchic, and Beautifly all examine the globe of Fenyra, slowly spinning on a stand. May points her Pokédex at the planet.
Pokédex: Fenyra. I-E-C Serial B52. Fenyra is a class-M planet with a population of 4.3 billion sentient life forms. Various estimates put the number of semi-sentient life forms around one trillion. Fenyra is overseen by the Interdimensional Examinations Committee, and shielded from divine intervention by a customized version of articles of communion.
Benjy: Shielded from divine intervention?
May nods.
Benjy: What does that mean?
Pokédex: From 500 to 250 years ago, the planet of Fenyra was engulfed in a bloody war, fought between numerous beings, known to the Interdimensional Examinations Committee as Creatures of Pseudo-Divine Caliber, or CPDCs, and their armies. Due to their power, many CPDCs were worshiped as gods. Notable CPDCs include Saradomin, Madoka, and Zamorak.
Benjy: Those names sound familiar somehow. Like I’ve heard them somewhere…
Yami Benjy: Heard them where?
Benjy: Somewhere back on Earth.
May looks at Benjy nervously.
May: Are you okay?
Benjy: I’m fine, I’m just trying to remember where I’ve heard those names before.
May: You mean like Saradomin?
Benjy nods.
Benjy: Yeah, I swear I heard those name somewhere back on Earth, I just can’t put my finger on where.
May: Well Saradomin did colonize a lot of planets. What was your planet called again?
Benjy: Earth. Is there any way to look for a specific planet down here?
May looks around in response to Benjy’s question.
May: I don’t know.
Benjy: But this is us, here.
May nods, and Benjy scratches his head. Benjy stares off into the distance at a large grouping of planets. Benjy now starts walking and May follows him.
Benjy: I remember that Earth is about two thirds of the way from the galactic center, but it’s going to take me some time to get my bearings.
As they walk, May points her Pokédex at a nearby planet a bit ahead of them.
Pokédex: Omega. I-E-C Serial B17. Omega is a class-P planet which is largely unpopulated. A maximum security prison exists on this planet, however the ethics of running said complex are currently under scrutiny. Natural wildlife consists mainly of giant strykewyrms.
This last comment causes Benjy and May to both cringe.
May: That’s not anything like where you’re from though.
Benjy: Yeah. I wonder if they call it by a different name here though.
May: If that’s the case then I guess we have no choice but to search all of them…
Benjy: Still, searching in here is a lot easier and faster than searching the galaxy with a starship.
May: Yeah, though that might be fun.
Beautifly: Beau?
Pixielite: Ixie!
May: There are a bunch of planets over here it looks like.
Benjy: Yeah, we better get started.
Benjy follows May across the floor towards a rotating sphere, which May points her pokédex at.
Pokédex: Yu-Biusk. A class-H planet not currently under IEC control. Presided over by the CPDC Bandos, this planet has been turned into a wasteland by endless war, although we are not sure at this time what the armies were fighting over.
May looks at Benjy nervously.
Benjy: Definitely not it.
May now turns her Pokédex to another planet.
Pokédex: Zenith. IEC Serial B09. Zenith is a class-P planet known for highly advanced technology.
As her pokédex says this, May stares at Benjy who is staring at the planet curiously.
May: Is that it?
Pokédex: Zenith is in a perpetual ice-age.
May: Does that sound like your world?!
Benjy: A bit, but we came out of our ice age about ten thousand years ago. Did it talk about what kind advanced technology?
May: Let me scroll down…
May presses the down key on her pokédex.
May: Technology, specifically nimis-powered and intelligent devices… Oh, the pokédex was made using technology from Zenith.
Benjy: Nimis?
May: Nimis energy is commonly referred to as magic on Zenith.
Benjy: That doesn’t sound like my homeworld. We’re in a period of global warming. Does it say anything about the average temperature?
May: Average temperature?
May scrolls down some more, then scrolls to the side.
May: Average temperature is about 52 degrees Fahrenheit.
Benjy: That sounds way too cold. I’m not sure what the average temperature on my planet is, but I think it’s in the high 60s or low 70s.
May: Closer though…
May now walks over to a planet-moon system, and Benjy and the Pokémon/Trigamon follow him. May points her Pokédex at the planet-moon system.
Pokédex: Gielinor and Zanaris. Both are class-M worlds not overseen by the IEC. Zanaris is also known to some as Magix, and has many schools involved in training the magical arts, where students are sent from across the galaxy.
Benjy: What about–
Pokédex: Gielinor, unlike Zanaris, is considered politically unstable. Around six thousand years ago, numerous CPDCs fought over Gielinor, resulting in a god wars that lasted for four thousand years.
Benjy: Sounds familiar…
May: Hm?
Pokédex: The war ended when a CPDC known as Guthix awoke from slumber, casting the other CPDCs out for the destruction they had caused.
Benjy: May, does Gielinor have another name?
May: What do you mean?
Benjy: Like Zanaris is also called Magix. Is there another name for Gielinor?
May: Let me see…
May scrolls sideways to where the planet’s facts are displayed.
May: Not really. Since it’s covered in runes, some of the inhabitants call it "Runescape."
May turns to Benjy to see him shaking.
May: What’s the matter Benjy? Do you come from Gielinor?
Benjy: No… No I don’t. No.
Benjy suddenly collapses to his knees as May, Torchic, Beautifly, and Pixielite all stare at him nervously.
Benjy: Noooooooooooooooo!
Benjy: This is impossible!
Footsteps can be heard as Max rushes over. QST.camera swivels up to show him running.
Max: What happened?
May: I don’t know? All I did was mention that some of the inhabitants of Gielinor call it "Runescape."
Benjy continues to stare at the floor.
Benjy: W-where I come from, Runescape is the name of an online game.
May and Max look at Benjy curiously.
Benjy: It’s about a make-believe planet called Runescape. Saradomin, Zamorak, and Guthix too… They’re all characters in the game.
May: Wait, are you saying that Gielinor isn’t real?
Benjy: I’m saying it’s not supposed to be. Not where I come from.
Benjy looks between May and Max, then at Torchic and Beautifly.
Benjy: In fact, where I come from, you’re just characters on TV.
Max: We’ve been on TV before.
Benjy: That’s not what I mean. I’m trying to say, there’s a fictional, animated, TV program, on Earth, where I come from. In that program, there are two characters, May and Max, who look exactly like you.
May: ?
Max: I’m worried about him (whisper to May)
May nods her head.
Benjy: This entire…
Footsteps can be heard from behind Benjy as he speaks.
Benjy: …is not supposed to actually exist.
Benjy is now breathing heavily.
May: I’m not quite sure what you’re trying to say, but we definitely exist.
Benjy: But you’re not supposed to.
May backs up, taken aback.
Benjy: Sorry, I didn’t mean it personally…
Woman’s Voice: Do you need any help?
Max: A bit actually. (whisper)
The woman appears on QST.camera and walks over to Benjy.
Woman: Is something wrong? (whisper)
Max: A bit of a mental breakdown. (whisper)
Refresh Scene()
Benjy, May, and Max stand with the woman at a computer terminal on the wall of the planetarium where the woman searches through a list of planets.
Woman: Earth you say?
Benjy nods.
Woman: Is that with an ‘f’ or a ’t-h’?
Benjy: F, I mean the ’t-h’. It’s definitely the ’t-h’.
Woman: Okay…
The woman taps on the screen, and a search window comes up. The woman types in "Earth", then presses a button saying something along the lines of "all universes" and about 30 results pop up.
Max: Are all of those…
Woman: There are a lot of planets that are referred to as "Earth." Do you have the name of your galaxy?
Benjy: I never thought I’d be asked that… Um… The Milky Way.
The woman types "Milky Way" into a slot, and all but three entries disappear.
Woman: Okay, we’ve narrowed it to one of three.
Benjy: The rotational period is 23 hours and 56 minutes.
Woman: Okay, got it. This one’s a duplicate entry and this one here has no atmosphere. It’s a class-M?
Benjy: Class-M?
Woman: I’ll bring up the visual.
The woman taps on the touchscreen, and then presses a button, bringing up a visual of the planet Earth. Benjy, May, Max, Beautifly, and Pixielite crowd around, with Torchic trying to get May’s attention by tugging on her pant leg.
Max: Is that it.
Benjy: M-hm.
Benjy nods slowly.
May: It’s beautiful…
Woman: Excuse me.
All six move away as the woman brings up data on planet Earth.
Woman: Oh, wow…
All look at the woman nervously, except for Torchic who is still trying to get May’s attention.
Woman: You’re not just from another planet, your from a different–
Max: Galaxy?
Woman: Universe.
May: What does that mean?
Woman: How can I put this gently…?
Max: How far away is Earth?
The woman just stares at Max, trying to piece her thoughts together. Benjy approaches the terminal to check the data on Earth. After a few seconds (real time) she finally responds.
Woman: The distance can’t be measured.
May: A distance that can’t be measured?
Woman: Right. We’re talking about two objects in different universes, so that question doesn’t make sense.
May: So then how is he supposed to get home?
Woman: I was afraid you’d ask that. I don’t know.
Max: How can a woman who works in a planetarium not know?
Woman: I don’t actually work here, I just came to do research.
The woman reaches in her purse and pulls out a handful of business cards, handing them to Benjy, May, and Max, although only Benjy accepts one.
Woman ➞ Lily: I’m Lily, a librarian here in Mauville.
Benjy: I see.
Lily: In order to get home, you’ll have to cross dimensions…
Max: How do you do that?
Lily: I don’t know. It’s not really my… I’m not the right person to ask. My specialty is in what some call the Lost Logia. You need a planar engineer.
This comment of Lily’s evokes expressions of confusion in May, Max, and Benjy.
Max: A planar engineer?
May: Where would we find one?
Lily: Um… I don’t know.
QST.camera synchronizes with Lily’s field of vision while she surveys Benjy, May, and Max.
Lily: I can give you more info if you if you stop by my office in the library between five and seven today. But right now I need to take care of what I came here for. If you’ll excuse me…
Benjy nods, and with this Lily darts off across the map of the galaxy.
May: Another universe?
Benjy: M-hm
Benjy walks in front of the terminal, and begins typing.
Benjy: So I live in Anchor, but I’m in Bridge right now.
May: Benjy?
May waits until Benjy turns to face her, which takes a couple seconds.
May: Um, are you feeling okay?
Benjy: Not completely, but at least I know what’s going on now.
The millennium gameboy advance starts glowing with a light that starts low, then intensifies, before fading. May and Max watch this nervously.
Yami Benjy: So we crossed dimensions. I thought as much.
May: Um… Are you…?
Max is shaking nervously.
Yami Benjy: Oh, relax, I was with Benjy from the start. I just want to see something of my own…
Yami Benjy starts messing with the controls.
Max: Hold on, so back in Slateport when that device glowed on the stage…
Yami Benjy: Yes, I had stage fright. Please don’t remind me.
Yami Benjy continues to fiddle with the terminal while May and Max watch.
New Scene(@Temporal = Mid-Late_Afternoon)
Benjy, May, and Max exit the planetarium.
Max: Given the fact it has it’s own AI you’d think your device would be able to interact with stuff in the museum.
Benjy: I found it on Earth though.
May: Well that was a loaded experience…
Benjy: And technically, you can measure the distance between any two points, no matter where they are.
Max: Even in different universes?
Benjy: Technically…
Benjy takes a long pause.
Benjy: Although that measurement might serve no practical purpose. It’s possible that Earth is less than an inch away
Max: Wait, how?!
May: Something the matter, Max?
Max: Did you hear what he just said?
May: What did you say?
Benjy: It’s possible… That Earth is less than a millimeter away.
May: I’m confused…
Max: Me too…
Benjy: But that doesn’t make it any easier to get there. In order to travel between universes, we’d have to travel in a direction other than the ones we’re used to.
Benjy looks at May and Max carefully, and concludes that they haven’t quite grasped it.
Benjy: We’re used to thinking in three dimensions–
May: No I get it. It’s like a drawing living in a sheet of paper. All it knows are the two dimensions of the sheet of paper. Because of that, it’s completely unaware of other drawings, even if the papers that have them are stacked on top of it.
Benjy nods.
Max: I’ll never understand how they do it. May can somehow imagine more than three dimensions. Ciri on the other hand doesn’t even bother to visualize it, she just crunches the raw numbers.
Refresh Scene()
May, Max, and Benjy continue walking back towards the pokémon center.
May: Do they have gym battles on Earth?
Benjy: Nope. We didn’t even have pokémon until a few months ago.
Max: What do you mean?
Benjy: Pokémon had never been seen on Earth until three months ago. Setting up something like the pokémon league takes time, especially on Earth. Up until around three months ago, we thought that pokémon were all make believe.
Max: That doesn’t make sense–how did you guys even know about them if they weren’t real?
Benjy: Well, how should I put this. We thought that someone had made them up. Or someone did–I think. I can’t remember his name.
Benjy pauses and puts his hand to his head.
Benjy: Don’t say anything. It will come to me…
May: Um, we couldn’t help you even if we wanted to–
Benjy: Yeah… Um… That’s it. His name was Satoshi Takahashi. We all thought that they were a product of his imagination.
Max: Until he proved you guys all wrong.
Max’s glasses sparkle as they catch the afternoon sunlight.
Benjy: I have a feeling that he thought he made them up too…
May: He shouldn’t have doubted himself.
Benjy eyes May and Max curiously.
Benjy: I think I lost you guys somewhere along the way. Oh well, at least I know where I am… In another (bleep)ing universe!
Benjy, May, and Max continue to walk down the street in Mauville. While they walk, Taillow fly overhead.
Yami Benjy: Have you stopped puzzling over all those planets?
Benjy: I’m saving that for another time.
Yami Benjy: You know, I think we need that guy from Ink-something.
Benjy: Huh?
Yami Benjy: You know. Where the guy reads people into and out of books? For all we know he’s real too…
Benjy: Look, lets not make this anymore complex than it already is, okay?
Yami Benjy: Fair enough.
New Scene()
Shown from the inside, the doors to the Pokémon Center open and Benjy, May, and Max enter. Shroomish is in a cage on the edge of the counter, and as Benjy enters the building, Shroomish lurches forwards, causing her and the cage to both come toppling off of the counter. Benjy leaps forwards to catch the cage before it can hit the ground, but misses entirely and goes sprawling. Shroomish and the cage also hit the ground where the cage pops open, letting Shroomish out.
Benjy: Ugh…
This crash is enough to get Nurse Joy to come rushing out of the back room.
Nurse Joy: What happened?!
Benjy: Ow…
Nurse Joy peers over the edge of the counter to see Benjy sprawled out on the floor. She blinks once at Benjy and Shroomish, and Shroomish takes this opportunity to jump on top of Benjy’s backside.
Benjy: Uh!
Nurse Joy: Well the good news is she doesn’t have rabies.
Max picks Shroomish up off of Benjy. She growls a bit, but Max strokes her and she doesn’t bite him.
May: So what’s wrong with her?
Nurse Joy: I don’t know. Just not too sociable. She’s tried to bite me several times now, hence the cage.
Benjy: I don’t think her previous trainer treated her very well.
Max: You got her in a trade?
Benjy: Not exactly.
Benjy now gets to his feet and takes Shroomish from Max, which causes her (Shroomish) to relax a bit.
Benjy: Her trainer went through a bit of a psychological breakdown, and became unable to care for her properly, so I took her in.
Feeling a sensation, Benjy looks down to see that Shroomish is shivering in his arms. May bends down to Shroomish’s level.
May: But that’s in the past, you’re okay now.
May reaches out to pat Shroomish on the forehead.
Max: Careful, May! Don’t get too close!
May turns back towards Max.
May: It’s okay, she’s not going to–
Max: May! (scream)
May jumps backwards seeing that Shroomish has opened it’s mouth wide, as if a potential bite is in progress. May quickly retracts her hand, but Shroomish just lets out a loud yawn and goes to sleep in Benjy’s arms. Benjy strokes Shroomish gently, before recalling her. Benjy looks up now and notices that Ash has also come out of the back room. Pikachu is riding on his shoulder, but it looks sick to it’s stomach.
Max: Hey Pikachu! You’re awake.
Pikachu: Pee-kuh…
Pikachu’s tail droops down Ash’s back.
Ash: Did you guys learn anything at the planetarium.
May and Max both look at Benjy expectantly.
May: Go on, tell him.
Benjy: You can tell him.
Benjy and May stare at each other for about a second.
Max: Well, he’s not just from another world. He’s from an entirely different universe.
Ash nods as if he was expecting to hear this result.
Benjy: How are Wattson and Sarah?
Ash: Not good.
Max: Not good as in…
Ash: Let me show you–
Ash starts to lead Benjy, May, and Max to the back room, but Nurse Joy puts her hand on his shoulder, which stops him in his tracks. Ash shutters.
Nurse Joy: Ash, you’re already doing all you can…
Cutscene() {
The Millennium Gameboy Advance starts to shift around Benjy’s neck as QST.camera zooms in on him, changing the background to black. Odd runes appear on a spinning disk under Benjy’s feet, and the Millennium Gameboy Advance starts to glow, encompassing Benjy in a wave of golden light. As the light fades, Benjy has a golden eye of Anubis symbol on his forehead, but is otherwise unchanged except for his posture and expression.
}
Yami Benjy: What’s going on?
Nurse Joy: Kitterson is handling it. It’s not something I know how to treat.
Ash: Magic. It’s magic…
Ash swallows hard.
Ash: It doesn’t sound right when I say it aloud.
Ash: That electric dragon-thing sort of killed Wattson and the referee when it zapped them, but it sort of didn’t.
May: I don’t understand… How can…
Ash: This is what Coal said–well, I’ll have to paraphrase. Basically the electricity extinguished their life force–if that makes any sense, but they’re not actually dead.
Yami Benjy: So they’re in between life and death?
Ash: Um, I guess you could say that. When they were zapped, their bodies were… Let me start over. That electric dragon-thing was made of both electricity and magic. So when it zapped them with electricity, it also zapped some magic into them. That magic is what’s keeping them alive right now.
With this, Pikachu sneezes a blast of electricity into the air, causing a miniature explosion. Max turns towards Nurse Joy as if to ask a question.
Nurse Joy: I’m sorry, but I don’t understand any of it. It’s nothing like I’ve ever seen before.
Ash: Benjy, I have a question for you now. Did you manage to find anything out about that electric dragon?
Yami Benjy shakes his head.
Ash: I figured it would be a long shot.
Yami Benjy: Right now the only thing we know is that the electricity dragon was seen both on Earth, and here, on Fenyra. Given what you said about magic, that means magic is both on Earth and Fenyra. This fits in with my observations.
Yami Benjy begins to stare off at the wall behind Ash, who turns around to see what Yami Benjy is staring at. Pikachu discharges another electric sneeze.
May: Do you still want to go see Lily?
Ash: Who’s Lily?
Max: She’s a librarian we met at the planetarium.
May: She helped us find Benjy’s homeworld.
Ash nods.
May: She said the might have some information on how to get Benjy home.
Ash: A librarian… Can you ask her if she knows anything about that electric dragon?
Max: Aren’t you coming with us?
Ash shakes his head.
Ash: I need to keep an eye on Pikachu, and I’m worried about Wattson and Sarah.
Nurse Joy: Ash, you don’t have to stay…
Ash turns to Nurse Joy, and his expression seems to make her recoil.
Ash: I have a responsibility to be here.
May: And we don’t?
Yami Benjy: We need to find out information. I don’t know if Librarian Lily will know anything though, she said her specialty is in something called the "Lost Logia."
Ash: Lost Logia?
Pikachu: Pika…
Max: Do you know anything about them?
Ash: It’s sort of a general term used to describe any powerful artifact.
Max: Do you have any examples?
Ash: Not really… I once heard about something called the Staff of Armadyl. I think it’s supposed to fit that category.
Benjy: That’s an item from Runescape…
Yami Benjy: Hmmm.
New Scene()
QST.camera shows Benjy, May, and Max walking northwards along a semi-major street in Mauville, then zooms backwards to show that Team Rocket is watching them from their balloon through binoculars.
Jessie: So I finally see some of the twerps…
Meowth: But where’s Pikachu?
James: This doesn’t make sense. We’ve been searching the entire city all day…
Meowth: We’re going to follow them until they lead us to Pikachu.
James: We are?
Meowth: You know what they say? One twerp in the hand is worth two in the bush.
Jessie: Lets see, last time I counted there were six total.
James: But I only see three of them, so that leaves us with only five twerps worth.
Jessie and Meowth stare at James curiously, while Meowth counts on his paws.
Meowth: Two times three is six, you moron!
James: I know that! But if there are two in the bushes, so we still have one unaccounted for! Two plus three is five, Meowth!
Meowth: I know that! I’m trying to–
Meowth is cut off as Team Rocket’s balloon crashes into the side of an office building.
Jessie: Who’s job was it to steer?! (angry)
James and Meowth point at each other as their balloon rubs against the outside of the office building, threatening to pop. QST.camera now shifts down to the street below where Benjy, May, and Max are waiting for the light to turn. Beautifly is flying behind May.
Benjy: I haven’t been this nervously excited in ages…
Yami Benjy: And what happens if this turns out to have a really stupid explanation?
Benjy: Like how stupid?
Yami Benjy isn’t able to answer as the light turns, and all begin to cross the street, May and Max both appear jittery as they walk.
New Scene(@Temporal = Early_Evening)
Benjy, May, and Max arrive in front of a large brick building, with steps leading up to a large double door.
May: Is this it?
Max: Well, she is a librarian, so it makes sense for her to have an office at the library.
Benjy, May, and Max now begin to walk up the library’s front steps, upon reaching the door, Benjy pushes it open allowing May and Max to enter into a giant room filled with books.
Max: Wow…
Benjy: Where are we supposed to go?
Benjy looks around the library. A service Desk is on the right of the May, Max, and Benjy, on the south side of the library. (The library faces east). On the north side of the library is a large check-out station. The library is packed with books, but there are only about a dozen people on the ground floor.
May: Let’s ask.
Benjy nods, content to go along with this idea. May recalls Beautifly, and begins to walk over to the service desk, followed by Benjy and Max. The middle-aged lady sitting at the service desk doesn’t notice until May is a couple feet away, when she finally looks up from the fashion magazine that she’s reading.
Receptionist: Can I help you children?
May: Do you know where we can find Lily?
Receptionist: Can you be more specific?
May: Um… She’s a librarian here…
The receptionist nods slightly.
Receptionist: Uh-huh…
Benjy: She researches something called the Lost Logia.
Receptionist: I’m not sure what that is. But this time is reserved for appointments only. So unless you have an appointment.
May: An appointment?
The receptionist nods slowly.
Receptionist: Sorry, this time is reserved for appointments.
The millennium gameboy advance glows slightly.
Yami Benjy: May, we do have an appointment?
May: We do?
Receptionist: What’s your appointment number?
May: Appointment number?
Yami Benjy: She never gave us one of those. Just said to drop by her office between five and seven.
Yami Benjy and the Receptionist look at each other for a few seconds.
Receptionist: Oh, that Lily…
The receptionist holds her head in her hands.
Receptionist: When will I learn…
The receptionist now points up the stairs on the opposite side of the library from the door with her right hand.
Receptionist: Third floor, room 324.
May: Thanks–
Receptionist: Mind the mess on the floor!
May and Max immediately start to run towards the stairs, and someone calls out to them, "no running in the library." May and Max don’t seem to hear this, and Yami Benjy has to dart after them in order to keep up.
New Scene()
May and Max arrive on the third floor of the Mauville Library, rushing down the hall towards room 324.
New Scene()
In a square office of about 144 square feet, Lily sits at her desk, examining paper records. She picks up a piece of paper with a large stamp reading "IEC" on the back, and flips it over so the stamp is facing her desk. As she does, the sound of knocking on her door reverberates through the room.
Lily: Coming!
Lily jumps up and leaps over some large maps on the floor to reach the door, standing just far enough away to avoid being smacked by the door as she opens it. (The door swings inwards). As Lily sees May, Max, and Yami Benjy, her face lights up.
Lily: You came!
Max nods…
May: You said you had a way for Benjy to get back home?
Lily: Um… Not quite. Can you guys come inside?
Max, May, and Benjy enter Lily’s office (in the order presented) and stare at the documents and charts spread all over the floor as Lily closes the door behind them.
Lily: Try not to step on any of the papers, but it’s not the end of the world if you do. None of them are the originals.
Yami Benjy nods, and tries to do this, but almost falls down and has to step on a paper to prevent himself from falling over.
Lily: I’m sorry, I’ve been trying to pin down the timeline for something. That’s why everything is chaotic.
Refresh Scene()
Lily, Benjy, May, and Max are all sitting on the carpet of Lily’s office. Lily is checking papers and sorting them into a couple of piles.
Max: So were you going to get Benjy home?
Lily looks at Max, wide-eyed.
Lily: So I can’t actually send you home, I’m sorry if I–
Yami Benjy: I know. We just came to learn what you have on the subject.
Lily: Okay, so I have good news and bad news.
May: What do you mean?
Lily: Benjy comes from a different universe. The good news is it isn’t a parallel universe, otherwise getting back home would be impossible.
Max: So how does one go about–
Lily: Do you kids know what I mean when I refer to another universe?
The millennium gameboy advance glows slightly.
Benjy: I think so…
Lily: Basically, you can think of a universe as a bubble in which galaxies and things exist.
Lily looks towards Benjy to see if he is following her. To her relief Benjy nods.
Benjy: I thought it was a little more complicated than that.
Lily: It’s a bit of an oversimplification, but we could spend days just talking about the topology of universes. This universe is pretty well explained by the bubble analogy, yours gets a bit more complicated.
Lily looks around, checking the time on the clock on the wall, then turns towards May and Max.
Lily: Basically, you can get from one place to another within the same bubble by getting in a spaceship and traveling across space. However, in this case we’re trying to get from one bubble to another, so things get tricky.
Max: Even with that, I still don’t see why you can’t just fly out of the bubble and into another.
Lily: Well… I guess that’s possible technically… You’d have to travel to the edge of the universe, and then…
Lily appears lost in thought and Max’s glasses catch the evening’s sunlight.
Lily: That is one way, although I wouldn’t recommend that. Even with the fastest starship, that’s going to take you about fifteen years. Plus the universe that your friend is from–the anchor world–has the problem of something called relativity.
May: What is that?
Lily: Time passes differently for different people. So Benjy will experience a decade, his planet might experience a quadrillion years. We have technology to get around that, but the fastest starships don’t have that, so given a fast, relativity-breaking starship, it begins to look like twenty to twenty-five years.
[long pause]
Benjy: Hmm…
Lily: He’s seriously considering it…
May: Do you have another way?
Lily appears to snap out of her daydream.
Lily: Yes. But it’s not easy. First, may I ask how you got here?
Benjy starts to reply, and QST.camera zooms out of Lily’s office to where Team Rocket’s balloon is floating about two hundred feet from Lily’s window. Team Rocket are looking inside the window with binoculars, as Benjy explains to Lily how he arrived.
Refresh Scene()
QST.camera shows the inside of Lily’s office.
Lily: I thought something like that might have happened. Given the circumstances, it looks like space is wrapped around itself in such away that the planet Earth might only be a few feet away from us.
Max: I’m confused.
May: It’s just like he said though…
Lily: It’s a matter of higher dimensional spaces.
Lily picks up a piece of paper, and holds it in a U-shape.
Lily: It’s like space is like this.
Lily traces her finger around the paper.
Lily: Instead of going around the long way on the surface, you can cut across using the third dimension to get from one side to another.
May’s eyes appear to light up.
Max: But how do we do that?
Lily: That’s why I said we need a planar engineer, someone who can construct that gateway. Trouble is, I don’t think anyone’s ever built a gateway between those two universes before.
May: Why’s that?
Lily: Because of the relativity problem. In Benjy’s universe time is relative, whereas it isn’t here. This creates a problem that no one has a solution to.
Benjy: So then, where would I find such a starship?
Lily: No-no-no. Don’t do that. There’s an easier way.
Benjy: And what would that be?
Lily: I’m getting to that. I wanted to give you kids a bit of background first, though. I study the Lost Logia. It’s a blanket label we give to all sorts of ancient and/or powerful artifacts in the galaxy. As it turns out, there is one such Lost Logia that will get you home fairly quickly. All you’ll need is a space-suit, a warp motor, and a relativity breaking device.
Benjy’s expression changes to one of curiosity, while May and Max appear to be in awe.
Benjy: What’s this Lost Logia thing called?
Lily: It’s known as the Flames of Lorin. It’s a gateway across dimensions that goes from this universe to yours. It leads to the Milky Way galaxy, but I don’t know where it ends up in the Milky Way. You might have to do some traveling once you get across, but that shouldn’t be more than a few hours maximum.
May: So where is it?
Lily: So here’s the bad news–
Lily is cut off as the sound of glass being cut reverberates through the room. May, Max, Benjy, and Lily all turn around as one of Lily’s windows is broken and thick smoke floods into the room.
Max: Bad news?
Lily: No one knows where it *cough* is!
May, Max, Benjy, and Lily now all quickly stand to face the smoke, from which chuckling is coming out of.
Lily: Who’s there?!
As Jessie and James recite their motto, hidden in the smoke, May, Max, and Benjy get into a more defensive position.
Jessie’s Voice: Prepare for Trouble!
James’s Voice: And make it double!
Jessie’s Voice: To protect the world from devastation!
James’s Voice: To unite all people within our nation!
Jessie’s Voice: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
James’s Voice: To extend our reach to the stars above!
Lily: Um…
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
As Jessie and James state their presence, they become visible to QST.camera through the smokescreen.
Jessie: Team Rocket, blasts off at the speed of light!
James: Surrender now or prepare to fight!
Meowth jumps down from the ceiling.
Meowth: Meowth, that’s right!
May: Team Rocket?!
Max: What do you want?!
James: We’ve come for the Lames of Florin!
Benjy, May, Max, and Lily stand watching Team Rocket curiously.
Max: Lames of Florin?
Meowth: It’s called the Flames of Lorin you idiot!
Lily: What makes you think we have them?!
Jessie: You’re going to use them to send him home, aren’t you?
Lily: You’re mistaken. I don’t have the flames… No one even knows where they are!
James: So you’re going to play dumb?
Lily: The Flames of Lorin haven’t been seen in millennia! That’s why their called a Lost Logia. No one knows where they are!
Jessie: I don’t believe it… If you won’t talk.
Jessie pulls out a poké ball.
Jessie: Seviper, make her talk!
Jessie tosses her poké ball and Seviper emerges, and charges straight for Lily, who is frozen in fear. The millennium gameboy advance glows slightly as Seviper charges at Lily, fangs barred.
Yami Benjy: Pixielite, warp tackle!
Pixielite collides with Seviper’s mid-section, knocking it away from Lily.
Yami Benjy: Discharge!
Pixielite shoots a powerful electric blast into Team Rocket. Quickly James calls on Cacnea, prompting May to call on Torchic.
Lily: You’re fools if you even think that the Flames of Lorin is somewhere on Fenyra! They’re going to have to search the entire galaxy to find it!
James: It’s not negotiable. Tell us where the flames are!
Meowth: We know you know!
Cacnea attacks Torchic with Pin Missile while Torchic counters with ember. Ember does moderate damage to Cacnea. Jessie has Seviper attempt to bite Pixielite, but Pixielite proves to be far too fast, leading Seviper on a chase around the office, which allows Pixielite to zap it several times.
Lily: You guys are insane!
Jessie: Seviper, bite!
Yami Benjy: Mirror force!
Pixielite throws up a mirror force, and as Seviper strikes, it’s head and upper body are thrown backwards into the window, which shatters in a shower of plexi-glass, injuring Seviper, but stopping it from falling out of the building.
Jessie: Poison tail!
Seviper hurls it’s tail at Pixielite, but misses completely.
May: Torchic, ember!
Torchic blasts more embers at Cacnea, some of these hit nearby papers, lighting them ablaze. Cacnea is caught up in the flames and runs back and forth across the room trying to escape them.
James: Cacnea, no! Stop, drop, and roll!
Too panicked to listen, Cacnea continues to run around the room, spreading the fire to the documents strewn about the room.
Cacnea: Cacacacacac!!!
Meowth: Hey stop it! You’re spreading the–
Meowth cuts himself off.
Meowth: Cacnea, you’re a genius!
QST.camera split-screens showing Benjy, May, Max, Lily, Jessie, James, Pixielite, Torchic, and Seviper, all staring in confusion.
Meowth: These… Are… The Flames of Lorin!
Meowth bends down to scoop up some of the flames, before his expression suddenly changes.
Meowth: HOT!!!! Hot! Hot! HOT!
Lily is now behind her desk.
Lily: Where’s the fire extinguisher?!
Jessie: Hey James?
James: What?
Jessie: WE’RE ON FIRE!!!
Jessie and James start to scream, while Yami Benjy, May, and Max now try their best to not get caught up in the fire. Suddenly, the sprinklers go on in the room, putting out the fire, and causing Torchic to run for shelter under Lily’s desk. Pixielite isn’t too found of the water either, and flies through the broken window to avoid the water.
James: Ah, that’s better
Meowth: And since we’re all covered in water, you’re fire attacks aren’t going to be effective!
Despite Meowth’s comment, Yami Benjy appears to smile. Cacnea lies fainted on the floor.
Meowth: Huh?
Max: You see, water conducts electricity.
Jessie: Right, it’s only too bad that Pikachu isn’t with you…
Yami Benjy: That’s okay. Pixielite, thunder.
Team Rocket’s attention turns to Pixielite who is flying outside the window crackling with electricity.
Pixielite: Zee!
Suddenly, Pixielite shoots an bolt of lightning at Team Rocket, which lights them up, nearly electrocuting them to where they all crash to the ground in a heap.
Meowth: Ow… My Meowth…
Pixielite: Ix.
Pixielite fires a tiny spark at Team Rocket who look at it in terror for about one second (the time the spark is in the air). The spark then touches Team Rocket.
New Scene()
QST.camera shows the library building from the outside, looking southwest at the north side of the Library building where the windows to Lily’s office have been destroyed. Suddenly, a massive flash lights up Lily’s office, which is followed by an explosion. and then a scream. QST.camera rotates northwards as Team Rocket is shot out of the building by the explosion, and sent flying towards the horizon.
Team Rocket: Looks like Team Rocket is blasting off again!
Revert Scene()
QST.camera looks out at Pixielite from inside Lily’s office, where it looks pleased with itself. QST.camera rotates downwards now to show that Max, Max, Yami Benjy, and Lily are all sprawled out on the floor of the office, crackling with electricity.
Max: Hey Pixielite…
Pixielite flies back into the office, and lands on the edge of Lily’s desk, looking down at Max.
Max: Can you try not to shock us too?
Pixielite says nothing, but dark purple-blue lines appear on its forehead as it stares down at May, Max, Yami Benjy, and Lily who are all trying to get up.
…///To Be Continued///…