System::Notes: { Pixielite metamorphoses into Satolite }
New Scene(@Temporal = Night)
With Ash, Max, Brock, and Benjy asleep in Butler’s trailer, May is looking up at the sky from the roof of the trailer. Here, she folds down the second section of the wishing star. As she does this, she notices Butler coming to the trailer.
May: I wonder if he knows that we’re here–
New Scene()
Coal approaches Butler’s tent from the outside, noting to himself that the tent’s shape has changed, and that that can’t possibly be a good thing. Also noting the tare in the tent, Coal walks inside. Coal arrives in the backstage area, where the Absol is now awake, and trying to figure out how to get out of the cage. It eyes Coal angrily.
Coal: I’m guessing you were causing all that havoc today…
Coal takes a step towards the Absol and the Absol goes nuts; slashing at the bars of the cage trying to break free.
Coal: Calm yourself, sheesh.
Coal takes another couple steps towards Absol and it slashes more furiously, then stops slashing and bares it’s teeth.
Coal: Relax, will you? I’m going to get you out of there.
Coal reaches towards the bars and Absol still glares at him. Coal’s arm starts sparking, and Absol retreats a bit, now acting a bit more timid. With a quick punch, Coal strikes the cage, but his punch does nothing to it.
Absol: Ab, ab sol…
Coal: Say what?
Absol: Sol…
Coal: Hm?
Absol now starts talking in pokémon language as Coal walks around the cage, looking for a way to release it.
Coal: Something I don’t understand, then something about delocalized anima…
Absol suddenly roars, and Coal gulps.
Absol: Sol…sol…ab…ab…
Coal: I got it, you’re on a mission. I’m going to need you to–hold on.
Coal looks at the cage floor carefully.
Absol: Ab?
Coal: Move to the corner and get down. I’ll show you why the corner when you are out of here.
Absol looks at Coal curiously and moves to the corner of the cage as Coal gestures. With this, Coal calls on Blastoise, which Absol talks to.
Blastoise: Blast.
Coal: Pressure cutter on those back rungs.
Blastoise: Toise!.
Blastoise constricts its cannons, then fires on the back rungs of the cage. This doesn’t look like it’s doing anything, but after a few seconds it becomes apparent that Blastoise will eventually cut through them.
New Scene()
In the main part of the tent. Butler arrives with a sleeping Jirachi under his arm. He places Jirachi gently on one of the tables, and presses a button. Suddenly, the top of the tent lights up a dome-shaped screen displaying Team Magma’s meeting room. The screen is shown to be a two-way screen as the Magmas acknowledge Butler’s presence.
Butler: Esteemed council of Team Magma…
At this time, more members of Team Magma appear on the screen, watching from their cubicles.
Tabitha: Tonight isn’t the best night, we’ve been running on fumes all day, and…
Butler: You asked me for a Groudon, did you not?
Tabitha picks up a piece of paper.
Tabitha: Yes, we did. How is it coming.
Butler smiles, making Tabitha uneasy.
Butler: You shall now bear witness to it’s creation.
Tabitha gulps, as do many of the other magma members watching. More Magma members quickly tune in.
Maxie: You work quickly.
Butler: Of course.
Butler winks to Maxie, and then places Jirachi in the machine and turns it on. Jirachi now starts floating into the air. The light of the machine illuminates a fragment of a Groudon lying in a tank, as well as an entire apparatus and massive power supplies, which look as if they were designed for constructing a Groudon.
Butler: Esteemed council of Team Magma! I now present to you: Groudon!
With this, Butler flips a switch and the machine buzzes to life. Jirachi awakens with a start.
Butler: Jirachi! Open your true eye! Let me channel your anima, to create Groudon!
Levitating in the machine, Jirachi struggles, releasing a pulse of energy as it struggles to keep it’s third eye closed.
New Scene()
In Butler’s trailer, Ash, May, Max, Brock, and Dianne suddenly wake with a start, wondering what the sensation they felt was. Seconds later, Max announces that Jirachi is missing.
QST.camera goes into a split-screen to show everyone’s expressions of surprise, (save for Benjy, who is still sleeping); Ash wakes up Benjy while May recalls that she saw Butler come to the trailer and then leave again with something in his arms. Ash and company with Dianne quickly exit the vehicle.
Revert Scene()
In Butler’s tent, Jirachi is struggling to keep it’s eye closed, but Butler’s machine forces it open, much to Team Magma’s delight. Suddenly, a beam shoots from Jirachi’s third eye directly upwards
New Scene()
Ash and Company see the beam of light shoot upwards in the distance as they run towards the tent.
May: What is that?!
Ash: Don’t know, but I doubt it’s good.
Dianne nods in agreement.
Suddenly, another beam shoots down from the sky towards the tent.
Revert Scene()
In Butler’s tent, the light shoots down towards Jirachi and enters Jirachi’s third eye as Jirachi tries to fight the light. All at once, Butler’s machine lights up and things start sparking. The Groudon DNA glows, and a whirring noise is heard. Also, the noise of footsteps rapidly approaching is heard, but neither Butler nor Team Magma notices this.
As the rays (that are meant to construct Groudon) start getting into position, a massive spark appears near one of the machines. All power instantly shuts off, and the beam of light pouring into Jirachi’s third eye slowly stops while Butler gasps. Smoke now starts to rise from Butler’s machine as Jirachi falls towards the desk; but quickly catches itself and turns to face Butler, blinking it’s third eye rapidly.
Jirachi: What are you–
Butler: Don’t think of going anywhere!
From the darkness, Coal glares at Butler. Suddenly, the door bursts open, with Ash and company (with Dianne) standing in the doorway.
Dianne: Butler?!?! (horrified)
Jirachi starts to fly over to Max, but Butler lunges for it. In a flash, Pixielite grabs Jirachi in its tractor beam and whisks it out of the way.
Max: What are you doing to Jirachi?!
Butler: Nothing you need to be concerned with.
Max: What do you…
Dianne: Ah!
Staring at Butler, Dianne looks as if she is about to cry.
Butler: I’ll return Jirachi to you as soon as we’re done. Please go back to the van.
Benjy: I don’t trust you.
Butler: You don’t have to.
#Reference{ This is a reference to a line in Runescape when the player talks to the Mourners in East Ardounge }
As these lines are spoken, Max has begun making his way towards Jirachi. Butler suddenly notices this!
Butler: You stop!
Seeing as Max has no intention of stopping, Butler orders Dusclops to use shadow ball on Max. Shadow ball rockets towards Max, but rebounds off of something invisible, sending it shooting at Dusclops. The attack is sufficient for a KO.
Dianne: I thought you said you were done with…
Dianne’s voice is now extremely faint; only Brock hears this comment. Everyone else is too busy staring Butler down. Ash and May have Pikachu and Beautifly ready to attack, should anything else happen. Max now makes a move to grab Jirachi, but Butler has Kirlia levitate Jirachi out of his reach.
Ash: Pikachu, thunderbolt on Kirlia!
May: Beautifly, silver wind!
Butler: Mightyena!
With a mighty bound, Mightyena comes pouncing down on Ash and May, forcing Pikachu and Beautifly to attack it. The result is a massive explosion, causing Mightyena to take massive damage and Kirlia to lose it’s focus. Without Kirlia’s psychic, Jirachi falls like a rock, but before Max can catch it, Kirlia regains focus again, and Jirachi slips out of his reach. Mightyena now lands on the floor in front of Benjy, May, and Ash.
Suddenly, some metallic noise is heard and a steel beam comes hurling across the room. It hits Max in the head, knocking him to the ground.
Absol: Ab. Sol.
May: Max!
Absol now charges Kirlia, who uses Jirachi as a projectile, causing Jirachi to go crashing into Absol’s side. This collision meanwhile causes Kirlia to lose grip of Jirachi, and Pixielite to pick up Jirachi in its tractor beam. Pixielite then zips away with Kirlia focused on Absol.
As May rushes to Max’s aid, Butler’s Mightyena jumps in her way. Beautifly attacks it with silver wind, forcing it to retreat a ways. Thinking Jirachi is with Max, Butler now grabs the collar of May’s shirt, his hand glowing. Benjy then grasps Butler’s glowing hand and both instantly yelp, stumbling backwards. Falling on his backside, Butler sees Pixielite escaping with Jirachi, and sends a Salamence after them.
Salamence rockets into the air, and tries to snap at Pixielite, which proves to be *way* too fast for it to catch.
Butler: Salamence, flamethrower!
Coal: Blastoise, ice beam!
Blastoise’s ice beam fires at Salamence, landing a KO and knocking it out of the sky. As it falls, Benjy and May grab Max and carry him out of the way. Mightyena bares it’s fangs at them, but Pikachu strikes it with a thunderbolt.
Benjy and May have barely enough time to escape the tent with Max, as they are only in the back room when Salamence falls on the machine, causing it to explode. While the three aren’t hit by the blast, they feel the heat and cringe at the fire, until they manage to get on the outside of the burning tent.
As soon as they get outside the tent, Max moans about his head.
Brock: You guys okay?!
May nods, as Brock, Ash, and Dianne come into view. Brock notices that Max and Benjy are injured.
Ash: Um–
Dianne: Quickly! We have first aid supplies at the trailer!
With another explosion coming from the tent, everyone takes off towards the van.
Revert Scene(#Partial)
Back in Butler’s tent, as Butler struggles to get to his feet, he comes face to face with Coal and Absol, standing side by side. Blastoise is on Coal’s other side, while Coal is sparking with static electric activity.
Revert Scene()
As Ash and company return to the trailer, with Pixielite and Jirachi approaching from behind, Coal continues to fight Butler, as made apparent by the bright lights and explosions coming from the tent.
Halfway towards the trailer the group stops running, out of breath.
Yami Benjy: Dianne–
Dianne: I thought he said he…
Dianne is unable to finish her sentence as she collapses to her knees in tears.
Yami Benjy: He said what?
Brock: I don’t think this is the time to–
Yami Benjy: This is important, Brock. What did he say?
Dianne: …he was done with Team Magma…
Ash: Team Magma?
Yami Benjy: Why Team Magma?
Dianne trembles as Brock and May help her to her feet.
Dianne: Being a magician never payed as well as he would have liked. They say money doesn’t matter as long as you’re doing what you love, but…
Brock: Got to put food on the table…
Dianne: It wasn’t that bad… my goodness.
Dianne suddenly starts laughing, but still crying.
Refresh Scene()
Ash and company are now approaching Butler’s trailer on foot.
Brock: So Dianne, what do you do?
Dianne: I’m a science writer…
Brock: Really? I think I’ve read some of your work!
Dianne: I doubt it. Work has been hard to come by these days.
Ash and company now approach the trailer. Brock and Dianne quickly enter the trailer to search for first aid supplies, while Benjy and Max sit outside with Ash and May.
Brock: You know what’s going on with Benjy’s arm?
Dianne: It’s an alchemical burn I’ll bet.
Max: Jirachi…
Ash: (bleep)!
May: Ash, look!
Ash stares where May is pointing as Pixielite flies out of the darkness, carrying Jirachi in it’s tractor beam. Yami Benjy smiles, relieved. Pixielite now flies over to where they are.
Max: …
Max: Jirachi…
Jirachi: Here I am!
Max looks up, hopefully, then has to put his head down again, due to the pain.
Jirachi: I’ll fix that!
Ash: Uh…
In a shower of sparks, Max’s bump disappears, as does the burn on Benjy’s arm. Brock and Dianne come out of the trailer shortly after, and are surprised that everyone is feeling better. Jirachi at this point is resting on Max’s head.
May: You sure you’re fine?
Max: M-hm.
Yami Benjy: My arm is better too; that’s one strange power.
Pixielite lands on Yami Benjy’s shoulder and lets its wings droop.
New Scene()
At the carnival office, Nurse Joy comes running into to a back room where both Officer Jennies are sitting, to inform them that Butler’s tent is on fire. The red-haired Officer Jenny remarks that she isn’t surprised, and both go and investigate.
New Scene()
Both Officer Jennies meet Coal at Butler’s destroyed tent. Coal’s water pokémon {Blastoise, Feraligatr, and Swampert} are working to put out the fire.
Coal: Yo!
Blue Officer Jenny: What happened?
Coal: Anima.
Blue Officer Jenny: Anima?
Red Officer Jenny: I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to know. Just make sure it’s all cleaned up by sunrise.
With this, the Red Officer Jenny turns around and heads back towards the office. The Blue Officer Jenny tells her to wait, but she doesn’t, and reluctantly the Blue Officer Jenny decides to follow her.
New Scene()
While everyone else sleeps, Brock and Dianne stare at a map on the trailer’s dashboard. For some reason, Brock is wearing the Millennium Gameboy Advance.
Yami Benjy.Projection: So Jirachi was going to be used to suck the anima out that comet and into the machine to create Groudon.
Dianne: That’s what I believe. This world doesn’t have the right kind of anima to make life from scratch.
Brock: Wow…
Dianne: I thought he had given that up…
Brock now starts to clean off the window of the trailer, and is shocked to see Absol staring through the window at him.
Brock: …
Absol: Ab–
Absol gestures in a direction with it’s horn, as Brock and Dianne stare in confusion. Brock pulls out a poké ball.
Jirachi: Wait!
Brock turns to look at Jirachi, sleeping next to Max.
Jirachi: Absol is here, for me!
Brock and Dianne stare at each other, then at Jirachi, dumbfounded. Yami Benjy’s projection pushes closer to the window.
New Scene()
Outside the van, Brock and Dianne approach Absol, which moves its feet in what looks like a nervous motion before saying something in it’s own language.
Absol: Absol. Ab-absol. Sol. Absol sol.
Dianne: Um…
Absol turns around and walks a few paces, then turns it’s head around and gestures with it’s horn.
Absol: Sol!
Yami Benjy.Projection: It wants us to follow it.
Brock: Follow it, but where?
Dianne: I’ll bet it’s where we first found Jirachi. A canyon called Ferina, south of here.
Brock: That would make sense.
Absol makes another gesture with it’s horn, and Yami Benjy tells it to be patient.
Refresh Scene()
The trailer’s engine starts, causing Benjy (who now has the MGBA back) and Max to each open a sleepy eye.
Benjy: What’s going on?
Dianne: We’re taking Jirachi back home to Ferina.
Benjy still looks nervous until Brock confirms it. With this, Benjy goes back to sleep. The trailer’s lights come on, as Dianne prepares to follow Absol.
Narrator: Wait, aren’t we forgetting someone?
Having put out the fire at Butler’s tent, Coal comes walking back towards the trailer just to see it start in the distance.
Coal: Ngh. Electric dragon’s…
Coal starts sparking.
Coal: X–stream–speed!
With a massive boost of speed, Coal runs across the fairground and grabs onto the trailer’s back as it starts.
Inside the trailer, everyone feels the bump as Coal jumps onto it’s backside. Ash and May awaken with a start looking around wildly in confusion. Brock and Dianne also check the blind spots and rear-view mirrors, trying to see what went on. A few seconds later, Coal’s Pichu falls through the open window of the van, into Ash’s lap.
New Scene()
Coal sits in the back of the van between Ash and Benjy as Dianne drives. Benjy is sound asleep. Coal notes the MGBA on the seat, next to Benjy, and cautiously reaches for it. It lights up as Coal’s hand approached, and Yami Benjy projects himself.
Coal: Um–
Yami Benjy looks around the trailer quickly.
Yami Benjy: I had some questions for you.
Coal: For me?
Yami Benjy: Yes. What did that machine do?
Coal: Why do you think I know?
Yami Benjy: I assumed you had complete knowledge of what Butler was up to.
Coal: Who, me?
Yami Benjy: The way you interacted with him led me to that conclusion, is that not the case?
Coal: I have no idea what he’s doing.
Yami Benjy: Then why did you stop him?
Coal: Well, maybe "no idea" is the wrong phrase. Do you know about anima?
Yami Benjy: Anima?
Coal: M-hm.
Yami Benjy: What’s anima? Does it have anything to do with animation? Anime?
Coal: Never thought about that. I don’t really understand it myself, but it has to do with life.
Yami Benjy: Life force?
Brock: You guys talking about anima?
At this point, Ash, May, Dianne, and Brock are now paying attention to the conversation.
Dianne: Anima mundi, also known simply as anima, is what theoretical biologists use to describe the connection between all life on Fenyra. In essence, it is what allows life to exist.
Ash: Wow…
Dianne: In theory, all living things are interconnected by anima.
May: Is that true?
Dianne: No, such a direct connection does not exist, but there are other definitions of anima.
As this point, the trailer lurches, and Brock urges Dianne to focus on the road. She does, and subsequently (temporarily) leaves the conversation.
Coal: I was going to say, it looked like Butler was doing something with anima, but I couldn’t be sure.
Ash: But I thought Dianne said–
Coal: It’s more complicated than that, or so I’m told. An old friend of mine tried to explain it to me. Anima helps bring life into existence, but life can exist in the absence of anima. In addition, life generates anima.
May: …
Ash: Now I’m really confused…
Dianne: It works like this. There are two kinds of anima: natural and artificial. Natural anima is created by all life, and is also consumed by all life, but in smaller quantities. While it has never been proven to exist, Fenyra is supposedly rich in natural anima.
Dianne: Artificial anima has been very recently proven to exist. It is used to create life from nothing–
At this point, the trailer bumps again, and everyone yelps. Suddenly, the trailer hits something else, and tips over onto it’s side, crashing to the ground with a thud.
Brock: Maybe I should drive…
Dianne seems to ponder this.
New Scene()
In the dark of the night, Ash and company try to right the trailer on the mountain road. Coal calls on Blastoise, Feraligatr, and Swampert and all help the group to right the trailer. The trailer doesn’t want to be righted though, and starts to slide, forcing Benjy and Coal to try to stop it from sliding.
Ash: May, what are you doing?! Come help us!
Ahead of the group a small ways, May finishes staring at her wishing star.
May: Oh, sorry…
As everyone strains, Jirachi wakes up, and helps right the trailer with its telekinesis. The trailer comes down hard, spraying mud at Benjy, May, and Coal, however the MGBA makes a shield to deflect most of the mud. Swampert gives the trailer another push to push it away from the cliff’s edge, then Coal recalls his pokémon and everyone re-boards the trailer.
Unbeknownst to anyone, Butler’s Mightyena appears in the darkness and attaches a tracking device to the trailer.
New Scene()
The trailer continues to travel along the mountain roads, this time with Brock driving. Benjy has fallen back asleep.
Coal: To cut to the chase, it appeared to me that Butler was doing something with this artificial anima.
Max: But what would that have to do with Jirachi?
Jirachi: Yeah, what does it have to do with Jirachi?
Brock: I think you should let them go to sleep, Coal.
Coal: Once I’m done. This is critical information.
May and Max gulp, and sit up straighter.
Coal: The more I think about it, the more dire I realize the situation is…
Coal: Butler’s project has nothing to do with Jirachi, on it’s own. I’m not positive, but it appears that he was using Jirachi to channel the anima from the Millennium Comet.
May: A comet has anima?
Coal: I’ll bet he thinks that it’s absolutely loaded with anima. Jirachi is somehow linked to the comet, so there’s very little chance that wasn’t what he was after.
New Scene()
Suddenly, on the mountain road, Butler’s trailer abruptly pulls over to the side of the road.
Brock: Dianne! Are you okay? Dianne!
May: What’s wrong with Dianne?!
Refresh Scene(@Temporal=Morning)
Butler’s trailer moves along the mountain roads, with Dianne driving and Ash and company riding inside. Dianne appears to be extremely emotionally distressed.
Max: Are you sure she should be driving? (Whisper to Coal)
Coal: Ssh… I’ve got emergency teleports… (Whisper to Max)
At the wheel, Dianne clutches the wheel so hard that Brock worries silently to himself that she’s going to rip it out of the socket, but doesn’t dare talk to her. The camera zooms in on Dianne.
Dianne’s Memory: Coal’s Voice: Well, it’s just a guess but…
Dianne: That (bleep!) How dare he just (long beep) with me like that?!
Under the trail, gravel rumbles, but the trailer doesn’t tip over like it did before. The trailer now passes some rocks and a forest starts to come into view.
May: Is that Ferina?
Dianne: That’s Ferina…
Seeing Ferina, Dianne starts to seem slightly less angry, prompting Brock to state that everyone was worried about her last night.
Dianne: I understand…
Ash: If you don’t mind my asking, why is Butler after the anima from the comet?
Dianne: That comet has what’s known as artificial anima, something which most of Fenyra has extremely little of. And as your friend said, the Millennium Comet is probably chock full of.
Max: Why?
Dianne: We don’t know why. But Jirachi can siphon the anima from the comet into the ground here on Fenyra. It depletes after a while, so Jirachi will siphon more energy from the comet on it’s next pass through. It’s not much farther you guys.
The trailer drives by various pokémon including Flygon, Linoone, Tropius, and Spinda, all of which are identified by Ash’s or May’s Pokédex, or Yami Benjy. The trailer also disturbs a colony of Kuriboh, which detonate and almost knock the trailer off the road.
As the trailer goes deeper into Ferina, Ash and company see Absol ahead in a clearing. Dianne drives down the path and parks next to Absol, allowing Ash and company to disembark. Coming out if the trailer, May and Max stare in awe at the large number of pokémon in the surrounding environment. Ash takes out his pokédex and uses it to scan a Tropius.
Ash’s Pokédex: Tropius, the fruit pokémon–
Max: Hey look!
Ash and May turn their attention to where Max is pointing.
May: It’s a Flygon, just like Ciri’s back home…
Max: But this one’s wild!
May: That settles it!
Before anyone can do anything about it, May reaches for a poké ball, and hurls it at Flygon.
May: Poké ball go!
Flygon watches the poké ball closely, and then flaps it’s wings, causing a massive gust and knocking the poké ball back to May, whom it is now watching carefully.
Brock: You should probably weaken it first.
May: Oh, right! Let’s go…
May pulls another poké ball from her belt and is about to call on a pokémon when Flygon pushes off of the branch into the air, flying over everyone’s heads and into the sky, much to May’s disappointment. Dianne smiles a knowing smile, despite May’s disappointment.
Coal: Don’t let it get to you, their extremely difficult even for master trainers to catch.
Max: Yeah. May, didn’t Ciri raise hers from a Trapinch?
Coal: That would be how most trainers do it.
Celebi: Bii!
They turn to see Ash, Pikachu, Benjy, and Celebi watching a massive flock of Tropius fly overhead.
May: Wow…
QST.camera now shifts upwards to where Team Rocket’s balloon is located, above the flock of Tropius. They are too busy thinking about how to steal Jirachi to view the Tropius as anything more than a nuisance for obstructing their view of Jirachi. Once the flock has flown it’s course, they have lost Ash and Company, and rapidly search for them before finding them a good distance away.
New Scene()
Ash and company follow Absol into the forest. As they walk down one of the paths, a few Linoone examine them nervously, before darting back into the thicket.
New Scene(@Temporal=Late Afternoon)
Ash and company are still walking through the forest.
May: Nngh, it feels like we’ve been walking for hours…
Benjy: That’s probably because we have been walking for hours.
Coal: How many hours does it feel like?
Ash and Brock look at Coal nervously.
May: Three miserable hours…
Coal nods, understandably.
Max: Hasn’t it been five hours. (whisper)
Brock: Let’s see, we got here at 10:00ish and now it’s 14:44, so it will be soon. (whisper)
Ash: Why am I not tired then?
Dianne: Due to the Jirachi that live here, there is a higher concentration of anima, which is probably the source of the extra energy.
The Millennium Gameboy Advance suddenly pulses with yellow light.
Yami Benjy: Why is this?
Dianne: Jirachi is about to show you. They suck anima from space and store it in the ground.
Ash: Really?
Dianne: That’s the prevailing theory. Some, like Henry Wroshyr, have speculated that this is because they were created by the Elder Gods.
Brock: What does Professor Oak think?
Dianne: Just that its a survival tactic. The prevailing theory says that they feed off of the energy when food is scarce.
Coal: Your comments have been noted.
New Scene()
We have a top-down view of Ash and company as they walk through the forest. Pixielite is sunbathing on Benjy’s head, while Beautifly is following May. Jirachi is riding in Max’s arms.
Ash: Where are we going?
Coal: Somewhere where Jirachi has a clear view of the sky.
Max: Is he going to…
Dianne: I believe so.
Brock: Has this been witnessed before?!
Dianne: Not officially, but yes.
Ash: So we’ll be the first official witnesses–
Dianne: It doesn’t work like that. I say this as someone who has seen this phenomenon before.
May: Um, why?
Dianne: Don’t get me started. They can’t prove what we’re saying. I’ve taken photographs, but photographs can be faked. The way the system works is that it’s unofficial until someone official sees it. In effect, everyday people like us aren’t credible to them.
Brock: You’re kidding me–
Dianne: I said, "Don’t get me started," for a reason.
Possibly sensing the upset tone in her voice, Absol looks back at Dianne curiously. As Absol leads, it turns a corner and enters a cave in the rocks. It then turns to the others, gesturing for them to follow it. Nervously, Ash and company do so. When Benjy and Celebi enter the cave, Celebi starts glowing, lighting up the inside of the tunnel. Celebi then lands on the floor, walking, not flying, at Benjy’s heel.
Pikachu: Pika pika?
Celebi: Cele…
Ash and company don’t pay much attention to this at first, but Pikachu takes alarm at whatever Celebi is saying, and jumps down from Ash’s shoulder to the ground.
Pikachu: Pika!!
Celebi: Cebi…
Ash: Hey Pikachu, what’s the m–
Ash and company, plus Dianne, all pause in their walking. At the same time, Pikachu motions for Ash to not interrupt.
Celebi: Bi–
Pikachu: Pika?!
Ash: Uh…
May: That doesn’t sound good…
Celebi suddenly shudders, prompting Benjy to reach down to pick it up. Pikachu then runs back up Ash’s leg and body onto his shoulder again.
Max: Is Celebi ok?
Brock: Looks fine to me…
Brock’s comment earns a nervous glare from Celebi.
Refresh Scene()
Ash and company continue to travel down a tunnel. Celebi stares out at the cave from inside it’s poké ball, shivering slightly. As they walk, Absol almost trips over a Geodude.
Dianne: …I’ve never actually seen a Celebi before yours, you see, so I’m not too sure…
Brock: Seems to be fine now…
Benjy looks at Brock nervously.
Coal: I’m still a little confused as to what Celebi was trying to communicate…
Brock: It’s ok, we all are.
Pikachu: Pika pika-pika pika-pi-pika.
Ash: What’s the matter?
Coal: I think Celebi is used to fresh air. I’m smelling something weird…
Benjy: What kind of weird?
Coal: Not sure. You have any idea, Dianne?
Dianne: To be honest, I’ve never been down here before.
As the cave slowly grows darker, Pikachu and Pixielite take turns sparking to light up the tunnel. This becomes unnecessary after a few seconds however, as Ash and company, following Absol, exit the underground into a giant crevice, about 100 feet across and 500 feet from end to end. The bottom of the crevice is covered in moss, and giant trees are growing at the top of the crevice, almost obscuring the sun. In Benjy’s pocket, Celebi’s poké ball wiggles, and Benjy taps it allowing Celebi to come out.
Celebi emerges from it’s poké ball into the grass, where it picks a blade of grass and begins eating it.
Coal: I think Celebi has claustrophobia.
Celebi looks up at the mention of it’s name.
Brock: Heh, I think Celebi has the right idea, what do you think of an early dinner, you guys?
Ash: Absol seems to approve.
Max: Well, we did miss lunch…
QST.camera shifts to show Absol eating the moss on the cavern walls, then shifts back to where Brock is getting out his soup pot.
Dianne: Hey, Benjy, what are you looking for?
Ash, May, Max, and Jirachi turn their attention to Benjy as he scans the cliffs. Benjy sighs.
Benjy: …
Brock: You okay?
Benjy: Should I…
May taps Benjy on the shoulder, and Benjy turns around.
Ash: Benjy, you’re awfully spacey.
Benjy: I’m looking for something.
May: Looking for what?
Benjy: Something Butler may or may not have put here to capture Jirachi.
Brock: You think he followed us all the way out here?
Benjy: Ninety-eight percent chance. The events over the last few days loosely line up with the events of a movie I saw when I was a kid.
Benjy shivers, and Coal lies back in the grass.
Dianne: Coincidences are everywhere. Don’t think anything of them.
Benjy: There one is…
Benjy picks a rock up off the ground, and suddenly hurls it at the cliff. Benjy’s throw falls short, however, and the stone falls back into the dirt.
Ash: Why’d you do that?
Benjy: You’ll see in a second. Pixielite-
Pixielite perks up upon hearing it’s name.
Benjy: Thundershock at lets see, one o’clock. No rhyme intended.
Pixielite flies into the air, and fires off a thundershock in the direction that Benjy is pointing. The static stream shoots through the air and hits something that is almost completely obscured by greenery. The electricity seems to do nothing, but seconds later, the object bursts into flames much to everyone’s horror.
Brock calls on Mudkip and Lotad to use their water attacks on the fire.
Ash: Heh, got to hand it to you Brock, always prepared… Huh?
Ash turns to Benjy and Coal who are both standing by with Celebi and Feraligatr, ready to use water attacks.
Max: The water’s not putting it out!
Brock: Yeah, little help here?
May: Coal, Benjy, come on!
Coal: Max said it himself. Water’s not putting it out.
Mudkip and Lotad now stop their water attacks.
May: Did we just make it bigger?!
Max: What is this, sorcery?!
Benjy: It’s an electric fire. Water isn’t going to work.
Max: Jirachi, can you put out the fire?
Jirachi: Put out fire?
Max: Yeah, can you?
Jirachi nods, and suddenly the air around the fire starts to glow. An instant later, the part of the cliff that was on fire seems to explode, leaving Jirachi staring confused as to what just happened. Nonetheless, it turns to Max innocently.
Jirachi: Fire gone!
The explosion has put out the fire, and Absol moves closer to the place where the explosion happened, sniffing the ground as it walks. Eventually Absol finds something which it keeps sniffing, prompting Ash and company to examine it. Absol backs away to let Dianne pick up the smoldering object.
May: What is it?
Dianne turns to Benjy.
Dianne: Your suspicion was indeed onto something. It’s definitely a part of some machine.
Brock: Is it Butler’s machine?
Coal: It’s too damaged to tell at this point.
Brock now goes back over to see how dinner is coming along. He sits down by his pot and tastes the soup, and suddenly falls back gagging. Worried Ash and May, rush over to him while Brock rinses his mouth out with water.
Brock: Tastes like (bleep).
Ash: Really?
Ash gets a spoon, and extracts some of the liquid to smell it. The smell is so overpowering that Ash drops the spoon into the pot in shock, where the spoon quickly dissolves.
Ash: What’s going on?!?! First we can’t put out a fire properly, now–
Dianne: When Benjy blew up the machine, that was an electrical fire, so water doesn’t work. I’m not really sure about this, though…
The Millennium Gameboy Advance suddenly pulses with yellow light.
Yami Benjy: Could be that artificial anima you were telling us about.
Max: Or maybe a wild pokémon took a leak in it while we weren’t looking.
May: That’s disgusting!
The Millennium Gameboy Advance suddenly pulses with yellow light.
While Benjy stares up at the tree overhead, pondering Max’s comment, sounds are heard as if Brock is throwing up.
Refresh Scene()
With Brock looking pale, Ash and company follow Absol across the area through an archway covered with leaves. On the other side is a steep drop-off about eight to nine feet from the edge of the arc. Absol turns 90º and beckons for Ash and Company to follow it into another tunnel. Benjy recalls Celebi while the others go in, and follows, bringing up the rear of the group.
The group travels down a path through a narrow tunnel, with some small crystals in the walls.
May: Did you and Butler come this way when you found Jirachi?
Dianne: No… I think Jirachi has an internal compass of sorts. Somehow it just knows where it needs to go.
New Scene(@Temporal = Evening)
Ash and company have now come to the bottom of the path, and enter into a large dirt cavern following Absol. As they walk through the cavern, the ceiling and the walls suddenly (metaphorically) disappear, leaving them out in the open forest in the early evening.
Being outside again, Coal points out the Millennium Comet and May quickly looks around for her wishing star, worried that she left it in the trailer. Luckily for her, Max hands it to her and she presses it to her chest, making her wish. (Third night) Absol stops and looks back at them, then gestures forwards again.
Coal: I think it’s just a little bit farther.
Max: That’s good, because my legs are killing me…
As the group continues walking, Jirachi begins to glow softly in Max’s arms. Ash and company notice this, and stop walking. Jirachi continues to glow, and now slowly floats out of Max’s arms.
Jirachi: This way!
New Scene()
Leading the way, Jirachi flies through the forest with Ash and company close behind. Absol follows them as well, as Jirachi flies to a small hill in the distance, surrounded by several large trees.
After Jirachi, Max reaches the hill first, followed by Ash and May, who nearly crash into him as they come to an abrupt stop. Benjy almost trips over his own foot, but barely catches himself. Seeing Jirachi examine the hilltop makes Dianne relax a tiny bit. Benjy’s Celebi lets itself out and begins sniffing the air.
May: It’s beautiful…
Coal: This hill…
Ash: What about it?
Coal’s next comment comes under his breath
Coal: It’s too perfect…
May: You mean romantic?
Coal: Not exactly. Brock, how are you doing?
Brock: Urgh…
Coal: I think Max might’ve been right about something falling in the stew.
Dianne: You don’t think its all the artificial anima?
Coal: I’ve never heard of it having that effect.
Dianne: Neither have I but…
At this point, Brock sits down and leans back against a tree. Jirachi flies onto the hill, darting around and between the trees. Absol towards the hill behind Jirachi. It lies down at the base of the hill, and starts sniffing the grass, which May calls cute.
Dianne: Some say that without the anima infusion the Jirachi provide, this canyon would be entirely bare.
Brock: Really?
Benjy: So just what is anima exactly.
Coal chuckles.
Coal: That’s what we call a hole with no bottom.
Dianne: Look, Jirachi’s just about to siphon.
Ash: How does it do that?!
Coal: By using a special eye on the center of it’s stomach.
Ash, May, and Brock stare at Coal dumbfounded. Max meanwhile is too busy chasing Jirachi around the hilltop.
Narrator: Nice going, Coal. Way to kill the surprise.
Coal smiles, in what looks like could be in response to the narrator’s comment, but there is no way to tell if this is the case or just coincidence. Benjy and Dianne continue watching Jirachi, Max, and Celebi on the hill. As he runs, Max trips, and Celebi lands near his head to make sure he is okay, then examines the grass curiously. Absol sneezes, and Max gets up to chase after Jirachi, with Celebi on his shoulder. As soon as he takes a step, Celebi tugs on his hair.
Max: OW! That hurts, Celebi–
Before Celebi has a chance to respond, Jirachi flies to a location near the center of the hill and starts to emit a golden glow. Absol sneezes again.
Max: Uh…
May: What’s going on?
Dianne: Jirachi is going to open it’s true eye. The anima siphon…
Ash and company step closer to the foot of the hill to get a better view of what Jirachi is doing, as it sends a powerful beam of energy from it’s third eye straight towards the millennium comet. Ash and company stare at this phenomenon for about twelve seconds before the next line.
Max’s Voice: Hey! Stop!
Ash and company all look around in confusion as another Max with a moderately injured version of Celebi clinging to him attempts to push through the group towards the original Max and Celebi. Hearing his own voice, Max immediately turns around, and the two stare at each other for a split-second.
Brock: Am I seeing double?
Max: N–
Max is cut off before he can even finish the syllable by a whirring, popping, noise from six of the trees surrounding the hill. A split-second later, these create an electric web around Jirachi. Max immediately tries to jump towards Jirachi, but a powerful spell shocks him (and Celebi) slightly, as well as preventing him from moving his feet.
Ash, May, Dianne, and Brock stand dumbstruck while both Coal and Benjy rush towards Max. Before they arrive, Pikachu fires a thunderbolt at the electric barrier, but this is stopped by some sort of magical field.
Benjy and Coal now hit the edge of the spell as the it continues to zap Max and Celebi. And appears to cause Max and Celebi to glow pink. Benjy and Coal now collide with the edge of the spell, and Coal works to break through with brute force while Benjy’s mere presence seems to allow him to dissolve the spell, albeit slowly, and thus force his way inside. Suddenly a flash of pink light appears and Max and Celebi disappear.
May: MAX!!!
With Max and Celebi gone, Coal and Benjy stop trying to force their way into the spell.
Max: May, I’m alright!
Ash: Wait…
Max: Celebi got us out of there!
Celebi now slides down Max’s arm onto his shoe, and nods slightly.
May: Oh right, Celebi time-travels…
From looking back over his shoulder, Benjy lets out a sigh of relief that seems to eat away at the spell. Benjy now reaches up towards Jirachi, still siphoning energy into some kind of electro-magical network instead of the ground, and is consequently hit with a huge electric charge. In a split-second, Coal grabs Benjy’s arm and tosses him out of the way, to where he rolls down the hill to the bottom, clutching his chest.
May: Benjy…
Benjy says nothing in response, but lies on the ground trying to catch his breath.
Absol: Ab… Sol!
Absol fires a razor wind at one of the trees, and something explodes, and then fires a razor wind at another of the trees, and something else explodes, sending a high voltage spark at Absol. It dodges this spark, but is consequently hit by another that sends it flying backwards in a heap.
Another tree explodes as Jirachi continues to siphon anima, and then another. The Millennium Gameboy Advance suddenly glows with yellow light, as Flygon appears in the sky. Electric charges are shot at it too, but they seem to have little effect.
Coal: Body-link magic…
May: Body-what magic?
Streams of bullet seeds now strike the remaining machines, which explode sending sparks into the air, but they are unable to do much damage to all of the Tropius that have attacked them. This doesn’t get rid of the barrier around Jirachi however.
With Dianne too panicked to do anything, Ash has Pikachu thunderbolt the barrier, but this doesn’t seem to be doing much either. The barrier suddenly launches a bolt of electricity back at Pikachu.
Coal: Definitely body-link magic…
May: What does that mean?
Coal: The barrier reflects all attacks back at the attacker. But maybe…
Coal reaches down and touches Benjy’s Pixielite’s ball, letting it out, as Yami Benjy looks up nervously.
Coal: Warp tackle…
Pixielite looks to Yami Benjy for approval, and he nods slightly. The barrier sparks and Pixielite suddenly looks injured, which greatly worries May.
Coal: It’s okay… Pixielite can move faster than we can see.
Max looks to Celebi on his shoulder, but the timetravel pokémon is thoroughly worn out. Max then turns back to Jirachi again and swallows hard.
Dianne: (bleep)
Dianne suddenly collapses to all fours in tears, and Brock tries to comfort her, but Dianne instructs him to tend to Yami Benjy instead, which Brock immediately starts to do.
Ash: I’ve had enough of this! Pikachu, let’s break that thing!
Pikachu: Pika!
May: But the recoil…
Ash: We’re just going to have to crush in one hit then, so it can’t strike back.
Max gulps.
Ash: Pikachu, thun–
Coal: Wait, Ash–
May: No waiting!
Coal: We’re all with you.
Pichu emerges from Coal’s shirt and Pixielite sparks angrily at the barrier. Ash now calls on Treecko and Corphish, and May calls on Torchic and Skitty.
May: All ready!
Cries of wild pokémon echo in support.
Ash: Then strike now!
Ash and company’s creatures launch a unison attack at the barrier, which doesn’t seem to do much, and as the barrier starts to spark to counter-attack, a massive blast of dragon-breaths, hyper beams, bullet seeds, et cetera, smash into the barrier, bursting it. The explosion that follows releases a huge amount of energy, but this blast is blocked by one of Yami Benjy’s golden barriers.
As the explosion clears, the air sparks with static electricity, and Jirachi floats to the ground unconscious. Max runs towards it, with his arms outstretched. Just as he is about to catch Jirachi, Jirachi begins floating upwards in a blue beam, which confuses Ash and company.
The sound of a microphone turning on also makes Ash and company jump. QST.camera quickly zooms out to show Butler, standing on a metal circular platform about 60 feet off of the ground.
Butler: Ladies and gentlemen!
Max: Give Jirachi back!
Butler: I will in a minute–
Max: Give Jirachi back now!
@(20 Seconds) {
Butler: Sorry, but I can’t… hey!
Butler gasps as he sees that Max has jumped into the blue tractor beam pulling Jirachi upwards towards his floating platform. Yami Benjy has now recovered enough to stand, and carefully does so.
Butler: This time, I don’t need any volunteers from the audience!
Butler flicks his wand and shoots a blast of energy at Max.
Yami Benjy: Pixielite, mirror force!
Pixielite shoots upwards past Max creating a translucent barrier around it. Butler’s spell hits the barrier and, much to his horror, shoots back up at him. Despite this, Butler quickly creates a magical shield to protect himself from the spell; this works and the spell bounces off harmlessly. Butler now tries to find an angle at which he can cast a spell at Max, but Pixielite is sure to stay in his way, with mirror force still active.
Ash and Coal now call on Taillow and Pelipper to attack Butler, and May calls on Beautifly seconds after. To counter this, Butler calls on Kirlia, Dusclops, and a Salamence.
Dusclops uses ice beam on Taillow, but Pelipper blocks the attack, and then returns fire with it’s own ice beam doing heavy damage to Dusclops. Beautifly attacks Kirlia with silver wind, but Salamence intervenes, causing Kirlia to only take minor damage and attempts to use flamethrower on Beautifly, but is blocked by Pelipper’s hydro pump, resulting in a steamy explosion.
QST.camera switches down to where Max is rapidly trying to climb up the tractor beam to get to Jirachi, and is approaching it.
Max: Just a little more…
}
Max’s comment diverts Butler’s attention from where he was focused on the sky battle. Butler pushes a button and the suction increases, pulling Jirachi into the machine, at which point the tractor beam overloads and shuts off, leaving Max to fall.
Cutscene() { Seeing this, May screams. }
This scene goes from Max falling, to what Pixielite sees at the 20-foot mark.
As Max falls, Pixielite grabs ahold of him with it’s tractor beam, flapping furiously to slow their descent. This doesn’t do much, and as Max hits the 20-foot mark, Pixielite begins to glow. Max shuts his eyes, and braces for impact. Another scream is heard in the distance, as is a rustling in the bushes.
New Scene()
May and Brock run to catch Max but aren’t anywhere near fast enough. The glow of Pixielite’s metamorphosis is seen in the distance. As they run, an immense gust of wind blows past them.
New Scene()
Satolite (was Pixielite) flies through the air holding Max in it’s tractor beam.
Max: Am I… Dead?
QST.camera briefly synchronizes with Max’s field of vision as he slowly opens his eyes and is startled to find himself in the air. Max quickly calms himself as he realizes that Satolite is holding onto him.
Max: It must’ve evolved just in time…
(QST.camera now desynchronizes with Max’s vision) Max stares down at Ash, Yami Benjy, Coal and Dianne. It now is apparent that Yami Benjy was also running to catch Max, but tripped and fell. From the ground, Coal’s Blastoise counters another one of Salamence’s attacks and an explosion rocks the sky. Neither side has been able to defeat the other, although Dusclops has taken heavy damage, and Pelipper isn’t looking to good either.
Butler: And now for the main event!
Jirachi emerges in Butler’s machine as the machine’s main system starts to power up. Jirachi’s third eye now fires another beam at the Millennium Comet.
Dianne: Butler, STOP!
Butler: It’s too late, my dear!
Salamence ducks back behind the platform to avoid the attacks of Blastoise, Feraligatr, Swampert, and now Bayleef and Satolite, and Butler creates a magical barrier around the platform. Beautifly, Taillow, and Pelipper attack it from above, but their attacks all bounce off.
Butler: An now, ladies and gentlemen! Prepare to see the true work of a magician!
With this, the energy from the Millennium Comet shoots out of the platform and along a previously unseen wire to another platform where a laser is located. Here the laser looses a powerful stream of energy into the ground.
Brock: Wait a second, why go to all of this trouble if he’s just going to put the energy into the ground anyway?
Coal: That’s a highly concentrated anima beam, not to be messed–
Coal is cut off as Blastoise roars, being hit with a powerful spell.
Coal: Blastoise, return!
Butler fires another spell at Ash and Pikachu, but they dodge and the spell crashes into the ground where it creates a dusty explosion. Obscured to Butler by the dust, Ash and Pikachu regroup as Satolite lands Max nearby.
Ash: I don’t know what you’re doing, but–
Ash cuts himself off as Dianne approaches from behind them.
Dianne: He’s trying to create a Groudon. (distressed)
Refresh Scene()
In the dust cloud, Pikachu’s ears perk up as it detects something approaching. In an instant, the spell is blocked by Satolite’s mirror force, and goes shooting back at Butler, who blocks it with another barrier. Butler looks down as smiles as he sees Dianne, Ash, and Max running under the trees for cover.
Above them, Kirlia strikes Taillow and Beautifly, forcing the two of them to fall back. Pelipper fires hydro pump at Kirlia, but it is blocked by the barrier. Realizing this, Pelipper falls back as well.
New Scene()
Ash and company gather with Dianne in the cover of the forest.
May: What’s he doing?!
Coal: What do you think he’s doing?!
Dianne: He’s trying to create a Groudon. And with all that anima…
Brock: That’s really messing in the Gods’ domain…
Dianne: You mean the Elder Gods’ domain…
Ash: Your saying that he’s become–
Coal: No. Not by a long shot.
Ash: I’m confused then…
May: Me too…
Max says nothing, but silently gazes up at the platform.
Coal: By my calculations Jirachi should be fine, for a little while anyway.
Max gulps.
Coal: Jirachi does this all the time. The problem is that like most mad scientists, Butler doesn’t know what he’s doing.
Yami Benjy: Out with it then, do you know what he’s doing?
Coal: Not completely, but it sure as (bleep) isn’t going to make a Groudon.
New Scene()
The laser has now completed half of Groudon’s face.
Coal.voiceover: Making life just isn’t that (bleep)ing easy.
Revert Scene()
Brock: So what do you recommend?
Coal: Stop him and stop him fast. Ash–
Ash: What?
Coal: You and Max get Jirachi out of that machine.
Ash: How?
Coal gestures behind Ash, and Ash and Max turn around to see a Flygon sitting in the grass.
Coal: Someone just volunteered…
Ash starts to walk towards Flygon, but Max seems to scared to move. Flygon moves towards them, seeming to beckon them aboard.
Coal: Benjy, can I borrow Satolite?
(Coal looks at Satolite as if to ask its approval as well)
Satolite: Coo?
Coal: I’m going to engage him directly.
Yami Benjy looks to Satolite, which nods slightly. Yami Benjy then nods in approval to Coal.
Coal: The rest of you: Brock, Dianne: find a way to stop that anima ray. Benjy, May, find a way to cut those cables!
Yami Benjy: He called on you.
The Millennium Gameboy Advance glows slightly, and everyone nods in agreement with Coal.
May: Um…
May appears to be touching something invisible, and Max begins to cry.
Ash: Are we trapped?
Coal: What?!
Benjy: Let me–
Benjy reaches for the barrier, but Benjy can’t grasp it. May now confirms that the barrier is gone. Ash helps Max onto Flygon and then boards himself.
Coal: Let’s roll!
New Scene()
Butler smiles down at Ash and company.
Butler: That should hold them for a little while.
Butler turns back to his machine, which has a completeness meter reading at 8%. It changes to 9% as Butler watches.
Ash: Hey you! Give back Jirachi!
Butler turns to see Ash and Max on Flygon shooting out of the thicket.
Butler: Why didn’t it hold them?
Butler: Grr… Tesserum Clarlador!
Flygon deftly moves to avoid the spell, as well as several that Butler hurls after it, following up with a blast of dragon-breath, which is blocked by the barrier surrounding the platform. Following this, Butler hurls a spell that barely misses Flygon.
Ash: Pikachu, thunder!
Pikachu: Pika–CHUU!
Butler hurls a spell which collides with thunder, forcing Flygon to dive down to avoid a massive explosion.
Coal: Electric dragon’s field crusher!
Using the dust from the explosion as cover Coal strikes the barrier with an electrified kick. The barrier sparks for a split second and then shatters, shocking Butler, Kirlia, Dusclops, and Salamence slightly. Riding Flygon, Ash has Pikachu use thunder again as Coal attacks Butler with some thunderbolt-esque attack. Butler instantly conjures a pair of barriers to block the attacks, then orders Salamence to go after Flygon.
This split second delay is enough to allow Coal to land on the platform, and Coal punches Butler with a thunder-punch, almost knocking Butler off of the platform before he can be stopped by Kirlia’s psychic.
Butler: Transdrarp!
Coal reacts to the spell by creating a shield. Butler’s spell rebounds off of Coal’s shield, causing a small explosion.
Coal: Should be more careful around your own machine.
Butler now strikes Coal with his fist, and in collaboration with Kirlia’s psychic, manages to throw Coal off of the platform. He doesn’t fall far before Satolite’s rapidly flapping wings pick him up again.
Butler: You like to live dangerously I see…
Coal: The only thing that’s dangerous here, is you!
…///To Be Continued///…
©May 4, 2014 by Benjamin Strauss