New Scene(Previously_On_Trigamon) { … }
New Scene(@Temporal = Night)
An ambulance with lights flashing is parked outside the Oldale pokémon center. QST.camera zooms in on this ambulance. The back of the ambulance is now opened by Nurse Joy and another nurse, and Benjy is revealed to be inside on a stretcher. Ash, May, Max, Brock, and Ciri are standing by, Brock’s arm is in a sling and Ash is covered in bandages. The nurses put Benjy’s stretcher on a device to wheel it, while Benjy looks around.
Ciri: I never imagined…
Max: Didn’t expect him to go berserk like that.
Benjy: M-hm. Is it with you?
May nods. Benjy’s stretcher is now wheeled into the pokémon center, and Satolite lifts into the air with a flap of it’s wings and glides after the stretcher as it’s wheeled into the pokémon center. A pair of men with a badge in the shape of a nine-pointed star stand by, their badges illuminated by the light coming from the ambulance.
New Scene()
Benjy lies in a bed inside a pokémon center backroom with a dark cloth over his eyes. The lights are off, and Benjy seems to be in pain. The new nurse, as well as May and Ciri stand by his bedside.
<whispers>
Nurse: Well, given the symptoms, it looks like a standard migraine. So I think the best thing to do would be to treat it as one.
Ciri: Okay.
Nurse: However, if it was caused by that other consciousness, there’s almost no end to the things that could be wrong.
Ciri: I see.
Nurse: And the fact he’s from another planet, in another universe…
May: You really don’t know what’s going on, do you?
Nurse: Not really. But keep that device safe.
May nods, and QST.camera zooms onto her bag to show that the Millennium Gameboy Advance is tucked inside it.
</whispers>
New Scene()
In the night, QST.camera zooms onto the Mew Cafe which looks almost the same as in Tokyo Mew Mew, except it has a painting of the two Mews over the front, with their tails in a heart shape. The cafe is dimly lit, as Elliot unlocks the front door, and slips inside, locking the door after him.
QST.camera follows Elliot through the dining area into a hallway which leads up a small flight of stairs to another hallway. Elliot makes a right turn into a room full of computers, where Tornamistrik is sitting at a desk. He’s staring at a monitor that has a screenshot with three orbs pulsing with energy.
Elliot: Wesley…
Tornamistrik: Elliot…
Elliot: What happened out there?!
Tornamistrik: I don’t know, but I need to ask you a favor, which might seem a bit odd.
Elliot: What?
Tornamistrik: Please call me Tornamistrik instead of Wesley. I guarantee there’s a reason for it.
Elliot: Hold on! This is no time to change your name!
Tornamistrik: Wesley was an alias.
Elliot: What?!
Tornamistrik: It’s for safety reasons, that I need you to use the name I was born with. Please.
Elliot stares at Tornamistrik speechless, then his eyes fall on the monitor.
Elliot: What’s that?!
Tornamistrik: It’s a screenshot of the showdown. Aura-imaging technology.
Elliot: But there are two–
Tornamistrik: Exactly.
Elliot: Is one of them Zoey?
Tornamistrik: No. Zoey’s aura is negligible by comparison.
Tornamistrik walks over to the screen.
Elliot: But that’s where Zoey was standing?
Tornamistrik: Look closely. There are two aura’s here. Zoey’s is pink, this other one is more of a turquoise color.
Elliot points to a yellow circle on the screen.
Elliot: Is this Deep Blue.
Tornamistrik: No, this is the mysterious guy that showed up to fight him. Deep Blue is down here.
Elliot: They look evenly matched…
Tornamistrik: They were?
Elliot: It's how it looked.
Tornamistrik: This is surprising.
Elliot: Indeed, it's a black swan even, to even think that there would be someone else with a connection to Deep Blue…
Tornamistrik: There was another black swan also. I only sensed it’s aura for a couple nanoseconds, but given that there’s was no change in the articles of communion, it has to be some kind of guardian that most likely lives outside the realm of space and time.
Elliot: Why?
Tornamistrik: I honestly have no idea. Someone who could completely conceal his or her presence from the outside world.
Elliot: Probably a computer glitch then.
Tornamistrik: Could be. For some reason though, I’m just reluctant to dismiss it. Are the girls coming for sweets?
Elliot: In the morning.
Tornamistrik nods, and goes to sit down.
Elliot: They’ve all gone home for the night. But what I want to know about this new person.
Tornamistrik: The guy that attacked Deep Blue?
Elliot: Yes, him.
Elliot now goes over to the computer and starts opening pictures of Yami Benjy.
Elliot: He’s not a sky-elf… Doesn’t even have the ears that the Blue Knight had.
Tornamistrik: What else do we know about him?
Elliot: Not much. Some friends of Bridget’s showed up at the same time Deep Blue did, and he was with them.
Tornamistrik: Did you get their names?
Elliot: No. One of them was a spellcaster.
Tornamistrik opens some images on his monitor.
Tornamistrik: Hmm. I recognize this girl.
Elliot: ?
Tornamistrik: It’s Norman’s daughter, from the next town over.
New Scene()
Police cars are pulled up all around the battlefield, and uniformed cops with a badge in shape of a nine-pointed star scour the ground with flashlights, setting up barriers with posts and cones and yellow tape. Two police, one male and one female, are stuffing the deceased female sky-elf into a body bag.
Female Officer: I can’t wait to get the autopsy results back on this one.
Male Officer: Well, they have to come back sometime I guess.
Someone now calls out from the darkness:
???1: Someone get the big light!
???2: Coming Chief Sydney!
???1 ➟ Chief Sydney: I think…
Suddenly, the light on a giant crane is turned on, illuminating the Chief Sydney, who is examining a chunk of Deep Blue’s base, about a square foot in size. Chief Sydney squints from the bright light.
Chief Sydney: I think I need a drink!
Chief Sydney now stands up.
Male Officer: Chief! Should we lock down the scene?
Chief Sydney: Do the opposite. Make all results public.
Male Officer: But chief!
Chief Sydney: I don’t want any conspiracy theories brewing!
The male officer looks at Chief Sydney, concerned.
Male Officer: Whatever.
New Scene(@Temporal = Morning)
Ash, May, Max, Brock, and Ciri are in the pokémon center, sitting at a table having breakfast. Brock’s arm is still in a sling, and people are going in and out of the pokémon center behind them. On the wall above the counter, the TV is blaring with the news.
Max: I hate to admit it, but Ciri, I think this might be the best thing you’ve ever cooked.
Ciri: You’re keeping it down alright?
Max nods.
Ash: This? This is like hospital food… Well I guess best is relative.
QST.camera refocuses on Brock, who says nothing as he eats his breakfast. Then the ONBS news jingle plays and all five look towards the screen on the wall. QST.camera refocuses on this screen as well, where the news anchor (Anca) is standing behind a counter and in front of a green screen. A teenage boy in a blue sweater is standing by her side.
Anca: This is Anca reporting live from Oldale town with breaking news. The archeologists examining the remains of the exploded device have confirmed that it was indeed made by the sky-elves of fifteen–
And old man with white hair now walks onto the set.
Old Man: Excuse me.
Anca suddenly jumps.
Anca: Mr. White! I–
Old Man ➟ White: That wasn’t quite accurate.
Anca: Excuse me.
Anca turns back towards the news camera.
Anca: Uh, joining us is Mr. Norton White, a respected archeologist and the lead… um…
White: It’s okay. I’ve got it from here. We haven’t actually confirmed that it was the sky-elves that made the destroyed lost logia. But it was made in a way consistent with their technology.
Anca: And by that you mean?
White: If it wasn’t them, it was done they way they would have did it. But at this point, we’re ninety-nine percent sure it was their creation.
Anca: So…
White: We have no idea how old it is, though. Every measurement comes up different.
Anca: Excuse me, Mr. White. For those of you just joining us, we’re here in Oldale town covering a narrowly averted doomsday scenario. Evidence indicates that the sky-elves that lived here fifteen million years ago were working on a project to reclaim the planet, possibly killing every inhabitant in the process.
Anca swallows.
Anca: They plan they had supposedly used a lost logia made of super-condensed anima, which mysteriously exploded last night, bringing the plan to a grinding halt. The sky-elves clashed with a mysterious welcome wagon called "Team Mew" and bystanders, before being defeated by a mysterious entity which possessed one of the bystanders.
Anca swallows again.
Anca: We are honoring the bystanders have request to remain anonymous, however search efforts are ongoing for the Team Mew and the remaining sky-elves, as well as their leader, codenamed named "Deep Blue".
QST.camera shifts away from Anca, back to the table where Ash and company (minus Benjy) are slowly eating their breakfast.
Anca: We’re hoping to get a clearer picture as the day goes on. As well as why a small team of magical girls was assembled to handle the problem, instead of contacting the local authorities. Back to you, Mr. White.
May: It sucks that the contest got cancelled…
Ciri: They just pushed it back, May.
Max: Honestly, is that all you think about? The planet was almost destroyed!
Brock: Y’know, that happens pretty often according to what the investigators were saying.
Ciri nods.
New Scene()
From the sky, Dren looks down at the investigators.
Dren: What now?
Dren: Did I really do the right thing? Oy, there’s no need to think about that now. I need to help my people. By any means necessary.
Dren now warps.
Revert Scene()
Ripples appear in the pokémon center, and suddenly Dren appears, looking around.
Dren: I guess I never had much time to check out the place when I was working for Deep Blue.
Dren walks over to the table where, Ash and company (minus Benjy) are finishing their food. As Dren walks up to the table, everyone looks up and Brock nearly chokes.
Ash: Hey Dren!
Dren: Sure is anticlimactic, huh.
Max nods.
Ash: What are you going to do now?
Dren: Still trying to figure that out. I never thought Benjy would… Where is he anyway?
May: He’s um…
Dren: I never expected that he would fight Deep Blue to a standstill.
May: Well, it wasn’t really Benjy.
Dren looks over Ash and company (minus Benjy) looking confused.
May: You see, there are actually two Benjys–sort of.
Max: There’s his normal self, and then there’s this…
Max trails off as Dren looks thoughtful.
Dren: Just like that boy and Deep Blue… I think we should call him "Bright Yellow."
May: Benjy just calls him "Yami".
Dren: Hmm… Can I see him?
Brock: You’ll have to ask Nurse Debii–
At this moment Benjy walks out of the backroom, his arms lightly bandaged.
Max: I guess you can.
Dren now turns to Benjy.
Dren: Um, about last night…
Benjy: He went berserk.
Dren: ???
Benjy looks around, and Ciri offers Benjy some food, which he accepts.
Brock: Do you remember what happened?
Benjy nods as he takes a nibble of the bread Ciri gave him.
Benjy: Of course. Lets see. Basically, Yami me went berserk all of a sudden. I’ve never seen it like that. I was afraid to shut if off, or Deep Blue would have… You all saw what they were doing.
Brock: Shut it off?
Dren: You can do that?!
Benjy nods.
Benjy: I should probably start from the beginning for you, Dren. This other "me" isn’t in my body. It lives in that device I was wearing.
Benjy looks to May who nods.
Benjy: At first I thought it was an artificial intelligence, but it’s seeming less and less likely. Especially since it seemed to know Deep Blue personally.
Dren: It did?
Ciri: That’s news to me…
Benjy: Yes. Deep Blue called it "Maria" I think, or Mia maybe.
Dren looks dumbstruck.
Benjy: Anyway, if you wear it as a necklace, it can move your body, but only if you let it. It can be blocked with as little as a whim.
May: But the chain broke last night…
Ash: I was just going to say…
Benjy seems okay with this.
Benjy: I know.
Dren: Perhaps, that thing was designed specifically to combat Deep Blue, which might be how they know each other.
Benjy: I’ve never thought of that…
Brock: If it was, we’re lucky you had it on you.
Benjy: Maybe. Dren’s hypothesis makes a lot of sense, especially since it seems like it came from this universe.
Light now flashes in the background and Benjy cringes. The others all flinch as well, turning to face the throng of reporters who have gathered to take pictures of Dren.
Ash: So much for anonymity!
May: CIRI!
QST.camera shifts to Ciri who is shaking uncontrollably from head to toe.
Max: STOP IT!
May: YOU’RE GIVING HER A SEIZURE!!!
May and Max try to shield Ciri from the light, but she falls to the ground anyway. Pikachu sparks defensively, but the reporters keep snapping pictures.
Ash: CUT IT OUT! YOU’RE HURTING HER!
Reporter1: It’s freedom of the press!
Brock says nothing, but a fire appears to burn in his eyes.
Reporter2: It’s our right!
Benjy: Quickly, lets get her out of here!
Benjy looks to a Blissey, who quickly runs into the back and a moment later, two Blissey emerge with a stretcher. Dren warps Ciri onto the stretcher, and the reporters take pictures of this, which causes Ciri to thrash around more violently.
Ash: Pikachu–
Reporter3: Anything you do will be caught on film!
Ash: SO?!
Reporter3: Make it really easy to revoke your license, kid.
Ash curses under his breath and runs over to help get Ciri out of the way of the camera flashes, but they begin to follow Ciri and the stretcher, trying to get pictures of Dren who is trying desperately to prevent Ciri from falling off the stretcher.
Reporter2: You can’t escape the press!
Benjy: Ash, May! I’ll take them!
May runs over to where Benjy is holding the stretcher, and Benjy reaches for a poké ball.
Reporter4: Did you not hear us kid?
Benjy mimics Ash’s poké ball throwing pose, and calls on Bayleef, causing some of the reporters to cringe.
Reporter3: Attack and you can kiss your license goodbye!
Benjy: You’ll have to give me one first, mother (long bleep)! Bayleef! Razor leaf!
Max: That’s right, Benjy isn’t an official trainer either!
Bayleef shoots razor leaves at the reporters who flinch, and at least one drops their camera as they reach for poké balls.
Reporter1: We have pokémon too, you know!
Two of the reporters toss poké balls, followed by a third, as a Marshtomp, a Loudred, and a Magnemite are sent into battle.
Benjy: Bayleef! Magical leaf on Marshtomp! Shroomish, shadow blitz direct attack!
Benjy hurls Shroomish’s pokéball with his right hand while gesturing the Dren and the other members of Ash and company past him. A reporter now calls for Magnemite to use thunder wave on Bayleef, but Shroomish crashes headlong into it, causing it to flinch and dealing massive damage. Marshtomp shoots mud shot at Bayleef, who counters with a magical leaf attack.
QST.camera now cuts to everyone else as Ciri’s seizure becomes slightly less violent.
New Scene()
Ciri lies in a bed in the pokémon center with a nurse other than Nurse Joy by her bed side. Ciri’s Flygon is lying on top of her legs protectively, while Ash, May, and Brock stand across the bedside.
Ash: Are they really free to do that?
Nurse: Sort of. They can take pictures of whatever they want, but you can treat it as a declaration of war, and then kick their butts. Still, it could wind up as a lengthy legal battle if they try to get your license.
Ash: Okay, well Benjy’s handling it now.
New Scene()
A lady of about forty darts a small laboratory with clutter everywhere.
Lady: Where is it…? Where is it…? Ah?!?!
The lady jumps backwards as a chemical spills all over the floor. As the lady looks around her lab, the ONBS news jingle plays.
TV::Anchor: This just in, live from the Oldale Town Pokémon center:
QST.camera now cuts to the TV, while the lady bumbles about her lab. Behind her, the TV shows the battle between Benjy and the reporters. Benjy has Bayleef, Satolite, Shroomish, and Celebi all out and battling the reporters in the background. Every time the reporters try to get past him, Benjy has one of his creatures attack them.
TV::Anchor: An unlicensed, unofficial trainer is preventing us and other reporters from snapping pictures of one of the remaining sky-elves.
Behind the TV anchor, Celebi tosses a reporter across the pokémon center away from the door.
TV::Anchor: The trainer claims that he is not motivated by censorship, rather he claims he is trying to protect a girl having a seizure, claiming that our camera flashes are somehow hurting her. More on this story as it unfolds.
QST.camera shifts away from the wall-mounted TV and back to the scientist, who now has two spray bottles in her hands.
Narrator: At this time, the creators of Trigamon would like to highly encourage members of the press not to use camera flashes around the epileptic.
Bayleef’s cry can be heard, somewhat distorted, in the background.
Lady: This is what happens when there is no one to watch the watchdogs.
The lady now walks out of the lab, still holding the spray bottles, and QST.camera cuts back to the TV, where Satolite picks up a reporter trying to sneak by and throws him across the room.
Revert Scene()
As Ciri lies in the hospital bed, the deafening crash or a tripod breaking. resounds from out in the lobby. QST.camera now shifts back to the lobby, where reporters are still trying to get past Benjy.
Reporter4: Fellow reporters! It’s united we stand or divided we fall! If we all charge together, he can’t stop all of us!
The other reporters quickly agree, and then suddenly, all the reporters (15 to 20 in all) charge towards Benjy. Who suddenly looks freaked out.
Benjy: Bayleef, vine whip!
Benjy gestures to the front and back of the pokémon center, and Bayleef shoots out it’s vine whips which act as trip wires for the charging reporters, and the reporters in front trip and fall on their faces, and the reporters behind them fall on top of them. This causes Bayleef to cry out in pain, and Benjy quickly sets Celebi and Satolite to work to clear the reporters. As they do, Shroomish now hops onto the pile of reporters, and bites a woman in the buttocks causing her to yelp. This woman is quickly moved back across the pokémon center by Celebi’s psychic and Shroomish leaps off to bite someone else’s buttocks.
At this point, the doors to the pokémon center open, and the scientist from the previous scene enters wielding two spray bottles, and walks past Benjy. One of the reporters that hasn’t been moved back gets up and starts to follow her, but the woman sprays him in the face with something that causes him to crash to the floor on his hands and knees, rubbing his eyes.
QST.camera follows the scientist as the man cries out in pain, presumably from Shroomish biting his buttocks. QST.camera now shifts ahead to Ash, May, Max, Brock, and Dren. Ash, Brock, and Dren look nervous as she approaches, but May and Max seem to light up.
Max: Ms Wroshyr!
The lady (Ms Wroshyr) lets out a long sigh.
Lady ➟ Ms Wroshyr: Let’s see what we got here. Ciri?
Ciri doesn’t respond, but continues to lie in the bed still seizing, but only slightly.
Brock: I take it you’re Ciri’s mother?
Ms Wroshyr: I’m her aunt. Where her mother is is one of Fenyra’s great mysteries.
Ms Wroshyr puts her hand on Ciri’s forehead, and then looks over at Dren, who seems nervous.
Ms Wroshyr: I take it you’re the one they’re after.
Ash: Yeah, but they…
Ms Wroshyr: Ciri was caught in the crossfire, I got that. What’s your name?
Dren shivers.
Dren: Dren.
Ms Wroshyr: They’re after you, you know. Could I ask you to lead them away?
Dren: Sorry, but right now, I need to find someone who can help… Someone who can help my people; back on our planet.
Ash: I forgot about that…
Dren: Our environment changed, and we’re now in the midst of an ice age. Do you know–
Ms Wroshyr suddenly smiles.
Ms Wroshyr: You know that they’re suckers for drama right?
Dren: What’s this drama of which you speak?
Ms Wroshyr: What those people do is broadcast information across the planet.
Dren stares at Ms Wroshyr, dumbfounded.
Ms Wroshyr: Whenever something interesting happens, they go there immediately and report on it.
Dren: …
Max: Hey, is that why you…?
Dren nods.
Dren: Without Deep Blue, we need a new plan.
Ms Wroshyr eyes Dren curiously, and starts reaching for a spray-bottle.
Ms Wroshyr: The guy who caused all that trouble yesterday–
Dren leaps backwards.
Dren: Claimed he would bring us back here…
Ms Wroshyr prepares to spray Dren, but May puts her hand in the way.
May: Hold on! He just wants to help his species!
Ms Wroshyr: And this Deep Blue guy promised him that in exchange for…
Dren looks horrified.
Dren: This is bad. This might be underhanded, but I have to get to those broadcasters before she–
Ms Wroshyr still holds a squirt bottle at Dren, who quickly glances at Ash.
Dren: Until next time.
With this, Dren warps.
New Scene()
Dren warps into the pokémon center lobby where the reporters are almost wiped out.
Benjy: Dren–
Dren doesn’t respond to Benjy, but looks at the reporters.
Dren: So you people distribute information?
The reporters moan and groan, but don’t say anything coherent.
Benjy: Yeah, that’s what they do.
Dren now turns to Benjy.
Dren: Where can I find more of them?
Benjy: Well, these found you. I think they’re more out looking for you.
Dren: Thanks.
Benjy: But why are you looking for them?
Dren: Without Deep Blue, I need someone who can…
Dren trails off and Benjy appears to understand.
Benjy: Dren, when you talk to them, be sure to show emotion. The more emotion, the further it will–
Benjy is cut off as Dren yelps:
Dren: Aack!
Dren now warps, leaving Shroomish to fall to the floor.
Benjy: You! Return!
Benjy plucks Shroomish’s ball from his pocket and recalls it, looking nervous.
New Scene()
Ash and company arrive outside Ciri’s house, Ciri having regained consciousness. Ms Wroshyr walks up the front steps to the house, and Ash and company follow. Upon arriving at the porch, Ms Wroshyr unlocks the front door.
Ms Wroshyr: Pardon the clutter, we don’t have guests very often.
Ms Wroshyr now opens the door, allowing Ash and company into the living room, which is roughly square, being about 12 feet wide, although it looks like less due to the densely packed furniture. A kitchen is behind the living room, and they are connected by a door on the right side of the back wall (facing into the living room from the doorway). right behind it, there is a small hallway, and a spiral staircase leading upwards attached to the hallway.
Ash and company enter the living room, following Ms Wroshyr, who disappears around the corner into the kitchen. Ash, Brock, and Ciri sit down in the chairs, and May and Max sit on a sofa while Benjy seems hesitant. After a few moments Benjy closes the door behind him, and re-locks it.
Max: She’s not coming back you realize.
Brock seems confused, so Max clarifies:
Max: She went back to her lab in the basement.
Ciri: She’ll be back eventually. And when she offers you something to drink, don’t drink it.
Ash and Brock both look nervous, but Ciri appears to collapse into her chair to relax, appearing relieved to be home.
Ash: And why is that?
Ciri replies without missing a beat.
Ciri: Because it was made in her lab. She’s not the best at preventing cross-contamination either, so you’re probably drinking residue from three or four experiments.
Brock: So I take it your aunt is a chemist?
Ciri shakes her head.
Ciri: She’s not, at least by training.
Ciri lets out a small sigh, then looks up at Benjy.
Ciri: Aren’t you exhausted?
Benjy shakes his head.
Benjy: Yami me did the fighting, not me.
Despite this, Benjy sits down on one of the chairs anyway.
Benjy: Do we still have him?
May nods, and extracts the Millennium Gameboy Advance from her bag. Before May can offer it back to Benjy, he interjects:
Benjy: It’s okay–it’s not time yet.
Benjy appears to now start staring off into space. As he does, footsteps can be heard from the kitchen, slowly growing louder. After a few moments, Ciri’s Aunt arrives carrying a tray of six cups of some teal-colored liquid.
Max: That was fast.
Ms Wroshyr: You kids want something to drink?
One after another, starting with Max and ending with Benjy, Ash and company politely decline, which appears to make Ms. Wroshyr slightly disappointed.
Ms Wroshyr: Well, I’ll leave this here in case you guys change your minds.
Ms Wroshyr places the tray of unknown liquids on a small shelf on the wall.
Ms Wroshyr: Ciri, do you know if the battle last night means the end of the predasites?
Brock: What’s a predasite?
Ash: Is that some kind of new pokémon?
Ciri: I heard that one escaped last night, so I doubt it.
Ciri now turns to Ash.
Ciri: Predasites are her name for the chimeras.
Ms Wroshyr: Chimeras… I still like predasite better, but I guess chimera fits. I just hope your little battle last night was the end of it. You guys took out over half of the downtown.
Ciri: Well, I’m calling it a success. They were trying to wipe out all life on the planet!
Ms Wroshyr: Trying is not the same as succeeding.
Ciri: Well duh… Wait–
QST.camera now cuts to May and Max, who are staring at Ms Wroshyr, horrified. Ms Wroshyr now has a twinkle in the corner of her eye.
Ciri: You aren’t thinking of trying to outdo–
Ms Wroshyr shakes her head, and Ciri lets out a sigh.
Ms Wroshyr: Not here anyways.
Brock: Are you (bleep)ing insane?!
With a smile, Ms Wroshyr turns to go.
Ms Wroshyr: Sometimes I wonder the same thing.
Ms Wroshyr now returns to the kitchen, and on May’s belt, Skitty’s pokéball rocks. Skitty then lets itself out on May’s lap, and instead of chasing it’s tail or something just as cute, stares at the tray of cups of liquid and bristles it’s fur. QST.camera now shifts to the cups of liquid on the tray, which are mysteriously starting to bubble. Ciri jumps out of her chair, eyeing the liquid nervously as it bubbles. By Ciri’s stance, it’s not hard to tell that she’s getting ready to cast a spell, should she need to. Over the next couple seconds, the green liquid starts to bubble more violently, and then spatter over the edge of the cups onto the tray.
Upon touching the tray, the liquid immediately starts to fizz, and then starts to freeze the tray, as well as the outside of the cups. QST.camera now split-screens on Ash and company, plus Pikachu and Skitty, before placing the tray in the center of the screen.
As the cups freeze, they start to dissolve, leaving a bubbling green mixture of paper, wax, and a mysterious liquid in the rapidly freezing tray. The liquid continues to bubble for about two seconds before a large crack appears in the tray. Before anyone (aside from Ciri) knows what’s happening, the liquid drips through the cracked tray and starts freezing the shelf, then suddenly the whole concoction detonates, destroying the shelf, singeing the wall, and throwing mystery concoction at Ash and company, although this is blocked by Ciri’s shield. Ciri then lets her shield up, and the liquid drops on the ground where it begins to fizz.
Brock: Are you sure it’s safe to be here?
Max: May and I have stayed overnight, so…
May: I still can’t believe that they pushed the contest back an entire week.
Ash: So what are you going to do Ciri, now that the whole Deep Blue story is coming to light?
Ciri stares at the destroyed shelf.
Ciri: It’s not over. The battle may be won, but the whole incident leaves a nasty stench in my mouth.
Brock: Don’t you mean a taste in your mouth?
Ciri: You know what I’m talking about. Specifically, I’m concerned that the person in charge of the resistance may be up to no good.
Ciri now turns around to look at the rest of Ash and company.
Ash: But why?
Brock: Think about it Ash. Why didn’t they go to the police immediately?
Ash: Didn’t want to cause panic?
Ciri: Doubt it. That’s not how these things work.
Ash: But you weren’t going to call the police either.
Ciri: Only because I underestimated the severity of…
Ciri trails off, scanning the room.
Ciri: Whomever was planning the welcoming committee had a much better idea of what they were up against. Which scares me.
Max: Ciri, it scares you?
Ciri: The best case is that they were simply stupid.
Brock: So you think we should get out of here?
May: But the contest–
Ciri: This isn’t the kind of thing it makes sense to run from. If we don’t take care of it now, it’s going to just be a bigger problem later.
{Ash, Benjy}: Wait… That’s just like what Coal said when:
Cutscene<Flashback::"Operation Mirage Freedom">() {
Ash and company (+Misty) are flying in the air, having missed the ground after the MOAB burst. Team Rocket quickly fly away from Ash and company as Pikachu sparks. Ash flies up to Pikachu, and it lands on his shoulder.
Coal: Quickly everyone! After them!
Ash: Why?
Coal: They’re up to something big.
Misty: Like what?
Coal: I don’t know. But unless we stop them now, what they’re doing could become a bigger problem later. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Everyone! After them!
}
Ash: So this is the same thing I guess.
Brock: Um, I don’t think we should be really be sticking our noses into what’s not our business.
Benjy: If it takes out half a city, it’s everyone’s business.
Brock: You have a point, but why not let the police handle it from here?
Ciri: You’re really not that stupid, are you?
Brock flinches, cut down by Ciri’s remark.
Ciri: We can deal with it tomorrow though. I’d better make dinner.
Max immediately suggests that Ciri let Brock make dinner, and this is fine with both Brock and Ciri.
Refresh Scene()
May, Benjy, and Ciri are still sitting in the living room while Brock cooks in the kitchen. Benjy stares at the Millennium Gameboy Advance in his hands.
May: Um, are you going to put it on?
Skitty meows in May’s lap. Benjy shakes his hand.
Benjy: Not yet. The chain broke if I recall.
May: Was that a special chain?
Benjy: Maybe? I don’t know. It came with it.
Ciri: I was going to say, if it didn’t, that maybe by attaching a chain created a circuit which allowed it to… I don’t know.
May: We could still try it.
Benjy: We could. But if what Dren said was right, then it might have fulfilled it’s purpose and might no longer work.
Benjy shivers before adding:
Benjy: It’s a good litmus test. Ciri, how do you plan on investigating this time?
Ciri: I’ve been being silly. This time, we have to go the direct route.
Ash enters the room, as May and Benjy stare at Ciri in confusion.
Ciri: I should’ve pressed Bridget harder for information when she first told me…
May: You didn’t?
Ash: Well, if you press someone too hard, you’ll just make them upset.
Ciri: That’s true. But I should’ve trailed her. It would have been easier that what we’re doing now.
Benjy: So the plan is?
Ciri: Press them harder. Find them, interview them, trail them if need be. We’ve got a week before the contest. And I need your other self, Benjy.
Benjy: To be honest, I do feel kind of vulnerable with out him…
Benjy looks around wildly.
Benjy: Didn’t mean to say that out loud–I mean.
Ash: Ciri, Brock was wondering something.
Ciri looks at Ash, curiously.
Ciri: What?
Ash: Could you have beaten Deep Blue if Benjy’s other self didn’t go berserk?
Ciri: We could have.
Ash: Um… How?
Ciri’s voice becomes solemn
Ciri: The buffer spell keeps working after it’s caster’s death. If the caster dies, they still take the damage, but the buffer is increased to half your health. The battle might have lasted months, but you would have stopped him eventually.
Brock pokes his head around the corner.
Brock: That’s not the answer I’m looking for–
Ciri: You mean if I was alone? Still yes, technically.
Ash: How?
Ciri: I’m not going to say.
Brock: I’m serious, Ciri. I don’t want you to get yourself killed. You’re not invincible!
Ciri: But I do know forbidden magic.
Ciri glares at Brock, and about one second later, the noise of a pot boiling can be heard, so Brock darts back into the kitchen.
Ash: What kind of forbidden magic?
Ciri: I’m not telling.
Ash, with Pikachu on his shoulder, stares at Ciri looking disappointed.
Ash: Why is it forbidden?
Ciri: Ash, forget I said anything.
Ash shakes his head.
Ash: I’m not forgetting!
Ciri: Then come back when you’re ready to learn it.
Ciri now seems to relax, and lies back into her chair.
Ciri: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
Ash looks at Ciri nervously.
Ash: If you say so…
Ash turns and walks back towards the kitchen.
New Scene()
Ash and company (save for Ciri) are sitting around a dining table with Ciri’s aunt. Benjy appears nervous as he eats his food.
Ms Wroshyr: Ciri, why can’t you cook like this?
Ciri: Because I learned from you.
Brock leans over and whispers to Max:
<whispers>
Brock: They’re quite dysfunctional.
Max: You haven’t seen anything yet.
</whispers>
Ciri takes a bite of her food, and Brock notes that Ciri seems to prefer vegetables to anything else.
Ms Wroshyr: So what are you kids planning for tomorrow?
Ciri: I’m going to have to go talk to Zoey. Not sure about everyone else.
May: Well, I guess I’m going to practice for the contest in a week.
Ms Wroshyr: That’s right, May, you’re a trainer now.
Max: Oh, I have a pokémon too!
As Max says this, Jirachi teleports an asparagus from the table.
Ms Wroshyr: Does Norman know?
Ciri: Sorta. He doesn’t know it’s Max’s.
Ms Wroshyr: You know, you really shouldn’t keep secrets.
Ciri: Has it been that boring?
Ms Wroshyr: Still don’t know why the power supply keeps shorting out.
Brock: Speaking of which, those drink you served us exploded…
Ms Wroshyr: Did they?
Ash: Uh, yeah. The tray froze and–
Ms Wroshyr: Well, I was expecting that you’d drink them. Your stomach acid would have neutralized… Oh never-mind. So I take it you’re all coordinators?
This comment appears to make everyone at the table nervous.
Ciri: Just May, Amelia.
Ms Wroshyr: I see.
May: Benjy too.
Benjy: No I’m not.
May: But you were in the contests!
Benjy: So far I’ve had two contests and a gym battle, that doesn’t make me–
Ms Wroshyr: So what are you after?
Benjy: I’m just on my way home.
Max: Hopefully.
Ms Wroshyr: Where do you live?
Benjy: That’s a long story.
Ms Wroshyr’s eyes start to sparkle.
Ash: I’m trying to qualify for the Hoenn league.
Ms Wroshyr: Uh-huh. Uh-huh. So where do you live?
Ash: I’m from Pallet Town, um…
Ms Wroshyr now turns her body more towards Benjy.
Benjy: I …uh… come from far away.
Ms Wroshyr: I gathered that, but where?
Benjy looks towards the rest of Ash and company for help.
Brock: We’re really not sure…
Ms Wroshyr: Then how do you know you’re not already there?
Benjy: What is with this lady…
Brock: Because we’re here, and here isn’t there, and uh…
Ms Wroshyr: I bet you’re thinking that I won’t believe you.
Benjy: Well, that is what normally happens.
Ms Wroshyr: Well, I’m sure you’ll tell me eventually.
Brock: So, uh, what are you working on?
Ms Wroshyr’s eyes sparkle.
Ms Wroshyr: Do you know what storysolvers are?
Brock: Uhh no…
Ash: Well…
New Scene(@Temporal = Night)
Benjy sits on the foot of Ciri’s bed as she looks around the barely-lit room. May is lying next to her bed, on the floor in a sleeping bag. Benjy is holding the Millennium Gameboy Advance in his hands. A thin cord is attached to it in place of the chain.
Benjy: Story…solvers.
May: Have you heard of them?
Benjy: It’s a term that I thought I made up as a kid.
Benjy: Unless… Unless what I’ve imagined are also real here! But that would make this–
Benjy suddenly starts shaking violently.
Ciri: Are you okay?
Benjy: I don’t know. I just–I think I’m dreaming.
May: What makes you say that?
Benjy appears to hesitate:
Benjy: Let me think of the best way to phrase it…
Ciri now gets off her bed, and stands up to stare out the window.
Ciri: I don’t know how to prove it to you, but this is not a dream.
Ciri now turns to face Benjy.
Ciri: I think, therefore, I am.
Benjy: You parrot a famous quote by philosopher René Descartes, therefore you are not.
Benjy puts his head in his hand, and May cringes expecting a reaction from Ciri, but to her (May’s) surprise, Ciri seems to smile knowingly.
Benjy: Sorry, I didn’t mean that…
Ciri: It’s a brilliant comeback. I haven’t heard that name before though.
Suddenly a knock resounds on the door, and May, Benjy, and Ciri all look up. The knock comes again, and then the knob turns, revealing Ms Wroshyr in the doorway.
May: Ms Wroshyr!
Ciri: Amelia!
Ms Wroshyr: You’re from Earth, aren’t you.
Ciri suddenly blushes.
Ciri: Were you listening in?!
Ms Wroshyr: René Descartes is the main character in a novel by G.L. Driver, which takes place on a fictional planet called Earth.
Benjy stares at Ms Wroshyr, speechless.
Ms Wroshyr: What’s your last name, Benjy.
Benjy: …Stratos…
Ms Wroshyr: That sounds more Mid-Childan. You’re an enigma.
May: Earth was the planet you said you were from, right?
Ciri: This doesn’t make any sense! How can someone who’s sitting next to me be from a planet that doesn’t exist! There’s got to be an explanation, but if I ask a question they’ll realize that I have no idea what’s going on! They probably suspect it, but I won’t confirm it!
Benjy shifts on the bed uneasily.
Benjy: Yes, I’m from Earth.
Ms Wroshyr’s eyes appear to twinkle in the darkness.
Ms Wroshyr: This is incredible, a real live earthling…
Benjy starts to back away from Ms. Wroshyr.
Ms Wroshyr: …shows up right in my house. Different authors have different names for that planet, but "Earth" is by far the most common. Driver stole the name from Reenii, Reenii from Polyplade, and Polyplade from someone even more ancient. Tell me, there are other names for your planet, no?
Benjy: …
Ms Wroshyr: Some call it Gaia, others call it Terra Firma. As a little girl I read about it. Seven continents, over one hundred countries…
Benjy: And you’re sure it’s fictional?
Benjy: Which would mean that–
Ash, Max, and Brock have now gathered behind Ms Wroshyr.
Ms Wroshyr: Somethings are both fictional and real.
Ms Wroshyr steps aside to let Ash, Max, and Brock into the room.
Ash: What do you mean by that?
Ms Wroshyr: A long long time ago, in a place far far away, there existed people known as storysolvers. They were not a race, but rather, storysolving was a profession, just like a journalist or a police officer.
Benjy: I could’ve sworn I made up that term…
Ms Wroshyr: The lab’s actually better suited for this story.
May: Why is that?
Ms Wroshyr: Because this isn’t some story you tell kids to put them to bed. This is the story that defines, or rather transcends fact and fiction.
Max: So it’s neither true nor false?
Ms Wroshyr: It’s neither true nor false, yet at the same time both true and false. But lets talk in the lab.
With this, Ms Wroshyr exits the room into the hallway, and heads down the stairs.
Ash: So lets go…
Benjy: Hold on.
Ash, May, Max, Ciri, and Brock all turn to Benjy.
Benjy: I’m going to tell you this now, because it might just turn out to be important.
May: Huh?
Pikachu: Pika?
Brock: Benjy, we’re listening.
Benjy takes a deep breath, and shivering, begins to speak.
Benjy: The term storysolver is something I thought I made up as a little kid. I was probably four at the time.
Ash: Okay…
Benjy now stands up, holding the Millennium Gameboy Advance.
Max: That’s it?
Benjy: Yeah. Lets go.
Ash: I don’t understand…
Benjy: It might mean nothing, but in case it doesn’t, I want us all on the same page.
Max: Wow, Benjy, you’re really shaking.
Brock reaches over and tries to steady Benjy but Benjy pulls away on reflex and falls down, almost on top of May. May quickly helps Benjy to his feet.
Benjy: The storysolvers I made up could enter into books by using a device attached to their hand, but offset slightly into the fourth dimension. They’d place the palm of their hand on the book, then disappear inside, into the story.
Max: Wow…
Ash: That’s pretty cool…
May: I wish I could do that…
Brock: Come on, Ciri’s aunt is waiting.
Max: She’s in no hurry, but we should go anyway.
With this, Ash and company exit the room.
Narrator: Don’t think for a split-second that we’ve forgotten about Team Mew…
New Scene()
Zoey sits in her bedroom, staring at her hands, which have mysteriously turned into cat paws.
Zoey: Someone… Help…
…///To Be Continued///…
© February 26, 2016 by Benjy Strauss