"No, Torterra, I need you to stay here." Ash noticed Kellyn still favoring his left arm. He removed his hand from it and patted Torterra's nose, but the Pokémon whimpered. "You can become my Partner after this," Kellyn added, "but for now, look after my family, especially my little sister." He met Torterra's eyes. "Can you do that for me? Please?"
He, for sure, had the heart of a Ranger, and it left Ash wondering how they registered Partner Pokémon vs. Trainers. He hoped to find out eventually, but for now, the mission called.
Torterra and Kellyn exchanged glances for a little longer, and then Torterra slowly nodded and nipped at Kellyn's uniform.
He giggled. "Yes, I promise to register you as soon as we return. Thank you, buddy."
There was one clue for Ash: registering had something to do with a Ranger's Partner Pokémon, but where did they register them?
After saying goodbye to Torterra, Kellyn sauntered to Brock, who held Blu, and took him from him.
The Rainbow Bird was still asleep, breathing soundly, and his face was no longer red. If only Kellyn could rest, too.
Before leaving, Erma and Hastings approached the group, and Erma said, "Be careful, dears."
Hastings nodded. "Head for Altru Tower, find Parity, and help Almia." He looked at Kellyn. "Kellyn, I know you don't feel like it, but I have confidence in you. I know you'll grow into a wonderful Guardian."
Ash noticed a lump forming in Kellyn's throat.
He scrunched his face, but still turned red. "I'll try, Hastings. I don't want to be the downfall of Almia."
Which was why he needed Ash, his friends, Sven, and Wendy.
Everybody turned and waved goodbye to Erma, Hastings, Torterra, and the Ranger Union. They headed toward Union Road, and for the first time in a while, Ash felt that he was back in the game.
***
In a thicket further down Union Road, Team Rocket huffed and puffed while they dug a pit hole and covered it with a net, leaves, and dirt to blend in with the environment.
James and Meowth bumped into each other and slid onto the path.
"I'm pooped," James said, and Meowth agreed.
"Excuse you!" Jessie clenched her fist. "There's no resting here—not until we have those Rainbow Birds and the Torterra!" She held her shovel over her head for a second before lowering it.
"But I miss when we just went after Pikachu," Meowth admitted. "It was always one Pokémon to another."
"Hey!" Jessie said, stomping her foot. "I don't like this, either, but think of the riches! We'll finally be rich!"
Meowth and James thought for a minute. "True."
James cracked a small smile. "And the Ranger is injured…"
"Uh-huh." Jessie crossed her arms. "So, all we need to do is get him alone, catch him, and voilà!"
Meowth jumped up. "I can finally get my cat bed and a taste of the Rainbow Birds!"
James stood, too, and all three teammates clapped and cheered, "Let's go, Team Rocket! Let's go, Team Rocket! Let's go, Team Rocket!"
Jessie and James high-fived, and then they and Meowth hopped into the bushes and waited for their prey.
Jessie picked up a remote with a single button and held it close.
***
Ash and his friends, walking on Union Road, kept their eyes and ears open for any signs of danger.
Brock neared Kellyn, while Wendy and Sven searched the sky with their Partner Pokémon, and asked, "Why don't you let me carry Blu for a bit so that you can rest your arm?"
"No." Kellyn tightened his grip on Blu. "I'm fine, Brock—I can do this. I'm supposed to look after Blu until I get him back to Parity."
Ash was 100% sure Blu reminded Kellyn of Molli, but even big brothers needed help occasionally (Brock himself was one). And Kellyn looked like he was about to fall over. They needed to find a safe place for him to rest and head to Altru Tower in the morning. No Torterra meant that J had hopefully stopped tracking them for a bit (again, hopefully).
It appeared like Brock wanted to argue with Kellyn, but he, Ash, and Dawn turned when Wendy clenched her fist and said to her Staraptor, "Staraptor, let's fly up there and see if we can see anything."
"No, no," Brock said, blushing slightly. "Don't do that, Wendy."
She gave him an annoyed look. "Why, Brock?"
"Um… Um…" Brock's stutter was real, so Dawn intervened.
"J has a spaceship."
"Which means it's safer if we stay down here," Ash explained. They were in a thicket, so it wouldn't be easy for J to spot them from the sky.
"Ex-Exactly!" Brock quickly stated.
Sven must've taken that the wrong way because he gripped his hips and said, "I think Wendy's capable."
"Lux." His Luxray's fur sizzled with electricity.
"Hey!" Dawn was getting really good at standing up for her, Brock, and Ash. "How many times have you fought Hunter J, Mr. Know-It-All?"
Sven gritted his teeth.
Wendy held out her hand. "Guys, let's not fight. I trust you, Ash, Brock, and Dawn."
"Thank you!" Dawn said, giving Sven a sassy look. "That's what real maturity looks like, Sven."
He growled that time, but Wendy snorted and hid behind her hand, leaving him to glare at her instead. He then turned back to Dawn. "I'm the oldest here, so you follow my lead."
Dawn snickered. "Well, lucky for you, Ash, Brock, and I don't follow the rules."
That time, Kellyn snorted. It was weird and wonderful to see him, for once, amused, not serious. He and Wendy continued laughing while they jogged after Ash, Brock, and Dawn into the thicket, but Sven stayed behind for a bit, his cheeks puffed out.
"Pokémon Trainers," he muttered. "Why'd it have to be Pokémon Trainers?"
"Luxray," his Luxray agreed.
Even though a small, conflicted look crossed Sven's face, he chased after the others and occasionally glanced up at the sky again.
The group moved quickly in the opposite direction from Team Rocket's trap and, an hour and a half later, found themselves outside the thicket in a large park.
The Algarve Town-like cobblestone and concrete sidewalks reminded Ash of Pueltown, and then he heard Wendy say, "Welcome to Altru Park, just outside of Pueltown."
So they were close to Pueltown. Considering that they reached it on foot after leaving the Union only an hour ago, Ash had forgotten that Almia was smaller than Sinnoh.
"If what you three are saying about J is true," Wendy included, exchanging looks with Ash, Brock, and Dawn, "then yes, we should wait until morning, when Peace Tower is open, to climb up to the Luminous Crystal."
Wait, climb? Could Kellyn do that with his arm?
Wendy turned on her heel. "Follow me to the Ranger Depot. We can stay there tonight."
"No," Kellyn fought (he had remained quiet since Dawn sassed Sven), "we need to get to that Crystal tonight. If you guys won't, then I'll do it myself."
He kept trying to push the others away and refusing rest, and Ash was honestly getting a little sick of it.
Wendy looked like she felt the same. "And how are you supposed to get up there, Kellyn? There's no way I'm lending you Staraptor."
"And Blu can't teleport yet," Brock explained, placing his palm on Blu's back.
Kellyn removed one hand from him and clenched his fist. "I'll figure something out, but I'm the Guardian of Almia."
"You're hardly a Guardian," Sven mumbled.
While Ash hated it, he somewhat agreed with Sven. Kellyn definitely had potential, as shown with Torterra, but he had to learn to ask for help to become a true Guardian. He wasn't there just yet, as proven there; then again, he had been stationed in Sinnoh for a year, away from the Crystal, so perhaps he wasn't able to practice that title enough.
As if his morale wasn't already in shambles, Kellyn now looked offended and scared.
He closed his eyes, clutched his head, and said, "No, I need to get to the Luminous Crystal."
Right when he said that, the wind surrounding Ash and his friends picked up. There was a rumble of thunder, a flash of lightning, and it began to rain… hard.
"Whoa!" Ash said, and Pikachu's cheek pouches sparked. "Where did this come from?" Did Kellyn cause it? Was he giving in to darkness again? It was late, so there weren't many Wild Pokémon around to check his theory.
"We're going to the Ranger Depot right now," Wendy said, taking Kellyn's hand. "We're all tired and need to rest." With those words, she dragged Kellyn away, and the others followed.
Pikachu jumped with another thunderclap and fell into Ash's arms.
"Sorry, bud," he apologized, soon hearing Brock.
"Ash!"
Before joining them, Ash noticed a shadow further in Altru Park: Altru Tower. Whatever was happening to Kellyn, the Rainbow Birds, and the Luminous Crystal—everything would be answered in the morning, and Ash couldn't wait to learn it all.
Thanks for your patience, guys! The Act II finale and the Luminous Crystal, as well as a reintroduction to the Gem Guardians will be next chapter!