Ash's Story (Part 6: Unova)

Chapter 14: Scent Trail

Aspertia City looked nothing like Castelia when the ship reached the dock.

There were buildings, roads, people, and enough noise to prove it was still a city, but the air felt wider here. Trees grew close to the streets, and the lookout tower rose above the rooftops like the whole place wanted to breathe before running toward the future.

I stepped off the ship with Pikachu on my shoulder and Absol beside me. Alice followed close, still watching the dock exits more than the scenery. After Castelia and the Desert Resort, I could not blame her.

Golly checked the message from Professor Juniper before we even left the harbor path. "Professor Oak is calling through the Pokémon Center transfer line. He says it is urgent but not dangerous."

"That is the best kind of urgent," Cilan said.

Iris stretched both arms above her head while Axew blinked at the new city from her hair. "Then let's go before another evil team ruins the welcome."

No one laughed as much as we should have.

The Aspertia Pokémon Center was bright, clean, and calmer than I expected. Nurse Joy guided us to a transfer room when she heard Professor Juniper's name. A large screen lit up with Professor Oak's face, and Professor Juniper appeared in a smaller window beside him.

Oak looked relieved the moment he saw us. "Ash, Alice, everyone. I am glad you reached Aspertia safely."

"Professor," I said. "What happened?"

"The protected transfer finally cleared," Oak said. "The rest of the Pokémon you and Alice selected for Unova were delayed after the Zekrom storm. Then Team Rocket escalated in Castelia, and after the Meteonite incident, Juniper and I agreed not to release them into normal transport until the route was secured."

Golly exhaled through her nose. "That explains the missing transfer records."

"It does," Juniper said. "They were never forgotten. They were held because Team Rocket had already targeted Ash, Absol, Pikachu, and Zekrom."

Alice looked at me. "Then they were supposed to be with us from the start."

Oak nodded. "Yes. Pikachu and Absol stayed with you physically. The others were held under protected transfer until now."

The machine beside us hummed. Poké Balls appeared one after another in the transfer tray, each arrival carrying a familiar weight that made the room feel less empty. Butterfree and the pink Butterfree. Lapras, Meganium, Espeon, Crystal Steelix, Mantine, Sceptile, Shiny Gardevoir, Milotic, Infernape, Lucario, Abomasnow, and Magnezone.

I touched the tray gently. "Sorry it took this long."

Pikachu's meaning warmed against my cheek. "Family was waiting. Family arrived."

Iris stared at the tray, then at me. "You were carrying this many bonds in the background?"

"Not carrying," I said. "Waiting for them safely."

Cilan smiled softly. "A carefully preserved course, served only when the kitchen is secure."

Golly accepted the updated transfer report from Nurse Joy and saved it immediately. "From this point forward, the roster record is corrected. Nobody removes them to make the paper shorter."

Eve glanced at Alice. "Good. Nobody should disappear because the situation became inconvenient."

Alice nodded and placed her hand over Shiny Gardevoir's Poké Ball for a moment. "They are here now. That matters."

Oak's face softened when the last ball settled into place. "I know this delay created confusion. But after Giovanni's group proved they were willing to target you through transport, I would rather explain a delay than explain a theft."