Ash Ascedant: Chapter 26

Hi all,

Here’s the third chapter for the week. 

Chapter 26

Blood dripped from Ash's knuckles as he stood over his fallen opponent. The creature's final twitches gradually subsided, its eyeless face frozen in what might have been surprise. The arena fell silent, thousands of clicking mouths suddenly still.

Ash backed away cautiously, keeping his eyes on the surrounding creatures. None moved to stop him as handlers dragged the corpse from the arena floor.

Guards appeared through the gate, gesturing for him to follow. He had no choice but to comply, though the collar was merely decorative now. They led him through a series of tunnels back to the cells. When they shoved him inside, he glimpsed Zinnia watching from between the bars.

The creatures departed, their footsteps fading into silence.

"You survived," Zinnia said, genuine surprise in her voice.

"Barely." Ash rolled his shoulders. "The bastard nearly crushed my windpipe."

He waited until the corridor fell silent before removing his collar again. Kneeling beside the dividing bars, he studied Zinnia's restraint.

"Hold still."

She pressed against the bars, exposing the collar's lock. Ash extended a slender spike from his finger, manipulating the metal into the mechanism. Her collar fell open with a soft click.

"Why are you helping me?" Zinnia rubbed her neck.

"Self-preservation." Ash retracted the metal. "You know this place better than I do. And you're clearly stronger. How did you get captured again?"

"These creatures are the same as us," Zinnia said. "Some are stronger than others, and I had the bad luck to encounter one of them."

"What else do you know about them?"

"They don't bond with Pokemon."

"Really?"

Zinnia nodded. "It appears that they treat Pokemon as enemies, the same as us. Some are even captured and used as entertainment in the arena."

"Interesting. Their cultivation must differ from humans."

"They have evolved differently." Zinnia paused. "Do you think they were once human?"

Ash froze. "What makes you say that?"

"Some clues I discovered as I was exploring."

Ash recalled the spacecraft he had found on the island. Could humans have landed here at some point and slowly evolved to become what they are now? It would make sense, as the environment differed drastically from the floors above.

The extreme heat, perpetual darkness, and toxic atmosphere would force rapid adaptation for survival. Over generations, eyes would become useless in the darkness, while other senses would develop to compensate. Their elongated limbs and peculiar joints likely evolved for navigating the complex underground terrain.

"How do we get these bars open?" Ash examined the cell door, noticing it lacked any visible lock mechanism. 

The metal bars extended into narrow slits in the floor—retracting downward rather than swinging open.

Zinnia studied the design. "I don’t know. There’s no lock to pick."

"Maybe there's another way." 

Ash knelt, examining the narrow channels where the bars disappeared into the stone. He pressed his palm against the floor, willing his Steelium to flow.

Liquid metal seeped from his skin, pooling momentarily before snaking into the thin gaps. Ash closed his eyes, concentrating as he manipulated the metal's movement deep into the mechanism below.

"What are you doing?" Zinnia asked.

"Finding the release mechanism." 

He pushed his awareness through the extending Steelium, feeling for any machinery he could manipulate. His metal touched something—gears and catches designed to hold the bars in place. He wrapped the Steelium around critical components and applied pressure in key locations.

A soft grinding sound emerged from beneath the floor. The bars shuddered and then slowly began to retract downward.

"Impressive trick," Zinnia murmured.

"Comes in handy." He peered cautiously into the corridor. "I need to find something they took from me. Where would they store our belongings?"

"I don't know," Zinnia replied. "We'll have to search the place. Keep quiet and don't make any noise."

They navigated through the confusing maze of passages, using their senses to navigate the darkness. Several prisoners called out to them, asking for help, but they ignored them. They didn't have the luxury to worry about anyone else.

They pressed themselves against walls whenever footsteps approached, holding their breath as the guards passed. If they stayed quiet, they were likely to remain unseen. As for the smell, the stench permeated the entire prison, so they would unlikely be singled out.

They continued in tense silence until Zinnia stopped abruptly. She released a Whismur from her pocket. The pink Pokemon materialised silently, immediately looking to Zinnia for direction.

"Aster, we need your help." Zinnia knelt beside the Pokemon. "Scout ahead and warn us of approaching creatures. We need to find a storage room that has our stuff."

Ash summoned Blade from his mind palace. The Drilbur appeared, immediately dropping into a combat stance.

"Can you tunnel through the walls?" Ash asked. "Might be easier than navigating these corridors."

Blade placed a claw against the stone, scraping experimentally. He shook his head, looking apologetic.

"Too hard?" Ash sighed. "No matter. Scout ahead with Aster. Same job—warn us of danger."

The Pokemon nodded and disappeared down the corridor with Aster.

They continued for another minute before Blade reappeared, gesturing urgently. Ahead, voices echoed—the distinctive clicking and chittering of the eyeless creatures.

"Two guards," Zinnia whispered after listening carefully. "Blocking our path."

Ash nodded to Blade. "Take them out. Quietly."

The Drilbur disappeared around the corner. Muffled thuds followed, then silence. When they rounded the bend, they found both creatures dead on the floor, their throats slit. Blade stood over them, wiping his claws to clean off the blood.

"Well done," Ash murmured.

They dragged the bodies into a side passage before continuing. After three more turns, they arrived at a heavy metal door.

"Let’s check it out," Zinnia whispered.

"Another guard inside,” Ash said. “Deal with them."

Blade slipped through a narrow gap beneath the door. Seconds later, the lock clicked, and the door swung open. Inside, another creature lay sprawled across the floor, dead.

“The guards aren’t that strong,” Ash observed. “The ones that captured me were much stronger.” 

“Makes it easier for us.”

The storage room resembled a small warehouse, with shelves stretching from floor to ceiling. Crates, sacks, and containers filled every available space. It was surprisingly well-organised.  

"Let’s start searching," Zinnia said, heading for the far wall where various bags hung from hooks.

Ash moved systematically through the rows, examining each shelf. Most of the seized items were weapons, primarily spears and throwing projectiles. After searching for a few minutes, he spotted his mask.  

It lay discarded on a workbench, surrounded by various tools. He grabbed it and checked for damage, finding several scratches marring its surface. Had they been trying to figure out what the mask did? 

The realisation sent a chill down his spine. They were surprisingly intelligent. He shouldn’t be so surprised. Had he been subconsciously looking down on them because of their horrifying appearance?    

Ash placed the mask on his face. The tendrils connected instantly, and the interface materialised in his vision. Diagnostic reports scrolled across his field of view, confirming all systems were functioning normally. The Giru robots remained intact, positioned somewhere nearby, but on standby mode to conserve energy.

"Got what you need?" Zinnia called from across the room.

"Yes." Ash stored the mask in his mind palace and walked over to her. 

She was rummaging through a backpack. Without a shred of modesty, Zinnia stripped her filthy uniform off, dropping it to the floor. Her naked body was covered in bruises, but that didn’t distract from her feminine charms.

Ash started to turn away but stopped when he noticed the tattoo covering her entire back—an intricate design resembling a map, with a pillar prominently displayed at the top.

Zinnia pulled fresh clothes from her bag. As she dressed, she glanced over her shoulder.

"Enjoyed the show?" A smirk played across her lips.

"The tattoo," Ash said, ignoring her taunt. "What does it mean?"

"No time to explain." She shrugged into a jacket. "We need to move."

The door burst open before Ash could press further. Five figures rushed in—Team Magma members led by a man whose presence made Ash's skin crawl. His cultivation radiated power beyond the Spirit Realm.

"Maxie," Zinnia breathed, her earlier confidence evaporating.

The Team Magma leader's eyes flicked between them, recognition dawning as he spotted Ash.

"You." Maxie's voice was unexpectedly soft, at odds with his imposing presence. "The boy from Oldale Town."

Ash said nothing, tension coiling in his muscles.

Maxie turned to Zinnia. "Consorting with the enemy, traitor?"

"A temporary alliance," Zinnia said, standing her ground. "The creatures are the enemies down here. We need to work together."

"Excuses." Maxie moved with blinding speed.

His fist slammed into Zinnia's stomach, doubling her over. Blood sprayed from her mouth as she collapsed, gasping. Ash started forward, but the other Team Magma members surrounded him, blocking his path.

Instead of fighting back, Zinnia raised her head. "Aster, now!"

The Whismur, previously unnoticed in the corner, opened its mouth. The sound that emerged was deafening—a wall of pure noise that rattled the shelves and made Ash's ears ring painfully.

In the distance, answering screeches echoed—the creatures were alerted to the disturbance.

Maxie's eyes widened. "You fool!"

He grabbed a metal case from a nearby shelf, tossing it to one of his subordinates before heading for the door. At the threshold, he paused, summoning a Pokemon from his mind palace.

"A parting gift."

A Blaziken materialised in front of him. At Maxie's command, it unleashed Flamethrower, igniting everything in its path. Flames roared across the room, consuming shelves and creating a wall of fire between Ash and the exit.

Steelium flowed instinctively, covering Ash's upper body as heat seared the air around him. Through the flames, he watched Maxie and his followers disappear into the corridor.

Zinnia lay curled on the floor, blood trickling from her mouth. The punch had done more damage than Ash initially realised. He crawled to her side, gathering her into his arms.

"We need to move," he shouted over the roaring flames.

He staggered towards the exit, Steelium protecting him from the worst of the heat. In the corridor beyond, clicking sounds echoed from multiple directions—the creatures converging on their position.

No point in subtlety now. Ash summoned Bastion from his mind palace. The Lairon materialised with a heavy thud, immediately lowering itself so Ash could climb onto its back. Ash recalled Blade, and Zinnia was coherent enough to recall Aster.

With Zinnia cradled against his chest, Ash settled between Bastion's ridges. "Go!"

Bastion charged forward, his powerfully built legs propelling them down the corridor. Behind them, creatures poured from intersecting passageways, their eyeless faces tracking their movement with unnerving accuracy.

Their only chance was speed now.

"Which way?" Ash demanded.

Before Zinnia could answer, the three Giru robots materialised in the air before them, their stealth deactivated. The interface in Ash's mask registered their presence, establishing a connection. He had never seen a more beautiful sight in his life.

"Follow them!"

Bastion charged after the robots as they zipped down the right-hand passage. The tunnel widened gradually before ending at a massive gateway. Heavy iron bars extending from ceiling to floor—similar to their cell doors but on a much larger scale.

"Same mechanism as the cells," Ash muttered, sliding off Bastion's back. "I can handle this."

He knelt beside the channel, pressing his palm against the cold stone. Steelium flowed from his skin, seeping into the narrow gap. Ash closed his eyes, concentrating harder than before—this mechanism would be larger, more complex than the cell doors.

"Hurry," Zinnia urged, glancing nervously back down the corridor.

A deep rumbling vibrated through the stone. The bars shuddered, then began a glacially slow descent into the floor.

"Not fast enough," Ash grunted, pouring more Steelium into the mechanism, forcing it to move faster than designed.

Metal squealed against stone as the bars retracted just enough for Bastion to squeeze through. 

"Go!" He remounted Bastion.

They surged through the opening and out of the prison.

What lay before them stole Ash's breath. A city stretched across the cavern floor—ancient stone structures rising from the darkness like jagged teeth. The metropolis extended farther than his enhanced vision could penetrate, swallowed by darkness in all directions.

"What is this place?" Ash whispered.

"Who knows?"

Creatures poured from the prison complex behind them, dozens strong and growing by the second. Bastion accelerated, thundering down a broad avenue that cut through the city.

"Shit," Zinnia hissed. "Too many."

She pushed herself upright in Ash's arms. “Time for some reinforcements.”

A Salamence materialised above them, its massive wings stirring the stale air. The dragon circled once before unleashing a devastating Dragon Breath across the pursuing horde. Creatures shrieked as fire consumed them, but others immediately filled the gaps.

"Exit ahead," Ash called, squinting at a dark opening in the cavern wall the Giru robots indicated.

A familiar figure appeared in the exit's mouth—Erika, waving frantically with Blitz hovering at her shoulder. She clutched Ash's steel board in one arm. Relief washed through him at the sight. He'd feared she'd been captured, left behind in the prison while he escaped.

"Hurry!" she shouted.

The creatures continued gaining despite Salamence's repeated attacks. The dragon couldn't handle their numbers alone.

As they approached the exit, Erika's variant Zubat appeared, a small bag clutched in its claws. The Pokemon flew over the pursuing horde, dropping its payload directly in their path.

The bag burst on impact, releasing a thick, greenish gas. Creatures stumbled and collapsed as the vapour enveloped them, buying them precious seconds.

"Recall your Salamence," Ash told Zinnia.

Zinnia complied, the dragon disappearing as they entered the tunnel beyond. Ash reached out, snagging Erika's arm and pulling her onto Bastion behind him. She clung to his back as they followed the tunnel's winding path.

Behind them, surviving creatures continued their pursuit, their clicks and screeches echoing off the narrow walls. But the distance between them gradually increased as Bastion maintained his relentless pace.

"What was that gas?" Ash asked over his shoulder.

"Just something I brewed up," Erika replied. “It screws with the creature's senses.”

"Effective."

"Not enough of it, unfortunately."

Ash retrieved his mask and put it on to help navigate through the darkness. The tunnel stretched endlessly before them. He glanced behind, but the clicking sounds of pursuit had faded. But he didn’t feel safe. Bastion kept running hard for the next thirty minutes.  

"Stop," Zinnia gasped. “I can’t breathe."

Ash signaled Bastion, who slowed to a halt. They dismounted carefully, Ash supporting Zinnia as she nearly collapsed.

"You all right?" Ash asked.

Blood trickled from the corner of her mouth, and her breathing came in shallow, painful gasps. Maxie's punch must have done some internal damage.

"Can you take a look at Zinnia?" Ash asked Erika. 

Erika kneeled beside the Team Magma member. Her fingers probed gently along Zinnia's ribcage, drawing sharp hisses of pain.

"Several broken ribs," Erika muttered. "One might have punctured something inside."

A warning flashed across Ash's vision—the Giru robots' energy reserves had reached critical levels. He sent a command through the mask, powering them down before returning them to his mind palace.

Erika reached into her pocket and withdrew a small vial filled with amber liquid. "This will help to stop the internal bleeding."

Zinnia swallowed the potion, grimacing at its bitter taste. After a moment, her breathing eased slightly.

"I know a safe place we can stay," Erika said. "It's a few hours from here."

"Great," Ash replied. "By the way, how did you escape from the creatures?"

"It was thanks to Blitz." Erika gestured to the Magneton hovering nearby. "When he saw you were too far away to be rescued, he carried me out of the fissure."

Ash reached up, patting Blitz affectionately. "Good job."

The Magneton buzzed, its units rotating in contentment.

"Where are we right now?" Ash asked, peering down the tunnel.

"A long way from where we were attacked," Erika replied. "It was only thanks to the robots that I found you."

Zinnia attempted to stand, wobbling slightly before finding her balance. "I can keep going."

"Let's not push it," Ash warned, but she was already hobbling forward.

"The longer we stay here, the more likely those things find us."

Ash nodded, retrieving his steel board from Erika. "I'll ride ahead and scout for trouble."

Ash led the way, with Bastion following behind, the women riding on his back.

After another hour, the tunnel began to slope upward. The air grew warmer, carrying a distinct sulphuric odour that intensified with each passing minute. Eventually, they emerged into a hellish landscape.

Lava erupted from numerous fissures across the rocky terrain, casting everything in an eerie orange glow. The heat pressed against them like a physical wall, immediately drawing sweat from their skin.

"This way," Erika directed, pointing toward a narrow path that snaked between lava pools.

They followed her lead, maintaining constant vigilance. Several times, they spotted Pokemon in the distance. Each time, they altered course to avoid detection. 

The path gradually descended into a valley where the temperature dropped noticeably. The air grew humid, and a noxious stench replaced the sulphuric smell.

"Bloody hell," Ash muttered, pinching his nose. "What is that?"

They entered what appeared to be a swamp, with murky pools stretching endlessly between a forest of twisted trees. 

"I thought the creatures would hate this place because of their sensitive noses," Erika explained. "The smell gets better further on."

Ash's board drifted lower, providing a better view of their surroundings. He spotted several large shapes protruding from the swamp, half-buried in muck. As they passed closer, he realised what he was seeing.

Aircrafts. Like the one he had seen on the island. Their metallic frames had corroded in the harsh environment, but their original purpose remained unmistakable. These weren't passenger aircraft but weapons—fighters designed for speed and lethality.

"Just what the hell is this place?" Ash asked.

"This is nothing,” Erika said. “Just wait and see what's ahead."

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

The swamp gradually thinned out, giving way to firmer ground covered in twisted vegetation. They crested a small rise, and Ash stopped dead, words dying in his throat.

Before them stretched a graveyard of aircraft—hundreds of jets and smaller vessels scattered across a massive clearing. Each bore similar damage patterns, as if they'd been struck from the sky by a single catastrophic event.

But the aircrafts weren't what left Ash speechless.

Beyond the graveyard stood a ship—if such a humble word could describe the monstrosity. It dwarfed everything around it, rising like a metal mountain from the earth. Even with significant damage and rust corroding its hull, the ship remained mostly intact. 

"Pretty cool, huh?" Erika said, breaking the silence. "Where do you think it came from? I've seen nothing like it on the seventh floor."

"The Pokemon World," Ash whispered.

"What?"

His mind flashed back to the video he'd watched in the underground facility—Dr. Malcolm describing the invasion from ships that "dwarfed the tallest skyscrapers." 

This had to be one of those vessels—a warship from the Pokemon World that had somehow been transported to the Tower during its creation. But how did it end up here? And what happened to its crew.

Erika led them towards the ship, pointing out a breach in the hull large enough to walk through. Inside, they followed a corridor. Though the ship's interior showed significant deterioration, certain sections remained relatively intact.

They arrived at a room where Erika had established a temporary home. Two rusted metal beds occupied opposite walls, while a blackened spot on the floor marked where she'd built a fire. She had built a stack of wood beside it.

"Welcome to my humble abode," she announced.

Ash summoned supplies from his mind palace—blankets, food, water. Erika busied herself starting a fire, using her flame affinity to coax the kindling to life. Soon, she had a small cooking setup, preparing a simple meal from Ash's provisions.

Zinnia settled against a wall, her face unreadable as she surveyed the room.

"You've been awfully quiet," Ash observed, approaching her.

"I know this place," Zinnia replied.  

"What do you mean?"

Without further explanation, Zinnia removed her shirt and turned, exposing her tattooed back.

Ash crouched behind her, studying the design. "What am I looking for?"

"The bottom right," she instructed. "It's small, but you should see the same ship and graveyard."

Ash's eyes widened as he found the section she indicated. There, rendered in remarkable detail given its size, was an unmistakable depiction of exactly where they stood. His finger traced the outline of the massive vessel.

Erika abandoned her cooking to join them, leaning over Ash's shoulder. "What's going on here? What is this map?"

"Do you know why Courtney came to the first floor?" Zinnia asked, glancing back at Ash.

"I didn't stop to ask her."

"She was looking for something," Zinnia continued. "This map is supposed to lead to a pillar. The map has been passed down in my family since the Tower's founding."

"Your family?" Erika asked.

"The Draconid people," Zinnia replied. "A tribe of Dragon-type Pokemon trainers."

"That's cool,” Ash said. “But why was Courtney looking for the pillar on the first floor? It's obviously not there."

Zinnia pulled her shirt back on, wincing as the movement aggravated her injured ribs. "I know. But some clues left behind by my grandmother suggested it was on the first floor. Maxie sent Courtney there, hoping she could find a clue to its location."

Ash snorted. "Well, this place could technically be called part of the first floor. There's no Tower separating them. Too bad Courtney didn't live to see it."

"I'm glad she's dead," Zinnia said. "She was a bitch."

Ash raised an eyebrow but didn't press for more details. "What's this pillar supposed to do?"

"It's supposed to hold a Keystone."

"A Keystone?” Erika asked. “Surely, you're joking."

Ash glanced between them. "What am I missing? What's a Keystone?"

Zinnia leaned back against the wall, her expression careful. "A Keystone is supposed to allow you to have some control over the Tower's systems. Controlling weather, the distribution of energy, and the ability to travel to any floor without the need for the Tower. Among other things."

"It's rumoured that the Overseers have one, which allowed them to take control of the Tower," Erika added.

"Is that why the Tower Association is so interested in this place?" Ash asked.

Zinnia shook her head. "Unlikely. They poke their noses into everything. They don't want anyone else to discover something that might threaten their power."

Ash studied her for a moment. "How did Team Magma learn about the Pillar? Why are you part of Team Magma?"

Zinnia turned her head. "I don't want to talk about it." 

"Suit yourself." Ash ran a hand through his hair. "Should we search for the Pillar ourselves? I don't know if I believe this Keystone exists, but it sounds like an interesting treasure hunt."

"Team Magma has already copied the map. We may come into conflict with them."

"Which means they may find this place." Ash paused, considering the implications. "You want to find the Pillar, right? It's part of your heritage."

Zinnia didn't say anything.

"Let's sleep on the decision," Ash sighed. "I'm too exhausted to think straight right now."

Erika returned to the fire to finish preparing their meal. She filled three battered metal plates with a simple stew and passed them around. They ate in silence, each lost in their thoughts.

The existence of a Keystone that could control the Tower seemed far-fetched, but he'd encountered enough impossible things to keep an open mind. If such an object existed, the power it would grant would be unprecedented.

He couldn't deny the temptation pulling at him. What had been his single driving goal for the past year? To ascend the Tower so he and his mum could live a better life. A potential shortcut to that dream wasn't something he would dismiss easily, even if his rational mind still harboured doubts about its existence.

Yet the thought of Team Magma seizing such power made his blood run cold. If the Keystone was real, putting it in Maxie's hands would be catastrophic. Even if Ash never located the Pillar himself, preventing Team Magma from finding it might be worth the effort alone.

He glanced across at Zinnia. Could he trust her? Her connection to Team Magma remained unclear, and her reluctance to discuss it raised red flags. Yet something in her demeanour when she spoke of her heritage seemed genuine. The Draconid people and their connection to this map might be his only lead into understanding what Floor Zero truly represented.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

While the girls slept, Ash seized the quiet moment to recharge his robots. He retrieved the first Giru from his mind palace and fed his energy to it. The robot's eye flickered as energy flowed into its systems, gradually brightening to full strength.

Once fully charged, Ash sent it outside with simple instructions—patrol the perimeter and alert him to any movement. He turned his attention to the second robot. He was halfway through recharging it when an alert flashed across his mask interface.

Giru One had detected something.

Ash switched to the robot's perspective, vision shifting to reveal a partially buried aircraft. A rhythmic metallic pounding emanated beneath the wreckage—sharp, deliberate impacts.

"Stay put," Ash instructed the robot, not wanting to risk its safety if a hostile Pokemon lurked below.

He rose silently, careful not to wake the others. Summoning his board from his mind palace, he slipped out through the hull breach and navigated through the graveyard. 

When he reached Giru's position, Ash summoned his Pokemon as a precaution. They approached the aircraft silently, trying to see what was creating the noise.     

The pounding stopped abruptly.

Moments passed in tense silence before a small figure crawled from beneath the aircraft. It stood barely half a metre tall, its body a vibrant red. A small crystal crown protruded from its head.

The creature brandished a tiny hammer, hissing a warning at Ash's approach.

Ash retrieved his Pokedex and aimed it at the Pokemon. The screen flickered before displaying: "This Pokemon is likely a variant of Tinkatink. Insufficient data for complete analysis. The base species is Steel/Fairy type."

A Steel-Fairy type. The combination immediately piqued Ash's interest. He wanted it.

"Blitz, engage," Ash commanded.

Blitz surged forward, electricity building between its magnets as it engaged the tiny Pokémon. The Tinkatink variant crouched, hammer raised defensively.

Thunder Shock lanced across the gap. Rather than dodging, the tiny Pokémon swung its hammer directly into the electrical current. The metal tool absorbed the electricity, channelling it through the handle and into the ground.

"Interesting," Ash murmured

Blitz's units aligned in a triangular formation, spinning rapidly until they blurred into a metallic sphere. The Gyro Ball launched forward, aiming directly for the Tinkatink.

The tiny Pokémon waited until the last possible moment before leaping aside with surprising agility. As Blitz zoomed past, Tinkatink hurled its hammer with devastating precision. The projectile struck Blitz, sending the Magneton spinning off-course.

Before Blitz could recover, Tinkatink retrieved its hammer—the tool flying back to its hand as if magnetised—and charged. It leapt into the air, hammer raised for an overhead strike.

Electricity erupted from Blitz's body just as Tinkatink's hammer connected. The resulting explosion threw the tiny Pokémon backwards, its body crackling with residual energy. Despite the powerful hit, it staggered upright, determination evident in its stance.

The Magneton sent another Thundershock. The lightning struck Tinkatink directly in its crystal crown. The Pokémon shuddered, dropping to one knee as electricity coursed through its body. With remarkable tenacity, it tried to stand again, raising its hammer defiantly.

Blitz didn't give it a chance. A second, more powerful Thunder Shock overwhelmed the tiny Pokémon's defences, finally rendering it unconscious.

Ash grabbed a pokeball from his mind palace and threw it. The device struck Tinkatink, converting it to energy in a flash of red light. The ball dropped to the ground, rocking violently as the Pokemon struggled against capture.

One shake. Two shakes. Three.

The ball stilled with a soft ping of confirmation.

Ash retrieved the pokeball, a smile spreading across his face. A Steel-Fairy type would make an excellent addition to his team—especially one that displayed such fighting spirit despite its size. Although he couldn’t bond with it yet, the anticipation alone served as proper motivation to continue training.    

He returned to his Pokemon. "Good work, Blitz."

He was curious about what the Tinkatink had been doing under the aircraft. The rhythmic pounding had sounded deliberate, almost as if the small Pokémon had been repairing something or perhaps extracting valuable components. Given its Steel typing, it might have been harvesting metal from the wreckage, either for food or to craft more tools like its hammer.

He'd investigate further, but it could wait until tomorrow.  

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Ash and the girls search for the pillar. I still owe the Artisan Path chapter, which will roll into next week.

Thanks for reading.