Not Everyone is a Steal-Type

Chapter 4: The Hero Needs to Act

Goh snuck into the bedroom without waking anyone up and was able to get a decent amount of sleep. He stayed up a couple more hours looking though the data on his own personal devices, piecing together a plan. Although he wasn't confident in his ability to pull it off, he knew with the help of his most important friend Ash, they could do it.

It was the next morning, right as they finished eating, when Goh decided to bring up his findings.

"Hey, Ash..." Goh wasn't completely sure how to start, but he knew he had to say SOMETHING. "I need to talk to you about something important."

Ash, who just finished his glass of milk, gently puts his cup down. He could see Goh's facial expression... he meant business. "What's wrong, Goh?"

Taking a deep breath, he starts off with the basic question. "Do you think Professor Cerise has been acting... odd... since we came back from Johto?"

"Hmm..." Ash begins to think. "Now that I think of it, I guess yeah. Why do you ask?"

"I need you to promise me you'll listen to me until I'm done." Goh stared deeply into Ash's eyes with his serious gaze. "Don't act on your own, either."

Taking a quick look at Pikachu, who was also looking confused, the two nodded.

"Yesterday, I battled you the whole day to tire you out. I knew if you were awake, you would stop me from going into Prof. Cerise's office."

"Yeah, I would of! Why did you go in, anyway?! He told us not to!"

"That's exactly the reason why I went in." Goh stopped Ash in his tracks, knowing he would continue rambling on about 'how he didn't do the right thing' ...which would of been a giant annoyance to this conversation. "You should be glad I went into the room. Instead of explaining, just take a look at this."

Goh took out his computer and pulled open 'BlueToxic,' then turning the computer screen towards Ash. His eyes widen in fear with what he saw.

"Goh, where did you get all this information?" The Alolan Champion's hands began to tremble with fear. Riolu sensed this and began hugging Ash, hoping it would calm him just a little.

"Professor Cerise's computer. It was the only file with a complicated protective password on it. In terms you would understand: The more complicated a password is, the harder it is for others to guess. The harder a password is to guess, the more important it tends to be." Goh took the computer back. "In Ash-Terms: The Professor didn't want us finding out about this. I'm sure you could understand why."

Ash was silent, at a loss of words. He never could of imagined someone would piece together his entire life when exact details regarding world-changing events has been so well hidden from the public eye. (Well, everything that isn't the Kalos Crisis. He knew that stuff was seen by the world. Goh was just being kind when he told Ash what he knew.)

"When I decided to look, I didn't ever imagine I would come across your personal life. I didn't mean to invade your privacy..." Goh looked down, ashamed of that part. "Just know, Ash, that no matter who or what you are, you'll always be 'Ash' to me." A small smile came from his face as he said that.

"...Thanks." Ash's hands slowly stopped shaking, thanks to the Aura his Riolu suddenly started admitting. "Now, about that other bit... Eternatus, was it? What's that have to do with everything?"

Goh pulled up another document from his computer (one he compiled himself) and showed his research partner his findings from the other documents. He created this one with Ash in mind.

"That Pokemon we saw on the plane ride to Leon's match with Lance was 'Eternatus' who was recently captured by a man named 'Rose.' That man also happens to run The World Coronation Series."

"He runs the tournament that was put on hold?"

"Yep. What's strange is that's around the time the Professor began acting weird, as well. I can only assume either that's around the time the two began working together... or they've been working together for a long time and only around then did Prof. Cerise piece together who you are." Goh closed the lid to the computer. "There's a lot more data, but knowing you and your way of 'acting before thinking,' I decided to leave most of the less important details out for now."

"Goh," Ash had his own serious face on, "I have a feeling you came up with a plan to stop Prof. Cerise and Chairman Rose in their tracks?"

Goh nods. "But we're going to need some help. A lot, actually."

"I'm sure if we contact my friends right now, we can get a good amount of them to help!" Ash pulled out his Rotom Phone, but Goh stops him.

"Don't use that. You realize the Professor gave you that, right? He might be able to wire-tap your conversation."

"Wire...tap...?"

Goh facepalmed himself, forgetting Ash isn't very knowledgeable when it comes to tech. "It means someone can hear your conversation, even if they aren't part of the call."

Ash ended up turning off his Rotom Phone. He then walked upstairs with it and put it on his desk, coming back down to where go was without the device. "Should I have even had that around us during this conversation...?"

"No, but it was my fault for not saying anything. Don't beat yourself up over it, ok?" Goh smiled, trying to cheer up Ash. "I had my Rotom taken out of my phone the day Cinderace evolved. Also, this phone was a gift from my parents. You are free to use this."

"Thanks." Ash took the device from Goh. "I'll make sure to only get help from people I can trust."

Goh nods at those words. "Do you trust Aether enough to ask them to lend us another jet? Just to get us and a couple others to Wedgehurst, that is. Also for them to not inform anyone like Ren, for example."

"Yeah, I do! In fact, Rotomdex actually works there." Ash responded with a little smile, feeling proud of what his Rotomdex accomplished. "I'm going to Call Prof. Kukui fir-"

"You trust him?" Goh asked, worried about having his plans leaked.

"He's like a father to me, Goh. In fact, I see him as my ONLY FATHER. I don't even remember my own." Ash began dialing the number. "If anything, he's the most trustworthy Professor I know. He's strong as well, you know! He even battled alongside Tapu Koko, an island deity!"

"Ok, ok!" Goh acknowledged his raven haired friends words. "I'll trust your judgement here. Just make sure the Aether Jet comes here as close as it can to us, as soon as possible."

"Got it!" With that, the two continued their preparations for what was going to be a long, insane, battle.