Out of the Ash, Chapter 5: Into the Woods

"Gotcha!"

Nidoran was caught!

"Do you want to give a nickname to Nidoran?" Misty asked Ash.

"Hmm." He looked at the little purple creature, who gazed at him through the Poké Ball.  "He looks like an Arthur."

Ash and Misty had been training for over a week now, and Ash felt it was finally time to face his first gym.  However, finding the Viridian City Gym closed indefinitely, the duo decided their next destination would be Pewter City.  By traveling north on Route 2, they would be able to make it there in about a day.

Ash tucked Arthur the Nidoran's ball onto his belt, nestled beside a stronger Poliwag and Fearow.  Pikachu dusted himself off after the battle that had just transpired.

"We'd better get moving, Ash.  The road splits just up ahead.  We'll need to take the right fork in order to make it by sundown."

"What happens if we take the left road?"

"That way goes through Viridian Forest.  It's filled with..." Misty looked away.  "Nothing.  It's filled with nothing."

Ash was shocked.  "You were going to say Pokémon!  If there are more Pokémon in there, we should go left.  The better to take on a Gym with!"

"No, trust me, you don't want to go in there."

Ash didn't trust her, but he followed her down the right road anyway.  Maybe she was right.  Maybe there will be something too dangerous in there for him to handle.  But that just made him want to go into the forest even more.  He was so wrapped up in the possibilities of the forest that he bumped into Misty who had stopped in her tracks.

A giant tree was growing right in the middle of the path, and high walls on each side of the road suggested that there was no way around it.

"But, that's impossible!" Misty shouted.  "I was just here a month ago.  There is no way a tree could have grown so fast in that time!"

"I guess that means we'll have to take the forest!" Ash excitedly said.  He grabbed her hand and began to drag her back to the other road.

"Stop!  We can't go in there.  There are dangerous Pokémon in there!"

"And I'm a dangerous Pokémon trainer.  What's the worst that could happen?"

*          *          *

Almost immediately, the sunlight decreased as Ash and Misty made their way through the trees.  Signs of autumn were just starting to show, peppering the green leaves with read and orange flakes.  Misty stayed close to Ash while Pikachu ran around excitedly, sniffing each tree as they passed.

"See, Pikachu likes it in here.  What's there to worry about?" Ash said.

"Th-that!" Misty pointed across the path at a tiny green figure crawling along the ground.

"Um, that's a Caterpie, Misty.  They can't hurt you.  Is that what all of this is about?"

"Look, I just don't like bugs, okay?  Let's just keep walking and maybe it won't see us."

"No way, I'm going to catch it!"  And so he did, with minimal effort.  It only took one Poké Ball and the Caterpie was caught.  He held his victory up to Misty.  "Aww, isn't it cute?"

"Yeecchh!" Misty batted the ball out of his hand and it rolled down the path a little bit.

"What are you doing?  You'll make me lose it!"  Ash picked up the Caterpie.  "Aww look, now it's all dizzy.  I'll let it out so it has a chance to recover."  And so he did.  He placed the dazed Caterpie on his shoulder and continued to taunt Misty some more.  "This forest will be a cake walk!"

Behind a nearby tree, a shadowed figure watched and waited.

"Put it away, Ash!  I don't want to see it!"

"Quit shouting!  You're giving me a headache!"

"I'll give you more than that if you don't put that worm away!"

Ash quickly turned to respond (probably to say something like, how could she hurt him if she wouldn't even come near him), but he caught notice of the figure in the trees.  It quickly disappeared.

"Hey, somebody's following us." Ash moved toward the spot where it had been.  "Hey, come out here!  If you're a Pokémon, I won't hurt you, but if you're a trainer, I challenge you to a battle!"

"A challenge, you say?" A small boy appeared from amongst the trees.  He carried a large net and despite being dressed in normal attire, was also wearing a plastic samurai outfit.  "You dare challenge the great Midori?!"

"Oh, it's just a kid.  Go home, little boy.  I thought you were a Pokémon trainer."

Midori stomped his foot.  "I am SO a trainer!  Look, I even have a Pokémon!  Weedle, go!"  He sent out a yellow worm with a pink nose and a stinger on its head.

"Pssh, that's your great Pokémon?  Okay.  Watch this Misty, I'll show you how scary bugs can be.  Caterpie, go!"  Caterpie hopped off Ash's shoulder.

"Careful, Ash.  Weedles are a lot worse than Caterpies!"

"How bad can it be?"

The little samurai ordered an attack.  "Weedle, Poison Sting!"  The bug lunged forward and pricked the Caterpie.  Caterpie recoiled and ran back toward Ash.

"No, don't run away!  Fight back!  Use Tackle!"  Caterpie turned around but it suddenly slowed to a crawl and barely had enough energy to make it back to Weedle.

"What's happening?" asked Ash.

"Haha, that's my Weedle's poison!  It's slowly killing your Caterpie.  Never underestimate the power of a samurai!"

Ash sighed.  "Fine, Caterpie, come back!"  He placed the Caterpie on its shoulder.  "Go, Fearow!"

Fearow burst forth, screeching!

"H-hey!  That's not fair!" shouted Midori.  "I only have one Pokémon!"

Before Ash could apologize, Fearow pecked at the Weedle until it fainted.  "Sorry, sorry!  I forgot.  Fearow, come back!"

But Fearow didn't listen, and instead sought a new prize, the weakened Caterpie on Ash's shoulder.  It flew up high, swooped down and grabbed the Caterpie, flying off into the distance.

"Ack! Come back!" Ash ran off after his Pokémon as Midori yelled after him.  "This isn't over, Ash!  You will face the wrath of Midori the Bug Catcher!"

Ash ran quickly through the forest, off the path, as he tried to catch up to Fearow.  All the while, Misty and Pikachu ran alongside him.  At last, they found that the Fearow had met up with another bird, and the two were fighting over the Caterpie.

"Hey, shoo, stop that!  Fearow, return!" While Fearow was distracted, Ash managed to recall it back into its ball.  Unfortunately, that allowed the new bird to escape.

"Pikachu, ThunderShock that bird!" Pikachu jumped into action and managed to hit the airborne creature before it got too far.  Ash sent out an empty Poké Ball to capture it and as it disappeared into the capsule, Caterpie began to fall from a great height.

"Misty, catch it!"  And she did.  Involuntarily.  On her head.

*          *          *

Having wandered so far off the path, Ash and Misty were forced to set up camp for the night.  Around the campfire, Ash administered an Antidote to the Caterpie while Misty checked his Pokédex.  It appeared he had caught a Pidgeotto earlier, a rare sight in the Viridian Forest.  After placing Caterpie back into its ball, Ash made sure to spread the distance between his Pokémon, as he couldn't trust Fearow or Pidgeotto to be near each other or Caterpie.

"I'm sorry, Caterpie.  I didn't mean to put you in such danger." Caterpie let out a low whistle from its ball.

"Not to harp on a sore situation, but what are we going to do in the morning?  How will we get out of here?" Misty asked.

Ash climbed into his sleeping bag without answering.  He didn't have one.  As Misty put out the remaining embers of the fire, Ash thought he saw the shadow of Midori again, standing in the distance. And that just made his head hurt.

*          *          *

"I think that Midori kid is following us."

"What are you talking about?"

It was the next morning, and Ash and Misty still hadn't found their way to the main path.

"I saw him last night, at our campsite."

"Um, you were probably dreaming.  I'm sure that kid went home."

"I'm not as sure as you are..." Ash held out his hand to stop Misty and pointed across the clearing, where Midori stood, mask lowered, weapon drawn.

"Let us complete our challenge.  Since you fought with two, so shall I bring out my second.  Go Caterpie!" And Midori sent out a Caterpie.

Ash was amused.  "Seriously?  You expect to beat me with that?"

"Of course.  You have already chosen your battlers.  You cannot handle your Fearow and your own Caterpie is too weak.  Make your choice."

He had Ash right where he wanted him.  Fortunately, the Antidote had done wonders for his own Caterpie, so Ash sent out his green caterpillar.  However, it was clear that Midori's Caterpie was much faster at getting its Tackles to connect.  So Ash relied on a String Shot to slow down the opponent.  The numerous String Shots encased Midori's Caterpie so tightly that it began to tremble.

"What's happening?" Ash asked.

"Ah, the silk of a Caterpie is used to help it transform into its pupa stage.  You've just helped my Caterpie evolve into a Metapod." And Midori was right.  No longer did there stand a small worm, but a large, rigid pod had taken its place.

"Haha, now you can't move!"

"Nope, but Metapod can Harden!" Midori's Metapod let out a bright sheen as it stiffened.  Ash ordered his Caterpie to Tackle, but it just glanced off the Metapod's hard shell.

Sensing a disadvantage, Red switched to his Pidgeotto (since Fearow was unreliable) and ordered it to Gust.  The wind blew Metapod away, with Midori chasing after it, yelling at Ash for cheating again with an extra Pokémon.

"Great," said Misty.  "Now we can't ask him how to get out of this forest."

*          *          *

A couple more days had passed.  Ash and Misty hadn't seen any other sign of an exit to a forest or Midori.  Occasionally, Ash thought he would see the shadow, but when he called out, nothing responded.  Misty couldn't stand another day in the forest.  The number of bug Pokemon had increased, and the duo had to move carefully through a nest of sleeping Beedrills.  Although they had stopped talking to one another, Ash could sense Misty's resentment.

It's not my fault we're trapped here, though Ash.  If that kid can find his way through the forest, any one can.  We're just unlucky at the moment, that's all.

The sun was setting yet again, and Misty stood closer to Ash for warmth.  It was getting colder at night and neither had adequately packed for the change in weather.  As they brushed arms, Misty quickly made eye contact with Ash, then looked away and grabbed her elbow.  She looked as if she was about to say something, but she was pre-interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double!"

The Team Rocket members from Viridian City had suddenly appeared on large stump, striking flamboyant poses.  Ash did not want to deal with this, on top of everything else he had been through.

"Shh!" he whispered. "There are Beedrill nearby."

They ignored him. "To protect the world from devastation." The Beedrill began to stir. "To unite all people within our nation." The Beedrill woke up.  "To denounce the evils of truth and love."  The Beedrill flapped their wings.  "To extend our reach to the stars above."  The Beedrill took off.  "Jessie!" "James!" And now the Beedrill were in full attack mode.

Team Rocket couldn't finish their introduction.  Ash and Misty had to hightail it as fast as they could.  They had lost the criminals, and didn't have time to figure out what exactly their intention had been.  Fortunately, they came across a small cabin and barricaded themselves inside.

Ash immediately crashed onto the ground and clutched his head.  Another splitting headache had hit him and his ears started ringing.  He thought he could hear a voice.  "You're not ready.  You're not worthy."  Ash pulled at his hair and let out an enraged grunt.  "Stop! Stop following us Midori!"

"Um, Ash, that's not Midori!" In the dim light cast by her flashlight, Misty uncovered a tall, slender figure.  It gave off a small purple glow and had disproportionate limbs and facial features, almost feline in its nature.  It wasn't moving its lips, but Ash could still hear it.

"You're not ready.  We're not ready," it said.  "You must leave."

The creature prepared a large energy beam and directed it towards Ash.  Ash instinctively threw out a ball and it connected with the beam.  A minor explosion shook the cabin and as the flash cleared, Ash saw a Metapod perched in front of him.  His Caterpie had evolved and defended him against the blast!

The creature frowned and quickly dove at Metapod and the trainers.  Misty was frightened.  She dropped to her knees and crawled backwards.  Eventually she put her hand on something hard and smooth.  She turned to see what she had grabbed and met a face full of razor sharp teeth.  A brown creature with two large spiked horns and a sideways-gaping mouth peered down at her.  This was the scariest bug she had ever seen.

"Be gone, foul creature!" shouted Midori, who stood behind the large bug.  Apparently he was talking to the cat-like being.  "Pinsir! Vicegrip!"  The bug ran at full speed towards the mysterious figure, who disappeared in a flash of purple light.  The room fell silent.  Ash's headache went away.

"Something has riled up the Beedrill," Midori said, looking out the window.  "We can finish our battle once they leave, now that I've caught a third bug."

"What was that thing?" Ash asked, ignoring the boy's challenge.  "Where are we?"

"This is my cabin.  And you brought that Pokémon in here with you.  I thought it was yours."

"It wasn't like any Pokémon I'd ever seen," Misty said.  "It felt...evil."  She turned to face away from where the creature had stood and met eyes with Pinsir.  She shrieked.  "Please, I've had enough scary Pokémon for one lifetime.  Just put that thing away!"

Midori complied and recalled Pinsir.  He decided to hold off on the battle until the morning.  But Ash wasn't in the mood for battling anymore.

He had to get out of the woods.  He had to find that creature.  He had to show that he was worthy.

Out of the Ash, Chapter 4: Catch 22

In the glistening water, the boy could make out four dark shadows, gliding around in circles.  He instinctively reached for one, but the moment his hand crashed through the water's surface, the shadows darted away.

The boy began to cry.  "Daddy!"

"What?  What happened?"  The man ran over to the water's edge.  "Did you hurt yourself?"

"No.  I wanted to catch you one."

"What? Did you see another Caterpie? I think you've given me enough, thank you."

"No.  It was the blue little fish."

"Ah, you saw a Poliwag, did you?  Those are tricky to catch."  The man squatted in the muddy bank and rolled up his sleeves.  "Here, watch how I do it."  He placed his hand slowly into the water, with his palm facing up.  "Poliwags are fast.  And they will swim away if you scare them.  Put your hand like mine.  Not too sudden."

The little boy mimicked his father, except his fingers were spread out instead of cupped.  He watched as one of the shadows swam over his father's hand.  His father put his other finger to his lips and then pointed at his hand.  He slowly lifted his hand up, scooping some water with the Poliwag inside of it.  As the water drained from his fingers, he placed his other hand over it.

"You have to be gentle.  They are very slippery.  See?"  He cracked open his hands a bit to show off the Poliwag.  The boy peered inside and was met with a squirt of bubbles to the face.  He shrieked and laughed.

"Careful," his father laughed, "they can squirt you."  He released the Poilwag back into the pond and it swam away.  "Try it again.  Make sure to close your fingers."

The boy put his hand back in the water, and soon another Poliwag had appeared.  It slid up against his and, tickling his fingers.  He quickly closed his fist tightly and raised it to show his father. This caused the blue tadpole to slip out from his fingers and leap back into the water.  The boy began to cry again.

"Don't hold on tightly," his father said, putting his hand on his son's shoulder.  "Or else, it will leave you, Ash."

*          *          *

"Ash!  ASH!  Wake up!"

"W...what?  I was paying attention!"

"You were not!  You dropped your rod into the lake!"

And indeed he had.  Ash watched as the fishing pole that Misty had lent him drifted into the center of the lake on Route 22.  She cast her own line out to hook onto the wayward pole and reel it in.  Pikachu playfully batted at the water as it rippled around the pole.

"Sorry.  It's just that I thought when you said we'd be catching Pokémon today, we would, you know, actually see some Pokémon.  Fishing is boring!"

Misty forcefully handed his rod back to him.  "It is NOT boring.  You just have to be patient!  You think too impulsively and while you've gotten lucky before, you need to learn the art of waiting!"

Ash grumpily threw out another line and moped.  Misty had been his unofficial mentor for three days now and Ash hadn't taken kindly to her approach.  On the first day, she didn't even let him battle anything, as they had to spend the day "observing the natural movements of wild Pokémon."  On the next day, she let him work with Pikachu, exercising his powers and practicing his call and response.  But his only targets were rocks and twigs.  And now, they were focusing on building his team, which she stated, needed a good Water Pokémon.

"I don't see why you're wasting all of this time.  If you wanted me to repay you so quickly, I could be in Pewter City by now, battling trainers and earning money," Ash said.

"You aren't going to earn any money if you can't win any official battles!  Besides, your Pokémon barely listen to you as it is!  How are you supposed to win with them?"

She was right.  While Pikachu had come around during their training exercises, it still refused to go into its Poké Ball.  And Ash hadn't even dared to deal with the raging Fearow yet.  So Ash remained quiet and resumed his fishing.

It what seemed like hours (but was actually just minutes) a familiar voice called out from over a ledge.  "Hey Ashy-boy!  What are doing on Route 22?  Did you get lost?"  It was Gary!

"Gary!" Ash was surprised, but then he remembered the last time he had seen him, running away from the Spearow.  "You jerk!  You left me to die on Route 1!"  Ash dropped his pole and ran over to push Gary.  Pikachu ran after him and sent out a bolt of electricity.  Gary dodged out of the way and leaped of the ledge.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down, Ash!  I knew you and Leaf were going to handle yourselves just fine.  I mean, you had a Pikachu and you were up against a bunch of Spearow.  I saw that I was unprepared and used my best judgement as a trainer to accurately react in this situation."

"Mmmhmm, yeah, and why did you steal my map?!"

"That was my map.  Daisy had no right to give it to you.  Although it looks like you could have used it, since you ended up this far west of Viridian.  Unless you're planning on going to the Pokémon League now!  Haha, you don't even have any badges yet!"

Misty interrupted.  "Will you boys stop shouting?  You're scaring away the fish!"

"Huh," Gay said.  "Got a new girlfriend, I see?  Can't say I'm surprised.  Leaf was too good to hang around with you anyway."

"I am not his girlfriend!" Misty shouted.

"Leaf isn't good enough to hang out with me!  I mean, she is!  Wait...what I meant was..." Ash stuttered.

"Obviously not.  She dropped you as soon as she got the chance."

"She got lost, just like the rest of us.  In fact, what are you doing way out here?  If you have the map, why aren't you in Pewter City?" Ash asked.

Gary smiled.  "Oh, just some private business up at the Indigo Plateau.  All I needed to do was mention that I'm an Oak, and I got a grand tour of the facilities.  I like to know what I'll be up against next summer."

"What are you talking about, Gary?"

Misty turned to Ash.  "This road leads to the Indigo Plateau, where the Elite Four train.  But you'll need eight Gym Badges to pass through the gates."

"Oh, why?"

"Because the badges prove that you can handle the Elite Four.  And your Pokémon will obey you better depending on the number of badges you have.  They'll respect you as a trainer."

"Wait, so your saying that my Pokémon won't obey me until I have the proper badges?  And I can't win badges until they obey me?  How am I supposed to win any battles now?"

Gary couldn't help but comment on this.  "Your Pokémon don't obey you already?  You can't even get weaklings to obey you?"

At this, Pikachu started to build up electricity in its cheeks.  "Pikachu, don't!"  Ash shouted.  But Pikachu did.

"Ow!  Your crummy rat just shocked me!  That's against League rules!"

"Sorry, it's just a phase.  He'll grow out of it, I swear!"

"Not if I can help it.  Ash, I must take your unsolicited attack as a challenge.  To which I accept.  It will be the Standard Battle Rules."

"What does that mean?"

Gary clicked his tongue.  "It means 3 vs. 3, stupid."

"But I only have two Pokémon!"

"Really?  You've been traveling for weeks and you only have two Pokémon?"  Gary sighed.  "Fine, 2 vs. 2, then.  And I'll choose Pidgey.  Go Pidgey!"

Gary sent out the Pidgey he had caught on Route 1, and it had clearly grown alot since Ash last saw it.  It was nearly twice the size of an average Pidgey.

"Haha, well then I choose Pikachu!  This will be an easy battle.  Go Pikachu!"

Misty tugged on Ash's shirt.  "Don't get too cocky, Ash.  You haven't been in a real battle yet."  Ash ignored her and commanded Pikachu to use Tail Whip.  Pikachu cutely wagged its tail at Pidgey.  Pidgey, unsure of how to react, looked back at Gary.

"Really, Tail Whip?  This is a battle, Ash," Gary said.

"Yeah, but now that you have your guard down, Pidgey's defense has been lowered!  Pikachu, ThunderShock!"  Pikachu readied his cheeks.

"Ash, no!" Misty cried out.  "This is an official battle.  You have to take turns attacking!"

"Wha?"

"Heh." Gary smirked.  "Pidgey, Sand Attack!"  Pidgey kicked up some nearby sand, directly into Pikachu's eyes.  Pikachu then tried to use ThunderShock, but it missed Pidgey completely and struck a nearby tree.

"Uh oh," Ash realized.

"Pidgey, Gust!"  Pidgey created a small whirlwind with dirt and rocks that struck the blinded Pikachu.

"Pikachu, ThunderShock it!  It's right behind you!"  Well it was right behind Pikachu until it flew away, causing the attack to hit Ash himself.  Gary ordered another Gust and Pikachu was battered yet again.

Ash had to think for a moment, then he realized, "Pikachu, use ThunderWave!"  Pikachu's static electricity created a wave in all directions, ultimately hitting and paralyzing the Pidgey.

"Good job, Ash!  Now it can't attack!" Misty cheered.

Ash commanded for Pikachu to used ThunderShock one last time, and, unable to dodge it, the shock met its target and Pidgey fainted.

"Not bad, Ash," Gary said, as he recalled Pidgey.  "But you're Pikachu is looking pretty weak.  Eevee, go!"

Eevee burst forth from its Poké Ball.  "Eevee, Tackle!"  Eevee charged into Pikachu, who couldn't see where it had come from.  The force was so great that Pikachu could no longer stand and Ash was forced to call him back.  Even so, Pikachu would not return to its ball.

"Misty, could you hold Pikachu while I send out my next Pokémon?"

"Ash, you're not going to win this.  We haven't even started training your Fearow.  Just forfeit."

"No, I gotta do this.  Trust me."  He turned back to Gary.  "Fearow, go!"  This was the first time Fearow had been freed from its ball since its capture.  And it immediately glared at Ash.

"Whoa!  You have a Fearow already?!" Gary shouted.  "Maybe you aren't as dumb as I thought."

The Fearow then began to peck Ash's head.  "Nevermind," said Gary.

"No! Stop Fearow!  Attack Eevee!  Attack Eevee!"

Fearow looked at Eevee.  It flew over to it and sat down.  It then closed its eyes and nestled its beak under its wing.  "Ahh!  Don't sleep!  Attack!"

"This is ridiculous.  Eevee, Tackle."  Eevee rammed into Fearow, who just batted it away with its wing.

"Aha!" Ash exclaimed.  "My Fearow is too strong for you!"  Then the Fearow lifted its head and flew up into a tree.  "Um...and it looks like he's planning a big attack!"  Fearow once again fell asleep.

"Well, Ash, it looks like my work here is done.  Your Pokémon has forfeited for you.  Pay up!"

"No, the battle's not over!" Ash cried.

"Face it, Ash.  It's over," Misty said.

Ash handed over Gary's winnings and Gary packed up his things.  "Well, it's been fun to stop and chat, but I really must be going.  Those badges aren't going to win themselves.  Smell you later, Ash!"  And with that, he was gone.

Ash was devastated.  He slowly trudged back over to where they had set up their fishing equipment.  Misty tried to remind him that they should probably head back to Viridian and heal Pikachu at the Pokémon Center.  Ash remained oblivious and just kept walking.  When he reached the water's edge, he stared into his reflection.  In the shallow water, a failure stared up back at him.  He stretched out his arms and fell face first into the pool.

"Ash!"  Misty shout was muffled by the water filling his ears.  He could feel his clothes soaking up all of the lake water and his hands felt tingly and numb.  Misty grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him out.

"What are you doing?  Are you crazy?!"

Ash looked up at his companion, smiled, and held up his arm.  In his hand was a small blue Poliwag.

Out of the Ash, Chapter 3: Prepare for Trouble

As dawn broke over the eternally green Viridian City, life slowly began to stir.  At a guardhouse at the edge of town, a young officer took her post, carrying a mug of coffee and a stack of flyers.  She placed one on the bulletin board by the entrance, amongst notices for town events and alerts.  Two images of a pair of teenagers, one a red-headed female and the other a blue-haired male were captioned "WANTED for THEFT and GANG ACTIVITY.  Please notify the Viridian Police Department for any assistance or information."

As she finished pushing in the thumbtack, she noticed a silhouette forming in the distance at the city's entrance.  It was a young boy, cradling a small yellow Pokémon.  He slowly handed it to the officer while meekly uttering, "Hospital....please..." before collapsing.

*          *          *

Ash woke up in an unfamiliar bed in a sparsely furnished room.  The sun was shining through a nearby window.  Confused, he reached for his alarm clock to check the time.  He instead grabbed his Pokédex, sitting on the nearby nightstand and he realized that he was not in his bedroom.  His shoes were placed by his travel pack next to the bed and as he bent down to put them on, he realized that his Poké Balls were missing!

"Help!  Uh...hello!  Somebody's taken my Pokémon!"

A pink-haired nurse rushed in to calm him down.  "Ash?"

"How do you know my name?  Where am I?  Where's Pikachu?"

"Calm down, there.  I'm Nurse Joy.  You're at the Viridian City Pokémon Center.  You came in from Route 1 this morning, disoriented.  You had your Trainer ID and Pokémon on you.  Officer Jenny brought you here to rest up and recuperate.  How many days have you been in the woods?"

"Um..." Ash sat down, holding his head.  "I don't know....I left Pallet Town and Pikachu wouldn't get in his Poké Ball and the Spearow started attacking and Gary and Leaf ran away and there was this big golden bird and...where's Pikachu?  He's hurt and..."

"Slow down, slow down.  I took your Pikachu and Fearow for healing.  They were in dire need of attention, but fortunately you made it here just in time.  But you really ought to be more careful with your Pokémon and bring them to Pokémon Centers if they ever get badly injured."

"Pikachu's here.  And that Fearow...?  Can I see them?"

"Not right now.  They are still in the process of healing.  It will be a while before they will be fighting fit.  If you'd like, you can come down to our waiting room.  That is, if you're feeling rested.  You can leave your belongings here.  We are very accommodating for young trainers such as yourself."

Ash nodded, and he and Joy walked to the waiting room where he saw another girl sitting on a bench, waiting for her Pokémon.  She met his eyes and grew furious.

"YOU!  You were the one that stole my bike!"

"What?  I..." And then Ash remembered.  "Oh, you're that...girl.  I'm sorry, I know where I left it.  It's..." And then Ash remembered again.  "...it's destroyed..."

"WHAT?!"

"Please, children," Nurse Joy interjected.  "Don't shout in here.  Pokémon are trying to rest."

The girl grabbed Ash by his arm and pulled him out of the Pokémon Center, towards the guardhouse.  "You're coming with me. I'm going to tell the officer that you stole and demolished by bicycle."

"Wait, wait!  It was an accident!  I was in danger!"

"I don't care!  Do you know how long it took me to walk to the city?!  I'll have you arrested!" She pulled him closer to the guardhouse.

"Look, I'm really sorry.  I promise I'll repay you!"

"How?  You don't have any money!"

"Well, I'm a Pokémon trainer, and after each battle, I get winnings, right?  So I'll give half of all my winnings to you, okay?  How much was it?  $150?"

"It was the best bike at the bike shop.  $10,000."

"What?!  That's insane!  There is no way I'm paying that!"

"We'll see what the officer has to say about that then!"

Officer Jenny was talking to another young girl dressed in a school uniform when Ash and his captor came upon them.  An old man was sitting on the bench.  "I found him again, harassing trainers and playing with his Weedle.  He spent the night here sobering up.  But this is becoming a severe problem," she told the lass.

"I know, I'm sorry.  Come on, Grandpa.  Let's get you home."

"Bah!  Those kids were on my private property!  They were up to no good!" the old man shouted.

As the lass took her grandfather home, Officer Jenny turned to Ash.  "Oh, you're the young trainer from this morning!  Ash, right?  Are you feeling better?"

The girl interrupted.  "No, tell him he has to repay me for my bicycle that he stole and destroyed!"

"I can't afford that much!" Ash protested.

"Well, did you take her bike without asking?"  Officer Jenny asked.

"Yes."

"And did you damage her property?"

"...Yes."

"Then it's the right thing to do."

Ash sighed.  "Fine!  But you'd better be patient...um..."

"My name's Misty."  The girl responded and shook his hand.

"There, I'm glad you two kids could settle this like grown ups," Officer Jenny said.  "And I'm glad you're feeling better.  As soon as you arrived in town, I made sure to get you to the Pokémon Center quickly.  There's some vandals around town lately who have made a habit out of stealing the Pokémon from young trainers."

She pointed over to the bulletin board where the wanted poster was hanging.  Ash walked over but then took notice of one of the other flyers on the board.  It was a missing poster with a young girl on it. Brown hair, green eyes, and a blue dress.  She had been missing for over two weeks.  Her name was Leaf Green.

*          *          *

"Where are you going, Ash?"  Misty asked as she ran after him.  Ash had taken the missing poster and was looking around at street signs.

"I'm trying to find this address," he showed her the poster.  "I know this girl.  She was starting her journey with me.  She's not missing.  She's a trainer.  She has a Jigglypuff and a Bulbasaur and a talking Clefairy."

"A talking Clefairy?  Pokémon can't talk," Misty stated.  "Slow down!  If you know where she is, then why didn't you tell the police?"

"I don't want her to get in trouble.  I just want to tell her parents that she's okay and on a Pokémon journey with me."

"But...she's not with you."

"I know, but she said she was from this city.  Whoa!"  The duo came across a great complex of buildings.  A large congregation of children in school uniforms were gathered in the courtyard.  It appeared as if a Pokémon battle was taking place.

"Why did we come here?" Misty asked.  "This isn't a house.  It's a Pokémon academy!"

"A what?" He suddenly became distracted by something in the crowd of students.

A boy and girl were in the center of the crowd, battling with a male and female Nidoran respectively.  The boy looked nervous and frustrated, as he was clearly losing, while the girl stood firm and proud.  In fact, it was the same girl from the guardhouse earlier.  Ash hadn't really been paying attention before, but now he realized that the girl was the most beautiful person he had ever met.

"Nidoran...u-use Tackle!"  The boy shouted at his purple Pokémon.  The male Nidoran lunged towards the female.

"Nidoran!  Growl!"  The girl commanded.  The blue female Nidoran didn't budge from her spot and instead let out a cute cry.  The male immediately slowed down and gently nudged the female.  "Now, Scratch!"  The female then powerfully dug her claws into the male, sending it retreating.  The girl was declared the winner and her friends surrounded her while the boy collapsed in despair.  As she passed by him, she snidely said, "You should have used Leer first, to lower my defense.  Every First Year knows that."

Ash and Misty approached the boy who exclaimed to no one in particular.  "It's no use.  I'll never be as good as her!"

"But, the battle's not over.  No one fainted," Ash said to Misty.

"I told you, this is a Pokémon academy.  Students can learn about battling technique and Pokémon instead of going on a journey to collect badges and defeating strong opponents.  If they pass the final exam, they become eligible for the Pokémon League."

"Wow," Ash exclaimed.  "Why would anyone want to just sit and study when you can go on an adventure and get stronger with actual battles?"

The defeated boy overheard him.  "Because it's not all about physical strength.  The smartest trainer is the best trainer.  And I'm an idiot!"

"Hey, don't say that," Misty said.

"It's true.  I let love get in the way of judgment."

"What, when her Nidoran used Growl?  I don't think that was love that stopped your Pokémon.  That's just how the attack works."

"No, my love.  For her." The boy continued to beat himself up.

Ash and Misty looked at each other, unsure of what to say.  Ash decided to break the tension.  "Hey," he pulled out the poster.  "Do you know this girl?  Does she live here?"

The schoolboy looked at the paper.  "Yeah, that's Leaf.  She lives in the girls' dormitories.  She's Giselle's best friend."

"Who's Giselle?"

The boy pointed at the beautiful girl who had beat him.

*          *          *

"Of course she's on a Pokémon journey!  That is so typical of her."  Giselle and her group of adoring fans walked away from the courtyard.  The girls carried her things while the boys formed a protective barrier between her and Ash and Misty.  "She was always saying how she wanted to leave school and battle Gym Leaders.  I say, good riddance.  Less competition for me."

"If you knew she was leaving, why didn't you tell Officer Jenny this morning?" Misty asked.

"What are you talking about?  I didn't see Officer Jenny this morning," Giselle insisted.

Ash snapped out of his infatuated haze long enough to respond.  "Uh-huh, we saw you with your grandfather at the guard-"

"Shhh!" Giselle interrupted.  "Um, I'm tired today gang!  I'll see you all tomorrow!  Go home!"  Giselle's fans scattered without question.  She turned to Ash and Misty.  "I don't like talking about him in front of them.  Okay?  And I didn't tell Officer Jenny because it's none of my business what Leaf does.  If she wants to hang around the Gym all day, then that's her decision."  They had arrived at the dorms.  "Look, if you want to find her, then she's probably there.  It's on the north side of town.  Now quit bothering me!"

She locked the door behind her and as Ash and Misty turned around, the saw the boy from earlier standing behind them.  He looked startled.  "Sorry, I thought maybe I can show you where the Gym is.  My name's Joey, by the way."

"Have you been following us the whole time?" Misty asked.

"Well, I've never met actual Pokémon trainers before.  I mean, ones who are on an actual journey.  I'm sick of losing all these tests here.  I've always wanted to go to the Gym and see if I could get a badge...and I was hoping Giselle would invite us in to her room..." Joey responded.

Along the way to the Gym, Joey explained how Giselle and Leaf were the best students in their class and how no one was ever able to beat them in there tests.  But while Giselle relied on tactical skills, Leaf always used force to win her simulated battles.  By the time they had arrived at the gym, the sun had set, and it didn't appear to be open.

"Hmm, strange, the Gym wouldn't be closed this early," Misty said.  "But I thought I saw some movement in the windows on the side."  She knocked on the door.  A few muffled sounds could be heard from within, followed by silence.  "Ash, someone's in there.  Give me a boost so I can see into the window.  Joey, you stay here in case someone comes to the front door."

"Um, okay?" Joey obliged, nervously.  Ash was more resistant.  "Why do I have to help you up?"

"Because you broke my bike."

"Fair enough."

Ash and Misty made there way to the side of the building and Misty put her sneakered foot in Ash's hands, hoisting herself up to the window ledge.  "I can't see too much.  The lights are on, but no one is here."  Suddenly, around at the front of the building, they could hear Joey speaking, along with some new voices.

"Uh...hello?" Joey stammered.

"Hmm, what to we have here, Jessie?" said the first voice.

"It appears there is a lost little boy who needs to find his way home, James," said the second voice who was probably Jessie.

"Nya-I don't know," said a strange high-pitched voice.  "Nya-I think we've got a little trainer here.  That's right!"

"You're almost right, Meowth, but I recognize these clothes," said James.  "We've got ourselves a Pokémon Tech student.  Remember when we used to go to Pokémon Tech, Jessie?"

"Of course!  But there were too many rules.  No staying out past curfew, no chewing gum, no Pokémon battles outside of class.  How dreadfully boring!  I'm glad we dropped out!"

"Well, let us take those Pokémon off of your hands, little boy.  After all, we want to make sure they're in good hands.  The hands of real trainers," said James.

"Uh...uh," Joey didn't know what to do.

"Hmm, perhaps you'll need some persuasion," said Jessie.  "Go!  Ekans!"

"Ash!" Misty whispered.  "Those are the thieves from the poster!  Let me down so we can fight them!" Ash let her down.  He went to grab his Poké Balls but they weren't on his belt.

"Misty!  I can't do anything!  My Pokémon are at the Pokémon Center!"

"Crap!  So are mine!  Wait...I do have one...but...just follow my lead."  Misty ran around to the front of the building.  There she saw the two teenagers from the poster, dressed in white jumpsuits with a red "R" embroidered on the front of their shirts.  A cat-like creature and a large purple snake were holding Joey down.  "Hey, you bullies!  Why don't you challenge a real trainer!"

"Oh look, Jessie!  We've got a heroine come to save the day."  James scoffed.

"Why, I guess that makes our little dashing boy a damsel in distress, James!"  Jessie laughed.

Misty readied a Poké Ball in her hand!  "Prepare to face my wrath!  Goldeen, go!"  She let her ball fly and out came a small pink and white fish, flopping on the ground.  Jessie and James burst into laughter. The cat-like creature joined in with them.  "That's it?  Nya-I think it looks more like my supper!"

Misty was a bit stunned by the fact that this Pokémon had begun talking, but she came to her senses.  "Ash, now!"  And with that, Ash began sprinting towards the Pokémon Center.  He ran so fast that he didn't notice how close the others were behind him, or if anyone was chasing him at all.  He finally made it to the automatic doors of the center and into the florescent waiting room, where Nurse Joy was waiting behind the counter, holding Pikachu who had a couple bandages around his head and limbs.

"Ah, there you are Ash.  Your Pokémon are fighting fit!  Now, Pikachu still needs a bit of time to rest, so don't over exert him like you did before."

"Thanks, Miss!  But I don't have much time." He grabbed the ball with his Fearow in it.  "Come on Pikachu, let's-"

But suddenly, the room began to fill with a dark smoke.  Ash could barely see his hand in front of his face, but he could hear two familiar voices.

"Prepare for trouble..."

"And make it double..."

"To protect the world from devestation..."

"To unite all people within our nation..."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love..."

"To extend our reach to the stars above...."

"Jessie!"  And Jessie appeared with her Ekans, who had Misty and Joey wrapped up.

"James!"  And James appeared with his Koffing, whose gas was filling the room.

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

And the talking cat appeared between them, dangling the Goldeen.  "Meowth!  That's right!"

Ash was stunned by what he had just saw.  These weren't just bullies.  They reveled in their crimes.  They had theatricality!  And he was part of their captive audience.

"We'd hated to see you go, but you see, we couldn't just have you alert the authorities on us," Jessie mused.  "We wanted to make sure your Pokémon found a better home.  With us.  Team Rocket."

"So, if you don't mind, we'll make taking your Pokémon, and any others that may be residing in this little Pokémon Center, please," said James.

"Nya-I want you to start with that handsome Pikachu.  He'd make a nice second course to my meal," Meowth stated before slowly lowering the Goldeen into his mouth.

"Goldeen!  No!" Misty screamed.  "Ash!  Do something!"

Ash looked down in his hands.  All he had was the crazed Fearow who he hadn't yet been able to control.  He turned to Pikachu.  "Pikachu, I know you aren't fully healed yet.  But if you can muster up one last attack..."  Pikachu nodded and ran towards the villains.

Ash prepared for the shock.  "Pikachu!  Use....GROWL!"

Pikachu stopped in his tracks, inches in front of Meowth, smiled and cutely growled a "Piii-kaaa-chuuu~!"

Collectively, Jessie, James, and Meowth cooed, "Awwwwwwww!"

Pikachu's smiling cheeks produced a few static bolts of electricity which zapped Meowth's paw, causing him to drop the Goldeen.  The shock traveled down Meowth's tail which had been pressing against Ekans, who released the captured trainers.  Ekans not knowing what to do, bit the Koffing, which promptly exploded, sending Team Rocket blasting off, far into the night.

*          *          *

The next day, Nurse Joy sat behind her desk, as the remains of the Pokémon Center crumbled around her.  Through her P.C. system, she was able to transfer all injured Pokémon to the nearest city's Center. It would have to remain this way until the Center was fixed.  But she wasn't one to hold a grudge.

Ash had spent the night in Joey's dorm while Misty slept in the girls' room.  There was a knock on the door and Joey answered it, groggily.  He was greeted by Misty and Giselle.  He was stunned as Giselle came in and leaned over to Ash to wake him up.  "Hey, that was a really sweet thing you did last night, Ash.  Maybe being a trainer isn't such a bad thing after all."  She kissed him on the cheek and walked out, as Misty crossed her arms.

Ash sat up, once again needing collecting his bearings.  "Well, I...thanks...I couldn't have done it without you!"

"She's gone, Ash," Misty said.

Joey sat down next to Ash.  "Hey, I think...I want to be a trainer like you.  Maybe one day, I'll challenge a Gym, and you'd be the leader.   Wouldn't that be cool?"

Ash yawned and looked over at Pikachu, who was sleeping on his pack.  "Yeah, that does sound cool..."

"Well, if you're going to be a great trainer, you had better start winning some battles, and that means you can start paying me for my bike!  So let's get moving!" Misty yelled.  "Also," she said under her breath, "thanks and all that.  Now, move, move, MOVE!"  She started pulling Ash outside of his sleeping bag while he pleaded with her to let go.

Meanwhile, outside the Viridian City Gym, the Team Rocket trio regrouped.

"We're on a mission from the boss to capture Pokémon, both rare and powerful, right?" asked Jessie, as she nursed her head with an ice pack.

"Yes," said James and Meowth, tending to their sores and burns.

"And so far we've just been swiping Pokémon from weak kids, right?"

"Yes."

"And that Pikachu we met last night?"

"It was rare," said James.

"It was powerful," said Meowth.

"Ergo...." said Jessie.

"We must capture Pikachu from that twerp," said James.

"But Nya-I thought we were supposed to be looking for the boss's daughter?" said Meowth.

"We can do both.  After all," said Jessie, as she picked up the missing poster that had fallen beside the Gym's window.  "I have a suspicion that our new friends know where she might be."

Out of the Ash, Chapter 2: Birds of a Feather

Almost a week had passed since the incident at the laboratory, and Ash was in high spirits.  His headaches hadn't resurfaced since then.  His mother had made sure he postponed his journey in order to help Oak rebuild the damage caused by his Pikachu, and he had finally finished his debt.  However, he still couldn't replace the research texts that Oak had compiled, but Oak fortunately never mentioned it.

Gary and Daisy had also chipped in on the rebuild, at their grandfather's request.  Gary complained that it wasn't his fault that Ash couldn't control his Pokémon, and toke every opportunity to point out the fact that his journey had also been delayed and, hurting his chances at making it to the Pokémon League Championships by next year's deadline.

Every year, at the end of August, the Pokémon League sponsored the Elite Four Challenge at the Indigo Plateau.  Those who could defeat the four strongest trainers in Kanto (in succession) would have a chance to become the Pokémon Champion.  In order to qualify for the challenge, trainers must prove their worth by collecting eight badges from official Gyms in the region.  There hadn't been a Champion in over a decade, although many trainers had fought for the crown each year.  Gary was determined to not only win the challenge, but to become the youngest trainer to earn the title at age 11.  And Ash had already stolen a week of his time.

Daisy was more sympathetic towards Ash.  She too had attempted the Elite Four Challenge in previous years, but was more interested in Pokémon research, like her grandfather.  She had told Ash that Pikachu can be difficult Pokémon to train, and offered to look after the creature while he worked with Oak.  Her soothing nature had a calming effect on Pikachu, but Ash's presence would rile it up again.

But still, Ash was ready to begin is journey.  So, with his gear packed for the long hike to Viridian City (the nearest town with a Gym in it), Ash took a deep breath and knocked on the door of the Oak residence.

The Oaks' Eevee was the first to respond, yapping and hissing at the front window.  "Calm down, Eon!" yelled Gary.  "Who's at the door?"  He opened the door and saw Ash.  "Oh, it's you.  Come to pick up your furball of destruction?"

"Yeah, I, uh, is Daisy home?"

Gary sighed and turned. "Daisy!  It's time to get rid of the rat!"

Daisy rushed down the stairs, "Shut it, Gary.  Hey, Ash, sorry about that.  You're going to need to come up to my room.  We have an issue."

"What kind of an issue?" Ash followed Daisy up the stairs.  He had never been in her room before.  "Is Pikachu okay?"

"Pikachu's fine.  It's just that he doesn't want to go back into his Poké Ball.  Ever since the day I brought him home, he's stayed outside of his ball.  He's been calmer and more receptive, but he gets all tense whenever I bring the ball closer to him.  Careful, now."  She slowly opened the door to her room, and Pikachu ran to greet her, saw Ash, and quickly darted under the bed.  "I think he senses your scent on the ball, since you were the one to first release him after his capture.  I wouldn't try to touch him right now, if I were you."

"Great.  How am I supposed to start my journey now?  My Pokémon won't even come near me."

"Well, it's a little unorthodox, but when I was training him earlier this week, I fashioned this rubber cord into a leash and used rubber gloves to prevent him from shocking me.  You can try that for a while, until he gets more comfortable with you."  Daisy grabbed the leash from off her desk, and coaxed Pikachu out from under the bed.  She slipped it over its head and handed the leash to Ash.

Ash's earlier optimism had drained at this point.  It was his big chance to impress Daisy, and already he was standing in the middle of her room, dragging around a disobedient Pokémon.  She's probably thinking that he's just as foolish as he looked.  He had to get out of there.  He only barely managed to utter a "Thanks" when he ran out of her room, tripping down the stairs as Pikachu tumbled behind him.

"Smooth moves," Gary commented as Ash picked himself up.  His face turned as read as his shirt.  "Thanks," he said again and immediately regretted all of his life choices up until that moment.

"Oh wait, Ash," Daisy called out.  "I wanted you to have this as well."  She handed him a Town Map of the Kanto region.  "Just so you don't get lost," she smiled.

"Aww, come on, don't help that klutz!" Gary said.  Once again, Ash could only muster a "Thanks" and headed straight for the north gate of the town.

As Ash crossed the threshold onto Route 1, he noticed Pikachu struggling with his cord.  "You know," he said, "if you'd just get into your Poké Ball, this would be a whole lot easier."  Pikachu shook his head with a resounding "Pi-KAH!"  Pikachu pulled in vain and then flopped onto the ground with tears welling up in his eyes.

"Here.  If you promise not to run away, I'll let you of the leash, okay?"  Pikachu remained motionless.  "Okay...here."  Ash took the leash off and attempted to pet Pikachu.  Pikachu immediately ran into a nearby tree, on a branch just out of Ash's reach.

"Very funny, now come down here.  I've got to get to Viridian City by tomorrow!  You've already made me a week late!"  Pikachu just giggled and chirped.

Off in the distance, Ash heard a girl scream.  Pikachu stood up on its hind legs and stared over the hill to where the voice came from.  "Pippi!" Pikachu exclaimed.

Sure enough, the girl in the blue dress carrying her Jigglypuff in her arms jumped off the nearby natural ledge and was followed closely by the talking Clefairy.

"Come back!  I only wanted to see if Puff was free his evening for...Hey-hey, Pikachu!" Clefairy noticed his cousin up in the tree.  "How's life under a trainer's thumb been treating you!"

The girl ran over to Ash.  "Ugh, your stupid Clefairy has been following me all the way to Viridian City.  I demand tat you take him back.  He's been scaring Puff and Petals."

"Whoa, that's not my Clefairy!  I don't want him!  And Petals?  Who's that?"

"My Bulbasaur, who do you think?"

"Sorry, I didn't know his name!  And I don't even know your name!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners?  My name is Leaf Green of Viridian City, Petals is my female Bulbasaur, and your HORRIBLE CLEFAIRY HAS BEEN HARASSING US FOR DAYS!  Take him back!"

"Hey!" shouted the Clefairy, who had now joined Pikachu in the tree.  "I resent those accusations!"

Before Leaf could retort, another voice was heard over the hill.  "Help!  Somebody!  Is there a trainer nearby?"  Ash and Leaf ran up the hill to find a young man who had fallen in the tall grass.  He was carrying a large satchel and was surrounded by a group of purple mice.

"Those Rattata are attacking that delivery man!"  Leaf shouted.  Ash understood.  "Pikachu!  Use your ThunderShock on the Rattata!"

Pikachu remained in the tree.

"Pikachu!  Come on! Do something!"

"Are you completely hopeless?"  Leaf sighed.  "Puff!  Use Sing!"  And with that, Jigglypuff leapt into the fray, stood on the man's satchel, an began to sing.

"What good will that do?" Ash asked as Leaf slipped on some earmuffs.  She began to place some on is head as well. "Hey, what are you doing?!"  Leaf didn't answer but held her finger to her lips and then pointed to the Rattata.  As Jigglypuff sang her song, the mice began to doze off.  By the time she was done, the mice (and the man) were fast asleep.  Jigglypuff prepared to bow, but then saw the sleeping faces and began to inflate with rage.

Leaf took this as her cue to take off her earmuffs.  "Good job, Puff.  That was a lovely song!"  She applauded and was joined by the Clefairy, who added, "Brava!  What a marvelous performance!  Don't you agree, Pika?"  But Pikachu had fallen out of the tree, for he too was fast asleep.

Ash took off his earmuffs.  "What was that?"  Leaf motioned over to the sleeping man and told Ash, "Help me carry this guy out of here before the Rattata wake up."  Ash joined her as she explained.  "Jigglypuff's songs have hypnotic qualities.  They can make anyone fall asleep instantly.  But, she's a little bit of a diva."  Leaf lowered her voice to a whisper.  "You have to pretend you heard her song and enjoyed it or else she'll get upset."

Once the two trainers had dragged the man far enough away, Ash asked, "Why didn't Clefairy fall asleep then?"

"And miss such a wonderful display of talent?  How could I possibly dare?!" Clefairy then leaned in to kiss Jigglypuff's hand.  She slapped him.  Twice.

Ash picked up his sleeping Pikachu as Leaf revived the man with a small vial of a pungent smell.  "I've noticed that Petals produces a sweet nectar with a scent that can revive the heaviest sleeper.  I've gathered some to use in case of a situation like this," Leaf explained.  "But it attracts a lot of wild Pokémon, so I have to be careful."

"Noted," said Ash.

The man groggily shook his head.  When he had gathered enough energy, he explained that he was a Poké Mart deliveryman on his way to deliver an urgent package to Pallet Town when he was attacked.  "I think I might have some artisanl cheeses from the Johto region in my bag."

Ash perked up.  "I'm from Pallet Town.  I can take your package back with me.  Who is it for?"

"Prof. Samuel Oak."

*          *          *

"Ah yes, my Pokédex prototypes are in!"  Professor Oak exclaimed.  "Thank you, children!"

Ash looked at Leaf and shrugged his shoulders.  Soon, Gary entered the lab with Eevee.  "Alright Gramps, what did you call me for?  And why is this bozo here?  And...hello, I don't believe we've met."  He extended a hand out to Leaf.  "I'm Gary, the world's next Pokémon Champion."

"I'm Leaf.  And this is Puff."

"What's a nice girl like you hanging around with a loser and his crazy Pokémon?"

"Hey!" Ash and Clefairy shouted in unison.  Pikachu remained asleep in Pikachu's arms.

"Children, please!" Oak interrupted.  "Now, these Pokédexes are very important.  This will be how I can replenish all of the research of lost.  This is basically an electronic encyclopedia.  I have one complete one ere that is synced up to the three prototypes.  When you point one at a Pokémon, the image will be analyzed and information about each creature can be restored.  Gary, I was going to have you use the data you collect to complete tis task, but, with two extra prototypes and two other trainers, I don't see why all three of you can't use it.  It is a very helpful tool that shall aid in your battles, allowing you to see the vital statistics of the creatures.  Keep very good care of these.  It's a very recent invention and I'm still hoping to improve it."

He handed the three Pokédexes to the children.  They were like small red books, but with a screen and buttons inside instead of  pages.

"I encourage you to stick together.  There is a signal that grows stronger when the three are used in tandem.  They can help you if you ever get separated."

"Wait, so not only does this loser make me late, now I have to travel with him too?"  Gary was outraged.

"There is a lot of competition in this world.  Your Pokémon work stronger as a team, and so do the trainers."

"Like the Elite Four?" Leaf suggested.

Oak's face grew grim.  "Er, yes, like the Elite Four."  He glanced sideways to a nearby computer that had an open email on the screen.  Ash noticed this shift in gaze, and could barely make out the end of a message that told Oak to visit "us," signed "A" and the official Pokémon League symbol.  "Well! You kids shouldn't dally about!  Good luck!  I am counting on you three!"

The trio of trainers left the building and headed back to the main gate.  As they passed by Ash's house, his mom called out to them.  "Back again so soon?"

"No, Professor Oak was just giving us one last parting gift to help us on our quest."

"That was nice of him!  Farewell, again.  Good luck to you too Gary!"

"Thanks, Mrs. Red," rolling his eyes.

"And, I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting your girlfriend!" Ash's mother shouted.

"Mom!"

Leaf grinned and turned to face Mrs. Red.  "I'm Leaf!"  As she met her eyes, the mother thought she had recognized the girl from somewhere, but she couldn't quite place it.  As the kids left her sight, she couldn't shake that feeling.  She returned to the living room and tried to recall the face as a movie played on TV, showing four kids, walking down some railroad tracks.  Or maybe it was down a yellow brick road...

*          *          *

Four figures walked down the path that connected Pallet Town to Viridian City.  Ash, carrying his Pikachu, Leaf, carrying her Jigglypuff, Gary, whose Eevee was perched on his shoulder, and the Clefairy who was talking at length about he once was almost captured, but was too quick to get caught.

"So then I decided to use Hyper Beam on his Rhydon, and he was obliterated!  I could totally do it again too, but you know how you have to regroup after you use it, so I don't want to waste it in case there is any danger and..."

"Ash!  Shut your Clefairy up!" Gary shouted.

"For the last time, he's not mine!  And stop shouting, you'll wake up Pikachu!"

"You know, it doesn't count as taming if your Pokémon stays asleep the whole time."

"Boys, quiet," Leaf shushed.  "There's something coming."

A wild Pidgey appeared!  Shuffling out amongst the tall grass, a small brown bird flapped its wings, not noticing the approaching trainers.  Ash opened up his Pokédex to learn more about it.  On the screen, an image of the bird appeared, along with the words: PIDGEY: Does not like to fight. It hides in tall grass and so on, foraging for food such as small bugs.  Leaf also checked her Pokédex: A common sight in forests and woods. It flaps its wings and ground level to kick up blinding sand.

"You guys need to check the Pokédex on a Pidgey?" Gary scoffed.  "Please, allow a real trainer to handle this.  Eon, Tackle!"  With a swift jump, Gary's Eevee pounced on the bird, disorienting it.  The Pidgey began making a small whirlwind, blowing sand each way.

"Eon!  Shield your eyes and Tackle it again to your right!"  Eon used its big ears to cover its eyes and it once again hit the Pidgey.  Gary grabbed his Poké Ball, threw it and successfully captured the Pidgey.  "There.  I'm already a step ahead of you guys.  Now I have three Pokémon.  Pidgey, Eon, and --"

"Aren't you going to give it a nickname?" Leaf asked.

"Why?  It's just a Pidgey."

"Hey, look there's another one!" Ash exclaimed!  "Pikachu, wake up!  It's time for your first battle."  He gently shook Pikachu and set him on the ground.  Pikachu yawned and opened his eyes.  "Pikachu, use your ThunderShock on that Pidgey!"  Pikachu looked at Clefairy, who shook his head.  Pikachu glared at Ash.

"Come on, Pikachu.  Don't make me look bad in front of the others."

"What are you going to do, Ash?" Gary taunted.

"Pidgeys are weak...I can catch it without Pikachu's help.  Unless you want to catch this one instead, Leaf."

"No thank you.  I don't want a bird Pokémon."

"Alright then...this one's all mine.  Uh..."  Ash looked around and saw a good-sized rock.  He chucked it at the bird and it bounced off the bird's head.

"Gotcha!"

But then the bird turned around, and the trainers could see that it wasn't a Pidgey.  This time, Gary checked his Pokédex: SPEAROW: Inept at flying high. However, it can fly around very fast to protect its territory.  The Spearow glared at Ash, and then let out a shrill cry as it flew towards him to start pecking him!  Leaf screamed and dropped her pack, opting to grab Puff and hide behind a tree.  Ash began to throw things to get the bird to stop attacking him while Gary, Clefairy, and Pikachu laughed.

"Help, guys!" Ash said as he threw a pair of earmuffs at the Spearow.  "This isn't funny!"  He then picked up a small vial and chucked it, missing the Spearow entirely and breaking against Pikachu's head.  The Spearow stopped attacking Ash and flew over to the mouse.

"Ash!  That was my Bulbasaur's nectar!  It attracts wild Pokémon!" Leaf shouted.  No sooner had she spoken than a flock of Spearow came bursting out of the tree she was standing other and they all swarmed Pikachu.

"Pika!!!"  Pikachu started running and Ash dove after it.  He tried to get between the birds and his Pokémon, but it was no use.

"Um, guys, I don't want to alarm you but...we've got company," Clefairy pointed to waves of Pidgeys, Rattatas, and Spearows that had been attracted to the scent.  "I suggest we run."

And with that the three were off.  Ash finally managed to scoop up Pikachu, but the birds continued to peck at him.  He could also feel something tugging at his backpack.  He turned to see Gary unzipping it.

"What are you doing?!"

"I'm trying to get that map you stole from my house!"

"I didn't steal it!  Your sister gave it to me!"

"Yeah, well, all I know is that we've got to get to Viridian City and I'm not going to be killed waiting for you to clean up your mess!  Aha!"  Gary grabbed the map and started running off the path.

"Wait!" shouted Leaf.  The professor told us to stick together!"

"Yeah, and look at how well that's working out for us.  Smell ya later!" Gary disappeared amongst the trees.

"Ugh, Gary, come back!"  Leaf took off after him but a flock of Pokémon blocked her way, she screamed and picked up Clefairy, running away.  Jigglypuff, her intended rescue target, puffed up in anger and floated off after her trainer.

Ash knew he had to run as well, but he had gotten so turned around by the birds that he didn't know which way to go.  So he picked a path and just started running.  He managed to break free from the swarm long enough to notice that Pikachu was severely injured and scraped.  The Spearow were hot on his tail and he had no idea which way to go.  So he continued along the path.

After running for a while, he noticed a blue bicycle propped up by a tree.  He needed to move faster so he placed Pikachu in the basket and sped off.  Behind him he heard a girl shouting "Hey, that's my bike, you thief!"

"I'll return it," he shouted behind him.  "Don't worry!"  I've got to get Pikachu to a hospital, he thought.

As he raced along, clouds began to form and a downpour flooded the path, making it extremely muddy to get through.  His new bike ground to a halt, throwing him and Pikachu to the ground.  Sore from the pecks and the crash, Ash looked at his Pokémon.  It was his first day and he'd already managed to endanger Pikachu.  He was not cut out to be a trainer.  He crawled over to Pikachu and pleaded that he get inside the Poké Ball, where he'll be safe.  He could hear the Spearow closing in behind him.  Pikachu didn't budge.

Broken, Ash turned to face his burden, and noticed that the leader of the pack had grown much bigger since the chase began.  It's neck, legs, and beak were much longer, making it an intimidating sight.  Ash knew what he had to do.

"I started this battle, and I intend to finish it.  I am Ash Red of Pallet Town.  And I will be a Pokémon Master.  So if it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get.  Pikachu is my teammate, and to get to him," he readied his Poké Ball, "you'll have to get through me."

Suddenly, he felt pressure on his shoulder as he felt Pikachu leap from off him, sending a shock that carried through the rain, smiting every bird, including the biggest one at the front of the pack.  The last thing Ash saw was his Poké Ball leaving his hand as he fell back from the surge in electricity.

*          *          *

After the storm, Ash woke up.  He was soaked and his clothes were caked in mud.  Pikachu lay cuddled up next to him.  The bike had been fried to a crisp.  And in his hands, was the Poké Ball, with the bird inside.  A quick check of the Pokédex told him it was a Fearow, the evolved form of Spearow.  In the heat of intense moments, Pokémon can under go significant changes.  Ash smiled.

A screech overhead startled Pikachu awake, and Ash held his finger to his lips and saw an even greater bird.  It looked like his Fearow, but was larger and shined a brilliant golden color.  He checked his Pokédex again, but no entry came up.

The bird flew past Ash and Pikachu without looking at them, and it disappeared into the rainbow that had been left behind.  Ash cradled Pikachu again, who responded with a meek lick on his chin.  He began walking in the direction of the unknown bird.

Although he had lost his map, he had found his way.

Out of the Ash, Chapter 1: A Pure White Beginning

Sept. 1 - Mewtwo is far too powerful.  We have failed to curb its vicious tendencies.

"Dr. Fuji!  We must hurry!  It has escaped!"

The bespectacled man grabbed his colleague by the shoulder, pulling him away from his desk.  Fuji stood up with a bolt, dropping his journal to the ground.

"Out of its capsule?  Has the chamber been locked down?"

"No.  It's escaped out of the building.  Now, let's go before we both get killed!"

"You and I both know that if it wanted us dead, we wouldn't even be having this conversation.  Where has it gone?  I may be able to coax it back."

A violent tremble shook the laboratory, knocking the men to their feet.  Down the hall, Fuji could hear the muffled screams of men.  He grabbed his partner by the arm and stepped out into the corridor, only to be pushed back by the smoke billowing in from a nearby office.  The men could barely comprehend what was happening until the next shock hit the building.  A hole had torn open in the ceiling, allowing the smoke to clear and the fire to grow.  Beneath the newly exposed full moon, Fuji could see the devastation that had befallen his coworkers.  Flames licked the walls as the corpses of lab assistants and technicians decorated the hallway.

A force, maybe terror or fatigue, took over Fuji's elderly body.  He nearly collapsed again, barely grabbing hold onto a nearby Rhydon statute.  He looked back and saw that his partner had been trapped under a piece of the ceiling.  He tried to yell back to him but the heat and smoke had become too overwhelming.  He slowly felt himself growing weaker.  As he slipped to the base of the statue, propping himself up on one arm, he could see a silhouette forming in the cloud of ash.

It was coming for him.  It wasn't going to leave.  The figure leaned in close, inches away from his face. Fuji knew what it was going to ask, as if the creature was already in his mind, searching for the answer.

"Where is my father?"

Fuji did not know the answer.  But he did know that his lack of knowledge was unacceptable.  A pure white light, brighter than the fire, filled the room.  And the pain began.

*          *          *          *          *          *

"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!"  Ash sat straight up in bed, blinded by a searing headache.

"Are you okay?" called his mother from downstairs.  Ash rubbed his temples and squinted in the sunlight.

"No, I...," Ash stared out the window.  "Wait...what time is it?!"  The pain and memory of his headache was replaced by the pain of an even bigger headache as he grabbed his alarm clock which read 12:00.  And then 12:00.  And then 12:00.  He screamed again, even louder.

"Mom!  My alarm clock didn't go off!"  He rushed out of his room and down the stairs where he saw banner reading "HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY!" over the breakfast table.  His mother presented him with a gift box and a plate of eggs.

"Oh, the power must have gone out last night.  I told you if you stayed up late to watch the Indigo League finals, you'd be tired in the morning!  But it's okay.  The birthday boy can sleep in a little later if he wants to."

"But the professor is handing out Pokémon for the new trainers today.  If I'm late, all the best ones will be taken!  How am I supposed to start my first day as a trainer if I can't get a good Pokémon !" Ash said, between heaping bites of dry cereal.  He finished off his breakfast with a large swig directly out of the milk bottle.

"Pace yourself, Ash!  I'm sure there will be plenty of good Pokémon to chose from.  Now here, open your present!"

Ash's mother handed him the box, and he quickly tore into it.  He pulled out a Potion bottle and a red and white baseball cap.  The cap was a little frayed on the brim and featured a round black patch that was sewn onto the front.

"The Potion is to help heal your Pokémon after battles.  Be sure to replenish it when it gets low.  And that hat was your father's lucky cap.  It was the same one he wore when he challenged the Elite Four at your age.  He wanted you to have it."

"Whoa," Ash tried the hat on.  "It's a little big, but...thanks Mom."  He hugged her and looked at the Meowth clock on the kitchen wall over her shoulder.  It was 10:46!

"Ah! I've gotta go!  The new trainers were supposed to be at the lab an hour ago!"  Ash dashed out the door, and immediately tumbled down the front steps of his house.  Holding his scraped knee, he looked up to see what he had tripped on.  A small, yellow mouse had dragged on of the main powerlines out from under his house and was chewing on it contentedly.

"Ugh! You stupid rat!  You've made me late!  Shoo! Shoo!" Ash kicked his foot in the air to scare off the rodent.  The mouse's red cheeks began to emit a few sparks as it glared at the boy, finally sending a bolt to shock his bare foot.  "Ow!"  Ash dove for the mouse, but it quickly ran up a nearby tree.  And if Ash didn't know any better, he could have sworn the mouse was laughing at him.

"Pipipi," it squeaked from its perch.

"Oh, I'll deal with you later."  And with that, Ash continued towards the laboratory on the side of town.  As he ran, his mind turned to his mission at hand.  Oh, there had better be a Charmander left when I get there, he thought.  I don't want to be stuck with a Bulbasaur...If I had a Charmander, then I'll make him just as strong as Dad's Charizard.  I'm going to be the next Pokémon Champion!  Please let there be one left!

Ash finally made it to the doors of the giant laboratory.  He passed a sign that said "PALLET TOWN LABORATORY" in big letters and a paper flyer underneath which read, "Professor Oak will be greeting new trainers at 10am, Sept. 1.  Shades of a new journey await!  Choose wisely!"  Pictures of three Pokémon  a Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle were shown underneath.  Ash tapped the Charmander as he ran by, and found his way into the main lecture hall.

A crowd of children, all around Ash's age, had filled the dark room.  Ash was forced to take a seat at the very back and strained to see what everyone was looking at.   Fortunately, the seat was quite comfy.  At the front of the room, a black and white film was playing on a projector screen.  It showcased two teenage trainers who were in the middle of a battle.  The female trainer had a short round Pokémon with a spiky head and a wide menacing grin while the male trainer owned a four-legged monster with a large horn and big stiff ears.  As the two creatures attacked each other, an elderly professor at the front of the room narrated the action.

"As you can see, my Nidorino's options were extremely limited.  In order to do any damage, I had to rely on Poison Sting to get the job done.  Can anybody tell me why this is?" asked the Professor.  "Yes, Gary, once again?"

A tall boy at the front of the crowd answered with a condescending tone.  "Since you were fighting a Gengar, which is a Ghost type, Nidorino's Normal and Fighting moves would pass right through it."

"Yes, that is exactly, right-"

"Also, Poison Sting wouldn't have helped any either because Gengar is also a Poison type and is immune.  Nidorino had no chance.  You should have evolved it right away.  I'm sure you lost this battle," the cocky boy continued.

"Er, yes, you are exactly correct."

Ash thought he recognized the voice of the boy and realized that it was his next door neighbor, Gary Oak.  He used to play with him when he was younger, but he hadn't seen him for the past year, as he was abroad training.  Ash couldn't wait to see his old friend again and learn from him.

"Um, excuse me, but you're sitting on my puff."

"What?"  Ash turned to face the girl he had been sitting next to this whole time.  He didn't recognize her.

"That's my Jigglypuff you're sitting on."  The girl pushed Ash to the side and he saw that the pink cushion he was sitting on was actually a round sleeping Pokémon   Ash restrained himself from yelling in surprise so as not to draw attention to himself.  "Shh," the girl whispered.  "If Puff wakes up, she'll be angry."  She picked up the Jigglypuff and put her in her lap.  The big-eyed puffball remained fast asleep.

"Sorry," Ash whispered.  "I didn't know."  He took the now empty seat.  It wasn't as comfortable anymore.

"Why are you so late?  Oversleep much?" The girl giggled, and fiddled with her white lace gloves.

"Uh, yeah, heh.  I hope I didn't miss a lot.  Have the professor handed out the Pokémon yet?"

"No, he was just going over the basics of battling and stuff.  It's been pretty boring.  I'm hoping to get a Squirtle.  I think they're the cutest.  How about you?"

"A Charmander.  Like my dad."

"Well, I guess I'll have the type advantage then!  You know, water beats fire!"

"Haha, I don't know, Charmanders can be very strong."

"Ahem!" came a voice from the front.  "And what is Gengar's signature move, young man?"  Professor Oak was glaring at Ash and the rest of the crowd had turned to face him.

"Um..." Ash looked to the girl who shook her head.  "I don't know, sir."

"Dream Eater.  If you had been watching the film you would have seen that my opponent's Gengar used the devastating Dream Eater on me."  Oak turned back to the film.

The Jigglypuff girl laughed quietly.  "I knew it was Dream Eater."

"Then why didn't you tell me?!"

"I just wanted to see you squirm.  That's what you get for sitting on Puff!"

Ash grumbled to himself as the lights turned on.  "Alright boys and girls.  The moment as come to collect your official starter Pokémon   Please line up single file and present your Trainer ID to select your starters."

"I'll see you down at the front," said the girl as she stood up.  She hadn't noticed that her Jigglypuff had left a bunch of little pink hairs all over her dark blue dress.  Ash decided not to tell her.  "Nice pajamas, by the way," she smirked.  Ash looked down at his outfit.  He had forgotten to change!  And his pajamas didn't have pockets, meaning that his Trainer ID was still at home!  Without another word, he darted out of the lab and hightailed it back towards his house.

As he passed by the Oak residence, a pretty teenage girl stepped out onto the porch and called, "Hi Ash!  Did you get your first Pokémon?"  This was Gary's older sister, Daisy.  Ash had always been too shy to talk to her, even when he used to go over to her house to play with Gary.  But he didn't have time to not talk to her today.

"Not...no...soon...ID....need!"  Ash called behind him.  As he approached his house, he saw the yellow mouse from earlier once again blocking his doorway.  Without breaking his stride, he scooped up a handful of pebbles and threw them at the creature.  One of the larger rocks hit the mouse on the head, causing it to run away.  "Serves you right, you dumb rat."  Ash quickly ran through the door, up the stairs, into the bedroom, and grabbed his ID.  But on his way back out, he met another obstacle.

Two small Pokémon were standing in his way.  One was the electric mouse, and the other looked like a pinker, fatter version of the mouse.  With wings.

"Hey, kid!" shouted the pink Pokémon   Ash was stunned into a halt as he had never seen a talking Pokémon before.  "Wh-what?" Ash stammered.

"My cousin here says that you threw a rock at his head.  Is this true?" The pink Pokémon puffed out his chest, trying to look tough.  "Pika, Pippi, pika pika," squeaked the mouse.  "Now he's saying that you also tried to kick him earlier!  I believe you owe him an apology."  The pink Pokémon fluttered its tiny wings to punctuate his point.

Ash didn't have time to comprehend what was happening, for at that moment, he came down with another headache, as violent as the one he experienced earlier.  "Look, I don't have time for this.  I've got to get back to the lab!"  Pinching the bridge of his nose, he pushed the two Pokémon out of his way and made his way back to the lab.  "Hey, come back here!" shouted the Pokémon.  "Pika!"

Most of the children were already outside admiring their new Pokémon   Bulbasaurs, Charmanders, and Squirtles mingled and battled.  Leaves, embers and water droplets were spraying everywhere.  In the middle of it all stood Gary Oak with a little brown fox-like creature perched on his shoulder.

"Hey there, Ash!  I thought I heard you inside.  Wanna battle with our new Pokémon?  I got the strongest one there was."

Ash pointed to the furry creature on his shoulder.  "Is that your starter?"

"Eevee?  No, he's just my training buddy.  Although I'm sure he can beat you just as well."  Eevee perked up at the thought.

"Look, I'd like to stay and chat, but I haven't received my first Pokémon yet, so if you'll excuse me..."

"You haven't picked one yet?  Looks like you've already got two."  Gary pointed at the pink and yellow Pokémon that had been chasing Ash from his house.  The mouse was starting to release another burst of electricity in his direction.  Ash pushed past Gary to get to safety.  "Whatever!  Smell you later, Ash!"

When Ash made it back to the lecture hall, he saw the girl from earlier arguing with Professor Oak.  Apparently, she was the last one in line.

"I am NOT going to start with an ugly Bulbasaur!" the girl shouted.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart, but that is my last Pokémon   It's only fair that those who arrive first get first pick.  And any Pokémon you start with will be a strong member of your team that you will bond and grow with."

"Ugh!  I came all the way here from Viridian City just to get stuck with a lousy Bulbasaur!  I wanted a Squirtle!  Ergh!"  Her Jigglypuff had awaken by this point and was just as angry.  The girl stormed past Ash, and he could tell that the Bulbasaur in her Poké Ball was hurt by her reaction.  "Good luck," she sarcastically said to Ash as she passed by him.

"Yes, can I help you?" Professor Oak asked.

"Um, I'm here to get my starter Pokémon?  My name is Ash..."

"Hmm," Oak checked his roster.  "Are you a boy or a girl?"

"Boy...?"

"I don't see any Ash listed.  Are you sure you're eligible?

"Yes," Ash handed over his Trainer ID.  "I just turned 10 today.  That means I can start my journey, right?  I don't want to have to spend another year at school, waiting."

Oak looked at the ID and back at Ash.  "Yes, I suppose you're right.  But I handed out all of my starter Pokémon   It'll take months until the next batch are bred.  Unless you don't mind starting with another Pokémon."

"Yes, I'll take anything at this point!  Please!"

At that moment, the girl with the Jigglypuff shrieked and ran into the room, followed closely by the two wild Pokémon   "Go get him, Pikachu!  This Jigglypuff looks like she could use some company!" the pink one shouted, before sidling up to Puff.  She, in turn, slapped him.  Twice.

The Pikachu was dashing down the seats of the lecture hall, bouncing from chair to chair.  Professor Oak shouted, "That's a rogue Pikachu and Clefairy!  They're pretty far from their habitat.  And if you don't look out, you'll be electrocuted!"  He then pulled Ash behind his desk as a bolt of lightning careened toward his head.  Oak steadied his Poké Ball.  "Which one do you want?"

"Are you crazy?!"  Ash shouted.  "That Pikachu is a psycho!  And that other thing is annoying!"

"Look, these are very rare Pokémon  and I've only got one ball on me.  You're going to have to pick one.  And you're going to have to learn to work together, whichever one you choose."  Another shock bounced off a blackboard behind them.  "You want to prove that you're a trainer?  Show me what you've got!"

And with that, he stood up and tossed the ball at Pikachu.  In a beam of light, Pikachu was captured in the capsule.  After a few trembles, the ball closed and Ash could see the angry Pikachu inside, storing up energy.  Oak carefully picked up the ball and handed it to Ash.  "I wish you luck on your new journey to becoming a Pokémon Master!"

Ash looked down at the ball.  Great.  My first Pokémon already hates me.  I should probably let it out of its prison.  So, in an effort to start things on the right foot, Ash released the Pikachu.  The electricity surrounding it grew and grew until a bright white light filled the laboratory and there was a sudden explosion.

As the girl, the Jigglypuff, the Clefairy, Ash, Pikachu and Professor Oak gathered themselves amidst the fallen ash, Oak turned to his lab, and fell to his knees.

"My books...my computers...all of years my research...gone!

And Ash could sense that this was going to be the worst headache yet.

To Be Continued...