POKEMON/ANGEL:AFTER THE FALL

POKEMON/ANGEL:AFTER THE FALL

After an amazing confrontation sees' Ash and Picachu hurled through a swirling portal.

"Whoa! Picachu, where are we? I don't recognise this place." Ash cried as they arrived in a dark, smoky terrain.

Ash heard the distinctive sound of gravel and dirt being walked over.

"What manner of creature is this?" A slim, young woman with unusual

Eyes asked as she approached.

"Oh, him, he's my best buddy Picachu!" Ash replied, somewhat surprised by the woman's appearance.

Her strange, icy stare met Ashes own.

"And who are you?" She asked in a demanding tone.

"Me? I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet town." Ash looked around himself.

"Where is this place?"

Illyria ignored the question; she took a step towards Picachu then suddenly swept him up in her arms.

Eyeing him at arms length, she said, "this is something new, it pleases me. I have never seen such a being before and I have seen many."

Picachu glanced a little worriedly at Ash, but was somewhat reassured by the strength of Illyria arms.

Ash shrugged, "Well, he's a Pokemon an electric type, I've been training with him for years."

"Say, do you know where I could find the nearest Pokemon centre Miss…. Oh! Sorry" Ash blushed and self-consciously rubbed the back of his neck, "I forget to ask you your name."

Illyria paused to think, "I do not believe this city has a 'Pokemon centre'

She replied. "And my Name is Illyria."

"Oh, okay then, that's odd, about the Pokemon centre I mean. So where is this place anyway?"

"It was called Los Angeles, but since Wolfram and Harte annexed it, it has become part of Hell."

"Whoa, Hell!" Ash cried "that's sounds really bad!"

Illyria coolly considered the friendly young boy before her, "you have shown me something new, if you can show more, then I will grant you my protection."

"Well, I guess I have other poke…." Just then Ash heard a voice he recognised and looked up. I was unmistakable.

Meowth had just run around a pile of scrap metal, he ran over and leaned on Ash's leg while he caught his breath.

"Say twerp," he panted, "'dis whole place is nuts!"

Ash wasn't at all surprised to see Jessie and James hurry towards him from the say direction Meowth had come.

"Eeeek, that monster is trying to get us," squealed James.

Sure enough, a huge six armed monster with rough hewn teeth and a wicked looking horn on its head followed behind Team Rocket.

"This Picachu that you say you've trained" Alleria said impassively, "can it do anything useful?"

"Sure can miss!" Ash cried. "Picachu! Get ready." Ash commanded.

Picachu lightly hopped from Illyria's arms onto a small rock facing the imposing demon bearing down on them. It stopped and bellowed fiercely.

"Okay, Picachu, use Thundershock now!" Ash called.

With a mighty battle cry of his own name, Picachu glowed electrically and sent a hug burst crackling energy at the creature, bathing it in yellow light.

The creature let out a high pitched howl of pain and shock.

As the lighting strike waned, the creature was momentarily still, now scorched black, it slowly cracked into ashen pieces and fell onto the ground.

One of its carbonized arms rolled close to Illyria.

With a light tap of her boot, the arm crumbled to dust.

Something like a suggestion of a smile, flirted with the corner of her mouth.

"How very," she paused, "effective, that was. For some reason, that had come to her as the most appropriate word for the situation.

She held her arms out and Picachu lithely jumped back into them.

"What great power you contain inside your small yellow body," she said to Picachu, "you belong to me now." Her voice brooked no contradiction.

Ash rubbed the back of his head again, "well I guess you can keep him for a while. He sure does seem to like you!"

Jessie turned to face Ash. "Well twerp," she said, "it looks like your Picachu has saved us for a change." She glanced at Illyria, "and it seems

We have some new competition for his ownership."

Illyria's steady gaze took in Jessie, James and Meowth. "Your garb is strange. Who are you?"

To Illyria's not inconsiderable surprise, the 3 of them moved together and performed a strange musical introduction of them selves.

"Well, Team Rocket," she said once they'd finished, "you are also new and you, the one called Meowth, you remind me of a race of cat people I once new well."

Drawing himself up to his full height, Meowth cried. "Lady, you just went from worst to first! Meowth, that's right!"

Illyria suddenly announced "I have decided that you shall all return with me to Beverley Hills."

Ash considered a moment. "I wonder what Brock and Dawn would do if they here?" he wondered aloud.

Illyria turned on heel and began to stride powerfully away through the rough landscape.

"It looks to me as if the twerp has made an influential friend." Jessie said to James and Meowth, "we had best follow along for now."

Ash had already moved forwards to walk alongside Illyria.

After several minutes, they noticed a huge improvement in the surrounding scenery.

"Whoa, 'dis Beverley Hills is some swanky kinda place." Meowth remarked admiringly.

"Yes," James said delightedly, "this is much more like what we're accustomed to." Jessie and Meowth gave his pointed looks.

"At least, it's what it should be accustomed to anyway," he ventured.

They reached some splendid polished iron gates that girls in bikinis opened as they approached.

"Illyria, where've you been? We need to talk." A strong voice called out. It belonged to tall handsome man who walked purposely over the beautiful grass towards them, a sword casually swung over one shoulder.

Next to him a smaller, blonde haired man walked, he had a sly, amused

Self confident look on his face.

"Well love, what have you found in your wanderings in the wastelands this time?" He cockily enquired in a distinctly British accent.

Angel's gaze fell on Jessie, "Is you hair really that colour?" he asked, a quizzical look on his face.

"Oh, well, why, yes it is" Jessie replied flirtatiously, "and who might you be."

"I'm Angel, pleased to meet you and your, uh, friends." He said looking

Into Meowth's inquiring face.

"You can call me James," James said beaming

"Prepare for…." Jessie began, but was cut off by Illyria.

"They are Jessie and James and the cat with coin on his head is Meowth. They are called Team Rocket and have a musical introduction that I have already seen and have no desire to see again."

She turned to Spike, "I have acquired new things of interest my Pet."

Angel looked inquisitively at Picachu. "Is that bright Yellow thing you're holding some kind of demon?" He asked.

"No, it's a Pokemon called a Pikachu," Jessie replied moving closer to Angel.

"In fact it's quite a prize," she continued, looking up admiringly at Angel's eyes, "we've been after it for some time now."

"I have taken possession of it, it belongs to me." Illyria stated. "As does the talking cat with the gold coin on its head."

"Well now, dats' not too shabby for Meowth," he said taking in the beautiful white mansion and the sumptuous grounds.

Angel was shaking his head. "I've seen a lot a strange things since L.A. went to hell, but this, is really," he paused, "unexpected."

"Hey kid, you okay," He asked a nervous looking Ash Ketchum.

"Uh, yeah sure mister, I guess I'm okay, but I'd really like to go home now."

Spike was looking intently at Meowth, an unusually serious expression on his face.

"This little fella here, love his accent, but he practically looks like he's glowing."

"and the purple haired tottie," he continued

"Do mean Jessie!" James exclaimed aghast.

"Her and 'er gay friend"

"Do you mean me? James cried. Feeling decidedly unwell.

"Almost look as if they've been ripped from a blinking cartoon."

He shook his head in wonder.

"I travelled many realities in my great days long past," said Illyria. "But I never encountered anything such as these."

"Well, come to think of it, I do feel kind of out place here." Ash said looking at the people around him.

"Yes, so do I," said James.

Jessie looked at Angel again. "Well, it's not all bad" she sighed, then frowned, "but the twerp does have a point, there are no Pokemon here."

"And the boss has no idea where we've got to!" James added.

"Now yas' come ta mention it," Meowth said, "I do kinda' feel really drawn to dat."

He pointed a finger with a sharp pointed claw at a line of thin blue energy that had begun to appear nearby.

As everyone turned to look, it started to grow.

Angel looked knowingly at what was evidently a portal. "I have to admit, I was getting worried about what was going to become of these guys here, especially the kid in the cap." He said.

"But I think the Universe is putting itself back to rights."

Spike laughed, "what, even here in Hell A? Where everything's up the swanny?"

Aleria stared fixedly at field of energy. "Yes, a doorway, back to their world, it has been many ages past since strode between the worlds," she declared. And with that she strode purposely towards it, Picachu still

Resting securely in her arms.

"Pica!" he said happily, recognising the world that was beginning to form within the portal.

"What!" Angel blanched, "wait, you can't just take off like that." He quickly made a movement forward and tried to grab her.

With a one smooth motion, Aleria turned, and hit Angel in the centre of his chest with her palm. The blow sent his flying several yards back through the air.

"Well, guess I'll be seeing yer then love, send a postcard." Was all a smiling Spike had to say.

"Well, don't just stand there, come on!" Said Jessie crossly to James and Meowth.

The three of them ran towards the portal, Ash quickly joined them.

Team Rocket and Ash found themselves on a wide road, with a setting sun in the distance, suddenly everything felt right again!

"I think that's a Pokemon centre I can see in the distance!" Ash cried.

"Well, that was certainly very strange." James said.

"Yes, we're bad and all," replied Jessie, "but that place was downright mad."

"Ah well, dems' the breaks I guess." Said Meowth. "but dey' sure looked liked the knew howdda' live over there."

Ash wondered how he was going to retrieve Picachu from Illyria; he wasn't sure officer Jenny would be up to the job.

"So, Ash, this is your world, it's neat."

Ash looked bewildered up at the speaker. "Uh, Illyria, are you okay? What happened to you? You look all different."

Aleria no longer had scary eyes and her hair was now a tawny brown.

"It's seems this Universe has had quite an effect on me." She said, perhaps you should call me Fred from now one."

"Oh, here," she added and handed Picachu back to Ash. Seeing Team rocket tense, she added. "I'm pretty sure I can still pull your arms off if you try to steal him though." She told them.

"Oh, well, we have more important things to do anyway." Jessie said hurriedly.

"Yes, we have to find our Balloon." James said, with that, they hurried away.

"You wouldn't do that to them really would you?" Asked Ash, a little worriedly.

"I guess not," Fred replied, "but at least it got them out of our hair for a while." She smiled at Ash.

Ash put Picachu down and grabbed Fred by the hand.

"Come on." He said excitedly, "I'm pretty sure that's the Pokemon centre where Brock and Dawn will be."

"I just can't wait to introduce you to them!"

Fred felt lifted by Ash's youthful enthusiasm and she could see little Picachu scampering happily along beside them.

"Does a Pokemon centre have a bath and good meal?" she enquired.

"Sure Does!" Ash cried, "and I can start teaching you all about Pokemon!"

THE END.

Paul Baker

AKA Mauvemage