Alright folks, after almost nine years since the original publication date, I have finished the revision to this story. I started getting back into Pokemon over this past summer (2010) while on vacation with nothing to do but get lost in nostalgia and my childhood. It is not a complete rewrite. Rather, I added more exposition and changed the plot around so it made more sense. The dialogue also took some heavy editing as well in some places. I hope this is more in-character and more enjoyable than the previous version. If you read this and like it, feel free to review. I don't expect this to be the greatest fic ever, just to be a better job of something I did a long time ago. I am currently redoing its sequel and then the last part in the series. Following this, I will post the next series in this long tale that my friend and I wrote dealing with Pokemon (and Zelda: Ocarina of Time), which I am also revising. I'm trying to get this done before I graduate university finally (in June so it probably won't happen, but I shall try).
Without further adieu, onto the story...
GS Distress: Infamous
Ash, Misty and Tracey continue walking through Pallet Town on this bright and sunny, almost perfect day after having just arrived from the Orange Archipelago. Though it was a nice journey and sort of a vacation, Ash is glad to be back home and to see his mother. On the way into town, they even ran into his Pidgeot, who was glad to see his trainer. The two were reunited, and Pidgeot was once again added to Ash's team as the problem with the Spearows had been resolved. The other bird Pokémon learned how to defend themselves against the attackers and were doing quite well now.
Tracey, on the other hand, is excited about meeting Professor Oak, his long-time idol and the one who he wants to model his watching career after, even though the older man is a researcher. Tracey has always felt when he watches and draws Pokémon, he is doing research on them as well, recording them in their natural habitat and collecting data for other people. Misty is glad to be back as well because, even though this place is not her own home, Mrs. Ketchum is always so welcoming and makes it feel that way every time she stays there. Best of all, this home does not have her annoying older sisters. Misty only hopes that Daisy has not been giving out badges in her absence.
This nice, quiet little walk, however, is soon interrupted when Gary appears on the road in front of them, coming from the direction of the laboratory where his grandfather does all of his work. He had heard Ash was coming back and was not about to let the opportunity pass him up to see how his rival has improved. Normally Gary would be the first one to make snide comments to the boy, but his loss so early on at the Indigo League humbled him a bit. Still, he does like to tease Ash.
"Hey, it's Ashy-boy, back from the Orange League with his girlfriend. Where's that squinty-eyed guy?" Surprising all there, the pair referred to as a couple do not protest as loudly as they possibly can.
"What do you want, Gary?" Ash grumbles.
"Hi, I'm Tracey," the watcher interjects, hoping to diffuse the situation. "You must be Gary Oak. I'm a big fan of your grandfather. I was hoping to meet him."
"Are you a Pokémon trainer?" he asks Tracey, forgetting about Ash for the time, which is fine with all involved (except Ash).
"No, I'm a Pokémon watcher."
"Really? You know, I think your name is familiar now that you say that."
"Some of my sketches have been published in a few small journals as companion pieces to more distinguished researchers' work. I'm surprised you would be interested in reading them. They're mostly for academic types."
"Actually, I've been really interested lately in what my grandpa does. But that doesn't mean that I'm not still going to the number one trainer in the world." With his smirk, he looks back at Ash, who clenches his fists at his sides. "So how about it, Ash? You up for a battle? I'd like to see how the champion of the Orange League has improved."
"Of course! How many Pokémon?"
"How about one-on-one?"
"Fine with me. Go, Pikachu!"
"Pika!" Pikachu jumps in front of Ash, and Misty steps behind him to be his one-girl silent cheering squad. Gary steps back a few feet for more space, and Tracey moves to be half way in between both to act as referee. Gary sends out Eevee, which Misty squeals about as it is 'so cute.'
Both boys stare the other down as Tracey announces the standard rules. Pikachu cannot wait to get out there and help his master win against his rival finally. This is not to mention he wants to test himself and see how much he has improved thanks to his time in the Orange Islands. Togepi starts to cheer for Pikachu as Tracey gets ready to give the starts signal. The tension and anticipation cannot practically be felt by everyone there…
Unfortunately, though, a sudden ringing from a device on Gary's wrist interrupts things. Ash, kind of irritated he would be taking a phone call instead of battling, glares.
"What's the deal, Gary? We haven't even started yet!" Ignoring him, Gary looks at the device on his right arm and reads what it says. His expression doesn't change, which confuses all of them.
"We'll have to settle this another time, Ashy-boy. I have to take care of something." With that, he calls back his Pokémon and takes off full speed in the opposite direction of his home and grandfather's lab. Ash stands there with his mouth open.
"Pi?" Tracey comes back over to the pair.
"I wonder what that was all about," he says aloud.
"I know what that was about," Ash proclaims. "He knew I would beat him so he took off instead of letting me embarrass him. Can't say I don't blame him." Misty just smacks him upside the head, and he rubs his new sore spot.
"Let's just go see Professor Oak already. He's been waiting for the GS Ball, you know." The boys agree, and the three humans plus their Pokémon partners continue on, pretty much brushing off Gary's odd behavior.
Soon enough they arrive at the doorstep of the lab, and Ash goes right on in, followed by the others. Tracey takes the time to look around as they search out the professor. This place is most impressive, and he would love to study here someday. It has always been a dream of his to work somewhere like this eventually. Ash and Misty, who are accustomed to everything, do not stare around as awestruck as their newest friend. The watcher barely holds himself back from drooling as he follows along behind them.
When they finally locate the older man upstairs, he is on his computer reading something that has all of his attention.
"Professor Oak, we're here!" Ash announces cheerfully. With a jump, he turns around in his chair and sees the trio.
"Ash, you startled me. I wasn't expecting you so soon."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, you know how you always get sidetracked, like competing in the Orange League and then having to save the world from the three mystical birds and that collector." Ash thinks about it and scratches behind his neck with a chuckle.
"I guess you're right. But we did finally bring this to you." He reaches into his jacket pocket, pulls out the fabled ball, and hands it over to the anxious professor. He holds it close to his face, scrutinizing every last detail.
"So this is the GS Ball…" After a few more seconds of this silence, he walks over and puts it in a plastic dome to study later in much more detail. Tracey, though, is speechless at finally being in the presence of his idol. Though they have met over the video phone and saw each other briefly after Ash saved the world, it was not the same. Everyone was so focused on Ash and the fact that world was now safe again that he didn't even get to mutter more than a hi to the man. Then they all parted ways rather quickly. Oak smiles and looks at Tracey once he realizes this.
"Hello, Tracey. It's nice to finally meet you in person without the world almost having been destroyed first." He holds his hand out, and an awestruck Tracey takes it.
"Nice to meet you, too, Professor Oak." He then starts to question the professor about Pokémon and his current studies, leaving poor Ash and Misty to back off and wait for Tracey to stop drooling. This takes a few long minutes.
When they are done talking, Professor Oak decides to address Ash and ask him more about his time on the islands. After all, it was huge news here in Pallet when he was announced champion of the Orange League. No matter how pressing the GS Ball business is, he wants to find out as much as possible from the trainer no one thought stood a chance the morning he slept in and almost missed the most important beginning of his life so far.
Meanwhile, Jessie, James, and Meowth are looking through a window on the roof. Our (not so) favorite villains have of course followed the twerps from the islands back here to the mainland, still after Pikachu and now that mysterious ball. They don't know exactly what it is, but it must be valuable. Surely the boss would be able to do something with it, and they would be handsomely rewarded for bringing it to him.
"There they are!" James points below them.
"Alright! Let's steal Pikachu!"-Meowth
"Don't forget that weird ball. It has to be worth a fortune."-Jessie
"Let's sneak in."-Meowth
"Good ide-ahhh!" The window breaks suddenly, and they all fall to the floor in front of the ones they were spying on. Jessie staggers up, broken chunks of glass in her long hair and scratches on her face.
"Prepare…for trouble…"
"Yes and make it double…"
"Not now, Team Rocket. We're busy. Can't you come back after we've had a little time to rest?" Ash asks them, the annoyance in his voice visible on the others' faces.
"How dare you interrupt the Team Rocket motto!"-Jessie
"Just get da ball, you idiots!"
"We were getting to that, Meowth."-James. The two then send out their trusted Pokémon.
"Weezing, smog attack!" Toxic gas fills the room, and they all begin to cough and cover their faces with their arms.
"Pidgeot, I choose you!" With his free hand, Ash throws a ball forward, and his trusted bird Pokémon appears, ready to fight. "Blow the gas away!"
"Geot!" His powerful wings begin to flap quickly, and the gas is pushed towards the large open window where much of it begins to escape. Despite his valiant efforts, though, by the time the smoke has cleared enough, Team Rocket is gone along with the GS Ball.
"We need to get that ball back!" Ash exclaims. "Come on, guys!" He runs out of the lab with the other two hot on his trail and Pidgeot close behind.
Up above them in the sky, Jessie, James and Meowth are floating in their Meowth balloon, reveling in their apparent success. The ball is so shiny it has all of their attentions.
"We finally stole somethin', guys. What do ya know?"-Meowth
"Let's open it," James suggests.
"Let's celebrate first."-Jessie
"How? We have no money," Meowth questions her.
"Good point." They all get sad.
"Wait. We can always try stealing something. We got that ball, didn't we?"-James
"Gettin' dat ball was pure luck. We're lucky those kids didn't mess up our plans for once." They both glare at the cat but concede he's right. Despite their goal of catching Ash's Piakchu, every time they try any plan, the twerps thwart it one way or another. So far the string of failures has yet to make them completely give up, though.
"Why don't we get a little further away before we celebrate?" James suggests. "That way the twerps have less of a chance of catching us."
"That's a good idea, James," she agrees with him. The humans take a seat in the basket while Meowth lets himself get lost in delusions of grandeur.
"Once we give da Boss da rare Pokémon dat's in da ball, I'll be top cat again."
"Meowth, you were never top cat."-James
"He can't hear you. He's in his little fantasy land."-Jessie
"You're right." They both sigh and keep floating along.
What the three of them do not realize is that Pidgeot was sent by Ash to scout ahead in hopes of spotting the airborne trio of wannabe thieves. And spot them he does. Instead of going back to let Ash know, Pidgeot uses wing attack to knock them out of the air. The Pokémon is indeed a smart one, but it did not foresee the balloon merely bursting and then spiraling away in an uncontrolled spin. Pidgeot sweatdrops and then turns away to head back to Ash. Well, at least they will be easier to get to on the ground where ever they end up.
Ash, Misty, and Tracey continue to walk down the street, looking for any sign of them. So far their search has come up empty (unlike a certain bird Pokémon), and Misty is starting to get impatient, taking her anger out on poor Ash as usual.
"If it wasn't for you competing in that stupid Orange League, we wouldn't be here! I told you we should have come back sooner!"-Misty
"But I needed to practice!"-Ash
"That's true."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You know what it means!"
"Well, how would coming back early have stopped Team Rocket from stealing the ball?" She doesn't answer because he has a valid point.
"Will you two stop arguing? We need to focus on finding Team Rocket."-Tracey. They both turn and glare at him, and he backs away a little. Then all of a sudden out of nowhere, Team Rocket falls on Ash and Pikachu. Pidgeot swoops down and lands next to Tracey.
"Are you okay?"-Misty
"Yeah, I'm fine," Ash says, rubbing his head.
"I was talking to Pikachu!" He looks a little hurt. Then they all realize something at the same time.
"Hey, it's Team Rocket!"-twerps
"Dat's right!"
"Give us back the GS Ball!" Ash demands.
"Why should we?"-Jessie. "We stole it fair and square." To make things worse, Jigglypuff is suddenly on the scene. No one knows how it managed to finds its way back from the islands, but they don't worry about that as much as they do about what happens every time it tries to sing. It hops in front of them.
"Oh, no! It's Jigglypuff!"-Ash. Before anyone can do anything, it starts to sing its melodic and entrancing song. The poor thing has yet to find the one who can stay awake through the entire thing, but it tries nonetheless, unfortunately for everyone else.
"Jigg-ly-puff, jiggly-y-y-puff. Jigglypuff, jiggly…"
"Run…away…" Ash mutters feebly. Tracey slumps to the ground, and Team Rocket falls asleep next to each other. Ash and Misty fall asleep leaning on each other, a pose they seem to favor when this sort of thing happens.
Only a few minutes later (the shortest time they have ever been asleep thanks to the pink balloon) they all wake up. Ash stands up and points at Team Rocket, who are rubbing the sleep goobers from their eyes. The fight resumes as if it was never interrupted.
"Give us the GS Ball!"
"No way, kid! Go, Arbok!"
"Go, Weezing!" Ash and gang send out their Pokémon.
"Go, Pikachu!"
"Go, Marill!"
"Go, Poliwag!" Then Meowth jumps in as well to make things fair. Jessie and James see how Ash and his friends are so into the battle, they don't even notice what they do. They decide to leave Arbok, Weezing, and Meowth behind for now and escape with the ball. Ash sees what they are doing, however.
"Hey, you guys aren't leaving yet!" He jumps on them, and they tumble down a foresty hill, elbows and knees flying in a cloud of dust.
Finally they land at the bottom with a thud. They stay sprawled out for only a few seconds. Ash leaps up and toward them.
"Give me the GS Ball!"
"Forget it, brat! Arbok, go!" It doesn't appear. "Oh yeah, I forgot. We left them behind."
Suddenly, the ball rolls down in front of them. Apparently it came out of where ever she was keeping it and followed them down the hill. The three of them look at the ball, then at each other. Next thing they know they are in another cloud of dust. Jessie escapes and crawls after the ball.
"Got it!"-Jessie. Ash tackles her.
"No, I got it!"
"Give it to me!"-James. They claw and scratch each other some more.
While they are on the floor making a lot of hissing sounds and grunts with each landed attack, the GS Ball flies through the air and lands on the ground again. They stop and stare at the ball as it slowly opens, Jessie somehow on top of James while Ash is right next to them on his back. Misty and Tracey finally make it down with Pikachu and the other Pokémon. Quickly their attention is on the ball as well. A red light beam pops out, and a Pokémon materializes. They all hold their breath…and a lavender, cat-like being floats there in confusion. It is a mystery to all that it has somehow opened, and no one realizes that the last person to touch it and accidentally press the button was Jessie.
"Wait, haven't I seen that Pokémon somewhere?" Jessie mutters aloud.
"Yeah, I've seen it, too," James agrees.
"But where?" they both ask.
As they search their brains for the answer that will never come since Mewtwo erased everyone's minds, Ash whips out his Pokédex.
"Mew, the psychic cat Pokémon. So rare that it is still said to be a mirage by many experts. Only a few people have seen it worldwide."
"My mother died searching for that Pokémon," Jessie says kind of quietly. James looks at her.
"I didn't know that, Jess." Meowth, too, is surprised.
"Wow! I have to sketch that!" Tracey says as he pulls out his notebook.
"Pi-pikachu (haven't I seen that Pokemon before)?"
"Yeah, but where?"-Ash. He and Misty wrack their brains now, too. Tracey is still excited because he can see Mew up close and get the sketch that will land him on the cover of one of the most prestigious journals. Pikachu stands up and walks over to it.
"Pi?"
"Mew."
"Ka?"
"Mew."
"Chu?"
"Mew."
"What are you talking about, Pikachu?" Ash asks him. Before the mouse Pokémon can answer, an Eyewitness News van pulls up. They were driving along when they saw the group of three tumble down the hill. The boy was obviously Ash Ketchum (he is a celebrity in his small hometown, especially after the Orange Islands adventure). And, as it has come to be widespread knowledge here, he was bringing back the GS Ball, which appeared to have been stolen by the thieves in white. When they leaned over the hill to look, they saw two more teens following and then a red flash. Quickly they realized this was an important story (plus it has also been a slow news day) and headed after them. A man in a suit jumps out, followed by a camera guy. They rush over to the group, camera rolling.
"Hi, I'm Harold Green."
"Uh, I'm Ash Ketchum."
"So, Ash, how does it feel to open the infamous GS Ball?"
"Hey, we opened that dumb ball!"-Jessie
"We're only interested in talking to people who the public actually cares about." They get mad and throw their Pokéballs at the guy. They smack him in the face.
"You ruined my makeup!" he yells as if he were Jessie. A makeup guy pops out of the van and powders his face with a giant pad before going back into the van. Mew uses psybeam and sends them blasting off again, sensing they are trouble. Besides, they were kind of annoying. And that red-haired young woman reminds Mew of someone from long ago, someone else who deserved to be blasted off. "Anyway, Ash, how do you feel?"
"Are we live?" he asks, looking into the camera kind of close.
"Yes. So tell the viewers. We're all anxious to know."
"Hi, Mom! Hi, Professor Oak!" Since Tracey and Misty want to be on TV too, they walk up next to Ash.
"And who are you?" He looks at Misty. "Oh, are you his girlfriend?"
"What?" they both exclaim as they turn red.
"I guess not. So, who are you?" Since they're both totally embarrassed, Tracey introduces them.
"I'm Tracey, and this is Misty. We're Ash's friends." Suddenly Mr. Green's cell phone goes off. When he looks to read the text message, he nearly jumps five feet in the air.
"Sorry, kid, but the story of the century just broke! You'll have to wait." Quickly he runs back to the van with his cameraman, and they take off, all the while anticipating catching on camera the definitive proof that moss does grow on the south side of some trees. The three watch them drive away, their mouths partially open in confusion about what just happened.
Ash looks at Mew, who flies over and pokes its face in his. Silence follows briefly before Mew rubs its cheek against Ash's, causing him to laugh as it tickles.
"Wow, Ash, I think Mew likes you," Tracey states the obvious, something he is well known for.
"What do you say, Mew? Do you want to go meet Professor Oak?" Mew makes a noise, and they all assume it is one of agreement. "Alright, why don't you get back in the GS Ball so no one makes a big deal?"
"Ash, we were just on TV. I'll be surprised if we aren't mobbed on the way back to the lab."
"You're right, Misty. We need to hurry." Mew gets back into the GS Ball, and they all head back to Professor Oak's lab as fast as they can.
Luckily, since the news did just break, no one says a word to them or even looks their way. The newsfeed was not live as one Mr. Green stated. They arrive back at the lab, only to find the professor has gone back to his computer.
"Professor, we got the GS Ball back," Ash announces loudly. Again this startles the man, but his expression brightens when he sees the ball.
"Good job, everyone. Now I can finally get to studying it. But if you all don't mind, I need some time alone. Besides, Ash, your mother is still waiting for you to come say hello."
"Can I help?" Tracey gathers his courage and asks.
"Why, sure you can, Tracey."
"Alright! Thanks, Professor Oak." Ash doesn't make a move to leave and instead nervously plays with his jacket, hoping the man takes the news well that they opened it.
"Um, Professor…we kind of accidentally opened the ball." Oak practically trips over his feet in shock.
"What?"
"Yeah…I was fighting Team Rocket, and then it opened, and a Mew popped out." Given the news, Ash waits for more of a reaction, but nothing comes. This confuses him and Misty both, but Tracey is too busy looking forward to helping his mentor.
"Really…this sure is a surprise. Tracey and I better get to studying it right away then. You two should go see your mother, Ash. Tell her I said hi." With that, he practically shoves them toward the door.
Taking the hint, Ash and Misty leave with Pikachu to give the two time to find out more about Mew and the ball. As much as he is looking forward to seeing his mom, he doesn't quite feel like going home yet (plus there will be the inevitable underwear comment, followed by a blush by him and maybe Misty). Something about today's weirdness is bothering him. Since they are not going to his house, there is nothing to do but wander around. They find somewhere and sit down in some shade. Pikachu and Togepi go off in search of ketchup. Ash lies back and looks at the clouds like a little kid while Misty just sits there next to him. Both are still trying to remember when and where they met Mew and if it actually happened or was some collective group dream.
"Do you remember seeing Mew before?" he asks.
"Yeah, but I can't remember where." Then Ash sits up and gets a bunch of flashbacks of Mew and some other Pokémon sending psychic blasts at each other. Pain follows, and he holds his head. Naturally this worries her.
"Ash, what's wrong?" The pictures disappear as quickly as they came, and he looks at her.
"What? Oh, nothing. I'm fine, Misty."
"Maybe we should go to your house now. I'm getting kind of hungry." Even though it is just an excuse because of her concern for him, she hopes he takes the bait of food.
"Yeah, that sounds good. Pikachu, come back, buddy!"
"You too, Togepi!" The two come bounding back sans ketchup. Just as they are all getting ready to get going, a strange girl walks by. Her shorts, which are short like Misty's, are a dark denim, and she sports a white button up short sleeve shirt. Her brown hair is short but curled up at the end, and her eyes match her hair. She looks at the two with the initial intent to just smile friendlily, but then she recognizes the Pokémon master in training. She stops.
"Aren't you Ash Ketchum?"
"Yeah. Who are you?" That makes her beam, and she clasps her hands together with starry eyes. Misty looks very much not pleased.
"Wow! I saw you on TV in the Indigo League and read about you in the paper! You're so cute! And you won the Orange League, too! You're so awesome!" Misty, who is getting jealous though she would never admit that, decides to interject.
"He asked you a question."
"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Elizabeth, but my friends just call me Liz. My family just moved here last week. I can't believe I'm actually talking to the Ash Ketchum!" She jumps up and down shaking his hand. After a few seconds, she stops and turns to Misty.
"You must be Misty. You're so lucky to have a guy like Ash."
"What do you mean?" Misty pretends to be confused while Ash actually is.
"Aren't you two together? I mean, in every picture, you're always by his side."
"No! We're just friends!"
"Oh." That seems to please her, and she looks at him again. "Sorry about that. But I was wondering something…"
"What?"
"How about we have a Pokémon battle? It would mean so much to test my skills against someone as good as you." Misty makes a face at that, not because she thinks Ash is a bad trainer but because this girl's obvious flirting she does not like. Of course, the first reason is what she likes to pretend outwardly. Ash does not see this and thus does not start an argument. Liz apparently does, though and only smiles a bit in her direction. It is not a friendly smile.
"Sure, that would be great!" He looks down at Pikachu, but Liz interrupts.
"Actually, I meant tonight, maybe after six."
"Why then?"
"My dad went to Viridian City on some business and took my Pokémon with him to be healed at the Pokémon Center there since Pallet doesn't have one. I didn't have any potions or anything to heal them myself. He'll be home around six. There's this nice empty lot behind the movie theater that would be perfect for battling. The lighting is good since it'll be getting dark, and there's plenty of space."
"Okay then, we'll battle tonight."
"Really?"
"Well, yeah. I need all the practice I can get."
"That's true…" Misty mumbles. Ash casts a sideways glance at her to glare.
"You don't have to get all jealous, Misty. Besides, he can battle whoever he wants and maybe hang out for a little bit after." Misty crosses her arms, able to do so since Togepi is still on the ground.
"I'm not jealous."
"Then what's your problem?"
"I don't have a problem. Ash can do whatever he wants."
"Well, you're acting like we're going to see a movie and sit in the back and make out the whole time." Misty turns red at the very idea, but Ash just looks clueless as he has no idea what making out means.
"I said I don't care what Ash does. Go ahead and hang out together. It doesn't matter to me." She walks off, leaving Ash to watch after her in confusion and concern. Togepi waddles after her, and she hastily picks him up before continuing on alone. Pikachu leaves his master in favor of Misty because he can sense that she needs him more at this second, even though his place is usually by Ash. Pikachu's behavior worries him as well.
"I think she's jealous, Ash," Liz interrupts his thoughts.
"But I don't get it."
"Maybe she wanted you to hang out with her tonight. I saw Professor Oak and some woman at the Xanadu Nursery a couple of days ago. They were talking about how you were coming home soon so I know this is your first day back. She probably just wanted to relax with her friends." Ash doesn't catch the plural of that word, something she shouldn't know as she has yet to meet Tracey. Of course, she could just be referring to seeing Brock with him and Misty when she saw him on TV.
"She'll be okay," he assures her (and himself) with his smile.
"Alright then. So, I'll meet you there at six-thirty."
"Where?"
"At the movie theater, remember?"
"Oh, yeah. I'll be there at seven." She narrows her eyes.
"I said six-thirty."
"Right. I'll be there at six-thirty." She perks right back up.
"Okay. Bye, Ash!" She waves and turns around to walk away. He waves and does the same.
Misty, still angry that Ash decided to go meet that new girl who asked him to do battle conveniently near a movie theater, practically stomps back to the Ketchum house. Ash will eventually follow, and this way she can be without him for a bit. That boy is so dense sometimes. If she didn't even like the idea of some girl he just met pecking him on the cheek and playfully inviting him to be part of some old ceremony, why would his apparent first date not bother her? (Granted a Pokémon battle near a movie theater does not seem like a date to him due to his density. Misty, by virtue of being a girl, could tell that Liz really wanted time alone with him.) That whole adventure with legendary bird Pokémon Ash seemed oblivious to how she reacted to the things Melody said and did, but Tracey knew. The Pokémon watcher has even made comments a few times. Hell, even Jessie, James, and Meowth saw what Ash was still too dense to understand. His best friend, the future master of water Pokémon, really really likes that trainer of a coveted Pikachu.
Just admitting that in her own head, though this is not the first time, angers her, more at herself than him. Boys usually take longer to mature that way, and knowing Ash, he will take even longer than that. At the same time, this kind of gives her some comfort. He's too naïve to see that Liz might perhaps want to get to know him better as more than friends. After all, they both are only twelve years old. Well, maybe Liz is a little older. Misty was never a great judge of age. Actually feeling a tad bit better, she stops her angry walking and looks ahead not with rage beaming from her eyes but the expression of one deeper in thought than they should be when wanting to avoid traps set by Team Rocket.
She continues to think, and after only a few more steps, Misty, with her Togepi and Ash's Pikachu, find themselves lying on the bottom of yet another pit. While they try to figure out what's going on, a large mesh net covers the hole. The cackling laughter of the trio of losers fills the air next, and Misty almost smacks her forehead. She should have known. This time they luckily skip the motto and get right to their plan as they slide into view.
"Let us go right now, Team Rocket!" Jessie smirks down at her.
"And just what makes you think you're in any position to demand something from us?" Pikachu takes the initiative and uses a thunderbolt to no avail. Both he and Misty realize that the net must be electricity proof, no doubt thanks to James or Meowth. The boys laugh this time, seeing their plan coming to fruition. Without the main twerp around, this should finally work out the way it's supposed to.
"Team Rocket! What are you doing?" And their hopes are soon dashed. Misty, Pikachu, and Togepi, though, are relieved to hear his voice.
"Ash, we're down here!" she calls out to him. Pikachu pipes up as well. Ash only grits his teeth and fingers his Pokéballs, wondering who he should bring out. A smirk crosses his lips as he thinks about his fire dragon who finally listens to his commands. Team Rocket's faces all fall when he calls out his Pokémon.
"Charizard, go!" He growls upon being released and lands with a loud thud in front of his trainer. Unlike their usual mode of operation, they don't call out their Pokémon, knowing the battle will be lost no problem against the large fire type. "Use your flamethrower!" All too happy to oblige, a swoop of fire overtakes the trio of once more failed villains. "Now get the net off of the hole!" He does this fairly quickly before scooping Misty up and allowing Pikachu onto his back, all the while Team Rocket twitches on the ground. Ash runs over to greet them all, liking to once more have Pikachu on his shoulder. "Misty, are you and Togepi okay?" While not mere moments ago she was fuming about him to herself, his concern and his once more playing the hero cast any lingering anger away. She smiles at him.
"We're fine, Ash. Thank you." He smiles back, glad that things are hopefully smoothed over. Next he turns to Charizard, thanking him for the help before recalling him to his ball and reattaching it to his belt.
"Let's get to my house then. A good battle always works up my appetite."
"Anything works up your appetite, Mister Pokémon Master." He only grins before taking off in a sprint. His eyes always hold a glimmer of mischief and innocence, something that is almost always endearing. Perhaps she can wait a little while longer for him to mature. She takes off as well, Togepi safe in her arms.
Meanwhile, the three members of Team Rocket continue to twitch, glad that for once they we weren't sent blasting off again.
Far away from the usually quiet town of Pallet, a man watches the television with great interest. At his side sits his trusty Persian, a Pokémon he has had since he was a young man and who has always been by his master. The broadcast is the brief interview Ash gave earlier, given to the station that one Mr. Green was working for after he realized that the moss thing wasn't going to pan out. The boy on the screen surrounded by his friends do not look like more than fifteen (the oldest boy) and twelve (the younger two). How could they have come across that ball when it was thought to be lost forever in the cold mountains of South America? Furthermore, how did a child open it with little effort?
Both thoughts are maddening. Now Professor Oak will have all of the time in the world to study it and learn its secrets, which just may link it back to here, to the organization that his mother spent so much time making successful. Then he himself took over and made it even better, pouring in even more time. It was not all without consequences, though. He did lose something that had once been very important to him, but that is how life goes sometimes. It was then that he learned he could control Pokémon all he wanted, but people were a different story.
Shaking his head to clear those thoughts, he turns the TV off. A trip to that quaint little town is now in order, especially if his most bumbling trio is there trying to get the ball. It lies there in the hands of someone to whom it does not belong, and there is something else he wouldn't mind doing. Who knows if he will bother once he gets there, but the chance exists. Quite a few times before he thought about taking one of his private jets and soaring down there to see about something, but he never did. The closest he got was building a secret base near there on the outskirts where no one would come looking. His visits were always too busy for any personal matters, though. Then his most prized experiment, the thing he was working on to finally end his mother's obsession and to show her he is more than just a 'brat boy', destroyed the entire facility. That was the last he ever saw of the creature
But this doesn't matter right now. With a smirk, he calls his companion before leaving the room, shutting the lights off on the way out.
End of part one...
I just want to note that Mewtwo Returns has not happened yet as it is placed sometime in the Johto region series. Therefore, Giovanni does still remember the cloned psychic type. Also, I left some of the dumb humor in. When you're thirteen, a lot of things are funny that won't be years later, but I didn't want to edit that out. Gary's odd behavior will have an explanation eventually, just not in this story. It will be in the next one since it bears more relevance to that plot.
Also, I know in the anime Pallet always looks like a rural farm community, but I figured if they have a nursery and a restaurant (Delia's as mentioned in the Shudo novelizations), they can't be too underdeveloped. A movie theater is not so hard to believe, is it?
