Chapter 2
Ash awoke in a giant Pokeball. He screamed, waking up his friends, who were all in their own giant Pokeball prisons. They were all being held in a room with other trainers in the same situation. The Pokeball prisons were all transparent.
"Ash, what's up?" Serena wanted to know.
"Yeah." Bonnie said as well. "Why did you scream like that? You woke us all up."
"Guys!" Ash said. "Look what we're all in." His friends all saw what they were all in, and gasped.
"I don't believe it!" Clemont observed. "Are we all in…"
"Cool!" Bonnie cried out with joy. "We're all in giant Pokeballs!" She giggled. "So, this is what the inside of a Pokeball looks like!" Clemont looked at his little sister.
"Not cool, Bonnie!" He said to her. He looked at the inside of his Pokeball again. "How did we get in here?"
"Don't know." Ash admitted. "But, I know one thing. We must get out of here."
"How?" Serena wanted to know. She saw that she had a lock on hers, as well as her friends. "We're locked in."
"How do we release Pokémon out of their Pokeballs?" Bonnie tested. "We throw them of course!"
"Uh, Bonnie," Clemont said. "Who's going to throw us? The Pokeballs we are in are huge. I don't think that's going to work." Bonnie realized that he was right.
"Oh, you're right; I wasn't thinking of that." Serena then screamed. Ash and friends looked at her.
"Serena?" Ash questioned. "What is it?"
"Ash; where's Pikachu?" Serena wanted to know. Ash was confused.
"What are you talking about? He's on my shoulder like always." Serena shook her head.
"No, he's not."
"Serena's right." Clemont told his friend. "He's not with you." Ash felt his shoulder and the top of his head. Clemont and Serena were right. He didn't feel his yellow mouse friend. He panicked as he looked all around. "Pikachu? Pikachu?" He felt his belt, and panicked some more. "My Pokeballs aren't here either!" His friends felt where their Pokeballs should be. They weren't there either, and all panicked as well.
"My Pokeballs aren't here either!" Clemont added.
"And mine!" Serena put in.
"Where's Dedenne?" Bonnie questioned out loud. "Dedenne? Dedenne!"
"This is so weird." Ash observed. "We're all in giant Pokeballs, we don't know how we got in here, and our Pokémon are missing." Clemont pondered about this.
"Strange indeed." He agreed. Bonnie then got an idea.
"Hey!" She piped up. They all looked at her. "You remember how when you catch a Pokémon at first, it wriggles, and it releases the Pokémon back when it's unsuccessful?"
"Yeah." Ash said.
"Well, what if we all bump on all sides of our Pokeballs, making them shake. They'll shake so much that maybe they'll free us!"
"Well, it's worth a shot." Ash said. "Okay guys, make your Pokeballs shake; do it with all of your might." His friends agreed. "Okay, 1,2,3, wriggle!" The heroes moved all around, tipping their Pokeballs from left to right. "Again!" They did it again. "Again!"
"Now what?" Bonnie wanted to know as they all tried over and over, but were all still in their Pokeballs. "We're still in these Pokeballs!" Ash shrugged.
"Don't know." He admitted. "But, we'll figure something." Bonnie then pounded inside of hers'.
"Hey!" She shouted. "Can someone please help us; we're trapped in here! Hello? Hello!" Her friends all began doing what she was doing also.
"Don't know, kid!" Someone said to her. "I woke up in here. I tried too. There's no way out." Others all called out that they too were stuck in huge Pokeballs too.
"But, there must be a way out!" She pounded over and over. "DEDENNE!" Her friends all called her name, trying to calm her down, but she didn't listen. She started having tears in her eyes. "Dedenne; Dedenne!" She then gave up, went down on her butt, and cried in her lap. Ash and friends frowned at the sad girl.
"I know you're sad, Bonnie." Clemont said to his sister. "But, you have to be strong. Please, moping won't help. We'll get Dedenne and the other Pokémon back." Bonnie looked at her brother.
"How do you know?" She wanted to know.
"Because there's always a way!" Ash put in. "We don't quit. We'll give it our all, and if we do that, there's nothing we can't do!" Bonnie smiled.
"You're right, Ash!" She said. "I must be strong, for Dedenne. For all of our Pokémon!"
"Now you're talking!"
"The future is now thanks to science!" Clemont said. Ash and friends looked at him.
"Uh oh!" Serena responded. "Not another invention!" Bonnie sighed.
"Clemactic gear, on!" Clemont pulled out a wrench. Ash and friends were confused.
"Uh, Clemont." Ash said. "Why do you have a wrench? Are you going to get us out of here?"
"Oh, Ash, this isn't your ordinary wrench."
"It's not?" Serena wanted to know. Clemont shook his head.
"Oh no." He replied. "For this wrench is the Super Wrench 9000! It's super strong. I designed it to open anything by itself, even the strongest lock. I'll have us all out in a minute." Everyone was impressed.
"Science is so amazing!" Ash marveled out loud.
"So, what are you waiting for?" Bonnie questioned. "Get us out of here already!"
"Okay!" Clemont said. "Here goes!" He put the wrench on his lock. He turned it on, and it started twisting. Bonnie cheered.
"Yay!" The happy girl said with glee. "We're getting out of here!" Clemont smiled as he saw his happy sister.
Suddenly, the wrench went out of control. It started spinning in the lock fast. The friends were all concerned.
"Uh, Clemont?" Serena questioned, "It is supposed to do that?"
"No." Clemont answered. "Something's wrong." Bonnie sighed.
"I should've figured that it was too good to be true." She said to no one in particular.
The wrench spun faster and faster, Clement tried to stop it himself, but it was too strong for him, and there was an explosion. His friends watched in horror as at their friend's PokeBall.
"Clemont!" Ash shouted. "Are you all right?" Clemont coughed as the smoke cleared. His friends all beamed as they saw that their friend, as well as them, were now free of their prisons.
"Yeah." The gym leader answered. "I'm okay."
"It worked!" Serena observed. Clemont was confused.
"Huh?" He wanted to know. "It did?"
"Yeah, Clemont." Ash said. "We're all out of our Pokeballs." Clemont looked all around, realizing that they all were indeed free. He smiled.
"Well, I'll be." He said. "It did work. "The explosion must've been big enough to blow up all of our prisons." Bonnie cheered again, and jumped up and down.
"Yay!" She shouted in delight. "My big brother saved the day!"
"Okay," Ash said to his friends. "Now, let's get out of here, and look for our Pokémon." His friends all agreed, when a familiar voice spoke up.
"Hey, twerps!" The voice snapped. The friends gasped as they realized the voice. They then saw them. It was Jessie. She and James were standing in front of them.
"Team Rocket!" Ash said, anger in his voice. "What are you doing in here?!"
"What does it look like?" James spoke. "We're here like you are. All of our Pokémon are gone. The explosion that the science nerd made blew up our Pokeball prisons. So, if you see Meowth, and our other Pokémon, can you tell us?" Ash got angry with them.
"What? No way!"
"Ash," Clemont began to tell him. "They're in the same situation as us. They won't be able to fight. I say we help them, just until all of this blows over and we are reunited with our Pokémon." Ash hesitated.
"But they're Team Rocket."
"Please, Ash!" Serena begged. "Just until our Pokémon are back." Ash was still unsure about this, but sighed.
"Fine!" Jessie and James smiled. "But, I'll be watching you if you two do anything suspicious."
"Don't worry; we won't!" They promised at the same time.
"You can follow us if you want to." They all went off. They were about to go when an Umbreon stood in their path, looking angry. Jessie and James panicked.
"J-Jessie?" James said. "Why is that Umbreon looking at us like that?"
"Um, Ash." Serena spoke to him. "It looks like Umbreon doesn't want us to leave."
"Well, we have to." Ash said. He went for a Pokeball, and then realized he didn't have any. "Oh yeah, I don't have any Pokeballs. Looks like we're going to have to do this on our own."
"On our own?" Jessie questioned. "What do you mean by that?"
"Look," Ash said to the Umbreon. "We need to go." He was about to go when Umbreon unleashed a shadow ball attack on them. It missed. Ash looked back, mad.
"Hey!" He snapped. "What's your problem?"
"Bri, Umbreon." The Umbreon responded.
"Um, Ash," Serena told him. "It looks like Umbreon doesn't want us to go." Bonnie was confused.
"But, why?" The little girl wanted to know.
"Sure wish we had Meowth with us right now." James said. "He would tell us what's up."
"We have to go." Ash repeated to the Umbreon. "We can't stay here. Our Pokémon are out there." The Umbreon shook his head.
"Um, Umbreon!" Umbreon shouted. Ash was mad now.
I don't get it! He thought to himself. What is this Umbreon's problem?
"Don't reason with it!" Jessie shouted. "RUN!" She and James ran off. Ash and friends did as well. Umbreon called for a Pokémon, Espeon, and ran after them.
"I see them!" Noibat said as he pointed his wing at the skylight on the roof. He was right; Ash, his friends, and Team Rocket run from Umbreon and Espeon.
"Good work!" Hawlucha said to the bat.
"Thanks. Should we all go to Pikachu, now?"
"You should stay behind." Talonflame said to him. "Help Ash and friends. Huwlucha and I will get the others, and come back." Noibat nodded.
"Right!" The bat agreed. They then all flew their separate ways. "Good luck!"
"Hmmm," Noibat said to himself. "How do I get in!" He then hatched an idea. "That's it!" With that, he used a shrill, Screech attack on the skylight. All of the windows shattered. The bat Pokémon stopped. He flew in.
"Dedenne," Pikachu stated, when he and the others came up to him. "We don't have time for this."
"Aw, but, Pikachu," Dedenne protested. "We looked forever! Can't we have a break?" Pikachu was about to say no in a firm voice, when Meowth spoke up.
"Come on, Pikachu. I know you're an eager Bidoof, but busybodies need a break every once in a while. It's good, and it won't hurt. Your flying friends are out searching." Pikachu was about to protest, when Dedenne scurried into the tent.
"Dedenne!" Pikachu shouted. They all followed him. Eevee looked nervous at all of the Pokémon, shivering and whimpering.
"T-they're sure is a lot of Pokémon here." She observed, panic in her voice.
"Don't worry." Bunnelby comforted her. "They're just going to the show like we are; they won't hurt you. I'll make sure of that." Eevee calmed down, and smiled at the bunny-like Pokémon.
"Thanks, Bunnelby." Eevee thanked him. "I'm much more comfortable with you around." Bunnelby smiled back.
As the Pokémon took their friends, Pikachu couldn't believe it. There were Wartortle, Charmleon, and Ivysaur. He went to them.
"Hey you guys!" The electric mouse greeted. The three looked at him and smiled.
"Long time no see!" Ivysaur said. "Are you following us?"
"No." Pikachu responded.
Do you want to sit with us?" Wartortle wanted to know. Pikachu shook his head.
"No, that's okay. I got a big group."
"Well okay. See you later then."
"See you later!" Pikachu went off to join his party.
"Okay," Pikachu told Dedenne when he sat down next to him. "We'll watch the show, but then it's back to searching. Deal?"
"Deal!" The fairy mouse agreed. The lights dimmed, and spotlights danced everywhere. "Look; it's starting!"
"Welcome, Pokémon of all shapes and sizes!" Boomed a voice. "To Poppilo's Amazing Circus!" Everyone cheered as the spotlights landed on him as he balanced on a ball on one flipper. "I'm Poppilo, and today all of you are all going to be in awe!" He hopped off the ball, and called for more balls. A Mr. Mime gave him balls, and he thanked him. He looked back at the audience as he started juggling them.
"I wanted to be in charge of a circus ever since my former trainer brought me to one. Now I'm making it into a reality!" He used water gun, and made the balls balance on top of it first one by one, then all at once. Everyone oohed, awed, and cheered. When Poppilo was done, he took a bow. He looked at them again. "Are you ready to enjoy my circus?"
"YES!" All of the Pokémon shouted at once. Poppilo pretended he didn't hear them.
"I'm sorry, what was that?"
"YES!"
"Okay!" He began to leave the stage. "Enjoy the show!"
The all-Pokémon circus was underway, There were Mr. Mime and Mime Jr. acts, Phanpys balancing on balls and on top of each other, Pyroar taming, Pokémon on motorcycles circling fast in a big plastic ball, Lillipups riding on Ponytas, trapeze artists, jugglers on unicycles juggling more then just balls, and Poppilo blasting out of a cannon for the grand finale. Everyone cheered, and did a standing ovation as Poppilo landed on a ball.
"Thank you, thank you!" he thanked the audience. "You're all too kind. Now if anyone would like to talk to me, you may come forward now, and do so."
"Okay, Dedenne." Pikachu said when he finished clapping. "The show's done. Now we have to…" He then saw that Dedenne was gone. He began to panic. "Dedenne? Dedenne?"
"Pikachu!" Braxien said to him. "There!" He pointed to Dedenne heading towards center ring. Pikachu, and the others noticed this.
"Dedenne!" He and the others ran down the bleachers towards the tiny mouse. They ran off the bleachers, and ran towards Dedenne.
"DEDENNE; DEDENNE!" Pikachu called. He ran so fast that he bumped into a Butterfree. Pikachu's friends gasped. The electric yellow mouse fell to the ground.
"Oh, sorry." The Butterfree apologized. "Are you alright?" Pikachu shook himself, and stood up.
"Yeah," He answered. "I'm alright." Butterfree turned to the center ring where there was a bunch of little Pokémon with Poppilo, including Dedenne. A Caterpie was talking to the sea lion. The butterfly Pokémon chuckled.
"So, your little friend is waiting to talk to Poppilo?" He asked.
"Yeah." Pikachu answered. "Dedenne."
"The Caterpie talking to Poppilo is my son."
"Well, I'm sorry, but we have to go. We're looking for our trainers."
"Oh, you all belong to trainers?" Pikachu nodded. "I saw what happened. So terrible. My dad used to belong to someone."
"What happened?" Chespin asked.
"He fell in love with my mom. He was so sad though; he was close to his former trainer. And I think he had a Pikachu as well."
"Well, that's interesting. My trainer used to have a Butterfree, and had to release it. Now, excuse me, I must get Dedenne."
"Oh, of course, of course." Pikachu went off.
"Dedenne," Pikachu said to him when he caught up to him. "We have to go."
"Oh, hello, Pikachu." Dedenne greeted. "I'm here to talk to Poppilo."
"I know, but we have to go. Don't you remember our deal?"
"Yeah, I do. But, I just want to say what a great circus this was. It'll only take a minute, then we can search for our trainers again."
"But, we have to go now. You have to wait your turn to talk to him, and who knows how long that'll take?"
"Just have patience, Pikachu. Please? I want to have a little chat with Poppilo, then we can go. I promise." Pikachu sighed.
"I think you better be patient, Pikachu." Meowth told the electric mouse. "There's no stopping Dedenne."
"Stubborn?" Someone asked. Pikachu and friends all looked and saw Rowlet, a grass owl Pokémon, and Litten, a fire kitten. "We know how you feel. Our friend, Poppilo, would rather be in a circus then find Professor Kukui." The other Pokémon were confused.
"Professor Kukui?" Pikachu questioned. Rowlet nodded.
"He's our temporary trainer until our permanent trainers come to take us."
"Where are you all from may I ask?"
"We're from the Alola region."
"The Alola region? I never heard of it." His friends all shook their heads, muttering to themselves. They never heard of it either.
If it's a place we've never been before. Meowth thought to himself. The place must be crawling with a bunch of rare Pokémon all ready for us to take! He laughed evilly in his mind, and then realized something. Of course, I need to find Jessie and James first.
Whoa, a whole new region! Pikachu thought to himself. How cool! Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, and now Alola? The Pokémon world just keeps getting bigger and bigger! Ash will be so jealous right now. Where has the time gone? It seems like nearly 18 years since Ash and I met.
"Oh, well if you ever decide to go there, you'll have a blast! You, your friends, and trainer, would love it there!
"Thanks, I'm sure we'll love it there too. I'm sure we'll go there someday in the future. But, first, we need to beat two more gyms, and then the Kalos league!"
"Don't forget the Pokémon showcases!" Pancham reminded Pikachu.
"Right." Pikachu said. "Those too."
"Okay, Pikachu," Dedenne said. "I gave Poppilo my compliment. We can go search and rescue our trainers now."
"You have trainers?" Poppilo wanted to know.
"Yes." Dedenne answered. "And my trainer is the best! He has a little sister who…"
"Why do you want to search for them?" Dedenne was confused by this.
"Why? Because we love and miss them! Don't you miss your former trainer?"
"No!" Poppilo scoffed. I'm trying to get him out of my mind."
"Why?"
"Because I hate him, that's why! He didn't care about my dreams of being in a circus; all he cared about was battles, and getting me stronger, just so he can give us away!"
"Give you away?"
"Yeah, I'm a starter Pokémon of the Alola region."
"Starter Pokemon? What's that?" Pikachu explained it to him. "Oh, well, he was just preparing you to meet your lifelong friend. Isn't that great?"
"No, I didn't ask to belong to someone! I'm only interested in the circus, and nothing else. And so I was happy when the trainers left us. I don't know why, but I was glad."
"But, don't you miss him at all? I mean, maybe your new trainer would've understood your dream. Maybe he would've helped with your circus."
"No, I'm happy that he's gone. I don't want to belong to anyone in the way of my dream, and that's that!"
"Poppilo!" Rowlet scolded.
"Sorry," Poppilo said. "But you know it's true. But, if you want Dedenne, go find your trainer. I just don't see why you'd want one."
"Because she cares for me." Dedenne answered. "She's nice, understands my feelings, cares for me when I'm sick, plays with me, and so much more."
"Whatever. I hope you find her, Dedenne. As for me, I have a circus to run."
"I think your trainer misses you."
"He may miss me, but I sure as heck don't miss him." Dedenne was about to say something else, when Pikachu stopped him. He looked up at the yellow mouse.
"It's no use, Dedenne." Pikachu told the little rodent. "We can't force to change his mind. He has to do that on his own time."
"But, Pikachu, he's wrong. A trainer is your best friend. You know that better then any Pokémon here." Pikachu sighed.
"Yes, yes, I do. But we have to go. We can't stay here and convince him." Dedenne sighed.
"Okay."
"Hey, Pikachu." Ivysaur said, who came up to them with his friends. "Aren't those your friends?" Pikachu looked, and saw Hawlucha and Talonflame flying towards them. Pikachu went up to them.
"Hawlucha; Talonflame!" The electric rodent shouted up to them. "Where's Noibat?" The two flyers landed on the floor before him.
"They're with Ash and friends." Talonflame replied. Pikachu smiled.
"You found them?" He questioned. "Great!"
"Yeah." Hawlucha added. "But, we must be quick. They might be in danger." Pikachu nodded.
"Right!"
"We'll go with you." Charmeon declared. "Where they are, Trevor and his friends might be there as well. Plus, you might need help." Pikachu nodded at them.
"That's fine with us. Now, let's find our trainers!" His friends all agreed at once. He looked at the two birds. "Talonflame, Hawlucha, show us the way!" And so they all went off, following the two birds of prey.
"Daddy?" Caterpie asked the Butterfree. "Are they looking for their trainers?"
"Yes, they are, son." The Butterfree answered.
"Oh; Grandpa used to belong to a trainer, didn't he?"
"Yes, he did."
"Good luck!" They both called after them.
"Hope you all find your trainers!" Butterfree put in.
"Thank you!" Pikachu called after him. "I'm sure we will!" Dedenne was about to go, when he looked back at Poppilo.
"I know I can't change your mind," He stated. "But, not all trainers are bad. Some are good, like my trainer and his sister. I hope you think about it before you make a mistake that you'll regret." And with that, she went after the others. "Hey, guys; wait up!" Rowlet and Litten looked at the sea loin.
"We're going with them." Rowlet told him, "If you want to stay here, then fine. But, I hope you take Dedenne's advice. I hope you make the right choice."
"I hope you do, too." Litten put in. The two starters went off,
Don't worry, guys. Pikachu thought in his mind. We're coming, and we are going to rescue you no matter what!
