Chapter 2

"What do we do now?" Jake asked.

"Save them of course." Perry answered.

"But how?" Gary asked. "Without our loyals, we can't do magic."

"We do what we can." He turned to face them. "Look, I might of just met my 'loyal' yesterday, but he is already family to me. Our loyals are in danger and it won't do any good if we just stay here. We have to do something; we have to take action! I can't stay here knowing that King Pikachu will kill him; I must try to save him no matter what!"

"How are we going to find them? We only have three days."

"Shhh! Let me think!"

"While you think," Jake started, going towards the water. "I'm going to take a drink. I was so excited about you talking; I completely forgot to drink from the water hole. I'm thirsty with a capital T." He drank from the pond. Then an image appeared. He gasped.

"Guys!" He said. "Check this out, it's Finn, SpongeBob and Phineas."

"What?" Both Gary and Perry wanted to know. They both came by Jake and looked at the image. They gasped. The water showed an image of Phineas, Finn and SpongeBob all chained to a wall. They were all very scared, but unharmed. Phineas struggled to get free.

"How are you doing this?" Perry asked Jake.

"Water Viewing." Gary answered. "It's one of his many talents." They looked back at the picture as Phineas still struggled in his shackles.

"You can do it Phineas." Perry urged him.

"It's no use." They heard SpongeBob tell them. "Dispeller chains- prevents any kind of magic."

Phineas gave up and a tear rolled down from his nose and onto the floor. He sniffed sadly.

"Don't be sad, Phin." Finn assured him. "As long as we're in Toadsworth's spell, King Pikachu won't be able to hurt us."

"It won't last for long." SpongeBob reminded him. Finn then got angry with him.

"Gee, thanks for lightening the mood!"

"Well, it's true." Finn then frowned and looked down at the ground.

"Yeah, you're right."

The image began to swirl away.

"Quick!" Gary hollered to Jake. "Find out where their location is!"

"It won't work like that." Jake said. "It only shows what it wants you to see. It doesn't give you the whole story."

"Try!" Jake sighed.

"Where is King Pikachu keeping you guys captive?" He shouted down to them even though he knew perfectly well that they couldn't hear him. "How do we save you? Water, tell me!"

As the image turned to nothingness, a tiny murmur could be heard, but was difficult to make out.

"What?" He pressed his ear into the water. "What was that? Gruntilda?" The picture completely vanished. Jake looked at Gary.

"Well, don't look at me." The snail told the dog. "I don't speak water."

"But you live in water."

"True, but that doesn't mean I speak it." Perry looked at Jake as if waiting for something more. Jake noticed this.

"What? Gruntida. That's all I got."

"Gruntilda? Who is Gruntilda,"

"She's a witch," Gary explained. "An evil witch that lives in Cauldron Keep, a bad lady, no animal who goes there ever comes back"

"They say she has a monstrous appetite," Jake said, shivering.

"We have no choice. How do we get there?" The platypus wanted to know. "Do we know where it is. Gary nodded.

"It's north of here." He answered. Jake then smelled something, like something was burning.

"Do you smell that?" The snail and platypus nodded. Slowly they turned around with Jake and their eyes widened. Something was on fire, the cottage!

"Oh my glob!" Jake yelled. "The cottage!"

"Why's the cottage on fire?" Perry questioned.

"It's Toadworth's pizza rolls! I forgot that they were in there!" They all ran to the cottage, but it was too late. Everything got burned.

"Now where are going to stay if we save them?" Jake asked. Perry looked determined again. He turned to them.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Now, Gary, show us where Gruntilda is."

"Oh, right!" The snail responded and headed off. The dog and semi aquatic mammal followed them.

On the way, Gary told the two of the plan.

"So," Gary said. "I'll make a diversion with one of my illusions and Perry can help our loyals with his telekinesis, and our loyals can do the rest from there." Perry stopped abruptly.

What? Did Gary say I could free them with my telekinesis? How can I? I don't know how to do that. I'm not magical like them! I should tell them I can't before I ruin everything.

"Um, Gary?" Perry started. "There's something I should tell you. You see the thing is I'm…" Luigi then came down the road with his Ponyta drawn carriage.

"Look!" Jake said, going towards the carriage. "We can hitch a ride! We'll get there much faster then walking."

"Very true." Gary agreed. He looked at Perry. "Come on Perry, what do you say about hitching a ride?"

"Sure!" The platypus replied. "Works for me."

"Great! Let's wait until the carriage comes closer, then we jump in at the same time."

So the three animals waited until the carriage came closer. As it did, Gary started the countdown.

"1..2…3…jump!" With that, the animals jumped and all landed on the back of the carriage at the same time.

"I say we sleep." Gary told his friends. "We need all of our energy if we have to defeat Grunty with our magic."

"That's just it." Perry told Gary. "You see Gary, the truth is…" But Gary was already sleeping. Perry sighed and looked at Jake. The yellow dog was asleep too. Perry sighed again. He'll have to tell his friends later. He found a patch of hay and did five mini circles before falling asleep.

He awoke three hours later. Gary and Jake did too. They were now at a fork in the road. One of the paths led to Cauldron Keep.

"We woke up just in time!" Gary exclaimed. "This is our stop."

"Whoa!" Jake said. "How did we all manage to do that? Talk about pure luck!"

They all jumped onto the road below. Luigi resumed going to his destination. The three animals looked down the path that the sign said 'Cauldron Keep'.

"Okay. It's just down this road." The snail went that direction. Perry and Jake followed.

Once in the castle, the three searched each and every room of the castle. Phineas, Finn and SpongeBob were nowhere to be seen. Gary sighed.

"Looks like Jake got his water viewing wrong, like he always does!" Jake stopped and snarled, looking as mean as he could.

"Look!" He barked. "I'm sorry, okay? I made a mistake, so what? Everybody makes them."

"Cool it guys!" Perry warned. "Let's just get out here before Grunty finds us."

"I'm just surprised that the old hag hasn't found us yet."

As the three went into the other room, all of their eyes seem to pop out of their sockets. There they were, staring directly at Gruntilda! The witch cackled her cackle. A bubbling cauldron was beside her.

"What luck!" She cried. "I oftentimes need to hunt for my ingredients, but now I don't have to! They're all here, just waiting for me to boil them." She cackled again. The animals began to run. "If you think running will save you, think again!"

Suddenly, vines shot out of the ground, blocking the only exit. The animals halted.

Grunty sprinkled something in the cauldron. Suddenly, it sprouted tentacles that shot out and grabbed all three.

"You all will be delicious…in my tummy!" She laughed and laughed.

"That witch has totally gone psycho!" Jake said.

"This is not France!" Gary cried. "So I shouldn't have to be turned to escargot!" Gary then had an idea. He went into his shell. Seconds later, he came back out. In his mouth was a four-leaf clover. Jake saw this.

"Ooh" He said. "A four-leaf clover! Good idea Gary!"

"Gary!" Perry cried. "We need more than luck to get out of this, we need a miracle!"

"Dude, you don't understand!" Jake called down to him. "This'll cure the whole spell!" Gary mumbled something to Perry, but Perry couldn't understand it with the clover in his mouth.

"What?" Gary let the clover go, letting it float towards the pot.

"Make sure the clover goes directly into the pot!" He repeated. The clover floated down into the pot but got stuck to the wall inside.

"Shoot." The platypus cursed. His tentacle then turned him upside down and went closer to the pot. As he came by the clover, he blew on it. It floated and landed in the boiling water.

"Yes!" Perry cheered. One of his hairs was already in, but he didn't care. As long as the rest of him wasn't burned alive!

The water then turned blue and turned counterclockwise. The tentacles stopped and went back up. They then released Perry, Jake and Gary. The animals leaped to the ground.

"What?" Grunty questioned. "What's going on here?" She shook her fist at the pot. "Why aren't you boiling these animals to a crisp?"

The tentacles then all grabbed Gruntilda's wrists and ankles.

"Hey!" She snapped. "I command you to release me at once!"

Perry, Jake and Gary all watchd as the tentacles lifted her up and carried above the boiling caldron. She kicked and screamed with all her might.

Then, Gruntilda was dunked in. A fiery blast shot out and a bubble popped. The three animals looked inside the caldron. Grantilda was no more. The vines blocking the exit began to go back down into the ground.

"Well, that was a waste." Gary said. "Now, where do we go?" He looked at Jake. "And Jake, I think it'll be safe if you and your water viewings stay out of this before we go on another wild-goose chase." Jake looked hurt.

"Gosh!" He said. "How many times do I have to say that I'm sorry?"

"As many times as you want, it still won't get us to where we need to be."

"I may be of assistance!" Chirped a voice. The animas turned around to see where the voice came from.

"Who said that?" Jake wanted to know.

"I did!" Came the voice again. The customaries looked down at the jumpy cauldron. "Thanks for defeating Grunty. She was a real witch. Literally and metaphorically."

"You're… welcome." Perry responded.

"I'm Dingpot by the way. The author hasn't used me or Gruntilda in her stories since The Wizard of Cartoons."

"… Congratulations on the comeback."

"Thanks!"

"Uh, hate to interrupt." Gary butted in. "But we really need to go and find our loyals before time's up. Now, what about that assistance?"

"Oh yeah! Have a look in my water!" He said and the three all gazed in. Dingpot's water swirled and a moving picture formed.

The picture showed Finn, Phineas and SpongeBob chained to a wall, like in Jake's vision, but this time, King Pikachu was thunder bolting them, but they were protected by the force field. Perry gulped. Phineas was in danger, but there was nothing he could do about it.

The picture then dissolved and was now replaced with Dingpot's water again. The three looked at him.

"They're being held at King Pikachu's castle in Kanto." The cauldron informed them.

"Thanks!" Gary thanked him. He looked at his friends. "Okay guys, let's go."

"Oh sure!" Jake snapped. "When Dingpot shows you where they are you believe him, but when I show you, I get it wrong? That doesn't seem right."

"But I must warn you." Dingpot continued. "There is a Goozim standing in the way. You'll have to put him to sleep with the powder made only by Mumbo in the mountains if you wish to continue."

"Okay, thanks." The snail thanked him again. And with that, the three animals said their goodbyes, and were now on their way to the mountains.

"Now," Gary told his companions. "It's a long way to the mountain. We can't make it on foot."

"Or whatever you'll call it," Jake said. "Considering you don't have feet." Gary sighed.

"Right, so anyway, there's a dock not to far from here. I think we should stow away on a ferry going to the base of the mountain." The friends agreed and off they went.

It wasn't long until they heard a voice.

"It's them! Quick, don't let them get away!" The three animals stopped in their tracks. All of their eyes grew huge. It was Lord Eevee! Surrounding them now were Lady Bellossom, Seargent Sentret and Count Togepi. The Seargent pointed his pistols at the three.

"What in the name of glob are they doing here?" Jake questioned his friends. "I thought King Pikachu didn't want us. He said we were 'useless' without our loyals. And how the heck did they even find us?" Just then, a flying eyeball flew up.

"You're probably wondering how we track you." Lady Bellossom said as if she read Jake's mind. "It was all thanks to the eyeball. You could say we had an eye on you!" She chuckled at her joke.

"Enough with the jokes!" Lord Eevee barked. He looked at the animals. "Now, by the order of King Pikachu, you three must come with us at once!"

"And what if we don't?" Jake asked, even though they couldn't understand him. Lord Eevee snapped his paws.

"Get them!" The three animals all began to run as the Count, Seargent and Lady all began chasing them.

"Perry, do something!" The snail shouted at him. "Use you telekinesis!"

The platypus didn't know what to tell him. It was getting harder and harder to tell his friends that he didn't have that talent, especially at this time when they were counting on him.

"Well, dude?" Jake said. "What are you waiting for? Christmas? Do it Pers!"

Perry hesitated.

"Well, um, um…"

"Come on, out with it!"

"Well, you see I…" Just then, a branch on the trail lifted up into the air. The friends watched in amazement as Lady Bellossom, Seargent Sentret and Count Togepi all tripped on it and fell on top of each other.

"You did it!" Jake congratulated him. "Good job buddy!"

"Uh, no problem?" Perry didn't think he levitated the branch. Then he saw a Chameleon Krabby was carrying the branch to the water up ahead.

The Krabby has been invisible moments ago due to being in its camouflage spell. Perry was lucky that his friends were too busy continuing down the path to notice.

"Come on Perry!" Gary called to him.

"Coming!" He called back and followed his friends.

"Get up you lazy bones!" Lord Eevee snarled at the three fallen Pokémon. "The king isn't paying for all of you lay around!" The three got up and continued their chase. Lord Eevee gave chase as well.

The animals stopped on a dock. The ferry going for the mountains was already going into the distance. The animals all stopped.

"We missed it!" Gary said.

"Now what?" Jake asked. "I'm all pooped out from all that running." Perry looked around and saw a sign.

"Guys!" He called. "Read this!" His friends went to his side and read what it said: Next Ferry leaves at sunrise.

"Let's find somewhere to sleep for the night." Gary told his friends. "Then we can get on the first ferry and continue from there."

"Good thinking!" Jake agreed. The three then saw a little inn on the other side of the dock.

"Come on!" Gary said. He, Perry and Jake all went towards the inn.

Jake stopped suddenly and gave out a terrified scream.

"Oh my glob!" Perry spun around and saw was Jake was looking at. There, staring down at him was King Pikachu- standing tall, motionless and noble looking.

The semi-aquatic mammal froze, but then realized this was a portrait of the king on the wall above the inn.

"It's just a picture." Gary said. " Now come on let's go in and…"

"We're going in there?" Jake wanted to know. "Under him? No way, he gives me the creeps!" Gary sighed.

"Look, a picture is not going to hurt us."

"I know but still, under him? It just doesn't feel right."

Perry knew what Jake was saying. Although it was just a portrait of the king, Perry felt that this was unsettling sleeping under the very Pokémon who had kidnapped his Phineas.

Perry looked around and saw a doggy door on the side of the inn.

"This looks welcoming!" He announced to his friends, gesturing to the animal entrance. He looked in, along with his friends.

The inside wasn't like any inn Perry had seen in Bridgetown. Jolly Roger sat behind the counter. His partner, Merry Maggie Malpass sat behind the bar brushing her hair with her comb.

"Before we go in." Gary told the two. "I must remind you guys that King Pikachu is hunting us down. So, we must disguise our identities by posing as mindless, magicless, ordinary, common, everyday animals as best we can."

Gary didn't realize how silly this sounded to Perry. He wanted him to pretend to be the platypus that he was already. Jake got down on all four paws and went after Perry and Gary. Perry looked behind him. King Pikachu's four hench-Pokémon had just passed the inn, not spotting the animals. Perry sighed in relief, at least here, they'll be safe.

Perry chattered to get Jolly's attention. Jolly looked at him and grinned from ear to ear.

"Why, aren't you cute." He said. Gary mewed and Jake barked. Jolly Roger went out from behind the counter to pet them. He scratched behind Jake's ears, which Jake seemed to enjoy because his tail was wagging from left to right.

"Nermal!" He called. "Some playmates are here to play with you!" Just then the little grey kitten came bounding in.

"Now, you four play nicely." Jolly said then left. Nermal grinned.

"Why hello there friends!" The kitten greeted. "I'm Nermal. What brings you all here?"

"Oh, we just met near a cottage." Perry said. "I'm Perry by the way. I was run out of Bridgetown by a bounty hunter. I've been on the run ever since,

"I'm Jake." Jake answered. "The snail's Gary. We're going to get some medicine at the pharmacy for our sick owners and we need a place to stay for the night."

"Well, this is the place! Follow me out to the barn!" The three animals followed him.

"Nice story!" Gary told Perry. "About you being chased after by bounty hunter. That was sheer brilliance!" Perry grinned.

"Yeah!" He said. "I don't know how I came up with that."

"Make yourselves at home." Nermal told them as soon as they entered a tiny stall near some Cuckoos. "Merry Maggie leaves us scraps by the back door."

"We really appreciate what you're doing." Perry told her.

"No prob! Now if you need me, you'll know where I am." And with that, he left the stall and out of the barn. "Goodnight!"

"Goodnight!" The three shouted back. They all made themselves comfortable and they all went to sleep.

"Perry, Jake, Gary, wake up!" Nermal shouted the next morning. Perry awoke and looked at Nermal. Jake and Gary also woke up and went to the kitty and platypus. "Look!" The three looked down. Under Nermal's paws was a Wanted poster. On the poster were three sketches of himself, Gary and Jake. Underneath the pictures was text.

"Wanted: dead or alive." It read. "King Pikachu orders the capture of these three animals. A reward is awaiting whoever captures them in the castle's vault."

"I don't get it." Jake said. "Why did King Pikachu suddenly change his mind all of a sudden and now want us?"

"Beats me." Gary told the yellow dog. "All I know is that we better get on the ferry before it leaves."

"I want to help." Nermal spoke. "But I can't do it unless you tell me what this is about."

Perry decided to tell the kitten. There was really no reason why he can't be in on the secret. So he told him. He told him about they were on their way to Mumbo, the Goozim and King Pikachu's castle. He didn't leave out a single detail.

"Follow me." He instructed them. So they followed the kitty to the main road. Cartoons were everywhere. Even more disturbing was the wanted posters on every door and horse post.

"We'll never make it to the boats with all of these cartoons about." Gary said. Just then, Hayley and Steve Smith, after reading the wanted posters, were headed their way!

"Quick!" Nermal told the three. He led them under the porch of the inn out of sight.

"Phew!" Perry said. "That was close, but I think we're overreacting. These aren't trained hunters. But he spoke too soon for from the corner of his eye he saw Doofenshmirtz! He carried his crossbow and had a wanted poster in his hands. Perry wondered how the heck did he get his hands on one of the wanted posters? Were they posted in Bridgetown too?

"What can we do?" Perry questioned out loud. "We're never make it at this rate."

"I got an idea!" Nermal told them. "Follow me to the barn." So, the three followed him to the barn.

He led them to a pile of furnace soot. He told all of them to roll into it. Within minutes, the three were now grey from head to tail.

"You're one smart kitten." Perry said to Nermal looking at himself. "Everyone's looking for a teal platypus, but not a grey one."

"Yeah!" Jake added. "You're one smart cookie!" Nermal blushed.

"Pleeeasssseeee!" He said. "You're making me blush! Now come on, don't you guys have a ferry to catch?"

"Oh yeah, that's right!"

"Well, here is where we split up." Perry told the cat once they were near the docks. "You were a great help. We couldn't of done it without you. Thanks a million!"

"You're welcome." Nermal responded. "Gosh, I wish that I could go with you but I got to stay here. I bid you adieu."

"Bye!" Perry, Jake and Gary chorused as Nermal scampered back towards the inn.

The three animals went towards their boat. Cartoons saw them but didn't seem to care. The disguises were serving their purpose! Gary looked behind him. They have been leaving soot footprints. Doofenshmirtz had seen them too and had begun chasing them.

"It's the pharmacist, run!" The animals ran and ran with Doofenshmirtz hot on their trail!

"I'm going to get you animals!" Doof shouted after them. The animals jumped on the boat as it was leaving the dock.

"Stop, stop!" Doofenshmirtz called to the leaving boat. "You can't leave yet! Animals I have to hunt down are on that ship; come back!" He waved his arms in the air, shouting for the ship to come back. But unfortunately for him, it just kept on sailing. Jake blew a raspberry at him.

"You can't get us!" He teased as the doctor was getting smaller and smaller in the distance.

Perry sighed in relief that he had escaped. But he was certain that this wasn't going to be the last time he'll be the target of that insane doctor and his deadly crossbow.