Marissa had lent her cardigan to Elenast, whose face color ranged quickly from rosy to Spanish tomato when Link said she had something on her face. Some of the audience members were beginning to return to people, with dazed looks on their faces and the vague feeling of having just slept on a bed of rocks. The team quickly exited the arena, trying to leave the smallest amount of witnesses possible. Their mission wasn't helped at all when Kirby attempted to inhale one of the baguette people and they had to leave in a hurry after the victim began following them and asking Meta Knight if he was "the chosen one".

They finally made it out of the stadium, Elenast desperately holding up her charred dress. They wanted to stop and take a moment to fully process what had just happened, but Meta Knight hurried them along.

"Come on, we need to get away," he said. Marissa and Link grudgingly agreed, but Elenast argued.

"But look at me! I need clothes! Come on, Marissa, back me up on this!" Elenast looked over her shoulder at Marissa who mentally prepared herself for the debate that was sure to come.

Marissa chose her words carefully. "Well, Elenast does need clothes..."

Elenast fist pumped.

"BUT we need to get away before Officer Jenny comes after us."

Meta Knight nodded.

Link tapped Marissa on the shoulder. "Um, how do you know the officer's name?"

Marissa waved nonchalantly. "They're all named Jenny. Anyway, let's work out a compr... Oh... Guys... Come on... Okay Elenast... Let's all be friends, guys..." Meta Knight and Elenast had begun squabbling over what to do, completely ignoring Marissa's pleas. Marissa looked desperately for an out, and finally found one in a figure running towards them. "HEY EVERYONE LOOK IT'S ASH."

The other two finally stopped and looked up. Indeed, Ash was running for them, flanked by two other figures. Marissa ran over and shook Ash's hand. "Good match, brokemon! It was an honor fighting you and also please tell me you have clothes or something."

Ash scowled. "You still didn't explain what happened back there! What was the point of that anyway?"

"Well, we needed money... Because... We needed to buy... Um... Bandages?" Marissa wanted to sink into the ground and never return. She really didn't like explaining things.

"What for?"

"Because... He," she said, gesturing to Link, "Scraped his..."

Elenast cut in, "UVULA."

Marissa leaned in towards Elenast, hissing, "You can't scrape a uvula. Unless you're swallowing concrete or something."

Elenast shrugged. "They probably don't know what a uvula is."

But the tall guy behind Ash said, "Isn't that the little dangly thing in the back of the throat?"

Elenast snapped her fingers and grumbled, "Stupid smart people with their stupid smartness."

But Marissa had forgotten. She actually kind of exploded on the inside. "Hey... You're Brock!"

Elenast gaped. "You're right!"

Meta Knight and Link looked confused.

Brock smirked. "Yes, that's me. I told you Ash, ladies everywhere know who I am."

Marissa ignored his comment and turned to the girl behind Ash. "And you're Misty!"

Misty nodded, with a small amount of hesitation. "Uh, yeah. Hey, how do you know who we are?"

All the other characters looked at Marissa with expectation. She shrugged. "Long story. Anyway, sorry about the whole... You know, French bread ridiculousness. Elenast, apologize."

Elenast gave an exasperated sigh. "I don't even know what I'm apologizing for! But sorry. I think."

Ash growled, "I still don't even know why that happened! Why did you compete if it meant risking your friend's life just for money?"

"Um... It's... A long story? I..." Marissa suddenly felt cornered. It wasn't her fault, or Elenast's really, that they had ended up in the Nintendoverse.

Elenast groaned. "Geez, Marissa, just get to it! Okay, so I showed up here and I was all WHAAAT and Meta Knight was all RAAAAH and then Dedede was like HAHAHAAA IMMA CATCH KIRBY BUT WAIT IT'S A GIRL and then I screamed and Kirby was like 'hiiiiii~' and then Bowser was all IMMA EAT YOU YOU FILTHY LITTLE PEASANT and Marissa was all 'Nooooo! Dramatic wailing'! And then we needed a sock to get back to our own dimension and Fox and Falco were all "Hey, Marissa, you're a fine glass of water here take this light gem" and she was all "okay teehee" and then Meta Knight was all 'okay I'm gonna be a killjoy and pick what we'll do next myself oh look I picked a pokeball' and then we came here." She took a deep breath. "And then we were like 'let's pretend Kirby is a pokemon so we can get money' and then he disappeared and then Marissa made me do it so then we met you and all that happened and we started from the bottom now we here."

The others looked at her with a mixture of amazement and discomfort, save for Kirby, who entertained himself by getting electrocuted by Pikachu.

"Okay then," Misty said. "That's... Um..."

"Wow," Brock finished.

"So I guess you did have a reason... Okay. We'll help you," Ash said.

"Really? Oh, thank you thank you!" Marissa did a little dance, and was about to do a miniature grand finale when Brock stopped her.

"Hey, is that a metapod in my pocket, or are you just that eggseCUTE?" He grinned at her. Link felt his blood boil. He didn't understand half of what Brock had just said, but whatever it was he didn't approve of this smooth-talking squinty-eyed trainer. He was about ready to bludgeon his new foe with the butt of his sword when the guy didn't back off, but luckily Elenast stepped in.

"EVAPORATE, TALL PERSON!" She punched him in the face. And for the second time that day, Link was grateful for Elenast.

Misty laughed at Brock who had actually fallen to the ground from the force of Elenast's blow. "Haha! You just never win, do you, Brock?"

Tears streamed from Brock's hyphen-shaped eyes. "Shut up, Misty."

Marissa blinked. "Well that just happened."

Link said, "Yeah. It did. But where did Meta Knight go?"

And at that moment Meta Knight flashed in.

"Speak of the devil and he shall come," Marissa muttered.

"What was that, Marissa? Sorry, I don't speak fool."

Marissa rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I found you some clothes, Elenast." He handed her a bundle of clothing.

"Cool, thanks, Meta Knight! Where did you get these? They're warm..."

In the street behind them, a crowd of girls missing various articles of clothing ran down the streets screaming, "My clothes! Some weird blue thing!"

Meta Knight looked down. "I found them."

"He found her attire on the bodies of strangers, and they were delivered unto she, with whom he was enamored..." Marissa said, looking off into the distance.

Elenast held the clothes close to her. "Thanks Meta Knight!" And she smiled at him. He blushed.

Misty interrupted Meta Knight's fantasy. "There's actually a bath house near here, I think. We have stuff to do, but you guys should go clean up."

Meta Knight glared at her. "Are you suggesting that I am unclean?"

"I'm just suggesting it. I mean, Elenast needs to treat her burns and Marissa needs to fix... That situation." Misty gestured to Marissa's hair. Marissa scowled, but Elenast was beside herself with laughter.

Marissa pursed her lips and scowled at Misty. "Okay. Maybe I'll get a lame ponytail on top of my head or something." The girls, except for Elenast had a bit of a staring contest which ended abruptly when Marissa sneezed.

Ash decided to finally step in and end whatever was going on. "Here, I'll just give you guys a pokeball."

Link raised an eyebrow. "You're just going to give it to us?"

Ash shrugged. "Yeah. It's just one, right? Besides, it might do you guys good to have a pokemon on your journey."

Brock nodded. "But you'll probably have to catch your own."

Marissa pondered this for a moment. "Hm... This is the Kanto region, right?"

Ash nodded.

Marissa looked thoughtfully at Pikachu. "Yeah... I can think of a few pokemon I'd like to catch..."

Ash made a face. "Are you thinking of stealing my Pikachu? Because let me tell you, if you touch it I'll-"

"Ash, Ash, my friend! Don't worry. I don't plan on taking your Pikachu. What kind of person do you take me for? Seriously bro, calm down. I was just thinking. I'll probably just catch a Pidgey or something, they're easy."

Elenast's eyes widened. "Wait! Marissa! Secret meeting!" She grabbed her friend's arm and forcefully pulled her to the side. "Marissa."

Marissa blinked. "Elenast."

"Marissa," she said again, "What. Are. You. Doing."

"Um... Well right now I'm thinking about locomotives."

Elenast shook her head. "No! I mean, a Pidgey? Really? WE ARE HERE. Go for a Pikachu!"

Marissa shook her head. "I would love to, but they're hard to train, and I don't have another pokemon to battle with. It's just not logical."

Elenast grabbed Marissa by the shoulders and shook her. "THIS. IS. YOUR. DREAM!"

"No it's not."

"Your mouth says one thing, but YOUR EYES SAY ANOTHER. Go follow your dreams, you sprite prince, you...!"

"How the Sam Hill am I a sprite prince?"

"Just go!" Elenast pushed Marissa back towards the group, who despite the fact that Elenast was as quiet as she could be, heard everything.

Marissa sighed. "Okay, maybe something other than a Pidgey."


After they had all bathed (which was excruciatingly awkward for the guys), Elenast put on her new clothes.

"Aw, Elenast! That outfit is totally cute on you!" Marissa said.

Elenast struck a pose. "Thaaaaank you!" Basically it was a dark, long-sleeved tee under a lighter, cropped tee. Also some shorts. "Are you done yet?"

"Yeah, almost… Lots of hair here… Okay!" Marissa removed the towel from her head, revealing a curly, fuzzy dark mass of hair. She began combing it with her fingers, and Elenast led them outside.

When they all finally met outside, Ash and the others were nowhere to be seen. So they sat on a bench near the bath house and chatted. While they talked, Marissa tore strips of Elenast's charred dress.

"What are you doing? My dress!" Elenast tried to pull it away, but Marissa managed to keep it out of her reach.

"Look, it's not like you could have worn it again. Besides, it'll be more useful like this." She ripped off another strip.

"How?!"

"Shh, hold out your leg. These will work to protect your burns and scratches until we get money somewhere for actual bandages and stuff. Just don't do any of this running-and-jumping ridiculousness." And she successfully repurposed a charred dress into bandages.

Elenast was about to say something else, (be it positive or negative we shall never know) but at that moment Ash, Brock, and Misty returned.

Ash said, "Oh, good, you guys are ready. Okay, Marissa, are you ready to go catch a pokemon?"

"Am I ever! Okay, just-"

Elenast interrupted. "COUGH COUGH!"

Marissa made a face at Elenast, then turned back to Ash. "Anyway, just let me-"

"COUGH! COUGH!"

Marissa whipped around. "What?"

Elenast looked right into Marissa's eyes. "Follow your dreams."

Marissa rolled her eyes. "Okay. I'll make sure to do that."

And then Ash led her away.

Elenast turned back to Link, Meta Knight, and Kirby. "LET'S GO ON AN ADVENTURE!"


Marissa, Ash, Misty, and Brock met back up in front of the bath house, Marissa thoroughly exhilarated. "That was beyond. Awesome." She clutched the Pokeball in her hands, by her chest.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," Ash said, the beginning of a laugh pulling the corners of his mouth upward.

"I just… Eeeeeee!" Marissa squealed, doing a little happy dance.

Ash looked amused and a bit bewildered, Misty was indifferent.

Brock looked up from Marissa, wiping the blood from his nose. "Look, there come the others!"

Indeed, Elenast was leading Meta Knight, Link, and Kirby towards them. Elenast waved and sped up. "Hey! Did you have a good time?"

"Yeah, totally!" Marissa said. She looked over Elenast's shoulder and gaped. "What did you do to Link? And Meta Knight looks like he's been grilled!" Kirby and Elenast seemed to be the only ones unscathed.

Elenast smiled. "We played a game called 'Which Pokemon are Safe to Pick Up and Play Catch With?' It was really fun!"

Misty looked like someone had just kicked her Starmie. "Why would you do that?"

"YOLO!" Elenast yelled in response.

Marissa had walked over to Link and was evaluating his bruises, which were slowly healing. He still looked tired, though. Maybe when they're not in their own world, they don't heal as quickly…

"I didn't sign up for this," Link sighed. Marissa gave him a sympathetic pat on the head.

Elenast called Marissa over to a bench. "Come here, tell me how it went!"

Marissa started walking over. "Well, first Brock made me a sandwich…"

Link sighed again and contemplated taking some potion, which would likely help with the lingering pain inflicted by an angry Pidgey. But Brock came over and casually leaned against the bath house wall. "So…Is she your girlfriend or something?"

"Or something," Link said. He really didn't feel like talking to this brute.

"What would 'or something' make you then?"

"It doesn't make us anything. I'm just trying to help her get back home. It's kind of my duty right now."

Brock laughed. "Ha ha, you said duty."

Meanwhile, Ash and Misty were having a related, but still somehow entirely different conversation.

"You don't… like her, do you, Ash?"

Ash stammered, "I-I mean, she's a friend… And given pr-practice she could become a very powerful Trainer…"

Misty scowled. "She's like, four years older than you!"

Ash proceeded to contemplate whether or not that was really a problem.

Kirby and Meta Knight, too, were conversing.

"Poyo poyo!"

"I know it was a dumb idea… But she really wanted me to pick them up."

"Gao!"

"Stop bragging, Kirby, we know how lucky you are that you didn't play…"

Marissa looked up from Elenast, who had just asked what pokemon she'd caught in the end, to the pairs surrounding them. "My ears are burning, stop that gossiping about. I know I'm awesome, but seriously."

Elenast had also noticed a slight tingling sensation in her ears, but shrugged it off.

Marissa stood. "Guys, the sun's going down, let's go ahead and pick our next clue…"

Elenast stood too. "Nah, let's just stay here for the night and rest up! We're all tired, and there haven't been any epic battles or anything-"

"PREPARE FOR TROUBLE…"

"AND MAKE IT DOUBLE…"

"TO PROTECT THE WORLD FROM DEVESTATION-"

"TO UNITE ALL- Ow! Jessie, the guy in the green hat hit me-e-eee!" James wailed.

Brock and Misty were speechless, but Ash said, "Link, I know you're new here but you at least need to let them finish their introduction!"

Jessie stomped her foot. "Honestly, Ash, I think you'd get it right this time! Ugh, this isn't even worth the trouble of a battle!" She dragged a wailing James off by his collar, Meowth trailing behind.

Link unballed his fist. "Sorry."

Meta Knight sighed. "Maybe we do need to stay a night…"

Later that night, while Link, Meta Knight and Kirby snored in the room a local family kindly let them use, Marissa was showing Elenast her sleepy Pikachu.

"He's a little lazy, and not near as powerful as Ash's, but…"

Elenast stopped her and whispered, "You followed your dreams!"

"Okay, Elenast. Sure. I followed my dreams."


Hi! We're back! With a much more timely update! A nice, long chappie to satisfy your cravings. Where will they go next? Find out next time! Pray for Boston.

Hugs- J&F