(Quick Note: For the musical number in this chapter, I will not describe what is going on when it gets to the dream-like setting during the song. The actual scene that this song is sung is attached to this chapter. Anyway, enjoy!)
It was complete darkness in the whole house. That is until Noctowl lights a candle and the darkness begin to vanish. The candle provided the owl Pokemon enough light for him to read out where Ash has gone. From his horrified reaction, it's someplace, which he thinks, is really bad.
"He has gone to S-C-H-O-O-L." He stated, as he gasped in horror. "Skull!"
Pikachu turned to his friend, Piplup, with a confused look in his eyes.
"Skull?" Pikachu responded, as Piplup looked at him with confused eyes as well.
"What sort of place is that?" Pikachu asked his owl friend about the location, where he stated that Ash has gone to.
Noctowl flew to where Pikachu and Piplup were standing, while the note, with some honey still on it, was sticking to the owl Pokemon's feathers.
"Well, from the very sound of it," He began his explanation. "one can tell it's a most forbidding and far away place."
Noctowl then attempted to shake the note off his feather with no luck. It only came off when he pull it off with his hand. After doing that, he returns the note to Pikachu, who then gives it to Piplup.
"Then, we must help Ash Ketchum." Pikachu proclaimed. "Help him get back. To here. And us. And me."
All of a sudden, Noctowl's eyes widen and his face was now expressing a bit of excitement, as he heard the electric mouse Pokemon suggested that they should help rescue their human friend from this "skull" place.
"Then, it's a quest, is it? Ha ha! That's the spirit!" He exclaimed, as he hoots and walks away from Pikachu and Piplup. "The nobility of it!"
He walks over to his bookshelf and begins searching for something within it, while taking out the clutter that was in it.
"A long and dangerous journey through the great unknown." He described the quest that Pikachu and his friends would be going on.
"Of course, you'll need a map." Noctowl stated, as he got out a feather pen, a bowl of ink, and a scroll of paper.
"D-D-D-D-Dangerous?" Piplup responded, while stuttering.
Everyone then gathered around the owl Pokemon, as he starts to draw them a map that would hopefully lead them to their friend.
"Oh, Owl," Piplup begin to ask his owl friend, while climbing up Slowpoke's back, and then, climbing up Noctowl's desk, so that Noctowl could hear him better. "you-You wouldn't suppose we'd meet any h-h-heffalumps?"
"Oh, thank you," The owl Pokemon responded to the penguin Pokemon's question. "I nearly forgot. Herd of heffalumps. Ha Ha!"
The owl Pokemon started to draw out the map from the bottom of the paper, with Piplup looking on from the desk.
"Uh, uh," He said, as he suddenly appears on the other side of the desk, while spooking Piplup, causing the penguin Pokemon to fall down from the desk. He landed safely on his bottom. Noctowl continued his thought. "down here, I fancy, in the, ahem, southeast corner of the far west portion."
Persian also walked up to Noctowl and asked him, while also stuttering his words, "W-W-What about w-w-w-woozles?"
"Woozles? Wonderful!" Noctowl replied with excitement in his voice, while still drawing up the map.
Then, Pikachu walked up to his owl friend and whispered, "Jagulars?"
"Hoo-hoo-hoo! Just a dozen or three. Here, there and yonder." He answered, as he's finishing up the map.
"Not to mention, the fabled, hoo-hoo, Skullasaurus." He stated, as he's finished drawing the map that would lead them to "skull" and their friend, Ash.
The mention of this skullasaurus creature sent shivers down Pikachu and his friends' spines.
"S-S-S-Skullasaurus?" Persian said, while shaking in fear.
"Oh, come, come, come." Noctowl stated, as he flies over to where the fear-stricken group.
"Without a monster or two, it's hardly a quest." He claims, as he gives Pikachu and the gang a group hug. "Merely a gaggle of friends wandering about."
"Oh-ho-ho! How I envy you!" He begins his speech to the group. "Not everyone has the chance to face the unspeakable terrors of the great unknown."
Suddenly, a spotlight appears and Pikachu and his friends were at the center of its attention. Then, Noctowl starts singing.
NOCTOWL: Today's the day. In only a matter of moments, you'll all be on your way.
Noctowl then goes behind his chair.
NOCTOWL: What lurks around the corner, not a soul can say.
All of a sudden, the shadow of a skeleton-like creature appears and scares the penguin Pokemon, causing him to hide behind Pikachu.
Then, the shadow's appearance quickly changes to that of an owl Pokemon. Noctowl comes out from behind the chair.
NOCTOWL: But I can guess, more or less.
Although Piplup is still hiding behind Pikachu, Noctowl moves quickly over to where Persian is standing and appears behind the feline Pokemon.
NOCTOWL: Hidden dangers, great duress.
He then twirls around Slowpoke, who appears to not care for the owl Pokemon's dance routine.
NOCTOWL: Ah, the moment of glory is close at hand.
Noctowl grabs the map and holds it in the air.
NOCTOWL: Whee! It's going to be grand.
NOCTOWL: Adventure is a wonderful thing. Pack only the essentials. I'll tell you what to bring. Your strength, your nerves, your hearts, your wits. And for Skullasaurus attacks, first aid kits.
NOCTOWL: Adventure is a hoot and a half. You'll face unearthly dangers and look at them and laugh. The claws, the teeth, the chase, the thrill. You'll never want to come home. Maybe, you never will.
NOCTOWL: That's the beauty of adventure. It's strictly sink or float. It runs you till you're ragged, then it grabs you by the throat. You struggle to survive it. Though the chances are remote.
NOCTOWL: Hoo-hoo, lucky you! Wish I was coming, too. Adventure is a wonderful thing.
As Noctowl falls back down, Pikachu and Persian catches the owl Pokemon. Then, Noctowl gets up, wraps his arms around them, and then walks off with them. He then tells them about something important about where they were going.
"I almost forgot the very best part." Noctowl begins his explanation. "You not only get to save your friend from the most dangerous place, namely Skull, but from the most dangerous part of the most dangerous place. The eye of the skull itself."
Pikachu then started to walk slowly backwards, as he's thinking about having to go to the dangerous part of the most dangerous place, in order to save his very best friend, Ash Ketchum.
"Oh, bother." Pikachu responded, before Noctowl running up to him, from behind the electric mouse, and then, continues singing his song.
NOCTOWL: And you, General Pikachu. Off you go, marching high and low. Your friend waits at the end. Right here.
The owl Pokemon then shows the map to Pikachu. The map appears to look simple, highlighting the landmarks that they would need to pass through. However, the drawings were so well-drawn that it might be a bit complex for Pikachu to understand.
NOCTOWL: Take a look. The map is perfectly clear. With your excellent sense of direction, you've nothing to fear.
Unfortunately, Pikachu doesn't have a good sense of direction. He can sometimes end up walking in a circle, when he's following a mysterious set of footprints, which usually belong to him.
NOCTOWL: Through the quicksand and the chasms. Tempting fate and fighting spasms. Dodging avalanching boulders.
NOCTOWL: Remember, Ash Ketchum's fate rests completely on your shoulders, Pikachu.
Pikachu looks at his shoulders, and then, looks back at Noctowl.
"Excuse me, Noctowl." Pikachu said, before getting interrupted by the owl Pokemon's singing.
NOCTOWL: It's up to you.
NOCTOWL: That's the beauty of adventure. The trembling and the dread. I can't think of another thing I'd rather do instead.
"Perhaps, you could join us." Pikachu suggested to his owl friend.
NOCTOWL: No, no, you go ahead.
At that moment, Noctowl pulled a lever that opened a trap door, underneath Pikachu and the rest of his friend, causing them to fall into it. Eventually, the trap door lead them to a secret door, where Pikachu and his friends exited out of the tree in a way similar to how a ball would bounce down the stairs. Even the map and blue honey pot followed their exit style, while following behind Bunnelby. Once everyone exited out of the tree, Noctowl flew out of the secret door and followed them, as he prepares them to look appealing for their quest, while continuing to sing.
NOCTOWL: Hoo, hoo, lucky you! Tally ho, and toodle-loo!
The owl Pokemon lifts Piplup's chin up.
NOCTOWL: Ready now? Noble chin!
He then positions Persian to make it appear that his chest is outward, similar to that of a bodybuilder. He also pushes Pikachu's tummy inward.
NOCTOWL: Chest out, tummy in!
NOCTOWL: Make a fracas, have a fling. Drop a postcard, give a ring. Get the lead out, time to swing!
The gang then started to run off, so that they could get away from Noctowl's singing and begin their quest to save their human friend from "skull". The owl Pokemon is beginning to wrap up his song.
NOCTOWL: Whoop-de-do and bada-bing! Adventure...is a wonderful thing!
As the group runs away from their owl friend, Noctowl shouted out to them, giving them a sense of courage and comfort. Well, sort of.
"I salute you!" He shouted, while jumping up and down.
"And those of you doomed to never return," He continued, as he's hovering "I salute you twice!"
After hearing their friend's words of 'encouragement', they run into the woods, so that they could finally begin their quest to save Ash Ketchum from this "skull" place, before it's too late.
