Chapter 10: Ash Makes A Comeback
Darkness loomed all around him. Ash was standing yet he stood on nothing. Suddenly he was over
a cavern of fire and was falling fast. With quick thinking, he grabbed the edge of the cliff.
But he couldn't pull himself up.
A red tentacle came up from the cliff and wrapped around Ash's leg. It began pulling him down.
Ash lost his grip and began going down with it. But he grabbed onto the side.
(Ash,) a voice called. Ash looked around but couldn't find the voice. The voice sounded
masculine and seemed to be the silent type.
"Who's there?" Ash shouted to the heavens. He saw a white light flicker just above the edge of
the cliff.
(Ash, your friends are in trouble. You must help them.)
"How can I help them when I can't even help myself?" Ash was talking literally and
metaphorically. Since Giovanni showed him what happened to his father, he lost his confidence,
his fighting edge, what made Ash Ash.
(Ash, you must defy the darkness.)
"Defy the what?"
(Defy the darkness. The darkness that is consuming you right now. You must save yourself to
save your friends. And to save yourself, you must defy the darkness.) Ash looked around him.
The surrounding area was pretty dark. But how could he defy something that was all around him.
Was it too late for him?
Then Ash realized what the voice was talking about. The darkness wasn't around him, the darkness
was the tentacle trying to drag him down. Ash pounded on the tentacle with his foot.
"Let me go, you overgrown shoe lace," Ash demanded. "I have to save my friends and I'm not
about to let you stop me from doing that." The tentacle increased its pull and Ash felt himself
dragging.
"No. I'm not going to be consumed. I am Ash Ketchum, I'm destined to be the world's greatest
Pokemon Master. I have a responsibility to my Pokemon and to my friends. My friends are in
danger so I will help them. And no lousy silly string is going to stop me." The tentacle's
retraction increased in speed. Ash just kept on holding to the cliff wall and trying to kick it
off.
"I may be consumed, but I'm not going to take this lying down. I'll continue to defy you until
you release me. Because nothing is going to keep me from saving my friends! You hear me?
NOTHING!" With a great force, Ash rammed the tentacle against the cliff wall. The tentacle
went slack and eventually released him. Ash quickly pulled himself out of the cliff.
"I did it," he realized. "I did it. I defied the darkness."
(And gained your self-confidence back as well.) There was that voice again. Ash saw a bright
light just a little ahead of him. Slowly he touched the light and everything around him became
white. Two eyes appeared before him.
"Do you know where my friends are?" Ash asked.
(They are in Egypt. They are trying to stop the Demonics. But they will not succeed without
you.)
"Thank you. I owe you my life."
(No, Ash. I merely showed what you had to do. You were the one who succeeded it. In defeating
the tentacle, and the darkness with it, you have not only gained back the confidence that was
lost when Giovanni revealed the secret to you, but accepted the truth that was revealed to you.)
"You're right. I was trying to deny what happened. But now I realize that I should accept it."
(Exactly. Accept it, learn from it, and grow stronger. You are now one step closer to your
ultimate goal. Now go, the people you care about need your help.)
"Wait. Will I see you again?"
(Only in your dreams, my friend, only in your dreams.) The light seemed to intensify around
Ash's body and he disappeared.
"Togepi." [White Ash.] Jigglypuff looked up to see Ash being bathed in a white light. The
light disappeared and Ash's eyes began to flutter. Jigglypuff got ready to sing its song, but
Togepi put its arms over Jigglypuff's mouth.
"Pi. Togepi." [No. Ash good.] Ash moaned and sat up. He then saw the two Pokemon.
"Jigglypuff, Togepi, what are you doing here? Where's Misty and the others? Wait a minute, I
remember now. The voice said they were in Egypt." Ash got up and donned his pokebelt and
backpack. "I have to go help them. But how am I going to get to Egypt." Togepi watched as Ash
paced up and down. "I have to get to Misty and the others."
Suddenly Togepi smiled. "Togepi-pi!" [Ash want Mommy!] It then leaped into Ash's arms.
Ash stared at the small egg Pokemon in his hands. This was the second time it did that. The
first time was in Nerima, when Misty was injured, Ash was chosen as its temporary parental
figure. "Togepi, can you take me to Misty."
"Togepi! Toge-togepi. Togepi-tog-pi!" [Mommy! Ash want Mommy! Togepi take Mommy!] It then
began waving its arms from side-to-side, much in the same fashion as the metronome attack used
by Clefairy and Hypno. The two began to glow.
"Jigglypuff-puff." [I'm going to regret this.] Jigglypuff leaped into the glow with them and
all three disappeared.
The battle was turning in the favor of the Demonics. Especially since they were able to bypass
the Pokemon and Scout attacks and proceeded directly to the humans. Now, Yoshi had a broken arm
and Sailor Saturn was out cold.
Misty got ready to release Starmie when she saw Anubis running towards her. Forgetting about
Starmie, Misty dodged Anubis' advances. Misty was quick, but she wasn't quick enough to dodge
an uppercut from Serpentor. The uppercut sent Misty flying about twenty feet into the air. Just
as Misty was about to plummet to the ground at speeds of 30 mph, a pair of scaly claws caught her
own arms.
It was Charizard.
Misty looked up at the fire Pokemon with relief and surprise. "Charizard, how did you get here?"
"Char-zard? Charizard." [Does it matter? I'm here.] Charizard gently dropped Misty to the
ground and landed in front of Serpentor. It let loose with a huge fire blast. Serpentor quickly
covered himself in a forcefield. Once the fire subsided, he dropped the forcefield.
Sabrina tried using her psychic abilities to hold Lockjaw back but he was too strong for her.
She would be dead for sure if Squawker hadn't come flying from all the way on the other side of
the pyramid and landed smack dab on Lockjaw.
"What's the deal, parrot-freak?"
"A tornado came out of nowhere and hit me," Squawker replied not bothering to correct Lockjaw on
his name. Squawker got up and was about to pounce Sabrina when something small dropped between
the two. It was Bulbasaur.
Bublasaur was already gathering energy, and it released a solar beam which impacted Squawker with
the force of a battering ram going at moch 1. Squawker quickly got up but suddenly a tornado
came down and sucked him up.
"Not again," he moaned as the tornado slammed him into the side of the pyramid. The sources of
the tornado were revealed: it was Pidgeotto and Butterfree.
Squirtle then entered the fray by doing a shell attack. It pulled its body into its shell and
threw itself at Ramulus. Ramulus blocked and sent it to the side of the pyramid but Squirtle
quickly ejected itself and pushed off, coming back with a skull bash. Ramulus flipped over
Squirtle but the water Pokemon landed safely in the sand.
Misty couldn't believe it. Ash's Pokemon were coming out of nowhere and helping them.
"Pikachu! Misty, Brock!" The three looked towards the source of the voice. It was Ash and
Sailor Jupiter. Sailor Jupiter was holding Jigglypuff and Ash was holding Togepi.
"Pika-pi, pikachu!" [Ash, you're all right!] Pikachu cried as it leaped into its master's arms.
Misty also embraced Ash. She then took Togepi from him.
The others came and Ash was quickly reunited with them. "Ash, how did you get here?" Misty
asked. "I thought you were back in Tokyo."
"I was," Ash replied. "Believe it or not, it was Togepi who teleported me here."
"You mean Togepi used an attack?" Brock asked.
"It wasn't an attack per say," Sabrina said. "Teleport is one of the basic abilities that
psychic Pokemon and humans learn."
"Togepi-togepi?" [Togepi do good?]
"You were great, Togepi."
"I don't mean to interrupt this happy reunion," Tuxedo Mask said. "But we have a problem."
Tuxedo Mask pointed to Sailor Moon, Sailor Venus, Sailor Mini-Moon, and Sailor Jupiter standing
off against the Demonics.
"We'll talk later," Ash promised. "Right now, I'm anxious to kick some Demonic butt!" The
others cheered and they sprang into action. With Ash back, it seemed like they were finally
going to win.
Darkness loomed all around him. Ash was standing yet he stood on nothing. Suddenly he was over
a cavern of fire and was falling fast. With quick thinking, he grabbed the edge of the cliff.
But he couldn't pull himself up.
A red tentacle came up from the cliff and wrapped around Ash's leg. It began pulling him down.
Ash lost his grip and began going down with it. But he grabbed onto the side.
(Ash,) a voice called. Ash looked around but couldn't find the voice. The voice sounded
masculine and seemed to be the silent type.
"Who's there?" Ash shouted to the heavens. He saw a white light flicker just above the edge of
the cliff.
(Ash, your friends are in trouble. You must help them.)
"How can I help them when I can't even help myself?" Ash was talking literally and
metaphorically. Since Giovanni showed him what happened to his father, he lost his confidence,
his fighting edge, what made Ash Ash.
(Ash, you must defy the darkness.)
"Defy the what?"
(Defy the darkness. The darkness that is consuming you right now. You must save yourself to
save your friends. And to save yourself, you must defy the darkness.) Ash looked around him.
The surrounding area was pretty dark. But how could he defy something that was all around him.
Was it too late for him?
Then Ash realized what the voice was talking about. The darkness wasn't around him, the darkness
was the tentacle trying to drag him down. Ash pounded on the tentacle with his foot.
"Let me go, you overgrown shoe lace," Ash demanded. "I have to save my friends and I'm not
about to let you stop me from doing that." The tentacle increased its pull and Ash felt himself
dragging.
"No. I'm not going to be consumed. I am Ash Ketchum, I'm destined to be the world's greatest
Pokemon Master. I have a responsibility to my Pokemon and to my friends. My friends are in
danger so I will help them. And no lousy silly string is going to stop me." The tentacle's
retraction increased in speed. Ash just kept on holding to the cliff wall and trying to kick it
off.
"I may be consumed, but I'm not going to take this lying down. I'll continue to defy you until
you release me. Because nothing is going to keep me from saving my friends! You hear me?
NOTHING!" With a great force, Ash rammed the tentacle against the cliff wall. The tentacle
went slack and eventually released him. Ash quickly pulled himself out of the cliff.
"I did it," he realized. "I did it. I defied the darkness."
(And gained your self-confidence back as well.) There was that voice again. Ash saw a bright
light just a little ahead of him. Slowly he touched the light and everything around him became
white. Two eyes appeared before him.
"Do you know where my friends are?" Ash asked.
(They are in Egypt. They are trying to stop the Demonics. But they will not succeed without
you.)
"Thank you. I owe you my life."
(No, Ash. I merely showed what you had to do. You were the one who succeeded it. In defeating
the tentacle, and the darkness with it, you have not only gained back the confidence that was
lost when Giovanni revealed the secret to you, but accepted the truth that was revealed to you.)
"You're right. I was trying to deny what happened. But now I realize that I should accept it."
(Exactly. Accept it, learn from it, and grow stronger. You are now one step closer to your
ultimate goal. Now go, the people you care about need your help.)
"Wait. Will I see you again?"
(Only in your dreams, my friend, only in your dreams.) The light seemed to intensify around
Ash's body and he disappeared.
"Togepi." [White Ash.] Jigglypuff looked up to see Ash being bathed in a white light. The
light disappeared and Ash's eyes began to flutter. Jigglypuff got ready to sing its song, but
Togepi put its arms over Jigglypuff's mouth.
"Pi. Togepi." [No. Ash good.] Ash moaned and sat up. He then saw the two Pokemon.
"Jigglypuff, Togepi, what are you doing here? Where's Misty and the others? Wait a minute, I
remember now. The voice said they were in Egypt." Ash got up and donned his pokebelt and
backpack. "I have to go help them. But how am I going to get to Egypt." Togepi watched as Ash
paced up and down. "I have to get to Misty and the others."
Suddenly Togepi smiled. "Togepi-pi!" [Ash want Mommy!] It then leaped into Ash's arms.
Ash stared at the small egg Pokemon in his hands. This was the second time it did that. The
first time was in Nerima, when Misty was injured, Ash was chosen as its temporary parental
figure. "Togepi, can you take me to Misty."
"Togepi! Toge-togepi. Togepi-tog-pi!" [Mommy! Ash want Mommy! Togepi take Mommy!] It then
began waving its arms from side-to-side, much in the same fashion as the metronome attack used
by Clefairy and Hypno. The two began to glow.
"Jigglypuff-puff." [I'm going to regret this.] Jigglypuff leaped into the glow with them and
all three disappeared.
The battle was turning in the favor of the Demonics. Especially since they were able to bypass
the Pokemon and Scout attacks and proceeded directly to the humans. Now, Yoshi had a broken arm
and Sailor Saturn was out cold.
Misty got ready to release Starmie when she saw Anubis running towards her. Forgetting about
Starmie, Misty dodged Anubis' advances. Misty was quick, but she wasn't quick enough to dodge
an uppercut from Serpentor. The uppercut sent Misty flying about twenty feet into the air. Just
as Misty was about to plummet to the ground at speeds of 30 mph, a pair of scaly claws caught her
own arms.
It was Charizard.
Misty looked up at the fire Pokemon with relief and surprise. "Charizard, how did you get here?"
"Char-zard? Charizard." [Does it matter? I'm here.] Charizard gently dropped Misty to the
ground and landed in front of Serpentor. It let loose with a huge fire blast. Serpentor quickly
covered himself in a forcefield. Once the fire subsided, he dropped the forcefield.
Sabrina tried using her psychic abilities to hold Lockjaw back but he was too strong for her.
She would be dead for sure if Squawker hadn't come flying from all the way on the other side of
the pyramid and landed smack dab on Lockjaw.
"What's the deal, parrot-freak?"
"A tornado came out of nowhere and hit me," Squawker replied not bothering to correct Lockjaw on
his name. Squawker got up and was about to pounce Sabrina when something small dropped between
the two. It was Bulbasaur.
Bublasaur was already gathering energy, and it released a solar beam which impacted Squawker with
the force of a battering ram going at moch 1. Squawker quickly got up but suddenly a tornado
came down and sucked him up.
"Not again," he moaned as the tornado slammed him into the side of the pyramid. The sources of
the tornado were revealed: it was Pidgeotto and Butterfree.
Squirtle then entered the fray by doing a shell attack. It pulled its body into its shell and
threw itself at Ramulus. Ramulus blocked and sent it to the side of the pyramid but Squirtle
quickly ejected itself and pushed off, coming back with a skull bash. Ramulus flipped over
Squirtle but the water Pokemon landed safely in the sand.
Misty couldn't believe it. Ash's Pokemon were coming out of nowhere and helping them.
"Pikachu! Misty, Brock!" The three looked towards the source of the voice. It was Ash and
Sailor Jupiter. Sailor Jupiter was holding Jigglypuff and Ash was holding Togepi.
"Pika-pi, pikachu!" [Ash, you're all right!] Pikachu cried as it leaped into its master's arms.
Misty also embraced Ash. She then took Togepi from him.
The others came and Ash was quickly reunited with them. "Ash, how did you get here?" Misty
asked. "I thought you were back in Tokyo."
"I was," Ash replied. "Believe it or not, it was Togepi who teleported me here."
"You mean Togepi used an attack?" Brock asked.
"It wasn't an attack per say," Sabrina said. "Teleport is one of the basic abilities that
psychic Pokemon and humans learn."
"Togepi-togepi?" [Togepi do good?]
"You were great, Togepi."
"I don't mean to interrupt this happy reunion," Tuxedo Mask said. "But we have a problem."
Tuxedo Mask pointed to Sailor Moon, Sailor Venus, Sailor Mini-Moon, and Sailor Jupiter standing
off against the Demonics.
"We'll talk later," Ash promised. "Right now, I'm anxious to kick some Demonic butt!" The
others cheered and they sprang into action. With Ash back, it seemed like they were finally
going to win.