Here's the long awaited chapter 10.
I do not own Pokemon.
Chapter 10: Suffering the Baloons, part 3
"Well, shall we go to the twerps now? They're not showing up." James said, yawning with boredom.
"Wait, it's early yet." Jessie said. "They might not have gotten up yet, comfortable little..." Her voice trailed off as she saw a rustling in the bushes.
"Who's there?" she said.
"Show yaself!" Meowth yelled, bearing claws.
Buneary, hopeful, turned her attention to the rustle and gasped when the source came out in the open.
("Pikachu!") she shouted, as hope and relief flooded her. She began to whack at the glass with her ears again.
("Buneary!") Pikachu yelled. He turned back to the astonished Team Rocket, who were at a loss for words. Pikachu's eyes burned like a diety's wrath. Sparks crackled dangerously from his cheeks, and all fur was standing on end. Crouching on all fours, tail straight up in the air, he advanced on them slowly.
("What are you doing to her?!") He shouted at them, his voice threatening. ("If you've hurt her at all, I swear I'll paralyze you all for a week!")
Buneary didn't know whether to be pleased, frightened, or worried. She had never heard Pikachu try to intimidate like that. And he was doing it for her defense. Still, this was a new side to Pikachu that she had never seen. She had seen him angry, but never like this. At the same time, she knew that Pikachu was walking into a trap, and there was nothing she could do about it.
"What's he saying, Meowth?" James asked, cowed.
"He's sayin' dat if we've hurt Buneary' he's gonna paralyze us for a week!" Meowth sounded frightened. They all knew what Pikachu was capable of: After six thousand times of getting shocked into the disco years of hair fashion and subsequently blown up, Meowth knew that Pikachu could - and probably would - make good on his threat.
Jessie's look went from astonished to angry in a blink. "Your little fluffball's no more hurt than you ever were with us..." she said. "But what makes YOU think YOU can make threats! James! Start up the Balloon!"
James snapped out of his astonished stupor and ran over to a lever, pulling it. Both Jessie and Meowth ran next to the lever as a large hot air balloon, much larger than their typical balloon, inflated and floated skyward, a basket appearing to carry the three. The balloon had no particular shape, instead simply having a large, red R on four sides. The glass orb Buneary was imprisoned in was attached to a large tentacle coming from the bottom of the machine. On the other side, was a much larger glass orb that opened and snapped shut.
Pikachu's eyes narrowed, and the sparks began to dance with the ground around him. Jessie waggled her finger at Pikachu.
"Ah ah ah!" She said. "This machine of ours absorbs electricity and turns it into a weapon." She pressed a button. A small, metal rod appeared next to Buneary at the entrance to the tube. Buneary stared at it as if it were a loaded gun pressed against her head.
"If you hit us with your Electric attacks..." James said, smiling sadistically.
"Fluffball's gettin' the jolt of her life!" Meowth finished with a cackle.
Panic began to rise up Buneary's spine. She watched as Pikachu's posture shifted considerably. The sparks vanished, and Pikachu stood upright, eyes closed. ("Whatever you do...don't hurt her.") he said. Tears began to form in Buneary's eyes.
After Meowth translated, Jessie smirked at Pikachu. "That's better." she said. "Oh, don't worry...we're not going to hurt her. She's far too valuable as a bargaining tool."
("What?!") Pikachu shouted. His blood was running very, very hot now. Jessie smirked at him.
"Easy." She said. "We'll let go of Buneary...for you."
"Wait, Jessie!"James said. "That's not-" Jessie silenced him with a fist. "You'll see." she whispered. She turned her attention back to Pikachu, who was staring at her darkly. "Well, what do you say, Pikachu? Or shall we drift away on the wind, and you never see your precious fluffball ever again?"
For the first time in his life, Pikachu felt completely defeated against Team Rocket. There were many options he could take, however all but one of them put Buneary in a huge amount of danger...He felt he had no choice here, until an idea formed in his head. Trap or no, his only option was surrender. Pikachu raised his arms and looked away. The tears spilled from Buneary's eyes.
("No Pikachu...you can't do this!") She futilely beat on the sides of her prison with her arms now. The larger glass orb reached down and captured Pikachu as the helpless Buneary looked on, unable to do anything but watch.
When Pikachu's orb was in place, Pikachu stared at them, intensity in his eyes. ("Ok. I've given myself up. Now...Let her go.")
Meowth smirked as he translated. Jessie burst into a sadistically mirthful fit of laughter.
"You know us MUCH better than that, my little bug zapper." She said. "Now, we have TWO bargaining tools! Not to mention, if the little red twerp doesn't give up that Blaziken, we'll STILL have our present for the boss! We can't lose now!" And again, she went into a long bubble of uncomfortable laughter, James and Meowth joining in.
Pikachu shook his head at them. He DID know better. He looked over at Buneary's orb. She was scared...and crying. He gave her a reassuring nod. (Be strong. I'll get us out of here.) Smiling at her, he set his legs, and, to the horror of the watching Team Rocket, began to savagely Iron Tail his glass prison. Over and over he beat on the glass, until...
"PIKACHU!" a voice rang out.
("Pikapi!) He shouted, looking down. Buneary had stopped crying, and looked down, gasping happily at what she saw. Ash stood there below, hands in fists, with May right behind her, a Pokeball in her hand. Ash grabbed a Pokeball of his own.
"Team Rocket! What are you doing with Pikachu and Buneary, as if I have to ask!" he shouted.
"Give them back!" May said, getting ready to toss her Pokeball.
Jessie, James, and Meowth looked at each other for a brief moment.
"Listen, is that a whine I hear?"
"It's noisy to me, but it's so familiar..."
"On the wind!"
"Past the stars!"
"In your ear!"
"Chasing you twerps around, as we have always done.."
"But this time, it is certain that we have won!"
"A twerp's a twerp, no matter her name..."
"She's gone away once, but now faces her shame!"
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"And Meowth, that's a name!"
"We've put you do-gooders in your place..."
"We're Team Rocket..."
"And we're in your face!"
"Wobba, wobba!"
"Mime Mime!"
"You haven't won yet!" May said, contempt in her voice. "And what kind of weird motto is that!?"
Jessie and James nearly fell over. Furious, Jessie leaned over the railing and shook her fist.
"How DARE you mock us!" she shouted.
"We've always been losers, but today we're winners!" James answered.
"Red twoipette, hand over your Blaziken, or else ya will never see either a dese two again!" Meowth finished.
May's eyes flew wide open as she gasped. They...they want my Blaziken? Ash turned to her.
"Don't do it, May. They won't give us back anything." May looked at him. His free hand clenched into another fist, and that same determined look that she knew now she had fallen in love with reappeared. She looked back at Team Rocket and held a fist of her own up.
"You want Blaziken?" She said, smiling slightly. "Here you go! Blaziken, Sky Uppercut! Aim for Buneary's tentacle!"
May threw Blaziken's Pokeball into the air. In a burst of vigorous light, Blaziken launched upwards like a missile, talon glowing white. Team Rocket looked on, horrified as the fierce punch connected, causing the tentacle to crumple, but not quite break. Seeing her chance, Buneary rammed the side, using her momentum to break the tentacle, plummeting to the ground. Pikachu shouted, scared that the fall could hurt her. With the tentacle no longer having power, the orb opened, releasing Buneary as she fell. Ash hurtled forward and caught her before she could hit the ground, rolling out of the way of the still plummeting orb. Relieved, Pikachu turned his attention to the orb again, this time to the connection to the tentacle, and resumed his Iron Tails. Buneary, shaken but safe, turned to the balloon and shouted.
("You can do it, Pikachu!")
Team Rocket stared. Pikachu was pounding on the tentacle now, and harder than ever after Buneary's encouraging shout. Buneary had been freed, and Blaziken was poised to launch a second attack. Jessie and James pulled out their Pokeballs.
"Seviper! Go waste those twerps!" Jessie threw the ball as a long, snake like creature with tiger-like fangs and a sword-like tail came forth, a threatening glare in its eyes.
"Carnevine, help get that fluffball back!" James threw his ball as a green creature, long vines covering the body with a large, toothy head, suddenly latched his teeth on James' scalp. "As soft as my hair is, I don't mean that!"
Carnevine released James and launched itself to the ground. It looked at Seviper, then at Blaziken, who was posing threateningly, wrists ablaze. Ash readied his Pokeball until May stopped him with a hand.
"No Ash, let me." She said. "I have to do this."
Ash nodded at her, understanding. This was a perfect situation for her to completely regain her confidence. What better way than a battle?
"Ok." He said, smiling at her, and holding his fist in front of his face. "Go get 'em, May!"
May smiled back, cheeks going pink from his encouragement. "Ok...Squirtle, take the stage!" The blue turtle appeared out of the light of the ball and struck a stance, ready for battle.
Jessie was screaming. "Seviper, Poison Tail!" Seviper's sword-like tail went purple as it rushed forward towards Squirtle, malice gleaming in its eye.
"Carnevine, Bullet Seed!" Carnevine opened its toothy grin and spat out numerous glowing seeds in Blaziken's direction.
May smiled at them confidently. "Ok...Squirtle, dodge it and use Tackle! Blaziken, Blaze Kick!"
Squirtle avoided the purple tail and rammed into the side of the long serpent. Blaziken, ignoring the seeds, slammed its talon into Carnevine, scorching it badly and knocking it backwards into Seviper.
"All right now...Blaziken, Sky Uppercut them back into their baloon!"
Blaziken leaped forward, arm glowing, and with fierce power, knocked both Carnevine and Seviper back into their respective trainers. Meowth looked around, bewildered and horrified, until his eyes went down to the tentacles.
("GO PIKACHU!") Buneary shouted. Pikachu, vigor magnified by her encouraging shouts, readied another Iron Tail. Tail glowing, he struck the connection with high force, causing it to break free. Buneary cheered, and shouted that Pikachu punish them now. Recovering from being knocked over, Team Rocket came face to face with a triumphant, and still angry Pikachu.
("Remember what I said about paralyzing you three?") He said, sparks crackling dangerously like before. ("Well, that's just what I'm about to do.")
With that, Pikachu's cheeks exploded, and a fierce electrical charge blasted its way through the balloon and the bodies of Team Rocket and their Pokemon. With a colossal blast, the balloon burst, as Pikachu abandoned the balloon, being caught by Blaziken. The trio flew off into the horizon.
"We're blasting off again!"
After landing and setting down Pikachu, May called back both Blaziken and Squirtle. Ash stepped to her side and put his hand on her shoulder, causing her face to paint red.
"Wow, May...you were great!" He said. May smiled, but found herself without words.
"Ash! May!" Without warning, Brock, Dawn, and Staravia burst into the clearing. Ash recalled Staravia and waved.
"Hey!" he shouted. May let out a small laugh, happy now, and also waved.
When Brock and Dawn caught up to them, Brock surveyed around. "So," he said. "Team Rocket again?"
"Yep. And we'd still be fighting them, if not for May." Ash replied. May's face darkened again.
"Oh, Stop it, Ash! I'm not that great!" she said. Dawn smiled at them. Jackpot! She began to look around for Buneary.
"Hey guys?" she asked. Everyone turned to her. "Where are Buneary and Pikachu?"
After landing with Blaziken, Pikachu immediately rushed to Buneary. She smiled broadly at him as he approached.
("Pikachu...you were amazi-ahh!")
Buneary was cut off with a gasp as Pikachu caught her in a tight embrace. ("I'm glad...I'm glad you're safe.")
Buneary was speechless. So much blood rushed to her face at once that she nearly fainted. Pikachu held her still in this embrace, and she was loving every moment of it. But the sudden closeness was far too much for her.
("P-Pikachu...I'm fine.") She said. ("Are...are you OK?")
Pikachu released her and took her hand. ("Follow me, Buneary. I want to talk to you, and this isn't something I want everyone to know just yet.")
After some time, they came to a small tree sapling. Deciding this was as good a place as any, he turned back to what he hoped could be his love.
("What did you..want to talk about, Pikachu?") she asked, nervous.
Pikachu took a deep breath. Butterflies bounced in his stomach now. But he felt it was now, or never.
("Buneary...today with Team Rocket showed me something.") He said, his eyes losing themselves in hers. ("I learned something very important to me today.")
("What did you learn?") Pikachu put his hands on her shoulders. Buneary gasped again, and if possible, went even redder.
("I learned Buneary...I learned finally. I learned what Love is.") Pikachu smiled at her.
("You...you have?") Pikachu nodded at her.
("Yes, I have.") He said. ("I also learned that I care...deeply...about...")
Buneary's eyes grew hopeful, and her heart was racing. ("You care about...")
("I C-care about...y-you, Buneary.") He said. ("I learned...th-that...I...l-love you.")
Buneary's eyes began to spill over in tears of joy. ("Are...you really saying this? I'm...not dreaming?") Pikachu shook his head and brought his arms around her.
Buneary was at a complete loss for words. Her tears poured like fountains, and she buried her face in his shoulder. Thinking he had said something wrong, he pulled away from her, eyes apologetic. With a shake of her head, Buneary dismissed his thoughts and leaned forward, catching Pikachu in a warm, loving kiss. The rest of the world melted, and the two of them only saw, or felt, each other. Nothing else mattered to them. Breaking the kiss, they stared into each other's eyes for a moment. Deciding to head back to camp, they walked along, hand in hand.
("Dawn will be happy.") Pikachu said.
("But not nearly as happy as I am.") She replied. Pikachu smiled at her and drew her in for another kiss. After the kiss broke, her eyes went to her feet.
("Yes, Dawn will be happy...but what about Ash and May?")