The bustling town of Kokoro proceeded as usual: Pidgey flew freely in the sky, hungry citizens shopped happily in the markets, and Pokémon Trainers were everywhere, showing off their abilities in battle. Meanwhile, Ash and his friends were in urgent danger, everyone around them unaware of their troubles.
"Do you think that guy's really going to find us?" Misty worried aloud, panting. They had started running once they hit town, and had been going for fifteen minutes straight. They were almost to Uncle Curt's house. Occasionally, Misty glanced behind her, trying to shake the feeling that someone was following them.
"I don't know," Brock said. "I hope not. Let's just go get your uncle, pack, and get out of here. If we get to the next town, we can stay in a hotel or something until we think it's safe to come back."
"Yeah, try not to worry too much," Ash advised, giving her a look of reassurance. Pikachu murmured in agreement, but she only flashed Ash an irritated expression.
"There it is!" she exclaimed in relief when she distantly caught a glimpse of the house. "You guys go start packing our stuff. I'll explain the situation to," she paused for a minute to catch her breath, "Uncle Curt."
They ignored the strange gapes they received from people on the streets, and started sprinting once they arrived on the road that led to their destination. They dashed across the yard and bolted through the front door, oblivious to the fact that it was already open.
Without even stopping to rest, Ash and Brock started for the back room where they had been staying. Rushing through the hall, they didn't even hear the helpless banging that came from the supply closet. They hastily retrieved their suitcases and started jamming sweaters, blue jeans, swimming trunks, and night clothes into their bags.
"Uncle Curt," Misty called in the living room. "Uncle Curt, where are you?"
Pikachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder onto the bed, and uttered a frightened whimper when he caught sight of a shadow sliding across the hallway.
"Pikachu, what's wrong?" Ash asked, temporarily halting. Instead of addressing him, Pikachu leaped from the bed and skidded into the hallway toward the front room. Ash shrugged and resumed stuffing his possessions into a jam-packed bag.
A shout erupted from Misty. Pikachu howled. Brock and Ash dropped the garments they were holding and flew into action.
"Let go of me!" Misty screamed, thrashing in Danshi's arms. His strong arms contained her, and he sneered at her, his repulsive breath filling her nostrils.
"Calm down, baby. All I want is your heart." He snickered when Ash and Brock arrived, ready to fight, but lashed back when a fuming Brock forcefully struck him in the face.
"Put her down," Brock demanded.
"Don't tell me what to do," Danshi replied, blood dripping from his nose. He spun and slammed Misty against the wall with one hand, holding her up by her throat. He seized a glass lamp with his free hand and hurled it at Brock, who ducked. It smashed into the wall behind him, sending shards of glass flying everywhere.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash directed his Pokémon, who had been violently punted through the room by Danshi. They bright, yellow creature gathered all his might and shrieked, "Pika-CHU," sending a vigorous electric discharge over the coffee table and into Misty's abductor. This temporarily granted her freedom, and she tried to run, but as soon as Danshi had recovered from the blast, he lunged forward and caught her foot.
"Stop it," she yelped, pulling with all of her might. Brock intervened, tackling Danshi, which allowed Misty enough time to make a break for it. She surged up the stairs with Pikachu following close behind, and headed for the attic, hoping to hide where she wouldn't be found.
"Go on, Ash," Brock directed, on top of the fiend. "I'll take care of this guy."
"Got it," Ash responded, proceeding toward the stairwell. When he reached the second floor, he followed Misty and Pikachu up the ladder that extended down from the ceiling and closed it tight. They crawled through the darkness, searching for a spot to conceal them.
Misty settled into a snug corner, next to a grand, golden mirror. She rested her arm on it, but was taken aback when she felt a cool, outdoor breeze. Her hand had actually gone through the mirror.
"Ash, another portal," she whispered, reaching for him. The only light she could see by was dim and came through a small window near the ceiling. She remembered that she was supposed to be irritated and withdrew her hand icily.
"We've got to get Brock before it closes," Ash said, half of his face covered by shadow. She could see the remorse in his eyes.
Downstairs, Brock and Danshi were several feet apart, aggressively eyeballing each other. Danshi had succeeded in shoving Brock off of him, but Brock was determined and wasn't going to back down. Danshi summoned his key blade, smirking at Brock, who- he thought- was defenseless.
"Onix, I choose you!" Brock roared, fed up with Danshi's arrogance. He enlarged Onix's Poké Ball and tossed it onto the floor. The massive, worm-like, rock Pokémon rose into the air and crushed the ceiling above it with a boom. It lunged down toward its opponent, knocking him- and practically all of the furniture- across the room.
"Now that's how you fight," Danshi applauded, flipping his hair out his face. "It's my turn." He plunged toward Onix, who dodged the attack and flicked his tail, crushing another wall.
"Onix, use Bind," Brock commanded, jumping back. Onix wrapped its gravelly body around Danshi, rising once again, passing through the third floor. Ash and Misty screamed, clutching each other as the stone creature broke through the roof several feet away.
Brock rejoiced as Onix brutally heaved Danshi at the wall, lowering itself to its master's level. Danshi groaned and stood up slowly, planning his next attack.
Taking advantage of the shattered floor, Ash and Misty snuck to the edge and motioned for Brock, whose back was turned, to join them. Instead, Danshi saw them and cackled. Brock shifted his attention from his enemy to glance at his impatient friends, and Danshi benefited from that split second, whacking him in the face with his key blade.
"Brock!" Ash yelled, gripping the edge of a splintered floorboard. Brock motioned that he was okay by sending a nod their way, and lunged toward Danshi, directing Onix to use Tackle. "Brock, hurry up! There's a portal. It's about to close!"
Brock skidded, stopping mid-lunge, and let Onix carry out his attack while he changed direction. He headed toward the staircase, awkwardly tripping over the steps in his haste. Misty opened the ladder door for him, and sat there, motioning for Ash and Pikachu to go ahead through the portal.
When Brock reached the attic (or what was left of it), he called Onix back to its orb and trailed behind Ash as Misty shut and latched the flap, hoping it would delay their rival. She rose and dashed toward the mirror, slamming into it head first. It exploded in the collision, flakes of glass piercing her skin. The portal had closed.
"I've got you now," Danshi snarled, his hand emerging on the floor behind her. He heaved himself over the edge and targeted her, spinning his key blade as he approached. She gasped and tried to struggle, but once he had her in his grasp, there was no escaping.
Blood gushed from the gouge in her forehead as she attempted to twist her way out of the wicked man's arms. She clamped her teeth around his arm, hoping to momentarily paralyze him, but it did no good, he only guffawed and gripped her tighter.
After a while, she blacked out, slumped over Danshi's brawny arm. He took held her blood-soaked head in his massive gloved hands and inspected her with his cunning eyes. "Another one down, two more to go," he said to himself.