"Okay, here's all the supplies you should need to get through the caves." Nurse Joy said, handing Ash a bag. "When you get to Lavender Town, just turn it into the Pokémon Center there."

"Thanks again Nurse Joy." Ash said.

"How do they get any funding from doing this?" Cassie asked.

"From what I understand, they use trainers going through the caves as a way to make sure it stays clean and safe, and if the supplies are returned they just get cycled back and forth." Ash said.

Inside the cave

"Wow it got dark in here fast." Ash said. They had barely made it past the first turn before they were in complete darkness.

"Ash, I can see your eyes, why are they purple?" Cassie asked.

"Cassie this isn't a cartoon, you can't see only eyes in the dark." Ash said. "Besides my eyes are brown."

"No, they're definitely glowing purple." Cassie said.

"Let me see." Ash said.

"How?" Cassie asked. "I don't have anything that can do that."

"Okay, well even if my eyes are glowing that doesn't help me see, I think there was a light in the bag of things Nurse Joy gave me." Ash said, rummaging blindly through the bag. "Here it is!" Ash turned on the flashlight looking around. "That's a lot better."

"Umm Ash." Cassie said worridley.

"There's something behind me, isn't there." Ash said.

"Yep." Cassie said.

"And we didn't know until I turned on the light either." Ash added.

"Yep." Cassie said.

"Should I turn around?" Ash asked.

"Yep." Cassie squeaked.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

Ash turned around as a bolt of lightning hit what looked like a giant Charmander?

"Ow, what was that for?" The giant Charmander said.

"A talking Charmander, and a giant one at that! I have to catch it!" Ash said, grabbing a spare Pokeball.

"I'm not a Charmander, and why did you attack me?!" The Giant Charmander said, lifting off its head to reveal a guy inside.

"Why did you sneak up on us!" Ash argued.

"Us?" The guy said, his vision still a bit fuzzy. "i heard you talking to someone, but the head makes seeing and hearing difficult at times. Look I didn't mean to sneak up on you, I saw the light and figured it was my best shot at getting out of here."

"The north entrance is just over there." Ash said, pointing from where they had come in from.

"Aww man, I'm looking for the south exit!" The guy said. "Well see you around."

"I think he's the weirdest person we've met so far." Cassie pointed out.

"Because of the Charmander costume?" Ash wondered.

"That and other things." Cassie said. "Like how he doesn't have a way to see, and is choosing to still wear the costume.

"Yeah, definitely weird." Ash said. "Maybe we'll find him again though."

"You want to run into him again?" Cassie asked.

"I don't know, maybe, he's probably a trainer." Ash said.

A short while later

"Oh you have got to be kidding me." Cassie said.

"Is someone there?" The guy in the Charmander costume asked.

"How'd this even happen?" Ash asked, pointing the flashlight upwards, the tail of the costume stuck and tore on some rocks.

"I'd rather not say, can you get me down, please." The guy said.

"I don't think any of my Pokémon are strong enough to get you down." Ash admitted. Even Jigglypuff probably couldn't lift the guy in such a small space.

"What about something from the bag?" Cassie asked.

"Right, there's a few things, a blanket! Everyone grab a corner!" Ash said, sending out his Pokémon.

"Ow, but it didn't hurt as much." The guy said. "Hey It's you from earlier."

"Ash." Ash said

"My name is Ryo." The guy said. "I must have gotten turned around, have a good one."

"Hey wait, we're headed in the same…". Ash began but Ryo was long gone.

"He's going to be lost for a while, isn't he?" Cassie asked.

"I think so." Ash said.

"So which way out of here?" Cassie asked.

"Keep heading this way I think, and we should reach Lavender Town soon." Ash said.

"Shouldn't you return them to their Pokeballs?" Cassie asked, referencing Oddish and Jigglypuff.

"There's no real harm, and as long as everyone stays together, they'll be fine." Ash said. "Besides it's nice to have the whole team together and not just for a fight or a meal."

"Do you really think it makes that big of a difference?" Cassie asked.

"Well, look at Pikachu, he's out of his Pokeball all of the time and seems happy, so why not give them that freedom too, it's not like we've seen anything dangerous in here." Ash said.

'Boom!'

"You just had to say that, didn't you." Cassie responded.

"Hey at least everyone is ready to go!" Ash said. "Team Rocket?"

"Some kid?" One of the Rocket Grunt's said. "You two handle this, I'll keep up the operations."

"Stay back Cassie, they don't always play fair." Ash said.

"Okay Ash." Cassie said.

"Grimmer come on out and use Pound!"

"Let's go Voltorb, use Sonicboom!"

"Pikachu use Quick Attack! Oddish use Acid!"

Pikachu scooped up Oddish onto his back as he took a full on charge at Grimer. While Pikachu got stuck, Oddish flew off sending acid pouring down onto the Voltorb.

"Pikachu use Thunderbolt! Oddish use Absorb!"

"Grimer use Acid Armor!"

"Voltorb use Thunderbolt!"

Oddish scurried around barely avoiding Voltorb's attacks as Grimer enveloped Pikachu more and more.

"Voltorb use Explosion!"

"No you idiot!"

Voltorb sent out an explosion launching Ash, Pikachu, and Oddish backwards as a cave in separated them from the Team Rocket Grunts.

"Ash!" Cassie called out into the falling dust cloud.

'Cough cough'. "I'm alright." Ash said, waving away some dust. "Don't worry Oddish, you can rest until we get to a Pokemon center."

"Don't you have something to help him?" Cassie asked.

"I wish I did, but I think he needs more advanced care than I know what to do." Ash admitted. "Three badges and my Pokémon are still being needlessly hurt."

"Ash, don't be like that, you were trying to do the right thing." Cassie said.

"Tell that to Oddish, or whoever Team Rocket is after on the other side of that wall." Ash said. "Come on, we'll find another way around."