Chapter 25: Storming the Castles

Ash, Clemont, Pikachu and Barkley were on the last leg of the trek on the Odyssey. Ash looked out the window as the last of the thundering clouds. Cappy had emerged and held the brochure for the Bowser Kingdom. "Let's see…" he pondered. Dart past the silent and lethal Stairface Ogres; Avoid being distracted by the ominous, yet brightly glowing, clouds; Survive the various traps designed to end your trip early."

"Bowser doesn't want to mess around," Clemont believed.

"No, not after the embarrassment Mario gave him the last time."

"And Ash is waiting to further embarrass him after getting Serena back." Not looking, Ash nodded. The clouds became a flourish of colors. Hearing Cappy, they've arrived.

"This is it," he announced. "Once we land, we're saving Serena." Pikachu squeaked confidently to helping Ash. The landscape looked as if it was an expanded Japanese Castle with Bowser's emblem on it. Everyone hopped off, including Ash in suit of red samurai armor.

"I know this is what goes with this kingdom," he murmured. "But it feels unneeded." Cappy appeared from the helmet.

"I thought it would be dashing to be the fearless knight saving the damsel in distress," he compared. Ash sighed to the thought.

"That's samurai armor," Clemont corrected. "You got your armors wrong." Cappy gawked to the mistake.

"Sorry," he sighed. Clemont returned to the Odyssey and pulled out a white wing with a red "P" on it.

"I'll be working from the air with this P-Wing," he informed. He embraced the P-Wing which merged into his body. With a sudden glow, Clemont changed, growing a raccoon tail and ears and a large red "P" on his chest. Seeing the new look, Ash and Pikachu weren't sure of a reaction.

("What the heck?") gulped Pikachu.

"Clemont, did Luigi tell you about that P-Wing beforehand?" questioned Ash. Clemont's befuddled face told Ash and Pikachu that he had no clue.

"He did," he replied with his raccoon ears wiggling. "Why?"

("How can you work in the air with that kind of tail?") pointed Pikachu. Clemont looked to where Pikachu pointed and realized the raccoon tail. He shuttered to the sight.

"That's not what I had in mind…" he gulped. "But it shouldn't hurt us. Ash, be careful." Ash nodded before he and Pikachu ran to the gate that opened. Goombas wearing samurai helmets awaited them. Ash and Pikachu jumped and stomped the Goombas. They looked on the path with an electric generator available. To Ash, this kingdom was ideal.

"You know, I may hate Bowser," he confessed. "But I like his style. This kingdom is something."

("I know, right?") agreed Pikachu. Reaching the generator, Ash flicked his helmet onto it. Ash became the electric orb and Pikachu mounted. They flew across the gap with Clemont trying to keep up as he flapped his tail. Ash and Pikachu reached the next land where green rotund pheasants with red faces and green samurai helmets with Bowser's decal charged at the two.

"Pokios!" identified Cappy. That's when he noticed the wooden wall leading up to a new platform. "We can capture one of them to climb up to the next stage." The Pokios charged at Ash and Pikachu.

"Use Quick Attack!" ordered Ash. Pikachu rushed and leaped as a Pokio tried to peck him. Instead, he flicked the helmet off the Pokio which gave Ash a chance to capture it. He flicked his cap and got the Pokio, diving in and possessing it. The other Pokios came after Ash, but Pikachu shocked them with Thunderbolt. They poofed upon defeat. With the Pokio in possession, Ash reached the wall. 'Okay, how do I climb this with… this?' He jumped and shoved its beak into the wall. He remained stuck. 'And now, I don't know what to do.' Pikachu had a thought before leaping onto Ash, pushing down and bending the beak. Pikachu used Pokio to spring high and the Pokio flung upward. Ash realized that Pikachu was the answer. 'Keep it up, buddy!' Pikachu repeated the process as he sprung Pokio up the wall until they reached the roof. Another electric generator stood by. Ash exited the Pokio and prepared for the next area. Ash and Pikachu reached the generator.

("How's your head?") joked Pikachu. Ash laughed before flicking Cappy onto the generator to become a ball of lightning again. Pikachu hopped on and they flew to the next stop. They reached another area where they faced a giant block-like ogre with a red face and arms with green and yellow on the rims and holding a stone mallet. Ash and Pikachu came to the giant ogre.

"That's the Stairface Ogre!" warned Cappy. The ogre stomped to Ash and Pikachu with the mallet risen. Ash dove clear before leaping onto the mallet, Pikachu in his hand. He saw the same button as back in the Lost Kingdom.

"Use Iron Tail!" he ordered as he lobbed Pikachu to the Stairface Ogre's head. The Mouse Pokémon floated for a second before slamming Iron Tail to hit the button. It made the Ogre cry before exploding. A door opened behind where Stairface Ogre stood and a walkway stretched out. Beyond the doors were more Pokios with bombs rolling down a pathway. They muscled their way through the barricades and knocked some of the bombs into the Pokios. Clemont viewed the scene high above, knowing that Ash and Pikachu were still fighting to get himself through the onslaught of enemies.

"Looking good, Ash!" he cheered. Ash and Pikachu reached the next generator where there was a small yard with a hut that didn't appear to have enemies. "ASH! GET TO THAT YARD! WE'LL MEET UP!" Ash heard Clemont and reached the generator before flicking Cappy once more. Pikachu jumped onto the lightning ball that was Ash as he flew through the air. Clemont flew over to the land before landing and met up with Ash who arrived. He took a minute to catch his breath. "I can imagine how hard it is to pass through the gauntlet like that."

"Yeah, but I'm not stopping until Serena's back with us," Ash promised.

"Well, we better be on our A-game. I saw several airships over there, including the one that was over us after Greninja and Squishy left." It was a gang attack approaching for Ash.

"Bowser, his Koopalings and the Broodals are waiting to jump on us. Then again, I haven't had one in which someone's life was on the line like this." Seeing the gauntlet ahead, Ash had an idea. "Clemont, get yourself up there as fast as possible and stay back. I'll come up from below." To Clemont, Ash wanted the hard way to reach the door.

"Why not have Talonflame or Noivern carry you up?"

"If I use a Flying-Type with you, they may attack you and knock out your power-up. I want to draw their attention so that you can get there safely." The plan made Clemont realize his safety came before Ash.

"Alright, go ahead and start the process."

"Right… Let's go, Pikachu!"

("Coming!") squeaked Pikachu. Ash flicked Cappy to the next generator before once more becoming the lightning ball. Pikachu mounted the ball before it flew across the gap. Clemont flew over the gap by wagging the tail. After arriving, Ash walked pass an area with two large circular platforms, two smaller circular platforms and a door ahead. Ash and Pikachu reached the door and crossed a bridge. Crossing to the other side, they viewed a towering wall leading up to a gate with a giant Bowser statue with the eyes and mouth ablaze. Seeing more Pokios, Ash flicked Cappy, knocking the helmet off one. He caught and flicked Cappy again, capturing the Pokio. He reached the wall and pecked at it, but the iron wall wasn't penetrated.

'I guess we can't climb that way,' Ash thought. Pikachu spotted a new path.

("This way!") he squeaked as he raced at the alternate path. Hearing his Pokémon, Ash followed, fluttering over the gaps of the path. The way was the same as other parts of the kingdom.

'Perfect!' With a poke, Ash and Pikachu performed the springing technique. They reached the first elevated level where spiked four-legged Koopas in red spiked shells approached. Ash slipped pass the spiked shells before he and Pikachu continued the climb. The next level had more Pokios with rolling bombs that explode in which Pikachu shocked with Thunderbolt. Ash poked bombs away, sometimes colliding with each other to explode and leave Ash and Pikachu undamaged. They reached another Stairface Ogre who tried to smash Ash, but he stopped short of the mallet's impact. Ash jumped onto the mallet and over the Ogre, reaching the wall behind to continue the climb.

"We're at the Outer Wall," Cappy reminded. Ash and Pikachu proceeded with the technique that had helped with the climbing as they reached rotating sections. Pikachu waited to spring Ash upward when they reached the peak. They reached the top of the wall before finding themselves in front of walls with sections moving side-to-side. "Now, we're at the Inner Wall!"

'Let's keep moving!' urged Ash. They climbed up the wall with the technique that has been successful in the climb as Clemont flew overhead. Ash and Pikachu reached the top of the wall within two minutes using the springing method. After arriving at the top, Ash disengaged from the Pokio and dashed ahead, Pikachu back on his shoulder.

"We're beneath the Keep!" warned Cappy as Ash found one more generator. Pikachu looked up, trying to find Clemont. Who he saw wasn't Clemont, but the kidnapper.

("Bowser!") he called out. Ash stopped at Pikachu's shout to look up, finding the turtle in a white tuxedo and a top-hat.

"Let's pay him a visit!" he growled as he flicked Cappy once more, reaching the generator before the two flew to the roof of a gateway. Clemont arrived as he also saw Bowser. The moon provided the backdrop as Ash and Bowser faced each other. "Okay, Bowser… I beat you and your son! Return Serena, now!" Bowser scoffed to the demand.

"Unfortunately, your Serena's not here," he mocked. "The preparations are complete for the wedding on the moon." Ash, Clemont and Pikachu gawked to them arriving too late.

"It can't be!" denied Clemont.

"Besides, you have a date with the Broodals to fulfill!" plotted Bowser. Bot willing to hear anymore lip from Bowser, Ash charged.

"I'll show you what's getting fulfilled!" he roared as he flew at Bowser. However, he caught Ash and flung him in the same motion onto a sandy platform far from the Keep. Clemont flew with Pikachu on his back.

"Ash!" he called out as Ash stood back onto his feet. Back together, they watched as Bowser's airship flew for the moon. Ash stepped up, rage billowing from Bowser's mockery.

"THIS ISN'T OVER, BOWSER!" he shouted. "WE DON'T GIVE UP! WE NEVER GIVE UP!" That's when a rumble shook the platform. Something jumped up as Ash settled on the ground. What popped up as a cube mech with mechanical legs holding a cube chassis. Topper, Rango, Hariet and Spewart were in individual cockpits.

"Ash, ya can't go any father without dealing with us one more time!" taunted Topper.

"But we won't hurt you too bad before we have our engagement!" flirted Hariet. Ash now wondered about how to deal with the mech.

"Ya won't stand a chance against our RoboBrood!" taunted Rango. Ash prepared for action when another rumble occurred. Appearing now was a robot that looked like Bowser. The claws looked like spiked prongs. A series of cackles came from the new mech.

"Ash, you're about to deal with a series of barrages!" taunted Larry. Ash had two monster machines to deal with.

"Talk about double trouble!" trembled Clemont. "Could it get any worse?" As if summoned from afar…

"And thus, we want part of dis trouble as well!" announced Meowth. Ash and Clemont had a sudden gulp to the voice.

"It can't be..." they feared in unison.

"Prepare for trouble in this mechanical affair!" sounded Jessie.

"Make it double, there's no room to spare!" voiced James. Arriving behind Ash, Clemont and Pikachu was a giant Meowth robot with blue shoulder guards, glasses and a breastplate with Team Rocket's emblem on it. They looked up with deadpan faces.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"And James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight, fight, fight!"

"Meowth, dat's right!" finished Meowth. Ash, Clemont and Pikachu were now in a virtually impossible situation with three mechs hounding down on them. Can they escape and rescue Serena before she's married off?

TO BE CONTINUED…

(This is my birthday present to you readers!)