If you don't like the fate of the Pokémon character in this story, say so NICELY. :-) And look out for a cameo appearance by an EU character! :-D
Anakin, Obi-Wan, Richie, and Dr. Prazan walked to the forest outside of town. As they went, they exchanged stories from their homeworlds.
Soon, they came to a calm forest clearing.
"Look at that!" said Richie.
Sure enough, there it was, looking like a flat gray rock. They all gathered around it.
The teleport pad had cracked in half, splitting the circular symbol Richie had described. It even felt like any other rock.
"Wow," Obi-Wan said quietly. "It's true. This pad brought this kid to this galaxy."
"It's going to be big news," said Dr. Prazan.
"If it gets out," said Anakin.
"Yeah," said Obi-Wan, "that's a big decision we'll have to make." He turned to Richie. "Do you realize how remarkable you are now?"
"Well, yeah. I am from another galaxy and all."
"Exactly. You're from another galaxy, you're a human, and you're Force-sensitive. It's quite . . . well, it's a really big thing to discover proof of life like that."
"And if word of this gets out," Dr. Prazan added, "you could -"
She was interrupted by the sound of a door opening and closing, followed by a voice.
Obi-Wan moved towards the sound, signaling for the others to follow quietly. They found that the sound was coming from a small, isolated, one-story building with one window. Obi-Wan and the others crouched around and below it.
"Well? Do you have it?" asked a low, sinister voice.
"Of course," answered a different voice. "Where's our client?"
"Right here." This time, the voice was female, but gruff. "Here's the cash."
"And here's the spice, ma'am," said the second voice. "Enjoy."
"Of course."
Obi-Wan led the group back to the clearing, then said, "I think we all know what's going on here."
"I don't," said Richie.
"Oh. Right. Well, these people are probably smugglers; they're selling an illegal substance - spice. It's a drug."
"I'll go alert CorSec," said Dr. Prazan.
"Good idea," said Obi-Wan. "Anakin and I will stay here and stop them if they try to leave."
"What about me?" said Richie.
Obi-Wan turned to him, looking serious. "Do you want to stay with us? Your Pokémon may be of help. It'll be dangerous, though."
"Sure! I can handle it. I've been on dangerous missions before. One time, this crime syndicate called Team Rocket took Sparky, and my friend Ash's Pikachu too, and -"
"Later, Richie," said Obi-Wan. "Right now, we need to be watching and waiting, not talking."
******
Minutes later, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Richie were hiding in the foliage to one side of the entrance to the smuggler's nest. Dr. Prazan was on her way back to the city.
Out came the woman they had heard buying the spice. She was large, not very pretty.
"I know I heard something out here," she remarked.
"You sure did!" announced Richie, standing up. "And your little operation is over!"
"Richie!" snapped a very irritated Obi-Wan. With a look that said You dumb kid, he activated his lightsaber. Anakin followed suit.
Together, the Knight and Padawan began to deflect their opponent's blaster bolts. Richie watched in amazement. Wow, they're good!
Suddenly, Richie sensed something. It felt like his thoughts were being influenced, invaded. It's the Force! He's trying to tell me something!
He struggled to receive the message. All he got were images, feelings... something orange... a burst of flame... then the joy of victory.
"Oh! You want me to use -" He quickly threw a Pokéball. "Zippo! Flamethrower attack!"
"Char?" Zippo gave Richie a puzzled look. Why should I attack her? She's not a Pokémon.
"Please, Zippo," said Richie, "I know this isn't a normal thing to do, but the circumstances aren't normal, either. Just hit her hard enough to scare her away."
"Char." Zippo nodded, then turned to the woman. "CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!"
Obi-Wan and Anakin jumped out of the way. The woman, her clothes smoldering, ran away through the forest, screaming.
The three protagonists stood motionless for a minute, giving each other a look that said Wow. Finally, Obi-Wan said, "You got my message."
"Yeah," said Richie, "you told me how I could help. I hope she'll be all right..."
"But this proves that you really can use the Force. Isn't that great?"
"Well, it is pretty cool..." Richie still wasn't sure it was great.
But just then, the clearing in front of the hideout suddenly became very crowded. Out of the hideout came a small crowd of henchpeople. Moments later, a landspeeder-load of good guys arrived: Dr. Prazan, several CorSec officers, and - to Obi-Wan's great surprise - Mel-Ano Nigwen!
Mel-Ano wore comfortable athletic clothes and carried a modest lightsaber. As soon as the landspeeder stopped, she ran over to Obi-Wan and said, "I'll explain later. Let's kick some butt!"
The good guys got a system going. First, those with lightsabers disarmed the smugglers; then, those with binders (the CorSecers) applied them and locked the arrestees in the landspeeder.
"Good work, everyone," said Obi-Wan when this task was completed. "Dr. Prazan, officers, there are at least two more people inside. Be prepared."
"We are," said Dr. Prazan.
"Mel-Ano, your explanation?"
Mel-Ano smiled. "I know Dr. Prazan. When I saw her going off on this little mission, I asked if I could help, and she let me come."
"And I can hardly believe what I saw," Dr. Prazan cut in. "You, a Jedi?"
"Well..." Mel-Ano tried to hide her embarrassment. "I'm a Jedi dropout. I was trained in the Jedi arts as a kid, but it didn't work out, so I came back here and got a job. I've never told anyone about that, until last night, when I met Obi-Wan. He helped me to see that there's no reason to hide a talent you have. I feel a lot better about myself now."
I did that? thought Obi-Wan. "You're welcome, swee - I mean, Mel-Ano."
"So you know these guys?" Dr. Prazan asked.
"Just since last night - hey, who's that?"
"Oh, that's Richie," said Obi-Wan, as Richie came over to the group. "He's... um, a guest of Dr. Prazan's."
"It's a long story," said Richie and Dr. Prazan together.
"And I think I know what to do next," Dr. Prazan continued. "Some of my people will go in first to knock out communication and security systems. Then you go in and, as Mel-Ano put it, kick some butt. The rest of my people and I will be right behind you for the arrest."
"Agreed."
******
"It's all yours."
Obi-Wan sighed with relief, and anticipation. The officer speaking to him had done well with Phase 1 of the plan - now it was Team Force Power's turn.
"You know," said Mel-Ano, "I think I'd rather be with Dr. Prazan's group. I'm not as good with fighting as you are."
"Oh," said Obi-Wan. "What a shame. Very well, you can stay with them." He turned away. "Ready, guys?"
"Yes, Master," said Anakin.
"Yeah," said Richie.
"Follow me."
Obi-Wan led the two boys into the hideout. They stayed as quiet as they could.
"Once we're in the main office, we'll have to keep them busy just for a minute," Obi-Wan whispered. "Get ready for a fight."
The boys nodded. Obi-Wan opened the door to the spacious, messy main office.
"Yes?" said the guy who was obviously in charge of the operation.
"Hi," said Obi-Wan, with cool confidence. "You guys are in trouble now."
"Oh?"
"Yeah," said Richie. "We're here to kick some butt!"
Obi-Wan tried not to laugh.
"Mmmmmm," said the head smuggler. "What a coincidence. That's what these guys are here for."
Out of the shadows emerged several tough-looking, hardened bodyguards. Obi-Wan and Anakin reached for their lightsabers.
"I can handle this one," Richie admonished, throwing a Pokéball. "Sparky! Give them your Thundershock!"
"Pika-CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!"
When the lightning cleared, the guards looked tired and disoriented, but they weren't giving up! Thinking quickly, Richie called another shot: "Happy! Sleep Powder!"
"Freeeeeeeeeeeee!" warbled the Butterfree, sprinkling powder over the smugglers. In moments, all of them were knocked out.
"That was so wizard, Richie," Anakin commended him.
"Good thing you were here," added Obi-Wan. Richie had a huge grin on his face.
Just then, in came Dr. Prazan and a few other CorSecers. All of them carried a set of binders.
"What -" Dr. Prazan started to ask. She was cut short by one of her people slipping on the trash on the floor, falling, and in that process letting go of his binders so that they flew up onto a high shelf.
"Hal Horn, you impossible man!" exclaimed Dr. Prazan. "Really, you amaze me."
Richie was busy thinking about the situation. They needed the binders back quickly (the effects of the sleep powder would wear off in a few minutes), but none of them could reach the shelf and Happy was taking a much-needed rest. What could be done?
Then Richie remembered what Obi-Wan had said: "If you developed your powers, you could use them to move objects..." That was it! Well, I haven't exactly developed the skill, but it's worth a try.
"I know what to do," he declared to the others. "Give me a minute here..."
He sat down, breathed deeply, and tried to remember how it had felt the first time he'd experienced the Force. To his surprise and delight, it came back, this time with a little more power. He then concentrated on moving the binders.
With great effort, he pulled them forward far enough to cause them to fall to the floor. As soon as this was done, he almost collapsed from the effort, then recovered and grinned.
"I did it! I did it! I can be a Jedi!"
"Yes," said Obi-Wan. "To be able to move something with the Force on your first try, without any instruction, is incredible. With talent like that, you can hardly pass up the opportunity to be trained."
"I know," said Richie. "And I want to be trained. It's very fortunate that the world I got thrown into has a place for me."
Obi-Wan smiled proudly as they all left the room with gradually-awakening smugglers in tow.
******
Back at CorSec headquarters, six people were talking in earnest over lunch - Obi-Wan, Anakin, Richie, Dr. Prazan, Hal Horn, and Mel-Ano Nigwen. Happy, Zippo, and Sparky were gathered around a bowl of food on the floor.
"So, Richie," said Mel-Ano, "you moved those binders all by yourself? Are you to become a Jedi?"
"That's right," Richie said proudly. "I'm going to the Jedi Temple, to start my training, I hope."
"And the news about you, about where you came from... if word gets out about an intergalactic traveler..."
"It won't," Obi-Wan assured her. "Not until the Jedi decide that the galaxy is ready to know something like that."
"And I don't think I'm ready to be that famous either," said Richie. "Of course..."
"What?"
"Well, I once promised my friend Ash that we would both become Pokémon masters no matter what, but now . . . I guess I'll just do the best I can with what I have, and . . ."
"Try to become a Jedi Master instead?" suggested Obi-Wan.
"Good idea!" Richie felt a little better.
"Ah," said Mel-Ano. "Well, I know you'll do well. All of you - Anakin
and Obi-Wan, too. May the Force be with you!"
"And you," said Obi-Wan.
"Thank you," said Richie. "I can't wait to get started."
Following an old habit, he stood up, posed triumphantly and cried, "Yeah! I caught Force Power!" His Pokémon jumped up to join in the celebratory pose.
Obi-Wan laughed inwardly. They're weirdos, all right, but they're
nice weirdos. I wish I could train him... oh, well. I'm sure he'll succeed,
no matter what.
Richie, the Force will be with you. Always.
Disclaimer: Obi-Wan, Anakin, and everything else Star Wars belongs to
Lucasfilm Ltd. Everything Pokémon belongs to Nintendo, Creatures,
Gamefreak et al. Mel-Ano Nigwen, Dr. Prazan, and all those unnamed
bad guys belong to me. No copyright infringement is intended; I write
because it's fun. :-)