Disclaimer -- I like Pokemon. Unfortunately, I just can't help myself. If you are a Pokemon fan, and might be offended by this material, well, it's your own gosh darn fault for reading this. Enjoy!


Pokeball Z -- Encounter in the Wilderness
Pikachu vs. Oozaru


Ash, Brock, and Misty are headed for new adventures as they continue their Pokemon journey, including -- being lost in the wilderness!


"Ash, just admit it, you have no idea where we are!"
Hiking purposefully down an overgrown path, Ash ground his teeth and stubbornly ignored Misty's strident tone. "We aren't lost," he wheedled, "we're just... ah, looking for new Pokemon!"
"Well, I think we just found some!" Shouted Brock in a panicked voice, pointing urgently at the huge reptilian head clearing the trees ahead of them and roared deafeningly.
"AAIIEEEE!!!" shouted all three as they dived for cover.


Ba da, ba da baaa....



Pikachu
vs.
Oozaru!


Ba, da, da, ba dum!


Everyone fled into the underbrush. Pikachu squealed in terror as he hid his eyes behind his tiny paws, cowering under a bush. "Quiet, Pikachu!" hissed Ash. "It'll hear us!"
The huge head swiveled, as if looking for prey. Ash gulped.
"What is that thing?" Misty whispered in awe.
"It looks like a prehistoric pokemon! But whatever it is," Brock cautioned quietly, "Let's not attract its attention!"
"Good idea," mumbled Ash under his breath.
The wait seemed interminable, but it was really only a few moments until the giant's fearsome, toothy head disappeared back into the trees. Ash heaved a huge sigh of relief. "Looks like there was something better on the menu than us!" whooped the young trainer.
"Yeah! Lucky for us!" wowed Brock. Misty just clung tightly to Togepie, her eyes squeezed shut.
"Let's just hope it decides not to come back!" she said in a tiny voice.
Just then, the three trainers were thrown off their feet as the ground shook violently. There was a mighty roar of panic, and the huge lizard burst through the trees, tearing apart trunks and sending wildlife scurrying in its haste. From the ground, Ash, Misty, and Brock saw the clear terror in its rolling eyes as it fled, and the earth trembled to the mighty tempo of the massive, pounding feet.
"Aaaaa!" managed Ash.
Brock tried to regain his feet, and finally succeeded, shading his eyes, trying to see what chased the giant. "What in the world could possible scare that thing...?"
To everyone's astonishment, a young boy about five years old came tearing after the beast, laughing and whooping in delight.
"Wait! I don't have my tail steak for today, yet! Ha ha! Ha ha!"
Ash, Brock, and Misty all gasped in shock.
"That little kid scared away that huge pokemon?" marveled Misty.
"Wow, I guess so! He must be a tough trainer, even as young as he is." Ash's face took on that peculiar look he got when he was looking forward to a challenge. "I can't wait to challenge his pokemon to a battle!"
Brock made a face. "Wait a minute, Ash! Don't you think it's strange that someone as young as he is is all by himself in the forest like this?"
"Uh, I didn't think of that." Ash scratched his head as the wild-looking boy chortled, dancing gleefully after the fleeing dinosaur, waving a sword as big as he was wildly around his head. "Ha ha! Ha ha!" His laughter drifted towards them.
"Yeah, he might be lost! Poor little boy!" said Misty, her eyes wide with empathy.
At that moment, the boy tore past the arguing trainers, and skidded to an astonished halt. He blinked his eyes in disbelief. "Wow!" he exclaimed happily, "There's people out here! Yippee!"
He jumped in the air, swinging his sword, nearly chopping off his wild black locks. "I was beginning to think I'd never see anyone again. Except my friend the dinosaur, there," he pointed at the fleeing lizard, its stump of a tail wagging in the dust-filled air as it ran pell-mell away from the tiny terror.
Misty crouched down to the boy's eye level. "Are you lost, little boy?" she asked comfortingly.
"Nah," he replied casually, "My master Piccolo left me here to toughen me up before he trains me to fight." He continued on, oblivious to the gasps of horror from the three pokemon trainers. "It's been kinda lonely, but I've gotten really strong." He laughed in delight, showing his muscles to his new friends. "See! I'll be ready to train, soon."
"Who would leave a little kid alone in the woods?" Ash managed in a strangled voice. Brock and Misty frowned at the unknown Piccolo.
The boy laughed, a delighted, innocent sound. "It's okay, he'll come train me soon. My name's Gohan!" He politely stuck out a grubby mitt for a handshake. Ash took it solemnly, not noticing Brock and Misty's wince at the dirt.
"Nice to meet you, Gohan. I'm Ash! I'm a Pokemon trainer!" He nearly beamed in his pride.
Gohan looked puzzled, as if about to ask a question, when dramatic music exploded from the trees.
"Prepare for trouble!"
"And make it double."
The three pokemon trainers gasped. "Team Rocket!"
"Team who?" puzzled a confused Gohan.
Jessie and James dramatically swooped from the trees in outlandish costumes, that looked like...
"A moon?" drawled Ash incredulously.
"And a sun?" echoed Misty in disbelief through the strains of the Team Rocket theme song.
"Meowth, that's right!" finished the talking cat pokemon. "We know ya's not very cultured, so we thought we'd entertain ya with a little ancient mythology!"
The assembled crowd just watched, speechless.
"The sun," began Jessie, dramatically striking a pose in her bright costume, "watched over the doings of mankind." On cue, a brilliant flood of bright light enfolded her like a spotlight.
"And the moon," drawled James as he spun effeminately in his moon costume, "was in love with the oh so beautiful sun..."
A tall light flicked on, showering James in moonlight. Jessie preened.
Gohan's eyes were drawn inexorably to the source of the soft light, huge and unblinking. He stared, frozen in place, twitching to the rhythm of his pounding heart.
James opened his mouth to continue, then stopped. "Meowth," he whined petulantly, "what is that thumping noise? It's ruining my soliloquy!"
"I ain't makin' any thumpin' noise!"
With dawning horror, all eyes turned to the wild-haired little boy. "Why, that little boy has a tail!" exclaimed James finally.
Screams resounded throughout the clearing as the young boy's teeth stretched into fangs and his diminutive form expanded violently, sprouting thick, dark hair all over his body as he started roaring to the beating of his heart.
Ash's eyes followed him up... and up... and up....
Misty screamed. "What's happening to him?" yelled Brock.
Before the speechless crowd towered a giant ape, roaring and thrashing his long tail. He started jumping from foot to foot, beating his chest in an insane rage. One long arm flew out faster that anyone could react, catching Team Rocket and hurtling them into space.
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off agaiiiinn......" the mantra faded into the distance, and soon they disappeared into only a little twinkle in the sky.
Ash, Brock, and Misty cowered back into one another.
"Aaaaaa! What is that thing?" shouted Ash.
"Be quiet, Ash!" screamed Brock and Misty in unison.
But it was too late. The monster's head whipped around so fast they almost couldn't see it, and gleaming eyes locked on a new target.
"Everyone get down!" cried out Brock as they all dove for cover. The ape's muzzle opened, and began to glow. It roared as a huge ball of destructive energy blasted from its mouth and incinerated the spot where they'd been moments before.
"Pikachu!" Ash cried in desperation.
"Pika!" Shouted the brave little pokemon as he jumped in front of Ash, ready to fight for his friends, woefully outmatched or no.
"Piiii... kaaaaa.... CHUUUUU!" came the defiant battle cry as the valiant pokemon launched himself into the air, releasing a mighty thundershock as the huge, raging beast roared in its animal fury.
Ash looked up just in time to see a squealing Pikachu flung aside by a lightning-fast hand, the electricity coursing across it only enraging it more. It didn't seem to slow it down at all.
"Pikachu!" Ash screamed in agony. Dimly, he could hear Brock and Misty screaming in the distance. He looked through tear-filled eyes to see another energy blast forming at the beast's foaming muzzle. Then it was hurtling towards him at impossible speed, and he knew no more.


Gohan's mouth tasted like dirt when he woke up the next morning. He pulled himself slowly upright, wincing at his sore arm. It felt like he'd been in a battle.
"Huh? Where'd those guys go?" He looked around for his new friends, then sighed unhappily as loneliness returned. "I guess I'll be alone forever. Or at least until Piccolo comes back..."
He sadly got to his feet, and started to brush himself off, only to discover --
"Hey! Where's my clothes!"
It took Gohan the rest of the day to put together an ensemble. Luckily, he found a backpack with some things in it that his friends must have forgotten. He adjusted his new baseball cap and gloves, then crowed to the wilderness. "Ha ha! Ha ha! Wait 'till Piccolo sees my new outfit! Won't he be surprised!"


And so, faithful viewers, it appears that Ash, Brock, and Misty have finally reached the end of their Pokemon Journey. A rather unfortunate end....



THE END