I wrote this story back in 1999 and just now decided to dust it off and share it with the world. I know some of the lines are a bit hokey....I did my best to stick to the characters of the people on the show, which are a bit choppy to begin with in the translated episodes. If any fanfics have sprung up before this with the concept of switched minds with pokemon, my apologies. I haven't had time to read through most of the fics on here so I don't know if this has been done before or not. I hope you will enjoy it anyway :) As always, all the characters are not mine but the story is.
--------------------------------------------------
SWITCHED!
Ash, Brock, and Misty walked on the outskirts of Vermillion City with Pikachu loping behind them. It wasn't even noon yet and the sun peeked through the trees at them, still not at its highest point in the sky. Misty held Togepi in her arms as they went. The baby pokemon cooed once in awhile, taking in the sights around itself and sheilding its eyes from the blinding sunlight by ducking back into its brightly colored eggshell every once in awhile.
"Nice morning, huh?" Brock asked, breaking the silence.
"Yeah. Hope it doesn't rain like yesterday..." Ash said apprehensively. Brock cringed a little at the thought of getting wet.
"What's wrong with rain?" Misty asked. "I bet Staryu and Starmie would enjoy it!"
"Well the rest of us wouldn't." Ash grumbled, slightly annoyed at Misty once again seeing what was best for her and not taking the others' feelings into account. Suddenly, Ash froze.
"What's wrong Ash?" Brock asked.
"Hmm...thought I heard something." Ash said in a hushed voice, looking back and forth. The three of them paused a moment, listening. Soon they heard it again...a rustling in the branches above them.
"What do you think it is?" Misty asked, holding Togepi a bit tighter.
"I dunno." Ash whispered, taking a pokeball out of his pocket and expanding it. Misty hurriedly called Togepi into a pokeball despite its protests just in case whatever it was turned out to be threatening. "But just in case...Go, Bulbasaur!" he cried, hurling the ball at the ground, summoning the blue lizard-like creature with the green bulb on its back. "Use your vine whip to shake down whatever's in that tree!"
"Bulbasaaauuurr!" the pokemon rasped, shooting two green tendrils out of its back and wrapping them around the branch, shaking it violently. There was the sound of someone screaming before Meowth, James, and Jessie poured out of the cover of the leaves and collapsed in the middle of the path having unceremoniously lost their perch on the branch.
"What? You again?" Ash groaned, recalling Bulbasaur as they dusted themselves off and got to their feet, trying hard to maintain a shred of dignity.
"Prepare for trouble!" Jessie exclaimed, striking a pose and at the same time trying to pick the twigs out of her hair.
"And make it double!" James declared, examining a tear in his uniform with distaste.
"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!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket! Blast off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth! That's right!"
"Hooray." Brock grumbled, unimpressed.
"Hand over that Pikachu!" Jessie ordered, striding up to Ash and glaring at the boy.
"Don't you guys ever get tired of bugging us?" Misty asked, rolling her eyes.
"We'll leave you alone once we get your pokemon." James stated moodily.
"Right!" Jessie snapped, lunging forward and attempting to grab Pikachu who was standing at Ash's side.
"Chu!" he exclaimed, dodging out of the way.
"Help me, you clods!" Jessie ordered Meowth and James who had been idly standing by. They looked at each other before scrambling after the electric mouse.
"Aren't you gonna do anything, Ash?" Brock asked, noticing that he was merely standing by, watching the fiasco taking place before them.
"Nah. I think Pikachu can handle this." Ash smirked, knowing that the pokemon would zap Team Rocket if they ever DID manage to get their hands on him. For several moments, Jessie, James and Meowth attempted to grab ahold of the elusive pokemon with little success. At last, as Pikachu ran toward a nearby treetrunk, thinking he would climb out of reach, he was caught.
"Gotcha!" James declared, closing his hands around Pikachu's tail.
"Chaa!!!" the frightened pokemon squealed, struggling.
"Surrender to Team Rocket!" James ordered, trying hard not to lose his grip. "Resistance is--" he was cut off abruptly as his body was enveloped in a bright aura of electricity.
"Idiot." Jessie sighed, wathing as her partner jolted spasmodically as he clung to the electric mouse.
"D-D-Don't j-j-j-j-just stand there.....help m-m-m-m-me!!!" James managed to say as the thundershock attack persisted.
"And wind up fried like you? HA!" Meowth snorted.
"Boy, they never learn do they?" Brock asked as James began to flail one hand wildly, trying to catch something--anything to brace himself against.
"They're Team Rocket. Of COURSE they don't learn!" Misty snapped, recieving a glare from Jessie's direction. At length, James' groping hand closed around the Vermillion City signpost which stood closeby. Regrettably, the METAL Vermillion City signpost. With a shrill scream from pokemon and human alike, the thundershock escalated itself into a large crackling explosion, temporarily blinding all present.
"What happened?" Ash groaned, rubbing his eyes wildly to get his sight to return.
"Meowth! Dat signpost must've had some weird effect on Pikachu's thundershock!" Meowth replied, blinking heavily as things slowly came back into focus. The first thing everyone was aware of were the two still forms lying in a jumbled heap in the middle of the road as curls of smoke rose from them.
"Pikachu!!!" Ash cried, rushing forward to scoop the pokemon into his arms. As he did so, Jessie and Meowth cautiously approached their fallen
comerade.
"Is he---" Jessie began as Meowth pried one of James' closed eyelids open.
"Nah, he's breathin'." Meowth noted, sounding uninterested. Jessie quietly breathed a sigh of relief as she reached down and hurriedly slung James over her back.
"This isn't over!" she informed Ash icily as she stood, balancing
her partner's weight on her shoulders. "We'll be back!" she added, turning
and storming away with meowth trailing behind. Ash, however, hadn't heard
her or even noticed that Team Rocket had gone. His full attention was focused
on the limp form he held in his arms.
"Oh, Pikachu..." Ash groaned, feeling his eyes mist over with tears.
"We'd better get him to the pokemon center!" Brock announced. Misty nodded in agreement as they prepared to run back in the direction of Vermillion City.
"No wait!" Ash cried happily, still staring at Pikachu. "Look! He's waking up!" the two gym leaders crowded around and watched as the yellow pokemon slowly stirred and opened its eyes.
"Thank goodness!" Brock grinned, rubbing the back of his neck.
"You gave us a real scare, Pikachu!" Misty laughed, whisking him out of his trainer's arms and giving him a hug.
"P-Pikachu?" the pokemon asked in a highly abnormal voice, making Misty nearly drop it with surprise. "What are you talking about?"
"What's wrong, Misty?" Ash asked, watching her eyes widen.
"Pikachu's---talking!" she managed at last, holding the yellow pokemon out at arm's length.
"What? No way!" Brock exclaimed, leaning in for a closer look as Pikachu raised one paw to his forehead and shook his head slowly.
"Unngh...where's Jessie? How'd I end up here?" he muttered, eliciting a gasp of shock from the three humans. Suddenly, his eyes snapped wide open. "You three??" he yelped, struggling out of Misty's arms and alighting somewhat clumsily on the ground. "Prepare for trouble, and make it double!"
"Huh?" Ash asked, a sweatdrop forming on his brow.
"To protect the world from devastation!" Pikachu declared, striking a somewhat awkward pose. "To unite all peoples within our---AHHH!!!" he cried, catching sight of one pudgy yellow arm as it passed by his face.
"Wait a minute, I know that voice!" Brock exclaimed. "And if I didn't know any better, I'd say that sounded like James!"
"James??" Ash and Misty asked simultaneously.
"What happened to me???" the pikachu demanded, grabbing the jagged lightning bolt-shaped tail to get a look at it, acting as though it may cry. "Is this someone's sick idea of a joke?"
"If it is, I'M sure not laughing..." Brock muttered.
"This is awful! I'm stuck in the body of an electric rat!!!" the pikachu cried, putting a paw melodramatically to its brow.
"Hey pika---James?" Misty asked experimentally., seeing the yellow creature direct its attention at her. "What happened exactly to make you like this?"
"If I knew that, I would have changed myself back by now!" Pika-James replied indignantly.
"Well you don't need to get an attitude!!" Misty replied just as nastily, grabbing him up and shaking him.
"Hey Misty, cut it out!" Brock cried, wrestling Pika-James away from her. "James is just as confused as we are!" he added, cradling the pokemon protectively.
"I don't need to be coddled, thank you!" Pika-James growled, struggling.
"Something weird's going on." Ash pointed out. "Maybe we SHOULD take Pika--err James to the Pokemon Center and see if Nurse Joy can figure out what happened."
"I'll bet it had something to do with that electric explosion." Misty put in. "Maybe if we could make ANOTHER explosion, it'd change them back!"
"Misty, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!" Ash snapped, grabbing Pika-James away from Brock who was still fighting against the pokemon's struggling. "We're lucky the FIRST explosion didn't kill James and Pikachu. Now c'mon!" And with that, Ash broke into a run in the direction of Vermillion City with Brock and a slightly peeved Misty trailing behind
him.
"That pikachu had better not be making a fool out of me in MY body." Pika-James muttered angrily under his breath.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Ain't he awake yet?" Meowth asked, watching as Jessie replaced a wet rag on James' forehead where he was lying sprawled out on one of the beds in the ramshackle hideout the three of them shared.
"Not yet." Jessie sighed impatiently.
"Well, he'd better get up soon. Its HIS turn to make dinner!" the feline grumbled. "Ya think it'd take more than a little shock to put Team Rocket outta commission."
"I hardly call that a 'little shock'." Jessie said in James' defense.
"Yeah but still..."
"Shh! He's waking up!" Jessie whispered. James' glistening green eyes fluttered open and stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment. "Nice of you to join us." Jessie commented.
"Pika..." James said in a voice much too high to be his own.
"Heh! Nice impression, James!" Meowth chuckled. "Ya almost sound like da real ting!"
"Pika! Pi! Pi!" he declared, looking about himself in a bewildered state. Jessie and Meowth exchanged a slightly annoyed look.
"Errmm....yes. Quite amusing, James. Heh heh." Jessie forced, her patience wearing thin. "Its time to drop the cute act."
"Pika CHU!!" he barked in reply, leaping to all fours in a stance similar to a pokemon about to enter battle. His body trembled a minute before he arched his back. "CHAA!!!" he shrieked, bracing himself as though expecting something. When nothing happened, James looked confused. He tried again...and again.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was tryin' to shock us..." Meowth stated, looking somewhere between amused and puzzled.
"Enough!" Jessie screamed, leaping at James and swatting him briskly on either side of the face.
"Pi--ka--chu! Pi--ka--chu!" he wailed, the syllables punctuating each slap. At length, Jessie stopped, eyeing him suspiciously. "Pika pika!" he cried, bouncing on the mattress and disappearing into the ceiling rafters.
"Hmm...must've taken more blows to da head than we thought." Meowth muttered. "Funny thing is, he's speakin' in fluent pokemon."
"What?" Jessie asked, disbelieving. "What was he saying earlier then?" she demanded to know.
"I...uhh...I could tell ya, but its not exactly appropriate." Meowth snickered, a small sweatdrop appearing on the side of his head as he recalled the profanity James had been spouting in the pikachu dialect a moment earlier. Jessie looked thoroughly angered as she rhythmically clenched and unclenched her fists.
"James! Get down here!" she screamed at the ceiling.
"Pika! Pi pi Pikachu!" came the muffled reply.
"He says he wants to know why ya keep callin' him James." Meowth translated, confused.
"Kachu!!" he added.
"...and he wants to know where his master is." Meowth finished.
"You don't have a master!" Jessie snapped at the ceiling, "And this little 'joke' stopped being funny a long time ago!" With that, she pulled a mallet out of nowhere and hurled it at the rafters, causing one of the wooden beams to splinter and then break.
"Piiii!!" a shrill screech filled the air as the bishounen collapsed in a crumpled heap on the floor before her.
"Maybe we WOULD'VE been better off if he had been killed in that explosion." Jessie growled through clenched teeth. "We have to report to the boss in less than an hour. What are we supposed to do with him??" she asked, gesturing at James who was scurrying around on all fours, muttering to himself in pokemon. Meowth looked thoughtful for a moment before snapping his fingers.
"I got an idea!" he grinned, racing over to the small, slightly rusted refridgerator in the corner and rummaging around for a bit before producing a bottle of ketchup. "Oh Jaaames...look what IIIIII've got!" he said persuasively. James' eyes instantly lit up as he scuttled across the floor to claim the bottle from Meowth. "Ah ah ah...you gotta come wit us foist!" he said, holding the bottle protectively behind his back and out of the blue-haired boy's reach.
"Pi! Pika!" he replied, nodding vigorously.
"Ya see, Jess? Ya just gotta know how to deal wit'em." Meowth beamed smugly, casting a sideways glance at the fuming red-haired girl.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Nurse Joy?" Ash called, pounding on the door to the Vermillion City Pokemon Center as Brock and Misty stood behind him.
"Coming!" she called from within. There was a sound of a key in a lock as the door slid open. "Sorry, I guess I forgot to unlock it this morn--oh, hello Ash!" she smiled, seeing the black-haired boy holding a pikachu before her. "Back so soon? As I recall, we just healed your Bulbasaur and Pidgeotto yesterday afternoon."
"Errr...well, ya did." Ash faltered. "But I'd like it if you'd take a look at my Pikachu. He sorta had an accident this morning."
"Sure thing." Nurse Joy smiled, taking the electric pokemon from the boy and cradling it in her arms. Ash tried not to laugh as he watched Pika-James fidget uncomfortably and a bright red blush blossom over the bridge of his nose as he was pressed against the nurse's chest.
"James has NO idea how good he's got it right now..." Brock grumbled, recieving a sharp elbow in the ribs from Misty.
"We'll check him for any abnormalities and bring him back once we're finished." she told him. "For now, how about you and your friends come in and sit? This could take a few minutes."
"That'd be great!" Brock blurted before Ash had a chance to answer. She smiled and led the trio into the pokemon center waiting room. Ash watched as she disappeared down a hallway with Pika-James before getting up and sauntering over to the nearest phone.
"Whatcha doing Ash?" Misty inquired as he began dialing.
"Making a call." he informed her. The screen remained blank for a moment before a gray-haired man appeared.
"Hello?" he asked peering into the screen.
"Hiya Professor!" Ash smiled.
"Ash! How good of you to call!" he exclaimed, nearly falling out
of his chair. "How have you been, my boy?"
"Good." Ash answered. "I'm calling because I've got...well, sort of a problem with my pikachu."
"Is he sick?" Professor Oak suggested.
"Well no, but he's not exactly himself." Ash replied.
"Ehhh..I'm not following you, I'm afraid." Oak muttered, confusion tugging at his features.
"Well this morning we sorta had an accident. Ya see, Team Rocket was trying to get him again and there was this big explosion--"
"Good heavens! An explosion?" the Professor asked.
"Yes Professor, and I know this sounds crazy, but I think my pikachu switched minds with one of the rockets." Ash finished.
"Hmm...that IS an interesting theory." Oak muttered thoughtfully. "Well, if an explosion is what CAUSED your problems, my best guess would be that another one should change them back."
"See? I TOLD you!" Misty bragged, sticking her tongue out at Ash.
"That's just an educated guess, of course." the professor added quickly. "Frankly, I've never heard of anything like this before. I'd wait a bit to see if conditions return to normal before you try anything too drastic. Oops! There's the doorbell...errm, goodbye Ash!" Oak called hurriedly into the screen. "Good luck with your pikachu's identity crisis!" And then, toward the door. "Yes, yes, I'm coming! Just a minute!!" and with that he darted out of view and the connection was terminated.
"Well, your Pikachu seems to be perfectly normal." Nurse Joy smiled stepping into the waiting room. "other than some acceleration in the brain waves, you've got quite a healthy pokemon."
"Thank you, Nurse Joy." Ash smiled, accepting the pikachu back into his hands.
"By the way, Nurse Joy, have I ever told you how lovely you look in that uniform?" Brock asked, pushing past Ash and grinning numbly at her.
"Sorry, I'm on duty." she said hurriedly and bustled back to the front desk to check the answering machine for messages.
"Too bad, Brock. Looks like ya got turned down again." Misty said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah, but did you see the WAY she turned me down?" he asked excitedly, making Misty facefault. "I think she's starting to like me!"
"So how was it, James?" Ash asked, watching the pokemon rub at a bandaged area on his left haunch.
"You never said I'd be getting a shot!" he whined.
"Sorry. I guess Pikachu was a little overdue for an enzyme injection." Ash smirked. "Anyway, we might have a way to switch you and Pikachu back." he stated, watching Pika-James' expression brighten a bit. "All we need to do is find out where Pikachu is with your body and make another electric explosion." Upon saying this, Ash set the pikachu down on the floor. "Have you figured out how to work Pikachu's thundershock attack yet?"
"I can't say I've had time." Pika-James snorted contemptously. "I was too busy being manhandled by Chanseys and poked with sharp needles."
"Can you try?" Ash asked. Pika-James turned away stubbornly. "Please? No offense or anything but I'd kinda like to have my old pikachu back."
"I don't want to!" he cried, stamping his foot angrily.
"C'mon James...please?" Misty asked, reaching down and scratching the pikachu between the ears. He made an almost purring noise but quickly shook her attention off and resumed his cold shoulder state.
"Okay then, DON'T help us." Brock snapped. "If you wanna spend the rest of your life in a pokemon's body and watch while Pikachu makes a fool out of Team Rocket in yours then be my guest." James seemed to consider this a moment.
"Well, James...?" Ash asked, putting his hands on his hips. Pika-James gave a defeated sigh.
"Okay you win." he grumbled, lowering himself to all fours. He paused with a determined look on his face, trying to envision himself surrounded by an aura of electricity to help the process along. A faint buzz resounded in his ears and he caught glimpses of tiny sparks in the corners
of his eyes.
"That's it..." Misty urged, watching as tiny fingers of lighting crackled out of the red voltage pores on the pikachu's cheeks. James groaned, beginning to get tired.
"Hang in there, James....you've almost--" Ash didn't get a chance to finish as there was a loud zapping sound and Pika-James collapsed on the floor, panting as smoke rose from his body.
"Guess it takes a while to get the hang of." Ash muttered.
"Yeah. Must be hard to do without animal instincts." Brock agreed. "So, what now?"
"Guess we keep trying." Ash sighed. James cringed at the sound of this. It was going to be a long afternoon.
-------------------------------
END OF PART ONE
TBC....
--------------------------------------------------
SWITCHED!
Ash, Brock, and Misty walked on the outskirts of Vermillion City with Pikachu loping behind them. It wasn't even noon yet and the sun peeked through the trees at them, still not at its highest point in the sky. Misty held Togepi in her arms as they went. The baby pokemon cooed once in awhile, taking in the sights around itself and sheilding its eyes from the blinding sunlight by ducking back into its brightly colored eggshell every once in awhile.
"Nice morning, huh?" Brock asked, breaking the silence.
"Yeah. Hope it doesn't rain like yesterday..." Ash said apprehensively. Brock cringed a little at the thought of getting wet.
"What's wrong with rain?" Misty asked. "I bet Staryu and Starmie would enjoy it!"
"Well the rest of us wouldn't." Ash grumbled, slightly annoyed at Misty once again seeing what was best for her and not taking the others' feelings into account. Suddenly, Ash froze.
"What's wrong Ash?" Brock asked.
"Hmm...thought I heard something." Ash said in a hushed voice, looking back and forth. The three of them paused a moment, listening. Soon they heard it again...a rustling in the branches above them.
"What do you think it is?" Misty asked, holding Togepi a bit tighter.
"I dunno." Ash whispered, taking a pokeball out of his pocket and expanding it. Misty hurriedly called Togepi into a pokeball despite its protests just in case whatever it was turned out to be threatening. "But just in case...Go, Bulbasaur!" he cried, hurling the ball at the ground, summoning the blue lizard-like creature with the green bulb on its back. "Use your vine whip to shake down whatever's in that tree!"
"Bulbasaaauuurr!" the pokemon rasped, shooting two green tendrils out of its back and wrapping them around the branch, shaking it violently. There was the sound of someone screaming before Meowth, James, and Jessie poured out of the cover of the leaves and collapsed in the middle of the path having unceremoniously lost their perch on the branch.
"What? You again?" Ash groaned, recalling Bulbasaur as they dusted themselves off and got to their feet, trying hard to maintain a shred of dignity.
"Prepare for trouble!" Jessie exclaimed, striking a pose and at the same time trying to pick the twigs out of her hair.
"And make it double!" James declared, examining a tear in his uniform with distaste.
"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!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket! Blast off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth! That's right!"
"Hooray." Brock grumbled, unimpressed.
"Hand over that Pikachu!" Jessie ordered, striding up to Ash and glaring at the boy.
"Don't you guys ever get tired of bugging us?" Misty asked, rolling her eyes.
"We'll leave you alone once we get your pokemon." James stated moodily.
"Right!" Jessie snapped, lunging forward and attempting to grab Pikachu who was standing at Ash's side.
"Chu!" he exclaimed, dodging out of the way.
"Help me, you clods!" Jessie ordered Meowth and James who had been idly standing by. They looked at each other before scrambling after the electric mouse.
"Aren't you gonna do anything, Ash?" Brock asked, noticing that he was merely standing by, watching the fiasco taking place before them.
"Nah. I think Pikachu can handle this." Ash smirked, knowing that the pokemon would zap Team Rocket if they ever DID manage to get their hands on him. For several moments, Jessie, James and Meowth attempted to grab ahold of the elusive pokemon with little success. At last, as Pikachu ran toward a nearby treetrunk, thinking he would climb out of reach, he was caught.
"Gotcha!" James declared, closing his hands around Pikachu's tail.
"Chaa!!!" the frightened pokemon squealed, struggling.
"Surrender to Team Rocket!" James ordered, trying hard not to lose his grip. "Resistance is--" he was cut off abruptly as his body was enveloped in a bright aura of electricity.
"Idiot." Jessie sighed, wathing as her partner jolted spasmodically as he clung to the electric mouse.
"D-D-Don't j-j-j-j-just stand there.....help m-m-m-m-me!!!" James managed to say as the thundershock attack persisted.
"And wind up fried like you? HA!" Meowth snorted.
"Boy, they never learn do they?" Brock asked as James began to flail one hand wildly, trying to catch something--anything to brace himself against.
"They're Team Rocket. Of COURSE they don't learn!" Misty snapped, recieving a glare from Jessie's direction. At length, James' groping hand closed around the Vermillion City signpost which stood closeby. Regrettably, the METAL Vermillion City signpost. With a shrill scream from pokemon and human alike, the thundershock escalated itself into a large crackling explosion, temporarily blinding all present.
"What happened?" Ash groaned, rubbing his eyes wildly to get his sight to return.
"Meowth! Dat signpost must've had some weird effect on Pikachu's thundershock!" Meowth replied, blinking heavily as things slowly came back into focus. The first thing everyone was aware of were the two still forms lying in a jumbled heap in the middle of the road as curls of smoke rose from them.
"Pikachu!!!" Ash cried, rushing forward to scoop the pokemon into his arms. As he did so, Jessie and Meowth cautiously approached their fallen
comerade.
"Is he---" Jessie began as Meowth pried one of James' closed eyelids open.
"Nah, he's breathin'." Meowth noted, sounding uninterested. Jessie quietly breathed a sigh of relief as she reached down and hurriedly slung James over her back.
"This isn't over!" she informed Ash icily as she stood, balancing
her partner's weight on her shoulders. "We'll be back!" she added, turning
and storming away with meowth trailing behind. Ash, however, hadn't heard
her or even noticed that Team Rocket had gone. His full attention was focused
on the limp form he held in his arms.
"Oh, Pikachu..." Ash groaned, feeling his eyes mist over with tears.
"We'd better get him to the pokemon center!" Brock announced. Misty nodded in agreement as they prepared to run back in the direction of Vermillion City.
"No wait!" Ash cried happily, still staring at Pikachu. "Look! He's waking up!" the two gym leaders crowded around and watched as the yellow pokemon slowly stirred and opened its eyes.
"Thank goodness!" Brock grinned, rubbing the back of his neck.
"You gave us a real scare, Pikachu!" Misty laughed, whisking him out of his trainer's arms and giving him a hug.
"P-Pikachu?" the pokemon asked in a highly abnormal voice, making Misty nearly drop it with surprise. "What are you talking about?"
"What's wrong, Misty?" Ash asked, watching her eyes widen.
"Pikachu's---talking!" she managed at last, holding the yellow pokemon out at arm's length.
"What? No way!" Brock exclaimed, leaning in for a closer look as Pikachu raised one paw to his forehead and shook his head slowly.
"Unngh...where's Jessie? How'd I end up here?" he muttered, eliciting a gasp of shock from the three humans. Suddenly, his eyes snapped wide open. "You three??" he yelped, struggling out of Misty's arms and alighting somewhat clumsily on the ground. "Prepare for trouble, and make it double!"
"Huh?" Ash asked, a sweatdrop forming on his brow.
"To protect the world from devastation!" Pikachu declared, striking a somewhat awkward pose. "To unite all peoples within our---AHHH!!!" he cried, catching sight of one pudgy yellow arm as it passed by his face.
"Wait a minute, I know that voice!" Brock exclaimed. "And if I didn't know any better, I'd say that sounded like James!"
"James??" Ash and Misty asked simultaneously.
"What happened to me???" the pikachu demanded, grabbing the jagged lightning bolt-shaped tail to get a look at it, acting as though it may cry. "Is this someone's sick idea of a joke?"
"If it is, I'M sure not laughing..." Brock muttered.
"This is awful! I'm stuck in the body of an electric rat!!!" the pikachu cried, putting a paw melodramatically to its brow.
"Hey pika---James?" Misty asked experimentally., seeing the yellow creature direct its attention at her. "What happened exactly to make you like this?"
"If I knew that, I would have changed myself back by now!" Pika-James replied indignantly.
"Well you don't need to get an attitude!!" Misty replied just as nastily, grabbing him up and shaking him.
"Hey Misty, cut it out!" Brock cried, wrestling Pika-James away from her. "James is just as confused as we are!" he added, cradling the pokemon protectively.
"I don't need to be coddled, thank you!" Pika-James growled, struggling.
"Something weird's going on." Ash pointed out. "Maybe we SHOULD take Pika--err James to the Pokemon Center and see if Nurse Joy can figure out what happened."
"I'll bet it had something to do with that electric explosion." Misty put in. "Maybe if we could make ANOTHER explosion, it'd change them back!"
"Misty, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!" Ash snapped, grabbing Pika-James away from Brock who was still fighting against the pokemon's struggling. "We're lucky the FIRST explosion didn't kill James and Pikachu. Now c'mon!" And with that, Ash broke into a run in the direction of Vermillion City with Brock and a slightly peeved Misty trailing behind
him.
"That pikachu had better not be making a fool out of me in MY body." Pika-James muttered angrily under his breath.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Ain't he awake yet?" Meowth asked, watching as Jessie replaced a wet rag on James' forehead where he was lying sprawled out on one of the beds in the ramshackle hideout the three of them shared.
"Not yet." Jessie sighed impatiently.
"Well, he'd better get up soon. Its HIS turn to make dinner!" the feline grumbled. "Ya think it'd take more than a little shock to put Team Rocket outta commission."
"I hardly call that a 'little shock'." Jessie said in James' defense.
"Yeah but still..."
"Shh! He's waking up!" Jessie whispered. James' glistening green eyes fluttered open and stared blankly at the ceiling for a moment. "Nice of you to join us." Jessie commented.
"Pika..." James said in a voice much too high to be his own.
"Heh! Nice impression, James!" Meowth chuckled. "Ya almost sound like da real ting!"
"Pika! Pi! Pi!" he declared, looking about himself in a bewildered state. Jessie and Meowth exchanged a slightly annoyed look.
"Errmm....yes. Quite amusing, James. Heh heh." Jessie forced, her patience wearing thin. "Its time to drop the cute act."
"Pika CHU!!" he barked in reply, leaping to all fours in a stance similar to a pokemon about to enter battle. His body trembled a minute before he arched his back. "CHAA!!!" he shrieked, bracing himself as though expecting something. When nothing happened, James looked confused. He tried again...and again.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was tryin' to shock us..." Meowth stated, looking somewhere between amused and puzzled.
"Enough!" Jessie screamed, leaping at James and swatting him briskly on either side of the face.
"Pi--ka--chu! Pi--ka--chu!" he wailed, the syllables punctuating each slap. At length, Jessie stopped, eyeing him suspiciously. "Pika pika!" he cried, bouncing on the mattress and disappearing into the ceiling rafters.
"Hmm...must've taken more blows to da head than we thought." Meowth muttered. "Funny thing is, he's speakin' in fluent pokemon."
"What?" Jessie asked, disbelieving. "What was he saying earlier then?" she demanded to know.
"I...uhh...I could tell ya, but its not exactly appropriate." Meowth snickered, a small sweatdrop appearing on the side of his head as he recalled the profanity James had been spouting in the pikachu dialect a moment earlier. Jessie looked thoroughly angered as she rhythmically clenched and unclenched her fists.
"James! Get down here!" she screamed at the ceiling.
"Pika! Pi pi Pikachu!" came the muffled reply.
"He says he wants to know why ya keep callin' him James." Meowth translated, confused.
"Kachu!!" he added.
"...and he wants to know where his master is." Meowth finished.
"You don't have a master!" Jessie snapped at the ceiling, "And this little 'joke' stopped being funny a long time ago!" With that, she pulled a mallet out of nowhere and hurled it at the rafters, causing one of the wooden beams to splinter and then break.
"Piiii!!" a shrill screech filled the air as the bishounen collapsed in a crumpled heap on the floor before her.
"Maybe we WOULD'VE been better off if he had been killed in that explosion." Jessie growled through clenched teeth. "We have to report to the boss in less than an hour. What are we supposed to do with him??" she asked, gesturing at James who was scurrying around on all fours, muttering to himself in pokemon. Meowth looked thoughtful for a moment before snapping his fingers.
"I got an idea!" he grinned, racing over to the small, slightly rusted refridgerator in the corner and rummaging around for a bit before producing a bottle of ketchup. "Oh Jaaames...look what IIIIII've got!" he said persuasively. James' eyes instantly lit up as he scuttled across the floor to claim the bottle from Meowth. "Ah ah ah...you gotta come wit us foist!" he said, holding the bottle protectively behind his back and out of the blue-haired boy's reach.
"Pi! Pika!" he replied, nodding vigorously.
"Ya see, Jess? Ya just gotta know how to deal wit'em." Meowth beamed smugly, casting a sideways glance at the fuming red-haired girl.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Nurse Joy?" Ash called, pounding on the door to the Vermillion City Pokemon Center as Brock and Misty stood behind him.
"Coming!" she called from within. There was a sound of a key in a lock as the door slid open. "Sorry, I guess I forgot to unlock it this morn--oh, hello Ash!" she smiled, seeing the black-haired boy holding a pikachu before her. "Back so soon? As I recall, we just healed your Bulbasaur and Pidgeotto yesterday afternoon."
"Errr...well, ya did." Ash faltered. "But I'd like it if you'd take a look at my Pikachu. He sorta had an accident this morning."
"Sure thing." Nurse Joy smiled, taking the electric pokemon from the boy and cradling it in her arms. Ash tried not to laugh as he watched Pika-James fidget uncomfortably and a bright red blush blossom over the bridge of his nose as he was pressed against the nurse's chest.
"James has NO idea how good he's got it right now..." Brock grumbled, recieving a sharp elbow in the ribs from Misty.
"We'll check him for any abnormalities and bring him back once we're finished." she told him. "For now, how about you and your friends come in and sit? This could take a few minutes."
"That'd be great!" Brock blurted before Ash had a chance to answer. She smiled and led the trio into the pokemon center waiting room. Ash watched as she disappeared down a hallway with Pika-James before getting up and sauntering over to the nearest phone.
"Whatcha doing Ash?" Misty inquired as he began dialing.
"Making a call." he informed her. The screen remained blank for a moment before a gray-haired man appeared.
"Hello?" he asked peering into the screen.
"Hiya Professor!" Ash smiled.
"Ash! How good of you to call!" he exclaimed, nearly falling out
of his chair. "How have you been, my boy?"
"Good." Ash answered. "I'm calling because I've got...well, sort of a problem with my pikachu."
"Is he sick?" Professor Oak suggested.
"Well no, but he's not exactly himself." Ash replied.
"Ehhh..I'm not following you, I'm afraid." Oak muttered, confusion tugging at his features.
"Well this morning we sorta had an accident. Ya see, Team Rocket was trying to get him again and there was this big explosion--"
"Good heavens! An explosion?" the Professor asked.
"Yes Professor, and I know this sounds crazy, but I think my pikachu switched minds with one of the rockets." Ash finished.
"Hmm...that IS an interesting theory." Oak muttered thoughtfully. "Well, if an explosion is what CAUSED your problems, my best guess would be that another one should change them back."
"See? I TOLD you!" Misty bragged, sticking her tongue out at Ash.
"That's just an educated guess, of course." the professor added quickly. "Frankly, I've never heard of anything like this before. I'd wait a bit to see if conditions return to normal before you try anything too drastic. Oops! There's the doorbell...errm, goodbye Ash!" Oak called hurriedly into the screen. "Good luck with your pikachu's identity crisis!" And then, toward the door. "Yes, yes, I'm coming! Just a minute!!" and with that he darted out of view and the connection was terminated.
"Well, your Pikachu seems to be perfectly normal." Nurse Joy smiled stepping into the waiting room. "other than some acceleration in the brain waves, you've got quite a healthy pokemon."
"Thank you, Nurse Joy." Ash smiled, accepting the pikachu back into his hands.
"By the way, Nurse Joy, have I ever told you how lovely you look in that uniform?" Brock asked, pushing past Ash and grinning numbly at her.
"Sorry, I'm on duty." she said hurriedly and bustled back to the front desk to check the answering machine for messages.
"Too bad, Brock. Looks like ya got turned down again." Misty said, putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah, but did you see the WAY she turned me down?" he asked excitedly, making Misty facefault. "I think she's starting to like me!"
"So how was it, James?" Ash asked, watching the pokemon rub at a bandaged area on his left haunch.
"You never said I'd be getting a shot!" he whined.
"Sorry. I guess Pikachu was a little overdue for an enzyme injection." Ash smirked. "Anyway, we might have a way to switch you and Pikachu back." he stated, watching Pika-James' expression brighten a bit. "All we need to do is find out where Pikachu is with your body and make another electric explosion." Upon saying this, Ash set the pikachu down on the floor. "Have you figured out how to work Pikachu's thundershock attack yet?"
"I can't say I've had time." Pika-James snorted contemptously. "I was too busy being manhandled by Chanseys and poked with sharp needles."
"Can you try?" Ash asked. Pika-James turned away stubbornly. "Please? No offense or anything but I'd kinda like to have my old pikachu back."
"I don't want to!" he cried, stamping his foot angrily.
"C'mon James...please?" Misty asked, reaching down and scratching the pikachu between the ears. He made an almost purring noise but quickly shook her attention off and resumed his cold shoulder state.
"Okay then, DON'T help us." Brock snapped. "If you wanna spend the rest of your life in a pokemon's body and watch while Pikachu makes a fool out of Team Rocket in yours then be my guest." James seemed to consider this a moment.
"Well, James...?" Ash asked, putting his hands on his hips. Pika-James gave a defeated sigh.
"Okay you win." he grumbled, lowering himself to all fours. He paused with a determined look on his face, trying to envision himself surrounded by an aura of electricity to help the process along. A faint buzz resounded in his ears and he caught glimpses of tiny sparks in the corners
of his eyes.
"That's it..." Misty urged, watching as tiny fingers of lighting crackled out of the red voltage pores on the pikachu's cheeks. James groaned, beginning to get tired.
"Hang in there, James....you've almost--" Ash didn't get a chance to finish as there was a loud zapping sound and Pika-James collapsed on the floor, panting as smoke rose from his body.
"Guess it takes a while to get the hang of." Ash muttered.
"Yeah. Must be hard to do without animal instincts." Brock agreed. "So, what now?"
"Guess we keep trying." Ash sighed. James cringed at the sound of this. It was going to be a long afternoon.
-------------------------------
END OF PART ONE
TBC....