Chapter 10: Shock to the System
"What a crummy day," Misty complained hiding under an umbrella.
"Stop complaining Misty you're the one with an umbrella," Ash snapped back.
A pair of eyes watched from a tree. "Pika pika?" Pikachu chirped twitching his ears. (Hear that?)
Ash shook his head and kept on walking. A branch snapped and Ash spun around looking for a person. The path behind them was empty. Leaves fell to the ground as a figure dropped from the trees. Ash watched as the figure stood and stepped within visible range. "Have some dignity and just tell us you want to meet us!" Ash yelled watching the young boy walked along the edge of the path almost like he wanted to disappear into the woods.
"Why and spoil the surprise," the boy spoke with a defiant voice.
"Why are you following us anyway?" Ash asked still angry.
"Follow me," The boy motioned towards a small path leading deep into the woods.
Ash and gang plodded along the thick brush hoping they were close. "Here," the boy said steeping out into a small opening with a small lake surrounded by thick trees. "Who are you and why did you bring us here?" Scott demanded.
"My name is Mark and I want a Pokémon match," he answered stepping up to the edge of the lake.
"You got yourself one!" Ash challenged.
"I choose Chinchou," Mark spoke tossing his Pokéball into the lake.
"I choose," Ash started.
"Wait!" Misty interrupted, "Ash let me take this one."
"Why?" Ash asked arms crossed with Pikachu scouting out Chinchou.
"It's a water battle and I'm the best against water," Misty said arrogantly.
"Uh Misty?" Brian interrupted Misty's rant.
"What Brian," Misty asked a little peeved.
"You don't want to battle this Pokémon with water types," He informed.
Misty laughed and tossed Starmie into the lake. "I warned her," Brian sighed settling down along the lake.
"One on one?" Mark asked across the lake.
"Yeah!" Misty shouted back.
"Tackle Chinchou," Mark ordered with a sly grin spreading across his face.
Chinchou sped through the water creating a wake on the surface. "Watch the wake Starmie," Misty advised.
Watching intently, Starmie readied a Tackle, but jumped out of the water as the wake dissipated. "Watch and Tackle Starmie!" Misty yelled.
Starmie hovered above the water as the dirt settled leaving the water crystal clear. Starmie spotted a shadow on the shallow lake bottom. Misty watched as Starmie dove into the water, spinning at a high velocity, "Ha your Chinchou is dead," Misty yelled arrogantly.
Underwater Starmie continued to pound Chinchou. Squealing with pain the little fish Pokémon sank towards the bottom. Stones shifted as Chinchou's body landed softly on them. Starmie charged at Chinchou for a finishing blow. Sparks of light leapt from Chinchou's bruised body and Starmie noticed too late. Electricity flowed through the water turning the lake into a wet electrical plant. Misty, Ash, Brock, and Scott stared on in horror while lighting popped from the lake. Brian yawned leaning back on his elbows watching the lake turn back to its natural crystal blue. The charred body of Starmie floated to the surface and Misty dove in to retrieve her injured Pokémon. "Did you have to try and kill me Pokémon," she screamed hysterically.
"Hey I didn't order the attack my Chinchou just did it," Mark replied shrugging his shoulders.
Misty stormed out of the lake, clothes clinging to her, and vanished back onto the trail. Brian shrugged his shoulders and followed Ash back to the trail. When they caught up with Misty she was mumbling angrily. "Uh Misty," Ash tried to break her rage.
"What now Ash," She hissed still walking at a stiff pace.
Ash stopped and looked at Brian for help and then back at Brock and Scott emerging onto the path. Shrugging his shoulders, Brian responded to Ash's look, "Hey I've never had a real girlfriend and you went out with her so you should know what to do."
Ash snorted and walked on looking like Misty had. Brian stood chuckling until Scott and Brock caught up. "At least our clothes are drying off from the rain," Scott tried to break the silence of the three guys.
"Yeah," Brock mumbled picking up the pace.
With an evil grin, Brian nudged Scott and whispered in his ear. "You're evil!" Scott yelled with a laugh.
Scott stopped and worked his Psychic abilities. Both guys watched as Misty smacked into something, followed by Ash and then Brock. All three of them fell back landing stiffly on the ground. "Are you alright?" Brian asked laughing as he ran up to the victims.
"Yeah you guys ok?" Scott added helping Brock to his feet.
Brian grabbed Ash's and Misty's hands and yanked them to their feet almost landing them on their faces. "What was that?" Misty grumbled rubbing her forehead.
"Yeah," Ash added looking at Scott suspiciously.
Scott grabbed Brian's forearm and both disappeared in a flash. "Why do they keep leaving?" Misty asked angrily.
"I hope they get lost," Brock hoped crossing his arms.
"I heard that!" Brian's voice called out of thin air.
Everyone looked around hoping to thrash the two new guys making their lives miserable. "Come on Ash this is just like a battle with a ghost or psychic Pokémon." Scott taunted from the open air.
"I'm not gonna play your stupid games Scott!" Ash yelled in a furious tone.
"Fine, see you in Goldenrod," Scott's voice trailed off.
"Yeah right," Ash spoke under his breath.
The rest of the walk was silent each of the three brooding on their plans for revenge. At the edge of town they spotted two shadows move along the trees into a small building, "You see that?" Brock asked.
"Yeah lets go check it out," Ash proposed running towards the building.
Standing in the doorway yelling made its way from down the hall, "Why you little twerps!"
"That sounds like Butch!" Misty observed.
"And that means Team Rocket," Ash added with a frown.
Ash took off with Pikachu in hot pursuit. "Uh doesn't Team Rocket usually fight with Pokémon," Ash asked turning back with a confused look drawn on his face.
"Yeah why?" Brock answered back becoming just as confused.
"Cuz Scott and Brian are beating them with their fists," Ash answered watching the brawl.
Brock and Misty ran down the hall mouths hanging open as they watched Scott deliver a solid blow to Butch's stomach. Leaning against the opposite wall was Brian clapping as Butch folded. "Causing more trouble?" Misty accused looking around at the caged Pokémon stacked around the room.
"No, stopping it," Scott answered wiping a trail of blood off his face.
"Usually Butch has a partner, Cassidy," Brock observed looking for the female Rocket.
"Oh that girl, we locked her in a cage over there," Brian said pointing towards the far corner.
A window shattered spraying glass across the floor. Misty jumped and Ash had to catch her. A rock lay on the floor amidst the broken glass. Brock knelt and read the attached note, "Watch your back we know who you are Brian."
Brian smirked and grabbed the rock from Brock, "What a stupid group."
"How can you say that?" Misty asked, looking scared clutching Togepi closer than usual.
The note flipped in Brian's fingers revealing the reason for his comment, "Written on Team Rocket paper."
"Man you must have a history with them to draw this kinda attention," Scott marveled.
"Not really but lets go we still got two days of walking ahead of us," Brian walked out of a side door.
"There's gotta be something that you did to get them to hate you so much," Ash persisted following Brian down the path.
"Something my family did but I don't want to talk about it," Brian responded looking away.
"Anyway how did you know that Team Rocket was behind that?" Ash asked still wondering about Brian's mystery.
"They parked their Rocket van in plain sight," Brian answered flatly.
Brock had made his way up to the two guys and looked between them like something was wrong. "So wasup?" Brock asked trying to lighten the mood.
"Nothing," Brian replied with a bit of harshness in his voice.
"Yeah nothing Brock," Ash added trying to get on Brian's good side to solve the puzzle in his head.
The three guys walked silently as Misty and Scott chatted away carelessly.
An hour passed and still silence blanketed the lead guys. "Ah this looks like a good place for lunch. I'm starving!" Scott yelled forward looking at a small stream.
"Why not," Brian said shrugging his shoulders.
Brock set up his cooking supplies and set out to make a quick lunch. Ash, Pikachu, and Pichu were running around camp laughing and squealing. Misty and Scott kept on chatting about random things. Brian had taken his shoes and socks off and dangled his feet into the stream watching his reflection distort in front of him. He scratched up a few stones and tossed them in the stream to keep occupied. A poke in his poke surprised him and he twisted to see the person wanting his attention. No one was close. Another poke on his shoulder and then a tap. "Ah its you Pichu," Brian sighed patting her head.
A sharp pain raced through Brian's left foot causing him to jump, tossing Pichu in the air. Everyone looked up from their business, "eh he," Brian smiled and pulled his foot out of the water, "stupid Seaking."
Misty jumped when she saw Seaking, "ooohh I want it!"
Ash took the chance to get on Misty's really good side, "Pikachu, Pichu Thunderbolt!"
"You numb nut Pichu doesn't know Thunderbolt," Scott yelled.
"No!" Brian yelled waving his hands as Pikachu powered up.
Too late Pikachu blasted the Seaking with a powerful electric attack driving it back into the water. The attack shocked Brian and pushed him into the water. "Oh wait no my Goldeen is close to evolving, let it go," Misty decided.
Everyone fell to the ground in a heap. "What?" Misty asked innocently.
A splash of water broke the moment as a hand grasped the bank. "No Pichu!" Ash yelled as the little Pokémon dashed to the bank and jumped up and down giggling.
A head slowly lifted into their line of sight. "Brian! If you wanted to swim why didn't you tell one of us?" Misty asked cheerfully, "I would have joined you."
Brian laid his head on his arms still mostly in the water, "This was one of those sudden ideas," he shot back mockingly.
Pichu jumped onto Brian's back hopping like a rabbit. Sparks snapped from her cheeks and electricity flowed from her into Brian and the stream. Slowly Brian slid back into the stream along with several water Pokémon floating on the surface. Ash brought out Bulbasaur who pulled Brian onto land. "Pic Pichu?" Pichu asked with worried eyes. (You ok?)
Water drained from Brian's mouth as he rolled to his side, "I'm alive."
A smile spread across Pichu's face and Brian smiled back, "I love you Pichu."
"Lunch is ready," Brock called hoisting a plate of sandwiches above his head.
Everyone devoured the sandwiches but left full. "Thanks Brock," Scott thanked.
"Yeah," Brian thanked looking around, "Could I get some privacy I need to change out of these clothes."
"Oh sure," Brock said finish putting away his gear, "But when you're done you have to tell us why Team Rocket is after you."
"I think I'd rather walk in these wet clothes," Brian replied brushing past Brock.
Brock grabbed Brian's arm and yanked him back, "You're not leaving until you tell us why Team Rocket it after you because it puts our lives in danger too," he hissed.
"You really don't want to know," Brian snapped, pulling his arm from Brock's grasp.
"Try us!" Brock snapped back.
Brock and Brian stood face-to-face starring with anger flaring between them. "I would have been better off staying home," Brian mumbled walking back to the center of camp tossing his bag to the side in a violent motion.
Brian began, "It all began about 15 years ago…"
To be continued…