XIV
The morning came sooner than I would have liked, because I really needed more sleep. But there was the sun, shining through the skylights on the second floor of Kurt's house, bright as ever. However, it wasn't the sun that woke me.
"Boys! Boys!" called the rough voice from downstairs, "Up with you! No time to lose! Get up NOW!"
I opened my eyes slowly and focused them, sitting up. Gold was already up, getting dressed, but Ash was still snoring away. I knelt down by him.
"Ash…Ash! Wake up!"
Ash sat up with a start, breathing heavy.
"Are you okay, dude?" I asked.
"I…I had the strangest dream…" breathed Ash slowly.
"Really? What was it?"
Ash rubbed his head slowly. "It was Jessie and James… they were in the Rocket HQ… at first it looked like any old day there, but there was something…different about them… I can't figure it out."
"That is strange." I said. "Well, come on, Kurt wants us downstairs yesterday."
Shortly, we were all seated at Kurt's kitchen table, forcing down the stale cereal that he made sure we finished. When the last oat cluster was gone from our bowls, he addressed us.
"Well, then! I'd say it's about time you head off to Cianwood, wouldn't you?"
"Are you sure you can't help us any more, Kurt?" asked Gold.
"I cannot, I'm sorry… but the Pokemaniac surely will. Here," he said, handing us a golden scroll, "Give this to him so he knows I sent you. Now be off!"
"What's the fastest way to get to Cianwood?" I inquired.
"Simple! Simply Surf southwest from Olivine."
I raised my eyebrows. "You…you mean we have to walk all the way back to Olivine?! That's messed up!"
"Relax, boy," said Kurt with a gentle smile, "Here." He handed Ash a Poke Ball. "Take my Dodrio. It can Fly you pretty much anywhere."
"So can it Fly us right to Cianwood, then?" he asked.
Kurt chuckled. "Unfortunately no… I have not been to the Pokemon Center there as of yet. But it will surely take you back to Olivine, and from there it's about a two-mile walk to the coast."
"Thanks, Kurt!" said Gold with a smile, and one by one, we exited the house back into Azalea Town.
"Well, let's go." Said Ash, and he flung down the Poke Ball to reveal the Dodrio. It squawked angrily, glaring at us.
"Dude, it may not listen to us…" I said.
"Relax," said Ash, "I've got the Earth Badge, remember?"
"Oh yeah…"
"C'mon, boys, we're going for a ride!" exclaimed Ash, and all three of us hopped onto the Dodrio's back. "To Olivine, fast as lightning!"
Five minutes later, the bird came to a safe landing back in Olivine City, and we dismounted.
"Good job, Dodrio." Said Ash, returning it to its Poke Ball. Then he looked at us. "We better hustle along if we want to reach the coast at a decent time."
"Right."
We walked past the east end of town, and soon the sounds and smells of the port city faded and we were on a dirt trail surrounded by trees. We walked pretty much in silence, Ash's Pikachu skipping happily ahead of us.
"Boy, up until now, I didn't realize just how much you guys travel."
"Yeah, but it's necessary sometimes, you know?" said Gold casually. But then he turned and stared at me. "How would you know exactly how much we travel, anyway?"
I smiled and said simply, "You wouldn't understand." Which shut him up. The silence settled in again as we walked. Suddenly I froze and listened.
"Aw, hell," I moaned, "I hear the Wobbuffett again!"
Ash and Gold listened as well, and nodded in agreement. "We hear it too. Very unusual, indeed."
The cries soon faded, and we resumed walking, unaware of the two pairs of eyes that watched us from a distance.
"So," said Jessie with a smile, "They're on some sort of mission, are they? Most interesting."
"Look at that golden scroll!" cried James. "If we take it from them, we may be able to learn some valuable information about Celebi!"
Jessie thought for a moment. "You know, that's not a bad idea."
"And we can also sell it to make lots of money!" James added.
"Now you're talking!" said Jessie with a grin. "I like your thinking!"
James smiled back at her, and then she said, "Come on, we have to go catch up to them."
"Right."
We continued walking, hearing the occasional cry of a Mareep or Ekans, or the rustle of a Pidgeotto's wing…very peaceful.
"So have you ever actually seen the Pokemaniac?" I asked.
"I have." Answered Gold. "When I first met him, he gave me a Shuckle as a token of our meeting."
"Oh really?" I said, puzzled. "I thought he gave you that Shuckle because he was scared that…"
Suddenly, a voice cut into our conversation. "Stop right there, brats!" We froze.
"Who the hell is that?" I asked, looking around.
"Allow us to introduce ourselves…" began the voice, and the silhouette of a man and a woman appeared in front of us. "To protect the world from devastation… to unite all peoples within our nation…"
I slapped my head. "God, not these two assholes…"
"To denounce the evils of…"
"Hey, listen!" I shouted, interrupting them, "We're tired of your corny-ass motto already! Get the net!"
Jessie and James stepped from the shadows angrily.
"Who the devil are you?" growled James.
"You can call me Paul," I said, "But I call you two losers!"
"Hey, Paul," said Ash, coming to my side along with Gold, "Maybe you shouldn't be getting yourself in so deep."
"I know what I'm doing." I told him.
"Well, well, well… if it isn't Ash!" jeered James.
Without saying a word, Ash returned Pikachu to his Poke Ball.
Jessie laughed. "Relax, brat! We're not after your stupid electric rodent this time! Rather, we're after that scroll you have! Hand it over!"
"Never!" cried Gold. "If you want it, you have to fight us for it!"
Jessie and James smiled at each other, then said, "Fine, little boys…but you'll be sorry!"
"Yeah, whatever, let's just go!" I said.
I released my Gengar, Ash released Espeon, and Gold released Pinsir. Jessie sent out her Arbok, and James sent out Weezing, as usual.
"Let's make the first move!" declared Ash. "Espeon, Psybeam!"
But before the Espeon could attack, Weezing flew down and body slammed Espeon into the ground.
"How…how did he attack first?" stammered Ash.
Jessie smirked. "We've been raising our Pokemon quite a bit. You are no match!"
"Go get that Arbok, Gengar!" I ordered. However, right away the snake buried its tail in the ground and flung a barrage of Sludge Bombs at poor Gengar, knocking him out.
"Dude…what are these guys at, Level 100?" I said wearily.
One by one, Jessie and James knocked out all our Pokemon, and then they started closing in on us.
"There is no escape." Snickered Jessie. "Hand over that scroll, or we'll…"
"Hold it!" shouted an unfamiliar voice. We all looked around to see who it was. Then, a figure dropped from above, and when I saw who it was, I was amazed. It was a young teen with a black shirt and long red hair… it was Silver, Gold's former rival!
The morning came sooner than I would have liked, because I really needed more sleep. But there was the sun, shining through the skylights on the second floor of Kurt's house, bright as ever. However, it wasn't the sun that woke me.
"Boys! Boys!" called the rough voice from downstairs, "Up with you! No time to lose! Get up NOW!"
I opened my eyes slowly and focused them, sitting up. Gold was already up, getting dressed, but Ash was still snoring away. I knelt down by him.
"Ash…Ash! Wake up!"
Ash sat up with a start, breathing heavy.
"Are you okay, dude?" I asked.
"I…I had the strangest dream…" breathed Ash slowly.
"Really? What was it?"
Ash rubbed his head slowly. "It was Jessie and James… they were in the Rocket HQ… at first it looked like any old day there, but there was something…different about them… I can't figure it out."
"That is strange." I said. "Well, come on, Kurt wants us downstairs yesterday."
Shortly, we were all seated at Kurt's kitchen table, forcing down the stale cereal that he made sure we finished. When the last oat cluster was gone from our bowls, he addressed us.
"Well, then! I'd say it's about time you head off to Cianwood, wouldn't you?"
"Are you sure you can't help us any more, Kurt?" asked Gold.
"I cannot, I'm sorry… but the Pokemaniac surely will. Here," he said, handing us a golden scroll, "Give this to him so he knows I sent you. Now be off!"
"What's the fastest way to get to Cianwood?" I inquired.
"Simple! Simply Surf southwest from Olivine."
I raised my eyebrows. "You…you mean we have to walk all the way back to Olivine?! That's messed up!"
"Relax, boy," said Kurt with a gentle smile, "Here." He handed Ash a Poke Ball. "Take my Dodrio. It can Fly you pretty much anywhere."
"So can it Fly us right to Cianwood, then?" he asked.
Kurt chuckled. "Unfortunately no… I have not been to the Pokemon Center there as of yet. But it will surely take you back to Olivine, and from there it's about a two-mile walk to the coast."
"Thanks, Kurt!" said Gold with a smile, and one by one, we exited the house back into Azalea Town.
"Well, let's go." Said Ash, and he flung down the Poke Ball to reveal the Dodrio. It squawked angrily, glaring at us.
"Dude, it may not listen to us…" I said.
"Relax," said Ash, "I've got the Earth Badge, remember?"
"Oh yeah…"
"C'mon, boys, we're going for a ride!" exclaimed Ash, and all three of us hopped onto the Dodrio's back. "To Olivine, fast as lightning!"
Five minutes later, the bird came to a safe landing back in Olivine City, and we dismounted.
"Good job, Dodrio." Said Ash, returning it to its Poke Ball. Then he looked at us. "We better hustle along if we want to reach the coast at a decent time."
"Right."
We walked past the east end of town, and soon the sounds and smells of the port city faded and we were on a dirt trail surrounded by trees. We walked pretty much in silence, Ash's Pikachu skipping happily ahead of us.
"Boy, up until now, I didn't realize just how much you guys travel."
"Yeah, but it's necessary sometimes, you know?" said Gold casually. But then he turned and stared at me. "How would you know exactly how much we travel, anyway?"
I smiled and said simply, "You wouldn't understand." Which shut him up. The silence settled in again as we walked. Suddenly I froze and listened.
"Aw, hell," I moaned, "I hear the Wobbuffett again!"
Ash and Gold listened as well, and nodded in agreement. "We hear it too. Very unusual, indeed."
The cries soon faded, and we resumed walking, unaware of the two pairs of eyes that watched us from a distance.
"So," said Jessie with a smile, "They're on some sort of mission, are they? Most interesting."
"Look at that golden scroll!" cried James. "If we take it from them, we may be able to learn some valuable information about Celebi!"
Jessie thought for a moment. "You know, that's not a bad idea."
"And we can also sell it to make lots of money!" James added.
"Now you're talking!" said Jessie with a grin. "I like your thinking!"
James smiled back at her, and then she said, "Come on, we have to go catch up to them."
"Right."
We continued walking, hearing the occasional cry of a Mareep or Ekans, or the rustle of a Pidgeotto's wing…very peaceful.
"So have you ever actually seen the Pokemaniac?" I asked.
"I have." Answered Gold. "When I first met him, he gave me a Shuckle as a token of our meeting."
"Oh really?" I said, puzzled. "I thought he gave you that Shuckle because he was scared that…"
Suddenly, a voice cut into our conversation. "Stop right there, brats!" We froze.
"Who the hell is that?" I asked, looking around.
"Allow us to introduce ourselves…" began the voice, and the silhouette of a man and a woman appeared in front of us. "To protect the world from devastation… to unite all peoples within our nation…"
I slapped my head. "God, not these two assholes…"
"To denounce the evils of…"
"Hey, listen!" I shouted, interrupting them, "We're tired of your corny-ass motto already! Get the net!"
Jessie and James stepped from the shadows angrily.
"Who the devil are you?" growled James.
"You can call me Paul," I said, "But I call you two losers!"
"Hey, Paul," said Ash, coming to my side along with Gold, "Maybe you shouldn't be getting yourself in so deep."
"I know what I'm doing." I told him.
"Well, well, well… if it isn't Ash!" jeered James.
Without saying a word, Ash returned Pikachu to his Poke Ball.
Jessie laughed. "Relax, brat! We're not after your stupid electric rodent this time! Rather, we're after that scroll you have! Hand it over!"
"Never!" cried Gold. "If you want it, you have to fight us for it!"
Jessie and James smiled at each other, then said, "Fine, little boys…but you'll be sorry!"
"Yeah, whatever, let's just go!" I said.
I released my Gengar, Ash released Espeon, and Gold released Pinsir. Jessie sent out her Arbok, and James sent out Weezing, as usual.
"Let's make the first move!" declared Ash. "Espeon, Psybeam!"
But before the Espeon could attack, Weezing flew down and body slammed Espeon into the ground.
"How…how did he attack first?" stammered Ash.
Jessie smirked. "We've been raising our Pokemon quite a bit. You are no match!"
"Go get that Arbok, Gengar!" I ordered. However, right away the snake buried its tail in the ground and flung a barrage of Sludge Bombs at poor Gengar, knocking him out.
"Dude…what are these guys at, Level 100?" I said wearily.
One by one, Jessie and James knocked out all our Pokemon, and then they started closing in on us.
"There is no escape." Snickered Jessie. "Hand over that scroll, or we'll…"
"Hold it!" shouted an unfamiliar voice. We all looked around to see who it was. Then, a figure dropped from above, and when I saw who it was, I was amazed. It was a young teen with a black shirt and long red hair… it was Silver, Gold's former rival!