Chapter 4: A Set Up

Brock and Pikachu hear Ash's scream all the way down the hall in the Pokemon recovery room.

Nurse Joy: (looking up from her work) Isn't that your friend Ash.

Brock: (blushing) Yeah it is. Don't worry Nurse Joy, I'll go check on him and shut him up so he won't bother you anymore. (returns to normal) Come with me Pikachu, ok?

Pikachu nods his head and the two of them run out the door and down the hall towards the lobby to find out just what the heck is going on. But what they find there is something they never expected. Ash is lying sprawled out on the floor with Melody on top of him. Clasped tightly in Melody's fist is a large kitchen knife, which she is trying to bury in Ash's chest. "Ash" Brock calls out and, not wasting any time, quickly runs over and tries to pry Melody off him. Turning her attention away from Ash for a moment, Melody grabs Brock by the collar of his shirt and flings him across the room. Brock crashes into the wall and falls to the floor, stunned.

Pikachu: (running up to Brock) Brock, are you all right? Brock? Ok, don't say I didn't warn you.

Pikachu charges up and let's loose a powerful thunderbolt. The crackling electricity courses through Brock, giving him a very painful wake up call.

Brock: (being fried) AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!! (glares at Pikachu) WHY DID YOU DO THAT???

Pikachu: Sorry but I had to wake you up fast. Melody is about to kill Ash. We have to stop her now

Brock: (nods his head) You're right (stands up, observes Ash and Melody) why is she so strong? She couldn't have picked me up in a normal circumstance.

Pikachu: Maybe she is in a trance or something. Or she is an alien or she is using some sort of magical strength spell, or maybe...

Ash: (major distress) Could you guys please stop talking and SAVE ME!?!?!?!?!. I can't hold her off much longer

Brock: All right all right, mister impatient. Pikachu, use you thunder bolt on Melody.

Pikachu: Gotcha (runs up to Ash and Melody) LEAVE MY TRAINER ALONE!!!!!!!!

Pikachu's powerful thunderbolt zaps Melody and Ash, frying them both to a burnt crisp.

Ash: (fried) Pikachu.....don't shock...me too.

Melody: (standing up) Where am I? What am I doing here? And why are you here, Ash?

Brock: Melody, what is the last thing you remember?

Melody: Who are you? And why do you know my name? (suddenly freaks) AAAAAAAAAH! You must be one of them, one of the people who kidnapped me. So you got Ash too and you have taken us to your secret base haven't you? HAVEN'T YOU!!!!!!?? (attacks Brock with the knife)

Brock: (running in fear) NO I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU, HONEST. ASH, PIKACHU, SAVE ME!!!!!!

Ash: (grabbing Melody from behind) Calm down Melody. Don't hurt Brock, he is my friend. He didn't kidnap you.

Melody: So then what happened?

Ash: Well what do you remember?

Melody: (sitting down) Well I was walking along the beach near my house when these two really weird people with strange hairdos popped out. They made this really confusing speech about the world and truth and love and other such things. Then they said they needed me to infiltrate your group and they zapped me with a funky ray gun type device. And then I woke up here.

Pikachu: (very enthusiastic) I KNEW IT, I KNEW IT ALL ALONG!!! She was brainwashed.

Ash: (sweatdrop) You watch too much sci-fi channel, Pikachu.

Brock: Judging from the description of the people who attacked, I think I know who is behind this. Melody did the two people who attacked you have a talking Meowth with them? And were they wearing costumes with a big red "R" on the front?

Melody: They didn't have any Pokemon with them that I could see, but yes they did have costumes with an R on the front.

Brock: It must have been Team Rocket.

Ash: Yeah I guess. But we haven't seen them for awhile, and the last time we met, they helped us.

Pikachu: Yeah, but Melody's description fits them perfectly. Weird hairdos, a strange speech, the costumes; it's got to be them.

Ash: Yeah, I guess.

Melody: Ok now its time for you guys to do some explaining. How did I get here? You must know something.

Brock: Ok. Sit down and I'll tell you everything.

For the next 10 minutes, Ash, Brock and Melody sit around the table and Brock explains everything about how they ran into Melody and what she did.

Brock: And that brings us up to where we are now.

Melody: (stunned silence)...I...can't believe it. Ash I'm so sorry. You know I would have never wanted to hurt you or Misty. I'm really...

Ash: (interrupting her) You don't have to say it. I know you didn't do it on purpose. It was all Team Rocket's fault. You were under their influence.

Melody: I'm going to go call my sister and tell her I'm all right. And then I am going to go to bed.

Brock: (tosses Melody some keys) Here, these are for the room I rented. Feel free to use it.

Melody crosses the room and is soon talking loudly to her sister Carol on the vid phone. Brock and Ash continue to talk.

Brock: (thinking) So, it looks like this whole incident was a set up. But why?

Pikachu: My guess is that they didn't want Misty to interfere with their attempt on Ash's life.

Brock: But still? Why would Team Rocket want to kill Ash? They must want Pikachu REALLY bad.

Ash: I don't know what's going on. But I'm worried about Misty. She could be in danger. (grabs his backpack, stands up) Come on Pikachu. We are going to find her.

Brock: Wait Ash. You don't even know where she went. She could be anywhere. We should call Officer Jenny and ask her to keep an eye out for Misty; you can't go looking for her by yourself.

Ash: Yes I can. I will find her and protect her from Team Rocket. I have to make up for the past few months.

Pikachu: Don't worry Brock. We'll be fine.

Ash: We'll go check out the train and bus stops to see if she has left town. If we don't come out with anything, then we will call Officer Jenny.

Brock: But...

Ash: (slyly) Are you sure you not just trying to find an excuse to see Officer Jenny?

Brock: (suddenly angry) NO!!!!!!

Ash and Pikachu both recoil back from Brock's sudden outburst. They have never heard him this mad before. A shocked expression crosses Brock's face.

Brock: I'm sorry guys. But it's not like that at all. I just...

Ash: (suddenly angry as well) Just what? Whatever it is, it can wait. Misty's out there and I'm going to her. I'm going to find her and protect her. You can do what you want. I'm going.

Brock: Ok. I understand. I won't stand in your way then. But before you go, I have to tell you something. Just hear me out, please. (grabs Ash's arm)

Ash begins to pull away but then notices the dead serious look on Brock's face. And something else too, sadness. As soon as he notices it he knows that what Brock has to say is very important.

Ash: Ok Brock. I'm listening.

outside Pokemon Center

The Two figures still continue to watch our heroes from the shadows. Suddenly a phone starts ringing and the two quickly scramble to answer it, before the noise alerts anyone. One of them pushes a button and the video phone lights up to reveal the face of Giovanni, leader of Team Rocket.

Giovanni: So how goes the plan? Have you eliminated the target yet?

Male voice: Um. Not yet. We have had a little hiccup in the plan.

Giovanni: WHAT!?!?

Female: Our psychological strategy worked perfectly, we were able to separate the two of them so our agent would have a clear shot at the target.

Giovanni: THEN WHAT HAPPENED?????

Male: (nervous) Well, you see. Our agent was overpowered.

Giovanni: OVERPOWERED!?!?!?! I gave you my best equipment. That device was supposed to ampliphy the strength of the subject one hundred times. And you tell me your agent was overpowered???

Female: (sarcastically) I guess the technicians didn't design the device to make the agents electricity proof.

Giovanni: DON'T TALK BACK TO ME LIKE THAT!!!!!!!! Now since you're my best agents I'm willing to forgive and forget this little screw up. But don't let it happen again. Find a way to improvise and turn this situation around. ELIMINATE THE TARGET! I'm counting on you. Butch. Cassidy. Boss out. (screen goes blank)

meanwhile Ash picks up his pace, running towards the next bus station. Ash silently prays to himself that he will find some information here. This is the last station in town and the others had failed to yield any news. As he runs, the events of the night churn through his head. Melody's appearance, Misty's departure, the attack, and maybe most startling of all, in the midst of the chaos; Brock's startling confession. His words still echo through Ash's head. But this is not the time to be thinking about such things, and shaking the thoughts from his head, Ash picks up his pace, his desire to locate Misty growing with every second. Who knew what Team Rocket could be planning? Ash reaches the station and runs quickly through the front door and straight up to the service desk. An irritable looking old man sits behind the counter reading a magazine.

Old Man: Whatever you want, make it quick. We close in ten minutes.

Ash: (pulls a picture of Misty out of his wallet) Sir, have you seen this girl? Did she buy any bus tickets here?

Old Man: As a matter of fact I have seen her. She came in here earlier carrying that Togepi and bought a ticket for the bus that runs to Cerulean City. She looked like she was in quit a hurry. Her bus left about 90 minutes ago.

Ash: When does the next bus to Cerulean City leave? And how long does the trip take?

Old Man: Another bus leaves first thing in the morning. But it takes a few days to get there.

Ash: I don't mind. Can you sell me the tickets now?

Old Man: Yeah I guess. (takes Ash's money, gives him two tickets) Now get out of here. It's too late for kids like you to be running around anyway.

Ash: OK and thank you very much. (turns around, checks his watch) Whoa, it is late. I better get back to the Pokemon center and tell Pikachu and Brock what I've found.

Shoving the Tickets into his pocket, Ash takes off running back towards the Pokemon center.