Copyright © 2003 Keith E. Kimball
E-Mail: Bdrodman@aol.com
Weezing's eyes and cheeks were bulging as the hot air trapped in the bay continued working on him. Puffs of steam were coming from his strange, tubular bodily orifices as Weezing's primarily liquid innards sizzled akin to a pot of water on the stove. It didn't help that MechaRhydon was rocking and rolling around them; Godzilla had renewed their wrestling match.
Brock cried, "He's gonna use Explosion whether he wants to or not! Let's go, guys!" But a glance showed the regular door had been twisted into uselessness in the assault. The remains of the Pokèball launcher clogged the floor hatch they'd used before; no escape that way.
Inspiration hit Misty akin to Pikachu's Thunderbolt out of the blue. She gripped Wobbuffet and pushed her before Weezing. "Get behind us," she commanded her friends, then turned to the beleaguered Pokèmon. "Go ahead, Weezing," Misty finished, "Save yourself! Use Explosion!"
For an instant, Weezing looked touched that Misty would care what happened to him after all the battles they'd had in the past (not to mention that little incident a few moments ago). Then he could hold himself back no longer; it was a comparatively controlled Explosion he could come back from or he'd just plain rip asunder. Weezing lit up with an eerie screeching sound.
As everybody expected, Misty quickly added, "Wobbuffet, Counter, now!"
The bizarre blob was in no mood to disobey orders that didn't come from Jesse. Weezing released the excess pressure in an Explosion of incredible force; magnified all the more by reflecting around the narrow weapons bay. But as the water trainer had hoped, Wobbuffet absorbed the brunt of the impact in a bright white halo.
"Wobba!!" she cried, looking around frantically for a place to safely send the energy before she overloaded too.
"Here, Wobbuffet!" Ash pointed to the remains of the Pokèball launcher. It was trashed already anyway. "Fire, now!"
Wobbuffet cut loose her load. The blast was far bigger than anybody expected. Wobbuffet was knocked off her four pseudopodial feet and into the deflating Weezing, shooting both Pokèmon back into MechaRhydon's gullet.
They proved the lucky ones; the entire lower jaw separated from the head and flew outwards. Clutching at exposed wires and twisted metal for purchase, the trainers found themselves riding MechaRhydon's jaw through open air like a bobsled. The jaw smashed into the base of Godzilla's neck.
Thus the monster's air supply got cut off for a second. Godzilla toppled forward, his vision clouding and his ears ringing, as he reflexively sucked in another massive breath to replace the one he'd lost. Her damaged controls turned Jesse's next Mega Punch into a gentle embrace instead. For the moment, MechaRhydon and Godzilla were holding each other like two punch-drunk fighters trying to stay up for the final round.
None of which mattered right that second to Ash and his friends as the jaw bounced right off Godzilla's thick hide. For the first few seconds of free-fall, the jaw turned upside-down and trapped the group underneath itself. Then it flipped over as the wind caught it a little; and all four friends' grips were torn loose. Together they fell into the storm and upon what little mercy it had.
Pikachu somehow got a hold of Ash's jacket as they fell. For his part, Ash was trying to swim through midair to Misty. Her mouth and eyes were open in silent screaming horror as she clutched through the wind for him. He responded in kind, reaching futilely for her through the rain that stole his scream and his tears alike. Both never gave a thought to saving themselves without the other.
And then, for a second, Ash saw the strangest thing. An Arcanine leapt inbetween them with Brock clutching desperately at her neck for purchase. In a blink, they were gone…and Ash's breath was knocked out of him as his belly hit squarely onto another Arcanine's back when the Pokèmon caught him in mid-air.
No sooner did the Arcanine make his catch safely than the original Extreme Speed-powered leap set the fire dog down gently on a rooftop beside the one bearing Brock. Another blink of the eye, and a third swept Misty safely down beside them. A short bark of warning to their burdens and the Arcanine trio gave another Extreme Speed-powered leap that sent them soaring through the skies once more.
"Wow!" Ash cried, his fear long forgotten in the exhilaration of Arcanine's powerful grace. Ash sat up and gripped the large creature's mane tight as his exuberant whoop echoed off the hard walls of Silver Town.
Safely still within MechaRhydon, Wobbuffet, smoking badly, had a definitely silly grin of enormous relief on her face to have passed the gas bag's generous attack on safely. She collapsed against Weezing, who now resembled a silly little deflated balloon laying flat on the floor. "Weeze! Weeze! Weezing!" he complained as he struggled to pull himself together; but Wobbuffet only raised her arm in a shaky salute.
Godzilla got his wind back. He backed up a half-step, snarling in through the open viewports right at the cowering Team Rocket. For a moment Godzilla studied MechaRhydon's erstwhile controllers through the pounding rain. He gave the robot a contemptuous little shove to see if they had any fighting spirit left in them.
Jesse tried hard to keep her mouth from moving as little as possible as she whispered, wide-eyed, "All hands, abandon ship. Right now."
"We's can't," Meowth returned just as stiffly, "Dat fire insulation cost extra. Somethin' had to go."
His commander continued, "You mean, like the ejection seats?"
It was James who replied, "Bingo."
By the tone of her voice, James and Meowth were suddenly relieved that Jesse didn't dare move when she softly said, "Why does neither of you ever tell me these things before we pick a fight? Hmm?"
Godzilla was unimpressed with their response. Disdainfully, the monster turned his razor-sharp back to them as he walked away. Seeing their chance, Team Rocket reached for the release on their seats' safety harnesses.
None of the harnesses budged. Jesse tugged futilely at the strong material. "What's wrong?!" she cried.
Meowth's sharper eyes studied his own rig critically. "Oh, I see. Da clasps got all melted togedda."
The statement made all three chorus in a panic, "Melted together!?!"
As Team Rocket struggled to free themselves high above, Ash and company didn't get a chance to dismount their Arcanine rescuers as they leapt from rooftop to rooftop. The fire dogs were bounding more-or-less after Godzilla with a look on their faces that said they knew where they were going. Ash wished he did.
But before he could ask, "Pikaaa!!" came the cry of warning. At Pikachu's frantic gestures, the trio looked out over the town.
Godzilla had put a short distance between himself and Team Rocket's towering ride. MechaRhydon's chance to get back in the game had passed. With a mighty roar, Godzilla stomped back and forth on his feet and shook his torso vehemently; tail swishing and looping behind him, in a challenge. When the robot failed to react to this final taunt, Godzilla decided it was time to bring this affair to a close.
With a snarl of disgust curling his lips, Godzilla began powering up his Fire Blast.
Ash felt his mount tense under him for another leap that would bring them to safety. There was no time to aim carefully; Ash pulled out and threw the Master Ball toward Godzilla with all his might as Arcanine pushed off the rooftop.
The storm's howling winds deflected his throw's arc; it fell toward Godzilla's feet. He saw a small reflective glitter in the streetlights as the Master Ball landed harmlessly well short of its goal. Those same winds snatched away Ash's cry of dismay.
The King of the Monsters fired his deathblow.
Behind, the Fire Blast tore down their last landing spot as it raced by. Godzilla's attack struck home and MechaRhydon crumpled. One of the robot's arms joined its drill in flying loose and raining yet more destruction upon the hapless Silver Town. The force of the impact sent the once-mighty machine tumbling back into the lake from whence it came.
MechaRhydon disappeared swiftly beneath the waves. Only a cloying slick of machine oil rode the bubbles back to the surface.
Ash and Pikachu found their Arcanine mounts regrouping at ground level. The trainers slid off their saviors. As Misty and Ash raced toward each other with open arms, it seemed their caution was thrown to the wind…until they actually neared each other.
Suddenly uncomfortable, Misty stopped and lowered her arm into a handshake even as she berated herself mentally. All this time, she hissed at herself, All this time and you're finally getting somewhere, and now you chicken out? But Ash was drawing away at the same time too. Maybe he wasn't quite ready for this yet… He took her hand with a bit of blush coloring his cheeks, wistfully mumbling, "Glad you're OK, Misty."
Having no such qualms, Brock laughed with sheer joy to be alive as he grabbed both his friends around the waist and lifted them off their feet for a big group hug. His enthusiasm broke the tension; Misty and Ash laughed too as Brock set them down.
Their good feelings were just as quickly forgotten; for Godzilla roared again.
Even the Arcanines turned to face up the street. Thanks to the Fire Blast moments before, everybody had a clear view of Godzilla sizing up Silver Town. He'd had his fun with MechaRhydon. Now it was time to finish what he'd started. Godzilla took a purposeful step forward.
And the tip of one toe's claw came down squarely on the Master Ball, triggering the capture mechanism on its front.
Godzilla's roar shook the earth as he struggled in the bright red energy lapping over him. In the blink of an eye, the rippling beam constricted into bands of energy crushing Godzilla's limbs and tail against his own body. Tighter and tighter the Master Ball's grip became; doubling Godzilla over with a coughing snarl. Godzilla began shrinking as the Master Ball drew him steadily in.
With a supreme effort and a resounding crack, Godzilla burst two of the encircling bands to raise his head and arm to the remorseless skies. He gave one final roar as he clutched for purchase, eyes flashing and teeth gleaming, hoping to pull himself to freedom.
Then the Master Ball pulled him within itself in a blaze of glory. Once it closed, the Master Ball didn't rock nor did the indicator on the front flash on and off like an ordinary Pokèmon capture. It simply laid still. It had done its duty, and done it well.
With that, the storm was finally spent also. The rains broke as swiftly as if someone turned off a faucet. As quickly as they came, the winds washed away the clouds to allow a bloated full moon to shine down across Silver Town.
Finally relaxing, Ash turned to the Arcanines who'd saved them. "Thanks," he began, "And don't take this the wrong way, but—who are you guys?"
The lead Arcanine merely barked happily before dashing around Ash to meet a lone figure hobbling her way up the street toward them. Brock grinned and shook his head, "We should've known."
Officer Jenny didn't allow herself to lean on any of her Arcanines for support. Instead she forced herself to keep going, despite the ugly, blood-dried gash in her leg. She was smiling with a touch of pain in it as she raised an arm to call, "Hey! Are you three okay?" As she neared, Misty gasped; Jenny's other arm hung useless at her side. Judging by the large purplish bulge there, it was broken near her shoulder.
"Thanks to you, yeah," Ash reassured her with a grin.
To his surprise, Jenny's face grew stern. "You'd better count yourself lucky," she pointed out, "Usually I wouldn't bother saving Team Rocket scum like you; but you did save the city between your robot and capturing that thing. Still, consider that Pokèmon confiscated and yourselves under arrest until I get a look at your rap sheets."
At this prodding, her Arcanine trio quickly surrounded the trainers; one each to a human. They didn't growl but their looks were dead serious.
Misty was quick to interject, "Oh, no, officer! We're not with Team Rocket; I'm the Gym Leader of Cerulean City! Well, one of them, anyway. Misty Williams, from the Kanto Region…?" When Jenny still regarded them suspiciously, Misty slowly pulled out her trainer ID. The boys were fishing for their identification as well; Brock pointing out the cop could check with the Mt. Silver Preserve's Nurse Joy about them too.
Something about seeing their ID pictures (maybe their resemblance to mug shots) clicked for Jenny. When she relaxed, so did the friends. The cop added, "That's right. My cousin in Blackthorn City said you helped Gym Leader Clair a few weeks ago. Got her Dragon Fang artifact back from Team Rocket, right?"
As his friends nodded, Brock made to take Jenny's shoulder and steer her off. "You shouldn't be walking in this condition, officer," he suggested, "I just saw Nurse Joy go that way, I'm sure she'd be glad to help."
The corner of her mouth turned up a little at his concern, but her eyes stopped Brock's hand before he'd quite touched her. She quipped, "Later. You'd better find your parents; I'm sure they're worried sick over you, kid." Brock backed off, waving his hands apologetically.
"Hey," Misty said, "What's that?"
The magnetic gimbals built into any Pokèball were gently propelling the Master Ball through the air. As always, the preprogrammed machines used the devices to return to the one who threw it.
As the Master Ball floated into his cupped hands, Ash gazed at it in open-mouthed wonder. He didn't wait a second; as soon as he had the ball, he struck up his usual pose and announced with a flourish, "I caught Godzilla! Ha ha!!" "Pi-Pikachu!"
But Misty firmly took his upraised hand and lowered it. With a "Hmm" noise, she turned Ash's hand around to study the Master Ball from behind. "Just as I figured," Misty announced, "You threw the ball, all right. And Godzilla's caught inside it too. But unless that's your new trainer ID number on here, Godzilla's not registered to you and he's not your Pokèmon."
Including Officer Jenny, the humans all leaned over the ball still cupped in Ash's grip. Pikachu peered up from between their feet, concerned but able to see only the front of the ball from his short vantage point.
Ash grumbled, "Yeah, but then whose Pokèball is it?"
When Jenny looked around the group, Brock and Misty quickly confessed it wasn't theirs. Which left Ash looking at where MechaRhydon had disappeared. "It was Team Rocket's," he revealed to the cop.
Misty shivered, "So Godzilla must belong to Jesse or James now."
Brock moaned, "There's a thought."
Jenny's tone was grim. "Looks like it's not a problem. That giant robot went down hard. You three are the only ones I saw escaping from it."
Ash disagreed, shaking his head, "I'm sure they got out of MechaRhydon and are sneaking around here someplace. Trust me, Officer Jenny; those guys always come back. They're like bad gum on your shoe or something you can't get rid of."
The cop actually started to laugh at that analogy. It hurt, though, and she quickly stopped.
Trying to downplay the embarrassment Ash was inflicting upon her, Misty spoke up brightly, "Wait. They said they got the Master Ball from their Boss. Wouldn't that be his Pokèball, then?"
Jenny's face lit up even more than the joy of seeing Godzilla disappear had given her. She snatched the ball away, holding it right in front of her nose in an unbelieving fashion. As if it might fade away to nothingness in her grip if she didn't. "The Boss of Team Rocket," she whispered wonderingly, "Do you know how long we've been after a clue to his identity? Do you?" Ash was glad she only had one hand to spare; he feared Jenny might shake him until he fully realized exactly how long she'd been waiting for this.
"I…I'm sorry, officer," Ash had to break in, "I'm really grateful you sent your Arcanines to save us - we all are…" He paused to let Brock and Misty nod vigorously before continuing, "But Godzilla's in there. He's, he's a very special Pokèmon. He needs…"
Ash broke off at the cross look on Jenny's face. "You seem to know a lot about this Pokèmon," she observed in a tone that allowed no argument, "I suggest you three all stay in town for the next few days. I'll need to talk to all of you first thing in the morning."
She winced as the shoulder above her broken arm twitched automatically. Jenny amended, "Well, maybe first thing in the afternoon, then. But rest assured; Godzilla is staying in this Pokèball and I'm not letting it out of my sight."
So saying, the cop made to put the Master Ball into her equipment purse for safe keeping.
Gently, the Master Ball lifted of its own accord and began floating away.
Sharply, the lady cop glanced around; but all she got was upturned hands and nervous grins assuring her the teens had nothing to do with it. Instead, it was Pikachu's sharp ears who again lead the way as the electric mouse leapt into motion. "Pika? Pikachu! Chu!"
Jenny was forced to throw herself side-saddle onto Arcanine to keep up as the group pelted into a still-standing alleyway. As Misty already suspected, the narrow corridor was lit with a now-familiar mix of roiling colors spilling from a tear in the fabric of her reality itself.
The "g" Unown was there, gently pulling the Master Ball to it with psychic force. Ash motioned Pikachu to stay put with everybody else; then he stepped forward slowly with one hand outstretched. "Wait, c'mon. I've got it under control now. My friends and I can save Godzilla, really we can."
Slowly the Unown shook itself back and forth negatively. "But why?" Ash pleaded.
The Unown blinked; then it reached out to all those assembled with its telepathic powers. In an instant, Ash saw both reminders of his past and images of the Unown's fears in his mind's eye.
As Misty had pointed out, Godzilla would now obey only the Master Ball's owner…and that only if he wanted to, as Charizard's former bad attitude was ample proof. Events had already proven that Ash couldn't recapture Godzilla if he freed the monster and destroyed the Master Ball either. And even if Ash did manage that feat, would he dare unleash Godzilla and try to train him at all during Ash's journey?
Or would it be so dangerous for everyone and everything they came near, that the Master Ball would end up Godzilla's eternal prison? Maybe Officer Jenny would even be forced to just lock the ball away in a cold, dark vault somewhere, forever.
And perhaps worst of all: If the mysterious Boss got his wish and Godzilla fell into his hands, particularly with his minions chasing Ash all the time already…
Ash's hand fell. "You're…you're right, Unown," he gasped slowly, "Godzilla's got to go back." Then his eyes came up, earnestly peering into the Unown's lone orb. "But don't forget what you showed us from his past," Ash reminded, "Nothing will change unless he finds someone to care about. Somebody who cares about him right back!"
Ash found Misty at his side. Her hands were clasped and her eyes shone as Misty quietly bared her soulful plea. "Ash is right, Unown. There must be someone, somewhere, in that world who can do it. Don't let all that's happened be for nothing. Please."
Brock stepped up behind his friends, putting a gentle hand on each shoulder. He didn't need to say anything. His steady gaze remained on the Unown, backing up his friends' feelings with his own.
The Unown pondered these things.
Jenny's eyes shone with uncharacteristic warmth. At least, uncharacteristic compared to how much she actually let herself show when on the job most of the time. The Unown's mental touch had filled her in on the big details of the day at the same time. Despite the carnage Godzilla had caused, she found herself moved by the trio's concern enough to add her own mental plea.
Finally the Unown bobbed up and down in its approximation of a nod.
With that, it and the Master Ball vanished into the rift, which quickly closed behind.
The assembled group of humans and Pokèmon blinked their eyes clear of that last flash. Then Jenny gasped. She quickly fished a small pad and pencil from the equipment purse at her hip. Bracing her implements against Arcanine's back, Jenny jotted down a number before showing it to Brock. "This was the trainer number on that Pokèball, right?!"
"Yeah," Brock encouraged gamely, "I think so."
Unsatisfied, Jenny swung the pad around for Misty and Ash to inspect too. "Tell me this is right and I haven't blown the biggest crime-busting opportunity of the decade!" she cried.
Misty and Ash were quick to reassure her that she had the number right. Jenny seemed to be regaining her composure, but her hand was still shaking a little as she stuffed the pad back in her purse. "Okay," she assured herself and her viewers alike, "It's okay, I lost the physical proof, but it's okay. I can get started on an investigation tomorrow. I'll still want to talk to you guys then, too. But for now, I've got to get busy with the clean-up."
"Let us help!" Ash was quick to volunteer. His friends nodded.
Officer Jenny was all too happy to take them up on that. Politely, they kept up with her hobbling pace as they picked their way toward the start of the alley. Ash found himself contemplating Misty out of the corner of his eyes. She was checking on Togepi and didn't notice.
She sure got on his nerves sometimes. But then she'd turn around and do stuff like supporting him before the Unown, or saying things like, "You can do anything, Ash. I really believe you can," before. She really was something special.
And here he was, proving her trust and the Unown's alike was so misplaced. Ash berated himself under his breath fiercely. He didn't deserve a girl like her. He'd have to work hard; someday, he'd become everything he wanted to be. Everything she deserved. Then Misty's faith in him would be well-founded.
Ash realized the perfect opportunity to test his true worthiness was only days away. He made a vow with himself silently; if he triumphed in the Silver Conference, then he'd see about that card and flowers Joy had mentioned. If not…well, maybe it would be time to stop dragging Misty down with him.
In the face of the ravaged town, none of Ash's friends suspected his dark demeanor had any other cause. Certainly, Silver Town's half-demolished scenery robbed the lot of them of their full heartiness as they worked to aid the wounded. Still, it could have easily been worse.
As the group bent to their task, each was unaware of several sets of crafty eyes studying them through matching pairs of long-range binoculars.
Sighing, Jesse lowered her binoculars and blew a tuft of her extremely ragged, blackened hair out of her eyes. Team Rocket was sitting on a gentle hill outside Silver Town that overlooked the non-damaged section. They'd run that far after escaping MechaRhydon's submergence before they'd figured out Godzilla wasn't chasing them.
She moaned. Shifting her legs forward, Jesse rested her elbows on her knees and cupped her chin in her hands. "We blew it big time. Even for us."
"Yeah," James groaned from a crosslegged pose, "We'll be drummed out of Team Rocket for sure this time. No more forgiveness; we exposed the Boss' secret identity."
Meowth gazed heavenward, sighing, "Why must a certif'ble genious like me be stuck wit' losers like dese?" Before his comrades could get really angry, Meowth spread his forepaws reassuringly. "It's just a numbah. Youse think da Boss don't have cover stories n' fake IDs to keep his secret? Dat copper will never make it stick, even if she does track him down fer dat."
James perked up, "For once, Meowth, you're absolutely right!"
"Thanks, Jimmy," Meowth grinned, "I think. But hey, da twerps will prob'ly head back up Mt. Silver tomorrow. Dey'll be tryin' ta get dat Larvitar back to his poor mudda, remember? So let's get dere first n' give 'em a warm welcome; whaddya say?"
"Quite right, Meowth!" James chortled.
Still twirling her hair between her fingers, Jesse still looked depressed despite their ever-so-cunning plan. Not about the Boss' wrath; still about her hair.
"I don't think I can go back to my unique, beautiful shade of red ever again," Jesse moaned as tears started flowing down her cheeks, "Why did I start dyeing it purple? If I hadn't, it wouldn't have gone up like matchsticks!"
In a rare burst of sympathy, Meowth put a comforting paw on her undamaged forearm. "Maybe youse could still do somethin' wit it," he suggested.
Putting on his best smile, James chimed in enthusiastically, "He's right, Jess! I'd challenge anyone to find a person besides you who knows more about caring for her luxurious hair."
It seemed that flattery really could soothe the savage beast. Jesse's head finally perked up from her grasp; she let her hair go too as her eyes narrowed in thought. Jesse leapt to her feet, clenching her fist with determination. "Okay! I've got the plan! First thing in the morning, we steal some digging tools - and raid the nearest hair salon!!"
Her teammates chorused, "Aye-aye!!"
"Or," Jesse amended quickly, "The salon first and then the tools!"
"Aye-aye!!"
"Wobbuffet!!"
"You don't have any hair! You have fur! What do you care!?!"
"Wobba! Wobba!"
Well, my goodness! Wasn't that an exciting adventure?
Ash, Misty, and Brock learned another valuable lesson to add to their Pokèmon experiences today. Sometimes, things are not what they seem at first…but our heroes found the strength inside to face up to the changes and challenges with flying colors. They were even ready to make big sacrifices to set things right if they must.
Can you, dear reader? Believe in yourself, try hard, and nothing is beyond your grasp!
Of course, some things really are just what they seem. Like with Team Rocket! Will those three ever learn crime doesn't pay?
But more importantly, Officer Jenny finally has a clue to the identity of the ever-enigmatic Boss of Team Rocket. Perhaps, someday, she'll finally be able to expose this nefarious character…
Hey, just who is this Boss guy anyway? I hate it when they keep stuff from us Narrators.
Keep up with us, my faithful readers, in future installments…
No, wait, that's not what my script says. It says, "..installments set in the future.."
Whatever could that mean?
*Ahem* But until then, farewell once more from the wonderful world of Pokèmon!
Thanks for reading!
Somewhere, across the dimensional divide…
*****
Text, original characters, and events Copyright © 2003 Keith E. Kimball. This is a fan work and not for profit.
All other characters, events, and trademarks Copyright © their respective holders including but not limited to Nintendo Company Ltd., Toho Eiga Inc., GameFreak, The Pokèmon Company, Shogakukan Production Inc., 4Kids Entertainment, Sega Enterprises Ltd., etc.