(Cerulean Public Pool, Cerulean City)
The bright sun shone
down on the water, making it sparkle as it splashed about at the hands
of the little children playing in the pool. Adults swam laps around the
mass of kids, and the adolescents spent their time hanging around the edge
of the deep end. All in all, it was a normal summer day at the Cerulean
Public Pool.
A psyduck stood at the wet surface around
the pool, looking down at the water in his normal puzzled face.
"Psy yi yi?"
He took a step closer and slipped, as always
his downfall. Misty hung her head and sighed as Psyduck fell into the pool
and started flailing about.
"Oh Psyduck…"
As she reached down to pick him out of the
water, her sister Daisy stood behind her, her hands on her hips.
"Like, it must be
really embarrassing. To like, have a water pokémon that doesn't
know how to swim. I know I'd be like, totally humiliated."
Misty cut her eyes at her sister.
"Well, for your information,
Psyduck does know how to swim! He just…uh…he just doesn't want to!"
Daisy raised an eyebrow and watched the struggling
pokémon.
"Like, sure, Misty."
Misty sighed as Daisy walked away and looked
back at Psyduck.
"You are humiliating,"
she grumbled, calling him back into his pokeball.
Daisy walked into a small building where
Lily was sitting cross-legged in a chair facing the television set.
"Like, Daisy! Listen
to this!"
Daisy went over to her sister.
"What is it?"
Lily pointed to the TV. Professor Oak was
standing with a reporter on what seemed to be the road to the mountains
behind Pallet Town.
"But Professor,"
the reporter was saying. "I don't see anything out of the ordinary here."
"That's right. You
can't see anything at first."
Professor Oak slipped on a rubber glove and
placed his hand in the area behind him. The reporter stepped back as sparks
of black electricity flew out at them. Lily and Daisy gasped.
"Hey, what's on?"
Misty asked as she came in.
"Shh!"
Misty looked at the TV.
"Professor, what
is going on?" The reporter asked.
"I'm not entirely
sure. Someone or something doesn't want us up in those mountains. And I'm
sure it has something to do with all that strange smoke coming from there.
I must admit, I'm a little lost."
Misty's eyes widened.
"That's Pallet Town…I
hope Ms. Ketchum is all right…"
At that moment, Violet stepped in from the
back room.
"Like, girls, something
weird is happening in Pallet Town."
"Yeah, we know."
"I just like, got
off the phone with Blaine. He wants us to come to Cinnabar Island for like,
a small conference about this!"
Daisy and Lily nodded. Misty glanced at the
TV.
"You girls go to
Cinnabar. I gotta go to Pallet and make sure everyone's okay."
"Like, Misty, you
can't be serious!"
Misty nodded. Daisy sighed.
"Like…all right,
Misty. But you like, be careful."
"Don't worry, I will."
(New Team Rocket HQ, Rooftop, Viridian City)
The golbat shivered
at the feel of the cold metal against its neck. The rocket grunt nudged
him with his gloved hand, making him fly off the roof with the rest of
the group. Mondo watched them take to the sky, the little cameras flashing
around their necks.
"I talked to Jessie
and James last night."
Mondo turned his head to look at Meowth who
was entering the rooftop from the elevator.
"Oh? You mean they
actually got to the hotel at a decent hour?"
Meowth smirked.
"Those two never
fail to amaze me… Anyways, I told 'em about what happened to Botch and
Crappidy."
Mondo smiled weakly.
"Must you refer to
them like that…?"
Meowth crossed his arms.
"Fine, fine. Butch
and Cassidy. Funny though…I thought they'd be a bit more excited at da
news."
"You mean they weren't
excited?"
Meowth shrugged.
"Well…it turns out
they heard something was goin' on in the Indigo Mountains. Heard it on
da news. Whitney got a call from Blaine, the gym leader of Cinnabar Island,
and she gotta go dere for some kinda conference thingy. Gary's goin' wit
her."
"Oh… What about James
and Miss Jessie?"
"Dey should be gettin'
back to HQ sometime tomorra."
Mondo looked out towards the disappearing
group of golbats with a worried expression.
"I hope it's nothing
too serious… I'd hate for Butch and Cassidy to get hurt…"
(Oak Laboratory, Pallet Town)
"So you see, Professor…I'd
like to come to Valencia. All this that's happening here in Pallet…it's
all happened before."
Professor Oak saw Professor Ivy's hand tighten
around the receiver.
"It's happened before?
What are you talking about, Professor?"
"It's a long story,
and I don't have time to tell you now. But I'll be in Valencia as soon
as possible. Professor Elm will be as well."
Professor Ivy nodded.
"All right. If you
feel it's absolutely necessary."
Samuel's eyes narrowed.
"Oh believe me, it
is. If it is as I remember it from before…all those years ago…then the
worst is yet to come."
"Professor…I don't
know what's going on, but you have my full support on whatever you plan
to do."
"Thank you, Professor
Ivy. I'll see you soon."
Professor Oak turned from the phone to see
Ash standing in the doorway, staring at him.
"Oh, Ash. I didn't
see you standing there."
"Professor…what's
going on? What did you mean when you said it's happened before?"
Samuel looked at the floor sadly.
"Oh, you heard that,
did you? Ash, I don't want you getting involved in this. It's far too dangerous."
Ash shook his head.
"Professor, since
when has that stopped me? If something bad is going to happen to Pallet
Town, I need to stop it!"
Professor Oak stood and placed a hand on his
shoulder.
"It's more than just
Pallet… This is bigger than that."
"But if it's just
Team Rocket…"
"It isn't, Ash. The
organization may have something to do with it, but it's not all them. I'm
sorry, Ash. I can't allow you to get mixed up in this."
Ash stared at him for a several minutes until
Professor Oak stepped around him. He heard the professor's footsteps as
he descended down the stairs, his hands clenched.
Professor…I don't how, but I'm going to
find out what you know. There's something evil going on up there…and if
you won't tell me, I'll find somebody who will.
End of Chapter Three
