-Chapter Three-

(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