Chapter 7

Enter Team Rocket

The sky above Ilex Forest was dark, courtesy of the thick tree branches that formed a thick canopy over the forest floor. Contrary to our talkative nature on the road, mine and Ash's journey through the Ilex Forest passed pretty much in silence. Crickets chirped in the bushes, the air was thick and humid, and creepy crawly bugs could be seen scurrying here and there.

"It's so dense in here… it's like the air is closing in around us…" I whispered.

"Yeah…" Ash agreed. We walked in silence for a while more. "Look out!" he cried, and I ducked just in time to avoid knocking into a Kakuna nest.

"Yowza!" I cried, "Wow I'll bet you never brought Misty in here!"

"Can we stop talking about Misty?" Ash said, frowning.

"Ah, sorry man… you're taking it hard, huh?"

"Yeah…"

We continued walking, and all of a sudden, the bushes began rustling furiously, and then a wild Scyther jumped out of the brush and stood before us, snarling.

"Dude! It's a Scyther!" I exclaimed.

"Catch it," Ash suggested.

"All right," I said, pulling out Meganium's Poke Ball. "Let's go, buddy! Use Return!" Meganium stored power, and then unleashed it furiously on Scyther. Scyther took the hit hard, and began to sway.

"I think I got him!" I said. But then the Scyther began to glow, and then it jumped upright again. "Damn it, it's holding a Gold Berry! Meganium, Return again!" This time, Scyther was clearly ready to be caught. I searched my bag, but found that I had no Poke Balls. "Ash, do you have a ball I can use?"

"Um, yeah, let me check…. I think I may have a Great Ball you can use." He fumbled with his bag, but then, a distant rumbling started shaking the forest, growing louder.

"What is that?" I shouted over the noise.

"I don't know," he shouted back. Suddenly, a massive stampede of forest Pokemon came bursting through the trees, running towards us at full speed. "Get out of the way!" he screamed, and we jumped into the bushes just as the stampede rushed past, scattering birds and caterpillars flying, disappearing into the thickets.

"What do you suppose that was all about?" I asked after I had caught my breath.

"I don't know…" Ash whispered. "It can't be good… let's follow where they came from."

We took the path into the woods and came to a clearing where the shrine of the Forest Protector sat. Put Ash instantly pushed me down… for, standing in the clearing were several members of the infamous gang, Team Rocket.

"It's Team Rocket!" I whispered.

"I can see that!" Ash whispered back. "Whatever you do, don't move or speak!" I nodded. We edged forward to try to hear what was being said.

"…and personally, I think it's a crock!" said a rough-edged voice.

"Oh, you don't know nothing," said another voice. "But the boss knows, and if the boss says it's going to happen, it's gonna happen."

"So what the hell are we doing here anyway?" said another man.

"Scouting," said a smoother voice. "The Boss wants us to see if there's anything around Celebi's shrine that contains evidence of what's to come."

"Celebi…" I whispered. Celebi was the benevolent protector of the Ilex Forest from years and years ago… what could be happening?

"Well I don't see anything…" said the first voice. "We're wasting time."

I tried to creep just a little bit closer, so that I could see the shrine, and my knee snapped a twig.

"What was that???" the rough voice asked, spinning around sharply. All the men withdrew their Poke Balls from their belts.

I frowned. This was downright wrong. Team Rocket had pulled some foul stunts in the past, but if they were planning to mess with the guardian of time itself, it meant serious trouble. I stood up.

"Kid what are you doing?" Ash whispered furiously. But it was too late.

"Who are you???" The Rockets demanded.

"I am Paul Cricklin!" I declared. "And me and my friend Ash aren't going to let you do anything to Celebi!"

"Mentions me…. Stupid stupid kid…" Ash grumbled, slapping his head. He had no choice but to stand up.

"Hey! It's the one they call the twerp!" the rockets said, looking at each other. Ash waved shyly.

The Rockets regarded each other, then looked at us and grinned. "Lookit, kids, we've no time to mess with brats like you. You cannot begin to understand what we're up to." He turned. "Move out, men!" the Rockets turned, formed ranks, and marched out of the forest.

When they were gone, Ash smacked me with his hat. "That was a damn stupid thing to do!" he said. "Why did you have to stand up like that?"

"Hey, I'm sorry, all right? I made a mistake."

"The hell you did. If you get the whole Rocket organization against you, you're in deep trouble."

"Whatever," I said, brushing myself off.

Ash rolled his eyes. "Well, let's get out of here. We're almost through the forest."

And so we continued through the Ilex Forest, ever closer to Olivine City.