Ba, Ba, Barbara
Disclaimer: J epo'u pxo Qplfnpo. (No, not French: Caesar's shift forward 1. Or...
JUST READ CHAPTERS ONE TO TEN!)
"Ha ha ha ha!" laughed Jessie.
Currently, the crew was lying amongst the rubble, arguing with the author.
Meowth tiptoed up, and took Pikachu. Now, this would have been the perfect time to run out the door. But instead, they bungled into the Digatron™. The gang turned to see them preparing to go.
"Go, Pikachu!" shouted Ash. He sweatdropped and looked around.
"Pikachu? PIKACHU?" Everyone facefaulted (or anime fell).
"Squirtle, go!" The Water-type Pokémon came out of its ball.
"Charmander, use Flamethrower! Squirtle, use Hydro Pump!" The two attacks struck the Digatron™ – and did nothing.
"You don't know that the Digatron™ is flameproof and waterproof. So there's nothing you can do!" jeered James. He pressed a button, and a jet of water shot out of a hatch. It soaked the gang, and the stones behind them. Another button, and some lightning flew out. Everyone dodged it easily apart from Ash.
"Ow."
The wall behind frazzled and sparked. Brock examined it. There was a small fragment of metal from the Digatron™'s cone, which was where the sparking was coming from. He called Ash over, and they whispered to each other.
"Charmander, use Fire Spin!" The tornado of fire spun into the gently whirring nosecone of the machine. This caused areas of the cone to melt.
TR laughed: "Your fire cannot harm us!" Brock pulled out a PokéBall. "Geodude, go! Use Strength!" The rocky Pokémon pushed the molten metal into a track, leading behind the gang. "Squirtle, use Water Gun!" Team Rocket closed the window they were shouting from. However, the stream of water followed the metal track to the nosecone. "Lightning Attack!" yelled the fearsome threesome, pushing the button. "Now!" shouted Misty. The gang leapt out of the way, and the electricity hit the metal track. It conducted along it, with the help of the water, and hit the nosecone. The power surged through the metal, and short-circuited the control panel.
"I told you to electricity proof it!" cried Jessie.
"But we had Pikachu, so we weren't in danger of electricity!" countered James.
"We are now!" yelled Meowth. The panel exploded, sending a charge through the whole vehicle.
"How will we say it now?"
"What about in a really bad French accent?"
"OK."
"LOKES LICK TOME RICKET'S BLESTONG UFF IGAN!"
Ping, twinkle.
"Now that's dealt with, it's time to challenge me!" said Barbara.
"You're on!" replied Ash.
"Let's move out of here to battle."
Barbara cleared some rubble to reveal a trapdoor.
The crew climbed through the door, up another staircase, and emerged in a large stone hall, with a moat running through the middle.
"One-on-one, no time limit!" said Bernard. Ash and Barbara squared each other up.
"I will use Sandslash!" said Barbara, chucking the Ball.
Ash threw another Ball, saying: "Squirtle, go!"
"Begin!" shouted Bernard, dropping his hand. Sandslash did a somersault over the river, and Squirtle dove in. When Sandslash was hanging in mid-air over the river, Squirtle aimed a Water Gun straight up. It caught Sandslash's leg. The Pokémon dropped onto the floor, and collapsed. It pulled itself up, dragging its foot along the ground, and shot some sand into the air. It landed in Squirtle's eyes. The turtle flinched and fired a water jet. It hit the riverbank. It fired more frenzied attacks, and they all missed. Sandslash approached. It dug into the ground, and popped out under the river. It then retreated into the tunnel. The river started to drain. Squirtle felt it, and plunged underwater. The force of the water draining cleansed its face. Squirtle looked around, and saw the draining water: alarmed, it swam into the tunnel. It dug into the floor and kicked the dirt up, clogging the tunnel. It rammed forward, through the tunnel, and hit a hard object; undaunted, it continued pushing, and the object popped out like a champagne cork.
Sandslash flew out of the tunnel it was stuck in, hit the ceiling, and landed in the now-still river. Squirtle hauled itself out of the cave to see the fretting Barbara trying to reach Sandslash. Squirtle sprang into the water, and pulled Sandslash. The plug in the tunnel started to ease away. Squirtle grabbed the bank, and the plug came away. It lost its grip and the unfortunate Sandslash started to get sucked down the tunnel. Squirtle's eyes widened, and it let go of the bank. Fumbling about in the water, it felt a pat from Sandslash's hand. It tugged on it, and smiled. The force from the water falling away was powerful, but it paddled with all its might. Succeeding, it heaved Sandslash onto the bank, and then lugged itself on too.
Barbara rushed over to Sandslash.
"Are you OK? Speak to me!"
"San..." said Sandslash. It opened its eyes, and breathed heavily.
"Yes!" cried Barbara. She looked at Ash. He was leaning over the fainted Squirtle.
"Oh–sorry."
In the Pokémon Centre, the gang waited outside the room.
"The sad thing is," said Ad, "that your Squirtle fainted before the Sandslash, so, technically, you lost." Ash paced the room.
"I'll never finish the Alternative League like this, or all my Pokémon'll be finished." The light flashed. The Chanseys wheeled the stretcher out into the waiting room. Ash rushed over, and peeled back the blanket. Underneath, Squirtle popped happily up.
"Squirt squirt Squirtle!"
"Thank goodness you're OK!" Ash thought for a moment.
"I know you may have lost the battle, but don't worry. I still care for you."
Bernard nudged Barbara. "Now."
Barbara stepped forward. "Um, I know how brave Squirtle was, so so that it doesn't have to fight again, I want you to have this." She held out a small, ovoid egg-shaped object coloured grey. "It's the Pebble Badge," explained Barbara.
"But I didn't win!" said Ash in protest. "Yes, but your Squirtle fought so bravely back then, I think I just have to stop it being forced to battle again."
"OK." Ash thought. "I got the sixth Badge!"
"Ah ah ah!" Misty wagged her finger.
"Squirtle got the sixth badge!"
"Squirt!" said Squirtle, doing a V-sign.
"I already explained to Misty ages ago: that's my sign!"
"Well, Ash," said Brock, "you should be flattered that other people are copying your sign."
"SHUTTUP!"
"You failed me?"
"W-w-well, sir, I tried as hard as I could, but they were just too powerful."
"Come here, you!" boomed the man. The servant scampered over.
"You promised me he would not fail!"
"I never did, sir. I said that he was guaranteed to win."
"Big difference," said the man. The man who spoke second started to creep away.
"Stay here! It is you who are causing me this discussion anyway. The least you can do is listen."
"S-s-sorry boss. I thought I was finished with."
"Right. I'll refer you to the Department of Evil Plans. Listen to them, then get snatching!' The servant and stammering man left. The boss leaned back in his chair, and stroked his cat.
"This must work."
Whoa! A spooky ending to that one. Sorry if you've had to wait a while, but I'm hoping it's worth it.
GOODNIGHT!