Here's a little somthing for you patient people.

Episode 8: Lose a little, get a little something back

Chapter 1

Ash and his team arrived into Phanec city. Unlike most towns, this one looked the most pleasant and clean. Upon arrival, a cell phone was ringing from Stevens's pocket. "Excuse me," he said as he walked away.

"Hmm," Brock said as he sniffed. "Nice scent."

"Pika," Pikachu squeaked, agreeing with Brock.

"Wonder where it's coming from?" Ash asked.

"Oh, it's coming from the flowers," Mecha replied. "This city is famous for being so elegant and beautiful… although I'm not a big fan of those things."

"Ash wasn't a fan of those things until he asked me out," Misty said.

"And you were real scrawny about it," Ash mumbled to himself.

"What did you say?" Misty yelled as she raised her hands in an attempt to strangle the frightened Ash until…

"No time to waste," Stevens said, as he walked back to his group and placed away cell phone. "Remember, this is the rendezvous point and I got a call from Jenny. She said me that we'll be meeting one of our informants at the cinema in half an hour."

"Okay," Ash replied. "But first, we need to get to the pokemon center. Pikachu could use a few snacks."

"Not a bad idea," Stevens said. "Plus, we'll need a change of clothes."

Fifteen minutes later, which could've been shorter if Brock would've stopped flirting with the pretty nurse at the pokemon center, they visited the cinema, expecting to meet their informant. Upon arrival inside the cinema, the place looked rather posh and luxurious, such as red, black, and white patterned carpet and plants placed to both sides of the doors.

They were wearing the same attire (except Mecha), as they wore a long black leather jacket each, with matching black jeans and t-shirts.

"We're gonna have to buy ourselves some tickets," Stevens whispered to the others. "We can't give ourselves away just in case Team Dark are onto us."

They walked to the information booth and picked up a leaflet, which showed a list of different movies being shown in different theatres.

"The movie we're looking for is called 'The Messenger,' Stevens said as he looked into the leaflet. "Which is in theatre seven."

"The Messenger…" Ash said. "I heard that it got low ratings and the critics hated it, I don't know why we would want to see that movie."

"That's the reason why we're meeting our informant there," Stevens said. "There'd be less chance of Team Dark finding us there, plus there's less chance of risking the innocent."

They entered the theatre. Upon entry, the room has a number of rows of ten red-coloured seats each, and the carpet was patterned with red, white, black, and brown colours. At the end of the theatre was a large red curtain, hiding the screen that would be showing a movie soon. As the group looked round, no one was there, not even the informant.

"He must be running late," Stevens said. "Let's take our seats."

They sat somewhere in one of the middle rows and waited patiently for the informant to arrive. After a few minutes of waiting the curtains lifted and it showed a couple of previews of upcoming movies, then it showed the main movie, 'The Messenger'.

"Greetings, Detective Stevens," a man said as he suddenly appeared on-screen, much to the shock of Ash and his teammates. His face was blurry, so he's identity was hidden from them.

"If you're watching this, then you are aware that the world is in grave danger," he continued. "The other groups should have receive their respective information on them that will share with you later on. The film you're about to see reflects on what plans the Team Dark Leader has in mind for world domination."

The following screens showed scientists testing their chemicals on various pokemon, which would increase their strengths and other statistics, but some of the chemicals killed some of them, as they were too poisonous for them.

Then they showed a masked Machamp smashing robots to pieces while the scientists were observing him from another room. The mask looked like a mask to stop the Machamp biting people. It was smashing robots in a psychotic way, caused by the tests and chemicals the scientists ran on him.

"Samson…" Mecha whispered.

"Did you say something?" Stevens asked.

"Huh?" Mecha asked, realising what he had just said. "Er… no."

"Look at those pokemon," Misty said sympathetically.

"They can't do this," Ash said, gnarling his teeth with anger.

"So that's the information that guy is providing," Brock said. "I wonder if…"

Suddenly, the screen went fuzzy, much to the group's surprise. Then a group of Team Dark grunts barged into the room. "Team Dark! They must've messed up the film!" Stevens yelled.

"Pikachu!" Ash yelled as he got up to his feet. "Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu leapt into the air and let out a huge cry as sparks of lightning came shooting out of his body, shocking most of the grunts. As the action continued, Stevens thought about the film. "Guys," Stevens whispered, catching Mecha, Brock and Misty's attention. "I'm going to look for the film, one of you come with me."

"I'll go," Brock whispered as he followed Stevens from behind.

Back at the battle scene, Ash ordered Pikachu to take out the last standing group with his Iron Tail attack. Pikachu did as he was instructed as he slammed his vigorously glowing tail onto the face of the grunt, knocking him out.

"We did it, Pikachu!" Ash yelled.

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu squeaked, showing a 'V' sign with its paws.

As Ash turned round, only Misty was there. "Hey! Where's Brock and Stevens?" he asked.

"They've gone to look for that film," Misty replied.

Sure enough, Stevens and Brock spotted a grunt that was carrying the film in a bag and gave chase. Noticing that grunt was running faster than both of them, Stevens took out his pokeball. "Quicksilver! Go!" he yelled as he tossed out his pokeball.

"Scyther!" A green grasshopper-like pokemon cried as it materialised from coming out of its pokeball.

"Quicksilver!" Stevens yelled. "Get that grunt!"

Quicksilver obeyed its master as it quickly flew past the grunt and landed in front of him, threatening to attack. The grunt turned round to see if there was any other way to escape, but he was surrounded when Brock and Stevens closed in.

"Hand over the film!" Brock demanded.

The grunt looked over the shoulder of his pursuers and saw another bunch of grunts coming his way. "Catch!" he yelled as he tossed the film over the heads of Brock and Stevens.

One of the grunts were about to catch the film but got knocked to the floor by Mecha, who successfully caught the film instead.

Ash and Misty ran into the scene and yelled to Mecha to throw it back to him, but the other grunts surrounded Mecha. Thinking quickly, Ash took out a pokeball off his belt. "Go, Swellow!" Ash yelled as he tossed it out.

A red, white and black bird materialised from its pokeball. Realising what Ash's plan was, he tossed the bag up into the air. "Swellow! Grab that bag!" Ash yelled. Swellow obeyed as he flew towards the bag and grabbed it with its beak.

The grunts looked up at Swellow as it flew around the entrance hall of the cinema. Seeing them distracted, Ash took his chance to whisper his plan to Misty. "Misty," he whispered. "Run over to the entrance way, use one of your pokemon if you have to, I'll get Swellow to drop the film to ya. You need to catch the film and make a run for it back to the pokemon center. Stevens, Brock and I will take care of the grunts."

Being slightly hesitant, Misty gave a small nod, hoping that this plan will work. As planned, while the grunts were trying to get the film from Swellow, Misty quickly crept over to the entranceway with her back by the walls. Finally, she made it.

"Swellow! Fly towards Misty and drop the film!" Ash yelled as he saw her at her target location.

Swellow did as it was instructed as it dropped the film, with Misty catching successfully. "I got it!" Misty yelled triumphantly.

Suddenly, a pair of grey hands grabbed her from behind, much to the shock of Ash and his teammates. Ash ran to get Misty's kidnapper when the grunts blocked the entranceway. "We don't think so, kid!" yelled one of the grunts letting the kidnapper get away.

"They must be working with that thief!" Stevens yelled. "We have to get through them to get the film back!"

"Misty as well," Ash snarled, gnarling his teeth.

Suddenly, an explosion occurred from the entranceway, knocking down some of the grunts. That caught the attentions of the grunts, Ash, Stevens and Brock as they turned to the direction of the explosion. It turned that it was Wes, with his Tyranitar standing beside him.

"You guys have a party and you didn't invite us?" Wes said coolly as his respective team arrived to the scene.

"Ludicolo! Go!" Brock yelled out as he tossed out his pokeball.

A strange Mexican plant-like pokemon materialised from its pokeball. "Use your Water Gun!" Brock yelled.

Ludicolo breathed in and shot out a huge fountain out of its mouth, knocking down some of the grunts and making a clear path.

"Get going, Ash!" Brock yelled. "Misty needs you!"

Ash nodded and ran towards the entranceway, with Pikachu jumping to his shoulder as he recalled Swellow. "Ash," Rui yelled. "Where are you going?"

"To save Misty," Ash yelled as he ran into the direction the kidnapper went. As Ash left the battle scene, a few more familiar figures entered it as Jenny, one of Wes's teammates turned round and looked at them with a smile on her face.

Meanwhile, as Ash ran around the corner, he and Pikachu looked at the backdoor being slammed shut. Assuming that the kidnapper went through there, Ash ran to the door and he and Pikachu pulled it with everything they've got. "It won't budge," he said with a strain.

Ash let go of the door handle and took out a pokeball. "Meganium!" Ash yelled as he tossed it out. "I choose you!"

The green dinosaur-like pokemon, with petals around came out of its pokeball, yelling out its name. "Meganium," Ash yelled. "Break the door down!"

Meganium did as she was told as she ran like a Tauros and slammed its body onto to door, breaking it down. "Nice one, Meganium!" Ash said as he returned Meganium back into her pokeball.

He, with Pikachu on his shoulder, quickly ran up the stairs and spotted a grey figure at the top of the stairs. "Ash! Help!" yelled a familiar voice.

"Misty!" Ash yelled as he started running up the stairs as fast as he could.

The kidnapper turned out to be the psychotic masked Machamp as he made it to the roof with Misty on its shoulder. Misty struggled to break free from its grasp, but Machamp still won't let go until he dropped her on her back. He then snatched the bag with the film in it away from Misty and gave her a psychotic stare with a nasty growl.

Soon, a black helicopter with a huge red D written on flew by and the driver spotted the masked Machamp. He looked up and saw it flying down to him, he then maliciously looked at Misty and gave her a nasty growl as it grabbed onto the railings beneath the helicopter while holding onto the bag.

Misty decided to take a risk as she leapt and grabbed onto the Machamp. As she did, Ash finally got to the top of the building and saw Misty holding on to the masked Machamp. Misty spotted Ash and yelled out that Machamp got the film.

"Hey!" Ash yelled as he ran to the edge of the roof. "Give her back!"

The driver of the helicopter told Machamp to shake Misty off him. Machamp did as he was told as he shook Misty off, making her fall a great height, much to Ash and Pikachu's horror.