The Author's Intervention
"Are you sure this is the way to the next gym, Brock?"
"Well, not entirely, Ash. It would be a bit better if I had enough light to read this thing. Even with this flashlight I can't make out the words, but it does look like there's a rest stop in that direction."
"It's pitch black out and we're in the middle of a forest, why'd you have to insist that we keep going, Ash? I should be in a nice comfortable bed, getting my beauty sleep!"
"Pika-chu!"
"Because, Misty, I need more badges. I can't do that if we don't push a little. And before you ask, no, we are not lost."
Yet.
Yes, friends. Join us in yet another of Ash and companies' perilous adventures with the three heroes of our story, four if you include Pikachu. Together, these friends face dangers, obstacles, and adversities of all varieties, using their inherent strengths, knowledge, quick thinking, and, of course, Pokémon to escape certain tragedy, and to claim victory no matter what the odds.
"I have a bad feeling about this, Jessie."
"Meowth. Dat comes from be'n a wimp."
"Meowth's right, James. You need to get a backbone. We're Team Rocket after all."
Oh yeah. Team Rocket; the ever-bumbling terrible trio. When I say terrible, I'm referring to their competency, not their reputation.
These Pokémon thieves are always on the lookout for a chance to steal Ash's Pikachu. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on whose side you're on, their attempts are for naught. No matter how foolproof one of their plans is; they show that they're just the fools to prove otherwise.
"Think, James," Jessie began.
"If dat's possible," Meowth interrupted.
Jessie continued.
"Remember how we used to do before we ran into the Twerps?"
"You mean those kids that travel around with that Pikachu that we're after? Before we met them, we were actually recognized as criminals."
"Exactly. So what does that mean?"
"We need to retire?"
Jessie glared.
"No, James," she growled, "What it means is that we just need to avoid Ash and that Pikachu of his."
His idea does have some merit, though.
"Ash and his Pikachu are de only reezin our plans ain't woikin. If we steal Pokémon somewhere else den dey can't get in our way."
What's this? Team Rocket? Actually coming up with a good idea? One that sounds like it could work? Something must be wrong here. Let me go check the script. I'll be back in a second.
"But Jessie, how are we going to be sure that they won't show up?"
"Simple, we just go find new territory. Somewhere where no one else has been."
Jessie posed dramatically, pointing her finger out into the distance.
"To seek out new civilizations and Pokémon, to boldly go where no Pokémon thief has gone before."
James jumped to his feet, mimicking Jessie's pose.
"Make it so, Number one."
-
"All right, Ash," Misty snarled, "You'd better have a good explanation for this. Where ARE we? We've been wandering around all night!"
"Misty," Brock interrupted, "it would probably be easier for Ash to answer your question if he could breath."
"Huh? Oh."
Misty let go of Ash's throat and let him drop to the ground.
"Okay Ash, tell me again how we are not lost."
Ash sweat-dropped, nervously.
"Well Misty, Brock is the one who has the map. Doesn't he have some idea what's going on?"
"Actually Ash, I do," Brock replied, "The map was upside-down."
"WHAATT!"
"PIKAAA!"
Brock suddenly realized that his next words could determine his fate.
"Well, I wasn't able to read the words on the map, because of how dark it was, and you know why we were out so late."
Misty glared at Ash, eyes slit dangerously. Ash swallowed nervously, and edged back.
Wow. The focus of danger is just bouncing back and forth like a Ping-Pong ball.
"Thanks a lot, Brock," Ash muttered.
He quickly went through the list of possible ways out of his predicament. He decided to try distraction.
"Well, where are we then, Brock?"
Brock pulled out the map and began to make a few calculations.
"Let's see, taking our rate of travel, with our starting position, and direction, taking into account the spots where we got side tracked... We should be right here."
Brock placed his finger on the only spot on the map that was blank.
Wrong choice, Ash.
"This is all your fault! ASH!"
Misty pulled out a mallet. Ash started to scramble out of harms way.
Too late. Oh, Ow, that had to hurt! Ouch! Woah, nice back swing, though. Here it comes, oh! There he goes! Fortunately that tree broke his fall, though who knows what else.
Ash lay unconscious on the ground. Misty sat down next to Brock and fumed while Pikachu zapped Ash for good measure.
I told you they'd get lost.
"What kind of stupid map has a hole in the middle of it?"
"This isn't a hole, Misty. This is part of the map."
"Huh?"
Pikachu finished electrocuting Ash and came over to listen to what Brock was saying.
"It's like the Bermuda Triangle, except it's definitely real. For some reason, out of all the people that have gone into this area, none have come back."
"Huh? What's going on?"
Ash was getting back up. He rubbed his head dizzily. Misty huffed angrily.
"'What's going on?' I'll tell you what's going on! We're lost, in a place separated from civilization, and we'll probably never get back!"
Misty sniffed.
"This is all your fault."
Ash stared at Misty.
"Are- are you... crying?"
Brock knelt down next to Misty.
"C'mon Misty, it probably isn't that bad."
"You're right, Brock," Misty sobbed, "It's probably a lot worse!"
Ash watched Misty uncertainly as tears slowly ran down her cheeks.
"I guess I got us into this mess. Well then, I'm going to get us out of it."
"Pi-KA!"
"How?"
Ash paused for a moment.
"I... haven't quite figured that part out yet."
Pikachu face-faulted.
"Chaaa!"
You go, Ash. As usual, act first, then think. That way you can have the added fun of kicking yourself in the butt for being such an idiot.
"I don't understand this," Jessie snarled, "All the places on these maps have been discovered already."
Speaking of idiots...
The floor of the public library was completely covered with maps of various sizes and geographic locations. There were even drifts and mounds that rose nearly six inches. Jessie and James sat in the middle desperately looking for the map that they needed.
"Grrr, I've just about had it!"
"Jessie, I was wondering. If there's a place that has a map of it, doesn't that mean it's been discovered already?"
Jessie stared for a moment, thinking about this question. Before she had a chance to answer, though, one of the piles began to shift.
"Meowth. I tink I found it."
"You did? That's wonderful! Let me see."
Jessie grabbed the map that Meowth held.
"See dat blank spot in da middle? Dat's gotta be unexplohde territory."
James stood up.
"We have the plan, we have the ability... Let's go!"
Ahh, the plot thickens.-
"What are you so worried about anyway, Misty," Ash asked, "We've been lost before."
"Yeah, but before we were just lost in the woods. This is the type of thing my sisters used to tease me about; Booby trapped mansions, people getting stuck in closets and winding up skeletons, getting on rides and not coming off... You don't know what that's like."
I was wondering why she reacted so badly when Brock told her where they were.
Ash watched Misty quietly. She had always been so confident, even if she was scared she still had enough nerve to yell at him if he did something stupid.
It was like how he could always depend on Pikachu to get him out of any scrape, or like how he could always depend on Brock to go Gaa-gaa over any girl he saw. Now, Misty hadn't even thrown an annoyed glance his way.
"Don't worry, Misty. I'll get us out of this mess."
Do I detect a hint of compassion here?
Ash looked over to Brock, who was pacing around behind them.
"Do you think we're really stuck here, Brock?"
"I'm not sure, Ash. This isn't your normal rumor story, there has been scientifically documented evidence that nobody has ever gone in and come back out. Even radio signals and satellites don't register this area."
Ash sighed.
"Let's keep going and see if we can get out anyway. C'mon, Misty, we gotta move it."
Pikachu hopped up onto Ash's shoulder.
"You coming, Brock?"
Brock looked at Ash and Misty thoughtfully.
"You guys go on ahead, I'll catch up in a sec. I want to make a few more calculations."
"Okay."
Ash started walking back the way they had come. Misty got up and followed him. Brock watched until they disappeared into the trees.
"Misty is completely out of it, Ash is keeping a level head... What's going on here?"
Brock gathered up the supplies and started to move to catch up with Ash. He turned suddenly and caught the movement of a shadow flitting across the treetops.
"What's that?"
The shadow stopped moving for a moment. It was humanoid, but Brock wasn't able to make out any features.
"If I were you, I wouldn't move, my squinty eyed friend."
Brock froze as he felt something sharp jab into his back. He carefully glanced around him. He made out a few lightly armored men and even a few women similarly dressed. They all carried some sort of short sword or staff. Brock looked up to see the shadowy figure vanish suddenly.
"This is not my day."
"Are you sure we should be going without Brock?"
"He'll be all right, Misty."
Suuuure he will.
"I was talking about us, Ash. There's something about this forest that gives me the creeps."
"Pi-Ka!"
"I know, that's why I want to get out of here. Pikachu can handle anything that comes up along the way."
Pikachu struck a Superman pose.
"Pika-Chu!"
"That's right, Pikachu. Together we shall triumph!"
"Will you two blockheads quit fooling around."
Ash and Pikachu high-fived each other.
"All right, Misty's back!"
-
"Are we there yet?"
"For the fifth time, James, not yet."
"Actually, we should be comin up on it now."
Team Rocket rolled up to a stretch of rocky ground that ran across the edge of the forest. Jessie opened the top of the Gyarados tank and scrutinized the scene in front of them.
"This is it?"
James popped up beside her.
"Looks creepy."
"Maybe, dat's why dey didn't explore it."
James shaded his eyes with a hand and looked into the forest.
"Hey, what's that?"
Jessie looked into the woods. There were two figures walking slowly towards them.
"It's the Twerps!"
"How did they find us!"
"Our plan was foolproof!"
But not Team Rocket proof.
Jessie shifted into her no nonsense mode.
"Quick, James. You get out and circle around behind them. I'll put on the camouflage and lay in wait for them here."
"I'll get da 'Pikachu Carry Case' ready."
"But when will we do the motto?"
"We'll do that while we grab Pikachu."
"All right!"
"All right! We're at the edge!"
"Pi-KA!"
"I told you that we'd be okay, Misty."
Despite the assurance that he gave, Ash's feeling of impending danger had gotten even worse.
"C'mon, Ash, the sooner we get out of this creepy place, the better."
Misty began to pull on Ash's arm.
"Hurry up."
"I'm coming."
"Surprise!"
"What?"
Ash and Misty turned around to see James pop up behind them.
"Zap him, Pikachu!"
"PIKAAA!"
"Yaaaahaahaaaooow!"
James lay on the ground, crackling with electricity.
"That hurt."
Jessie watched as James' "surprise" attack failed miserably.
"I knew he wasn't cut out for this 'bad guy' business."
"Why don't ya tell im to hit da road den?"
"Because he's so pathetic, he'd never last without me keeping an eye on him."
"Looks like he could use a hand now."
Jessie opened the top of the tank and aimed a bazooka of some sort at Pikachu.
"To protect the world from devastation."
James looked up.
"To unite all peoples within our nation."
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."
"To extend our reach to the stars above."
Jessie pulled the trigger on the Bazooka.
"Jessie."
The bazooka shot out a huge suction cup at Pikachu. Pikachu turned to dodge, but was caught by the suction cup anyway. Jessie pressed a button and began to reel Pikachu in.
"Hey! Pikachu!"
Ash ran to catch Pikachu, he started to grab one of the Pokéballs at his belt, but James had gotten up. He jumped back, throwing a sticky, web-like substance at Ash.
"James."
The web-like substance coated Ash's belt, along with his hand.
"Arrgghh!"
Ash struggled to free his arm. After his efforts showed to be futile, he continued his chase after Pikachu. Suddenly, he was stopped mid-stride, as if slamming headfirst into a wall.
Jessie finished hauling Pikachu in.
"Team Rocket, Blast off at the speed off light!"
Pikachu dangled upside-down while glaring angrily at Jessie.
James ran past Misty to catch up with Jessie.
"Surrender now or prepare to- ooff!"
James had gotten to the same spot that Ash had, with similar results.
The motto was getting old anyway.
James got up and started pounding on the air.
"Hey! Wait for me!"
Jessie stared at James.
"What's he doing, Meowth?"
"Looks like he's stuck."
"Stuck? In what?"
"I dunno."
Jessie tossed Pikachu down in front of Meowth.
"Here, put him in the case. I'll go get James."
Jessie jumped out of the tank and ran over to help James.
"But wait! Jessie! I haven't gotten da case assembled yet!"
Meowth began to frantically search through the pile of equipment in front of him.
"Um, let's see, tab A goes in ta slot B... Or was it de other way around? Ulp-"
"Pika."
Meowth turned around to see Pikachu standing behind him, cheeks sparking from electrical buildup.
"Uh oh."
See Meowth Run. Run Meowth, Run.
"James, what are you doing! Quit fooling around!"
Jessie made it over to where James was scrabbling at the invisible barrier in front of him.
"Help me, Jessie! I can't get out!"
"Can't get out of what! Here, give me your hand."
As Jessie touched James' hand he stumbled forward, nearly knocking Jessie over.
"Hey! Watch it, you clod!"
James looked at himself.
"Hey, I'm free!"
Music started to build in the background.
"I'm freeee, free as a biiird. Freeeee, free beyond words..."
No. Not a musical number. Stop him, now.
"Meoooowth!"
Jessie turned to see what was going on. Meowth was running about as fast as his feet could carry him. Pikachu was following hot on his heels. Meowth barreled straight into Jessie and James, sending them back towards the forest. Pikachu ran up to them. Jessie sweat-dropped.
"Why didn't you put him in the case, Meowth?"
"Dat's what I was tryin ta tell ya."
Whatever else Meowth was planning on saying was cut short as Pikachu unleashed a thunderbolt at Team Rocket. Ash got slowly to his feet.
"Pikachu... Ow, my head."
"Pi-Ka, Pika-chu."
"Yeah, I'm okay. Misty? You all right?"
"Ash..."
Misty was next to where Ash had crashed and had her hand pressed flat against the air.
"What is it?"
"Look."
Ash walked over to where Misty was kneeling on the ground. He watched her hand curiously before waving his free hand over hers.
"Hey!"
His hand ran into something hard right above the point where Misty's hand was suspended.
"What's going on?"
Tears welled up in Misty's eyes. Ash backed up, guiltily.
"No! Come on, Misty. Don't start crying again!"
"Don't you get it! We're stuck here!"
Misty pounded futilely on the invisible wall.
With a sinking heart, Ash ran his hand along the air. Ash studied this strange phenomenon. When he concentrated, he could just make out a distortion in the air. It was like staring at the spot right above a fire. Behind him, Team Rocket painfully got to their feet.
"Prepare... for trouble."
"And make it... make it double."
"Me-ouch, dat's right."
Thump- Thump- Thump- Thump, They keep on going and going and going...
Jessie and James dusted themselves off then prepared to launch an attack. Ash tugged at his arm. It was still stuck to his waist; he'd get no help from his other Pokémon. He slammed his free hand into the invisible wall and tried to think of what to do. He looked up with a grin. He had an idea.
"Hey, Team Rocket. I give up."
This is his plan?
Jessie looked up: A chance for an easy victory?
"What do you mean?"
"You can take Pikachu. Pikachu, you have to wait for thirty seconds before you're allowed to use any of your attacks."
Ash turned back to Jessie.
"You hear that? You have half-a-minute to take Pikachu."
"Do you think he means it, Jessie?"
"I don't know."
"Either way, let's not waist it. Meowth!"
Team Rocket called back their Pokémon, grabbed Pikachu, and rushed towards their tank. Ash smiled as their sprint was brought short by the wall. He finished counting slowly to thirty.
"All right, Pikachu. Now you can zap them."
Pikachu proceeded to do so. Ash sat down next to Misty and continued his efforts to free his hand. He paused for a moment to turn to Misty.
"Quite a shocking turn of events, huh Misty? I bet they get a real charge out of it."
Misty grimaced. Ash frowned; she normally would have hit him by now.
"Sorry, Misty. I must be hanging around Team Rocket too much. My jokes are getting really re-Volt-ing."
Misty seemed to vibrate for a moment. Ash sat completely still as Misty swung a roundhouse to the back of his head.
"We're going to be trapped here for the rest of our lives and you're making jokes! Jerk!"
Misty fumed for a moment.
"Thanks, Ash. I needed that."
"S'all right."
Ahhhh, the things we do for love.
Jessie and James got back to their feet. Jessie glared at Ash.
"To protect the world from devastation..."
Ash held up his hand.
"You did that already."
Jessie paused.
"Prepare-"
"You did that one, too."
James chimed in.
"I'm a little teapot, short and stout..."
Jessie whacked him with her paper fan before turning back to Ash.
"You tricked us!" She accused.
No great feat.
"Now isn't the time, Jessie," Ash said, "We're stuck, and you're stuck, too."
"What are you talking about?"
Ash motioned towards the wall.
"Go look."
Jessie frowned and walked towards the tank.
"Oww!"
Jessie rubbed her nose.
"What's going on here?"
She felt along the wall with her hands.
"Hey, Jessie. That's pretty good," James said, "Can you do 'walking against the wind' or 'climbing a ladder?'"
"Quit fooling around, James! Come take a look at this."
James walked over to Jessie.
"Take a look at what? Oof!"
James walked headfirst into the wall.
Geez, you'd think people would have learned not to run into the invisible wall by now.
"Oh, no! Not again!"
James leaned against the wall.
"This isn't fair! What's going on, Jessie?"
"I don't know, James."
"We're stuck here."
Jessie and James turned to see Meowth sitting next to Ash and Misty.
"What?"
"Meowth, how dare you consort with the enemy!"
"Desperate times call for desperate measures."
"Which is why we're asking for you're help," Ash quipped.
"What are you talking about?"
"We're in sum kinda trap. Youse ken go in but youse can't get out," Meowth explained.
Ash and Misty nodded in agreement.
"So unless we ken come up wit a plan, we ain't leavin."
With the type of plans these people come up with, this is going to take a while. I'm gonna get a soda.
James suddenly perked up.
"Hey, where's the guy with the squinty eyes?"
Jessie grinned mischievously.
"Yes, do tell why he isn't with you two?"
Meowth laughed.
"I bet dey wanted a little 'privacy.'"
Jessie made kissy faces while Misty began to turn red.
"Pikachu, zap 'em again."
"Pika-CHUUUUUU!"
"Yaaaahh! Okay! We'll stop! We'll stop!"
"Where is Brock? He should have caught up with us by now, Ash."
"I don't know, he said he'd only be a minute."
"Let's get a plan before we woiry about him. It won't do any good ta know where he is if we don't know how to get out."
"Wait a minute," James said, "I was stuck a little bit ago, but when Jessie grabbed my hand, I was able to get out."
"And when Jessie shot Pikachu with that suction cup he was able to get out," Ash added.
"Dis would lead to de obvious conclusion dat-"
"That anyone I touch can get out!" Jessie said.
James, Meowth, and Ash sweat-dropped. Misty face-faulted.
"No, you bonehead! If that was the reason then YOU would have been able to get out!"
James spoke up.
"I think what's necessary is for someone or something from outside to come part way in, thereby making some sort of hole in the wall."
Ash shook his head.
"That doesn't do us any good, we're all on the inside."
Jessie snapped her fingers.
"The tank is outside of the wall."
"But we can't get to it," Misty lamented.
"But it can come to us."
"Huh?"
In response, Jessie pulled out a box with an antenna and a few switches.
"Of course!" Meowth shouted, "Da remote control!"
A glimmer of hope.
Jessie pressed the button. On the other side of the wall, the Gyarados tank rumbled to life. James and Meowth cheered.
"Go, Jessie!"
The tank moved slowly forward. 25 feet... 20 feet... 15 feet... 10 feet... 5 feet...
The tank stopped.
"WHHAAAAATT!"
Jessie hit the controls a few times before turning it over and removing a panel on the back.
"The batteries must be dead."
"NOOOOOOOOOO!"
The glimmer dies.
"What type of batteries does it take?" James asked.
"Double A's."
"That's what my Gameboy™ uses, I just put in fresh batteries today."
A glimmer of hope.
"That's great James... Where is it?"
James sweat-dropped.
"I left it in the tank."
The glimmer dies.
Ash spoke up.
"How about Pikachu?"
"Hold on dere, dis ting runs on 1.5 volts, not 20,000."
"Pikachu can handle it. Right, Pikachu?"
"Pika!"
A glimmer of- Ah, forget it.
With a bit a rewiring, Pikachu was quickly hooked up to the remote.
"Okay, Pikachu. Don't overdo it. Just keep it steady."
Pikachu nodded in agreement and started the electricity going. The tank began to move.
5 feet...
"Keep going..."
4 feet...
"Okay, keep going..."
3 feet...
"That's right, you can do it..."
2 feet...
"Just a little more..."
1 foot...
"All right! We're gonna make it!"
"Pika!"
ZAP!
The tank stopped, roughly 6 inches from the wall. Smoke slowly rose from the remote control.
"chaaa..."
-
Ash and Team Rocket sat around in a circle. Misty was pressed up against the wall, staring at the tank that had stopped less than a foot from her.
"So... close..."
Ash watched her for a moment before turning back to the discussion at hand.
"Look, we need to work together to get out of this mess, so it would kind of help if you could get this stuff off of my arm."
Ash pulled at his belt, which his arm was still stuck to, for emphasis. James nodded.
"That's no easy task. That stuff is designed to hold some of the strongest Pokémon in place. It's been known to stop bullets."
"You mean I'm stuck like this forever."
"Of course not, we have a spray that'll dissolve the stuff in a minute."
"Where is it?"
"..."
"The tank?"
"Bingo."
"We should go find Brock," Misty said.
"I tink we oughta come up wit anada plan, foist."
"All planning has done is waste time!"
"Why don't we all just close our eyes?" James suggested, "Then we can just walk through, after all what we can't see can't hurt us, right?"
"We already can't see the wall!"
"Misty's right," Ash said, standing up, "Let's go."
"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Jessie asked.
"We're gonna find Brock," Ash answered.
"Well, we're staying here!"
"Okay," Misty said, "We'll just leave you here, alone in these creepy woods, with only Arbok, Weezing, Lickitung, and Victreebel to protect you. I'll just go with Ash, who has his Super-powered Pikachu for protection."
"Fine, we don't need you."
James grabbed Ash's leg and started groveling.
"Please don't leave me here all alone! Take me with you! Please! I'll be good! I promise!"
"You traitor!" Jessie screeched, "If we come up with a plan to get out, don't expect us to include you in it!"
Considering some of the best brainstorms these people have come up with is a light drizzle, that shouldn't be too much of a problem.
-
Jessie and Meowth sat at the edge of the wall. Jessie watched the tank intently.
"I can't believe the nerve. After all I've done for him."
"Actually, Jessie, you haven't done dat much for im."
"I still can't believe the nerve!"
Meowth was using his claws to unscrew the remote control that Pikachu had fried.
"How is it coming, Meowth?"
"Wit da right tools and a bit a time... I might be able ta get it ta woik..."
"That's great."
"...As a very fashionable paperweight."
Jessie face-faulted.
"That stupid little rodent fried our controls!"
"Not like it woulda helped anyway."
Meowth leaned back to take a short catnap. He suddenly became aware of a group of very mean looking, well-armored men and women who were all carrying some sort of sword or club.
"Ah, Jessie?"
"What is it Meowth?" Jessie snapped without even turning around.
"I tink we got company."
"Get lost James, don't think your groveling will work on me..."
"...And another thing..." she continued turning around.
She suddenly realized that James was not the person she was talking to.
"...You aren't James."
The men and women muttered amongst themselves.
"A Meowth that can speak the human tongue?"
"You think they're the ones the sage told us of?"
"The Translator. And the red-haired looks to be The Assassin."
One of the women held her sword menacingly.
"We would be better off without an assassin, if you asked me."
Finally the apparent leader of the group stepped forward.
"You two will come with us."
"What if we don't wanna?"
"I didn't say you had to want to. You will come."
He held a huge battle-axe in one hand. He swung it, and chopped clear through one of the few trees that were close to the wall.
"Now."
From in the treetops, a shadowy figure watched intently. It tapped something out on a small, black, translucent panel in front of it, and then it, and the panel vanished, unnoticed.
Kind of creepy, huh?
Something moved around in the trees over Ash's head. He looked up nervously. He heard the snap of a branch, roughly ten feet up.
"Aaaaaaaaaahhh-oof!"
"Ow!"
"Are you okay, Misty?"
You were expecting maybe Tarzan?
Misty brushed some twigs out of her hair.
"Yeah, I'm okay, something cushioned my fall. I told you I was no good at climbing."
"I'm glad you didn't get hurt, but would you get off my back now?"
"Oh, sorry, James."
Misty got off of James' back.
"Your turn."
"Do I have to?" James whined.
"I can't climb with this stuff on my arm," Ash replied.
"You want us to protect you?" Misty said, crossing her arms, "Then you have to pull your own weight. Right now, you can pull it up that tree."
James jumped up and grabbed the branch. He then hauled himself up it.
"Can you see anything?" Ash called up.
"Yeah."
"What do you see?"
"Leaves."
"He means, can you see anything that looks like a good place to heads towards?"
"No, I need to get up further."
There was the sound of rustling leaves, then the snap of a branch.
"Aaaahhh!"
Misty and Ash dived out of the way. James hit the ground.
"Hey, I let you land on me."
"I'm not as heavy as you."
"That's why I fell."
"What does Misty have to do with you falling?" Ash asked.
"No, I fell because I'm too heavy."
"Great idea Ash, I can't climb, your arm is stuck, and James is too heavy. Now who goes up?"
"Pika!"
Everybody looked at Pikachu.
"I know!" Ash said, "Pikachu can climb the tree!"
A squirrel? Climb a tree? No way.
Misty bowed her head in annoyance.
"Why didn't you think of that in the first place?"
Because we have a whole episode to fill up.
"Okay Pikachu, go up and tell us what you see."
Pikachu ran up the tree.
"Can you see anything?" Ash asked.
"Pika-pi."
"Keep looking then."
"Pika! Pika-pi, pikachu!"
"What do you see?"
"Pika-pi, pika-pi."
James leaned over to Misty and muttered to her.
"I feel like I'm listening to someone talk on the telephone."
Me too.
"Anything else?"
"Pika."
"What did he say?" James asked Ash.
"He says he sees leaves, too."
James sweat-dropped. Misty advanced on Ash, cracking her knuckles.
"Wait a sec, Misty! Pikachu says that he saw a bunch of buildings off that way. We should go check it out, right?"
Misty hesitated between throttling Ash, and finding someone who could help. She finally settled on the more satisfying one; throttling.
Pikachu listened to the sounds of Ash being pummeled. He decided that going back down might not be the safest idea. Instead, he decided to check out the foliage for possible foodstuffs. There was a rustle in one of the nearby tree branches.
"Good, he didn't see me."
Pikachu glanced over at the sound. There was a figure that was keeping itself hidden in the leaves. He was wearing gray clothes and was, at the moment, watching Misty pound on Ash.
Pikachu knew from his travels with Ash that this was definitely the Team Rocket type, one of the competent ones apparently: hard eyes, good balance, about sixteen or so with an intent look about him. Pikachu knew exactly what to do.
"Pi-KAAAA!"
Zap! Boom! Crackle.
"$#!"
I apologize for the implied language.
Pikachu watched as the figure fell out of the tree and landed on Ash.
"Thanks for breaking my fall, man."
"Duck."
"What du-! Oww!"
Misty brought her mallet down on Ash. The figure, being on top of Ash, received the brunt of the blow. Misty noticed a less-than-usual amount of give and looked down at the figure on top of Ash.
"Huh?"
Pikachu ran down the tree and began harassing the stranger.
"What is it?" James asked.
"I don't know."
Misty nudged the stranger with her foot. He groaned and rolled aside painfully, rubbing his head.
"Uuhgng. Stupid rat."
"Toge-brrriii!"
The stranger looked at the small egg that was now staring out of Misty's bag.
"Nuts. I thought I got rid of that thing."
Misty held Togepi protectively.
"Who are you? And what do you want with my Togepi?"
Ash got up.
"Huzzat?"
He looked blankly at the stranger for a moment.
"Who'er you?"
The stranger closed his eyes and sighed.
"Very well, I suppose there's no other way to get out of this."
He got to his feet and bowed politely.
"I'm terribly sorry about this. None of you were supposed to catch me. I am the Author and Narrator of your story. You may call me Grey."
Ash, Misty, James, and Pikachu stared in shock.
"Toge-brrii!"
Don't you just love these little twists?-
"So you wrote everything that's happened to us?"
"That's right. This is a fanfic. Everything that's happened to you so far has been influenced by myself. I don't control completely, I merely supply influencing circumstances."
Ash held up his free hand.
"Huh?"
"I tweak, for instance, the idea of climbing a tree? I just supplied the need for climbing it. Ash got the idea to actually get somebody to climb it."
Misty clenched her fist.
"You mean to say that this whole mess is your fault?"
Grey sweat-dropped. He didn't like where this was going.
"Well, I suppose that, in this case, you could, possibly say, for all intents and purposes, that, in a word... yes."
Misty swung a kick at Grey. Grey yelped and a black translucent panel appeared in front of him. He tapped on the panel and disappeared.
James looked around.
"Where did he go?"
"Aaaaaaaaahhhhh!"
James looked up just in time to see Grey crash-land on top of him.
"Yiee! Oof!"
"Thanks for breaking my fall, again."
"No, I broke your fall last time," Ash said.
"Oh, yeah, sorry."
Ought to go for frequent flyer miles.
Misty looked around.
"Where'd he go?"
She brought her focus on Grey.
"How'd you get there?" She asked.
"The sky is falling," James mumbled.
Grey got off of James and dusted himself off.
"Teleportation," He said, pulling up his screen, "I use it so that I can narrate."
"I thought you said that you were the Author. What are you doing here?" Misty asked.
"This happens in a lot of fanfics, most of them aren't much in terms of plot, but give me a break, this is my first Full Main-Cast fanfic."
"Full Main-Cast?" James asked.
"Ash, Misty, Brock, James, Jessie, Pikachu, Meowth; that's Full Main-Cast."
Misty pondered on this for a moment, then grabbed Grey by his collar and shook him.
"I'll make it so you need a cast if you don't get us out of here!"
Grey tried to pry himself free of her vice-like grip.
"I can't do that! It would completely destroy the quality of the plot! I went through all the proper channels. I didn't start this thing by saying 'poof! You're lost'. I used your own potential for getting lost to start the thing off."
"You have five seconds," Misty growled.
"All right, fine! Have it your way! Ruin the consistency of the storyline. Don't worry about me. Don't worry about the Viewers. I'll just scrap the fanfic, never-mind the long laborious hours I put into this thing."
"Just do it!"
Grey grumbled, but pulled up his black screen and began typing on it.
Ash, Misty, Pikachu, and James disappeared. A few more keystrokes, and Jessie, Meowth, and Brock have disappeared from the clutches of their captors. Well, Viewers, that's it. This fanfic is over. You might as well go home. Good-bye.
"I'm waiting."
"When are you going to get us out of here?"
"Pika!"
Grey looked around.
"What?"
Misty, James, Ash, and Pikachu were still there.
"What are you doing here? I just sent you back to where you were. Why didn't it work?"
Misty cracked her knuckles.
Commercial break!
Round shadow appears on the screen.
"Who's that Pokémon?"