Mission 3: Sing to Save Pewter's Treasure! (part 2)
The morning sun was already high overhead as the two bird Pokemon--each with a Rescue Force team aboard--soared over Pewter City, looking for any evidence of Rockets on the move. The Pidgeotto and the Swellow circled over the city, paying no heed to the people and buildings down below.
"You think this was a false alarm again?" Torchic asked as Swellow started another lap around the city.
"We would've turned back by now if it was..." Pikachu replied. "But I haven't heard any order to turn back yet..." He was about to say more when his communicator started beeping. "This is Topaz..."
"This is Fire Red..." Brock's voice began. "Sora says she sees two Rockets running down the sidewalk--apparently taking something else to Giovanni, I bet."
"What do you want us to do?" Pikachu asked.
"Vulpix says she has a suspicion that the Rocket base is somewhere in the city, and following these grunts will take us there." Brock explained. "Once we do figure out the base's location, we can return there and retrieve the treasure. So for now, just follow us...Fire Red out."
"Topaz out." Pikachu replied. "Brock says follow him--they found two grunts on the run--" he started until he noted Sora already flying on. "Hey, wait for us!"
"Follow those grunts!" Treecko called to Swellow. Swellow nodded and began diving down, being careful to follow Sora as she dove into the noon rush hour traffic.
"Of all the times we have to chase something, we have to pick rush hour..." Eevee groaned, clutching to Ash as Swellow wove his way through cars, flew over buildings, and veered out of the way of people--until she noticed Sora closing in on the grunts as they stopped at a traffic light. "There they are!"
But, the light turned green as Sora approached, prompting the grunts to run in the direction of a factory not too far away from the museum, where they disappeared from view of the two birds.
"We lost them..." Mudkip sighed.
"Look at it this way...at least we know where their base is now..." Ash assured Mudkip.
"Fire Red calling Leaf Green...we're coming home..." Brock started as he led Sora back towards the base, with Swellow following...
Back at the base...
"...and right as we approached the stoplight, the light turned green, allowing the grunts to get away." Brock continued as he explained to Terra how the morning's chase unfolded. "They ran into the old PokeChow factory by the museum."
"You mean the one we went to on a field trip two years ago?" Terra asked. Brock nodded. "That's weird...why would they pick an old factory as their base?"
"Maybe they want to use the machines inside to make weapons?" Torchic suggested
"Impossible, chica..." Lotad explained. "Those machines were meant to make food, not bombs!"
"It's possible..." Vulpix interrupted as she climbed up on the desk and brought up a map of the old factory. "Of course, converting the machinery would take a lot of money...and the Rocket's funds aren't that high at the moment..." She was about to say more when she heard the notes of an acoustic guitar drifting in the room. "Brock! This is not the time to practice!" she hissed.
"I'm writing a song...for a plan!" Brock explained as he worked on figuring out some chords for a melody.
"A plan?" Everyone was interested.
Brock set his guitar aside for a moment, "So much for the song I was gonna write..." he sighed as he brought up a detailed map of the old factory. "Terra suggested something better...so anyway, the Rockets have converted the factory into a game corner...so what better way to distract them than to entertain them with a song while the rest of us get the treasures?
"That's a great idea..." Ash interjected. "Got a simulation?"
"Right here...Terra made it a few moments ago." Brock explained as he started the simulation. A 3D view of the main hall of the factory turned game corner appeared. "See, Pikachu and Eevee will perform the song, 'Beautifly'..." At this, a 3D Pikachu in a Beautifly costume and a 3D Eevee appeared on the stage, where they began dancing to a techno beat. "Meanwhile, the rest of us will locate Giovanni's quarters..." The screen shifted to some 3D representations of everyone else going down a few hallways, past the factory control room, across a few catwalks, down some more hallways, and stopping at one particular door.
Pikachu shuddered at how his 3D self looked in the costume. "Don't tell me I have to sing in THAT..." he begged.
"But you'll look cute!" Ash protested.
"Cute-shmute, I'll look stupid!" Pikachu retorted.
Brock whistled, silencing the escalating argument. "Hey, calm down...it's only for a few minutes." he assured Pikachu. "Anyway, by the time we return with the treasures..." The simulation showed the 3D versions of the group returning to the main hall. "Pikachu and Eevee will have finished the song..and we'll be long gone!" he concluded, pleased with his plan.
Later that night...
"Are we ready?" Brock asked as Vulpix finished putting the Beautifly costume on Pikachu.
"Almost..." Vulpix called back. "There, perfect!"
"Perfectly foolish..." Pikachu grumbled as he joned the others at the factory entrance.
"Okay...I'll guide our performers to the stage; the song beginning is your signal to head towards Giovanni's quarters." Brock explained to the others. "Be careful of traps and guards!"
"Don't worry!" Ash smiled.
"Okay...let's go." With that, the combined Rescue Force teams made their way to the main hall, where various Rocket grunts were paying the various games.
"Good luck, guys:" Ash whispered as he led his team to the room's exit, waiting for the song to begin.
"Is our cue the first 'Ai-yai-yai', or the music picking up?" Torchic was confused.
"The music picking up." Ash replied as Brock appeared onstage, now in emcee's attire.
"What's he saying? I can't hear Brock.." Mudkip whispered.
"He's just introing Pikachu and Eevee, that's all..." Treecko assured Mudkip as he heard the Rockets applaud. "Get ready..."
Torchic started out the door as the music began, but had only gotten a few steps when Ash pulled her back. "Not, yet, not yet..."
Eevee, meanwhile, started to sing...
Ai-yai-yai,
Ai-yai-yai,
Ai-yai-yai,
Where's
my samurai?
The Rockets applauded as the music picked up...Ash and the others crept out the door as Pikachu sang...
I've
been searching for a man,
All across Japan,
Just to find, to
find my samurai...
Someone who is strong, and just a little
shy,
Yes I need, I need my samurai...
Ai-yai-yai, I'm your
little Beautifly! Eevee joined in.
Green, black, and blue;
making colors in the sky!
Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little
Beautifly!
Green, black, and blue; making colors in the sky!
Some
of the Rockets laughed as Pikachu and Eevee danced to the beat...then
Pikachu sang again:
I'm searching in the woods,
And high
upon the hills,
Just to find, to find my samurai...
Someone who
won't regret,
To keep me in his net,
Yes I need, I need my
samurai...
Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly! Eevee
sang along.
Green, black, and blue; making colors in the
sky!
Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly!
Green, black, and
blue; making colors in the
sky!
Ai-yai-yai,
Ai-yai-yai,
Ai-yai-yai,
Where's my
samurai?
Ai-yai-yai,
Ai-yai-yai,
Ai-yai-yai,
Where's
my samurai?
Oh...Oh...Oh...
Oh..Oh...
Ai-yai-yai,
I'm your little Beautifly!
Green, black, and blue; making colors
in the sky!
Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly!
Green,
black, and blue; making colors in the sky
Ai-yai-yai, I'm your
little Beautifly!
Green, black, and blue; making colors in the
sky!
Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly!
Green, black, and
blue; making colors in the
sky!
Ai-yai-yai,
Ai-yai-yai,
Ai-yai-yai,
Where's my
samurai?
Ai-yai-yai,
Ai-yai-yai,
Ai-yai-yai,
Where's
my samurai?
Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly!
Green,
black, and blue; making colors in the sky! The game hall roared
with applause as Pikachu and Eevee took a bow for the audience, then
hurried offstage, rejoining the others.
"I'm glad that's over..." Pikachu sighed as he removed the Beautifly costume. No sooner had he said that, did the group find their exit blocked by some Rocket grunts! "Uh oh..."
"Leaving?" the two grunts asked.
"We were hoping for an encore..." the female grunt continued as she bound up the Pokemon.
Ash swallowed hard as the male grunt bound his hands...he hadn't counted on Brock's plan going horribly wrong...
To Be Continued...