Part 5
They hopped off of Dragonite when they stopped at the top of Spear Pillar. It was a tall, ancient stone tower on a small rocky island far in the ocean in southeastern Hoenn. Grimer grabbed the berry from the basket.
"Okay, you stay here by Dragonite." He told Pichu and the kids. "This might get ugly."
"But we want to help." Mudkip said.
"I'm sure you do." Grimer responded. "But it might be dangerous up ahead and I don't want you kids getting hurt. Don't worry, you have two adults watching over you, Dragonite and Pichu."
"I wouldn't call Pichu an 'adult.'" Treecko put in. Pichu was staring vacantly into space.
"Well, one responsible adult!" Grimer then ran into the tower's top room. "Just stay behind until I get back with Charmander!"
"We have to get in there." Mudkip said as soon as Grimer was gone.
"No can do." Dragonite told them. "Grimer said not to. You don't want to disappoint him, do you?"
"But…but…, but we can't just hit here and do nothing."
"No buts. You must do nothing and will! You all can get killed in there. You don't want that." Torchic got an idea. She went behind a rock and shook her hat off. She went back.
"I dropped my lucky hat. I think it went off the edge of the tower. Can you see?"
"Oh, sure!" Dragonite told her. He looked at them all. "Don't go anywhere; I'll be right back." He flew down.
"Oh, don't worry!" Mudkip called after him. "We'll be good!" Then to her friends, "come on!" Mudkip thanked Torchic.
"Thank you for what?" She asked. They ran into Sky Pillar, except Treecko. He sighed and followed slowly behind.
"Why must I get myself into these things?"
Grimer froze when he saw Lord Eevee, Dr. Plusle and Dr.. Bisharp and his Pawniards, a sleeping Rayquaza and a snoozing Charmander.
"Charmander!" Grimer cried out. Lord Eevee, Dr. Plusle and Dr. Minun and The Tribe saw Grimer.
"First, the Luna Berry." Lord Eevee said. A Pawniard approached Grimer and held out his hand. Grimer gave the Pawniard the berry. The Pawniard grabbed it with some grime on it; he recoiled in disgust.
"YUK!" The Pawniad said in revulsion.
"Okay," Grimer told him. "You have the berry, now before you wake Rayquaza, can you wake up Charmander? Please!" Lord Eevee looked at him.
"Sorry, no can do!" He went over to the sleeping Rayquaza with a helmet. "Rayquaza's been asleep longer then your friend has, so it's only fair if I wake him up first."
"Well, I guess that's fair, but come on; why can't you wake Charmander first?"
"Hmmm, let's see, why can't I? Oh I know, because I'm evil and I hate all of you."
"Those are good reasons." Lord Eevee then put the helmet on Rayquaza's head.
"What's the helmet for?" Mudkip asked who just came in, followed by her friends. Grimer looked at them.
"Guys!" He said. "I thought I told you to stay back with Dragonite!"
"You did." Treecko told him. "She just didn't listen."
"We want to help!" Mudkip said. Grimer sighed.
"Fine! Just be careful."
"We will." They looked back at the bad guys and Mudkip repeated her question.
"That's a mind control helmet." Dr. Plusle informed her. He lifted the controller. "It electrically stimulates neurons involved with muscle movement. With the aid of this, we can control Rayquaza's every move. With Rayquaza on our side, we're one step closer to world domination!" Grimer and friends gasped.
"You can't do that!"
"We can and will!" Dr. Minun spoke up. "Whatever makes the king happy."
"Right!" Lord Eevee spoke. "And if it means hurting Pokémon and people in the process, I'm all for it!"
"We're going to stop you, you know." Grimer told him. Lord Eevee raised an eyebrow.
"Really; how?"
"Besides fighting, I don't have an idea at the moment. So in the meantime, why don't you give us the berry so we can think of a plan with an extra brain?"
"How about this? No!"
"Wow! You are evil!" Lord Eevee laughed.
"I know and I'm good at it!" He looked at Dr. Plusle. "Turn it on!" He then turned to the Pawniard. "You! Go feed him the Luna Berry! Awaken the Dragon of the High Sky!"
"Turning on!" Dr. Plusle stated. Grimer tried to stop him but Bisharp ordered some of his Pawniards to hold him back. The Pawniard holding the berry approached Rayquaza. But before he got close, Rayquaza opened his eyes. Lord Evee was shocked.
"I don't believe it." He said. "Maybe we didn't need the berry after all!"
"Hm…" Dr. mused. "Perhaps the subject Rayquaza merely needed mild brain stimulation to awaken him from his prolonged slumber."
"Then can we have it?" Grimer asked. Lord Eevee ignored him and looked at the doctor with the controller.
"Turn it up some more!" Dr. Plusle turned it up. Rayquaza roared loudly in pain.
"You're hurting him!" Mudkip cried.
"Shut up Mudfish Pokémon; I don't care!" Then to the Plusle, "More!" He turned it up more. Rayquaza roared louder. "More!"
"I don't think that's a good idea sir." The doctor responded. "We don't want to overload the brain with too much electrical stimulation." Lord Eevee ran and shoved Dr. Plusle to the ground and grabbed the controller.
"I have to do everything!" He then turned it all the way up. He laughed evilly as Rayquaza roared even louder.
"That's right," He said. "Obey me, I am your new master, at least until we give you to King Pikachu."
Suddenly, Rayquaza went out of control and rammed into pillars. He released his hyper beam on the floor. The tower shook and began to crumble. Lord Eevee tried to control him with the controller but Rayquaza just kept on going berserk.
"No, no!" Cried out a frustrated Lord Eevee. "I don't get it; why isn't it working?" He looked at Dr. Plusle. "Your machine is busted!"
"You turned it up too high my Lord." Plusle told him.
"Then, do something about it; fix it!" he handed the doctor the controller.
"Okay, but it may take some time."
"I don't care, just fix it!"
"Right boss!" He called over Dr. Minun. The two were just about to take a look at it when Rayquaza thrashed about, striking Dr. Plusle with his tail and knocking the controller from his hands. The doctors ran to receive it. Mudkip ran after it as well.
"Come on guys!" She called behind to her friends. "We got to get the controller before they do!" Her friends looked at her in confusion.
"But it's not working." Grimer reminded her.
"I know, but if we get it, Dr. Plusle and Dr. Minun won't be able to look at it and try to fix it." They all ran after the controller.
"Got it!" Dr. Minum said as soon as she snatched it up. Her brother stood beside her. "Now let's look at this baby and lower it before…" Rayquaza flew past, knocking the controller to the ground. They ran to get it again.
"Get it before they do!" Grimer told his friends. "Hurry!"
"Got it!" Torchic said, grabbing it in her mouth.
"No, I gots it!" Pichu said, grabbing the other end of the controller.
"No, I got it!" Pichu pulled.
"No, Is gots it!" The two started playing tug of war with it.
"I GOT IT!"
"I'S GOTS IT!" The two pulled and pulled, neither one letting go.
"You lets gos! I's haves it!"
"No, you let go; I have it!" Mudkip ran in between them.
"Stop fighting!" She scolded. Pichu and Torchic looked at each other. "See? You don't have to fight. At least someone got it before Dr. Plusle and Dr. Minun."
"You're rights!" Pichu said through tears. "I'm sorrys!"
"I'm sorry too!" Torchic cried.
"Hug?"
"Hug!" The two dropped the controller and did an emotional hug.
"Guys!" Mudkip said. "The controller!" She grabbed it in her mouth.
"Mudkip, look out!" Grimer shouted to her. But it was too late; Rayquaza attacked her, forcing her to drop it.
This went on for a few minutes. Grimer and the gang and The Tribe of the Sharpened Blade all were trying to get the control, yet failing because of Rayquaza. Lord Eevee did a paw to the face.
"This isn't working." He then called to Bisharp. "Bisharp! Shadow Ball them all so they faint!" Bisharp stopped and looked at his superior.
"Even the kids?" He wanted to know.
"Yes! Even the kids! Gosh, don't be so stupid. I said all of them, not only Grimer or Pichu, all of them!"
"But they're just kids. I don't want to hurt them."
"'But they're just kids, I don't want to hurt them."' He mocked. "Grow up Bisharp; you must and you will!"
Bisharp looked at the kids and back at his boss.
"No, I won't!" Lord Eevee narrowed his eyes at him.
"What?"
"You heard me. I will not hurt these kids. You can't make me or my men."
"YAMGS for da kids!" Pichu cheered.
"Oh, I can't can I?" He leaned into Bisharp's face. "Do it or you and your Pawniards are fired." Bisharp stood firm.
"I don't care. Go ahead and terminate The Tribe of the Sharpened Blade."
"Fine then, Bisharp you and your Pawniards are fired. And I think King Pikachu will agree with me on this. Now, you and your friends get out. I don't want to see you or your Pawniards ever again!"
"Fine!" He turned to his comrades. "Men, it's time to move out. We are no longer needed here."
"But where will we go?" A Pawniard asked. "Our lost territory. What will we do?"
"We'll find something. Don't worry." He and his Pawniards left.
"I guess I'll have to do it." Lord Eevee said. He then turned and prepared to use Shadow Ball on Grimer and friends.
"Uh oh." Grimer observed. "This isn't good. RUN!" They all ran for cover.But just as soon as Lord Eevee released his Shadow Ball, he was attacked by Bisharp's Slash attack.
When Lord Eevee landed again, he growled, baring his teeth at Bisharp.
"TRAITOR!" He yelled. "What do you think you're doing?"
"How can I be a traitor if I don't work for you anymore?" Bisharp questioned. He then went over to the berry the Pawniard dropped in the confusion earlier and kicked it over to Grimer and friends.
"Here!" He shouted at them. "Heal your friend!" Grimer couldn't believe it. He picked it up.
"Really? Thanks!" Bisharp ordered the Pawniards to get the helmet off of Rayquaza. They leaped on the legendary as he flew by, but were quickly thrown off as he thrashed about. They sprang up and tried again, but were knocked back. Pichu scampered up a pillar and yelled at Rayquaza.
"Hey you! Stop being a crazy!" Rayquaza turned and smashed into the pillar Pichu was on. Pichu yelped and spazzed out. He landed on Rayquaza's back and held on for dear life. He then noticed the helmet on Rayquaza's head.
"Oh, here's your problem. You wearing a silly hat. That'd make me freak out and break stuff too." He climbed up and pried the helmet off Rayquaza's head. Rayquaza breathed heavily and settled down. Pichu hurled the helmet across the room. Dr. Plusle rushed and tried to catch it, but Treecko tripped him. The helmet fell on the floor and broke.
"NOOO!" Lord Eevee screamed. "I'm not leaving here empty-handed! That berry's still worth something." He began to charge at them. Bisharp held him back with his blade. Lord Eevee tried to get past but Bisharp wouldn't let him.
"Out of my way!"
"Sorry." Bisharp told him. "No can do. I don't work for you so you can't tell me what to do."
"You don't have to, just get out of my way!" And with that, he used Double-Edge attack on Bisharp. Bisharp fell to the ground and nearly fell through the collapsing floor. The Pawniards all gasped at their fallen leader. He clawed onto the edge and saved himself.
Meanwhile, Grimer was dodging falling pillars and avoiding holes in the crumbling floor. He grabbed the sleeping Charmander and pulled him out of the way as the floor fell out beneath him.
"Here you go buddy." Grimer said as he fed Charmander the berry. "Down the hatch!" As soon as it was swallowed, Charmander opened his eyes.
"Grimer?" He asked and then looked around. "Where am I? What's going on?"
"Grimer just saved you." Mudkip said.
"He did?" Charmander asked.
"Of course I did." Grimer responded. "That's what friends are for."
"Thanks, buddy!" Charmander replied. "Wait, saved me from what?"
Suddenly, Lord Eevee tackled Charmander. Charmander screamed as he toppled off Sky Pillar.
"CHARMANDER!" Grimer shrieked. He and his friends ran to the edge. So did all of the Pawniards and Bisharp, who just climbed back up. Lord Eevee laughed as Charmander fell and disappeared into the misty clouds. Rayquaza flew down after him, swatting Lord Eevee with his tail and sending the cruel Evolution Pokémon flying into a pillar on the other side of the tower. Dr. Plusle and Dr. Minun went to help their leader.
"Charmander." Grimer began to cry. "You were the best friend I ever had." Tears ran down his body and plopped onto the floor. The others had tears in their eyes too, even Treecko.
"I was goimgs to shares my applemasause with him." Pichus sniffed. Mudkip went near the sad Grimer.
"Grimer?" She asked. "Are you going to be okay?" Grimer sadly shook his head.
"No. I'm never going to be okay. Not without my buddy, Charmander. I can never have another friend that can replace him, he was something special." He turned to his friends. "Well, come on. I guess we better go." They started to go back when Mudkip saw something. She turned around and saw Charmander….alive and well riding on the back of Rayquaza!
"Grimer, look!" She said with joy. Grimer and friends looked. Grimer beamed when he saw him.
"CHARMANDER!" He shouted.
"GRIMER!" The salamander called back. Rayquaza landed and Charmander hopped off. He and Grimer ran to each other and gave each other a huge hug.
"I'm glad you're back buddy."
"Me too." They then released each other. Grimer went to Bisharp.
"Char buddy, I like you to meet Bisharp and his Pawniards, AKA, The Tribe of The Sharpened Blade. Without their help, we might not have given you the berry."
'Thank you for helping my friends save me." Charmander thanked Bisharp. Bisharp and his Pawniards bowed.
"It was a great honor to do what was right." Bisharp said. Dragonite then flew in. He wore Torchic's hat on his head.
"I heard all of the commotion." He said. "Is everything all right?" He then saw Charmander. "Oh, I see you found and cured your friend. Congrats! I would've been here sooner but…" He then bopped off Torchic's hat. Torchic jumped and caught it on her head. "I had to find Torchic's hat…which was behind a rock."
"Lucky hat!" Torchic cheered. "I knew you'd come back to me!"
"Charmander, this is Dragonite. He flew us here."
"It's a pleasure meeting you Mr. Dragonite." Charmander said.
"It's a pleasure meeting you too." Grimer looked at his BFF.
"Home, buddy?" He asked.
"Home." Charmander agreed.
"Home it is, buddy." He looked at Rayquaza. "Okay, Mr. Rayquaza can you take…" Rayquaza shook his head and yawned.
"I'm afraid I can't do that." He informed them. "I need more sleep because I was rudely interrupted!" He looked at Lord Eevee and the doctors when he said that. Lord Eevee was just recovering. He looked back at them. "But I'm sure Dragonite can."
"Oh sure!" Dragonite said. "Hop on!" Grimer and his friends hopped on and off they went. They said goodbye to The Tribe of the Sharpened Blade and Rayquaza who all waved back. Rayquaza curled back in his spot and went to sleep.
"We'll be back!" Lord Eevee shouted up at them. "You can bet on that; we'll be back and you'll pay for what you have done!" He and the doctors ran off. The Tribe of the Sharpened Blade followed.
As they flew away, Pichu suddenly realized something.
"Hey, you 'member on tat ropes? I dint get my applesauces!"