Chapter summary: After winning the Pokémon competition, Ash and his friends started talking about the earlier Team Rocket appearance at the amphitheater. Meanwhile, while Jessie, James, and Meowth were falling after their last blast-off, something unexpected to them.
Chapter 4: All About Thoughts And Sadness...
After several battles, Ash and Misty's duo won the competition. After receiving their medals, the two soon headed towards the exit of the amphitheater.
When they got there, they spotted Brock, who was leaning against a wall waiting for his friends.
"Hey Brock!" Said Ash. "Me and Misty got medals for best duo of the competition!"
"Pika-Pika!" Said Pikachu, climbing onto his trainer's shoulder.
"I saw; I was in the amphitheater as a spectator." Brock said. "I am impressed with your victory."
"Thank you!" Said Misty.
The three soon left the building they were in.
After several seconds of walking silently, they started talking again.
"Ash, Misty, I'd like to talk to you about something." Brock said.
"What?" Ash asked in a curious tone.
"Speak up, Brock!" said Misty, in a curious, impatient tone.
"During the competition, we had to deal with Team Rocket." Brock reflected. "I don't think Jessie, James, and Meowth had anything to do with Cassidy and Butch's plan to steal spectators' Pokémon."
Brock's last line had made Misty even more curious.
"How could that be possible? They are all part of the same organization." Questioned Misty. "Why wouldn't they help each other?"
"I think you're right, Brock." Ash said. "They rival each other strong enough that they hate each other."
After a few seconds pondering the matter, the group soon resumed the conversation.
"Now that we thought about it, what do we do?" Questioned Misty.
The three pondered the matter. Although they may have been unfair to the Team Rocket trio, these guys had done many evil deeds in the past.
Even after a long time of reflection, the group was still undecided on the question.
"I don't know..." Ash said. "Maybe time will tell us."
Ash, Misty and Brock continued walking until they reached a partially dense forest.
"What a strange forest… Do you know what this place is, Brock?" Ash asked, the moment the group stopped walking.
"This forest is called 'Lajirem' and it extends over a good area." Brock replied.
"Shouldn't we avoid it? I'm very worried…" pondered Misty, in a distressed tone.
"I don't think we have an alternative path." Ash said. "Besides, it's going to be exciting to say the least exploring it and finding out what's out there."
"Pika!" Said Pikachu, in an excited tone.
They soon entered the forest and began to explore their surroundings as they walked there. They didn't notice that there was someone behind them following them at a distance of ten meters.
•••••••••••
Jessie, James and Meowth were still in the air, falling towards a lake situated in a forested region, with trees similar to the previous.
When they got close to the waters, the three soon prepared to dive.
However, before they touched the lake, they noticed that their fall was stopped; they were floating.
"What's happening?" Jessie questioned.
Looking for the reason their fall had been stopped, the three saw that the Celebi they had encountered earlier was using its psychic attack to keep them floating.
"Look, folks!" exclaimed Meowth, looking at the green Pokémon.
"Beeee!" Said Celebi excitedly as he carried the three towards the grassy forest floor, where they landed safely.
"We really appreciate your help." Said James.
"Beee!" Said Celebi, flying around them.
"You're welcome." Translated Meowth.
For a few seconds, everyone was happy and smiling.
At that moment, James suddenly became serious.
"But what are we going to do about that black and white Pokémon that plans to take revenge on all the humans and Pokémon that inhabit the planet?" he pondered.
His speech made Jessie and Meowth serious too. Even Celebi had lost enthusiasm.
"Beeeee!" Celebi replied.
"Celebi is saying that we should stop him from carrying out his revenge." Translated Meowth.
In that moment, Jessie assumed the posture of someone who was reflecting about.
"Do you remember what happened earlier today?" she questioned. "We competed honestly in that city's tournament, and yet other people treated us unfairly as villains the moment we lost our disguises. Why would we save a world that hates us?"
"You are right." Said James. "I don't want to protect the world from devastation if it just hates me just for who I am."
"The world we live in has always been cruel. Let's get out of here, folks." Said Meowth, in a disappointed tone.
Jessie, James and Meowth soon began to run towards the interior of the forest while threatening to shed tears.
"Beeee!" Said Celebi, distressed by what had just happened.
After a brief hesitation, the three of them continued running and then disappeared behind the trees in the forest.
Seconds later, the green Pokémon saw three young people wandering through the forest and decided to follow them without attracting their attention.
•••••••••••
Ash, Misty and Brock walked through the forest exchanging few words with each other.
After several minutes of walking, the three saw a small Pokémon, colored black below and white above, floating near the trees. Next to him was an artifact that looked like a key.
"Which Pokemon is that?" Asked Ash as he took out his PokéAgenda, who soon offered information about the Pokémon:
"Binastry, a psychic Pokémon. It is one of the few Pokémon with the ability to communicate with humans. When angered, he uses his psychic attacks to get rid of his opponents."
The sound of the PokéAgenda attracted the attention of the mysterious Pokémon, who headed towards the group.
"Who are you?" Questioned the Pokemon.
"I'm Ash." Ash said.
"My name is Misty." Said Misty.
"Mines is Brock." Brock said.
"Pika-Pikachu." Said Pikachu.
"Who are you?" Ash asked, addressing the black and white Pokémon.
At that moment, he showed a slight hesitation, followed by sudden anger.
"I am Binastry," Said the Pokémon. "and I am seeking revenge on all who dwell in this world!"
Upon saying this, Binastry soon made Ash, Misty, Brock and Pikachu levitate using his psychic attack.
"Why are you doing this?" asked Ash, in a both worried and distressed tone.
"Because the world has been cruel to me many times, and for that, everyone will pay cruelly!" replied Binastry, in an angry tone.
"You do not have to do this!" shouted Ash.
"We can help you solve your dilemma in the best possible way." Brock said.
Before Binastry launched them into the air, the youngsters saw a green Pokémon heading towards them. When it got close enough, Ash, Misty and Brock soon recognized it as a Celebi.
"Beeee!" Said the Pokémon, who soon used its confusion attack against Binastry.
Upon receiving the blow, he was temporarily confused, freeing the young people from his psychic attack.
Upon falling to the ground, Ash and Misty quickly hid in the forest. Meanwhile, Brock had noticed that the mysterious object Binastry was carrying had landed nearby. He tried to take the artifact with his hands, but was stopped by some sort of invisible barrier. Soon after, he also went into hiding in the region.
After recovering from the attack, Binastry noticed that everyone, including Celebi, had disappeared. He also noticed that the artifact he was carrying had fallen on the grass in the area.
With his psychic attack, he soon made the object levitate towards him.
"You managed to escape this time, but in the future, I will catch you and you will no longer escape!" Said the black and white Pokémon as it floated into the forest until it disappeared from view.
At that moment, Ash, Misty and Brock started talking to each other:
"What are we going to do now?" pondered Ash.
"Well..." said Misty, in an initially hesitant tone, followed by a confident one. "We can't allow that Pokémon to worsen the lives of others!"
"He was carrying an object that looked like an artifact." Brock reflected. "I tried to catch it, but I was stopped by an invisible wall-"
Suddenly, they saw someone walking towards them.
"I believe I can explain everything about the topic." Said the person when he got close to the group.
"But who are you?" Ash asked.
"Pika?" Said Pikachu.
"My name is Lenny Warui, but you can simply call me Lenny." replied the man.
•Curiosity: The word 'Warui' means "Bad" from Japanese.