Episode 188: As Clear as Crystal
After saying their goodbyes to Lily, Sora, Kairi, Ash, Leaf, Tracey, Pikachu, Angel, Togepi, and the Pichu continued on their way towards Blackthorn City as Sora still remained a Pikachu.
"Geez, it's hard to walk on four legs. I hope this spell wares off soon. And if Karen saw me like this, I know I'm going to he in for a series of teasing from her. I'm never gonna hear the end of it," Sora said.
"I don't know, Sora. If Karen saw you like this, she might think you're cute," Kairi said.
"Eevee, vee," Angel said.
"Just how much longer do I have to walk on four legs?" Sora asked as a smoke engulfs him and he changed back to his human form. "Hey, I'm me again!"
"It has been a few hours anyway," Ash said.
"That's good to know," Leaf said.
Sora took out his Pokémon Box and exchanged Magcargo for Raikou.
Just when they were about to go even further, they were suddenly surrounded by Heartless. The Heartless were Shadows, Yellow Operas, and some new Heartless.
There was one kind that is a centaur-like creature with a black, equine lower body with red hooves. Its upper body is muscular, vaguely humanoid, and has black skin. It wears gray Chinese armor over most of its body, as well as a small, conical, silver helmet with two curved, golden feathers and a red cape. Its pitch-black face is almost entirely obscured by its helmet, though its glowing, yellow eyes are visible. It carries a long guan dao with an angular, gold blade, a silver handle, and a red horsehair tassel at the base of the blade. This Heartless is known as the Assault Rider.
Another is a Heartless that is a reference to the jiāngshī or hopping vampire. It has a spherical head with a jagged mouth and glowing, yellow eyes with black rings around them. Its skin is sky blue, and its arms are always held stiffly out in front of its body. It dresses in high-collared, purple robes with hand blue and yellow lining on the loose, furisode-esque sleeves. The front of these robes is magenta with yellow lining. It also wears a wide, flat-topped hat that is purple on top and magenta near the base, with the two colors being separated by a yellow, zig-zagging line. It also seems to wear pointed shoes, though because they are the same color as the Heartless's skin, they may simply be its feet. Its Heartless symbol is printed on a small, yellow piece of parchment stuck to its forehead. This Heartless is known as the Nightwalker.
Another is a Heartless that has a spherical, black head with glowing, yellow eyes and a jagged mouth. Its head is surrounded by a large, two-pronged, beak-like helmet that sports a black spike on either of its sides. The helmet itself is orange and the Heartless emblem is on its top. Its body is also spherical, black, and only slightly larger than its head. It lack arms, and its legs are thin and do not have distinct digits. It has a propeller attached to its rear that it uses to fly. Its neck and body are separated by a thin, cyan line. This Heartless is known as the Rapid Thruster.
Another is a Heartless that has a somewhat feminine body structure, and dresses in loose, flowing clothing. It has dark purple skin, circular, yellow eyes, thin arms, and large, four-fingered hands. Its face is almost entirely covered by a large headdress that is lavender with red-violet inner lining, a curled tip at its top, and a Heartless symbol on the section covering the creature's forehead. It also wears a navy blue tank top, baggy, purple and lavender pants, and a violet cloth around its waist, all of which have pale yellow lining. This Heartless also sports a pale yellow wristband on each of its wrists, a small ring of the same color on each of its index fingers, and violet and pale yellow high-heeled shoes. The Heartless always balances on a sparkling crystal ball. This Heartless is known as the Fortuneteller.
Another has a spherical black head with glowing yellow eyes. Its head is placed near the base of a tall, vaguely pyramidal structure that surrounds it. This apparatus is predominantly red with yellow and lavender patterns decorating its edges. Four large, conical, yellow spikes are set in its base, and three smaller, silver ones adorning its top. It also has a curled, brown antenna on its top, similar to the tip of the Yellow Opera's hat. Its Heartless emblem is on the front of the structure, above the Heartless's head. This Heartless is known as the Bolt Tower.
"Heartless!" Tracey exclaimed.
"We'll take care of them!" Sora said as he, Kairi, Ash, and Leaf summoned their Keyblades and engaged the Heartless.
"Pika, Pika!" Pikachu said. The Pichu went to Tracey as Kairi places Togepi to safety in her backpack.
The Yellow Operas gave off sparks as the Nightwalkers hopped over to them. Pikachu unleashed a Thunderbolt at the Shadows, but the Yellow Operas have absorbed the electricity into their bodies. The Yellow Operas then tackled Pikachu. One of the Bolt Towers then take Pikachu in their electricity, hurting him greatly.
"Pikachu!" Sora exclaimed as he engaged the Bolt Tower and destroyed it. Pikachu fell to the ground. "Are you alright?"
"Pikachu," Pikachu weakly said.
"Eevee!" Angel exclaimed as she fired Swift at the Heartless, destroying a handful of them.
The Nightwalkers summoned blue flames when they attacked. Ash and Leaf has slained the Nightwalkers as the Rapid Thrusters came at them. Ash and Leaf destroyed them.
The fight went on right until the last of the Heartless were destroyed.
"That's the last of them," Sora said.
"Those Heartless sure picked a bad time to attack," Leaf said.
"But at least everyone's okay," Ash said.
"Not quite," Sora said, picking up Pikachu. "Those Heartless must have sapped some of Pikachu's electricity when they attacked.
"Eevee," Angel said with worry.
A young woman wearing a ranger's outfit comes to the group. She had short blue heair and violet eyes.
"Is everything okay?" The young woman asked. They all turned to see her. "I heard some kind of commotion and I came to investigate."
"We were attacked by some creatures, but Pikachu then started to feel drained of power," Sora explained.
"Is that right? I thought something must have been wrong," the young woman said.
"We should head off for the closest Pokémon Center," Sora said.
"That'll take us at least another day for us to reach, and we might have time," Leaf said.
"We can't just sit around and wait for a solution to come to us," Sora said.
"Sora's right. We need to do something," Kairi agreed. The young woman looked over to Sora and his Pikachu.
"I shouldn't do this, but his Pikachu needs my help right now," the young woman said in her thoughts.
"You're going to be okay, Pikachu," Sora promised.
"Eevee," Angel said.
"Maybe there is a way I can help out your Pikachu, but I can't unless you promise to make a very solemn promise," the young woman said. Sora, Kairi, Ash, Leaf, Tracey, and the Pokémon all looked at her. "I work at a place that isn't too far from here. And we can get to it with practically no time at all, but you got to promise me that everything you see and hear there will be secret. Is that a deal?"
"Deal," Sora, Kairi, Ash, Leaf, and Tracey said.
"Eevee," Angel said.
"Pichu," the Shiny Pichu chirped.
"Pichu," the Spiky-eared Pichu chirped.
"Alright then, let's hurry," the young woman said. "By the way, my name's Krystal."
The group followed her up to a hill and the group quickly noticed wild Pokémon were heading the same direction as they are; and they are Electric-type Pokémon.
"Where could these Electric-type Pokémon be going?" Ash asked.
"Probably the same place that where we're going," Tracey said.
"All of those Pokemon are going there for a very special reason," Krystal said.
"How are they going to help Pikachu?" Ash asked.
"Hang in there, buddy," Sora said.
"Come on, there's no time to lose. Let's hurry," Krystal said.
"Okay," Sora agreed.
The group continue to climb the incline until they reach a massive lake.
"Ta-da! We're here!" Krystal said.
"Wow!" Sora, Kairi, Ash, Leaf, and Tracey all said, awestruck.
"Such a beautiful lake," Kairi said.
"It's huge," Ash said.
"Everyone look there," Leaf said.
Everyone looks to the right and sees several Electric-type Pokemon relaxing in the lake water. The Electric-type Pokémon were Elekid, Electabuzz, Magnemite, Jolteon, Voltorb, Magnezone, Chinchou, Mareep, Flaaffy, and Raichu.
"There are Electric-type Pokémon everywhere you look," Tracey said.
"They're all looking healthy," Ash said.
"Believe it or not, all of those Pokémon have been worn out. Or seriously injured. The waters in this lake have magical healing properties for Electric-type Pokémon. Now, let's hurry with Pikachu," Krystal said.
"You don't need to tell me twice," Sora said.
Sora placed Pikachu in the lake and he smiles as he felt his energy coming right back.
"Pika," Pikachu said. Electric sparks sparkled all over Pikachu as he was being in the lake.
"Does that feel better, Pikachu?" Sora asked his partner.
"Pika," Pikachu said.
"Eevee, vee!" Angel said with relief as she nuzzled Pikachu. Pikachu nuzzled her back.
"I don't get it. These Pokémon have been healed completely? By stepping in some lake water?" Tracey asked.
"You got it, but this lake water contains a little secret," Krystal said.
"What kind of secret?" Kairi asked.
"I have a boat we can use, just so you could see for yourselves," Krystal said. She got a boat ready as Sora, Kairi, Ash, Leaf, Tracey, and the Pokémon all got in the boat. What they saw is what had them awestruck. What they saw what looks like an underwater temple with a crystal in the podium. And this crystal was the source of the shining.
"Is that an underwater temple?" Kairi asked.
"Something is still glowing down there," Ash said.
"That something is what has been healing all of these Electric-type Pokémon, Krystal said. "The Legendary Crystal."
"Legendary Crystal?" Sora asked.
"Many Electric-type have come here for years because it has been drawn by its awesome power," Krystal explained.
"How did it end up in the bottom of this lake?" Leaf asked.
"Legend says that it once rested on the top of this mountain, but direction waves caused the temple to slide into the lake along with the crystal," Krystal said.
"Is this what you wanted us to keep secret?" Sora asked.
"Yes," Krystal said.
"And no wonder you wanted us to keep it a secret," Leaf said.
"A place like this needs to be protected forever," Kairi saidd.
"I can't imagine if word should get out and the wrong people would do anything to get a hold of it," Tracey said.
"Exactly," Krystal said.
"Man, if I had a secret this big, I know I would want it to be a secret, too," Sora said.
Team Rocket listens in on their conversation.
"You hear that? A pretty big secret, and we just stumbled on it with a little folklore," Meowth said.
"Even better stealing it," James said.
"Oh, if we owned a crystal that incredible," Jessie said as she start to fantasize what it would be like. "First a bath in my crystal tub, then a snooze in my crystal bed, then off to the ball in my crystal gown!" Jessie said.
"Not to mention the finest crystal palace in town!" James said.
"We'll be worth our weight in crystal!" Meowth said.
"There's not a moment to waste!" Jessie said.
"Let's grab that Electric Crystal, posthaste!" James said.
"Ready, James? Ready, Jess?" Meowth asked.
"Yes!" Team Rocket all said.
"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet said.
Krystal brings them back to the shore.
"You have our word that the secret will be kept secret," Ash said.
"Like Kairi said, a secret like this needs to he protected forever," Leaf said.
Meanwhile, below the lake water, Team Rocket makes their move in a Tentacruel disguise.
"This is embarrassing! How could we be stuck with a junk pile like this?" Jessie asked, annoyed.
"There was no choice. The boss won't give us the money for anything!" James said. They soon approach the crystal and grab it. "Got it! It's even more beautiful in a closeup!"
"And beautiful things never truly shine until they're appreciated by a beautiful person like me!" Jessie said.
"We've got the rock, so head for the dock!" Jessie and James said.
He takes the Legendary Crystal and it stops glowing.
Just when the group was about to leave, they all saw that the center of the lake had stopped glowing.
"What the?!" Ash exclaimed.
"What happened?!" Sora exclaimed.
"Pika?" Pikachu asked.
"The crystal stopped glowing!" Krystal exclaimed.
"How? It looked like it was doing just fine," Kairi said.
"Oh, it is!" A familiar voice spoke. They all looks to the left and see Jessie and James in their Tentacruel disguise. "Prepare for trouble, we'll never get caught!"
"Make it double and look what we've got!" James said.
Everyone looks and sees the crystal in their hands.
"Oh no! Can't be!" Krystal gasped.
"They didn't!" Sora said.
"Oh, yes, we did!" Jessie said as she and James remove the disguise.
"To protect the world from devastation."
"To unite all peoples within our nation."
"To denounce the evils of truth and love."
"To extend our reach to the stars above."
"Jessie."
"James."
"Team Rocket blasts off with a quick bolt of light!"
"Surrender now or prepare to be zapped with our electrical might!"
Wobbuffet and Mime Jr pops up with a walkie talkie.
"Meowth's outta sight!"
"Wooobuffet!"
"Mime, Mime!"
"Team Rocket!" Sora, Kairi, Ash, Leaf, and Tracey all exclaimed.
"That crystal is no use to you!" Krystal said.
"Really? We'll think of something," Jessie said.
A rope soon drops down before Jessie and James.
"Now that our rope has descended, it's time to say adieu," James said.
"To you, an' you, an' you and you an' you!" Meowth sang.
As Meowth talks, the balloon lifts off.
"Hey, come back here!" Ash shouted.
"Put that back!" Sora yelled.
Soon, all the Electric-type Pokémon in the water go after Team Rocket.
"Those Pokémon are really upset," Leaf said.
"Can you blame them? The crystal was stolen by those morons!" Sora said as he took out his Ultra Ball and threw it. "Go! Raikou!" His Ultra Ball opened and roared. Use Thunder on them, Raikou!" Raikou unleashed a Thunder on them as well as Pikachu, the Pichu, and the other Electric-type Pokémon all fired their Electric-type attacks at Team Rocket.
"What is that?!" Kairi asked.
"Electricity stealing at it's finest! It's the PikaPower Mark 3!" Jessie said.
"It's a piece of art, really," James said.
"What did you mean by Mark 3?" Tracey asked.
"Well PikaPower Marks 1 and 2 were complete failures, as they say, the third time's the charm," James said. He looked at the Scratch Cat Pokémon. "Meowth?" Meowth takes out a wooden carving of an Ursaring holding a Magikarp.
"Our phonelines are open! So act now and you can get it with dis beautiful, one of a kind Ursaring carving!" Meowth said.
"Wobbu Wob!" Wobbuffet said.
"It's time, now, to suck up every last remnant of Pikachu's voltage!" Jessie said.
"The rest of you electrical oddities are next!" James said.
"Force electric absorption, beginning!" Meowth said.
All the Pokémon keep up the voltage, but it all keeps getting sucked in.
"Pikachu!" Kairi gasped.
"Eevee!" Angel gasped.
"Not just Pikachu, but the Pichu are getting hurt, too!" Tracey said.
"Without the crystal, they're in grave danger!" Krystal gasped.
"Looks like I have no choice!" Sora said. Just when Sora was about to summon his Keyblade, a loud screech is heard as a lightning bolt strikes from above, stopping the absorption. Team Rocket were dismayed by what they saw.
"Hey!" Jessie and James exclaimed.
"Now where did that blast come from?!" Meowth exclaimed.
"What was that?" Tracey said.
"I see something coming down from those clouds," Ash said.
Everyone looks up as dark thunder clouds gather before they part and reveal none other than a Zapdos.
"A Zapdos!" Ash exclaimed.
"Just like the one I caught before," Sora said. Leaf took out her Pokédex and scanned it.
Zapdos, the Electric Pokémon
Type: Electric/Flying
When Zapdos flaps its wings, it creates lightning, causing lightning storms.
"What are the chances a Zapdos would show up at a time like this?" Kairi asked.
"Zapdos must've sensed that the electric Pokémon were in trouble!" Tracey said.
"That's a Zapdos!" Meowth said.
"Imagine our good fortune if we caught it for the boss!" Jessie said.
"Crystal for us, Zapdos for him," James said.
"We'd finally be completely out of debt!" Meowth said.
"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet said.
Zapdos fires a massive bolt, only for it to get absorbed.
"It works like a million bucks!" James said.
"It didn't cost us anything since we stole all this equipment," Jessie said.
Zapdos starts to feel the effects of having its energy drained.
"Zapdos!" Kairi gasped.
"Zapdos is losing energy fast!" Ash said.
"Something doesn't seem right!" Tracey said.
"Yeah, it's that machine!" Sora said.
Zapdos keeps pouring on the power.
"I would've thought that a Zapdos would have much more to give," Jessie said.
"Agreed. How could a legendary Pokemon have such small reserve?" James asked.
"All dos, no zap!" Meowth taunted.
"Zapdos, more power!" Krystal said.
Zapdos hears her and pours on the power even more to the point of shocking Team Rocket.
"Those legends can't take a joke!" Jessie and James exclaimed from the shock.
The PikaPower Mark 3 finally overloads and explodes, sending Team Rocket flying once again.
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" Jessie shouted as they land right in the forest.
"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet exclaimed.
The storm clouds fade before Zapdos falls from the sky.
"Oh no!" Krystal gasped as she ran for Zapdos after it lands. "Zapdos, are you okay?" Zapdos tries to use more power to keep the two humans back before Sora, Kairi, Ash, Leaf, Tracey, Pikachu, Angel, Togepi, the Pichu, and Raikou approaches. It's alright, Zapdos. We just want to help us.
Zapdos soon collapses.
"What happened?" Ash asked.
"Its power must be really low. Much lower than I thought. That machine. Normally it wouldn't be effected at all!" Krystal said.
"So I guess that you already knew that this Zapdos was here trying to get healed," Tracey said.
"That's right. The truth is, this is the real secret I wanted to keep. But now that the crystal's been stolen, this beautiful lake has lost the power to heal Zapdos or any Pokémon," Krystal said.
"That's awful," Leaf said.
"We're gonna get that Crystal back," Sora said. Pikachu and Raikou nodded with agreement. "You take care of Zapdos and let us do the rest." Krystal turned to the group.
"You'd do that?" Krystal asked.
"It'll be back before you know it," Sora said.
"All right, I'll leave it to you," Krystal said. Sora and Kairi climbed up on Raikou's back to retrieve the crystal from Team Rocket. Pikachu, Angel, and the Pichu joins in the chase. Ash, Leaf, and Tracey followed. Pikachu, Raikou, and the Pichu can sense the crystal since they're all Electric-type Pokémon and they followed closely.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket are recovering from their crash landing.
"Looks like that Zapdos gave us the slip," James said.
"At least we've managed to keep ahold of this crystal," Meowth said.
"I wish I was electric so I could recharge with it," Meowth said.
"Wob, Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet said.
Raikou roared, alerting Team Rocket. They turned to see Sora and Kairi riding on Raikou's back.
"Found you at last, morons!" Sora said.
What a surprise, it's the twerps," Jessie scowled.
"Maybe if we turn the other way, they won't notice we're here," James said.
"Fat chance!" Jessie said, taking out her Pokéball and threw it. "Arbok! Go!" James took out a Pokéball and threw it.
"Victreebel! Get out there, too!" James called out. Both Pokemon came out to battle, but Victreebel tries to eat James instead. "This is not a buffet and I'm not the hors d'oeuvre!" Sora and Kairi took out their Pokéballs and threw them.
"Go! Typhlosion!" Sora called out.
"Go! Mismagius!" Kairi called out.
Typlhosion and Mismagius came out to battle.
"Arbok! Use Poison Sting!" Jessie ordered. Arbok fired Poison Sting at Typhlosion.
"Mismagius! Use Psychic!" Kairi ordered. Mismagius uses Psychic and it blocks Poison Sting. The Magical Pokémon uses her Psychic to send the attack back at Team Rocket, hitting them.
"Victreebel! Use Leaf Blade!" James ordered. Victreebel came at Typhlosion and Mismagius with a Leaf Blade.
"Use Flamethrower!" Sora ordered.
"Use Mystical Fire!" Kairi ordered.
Typhlosion and Mismagius unleashed their fire attacks and struck them both.
"Give back the Crystal now!" Sora said.
"Never!" Jessie said
"Alright then! Raikou! Use Thunder Fang!" Sora ordered. Raikou came at Arbok and Victreebel and lands an electrified bite on them. Sora summoned his Keyblade and casts his magnet spell and pulls Team Rocket in the vortex.
"I think I'm getting queasy!" James said.
"If you puke on me, I'm going to kill you!" Jessie said. She loses grip of the crystal and it falls straight to the ground. "My crystal!"
"Wrong!" Kairi said, catching the crystal before it hit the ground. "Not yours!"
"Okay, Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt! Raikou! Use Thunder!" Sora ordered. Pikachu and Raikou unleashed a Thunderbolt and Thunder combo attack, shocking them. An explosion occurs and they go flying.
"Team Rocket is blasting off again!" Team Rocket exclaimed as they go flying.
"Wobbu!" Wobbuffet said as a star twinkles in the distance.
Ash, Leaf, and Tracey caught up at last.
"Is everything okay?" Ash asked.
"It is now," Kairi said, holding the crystal.
"Great! Let's bring it back," Leaf said.
Sora, Kairi, Ash, Leaf, Tracey, and the Pokémon return to the lake with Krystal, Kairi, Leaf, Tracey, and the Pokémon watching from the shore as Sora and Ash swim down to return the crystal. Once they place it back, they return to the surface.
"Okay?" Ash asked.
"Everything good?" Sora asked.
"No," Tracey said.
"The crystal's not glowing underwater," Leaf said.
"What?!" Ash asked.
"I don't get it, we put it back in the right place and everything!" Sora said.
"But without the crystal, my poor friend Zapdos, might not make it," Krystal said.
"No! It'll work!" Sora said.
Pikachu, determined, dives in the water and swims forward. Raikou dives in as well. The Pichu followed them in the water.
Soon, all the other Electric-type Pokemon head towards the crystal.
"Now what are they up to?" Krystal asked.
"Maybe they're going down to the crystal," Leaf said.
"Ampharos and Lanturn should help, too," Kairi said, taking out two of her Pokéballs and opened them. Ampharos and Lanturn came out. "Ampharos, Lanturn, lend Pikachu and the other Pokémon a hand!"
Ampharos and Lanturn nodded and dove in the water. Ampharos and Lanturn joins Pikachu, the Pichu, Raikou, Ampharos, Lanturn, and the other Pokémon as they fired their electricity at the crystal, restoring the glow.
They see the glow from the surface.
"They did it!" Ash said.
"Hurry! Get Zapdos in the water!" Tracey said.
Everyone proceeds to do so. Soon, after Zapdos sinks into the lake, the crystal stops glowing.
"The crystal stopped glowing?!" Sora asked.
"Even Raikou's powers weren't enough," Kairi said.
"Eevee," Angel said.
Down beneath the water, the other electrical Pokemon use their power on the crystal to restore Zapdos. In no time, Zapdos wakes up and the group soon see it surface.
With one electrical blast, Zapdos restores the crystal back to full power.
"Zapdos is okay!" Leaf cheered.
"I can't believe it!" Ash also cheered.
"You're alright!" Krystal said happily.
The clouds blackened and Zapdos fires its electric attack into the lake, re-energizing the crystal. It was more than enough power to give the crystal the glow it had lost beofre.
"The lake is back to normal!" Ash said happily.
"That's a good sign!" Sora said.
"Zapdos's power is more than enough to give it that glow," Tracey said. With the crystal back to normal, Zapdos takes its leave of the lake only to return if it needs to recharge itself. The Electric Type Pokémon waved goodbye to the legendary bird Pokémon as it disappeared through the black clouds.
"Thanks Zapdos. You're the best," Krystal said. Later, as the sun was setting, Krystal came to see the group off. "Thanks to all of you, the lake will continue healing Electric-type Pokémon for a very long time. I just don't know how I can ever thank you."
"You don't need to thank us. We just did what we thought was right," Sora said. "Like I said before, you helped out Pikachu and I should be thanking you for that."
"And you have our word that we won't tell anyone about Zapdos, the crystal and the lake to anyone," Kairi assured her.
"Even if we did, I don't think anybody would believe us anyway," Leaf said.
"And I think that is for the best," Tracey said.
"He's right, it is," Krystal said.
"We should be going," Sora said.
"Thanks again. And good luck in your Gym battle," Krystal said.
With that said, the group continued their way to Blacthorn City for Sora's final Gym battle. Sora, Kairi, Ash, Leaf, Tracey, Pikachu, Angel, Togepi, and the Pichu had once again touched the hearts of both people and Pokémon and they have new memories locked away in their hearts.
Team Rocket hanging from a cliff and hanging onto each other for dear life.
"Can anyone hear me?!" Meowth shouted. He spots something and panics) That crazy Zapdos!" Jessie and James both panicked.
Zapdos proceeds to shock Team Rocket again as payback for what they did to ut before flying off. Serves them right.
"Well, we blew it," James said.
"That's crystal clear," Jessie said.
"And it really burns me up!" Meowth said.
"Team Rocket's hanging around again!" Team Rocket shouted.
"Wobbuffet," Wobbuffet said.