Chapter 37
Lights! Camera! Pika!
While we all have multiple different goals, we continued our journey through Kalos together. One day we were passing through the peaceful looking forest. Suddenly, Cocoa noticed something…
"What in the world…?"
The rest of us stopped and looked where she was staring at. Not far away, we saw what appeared to be a small settlement. But upon further inspection, the inhabitants were all Pikachu. At the moment, they were all dancing in a circle. "Pi! Pika! PIII!" they chanted repeatedly.
"There's gotta be like… a bajillion Pikachu down there!" Meowth commented.
"They look like they're having so much fun!" Serena added.
"It's like a Pika-Party!" Bonnie added.
Ash's Pikachu jumped off his shoulder to check out the action, and the rest of us followed. As he approached the crowd, they stopped and watched. He climbed a tower stairway that stood nearby and greeted the others, who cheerfully welcomed him.
"Cut!" cried a voice.
There, hiding in an alleyway, stood two people. The older male, the source of the voice, was holding a collection of papers and a megaphone. The younger female was positioning a camera in our direction.
The former approached. "I've never seen anything like it! Such fluid movements… that perfectly Pika-proportioned body… the way he caught everyone's attention… I LOVE it!" Then, he looked at Ash. "This is your Pikachu, I presume?"
"Uh… yeah. Why?"
"I may be asking for the moon here," he said, "but can I borrow your Pikachu for the lead role in my short film?"
"Short film? So that explains all of this… Lead role?!"
The director then turned his attention to our Pikachu. As he continued to speak, he grabbed him in a hug. "Your Pikachu caught everybody's attention in less than an instant. I'm certain he'll make my Pika-movie shine with his Pika-star power!"
Although, he squeezed a little too tight, which Pikachu did not like. He made that apparent by electrocuting the director.
He fell over from the literal shock as our Pikachu clambered back to his Trainer's shoulder. "Pika-fantastic…"
*Ash's POV*
He then invited us to his estate and offered us refreshments. Looking around, we saw the largest collection of Pikachu themed merchandise ever. I thought I was a big Pikachu fan, but this guy would give me a run for my money.
"This is Pikachu Manor," the director explained, "my Pika-palatial estate that I'm quite Pika-proud of. I'm Frank Goldfarb, Pika-President of the official Pikachu Fan Club!"
The young lady we met earlier then spoke up. "My name's Jean. I'm his faithful assistant."
Frank smiled and gave her a hug. "…and my beloved granddaughter." Jean blushed a little as he continued. "I cannot thank you enough for letting me borrow your Pikachu, Mr. Ketchum."
"Please… just Ash," the Kantonian replied. "As long as you need him, can we help out as well? Many hands make light work, after all."
"Certainly! A Pika-pleasure, indeed!" He then stood from his Pika-throne and gestured to a door nearby. "For starters, allow me to introduce all of you to your Pika-costars!" The door seemed to open by itself, and five of the cutest Pikachu ever came in. Each of them was dressed in a costume which only added to their cuteness. "We have Pikachu Pop Star, Pikachu Rock Star, Pikachu Ph.D, Pikachu Libre, and Pikachu Belle! Your Pikachu will be working with these five especially! So let's work together and make this a blockbuster for the Pikachu Fan Club!"
The rest of us agreed to the production going ahead.
Mr. Goldfarb then presented us with the collection of papers he held earlier. "Feast your eyes on the script! It contains every detail of the characters' actions and all of their lines as well."
He handed it over to Clemont, who opened it up. He saw the layout for the first scene, which we walked into, but then he saw the next page.
It was blank.
He continued to flip through the pages until he reached the end of the script. "Only three pages? What kind of script is this?"
"An unfinished script, that's what," the director stated. "See, we're only in early Pika-production as of yet, but I already have the Pika-plot in my head! I just haven't put pen to Pika-paper yet!"
"How do you work without a script?" Jessie asked.
"Like I said, it's early production. But with my Pika-passion for moviemaking, and my Pika-love for Pikachu,it will be a cinch!"
Clemont smiled with confidence. "Of course… That can only mean the future is now, thanks to science! Clemontic Brain, ON!" He declared. "I'll help you with the script!"
Brianna then raised her hands. "I'll help, too! I've seen all of my mom's movies growing up. Between the three of us, we can have this script ready by morning!"
Clemont and Brianna worked with Frank well into the night to complete the script. By the time they were complete, Bonnie and Magearna were already fast asleep.
Meanwhile, Serena and I were out on the balcony with Jean. As we admired the view, Jean spoke to us. "Thank you all so much for helping my grandfather realize his dream."
"It's no trouble," I replied. "I've never seen anyone who loves Pikachu this much."
Jean smiled. "He always told me there was a Pikachu by his side since he was a child. He's a bit eccentric, but his love for Pikachu is second only to his love for his family. That's why I want to help him make his dream come true."
"You're a great grandchild, Jean," Serena told her. "We'll help out in any way we can…"
*Brianna's POV*
As we continued to work on his short film, Frank directed us to a mountainous cliffside, where the film's climax was to take place. There were already large blue screens set up over there, as well as other means of moviemaking. Jean manned the camera, and Clemont was placed in charge of the audio, assisted by a Gurdurr. James volunteered to manage the lighting, accomplished through a series of other Pokemon. Bonnie was left in charge of smoke, commanding a Weezing and a Torkoal as needed.
At the top of the cliff, I stood with most of the Pikachu. Among them was Ash's who wore a heroic looking Costume. The rest of us were given a specific task with special effects. To assist in this, I called upon the Pure Hearts for help. "Power of Electricity!" I shouted, transforming into my Electric-type form.
Down below, Jessie addressed Frank. "Are you sure you wanna shoot way down here?" She asked.
"It's Pika-perfect!" He explained. "As long as we have those blue screens, we can transform the scenery into a dramatic background using CGI!"
"CGI?" Cocoa asked.
Clemont spoke up. "It stands for Computer Generated-Imagery. Through a computer, we can change that screen into virtually anything." He then turned to the director. "Looks like we're all set!"
"Excellent, let's get to it! Lights! Smoke! Jean, roll it!" He then held up a clap board to the lens and clapped it down. "...aaand, Action!"
The fog slowly cleared to reveal both Belle and Pop Star Pikachu being tied down by Jessie's Gourgeist and Frank's Banette. As they cried out of pain, Meowth, who portrayed the main villain, snickered. "Snivel all you want, ladies… you ain't goin' nowhere on my terms!"
"PIKAAA!" cried Ash's Pikachu in anger. Meowth turned and looked up the cliff to see his in-film archrival. "Pika! Pika Pika!"
"Now!" I cried to the other Pikachu. We all launched a massive Electric-type attack into the air to add to the hero's dramatic entrance.
"Hah! You sure are naive…" Meowth laughed.
"...and cut!" Frank cried out. "Excellent job, everyone! Ready the stunt double!"
The stunt double was in fact Ash's Hawlucha. The next scene we would be doing would be too dangerous for Pikachu. So instead, Hawlucha would be disguised as him. After donning the disguise, he would go up to stand where the real Pikachu was.
Jean readied the camera, and Frank held up his megaphone. "Camera rolling, and… Action!"
"Hah! You sure are naive…" Meowth repeated. "Too bad! Let him have it, goons!" James' Malamar and Frank's Toxicroak both fired off a Shadow Ball at Hawlucha, who dodged at just the right time. The resulting explosion was exaggerated, thanks to Torkoal and Braixen. Hawlucha would then land behind some large rocks, where the real Piachu was waiting.
He ran out, and Frank called to end the scene. "...and cut! Pika-perfection!" He then looked out at the sun. "Looks like that's all we can do for now. Let's Pika-break for dinner!"
We returned to the original scene, where Frank and Jean quickly started preparing a meal for us. We ate outside to enjoy the fine weather. All of our Pokemon ate and mingled with the plethora of Pikachu.
About halfway into the meal, Serena showed up with a camera. "At the moment, the whole crew is on break for a bite to eat."
"What're you doing?" asked James out of curiosity.
"Behind the scenes documentation."
"Ah…"
Serena then focused on Frank. "Now, Mr. Goldfarb, what inspired you to make a Pikachu-themed movie? Your thoughts, please."
"Well, that's a bit of a story," he started. "Pikachu have always been a part of my life. When I was a young child, I was hospitalized because of a rare disease. I could not travel on journeys like the rest of my friends. But I had one companion who stayed by my side… a Pikachu my father gave me as a gift. Whenever I was sad, lonely, or just plain bored, he was always there to comfort me.
When I was finally discharged, Pikachu and I started traveling across the land like you are. We laughed together, struggled together, and shared much happiness together. Even when I was at my lowest point, when my darling wife passed away, Pikachu was always there for me. Pikachu brought me more joy than I could ever measure, And I want to share all of that joy with children around the world with my movie. That is my dream."
I am not ashamed to say I shed a few tears as he spoke.
"And what a wonderful dream that is," Ash commented. "Everybody will love it, no doubt!"
The next day, we had the final scene recorded and ready for print. Immediately after that came post-production. Clemont, Jean and Frank edited the film, making sure to choose the best shots. Meanwhile, the rest of us started the voice lines for the many characters. I got to play Super Pikachu! Once that was taken care of, the editing crew began to edit the film together with the vocalization and the sound effects until finally…
"Folks, we've got ourselves a MOVIE!" Frank declared as he held up the finished film. "Thanks to everybody here, my dream is finally a Pika-reality! Now, come with me to the theater room. I'll pop this little beauty into the projector, and we can all enjoy a Pika-preview!"
"I'll make the popcorn!" Jessie declared.
Including all of the Pokemon, it was practically a full house. Jessie and Cocoa passed out popcorn and other snacks as we took out seats. The lights dimmed, the projector activated, and the curtain pulled away to reveal our final product.
After the opening logo, the film began with a view of the landscape. As the camera focused on the first scene's setting, Cocoa's voice rang out to the audience. "In a world inhabited solely by Pokémon, this is Pikachu Village - a beautiful, peaceful little town built and inhabited by a happy group of… you guessed it… Pikachu."
As the camera zoomed in, most of the Pikachu are seen dancing in the town square. "Our twentieth year!" cheered one of them. "Horray!"
"It feels like a dream, doesn't it?" another commented.
Suddenly, a large car vrooms in from one direction. It jumped over the lake and into the square, disrupting the celebration. Meowth was seen jumping out from the backseat, laughing maniacally. He was dressed all in black with a mask over his eyes.
"Oh, no!" Cocoa's voice continued. "It's that villain of villains, the Hooded Claw!"
"Great news, everyone! Starting today, I'm running this town!"
Pikachu Rock Star and Pikachu Libre. stepped up. "What do you mean?" the latter asked. "We built this town ourselves!"
"And it doesn't belong to you!" Rock Star added.
The Hooded Claw cackled. "If I cared for what you thought, I'd open a suggestion box! Get'em, goonies!"
"Right, boss!" said Malamar and Toxicroak at the same time. They fired off different attacks and launched the two Pikachu out of their way. Belle and Pop Star came over to comfort them.
The Hooded Claw laughed once again. "Dig it! Nothin' can stop us now!"
But he spoke too soon. Just then, from the clock tower, came a light bright as a star. When it cleared, there stood a Pikachu who looked different from all the others. He was dressed mostly in white, with a cape like wings trailing from his neck.
"Ah… Super Pikachu," grinned the Hooded Claw, "we meet again."
"I refuse to allow your evil deeds!" he replied as he leaped from the tower, landing between his nemesis and the innocent crowd. "Stay back, everyone! I'll handle this!" he told the latter.
"Get him!" the Hooded Claw demanded.
Malamar and Toxicroak launched themselves at Super Pikachu, ready to flatten them. Despite their overwhelming sizes, Super was able to knock them over with little effort. The other Pikachu cheered for Super's victory.
Then Super approached the Hooded Claw. "Now, are you going to come quietly, or do I have to drag you into jail?"
The Hooded Claw smirked. "Made ya look…" From behind Super Pikachu, Belle and Pop Star screamed. He turned around to see a Banette and Gourgeist had emerged out of nowhere. They grabbed Pikachu Belle and Pop Star and dragged them over to their master. "Now what, Super Pika-chump?"
"You scoundrel…" Super muttered.
The Hooded Claw cackled. "Here's mud in your eye!" He launched a Pay Day attack where Super was standing, knocking him off his feet and into a puddle of mud. Pikachu PhD. and Rock Star helped him back onto his feet as the bad guy spoke up again. "Word up, Super! If ya want 'em back, meet us at the top of Mount Hasabataslapya! Hm, I love saying that… Come alone, or I'll shove them over the edge!" They all clambered into their getaway car and drove off toward the mountain.
As the kicked up dust settled, Super began to move toward the mountain, somewhat weakly. Rock Star and PhD. came over to stop him. "What are you doing?" asked the latter.
"You can't take all of them on by yourself," added Rock Star. "You should at least rest and recover."
"Not possible!" Super replied. Before they could argue with him, he took off after the villains.
Rock Star turned around and addressed the crowd. "Everyone! Let's follow!"
"What good would that do?" somebody asked. "None of us have powers like Super Pikachu!"
"That may be true," Rock Star replied, "but we do have the right to protect our home and each other. It's called the power of unity!"
The others looked at each other in concern. Was following them really a good idea, even after the Hooded Claw's ultimatum?
Meanwhile, on Mount Hasabataslapya, the Hooded Claw had positioned his two captives near a ledge. Malamar and Banette tightened the ropes that held Bell and Pop Star in place. "Stop! That hurts!" the former begged.
"Let us go! Please!" Pop Star added.
"Snivel all you want, ladies" the Hooded Claw replied. "You ain't goin' nowhere on my terms!"
"Enough!" cried a voice. Everyone looked up to see Super Pikachu on a ledge that stood nearby. "I'm alone! So let them go right now!"
The Hooded Claw cackled. "You sure are naive! Too bad! Let him have it, goons!" Gourgeist and Toxicroak fired off Shadow Balls at Super, who evaded with a jump down. Toxicroak then jumped forward and smashed his fist into Super, who was unable to evade. Then, the Banette pounced on him with Night Slash, knocking him into a rock.
The Hooded Claw laughed evilly as Super fell to his knees. "Face it, Supes! You never stood a chance against us!"
Belle and Pop Star looked on with concern. "Run, Super! Run!" begged the latter.
"Don't worry about us! Save yourself!" Belle added.
But Super Pikachu stood his ground. "I could never do that! No matter how many hits I take, I'll never give up, no matter what!"
The Hooded Claw smirked. "I'll be sure to carve those words on your tombstone! Goodbye forever, Super!" His four minions then came together and formed a massive Shadow Ball over their heads. They threw it at their enemy, who shut his eyes.
Suddenly, a massive Electric attack zoomed in out of nowhere and neutralized it. Super Pikachu turned around to see the source of the attack - it was the villagers, led by Pikachu Rock Star. "Looks like we made it in time!" he said.
"Hey! I said, 'Come alone!'" the Hooded Claw shouted. Then he heard another noise from behind. He quickly realized that Pikachu PhD, Libre and several others were well in the process of freeing Belle and Pop Star. "We're surrounded!"
"You mess with one of us, you mess with all of us! We're rocking together!" Then every Pikachu there launched a Thunderbolt attack on the Hooded Claw and his minions.
The result was an explosion that sent them all into the stratosphere. "WE'LL BE BACK…!" showed the Hooded Claw as they disappeared.
As the dust settled and the captives were freed, everyone looked at and cheered for Super Pikachu. "Thank you, Super!" said Belle.
"You saved us!" added Pop Star.
"No…" replied Super Pikachu with pride, "we all saved each other by working together! That's the power of unity!" As he continued to speak, he approached the edge of the cliff, ready to take flight. "The Hooded Claw will return someday, and so shall I, be it day or night. Until then, trust in each other!" With that, Super took off into the sunset, while everyone bid him farewell.
Then Cocoa's voice rang over one last time. "And so, Super Pikachu's unrelenting courage, along with that of the brave and proud townsfolk, saved Pikachu Village! And they all lived happily ever after…"
As the movie closed out, we all cheered and clapped for our finished presentation. Frank was nearly driven to tears, knowing his dream was accomplished, "and it was even Pika-better than I pictured it!" he told us.
"I agree," Cocoa commented. "The Pikachu Fan Club is going to love this!"
She was quite right. Frank's short film was not only widely cherished in the Fan Club, but I would also hear that it was featured at the PokéStars Short Film Fest in Unova, being nominated for Best Live Action Short Film. While he did not actually win the award, he still considered it a grand honor to have made it so far. And he owed its success to us and all of his Pokémon, especially his Pikachu.
Filled to the brim with his obvious affection for Pikachu, Goldfarb's film was an astounding success, bringing smiles to people everywhere. And so, with another fun and exciting story for everyone to remember, the journey to Anistar City continues…