Episode 88: Charitable Adventures

Ash, Brock, and Brenda are in the middle of combat with a giant Team Rocket robot. It looks like some sort of robotic knight, wielding a shield and sword both made out of solidified electricity. Ash orders, "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"Pikaaaaaa chuuuuuuu!"

The giant knight raises its shield and expands it, creating a barrier that surrounds it. This barrier negates the attack.

From within the cockpit, Meowth taunts, "There's nothing you can do to stop us now, so you might as well give up! Our Good Knight mech is impervious to your attacks!"

James adds, "And it can launch a hefty attack of its own!" With that, the barrier lowers, and the knight swings its sword.

Pikachu, Rabbolt, and Blissey leap back and out of the way.

Jessie shouts, "Dodge all you like, you can't beat us if you can't touch us! You might as well hand over Pikachu now!"

Ash looks to Brock and Brenda and suggests, "Let's all attack at once, maybe we can overpower their defenses!" Brock and Brenda nod in agreement. Ash orders, "Electro Ball!"

Brenda orders, "Discharge!"

And Brock adds, "Egg Bomb!"

All three attacks are launched simultaneously. The mech raises its shield once again, and the attacks are all blocked, but the three Pokémon continue to attack. Team Rocket all laugh at the futility of the attempt. Even Wobbuffet appears in order to laugh. Their laughing is cut short when an alarm starts beeping. Team Rocket freeze up and collectively gulp.

Jessie states morbidly, "Don't tell me what that means, an incessant beeping is never good."

Meowth says, "It's the energy cells…they're breaking down due to extreme overload…"

Jessie shouts angrily, "I said don't tell me!"

As the attacks continue, the entire mech suddenly explodes, sending Team Rocket hurtling into the air. "We're blasting off again!"

With Team Rocket out of the way, Ash, Brock, and Brenda have journeyed to a new city. Brenda is explaining excitedly to Ash, "You're going to love Cosm City. They have this one roller coaster that starts off by shooting you upwards at super high speeds like a rocket. From there, the coaster never slows down until you reach the end."

Ash exclaims, "Wow, that sounds awesome!"

"And that's only the tip of the iceberg. There's so much more."

Brock adds, "I read that there's room with a giant fan so powerful that it blows you upwards. It feels like you're skydiving."

Ash looks very excited.

With the fun-filled wonderland that is Cosm City quickly approaching, and Team Rocket behind, our heroes can only imagine the joys ahead of them. That, and Brenda's Contest there as well.

After they walk a little further, a voice from ahead of them calls to them, "I never forget a face, and you three are certainly friends of Misty, correct?" The source of the voice is Tyde, the Water Pokémon Master and Tenno Elite Four Member.

Brock recognizes, "Hey, it's Tyde!"

Tyde approaches them. "I don't believe we've properly met, but Misty told me all about you three." He looks to Ash. "Especially you. You seem to have left quite an impact on her."

Ash smiles, thinking about Misty. "Yeah, Misty is one of my best friends."

Tyde smiles. "Well, a friend of Misty's is a friend of mine."

Brock asks, "How's Misty doing? Weren't you supposed to be helping her train at the Cerulean Gym?"

"Misty is fine, and excelling in her training. She's quite a natural. And while I may have a duty to train her, I also have a duty to continue my charitable ventures here in Tenno. I'm here for an annual charity auction I run with another philanthropist. This year, all of the proceeds will be going to Tenno Science Foundation's Project Learn, which is dedicated to making sure that all children in this region learn science, math, and engineering. If Tenno wants to continue in its rich technologic and scientific background, then the children need to be properly educated."

Brock smiles at the idea. "That's a wonderful cause."

Tyde gets an idea. "Hey, how about you three come as my guests? Most of the auction will be high-ticket items for big bidders, but there will be some cheaper stuff that might catch your eye, and I've paid for everyone's dinner already. How about it?"

Tyde has Ash at the mention of free food. "I'm in!"

Brenda shrugs. "Might as well, I guess."

Brock nods in agreement. "I'd love to support your cause if I can."

Tyde smiles. "That's great. Come with me, I was just on my way now."

Tyde leads them into a building, in which there is an elegant dining hall. Tyde walks in, but an intimidatingly muscular security guard holds an arm out and stops Ash, Brock and Brenda. He demands, "Name."

Tyde turns and says, "Let them through, they're not on the list, but they're my personal guests."

The security guide eyes the three suspiciously, but lets them through.

Tyde apologizes, "Sorry about that. As you might assume, there's going to be thousands of dollars' worth of merchandise and collectables here tonight, so we can't take security too lightly."

Someone nearby laughs heartily. "Well, well, well, are we pulling bidders off the street now, Tyde?" A man approaches them. He wears a pristine white tuxedo with a black undershirt and red tie. He has a sharp and angular face with a pronounced chin. His hair is a dark blue-purple, so dark that it's nearly black, but not quite. In one of his ears he wears a complex ear piece that covers most of the ear, some sort of communications device.

Tyde looks to the man. "This is Ash, Brock, and Brenda. They're friends of the girl I've been training. They're all Pokémon trainers."

The man raises an eyebrow, as if the names sound familiar to him. He takes a slow look over them and nods slowly as he takes them in.

Tyde looks back to Ash and the others, "I'd like you all to meet my partner in philanthropy, Polaris." He adds in a teasing voice, "He's the second richest man in Tenno."

Polaris smiles. "Perhaps, but also the first most influential." He moves to shake the hands of Ash, Brock, and Brenda. "It is a pleasure to meet all three of you. I have an extremely vested interest in the Pokémon trainers of Tenno. If you three could tell me of your travels later tonight, I would be extremely interested in hearing. Something tells me that certain aspects of them would be of great interest to me."

Ash nods. "Sure, why not?"

Tyde states, "But for now, we have some business we must attend to before any of that."

Polaris nods. "Yes, of course."

Tyde looks to Ash and the others and says, "Let me show you to your table before I take my leave." He leads them off.

Meanwhile, there's a commotion at the door. The security guard is blocking the door again. He sternly declares, "You're not on the list."

Before him is Team Rocket. James responds, "The flier said free food for all attendees." He holds out a pamphlet and waves it. "We demand our free food."

The guard snatches the pamphlet. "This is not an advertisement, it's an invitation that doesn't have your names on it. You're not on the list. This is an invite-only event."

Jessie shouts with outrage, "What do you mean!? The names Jessie, James, and Meowth are on every exclusive guest list around the world! You can't throw us out!"

The security guard seems to take this as a challenge, grabs all three of them and literally throws them out. He tosses the invitation back to them as well.

Meowth gets up and shouts, "Fine, we didn't want your nasty food anyways!" His stomach rumbles. "Oi vey…"

Jessie complains, "The nerve of that man. Obviously, he doesn't know who we are, or he'd be begging us to go in. Team Rocket is the life of any party."

James has taken to reading over the discarded invitation they found. Something catches his eyes. He re-reads it to make sure he read it right the first time. "Guys, take a look at this."

Jessie and Meowth step up behind him and read it. They notice what James has found right away. They all look to each other in unison, thinking the same exact thing.

Ash, Brock, and Brenda are seated at a table in the middle of the dining hall. There is mostly finished food on their plates, and the auction is underway. Tyde is the auctioneer. He is shouting enthusiastically, "Going once, going twice, sold! To the woman with the Snubbull!"

A fancily-dressed woman with a Snubbull in her lap cheers at her victory.

Tyde announces, "And now for our next item!"

Polaris walks out onto the stage, and a Nurse Joy follows him out.

Brock, instantly infatuated, gets up out of his seat in excitement.

Tyde explains, "This city's lovely Nurse Joy has volunteered to give a kiss to the highest bidder. It's for charity, after all."

Brock instantly calls out, "100!"

Tyde chuckles, "Slow down buddy, the bidding hasn't even started yet." Everyone else laughs. "But, let's start the bidding at 100!" Brock immediately raises his bidding paddle.

Someone else shouts, "150!"

Brock goes back, "175!"

Someone else, "200!"

Brock, "250!"

Brenda groans. "Oh no, Brock's going to spend all our money, isn't he?"

Ash nods. "Looks like it." He shrugs. "At least it's for charity…"

Brenda shakes her head in disbelief.

The bidding was just risen to 500, but Brock quickly counters, "600!"

Another calls, "675!"

Tired of this game, Brock confidently shouts, "1000!" Several people gasp.

After waiting several seconds, Tyde asks, "I have 1000, do I hear 1100? No? How about 1050?" He looks to the person to bid against Brock. "Come on sir, this could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity." The man appears to be sobbing as he shakes his head. "Going once, going twice, sold!"

Brock leaps up and cheers, "Yes!"

Ash and Brenda both seem to be feeling a mixture of annoyance and embarrassment, as the entire room of bidders has their attention focused on Brock's antics.

Tyde says, "Please sir, come up to the stage and claim your kiss."

Brock, appearing extremely giddy, leaps up to the stage and stands before Nurse Joy. He attempts to say something, but only gibberish comes out.

Nurse Joy giggles.

Brenda, however, groans. "He's really lost his mind this time."

Nurse Joy leans in to kiss Brock's cheek, but before she can do so, there's a sudden crash and the entire room shakes.

A large hole has been broken through the roof, and through it, Team Rocket jumps down. Making a flashy entrance, Jessie declares, "Prepare for trouble!"

James adds, "Make it double!"

"To place our bid on this lot!"

"To take the things you already bought!"

"To outbid all without paying a cent!"

"To increase our wealth one hundred percent!"

"Going once, it's Jessie!"

"Going twice, James!"

"Team Rocket places bids at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare your wallets for a fight!"

"Sold! Meowth, that's right!"

"Wobbuffet!"

"Mime, mime!"

Nurse Joy runs away in fear, leaving Brock standing on the stage alone with Team Rocket. People all around the room are doing the same.

Ash and Brenda have run forward. Ash shouts, "Team Rocket, did you not get the memo!? This is an invite-only event!"

Jessie looks to Ash and says, "And if you twerps were invited, then obviously the guest list has no standards!"

Meowth shouts, "So we fit right in!" He realizes that didn't come out sounding right. He quickly shouts, "You know what I mean!"

James declares, "Besides, we're just here for one thing, and we'll be on our way." He runs backstage and pulls an object on a cart, covered by a red sheet, out onto stage, and Meowth quickly attaches a hook to it.

Jessie yanks on the rope attached to the hook, and Team Rocket's balloon up above, piloted by Wobbuffet and Mime Jr., begins to ascend, pulling whatever the item is with them. Jessie, James and Meowth all grab ahold of the rope and fly up with it.

Ash orders, "Pikachu, stop them!"

"Pikaaaaa chuuuuuu!" Pikachu attacks with Thunderbolt, but Team Rocket has already been lifted out of the building. It's too late to stop their escape from inside.

Polaris runs into the room from backstage. "What just happened!?"

Tyde explains, "It would seem a band of thieves, the very same ones who attempted to ruin my Splash Cup, stole one of our lots for the auction."

Ash clarifies, "That was Team Rocket, they'll steal anything and everything."

Polaris nods. "I see. How unfortunate, especially considering what they took."

Tyde asks, "Do you know what they took?"

Polaris nods. "Yes, it was a one-of-a-kind prototype machine produced by my organization. It's a Perpetual Energy Cell, a motor that can recharge itself, making its power supply as efficient as humanly possible. It was our big-ticket item for the night. The estimated value on it was more than all our other items up for auction together."

Ash says with loathing, "And all that money was supposed to go to charity. Team Rocket has stooped to a new low."

Polaris comments with frustration, "Normally I could call in some help from my organization, but they are currently preparing for a major operation at Comet Lake. There's no way I could get anyone over here."

Ash declares, "Don't worry, Polaris, we're on this. We'll get that machine back."

Polaris looks to Ash and observes him carefully. "Is that so?"

Brenda nods, "Yeah, we can do it. We have more experience than you could guess dealing with thieves like them."

Polaris comments cryptically, "That doesn't surprise me. Let's go, then."

Ash asks, "Wait, you're coming too?"

Polaris nods. "I'm not the type to sit on the sidelines. Besides, I'd enjoy the chance to see you three in action."

Tyde chimes in, "Alright, you guys go out and to recover the Perpetual Energy Cell, I'll stay here and try to do some damage control.

Ash, Brenda, and Polaris all nod in agreement. They all leave. However, Brenda quickly notices that Brock is not with them and runs back, finding him exactly where he was last seen, standing up on the stage, sulking over his lost kiss. Brenda shouts, "Oh, get over it!" She grabs him by the ear and drags him out.

Brock shouts, "Ow, ow, ow, ow!" all the way out.

Ash, Brenda, Brock, and Polaris have run off in the direction that Team Rocket flew in, but see no sign of them anywhere. Brock, having recovered slightly, says, "We took too long to start chasing them. They could be well away from here by now."

Ash asks, "Are you saying we can't find them?"

Polaris states, "I believe we can." He taps a button on a wristband he's wearing, a virtual holographic display appears hovering in front of him. He uses his hands to manipulate the virtual screens and input data. "The Perpetual Energy Cell has a specific energy signature that it operates on. I think I should be able to track it."

Ash says with awe, "That's a pretty cool piece of tech you've got."

Polaris grins. While still working, he states, "One of the many advantages of being the head of Tenno's top technology producing organization. This piece isn't set to be released to the public for another year, at least." The wristband makes a chime. "There, I've got it. Follow me." They all run off, led by a map that has appeared on Polaris' display.

Who's that Pokémon!?

Although it's unclear why it collects keys, giving it a key makes this Pokémon very happy. However, it apparently only likes master keys.

Polaris has lead Ash, Brock, and Brenda to the same exact spot where they battled Team Rocket's Good Knight mech earlier, and sure enough, the mech, completely repaired and upgraded, stands before them.

Jessie laughs. "Well, well, well, I thought we were going to have to seek you out. I never imagined you'd be so eager to hand over Pikachu that you'd come to us."

Ash shouts, "Team Rocket, this is a new low, even for you! You're going to give back that machine you stole!"

James shouts, "Make us! And if you want to do that, you'll have to get past our new and improved Good Knight mech!"

Meowth adds, "Now with a stable and limitless power supply!"

Brock realizes, "That's why they wanted the Perpetual Energy Cell!"

Brenda understands. "With that, we won't be able to overload their shield again!"

Ash doesn't agree. "We'll see about that! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"Pikaaaaaa chuuuuuuu!"

The mech raises its shield like earlier, completely blocking the attack. This time the barrier looks stringer than before.

Meowth declares, "This is great! With this Perpetual Energy Cell, not only do we not have to fear an overload, but we can put even more energy into the shield and sword than before!"

Ash encourages, "Come on guys, we all need to attack at once if want to get past that shield!"

Brock and Brenda call on Blissey and Rabbolt. Just as before, all three have their Pokémon attack at once. Unlike before, the barrier seems to easily block and dissipate the attacks.

Brock shouts, "It's no use! The new power cell has made them too strong!"

Team Rocket seem to be enjoying themselves. Meowth proclaims, "I am quite satisfied with our purchase!"

James agrees, "Yeah, auctions really are the way to get something for cheap!"

Jessie cackles, "You could even say we got it for a steal!"

They all crack up at the joke.

Up until now, Polaris has been standing back and observing, but now, overcome with a sudden fit of rage, he shouts, "You people sicken me! Does it even occur to you the item that, as you so eloquently put it, got for a steal, could have been sold for enough money to ensure several schools of children could be given a proper and worthwhile education for years to come!? By stealing that energy cell, you're stealing from the children of Tenno! The very future of Tenno itself!"

James shouts back, "Obviously you don't know anything about us, we're Team Rocket, and we exist solely for the entertainment of children. It is you who should get on our level!"

Polaris, still filled with rage, shouts back, "I am Polaris, and I have dedicated my life to the betterment of this region! I would sacrifice anything and everything to make this region a better place! There are no lengths I would not go to protect my homeland! And you, you are scum! You are nothing but selfish, visionless thugs! It is narrowmindedness like yours that will lead to our downfall! I will not stand for it! I will not idly sit back as fools like you lead to our demise!" He pulls out a Pokéball and throws it, releasing a Volcarona. "Volcarona, Heat Wave!"

The fiery moth Pokémon adds it molten winds to the onslaught of attacks that Ash, Brock, and Brenda never ceased sending Team Rocket's way.

Team Rocket laugh again. Jessie proclaims, "You may be self-righteous, but you aren't that smart! Has it not already been established that no matter what you send at us, we can block it!?"

Meowth adds, "Yeah, it looks like your attempt to help Tenno has only turned against you!"

Jessie taunts, "You could even say that you've failed this region that you love so much!"

Brenda says to Polaris, "I hate to admit it, but they're right. Even with your Volcarona, this isn't accomplishing anything."

Polaris says under his breath, "Yes, I realized that long ago. This is a distraction. As long they're stuck focusing on blocking our attacks, they can't attack back. We need to keep this up, while I work on my plan."

Ash happily obliges, "That, we can do." He then encourages, "Come on Pikachu, keep on attacking!"

Polaris activates his virtual display again and switches between manipulating the display with his hands and furiously typing on the keyboard attached to his wristband.

Team Rocket, who haven't heard any of the planning, laugh at the futile attempts to break their shields. Meowth proclaims, "This is great, I love watching the twerps struggle to no avail! With the Perpetual Energy Cell, we can sit back and relax all day. The twerps, on the other hand, will wear out eventually. It's an inevitability."

James quips, "Nothing in life is certain except for the wearing out of twerps and taxes."

Jessie adds, "And the second one isn't even certain if you're a criminal."

Brock whispers to Polaris, "What are you doing?"

Polaris explains, "It's some pretty advanced science, so I wouldn't expect you to understand fully, but essentially, I'm rigging my wrist unit to release an EM Pulse with a polarity opposite of the discharge pattern of the Perpetual Energy Cell, which should cause a cascade reaction that will systematically disable the power units of the cell. Then these vagrants will be powerless."

Ash says, "I have no idea what you just said, but it sounds good." At this point, Pikachu, Rabbolt, Blissey, and Volcarona seem to be tiring. Ash adds, "Just hurry up, I don't think the Pokémon will last much longer."

Polaris continues his work. "Almost there…" He types a few last things into the wrist pad, and then makes one last input into the virtual display. "Done!" Then a high-pitch whining noise begins. Moments later, Team Rocket's mech begins to spark and sizzle.

Inside the cockpit, the alarm begins to beep again. Jessie, James, and Meowth, who were still laughing, all freeze up instantly and give a collective gulp. Jessie says, "That sound is quickly becoming my least favorite."

James and Meowth both nod in unison. "Agreed."

Moments later, the mech's shields fall. Polaris orders, "Volcarona, renew your Heat Wave!" Polaris' Volcarona flaps its wings, creating blustering gusts of searing winds. The unshielded mech begins to melt in the heat, leaving Team Rocket completely exposed.

Team Rocket cowers in fear, knowing what comes next.

Ash is more than happy to give them what they expect. "Pikachu, one last Thunderbolt!"

"Pikachu leaps towards Team Rocket and gathers the last of its energy for a finishing attack. "Pikaaaaaa chuuuuuuuuu!"

Team Rocket is first electrocuted, and then hurled into the air. As they vanish from sight, they shout, "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"

Ash cheers, "Yeah! Great job, Polaris!"

Polaris responds, "I was only doing what I had to do. Team Rocket stood in the way of the better Tenno that I strive for, and just like anything that stands in the way of a better Tenno, they had to be dealt with."

Brenda realizes something and asks, "But wait, what about the Perpetual Energy Cell?"

Polaris grins. "Do not worry." He walks over to the wreckage, sifts around in the molten debris, and reveals a perfectly in-tact machine, the cell.

Brock says with surprise, "It wasn't broken?"

Polaris explains, "The cell was made by my organization, which means it is of the utmost quality. It is created of a special alloy resistant to overheating. I knew that Volcarona's heat Wave would be enough to melt Team Rocket's inferior technology without harming the energy cell."

Brock asks, "But what about the EMP you used on it? Can it recover from that?"

Polaris nods. "Yes, it was only a temporary shut-down. The machine will work perfectly in time." He smiles. "Which means we can still sell it and get that charity money."

It's Klefki!

Tyde announces, "Going once, going twice, and sold, sold, sold! That's 10 million from the gentleman and lady in the corner!" Everyone in the dining hall claps. "We may have gotten off to a rough start, but thank you all so much! Your money will go a long way towards the betterment of the Tenno Region and its education system!"

Polaris walks up onto the stage and adds, "It has been my pleasure to host this event tonight. You have my most sincere gratitude for your contributions tonight. The Tenno Region is a better place because of you all. To conclude this all tonight, I would like to remind you all that the Tenno Region is our home, and it is our duty to protect it. If we don't do absolutely everything necessary to protect it, then we're no better than those who seek to work against it. Thank you, and goodnight."

Brenda says with disbelief, "10 million? That's crazy! I couldn't imagine spending that much on anything."

Brock agrees, "I don't even think I could carry that much money on me. These people sure are rich."

Ash says, "Hey, it's all going to a good cause. It's great that we were able to make sure it all happened."

Polaris walks over to their table. "I must extend my thanks to you three as well. You are right, you made sure that this all happened. We made good allies, today. But, a word of wisdom; an ally today may be an enemy tomorrow. There is a blurred line between right and wrong in this complicated world we live in, and I intend to always be on the side of right. I suggest that you three keep that in mind if we ever meet again." He turns around and walks away.

Once he gone, Brenda comments, "He seems like a great guy and all, but he can be really weird at times. I wonder what's up with him."

Ash shrugs. "It doesn't matter. Today was a happy ending, so let's just be happy with that."

Brock's face is suddenly overtaken by remorse at a realization. "But there's one thing keeping this from being a happy ending, I never got my kiss!"

As if on cue, a voice beckons, "Yoo-hoo, Brock! I think I still owe you something."

Brock doesn't need to be told twice. He leaps from his chair and is standing next to Nurse Joy in a heartbeat. She leans in to kiss Brock. Brock gets giddy with excitement.

Before her lips contact Brock's cheek, Meteorfight appears and uppercuts Brock, hurling him into the air. When he lands, he moans, "What have I done to deserve this?"

Ash and Brenda laugh at his misfortune.

Team Rocket's greed may have been brought to a new high today, but one can be sure that our heroes will always be there to stop that greed. But what about Polaris? There's something…mysterious about him. Who exactly is he? Find out, as the journey continues.

To Be Continued…