We now rejoin our heroes as they continue to journey to Violetrose Town, and are preparing for arrival.
Ash stood in between Pikachu and Charmor, as he attempted to train them for his next gym battle. "Charmor, try using Flame Wheel one more time!" Charmor rolled forward cloaked in flames, charging towards Pikachu.
"Now, Pikachu, try to dodge it!" Pikachu quickly jumped to the side, and moved out of the way of the attack.
"Nice, Pikachu!" Ash praised before turning his attention to Charmor. "And Charmor, make sure you trust which way you're rolling. It'll help you go a lot faster, okay?" Charmor nodded as it got back into position to try again.
Meanwhile, Serena was coaching Braixen on moves to use for the next Pokémon Pageant, as Chrysaluxe sat on a log from the side. "Okay, Braixen, try spinning your Flamethrower!" Braixen lit up its twig and spun its arm around like a cyclone, creating a fiery display. However, the sight of it caused Chrysaluxe to shudder. Serena, however, noticed this, and began petting it on the head. "It's okay. Nothing to be afraid of," she reassured as Chrysaluze slowly opened its eyes again.
Off to the side, Vernon had asked RotomDex to help him try new personas, in order to ready himself for his next acting gig. Currently, they were practicing with the Toxicity persona.
"I wish I knew what it was that Cameron say no to this whole thing," Vernon wondered out loud, sporting his old costume. "Wait, maybe I should have gone for the dark and brooding version!" He did a dramatic twirl, and revealed the darkened half of his costume. "Look at me," he said in a deep voice. "I scream pain in the inside, and now I'm gonna make you scream pain on the outside."
"Nah, that's too much," said RotomDex, filming Vernon with its camera function.
"Well, there must be a way to touch it up," Vernon said, removing his cape. "It's just, something here is missing, I just can't put my finger on it."
"Floater, Floater," Floattery came in, wearing a suit that was completely different from the one it wore at the audition. It had a black mask that resembled eyes on its head, it was carrying fake tentacles it had attached to itself, and had yellow spikes on its back jutting out in opposite directions.
"Floattery, what are you wearing?" Vernon complained. "That's not the costume I made you. I spent weeks on that thing you know!"
"Float, Floattery!" Floattery said back.
"Whadda mean you didn't like it?" Vernon said. "We need matching costumes. I'm the hero and your the sidekick, remember?"
"Floattery," Floattery buzzed, its tentacles briefly showing off an electric charge.
"Alright, calm down," said Vernon. "We'll worry about your look later. For now, I need your opinion. Whadda ya think of this?" He twirled again and said, "I am your worst nightmare incarnate. I am that itch on your back you just can't seem to reach. I am Toxicity!"
Floattery floated there silently, until it shook it head disapprovingly. "Grr," growled Vernon. "I didn't think finding a catchphrase would be so hard. I mean, all the good ones are always taken."
"Well, maybe if you dropped the brooding voice," said RotomDex, flying in front of him. "I guess it just comes off as trying too hard."
"Alright, back to the campy version then," Vernon said, as he spun back into the purple costume. "Holy colossal clouds! I can't believe it."
Floattery and RotomDex both glared silently at him, and Vernon quickly said, "Yeah, yeah, I regretted it as soon as I said it." He turned to sit down on a stump. "I don't get it, what is my act missing?"
"Floattery, Floattery!" Floattery shouted to its trainer.
"What? You think my character is flat?! You think he has no personality?!" Vernon said.
"Float, Float," Floattery continued.
"Well, what do you suggest I do about that?" challenged Vernon.
Floattery floated over to RotomDex, tapped a few buttons on its screen, before RotomDex scanned Floattery and Floattery began messing around with RotomDex's camera filter. He eventually settled on one that made it look like he was enormous, had powerful aura, had an even better costume that gave him a flowing cape, and his tentacles looked ready to attack, and the mask came with blue, glowing eyes.
"Wait, I think I get it," Vernon said. "You want to be promoted from being sidekick to be my equal partner, don't you?"
Floattery excitedly nodded. "I think it's a great idea!" RotomDex said. "I bet it could expand your backstory a little better."
Vernon sat down and thought about Floattery's idea a bit. He thought that expanding Floattery's backstory, he could better improve the relationship between their characters. However, he thought back to how he had designed his act. He wanted to make this comeback more than anything. But what if... what if...
"Uh, no, no I don't think so," Vernon stood up waving his hands. "I'm sorry, but I want to go with my idea."
Floattery floated there stunned, before its tentacles sparked and it went away in a huff. Vernon looked after his partner feeling a bit bad about his words. RotomDex slowly flew in front of him and said, "Hey, I have an idea! Why don't we all take a break for lunch? I'll tell Serena to make her special."
Ash, Serena, and Vernon ate their lunch quietly, while their Pokémon dined on PokéPuffs. Vernon was looking over to his partner, and as he leaned over to try to say something to it, Floattery suddenly looked over its shoulder, and tossed a PokéPuff right in Vernon's face.
"Ack! It stings!" shouted Vernon, stumbling back. The PokéPuff had been made specifically for Electric-types, so Vernon felt some sparks zapping his face before he finally cleared it out of his face. Floattery chuckled at his expense before turning back to its meal.
"Um, Vernon?" said Serena. "Is there something going on between you and Floattery?"
"Hmm? Um, nope, nope, nothing at all," reassured Vernon. "He just doesn't wanna practice my script is all." Suddenly, he felt another PokéPuff splat against the back of his head, hearing more buzz-like chuckling.
"I don't get it, what's bothering Floattery, Vernon?" Ash asked.
"Well, I guess he had this idea about updating his own character." explained Vernon, "but I didn't go for it."
"What? Why not?" Ash asked.
"It's... difficult to explain," Vernon said.
"If there's something bad between the two of you, Vernon," said Serena, "you might want to talk to Floattery about it. He is part of your act after all."
Floattery noticed that it was low on PokéPuffs after throwing most of them at Vernon, so it peered over to Charmor, happily eating next to it. It buzzed to get Charmor's attention, and then pointed at its bowl. Charmor understood and picked up a couple PokéPuffs in its mouth, preparing to drop them in Floattery's bowl.
Suddenly, a shadow loomed from above, and beforea ny of the Pokémon could acknowledge it, a black-colored blur dropped in between Floattery and Charmor, yelling, "SNEEEAAK!" All the Pokémon fell backwards, and they looked up to see a black, possum-like Pokémon with mischievous eyes and a gray belly, dangling from a branch by its pink tail. It held its chin, chuckling up a storm at its jumpscare.
The three trainers took notice of what was going on, and Ash, spying the new Pokémon wondered aloud, "Who's that Pokémon?"
RotomDex swooped in and, scanning the Pokémon, said, "Possneak, the Sneaky Pokémon, a Dark Type. Possneak's are mostly nocturnal, but are known to be incredibly mischievous, giving any trespassers in its territory a scare. Evolves into Posspooky at level 21."
Pikachu got made at lunch being interrupted, so it tried to swat the Possneak away with an Iron Tail attack. However, as Pikachu approached, the Possneak grabbed its tail and after spinning, flung poor Pikachu away.
"That was Possneak's Foul Play attack," explained RotomDex.
Possneak then charged forward surrounded by a purple aura, now using Pursuit. It knocked Pikachu back onto its tail before cackling at Pikachu's expense hysterically. Finally, Humbeat had had enough and pummeled the Possneak with a Drill Peck attack, before unleashing a Razor Wind attack, the latter injuring Possneak, who decided to finally leave them alone.
"Is everyone okay?" Serena asked, walking towards the Pokémon. The Pokémon lined up and nodded, until suddenly, a small sphere fell from the sky, heading straight for Pikachu, and Floattery suddenly took notice of this.
"PIKA!" Pikachu suddenly cried out. Everyone looked to the sky as the sphere, now presumably containing Pikachu reeled into the basket of a certain Meowth-shaped balloon.
"Team Rocket!" Ash charged forward to see the balloon better.
"Prepare for trouble, who else could it be?" said Jessie, showing herself.
"And make it double, we hope that you'll see," said James, showing himself.
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite all people within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Jessie!"
"And James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth, that's right!"
"Wobbuffet!"
"Mime, mime!"
"What are you guys doing here?" Ash demanded.
"What else?" said Jessie. "We're after Pikachu, of course!"
"And now that we've got it, there's no time to chat!" Meowth said.
James then tossed a small cube, which exploded into smoke, blinding everyone. Once the smoke cleared, the Meowth balloon was nowhere to be found.
"Pikachu! No!" Ash ran forward before looking down in despair. "I can't believe Pikachu's gone."
"Pika," came a voice.
"I know, Pikachu," said Ash. "I should have been able to protect you. Instead I-"
"Pika!" the voice came again. Ash suddenly looked to his side, and saw Pikachu standing right next to him, safe and sound.
"Pikachu!" Ash cried out in joy, picking his partner up in his arms. "I'm so glad you're safe."
"Wait, then who did Team Rocket take?" asked Serena.
"Uh, guys?" said Vernon, looking around frantically. "I think it was Floattery!"
"Pikachu, pika pi!" Pikachu stated, flailing its arms.
"I think Pikachu means to say that Floattery saw Team Rocket's attack coming, and leaped in the way," explained RotomDex.
"Man, we need to find Floattery!" Vernon said, panicked. "I gotta get out there and save him!"
Ash turned to Humbeat, and said, "Do you think you fly around and search for their balloon?"
Humbeat nodded, and RotomDex joined it to salute, "You can count on both of us, Ash!" before they both took to the skies.
Who's that Pokémon?
When night falls, its pink scales begin to shine. They're popular with divers, so some resorts feed them to keep them close.
"After all this time, Pikachu is ours!" Jessie loudly proclaimed to the heavens.
James opened the sphere to see they're prize, but the grew an unamused look on his face as he showed it to his teammates. "Um, guys, does this look like a Pikachu to you?"
Jessie and Meowth peeked inside, and were mortified to see Floattery in there instead. Unamused, Floattery shot a Thundershock attack, leaving Meowth and Jessie fried.
"I... uh..." said Jessie, trying to recover as James quickly closed the sphere again. "How... how could we miss Pikachu!?"
"Should we go back?" said James.
"No way!" said Meowth. "This Floattery might be our opportunity to get started on the bounty of Ralia region Pokémon! I'm sure the boss'll love it!"
"Hmm," said Jessie. "Very well. Tally ho, gentlemen!"
However, at that moment, RotomDex and Humbeat had caught up to them, and they spied the sphere. "There's Floattery, Humbeat!" said RotomDex. "Now how do we get it back?"
Humbeat shot forth some Razor Wind attacks, which flew right past the balloon.
"Hmm?" said James, looking out of the basket. "What was that?"
With Team Rocket distracted, Humbeat quickly flew into the basket and grabbed the sphere with Floattery in it. Meowth spotted this and angrily ranted, "Hey! Whadda you twerpish Pokémon think you're doing!?"
"We just want our friend back, please," RotomDex tried to negotiate.
"Never!" Jessie declared. Humbeat decided to launch another Razor Wind at them, but Wobbuffet jumped in front of Jessie and used Mirror Coat and reflected the attack back. Humbeat couldn't get out of the way in time, and the Razor Wind knocked Floattery's capsule out of its grasp, and it plummeted to the forest below.
Outragred, Humbeat charged into Team Rocket's balloon, popping it with its beak. The balloon then went out of control and Team Rocket screamed, "We're crashing off again!" before they crashed down below.
"Ugh," Jessie held her head as she and her team rose from the ground.
"I swear, I got a concussion on my concussion," Meowth complained. As he walked forward, though, something small and black got in his face and screeched, "SNEEEAAK!"
"ACK!" Meowth tumbled backwards. As he sat up, he yelled, "Hey, you lugs! What's the big idea!? You almost gave me a heart attack!"
"What are you talking about?" said Jessie, before the same black creature was in front of her and screeching, "SNEEEAAK!"
"WAA!" Jessie fell on her rear end, before she saw the same Possneak from before dangling from a tree branch by its tail chuckling up a storm.
"What the?" James questioned. He pulled out the deck of cards they stole from Professor Acacia's lab and found a picture of the Pokémon. "Hmm, says here its called a Possneak."
"Who cares what it is?" Jessie whined. "Just get it away from us!"
"Wait a second," James pulled out a PokéBall, and tossed it at the still-chuckling Possneak, who went into the PokéBall, which clicked shut.
"Floattery? Floattery!?" Vernon called out. The group searched under every bush and in every cranny, but found nothing.
"Ah, Floattery, please!" Vernon cried out. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I wasn't trying to hurt your feelings!"
"What did you say to Floattery, anyway?" Ash had to ask.
"Look, the truth is, he had an idea to change his character for my script entirely, and I... didn't listen to it."
"What? Why not?" Serena asked. "What was the idea anyway?"
"I guess Floattery wanted to join its character's backstory to mine to, erm, develop its character more."
"Well, why can't he do that?" Serena asked.
"It's just, well..." Vernon sighed, before continuing. "I guess I got so caught up in making my own character perfect, I forgot about Floattery. The truth is, I'm so worried about making my comeback, I guess I was just paranoid that my script wouldn't be good enough. Then I'm just back to square one."
Ash and Serena looked up to Vernon with reassurance. "Vernon, We all believe in you, you know," said Serena. "You have lots of talent. If you were the most famous actor in Ralia before, you can certainly do it again. You just gotta believe in yourself."
"But you need to believe in Floattery, too," said Ash. "If you won't hear it out on an idea, then it's like telling it that the idea is no good." He looked down at Pikachu and patted its head as it cooed affectionately. "You see, I gotta trust my Pokémon on the battlefield, too. In fact, that's how I always come up with my winning strategies."
"And how I come up with acts for my Showcases, Contests, and now Pageants," said Serena.
Vernon stood silent, but then slowly smiled. "You're right. I need to hear Floattery out. If we could just find it."
"Guys, guys!" RotomDex's voice came from above. Everyone turned to see RotomDex floating downward. "Humbeat's found where Floattery landed!"
"Landed?" questioned Vernon.
"I'll explain on the way," said RotomDex, preparing to take off again. "Just come on!"
The group arrived in a small area, and spied Humbeat using Wing Attack, attempting to break open Floattery's capsule, but continually failing.
"We got this, Humbeat," Ash reassured. "Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Pikachu's tail turned metallic silver before slashing open the capsule and setting Floattery free.
"Floattery! You're safe!" Vernon said, running over to embrace his Pokémon. "Floattery, I'm so sorry. I-"
"Hold it right there!" came a voice. Everyone turned to see Team Rocket having returned.
"We already called dibs on that prize!" said Meowth.
It's Finneon!
"Team Rocket!" Ash shouted. "Don't you guys ever have enough?"
"What can we say?" said Jessie. "The prize is totally worth it."
"Now, say hello to a new friend of ours," James threw a PokéBall, and out came Possneak, who initially covered its eyes with its arms before revealing itself in a spooky manner. "Sneak, Possneak!"
"Is that the same Possneak as before?" asked Serena.
"Possneak, use Pursuit!" James commanded. Possneak charged forward cloaked in purple, knocking everyone apart.
"Oomph!" Vernon said as he collided the ground, Floattery falling out of his arms.
Ash stood back up and called out, "Pikachu, use Iron Tail!"
Pikachu jumped forth, its tail glowing a metallic silver, moving towards Possneak, but James called for a Foul Play attack, and Possneak grabbed Pikachu's tail before tossing it away.
"Grr," growled Vernon as he stood back up. "That Possneak really is annoying, isn't it?" Suddenly, Floattery floated in front of him and, looking at its trainer, began making various gestures.
"If you've got an idea, Floattery, then I'm all ears," said Vernon. Floattery looked genuinely confused for a moment, and noticing this, Vernon said, "I know I was mean enough to not listen to you before, but I really do trust you. If you say you know how to stop them, then that's good enough for me."
Floattery was stunned, but then gratefully nodded its head. "Alright, so what were you thinking?"
"Don't give up, Pikachu, we can do this!" Ash insisted, as his partner got back up off the ground, more determined than ever.
"Same here, you guys!" Serena declared, holding up a PokéBall. However, Vernon and Floattery got in the way, surprising everyone.
"Say, Team Rocket, I'd that's an impressive little Possneak you got there," Vernon said.
"Hmm?" Team Rocket said simultaneously.
"Such a shame Floattery here can do all that and more. You really shouldn't have let my Floattery go, you could've gone places."
"Well, maybe we still can!" James declared. "Possneak, use Pursuit!"
Possneak charged forward again, and Vernon and Floattery shared a look and Floattery, allowed itself to take the brunt of the attack.
"Vernon, what're you doing?" Ash said. "Don't let them hit you guys!"
"Just trust me," said Vernon. "Floattery, use Wrap." Floattery went forward and launched its tentacles at Possneak.
James grinned and said, "Use Foul Play, again!" Possneak grabbed Floattery by its tentacles and prepared to throw it, but Vernon, who'd been expecting that, grinned.
"Floattery, now!" Floattery suddenly spewed two more tentacles, which came from the costume it had presented Vernon earlier, allowing it to grab Possneak and fling it away, and when Possneak landed, it had taken a great deal of damage thanks to teh power of Foul Play being used against it.
"Whoa! That was awesome!" said Ash, his eyes gleaming.
"Hey, that was foul!" insisted James. "Use Pursuit, again!" Possneak charged towards Floattery, who was floating in front of a tree.
Vernon patiently waiting for Possneak to get close enough, before yelling, "Acid Armor!" Floattery's entire body was turned into a liquid, causing Possneak to pass straight through its body and crash right into the tree.
As it landed dazed, Vernon commanded Floattery to grab it and use Thundershock. Floattery wrapped its tentacles around Possneak and gave it a huge zap, before tossing it back at Team Rocket, with it now knocked out.
"No way!" James said and he held his Pokémon. "How could this be?"
"Guess you don't trust your own partner enough," Vernon chuckled. "Use Acid!" Floattery spewed purple liquid at Team Rocket, hitting them hard enough to launch them sky-high.
"We're blasting off again!"
"Vernon, that was amazing!" Ash gushed, running over.
"You had us totally on edge the whole time!" Serena enthusiastically added.
"Actually, guys, you should give Floattery the credit," Vernon humbly said. "That whole plan was its idea. It was all about misdirection." Suddenly, his eyes lit up with an idea. "That's it! I know how to fix my character!" He turned to Floattery. "But I need your help to do it. Can you do it?"
Floattery excitedly nodded, and Vernon dramatically raised his index finger into the air. "Then let us get to work!"
Later, Ash, Serena, and Pikachu were sitting on some tree stumps, impatiently waiting for Vernon. "C'mon, what's taking so long?" Ash complained.
"I guess he wants to get his act just right," reasoned Serena.
Suddenly, RotomDex flew in front of them, and said, "Sorry to keep you guys waiting! Now introducing, the new and improved, Toxicity and the Blob!"
From behind a tree, Vernon and Floattery, wearing the dark and brooding Toxicity costume and the costume Floattery made earlier, revealed themselves in a dark and dramatic fashion.
"So you will not leave then?" stated Vernon dramatically. "You really want to help me defend this city by my side?"
Floattery buzzed in agreement. "But what could you possibly know about superheroics?" Vernon continued. "It's like we're anything alike. All I knew about being a hero, I learned from the Pokémon who saved my life all those years ago."
Floattery buzzed again. "Yes, the one who rescued me from that ugly gang of thugs- Wait, how did you know that?"
Floattery flew up to the sky and cast a strange, dark, but triumphant shadow. Vernon gasped as he "remembered" something.
"You were that Pokémon, weren't you?" he said, acting shocked. "So it was you all along who inspired my path?" Floattery nodded and came back down. Vernon closed his eyes and lowered his head. "Then it is like fate. That someday we would be reunited. In that case, I'd be honored to have you as my partner."
Floattery buzzed triumphantly, and Vernon said, "And... scene!"
Ash and Serena quickly gave some enthusiastic applause. "That was cool, Vernon!" Serena said. "I could really feel the connection between you two!"
"Yeah, you guys really do trust each other after all!" Ash added. "But how'd you come up with a twist like that?"
"It was Floattery's idea," explained Vernon. "In fact, it's inspired by a real world event, that went a little something like this..."
A few years ago, a younger Vernon was on set for filming a disaster movie. Acting, he walked along the "ruined" landscape of the set, moaning, "Alas, if all has been destroyed, do I even have anything worth fighting for anymore?" He paused, waiting for a cue, expecting the building in the background to fall, but it never did.
"Uh, something wrong?" whispered Vernon to the people backstage.
"Hang on, almost... got it," the special effects guy from backstage was tinkering with the control panel, until finally the building fell... while Vernon was right next to it.
"YAH!" Vernon screamed as the prop tumbled towards him. However, he was suddenly saved by a purple blur pushing him out of the way. He opened his eyes to see a Floattery floating right on top of him.
"What is that Pokémon doing here?" came a voice from a cameraman. "Security!"
"No, wait!" called out the voice of the director. "What that Pokémon just did! It was, it was even even better than what I had envisioned! It's perfect! We must adjust the script! In fact, we must rework the script! I-I have so many new ideas!"
Vernon slowly sat up and looked in awe at Floattery, currently bathed in light from a stagelight, giving off a triumphant shadow. "Th-thank you, you really saved me back there."
Floattery buzzed a "You're welcome" to him. As Vernon stood up, he said, "In fact, you saved this entire scene. I didn't want to say anything, but what was supposed to happen was too dark for me. But the director, I think he likes you. In fact, maybe he want to have you in the film." Floattery hummed curiously, but then rose up higher in joy.
"Afterwards, the director convinced Floattery to be part of the movie, and the two of us had a blast together," the Vernon in the present explained. "Once the movie was all said and done, I approached Floattery with a PokéBall, and he was happy to be my acting partner!" Floattery buzzed with glee.
"I'm glad," said Ash. "It means you guys do trust each other with your own careers! And that's exactly why you make such a great team!"
Vernon and Floattery looked at each other. "Ash is right," said Vernon. "I'm sorry for now listening to you before, Floattery, but from now on, this comeback won't be just for me, it'll be for both of us. 'Cause we're a team, and there's now way I'd wanna do it without you."
"Floattery, float, float!" Floattery cheered.
It seems as though Vernon has recognized that the best inspiration can come from the close friends in your life. Hopefully now, this will make his comeback even more triumphant! More to come, as the journey continues!
TO BE CONTINUED...