This episode is guest written by ChaosProjectAuthor, my brother and author of the Sonic the Hedgehog story The Chaos Project. In turn, I have guest written a chapter on his story. If you like Sonic the Hedgehog, I'd advise you check it out.


Episode 106: That's the Spirit!

At a clearing in the woods, Ash, Brock, and Brenda all appear to be working together on an impressive culinary display. A fully set picnic table, with several dishes already out, is surrounded by several cooking stations where even more elaborate foods are being prepared.

Today, we join our heroes as they put together a special evening meal, in preparation of Brenda's upcoming Pokémon Contest. And it looks like even the Pokémon are helping out!

At one of the cooking stations, Pikachu meticulously stirs a pot of some sort of sauce with a careful rhythm. "Pi…ka… Pi…ka…"

As you surely know by now, it's only a matter of time before their next adventure begins to unfold.

Behind Pikachu's back, Rabbolt pulls down an eyelid and sticks out its tongue, making a rude face.

"Pi?" Pikachu glances over its shoulder, only to find Rabbolt staring innocently up at the sky. "Chu…" Pikachu turns back to its work suspiciously.

As soon as Pikachu has stopped looking, Rabbolt immediately makes its face again.

"Pika!" Pikachu looks back at Rabbolt again, this time finding it somehow all the way over by the nearby stream, apparently getting a drink of water. "Chu…"

Rabbolt keeps up the game, swiftly leaping back behind Pikachu's back.

"Pika!" This time, Rabbolt appears to be asleep. "Chu." This time, Pikachu puts on a slight smirk. "Pika! Pika!" Making a quick double-take, Pikachu tricks Rabbolt into holding the face where it can see it. Pikachu points a finger accusingly. "Pik! Pik pika chu!"

Rabbolt starts to snicker loudly at Pikachu's distress. "Rab rab rab rab!"

Brock can be heard complaining from nearby, "Pikachu! If you don't keep stirring the pot, it's going to burn!"

As Pikachu quickly turns back to its work, Rabbolt laughs even louder.

Brenda's voice commands, "Rabbolt, just leave Pikachu alone for a little while. If we don't finish cooking soon, Ash will never stop complaining!"

Ash shouts, "But I'm sooooo hungry!"

Brenda ignores him and returns to chopping vegetables. Deep in thought, she mutters to herself, "Maybe I could…? No… I need something special… I need to be able to call my style my own…"

Clearly, no one seems to notice as a pair of spikey black and yellow ears perks up over the edge of the picnic table. "Pi?" The small Pokémon puts a stubby arm up over the top of the table, struggling to pull itself up. "Pi…chu!" The Pokémon, a Pichu, looks around at the surface of the table one it's made it up. Its eyes settle on a platter stacked high with sandwiches. Drool begins to gather at the corner of its mouth as it stares at the platter longingly.

Pichu suddenly freezes up as Brock's voice can be heard scolding, "Pikachu, no! There's no ketchup in this dish!" In the background, Pikachu can be seen holding a bottle of ketchup over the pot, ready to dump it in.

Quickly shaking it off, Pichu hefts the entire tray over the top of its head, and turns to run off with it.

Rabbolt's ears perk up as it hears Pichu leaping off the edge of the table. "Rab! Rabbolt rab!"

Pikachu looks over in response, just in time to see the Pichu disappear into the forest.

Brenda looks in confusion a moment later. "What is it, Rabbolt?" There's nothing left for her to see.

"Rabbolt rab bolt!" Not letting it get away, Rabbolt and Pikachu both scamper into the forest after it.

"Rabbolt, wait! Come back!"

"Pikachu, where are you going!? The food's almost ready!" They both chase after their Pokémon.

Without moving, Brock calls after them, "Don't take too long, or the food will be gone before you get back! There are lots of hungry Pokémon here!" He doesn't seem too concerned as he takes a taste from the ladle he holds.


Pichu runs with its plate of sandwiches into another, smaller clearing. Carefully setting it down, Pichu calls out, "Chu! Pichu pi!" It looks around in confusion, seeming to get no response. After a few moments, a few small sparks seem to involuntarily fly from its cheeks. Reacting to this, Pichu turns all the way around, to see a small quadrupedal Pokémon that hadn't been standing there a moment before.

The Pokémon happily greets, "Shinx shinx!"

Pichu grabs a sandwich off the top of the pile, and offers it out to the Shinx. "Pi! Pichu!"

Shinx closes its eyes and shakes its head. "Shinx shinx shinx."

Pichu puts the sandwich back, and instead arranges the platter into two even piles, pushing it between Shinx and itself. Pichu insists, "Chu. Pi pi pichu."

Shinx's response is to turn its back, sitting down and staring away with a resolute, "Shinx."

"Pi…" Pichu considers for a moment longer, finally coming to the conclusion, "Pichu pi." Without waiting any longer, Pichu starts to shovel sandwiches into its mouth at a shocking rate, quickly plowing through both piles.

Seeming to be satisfied, Shinx turns back to face Pichu, laying down with a big smile, appearing quite happy just watching its friend eat.

Before long, the platter is empty, and Pichu collapses onto its back with an overextended belly and a satisfied, "Chu."

For a while, Pichu and Shinx both stare up at the sunset-colored sky together. Finally, Pichu turns its head to question, "Chu? Pichu pi chu chu pi?"

Shinx continues to stare up at the sky. It answers simply, "Shinx shinx."

"Pi pichu pi, chu?"

Shinx shakes its head. "Shinx." It looks over at Pichu with a smile. "Shinx shinx shinx shinx."

Pichu smiles back. "Pi chu."

"Rabbolt rabbolt!"

"Pi?" Pichu looks up in surprise at the sudden shout.

Rabbolt comes crashing down on top of Pichu in a Bounce attack.

Pichu cries out in pain, "Chuuuu!"

"Rab rabbolt rab!" Rabbolt angrily gestures towards the empty tray left on the ground. "Rabbolt rab!" Green orbs appear in the air around Rabbolt's head as it prepares to use a Hidden Power attack.

"Pika chu pi!" Rabbolt is suddenly hit in the back by a Quick Attack from Pikachu, knocking it aside and canceling the Hidden Power.

Landing on its feet, Rabbolt demands angrily, "Bolt bolt rab!?"

Pikachu retorts, "Kachu! Pika pi!" Rabbolt looks ready to fight back, but Pikachu leans down to address Pichu. "Pika, kachu?"

Still dazed, Pichu mutters with confusion, "Pichu…?"

Brenda runs in, scolding, "Rabbolt, what did you do!?" She kneels down next to Pikachu, scooping up the injured Pichu in her arms. "Did you hurt this poor little guy?"

Pointing vehemently towards the empty platter, Rabbolt defensively objects, "Rab? Rabbolt rab!"

Ash runs in a moment later. "Oh no, the sandwiches are gone!"

Rabbolt agrees, "Rabbolt!"

Brenda doesn't seem to be listening as she starts to pull out her Pokédex. In her arm, Pichu leans over to stick its tongue out at Rabbolt.

Rabbolt pulls down an eyelid and sticks its tongue right back. Suddenly, a few small sparks seem to involuntarily fly from its cheeks. "Rab?" Rabbolt looks back to the dark of the forest in confusion, noticing just a little bit of movement. With curiosity, Rabbolt moves in to investigate.

Brenda's Pokédex begins, "Pichu, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon, and an Electric-Type. As a Pichu grows older, it seeks to gain mastery over the electricity it puts through the pouches in its cheeks. It can often look to the help of other Electric-Type Pokémon for guidance and training. Evolves into Pikachu through friendship."

"Evolves into Pikachu. Is that what this is about, Rabbolt? Did you attack Pichu because it looks like Pikachu?" She looks around in confusion. "Rabbolt? Where'd you go?"

Ash comments, "I don't think you should be so hard on Rabbolt, Brenda. It was just trying to stop Pichu from eating all our sandwiches."

Pichu objects, "Chu! Pichu pi!" It hops down to the ground from Branda's arms, pointing off into the forest.

Pikachu questions, "Pika?"

Deeper in the forest, Rabbolt searches around for a sign of the movement it saw earlier. "Rab? Rabbolt?"

A bush shudders nearby. Rabbolt moves closer to see.

On the other side, Shinx carefully pokes its head out. "Shinx?"

Rabbolt's cheeks begin to spark again. Rabbolt looks to Shinx in confusion. "Bolt?"

Shinx slowly begins to step out where Rabbolt can see. It shyly greets, "Sh…shinx?"

Rabbolt puts on a welcoming smile. "Rabbolt."

Ash's voice questions, "You say your friend went this way?"

With a frightened squeal, Shinx retreats back into the bush.

"Rab?" Rabbolt tries to follow, but when it looks behind the bush, it finds nothing.

Ash, Brenda, Pichu and Pikachu approach from behind a moment later. Pichu calls, "Chu? Pi chu pi!"

Pikachu adds, "Pika chu pi!"

Brenda looks down at Rabbolt. "Rabbolt, there you are! Have you seen another Pokémon around here?"

With some confusion, Rabbolt points hesitantly to the bush, but then over to Pichu. "Rabbolt?"

With distress, Pichu starts to call louder, "Chu! Pi chu chu pi!"

Brenda kneels down next to it. "Please, don't worry, Pichu. We'll help you find your friend." She looks over to Rabbolt. "Isn't that right, Rabbolt?"

Immediately, Rabbolt throws a sneer at Pichu.

"Now, Rabbolt, you apologize to Pichu. It was trying to find food for its friend. Besides, don't you remember how we first met? Because I happen to remember us sharing food with a certain sneaky wild Pokémon."

Rabbolt continues to scowl for a moment. But then it looks over to the empty bush with what might be concern. It reluctantly apologizes, "Rabbolt…"

Ash looks to Pichu. "Hey, Pichu, do you know any other places your friend might have gone?"

Pichu thinks for a moment. "Pi…" It is suddenly struck with an idea. "Pichu!" It quickly scampers off in a new direction.

Brenda cheers, "Come on, let's go!" Everyone follows.


Who's that Pokémon!?

This Pokémon shines a light that absorbs the life energy of people and Pokémon, which becomes the fuel that it burns.


The group has arrived at what looks to be the edge of a town, with Pichu and Rabbolt leading at the front. Their attention is directed to the nearest building. Or at least, what remains of it. The building is blackened and charred on all standing sides, with no visible roof remaining. A thin layer of moss creeps up the corners on the walls, showing that the building must have been burned down quite a long time ago.

Pichu points to the partially blocked entryway. "Chu, pichu pi!"

Brenda seems skeptical. "This place? You're sure, Pichu?"

Ash marvels, "Wow…I wonder what happened here."

"I can answer that." Ash and Brenda are both startled by the voice of the old woman who approaches slowly, putting most of her weight on a gnarled old wooden cane. By her side, a large Vipyre slithers diligently. Pichu leaps behind Brenda's leg, peeking out fearfully at the large flaming snake Pokémon. "I do hope you children weren't hoping to buy anything from this bakery."

Brenda questions, "This was a bakery?"

"It was. But that was a long, long time ago."

Her Vipyre hisses softly as it looks to the ground, "Pyyyyre…"

"Over fifty years ago, in fact."

Ash asks, "But there was a fire?"

The old woman closes her eyes for a few moments. "The owner, Ella, lost her beloved partner Pokémon in the flames."

Brenda comments, "That's so sad…"

The old woman puts on a faint smile. "We try not to dwell on things that happened it the past. It isn't healthy for the spirit." She looks around at the building for another moment. "Well…if you kids are in need of a bakery, my family runs one on the other side of town. You're welcome to stop by." With that said, she turns to leave, Vipyre faithfully staying close to her side.

Brenda reaches after her. "I'm sorry, ma'am?" The woman stops to listen. "Have you ever seen any Pokémon around this building?"

The woman glances back to the Pichu behind Brenda's leg. "That little troublemaker is the only Pokémon to venture near here in a very long time."

Ash adds, "What about the owner, Ella? Is there somewhere we can find her? Maybe she knows about Pichu's friend."

This gives the old woman pause. "Ella is no longer with us." She continues to walk away.

With the Vipyre gone, Pichu comes out to investigate the entrance to the burned building. "Chu? Pi pi chu?"

Brenda leans down next to it. "Do you think your friend might be inside, Pichu?"

Rabbolt hops down off of her shoulder, calling into the doorway as well, "Bolt? Rabbolt?"

Suddenly, Pichu and Rabbolt's cheeks both begin to spark. They glance at each other for a moment in understanding. Then they both race inside, each trying to push past the other.

Brenda calls, "Rabbolt, Pichu, wait!" She crawls in through the small opening after them. Ash and Pikachu hurriedly follow.

With the roof burned away, bright moonlight shines in through the center of the room inside, where Shinx lies curled up in a small pile of ash.

Pichu and Rabbolt run up to greet it. "Pichu pi!"

"Rabbolt rab!"

Shinx's only response is to bury its head further away.

Brenda walks in behind them, gasping at the sight of the Pokémon lying in the ash. "Is this your friend, Pichu?" She quickly goes for her Pokédex once again, pointing it at the Shinx.

The usual robotic drawl of the Pokédex answers, "No data available."

Ash steps up behind her, recognizing the Pokémon by eye. "No data? That's weird. There's no reason Shinx shouldn't be in your Pokédex."

Brenda begins to scroll through her Pokédex manually. "Shinx, you say? This one looks right."

The Pokédex begins, "Shinx, the Flash Pokémon, and an Electric-Type. Shinx must exercise its muscles to generate electricity. If a Shinx is out of shape, it may not be able to produce any at all. Evolves into Luxio at Level 15."

Brenda kneels down to get a closer look. "Hey there, little Shinx. I'm sorry if we scared you off before. Your friend Pichu was really worried about you."

Shinx lets out a muffled, "Shi…"

Brenda carefully reaches out with her hand. "It's okay. We aren't going to hurt you. There's nothing to be–" As her hand would brush against Shinx's fur, it instead passes right through. "…afraid of?" Brenda stares at her open hand as her fingers begin to twitch involuntarily. "Ash…I don't think this is a normal Pokémon…"

Finally stirred, Shinx lifts its head to look up at Brenda. Immediately, its gaze becomes fixated on her.

"Of course it isn't Normal. Shinx is an Electric-Type. Didn't you hear the Pokédex?"

Pichu questions in confusion, "Chu?"

Shinx's attention remains only on Brenda. "Shinx…" It seems to stare with a vague wonder at the white sunhat on her head. And suddenly, the world around her flashes a blinding white.

Brenda looks around in confusion. She appears to have been transported somewhere else. The sun up above shines brightly down on her, and Rabbolt and Pichu beside her. "Huh? Where are we?" She calls out loudly, "Ash!? Pikachu!?" She stops as she notices movement on a porch of a nearby house. An elderly woman, wearing a large white sunhat not dissimilar to Brenda's, sits on a rocking chair, watching over the open road.

Brenda moves to approach the porch. "Excuse me, ma'am? Can you tell me where I am?"

The woman continues to rock silently, not even looking in Brenda's direction.

"And…wasn't it just nighttime a minute ago? Excuse me? Can you hear me?" She still gets no response. She looks down slowly, realizing that her hand can be partially seen through. "Well that's definitely not normal."

Struck by a similar curiosity, Pichu attempts to poke at Rabbolt's shoulder. Rabbolt reels back a step from the touch, complaining, "Rabbolt rab!"

"My old friend…"

Brenda, Rabbolt, and Pichu all look up at the old woman's voice.

Lying contentedly curled up by the side of the chair is a familiar Shinx. The woman looks down at Shinx with a smile. "…why do you still stay here?"

Shinx looks up at the woman with a smile of its own. "Shinx shinx!"

Rabbolt tries to call out in greeting, "Rabbolt rab!" Neither one seems to hear it.

The woman closes her eyes. "I'm so grateful…that you chose to stay with me. But what happens…when I'm gone? I don't want you to be alone…any more than you did for me… You shouldn't have to be alone…" Her voice begins to echo as the world starts to fade away. "alone… alone… alone…"

Brenda still sits right where she was in the center of the burned building. "Shinx is a ghost…"

Ash leans over her shoulder. "Are you feeling alright, Brenda? Electric-Type. Not Normal, not Ghost. Maybe we should head back and get something to eat. Seriously, I'm starving here."

"No…I mean an actual ghost. This is Ella's partner Pokémon. The one that…" She trails off. "Is it true, Shinx? That woman you showed me…was that the owner of this bakery?"

Shinx looks down to the ash-covered floor, nodding solemnly.

Pichu seems just as surprised as everyone else, questioning in an emotional yet almost demanding tone, "P-p-pichu? Pichu pi!?"

Shinx looks over to Pichu hesitantly, admitting, "Shinx shinx…"

Ash comments, "Brenda, I thought you didn't believe in real ghosts. Or were you just too afraid of them to admit it?"

"Yeah, well…maybe Wispirit's been getting to me." She looks at Shinx a while longer. "You're all alone, aren't you? You stayed to take care of Ella…but now she's gone, and you're still here. Why would that be?"

Ash thinks for a moment. "Well…usually when a ghost stays behind, it's because of some kind of unfinished business. What if…there's something that Ella wanted Shinx to do?"

"But then…why wouldn't Shinx have done it already?"

Rabbolt suggests, "Rab…rabbolt bolt?"

Shinx's eyes seem to light up at whatever it is that Rabbolt said.

Brenda asks hesitantly, "Do you…need our help, Shinx? Do you need someone there with you so you can…rest? We can help you…if that's what you want."

Shinx starts to hop around excitedly, declaring, "Shinx! Shinx shinx shinx!"

Pichu appears just as elated by the prospect of helping its friend, celebrating, "Chu! Pichu pi chu!"

Brenda puts on a smile. "Then it's settled. We're all going to help you move on, Shinx."

Ash complains, "But what about the food?"

"Don't you think this is a little bit more important, Ash?"

"But…food…"

Brenda ignores him as she gets up in preparation to leave.


It's Litwick!


Led along by Shinx, Rabbolt, Pichu, Brenda, Ash, and Pikachu, walk along the night-lit main street of the town. Rabbolt hops right up front, staying as close to Shinx's side as possible.

Ash comments, "Hey Brenda…don't you think it's weird how well Rabbolt is getting along with Shinx?"

"Yeah…usually, Rabbolt is pretty aggressive towards other Electric-Type Pokémon."

Pikachu agrees, "Ka pi."

As if in challenge, Pichu runs up a few steps to catch up, so that it can march by Shinx's opposite side, meeting Rabbolt's gaze by sticking out its tongue. Rabbolt returns with a rude face of its own. Then they both pout at once, looking up and away from one another.

Brenda comments, "Kind of like that."

Shinx doesn't seem to notice or care, happily walking along, nodding its head back and forth in a rhythm.

Ash questions, "Where do you think Shinx is taking us, anyways? What if it's someplace dangerous? What if that's why it needed help from other Pokémon?"

"I…I don't know. I sure wish I could talk to ghosts…"

A thickly accented female voice responds just behind her, "Talking to ghosts, you say?" A tall woman, clothed in flashy drapes that cover up all but her eyes, leans over Brenda's shoulder, causing her to jump. The woman continues, "I may just 'ave ze answer to your problem." Waving her arms a bit overdramatically, the woman drifts over to indicate a small blue tent set up in an alleyway between two buildings. "Step into my tent, and ve shall commune with ze spirits."

Brenda tries to take a step back. "Oh, uh, I don't really–"

The woman somewhat forcefully grabs Brenda by the shoulders. "Please, I von't take no for an answer!" She starts to lead her towards the tent. "'Tis all free of charge, of course."

"I-if you say so…" She looks back to the others and mouths, 'Sorry…'

Ash shrugs and follows them in, as do the Pokémon.

The cramped space inside, lit by candles in every corner, has a single large table in the center, topped by an excessively large crystal ball. The tall woman quickly takes a seat on the opposite side. "So, vhat are ve 'oping to learn today?"

Brenda answers, "Well…there's this Shinx…" Shinx hops up onto the table, staring with curiosity into the crystal ball. "…and we were hoping to figure out what its trainer asked it to do."

The woman scowls at the Shinx for a moment. Briefly dropping the accent, she mutters to herself, "You call this thing a ghost?"

"What was that?"

Sweating a bit, the woman waves it off. "Oh, ah, ah, vhat I vas saying, vas…ah…Shinx, yes, an Electric-Type Pokémon, no? Communicating vith a spirit like zis one vill take much power." She points a finger past Brenda to Ash. "Zat Pikachu vill do quite nicely. Come over 'ere, hm?"

Pikachu cocks its head to the side. "Pika?" Regardless, it hops down from Ash's shoulder onto the table.

"Ah, zat is good, but can ve do better?"

Pichu and Rabbolt both hop up onto the other side of the table at once, but there isn't quite enough room for both of them. After a brief bout of shoving, Pichu wins out, and Rabbolt hops back to the ground angrily.

"Good, good. Now, ve may begin. Focus on ze crystal ball, and it shall reveal all…" She clears her throat, and begins to wave her hands around the ball, chanting, "Humm… Spiritumm… Speakumm… Pokémonum!"

"I think you're just making up words."

The woman snaps, "Shut up and look at the ball!" She pretends to cough for a moment. "Now, vhere vas I? Ah, yes." She clears her throat again. "I seek to commune vith ze spirits of ze unliving! Speak to me now! I am your vessel!" Everything goes silent.

Ash looks around in confusion. "Is…something supposed to happen?"

A bump is heard under the table, and a muffled voice declares, "Wobbuffet!"

Ash perks up. "I think I hear the spirits!"

The woman holds up a finger. "Sh! Ze spirits…zey are speaking to me. Can you hear zem? Zey are telling me… Telling me to…"

A pair of male voices whisper from underneath the table, "Steal all of their Pokémon…"

"What a great idea!" The woman suddenly splits the crystal ball open, closing it around Shinx. Another opened ball mechanically rises out of each side of the table, closing around Pichu and Pikachu, trapping them inside.

The table begins to lift from the ground, folding and changing its shape as each of the imprisoning crystal ball capsules are extended outwards on mechanical tentacles. Even the walls of the tent begin to rise, revealing it all to be part of one giant transforming machine. The machine, towering over Ash and Brenda, though still boxy and tent-like in shape, gives the appearance of a three-armed person, each arm holding a capsule at the end. The cloth of the tent covers all but two glowing yellow eyes.

The woman, standing at the top, finally throws off her disguise. "Prepare for trouble, from beyond the grave!"

James rises out of the top of the machine to stand beside Jessie. "And make it double, we got what we crave!"

"To protect the world from specters and ghouls!"

"To unite our souls and make you look like fools!"

"To denounce the evils of earthly bonds!"

"To extend our reach to the great beyond!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket ghosts twerps at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare for a fright!"

From a speaker through the inside of the mech, Meowth declares, "Meowth, that's right!"

"Wobbuffet!"

"Mime mime!"

Gesturing at the capsules holding the Pokémon, Jessie proclaims, "Hey James! What do you see in these crystal balls?"

James answers, "I see our futures, Jess!"

Meowth's voice adds, "They're filled with gold, and filled with power! Ha ha!"

Inside its capsule, Pikachu prepares a Thunderbolt. "Pikaaa, chuuuu!" The attack lights up the inside of the ball, but goes nowhere.

Not risking any attacks, Pichu simply pounds against the inside of its capsule, crying, "Chu! Pichu pi chu!"

Shinx appears more intrigued than afraid, staring out curiously through the glass at the world below.

Ash shouts from below, "Team Rocket! Let those Pokémon go!"

James lets out a loud laugh. "Like that's ever happened!"

Jessie agrees, "This trio of power-packed Pokémon is all ours!"

The machine suddenly rumbles, causing them both to nearly lose their balance.

Rabbolt lands on the ground from its Bounce attack, ferociously shouting upwards, "Rabbolt rab rab!" It leaps up again, this time aiming directly for Jessie and James.

Taking one nervous glance at each other, Jessie and James quickly disappear as they are lowered into the machine. Rabbolt hits hard onto the top of the machine, causing it to shudder once again.

Pichu watches Rabbolt keep up its attacks with curiosity. "Chu…?" It looks over to Shinx's capsule.

Shinx excitedly cheers Rabbolt on. "Shinx, shinx, shinx!"

Apparently forgetting to turn off the speaker system, Team Rocket can be heard debating from inside the machine.

Jessie demands, "Meowth, what kind of defenses did you put in this thing!?"

"Defenses!? You said they'd be separated from their other Pokémon."

As Rabbolt slams against the outside of the machine again, James comments, "It appears we missed one."

"Well grab that one too, so we can get out of here!"

"There's nothing to grab it with! We only had the money for three capsules!"

"Maybe we should've spent more time on this plan, and less on Jessie's disguise."

"Hey! That disguise was flawless and you know it!"

"Wobbuffet!"

Another hit from Rabbolt finally causes the entire machine to topple over on its side. Team Rocket can all be heard echoing, "Uh oh…"

Brenda cheers, "Great work, Rabbolt! Now finish it off with Hidden Power!"

Rabbolt creates a group of glowing green orbs in the air around it. "Rab…bolt!" Rabbolt throws the Hidden Power at the toppled machine. When the attack hits, the top of the machine explodes outwards, sending its pilots flying.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" They disappear in a twinkle of light that blends in with the night sky.

The capsules on the destroyed robot pop open. While Pikachu runs back to Ash, Pichu and Rabbolt both run in to check on Shinx.

"Pichu pi?"

"Rabbolt rab?"

Shinx nods to both of them. "Shinx shinx."

Brenda kneels down to look at Shinx. "I'm sorry about that, Shinx. Are you ready to keep going?"

Shinx excitedly agrees, "Shinx!"

"Soon, you won't have to worry about anything like this again."

This statement seems to give Pichu pause. "Pi…?"


The group has resumed their walk along the main road of the town. Curiously, Rabbolt and Pichu now walk side-by-side just behind Shinx, not seeming to mind each other's presence.

Ash comments, "We still don't know where we're going."

Brenda responds, "Well, I think we'll be ready for whatever comes."

As if in answer, a crackling hiss sounds out. "Pyyyyre…" Vipyre slithers slowly towards them from nearby.

Hearing the sound, Shinx yelps, "Shinx!" Ash, Brenda, Pichu, and Rabbolt look around in confusion, suddenly unable to find it. As Pichu and Rabbolt's cheeks both spark, they immediately look back to see Shinx hiding timidly behind Brenda's leg.

Vipyre comes to a stop in front of the group, glaring across them silently until its gaze finally meets Shinx. Shinx shies away even further. Vipyre hisses, "Vi…"

Cautiously, Shinx peeks an eye open. Its gaze immediately becomes transfixed upon the crest of flames that burn along Vipyre's back. It seems to imagine the fire burning far higher and brighter than it truly does. Trembling, Shinx starts to step backwards.

"Pichu!" All eyes turn to Pichu, who has stepped up to shout angrily at Vipyre. "Pi chu pi pi chu pichu pi!"

Vipyre glares back at Pichu. After another silent moment, it turns and slithers away, towards the entrance of the nearest building.

Pichu continues to shout after it as it goes. "Chu! Pi chu pi!?"

Ash asks in confusion, "What just happened?"

Brenda looks down to Pichu. "Pichu was trying to protect Shinx. Because Shinx was afraid. Terrified…of that Vipyre." She turns and kneels down to speak to Shinx. "What is it about that Pokémon…that makes you so afraid, Shinx?"

Shinx stares at the ground for a while. But finally, it looks back up into Brenda's eyes. And suddenly, the world around them flashes a bright white.

Ash looks around, startled. "Whoa! Where are we!?"

The group has appeared as apparitions inside a cramped room, with a desk covered in scattered papers.

Brenda puts a hand on Ash's shoulder. "It's okay. Shinx is showing us something."

At the desk, a young woman with long blond hair, and a familiar white sunhat, somewhat frantically tries to organize the papers on the desk.

Ash comments, "That must be Ella. Does that mean this is her bakery?"

Once Ella is satisfied with the paper stack, she turns to the desk chair, where Shinx lies curled up, dozing. "Enjoy your break, Shinx. Remember, I'll be working right outside if you need me." She proceeds out the door of the small office space, shutting it behind her. The lock clicks into place a moment later.

Shinx opens its mouth in a wide yawn before nuzzling back into the seat.

After a few moments, a door can be heard creaking open just outside. A hushed voice whispers, "Keep quiet, Pyrethon." Gently, a faint knock comes on the office door. "Hello, Ella? …Are you in there?"

Shinx looks up curiously at the door, answering, "Shinx shinx."

The voice on the other side can be heard breathing a sigh of relief. "It's not her. Pyrethon, maybe we should– What're you doing!? Pyrethon, no!"

An odd crackling sound can be heard outside, quickly growing in strength. The temperature in the room seems to increase. Shinx continues to look around in confusion.

Another voice shouts, "Fiona!? What are you doing here!?"

"Ella! Th-this isn't what it looks like!"

"Did you do this!?"

"N-no, I-I just–"

"How could you!? This is my life! Get out of here, just get out!"

There's a rumbling outside. Then a flaming support beam crashes through the wall into the office, throwing red hot rubble in all directions. The room all around Shinx goes up in flames, leaving it trapped.

A pounding sounds from the other side of the door, where the flames burn with greatest intensity. Ella's voice shouts, "Shinx! You have to get out of there! Shinx!"

Shinx looks around desperately for any means of escape. In the crumbled remains of the wall the beam had fallen through, there is a small hole in the rubble, far too small to fit through. On the other side of the hole, framed by the flaming rubble, a Pokémon can be seen staring back. Smaller than Vipyre, it is colored primarily red, but its striped patterns are black on the outside with yellow on the inside. Though flames only burn on the tip of its tail, the fire all around it gives it a far more menacing appearance.

As Shinx stares with terror at the Pyrethon, Ella's voice shouts even more desperately, "Shinx!"

The flames grow brighter, and everything flashes white.

Everyone is back outside in the calm night.

Ash has already searched through his Pokédex. "Pyrethon, the Fire Snake Pokémon and a Fire and Poison Combo-Type. Rather than using venom, Pyrethon will wrap its muscular body around prey and increase the heat of its scales like an oven. Evolves into Vipyre at level 25."

Brenda comments, "I've heard that young Pyrethon can have a hard time controlling their flames. I guess…that's what happened to Ella's bakery." She looks down to Shinx. "Is that it, Shinx? Do you…need to confront that Pokémon…to move on?"

Shinx only looks to the ground.

"It's okay, Shinx. We'll be right here with you."

Shinx looks up with a smile.

Ash points up to a sign. "Hey Brenda, look." The sign on the building that Vipyre entered depicts a loaf of bread.

Brenda comments, "This must be the other bakery that old woman was talking about."

Ash cheers, "Maybe we can get some food!"

Brenda shakes her head and ignores him, looking back to Shinx instead. "Are you ready for this, Shinx? Are you ready to go inside?" Shinx gives a resolute nod. Brenda smiles back. "Then let's go."

"Pichu pi!" Everyone looks over in confusion. Pichu stands between them and the entrance, holding its arms out as if to stop anyone from going inside. "Pichu! Pi chu pichu pi!"

"What's Pichu doing?"

Pichu's eyes begin to well up with emotion as it pleads to Shinx, "P-pi! Pi chu chu pi Pichu!" It looks down to the ground. "Pi…"

Ash suggests, "Pichu must not want Shinx to face Vipyre."

Brenda shakes her head. "No, I think it's more than that. Pichu knows that…if Shinx does this…Pichu will lose its only friend. It doesn't want to say goodbye."

Suddenly, Rabbolt hops up to confront Pichu directly. "Rabbolt! Rab rab bolt!"

"Pichu pi!"

"Rabbolt rab!"

Brenda kneels down to look at Pichu as well. "Pichu…I know it's hard, but…Rabbolt is right. Shinx has been trapped here for so long… And not being able to let go…that's what started all of this in the first place. Because…whether we like it or not…nothing can stay the same forever."

"Pi…pichu?"

Shinx steps up beside Brenda. "Shinx shinx."

"Pi…pi chu pi chu…"

"Shinx. Shinx shinx shinx."

Pichu clenches its eyes shut for several long moments. But finally, it lowers its arms. "Pichu…"


Vipyre rests its head in the old woman's lap as she sits behind the counter of the bakery, a case filled with breads and pastries. They both watch as Ash and Brenda enter. "Well, if it isn't the children from before. You're certainly out late."

As Ash becomes transfixed by the baked goods in the case, Brenda steps up to the counter. "Sorry to bother you, ma'am." She thinks back for a moment. "It's…Fiona, right?"

The woman pauses a moment in confusion. "Yes, that's right."

"Well…we were hoping to ask you a few more questions about what happened to Ella's bakery."

Ash looks up to Brenda, pointing into the case and whispering, "Hey Brenda, we should get one of these. Ooh, and one those, too."

Brenda shushes him, whispering back, "Not now, Ash!"

Chuckling at the exchange, Fiona continues, "What is it you were hoping to know?"

"You were there, weren't you? When the fire started?"

Fiona puts on a scowl. "Now how would you know a thing like that?"

"It's…a little hard to explain. Maybe we should just show you." Slowly, Brenda steps aside, revealing Shinx standing behind her.

The old woman's eyes go wide. "It…it can't be… Shinx? Little Shinx?"

"Shinx shinx!"

Brenda explains, "Shinx…is a ghost. And it's been showing us…some things."

Fiona looks downwards, closing her eyes. "It's…not something that I like to talk about. But Shinx deserves to know the full story. Ella and I…were the best of friends. We grew up together. But we both shared the same dream. We wanted to open a bakery. We became rivals. We each opened our own, on opposite sides of town. But it became clear rather quickly…as her popularity grew, mine dwindled. I was ready to admit defeat. I was prepared to close my own shop in a matter of days. Even though we hadn't spoken in some time, I wanted her to be the first to know. So Pyrethon and I went to tell her. What happened next…has haunted me to this very day."

"The fire."

"The fire…it was already burning when we entered the kitchen, I swear that it was. Pyrethon tried to put it out. It might have made it worse, I can't say for certain. But that's when Ella walked in. She must have thought…that I was trying to burn down her business in a jealous rage, but I swear it wasn't true!" She takes a moment to breathe and calm herself. "With only one bakery left in town…I've stayed open ever since. Ella never reopened. And she never spoke to me again. I lost my best friend on that day. And so did she. I'm so sorry, Shinx. I never wanted any of that to happen."

Shinx hops up onto the counter, startling the old woman slightly. Then, the world around them flashes white. Everyone, Fiona included, has been transported back to Ella's porch, not so long ago.

As Ella rocks in her chair, she continues, "Alone…just how I left my friend. All these years, I've blamed Fiona for what happened… How can I tell her now…that I've changed my mind? How can I tell her that I don't blame her? How can I tell her that it wasn't worth it…holding onto all that anger? I only wish that I could tell her…how sorry I am…for all the wasted years… That's all that I want… Shinx…" Ella closes her eyes, leans back, and takes one long breath.

The world flashes one last time, returning everything to normal.

Fiona wipes a tear from her eye. "I forgive you, Ella… I'm the one who's sorry."

Brenda explains, "Shinx has been wanting to show this to you ever since then. But it was too afraid of Vipyre."

"Thank you, Shinx. Thank you all."

Shinx slowly directs its gaze upwards. "Shinx." For a moment, it seems to fade in and out of existence.

"Oh my…"

Brenda smiles. "That's all it had left to do."

Shinx's feet begin to lift into the air. Its voice grows faint and echoey. "Shinx…shinx…"

Pichu leaps up onto the counter, reaching up after Shinx, crying, "Pichu! Pi chu pi!" Tears stream from its eyes.

Shinx smiles down on Pichu. "Shinx shinx… Shinx shinx shinx…"

"Pi…pi pi chu!"

"Shinx shinx shinx shinx…"

Waving goodbye, Rabbolt calls up as well, "Rabbolt! Rabbolt rab!"

Brenda echoes quietly, "Goodbye, Shinx."

Lifting ever higher, Shinx finally disappears completely, leaving behind nothing but a sparkling light.

Wiping away its tears with a sniffle, Pichu finally manages to look up with a smile. "Pichu…" Suddenly, Pichu begins to glow with a harsh light.

Shielding her eyes, Brenda complains, "What is it now!?"

Ash is quick to answer, "Pichu is Evolving!"

"How is that possible? I thought Pichu only Evolves through friendship with its trainer."

Fiona answers, "As long as its friendship is pure and true…why should it matter who it's with?"

The light around Pichu begins morph, reshaping its ears, its head, and its body. The light releases, revealing the form of a Pikachu. "Pi…ka?" Suddenly, its cheeks begin to spark. Immediately, it looks straight back up into the air. And an even wider smile appears on tis face. "Chu…" Suddenly, it turns and points down at Rabbolt. "Pika, pikachu!"

"Rab?"

Ash smiles. "I'd recognize that expression anywhere. Pikachu wants to have a battle with Rabbolt."

From his shoulder, Ash's Pikachu questions, "Pika?"

"Not you, the other one."

Brenda looks down to Rabbolt. "What do you say, Rabbolt? Want to have a battle?"

Rabbolt puts on a smirk. "Bolt rab!"


Rabbolt and the Pikachu have taken up opposite positions outside. Fiona and Vipyre happily watch from the doorway.

"Alright, Rabbolt! Start things off with Bounce!" Rabbolt leaps into the air to start the battle. As the Pokémon are about to collide, everything freezes into place.

The Pokémon world is filled with countless unsolved mysteries, but today, our heroes brought an answer to one more, made a few new friends, and learned a lesson or two along the way. Although many mysteries still remain, one thing is for certain. This was a tale that could only be told in the wonderful and mysterious world of Pokémon. But wait…aren't we forgetting something?


Ash's shout rings out over the entire forest. "What do you mean there's no food left!?" The shout is followed by a rumble just as loud.

Brock rubs at his eyes. "I could've sworn there was some left on the table just a minute ago." Around the campsite, all of the group's Pokémon appear to be asleep.

"So what, are you saying it was all stolen by a ghost or something!?"

In the air behind Brenda's head, Wispirit appears silently. Brenda puts on a smirk. "Maybe it was."

Wispirit shouts, "Wisp!"

Brenda merely laughs. "It's going to take a lot more than that to spook me today, Wispirit. You're going to have to change it up."

Wispirit pouts, "Spirit…"

Ash incessantly complains, "Can't you make more?"

Brock shakes his head. "We have to go into town for supplies." Ash groans loudly.

Brenda seems to be thinking on what she just said. "Change… Transformation… Nothing ever stays that same… I wonder if I can somehow use that in my style…"

It looks like Brenda has been struck with new inspiration, thanks to today's adventure. How will this affect her strategy as she prepares for her upcoming contest? To that, I say, stay tuned.

To be continued…


Make sure to read The Team Rocket Movie, which chronologically takes place in-between this episode and Episode 107.