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"What in da world are we gonna do with dat Togepi?" asked Meowth, temporarily forgetting his mission.
Jesse rolled her eyes. "Come on, Meowth. We know you want that Togepi for yourself. And besides, Pokémon can't understand our plans," she declared with a lofty attitude that earned her a scratch across the face.
"HOW DARE YOU??" she screamed, diving for the cat.
Meowth dodged. "Hey, where's James?
The angry Team Rocket member stopped to look around. James wasn't there. "James?" she asked hopefully. Then, when that didn't work, "Prepare for trouble!"
No answer.
*~*~*
On the opposite end of the forest, Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu were wandering along a trail in utter confusion.
Ash pointed to the left. "It's over there!"
Misty pointed to the right. "The road goes that way!"
Brock sighed and took the map from them. After studying it for a moment or so, he groaned. "You're both wrong. We're on the right road going the wrong way."
Misty and Ash glared at each other, then burst out laughing as Pikachu wondered what on earth could be so funny.
"Pika Pi PiKaCHU!" it complained.
Ash picked it up and placed it on his head. "You're right, Pikachu. We have been ignoring you."
Misty glanced at the snoozing Togepi in her arms and thought about how it managed to sleep through all her arguments with the group. 'Of course, it isn't that we talk very loud... Well, not all the time... Well, actually we do... Okay, so we yell. How does Togepi stand it?"
Brock took the lead. "I'm not following either of you anywhere until we get to the nearest Pokemon Center. I've just finished the last of the water in my thermos and..."
"No problem," said Togepi's trainer with a wicked grin. "Come on out, Psyduck. Give Brock a drink of water."
Psyduck exploded from its Pokeball and held its head in constant pain. "Psyyy..."
Brock cringed. "Um, I'll pass."
Pikachu doubled over with laughter and tumbled from Ash's head onto his shoulder. "Pika piiiik!"
Misty winked. "So, when do we actually get a move on instead of sitting here getting hungrier?"
"And thirstier," added Ash.
"Ka Pika," remarked Pikachu.
*~*~*
James stood at the edge of the water. He could hear Ash and company talking from behind the trees. Apparently they had no idea the ocean ran right by their path or they would have been here, and Misty would have probably began drawing the sunset.
There was a group (pack, pride, herd, what would you call it?) of Dratini splashing around nearby. It was a breathtaking sight. He had been standing here for about an hour, watching. And he hadn't been spotted yet.
James wasn't as devoted a member of Team Rocket as Jesse. No thought of catching the Dratini crossed his mind. This was a perfect place. He shoved the boss to the farthest corner of his mind and forgot about Team Rocket.
*~*~*
"Where is he???" Jesse cried, scannining the nearest bushes, trees, Diglett holes, ponds, and picnic baskets.
Meowth grinned like a Cheshire cat. "I bet he went off to get more cheesecake."
The frustrated yound lady lost her temper here and stomped over to the Pokemon, picked him up, drop-kicked him, and continued her search.
Meowth landed in the pond and gave a deafening screech. "JESSE GET ME OUTTA HERE!"
Jesse ignored him and screamed James's name again.
*~*~*
"Briiiii!" shouted Togepi unhappily to Pikachu from Misty's arms.
"Pika piiiikachu," said Pikachu from Ash's shoulder.
"Geo. Dude. Geodude," remarked Geodude. Brock had let it out for some fresh air and it was flying over his head.
Misty sighed, getting slightly annoyed. "Togepi, shut up before I turn you into a Chansey."
Ash stared. "Hear that, Brock? She's actually threatening her precious baby Pokemon."
"I'll be threatening you next if we don't get to town soon!"
Brock blinked. "She threatens to threaten you, Ash."
Misty placed Togepi in her backpack, threw up her hands, and just screamed.
Brock wondered aloud. "Was that her screech attack?"
*~*~*
Dratini have wonderful hearing. They could hear both screams. Misty's, on the other side of the forest, and Jesse's, on the other side of the other side of the forest. James could only hear Misty.
"Tiiiini," whispered a Dratini. They all vanished.
James blinked. Was it his imagination, or was the sea . . . growing? No. Swelling? Maybe. He clutched at a closeby tree, which moved.
"Exeggutor," it growled.
Scared silly, James turned to run when a huge ocean wave crashed down on him.
*~*~*
Togepi was frantic. "Briiiiiiiiii! Briiiiiiii!"
Misty didn't get it. "Huh? What's the matter, Togepi?"
Pikachu took up the warning. "PIKA PI! PIKACHU PIKA PI!"
Ash was closer to the seaside forest than Misty, though she was behind him instead of her usual place at his left side. He looked up, hearing a slight rumble, and shrieked. "YAAAAH! PIKACHU!! MISTY!! HANG ON!!"
Brock had the presence of mind to snap Geodude inside its Pokeball (Rock Pokemon and water aren't very good friends) before the wave hit. Misty was frozen in place for the eternity of two seconds, and her backpack was swept away in the current with Togepi inside it.
"TOGEP-" Her mouth was suddenly filled with water. She felt someone grab her hand. Her eyes were totally useless in the murky water, which to her surprise looked purple. A yellow flash ran across her blurred and painful vision, and she managed to catch Pikachu in one arm and cling to whoever was holding her other hand.
'Air,' she thought helplessly. The water swirled. Something was pulling her upwards. Suddenly she was smacked in the face by a long red coil of something that looked like . . . could it be . . . HAIR?! Misty didn't know. Purple water, gleaming yellow Pikachu fur, someone's hand, and the rushing sound were all gone. She was in a black nothingness.
*~*~*
Ash blinked his eyes open and found himself looking into the face of Mew. Mew. The Pokemon nobody ever saw. It stared back with a strange expression on its face. Superiority? Yes. Arrogance? No. Sort of pity. Ash couldn't figure it out.
Mew waved her tail and flew around shouting directions to something. Whatever Ash was lying on lurched. He looked down to find himself being carried by a group (pack, pride, herd?) of Dratini.
Mew returned from commanding them to gaze into Ash's eyes. Psychic power radiated. He was lifted off the ground and suspended in space.
"Mew?" he dared to ask. "Where are you taking me?"
Mew did not release her psychic beam. "To the Seafoam Islands where you can save your friends from destruction."
'Whoa,' thought Ash. 'Mew can talk too. Save my friends? What's wrong with them?'
Mew read his mind. "Of course I can talk, Ash. As for saving your friends, close your eyes and you shall see."
Ash shut his eyes obediently, and immediately he found himself dreaming. He was in a cavern. Brock was standing close to him, but he was radiating coldness. Ash realized he was frozen solid. There was a large bird the color of ice and water, staring at him with cruel blue eyes...
Ash woke up in a panic. "Please Mew, what can I do? How can I stop Articuno from killing Brock? And Misty. Where's Misty? Is she okay?" He looked around and gasped. "Pikachu! You've got to help me find my Pikachu!"
Mew eyed him calmly. "You are terrified. You are of no use to them in terror."
He took a deep breath. "You're right. But don't you understand? You've got to help me!"
She smiled faintly. "Yes, I will help you. For Pikachu's sake. Your heart influences your mind. Pikachu is your friend, not your toy. I understand. Be calm. Your Brock is not in any grave danger. Your Misty and your Pikachu are with this woman. I suppose you recognize her."
Upon closing his eyes, Ash saw Jesse's face. "Pikachu! With Team Rocket!"
Mew frowned. "Misty will protect your Pikachu."
"Are you sure?"
Mew gave an exasperated sigh. "I do not make judgements before I am sure."
"I'm sorry, Mew. I'm only human. No psychic powers to make me sure."
"Very well. You must trust me."
Ash nodded seriously.
"That means flying."
*~*~*
As the enormous wave subsided, James found himself alone on the beach (which had been drastically enlarged by the loss of water and by a certain pile of rocks that had fallen into a sort of U shape, making a bay) with an injured Dratini coiled in his lap. Both he and it had been clinging to a tree. Luckily the Exeggutor was not around.
The Dratini blinked and moaned softly, "Draaaa..."
James stared at the Pokemon he was holding. The one Pokemon Team Rocket had spent the most futile energy trying to capture. Stealing Pikachu didn't count.
He wondered if he still had any of the Pokeballs Jesse had stolen from Brock.
*~*~*
"Hand over the Pikachu," Jesse commanded.
"Never!" retorted Misty, holding Pikachu tightly. She wondered what Ash would say.
"It isn't yours to keep, you know."
"It isn't mine to give, you know."
Pikachu felt cheated by the way Jesse spoke of it and leaped out of Misty's arms.
Jesse found herself thundershocked on the spot.
When she recovered, she was none too happy with Pikachu or Misty. "Arbok, go!" She threw a Pokeball.
Arbok appeared. "Charrrrbokkk!"
Misty was frantic. "Pikachu? You're going to battle for me?"
"Pik!" (This seemed to mean, "Yes!")
"Without Ash?"
"Piiika." Sadly.
Misty smiled at the brave Pokemon. "Do your best, Pikachu. Ash will be really proud when we tell him you beat Jesse all by yourself."
Pikachu nodded, determined.
Jesse smiled evilly. "Pretty tough talk. Let's see if you live up to it. Arbok, bind it!"
Pikachu allowed itself to be lifted into the air in a coil of Arbok's tail before it let everything go in a thunderbolt.
"Chaaaarrrbooookkkkk!" screeched Arbok, releasing Pikachu.
Misty watched in amazed joy as Pikachu threw out two thundershocks and a quick attack. Arbok was too confused to fight back. Pikachu's second tackle almost wiped it out.
Jesse glared. "Arbok, return."
Arbok didn't return. It sat and gazed at Pikachu, its eyes glowing. Pikachu fell into a trance.
In desperation Misty yelled, "Pikachu! Snap out of it!"
Pikachu hummed, "chuuuuuuuuu."
"Think of Ash, Pikachu! What would he say if you lost?"
Pikachu snapped out of it at the sound of its trainer's name. "PikaCHUUU!"
Arbok fainted somewhere in the midst of an inexplainable electric surge.
Jesse was furious. "Arbok! Return now!"
Arbok obeyed. It didn't have much of a choice, being unconscious.
*~*~*
Brock stared into Articuno's icy blue eyes. He knew this was dangerous. If only he could convince it he was its friend...
Articuno watched, unamused. Tensely it stared as Brock approached its lair. It noticed Pokeballs at his waist. One of them sounded like a Vulpix. Only an Articuno can hear what's inside a Pokeball.
'Vulpix,' it thought, 'is a dangerous enemy. If it should use its dreadful Fire Spin, I will belong to this trainer.' Articuno loved its freedom. With an ice beam, it secured its future as Brock was frozen in place.
*~*~*
Ash, scared to death, was clinging to Mew's tail and flying over the ocean at about 50 MPH. It wasn't too fun, since there was always a stray Fearow to dodge, a Trainer whose sight he must stay out of, a spray of salt water when a Dratini kicked up too much energy.
Mew had ordered her group of Dratini to follow her and keep an eye out. She disliked being seen by trainers, so whenever they ran across one she had to double-team her teleport move and transport them, herself, and Ash to the safety of another, more remote place. She didn't have time to risk getting captured.
"Mew," asked Ash finally. "Where are we going?"
"To the Seafoam Islands," Mew's mysterious voice replied. "Brock must be saved."
"What about Misty and Pikachu?"
"They are safe. Your Pikachu has just done something fantastic."
"What's that?"
"Misty will tell you."
"When?"
"When we get there."
"Where?"
Mew sighed. "You are making this journey miserable with your questions."
"Sorry."
A Dratini splashed him.
"Really sorry."
*~*~*
Jesse eyed Misty, who was hugging Pikachu gratefully. "So, where is the little brat who trained this Pikachu? Has he abandoned it?"
If Misty had been a Growlithe, she would have snarled. "Ash would never abandon Pikachu. Ash loves Pikachu. If it weren't for that tidal wave, they would be together now."
"Maybe so, but I'm sure he'll be really happy to know that you battled with his Pokemon. I wouldn't be surprised if he abandons you."
"What are you talking about?" Misty growled. "I don't belong to him."
Jesse laughed, feeling uncertain but determined to wear Misty's confidence down. If she felt hopeless she could be defeated. Why, Meowth and she . . . Meowth! Where had Meowth gone?
*~*~*
Meowth had the sneaky suspicion that most teams stick together but that wasn't going to stop him from finding Togepi. If the little egg Pokemon wasn't with that whiny girl, it was lost.
Still having a deep affection for Togepi, the cat set off to find it. Maybe it would appreciate him if he saved its life . . .
*~*~*
Mew picked up speed, first ensuring that everyone was wearing a psychic barrier. This way Ash's hat wouldn't fall off and be an unnecessary delay.
The Seafoam Islands loomed in front of them. Dark, majestic, colder than anyplace Ash had ever been. No wonder Articuno made its home here. It wasn't a very inviting place. The Dratini stopped here at Mew's permission.
"Ash," said Mew in its solemn, quiet way. "Saving Brock may cost your life."
Ash's eyes widened but he nodded.
"Are you sure you want to go through with this? I could instantly teleport you back to the road."
"If you could teleport me there, why can't you teleport all of us there?"
Mew frowned. "Because you must save them. I do not choose to have them know of me. Once you have saved their lives, you will not remember me."
'I won't?' he thought in surprise.
"No," answered Mew. "By the way, I heard that."
*~*~*
Misty sighed, getting tired of this. "Just what are you trying to prove, Jesse?"
Jesse stalled for a minute, wondering where on earth James and Meowth had gone.
"I . . ."
"PIKA PI!" Pikachu said suddenly. Electricity was building in the air.
"Thunderstorm," remarked Misty.
'More than that,' a strange, mysterious voice said to her mind.