The Misdreavus Menace

Chapter Fourteen — Surprise Visit

Ash started to regain consciousness.

"Hey Misty, he's coming around," he heard a voice say.

A human voice, a familiar one. And a familiar name. Where was he? Had it all been a dream?

"Oh Ash! Can you hear me?"

That was Misty's voice. Ash opened his eyes and took note of his surroundings. He was lying down on a mat inside a tent. The daylight filtered through dimly, but enough to see. There standing over him were Gary and Misty.

Ash jerked awake. "Where am I?" he shouted. "Am I back on Earth? Where's Pikachu?"

"Take it easy, Ash," replied Misty.

"We came to visit you," said Gary, "to see you get blasted by your own Pokémon."

"Huh!?" Ash said fuzzily.

"Gary, this isn't the time," reproved Misty.

"We got your message," explained Gary. "The Clefairy delivered it to Gramp's place."

"We were so relieved to get it," said Misty. "Your mother was in a terrible state."

"But how did you guys get here?" asked Ash.

"I used my Pokémon to explain to the Clefairy that I wanted to see you, and they let me come with them," Misty replied.

"As for me," added Gary, "well... I just couldn't pass up the opportunity of a lifetime."

Ash lay there, his whole body still aching from the jolt he took, hardly believing what he was hearing. But the undeniable proof was standing there in front of him. As astounded as he was, he was equally happy to have human companionship again, even if one of them was one of the most unpleasant people he knew.

"So where are we now?"

"We're in the war zone between the Clefairy and the Misdreavus," anwered Gary. "It looks like there was an emergency and the Clefairy had to get there with reinforcements pronto."

"What did you call them?" asked Ash.

"What?"

"Those ghost things."

"You mean the Misdreavus? Some Pokémon master you've turned out to be. Oh, I forgot. You don't have a grandfather in the Pokémon business."

For once, Ash was too out of it to let his blood boil, so the three of them remained silent for a little while. Finally, with her initial relief over, Misty decided it was time to address her other emotions.

"That was a foolhardy thing you did, Ash Ketchum!" she rebuked. "Everyone was so worried about you. Did you know your mother fainted when she saw you disappear like that?"

"I... I..." Ash couldn't figure out what to say to justify himself. Then the truth blurted out. "I couldn't let them take Pikachu like that, I just couldn't."

Misty's expression softened a little. "I guess I would've done the same. Still, you could've thought what it'd do to your mom."

Gary butted in. "You could've thought what it'd do to Misty."

"What?" she said. She and Ash turned to face him.

Gary began to walk out of the tent, but before he did, he stopped, turned back and added, "You're a really lucky guy, Ash, to have a girl like that. I wish both of you the best of luck. I'll leave you to it, but, uh..., don't get too carried away. There's a war on outside."

As Gary opened the flap of the tent door, a beam of daylight momentarily struck Ash in the face, and he instinctively closed his eyes. When he re-opened them, he saw Misty sitting next to him gazing at his eyes longingly. She reached out her hand and rested it on his chest.

"Oh... Ash..." she began to say, sounding worried and relieved at the same time. "I... I thought I'd lost you," she continued as she tenderly carressed him, letting her fingers flow over his chest.

At first, Ash was taken by surprise at this show of affection. But he quickly decided to enjoy it, take it in, let it meet his deepest needs. He gazed back into her face, enjoying the beauty of its sweet and delicate features. He considered what Gary just told him. How did a guy like that know? But it didn't matter. His uncertainties about his relationship with Misty departed—she loved him, he was now sure. In one moment, he opened his heart to her, decided to commit himself to her well-being, offer her his own love and affection in return for hers.

He met her gaze, looked wonderingly at her beautiful eyes. He reached out his arms and placed them around her. At that moment, on an alien world no-one knew where, two young hearts were united. The event had to be sealed. He lifted one hand into her flowing red hair. He pondered for a moment to enjoy its velvety softness, then gently brought her face down towards his. Their lips drew nearer.

But they did not meet. A sudden, loud vibration shook the tent. Outside, Clefairy squealed. Misty got up, just as another blast brought half the tent down. She lost her balance. She tried to move to prevent her fall, but caught her foot under Ash's leg. She tripped over him, twisting her ankle.

Gary darted into the remains of the tent, followed by Pikachu.

"You OK?" asked Gary. "The Misdreavus are attacking again. The Clefairy are evacuating the camp."

"I've got to help Ash," said Misty, hobbling up, clearly in pain.

Gary reached out and helped her to her feet. "You're hurt. Here, you lean on Pikachu and get out of here. I'll help Ash."

Pikachu's eyes goggled at the thought of bearing Pikachupi's weight. However, this was an emergency and he decided he had to do his best to help.

Gary helped Pikachu take Misty out of the door of the tent, then went back in to get Ash. Outside, there was mayhem. Objects and Pokémon alike were everywhere as psybeams and confuse rays struck them. Boxes and tents were strewn all over the ground, Clefairy were running, some in retreat, others in confusion. Misty shrieked as she was nearly hit by a Clefairy that was hurtling past her. It struck a nearby tree-like plant with a thump and a squeal. It fell, injured, to the ground.

Misty's immediate reaction was to turn to help it, but her only means of support pulled her towards the general direction of retreat. Two other Clefairy came past, picked up their fallen comrade and followed Misty and Pikachu.

Suddenly, the group's path was blocked as a floating phantom appeared out of thin air. The group stopped and turned back, but another one materialized in their way, and then yet another. In seconds, they were completely surrounded.

"Piiikaaa!" threatened Pikachu. Misty let go, knowing what was going to come next. She supported herself on her good leg.

The creatures drew back slightly, taking Pikachu's threat seriously. Out of nowhere, Kadabra appeared next to the group. It arced around in a full circle, repelling the ghosts with a psychic attack.

Quick, hold hands, all of you.

They all joined hands with Kadabra and promptly vanished.

Meanwhile, Gary helped Ash out of the collapsed tent, just in time to notice Misty and the others teleport away. In the distance they could see Clefairy and a few other Pokémon, presumably from Earth, retreating. Among the fallen debris were a few Clefairy, fainted, some injured—who knows, maybe some were dead.

Ash felt a pang of guilt for betraying them, even though he did not succeed in causing them any harm. Then the full realization of what had happened came to him. He failed in helping the ghost creatures—Misdreavus, Gary called them—to acquire a transporter to take him back to Earth and to prevent whatever danger there was to his world. Things were getting from bad to worse.

The Misdreavus stopped their pursuit of the Clefairy and regrouped. They encircled Ash and Gary.

What you do here?

You help Clefairy?

Come how this planet?

Both Ash and Gary felt their minds bombarded with demands for information. Obviously this group had not yet been informed of the arrangement he had made the night before.

"Whatever your problem is with the Clefairy," Gary piped up, "it's got nothing to do with us. I came here to rescue my companion who came to this planet by accident.

Your planet involved. Clefairy bring Pokémon here.

"Gary," said Ash, "the Earth's involved somehow. I think it's in some kind of danger."

You come with us now. We see if you useful.

A group of Misdreavus surrounded Ash and Gary and forced them to follow them out of the remnants of the Clefairy's camp and into their territory. Things had gone from worse to disasterous.

"What do you mean about the earth?" Gary asked Ash.

Silence!

"Where are you taking us?" Gary demanded, but the creatures did not answer.