The Misdreavus Menace

This chapter ends the first part of this story. In this installment, things are only getting worse. I hope you find it exciting. Please review!

Chapter Eighteen — Muk Amok

"So that's all I know," said Ash. "I hope you understand that the Misdreavus made me believe that the Clefairy were responsible for all the trouble, including the danger to the Earth."

It was the morning of the next day. After a laborious and often frustrating night, Ash finally succeeded in getting in contact with Kadabra. Now he was back at the transporter headquarters, with Misty, Pikachu, Kadabra and two Clefairy.

It is true that the Clefairy were the first to seek help from the Earth. We had no idea that Misdreavus were sneaking on board.

"Clefairy, clefairy!" said one of the Clefairy.

"What's that?" inquired Misty. Kadabra interpreted.

They are sorry to have brought your world any danger. What can you tell us about the nature of the threat?

"I didn't get to find out any details. But I figured this much out. While you guys were getting help from Earth's Pokémon, they've been trying to get help from people."

"But which people?" wondered Misty. "It can't be trainers. You'd think one of us would've heard something."

"I don't know," replied Ash, "maybe one of the governments? Someone with weapons, probably."

"Could be criminals," suggested Misty with a cringe.

What did they offer humans in exchange?

"Again, I just don't know."

"Clefairy, clefairy, fairy... clefairy!" said the other Clefairy. Kadabra explained.

The Clefairy have bad news too. A transporter visited Earth again to return some Pokémon home and to seek more recruits. It has not yet returned.

"I hope we're not too late," said Misty, sounding worried.

Ash sighed heavily. He lowered his head and cupped his face in his hands.

Misty had never seen Ash like this before. "Ash, I know this is a lot of responsibility for you to bear," she said, trying to console him, "but I'd like you to know that I'm here beside you all the way."

"Thanks, Misty, that's very sweet of you." He looked up at her. "It's not just that, though. I had to leave Gary behind. We should've tried to escape together. Somehow, we should've."

According to what I have understood from your mind, you must not blame yourself. You and Gary did what was for the greater good, and you are both to be commended.

"Thanks," replied Ash. Kadabra continued.

But there is more to it. I see that you have been on unfriendly terms for the last seven Earth years. Now that your friendship has been restored, you feel that you have betrayed him, that you should have stayed and he escape.

"Ash, please don't blame yourself," said Misty. "Gary realized that you're the one who knows the most about the risk to the Earth."

"Clefairy, clefairy," said one of the two Clefairy and left the room.

"Where's it going?" asked Misty.

"Clefairy, clefairy," replied the other Clefairy.

He is going to check to see if the other transporter is ready. It appears that our mission is now two-fold, to try and stop the alliance between humans and the menace, and to find what has happened to the missing transporter.

"Alright, then," proclaimed Ash. "Misty, you and Kadabra go. Pikachu and I are staying. We're going to rescue Gary, no matter what it takes."

"Ash, no! I don't want to lose you, not again. And what about our entire world?"

"You and Kadabra know it all now. I've made my mind up, Misty. Pikachu, are you with me?"

Before Pikachu could reply, the Clefairy returned, bursting into the room, panting.

"Clefairy! Clefairy!" it cried out between breaths. "Clefairy! Clefairy!"

"Clefairy!", the other Clefairy responded.

We're under attack.

"The Misdreavus?" asked Ash.

No. Pokémon. We must go. We are needed to help defend.

Kadabra followed the two Clefairy outside, followed in turn by Misty, Pikachu and Ash. In the distance they could see smoke rising into the sky. Screams of Clefairy pervaded the air. As the group advanced towards the battle, they encountered frightened Clefairy running the other way.

"Clefairy!" one yelled to the two Clefairy that were with Ash and Misty. "Clefairy!"

The two Clefairy stopped in their tracks, looking at each other fearfully.

Suddenly, a fierce-looking Muk came round the corner of a building, spewing sludge left, right and ahead as it went. Dangerous and intimidating, its one goal seemed to be to cause as much havoc as possible.

Kadabra stretched out its right arm. A psybeam shot out towards the Muk. It was so powerful that one could see its path as it distorted the air enough to refract the light coming through it. The Muk received the brunt of it, slowing its fearsome advance. But it failed to stop it.

The Muk turned to face the one who dared oppose it, opened its mouth and sent forth a blob of dark, viscous grime. Kadabra waved its left arm, calling into existence a psychic barrier in time to deflect the gruesome ooze.

Pikachu decided it was time to join the fray. It ran on all fours to within striking distance, its bright red cheeks sparking as it ran. As it raced past, a bright yellow bolt of electric power arced from mouse to monster. The mouldering Muk grimaced, then recovered its composure, then bellowed in fury. Now it was really angry.

Suddenly, the nearest building burst into flames. Soon screams could be heard. Clefairy were jumping out of windows to escape the terror inside.

Ash released a Pokémon.

"Wartortle," he commanded, "go in there and do your stuff."

The well-trained Pokémon sized up the situation and sprung into action without further need for direction. It circumnavigated the building, pouring its water gun into windows where flames could be seen. Ash and Misty followed.

Soon it reached the door. It was about to enter when the door exploded in a rain of splinters and flames. Stepping out of the fire and smoke with an almost casual stride, a Magmar looked around as if seeking its next target of destruction.

"Ash," cried Misty, "let me take care of this. Send Wartortle to rescue anyone inside."

Misty took out a Poké ball of her own. Her feminine gracefulness as she hurled it into the air was not diminished by the gravity of the situation. In a flash, a large star-shaped Pokémon materialized and turned to face its flaming foe.

"Starmie, tackle the Magmar," its mistress ordered. "Hurry!"

The Magmar noticed the spinning starfish as it cartwheeled forward and dodged the attack. The Magmar responded with a flamethrower. Starmie altererd its path and avoided the flames. Wartortle, meanwhile, noticing the Magmar's distraction, entered the building on its dangerous mission of mercy.

"Water gun!" shouted Misty to her Pokémon.

Starmie instantly stopped its spin. It aimed one of its arms towards its target and spurted a blast of water. Magmar tried to dodge it again, but this time the attack was too fast. A sizzle of steam shot up into the air as Magmar caught the better part of the attack.

It was, however, a long way from being out. Turning to face Misty, the Magmar shot out another flamethrower. Ash bounced off his feet and knocked her flat to the ground a split second before the deadly blast seared the air above them. Misty screamed at the pain as she struck the ground. Ash and Misty found themselves gasping for air as the oxygen around them was consumed. They could feel the intense heat singe their hair and clothes.

Starmie did not have to wait for further orders. Afraid for its trainer and taking advantage of the enemy's preoccupation, it charged with full speed. The Magmar was struck, sending it with a mighty force into the building. It smashed into the wall, cracking it and its skull at the same time. The Magmar fell to the ground, unconscious. Ash and Misty got up, relieved that their ordeal was over, at least for the moment.

"Are you OK?" asked Ash as he examined Misty's grazes.

"I'll be all right. Ash, those Pokémon are trained."

"Yeah, and they don't play by the rules."

"Ash, I'm worried. I think we're up against something very sinister."

Meanwhile, Pikachu and Kadabra had changed their tactics in their battle with the Muk. The Pikachu used its speed as it taunted the opponent, striking it with short, quick physical and electric attacks, and speedily retreating out of its way. In between, Kadabra struck with psybeams, and then it too followed its ally's lead and teleported away randomly after each strike.

The creature was confused and almost incapacitated when reinforcements arrived. An Arbok slithered away from seeking its own victims to come to the Muk's defense. It was followed by a Koffing, a Gengar, and two human beings.

Wartortle by then had found two Clefairy in the building and had only just dragged them out when Ash and Misty received a telepathic message.

Ash, Misty, recall your Pokémon. Regroup immediately.

They followed Kadabra's instructions, returning Starmie and Wartortle to their respective Poké balls. They picked up a coughing Clefairy each and sped around the building's smoldering remains. They found Kadabra, Pikachu and the two Clefairy they had been with standing together, shielded by Kadabra's psychic barrier. On the other side of the barrier's purple haze they could see several Pokémon, all looking well-trained and vicious.

Suddenly, Ash was stunned. Behind the row of enemy Pokémon was a man—a face he has seen before—dressed in a uniform he had not seen for so long. A moment later a woman came and stood beside him.

Butch and Ash stood staring at each other, each surprised to see a human being on an alien planet. Then, mutual recognition sparked, tempers flared and hatred burned. Misty and Cassidy restrained their corresponding partners from a violent clash that would surely have left at least one of them injured or worse.

Kadabra sensed the tension and decided that it was time for evasive action. Ash felt the tingle in his body he had felt once before as his view of Butch flickered away and was replaced by a view of a Clefairy transport vehicle.

Quick, inside.

The group ran into the transporter. One of the Clefairy quickly locked the door and started the machine. A familiar hum filled the air.

Earth. Take us to where you picked up the humans and the Pikachu.

Misty gasped. Outside, through the main window, they could see a Machoke approaching, followed by two Misdreavus. The others looked at where she pointed.

Hurry. They can't get in, but we can't take any chances.

The transporter glowed its familiar pink and rose into the air. The Machoke pulled two rocks out of the ground with its strong hands and hurled them at the floating craft. A moment before the rocks could strike, the vehicle flashed a bright pink and disappeared.

It took a few seconds for Ash, Misty and Pikachu to recover their senses. They looked out the window. To Ash, the scene held a sense of regained yet distant familiarity, as if one had returned to a place one had left years ago. Feelings flooded his heart and mixed thoughts coursed through his mind: relief to be home, trauma at what he had just been through, confusion as to how Team Rocket had become involved, guilt to be leaving behind a friend on a planet who knows how far away.

Who would he talk to, how would he face Professor Oak, what could he do to solve the conflict—all these questions overwhelmed him. Then... a warm, gentle touch on his arm.

Ash turned and saw Misty, a determination on her face, a confident glow to brighten the gathering gloom in his heart. Ash was so used to doing things on his own, seeing things through his own way and in his own strength. He suddenly realized now how many times he must have hurt Misty in the past, spurning her advice, belittling her support, rejecting her attempts at comfort. His past methods of behaviour were not going to change easily. But now he was faced with an overwhelming situation where he would be forced to rely on her. One fact would make it easier than before: he had given her his heart.

"Clefairy!" came a cry that broke Ash's thoughts.

"Pikachu!" echoed Pikachu.

Ash and Misty turned to see Kadabra fallen onto the floor. Ash ran up to it.

"Are you OK?" he asked.

I will be all right. I am simply old, tired, weak from the battle and the strain of it all.

"Ash," exclaimed Misty, now noticing the back of Ash's neck for the first time since their battle with the Magmar. "You're burnt."

Ash suddenly realized that he was in pain. He reached with his hand to feel his neck.

"No, don't touch it. We'll get it seen to."

The Clefairy pilot opened the hatch and the company alighted. They made their way in silence to Professor Oak's mansion.

End of Part One