The Misdreavus Menace

Chapter Thirty-One — Relative Dimensions

The setting sun was no longer visible. Dusk joined with tiredness, thirst and hunger made Ash and Pikachu's progress difficult. They had followed Butch's trail up to a path which was signposted to lead to Celadon City. They reached a fork.

"Pikachu, can you pick up their scent?" asked Ash.

Pikachu hunched down on all fours and sniffed both trails. It stood up and shook its head.

"Try harder! We've gotta find Misty!"

"Chuu?" replied the mouse, its ears dropping.

"Sorry Pikachu... I guess we'll try the right fork. If you can't pick up the trail again, we'll have to come back."

"Pikachu," it agreed, its stomach grumbling otherwise, but its spirit resolved to help the humans that meant so much to it.

"Dad, Mom says you gotta come and eat something."

"Thanks Phil. Just tell your mother I'm nearly ready." Dan did not lift his eyes off the contraption he was screwing together.

"That's what you said last time."

"Can you please tell Kadabra that I want to ask the Clefairy about their power system?"

Phil sighed. "OK, Dad."

A few moments later, Kadabra and one of the Clefairy walked into Dan's workshop. On a bench they could see two almost identical pieces of machinery, each about a metre and a half high, and about ten centimetres thick. Wires, bolts and bits and pieces seemed to jut out all over the place.

Finally, Dan looked up. "This machine is going to convert your transporter—"

Into a Poké ball!?

"Well, sort of. My relative dimensions theory is a little rusty, but I'm confident it'll work out fine."

"Clefairy?" asked the Clefairy inquisitively. "Clefairy, fairy?"

"Huh?"

Can you explain what it is?

"Oh, of course. I think I'll call it a 'teleportation and relative dimensions in space' unit. Sort of a new doorway for your vehicle. But what I really need to know is how the power system in your transporter works so we can intergrate it properly."

The Clefairy looked apprehensive, but decided that it had to take up any opportunity that was offered if it was to save its planet.

"Clefairy," it replied, asking Kadabra to explain what it knew.

"Pika..."

"Yeah, I know. Let's try the other track."

"Chu?"

"What is it?" Ash noticed Pikachu's droopy ears, sullen eyes and the way its tail lazily trailed behind. "OK, how about we rest for five minutes... after we get back to the fork?"

"Thanks John," said Dan, as he and his son positioned the completed mechanism inside the hatch of the Clefairy's transporter. It was now a rectangular arch that spanned the two sides and the top of the doorway. "All we've got to do now is install it, power it up... and hope it works."

"Dad?" called Phil from outside.

"You found them? Great! Bring them here."

Phil came in, carrying six black Poké balls and some food and drink. "Mom told me to tell you that you have to eat."

"Tell her thanks. Now you and John better get out of here. The Clefairy want to get moving and I don't want more kids in danger."

"You think you'll save them?" asked John.

Dan looked at the worried expression in John's eyes. "We'll do our best," he reassured. "Now get back home."

The Clefairy co-pilot spied the Poké balls that Phil had deposited. "Clefairy?" it asked.

"They're ghost balls," replied Dan. "At least they're supposed to be. I haven't tried them out yet. Not so easy to find ghost Pokémon any more, since they built the radio station. Anyway, all of my other Poké balls worked first go."

Just then, the alarm indicating that the other transporter was in operation went off.

"Clefairy, Clefairy!" called out the pilot, telling all occupants to get set for take-off.

"But I haven't installed the relative dimensions unit yet," complained Dan.

"Clefairy!" said the pilot firmly.

Dan, let's find out where they're going first. Your plan won't work unless we know their exact location.

"OK," said Dan, "I'm ready as I'll ever be."

Hey readers, do you know what science fiction series that began in the 1960s I have alluded to in this chapter?