Here is Part V! ^_^ I’m sorry I haven’t updated in a really long time. School’s been hectic for me. I’m trying to keep my GPA up to an A. ^_^ I don’t have any notes for you this time, and all I have to say is enjoy the story! ^_^ Part V Our heroes have just met a person that has helped them along greatly during their journey. He has brought them one step closer to finding Giovanni. They’ve taken this information handily, feeling more confident about finding the evil conniver. They have left Viridian City, going to their next destination. They hoped the city would be restored, and that it would one day have the spirit it once had. There was nobody left… It was a ghost town… No life, no spirit…..nothing… Just chaos. There was nothing they could do… They wished they could help, but it is just too large of a task for our heroes. They were heading now toward Pewter City, hoping they would find Giovanni’s Castle soon. But, they didn’t hold any high hopes remembering what the Former Team Rocket Grunt said. Locknile also said that Giovanni was a slippery one and would be all over Kanto. They would have to be on their full alert. They would have to pass through Viridian Forest to get to Pewter City. “[I hope we don’t get lost in this forest,]” Said Pikachu. “Yes, I don’t want to get lost like last time we were in this forest” Misty said, thinking back to when Ash and Misty barely knew each other and they hadn’t met Brock yet. “And, I especially hope we don’t run into any bugs!” Misty said getting shivers down her spine. “And especially Beedrill!” She said knowing she and many other people feared Beedrill. Ash took Misty’s hand with a caring hold. “Don’t worry, Misty. If we come across any bugs, I promise I’ll protect your from them. You have nothing to fear. I would take a Beedrill’s Poison Sting for you.” Ash said with compassion in his voice. “…Thank you Ash.” Misty said, while they embraced in a hug, lost in the trance of each other’s care. *They really do love each other…they both remind me of Mary and I. We loved each other just as much as they do… We care for each other more than anything in the world. If I lost her it would be the end of the world for me…I couldn’t go on… * They soon set off again, heading into the forest where they would reach Pewter City. It was almost night-time so it was getting dark and cold. It was getting so dark they could barely see, and it was getting so cold that they were shivering down to the bone. Ash immediately took of his jacket and put it around Misty, while also embracing her in his arms. “Thank you, Ash” Misty said as she snuggled closer in his arms. “[Guy’s I think we should set out camp. It’s almost impossible to see right now, and we need a fire going. I’m freezing!]” Pikachu said shivering. “Pikachu’s right” Locknile said, “It would be a wise idea to set out camp. And it’s also a good idea, because Giovanni and/or his connivers could pop out on us at any given moment, attacking us. And, we don’t want to be unaware of him, if he does attack.” Everybody agreed to this and they started to set out camp. Once everything was set out all there was to do was get firewood. Ash and Misty went out to get Firewood while Locknile and Pikachu stayed and guarded the camp and made even more preparations that would help them along through the night and on the road for tomorrow. When Ash and Misty were a little ways in the forest, it started to get even dourer and more ill lighted. They held hands to make sure that neither of them got lost in the swarthy forest. “These nights are always so pleasant, that you just want to take a nice stroll in its atmosphere, but it’s all the same dreadful in a way that makes you want to go home and curl up in a nice warm blanket, near a warm fire next to the one true person you love.” Misty said as she switched from holding his hand to holding his arm. “Yeah, that fresh night air is always exhilarating, but I’m always thinking that Giovanni and his gang are going to pop out on us at any given second.” Ash said as he looked about warily. “Don’t worry about them.” Misty said trying to comfort down Ash, “And even if they did pop out on us, we could take on any of them.” Misty said determinedly. *I really hope they don’t pop out on us…. * Misty thought. “Yeah you’re right.” Ash said with a smile on his face. “But still, there is always that possibility.” “Just enjoy the night and all your worries will go away.” They both continued on, looking for firewood while still enjoying the night. They found a considerable amount, and after they found enough they headed back to camp. They finally reached camp when Ash and Misty found something that they would never of expected!! Giovanni was there!! But, that wasn’t what was surprising to them. It was that Giovanni had Locknile and Pikachu in a cage!!!! “Well, well, well. Look who we have here.” Giovanni said cunningly with evil in his voice, “If it isn’t Ash Ketchum, they all mighty trainer and champion of all three regions. I’m expected that you would return for your foolish friends.” “What do you want?!” Ash said angrily. “And, why do you have our friends locked up in that cage?! Free them at once!!!!!” Misty said just as angrily. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. You see I have a problem with a certain trainer. A problem that has caused me to perform this enjoyable action…it’s not even a problem. It’s more of a desire.” Then, all of a sudden, Giovanni pointed towards Ash. “And, you are that trainer. Ever since Those fools, Jessie, James, and Meowth, set me up with the plan of capturing you Misty,” He said with a finger pointed towards Misty now, “I thought it would be small time. I thought it was just a grudge that those three fools had to get over with you, but as time progressed, I came to realize what a powerful trainer you are.” Giovanni said while making a fist in the air, “And, ever since you’ve messed up our plans, I’ve wanted to battle you even more! And there was one more thing I’ve wanted…” Giovanni now was pointing at Ash again. “I want your Pokemon!” “You will never have my friends, you monster!!” Ash said angrily. “I’ve been with my friends ever since I’ve become a Pokemon trainer, and I’m not about to just let you take them away from me!!” “Listen here you fool!!!” Giovanni said even angrier, “You will hand over your Pokemon right now, or your friends will die!!!!!!!” Giovanni now turned around. “Grunts!!! Now!!!!!!” All of a sudden, a big mechanical hand came rushing out of the bushes behind Giovanni and grabbed Misty!!! It pulled her back out of Ash’s reach and held her tightly, preventing her from escape!!!! “Misty!!” Ash screamed out as soon as Misty was taken from his side. Giovanni then turned back around. “Will you give them up now?” Giovanni said cleverly. “It’s your choice! And, if you think you can stop me with your Pokemon, think again. Both my cage and grappling hand have electrical devices installed in them. One wrong move, and it’s riddance for them!! Give up your Pokemon or your friends and girlfriend!!! It’s your choice!!!!” Ash had a horrid look on his face. He was in a struggle between dubitable choices. A choice that will have consequences on both sides of the bridge. Two choices that would damage his heart for all eternity. He fell to his knees with his face buried in his hands, with tears starting to form. * What do I do?…* Ash thought. *…..I can’t make either choice. …..I don’t know what to do…… I need a miracle…. Please…. Please just one miracle. That’s all I ask. I’ll pay it back some how, I swear! …..Please…just one miracle…. * Soon…very, very soon…I would seem his prayer will have been answered… “MAKE THE CHOICE NOW YOU FOOL!!!!” Giovanni said at the peak of his anger, but then he calmed down with an evil tone. “…He, he, he…Look at you…so pitiful with your tears. Here I stand with two of your most, dearest treasures on the line, and here you weep. It’s almost quite amusing. In fact it is…he, he, he.” He said, ending with the evil laugh again. But, his laugh was soon interrupted as a shadow swung in and kicked him to the side, on the ground!! The grunts tried to activate the electrical switch, but the shadow figure quickly knocked them from their post too! Ash saw his chance and grabbed for a Poke’ball!!! “Go! Electibuzz!!” Then the shadow stepped in called out a Pokemon too! “Go! Cacnea!!” Ash quickly thought, * Hey I know that voice!!* But, then he quickly turned back to the battle. “Electibuzz! Use Thunderbolt!!” “Cacnea! Pin Missile!” Both attacks from the Pokemon were a direct hit on Giovanni and his Grunts! After a few seconds on the ground, from the after shock of the attack, they got back up! “This isn’t the last you’ve seen of me, Ash Ketchum!!!” Giovanni said, “You might think you are powerful, but you’ve only seen a small fragment of my power! You will pay!! You will pay!!!!” And those were the last words of Giovanni as him and the Grunts departed to their base, which was still unknown to our heroes. Ash immediately ran towards Misty! He tried to break the restraints from keep Misty from her freedom, but they would not come. He immediately ran to the control panel, for the device, and saw a big red button that said, “release.” He pressed the button and the restraints were loosened free, so that Misty was free! Misty immediately jumped down and ran to hug Ash. “Oh my gosh. Thank you Ash!” she said as she rapped her arms around Ash. “I thought I was a goner.” She immediately kissed Ash, but just for a second, because they had to go help Locknile and Pikachu. They went over to the cage and had no trouble opening it. “Thank you guy’s, we thought Giovanni had us.” Locknile said with relief. “[Yeah, Giovanni just popped out on us, and he and his grunts captured with that grappling machine, and we were in the cage before we knew it!]” Pikachu said franticly for a second but then calmed down. “I’m just glad you both are Ok.” Ash said, while letting Pikachu jump into his arms. They were both glad to see that each other was all right. “Yeah, you guy’s scared us both when we saw you in that cage.” Misty said. “…. Wait a minute guys! Did you notice the Cloaked Man was gone?” Ash said with sudden realization. “Yeah, where did he go?” Misty said confounded. “He was here just a minute ago, from what Pikachu and I saw from the cage.” Locknile said. “[Do you think he just ran off?]” Little known to our heroes that the cloaked figure was aloft to them, up in some tall trees, watching over them. “…They look different now,” said the cloaked man. “…Now that they aren’t our enemies…they look different… I can’t expound on it with just words…” He said solemnly. “…I better get back…” He said as he started to head off, in to the forest. He looked back from a far treetop, back to our heroes and said, “One day Giovanni will be stopped. I believe in you all… With your undeniable power of friendship and love, one day you will make him pay for all the pain he has caused…one day…one day.” He jumped down from the tree and now walked off into the forest, leaving only the slight sound of our heroes talking afar in the quiet, placid forest. Thanks for reading! I hope you’ve enjoyed the story. I think I developing along quiet well with my writing skills. What do you think? There is only one way to tell me, and that is to review. Gotta Catch Ya Later! ^_^