Stars Fell on Pallet Town

by Spruceton Spook

Part 10

Team Rocket Strikes

"Pikachu, thunderbolt now!" Ash ordered enthusiastically.

Pikachu jumped up, and with a loud battle cry, let loose his powerful electric attack, which struck its target dead on. Brock’s Zubat sizzled, finally fainting to the ground.

Brock grumbled. "Come on back now, Zubat!" he said, holding out his Pokéball as it recalled its inhabitant. He looked back at Ash, and with a sly grin, waved another Pokéball in front of his opponent’s eyes. "You won’t like this one too much, Ash!"

"Try me!" Ash cried happily and determinedly.

He tossed the Pokéball into the air, and in a instant, Brock’s huge Onix came out, growling loudly. Ash just grinned more, the appearance of the huge Pokémon no longer intimidating him much.

It was another beautiful day in Pallet Town, the weather being clear and good once again. Today was a little cooler than yesterday, but Ash found it perfect weather for battling. It was quite early, and Jay had finally promised Ash that he would battle with him, but only later. Ash had asked Brock to battle him in an attempt to warm up for the long awaited event.

Ash was on a natural high, the affairs of last night constantly repeating in his mind. After he had clumsily disrupted his parents’ dinner, Delia and Jay had told them to come in. Mad at himself for cutting their evening short, his disappointment was suddenly lifted when his mom rushed over to him and picked him up in a huge hug. She kissed him over and over again, thanking him for being so sweet. A little amazed, Ash sweatdropped and laughed nervously.

But before Ash got anymore excited, however, Delia told him to sit down. Confused at first, Ash asked them if the dinner was good, and they told him yes. Nevertheless, Delia calmly told him that she realized the obvious reason why he had done it, and smiling meekly, Ash asked her if it worked. With a small sigh, she said no, and that although she and Jay appreciated it, it did not change their minds.

Brock and Misty thought that Ash would be upset after that. Surprisingly to them, Ash was still in the good mood he had been in since that morning. When asked what he felt like, he simply told them that that was only the beginning, and went to get ready for bed.

Ash’s good and positive mood lasted through the night and up until now. Misty watched him and Brock happily from the sidelines, bouncing Togepi lightly on her knee. She was glad that all was okay, and that this day had not begun the way the others had.

"C’mon, Pikachu! Let’s do this!" Ash shouted to his charged up Pokémon, and Pikachu nodded affirmatively. Sparks crackled from his cheeks, and he bared his teeth competitively.

"Go, Onix!" Brock shouted. "Bind!"

"Pikachu, get out of the way!" It was too late however, as Onix’s huge boulders wrapped around the small mouse, gripping it tightly in its clutches. Pikachu struggled helplessly, the bind attack his worst weakness against Onix. With a heavy sigh, Ash knew Pikachu was defeated.

"Okay, Pikachu, return!" said Ash, and Brock ordered Onix to let go.

Pikachu huffed and puffed exhaustibly on the ground, but had enough strength to waddle over to Ash. With a smile, Ash patted him softly on the head, and congratulated him.

"Save up your energy. I’ll need you later, buddy," Ash told him, and Pikachu nodded.

He turned back to Brock and snickered softly. "Chikorita! I choose you!"

Chikorita popped out immediately, rushing to Ash’s side. She rubbed against his leg affectionately, cooing softly. Ash giggled and scratched her head. "All right, all right. Go get ‘im, Chikorita!"

"Chika!" Chikorita said, jumping into her battle stance.

Unbeknownst to them, they were being spied on. It wasn’t Gary again this time, however. But with the outlook that Ash had against his rival lately, he would have probably graciously invited these three into his home instantly.

"Heh, heh. Looks like ol’ Pikachu’s pooped out," Jessie smirked, narrowing her eyes with an evil smile. She was squatting down heavily, shifting back and forth on her feet uncomfortably. It didn’t seem to bother her much as her eyes focused directly on the drained Pokémon in front of her. "Now’s our perfect chance."

Her partner grinned also, squatting down beside her. The twigs of the bushes brushed harshly against their bodies, but they didn’t mind. They had been enduring it for some time, watching their adversaries attentively.

"Should we strike now?" James asked excitedly.

"Yeah, we’ve waited long enough," Meowth added, hopping onto their shoulders to get a better look. "And it’s right dere!"

Sure enough, Pikachu had crashed basically right in front of them. It was in the shade, and the panting, tired Pokémon had found it more relaxing there. Too bad it was the wrong place.

"Okay," Jessie said, pulling long, yellow rubber gloves over her others, "here’s the plan."

"You mean we have one?" James asked confusingly.

Jessie looked strangely at him. "Hey, everything we do’s a plan. Whether it’s thought out long and hard or not."

"Well, ya know, sneaking up and snatching dat Pikachu out of nowhere is actually a really basic plan, ain’t it?" Meowth asked, smirking a little. "Ain’t all our schemes centered around dat?"

"Oh shut up, will ya?" Jessie growled. "Give me some credit here. I have a good feeling about this time . . . even if it is the simplest plan." Wiggling her rubber-covered fingers proudly in front of them, she returned her attention back to the scene in front of them, and a smile spread across the face.

"Stay here," she said as she began to creep towards Pikachu. She crawled over on her hands and knees, ever so quietly and slowly. Her eyes nervously darted from Pikachu to the twerps, making sure their attention was anywhere but towards her.

"Come on Jessie!" James cheered softly under his breath.

Meowth’s eyes rose in astonishment. "I can’t believe it! She’s almost dere!"

Jessie inched her way over to Pikachu more and more, her eyes set upon Ash, who was too busy shouting out orders to Chikorita that he was utterly oblivious to the world around him. With a evil and determined grin, Jessie grabbed Pikachu, clasping one hand tightly around his body, and another across his mouth.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, though it only came out as a mumble from underneath Jessie’s strong hand.

"Ha ha! Got ya now!" Jessie squealed quietly, grasping the struggling Pokémon in her grip. "You’re comin’ with us this time, Pikachu."

Pikachu struggled more and more, his electricity starting to build up. At first, he started to emit small shocks, hoping that it would loosen Jessie’s grasp. But to his horror, he realized that it was no match against her rubber gloved hands.

Instantly, Jessie hopped up and ran to where her partners were waiting. James and Meowth now sported their own pairs of rubber gloves, prepared just in case Pikachu proved to be a slippery one . . . or if Jessie had a lousy handhold. Either way.

"Come on, let’s go! Let’s go!" Jessie hollered, and the three took off towards their balloon, which was a few hundred feet away. Pikachu wiggled powerlessly in Jessie’s hands, moaning loudly in hopes of getting Ash’s attention.

"It’s no use, Pikachu!" James said happily. "There’s no escaping this time!"

"Ha ha!" Meowth chanted as he sprinted a little ahead of them. "We finally did it dis time!"

Unfortunately for them, it was too good to be true. In their rhapsodic sprint of escaping, Jessie didn’t realize just how close you was gaining on the slower moving Meowth in front of her. Suddenly, she screeched loudly as her legs tangled unexpectedly around Meowth. The cat screamed as he felt Jessie’s feet trip over him, and Jessie fell harshly to the ground, bringing Meowth to the ground along with her.

In the confusion of the sudden event, Jessie’s grasp on Pikachu released. Pikachu immediately grabbed at the opportunity, and broke free from Jessie.

"Pika pi! Pika pi! Pikachu!" Pikachu cried without hesitation. His throat stung at his loud cries for help, but thankfully it proved successful.

Ash’s head shot up from the battle, as did Misty and Brock’s.

"Pikachu?" Ash asked worriedly. Sweat began to pour from his forehead when he noticed Pikachu was not around. In an instant, he shot off towards where Pikachu’s cry had come, completely abandoning the battle. Misty and Brock got up and ran, too.

Back with Team Rocket not fifty feet away, Pikachu maneuvered around Jessie, James, and Meowth, who surrounded him although two-thirds of the trio were down.

"Oh no!" Jessie cried. "Quick! It’s getting away!"

"Come back here!" James brawled, making a dive for the Pokémon.

"Pikachu!!" Pikachu cried, giving the Rocket member a painful thundershock. James screamed as the electricity singed through his body, and Pikachu took off back to the Ketchum backyard.

"Not so fast!" Jessie shouted, grabbing Pikachu’s tail as he ran by. The painful, abrupt tug sent Pikachu stumbling to the ground, causing him to scream dreadfully. He was still quite tired from the battle, the little amount of energy left in him dwindling down considerably. He wanted so much to shock again, but he was too worn out to produce anything but mere sparks.

"Pikachu!" Ash cried out to him, rushing to the edge of the yard. His eyes widened when he spotted the familiar white uniforms of his enemies, and anger boiled in his blood. "No, not you again!"

"Pika pi!" Pikachu moaned desperately to Ash.

James, recovering from the thundershock, smirked evilly at Ash. "You got that right, kid."

"Give me back Pikachu right now!" Ash demanded angrily, clenching his fists. He knew that that wouldn’t do a thing, but he splurged out what was coming to his mind.

"We’re not in the mood for this!" Brock grumbled.

"Why don’t you morons give us a break, already?" Misty complained loudly.

Instead, this provoked the trio even more, and the uttered their low, sickening laughter. Jessie hopped up from the ground, Pikachu dangling upside down by his tail in her fist. Meowth got up as well, and together they stood rigidly, causing Ash, Misty, and Brock to suspect nothing else but the expected.

"Prepare for trouble!" Jessie chimed, the motto stimulating her all of a sudden.

James leaned slightly against her back. "And make that double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love . . ."

". . . To extend our reach to the stars above."

"Ha ha! Jessie!" she cried, thrusting the fist not holding Pikachu into the air.

"James!" he added, adding a small, mysteriously romantic twist to it.

"Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

Meowth threw himself in front of them for a dramatic conclusion, adding his oh-so-famous line. "Meowth, dat’s right!"

Ash fumed viciously at them, baring his teeth infuriatedly. "I swear to God, don’t start this now! Give me back my Pikachu!"

"Sorry, twerp," James said shrugging. "No can do this time."

Ash’s rage was building insurgently within him, his teeth clamping down firmly. Instead of feeling mad and bothered by Team Rocket’s sudden appearance, he felt like he wanted to sink defeatedly into the ground. Although many times he felt completely fed up with having to battle them, today it was nagging at him more. This was just not the time nor the place.

"I’m not kidding!" he said, trying his best to sound somewhat threatening.

Jessie, James, and Meowth looked at each other, giving each other sarcastically scared faces.

"Oh, do you hear that, James?" Jessie said, holding her hand to her heart.

"Is . . . is he trying to scare us?" James asked, his eyes widening.

Jessie pretended to breathe heavily. "God, I’ve never been so scared in all my life!"

"I want to go home!" James moaned. "Help, someone!"

At that, they broke out in an uproar of laughter, their stomachs heaving as they smirked banteringly at Ash.

Their hateful mocking provoked Ash’s emotions even more, and he bit his lip furiously. An unstoppable wave of tears crept from the corners of his eyes, and his heart pumped angrily.

"I mean it! This is the last thing I need right now!" he bellowed, taking a step towards them.

Jessie straightened and looked down at him. "Oh please, twerp. Like we really give a damn?"

"Yeah, we have only one thing on our minds!" James added nastily.

This was ultimately it for Ash. He reached up and swiftly wiped the oncoming tears from his eyes, and beckoned for his only available Pokémon, Chikorita. She came rushing to him as Ash spat out the command forcefully.

"Chikorita! Razor leaf them now!" he ordered, his voice coming out in a muffle of determination and sobs.

"Go Weezing!" James said, releasing his poison gas Pokémon. "Tackle attack!"

Weezing flew directly at Chikorita, crashing into the creature so powerfully that it sent her tumbling across the lawn. Moaning, she tried to get up to continue the fight, but unfortunately her fatigue from the battle not moments ago took over her. She fainted to the ground, sprawled out. James chuckled proudly to himself, and recalled Weezing.

"Chikorita!" Ash cried as he witnessed the impact. His eyes, already glistening with the promise of definite tears, fixated on his knocked-out Pokémon, no sooner sweeping over to the scene of his defenseless Pikachu still in Team Rocket’s clutch. If only he hadn’t battled them so hard! It was all his fault . . . all his fault . . .

The words repeated themselves over and over again in his mind, and the run of tears gave way, spilling down his cheeks in streams. He ultimately broke down, sinking to the ground and grabbing at his head, lowering himself in ruin.

"Please . . . ," he begged, ". . . please give . . . me back . . . Pikachu . . ."

Team Rocket was shocked at this, and their faces suddenly fell. This was something they never saw, and for a moment, Ash’s breakdown threw them off guard. They watched worriedly as Ash sat motionless, his head buried from the world, sobbing out his pleas to them. No fight. No demand. He just suddenly . . . gave up.

"You have some nerve!"

Team Rocket turned to see the other two twerps glaring at them with unmistakable appall. They cowered back slightly.

"How dare you even do this to him now!" Misty bawled, looking helplessly at Ash. She wanted more than anything to rush to his side, but she knew that if Ash wanted anything from her, it was to get Pikachu back.

"I . . . uh, we . . . ," James stumbled over the words, the confusion setting into him.

"He’s going through a tough time, and the last thing he needs is trouble from you three!" Brock yelled, reaching at the Pokéballs at his belt. Misty, too, was ready to battle, even though she had no Pokémon. If she could scratch Jessie’s eyes out, she would. There was nothing stopping her.

"Tough time?" Jessie repeated, her eyes filled with perplexity.

She and James looked at each other, exchanging confused and worried looks. Pikachu was still trying to squirm out of Jessie’s hand, his eyes melting at the sight of his trainer in a time of need. As best as he could, he concentrated everything on his power surge, hopefully building it up enough.

"Give back Pikachu!" Brock bellowed thunderously. "If you don’t, I--"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge orange blur shot past Misty and Brock, startling them. They stared suprisingly at the mass, finally discovering a large, almost immense Arcanine hunching between them and Team Rocket, growling ferociously, its eyes glaring savagely at the frightened Team Rocket. The action even took Ash by surprise, and he watched the Arcanine wide-eyed.

There was no pause as the three twirled around, seeing no one else but Jay standing there, his eyes fixed resolutely on Team Rocket. He glared in utter animosity at the motionless trio, his teeth curled back in a murderous frown. Backing up ever so slightly, Team Rocket’s eyes darted from the stranger to the snarling Arcanine before them.

"You!" Jay shouted to them, bringing their eyes to him. "Release my son’s Pikachu right now!"

"Yo -- your son?" Jessie muttered. She jumped a little when the Arcanine barked loudly at them.

"Uh-oh," James groaned, backing away with a nervous grin on his face.

"That’s right, and I know who you three are!" Jay roared. "Give my boy back his Pikachu immediately, and I’m warning you to stay away him."

He was almost uttering the threats calmly, though his voice grumbled angrily. His arms hung straight at his sides, and for a moment, Misty noticed that Ash sometimes stood the same way.

Team Rocket was in a state of indefinite shock. They stood staring gape-eyed at Jay, then looking down at Ash, who was lying on his knees on the ground. The family resemblance was most certainly there, and the three gulped harshly. The fact that a snarling, huge Arcanine was in front of them didn’t help either.

Their inactivity stirred Jay more, and he looked to Arcanine. "Arcanine, fire spin," he ordered calmly and silently.

Arcanine opened its mouth slightly, and Team Rocket sweatdropped heavily as a huge ball of fire formed in the dog’s mouth.

"Oh . . . no . . ," Jessie moaned, her jaw dropping. Suddenly, as if on instinct, her fist released, sending Pikachu crashing to the ground. He jumped up immediately as he hit, and bolted off towards Ash.

Jessie, James, and Meowth were still frozen in fear when Arcanine shot out its deadly flames, sending them in a fiery ball into the air.

"Looks like Team Rocket’s blasting off again!" they shouted in unison as they disappeared into the blue sky.

"Pika pi!" Pikachu squealed, jumping into Ash’s arms. Ash accepted Pikachu into his arms fervently, giving his Pokémon a hearty, emotional hug. Teary-eyed, he then looked up at Jay, who had just recalled Arcanine. His eyes met his son’s, and in an instant Ash shot up and ran to his dad.

Jay knelt down as Ash crashed into him, swinging his arms around him to embrace him in a tight hug. Jay closed his eyes zealously as he held his son, who had buried his head into his shoulder. They gripped onto each other tightly.

"Thank you, Dad," Ash whispered joyfully into his ear, his voice garbled. Pikachu was smushed between the two, but not uncomfortably, so he wasn’t bothered. He felt the connection between Ash and Jay, and graciously endured the pressure.

"Anything for you, Ash," Jay replied, patting Ash gently on the back. "You know I’d do anything for you."

Misty and Brock stood together, smiling pleasantly. Misty actually felt like she was going to cry. There came a long silence between Ash and Jay, it being the first real time that Ash had gotten a chance to realize just how much he loved his father and missed him incredibly.

Misty and Brock weren’t the only ones watching, however. With the commotion going on, and the way Jay had shot across the lawn, Delia had come out of the house in a panic. When she saw Team Rocket, she didn’t worry as much; for a moment, she had feared that one of the kids had gotten hurt. Her nerves calmed even more when Jay released Arcanine, and being the extraordinary Pokémon trainer that she had fallen in love with, she knew the conniving trio didn’t stand a chance.

It was Ash who first noticed her standing there. He turned his head the opposite way on his dad’s shoulder, and she immediately caught his attention. Although she was quite a few feet away, his eyes glued to her, he knew she was looking at them, and he smiled to her, waving his hand lightly.

Though he couldn’t see it, Delia choked back another sob, and brought her hand up first to wipe the tears from her eyes, then to wave back to Ash.

TO BE CONTINUED . . .