New Scene(@Temporal = Morning)
Ash and company walk northward through the streets of Mauville.
Max: Sorry Ash, she didn’t know anything about that dragon of electricity…
Ash: Hm…
May: She was interested in hearing about it though.
Ash: In retrospect, I guess it was a long shot…
Coal: I still can’t believe she sent you guys after the Flames of Lorin.
Ash: What do you mean?
Coal: It’s an interdimensional gateway that has been lost for over ten thousand years. It’s not something you can just track down.
May: What makes you say that?
Coal: It’s a Lost Logia that even the gods haven’t been able to find. Anything that’s eluded Zamorak and Mirazu for millennia can’t be easy to find.
Ash and company come to an intersection, and Benjy goes to push the button to cross the street.
Brock: So she sent you to go see some Professor Cosmic in Fallarbor?
Benjy: His name was Cosmo. Apparently he studies meteorites.
Brock: I don’t see how those are connected.
Benjy: She thinks the Flames of Lorin are on some asteroid.
The light now turns, allowing Ash and company to cross the street, which they start to do.
Brock: So basically you’ve got to find one asteroid out of… trillions?
Coal: It’s going to be several orders of magnitude more than that.
Benjy nods.
Brock: Um…
Coal: Still, I think it’s high time we find the Flames of Lorin. It’s been lost for way too long.
Brock shrugs. (Ash and company are now across the street)
New Scene()
Ash and company have now reached the edge of Mauville city, and look out at the gigantic meadow beyond the edge of the city. As they walk, Coal’s communicator beeps and vibrates, signaling that it received a message. Coal pulls out his communicator and checks the message.
May: Did Wattson wake up?
Coal: No… But it looks like he’s doing better now. Sarah says she’ll fill him in when he wakes up.
Max: How’s Pikachu doing?
QST.camera turns to show Pikachu sitting on Ash’s shoulder, whom still looks a bit queazy. Ash now turns towards Pikachu.
Coal: Good enough for Nurse Joy to discharge him.
Ash: With a little prodding from Kitterson.
Pikachu: Pika.
Pikachu sniffs the air.
Brock: So it looks like our next destination is Fallarbor?
Ash: Well, my next badge is in Lavaridge.
May: But Professor Cosmo is in Fallarbor…
The Millennium Gameboy Advance glows softly.
Yami Benjy: Which is why I think we should head to Fallarbor for now. It will give Pikachu more time to recover.
Ash nods.
Max: There’s also a contest there, if the pokénav’s information is up to date.
May: Really?! (excited)
QST.Theme_Song()
New Scene()
Ash, Benjy, Coal, and Max are relaxing on the grass while May is practicing frisbee with Beautifly and Brock is making lunch. May throws a frisbee and Beautifly catches it with string shot, using the frisbee’s initial velocity to spin it an swing it back to May.
Max: Hey Benjy, what do your parents do?
Benjy: Um…
Benjy scratches his chin.
Benjy: Well, my mom’s a professor of political history at the local community college.
Ash: What about your dad?
Benjy: My dad?
Benjy pauses to think.
Benjy: It’s just a hard question to answer. He’s always been a dreamer. Right now he’s working on a project.
Max: What kind of project?
Benjy: This time it’s a website known as PeopleCount, where people go to express their opinions on important issues. It’s supposed to help politicians gather data…
Benjy quickly glances over at May and Brock, then at Coal whom is writing something in a journal, then resumes his previous glance
Benjy: He was concerned that the politicians in my country weren’t representing the people correctly, so he’s making it to help them. At the time I left, he hadn’t made much progress though.
Max: I see…
Benjy: But he won’t give up, he’s so insistent that it’ll make a difference.
May: What’s a country?
Benjy: Uh…
Max: Must be something they only have on his planet.
Benjy: May I ask how this planet is governed then?
Ash: Well, If I recall from school, we have a planetary government, and then we have the region governments…
Coal: That’s close.
Ash, Benjy, and Max all look over at Coal, who says the following line without pausing in his writing.
Coal: The regions, like Hoenn, don’t actually have their own governments. They’re part of provinces, which is what you’re thinking of.
Ash: That’s right… Hey May, can you throw one of those for Treecko?
May and Beautifly stop practicing, and turn towards Ash.
May: Sure, you ready?
Treecko looks up from watching Brock cook lunch. May gets ready to throw the frisbee.
Ash: All right Treecko. Ready. Set.
May now throws the frisbee.
Ash: Bullet seed!
Treecko fires bullet seed at the frisbee, but the attack misses.
May: Let’s try again.
Ash: Treecko, now!
Treecko fires Bullet seed at the frisbee, and this time hits the frisbee, shattering it in the process (much to Ash’s surprise) and causing pieces to go everywhere. Surprising both Ash and May. May’s Torchic, who had been watching Brock hungrily, runs after a shard that flew into the bushes. Benjy now starts to get up and begins to collect the pieces.
Ash: S-sorry…
May sighs and looks around for Torchic.
May: Any of you guys seen Torchic?
Ash and Max shake their heads in response to May’s question.
Benjy: Saw it chasing one of the shards.
May: Torchic?
Torchic doesn’t reply, so May calls out for it louder. This time, there is a faint noise coming from the bushes. May immediately rushes to where the noise came from and starts looking through the bushes.
May: Torchic?
May starts to wade into the bushes, and she is followed by Max and then Ash.
May: Torchic… Um–
May hesitates as she sees Torchic about four feet ahead in the bushes next to something pink.
Ash: What’s that?
Max: What’s what?
Ash and May immediately realize that Max isn’t tall enough to see the pink thing in the bushes. Max bends down to search through the bushes, and QST.camera synchronizes with his field of vision as he pushes leaves out of the way so he can see the pink object (a Skitty).
Max: May, stop! You’re about to step on–
With Max’s words, both Ash and May stop walking, and QST.camera desynchronizes with Max’s field of vision, switching to a more top-down view. Ash pushes away the branches of the bush, allowing Skitty to become visible to them. Ash immediately takes out his pokédex, pointing it at Skitty:
Ash’s Pokédex: Skitty, the kitten pokémon. They are popular among~
Skitty flicks it’s tail, prompting May to speak over Ash’s pokédex:
May: Oh-my-it’s-so-cute!
Before Ash can let the branch go, May quickly reaches down and picks up Skitty while Torchic ruffles her feathers at May.
May: All right, come on Torchic.
Torchic: Chik!
Torchic grabs the piece of the frisbee and follows May out of the bushes, Ash follows her, careful not to step on Torchic, emerging from the bushes at the same time as Max, who has a couple leaves in his hair. As May walks back to the camp, she smiles triumphantly. Skitty meows softly in May’s arms.
May: Hey everyone! I just caught a Skitty!
Brock: Wow Benjy, good call. You really have a sixth sense about these things.
Ash: What do you mean?
May and Max stare at Brock, also confused.
Brock: As soon as you guys went into those bushes, Benjy mentioned that you were going to find a Skitty.
Ash, May, and Max glance over at Benjy who is lying on the ground propped up by a rock and his backpack, writing something in his notebook. Benjy looks up at Ash, May, and Max, as soon as they get close enough to cast a shadow on his notebook.
Benjy: Now if what I saw on TV was any sort of barometer, we’re about to discover that it’s fatigued.
Yami Benjy: That’s odd. It looks more dehydrated to me…
Benjy looks at Skitty, which lies in May’s arms with drooping ears, not making many signs of motion. The Millennium Gameboy Advance shines slightly, and Yami Benjy gets up eyeing Skitty.
May: How did you know?
Yami Benjy: Just a guess.
Yami Benjy pulls a clear-plastic water bottle out of Benjy’s backpack.
Yami Benjy: Even a broken clock is right at least once a day.
Yami Benjy pulls up the top of the water bottle and offers it to Skitty, who quickly perks up and bites the end of the water bottle, sucking vigorously.
Ash: Uh–
May: What are you doing?!
Yami Benjy hands the water bottle to May, who takes it.
Yami Benjy: Looked a little bit dehydrated.
Skitty re-positions itself in May’s arms so that May is now feeding it with the water bottle, like one feeds a baby.
Brock: It looked more just tired to me.
Yami Benjy: That too.
Skitty has now drank the water bottle to about 15% of it’s capacity (from about 70% full); and is still guzzling.
Brock: Well, lunch is just about ready, so dig in.
Ash and Max get bowls and begin to help themselves to the stew, and May sets Skitty down and pulls out a bowl while Yami Benjy walks over to wake Coal up.
Refresh Scene()
Ash and company stand around the pot and Skitty, having finished lunch. Skitty lies on a blanket, looking sickly. As Brock packs up the pot, Ash and company look at Skitty nervously.
Benjy: Should we take it back to Mauville?
Coal bends down and picks up Skitty, which is for the most part limp in his arms.
Coal: Maybe, but it’s a ways. Brock, do you know of anything closer?
Brock: Um, no…
Brock pulls out a guide book and flips through it to route 111. As Brock scans through the book his eyes suddenly light up.
Brock: Oh!
Ash: What’s the matter, Brock?
Brock: I’ve heard of this aromatherapy clinic.
Ash: Aromatherapy? What’s that?
Coal: Fake medicine, right Brock?
Brock: Coal, I think you’re thinking of homeopathy.
Benjy: I didn’t think there was much evidence supporting aromatherapy either.
Brock hands the book to Benjy and Coal to look at.
Coal: Hm. F-Core certified. Okay, maybe.
Coal looks up, orienting the book to their surroundings.
Coal: So it should be about half a kilometer that way. Not bad.
Coal points out the direction to the clinic (north-north-east).
New Scene()
Ash and company walk along a ten-foot wide dirt trail through a forest filled with flowers. Brock is leading the group, and May is holding Skitty, who looks somewhat sick. Skitty’s tail twitches as May holds it, and it shivers slightly, but otherwise it doesn’t make any movements other than standard vital signs.
May: Huh?
Ash and Max stop turn around, and then stop walking as May stops.
Ash: Something wrong?
May: Skitty’s all… Eww it’s all wet!
Coal quickly takes Skitty from May.
May: What is this?!
Liquid drips from Skitty’s underside, which Coal is careful not to touch. Coal puts Skitty on the ground, and quickly takes off his backpack and pulls out a towel, then places Skitty on the towel.
Coal: Hmm…
May stares at her arms, covered in the liquid. As Skitty shivers on the towel, the towel seems to be getting wetter and wetter.
Max: What’s happening? (nervous)
Benjy: It seems Skitty is a bit incontinent…
Ash: What does that mean?
Coal: It’s probably got a bladder infection.
Narrator: Or maybe, just maybe, you shouldn’t have given such a small pokémon all that water…
May: Eek! Is this…
Coal nods, and May stands with her arms away from her body, unable to figure out what to do.
Benjy: Brock, have Mudkip was her–
Brock nods and calls on Mudkip, who sniffs May and recoils.
Brock: Mudkip, wash her arms off with water gun.
Coal quickly sprays some sanitizer on May’s arms, before Mudkip sprays May with it’s water gun, not only washing her arms, but also getting her face and shoulders wet as well. May spits out some of Mudkip’s water gun as Brock recalls Mudkip, then starts to turn slightly.
Max: May, don’t!
May ignores her younger brother and shakes her head rapidly, spraying water everywhere.
New Scene()
A garden can be seen further down the trail, with a large fence, fully covered in flowering vines. As Ash and company get closer, the gate becomes more distinguishable (from the rest of the fence) with a terllice in the shape of a semi-circle over it. Coal is carrying Skitty (and May is walking close to him). The group walks up to the gate, and seeing a sign saying "come in", Brock pushes it open and leads the way inside the garden.
As Ash and company walk through the garden, Benjy sneezes a couple of times. Ash and Coal respond to the first sneeze, but not the subsequent ones; Benjy’s fourth sneeze startles a couple of Oddish sleeping in a nearby bush. These Oddish dart into a bush behind the one that they were sleeping in. (At this point Ash and company have almost reached the door). Ash walks up the steps to the door, and rings the doorbell, which coincides with one of Benjy’s sneezes.
Lady’s Voice: Coming!
Footsteps can be heard from inside the building, and a young woman/teenage girl with long black hair and wearing a cheap white suit starts to open the door. This young woman seems slightly intimidated by the size of the group. Seeing this, Brock immediately goes right to the door and begins to introduce himself.
Brock: Hi I’m Brock and–
Brock is immediately cut off before he can get too close to the door by Benjy grabbing him by the arm and dragging him backwards, off the steps and back into the garden. The young woman seems to relax just a little bit with the removal of both Benjy and Brock from her doorway.
Lady: Can I help you?
Coal: Yes, actually, we’ve got quite a bit of a problem–
The Lady now turns his attention to Coal, who is carrying Skitty.
Lady: What’s wrong with it?
May: We aren’t sure, but it’s…
Lady: Um…
Coal: It’s been shivering a bit, as well as…
The lady is now staring intently at Skitty.
Lady: If it’s an infection, then I can’t do much, but I’ll have a look. Come inside.
Accepting the invitation, Ash, May, Max, and Coal enter the building.
Lady: Um, what about those other people that were with you?
Max: Brock was a bit worked up, so Benjy took him somewhere to relax.
Lady: I have aromas that help social anxiety disorder…
Ash: I think Brock has the exact opposite of social anxiety…
Lady: I’m confused then–
May: Can we take care of Skitty right now? It needs help.
The Lady nods, and starts to lead Ash, May, Max, and Coal into another room.
Lady: Right. This way.
New Scene()
Brock and Benjy are standing out of sight of the building in the garden. The Millennium Gameboy Advance is glowing around Benjy’s neck.
Brock: Benjy, I’m trying to–
Yami Benjy: Brock, a simple calculation shows that your approach was–
Brock: Why are you doing this? You’re old enough to understand how a man feels–
Yami Benjy: We didn’t come here for you to ask her out.
Brock: Benjy… It’s an opportunity waiting for me and Alisa to… Oh no.
Brock trails off, staring at Yami Benjy.
Yami Benjy: ?
Brock: You’re my romantic rival!
#Fairy_Tail_Reference (Juvia Quote)
Brock: I’m going to march right in there and tell her how I feel!
Brock starts to do just this, but Yami Benjy grabs Brock’s arm before he can get anywhere.
Yami Benjy: Once again, you’ve completely failed to understand the situation.
Brock: Uh… What do you mean?
Yami Benjy: Brock, do I look like I have any romantic attraction to anyone?
Brock turns to Yami Benjy, and notes that he has the eye of Anubis symbol shining brilliantly on his forehead, and the Millennium Gameboy Advance is glowing brightly. Brock stops pulling away from Yami Benjy.
Brock: Oh… You’re the other you…
Yami Benjy lets go of Brock’s arm.
Yami Benjy: I have extremely little understanding of romance, but I don’t believe she shares your feelings.
Brock lets out a deep breath.
Brock: Yeah…
New Scene()
The Lady (Alisa) has May place Skitty down on a pillow on a table where it continues to shiver as Alisa starts to search her cabinets for a thermometer, finding one after a few seconds, and putting it in Skitty’s mouth while Ash, May, and Max look on nervously. After about two seconds (real time); the thermometer beeps and Alisa takes it out and checks it.
Lady ➞ Alisa: It’s one-oh-four.
Max: That’s quite a fever!
Alisa: What’s Skitty’s normal body temperature?
Coal: One hundred, I think. May, check the pokédex.
May already has her pokédex out by the time Coal has finished talking.
May’s Pokédex: The body temperature for Skitty is one hundred degrees fahrenheit.
Coal nods. Skitty suddenly meows loudly.
Alisa: So it’s only a slight fever. Hmm…
Ash: Can you do anything?
Alisa: Maybe. It’s not the kind of thing you can cure with fragrances, but maybe I can make a potion to bring down the fever.
Alisa glances around the room, while Coal starts looking through Skitty’s fur.
Max: What are you doing?
Coal: Checking for paracites…
Alisa: I’ll have Parcit handle that.
Alisa snaps her fingers twice, and after a few seconds (during which time Alisa has gone back to searching), a light-green and grey tubeworm-like creature leaps down from the ceiling and, landing on it’s two hands, starts sniffing Skitty.
Parcit: Ar?
Max: You didn’t find anything?
Parcit shakes it’s head.
Ash: Um… What is that thing?
Ash has his pokédex out and scanning Parcit, but nothing is showing up.
Coal: It’s called a "Parcit." They’re creatures used in medical facilities to clean out parasites and infections. Your pokédex won’t identify it because it’s not a pokémon.
Ash: I see…
Parcit sniffs Skitty again, but not detecting anything, jumps down from the table and pushes it’s way under it.
Alisa: I could’ve sworn it was an infection.
Alisa now turns back towards Skitty.
Alisa: But now that I look at it, it’s probably just worn itself down to the point where it’s immune system was weakened, which allowed it to get sick. I can make something to bring its fever down if you want.
Max: What’s the alternative?
Alisa: Um…
New Scene(Scene.shiftlast(QST.camera, up(12’,30º)))
In a tree in the garden about eight feet from the building, Team Rocket is looking through binoculars into the room with Ash, May, Max, Coal, Alisa, and Skitty. As they watch, Benjy and Brock both enter the room.
Jessie: James, what do you think the boss is going to do this time?
James: I don’t see how it could be any worse than six months ago.
Jessie: Yeah, yeah, get strong pokémon. Pssh. So why do the twerps just have to tend to an injured Skitty.
Inside the building, Alisa grinds an herb while May and Max watch.
Meowth: You know, maybe we don’t steal a pokémon this time.
James: What do you mean?
Meowth: Pokémon are valuable, but so are herbs. Here’s what I mean:
Cutscene(Rocket_Boss_Fantasy) {
Giovanni is busy with paperwork at his desk.
Meowth.voiceOver: Imagine that the boss is working hard on the paperwork at his desk. He wants to go lie down, but there’s just so much paperwork.
Giovanni yawns as he fills out form after form.
Meowth.voiceOver: He’s yawning, his concentration is slipping, when suddenly he remembers! There’s an super energy potion made from the herbs we got him!
Giovanni suddenly remembers something and reaches for something offscreen, and pulls out a Runescape™-style vial of a pink liquid, and takes a drink.
Meowth.voiceOver: Suddenly he’s overcome with energy, and suddenly, he’s tackling the paperwork with over nine thousand times the speed!
Giovanni instantly starts filling out forms much faster.
Meowth.voiceOver: Before he knows what’s happened, he’s finished! And you know what he’s going to say?
Giovanni’s nose starts to bleed, which he appears to be unaware of.
Giovanni_in_Meowth’s_voice: For bringing me such a wonderful energizer, Meowth and his friends deserve a promotion.
Immediately after saying this, Giovanni starts to have a seizure.
}
New Scene()
May and Max continue to watch Alisa as she prepares the potion for Skitty.
Alisa: Okay, that’s it for the avantoe, now for the irit.
Max: Irit?
Alisa walks over to another cupboard and gets out a shaker.
Alisa: Unlike avantoe, irit mostly grows over on Gielinor. They mix it with unicorn horns to cure poison.
Alisa adds a bit of irit from the shaker to the vial of water, then adds the ground avantoe. She then takes it over to a counter to where a bunsen burner is sitting with a rack over it. Alisa puts the vial on the rack, and lights the bunsen burner, before turning towards Ash and Coal who are searching through the cabinets.
Alisa: Did you find the yew root extract?
Brock: Got it.
Brock holds up a bag triumphantly. But Ash points to another bag.
Ash: Wait Brock… This says yew root.
Brock: Huh?
Brock checks his bag again, as Ash goes over to hand his bag to Alisa.
Brock: Wait… Maple root?
Ash hands the bag to Alisa who turns off the bunsen burner and adds a tiny bit of the powder to the potion, turning it a light purple color. She then puts a top on the vial and shakes it, while Ash puts the rest of the extract away. With this, Alisa walks over to Skitty, and then takes a tiny dish out of the drawers of the table that Skitty is lying on.
Benjy: That small?
Alisa: Since we used the extract instead of unicorn horn, this stuff is going to be really, really strong.
Alisa pours a small amount of the liquid in a dish for Skitty, whom smells it, nervously, then sticks out a long, pink, tongue and tastes the liquid, and then proceeds to lap it up, still shivering. Skitty continues to shiver even after the liquid is gone.
Max: Doesn’t seem to be working.
Alisa: It’s not immediate, give it a few minutes.
Benjy: It’s that fast?
Alisa: M-hm. It’s really strong stuff.
Coal lifts up Skitty and places a pad underneath it.
Alisa: What are you doing?
Benjy: Last time we gave Skitty some water, it went right through it.
Alisa seems to know what Benjy is talking about.
Refresh Scene()
Skitty is lying curled up on the couch, on top of a pad, next to May who is stroking it softly. Torchic jumps into her lap as she does. As May strokes it, Skitty’s tail starts to twitch, and it starts to get up, before it’s own twitching tail catches it’s attention. Skitty responds with a meow, and then starts to chase it’s tail, unable to catch it.
May: Oh!
Skitty chases it’s tail around faster and faster, until it becomes a blur to QST.camera. This only lasts a few seconds, before Skitty collapses, tired with it’s tail resting on it’s head.
Ash: You think that’s how it got so tired?
Alisa: Probably a combination of that and something else. It’s hard to determine the cause from just the symptoms.
As Skitty lies on the couch, it catches sight of Pikachu’s tail. As Skitty watches Pikachu, it’s own tail twitches. Then as May reaches to stroke it, Skitty leaps off the couch straight for Pikachu.
Skitty: Nyan!
Pikachu turns around to see Skitty rushing towards it.
Pikachu: Pika!
Pikachu leaps out of the way just in time to avoid Skitty pouncing on it’s previous location. Pikachu takes off across the lab running around things and under them in an attempt to lose Skitty. This chase lasts about 45 seconds (real time); before ending with both Skitty and Pikachu standing in the middle of the room with their ears twitching.
Max: Looks like they’re hearing something…
Alisa: Is someone at the door.
Suddenly, a loud crash in heard from an adjacent room, prompting Skitty to run back to May, with Pikachu after it.
Alisa: What was that?
Alisa, Ash, and Benjy hurry to the door, which smoke is now pouring out through. Alisa starts coughing and has to step backwards, while Ash puts his arm in front of his mouth and Benjy holds up a damp rag, however they too are forced to back up.
Jessie’s Voice: Prepare for Trouble!
James’s Voice: And make it double!
Alisa: W-what’s going on?
Jessie and James, both obscured by the smoke begin to walk forwards.
Jessie’s Voice: To protect the world from devastation!
James’s Voice: To unite all people within our nation!
Jessie’s Voice: To denounce the evils of truth and love!
James’s Voice: To extend our reach to the stars above!
At this point, Jessie and James exit the smoke.
Jessie: Jessie!
James: James!
Jessie: Team Rocket, blasts off at the speed of light!
James: Surrender now or prepare to fight!
Meowth jumps down from the ceiling.
Meowth: Meowth, that’s right!
Alisa: Who are you?!
Coal: So what do the three stooges want this time?
Meowth: We’re taking the herbs for Team Rocket!
Jessie: But how nice of you it is to ask.
Alisa: My herbs…?
Ash starts to tell Pikachu to use thunder-something, but winds up being cut off by a fit of coughing from the smoke. The smoke starts to get thicker to where everyone is left coughing (although Benjy’s damp rag appears to help him somewhat). Suddenly more smoke bursts into the room and Team Rocket quickly starts looting, as they are now obscured by the smoke.
Max: *cough* What the (beep) is *cough* …?
The smoke is now obscuring the entire picture of QST.camera as Alisa + Ash and company stumbles around with the sound of glass breaking in the background. May stumbles into QST.fourth_wall, shifting the angle of QST.camera.
New Scene()
QST.camera is outside the building, pointed at the smoke-filled room.
James’s Voice: Uh oh, I think Seviper’s out of haze!
Ash’s Voice: Pikachu, thunder!
Brock’s Voice: Ash wait, if–
A small golden light shines in the smoke-filled room.
Yami Benjy’s Voice: Don’t care. Pixielite–
Brock’s Voice: Stop, it’s going to–
Suddenly, all the windows of the room shatter from the force of a massive explosion.
Refresh Scene()
With the smoke clearing, Team Rocket is sitting where they landed on the ground outside the building, in the garden
Jessie: What was that?
Meowth: I don’t know!
Offscreen, Ash tells Pikachu to use thunderbolt, and Team Rocket immediately jump to their feet and out of the way, racing towards their balloon carrying their bags of herbs. As they start to jump in, Brock sends Forretress zipping towards them.
Brock: Forretress, rapid spin!
Forretress crashes into James, knocking him into the balloon’s basket, but making James drop his bag of herbs. Following this, Team Rocket’s balloon starts to lift off.
Ash: You’re not getting away with this!
Team Rocket replies by sticking their tongues out at Ash and company, and QST.camera quickly turns to show the reactions of Ash and company as Alisa gasps.
Yami Benjy: Electra ace!
Pixielite zooms at Team Rocket’s balloon, but is unable to cut through the fabric, although due to it’s velocity its able to do quite a bit of damage to the fabric, as well as affecting the structural integrity of the balloon. Pixielite sparks repeatedly as it tries to damage the balloon. Team Rocket in their balloon just chuckles.
James: Looks like it’s caught in the fabric…
Meowth: Why thanks, we’ll take you’re pokémon too.
Meowth hops onto the rim of the balloon’s basket, then starts to climb towards Pixielite who appears caught in the fabric of the balloon. Meowth swipes for Pixielite, which zaps him, forcing Meowth to dig his claws into the balloon to avoid falling off.
James: Meowth, careful!
Meowth: I know what I’m doing!
Meowth swipes again for Pixielite, but Pixielite flies out of the way, revealing that it wasn’t actually stuck, zapping Meowth again as Meowth’s claw strikes where Pixielite charged into the balloon. Team Rocket’s balloon has now made it to about 100 feet above the ground. With this second shock, Meowth’s grip weakens and he falls down off the balloon, to where James catches him. Pixielite now flies away from the balloon, leaving some tiny holes behind in the balloon, caused by Meowth’s claws.
New Scene()
In the aromatherapy clinic, May looks around the room nervously.
Ash: Something the matter, May?
May: Where’s Skitty?
Max: Skitty?
Brock: Do you think it’s with Team Rocket?
May: I hope not… I…
Benjy: Can’t you use your pokédex to search for it?
Ash and May immediately take out their pokédexes, and use them to scan the vicinity, but neither pokédex detects Skitty, making both worried, and prompting Max to run into an adjacent room, the room Team Rocket had first appeared in, which is still slightly smoky.
Max: Skitty! Skitty! Sk…
Max starts to call again, when suddenly, he sees Jessie’s Seviper looking around frantically. Seviper seems frightened to see Max, and starts to rush for the exit (as seen by having QST.camera synchronize with Seviper’s vision for about one half second (real time)), which scares Max (who thinks it’s going to attack him); but something grabs Seviper before it can reach where Max is. Seviper turns back in a state of shock to see what’s holding it, which allows Coal’s Swampert to grab it’s neck, pinning it to the ground.
Swampert: Swamp.
Seviper: Sev…
Seviper sighs, realizing that it can’t escape Swampert’s grip.
Refresh Scene()
Ash, May, Max, Brock and Alisa stand around the table that Skitty was on. Benjy is busy cleaning up the glass from the broken windows.
Coal: So we have good news and bad news.
Ash, May, Max, Brock and Alisa stare at Coal, confused.
Coal: The bad news is that Team Rocket seems to have Skitty–
May shivers at this announcement.
Brock: And may I ask the good news?
Coal: May’s still getting a new pokémon in this episode.
Even Benjy stops cleaning to stare at Coal in confusion.
Coal: You see, May, Team Rocket left you a present.
Max: Wut?
Coal: Enter exhibit A.
Following Coal’s remark, Jessie’s Seviper slithers out from the other room and approaches May, who looks at it nervously.
Coal: They left it behind, so I’m assuming that they don’t need it anymore. He’s yours now, May.
May looks around nervously, and quickly tells Seviper to sit, which it does.
Brock: I don’t understand. Usually pokémon only obey their trainers…
Coal’s eye twinkles as he smiles at Brock.
Coal: Yes they do, but that’s nothing a little imperious curse won’t fix.
New Scene()
Team Rocket has landed their leaky balloon in the forest.
James: That ended badly.
Jessie: Hey, at least we managed to steal something.
James: Just keep in mind we’re not out of the woods yet.
Jessie: Duly noted.
Jessie now starts to open her bag.
Jessie: Let’s see what herbs we got…
Suddenly, Skitty pops out of Jessie’s bag, surprising Jessie and James and making Meowth’s heart beat fast.
Jessie: Oh my, you’re so cute. I’m will make you mine!
Meowth almost faints upon hearing this, telling himself that it’s too good to be true, while James goes over the herbs that they stole:
James: Let’s see, cadantine, kwuarm, and a whole bunch of irit…
Jessie looks up from holding Skitty in her arms.
Jessie: Is that good?
James: So-so…
New Scene()
Benjy rushes through the forest along a narrow trail, with Pixielite by his shoulder, kicking up a ton of dust behind him.
Benjy: This isn’t right. In the original show, May was supposed to get Skitty, not Seviper! When we arrived, we must’ve scrambled…
Yami Benjy: It was already scrambled. You told me that Coal wasn’t in the original series either. Coal was with them when they found you, remember.
Benjy says nothing as he keeps running.
Yami Benjy: For now we focus on getting the herbs back. Remember it’s Team Rocket that we’re dealing with, and I think Coal already has a plan to get Skitty back.
Benjy: I have a couple plans of my own.
Yami Benjy: You do?
Benjy: It’s already in action.
New Scene()
On the first floor of the Mauville Police Station, two men are sitting at a table having coffee. Suddenly the intercom turns on, causing the men to both look up:
Officer Jenny(Intercom): Attention. Two thugs with a Meowth just hit the naturalists north of the city before fleeing eastwards. I need two officers to investigate immediately.
One of the men puts down his bagel and pushes his chair back, pressing on his badge, before standing up.
Man: On it.
The other man doesn’t budge.
Man: Dave, it sounds like we can catch them.
Dave: That just a feeling Bob?
Man ➞ Bob: We got good info this time. You want that bonus, don’t ya?
Dave sighs, then takes out his badge and presses it as he stands up, pointing to the door. Bob starts heading to the door, and Dave follows him, talking into his badge:
Dave: This is patrol unit violet, heading out.
Officer Jenny(Intercom): Roger that, unit violet.
With this, Dave and Bob (unit violet) exit the station.
Revert Scene()
Benjy’s body seems cloaked with golden energy from the Millennium Gameboy Advance as he runs. At his shoulder, Pixielite beeps.
Benjy: Got it.
At this, Pixielite flies ahead of Benjy, off the trail and into the forest, and Benjy follows it. The Millennium Gameboy Advance shines as Benjy runs, switching him with Yami Benjy. QST.camera zooms ahead to Team Rocket’s encampment where Jessie is still playing with Skitty and James is still counting the herbs.
Meowth: Hey, don’t you guys think we should be getting fixing the balloon so we can get back to the boss with the loot?
Jessie: Relax, Meowth, I need time to savor this sweet victory.
James: Yeah, it’s not like the twerps calculated our trajectory or anything.
Meowth: You idiots are wasting valuable time!
James: Then why don’t you fix the balloon?
Jessie: Yeah, it’s not like you’re doing anything.
This comment causes Meowth to fly into a rage and use fury swipes on Jessie and James, which causes Skitty to leap out of Jessie’s lap.
Meowth: Now fix the stinking balloon!
Jessie: It wouldn’t stink if you didn’t leave hairballs everywhere!
Skitty: Meow?
Meowth: Oh, hi Skitty, I didn’t realize…
Jessie: Meowth, what do you think you’re doing with my Skitty!? (angry)
Meowth: What? I’m not allowed to talk to other pokémon!
Jessie: That’s my Skitty! Mine!
Jessie gestures to herself as she says "mine."
Meowth: You can have it back when you fix the zarking balloon!
Skitty: Nyan?
Jessie and Meowth both turn towards Skitty, but they touch something else instead, which zaps both of them, but is gone to quickly for them to identify. As they fall to the ground Skitty walks over to James and meows.
James: Oh hi, Skitty…
Jessie, Meowth: In your dreams!
Jessie and Meowth leap at James, causing all three of them to get into a brawl with dust flying everywhere, as Skitty watches them and meows. Team Rocket are now so busy fighting that they don’t notice Yami Benjy’s footsteps as he emerges from the forest, the Eye of Anubis symbol shining on his forehead. Yami Benjy clears his throat.
Yami Benjy: So there you are, Team Rocket.
Jessie, James, and Meowth stop fighting long enough to see Yami Benjy staring at them.
James: You numbskulls, how did a twerp get here?!
Meowth: He probably calculated our trajectory!
Meowth glares at Jessie and James.
Meowth: Don’t just lie there, take him out!
James: But that’s the twerp that one shot Cacnea–with his own fist!
Jessie now stands up.
Jessie: You stupid wimps, let me take are of this. Seviper, I choose–
Jessie is cut off as Wobbuffet pops out of it’s ball.
Wobbuffet: Wobbuffet!
Jessie immediately punches Wobbuffet in the head from above.
Jessie: Not you, I wanted…
Wobbuffet: Wobbu.
Jessie stares at her wrist and blinks.
Jessie: Where’s Seviper?
Benjy: First step success.
Forgetting about Yami Benjy for a split second, Team Rocket looks around for Seviper.
Skitty: Nyan!
Skitty suddenly turns around and darts away, running behind Yami Benjy back in the direction that Yami Benjy had come from. Team Rocket immediately turn and run after Skitty, all calling to it to come back. Yami Benjy stares for a second then quickly gathers the herbs back into the bag and picks up the herb bag.
Yami Benjy: This is odd…
Benjy: In the original show, they used a sweet scent to attract Skitty.
Yami Benjy: Then *that* must be it.
New Scene()
Team Rocket are chasing after Skitty, who appears to think that it’s all fun and games, despite Team Rocket continually calling on Skitty to wait for them. After about 15 seconds of this (real time), Team Rocket come to the conclusion that they aren’t going to be able to catch Skitty doing what they are doing, so Jessie pulls out several poké balls, and starts throwing them one after another at Skitty. Skitty dodges the first three, but then Jessie throws one over Skitty by mistake. This poké ball Skitty chases, down the path, accidentally knocking it ahead of itself several times until it hits the button on the ball and disappears inside.
Immediately, Jessie dives for the ball, cupping it in her hands to prevent it from opening, crashing onto the ground as she does so. James and Meowth run up to her.
Jessie: There… I caught Skitty…
James: I caught a whiff of something interesting too…
Meowth: Isn’t that a sweet scent?
Suddenly, Team Rocket is all walking (a bit like zombies, minus the hands outstretched in front of them) towards the direction of the sweet scent.
New Scene()
Ash, May, Max, Brock, Coal, and Alisa are in a small clearing. The pair of Oddish from earlier are standing on a tree stump billowing out sweet scent, which Coal’s Pelipper is spreading though the forest. May holds Seviper’s poké ball nervously.
Max: You really think this will work?
Alisa: Well, provided that they’re still in the vicinity.
May: And if they aren’t?
Brock: I guess it’s, "enjoy your new Seviper" then.
Cutscene() {
May tries to imagine herself entering a contest with Seviper.
Coal.voiceOver: Don’t worry about that.
}
May: Why not?
Coal: Because I hear them coming.
Max: You do?
Brock: I don’t hear anything.
Pikachu’s ears now prick up, which starts to distract the Oddish, and Alisa has to remind them (the Oddish) to stay on task.
Alisa: Keep the sweet scent coming!
A rustling can now be heard in the bushes as Team Rocket stagger out of the forest and into the clearing.
James: Must…
Meowth: Have…
Jessie: Sweet scent…
Alisa: All right boys, you can stop now.
The Oddish immediately stop their sweet scent, looking a bit tired. This allows Team Rocket to snap back to their senses.
Jessie: Where are we?
James: And what are the twerps doing here?
Alisa: Where did you thugs stash my herbs? (angry)
James: Ha, like we’re going to tell *you* that?
May: And what about my Skitty?
Meowth: Your Skitty…
Team Rocket snicker at begin to laugh, and Coal steps beside May and winks at her.
Coal: You’re going to tell us where those herbs are.
James: Make us.
Coal: Ash…
Ash: Pikachu…
On Ash’s shoulder, Pikachu sparks angrily.
James: If you want a fight, then you’ve got one! Go, Cacnea!
Jessie: And I’ll use my new pokémon!
Max: New pokémon?!
Jessie: Go Skitty!
Jessie and James send out Skitty and Cacnea respectively. QST.camera goes into split-screen showing the expressions of surprise on the faces of Ash, May, Max, and Brock.
James: Cacnea, pin missile!
Cacnea’s needles start to glow.
May: I’ll use my new pokémon then! Go Seviper!
May presses the button on Seviper’s poké ball (which is covered in bizarre writing) and Seviper emerges in front of her. QST.camera goes into split-screen again to show Team Rocket’s expressions of surprise!
Jessie: That’s my Seviper!
May: And that’s my Skitty!
Jessie and May glare at each other.
Coal: You know, when two trainers both have a pokémon that the other wants, they trade.
Jessie: I caught Skitty fair and square! You stole Sevi–
Coal: Ah-ah-ah…
Coal takes a step forwards, shaking his head.
Coal: Fenyran law, section 624, chapter 257, line 499. If a trainer leaves behind a pokémon when running away, without making a bona fide attempt to gather their party together, then all remaining pokémon are treated as abandoned, and can be adopted by any trainer as if they were wild.
Jessie shivers.
Meowth: And how can you say we didn’t make a bona fide attempt?!
Coal: I was there.
Coal now turns to Jessie.
Coal: But if you insist, I can schedule a court date for…
Jessie, James, Meowth: Court date?!
James: Hold on, we need to discuss this…
Jessie, James and Meowth immediately begin to huddle and QST.camera zooms in on them. Meowth decides that they should try to convince Ash and company to accept another pokémon, and Jessie decides on Wobbuffet. Team Rocket now present the deal to Ash and Company, which leaves May speechless. Coal intervenes on her behalf, that they are only interested in Skitty.
Annoyed, Jessie considers just leaving things as is, but James interjects reminding her of how Benjy took out Cacnea with his fist, and telling her that they need Seviper. Jessie sighs, defeated.
Refresh Scene()
Jessie holds Skitty’s Pokéball in an outstretched arm, and May hold’s out Seviper’s Pokéball in the same stance, with another poké ball in her hand. May and Jessie are separated by about six feet (between fingertips). Team Rocket stands behind Jessie and Ash and Company stand behind May, except for Benjy and Coal. (Benjy isn’t around and Coal is standing diagonal from May, in front of her)
Coal: Setup.
May and Jessie both stare at each other. May with nervousness, and Jessie with frustration.
Coal: Trade.
Seviper’s poké ball begins to levitate out of May’s hand and the bizarre symbols start to disappear, but nothing happens for a split-second with Skitty’s ball. Seviper’s poké ball suddenly flies towards Jessie, and as soon as it reaches halfway between May and Jessie, a red light shoots from Jessie’s poké ball into May’s empty ball. Following this, Seviper’s poké ball lands in Jessie’s hand.
May clutches Skitty’s poké ball tightly.
James: Fools!
Meowth: Trading was pointless because we’re just going to steal it back!
Before this conversation can continue, a siren sounds in the distance.
Ash: What’s going on?
Alisa: Is someone hurt.
Brock shakes his head.
Brock: Uh-uh. That’s a police siren.
Team Rocket flinches.
Jessie: The police?!
James: They’re here?!
The police siren slowly begins to get louder.
Meowth: You numbskulls, don’t just stand there!! Run!!
Jessie, James: Right!
In a flurry, Jessie, James, and Meowth take off through the forest leaving a cloud of dust behind them.
Jessie, James, Meowth: Team Rocket’s blasting off again!
May sighs in relief as the police siren grows slowly louder.
New Scene()
In front of the clinic building, Coal is giving a report to Officer Bob and Officer Dave as Yami Benjy walks through the garden gate carrying the bag of herbs.
Yami Benjy: How’d it go?
Alisa: You got them back?! (excited)
Brock throws Yami Benjy a dirty glance as Yami Benjy hands the herbs to Ash, who hands them to Alisa. The police officers now ask that the last of the stolen property has been returned, and Alisa confirms this.
Officer Bob: So the only remaining problems are the damage? Thanks, we’ll make a report of this.
Refresh Scene(@Temporal = Late_Afternoon)
Inside the clinic, Benjy finishes sweeping the broken glass into a dustpan, and empties the dustpan into the garbage. May, holding Skitty in her arms, approaches Alisa, who is putting the herbs away still, having thrown out a large number of them. (This can be seen as they are in the compost bin next to her).
May: Um… Alisa?
Alisa turns around towards May.
May: Thanks for everything… And… Sorry about what happened.
Skitty: Ñan.
Alisa: May, even if they follow you everywhere, you aren’t responsible in any way for the trouble they cause.
May: But…
Alisa: Some people will tell you otherwise, but you need to not listen to them.
May looks down at Skitty who Meows again, then back up at Alisa.
Alisa: It’s important for your sake and their sake. People aren’t responsible for the actions of their aggressors. Anyways, I should be saying thank you for all the work you guys have done. You didn’t really have to do anything.
May nods slightly.
Alisa: So thank you.
Blowing through the broken window, the wind tosses May’s hair slightly. Footsteps behind May cause her to turn around.
Max: May, we’re ready to go. Benjy just finished, we’re all waiting for you.
May turns around to face Alisa again, and bows slightly before hurrying off into the garden with Max where the Ash and company are waiting. Ash and company wave goodbye to Alisa, and then head out the garden gate, with Alisa and her two Oddish waving to them from the clinic.
New Scene(@Temporal = Evening)
Ash and company are walking through the forest, and Yami Benjy discovers that Brock is keeping a close eye on him. The Millennium Gameboy Advance shines slightly.
Yami Benjy: Brock?
Brock does his best to look surprised.
Brock: What?
Yami Benjy pauses and leans over and whispers something in Brock’s ear. Brock seems tense at first, but quickly relaxes.
Brock: Oh, I see. I see.
This causes Ash, May, and Max to all turn around.
Ash: Hey, what are you guys whispering about?
Brock: Oh, nothing. Just about how Team Rocket’s behavior is predictable.
Coal now has also turned around, and watches the scene unfold with a twinkle in his eye.
Brock: Come on, we need to keep going, we need to find some level ground so I can cook dinner.
This comment gets the group moving again, but Brock still watches Yami Benjy, as the Millennium Gameboy Advance shines slightly, but this time with more of an inquisitive expression.
Brock: I wonder who’s his special someone?
...///To Be Continued///...