↳ Import QST.Lyrical
QST.Lyrical define template as $C01 {
<Lyrics(text = green, style = italics)> … </Lyrics>
<Events> … </Events>
}
New Scene(@Temporal = Night)
Ash and company are back in their camp in the forest. Ash looks around in the night, but nothing appears out of the ordinary.
Ash: What just happened?
Ash stares at the sky.
Brock: Ash, you’re next.
Ash nods, and turns to Brock who has his first aid kit out, and is bandaging people’s hands. Behind Ash, Ciri stands very still, as if listening for something.
May: Was that really Santa Claus?
Benjy: Whatever he was, we can at least agree he was up to no good.
Narrator: It appears that a random event has just befallen Ash and company. While we try to figure out why, things are about to heat up for the group. Figuratively of course.
Change(@Temporal = Morning)
Ash and company pack up their sleeping bags, and Ciri recalls her Flygon into an apricorn poké ball.
Ash: I had the strangest dream last night…
Ciri: I did too.
Ash: We were at Santa’s Workshop, and Santa had enslaved all of the–
Brock: I don’t think that was a dream, Ash…
Max: You had it too?
May: I remember it too… Ciri…
Ciri is now staring off into the sky.
Ciri: Just because we don’t know how it happened, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.
Brock: I think the old elf mentioned Alienars… You know what those are?
Ash: Because the pokédex doesn’t.
Ciri: …No… No, I don’t know. Sometimes animon act randomly, or in ways that seem random to us.
Ciri turns around.
Ciri: But I did notice when you were gone. My only hypothesis that makes sense is that I was deemed too dangerous to transport.
Ash: Unless it was random.
Ciri: You were gone for about three hours.
Ciri scans the forest and suddenly yawns.
Ciri: After you alerted me, I put up a detector. However there was nothing out of the ordinary while you slept.
Ciri sighs.
Max: And how come you didn’t detect that?
Ciri: Did I miss–
Ciri turns to look where Max is pointing.
Ciri: Oh.
QST.camera shifts to where Max is pointing.
Benjy: You guys, is that Petalburg?
May: Where?
Benjy: Between those trees…
Max: We’re home!
New Scene()
QST.camera moves through Petalburg, eventually locking onto Ash and company as they move through the city, and arrive at the Pokémon center. They enter, and all suddenly hesitate when they see Tornamistrik sitting by the counter.
Tornamistrik: Hello, imagine seeing you here. You know, actually I don’t even have to imagine it.
May: And hello to you too…
Tornamistrik: Cold, much?
Max: That sleep ray…
Brock: What are you doing here anyway? (curious)
Tornamistrik: Interesting that you ask. Unfortunately that information is available on a need-to-know only basis. Sorry.
Brock: So you’re pretending to be a secret agent?
Ciri: It’s hard to get anything from him directly.
Max: Ciri! You know him?
Tornamistrik: It’s times like this when I really ought to keep my mouth shut.
Ash, May, and Brock heal their pokémon. Max attempts to restore Jirachi, but Nurse Joy requests that she do it for him. Max looks at Nurse Joy suspiciously, causing a moment of tension.
Ciri: That’s awfully suspicious.
Ash: What are you talking about, Ciri?
Nurse Joy suddenly turns to Ciri darkly
Nurse Joy: Ciri. We have a restraining order on you. Leave now or I’ll have you arrested.
QST.camera goes into split-screen on Ash, May, Max, Brock, and Benjy, although May and Max don’t seem all that surprised. Ciri’s tone suddenly changes to a much more dangerous-sounding one.
Ciri: An exception is made for safety’s sake.
Nurse Joy: No one’s in any danger!
QST.camera now exits split-screen.
Ash: Um, what’s going on?
Nurse Joy: So get out!
Ciri: I disagree–
Nurse Joy: Or I’ll–
Ciri: You and what army?
Nurse Joy: An army of me!
#Reference: Björk song: "Army of Me"
Everyone falls silent for a couple seconds.
Ash: An army of Nurse Joys?
Brock: Now that would be a sight to see! (excited)
Ciri: I’m here to prevent you from stealing that Jirachi.
Nurse Joy: What makes you–
Nurse Joy suddenly cuts herself off and presses a button on the underside of the counter. Tension music can be heard in the background as Ciri and Nurse Joy watch each other.
Ash: Hold on, hold on, I’m confused.
Ciri: I’ll explain later.
Suddenly, the doors of the pokémon center open and Officer Jenny quickly walks in with some device pointed at Ciri, who appears to notice Officer Jenny, but doesn’t turn around.
Officer Jenny: Ciri! We can either do this the easy way or the hard way…
Ciri: I thought you guys liked to take your bribes in private?
Officer Jenny looks mortified.
Officer Jenny: T-that’s not what I meant by easy!–
Ciri: Well I don’t know what you’re talking about then…… Because the only other scenario is the one where I kick you (bleep).
QST.camera goes back into split-screen, but quickly comes out of it in time to observer Ciri dodge the taser that Officer Jenny fires at her, leaving it on a trajectory where it strikes Nurse Joy in the stomach. The taser promptly discharges, knocking Nurse Joy off her feet. Brock rushes over to help Nurse Joy, nearly tripping over Ciri in the process. This leaves Ciri and Officer Jenny at a standoff.
Officer Jenny: Ciri, they say expecting a new result from the same set of actions is the definition of insanity.
Ciri: I don’t care if you are crazy. Don’t make me go magical girl on you!
Officer Jenny now lunges at, and attempts to grab Ciri, who dives out of the way, striking Officer Jenny in the stomach. This doesn’t seem to do much, but then Ciri’s fist suddenly pulses with white light, propelling Officer Jenny into the wall, where she bonks her head on the window, shattering it. Officer Jenny quickly draws a short-sword.
Officer Jenny: I’m going to–
Ciri: Brissingr.
Officer Jenny suddenly shrieks and drops the sword, which starts smoking.
Brock: What did she just do?
Nurse Joy: What she did is she made it too hot to touch.
QST.camera shifts to Officer Jenny, who is still looking angrily at Ciri.
Officer Jenny: I swear I’m going to kill you with my bare hands!
Jirachi: That’s not nice!
Everyone stares dumbstruck at Jirachi, which levitates up and lands on Max’s head.
Jirachi: You need a time out.
Suddenly, Officer Jenny is teleported away, leaving all of the humans staring at where she was previously. Nurse Joy starts to say something, but remains speechless.
May: Jirachi, where’d you send her.
Jirachi smiles at May.
Jirachi: It Jirachi secret.
Nurse Joy: B-but this is important!
Tornamistrik: Relax. It’s a Jirachi, so probably not far.
Nurse Joy: Ciri, you’re in big trouble when this is over!
Ciri: That’s funny, I was just about to say the same thing about you.
Everyone pauses for a couple seconds while Ciri and Nurse Joy stare each-other down. Nurse Joy starts to say something, but is unable to get a word out before Officer Jenny’s voice can be heard faintly through the wall.
Officer Jenny: Someone get me down!
Ash: Get her down.
Tornamistrik smiles.
Tornamistrik: I’m betting Jirachi went for the roof.
Jirachi suddenly looks mortified.
Jirachi: You found out Jirachi secret!
Tornamistrik: By the way, the lot of you reek of magic. Have you been eating pies that were baked with magic or something?
Brock: We had a little random event problem.
Ash: Little?! A bunch of Alienars abducted us and transported us to Santa’s workshop.
Everyone stares at Ash as he realizes how odd that sounds.
Tornamistrik: I believe it. Detected some unusual energy patterns last night. That puts two and two together. I’m betting they were gone too quickly for you to scan them though, well it is that time of year.
QST.camera surveys Ash and company, then moves across the pokémon center to a young boy swinging his feet on one of the couch-benches.
Young Boy: I feel a song coming on!
QST.Lyrical::startCustomMusic(using template$C01) {
(Parody of I Hope That Something Better Comes Along by the muppets)
➜ Ash: Can’t work with them;
➜ Max: Can’t work around them;
➜ Tornamistrik: They say they wanna remove the secrets that a-shroud them;
➜ Ciri: When days are stupid, the nights seem long;
➜ May: I just hope that nothing weirder comes along;
Tornamistrik pulls out a Ukulele and starts strumming absent-mindedly. The Millennium Gameboy Advance pulses with light, and Yami Benjy projects itself as the verse ends.
➜ Benjy: Now I don’t mean to shock you, dear colleague, but I’ll bet you;
➜ Benjy: Let your guard down and a ’saucer going to get you;
➜ Tornamistrik: They made a monkey out of Donkey Kong™;
➜ Ash,May,Max: I just hope that nothing weirder comes along;
Ash: And I mean it!
Narrator: Then I have bad news for you.
➜ Ciri: But what could be odder than the new model of flying saucer;
➜ Ciri: Letting them come down strong;
➜ Tornamistrik: Or that new septic cannon;
➜ Tornamistrik: They use with such reckless abandon;
➜ Ciri: It happened last night, but at least we’re alright;
Ash: Speak for yourself;
Ash shows Ciri his injured hands, and Ciri recoils slightly.
Ciri: Uh-oh…
Tornamistrik: You guys do know about the Alien-Type right?
Ash: Alien type?
Tornamistrik: No Pokémon have it, but some other creatures do.
➜ Tornamistrik: 7, 8, 9
➜ Tornamistrik: Ice moves are worthless, and it’s pointless to wonder;
➜ Tornamistrik: What would happen if you hit a critical with thunder;
➜ Ciri: Murphy Law strikes all, it’s now quite strong;
➜ May,Max: I just hope that nothing weirder;
➜ Ash: I just hope that nothing weirder;
➜ Brock: I just hope that nothing weirder comes along.
}
Benjy sits down on a bench.
Voice: Help! Get me down!
Ash and company look around but don’t see anyone. Curiously they exit the pokémon center, to find Officer Jenny stuck on the roof.
Officer Jenny: Ciri, I’ll have you taken to a maximum security…
Benjy: Please calm down, take a deep breath, and…
Officer Jenny appears to see the wisdom in Benjy’s words, and attempts to calm herself, but winds up breathing too rapidly and hyperventilates, passing out.
Benjy: There’s just no saving some people…
A large crash reverberates, indicating that Officer Jenny has fallen off of the roof. Everyone cringes from the sound of the impact.
Brock: Benjy, could you get some supplies, then meet us at May’s house? I think I need a rest.
Ciri: The irony is so thick that you could cut it with a knife. (sarcastic)
Brock: I think you’ve caused enough drama… (upset)
Tornamistrik chuckles.
Tornamistrik: Enough is never enough, but I’ll leave you to it then.
Benjy: Supplies?
Brock: Potions and stuff.
Benjy: What’s my budget?
Brock: I was actually hoping that you could chip in a bit. I mean, we’ve been paying for…
Benjy: This is what I have…
Benjy pulls out a dollar bill and shows it to Brock.
Ash: I’ve never seen any bill like that…
Brock: Yeah, never-mind, I don’t think you’ll be able to exchange that…
Benjy: I could search for some free samples, or berries if you need…
Both Ciri and May giggle.
Brock: Uh, no thanks. Just take this…
Brock hands Benjy a pouch of bills. May decides to go with Benjy since she knows her way around Petalburg.
New Scene()
Benjy and May are looking through the produce at a grocery store. May encourages Benjy to buy some fruits, but Benjy explains that they don’t store well, he gets a bag of dried unsugared cherries and adds it to the cart. This develops into a bit of a pattern where May sees something and wants it, then Benjy explains how it isn’t a good idea. May accepts the logic and moves on to the next thing that catches her eye. The following dialogue takes place during this time:
Benjy: Do you know about this restraining order?
May shrugs.
May: It looks like Ciri’s aunt was late with her bribe again…
Yami Benjy: A corrupt cop, that’s not good.
Benjy: Why?
May: Because getting a bribe is more pleasant then being set on fire every few days. Ooh! Nibble bits!
Benjy picks up the package and reads it.
Benjy: It says that it might contain "pokémon bi-products…"
May: I know, it does.
Benjy looks curiously at May
Benjy: You know what those are?
May: Actually, now that I think about it…
Benjy: It means ground up pieces of pokémon. May?
May has passed out on the floor.
Benjy: Or at least it would if it were for sale in my universe. There’s a chance it might not. Lets see…
Benjy examines the package.
Benjy: Only the freshest roadkill… Eww… What kind of an Alice-in-Wonderland™ store is this?!
Refresh Scene()
May gives Torchic a free sample from the counter, which it swallows. Skitty looks at the same food, and bristles his fur. The lady at the counter asks Benjy if any of his pokémon would be interested, and Benjy lets Bayleef out. Bayleef recoils at the sight of the food, but when the lady attempts to pat her head, Bayleef nabs the paper plate, fast enough to leave everything behind on the counter. Bayleef then proceeds to eat the plate.
Lady: We have more of those on Aisle Five.
Benjy: Thanks, but… (Benjy turns to Bayleef) Return!
Benjy turns back towards May.
Benjy: So how did Officer Jenny catch fire?
May: Which time? I mean–it used to happen once a week. There was the magic doorbell, the combustible compost heap, the time the computer meltdown, the ice cream ruck in the swimming pool incident–
Benjy: Okay…
May: Plus, Ciri doesn’t care to get a trainers license. (whisper)
May notices that Benjy is shivering.
May: Sorry… Hey, look! Rat Jerky is on sale!
Benjy: Rats?
May darts over to the rack and picks up a bag, pointing where she’s reading out to Benjy:
May: Freshly caught, straight out of the sewer.
Benjy cringes.
Benjy: Maybe I should ask Brock what’s in his stew… Or on second thought maybe I shouldn’t.
New Scene()
Benjy and May emerge from the store and continue walking down the sidewalk.
Benjy: Are we done?
May appears to mull this over.
May: I think so–wait! We need one more thing.
May suddenly tugs on Benjy’s arm. Pulling him in front of a shop with a duel disk in the window.
May: Max told me what happened with those weird plasma people. If you need to duel somebody…
May now pulls Benjy into the store which is about 12 feet wide and 20 feet deep. Counters line all of the walls, except for the back where the sales desk is. There is also a counter in the middle of the room. In the middle of the room, there is a large counter where all sorts of duel disks are displayed. There are also shelves on the walls, carrying variations of the duel disks beneath them. In the middle of the room, over the counter, a shelf hangs from the ceiling, and other duel disks hang by cables attached to the ceiling.
Benjy: Wow…
May and Benjy walk down the left aisle of the store, which is parallel with the doorway.
May: They’ve got a lot of different models.
Benjy: Um, I don’t know about this…
May: Come on! If you need to duel somebody, you can’t keep using mine–I mean you could if you really want to, but…
May blushes, but Benjy doesn’t seem to notice this, as her voice got softer as she said the previous comment. Suddenly, a poké-ball duel disk catches Benjy’s attention, and QST.camera focuses on it briefly.
Benjy: That’s copyright infringement no matter how you look at it.
May: B-Benjy?
Benjy: I just don’t think I’m going to need to duel anyone.
May: But you had to duel those plasma guys.
Benjy: I think that was more of a fluke. Besides, I don’t have any money…
May: I do.
Benjy: I can’t do this… I can’t even read these labels!
Yami Benjy: Don’t let her pick out one for you, or it might be embarrassing later on.
Benjy: What?
May: That’s just the standard poké-disk.
Benjy looks up.
Benjy: Why does it have two prices listed?
May: One’s Fenyran dollars, the other is poké-dollars. We only have poké-dollars though.
Benjy: It’s pretty cheap though, only eleven hundred. Wait, what am I doing?!
May: Benjy!
Benjy looks up and hurries over to where May is, pointing at duel disk with covered in hearts between a duel disk with two Xs on it and a black duel disk with skulls on it. Benjy shies away from this buying decision:
Benjy: It’s kind of expensive…
May: Don’t worry about that!
Benjy: I don’t need something fancy, just–
The clerk suddenly looks up.
Clerk: Can I help you?
May: We’re trying to find a duel disk for him. Currently he has to borrow mine–
The Millennium Gameboy Advance shines faintly, as May rushes up to the counter. Yami Benjy slowly walks after May, scanning the duel disks as he goes.
Yami Benjy: I got this.
Clerk: We have all sorts of duel disks, what is looking for?
May: Something unique, something that says… um…
The clerk leans over the counter to whisper in May’s ear.
Clerk: Sempai notice me? (whisper)
May nods enthusiastically.
Yami Benjy: Huh?
Clerk: Oh nothing.
Yami Benjy casts a suspicious glance at the clerk. The clerk meanwhile reaches under the counter and pulls out a box with a picture of a duel disk with lights all over it.
Clerk: How about this one?
Yami Benjy: It’s kind of expensive…
Clerk: It’s actually only twenty-five hundred since it’s been refurbished, twice.
May’s eyes are sparkling.
May: Benjy we should get it!
Yami Benjy: But that poké-ball disk back there was cheaper new.
Clerk: That’s because they’re mass-produced by Silph. They don’t last very long.
Yami Benjy: How long does this kind last?
Clerk: That depends on how you use it.
Yami Benjy: I mean…
May: Benjy, it’s only five months old!
Yami Benjy: Why was it was refurbished twice in five months?
Clerk: Well it’s not like it has cooling problems or anything.
Yami Benjy: Cooling problems, like what?
Clerk: Never mind.
May: I’m confused.
May sniffs the air.
May: Is something burning?
Clerk: Not again!
Smoke is now coming out of the duel disk box, and the clerk grabs it and races into the back.
May: What was that about?
Yami Benjy: It’s a lemon.
May: Um…
Narrator: A "lemon" is a term used in business on Earth to mean a defective product.
Yami Benjy: He lied to us.
The clerk’s voice can now be heard coming out of the back:
Clerk’s voice: LARRY! Get the fire extinguisher!
May: Oh I see, so it really did have cooling problems. It was still pretty though.
Clerk’s voice: LARRY!!! For the love of crying out loud, just get the zarking fire extinguisher!
Refresh Scene()
Yami Benjy and May are browsing the other aisle, looking at the cheaper duel disks.
May: Are you sure you don’t want a StarryNight(™)?
Yami Benjy: It’s expensive. This looks like the same thing for half the price.
May: It’s not as pretty though…
Yami Benjy: But it should be sturdier.
Benjy hands box with a picture of a light blue duel disk to May, who examines it, turning it over.
May: Oh, it’s got a grapple?! That doesn’t make sense though. Are you sure you want it though? I don’t mind spending a little more for–
Yami Benjy nods.
Yami Benjy: I really don’t know how often I’ll use it.
May nods, understanding.
May: Yeah, I haven’t used mine since I started training pokémon.
May and Yami Benjy walk up to the counter, with May carrying the duel disk. May places the duel disk on the counter.
May: Um… Larry is it?
New Clerk ➟ Curly: It’s Curly. Larry’s in the back room with Moe stamping out flames.
Benjy: I wonder if it’s just coincidence that these guys share the names of the three musketeers.
Narrator: You mean The Three Stooges.
Benjy: Whatever, I always get them confused.
May now begins to get out her wallet.
Curly: That will be seventeen fifty.
May hands the clerk a few bills, which the clerk accepts, then prints May a receipt.
Curly: We don’t offer a warranty, since the manufacturer guarantees it up to twenty years, and the government approved it.
May nods.
May: M-hm.
The clerk now hands the box and the receipt to May, and she thanks him, then she and Yami Benjy exit the store, and continue walking down the sidewalk a short ways to where a crosswalk is. May checks for cars an then begins to cross the street; Yami Benjy follows her.
Yami Benjy: Is that everything?
May nods, and then May and Yami Benjy arrive at the other side of the street, where May hands the duel disk box to Yami Benjy in exchange for one of Yami Benjy’s bags of supplies. They now both start to walk down the sidewalk towards a passageway between two of the buildings.
Yami Benjy: May, thank you.
May looks up at Yami Benjy, turning bright red.
May: …
Yami Benjy: I really did need this, and Benjy needs it too.
May’s face stops being as bright red.
May: You guys switched?
Yami Benjy: Benjy was a little too shy…
May nods understandingly, slightly trembling. Both now have reached the passageway, and turn and walk down it.
QST.Lyrical::startCustomMusic(using template$C01) {
(A Parody of The Song That Goes Like This by Monty Python) <<Abridged Version>>
➜ Once in a blue moon, there is a tune like that;
➜ They say it starts out slow, and ends up with a pat;
➜ Oh where is the tune that goes like that?
➜ Where is it? Where? Where?
➜ It's a romantic tune, which casts the ancient spell;
➜ We'll be all alone, and look moe (pronounced "moey") as hell;
➜ For this is the tune that goes like that!
➜ Here it is! Here it is!
Yami Benjy and May walk down the passageway.
New Scene()
➜ Maybe at this rate, this can be called a date;
➜ May: A step that is too far for me?
➜ May: I'll keep watch of your face, while my heart starts to race;
➜ May: ‘Cause we entered a new key!
Yami Benjy and May walk roughly side by side to May’s house along the short of a pond in a park, arriving at a crosswalk, and waiting for the light to turn.
➜ May: And now we’re into D!
➜ Narrator: And that’s kinda high for me…
➜ Narrator: So if I ask nicely, can we go back to C?
➜ May + Narrator: ‘Cause this is our tune that goes like that!
➜ Narrator: I know you’re feeling proud, but you’re thinking far too loud!
➜ Narrator: And I know you’re free of woe…
➜ May: What if I step on their toe?
➜ May: While humming the tune that goes like that?
May: I’m not humming, am I?!
The light now turns, and Yami Benjy and May begin to cross the street, arriving at the other side of the street as the verse finishes. Yami Benjy and May continue down the block.
New Scene()
➜ So lets take it from the top, 'cause I don't know how to stop;
➜ There's a problem with this tune: it'll last all afternoon!
➜ For this is the tune that should end soon!
May and Yami Benjy are now approaching the Petalburg gym in the distance, each carrying a bag of supplies.
➜ We'll be singing this til dawn, when our voices will be gone;
➜ We must stop this refrain, or else we'll go insane;
➜ For this is our tune that ends like that!
Yami Benjy follows May to the house attached to the Petalburg Gym. May knocks twice as the song ends, then rings the doorbell.
}
A few moments after May rings the doorbell, footsteps can be heard and then May’s mother opens the door and greets them. May looks curiously at her mom who is eyeing the Millennium Gameboy Advance.
May: What is it mom?
Caroline: I swear I’ve seen that thing before.
Norman appears in the doorway.
Caroline: Look at that…
Norman looks at the Millennium Gameboy Advance, and with Benjy’s permission touches and turns it over, while the chain remains around Benjy’s neck.
Norman: I think we’re seen a picture of it somewhere. I can’t remember where though…
Norman returns to the house, and Caroline ushers Benjy and May in. Benjy places the groceries on the table, and looks around the kitchen. An older boy is working at the stove, cooking.
Kinji: Are those for us?
Benjy: Brock asked us to get them, so I don’t think so…
Brock appears in the doorway, and he taps Benjy on the shoulder before explaining (in a whisper) that they have enough to share.
Brock: I sent you to get extras, so we could…
Benjy: Sorry, didn’t pick up on that. (whisper)
Brock: It’s okay. (whisper)
Brock sighs, and explains this to Kinji, before going to help with the cooking. Kinji sighs as Brock unintentionally takes over the cooking. May taps Benjy on the shoulder as he leaves the room.
Benjy: What?
May beckons to Benjy to follow.
New Scene(Greenhouse)
Benjy is impressed by the greenhouse, and May beckons to Benjy to follow.
Benjy: Something the matter.
May: (whisper) over here…
May sits down on a bench, hidden in a corner of the greenhouse. Benjy looks at vine and examines a leaf.
Narrator: Now just when you’re expecting a love scene…
Benjy: You okay?
May looks around cautiously, before responding quietly.
May: I’m worried about Jirachi.
Benjy: How so?
May: Max isn’t old enough to have pokémon yet. When dad finds out…
Benjy: You think he’ll care?
May: Well, he wouldn’t stop trying to take away Ciri’s pokémon until she…
Benjy: …turned ten?
May: Made it clear in no uncertain terms that she wouldn’t hesitate to kill him if he did.
Benjy stifles a giggle, then takes a deep breath to calm himself.
Benjy: Pokémon and humans are like hydrogen and oxygen, you can’t keep them separated no matter how hard you try. Think about it this way, Jirachi can teleport things.
May: I worry how it will go with Max though.
New Scene(May’s Imagination) {
With the setting of the greenhouse, May imagines Norman taking Jirachi from Max. Jirachi struggles a bit, then teleports back to Max. Norman looks at Jirachi, and tells Max that "rules are rules." Jirachi teleports Norman away, and May snaps back to reality.
}
May: They’re so happy together.
Benjy puts his hand on May’s shoulder.
Benjy: Sometimes I wonder why we always imagine the worst-case scenarios.
May: But…
Benjy: You said Ciri was an unlicensed trainer. He obviously doesn’t mind that anymore.
May: Well, you see: That started like this:
New Scene(Flashback(Petalburg, Evening))
A younger May is hiding in some bushes watching two shadows on opposite ends of a parking lot.
Norman: Ciri please, you know the rules.
Ciri stands silent. Due to the darkness, it is impossible to tell what she’s thinking.
Norman: Ciri please, I don’t want to do this any more than you do…
Ciri: Here you go.
Ciri throws something to Norman, and May gasps.
Norman: This doesn’t feel like a…
The sphere in Norman’s hands explodes, knocking Norman down. May cringes. Norman groans.
Ciri: Oops. Wrong one, it’s too dark.
Norman: I thought you had perfect night vision…
Ciri: Okay, here you go!
Ciri tosses another ball to Norman, it hits Norman in the chest and explodes.
Ciri: Woops. Try this.
Ciri tosses another ball to Norman, which also explodes. This is followed by another and another.
Norman: Ciri, just hand over your backpack.
Ciri: Okay, sure. Here.
Ciri tosses her backpack to Norman, who catches it.
Norman: And Ciri, I’m really–
Ciri’s backpack explodes in a bang that lights up the night.
Ciri: Sorry…
Norman: Just… keep them…
Norman collapses and May runs over to him.
Norman: May, she’s a menace!
#Reference: Dennis_the_Menace
Revert Scene()
May: Dad spent the next week and a half in the burn ward at the pokémon center. He never bothered Ciri again. Jenny was a bit more persistent, but she gave up too, after the ice cream truck in the swimming pool incident.
Benjy: What happened then?
Suddenly a bolt of lightning shoots along the outside of the greenhouse, striking Benjy and May, and knocking them both to the ground. Both cry out in surprise and pain.
May: What was that?
Ash: (offscreen) What was that?
Benjy and May look up as Ash, Max, and Ciri stare into the hidden place in the greenhouse.
Ciri: You guys making out or something?
May blushes, and Benjy shakes his head. Despite this, May makes up that they were discussing something for the next contest. Ciri comments that Benjy doesn’t look like a coordinator, which makes May even more nervous.
Max: Relax Ciri, they’re clean. No marks.
Ciri and Ash now begin to resume their battle. Max hides in the bushes.
Benjy: Don’t worry about Jirachi. I’ll think of something.
Benjy looks down at the Millennium Gameboy Advance.
Benjy: Or it will.
New Scene()
Everyone sits around the dinner table, eating dinner. Ciri isn’t with them.
Caroline: May, there’s going to be a contest in Oldale Town, in lets see…
Caroline pulls out a calendar. Ash looks around, to notice that Ciri isn’t at the table.
Caroline: It’s in about a week.
May almost chokes on her food.
Ash: Where’s Ciri?
Caroline: She never eats anything she doesn’t prepare herself.
Brock: Special dietary needs?
Caroline: She’s paranoid about people putting things into her food. That’s Ciri for you, she’s something else.
Max: Of course she’s human, Mom. Don’t go giving them any more conspiracy theories.
Norman: Max, we removed the security camera for exactly that reason. Then Vigoroth got into the trash again. Until a couple days ago, pieces kept turning up in the greenhouse.
Brock: So what’s Ciri doing now?
Caroline: Who knows, practicing magic perhaps? Just so long as she stays out of the water pipes…
Brock: Did you say just magic?!
Caroline: Uh, yeah. Didn’t they tell you?
Ash and Brock look at May and Max, who shrug.
Max: You saw what she did to Totodile Hunter…
Brock: That was magic?!
Max nods without even looking up.
May: And she blew up Team Rocket’s robot with magic too.
Ash: Uh, Brock. You even said she was a magical girl.
Brock: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. I though she has some kind of concealed device…
Brock trails off nervously.
Caroline: Ciri didn’t believe in magic either until she was able to do it herself. We have Magicon held every year, here in Petalburg. The next one is in a couple weeks, I believe.
Ash and Brock stare at Caroline nervously. Benjy swallows his bite of salad.
Benjy: What about the sewers?
Caroline: Sewers are fine for magic.
Brock: What can she do?
Caroline: It’s the kind of magic Saradomin and Zamorak brought with them in the war, you know, with those tablet things?
Brock: You mean the runes. But I heard that they all disappeared when the articles were put in place.
Norman: Nope. They’re still around.
Caroline: Although not many people use them anymore.
Benjy picks up another piece of lettuce, and blinks in surprise when it isn’t there when he tries to eat it. Benjy tries this again, only to see that the salad is being teleported away. From Max’s backpack, a munching noise is heard. Jirachi continues to teleport food away randomly, while everyone eats.
New Scene(Greenhouse)
The pokémon are enjoying their meal as well. The food is quickly gone, and some of the larger pokémon (Bayleef and Vigoroth) are still hungry. Bayleef sniffs things in the greenhouse, eventually deciding that nothing smells very appetizing. He then smells Vigoroth’s scent and follows it. Benjy’s Celebi is eating the leaves of a tree, hidden out of sight.
Bayleef follows Vigoroth’s trail, to where Vigoroth has dug under the wall of the greenhouse, and squeezes his body through the hole, following Vigoroth’s trail. In the distance, Vigoroth is trying to unlock the dumpster. Bayleef smells something interesting, and puts his front paws on the dumpster, and eventually begins to bang on it. Vigoroth joins Bayleef, combining it’s facade with Bayleef’s zen headbutt.
These two are quickly joined by Torchic, Corphish, Skitty, and Mudkip, and all begin to attack the dumpster.
Revert Scene()
Norman wonders what’s causing the banging sound outside. Benjy suggests construction, but Brock explains that it wouldn’t be taking place at this hour.
Ash: Wait, noise at night… That sounds like…
Ash: Team Rocket!
Max: At this hour?
Caroline: Are those guys paid on commission or something.
The Millennium Gameboy Advance is glowing brightly.
Revert Scene()
Ash, Norman, Brock, and Yami Benjy, exit the house into the greenhouse, all (except Yami Benjy who is using the Millennium Gameboy Advance to illuminate his path) are holding flashlights. Celebi flies over to Yami Benjy and lands on his arm.
Yami Benjy: Flash please.
Celebi emits a bright light, startling Norman at the sight of it. Flash illuminates the greenhouse, and May and Max run outside to check on the pokémon. May finds Pikachu safe and sound, and Max notices that six of the pokémon are missing. Celebi shines it’s light on the greenhouse, indicating that nothing is broken, adding to the enigma Max finds some footprints, one of which he thinks is that of a Meowth, and they follow the footprints that lead to a hole under the greenhouse.
Yami Benjy and Max squeeze through, while everyone else opts to go around. Max and Yami Benjy emerge from the greenhouse, with crickets chirping in the background. Yami Benjy dims the glow of the Millennium Gameboy Advance. As this occurs, Torchic runs up. Max picks it up and hugs it.
Everyone else now catches up, and Max presents Torchic to May. Ash comments that it must have escaped. Celebi waves to them from inside the greenhouse, then flies through the hole.
With Celebi illuminating the night, the group moves in the direction of the noise which has turned into munching sounds.
May: There’s nothing over there but the dumpster…
Max: Is Team Rocket eating out of our–
Yami Benjy: Quiet.
The group creeps closer under cover of the night. As they approach the dumpster, Celebi flies into the air, then illuminates everything: May and Max try to stifle giggles at the sight of the ruined dumpster.
Brock: Did they…
Brock turns to Norman who is trying to hold back laughter.
Yami Benjy: Bayleef!
Bayleef turns around, and then goes back to eating.
Brock: Alright everyone, recall your pokémon.
Everyone (except Max) takes out poké balls and tries to recall their pokémon. The pokémon dodge, then go back to eating.
Ash: Corphish, time to go back into your poké b–
Corphish cuts Ash off with bubblebeam.
Brock: Were we not feeding them enough?
Norman now tries to recall Vigoroth, but it jumps aside and stares at him angrily.
Brock: Uh-oh…
Everyone jumps aside to avoid Vigoroth’s shadow ball, and another bubblebeam from Corphish.
Ash: If that’s the way they want to play…
May: Then we have no choice!
Ash and May call on Pikachu and Beautifly respectively. Pikachu uses thunderbolt and Beautifly uses silver wind. All of the pokémon jump out of the way, leaving the attacks to strike the damaged dumpster, damaging it further.
Skitty uses assist, which turns into aurora beam, causing moderate damage to Beautifly. Vigoroth attacks Pikachu with shadow ball, but Pikachu dodges with agility. Ash has Pikachu go into volt tackle, but Bayleef blocks the move with a body slam. Pikachu slides back to Ash’s feet, moderately injured. Mudkip now uses water gun, but Celebi blocks the hit with safeguard.
Yami Benjy: Celebi, psychic!
Psychic strikes the group of pokémon hard. Ash has Pikachu use thunderbolt. Bayleef takes the thunderbolt and shrugs it off, prompting Ash to have Pikachu use thunder. Vigoroth uses shadow ball, and the attacks explode in midair. Celebi uses psychic again, and once again it causes moderate damage to all of the pokémon eating from the dumpster. Corphish and Mudkip fire back with bubblebeam and water gun, before collapsing. Brock and Ash are now able to recall them.
Ash: Three left…
Max: But I’ve got a feeling that this is just beginning.
QST.camera shifts Back inside the house, Caroline and Kinji hear the noise of the battle, and come running to see what’s going on. They arrive at the scene of the battle, with both sides exhausted. Vigoroth fires a shadow ball at Celebi, but Satolite reflects it with mirror force. It crashes back into Vigoroth having no effect. Skitty’s assist turns into vine whip and grabs Pikachu, who zaps it. Skitty takes moderate damage and slams Pikachu into the ground.
May: I didn’t realize it was so strong… Torchic, ember!
Torchic fires ember at Skitty, but Bayleef blocks the hit, not taking much damage at all. Bayleef attacks back with razor leaf, hurting both May and Torchic. To stop the assault, Brock has Forretress use explosion. Explosion stuns Bayleef and stops the attack.
Ash: Now’s your chance, recall it!
Yami Benjy: I’m too far away, hold on–
Yami Benjy runs towards Bayleef, Vigoroth blocks him.
Yami Benjy: Satolite, lunarbeam!
Vigoroth seems damaged by lunarbeam, but breaks free, and knocks Yami Benjy over backwards. Yami Benjy rolls aside as Vigoroth first beats it’s chest, then begins to glow.
Max: It’s evolving!
Ciri: And things are finally getting interesting…
Brock: When did you get here?
Vigoroth evolves into Slaking right in front of everyone. It’s a tense moment, but Slaking falls over backwards and goes right to sleep. Norman recalls it, leaving just Skitty and Bayleef still guarding their feast.
Caroline: And with that, the last of the Vigoroth have evolved.
May: Skitty, return!
May tries to recall Skitty, but Bayleef blocks the beam of the poké ball, and fires an unknown attack at May. Without instruction, Beautifly uses silver wind to negate the attack.
Brock: What was that?
Yami Benjy: It’s called flower pulse. Celebi, psychic!
Bayleef dodges, but the attack hits Skitty. Skitty uses assist and fires an aurora beam at Celebi, which causes Celebi to release psychic.
Max: Wait a minute, how can Skitty use aurora beam when Bayleef is the only other–
Bayleef uses aurora beam at Celebi, who dodges.
Ash: There’s your answer…
Norman: Wait a minute! That’s not possible!
Bayleef uses aurora beam on May, but Yami Benjy has Satolite use mirror force, deflecting the attack back at Bayleef. This time, the attack does moderated damage. Bayleef flinches, giving Pikachu an opportunity to zap both of them. Now clearly upset, Bayleef launches razor leaf at just about everybody. Yami Benjy creates a shield and pushes towards it. Skitty watches nearby, all tired out. Pikachu hits both with another thunderbolt, but Bayleef doesn’t stop it’s razor leaf, until Yami Benjy grabs her around her middle, and picks up the 80-pound pokémon. Brock runs to give Yami Benjy a hand as they struggle to separate Bayleef from the dumpster.
Despite this, Bayleef manages to wriggle out of their arms, falling to the ground in a thud. She looks hungrily back at the dumpster, but Brock offers her some pokémon food, which she accepts instead. Yami Benjy asks Brock for some, and puts it in Bayleef’s ball. Bayleef now obligingly goes into the ball. May approaches with an exhausted Skitty in her arms.
The Millennium Gameboy Advance is glowing brightly.
Norman: Wow… I thought you kids would have better control of your pokémon. Ash, before we battle, I’m going to need you and your friends to repair the dumpster.
Ash: What?! That’s not fair…
Brock: Especially since it was your Vigoroth which dug under the fence and allowed all the pokémon to get out in the first place.
Caroline glares at Norman, who now reconsiders.
Max: And the dumpster has Vigoroth’s claw marks all over it.
Caroline: Nor is it the first time it’s happened.
Max: That too.
Caroline: After the gym battle tomorrow, you need to drive into North Petalburg and buy a new dumpster.
Norman: I’ll try Littleroot first. I’m not going near that asylum.
Ash and company laugh at this. Ciri leans against the dome of the greenhouse and smiles.
…///To Be Continued///…
© October 3, 2012 by Benjy Strauss to December 8, 2015 by Benjy Strauss