To The Rainbow's End

[ZeldaFan20]

Yeah, I admit that it's a bit short; but I've had a bad case of Writer's Block and this was the best I could come up with so far. I promise that the next one will be a lot better, though.

[mr_pikachu]

Aagh! I'm so sorry for not replying sooner! I've only had a few minutes of free time these last few days, so I haven't really come on here much. Stupid midterm... anyway, I saw this up and I'm been dying to read it! It looks very good, although there were two errors I caught:


Just minutes after midnight, however, what looked like a shooting start shot across the star-studded blackness of the night.

It should be "a shooting star", not start.


The air outside was a bit brisk, as was the gentle wind---a definite sign that Autumn was approaching swiftly.

The word autumn should not be capitalized... I think... dang Spanish has got me all mixed up...


Anyway, this was a powerful chapter, even though it was short. Mewtwo's personality seems to have grown a little warmer, whereas Ash, as always, is concerned for his friends. And what's with Mewtwo? This is getting freaky... especially since it's the same sort of thing that happened in my fic! PLAGAIRIST! YOU MUST DIE!! Anyway, this was very good, and don't worry, I've had a bit of writer's block myself. Keep this up, it's very exciting!

[GeneChildMewtwo]

So Ash and Mewtwo meet again. It's interesting to see how Mewtwo's personality has developed since last time they met. Your portrayal of Mewtwo is different from what I usually see, but given the path that the Anime has taken with him (and therefore what has occured in the past of this fic) your portrayal is very believable. I wonder what's happening to him now. Ash was able to help Mewtwo twice before, so hopefully this time will work out as well.

I'll be looking forward to the next part. Keep it up!

[Ace Blaze]

I can't really say this chapter's a filler, because so much happened in it. However, this chapter was rather short, and I think that you should update soon to make up for it. Still, good job, especially since you were able to update between your work!

[ZeldaFan20]

mr_pikachu: [slaps self] Bad self, BAD! I just fixed those, but I'm NOT a plagarist---especially since Mewtwo's involvement will be much more different.

GeneChildMewtwo: Life has its little ups and downs, doesn't it ?

Ace Blaze: Guilty as charged . Glad you like it, though. And don't worry, I'm currently working on the next one as we speak.

[Nikku-San]

Yay, I'm all caught up! And those chapters were awesome! Chapter 14 was neat because of the little things, like Team Magma and Ash's disappearance in the news, as well as the berries. And I can't believe anyone could be so sick as to hurt a Pokemon like that... I loathe people like that. And Chapter 15... Mewtwo, the awesomeness! And Ash and Mewtwo being buddies and all, that was cute. ^^ Man, I really love what you do with characters. You totally own me as a writer.

Oh, btw, I know who the Japanese lady is! But I'm not tellin'!

[ZeldaFan20]

;o Gee, all these praises are making me blush! The next chapter is just about finished; after it's written, I have to proofread it a couple of times to look for errors---I've been correcting my stories too many times, and its beginning to annoy me. Just hang on for a little while longer...I promise you won't be disappointed...

[Ultra_Poke2000]

that was an unexpected happening. shouldn't MewTwo be able to heal himeself if he ever got hurt? o well. also, i found one small erorr.

Hearing these words made Ash grow more and more sad; he knew Mewtwo had telekinetic powers

telekinesis is the ability to move objects with your mind. it should have been:

Hearing these words made Ash grow more and more sad; he knew Mewtwo had telepathic powers

telepathy is the ability to read minds, and makes more sence in the sentance. lots of ppl get those 2 mixed up, so dont feel bad.

anyway, cya later!

[classy_cat18]

Finally caught up! Yes! Great fic! Amazing, stupendous, incredible, awesome, righteous, phenomenal...and it's good, too! You have Mewtwo in this fic! Yes, yes, yes! It's too bad I haven't read The Bittersweet Reunion yet.

[ZeldaFan20]

Ultra_Poke2000: Whoa, thanks! I can't believe I missed that. [goes back and makes correction] There! That better? Glad you enjoyed it.

classy_cat18: Hey, a new recruit! Welcome aboard! I guess my story is attracting a lot of readers---if only I didn't make so many mistakes, though...

Anyway, I know it's a little late, but here it is! If it's a little short, or you see any errors I missed, feel free to add those in your comments.

CHAPTER 16

“Pikachu! Everyone! Wake up!”

All the Pokemon sprung awake upon hearing Ash’s anxious voice---except for Croconaw, who got up more slowly and gave a great big yawn. They were wondering what was going on until they spotted their human friend near the door of the hut, supporting a very sick-looking Mewtwo.

“Ash?” Pikachu asked in surprise, “What’s Mewtwo doing here?”

“No time to explain, buddy,” Ash replied hurriedly, “Mewtwo’s hurting pretty badly; he needs help.” He then turned to Meganium, “Help me get him on the bed, Meganium.”

“Okay,” the big green Pokemon said. Two long vines suddenly shot out from underneath the large yellow flower around her neck, and wrapped themselves gently around Mewtwo. Being extremely careful, Meganium lifted him up, and laid him on the bed, after which Pikachu and Eevee covered him with the blanket.

“Meganium, Quilava,” Ash ordered, “go find Volbeat and Illumise, and have them help you pick some berries from the orchard; they’ll show you the right ones to pick. Croconaw, you and Kipper go look around for Big Sis and Samson; we need them here. Hurry, guys.” With that, the four creatures left the hut, and headed in opposite directions. From inside, Ash could hear Croconaw calling out to Kipper:

“Slow down there, squirt!” he exclaimed, “I’m not as speedy as I was back when I was a Totodile!”

Ash would’ve laughed at this if the situation hadn’t been so dire. He pulled the chair up next to the bed and sat down, straightening the covers and feeling Mewtwo’s pale face. The poor creature’s breathing had grown slightly rapid, and he was shivering now.

“What’s the matter with him, Ash?” Eevee asked shyly.

“I don’t know,” he replied, “Mewtwo doesn’t have a fever---he feels cold and clammy; so it can’t be pneumonia.”

“How do you know?” Pikachu asked.

Ash smiled. “Because I had pneumonia once: about a year before I started training Pokemon. I had to stay I bed for three weeks, and I was bored to death the whole time.”

“Well,” Eevee cut in, “maybe he’s got a chill; he is shivering a lot, like he’s cold or something.”

“I think you’re right, Eevee,” Ash said, “He has been outside in the cold most of the night.” He turned to Pikachu. “Could you get my backpack, Pikachu?”

The electric rodent ran over to the other side of the hut, grabbed Ash’s red backpack, and came back.

“Hmm…that’s strange,” Ash said as he dug through the bag and pulled out one bottle of Full Restore Potion, “I could’ve sworn I had more than this…AAAH!” Ash suddenly gave a shout and fumbled around in his bag much faster.

“What’s wrong, Ash?” Pikachu inquired.

“My PokeDex!” Ash exclaimed, “I can’t find my PokeDex; it’s not in here!”

“Hey, what’s a PokeDex?” someone interrupted. Everyone turned around to see Meganium and Quilava, followed by Volbeat and Illumise; all had a variety of berries in their arms and leaves (at least, in Meganium’s case). It was Volbeat who had asked the question, but Ash was suddenly too preoccupied to think of an answer.

“Oh…uh…never mind,” he said, eyeing the berries. “Are any of those good for chills?”

“There’s these,” Illumise said, bringing over a handful of berries, all of which looked like leopard-spotted macintosh apples. “They’re called Aspear berries; they’re supposed to thaw out any frozen Pokemon. I’m not completely sure if they’ll work on the chills, though.”

“Well, I think now’s a good time to try,” Ash stated, “and if they don’t work, I’ve got a Full Restore right here.”

Ash then took a couple of Aspear berries and broke them up into small pieces. Then he gently lifted Mewtwo’s head, and popped the pieces, one at a time, into the sick Pokemon’s mouth.

It was nearly five minutes before they could see any results. The shivering had gradually stopped, and Mewtwo seemed to warm up a little, but his breathing still didn’t sound too good. As they all studied him, Croconaw and Kipper quietly entered the hut; Big Sis and Samson were right behind them.

“How’s your friend?” Samson asked, “Any improvement?”

Ash shook his head, “Not really. I mean he feels less cold than before, but he’s not breathing right.”

Big Sis slithered over and carefully put her “ear” to Mewtwo’s chest. As she listened, her eyes opened wide, and her face bore a very worried expression.

“Rrrrrmmmm, rmmmm…ah…rrrrrrrmmmmm!” she mumbled.

While all the others looked at her with confusion, Samson suddenly gasped. “Are you sure?” he asked her. Big Sis nodded, and the Pinsir became quite serious.

“What’d she say, Samson?” Pikachu asked.

“Big Sis says that Mewtwo may have a pokerus!” All of Big Sis’s friends gasped in disbelief at this announcement, but Ash and his Pokemon were even more confused than ever.

“How can a Pokerus be a problem?” Ash wondered, “I thought it was good for Pokemon.”

Samson began explaining at once. “It’s true that the Pokerus can make a Pokemon stronger for a short period of time, but there is a pokerus that is very dangerous for us; the infected creature starts off appearing very healthy, but after a month or so the germ attacks a number of vital organs---like the lungs and heart. I’m afraid it will take much more than Potions and berries to cure your friend.”

Ash was distraught; he had no idea that Mewtwo’s condition was that bad---he never even knew that there was another pokerus he hadn’t heard about. He then looked at his Pokemon, and then back to Samson.

“Is it catchy to the others?” he asked.

“No,” Samson replied, “At least, not in the first two stages of the disease, but if he doesn’t get proper medical treatment quickly he’ll die.”

Quilava spoke up, “But there aren’t any Pokemon Centers around this area, are there?”

“We’re not taking him to a Pokemon Center!” Ash snapped, startling everyone around, “We can’t; he doesn’t like being around all those people, and I won’t force him to go someplace where there are too many people!” Without waiting for anyone to say another word, Ash stood up and shot out the door. Big Sis and Samson were about to follow him, but then Pikachu interfered.

“Wait a second, guys,” he said, “maybe I should talk to him first.” After asking the others to take care of Mewtwo, Pikachu left the hut, and went to look for Ash.



Meanwhile, a few miles away from the island, a small object rose up from the foaming brine of the open sea.

If it were daytime---and if the island were full of people---one might’ve been able to see the periscope more clearly; and, probably, the small submarine below it.

The sub itself was in the shape of a giant Magikarp; a long black pipe connected it to the top of the periscope. Inside this strange underwater machine, three figures were currently driving it.

One of these people was a very determined-looking young woman; she was very tall, probably in her early twenties, and wearing a diving suit that was as red as her long hair. The person behind her was a similarly aged man, except he was much more timid than determined; yet his own diving suit shown as blue as his shoulder length hair. Bringing up the rear was---oddly enough---a Meowth! All three travelers were “pedaling” an odd-looking machine that seemed to resemble a three-person bicycle, and all were on the brink of exhaustion.

“I can’t take much more o’ dis.” the Meowth complained.

“I know, me neither,” the man agreed, and then he asked the woman, “Can’t we stop and take one quick rest?”

The lady looked at her two companions, a disgusted frown lined her features. “Oh, alright; just one rest, and then we resume our search.” She then looked into the periscope; the sun wasn’t even close to rising yet, but in front was what looked like a large landmass.

“There’s an island just up ahead,” she announced proudly, “We can spend the rest of the night there.”

“Dat’s great!” the Meowth exclaimed, “We can finally get some shut-eye while soichin’ for da twoip! I’m getting’ tired of pedalin’ dis ting around for so long.”

“Speaking of which,” the man cut in, “Why exactly do we still keep this stupid sub? This is a Team Rocket sub, and we’re not with them anymore!”

“Will the both of you stop wining!” the woman snapped, “We still don’t have a penny for boats, so this is the best kind of ocean transportation we have.” She then put on a sad, “puppy-eyed” expression, “Besides, what would the Boss think of us if we decided to quit our search and leave his poor, innocent little boy out there in the cold, cruel world?”

“He definitely wouldn’t be too happy wit us, dat’s for shoa, right James?” Meowth asked the man.

“Right,” James replied, but then a thought occurred to him. “Wait, Jessie, don’t you mean our ‘ex-’ Boss?” he asked his female companion.

Jessie rounded on the two males fiercely, bearing her teeth like a tigress. “DON’T CORRECT ME!” she screamed, “I KNOW HOW TO SPEAK ENGLISH!”



Pikachu didn’t need to go very far to find Ash: he found the boy sitting on the rock wall of the northern beach, hugging his bent knees, upon which his face rested.

A chilly windy blew over the island at that moment, causing Pikachu to shiver. He then ran across the sand to the wall, hopping from stone to stone to reach his friend.

“Hey, Ash,” he said, “come on back to the hut. The closer we get to winter, the colder it becomes; you’ll get sick too.”

Ash looked up and sniffed; he couldn’t hold back the tears anymore, and had let them flow freely.

“I didn’t notice how cold it was,” Ash said blankly.

Pikachu could sense what his trainer was feeling; he then crawled up between Ash’s knees and stomach, and looked into his overflowing eyes.

“Please, Ash,” the mouse sadly pleaded, “There’s no other way we can help Mewtwo.”

“I just don’t think I can do it,” Ash sobbed, “Mewtwo hates all humans because he was made by some terrible people. And what do you think everyone will say if they actually saw him? He won’t be a Pokemon, he’ll be a sideshow freak! What would he think of me if I exposed him to that?”

“But what can we do for him here?” Pikachu asked, “You heard what Samson said; if Mewtwo stays here, he’ll die. Either way, you still won’t win!”

“THEN WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?!” Ash yelled angrily. The entire month of September was turning out to be the worst time of his life: first, he found out the awful truth about his dad and brother; next, he had that painful accident on the ship; then, he got kidnapped by a bunch of human-devoid Pokemon; and now this---Mewtwo was dying, and he didn’t have any clue how to help! Everything in life seemed to be turning against Ash, and he was beginning to lose all his faith.

These very thoughts flowed through Ash’s mind faster than the tears that flowed down his cold cheeks. He paused, crying for about ten more seconds, before looking back into Pikachu’s face.

“What am I supposed to do?” he repeated softly.

Pikachu smiled tenderly, then he stood on Ash’s knees, and planted a light kiss on his forehead.

“Do what you’ve always done since the beginning,” he responded, “Only what you know is the right thing.”

Ash thought for a while, and gradually forced a slight smile. Pikachu was right: everything Ash had done since his journey started was straight from his own heart; he never tried to do what everyone else was doing (and when he did, it always turned out to be a disaster). This in mind, he stood up---holding Pikachu in his arms, and made his way off the rock wall.

“You're right, Pikachu,” Ash finally said, “This is the best thing for Mewtwo. I mean, what could be worse than seeing a lot of different people?” The two friends were just about to reach the woods, when they were halted by a series of familiar noises, causing them to turn back around.

First came the sound of a large, loud splash, as if there was an explosion happening in the water. Next came a noise like something big and heavy flying through the air, accompanied by three frightened screams. Finally, the object crashed right on the western side of the beach. Afraid that someone might be hurt, Ash and Pikachu ran through the smoke that was billowing over the crash sight, only to come across a very unwelcome surprise:

The smoke cleared quickly with the midnight winds, revealing the slightly dented Magikarp-shaped sub they both knew too well. The manhole on top suddenly opened, and three familiar figures poked their heads out, gasping for air and groaning miserably.

“Brotha’, why do dese tings always happen ta us?” Meowth moaned.

“If it’s bad luck,” James replied, “it couldn’t have been from you; you’re not even black.”

Meowth looked at him with an offended glare, “Don’t tell me you’re supastitious!”

“Oh, quit your belly-aching, both of you!” Jessie snapped as she hopped onto the ground, “At least we’re safely on dry land!”

Seeing these three visitors made Ash and Pikachu first turn very surprised, and then very grim.

“Pikachu…” Ash sighed.

“I know,” Pikachu sighed back, plopping onto the sand as he did so, “It just got worse.”

[classy_cat18]

They're at it again!?! When will they stop? And what will happen to Mewtwo? Tell me, tell me! *pulls hair out* Don't you dare let him die! Mr_Pikachu already did that in his fic, and I hated that!

[mr_pikachu]

Well, believe it or not, I didn't see too many grammatical errors, though I have to ask - what's a pokerus? I'm guessing it's like a virus, but I don't know everything about it. Could you please explain?

Anyway, here's a list of the things I did find:


“We still don’t have a penny for boats, and this is the best kind of ocean transportation we have.”

Shouldn’t it be, “so this is the best kind…”?


“Your right, Pikachu,”

*sigh* …“You’re right, Pikachu,” is correct… someone needs to learn their homonyms…



Wow... short list... Well, I have a few other quotes I wanted to comment on as well...


“My PokeDex!” Ash exclaimed, “I can’t find my PokeDex; it’s not in here!”

Leave it to Ash to be worried about a hunk of metal when the world’s only Poke-clone is in trouble!


“I KNOW HOW TO SPEAK THE QUEEN’S ENGLISH!”

Huh… so Jessie’s from England? Is the rest of the crime trio from there, too?


Pikachu was right: everything Ash had done since his journey started was straight from his own heart; he never tried to do what everyone else was doing (and when he did, it always turned out to be a disaster).

*giggle* Yep, typical Ash, all right… *chuckle*


“Brotha’, why do dese tings always happen ta us?” Meowth moaned.

“If it’s bad luck,” James replied, “it couldn’t have been from you; you’re not even black.”

Heh, for a second, I thought James was a racist! Scumbag!



Anyway, no, this chapter wasn't too short. I thought you did a fine job with it, though I don't know how they'll treat the "pokerus". Anyway, nice job! I'm still finishing up my next chapter, since I had next to no time last weekend to work on it... *shrugs* Hey, I have a life, and it unfortunately gets in the way of my writing. It stinks. Anyway, I await your next brilliant chapter!


EDIT: Shh! Delete that NOW, cc18! Don't give away my fic to those who haven't read it yet! *pauses briefly* Really, you hated that in my fic? I wonder why? *pauses again* Edit it NOW, FOOL!

[ZeldaFan20]

classy_cat18: Whoa, whoa! Take it easy! Relax, I don't plan on copying other people's "character fate's"---as I like to call them. As for those three, I don't think they'll EVER stop...do you ?


mr_pikachu: Believe it or not, I feel like I'm thanking people too much [giggles]! Well, I'll get those fixed up right away; however, I DO know my homonyms---I must've just typed a little too fast. Now, a few things I'd like to point out:

1. If you recall, Ash was only worried about his PokeDex for a second.

2. Jessie is NOT British---and neither are the other two, which is evident in the series. Hmmm...perhaps I should alter that particular phrase to prevent further confusion.

3. Yeah, it is typical for Ash to try and do things his own way .

4. Gee, I didn't mean for someone to read it THAT way. You've heard of that old "black-cat" superstition, right? Of course you have.

5. Also, don't worry about yours being late; I'm sometimes a bit late putting up chapters too.

[Powarun]

Um, I read this chapter a few days ago, and ironicaly I was playing LoZ on my computer instead of repling so sorry. The story is going well, just a bit concerned of what you will do with Jessie and James. I just don't want this to be another pokemon like episode. Also Ash should be more concerned about his missing pokedex. Sorry but the game is calling me again, just wanted to add my .5 cents.

[Ultra_Poke2000]

hmm, a new pokerus disease. you brought team rocket back. cool. i wonder what they're up to now... anyway, i dont have much time to reply, so cya!

[mistysakura]

Nah, IQ think he's not worrying too little about his pokedex at all. In fact, if there was another sentence about it, I'd call ash heartless. In Zelda's own words, first, he found out the awful truth about his dad and brother; next, he had that painful accident on the ship; then, he got kidnapped by a bunch of human-devoid Pokemon; and now this---Mewtwo was dying, and he didn’t have any clue how to help! What kind of person would he be to worry about this piece of metal?

I trust that it won't be like anime, by the wya. You're better than that. That was an alright chapter, not your best, but not bad either. I liked how pikachu comforted Ash in the end, but I was a bit confused how Team Rocket ended up on the island. Huh?

[Powarun]

No offence misty sakura, I once watched the anime and Ash depended on his pokedex like if it was water. And maybe the piece of metal with many electrical components may have helped Ash solve the mystery for Mewtwo. And I do agree I don't want this like the anime, which I don't think this will end up like, but I do think that Zelda fan 20 may include stuff like the anime for that is where they got their some of their ideas from.

[mr_pikachu]

WAY TO GO ZELDAFAN20!!! 4 awards... wow! Well, I... uh... I got a second-place finish! So there!

But really, you deserve those awards. You're a superb writer, and I kind of envy your talent... ^_^; Um, anyway, great job again, and I can't wait to see your next chapter!

[GeneChildMewtwo]

So, there are bad Pokeruses (Pokerii?) out there too? Well, I guess that's expected, since it's probably similar to virii that humans can contract. Although, what a time for those three to show up. Of course, Ash could just start with the thunderbolting now, and ask quesitons later. ^_^ Seriously though... Even if Team Rockect tries to steal Pikachu, where are they going to take it? They're stuck on the island now too.

Of course, the actual dilema you present will probably be more serious than anything my head devises, since I always see Jessie, James, and Meowth doing [Pokemon] anime type things. Although, you did lead me to believe that Jessie was British at first... But, you've cleared that up now.

Good job winning those awards! ^_^
Although mr_pikachu already said it, allow me to also say that you really deserve them. I'm looking forward to the next chapter. Keep up the award winning work.

[ZeldaFan20]

Thanks for the praise and encouragement, guys, but I'm afraid I have some bad news:

It seems that, while I was looking over the next chapter one more time yesterday, my touchy-feely little sister had touched something while my back was turned, and......well, you can probably guess the rest .

So, since I didn't have any floppies to save it on, I'm stuck rewriting the whole chapter over again---from SCRATCH! Most of it is still fresh in my head, but I may have to recreate some others. Darn these technicallities !

Well, anyway, I'll TRY to get it up sometime this century. Have faith in me, guys.

[mr_pikachu]

*gasps from relief* Thank goodness! When you said "touchy-feely sister", I thought you meant... never mind.

Anyway, it's a shame that the next chapter will be delayed. Oh well. Get it up when you can, okay? We'll be waiting.

[Powarun]

Reminds me of the time a floppy destoyed three chapters of one fo my fics. Then I had to rewrite them all, and sorta got depressed about it and quit. Hope this goes well for you and good luck and pateince to us all.

[GeneChildMewtwo]

Getting your chapter deleted isn't any fun... But, luckily we're all patient (I hope) and don't mind waiting a little longer for the next chapter. ^_^

So, don't feel rushed. Of course... That doesn't mean you can slack off. But really, I'm looking forward to the next chapter even if it takes a little while.

[Lady Dragonrider]

Good fic! I've pretty much just scanned over it, but I still want to know what happens next. I can tell this is related to "Bittersweet Reunions" (that is the fic I'm thinking of, right?) but I can't seem to find the gap between where it ended on SPP and when this particular story starts. Mind helping me out?

[mistysakura]

The finished version of "A Bittersweet Reunion" is in the Completed Fanfic Archive. That makes it really obvious where this story starts. you must have read an unfinished version or something.

[ZeldaFan20]

WHEW! Finally! Sorry for the delay, guys, but it was certainly worth the wait. If anyone sees any small defects in it, don't hesitate to say so. Well, here it is:

CHAPTER 17

James and Meowth were so tired from their “work-out” that they didn’t feel themselves slipping further and further off the top of the submarine---that is, until their faces finally hit the sand below.

THUMP! The two males instantly sat up, and began spitting out the tiny grains of rock that had entered their mouths.

“Ptoo, ptooy!” James choked, “That’s revolting!”

“Yeah,” Meowth spluttered in response, “Ptoo, ptoo---before dat big fish tossed us, I said I wanted a sandwich; instead, I get a mouth full o’ sand---ptoo, ptooy!”

Jessie glared disapprovingly at her two comrades. “What are you complaining about? If the both of you had just pedaled a little faster, like I was, we never would’ve gotten Skull Bashed by that…that…torpedo, or whatever you called it, Meowth!”

“Dat’s Sharpedo! Sharpedo!! How many times to I have ta tell ya?!” The little cat began jumping up and down as he talked, clearly angry at his partner’s statement.

“Who cares how it’s pronounced?” James interrupted, “Let’s just find a place to camp out for the night. We can fix the sub in the morning, and then resume the search.”

“Search?” Ash suddenly spoke up, arms crossed and eyebrows lowered (Pikachu did the same), “What are you three looking for this time? Buried treasure? Rare Pokémon?”

“The nearest fast food stand?” Pikachu added---mostly speaking to Ash. The pair chuckled to each other; they knew that one of the things Team Rocket cared about more than catching Pokémon was a decent meal.

Hearing Ash’s voice, the three visitors jumped, and slowly looked in his direction. Upon seeing the young thirteen-year-old---not to mention Pikachu, the whole group broke out into astonished, yet happy smiles.

Meowth laughed out loud. “I don’t believe it!” he cried, “We go lookin’ all around da region for dese two twoips, and dey’re right here on dis island!”

“Hooray!” James cheered, “Happy days are here at last!”

Jessie only smiled pleasantly, “It’s about time; my thighs were cramping up from all that work.”

Ash just stared at the three happy ex-Rockets. A few months ago, these guys were practically chasing him and his friends all over the world trying to capture Pikachu (as well as every other Pokémon around). Now, here they were and, apparently, happy to see him! Was something wrong with this picture or what?!

“Boy,” Ash thought to himself, “I said I wanted to be famous; but only as the world’s greatest Pokémon Master, not the country’s Most Wanted.”

The three excited travelers soon started running towards him. Ash immediately went on the offensive.

“Pikachu, get ready!” he said to his little buddy.

“I’m on it!” Pikachu replied as he jumped between Ash and the Rockets. His cheeks lit up like a pair of firecrackers as he prepared to go into attack mode, causing the opposing party to come to a screeching halt. Despite what he’d just heard, Meowth anxiously waved his arms.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Meowth said hastily, “Take it easy, we ain’t here ta fight.”

“That’s right,” James cut in, “We were looking for you two for the past couple of days. Now, we can all go home together!”

Jessie nodded. “Yes, as soon as we get the submarine fixed tomorrow, we’ll head off. Let’s pitch camp and get a good night’s…huh?” Jessie’s proud statement was cut short by a loud burst of laughter.

Ash, when he heard them talk about going back home together, had grown even more surprised. These guys were supposed to hate his guts; how could they even think of traveling back to Kanto together? To him, the whole thing sounded too hilarious to be real; who could blame him for plopping down on the sand and laughing at that very moment?

Meowth, Jessie, James---and even Pikachu just stared at him. It was a very rare sight to see Ash laughing when faced with a serious situation; from their point of view, it was actually quite disturbing.

“This is getting creepy,” James said in an uneasy voice, “What’s his problem?”

Meowth looked at James with wide eyes, “I tink all dat’s been goin’ on’s finally gotten ta him: he’s crackin’ up.”

Jessie, however, was more annoyed than creeped out, and all that laughing only increased her annoyance. “I know the kid’s a little loopy at times, but this is ridiculous,” she thought to herself. “Hey, twerp,” she snapped, “What’s so funny?”

It took a while for Ash to regain his composure; but, even then, he continued to hold his sides and give an occasional snicker.

“If you guys think that I’m going to go back to Pallet Town with you,” he snorted, “The same three goofs who not only tried to steal my Pokémon, but got me and my friends into more trouble than I could, you’re even dumber than I thought! Thanks for the laugh, though; I needed that.”

What followed Ash’s hysterical remark were three pairs of glaring, irritated eyes. Not only did he flat out refuse their offer to bring him home, but he also had the nerve to call them all “dumb.”

In their hearts, however, they knew Ash had a pretty good point: for the past three years, ever since they first laid eyes on him, Jessie, James, and Meowth had followed Ash and his friends all over every region, trying to wipe them out of the picture and steal Pikachu for their ungrateful Boss.

This revelation caused the three ex-Rockets to sink deeper and deeper into regret, until Jessie suddenly shook her head violently, and looked at Ash with a face that was an even brighter red than her hair.

“Now see here, runt,” she growled, “we’re not playing around; we’re dead serious! Your old man heard about that stunt you pulled a while back---not to mention your little vanishing act the other day, and he asked us to go looking for you!”

Hearing Jessie’s explanation, Ash’s comical expression suddenly turned dark; his laughing smile was pressed into a hard frown, and all the curiosity and humor that was once in his eyes were replaced by sheer defiance. It seemed like a long time before Ash even thought of questioning Jessie’s words.

“Asked you?” he inquired, “Or told you?”

Jessie hesitated a bit: the look she was receiving made her feel very uneasy; in fact, she’d seen it many times before.

“No wonder I never liked this kid,” she thought silently, “He really does remind me of the Boss.”

“Actually,” James suddenly spoke up, nearly causing her to jump, “he practically begged us. I mean, when he called, he was literally in hysterics---sometimes cried on the phone, and even declared that he wouldn’t get one wink of sleep until you were safe at home!”

“You’re causin’ the guy a lot o’ heartbreak, kid,” Meowth cut in, “Ya can’t keep doin’ dis ta him.”

The feline Pokémon suddenly realized that he’d just made a big mistake. He could see the anger in Ash’s face mingle with an overwhelming sense of sorrow. The boy’s teeth and fists were clenching tightly, and the eyes struggled to keep back more tears. When Ash finally spoke, his voice was raised to something like passion.

“And what do you think he did to me?!” he shouted, “To Mom? To David?”

Upon hearing this, the trio looked at each other with confused looks.

“David?” Jessie inquired of her comrades, whispering, “Who’s David?”

James replied, “I think he means that wild man the Boss kept locked up…OUCH!” Like a flash of lightning, Meowth had Fury Swiped him right across the face.

“Knock it off, Big Mouth!” he hissed, “What, did ya forget how ta whisper? He can hear ya!” They all looked back at Ash, who had grown even redder at that moment.

“He’s NOT a wild man!” Ash yelled angrily, “He’s my brother---not to mention your Boss’s son, so don’t you DARE call him names!”

Meowth attempted to explain, “Easy dere, kiddo, we know he’s not…”

“No!” Ash interrupted, hot tears falling down his equally hot cheeks, “You don’t know…you don’t know anything about him! He’s very sick, and needs help! Aurora and I were taking him to Mossdeep City before I ended up here! Now, they’re missing too, and you guys show up and tell me that my dad misses me! Did he even mention David or Aurora when you spoke to him?!”

What followed was an uneasy silence. Giovanni had never said anything about those two people over the phone. Apparently, the only one he was interested in was Ash. Jessie, James, and Meowth all hung their heads in shame, and slowly shook them.

Those actions were all Ash needed. Without saying another word, he abruptly turned around, and bolted towards the woods at high speed.

“Ash!” Pikachu called, running after him, “Ash, wait!”

As they watched the two friends vanish into the trees, the trio stared nervously at each other for what seemed like a long time.

“Well,” Jessie said haughtily, breaking the silence, “that worked out differently than I thought.”

“I wonder what da Boss is gonna say about dis,” Meowth wondered. Then he glanced over at James, who wore a very inquisitive look. “Hey, what’s up wit you?”

James continued to stare into the trees as he spoke. “What I’d like to know is how, in such a short amount of time, he learned to speak Pikachu.”

Jessie glared at him in disbelief, “What are you talking about?” she demanded.

“Well,” James went on, “just before Pikachu went into its attack position, I could’ve sworn Ash said, ‘Pikachu, pika pika,’ almost like he could actually speak the language.”

Meowth gave a sarcastic nod. “It’s official, folks; James has finally gone off da deep end. I mean we all know da kid can’t speak Pokémon talk---dat’s my department.”

“I think you got hit in the head when we landed, or maybe the night air’s gotten to you,” Jessie said as she attempted to put a hand on James’ forehead. He, however, slapped it away and scowled at her and Meowth.

“Make fun of me if you must,” he declared,” but I know what I heard!”



While this was going on, Ash had run several yards into the forest before finally stopping. By the time Pikachu caught up, the poor boy was kneeling on the grass, heaving like someone who had just run a marathon; his face literally drenched in sweat and salt. Pikachu look sadly at his friend; it was obvious how much the young trainer was hurting inside.

Before the little yellow mouse could step up and console him, Ash suddenly raised his face to the still-starry heavens, and yelled at the top of his lungs,

“WHY IS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?! WHAT DID I DO WRONG?!” Giving in to his emotions once more, Ash leaned forward, face in hands, and sobbed.

“Don’t worry, Ash,” Pikachu said as he hopped over and patted his friend’s shoulder, “Everything will be okay, you’ll see…huh? What’s that?”

A rustling sound had been heard from some nearby bushes at that moment, alerting the young pair to attention. Pikachu prepared to attack, and Ash stood ready to give the command. However, what came out of those shrubs had completely shocked them.

With her long, golden tail still among the foliage, Big Sis slithered into view. Her big blue eyes were filled with sadness and understanding, but they did not shed a single tear.

“B…Big Sis,” Ash stammered nervously, pointing back towards the beach, “You…you heard…?”

Rather than answer right away, the Milotic slinked closer to Ash. She smiled tenderly as her silky pink face calmly nuzzled his own dirty, tear-stained cheek. Ash soon felt the cool touch of Big Sis’s tongue on his cheek in a gentle kiss.

For some strange reason, Ash suddenly felt all his sorrows slowly melt away; a soothing calm seemed to fill his soul with a whole new sense of peace. In fact, this feeling appeared to grow stronger the more that Big Sis’s motherly behavior continued. Without realizing this right away, Ash’s hands rose up to his eye-level and caressed the Milotic’s face.

Pikachu watched this spectacle with great interest, until a sudden realization popped into his mind.

“Hey, Ash,” he said, causing the boy to look his way, “I think Big Sis wants to help us; I think she’s letting us leave the island!”

“She is?” Ash asked, first looking at Pikachu, and then at Big Sis. “You are?” he asked her.

“Rrrrrrrrrrmm!” she replied cheerfully. Ash just couldn’t contain his joy; he wrapped the giant sea snake up in a big hug.



Back at the bamboo grove, Samson and the others---despite how tired they were---busied themselves with caring for Mewtwo, who--- despite the fact that he was now breathing with less difficulty, still sounded a little raspy. Volbeat and Illumise fixed the pillow and blankets, Quilava kept the fire going, Meganium and Eevee helped Samson administer the medicine, and Croconaw and Kipper supplied the water.

Samson was just giving Mewtwo a tea-like drink of Catnip, Borage, and Rawst berries when Ash and the others walked into the hut; all were wearing very determined expressions.

“You’re back!” Samson exclaimed. “Is everything alright?”

Ash nodded. “Better than alright,” he said, “We’re gonna get off this island and find Mewtwo some help, but I’ll need everyone’s help to do it.”

“We’ll be glad to help!” Illumise announced, after which she cast a menacing glare at her brother.

“Uh…yeah, me too!” Volbeat instantly volunteered. Soon everyone present was offering assistance to the cause.

Ash broke out in another happy smile as he watched all these Pokémon---some of whom had never been in contact with humans for years---offer to help him out.

“Thanks, guys,” he said, “But we need to do this now, while we still have time. So let’s get started!”

“YEAH!!!” they all cried.

[classy_cat18]

Whoa, Team Rocket always know how to push Ash's buttons. All the same, good chapter! Keep it coming!

[mr_pikachu]

Very good chapter! I loved how the comedic aspect was maintained while still keeping the intense reality in place. Great work!

So Ash can actually speak the Pokemon language now? So that's what's going on... but how on earth did this happen? Freaky...

I only had one complaint about this chapter, and I'll show it here:


If the both of you had just peddled a little faster, like I was, we never would’ve gotten Skull Bashed by that…that…torpedo, or whatever you called it, Meowth!”

While peddled is a word, it’s not the right one. Pedaled is correct.


Anyway, this was a great chapter! Keep up the great work! This is getting pretty darn intense...

[Powarun]

Nice ending, and how you pulled off putting in Team Rocket and making htem not annoying, unlike the anime. Also I don't really think Volbeat had a choice to volunteer or not.

Good job and keep up the good work at school and the fic.

[ZeldaFan20]

classy_cat18: Yeah, those three are just a barrel of laughs, aren't they?

mr_pikachu: Yup, Ash speaks Pokémon now! Kinda makes you think of The Wild Thornberries, doesn't it ? Oh, and thanks for that point-out; I managed to fix it the other day.

Powarun: Hey, even I'm wondering how I did that! And no, Volbeat is still afraid of his "sis."

I don't have time now, but I'll try to get the next one up when I can. See ya 'round!

[Ultra_Poke2000]

i almost forgot about this fic. that was kinda weird when James heard Ash "talking Pikachu". i guess that kinda explains some stuff, but not where he learned it, especialy w/o his knowledge of it. sounds like M2 is finaly gonna get some professional help. yay! anyway, till later!

[Lady Dragonrider]

Cool. But what's Mewtwo going to think when Ash takes him to a pokemon center with humans...? And will we ever see Lawrence III again. Or did he die? I can't remember...

[GeneChildMewtwo]

Well, I'm really late. Here I go!

You've managed to capture the character of Jessie, James, and Meowth just as they are in the show, except without reducing your fic to redundant filler-ness. Yay! ^_^

So, now Ash and the Island Pokemon are going to try save Mewtwo. I wonder what kind of plan they'll come up with. Although, what will happen if JJ&M decide to drop in... Do they even have any memories of Mewtwo? I know Mewtwo re-erased Giovanni and most of the Rocket's memories at the end of Mewtwo Returns, but did he get those three too? I can't remember. Probably, since they were bad guys at that time.

And that's what's going on! Ash is speaking like a Pokemon. But I guess he doesn't notice. And apparently can slip in and out of it as well. But at least the readers have somekind of clue. But doesn't Pikachu notice? Maybe not, since no one else seems to.

Well, I'm looking forward to the next chapter. Keep it up!

[Lady Dragonrider]

Maybe pokemon have always been able hear Ash like he's speaking their language. But now Ash can understand them. Just a theory.

[ZeldaFan20]

Don't worry, guys, I haven't abandoned you. The next chapter is nearly finished. In fact, I think I'll have it up tomorrow, depending on how much faster I work. And I guarantee you, it will be well worth the wait.

[Powarun]

Don't worry, as I said before good things come to those who wait, and the more we wait the better the chapter. I do not doubt you are busy and every thing. Hang in there.

[ZeldaFan20]

Thanks for sticking with me you guys, it really means a lot to me. Well, as I promised, here it is:

CHAPTER 18

Throughout the remainder of the night, everyone worked hard. Samson had worked out a plan to build a raft for Ash and his friends, and had taken most of the stronger Pokémon into the woods to cut down some trees. Illumise led Volbeat and the other Bug-types in gathering vines.

During this time, Pikachu and the others went into the orchard to gather food for the trip. Bellossom instructed them on which berries could be used for food or medicine; it was quite difficult to remember the various uses for each berry.

Ash, in the meantime, was busily going back and forth between looking in on the Pokémon and tending to Mewtwo, who still wasn’t looking so good. It was true that he was sleeping comfortably now, and his breathing had gotten a little better, but he was still a great deal paler than he was before. Ash tried to convince himself that Mewtwo was getting better, but at the same time he grew increasingly worried about how long the poor Pokémon could possibly go on.

“Just hang in there, buddy,” Ash often whispered in Mewtwo’s ear. “You’ve gotta stay with us---your friends need you.”



A faint blue light could just be seen along the horizon by the time Samson and his team arrived. On their backs and shoulders they carried around twelve large logs, all neatly trimmed and stripped of their bark. Right beside them were Volbeat and Illumise led their troops; all of them were carrying freshly cut vines. Every Pokémon was heading toward the southern cove to begin building the raft.

Thinking he should be there to help, Ash quickly got dressed (luckily his clothes had remained in his backpack). Then he carefully wrapped Mewtwo up in the blanket, and carried him outside. Big Sis and Samson were heading towards the hut as he came out.

“Hi, guys,” Ash greeted, “Is everything okay?”

“All’s going according to schedule,” Samson said. “Everyone has gone to the cove. Big Sis will take you there; I’ve got to get something.” With that, the Pinsir marched inside, while Big Sis proceeded to lead Ash into the woods.



The southern cove was a much safer place to work; not just because the three ex-Rockets were camping out on the northern beach. The entire area was almost completely surrounded by high rocky cliffs; only a narrow channel on the very southern end---directly opposite the shoreline---separated this isolated lagoon from the open ocean.

Pokémon of every shape and size were running here and there on the beach; pulling, pushing, cutting, tying, and plugging up any potential holes that could’ve led to drowning at sea. Some exhausted Pokémon were sitting down under the trees while the others continued with the work.

Pikachu was one of those taking a break; he had been helping to tie some vines around a pair of logs a few minutes ago. Skater (the Surskit) was offering him a cup of coconut milk when Ash walked into view, with Big Sis at his side and Mewtwo in his arms.

“Ash!” Pikachu called. “Over here, Ash!”

Hearing his tiny companion’s call, Ash immediately headed in that direction. A few of the other tired Pokémon had gathered several large palm leaves, with which they proceeded to make a bed for Mewtwo. Ash laid the ailing clone carefully on the leaves.

Mewtwo’s eyes slowly opened the minute he was on the ground; a low moan rose up from his throat.

“Uhhhnnn…Ash…?” Mewtwo managed to say.

Ash knelt down beside his friend. “How are you feeling, buddy?” he asked.

Mewtwo cringed a little before answering. “I’m…not sure. What’s going on?” At that moment, Samson emerged from the woods; everyone was surprised to see him carrying Ash’s Shoal Shell bed---cushion and all---on his back.

Samson smiled at their confusion. “Well,” he explained, “you can’t expect the poor creature to spend the whole voyage without any bed rest, can you?”

“Uhh…voyage?” Mewtwo asked, as he attempted to sit up, “What is he talking about?”

“Please, Mewtwo,” Pikachu said, trying to keep him still, “don’t move around; you need to rest.”

“I’m sorry, Mewtwo,” Ash said, a mixture of guilt and sorrow across his face, “We all know you don’t like humans, but…” Ash paused; he couldn’t help but feel that he was betraying Mewtwo’s trust, “…I don’t know what else to do: you’re very sick, and all the herbal medicines on this island aren’t enough. You need real help…from a real doctor. I…I have to take you to…a Pokémon Center.” Ash braced himself, waiting for an angry blast of Psychic energy.

What followed instead was an uneasy silence. Pikachu and the other resting critters just sat and watched for any kind of reaction; even those who were still working on the raft couldn’t help but stop what they were doing, waiting to see what Mewtwo would do.

Surprisingly, the sickly Pokémon did not use any Psychic power---whether or not this was because he was too sick and weak to do so, no one was certain. He raised a shaky hand up to Ash’s face…and softly stroked his cheek.

Ash opened his eyes; he never expected Mewtwo to act like this! How could this Pokémon---who had once declared he would completely obliterate the entire human race---act so calm about being taken to a place where humans were sure to treat him like some circus side-show attraction? To Ash (as well as everyone else present), the whole thing went beyond weird.

“Your choice is hard, I know,” he said, almost whispering, “but many of the choices we make in life are not always the easiest, even if they are meant to help others. That is another thing I have learned from you.” He then smiled at the young boy; Ash smiled back. For a while there was more silence, until Illumise suddenly broke in.

“Listen, gang, this is all very well and good, but if we don’t get this craft finished then these guys aren’t going anywhere! Come on, let’s see some hustle here!” With those words, the work began anew.

A few more minutes into the activity, Ash noticed that Volbeat was struggling with some vines. Leaving Mewtwo in the care of Pikachu, he walked over to the little bug.

“Hey there,” he said, “need some help?”

Volbeat seemed very surprised at Ash’s offer, but he was so exhausted that he was grateful for any kind of aid---plus, his own sister wouldn’t allow him to take even five minutes of rest. He looked up at the human boy and grinned.

“Sure,” he answered, “Thanks.” Ash then proceeded to help tie the vine tightly around the heavy log. At the same time he couldn’t help but notice Illumise’s attitude towards the others: it was like every thing had to be done a certain way, and that it was her sole job to make sure it was done right; like she was the “great leader” or something.

Ash leaned his head near Volbeat’s, “Is your sister always like this?”

Volbeat glanced over at Illumise to make sure she wasn’t listening; then, with a sly grin, whispered back:

“Pssh…worse.”



The eastern horizon was just giving off a pinkish hue when a loud splash was heard in the cove.

In size, the raft itself looked big enough---not to mention strong enough---to carry around two-dozen medium-sized Pokémon. A single mast stood at least three feet away from the front; a large lily pad had been cut to size in order to make a decent sail. Ash’s shell bed had literally been tied down to the raft: more vines had been looped through the freshly drilled holes that circled the shell; Mewtwo was currently laying in it. Besides the sheet and blanket, he was also covered in rushes, which had been securely woven into a kind of huge “rug” (Samson explained that this would protect them from the rain and wind during the trip).

Ash and the others were just about ready to cast off when he suddenly turned around. Kipper and Big Sis were talking to each other one last time.

“I’m sorry I left last time, Mommy,” Kipper said sadly, “And I’m sorry I have to leave now, but Ash needs me…and…I like him a lot…”

Big Sis smiled, despite her own sadness of having to say “good-bye” to her little baby, and nuzzled him softly with her nose.

Kipper smiled back. “Don’t worry…I’ll be…fine.” The tiny Mudkip then turned around, ran to the water, and jumped right onto the raft. Ash was handing Croconaw a piece of vine that had been tied into a loop.

“Croconaw,” he started to ask, “Are you sure you can get us to the nearest town? I mean, we don’t even know how far the nearest town is.”

The chubby crocodile waved his paw. “Don’t sweat it, pal; it’ll be a piece o’ cake. I’ll get our buddy here to a Pokémon Center faster than a Moltres can fly through a thunderstorm.” Croconaw then dove into the water, and the party was soon heading off.

The Pokémon on the beach waved to their new friends as the distance between them increased; it was very sad to see them leave so soon. However, they all knew that the situation could not be helped.

As he turned to wave to Big Sis and the others, he noticed the sad expression on the Mudkip’s face. His heart went out to the poor little mudfish: it was hard for anyone---human or Pokémon---to leave their mother, and they had so little time together after so many months apart. Ash’s mouth suddenly formed a resolute smile.

“Look, Kipper,” he said, “maybe it would be better if you stayed here.”

Kipper looked at him in disbelief; was Ash actually telling him to stay?

“But Ash,” Kipper started to say, “I want to be with you guys; I want to see the world! I don’t want to stay here!” Tears fell from the Pokémon’s eyes.

Ash only kept smiling. “Yes, you do,” he contradicted, “You’ve been away from your mom and friends for so long; they’ve missed you---and I know you miss them. This island is your home; it’s where you belong.”

“But what about all of you?”

Ash patted Kipper’s head. “Don’t worry about us, we’ll be okay; we just want you to be happy, that’s all.”

“Ash’s right, Kipper,” Pikachu cut in, “Ever since I’ve known Ash, he’s always wanted us to be happy, no matter what. Besides, you need your mom right now. So go on, be happy!”

Kipper looked back and forth between the island he called home, and the friends he cared for so much. “Are you sure?” he asked.

Ash crossed his arms and put on a sarcastic grin. “Listen, Squirt, you’ve got exactly ten seconds to get off and go back to your mommy before I change my mind. What’s it gonna be?”

Kipper then broke out into a happy smile as he gave every one of the Pokémon (Mewtwo included) a big hug “good-bye.” After giving Ash a hug and a nuzzle, he dove right into the foaming brine and started dogpaddling back towards the beach as fast as his legs could go---occasionally turning around to wave to his friends. This went on until the raft slipped through the narrow rocky channel of the cove, and disappeared onto the wide-open sea.



As they got clear of the sharp rocks surrounding the high outer walls, Pikachu looked back at the opening, and then to Ash.

“Do you really think Kipper will be okay?” he asked.

With that same smile on his face, Ash pictured a happy crowd of Pokémon surrounding his friend, welcoming him back home.

“He’ll be just fine.”

[mistysakura]

Worth the wait. The emotions were great as usual, especially with Kipper and Mewtwo. Thsi fic is really showing a different side to Mewtwo. It's cool. It's also nice how you don't actually overdo the visual description, but we still picture the fic in our heada, because there's so much other stuff like emotions and things.

[Lady Dragonrider]

Heh...why do I have the feeling something's going to happen to Kipper?

[Powarun]

The southern cove was a much safer place to work; not just because the three ex-Rockets were camping out on the northern beach. The entire area was almost completely surrounded by high rocky cliffs;

yeah, saftey, from what? Preditors? Why it sounds like if the pokemon are in a Utopia, all exept Volbeat, but I think he will one day really stand up for himself and throw Illumise off his back.

Wow, it was a good chapter, it was full of emotions, and really was something. Along with Kipper's parting, that was so thought ful of Ash. Well it was a nice chapter, keep it up, and I won't mind the wait.