Chapter 2- Love and Revenge

Narrator: Last time, Team Rocket was about to start a plan of revenge

against our three heros, and our heros were enjoying a quiet, peaceful

lunch.

Two days later, our heros are just about at Blackthorn City, because they

have traveled swiftly down the road. Ash and Misty have now gotten back to

having small talk with each other and with Brock. They are about one mile

from the city at this point. In the meantime, Team Rocket has already got to

Cerulean City and set up their selective explosives.

Jessie: I'll call the boss and tell him we are ready to go!

James: First, lets get back to our base, so we'll be safe when the stuff

goes off.

Meowth: Right!

Team Rocket continues back up the road they were on for about half a mile.

James: (Complaining)I think we are far enough away!

Jessie: (Annoyed) OK! Do you think we are far enough away, Meowth?

Meowth: (Excitedly) Yes! If we go any further away, we won't be able to hear

the excitement over there. We'll be fine. Dial the boss on the cell phone we

picked up at the base.

Jessie: Ok. (Dials a number into the phone) Boss, this is Jessie. We are all

ready to go.

Giovanni: Excellent! Go ahead and set off the explosives! After a little

while, continue on to Pewter City and start to set up for a similar attack.

Call me again when you finish setting up there. (Hangs up phone).

Jessie: (Excited) We got the signal! James, push the button!

James: (Reaching for a remote control that he has been carrying in his

pocket) Ok, Jess and Meowth, here we go! (Pushes the one and only button on

the remote control). After the explosions are done, lets go to our next site

of destruction!

Explosions begin to be heard in the distance. Thick black smoke fills the

air as small fires begin and buildings start to collapse into rubble. About

50% of Cerulean City collapses into rubble before the explosive carnage

comes to end. Sounds of sirens fill the air as the police and fire

departments start to fan out to help out people who may have been hurt and

also to put out a few buildings that caught on fire.

Fire fighters start to put out the fires, aided by a few Squirtle that they

have recently hited to help them put out fires. The police expect to find

many people and pokemon injured when they arrive at the various collapsed

buildings, but find no one. The police are puzzled. "All of these buildings

were thankfully unoccuppied, but I wonder why they collapsed and exploded

like this?" exclaims Officer Jenny.

The fire chief finds the same thing after put out the fires- no people or

pokemon in the rubble or in the homes that were burning. He takes his fire

truck and goes to meet with Officer Jenny.

Fire Chief: (Loudly) What's going on? Half the town just collapsed, but no

one was hurt!

Officer Jenny: (Also speaking loudly) I don't what happened. It was quiet

and then BOOM! Thankfully no one was hurt!

Fire Chief: Let me know if any new fires start up. I am going back to the

station- I am going to try and figure this out.

Officer Jenny: Ok, go ahead. I'll be here and I'll give you a call if I see

anything.

The Fire Chief drives off, heading back to the Fire Station.

Misty's sisters- Daisy, Lily, and Violet approach Officer Jenny and the Fire

Chief, they had rushed to the center of the town where the police were after

all of these explosions.

Daisy: Officer Jenny, what's going on? We were like training and then we

heard this loud noise, so we went to go check it out and...

Lily: Saw like, total destruction.

Violet: Yeah, like total carnage. Is everyone Ok?

Officer Jenny: We had a few small fires and a lot of our town buildings just

exploded and collapsed. Thankfully no people or pokemon were hurt in all of

this chaos.

The last charge that Team Rocket planted goes off- the Cerulean City gym

starts to smoke and shake.

Daisy, Lily and Violet: (All together) What was that? (All three look and

see their gym smoking) Lets go!

Officer Jenny: Do you ladies need a lift over there?

Daisy: (Anxiously) Sure, but hurry!

Officer Jenny: (Yelling into her walkie-talkie) I need a police vehicle here

pronto! There has been an explosion at the gym and I need some extra

transportation!

Officer at station: Ok. We'll send a vehicle over, pronto!

Officer Jenny: Transportation is on the way! I hope the pokemon at the gym

are ok.

Lily: I hope so, too.

Violet: When we get there, lets get them out and make sure that they are all

there and are ok.

Daisy: Right, sis.

A police car comes up and parks beside Officer Jenny.

Officer Jenny: Let's go! Hop in!

Lily, Daisy, and Violet hop into the police car, which speeds down the

street and right to the Cerulean City gym. They arrive and find all of

Daisy, Lily, and Violet's pokemon outside of the gym just sitting there. The

gym behind them, however, is a total ruin. Lily, Daisy, and Violet rush out

of the car.

Daisy: (Relieved) All the pokemon are here and are ok!

Lily: (Sadly) But look...

Violet: (Angrily) The gym, is like totally ruined! (Yelling) Who did this!?

Officer Jenny: (Who has since stepped out of the car) Probably the same

people who hit the rest of the town. This is very wierd. A lot of buildings

were destroyed, but no one was hurt. What kind of person or people are we

dealing with here? (Looking at the rubble) What's this? (She stoops down)

Its a note! It reads "This attack was brought on because one of your fair

citizens has time and time again interfered with Team Rocket and its

affairs. Let this serve as warning to those who oppose Team Rocket"

Daisy: (Angrily) Team Rocket! Those cowards!

Lily: (Also angry) If I find out which person planted these bombs, I'll...

Violet: Really sock it to 'um!

Officer Jenny: I'm going to take this note to the station to be analzyed.

Let me know if you need any help. (She gets into the police car and drives

off)

Daisy, Violet, and Lily turn again to the ruins of the gym, and stare in

utter disbelief at it. News reporters come up and interview them about the

gym and what happened to it and the rest of the city.

Ash, Misty, and Brock have just entered Blackthorn City. Some people are

running to and fro in the streets. Cries of "Oh my" and "Let me see that on

your T.V., I don't believe it" are heard. Ash stops a young man to ask what

all of the commosion is all about.

Ash: What is going on? Why is everyone running around here?

Misty: Yeah, what's happening?

Young Man: Didn't you hear? There have been some major explosions and a town

was devastated. The town was in Kanto. It just came on the news.

Brock: (To himself) Kanto? (Out loud) Which town was that?

Young Man: I'm not sure, let me go and find out.

The young man walks down the street and speaks briefly with a young woman,

then returns.

Ash: Well, what town was it that got hit by these explosions?

Young Man: The name of the town is Cerulean City.

Misty: (Loudly) Oh my God! Was anyone hurt?

Young Man: According to the news report, no people or pokemon were hurt in

these explosions. Half of the town and the gym was leveled to the ground,

though.

Misty: Anything on who did this?

Young Man: A few theories, they didn't say anything concrete.

Misty: Thanks for you help and information.

Young Man: No problem. (He walks down the street and out of sight)

Misty: (Almost screaming) I gotta get back home! (Grabs Ash's shirt) I hope

my sisters and their pokemon are ok! (Also grabs Brock's shirt) Let's go! I

gotta see what happened to the gym as well!

Ash: All right, lets go. (Puts his hands on Misty's shoulders and speaks)

Relax, Misty. We'll go back to Goldenrod City, so we can get on the Magnet

Train straight back to Saffron City, then we can go to Cerulean, ok?

Misty starts to calm down a little bit. She walks a few steps forward and

turns around to face Ash and Brock.

Brock: We'll get you back home as soon as possible!

Ash: Yeah! You know we are here for you, Misty!

Misty: (Softly) Thank you guys. (Pats Ash playfully on the head with her

right hand) (Starts to speak sweetly) And thank you, Ash, for calming me

down.

Ash: (starting to blush) Uh...No problem...Let's get going!

Ash, Misty, and Brock start back down the road back to Goldenrod City.

Pikachu, who had been sleeping in Ash's backpack, wakes up along the way.

Ash explains to him what has happened and Pikachu nods. Togepi also wakes up

just after they leave Blackthorn City. Misty smiles and takes Togepi out of

the backpack, talks to it for a while, and puts it back in the backpack.

Togepi senses that something is wrong with Misty, but just goes back to

sleep.

Ash, Misty, and Brock make great time getting back to Goldenrod City, but it

takes a while to get back to Goldenrod City. On the way, Ash and Brock talk

to Misty and comfort her. Ash is especially nice and supportive to Misty.

After four days of walking and catching various rides, they arrive in

Goldenrod City, just as the sun sets. They walk over to the train station

and talk to the conducter. He also has heard about what happened and offers

a free ride to and from Goldenrod City. He says that next train leaves in

the morning and that they should get some rest. Ash, Misty, and Brock thank

the conducter and walk over to the Pokemon Center and stay overnight there.

Ash and Brock go right to sleep, but Misty is restless and unable to sleep.

After a while, Ash gets up to look for a midnight snack.

Ash: (Noticing Misty is still awake) You ok, Misty?

Misty: (Sounding sad) I'm...ok. I just hope everyone is ok.

Ash: (Sits down next to Misty on the bed) Don't worry. We'll be there

tommorrow and we'll go and make sure everyone is ok.

Misty: How can we be sure, Ash? (Starts to cry) There was so much damage

done to the area that only helicopters can really get into the city right

now.

Ash: You're right, I have no way to be sure. (Puts his hand on her shoulder)

But I have a gut feeling that they are alright. (Ash gets up and gets a

tissue and wipes the tears off of Misty's face) It'll be ok, Misty, I

promise.

Misty: (Turns her head and looks at Ash and flashes him a lovely smile)

Thanks, Ash. I don't know what I'd do with out you...

Ash: (blushing profusely) (Stutters) T...Thanks. I'll see, you in the

morning, ok?

Misty: Alright. (Winks at Ash) Thank you, my friend. I just hope you are

right, Ash.

Ash: I hope so too.

Ash goes back to his bed and goes to sleep. Misty stays awake for a few more

minutes thinking to herself.

Misty: (speaking quietly to herself) Why was he so caring just a minute ago

towards me? He DEFINETLY must feel the same way I do. I also made him blush

when I flashed that smile... (Misty continues to talk to herself as she

drifts into sleep).

The next morning, Ash, Misty, and Brock are up bright and early to catch the

first train to Saffron City. Ash presents the tickets to the conductor and

all three get on board the train.

Ash: This is exciting, I have never been on a train like this before!

Brock: Yeah, neither have I. Yeah, and I heard that this train is supposed

to run at 350 Mph, that's really fast!

Misty: (Agitated) The faster the better! I wanna get home!

They all sit down at a table on the train. The train begins to leave the

station and all three and Pikachu look out the window as the scenery starts

to pass by faster and faster.

Ash: I can't believe how fast we are going!

Misty: I'll be home in no time! (Happily) Thank goodness we were close to

Goldenrod City!

Brock: Yeah. We'll be arriving in Saffron really shortly.

Thirty minutes go by. Ash and Pikachu are staring out of the train window,

still looking at the scenery. Brock has fallen asleep and is talking to

himself, occasionally saying the word "joy". Misty is just sitting, quietly

thinking to herself. She is thinking about what happened in Cerulean and she

is deeply concerned. A worried look is on her face. Ash, who has been

looking out the window, turns and notices the look on Misty's face.

Ash: Hey, Misty, don't worry. I'm sure your sisters and their pokemon are

ok.

Misty: (Sighs) Yeah Ash, I guess you're right.

Ash: We're about to arrive. (Pushes on Brock) Wake up! Wake up!

Brock: (Grogily) Huh? We're there?

The train pulls into the station. Ash, Misty, Brock and Pikachu get off and

start rushing up the road from Saffron to Cerulean City. After a few hours

of travel and a few rest breaks, they come to a hill that overlooks Cerulean

City. Ash, Misty, Brock and Pikachu come to a stop before reaching the crest

of the hill.

Brock: I'll run ahead to the police station and see if they have found

anything new about what happened here? I'll also check out the gym and talk

to Misty's sisters.

Pikachu: Pi! Pi!

Ash: You want to go and help Brock? Go ahead. I'll be with Misty. Me and

Misty will check out Cerulean and what happened for ourselves, right Misty?

Misty: (Softly) Sounds good Ash.

Brock: Talk to you in a little while. (Runs off into the city with Pikachu).

Ash: Come on, Misty. Lets go to the top of the hill and take a look.

Misty: (Quietly) Ash, I am afraid to look- I don't know if I can handle

looking at my hometown being like this.

Ash: (Puts his right hand on her left shoulder) Come on, we'll look

together.

Misty: (She gently pushes Ash's hand off of her shoulder, then grabs his

hand to hold) Yeah, ok. Let's go. (Ash blushes for a moment)

Ash and Misty walk up to the top of the hill and look out at Cerulean City.

Their memories of a clean and bustling city are replaced with the reality

before them- charred and ruined buildings mixed with undamaged buildings.

Rubble is everywhere. The top of the hill directly across the city is what

now grabs Ash and Misty's attention. That is where the Cerulean City gym

was... now a giant pile of rubble. After seeing all of this, Ash is filled

with a desire to find out who did this and why- it makes no sense to him.

Misty, however, is filled with a different emotion- sorrow. She begins to

shake and starts to cry- she is overcome with sadness because of seeing her

hometown in ruins and especially seeing her former gym in ruins.

Ash: (In a soft, gentle voice) Misty, come here. It'll be ok. I am here for

you...(Stretches his arms out in from of him)

Misty turns around and sees Ash's outstretched arms and goes up to him and

puts her arms around him and begins to hold him tightly. Ash gently closes

his arms around Misty. Misty has her head over Ash's shoulder and continues

to sob and cry, her teardrops falling on the ground and also on Ash's back.

Misty: (Sobbing) Why? Why Ash?

Ash: (Softly speaking, while softly patting Misty on the back) I don't know,

Misty. I don't know. But I promise to find out- no one hurts a best friend

of mine and gets away with it.

Misty, after hearing this, pulls her self closer to Ash and begins to hold

him even tighter than before. Her crying begins to subside.

Misty: (Whispering softly) Ash, hold me some more.

Ash slightly tightens his hold around Misty.

Ash: (Thinking) Whoever hurt my dear Misty is going to pay.

Aftering thinking the thought stated above, Ash now begins to realize that

he has a real love in his heart for Misty. He was being so comforting to

her...He has never cared and show so much concern for one person before. Ash

now fully realizes that he has a desire to care and protect Misty. Later, he

thought, he could tell her his true feelings for her.

Misty: (Thinking at the same time as Ash) He really does care for me! The

way he has comforted me and calmed me down in the past few days proves it.

He stretched out his arms to hold and comfort me. I don't have to debate

whether to express my true feelings to him anymore.

As Ash holds Misty, he now experiences a new feeling- holding Misty gives

him a warm feeling inside and by having her close, he can feel her warmth

and love and be able to protect her.

Misty has a new feeling as well. She realizes that she enjoys holding Ash in

her arms- he puts out a warmth when she holds him close, and it feels really

good. (Looks Ash in the eyes) He can be so nice and such a comforting

person, and he is really special. (Misty pauses, then thinks more to

herself) I want to be close to him so I can love and care for him.

Misty: (In a quiet tone of voice) Ash, thank you for comforting me in my

time of need here. You are such a caring person and... I wanna say that I

really like you and I care for you. I was going to tell you my feelings on

your birthday.

Ash: (Also in a quiet tone of voice) I was going to do the same thing on

your birthday... I have really cared for you for a while now, but was afraid

to say anything.

Misty: (Blushing as she speaks) You didn't have to be afraid, my dear Ash. I

would have been delighted to hear that you liked me. I have really liked you

for a long time now, but I didn't think you felt the same way. (Her head

drops) I guess I was afraid, too. (She raises her head to look at Ash

again).

Ash: (looks Misty right in the eyes and also blushing) I... was afraid to

say anything before, but now I can say that I not only really like you, but

I also lo...

Brock and Pikachu come up to them, interrupting their conversation.

Brock: (Yelling) Yo! I have some info for you guys! Oh, and your sisters and

their pokemon are ok.

Pikachu: Pi, Pikachu!

Ash: (Releases his hold around Misty and puts his arms out, so he can have

Pikachu jump into them) Come here, Pikachu!

Pikachu jumps into Ash's arms.

Ash: How are you doing? What did you and Brock find out?

Pikachu: Pi, Pi!

Misty: Brock, what new information do you have about what happened?

Brock: Officer Jenny found this note. (Holds up note) (Yelling) Its from

Team Rocket- they destroyed this city!

Misty: (Loudly) What!? Let me see that! (Misty grabs the note from Brock and

reads aloud to Ash and Brock) Seems like these explosions were a act of

revenge for interfering with Team Rocket...But I am the only one from

Cerulean City to have really interfered with Team Rocket.

Ash: Maybe they wanted to get back at you- but why only you and not the rest

of us? We all caused them trouble.

Misty: (Sighs) I don't know, Ash. At least no one was hurt.

Brock: Let's all go and talk to Misty's sisters and find out if they have

heard anything new. All we can do at this point is to help rebuild and then

later we can go and try find Team Rocket.

Misty: I don't know if I want to go down there...

Ash: (Puts his right hand into Misty's left hand and holds it) Let's go

together. I'll be right here.

Misty: Ok, lets go.

Ash and Misty walk down to the city hand in hand, with Brock and Pikachu

leading the way. They talk to Officer Jenny and then speak with Misty's

three sisters. While all of this is going on, Jessie, James, and Meowth are

planting explosives in Pewter City. After a little while, they are finished

and proceed down the road to Viridian City a little ways.

Jessie: I'm calling the boss again! We're all ready for explosion set 2!

James: Go ahead, Jess. I can't wait to hear all of the explosions!

Meowth: Come on, hurry up and call so we can begin, hehe!

Jessie: Alright, here we go! (Dials up Giovanni's number on the phone) We're

ready to proceed with the next set of explosions, boss.

Giovanni: Excellent! You may proceed. When your done, starting heading for

Pallet Town for the last set of destruction. Once again, phone me when you

are ready down there. (Hangs up phone)

Jessie: We got the signal again. James, hit it!

James: Hehe. Lets do it! (Pulls out the remote control from his pocket)

Meowth: (Excitedly) Push it! Push it!

James: Here we go! (Pushes the button)

Smoke and fires start to appear as explosions rock (no pun intended) Pewter

City. The charges used this time were larger, due to the heavy-duty rock

material used to construct homes in Pewter City. This time, the gym starts

to rumble and collapse at the same time as the rest of the city. After about

30 seconds, the explosions end. A good portion of the city is rubble, and

there was once again no injury to people or pokemon. Team Rocket surveys the

destruction for a moment and then runs off to thier next destination, Pallet

Town.

Down in the streets below, chaos has broken out. Officer Jenny and other

police officials are trying to survey the damage and keep the people from

going into the rubble or getting hurt. The small fires that had started as a

result of the explosions now fade out, from lack of fuel, since most homes

here were made of rock-material. Brock's father, Flint, rushes from his

house to the gym. He stops in front of it, his expression on his face is

that of utter disbelief. He runs back into town to talk to Officer Jenny.

Flint: Do you know what hit our town? My gym is in ruins!

Officer Jenny: I have no idea what happened. All of the sudden, BOOM! and

there went the homes and the gym.

Flint: Who could have done something like this? (Pauses) Anybody hurt in

these explosions?

Officer Jenny: No, thankful not. All that happened was those buildings

collapsing. (Thinks for a moment) What just happened here sounds similar to

what happened in Cerulean City! Let me call my sister there and find out!

(Calls up Officer Jenny in Cerulean City on the videophone)

Pewter Officer Jenny: Hey, sis, we just had a series of explosions that

leveled houses and the gym, but no one was hurt. Is that the same thing that

happened over there?

Flint: (Leaning over to speak on the phone) Do you know who did this?

Cerulean Officer Jenny: I think so. There was a note from Team Rocket in the

rubble of the gym. Did you look in them rubble of your gym?

Flint: No, not yet. Should I go over there and see if there is anything?

Cerulean Officer Jenny: I would. Go and check it out, and then let me know

if you find anything. (Hangs up phone)

Flint: (Turns around and speaks to Officer Jenny) I am going back to the gym

to see if I can find anything.

Pewter Officer Jenny: Ok. Let me know if you find anything. (Flint leaves)

While the Pewter City conversation was going on, back in Cerulean City, our

heroes have gone down to the police station to find out if Officer Jenny has

anymore information. They arrive and are forced to wait outside on a couch

because Officer Jenny is inside talking on the phone. Time passes and Misty

lays down on the couch and falls asleep. Ash and Brock start a conversation

to pass the time.

Ash: (Looking down at Misty sleeping) I hope she'll be ok. She looks totally

burned out.

Brock: Don't worry, Ash. She'll been fine. Misty has me and (Nudges Ash) you

to take care of her.

Ash: (Blushing) Yeah, you're right Brock. Despite our fighting and stuff,

she really is a caring person and I do like her, and now she knows how I

feel.

Brock: I sorta noticed that, especially when I came back up that hill and

saw you two holding each other like that. I knew that you two liked each

other and would eventually get together, I didn't want to interfere, so I

played dumb and said nothing.

Ash: I guess I did somethings indirectly that showed my feelings for Misty.

She also did the same, but she was a little more obvious at times.

Brock: Yeah.

Misty starts to wake up. She sits up and streches, then begins to talk to

Ash and Brock.

Misty: Wow, we have been here a while and Officer Jenny is still in there. I

wonder if she found something new or important?

Ash: I don't know. Let's go knock on the door.

Ash, Misty, and Brock get up and walk to the door and knock on the door. A

voice tells them to come in.

Officer Jenny: This is terrible!

Ash: What is wrong, Officer?

Misty: You find anything new on what happened here?

Officer Jenny: No, nothing new about our city. Team Rocket was responsible,

there's no doubt about it. I am really troubled about something I just heard

from my sister in Pewter City.

Brock: What did you hear?

Officer Jenny: There were a series of explosions that ruined Pewter City,

and just like here, no people or pokemon were hurt.

Brock: (Yelling) What!? Pewter City got hit, too?

Misty: This is insane! I bet it was Team Rocket again. Officer Jenny, did

your sister find a note from Team Rocket, like we did in the gym's rubble?

Officer Jenny: She said that Flint, the gym leader, went to go and check

that out right now.

Brock: (Yelling) Come on, guys! Let's go to Pewter City and see what

happened! (Brock runs out of the room and out of the police station, and

then starts to run west out of town. Ash and Misty have sweatdrops because

he forgot that all of their pokemon were with Misty's sisters.

Ash: I guess we'd better hurry and get our pokemon back from your sisters

and catch up with Brock.

Misty: Yeah. Let's go, Ash.

Ash and Misty run over to the remains of the Cerulean City gym, where

Misty's sisters are. They exchange a few words and say that they'll stay in

touch to see what's going on. Ash and Misty get all of the pokemon back and

then sprint off together towards Pewter City, trying to catch up with Brock.

Narrator: What will Team Rocket be up to next? What awaits Brock in Pewter

City? What about Ash & Misty's relationship? All questions will be touched

on in part 3.