Jesse GS the II
I was frozen today!
"Pokémon the Movie 8.5" (my first non-Intensity fanfic)
Since I've worked so hard on "Pokémon: Intensity", I want to see if I've still got a knack for the original cast. Hence, this movie script is my first return to the real incarnations of the characters in years. Check the preview in the Author's Café for the backstory if you like. Enjoy!
NOTE: This movie is set after the Japanese episode "Falling in Love with Mawile! Lombre's Flower Arrangement" but before the episode "Catch Snorunt".
“Pokémon the Movie 8.5"
Scene: Wide establishing shot of a massive mansion, almost castle-like, situated on a small island in the middle of the ocean. The mansion itself is built right on the edge of a huge cliff overlooking the crashing waves. It is late at night, but no moon can be seen, as clouds blot the sky. The camera slowly zooms in on the one illuminated window in the whole house. Inside the room, a woman sits in an armchair, facing a crackling fireplace, breathing heavily. In her hand she holds an object that cannot be seen clearly. Suddenly, the camera shows an extreme close up of the woman’s left eye, which is squinted nearly shut in a look of rage. The screen blurs as she remembers a previous time...
Fade to the Viridian Forest, thirty years ago. The woman, at age ten, is dressed as the typical starting Pokémon trainer would be. Standing amidst the trees of the Viridian Forest, she looks aghast as her Charmander is trounced by a wild Beedrill. The Beedrill swings its massive drills and sends Charmander flying against a tree trunk.
Fade to the Pewter City Gym, thirty years ago. The young trainer now looks on as Flint’s Onix mutilates her Pidgey with a Constrict attack.
Fade to the Kanto Power Plant, thirty years ago. The young trainer is horrified as a Rocket grunt’s Koffing gasses her Raticate, which falls to the ground poisoned.
Fade to the Safari Zone, thirty years ago. The young trainer recoils as a wild Dratini defeats her Butterfree with a Dragon Rage attack. Butterfree collapses among the tall grass.
Fade to the Viridian City Gym, thirty years ago. The young trainer looks helpless as a younger Giovanni’s Rhyhorn picks up her Charmeleon with its horn and throws it across the room. It smashes into the wall and collapses on the floor, unconscious.
Fade to the Indigo Plateau, thirty years ago. The young trainer is on the verge of tears as her opponent’s Exeggutor stomps upon her Wigglytuff, defeating it and officially disqualifying the trainer from the Pokémon League after only one round.
Fade back to the woman sitting in the armchair in the present. The rage on her face steadily builds, and we now see what she holds in her hands - her old and well-worn Kanto PokéDex. Finally, she opens her eyes wider, as a single tear of anger rolls down her right cheek.
WOMAN: Pokémon...must be...
She leaps to her feet.
WOMAN (in a wild rage): DESTROYED!
She hurls her PokéDex into the fireplace, which erupts into a small explosion.
FADE TO TITLE SCREEN
Scene: A large and busy city in the Hoenn region. People crowd the sidewalks and cars pack the streets. Among the crowd of people are our familiar heroes - Ash, Pikachu, May, Max, and Brock.
NARRATOR: As our story opens, we find Ash and his friends in one of the busier cities of the Hoenn region, trying to make their way through the crowd. Which is probably easier said than done.
Ash squeezes his way between two people in business suits. Pikachu follows him.
ASH: Man, this city is crowded! Couldn’t we have just taken the subway or something?
PIKACHU: Pikaaa-chu...
BROCK: The subway wouldn’t be any less crowded as it is up here.
MAY: Speaking of Subway, where the heck is the nearest restaurant? I’m starving!
ASH: I like the way you think, May! We need lunch in a hurry.
MAX: There was a restaurant about two blocks back, but the doorway was blocked off by this mob.
Brock cranes his neck to try and see over the crowd.
BROCK: Ah, I don’t see anywhere else to stop. And even if I did, good luck getting there.
ASH: Oh, this is ridiculous! There isn’t even any room to have a Pokémon battle!
Ash feels someone tap him on the shoulder. He turns around to see an opening in the crowd, revealing an alley between two buildings - and standing before Ash is none other than Yoshi and Dani, familiar faces of the Johto region.
YOSHI: Hey, pal, you say you want a battle?
ASH: Who are you?
YOSHI: I’m a challenger! What, you’re complaining about a Pokémon battle?
DANI: How about a two-on-two? You and the brown-haired girl here? Two Pokémon each.
MAY: Hey, all right?
ASH: Sure, I’m up for it!
PIKACHU: Pika pi!
BROCK: Ash, a second ago you were complaining about lunch.
ASH: Brock, you should know by now that my stomach works in mysterious ways. Especially when there’s a challenge involved!
MAY: Now, bring it on!
The opening credits begin as Yoshi unhooks a Poké Ball and hurls it toward Ash. It bursts open to reveal his Typhlosion. Dani follows suit, sending forth her Croconaw. Ash sets forth Pikachu, and May calls on her Combusken. Yoshi’s Typhlosion hits first with an Ember attack. Pikachu shakes it off and counters with Swift. Meanwhile, Croconaw lunges forward at Combusken with a Slash, but Combusken leaps over its head and lands upright behind it. It then sticks its foot under Croconaw and kicks it into the air, then whirls around and kicks it again in midair, sending Croconaw flying against the brick wall of the nearest building. Typhlosion tries to bring its fist down on Pikachu, but Pikachu jumps out of the way and scrambles up Typhlosion’s arm. He latches onto Typhlosion’s head and commences with a Thunderbolt, paralyzing Typhlosion and causing his muscles to lock up. Meanwhile, Combusken launches a Flamethrower at Croconaw, who counters with a Hydro Pump. The two attacks meet in midair, but the water overpowers the flames and Croconaw’s attack hits Combusken in the face, sending it flying backwards. May quickly recalls Combusken and unhooks another Poké Ball, sending forth her Beautifly. It lets loose with a cloud of Sleep Spores that result in Croconaw keeling over. Typhlosion can’t move at all, so Yoshi calls him back and sends out Beedrill instead. Ash has Pikachu retreat and sends out Grovyle. Beedrill lunges forward with a Twineedle attack, but Grovyle leaps overhead, causing Beedrill to slam into the pavement. Dani sends out her Misdreavus, which hits Beautifly first with a Confuse Ray. Beautifly spins around in midair, but recovers and retaliates with Giga Drain. Misdreavus gets visibly weaker, but as a last resort, it casts a Perish Song. Grovyle swings its arm, sending Razor Leaves flying at Beedrill, but it doesn’t see them coming as it flies forward in a Poison Sting attack. The leaves strike Beedrill’s head and puncture its wings, but it still manages to stick Grovyle’s arm with its stinger. Grovyle clutches its arm and stumbles slightly. Meanwhile, Misdreavus hits the ground, and Beautifly does the same as a result of the Perish Song - just as Beedrill and Grovyle pass out from their respective attacks. Yoshi, Ash, Dani, May, Max, and Brock look at the collapsed Pokémon.
ASH: We’ll call that a draw, okay?
Cut to an establishing shot of a Pokémon Center further down the street. Inside, Nurse Joy hands the four trays of Poké Balls back to their respective owners. Pikachu leaps onto the counter as well.
JOY: Here you go, your Pokémon are fully healed.
Ash, Yoshi, May, and Dani take their teams back.
ASH: Thanks.
Pikachu hops off the counter and lands on the floor by Ash’s leg.
YOSHI: So, now that we’ve fought, I think it’s only fair that I introduce myself. The name’s Yoshi, and this is my friend Dani.
ASH: Good to know you, I’m Ash, and this motley entourage consists of May, Max, and Brock.
BROCK: How’s it going?
MAX: Yo.
Ash seats himself on a couch near the window.
ASH: So, where are you two from?
DANI: New Bark Town in the Johto region. We came over here for the gym challenge - tell me, is it difficult here?
ASH: Well, there are really two ways to look at it. You see, if you’re from Johto, from the outset you think “Well, I’ve handled one region already, I can take another one, right?” But the gym leaders here really don’t cut you any slack. It took me a while to beat a few of them, and even then it was just barely that I won. But if you approach this as a starting trainer, it’s gonna seem even more difficult because surely your team isn’t up to such a huge challenge this early on.
Dani and Yoshi blink at Ash.
ASH: Sorry, it’s one of those subjects I know inside and out. I’ve always put in hard work at each gym I’ve faced.
BROCK: Says the boy who beat me because the sprinklers went off.
ASH: I prefer to think of it as “game called on account of rain”.
BROCK: I prefer to think of it as “pity”, but whatever milks your Miltank.
YOSHI: May, how about you?
MAY: Heck if I know, I’m only here for the contests.
DANI: Ooh, I’ve heard of those! I want to compete so bad, but my Pokémon aren’t up to it.
MAY: Well, your Misdreavus sure looked nice out there, and with the skills your Croconaw knew, I’m sure it could at least win the battle portion.
MAX: Anyone can win the battle portion, it’s the talent portion you wanna be alert about.
MAY: And I do just fine in both, thank you very much.
MAX: You just keep saying that.
Cut to an exterior shot of the Pokémon Center, seen through a pair of all-too familiar binoculars. Behind the window, May leaps up and yells at Max.
MAY: And what’s that supposed to mean, you little ingrate?
It’s revealed that, indeed, Jessie and James are spying on the group from atop an office building across the street. Meowth peeks over the edge of the roof as well.
JESSIE: It wasn’t easy getting through this crowd, but we tailed ‘em!
JAMES: And did you see the way those other kids’ Pokémon performed? I mean, the boy’s got a Typhlosion! And the girl has a Misdreavus!
MEOWTH: We should be tailin’ them instead of the Ketchum jerk.
JESSIE: Regardless, I say we ambush all six of them as soon as they come out that door.
JAMES: Just on the street, in broad daylight?
JESSIE: Of course not, you twit, we’re gonna use the element of surprise. And to save time, I say we send out our Pokémon now.
Jessie unhooks three Pokéballs and throws them upward.
JESSIE: Seviper, Dustox, Wobbuffet - go!
In a flash of white light, the three Pokémon appear. James unhooks two Poké Balls and throws them upward.
JAMES: Chimecho, Cacnea - get out here!
Another flash, and the two Pokémon appear. Wobbuffet immediately stands at attention for no reason while Cacnea looks at James lovingly.
JAMES: No...no, down boy!
It’s too late - Cacnea lunges upward and hugs James around the waist. James shrieks in pain.
JAMES: Yeeee! Get it off me! Get it off me!
Meowth leaps up and tries to loosen Cacnea’s grip. Wobbuffet, in a futile attempt to help, starts pulling on Meowth’s tail.
MEOWTH: OW! Hey, you moronic blob, hands off the merchandise!
WOBBUFFET: Wobba?
JESSIE: Wobbuffet, you heard him! Now, let go!
Jessie tries to grab Wobbuffet and in the process steps on Seviper’s tail. Seviper yells in pain and chomps down on Jessie’s hair.
JESSIE: HEY! Let go of me, you idiot!
Jessie flails around and smacks Dustox in the face, who inadvertently sends spores into Chimecho’s face. Chimecho coughs, rocking back and forth in midair and unknowingly wrapping its tail around James’ neck, choking him. James gags. The entire cluster of Pokémon and Rocket agents starts stumbling backwards. Finally, James trips over the edge of the roof, sending everyone plummeting off the side. They land in an open Dumpster, and the lid slams shut over them. Jessie flings the lid open again to see that Ash, Yoshi, Dani, and the others are leaving the Pokémon Center.
JESSIE: We blew it again! They just left!
James pops out of the Dumpster, as do Meowth and the other Pokémon. Jessie climbs out to dust herself off, letting the lid swing shut and hit James in the head. He massages the area of impact as he too climbs out.
JESSIE: That was a good approach, too! Nobody expects to be attacked on a city street!
JAMES: Well, you know why we failed, right?
James whirls around and jabs a finger at the group of Pokémon.
JAMES (angry): It was because of these losers again!
MEOWTH: Okay, now, James, I think that’s a little overkill...
JESSIE: No, he’s right! You realize that for years, we’ve relied on you guys to help us out? And not ONCE have you ever won a battle for us! NOT ONCE!
Seviper, Dustox, Chimecho, Cacnea, and Wobbuffet look hurt.
MEOWTH: That’s not true! They’ve won plenty of battles for you guys!
JESSIE: Name one.
MEOWTH: I can’t, I just like arguing with you.
JAMES: You know, it’s times like this that I wish I still had my Weezing and my Victreebel. They may have lost too...
James gets right in Cacnea’s face.
JAMES (fuming): BUT AT LEAST THEY DIDN’T INSIST ON HUGGING ME ALL THE TIME!
Cacnea recoils slightly.
CACNEA (small): Cac...
Jessie looks at Wobbuffet.
JESSIE: And you! What’s your problem, huh? Is your head so darn thick that you can’t even comprehend an order as simple as “Stay in your Poké Ball”? You’re the most useless Pokémon we’ve ever had, and that includes James’ Magikarp!
Wobbuffet covers its mouth, offended.
JESSIE: And don’t think the rest of you are any better! You’re all a bunch of weaklings! You couldn’t win a battle if your lives depended on it! YOU ALL MAKE ME SICK!
Each Pokémon starts to shed a tear. Jessie realizes that she may have gone too far.
JESSIE: Of course, when I say “sick”, I mean a good kind of “sick”, like the kind where you don’t have to go to work...
But the Pokémon each recall themselves into their Poké Balls before she can say any more.
JESSIE: Oh, come on, you guys, I didn’t mean it!
JAMES: Neither did I! You know how I get sometimes! Meowth, tell them I didn’t mean it!
Meowth is standing with his back to James, his arms crossed in front of him.
MEOWTH: Buzz off. You insult them, you insult me. I’m just as much a Pokémon as they are.
JESSIE: Why should you be offended? You don’t even fight.
Meowth spins around to face them.
MEOWTH: Exactly! I could fight, but you guys never let me! Instead, I’m stuck doin’ all the dirty work, and for what? Not for any gratitude, let me tell you! If you guys really respected me, you’d let me battle once in a while!
JESSIE: We respect you plenty! That’s why we, uh...prevent you from getting hurt in battles, and, you know, save you a bit of extra work. See, we don’t want you to get injured in the field, that’s all!
Meowth smiles a little.
JAMES: Plus, it’s not like you know any decent attacks.
Meowth’s smile disappears immediately, and he turns away again.
MEOWTH: I’m not talking to either of you.
JESSIE: Aw, come on, Meowth...
MEOWTH (firmly): I’M NOT TALKING TO EITHER OF YOU.
Cut to further down the street. The sign on the curb changes from “Don’t Walk” to “Walk”. Ash, Pikachu, May, Max, Brock, Yoshi, and Dani cross with the other crowd members.
ASH: You know, I’ve already been through your home region.
YOSHI: Really? What’d you think of it?
BROCK: Well, it was a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t wanted to have lived there. Uh, no offense.
DANI: Perfectly understandable - I’ve heard people say that Johto is the most boring region of them all.
ASH: Well, I wouldn’t call it boring. Team Rocket at least kept us on our toes.
YOSHI: Yeah, but thankfully there aren’t any Rocket agents in the Hoenn region.
MAY: You’d like to think that, wouldn’t you?
Pikachu smiles, then looks up at the sky. Surprised, he grabs Ash’s pants leg and points upward.
PIKACHU (distraught): Pika pika! Pikachu!
ASH: What’s the matter, Pikachu?
Ash looks up, as do all the others. The people around them seem to notice it too. An overhead shot reveals a large shadow falling over the city street, grabbing everyone’s attention - a huge zeppelin is hovering overhead, only about a mile off the ground. On the side is a large emblem of a Poké Ball with a skull and crossbones over it.
BROCK: Speak of the devils.
MAX: No, wait a minute - that’s not Team Rocket’s symbol.
MAY: And it doesn’t belong to Team Aqua or Team Magma either. Who the heck is that?
ASH: Pikachu, can you tell?
Pikachu scampers up on top of Ash’s hat and squints at the zeppelin.
Cut to the zeppelin’s control panel. The woman from earlier is seated at the steering device. She grabs a joystick labelled “Winch” and presses the button on top.
Cut to outside the zeppelin. A huge bay door opens up underneath, big enough to fit any Pokémon through, and a large crane game-like mechanical claw extends down to the street. To Ash’s horror, it grabs Pikachu by the scruff of his neck and yanks him upward.
PIKACHU: Chaaa!
ASH: Pikachu!
Ash jumps and tries to grab Pikachu, but the arm is retracting too quickly.
ASH: Whoever this is, they aren’t taking Pikachu without a fight!
Ash reaches to his hip and unhooks another Poké Ball, throwing it upward.
ASH: Go, Swellow!
In a flash, Swellow appears and flies toward Pikachu. It tries to loosen the claw, but the metal is too strong. Suddenly, another claw descends from the bay door.
ASH: Swellow! Look out, behind you!
SWELLOW: Swellow?
Swellow turns around just in time to see the claw clamp down around its body. Its wings immobilized, Swellow cannot break free of the vice grip the claw has it in. Both Pikachu and Swellow disappear into the bay doors.
ASH (horrified): NO!
MAY: Don’t think for a moment that we’re gonna let them get away with that!
May unhooks a Poké Ball and throws it.
MAY: Go, Beuatifly!
Beuatifly appears again and shoots up towards the zeppelin. Before it even gets to the doors, a large hose descends from them and sucks up Beautifly like a vacuum. May looks on in terror.
MAY: Beautifly!
MAX: Quick, who else has a Pokémon that can fly?
Yoshi holds up a Poké Ball.
YOSHI: I’ve got my Beedrill!
Without warning, Yoshi’s Poké Ball goes flying out of his hand. So do the Poké Balls on Ash, May, Brock, and Dani’s belts. Other trainers in the crowd around them are shocked to see the same thing happening to their Poké Balls. They look up and see that a giant magnet, the size of one that would be used in a scrap metal yard, has now descended from the zeppelin and is attracting every Poké Ball below. It’s also causing several lampposts, street signs, mailboxes, and cars to vibrate, and all the TVs in a nearby electronics store window suddenly go fuzzy. The zeppelin slowly moves over the crowd, pulling Poké Balls off of innocent trainer’s belts. Further up the street, Jessie and James are still pleading with Meowth in the alley.
JESSIE: All right, Meowth, we promise that we’ll use you in battle from now on! Okay?
MEOWTH: Words, that’s all I hear.
JAMES: Come on, we’re a team here! We’re like the Three Tenors - Domingo, Pavarotti, and...the other guy.
While saying this, James points to himself, Jessie, and Meowth, respectively.
MEOWTH (sarcastically): Thanks, that makes me feel so much better.
Suddenly, Meowth is snatched from behind by the giant crane.
MEOWTH: WHOA! Hey, what’s goin’ on here?
As Meowth starts to ascend into the zeppelin, Jessie and James grab him. They hang a few feet off the ground.
JESSIE: See what we mean? We’re not about to let you get kidnapped!
JAMES: I’m losin’ my grip here...
James lets go, as does Jessie, and Meowth continues to fly up into the ship.
MEOWTH: Nice going, you nimrods!
Jessie and James land on the pavement. Jessie immediately leaps to her feet and grabs a Poké Ball.
JESSIE: Nobody steals our coworker and gets away with it! Go, Seviper!
Before she can even throw the ball, the magnet picks it up. It also picks up the rest of her team, as well as James’ team.
JAMES: Hey! Give those back, you have no right to take ‘em!
More metal things suddenly go flying out of James’ pocket. James looks shocked.
JAMES: Aagh! My bottlecap collection! What kind of a monster is this?
The zeppelin continues to move over the city, grabbling Poké Balls and pulling Pokémon off the street. Ash, May, Max, Brock, Yoshi, and Dani look at it in horror. Ash suddenly turns around to face the rest of them.
ASH: Well? Are we just gonna stand here or what?
MAY: We can’t catch up to it! It’s too high off the ground!
ASH: We have to try! Those are our Pokémon up there - our closest and most loyal companions - and I for one am not going to stand idly by and let them get kidnapped!
Ash starts running through the crowd; the others follow him. They weave between people on the sidewalk, then take to the street and dash between the traffic jam of cars that has now clogged the pavement. But the zeppelin keeps getting further away. Ash starts to run faster.
ASH: I can’t let them escape...not while they’ve got my Pikachu...
Suddenly, Ash trips over a pothole in the road and falls flat on his face. May and Brock help him up as he wipes the blood off his cut lip. He looks up and sees the zeppelin flying further away. His face is frozen in shock.
BROCK: It’s no good...we lost them...
YOSHI: What kind of person would do that? Who would want to steal every Pokémon in the city?
Ash drops to his knees, still looking at the sky. A single tear rolls down his cheek as the camera wides out to show the huge jam of cars and distraught people all over the street.
-----------------------
To be continued...
Since I've worked so hard on "Pokémon: Intensity", I want to see if I've still got a knack for the original cast. Hence, this movie script is my first return to the real incarnations of the characters in years. Check the preview in the Author's Café for the backstory if you like. Enjoy!
NOTE: This movie is set after the Japanese episode "Falling in Love with Mawile! Lombre's Flower Arrangement" but before the episode "Catch Snorunt".
“Pokémon the Movie 8.5"
Scene: Wide establishing shot of a massive mansion, almost castle-like, situated on a small island in the middle of the ocean. The mansion itself is built right on the edge of a huge cliff overlooking the crashing waves. It is late at night, but no moon can be seen, as clouds blot the sky. The camera slowly zooms in on the one illuminated window in the whole house. Inside the room, a woman sits in an armchair, facing a crackling fireplace, breathing heavily. In her hand she holds an object that cannot be seen clearly. Suddenly, the camera shows an extreme close up of the woman’s left eye, which is squinted nearly shut in a look of rage. The screen blurs as she remembers a previous time...
Fade to the Viridian Forest, thirty years ago. The woman, at age ten, is dressed as the typical starting Pokémon trainer would be. Standing amidst the trees of the Viridian Forest, she looks aghast as her Charmander is trounced by a wild Beedrill. The Beedrill swings its massive drills and sends Charmander flying against a tree trunk.
Fade to the Pewter City Gym, thirty years ago. The young trainer now looks on as Flint’s Onix mutilates her Pidgey with a Constrict attack.
Fade to the Kanto Power Plant, thirty years ago. The young trainer is horrified as a Rocket grunt’s Koffing gasses her Raticate, which falls to the ground poisoned.
Fade to the Safari Zone, thirty years ago. The young trainer recoils as a wild Dratini defeats her Butterfree with a Dragon Rage attack. Butterfree collapses among the tall grass.
Fade to the Viridian City Gym, thirty years ago. The young trainer looks helpless as a younger Giovanni’s Rhyhorn picks up her Charmeleon with its horn and throws it across the room. It smashes into the wall and collapses on the floor, unconscious.
Fade to the Indigo Plateau, thirty years ago. The young trainer is on the verge of tears as her opponent’s Exeggutor stomps upon her Wigglytuff, defeating it and officially disqualifying the trainer from the Pokémon League after only one round.
Fade back to the woman sitting in the armchair in the present. The rage on her face steadily builds, and we now see what she holds in her hands - her old and well-worn Kanto PokéDex. Finally, she opens her eyes wider, as a single tear of anger rolls down her right cheek.
WOMAN: Pokémon...must be...
She leaps to her feet.
WOMAN (in a wild rage): DESTROYED!
She hurls her PokéDex into the fireplace, which erupts into a small explosion.
FADE TO TITLE SCREEN
Scene: A large and busy city in the Hoenn region. People crowd the sidewalks and cars pack the streets. Among the crowd of people are our familiar heroes - Ash, Pikachu, May, Max, and Brock.
NARRATOR: As our story opens, we find Ash and his friends in one of the busier cities of the Hoenn region, trying to make their way through the crowd. Which is probably easier said than done.
Ash squeezes his way between two people in business suits. Pikachu follows him.
ASH: Man, this city is crowded! Couldn’t we have just taken the subway or something?
PIKACHU: Pikaaa-chu...
BROCK: The subway wouldn’t be any less crowded as it is up here.
MAY: Speaking of Subway, where the heck is the nearest restaurant? I’m starving!
ASH: I like the way you think, May! We need lunch in a hurry.
MAX: There was a restaurant about two blocks back, but the doorway was blocked off by this mob.
Brock cranes his neck to try and see over the crowd.
BROCK: Ah, I don’t see anywhere else to stop. And even if I did, good luck getting there.
ASH: Oh, this is ridiculous! There isn’t even any room to have a Pokémon battle!
Ash feels someone tap him on the shoulder. He turns around to see an opening in the crowd, revealing an alley between two buildings - and standing before Ash is none other than Yoshi and Dani, familiar faces of the Johto region.
YOSHI: Hey, pal, you say you want a battle?
ASH: Who are you?
YOSHI: I’m a challenger! What, you’re complaining about a Pokémon battle?
DANI: How about a two-on-two? You and the brown-haired girl here? Two Pokémon each.
MAY: Hey, all right?
ASH: Sure, I’m up for it!
PIKACHU: Pika pi!
BROCK: Ash, a second ago you were complaining about lunch.
ASH: Brock, you should know by now that my stomach works in mysterious ways. Especially when there’s a challenge involved!
MAY: Now, bring it on!
The opening credits begin as Yoshi unhooks a Poké Ball and hurls it toward Ash. It bursts open to reveal his Typhlosion. Dani follows suit, sending forth her Croconaw. Ash sets forth Pikachu, and May calls on her Combusken. Yoshi’s Typhlosion hits first with an Ember attack. Pikachu shakes it off and counters with Swift. Meanwhile, Croconaw lunges forward at Combusken with a Slash, but Combusken leaps over its head and lands upright behind it. It then sticks its foot under Croconaw and kicks it into the air, then whirls around and kicks it again in midair, sending Croconaw flying against the brick wall of the nearest building. Typhlosion tries to bring its fist down on Pikachu, but Pikachu jumps out of the way and scrambles up Typhlosion’s arm. He latches onto Typhlosion’s head and commences with a Thunderbolt, paralyzing Typhlosion and causing his muscles to lock up. Meanwhile, Combusken launches a Flamethrower at Croconaw, who counters with a Hydro Pump. The two attacks meet in midair, but the water overpowers the flames and Croconaw’s attack hits Combusken in the face, sending it flying backwards. May quickly recalls Combusken and unhooks another Poké Ball, sending forth her Beautifly. It lets loose with a cloud of Sleep Spores that result in Croconaw keeling over. Typhlosion can’t move at all, so Yoshi calls him back and sends out Beedrill instead. Ash has Pikachu retreat and sends out Grovyle. Beedrill lunges forward with a Twineedle attack, but Grovyle leaps overhead, causing Beedrill to slam into the pavement. Dani sends out her Misdreavus, which hits Beautifly first with a Confuse Ray. Beautifly spins around in midair, but recovers and retaliates with Giga Drain. Misdreavus gets visibly weaker, but as a last resort, it casts a Perish Song. Grovyle swings its arm, sending Razor Leaves flying at Beedrill, but it doesn’t see them coming as it flies forward in a Poison Sting attack. The leaves strike Beedrill’s head and puncture its wings, but it still manages to stick Grovyle’s arm with its stinger. Grovyle clutches its arm and stumbles slightly. Meanwhile, Misdreavus hits the ground, and Beautifly does the same as a result of the Perish Song - just as Beedrill and Grovyle pass out from their respective attacks. Yoshi, Ash, Dani, May, Max, and Brock look at the collapsed Pokémon.
ASH: We’ll call that a draw, okay?
Cut to an establishing shot of a Pokémon Center further down the street. Inside, Nurse Joy hands the four trays of Poké Balls back to their respective owners. Pikachu leaps onto the counter as well.
JOY: Here you go, your Pokémon are fully healed.
Ash, Yoshi, May, and Dani take their teams back.
ASH: Thanks.
Pikachu hops off the counter and lands on the floor by Ash’s leg.
YOSHI: So, now that we’ve fought, I think it’s only fair that I introduce myself. The name’s Yoshi, and this is my friend Dani.
ASH: Good to know you, I’m Ash, and this motley entourage consists of May, Max, and Brock.
BROCK: How’s it going?
MAX: Yo.
Ash seats himself on a couch near the window.
ASH: So, where are you two from?
DANI: New Bark Town in the Johto region. We came over here for the gym challenge - tell me, is it difficult here?
ASH: Well, there are really two ways to look at it. You see, if you’re from Johto, from the outset you think “Well, I’ve handled one region already, I can take another one, right?” But the gym leaders here really don’t cut you any slack. It took me a while to beat a few of them, and even then it was just barely that I won. But if you approach this as a starting trainer, it’s gonna seem even more difficult because surely your team isn’t up to such a huge challenge this early on.
Dani and Yoshi blink at Ash.
ASH: Sorry, it’s one of those subjects I know inside and out. I’ve always put in hard work at each gym I’ve faced.
BROCK: Says the boy who beat me because the sprinklers went off.
ASH: I prefer to think of it as “game called on account of rain”.
BROCK: I prefer to think of it as “pity”, but whatever milks your Miltank.
YOSHI: May, how about you?
MAY: Heck if I know, I’m only here for the contests.
DANI: Ooh, I’ve heard of those! I want to compete so bad, but my Pokémon aren’t up to it.
MAY: Well, your Misdreavus sure looked nice out there, and with the skills your Croconaw knew, I’m sure it could at least win the battle portion.
MAX: Anyone can win the battle portion, it’s the talent portion you wanna be alert about.
MAY: And I do just fine in both, thank you very much.
MAX: You just keep saying that.
Cut to an exterior shot of the Pokémon Center, seen through a pair of all-too familiar binoculars. Behind the window, May leaps up and yells at Max.
MAY: And what’s that supposed to mean, you little ingrate?
It’s revealed that, indeed, Jessie and James are spying on the group from atop an office building across the street. Meowth peeks over the edge of the roof as well.
JESSIE: It wasn’t easy getting through this crowd, but we tailed ‘em!
JAMES: And did you see the way those other kids’ Pokémon performed? I mean, the boy’s got a Typhlosion! And the girl has a Misdreavus!
MEOWTH: We should be tailin’ them instead of the Ketchum jerk.
JESSIE: Regardless, I say we ambush all six of them as soon as they come out that door.
JAMES: Just on the street, in broad daylight?
JESSIE: Of course not, you twit, we’re gonna use the element of surprise. And to save time, I say we send out our Pokémon now.
Jessie unhooks three Pokéballs and throws them upward.
JESSIE: Seviper, Dustox, Wobbuffet - go!
In a flash of white light, the three Pokémon appear. James unhooks two Poké Balls and throws them upward.
JAMES: Chimecho, Cacnea - get out here!
Another flash, and the two Pokémon appear. Wobbuffet immediately stands at attention for no reason while Cacnea looks at James lovingly.
JAMES: No...no, down boy!
It’s too late - Cacnea lunges upward and hugs James around the waist. James shrieks in pain.
JAMES: Yeeee! Get it off me! Get it off me!
Meowth leaps up and tries to loosen Cacnea’s grip. Wobbuffet, in a futile attempt to help, starts pulling on Meowth’s tail.
MEOWTH: OW! Hey, you moronic blob, hands off the merchandise!
WOBBUFFET: Wobba?
JESSIE: Wobbuffet, you heard him! Now, let go!
Jessie tries to grab Wobbuffet and in the process steps on Seviper’s tail. Seviper yells in pain and chomps down on Jessie’s hair.
JESSIE: HEY! Let go of me, you idiot!
Jessie flails around and smacks Dustox in the face, who inadvertently sends spores into Chimecho’s face. Chimecho coughs, rocking back and forth in midair and unknowingly wrapping its tail around James’ neck, choking him. James gags. The entire cluster of Pokémon and Rocket agents starts stumbling backwards. Finally, James trips over the edge of the roof, sending everyone plummeting off the side. They land in an open Dumpster, and the lid slams shut over them. Jessie flings the lid open again to see that Ash, Yoshi, Dani, and the others are leaving the Pokémon Center.
JESSIE: We blew it again! They just left!
James pops out of the Dumpster, as do Meowth and the other Pokémon. Jessie climbs out to dust herself off, letting the lid swing shut and hit James in the head. He massages the area of impact as he too climbs out.
JESSIE: That was a good approach, too! Nobody expects to be attacked on a city street!
JAMES: Well, you know why we failed, right?
James whirls around and jabs a finger at the group of Pokémon.
JAMES (angry): It was because of these losers again!
MEOWTH: Okay, now, James, I think that’s a little overkill...
JESSIE: No, he’s right! You realize that for years, we’ve relied on you guys to help us out? And not ONCE have you ever won a battle for us! NOT ONCE!
Seviper, Dustox, Chimecho, Cacnea, and Wobbuffet look hurt.
MEOWTH: That’s not true! They’ve won plenty of battles for you guys!
JESSIE: Name one.
MEOWTH: I can’t, I just like arguing with you.
JAMES: You know, it’s times like this that I wish I still had my Weezing and my Victreebel. They may have lost too...
James gets right in Cacnea’s face.
JAMES (fuming): BUT AT LEAST THEY DIDN’T INSIST ON HUGGING ME ALL THE TIME!
Cacnea recoils slightly.
CACNEA (small): Cac...
Jessie looks at Wobbuffet.
JESSIE: And you! What’s your problem, huh? Is your head so darn thick that you can’t even comprehend an order as simple as “Stay in your Poké Ball”? You’re the most useless Pokémon we’ve ever had, and that includes James’ Magikarp!
Wobbuffet covers its mouth, offended.
JESSIE: And don’t think the rest of you are any better! You’re all a bunch of weaklings! You couldn’t win a battle if your lives depended on it! YOU ALL MAKE ME SICK!
Each Pokémon starts to shed a tear. Jessie realizes that she may have gone too far.
JESSIE: Of course, when I say “sick”, I mean a good kind of “sick”, like the kind where you don’t have to go to work...
But the Pokémon each recall themselves into their Poké Balls before she can say any more.
JESSIE: Oh, come on, you guys, I didn’t mean it!
JAMES: Neither did I! You know how I get sometimes! Meowth, tell them I didn’t mean it!
Meowth is standing with his back to James, his arms crossed in front of him.
MEOWTH: Buzz off. You insult them, you insult me. I’m just as much a Pokémon as they are.
JESSIE: Why should you be offended? You don’t even fight.
Meowth spins around to face them.
MEOWTH: Exactly! I could fight, but you guys never let me! Instead, I’m stuck doin’ all the dirty work, and for what? Not for any gratitude, let me tell you! If you guys really respected me, you’d let me battle once in a while!
JESSIE: We respect you plenty! That’s why we, uh...prevent you from getting hurt in battles, and, you know, save you a bit of extra work. See, we don’t want you to get injured in the field, that’s all!
Meowth smiles a little.
JAMES: Plus, it’s not like you know any decent attacks.
Meowth’s smile disappears immediately, and he turns away again.
MEOWTH: I’m not talking to either of you.
JESSIE: Aw, come on, Meowth...
MEOWTH (firmly): I’M NOT TALKING TO EITHER OF YOU.
Cut to further down the street. The sign on the curb changes from “Don’t Walk” to “Walk”. Ash, Pikachu, May, Max, Brock, Yoshi, and Dani cross with the other crowd members.
ASH: You know, I’ve already been through your home region.
YOSHI: Really? What’d you think of it?
BROCK: Well, it was a nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t wanted to have lived there. Uh, no offense.
DANI: Perfectly understandable - I’ve heard people say that Johto is the most boring region of them all.
ASH: Well, I wouldn’t call it boring. Team Rocket at least kept us on our toes.
YOSHI: Yeah, but thankfully there aren’t any Rocket agents in the Hoenn region.
MAY: You’d like to think that, wouldn’t you?
Pikachu smiles, then looks up at the sky. Surprised, he grabs Ash’s pants leg and points upward.
PIKACHU (distraught): Pika pika! Pikachu!
ASH: What’s the matter, Pikachu?
Ash looks up, as do all the others. The people around them seem to notice it too. An overhead shot reveals a large shadow falling over the city street, grabbing everyone’s attention - a huge zeppelin is hovering overhead, only about a mile off the ground. On the side is a large emblem of a Poké Ball with a skull and crossbones over it.
BROCK: Speak of the devils.
MAX: No, wait a minute - that’s not Team Rocket’s symbol.
MAY: And it doesn’t belong to Team Aqua or Team Magma either. Who the heck is that?
ASH: Pikachu, can you tell?
Pikachu scampers up on top of Ash’s hat and squints at the zeppelin.
Cut to the zeppelin’s control panel. The woman from earlier is seated at the steering device. She grabs a joystick labelled “Winch” and presses the button on top.
Cut to outside the zeppelin. A huge bay door opens up underneath, big enough to fit any Pokémon through, and a large crane game-like mechanical claw extends down to the street. To Ash’s horror, it grabs Pikachu by the scruff of his neck and yanks him upward.
PIKACHU: Chaaa!
ASH: Pikachu!
Ash jumps and tries to grab Pikachu, but the arm is retracting too quickly.
ASH: Whoever this is, they aren’t taking Pikachu without a fight!
Ash reaches to his hip and unhooks another Poké Ball, throwing it upward.
ASH: Go, Swellow!
In a flash, Swellow appears and flies toward Pikachu. It tries to loosen the claw, but the metal is too strong. Suddenly, another claw descends from the bay door.
ASH: Swellow! Look out, behind you!
SWELLOW: Swellow?
Swellow turns around just in time to see the claw clamp down around its body. Its wings immobilized, Swellow cannot break free of the vice grip the claw has it in. Both Pikachu and Swellow disappear into the bay doors.
ASH (horrified): NO!
MAY: Don’t think for a moment that we’re gonna let them get away with that!
May unhooks a Poké Ball and throws it.
MAY: Go, Beuatifly!
Beuatifly appears again and shoots up towards the zeppelin. Before it even gets to the doors, a large hose descends from them and sucks up Beautifly like a vacuum. May looks on in terror.
MAY: Beautifly!
MAX: Quick, who else has a Pokémon that can fly?
Yoshi holds up a Poké Ball.
YOSHI: I’ve got my Beedrill!
Without warning, Yoshi’s Poké Ball goes flying out of his hand. So do the Poké Balls on Ash, May, Brock, and Dani’s belts. Other trainers in the crowd around them are shocked to see the same thing happening to their Poké Balls. They look up and see that a giant magnet, the size of one that would be used in a scrap metal yard, has now descended from the zeppelin and is attracting every Poké Ball below. It’s also causing several lampposts, street signs, mailboxes, and cars to vibrate, and all the TVs in a nearby electronics store window suddenly go fuzzy. The zeppelin slowly moves over the crowd, pulling Poké Balls off of innocent trainer’s belts. Further up the street, Jessie and James are still pleading with Meowth in the alley.
JESSIE: All right, Meowth, we promise that we’ll use you in battle from now on! Okay?
MEOWTH: Words, that’s all I hear.
JAMES: Come on, we’re a team here! We’re like the Three Tenors - Domingo, Pavarotti, and...the other guy.
While saying this, James points to himself, Jessie, and Meowth, respectively.
MEOWTH (sarcastically): Thanks, that makes me feel so much better.
Suddenly, Meowth is snatched from behind by the giant crane.
MEOWTH: WHOA! Hey, what’s goin’ on here?
As Meowth starts to ascend into the zeppelin, Jessie and James grab him. They hang a few feet off the ground.
JESSIE: See what we mean? We’re not about to let you get kidnapped!
JAMES: I’m losin’ my grip here...
James lets go, as does Jessie, and Meowth continues to fly up into the ship.
MEOWTH: Nice going, you nimrods!
Jessie and James land on the pavement. Jessie immediately leaps to her feet and grabs a Poké Ball.
JESSIE: Nobody steals our coworker and gets away with it! Go, Seviper!
Before she can even throw the ball, the magnet picks it up. It also picks up the rest of her team, as well as James’ team.
JAMES: Hey! Give those back, you have no right to take ‘em!
More metal things suddenly go flying out of James’ pocket. James looks shocked.
JAMES: Aagh! My bottlecap collection! What kind of a monster is this?
The zeppelin continues to move over the city, grabbling Poké Balls and pulling Pokémon off the street. Ash, May, Max, Brock, Yoshi, and Dani look at it in horror. Ash suddenly turns around to face the rest of them.
ASH: Well? Are we just gonna stand here or what?
MAY: We can’t catch up to it! It’s too high off the ground!
ASH: We have to try! Those are our Pokémon up there - our closest and most loyal companions - and I for one am not going to stand idly by and let them get kidnapped!
Ash starts running through the crowd; the others follow him. They weave between people on the sidewalk, then take to the street and dash between the traffic jam of cars that has now clogged the pavement. But the zeppelin keeps getting further away. Ash starts to run faster.
ASH: I can’t let them escape...not while they’ve got my Pikachu...
Suddenly, Ash trips over a pothole in the road and falls flat on his face. May and Brock help him up as he wipes the blood off his cut lip. He looks up and sees the zeppelin flying further away. His face is frozen in shock.
BROCK: It’s no good...we lost them...
YOSHI: What kind of person would do that? Who would want to steal every Pokémon in the city?
Ash drops to his knees, still looking at the sky. A single tear rolls down his cheek as the camera wides out to show the huge jam of cars and distraught people all over the street.
-----------------------
To be continued...
