A Path To An Unlikely Friendship
Ash Ketchum, along with his trusted partner, Pikachu, was walking down a path in Kanto. Seeing Charizard and a Butterfree again had made him miss his previous Kanto Pokemon. He had wondered how they all were and had decided to take a break from gym battles and travel back to Kanto, Iris and Cilan had understood and let him do so. Ash also missed the friends he had made in Kanto. His first ever travelling companions. Pikachu's ears perked up in happiness.
"Pika!" It exclaimed.
"What is it, buddy?" Ash asked, looking at his partner.
Then he saw it. In front of him was a beautiful city, surrounded in blue. It had a large waterfall in the centre, it was just above the bike shop. The bike shop he knew all too well.
"Is that who I think it is?! It can't be!"
And there was a voice he knew all too well. Ash and Pikachu turned to look towards this city's gym and there she was. The redhead whose bike he stole when they first met. She was wearing a long blue robe over some light blue bathers, her hair brushed down to her shoulders.
"Misty!" Ash exclaimed, running up to her.
"Pika!" Pikachu shouted in unison as it jumped onto Misty's shoulders.
"It's been so long!" Misty said as she gave Pikachu a rub on the head, "What are you doing back here?"
"Charizard came back to me in Unova, and then I saw a Butterfree and it reminded me of my Kanto Pokemon, "Ash explained, " I thought I'd come back for a bit to see how they all are doing!"
"You always did have such a strong bond with your Pokemon" Misty recalled, as Pikachu hopped back onto Ash's shoulder, "Come into the Gym and I'll show you how much it's changed!"
Just as they were about to enter the Gym, a tall mechanical Salamence stepped into the city known as Cerulean City and faced the three friends.
"Is that a-?" Misty asked, as Ash pulled out his Pokedex.
"Salamence. The evolved form of Shelgon, and a Dragon type Pokemon. It becomes uncontrollable if it is enraged. It destroys everything with shredding claws and fire" The Pokedex stated.
"That doesn't sound good.." Misty stated.
"Don't worry, Misty! " Ash said, stepping in front of her, "We won't let it destroy Cerulean City!"
"Pika!" Pikachu said in fierceness, jumping down off Ash's shoulder, ready to fight.
The Salamence opened it's mouth and...began laughing hysterically. Ash, Pikachu and Misty looked at it in confusion.
"Oh, how delusional twerps can be" The Salamence said in a female's voice.
"Even more when there's three" This time, a male's voice.
"And you know they should really flee" Another male voice, this time a bit rough.
"Those voices..." Misty began to realise.
"Well, well, well, Misty" Said the second voice as a stage opened up from the Salamence's head to reveal two people, a man and a woman, and a Pokemon, standing on it.
"It's been far too long, hasn't it?" The female said.
"Team Rocket!" Ash exclaimed.
"Bringing the blinding white light of the evil into the future!" The woman, who had long purple hair began.
"Thrusting the hammer of justice down onto the black darkness of the universe!" The man with shoulder length blonde hair chimed in.
"And carving our names in the rock of eternity!" The Pokemon this time.
"The fiery destroyer, Jessie!" The woman continued.
"And with thunderous emotion, I am James!" The man kept it going.
"Wisest of the wise, Meowth!" The Pokemon stated.
"Bow down together, under the name of Team Rocket!" The three of them said in unison.
"Well, at least their motto improved" Misty said.
"Why did you follow me back here?!" Ash asked.
"Why else, twerp!" James replied.
"So we can catch Pikachu!" Meowth said, jumping down from the stage and in front of Pikachu.
"Are you serious? There are so many new Pokemon out there and you still want Pikachu?!" Misty exclaimed.
"We never said we were finished, did we?" Jessie asked, looking at Ash, completely ignoring Misty's comment.
"You keep coming after us and we keep beating you!" Ash said, "There's no way you can catch him!"
"Oh, really?!" Meowth asked, pulling out a control with a red button, about to press it.
"Pikachu, quick attack!" Ash ordered.
Meowth darted his head from side to side as he saw Pikachu rushing towards him. He took steps back, trying to find a way to dodge the attack.
"Meowth, be careful!" Jessie hollered.
But it was no use, he couldn't hear her from down there.
"Keep at it, buddy!" Ash encouraged his yellow pal.
"Meowth, you're going to-" James started to say.
But it was no use. Meowth fell back, slamming his head into the mechanical Salamence, his paw accidentally hitting the red button on the control as Pikachu slammed into him.
"Now, Pikachu, thunderbolt!" Ash ordered.
Before Pikachu had time to recover itself from the slam into Meowth, it let loose a huge thundershock onto him, which surged through the mechanical Salamence. There was a loud boom and the Salamence fell to pieces, Jessie and James falling on top of it. The two members of Team Rocket stood up, dusting off their uniforms.
"Nice work, Pikachu" Ash complimented his buddy as usual.
But there was no response.
"Pikachu?" Ash asked, looking around.
"Where is it, Ash?" Misty asked.
"Meowth's gone aswell!" Jessie stated as she and James began looking around.
"Meowth!" Jessie and James called.
"Pikachu!" Ash and Misty called in unison.
But there was no answer from either Pokemon.
In a desert somewhere in Equestria, there was a railroad. The desert was very bare, only trains ever came down this way. But at this time, there was a hand-powered cart travelling down it, with two ponies controlling it. A pink Earth pony with curly pink hair and balloons as a cutie mark and a white unicorn with a purple mane styled very elegantly with diamonds as a cutie mark.
"Chimicherry or cherrychanga,chimicherry or cherrychanga?" The pink pony was repeating.
The unicorn gave a tiresome sigh.
"Chimicherry or cherrychanga-Hey, what's that?!" The pink pony said as she noticed something, letting go of the controls on her end.
"Pinkie Pie, there is no time to-" The unicorn began, but Pinkie Pie was already off the cart and trotting towards what she saw.
"Hey, Rarity, come look at this!" Pinkie shouted, motioning a hoof to come over.
Rarity gave a sigh and trotted elegantly, but unpleasantly, through the sand to where Pinkie Pie was.
"What is-Oh my stars!" Rarity exclaimed as she saw it.
A strange yellow mouse-like creature and a cat, passed out in the sand. She lifted the cat's face up with a hoof, studying it. It had unusual features for a cat, and it was wearing some sort of golden amulet atop it's head. It also looked very weak and fatigued.
"What are they?!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed.
"Well, this one is obviously some kind of cat" Rarity replied, trotting over to the yellow creature and lifting it's head up with a hoof.
It looked as weak and fatigued as the cat-like creature did.
"Unforutnately, I have no idea of this one, I've never seen anything like it, "She continued, "One thing's certain, they need to be strengethened and fed"
At this, Pinkie Pie was already back on the cart with the yellow creature over her shoulders. Rarity lifted the cat onto her back with her head and trotted back to the cart, laying the creature down in front of her. As soon as she was on the cart, though, Pinkie Pie was maneuvering the cart back to the town they had found their friend, Applejack, in.
"Pinkie Pie, you are going the wrong way!" Rarity told her friend, pushing the cart's levers down, trying to maneuver it back to their home town, Ponyville.
"This town's way closer!" Pinkie retorted.
"I'm sure Fluttershy can help them!" Rarity began to argue.
After all, their friend, Fluttershy, was the pegasus with a gift to communicate with animals, Rarity was certain Fluttershy would know exactly what to do. And, then, if she didn't, they could always rely on Twilight, the unicorn who knew everything because of how many books she had read.
"But Fluttershy won't know what this one is! I'm certain of it!" Pinkie said.
Rarity gave a defeated sigh and began maneuvering the cart in the same direction Pinkie was. The two ponies reached the town and hopped off the cart, trotting to the nearest house with the creatures on their back. Rarity knocked on the door. A middle-aged green colt with a gray 'fro, glasses and a moustache, answered. His cutie mark was nuts and bolts formed into a question mark.
"Uh, yes?" He asked the girls.
"Oh, sir, you have to help us, please," Rarity began, "We have...animals that are very weak and need to be cared for right away."
"Oh! Come right in, ladies." He said as he noticed the cat on Rarity's back.
He showed the two girls to a living room, where there was a long couch, facing an archway that led to the kitchen.
"Just place them here and I'll whip up something for them," the colt said, as he trotted into the kitchen.
Pinkie Pie and Rarity placed the creatures down onto the couch and then began following the colt.
"Thank you kindly, Mister..." Rarity began.
"Hard Bolts," the colt introduced himself as he stirred some food into a bowl.
"Rarity," Rarity replied elegantly.
"And I'm Pinkie Pie!" Pinkie chimed in.
"Nice to meet you both," Hard Bolts said as he finished stirring, "Let's fill them up, shall we?"
He handed the bowl and two spoons to the ponies as the three walked back into the room.
"What kind of animal is that one?" Hard Bolts asked, noticing the yellow creature and pointing a hoof at it.
"We're...not sure," Rarity replied, shoving a spoonful of the food into the cat's mouth.
"But it's super cute!" Pinkie said, "One for you, one for me!"
She shoved a spoonful of the food into the yellow creature's mouth and then one into hers.
"Now we play the waiting game," Hard Bolts stated, looking at the two creatures, and then turning, trotting back into the kitchen.
"That's a very odd cutie mark," Rarity said as she followed him, "What is it that you do?"
Pinkie Pie trotted after the two, continuing to give herself spoonfuls of the food.
"I'm a...what would you call it?...I guess you could call me an inventor of strange things," Hard Bolts answered, "Problem is, I can't seem to remember anything I make after it's been built."
Meowth was feeling groggy, like something super hot had just been forced inside him. He rubbed his eyes, giving a little yawn. He looked around and found he was on a couch in some room, next to him was a yellow mouse-like creature. Pikachu. That's right, he remembered, that one's name was Pikachu. He knew it. He had to; he had this special feeling about it. He tried to remember how he ended up here. He racked his brain for memories, but all he could recall was a bright light and then darkness. Pikachu stifled a yawn next to him, rubbing its eyes.
"Hey there, pally" Meowth said, petting its head.
"Pi...ka?" Pikachu asked, looking around.
"I ain't sure, I'm sorry," Meowth replied.
"Pika pi?!" Pikachu continued asking.
"I ain't sure of that, either," Meowth said, shrugging his shoulders, "All I remember is a bright light and then...nothing. What about you?"
"Pi..." Pikachu replied dryly.
"They've finally woken, girls!" A male's voice said as it walked into the room.
Meowth and Pikachu looked towards the arch doorway in the room and saw...a green pony with an afro and moustache, wearing glasses, followed by a white one and then a pink one.
"That is just delightful!" The white one exclaimed as it walked up to Meowth.
"Now, be careful, Rarity," the green one warned her.
"Please, Hard Bolts. I do have a cat of my own" Rarity assured him as she put a hoof on Meowth's head.
Meowth shoo'ed the hoof away in a flash.
"Okay, what's the deal here?!" He asked the three of them.
Hard Bolts and Rarity gasped in shock.
"Ooh! Do you talk too?!" The pink one asked as it hopped over to Pikachu.
"Typical Pinkie Pie," Rarity mumbled.
"Pika!" Pikachu growled and took a defensive pose.
"So, are you'se going to tell us what's going on here or not?!" Meowth demanded.
"Rarity and I found you passed out in the desert, so we brought you here!" Pinkie told them.
"As for..," Rarity started, trying to catch her breath, "As for the rest, we have no clue whatsoever"
"This is certainly strange," Hard Bolts stated, walking up to the two creatures, "How are you able to talk?"
"I'm not sure, I guess I was just born with it," Meowth replied, scratching his neck.
"And do you know anything else about your life? Such as what this creature next to you is?" Hard Bolts continued.
"This here's Pikachu. And I'm Meowth. I know that much," Meowth answered, "All I remember when I think back is a bright light and nothing after that."
"What do we do with them?" Rarity asked.
"Throw a party for them?" Pinkie asked.
"We help them figure out what they are and where they came from." Hard Bolts responded.
"And how do we do that exactly?" Rarity inquired.
"They stay here," Hard Bolts answered. "That is, if you two don't mind staying for a little while."
"Oh, not at all, if it means that this cute little pussy cat remembers its life," Rarity said, lifting Meowth's face up with a hoof.
Meowth once again shoo'ed her hoof away, "Look, I ain't cute, lady! What do you need us to do?"
"You could start by helping cook up tonight's dinner," Hard Bolts replied, trotting into the kitchen, followed by Meowth and Pikachu.
"Ooh, can I help, too?!" Pinkie said, bouncing towards the three, but Rarity stood in front of her.
"This is for Meowth and Pikachu," she told Pinkie in a low tone.
"But-" Pinkie began, but Rarity cut her off.
"You get to eat the dinner" Rarity responded, raising her eyebrows.
"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie replied, bouncing over to the couch and taking a seat as Rarity did the same, minus the bouncing.
Meanwhile, back in Kanto, Ash, Misty, Jessie and James were looking all over Cerulean City for their beloved Pokemon. When they had come to the last inch of the city and there was still no sign of them, they were about to give up hope.
"We looked all over this stupid city, and still no sign of Meowth or your stinkin' Pikachu!" Jessie growled.
"Hey, watch which city you're calling stupid!" Misty retorted.
"Well, I guess...this is it," James stated softly, "We'll just...have to find new partners..."
"NO!" Ash said in frustration, "Pikachu was my first Pokemon. He didn't even like me when we first met, but we've grown over our travels and formed a really formidable bond. There is no way I'm going to just toss him aside and find a new partner! I'm going to Professor Oak's and no matter what it takes; I'm going to find him! I know he'd do the same for me"
He held back a tear.
"I'll go with you, Ash," Misty told him.
"Thanks, Misty," Ash replied, "I'd appreciate that."
"Uhm, twerp...," Jessie began, "You wouldn't mind if we tagged along, would you? Meowth was a valuable member of Team Rocket and if the Boss found out we lost him, we could...we could be fired."
"Showing a little emotion for Meowth, are we?" Misty teased the Team Rocket members.
"No...no," Jessie replied, "We just don't want to lose our jobs, that's all."
"Alright, you can come," Ash said, "But no funny tricks."
Professor Samuel Oak was just finishing starting up his recently purchased Pokemon Tracker, which was able to track every Trainer's Pokemon throughout the six regions, when there was a knock at the door. He answered it to see a boy he hadn't seen in person for quite some time, the Cerulean City Gym Leader, and two members of Team Rocket.
"Ash! It's been forever!" Professor Oak stated, giving Ash a hug, then whispering, "Why is Team Rocket with you?"
"It's a long story, Professor, I'll explain it when we all get inside," Ash told him.
At Ash's voice, Bulbasaur, Totodile, Swellow, Staraptor and Buizel came zooming into the room, almost knocking over Misty, Jessie and James. Ash greeted each Pokemon with hugs, Bulbasaur and Totodile even more as he hadn't seen those two in quite some time.
"So, what is the reason for your visit?" Professor Oak asked, as each of them took a seat.
"Originally, he just wanted to see how Bulbasaur and his other Pokemon were doing," Misty replied.
"But then Team Rocket had followed me, planning to catch Pikachu," Ash continued.
'And they caught it?" Professor Oak queried, noticing Ash's faithful partner was missing.
"Would we be here if we had it?!" James raged.
"Besides, do you see Meowth anywhere?!" Jessie argued.
"So Meowth ran off with Pikachu?" Professor Oak continued asking.
"Let him finish, Professor" Misty stated, putting a hand on the Professor's shoulder.
"As Pikachu collided with Meowth, who was about to push a button, I commanded him to use thunderbolt," Ash continued.
"Which surged through Meowth, who had tripped and come into contact with our mechanical Salamence and destroyed it in a loud explosion," James added.
"There was a flash of bright light and then Meowth and Pikachu were gone," Misty finished.
"I thought maybe you'd be able to help us find them," Ash told Professor Oak. "Pikachu did come from here, after all"
"Well, it's your lucky day, Ash," Professor Oak told them, "I've recently purchased a Pokemon Tracker, which is able to verify a specific Pokemon out of its species just by its pokeball, or even its Trainer's hand, and track it through each and every region. Come this way and we'll be able to find Pikachu for you"
The four of them followed Professor Oak into another room, followed by Ash's Pokemon who looked devastated at the loss of their friend.
"All you need to do is touch your hand on this screen, say the Pokemon's name and it will track your specific Pokemon for you and find it in any of the regions," Professor Oak explained.
"Pikachu," Ash said as he placed his hand on the screen.
The machine began beeping, searching for one specific Pikachu out of all species, through all regions. When it concluded its search, it showed a red screen and the words, "NOT FOUND".
"What-" Ash began, staring at it, but was pushed out of the way by Jessie, who placed her hand on the machine.
"Meowth!" She screamed at it.
The same results showed up.
"Stupid piece of trash!" Jessie muttered as she shuffled back to James.
"Professor, you said it tracks Trainer's Pokemon, right?" Misty asked.
"That's correct, Misty," Professor Oak replied.
"Then maybe Meowth wasn't found because he isn't Jessie or James' Pokemon, but just plainly a member of Team Rocket" Misty stated.
"That may be true," Professor Oak said, "Meowth may be in one of the regions, but the machine can't track it because he doesn't belong to anybody."
"But then, what about Pikachu?" Ash asked, "He is mine."
"That's where Misty's theory gets debunked," Professor Oak continued, "Since they were in contact with each other, Pikachu would be wherever Meowth is. And the machine can't locate Pikachu. You said there was a bright light and then they just disappeared?"
The four friends nodded.
"Hmm," Professor Oak thought, "There is one possibility. It's a long shot, but still possible."
"What is it, Professor?" Ash asked.
"We'll need this for it, though," Professor Oak said, reaching into a drawer, and pulling out a long black and yellow horn.
"A horn?" James queried.
"Not just any horn, every Professor needs a separate one," Professor Oak replied, "One for each legendary Pokemon."
The four of them gasped.
"You mean-?" Misty began.
"That's right. If Pikachu and Meowth are not here, they could very well be in another dimension, and the Pokemon that caused them to be is-" Professor Oak began explaining.
"Giratina," Ash remembered.
"Correct," Professor Oak said, blowing into the horn.
The roar that came out of it was so loud that even the Pokemon had to block their ears. Suddenly, a wormhole formed below the floor and the legendary Pokemon that was Giratina travelled through it, placing its humongous feet on the floor.
"Giratina!" The four Trainers gasped.
Giratina gave a massive roar, and turned its head to Professor Oak.
"Giratina," Professor Oak began, "Are you familiar with the Pikachu and Meowth that belong to these fine people?"
Giratina gave a mighty roar with a nod.
"Did you perhaps send them into another dimension?" Professor Oak continued.
Giratina gave another roar and nod combination.
"But-why?" Ash asked.
This time, Giratina gave a louder roar, almost vibrating the whole area. Ash's Pokemon understood what it said and chattered amongst each other.
"What did it say?" Misty asked.
"Meowth would have told us if he was here," James stated in a dry tone.
"If you sent them there, you can send them back, right?" Ash asked the legendary Pokemon.
Giratina gave a sad roar and shook its head.
"Fine! Then send me there!" Ash demanded.
"Hold it, twerp!" Jessie yelled, running up to Ash and pushing him aside, "If anyone's going to get sent there, it's us! We are Team Rocket, after all!"
"Meaning?" Misty inquired.
"Meaning we could find Meowth and Pikachu in a flash," James answered her, "We have found many different Pokemon on our own."
"Without Meowth?!" Ash snapped back.
It was obvious to anyone who met Team Rocket that Meowth was the one who ran things.
"Meowth is not the brains of Team Rocket!" Jessie argued, then turning to Giratina, "Just open up a wormhole for us, will you?!"
With that, Giratina opened up a wormhole, Jessie instantly jumped in.
"Jessie, wait!" James yelled, jumping in after her.
Ash tried following them but Giratina jumped on top of the wormhole, in front of Ash, in the process, closing it. It gave a huge roar and big shake of its head.
"Why not me?!" Ash enraged.
"Having too many species in certain dimensions can upset the balance of the world," Professor Oak explained, "As Meowth and Pikachu are separate species of themselves, that is already three different species"
Ash grumbled as he kicked the floor and Misty and his Pokemon followed him and Giratina started to leave back to the Reverse World.
"Wait!" Oak stopped it.
Giratina roared in questioning at the Professor.
"You'll send them back here when they find them, won't you?" Professor Oak asked it.
Giratina roared in answer, nodding and left the laboratory.
Hard Bolts was at his oven as Pikachu and Meowth were sitting at a table, passing each ingredient to each other. Pikachu would grab the ingredient, hand it to Meowth, who would do as the recipe says and place it into a bowl which would be placed into the oven by Hard Bolts once complete. Pikachu handed Meowth an egg, which called to be cracked.
"I don't get how this will help us get our memories back" Meowth told Hard Bolts as he cracked the egg into the bowl.
"I didn't say it would," Hard Bolts replied, "Its always nice having a pair of extra hooves...or paws around"
Pikachu handed Meowth a bowl of lettuce.
"You don't have anyone else here?" Meowth asked as he tossed the lettuce into the bowl.
"Unfortunately not," Hard Bolts replied, "I grew up way on over Equestria with my aunt and uncle. They were apple farmers, you see. They assigned chores for me, naturally, but I had more fun in my room designing lots of neat, spectacular things. When I got my cutie mark, and it wasn't apple-related, they went and kicked me out. I had to find my way on my lonesome. Have been ever since."
"That's a really sad story, mister," Meowth stated as he poured some milk into the bowl and started stirring, "And you gots no other relatives in this Equestria?"
"I haven't heard anything from my family since I got my cutie mark, and I was only a small colt back then," Hard Bolts told them.
Pikachu handed Meowth a frozen cucumber, which called to be sliced up in tiny pieces. Meowth fisted his paws and smashed down on the cucumber, but nothing.
"Do you need a knife?" Hard Bolts asked.
Meowth looked down at his paws.
"Nah" He said, sharpening his claws.
With a few quick swipes of his claws, the cucumber was sliced up into little pieces. Meowth stopped as he drew his claws back in. Something had flickered in him when he did that. He didn't know what, but that swiping action had felt so familiar. As if he had done it before, so many times.
The next morning, Pikachu woke up to find he was being squished by Pinkie Pie, who was snoring. Rarity and Meowth had already woken up and were probably in the kitchen already. He tried to squeeze out of Pinkie's grip, but it was no use. He rolled onto his side, back facing Pinkie and felt his tail turn a solid metal, and with one big whack, hit Pinkie's rump.
"YOWCH!" Pinkie screamed, jolting up from the whack.
She felt her throbbing rump and gave a little whimper.
"Pi..Pi..Pika.." Pikachu gasped, not just from the release of the suffocation, but from what he had just done.
His tail had felt metal and heavier than usual. Yet it didn't feel strange at all. It felt familiar. So familiar. As if he had done that to someone before, and even combined it with...something. He shook his head and felt his tail. Normal. Not metal. It was probably nothing. At that moment, Hard Bolts came trotting into the room.
"Pikachu, are you ready? I have another job for you and Meowth" He told him, then noticing Pinkie's rump, "What happened?"
"I don't know, I must have hit it on something metal sleepwalking," Pinkie replied as she followed Pikachu and Hard Bolts out the door, "Ouchies!"
The two of them, now joined by Rarity and Meowth, followed Hard Bolts outside to the back of his house.
"I never realised such a tiny house could hold a farm," Rarity stated as she noticed the environment.
The backyard was full of fully-grown plants Behind it, closed off by a fence, were miles of trees.
"This part is just my garden," Hard Bolts replied.
"So, what's our job?" Meowth asked.
"My machine which I just realised this morning I built months ago predicts there'll be a flock of crows heading over this way very soon," Hard Bolts answered, "Every time they fly over this way, they always snack on my plants. I need you to pick the full-grown ones out as fast as you can. You two ladies are free to help."
"Okie dokie lokie!" Pinkie said, hopping into the garden, pulling out plants with her mouth and throwing them to Hard Bolts.
Meowth and Pikachu began doing the same.
"I think I'll stay out of this one" Rarity said, stepping back from where Pinkie was throwing the plants.
"Fine by me," Hard Bolts told her.
Pikachu was doing exactly as Pinkie, plucking plants out with his mouth and throwing them to Hard Bolts. He looked at all the plants that were left. As Hard Bolts had said, they needed to do it fast. He felt he could do it faster than Meowth and Pinkie and gave it a shot. He whizzed up and down the garden. This was something else that felt really familiar to him.
"Would you look at that?" Hard Bolts remarked.
"At what?" Rarity asked, then noticing it, "Oh my!"
"That speed!" Hard Bolts said.
"Its agility could near well rival my friend, Rainbow Dash's!" Rarity remarked.
Pinkie and Meowth could not keep up with Pikachu and within seconds the plants were all plucked, in a pile at Hard Bolts' hooves. Pinkie, Meowth and Pikachu stood on the other end of the pile as they heard crows caw.
"They're coming!" Hard Bolts said, looking up into the sky.
The others did so as well, and as predicted the crows came flying overhead. But they must have noticed the pile of plants, as they came swooping down for them. The three ponies screamed. Pikachu ducked and covered his head and just at that moment, something flickered in his mind. He had experienced something similar to this moment before. Just as the birds almost came into contact with them, Meowth jumped in front, his claws outstretched and a whitish purple, he slashed at the leader crow, and clipped some of its feathers off. The crow screeched and flew away, the others following trait. Meowth brought his claws back in and gave heavy gasps.
"Oh, dear, are you alright, Meowth?" Rarity asked him.
"I'm...fine" Meowth said, through gasps.
Truth was, he wasn't. Kind of. He didn't know what he just did, but it felt scary to do. He promised himself he'd never do it again. Whatever it was.
The next day, the friends were gathered in Hard Bolts' living room. Rarity had ordered a meeting. She said she had things to discuss.
"Are we any closer to them getting their memories back?" She asked them, "Pinkie Pie and I really need to get going. Our friends will be worried about us"
"Exactly!" Pinkie said, "You're not just using us for slaves, are you?! Because we can easily take them back to our friend, Twilight!"
Rarity rolled her eyes at this statement. They could have done that in the first place.
"I understand your concern, ladies," Hard Bolts stated, "But I can't answer that."
"I can, though," Meowth said, "I dunno about Pikachu, but I've certainly felt surges of familiarity doing these things you've gotten us to do."
"Pika!" Pikachu nodded.
"He says he has, too." Meowth translated.
"You understand him?" Rarity asked Meowth.
"I guess so," Meowth replied, "It just sounds like English to me."
"Interesting," Hard Bolts stated, "Anyway, I have one more thing, which is bound to jog your memory."
Hard Bolts lead the friends out to his backyard, past the garden, through the gates and into the forest of trees.
"This is my little cherry farm!" Hard Bolts stated, outstretching a hoof.
"Little?" Rarity asked, "Does everypony here own a cherry farm?"
"It's a gift to each of us, I guess," Hard Bolts replied, "Now, I need you to help me buck some cherries down."
"Well, Meowth obviously cannot buck," Rarity stated, "So I will, and he can collect them. Is that fine with you, sweetie?"
She flickered her eyebrows at Meowth.
"Yeah, sure, dollface," Meowth said, realising the smoothness of that attitude just rolled naturally off him for some reason.
It felt all so familiar to speak like that. The five of them got to work, bucking cherries. As Meowth had collected his and Rarity's last bucket, he tripped over a branch, spilling the cherries. They went rolling over to Pikachu who was collecting cherries from Hard Bolts' bucking, Pikachu slipped, spilling more cherries and, tripping on them, he rolled head first into a tree as Hard Bolts, Meowth, Rarity and Pinkie watched. Pikachu got so much of a shock, he released some sort of electricity out of its body and onto the tree, reducing it to ash. The three ponies mouths gaped open. But Meowth's mind was reeling. Something had hit him as he watched Pikachu stare down at the ash. His mind reeled back and then he saw the cause of the bright light. A red button. Pikachu coming at him at full speed, and then attacking him with thunderbolt.
"I remember!" Meowth stated, "Twerp!" He called out to Pikachu.
"Pika!" Pikachu said, running up to Meowth in a defensive stance, "Pika pika pikachu!"
"Relax, kiddo," Meowth said, "Jessie and James aren't here, are they? It takes three of Team Rocket to execute a perfect plan to catch you."
"Pika pika?!" Pikachu asked.
"I don't know why, or how we got here," Meowth replied.
The two Pokemon recalled there were still three ponies with them, they turned to the three of them, who were staring at them in confusion.
"How you got here?" Hard Bolts queried.
"I guess now we can tell you the truth," Meowth said, "Let's go inside for it."
After a long explanation, the ponies pondered through it. Or, well, Rarity was the only one that was really surprised. Pinkie was excited at the news and Hard Bolts was deep in thought. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Hard Bolts got up and trotted over, opening it to find...two cream salesponies at the door, one of them with a moustache.
"Hello, my good sir, may we interest you in-" The one with a moustache began, only to be cut off by the other with a block of the hoof.
"I'm Flim and this is my brother, Flam, and we are Equestria's number one apple cider provider, and we were wondering-" It started, but then noticed the white of Meowth.
"Instead! Today is your lucky day! We'd gladly trade you our whole business for that Meowth over there!" Flim pointed to Meowth as Hard Bolts stepped inside.
"And the Pikachu as well!" Flam said as he noticed Pikachu.
"You know what they are?" Hard Bolts queried.
"Research gets you everywhere, my good man!" Flim stated.
"I'm not going to just give them away for some lame apple cider business! Besides, I had plans of my own for them," Hard Bolts replied.
"What do you mean, plans of your own for us?!" Meowth asked angrily, with Pikachu beside him, "I thought you were going to help us find a way back to our universe?!"
"Oh, I helped you get your memories back because I thought you were mutated creatures I'd created and forgotten about. Now you're so much more, and not even from here, I can sell you on Equestria's black market and get so much money! I'll be a billionare! That will show my family!" Hard Bolts replied, ending his speech with a maniacial laugh.
Rarity and Pinkie Pie jumped in front of the two Pokemon.
"You'll do nothing of the sort!" Rarity fumed.
"Yeah! Leave them alone!" Pinkie said.
"Meowth!" Flim whispered to Meowth.
Meowth looked towards the pony, and in an instant saw through the pony disguise.
"Jessie?" He whispered back.
Flim tilted his head to Flam, then nodded and winked at Meowth. Flim and Flam trotted into the house and up to Hard Bolts.
"Now I'm sure we can change your mind, sir," Flam said to him.
Hard Bolts fumed at the two salesponies. Meowth was whispering to Pikachu, Rarity and Pinkie Pie whilst Hard Bolts was distracted. Pinkie and Rarity stepped aside, nearer to the door.
"Yes, you could easily take a big Bite out of our machine!" Flim commanded.
At the order, Meowth latched onto Hard Bolts' rump, biting into him and jumping off. Hard Bolts screamed spinning around to the Pokemon. Meowth skidded under his legs to Flim and Flam. Pikachu took a defensive stance, growling at the green pony.
"I've got you now, Pikachu!" Hard Bolts said, trotting slowly towards him.
Pikachu used Quick Attack to dodge each and every one of Hard Bolts' grabs, he made his way through the pony's legs to Flim, Flam and Meowth. The four of them ran into the kitchen, but Meowth and Pikachu realised the back door was locked.
"Bad decision!" Hard Bolt said with a menacing grin.
"Get us out of here!" Meowth said as he and Pikachu stood in front of Flim and Flam.
Suddenly, there was a shake of the room and a roar, a wormhole appeared underneath the four of them and swallowed them into it, closing up before Hard Bolts slammed into the floor. Hard Bolts fumed, sighed and then realising he still had two female ponies he could use to his advantage, trotted into the living room...to find they were gone.
Ash was cuddled up to his Pokemon, Misty and Professor Oak sitting each side of him when a wormhole opened below the floor and Jessie and James came through it, crawling. They were joined by Meowth and Pikachu.
"That was a terrible disguise!" Jessie said as she and James stood upright, "The song and humiliation I had to go through to find you two!"
Ash noticed Pikachu and ran to him, giving him a big hug, the Pokemon chattering in excitement.
"I'm so glad you're back, buddy!" Ash said.
"Pika!" Pikachu replied happily, returning the hug.
"How did you two get to Equestria anyways?" Meowth asked Jessie and James.
"Giratina sent them," Professor Oak answered, "And you."
"More like they jumped in the wormhole before I could," Ash muttered, still frustrated Team Rocket was faster than him.
"It just shows they think more of you than just a Team Rocket member!" Misty teased them.
"The Boss would have fired us had we lost you, a valuable member with the ability to communicate with Pokemon," Jessie denied, coming up with a perfect explanation.
"And why did Giratina send us?" Meowth continued asking.
The humans were silent and the Pokemon debating whether to tell them or not.
"Totodile toto totodile" Totodile began.
Meowth looked to the humans, who were waiting for his translation.
"Totodile says there were two reasons Giratina sent us" Meowth began translating.
"Swellow Swell Swellow" Swellow continued.
"Swellow is saying one of them was because Pinkie and Rarity, the ponies we met, were travelling at a high speed and would have been in danger had they not noticed us" Meowth told them.
"Buizel Bui bui buizel!" Buizel continued telling them.
"Buizel says the other reason was to show that, at the most desperate of times, Team Rocket and you twerps can work together" Meowth translated.
"Pika, pika pika pikachu!" Pikachu yelled in frustratrion.
"Pikachu is wondering why it took our memories away when it sent us there," Meowth said.
"Bulbasaur! Bulba bulba bulb bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur explained to Pikachu.
"Bulbasaur is saying it was because if we kept our memories, our hatred for each other would have made us go our separate ways in Equestria, and we may never have come back." Meowth translated.
"I think a lesson has been learnt here," Professor Oak stated at hearing all of this.
"I think so, too," Meowth said, holding a paw out to Pikachu, "Pals?"
Pikachu eyed him, but then smiled and shook his paw.
"What about you two?" Misty asked Jessie and James.
"Yes, I guess," Jessie said, "You're right, Misty. There are hundreds of new Pokemon out there"
"We definitely have been focusing on Pikachu for too long," James added.
"So, watch out, Kalos region, here comes Team Rocket!" Jessie shouted as she, James and Meowth left the laboratory.
Back in Equestria, Pinkie Pie and Rarity were climbing back onto the railroad cart.
"Lucky we escaped," Rarity told her friend, "That was a close one"
"You're right!" Pinkie agreed, "Now, what was I saying?"
"Please don't start up about chimichangas" Rarity told her as they began maneuvering the cart back to Ponyville.
"That's right!" Pinkie remembered, "It's not chimichanga. It's chimicherry. Or is it cherrychanga? Chimicherry or cherrychanga? Chimicherry or cherrychanga? Chimicherry or cherrychanga?"
Rarity gave an exasperated sigh as she grumbled.
To be continued...
Probably not though!
PINKIE!
Oops... sorry Mr. Narrator.
*sigh*
