A New Journey - Ash Ketchum {2}

Chapter 20 - The Mystery Menace

Ash, Emma, Misty and Tracey were walking through a mountainous desert region, still heading to Trovita Island. Tired and hungry, Ash looked at his friends, "Hey, if you guys are feeling hungry we can stop and eat if you want."

Emma raised an eyebrow with an amused smile while Misty sighed, "That's all you ever think about..." She smirked, "Besides your girlfriend." Ash and Emma blushed. "Am not!" Ash denied.

"Yeah, right," Misty muttered in amusement. "Hey guys!" Tracey called and the trio looked over, "Come over and take a look." Misty, Emma and Ash ran closer to Tracey's side and grinned of the sight of a city.

"It's huge!" Misty said. "Yeah, and there's got to be a lot of good restaurants around," Ash said. Emma chuckled, "Of course you'll think about that." Togepi smiled, "Togy, Togy."

Misty heard something and looked around in confusion. Emma, Ash and Tracey looked at her. "What?" Emma asked. "I thought I heard screaming," Misty said with a frown. "Why would anyone scream?" Ash asked.

Right then, the ground beneath them shook and cracks appeared before the ground collapsed, making the kids and the Pikachu scream as they fell deep under ground.

The kids were on the dirt of the ruins, unconscious while the Pikachu and Togepi tried to wake Emma and Ash first, which they did to the Pokémon's relief. Emma and Ash looked at Misty and Tracey and woke them up.

"What happened?" Misty asked. "We fell into some sort of cave," Emma said. "Look at that," Tracey said as he pointed farther into the cave. "Let's take a look," Ash said.

The kids walked farther into the dark cave until they spotted a light in the end. They stepped into it to see they were inside a sewer. "That's the sewer," Ash said. "Then we in luck then," Tracey said, "All we have to do now is to find a manhole cover and climb out of here."

Emma, Misty, Ash, Togepi and the Pikachu smiled. "Yeah, that's right," Misty said. "Come on let's go look for one," Ash said. The kids started to walk off to search for a manhole.

As they were walking, they heard a ringing of a bell, and they stopped. They exchanged a confused look and looked around. "Uh... you guys heard that, right?" Ash asked.

"A ringing of a bell...?" Emma asked. "Let's, uh, let's just go," Tracey said, slightly nervous. The kids continued walking again, but then heard the bell ringing again, freezing in place. They looked around nervously but didn't saw anything.

"There it is again," Ash muttered. "Uh, hello?" Emma asked. "Don't call out of it, let's just go," Misty said nervously and the kids started to walk faster. Ash felt a tap on his shoulder and he shrugged it off, but then the tap happened again, "What's the matter, Pikachu?"

Both the Pikachu were walking on the floor together, and looked up at the boy in confusion. "Pika?" the male mouse asked. Ash looked down at him in surprise before looking back but didn't see anything. Emma, Misty and Tracey stopped and looked at him.

"What's wrong?" Emma asked. "I thought that..." Ash trailed off and looked down at the Pikachu, "Were you two in front of me this whole time?" The Pikachu nodded, "Pika." Ash frowned, "Then, what was behind me?"

Right after that, the Pikachu, Emma, Misty and Tracey saw something dark lifted behind the boy. "Ash look out!" Emma said. Ash turned around as Misty screamed, "A giant monster behind you! Do something!"

"Pikachu, Thunder Shock it!" Ash said. "No, you can't! If you use and Electric attack here, we'll all get shocked too!" Emma reminded him. "You right," Ash said and pulled out a Poké ball, "Okay. I choose you! Bulbasaur!"

Bulbasaur was released. "Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf attack!" Razor-sharp leaves come out from under Bulbasaur's bulb and flew toward the creature, but it hit the leaves away before grabbing Bulbasaur and pulling him into the water before anyone could do anything to stop it.