A New Journey - Ash Ketchum {2}

Chapter 31 - The Underground Round Up

After saying goodbye to Lapras, Emma and her friends were at Hamlin Island. And just across the bridge, there was a ferry line that ran to Pallet Town. "I don't know about you guys, but I can't wait to get back home for one of my Mom's special deep dish chili dog and pizza pot pies," Ash said.

"I can't wait to come home to see everyone," Emma said. "Pika-chu," the female mouse said. "Togy!" Togepi said. "I can't wait to get over to Pallet Town either, to see Professor Oak again and meet your Dad, Emma," Tracey said.

"And I bet Professor Oak can't wait until we finally bring him that GS Ball," Misty said. When the kids reached the bridge, they found it closed off. "Huh?" Emma asked. "Hey, what's this?" Ash asked and read the sign, "'Due to extremely dangerous conditions, persons are forbidden to cross this bridge'?

"I wonder what's so dangerous," Tracey said, and they looked at the town across the way. "If we don't get to that little island, we'll never get to the Pallet Town ferry," Misty said. Ash frowned, "It looks safe to me."

"Maybe we should just take a chance and cross it anyway," Tracey said. Suddenly, an explosion was heard and seen on the far side of the bridge, leaving the kids in shock as the smoke cleared to reveal that part of the bridge was now destroyed. "Maybe not!" the kids said together.

The kids went down to the water and Emma released Gyarados so he could take them to the other side. Tracey was using his binoculars, "That's weird. From what I can see, there are no people over there."

Gyarados reached to the other side and the kids hopped off of him. "Thanks for the lift, Gyarados, return," Emma said as she held his Poké ball, and returned him inside.

The kids walked up the stairs and walked around, noticing no one was outside. "That's funny. The place looks deserted," Ash said. Emma frowned, "Looks like a ghost town."

"If this is a ghost town, where are all the ghosts?" Tracey asked. "I don't want to find out," Misty said. "Hello out there! Hello?!" Tracey called, but no one answered, "I don't get it."

"Where is everybody?" Emma asked. "There's gotta be somebody somewhere," Ash said as they walked past an alley. However, unnoticed to them from the alley, they're being watched, though Togepi sensed something as the group looked through windows.

"No one in the café. No chef or waiters or anyone," Misty said with a frown. Tracey frowned, "Maybe it was an outbreak of a plague that caused the city to be abandoned... due to an outbreak of the barnacle flu." Misty looked annoyed, "Don't say that!"

"Come on," Emma said as she leaded her friends into a building. "Anybody here?" Ash asked, "Hello? Come out, come out, wherever you are." Togepi jumped out of Emma's arms to a table next to them and sat down happily while Emma looked at it and smile and her friends searched.

"Guys, look!" Tracey said from next to the window and Emma walked over with Ash and Misty. "There's the ferry!" Emma frowned, "Well, that's weird. It's in dock, but there are no passengers aboard."

"Maybe they inside?" Misty suggested, but Emma frowned, "I don't know..." Ash tried to open the door but it wouldn't open, "No luck. It's locked. If we can't get to that ferry, how will we get to Pallet Town?"

Togepi, meanwhile, wandered out of the building and walked the streets of the empty town until it came across a Voltorb, which acted really friendly towards the youngling. It rolled away, and Togepi smiled as it followed. At the same time, the female Pikachu looked to the table Togepi was and looked around in panic, "Pi-Pi-Pi?!"

Emma looked over to see Togepi was gone, "Huh?!" Her friends looked at her in startle. "What's wrong?" Tracey asked. "Togepi's missing!" Emma said. Misty, Ash and Tracey looked around, "Missing?!"