A blazing ball of white light lit up the sky.
Ash was thrown backward by the blast. He was stunned. The blast was bigger then lightning. Bigger than fireworks. He couldn't beleive it.
Ash looked beside him. Pikachu was lying next to him. Above them, the clouds disappeared. The sun shone in the blue sky. There were no Spearow to be seen.
Pikachu had risked its life to save Ash!
"We beat them," Ash said, exhausted.
"Chuuu,"Pikachu replied. Pikachu was alive, but it looked hurt. Really hurt.
Ash knew his troubles weren't over yet. He had to get Pikachu to the Pokémon Center - before it was too late!
Ash looked at Misty's bike. The metal was charred and black from the explosion. They'd have to go on foot.
Down the road, Ash could see the buildings of Viridian City. He could make it but he would have to hurry.
Ash ran with Pikachu in his arms. The tree's on the roadside grew farther and farther apart. A paved road lay ahead of them. They had made it!
As they got closr, the sound of a siren wailed in the air.
"Attention citizens of Viridian City!" blared a voice from a loud speaker. "We have reports of possible Pokémon thieves in our area. Be on the lookout for suspicious looking strangers."
Pokémon thieves? That sounds dangerous, Ash thought. But he didn't have time to stop. Pikachu needed help - fast. Ash ran down the streets of Viridian City. A large dome shaped building with a red "P" on the front loomed before him.
"The pokemon Center!" Ash cried. "It's gigantic." Ash charged throught the front doors. "Please help my Pikachu," Ash told the nurse behinf the desk.
The nurse took one look at the Pikachu and began typing into a computer. "I need a stretcher for a small electric pokemon stat!" she ordered.
The emergency room door opened, and two chubby, Pink Pokémon wearing nurse's caps emerged, wheeling a stretcher. Poor Pikachu looked so hurt! Ash could barely watch as the Pokémon nurse heeled it away.
The nurse put a hand on his shoulder. Her red hair was tied up in two ponytails, and Ash thought she had a sweet face. "It'll be okay. We'll take good care of it. Chansey Pokémon are very good nurses. I'm Joy. Who are you?"
"I'm ash," he said, "Pikachu's trainer."
Joy's expression clouded. "I hope you're more responsible in the future, Ash. You should never let a Pokémon battle when it's in this condition."
]Ash stared at the floor. He knew Joy was right.
Joy stepped behind two sliding metal doors. "Ash you'll have to go to the waiting room," she said.
"But I wat to -" Ash started, but the doors closed in front of them.
Ash stepped into the waiting room. Telephones with video screens lined one wall. One of them was ringing.
Ash founf the phone that was ringing and flipped on the sceen. Professor Oak's face appeared before him.
"Ah, Ash, I was hoping you would've reached Viridian City by now," the professor Oak said. "All of the other trainers from Pallet are there. I'm pleasantly suprised you got there so soon."
Ash blushed
The pofessor continued, "In fact, when my grandson Gary said you wouldn't have any new Pokémon by the time you got there, I bet him a million dollars he'd be wrong!"
Ash turned bright red. "Well money isn't everything, right?
"Oh, why do I even bother?" Professor Oak sighed. A bell rang,"Ash, I've got to go. My pizza's here." The screen went blank.
What a rotten day! Ash thought. My Pokémon is hurt. Gary Oak beat me here. Professor Oak thinks I'm a loser. What else could go wrong?
"I knew I'd find you here!"
Ash whirled around at the sound of the angry voice. It was Misty! She carried the burned bike on her shoulders.
Ash collapsed in a chair. It was all just to much.
"I'll make up for it when I can," Ash said. "But right now, I've got to take care of my Pikachu,"
Misty's face softened. "Is it all right?"
The emergency room doors swung open. Joy and the two Chansey Pokémon wheele Pikachu on a stretcher. Pikachu had a metal strip wrapped around its head. A lightbulb was attached to the strip. Wires connected to the headgear to a metal pole o wheels.
Ash rushed to Pikachu's side. "Are you alright?" he asked.
Pikachu's eye's were closed. It didn't answer.
"the procedure went well. Your Pikachu should be fine," Joy said.
Ash breathed a sight of releif. :Thank you so much!" Maybe things were finally looking up.
Ash jumped as a loud siren blasted through the Pokémon Center.
"Attention Viridian City!" blared a voice from the loudspeaker. "Our sensors have detected an aircraft belonging to a gang of Pokémon thieves."
"What now?" Ash asked.
A loud crash answered his question. Ash looked up.
Two Poké Balls crashed through the glass roof of the Pokémon Center.
Clouds of thick, green smoke began to fillthe waiting room. Ash choked. The foul smelling smoke smelled like poison.
They were under attack!