Inner Peace

By Mandy Owston

When Team Rocket arrived at the entrance to the main chamber, the whole hallway was dark. Ash and his friends confidently flung the door open, releasing a faint floral smell into the hallway. With the torches and candles extinguished, the only light in the amphitheatre came from a few small windows at the back of the room.

Lorelei remained in the center of the dark, smoke-filled amphitheatre with her back to the doorway. Ivy was nowhere to be seen. Poking their heads around the corner of the chamber's doorway, Jessie, James, and Meowth watched a typical scene unfold: Ash trying to win another gym badge.

"I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and I request a battle with the leader of this gym!" he proclaimed. Team Rocket rolled their eyes. The twerp was at it again.

Lorelei turned around and smiled. "Hi Ash, remember me? We met back on Mandarin Island last year."

"Pika pika!" squeaked Pikachu happily.

Ash was dumbfounded. "Are you..."

"PRIMA!" gushed Misty, her eyes glowing. "I thought it was a dream come true that I got to meet you just once, but now I get the chance to see you again in person! This is such an honor, you have no idea!"

"WOW!" cried Brock, blushing a bright red. He ran forward and pushed Ash and Misty out of the way, taking hold of Lorelei's hands. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss. I just have to know what a beautiful lady like yourself is doing in a creepy, deserted place like this? I'd be glad to whisk you away from here, preferably to a nice, quiet spot somewhere that the two of us could be alone?"

Misty grabbed her friend's ear and dragged him away from the Elite Four trainer. "Why don't you whisk yourself away from here, Brock?" she sighed, thoroughly embarrassed. Lorelei smiled.

"So... this isn't a Pokemon gym?" Ash asked, looking around the room.

"I'm afraid not, Ash," said Lorelei calmly. "I just came to this place to do a bit of special training, away from the crowds."

"Aw man!" Ash grumbled. "I wanted another badge!" He turned around to walk out of the room. Pikachu jumped onto his shoulder as he walked.

"Cheer up, Ash," said Misty, running after him. "That gym's got to be around here somewhere."

Brock was still trying to get Lorelei's attention. "Are you sure you won't give me your phone number?" he pleaded. Lorelei chuckled as Misty dragged him towards the door.

Suddenly, Team Rocket watched Professor Ivy stand up behind Lorelei, another test tube in her hand and a demented smile on her face. She advanced shakily through the hazy dimness towards the Elite Four trainer, who was waving goodbye to Ash and his friends, totally unaware that Ivy had regained consciousness.

"Prima! Watch out!" yelled Jessie, James, and Meowth as Ivy prepared to throw the contents of the test tube at Lorelei. The Elite Four trainer instinctively ducked as the chemical splashed out, burning another hole in the floor. Ash and his friends spun around to see Professor Ivy's expression change from a twisted smile to a look of utter hatred.

"Professor Ivy?" yelled Ash and Misty.

"NO!" screamed Brock, fleeing from the room.

"Who was it that warned me?" asked Lorelei.

As if on cue, Jessie and James leapt from the doorway and stood back to back as they glared at Ivy. Ash and Misty stared at the two Rockets, their mouths hanging open in surprise.

"You rotten sneak, prepare for trouble!" Jessie began, dramatically pointing at Ivy.

"And I'd suggest you make it double!" added James, also pointing at Ivy.

"Youse two said the motto already!" yelled Meowth, jumping into the room. "Let's get on with the show!"

"Right!" said Jessie and James, nodding once.

Professor Ivy's eyes narrowed to slits. "I should have disposed of you two when I had the chance. On the other hand, there's really nothing you can do to interfere any longer." The professor turned her attention to Ash. A nasty smile contorted her face. "You, Ash... you're awfully fond of Pokemon battles, aren't you?"

"You bet I am!" yelled Ash.

"Then I have a proposition for you," Ivy said in a sickeningly sweet voice. "How would you like to battle me, one on one... your best Pokemon against my best Pokemon? And if you win, there's a special reward in store for you."

"Don't do it, Ash!" cried Misty fearfully. "I don't trust her for a minute after what she tried to do to Prima!"

"Don't worry, I'll be careful," said Ash, a confident smile on his face.

Ivy smirked, knowing she had him now. It was just as she had always suspected: a young, impetuous trainer would never turn down the opportunity to prove himself in a battle against a strong opponent. And this battle could be his last.

"Pikachu, are you ready?" asked Ash.

"Pika!" growled the electric mouse, cheeks flashing with electricity.

"We're ready when you are!" Ash yelled, a look of total determination on his face.

Behind Ash, Misty carefully put Togepi inside her red backpack. "You'll be safe in here, Togepi," she cooed, nervously watching Ivy withdraw a Poke ball from her robes.

"Be careful," whispered Lorelei from the side of the room, never taking her eyes off her evil mother.

From the doorway, Team Rocket anxiously looked on.

"Hey, kid!" yelled Jessie.

Ash looked back at her in annoyance. "What do you want?"

"Good luck!" she cried, giving him a thumbs-up.

"Beat that wacko like you always beat us!" added James.

"You can do it, Pikachu!" chimed in Meowth.

Ash smiled confidently. "Yeah." Then he returned his attention to Ivy. "Are you ready yet?"

"Just waiting for you," she answered in a saccharine voice. "Vileplume, let's go!"

The Professor forcefully hurled her Poke ball into the center of the room and the orange-petaled Pokemon materialized in a brilliant flash of red light. "Vileplume..." it drawled in a breathy voice.

"I've noticed that only truly deranged people train Vileplume," commented Jessie.

"You're right, Jess," said James. "This crazy professor, Jessebelle..." He shuddered involuntarily.

Pikachu ran forward into the makeshift battlefield. "Chu!" it growled.

"I'll even let you make the first move, Ash," said Ivy, a sly smile crossing her face.

"All right, Pikachu, start off with your Quick Attack!" commanded Ash.

"Pika!" squealed Pikachu, dashing forward.

"Stun Spore!" yelled Ivy.

As Pikachu's attack connected with the huge flower, a stream of sparkling, greenish pollen poured from the center of the blossom. The pollen encircled Pikachu's head before the mouse could run away.

Breathing in the Stun Spore pollen, Pikachu tottered from side to side, its eyes watering terribly. Staggering around the battlefield, the small mouse soon collapsed to the ground, unable to move.

"No!" screamed Ash. Ivy smiled evilly.

"Looks like you're finished," she gloated. "Your Pikachu's too dizzy to battle."

"Not yet!" yelled Jessie. Everyone turned to look at Team Rocket as James tossed a corked test tube to Ash.

"What's this?" asked the young Pokemon trainer, turning the test tube of clear blue liquid over in his hand. The label read Stun Spore Antidote. "Oh wow! Pikachu, quick! Drink this!" Ash tossed the test tube to his dizzy Pokemon. "It's an antidote!"

From the other side of the room, Ivy swore under her breath.

"I don't get it," said Misty, looking skeptically at Team Rocket. "You're supposed to be bad guys. Why are you helping Pikachu?"

"You know, we're really not as evil as you twerps make us out to be," answered Jessie, as Pikachu pulled the stopper from the tube and began drinking the antidote.

"We're just normal people trying to make a living... we may be members of Team Rocket, but we're not heartless!" added James.

"Would youse quit gabbin'?" interrupted Meowth. The cat looked back at Ash. "You gotta battle ta win, kid!"

"Right!" said Ash, more determined than ever. "Pikachu, are you okay?"

"Chaaa!" answered Pikachu, wiping his mouth with the back of his tiny yellow paw.

"Okay! Pikachu, Thunder Attack!"

"Pi...ka...CHUUUUUU!"

The entire room lit up with the blast of Pikachu's strongest Electric Attack, but Vileplume hardly seemed to be affected by it.

"Is that the best you can do?" taunted the Society Mother. "Vileplume, finish it off with Allergy Bomb!"

"Allergy Bomb?" asked Ash, as Vileplume closed its eyes, preparing to attack.

"We've got to get out of here, Jessie!" whispered James in a panic. "You know how bad my allergies are!"

"Now looks like a good time for Team Rocket to blast off," she said softly, nodding once. "They'll never miss us in the confusion."

"We done our good deed, now let's split!" added Meowth. "Dat kid knows what he's doin'."

As Team Rocket hurried out the door, Vileplume crouched down. Suddenly, there was a huge explosion of toxic yellowish pollen from the center of the flower. As the pollen began to settle, Pikachu started sneezing uncontrollably, its eyes becoming reddened from the intense allergic reaction. Grabbing its head with both paws, Pikachu squealed in pain as it clumsily staggered away from the poisonous Flower Pokemon. Ash watched in horror as his beloved Pokemon painfully collapsed to the ground and laid very still.

"PIKACHU!" he cried in anguish, running over and scooping his best friend into his arms. "Oh Pikachu, please be all right!"

"That's not a real attack, Mama, and you know it!" cried Lorelei indignantly, stepping forward as Ash cradled the yellow Pokemon in his arms. "What are you trying to pull?"

"Lorie, dear," cooed Ivy, "never underestimate a Pokemon's special abilities. I would have thought you of all people would realize that special training could bring out... certain attack powers."

"You know that Pokemon are only allowed to use League-approved attacks in official battles," she answered angrily. "Otherwise, you're cheating!"

"Oh really?" Ivy asked innocently. "My mistake. Anyway, I'm finished playing." The professor looked over to her Vileplume and pointed at her daughter. "Vileplume, you know how to get rid of intruders."

As Lorelei turned to run, the huge flower Pokemon plowed into her with a mighty Tackle attack. Knocked to the ground, the Elite Four trainer looked up to see Vileplume release another cloud of Stun Spore. Lorelei turned her head away, waving her hands in a futile attempt to blow the poisonous pollen away from her. But within moments, she was passed out on the amphitheatre floor.

"PRIMA!" shrieked Misty, covering her mouth and frantically running to Lorelei's side. "Prima, please wake up!" She gently tried shaking the Ice Pokemon trainer. Lorelei lay still.

"Ivy!" screamed Ash, quickly looking around the room for the mad professor. Ivy had vanished without a trace.

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