This is my last story for the year. I’m trying to see if I can get an internet connection over the holidays, since I’m going home. Whether I do or not, I’m taking a much needed vacation, and laying low. Good luck to everyone, and happy holidays! Disclaimer: Nothing here is mine. That’s all. Oh wait, there’s TJ, I created him. ************************************************************************ “Celebration” (New Year’s Eve Special 1999) by The Freedom Fighter ************************************************************************ Thursday, December 31, New Year’s Eve, Celadon City Narrator: Welcome back to Celadon City, one of the busiest cities in the world! But today, the streets are significantly less crowded, as many businesses are closed and residents are busy preparing for the biggest party of all time. Signs, banners, and posters are everywhere, announcing a big New Year’s Eve bash outside of the Celadon City Pokémon Gym starting at nine o’ clock that night. Narrator: At Celadon City National Airport, five familiar faces walk among the hundreds who have just arrived on a plane from Viridian City. Ash: Nice to be back in Celadon City after so long. Mrs. Ketchum: I’ve never been in such a place so big. Prof. Oak: Don’t worry, Mrs. Ketchum, the streets won’t be as busy today because it’s a holiday. TJ: Celadon City, the city of wonders. Pikachu: Pikachu! Ash: Looks like Pikachu’s happy to be here too. Prof. Oak: Well, let’s see if we can find our way to the Pokémon gym. They take their bags off the conveyor belt and take a cab to the gym. It doesn’t take long to get there, only about ten minutes. They take their bags and climb the small hill to the gym. Outside, Misty, Erika, and Vileplume are busy setting up the tables for the big outdoor celebration. Ash: Misty! Misty: (turns and sees Ash) Ash! Ash runs up and hugs Misty. Pikachu runs up and onto Misty’s left shoulder to hug her face. Misty: Wow, Ash, Pikachu, has it really been that long? Ash: I guess. Three months seems long enough to be away from you. Pikachu: Pika pika! Misty: Thanks guys. She then notices the others. Misty: Oh, hello Professor Oak! Hi, Mrs. Ketchum! Welcome, um... TJ: The name’s TJ Smith, from Viridian City. Misty: Nice to meet you, TJ. TJ: Imagine, smart, nice, and beautiful. That’s the perfect girl... Ash: Hey, Misty’s my girl! Misty: (winking at Ash) Who says? Ash: I’ve traveled with her for more than a year. You’ve just met her! TJ: Well, I’ve loved her more than you. Prof. Oak: Okay, you two, stop fighting over Misty and let’s go inside. Erika finally walks up to the group, Vileplume at her side. Erika: Hello! Nice to see everyone made it here all right. (holds her hand out to Mrs. Ketchum) And you must be Ash’s mom, right? Mrs. Ketchum: That’s right. Nice to meet you, Erika. Erika: Mrs. Ketchum, have you heard about the story of how Ash got into the gym to challenge me for the Rainbow Badge? Mrs. Ketchum: No, in fact, he didn’t tell me much about his journey... Ash: Erika! Erika: (giggles, then pulls Mrs. Ketchum away from the group) Let me tell, it was so funny. Ash: Hey! (looks down at Vileplume) Wait, isn’t this a Vileplume? Prof. Oak: Yes, it is Ash. But didn’t Erika have an Oddish when I was last here? Ash: An Oddish? You must be mistaken, professor, because I saw a Gloom when I was here. TJ: Yeah, she had a Gloom when I was here for my badge. Misty: Actually, this Vileplume is the same Oddish and the same Gloom. Prof. Oak, Ash, and TJ: (synchronized) What? Misty: Long story. I’ll explain while you guys help me set the place up for the big party tonight. Ash: Yeah, we saw the signs. Anyway, how has your journey been? Misty: Ash, didn’t you ask me that question before your second round match? Ash: No, you didn’t call me at all during the tournament. Misty: Yes I did, Ash! Did all the competition fry your mind? Wait, Pikachu, do you remember? Pikachu: (nods head left and right) Pika. Misty: Why can’t you two remember? Ash: I don’t know. In fact, I don’t remember what happened since I met TJ in Viridian City on my way to the Indigo Plateau up until we were on the plane back home. Misty: TJ, did you brainwash him? TJ: What are you talking about? At one moment I’m with Ash leaving Viridian, the next I’m on a plane with them heading back to Viridian. Prof. Oak: Mrs. Ketchum and I were with them as well, Misty, and neither of us don’t remember anything from the tournament at all. Misty: That’s very weird. Prof. Oak: Tell me about it. I’d like to know how all of us lost our memories of the tournament. Oh, that’s right, you were going to tell us about your journey, Misty. Misty begins to recall all of her adventures so far, including Duplica’s troubles in Cerulean City, how she met this guy named Arius, her trip to Puerta Vista, the wild adventure in Saffron City, and then the recent battle with Erika here in Celadon City. (Author’s Note: For those looking for the full story, check out “Misty’s Travels to the Pokémon League,” Chapters 1 - 6) Prof. Oak: So you met my associate, Professor Fir. Ash: And you ran into Duplica? It would be nice to see her again. Misty: It’s weird that you guys don’t remember anything from the tournament. Duplica was scheduled to perform in the Opening Ceremonies. TJ: Well, we don’t remember anything, so there. Misty: Well, then, it shouldn’t be long before the rest of the crew arrives. Ash: Who else is coming? Misty: Brock and my sisters. Ash: Oh, boy, knowing Brock he’ll be all over them. Misty: If my sisters don’t throw him off the plane from Cerulean first. Ash, Misty, and Pikachu break out in laughter, bringing sweatdrop expressions from Professor Oak and TJ. Suddenly, Mrs. Ketchum and Erika come up, laughing hysterically over something else... Ash: Mom? Erika, you didn’t tell her, did you? Mrs. Ketchum: Ash, you... hahaha, dressed up as a... hahaha, a girl to sneak in to fight Erika? TJ and Professor Oak this time break out in laughter. Ash: Hey, Erika wouldn’t let me in the gym because I insulted her perfume shop, so I had Team Rocket sneak me in as a girl who wanted to attend her little girls’ school. Erika: But it was kinda weird to see someone stoop so low just for a Rainbow Badge battle. Ash: Can we just go back to setting everything up. Erika: Sure, but first let’s find a place for those bags of yours, guys. A couple of hours later, the tables were set, and the sun was already setting. Almost everything was ready, except for the food that was being served, which was still being cooked by a professional catering company. Suddenly, a group of four individuals step out of a cab. Three of them are females, and were in a foul mood. The fourth, a young man a few years younger than them, looked love struck. Daisy: Misty! Where are you? Lily: Like, get your lovestruck friend away from us. Violet: Before we kill him! Brock: Come back, girls! Maybe we can cuddle under the stars tonight! Misty: (comes out running with three mallets) Brock! Brock: Misty? Misty hands a mallet to each of their sisters, who each deliver a head blow to Brock. Brock: Ouch! That really hurt! Violet: Thanks, Misty. Misty: No problem, Violet. Lily: At least we’ve knocked him out for a little while. Daisy: Nice to see our little sister again. The four sisters share a long hug, which they haven’t done in ages. Misty: I never knew that you guys were so caring. Violet: What? Lily: Do you think your own sisters would be so mean to you? Daisy: We have to watch out for one another. Lily: By the way, another letter came for you. Misty: It’s not another one of those letters that say I have to get more badges, is it? Lily: Unfortunately, it is. Misty: Well, me and Erika discovered something that you three might want to know about. But first, help me drag love-struck Brock inside the gym. The four sisters bring Brock in and walk to the main arena, where Erika is relaying that very message to everyone else. Ash: So, Team Rocket’s doing this. Prof. Oak: I never thought that they’d sink that low. That night, the gym’s front lawn was filled with hundreds of people from the city. One Citizen: Great food, great music, great party! Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu are among the partygoers. Erika, Mrs. Ketchum, and Vileplume are making sure that the food is cooking well. Professor Oak was talking with some friends over his latest research findings. Daisy, Lily, and Violet were doing their best to keep love-struck boys away from them. Ash: I’ve never seen so many people at one party before. Misty: Well, maybe if you had more of a life... Brock: Ash! Misty! Have any of you seen Nurse Joy or Officer Jenny? Ash: Not recently. Why? Misty: Is someone hurt? Someone committing a crime? Brock: No, I just want to get their phone numbers. Thanks anyway guys. He runs off to try and find them. Ash: Well, at least Brock hasn’t changed. Misty: I doubt Brock will ever change, even if he does eventually marry someone. Pikachu: Pika. The hours passed, as many great songs played. Suddenly, Professor Oak stood up and went to the microphone on stage. Prof. Oak: Tonight, on the eve of a new year, I’d like to make a special announcement. There’s someone here very special to me. Tonight, I’m offering a proposal. He takes a small case out of his lab coat pocket, and walks over to his prey... Prof. Oak: (opens the case and kneels down) My dear, you’ve been the apple of my eye for two years now. And so, Mrs. Ketchum, will you marry me? Everyone gasps in surprise, including Mrs. Ketchum and Ash! No one expected this to happen. Prof. Oak: Well, Mrs. Ketchum, will you marry me? Mrs. Ketchum: Yes, I will! I’ll marry you, Professor Oak! She gets up, hugs, then kisses Professor Oak. Ash: I can’t believe it. Gary: Professor Oak and your mother? Misty: Hey, that would make you two brothers! Ash and Gary: (simultaneously) Me and him brothers! You’ve got to be kidding! Everyone claps in glee, but are a little shocked to see an old man with such a younger woman. Brock: This is sure to make the front page of Celadon Times in the morning! Soon, the midnight hour tolls close. The DJ starts to play the perfect song, “Waiting for Tonight,” as the minutes tick by. (Author’s Note: I love this song by Jennifer Lopez, and if I had a chance this is how I’d be spending my new year’s. You’ll have to imagine the song, because I don’t know the lyrics to it.) Everyone begins to pair up as the seconds begin to countdown. Crowd: Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, happy new year! Ash and Misty kiss, and so do Professor Oak and Mrs. Ketchum. Brock can be seen trying to give Nurse Joy a kiss, who’s running away from him. Then, Misty notices some shaking from her satchel. She walks over and pulls the egg out, which is shaking. Misty: Hey, look! The egg I got at Puerta Vista is about to hatch. Ash: I wonder what’s inside. The egg hatches, and out comes Togepi. Misty: Wow! A new... what is this thing anyway? Ash: Doesn’t look like any Pokémon I’ve ever seen. Misty pulls out her blue Pokédex. Pokédex: Togepi, a shell Pokémon. Not much is currently known about this Pokémon. Misty: That helps. Well, I guess I have a new Pokémon. Ash: You have a new Pokémon? Just how many do you have anyway? Misty: Ten. Ash: Ten! I’ve only got Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Pidgeotto, Charizard, Squirtle, Muk, and Kingler. That’s only seven! Misty: Well, if you’d pay more attention on your journey, you’d probably have a few more. Ash: Well, I think you got lucky to get ten. Misty: Oh yeah? Ash: Yeah! The two continued to argue into the night, as the party seems to show no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The following morning, things are pretty much back to normal. The only ones left at the gym were Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu, TJ, and Erika. Ash: So, Misty, where are you heading from here? Misty: I’m heading on to get the remaining gym badges. Brock: But why, Misty? Misty: Well, I’ve already got five badges, and it’ll only take me a few months to get the last three. Now’s a better time than ever. TJ: It was nice to meet you, Misty. Misty: It was nice to meet you as well, TJ. TJ: Well, I can’t compete in the Pokémon League Novice Tournament again until May, so I’m going with Ash and try and get some pointers from him. Ash: Pointers? From me? TJ: Who better to teach me the best ways of raising Pokémon other than you, Ash! Ash: Wow! Me, a trainer tutor? Misty: Don’t let it go to your head, Ash. Brock: Well, I’m coming along too. Ash: What? Misty: I thought that you were going to pursue your career in Pokémon breeding. Brock: Well, I don’t have to be home to be a breeder. It’s better to go on the road and learn the latest trends first hand. And meet some nice girls. TJ: Is he always like this? Misty: Only around girls his age. Ash: Oh, almost forgot something. Ash signals to Erika to bring out something special. It’s a brand new bike. Misty: A bike? For me? Ash: Yeah. I finally earned enough money to buy you that bike that I wrecked. She runs up to Ash and hugs him. Misty: Thank you, Ash! You’ve really made my day! Ash: Your welcome, Misty. She gives Ash a kiss on the cheek, then sits on the new bike, places Togepi on her lap, and her satchel in the special carrying case on the back. She begins to pedal away, and waves goodbye to her friends. Misty: Goodbye, everyone! Ash: Goodbye, Misty! I’ll miss you! Brock: Good luck on getting the rest of your badges! TJ: Yeah, good luck! Erika: Get rid of those Team Rocket fools for me, Misty! Ash: We might as well get going, too. I’ve got to be at the Indigo Plateau by tomorrow to receive my assignment for my first League match! Narrator: And so, the crew goes their separate ways, Ash, Brock, TJ, and Pikachu to the airport to head on to the Indigo Plateau, while Misty rides off with Togepi towards Fuschia City to continue her badge journey. Keep your eyes peeled, as a new year of adventures unfolds in front of our heroes... The End Copyright Date: 12/17/99