Ash ketchum, p.1
Ash Ketchum, page 1
I want to be the very best there ever was
To beat all the rest, yeah, that’s my cause
Catch ’em, Catch ’em, Gotta catch ’em all
Pokémon I’ll search across the land
Look far and wide
Release from my hand
The power that’s inside
Catch ’em, Catch ’em, Gotta catch ’em all Pokémon!
Gotta catch ’em all, Gotta catch ’em all
Gotta catch ’em all, Gotta catch ’em all
At least one hundred and fifty or more to see
To be a Pokémon Master is my destiny
Catch ’em, Catch ’em, Gotta catch ’em all
Gotta catch ’em all, Pokémon! (repeat three times)
Here’s the next 32 Pokémon.
Catch the next book Chikorita Challenge
for more of the Poke Rap.
Zubat, Primeape, Meowth, Onix
Geodude, Rapidash, Magneton, Snorlax
Gengar, Tangela, Goldeen, Spearow
Weezing, Seel, Gyarados, Slowbro.
Kabuto, Persian, Paras, Horsea
Raticate, Magnemite, Kadabra, Weepinbell
Ditto, Cloyster, Caterpie, Sandshrew
Bulbasaur, Charmander, Golem, Pikachu
Words and Music by Tamara Loeffler and John Siegler
Copyright © 1999 Pikachu Music (BMI)
Worldwide rights for Pikachu Music administered by Cherry River Music Co. (BMI)
All Rights Reserved Used by Permission
Collect them all!
Contents
Title Page
Chapter 1: Faces in the Forest
Chapter 2: Hoothoot
Chapter 3: Too Many Ashes
Chapter 4: Ghostly Illusions
Chapter 5: Caught in Spinarak’s Web
Chapter 6: Setting a Trap
Chapter 7: Tricked by Team Rocket?
Chapter 8: Little Lost Stantler
Chapter 9: Stantler Stampede!
Chapter 10: Giant Robot Stantler!
Chapter 11: Save That Stantler!
Sneek Peak
About the Author
Copyright
“Leave it to you to get us lost again, Ash,” Misty complained.
Ash Ketchum thought about sticking his tongue out at his friend, but it was no use. The sun was setting in the forest; she probably wouldn’t see him anyway.
“We’re not lost,” Ash protested.
“Whatever you say, Ash,” said Brock. But the older boy sounded nervous.
“We just need to charge ahead,” Ash said confidently. “Follow me. I know where I’m going. Right, Pikachu?”
“Pika,” replied Ash’s little yellow Pokémon in an unsteady voice.
Ash took off through the forest with Pikachu at his heels.
I’ve just got to keep following the trail, Ash told himself. This forest has to end somewhere.
Ash stepped into a clearing. Tall trees ringed an area of open grass. The trail split off in three different directions.
“Oh, no,” Ash moaned. “Which way should we go?”
“I knew we were lost!” Misty said from behind him. She and Brock had caught up.
“Uh, this is exactly what I had planned,” Ash lied. “This clearing is a perfect place to camp. We can get some rest and pick up the trail in the morning.”
Misty looked around the clearing. It was getting darker, and the trees cast spooky shadows on the ground. Togepi, the Spike Ball Pokémon that Misty always carried, shivered inside its shell.
“I am not spending the night in this place,” Misty said. “Togepi is scared.”
“I think you’re the one who’s scared,” Ash teased.
“That’s enough, you guys,” Brock scolded. He was always making peace between Ash and Misty. “We need a plan.”
“Whoooooooooooooooooooooh …”
Misty faced Ash. “Stop trying to scare me,” she said. “That spooky voice is the oldest trick in the book.”
Ash could feel goose bumps rising on his arms. “That wasn’t me,” Ash said.
“Whooooooooooooooooooh …” The voice was louder this time.
A cold wind blew into the clearing, rustling some leaves at Ash’s feet. Ash looked around the circle. Where was that voice coming from?
Suddenly, the rippled bark on the trees began to swirl. Faces were forming on the tree trunks. Faces with dark, empty eyes and gaping mouths.
“Whooooooooooooooooh …” The voice was all around them now.
“Help!” Ash, Misty, and Brock all screamed at once. Pikachu jumped into Ash’s arms.
From out of nowhere, a Flying-type Pokémon hopped into the center of the clearing. The Pokémon had a round body, two short wings, and huge red eyes.
Red beams of light poured from the Pokémon’s eyes. The light hit the spooky faces on the trees. The faces evaporated as soon as the light made contact. The mysterious voice died down.
The Flying-type Pokémon looked at Ash.
“Hoothoot!” said the Pokémon.
A dark figure stepped into the clearing. It was a boy with wavy brown hair and a smug grin on his face. Ash recognized him.
It was Gary, another Pokémon Trainer — Ash’s greatest rival.
Gary walked up to the Flying-type Pokémon and patted it on the head.
“Well done, Hoothoot,” Gary said.
Ash rubbed his eyes. “Am I seeing things?” he asked.
“Those faces in the trees were an illusion,” Gary said. “But I’m real. And as usual, I’m way ahead of you, Ash.”
Ash groaned. That was Gary, all right. He thought he was so much better than Ash.
But what was Gary doing here? And what was the deal with that Hoothoot, anyway?
Ash took out his Pokédex, Dexter. His handheld computer stored information about all kinds of Pokémon.
“Hoothoot, the Owl Pokémon,” Dexter said. “It always stands on one leg and can see clearly through even the darkest night.”
“You’ll never get through this forest without a Hoothoot,” Gary said.
“What do you mean?” Ash asked.
“Without a Hoothoot, you’ll get lost,” Gary said. “You should have known that. But of course you didn’t. That’s what makes me a winner and you a loser.”
Ash felt a familiar anger rise up inside him. “We’ll see who does better in the Johto League.” In the league, Ash and Gary would compete against other Pokémon Trainers to see who was best.
Gary sneered. “You have to get there first! Come on, Hoothoot.”
Gary and the Hoothoot disappeared down one of the trails.
“All we need to do is find a Hoothoot to lead us out,” Ash said.
Misty rolled her eyes. “That’s not going to be easy
to do in the middle of this dark forest,” she said.
Ash wasn’t ready to give up. “I’ll catch one. You’ll see!”
An hour later, they were still lost in the woods. There was no sign of a Hoothoot anywhere. “Hoothoot, where are you?” Ash called for what seemed like the millionth time.
Misty followed behind them. “We’re never going to get out of this forest,” she complained.
Ash sighed. He brushed a strand of dark hair away from his face. The only reason he was traveling through the strange forest was so he could compete against other Trainers in the Johto League and earn badges. It was the only way to become a Pokémon Master.
But now they were lost. Maybe Gary was right. Ash would never even get to the Johto League.
“Hoot!”
Ash spun around.
“Did you hear something?” he asked.
“Hoothoot!”
“I did it!” Ash cried. “I found a Hoothoot.”
Misty looked down at her feet. A Hoothoot looked at Misty adoringly as it nuzzled against her sneakers.
“It looks like this Hoothoot found me,” Misty corrected Ash.
“We’ll see about that,” Ash said. “Come here, Hoothoot!”
Hoothoot hopped toward Ash on one foot. It hopped onto Ash’s head.
Then it started to peck at Ash’s skull with its beak.
“Ow!” Ash cried. “Cut it out!”
The Hoothoot jumped down and hopped along the trail.
“Let’s follow it,” said Misty.
Ash took off after the Hoothoot, rubbing his sore head as he ran. The path grew wider and wider. Up ahead, Ash saw a stone archway. The Hoothoot ran right through it.
Ash and the others kept up with the Hoothoot. The Flying-type Pokémon stopped at a large stone pillar carved with an image of a Hoothoot.
“This place is creepier than the forest,” Misty said, shivering.
“Who are you calling creepy?” a shrill voice asked.
A short old woman stepped out from behind the pillar. She wore a green skirt, a pink shirt, and a necklace made of chunky blue beads. Deep wrinkles creased her round face.
“It’s another illusion!” Ash yelled. “Pikachu, use Thundershock!”
“Pika?” Pikachu didn’t sound so sure.
The old woman walked up to Ash and pulled his ear.
“Ow!” Ash cried for the second time that night.
“I’m no illusion, young man,” she said. “My name is Hagatha. If you want to get out of this forest you had better follow me.”
Ash looked at Brock and Misty. They shrugged. They followed Hagatha and the Hoothoot to a small wooden cabin. They sat down to talk. Hagatha closed one eye and studied Ash’s face.
“So you
“We were lost,” Ash said. “Then we found this Hoothoot. It’s going to lead us out of the forest.”
Hagatha’s mouth cracked into a smile. Then she began to laugh.
“This Hoothoot?” she said. “You’re new to these parts, aren’t you?”
Ash frowned.
“We are lost,” Misty interrupted. “Can you help us?”
“I rent Hoothoot to travelers who pass this way,” Hagatha explained. “Hoothoot have the power to see through the illusions in the forest. They can get you safely through to the other side.”
So this is where Gary got his Hoothoot, Ash thought.
“Perfect!” Misty said. “Can we rent one from you?”
Hagatha shook her head. “That’s what I was trying to tell your friend. This Hoothoot here is the only one I have left. It’s never made it safely through the forest yet. You’re welcome to stay here with me tonight. The other Hoothoot guides will return in the morning.”
“Sounds good to me,” Misty said, yawning.
“No!” Ash said, jumping up. “Gary will be way ahead of us by then. Can’t we just take this Hoothoot? I’m a great Trainer. I can handle it.”
Ash held out a hand to the Hoothoot. The Pokémon ignored him. It hopped onto Misty’s lap. It gazed adoringly into her blue eyes. It nuzzled against her orange hair.
Hagatha smiled. “I forgot to mention that this Hoothoot has another weakness,” she said. “A weakness for pretty girls.”
“Hoot!” Hoothoot cuddled up to Misty.
“Pretty girls?” Ash asked. “Where?”
“Hey!” Misty protested.
Ash ignored her. “What do you say, Hagatha?” Ash asked. “Can we take it?”
Hagatha shrugged. “It doesn’t look like I can stop you.”
“I have one question,” Brock said. “About the illusions in the forest. Do you know what causes them?”
Hagatha’s blue eyes twinkled. “That, my friends, is something of a mystery.”
“A mystery. Cool!” Ash said. “We’re great at solving mysteries.”
“We’ll see,” Hagatha said. “Good luck!”
Ash and the others left the small cabin. Hoothoot stood at Misty’s feet.
“All right, Hoothoot,” Ash said. “Lead the way!”
Hoothoot didn’t budge. It looked up at Misty.
“Come on, Hoothoot,” Misty said in a sweet voice. “You’ll help us, won’t you?”
“Hoothoot!” The Pokémon began to hop back down the trail.
Ash’s spirits lifted as they traveled deeper and deeper into the woods. They’d catch up to Gary in no time.
Suddenly, Hoothoot stopped. It flapped its wings frantically, then turned around and looked at them.
“What’s the matter, Hoothoot?” Misty asked.
Hoothoot started to shiver and shake. Ash thought the Pokémon looked terrified.
“Hoothoot, what is it?” Ash asked.
The next instant, many glowing balls of light appeared in the air. The balls were about the size of baseballs and seemed to be surrounded by an eerie blue gas.
“Ash, watch out!” Brock cried.
One of the balls of light swirled through the air, aiming right for Ash’s head!
Ash ducked. The ball of light narrowly missed him. The other balls dodged around Misty and Brock.
“They must be illusions,” Ash said. “Hoothoot, stop them!”
Hoothoot didn’t move.
“Please, Hoothoot!” Misty pleaded.
The many balls of light came together, forming a triangle. Hoothoot aimed its large red eyes at the lights. Ash could see it was trying to make red beams come out of its eyes, like Gary’s Hoothoot had done.
It just couldn’t do it.
The balls of light started to take shape. They formed a scary mask of blue light. Two hollow eyes stared at them. A huge, gaping mouth moaned.
“Hoot!” Hoothoot hopped away from the face as fast as it could.
“Wahahahahahaha!” cackled the mask. It dove after Ash and his friends. Ash picked up Pikachu and ran after Hoothoot with Brock and Misty at his heels.
Finally, it looked like the illusion — or whatever it was — had given up. Ash stopped to catch his breath. He set Pikachu down on the ground.
“What happened, Hoothoot?” Ash asked the Flying-type Pokémon. “Why did you leave us behind?”
“Hoot?” Hoothoot didn’t seem to think it had done anything wrong.
“What did you expect, Ash?” Misty asked. “Hagatha told us this Hoothoot isn’t a good guide. We could be sleeping in a safe place right now. Instead, we’re more lost than ever. And something’s out to get us!”
“Hagatha said they’re just illusions,” Ash reminded her. “Illusions can’t hurt us, can they?”
At that moment, a rope descended from the sky. The rope twirled around Pikachu, then lifted the Pokémon into the air.
“Pika!” Pikachu cried.
“Ash, I don’t think that’s an illusion,” Brock said.
Ash jumped up and grabbed onto the end of the rope. He hung on as best as he could while the rope rose higher and higher.
Ash had a sinking feeling he knew what he would hear next.
“Prepare for trouble!” said a girl’s voice.
“Make it double!” added a boy’s voice.
Ash looked up. It was Team Rocket, a trio of Pokémon thieves. Jessie, James, and the Pokémon Meowth, were always trying to steal Pikachu. This time, Jessie and James were perched in the top branches of a tall tree, holding onto a giant fishing pole. The rope dangled from the end of the pole. They were reeling in the rope like a fishing line. But instead of a fish, they had nabbed Ash and Pikachu.
Jessie smiled an evil smile. “Well, hello, twerp,” she called down. “We didn’t expect to see you hanging around here.”
“But since you’re here, we might as well steal your Pikachu,” added James.
Meowth, the cheeky Scratch Cat Pokémon, grinned. “And now you’re in for a tree-mendous surprise,” Meowth said.
“Tree-mendous?” Ash asked, puzzled. “What are you — whoaaaaa!”
Jessie and James swung the fishing rod sharply to the side. Ash slammed face first into a sturdy tree trunk. The crash caused him to loosen his grip. He slid down the trunk to the forest floor.
“Pika!” Pikachu cried. Jessie and James quickly reeled in the little Pokémon. James held up the rope as Pikachu dangled in front of him.
“That’s what I call a great catch,” Jessie said triumphantly.
Meowth opened the lid of a square box. “This electric-proof Pika-prison will prevent any shocking surprises from Pikachu,” Meowth said. James dropped Pikachu into the box, and Meowth snapped the lid shut.
“Hey, give me back my Pikachu!” Ash yelled up at them.
“If we handed it over that easily, we wouldn’t be doing our jobs, would we?” Jessie pointed out.
“And now it’s time for our great escape!” James announced.
The blue-haired boy pushed aside a tree branch to reveal a small rowboat hanging from two ropes. The ropes stretched across the forest. Ash saw that the boat was attached to the ropes with two pulleys.
Jessie, James, and Meowth jumped into the boat. Meowth carried the box that held Pikachu.
“We’ve finally done it!” Meowth said. “The Boss isn’t going to believe it.”
“Time to shove off,” James said. He pulled a lever, and the boat moved along the ropes, away from the tree.
Jessie waved good-bye. “You’ll never see Pikachu ag — aaaaaaaaaaaaah!”
The ropes supporting the boat snapped in half. The boat crashed to the forest floor. The lid to the box popped open, and Pikachu dashed away and jumped into Ash’s arms.
“Pikachu!” Ash cried, hugging his Pokémon.
“This isn’t over yet,” Jessie said, brushing leaves from her white Team Rocket uniform. “We’re not leaving without a fight.” She held out a red-and-white Poké Ball.
“I’m always ready for a battle,” Ash replied. He took a Poké Ball from his belt.
“You’re up, Arbok!” Jessie cried, throwing the ball. A purple Cobra Pokémon appeared in a flash of light.
“Come on out, Victreebel!” yelled James. He threw a Poké Ball, and out popped a Pokémon that looked like a giant plant. Victreebel had a large yellow flower bell for a body. As usual, the bell swallowed James in one gulp.
