224: For Ho-Oh the Bell Tolls
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Up by the tower emerges.... MORTY! Yes the ginger-haired (don't worry, it's not contagious) gym leader with a mullet (that's not contagious either but we should shoot it just in case) in a loose sweater and a headband rushes up to stare at the tower, gasping that the bells can only mean one thing, the return of Ho-oh!
"Or the legendary Suicune," interrupts another man, and Morty and his mullet turns to stare at this dramatically dressed interloper. "You've seen?" gasps Morty, and the stranger (a slim man dressed in a stylish purple suit with a white cape wrapped around his shoulders held together by a red bowtie, his light brown hair immaculately prepared to make it look like a large forelock has "sprung" loose over his forehead) grins. Inside the tower the bell shakes, but the question is....
For Ho-oh the Bells Toll
Back at the Pokemon Centre Nurse Joy tells the twerps a similar story to one once told to them by Morty's mullet, the bells of the twin tower never ring no matter how strong the wind.... unless Ho-Oh is coming!
At the tower, Morty and his "companion" rush up to the eighth floor where all the bells are ringing, but the crystal bell on the ninth floor is the "money" bell, the one that signifies the return of Ho-Oh. They rush upstairs, but... it's gone! This is what caused the other bells to ring, and in horror Morty calls out his Gengar and tells it to go and find the bell.
Out in the forest, who should we find but Team Rocket, giggling over their latest steal... crystal bells!
James reads aloud from the "legends Pokemon feature" of the "Friends of Pokemon Monthly" about the Crystal Bells being the bells of Ho-Oh, a story that Meowth thinks rings a bell, though before he can follow that though he is interrupted by Jesse and James' urge for the dramatic..
"With crystal bells in hand!" cries Jesse.
"We'll ring across the land!" agrees James.
"And then when Ho-oh reappears!"
"We will quickly switch gears!"
"Because together we will show!"
"That we can beat ol' Ho-oh!"
"Jesse!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket ringing at the speed of light!"
"Our crystal bells pack a mighty fight, fight fight!"
"WOBBUFFET!" agrees Wobbuffet.
James reads on that Ho-oh is a legendary Rainbow Pokemon, and Meowth adds that it glows in seven different colours and can see into the future (also candy comes out of it's butt). Well Team Rocket is sure they're in for a promotion if they capture what is essentially a Phoenix (well, at the very least!) and they quickly begin shaking the bells to call on Ho-Oh.... but the bells don't ring!
"Maybe they're busted?" asks Jesse.
"Or maybe they're rusted?" suggests James.
But crystal doesn't rust, as Meowth points out, so what is the deal? Why won't the bells ring?
Jesse grabs the bells off of the others, blaming them for being crap, and then begins swinging the bells angrily around, thrusting her crotch into camera (!) and roaring angrily for the rainbow bird to show up.
James and Meowth watch, impressed by her arm swinging ferocity.
"Look at her go!" notes James, and then one of the bells swings loose from Jesse's grip and flies through the air. Meowth chases it desperately, but it smashes into a rock and..... shatters into pieces!
"AHHGHHHHHHH!" screams James.
"Ahhh..." gasps Jesse.
At the entrance to the tower grounds, the twerps stop.... the bells have stopped ringing.
Back in the forest, a wind lights up and Team Rocket look around nervously, Meowth rushing to hug James leg in fright as in the darkness of the foliage, sinister red eyes glare at them.
Back at the tower, the twerps rush up... and find their path blocked by Morty's dramatic friend. He tells them the building is off-limits.... and then his mouth is drawn into a wide grin by Gengar as it floats up behind him. He snaps at it to find the Crystal Bells and then Morty shows up, telling it to stop goofing off.
Ash says hello to Morty (but not to his mullet) who replies that he isn't surprised to see him, he takes it as a sign that Ho-Oh IS coming. Morty introduces Ash to Ucine (his dramatic "companion"), telling him that Ash saw a Ho-Oh on the first day of his Pokemon Journey. Ucine glares angrily at him, as Morty explains that Ucine is an expert on legendary Pokemon here to study their history.
Morty shows images of the crystal bells, and tells them once again the legend of 300 years ago when the tower burnt down, but left four crystal bells untouched. They were placed at the top of the new tower and have never rung until today, which Ucine says was a warning that the crystal bells were stolen. He explains that Ho-Oh watches not just the tower or Ecruteak City, but the entire world, and has done so for at least 300 years. It also sent three Pokemon to study humans, which are apparently the source of a great fury for Ho-Oh that will only change when the hearts of humans and Pokemon are as one. The humans who burnt down the tower did so while trying to steal Ho-Oh's power, killing three Pokemon as well that were reincarnated by Ho-Oh. The North Wind was reincarnated as Suicune, The Volcano was reincarnated as Entei, and Thunder was reincarnated as Raikou.
Ash points out, rather timidly, that he has seen Suicune.
Well Morty thinks that seeing Suicune AND Ho-Oh makes him pretty lucky, but a horrified Ucine can't believe it... in fact, he DOESN'T believe it! He roars at Ash that he must be lying, he is the world's foremost expert on Pokemon Legends and Suicune only appears to the best Pokemon Trainers, and Ash will have to prove it with a battle.
Oh cool, something Ash can actually do!
Meanwhile in the forest, Team Rocket are staring in fright at a huge number of Pokemon that have appeared out of the trees to menacingly gather around the frightened trio. Meowth explains they're angry because they broke the bell, and Jesse says to tell them that they're sorry and they should move on... and then all of the various Pokemon fire Stringshot at them.
Back in the tower, Ash is a little concerned about this impromptu battle he's found himself in (which is a first), while Ucine demands that the battle be one on one only. Morty points out there are more important things to be worried about, such as the missing Crystal Bel.... but Ucine slaps his hand away and growls that nothing is more important to him than Suicune's honour, so Morty can just go and referee the goddamn match!
Morty walks away hurt, wondering what has gotten into Ucine (awwwww, so it's THAT kind of "companion").
Ucine sends out Alakazam, apparently well trained in protecting the honour of Suicune. Ash sends in Pikachu, which uses Thundershock, but before the battle can commence properly a kid runs in and tells Morty that the belltower has been overtaken by Pokemon. The battle is temporarily off as they run outside and find various Bug Pokemon firing Stringshot at the tower, which seriously creeps out bug-phobic Misty.
Ash says now is no time for a battle, and Ucine agrees as they head for the tower.... and get stopped by some decidedly unfriendly Tangela (which are apparently usually friendly). Misty insists they cheese it, but they are cut off by Parasect which fire Sleeping Powder, so they retreat into the tower while Togepi - apparently well ahead on everyone else - roars with drunken laughter.
Ash realises they're trapped in a web.... the entire town has been covered in a giant web.
Oh my God it's a bad William Shatner horror movie!
Brock notes the Tangela were angry and Ucine says it must be linked to the theft of the Crystal bells, remembering ANOTHER legend about how the bells maintain a balance between humans and Pokemon. Brock wonders if getting the Crystal Bells back will make everything all right but Ucine theorises the Pokemon might be so upset they want to create a new world without Pokemon. Well Ash ain't having none of that, having been made furious by Ucine's theory (even if it is baseless and completely unfounded) and he rushes outside with Pikachu (which must have some kind of inside scoop on all this, Jesus Christ, it's a Pokemon!) and tries to pick a fight with the menacing Parasect.
Brock and Misty try to calm him, and then Gengar appears from nowhere and confuses the Parasect with Confuse Ray. They rush through the Parasect and Gengar tells Morty it found the crystal bells. They rush through the webbed up forest (which Misty doesn't want to enter) where deep inside Team Rocket have been cocooned upside down in the trees, surrounded by Spinarak and other Bug Pokemon. They are found moments later when Cyndaquil burns through a series of webs to find them.
"We should have known!" growls Misty.
"Would ya believe we wuz working on web design?" suggests Meowth lamely.
They spot the three Crystal Bells by a tree and rush to grab them, stopped by Tangela and their whipping tentacles (no wonder Misty didn't want to go inside), then a Spinarak and two Ariados lower down to guard them.
Brock notices that one of the bells is missing and Misty asks where it is, Meowth explaining Jesse broke it, a fact she could have done without him supplying. Misty demands to know why they always have to make such a mess of everything, and they happily reply it is because they're Team Rocket.
"Or Team Wreck-It!" she PUN-ishes horribly. Ash explains to the Pokemon that he is here to help and return the bells, but Meowth points out that they won't listen to reason. Ash angrily retorts that this is all Team Rocket's fault, something that Wobbuffet happily agrees with. The Pokemon surround them and Pikachu tries to warn them off, while Brock says if Ho-Oh IS watching, they must all make a sorry sight.
Team Rocket interrupt Morty's pained expression (maybe he finally realised he has a mullet?) to cry out for help as for absolutely no reason at all a Gliger flies back and forth in front of them.
Well... okay, mullets will create strange reactions by people.
Ash says they can't just leave Team Rocket to be paralyzed and have their insides liquidised and gradually eaten, but Brock says not to make unnecessary moves and piss off all of the Pokemon more. Ash takes in Brock's advice with all the care and consideration one would expect from him, and he..... YELLS AT THE POKEMON! Startled, they fire Stringshot at the twerps, blocked when Ucine calls out Alakazam which uses Reflect. But Alakazam is quickly knocked aside by a Vine Whip from Tangela, a special attack that Reflect can't stop. Ucine calls it back as Tangela fires Vine Whip at Ash's face and........
Holy shit! SUICUNE!
A flash of light charges by them, blocking Tangela, and then a "force in the air" sparkles through the forest and all of the webbing falls apart, letting Team Rocket fall to the ground. Ucine looks around in astonishment, and then spots it.... SUICUNE! It appears from out of the shadows and when Team Rocket see their saviour their course is clear.... they have to capture it!
Jesse sends out Arbok which uses Poison Sting, and Suicune......
TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!
You expected any more?
The twerps stare in astonishment at the legendary Suicune, while Ucine stares at the thing he has always longed to see and reacts as he always knew he would to coming face to face with his passion...... he declares he is going to capture it!
Ash and Morty can't believe it as Ucine calls out Alakazam. His strategy is clear, Alakazam failed to defeat a Tangela so surely it has the number of a legendary Pokemon like Suicune! It uses Disable on Suicune and.... nothing happens.
Ucine isn't worried though, calling for Confusion which causes Alakazam to glow red while Suicune uses.... ROAR!
Yes Roar, that sucky move that most players trade out for a HM or TM when they play the Pokemon games. That shitty move that, if used, is the ultimate condescending slap in the face there is.
Yes, Suicune uses roar and, to Ucine's horror, Alakazam is returned to its Pokeball.
Shit son, you just got served.
The twerps look around in surprise, noting that Suicune is already gone as a rainbow appears over the forest, dissipating all of the webs... is this the power of Ho-Oh?
A little later, the twerps prepare to move on from Ercuteak, saying goodbye to Morty and his hideous mullet as he wishes them luck. He tells Misty that Ucine set off already to try and find Suicune again, and Morty says some of Ash's diligence rubbed off on him, though Misty laughs it is more likely to be his stubbornness. Ash laughs with the others, and then is just plain confused..... what does she mean? Morty tells them that he believes Ho-Oh is up there watching, and Ash and Misty happily agree they believe too, Brock belatedly assuring everyone he is a man of faith too, and then they set off.
What about the smashed Crystal Bell? That whole thing never got resolved. And what about Ucine? He apparently loves and wants to protect the good name of the legendary Pokemon, but he also wants to possess them even though he knows they were never meant to be captured? Well it is a strange dichotomy, but really, there is no mystery there.
Guy's just an asshole.
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