@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 68: The Psyduck Stops Here!

"The dance of the Shaymin was beautiful!" Dawn raved as the group walked down a road to Celestic Town.

"Yeah--that and the Distortion World is safe, too." Ash agreed as the group rounded a corner.

He balked when he saw three familiar duck Pokemon in the middle of the road. "Psyduck? Misty can't possibly be here...can she?"

"If she was, we'd likely see Michelle or Pearl someplace." Brock replied. "But these Psyduck appear to be wild."

"Psyduck, the duck Pokemon. It has mystical powers but doesn't recall that it has used them. This is why it always looks puzzled." Dawn's Pokedex explained as the group approached the three Psyduck.

She saw the Psyduck's eyes glow pink, surrounding the group in pink as well. "I have a bad feeling about this..."

"Oh no..." was all Ash could say before the group was flung against a tree!

"Is everyone okay?" Brock asked as he rubbed his head in pain.

"I think so..." Dawn replied as she inspected the scrapes and scratches on her arms.

"Everyone, huddle!" Ash called. "We need to find another way to get around the Psyduck."

"Just approaching them would only result in getting flung away..." Dawn groaned as she tended to her wounds.

"Asking them to move would be pointless..." Brock agreed.

"The only thing I know to do is use force." Ash continued.

He heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Diddy, use Fury Swipes!"

He winced as the three Psyducks didn't bat an eye. "Diddy, come back!"

"Kori, use Whirlpool!" Dawn called.

She watched in horror as the Psyducks used Psychic to reflect the Whirlpool back onto Kori.

"Maybe I can lure the Psyduck to me with some of my material?" Brock suggested as Dawn ran to collect Kori. "They'll be too distracted listening to me, and allow people to pass."

"Whatever you want to do, Brock--but we have to get these Psyduck out of the way somehow." Ash noted.

"All right, then!" Brock grinned. "But first, allow me to change into something more appropriate..."

He fished out the ruby from his Miracle Jewel bag and held it skyward. "Super Star Power! Make up!"

Against a background of stars and flashing lights, Brock's glowing purple body swirled and danced through the stars and a silver moon, making a long and elaborate purple and red tunic appear on his body. Next, some elegant purple gloves with red and gold trim appeared on his hands, and matching purple and red boots appeared on his feet. An elaborate purple and gold sash appeared next, making gold dust rain on the long tunic, giving it a gold sparkle. An elaborate purple minstrel's hat with a white plume appeared on his head, allowing him to strike an elegant pose, harp in hand.

In the real world, a familiar orange haired girl sighed as Ash and Dawn scrambled to pick up pieces of Brock's normal clothes. "You call throwing off your regular clothes a transformation?" she sighed.

Just then, Mars and Jupiter came over the hill. "How's a sing-along gonna help, Sir Minstrel?" Mars jeered.

"We can do a better job of getting the Psyduck out of the way than anything you guys could ever try!" Jupiter agreed.

"Okay, then--prove it!" Ash challenged.

Mars walked up to the Psyduck. "Look, people need to go through here. Can you please move?"

Tarina watched as the admins went flying via Psychic to the top of a mountain. [Wow...that was pretty strong, but I should be able to show these Psyducks who's boss!]

"Be careful!" Dawn called as Tarina fired a Thundershock at the Psyduck.

Ash winced as Tarina went flying to the group via Psychic. "That looked like it hurt..." he noted as Tarina eased herself to her feet.

[Errgh...no one's gonna bully people like that while I'm here!] Tarina screeched.

Brock watched in awe as an electric aura started to form around Tarina. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Volt Tackle!" Ash gasped as the aura formed into an electric burst.

Tintri gasped as the electric burst glowed bright white. [Hit the dirt!] The group dove for cover as Tarina slammed into a Psyduck, creating an electric explosion.

"Are you okay?" Brock asked as he found Tarina heaving with exhaustion by a rock. "That was a pretty powerful move you tried to use..."

[I'm okay...] Tarina replied. [Just very tired...]

"Well, Volt Tackle is a very powerful move. Even Tintri didn't learn to do it overnight." Brock reminded Tarina as the group reunited in a clearing near the road.

[If you want me to give you some Volt Tackle lessons, I'll teach you.] Tintri offered as the group discussed their next move.

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"Okay..." Ash began as he climbed aboard Estrella. "You guys can distract the Psyduck while Estrella and I do a flyover of the area they're protecting."

"Right!" Dawn smiled, clinking a few spoons as Brock finished fine tuning his guitar.

Ash smiled. "Remember, it's okay to play every last song you know."

"I don't know if I'll need to play that many, but I'll go through as many songs as I can." Brock smiled back.

Once sure Ash and Estrella were safely airborne, Brock snapped to count Dawn off into a familiar rollicking melody.

It's of a jolly beggarman came tripping o'er the plain,
He came unto a castle fair, a lodging for to gain
His Royal Highness, he came down and viewed him cheek and chin
He said, 'You are a handsome man, of course I'll take you in...'

We'll go no more a roving, a roving in the night... Dawn joined in, clinking the spoons for percussion all the while.
We'll go no more a roving, let the moon shine so bright
We'll go no more a roving...

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Estrella soared over the Psyduck blockade and down into the valley. [Well, that explains the blockade...] she noted as she flew down for Ash to get a lock.

Ash looked down to see a few mother Golduck holding yellow eggs with a Psyduck foot pattern on the shell. "No wonder the Psyduck wouldn't let anyone pass--they were protecting their babies!"

[Let's go back and report to the others!] Estrella suggested.

They arrived just as Brock started another verse of his epic ballad. The first night, it gave way to dawn, and Ariana fair
Was led out with a retinue towards the dragon lair
The fact her sister had returned, it gave her heart new hope
That the hero would return again, as she looked on the gentle slope...

We'll go no more a roving, a roving in the night... Dawn joined in another round of the chorus, still clinking the spoons with gusto.
We'll go no more a roving, let the moon shine so bright
We'll go no more a roving...

[Stop the song!] Estrella called, bringing the enthusiastic performance to a halt.

"Did you find out the reason for our Psyduck blockade?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah--the three Psyduck are just protecting their babies." Ash explained. "Let's find another way in, and I'll show you."

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The group arrived in a clearing by a lake, just in time to see one of the yellow eggs crack. "It's hatching!" Dawn gasped, excited as the baby Psyduck worked itself free.

"My question is, if this lake is their home, then why are the Psyducks here, and not in the lake?" Brock wondered.

Ash saw three sludge glob-like Pokemon emerge from the water. "There's your answer--the lake was polluted by Muk!"

"Muk, the sludge Pokemon. A toxic fluid seeps from its body. The fluid instantly kills plants and trees on contact. Dawn's Pokedex explained.

Dawn looked up from the Pokedex to see a sludge pool near the lake. "There! That's where the Muk came from!"

Inspired, she heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Satomi, drive these Muk away from the beautiful lake!

[Go on, shoo!] Satomi called, using a Psybeam to spur the Muk back towards the poison pool. [Don't ruin the lake for eveyone!]

Ash smiled as the Psyducks waddled back to the lake. "Well, our problem's solved..."

One Psyduck quacked happily at him. "You're welcome!" Ash smiled back as the group started down the road to Celestic Town in peace.

To Be Continued...