@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 59: Type Casting (part 1)

"Well done on getting a medal your first time in a Pokethlon." Ash smiled as he admired the silver medal glinting in Misty's medal box.

"Likewise, even though I don't like bugs that bite or sting, that was a very nice thing you did for Casey, giving away that Beedrill." Misty replied as she admired the medal, then put her medal box away.

She was about to say more when she noticed a wide river snaking across the path. "Uh oh...how are we gonna get across? It looks too big and too deep to swim across..."

"The map says there's supposed to be a bridge, but all I can see is construction crews." Brock reported as the group approached where one crew was working, near where Brock's map said the bridge would be."

"Excuse me, sir, but where can we find a bridge to cross the river?" Ash asked the foreman as the group approached the construction site.

"Well, if you're looking for the old bridge, a huge storm washed it away last year." the foreman explained as he studied his blueprint. "If everything goes according to schedule, the new bridge will be open for travelers in about...six months."

"WHAAAAAAAATTT???" the group gasped as they walked away.

"We can't afford to wait that long!" Ash gasped as he motioned fr the group to follow him into a small clearing by the roadside. "Let's huddle and try to think of a way to cross the river."

"I will reiterate that swimming is too dangerous..." Misty cautioned.

"Not to mention none of us have the building expertise to build one ourselves..." Brock agreed. "Unless you count building bridges out of toothpicks for science class..."

"I could have Aina cut a tree down!" Ash offered.

"But where would we find a tree long enough to span the river?" Misty wondered.

Just then, she spotted a fisherman arriving on the shore in a row boat. "Hey, look! We could ask that guy to row us across--if his boat's big enough to fit the three of us and him..."

"Worth a shot." Brock smiled as he motioned for Ash to follow Misty down to the shore, where the fisherman had just cast his line.

"Forgive us for interrupting your fishing, sir, but would you be so kind to take us across the river?" Misty asked as she approached the man.

"Sure--I'll take you three across in exchange for a captured Sudowoodo, a species of Pokemon which supposedly lives on a mountain not far from here." the fisherman replied. "There haven't been very many bites lately since all those crews started working on a new bridge."

"Thanks!" Misty replied as she climbed in the boat.

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"Thanks again for the ride!" Ash smiled as the group disembarked some time later.

"We'll leave no stone unturned in looking for your Sudowoodo." Misty agreed, waving goodbye as the fisherman started back towards the shore they had come from.

She heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Michelle, come help us look for something!"

[What is it you need to find?] Michelle asked as she materialized on the grass.

"One of these." Ash replied, showing Michelle his Pokedex:

"Sudowoodo, the imitation Pokemon. Although it always pretends to be a tree, its composition appears to be closer to a rock than a plant."

[Okay, I'll keep an eye out.] Michelle assured Ash.

She then spotted what she thought was a tree swaying in the breeze, but looking closer revealed that the "tree" had legs and spindly arms. That's odd-what tree has arms and legs?

[Misty, I think I found your Sudowoodo!] she called.

"Where?" Misty asked. She looked in the direction Michelle was pointing, but only saw trees and bushes. "I don't see any Sudowoodo..."

She gasped when she saw something tree-like running through the brush. "There it is!"

"Follow that 'woodo!" Brock called as he led the others into the forest.

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"I think we lost it..." Ash reported as the group arrived in a clearing some time later.

"And it'll take us forever to find it again..." Misty muttered, not pleased at the process of searching the entire forest for a Pokemon skilled at camouflage.

Some voices in the distance snapped her to attention. "Someone's here..."

Brock peeked through the brush to find a man and a woman in lab coats standing on tree stumps and arguing. After listening to the back and forth for a while, he decided to try and mediate the argument. "What seems to be the trouble here?" he asked, motioning for Ash and Misty to come out from the brush.

"First, allow us to introduce ourselves, traveler--I'm Pierre, and this is my partner Marie." the man began, spurring the woman to wave hello.

"We're up here in the mountains to work on a paper about the local habitat and the Sudowoodo." Marie explained. "But our big sticking point is Sudowoodo's type..."

"Our problem is this: I agree with the general scientific consensus that Sudowoodo is a Rock type." Pierre explained. "My colleague and partner Marie doubts that assertion, citing its Grass-type appearance and reports of the Pokémon using Fire-type attacks."

"Very intriguing, indeed..." Brock mused. "How did you both find the means to support your claims?"

"I looked through the known scientific literature, while Marie prefers going out in the field." Pierre explained.

Ash reached for the Poke Ball holding his Pidgeot. "I have an idea: I can send out my Pidgeot Mina to search for the elusive Pokémon--maybe another pair of eyes can see something human eyes can't!"

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"Okay, Mina--good luck!" Ash smiled as the Pidgeot prepared to take off.

[I'll be back soon!] Mina replied before flying off from the cliff overlooking the researcher's cabin.

"So, what have you two found on Sudowoodo so far?" Misty wondered as she watched Mina soar above the trees.

"Well, we've learned that Sudowoodo can appear similar to many types of trees, even to the extent of changing colors with the seasons." Marie began as Pierre met the group back at the cabin.

"I doubt that Sudowoodo is a Grass-type...." Pierre interjected. "According to 'Pokemon and Their Behavior', Sudowoodo gather branches to look like trees."

Just then, Ash heard a familiar squawk, and hurried to meet Mina. "Find anything?"

[I've found a Sudowoodo not far from here--hurry before it runs!] Mina explained before taking off to the west. Ash nodded, and motioned for the others to follow him down a path, where the Sudowoodo was contemplating how to cross a pond.

Ash gasped as he saw the Sudowoodo fleeing into the brush, and heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Luce, follow that Sudowoodo!"

Brock gasped in awe as the tiny Mareep ran after the Sudowoodo, going so quickly that it glowed white, revealing a familiar pink sheep Pokemon. "I don't believe it...Luce was so determined to catch our Sudowoodo, she's become a Flaaffy!"

Just then, the desperate Sudowoodo turned around and used what looked to the group like Vine Whip. Luce easily deflected the vine with a Headbutt, sending Sudowoodo's "Vine Whip" into the hands of Marie. "This wasn't a Vine Whip attack at all--our Sudowoodo was simply holding a vine." she sighed, showing the group the vine.

"Luce, try and use Power Gem on Sudowoodo!" Ash commanded.

The Sudowoodo then appeared to use Razor Leaf, but the leaves were all dried up. "I don't think that even looked like an attack..." Brock noted.

Just then, the group gasped as teh Sudowoodo suddenly lashd out with a very real-looking Vine Whip, sending Luce flying. "Try a different Pokemon, and see if it uses the same attacks!" Marie called to Ash.

Ash nodded, and heaved a second Poke Ball skyward. "Let's go, River!"

The Sudowoodo did a taunting dance, but River copied the dance step for step for a moment, as if challenging the Sudowoodo.

Her master's voice snapped River to reality. "River, Tackle that Sudowoodo!"

[HAAAAHHH!!!] River screeched as she barreled towards the tree-like Pokemon, but the Sudowoodo narrowly stepped out of the way. Next, River attempted Water Gun, but the Sudowoodo jumped to avoid every spray.

Misty seemed to notice the Sudowoodo's desperate efforts to avoid the Marill's attacks. "Sudowoodo seems to hate water..."

"That would make it consistent with the Rock-type." Brock agreed.

"Okay, River! You have permission to Play Rough with Sudowoodo!" Ash called to the angry Marill.

As River barreled towards the Sudowoodo, it ran through the brush until it suddenly disappeared into the ground. "Did it just use Dig?" Ash wondered.

"If that was the case, that would make Sudowoodo a Ground type..." Marie replied.

The group sweatdropped as the Sudowoodo came back up - in a net. "Surprise!" Ash and the others balked when they found Team Rocket staring back at them in very convincing tree costumes, complete with Jessie hanging the net from her fake foliage.

"Not so surprised anymore..." Ash growled. "I've heard your stupid motto a zillion times by now..."

"All right, since you've heard it, we'll spare you the trouble!" Jessie smirked.

"But in return, watch as we make you twerps see double!" James agreed.

"What do you mean by that?" Ash demanded.

James just grinned, making a tooth sparkle. "Weezing, use Smokescreen!"

Weezing nodded, and unleashed a massive cloud of smoke at the group, leading to the group, Marie, and Pierre coughing uncontrollably. "They're gone..." Misty sputtered before coughing some more.

"And they took the Sudowoodo with them." Brock managed to whisper before coughing again.

Ash coughed up the last of the smoke, then groaned. "Maybe that was what they meant by seeing double..." he mused as he wiped his watering eyes...

To Be Continued...