Okay, the poison-clan has got me and Pikachu, I've been tied up and stuck in this cage and left in a dark room and I just heard something move quite close and I'm trying not to think what might be in this room with me when the door opens and those two samurai who locked me in the cage in the first place are back.

"What are you two doing here?" I ask, getting to my feet kind of awkwardly since my hands are still tied.

"Oh we just happened to be passing through," the girl-samurai with the pink hair says, winking at me.

"But Musashi! You grabbed me and pulled me in here-- that's not "just happened," that's definitely on purpose!" her partner protests.

For some reason Musashi hits him.

"Ow!"

"Like I said, kid, we just happened to pass through. We're not here for anything in particular. Just forget we were even here. In fact you might even say we're not really here," she smiles at me. "You never saw us, got that?"

"But I can see you," I say. "You're right here."

"Well of course we're here," she says. "But if anyone asks we're not. Right?"

"Umm." She frowns and I decide I don't want to be hit. "Okay. Whatever you say."

"That's better," She beams. "Now Kojiro, pass me the torch that we're not accidentally going to leave in here."

"But if we're not going to leave it how are we going to help the kid escape?" Kojiro said. "I thought the plan was that we make Kosaburo and Yamato look bad by helping the kid escape?"

Musashi looks as if she's only just managing to restrain herself from inflicting permanent damage on him. "A moment please," she says to me, then drags her partner away. I hear a whispered discussion echo down the corridor with a fair amount of "Ow's!!" thrown in. Eventually they return.

"Right kid," Kojiro said. "Here's the torch that we're not leaving you and the keys to the cages are kept on this nail over here by the door."

"Have fuuuunnn! And remember you never saw us!" Musashi grabs him and they slip away again. I'm left in the dungeon still in my cage and this time I have a light.

"Weird," I say.

"Bulba."

"Char."

I turn around to see who it is agreeing with me. A little green, um, lizard like thing is watching me along with another lizard with crimson scales and a look of annoyance I recognise immediately.

"Charizard! It's you!" I can't help grinning like a Jigglypuff with an audience. "I was so worried about you!"

Charizard snorts a little smoke cloud at me. I think it's his way of expressing affection. If I was really annoying him I'd be a toasted crisp by now. Bearing the lizard's enormous flaming power in mind, I ask him, "So what happened? The Purple-clan just stuck you in here too?"

"Bulba."

"You were stolen too?" I can just reach the little grass Pokémon through the cage bars. He seems to appreciate the patting.

"This is weird. Why would the poison clan steal other people's Pokémon? I mean, they have their own . . . "

"Char."

"Well, that's one point of view, I guess. And you're right, getting out of here is more important. But good news! Shigeru's here!"

"Char?"

Charizard looks very pleased. Shigeru isn't his trainer . . . when the fire-lizard was kept at the fire-clan's stronghold it was untrained, allowed to roam pretty much as it liked--although allowed is pretty much the wrong word. A Charizard will only obey a fire-master and only Ookido-daimyo and Shigeru could control it. The rest of us just tried to keep out of its way. I always avoided it . . . for some reason Charizard hated me, until the moment we had to fight together to protect the clans Pokémon-- I remember very clearly how Charizard was willing to let me pat him and offer what reassurance I could in that dark trailer we were taken from the fire-clan in. He seemed to want it even. But then the green fog had come out of nowhere and I was slipping and everything was lost to me . . .

"I'm sorry I wasn't with you before," I tell Charizard. "The fog, I guess it put me to sleep. When I woke I was tied up and these two ronin were taking me into the woods. They were ordered to kill me . . . "I shudder, not liking to remember how close that one was. If their greed hadn't been stronger than their fear . . . "But I'm here now, right? And we're going to get out of here." I pause and look at the little grass type Pokémon. "Even you, Bulbasaur."

"Bulba?" It brightens. Charizard doesn't disapprove . . . maybe unlike their trainers, the Pokémon themselves don't feel threatened by ties of clan and kin. It'll be something to ask Takeshi when or if I see him again. My throat tightens. Shigeru is out there too! My best friend! And there's Pikachu . . . I have to find all of them. But first . . .

"Bulbasaur, I bet if you used those vine things of yours you could just reach those keys."

"Bulba? Bul-Ba-Saur!" Bulbasaur nods happily and sends out a leafy tendril towards the keys. "Bul--" he strains hard, but his vine falls about half a metre short.

"Charizard, let's see if we can push this cage forward," I say shoving the bars of Bulbasaur's cage through my own. I get it to move, maybe a half centimetre. "Uunh."

Charizard snorts. "Char." His cage bars creak as he makes his way over to the side closest Bulbasaur's cage. While his huge fore arms are too large to fit through the gaps between bars but his tail isn't. He adds his strength to my pitiful efforts and Bulbasaur complains as his cage is peremptorily shoved forward. For a moment it totters then falls over.

"Bulbasaur!"

"Oops. Sorry about that," I say sheepishly as Bulbasaur picks himself up. However he now has no trouble in reaching the keys and passing them to me.

"All right! Thanks Bulbasaur, Charizard. You guys did a great job," I say as I unlock my cage and then theirs.

"Bulba!"

"Yeah. Let's get out of here."

Lucky for us it must be night or something . . . there are very few people moving through the fortress. A couple of times we have to make mad dashes to hiding places and stuff in order to avoid being spotted . . . Charizard in particular has trouble hiding his great bulk.

"I don't know," I say as we reach one of the top floors. "Finding anything in this place is harder than I thought. Maybe we should take a rest."

"Bulba!" The little grass Pokémon agrees happily.

The wing we have found ourselves in seems to be deserted, used for storage and not much else. We move some crates in order to build a sort of wall and in the space behind we move in a couple of old tapestries. It makes a cosy sort of sleeping space.

We manage to get some sleep.

I'm woken by a large grumbling noise. Charizard? I wonder sleepily. Then I recognise the sound-- my empty stomach. Okay, so I haven't eaten in an entire day.

"Anyone else hungry?" I ask and am greeted by two answers that are definitely in the affirmative.

"I suppose I should go and look for the food . . . you two would be in danger. After all, how many grass and fire type Pokémon are there likely to be in this place?"

"Char."

"What? My face?"

"Bulba." The grass Pokémon pulls an old mirror over to me. I see what he means. That swipe that Persian took at me has left 3 scars on my cheek. That's going to be hard to hide.

"Oh. Darn." I have to find someway of being able to move around-- how else am I going to find the Pikachu? "Well maybe we can find stuff in these old crates that could help."

We do. About the third crate Bulbasaur and I try (Charizard has decided all this manual labour is beneath his dignity and has gone back to sleep) we find a collection of clothes . . . women's clothes.

"Well the Kabuki actor did say I'd make a good girl," I sigh as Bulbasaur holds up a kimono in about my side. Charizard wakes up to laugh at me as I change into it. "There aren't any cloaks in there, are there? I'm going to need to hide my face," I ask. My hair, cut short at Matisse-san's insistence will not pass for a girl's . . . Bulbasaur holds up a shawl and a pair of sandals. I'm all set.

My first expedition takes me to the Gardens where I swipe a couple of baskets of food. As we eat Bulbasaur, Charizard and I discuss further plans. Reassured by the success of my first try in disguise I'm ready to make the second-- an attempt to find the Pikachu and a way out.

"Stay quiet," I remind the Pokémon as I leave them. "I'll try not to stay away too long."

I slip quietly from the attics to the more used passages. The poison clan's hallways wind like the hair of Tangela. It's hard to find anything in that maze. As I pass more and more groups of people I walk more delicately, trying to remember the instructions my mother gave the geisha-in-training-- "Walk like you walk on silver clouds"--heck, I miss my mother. But I have more important things to worry about now . . .

"Geisha!" A green haired man, I recognise him as one of the two samurai who ordered the attack on Takeshi, Onix, Pikachu and me yesterday grabs my arm . . . uh oh, I hadn't realised my walking was that good.

"You should be in your dressing room, preparing for tonight."

I pull the shawl down around my face. "Sorry," I say softly. "I . . uh, got lost."

He snorts. "I'll take you there. C'mon."

I'm not given a choice. I'm dragged along after him and I have no chance to struggle or do anything more than try to be graceful. I'm shoved into a room and left.

I look around a little bewildered. As I look around I realise this is the best thing that could have happened . . . I'm in a Geisha's dressing room.

I find a brush and rice-powder and whiten my face, covering the scars and the rest of me. Then I find an ornately styled wig to hide my short hair. I apply the other make-up carefully and at the end of it I have to admit that I look good-- I'm not a geisha's son for nothing. I know all the little in-trade tricks. There are advantages to being born with an aptitude for asking questions, I guess.

The screen to the room is thrust roughly aside.

"Like, what are you doing here?" The real geisha demands.

"I'm preparing for tonight. As I was told to," I say. At least that's true.

"But . . . no-one said anything about an extra. Where are you from anyway?"

"Uh . . . the scarlet-feather?" I invent a name.

"I've never heard of it."

"It's out of town," I say.

"Oh. That would explain it," she shrugs. "Look, I don't suppose they told you but this happens to be my dressing room . . ."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll leave immediately," I say. Outside in the corridor I give a long sigh of relief . . . I got out of there without her noticing I'd borrowed her wig. Well now . . . I began to walk down the corridors. Geisha are accorded the greatest trust and respect wherever they go . . their dressing rooms would most likely be in the heart of the fortress . . . I wander the corridors, listening for any sign of Pikachu.

"Don't tell me. Lost, again?" It's the green-haired samurai again. "You're wanted in the daimyo's quarters. He dines now."

"But . . ."

I protest as I'm dragged after him again. I don't think I'm up to making intelligent conversation with the poison lord . . . . but I then notice that the guards the samurai takes me past are all slightly burnt looking. Hmm.

To my greatest relief when I get there I find the poison lord attended by the geisha whose room I used and two others. The samurai bows low to his lord and leaves us. I kneel. "What is my lord's pleasure?" I ask.

I'm ignored. "Where did she come from?" Sakaki asks.

"Like, she said she's from some out-of-the-way house no one's even heard of. She was told to come here."

"Hmm, I didn't send for her. I suppose she's a gift from someone . . . who sent you?"

"Um . . ."

"I suppose it was Kanna of the Ice-clan."

"Like, I didn't know you had dealings with the ice-clan."

"Yeah, aren't they allied with the fire-clan? I heard they did send something to them a while back . . ."

"Yes," Sakaki smiles. It is not a pleasant smile. "They also sent word to us of the route the messenger would take and a description of him. The ice-clan are playing a double game . . ."

"Like, tricky."

"So, does Kanna plan anything new?" Sakaki-san asks me.

"I'm not privileged to know my Lady Kanna's mind," I say. "I'm instructed to bring you the good wishes of the ice-clan and to place myself at your service."

"Very good. I suppose you can play?" Sakaki points to a collection of instruments in the corner. "Provide us with some music as we talk."

I'm very thankful Ookido-san liked music so much he insisted Shigeru and I both learn to play, and even more so that my mother taught me even before that. Although it's been years since I've been near an instrument it doesn't take me too long to remember . . . I listen closely to the conversation at the table as I play but nothing strikes me as very interesting. Until that is one of the guards comes in to deliver a report that the kid and the Pokémon in the second dungeon are missing.

"The kid that was brought in with the Pikachu?" Sakaki says sharply.

"Yes, Daimyo. We are looking for him now." The blonde samurai bows, looking very nervous.

"They haven't left the fortress?"

"Not as far as we can make out, lord."

"Go and check on the Pikachu. I don't want anything to happen to it."

"Yes daimyo. I go at your will." The samurai, about to leave is stopped by Sakaki.

"I'm disappointed, Yamato. I expected better from you and Kosaburo."

"Yes, daimyo. I'm sorry, daimyo. We will do better."

"See that you do."

I make a mental note of the door that the samurai leaves by determined to sneak out of there and look for Pikachu the first chance I get.

I get my chance. After tea the three real Geisha commandeer the instruments and show off their dancing skills. I am dismissed. I bow low to the poison lord and then quietly slip out by the door that leads to Pikachu. I wander up and down the corridors . . .

"Lost?"

I turn. The voice that has hailed me is cool, almost emotionless. But where is the speaker? "Where --who --?"

She laughs coolly, stepping out of the shadow, a pale girl in the crimson trimmed uniform of the Psychic clan. I've heard of these warriors but never seen one. I watch, a mix of fascination and nervousness turning over in my head as she approaches . . . they say members of the psychic clan can read your thoughts, even the ones you don't know you've thought . . . they are secretive, their clan-hold is miles from any village and they don't travel much. I'd seen the leader of the clan, Kikuko herself once, when she'd come to pay Ookido-san a visit. She arrived in the dead of night, a psychic clan trait. What impressed me most was that she travelled alone with her two ghost Pokémon. Shigeru and I were pulled from our beds to greet and honour her . . . although one of the smaller clans, all attention was paid to decorum when they were around. No one wanted to give them occasion for revenge . . . this girl, her eyes like polished onyx, is at once beautiful and threatening. Threatening because in her cool demeanour I don't see any trace of emotion, any feeling I recognise.

"I make you nervous don't I?" she said with a smile that was cold as the granite stones under our feet. "The kimono might have fooled the poison-lord but no disguise is enough to penetrate my sight."

I went pink. Dressing up as a girl was bad enough but getting caught dressing up as a girl . . . "Wh-" I began to ask.

"Natsume," she answered my question before I'd finished it.

"Ar--"

"Yes." She was walking about me, inspecting my hair, the kimono, the sandals. "And not just a samurai. If we had such titles, I would probably be what is called an elite." She paused. "These clothes came from a crate in the attic?"

"Yes. Except for the wig." I was now thoroughly bemused.

"Of course," she stood looking at me and frowned.

"What?" I asked. "It's not my colour?"

She laughed, and this time it sounded real. "I can't make it out," she said, suddenly snapping back to serious. "You."

"Um . . . I don't quite follow . . ."

"Exactly," she said. "Why is Sakaki so worried about you?" She tapped my head. "You, Satoshi, are a puzzle and one I would give a lot to be able to solve."

"Me? But . . . I'm no one. I don't have a clan or even kin . . . I'm not even allowed to be a samurai."

"Yet Surge-san has taught you to fight," Natsume says, eyes glowing red. I took it this meant she was sorting through my mind again.

"Yeah but he's a ronin. Maybe he doesn't care about the rules," I say. Surge-san had a way about him that deterred even me from asking questions. He'd said I was going to learn how to fight, I was not about to argue with him. But this explanation did not satisfy Natsume.

"Or maybe . . . he does," she frowns, her eyes darker than ever in her alabaster face. "The Pikachu you seek is in the third room on the left. You'd better hurry. Sakaki-san can only be occupied by the geisha so long . . ."

"Oh," I say. "Um, thank-you. I guess I should go."

"You're not going to ask me why I'm helping you?"

"I could," I say. "I really have no idea what's going on. But you said I didn't have much time and . . ."

"And you believe me?"

"Hai. Why wouldn't I?" Natsume might be a bit creepy the way she just stares straight through you but I get the feeling she's if not friendly, not entirely hostile to me. And when she laughed before she sounded almost normal. She was also slightly confused by me and confusion is a state I can empathise with completely.

"Be careful," she said, eyes glittering darkly. "There are guards."

"Thank-you, Natsume," I say, turning to take the direction she'd indicated. "I hope our paths cross again."

"An unusual wish," she said, stepping back into the shadows. "I hope to see it fulfilled."

The silken swish of my borrowed kimono is the only thing that accompanies me down the hall. I approach the door Natsume indicated cautiously, remembering what she said about guards. A rather irate female voice emanates from the room. Then I duck into the shadows just in time to avoid being seen by the blonde samurai. She stands in the corridor a moment, hand on sword-hilt, as if considering what she'll do, then she retraces the corridor towards the dining room.

I wait wondering what on earth to do.

Go in and get beaten up by the highly trained professional guards Sakaki-san undoubtedly has guarding Pikachu?

Wait outside and get found by the guards that Sakaki-san has roaming these corridors?

I have to see Pikachu, I decide. I don't have a plan but then I don't tend to make plans . . . I slip the door open.

". . . going on as if we hadn't been serving as guards to the poison-Lord these past thirty years. Young people. No respect, no thought for age . . . Hah."

"No harm in a small glass of sake while a man's on duty, gives him something to look forward to. And as for being slack in our duty to guard this thing . . . as if it could escape! It may be a malicious little sod but I've yet to see the day a Pikachu can slip out of a solid wooden cage to reach the keys hanging on the other side of the room."

"Does she really think anyone would steal this psycho rat?" The first guard speaks again.

"We should be so lucky."

"Hai. The darn things nothing but a nuisance, to anyone but the Lord . . . and who's to know he's got it?"

"Well . . . I heard tell the fire-clan sent a messenger after it, they must want it."

"Hah." I hear the guard's voice get distant, then a banging on something hard. "Who'd want an ill-behaved creature like you?"

"PiKA-CHUU!"

"Steady, . . . are you all right?"

"Little blighter just missed . . . I tell you, the storm clan must have been hard cases. Give me the sake, my hearts beating like it's in a race."

Sensing an opportunity I duck into the room, hoping to find a hiding place before they spot me --here I am unlucky.

"Hey, what are you . . . heh, I beg your pardon, miss, are you lost?"

"What's a nice girl like yourself doing in these corridors?"

Oh yeah. I'd forgotten I was dressed as a girl. Blushing, I look at my feet. "I'm sorry," I say demurely. "I must have mistook the directions I was given."

"Nothing to be sorry about," I take a step back as the guards come closer and something hard bites into my back. The keys.

"Stay here and share some sake with us."

"Oh," I say, slipping my fingers around the keys behind my back and slipping them into my obi. "I would not want to disturb you from your work. You must be guarding something very important . . ."

"Very very important," the first guard says, pouring me a glass of the rice wine. "But it's nothing to a skilled pair of professionals like us."

"No, miss. We've been guards for nigh on thirty years and nothing has ever got past us."

"You must be very highly valued then," I say, taking the sake. "Allow me to serve you, gracious lords."

"Gracious lords, now? I like that," the guards chuckle and willingly accept the glasses I hand them. I am very thankful for my unusual upbringing. It seems to be coming in handy a lot lately. "No, not valued nearly enough."

"Oh, but how can that be?" I ask, hoping that they'll love indulging in their misfortunes. And they do. While they wax eloquent on the subject of their ill use and the blindness of their colleagues to their good qualities I nod, exclaim, and make sure their glasses are filled. This really isn't too hard, I think. When I judge they've drunk more than enough I beg them to show me what they are guarding now. After hearing Pikachu's faults magnified a zillion times I'm shepherded towards a box about a metre long and not that much high, with only a small air hole at the top. I'm very proud of Pikachu . . . he has obviously been giving them a hard time.

"Now, don't go too close, miss," the guards urge me. "This is a very dangerous animal."

"I just want to see it," I say slipping closer. "It doesn't look too scary to me."

Pikachu recognises my voice. "Pikapi! Pikapi!"

I step behind the box, discreetly reaching for the keys.

"Appearances can be deceiving," the second guard says. "Why don't you come over here and we can finish the last of the . . . "

The door bangs open.

"What's going on in here?"

Darn. The blonde samurai and the green haired samurai who found me in the halls before are back. The guy samurai in particular is displeased to see me.

"Lost again?" he says, unpleasantly. "I think it's time we had a little chat."

"Oh, there's no need for that!" I say brightly. "These two guards have been ever so nice to me!" The lock comes off and as Kosaburo and Yamato give all their attention to glaring at the guards I open the cage carefully. Pikachu slips out and I shut the cage without a sound.

"Come on," Yamato says, scowling. "We're going to sort out exactly where you've come from."

"Under my kimono," I whisper to Pikachu. "Certainly," I smile, feeling Pikachu climb onto my feet. I take one dainty step and trip over Pikachu. "Wonderful," I mutter.

"Pikaa!" Pikachu complains. That one sound elicits a remarkable response.

"Aarrgh! The Pikachu!" The two samurai and the guards all react with similar horror. Pikachu comes to the same realisation they have-- he is now free of the wooden cage that did not conduct electricity and has a room full of targets. I let him have his way-- after all they were the ones who locked him up.

"Pika." Pikachu says, sitting back on his haunches, satisfied at the fallen bodies around him.

"Pikachu," I say, scooping him up and hugging him. "I'm so glad you're all right!"

"Pika-pi!" He greets me. "Pika-chu?"

"Oh, the dress." I look at the enemy samurai around us. "I'll explain later. For now we have to get out of here."

Unfortunately that turns out to be a problem. Like I said, this place winds like a Tangela's hair and we get lost. Worse, now there are guards looking for us . . .

"Pikapi!" Pikachu cannons into me, knocking me to the ground as an arrow ricochets off the wall where I just was . . . it appears they've found us.

"In here quickly!" We scoot into the nearest room, slamming the door behind us. I draw the bolt down, as Pikachu sizes up the room.

"Pikaaa!" His wail tells me things are not good. I turn around and gulp. A small square room without doors or even a window. On the other side of the door we hear the warriors of the poison-clan. We are, to put it bluntly, between a Rhydon and a hard place.

"Pikaaa," Pikachu growls, raising it's hackles as we back into the corner furthest the door. He's putting himself in front of me, hoping to defend me when they break through the door. I'm not the brightest of cookies but even I know that won't work . . . as tough as Pikachu is, he can't hold off an entire clan indefinitely.

"Youse two wouldn't be needing help would you?"

"Pi?" Pikachu gasps and I do the same. The room was empty a moment ago . . . but now a Meowth is leaning calmly against one wall watching us.

"Where did--you just--" The door shudders as the poison clan samurai throw their weight against it. I decide to ask the unimportant questions later. "You can get us out of here?"

"Only if you say da magic word, kid."

"What, please?"

"Ha! Nope. Try 'Food'."

"Food?" Pikachu and I look at each other.

"Food," the Meowth says again. "I happen to be da manager of da Ninja Squirtles, fearless heroes, fighting team extraordinaire, liberator of imprisoned and perusers of quality foodstuffs. We get you out of this, you provide us with a decent meal, deal?"

"Pika."

"Sure. But how . . . ?"

The Meowth turns his back on us and whistles. "Okay, boys, you're on!"

The wall hanging is shoved aside to reveal a tunnel through which four squirtle jump. I haven't seen many squirtle but I can tell these four are unusual-- how many Squirtle do you see wearing sunglasses? Particularly in Edo-period Japan?

"Squirt."

"Squirt."

"Squirt."

"Squirtle."

All four squirtle salute Meowth. "Right, boys!" He commands. "We gotta bunch of poison-clan numbskulls outside the door. Get to work, huh?"

"Squirtle, squirtle squirt." The biggest of the squirtle assumes a leader stance, laying out a sketchy plan to his comrades. I'm impressed.

"That's kind of risky, but it sounds as if it could work!"

"Huh?" The Meowth is surprised. "You understood dem?"

"Well, some of it," I answer Meowth. "Listen," I say to the Squirtle. "Let Pikachu help. Takeshi said that water seemed to strengthen his attacks . . . "

"Pikachu!"

"Squirtle." The lead Squirtle nods. The Squirtle get to work quickly, aiming their waterguns at the walls. Slowly the room begins to fill with water. All four pokemon are strong, and it's not long before we're all forced to float.

"Dat's enough!" Meowth says. "Now get ready . . . "

The poison clan are about to shatter the door . . . They do. In a rush the huge wave of water goes rushing past them. Those at the front of the ranks are actually swept from their feet.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu proclaimed it was now his turn. I blinked at the grin that settled over his face-- I had no idea something so cute and yellow could look so evil.

"PI-KA-CHUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!"

The wet puddles conducted Pikachu's attack to anyone who had not been quenched by the water.

"Let's get outta here!" Meowth said, shoving us down the corridor. "Before they send for reinforcements!"

"We have to go this way," I say. "Charizard and Bulbasaur are still waiting for me."

Charizard was somewhat grouchy at being woken from his nap but cheered up immensely when I told him what the plan was.

"We get on Charizard's back and he flies over to the Viridian forest, where you'll hide while I go find Shigeru and Takeshi and let them know where we are," I say.

"Don't forget, ya owe us a meal!"

"I don't have any money," I tell him as I return to my clothes --the kimono disguise is kind of redundant now that everyone's seen me in it. "But I'm sure Shigeru will help me out. He'll want to repay you for the service you've done his clan."

"He better," The Meowth mutters but he seems pleased. "Hey, careful there!"

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur has finished lifting the four Squirtle and Meowth onto Charizard's back. I lift him on to the lizard's back and he uses his vinewhip to make hand holds for the rest of Charizard's passengers. Pikachu has taken a seat near Charizard's head. Fortunately the lizard doesn't seem to care.

He snorts at me.

"Uh oh," I say, my stomach jumping. Charizard is right, there is no room for me . . .

"I guess you guys will just have to go to Viridian forest by yourselves, and wait for me there," I say. "I'm sure I can find a wait out of this fort by myself."

"Pikapi," Pikachu frowns then takes a dive from Charizard's head into my arms. "Pikachu!"

"You're . . . coming to?" I hug him tight, this means a lot to me. "Well, I'm glad to have you with me."

"Listen kid," Meowth pauses. "Dis place is riddled with passages. Da one we came in by ends up in da city. If you two get back to dat room, you should be able to find it all right."

"Thanks," I say. "We'll see you in Viridian forest." Then I pause. "Hey, how did you guys know we needed help?"

"Dis dame with creepy eyes said you might require assistance. SO we followed you for a bit then stepped in at what I thought was a likely moment."

"Natsume," I breathe.

Charizard makes an 'I want to go NOW' noise.

"Wait a moment," I say. "There's no window. How will you . . . "

Charizard gives me a look that seems to say, 'how can you be so dense?' He turns to face the wall, takes a deep breath and the next minute, there is no wall, just a large pile of soot and a some small flames flickering in the roofing.

"Oh."

"See you in the forest!" Meowth calls as they take off.

"Squirt! Squirt!"

"Pikachu!

"Bulba!"

"Take care!" I yell. "C'mon, Pikachu, we better find some place different to hide."

We creep around in corridors while the whole Poison clan fort goes nuts. There are people running in all directions, and an awful lot of shouted orders. With Pikachu's help we manage to negotiate the passages unnoticed, making our way back to the room with the tapestry. Pikachu smirks at the weapons lying scattered across the floor and the puddles that have yet to be cleaned up.

"I guess the poison clan won't want to mess with us again," I say, patting him. "C'mon. Let's see where this passage takes us."

The passage was definitely built with pokemon in mind. I have to crawl for most of the way. Finally we reach a space where I have room enough to stand up in. I look around the space. "It looks like someone's been living here."

"Pika-pikachu."

"You don't think it smells like Meowth and the others?" I look at some scrolls set on a stone shelf in the wall. "These don't look like they've been touched in a while." I pick one up. "The Daimyo of the Storm clan greets his humble servant . . ."

"Pika-pi, pikaCHU."

"Oh . . . now you come to mention it, I'm hungry too," I put the scroll into my obi and follow him down the passages. Without Pikachu's sense of smell we would be lost. The passages wind and twist so much I feel my head is spinning by the time we get outside.

"We made it!" I exclaim happily as grey sky finally greets us. "We're out of the fortress!"

"Pika!" Pikachu warns me. I pause and listen and a few moments later I hear it-- the sound of poison-clan guards coming our way.

"I just don't understand it, Kosaburo." I recognise the voice of the blonde samurai. "How could an untrained child and a rat escape the poison-clan? Particularly with us in charge."

"I don't know, but I know what will happen if we fail to bring them back."

"Demotion?"

"If we're lucky," the male samurai sighs. "It's obvious they've made it out of the fortress. The only thing we can do now is scour the town for them."

"I'm setting a reward for them, and posters which will be read out all over town. One black-haired boy with Pikachu, both property of the poison-clan."

"Do you think that will . . . oh, for crying out loud, Muk, get away from me!" I heard the sounds of a struggle. "That's it! You are no longer my pokemon, Muk, I cast you out!"

"Mu-uk?" The sound makes my eyes water. The poor thing sounds so . . .upset.

"You should have done that a long time ago," the female samurai says. "Go on, get out of here. You're not wanted." She speaks to the male samurai again and they leave.

"Pika-pi, pika."

I numbly follow Pikachu. We slip out of the tunnel exit, and find ourselves in a drain, alongside which ramshackle houses lean at unsteady angles. Obviously the back streets of Viridian.

"Pikachu," Pikachu says, scrambling up the sides of the ditch. But I can't . . . the Muk looks so upset and I know what it's like to feel unwanted.

"Hey," I say, patting him gently. "It'll be okay."

"M-Muk?" he says, looking up at me in surprise.

"That's right," I smile. "You're probably better off without a trainer like him, anyway."

"Muk? Muk!"

Oh heavens. The Muk has decided he likes me. I struggle futilely as he engulfs me in a big sloppy hug. "Pikachu! Do something!" I call.

Pikachu does . . . sits around and cries with laughter.

"Waahh! Muk, I'm glad you're happy but do you really need to suffocate me to prove it?" I cry. "Help! Someone! Anyone!"

My cries are answered.

"Like, Staryu! I choose you!"

"Nice choice Botan."

"Staryu goes beautifully with your dress."

"Yes. You know, I polished him yesterday so he'd be more shiny."

"You did a really good job."

"Help!"

"Oh I suppose we'd better get on with it. Watergun!"

Muk is knocked off me. I sit up, to get my first look at me rescuers . . . the three geisha from the fortress.

"Thank-you," I say.

"No problem. We'd come down there and help you up, but we don't want to get our kimono's dirty."

"Like, why was that thing attacking you?"

Muk whimpered.

"It wasn't attacking me and it's not a thing," I say. Scrambling carefully out of the ditch I have a hasty look around . . . and spot Pikachu hiding behind a pile of boards. "It's owner just dumped it. I was kind to it so it decided to adopt me instead."

"Bummer. It's like totally ruined your clothes."

The third geisha has been giving me a long hard look. "You're awfully familiar." Then her eyes widen. "Aren't you the . . ."

"Yes," I admit, slightly pink.

"You're a guy?"

"Long story. The poison-clan took me prisoner--"

"Like, enough said. You're coming with us.""

"We'll get you cleaned up. Our hotel is not too far from here. You can take a bath and we'll find some clothes for you."

"Why are you helping me?" I ask. "I thought you were . . ."

"Like we would support that egotistical maniac. He's too busy praising himself to give us the proper respect!"

"We normally wouldn't even have considered it but well, silk is going up . . ."

"So, what do you say? Willing to trust us?"

"Thank-you," I say. I'm not too keen on the bathing part but I have to admit that Pikachu and I won't get far in Viridian without attracting the attention of the poison-clan looking like we were dragged through a ditch backwards . . . speaking of which . . . .I turn back to the despondent Muk. "You can come too," I tell it. "As long as you don't smother me again, okay?"

"Muk!" It brightens immediately.

Botan picks up Staryu and the three begin to walk back to their hotel. Muk and I follow, and from a flash of yellow that I catch out of the corner of my eye every now and again, I know they have a third guest. Much as I'm beginning to like the geisha I don't know if I can trust them with Pikachu. Although they hate Sakaki they have a mercenary streak --what's to say they won't just sell him off to the next highest bidder?

"Like take as long as you want," Ayame says to me, waving me into the bathroom. "There's a robe here you can change into when yours is drying and just help yourself to whatever you want."

"Thank-you," I say and then I am left alone. Muk has been finally persuaded to stay outside.

"Pika-pi!" Well maybe not alone.

As I wash I discuss with Pikachu our plans. We can really only try and find Shigeru or Takeshi--"Perhaps we could try asking at guest houses and see what they come up with?"

"Pika."

"We don't really have any other options . . . " I sigh, climb out of the bath and into the robe. Then I pick up my clothes and begin to wash them in the remains of my bath water. I am again very thankful for my mother's insistence I took a fair part in the housework.

The geisha giggle as I rejoin them in the robe.

"You know, Satoshi," Botan purrs--we introduced ourselves properly on the walk back to their hotel--"We were just thinking, you might find a disguise useful to move around town in."

"And since we already know you make such a charming girl . . . "

"No way! I can't let Shigeru see me in a girl's kimono! He'd never let me live it down!" I protest.

"Would you rather be found by the poison-clan and left to rot in Sakaki's dungeons?" Ayame asks sweetly.

"Nooooo . . . " I sigh, and take the kimono they hand me. I just hope Ookido-san can forgive me for the murder of his heir and grandson--Shigeru is going to die laughing.

"Pardon me-- did you just say Ookido Shigeru?" Sakura says, suddenly.

"Yeah," I admit cautiously. "He's sort of kin of mine. Why?" It's fairly common knowledge in Viridian that Shigeru's here for the Pikachu . . . I don't want the geisha to connect me with the kid and the Pikachu who went missing from the poison-clan fortress . . .

"Oh, he's staying at that place on Magikarp terrace that's got the two maple trees out front. There's an awful lot of talk about him. Is he as cute as they say he is?" Sakura asks curiously.

Shigeru? Cute? I can't wait to tell him about that one. "I know he'd have a fit if you said he was," I say. "But I can't say I've ever stopped to consider what he looks like." Actually he'll have changed. I've been away for years now . . . will he even recognise me? Remember me? "I've got to see him. It's rather important."

"Really? Well you'd better hurry. Apparently he's annoyed with the poison clan about something. You may not have a kinsman much longer."

"Thank-you so much for all you've done for me," I say, taking my leave hurriedly. "I must find him straight away."

"You're not going yet," Sakura teases, holding up the jar of rice-powder. "Can't leave a job half finished, ne?"

Fully fifteen minutes later I stand on the threshold of the geisha's hotel, to all appearances an immaculately dressed young noble-girl, clutching a new parasol elegantly and trying to persuade the Muk it doesn't need to stay quite so close to me. Pikachu has hidden himself in my long sleeves and we're ready to take on Viridian. Although we are passed by many poison clan patrols they pass us by . . . Muk being a poison pokemon I suppose they take me for a fellow clan-member. And finally . . . the hotel with the maple trees is in front of me.

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