A thanks to Ri2 for his beta work and advice.

Episode III: Heart of the Storm

Tyson stared impatiently out the window. "Can't you go any faster?" he asked in frustration.

"Sorry, sir!" the pilot said, glancing back at him apologetically for a moment before concentrating on the controls again. "The Gyarados is slowing us down. We're almost halfway to Mahogany Town though."

"Good," Tyson said, but he remained uneasy. He didn't really have a reason to be on edge right now. Those meddlesome trainers were out of the way, and they were just one step away from completing the mission. Still, he had the nagging feeling that something was wrong. It was an old instinct he had as a soldier, and he knew better than to ignore it. But there was little he could do at the moment but wait. The sooner they got to Mahogany Town, the better.

Suddenly, the alarms began to flash. "What's going on?" Tyson demanded.

A technician examined the monitors. "It's the control tower!" he exclaimed. "The Evolution Inducement Wave is going on overdrive!"

"Contact those fools right now, and get them to fix this," Tyson snarled.

"I'm trying," the technician said, "but we're just getting static."

Tyson growled. "What about Professor Sebastian?"

"He isn't picking up. Sir –"

The conversation was interrupted when the helicopter began to rock in the air, in reaction to the violent shaking below. "The Red Gyarados is waking up!" the piloting grunt said. "We're losing control!"

Tyson growled and clenched his fists. "Keep it steady," he said.

The pilot complied, but the shaking only intensified. "It's no good, sir. I can't hold it any longer."

"Pilot, listen to me," Tyson said. "You will maintain control of this chopper!"

The grunt nodded resignedly, but to his surprise the shaking gradually stopped. "We're clear!" he said.

"Good," Tyson said. "Let's hurry to the base before –" "

Boss!" one of the other grunts said.

"What now?" Tyson said. The grunt anxiously pointed out the window. Tyson looked out, and froze. The Red Gyarados was floating in the air. Torn pieces of the steel-hard net rested in its long fangs. White remnants of evolution were dissipating, the resulting beast much different from how it had been before. It had grown significantly, with both its bulk and length increasing. A large spike extended downward underneath its chin, and it now had a black underside. The yellow spots along its body were replaced by raised red scales run with a single red stripe below them. Two large white fins appeared on its back, similar to those on its face. Most of the other fins along its back had disappeared, except for the one near the tail. Instead, it now had four white, pointed fins near is tail: two on its back and two on its underside. And the air around it seemed to shift ominously. Most importantly, its mouth was open, and glowing.

"Pull back!" Tyson yelled desperately. It was too late though – the monster powered up a Hyper Beam in its jaws and shot it out at the helicopters.

Sebastian frowned as his scanners picked up something emanating from the location of the radio tower. There had been a sudden burst of intense evolutionary energy, more than he ever allowed, and then silence. And now he was picking up some sort of storm unnaturally forming in the distance as well. He sighed, but continued flying north. He had to balance his priorities. The Gyarados was Tyson's responsibility now, and if something went wrong it would be on his head. And even a failure could be highly instructive, and provide invaluable data for further tests. Besides, he wanted to get his latest test subject secure first. It wouldn't be a major project like Project R, but he still thought he could learn a lot from that Ninetales, once he began the experiments.

Suddenly, his computer alerted him to another odd occurrence: seismic activity. But Mahogany Town was not near a fault line. His mind quickly reached a conclusion, and he typed in the order to increase altitude.

However, it was too late. An Onix burst out of the mountain below and launched itself upward. Its mouth snagged on the shuttle, pulling the transport down as if it were but a fly in a Victreebel's vine.

Fortunately, this was Sebastian's personal transport, and he had special means to handle these issues. "38," he spoke aloud, "initiate Defense Pattern Sigma-4." The computer bleeped in reply, and Sebastian heard a hissing noise behind the shuttle. That would be the gas being released. It wouldn't be enough to defeat the rock titan, but it was enough to make it lose its grip for a moment. Sebastian quickly lifted the shuttle up until it was above the Onix's reach. He glanced down at the Pokémon. He had been preparing for an attack since Tyson failed to capture that third trainer. Now though, he would have a smooth course back to his laboratory. However, something caught his eye. He could not see the tanned trainer on the Onix. So where was he? Leading the battle from below, perhaps? Or…

"Specimen 38," he ordered, "bring up the security cameras for the holding facility." The images of the cells quickly sprang up onto the screen, and Sebastian saw that the Ninetales was no longer alone. On the other side of the bars was its trainer, trying to find a way in. "It looks like I will need to handle this personally," he said. "38, place the transport on autopilot to the laboratory, and then come with me." This was an unexpected problem, but Sebastian was undeterred. If anything, he looked forward to the battle. Given the Ninetales, it would be interesting to see what else the trainer had to offer.

Ash woke up to the open sky. The roof and most of the building had been utterly destroyed, with rubble lying everywhere. The area directly around them, a small circle, was safe from the debris, but everything else had been destroyed along with the radio tower.

The radio wave! Ash jumped to his feet. "Pikachu!" he yelled desperately, hoping that his friend was still there. Then he felt something small tug at his pants. He looked down, and saw Pikachu, unevolved. "Buddy!" he said in relief. "You're okay!"

Beside them, Misty slowly awoke. She smiled when she saw that Togepi was fine too. "Togepi!" she squealed, hugging her precious child close. Togepi trilled in delight. "How did we survive though?" she asked.

"No idea," Ash said, "but we're fine now."

Misty looked unsure. "We're fine," she agreed, "but what about everyone else?"

"You're right," Ash said. They carefully made their way out of the crater. He looked up at the horizon and frowned. The spot they were in was still sunny, but dark clouds were forming in the distance, over in the direction of the river. "Something's going on over there," Ash noted. "It's probably the Gyarados."

"Ash, look!" Misty said. She pointed to the forest. Pokémon of all sorts were stumbling out, and there was not one that was unevolved.

"What happened?" Ash said.

"It must have been the evolution wave," Misty said.

"Exactly," Lance's voice said from above. They looked up and saw the G-Man fly down atop his Dragonite. He looked sharply at them and jumped off Dragonite. "There isn't much time. Tell me everything that happened here." Ash gulped slightly, but complied.

Tyson struggled to contain his anger as he pushed his way out of the wreckage on the riverbank. A grunt on shore offered a hand, and he grudgingly accepted the help. "What's our status?" he asked.

"Both helicopters have been destroyed," the grunt reported. "The…Gyarados then moved further downstream."

Tyson clenched his fists, partially in anger and partially in fear. The storm ahead was visible even from a distance. There had always been tall tales about Gyarados, but now he was beginning to regret not taking the destructive Pokémon seriously. And because of it, his entire career in Team Rocket was on the line. If that Gyarados – or whatever that thing was now – reached Mahogany Town and the secret base, he'd have to answer for not only the loss of a valuable test subject but also the loss of the base. And since Sebastian was in the clear by bringing in that other specimen, Tyson would be the only one left to take the blame.

So he had no choice left but to face that monster and bring it down. At least, he reminded himself, the rewards of victory would be great. Giovanni would surely promote him for bringing in such a powerful and unique Pokémon. "Call in every available unit in the area," he ordered. "Gyarados must not escape. We have to catch it, at all costs!" And he'd crush anything that got in the way this time.

Lance groaned to himself as he took in the two trainers' accounts of their escape and the aftermath. This mission was becoming a lot more difficult than he initially bargained for. "From what I can tell," he concluded, "the damage to the power supply caused the transmission tower to go haywire, gradually rising in frequency. When the generator finally self-destructed, it unleashed one final shockwave that forcibly evolved anything in a radius of several miles."

The two trainers looked horrified at what they had inadvertently caused. "Is there anything we can do to stop this?" Ash said.

"Evolutions cannot be reversed," Lance said. "All that can be done is deal with the consequences. And right now, we have larger problems than the mass-evolutions."

"You mean that storm by the river?" Misty said.

"It's no ordinary storm," Lance said solemnly. "That's the work of what was once the Red Gyarados."

"Once?" Misty said in confusion. "But Gyaradoses can't evolve."

"Not necessarily," Lance said. "Gyarados is not the ultimate form of Magikarp."

"What do you mean?" Misty asked, bewildered.

Lance grimly stared at the brewing storm in the horizon. "Long ago," he said, "the Magikarp were one of the strongest of all Pokémon, nearly on the level of a Legendary. That power has since faded, with even Gyarados' power being a weak substitute. But that potential is still inside them, and Team Rocket, through its meddling, has awakened it."

"You mean…" Ash said slowly in horror.

Lance nodded. "We are witnessing the rebirth of one of the greatest Pokémon, beyond anything Team Rocket envisioned." He clenched his fists angrily. "Those fools, they should have known better! Gyarados' constant pain under the evolution machine, even after evolving from Magikarp, was a clear sign that it was still being affected, and evolving further. Now it's finally been pushed past that point, and there is no turning back."

"So what do we do?" Ash said.

Lance turned back to them. "You," he said firmly, "are going to go to Mahogany Town and join the evacuation. I can point you to a shortcut through the woods."

"But we want to help," Ash protested.

"You've given us plenty of help already," Lance said, causing Ash to flinch. However, Lance wasn't sure how much frustration was with the headstrong trainer and how much was with himself for letting things get so far. He was right behind Tyson and Sebastian on the boat when the illusions occurred. With the wild panic among the troops, he could have easily seized the ship, and that would have been the end of it.

But he'd dawdled, told himself it wasn't time yet, and waited to learn what the team's secret weapon was. And because of that, he had let those kids be captured, and even then he waited until the main army was on the move before he headed back to rescue them. He should not have underestimated their determination, as they once again went off on their own, leading to this disaster. He'd assumed they would take his advice, but that was no excuse.

I've grown too complacent, too arrogant. A dragon that ascends to the sky always watches the ground, and remembers that however high it has come is how far it can fall.

"We're sorry," Misty said. "We really didn't mean for this to happen."

"The malfunction wasn't your fault," Lance reassured her. "No one could have predicted that." Especially since, to his chagrin, he had been planning to fry the computer controls; perhaps the result would have been better, or it might have been even worse. "Even so," he continued, "you were very reckless in your actions."

"I know," Ash said, "but that's exactly why I can't back down now. It's our fault this happened to Gyarados, and it's our responsibility to fix it."

"Even so," Lance said, "can you hope to succeed? This new Pokémon will need great amounts of strength, courage, and wisdom to heal its raging heart, far more than any normal Pokémon. And in its current anger at the world that has hurt it, it will not hold back. If you falter, even for a moment, you will die."

Ash remained firm. "I can't leave a Pokémon in trouble like that," he said. "I don't care what challenges there are. I'll do everything I can to help it." His Pikachu nodded in agreement from his shoulder.

Wait, a Pikachu? Lance paused. "Your Pikachu," he murmured.

"What?" Ash said.

"How did it not evolve?" Lance pressed.

"I don't know," Ash admitted. "It's just…thinking about all the times we've shared together, for that one moment I wanted everyone to be safe, to not be forced into something without a choice."

Ash's eyes were locked on Lance, so he missed the faint blue light that glistened briefly in his clenched fists before fading. Lance recognized them though. Aura sparks. And from the looks of it, he had done it without any formal training. "Fine," Lance said. "You can join me, but you will have to follow my orders. We will need to cooperate if we wish to save Gyarados and Mahogany Town."

Brock carefully examined the bars keeping Ninetales imprisoned. Onix wouldn't be able to help him now, but at least he had managed to get inside. However, his struggle was far from over. From the looks of it, he needed a card key to unlock the cage, but there might be another way. Maybe Pineco, or Geodude, could break through physically.

Or, perhaps there were other possibilities. "Lokoko," he said urgently to the sleeping Ninetales. "Wake up! We need to get out of here."

Ninetales opened her eyes, and froze in shock. Shakily, Lokoko's visage appeared. "You…came back," she stammered.

"It's going to be okay," he assured her. "I'll have you out in no time."

"No," Lokoko said, "you have to get away. Just forget about me."

"I'm not going to leave you," Brock said. "I promised I would be there for you, didn't I? I won't betray that promise." Ninetales stared at Brock with weary eyes, hope starting to return. "First things first," he said. "I need to see if you can use your powers on the lock. I know they probably put something in place to block off your Psychic abilities, but they might not have accounted for using your powers in that manner."

Ninetales nodded. Lokoko vanished as Ninetales focused her energy on the small mechanism. The barriers were designed to be immune to her Psychic powers, but they had been built to account for sheer force, not a more delicate procedure. The miniature computer screen lit up.

"That's good," Brock said. "Now see if you can sense what sort of pattern was last used on it." Ninetales concentrated, and then nodded. "You've got it?" Brock said. Now let's open it up." Understanding, Ninetales focused her power on Brock, enveloping him in an illusion that gave the appearance of the head scientist, so as to better imitate the psychic imprint she sensed in the keypad. Then, guided by her powers, he began to type in the correct combination. Fooled by the proper code, the machine beeped in confirmation and unlocked the cell.

His illusionary disguise vanishing, Brock quickly yanked the door open. "Come on!" he said. "We don't any time to lose!"

Ninetales nodded and began to walk out. Suddenly, the cell was filled with electricity. Ninetales screamed in pain, and collapsed into a heap when the voltage died down.

"Lokoko!" Brock yelled. He heard footsteps behind him, and whirled around.

The scientist calmly strode forward, carrying a strange device in his left hand. "I made sure to have a failsafe in place for scenarios such as this," he explained. "It is regretful that I must damage such a valuable specimen, but sometimes sacrifices have to be made when people don't understand their purpose in life."

Brock only clenched his fists in response. "Fascinating indeed," the scientist continued. "I was already impressed with Specimen 432's use of illusions, but I never anticipated that it could go so far as to actually imitate humans. Even Ditto find themselves challenged to match that achievement." Brock just glared daggers at him.

"Oh," the scientist amended. "I suppose we should be properly introduced. I am Professor Sebastian, an A-rank scientist for Team Rocket. And you are?"

"Brock," he said, "of Pewter City. And her name is Lokoko."

"How quaint," Sebastian said. "I find the habit of naming Pokémon to be a hindrance to proper science. It anthropomorphizes them too much, and makes us forget the natural barriers between our species."

"She named herself," Brock said, "so it is her name."

"Interesting," Sebastian said. "I suppose I will have to question you more about this Ninetales when we reach my facilities."

Brock grabbed a Pokeball from his belt. "Not if I can help it," he said. "Geodude, go!" The living boulder appeared and pumped its two rocky fists in challenge.

"Very well," Sebastian said. He threw a Pokeball of his own. A triple fusion of magnets appeared. It seemed to be a Magneton, but there was something…wrong about it. The center where the three eyes met was covered with some sort of large disc, almost like an old record. And those eyes seemed to sag with fatigue, not the kind that a Pokémon faced after a fierce battle but the sort of fatigue of a burden that could not be removed. In addition, Magneton was an Electric type, weak against Rock Pokémon.

Yet Sebastian remained unfazed. He tapped the device in his left hand, and the small computer screen on it sprang to life. "Let's see," he said. "A Geodude, Level 46. Impressive. Though I am surprised you chose it over a more evolved form. Graveler has many advantages over its predecessor."

Brock frowned. "Graveler has its strengths," he said, "but Geodude is a good Pokémon too."

"Good, but not as much as its evolved form," Sebastian countered. "I do not mean to be impolite; I am simply stating the facts. The strong are superior to those below them. And those who remain at a lower state, rather than seeking something greater, are but fools."

"Shut up and fight," Brock said. "Geodude, Tackle!" Geodude rushed forward at Magneton.

Sebastian remained impassive. "Specimen 72," he ordered, "Program 3, Activate." The Magnemite shuddered midair and began to glow. Or rather, disc wedded to it glowed, and began to spin.

Brock tensed, realizing a trap. "Geodude, pull off!" he shouted. However, it was too late. Water formed in front of Magnemite. Brock stared in disbelief. Water? The water condensed into a wall and rushed forward like a wave. It knocked into Geodude and swept the boulder Pokémon away. Geodude crashed through a wall of the shuttle and disappeared out into the open sky.

Brock narrowed his eyes and looked at the Magnemite more closely. The disc on it was suddenly familiar. "That's…a 'Hidden Machine'," he said in shock. An experimental technology designed to teach Pokémon moves they could not learn on their own. Even then, the Pokémon needed some degree of affinity with the specific attack. "You…fused the HM for Surf onto it?"

Sebastian nodded. "Exactly. "It would be unable to utilize a water attack under normal circumstances, so I took extra measures. With Magneton's natural magnetism, it was rather simple to insert the TM. It took several times to perfect the procedure, but now Number 72 is an invaluable weapon.

Brock clenched his fists. "But you're hurting it," he said. "Can't you see? How could you do that?"

"Sentimentality is meaningless in reality," Sebastian said. "Facts are what matter in life, and with the application of the right facts, you can gain power. This is the potential of Team Rocket technology – to redefine the facts and create a new, better world.

"So what will it be?" he continued. "Your fate is already determined, but the paths leading to the end are intriguing to observe. Your move."

Dragonite landed beside the river, and Lance, Ash, and Misty jumped off. They then turned to face upstream, and waited for the approaching storm to arrive. Water and wind swirled chaotically in the river, land, and sky, creating an impermeable cloud of darkness.

It could be compared to a hurricane, only the spiral was twisted both horizontally and vertically. More than that, the storm was alive in a sense. The pieces of the cloud rippled and shifted as something within shook restlessly. If you looked particularly close, you could even see bright red eyes gazing out from the catastrophic field of rage.

Misty stared at the storm in growing dread. She had seen Gyaradoses create personal storms, and had once been swept away in one. But it had taken four Gyarados to make that aqueous tornado. Here, there was only one. "Is…that Gyarados, or whatever it is, that powerful?" she asked in stunned disbelief.

"Believe it," Lance said. His face was worn with a sense of impending doom. Nevertheless, he stood tall. "I think that the Gyarados is flying above the water now," he said. "It is part Flying-type, after all, and now it's even stronger. So I'll fly in on Dragonite and engage it in combat. You two stay on the ground and keep it busy until I can get close. And remember, keep your distance, or…"

Lance broke off when he saw that Ash, not heeding his advice in the least, had run right up to the river bank. "Ash, what are you doing?!" Misty shouted at him.

Ash ignored her, and stood tall with his arms stretch out to the sides. "Gyarados!" He shouted. "Please stop! We don't want to hurt you!" To Misty's surprise, the storm halted for a moment. That only meant that Gyarados was focusing on Ash though, she knew. She had to get him out of there before he got hit by a Hyper Beam or something worse. But something about him made her pause. Something about his brave, foolish stand seemed familiar.

"I know you're going through a lot of pain, Gyarados – no, Magikarp," he said. "Your whole life has been changed, and you're lost and confused." The clouds began to part slightly. Black fins, with only faint fragments of red remaining, jutted out. "But you can't give into anger and hate," Ash said. "If you do, you'll only make things worse for you, and those around you. We can help you; you just have to trust us." The leviathan within the storm stared warily at the human. "Not all humans are bad," Ash said. "You have to open your heart. We want to be your friends. Please."

Misty jolted in realization. She knew why Ash's speech seemed so familiar. It reminded her of herself, back in Porta Vista. The thriving resort town had destroyed the Tentacools' habitat, and, led by one that evolved into a humongous Tentacruel, they flooded the city. In the end, Misty decided to take matters into her own hands. She scaled an abandoned skyscraper as the water rose higher and higher. There, at the top, she faced the giant monster and begged him to spare the city. She didn't know why Tentacruel chose to listen – if it could sense her love for Water Pokémon, or if it was impressed by her desperate, brave wish. But, regardless, it left. That moment, seeing the sea make peace with the land, was one of her greatest moments as a Water trainer.

Here, though, such a thought had never occurred to her. She knew why. Tentacool and Tentacruel, no matter what others said, were cute, cuddly rubies of the sea. But Gyaradoses were nasty and dangerous, things that she did not wish to empathize with. But…they were Water Pokémon, creatures born and blessed by the ocean. And she just rejected them, as if they didn't belong?! She felt a sense of revulsion build in her stomach. What was wrong with her? She loved Water Pokémon, all kinds of them. But to hate one, just because it was dangerous? No, that wasn't why she hated them – Tentacools with their poisoned barbs were dangerous, but she loved them. It was just because of that one incident, that one moment, that pushed her away from Gyarados. What a selfish brat, she thought, feeling uncomfortably similar to her sisters at the moment.

"And if you're still mad," Ash concluded, stiffening slightly, "then just take me, and leave all the others!" Pikachu, standing on Ash's shoulder, nodded firmly, refusing to leave Ash alone. "I was the one who broke the machine," Ash said, "and forced you to evolve. If you want to hate someone, then give me your best shot!"

"Ash, no!" Misty said, her lungs burning as she reached a hand out, though her feet remained frozen in place.

"I can't give up," Ash says. "If this is what it takes to save Gyarados, I'll do it."

That was what set Ash apart, Misty thought. That determination to give everything – even himself – for a Pokémon, even one that was an enemy. It was crazy and stupid. But, somehow in doing that he showed he was a better trainer than any other she had met. It took a sort of sheer compassion and courage to do so, more than her own.

In the face of Ash's promise, the Gyarados began to release the storm further, and its head became visible. Its eyes shined with mixed hope, considering the possibilities…

And then, without warning, a missile shot into Gyarados' side. Enraged, it reactivated the storm at full power.

The waves knocked Ash away against a tree. "Ash!" Misty yelled. She ran over and helped him up. They then glared at the perpetrators of the renewed hostilities.

Team Rocket flooded the area from all sides, converging on the Gyarados. "That's it," the leader said. "You aren't getting away this time."

"Commander Tyson," one of the grunts said, "what are your orders?"

"Get into positions around the river," Tyson instructed, "and then open fire. We'll –"

"That's it!" Ash's outburst ground their discussion to a halt.

"Oh, those kids again," Tyson muttered. "Haven't you caused enough trouble today?"

"Shut up," Ash said. "It's because you ignored Gyarados' pain that this happened to him! And you still just want to use him as a weapon? I won't let you harm him anymore!"

"Big words from a small kid," Tyson said. "And in case you didn't notice, the thing you're defending is more destructive than us. So just stand back and let us handle it, and Mahogany Town will be safe." Ash glared defiantly at him.

Then Lance stepped forward. "Ash is right," he said. "You are the true culprits behind this disaster. We will protect Mahogany Town and save Gyarados on our own, no matter the danger. To lower ourselves to your level would mean betraying our ideas as Pokémon trainers."

"Fine," Tyson said. He threw a Pokeball to release a Fearow. "We'll take care of you first."

The Fearow veered to the side as a Thunderbolt zinged past it. "Don't forget about us," Ash said. "We won't let you take a step toward Gyarados. Lance smiled at Ash and then ran back to Dragonite.

"Ash," Lance called to him. "We'll take care of Gyarados. Hold off Team Rocket until we're done."

Ash gave him a thumb's up. "Got it," he said.

"Good," Lance said. He prepared to tell Dragonite to lift off, but faltered when another passenger slipped onto Dragonite. "You're sure you want to come?" he asked Misty.

She nodded. "Like Ash said," she told him, "we need to fix what we started."

"Okay, then," Lance said, "let's go!" Dragonite flapped its wings and flew into the storm.

Misty felt a quiver of fear again, but pushed it back. No more running from her fears. Ash had one more special trait: through its own determination, he inspired others to do the same. When she left Cerulean, she only planned to go as far as the western rivers of Kanto, maybe to Tohjo Falls if she ever got the courage. Never across the entire region and beyond. Never into adventures she had not even imagined. Ash was the kind of person who encouraged everyone to become stronger. And now was the time to prove her own strength. Ash believed in Gyarados, and she wouldn't let his faith down. She had dreams of her own, to be the best Water Pokémon trainer she could, and she would not back away now.

Brock and Professor Sebastian stared each other down. Around them, the wind howled, rushing through the hole left by Geodude's departure. Finally, Brock selected another Pokeball. "Your turn now, Crobat!" The purple, four-winged bat emerged into the air with a shriek.

Sebastian consulted his scanner. "Level 26," he said. "It must have only been a Golbat for a short amount of time before evolving, and only a few months since. A higher level than your Geodude, I admit, but the Type advantage makes it useless."

"We'll see," Brock said.

Sebastian was unperturbed. "Your move," he said.

Brock clenched his fists, but then calmed himself. "Crobat," he ordered, already starting to cover his ears, "Supersonic!" Crobat flapped its wings and then let out a deafening, chaotic screech.

However, Magneton remained undeterred. Humming, it surrounded itself in a strange field until Crobat's breath was hoarse. "A decent strategy," Sebastian conceded. "Fortunately, 72 knows Supersonic as well; it's simple enough to produce adequate defenses if coordinated properly.

"Now it is my turn," he continued. "Thunder." Magneton's outer magnets charged, and then released a concentrated bolt of electricity. However, Crobat acrobatically swooped out of the way. Sebastian's complacent expression hardened. "So," he muttered, "that was why you chose it. But all it takes is one small hit to end this chase." Magneton shot another blast of electricity, but Crobat dodged again. The battle began to follow a pattern, with Magneton bombarding the area with electricity and Crobat narrowly slipping past each time. The professor watched Crobat carefully, as if pondering Brock's strategy. After all, Crobat would have to sacrifice its agility if it wanted to actually attack Magneton. However, Brock had another plan. Crobat continued to buzz around Magneton, occasionally pausing to face it. Instead of flying forward though, it would simply launch another Supersonic and then fly off again.

Sebastian's patient gaze slowly began to slip. "Enough," he finally said. "What is the point of dragging this battle out like this? Do you really think you are preventing the inevitable?" He pressed a device in his pockets. "Fools who press fate too hard are the first to perish." The walls suddenly lit up with electricity, filling the air around them. Crobat quickly reversed to avoid the trap, but was then sizzled by Magneton's own electricity, and fluttered to the floor.

"You are slightly above an average trainer," Sebastian concluded, "but you are still blinded by fantasies. Only those who focus on the real, and sacrifice the insubstantial, can succeed."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Brock said. "After all, Crobat succeeded in both aims of his mission."

Sebastian paused. "Aims?" he said suspiciously.

"Yes," Brock said, "for starters, keeping you and Magneton busy long enough for this." On cue, Geodude burst out of the floor, directly under Magneton. It punched the magnet Pokémon in the center and then leaped back for another round.

"…How?!" Sebastian said. "Even if you avoided falling, the water alone should have knocked it out!"

Brock smiled. "You know what makes water so devastating to Ground and Rock types? It isn't just the element alone. The greatest damage is done through friction, as the water rips past and wears away at the armor. The key, then, is not to resist the tide, but ride it."

His mind flashed back to when Geodude was swept away. Before hitting the wall, Geodude had punched through, not letting the wall stop him and expose him to the full blast.

"I see," Sebastian observed. "You had your Pokémon trained to roll with the Water attack, reducing the level of damage. But it still should have fallen."

"Not if it grabbed onto the shuttle first," Brock said. "You told me before that a Graveler or Golem would be more advantageous. Well, Geodudes have their own strengths – for one, its arms and dexterous hands, boosted by its natural strength."

Sebastian gazed at the two, and steeled himself. "Irrelevent," he finally stated. "You survived one Surf attack, but how many more? 72, Program 3: full power." Magneton shuddered but complied. The HM glowed and then let loose another powerful wave. When the water receded, Geodude was gone, until it poked its head out of a hole in the floor. "So it knows Dig as well," Sebastian concluded. "So be it. Continue the assault."

Magneton launched more torrents of water against the walls of the craft, threatening to wash Geodude away. Each time though, Geodude dodged the attack. Sometimes he would dig through the metal walls, but other times he would leap out of the way, or swing off a stray pole. "How does it keep dodging?" Sebastian said. Frustration began to seep into his tone. "At least Crobat's evasion was understandable as a Flying type. But Geodudes, like all Rock Pokémon, are extremely slow."

"I know," Brock said. "You, on the other hand, have a bigger problem." He glanced over at the Magneton. The Pokémon wheezed as it tried to lock onto Geodude. "Your Pokémon never actually learned to use Surf."

"What are you talking about?" Seymour said. "My technology has assured that Surf will function on it."

"On it, sure," Brock agreed, "but what about with it? I noticed that you welded the disc to Magneton." Sebastian remained silent. "Why would you weld it on?" Brock continued. "After all, HMs and TMs automatically teach the Pokemon the move; once the Pokemon's learned it, there's no reason to use the machine again. Unless, you had to teach the move to it again. That's why you attached it to Magneton; every time, it has to activate the HM and relearn the attack for that single use. Am I right?" And because of this, Magneton had to focus carefully to unleash the attack – more than enough time for Geodude to react accordingly.

Sebastian nodded curtly. "A minor flaw," he admitted. "I have not yet found a way to force it to maintain that power. But I plan to rectify that issue with further tests."

"You don't get it, do you?" Brock said. "You're not focusing on developing your Pokemon's personal abilities. Just like with the Evolutionary Wave, you're just forcing it to meet a predetermined goal, one that doesn't take the heart of the Pokemon into account. You can't win battles if you force it to be something it's not."

Brock turned his gaze back to Geodude as it used its arms to nimbly maneuver around the plane. "Whereas I focus on the skills my Pokémon have, accept them, and find the best ways to use them. That's what a good team is like."

Sebastian took a deep breath and regained his confident demeanor. "Meaningless, though," he said. "You can dodge all you want, but you won't be able to attack.

"And," he added, "you make the mistake of thinking that Surf is only a concentrated attack like a Hydro Pump. Focused attacks are preferable for their intensity, but don't think I am limited to that. 72, Form C."

Magneton began to generate another wave. This time, the water gathered and widened, slowly becoming a massive wall ready to crush anything caught in it. With no other option, Geodude rushed forward. Magneton prepared to launch the tidal wave…only to suddenly pause, and lose all of its focus. Its magnets began to sputter, and the disc began to shift out of place. Nothing holding it together, the wall dissipated into a pool on the floor. "What?" Sebastian hissed. Geodude tackled Magneton head-on and drove it into the wall. This time, Magneton was down for the count.

"That wasn't an ordinary Tackle earlier," Brock explained. "It was Smack Down." An attack that had the interesting ability of nullifying certain energies, such as magnetism.

Behind his glasses, Sebastian narrowed his eyes. "I see," he said. "You sabotaged 72's magnetic balance. And I exacerbated it, spending all of its energy attacking you."

Brock nodded. "You had Magneton constantly using its magnetic powers to keep the HM working. In the end, it was your own undoing."

"Impossible," Sebastian muttered. "Why did my scanners not…?" The device suddenly crackled with static electricity, before cooling and letting out faint smoke. Sebastian turned to Brock, demanding an answer for yet another setback.

"You called my Supersonic useless," Brock said. "Maybe as a normal attack, but there's more than one way to crack an egg."

"You…actually jammed the radio frequencies," Sebastian said, "at enough intensity to damage the transmitters? That is beyond the range of an average Crobat, let alone a recently-evolved one."

"I've been told that my Crobat's Supersonic is above average," Brock said, "even before it evolved. Just goes to show what happens when you put love into raising a Pokémon."

Sebastian scoffed. "Mere words," he stated, "nothing more or less.

"I admit, you are an exceptional trainer after all. However, do not think that this is over yet." He tapped another Pokeball, and released a Voltorb. The red and white orb glanced around nervously, but finally hardened its face in resignation.

"A Voltorb," Brock commented. "Kind of like the pot calling the kettle black, wouldn't you say? After all your talk about evolving."

Sebastian remained unperturbed. "I always have a reason for my designs," he said. "Specimen 328, Order 64: Activate." The Voltorb complied and rolled forward, straight for Geodude. The boulder Pokémon braced itself for the blow. Brock watched the Voltorb closely. Professor Sebastian must have something up his sleeve. Then the Voltorb glowed, and Brock flinched. No, not even a Team Rocket member would be that insane. Brock dove for cover as a blinding, burning light engulfed the entire facility.

"Come on, you worthless slobs!" Tyson yelled to the grunts. "Keep moving forward! Swarm him until he has no room left to breathe!" The grunts nodded and obeyed, but much more reluctantly than before. Not after the first wave, good two score or more troops, was knocked back, and the second as well.

Tyson had to give the kid credit; he was a pretty good trainer. All six of his Pokémon were out, spread around him to hold off the advancing army. It was difficult holding the line on all sides, but they were proving to be very difficult to deal with. The Pikachu, Bayleef, and Primeape were in the thick of the fighting on the perimeter. The small mouse used its agility to weave around foes before striking key blows. The Bayleef was bulkier but made up for it in strength; each of her charges sent a full squad flying away. And the Primeape combined both agility and strength, pummeling anyone who got in range and hunting down anyone who wasn't. Closer to the center, the Cyndaquil and Totodile spewed fire and water respectively, hitting targets farther away. Even the little Phanpy was doing some damage, knocking back Rockets once in a while before being shepherded by the others back into the safe zone.

But, he concluded to his satisfaction, that wouldn't save them in the end. The grunts were practically useless in combat, good for little more than rushing at foes with their bare hands, but they made up for it in numbers. Each was an opponent that had to be dealt with, slowly tiring out the trainer and his Pokémon. Plus, a few of the grunts had Pokémon of their own – mostly Grimer, Zubat, and other low-level spawn, but still enough to turn the tide.

More importantly, it didn't matter if the trainer defeated all the grunts; his victory would be swept away soon after. One of Tyson's Fearow flew circles around him in preparation for the coming fight. With all of the Pokémon exhausted from the battle, and Tyson's fresh, the battle would be a piece of cake.

As the trainer – Ash, if he remembered right – looked around warily, he clearly saw his impending fate. He began to give new orders to his Pokémon, probably some new formation to desperately salvage the fight. Not that it would do him any good.

Although, Tyson admitted to himself quietly, that cursed trainer was doing his own part in weakening Team Rocket, sapping their strength to capture the Gyarados. But he wasn't too concerned. A Pokémon like that was an easy enough target to track, and after this it would have no one else left to protect it. Once he was finished here, he'd take the surviving forces and regroup at Mahogany Town. He had more men hiding in the base there, so they still had a chance. The city defense squads would naturally work to slow down the monster's approach, and then Team Rocket could step in. Plus, hopefully by then Sebastian would be finished with his errand and could help manage the capture.

He turned his attention back to the battle, and frowned. The kid had been pretty impressive with his tactics before, managing to prolong the battle far longer than Tyson had anticipated, but now his maneuvers seemed off. His Pokémon had abandoned the perimeter and were charging forward at a single side en-masse. With their combined force, they were managing to push back that end, but that was countered by the grunts flanking them from behind. It was a rash move. Though on second thought, he realized what Ash was after. He was aiming for Tyson. Clearly he had finally realized where the true threat lay. Still, it was too late for him. It was only a matter of time before he would get swarmed.

Then something made Tyson pause. He expected the fool to at least stay behind his Pokémon as they charged forward, but instead he was at the head, with his Pikachu on his shoulder. Was he insane? While it did keep him from being grabbed by the flanks, he was bound to be captured by the Rockets ahead, if his Pokémon didn't kill him first. Honestly, the crazy beasts, especially that Bayleef, were running faster than him. If they didn't slow down, they were going to run him over, like a Tauros trampling a Rattata.

Then something occurred to him. There was also the proverb of the foolish Rattata who got chased by a Tauros to a cliff, and then was knocked up to the other…

With a burst of energy, Bayleef charged forward and slammed her trainer in the back. Not into the ground though. Instead, Ash was flung through the air, over the heads of the Rocket army, to crash down outside the ring.

Tyson growled and took a defensive stance. It looked like he'd have to get his hands dirty after all. "Fearow, go!" he ordered the bird flying over his head. Fearow cried out eagerly, undeterred by the electric mouse. Flying types had a natural disadvantage against Electric types, but there were always ways to get past those barriers. Ever since that Dragonite interfered with that lightning attack the day before, Tyson had been prepping his Fearow to account for potential Electric attacks, and they had a maneuver already in place.

Fearow swooped down, and began to enter a barrel roll. Its beak twisted along with the body, like a drill. Tyson smiled cruelly. Drill Run, a Ground-attack – perfect against an electric rodent. The important thing was to strike first, before that Pikachu could let loose a burst of electricity. But Tyson was watching the mouse's cheeks carefully. As soon as he saw sparks start to form, he would give the signal for Fearow to feint, before going in for the kill. He saw the electricity build, and prepared to let his hand fall.

Suddenly, Ash tackled him. Cursing, Tyson lost all focus on the battle, and instead focused on the troublesome kid. The boy was scrawny, but actually seemed to know some basic blows, enough to distract the commander momentarily. "Guess Primeape's training came in handy," Ash said with a wry grin.

However, his mirth was short-lived, as Tyson held his ground and caught Ash in his muscled arms. "Not bad," Tyson said, "but an amateur like you isn't worth a Magikarp in a fight against a professional." He was no martial artist, but at one point he had been the star physical trainer for headquarters before he earned his officer rank.

Nevertheless, Ash still grinned. "Maybe so," he said, "but I kept you busy long enough. Realizing what he meant, Tyson looked up at the battle. Fearow, having missed the signal, had flown straight at the Pikachu, and became an easy target for a Thunderbolt. Even so, Fearow managed to leave its own mark with a successful Drill Run, knocking the rat away.

"Doesn't matter," Tyson said, holding another ball in front of him. "I still have a Pokémon left, and yours are on their last leg.

"In fact," he added, "I'll wrap things up now." He threw his second Pokeball to release another Pokémon. A flash of light greeted him, but then condensed to form the image of a second Fearow. "Let's finish this," he told Fearow. "Blast those meddling Pokémon to the sky." Fearow nodded without speaking. Something about the bird gave Tyson pause. Unlike many Rockets, his Pokémon weren't stock ones handed out; he had trained them long and hard. But that glint in Fearow's eyes was unfamiliar. Fearow flapped its wings and created a mighty whirlwind – one that swept away the Rockets. Entirely focused on the encircled Pokémon, the grunts were blown aside like Hoppip in a gale. The Pokémon, taking advantage of the moment, quickly set upon their foes, decimating the already tired troops. "Fearow, what are you doing?!" Tyson yelled. Fearow turned around, and dissolved into light. In its place flew a glistening Noctowl. "…How?" he stammered.

"Easy," Ash said. "I switched your ball when I tackled you. Noctowl's good with hypnosis – not enough to fool a whole army, but enough to trick one person where it counted."

"But you didn't have any Pokémon left!" Tyson yelled. "I counted them – six of them!"

"That's because there aren't any Pokémon Centers in these mountains," Ash said. He glanced over at the Primeape, who raised its fists triumphantly. "I didn't want to send Primeape to Professor Oak's right away and make him mad – not to mention that the Professor has enough on his hands with my Muk and Tauros – so I decided to not recapture him until we made it to Mahogany Town and I could swap someone out."

Tyson gritted his teeth and clenched his fists in frustration. For a moment, he considered trying to crush the kid himself, but then he noticed that the Pikachu, proving stronger than he anticipated, was back on its feet. And in the distance, he could hear the sirens of police cars. With a sigh, he raised his hands in the air. "Fine," he said. "You win." At least Sebastian was clear of this whole mess.

Dragonite flew into the storm, as Lance and Misty both held on desperately. The black cloud of debris surrounding the storm was frightening, but that was really the easiest part to clear. Once they got into the heart of the storm, they saw that the mission would be far more difficult. Misty had been expecting a solid barrier, a pure mass of water pulled up by the force of Gyarados' wind. Instead, they entered an updraft of wind, with a wall of water in front of them. Dragonite began to push through the water, only to find that the force was actually pushing them to the side, not back. And then, after pushing a little more forward, Dragonite ended up falling into another gap of air, this time shoving him downward.

"What's going on?!" Misty said.

"Hold on tight," Lance said grimly. Dragonite straightened its flight and maneuvered around more water. As they moved around the storm, the interior became clearer. There was no solid block of water, nor of wind. Instead, the storm was actually composed of many small fragments of water and wind, mixed together in a labyrinth. Lance gritted his teeth. "This is going to be trickier than I thought," he said. "We need to find a way to the center to reach Gyarados."

Misty saw a shadow move between one of the water walls, and stiffened. "Unless he finds us first," she said. Without warning, a massive segment of a serpentine body lashed out. Dragonite swerved out of the way, but the long body curved like a whip to pursue them. They weaved through the various pockets of air and water, trying to stay ahead of the body. More coils of the body thrust out from behind the water walls, further closing the net.

"We should be near the center," Lance said.

"Then where's the rest of Gyarados?" Misty said.

Lance looked forebodingly upward. "Sealing the trap," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"You recall the old saying, 'shooting Magikarp in a barrel'?" he said. "Gyarados seems to have come up with a similar approach."

Misty jolted in realization, and looked up in horror. The huge, mutated head of Gyarados stared down at them. As water spewed from its mouth, something within glowed bright. A pillar of light, wide enough to fit a silo in, shot down at them. With the wind-water fragments around them, along with Gyarados' coiled body, there seemed to be no way out.

However, Lance focused, and suddenly pointed at one small opening. "There!" With not a second to lose, Dragonite soared toward the hole. The Hyper Beam passed by but a moment later, the energy scorching them even without direct contact. Dragonite began to move past the coils, but then they realized a new problem. Gyarados' transformation had enhanced its body, creating sharp spikes that jutted out along the scales. Dragonite swerved, saving Lance and Misty from being skewered. In the process though, it scraped against the sharp skin, making it flinch in pain and nearly throw the two riders off before it stabilized.

"Now what do we do?" Misty said. Even when they dodged, they still got hurt.

"The only thing we can do," Lance said. "We go on the offensive. Now is our best shot anyway." Drained from the Hyper Beam, Gyarados was immobilized for a moment, giving them a chance to fight back. Dragonite flew up, lighting beginning to gather on its antennas. The water seemed to recede a little, so it easily closed range with Gyarados.

However, something made Misty frown. Something was off. She just couldn't put her foot on what. Then it suddenly came to her. The water was receding upward. The only way it could move up, in defiance of gravity, would be…if Gyarados was still controlling it. Her blood froze. "Lance, look out!" she shouted. "Gyarados isn't actually stunned!"

Lance widened his eyes in shock. "What?" Dragonite aborted its approach, but Gyarados was already beginning to strike. It lunged forward with its maw open wide, and water once more burst from it. As it charged, the formation of wind and water shifted, taking constant new forms to match Gyarados' current position. The hunt for Gyarados was suddenly reversed, and Dragonite was forced on the run, with Gyarados gaining on them every second. The maze that kept them from Gyarados now kept them from escaping.

"Don't worry yet," Lance said. "I still have some tricks up my sleeve. Dragonite, we're going to use that trick we pulled back when we fought the Unown in Sevii." Dragonite nodded. "You're a Water Pokémon trainer, right?" he asked Misty.

"Yes," she said, wondering what he was after.

"Have several ready," he said. "When I tell you, I need you to push back the water around us with your own water, right at Gyarados."

"That won't slow it down for long," Misty said. "The current's too strong."

"We only need a few seconds to count," Lance said. "And make sure you cut off your own water once you push the walls back; I don't want any water around us."

Misty nodded. She carefully released Staryu, Corsola, and Poliwhirl onto Dragonite. They had to huddle close to keep from falling off, but they hung on and got into position.

"Get ready," Lance said. "On the count of three. One, two, three!"

The Pokémon shot spouts of water at the walls behind them, slowly pushing them back toward Gyarados. Then they cut off the attacks, and the water began to push forward again. However, Dragonite was already prepared for the next stage. Flapping its wings rapidly, it created a small whirlwind around itself and its passengers, and sprung back toward Gyarados. Dragonite aimed for a small gap of air amid the bursting water, and slid past Gyarados' jaws. As it passed right under the head, Dragonite's antennas fizzled, and shot out a burst of electricity. The jolt connected with the water, and spread across Gyarados' body.

"Great job!" Misty said. However, their elation faded with the electricity. Gyarados still floated defiantly in the air, unharmed. "But…how?" Misty said. "The lightning should have been completely effective."

"It's at a stage where attacks like that don't trouble it," Lance concluded. However, something else seemed off.

"Hey," Misty said, "the sparks are still moving." Indeed, the electricity was continuing to flow in the area around Gyarados. Only, instead of simply dissipating, they were arcing off in spirals before seemingly vanishing, replaced by darkening clouds.

"No," Lance said. His voice was dry with horror. "To have this level of control over the weather…"

"What do you mean?" Misty said. Lance did not answer. Instead, he lifted up Misty and threw her off Dragonite. Misty flailed in panic, but was held in the air by Dragonite's gust. She opened her mouth to yell…

Then it struck. A huge bolt of lightning, almost as wide as the earlier Hyper Beam, plowed down into Dragonite. Torched, Dragonite and Lance hung on, continuing to keep Misty aloft as long as they could. "Guess…I need to work on my skills more," Lance said wryly. Even so, he winced in pain.

"Lance!" Misty shouted.

"I…really didn't want to drag you kids into this," Lance said. "But…there's something about you guys. So it's all up to you now. Finish this." Both of their strengths gone, Dragonite and Lance plummeted down. The gust faded away with Dragonite's departure, and Misty too began to fall.

However, Misty clenched her fists in determination. She wasn't done yet. Lance had given his all to give her this chance, and she wouldn't waste it. Though she had a different strategy in mind. She shifted her weight and dived into one of the water spirals. She carefully selected the right Pokeball, and then released Goldeen, the goldfish unicorn. Goldeen was one of Misty's first Pokémon, one that she had taken with her when she left Cerulean, and she always knew she could rely on her. Ash sometimes criticized her use of Goldeen, as she was practically helpless on land, but her true strength was in the water. There were faster fish in the sea, but in terms of endurance, Goldeen was one of the best at swimming against the current.

With Goldeen's help, Misty slowly swam along the chaotically flowing torrent of water, gradually making her way toward Gyarados in the middle. At first, she had thought that the water was being generated from the river by the upward force of the wind. But that couldn't be right, as there was only so much river water that Gyarados could access. No, Gyarados was letting the water burst continuously from its mouth, and then controlling its arc with the wind. This meant that, despite the pockets of wind, the water sections all linked into one single cord, spiraling in to Gyarados. Of course, Goldeen was not the best fighter, but that wasn't Misty's intent.

Lance was right; this was a fight that they could not win. So she wouldn't fight, but find another way, like Ash wanted. Once Goldeen was close enough, Misty gestured underwater, in the way they communicated for water performances back in Cerulean. Goldeen veered off into an air pocket to drop down into the river below. Misty let go and continued the last stretch of the swim on her own. She considered herself a good swimmer, but this swim taxed her like no other. Even so, she was already close, and managed to keep moving forward.

Gyarados' mouth was right in front of her, wide open, ready to swallow her whole. But Misty did not even pause in her journey. She couldn't afford to. One moment of hesitation, and the current would sweep away. She had to keep moving, and never doubt her goal. Once she passed above Gyarados' head, she was in position. Remembering the proper method from her studies, she reached out a hand and gently stroked Gyarados' skin, in a forward direction so not to cut herself. Petted in a sensitive spot, Gyarados naturally leaned into the caress, and the storm began to gently calm down.

"It's okay," Misty told him soothingly, adjusting with the lowering tide to rest on his back. "Everything will be fine." A Pokeball flew up from below, causing Gyarados' head to snap down for a moment, but, soothed by Misty, he let the ball hit and pull him inside. As Misty fell alongside the ball, she saw that it had already fallen silent, Gyarados no longer resisting.

She landed on Dragonite's back. Lance caught the ball in his hands and turned to Misty. "Good work," he said. "I'm really impressed with how you handled it."

Misty blushed slightly. For a gym leader to be complimented by an Elite was an honor beyond words. "Guess Ash's craziness is catchy," she said.

Lance smiled. "We need more of that kind of spirit in the world," he said.

As Dragonite descended to the ground, Misty stared up at the returning sun, and clenched her fists together in a silent promise. This was what she was born to do, to swim alongside and love the sea and its friends. She couldn't believe she could have ever hated Gyarados, when it was so adorable. From now on, she would never flinch from any Water Pokémon, no matter what kind it was.

Brock slowly got to his feet as the dust cleared. The Explosion – one of the most volatile attacks of the Voltorb family – had wrecked most of the shuttle, holes honeycombing the walls and ceiling. Professor Sebastian, on the other hand, remained immaculate. "As I was saying," he said, "I chose not to evolve 328 for a good reason: there is no reason wasting additional effort on something meant to be solely disposable."

Brock clenched his fists. Voltorb was unconscious, but had accomplished its mission – having taken the attack at point-blank, Geodude had fainted. Brock recalled Geodude to his ball. "Guess it's up to you, Pineco," he said, throwing the ball to release the grenade-shaped bug.

"Saving the least powerful for last," Sebastian concluded. "One more lesson for you to learn from this battle:" He dialed a code on his device, and it began to glow. "Always keep a strong reserve in place." A holographic Porygon appeared. From the small gashes in its coding, the earlier damage from Supersonic had left its mark, but it still floated strong in the air.

"Don't underestimate Pineco," Brock said. "Tackle!" Pineco jumped forward.

"Tri-Attack," Sebastian coolly ordered. Three beams of light shot through Pineco and knocked it back.

"Pineco!" Brock yelled.

"Give up," Sebastian said. "It is pointless to resist at this point."

"It's never over," Brock said. Pineco glowed and bounced forward toward Porygon. The ensuing Self-Destruct engulfed both Pokémon. Porygon continued to float in the air after the light faded, but then dissipated into the device, unable to remain active any longer.

"So you decided to use the same strategy that I used," Sebastian said. "So you can learn."

Brock ignored Sebastian's barbs. "Porygon shielded you, didn't he?" Brock said. "It used Protect inside the machine to shield you against Explosion."

"Correct," Sebastian said.

"That means…" Without warning, Brock lunged forward at Sebastian, dragging the scientist to the floor. "There's nothing protecting you now!" They rolled on the ground, as Brock tried to reach for Sebastian's throat.

"Madman!" Sebastian spat out. "Can you have the decency to give up?"

"A trainer not prepared to go to the ends of the earth for his Pokémon and friends isn't worth a salt," Brock said. "Don't you dare tell me what is enough!"

Admittedly, there was a reason humans had Pokémon fight battles for them – except for people like Kiyo who stretched their strengths to the limit, Pokémon were much stronger opponents in battle. Still, Brock wasn't unprepared. They called men of Pewter as hard as the mountains around the city, and he had built up his muscles caring for his family when his parents left. He pushed Sebastian against the wall.

The professor suddenly shifted his weight slightly, and Brock felt himself fall forward. That moment of weakness was enough for the tide to turn. With cold precision, Sebastian twisted Brock's right arm, forcing him to fall back on the floor.

"An unorthodox move," Seymour commended Brock. "Unfortunately for you, I have plenty of experience in handling unruly specimens. I may not have the muscular strength, but the proper precision can be enough to turn the tide."

"Not…over yet," Brock muttered.

"Oh?" Sebastian inquired. "What else do you believe you have left to fight with, other than your foolish dreams?"

Brock smiled. "This," he said. "Tackle!"

Sebastian suddenly crashed to the side as something struck him from the left. "What?!" he stammered. "Who…?" He blearily peered up to see Pineco, its body still burnt from the explosion yet still hearty with life.

"But…how?" he asked in disbelief. For once, his voice was confused and unsettled. "It self-destructed!" His eyes behind the glasses darted about desperately, trying to comprehend the impossibility.

"Yeah," Brock said, "I know that Self-Destruct is supposed to make the user faint in the process. Too bad no one ever told Pineco that."

"This is serious!" Sebastian said. "Both Self-Destruct and Explosion have been conclusively demonstrated to always knock out the user."

"You'd be surprised how often the rules get bent," Brock said. "I know a Psyduck whose Psychic locks onto multiple targets at once, and a Bulbasaur who knows Dig. Determination and love – those 'invisible' things you reject – are what open the door to unlimited possibilities. Any real professor – like Oak – would know that first and foremost."

Sebastian glowered, his eyes burning. Then, with visible struggle, he regained his composure. "It appears that I did not account for all of the facts," he said. "So be it. Fortunately, unlike my colleagues, I know to adjust to the addition of new factors." He drew a new machine out of his coat.

Brock tensed. "Now what?" he asked.

"Something our agents in Silph provided," Sebastian answered, " that I keep on me in the case that I ever need an alternate way back to my laboratory. I may have lost this battle, but you have hardly won."

"What do you mean?" Brock asked.

"Look around you," Sebastian said. He gestured to the many holes in the shuttle. More than that, Brock could feel the rumbling, as the craft began to stutter in the air. Sebastian turned on the device, and a light began to glow around him. "You and your Pokémon are quite intriguing," he said as he vanished. "I sincerely hope you survive; I have hopes I can observe you more closely in the future."

With that, Sebastian teleported away, leaving Brock, Lokoko, and the other Pokémon alone in the falling prison. Fortunately, the earlier explosions had torn holes in the walls, offering a way out. Whether that would be any better remained a question. Through a hole in the floor, Brock could see they were flying over some mountains. Nothing but sharp rocks waited for them below. He chuckled harshly. Given his specialty, that was rather ironic. But he had no choice.

He hoisted Ninetales – Lokoko – over his shoulders and slowly trod over to the open wall. Then, turning to Pineco, he stretched out his Pokeball. "Better get inside," he said. "It's going to be a rough ride." Pineco hopped back, refusing. "Pineco," Brock said, "I know what you're thinking, but there's no other way. Don't worry; I'll be all right."

Pineco stubbornly refused to return to the ball. Instead, he began to glow white, shifting in size and form. "Pineco," Brock said in amazement. "…You're…?" Sure enough, the newly evolved, clam-shelled Forretress greeted him as the light faded. Floating in the air, Forretress hovered beside Brock.

The gym leader nodded. "Okay, then," he said. He laid Ninetales on top of Forretress, and grabbed onto one of the spikes jutting out his side. "Let's go!" Forretress shot out of the doomed shuttle. They were still high above the mountains, but the craft soon crashed into a rocky spire. The shuttle exploded in flames, with the pieces falling to the jagged ground far below in an avalanche. Forretress slowly spun downwards, carefully descending toward the large body of Onix visible several mountains away.

As they lowered through the air, Brock felt Lokoko shift, and he reached up a hand to pet her. "It's okay," he told her. "I came back, like I promised."

The air glowed slightly. "You…really came back," her human voice said shakily, mixing with the high winds.

"I don't abandon the people I care about," Brock said.

"…Thank you," she whispered. Then the light died down, and Lokoko fell silent again, exhausted. Brock smiled, but then frowned as he remembered the other friends he had to leave behind. He could only hope that they were doing okay.

Lance gently petted the rough hide of Gyarados. The massive leviathan was calm now, its anger and confusion spent. Even so its heart still quivered inside, afraid of the world and itself. "Don't worry," he told it. "Every Pokémon can find a place to call home in this world. Even the fiercest of dragons and the greatest of legendaries learn to live in this world, growing and changing with the future." This was what he was born to do, why he had fought so hard to reach the Plateau and Elites – to help other people and Pokémon find paths in life and forge their way forward to reach their full potential. "We'll find a way together," he told it. "I promise."

"Take good care of Gyarados," Misty told him, in genuine concern. Lance smiled. She had gone a long way from fearing the Pokémon to sincerely caring about it, and even being the one to tame it. He considered giving it to Misty, but decided in the end not to. However good a Water Pokémon trainer she was, at the moment she would be unprepared for handling the gargantuan Pokémon, and helping it learn to control its powers. The raw power inside Gyarados was part Water, but also Dragon, and it needed someone saged in the abilities and dangers of dragons to guide it right now. On the other hand… He smiled lightly. Maybe this was the day for reckless decisions.

"Thank you again for helping me," he told Misty.

"No problem," she replied.

"As thanks," Lance continued, "I would like to request that you have the honor of naming it."

Misty stepped back and stared at him in shock. "What?" she said.

"'Gyarados' isn't really a Gyarados now," Lance pointed out. "And it is still trying to find a path that is its own – not what it was, or what it was forced to become. A name of its own is a good start."

"But," Misty said, "shouldn't you name it?"

"Normally," Lance said, "but I would like to bestow that honor to you. Consider it your reward for saving it and others from harm."

Misty gazed hesitantly at Gyarados, but then scrunched her face in thought. "Cascade," she finally said, opening her eyes. "That's what I felt like, as I swam to you – as if I were swimming up a waterfall, pushing up to somewhere of my own choice. That's what you're trying to do too – make your own path. You just have to keep pushing forward." Cascade rumbled in affirmation, and Misty hugged it. Lance smiled, and then returned Cascade to its Pokeball.

"A fitting name," he said. "I look forward to seeing how your bond grows."

Misty stared at him openmouthed as he held the Pokeball forward. "What? I…you're really…?" Whereas she had been shocked by his earlier request, she was now utterly flabbergasted, struggling for words. "But…you caught it. And…I'm not ready for that…"

Lance shook his head to quiet her. "This was more of your victory than mine today," he said. "I cannot see anyone more capable of helping it adjust to its new conditions. The challenges will be great, I must warn you. But after today, I feel that you and your friends can handle whatever the future brings.

"So," he pressed, continuing to hold the ball toward her, "do you accept the responsibilities?" After a moment, Misty carefully took the Pokeball from Lance, and held it close to her chest. Lance smiled. "Good luck," he said.

"So you're going now?" Ash said, coming over from the river. Pikachu, healthy now, stood on Ash's head.

"Yes," he said. "My mission is done here, so I need to report back. I should thank you too though. I apologize for dismissing you when we first met. You really have a knack for battles."

"Knack, or luck," Misty cut in. She turned to Ash. "That Rocket could have had more Pokémon, or switched one out. How did you know Noctowl would mimic the right Pokémon – or even react in time?"

Ash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well," he said, "it worked, didn't it?"

"You…" Misty said, locking him in a chokehold. "Can't you take things serious? You could have been in trouble if you guessed wrong!"

It wasn't just luck though, Lance thought. Perhaps Ash thought it was, but it was something more. Deep in his soul, he instinctively knew the right moment, and communicated it to his Pokémon. Aura. Of course, Ash didn't have any experience with channeling Aura, or likely any knowledge that he had such power within him to begin with. But he was still instinctively building it up, as he strengthened his heart through battles. And it was already starting to spark. In time…

Lance made his decision, and walked over to Ash. He and Misty stopped fighting as Lance approached. "I assume you plan to challenge the Mahogany Gym next," Lance said. "Is that correct?"

"You bet!" Ash said. "Then it's off for my eighth and final Johto badge!"

"In that case," Lance said, "you should travel to Blackthorn City after this." He pulled an envelope out from his cape. "Here. The gym leader Claire is an old friend of mine. When you see her, could you please deliver this note and give her my regards?"

"Of course," Ash said.

Lance smiled. "Good," he said. He boarded Dragonite and took off into the sky. "Take care!" he yelled down to them. Ash waved back eagerly. That kid was something. He wondered…was he the one?

Misty smiled wistfully as Lance vanished with Dragonite. As she watched him leave, she clutched her new Pokeball tightly in her hand, thankful that it was still with her. If someone told her a few days ago that she would be happy to be with a Gyarados, she would have slapped him and called him an idiot. Now though, she looked forward to seeing what sort of future she could forge with Cascade.

"All right!" Ash said. "Now we just have to find Brock, and then I can challenge the gym!"

"Not until we all get some rest at the Pokémon Center," Misty said firmly. "Really, we just stop a near-catastrophe, and you're already thinking about your next battle?"

"C'mon," Ash said. "I need to keep working to get into the Johto League, so I can be the next Pokémon Master!" Sometimes, Misty thought Ash was too blindly optimistic. Other times, like now, she felt his dreams were just a step away.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when she heard a familiar voice call to her from up the river. "Hey, Ash! Misty!" The two turned around and grinned. Brock and Ninetales were walking along the bank. They were hobbling a little, but stayed strong. "You guys okay?" Brock said.

"We're fine!" Misty said. "How are you and Ninetales?"

"She'll be okay," Brock said. "I used some herbs to heal most of her wounds. Still, I think we can all use a good rest at the Pokémon Center tonight."

"What about you?" Misty said.

"…I'm fine," he said, wincing in pain.

Misty shook her heads. "Idiots, all of you," she muttered. Including herself. But, she thought, as Ash celebrated with Pikachu and Brock smiled at Ninetales, maybe that was one of their virtues.