Cerulean City. Home to the Sensational Sisters. A trio of sisters known for their underwater Pokémon shows.

Daisy, Lily and Violet Waterflower had managed to repurpose their Water Type Pokémon Gym to create spectacular shows when time permitted. The three sisters had travelled to several places for holidays when they could spare the time.

But it was their younger sister who was the main Gym Leader. Misty Waterflower, the youngest sister who had travelled with Ash throughout the Kanto and Johto regions, learning about various water Pokémon and seeing things she only heard about in stories and legends.

Misty had just finished talking to Brock and looked back to the television.

"For those of you who are just tuning in, I'm here in Pewter City where, by unknown means, the Pokémon Centre was destroyed. Luckily, all Pokémon inside were transferred to Professor Oak's Laboratory as an emergency measure." An image of Professor Oak's lab appeared onscreen. "We are asking that any trainers whose Pokémon were at Pewter City Centre please make their way to Pallet Town to reunite with their Pokémon."

Misty turned the television off and looked down at a blue mouse head with small feet and a black zigzag tail with a blue ball on the end. The small Pokémon, Azurill, was sleeping on Misty's legs. Despite being several years old, it was still technically a baby Pokémon.

Misty picked up a nearby Poké ball and a red light shot out, covering Azurill and pulling the Pokémon inside.

She then stood up and walked to the main area of the Gym. She saw her three sisters sitting by the edge of the pool, tending to the various water Pokémon that were playing nearby. Misty looked in the pool and saw an orange duck wearing a rubber ring to keep it afloat. She sighed and walked to the duck.

"One of these days, you are going to learn to swim without that ring." Misty warned. The duck quickly shook its head. "You're a water Pokémon Psyduck. I will help you learn to swim."

"Misty, what's wrong?" her eldest sister Daisy asked.

"The Pokémon Centre in Pewter City was destroyed." Misty announced. Her three sisters and the surrounding Pokémon all looked at Misty. Misty took off her shoes and socks and sat at the pools edge, feet in the water. She closed her eyes. "I just don't understand why someone would do something like that."

"But like, didn't you say that boy with the Pikachu destroyed a Pokémon Centre when he first started?" the pink haired Lily asked.

Misty nodded. "Yeah, but that was written off as self-defence since he helped to stop Team Rocket."

"What about the Pokémon at the Centre?" Violet asked, her eyes glistening over.

"They were moved to Professor Oak's Ranch as an emergency measure." Misty replied. "You didn't have any Pokémon at Pewter City did you?"

She slowly nodded her head. "My Poliwag needed something that only Pewter City had."

Misty smiled. "Would you like me to go to Pallet Town with you?"

"No thank you." She answered. "I'll be fine."

"We'll go with her." Daisy said. "We'll close the Gym for a few days."

"Can we afford to do that?" Misty wondered. "What about Badge Battles?"

"We'll leave a message with Nurse Joy who can take names and numbers." Daisy suggested. "When we're back, we'll call them to come for a battle."

Misty agreed as Psyduck arrived at her feet, pushed by her Johto region Pokémon, Corsola. "Well, I called Brock to come to Cerulean, hopefully with Tracey. I can wait at the Gym for a few hours to accept any challenges."

"We can't let you do that." Daisy insisted.

Misty looked at her sister and smirked. "As opposed to when I was younger?"

Daisy smiled back. "Fine. You win."

"Go on. I'll make sure the Pokémon are in their balls before I close up." Misty assured. "You go get Poliwag."

Hours later, just as Misty returned the final Pokémon to its ball, she heard her name echoing through the Gym.

She locked the door to the storage room and quickly made her way to the entrance. She froze when she saw a familiar looking Pikachu. She took notice of the three humans behind the electric mouse Pokémon.

"Well, I didn't expect this." Misty smiled.

"What's wrong Misty?" Brock asked.

Misty led Ash, Tracey and Brock to the green room for when her sisters put on their water ballets. Ash, Tracey and Brock sat down on one of the sofas placed around the room. Misty walked to a desk and opened a drawer.

She pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Brock.

'GATHER YOUR FRIENDS

FIND ASH

PROTECT EACH OTHER'

"What does that mean?" Brock asked.

"I don't know." Misty said. "But I got that a few hours before what happened in Pewter City."

"Why didn't you ask me about finding Ash?" Brock wondered.

Misty looked directly at Ash as she answered. "Well, travelling across new regions makes it difficult to pinpoint people."

Ash shrunk back slightly. "Sorry."

Misty shook her head. "Don't worry. You've always wanted to explore new regions. Meet new people, make new friends."

Ash nodded, then began thinking. "Friends."

"What?" Tracey asked.

"The note." Ash said, taking it from Brock and standing up. "This thing says to gather your friends. You've done that. You've gathered your friends and found me. Why?"

"It scared me." Misty admitted. "I needed help."

"Where are your sisters?" Brock asked.

"They're going to Pallet Town to get Violet's Poliwag." She answered. "All the Pokémon from Pewter City have been moved there."

"The professor's going to have his hands full." Tracey smiled. "I'd better get back there to help him out."

Just as Tracey reached for the door, Brock called to him as a bright light shone, quickly followed by an explosion that blasted Tracey hard into the far wall and knocking Ash, Misty and Brock onto their backs.

"What was that?" Misty coughed.

"I think it was a Voltorb." Brock answered, already helping Ash to his feet. "I saw a small ball of light."

Several men and women rushed into the Gym and surrounded the four friends. They watched as a tall man in a suit with slick purple hair slowly approached. He focused his gaze on Misty as Tracey made his way to her side.

"Misty Waterflower." He said in an oily voice. "It is my pleasure to inform you that your Gym is now under the ownership of us."

"And who are you?" Misty asked.

"I am Petrel." He replied. "An executive of this magnificent organisation that has gained the ownership of this building."

"You are not the owner of this building." Misty snapped back. "I am."

Petrel raised a finger and wagged it. "Sorry little lady. But the time has come for you to leave."

Misty scowled and held up a Poké ball. "You'll have a hard time taking this Gym from me."

"Not really." Petrel disagreed. "Abra Patrol!" Four small yellow Pokémon with their eyes closed suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "Please evict these children from our Cerulean base."

"Pikachu!" Ash called quickly.

Pikachu jumped in the air and aimed a Thunderbolt at the Abra. Misty quickly used the distraction to push through the people and make her way to the storage room. On the way, she quickly phoned Professor Oak.

"Professor! It's Misty. Sorry to do this to you, but I need to send all the Gym Pokémon to you. They're in danger."

"What is going on?" Professor Oak asked.

"I don't know." She replied, turning a corner and seeing the storage room. "But someone is saying they're taking over the Gym. I can't let them have the Pokémon."

"We're ready at this side." Professor Oak informed her. "How many Pokémon?"

"At least thirty." Misty answered. "Maybe fifty."

"Gary! Delia! We're looking at about fifty. Give or take." Oak called away from the phone.

Misty heard a muffled reply then she clearly heard Delia asking about Ash.

"Just tell her he's fine." Misty sighed. "He's got out of worse situations than this."

"Don't I know it." Professor Oak muttered. "Start sending the Pokémon Misty!"

Misty pressed a sequence of buttons and soon, the Poké balls began disappearing in small flashes of light. She looked around, wishing that she could send more at a time, but the teleporting system could only send one Poké ball at a time.

"Come on." Misty insisted. "Only twenty-five percent complete. Can't this thing go any faster?"

"We're going as fast as we can Misty." Oak soothed. "Gary and Mrs. Ketchum are working as best they can."

"I'm just stressed." Misty said as she read thirty-five percent transferred. "I've been involved with legendary battles stopped by songs, reality changing Pokémon fuelled by a girls imagination and even a madman controlling a time-travelling Pokémon. Why is this feeling worse than those?" A bang distracted her from her feelings. "I hope the boys are alright."

"They'll be fine." Oak assured. "As you've said, they've all been through worse."

Misty nodded. "I still worry about them though."

"I'd be worried if you didn't." Oak laughed slightly.

"Sixty percent complete." Misty informed him as a white stream of light came from her bag and morphed into her Psyduck. "What are you doing out of your Poké ball? Psyduck, it's not safe right now." Psyduck tilted his head, looking completely oblivious to the situation. "Please just stay near me."

Psyduck stepped next to Misty as the door opened. Misty turned her head, seeing Ash close it behind him. "Misty, there's not much time." Ash warned. "Brock and Tracey can't hold them off for long."

"We're only at seventy-two percent." Misty said. "We need more time."

"Can we speed this up?"

"Not really." Misty answered. "It's a safety measure for the Pokémon."

Ash took out two Poké balls and opened them, releasing his Buizel and Snivy. "Guys, we need to buy time for Misty to finish sending these Pokémon to safety." Buizel and Snivy nodded, ready to fight.

Buizel and Snivy tensed up as two shadows grew on the other side of the door. They slowly opened as Brock and Tracey peered their heads in. The two Pokémon relaxed as the two friendly humans walked in.

"How close is it?" Tracey asked.

"Ninety percent." Misty sighed with relief. "They're going to be safe."

The doors slammed open, revealing Petrel and several of his helpers. "Darn. We can't claim the water Pokémon." He snapped his fingers. "Initiate Operation Shed Skin." Several Koffing and Voltorb were released from their Poké balls, making every flinch back.

"What are we going to do?" Misty asked.

Ash smirked. "Leave it to me. Snivy, Attract!"

Snivy jumped into the air and winked, releasing several hearts that headed for every Pokémon. Each heart made contact with each Pokémon except Buizel. However, only four of the six Koffing were affected.

"Buizel, use Water Gun! Snivy! Use your Leaf Storm!" Ash called.

Buizel inhaled and fired a stream of water from his mouth as Snivy jumped into the air and spun around, creating a slight coating of leaves which quickly shot towards the enemy Pokémon.

"We have to get out of here." Brock said. "Misty, where's the emergency exit?"

"Past those guys." She answered, returning Psyduck to its Poké ball.

"How do we get out then?" Tracey asked.

"Can a Pokémon's move break through the floor?" Ash asked, grabbing a third ball.

"I guess so." Misty agreed. "But I can't be sure. Why?"

"Get ready to run." Ash called. "Pikachu, Snivy and Buizel, can you give us a smokescreen?" The three Pokémon combined their attacks and managed to create a thick smoke. Ash quickly opened the ball in his head, releasing his Land Shark Pokémon; Gible. "Quickly Gible, we need you to dig through the floor."

Gible looked at the floor and hesitated. Misty looked and saw his hesitation. "Gible please. These people were after all the Pokémon here and if we don't get out of here, they're going to hurt us and all the Pokémon we have here. You don't just have my blessing, you have my encouragement. Help us!"

Gible looked around and only after Snivy nodded, Gible turned around raised his arms. Calling out his name, Gible jumped into the air and quickly smashed through the floor. Ash heard a small cry about five seconds later and ushered Brock to the hole. When he was underground, Ash made Tracey follow down, and with some pushing, Misty.

Ash returned Snivy and Buizel to the safety of their balls and called Pikachu to jump down the hole. Just as Petrel was able to see Ash, he jumped down the hole where Brock's Marshtomp quickly blocked the hole with its Mud Shot attack and frozen with Misty's Luvdisc, nicknamed Caserin, using his Ice Beam.

"That's not going to hold them off for long." Misty said, returning Caserin. "We have to move."

"Which way?" Tracey asked. "I'm no good with directions underground."

"Well, from the storage room, the front door is roughly…that way." Misty pointed.

Gible quickly began digging a tunnel, with Ash, Misty, Brock and Tracey slowly following.