Chapter 24

*** Flashback 12 years ago ***

Two people dressed in black looked on from the ruins of the Viridian City Gym. A man with bright teal hair and a blonde woman. Surrounded by rubble and failure they watched the remainder of their fellow Team Rocket colleagues getting either arrested or giving themselves up willingly as local authorities piled into the now not no secret Rocket Head Quarters. The Kanto Elite Four also making themselves known and bringing in Rocket Grunt stragglers they had found around the Viridian vicinity.

Champion Ash Ketchum stood in the fray, speaking with authority and giving direction.

"Guess this is the end of us …" Butch sighed.

"No. This is now the beginning." Cassidy looked her partner in the eye. The pair slunk off into the shadows.

"Team Rocket will be back. Bigger and stronger than ever before and Ketchum is going to pay. With blood."

*** End ***

Ash took a step back and looked around. Him and his team were surrounded at every side by an overwhelming number of Rockets and their pokémon. In his peripheral vision he saw his daughter trapped in the chamber filling up the water and gritted his teeth. They were right, he didn't have time. He had to get to Cassidy and Butch and stop this. Now.

"Dragonite use Dragon Rush!"

The powerful dragon type wasted no time charging up and unleashing a powerful attack cutting a path through. Ash and Pikachu used the breathing space and immediately jumped onto Charizard, flying up out of the masses of Rockets below.

"Don't let Ketchum get to the balcony!" A voice rang out.

Any Rocket with a flying pokémon threw their pokéballs out. It wasn't long before the space above was fraught with opponent pokémon. Gengar dematerialised out of sight, Tyranitar roared signalling all the pokémon to attack their targets.

Dragonite looked up, about to join her master above, but Garchomp charged on the dragon, tackling her with great force. Dragonite absorbed the attack well, taking little damage but soon found herself locking claws and literally butting heads with the ground dragon battling, it out in a strength off and keeping her grounded.

"Dragonite and Donphan need help!" Ash threw down two more pokéballs into the skirmish below.

Sceptile and Snorlax materialised back-to-back and instantly got to work. The grass type using his impressive Leaf Blade to cut through the masses and Snorlax taking on whatever was in the way.

The Pokémon Master then focused his attention upwards at the Rocket Bosses. "We need to get to the source if we're going to save anybody! Let's go Charizard."

The flying fire type roared and flapped his wings with vigour as the three pressed forwards.

Shane ran under the vent trying to slow the flow of water or at least catch it to prevent the water level rising around them, but it was an impossible task and his efforts in vain. He suddenly remembered his communicator and pulled it out.

"Thea? Thea, you there? Answer please, I need you! Thea!"

Thea was frantically still trying to turn the water off in the chambers from her post in the security room, whilst trying to avoid the outside company getting into her little fortress of solitude.

"Thea, Thea you there?"

The agent picked up her comms device and placed her hand over the speaker, trying to muffle the sound to prevent her being detected. Thea looked between the monitor and her comms device. It's no use, this code will take hours to hack. I can't override the water system in time …

"I can hear someone in there!" "Is it Thea?" "Thea? Hey let us in." The grunts outside continued to try the door.

Thea looked over to the door of the security room. Thank Mew for the key card override. She looked down at her key card "The officer level key card! If I can't switch off the water …"

Thea ran over to the door and unlocked it, the two rocket grunts fell through and slammed onto the floor by Thea's feet spilling the drinks and snacks they'd been carrying for her.

"Thea! Ugh we got you a drink …"

"Forget it boys, I'm not even thirsty anymore. Humph!" Thea flicked her hair and stepped over them. Sauntering confidently out of the room, holding the key card tightly in her hand.

The two grunts watched her leave in despair and then looked to each other.

"I told ya you took too long choosing drinks!"

"Well, you're the one who insisted on stopping for snacks!"

"… Did she at least fix the security servers?"

The grunts dropped their heads. They knew they'd screwed up.

As Thea rounded a corner, she broke into a run. Hang on Shane! I'm coming!

"In a hurry Agent Thea?"

Thea halted in her tracks and gritted her teeth. "Officer Yumi …"

"Shouldn't you be on the lower decks battling the intruders?"

"Uh … you see no, that's not really my pay grade. I'm really more of spy agent."

"Uh huh and I suppose stealing officers key cards is a part of that?" Yumi narrowed her eyes.

"No idea what you mean." Thea subtly slid her hand to her thigh concealing the card.

"Oh, I think you do. I think you have a lot to answer for." Yumi pulled out a pokéball. "From attempting to screw up the mission for your own questionable gain, to now blatant sabotage. I'm taking you in!"

"Really? You want to go down this route? Well bring it on sis." Thea pulled out her own pokéball.

Meanwhile over the ocean route 21 the Elite Four, Gary and Elaine were still hot the trails of Moltres and Articuno, racing across the Southern Ocean currents in a valiant effort to stop the natural disasters occurring in their home region.

"Look up ahead! They are approaching Cinnabar Island!" Lance called out to his team.

"Oh no!" Will dismayed, seeing the Island coming into view.

"Lance, we need to evacuate the Island, we can't risk public safety if we get repeats of Viridian City and Pallet Town." Gary called over to the Dragon Master.

"We need to put those birds down – now!" Koga shouted over wind currents.

"Our pokémon are exhausted, we can't go another round against them." Elaine shot back.

"But surely they must be tired too?" Karen interjected.

"They are. But it doesn't matter once they start fighting for dominance they won't stop. We're looking at a battle to the death." Gary stated. "And if that happens ..."

"We'll never restore the natural balance." Will finished off Gary's sentence for him.

"We need more help! Why did you make Champion Ketchum go?!" Elaine shouted over at Gary.

The rest of the Elite Four all looked over to Gary, also extremely interested in his answer.

"Trust me, Ash is working on saving the day, we're merely a band aid!" Gary retorted. "We just got to wind these birds down and stop them or anyone else getting seriously hurt."

"Well, you'd think the Elite Four and a Gym Leader could manage that…" Elaine replied with a level of sarcasm.

"What did you say?!" Gary shot back.

"I said a Gym Leader should be able to manage!" Elaine repeated back with defiance.

Gary's face lit up. "Of course! Elaine! Great idea! Lance, we need to contact all the Kanto Gym Leaders, we need to get them all over to Cinnabar Island now, with their help we might just pull this off!"

"Great idea Gary!" Lance called back

Elaine narrowed her eyes and pouted. "It was actually my idea."

"Will, Koga, you two go down to the Island, start evac procedures with authorities. Gary, Karen, Elaine, try again to slow those birds down till back up arrives. I know it's a big ask on your pokémon but there's no other way right now. I will contact the gym leaders and then come join you."

"Right." Everyone chorused together.

Gary gave his Aerodactyl a couple of Leppa berries and flew fast towards the legendary birds once more. Ash you better get to Zapdos soon …

"Voltorb I choose you!" Amber released her pokémon. "Voltorb use your rollout attack on the glass."

"Voltorb voltrob" The ball pokémon revved up but due to the rising water under it just couldn't get the momentum to smash into the glass. It wasn't long before Voltorb was practically submerged.

"Voltorb isn't big enough …" Amber recalled her pokémon and pulled out another ball. She pressed the object to her forehead and spoke gently. "Please I really need you now. Electrode I choose you!"

The pokéball let out a red light and the giant ball emerged.

"Electrode, you use your rollout attack on the glass wall. Full power."

"Electrodeelectrode" The ball began rocking backwards and forwards on the spot.

"Electrode!" Amber pleaded.

"Electrodeelectrodeelectrode."

Shane spluttered against the cascading water. "Amber, it's no use try something else."

Amber recalled Electrode and released Electabuzz. The water was upto the pokémon's chest.

"Electabuzz use Focus Blast attack!"

"Electabuzz!" The striped pokémon heightened his focus and unleashed a powerful attack on the glass, but the steadily rising water was really inhibiting to his attack power.

"Keep going Electabuzz!" Amber pleaded.

Ash's pokémon continued to battle furiously against the Rocket pokémon, it didn't seem to matter how many they knocked out and how many grunts went flying, another seemed to step up to take its place. Donphan pushed forwards using rollout on whoever was in her way trying desperately to get to the reinforced glass barrier that was holding their friend captive. Running out of steam on her last effort a path was finally clear, she curled up and revved once more but Slaking jumped in to stop her in her tracks, using a powerful Brick Break attack.

Ash looked down at the scene, his pokémon despite their advanced level and experience were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers. Even Snorlax looked swamped. He looked again at the chamber where his daughter was captive and noted how quickly the water was rising.

"Hold on Amber!" Ash called down desperately to his daughter as Charizard manoeuvred through the air, taking on and disarming any enemy flying types, with Pikachu zapping anything in their path, making head way towards the Rocket Bosses above them. "Charizard, Pikachu we've got to push through no matter what!"

Suddenly Charizard pulled back, startling Pikachu and Ash. The fully evolved fire starter hovered in place as from nowhere Gengar materialised in front of them, grinning menacingly at the trio.

The flying fire lizard narrowed his eyes and snorted in response. Pikachu jumped onto Charizard head and began to spark his cheeks.

Cassidy and Butch looked on, confident smirks on their faces.

"This is going better than we planned." Cassidy remarked a smile on her face.

Butch looked at the captive Zapdos fighting against it's own water stream torture in the monitor, then back at Ash on his Charizard. "This stubborn idiot is going to lose everything before we've even tried." The man spoke with a laugh in his voice.

"Zubat no!"

Thea's pokémon sunk to the floor knocked out by the Rocket Officers Mankey.

"Was that it?" Pitiful." Officer Yumi sneered.

"Humph! Maybe you should be downstairs brawling with the cretins with that kind of battle strategy!" Thea retorted, recalling her Zubat.

"Oh Agent Thea, bitter doesn't suit you."

"No, you're right it doesn't, but these do." Thea pulled out two pokéballs, ready to continue the battle.

"You can't battle with two pokémon against my one!" Yumi screeched.

"Watch me." Thea released the two pokéballs. "I don't have any more time to waste, we're playing by my rules now bitch!"

The water in the chamber was now several feet deep, Amber had recalled Electabuzz and brought out Chinchou. She and Shane both clung onto the little blue and yellow pokémon to stay afloat on the surface as the water level raised higher and higher. Amber looked at the ceiling, it was starting to seem dangerously close.

Shane looked at the girl opposite him. Her brown eyes whilst still determined were losing hope. His expression turned serious. "Amber. If we don't get out of this … I want you to know..."

Shane and Ambers eyes widened as the water level dropped dramatically, the trio felt themselves getting swept away, till they hit something hard. The floor?

Amber, Shane and Chinchou looked up bewildered to see a very familiar blonde standing over them. "Ugh my feet got wet!" The Rocket Agent complained.

"Thea!" Shane beamed seeing his partner. The blonde bombshell offered her hand to the soaking wet boy and hoisted him up. Shane in turn helped Amber to her feet, residual water flooding around their ankles, they took in their surroundings.

Where were they? They were not still in the sealed room. They were out in the corridor! Thea had got the door unlocked!

Amber wringed out her T-shirt and recalled Chinchou to her pokéball.

"Thea you saved us! Thank You." Shane grinned; he ruffled his soaking wet hair in a vain attempt to dry it.

"Well of course, you know I'd never let you down Shaney-Baby." She leaned on her hip and smiled.

"How'd you get the door open?"

"Thank Officer Yumi and her all access pass." Thea winked holding up the key card.

"You're the best!"

Amber looked to Shane interrupting the moment. "We have to go find Zapdos and set it free."

"Uh … sure?" Shane blushed slightly and put his hand to the back of his head. "But I don't even know where to start, there's four floors to this building that we know of, and that water level was rising pretty fast." Shane grimaced. "We don't have a lot of time …"

"I know where Zapdos is." Thea replied matter-of-factly.

"You do?!" Amber and Shane chorused together.

"Yep, saw it on the CCTV monitors. Detention level 3. It's this way." Thea pointed.

Amber beamed; she quickly ran back into her previous captive chamber.

"That's kinda the opposite way." Thea quipped sarcastically.

Amber banged hard on the glass. "DAD! DAD!" The teen yelled and banged as hard as she could getting the attention of her father above. "DON'T WORRY ABOUT ME! WE'RE GOING TO SAVE ZAPDOS!" With that she ran out and caught up with Thea and Shane. The trio making their way to legendary bird.

"What?!" Cassidy shrieked.

"This can't be happening?!" Butch remarked, his face turning red.

Ash looked below and his face lit up seeing his daughter free. "Alright Amber!" Pikachu landed a fierce thunderbolt to Gengar knocking the ghost pokémon out, allowing Ash and Charizard to fly up to the Rocket Bosses.

Below Dragonite had finally pushed Garchomp down to the floor in submission and Donphan had finally mowed down Slaking. Both cried out triumphantly. Snorlax and Sceptile still making work of any Team Rocket pokémon in their path.

"Guess I don't have much more to do here." The pokémon master smiled and recalled his tired pokémon from the ground. There was no need for them to battle on the ground anymore.

Cassidy sneered as she looked down at Amber, Shane and Thea disappearing out of sight. An idea came to her.

Ash folded his arms and smirked as Charizard levelled up to the balcony and hovered in place. The Pokémon Master was now face to face with the infuriated looking bosses. He laughed triumphantly.

"Now I only have one choice to make, deal with you two clowns. And remembering how that has always ended in the past …" Ash chuckled. Pikachu sparked his cheeks in anticipation.

"Why you insolent TWERP! Butch raged.

Ash rolled his eyes.

Cassidy gently put her hand in front of Butch and took a step forward.

"You saw that boy your daughters with?"

"Huh?" Ash looked puzzled.

"Did he look familiar to you?"

Ash thought about the Rocket Agent that was trapped with his daughter. Nope Ash had never seen him before.

"His face, his hair style, his eyes." Cassidy pressed on.

Ash thought harder about the agent. Now that she mentioned it … that boy did look familiar. But he knew he'd never seen him, had he?

"Maybe think of him with blue hair."

Faces started to creep into Ash's mind.

"Maybe think of a different red head."

The faces in Ash's mind became clearer.

"Maybe picture him in a white uniform. With a meowth!"

Ash's eyes widened with realisation.

*** Flashback ***

The party of Kanto trainers and Team Rocket walked through dimly lit walkways of the Viridian Gym building, Charizard providing some much needed illumination along the dark walkways. The atmosphere was tense as Team Rocket filled the Kanto trainers in on all they knew about what was going on at the secret Team Rocket base.

"It started off with a bunch'a dittos. Agents were assigned ta catchin 'em, stealin 'em, getting 'em by whatever means. Once they came in, no one really questioned what happened to 'em." Meowth lamented, his voice tinged with sadness at the last sentence.

"Then it was Eevees … cute cuddly adorable Eevees." Jessie continued sadly.

"And evolution stones, they couldn't get enough of them." James added.

"Then the order went out for Dodrio's. Everyone thought it was weird, why would the boss be after such an underwhelming common pokémon? But we didn't think to question it." Jessie continued.

"It was the same pattern all over again ..." James finished.

"Den it was a free for all, get us more pokémon, any pokémon. Even Rattata's and Pidgey's were good enough."

Leaf and Gary exchanged looks.

"Here's one for you. What do you get if you cross a Jynx, an Electabuzz and a Magmar?" James quipped.

"I'm not in the mood for jokes." Ash frowned.

"We're not joking." James looked the young Pokémon Master dead in the eye.

Ash, Gary and Leaf all felt a shiver roll down their spines. What had they gotten into?

"Ash, are we in over our heads here? We're going into Arceus knows what, totally unprepared and ill equipped. We should get out of here and come back with the Elite Four."

"No." Ash replied

"No?!"

"If we do that, there's no telling what will happen to Zapdos in that time! Zapdos came to my house, it sought me out and brought me here for a reason. It's my duty as Kanto's Champion to protect the pokémon. At all costs." Ash spoke, sheer determination in his voice.

Leaf's forehead creased with concern.

"Leaf. Me, you and Ash are the three most capable trainers in Kanto." Gary placed a reassuring hand on the brunette's shoulder. "I doubt there would be much more the Four could do that we can't. Besides, we currently have the element of surprise on our hands."

Jessie, James and Meowth both nodded. "Like we said, the only ones dumb enough."

All too soon they came to a fork with the option of a door to the left and the continuing dark corridor to the right.

"This is where we part ways now. Go through this set of doors and it will lead you onto the gym floor, from there, you will find a secret lair located at the back, it's where Team Rocket head all their operations." Jessie pointed in the direction of an immaculate looking white door.

"You're not coming with us?" Ash turned to Jessie James and Meowth.

The three Rocket's shook their heads. "We've done as much as we can, it's time for us to make our exit." Jessie stated.

"We aren't exactly the heroic types." James concluded.

"Good luck Twerps." Meowth chimed in.

"Ok, let's get Zapdos out of here and shut Team Rocket down. For good." Ash concluded.

Charizard stepped up next to his trainer and flexed his wings, battle ready.

Gary and Leaf nodded and responded in kind each pulling out a pokéball and releasing their partner pokémon ready for up-and-coming confrontation.

Ash paused and looked over at the Rockets. "You know, you've taken a big risk here. Why help us at all?" He asked as they began to part ways, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Because we also have something we need protect. At all costs." James replied over his shoulder as he clasped Jessie's hand tightly. Team Rocket walked off.

Ash and Pikachu watched them disappear into the darkness. A strange feeling crept over them. Like they were watching them leave for the very last time …

*** End ***

"That kid is Jessie and James's!" Ash exclaimed.

"Yes. And what do you suppose he's got planned for the daughter of the man responsible for Mommy and Daddy not coming home?" Cassidy put her finger to her bottom lip, eyes narrowing.

"What?!" Ash bellowed.

"Pikaaa?!" Pikachu matched his trainers expression.

Butch took the opportunity of Ash's distraction and smashed a small safety glass panel on the wall next to him and pulled down hard on an emergency lever behind it.

"Tyranitar get after those kids, NOW!" Cassidy screeched as loudly as she could to her pokémon below.

The giant rock dark pokémon looked up at his trainer and stomped off through an opening created, which soon sealed back up.

Compartments in the walls opened and water flooded the room below.

The water gushed out of the compartments so furiously it knocked the Rocket members below off their feet and they swirled helplessly as the room filled up fast. Screams and cries filled the chamber, still audible over the roaring water surging in.

Ash looked below at the horrific sight.

Cassidy threw out a pokéball. A large mean looking dog pokémon with horns appeared. "Houndoom, use Roar."

The Houndoom let off an almighty roar attack.

The roar caused Charizard to disappear back into his pokéball, Ash caught completely unaware, free fell into the churning water below, Pikachu following.

"Goodbye Ketchum." The blonde narrowed her eyes.

The Pokémon Master and his faithful pokémon hit the cold swirling water with a hard splash, the impact knocking the man's senses out.

Butch and Cassidy rushed out of the balcony floor and into a secure lift wasting no time hitting the button to level 3, watching the carnage of the room as they began to ascend. Numerous Team Rocket members were splashing frantically for their lives or floating conspicuously in the tumultuous water tirade below.

"I can't believe we blew it!" Butch ranted in the lift. "All that planning! A decade down the drain! Literally!"

"It's not over yet. We still have another little ace in the hole." Cassidy replied with confidence as the lift went up and out of slight.

A faint commotion and roar were just about audible, suddenly a blast came through one of the rooms walls. Ash felt a strong surge of water current push him forwards, debris flew past and around his body, his body had no control, but then something grabbed hold of his wrist, pulling him upwards.

Ash gasped for breath as his head broke the surface of the water.

"Ash, I've got you!"

He opened his eyes and was greeted with the beautiful sight of red headed woman, Gyarados and Pikachu.

"Misty!"

"Pika Pi!"

"Pikachu! You're ok too!" Ash cried out to his friend, relived to see him unhurt.

His wife helped pull him up onto her pokémon, still in Mega form.

"Ash, are you OK? Where's Amber?" Misty put a hand tenderly on her husband's shoulder and used the other to pat and rub his back as he coughed up water. As Ash continued to catch his breath, he noticed the water below them slowly begin to calm and lower; he noticed a huge hole in the back wall, no doubt caused by his Water Trainer wife bursting through to save him once again.

The Rocket Members who were previously thrashing around in the water started to wash out to safety through the big gaping hole.

Ash looked back at Misty, her beautiful flush face quite the sight for his sore eyes and pulled her in for a deep passionate kiss, holding the back of her head and pressing his lips against hers hard.

He broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers, still panting heavily. "I love you."

Misty smiled warmly at the man she loved, but her blue eyes became serious once again. She held her husbands face. "Ash where is Amber?"

"She… she … got out."

Misty felt instant relief.

"But we gotta get to her. Right now." Ash's eyes were serious.

Misty nodded. "Ok Gyarados, let's go!"

The Mega pokémon let out a bellowing roar before blasting once more at the chamber wall creating a new exit for them.