Chapter 26
Seconds passed into minutes but felt like hours. Nothing appeared from below the ocean waves on the coast of Cinnabar Island. It became painfully clear Lugia was down and wasn't coming back up.
"Now what?" Gary turned to Dragon Master Lance who was tenderly petting his exhausted dragonite and feeding him an assortment of berries to aid recovery.
Elaine and the other Elite Four members all looked on gravely, helping their tired pokémon recover with berries and potions.
"Pray for a miracle." Lance looked at Gary solemnly before they all looked back up at the birds.
Gary gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. This can't be it! It can't be! Ash. We're running out of time ...
Ash took a large step towards Shane, Pikachu on his shoulder ready. He held out his hand. "Shane! Listen to me!"
Everyone paused and looked at Ash.
"There's more you don't know."
*** Flashback 12 years ago***
The battle inside the Viridian City Gym Head Quarters was raging. Ash, Leaf and Gary had used nearly their entire combined pokémon teams battling Thu-Fi-Zer. Gary was down too only Blastoise, Ash still had Charizard and Pikachu and Leaf her Venusaur, Kangaskhan and one last pokémon.
"This thing isn't even looking tired!" Gary exclaimed exhausted.
Kangaskhan hit the floor hard, her eyes swirling. Leaf returned her pokémon and looked the ball. "We're too predictable." The seasoned trainer concluded.
"Leaf do you have an idea?" Ash looked at the former Kanto Champion.
"Yes I do! Ash I need you to use Pikachu's speed. I need him to act as a distraction so I can get in close."
"Leaf that's crazy!" Gary put a hand on the brunette's arm.
Leaf pushed Gary's hand off in defiance. "Maybe, but crazy is all I have! Ash?"
"Ok, how about it, Pikachu?"
"Pika!"
"Alright! Pikachu go, Agility now!"
The little mouse pokémon began zipping around the gym floor, Thu-Fi-Zer blasting at the mouse with whatever attack came to it.
"Ha that impudent rodent may stand a chance in your regulated league battles but now that thing is totally outclassed. Say goodbye to your prize Ketchum!" Giovanni jeered.
"Pikachu use Double Team!"
Pikachu kept up his evasion of the incoming powerful attacks with ease, but it wasn't lost on anyone what the impact would be if just one hit. The pressure was intense, and the exhaustion was beginning to show.
"Ok. We're up!" Leaf pulled out her last pokéball and snuck off whilst everyone's attention was on the action.
"I choose you … Clefable!" Leaf threw the pokéball in close range to Thu-Fi-Zer. The Pink fairy pokémon materialised and instantly began to wave her fingers back and forth. Leaf clenched her fist this had to work.
Clefable's paws began to glow, and a barrage of leaves burst forth hitting Thu-Fi-Zer square on in a surprise attack as it's focus was on Pikachu.
"What?!" Giovanni's eyes widened.
"Again Clefable! Keep it up!"
"Clefable, clefable, clefable." The pink pokémon continued to wave her fingers, hitting Thu-Fi-Zer again and again with all different elements of attack. Pikachu took the opportunity to run back to Ash for a break. The speed attacks taking more out the mouse than he'd thought.
"Thu-Fi-Zer! Defend yourself!" Giovanni snarled angrily at his "perfect" creation.
"You can't defend against what you don't know is coming!" Leaf smirked.
The barrage of random attacks kept incoming, and it was visibly wearing Thu-Fi-Zer down.
"Alright she's doing it!" Ash cheered.
Clefable lit up on again to attack but suddenly the fairy type flopped to the floor and began flailing around pointlessly.
"Oh no a splash attack!" Leaf cried in dismay.
Thu-Fi-Zer took no hesitation in the break from attacks and responded instantly charging its ultimate fiery ice light attack in the direction of the flopping pokémon.
"CLEFABLE NO!" Leaf screamed, she pulled out the pokéball to recall her, but it was too late, the attack hit and Clefable turned to stone.
Shock waves smashed through Ash, Pikachu, Gary, Leaf and the pokémon. Unbelieving of what they just witnessed. Leaf sank to her knees, tears welled up in her eyes. "Clefable … no … this is all my fault." She whispered to herself in shock. Her eyes turned to Giovanni. "No." Her eyes hardened. "This is all YOUR FAULT! YOU BASTARD!" The girl got up and charged towards the Rocket Boss.
"LEAF NO!" Gary cried out.
Giovanni smirked. Before she could land a blow on the monstrous man, Thu-Fi-Zer spread out it's wings and hit the trainer full on with a gust attack. Leaf hurtled back from the impact and skidded across the floor till she hit the wall. Gary rushed to her side, but his friend was out cold.
Ash stood opened mouthed, before turning his attention back on Giovanni and growled. "You'll pay for what you've done! to Jessie, to James, to Meowth, to Clefable. To Zapdos, Moltres ... Articuno. To all the pokémon you've wronged. This ends. Tonight."
"Will I?" Giovanni laughed. "Thu-Fi-Zer. Hit them again. Full power."
"If that thing hit's we are done for!" Gary cried out cradling an unconscious Leaf in his arms.
"Blastoise, Venusaur I need your strongest attacks. Combine them with my Charizards on my command!" Ash barked out.
The pokémon roared with agreement.
"Venusaur charge up your Solar Beam!" "Blastoise get your Hydropump ready! Ok. Charizard use Fire Blast!"
"Thu-Fi-Zer, destroy them all now with your Tri Attack!" Giovanni called out.
"All three of you, combine your attacks! We'll show them the true power of pokémon! As nature intended!"
All three fully evolved Kanto starter pokémon let out mighty roars and unleashed their attacks combining them at the mutated legendary bird beast.
The attack went head on with the bird's fiery ice light attack and clashed for dominance.
"Give it up young Champion! This pokémon is legendary, it cannot be beaten!" Giovanni screamed out as the mutated beast's attack started to edge out the Kanto combo.
Gary looked on at the battle "This doesn't look good, that thing is just to powerful." The researcher looked down at the injured girl in his arms. "… Leaf if this is the end …" A finger reached up and silenced Gary's lips, stopping him from continuing.
"Shhh" Leaf had regained consciousness. "We can't give up now, otherwise … otherwise … it was all for nothing …" The girl's eyes teared up.
"… Leaf" Gary whispered.
"NO! This pokémon, it isn't real. It isn't the power of Zapdos. Or Moltres or Aticuno, it's just a science experiment! Pokémon are our friends, our family! When we give our hearts and our souls to our friends, they give it right back! Nothing can beat the power of a trainer's and pokémon bond! NOTHING!" Ash bellowed in response. "That is the real power of pokémon! Something someone like you will never have!"
A stone on Ash's wrist began to glow, as did Charizard.
Leaf gripped and held Gary's arm and pulled herself up. Gary looked down relived that his friend was ok, but then something new caught their attention, the stone on Leaf's wrist also began to glow, along with Gary's. In return Blastoise and Venusaur also glowed.
"Is this?" Leaf began.
"Mega Evolution!" Gary finished. "The stones Grandpa gave us really work!"
Ash's and Pikachu's eyes went wide as they watched Blastoise, Venusaur and Charizard morph in front of their very eyes. Blastoise bulked out, the two cannons on his back morphed into one giant one. Venusaur's plant grew up and out and sprouted more leaves, a flower adorned her head.
Charizard emerged his colour now black with a striking electric blue under belly and a raging blue flame.
"Ha. Evolve them all you want! It won't change anything! Thu-Fi-Zer full power! Show them the true marvel of Rocket Science." Giovanni commanded.
"Charizard, Venusaur, Blastoise! Give it everything you have! I believe in you!" Ash called out. "We all do."
Gary and Leaf looked at their pokémon and nodded, determination in their eyes. "Do it Ash!"
The attacks of the pokémon blasted out with renewed strength, but it still wasn't enough. The combined legendary birds of Kanto were no easy task to overcome.
"Pika!"
"Pikachu?" Ash looked at his shoulder. His best friend sprung off into the direction of the battle.
"Pikachu!" Ash cried out in alarm.
"Pika pikaaaaaa CHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU"
Pikachu launched into the air and discharged his own Thunder attack into the Kanto trio's attack combining his powerful electric attack with their own signature moves. The resulting power surge overpowered the fiery ice light engulfing the attack and directly impacted into Thu-Fi-Zer. A bright light engulfed the beast and took over the building.
Gary and Leaf shielded their eyes from the impact.
As the light cleared there was no longer a 3 headed monstrosity but 3 individual beautiful birds hovering in the air.
"Zapdos! Moltres, Articuno! You're ok!" Ash called out to the birds.
Mega Charizard blasted the ceiling roof of the Viridian Gym. Rubble cascaded down around the gym floor.
The three legendary birds took flight up into the open sky outside. Moltres flew off to the west, Articuno, south-east. Zapdos glanced back and took one lasting look at Ash. Their eyes meeting before it took off and blasted off north-east. Ash smiled. They were safe.
Mega Charizard, Mega Blastoise and Mega Venusaur glowed once more but shrank back down into their original forms.
"Pikachu!" Ash ran over and scooped up friend holding him high in the air. "You did it!"
"Pika Pi!" Pikachu smiled at his best friend.
"We all did it!" Ash beamed over at the pokémon who all cried out in jubilant unison. Leaf and Gary looked each other, their smiles wide and shared a joyous victory hug.
"What! No impossible!" Giovanni covered his mouth and sank to his knees. "They were supposed to be unbeatable ... the ultimate combination." Ash strode across and stood over Giovanni. "Now you know the real power of pokémon, it doesn't come from a bottle and it certainly doesn't come from unethical crooked old hacks like Team Rocket."
The old man glared up at the young pokémon champion his eyes narrowed. "You dare to speak to me like that?! Who the hell do you think you are?!"
"I am Ash Ketchum from the town of Pallet and I am a Pokémon Master. Champion of the Kanto Region."
Ash took a breath.
"And as Champion of the Kanto region, I am placing you under full responsibility of the atrocities taken place here against people and pokémon alike. What you have done is unforgivable and you will answer for your crimes. This is the end of the road. The end of Team Rocket." Ash stood firm, his posture tall and confident.
Giovanni sneered. "I answer to no one!" The Rocket Boss pulled a pokéball from inside his suit jacket and released it. A Electrode materialised and instantly began to glow.
"Electrodeeeeee" BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM.
Ash quickly shielded himself and Pikachu from the controlled explosion attack.
As the dust and debris of the explosion settled the Rocket Boss was nowhere to be seen.
"He's gone!" Leaf exclaimed.
Ash looked around the gym floor ruins. He saw a burned-up Earth Badge and picked it up. "He won't be back." Ash said with confidence. "But if he does, I'll be ready." His eyes narrowed as his hand gripped the badge.
Leaf and Gary walked over to Clefable. Leaf collapsed to her knees, she draped her arms over her stone friend and sobbed. Gary wrapped his arms around his friend and closed his eyes, dropping his head with respect. He then looked up, his eyes lit up. "Leaf ... hear me out ..."
Ash walked over to the stone casts of his former enemies, Jessie James and Meowth. Their faces showed their final expression, twisted and gaping with fear. Ash shuddered at the imagine that would now forever haunt him. "I'm so sorry ... my friends." Ash spoke out quietly. "But we stopped them, we stopped Team Rocket, just as wanted and we could never never done it without you. Thank You" He bowed his head.
"Ash." Gary called over.
Ash turned solemnly to Gary and Leaf who was wiping the tears from her swollen face. Gary spoke up "I think there might be a way to help them."
*** End ***
"All we could do was stop Team Rocket and prevent anyone else getting hurt. We had no idea what we were up against that night."
Shane looked at Ash, his eyes teary. "They should never have been there ..."
"Maybe not..." Ash continued. "But your parents helped us tremendously, we may have never acted in time if it wasn't for them. They were true heroes. They didn't deserve what happened to them, along with Leaf's Clefable. None of us were the same after that night." Ash's voice slightly cracked.
"Dad ... " Amber looked at her father, her eyes wide and tearful. "I had no idea."
Ash took a breath and continued.
"Gary Oak knew of extensive research in the Galar region regarding fossil regeneration. If there was any hope for your parents and Clefable to reverse the process, it would be there. We worked with the authorities to transport them over safely, Leaf went over with them to oversee progress and has been there ever since. The scientists are doing everything in their power to reverse the effects of Team Rocket's actions that night. They have managed to revive Clefable and Meowth, but are still working on full human revival. We're throwing every resource we can to save your parents. You have to believe me."
Ash took another step forwards, making sure not to alarm the boy into doing something stupid. Both Pikachu were poised, ready.
"They are still alive Shane."
Cassidy and Butch glared at Ash.
"… All this time … all these years ... you... . You kept them from me!" The boy growled in anger and pointed the glass upwards towards Amber. Misty pulled Amber closer into her body, their backs against Zapdos cage. The former water gym leader glared up at the rocket teenager standing over them. "You dare!"
Zapdos squawked and flapped against it's confinement.
"Shane … No …" Amber pulled slightly away from her mother's grip and shook her head in disbelief. "This, this isn't you." The red head tried desperately to reason with the boy. Amber's Pikachu's cheeks began to spark. Ready to protect his best friend.
"You don't know me." Shane replied coldly. "I don't know me. Now I know why."
"Please …" Amber pleaded.
"I know who you are!" Thea spoke out. Shane turned his head to his friend. Thea took a step forward. "You're the one who wants to do the right thing in those grey areas we always find ourselves in. The one who no matter how bad things looked could always help me see the way through and make me smile. The one person who's always there when I need him most. No matter what."
"Thea … " Shane look his friend in the eye and took in her whole face. Her expression was sincere, beautiful ...
"Your parentage or lack of doesn't define who you are! You've made your own choices, you're your own person. And that is the person … that I … I love." Thea paused and looked Shane directly in the eye. "I'm in love with you Shane." Thea blushed. "I have been for long time."
"Whaa?!" "Huh?" Shane and Amber reacted at the same time with surprise at the confession. Dumbfounded.
"Thea … I" Shane stuttered, lost for words.
"Shane what are you waiting for?! DO IT NOW!" Cassidy shrieked.
Shane shook his head and turned away from Thea and re-faced Amber and Misty, Amber broke out of her mother's grip, standing up, she held her hands up offering little defence. Shane had flashbacks of all their encounters, Lavender Town, Celadon City, Sea Foam Island … He remembered Cinnabar Island, how the rockslide had hit the girl, the way she lay there lifeless. How he felt seeing her like that.
Shane jolted his hand forwards; Amber squeezed her eyes shut.
Ash, Misty and Thea all gasped.
Amber opened her eyes as she heard the glass shatter by her feet.
Shane had discarded the shard to the floor. "I'm not going to hurt you Amber. I meant what I said before in the holding cell."
"Shane …" Amber smiled. Chocolate eyes met brilliant green and they both smiled gently at each other.
"This isn't our fight. It never was." Shane turned away from the girl to Butch and Cassidy. "Revenge has consumed you. It won't consume me. I'm done with this. With you. With this Team and it's purpose."
Shane looked at Ash. "Like my parents before me."
Ash nodded.
"WHAT?!" Cassidy and Butch fumed. "Why! You cowardly little weedle! How dare you turn your back on us, on Team Rocket?!" Cassidy stomped.
Thea smiled and walked over to her friend. She held his forearm in support. "That goes for me too."
Cassidy growled and released a pokéball. A vicious looking black dog-like pokémon appeared.
"Houndoom, Inferno! Charr the traitors!"
Houndoom geared up to attack at Shane and Thea.
"Look out!" Amber shouted.
Thea pulled out two pokéballs. "Shane, here!" Thea threw a pokéball over to Shane, he caught it with ease. The Rocket Agents released the balls at the same time.
A blue cat looking pokémon with white features came from Shane's ball and a white cat pokémon with blue features appeared from Thea's.
"Meowwwstic." The pokémon both cried out in unison.
"Meowstic?" Amber questioned. Not the best choice against a Houndoom.
"Meowstic." Thea and Shane chorused together in perfect unison. "Power-Up Punch Attack!"
"Meowwwwwwstic!" The two psychic pokémon dived into Houndoom, pounding on it. A dust cloud blew up around them and when it settled Houndoom was knocked out cold from the double helping of the fighting type attack.
"We did it!" Shane and Thea exchanged high fives.
"Thea where did you get the Meowstic?" Shane asked his friend overjoyed with the latest addition to his team.
"Believe it or not Bravo Leader gave them to me when we were up in the lockup, when you were venting. I hung onto them for us."
"Nice one." Shane smiled.
Misty let out a big sigh of relief. She looked up and beamed with pride. Her daughter had really grown up. Ash walked over with Pikachu and helped his wife up to her feet. He turned to his daughter and pulled her in for a family embrace. "Thank Mew you're safe."
Amber's Pikachu looked up from the floor. Ash peered down and smiled. "Thanks for protecting my daughter. Pikachu."
"Pika!" Amber's Pikachu smiled.
"Looks like the Applin doesn't fall far from the Sudowoodo." Butch lamented. "Your parents were traitors, disappointments, losers. We hoped you'd be better. Guess we shouldn't be surprised. It's in your genes."
"From where I'm standing the only losers are you." Shane retorted back. Thea placed a hand on her hip and smirked at her partner. Nice comeback.
"How dare you!" The Rocket Bosses eyes lit up, livid. "We'll teach you to disrespect us!" They picked up broken glass from the floor and lunged towards the teenagers.
"Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Ash and Amber commanded their electric mice pokémon.
Both Pikachu sparked up and let off a large combined Thunderbolt attack, the water helping amplify its power. Incapacitating the two Rocket Bosses instantly as the electricity engulfed their bodies.
"ARRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHH! Nooooooooooooooooooooo! How could we loseeeeeeeeeeeeee thissssssssss." Cassidy and Butch fell to the floor frazzled.
Shane turned to Thea. "See, this is what Pikachu do." Thea sweat dropped and laughed.
"You've threatened the world. You threatened my family. How do you justify yourself?" Ash's eyes narrowed as he addressed the defeated Rocket Bosses, slumped on the floor in a smoking heap.
"We don't have to justify ourselves to the likes of you! You are the sworn enemy of Team Rocket. It is our goal to destroy you as you have tried to destroy us!" Cassidy spat at the Pokémon Master.
Ash was slightly taken aback. "Destroy you? I just stopped Team Rocket ... I didn't"
"Fool. We are Team Rocket!" Butch cut in. "And we'll never stop till we avenge our fallen leader. The benevolent Giovanni!"
A shadow loomed over the fried Rocket Bosses. Cassidy and Butch looked up to see a fiery headed woman standing over them. Misty's eyes were burning like a raging inferno.
"We'll see about that." Misty growled. She pulled out a pokéball, tossing it menacingly up and down in her one hand.
Their eyes bugged out. The wrath of Misty Waterflower was worse than any Thunderbolt attack.
Ash placed a hand on Shane's shoulder. "Your parents … we had our differences in the past, but they were good people. Towards the end I considered them friends. They kept you a secret to keep you safe from all this, if I'd have known … I mean I'd have never ..."
Shane looked down and nodded in understanding. Today had been a lot to process.
"If it means anything to you, I know they would be proud of the man you were today." Ash continued. Shane looked up at the respected man and smiled. "Thank You. It does." The young former agent bowed his head slightly.
Amber walked over to the cage where Zapdos was held hostage. The legendary bird of Thunder continued to thrash wildly.
"Shhhh, Zapdos, it's OK you're safe now. We'll set you free."
The electric legend stopped trashing and looked into the girl's familiar eyes. Amber seeing the birds expression instinctively placed her hand through the bars. Zapdos beak inched forwards. Both had flashes of a memory.
A memory from long ago …
*** Flashback 12 years ago***
Small chocolate brown eyes first meet those piercing white eyes. With no fear Amber opened her window, not once breaking eye contact between herself and the legendary pokémon.
As if on auto pilot, the toddler instinctively starts to move slowly yet confidently out of the open window, towards the outside ledge. The wild Zapdos mimicking her movements, also comes slowly and calmly towards her. Thunder and lightning crashing around outside, but not effecting the duo in the slightest.
Mesmerised Amber continued to move closer and closer, now on the ledge.
Her small hand reached out as a large sharp beak inched forward. Almost touching…
*** End ***
"It was that night. All this time I thought maybe it was all just a dream. But no. That night you came to me was the night that started it all off." Amber commented softly. "Zapdos."
Amber touched Zapdos beak, tentatively at first but then confidently began stroking it, the legendary bird embraced her touch and calmed down despite the still continuously running water.
"Sceptile I choose you." Ash released his faithful grass type. "Sceptile use Leaf Blade on the cage lock."
The grass type nodded and powered up, breaking the cage door allowing Zapdos to step out of it's water prison.
The bird ruffled it's weathers to dry and cried out with delight on being freed. "SQUUUAAARRRRR"
"Zapdos!" Amber cried out in joy seeing the bird free. Zapdos allowed the teenager to embrace it.
Ash beamed at the sight. He then remembered Gary and the others were still holding down the other legends. He better call in. Ash punched in his pokégear and got through to Gary. "Hey how is everything?"
Gary's pokégear went off, an oh so familiar and welcome voice spoke out. "Hey how is everything?"
"ASH!"
"How is everything? … HOW IS EVERYTHING?! WE'RE UP AGAINST RAMPAGING LEGENDARY POKÉMON WITH NO BACK UP! HOW DO YOU THINK IT'S GOING ASHY-BOY?!"
Ash held the device away from his ear and grimaced as Gary continued to rant and rave at his old friend, catching him up on what had been happening. Finally Ash got a word in. "Um well long story … but hey we've got Zapdos!"
"Thank Arceus! It's about damn time! Get to Cinnabar Island now! There's no time to lose!" Gary called out over the pokégear.
"Well, you heard the man." Ash closed the device. "We need to get over to Cinnabar Island with Zapdos as fast as we can." A big blast went off behind the pokémon master, his eyes went wide with surprise.
"Look's like Team Rocket's blasting off againnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn" The feint wails of Cassidy and Butch could be heard as they were launched through the ceilings of the Rocket HQ. Debris fell down around them and light poured in.
Misty recalled her Gyarados and re-joined the group, dusting her hands. "I don't think we'll be seeing them again any time soon."
Ash, Amber, Shane and Thea and the Pikachu all sweat dropped. Thankful they were not on the receiving end.
Zapdos nudged Amber with it's beak. Lifting her slightly with it's gesture.
"You, you want me to ride you?" Amber spoke out a little in disbelief.
"Squuaarrrrrr" The magnificent yellow bird cried out and knelt down low.
"Are you coming?" Amber called over to Thea and Shane.
"Actually, no, I'm going to head to Galar to find my parents, there's nothing for me here." Shane looked over at Thea. "So long as you're coming with me?"
"Uhh ... Of course! Always." Thea stuttered.
Shane took a step towards the blonde and clasped her hands in his. "Did you mean what you said?"
Thea's eyes widened slightly. "Every word."
"I feel the same way." Shane conceded.
Amber's jaw dropped.
"But what about me?!" Amber blurted out with a faint blush. Wait! Where did that came from? Do I like Shane? He's wronged so much ... caused so much grief with Team Rocket... but after all we've been through … He kissed me! My first kiss!
Misty and Ash exchanged a look but remained quiet. There were somethings parents shouldn't get involved in.
Shane looked at Amber, a faint blush of embarrassment appeared on his face.
"I'm sorry Amber. I think you're amazing. I really do! You're going to go on to great things, I know it." Shane looked away from the redhead. "But Thea's the one really I love. Deep down I've always loved." He turned to Thea. "I never thought a knock out girl like you would ever fall for a guy like me, so I kinda just gave up on the notion and pushed those feelings aside."
"A guy like you? Shane you're everything I've ever wanted." Thea swooned and swept his curtain hair from his face lovingly, placing a lingering kiss on the corner of his mouth. The duo pressed their foreheads gently together. They both blushed hard and grinned.
"They are at the facility near Stow-On-Side." Ash informed the young man as he released his Charizard.
Shane nodded and smiled with gratitude. "Then that's where we're headed."
Amber had had enough, she smiled bitter sweetly at the couple and bowed her head slightly to hide her expression. "Well, I better get going. Good luck with everything."
The electric trainer gently rubbed Zapdos beak and hoisted herself up on the flying electric pokémon. Her Pikachu bounding up to ride alongside his trainer on the legendary bird.
"We'll follow you on Charizard." Ash shouted up to his daughter, as he, Misty and Pikachu mounted their fire friend once more.
Amber nodded "Right. Ok Zapdos, lets fly!"
"Good luck to you too!" Shane and Thea waved.
Zapdos spread it's impressive wingspan and began to flap, it descended up into the rafters and out of the impressive hole Misty's Gyarados had left in the building.
Ash, Misty and Pikachu followed up on Charizard.
Hold on Gary, we're on our way!
Gary put his pokégear away and smiled, they had hope again.
"Hey look over there!" Karen pointed out over the choppy sea. A boat was approaching fast with some familiar looking faces aboard.
"It's the Gym Leaders." Will smiled.
Lance put a hand on Oak's shoulder. "We prayed for a miracle and it came."
Gary nodded, things were looking up.
Surge was the first off the boat, he marched up and saluted the Elite Four. "Lt Surge reporting for duty."
"At ease Lieutenant." Lance saluted back.
Janine of Fuchsia City was next off and walked over to Elite Master Koga. " Father." "Daughter." They both cordially nodded, acknowledging one another.
Erika put her hand to her forehead and looked up at the battling birds in the sky. "Oh Mew, they are in so much anguish."
"I thought you were the grass one not the psychic one?" Forrest remarked. Forrest was the younger brother of Brock a former travelling companion and very close friend of Ash and Misty. Forrest had taken over the Pewter City Gym from his eldest sibling who had gone on to fulfil his dream of becoming a pokémon doctor. Forrest grown to be a tall, athletic figure with dark brown hair and tanned skin, following in the family tradition of raising Rock Type pokémon.
Sabrina merely cocked her eyebrow in response.
"You don't need to be psychic to have empathy, young man!" Erika almost scolded the young rock gym leader.
"So like, what do you actually need us to do?" Daisy spoke out, her sisters Lily and Violet either side of her along with nephew Cole Ketchum and his girlfriend Elesa Gym Leader of Nimbasa City. They all looked up at the battling birds.
A man came running over to the trainers, Gary recognised him instantly. "Dusty! Where have you been?"
Dusty the Cinnabar Island Gym Leader stopped before them, he placed his hands on his knees and bent over slightly trying to catch his breath. He was sweating profusely. "Gary … it's … it's …"
Gary was getting impatient. "Spit it out!"
"Well just look!" The sweaty gym leader pointed up at the volcano. The rock formation of the well regarded crater began to distort and unusual gases could clearly be seen bursting out from different places.
Gary looked at Dusty with increased alarm and just at that moment the ground beneath them began to shake uncontrollably.
Everyone on the Island stopped what they were doing and looked up in horror as lava spurts began to protrude from the landmark.
"Everyone get off the island now!" Jenny boomed. The waiting public began to panic, as the emergency services struggled to maintain control of the situation.
Lance, Surge and Gary all looked at each other.
"Battle Stations everyone! Protect the people! Evacuate the Island!"
Authors Note: When I wrote this story it was much, much darker, but the tone shift was too dramatic. I decided to lighten it up. I couldn't bring myself to actually kill off Jessie, James and especially Meowth.
I'm sooooooo sorry if you guys were shipping Shane and Amber! Even I was during writing, I almost changed my mind. But alas no, they were never meant to be. I tried to drop ShaneXThea hints so it wasn't too outta left field but still a surprise. It's actually loosely based on my own high school experience of the first boy who ever asked me out. He ended up going with his female friend who decided to un-friendzone him.