Ash, Pikachu, and Cassie ran through the caves heading in the direction of where the blast had come from.

"Do you really think this a good idea without Misty? I mean didn't she come in second place last league." Cassie questioned.

"I know, but I have a bad feeling that I know what caused the explosion." Ash said. "And I really hope I'm wrong."

"All the more reason to wait." Cassie urged.

"Stupid bird, stupid caves, we can't even get the machine in here." Revan said angrily.

Ash froze in place as he saw Revan turn the corner, the two trainers now face to face.

"Oh, this is too good." Revan said with a smirk. "If I can't get the bird, maybe bringing you to the boss will suffice. Scyther let's go!"

"Pikachu you've got this!" Ash said.

"Scyther use Slash!"

"Pikachu use Quick Attack!"

Pikachu slid across the ice, narrowly avoiding Scyther's scythes.

"Scyther use Double Team."

"Pikachu use Quick Attack!"

Pikachu tried to run but was unable to get any traction as six Scyther surrounded him.

"Scyther use Slash."

"Lapras use Ice Beam!"

Misty ran into the area followed by the remaining Pokemon and a new Lapras, having blasted away the Scyther.

'BOOM!'

"Wait, I thought you were setting off the explosions." Ash said in confusion.

"Did you really think that I came alone?" Revan said.

"Go, this guy is no match for me." Misty assured.

"Will do." Ash said, rushing ahead.

Ash and his team ran through the caverns, finding an unfortunately familiar woman.

"Get away from whatever it is you're looking for." Ash said menacingly.

"I've given you two outs, you won't make it a third time." The woman said. "Farfetch'd stop him with a Slash!"

"Gloom use Sleep Powder!" Ash said, the grass type leaping out of his Pokeball and stopping the Farfetch'd as it fell to the ground asleep.

"You like playing dirty, fine." The woman said, reaching for her belt.

"Ash, look out." Cassie warned.

A sword swung from the woman's hand, as Ash narrowly avoided the slicing swing.

"Hey, are you trying to kill me?!" Ash exclaimed.

"Took you long enough." The woman said, stabbing the sword at him again.

"Why couldn't Misty have taken this one!" Ash said, as he ran from the woman.

"Why won't you stay still!" The woman yelled.

"Why would I!" Ash yelped, ducking beneath the blade. "Ponyta help me out!"

Ponyta emerged from her Pokeball with a winnie.

"Use Fire Spin!"

The woman was surrounded by flames, getting stopped in her tracks.

"You think that you're stopping us?" The woman asked, "We already have Zapdos, and Articuno is here somewhere."

"CUUUUU!"

"No!" Ash shouted.

Articuno flew through the cavern's gliding easily over the frigid water, heading towards the intruders in her home.

"Alright guys, this is our biggest fight, we need to get Articuno out of here by any means." Ash said. "Let's get everyone out, Jigglypuff come on out."

Articuno blasted out from the water below with snowflakes falling from her wings.

"You need to get out of here! You're in danger!" Ash shouted.

"The same could be said for you child." The woman said, as an ice beam was fired in Ash and his teams direction.

"Ponyta use Ember! Gloom use Acid!" Ash said pointing to two high points, one for each of them.

The two Pokemon leapt up onto the higher rocks before firing their attacks at the legendary Pokemon.

Articuno spun and dove out of the way, unleashing a blizzard attack on those beneath her wings.

"Pikachu use Mimic to block the attack!"

Pikachu spun his tail as snow shot out from it, nullifying the force of Articuno's attack.

"Dratini get us a way out for her. Use Hyper Beam!" Ash commanded pointing at the ceiling.

"Ni?" Dratini said poking his head out of the snow and accidentally misfiring at Ash.

"Not at me! At the ceiling of the cave!" Ash shouted.

"Ni." Dratini said in realization, pointing his head in the direction before firing.

Seeing the open sky above her, Articuno zoomed for the exit.

"Ha! I foiled your… plan…". Ash trailed off. The woman was no longer there.

"I must thank you, not many trainers would be dumb enough to open a way for our mech to get to Articuno." The woman's voice boomed as the robot flew by, chasing after Articuno.

"Ash! What happened? That weird guy just became a Ditto and disappeared." Misty exclaimed running to him.

"I messed up, big time." Ash said, hearing Articuno's cries in the distance.

Back outside of Seafoam Islands

"Ash, don't beat yourself up so much, I just sent out an alert, there isn't a ranked official in Kanto not looking for that robot, we'll get Articuno and Zapdos back to safety." Misty said.

"If it wasn't for me, they wouldn't even have Articuno though." Ash argued.

"Maybe, maybe not." Misty said. "You said they knew she was here, so it's likely they would have kept looking until they captured her." Misty sighed. "We all make mistakes, the important part is growing from them."

"So how do I grow from this?" Ash asked.

"Follow this chain of islands." Misty said, pointing in the distance. "Take the dingy to the closest, and there should be a bridge from there, train up, and if you keep heading that way, you'll even find a gym."

"What about you?" Ash asked.

"I think it's time I take my own advice, and stop hiding from my problems. I'm going to see my sisters in Cerulean before heading back to Jhoto." Misty admitted. "Best of luck on your journey."