Author's note: Well, here is it. The big climax chapter. I hope someone likes it. There will most likely be another chapter after this, and I have ideas for a sequel.
The two armies of Pokémon glared at each other for a moment, a silent
It was Charizard that threw down the gauntlet. It roared, inhaled and blew a massive stream of flame at Gengar. The ghost blasted out a nightshade move, and the two attacks met in mid air, colliding with a burst of energy.
All hell broke loose.
Rhydon leapt at Staryu, Victreebell and Lickitung, smashing them over with great force. Nidoqueen slammed its tail into Squirtle and Lapras with crushing power. Pinsir ripped Arbok off and engaged the snake and Bulbasaur. The Nidoking beat its chest and tackled Weezing and Snorlax at once.
It was sheer, screaming madness.
"Whoa…they're tough…" Ash observed.
Giovanni regained himself and smiled, "It's not over yet".
"Pika!" Ash's mouse friend had seen his chance to end the fight and weaved in and out of the battle and headed for Giovanni. Ash ran after him.
"You're mine, Giovanni!" Ash yelled.
"Wait!" Misty and Brock headed after him too, trying to stop him.
Giovanni looked at them. There was no other Pokémon available to halt Pikachu. He stroked Persian's neck affectionately.
"Stop that little rat", he whispered.
Persian purred at him, then unsheathed its claws and lunged at Pikachu. Surprised, Pikachu, Ash, Misty and Brock halted in their tracks.
"There's no way a pampered pet like that can handle Pikachu!" Ash said confidently, "Here kitty kitty!"
The Persian hissed, then swiped with its claws at Pikachu. The move was blindingly fast, and Pikachu fell back, talon marks raked across its chest. The cat bared its teeth and edged closer.
"Pikachu! Are you okay?" Ash ran forward to help his friend.
"That was fast!" Brock stared at the Persian.
"Staryu, help us out!" Misty called.
Instantly, Staryu leapt through the air and spun towards Persian, preparing a water gun attack.
There was a flash of bright energy and Staryu fell, stunned.
Ash blinked, "That was a thunder attack!"
"Oh no, Staryu!" Misty ran over and helped pick up her Pokémon.
"This is too easy", Giovanni smiled, "None of your Pokémon can compete with mine…"
Gengar shot across the arena room, blasted over by a twisting inferno. Charizard roared triumphantly, and with one flap of its wings it was by Pikachu's side. It growled at Persian.
"Alright, Charizard!" Ash grinned.
Charizard smiled at him. Giovanni stared, evaluating the fire type in one pugnacious glance. His eyes swept over the rest of the arena.
Victreebell had wrapped its vine around Rhydon and was holding it still, while Lickitung tackled into it. Squirtle and Lapras were blasting water gun attacks at Nidoqueen, driving it back. Arbok was firing poison needles at Pinsir, while Bulbasaur was unleashed a razor leaf attack. Nidoking was coughing, stunned by smog launched by Weezing, while Snorlax punched it across the face. And Gengar was lying stunned against the wall.
"Fight to the death to hold them off!" Giovanni ordered.
For the first time, Ash noticed there was strangled tone to his voice and his face was contorted with rage and fear. His hands gripped his chair tightly.
Giovanni leapt to his feet and he raced for the stairs leading to the roof. Persian followed him. He was surprisingly fast.
"We got to stop him!" Ash took off after him.
"It's too dangerous!" Misty said despairingly.
"I have no choice. He can't go free!"
Pikachu and Charizard ran after him.
"No! You two stay here and help the other Pokémon. I have to do this!"
Misty shook her head, "I'm not letting you out of my sight again, Ash Ketchum! Pikachu, Charizard, come on".
Before they could catch up with the headstrong trainer though, they were hurled over by an invisible wave of force. Gengar was on its feet again, and it rushed at Misty viciously. Pikachu and Charizard aimed attacks at it, stalling it, but it had served its purpose.
Giovanni was gone, and Ash alone was after him.
Furious, Giovanni ran along the roof to his helicopter, his Persian close behind. He was furious with Jessie, James and Meowth. Those treacherous fools! They had led Ash's friends right to him, and helped them! How dare they defy him?
He heard footsteps along the roof behind him. He turned to see Ash running after him.
"You won't get away that easy!" Ash yelled.
Giovanni waited until he got closer, then swung a punch at the boy's face. His large fist collided with Ash's cheek, and Ash crumpled over and fell to the floor.
For a moment, Giovanni considered finishing the job and getting revenge. He could strangle the kid to death, or hurl him off the Gym roof, or have Persian tear his throat off. But at any moment that Charizard and Pikachu might come after them. There was no time.
He opened the chopper door and leapt inside, gunning the engines. Persian settled on the other seat. The blades of the copter began to roar to life, and the vehicle inched off the ground.
Giovanni scowled to himself. The day had turned sour rather quickly. Originally he had achieved something he had always wanted to do: steal a large amount of Pokémon from under the nose of the Pokémon League. An army of powerful, trained slaves to do his bidding. But in his haste to escape he had left the Pokéballs behind.
It did not matter too much. He was alive, and the blimp full of Team Rocket agents would be able to pick him up. He would radio them as soon as he was safely away. Then he would go back to the underground, and Team Rocket would regroup.
Bordering between conscious and unconscious, Ash reached out and grabbed the landing strut of the helicopter. He shook himself alert, ignoring the blinding pain from his cheek.
Suddenly, they were away and heading to the North East. Ash held on, his legs dangling in the air as they soared towards the mountains. For a second, he thought he saw his friends run out of the Gym, following them. There was a dull ache in his arms as they passed on, out of sight.
Over the bellow of the rotors, he heard a hiss. The Persian had spotted him. He looked up and saw Giovanni stare in disbelief, then darken with rage. The throttle increased and the chopper headed for the mountains at great speed.
Ash had no idea what to do. How could he stop this maniac? He had no clue, but he had to try. The dull ache in his arms was fast becoming a throbbing pain.
Giovanni sneered. This young trainer was indeed persistent. But now he could get revenge and end his meddling. As they neared the mountains, he turned the chopper to face the east so he was parallel to them.
Gradually, they were edging closer to the cliff walls. Ash could actually reach out and touch them. Then a sickening thought occurred to him. Giovanni was trying to crush him against the mountains!
As the mountains sloped, the rotating blades were safely out of range of the rock walls as Giovanni inched the chopper nearer and nearer. Ash felt a searing pain and heard a ripping sound. Part of his jacket had been torn away by a rock jutting out, and he was scraped and bleeding on his left side.
Giovanni looked ahead and laughed. The helicopter was approaching a precipice that thrust out from the mountain. It would be child's play to crush the youngster up against it and bank away in time to stay safe.
Ash saw it as well. He realized with a shock that he was going to die. And it wouldn't be a pleasant death. Soon he would be smeared across the outcropping, smashed into a fine paste. The Persian grinned at him.
The precipice neared. He had seconds more before impact. Those seconds were quickly running out. Giovanni was laughing like a man possessed. It couldn't end like this…
Ash looked down. Nothing but a forest below him, a maze of tangled trees. But he had no choice.
Two seconds before he would have been shattered and dashed to pieces, he let go of the rail.
"Huh?" Giovanni looked at the trainer tumbling out of sight. It took him a moment to realize he had been foiled. Those moments of distraction sealed his fate.
He looked up and saw the precipice approaching. He tried desperately to turn in time, but it was too late.
Giovanni screamed and Persian screeched as the helicopter crashed into the mountain, crumpling up instantly, then fell out of the sky, plummeting to the forest floor in flames. Ash saw it dive past him as he too prepared to be crushed against the surface below.
Exhausted, drained and stunned, he began to slip into unconsciousness. He just had time to wonder if all of his friends, Brock, his Pokémon, Pikachu…and yes, he supposed, Jessie, James and Meowth, were okay. And then of course, Misty.
His last thoughts were of Misty before he blacked out.
Half an hour later…
"Ash! Ash! Wake up!" a frantic voice was calling to him.
"He's breathing!" a slightly goofy but familiar voice said.
The first voice continued to reverberate through his skill as he coughed, urging him not to give up. The people calling to him sounded distant, but were getting nearer. Eventually, his eyes fluttered open.
"He's awake!" the voice cried.
"Pi Pikachu!"
Ash's vision sharpened, and he could see Misty and Pikachu leaning over him. He smiled weakly.
Misty stooped and hugged him close, while Pikachu leapt up onto his face and danced around happily. He could see Brock standing there behind them, smiling at him.
He hugged Misty back and then sat up, his muscles aching. He looked around and saw he was in a forest clearing. James was holding him by the wrist, evidently he had been checking his pulse. Jessie and Meowth were there too. Standing in the background were Charizard, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Snorlax and Lapras.
"I'm okay", Ash said croakily, and looked at Misty, "What happened?"
"Charizard and I went out to look for you as soon as you went for Giovanni", Misty replied, "We saw the helicopter crash. Before you hit the ground, he caught you and brought you back here. But you were unconscious".
"Whoa…thanks Charizard", Ash looked at his friend, who smiled at him, "What about Giovanni's Pokémon?"
"They fled when they realized they were beaten", Brock replied, "They won't trouble us again without their master. And we have all of the Pokéballs back, including mine", he grinned.
"Is…Giovanni…?"
"There ain't no way a guy can survive a hit like that, kid", Meowth said, "He's a goner. And good riddance, if you ask me".
"What are you three doing helping us anyway?" Ash asked.
"Let's just say we figured out where our loyalties should really lie", Jessie said warmly, "That's the last time we take an order from him".
Ash shook his head and laughed, "So that's it. We won. Thanks to you guys", he turned to Jessie, James and Meowth, "The danger's over".
"That's where you're wrong, Ash Ketchum! The danger for you is just beginning!" Misty yelled, suddenly angry and gripping him by the shirt, "What did you think you were doing, running off like that? I told you not to! Don't you ever do that to me again!"
"Waaah!" Ash was shaken like a leaf by Misty, "I was just trying to stop him from getting away. And everything worked out in the end…"
"Yes, but it very nearly didn't! You could have died! What would I have done then?"
Brock, Jessie, James, Meowth and Pikachu looked at one another, then shrugged and took a few steps back.
"I'm…I'm sorry Misty".
Her face softened and she hugged him again, "Don't ever do that to me again! I thought I'd lost you".
Ash pressed her close, "I'm sorry. But I had to do something".
She nodded, "I know".
A tear ran down Ash's cheek, "I love you, Mist".
"I love you too".
Brock raised one eyebrow, "I guess you two sorted things out, then".
"Huh? What do you mean?" Ash asked.
"Heh, never mind Ash. Yeah, we did. Thanks Brock", Misty winked at him.
"Aww, that is so sweet", Jessie crooned.
"Don't start that again…" Meowth warned jokingly.
