Chapter 30 – Shock Waves
Part 3: The Darkest Hour
It would be a long journey back to Goldenrod City! May recalled her Pokemon, except for Pidgeot and said, "I'm gonna fly there." I recalled my Pokemon, as well, except for Scyther. "What do you think, Scyther? Can you fly me there?" He nodded his head. "Thanks, pal!" I said to him. Trevor said, "Rapidash is my only Pokemon. There's no way we can run that distance in time! You and May go ahead. I'll find Officer Jenny and bring her up to speed on what's going on. She can also take all these Team Rocket scum into custody!" May and I both said, "Thanks, Trevor!" He said, "No problem! Just stop those Rockets!" At that, May climbed onto Pidgeot and they flew off. "Ready, Scyther?" I asked him. "Scyther!" he shouted, then wrapped his arms around me, and started flapping his wings. We took off into the air, and he gripped me tightly, to ensure I wouldn't fall. May and I both flew over the landscape with our flying Pokemon. Even from here, we could see the Goldenrod radio tower miles and miles away. We flew for what seemed like an eternity. Under other circumstances, it would have been an enjoyable experience, but I couldn't enjoy this, knowing what would happen if we didn't get there in time – plus, Scyther was crushing my ribs with his tight grip!
We finally reached Goldenrod City! May recalled Pidgeot and released Amber. I recalled Scyther and released Flamefox and Firestorm. All of us ran for the radio tower. Parked in the parking lot was a big flatbed semi, and several expensive looking cars. We entered the building next to the radio tower, and inside, everything looked perfectly normal. A lady at the desk asked, "Are you here for the radio quiz contest?" I said, "No. I just noticed a big flatbed truck parked outside, and a lot of expensive cars, and was wondering what was going on." She answered, "We have some big shot executives here to watch the installation of our new transmitter." I asked, "Where are they doing this?" She answered me, "Upstairs, in the transmitter room." May said to me, "That has to be them! We have to get up there!" I said, "Right!" and we ran for the stairs. "Excuse me, but you children can't go up there!" the lady said. "Great, now what?" May asked me. I said to her, "Let's go outside." I didn't want the lady to get suspicious, in case she was a Team Rocket agent. The 2 of us and our fire foxes left the building. "Let's go around the back and see if we can find a way in" I said to May. We ran to the back of the building, and there was a fire escape. "Start climbing" I said, as I began to climb up the fire escape. We reached a balcony that came out from the top floor. Through the window, we could see the Team Rocket agents, disguised as executives and transmitter installers. They were installing the transmitter! "I hope we're not too late" I said, "But how do we get in?" May said, "Leave that to me!" She released Fierymane, who smashed through the window with her diamond hard hooves! The Rocket agents all turned around in surprise. May and I released all of our Pokemon that weren't already out – Tauros, Scyther, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Pidgeot, Golem, Raichu, and Blastoise all stood with Flamefox, Firestorm, Amber, and Fierymane, ready to battle! I shouted, "It's over! We know what you're up to! Now get away from the transmitter!" One of the executives laughed. "I don't think so – it's only just begun!" he said, then pressed a button on a remote control in his hand. The transmitter fired up! We heard it make a similar high-pitched sound to the one we heard in Mahogany Town. "Flamefox, Firestorm, hurry, destroy it with your flamethrowers!" I shouted. They just stood there, their eyes vacant, in a trance. "Fierymane, smash it with your stomp!" May ordered. Fierymane also just stood there, vacant eyed. We were too late! All of our Pokemon were under the influence of the mind controlling radio signals. "Soon, every Pokemon in Johto will be under our control!" the head Rocket agent shouted, as all the other Rocket agents looked on. Then he said, "As for you meddling kids, have a taste of your own medicine!" Our Pokemon all turned to look at us with vacant stares. "Uh oh!" I shouted. May yelled, "Don't listen to them, guys! You know me! Concentrate!" I said the same to my Pokemon, "Guys, come on! We've been through a lot together! It's me! Try to fight them!" It was no good. Our Pokemon began to launch attacks at us! A volley of electric, water, and fire attacks headed for us! "Look out!" I shouted to May, and I jumped her to the floor – the attacks just missed us! We jumped down to the fire escape below. "I can't see any way out of this one!" May said. I started saying to myself, "I will return at your darkest hour…" "What? What are you talking about?" May asked. I reached into my backpack and pulled out the Rainbow Feather. "What is that?" May asked. I replied, "If I'm right, it's our 'get out of jail free' card." Just then, Firestorm and Flamefox jumped me, and Fierymane and Amber jumped May. They knocked us off the fire escape and onto the grassy ground below. "May, are you all right?" I shouted to her. "Yeah, I think so" she replied. Suddenly, all of our Pokemon jumped down, and surrounded us, all ready to attack. "The feather!" I yelled, looking around. "There it is" May said, pointing. It was a few yards away from me, between Tauros and Golem. I jumped for it, and rolled past Tauros and Golem. The Pokemon turned towards me. "Finish them off!" I heard the head Rocket agent say. I ran the feather between my thumb and index finger 3 times, and said, "Ho-oh, if you don't consider this my darkest hour, then we're toast!" The feather began to glow again, and levitated in the air. Suddenly, a rainbow appeared across the sky, and from the clouds, Ho-oh emerged! She shot what appeared to be an ember attack at the building, which hit the transmitter point blank, and it exploded, knocking out the Rocket agents! Our Pokemon ceased preparing to attack us, and the light returned to their eyes. Flamefox and Firestorm ran up to me to lick my face, and Amber and Fierymane ran up to May and she hugged them. Ho-oh flew down to us. "Are you okay?" she asked us. I said, 'Yeah, thanks, Ho-oh." May just looked at her in astonishment and said, "You… you can talk!" Then I said, "Oh, this is May. May, meet Ho-oh." Ho-oh turned to look at May and said, "You now know his great secret. You must now also keep it." May nodded and said, "I will." With that, Ho-oh flew off. We heard fire sirens approaching, and soon, Officer Jenny arrived. She told us that Officer Jenny from Mahogany was finally able to get through on the phone, and tried to warn them about what was going on. She said, "Whatever you kids did to stop them, good work! Every Pokemon trainer in Johto is in your debt!" May and I soon recalled our Pokemon, except Pidgeot and Scyther, and we flew back to Mahogany Town. I enjoyed the flight more this time!
We met up with Trevor again in Mahogany Town, where I released Firestorm, Flamefox and Tauros, and May released Amber and Fierymane. The 3 of us rode on our Pokemon, accompanied by May's and my fire foxes. Trevor said, "We did good, didn't we, guys? We should go into this for a living!" I said, "No thanks! I'm glad we stopped Team Rocket and everything, but I prefer to leave the crime fighting to the professionals!" May replied, "Same here!" Trevor said, "Yeah, but it was still fun, you must admit! They're having a party for us in Mahogany Town tonight. You guys coming?" I answered, "As if I'd say no!" May said, "You can count me in, too!" With that, Trevor headed off into town. May then asked me, "So, what's with you and Ho-oh?" I told her the entire story about Sage Li choosing me to summon Ho-oh to stop the eternal rains, and Team Rocket's other mind control attempt on Suicune, to try to capture both of them. Afterwards, she said, "I remember when it was raining like that. I couldn't help thinking the whole world might be flooding. But I had no idea that's what was really happening. Then it all stopped, and a beautiful rainbow appeared." I said, "After all that, I was entrusted with the Rainbow Feather. Sage Li and his order of monks are the only other people who have the means to summon Ho-oh." She said, "You are very special then. Don't take that for granted." I nodded, "Sage Li told me the same thing. Believe me, I'm very grateful Ho-oh chose me." Then she asked, "So, what are you doing next?" I said, "After the party? I'm gonna battle Pryce, I think - unless something else comes up! Now that would be unprecedented, wouldn't it?" She said, "Mind if I come along with you?" I said, "No, not at all." We rode our Pokemon the rest of the way into town, to the big Banquet Hall. After all we'd been through, I welcomed this diversion – for all of us!