Note: Misty's final focal chapter - but really there's so much going on here - let's go!
67: Misty vs. Team Rocket
When Misty saw the two in the rocket uniforms talking to the officer, she sighed in relief. Law enforcement really was on the job, taking the situation of the gym leaders' stolen pokemon seriously. It was a small amount of effort, but at least there was effort, showing some dedication toward the task of getting back Starmie, Staryu, Gyarados, Pikachu, and everyone else. Ash had disappeared a while ago during the search, but Misty was going to be sure and watch so she could recount the scene to her more pessimistic friend. Others really were helping to get their pokemon back. Sometimes these things just took time. Maybe it had seemed frustrating before, since other officers Misty had seen around Viridian said they hadn't seen any rockets hanging around. But now that they'd found some, they'd find out where Misty and the other gym leaders' pokemon were.
"Why don't you fucking dunces do anything? You're worse than useless!" the man that Misty recognized now that she was closer shouted and swore at the officer. She smiled at his upset. This guy had been one of the ones that had threatened Misty the first time she'd gone to the collective gym leader meeting and spoken out, and now he was getting his.
"If you aren't going to do anything, you could at least step aside and let us go!" the Team Rocket affiliated woman next to him spoke up too. The officer didn't seem any more threatened when this one yelled at her than the first.
Despite how brazen and aggressive they were being, the two sounded really shaken up. Good. Misty stepped forward, confident and relaxed as she shouted, "Hey! You two should give yourself up! There's no way the police will help you in your criminal plots. Don't think you can threaten her, either! We're all watching." Misty stomped a foot forward, looking with satisfaction at the others that had taken notice of the scene upon hearing her loud voice. This was great. Even though Misty's pokemon were still missing, these Team Rocket affiliates couldn't do anything with so many people there. Misty could be confident in her actions, having the satisfaction of knowing that she was completely in the right and they were completely in the wrong. Everyone was working together to go against the evildoers.
The man turned to her, still looking enraged. "We were reporting a crime!" he said.
"Forget about that for now. Getting a ride is more important," the rocket woman said.
"Right!" the man in the Team Rocket uniform agreed. "We can't just stand around here now. We need to leave."
Oh? Misty relaxed some, wondering what they meant. Were they giving up their criminal organization, and in trouble for that perhaps? Maybe they wanted leniency in exchange for their information. Even so, negotiating that was better done in private, and also didn't explain their coarse attitudes. As Misty tried to figure out the full context of their conversation, she noticed some movement next to the woman, and spotted the little boy. All at once, Misty recognized the kid she and Ash had seen the other day easily. She gasped as she noted the bloody cloth wrapped around his arm.
"Misty? Stand aside, we're going to arrest these two," the officer said.
"You really are worse than useless!" the man shouted.
The woman was calmer. "Do you have reason to think we committed any crime?" she asked, hugging the little boy closer.
"The reason for suspicion is right next to you. I'll be taking that boy into protective custody," the officer informed.
"It wasn't either of us that did this!" the man insisted.
"This is my son," the woman said. "I'd never hurt him. He needs to get some medical attention. Now."
"Parents hurt their children all the time, unfortunately," the officer said. "You two will have to come with me."
The officer was correct, Misty knew. However, she also had very strong reasons to believe these two were telling the truth. "It was some piece of shit kid wearing a league hat," the man informed, all but confirming her suspicions. "Don't you want to know about his kidnapper? Maybe after he gets help."
The officer's demeanor remained cold. "I'm sure he'll get all the help he needs," she declared blankly. "Once the other officers arrive and take you two away, that is."
"Mom," the boy said, hanging tightly to the woman as he even seemed to start to shake. His face was visibly pale.
"You're wasting time," the man chided. "You could catch his kidnapper, you could drive us to the hospital. Maybe call an ambulance if you can't drive? Hurry up and do something!"
"Backup is on the way," the officer informed, then glanced at Misty. "Maybe these two will offer information on other investigations when we arrest them."
"It wasn't them," Misty said without thinking.
"Hm?" The officer blinked. "Did you see something, Misty?"
Misty looked away guiltily. "How he got hurt... it could have been an accident," was the first thing she could think of to say, even though she was nearly positive it wasn't.
"So it was an accident you witnessed?" the officer asked.
That was something she definitely hadn't said, but there were more important things to do, to talk about. "The kid needs help!" Misty said. He may have bled quite a bit judging from how he leaned against his mother without much energy. The little boy seemed frightened and distressed while the adults sniped around him. "Why don't you drive him to the hospital?"
Several other onlookers were watching, one shaking his head with disapproval. The officer nodded. "Of course," she said, then opened the back door to her squad car. As the rocket agents walked forward, the boy tripped and fell, trying to push himself back up. Both agents approached him to comfort him. The man picked up the kid, putting him in the back. "Thank you," the woman in the Team Rocket uniform muttered before she got in the car with them and the officer drove them off.
Misty couldn't stop shaking herself as they left. The rocket agents wore black, but the kid himself had a lighter colored shirt that was covered in blood. Would Ash really do that? Though she wanted to deny he had, she already knew he was guilty.
Where was any kind of justice? It seemed injustice wasn't just limited to those going against Team Rocket. In a situation very reminiscent of ones Misty had been through, just on the other side, the officer had taken Misty's word, or what she had projected onto Misty's words, for the truth without a proper investigation. Ash would probably get away with it. What was this? Why would he go so far when they were already the ones completely in the right?
Or were they? After all, Misty still wasn't about to go and talk to an officer about what had likely really happened. Instead, she got back to work looking for her pokemon or any signs of Team Rocket agents that might actually have them.
Sabrina sat in her office, closing her eyes and listening to the classical music sounded over the CD player. She had a book in front of her ready to be read, along with a fresh, hot cup of one of her favorite tea blends. Her favorite pokemon also rested nearby, their calming energy affecting her own. Thanks to the annual competitive event, there were no challengers on the schedule that day, a rarity for this busier season, so there was no reason for any discontent.
And yet, Sabrina was completely discontented. She took out some shining selenite, and looked at it, trying to concentrate on clearing the energies that were affecting her. Sabrina eventually tossed the crystal back in the desk, gritting her teeth as she realized that such practices wouldn't erase the source, and were here to stay, ruining her peaceful day, and possibly others as soon as this idiot put his plan into action.
"Kadabra?" her pokemon called from the ground as it broke its meditation.
"Yes, I do feel it too," Sabrina replied. "I'm surprised you do."
"Kadabra!" Kadabra declared the current energies were most unexpected, almost seeming unnatural.
"That's what I sense as well," Sabrina admitted, closing her book and putting in the bookmark. "It's a pokemon, isn't it? A psychic type, like you. But that's not all. There's also the warped energies of humans that I feel. Or at least a human. Maybe more than one."
"Kadabra?"
Sabrina paused before answering, considering she couldn't be entirely sure who. Except, she knew exactly who. This person was partially the reason Sabrina had to go through the trouble of being more involved as a gym leader, having her Psychic Institute become more crowded twice a year. What she felt now wasn't leftover energies from anyone that had visited a few months ago. It was from the stupid man that shook them all up before thinking it was at all acceptable to take Sabrina's best friends for his own use.
After a lot of strife and other negative energies from many involved, Kadabra and Alakazam were back. Sabrina had just wanted to forget what had happened when they returned, though she'd certainly never forgive. That had seemed the better option than pouring her energies into responding to this man's antagonism. Besides, her pokemon friends weren't aggressive or vengeful. Though they were willing to fight, both in sport and in general, they preferred, as Sabrina did, a life of solitary peace.
But that man wasn't about to give them the same peace. Such a fact was obvious to Sabrina from the energies that affected her so far away from wherever that idiot was. She ought to just go and take Kadabra and Alakazam and find an unoccupied island somewhere to get away from it all.
But despite that inclination, she really didn't want to. Electricity and running water had their own appeal, as did libraries and supermarkets. Sabrina stood and left her office, supposing she also loved her institute in some way. Though she'd planned to just peek at her students, one had left the room and greeted her in the hall instead, his pokemon nearby. "Hart, aren't you supposed to be busy with something else?" she asked.
"Na. I'm just playing hide and seek," the teenaged boy lied.
Sabrina pulled the curtain, revealing his hypno, which called out in surprise, swinging its pendulum and raising its snout. Sabrina sighed happily. She'd always liked this pokemon. Just being around it gave a sense of relaxation and peace. Without this institute, it would have been doomed to a mundane, non-psychic trainer, if any trainer at all.
"You found it," Hart said with a smile. "I just had no idea where hypno was at all," the boy lied again. His lie was only a joke, since both he and Sabrina were very aware they could locate each other's pokemon with ease. Sabrina didn't laugh, but appreciated the effort. This human wasn't as bad as some. And without being accepted to the institute, he would have been doomed to the poor 'training' that Sabrina had received, if not being constantly gaslit and told there was no way he could be psychic at all.
If Sabrina just ran away, not only would she be denied the precious few hours in her comfy chair, surrounded by books while her favorite CDs played, but these two and others wouldn't have the support of this institute. Sabrina frowned, deciding she wasn't going to let that person ruin things for her.
Hart frowned. "Ms. Sabrina, are you gonna go get in a fight?" he asked.
Of course he could tell. This boy had been training here for many years. "There's no challengers today, so no, I won't be getting in a fight," Sabrina lied. Hart still frowned, since of course, he knew it was a lie. Even knowing the boy saw right through her, the lie wasn't a joke, rather a way of letting him know she wasn't about to discuss it. "I usually don't get any when this competition is on, but I think I'll be blocking off tomorrow completely. So no fights at all. Now get back to work," Sabrina ordered.
"Him, him!" Misty pointed out into the field, looking around at her sisters before back onto the field. "That guy just got our badge back in April! He challenged me four times before he got. I can't believe he made it all the way to the league, to the top 16! I guess people who struggled against me getting so far goes to show how good I've gotten as a gym leader."
"Is she getting a big head?" Lily commented to Daisy, who snickered and shrugged.
"You don't think Misty has improved?" Brock commented, leaning down from his spot with a few of his siblings in the row behind them. "I certainly do. If I was going to pick things up again in Pewter, I might want some pointers from her."
"Hey!" Aurora ran over to them, box in hand. "Get 'em before they melt!" She brought out a snow cone from the paper holder, handing one to a grateful Violet. "Got some for the cuties back here, too."
"Thank you!" Lola happily took the cone that her friend held out.
"Hey. I was talking about your little twins there! Come on Lola, you didn't even ask," Aurora said tersely.
"Oh." Lola paused now that she's already taken a lick of the snow cone, glancing over at Billy and Tilly next to her. "You don't mind if mama has one, right?"
"I'll go get some more, maybe, thanks Aurora," Flint said, standing up.
"No, no, I'll go," Misty's dad also stood.
Misty laughed, leaning back against the seat as she watched the playbacks on the large screen, trying to find anyone else she might point out. This really was a great day. Taking a break from her duties as a gym leader to be there that day with all of her family and even some close friends was like a dream. She could enjoy their company and even got some accolades for her work. Other worries seemed far away from the league venue, which concentrated on enthusiasm for pokemon and pokemon battles specifically, with groups of trainers that had challenged many gyms like the ones that Misty and Brock's families ran. Joining in the conversation about the up and coming guy who had just won the whole thing and his impressive team, anything else Misty may have become occupied with faded away from her mind.
After making the proper notations in the scheduling book and packing, Sabrina had gone right to doing one of the things she disliked most - traveling in large groups of people. On top of that, she was also headed to an even more crowded place, the annual competition that so many people frequented. Even so, Sabrina was determined, and didn't let the energies of the many others around her distract her as she headed to the venue. Maybe she wouldn't be able to pick out anyone from Team Rocket so easily with this much noise, but Sabrina was attune to the energies of psychic type pokemon, and this new one's seemed skewed when compared to others. Sensing it approaching from a distance, Sabrina knew she'd arrived first, and would be able to disrupt the infuriating former gym leader's plans.
Giovanni eventually arrived, his presence screaming out with the pokeball for the unique psychic type on his person. Sabrina stood in the middle of the path so as not to miss him. A seemingly too large amount of his cronies surrounded him, together emanating a frenzied energy of determination and focus. Notably, this included the two that had been referred to as 'counterfeit' Team Rocket in the newspapers standing right in front.
So he was done pretending. Even realizing this, Sabrina stood, ready to attempt to cull them on her own. Some of the agents started to approach her as the group got nearer, but Giovanni held up his hand to indicate to them to stop. "I wonder what a person like you is doing idling here," the rocket boss mused in place of a greeting.
Sabrina hadn't really planned on how to respond. She had just been stewing in her own anger, wondering why certain people just couldn't enjoy their own everyday life without bothering others. "Battling. Bird watching. Crochet. Reading. Maybe learn to play an instrument," she spat out some suggestions.
"What are you going on about?" Giovanni asked with some annoyance to the person who remained in his way.
"I'm just telling you some hobbies you might pick up in place of always ruining my day," the psychic gym leader replied, her deadpan glare not breaking as she stared directly at the rocket boss, ignoring all the hangers-on.
"Hmph." Giovanni chuckled. "So you knew I'd be here from a psychic premonition?" The rocket boss briefly turned his head toward his agents, who laughed in response.
"I said no such thing," Sabrina replied. "I wonder why you'd think that yourself. Are you claiming your own psychic observation?" The psychic type gym leader folded her arms. "If you're trying to develop those skills, you might also apply to my Psychic Institute. I will warn that most applicants aren't accepted. However, an actual psychic may be a more appropriate trainer for that psychic type you came here to show off."
Giovanni stepped forward. "Enough parlor tricks," he said sternly. "If you know why I'm here, you should know why you should get out of our way and not interfere."
Sabrina gave a quiet sigh, turning further away from Giovanni, unintimidated. "I do think I know why you're here, and possibly better than you," she said.
"Do tell," Giovanni invited.
Sabrina now turned back to Giovanni, her expression pure rage. "The core of you is a black hole. You'll demand endless admiration and accommodations at the expense of up to the whole world, and only twist and distort anyone and everything around you as a thanks. That's all a parasitic person like you can manage."
Giovanni showed his own rage as he shouted back, "Enough of your contempt!"
"Yeah," the so-called 'counterfeit' agent with him agreed. "The boss is being really patient with you. Just get out of our way."
Sabrina closed her eyes, pacing the length that blocked the way for the rockets. "Flower arrangement. Model building. Cooking. Basket weaving. Hiking. You might even write a book about a perfect man that everyone admires," she rambled. "Those are all things you could do to prop up your collapsed soul instead of expecting your flunkies and even the rest of the world to do it for you."
"You need to shut your trap! Stop talking down to the boss already!" a meowth spoke as it walked forward.
Sabrina showed momentary surprise at the pokemon that could use human speech. She'd heard of it of course, but in person the creature seemed so perfect, yet emotionally unnoisy, in its use of language. Her expression relaxed briefly before she glared back at Giovanni. "That's enough talk about that, then," Sabrina declared.
"Good," the pokemon said.
"I just have one proposal," Sabrina continued. "Since you think your pokemon's the master of all others, you won't mind proving it by battling me."
"Did I ever say I had such a pokemon?" Giovanni asked.
"I read your mind," Sabrina said, no one laughing at the joke that was the truth this time. "Now battle me, and when I defeat you, run back to what else you've been doing. Better yet, pick up one of those other hobbies I told you about."
"How about we just get you out of our way instead!" one of the Team Rocket agents said, stepping forward menacingly.
"No," Giovanni said, holding up his hand to signal the agent to stop. "She's right. If Mewtwo can't defeat her, we're wasting our time here. Don't you only have two pokemon?"
"There's two pokemon that have bonded with me and assist me in battles," Sabrina informed.
"Fine then. I accept your challenge." Giovanni turned to his lackeys. "You all step back. This shouldn't take long." As Sabrina and the group accompanying Giovanni stepped back to allow space for a proper battle field, Giovanni threw out the pokeball. "Mewtwo! Prepare yourself!"
Sabrina threw out her own. "Psychic!" she ordered before Kadabra even appeared.
"Mewtwo, amnesia!" Giovanni ordered. Kadabra's eyes started to glow as a dark energy surrounded both it and Mewtwo. Mewtwo recoiled before again forcing itself to a battle ready position. The created pokemon's eyes closed, and it seemed entirely unaffected afterward. "You think you can out power us? Mewtwo, psychic."
"Teleport," Sabrina ordered. "Then, psychic." Kadabra teleported to just above where it had been before. The entire field was soon covered in the haze of psychic energy. Sabrina stepped back, her mouth opening as her brow furrowed at the sight of the battling pokemon. "You've created a pokemon that's just as hollow as yourself," she shouted across the arena at Giovanni. "Give this one up. I'll find it another trainer that will help it."
"Just try to take it," Giovanni said. "So you think your pokemon is immune to psychic attacks? Let's try something else, then. Mewtwo, fire blast!"
Mewtwo extended its arm forward as the large character of flame appeared. "Teleport, psychic," Sabrina outlined the previous strategy. Though Kadabra teleported to the opposite side of the makeshift arena, it took a direct hit from the edge of the fiery technique's manifestation. The flame character dissipated right in front of Sabrina's face. She gritted her teeth in anger. "Kadabra! You're better than this! Psychic!"
"Hmph. Is that all you have?" Giovanni inquired with a smirk. "Mewtwo, blizzard!" He laughed as taking the brunt of the barrage of ice from Mewtwo's technique again prevented Kadabra from being able to initiate its own.
"That's pretty cold," Meowth said, shivering.
"Is that right?" Giovanni mused. "Well, we'll have to thaw you out again. Fire blast!"
Sabrina shouted in frustration as Kadabra was hit again by the fire type attack. Smoke emanated from her best friend as it lost its ability to maintain its levitation in the air. She quickly brought out her pokeball and returned it, then threw out her next pokeball. "Alakazam! Represent us psychics well! Kinesis!"
Alakazam called out loudly as it extended its spoons into the air, bending both backward. Mewtwo's eyes went wider with a hint of confusion.
"Will that kind of tactic have any effect?" Giovanni wondered. "Mewtwo, amnesia!" Mewtwo's subtle changes in expression disappeared as it again looked blank, before leaning forward toward its opponent.
"Psychic!" both Giovanni and Sabrina ordered at once.
This time, the psychic haze was particularly opaque. As it lifted, Sabrina cried out in shock at the state of her friend. Alakazam held the two spoons against its head, calling out in pain. "Alakazam! You don't have to-" Sabrina began, just to have her pokemon call back at her loudly enough to drown out her words. Sabrina nodded, maintaining her composure. "I understand. Keep going."
"Mewtwo, it shouldn't take much now," Giovanni goaded. "Blizzard."
The two pokemon unleashed their attacks at once, the energy of Alakazam's psychic attack hardly showing visually at all before it was hit by the torrent of snow from Mewtwo's technique. Sabrina returned it without comment right before Alakazam would have hit the ground, then stepped forward to address Mewtwo. "Come with me," she said. "Your energies are out of control. It's harming you. I can help you control them, and find a better trainer for you than this garbage." She glared hatefully back at Giovanni. "If you even still want one by then."
"Ha!" Meowth laughed. "As if Mewtwo is gonna want to go along with someone who talks big just to lose this bad! Who would leave Team Rocket for that?"
"You'll all be sacrifices to this person's inadequacies then," Sabrina spoke to the entire group.
The 'counterfeit' woman spoke up again. "You're calling the boss inadequate? Look at yourself, first! What kind of psychic are you if you couldn't predict this?"
The other rockets laughed and made similar quips about Sabrina's lack of psychic foresight.
"Enough," Giovanni said. "I've given you the fight you wanted. The loser has no right to disapprove of the winner. Now, Mewtwo, clear this woman from our path."
Mewtwo raised its arms, and Sabrina was invisibly lifted and sharply thrown to the side. She shuddered as she hit the ground skidding across the rock as pain spread through her body. Standing as the rocket group passed her by, Sabrina found though her arm was significantly scraped, nothing seemed broken. Even so, this kind of action from Mewtwo was worrying. Even when Kadabra and Alakazam had lifted humans before with their telekinetic techniques, they'd always been so gentle, as it seemed even the worst people's pokemon were when it came to humans.
Mewtwo was different.
"Look!" Brock's youngest brother shouted out as he pointed to the side. "Someone else is coming on!"
The final ceremony was being unceremoniously interrupted somehow as a mostly darkly dressed group entered the field. "Are they some kind of cheerleaders?" Daisy asked.
"I don't remember anything like this before," Misty said as she studied the group. "I guess it's new," she said. But as the interlopers walked out to where the top two were, she noted the loudest dressed man in front. "Ah!" Misty shouted. She glanced at the larger screens, noticing that in addition to Giovanni, there were the very recognizable Jessie and James present among the various 'cheerleaders'. "It's Team Rocket! What are they doing here?" Misty asked.
On the field, the top two trainers of the year showed similar confusion, staring silently as Giovanni and his tag-alongs approached. "Congratulations on your success," Giovanni said to the winner.
"Thank you, sir," the winner replied, though his brow was furrowed in confusion.
"Are your pokemon completely healed from their battles?" Giovanni asked.
"Yeah, of course," the winner said.
"Then you'll be ready to battle me now," Giovanni declared, raising a pokeball
The crowd erupted into noise, including Misty. "What the hell is he doing? What's the point of all this? Why isn't anyone stopping him!"
No one answered Misty's questions, instead continuing to watch the show. After the crowd's roar died down, Giovanni continued speaking to the year's winner. "Be sure to give all your pokemon a chance. I want to be able to say I properly tested your strength."
"Um..." The league winner looked toward his fellow participant, then at one of the hosts. The moderator just stared at the newcomers, holding the microphone dumbly.
"Is this a special event?" the woman in second place inquired.
Jessie stepped forward, grabbing the microphone from the former anchor. "Yes, indeed. Welcome all! This is a special event brought to you by Team Rocket!"
James leaned closer, also speaking into the microphone as he grabbed Jessie's hands. "One might say the real show is about to begin!" he declared.
"Absolutely! Team Rocket is about to demonstrate what the power of the true elite means!" Jessie continued. She and James stretched apart, both holding the microphone while extending their free arms to present their boss in front of them.
"I'd say everything until now has been nothing but a prelude," James said.
"No one will be able to deny us from here," Jessie added.
"So stand aside and enjoy as the fireworks begin!" James suggested to the participants and various legitimate staff on the field.
The group of them did so as the rockets cleared the field of anything that had been present for the final ceremony, allowing it to be free to be used as a battle arena again. "Is he really going to battle Giovanni?" Misty asked as they all watched the events. "What's that going to prove if he wins?"
Brock gave an exaggerated sigh and leaned down to answer her. "It wouldn't prove anything, would it? I guess it's all about what Giovanni and Team Rocket thinks it might mean."
"Well, whatever!" Misty said, facing the field again. "This guy's no pushover! I hope he beats Giovanni without any troubles and embarrasses him!" Misty herself had done just that when she'd only been ten, so that happening here certainly wasn't out of the question. Hoping for a similar conclusion to way back then, Misty faced the arena, eagerly anticipating the result.
The current winner took his place in one of the challenger's areas again. "Welcome to Team Rocket's exhibition match!" Meowth's voice rang out from the loudspeakers, apparently in the announcement box. "Allow us to introduce our best pokemon!
"Prepare yourself!" Giovanni shouted across the field, throwing out his pokeball. "Go, Mewtwo!"
Still more chatter broke out in the crowd as the unfamiliar pokemon appeared. Giovanni's pokemon floated in the air as it flexed before extending its arms. "What is that?" Misty asked. "Is that even a pokemon?"
"It has to be. What else do you know that levitates like that?" Brock asked.
"It looks so cool!" Tommy exclaimed as the older Salvadore nodded fervently next to him.
"It'll be our boss's one ace against this chump's six!" Meowth's announcement continued, causing a further discussion in the audience. Misty just shook her head. The confidence that this one pokemon could beat all of the talented league winner's was disconcerting, but it was just pompous talk, wasn't it? Team Rocket would be sure to get knocked down, wouldn't they? Especially relying on only one pokemon, they had to lose, right? "Mewtwo, get ready to knock 'em dead!" Meowth cheered, not agreeing at all with Misty's thoughts.
The league winner lost his former hesitation, taking out a pokeball and throwing it. "Go, Dragonair!"
"Mewtwo!" Giovanni sent out his created pokemon at the same time as his opponent's rare, evolved pokemon appeared. "Blizzard," Giovanni ordered. Mewtwo extended its arm, rapidly shooting a series of ice projectiles at the opponent's pokemon, instantly knocking it out.
"Oh yeah!" Meowth again cheered over the loudspeaker. "Mewtwo here has mastered various techniques! It's a powerful pokemon that elites at Team Rocket can actually control, unlike that sap of a champion that you used to have."
"Huh? Is... Is that what they're trying to prove?" Misty said. She was mostly talking to herself, and no one continued the conversation as Giovanni spoke again on the field.
"Send out your next," the rocket boss said tersely as his opponent returned Dragonair to its pokeball.
"Go, Blastoise!" Giovanni's current challenger threw out another pokeball. "Hydro pump!"
"Mewtwo, mega drain!" At Giovanni's order, Mewtwo waved its hand before extending it again, remaining in place at it was hit by Blastoise's torrent of water. A green beam erupted at the same time, swirling briefly in the air before going through the water type pokemon, which fell to the ground as its energy was used to invigorate Mewtwo. The created pokemon raised its arms in victory, responding to the cheers of the crowd around it, posing in response to the positive reception of its performance. Closer to the field, Jessie, James and other rockets lauded it on, while Meowth complemented it over the loudspeaker until its opponent sent out the next pokemon. And again, and again - all six times with all different species of well-trained, experienced pokemon, Giovanni ordered Mewtwo to perform various techniques which instantly knocked them out.
Meowth continued its commentary as the battles continued. "Ain't Mewtwo such an amazing pokemon! This shows just how Team Rocket's finest, both pokemon and trainer, are beyond expert! None of the other incompetent trainers can hold a candle to us." The crowd cried out at various times, seemingly unable to be quieted even during the various lulls of the fight.
As the hastily began match up finished, the winner's final pokemon falling, Giovanni stepped to the side. Approaching the rocket boss, James offered the microphone with a showy bow. Giovanni took it, staring out at the crowd as he spoke again. "This is a display of the superiority of Team Rocket," he declared, looking around the entire stadium. "Only trainers such as ourselves can be trusted with pokemon. Even those who can win this esteemed competition - no, even those who go on to be champion are lacking compared to ones that have trained in our organization. In order to protect everyone, Team Rocket will be taking over leadership of all pokemon related law enforcement, and eventually, remove all pokemon from the unworthy."
Jessie took Giovanni's place as he finished his speech, going toward the exit. "We're here to prevent the destruction of the world!" she declared, posing with one arm out.
James mirrored her pose with his own, forming a whole triangle. "And to protect world peace!" he added.
Hearing that declaration, Misty's eyes widened, feeling numb while Jessie and James put on their show. She looked for the reactions of those around her, but was unable to see anything satisfactory, though others certainly spoke as the rockets exited the arena. Finally, Misty herself spoke up. "I knew something like this would happen!" she shouted, glancing from her parents to sisters. "They've always been trying to do something like this! You know everything I saw them do before? You wouldn't believe what they get up to!"
"We heard you before and believe it, Misty," Daisy said with a sigh.
"Yeah. Don't you remember what they did, like, way back when at our gym? We saw it too," Violet pointed out.
"Should we go home? I guess it's all over, and I don't really want to stick around for this," Lily commented, shading her eyes as she saw various others leaving, though plenty still hung around discussing the scene.
"Yeah, sounds about right to me," Aurora said. "Come on, girls!" she goaded her daughters.
Misty stood up first, climbing past Aurora to the aisle. "Do you realize what we just saw?!" she demanded. "Giovanni plans to take over our law enforcement and take everyone's pokemon away for Team Rocket," Misty shouted in frustration before any of them could respond. Even now, would no one do anything? "Never mind! I'm going to do something about it myself!"
"Wait a minute there Mist-" Aurora began, but Misty was already dashing through the stadium, on her way out.
"I'll go with her," Brock promised, also quickly shuffling past his family after her.
"Thanks, Brock!" Daisy called after him.
Making it outside, Misty noted various people gathered in groups, but couldn't spot the rockets. "Hey there, Misty's here!" a person from the crowd shouted. Misty recognized the loud voice with the accent right away, and quickly found the tall foreigner sticking out in the crowds. But he wasn't alone, there was also his assistant Storm, along with fellow gym leaders Erika, Blaine, and Sabrina, all standing in a circle. "Come join our mini-get together here," Surge called, waving his arm.
Misty did so, quickly greeting them. Brock caught up, quickly catching his breath. "Misty-" he began before noticing who she was with. "Hey. I guess there's an unofficial gym leader meeting going on," Brock commented to his fellows.
Erika nodded. "We saw you both earlier with your families and figured we could catch up later."
"Yeah, it's good to see you all," Brock said. "I guess we all had the idea to come and watch this year."
"As if," Sabrina groused, holding her arm.
Misty and Brock focused on the often reclusive gym leader. Their eyes widened, Misty gasping as she noticed Sabrina's scraped arms and face. "Are you okay?" Misty asked, but the psychic type gym leader only scowled at the question.
"She's intact," Blaine assured. "What's more concerning is how she got even these minor injuries."
"Not sure I believe it," Surge commented with a brief laugh.
"I believe it. That Team Rocket pokemon looks like it's powerful enough to mangle any of us," Storm said.
"So, Mewtwo really is a pokemon?" Misty said. Of course, the answer to the question was obvious. Besides the levitation Brock had pointed out to her before, Mewtwo had performed various other techniques that no creature other than a pokemon was able to do.
Sabrina exhaled forcefully. "I hate it here," she said.
"Sabrina dear, calm down," Erika said, gently touching the injured gym leader's shoulder. "You're away from any danger now."
"Yeah, and we've got your back if they want to try anything again," Surge assured.
"I already picked that fight, and trust me, none of you want to try," Sabrina said.
"What happened?" Brock asked.
"Never mind it," Sabrina said, frowning. "That pompous man from Team Rocket is out pretending to be some kind of leader. But we don't really have to worry too much. That pokemon will just kill him."
"The one he used to beat the winner? Mewtwo? That's his pokemon, right? Why would it kill him?" Misty asked.
Blaine took off his sunglasses, rubbing his eyes. "This is part of what I've talked to you about before, Misty. It's important to consider ethical standards during scientific pursuits. Team Rocket hasn't been, so they have this newly created pokemon, which is specifically designed to be dangerous to humans."
"They created Mewtwo? Just now?" Misty asked, still processing the facts.
Sabrina just turned away in response to Misty's questions. "I'm going home," she informed, walking away.
Surge's other assistant came running, almost running into Sabrina. Bolt nodded an apology before joining them. "The Viridian gangster's just over there," he said, pointing across the walkway where a small crowd had gathered. The group of gym leaders, even Sabrina, elected to follow. "He says he'll take anyone on," Bolt informed along the way. "You gonna try, boss?"
"Pass!" Surge said loudly. As they arrived nearby the makeshift battlefield, finding a small area along the sidelines that was still clear, his eyes widened. He tapped Misty and Blaine's shoulders next to him to get them to duck along with him as a machop was tossed above their heads. "Woah. Look at that tough guy. We're in trouble now, huh?" he said with a grin. "You all give it a try. Or maybe not, doesn't look like a good idea."
"You don't think little Gloom's leaves could land the finishing punch?" Erika said as Surge laughed in response.
Misty ignored what seemed a joking exchange. "Is this pokemon really that tough?" she thought aloud.
"It's really that tough."
Misty turned. Next to the group of gym leaders was a mass of uniformed Team Rocket agents, previously unnoticed as she had focused on Mewtwo and the battle. Jessie had been the one to speak, James with Meowth on his shoulder right next to her. "You guys are using some kind of trick, I bet," Misty accused as she noticed them.
"No trick," James claimed. "Team Rocket has always been the most worthy of power, now we'll be able to properly assert that."
"Assert it? It's just even more obvious now. Our power has always glittered golden, it's just now the size of a galaxy," Jessie continued.
"True, Jessie. No one will be able to deny it, lest they be crushed in our momentum." James grinned, momentarily looking at Jessie before back at Mewtwo, who was encasing a shellder in the energy of its psychic attack.
Jessie laughed. "Right. Anyone who tries to drag us down and deny Team Rocket's shining superiority will be shattered before we finally take the stage as the world rulers."
Misty held her breath, releasing it only as the poor little shellder was safe back in its pokeball. "You don't really want to do that, do you?" she asked with disbelief.
"Isn't that what we always told you?" James said plainly.
"I guess..." Misty muttered, hardly able to be heard above the other conversation and shouts as a group of fire types took the field. A rapidash, arcanine, and charmeleon all standing in a row, ready to challenge the powerful new pokemon all at once.
"Go boss, go! Go Mewtwo, go!" Meowth cheered from James's shoulder, clapping its paws together and almost falling off. As it caught its balance with the support of James's hand, it called out again, "Yes! Even a twerp like you can see it, huh? Team Rocket's about to rule the world."
"Tch." Misty turned to Surge upon hearing him scoff. The man rolled his eyes. Why was that, she wondered? He had to see what was happening. Was he nervous about it, or did he just not think they could accomplish such a thing? The idea of 'world domination' always seemed so stupidly encompassing to Misty, but it did seem like they were doing something that could take them at least a few steps in that direction here.
Thinking over the realities, Misty continued to watch, in shock as Mewtwo knocked out all the fire types in at once with a surf attack. The torrent of water washed over the poor flame-power pokemon, seeming even deeper than usual. "Who's next?" Giovanni challenged, looking around.
A puff of smoke appeared on the field. As it cleared, a man dressed in ninja armor appeared. "This ends now," he declared.
"Koga!" Misty realized quickly who it was. "Be careful."
"This ain't the time to play around," Surge's voice boomed over Misty and the rest of the crowd.
"Idiot! Retreat now!" Sabrina shouted her own angry warning.
Koga was completely unaffected by any opinions as he threw out two pokeballs. Neither pokemon was clearly spotted even after released, moving away in a blur before the species could be recognized. The ninja then took out his sword, dashing forward and swinging it toward the powerful pokemon. Mewtwo put out its hands in defense after being hit, shuddering as Koga's blade cut against it. Mewtwo moved away, its eyes growing wide at the sight of the rare human that was willing to attack it.
"Mewtwo!" Giovanni shouted to get his pokemon's attention. "If he's getting in our way, don't hold back." At the rocket boss's command, Mewtwo extended its arm, lifting Koga through the use of telekinesis.
"Aya, now!" Koga shouted. After he spoke, he suddenly dropped to the ground. Misty wondered why, since the rocket pokemon hadn't seemed to be attacked, before she noted the shuriken embedded in its hand. The created pokemon observed the weapon that had hurt it, eyes widening in a silent scream.
"Oh my," Erika exclaimed.
"That's terrible," Misty commented.
"It doesn't seem right to attack a pokemon like that," Brock said.
"War ain't pretty," Surge said, shaking his head.
"Mewtwo! Keep going!" Meowth encouraged.
"You're Team Rocket's finest! You can win!" James cheered.
"Soar like the rocket you and blast through all of our enemies!" Jessie added.
Despite its trainer's orders and teammates' well wishes, Mewtwo didn't make another move. It just remained still as Koga shouted out again, "Venomoth, toxic! Golbat, confuse ray!" The two pokemon dashed out of hiding, performing the techniques. Mewtwo was hit by the doubled attack, Venomoth's sludge splattering it at the same time as the Golbat's eyes flashed in a light that tried to catch Mewtwo's attention. The large bat-like pokemon then flapped its wings as it flew away, kicking up some dust.
After the obscuring cloud settled, the audience could see Team Rocket's esteemed created pokemon was unable to maintain its levitation, and was instead on all fours on the ground. "Mewtwo!" Giovanni began angrily. "That's not what I told you to do! How useless are you? Get to your feet and finish off those pokemon, or I'll throw you out with the rest of the waste."
James put his hand to his mouth as Mewtwo slipped to the ground. "Eee... The boss is mad," he said.
"Yeah. And he's not the only one," Jessie pointed out.
On the battlefield, Mewtwo had promptly resumed its levitation. It rapidly moved its arms to initiate the barrier technique. Koga's two pokemon ran into the invisible psychic force, falling down before they again retreated into hiding. Mewtwo turned around, facing its trainer. "What's wrong, Mewtwo?" Giovanni shouted tauntingly. "Are you so incompetent that you can't sense the pokemon attacking you? Shape up and eliminate them!" The rocket boss raised his fist. "The consequences to your inadequacies won't be mild if you fail!"
Instead of paying attention to its current aggressors, Mewtwo flew toward Giovanni, waving its arm. It used its telekinesis, first to throw the pokeball that would have otherwise contained it away, then to lift its trainer from the ground. "Boss?" Meowth said. It hopped around by the other rocket agents' feet. "Feels bad. Quick, you two! Everyone! Get your pokemon out and protect him!"
Jessie pursed her lips, silent a moment as she observed the terrible scene of their boss being attacked. "Protect him?" she repeated. Even as they spoke, Giovanni's face was turning red as the ridiculously powerful pokemon attacked him as a frail human. "How are we supposed to go against that? You've seen all it can do!" Jessie shouted in her own frustration.
"Mewtwo, stop!" James protested, holding his head. The rest of the rockets just stared ahead, stunned at the turn of events.
Next to the rockets and at the same time, the gym leaders also discussed the situation. "Should we do something?" Erika asked, a hand to her chest.
"Don't bother," Sabrina said. "It's already the end for this idiot. This one doesn't know better than to not rip apart its trainer." Koga ran next to her, returning his pokemon and nodding briefly in agreement.
"What?" Misty said, finding Sabrina's statement shocking.
"Hm." Surge folded his arms, glancing toward Misty. "Who would have thought when you'd talked to me all those years ago that we'd get to watch the downfall of Team Rocket together, huh? This guy really brought this all onto himself. You might wanna look away, this won't be pretty." The electric type gym leader then glanced away himself.
In the opposite response, Misty turned her head toward the hated rocket boss. She could hardly breathe as she saw Giovanni suspended helplessly in the air in front of the pokemon, his face twisting in pain. "No," she said. This wasn't what she wanted. The possibilities of Giovanni's destruction via pokemon came to mind, showering her thoughts with excessively violent imagery. She didn't want this. She'd never wanted anything close. The whole reason Misty had wanted to go against Team Rocket was so everyone could exist peacefully, human and pokemon continuing to have fun and bond together, and no one would have to suffer. She hadn't wanted that little boy to get stabbed. She hadn't wanted that rocket agent to die. Both seemed to solve a momentary problem, but none of it was worth it, bringing some terrible consequence in exchange for what she, Ash, or Ritchie had decided was right. The price wasn't anything Misty personally had ever wanted to be paid.
Neither was Giovanni being telekinetically ripped apart in front of her.
"Stop!"
Misty shouted the order again and again as she ran onto the arena. Brock and Surge reached for her, but missed holding her back, and neither followed. Misty eventually stood between Mewtwo and Giovanni, holding out her arms as if to block Mewtwo from its trainer. Though previously arguing and panicking amongst themselves, the large group of observers were suddenly completely muted, their attention completely focused on her, though none of them made a move to stop her or otherwise act.
Misty laughed nervously, realizing the area previously alight in conversation had gone dead silent for the girl that apparently didn't understand that she couldn't block psychic type attacks with her body. But Misty did understand that, and also understood well the danger she was in. Still, she forced herself to speak. "Mewtwo, right?" Misty said, then paused. The pokemon didn't respond, atypically not even in a pokemon call, but focused its eyes right on her. Misty swallowed, trying to start talking again and failing. She bit her lip before starting again. "I know you're mad... And probably tired... But you probably don't want to take it out on your trainer, right?" Misty then continued her awkward laughter, which hardly sounded like laughter, as Mewtwo still stared at her without relent. Trying not to show her fear of the deadly pokemon, Misty dropped her hands, pulling them close to her body to hide her shaking. She took a single step forward, but then had to stop there. "You poor thing," she said with honest sympathy despite how terrified she was. From this close, she could see the jagged wound from Koga's sword. Many pokemon didn't bleed, apparently including Mewtwo, but the area was still discolored, perhaps painful. Misty then focused her attention on the still lodged shuriken. "Are you alright?" she asked. "You've worked so hard... Look at you..."
After asking the question, Misty heard Giovanni drop to the ground behind her. The rocket agents ran to the man's side, but Misty kept her attention focused on the pokemon in front of her. She took one step forward, and then another. "Does it hurt?" she asked. Mewtwo blinked, focusing on the shuriken briefly before looking back at Misty. "Can I help?" Misty asked.
Mewtwo nodded, apparently able to respond that much. Misty fumbled through her drawstring bag, finding the potion inside along with a pokeball. "Starmie!" she called out as she threw it. "Just give Mewtwo a little shower," she said. Her pokemon indeed drizzled the powerful pokemon with water, doing so gently several times as it removed the dust and other dirt from its battles. Misty then spritzed its injury with the potion. "Let me see," she said, holding out her hand. Mewtwo put its own oddly-shaped hand in hers. Misty sprayed the embedded shuriken several times. "Is that better?" she asked.
"That's enough," Jessie interrupted from behind her. She, James, and Meowth had also run onto the makeshift arena, standing right next to Misty and relieving her previous lone status standing against the created pokemon with deadly powers. "I'll take care of it," Jessie declared. "A potion isn't going to get rid of that. I'll have to take it out." Jessie now stood between Mewtwo and Misty, who stepped back as the rocket agent took control of Mewtwo's care.
"You're really tough, Mewtwo. You'll survive this much easily," James encouraged, patting Mewtwo's arm gently.
Meowth hopped on James's shoulder to meet Mewtwo's eyes. "Yeah! Just hang on," it added.
"It's only hurt until it's out," Jessie informed, getting ready to carefully remove the object.
Misty stepped back, checking on the rocket boss, who stood on his feet, grinning her way. "Well done," he complimented as he picked up the pokeball next to him.
"Who tosses around a dangerous thing like this?" Jessie commented, observing the now dislodged round and spiked blade. She turned back to Mewtwo. "It's fine now, right? Bet you're feeling better already."
Mewtwo nodded in response, completely calmed from its previous ire. Giovanni held up the now retrieved pokeball and returned Mewtwo before walking onto the makeshift battle arena himself. The rocket boss nodded at his subordinates before facing Misty with a wide smile. "I compliment you on your fast thinking and quick, decisive action," he began. "You're just the type of person that would be perfect for our team. If you want to join us, I'll allow it. Speak to my associate." Giovanni motioned toward one of the uniformed Team Rocket women before he turned and left, his rocket agents clearing the way.
Misty turned her attention to the one Giovanni had indicated. She folded her arms, hardly seeming eager to initiate Misty into the ranks, which was fine as Misty herself wasn't about to ever join. Even so, the woman approached Misty, watching Giovanni and the other rockets leaving, shaking her head. "He can't possibly believe that you'll join him," she said. Misty silently shook her head no, unable to otherwise respond in the moment. The woman sighed to herself, handing Misty a card anyway. "Or maybe he does..." she muttered to herself. "Bet you thought he was some kind of genius of an evil mastermind or something. You can see what an idiot he is from all this, huh?" She paused before meeting Misty's eyes again. "You're Misty, right?"
Misty nodded, still not speaking as the reality of just how terrifying the previous confrontation was started to set in even more.
"I'm Cassidy," the woman introduced herself. "It seems you're a very kind person."
"Oh..." Misty exclaimed in sudden recognition. This rocket agent was apparently Jonathan's mother, or at least the one that had been with that kid when he'd been injured. "Yeah, I guess," she agreed hastily.
"I've heard kindness is a virtue. But it's actually an exploitable weakness best abandoned. If you won't protect yourself, I won't feel sorry for you when you're hurt," Cassidy said, then left with her cohorts.
Ash ran down the path to the league venue, almost not noticing as Giovanni passed. "Hey, there's Team Rocket," he said, doubling back. "But they're just leaving."
"Pi pikachu!" Pikachu called at the trio of sorts that it recognized.
"Hey, Pikachu!" Meowth greeted, arms extended toward its friend as it and smiled widely.
"I'd been wondering what this one might be up to," Jessie said, looking down at the mouse-like pokemon.
"It's been some time," James spoke happily to Pikachu with a smile before glowering at Ash.
Meowth put an arm around the electric type. "Good to see you."
"You can't have it," Ash declared.
Jessie chuckled. "You're not in the know, are you? Team Rocket has a pokemon that's even more powerful than yours," she informed.
"Pikachu?" Pikachu questioned.
"It's called Mewtwo," Meowth said. "Watch it on TV, I bet there'll be playbacks 24/7! Team Rocket's about to enter the world stage as the stars of the solar system, with our boss as king of the galaxy! Mewtwo's powerful enough to make it happen!"
"Pikachu?" Pikachu then added another question. Was this new pokemon powerful enough to kill humans?
Meowth dropped its arm, frowning at the electric type. "It is, actually," the rocket pokemon informed.
"Pika!" Pikachu's eyes widened. "Pi pikachu, pikapi?" Would it kill their boss then?
"That's not funny! That almost happened just now!" Meowth said.
"What are you two so chatty about?" Jessie inquired, leaning down to join the conversation.
"Never you mind," Meowth shouted to Jessie.
"Pft. Let's go, James," Jessie said in annoyance, stand up straight and following the larger rocket group.
Meowth then glared at Pikachu. "The boss is tough enough that it's not a worry," it tried to speak vaguely, glancing up at Ash, who was listening in.
Pikachu frowned. "Pikachu," it whined. Meowth didn't deserve to be around that person. "Pika, pikapi." Meowth could get a trainer that appreciated it and didn't try and kill it on a whim. "Pi pikachu!" Meowth was a clever, funny pokemon that should work for its own happiness, not that awful man's. "Pikachu?" Would it come with Pikachu and Ash? "Pika pika!" They might have fun together.
"I'm already happy," Meowth declared. "No way I'm going anywhere with that violent brat. You talk about the boss, think about what he did."
"Pikapi, pikachu!" Pikachu shouted back. What Ash had done was different. It was to help them, not just on a whim because of his bad mood. Ash was always thinking of how to help pokemon, unlike the man Meowth followed. "Pika!" The rocket boss just used pokemon, including Meowth.
"Whatever. I don't like that brat. Come join Team Rocket if you want. You did a bad thing before, but I know the boss is real forgiving. Farewell until then." Meowth waved before running to catch up with the other rockets.
Pikachu called after its friend before Ash leaned down, tapping its back. "You okay, Pikachu?" he asked.
"Pikachu," Pikachu confirmed. Even though it cared about Meowth, that pokemon made its own choices. Pikachu couldn't force the Team Rocket affiliated pokemon to change. And besides, Pikachu had the one it could truly count on with it already. "Pikachu!" Pikachu hopped into Ash's arms, hugging the trainer it had been so lucky to find and bond with.
"Hey," Ash said with a laugh. "It's okay. Let's go see what happened over there." Ash put Pikachu on his shoulder as he continued on his way.
As they kept going along, Ash found his way through the large crowds of people. The conversation around them hinted at what the situation may have been. Eventually, they found a very familiar face. "Hey, Misty," Ash said, speaking louder to get her attention.
"Ash, Pikachu," Misty navigated through the crowd to see her friend, momentarily forgetting how she'd been looking for her family. Ash had said he'd had a battle at an elite venue during this current league, so she hadn't exactly expected to see him here. Even so, seeing her mostly reliable friend was somewhat of a relief. Misty felt better just having him there. "Are you alright?" she asked. Of course, he was, he'd likely just arrived and appeared fine, but Misty still felt unsettled after everything that had just occurred. "Did you hear about what happened?" she asked.
"Kind of. Lance was saying a lot of stuff like what happened here wasn't good," Ash began. "Then I came here and saw Team Rocket."
"Yeah," Misty sighed, still finding it difficult to calm herself. "Can we sit?" Ash and Misty found and empty bench before Misty recounted the tale of Team Rocket, specifically Giovanni, interrupting the winner's ceremony with Mewtwo, and then what had happened outside the venue.
"So he's gonna try and take everyone's pokemon?" Ash said.
"I mean, he didn't today. But yeah, eventually I guess. Especially if he takes over law enforcement, that sounds like what he'll do."
"Then why didn't you just let him die?!" Ash demanded.
Misty blinked, her mouth open as she stared Ash's way. "Are you serious?" she said, biting her lip as she seemed to conclude he was. "Do you even know what death is?" she asked. "Do you even know how messy it could have been today? It was really frightening. Giovanni really could have died!"
"So what," Ash said coldly. "If he did, good. Without him there wouldn't be a problem, right?"
Pikachu hopped on the ground, arching its back. "Pikachu," it called, seeming to agree with its trainer.
"What about Mewtwo then," Misty said. "It's like a baby, a really dangerous baby, but yeah. It was so confused today. I wonder if it even really understood what it was trying to do. If it had killed Giovanni, it would have been destroyed like Ritchie's charizard was."
"It's his pokemon, so that's what it can expect," Ash said.
"Just like some little kid that probably didn't know anything about what was going on should have expected to be hurt for being related to someone from Team Rocket?" Misty said. Ash looked away, frowning as he didn't answer. Misty shook her head at his response. "You really learned nothing, did you?" she said.
"You learned nothing!" Ash accused in response as he suddenly rose to his feet. "Team Rocket isn't good. They won't change. They're only gonna keep trying to hurt people and pokemon if nobody does anything! You hurt us by helping them!" Ash pointed a finger to his own chest. "I'm not going to just complain like you do. I won't get in the way of justice. I'm going over to that stupid secret base and I'll take care of Mewtwo with my own pokemon before they can hurt anyone else."
"Ash, you shouldn't-" Misty began.
"Don't tell me what to do," Ash interrupted. "Come on, Pikachu." He motioned to his pokemon.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu called seriously as they both ran off.
Misty just watched them. No, giving Ash advice never seemed to have much effect. However, his current actions seemed fueled by various past conversations they'd had. From that, Misty finally had the person of immediate action that she'd long wished for to stand up against Team Rocket, only after realizing that the reality wasn't what she wanted at all. Even so, now it was all out of her control. How far would Ash go to get what he saw as justice?
Next chapter: Ash vs. Giovanni
