"Good thing we have reinforcements!" Lance smiled.
- I received a call from a friend in this city, he told me that the Rockets were entering it and decided to come immediately along with my dear companions!- Lieutenant Surge exclaimed with that contagious enthusiasm that characterized him.- The ladies and me will be delighted to take the garbage out of your city, Misty!- He pointed to the girl who returned the greeting. She, however, seemed very uneasy:
-There are too many for you, Lieutenant! Are you sure you will win?
"Misty, remember that strength is not everything," Erika's soft and sweet voice spoke with total determination. "Strategy is as important as physical attack."
"Attack!" Skylar yelled, as Merrow went right over to where Lieutenant Surge and the gym leaders were to coordinate the attack from there. The Pokemon of the Rocket team launched themselves against the wall that protected the Elite Four, to be received by the combined attacks of the latter's Pokemon. Meanwhile, a wall of vines began to protect Sabrina, Surge, and Erika. Electricity began to course through the stems of the plant that formed a circular barrier around the gym leaders.
"Ash, take Brock to the hospital right now!" Sabrina immediately spoke to Ash via telepathy. I will escort you if necessary. Alakazam, help Ash!- The huge psychic Pokemon launched its attack towards the Team Rocket creatures, partially stopping their advance, remaining suspended in the air grimacing with rage.
"Sabrina, it's dangerous for your Pokemon to go alone!" the lieutenant yelled. Go, Electabuzz!- The powerful electric humanoid immediately came out and charged at the Rocket team Pokemon, hitting them with all his might and sparks with each punch he landed.
-Vileplume, use your stun powder!- Erika's Pokemon took a huge leap and started spraying its opponents immediately. In the midst of the hubbub, Ash and Misty managed to make their way out onto the main avenue of town, dragging Brock along. It was faster to take Brock together in a car than using a flying Pokemon given the state he was in.
The Cerulean police had put up barricades to prevent civilians from approaching the gym. They were immediately discovered by a police officer, who helped them get Brock into the patrol car.
"Officer Jenny...I'm glad to see you..." Brock muttered through the pain.
"Ash..." Misty chirped. "I'm very worried about the Elite Four and the gym leaders who have come to think they can take on so many enemies at once." The young man was also quite nervous. He never thought that he would witness a Pokemon battle of that magnitude.
Misty...I'm scared. I don't know what Giovanni... or Mewtwo is capable of. Has our final hour come? - the young man asked himself, with the saddest tone the girl had ever heard her friend say in her life. The girl was about to reprimand Ash again for his fatalistic attitude, but she remembered Brock's words.
-We will fight...- she put her hand on Ash's.- I'm not going to give up because... you're by my side and that's what matters.- the girl turned red with embarrassment. Ash also blushed a little when he felt Misty's touch. - I believe in your strength Ash. I know your bravery is there. Please fight for it. Don't let us down, don't let me down, Ash...for the Pokemon, for all of us- The young man felt a comforting warmth in his chest when he heard the girl's words, who once again had teary eyes. He couldn't answer her. He had felt better but he was quite confused and scared by the situation in which they had been involved. He was afraid of failing and of not being able to rise to the occasion.
They arrived at the hospital. Brock was immediately taken to the emergency room. Officer Jenny offered to stay behind to look after Brock and keep them informed of his health via a police walkie talkie radio, which she provided to Ash, so that the young man and the gym leader could return to the battle to help Ash. the Elite Four. Aboard Pidgeot and Charizard, the boys flew back to the gym. They were just halfway through the flight when it happened. The lilac sphere that they observed seconds before in the distance descended and grew bigger and bigger, to explode in a shock wave that destroyed countless crystals in the city. Pidgeot was dragged and tossed violently in the air for a few seconds, though Charizard held out for a bit longer. Fortunately, Ash and Misty managed to hold on to the feathers of the faithful Pokemon bird, which recovered its balance a few seconds later. When the youngsters opened their eyes, they could only see the damage to the buildings and houses caused by the shock wave, damage that became more and more serious as Pidgeot and Charizard flew towards the gym at full speed.
"What was that...what the heck happened, Ash?" Misty moaned, clutching Pidgeot's feathers, scared to death.
The energy wave had completely destroyed the windows of the buildings near the gym. The gym itself had seen its glass front demolished. The Pokemon center had lost power. Right in the gym plaza, the members of the Elite Four stood, in disbelief at the destruction that surrounded them. Lieutenant Surge and leaders Sabrina and Erika had emerged from their barrier and were examining the fainted Pokemon surrounding them. The Rocket team soldiers had also lost consciousness and were left amid the rubble of the destroyed buildings. It seemed that besides the Rockets, fortunately, no human being had been injured. The townspeople who lived in the buildings surrounding the gym emerged from their damaged buildings, completely bewildered. The trainers who had gathered in the Cerulean Gym had also come out and were examining the catastrophe together with their Pokemon.
"Are you alright?" Misty and Ash had descended. Lieutenant Surge gave Misty an optimistic nod.
-We survive without problem together with our Pokémon, yes! But we haven't seen who was the Pokémon that stopped the Rocket at once!-
"The Pokémon center has become useless!" Sabrina lamented. -We should cure all these Pokémon but we won't know if they will become violent again when they recover... Mr. Lance, are you alright?-
-Yes, Sabrina, we appreciate your concern! But Mark took advantage of that glow to escape!- grumbled the dragon master.-And now it will take us forever to locate him, his Pokemon know teleportation!-
-I could look for it with my psychic powers if you like, but first we must help these poor creatures!- A Drowzee near Sabrina began to move with great difficulty.
"Lorelei, how can we help?" Misty offered diligently.
-We don't know if Giovanni will return to the city. - The exuberant redhead bit her lips. - The noise of the explosion might have attracted him. If you have any flying Pokémon, you can patrol through the air. As soon as you see or hear something strange, come back to inform us.-
"We'll do that, thank you very much!" Ash and Misty once again climbed Pidgeot and Charizard, who, happy to carry them on their backs, took off. They hadn't been taking off for long when an ethereal voice, softer than Mewtwo's, sounded in Ash's mind.
-Ash Ketchum. I haven't forgotten you. Come help me... I'm very weak.- The young trainer thought he was starting to go crazy with so many changing and extreme events that he had experienced recently. Believing it was his imagination, he tried to ignore it but again he received the plea from the voice in his mind.
-Ash...I need your help...-
"Who are you?" Ash said out loud, scaring Misty. "Are you a Pokemon?" Oh! Wait Misty...I'm receiving a telepathic message...He's asking for help.-
-Who do you mean? It could be a trap, Ash.- Misty whispered.- We don't know what Giovanni is up to.-
-Yes...I'm on Route 24, in a grassy area. Trust me...-
"How will we know you're not a Giovanni's trick?" Ash asked sternly.
-Do you think a servant of Giovanni would have stopped that useless bloodbath between humans and Pokemon? You know who I am, Ash. You have seen me before...-
"Okay, we'll go there!" the young man resolved. Pidgeot, Charizard, to the pastures of Route 24!.- Misty apprehensively clung to the boy's back. It didn't take them long to find him, lying in the middle of the pastures. A group of wild Pokemon surrounded him in a circle. They parted just as Ash approached:
-Mew!- It was true, the little legendary Pokemon was exhausted, prostrate on the grass. He gave Ash and Misty a kind look as the raven-haired boy carefully took him into his arms, taking off his vest to protect him. - You have come to help us, Mew! But what happened to you? Did Team Rocket hurt you?-
-Don't worry about me...- he spoke weakly.- My energy is exhausted, it was too much for my real power and for my psyche. When carrying out my collective attack, I have observed the inside of the minds of those poor Pokemon that Team Rocket took as their servants to annihilate humans...I never thought so much evil was possible...all that hatred, all that suffering , that violence, the torture written in their minds. Humans have planted hatred in the hearts of Pokemon. They have distorted the nature of these noble beings.- The creature spasmed.- I have erased the evil programming of the Pokemon. They will not remember anything, now they have forgotten the grudge against humans. But it intrigues me, who would have so much evil in their being to destroy and corrupt the mind of a Pokemon like that?-
"We have to take him to the Pokemon center right away!" Ash exclaimed. -Mew, wait, we'll help you. Resist!-
-Cerulean Pokemon Center can't serve him right now, they're out of power! The closest one is the one located in Saffron City. It will take us a while to get there and Mew is very weak!- Misty lamented. -The Rocket reinforcements will arrive soon, perhaps along with Giovanni himself. And who knows if bikers are still patrolling the roads! Misty, stay here, I'll take Mew to the Pokemon center!- Ash was full of fierce determination.