"Pikachu… What did you do to Pikachu!?"

He'd barely spoken since he'd been awake, but Ash's voice was hoarse with rage. Across the battlefield stood his best friend. His best friend, who every waking minute had been dedicated to finding, and seeing with his own eyes again.

Reality was cruel, really, to give him his wish, but with such an unpleasant twist. The Pikachu he saw looked bleak and wicked. Sickly, even, with muted colors and empty eyes.

"What did we do? Why, we made him ours." Ariana replied, cool and indifferent as people like her had ever been. "Pikachu is in far more capable hands now."

Ash ignored her. He was entirely focused on Pikachu, himself, taking slow, measured steps towards him. "Pikachu… It's me, Buddy. You can hear me, can't you?" He smiled hopefully, holding his hands out. "Forget these guys. Let's beat 'em up, and go home!"

The fur on Pikachu's back bristled, and he shrieked. As lightning illuminated him in a blinding halo, Ash felt a sudden, and immutable urge to defend himself. That, perhaps, was the only reason he found the time to raise his hands, and project a teal bubble around himself.

It all happened so quickly that Mismagius failed to react. Electricity struck and crashed into the barrier Ash had projected, sending a web of cracks throughout it before it burst and scattered.

"Ah!" Ash shouted. buzzing electricity and harsh recoil shot through his fingertips, and his back roughly crashed against the wall behind him. Mismagius hit it as well, slumping over.

Ariana frowned. "So, the report from the Game Corner wasn't fantasy. You do have some powers out of the ordinary. That looked an awful lot like a Protect… And your Pokémon wasn't the one to use it, was it?"

Ash groaned, failing to answer. He sat up against the wall, looking crestfallen.

"A freak to match a freak Pokémon… Not that it matters," Ariana said, once it was clear she wasn't getting an answer. "It pales compared to our Pikachu. You should really give up on the idea of taking it back. It's been… modified, by Rocket technology." She held up the strange Poké Ball that Pikachu appeared from.

Ash gasped. At another glance, to his horror, he was sure he recognized it, now. The grim device, wrapped in a cage-like exterior. Pikachu's discoloration, his ferocity, and his dead eyes.

It was identical to the work of that wicked, masked man who'd coveted Celebi. His Pokémon had the same uncanny appearance; not to mention Celebi, themselves. "No… Pikachu." Ash sank back to his knees, distraught.

Pikachu's heart had been locked up by that thing. He was under Team Rocket's command, forced to listen to their every whim. He'd been controlled before, and they'd broken it, sure. But, that didn't account for what happened to Celebi. The poor Voice of the Forest, dying and wilted.

Ash shook his head. That happening to Pikachu was just unthinkable. And without a Suicune in sight…! "You can't do this! You can't! Take whatever you want from me," he snarled, back on feet, "but this is worse than rotten. Give me back Pikachu, right now!"

Arianna laughed wickedly into the back of her hand. "I'm not sure why you're directing your anger at us. If anything, you should be cursing your own actions."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Ash demanded.

"No one asked you to intrude on our business with the Silph Company, you know," she answered. "Giovanni had his business with the President, and we would've been on our way once we got what we came for. But because you decided to be heroic, all of Team Rocket saw for themselves what your little rat was capable of. This menace trampled my Pokémon in no more than a couple of minutes, to say nothing of him tangling with Giovanni, himself."

Ash swallowed heavily. "So, you're saying this was some revenge plot!?"

"Revenge?" Ariana cackled. "Oh, you brats are amusing… To think that our head of operations would waste his time squabbling with children. He was intrigued with your Pikachu's power. If a measly trainer could raise him that well, he said, imagine how truly powerful he'd be in the right hands! In his hands."

"Then, Pikachu's caught now…" Ash stammered, dropping to his knees. "...because of me." The grief was staggering. All of this, because he had to fight Giovanni, and prove himself?

"Mag…" Mismagius floated closer to Ash, nudging him with her hat. Her quiet coo expressed concern for her trainer. He didn't feel like he deserved it.

But, this wasn't about him. Pikachu was still in trouble. Ash sucked in a breath, pat Mismagius's head, and stood back on his feet. "I'm sorry, Pikachu. I really am," he said, looking into the mouse's eyes. The empty anger in them told Ash that he was unfeeling, and uncaring. "But all I can do now is knock you out, and get you some help!" He pointed boldly towards his beloved partner. "I'll throw everything I have at you, to defeat you, and bring you home!"

"Childish ideals are so stubborn," Arianna shook her head. "But, I'll be happy to break them down for you. Or, better yet… let your Pikachu do it, alone. I haven't quite had the chance to learn its capabilities yet, but this will be a nice test run of its intelligence."

"Mismagius," Ash asked, "do you want to take a rest, before you battle? I know you've been up to a lot.

"Mismag!" She shook her head, and floated between Ash and Pikachu.

"Right…" Ash took a deep breath. This tactic felt cruel for the condition Pikachu was already in, but the sooner they defeated him, the better. "Mismagius! Will-o-wisp!"

Blue flames orbited around a howling Mismagius, and fired towards Pikachu.

"Piii… ka… chu!" A disturbingly vacant cry came from Pikachu, as his Thunderbolt tore through the air, and erased the flames one by one. They provided absolutely no buffer to Mismagius.

Ash braced himself for what was to come. Rather than take the hit, though, Mismagius suddenly sank into the floor, disappearing. The bolt flew past Ash, exploding violently behind him. "Mismagius…?" He took out his Pokédex, scanning the move.

"Phantom Force: a Ghost-type attack. The user vanishes somewhere, then strikes the target on the next turn. This move hits even if the target protects itself."

"You must've learned that when you evolved," Ash deduced. He narrowed his eyes, waving a hand. "Get him, now!"

Behind Pikachu, a violet, pitch-black ripple in space appeared. She howled, throwing herself at the mouse.

The scene that played out before Ash's eyes could only generously be described as a blur. A formless orange flash overtook Mismagius' purple, and the entire room trembled and shook.

Dust and debris gathered and scattered as quickly as it came. The floor had been split cleanly open under Pikachu, whose tail was jabbed into the wreckage, coated in steel. Pinned underneath it was Mismagius, unmoving.

"...That quick?" Ash muttered out, his face twisting in confusion. Even with a new move up their sleeve, and Mismagius evolving to boot… With no choice but to move on though, Ash sucked in a breath, and recalled her. "You've done amazing, up 'till now. Take a good long rest, and I'll handle it from here."

"Now, that's power," Ariana boasted. "Or are your other Pokémon just weak?"

Ash grimaced, and switched one Poké Ball for another, tossing it. "Tauros! I choose you!"

Heavy hooves stomped against the floor, deafened by a loud cry. Tauros was raring for battle, though the sight before him puzzled him. Eyes widening, he tilted his head at the hostile Pikachu.

"We're here to save Pikachu," Ash explained. "I need your help to take him down!"

Tauros snorted. He could be counted on.

"Let's settle this in one go," Ash shouted, "Fissure!"

Tauros bellowed, and the earth below split under his might. The entire room trembled, with a fracture opening up beneath the floor.

Ariana gasped, stepping back to distance herself from Fissure. Ceiling tiles shook loose and crashed against the floor, nearby. "Are you insane!? An attack like that underground?"

'It's risky,' Ash thought, 'but the sooner we beat Pikachu, the sooner we can leave!' In the meantime, he watched the ground beneath Pikachu quake and collapse. Tiles split apart and scattered, dooming Pikachu to a nasty fall.

But, Pikachu wasn't so despondent. Falling towards a deep chasm, he found his footing on one of the falling tiles. Shifting his weight, he shot towards one of the ends of the chasm. "Pi-ka!" With unbelievable speed and precision, he snagged a low ledge, and immediately bounced off.

"Ka! Pi! Chu!" Bolting from one end of the groove in the earth to the opposite side, Pikachu gained altitude swiftly, before taking to the air.

Ash grunted in frustration. But, Pikachu was stranded in mid-air. "Fire Blast!"

A blazing kanji made the room uncomfortably hot, tinting it a hellish red. Tauros fired it directly at the airborne Pikachu. Snapping flames crackled as the attack seemingly hit.

"Got him," Ash celebrated. A moment too soon, perhaps, when the red ambience started to die to a much more potent gold. He gasped, as a Thunderbolt reduced Fire Blast to embers, and struck Tauros head-on. "Tauros!"

Tauros cried out, writhing under the merciless dose of electricity. In mere moments, the bull toppled over, with smoke dancing from his singed fur. He, too, was unconscious.

"Tauros…" Ash grimaced. "Even Fissure didn't do a thing…" Then, his eyes widened. "Of course!"

"Rookie mistake. One-hit knockout moves're a big draw for any trainer who gets access to 'em. But they come with a real downside - they ain't all that accurate. Against weaker opponents, they're quick and overwhelming. Barely worth having. More experienced foes will know to avoid a blow like that, at any cost. If you're using Sheer Cold, you better make it count."

Lao's words resonated with Ash, right now, as the gap created from Fissure started to fill in with debris. 'Right. Pikachu's definitely more experienced than Tauros. But by how much…?' He knew his other Pokémon had been training hard, though, since their Mt. Silver venture. Was the gap still that large?

"Losing your resolve, brat?" Ariana taunted, having collected herself from Fissure's terror.

"Not a bit," Ash snapped, lobbing another Poké Ball into the open air. "Pidgeot! I'm counting on you!"

Bursting out from expanding light with fanning wings, Pidgeot cried. Then she, too, gasped at the disturbing sight before her. "Pidgoo! Pidgeooo…!?" She squawked, questioning Pikachu.

The rodent only met her with a nasty, disconcerting stare.

Unsettled, she looked back to Ash for answers.

Ash nodded, frowning. "Pikachu's in trouble, Pidgeot. And if we want him back, we have to beat him. I know the last time you two battled, I was working with him against you. But, I'm gonna need your help. You with me?"

Pidgeot cried passionately, and slapped a wing to her chest. Ash needn't interpret; he knew Pidgeot well, and he understood. She'd go to any lengths to have their old friend back.

"How touching," Ariana sneered. "But, I assume this round will last as long as the first two. Pikachu!"

"Pika!" Pikachu fired off another deafening Thunderbolt.

"Mirror Move!" Ash cried.

A glimmering vortex was conjured before Pidgeot's beak; only just in time to catch the incoming Thunderbolt in its spiral. Pidgeot cried and recoiled, losing ground and buckling to Thunderbolt's might.

"Pidgeot!?" Ash exclaimed. His tried and true flyer seemed to be wrestling under the weight and force of Thunderbolt, pushed back towards the ceiling and wall behind her. Even with Mirror Move, wrangling with Pikachu's attack looked near impossible.

He didn't even recall Pikachu's attacks being that strong.

But, Pidgeot persevered with a toss of her neck, slinging the force of Thunderbolt back at him.

A silver aura surrounded Pikachu, and he stretched out of sight, dodging the explosive impact of his own move.

"Quick Attack," Ash noted. "Pidgeot, you use Quick Attack, too!"

"Pidgo!" Pidgeot cried, before shooting into the smoke and debris.

All Ash could see, from his vantage point, were streaks of silver, orange, and beige zipping about the room. A hole was torn in Thunderbolt's smoke from their sheer speed, and another afterward, scattering the debris to the wind.

Feeling the pressure of swift collisions, Ash braced himself, his jacket billowing about him. "This power…! And I can't even follow them!"

The escalation continued for a few more brief moments, before a heavy impact echoed through the air. Pikachu smashed his entire body into Pidgeot's side, making the large bird's body flail and give. With just a brief lag, Quick Attack sent Pidgeot ricocheting into the wall behind Ash.

She squawked painfully, sliding down into a slump towards the door. A huge dent was left in the wall, in her shape.

"Pidgeot…!" Ash gasped, running to her aid. "Pidgeot, are you alright!?"

"Dgo…" She whimpered, shaking her head. The bird's entire body felt sore. But, her pride was far more stubborn than her nervous system. She leaned forward, using her wings to struggle back onto her feet. Far too stubborn to fall, she cried mightily. "Pidgeoooot!"

Ash smiled gratefully, but turning back to Pikachu, grimaced. 'We're in serious trouble, here…!'


"W-what!?" Dawn choked out. "What do you mean, 'his Aura is wrong?'" Though she asked, she immediately felt that she'd be dreading the answer.

~I… don't know. Pikachu feels rotten. Evil as evil gets! Something about him definitely isn't right!~

So, Pikachu was captured. Not only that, but whatever was wrong with him was Team Rocket's doing. The whole situation was beyond dizzying, but she couldn't shake her worry for her little yellow friend. "What about Ash…? Is he there?"

Rosemary nodded. ~They're both there. He's not far from Pikachu.~

"Then, we should get out and call for help!" Dawn asserted, as she started to run towards the perimeter of the base. If she could just get a call in to Officer Jenny, and bring them to the scene…

~We don't have time for that!~ Rosa replied. ~We have to help!~

Dawn skidded to a halt; the grass and dirt grinding up under her boots. "You know what we've told you, Rosa! It's important to go into things with a plan! We can get help!" Although Dawn, herself, was feeling a heavy streak of doubt in her plan. Would they even arrive on time?

~That'll take too long,~ Rosa barked back. ~Papa's in trouble! Pikachu doesn't just feel evil… he feels strong. Way, way stronger than usual.~

"What does that even mean…?" Dawn's face screwed up in concern. "We have to call for help," she insisted, moving towards the exterior, before her doubts won out, and she stopped. "Oh, but if Ash is in trouble… Ugh!" Her fears trumped the rational part of her mind. She sprinted back towards the entrance to the base.

~We're going?~ Rosa asked.

"I'd never be able to forgive myself, if something happened to him… To either of them." Dawn reached into her bag, rummaging until she pulled out a small hair pin. The one gifted by Janine.

"Sorry, Officer Jenny. You'll have to hear from us after we do this." She jammed the accessory into the door's lock.

~Right,~ Rosa agreed, sprinting beside her. ~So, what's our plan?~

"Our plan is, forget sneaking around, this time. Let's make as much of a distraction as possible, and draw the attention away from Ash and Pikachu. A real break-in!" She struggled with the lock for a few more moments, before hearing a telling 'click.' She grabbed the door handle. "Now, let's do this."

Upon opening the door, a set of stairs led into an underground hall. The sudden harsh ring of an alarm assaulted Dawn and Rosemary alike, and flashing red lights told them that they'd been caught.

"Rah!" Rosa barked, covering her ears.

"Well," Dawn winced, "we've already been caught." At the foot of the stairs were several Rocket grunts, charging the duo.

"Hey! Beat it, intruder!"

"We'll show you what happens when you try to invade our turf!"

With Rosa recovering from the assaultive stimuli, Dawn took control of the situation, "Empoleon," she called, throwing his Poké Ball, "Hydro Pump!"

The Emperor Pokémon appeared in mid-air, blocking the villains' path to Dawn. Crying loudly, he drew back his head, and fired a roaring torrent that was large enough to nearly fill the hall, on the way down.

The Rockets screamed, and were immediately swept away in the current. Moments later, they were laid, strewn out over the bottom of the steps, unconscious.

"Ice Beam on the stairs," Dawn ordered. Her starter turned the steps into a ramp of ice in a matter of seconds. "Empoleon, on your belly. Rosa, come on!"

Empoleon leaned forward, just in time for Dawn and Rosemary to hop atop his wide back and grip its steel protrusions. He dove down the slippery slope, clearing it to the bottom in a matter of seconds. Knocking Rockets unceremoniously out of the way, he came to a halt at the bottom.

There, he and his companions stood.

"INTRUDER ALERT! INTRUDER ALERT! GROUP TO BLOCK THE ENTRANCE ON B1, IMMEDIATELY" A voice blared throughout the base, followed by more goons in black gathering to block the group's path.

"You're asking for trouble, girlie!"

"We'll show you what happens when you interfere with Team Rocket!" A young woman shouted, as she called out her Drowzee. "Drowzee, Hypnosis!"

As the bipedal hypnotist started to glow and chant, Dawn thought quickly. "Rosa! Use an Aura Sphere on the wall!"

The Lucario fought her discomfort, and gathered teal energy in her paw before smashing it into the wall beside her. Smoke, debris, and wires flew about, blocking any sign of Drowzee's influence, and with any luck, breaking its concentration, too.

"Now, Whirlpool!" Dawn commanded with a wave of her hand. A roaring cyclone was slung from Empoleon's wings into the aftermath, and the cries of grunts and Drowzee could be heard.

After a moment's reprieve, they laid unconscious, as well. But before Dawn could make anymore progress, several more young men blocked their path. A group of Voltorb and Electrode rolled up, and nasty electric shocks rattled Rosemary and Empoleon.

"Empoleon! Rosa!" Dawn called out. They shook off the damage, though Empoleon was slightly slower to recover from the super effective damage.

"Self-Destruct!" Every grunt called out in unison, before distancing themselves from their Pokémon. Each of the spheres was consumed in a bright light. Dawn gasped, and guarded herself.

Meanwhile, a blue, translucent projection appeared before them. Rosa's Substitute sapped her energy, and took the entirety of the blast. The Lucario watched her likeness fade away, and her eyes narrowed. Drawing back a paw, she summoned an Aura Sphere, and lobbed it into the dust and debris with a cry.

A teal explosion rattled the hall, dropping the grunts along with their unconscious Pokémon.

Dawn finally peered into the fading light, bewildered by the results. Whether it was Rosa or Empoleon, she wasn't sure, but right now, it didn't matter. "...Right. Let's keep moving!" She shouted, though Rosa herself was already sprinting. She and Empoleon followed after.

The Lucario suddenly came to a halt, then, her aura bundles glowing and levitating.

"Rosa!? What's wrong?" Dawn urged.

~Pidgeot,~ she answered. ~She was out along with Pa, but she lasted maybe a minute. I don't know what's going on, there, but I think Pikachu-~

A nasty blaze interrupted her by hitting her head-on. Rosa howled.

"Rosa!" Dawn cried. A couple of Houndour had gotten the drop on her, while she'd been focusing. "Empoleon, Hydro Pump!"

Empoleon pushed Rosa back with his wing, and blasted the Houndour and their trainers away with another powerful jet.

Rosa groaned, dusting the ashes off her fur. ~Ugh… We have to catch up with Pa! We need to find him, and a way to get out of here, ASAP!~

"Right," Dawn agreed, frowning. "Is there any quick way out of here, Rosa? Or are we going to have to take the stairs again?" She very much regretted freezing them in her haste.

In their brief moment of peace, Rosa closed her eyes, and attuned her Aura to her surroundings. A layout of the base in monochrome blue played out in her mind, making her recoil. All of the noise and life signatures were overwhelming. The base was in disarray, and she could feel her trainer's stress.

But, there was also a large vacancy, further into this floor. Her eyes snapped open. ~Got it! There's a tunnel that leads into the caverns around here.~

"Perfect," Dawn replied, breathing a sigh of relief. Knowing there was little time to waste, she formulated their plan. "Since you can find it, secure the exit. If you can point us towards Ash, we'll pick up him and Pikachu!"

The Lucario nodded, and pointed diagonally towards the halls. ~There's a big, open room near the back of this floor. That's where they are!~

"Got it," Dawn agreed. As they neared the first fork in their path, she brushed her hand over the Aura Pokémon's shoulder. "Good luck," she whispered.

Rosa exchanged a glance with Empoleon, as well, and they parted ways.


Ash always knew Pikachu was strong. On every step of their journey, he'd watched his best friend's progress alongside him. He'd grown from a scrappy Pikachu who could strike down some angry Spearow in the rain, to a seasoned battler who could even make legendary Pokémon fall. Together, they'd forged that strength, and the skill to go with it.

Something about him, right now, though, was different. With two Pokémon down in an instant, and a battered Pidgeot ruffling out her feathers before him, it was as if he didn't even recognize his best friend. He wasn't sure if it was his poisoned heart or appearance, either.

Pikachu seemed unimaginably strong.

It was a truth that was hard to grapple with; one Ash wanted to deny, in the state he was in. But, he was out of time to dwell on it. A sudden, jarring alarm made him and Pidgeot recoil. Red lights flashed intermittently throughout the room. Speakers warned of an intruder.

"An intruder…!?" Ariana hissed, looking every which way. But, the battle field still belonged to the four present, alone. "To think you had an accomplice in tow… I should have known," she spat. "I'll make sure those three pay dearly for their incompetence…"

Ash had been far too focused on the battle to focus on anything else. Too focused on Pikachu. But, even short of his supernatural senses, in his heart, he knew exactly who's come after him. "Dawn," he muttered to himself. Even in this bleak moment, he smiled. He wasn't alone.

"Your friend won't make a difference, though," Ariana smirked. "They can't take back your Pikachu, even if they did make it through our ranks."

"You're not wrong," Ash said.

Ariana cocked a brow, not expecting that answer.

"I know my friend has my back… But it doesn't matter. We can't leave until I save Pikachu. Not until I beat you!" But, with his best friend standing tall and against him, a small part of him worried whether they even could win. He was so strong…

His eyes snapped open. They could change that. "Pidgeot! Feather Dance!"

Pidgeot beat her wings and took to the air, sailing over Pikachu. Dense, fluffy down showered down on Pikachu, and with it, a blue aura coating him.

"Making it weaker?" Ariana smirked. "I wonder if that'll help." In time with her taunt, Pikachu lunged out of the down, coming at Pidgeot with a shimmering Iron Tail.

"Steel Wing!" Ash commanded with a sweep of his hand.

Pidgeot brandished steel-coated wings, striking sharply at Pikachu's incoming tail. Harsh sounds echoed through the room, with one clash swiftly followed by another. Pidgeot felt pain shoot through her wings, but she came through with a swing of her other wing. Every time she aimed to smack Pikachu back down to earth, he swerved to smack and scrape the metal off her feathers.

Silver blurs came in succession, quickly breaking down Pidgeot's defenses. "Ka!" Pikachu snarled, burying his tail in Pidgeot's gut. With a turn of his hips, he sent her crashing down into the floor.

"Pidgeot!" Ash exclaimed.

"Pi-ka-chuuu!" A Thunderbolt came down immediately afterward, consuming Pidgeot in a pillar of lightning. Stray bolts sprayed every which way, forcing Ash to guard himself.

Shortly afterwards, Ash saw the results. His heart dropped. "Pidgeot…"

Pokémon Movie04 BGM - Golem Celebi

The valiant commander of the skies laid in a heap, burnt and unconscious. She disappeared in a red flash, retreating to the device in Ash's palm. He looked down upon it, somber. He swallowed heavily, and looked upon a remorseless Pikachu in disbelief. "I don't get it… I know you're strong. Incredibly strong. But, this is out of control!"

"Baffling, isn't it?" Ariana asked. "Team Rocket's technology coupled with the frightening might of a rare Pokémon. With these elements on our side, we're unstoppable!"

"What does that mean," Ash demanded, once more. "What did you do to him!?"

"It's the other tremendous benefit of the Dark Ball," she replied. "Not only does it bend Pokémon to our will, but they bring their power to their absolute limit. To the highest level, with no limits of pitiful feelings, or conscience!" She gestured her hands outward, grinning madly. "A Pokémon serving their rightful purpose; as a tool for domination! That's how they thrive!"

'Pikachu's power brought to its absolute limit?' Ash recounted, trembling. Was this what his full power was really like…? His full potential? As mighty as it was, Ash shook the thought off. "This isn't right! That's not what training a Pokémon is supposed to be! We're supposed to get strong together, not by treating him like he's just… a weapon!"

"Spoken like a true child," Ariana sauntered. Tilting her head up, she cast Ash a knowing, unnerving smirk. "And as long as you carry that childish ideology, you'll never be a Pokémon Master."

Her words successfully hit a sore spot. Ash recoiled, growling through his teeth. He had great misgivings to those words, but no rebuttal.

"Yes, I talked to the boss after your grueling battle. He thinks highly of your talents as a trainer… but couldn't think any less of your failings and beliefs. He wanted to see the power of your Pikachu in proper hands. You should be glad, though, really," she taunted. "We've allowed you to see the power your Pokémon has inside that you never would've unlocked on your own."

That one hurt. It really did. "Shut up!" Ash barked back, throwing his last Poké Ball. "Torterra!"

"Terr…" The Continent Pokémon shook the very floor below him, uttering a low grumble. He'd heard enough from within his Poké Ball. "Terra!" He roared. Ash could rely on him.

"Stubborn to the end," Ariana sighed. "Pikachu."

Pikachu growled, and immediately attacked with a crackling Thunderbolt. This time, to no avail. Torterra stood under the electricity, unmoving.

"Pika!?" The possessed Pokémon bore his fangs, and suddenly stopped firing. For the briefest moment, he'd looked surprised and unnerved.

"He caught on," Ash muttered, eyes widening. 'He's not just some brainwashed zombie, under there. The real Pikachu is awake in there, somewhere, under all those rotten feelings forced on him!' This reminder steeled his resolve. "Torterra! Eat an Energy Ball, and follow up with Leaf Storm!"

Torterra forged a glowing Energy Ball, and crunched into its essence. A lively green glow took over the foliage on his titanic shell, fueling him with greater might. He cried, and the room was bathed in an emerald hue. Brutal winds and slicing leaves engulfed where Pikachu stood.

Ariana was forced to lunge to the side, trembling on her feet from even the tertiary winds of Leaf Storm. "I see that your other Pokémon are terrifying, and not just Pikachu," she hissed. "It's really too bad they're no match for it."

"What's that mean!?" Ash snapped. Silver streaks blitzing across the room answered him long before she could have, though. Moving faster than Ash could even hope to keep up with, Pikachu bashed into Torterra's shell. The Continent Pokémon cried, dislodged from the floor and actually flew several feet into the air. Before he could land, a similar impact hit him from the opposite side.

"Terrah…!" Torterra groaned, rattling the already fragile flooring with his landing. His eyes flicked back and forth for the mouse, only to widen. An orange shape was coming right at him. Pikachu bashed into his skull, rattling his cranium.

The huge Pokémon was actually sent flying back towards Ash; claws tearing through floor tiles in an attempt to gain ground to no avail. Ash gasped, leaping onto their mossy shell at the last second to hug their tree for stability.

Ash heard a metallic 'snap,' and after gaining his bearings, looked behind him. The mechanical double doors leading into the room had caved in and dislodged from Torterra's shell. He swallowed heavily.

"Guh…!" Torterra groaned, buckling down on all fours. With heavy lids and a sore body, he was having trouble even holding his composure. His head was foggy, too, and his vision blurry, from that last concussive attack. To say he'd been overwhelmed quickly was selling it short.

"We can't even see his attacks," Ash muttered, sitting up atop his partner's back. "And he wore Torterra down with just a couple of Quick Attacks… Are you alright, Torterra? You're looking pretty bad, right now."

"Tor…" Torterra let out a low groan, and Ash clung to his shell as he felt his center of gravity topple over. The mighty tortoise couldn't even stand. How very, very… frustrating. Worse yet, his dear comrade, Pikachu, stood against them. But he was really the victim. His kind soul, bound in some wicked technology that none of them understood. He was sure that, somewhere, the real Pikachu was crying for freedom.

Sharp, red eyes widened. He couldn't fail Pikachu. Emerald tendrils shot out of his shell, suddenly snapping up Pikachu and seizing him in mid-air.

"Torterra…!" Ash watched his friend's stubborn counterattack, wide-eyed. "You're really as hard-headed about this as I am…"

"Terra…!" Torterra roared in defiance of his condition. Vitality gradually returned to him that was seeped from Pikachu. He stood, again. He'd hold his friend in his grip, reluctantly, as long as necessary.

"Pi… ka…!" Pikachu snarled, struggling in Giga Drain's grip. Bearing his fangs, he lit up with gold.

Ash gasped, and leapt off Torterra's shell.

"Chuuu…!" Thunderbolt shattered Giga Drain into green fragments of light, blasting him with a move that didn't hurt him, but did disarm his valiant counterattack. Pikachu landed on all fours, glaring daggers at Torterra.

"Even that didn't do it." Ash grimaced. "It's all-or-nothing, now! Torterra! Use Rock Climb!"

Torterra's claws tore and rocked the room, dislodging and launching floor tiles until the earth ripped out from under Pikachu, isolating him on a lone outcrop of rock. He charged the mouse with an earth-rattling roar.

"Go!" Ash shouted, punching the air.

Pikachu shifted and centered his weight atop the faulty pillar, staring head-on at the charging giant. Without fear and without remorse, he launched off the crumbling elevation, flipping through the air.

Iron Tail smashed into Torterra's shell, mid-lunge. Shockwaves of raw power rippled through the room, knocking Ash on his back, while Ariana clung to the wall.

Time seemed to slow down, as Torterra's shell started to give. Pikachu doubled down, and bashed his victim through Rock Climb's structure, and smashed him into the ground.

The lights flickered from the constant abuse and damage to the hideout, and the room looked much like a bomb went off. Dust, smoke, and debris flooded the room, obscuring everyone's vision with clouds of gray.

"Stupid rat…!" Ariana coughed behind her glove. "Do you want to bury us all underground!?"

"Torterra…" Ash gasped, running and stumbling through broken flooring. "Torterra!"

Torterra laid in the debris, sullied with dirt, dust, and fragments of flooring. His legs had completely given out from under him, and he was unmoving.

It was with a deep breath and a heavy heart, that Ash recalled his last hope for fighting back into his Poké Ball. "Thank you, Torterra… You did your best. Pikachu," he started, knelt in the crater left by his best friend. "Please, Pikachu… I'm out of options. You have to listen to me!"

"Pikaa… Ka!" Pikachu snapped back, glowering at Ash. It didn't seem as if even a word was getting through to him.

"It's me, Pikachu… Your best friend, Ash. You don't wanna be here, I know you don't!" He forced a smile, holding out both of his hands. "Let's go home together, and ditch these guys. You and me!"

"Ka-chu!" Pikachu shrieked. His ears pinned to the back of his head, and his tail stood alert. Backing away, he ignited hot sparks on his cheek pouches. "Pika Pika!" Between his posture, and the resentment in his soulless eyes, the message was clear.

The Pikachu standing before Ash wasn't the one he knew.

"...He really can't hear me." Ash slouched over, his hands falling at his sides. "This whole stupid thing is my fault. I'm the reason you're in pain like this. I'm the reason you got trapped in a Poké Ball. You've always hated them, and I let you fall into Team Rocket's hands!" He screamed, bashing his fists against the crumbled floor.

He hated himself for this. Hated his stupid heroic tendencies, his stupid pride. What good were Riley's teachings, here? What good was being an Aura Guardian if he couldn't even free his best friend?

"Go ahead," Ash muttered.

"Hm?" Ariana raised a brow.

"Just come and get me, Pikachu. This whole thing is my fault. I'm not gonna fight you."

Ariana laughed. "How truly, truly sad. But, I won't pass up the chance to dispose of one of our most meddlesome enemies. Do it," she commanded, snapping her fingers.

"Ka!" Pikachu snarled, standing upright. A silver glow coated him, building up power, and then he charged. Remaining tiles tore and scattered into the air, as he blazed a path for Ash.

Ash immediately felt the air leave his lungs all at once. His ribs and sternum ached, and he coughed and hacked. All of that, before he slid across the floor, towards the broken doors.

He gasped to bring air back into his lungs, holding his torso. The tiles under him were cold, but the heat of the white incandescent lights coming from above were hot. He stared into space, truly surprised he was still conscious.

'I'm being such an idiot,' he thought to himself. 'I never give up like this… But, I'm usually not without Pikachu on my side, either. What can I even do for him…? Is there any way out?'


Grunts were sprawled across the floor, knocked unconscious by Carnivine's Sleep Powder, who hovered behind a still-disguised Jessie, James, and Meowth. The security and surveillance room was theirs, only moments after the men in charge had sounded the alarm.

Mysteriously, while red lights continued to flash intermittently through the base, commanding voices no longer played over the loudspeakers. Grunts shuffled through the base's corridors on the prior commands, but the rebellious Rockets' eyes were focused on something else entirely.

The battle between Ariana and Ash… If this could even properly be called a 'battle.' It played out more like a massacre.

"Torterra was his last one," James muttered, emerald eyes wide in disbelief. "And he was a Ground-type."

"Dodgin' Thunderbolts didn't do him any favors, there," Meowth replied.

"I feel like we should be happy about this," James said, frowning. But, something about the Twerp falling to his knees and pleading for a change of heart wasn't the victory he'd hoped for.

"Of course we should!" Jessie argued. "We've won. Pikachu's on our side now, and he's stronger than ever! He won't just help us with world domination, he'll lead the charge!"

"Our side is a bit optimistic," Meowth replied, frowning. He leaned over the desk, watching Ash beseech his partner. He found the audio dial for the battle room and turned it up to hear for himself. "Dat ain't a schemin' Pikachu, fighting for the Boss. Dat's a living weapon. A drone."

The atmosphere in the room was oppressive. The air, thick with discomfort and conflicting feelings. Neither Jessie nor James wanted to admit it, but there was something terribly eerie about that thought. Their favored prize, little more than a mindless slave.

"Ka-chu!" Pikachu's voice played through the speakers, loud and clear.

Meowth recoiled. "Jeez louise… I thought he was bad, up on Mt. Silver… But, even I can't stomach what he's sayin' to the Twoip, right now."

"What is it, Meowth?" James asked hesitantly. "What did he say?"

"Ka!"

Meowth swallowed. "Some things are, uh… best left unsaid." He reached for the audio dial, and turned it all the way down to null. "A Pikachu, stripped of just about everythin' that makes him Pikachu… And, dat's if he even makes it through usin' that kind of power at all."

That thought sat sour in James' stomach. "Now that you mention it… Celebi being pushed the same way had pretty disastrous consequences. And that was a mythical Pokémon. As strong as Pikachu is, this is far beyond his normal output."

"Was this what da Boss really had in mind…?" Meowth leaned back, looking up towards the ceiling wistfully. "Usin' his power up 'till he shrivels and kickin' him to da curb?"

Was that what he had in mind for anyone who served him?

"...No. No way!" The feline shook his head, dispelling the wretched thought. "Vicious said himself he wasn't gonna hand over Celebi to da Boss! He might've never seen these Dark Balls in action when it comes to Pokémon this powerful! He's running on faulty information, and Pikachu's gonna pay the price!"

Jessie, meanwhile, had her eyes glued to the monitors, while her comrades sulked and despaired. "You know," she started, "the Twerpette and the Twerp's Lucario are making quite a bit of progress. That witch will have her hands full, soon."

"So, what're you suggesting?" James asked.

Jessie smirked. "I say we take advantage of the chaos for some good old-fashioned sabotage."