-Okay, brat. Are you ready? - Ash administered the healing to Mystery, who was definitely more tired than Pikachu. The being could only let out a cheerful golden glow when it was healed by its trainer. It seemed that indeed the Pokémon medicines could cure him too. He stood up, flashing as always at Ash and the Rockets, who continued to be fascinated by his appearance.

"Let the real fight begin," Merrow said, while Golem and Fearrow made an intimidating gesture. Pikachu and Mystery were on guard. -Come on Mystery, attack Golem again with a jet of water.- The being did not hesitate and immediately launched its offensive against the rocky Pokémon. Incredibly, it seemed that Mystery's power had increased after the healing, managing to do more damage to Golem than it would to a normal Pokémon. Meanwhile, Pikachu kept jumping and launching small attacks at Fearrow, with the goal of tiring him out and eventually defeating him.
-We only have two Pokémon each... and that strange... being seems almost as strong as ours. - Skylar growled quietly towards her partner. - Besides, who knows what other abilities he could hide. What will we do if the fool really wins? -
-We'll see how to steal it. "Simple," the woman responded with a pout. "They were just heading back to overcome the attack with their Pokémon, when out of nowhere, in the middle of the battlefield, Pikachu began to groom himself, as if he were not busy with anything else.

"Pikachu, is something wrong? We must continue with this fight!" Ash praised. The little mouse didn't hear him. And suddenly, he launched a thunderbolt attack in the direction of his trainer.

-What's going on? Pikachu, did I do something to you, why are you acting that way? - The creature began to launch electric attacks in random directions, without paying attention to Fearrow or anyone else. He then began to run in circles while continuing to pop up lightning bolts. One of them fell very close to where the Rocket officers were.
"Control your rat, little one!" Merrow shouted from across the gym arena. But Ash wasn't listening to them. He had barely noticed that Mystery was suddenly growing, and that his form was beginning to lose physical coherence to become a kind of cloud that released static electricity.-
-Pikachu, are you okay? I don't understand what you're trying to do, listen to me! - Golem was weakened by Mystery's attack. Strong winds coming out of nowhere swept Fearrow away as he tried to approach the anomalous Pokémon floating above them in the air. The lava in the crater of the one under the sand began to bubble menacingly.
-Mystery, what's wrong with you, come back! Come back! - Ash's Pokéball was not capable of having any effect on the being. Pikachu almost fell into the lava in his delirium, if not for a strong gust of wind miraculously snapping him out of his confusion.
-Let's get out of here, the lava is becoming more and more dangerous! - Skylar howled, making her Pokémon return along with her partner. Mystery continued to rise above them, now launching Pikachu-like thunder in random directions. The Rockets left through the same passage that Blaine had fled through some time ago.
-I can't make it come back, come on Pikachu, let's get out of here! Ash left through the main entrance of the arena, walking through the hallway of puzzles until he reached the gym exit. Upon leaving, the young man could only wait while the windows in the building's lobby did not stop shaking menacingly. And he saw it leave, breaking one of the windows on the sides of the hall. It headed towards the sea, accompanied by those strong winds that shook the trees around it.

-Damn, we'll have to catch up! We'll have to go on foot, Pikachu, the winds could hurt Pidgeot. And he started the race with all his strength following his Pokémon, which attracted the eyes of the curious as it passed beneath them.

"Look for shelter!" Ash shouted to the people on the street who were suddenly surprised by the powerful gusts and electric shocks that fell near them. It didn't take them long to reach the sea after a race of about half an hour that left the young man gasping for air. Mystery drifted on his way without paying attention to anything else. Upon reaching the sea, Ash had to call Lapras to continue the chase. The aquatic Pokémon swayed dangerously in the sea troubled by Mystery's great energy. Not far from there, the Rocket officers were observing Ash on some old reefs, using binoculars.
-I think I still want to steal it from the boy. With that power, the people of Kanto will have Team Rocket again.- Merrow murmured.
-I hope you can make him come back. Otherwise it will be more difficult.-
The Rockets' prayers seemed to have been answered. Ash finally managed to get Mystery back, while the sea became calm again. The boy could only gasp and lie down on top of Lapras as he ordered her to return to Cinnabar. It didn't take her long to reach the seashore. Young Ketchum ached all over. It had been a day of quite intense emotions, and Pikachu also seemed very tired. They both walked at a slow pace back to the hotel. Ash hoped with all his might that they could finally fix the Pokémon transfer system in Cinnabar so he could send it to Professor Oak and solve that Mystery of his Pokémon of the same name. It didn't take him long to advance a few streets, when Blaine appeared in front of him again:
-Ash, I'm glad you're okay! These ruffians seem to have withdrawn from the Island, the police and trainers have already been alerted of any signs of them. If they appear again we will try to stop them once and for all, the rest of Kanto have been alerted to this and will support us if there are problems. There are not many but we have to keep an eye on them. Ash, are you listening to me? Ash? - The raven-haired boy had suddenly stared into space. And without warning he began to scream and pull his hair as he fell to his knees:
-No! Get out of here, leave me alone! You will not hurt me!-
-Who are you talking to, Ash? - Blaine was surprised, approaching the young man, who gave him a clumsy blow that made him lose his dark glasses. He continued mumbling on the floor, unable to articulate a coherent speech. And he wasn't the only one who was losing his mind. Pikachu had started chasing his tail while making playful noises. Blaine again tried to hold Ash back but to no avail, the young man had started laughing maniacally while Pikachu was doing strange capers in the air. A few moments later, an ambulance from the mental hospital had arrived while police officers surrounded Ash, who was now talking to an invisible interlocutor while Pikachu absentmindedly bit his tail.
Misty had appeared in front of him in the calm of that white room. He was drowsy and could barely see. She was smiling:

-How about I prepare mom's secret recipe for you, Ash? Remember that Spearrow pie is my specialty. -
-You're not going to prepare anything for him, you damn bitch.- Serena appeared next to him out of nowhere and slapped her.
-Ash is only mine, you stupid little girl! Only I am at his level, he is a champion, I am a Gym leader, not a spoiled girl like you! - They began a fierce fight in which both scratched each other and pulled their hair very violently. Ash couldn't say anything. Suddenly Misty appeared again alone offering him the strange dessert. And again, and again, and again...
-Maybe it will taste better if you put rocks taken from the back of an Onix...- Mewtwo's voice sounded disembodied in the room.
-I will decide who marries my son, but they will have to have sex with Mimey and me...- Ash's mother had appeared dressed very provocatively in front of him, Ash felt a vague feeling of shame seeing her that way. .
"I want to do it only with Ash," said a distorted female voice that the young man did not recognize.
"Ash is so stupid that he won't know how to put on a condom," said the distorted voices, this time men's.
And again, repeated a thousand times, like a defective celluloid film on and old projector, the scene of Misty offering him dessert. Without him being able to stop it and drilling into his mind, causing him anxiety and disturbing him every time...

The doctor came in when Ash was asleep. The painkiller they had given him was quite strong. He closed the door after briefly examining it. Blaine was waiting with a worried and compassionate expression. He had taken off his glasses and his eyes revealed tiredness.
-What's wrong, doctor?-
-We don't know yet. He will need to be under observation for a few more days and we will see what happens to him.-

Blaine left the hospital shortly after, heading home. In a small office of the psychiatric hospital, Ash's Pokéballs and personal items rested. No one was there at the time, so they didn't notice how the sphere containing Mystery opened on its own and the diffusely colored sphere, this time of normal size, slipped through a vent in the living room...