Chapter 23: Into Cerulean Cave
Divebomb was such a fast flier that it only took June roughly an hour to finally reach the mainland again. The whole flight had been quite exciting for her with the wind rushing over her body and the sea becoming a blue blur that seemed to go on for ever underneath her. Ray had been holding onto her the whole time. Even he enjoyed the flight as much as his trainer did. Both he and June whooped with excitement as Divebomb carried them closer to the mainland. Divebomb whooped with them, enjoying their excitement. Once they were back over the mainland, Divebomb flew straight to Pallet Town and landed down just where the Silverlock family's holiday house was. It felt strange to June that here she was, essentially back where she'd started from after so many days, if not weeks' worth of travelling and training on her journey through Kanto. It felt as if it had been months since she'd left this house and now here she was. She was back.
But she didn't go into the house. There was nothing there she needed and she had somewhere more important to go. June returned Divebomb to his Pokéball to give him a well-deserved rest for the flight. Then she and Ray scampered over quickly to Oak Labs. Upon arrival, she was instantly transported back to the first day of her journey where she and Ray had first met behind the lab. How had it been so many days already since they'd met and become the closest of friends? To Ray it felt as if it had been yesterday.
"You know June, I still consider running into you by that lab the best thing that ever happened to me." Ray said softly.
"Aww, you big sweetheart!" June said graciously, "I do as well. And now look where this meeting has taken us. We're on our way to meeting the legendary Mewtwo!"
"We sure are! Can't say I ever expected my life to go in that direction!" Ray chuckled.
June and Ray went into the lab and walked straight over to Gary. The Pokémon Professor had just finished feeding another trio of Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur to prepare them for any new trainers who might be starting their journeys soon. He looked over and raised an eyebrow in interest.
"Say, what brings you two here?" he asked, "And how's that Gym Challenge going for you?"
"I've obtained seven out of eight badges so far Mr. Oak. Me and my Pokémon have become so strong since we started our journey!" June said excitedly, "But before I get carried away, I'm here on an important mission and Blaine tells me you might be able to help."
"Oh? What did Blaine tell you?" Gary asked.
June explained her whole story, covering from the day she'd been attacked by Tricia to her eventual confrontation and capture by Team Rocket at Silph Co. and being entrusted with the Master Ball by Silph Co. to keep Mewtwo out of Team Rocket's hands. It still amazed June just going over all of this that her adventure had seen all these things happening to her and she'd truly been through so much over the course of her journey. She sometimes had to wonder if all of this really had happened at all. After she finished, Gary pursed his lips with curious interest.
"Fancy being tasked to catch Mewtwo of all Pokémon…" he murmured, "I tell ya June, it ain't gonna be an easy task. Even I couldn't catch it back in my days as a trainer! Sometimes I'll wake up in the night and still feel the moment my Blastoise fell on top of me…" he grimaced as if he could feel the huge turtle Pokémon crashing down on him right now.
"Oh gosh…" June exclaimed, feeling the need to rub her own back as the thought of her own Blastoise crashing on top of her filled her mind.
"Still, Blaine's right to send you to me. After I became a professor to take over from my grandpa, I spent a lot of time collecting Mega Stones and for anyone who has seven or eight Gym Badges, I hand them out to them as a little something to take to the Indigo Plateau and fight the Elite Four." Gary explained, "Ever since Mega Evolution was discovered in Kalos, the Elite Four got their hands on some Mega Stones and have since become even more challenging. Even the current Champion Lance uses a Mega Charizard X to challenge those who wish to conquer the Elite Four!"
"No doubt I'll have to the same myself should I get to fight him…" June murmured, "So have you got any Mega Stones I can use? I'm not up-to-date on Mega Evolution so I dunno if anyone in my team is compatible."
"Not a lot I'm afraid." Gary said grimly, "You can only Mega Evolve your Blastoise, Areodactyl, Pidgeot or Scizor. But having at least four Pokémon capable of Mega Evolution is a good number. I'm still surprised you actually have a Scizor on you. Kanto trainers are usually out of luck here as Metal Coats can't be found in this region." he acknowledged.
"I know, hence why mum gave me one to bring here so I could have a Scizor for my team despite being in Kanto." June said brightly, "And a Mega Scizor will be my best weapon against Mewtwo!"
"Couldn't agree more." Gary concurred, "Psychic attacks aren't very effective against Scizor due to its Bug/Steel typing. Mewtwo might still give you a tough fight, but a Mega Scizor will take the hits the best of your team. And luckily, I do have a Scizorite on me!"
He handed it over to June along with a Blastoisinite, a Pidgeotite and an Aerodactylite. June's eyes lit up with excitement as she held the precious stones in her hands. Mega Stones really did feel like holding unearthed treasure to her. She looked up at Gary in puzzlement.
"Hang on, why do you have a Scizorite if Kanto trainers aren't able to get a Scizor?" June asked.
"I owned a Scizor myself during my travels." Gary explained, "I got the Mega Stone so I could Mega Evolve it. Since I retired from training, I sorta kept it as a memento but I trust you'll put it to good use. That and I wanna help you against Mewtwo as I don't want you get beaten to a pulp on my part." he added sheepishly, "I'd hate ta send you to Cerulean Cave without a proper means to protect yourself."
"Well that's very kind of you Mr. Oak. Thank you." June said politely, "I promise you your Scizorite will be well used. Do wish me luck out there." she said, trying to sound brave but her voice quavered slightly.
"I wish you all the best kiddo." Gary said cryptically, "I really hope you don't get badly hurt against that Pokémon…"
He handed June a glove containing a Key Stone for her to wear on her hand. June took it and slipped it on. She needed both the Key Stone and the Mega Stones on her for Mega Evolution to work. The glove was grey with a shiny, glimmering Key Stone set in the centre on top of her hand. Her fingers were uncovered. June pocketed her Mega Stones and shook Gary's hand in thanks. Then she went back outside and sent Divebomb out of his Pokéball. She climbed onto his back and ordered him to take flight. Divebomb took off and headed out of Pallet Town straight to Cerulean City. Gary waved her off. As Divebomb disappeared into the distance, he could only utter one last thing to himself.
"Be careful out there June. Whatever you do, don't do anything reckless…"
He went back into the lab to tend to the starter Pokémon. He hoped to hear from June as soon as possible and that her mission to catch Mewtwo had been a success…
At the same time June had been at Oak Labs receiving her Mega Stones from Gary, Ruby, Hop and Ash had finally arrived at Cinnabar Island. Doomsday flew past the abandoned mansion and over Cinnabar Gym. Ruby's eyes swept over the island as they came over the gym. She couldn't see any sign of Giovanni so far. If he was here and spying on June, where was he? Was he still hiding underwater nearby? He didn't seem to be on land. She couldn't see any trace of him on the island itself. He could be lurking in any of the buildings and since June was here for a Gym battle, Cinnabar Gym was a good place to start. The trio hopped off of Doomsday and Ruby returned it to its Pokéball. She walked straight into the Gym and looked around curiously. The Gym seemed to be empty. There was nobody here. The only signs that anybody had been here were some cracks in the floor and walls and some holes where Behemoth had used Dig in June's battle against Blaine. It was clear the Gym hadn't had time for repairs after she'd finished here. Ruby began to feel worried. Was she too late? Had Giovanni captured June, Trace and Tricia and was lurking somewhere with them in hand?
She was about to call out but Hop clamped a hand over her mouth and shushed her. Ruby understood. If she called out to anyone, that would only alert Giovanni that they were here. If he was in the Gym at all, they might still be able to take him by surprise. Ash whispered to Pikachu and he scampered off to search up ahead. His small size would make it easier for him to search the place unnoticed. While the trio kept looking around the main battle arena, Pikachu found a door at the back of the room and peeked his head around the corner. His body went rigid with shock and he called over to Ash. Ash ran over to him and looked around the corner too. He gasped and called to Ruby and Hop in hushed whispers.
Ruby and Hop came over to him and looked around the corner themselves. They saw a shocking sight. Trace, Tricia and Blaine had been tied up and gagged together and thrown into the back room of the Gym! The ropes held them tightly together and the tape across their mouths made any attempts to cry for help impossible. They struggled and squirmed furiously but they had no hopes of escaping. Ruby gritted her teeth in anger. Only a man like Giovanni could be so callous as to take a pair of kids and a Gym Leader hostage! She also wondered what on Earth he was hoping to achieve here. Did he seriously think the three of them would be stupid enough to walk into this room and try to rescue them? He may as well have put up a sign saying "This is an obvious trap! Please fall into it!"
It was only when a cloud of Smokescreen billowing from a Rocket Grunt's Weezing blanketed her vision that Ruby realized the terrible truth: she, Hop and Ash had already stumbled into the trap! Giovanni and his grunts had been in their submarine the whole time and once they'd seen through the submarine's periscope that they'd arrived, they climbed back onto land and followed them into the Gym. Giovanni had set the whole thing up so their curiosity on where everyone was would be what would lead them into his trap in the end, not the need to rescue any hostages. Ruby, Hop and Ash coughed as Weezing's Smokescreen filled the entire Gym. They couldn't see anything and as a result, neither of them saw a Rhyperior come up towards them and throw a punch at each of their faces. It didn't punch hard enough to break their skulls, but it did punch hard enough to knock them out. Pikachu heard Ruby, Hop and Ash crumple to the floor and called out to them worriedly. Then Giovanni's Rhyperior grabbed Pikachu and held him tight in its hands. Giovanni's four remaining grunts held out a glass cage and Pikachu was shoved into it. The cage was closed and Pikachu was trapped inside. It couldn't do anything to help his trainer and friends now. Even trying to use Thunderbolt wouldn't work thanks to Rhyperior's Lightning Rod ability.
Once the smoke cleared, Giovanni stepped forward and observed the unconscious Ruby, Hop and Ash. He almost felt sorry for them that they'd been working so hard to find him and now they'd ended up walking into a trap so obvious that had it been him in their situation, he would've been embarrassed to have walked into it. He patted his Rhyperior.
"And here we are, three extra hostages to tempt June to give us what we want." he crowed, "I doubt she'll want to hold onto Mewtwo for long once she sees her mother and father are in my grasp..."
Rhyperior picked Ruby and Hop up and carried them on its shoulders while two grunts carried Ash away, one grunt carried the caged Pikachu away and the fourth grunt went into the backroom to take Trace and Tricia with them. They were to leave Blaine behind. Once the hostages were loaded into the submarine, Giovanni would take them to Viridian Gym. He didn't need to go to Cerulean Cave for Mewtwo as June was doing the dirty work for him. June could come to him instead and once Mewtwo was his, he'd challenge her to a Gym Battle just to test Mewtwo's power on her. It would be the perfect revenge for how she'd gotten in his way and had been responsible for Team Rocket's downfall…
It was another hour before June eventually arrived at Cerulean Cave. On the flight, June felt as if every flap of Divebomb's wings only carried her closer to danger, or even possible death if Mewtwo decided to kill her. She had no idea what to expect from this Pokémon. For all she knew, it could be very vicious and would murder her if she so much as looked at it or it could be really friendly and docile. Gary's story threw some doubt in that last part. She thought that maybe Mewtwo would just want to be left alone and would demand she leave more than anything. But she had to catch him. A Pokémon like Mewtwo shouldn't be left unchecked and a potential target for criminals like Team Rocket or any who would seek to abuse its power. It would be safer with a human as kind and compassionate as herself.
Divebomb touched down in front of the cave and puffed loudly. He was exhausted from so much flying and looked like he was ready for a week long sleep. He flopped on the ground and sighed loudly. June patted him gently on the head and returned him to his Pokéball. On the way to the cave, she'd used her Rotom Phone to switch up her party as most of her team was still tired from the battle with Blaine and she needed Pokémon that were fighting fit for this one. Ray was still with her of course and she'd naturally withdrawn Ironhide the Scizor. She'd chosen her newly caught Magmar to light the way in the cave with her flame-tipped tail and as extra back-up, she'd settled on Paige. Spyro had stayed with her. In his battle with Blaine's Magmortar, he hadn't taken any damage so he was still plenty healthy for now. Her plan still hinged around just throwing the Master Ball and catching Mewtwo without a fight but just because she had a plan, it didn't mean it was going to work. She may still have to fight it so she wanted to be prepared. June brought Cinder out of her Pokéball so she could light the way. Cinder walked ahead, her flaming tail providing a perfect light to help them see in the cave. June gulped, trying to clamp down on her anxieties before stepping foot into the cave.
But just as she was about to walk in, someone called to her. June yelped in shock and spun around. To her relief, it was only Misty. The Cerulean Gym Leader was now dressed in a yellow tank-top that left only her arms and shoulders bare, a pair of shorts and red hiking boots. She was surprised to see June here.
"Oh, it's just you Misty. By Arceus, you nearly scared the ghost out of me!" June exclaimed.
"I'm so sorry June. I didn't mean to frighten you." the Gym Leader said apologetically, "I was taking a break from my Gym duties and was looking for a good place to go for an outdoor swim and then I saw you flying to Cerulean Cave on your Aerodactyl. I wondered why you were going there so I followed you."
She put her hands on June's shoulders. Her eyes were full of concern.
"You weren't actually going to go in there, were you?" Misty said nervously.
June explained everything to Misty from being given the Master Ball to being told Mewtwo was hiding in the cave. Misty was stunned to hear all this.
"Sounds like the kind of crazy adventure me, Ash and Brock might've gone on back in our youths!" she said with a nervous chuckle, "I always did wonder where Mewtwo went after me, Ash and Brock last saw it. I never would've guessed it was right here in a cave near my city!"
"Then why were you anxious about me going in there?" June asked quizzically.
"Because while I didn't know Mewtwo was IN there, I DID hear some rumours about a very strong Pokémon lurking in there and that it was recommended to keep out." Misty explained, "After hearing how badly Gary got hurt when he went in there, I knew I wasn't gonna disobey that order! I've even sworn to keep my children away from the cave!"
She drew out one of her Pokéballs.
"But if you're going in, I best come in with you." the ginger-haired swimmer declared, "You'll need plenty of back-up. If things get rough, I can get you out of there quickly."
"Thank you so much Misty." June said appreciatively, "I'll feel a lot safer with you beside me."
"I'm a mom with three kids. I kinda feel like it's my duty to keep kids like you safe." Misty said with a sunny smile on her face.
They were just about to head into the cave together when suddenly, June's phone began to ring. The Rotom-possessed device floated in front of her with a message on its screen saying "Incoming video call from Mum". June's stomach tingled with excitement.
"A message from mum! Nice one! I hope it's good news." she said eagerly.
"Maybe she, Hop and Ash have caught Team Rocket's boss." Misty suggested hopefully.
But as June answered the phone, they saw straight away it wasn't good news. Her phone's screen showed Ruby, Hop, Ash, Trace and Tricia locked up in tiny capsules with their hands bound behind their backs and their mouths taped shut. Ruby, Hop and Ash were still knocked out while Trace and Tricia were conscious and squirming in the cramped space of their capsules. June thought her heart was about to stop beating as she took in the horrific scene before her. Giovanni stepped into view, his face filling up the screen.
"I'm terribly sorry dear June, but your mother cannot come to the phone right now. She's…otherwise engaged." the Team Rocket boss crowed.
"Let them go you monster!" June growled.
"You better let my husband out of there or so help me I'm gonna…" Misty ranted.
"You two will do nothing for the lives of my captives depend on you two cooperating with me." Giovanni interrupted, "Those capsules they're in are directly over the emergency hatches of my submarine. If I press the release button, they'll be dumped out into the sea and left to drown. Or if they're lucky, a hungry Gyarados might eat them first and save them a slow, horrible death. So if you don't want your friends and family to become victims to the sea, I suggest you do as I say. I'm not unreasonable after all. Give me what I want and I won't kill the hostages."
June's face became bleak as she took in the situation she was in. How could this have happened?! Her mother and father were very powerful trainers! There was no way they could've been captured! But they had been and like it or not, she had to do what Giovanni said or else they would die. She looked back at the phone.
"You want Mewtwo." she acknowledged, "You're a bit early though, I haven't actually caught it yet."
"That's fine enough." Giovanni said reasonably, "I just want you to know that you know have another reason to capture that Pokémon. Catch Mewtwo and bring it to me. I am returning to Viridian Gym as we speak so you will meet me there."
June was puzzled.
"Viridian Gym? Why there?" she asked.
"I'll explain once you arrive." Giovanni replied, "I expect to see you with Mewtwo in that Master Ball of yours before I reach the shore. If you don't, you can say goodbye to your parents and your friends. And don't you dare switch off. I want your phone to remain on so I can watch you very carefully. You see, I'm also a very nervous man and I'd hate for the hostages to have to suffer because I think you MIGHT be plotting to double cross me. I'm watching you June and you better get a move on. My submarine will dock at the shore in about two hours…and counting."
June nodded, her face grave. Misty looked to the poor girl with sympathy. June looked as white as a ghost as if all the colour in her had just drained out in response to the situation at hand. A part of her wished she could reach through the screen and strangle Giovanni. But as long as Ash and the others were trapped and a button's press away from being dumped in the ocean, there was nothing they could do. They had to get Mewtwo or else Misty would be a widow, her children would be without a father and June would be without parents. She put a hand on June's shoulder. The teenager was trembling furiously and trying her hardest not to cry.
"Come on June. Like it or not, we have to hurry. Time's ticking." she said gently.
"I can't! I can't just give him Mewtwo!" June whimpered, her voice cracking with every word she said, "If I do, I'll be giving Team Rocket a powerful weapon that they can use for whatever deed they have in mind! All of mum's hard work arresting everybody in the organization will be for nothing!"
"We have no choice my girl!" Misty snapped, "We have to give him Mewtwo or else the hostages will die!"
"I know and I don't want to let mum, dad, Ash, Trace or Tricia die!" June cried feebly, "But I don't want to just give Giovanni Mewtwo! No matter what choice I make, it's going to be the wrong one! I…I don't know what to do!"
She threw herself into Misty's arms and cried. She knew she was wasting precious seconds spilling her heart out like so but she couldn't control her emotions at this point. Misty hugged June to try and comfort her. At that moment, she was back at home comforting her own children during a stressful moment of their lives. Giovanni just watched, smirking cruelly at June's dilemma. Once it finally settled in for her that she really had no choice in the matter, she'd do as he asked and Mewtwo would be his. Eventually, June wiped her eyes dry and Misty patted her on the back.
"We have to do it June. And maybe an opportunity to save our friends and families will present itself to us." she said reassuringly.
June doubted it but she knew that remaining hopeful would be helpful to her in this situation. Maybe an opportunity would come up and they'd be able to save everyone and keep Mewtwo out of Giovanni's hands. The two made their way inside Cerulean Cave together. The cave's entrance looked to have been carved out from a hillside and it led straight into a dark abyss that seemed to stretch down for miles. Luckily for June and Misty Cinder's flame was bright enough so they could see ahead. The darkness didn't last forever. As they entered further down into the cave, they walked into the first room and were met with the sight of bright gems and large crystals that shone with a luminous glow. Cinder's flame wasn't needed anymore as all the crystals here made the cave seem as bright as day. June and Misty were spellbound by what they saw. Who knew the inside of a cave could look so beautiful? It was as if they'd stepped into some fantasy land of mystic jewels! Misty was tempted to break away some of the crystals and take them with her but she fought the urge. Pretty gems could wait for now, especially as lives were at stake.
They walked further into the cave, keeping a cautious eye out for Mewtwo. There were other species of Pokémon living here such as Golduck, Psyduck, Rhydon, Golbat, Zubat and Chansey and Misty was thrilled to see some Poliwag, Poliwhirl and Poliwrath swimming about. The cave had its own pools and plenty of Water-type Pokémon were happily swimming about in them. June smiled at the pleasant scene. Despite the situation they were heading into, she felt good about seeing Pokémon playing happily in their natural habitat. If only she could enjoy such luxuries for now…
They headed down into the bottom floor of the cave. And as they walked into a cavernous space with even more large crystals protruding from the floor and ceiling…they saw it. June, Ray and Misty gasped as the formidable figure of Mewtwo itself loomed before them. Its appearance could only be described in one word: alien. It looked like no other Pokémon out there and its appearance resembled something out of science-fiction more than any actual animal out there. It had a slender body, grey skin, three fingers with orb-shaped finger-tips, a long purple tail and a tube connecting from the back of its skull to the top of its spine. June could believe just by looking at Mewtwo that it was man-made. She just couldn't imagine this thing being a natural born species. Misty put a hand to her mouth in astonishment. She never thought she'd see this Pokémon again. What would Ash think if he was here too? Giovanni's face broke into a broad grin of delight. At long last, there was his target! Mewtwo was in a meditative pose but it soon realized there were intruders in the cave for it suddenly unfolded its legs, stood up straight and opened its eyes. They didn't look very welcoming to the trainer and Gym Leader.
"Why do you trespass here humans?"
It was a curious sensation. Mewtwo wasn't actually talking but June heard a deep, threatening voice booming in her ears as if it had spoken. As a Psychic-type Pokémon, Mewtwo could communicate telepathically and so it didn't ever need to speak out loud. June thought it made it more unnerving as there it was standing still with no movement of its lips and yet its voice was as clear as crystal to her. June looked to Giovanni as if seeking permission to speak. Giovanni nodded. It was clear to June what he meant: answer it but DON'T tell it the real reason you're here or I'll drown the captives. The Galarian teen coughed nervously.
"P-p-please, f-forgive us for d-disturbing you M-Mewtwo." June stammered, "W-we mean you n-no harm. W-we're here to h-help you…"
She tried to move but her feet were frozen to the spot. All she could do was stand there and speak to Mewtwo while listening to her racing heartbeat. Mewtwo glared suspiciously at June.
"Why would a human want to help me?" it demanded, "Most humans I've encountered only ever want to use me. There are exceptions, such as the young woman with you…" he glanced in acknowledgement at Misty, "…but they're few and far between. It's why I live here in self-imposed exile so that I may remain safe from such humans."
"We understand you Mewtwo but you must trust June." Misty insisted, "She's as good as gold. You don't have to fear her. She means it when she says she wants to help you."
"I'm h-here because T-Team R-Rocket is after you." June explained, "We're w-worried they'll find and c-capture you, so I'm h-here to p-prevent that from happening."
Mewtwo scowled as if June's story was completely ridiculous.
"How can you possibly stop Team Rocket? You look as if you're about to faint just from looking at me." the artificial Pokémon sneered, "And you're wasting your time with me. I do not need protecting. Team Rocket will never find me here and even if they did, I would destroy them all with my psychic powers."
"But what if you can't?" June noted, "That's why we want to take a precaution and keep you out of Team Rocket's hands. Trust me, you'll be safer with a strong trainer than by yourself, especially as I or maybe my mum and dad could train you to be able to defend yourself from anything."
Mewtwo still wouldn't budge.
"I do not need protection. I do not need a trainer. All I need is to be left alone. Leave this cave now before I am forced to attack you." it said coldly.
"I worried this would happen." June said solemnly, "And I wished you would cooperate, so now I have to force the issue!"
She threw the Master Ball directly at Mewtwo. It had been a foolish gambit for all Mewtwo did was catch the ball with its psychic powers and launch it straight back at June. She caught it in her hands and stumbled back from the force of the impact.
"LEAVE. NOW!" Mewtwo thundered furiously.
"Looks like it won't listen to reason June! We're gonna have to fight it!" Misty said grimly, holding up the Pokéball she was still clutching in her hand since the moment they'd entered the cave.
"I'm afraid so…" June muttered, "We're going to have to be cruel to be kind I guess. Ironhide, let's go!"
"Starmie, go my steady!" Misty cried.
Both trainers through their Pokéballs and their respective Pokémon emerged into battle. Ray stood behind June and Misty for protection. He knew this wasn't a fight he wanted to be a part of but if he had to, he'd come out from behind for a sneak attack. Mewtwo glared in outrage at the foolish humans who had dared to defy its demands. If they wanted to get a beating, he'd acquiesce to their demands!
"I tried to be fair to you and you have abused my hospitality. Now you'll suffer the consequences of your own stubbornness…" it growled angrily.
With a pink aura of psychic energy surrounding its whole body, Mewtwo launched itself at the girls as if fired from a gun. June had never seen such speed before! Ironhide and Starmie didn't even have time to register that Mewtwo had moved before it was right in front of them and using Psychic on the two. Luckily for both Pokémon, Psychic wasn't very effective so it didn't do much damage, but the real damage came from when Mewtwo launched them across the room and into a nearby stalagmite. The impact of their bodies crashing into it broke the stalagmite to pieces. Both Pokémon stood back up and Ironhide pounced on Mewtwo with the intent on using Fury Cutter. Mewtwo dodged the attack and used Psychic to pick up a piece of stalagmite and hit Ironhide in the back with it. Starmie spun itself through the air like a giant purple shuriken and it bodied Mewtwo, the impact causing it to grunt in surprise. Then Starmie pointed one of its appendages at Mewtwo and blasted it with Hydro Pump. Mewtwo just held up a hand and stopped the water from even touching it. While it was focused on Starmie, Ironhide snuck up on Mewtwo and slashed into its back with Fury Cutter. The super-effective move caused Mewtwo to cry out in pain but it quickly retaliated by throwing an Aura Sphere into Ironhide's face. Ironhide staggered backwards. June looked to Giovanni. The Rocket boss was still smirking at her.
"Tick-tock June. My submarine's only an hour away from shore. You best hurry up and end this battle…" he crooned.
June couldn't believe her ears. A whole hour had already passed just looking for Mewtwo in this cave?! She had to end the fight now or else Giovanni would arrive back before she'd caught Mewtwo! She whipped out her Master Ball. The only way to end the fight quickly was to try and catch it in the ball while it was distracted. It could catch anything without fail. All Ironhide and Starmie had to do was keep Mewtwo busy so it wouldn't see her. Misty caught onto June's plan and ordered her ace Pokémon to keep up the pressure. Starmie used Ice Beam to try and freeze Mewtwo into place but the artificial Pokémon broke through the beam with Aura Sphere. Ironhide tried to use Fury Cutter again but Mewtwo blocked the attack by levitating a rock in front of himself. Ironhide smashed it to pieces and Mewtwo then used Psychic to propel him backwards. He dug his heels in and skidded to a halt. June could see that Ironhide wasn't able to handle this by himself and he needed that Mega Evolution. She reached for her Key Stone but Ray nudged her leg.
"Don't, save that for later." he said, "I'll help end this battle!"
He then leapt into June's arms and snatched the Master Ball out of her hands. Carrying it in his paws, he scampered towards the battle.
"No Ray, you're no match for Mewtwo! Please come back!" June begged.
But Ray ignored her. He knew exactly what he was doing. Mewtwo was too busy with Ironhide and Starmie to notice him. He used Dig to hide under the floor so Mewtwo would suspect even less that he was nearby. He stayed down in the hole and waited for Mewtwo to come over him. Ironhide and Starmie were still double-teaming it with attacks, trying to do some damage but barely even slowing it down. Ironhide hacked away with Fury Cutter and Starmie drenched it with Hydro Pump. But Mewtwo rendered their efforts useless by using Recover to heal itself. Then it suddenly lashed out with Psychic and sent the two flying backwards through the air. June jumped to one side as Ironhide launched towards her. Misty hadn't been so lucky. Starmie crashed into her and the two hit the wall heavily behind them. Starmie was alright but Misty had been knocked out by the blow. Starmie felt worried. What it could it do without its trainer's commands? Mewtwo took one look at Misty and shook its head in disappointment.
"I wanted to avoid this unnecessary conflict. You've brought this on yourselves humans." it muttered.
Then suddenly, something hit it from behind and it was absorbed into a small object that closed shut and trapped it inside! Ray had seized his moment and thrown the Master Ball while Mewtwo was distracted. Just as Silph Co. had promised, the ball worked straight away. Mewtwo hadn't been able to break free of it. The ball pinged and lay still on the floor. June sighed heavily. Ray's plan had worked! Mewtwo was her's! Or more accurately, it was Giovanni's now. She ran over to Ray and picked him up. She hugged him graciously.
"You clever little Pikachu! Hiding and then sneaking a Master Ball throw at Mewtwo while it was distracted was a brilliant idea!" she cried excitedly, "You saved us some precious time there Ray!"
"Just as I wanted to." Ray said casually, "Now we have Mewtwo, let's get to Viridian City so we can give it to Giovanni."
"Unfortunately, yes we'll have to do that." June sighed, "Let's get going Misty…"
She turned around and saw that Misty was lying unconscious on the floor with Starmie tending to her. June gasped and ran over to the Gym Leader. She was worried for her. Had she been badly hurt? But as June approached her, Misty suddenly opened one eye and winked at her. June was relieved. She wasn't unconscious after all! She could also tell what the Cerulean Gym Leader was planning. If she pretended to be knocked out then Giovanni would dismiss her and then Misty could hopefully follow in secret and catch him by surprise. To keep up the act, June acted concerned for Misty.
"She looks badly hurt, I best get her to a hospital and quick!" she cried frantically.
"Leave her. You haven't got time for that." Giovanni snapped, "You've got Mewtwo and you're to bring it to Viridian Gym at once."
The phone on his side lowered to show his hand still on the release button. June got the message and nodded. She looked to Starmie.
"Look after her for me. I have a job to do." she said grimly.
Starmie obeyed. June and Ray ran out of the room and quickly headed back for the cave entrance so they could fly off to Viridian City. Once they'd gone, Misty sat up and rubbed her head. She had been hurt by the impact of crashing into the wall but thankfully she was still conscious and it hadn't been too bad. She looked to Starmie and smirked.
"I can't believe they actually fell for that." she crowed, "Now while June's meeting with Giovanni, we might be able to help her from the shadows. But we have to be stealthy. We can't let Giovanni see us."
Starmie nodded agreeably. Misty returned it to its Pokéball and headed on out of the cave. She'd wait until June was well out of sight and then follow her to Viridian City on her Gyarados. Giovanni would think she was unconscious, he might even think she was dead. He wouldn't expect her to be coming as well as June…
A long while later, June arrived at Viridian City and Divebomb landed just outside of the Gym. She remembered how last time she'd been here, the Gym was closed and she had to come back later. So why did Giovanni want to meet with her here? Was the Gym a front for his criminal activities or something? Did the Viridian Gym Leader know anything about it? Or was the Gym Leader actually a part of Team Rocket? June had so many questions burning in her mind but she put them aside for now. Her parents and friend's safety was what mattered the most to her.
She entered the Gym. As she walked in, she was greeted with the sight of a large arena with an earthy terrain and large Roman style pillars holding up the ceiling. The Gym specialized in Ground types so it was appropriate that it should look as strong and as imposing as it did. Giovanni was standing on the other side of the arena before her. Behind him were his captives. Ruby, Hop, Ash, Trace and Tricia were still locked inside the capsules and they were standing in a row against the wall behind him. Ruby, Hop and Ash had finally come around and they were horrified to see what had happened to them. Ruby and Hop were more shocked to see June was here now and clearly being forced to obey Giovanni. They squirmed and struggled furiously but their binds were tight and the capsules were so small that even if they weren't tied up, they had no real room to move. June approached Giovanni, a look of defeat in her eyes.
"Excellent timing my dear." Giovanni crowed, "We just finished setting up before you arrived. Now then, you have something for me?"
June handed the Master Ball over to Giovanni. The Team Rocket boss took it from her and grinned happily.
"You've been a very good girl June." he said, his tone of voice cruelly mocking, "Thanks to you, Team Rocket can recover from this huge setback," he paused to glare at Ruby, Hop and Ash, "And we'll be able to resume our activities as normal. It'll be like we'd never lost control over this region in the first place!"
June wasn't listening anymore. She just looked to her mother and father with tears in her eyes. She approached their capsules and put a hand on them. Ruby and Hop looked to her, their eyes saying more to her than what words ever could.
"I'm so sorry mum and dad. I had no choice. I…I just couldn't let you die!" June whimpered, "I just had to do this for your sakes!"
The two nodded understandably. In her situation, they would've done the same. June looked to Trace and Tricia. The siblings were looking guilty with themselves. They were convinced the whole thing was their fault. If they hadn't gotten caught then this wouldn't be happening in the first place. June approached the duo.
"It wasn't your fault you two. Whatever you may think, it wasn't your fault." June said tenderly, "I shouldn't have left you both behind on Cinnabar Island like that. I should've made you come with me and then this wouldn't have happened."
Trace and Tricia tried to smile from behind their gags. If they could speak, they would've reassured June it wasn't her fault either. Giovanni suddenly called to the young teen.
"Get back over here. You and I have unfinished business." he demanded.
"Lay off jerk face! Can't you see she's having a moment here?!" Ray retorted.
But June ignored Ray and came over to Giovanni. She glared up at the old man with her eyes full of fury and hatred.
"So what now? You have Mewtwo, you have mum and dad as the biggest bargaining chips in history and now you've got me. What more could you want?" she demanded.
"You've caused me a great deal of annoyance little girl." Giovanni growled, "Thanks to you and the brother of that traitor Tricia, your mother and father raided our hideout and arrested most of Team Rocket, thus putting me in a very difficult situation. Therefore I must set an example of you. Those who cross Team Rocket must pay dearly…"
Ruby went mad. She thrashed about angrily in her capsule in a desperate attempt to break free. But the capsule didn't budge. The base was too thick and it had support struts holding it in place so it would never move. Giovanni ignored her.
"…and so I will make you suffer by defeating you in a Pokémon battle." Giovanni explained, "But this isn't any normal battle. This is a Gym Battle. For you see, I am also the Viridian Gym Leader outside of my work with Team Rocket." he purred.
June thought her head was going to explode from the shock of this revelation.
"YOU'RE A GYM LEADER?!" she exclaimed.
"That's right and if you can defeat me in this Gym Battle, I shall reward you with the Earth badge and the freedom of your family and friends." Giovanni offered, "If you lose, then you will be locked up with them."
"I don't get it, why waste your time and energy on kicking our asses instead of just taking us captive now?" Ray asked.
"Ray, don't give him ideas!" June hissed angrily.
"Because this Gym Battle will allow me to test Mewtwo's power." Giovanni explained, "I may have it in my possession, but that does not mean I am invincible. So I must see how powerful it really is. If I cannot defeat a rookie trainer such as yourself, then my efforts have been for naught. After all, how can I claim to have the most powerful Pokémon in the world if I cannot defeat a mere child. If you are able to defeat me, that'll mean I'll stand no chance against more experienced trainers and especially other Champions out there." he said grimly, "You are clearly strong June as you've managed to win seven Gym Badges in a short amount of time and even gave my best agents a tough fight. So if you can defeat Mewtwo despite being new to this, then what chance will I have of truly being able to lead Team Rocket to world conquest?"
June could see Giovanni's point. It surprised her to see he wasn't as arrogant as he showed himself to be. What better way to prove he was invincible than being able to defeat a trainer who, while clearly strong, wasn't as experienced as most other trainers in the world. If she could win this fight despite Mewtwo being in Giovanni's possession then it would prove to him that having a Legendary Pokémon didn't mean he was unbeatable. June nodded.
"OK, I accept your challenge." she replied, "But on one condition: I get to use all six of my Pokémon while you must only use Mewtwo. After all, what better way to test its power than by using it to defeat my whole team?"
"That sounds like a fair trade." Giovanni accepted, "You'll need all the advantages you can get, and if even that doesn't help you defeat Mewtwo, that'll be all the proof I need that it's truly invincible."
June nodded and looked down to her glove containing her Key Stone. Giovanni hadn't forbid her from using Mega Evolution if necessary so she was going to use it to give herself more of an edge in this battle. She looked over to her parents and friends. They could only stare helplessly from their capsules back at her.
"I'll save you all and I'll win this battle! I promise!" June declared.
With any luck, it was a promise she wouldn't be breaking in this battle…
This is it, the final showdown between June and Giovanni. Winner takes Mewtwo and the Earth Badge and Giovanni's prisoners will be set free. Can June win in spite of the fact she's against a Legendary Pokémon? Or is Mewtwo going to make this a done-in-one? Will Mega Evolution give June a fighting chance? Find out next time as we see "Giovanni's Last Stand"...
Trivia: The original draft of this story was actually going to see Misty kidnapped and taken hostage by Team Rocket and June would've teamed up with Ash to save her. But in the end, I changed it the moment I created Tricia and brought her into this story and so Tricia was meant to be the hostage June had to save and she would've teamed up with Trace to rescue her. But then this story steered into a direction I thought "Hang on, this is even better!" and so we have June's parents, Ash, Trace and Tricia all being hostages while June has to fight for their freedom and Misty has secretly followed her so she can help her save the day. It's always amazing how much things can change from draft to execution, am I right? ;)
Gary mentioning how he couldn't catch Mewtwo is a reference to the Pokémon Origins miniseries in where Blue tries to go after Mewtwo but fails after Blastoise was sent flying and landed on top of him. In this universe, Giovanni never had possession of Mewtwo so he never used him against Gary in a Gym Battle like in the main anime series. Here, Gary's encounter with Mewtwo was like in Pokémon Origins.
Also him giving June Mega Stones calls back to his role in the Let's Go games where before you face Giovanni, he'll give you the Mega Stones for the Kanto starters (I dunno why only the Kanto starters but never mind) and much like in the Let's Go games, the Elite Four in this universe do use Mega Evolution too as Gary informed June about.
Also Mewtwo's move set you saw him use in this battle is based on his move set by level up. Given he's been living by himself for so long, of course he doesn't know any TM moves yet.
Oh and before anyone dares to call me an idiot or anything concerning Misty remembering Mewtwo, I'm not. If you've seen the "Mewtwo Returns" movie, Mewtwo didn't erase Ash, Misty and Brock's memories of him after that story so they still remember him. Ergo, it makes sense and I'm not an idiot for forgetting about that. =P
Originally, June was going to catch Mewtwo first and then Giovanni was going to let her know he's captured her family and friends but I thought swapping the order of events around would give June's mission more urgency and thus it gave her more of a reason to catch Mewtwo than just "I want to catch you just in case Team Rocket comes for you". I should've written it that way to begin with if you ask me.