"Alright, everyone's all healed up, I think our best bet for now is to head on to the next town, don't you two?" Ash asked.
"Seeing as the transfer system still doesn't work here, we might as well keep going." Casey pointed out.
"You're leaving already? And here I thought I wanted you to stick around in case I needed help." Lance said walking over.
"Lance, yeah, of course, I'd be happy to help, but why not also ask Pryce?" Ash asked curiously.
"I have to agree, even his weaker Pokemon are on par with fully evolved Pokemon." Molly said.
"This mission involves work that Pryce is unable to assist with. Can I count on you and your friends help?" Lance asked.
"Sure, whatever you need." Ash responded excitedly.
A short walk later
"A souvenir shack? You asked for our help picking out trinkets?" Casey questioned.
"Not quite, its what's you aren't expecting I need help with." Lance said, opening the door to show tied up Masked Team Rocket members.
"You tied them up already?!" Ash said in confusion.
"No, it seems there's another player in this game, they were like this when I got here." Lance said, walking to the back. "And this is why I need your help, but can't ask for Pryce's."
"Stairs." Molly realized.
"Exactly, Pryce is an amazing battler and I would do anything to have his help, but this is one obstacle even he can't overcome." Lance said, leading the group down.
"What is this place?" Ash asked, seeing the futuristic like base underground.
"If I had to surmise I would say it's Team Rocket's main headquarters here in Johto, they've been growing right under our noses." Lance said angrily. "We'll split into two teams to cover more ground. Ash I've seen your battle records, so you and I will be on the separate teams. As for you girls, we're just going safety in numbers."
"I'll go with Lance." Molly said, giving a knowing smirk to Casey.
"Works for me, come on Casey if we go quick we might even see some action!" Ash said rushing off.
A bit of exploring later
"So Molly, you're the daughter of Dr. Spencer Hale, correct?" Lance asked.
"Y-yeah is that a problem?" Molly asked curiously.
"Of course not, his research is thorough and insightful, I've worked with him on more than one occasion." Lance said.
"He never said anything like that." Molly admitted.
"It usually was by coincidence, my research into dragons tend to follow similar myths and legends to what your father researches." Lance said, before pausing. "Hold on, look in there."
"What are those?" Molly asked, pulling out her Pokedex.
'Electrode, the Ball Pokemon, and an Electric Type. It stores an overflowing amount of electric energy in its body. Even a small shock makes it explode.' The Pokedex said.
"What do you think they're here for?" Molly asked, noticing six total.
"If I had to guess, they're powering the base." Lance said.
"We should free them, they're innocent Pokemon!" Molly said, grabbing a Pokeball.
"Hold on, just because they might be innocent doesn't mean we can just go attacking Willy nilly, you need a plan." Lance said.
"So what are you thinking?" Molly asked.
"To be ready, as soon as we stop this, we'll likely be swarmed." Lance said. "Tyranitar come out!"
"Phanpy I choose you!" Molly called out.
"Tyranitar use Hyper Beam!" Lance exclaimed, pointing at the generator.
Tyranitar fired a beam, straight through the generator, destroying it instantly.
Elsewhere in the base
"Hey, what happened to the lights?" Meowth asked, as the bay they were in went dim before red emergency lights came on.
"Quit asking questions and focus on finding a way out of here!" Jessie argued.
"You try to find a door like this!" Meowth exclaimed.
"Will both of you just focus on getting us out of here?!" James said, getting annoyed with their bickering.
Elsewhere Elsewhere in the base
"Looks like Lance and Molly did something." Ash said, as the lights went out, being replaced with a red glow.
"Which means anyone on this side of the base will likely be going through here at any moment." Casey said apprehensively.
"Then let them. Houndoom, Croconaw, Pikachu let's go!" Ash called out.
"Right, Bayleef, Elekid, I choose you!"
"Over there! More intruders!" A Masked Team Rocket Member exclaimed.
"Looks like they already know about Lance and Molly." Casey said.
"Lance will handle whoever comes their way, lets do this! Houndoom use Flamethrower! Croconaw use Hydro Pump! Pikachu use Zap Cannon!"
"Bayleef use Razor Leaf! Elekid use Thunderbolt!"
"Come on out!" The Masked Team Rocket members said, sending out a variety of Pokemon.
The five elemental attacks combined in an explosion, destroying the hallway of the base, making it impossible to get through.
"That, wasn't what I imagined happening." Ash admitted. "We should look for another way around."
"Right, let's go. They should have another way through there." Casey said.
Back with the Team Rocket Trio
"Cassidy, Bift, was that you?!" Jessie asked.
"Was what us?! Half of the things in this balloon are more of your ridiculous costumes!" Cassidy shouted.
"Well hurry up, I think they're breaking the door down soon!" Jessie argued.
With Lance and Molly
"What do you think that explosion was? Could they have had a second generator?" Molly asked as they got the Electrode out of the base.
"Doubtful, if I had to guess, Ash was at the source of that. We should make sure they aren't trapped." Lance said, leading the way without hesitation. "Tyranitar knock down anyone or anything in your path, understood!"
"TAR!" Tyranitar roared.
"Mr Lance, I have to ask, you're a renowned dragon expert, but Tyranitar isn't a dragon type." Molly commented curiously, as Tyranitar and Phanpy cleared debris that had fallen.
"True I am known for my dragons, and even my heritage from the city of dragons, as champion I also need a variety of Pokemon in order to fulfill my various duties." Lance said.
"Houndoom use Flamethrower!" A voice called out.
Flames shot at Tyranitar, the large Pokemon simply brushed off the attack.
"Friendly fire! Calm down Ash." Lance said.
"Sorry, we weren't sure." Ash admitted. "We heard they found you two as well."
"What, no all we dealt with was the generator, we haven't encountered any more trouble." Molly said.
"Then there are more intruders?" Casey questioned.
"Let's focus. The only remaining path is that way if I'm guessing what happened with you two correctly." Lance said, pointing down a third hall.
"Yeah, we collapsed a tunnel." Ash admitted. "But we should still make sure the people on the other side are okay, right?"
"Exactly." Lance said. "Tyranitar will have no problem breaking down whatever rubble is there."
"Phanpy and Teddiursa can help too with Rock Smash and Strength." Molly said.
"Then we'll head back that way, you and Casey check out that tunnel and try not to collapse it." Lance said, as Ash moved past.
"There they are! Lock down the wings!" A Masked Team Rocket member said.
Suddenly and without warning a wall came down separating Ash and his Pokemon from the others.
"Ash!" Molly and Casey exclaimed.
"Tyranitar break it down with Hyper Beam!" Lance exclaimed.
Tyranitar fired a powerful beam point blank into the wall, barely leaving a scratch behind once it stopped.
"Go and clear the rubble, I'll find a way around!" Ash said.
"Ash, are you sure?" Lance asked. "We can keep trying, I have the fire power."
"Bad or not, there are more people trapped behind the rubble because of us, I'll take a look around over here and see if I can't find anything useful." Ash said.
"Alright Ash, just be careful." Lance said.
Ash turned around, looking at the hall filled with doors, deciding to venture forward. "Houndoom, Croconaw, return." Ash said. "Come on Pikachu let's see if we can't find what they're up to."
Ash tried a few doors before finding one unlocked.
"What's in here?" Ash asked, opening it up to see a control room.
"Pika?" Pikachu asked hopping on the control panel, lighting up the room below, showing an arch in the center.
"Now why would they have that?" Ash wondered aloud. "What is their big plan here?"
"Pi?" Pikachu asked, sniffing the air.
"What is it buddy, did you find a way out?" Ash asked following Pikachu back out the door.
Ash chased Pikachu to the end of the hall where a single door was, and looked like it had been tried to open up to no avail.
"I bet whatever is in here they don't want anyone finding out." Ash said, grabbing a Pokeball. "Sudowoodo use Slam!"
The rock type flung himself into the door, breaking it off of its hinges.
"What in the?! The twerp?!" Jessie and James said in shock.
"Team Rocket?!" Ash exclaimed
"The doors open! Let's move!" A Masked Team Rocket member said, from a previously locked door.
"Not good!" James said in a panic, as the roof blew open above them.
"Let's go you three, we don't have all day!" Cassidy said.
"James, Meowth, let's move!" Jessie said climbing the rope ladder.
"But the twerp!" James argued.
"Forget the twerp, he won't come willingly anyways!" Jessie argued.
"Sorry about this. Victreebell use Sleep Powder!" James said, knocking out Ash, Pikachu, and Sudowoodo before climbing onto the ladder with them as the balloon took off.
"Dragonite use Hyper Beam!" Lance shouted, as he, Molly, and Casey entered the room.
"Ash!" Casey exclaimed, watching Team Rocket taking off with him.
"We'll get him back, I promise." Lance said, before refocusing on the Masked Team Rocket pouring in.ouring in.