Deeper and deeper they delved, accompanied by the rush of the underground river in their ears and its icy spray on their skin. Ash, holding on tight to Onix, kept looking around, trying to keep an eye on Misty before remembering that she had stayed behind. Brock kept his eyes forward, doing his best to direct Onix.
Each fortification that Onix barreled through was an island of light in the depths and between each of them existed only the tiniest scraps of light.
Down the river Ash could see another spot of light that quickly vanished as Onix drew closer.
"They know we're coming," Brock growled. "Aaron, get ready for a fight."
I'm ready if he's not, Pikachu said from where he was holding on to Ash's back.
"Bulbasaur and Pikachu can stop any water types," Ash told Brock, grabbing Bulbasaur's pokéball. "I'm ready."
Onix continued forward for a short time and then the cave started to shake. There was a loud crack-
"Onix, above!" Brock cried out and the stone serpent's tail swept through the air overhead, smashing away the falling stalactites.
Two pokémon bellowed and charged forth, a nidoqueen and nidoking. A black-haired man and a brown-haired woman followed them from a distance.
Silver needles slid through the air and Onix twisted to block the dual Poison Sting attacks that had been aimed at Brock and Ash.
The nidoqueen rushed at the stone serpent then juked at the last moment, trying to get around him to attack the two humans on his back, only for Onix to counter with his horn and knock the pokémon back.
Ash could feel the vibrations from their brief clash and guessed that staying on Onix's back would not be a great idea. He glanced over at Brock for confirmation only to find the gym leader already dismounting from his pokémon.
Leaping off, Ash rolled and then came to his feet, Pikachu jumping in front of him.
"Go Geodude!" Brock cried out, white light blazing as his other rock-type joined the fray. "Rock Throw! Onix, defend us!"
Rocks flew and the poison types charged, meeting Onix in close combat once more. Ash watched intently, waiting to see if he and his team should intervene. While that was happening Brock was studying the two enemy trainers.
"I know those two," Brock said quietly. "Homer and Alexandria. Wanted for murder in three municipalities. Their preferred tactic is to eliminate the trainer first and then withdraw or deal with the pokémon at their leisure."
"Got it," Ash nodded. Brock looked over at the younger boy and then back at the two Rockets. The nidoking launched another poison sting attack at Brock and Ash, the needles shattering as they were intercepted by a boulder hurled by Geodude.
Brock growled and then turned to Ash.
"Aaron, go ahead and let me deal with these two," Brock instructed. "I don't want them getting a lucky shot in on you. Stay hidden the best you can and scout things out until I get there. Take a shot if you find a good opening, otherwise wait for me. Do you understand?"
Ash looked at Pikachu who nodded and then turned to Brock to give a nod of his own.
"Stay safe for once in your life," Brock said before returning his attention to the ongoing battle. "Onix! Tackle that nidoqueen!"
Ash and Pikachu began to run along the river while pokémon clashed behind them.
Down in the deepest parts of the cave, where no human had set foot, Giovanni and his team finally found their prize.
A purple glow emanated from the very walls of the small cavern, gently pulsing as if in time with something's breathing. It was quiet, isolated from the noises above, and there was a gentle chill, like a night breeze in spring. The air was fresh, despite the depths, something that contributed to the feeling of paranoia Giovanni was experiencing.
But he knew the true source of that feeling was the entity in the center.
Even while it slept Giovanni could feel its presence pressing up against the world, as if reality were a projection through a pane of glass and the creature was of true existence slowly breaking through the glass. During their descent Giovanni had slowly felt the pressure building, oceans of power pressing down all around him. It was only because the power was unfocused that he and the members of the Capture Team accompanying him were not crushed flat, mentally or physically.
It was more bearable right next to the creature. Or perhaps being right at the source meant that the power was beyond their ability to sense.
None of the team looked at the creature as they scurried around the cavern, setting up the last emitters for the capture field. Overlapping capture fields now filled all the Cerulean Cave, like nested pokéballs, all focused on the man-made legendary.
Giovanni was the only one who looked upon the young legendary, the beast built with the DNA stolen from Mew, the power that would grant Team Rocket the world.
It had gray skin, vaguely feline shape, and almost seemed modular. The tail was purple, but the purple also encompassed the beast's midriff, giving the illusion that part of its body was added to a gap between its chest and legs. The head also looked like an addition, with bony plates over the top of its back and its chest.
It stood, eyes closed, head bowed, three fingered hands twitching. Asleep as it had been for years. Unaware of the trap closing in around it.
Giovanni smirked. Soon the capture fields would render it unable to move and he would be able to place the control helmet on it. With the psychic resources that Team rocket had already assembled to boost the device the abomination would be helpless to resist.
It would have no choice but to obey Giovanni's commands and deliver the world unto Team Rocket.
Once more Dragonite sped through the skies, this time outrunning the sound of his flight. Grass bent, leaves swayed, stones rattled, and pokémon and people covered their ears as the sonic boom arrived.
This time there were two figures perched upon its back, Lance and Karen. Dragonite slowed down and descended so that Karen could leap off, pokéballs already in hand. White light blazed as she and Lance sent out their teams, the dragons already starting to ascend as they materialized.
"What's the plan?" Karen asked into her headset.
"Same as before," Lance replied over the radio, his pokémon already dots in the sky. "I'll flush them out and you clean them up. We need to soften them up before the Ceruleans arrive and keep them too busy to go after Brock."
"How are we going to accomplish the second?"
"I'll blow up the entrances," Lance replied. "Use the chaos to slip in and cut them off from the inside."
Beams of white light lanced out from the dots in the sky into the mountain above the Cerulean Cave. Explosions bloomed at each site of impact, flowers of fire, debris, and dust. Elements lashed out in response but the dragons were too far away, the special attacks fading before they even got close to Lance's team.
Karen could feel the faint vibrations from the dragon's assault through the soles of her feet. She watched as boulders tumbled and rock slid, crushing Rocket people and pokémon alike. Booms like thunder echoed over the mountain, overlapping into a staccato, like the dragons were using the mountain as a drum.
And then she sighed and ran to join the battle.
Giovanni snarled as the caves quaked.
"What's going on up there?" He growled into his radio.
"Lance is assaulting our positions on the surface," came the reply. "Multiple high level dragon-types."
"Has he made any attempt to gain entrance?"
"No, it's only been long range bombardment thus far."
"Pull back from the entrances, but re-double the guard on them. Karen is with Lance and she'll no doubt take advantage of his attack."
"Yes sir!"
Bits of rock fell from the cave roof causing Giovanni to turn his glare upwards. His face remained in a grimace as he studied his surroundings.
He was the leader of a gym that specialized in ground-types, he knew when an underground space was unstable.
White light blazed around him, flooding the cavern, as Giovanni sent out his team. His persian, a rhydon, a nidoking, a nidoqueen, and a dugtrio.
"Everyone, we've got to stabilize the cave!" Giovanni announced to his team and the Capture Force. "Break off into pairs, and ground-types, each one of you will accompany one pair. Persian, you stay with me. Find the structural faults around this cavern and stabilize them."
"You going to be alright operating the equipment by yourself, sir?" One of the Capture Force asked, looking at the final set of equipment they had prepared. A console on a tripod, four star-shaped emitters, and a small antenna with a faint purple glow, a relay device for their psychic network.
"I trained to operate this equipment, same as you," Giovanni replied. "And I'm best suited to defend this position. Now get going before there's a cave in!"
"Yes, sir!" The assembled members of Team Rocket replied in unison before splitting off into pairs and taking Giovanni's ground types with them.
Soon the false gym leader was left alone save for a single pokémon and the great slumbering beast beneath the earth.
The caves shook and Ash stumbled on the hard rock next to the underground river. He caught himself before he could slip and crack his head open on a stone or fall into the river and drown.
What in the Distorted World is going on up there? Pikachu asked, staring at the darkness above.
There must be fighting on the surface, Ash replied.
Do you think it's going to move down here?
Ash paused for a moment.
It might, he said. Let's get everyone else out.
Blazing white light surrounded Ash and Pikachu as they were joined by Butterfree, Pidgeot, Charmander, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Primeape, and Magikarp.
Things are about to get messy, Ash said.
Messier than usual? Butterfree trilled.
Yes, Pikachu and Ash replied at the same time.
Wow, that's going to be really, really, messy then, Butterfree looked around in the faint light cast by Charmander's tail flame. Do you think this cave will survive?
Well, it's not going to be my fault if it doesn't, Ash answered as the caverns shook again. We're almost to where we think Giovanni's gone and I don't want to be caught off guard by anything. Butterfree and Pidgeot, tell me if you sense anything. Everyone stick close to Charmander… Charmander, do you think you can dim your flame?
I think so… Charmander said, a look of concentration taking over his face. The flame at the end of his tail shrank and dimmed, light receding and darkness returning.
It'll have to do, Ash said with a nod. Let's go!
Huddled around the faint glow of Charmander's tail light the group rushed forward, Primeape carrying Magikarp. The Cerulean Caves shook around them, rocks creaking, cracking, and falling. The underground waterways rushed and roared, water spraying over rocks while rapids raged. Cool air around them and the warmth of Charmander's tail flame to their backs.
Their path led them through another large cavern and then into a smaller tunnel split in half by the underground river, leading them deeper into the bowels of the planet. And near the entrance of the tunnel was a group of Rockets and their pokémon preparing fortifications.
Brock would want him to stop and wait, but with the way the cavern was rattling Ash felt that the situation had changed and it would be more prudent to smash through them.
Brock was probably going to yell at him either way, so Ash would just add it to his metaphorical tab.
Pikachu, Thunderbolt to scatter them! Bulbasaur Razor Leaf! Pidgeot, Gust any groups that remain! Ash commanded without breaking stride.
The Rockets looked up at the commotion only to see the blinding flash of yellow light flare from Pikachu as a spear of buzzing yellow power lanced into the group. Those that weren't caught in the current threw themselves to the ground, avoiding the Razor Leaves at the cost of separating. And then an underground storm erupted in their midst, winds clamoring.
Run as fast as you can, but stick together! Ash cried out. Squirtle, Bubble as we're going through! Charmander, cover our backs with Ember.
Ash and his pokémon sprinted and flew through the disorganized Rockets and their pokémon. Squirtle and Charmander unleashed their attacks, keeping the enemy off balance.
Butterfree, String Shot!
Just as the Rocket trainers began to give their own commands, sticky silk shot out from Butterfree, entangling people and pokémon alike.
And with that they were through.
Or so Ash thought.
Incoming! Pidgeot cried out, spreading her wings and descending on her trainer and team, forcing them to duck. Ash heard the whistle of needles flying above, the sound of a Poison Sting attack.
Gust again! Ash commanded. Butterfree, fire off some Psybeams to give them something to think about.
Wind roared and psychic energy hummed as Pidgeot and Butterfree returned fire. Pidgeot's winds ceased roaring when a rock tore through them, only to be slapped away by Bulbasaur's vines.
We can't turn our backs to them, Bulbasaur said, stepping away from the group. And you might not have time to deal with them. You keep going and I'll keep them busy until Brock catches up.
Ash looked back. The Rockets had regrouped at the tunnel entrance and he could see several pokémon starting to advance.
Pikachu, Thundershock! Charmander, Dragonbreath! Ash ordered before turning to Bulbasaur. Between the light from the special attacks and Charmander's tail flame Ash was able to make out Bulbasaur's features, see the determined glare on the grass type's face that was as hard as the stone all around them.
I'm not going to-
Ash, it ain't like you got a choice, Bulbasaur interjected. You need to keep going before they can send reinforcements to trap you in the tunnel. You ain't gonna be able to do that with these fools on your tail.
But you'll- Ash started to protest.
I'll be fine, Bulbasaur cut him off. Which is more than I can say about what will happen to you if the reinforcements get here first and Team Rocket gets their mitts on a psychic legendary.
String Shot again! Ash shouted, turning back to the battle for a moment. Pikachu, take a break and Squirtle use Bubblebeam. The boy turned back to Bulbasaur, wavering brown eyes meeting hard red ones.
Bulbasaur was right, they didn't have time for this. Ash reached for Bulbasaur's pokéball-
A vine lashed out and knocked his hand away.
Ash! Quit arguing with me and get going! Bulbasaur snarled, firing off a brace of Razor Leaves and Leach Seeds to keep the enemy suppressed. I only need to delay them until Brock gets here. Now get!
Ash had no idea why his pokémon were so headstrong and ready to leap into trouble. And he really hated that one of them was doing so now.
Bulbasaur if you get hurt, I'll, I'll- Ash couldn't think of anything to say.
I'll give you electroshock therapy on his behalf so you never think of pulling this again, Pikachu said. Ash, as much as I hate to say it, he's right and we don't have time for this.
Fine, Ash grunted. Everyone get going. Pidgeot Gust this area once we're out of it. Bulbasaur- Bulbasaur, do your best.
Always do, Bulbasaur replied.
Squirtle put a forepaw on Bulbasaur's shoulder. Be careful, me and the squad aren't going to be here to bail you out again.
It ain't like I'm planning on dying here, Bulbasaur replied with a crooked grin. Don't worry about me and get! And with that Bulbasaur advanced on the enemy, firing off another brace of Razor Leaves.
Ash couldn't bring himself to look back as he ran off after his team, leaving Bulbasaur alone with the enemy.
Ash and his team continued down the tunnel, the trainer trying to focus on something other than the gnawing fear regarding the fate of Bulbasaur. Twice they had to stop so that Ash could catch his breath and each time the human and his team frantically looked around for pursers, doing no favors to their nerves.
The tunnel twisted and turned, the river rushing until it suddenly vanished underneath the floor of the tunnel. With no other directions Ash and his team continued to follow the tunnel.
The darkness beyond the reach of Chamander's flame began to lessen and Ash could see light further on ahead, white light tinged with purple. Without needing to say anything he and his team picked up their pace.
They burst into the cavern at the end of the tunnel.
Waiting for them was a single man and a persian.
AN: I'd like to thank Amationary for beta reading.
This chapter did not want to be written, but that was because it was largely setup/connective tissue.
And we're almost done, the finish line is in sight. (Watch as I trip and fall on the last steps and the story dies for some stupid reason :p)
Anyway, the next chapter will be released on November 20th 2024.
Don't forget to review! Concrit is welcome!