As Ash tried to make sense of Four Eyes' cryptic comments about conducting an experiment on him, his confusion turned to alarm. Before he could react, Four Eyes moved swiftly, locking him into a tight headlock. Ash groaned, struggling against her iron grip as she leaned in, her voice a chilling whisper in his ear.
"Let me show you, kid." She didn't bother explaining her plan—she simply acted. With one hand, she pulled out a syringe gun filled with a dark, ominous liquid—fresh zombie blood. Ash's eyes widened in terror as he realized what was about to happen. He desperately tried to pull away, but Four Eyes held him firmly in place. "Hold still, kid," she hissed, jamming the needle into the back of his neck.
Ash screamed, the sharp pain of the injection piercing through him. The blood burned as it coursed through his veins, his body convulsing as the virus began to take hold. His Pokémon, who were still recovering from their battle with the Tyrant, heard their Trainer's cry. Pikachu, Lucario, and Gengar pushed themselves up, their eyes wide with panic.
Meanwhile, hiding behind a dumpster nearby, Team Rocket had been silently observing the chaos. James and Meowth looked horrified at what was happening to their long-time rival. "The twerp's in serious trouble!" Meowth whispered, clutching his paws nervously. James nodded, his face pale. "We can't just sit here and watch."
Jessie crossed her arms, frowning. "We're not getting involved. We've got our own problems to worry about." But as James and Meowth pleaded with her, her resolve wavered. "Fine," she huffed. "But if we get caught up in this, it's on you two. Follow my lead!"
As Ash collapsed forward, groaning in agony, the T-virus raged through his body. Veins bulged and darkened across his face and arms as he gritted his teeth, trying to fight the pain. Four Eyes stood over him, fascinated. She watched closely, amused by his endurance. "Impressive," she murmured, noting that Ash hadn't yet succumbed to the virus. "His will is... stronger than I thought."
But just as she was about to take further notes, she heard a shout. Spinning around, Four Eyes was startled by James and Meowth charging toward her. Meowth's sudden speech threw her off guard. "What the—? A talking cat?" she muttered, unsure of what to make of him.
Before she could react, Jessie, sneaking up behind her, swung a wooden two-by-four, cracking it against the back of Four Eyes' head. The U.S.S. scientist groaned in pain and crumpled to the ground, her radio buzzing to life.
"Four-Eyes! Four-Eyes! Report, now!" Lupo's voice crackled through the static, demanding Four Eyes' status.
But she was out cold.
Team Rocket wasted no time. They hurried over to Ash's side, finding him barely conscious, his vision blurred. He squinted up at them, confused. "You guys...?" he rasped, shocked to see Team Rocket helping him. But before he could say anything more, his body gave out, and he collapsed completely.
"We gotta get him outta here," James said, lifting Ash onto his back. "Before she wakes up!"
Meowth nodded, taking charge of Ash's Pokémon. "C'mon, follow us. We're getting' the twerp somewhere safe!" Pikachu, Lucario, and Gengar—still wary of Team Rocket but too concerned for Ash to argue—reluctantly agreed.
Together, the group rushed into a nearby pharmacy building, hoping it would be a safe place for Ash to recover. Jessie kept watch while James carefully set Ash down behind the counter, his breathing shallow but steady.
Outside, Four Eyes stirred and slowly got back to her feet, groaning as she rubbed her head. Her eyes narrowed in anger. Grabbing her radio, she responded to Lupo's demands, "I was... interrupted. But I've got their location. Moving in now." As she set off, the hunt for Ash was far from over.
Inside the dimly lit pharmacy, James gently set Ash against the wall. The Pokémon Trainer looked worse with every passing moment—his skin pale, sweat pouring down his face, and his breathing becoming increasingly labored. Ash's Pokémon—Pikachu, Lucario, and Gengar—huddled close to him, their expressions filled with worry. Even Dragonite, still in its Poké Ball, sensed something was wrong.
Jessie, James, and Meowth frantically rummaged through the pharmacy cabinets and drawers, hoping to find anything that could help. But every shelf, drawer, and cupboard was either empty or had already been looted. "Nothing! It's all gone!" Jessie cursed under her breath, her frustration mounting as James and Meowth shared equally worried glances.
As Ash's breathing quickened, his Pokémon grew increasingly anxious. Pikachu gently nudged Ash with his paw, trying to get a response. Suddenly, Ash stirred, his eyes snapping open—only they were no longer their usual warm brown. Instead, they glowed a menacing red, and a sickening, unnatural sound rippled through his body. His muscles twitched, veins bulging across his skin as he let out a low, animalistic growl. Slowly, with an almost mechanical motion, Ash pushed himself to his feet, standing unsteadily at first.
His Pokémon backed away, alarmed at the sight of their Trainer's sudden transformation. Pikachu, Lucario, and Gengar called out to him, but Ash didn't respond—his mind clouded by the virus now raging inside him.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket—caught up in a heated argument over their empty search—finally sensed something was off. Meowth was the first to notice the eerie quiet behind them. "Uh, guys?" he muttered nervously.
Jessie and James turned around just in time to see Ash cracking his neck, his movements jerky and unnatural. Before they could react, Ash lunged forward with surprising speed, letting out a terrifying snarl. The trio yelped in fear, scrambling backward. In a desperate move, Pikachu instinctively fired off a Thunderbolt at Ash, the electric shock surging through him. Ash's body jerked violently, and he collapsed to the ground with a heavy thud, unconscious once more.
Team Rocket let out a collective sigh of relief, their hearts pounding in their chests. "What the heck just happened to the twerp?" James whispered, glancing nervously at the unconscious Ash. Jessie didn't have an answer, but it was clear to all of them that something was seriously wrong.
Before they could dwell on it, a sudden commotion from the front of the pharmacy snapped their attention back to the immediate danger. Four Eyes had entered the building, kicking over a chair with a loud crash. "I know you're in here!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the pharmacy. "Quit hiding, and show yourselves! Hand over the kid, and I might let you live."
The group froze, holding their breath as they hid behind the counter. Four Eyes, growing impatient when she received no answer, raised her weapon and opened fire, spraying bullets across the room. The sharp sound of gunfire reverberated through the walls, sending Team Rocket and the Pokémon into a silent panic. They huddled closer, trying to stay quiet as debris and dust fell around them.
After a moment, the shooting stopped, and the eerie silence returned. "Last warning," Four Eyes growled. "Show yourselves, or I'll burn this place to the ground. All I want is the kid."
Ash's Pokémon growled quietly, preparing to protect their Trainer at any cost, but Jessie motioned for them to stay quiet. As the tension mounted, Four Eyes pulled out a small incendiary device, ready to make good on her threat.
Just as she was about to set the pharmacy on fire, her radio crackled to life. "Four Eyes, regroup with us immediately," Lupo barked through the static.
"I haven't found the target yet!" Four Eyes snapped back, frustration clear in her voice. "I need more time—"
"Forget it," Lupo interrupted. "We'll wait for the right moment. Regroup now."
Four Eyes clenched her teeth in frustration, glaring around the darkened pharmacy one last time. "Fine," she growled. With a final glance toward the shadows, she turned and stalked out of the building, leaving the group hidden and trembling in the dark.
As the door slammed shut behind her, Team Rocket and Ash's Pokémon finally exhaled. The tension in the room eased as they sighed in collective relief, grateful to have avoided a direct confrontation with the deadly U.S.S. scientist.
However, the problem still remained—Ash was infected, and they were running out of time to save him.
Echo Six dashed through the crumbling streets of Raccoon City, frantically searching for any trace of Ash and his Pokémon. The chaos from their earlier encounter with the U.S.S. Delta Team and the relentless T-00 Tyrant had left them scattered, and Ash's absence was weighing heavily on everyone.
Party Girl led the way, her face twisted with worry. "We need to find them before it's too late!" she urged, glancing back at the team as they followed behind. Her concern for Ash and his Pokémon was evident, and though she usually kept things light-hearted, there was no room for jokes now.
Tweed, keeping pace with the group, was uncharacteristically silent. Despite her usual tough exterior, even she couldn't hide the hint of worry that crossed her features. Harley, noticing her unusually tense demeanor, smirked and teased, "What's this? Didn't think you'd get so worked up over the kid. Starting to care, Tweed?"
Tweed shot Harley a withering glare, her cheeks faintly tinged with a blush. "Shut up, Harley. Just keep moving," she snapped, though she didn't deny the accusation.
Dee-Ay, running alongside them, cut in to break the tension. "There's no way Ash got captured by Umbrella. Delta Team was too busy dealing with us. He's smart, and his Pokémon are tough. They've probably slipped away." His voice was firm, as if reassuring not just the team but himself as well.
Willow, who had been scanning the streets with her sharp eyes, added, "Ash and his Pokémon might have managed to outmaneuver the Tyrant and found somewhere to hide. But we need to move fast. Umbrella will be back on the hunt for him soon."
Dee-Ay nodded. "Exactly. Whether he escaped or not, we need to find him before they do." His tone was grim, knowing that if Ash fell into Umbrella's hands, there was no telling what horrors would await the kid and his Pokémon.
As the team sprinted down another street, they heard faint sounds of movement up ahead—a possible sign of survivors or, worse, Umbrella soldiers. They readied their weapons, moving cautiously toward the source of the noise.
"Let's hope we're not too late," Party Girl muttered, gripping her rifle tighter.
Back inside the pharmacy, Team Rocket eyed the unconscious Ash with a mix of concern and curiosity. His breathing had calmed, but the strange symptoms still lingered in their minds.
James scratched his head nervously. "Why do you think that woman was after the twerp? What does she want with him?"
Jessie crossed her arms, huffing. "Who cares? As long as we stay put and out of trouble, we're safe."
Meowth, though, wasn't so sure. "But what if we get hungry, Jess? We're stuck here, and I don't see any food around."
Before Jessie could argue back, the wall behind them exploded as the massive T-00 Tyrant burst into the room, sending debris flying. Team Rocket screamed in terror at the sight of the hulking B.O.W., meeting it for the first time. Their eyes widened as the creature's gaze landed solely on Ash.
"Wh-what the heck is that thing?!" James stammered, backing away.
Ash's Pokémon immediately moved to protect their Trainer. Pikachu, Lucario, and Gengar unleashed a barrage of attacks—Pikachu's Thunderbolt, Lucario's Aura Sphere, and Gengar's Dazzling Gleam all hit their marks. However, the Tyrant absorbed the blows like they were nothing, shrugging off the damage. In an instant, it retaliated, knocking the Pokémon back with brutal force.
"Pi…ka…" Pikachu groaned as it struggled to get back on its feet.
Team Rocket, in a rare act of bravery, rushed forward to help. Jessie tried to swing at the Tyrant with a piece of broken wood, while James hurled whatever he could find. Meowth attempted to scratch its face, but all three were sent flying against the far wall with one swipe from the creature.
As the Tyrant loomed over the unconscious Ash, it raised its massive fist, ready to deliver a killing blow. But just as it was about to strike, Ash's body emitted a familiar blue glow, the same as before. His red eyes snapped open, and without hesitation, he caught the Tyrant's powerful fist with ease, stopping the attack in mid-air.
Team Rocket and Ash's Pokémon watched in awe as the T-00 was forcefully pushed back, skidding through the wall and crashing into another room. The monster regained its footing quickly, glaring through the massive hole it had just created.
Ash slowly stood up, the blue aura radiating around him, a dark and sinister smirk crossing his face. His voice, dripping with newfound power and malice, echoed through the room as he stared down the Tyrant.
"Ready for round two?" he taunted, cracking his knuckles.
The T-00 growled lowly, recognizing the threat Ash had become.
