Inside Professor Oak's laboratory, the air was tense. Red leaned over a large table covered in maps, and old documents detailing past Team Rocket activities. Gary stood with his arms crossed, eyes narrowed as he scanned a list of suspected hideouts. Professor Oak adjusted his glasses, flipping through a stack of reports with quiet determination.

"This is what we know so far," Gary started, tapping a finger against the map. "Team Rocket has been shifting their operations underground—literally. Most of their known bases have either gone dark or moved. They're careful, but not perfect. There are still a few weak links we can take advantage of."

Red exhaled through his nose, his expression hard. "That's the problem, though. Every time we think we've got a lead, it slips through our fingers. They have protection—someone high up keeping them from taking real damage. This is why we can't even attack them head on."

Inside Professor Oak's laboratory, the air was tense but focused. Red leaned over a large table covered in notes, maps, and old documents detailing past Team Rocket activities. Gary stood with his arms crossed, eyes narrowed as he scanned a list of suspected hideouts. Professor Oak adjusted his glasses, flipping through a stack of reports with quiet determination.

"This is what we know so far," Gary started, tapping a finger against the map. "Team Rocket has been shifting their operations underground—literally. Most of their known bases have either gone dark or moved. They're careful, but not perfect. There are still a few weak links we can take advantage of."

Red exhaled through his nose, his expression hard. "That's the problem, though. Every time we think we've got a lead, it slips through our fingers. They have protection—someone high up keeping them from taking real damage."

Professor Oak hummed in agreement. "Which makes sense if the International Police are involved." He glanced at Red and Gary. "But we don't have proof, and until we do, we need to be careful. If we make a move too soon, we risk exposing ourselves."

Gary frowned, clearly not liking the idea of waiting. "So what? We just sit here?"

"No," Red said, shaking his head. "We learn everything we can. We find the cracks in their foundation, and when the time is right, we hit them where it hurts."

Professor Oak nodded approvingly. "We must be smart about this. We're not just fighting common criminals anymore. We're up against something much bigger."

The sun had started its slow descent, casting a golden glow over Professor Oak's ranch. Ash stood outside near the fence, absently running his hand along the wood while Pikachu sat on the post beside him. His mind was heavy with everything that had been said—his friends' doubts, their fears, the looming battle ahead.

The sound of footsteps crunching against the dirt behind him barely registered until a familiar voice spoke.

"You got a minute?"

Ash turned to see Misty standing a few feet away, her arms crossed, expression unreadable.

"Yeah, of course." He gestured for her to join him. She leaned against the fence beside him, staring out at the ranch where the others were scattered in small groups, lost in their own thoughts.

For a while, neither of them spoke. Then Misty sighed. "You know, I never thought I'd say this, but… I really missed you, Ash."

Ash blinked, caught off guard by the weight in her voice. "I missed you too, Misty."

She gave a small, almost tired smile. "Yeah, I know. But… it's different now, isn't it?"

Ash frowned, unsure what she meant. "What do you mean?"

Misty didn't answer right away. She looked down, scuffing her shoe against the dirt. "When we were kids, it felt like nothing could stop us. No matter what crazy situation we got into, we always pulled through. But now…" She hesitated before glancing at Ash. "Things aren't so simple anymore."

Ash exhaled, nodding. "Yeah… I get that."

Misty turned her gaze back to the horizon. "Being a Gym Leader is tough work, you know. Not just the battles, but everything else that comes with it. I've been stuck dealing with all kinds of trainers, paperwork, tournaments… And don't even get me started on my sisters."

Ash smirked a little. "Still giving you trouble?"

Misty let out a dry laugh. "Please. They barely lift a finger at the gym. Everything gets dumped on me while they prance around acting like celebrities. And the worst part? I can't just walk away."

Her voice wavered slightly at the end, and that caught Ash's attention.

"I mean, I love battling, I love Water Pokémon, but sometimes… I feel like I'm trapped, you know?" She shook her head. "I worked so hard to prove I was more than just 'the little sister'—that I belonged at the Cerulean Gym. But lately, I've started wondering if… if this is really what I want."

Ash watched her carefully, the way her fingers tightened against her arms, the way her expression flickered between frustration and uncertainty. He'd never heard her talk like this before.

"You're thinking about leaving?" he asked.

Misty exhaled through her nose. "I don't know. Maybe. But even if I did, where would I even go?"

A breeze passed between them, and Misty hugged herself, suddenly feeling a little exposed. "I guess what I'm trying to say is… I get it now. I get why you left Kanto all those years ago. It's hard to stay in one place when you're not sure it's where you belong."

Ash looked down at Pikachu, who watched Misty with quiet understanding. He thought back to when he left Pallet Town for the first time, the rush of adventure, the hunger to become stronger. But now, things felt different. The choices ahead were heavier.

"You don't have to have all the answers right now," Ash said finally. "But whatever you decide, Misty… you don't have to go through it alone."

Misty turned to him, and for the first time in a long while, her tough exterior cracked just a little. "Same goes for you, dummy." She nudged his arm lightly. "I know you think you have to take this all on yourself, but you don't. I want to help you, as much as you'll let me."

Ash smiled, but there was something sad in it. "That means a lot."

They stood there a moment longer, comfortable in the silence, two old friends sharing a quiet understanding.

Then Misty inhaled deeply and pushed off the fence. "Well, I better get back before Brock gives me one of his 'serious talks' about pacing myself." She rolled her eyes, but there was affection behind it.

Ash chuckled. "Yeah, he's been on my case about that too."

Misty smirked, then hesitated. She turned back to him one last time. "I don't know what's gonna happen next, Ash. But… if I do decide to head back to Cerulean, I just want you to know—it's not because I don't care. Okay?"

Ash met her gaze, understanding exactly what she meant. He nodded. "I know, Misty. And I'll always be grateful for you being here."

She held his gaze for a second longer, then nodded, satisfied. "Good."

And with that, she walked away, leaving Ash standing there with Pikachu and the lingering weight of everything left unsaid.

The moon was high but shrouded in drifting clouds, casting only slivers of silver light across the dirt roads outside Professor Oak's lab. The fields beyond the fences lay quiet, save for the chirping of nocturnal Pokémon in the grass.

Inside the lab, the girls were winding down. Some curled up in sleeping bags, others sharing whispered conversations in the corner. The lights inside were dim, the hum of soft laughter breaking the stillness of the ranch.

Outside, the boys were making their move.

"Alright, Viridian City it is," Brock announced, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets as he met the others by the front gate. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving."

Gary raised a brow. "Here I thought you were a five star chef."

Ash chuckled, tossing Pikachu a small berry to snack on before setting him gently on the lab porch. "We'll be back soon, buddy. Watch over everyone, okay?"

Pikachu gave a determined nod. "Pika."

Professor Oak stepped outside just as the group turned toward the driveway. He adjusted his glasses, his voice casual but pointed: "And boys—be careful out there. Especially you, Gary. I still have nightmares about that time you tried parallel parking at the Indigo Plateau."

Gary groaned. "Gramps, that was ten years ago."

"Yeah," Red added dryly, smirking. "And the memory still haunts me."

Laughter broke out as they piled into Red's sleek blue four-door, the engine coming to life under Ash's hands.

"You're driving?" Gary asked as he slid into the passenger seat, clearly surprised.

Ash shrugged. "You really think Professor Oak would let you behind the wheel again?"

Red and Brock exchanged a glance in the back. Brock grinned. "He's got a point."

The road stretched ahead of them, winding gently as they left the ranch behind and followed the darkened path toward Viridian City. The dashboard lights cast a faint glow inside the car, flickering against their faces.

For a while, they drove in silence—just the steady hum of tires against the road, the low static of a radio that wasn't quite tuned in.

Then Ash spoke, his tone low, hesitant. "Red… can I ask you something?"

Red didn't look up from the window. "Yeah."

"I know what Lance told me… about Mom. That they were after you. That it was supposed to be you in that house that night." Ash's hands tightened slightly on the wheel. "But I need to hear it from you."

Gary sat up straighter, the air inside the car growing just a little colder.

Red sighed. His voice was quiet when he spoke. "It was supposed to be me. I'd been staying with her the past week—laying low after some trouble out near Saffron. But the night it happened, I left to meet someone about Rocket movement in Celadon. It was just for a few hours." He looked down at his hands. "When I got back, it was already done."

Ash swallowed, his jaw clenching. "They thought I was her."

Red nodded slowly. "Or maybe they didn't care. Team Rocket doesn't make mistakes. They make statements."

For a long beat, no one said anything.

Then Gary piped up, voice rough. "Some folks in Pallet said they saw a van speeding out of town that night. Big black thing, with a giant pink 'R' on the back doors."

Brock leaned forward from the back seat. "That sounds exactly like one of their transports. They've used vans like that before—modified engines, no plates, reinforced frames."

Red turned to him. "You've seen them up close?"

"Years ago, during a sting near Pewter," Brock replied, a shadow crossing his face. "Never thought I'd hear about one around Pallet Town."

Ash didn't answer. His eyes were still locked on the road, but his mind was trailing far behind. Misty's words echoed back to him from earlier—the uncertainty, the weight in her voice, the way she had looked at him like someone slipping away.

His grip loosened slightly on the wheel. "It's like I came back to a different world," he murmured. "Everything's changed."

Gary turned his head. "Yeah… well, so have you."

Ash glanced at him.

"Not saying that's a bad thing," Gary added quickly. "But… you're not the same kid who ran through Viridian with a Caterpie and no clue how to use it."

Ash allowed himself a faint smile. "I'd still run into a battle headfirst."

Red grunted. "Yeah, but now you know what you're running into."

The car went quiet again as Viridian's city lights began to blink into view in the distance—faint and flickering, like candles in a storm. It looked normal from a distance, peaceful even.

But they all knew better.

Team Rocket had a grip on this place now. And it wasn't just buildings they'd taken—but people. Trust. Peace.

The streets of Viridian City were quiet, but not peaceful. Dim streetlights flickered against cracked pavement. Neon signs blinked half-heartedly across rundown storefronts. The glow of the fast food joint's sign cut through the night ahead—its buzzing red letters barely holding on.

Ash slowed the car, hand on the wheel, eyes scanning the parking lot.

"There it is," he muttered. "Finally."

But just as he flicked on the turn signal—

"Wait," Gary's voice cut in, low and sharp. His hand rose, subtly gesturing toward a shadowy shape at the far end of the lot. A van—black, idle, its engine humming too softly for comfort. "Don't pull in. Not yet."

Ash squinted. "What is it?"

"Back corner, by the alley. See it?" Gary didn't look directly—just nodded once. "Team Rocket van. Same type I was telling you about earlier."

"Could be just another patrol," Red said, leaning forward between the seats. "We are in their turf."

"Then why does it feel like they're waiting for something?" Gary asked, voice tightening.

Ash didn't get a chance to answer.

Tires screeched.

The black van's headlights blazed on. The engine roared to life as the vehicle lurched forward like a beast cut loose from its leash.

"They're coming!" Gary shouted. "Ash, move!"

Ash slammed the gear into drive and the car jolted forward, tires squealing against asphalt. Behind them, the Rocket van gave chase—barreling through the lot and onto the main road, its lights bouncing wildly in the rearview mirror.

Red twisted around in his seat, rolling down his window with a sneer. "You freakin' creeps couldn't tail a Slowpoke!"

Red kept yelling, flipping them off. "What's the matter, huh? Too scared to jump out and fight us like real Trainers?"

Gary was gripping the dash now. "Ash, floor it! Get us out of Viridian! Head for Pallet—they won't follow us there!"

Ash's hands tightened on the wheel. He pushed the car harder, darting through side streets and past shuttered stores. The Rocket van followed close—just two grunts inside, from what they could see through the windshield. Neither masked. Neither trying to hide.

"You're doing fine, Ash," Brock said suddenly, voice steady. "Just keep driving. We'll make it back."

"Brock, you got anything on you?" Red snapped. "We could slow them down."

Brock didn't look back. "Nope. Left my belt at the lab. Doesn't matter. We're almost out."

The van behind them skidded at the last sharp turn out of Viridian, losing precious seconds. That was all they needed.

As the dirt road back to Pallet opened before them and the buildings behind disappeared into the night, the Rocket van slowed. And finally—stopped.

Gary leaned out his window, breathless, watching the red taillights shrink in the distance. "Idiots. They know better than to cross into Pallet."

Red slumped back with a low exhale. "Too bad we didn't have our teams. Would've been nice to knock 'em around a little."

Ash stayed quiet.

He pulled into the ranch driveway slowly, headlights sweeping across the familiar wood fencing and quiet lab. Everything still. Calm.

He parked and turned the engine off. For a moment, no one moved.

Then Brock clapped a hand on Ash's shoulder from the backseat. "Good job, man. Quick thinking."

Ash nodded but didn't say anything.

Red opened the door, muttering, "Next time we bring our Pokémon. Screw the snacks."

Gary nodded. "No more night drives into Rocket territory."

The four of them stepped out of the car, the cool air hitting their faces. And behind them, Viridian stayed dark—a city sleeping in the grasp of something cruel.

After that crazy encounter with the two Team Rocket goons, the gang split for the night. Brock and Gary had gone into the lab to get some rest while Ash and red began heading back home further down the road.

The crunch of dirt and gravel under their shoes was the only sound between them for a while. The night was still, save for the rustling of leaves in the trees lining the road. Pallet Town had always been quiet this time of night, but now… now it felt different.

Ash sighed, rubbing his temples. "I still can't believe that just happened…"

Red kept his hands in his jacket pockets, staring straight ahead. "What? The fact that we can't even get food without almost getting run off the road?"

"Yeah." Ash exhaled sharply. "It's—" He hesitated, searching for the words, shaking his head. "It's Kanto, Red. It's supposed to be our home. We grew up here. And now… I don't even recognize it anymore."

Red didn't say anything. He just let Ash talk.

"Everywhere I go, it's like there's a shadow hanging over this place," Ash continued, voice tight. "Rocket grunts on every corner, people keeping their heads down, scared to even look the wrong way. And we just have to live with that?" He clenched his fists. "That's not Kanto. That's not home."

Red slowed his pace, glancing at Ash from the corner of his eye. "It hasn't been home for a long time," he said quietly.

Ash let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, well… I guess I wouldn't know, huh?" He looked down. "I wasn't here."

That sat heavy between them for a second.

Red stopped walking, turning fully to face his brother. "Ash." His voice wasn't sharp, but it wasn't soft either. It was firm—like he needed to get this through his thick skull. "This isn't your fault."

Ash met his gaze. "It sure feels like it."

Red frowned. "You think if you stayed, things would've been different?"

Ash shrugged, looking away. "I don't know. Maybe. Maybe if I was here, I could've fought back earlier. Maybe I could've stopped this from getting so bad."

Red scoffed. "You really think that? Like one guy—no matter how good—could've stood up to Rocket alone?"

Ash didn't answer.

Red sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, man… I get it. I hate this too. Every time I step outside, it pisses me off. Seeing Rocket punks walk around like they own this place. Knowing they do own this place. It makes me wanna burn the whole damn organization to the ground." His fists clenched at his sides. "But we can't change the past, Ash. What matters is what we do now."

Ash nodded slowly, kicking at a loose rock on the road.

Red stepped closer, lowering his voice. "We'll figure this out. But you don't have to do it alone. You've got Gary, you've got Oak, you've got the others." His eyes softened. "You've got me."

Ash finally looked at him.

"I've always got your back," Red said simply. "No matter what."

Ash swallowed the lump in his throat. He nodded once. "Yeah."

For a moment, it felt like they were kids again—walking home after a long day, nothing between them but the cool night air and the unspoken understanding of brothers.

Then Red smirked. "But next time we go out at night, I'm bringing Charizard. If I see one more Rocket van, I'm roasting it."

Ash let out a small chuckle. "Cool"

They kept walking, the dirt road stretching ahead, leading them home. Pallet Town wasn't the same anymore. But for now, at least, they still had each other.