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Ash instinctively turned his head toward the building in the distance, as if he could sense something emanating from within its walls. His expression grew tense as an unexplainable feeling washed over him.
Giovanni seemed to notice Ash's focused gaze. He followed the young trainer's line of sight and mentally calculated the timing. Everything should be falling into place right about now.
"Can you feel it?" Giovanni asked with a knowing smile, his voice carrying a hint of fascination. "It appears Archer was correct about you. You truly do possess incredible power. Tell me, what exactly is this ability of yours?"
Giovanni studied Ash intently, genuinely curious about the mysterious force that seemed to radiate from the young trainer.
"What are you planning to do?" Ash demanded, completely ignoring Giovanni's question. His voice carried a mixture of determination and suspicion.
"Don't worry about that," Giovanni replied with a slight, mysterious smile. "You'll find out soon enough, I assure you."
Ash's frown deepened as he surveyed the Team Rocket members surrounding them. He took a deliberate step forward, preparing to make his next move, when suddenly a powerful gust of wind swept across the area.
The unexpected air current made Ash pause momentarily. Then the distinct sound of helicopter rotors filled his ears, growing louder with each passing second.
A helicopter bearing the unmistakable red "R" logo of Team Rocket descended through the gap in the building's structure. Giovanni began walking confidently toward the aircraft, causing Ash's expression to darken with realization.
"Don't even think about escaping!" Ash shouted, seeing Giovanni's obvious intent to flee. He couldn't allow the Team Rocket leader to get away so easily and was about to signal Charizard to intervene.
However, Giovanni merely sneered and glanced meaningfully behind Ash before issuing a calculated command.
"Nidoqueen, use Water Pulse!"
Despite having sustained injuries during the earlier battle, Nidoqueen still retained enough strength to fight. The Ground-type Pokémon gathered water energy once again, but this time chose a different strategy. Instead of launching the attack at close range, Nidoqueen formed a condensed water orb and launched it across the room with precision.
The target wasn't Ash or his Charizard, however. The Water Pulse flew past them both, heading directly toward the area behind Ash where someone else was hiding.
Giovanni never made unnecessary moves, and seeing this tactical strike, Ash suddenly realized something crucial. He and Giovanni weren't the only people in this room.
Spinning around quickly, Ash saw the Water Pulse speeding toward the large desk at the back of the office. President Silph was crouched behind it, having taken shelter there during the intense battle between Charizard and Nidoqueen.
"Pikachu!" Ash called out urgently upon witnessing the dangerous situation.
"Pika! Pika-chu!" Pikachu responded instantly, leaping into action with remarkable speed. The Electric-type Pokémon's tail began to glow with metallic energy as it spun through the air. Just as President Silph looked up in terror, Pikachu's Iron Tail connected with the Water Pulse attack, deflecting it to the side.
BOOM!
The redirected water orb crashed into the opposite wall with tremendous force, creating an explosive impact that shook the entire room. Debris scattered everywhere, but the immediate crisis had been averted.
President Silph exhaled deeply in relief, grateful to have escaped unharmed. Ash also felt the tension leave his shoulders, but his relief was short-lived. When he turned back toward Giovanni's position, his heart sank.
The Team Rocket leader had already boarded the waiting helicopter. A flash of red light indicated that Nidoqueen had been recalled to its Poké Ball. Giovanni now stood confidently in the aircraft's doorway, looking down at Ash with an amused expression.
"My apologies," Giovanni called out in his characteristic calm tone. "While I would certainly enjoy continuing our little game, I have other pressing matters to attend to. Until we meet again!"
As soon as Giovanni finished speaking, the helicopter began to pull away from the Silph Company building. Ash clenched his fists tightly, his instinct telling him to give chase immediately.
"Ash!"
A familiar voice called from behind him, interrupting his thoughts. Green and Sabrina emerged through the hole in the wall that had been created when Pikachu deflected the Water Pulse attack moments earlier.
Ash hesitated, glancing between his approaching friends and the rapidly retreating helicopter. The aircraft was already becoming a distant speck in the sky.
"Damn it!" Ash muttered through gritted teeth, frustration evident in his voice as he watched his opportunity slip away.
"Ash, are you injured?" Green asked with concern as she approached, taking in the destruction around them. The intensity of the recent battle was obvious from the state of the office.
"I'm fine," Ash replied, shaking his head. Then he looked at both Green and Sabrina with curiosity. "What happened to those two executives you were fighting?"
They had been dealing with Petrel and Proton when he last saw them, but there was no sign of either Team Rocket member now.
"There was a sudden explosion during our battle, and they used the confusion to escape," Sabrina explained as she joined them. "We were fighting in the corridor when the wall suddenly burst open, creating enough chaos and smoke for them to slip away unnoticed."
After hearing this explanation, Ash understood that it was Pikachu's deflected Water Pulse that had caused the explosion, inadvertently providing the perfect cover for the two Team Rocket executives to make their escape.
"I see," Ash said with resignation.
"Thank you all so much for saving Silph Company!" President Silph approached them, his voice filled with genuine gratitude. "I was trapped in this situation for so long, and I honestly didn't know how much longer it would continue. Without your help, who knows what might have happened."
"It was nothing," Ash replied modestly. "I simply accepted a request from Erika and Miss Kyoko to help."
"Erika asked you to come?" President Silph's expression showed both surprise and concern. "I was worried that she might be in danger too, so I made sure not to contact her during this ordeal."
"Dad! President Silph!"
New voices echoed through the damaged office as two more figures entered, followed closely by Officer Jenny.
"Erika!" President Silph called out with relief and joy.
"Dad, are you hurt?" Erika rushed to his side, her voice thick with worry that she had been carrying for hours.
"I'm perfectly fine, Erika. I'm sorry for making you worry about me," President Silph said, clearly moved by his daughter's concern and presence.
"It's alright, Dad. I'm just glad you're safe." Erika shook her head, dismissing his apology before turning to face Ash. "Thank you so much, Ash, for everything you've done."
"It was nothing," Ash responded, though his expression remained troubled. "Unfortunately, Team Rocket still managed to escape with the Master Ball."
"That doesn't matter anymore," President Silph said firmly. "The original purpose behind developing the Master Ball technology was to benefit trainers everywhere. I never expected it would bring such terrible consequences to my company and family. Losing the Master Ball might actually be a blessing in disguise for all of us."
President Silph felt fortunate simply to have survived the ordeal. The Master Ball had become nothing but a source of trouble and danger, attracting the wrong kind of attention from criminal organizations.
"But it's going to be a disaster for whatever Pokémon Team Rocket decides to target with it," Ash said grimly, looking toward the gap in the wall where Giovanni's helicopter had disappeared. His voice carried a cold edge of determination.
President Silph paused, struck by the truth of Ash's words. Indeed, if the Master Ball fell into Team Rocket's hands and they used it for their evil purposes, it would spell misfortune for innocent Pokémon everywhere. The technology that was meant to help might now become a tool of oppression and control in the wrong hands.