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"Is that... Ash's Pidgeotto?"
Pidgeotto flew directly to the location where the incident had occurred and hovered in the sky above for several moments. When everyone looked up at the Flying-type Pokémon, Misty immediately recognized it as Ash's Pidgeotto.
Since Pidgeotto was supposed to still be receiving treatment at the Pokémon Center, Misty felt a surge of concern. However, before she could voice her worries, she watched as Pidgeotto suddenly flew off with determination in a specific direction.
"Does Pidgeotto somehow know where Ash is?" Gary wondered aloud.
While the scene was certainly surprising, Pidgeotto's behavior didn't appear to be random searching. The Pokémon seemed to have a clear destination in mind.
"Well, there's only one way to find out—we need to follow it!" Regardless of whether Pidgeotto actually knew Ash's location, this was their only lead at the moment, so Gary spoke up immediately.
"But how can we possibly keep up with Pidgeotto?" Misty asked with obvious worry.
Pidgeotto appeared anxious and showed no intention of waiting for them to catch up. While the police could request helicopter support, by the time the aircraft arrived and was ready for deployment, Pidgeotto would be long gone.
"I have an idea! Fearow, go follow it!" Gary exclaimed, having thought of a solution.
He threw his Poké Ball, and Fearow emerged in a flash of light. Following Gary's instructions, the large Bird Pokémon took flight immediately.
The plan was simple: no matter where Pidgeotto went, Fearow would follow closely behind. Once they reached Pidgeotto's destination, Fearow could return and guide the rest of the group to the same location.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the situation, Team Rocket's massive airship had successfully arrived at Cinnabar Island. In the holding cell aboard the spacecraft, Ash slowly opened his eyes, exhaustion evident in his expression. His forehead was damp with perspiration, and he was breathing heavily.
"I hope I can make it in time!" he murmured to himself.
Glancing through the small window at the smoking volcano visible in the distance, Ash leaned back against the cold metal wall and found himself drifting into an uneasy sleep.
Outside the spacecraft, all four Team Rocket Executives had disembarked and were now positioned in the forest area not far from the volcanic mountain ahead of them.
In a cleared area among the trees, another group of Team Rocket members was operating sophisticated detection equipment, directing their sensors toward the volcano looming before them.
"Beep beep beep!"
"What's the status report?" Archer demanded, responding to the electronic alerts sounding in his earpiece.
"Detection results indicate that the internal temperature of Cinnabar Volcano appears to be continuing to decrease!" one of the technicians quickly turned around to report their findings.
"Hmph! So you really are hiding here, aren't you?" Archer sneered upon hearing this confirmation.
Although Moltres naturally possessed ultra-high temperature flames, when the legendary Pokémon was injured, it would instinctively absorb thermal energy from the volcano to aid in its recovery. This process inevitably caused the volcano's overall temperature to drop significantly.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's begin the capture operation immediately!" Proton declared eagerly after hearing the report.
"Not so fast," Archer cautioned, maintaining his composure. "That man is currently at the Cinnabar Island Gym. Using the spaceship to approach would be far too conspicuous and likely to attract unwanted attention. Prepare the rocket launchers, capture nets, cooling rays, and helicopters instead!"
Archer remained calm and calculating as he narrowed his eyes, studying the volcanic mountain that lay ahead of them.
"Hmph! That traitor—we should deal with him while we're here too," Ariana interjected. The person they were discussing was none other than Blaine.
Clearly, everyone present had been well-acquainted with Blaine during his time with Team Rocket. However, after Blaine's departure from the organization, they now considered him a traitor to their cause.
"Hey, hey, hey! The Boss never gave orders regarding that matter. It would be best not to create unnecessary complications!" Petrel also spoke up. Unlike the others, his personality was more relaxed and carefree.
Although Blaine had indeed left Team Rocket, their leader had never issued any specific instructions about dealing with him. If they took matters into their own hands without authorization, they could face serious consequences.
"Exactly. Our objective this time is solely Moltres—there's no need to complicate things unnecessarily," Archer agreed with Petrel's assessment.
Moreover, Blaine wouldn't be an easy opponent to handle. Despite having focused primarily on research in recent years, his capabilities as a trainer should not be underestimated.
"Tch!" Seeing that both Archer and Petrel opposed her suggestion, Ariana decided not to press the matter further.
"Prepare for deployment. We move out in twenty minutes!" Archer issued his orders, signaling for his subordinates to begin their preparations.
"Yes, sir!"
Upon hearing the command, all Team Rocket members sprang into action. Their spacecraft was enormous, with three helicopters docked directly within its cargo bay. Soon, the three aircraft emerged from the ship and descended to hover near ground level, lowering rope ladders for boarding.
The four Executives divided themselves among the three helicopters, and the aircraft began rising into the air, flying toward the volcano. The main spacecraft remained stationary, with numerous Team Rocket members continuing to guard it.
"Whoosh!"
After the Team Rocket forces departed, a shadowy figure emerged from behind the jungle trees not far from the landing site. The mysterious observer squinted slightly while watching the direction of the spacecraft with keen interest.
Cinnabar Gym
"Hello, is Blaine available?"
At this time, Green, who was also on Cinnabar Island, had arrived at the Cinnabar Gym. Since Blaine had agreed to help investigate the situation, Green had decided to remain on Cinnabar Island while awaiting developments.
After waiting for an extended period without Blaine's return, she had made her way to the Cinnabar Gym and knocked on the entrance door.
"Coming! Oh? It's Green! Please, come inside!" The door opened shortly afterward, revealing Blaine himself. Upon seeing Green, he quickly gestured for her to enter the gym.
"Blaine, do you have any news yet?" Green asked about Ash's situation as she walked into the main hall.
"Well... we are currently in discussions about that matter," Blaine responded carefully.
After hearing Blaine refer to "we," Green noticed that there was indeed another person present in the hall, sitting at a table and quietly sipping tea.
"Allow me to make introductions," Blaine began formally. "This is Agatha from the Elite Four, and this is Green from Pallet Town. She recently earned a Badge from me in battle. She's a friend of the young trainer named Ash, and she came here to inquire about his current condition."
Blaine introduced them to each other properly. Green felt a sense of familiarity upon seeing Agatha, and her surprise only increased when she heard Blaine's introduction.
Elite Four Trainers were incredibly rare to encounter in person, and Agatha, the elderly woman before her, was the most senior member of the Kanto Elite Four.
Despite her advanced age, Agatha had managed to surpass both Lorelei and Bruno in skill and ranking, securing the second position among the Kanto Elite Four. She was widely regarded as one of the ultimate goals pursued by many female trainers throughout the region.
Agatha also narrowed her eyes as she studied Green carefully, as if she could read the young trainer's character and intentions at a single glance. Green felt somewhat nervous under this intense scrutiny, but she managed not to show any signs of intimidation.
After a long moment of evaluation, Agatha seemed to nod with satisfaction. Green's personality—lively but somewhat cunning and mischievous—appeared to strike just the right chord with the Elite Four member.
After all, Agatha herself had never been what one might call a "well-behaved" person during her own youth, so Green's spirited character appealed to her sensibilities perfectly.