Pokemon: Resurgence Chapter 89

Hi all,  Here’s the next chapter.  Chapter 89 Zapdos needed to be dealt with before it destroyed Lavender Town.  Lucas looked around before

Hi all, 

Here’s the next chapter. 

Chapter 89

Zapdos needed to be dealt with before it destroyed Lavender Town. 

Lucas looked around before discreetly releasing Raijin's pokeball. The young Zapdos erupted into the sky. Blue patterns traced across his wings—a permanent sign of the primal energy he'd absorbed from the Blue Orb. 

The Legendary Pokemon was now level 48, not because he had absorbed the Red Orb, but due to months of battling and gaining experience. Lucas still hadn’t completed the quest to obtain the Red Orb, but he was close, having worked on his relationship with Rayquaza. 

Zapdos paused when Raijin appeared and flew up to meet his parent. The adult legendary's eyes locked onto Raijin. Recognition flickered across its features, then vanished. The blue markings on Raijin's body and its energy reading had confused its senses. It couldn’t be sure if it was the same offspring that it gave up.

Raijin circled higher, screeching as it tried to communicate with the adult Zapados. The Pokemon responded with a harsh screech, wings spreading wide in a territorial display.

Below, Lucas released his entire team and ordered them to spread out to help the citizens evacuate. He sprinted deeper into town. As he passed a collapsed building, he heard screams coming from inside. 

He paused and started searching through the debris. Through a gap in the twisted metal and concrete, he spotted movement. A man hammered his fists against a collapsed wall while a woman pressed two small children against her chest.

"Stop," Lucas shouted. "You'll bring the rest of the building down on top of you."

The man's pounding ceased. He retreated, his chest heaving.

Lucas extended his palms. Blue energy erupted outward, forming a translucent dome that pressed against the sagging structure. The barrier creaked under the weight but held. He grabbed a length of broken rebar and used it as a lever, wedging it against a concrete slab. The gap widened inch by precious inch.

"Can you move?"

The man scooped up both children while his wife squeezed through the opening Lucas had created. The man followed, passing the children to her before squeezing through himself.

The building shuddered. Fresh cracks spider-webbed across what remained of the wall.

"Run," Lucas ordered.

They fled without a backwards glance. Lucas held the barrier until they cleared the danger zone, then released his hold. The rest of the structure collapsed with a thunderous crash.

A deafening screech split the night. Lucas’ head jerked up, eyes widening in horror as he realised Raijin had failed to convince his parent. 

Zapdos gathered power, every feather blazing with accumulated charge. The legendary's body became a living thundercloud. The lightning bolt erupted downward with devastating force. Raijin twisted desperately aside, the attack missing him by a hair's breadth. The massive electrical discharge struck the memorial tower dead centre.

Stone exploded. The weakened structure, already damaged by earlier blasts, couldn't withstand the impact. The upper floors buckled, then separated entirely from the building's foundation.

Tonnes of carved granite plummeted toward the streets below, where fleeing civilians scattered in panic. 

Before Lucas could react, the debris froze, suspended in mid-air. An invisible force held each piece of masonry steady, keeping them motionless twenty feet above the ground.

Lucas spotted her immediately. Sabrina stood at the far end of the street, her hands raised toward the sky, using her telekinesis to hold the debris. If she could lift an entire ship with her powers, holding up a collapsed building should be a piece of cake.

He grinned despite the chaotic situation. He should have expected this. The woman couldn't resist a crisis. But how did she know she was here? 

The debris settled gently onto the street, and Sabrina released her hold. 

A new sound cut through the night, wailing that raised every hair on Lucas's neck. Dozens of ghost-type Pokemon emerged from the memorial tower's remains. Gastly, Haunters, and Gengars. The tower had been their sacred resting place. Its destruction had enraged them beyond reason.

They attacked everything within reach. A fleeing couple screamed as a Haunter materialised in their path, its claws raking deep gouges across the man's chest. Blood soaked through his torn shirt as his wife dragged him backwards, her face pale with terror.

Lucas spotted several Team Rocket members who'd been using the chaos as cover to move through the streets. The vengeful Pokemon had trapped them between a burning building and themselves. One of the members released a Golbat, the bat Pokemon's wings beating frantically as two Haunters circled it like sharks.

The Golbat's Supersonic attack passed harmlessly through them. One Haunter phased through the Pokemon's body, its icy touch draining the bat's strength. The Golbat plummeted, crashing into a pile of rubble.

Another operative tried to flee down a narrow alley. A massive Gengar materialised at the alley's mouth, blocking his escape. The ghost-type advanced on the terrified criminal. Each step the man took backwards brought him closer to the flames consuming the building behind him.

"Please," the grunt stammered, fumbling for another pokeball. "I surrender—"

The Gengar's Shadow Ball caught him square in the chest, hurling him against the brick wall. 

Lucas condensed his aura into a spear form. The first lance streaked across the street, punching through a Team Rocket member's shoulder blade and spinning him around. The man hit the pavement hard, his pokeball rolling away into the gutter.

A second operative spotted Lucas and broke into a desperate sprint, heading for a chain-link fence that separated two buildings. Lucas formed another lance. The projectile caught the fleeing criminal in the back of his thigh, severing muscle and dropping him face-first onto the concrete.

The man screamed, clutching his ruined leg as blood pooled beneath him.

"Behind you," Sabrina called, arriving at his side.

Lucas spun. A Haunter materialised inches from his face, claws extended. Icarus swooped down, Steel-type energy covering his wings, and caught the ghost-type across its spectral body. The Haunter was immediately knocked unconscious.

"How did you find me?" Lucas asked.

"I have my ways."

Max appeared from around the corner. A Thunder Punch scattered three Gastly, their forms breaking apart before reforming further away. 

"This isn't working," Sabrina said, her Kasumi appearing beside her. The Alakazam's spoons aligned, psychic energy rippling outward to hold several ghost-types at bay. "There are too many of them."

More ghosts poured from the tower's ruins like smoke given malevolent form. For every spirit they defeated, two more emerged from the rubble. The memorial had housed hundreds of ghost-type Pokemon, and every last one seemed determined to exact vengeance for their desecrated sanctuary.

Lucas shook his head. They were overwhelmed. For every ghost they defeated, five more took their place.

Salem emerged from behind Sabrina. The Banette's zipper mouth stretched wide in a predatory grin.

The attacking ghosts paused, sensing something terrible in their midst. But Salem didn't wait for them. He lunged at the nearest Gastly, its claws tearing through its gaseous form. The poison-type's shriek cut off abruptly as Salem's Shadow Claw ripped it apart. He turned on a cluster of Haunters and proceeded to wipe them out.

The ghost-types tried to phase away, but Salem's attacks followed them into the ethereal plane. He caught a fleeing Misdreavus, dragging it back into the physical world where his Sucker Punch smashed in its spectral skull.

A massive Gengar materialised behind Salem, a Shadow Ball charging between its hands. Salem spun without looking, dodging to the side to avoid the attack. He returned the favour, unleashing a Shadow Ball that launched the Gengar backwards.

The remaining ghosts scattered in genuine terror. Within seconds, the streets were emptied of spectral forms. Lucas didn’t blame them. Salem was simply too powerful. He had already been at a high level previously, but hadn’t stopped training with Sabrina, and was now level 87.

"Show off," Lucas muttered.

Salem's grin widened further before the Banette faded back into the shadows.

Above, Zapdos and Raijin continued their aerial confrontation. He was outmatched, which made it seem like Zapdos wasn't giving its full effort.

"We need to stop this," Sabrina said, watching the display overhead.

"Any suggestions?" Lucas asked wryly.

Before she could respond, their attention was caught as a new player entered the stage. Mew materialised between the two battling Zapdos, its small form dwarfed by the legendary birds. But size meant nothing to it, as raw psychic power erupted from it.

Invisible chains wrapped around the adult Zapdos mid-flight. The legendary's wings locked against its sides as psychic energy held it completely immobile. 

Lucas stared upward, his mouth falling open. He'd witnessed Mew's abilities before, but restraining a fully-powered legendary Pokemon required strength beyond his comprehension. The adult Zapdos thrashed against its psychic bonds, eyes blazing with fury, yet couldn't move so much as a single feather.

Raijin seized the opportunity. The young legendary circled his trapped parent, calling out in sharp, pleading cries. Now that it didn’t have to worry about surviving, it could persuade its parent without interruption.

The adult Zapdos stopped struggling. Its eyes tracked Raijin's movements, recognition slowly dawning. 

A softer screech escaped the adult's throat. The rage drained from its expression, replaced by confusion and something approaching wonder. How had its offspring gained such power? What had transformed the young Zapdos into this hybrid creature?

Raijin landed on his parents' back, tiny compared to the massive form beneath him. He nuzzled against the adult's neck, electricity arcing harmlessly between their feathers. The family bond reasserted itself despite the transformation.

Mew released its psychic hold. The adult Zapdos remained motionless for several heartbeats, processing this unexpected reunion. Then, with a gentler cry than any it had produced tonight, it spread its wings.

Both legendary birds rose into the sky. Within moments, they disappeared into the cloud cover, leaving only the distant rumble of thunder.

Lucas didn’t mind. He could catch up with Raijin later. He would prefer that the Pokemon didn’t return to him and potentially expose him as his trainer. 

Mew hovered for a brief second, its blue eyes meeting Lucas'. No words passed between them before the Pokemon vanished.

"Mew saves the day again,” Sabrina murmured. “That could have gone a lot worse.”

“Mew sure packs some power for such a midget.” Lucas grinned. “I saw how it restrained Mewtwo, but I still underestimated it.”

"The important thing is Zapdos is gone," Sabrina replied. "The town's safe."

Sirens wailed in the distance, growing louder as emergency services approached. Lucas recalled his Pokemon.

Police carriages thundered around the corner. Officer Jenny leapt down from the driver's bench, her blue hair dishevelled and her uniform bearing scorch marks. She surveyed the devastation with a grim determination.

Jenny barked orders at her officers, directing them to start searching for survivors.

"Are the two of you okay?" she asked, approaching Lucas and Sabrina. 

Lucas shrugged. “We’re fine, but I can’t speak for the rest of the town.”

"And the legendary Pokemon?"

"Gone. Something spooked it off."

"Alright. If you’re fine, then I need you to vacate the area so we can start searching for survivors.”

Jenny jogged back toward her officers. 

His phone buzzed. Shichiro's name flashed on the screen.

"Is Lavender Town okay?" The Prime Minister's voice sounded strained.

"For now. Zapdos appeared, but we managed to convince it to leave. But it caused a lot of destruction. It’s going to take some time to clean up the mess.”

"Good. I hope there aren’t any casualties. Is Sabrina with you?"

"Yeah. Her timing was impeccable."

Sabrina leaned closer to the phone. "I told you I'd be fine. How are you holding up?"

A heavy sigh carried through the speaker. "I've had better days. Since you warned me about the breach in my security detail, I've moved my wife and me to a secret location. I can only give orders over the phone."

"Where do you need us?" Lucas asked.

"I need you to help out with the remaining cities. Lavender Town isn't the only city under attack. Since you destroyed the tower near Saffron City, we were spared the main offensive. But Celadon, Vermillion and Cerulean are facing massive obstacles. The Western Elite Four, Gym Leaders, and Team Rocket members are attacking the cities."

Lucas frowned. "What about our own Elite Four? Where's Lance?"

"They're defending the cities, along with the army and the local authorities. But they caught us completely off guard. The sheer number of Western forces is overwhelming. The cities are in chaos. Cerulean City is the worst off because its teleportation tower has been destroyed, and we’re finding it hard to get personnel there. Whether it was the enemy who destroyed it, or they did it themselves, remains unknown.”

Sabrina gripped Lucas's arm. "We'll go and help, but you need to look after yourself, Uncle. They must still be searching for you. They have to know this attack won't work in the long run. Only by kidnapping you do they believe they can achieve their goals."

"I'm well aware. Don't worry—"

An explosion thundered through the phone line, so loud that Lucas jerked the device away from his ear. Static crackled across the connection before cutting to dead silence.

"Shichiro, what was that?!" Lucas shouted into the phone.

"Uncle!" Sabrina grabbed the phone.

The line reconnected with a burst of static. Shichiro's voice came through, breathless and shaken. "I don't know what it was. I'm going to check it out."

The call ended before Sabrina could respond.

"We need to get to Saffron City now," Sabrina said, her face pale. "Something bad is happening."

Lucas nodded, already reaching for pokeballs. "Dante!"

The Gardevoir materialised beside them. At the same moment, Sabrina released Kasumi, the Alakazam's spoons catching the firelight.

"We need to teleport to the secret base outside Saffron City,” Lucas ordered.

He didn’t know the current situation, so he didn’t want to teleport directly into the city. Besides, he wouldn’t even know where to start looking for Shichiro. 

Dante grasped his shoulder while Kasumi placed a hand on Sabrina's arm. The world blurred around them, and they materialised in the secret base outside Saffron City. They wasted no time and headed for the exit.

They followed the main road to the city entrance. Saffron City's skyline appeared in the distance, its towers and office blocks showing no signs of disturbance. 

"Looks peaceful," Sabrina said.

"Too peaceful," Lucas replied. "If the city were under direct attack, we'd see it from here."

They approached the security checkpoint at the city's eastern entrance. Two guards stood at their posts, alert but not panicked. Their Pokemon, an Arcanine and a Machamp, stood beside them, ready.

"Evening," the senior guard called out, recognising them both. “What are you doing here?”

"I need to see the Prime Minister," Sabrina said. "We believe he’s in danger.”

The guard's expression sobered. "The city's on lockdown as of an hour ago. Orders from the top. No specifics, but we're not letting anyone in without clearance."

Sabrina raised an eyebrow. "Are you going to stop the Prime Minister's niece from entering?” 

The guard studied their faces, then stepped aside. "Watch yourselves in there."

They passed through the checkpoint and broke into a run. The streets felt too empty—Saffron never slept completely, but tonight even the late-night establishments had shuttered their doors. 

They didn’t have a destination in mind, so their actions felt kind of futile. How were they supposed to find Shichiro in a city this big?

Sabrina's phone buzzed, and she snatched it up. "Uncle?"

"Sabrina, I got some weird vibes." Bree's voice carried clearly through the speaker. "Is anything wrong with Uncle?"

"We think he may have been attacked. But we don't know where he is at the moment. Do you have any idea?"

"Hold on a moment."

The line went quiet. Lucas and Sabrina exchanged glances, both holding their breath. Seconds stretched into what felt like minutes.

"I'm getting a sense that Uncle is surrounded by a lot of technology," Bree said finally.

Lucas snapped his fingers. "The Silph Company.”

"Why would Uncle be there?" Sabrina asked.

"Who knows?"

Sabrina spoke into the phone. "Bree, do you know—Bree?!"

The line went dead. Sabrina stared at her phone in frustration.

"She hung up on me."

"Doesn't matter. We know where we need to go."

Lucas released Saphira from her pokeball, the massive Dragonite's bulk filling the street. She manipulated the wind, picking them up and depositing them on her back.

"Silph Company building," Lucas said. "Fast as you can."

Saphira's wings beat once, launching them skyward. As they approached the Silph Company headquarters, dark smoke became visible against the night sky. 

"There," Sabrina pointed.

Saphira banked toward the building. The street below swarmed with people—scientists, office workers, and security personnel trying to maintain order. The building's lobby windows showed scorch marks and shattered glass.

"Not much room to land," Lucas muttered, scanning the packed street.

Saphira touched down in a gap between two parked carriages. Her massive form caused a stir among the evacuated employees, but Lucas ignored their stares.

"President Yamamoto!" Sabrina called out, spotting a distinguished man in an expensive suit directing his staff.

The Silph Company president turned, relief washing over his face. "Sabrina, thank goodness. It's horrible. Shichiro has been kidnapped by Giovanni."

"What?" Sabrina froze. "How did this happen? When?"

"Only moments ago. Shichiro was hiding in the building with his wife, but there was an explosion. Giovanni and several of his goons entered, but they weren't interested in any of us. He headed straight for where Shichiro was hiding."

"What about my aunt? Is she okay?"

"Yes. Shichiro gave himself up so she wouldn't be found."

Sabrina spun around, scanning the crowd frantically. "Where is she?"

"She was taken to the hospital. She took a fall when the explosion happened. She should be fine, though."

"Why was Shichiro here?" Lucas asked.

President Yamamoto ran a hand through his grey hair. "We were running some tests on Porygon. The Pokemon will be implemented into the network soon, so we wanted to make sure we ironed out any bugs before the launch."

"Do you think Giovanni is after Porygon?" Sabrina asked.

"It would make sense," Lucas said. "Anyone who controls the Pokemon has the internet under their control, and it can infiltrate any computer system. Maybe it's the reason he's helping the separatists. He planned to take advantage of the chaos to steal the Pokemon."

President Yamamoto shook his head. "Well, Giovanni's out of luck. Shichiro sent Porygon into the network before he was captured. No one can get to the Pokemon now."

"So he kidnapped Shichiro for nothing?" Sabrina asked.

"That was part of the plan all along," Lucas said, "even if obtaining Porygon was his true goal."

Sabrina's phone rang again. She answered immediately.

"Bree?"

"I can feel him," Bree said. "He's somewhere underground.”

"Giovanni must have taken him into the underground tunnels," Lucas said.

Sabrina's gaze hardened. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's go."

“Dante can teleport us into the settlement,” Lucas said. “We can get ahead of Giovanni and lay a trap.”

Sabrina nodded. “You go first. Send Dante back to come get me. The bastard needs to pay. I won’t let him get away again.”

Lucas wasn't surprised by her vehemence. Giovanni had orchestrated her parents' murder when she was eight years old, transforming a child's world into a nightmare of blood and terror. The crime boss had wanted to capture Sabrina for his twisted experiments, planning to splice her psychic abilities with Pokemon genetics to create some abomination. Her father had died protecting his family. Her mother had bled out on the bedroom floor whilst Sabrina stood in the doorway.

They'd spent the past several months hunting Giovanni in Western Kanto. Despite all their efforts, they hadn’t managed to find the man.

Now Giovanni had emerged from whatever hole he'd been hiding in, striking at the heart of Kanto's government. The man's audacity knew no bounds.

But Giovanni had made one crucial mistake. He'd given them a target. For the first time in months, they knew exactly where he was and what he was doing. Their prey had finally revealed himself, and Lucas intended to make him pay.

The reckoning had been a long time coming.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Sarah Reed crouched behind an overturned carriage, her camera operator beside her, as explosions rocked Cerulean City's commercial district. The acrid smell of smoke filled her nostrils and stung her eyes.

"This is Sarah Reed reporting live from Cerulean City, where coordinated attacks have brought chaos to the streets," she said. "What began as simultaneous strikes on critical infrastructure has escalated into urban warfare."

The camera swept across the wreckage. Flames consumed the skeletal remains of buildings while survivors huddled together, trying not to attract the invader's attention. Shattered glass carpeted the pavements in glittering sheets, and ice encased Cerulean's famous canals, freezing them solid.

"The attackers have systematically targeted the city’s infrastructure, like the police station, hospitals, and administrative buildings," Sarah continued, ducking as another explosion shook the ground. "But their primary focus appears to be the Cerulean Gym. Your intrepid reporter is risking life and limb to bring this disaster to you, live."

Though it was evening, enough fires lit the city bright enough for cameras to capture every detail. Sarah could see the gym's distinctive blue dome. The building had been converted into an emergency shelter, its massive water stadium providing space for displaced citizens. But the sanctuary was under siege.

Pryce stood at the assault's head. The Elite Four member commanded his forces, directing his ice-type Pokemon in coordinated waves against the gym's defences.

"The ringleader has been identified as Pryce, the leader of the separatists," Sarah reported, zooming in on the elderly trainer. "His Pokemon are attempting to breach the main entrance."

Outside the entrance, the Waterflower sisters fought desperately. They were holding nothing back, employing their full roster of Pokemon. But for every attacker they repelled, two more took their place. The sisters were losing ground. Their Pokemon were showing signs of exhaustion. 

"The gym leaders are putting up valiant resistance," Sarah said, "but they're outnumbered three to one. The civilians inside..."

She couldn't finish the sentence.

A massive Avalanche attack from Pryce's Mamoswine buried the gym's eastern wall under tonnes of snow and ice. The building shuddered, its structural integrity compromised. Cracks appeared in the dome as the weight pressed down.

"The situation is critical," Sarah said. "If the building collapses—"

A pink flash caught her eye. A small figure zipped by, moving toward the gym.

"Wait," she breathed, her voice rising with excitement. "There's something in the streets. A Pokemon. I can't quite... my God, is that—"

The Pokemon stopped in front of the gym. Psychic energy erupted outward in visible waves. Every attacking Pokemon froze mid-assault, their bodies locked in place by invisible bonds. Even Pryce's massive Mamoswine stood statue-still, its trunk raised but unable to complete its charge. 

Their trainers tried to run away, but they were knocked unconscious before they could even take a few steps. Pryce was the only human among the invaders that was left standing.

"It's Mew!" Sarah shouted into her microphone, abandoning all pretence of professional composure. "The legendary Pokemon Mew has arrived!"

The psychic assault intensified. One by one, the attacking Pokemon dropped unconscious, their forms crumpling to the ground. 

Pryce staggered backwards, his face pale with shock and dawning terror. He reached for another pokeball, but Mew's gaze fixed on him with predatory focus. Psychic energy slammed into the former Elite Four member like a physical blow, lifting him off his feet and hurling him into a snowbank. He hit the frozen ground hard and didn't move again.

"This is incredible!" Sarah gasped, her camera operator struggling to capture the scene. "Mew has single-handedly neutralised the entire attacking force. Every last invader has been incapacitated!"

The legendary Pokemon hovered for a moment, surveying its work. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, Mew vanished.

Within minutes, Sarah's phone buzzed with urgent messages. Similar scenes were unfolding across Eastern Kanto. In Celadon City, Mew had appeared just as Giovanni's forces breached the department store that served as an evacuation centre. The legendary Pokemon had swept through the attackers like a force of nature, leaving unconscious criminals and their Pokemon scattered across the shopping district.

Vermillion City told the same story. Lt. Surge's gym had been surrounded by separatist forces when Mew materialised above the harbour. The attacking trainers never stood a chance. Their Pokemon collapsed in waves, overwhelmed by psychic power beyond their comprehension.

"This is Sarah Reed with breaking news," she announced, her voice trembling with excitement and relief. "The legendary Pokemon Mew has appeared simultaneously in three cities under attack, systematically defeating every invading force. The message is clear—make war, and face the consequences. Has everyone forgotten Arceus’ Decree? It seems like Mew is acting as the enforcer this time.”

In the distance, cheers erupted from the Cerulean Gym as the doors burst open. Families poured out into the street, children pointing at the sky where Mew had vanished. The chant started small but grew quickly, spreading from building to building as word spread.

"Mew! Mew! Mew!"

The legendary Pokemon's name echoed through the streets, a glorious scene. 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Lucas crouched behind the support beam, his Pokemon positioned at strategic points throughout the tunnel junction. Sabrina had taken cover thirty metres ahead, her team spread across the opposite wall. They'd chosen this ambush point carefully,

The settlement lay a kilometre north. Giovanni would pass through here if he followed the main passage. It was a risk to assume the crime boss was heading north, but Lucas trusted his instincts. 

Footsteps echoed from the southern passage. Lucas tensed, pressing himself deeper into the shadows. A torch beam swept across the tunnel walls, followed by harsh voices barking orders.

"Move faster," a gravelly voice commanded. "We're behind schedule."

Six figures emerged at the junction. Giovanni strode at the centre, his expensive suit incongruous in the grimy underground. Two bodyguards flanked him whilst three grunts pushed Shichiro forward from behind. The Prime Minister's hands were bound behind his back, blood trickling from a cut above his left eye.

Lucas caught Sabrina's attention with a subtle hand gesture. She nodded.

"Now," Lucas whispered.

Their Pokemon attacked simultaneously. Max charged from the shadows, his massive fist crackling with electrical energy. The Thunder Punch caught the lead bodyguard square in the chest, launching him backwards into the tunnel wall. Sabrina's Ashura materialised behind the second guard, Close Combat strikes dropping the man before he could react.

Giovanni spun towards Lucas, his eyes blazing with fury. "Walker."

"Surprised to see me?" Lucas stepped into the torchlight, Nero emerging beside him with jaws snapping.

The crime boss released three Pokemon in rapid succession. Nidoking, Rhydon, and Dugtrio materialised in defensive positions around their trainer. His remaining grunts fumbled for their pokeballs whilst backing towards the southern passage.

"Kill them all," Giovanni snarled.

The tunnel erupted into chaos. Nero's Earthquake rippled through the ground, cracking concrete and sending the Dugtrio diving for cover. Sabrina's Kasumi appeared overhead, psychic energy slamming into the Rhydon with devastating force.

Giovanni's Nidoking retaliated with a Megahorn that caught Max in the shoulder, drawing blood. The massive Electivire roared in pain but maintained his grip, grappling with the Pokemon.

Lucas formed an aura lance, the crystalline materialising above his palm. The projectile streaked towards Giovanni, who dove aside at the last second. The lance shattered against the tunnel wall.

"You missed," Giovanni sneered, pulling Shichiro closer. A knife appeared in his hand, the blade pressed against the Prime Minister's throat.

Sabrina's Pokemon hesitated, unwilling to risk their trainer's uncle. Giovanni's lips curved into a cold smile.

"Stand down, or he dies."

The Nidoking broke free from Max's grip, its horn glowing with poison energy. Instead of attacking the Electivire, it pivoted towards the ceiling. The Horn Drill carved through reinforced concrete like paper, boring deep holes into the structural supports.

"No!" Lucas lunged forward.

Too late. The Nidoking's final strike punched through a critical beam. Concrete rained down in massive chunks as the tunnel ceiling collapsed. Lucas threw himself sideways, his aura barrier flaring to life around him.

A section of concrete the size of a carriage crashed down inches from his head. Smaller debris pelted his barrier whilst dust filled the air, choking his lungs. Something heavy struck his left leg below the knee, breaking the barrier and sending lightning bolts of agony up his spine.

When the rumbling stopped, Lucas found himself trapped on Giovanni's side of the cave-in. Shichiro lay unconscious against the far wall, blood seeping from a head wound. Giovanni himself had somehow avoided the worst of it, though his expensive suit was torn and filthy.

"Sabrina!" Lucas called out, his voice hoarse.

Muffled shouts answered from beyond the pile of rubble, but he couldn't make out individual words. The barrier between them looked insurmountable—tonnes of concrete and twisted metal blocking any hope of reunion.

Giovanni staggered to his feet, pulling a pokeball from his jacket. "Just you and me now, Walker."

Lucas tried to stand, but white-hot pain shot through his trapped leg. The concrete that pinned him felt immovable, though nothing appeared broken. 

"Always wanted to do this personally," Giovanni continued, releasing his Persian. The cat Pokemon stalked towards Lucas, claws extended.

A shadow moved behind Giovanni. Small mitten hands gripped a kitchen knife. Bree stepped into view, her button eyes fixed on the crime boss with predatory focus.

Lucas's eyes widened. How had she followed them here? When had she arrived?

Giovanni remained oblivious, his attention locked on Lucas's trapped form. The Persian crouched, muscles bunching for a killing leap.

Bree raised the knife.

So, what do you think? In the next chapter, Bree strikes. Is this the end of Giovanni?

Thanks for reading.