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CRASH!!!
Both Team Rocket members were sent flying backward by the powerful Steel Wing attack, their bodies slamming into the cell wall behind them. They struck the metal bars with tremendous force and immediately lost consciousness, crumpling to the ground.
"Excellent work, Pidegeotto!" Ash exclaimed with a bright smile as he watched the successful takedown. Pidegeotto landed gracefully on the ground, chirping proudly in response. It had traveled all the way from Neon Town to rescue Ash, demonstrating incredible loyalty and determination.
At the critical moment, Pidegeotto had actually managed to use Brave Bird, a move that could typically only be learned by highly experienced and powerful Pokémon. This was because it had sensed Ash's desperate call and understood that only it could save Ash and their other companions in this dire situation.
Without wasting any more time, Ash quickly moved forward and searched through the unconscious Team Rocket members' belongings. He soon found the key he needed, unlocked the cell door, and stepped out into freedom.
As an extra precaution, he dragged both unconscious guards into the cell and locked them inside. Although Pidegeotto had created a hole in the bars, it would be extremely difficult for grown adults like them to squeeze through, unlike a young trainer such as himself.
"Let's go! We need to rescue Pikachu and the others!" Finally free from his prison, Ash grabbed his backpack from where it had been placed nearby and spoke urgently to Pidegeotto.
"Pid!"
Pidegeotto responded immediately, and together they began moving through the spacecraft. Thanks to his earlier reconnaissance using his aura abilities, Ash was already familiar with Pikachu's location within the vessel.
After leaving the detention area, he hurried toward the room where Pikachu and his other Pokémon were being held captive. Along the way, they encountered several patrolling Team Rocket members, but Ash managed to avoid direct confrontation by cleverly staying hidden and timing their movements carefully.
Soon they arrived at the area where Pikachu and the others were imprisoned. Ash positioned himself at a corner and observed the situation carefully. There were several Team Rocket guards stationed around the holding area, making a direct approach extremely risky.
In this challenging situation, Pidegeotto alone might not be able to handle all the opposition. The long flight from Neon Town had consumed considerable energy, and while Flying-type Pokémon were naturally efficient at conserving stamina during flight, there was still a significant distance between Neon Town and Cinnabar Island.
Combined with the continuous attacks on the reinforced glass and the demanding use of Brave Bird just moments ago, even the surprise attack on the two guards had taken its toll. Pidegeotto was showing signs of fatigue.
A stealth approach was no longer viable. Once the guards discovered their presence, they would immediately release their own Pokémon to battle, and the commotion would undoubtedly attract additional reinforcements from throughout the spacecraft.
At that moment, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the corridor. Ash felt his heart skip a beat as he heard the noise, and he quickly focused his attention on the area where Pikachu and the others were being held. He watched as a figure approached casually, hands tucked into his pockets with an air of complete confidence.
Ash's expression shifted dramatically when he saw who was approaching. The person before him appeared to be roughly the same age as himself. He was wearing a dark purple shirt paired with light purple pants, and his most distinctive feature was his vibrant red hair.
"Is that really him?" Ash thought with genuine surprise. He hadn't expected to encounter this particular individual in such circumstances.
The boy who had appeared was the same mysterious trainer who had shown up during the Tentacool incident at the beach some time ago. Ash still didn't know his name, but he had developed some strong suspicions about the boy's true identity and background.
The young man walked forward with complete openness and confidence, approaching the room where Pikachu and the others were kept with his hands still casually in his pockets. When he reached the secured area, he began speaking with the guards stationed at the entrance.
"Are the captured trainer's Pokémon locked up in here?" he asked directly, his expression cold and businesslike.
"Yes, sir!" Both guards responded immediately, showing clear deference to the young man. Although they seemed uncertain about why he had come to this location, they appeared too intimidated to ask any additional questions.
"Where exactly is that trainer being held?" the boy continued his questioning.
"In the detention cell on the south side of the ship, sir!" the guard answered truthfully without hesitation.
"I understand. You're both dismissed from this post."
The young man spoke with authority, and the guards exchanged uncertain glances with each other. The boy fixed them with an icy stare, and both guards immediately straightened up, not daring to voice any objections or questions.
"Yes, sir!" they responded in unison, then departed immediately from their posts.
Watching this scene unfold before him, Ash felt his suspicions about the mysterious boy's identity becoming virtually confirmed. The level of authority and respect he commanded from Team Rocket members was extremely telling.
Once the two guards had completely left the area, the young man opened the door and walked inside the holding room. Seeing that there were no longer any guards posted at the entrance, Ash made his decision and emerged from his hiding spot. He quickly approached the door, opened it carefully, and stepped inside.
The mysterious boy was now standing in the center of the room, which contained several large cages positioned against the walls. Pikachu and Ash's other Pokémon were indeed locked inside these iron cages, but the security measures didn't stop there.
Inside each iron cage, Pikachu and the others were confined within circular glass containers - the same specialized capture devices that Team Rocket had used to apprehend them initially. Clearly, the Team Rocket operatives were taking no chances with their valuable prisoners.
They were concerned about the possibility of escape, so not only had they imprisoned the Pokémon in sturdy iron cages, but they hadn't even bothered to remove the original glass containment units from the initial capture.
At this moment, Pikachu and the other Pokémon were watching the red-haired boy with obvious wariness and suspicion. Because he had entered the room so easily and with such authority, they naturally assumed he was affiliated with Team Rocket, causing them to regard him as a potential threat.
When the door opened again, the young man frowned slightly, initially thinking that the two guards had disobeyed his direct orders. He turned around with a cold expression, but when he saw Ash standing in the doorway, a flash of genuine surprise crossed his features.
"Pika!"
When Pikachu and the other Pokémon spotted Ash, they all became incredibly excited and animated. Charmeleon and Scyther immediately began striking the walls of their cages with renewed energy when they saw their beloved trainer.
After the initial shock wore off, the mysterious boy's expression gradually returned to its previous calm composure, and he spoke in his characteristic cool tone.
"That's quite impressive! You actually managed to escape from their detention facility!"
"Well, it's still not as impressive as walking in through the front door like you did," Ash replied, having guessed this individual's identity. Since he couldn't determine whether this person was truly an ally or enemy, he remained secretly on guard while maintaining a conversational tone.
"You know that I was able to enter openly, yet you still decided to come out of hiding? Aren't you concerned that if I simply called out for help, you'd be completely trapped with nowhere to run?"
After hearing Ash's response, the boy seemed genuinely intrigued and asked the question with deliberate curiosity.
"I was planning to get out of here anyway, so I'd have to deal with the guards eventually. Why don't you just tell me what you're really planning to do?"
Ash responded with apparent nonchalance, essentially saying that if the boy wanted to raise an alarm, he should go ahead and do it. However, Ash was confident that he wouldn't actually take such action.
Although Ash didn't fully understand the boy's true motives or objectives, if he had really intended to call for reinforcements, there would have been no logical reason for him to dismiss the guards in the first place.
"Hmph! You haven't changed at all!" the young man said with an enigmatic smile after a brief pause, then turned around and walked toward a nearby table that held a computer terminal.
Beep, beep, beep!
The boy entered several commands on the computer keyboard, and suddenly the cages containing Pikachu and the other Pokémon began to open automatically. The glass containment units also released simultaneously. Pikachu and the others looked stunned for a moment, then quickly rushed toward Ash with obvious joy and relief.
Ash was genuinely surprised by this unexpected turn of events. He glanced at the mysterious boy with newfound curiosity, then instinctively reached out to embrace Pikachu as his loyal partner leaped into his arms.
At this point, the red-haired boy approached Ash's position and spoke in a serious tone.
"I'd strongly advise you not to get involved in matters that don't concern you directly. You won't have this kind of good fortune every single time."