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The yellow figure standing before them bore distinctive lightning-shaped black patterns across its body, while its arms gleamed with a brilliant silver light. It was clear that this Pokemon had severed the rope securing the large net. The two Team Rocket members' expressions immediately changed upon seeing this unexpected intruder.
"You again! Always showing up to ruin our operations!" the woman said coldly, her voice dripping with disdain as she glared at the figure before her.
"Damn it! We finally managed to catch those Grimer!" The man's anger flared as he watched the captured Grimer being swept away by the rushing water in the drainage ditch.
"Forget about those filthy creatures," the woman interjected, stopping her partner's outburst. "This Pokemon is much rarer than those Grimer!"
Compared to the common Poison-type Pokemon they had just lost, the man was far more interested in the Electric-type standing before them.
"You're absolutely right!" The man quickly caught on to his partner's reasoning. The pile of Grimer was indeed less valuable than the Pokemon facing them now. If they were going to catch anything, this should be their priority target.
The figure that had suddenly intervened was breathing heavily, clearly showing signs of previous injuries that hadn't fully healed. Meanwhile, the Grimer that had been washed away by the ditch water were still trapped within the confines of the net, unable to escape despite their struggles. With so many of them crowded together, breaking free seemed impossible.
"Wait, do you hear that noise?" Ash and his companions, who had been making their way toward the Honda Group's facility, paused as strange sounds reached their ears.
From around the corner ahead, they spotted a large mass of something being carried along by the flowing water. The Grimer that had been guiding Ash's group immediately recognized what they were seeing—their trapped companions caught in the net. The sight left Ash, Misty, and Brock stunned.
"Those are Grimer! How did this happen?" Misty exclaimed in shock.
"We need to free them right now! Scyther, use Slash on that net!" Without hesitation, Ash threw his Poke Ball. Scyther emerged and immediately flew forward, its razor-sharp scythes gleaming as it sliced through the net with precision.
The large net was cut apart in an instant, allowing the trapped Grimer to escape. Some tumbled into the ditch while others landed on the adjacent walkway. They quickly reunited with the Grimer that had been traveling with Ash's group, all of them visibly relieved to be free.
The newly rescued Grimer immediately turned their attention to Ash and his friends, then pointed urgently in the direction from which they had come.
"What happened back there?" Ash asked, concern evident in his voice.
The Grimer nodded emphatically before swimming back toward the source of trouble. Ash, Misty, and Brock exchanged worried glances and immediately followed.
The sounds of battle grew louder as they approached—explosions, crashes, and the unmistakable noise of Pokemon attacks echoing through the sewer tunnels. Ash's expression grew grim as he listened to the commotion. Combined with the Grimer's obvious distress, it was clear that something serious was happening ahead.
When they arrived at the scene, the walls and floor of the sewer showed clear signs of intense battle. Burn marks, cracks, and debris were scattered everywhere. In the center of it all, a familiar yellow figure knelt on one knee, breathing heavily and clearly exhausted.
"Hmph! You came here to fight before your injuries even healed! You'll make a perfect replacement for those Grimer we lost! Solrock, use Psybeam!" The woman's voice cut through the air with cruel satisfaction.
Solrock's eyes began to glow as it gathered psychic energy, its body rotating slowly as colorful beams of light formed between its appendages.
BOOM!
The multicolored psychic attack exploded outward, creating triangular and circular patterns of destructive energy that shot directly toward the injured Electric-type Pokemon.
The half-kneeling figure struggled to stand and defend itself, but its injuries were too severe. There simply wasn't enough time to mount a proper defense against the incoming attack.
"Pika-pika-chu!!!"
At that crucial moment, a familiar voice rang out from behind. A golden Energy Ball crackled through the air, heading straight for the Psybeam attack.
BOOM!
The two attacks collided with tremendous force, creating a massive explosion that filled the sewer tunnel with thick smoke. Both sides were caught off guard by the sudden intervention, and the injured Pokemon looked back in surprise at its unexpected savior.
"Pika pika!"
Through the settling dust, a small yellow figure appeared at the Electric-type's side, positioning itself protectively while keeping a wary eye on the smoke ahead. Soon, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed from behind them.
"Electabuzz! What are you doing here again?" Ash and his companions immediately recognized the Pokemon they had encountered before. Misty's voice carried both surprise and concern.
"You should still be recovering at the Pokemon Center!" she added, clearly worried about Electabuzz's condition.
"Are you all right?" Ash rushed over to help the injured Pokemon to its feet. Electabuzz looked at Ash with unmistakable gratitude in its eyes. This was the second time Ash had come to its rescue, and the Electric-type Pokemon clearly appreciated the trainer's kindness.
"If Electabuzz is here, then it really must be connected to all this trouble," Brock observed thoughtfully. It seemed Ash's earlier suspicions had been correct—Electabuzz was indeed involved in the mysterious incidents plaguing the city.
After catching its breath, Electabuzz turned its attention forward, and Ash's group followed its gaze. From within the dissipating smoke came a voice filled with arrogant satisfaction.
"Well, well! It seems we meet again on opposite sides!"
"That voice..." Misty's expression grew puzzled. Something about it seemed familiar, though she couldn't quite place it.
As the smoke cleared completely, two figures emerged from the haze. They wore distinctive black uniforms marked with a prominent red "R" symbol—the unmistakable sign of Team Rocket.
"You two are..." Both Brock and Misty tensed up as recognition dawned on them.
"Cassidy and Butch!" Ash identified them immediately.
"It's BUTCH!" the male Team Rocket member shouted angrily at the mispronunciation of his name, his face flushing with irritation.
"We don't care what your names are! Are you responsible for all of this chaos?" Misty demanded furiously, gesturing at the destruction around them. Finally, the source of the city's problems had been revealed.
"Hmph! We're simply professionals fulfilling a contract," the two Team Rocket members replied, their expressions returning to their usual cold demeanor. It was obvious they wouldn't be here without good reason—and good pay.
"Honda hired you, didn't he?" Ash's voice was sharp and accusatory as he put the pieces together.
"Exactly! He pays us, and we handle his Grimer problem. It's a simple business arrangement," neither Cassidy nor Butch bothered to deny their involvement.
"No wonder the Grimer started attacking the streets! You've been the ones causing all this trouble!" Everything finally made sense with the appearance of these Team Rocket operatives.
The Grimer living in the sewers had believed that the people of the city were trying to drive them away, so they had retaliated by emerging from their underground home and creating chaos in the streets above. Team Rocket's interference had turned what should have been a peaceful coexistence into a citywide crisis.
The truth was now clear, but the battle was far from over. With Electabuzz still injured and Team Rocket determined to complete their mission, Ash and his friends would need to act quickly to protect both the Grimer and the city from further harm.