People were aware of Cosmog's abilities. Without a word, Sabrina grabbed his hand, and in the blink of an eye, they vanished.
Meanwhile, Mew was entirely focused on the unfolding events, not noticing their departure. Its eyes were glued to the shimmering scenes on the crystal wall, a playful smile dancing on its lips.
Mewtwo suddenly unleashed a surge of power, shattering three of the restraining rings instantly. However, the remaining two silver rings stayed firmly locked around its ankles. The moment they touched its skin, they emitted a blinding blue light, rapidly expanding and transforming with mysterious patterns appearing on their surface.
Mew's eyes widened in surprise. It could feel a power akin to its own emanating from the silver rings, which also carried traces of Mewtwo's genetic characteristics.
The thought of it stirred Mew's distaste. These devices reminded it of the ancient Orbs it had once seen centuries ago, capable of trapping even the mighty beings of legend.
"Are humans now daring to target me?" Mew mused with disdain.
Giovanni strolled forward, impressed. "To destroy three of them... quite impressive. A little more time, and I might not have been able to catch you," he declared with a smug grin. "How does it feel? Your legs not responding?"
"These rings are specially crafted with your genetic material," Giovanni continued confidently. "Though they become part of your body, I hold the control. Once all five are in place, apart from your consciousness, your entire being will obey me."
"Join me," he proposed. "Together, we can rule this world." Giovanni desired Mewtwo's loyalty more than just control over its body. A self-evolving weapon was far superior to one that needed manual operation.
"Dream on!" Mewtwo's voice boomed directly in Giovanni's mind.
"Refuse a toast only to drink the penalty," Giovanni's face darkened as he donned a peculiar wristband. "Then you'll have plenty of time for reflection within yourself." The device emitted a harsh buzzing sound.
Three more rings edged closer to Mewtwo, only to be blocked by an invisible psychic barrier. Despite Mewtwo's ongoing resistance, its energy was waning, and its pinned legs rendered its struggle futile. The rings pressed forward, despair creeping into Mewtwo's eyes—was it truly doomed to return to Giovanni's chains?
Suddenly, a tearing sound echoed through the air. A powerful suction force came from behind, bringing with it a long-lost sense of freedom. Mewtwo broke free from the ghostly bindings, its psychic and domain powers surging anew. Now was its chance! Abandoning the confrontation with Giovanni, Mewtwo dashed toward the newly emerged vibrant energy passage.
"Damn it!" Giovanni's face changed dramatically. He hurriedly ordered the Legendary Birds to attack, but as the electricity flashed, the passage had already closed.
Meanwhile, alarms blared at the Aether Paradise base. Lusamine, who had been working late, was jolted awake by a researcher's report: "Cosmog's energy has appeared in Vermilion City?" Her eyes fixed on the distant Kanto region on the map, her fingers tapping the desk unconsciously. A place she had never taken her daughter, yet now the presence of an Ultra Beast was detected. Was it a coincidence, or something more sinister?
Lusamine frowned. Cosmog had never demonstrated its full power during experiments, so why now? Could it be in danger?
She immediately issued an order, "Contact Chairman Damaris in Kanto. I need to speak with him personally."
"Understood, Chairwoman," the female researcher responded promptly, leaving without delay.
Since her husband's disappearance, Lusamine's temper had become unpredictable. Now, with her daughter gone with Cosmog, a heavy atmosphere hung over the research facility, and no one dared provoke her wrath.
Elsewhere, in the heart of the city...
Giovanni stood where Mewtwo had vanished, his fists clenched tightly. Just a little more, and he would have captured the perfect battle machine.
What was that sudden spatial rift? Who was meddling behind the scenes? The fact that they didn't dare face him head-on suggested they weren't very strong, but possessed some unique spatial abilities.
"Whoever you are," Giovanni's voice was icy cold, "I will find you and make you pay."
Despite his burning anger, he remained composed. Just then, four individuals approached, packing up the damaged equipment, and the Viper Instructor arrived with more gear.
Lance was about to inquire about Mewtwo's escape but was silenced by the murderous look in Giovanni's eyes. He realized that bringing up Mewtwo was like adding fuel to the fire.
Suppressing his fury, Giovanni quietly asked, "What's the progress with Articuno?" Mewtwo's escape was a given, but the two rings made from Mew's genes were now part of Mewtwo. The longer they remained, the deeper the fusion. Unless someone knew a special method, removing them would be like cutting off its own legs. As long as the rings were intact, he could track Mewtwo anytime, offering future opportunities to strike again.
Right now, capturing Articuno was critical. This would give Giovanni true Tier 3 divine power, unlike the makeshift fusion of the Legendary Birds. "Reports say Articuno won't last much longer, estimated to be captured in ten minutes," Viper Instructor reported.
"Ten minutes?" Giovanni's expression showed a hint of satisfaction. Though he wondered why the League hadn't acted, their attention was certainly on his current location. Even if they realized his actions now, it would be too late to intervene. Victory was within his grasp. If not for that mysterious entity taking Mewtwo, he would have triumphed completely.
"Even with Carl around, you're all just the same!" Giovanni declared arrogantly. "Immediately locate the Silver Mountain base and prepare to move." The Silver Mountain range spanned the Kanto region, sloping from north to south, reaching the ocean. It was a crucial passage between Kanto and Johto, where Team Rocket maintained secret outposts.
The Viper Instructor swiftly activated the teleportation device. This one-time space transporter required precise coordinates and each use demanded the sacrifice of a Psychic-type Pokémon. Compared to the League's gray tactics, Team Rocket's methods were more extreme.
As the device beeped, the transfer protocol engaged.
Just as Viper Instructor adjusted the equipment, ready to ask if they should evacuate, Giovanni's emergency communicator suddenly buzzed.
Seeing the name "Furlong" on the screen, Giovanni frowned.
"Speak," Giovanni answered tersely.
"Boss, there's a situation," Furlong's voice was urgent.
"The Thunder Bird escaped?" Giovanni's tone turned icy.
For this operation, he had wagered almost all of Team Rocket's resources in Kanto. He not only led the mission himself but also mobilized the four generals and the Viper Instructor. The entire airship was equipped with state-of-the-art gear, capable of handling two Legendary Pokémon simultaneously.
How had things gone wrong?
Though Legendary Pokémon were powerful, he had studied them thoroughly and believed it impossible for them to break his setup.
"It's not the Thunder Bird!" Furlong quickly clarified. "Lance and Lorelei have brought League trainers to attack our airship. We're barely holding on, but the Thunder Bird could be lost any moment!"
Giovanni's expression remained hard, but he knew quick action was needed. The stakes were high, and the game had just taken an unexpected turn.