Pokemon: The Controversial World

The Flames of Pewter City

The adrenaline from my battle against Brock had barely begun to fade when a piercing scream split the air behind us.

A shiver ran down my spine. I spun around, my eyes locking onto a column of black smoke rising into the sky.

Brock froze for a fraction of a second. Then, in a barely audible breath, he murmured:

— My gifts... and my memories...

Then, he bolted.

Without thinking, I followed him.

Each step echoed in my head like a drumbeat.

The museum wasn't far. But the closer we got, the more the atmosphere changed. The air grew stifling, heavy with a suffocating heat. The smell of burning wood and ashes assaulted my nostrils.

And then, we saw it.

The guards lay on the ground. Some unconscious, others barely able to move. One of them, trembling, reached out a hand toward us but lacked the strength to speak.

A deep-seated anger stirred within me.

This wasn't just a fire.

Someone had attacked this place. Deliberately.

My breathing quickened. My heart pounded against my ribs. A familiar feeling, one I hadn't felt in a long time, crept up inside me.

Rage.

Brock, on the other hand, lost control.

He tried to dash toward the museum entrance. Without thinking.

I acted before I even thought.

I grabbed his sweater violently, yanking him back.

— Are you out of your mind?!

My voice cracked through the air.

It was the first time I had ever shouted like that. So brutally.

Brock froze. He slowly turned his head toward me, eyes wide. He had never seen me like this.

But that wasn't the worst part.

I, too, had never seen myself like this.

For a second, an oppressive silence fell between us.

Then, movement behind the museum caught my attention.

I lifted my head.

A Meowth-shaped hot air balloon was slowly ascending into the sky.

— Look over there! Brock shouted, his voice trembling with fury.

Below the balloon, three figures stood on a platform.

Two humans... and a Pokémon.

I squinted.

The first was a tall man with violet hair, dressed in a white uniform with a red "R" on his chest.

The second was a woman with long red hair, wearing the same uniform.

But what disturbed me the most…

Was the Meowth.

It stood upright, like a human. And more than anything…

It was staring at us.

Its expression was calm. Confident. As if it knew it had the upper hand.

A chill ran down my neck.

I didn't even have time to voice my doubts.

It opened its mouth.

— Goodbye, twerps!

My breath caught in my throat.

A Pokémon... that talks?!

Before I could react, the two humans spoke in unison.

Jessie: Prepare for trouble.

James: And make it double.

Jessie: To protect the world from devastation.

James: To unite all people within our nation.

Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love.

James: To extend our reach to the stars above.

Jessie: Jessie.

James: James.

Jessie: Team Rocket, blasting off at the speed of light.

James: Surrender now, or prepare to fight.

Meowth: Meowth, that's right!

I gritted my teeth.

Clowns.

But then my gaze locked onto what James was holding.

The fossils.

Three extremely rare fossils, the ones the museum had carefully preserved.

My fist clenched.

They had set an entire building on fire... for this?

Brock, meanwhile, was trembling with rage.

His Pokémon were weakened from our battle… But did he have others?

The answer came immediately.

Without a word, he drew a Pokéball and threw it.

A massive Rhydon burst forth with a deep, rumbling roar.

Even Team Rocket took a step back.

In a glacial tone, Brock ordered:

— Hyper Beam.

A flash of light erupted from Rhydon's horn.

A blast of energy tore through the air in an instant.

The beam struck the balloon directly.

— OUR BALLOON! Jessie shrieked.

The explosion abruptly halted their ascent. The balloon began to plummet.

They crashed to the ground, tumbling chaotically across the grass.

Brock gave them no time to recover.

He charged at them, Rhydon at his side.

James, still dazed, didn't even have time to react. Brock snatched the fossils from his hands.

— This is for the museum.

The police arrived within seconds, followed by the firefighters.

Jessie and James exchanged a look, then fled in the chaos.

— We'll get our revenge! Jessie screamed as she disappeared into an alleyway.

The firefighters had sent out Poliwhirls and Poliwraths to extinguish the fire.

Luckily, no serious injuries.

Brock, however, stared at the ruins of the museum. His face was unreadable.

I looked at him.

He hadn't fought me seriously.

He had tested me.

If he had wanted to… he would have crushed me.

I clenched my fist. I needed to get stronger.

As I left Pewter City, a figure appeared in my path.

Leaf.

She stood there, arms crossed, a cryptic smile on her lips.

She stared at me for a few seconds before saying something that sent a chill down my spine.

— If I were you, I wouldn't linger too long in Cerulean City…

She paused, then added:

— Someone there doesn't like snoopers.

Then, without waiting for a reply, she turned and vanished.

I watched her go, my mind flooded with questions.

What was waiting for me in Cerulean City?