"Of course we've already set up the bombs!" Jessie snapped, her voice dripping with irritation.
"That's right! As soon as we blow up these rock formations, we'll definitely find the hidden Fossil Pokémon," James added confidently.
"Why are you trying to bury me as a fossil?!" Meowth pushed away the rocks covering him, his voice filled with indignation.
"They're going to blow up the Grand Canyon!" Misty cried out in alarm.
"If they do that, all the people digging below will be in danger," Brock echoed, his face pale with worry.
"I'll stop them," Ash declared, determination blazing in his eyes. "Brock, Misty, you two warn everyone to evacuate!" He rushed toward Team Rocket's position with Pikachu at his side.
"Ash, I'm coming with you," Red said, following close behind.
"Meow haha! Now all the Fossil Pokémon are ours!" Meowth cackled, holding the fuse in his left hand and a lit lighter in his right, ready to detonate the explosives.
"Hey, stop that!" Ash shouted as he arrived, desperately trying to halt their plan.
"You brats again!" James groaned. This time, Team Rocket had no plans to capture Pikachu, but fate had brought them together once more.
"James, look behind the twerp…" Jessie whispered in horror, her eyes indicating Red behind Ash.
"Why are both the big and little twerps here…?" James murmured, his voice so low that even Jessie could barely hear him.
"Too bad! You're too late!" Meowth said smugly, the fuse in his hand already sparking to life.
"Not if I can help it! Squirtle, I choose you!" Ash threw his Poké Ball, releasing the turtle Pokémon.
"Hurry, Squirtle! Put out the fire on the fuse!"
Unfortunately, Squirtle's Water Gun accuracy was abysmal, and it failed to extinguish the fuse despite repeated attempts. In desperation, Ash, Pikachu, and Squirtle all rushed forward, chasing the burning fuse as it raced toward the explosives.
To prevent Ash from succeeding, Team Rocket gave chase, creating a chaotic parade of pursuers.
"…"
Red watched the ridiculous spectacle with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. He calmly threw a Poké Ball, releasing his golden Pidgeot.
"Pidgeot, use Air Cutter to sever the fuse," Red commanded.
Pidgeot soared into the sky, its sharp eyes instantly locating the explosives. A single, precise Air Cutter elegantly severed the burning end of the fuse, preventing the detonation.
"Ash, you need to break your habit of panicking and not thinking clearly when you're anxious," Red said, arriving on Pidgeot's back in front of the group. "If Pidgeot hadn't cut the fuse, Squirtle's Water Gun might never have worked, and Pikachu might have even released electricity, making the explosion worse."
"Ash, I'll leave Team Rocket to you," Red continued. "I need to go underground to find the ancient Pokémon." With that, he used Teleport and vanished.
"Pidgeot—"
Rather than following Red, Pidgeot remained by Ash's side to help deal with Team Rocket. Seeing the formidable bird, Team Rocket wisely chose not to attack, creating an awkward standoff.
Taking a flashlight from his backpack, Red walked leisurely through the underground caverns. The dark surroundings were eerily quiet, but this only heightened his excitement about capturing Fossil Pokémon.
"It seems there are more Fossil Pokémon than I imagined," Red murmured to himself.
Before him lay four species of ancient Pokémon: Kabuto, Kabutops, Omanyte, and Omastar. They formed two large colonies, still sleeping soundly since the explosives had been prevented from detonating.
Red's goal was to capture some of these living fossils. Seeing them still asleep, he smiled with satisfaction. Though he could defeat them all if necessary, he preferred to minimize unnecessary conflict.
After all, why make things more difficult than they needed to be?
"I choose you two," Red said quietly.
He set his sights on two individuals who appeared to be leaders of their respective groups: a Kabutops and an Omastar.
An ordinary Kabutops reaches only 1.3 meters in height, but the one Red had chosen stood at an impressive 1.6 meters. Its scythe-like appendages were exceptionally sharp, earning his approval.
The Omastar was also 0.3 meters taller than its peers. Its spiral shell was covered in menacing spikes, and its tentacles were curled up on its surface in slumber.
Red used his Psychic powers to levitate both Kabutops and Omastar, then used Teleport to transport them to an open area suitable for battle, far from the sleeping colonies.
"It's your turn, Hitmonchan!" Red threw his Poké Ball. As the white light faded, a sturdy Hitmonchan appeared.
"Where's your Champion Belt?" Red asked, puzzled. The belt was an item Hitmonchan treasured, always worn around his waist and frequently shown off to Abra.
At this question, Hitmonchan's face fell, and he looked at Red with a wronged expression, recounting his experiences at Professor Oak's lab. Red listened patiently to the tale.
"Serves you right for showing off," Red said with a helpless smile, tapping Hitmonchan's forehead. "See what happens when you get too boastful?"
Through Hitmonchan's story, Red learned that the mischievous Abra had hidden the Champion Belt, tired of Hitmonchan's constant bragging disrupting his sleep.
Seeing Hitmonchan's dejected expression, Red offered comfort. "Alright, alright. I'll talk to Abra later. Next time, don't be so boastful. Now, get ready to battle!"
Red released his psychic hold on the two Fossil Pokémon. They fell from mid-air and instantly awakened, their eyes bloodshot from being rudely disturbed. They glared at Red and Hitmonchan with intense killing intent.
"As expected of carnivorous Pokémon that lived tens of thousands of years ago," Red observed calmly. "Their predatory instincts are impressive." The subtle menace wasn't enough to affect either him or Hitmonchan.
"Viridian Power!"
Though Kabutops and Omastar had awakened, their bodies were stiff from prolonged slumber, and their stamina was insufficient for a proper battle.
After receiving the healing energy of his Viridian Power, both Pokémon exhaled comfortably. The bloodshot rage in their eyes calmed, and their hostility toward Red significantly decreased.
"Kabutops, Omastar, let's have a battle with my Hitmonchan," Red proposed. "If you lose, you'll become my partners."
Both ancient Pokémon nodded. They, too, were tired of their dormant existence.
"Here's some canned meat to satisfy your hunger first," Red said, taking two prepared cans from his backpack and placing them gently before the Fossil Pokémon. "You'll need to adapt to modern Pokémon food as soon as possible."
During this time, Hitmonchan watched the two ancient creatures nervously, fearing they might suddenly attack Red. But it was clear his concerns were unfounded.
[Chapter Complete]
***
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