" PROFESSOR OAK PROFESSOR OAK HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!!"

Professor Oak, who was reading a book, yelped as he jumped slightly into the air. " What? What happened?"

Gary, who I had pulled along, panted slightly. " Nothing.... serious.... Professor...."

" BUT YOUR GRANDSON AND MY BROTHER HAVE BEEN KIDDNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Professor Oak's eyes widened in alarm, his book falling to the floor with a loud thud. "What?! What do you mean kidnapped?!"

I dramatically flailed my arms, tears streaming down my face. "KIDNAPPED! TAKEN! ABDUCTED! THEY'RE GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONE!"

Gary pinched the bridge of his nose, clearly trying to stay calm despite my hysterics. "Mia, please—calm down. You're making it sound worse than it is."

"WORSE?!" I shrieked. "HOW IS THIS NOT THE WORST THING EVER?! RED AND BLUE ARE GONE!"

Professor Oak took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "Alright, Mia, I need you to explain everything—calmly. What exactly happened?"

I inhaled sharply, about to scream again, but Gary clamped a hand over my mouth. "I'll explain," he said, exasperated. "Blue and Jay went out earlier this morning for some kind of training. They said they'd be back by noon, but... they haven't returned yet."

Professor Oak frowned deeply, his face etched with concern. "And you're certain they've been... taken?"

"YES!" I yelled, pulling Gary's hand. He yelped as he stumbled forward.

"THEY'VE BEEN GONE FOR HOURS! HOURS, PROFESSOR!" I flailed my arms for emphasis, pacing in circles like a spinning top. "And it's not just any hours! These are 'kidnap hours!'"

Gary groaned. "Mia, that's not a thing."

I stopped pacing and pointed a finger at him dramatically. "It is a thing when they're not answering their Pokégear, Mr. 'It's Not a Thing'! They always answer their Pokégear! Always!"

Professor Oak's face grew more serious. "You've tried contacting them, and there's been no response?"

Gary nodded. "I called Blue about ten times. Red, too. Nothing. It just rings."

"SEE?! KIDNAP HOURS!" I wailed.

Oak rubbed his chin, pacing slightly now. "This is troubling. Blue and Red are skilled trainers, but... if they're not responding, something might have happened."

I gasped, clutching Gary's arm like a lifeline. "WHAT IF TEAM ROCKET GOT THEM?! OR WORSE—TEAM MAGMA?! OR—"

Gary peeled my hands off him. "Mia, stop. You're not helping."

"Not helping?!" I threw my hands in the air. "I'M THE ONLY ONE PANICKING PROPERLY!"

"Proper panicking isn't a thing either," Gary muttered, his eyes twitching.

Professor Oak raised a hand. "Both of you, calm down. We need to think rationally. First, where did they say they were going for training?"

"They said they were heading to Cerulean Cave," Gary answered. "But it's been hours."

"CERULEAN CAVE?!" I shrieked. "THE PLACE WITH THE SCARY POKÉMON AND DARK CORNERS WHERE TRAINERS GET LOST FOREVER?!"

Gary crossed his arms. "That's a bit of an exaggeration."

"IS IT?!"

Oak held up both hands, his voice commanding. "Enough, both of you. Cerulean Cave is a dangerous place, but if that's where they went, then we need to act quickly."

Gary nodded. "Agreed. I'll head over there now. They can't be too far."

"I'M COMING TOO!" I yelled, jumping up.

"NO, YOU'RE NOT," Gary and Professor Oak said in unison.

I pouted. "But why not?!"

Oak placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. "Mia, I need you to stay here in case they call or come back. We need someone to monitor the house."

"But—"

"No buts," Gary said firmly. "I can handle this."

I crossed my arms, glaring. "You better bring them back, Gary, or I swear—"

He rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I get it. Now stay here and don't do anything crazy."

"ME?! CRAZY?!" I shouted, pointing at myself.

Gary gave me a long look before muttering, "Exactly."

Before I could argue further, he grabbed his Pokégear and rushed out the door. Professor Oak followed, leaving me Pikachu alone.

I slumped onto a chair, Pikachu hopping onto my lap and nuzzling me. "Don't worry, Pika. Gary might be annoying, but he'll bring them back."

" Chu?"

I sighed, picking up Oak's fallen book and glancing toward the door. "Let's hope so, Chuchu. Let's hope so."

After two long hours of waiting they still weren't back.

Professor Oak's assistants tried to call Red, Blue, Gary, and even Oak.

Nothing.

I screamed, running around the lab. " IT'S OVER! I'M THE ONLY ONE ALIVE! OH, HOW CRUEL CAN THE WORLD BE?!"

" PIKA!!" Pikachu agreed.

Suddenly their was a knock on the door.

Everyone froze.

I grabbed a pocket knife I had. " I don't want to use this...."

Unfortunately, the door opened, and I charged at it.

" GET OUT OF-"

Before I could do anything else two arms grabbed me and yanked the knife out of my hands.

I kicked their legs.

" GET OUT, YOU TRESSPASSERS!"

" MIA IT'S US!"

 "Wait... what do you mean 'it's us'?!" My eyes darted between Gary and Professor Oak, who stood behind him looking exhausted.

Gary sighed, holding up my confiscated pocket knife. "Yes, it's us. Now, can you explain why you were running at the door with a weapon like you're auditioning for some medieval play?!"

I sheepishly rubbed the back of my neck. "Uh... because I thought you were bad guys? You knocked, and no one else was answering, so... self-defense?"

Professor Oak stepped forward, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Mia, where on earth did you even get this pocket knife?"

I shrugged. "From the drawer in the kitchen? It looked cool."

Oak groaned, muttering something about needing to reorganize the lab's safety policies. Meanwhile, Gary crossed his arms, clearly not amused. "Do you realize how dangerous this is? What if you hurt someone? What if you hurt yourself?"

I puffed out my cheeks indignantly. "Well, maybe if you'd come back sooner, I wouldn't have needed to wield a weapon of justice."

Gary's eye twitched. "Weapon of justice—?!" He cut himself off with a deep breath and looked at Oak's assistants. "Can someone please fill me in on what she's been doing while we were gone?"

One of the assistants adjusted his glasses nervously. "Uh... she spent the first hour pacing, the second hour yelling something about being the last survivor of a cruel world, and... she might have been practicing sword fighting with a stick."

"IT'S A BRANCH!" I corrected, holding up my makeshift wooden sword. "And I've been training so I can protect myself if Team Rocket comes knocking again!"

Gary looked like he wanted to bury his face in his hands. "Mia, for the last time, there's no Team Rocket after you right now."

"Yet!" I jabbed a finger at him. "And don't change the subject. Where's Red? And Blue?! Did you find them?!"

Both Gary and Oak exchanged grim looks, and my heart sank. "You didn't find them, did you?" I whispered.

Gary shook his head, his expression softening. "We searched the cave, but... there was no sign of them. Just some disturbed ground and a few items they must've dropped. We're not giving up, but it's going to take more time."

My grip on the branch tightened. "So they're still missing... What if—what if something horrible happened to them?"

Gary's face softened even more, and he stepped closer. "Mimi, listen. They're two of the strongest trainers we know. Red's your brother, and Blue's my grandfather's grandson—they're tough. We'll find them."

Professor Oak nodded. "Gary's right. But we need to approach this calmly and not jump to conclusions. They could be stranded, or—"

"OR WORSE!" I interrupted. "What if they're trapped in a place with wild Gyarados or a mob of Zubats?!"

Gary sighed and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Stop spiraling, okay? We're going to keep looking, but you need to keep your head together. And maybe... lay off the weapons training."

I pouted, but I knew they were right. Sort of. "Fine. But only because Pikachu's on my side."

"Pika!" Pikachu declared, crossing her tiny arms.

Gary handed the pocket knife to Professor Oak and gave me a pointed look. "Promise me no more charging at doors, okay?"

I groaned dramatically. "Fiiiiiiiine."

As Gary sat down to strategize with Oak and the assistants, I decided to burn off my stress with more branch-swinging practice outside. I wasn't about to sit still while my brother and Blue were still missing—no matter what they said.

Determined to take matters into my own hands, I decided that if anyone could track down my brother and Blue, it was Lt. Surge. After all, he was a military man with sharp instincts—and I wasn't above using a little creativity to get him on board.

Unfortunately for him, my idea of creativity involved a leash, a collar, and a level of chaos he clearly wasn't prepared for.

The moment Lt. Surge stepped off the train into Pallet Town, he looked down at me with his trademark smirk. "Alright, kid, what's the emergency? You said it was urgent."

"Urgent is an understatement!" I declared, holding up my custom-made collar and leash. Pikachu, perched on my shoulder, tilted her head curiously.

Lt. Surge blinked, clearly trying to process the bizarre sight. "What the heck is that?"

"It's a tracking tool!" I said proudly. "You're going to help me find my brother and Blue by using your military-grade skills, like a bloodhound!"

Surge stared at me like I'd just grown a second head. "Kid, I'm a lieutenant, not a darn police Growlithe!"

"Details, details," I waved him off. "Now hold still while I strap this on."

Before he could protest, I leapt up and looped the collar around his neck. Pikachu helped by zapping him lightly to keep him from squirming.

"PIKA!"

"OW! What the—?!" Surge roared, swatting at the sparks. "What's wrong with you?! Take this thing off me!"

"No can do, Lieutenant!" I chirped, clipping the leash to the collar. "You're officially on the case!"

Let's just say the walk through Pallet Town was... memorable.

"STOP DRAGGING ME!" Surge bellowed as I tugged the leash with all my might.

"Then sniff out some clues!" I yelled back. "You're supposed to be tracking them down!"

"I'M NOT A DOG!" he yelled, causing half the townsfolk to stop and stare.

"Could've fooled me," I muttered under my breath.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!"

"Nothing!" I sang, dodging Pikachu's barely-suppressed giggles.

By the time we reached Viridian Forest, Lt. Surge had reached his limit. With one swift motion, he unclipped the leash and held it up like evidence in a court case.

"Alright, kid," he growled, "I agreed to help you, but this? THIS is where I draw the line."

"But it's working!" I argued. "We're already in the forest! They might've passed through here!"

Surge pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering something about patience and children. "Listen, Mia. If you want my help, you gotta let me do things my way. No collars, no leashes, and DEFINITELY no treating me like a dog. Got it?"

I pouted but eventually sighed. "Fine. But you'd better find them fast, or I'm bringing the leash back."

Surge glared at me, but Pikachu was too busy rolling on the ground laughing to back me up.

"Piii-ka...!"

With the leash drama behind us—sort of—Lt. Surge finally got serious, pulling out his military-grade equipment and mapping out the search area.

Even though he wasn't thrilled about how we started, I could tell he was determined to bring Red and Blue back.

And honestly? Despite everything, I knew I could count on him.

Realizing we needed more manpower—or rather, more chaos—I decided to recruit some backup. Lt. Surge wasn't enough on his own, so I went straight for two other powerhouses: Koga and Sabrina.

Let's just say my methods of delegation were unorthodox, to put it kindly.

Koga, the stoic ninja master, didn't bat an eye when I burst into his dojo, dragging a reluctant Lt. Surge behind me on the leash. Sabrina trailed behind, looking vaguely annoyed.

"Koga!" I announced dramatically, throwing my arms wide. "We need your ninja skills to help find my brother and Blue!"

He raised an eyebrow. "And why would I assist in such... chaos?"

"Because you're honorable, and we need a tracker! You're like... a ninja pony!" I declared, pulling out a saddle I'd definitely not borrowed from Professor Oak's storage.

Koga's eyes narrowed. "What are you implying?"

"Nothing!" I said, innocently. "But if you let me saddle you up, we'll cover way more ground!"

"...You're insane."

"Correct!" I grinned, hopping onto his back before he could stop me. "Hi-ho, Koga! To adventure!"

"Get. Off. Me," Koga said through gritted teeth.

Lt. Surge, watching this unfold, burst out laughing. "Hey, at least I didn't get the saddle treatment."

"YET," I snapped.

Koga, clearly having enough of my antics, disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving me to tumble to the ground. Pikachu landed beside me, shaking her head.

"Pika-pi..."

I turned to Sabrina next, who was watching me with an expression that could only be described as deeply unimpressed.

"Sabrina, you're a psychic! You could totally help us find Red and Blue!" I said.

"And how, exactly, do you intend for me to help?" she asked in her eerily calm voice.

I held up another collar and leash, the same one I'd used on Surge. "You can use your powers while I guide you like a psychic Growlithe!"

Her eye twitched. "Excuse me?"

"Just think of it as... immersive teamwork!" I said brightly.

"No," she deadpanned.

I ignored her refusal and gently slipped the collar around her neck. Sabrina, being Sabrina, didn't stop me—but the way her Kadabra's spoon started glowing was concerning.

And that's how I ended up with Lt. Surge and Sabrina both on leashes, with Koga reluctantly following behind on foot. Pikachu sat smugly on my shoulder, clearly enjoying the show.

"WHY am I on a leash again?" Lt. Surge grumbled, yanking at his.

"For team coordination!" I replied.

"This is humiliating," Sabrina muttered, though her psychic powers kept yanking the leash out of my hands whenever I tugged too hard.

Koga, trailing behind us, sighed deeply. "You are aware this is the least efficient search party in history, correct?"

"Maybe," I admitted. "But it's the most fun!"

By the time we reached the clearing where we thought Red and Blue might be, the team looked more like a traveling circus than a rescue squad.

Still, I couldn't help but grin. Sure, they all thought I was insane, but I knew one thing for certain: with this crew, there was no way we wouldn't find my brother and Blue.

Right?

When we finally made it back to Professor Oak's lab—me proudly riding on Koga's back like a victorious warrior—Gary and Professor Oak were waiting by the door. Their faces, upon seeing me, were priceless.

Gary froze mid-step, his jaw dropping. "MIA?! WHAT IN THE—WHY ARE YOU RIDING KOGA LIKE A PONY?!"

Professor Oak took a step back, rubbing his temples. "Mia, please tell me this is some sort of elaborate joke..."

"Joke?!" I gasped, clutching my chest dramatically. "This is a strategy, Professor!"

Gary pointed an accusatory finger at me, his voice rising. "You put Koga, the ninja master, in a saddle?! Have you completely lost it?!"

Koga didn't even bother to dignify Gary's outrage with a response, though the resigned look on his face said enough.

"Oh, come on, you two!" I huffed. "I'm assembling the ultimate rescue team! And if you're not gonna help, then you might as well saddle up yourselves!"

"Saddle up?!" Gary sputtered, looking more horrified by the second. "You want us to join this circus?!"

"Yes!" I replied enthusiastically. "We'll cover more ground, and honestly, you could use the exercise!"

Oak crossed his arms, his expression a mix of disbelief and amusement. "And what, pray tell, happens if we refuse?"

I hopped off Koga with a flourish, my hands on my hips. "Then I'll find Red and Blue myself—with all the gym leaders! Surge, Sabrina, Koga, Erika, Blaine—everyone!"

Gary groaned, rubbing his face in frustration. "You're insane, Mimi."

"And you're stubborn, Gare-Bear," I shot back. "But desperate times call for desperate measures!"

Before they could protest further, I tossed a spare saddle to Gary. "Here! You're in charge of Sabrina!"

"Excuse me?" Sabrina said icily, her eyebrow twitching.

"Hey, teamwork makes the dream work!" I said, grinning.

"And what about me?" Oak asked, trying to keep a straight face.

I handed him a leash and pointed at Surge, who looked absolutely done with life. "You're taking Surge! He needs someone with authority!"

"You've got to be kidding me," Oak muttered, staring at the leash like it was a venomous snake.

Within minutes, the lab courtyard looked like an actual circus. Sabrina's Kadabra was glaring at Gary, who was holding the leash at arm's length like it might explode. Oak and Surge were locked in a silent battle of wills over the leash situation, while Koga just stood stoically, probably questioning every life decision that led him here.

And me? I was sitting on a rock with Pikachu, eating snacks and feeling very proud of myself.

"Alright, team!" I called, raising a hand like a general rallying the troops. "Let's move out! Red and Blue aren't gonna rescue themselves!"

Gary groaned. "This is going to be a disaster."

"Exactly!" I beamed. "But it'll be my disaster!"

Pikachu cheered, and with that, we marched into the woods, ready to find Red and Blue—or at least cause some memorable chaos along the way.

As we approached the entrance to the caves, the Coach Trainer stationed there froze mid-stretch, her eyes widening in disbelief. She stepped forward cautiously, taking in the chaotic parade of gym leaders and Professor Oak awkwardly holding Surge's leash while Gary struggled to avoid Sabrina's death glare.

"Uh... Miss Champion?" she began hesitantly, clearly addressing me. "What... exactly is all this?"

I hopped off Koga's shoulders with a dramatic flourish, Pikachu perched on my head like a crown. "This," I declared, sweeping my arms theatrically, "is the ultimate rescue squad! We're here to find Red and Blue, who have been kidnapped!"

The Coach Trainer blinked, utterly dumbfounded. "And... why is Koga wearing a saddle? And Surge has... a leash?"

"Because!" I said brightly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "We need all the help we can get! And this is the most efficient way to organize everyone!"

Gary groaned from behind me. "Efficient?! You're making them look like a traveling carnival, Mimi!"

I turned and crossed my arms. "And what's your plan, Gary? Staring at the caves until Red and Blue magically appear?"

"Better than whatever this is!" he shot back, gesturing to Surge, who was actively trying to untangle his leash from a nearby rock.

The Coach Trainer raised a hand timidly. "Miss Champion, I'm just gonna ask... are you sure this is... necessary?"

"Absolutely!" I said, puffing out my chest. "And don't worry, we're professionals!"

Koga let out a resigned sigh, muttering, "That's debatable."

The Coach Trainer looked unconvinced but wisely chose not to argue. "Alright, well... good luck in there?"

I gave her a thumbs-up. "Thanks! We'll find them in no time. Onward, team!"

The moment we entered the caves, chaos immediately followed. Sabrina's Alakazam refused to teleport Gary anywhere, Surge kept tripping over his leash, and Blaine—who we picked up along the way—refused to stop reciting riddles every ten minutes.

"Why don't Voltorb ever get invited to parties?" Blaine asked cheerfully.

"Not the time, Blaine!" Gary snapped, trying to dodge an angry Zubat.

"Because they're a real blast!" Blaine finished, laughing to himself.

Sabrina groaned. "Mia, I'm seriously reconsidering this entire venture."

"Don't worry!" I called, confidently stepping over a Geodude. "We're making progress!"

Surge muttered under his breath. "This is the furthest thing from progress I've ever seen."

Pikachu leapt off my head, pointing forward. "Pika pika!"

"See? Even Pikachu thinks we're close!" I said, grinning.

Gary sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Mimi, I hope you know what you're doing."

I didn't. But I was definitely going to act like I did.

Five seconds later, the caves erupted in chaos.

"PIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIING!" A deafening psychic roar shook the walls, and a piercing pair of glowing purple eyes appeared in the darkness.

"Uh... Mia?" Gary's voice cracked as he stumbled backward.

"Yeah?" I replied, frozen in place.

"What... did you DO?!"

Before I could respond, a massive, enraged Mewtwo emerged from the shadows, its psychic aura flaring like a storm. Its eyes locked onto us with the kind of murderous intent that said you should not have come here.

"Oh, you know," I said nervously, inching backward, "just... existing?"

"RUN!" Sabrina screamed, breaking the silence.

And so, we ran.

The cave turned into a frantic stampede as we bolted in every direction. Mewtwo's Psychic blasts ricocheted off the walls, narrowly missing us. Rocks crumbled, Zubat screeched, and I could barely hear myself think over the chaos.

"I TOLD YOU THIS WAS A BAD IDEA!" Gary yelled as he ducked under a falling stalactite.

"HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW MEWTWO WAS IN HERE?!" I screamed back, Pikachu clinging to my head for dear life.

"IT'S A LEGENDARY PSYCHIC TYPE! WHERE ELSE WOULD IT BE?!"

"CAN WE STOP YELLING AND FOCUS ON NOT DYING?!" Surge shouted, yanking his leash free and charging ahead.

Koga, surprisingly calm despite carrying a saddle, zipped past me, leaping effortlessly over boulders. "This is why I never leave my gym," he muttered.

Sabrina, meanwhile, was trying to fight back. "Alakazam, use Psychic!"

Mewtwo swatted the attack away like it was a fly, retaliating with an Earthquake that sent us all sprawling.

"THAT'S NOT WORKING, SABRINA!" Blaine shouted as he clung to a Geodude for support. "WE NEED A PLAN B!"

"I'M OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS!" she snapped.

Just as things looked dire, a bright, golden light appeared in the cave.

"What now?!" Gary groaned, shielding his eyes.

From the light emerged a majestic Ho-Oh, its radiant feathers shimmering as it let out a powerful cry.

Mewtwo paused, glaring at the legendary bird. The two Pokémon locked eyes, their tension palpable.

"Uh... are we supposed to cheer or something?" I whispered.

Ho-Oh let out another cry, unleashing a Sacred Fire that engulfed the area, forcing Mewtwo to retreat deeper into the cave.

The silence that followed was deafening.

Blaine adjusted his glasses. "Well, that was... something."

Gary glared at me. "Mimi, you are NEVER planning a rescue mission again."

I crossed my arms. "Hey, we're alive, aren't we?"

"For now," Sabrina muttered, dusting herself off.

Ho-Oh hovered above us briefly before flying away, leaving us in stunned silence.

"Okay," I said finally, breaking the tension. "New plan: let's find Red and Blue and GET OUT OF HERE."

No one argued this time.