***Serena's POV

"Serena! No!"

I ignore Jason's warning and dash for the hat.

I have to see it first hand. There's no way it's his hat. He would never do this, especially to a friend.

I quickly pick it up, and as I turn around, I'm face to face with a giant bee, with two dual stingers pointed at me.

"Minun, go!"

Minun pops out, her cheeks giving off sparks of electricity.

"Minun, Thunderbolt now!"

Minun powers up the attack, and unleashes it upon the Beedrill, which crashes to the ground.

"Look up!"

I look up and I see three people wearing the same outfit: all black clothes with white masks.

"You'll pay for what you've done to my Beedrill!" One of them yells, as they unleash a green insect pokemon.

"Scyther!"

"Minun, use-"

I'm interrupted as I'm suddenly unable to move and slowly start floating. Then, everything goes black.

***Jason's POV

"May! We have to go!"

May nods and she returns Blaziken to her Pokeball. I return Grovyle.

"Don't let them escape!"

More Pokemon are unleash. A Hounddoom and a Machamp join Scyther on the chase.

"Charizard, Phanpy, go!" I yell as I toss their Pokeballs. Charizard's orange body emerges, along with a small blue elephant with orange markings on her nose and ears.

"Phanpy, use Rollout!"

Phanpy becomes a blur as she turns into a ball and rolls around on the ground. She rounds up the enemy Pokemon, causing them to stop moving and try to think of somehow to escape.

"Beedrill, Pin Missile!" One of the people from the top of the roof yell through the hole.

White light missiles shoot out of Beedrill's stringers and trying to hit Phanpy, but they all miss.

"Charizard, Flamethrower on that Beedrill!"

Flame erupt from Charizard's mouth as they shoot out and engulf the Beedrill. He collapses on the ground.

"Machamp! Stop that pest from moving!"

Machamp runs in front of Phanpy's way, and Phanpy tries to swerve out of the way, but Machamp reaches out with two hands and catches Phanpy.

"Karate Chop!"

With his two extra hands, Machamp delivers two powerful karate chops on Phanpy. He then tosses her in the air like a rag doll and crashes hard to the ground.

Ugh.

I need more time.

I turn behind and see that May brought out Pidgeot, and has an unconscious Serena on his back. Minun is with them, protecting them from any harm.

"Phanpy! If you can get up, use Rollout again!" I yell, as I run towards May.

"Charizard, use Dragon Claw on Machamp!"

"Machamp, counter with Mega Punch!'

"Scyther, use Wing Attack on Charizard!"

Charizard takes off towards Machamp, determined. Machamp's Mega Punch clashes with Charizard's Dragon Claw. Machamp other three arms reach around.

"Charizard, Fire Fang!"

Charizard's Fire Fang connects with Machamp's top left arm. Charizard's left arm meets with his lower left around, while Machamp's lower right arm grabs Charizard's right foot, trying to knock him over. Charizard uses his tail, left foot, and wings to stay balanced.

Phanpy slowly gets up, and begins to roll around the damaged gym, hitting Scyther when he got too close to Charizard.

"What happened to Serena?"

"I don't know! I just found her on the floor near to the wall!"

I grit my teeth.

I need to make a decision fast.

"May, I need you to go Cerulean City, and stay at the Pokemon Center there? Can you do that?"

"Yes, but you can't-"

"Don't worry about me! Just get there!"

I turn to Minun.

"Make sure they get there safely."

Minun nods and hops on Pidgeot's back with May.

May stares at me.

"I'm not going. I need to make these guys pay."

I sigh.

"Look at her," I say pointing at Serena.

She's unconscious, but her hand is holding to the hat so tightly that her knuckles are white.

May glares at the hat.

"It's his, isn't it?" I ask.

May nods. She runs her face then looks at me.

"You're lucky Serena is hurt," May mumbles, as she hops on her Pidgeot.

"Wait for my signal. I'll be right behind you" I say.

I should probably talk to them if I manage to get out of this alive.

"Phanpy, use Earthquake!"

Phanpy jumps up in the air, and stops rolling mid air, then when she lands on the floor, the whole building starts shaking aggressively.

"Go now!"

Pidgeot spreads his wings, and takes off, headed straight for the hole in the ceiling. The three masked figures fall backwards on the ceiling.

Machamp loses his footing, so Charizard quickly picks him up and tosses him on the ground. Scyther tries to sneak up on Charizard, but Phanpy stops him with another Rollout.

"Charizard, let's go!" I yell, sprinting towards Charizard.

"Pidgeot!"

I watch as May and Pidgeot scream as something tackles them to the ground. As they hit, I see a red stripe floating right next to them.

That's what attacked Serena! It's a Kecleon running around using Camouflage!

Can this day get any worse?

Pidgeot slowly gets up as May checks on Serena. Luckily, no one fell off his back. I see Minun's blue ears perking up.

"Minun! Look for a red stripe! It's a Kecleon that attacked you!"

Minun spots the red strip, and unleash a Thunderbolt. The stripe flops over, releiving the rest of Kecleon's green body.

I return Phanpy to her Pokeball, and face Charizard.

It's time to get out of here.

***Serena's POV

"Serena! Oh thank Arecus you're awake!"

My eyes slowly open, and I see May hovering over me. I feel warm on my back. I sit up, and I see feathers. We must be on her Pidgeot. I'm suddenly greeted with a headache.

"Ah!"

I grab the back of my head. I feel a bump.

"You got attacked by a Kecleon, but Minun took care of it," May says, gesture at Minun, who's staring intently to a green body on the floor.

"Uh, May, is the gym shaking?"

"Yea, we tried to escape under the cover of the Earthquake, but we got knocked down by Kecleon. Now I'm waiting for-"

"Jason! Watch out!" I yell, as I watch a black hound with horns sneak behind him.

Jason turns, and his eyes widen. The hound lunges with his mouth open. Jason manages to lift his arm up, and winces as the hound's teeth sink into the flesh on his arm. Blood begins to escape his body.

Charizard turns to help his trainer, but is pinned down by a Machamp.

"Minun!"

Minun shrieks as she's hit with a Slash attack from Scyther. Kecleon slowly begins to lift herself from the ground, but is forced back to the ground as the force of the Earthquake increases. Rubble begins to fall to the ground.

"May! Take her now! I will meet up with you guys! I promise!" Jason yells, as he attempts to escape the hound's bite. There's no way we're leaving. I turn to May, and her face is pale.

Minun counters Scyther with an Ice Punch, freezing him in place. She then rushes over and jumps on Pidgeot.

"Pidgeot, let's go."

My heart drops.

"No! We can't leave! Jason is still-"

"Look in your hand!" May yells, as we take off into the air.

I'm holding a red hat. The same exact one Ash wore. So it was true. Ash was here.

"Ash."

I stare at the hat as we leave through the hole in the ceiling, without anyone stopping us.