" See, we promised to each other- next time we're together, we're gonna be smiling."

There were screams and shouts in the distance.

Gary smiled faintly as he thought of his best friend. " Yeah."

" GET AWAY FROM MEEEE!" someone yelled.

Gary raised a brow. " Who was that?"

Horace blinked. " Someone in trouble, that's what it sounds like."

" GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Gary frowned. " That voice..... Sounds familiar......"

A girl and boy flying a Pigeotto flew out of the forest.

" PIKACHU THUNDERBOLT!"

" JOLTEON LET'S GO!"

A creature came out of the forest, and both people on the bird gasped and fell off. The boy called the bird back, and the two ran.

" DO SOMETHING!"

" I'M TRYING! YOU SHOULD HELP!"

" I'M NOT THE POKEMON MASTER!"

" YES YOU A- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

They jumped over a rock and screeched to a stop at the pier.

Then they came running.

As they got closer, the boys could make out a girl and boy.

" We're gonna have to swim!" The girl yelled.

" You think I don't know that?!" The boy shouted back.

" I'm just saying!"

The boy groaned.

The girl gasped. " Ash look out!"

The boy looked up to see Goh, Gary and Horace.

He threw a Pokeball. " Pigiotto!"

The bird swooped out and the boy jumped on as the bird swooped alarmingly close to their heads. The three boys ducked and covered their heads

Then they heard a splash. The boy had jumped and called his Pokemon back into its ball.

The girl had jumped into the freezing water. " Now!"

The boy threw a Poke Ball. " Squirtle!"

The girl threw one too. " Eevee! Vaporion, let's go!"

The two pokemon came out, and the trainers grabbed on and urged them to swim.

Gary rubbed his eyes. " Ash?!"

The boy turned. " Oh hi Gary."

The girl let out a scream. " ASH KETCHUM WE HAVE TO MOVE NOW!"

" Wh-" Ash stopped when he saw. " Oh great."

The girl groaned. " It can SWIM?!"

Ash shrugged. " Well, we knew it was going to."

The girl shot him a look. " No, Ash. No."

Ash and Wisty, holding tightly onto Squirtle and Vaporeon, dived deeper, kicking against the strong currents as their Pokémon powered them through the water. Bubbles rose up around them, making it hard to see, but they could still hear the faint sounds of chaos above the water.

As they swam, Wisty tugged on Ash’s arm, her expression tense. She pointed upward, and Ash caught sight of the dark shape of the creature swimming above them. They exchanged a look, both realizing they needed to move faster.

Vaporeon picked up speed, pulling Wisty along, while Squirtle used its strong fins to propel Ash forward. They navigated through the twists and turns of the underwater terrain, hoping to lose the creature in the maze of rocks and seaweed.

Above them, Gary, Horace, and Goh were frantically paddling in the small raft Gary had brought from his bag. The three strained to keep up with the shapes moving below the water’s surface.

“Are you sure they’re down there?” Goh asked, eyeing the dark depths warily.

Gary nodded. “Trust me, I know Ash. If he’s trying to shake something off, he’d dive as deep as possible.”

Horace looked at Gary, determination in his eyes. “Then we better keep up. If there’s something chasing him, he’ll need all the backup he can get.”

As they rowed faster, Goh pulled out his phone and sent a quick message to the Mew headquarters: “Something urgent came up. Gary and I and Horace will be there as soon as we can.”

Suddenly, the creature burst out of the water just behind them, sending waves crashing around the raft. Gary gritted his teeth. “It’s getting closer. We have to move faster.”

Back underwater, Ash glanced at Wisty, signaling that they were getting close to a large underwater cavern. They both steered toward it, hoping to find a safe spot to regroup.

They swam inside, and as they settled on a ledge, Wisty looked at Ash, catching her breath. “So, got any bright ideas, genius?”

Ash smiled, breathing heavily. “I think we’ll need some serious teamwork here. You and I both know it’s not giving up anytime soon.”

Just then, the water outside the cavern rippled, and the dark shape of the creature hovered, as if searching for them.

Wisty rolled her eyes, but her expression was serious. “Alright, then. Let’s give it something to remember.” She reached for another Poké Ball, readying herself for the next move.

Ash grinned, his hand on his own Poké Ball. “Together?”

“Always,” Wisty replied.

Gary stared in disbelief as he took in the chaotic scene. Ash and Wisty were in the middle of an all-out battle, each of them commanding their Pokémon with laser focus. The sheer number of Pokémon surrounding them—wild and fierce—was enough to make anyone back down, but not Ash and Wisty.

Gary's eyes widened as he saw an attack coming from the side. "What is going on?!"

Wisty barely glanced over her shoulder as she dodged a swooping Beedrill’s Poison Sting, then shouted, "Oh, hi, Gary! Fancy meeting you here!"

Gary groaned. Of course she’s not fazed, he thought, stepping forward to help. Just then, Wisty’s expression shifted as she saw another attack about to hit Ash.

“ASH, LOOK OUT!” she yelled.

Ash turned just in time to see a Golem rolling towards him, ready to strike. “Pikachu, Iron Tail, now!”

Pikachu leapt up, its tail glowing white as it struck Golem mid-roll, sending it flying backward. Squirtle and Milotic then moved in, combining Water Gun and Hydro Pump to drive back a group of Fire-type Pokémon that had joined the fray.

Gary took out two Poké Balls, releasing Arcanine and Umbreon. “Alright, guess I’m joining in! Arcanine, Flamethrower! Umbreon, Shadow Ball!”

Arcanine let out a mighty roar and launched a stream of fire at an incoming Scyther, while Umbreon’s Shadow Ball landed a direct hit on a charging Machamp, momentarily throwing it off balance.

Wisty smirked, glancing back at Gary as her Altaria dove in to counter a Dragonite. “Took you long enough, Mr. ‘I Got This.’”

Gary rolled his eyes but kept his focus on the battle. “Yeah, well, if someone had given me a heads-up…”

“Where’s the fun in that?” Wisty shot back, grinning as she ordered, “Milotic, Ice Beam! Sprigatito, Leaf Storm!”

Ash grinned at Gary, clearly in his element. “Glad you’re here! We could use all the help we can get!”

Goh and Horace jumped in, releasing their own Pokémon to join the fray. Goh sent out his Cinderace, who fired off Pyro Balls to keep the wild Pokémon at bay, while Horace’s Rapidash created barriers of flame to protect everyone. Despite their combined efforts, the ground beneath them began to shake violently, rocks dislodging from the walls and ceiling.

Wisty’s face turned serious as she felt the tremors intensify. “Oh no,” she muttered, wide-eyed. “This isn’t a cave… it’s a collapsing cavern! We need to get out—now!”

Without hesitation, she called out to her Pokémon, “Everyone, return!” As the red beams absorbed each Pokémon back into their Poké Balls, she turned to the others. “Go! Head for the raft!”

Ash, Gary, Goh, and Horace sprinted towards the raft, clambering on as quickly as they could. But before joining them, Wisty glanced back, her expression determined. With one last look at her friends, she dove into the water, her form disappearing beneath the surface.

Ash reached out, eyes wide. “Wisty, wait! Where are you going?”

Gary grabbed his arm. “She knows what she’s doing! If she’s going that way, she has a plan.”

Wisty swam downward, the icy water numbing at first but quickly replaced by her resolve. She navigated through the twisting underwater tunnels with ease, relying on her Pokémon instincts and memory. Finally, she broke through a hidden passage leading out into open water, her eyes scanning for any sign of the others.

Above, the boys had already pushed off from the shore, their raft bobbing in the choppy waves as they scanned the water for any sign of her. Just as Ash was about to shout her name, a splash nearby drew their attention.

Wisty resurfaced, breathing hard but grinning. She gave them a thumbs-up as she swam towards the raft, and Arcanine leaned over to help pull her up.

“So, who missed me?” she teased, shaking water from her hair.

Ash laughed in relief. “You scared us! I thought you were going to stay down there forever!”

Gary smirked. “Just like you to make an exit like that. Let’s get out of here before this place comes down on us.”