The battlefield went silent.
Misty was the first to speak, her voice trembling, "...No. That— That's not possible. Pryce…? You— you can't even walk."
Blaine lowered his gaze, grim, "I see… I had my theories, but nothing was ever confirmed. Until now."
Pryce opened his eyes, calm and unhurried, even as the ice effigy beneath him flexed and cracked, "So the secret's out. But tell me, boy…" his voice echoed coldly across the ruined forest, "…how did you figure it out?"
Ash straightened, smirking as he put on his best Sherlock impression, "Elementary, my dear Pryce." He even wagged a finger, earning a few bewildered looks from his friends. "The first time we met, you stabbed me with ice and promised I would 'pay.' But the next time… suddenly you were merciful. You said you'd spare me if I stood down. Curious, isn't it? A change in character that sharp usually means a change in motivation."
He spun on his heel dramatically toward Misty, pointing straight at her, "So, Misty, tell me, what changed?"
"W-wha-why are you asking me?!" Misty flinched, eyes wide. She waved her hands frantically, but Ash only arched an eyebrow, waiting, "Ugh, fine, fine…" She tapped her chin, thinking back to when they first met Pryce. And then it clicked. Her breath caught, "Lapras. Our Lapras!"
Ash clapped his hands together with a sharp grin, "Exactly! Ding ding ding, we have a winner!" He pivoted back toward Pryce. "You softened your act once you saw the Lapras we'd raised. That little detail cracked your whole mask. You explained it to us, remember? Dolls of frozen water… bodies moved with strings of frost. You told us you could only use it for Pokémon, but you lied. I didn't think much of it at the time, but later…" He raised a hand, miming the flick of a wrist. "…when I saw the way you flicked your wrist, the twitch, the stiffness, was unnatural. That's when I had my theory."
Pryce's eyes narrowed, but Ash wasn't finished. He smirked, "And the final nail in the coffin? In the so-called 'exhibition match.' You ran away, claiming you would be useless. But when I went looking, there was no sign of you… just your Swinub left behind. The Pryce on stage was never real, was he? Just another ice puppet. I noticed it, before every move, you tapped your cane on the ground. You weren't leaning on it. You were sending commands. Morse code."
Ash came to a stop, flicking the brim of his hat, "So tell me, 'Masked Man'… was I close enough to the truth, or should I keep guessing?"
Misty blinked at him, dumbfounded, "Ash… since when do you talk like that?"
Ash shrugged, slipping back into his usual grin, "What, can't a great detective have a little fun?"
"You're not a detective!" Green and Gary said in unison.
Surge, meanwhile, kept his eyes locked on Pryce, fists clenching, "So you're telling me this whole time, you've been playing us? Acting like some harmless old man while you were planning this? I don't quite like being played."
Pryce's gaze drifted toward him, cold and unyielding, "I was that man, once. But kindness…" His face hardened. "That kindness cost me my legs, and it cost Laprus and Lapris their lives!"
"Right, and that gives you an excuse to make it everyone else's problem? For an old guy, you're being a child," Ash said, almost mockingly.
You might wonder, why did Ash go through his entire 'deduction'? Why not just finish it with an attack? Well, the thing is, this wasn't just about beating Pryce. Because, admittedly, as they were now, even with Misty, Surge, and Blaine wielding the legendary beasts, and Green with Moltres, if they charged in recklessly, they would lose.
Maybe just because they have the word legendary in front of them, you might think they're stronger than they are. But remember, Ash managed to beat Zeraora, and it's around the same strength as the legendary birds and beasts.
Now granted, Ash had prep time to plan and jumped Zeraora without giving it a chance, but Pryce's strength and experience make up for that. Not to mention, he still had two Ho-Ohtwo and Lugiatwo, which, though weaker than the real ones, are still close to their strength. And he has Archer, who is at least as strong, if not stronger, than Pryce.
So if the goal wasn't to beat him, what was it? Simple, buying time and provoking him. Ash already has a plan. What do you think he did on the flight over here? Do you think he just rode on Dragonite and twiddled his thumbs? If he did that, he might as well have used Abby. No, he was making sure everything was going according to plan, he was playing into the fact that Pryce still thought he was in control here
That's the thing, isn't it? These decisions Ash has been making might seem dumb if you don't know what he's doing. That's also why Pryce hasn't done anything. He's buying time too. The only difference is that Ash knows what Pryce is doing, and he's letting him, while letting Pryce think he's just a dumb kid.
Pryce just looked at Ash after his 'childish' comment and scoffed, "Call it what you want, because you misfits won't stop me."
"Oh yeah? Well, in case you forgot, we're here too," Surge said as he cracked his knuckles. "It's our job to deal with you so these kids don't have to. And in case your old eyes are failing you, we have the legendary beasts."
Blaine stood next to Surge as he continued, "The legendary Suicune, Raikou, and Entei, the three Pokémon from the Burned Tower, have come back to stop you. And they chose us to fight alongside them."
Pryce narrowed his eyes as the ice body around him reformed. A new mask of ice covered his face, "So what? You think teaming up will close the gap in strength between us? I've forgotten more about Pokémon than you'll ever know."
Suddenly, the ground began to shake.
The Ho-Ohtwo and Lugiatwo broke free from the vines, while another Lugiatwo pushed Dragonite off and flew up, circling them. Poké Balls started to fall from Pryce's ice body, releasing his original Masked Man team: Gengar, Ariados, Houndoom, and of course, his Delibird.
But now that the secret was out, he revealed his main team: Mamoswine, Cloyster, Weavile, Abomasnow, and Walrein. The only reason he didn't have a sixth was because Delibird, his usual sixth, was already out.
And once they were summoned, Archer leapt into action, rushing forward to stand between the Johto gang and Pryce.
With that, they were surrounded on three sides. But Blaine glanced back at the others, "Leave Pryce to us! This is our battle, not yours!" he said, not even giving them a chance to argue.
Misty understood, and smiled as she looked over at Ash, "Let's see how you like it, Suicune!"
Suicune nodded, stomping a paw on the ground. A massive ice dome erupted outward, locking around the Masked Man, his Pokémon, and Misty, Surge, and Blaine.
"Huh… so that's what it feels like to get pushed away from a battle," Ash muttered as Pikachu and Vee exchanged a blank look.
"Doesn't feel too good, does it?" Gary said. He still wanted to punch Ash in the shoulder for teleporting them all away, but there were more important things now.
"Uh, guys, don't want to be a downer, but we're still surrounded," Lyra called out as Archer reached toward his Poké Ball belt. Overhead, the clones screeched, preparing to attack.
"Right then, we'll deal with these overgrown chickens, you guys deal with him!" Ash shouted.
Silver looked back, frowning, "Hey, why are you making the decisions—"
"We'll leave it to you guys!" Green interrupted before he could finish.
Silver turned back to Archer, timidly grabbing a Poké Ball, "I won't let you down."
Ethan, Kris, and Lyra exchanged blank looks but said nothing as they readied their own Pokémon. They didn't know exactly how strong Archer was, but they weren't about to take any chances. This wasn't some playful tournament where you could start low and build up, it was all or nothing.
Meanwhile, Ash, Green, and Gary glanced at each other before moving toward a clearing. Just as Ash and Gary were about to mount their Pokémon, Green grinned and pulled out two extra Poké Balls.
"Hey, boys catch! We're even now~"
Ash and Gary turned, each catching a ball. Gary stared at his like it might explode, "Wait, what?! I thought you only managed to convince Moltres to help you, and you still haven't explained how you pulled that off."
Green stuck out her tongue, hopping onto Moltres's back, "You can thank Ash for that one. Ain't that right, Ashy~?"
Ash rolled his eyes but smiled. Of course he already knew, he'd been the one who made it possible for Green to bond with them, "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. Too bad you'll never know. Now, let's show them why we in Kanto are built different." He held his Poké Ball forward with a grin.
Gary sighed as he held out his own, "Fine. But I expect answers from someone after this."
Green giggled, holding out Moltres's Poké Ball even though the fiery bird was already beside her, "Fine, let's do this."
Then Ash and Gary's Poké Balls burst open. When the light cleared, Zapdos stood at Gary's side, and Articuno at Ash's.
Ash and Gary vaulted onto their birds' backs, Pikachu and Vee leaping up with Ash. Gary, still staring at Zapdos, muttered under his breath, "Seriously though, how?"
"Maybe stop questioning it and be grateful I gave you one at all," Green teased. "Maybe I should've given it to Pikachu, he'd have been more thankful."
Gary groaned, "Okay, fine. I guess this is one of those times I just… turn off my brain. Let's do this."
Green smirked from atop Moltres, "Kanto Trio, reassembled. Try not to fall behind, boys~"
Gary grimaced, pointing at the circling clones, "Yeah, easy for you to say, you're not riding a lightning cannon that shocks you when it's cranky."
Zapdos's wing twitched, and Gary's hair instantly stood on end, "…Case in point."
Ash laughed despite the tension, leaning forward against Articuno's neck, "Don't worry, Gary, just keep your cool." He winked. "Leave the hothead stuff to Green."
"Ohh, don't know about that one, chief. That was a bit too corny, even for you," Green said, flicking her wrist as if to wave him off.
Their banter was cut short as the Lugiatwos above them let out warped, ear-splitting screeches. The Ho-Ohtwos shrieked in answer, charging up their attacks.
Ash's smile faded into focus, "Alright, no more jokes. Let's take these things down."
"Right!" Green and Gary answered in unison, locking in.
With that, the three legendary birds spread their wings and launched into the air, the trio on their backs. Even Dragonite, pouting that Ash hadn't chosen her to fly, shot up after them, determined not to be left behind.
As Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres soared high into the sky, they faced off against the clones.
Green tightened her grip on Moltres's neck feathers, smirking despite the tension, "Four against three. Odds aren't exactly in our favor, huh?"
Gary scoffed, patting Zapdos's back as sparks arced off its feathers, "Please. Since when have we ever had fair odds, much less needed them?"
Ash leaned forward on Articuno, Pikachu crouched tight against his shoulder and Vee tucked close behind. He smirked, "Besides… look at our track record. Have we ever lost when we fight together?"
"I mean, technically, we didn't win that one fight. It was a tie at best," Gary said, referring to the first battle against Mewtwo in the Gym. Since they didn't remember the second encounter, only Ash knew about it, everyone else's memories had been erased.
But Ash waved his hand dismissively, "Irrelevant. We still won in my book. Now less talking, more battling!"
Articuno opened its wings and unleashed a barrage of ice shards toward the clones.
They dispersed, dodging the first attack, then dove as one: the Ho-Ohtwos with [Sacred Fire], the Lugiatwos with [Aeroblast]. Their attacks merged into a single blazing torrent.
The wind from the Aeroblast fed the flames, creating a massive flaming beam hurtling toward them.
"Move!" Ash barked.
Articuno dove straight down, Zapdos veered left, and Moltres vaulted upward. The combined blast tore through where they had been, splitting the clouds apart.
Gary exhaled, his hair still standing on end from Zapdos's charge, "That's their opening salvo? Great. No pressure."
Green tilted her head back, grinning as Moltres's wings thundered harder, "Relax, professor boy. We're better-looking and smarter than the knockoffs."
"Smarter?" Gary shot back, eyes narrowing. "Your idea of strategy is 'light it on fire and hope it works.'"
"Which works perfectly fine, thank you very much!" she called, smirking. "Besides, you didn't argue about the professor part. Starting to accept your destiny~?"
Before Gary could process that and argue back, Green snapped forward, "Moltres, [Fire Spin]!"
Moltres spun, wings flaring, and a spiral of flame burst outward, twisting into a vortex that tore toward the incoming clones.
The Lugiatwos banked wide. One cut through the vortex with a glowing Aeroblast, shredding half of it, but the other half clipped a Ho-Ohtwo, flames crawling across its icy feathers.
"Nice hit!" Ash called, then leaned low, "Articuno [Ice Beam]! Spread it wide!"
Articuno opened its beak and unleashed a sweeping arc of freezing light. The flames Moltres left hanging in the air crystallized instantly, forming jagged shards that rained down like knives.
Zapdos darted through the frozen barrage, lightning sparking across its wings. Gary pointed forward, "Now [Thunder]!"
A column of lightning cracked down, slamming into the same Ho-Ohtwo still reeling from Moltres's flames. It screeched, wings faltering, just in time to notice Pikachu above, tail glowing, smirk on his face.
Yep, Ash had thrown him, and called out, "[Iron Tail!]"
Pikachu slammed down, smashing the Ho-Ohtwo and sending it spiraling back. Articuno swooped in to catch Pikachu, Ash pulling him back to safety as they kept flying.
Green smirked, "One down in spirit, three to go."
"Don't jinx it," Gary muttered.
Ash whistled, "Gary, cut right. Green, climb high! I'll take them head-on."
"Don't tell me what to do!" Gary shouted, but he still followed the call. After all, they might act like this, but both he and Green knew Ash too well to think he didn't have a plan.
Zapdos flew off, Moltres soared upward, and Articuno charged straight at the two Lugiatwos.
The first one screeched and launched another [Aeroblast].
"[Light Screen]!" Ash commanded, swiping his arm.
A prism of light shimmered before Articuno, the beam bouncing off and scattering skyward.
The second Lugiatwo dove from the side, wings glowing, but Pikachu and Vee leapt forward, ready.
"[Baddy Bad], then [Thunderbolt]!"
Vee darted ahead, grinning as dark energy wrapped around the clone's eyes. Another Reflect shimmered, and Lugiatwo smacked into it, like a bird hitting a window. The opening let Pikachu spring upward, unleashing a [Thunderbolt].
The surge paralyzed the clone just long enough for Articuno to whip around and slam a wing into its side, sending it spiraling toward the ground.
Behind them, Gary and Green struck together.
Zapdos arced high, wings crackling, while Moltres dove through the slipstream it left behind.
"[Drill Peck]!" Gary barked.
"[Sky Attack]!" Green shouted.
Zapdos became a spear of lightning, and Moltres a blazing meteor. They crossed in midair, colliding with the second Ho-Ohtwo from both sides. The impact exploded in sparks and flame, sending the clone spiraling back.
Green pumped a fist, "Hah! Textbook pincer!"
Gary glanced over, smirking despite himself, "Textbook? Please. You've never studied anything in your life. We both know you just cheated off Ash."
Green stuck out her tongue, "And still passed. Sooo… what does that say about you, professor boy?"
"Guys!" Ash cut in, pointing ahead. The injured Ho-Ohtwo screeched, its wings igniting as it tried to recover, "It's not out yet! Articuno [Blizzard]!"
Articuno spread its wings, snow whipping outward in a howling gale. The freezing winds engulfed the Ho-Ohtwo just as Gary shouted:
"Zapdos, cut through with [Drill Peck]!"
Zapdos dove, piercing the storm of ice and lightning. A bolt of thunder cracked down as the bird cut through, the clone unable to dodge. Gary's strike speared straight through its chest, tearing it apart. The Ho-Ohtwo fell, dissolving into sludge before it hit the ground.
Green whistled, clapping her hands, "Okay… that was actually clean."
Gary smirked, brushing his bangs back, "That's what happens when you don't get in my way."
"Don't get cocky just yet!" Ash warned, twisting around. Both Lugiatwos were circling again, wings glowing with light, "They're regrouping."
One Lugiatwo screeched and dove for Moltres. Green's eyes narrowed as she leaned forward, "Fine. Moltres [Overheat]! And don't worry about me this time."
Moltres glanced back and nodded. After all, if it wasn't obvious, all three of the birds were holding back. Because if they weren't… no sugarcoating it, the recoil alone would have killed Ash, Gary, and Green.
Moltres's body flared crimson, flames bursting out in a blazing eruption. The Lugiatwo darted back, but Green didn't flinch. She smiled, stood tall on Moltres, gave a playful salute, then tilted back, letting herself fall in freefall.
Neither Gary nor Ash panicked. Ash was already moving, urging Articuno beneath her. He leaned back, reached out, and caught Green by the wrist, pulling her onto Articuno's back just as cold winds whipped around them.
Green landed against him with a smug little smirk, "Knew you'd be there. Nice catch, Ashy."
Ash rolled his eyes, but he couldn't hide the grin, "You could at least pretend to be worried."
"I trust you," she said simply, then pointed upward, "Now quit grinning and finish the opening Moltres gave you!"
Moltres, now free without a rider, unleashed a massive hurricane of fire, its spinning wings creating a fiery cyclone that dragged one Lugiatwo straight into its core.
"Alright then, Articuno, [Blizzard]!" Ash called out.
Articuno flapped its wings, whipping up a storm of ice and snow that supercooled the Lugiatwo, slamming it from searing hot to freezing cold and causing thermal shock to rip through its body.
Gary seized the moment, "Now, Zapdos, [Thunder]!"
A thunderbolt cracked straight into the storm, igniting it into a blazing maelstrom of lightning, ice, and fire. The catastrophic fusion slammed into Lugiatwo, tearing it apart into sludge before it even hit the ground.
"Two down!" Gary barked, sparks flying across Zapdos's wings.
"Two more to go," Ash said as he flew upward, grabbing Green's hand and helping her swing back onto Moltres.
She landed gracefully, smiling wide, "This is way too much fun."
—
Back on the ground, Silver, Ethan, Kris, and Lyra were breathing hard as they squared off against Archer and his Houndoom, Gyarados, Machamp, and Scizor.
Across from them stood their two Feraligatr, Exbo the Typhlosion, and Lyra's Meganium, though their Pokémon were clearly exhausted. They'd already fought two of the clones, and Archer was simply stronger than them.
Speaking of which, Archer finally looked down at them, a cruel smirk crossing his face, "How cute. You children really think you can accomplish anything? It's all useless."
"You be quiet! Who are you to tell us what we can and can't do? I say we're gonna beat you, and then we'll stop the Masked Man next!" Ethan shouted, jabbing a finger at his chest.
Silver glanced at him and sighed, "As much as I don't want to agree with the idiot… I refuse to lose here."
"Really?" Archer tilted his head mockingly. "Look at yourselves. Your Pokémon are barely standing, and the four of you think you can stop this? What do you have? Some big secret weapon? Go on then, show me."
Silver grit his teeth, clenching his fists, but then he felt a large hand press against his shoulder, gently pushing him aside.
The figure stepped forward slowly, and as they saw who it was, shock rippled across the group, including Archer.
From his sharp suit to his stern, commanding face, there was no mistaking him. Giovanni stepped forward, eyes locked on Archer, "They have me."