The Misdreavus Menace

Chapter Thirty — Freedom

Butch could tell a battle was going on even before he could see it: the roars and screech of fighting Pokémon, the wafts of odour characteristic of Koffing smokescreens, the bursts of light, presumably from police Growlithe flamethrowers.

He continued to walk confidently. A bunch of Growlithe couldn't stop Team Rocket! Even if the Clefairy and some twerpy kids thwarted Team Rocket's attempt at retaliation, Team Rocket would succeed the next time, and they would learn who they were dealing with.

In desperation, Cassidy threw her last Poké ball. She was cornered—the others had been caught or had deserted. She looked at the three police officers and the Growlithe surrounding her. It looked liked they had the upper hand.

"Double slap!" she yelled at the short, round creature that materialized in front of her.

The Clefairy looked at its surroundings. It was starting to get used to popping out into unfamiliar settings and was able to quickly assess the gravity of its situation: a furry, fierce, fire-breathing monster only two metres away.

The Clefairy did not have time to think about a "double slap", whatever that was. It saw the burst of flame heading its way and fell on its face, rolling away in the nick of time.

"Coward! Just get up there and hit it," came Cassidy's cruel voice.

"Give up lady," said one of the policemen.

"Never!"

As the Clefairy tried to approach its opponent, the Growlithe reared, sprung and flew. Bang! The Clefairy felt a thud in its middle, knocking its breath out and hurtling it back. It scraped the back of its head on the concrete pavement below. It struggled to regain its breath as the pain started to register.

"Get up and fight!" came Cassidy's desperate command.

The hapless Pokémon obeyed and got to its feet, bravely bearing the pain in its gut and its head. It was expecting itself to feel the urge to go and fight as its mistress commanded. Instead, a strange tingle trickled through its mind. It did not feel the need to obey at all. Althought it could not figure out how or why, it suddenly knew that it was free!

Looking up, it saw a human pointing a strange, long object at it. The Growlithe looked like it had stopped attacking, but another human behind it held something, another one of those red balls that had made it a prisoner in the first place!

Never again, it decided! Taking the only recourse left, it opened its mouth and sang.

The police officer holding the Poké ball and the Growlithe protecting him fell to the ground, fast asleep. The other two police felt drowsy, but recovered as soon as the singing stopped.

"Good work," said Cassidy, believing the Clefairy was still under her command. "Sing the others to sleep too."

But it had other plans, like getting out of there and nursing its wounds. It ran away into the evening shadows, leaving Cassidy at the mercy of the police.

"Let her go, or I'll break the his neck."

Cassidy and the two conscious policemen whirled around to see who spoke. There were Butch, Sam and Butch's Machoke, each holding a hostage. Butch held the unconscious Matthew with one arm around his neck.

"Let her go or I'll kill the boy."

The policeman holding the rifle spoke into his radio. "Urgent assistance needed east end outside police station."

Cassidy seized her chance and ran past the policemen up to Butch.

"Give up," called out one of the police. "You'll be surrounded in minutes. You'll never get out of the city."

"You just get back on that radio and make sure I do," replied Butch, "if you every want to see the boys alive again." He ordered Machoke, "Machoke, guard the rear. If they come any closer, break the girl's arm."

Misty gasped, looking pleadingly at the policemen. The policeman raised his rifle and aimed at the Machoke.

Suddenly, he fell to the ground, the rifle flying out of his arms and smashing on the concrete pavement. A large white cat bounded off him and ran after Butch.

"Butch, you idiot. You nearly lost your Machoke," said the Persian.

"Shut up, let's get out of here," was Butch's unfeeling reply.

The other policeman was astonished to hear a Pokémon speak. Warily watching the Rocket group escape with the hostages, he leant down to the fallen officer. He was injured. He had to call for help and warn of the threat to the hostages. Unfortunately, he had to let the criminals get away.

Out of the shadows, a pair of eyes peered at the fleeing group.