Chapter 19: Team Rocket Causes Trouble
Pikachu's Thunderbolt hit Team Rocket's robot, but it only managed to chip off a tiny bit of the robot's paint. Seeing this, Ash asked Brock, "Brock, why didn't Pikachu's Thunderbolt do any damage to that robot?!"
"That robot must be made of insulating materials. That's why Team Rocket and the robot itself were completely unharmed," Brock explained to Ash after observing Team Rocket's machine.
Cassidy and Butch, whether through sharp hearing or some device, overheard Brock and Ash's conversation and burst out laughing. "Our robot uses high-tech nanotechnology! It's waterproof, electricity-proof, and fireproof! So you little brats just wait until we've caught all the Pokémon here, then we'll come catch yours!"
After speaking, Team Rocket started piloting the robot to capture the Pokémon near the cabin, muttering happily, "With so many Pokémon here, if we catch them all, this month's quota will be completed! Once the quota is done, we can go play at the seaside! Just thinking about it is exciting!"
Watching the robot chasing and capturing Pokémon, Ash asked worriedly, "Brock, do you have any way to save these Pokémon? Quickly tell me what to do! How can we rescue them?!"
"Ash, don't panic. Let's go inside the cabin first and properly think of a plan to deal with that robot," Brock suggested from the side. Brock and the others went into the living room.
"Let me think... This robot is waterproof, fireproof, electricity-proof, and has high defense... How can we possibly destroy it?! Let me think, think..." Brock paced back and forth in the living room, talking to himself. As he paced, an idea struck him: Use the Points System's Inspect function! See if I can find the robot's weakness! If the robot breaks down, dealing with Team Rocket themselves should be manageable.
Having thought of this plan, Brock walked to the doorway, entered his mindscape, activated the Inspect skill, and focused it on the robot currently capturing Pokémon. However, the data displayed was:
Name: Cassidy
Strength: Elite Rank Trainer - Late Stage
Pokémon: Hitmontop
Name: Hitmontop
Strength: Elite Rank - Mid Stage
Potential: Elite
Name: Butch
Strength: Elite Rank Trainer - Mid Stage
Pokémon: Raticate
Name: Raticate
Strength: Elite Rank - Mid Stage
Potential: Elite
(The Inspect function only revealed data for Pokémon currently carried on their person).
Seeing this data, Brock grew anxious. What? No data on the robot? I don't need the info on those two Team Rocket members! He looked at Bell in his mindscape and asked, "Bell, why can't the Inspect function check the robot's data?! Do you have any way?"
Bell replied, "Sorry, Host. The system's current Inspect function only works on Pokémon and people. To inspect other objects and get data, you need to upgrade the system first."
Hearing Bell, Brock thought, Should I upgrade the system? But what if 'He' uses it to harm me...? Never mind, save the Pokémon outside first, then worry about it. After thinking this, he quickly asked, "Bell, then upgrade the system!"
Hearing Brock, Bell said, "Sorry, Host, you don't have enough points yet, so the Points System cannot be upgraded."
"Then how many more points are needed to upgrade the system?" Brock asked.
"Host, you need 500 more points to upgrade the Points System," Bell answered.
"Are there any other methods?" Brock asked.
"No."
Just as Bell finished replying, Ash and Misty's voices snapped Brock out of his thoughts, "Brock! Hurry up and think of a plan! Don't just stand there spacing out!"
"Ash, Misty, what did you just say? I was thinking so hard about a plan that I zoned out a bit. So I didn't hear what you said just now," Brock asked apologetically, walking over beside Ash.
"Brock, we were asking if you've thought of a plan yet! If you don't come up with something soon, all the Pokémon outside will be captured by Team Rocket!" Misty repeated.
"Yeah! Brock, hurry up and think of something so we can rescue the Pokémon Team Rocket has already caught!" Ash added worriedly.
"Ash, Misty, let me think!" Brock said, also feeling worried after hearing them.
"Ash, Misty, don't rush him! We're all worried about the Pokémon outside. Let Brock think properly, then we can all figure out a plan together!" Daisy advised.
"Yes! Daisy is right," Melanie added in agreement.
Brock started pacing back and forth in the living room again, thinking, This robot... it's waterproof, electricity-proof, fireproof... what else could it be vulnerable to?! Let me think... Right! Get the robot stuck in mud! If the robot can't move, the captured Pokémon will have time to escape! Let's do that!
Having thought of a plan, Brock excitedly announced, "I've got an idea!"
Ash, Misty, Daisy, and Melanie heard Brock and gathered around him, asking in unison, "Brock, what's the great idea?" Brock explained his plan.
"Brock, will that really work?" Misty asked doubtfully.
"Misty, we won't know until we try! It's not like we have any better ideas right now," Brock replied in a tone suggesting it was a desperate measure.
"Alright then..." Misty still sounded a bit uncertain. Then, Brock led Ash and the others outside the cabin. They saw the robot piloted by Team Rocket currently trying to capture the last remaining Pokémon, Bulbasaur.
Brock immediately took out a Poké Ball and threw it. "Meowth, come out! Use Pokémon language to tell that Bulbasaur to just stall the robot! We'll rescue the other Pokémon!" Brock instructed Meowth, pointing towards Bulbasaur.
Hearing Brock, Meowth complained, "Brock! You didn't keep your word! You're only letting me out now?!" After complaining, Meowth ran over to Bulbasaur and spoke to it in Pokémon language. Bulbasaur listened to Meowth and nodded. Then Meowth ran back over to Brock's side.
"Misty, Daisy, it's up to you now!" Brock said to them.
Hearing Brock, Misty and Daisy took out their Poké Balls together and commanded, "Starmie!" "Seel!" "Use Water Gun on the ground beneath that robot's feet!"
Hearing the commands from Misty and Daisy, Starmie and Seel fired Water Guns from their mouths, soaking the earth under the robot's feet. Cassidy and Butch saw Starmie and Seel attacking their robot with Water Gun and laughed excitedly, "Those Water Guns are useless! We told you this robot is waterproof, fireproof, and electricity-proof! This is an invention of our Team Rocket's Dr. Namba! It's amazing! So just wait until I catch that Bulbasaur, then I'll deal with you lot!" After speaking, Cassidy continued piloting the robot to catch Bulbasaur.
Because the robot was large and clumsy, while Bulbasaur was much more agile, Bulbasaur managed to stall the robot by darting around its feet. Starmie and Seel continued spraying Water Gun onto the ground beneath the robot. After a few minutes, the earth around the robot's feet turned into thick mud, and the heavy robot began to sink.
Inside the robot's cockpit, Cassidy and Butch were trying to pilot the robot, but its feet were stuck fast in the mud, unable to move. "Why can't we move?!" they exclaimed, not understanding what had happened.
Brock, Ash, and the others watched this scene unfold and cheered happily, "We did it!"
Brock released all the Pokémon that Team Rocket had captured. Then, together with all the rescued Pokémon, he walked back over to Ash and the others. Seeing this, Cassidy furiously started mashing buttons inside the cockpit, yelling angrily, "Damn it! Give me back my Pokémon!" As a result of Cassidy randomly pressing buttons, the robot malfunctioned and exploded. Cassidy and Butch were sent blasting off into the sky by the explosion. Then, from far away, a voice echoed, "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"
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