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Episode 90b: A Parent Trapped! (part 2)

"Okay, everyone--new objective: find Team Rocket's base." Brock explained as Ash and Misty watched for their Pokemon to return. "If they found a place where Agrios is being held, even better!"

A squawk snapped Ash to attention. "Any sign of the base or Agrios?" he asked as Mina fluttered in for a landing aboard a tree branch.

[Not a thing...] Mina sighed. [All I could see from the air was water.]

[I couldn't see anything from the surface...] Michelle reported as she swam back to shore. [I did, however, see something that looked like a base beneath the water...]

"Good work, Michelle!" Misty smiled as she petted her Golduck on the head. "If you'll give us a minute to get into fish suits, will you lead us there?"

[Of course--I'll be waiting near the drop-off point.] With that, Michelle dove back beneath the surface.

"I'll just be you guys' chaser, since I don't have training yet." Ritchie smiled. "But just wave if you need something!"

"That's actually the diver's signal for an emergency, which is why tourists shouldn't wave at divers in the water." Ash explained as Sparky gave him a red wetsuit.

"Have a buddy with you and chasers on the surface if possible." Misty smiled as she stepped into a blue wetsuit.

"Okay, the three of us and Oliver going with us, Ritchie chasing from the boat..." Brock mused as he finished suiting up. "Let's go."

"Hang on, Agrios...we're coming..." Ash vowed before putting on his mask and putting in his regulator...

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Michelle sighed as she led the line of divers near where she had spotted the base. [Hm...I could have sworn it was here...]

A whir of submarine engine got Brock's attention, so he signaled Michelle to look as a familiar submarine shaped like a Magikarp whirred by. [The rogues? Let's follow them.] Michelle smiled.

But before the divers could approach the base, all the divers balked as it surfaced, forcing Brock to signal the group to surface.

"PokeMaster01 calling Sapphire Spark, we found Agrios." Ash reported on a mini radio after removing his regulator. "He is apparently being used as a decoy for his mother..." he explained as the cage containing Agrios swayed in the wind near a large trap-like device at the east end of the base.

"Sapphire Spark to PokeMaster01, what's your plan from here, over?" Ritchie's voice crackled back.

"We plan to rescue Agrios and prevent the Rockets from capturing Asimona." Ash replied as he paddled over to a docking ramp, allowing the group to trade their fins for insulated boots Oliver had packed.

"I can see the trap for Asimona from here, PokeMaster01--do everything in your power to keep her away from that trap." Ritchie's voice cautioned. "Repeat, do everything in your power to keep Asimona out of that trap."

"Roger, Sapphire Spark--wilco." Ash replied.

He sighed. Thanks, Ritchie, for teaching me radio codes!

"The Rockets didn't even think to lock the cage holding Agrios..." Misty smiled as she climbed up on some crates in an attempt to free Agrios.

But before she could open the cage, everyone gasped as a large shadow sped towards the base. "Asimona!" Ash called. "Turn back! It's a trap!"

"Hold it right there!" a female voice demanded.

Ash whirled around to see Butch and Cassidy waiting for the group. "You guys...this is no reunion I wanted to have."

"Well, we're here, and we've got a little gadget to show ya." Butch smirked as he pressed a button on a remote, making the group gasp in surprise as as Butch's Hitmontop and Cassidy's Houndour started singing a familiar melody. [Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...]

"How is it possible your Pokemon can sing the Swanna Song?" Brock demanded as the Hitmontop and the Houndour continued [Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...]

"Easy..." Cassidy pointed out an odd helmet the two Pokemon were wearing. "This new device not only forces our Pokemon to sing the Swanna Song, but boosts their abilities because of it!"

"Hit the deck!" Oliver called as the group scrambled to avoid a blue-white Flamethrower from Cassidy's Houndour.

Ash then remembered his emergency flashlight as Brock and Misty's Pokemon attempted to warn Asimona away, only to narrowly avoid one of Butch's and Cassidy's attacks. Maybe, if I signaled the boat, Ritchie will come!

He braced himself as a Rolling Kick with a red aura almost sent Brock and Misty flying, then started flashing SOS in the direction of the boat.

"Good thinking Ash..." Misty smiled as Ash continued signaling, and the boat started towards the base. "Fingers crossed Ritchie and his team can join us in time..."

"Zippo, Ash needs us!" a voice called, followed by the pop of a Poke Ball.

Ash heaved a relieved sigh as Ritchie and a Charmeleon arrived. "Am I glad to see you...can you take out that freak machine Butch has his and Cassidy's Pokemon wired to?" he asked, pointing out Butch increasing the power on the machine's control panel.

"I'll take one end, and you can take another." Ritchie replied.

Ash nodded, then heaved a Poke Ball skyward., "Cyndy, I need your help!"

"Flamethrower!" both boys called at the same time, incinerating the boosting machine before it could do lasting damage to Butch's and Cassidy's Pokemon. The impact of the attack also sent the two Rockets flying into their rivals, prompting a massive argument to break out between the two pairs of Rockets.

"That takes care of one problem, now to calm Asimona!" Ritchie pointed out Asimona about to send an Aeroblast at the base!

Gatrandis favel, secret, edena... Ash desperately sang, hoping all the while Asimona would listen to him.
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron zen fine, si...

His song complete, Ash collapsed with exhaustion into Brock's arms...

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Ash came to some moments later, only to balk when he saw that he and the others were inside a large cage. "What? How did THIS happen?"

"Your Swanna Song came too late." Misty sighed. "After you blacked out in Brock's arms, the Rockets caught Asimona and stuffed us all in here!"

"I'm at least glad you're okay, though." Brock replied. "Using the Swanna Song too much will wear you out...Oliver somehow managed to escape."

"But the billion credit question is...how do we get out of here?" Ritchie wondered...

To Be Continued...