Ash looked below and noticed a squad of squirtle arriving. Cerulean must have been planning to use them to attack Charizard. Oh well, Pewter will try to attack and learn their lesson. It was imperative that Ash find and return with Pikachu as soon as possible.
From their altitude and with the help of the moonlight, they had no trouble spotting Pikachu's yellow tail in the grass. It was with the others where he had left them.
To avoid alerting soldiers to Misty's position, Ash pointed to the road. Charizard landed. After checking that no-one could see him, Ash asked Charizard to wait for him and dived into the grass. Keeping his head down, he found the others. Pikachu hopped up to him with a "Pikapi".
"Brock, I had trouble with the Pewter captain. He doesn't know who I am."
"Hmm... that's no good. I guess you're not well known in these parts."
"He's not even well known in his own parts," Gary retorted.
"Look, Pewter's going to be in trouble," said Ash. They've got onix, but Cerulean's got a bunch of squirtle.
"Why is that bad?" asked Brock. "Sounds like we'll cream them."
"I don't think it's that simple. Anyway, I've got an idea. I need Pikachu."
"Pika?" said Pikachu at the sound of its name.
"C'mon Pikachu, we've got a job to do."
Checking the road cautiously, they returned to where Charizard was waiting.
"Charizard, we need to Pikachu to defeat all those squirtle."
Charizard pulled its head back with a grunt, its eyes opening wide.
"Charizard, you're not strong against squirtle. We need Pikachu's thunderbolt to defeat them."
Charizard snorted loudly through its nose, sending puffs of hot, grey smoke into Ash's face. It turned around and looked like it was about to take off on its own.
"Wait!" called Ash. This called for a change of tactics. "Tell you what, give us a ride and show us how you can defeat them."
Charizard turned back, looked at Ash and Pikachu and considered for a moment. It lowered its left side. Ash climbed onto its back, putting Pikachu onto its lap.
"Piiikaachu?" said Pikachu, looking worried.
"Just hold on tight, Pikachu," said Ash, and they took off.
"Kaaaa!" screamed Pikachu, clinging for its life, as Charizard's wings bore them high into the air.
Before long they were in sight of the tunnel entrance, where there was plenty of commotion. The onix had exited the tunnel, along with Pewter forces. However, they did not appear to have fared well. One of the onix lay motionless. Another was teetering, being pelted with water. The third lay behind, trying to get through the squirtle's barrage, but being held back. One squirtle lay flat, motionless and covered with blood. The others were holding their own.
Pikachu screamed again as Charizard swooped low. It distracted the squirtle squad, giving the onix a break. It used the last of its strength to fall onto a squirtle crushing it to death.
Cerulean forces took control of the situation. Half the remaining squirtle were ordered to attack the last onix while the other half focused on Charizard.
Charizard took a sharp turn to avoid a blast of water. Ash lost his grip and started to fall. Charizard swerved the other way and he managed to latch on again. Charizard moved away from the squirtle's fire, made a U-turn and came back to face them head on.
"No!" screamed Ash, fearing an onslaught of water.
Charizard opened its mouth, gave a mighty roar, and released burst after burst of fire, each carefully aimed at a squirtle. As each burst approached its mark, the squirtle withdrew into their shells. Charizard swooped low, twisting left and right and striking each squirtle, knocking each one several yards. The last one it snapped up in its front paws.
Charizard soared up into the star-studded sky. Both Ash's and Pikachu's screams were left behind as it executed a vertical one-eighty and proceeded back to the ground in free fall. It manoeuvred, aimed and released the squirtle a moment before levelling off. The squirtle struck another one on the ground. Neither got back up.
"Charizard, let us off!" yelled Ash, who had turned as yellow as Pikachu.
"Pikaaa!" pleaded Pikachu.
Charizard did not relent. It rose up again. From that height, Ash noticed something he hadn't before. The squirtle that were attacking the sole remaining onix had moved to the east side of the tunnel entrance and were forcing it to the west. The Cerulean army were congregated behind their squirtle in a fan from east to north.
"Please Charizard," said Ash, "you can fight those squirtle on your own. But the onix needs our help. Put us down."
Charizard flew to behind the onix and let Ash and Pikachu alight. The ground felt like a stranger to him and his head swam. Pikachu rocked on its feet then fell onto its bottom. Charizard took a ten second breather, then went off again.
The onix reared and lurched forward, knocking down most of the squirtle. Two remained standing and attacked, forcing it back. The rest got back up. By now, the entrance to the tunnel was almost out of the onix's protective range.
"Pikachu," said Ash, pointing to the squirtle, "thunderbolt!"
Pikachu's lightning hit two of the squirtle. They dropped instantly. The remainder stopped in fear and ran back to their soldiers.
Suddenly Ash heard movement behind him. Cerulean soldiers were running towards them, swords brandished.
"Pikaa!" screamed Pikachu when it saw them.
Ash hesitated, fearing the consequences of attacking people with Pikachu again. That nearly cost him his life. A soldier thrust his sword forward. Only Ash's training saved him as he leapt out of the way to his right, tripped the soldier and rammed the man's spine with his elbow on his way down.
Two more soldiers attacked. Pikachu took its safety into its own hands and electrocuted them. By then help from Pewter arrived. The sounds of swords clashing and men killing each other was too much for Ash. So this was the horror of war.
A man grabbed Ash's arm and pulled him away from the conflict. Ash was unable to resist. Pikachu followed its tamer while they were led to a position of relative safety behind a wall of Pewter troops. Northwards, the onix was now roaring, rearing and sweeping, smashing Cerulean equipment and soldiers with ease.
"Sir," said a voice, "Cerulean reinforcements have arrived. More men, and wartortle this time."
"Sit down, kid," said the man who had pulled Ash away. He recognized the voice. "I saw what your Pikachu did to the squirtle. Will you let it help us attack the wartortle?"
Ash nodded. "Pikachu, thunderbolt the wartortle," he said.
Pikachu was a little perplexed, but let itself be led away by the soldier.
"So," said the man, "are you finally going to tell me who you are? Don't beat around the bush this time."
Ash finally recognized the voice as that of the Pewter captain.
"Yes, sir. I'm Ash from Pallet. I went with Gary, Brock and Timmy and we rescued Misty from the palace."
"Captain!" called out another voice.
"Yes, sergeant."
"Another contingent from Pewter has arrived with five graveler."
"Employ them at once," ordered the captain, "but keep them away from Cerulean's monsters. Two of our onix have already fallen."
"Yes, sir!"
Turning to Ash, the captain said, "How do you feel?"
Ash looked up. The captain's face was that of a strong leader, firm and resolute, its features accentuated by the light of a nearby torch.
"I'm feeling better. I want to fight now."
"This is not your battle, kid. You can best help us by letting your Pikachu fight."
"Sir, I came in to the tunnel before to try to tell you that Brock's with Misty and the other people. They're waiting for weapons.
"What's their location?"
"They're hiding in long grass, that way." Ash pointed.
Charizard flew down nearby, something in its mouth. It sat down and began to eat. It tossed aside something it didn't want. It looked like a piece of squirtle shell.
Ash felt dizzy. It had all been too much for him. The ground came nearer. He felt someone catch him a moment before he lost consciousness.
