136. The Undead Rockets

Seeing that Ash had kept his promise, Squirtle was slightly relieved, and soon, the two Squirtles and Meowth walked back.

"Damn little devils! We won't let you go so easily, remember that!" Team Rocket didn't even have time to untie the rope, so they grabbed Meowth and ran off.

"Those guys really never learn!" Misty said with a frown as she watched them flee without anyone chasing.

On the other side, two Squirtles untied the ropes around the other two Squirtles. They then looked at Ash and the others with caution, while the Squirtles captured by Ash appeared a bit frightened.

"Jenny, Jenny!!"

At that moment, the Squirtle leader looked at its followers and called out. The younger Squirtles immediately stopped their hostility, and Brock, seeing this, spoke up.

"It looks like they're just pranksters. They don't really want to hurt anyone!" Brock could tell these Squirtles had no harmful intentions, and deep down, they were still kind.

They had only turned out this way because they were once abandoned. If there was any fault, it wasn't theirs.

"I know!" Ash agreed, which was why he had decided to handle them this way, just like how he knew Jessie and James were mostly interested in stealing Pokémon.

"Still, if this keeps up, the people in town won't be able to handle it, and something bad might happen." Misty sounded concerned. After all, the townspeople didn't know the Squirtles' true intentions.

Just as they were unsure of what to do next, there was a commotion in the sky. A Meowth-shaped hot air balloon appeared, soaring above them, and soon Jessie and James showed themselves once again.

Meowth jumped onto the edge of the balloon, holding a cannonball with the fuse already lit.

"Damn brats! After all I've been through, now it's time for payback, meow!" Meowth snarled, throwing the cannonball down.

Bang! Bang!

The cannonball landed right in the middle of Ash, his friends, and the Squirtles. The explosion that followed was powerful, and when the smoke and flames cleared, everyone had been blown back.

"Hmph, now's our chance!!"

Jessie and James quickly jumped out of the hot air balloon, holding spring-loaded machines in their hands. They pressed the buttons, and the springs extended, grabbing both Pikachu and the Squirtle leader. The springs then snapped back, pulling them into the balloon.

"Pika?!"

"Ah! Pikachu, Squirtle!" Misty gasped, stunned by what had just happened.

"Hmph! Pikachu and Squirtle are ours now! Hahaha!" Although they only managed to catch two Pokémon, it was enough for Team Rocket to feel triumphant—snatching Pikachu and another Squirtle had made it a big success.

The other Squirtles looked worriedly at their leader, and Ash quickly stepped forward.

"Go, Ivysaur!" Ash shouted as he threw a Poké Ball, releasing Ivysaur. Just as it prepared to attack, Meowth held another cannonball, ready to strike. 

"The little devil won't let you get away with this!" Meowth yelled as he threw down the cannonballs in his hands. Before Ivysaur could launch an attack, the cannonballs had already fallen.

Bang! Bang!

Even though everyone tried their best to dodge, the explosion's power still spread, making it difficult for anyone to launch a counterattack. It was challenging just to avoid the blasts.

Meanwhile, in the air, Pikachu and Squirtle had been trapped in a glass container by Jessie and James.

"Pikaaa...chu!" Pikachu desperately tried to break free but couldn't, staring in surprise at the solid glass surrounding them.

"Hmph! Useless, Pikachu! We've already made sure this container is Thunder Shock-proof." After so many encounters with Ash and Pikachu, Team Rocket had prepared thoroughly. The container was completely insulated against electricity.

It was also very strong, making it almost impossible to break from the inside. Pikachu frowned, realizing the situation.

Back below, Meowth continued to throw cannonballs from the hot air balloon as if they were endless. Ash shielded Misty and Brock, but he couldn't do anything to stop the relentless barrage. The hot air balloon was drifting farther and farther away.

"Head for the cave!" Ash shouted, glancing at the nearby cave where Squirtle and the others had been. He turned to Misty and Brock. 

They didn't have their Pokémon with them, so they couldn't help in this battle. Realizing they would only hinder Ash if they stayed, Misty and Brock exchanged a glance, nodded, and quickly ran into the cave to take cover, leaving Ash to handle the situation.

At the same time, the Squirtle trapped with Pikachu noticed that Pikachu's Thunder Shock wasn't working. Determined, Squirtle tried a different approach, releasing a powerful Water Gun inside the container. The container was small, and with Squirtle's body already taking up much of the space, the water quickly filled it.

While Squirtle could breathe underwater, the container couldn't withstand the increasing water pressure. James' face paled when he realized what was happening.

Boom!

With a loud crack, the container burst open under the immense pressure. Water flooded the inside of the hot air balloon, causing it to shake violently. Meowth, who had been tossing cannonballs below, lost his balance and fell into the soaked balloon.

"Now's our chance! Ivysaur, use Vine Whip! Save them!" Ash seized the opportunity and gave the order. Ivysaur responded immediately, its Vine Whip shooting out from beneath the buds on its back. Since evolving, Ivysaur's Vine Whip had grown thicker, with a longer range, and it could now produce four vines instead of two.

One vine quickly snatched the falling Squirtle, while another grabbed the container holding Pikachu. The remaining two vines wrapped around the hot air balloon's iron frame, snapping it and preventing the balloon from rising any further.