Chapter 225: Major Events
A Shocking Revelation
On September 14th, just two months before the Indigo Plateau Conference, an event occurred in the Kanto Region that shook the entire world.
An event so unbelievable that many dismissed it as a hoax at first—until the Kanto Alliance officially confirmed it as fact.
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Giovanni Exposed!
Giovanni, the highly respected Gym Leader of Viridian City, had been unmasked as the true leader of the notorious criminal organization—Team Rocket!
Even more shocking—Viridian City, a vital location under the jurisdiction of the Kanto Alliance, had been secretly under Team Rocket's control for years.
When the news broke, pandemonium erupted worldwide.
How could Team Rocket have operated in secret for so long?
How did they manage to manipulate an entire city right under the Alliance's nose?
The revelation shattered the trust and admiration many had for Giovanni, leaving trainers across the region reeling in disbelief.
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Worldwide Reactions
Across every city, town, and Pokémon Center, the topic dominated conversations.
"This can't be real!"
Inside a busy restaurant in Celadon City, trainers sat huddled around television screens, hanging on to every word of the breaking news reports.
A young trainer in his twenties, who had once challenged Giovanni, sat in stunned silence before finally speaking.
"I still can't believe it… Mr. Giovanni… No—Giovanni, that man, is actually the leader of Team Rocket?! It's true what they say… You can never truly know someone."
His hands tightened into fists.
"He gave me advice after my loss. He helped me become stronger… Was it all just a lie?"
Similar conversations played out across the region.
Many trainers had respected Giovanni, admiring him not just for his strength, but for his insight and leadership.
For them, this revelation felt like a personal betrayal.
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Ash, Misty, and Brock's Reactions
Unlike the rest of the world, Ash, Misty, and Brock weren't as shocked when they saw the report.
They had suspected this long ago.
Yet, despite their prior suspicions, there was still a sense of unease lingering in the air.
Misty sighed, shaking her head.
"I knew it… But hearing it confirmed still feels strange."
Brock, sitting across from her, folded his arms.
"Yeah. We already guessed it back at Viridian Gym. But still…"
He looked over at Ash, who remained oddly quiet, lost in thought.
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Ash's True Concern
While Misty and Brock were focused on Giovanni and Team Rocket, Ash's mind was elsewhere.
He was thinking about something far more pressing.
Mewtwo.
He knew what was coming next.
He had seen the signs.
"The Invitation Will Arrive Soon…"
Ash glanced down at his Poké Ball belt, fingers grazing against one of the Poké Balls absentmindedly.
The timeline was lining up exactly as he feared.
If the events in the theatrical version of the story were correct—then Mewtwo would soon send out invitations to its newly built New Island stronghold.
And one of those invitations was sure to be for him.
For the first time, Ash felt hesitation.
"Should I Accept?"
If he accepted Mewtwo's challenge, he would be walking straight into a storm.
If he refused… then he would be ignoring the warning signs of a looming crisis.
But Ash wasn't afraid for himself.
With Marshadow secretly protecting him, he wasn't worried about his own safety.
He was more concerned about the consequences of Mewtwo's actions.
Because the Mewtwo that had escaped Viridian Gym was not yet at its full potential.
It had the raw power of a Legendary Pokémon, but it hadn't yet reached its strongest form.
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Mega Evolution—A Form Yet to Awaken
Ash knew that Mewtwo was capable of something far greater.
Mega Evolution.
Two forms.
One for raw strength—Mega Mewtwo X.
One for unparalleled speed and psychic prowess—Mega Mewtwo Y.
But at the moment, it lacked the Mega Stones needed to access these transformations.
This meant that the battle that would unfold soon—the confrontation between Mewtwo and the trainers it had invited—was only the beginning.
It was not yet the final battle.
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Misty and Brock's Worry
Misty, feeding Togepi while eating dinner, suddenly noticed Ash's distracted expression.
"Ash? What are you thinking about?"
Ash snapped out of his thoughts, blinking as he refocused on the conversation.
"Oh… It's nothing," he said quickly.
But Misty wasn't buying it.
She narrowed her eyes.
"It's the Rockets, isn't it?"
Brock, sitting beside her, also looked at Ash with concern.
"Yeah. I've been thinking the same thing. Giovanni seemed really interested in you during the gym challenge today."
Brock leaned forward.
"You don't think Team Rocket will try something, do you?"
Ash hesitated.
If only they knew…
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A Moment of Reflection
Ash exhaled slowly, shaking his head.
"I don't think Team Rocket is the biggest problem right now…"
Misty and Brock exchanged puzzled glances.
"Then what is?" Misty asked.
Ash hesitated for a moment—then shook his head again.
"It's nothing… Just a feeling."
Misty frowned but didn't push further.
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The Calm Before the Storm
As the night deepened, the three of them finished their dinner, but the unease in the air didn't fade.
Outside, the streets of Kanto were in chaos, as news stations continued to broadcast coverage of the Team Rocket scandal.
The world was focused on Giovanni.
But Ash knew that soon…
The world's attention would be on something far greater.
Because Mewtwo was watching.
And it was waiting for its chosen trainers to arrive.