The Road to our Destiny

Chapter 80

Ash is still sitting down at the corner of his jail cell, hugging his legs and waiting to be rescued. He can hear something is going on outside despite having no window in the entire room, and he hopes it's his friends fighting to stop Team Rocket. He tightens his grip on his legs, feeling anxious because he can't do anything to help while he's stuck in his cell. Second by second, he begrudgingly waits for an opportunity to get out of his cell and stop Team Rocket.

"Pika, pi!"

"Braixen!"

"Ash!"

Ash's eyes widen, and he immediately gets on his feet. He runs over to the metal bars of his cell and stares at the door on the other side, waiting to hear the voices again.

"Pika, pi!"

"Braixen!"

"Ash, where are you?"

"Serena! Pikachu! Braixen! I'm over here!" he shouts. "I'm inside this room!"

Ash waits a moment until he hears footsteps coming toward him. Before long, Serena bursts through the door with Pikachu on her shoulder and Braixen following behind. Serena and Pikachu's eyes immediately meet Ash's, and they smile brightly. Ash smiles back before Serena sees the lock on the cell door and points at it.

"Pikachu, Iron Tail on that lock!" she commands.

Without hesitating, Pikachu jumps high into the air from Serena's shoulder and smashes the lock into pieces with Iron Tail. Ash wastes no time to open the door and get out of the cell, happy to be free. Pikachu jumps into his arms, and the two of them joyously hug each other, laughing as Ash spins his partner.

"It's so good to see you again, buddy," he says, squeezing his friend. "I missed you."

"Chaaaa!" Pikachu squeals.

Ash smiles at the mouse Pokemon before he feels two arms grab him tightly from behind. He turns his head to see Serena hugging him with her eyes shut and a look of relief on her face.

"Thank goodness you're alright," she sighs quietly. "I was so worried about you."

Ash blinks, taken aback by her demeanor before he smiles warmly. He lifts his arms so that Pikachu can climb up to the top of his head before turning around to hug Serena back.

"I knew you'd come," he says. "I never doubted you once."

Serena lifts her head while still holding Ash tight and smiles brightly. Her heart is filled with exhilaration from hearing him express his confidence in her.

The moment of bliss is interrupted, however, by the sound of Jessie taking through the communicator in Serena's coat pocket.

"Hey, twerpet - uh, I mean Serena, did you find him yet?" She asks.

Serena reluctantly breaks the hug and takes the communicator out of her pocket to reply.

"Yes, Jessie. I found him," she confirms.

"Hold on. Jessie helped you?" Ash asks, surprised.

"She did. So did James and Meowth," Serena answers. "Coovers is downstairs with them along with Gary, Koga, Agatha, Looker, and the rest of the International Police."

"Gary is here?" Ash asks.

But before Serena can reply, Coovers' voice is heard through the communicator.

"Serena, you need to hurry!" he says impatiently. "Timothy could be charging his way to Arceus any second now!"

Serena turns serious and takes out the communicator saying, "Right. We're on our way. Where is the nearest staircase from the cell?"