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"A typhoon at this time? Everyone—hurry to the station for shelter! Officers, get these troublemakers into the patrol cars!" Officer Jenny took command, directing Tyra's group to safety while instructing her colleagues to secure Mars and his gang.
"But what about Shellder? Its condition is critical!" Misty worried. Originally there had been no rush, but taking shelter now might delay treatment for the sick Pokémon.
"I understand, but there's nothing we can do. Crossing the bridge in this weather would be extremely dangerous. Besides—"
BOOOOOOM!!!
Before Officer Jenny could finish, a deep rumbling sound rose from the sea. Everyone turned to see a massive ship approaching.
The bridge ahead began to rise gradually, preparing to allow passage for the oncoming vessel.
"With the typhoon approaching, nearby ships need to enter the harbor for safety. The bridge won't lower again until the storm passes," Officer Jenny explained.
This was a sea-crossing bridge with a dock inland. Given the unpredictable coastal weather, the bridge had been designed with a lifting mechanism to accommodate passing ships. During severe weather, the bridge would remain raised—both to allow vessels to seek shelter and to prevent travelers from being caught on the span during dangerous conditions.
There were stations near the bridge where travelers could wait out the storm, which made the current situation particularly frustrating.
Misty and Brock exchanged helpless glances. Despite their concern for Shellder, they could only watch as the road ahead tilted upward into a steep slope.
VROOM VROOM!!!
Suddenly, a roaring engine caught everyone's attention. They turned to find Ash sitting astride one of the bosozoku's motorcycles, its engine revving loudly as the tires spun, kicking up spray from the rain-slicked road. Everyone stared in shock.
"Ash, what are you doing?" Misty asked instinctively, sensing something reckless about to happen.
"I'm borrowing this bike!" Without further explanation, Ash twisted the throttle and sped away with Pikachu, disappearing before anyone could stop him.
"Ash, don't be crazy!" Misty shouted anxiously, but Ash was already too far to hear her. Officer Jenny quickly stopped Misty from running after him.
"He's being too reckless! Sister, I'll leave the rest to you—I need to stop him!" Officer Jenny from Sunnytown called to her counterpart.
"Go!"
Officer Jenny immediately mounted her motorcycle and gave chase, determined to stop Ash. But Ash continued accelerating, making it difficult for her to catch up.
The bosozoku bikes were impressively powerful machines—which explained why they had repeatedly eluded police capture. Even with her police-issue motorcycle, Officer Jenny struggled to close the distance.
Soon they approached the lifting section of the bridge. By now, the raised portion had reached a 45-degree angle on both sides, creating a widening gap of several feet at the center. Below was the storm-tossed sea, churning violently under the typhoon's influence.
"Pikachu, Charmeleon—hold on tight!"
Pushing the throttle to its limit, Ash lowered his body to reduce wind resistance. Pikachu responded by gripping his shoulders firmly. Charmeleon, who had emerged from his Poké Ball, clutched Ash's waist.
"We've got you!"
VROOOOOM!!!
The motorcycle roared in protest as Ash charged up the incline without hesitation. The steepening slope fought against the bike's power, but Ash continued accelerating toward the break.
When Officer Jenny arrived, the angle had increased beyond 50 degrees. Her motorcycle couldn't possibly make such a climb. Unable to stop Ash, she could only watch anxiously, praying he would somehow reach the other side safely.
From a distance, Misty and the others watched with mounting concern when they saw that Officer Jenny had failed to intercept Ash.
Their hearts pounded with fear for their friend.
Brock remained silent, his worried expression betraying his inner turmoil. Yet beneath the worry was determination—Ash had achieved the impossible before, and Brock believed he could do it again.
Soon they saw Ash's figure launch into the air. From their perspective, he appeared to simply soar into nothingness. As the bridge continued to rise, they couldn't see what happened on the other side.
After Ash disappeared from view, there was no way to know whether he had landed successfully or plunged into the raging sea. Misty clenched her fists tightly, feeling utterly helpless.
Meanwhile, airborne Ash frowned as he gazed at the rough sea below, then looked ahead. The opposite section of bridge continued rising, becoming higher with each passing second. Though he had launched with considerable height, the increasing elevation of the landing zone meant he might fall short.
"Damn it, I'm not going to make it!" Ash thought grimly. Pikachu's expression mirrored his concern.
He felt Charmeleon's claws tighten around his waist. The presence of his loyal Pokémon gave Ash an odd sense of reassurance, and suddenly, the pressure at his waist sparked an idea.
"Charmeleon, use Flamethrower behind us!"
"CHAR!"
Understanding Ash's intent immediately, Charmeleon reacted with perfect synchronization. He shifted position, balancing on the back of the seat before turning around. Bracing against Ash's back, he opened his jaws wide and summoned all his power.
WHOOSH!!!
A massive pillar of fire erupted skyward through the wind and rain, blasting powerfully backward.
"Look at that!" The people watching from behind gasped at the strange sight—flames piercing through the storm.
"That must be Charmeleon's Flamethrower! Ash is alive!" Brock recognized the attack instantly. The use of Flamethrower had to be Ash's strategy, which meant he must still be airborne.