PS038: Difference between revisions

'''Long Live the Nidoqueen?!''' (Japanese: '''VS ニドクイン''' ''VS Nidoqueen'') is the 38th round of the [[Pokémon Adventures]] manga.

With {{adv|Red}} revealing [[Aero]], {{adv|Giovanni}} barely realizes the boy's last-minute subterfuge as Red commands a {{m|Hyper Beam}} from Aero, fainting [[Giovanni's Beedrill]] in one hit and creating a fog that blankets the field. As the fog clears, Red is shocked to see Giovanni gone as the [[Viridian Gym]] begins to shake ominously and collapse. Red attempts to rescue [[Poli]], but is hurt by falling debris and barely manages to escape as the Gym comes crumbling down.

Getting to his feet, Red sees a {{p|Nidoking}} who Red reasons must have used {{m|Earthquake}} to destroy the Gym, while Giovanni compliments Red's ability having forced him to switch to Pokémon of his type specialty, revealing his entire team of {{t|Ground}} Pokémon. Red calls on Aero, but Giovanni easily has {{p|Rhyhorn}} use {{m|Tail Whip}} to faint Aero, before ordering {{p|Rhydon}} to drop Red in a {{m|Fissure}}. The attack leaves Red barely hanging on for his life and separated from his [[Poké Ball]]s, as Giovanni declares himself the legendary master of Ground-type Pokémon. Quickly, Red attempts to make a switch to his other Pokémon, but Giovanni has {{p|Dugtrio}} use {{m|Dig}} to break the opening mechanisms of the Poké Balls, preventing Red from any further action.

Giovanni praises Red on his bravery, but also reveals to Red that while he went on his journey [[Team Rocket]] already had control of the cities he visited. The master plan was to send all Pokémon captured by Team Rocket to [[Celadon City]] for experimentation and bio-engineering, then to [[Saffron City]] for battle training. The Pokémon were then shipped via [[Vermilion City]] to [[Cinnabar Island]] by the [[S.S. Anne]], because the [[Brock|opposing]] [[Misty|Gym]] [[Erika|Leaders]] made a northern transfer impossible, before being brought to [[Viridian Forest]] to reawaken their primal instincts, creating an unstoppable Pokémon army for Giovanni in his supposed absence.

In light of this knowledge, Red realizes that he is the only one who can stop Giovanni's plan, and to his surprise [[Pika]] rolls its Poké Ball into his hand, being the only Pokémon Dugtrio didn't trap. Hollering his determination to defeat Giovanni and Team Rocket, Red lunges for his final assault, as Giovanni declares Red unable to order an attack from Pika in time before {{p|Nidoqueen}} impales him with {{m|Poison Sting}}. Much to the Leader's horror, however, Pika proves itself as it appears from the Poké Ball in time, already electrified and ready to attack. As Giovanni and Nidoqueen stand stunned, Red orders a crippling {{m|Thunderbolt}} that faints Nidoqueen, and heavily damages Giovanni.

Red explains that he had bypassed the drawback of Pika charging itself for attacking by having it charge inside the Poké Ball, giving it time to attack before Nidoqueen could attack. Giovanni screams the impossibility of Red holding Pika's Poké Ball with it heavily charged with electricity, but by the corner of his eye realizes that Red had been wearing electric-proof gloves he had [[PS030|taken]] from [[Lt. Surge]]. Lamenting his loss to be cemented by his organization's technology, Giovanni passes out—to which Red responds Giovanni's downfall was due to the pain he sensed in Pokémon that Team Rocket had inflicted, before the boy passes out himself.

Sometime later, Red awakens at a medical facility, much to the relief of Pika and the {{adv|Yellow|girl}} he'd met earlier. The girl explains that she had found Red unconscious at the edge of Viridian Forest, and that the townspeople had gone into the forest to calm the raging Pokémon there. As Red offers his help, the girl expresses a wish for a Leader to replace the previous one who had disappeared from the ruins of the Gym; an offer Red accepts as he races away, promising to become the best Gym Leader ever.

** The phrase is similar in origin of an [[PS021|earlier round]]'s title.