Pokemon Indigo League stories

Battling in the freezing Raid

The four boys gasped, eyes wide with shock as Goh exclaimed, "It's Articuno!"

Before anyone could react, two boys came stumbling in backward, trying to placate someone. The boy in a green shirt and red shorts spoke first, his voice tense, "Come on! Can't you calm down?"

The other boy, with brown hair and black fingerless mittens, quickly followed. "Yeah, how about we just calm down, and—"

"NO!" a girl's voice cut through the air, filled with fury. "I CAN'T!"

Ash's face went pale. "Tracey? Todd? What's going on?"

The two boys spun around, surprised to see Ash. "Ash!" Tracey exclaimed, relief in his voice.

"We need help!" Todd added quickly, glancing over his shoulder.

Just then, Wisty stormed into view, her eyes burning with anger. "Articuno, let's go," she ordered sharply.

Articuno gave a sharp cry. She didn't want to.

But then Wisty pulled out a Pokéball with a determined glare. "Articuno..."

Before she could proceed, two more majestic figures burst onto the scene—a Moltres and a Zapdos.

Gary's jaw dropped. "The legendary Pokémon!" he exclaimed in awe.

Goh narrowed his eyes, observing the scene. "They look more like they're trying to calm her down," he noted, puzzled.

"Because they are!" Horace shouted over the chaos, his voice strained with worry.

Articuno seemed to understand and moved to join Moltres and Zapdos. The three legendary birds formed a tight formation around Wisty. In unison, they unleashed their elements—Articuno sent forth a blast of icy wind, Moltres ignited a wave of searing fire, and Zapdos crackled with a surge of lightning.

Ash shielded his face from the combined onslaught of elements, shouting over the roar, "What are they doing?!"

"They're trying to purify her!" Tracey yelled, struggling to keep his balance amidst the intense winds.

Ash's eyes widened with shock and confusion. "Purify her?! What do you mean?!"

Todd shouted back urgently, "Something’s not right with Wisty—she’s not herself!"

The legendary birds intensified their elemental barrage, and it became clear that they were not attacking her but trying to purge some unseen force. Articuno's ice swirled around Wisty, Moltres's flames burned intensely yet harmlessly, and Zapdos’s lightning crackled in rhythmic pulses.

Gary, watching with bated breath, whispered, "They’re cleansing her..."

Horace nodded gravely. "If it works... she might come back to her senses. But if it fails..."

"Then we're in big trouble," Ash finished, his expression grim.

The air was still thick with tension as the icy winds, searing flames, and crackling lightning faded. But it was clear—the purification attempt had failed. Wisty remained as furious as ever, her eyes wild and unrelenting.

Desperate to get a closer look, Tracey and Todd stepped forward. "Hold her steady!" Tracey urged, brandishing his sketchpad. "If I can just capture her image, maybe we can understand what's happening!"

Todd readied his camera, nodding nervously. "We just need a clear shot!"

But Wisty's fury turned towards them. In a flurry of motion, she lashed out, and before they knew it, both Tracey and Todd were sent sprawling to the ground, each sporting a fresh black eye.