Ashley, Maxie, and Lysandre ran back into the main part of the Pokemon Center. "Status report." Maxie ordered.  

"We're holding our own sir. But we don't know how much longer we can hold them off." Tabitha replied.  

"Retaliate with full force. We have to insure Ashley's security." Maxie ordered. 

 "Yes sir." Tabitha acknowledged before leaving to join the front lines. 

"Ashley you need to go to your room and stay in there. Your friends will join you." He ushered.  Ashley and the gang ran up the stairs and locked themselves in Ashley's room. Ashley ran over to the window to see all six Syndicate Grunts attacking each other.

 'How does it look out there?' Mew asked. 

 "It's a war zone." Ashley replied "To think this is all because of me." She thought. She suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around her. She looked over to see Arceus giving her a reassuring smile.  "Don't worry. We won't let you fall into their hands." He assured.  

'Yes. Let me and Arceus handle them. You remain here.' Mewtwo said as he and Arceus teleported outside to provide reinforcements.  Ashley hugged Dialga tightly as if she was afraid that he would disappear. 

"Don't worry. They can handle themselves." Brock assured.  

"I wish I was out there fighting with them. I'm not helpless. I can fight." Ashley thought.  

"That would be a bad idea. There are just too many of them." Wallace rebuked.  "I agree with Wallace. However I will call reinforcements of my own to backup our three Syndicates." Lance assured as he got on his phone.  Ashley handed Dialga to Lance before going back to look out the window.  

Meanwhile Gary was riding in his car full of cheerleaders deep in thought. He heard about the news regarding Ashley...and he felt guilty as hell. He had to find her and make sure she was alright. He took out his phone and dialed the number his grandfather gave him. When he heard about Ashley he told both his grandfather and Delia what was on his mind and after some apologizing and practically begging Professor Oak reluctantly gave up Ashley's number. Gary hadn't used it thinking if she would forgive him or not, but after some thinking he decided the best way to know for certain would be to call her and see if Arceus was on his side. He called the number and after a moment someone picked up the other line.

 "Hello?" Perfect. Just the voice he was hoping to hear.  "Hey Ashley it's Gary." Gary replied.  

"Gary!?! How the hell did you get this number!?!" Ashley asked angrily.  

"Look I just wanted to say how sorry I am for everything. Where are you?" Gary asked.  "..." No reply. "Saffron City. But I wouldn't go there if I were you." Ashley warned. 

 "Why's that?" Gary asked.  "It's a fucking war zone in front of the Pokemon Center. All six Syndicates are going after each other. Teams Magma, Plasma, and Flare are trying to protect me from Rocket, Aqua, and Galactic." Ashley replied causing Gary to growl.  

"Are you inside the Pokemon Center?" Gary asked.  

"Yes. I'm safe inside my room with the door locked. Why?" Ashley asked. 

"Stay there. I'm on my way." Gary said.  "

What? No Gary don't..." He hung up.  

"Take us back to Saffron City and step on it!" Gary exclaimed. 

Back with Ashley and the gang.

 "He hung up. Idiot." Ashley thought. Before anyone could say anything a metal claw attached to a cable crashed through the window and grabbed Ashley dragging her away. 

 "Ashley!" Everyone panicked. 

 "Dragonite free Ashley now!" Lance called out the Pseudo-Legendary who broke through the wall at a breakneck speed. Once he got to Ashley who was being pulled towards an airship he used every ounce of strength he had to pry the claw open but to no avail. He was then shot down by a stun laser and Lance had no choice but to recall. They could only look on in horror as the ship took off. Arceus seeing this was contemplating whether or not to use a Hyper Beam on it. It might hurt his beloved Ashley and he had no desire to see her severely injured. He just hung his head in shame. Mewtwo was about to launch a Shadow Ball but Arceus quickly cut him off. They failed. They failed yet again to save their Goddess.  Meanwhile on board the ship. Ashley found herself in the same situation as last time...only this time it was a much smaller contraption than the torture devise she was hooked up too at Team Rocket's base and was shackled to it. 

"We meet again. And this time there's no escaping." Giovanni said as he stepped into view with Hunter J.

  "You're the biggest Megalomaniac I've ever seen." Ashley spat. 

"And you've got me hooked up to another one of these machines? Come on Giovanni I thought you'd be more creative than that." She mocked causing the Crime Lord to scowl.  

"How's this for creativity?" Giovanni asked as he pressed a button on a trigger and a much more excruciating shock racked her body. After 5 painful minutes of electrocution it left her smoking.  

"Here's the thing. You're going to do what we say or the shocks will only get worse." Archie threatened as Cyrus turned it up a notch. Then Giovanni pressed the trigger again and this time it was worse. After it died down it left her panting heavily.  "So what's it going to be?" Giovanni asked with a smirk plastered on his face.  Ashley looked at Giovanni and said. "Go to Hell." Causing his grin to fade into another scowl. 

 "Cyrus. Turn it up to full power...and leave her there." Giovanni ordered causing Cyrus and Archie to look at each other with uncertainty.

 "NOW!" He exclaimed scaring the other Crime Lord who did what he was told. Not long after Ashley was in so much pain you COULD compare it to Hell. Then everyone left the room leaving the poor girl screaming so loud you could hear it from Kalos.  Gary had finally arrived at the Saffron City Pokemon Center. It really DID look like a war zone. Grunts from all sides laid dead and scattered across the ground. He jumped out of the car and made a mad dash for Ashley's room. He had to see her. He had to make sure she was okay. Just before he could get upstairs he was stopped by Tabitha. 

"Halt! Who are you and what's your business here?" He asked.  

"I'm Gary Oak! I have to see Ashley!" Gary replied angrily.  

"I'm afraid that is impossible." Maxie said.  

"Why!?! Why won't you let me see her!?!" Gary asked.  "Because she was taken. Lance tried to rescue her using his Dragonite but failed. And we couldn't attack without harming her. So we are currently devising a rescue plan. In the midst of the scuffle Lance managed to get a uniform from one of the bodies and is going to rendezvous with the aircraft that took her. Judging by it's flight pattern I'd wager it's going to Team Rocket Headquarters." Maxie replied.  "Undercover rescue. Perfect. Has he already left?" Gary asked. 

 "Yes. He left a short time ago on his Garchomp. He would've used his Dragonite...if it weren't paralyzed." Maxie replied.  "And to think I wanted to apologize to her face to face." Gary thought.  "There'll be plenty of time for that later. For now we must strategize on how to help Lance rescue her." Maxie said leading Gary and Tabitha up to Ashley's room. Once inside everyone looked deep in thought...except Arceus who stood in front of the massive hole in the wall staring off in the distance.  "Hang on my love. We're on our way." Arceus assured.