Chapter 19 - A Peek into History (2): Ecruteak's Fire and Shifting Tides
Alex continued reading the historical account, focusing now on the push towards Johto's heartland.
Part 3: Kanto's Advance and the Battle for Ecruteak
With footholds secured in the south and west, Kanto forces pushed inland. Major Giovanni's contingent, known for its relentless pace, reportedly carved a path through Routes 29, 30, and 31, overcoming Johto resistance often employing hit-and-run tactics suited to the forested terrain. Eyewitness accounts suggest Champion Oak accompanied this force, ostensibly to provide strategic oversight, though some fragmented reports hinted at disagreements over Giovanni's more ruthless methods.
Regardless, Kanto flags soon flew over Cherrygrove and Violet City, severing key Johto supply lines.
Simultaneously, the western force, led by Lt. Surge and now reinforced by the tactical fire expertise of Blaine from Cinnabar Island, set their sights on a far more challenging prize: Ecruteak City. This ancient city, steeped in history and defended by the formidable Ghost-type specialist Hikaru (father of the current Gym Leader, Morty) and his spectral guardians, represented both a strategic objective and a symbol of Johto's spirit. Kanto's command anticipated fierce resistance.
The Battle of Ecruteak City erupted under the shadows of its twin towers. Kanto legions, spearheaded by the crackling energy of Surge's Raichu and the blazing speed of Blaine's Arcanine, attempted to breach defenses woven into the city's ancient layout. They were met with near-invisible resistance. Hikaru's Gengar and other Ghost-types materialized from walls and shadows, unleashing Shadow Balls and Hypnosis waves before melting away. The article mentioned testimonies from Kanto soldiers describing the unsettling feeling of fighting phantoms, their energy blasts often hitting empty air as Ghost-types phase-shifted. Supporting Hikaru were Ecruteak's other protectors, including the elegant dancers known as the Kimono Girls, whose Eeveelutions added unexpected tactical depth to the defense, creating a confusing and costly battlefield for the invaders.
Alex paused, imagining the chaos. Fighting Ghost-types in an ancient city… a strategic nightmare. He remembered frustrating battles in the games where a Gengar would just vanish or disable his Pokémon. Seeing it described as part of actual warfare felt different, more menacing.
The prolonged siege and the concentration of powerful energies near the sacred site apparently drew unintended, colossal attention. From the nearby seas, the article stated, the legendary Guardian Lugia was roused from its deep slumber, enraged by the surface conflict desecrating the region. Its arrival was heralded by unnaturally dark storm clouds boiling over Ecruteak.
With a roar that supposedly shook the foundations of the city, Lugia unleashed its fury – a directed, violent tempest centered on Ecruteak.Amidst the chaos of wind, rain, and raw energy, a massive bolt of lightning, attributed to Lugia's storm, struck the historically significant Brass Tower. The ancient wood, dried by centuries, ignited instantly. Flames climbed the structure with horrifying speed, trapping inhabitants and Pokémon within. The article recounted harrowing, albeit brief, reports of attempts to rescue those inside, but the inferno was too swift, too intense. In the tragedy, three unidentified Pokémon were confirmed lost to the blaze.
As Ecruteak seemed poised on the brink of total catastrophe, another intervention occurred. Descending through the storm clouds and smoke, Ho-Oh, the equally legendary Guardian of the Skies, arrived. Surveying the destruction and sensing the life extinguished in the Brass Tower, Ho-Oh performed an act described in Kanto annals simply as 'a profound life-giving phenomenon.' It revived the three fallen Pokémon, their forms reborn from the ashes and embers, imbued with immense power reflecting the elements of their demise: Raikou (the lightning that struck), Entei (the fire that burned), and Suicune (the waters used to try and douse the flames, embodying the purifying rain).
The sudden materialization of these three majestic and immensely powerful Legendary Beasts decisively shifted the tactical landscape. Kanto's forces, already struggling against Hikaru's defense and battered by Lugia's storm, now faced beings radiating raw, elemental power. Raikou's Thunderbolts reportedly tore through established Kanto positions, Entei's fire incinerated barricades, and Suicune's grace and speed made it an elusive yet devastating presence on the battlefield. Faced with this insurmountable triad of Legendary Pokémon alongside Johto's reinvigorated defenders, Lt. Surge and Blaine, ever the pragmatists according to the report, ordered a strategic withdrawal from Ecruteak.
Later Kanto accounts framed this as a necessary retreat from "unforeseen mystical interference and natural disasters," carefully omitting the full scale of the Legendary Beasts' direct impact. Conversely, Johto historical narratives mark this moment as the 'Miracle of Ecruteak,' a turning point where legendary guardians actively defended their land.
Alex stared at the screen, a chill running down his spine despite the sterile Pokémon Center air. The article framed the legendaries' involvement almost as a natural disaster, using cold, dismissive language like 'unforeseen mystical interference.' Having just seen Ho-Oh's incredible majesty himself, that clinical description felt fundamentally wrong, like reading a government report that deliberately downplayed a miracle. There was definitely more to this story than the Kanto archives let on. He took a breath, realizing the stakes of this world were far higher than any game had ever portrayed. He read on, eager to see how the war concluded after such legendary interventions.
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Chapter End