Mask of Ice spins senses some new presence in the stadium, and quickly turns around on his Delibird. Standing among the rubbles, Misty, Lt. Surge and Blaine fasten on their forearm protectors which have their respective gym badge emblems imprinted, and climb on Suicune, Raikou and Entei. The Chairman of the Pokémon Association gasps at the sight of the Burnt Tower Trio, and Misty hollers that the three of them are the chosen companions of the the beasts, who are also the experts of water, electricity and fire.

Suicune, Raikou and Entei unleash a combined hydropump, thunderbolt and flamethrower, and the attacks instantly form into energy rings to trap Mask of Ice and his Delibird. On the ground, Crys holds onto an unconscious Gold, and recognizes the creatures as the legendary beings awakened in Ecruteak. Mask of Ice wonders if the beasts have had a good sleep in the Burnt Tower, and lets out a roar as he frees himself from the water, electricty and fire constraints. He then calls forward Lugia and Ho-Oh, and commands an aeroblast, sacred fire combo from them.

The attack throws Suicune, Entei and Raikou into the rubbles and causes a surge of smoke, and Mask of Ice laughs that it is a bad idea for them to associate with trainers. Since humans normally cannot breathe within the powerful energy fields the beasts generate, by making themselves trainer Pokémon, they are actually limitting their fighting capabilities and range of attacks. However, to the masked man’s surprise, the smoke slowly clears, and another combined blast of fire, water and electricity shoot out to retaliate Lugia and Ho-Oh’s assaults. Still on the back of the beasts, Blaine, Misty and Lt. Surge encourage them to give their best, and Crys sees that the three gymleaders are breathing through a small oxygen pump attached to their forearm protectors.

Lt. Surge grins that they are well prepared for the fight, and Misty says that’s not all they have. The three open up their forearm protectors, and each tosses out an item to their beast to hold, which instantly power up the intensity of their attacks. The combined force pushes back Lugia and Ho-Oh, and Crys exclaims at the scene. Lt. Surge remarks that as experts of electricity, fire and water, they possess accessories that could increase the strength of their respective types, with magnet to power up Raikou’s electricity, charcoal to reinforce Entei’s flames, and mystic water to raise the damage done by Suicune’s attacks.

Misty states that there is a reason why the Burnt Tower Trio chose them as companions, and says the beasts trusted them in helping them overcome Mask of Ice’s evil plans. Mask of Ice grunts in anger, and without warning charges over to Misty and pushes her off Suicune. Misty quickly defends with her forearm protector, and commands Suicune to evoke a raindance before countering Ho-Oh’s sacred fire with a hydropump.

Struggling under Mask of Ice’s forces, Misty remarks that while she doesn’t understand Suicune’s words, the legendary beast has channelled its thoughts to her via her Starmie’s Star Symbols, and told her all the bad things the masked man has done for the past nine years. It turns out that nine years ago, Mask of Ice gained possession of Ho-Oh, and used it to kidnap talented children across the land, training them as accomplices and dispatching them to collect information pertaining to his desire to control time. However, there existed Pokémon at that time which wouldn’t allow anyone to exploit Ho-Oh’s powers for evil schemes, and they were Suicune, Raikou and Entei.

Mask of Ice giggles at Misty’s accusation, and makes no attempt to deny. He remarks that since Ho-Oh gave life to the three legendary beasts, they considered themselves the rainbow bird’s close guardians, and thus interfered with his plans. In their previous battle with him that many years ago, they succeeded in freeing Ho-Oh from his control, but at the same time exhausted themselves and ended up being sealed away by him in the Burnt Tower. Mask of Ice laughs that he is certain the three beasts will have the same unfortunate fate this time, and the same goes to everyone who tries to mess with his scheme. He then decides to leave Misty alone, but the Cerulean gymleader continues to grab onto his arm and hold him down.

Dodging yet another of Ho-Oh’s sacred fire, Suicune, Entei, and Raikou try connecting with the legendary phoenix telepathically, and swear to free it from evil constraints so as to return its favour to them 150 years ago when it resurrected them from the fire in the Burnt Tower. However, Ho-Oh seems unmoved by their words, and flaps its giant wings hard to throw them back.

Mask of Ice begins to lose patience as Misty refuses to let go. The girl states that she has promised Suicune and herself not to lose the battle, and secretly remembers the confession she planned. The masked man snickers that she won’t be able to hold him back for long, but Misty tells him not to be so sure. Without warning, Suicune leaps towards them, and crosses its ribbon-like tails. Crys gasps in shock as she realizes what it is doing, and in no time, the legendary creature’s crystal wall seal starts to take form. Mask of Ice struggles to get free, but Misty uses all her might to yank on his arm, and the two sides of the seal gradually closes in on him around his waist.

Meanwhile, in New Bark Town, Prof. Elm, his assistant, get worried as Joey, who has now become the professor’s assistant as well, adjusts the radio and tries to get a better signal. The youngster remarks that something seems to be wrong with the transmission, and Elm wonders what was the chaos at the Pokémon League Tournament they heard right before the radio program about the event got cut off earlier. Knowing that the Chairman of the Pokémon Association has planned to uncover the real identity of the masked man with the help of the gymleaders at the tournament, he begins to fret that something unexpected might have happened, and voices his concern about Gold, who was appointed by Prof. Oak to identify the enemy there. Joey tries to calm the professor, and says from the impression Gold gave him, the boy is the kind that has a strong will, and would get up again no matter how many times he has fallen.

Back at the Indigo Plateau’s crumbling stadium, an unconscious Gold begins to stir...

Thanks To Coronis For Writing this for us