PS026

Holy Moltres (Japanese: VS ファイヤー VS ) is the 26th round of the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Plot
At the, members of Team Rocket pore through the building and its collection of research materials. Al furiously declares the team's determination to hunt down the traitor, Blaine.

As reaches Cinnabar Island, he spots a large blaze along the coastline and proceeds to investigate, identifying the cause as a clash between Team Rocket and a pair of  and. Unfortunately, he is caught by the Team Rocket Grunts, and is nearly attacked by Al's when Blaine, the Trainer of the Fire Pokémon, reveals himself. Declaring himself as Team Rocket's real target, Blaine orders the Grunts to leave Red alone; promptly Al has Gengar strike Blaine with. Intervening, Red releases Gyara to attack the Grunts, allowing Blaine to escape on Rapidash with Red.

Introducing themselves, Blaine explains that he was once a scientist as a part of Team Rocket, but a fireball appears to pursue them. Red sends out Poli to intervene, but to no avail; the fireball subsequently reveals itself as the Team Rocket had captured at Indigo Plateau. Despite the efforts of Rapidash and Gyara, Moltres easily outmaneuvers their attacks with its speed, while relentlessly plaguing the group with its vicious fire attacks. Blaine remarks that without a flying Pokémon to match, fighting Moltres would be impossible; amidst dodging Moltres's onslaughts Red drops the Old Amber he had received. Identifying the Old Amber, Blaine quickly tells Red to follow his Rapidash to his secret laboratory, while Blaine holds off Moltres using his Gyarados. With no idea what to do, Red is left in confusion as Blaine calls for the boy to trust him.

At Blaine's laboratory in Cinnabar's volcano, Red is no more certain of what to do next; a suspicion of Blaine trying to trap him earns Red a furious kick from Rapidash. The Fire Horse subsequently gives Red a report on reviving Pokémon Fossils; despite his persisting uncertainty Red activates Blaine's revivification machine as the scientist struggles against Moltres. Much to Red's astonishment the Fossil inside the Old Amber becomes a full-grown, who flies out of the laboratory with Red in tow.

Defeated by Moltres, Blaine struggles valiantly as he reaffirms his urgent mission: to capture his escaped creation,. Just as Moltres attempts to finish him off, Red makes his appearance and rescues Blaine with Aerodactyl; the Gym Leader congratulating Red on his success. Countering Moltres's attack, Aerodactyl succeeds in crippling Moltres's left wing, and the Rocket grunts beat a hasty retreat. Red asks Blaine if he's okay, to which the latter replies in the affirmative, and indicates the urgency of his mission, leaving Red after pointing the boy towards Pallet Town in the north.

At Silph Co., in Saffron City, Sabrina silently receives the Grunts' report of failure in Cinnabar; Koga alongside mocks her for the loss in spite of having Moltres. At the same time, receives a report from Lt. Surge that  was successfully captured in the Power Plant. With the Mewtwo project moot, Giovanni declares the three Legendary birds as their new powerhouses.

Major events

 * Team Rocket captures, who is given to Koga.
 * gets his Old Amber revived into an Aerodactyl.

Debuts

 * Al

Humans

 * Lt. Surge
 * Koga
 * Sabrina
 * Blaine
 * Al
 * s
 * Al
 * s

Pokémon

 * (Poli; 's)
 * (Gyara; 's)
 * (Aero; 's; new)
 * (Blaine's)
 * (Blaine's)
 * (Al's)
 * (Koga's; new)
 * (Lt. Surge's)
 * (Sabrina's)
 * ('s)
 * (incomplete)

Trivia

 * The English title for this round comes from the saying "Holy moly," a phrase used to express surprise or disbelief.

Errors

 * In the VIZ Media and Chuang Yi versions, the Pokémon Mansion is called the Pokémon House.
 * In the VIZ Media and Chuang Yi version, the Old Amber is called the Ancient Amber.

In other languages
Kapitel 26 (Pocket Monsters SPECIAL) PMS026 Chapitre 26 (Pocket Monsters Special) LGA026 ポケットモンスターSPECIAL 第26話 PS026