Chapter 11: May's First Battle"What is this?" May asked in confusion, looking at the Pokemon in front of her."It's a Zigzagoon! Awesome, I didn't expect a wild Zigzagoon to be this big," Max said excitedly."What's wrong?" (๑•̌.•̑๑)?? May was very confused."Please, Sis, you need to read up on some Pokemonknowledge," Max explained dismissively. "Because a normal Zigzagoon is only 40 centimeters tall and weighs only 17.5 kilograms."Thump! "Ow! That hurts." Max clutched his head."I didn't need you to tell me that! But this Zigzagoonis as big as a person! Doesn't that mean this Zigzagoon is exceptionally well-developed?" Maypunched Max and looked at the Zigzagoon in surprise."How could there be a Zigzagoon as big as a person? Unless it's a Totem size, but it clearly isn't! It should be..." Ash started to speak helplessly, but was interrupted before he could finish."Ah! Look, there are many more Zigzagoon over there, but they look so small," May said, pointing to the other Zigzagoon.Suddenly, the giant Zigzagoon stood up on two legs and tore off its disguise. A Youngster approached a wild Zigzagoon and said, "Now's my chance! I'm going to catch you! Go, Mudkip...""Ah!" Σ(ŎдŎ|||)ﾉﾉ May was startled. "The Zigzagoonevolved into a human!"(ꐦ°д°) Were you even listening to me!"Please, Sis, he's just wearing a Zigzagoon costume. What do you mean 'evolved into a human'?" （＃－.－） Max walked up to the Youngster and pointed speechlessly."It really is!" Before Ash could stop her, May had already walked up, pinching and prodding the costume, finding it quite amazing."Ah! My Zigzagoon." Disturbed by May and her brother, the Zigzagoon quickly fled the scene."You... you guys owe me my Zigzagoon! Look what you've done, my plan to catch a Zigzagoon failed again!" The Youngster pointed angrily at May and Max, but then suddenly noticed their outfits. "Haha, this combination of shorts and exposed knees is great! It's just beautiful.""Uh..." May and Max were first startled, then left bewildered by his sudden change in attitude."You two should apologize first. After all, it's very rude to disturb someone while they're catching a Pokemon," Ash walked over and said to May and Max."Ah! Sorry, we didn't mean to." Reminded by Ash, the two siblings realized their mistake and quickly apologized."Forget it. Since you're also fellow Youngsters, I'll forgive you!" The Youngster waved his hand."What do you mean 'Youngster'? I'm wearing culottes. Who exactly are you!" May asked, not understanding what he meant."Since you want to know my name, I shall tell you." The Youngster stood with hands on his hips. "Sometimes I am a Zigzagoon walking through the forest; other times, I am a Tentacruel drifting in the waves; and at other times, I am a Bellossomperforming a magnificent dance. However, my true identity is... the one everyone calls 'YoungsterArchie'.""Youngster..." "Archie." "Pika~" Everyone expressed their surprise."Exposing the knees completely to be in contact with nature—what nature-loving Trainers! Yes, I am your comrade. If you don't mind, tell me your names," Archie said enthusiastically to May and Max."Uh~ I'm May." "I'm Max.""I'm Ash, and this is Pikachu." "Pika~""Hello, I'm Brock. Nice to meet you."Everyone got to know each other. They learned that he wanted to catch a Zigzagoon before challenging the Petalburg Gym. Upon learning that May and Max were the children of the Petalburg Gym Leader, Norman, Archie immediately proposed a challenge. He claimed that as children of a Gym Leader, they must have undergone rigorous training and he wanted to test their strength."Ah~ as for strength..." "Okay! Go for it, Sis!" While May was hesitating, Max directly accepted on her behalf, effectively throwing his sister under the bus."Excellent, let me see your strength. There's a plaza up ahead that's perfect for a Pokemon battle," Archie said and headed toward the plaza."Go, Mudkip!" Archie sent out the Water-type starter, Mudkip, and changed into a Mudkipcostume.[Mudkip][Strength: Peak Ordinary Tier]What's the point of all these flashy antics? It's just a waste of time. Besides, May has no chance of winning. Although Torchic has been training for a few days, it's only just left the novice stage and reached the Mid-Ordinary Tier. So, whether it's strength or command, she's outmatched. (￢_￢) Ashcomplained inwardly."I'm counting on you, Torchic!" May took a deep breath and thought to herself, "It's finally starting. This is my first battle, a moment to remember.""What! Facing a Water-type Mudkip, you send out a Fire-type Torchic!" Archie looked at May in surprise."Uh~ actually, Sis only has one Pokemon," Max said helplessly."Okay, use Ember!" "Attack with Water Gun!"The small clusters of Ember were extinguished by the Water Gun while still in mid-air."Darn it, what do I do? I've got it! Torchic, use Peck!" "Ah! No, Sis!"As expected, after Torchic rushed forward, it was taken out by a single Water Gun from Mudkip."Torchic is unable to battle. Mudkip wins," Brock announced as the referee."Torchic, hang in there! Torchic! It's all because of my poor command." (⋟﹏⋞) May held Torchic, her heart aching for it."It's okay, May. Let Torchic rest for a bit, and it will recover soon," Brock came over to check."Great! I didn't expect it to be so easy. It looks like the Petalburg Gym will be easy to challenge too. Well, see you later, fellow Youngsters. I'm still prioritizing catching a Zigzagoon. I can take my time getting the Petalburg Gym badge later," Archie said excitedly as he bid them farewell."Darn it, what are you saying!" Max said immediately upon hearing Archie talk about his father and the Gym like that."Sigh, my battle history actually started with a defeat, and I lost to that kind of person. This is terrible," May said sadly."Wait a minute. May is just a rookie Trainer who just started and hasn't had much training. She doesn't represent the strength of the Petalburg Gym. I've fought the Petalburg Gym Leader and lost. Do you want to have a match with me?" Ash spoke up from the side."Ash~" It was clear Ash was standing up for them, and May and Max looked at him with grateful eyes."Oh~ okay, let's do it! I'll keep using Mudkip," Archieagreed immediately upon hearing that Ash had challenged Norman."Then on my side, go, Phanpy!"Another type disadvantage. Archie's mouth twitched."Mudkip, Water Gun!""Phanpy, use Dig to dodge, then use Iron Head!""Where is it?" Archie was clearly inexperienced with a move like Dig and didn't know what to do."Gele~" Mudkip was knocked to the ground but hadn't lost its ability to battle yet."Finish it with Stomp!" "Bubble~"Ash didn't give Archie a chance to issue an order at all, taking him out directly."Come back, Mudkip. Good job!" After Archierecalled Mudkip, he walked over to Ash. "Is the Petalburg Gym that strong? Even you couldn't beat it.""Of course! My dad is the best!" Before Ash could speak, Max spoke up proudly.Archie also realized he had spoken out of turn earlier and immediately apologized. "Sorry, May and Max. I'll train hard in Petalburg Woods before challenging the Petalburg Gym again."Suddenly, a mechanical hand grabbed toward Pikachu...To be continued...
Chapter 12: The Poacher, RicoA robotic arm reached for Pikachu. "Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Bang! The robotic arm fell off.Ash possessed Aura. After detecting Team Rockets' Aura, he had been on his guard."What? How can this be, meow?""What's going on! Meowth, didn't you say catching Pikachu was foolproof!""Uh... the anti-electricity measures were foolproof. I didn't expect Satoshi to not follow the usual script, meow!" Meowth expressed his frustration. Previously, wouldn't they always start with a Thunderbolt no matter what!"It's time to send you on your way. Come out! Taillow, Wing Attack!" Taillow flew straight up and slashed through Team Rockets' hot air balloon."Ah! We haven't even said our lines yet!" "We still have one more line!" "We're blasting off again!" "Wobbuffet!"After saying goodbye to Youngster Archie, the group continued their journey toward Rustboro City!————————————"Hey! Wait for me, I can't go on... Can we take a break?" May said to Ash and the others, panting."Honestly, sis, didn't we just take a break? Your stamina is way too low!" Max turned back and said to his sister helplessly.Ash and Brock also felt speechless. They had no idea how many times they had rested along the way; otherwise, they would have reached their destination long ago."But I'm really tired again." May sat straight down on the ground and refused to move."Sigh, May, you really should get some proper exercise," Ash said helplessly. "Pika~" Pikachunodded in agreement."Hmm~ There's a Pokémon Center nearby." Maxsaid, checking the Pokémon Navigator."A Pokémon Center? That means there's lots of delicious food!" May stood up in a flash, her eyes sparkling. However, someone else was even more impatient than her."A Pokémon Center! Let's go! For Nurse Joy—cough, I mean, for the food! Hurry, hurry..." Brock grabbed May's arm and was about to dash forward."Hey~ Wait a second." May broke free from Brock's large hand, took a few steps back, and leaned against a tree trunk. "Ow, that hurts.""This is... a Capture Net used by Pokemon Poachers to catch Pokemon. They aren't sold to the public." Ash walked over to a broken net stuck in the tree trunk, pulled it out, examined it closely, and said, "This means there are Pokemon Poachers nearby. Everyone, be careful.""How can people like that exist!" May said indignantly."In any case, let's head to the Pokémon Center first. We should be able to find out more there.""Yeah!" x3Afterward, the four of them quickened their pace and soon arrived at the Pokémon Center.As soon as they stepped into the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy said to everyone with a smile, "Welcome!""Ah~ Nurse Joy!"Just as Brock was about to lunge forward, he was pushed aside by May. He missed his chance to greet Nurse Joy and silently shed tears."Hi, Nurse Joy! Did you move here from Guchen Town?" May asked."Huh?""May, you've misunderstood. Actually, Nurse Joys all over the country look the same," Ash explained."Yeah! Sis, look at this." Max took out a notebook showing a group photo of the Nurse Joy family."Ah! Every single one is the same!" May exclaimed in surprise.Truly the female lead most like Ash; she's making all the same mistakes he did."Yes, I think the one you met was my younger sister," Nurse Joy added."No, you're all too naive and green!" Brock walked over with an air of mystery and grabbed Nurse Joy's hand. "I can tell them apart. Out of all the Nurse Joys in the country, your bangs are one centimeter longer than the others'."Everyone... (•́ω•̀ ٥)"As expected of Brock. I bet Nurse Joy herself couldn't even tell," Ash thought to himself."That's amazing!" May looked at Brock with eyes full of admiration."I don't think 'amazing' is the right word for this, Sis," Max said with a sweatdrop."Nurse Joy." Just then, Officer Jenny arrived at the Pokémon Center leading a Growlithe."Ah~ Officer Jenny! I can tell you apart. Of all the Officer Jennys in the country, your eyelashes are 0.5 centimeters longer than the rest." Brock immediately abandoned Nurse Joy and ran toward Officer Jenny.Officer Jenny: "Uh... really? Even I didn't know that.""No way! Officer Jennys all over the country too!" May's eyes widened."Yes, Sis!" Max flipped a page in his notebook, showing a row of Officer Jenny photos."Sorry, I'm on duty." Officer Jenny pushed Brock aside and went to Nurse Joy. "Nurse Joy, have you seen any injured Pokemon lately, or any that were brought in by someone?""No, why do you ask?" Nurse Joy was puzzled."Because poacher activity nearby has been very frequent lately," Officer Jenny explained."It really is a poacher!" May and Max said in surprise.At the same time, Officer Jenny took out a wanted poster to show everyone."Judging by the methods, the poacher should be Pokemon Hunter Rico. This guy is a major villain who doesn't care about hurting Pokemon at all," Officer Jenny said angrily.Ash handed the piece of net he had pulled from the tree to Officer Jenny. "Officer Jenny, look at this.""This... this is part of a Capture Net often used by poachers. Where did you find it?" Seeing a lead at last, Jenny asked Ash excitedly."We found it in the forest we passed through on our way here," Ash explained the situation."Could I trouble you to take me there?""No problem!"Afterward, Ash and the others led Officer Jenny to the spot where they had found the net."It seems the poacher uses Capture Nets to immobilize Pokemon before catching them." Officer Jenny said, frowning as she carefully surveyed the area.Suddenly, Max pointed at a spot on the ground and shouted, "Ah! Look at this!"Ash and the others looked over and saw a set of tire tracks."These must be the poacher's tire tracks! And they're very fresh," Officer Jenny noted."That means the poacher is nearby!" Brock added."I'm counting on you, Taillow, Pidgeot!" Ash sent them to scout from the air while he used his own Aura to search for Team Rockets' trail. If Ashremembered correctly, this episode in the original series was a major one for Team Rockets.Ash and the others then followed the tire tracks.————————————On the other side, the Team Rockets trio was studying their battle plan when Meowthaccidentally tumbled down a slope."Ah! Help, meow~" Bang! Meowth hit something covered by a camouflage cloth. "What? What's inside here, meow?"Meowth pulled back the camouflage cloth, and a cage full of Ekans appeared, giving him a fright. "Ah! What?! It's full of Ekans, meow! What's going on here, meow?"Just then, Jessie and James walked down the slope. "How is it? Are you okay, Meowth! What's this?"After understanding the situation, Team Rocketsdecided to rescue the Ekans and form an Ekansarmy.As Team Rockets was about to act, a Fearow flew over and knocked them away.Then, a jeep drove up, and a man with green hair stepped out. "You guys, what do you think you're doing with my prey?"Then, Team Rockets discovered the Koffing on Rico's truck. The two sides began a standoff: one side wanted to rescue the Ekans and Koffing, while the other side wanted their Arbok and Weezing.To be continued...
Chapter 13: The Crazy Team Rockets, Capturing TyranitarJessie and James were battling Rico, while Meowthwas enduring the electric current to pick the lock."Damn it! Fearow, use Drill Peck on Meowth!""Don't even think about it! Arbok, Iron Head!"Bang! Fearow was knocked down.Click?! "Success, meow!" Meowth rescued the Ekansand Koffing."Great! The operation is a huge success!" Jessie shouted happily."Curse you! You guys have really made me angry this time! Go! Pupitar!"As soon as Pupitar came out, its body glowed with a blue-white light, evolving into the Pseudo-Legendary Pokémon Tyranitar! A Sandstorm swept through!"What?! No way!""I knew it was about to evolve. Tyranitar, Hyper Beam!""Ah!" The Team Rocket Trio was knocked down.At this moment, another Hyper Beam arrived. "Wobbuffet, use Counter." However, it was knocked down before it could successfully use the move.Finally, they made their most important decision. "Arbok, Weezing, quickly take them and escape. We'll hold him back.""That's right! Look at my Fury Swipes, meow!""I'll use Fury Swipes too!""Behold the Team Rockets' Bond Fury Swipes!" The Team Rocket Trio rushed forward.Arbok and Weezing left the place with tears in their eyes."Damn it! My prey! You bunch of fools who don't know the meaning of death, go to hell! Tyranitar, use Hyper Beam."At this critical moment, "Pidgeot, Protect!""Pidgeot~" A huge bird stood guard in front of the Team Rocket Trio."Are you guys okay?" Ash and the others ran over, concerned."I didn't expect you to be so brave!" May said to the Team Rocket Trio, moved.Brock and Max also nodded in approval."Thank you for your help; I will certainly reward you well," Jenny said to them, then turned to Rico, "Poacher Rico, don't put up a pointless resistance. Surrender now!""Surrender? How is that possible? Tyranitar, Hyper Beam."[Tyranitar][Gender: Male][Type: Rock, Dark][Ability: Sand Stream (Changes the weather to a Sandstorm when entering battle)][Strength: Early Semi-Elite level][Moves: Hyper Beam, Crunch, Stone Edge, Earthquake, Shadow Ball, Dark Pulse][tera type: Ghost]Hiss! Perfect, this Tyranitar is just too perfect! And Rico trained it well; evolving into Tyranitar has already reached the Semi-Elite level!"Go! Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" "Pidgeot, use Steel Wing!""Hmph! Tyranitar, sweep with Hyper Beam!" Tyranitar successfully acted as a turret, making it hard for Pikachu and Pidgeot to get close."Is Hyper Beam all you know? Pikachu, cover with Thunderbolt! Come on, Pidgeot!" Ash took out a Steelium Z, placed it into the z-ring, and activated it!"Wow! It's a Z-Move!" (✧∇✧) Max exclaimed in surprise."Pidgeot, Corkscrew Crash!" "Pidgeot~" Pidgeotcharged right through Tyranitar, and Tyranitar lost its ability to battle!"Damn it! You guys, just you wait!" Without even recalling Tyranitar, he just ran away!"Trying to run? Pikachu, use Thunder Shock!" "Pikachu~""Ah~" Rico was shocked and fell, and Jenny stepped forward to arrest him with handcuffs."Thank you for your help!" Jenny stepped forward to express her gratitude."We couldn't just stand by and watch something like this happen. But Jenny, can I capture this Tyranitar?" Ash first waved his hand dismissively, then asked Jenny."Hmm... as Rico's Pokemon, it should be turned over to the League. But since it's you who stopped him, if you can gain its approval, I can cover it up for you."Jenny hesitated for a moment but finally made up her mind. After all, she felt Ash had great potential, and others didn't know about the existence of Rico's Tyranitar."Really? Thank you, Jenny!" Ash said excitedly, then turned to the newly awakened Tyranitar, "How about it, Tyranitar? Do you want to become my partner and become the strongest together?" "Pikachu~""Tyran~" Under Ash's persuasion, and because its relationship with Rico wasn't very good to begin with—it had been poached by Rico, and unlike other Pokemon that were sold, it was trained as a combatant—Tyranitar figured it didn't matter where it ate, and finally agreed."Great! Go, Friend Ball!" After destroying Tyranitar's old Poké Ball, Ash took out a Friend Ball and captured Tyranitar in it to increase their friendship."I caught a Tyranitar!" "Pikachu~""How is that possible? We are the Team Rockets; how can we go to the police station to collect a reward!" The voices of Team Rocket came at this time."Are you sure you don't want it? You know, there's a hundred thousand reward," Jenny said."What, a hundred thousand reward? Haha, what are you saying, Jenny? We're going to the station right now! What a great feeling!" Just like that, Team Rocket got into the police car and headed for the station. As for Ash, since he had captured Tyranitar, he didn't ask for the reward.After Ash's group bid farewell to Jenny, they returned to the Pokémon Center to rest.————————————At dusk, after leaving the police station, the Team Rocket Trio walked into a forest.Carrying the food they had just bought, they reminisced about Arbok and Weezing together."I wonder if they're doing well," Jessie said, taking a bite of luxury bread."They should have the strength to Protect their companions!" James added."Don't worry, meow. They've fought so many battles with Satoshi; they've long since built up their strength, meow. There definitely won't be any problems, meow. Mmm~" Meowth said while chewing food."Wobbuffet~""That's true!" Jessie and James nodded in agreement.Just then, a sound came from the bushes. "Hmm?" The Team Rocket Trio looked back and saw a Pokemon that looked like a cactus."This is...""It's a Cacnea, meow.""Are you hungry? Here, this is very delicious." Jamestook out some food and handed it to Cacnea."Cacnea~ Cacnea~" (｡＞∀＜｡) After taking a bite, Cacnea began to eat happily."Cacnea, how about it? Do you want to come with me?" James said to Cacnea."Cacnea~ Cacnea~" Cacnea nodded happily and then jumped into James's arms."Ah! It hurts! I caught a Cacnea." James shouted happily. "Cacnea~"In this way, Cacnea was added to the Team Rockets, who originally had no combat power left.———— In a certain forest ————"Ah! It's all big sister's fault! Look, we're lost!" Maxcomplained."What do you mean it's my fault?" May asked back, unconvinced."I said we should have gone right at that path, but you said we should go left, and that's why this happened!""But at that time, it looked more interesting to go this way, and there were so many cute flowers blooming by the roadside!" May explained, then turned the tables on Max, "Besides, you're the one holding the Pokemon Navigator; you didn't lead the way properly!""That's because we're out of signal range, and it's all your fault!""What did you say?""Alright, alright! Traveling is always full of surprises. If we only followed the navigation, how could we ever encounter rare Pokemon?" Seeing that the two were about to start fighting, Ash quickly stepped in to mediate."Exactly!" Brock nodded. Getting lost in Kanto was a regular occurrence for them.At that moment, a group of figures flashed through the trees.To be continued...
Chapter 14: Capturing Treecko"Look! That's a Treecko! Could this be the forest of Treecko?" Max pointed at the group of Treecko and shouted excitedly. (♡⌂♡) It's worth noting that Maxreally liked Treecko, and because of this, he had been pecked by Torchic quite a few times."Yosh! Unexpected harvest! I've decided to catch that Treecko." After saying that, Ash chased after it."Hey, Ash, wait for us!" Ash took the lead, using his Aura to quickly weave through the forest, while Mayand the others struggled to chase after him, only to lose sight of him eventually."No good, let's take a break!" May said, panting."Alright." Brock looked around, and seeing no sign of Ash or the Treecko, he agreed.Subsequently, the three of them began to rest in place.On the other side, Ash chased the Treecko to a giant crater, slid down the slope, and saw a giant tree in the center of the crater with almost negligible vitality!Whoosh! Ash stepped back a few steps, only to see a branch piercing the spot where he had originally been standing.Ash looked up, his eyes brightening, and saw a Treecko standing on a branch, holding the twig in its mouth and watching him.[Treecko][Type: Grass][Ability: Overgrow (When HP is less than 1/3, Grass-type moves increase by 1.5 times)][Strength: Superior Early Stage][Moves: Quick Attack, Pound, Glare][Terastal Type: Grass]This Treecko's strength was good, but for a Superior-level Pokémon, it was absurd that it only had beginner-level moves, and as a Grass-type, it didn't even have a single Grass-type move! However, Ash also knew that this was the HoennMVP who would later slash a Nightmare Pokémon!"Treecko, I'm going to catch you!" Ash pointed at the Treecko and said. "Pika~""Chama!" The Treecko came down, ready to fight!Just then, a group of Treecko broke in, and an elderly Treecko walked out.Subsequently, the Treecko began to argue with the old Treecko.In the end, the Treecko left alone, and the other Treecko dispersed. "Pika~" (՞ • Ꙫ • ՞) ﾉ???? Pikachuexpressed his confusion."Let's wait here for a while! Pikachu!" As someone who knew the plot, he naturally knew what the Treecko was going to do.Not long after, sure enough, the Treecko dragged a huge leaf filled with water and carefully poured the water into the dead tree. It knew full well that the giant tree was hard to save, and the other Treeckomeant well, but it just didn't want to give up on the giant tree like that."Treecko, let us help you!" "Pika~""Chama!" Finally, under the persuasion of Ash and Pikachu, the Treecko agreed."Come out, everyone!"Just like that, they watered the tree together with the Treecko. Suddenly, a loud noise was heard; Team Rockets were capturing the Treecko on a large scale, and afterwards, they took them up into the sky using a hot air balloon."It's you guys, Team Rockets again!""Since you asked so sincerely..." (Team Rockets' opening line)"Haha! Satoshi, we don't want your Pikachu for now, but we'll take the Treecko.""That's right!""Don't think you'll get away with it. Go! Taillow, show me the results of your recent training, Steel...""Chama!" The Treecko stopped Ash. Ash looked at the Treecko's eyes, "Alright! Go, Treecko.""Hmph! Come out, Cacnea." After Cacnea came out, it turned around directly and pounced on James, "Ah! It hurts! Over there, Cacnea, use Pin Missile."[Cacnea][Type: Grass][Ability: Sand Veil (In Sandstorm weather, evasion increases)][Strength: Superior Mid-Stage]"Oh?! A new member! Treecko, Quick Attack, get to the hot air balloon!" "Chama!" Treecko did not hesitate and rushed up, dodging the Pin Missile."Just dodging is useless, Cacnea, use Pin Missileagain!" "Wait a second, Meowth!" Meowth realized it, but it was too late! The hot air balloon was punctured directly."Treecko, feel the Grass-type energy in your body and gather it into a leaf shape. Go, Leafage!" Treecko, with Ash's help, first closed its eyes to sense it, and finally condensed a leaf to cut the rope, rescuing the Treecko."Ah! So annoying!" x3 "Wobbuffet (˃ ʍ ˂)～"With the help of Ash and Pikachu, the Treeckomade up with the other Treecko! And just at this moment, the giant tree began to crack from the bottom all the way to the very top, splitting right down the middle."Chama!" The Treecko froze in place, unable to believe it."Pika~" (ﾟ ⊿ ﾟ) ﾂThe Treecko could be seen pushing the giant tree from both sides, wanting to close it back up. Although they knew it was impossible, they still wanted to do their part.At this moment, the sun rose, enveloping them. Before their eyes appeared the process of this tree growing from a seed into a giant tree, and then nurturing this forest."Sigh! So this tree was the mother tree of the entire forest! That's really amazing!" Ash sighed and comforted the Treecko, "Treecko, don't be sad. Although the giant tree has fallen, the whole forest is its child, and it is still here.""Pika~"When the sun had fully risen, the entire giant tree completely split open, leaving only a single seed behind."Here, Treecko, this is the giant tree thanking you for your help, a gift for you. This should be a Miracle Seed; it can increase your Grass-type power." Ashpicked up the seed, looked at it, and handed it to the Treecko."Chama!" The Treecko took the seed and placed it in front of its chest."Come on! Treecko, let's finish the duel we haven't completed yet." "Pika~""Chama~" The Treecko nodded."Alright, go! Phanpy!"Treecko approached, flashing with white light. "Phanpy, Iron Head, counterattack." The two collided and both fell back."Chama!" The Treecko condensed a leaf and attacked Phanpy."Phanpy, use Protect to catch it, then Rollout.""Chama!" The Treecko was hit by Rollout!Subsequently, the Treecko attacked with its tail. "Alright! Let's decide the winner! Phanpy, Take Down!"Bang! "Chama!" The Treecko was knocked away!"Bubble~" Phanpy advanced to the Superior level!"Great, Phanpy!" Ash congratulated Phanpy first, then said to the Treecko, "How about it! Treecko, do you want to become my partner!""Chama~" The Treecko was struggling with the decision."Chama~" At this moment, that old Treecko walked up, and the two conversed. In the end, the Treeckomade up its mind and accepted Ash's invitation."Great, welcome to the team, Treecko!" ヾ( ´∀｀. ヾ) Although Ash knew that the Treecko would agree, when the Treecko agreed in person, it really made Ash excited. This is the charm of capturing Pokémon.Ash threw the Poké Ball, and soon a 'ding' sound was heard; the capture was successful."Alright! I caught a Treecko!" "Pika~" "Bubble~""Ash!" Brock and the others heard the commotion here and rushed over immediately, but they were still late, only seeing the scene of Ash catching the Treecko."Pidgeot, you go back to Professor Oaks Laboratoryfirst! When I get to Rustboro City, I will swap you back to challenge the Gym." Ash discussed with Pidgeot."Pidge~" Pidgeot agreed.Now Ash's team was full, and he had to send one back. The other Pokémon had just been caught not long ago and still needed training, while Tyranitarneeded to build a bond. In the end, Ash decided to send Pidgeot back.Just like that, with the addition of the new partner Treecko, Ash's group continued to move towards Rustboro City.To be continued...
Chapter 15: Special Training in the Forest, SeviperAttacksIn a certain forest, Ash's group had just finished lunch, and Ash began to let the Pokemon have special training.Ash began assigning tasks, "Taillow, your task is to master the Steel Wing and Aerial Ace you learned from Pidgeot!" "Siba~""Eevee, you continue learning Tera Blast and Iron Tail from Pikachu, while Pikachu practices condensing electric energy into a ball to learn Electro Ball." "Bui~" "Pika~"Phanpy was equipped with a Power Weight by Ashto increase its strength. Tyranitar practiced Fire Punch; Ash had exchanged for a Fire Punch TM.As for Treecko, looking at it with a twig in its mouth, Ash thought for a moment, "Treecko, your goal is to learn Absorb. After all, as a Grass-type Pokemon, you can't just have Leaves as your only Grass-type move." "Chama!"Treecko is different from Bulbasaur and Chikorita, who are born knowing Vine Whip. Furthermore, Treecko's final evolution, Sceptile, follows a speed-attacker style, which is completely different from them. At this stage, the easiest moves for Treecko to learn are Absorb and Bullet Seed. However, Absorbcan evolve into Mega Drain and Giga Drain, so Ashhad Treecko practice Absorb first!"Big sister! Look at Ash, then look at yourself. Your Torchic hasn't learned a single new move yet!" Maxstarted looking for trouble again, looking at Maywith a look of disdain.*Bang!* "Mind your own business! I just haven't decided which direction to develop in yet. (•́へ•́ ╬)" As expected, May punched Max in a fit of shame and anger."Alright, alright. But Ash has indeed matured, being able to conduct such reasonable special training. I believe Ash will definitely win the championship of the Hoenn League Alliance Conference this time." Brock also remarked with a sigh."Not at all, not at all. May, since you haven't decided yet, you can let Torchic wear this Power Weightfirst. Increasing its strength will help it learn new moves faster later." Ash said modestly, handing a Power Weight to May."Ah! Thank you so much, Ash!" ٩(*´◒`*)۶ Mayhappily took it and put it on Torchic.After training for a while, "Chama!" Treeckosuddenly made a sound.A Seviper was seen confronting Treecko, while Torchic hid behind Treecko."Ah! Torchic!" May cried out in surprise."Chamo~" Hearing her voice, Torchic ran toward May with teary eyes.[Seviper][Type: Poison][Ability: Shed Skin (At the end of each turn, there is a 1/3 chance of curing its status conditions)][Strength: Late Superior stage][Moves: Poison Tail, Haze, Wrap, Take Down]"Go! Treecko! Use Quick Attack." "Chama!""Ha~ Du~" After Treecko rushed up, Seviper tanked the hit and used Wrap to trap it, then used Poison Tail to knock Treecko back."Treecko, are you okay?" "Chama!" Treeckostruggled to stand up. Fortunately, it wasn't poisoned, otherwise, it would have been big trouble."Treecko, use Leaves." The Leaves flew toward Seviper. Seviper charged forward, taking all the hits. Treecko used its agility to maneuver around Seviper.Ash frowned. Treecko only had this one long-range attack, which was resisted, and it couldn't match Seviper in close combat. Having just been hit by Poison Tail, it likely wouldn't win a battle of attrition against Seviper."Treecko, let's gamble, use Absorb!" "Chama!" Clearly, Treecko didn't want to lose either. It synthesized its recent experience and successfully used Absorb!After learning Absorb, Seviper's stamina was quickly drained, and it lost the ability to fight."Chama!" Treecko advanced to the Elite Mid-Stage!Swoosh! As soon as Seviper woke up, it scurried back into the jungle."Don't run!" May and Max shouted."No need to chase it. We'll see Seviper again later." Ash looked in the direction Seviper left with a look that said 'I hope you live a good life.' Hope that unlucky kid is okay!(՞•Ꙫ•՞)ﾉ???? May and Max were full of question marks.After some special training, Pikachu had learned Electro Ball, Eevee broke through to the Early Superior stage and learned Tera Blast, and Taillowand Tyranitar had also mastered their skills. Even May's Torchic had advanced to the Late Common stage and learned Quick Attack.Packing their bags, the group continued their journey!——————————On the other side, the fleeing Seviper stole Team Rockets' lunch but accidentally bit off Jessie's long hair, awakening Jessie's constitution. Jessie's aura surged instantly, surpassing Seviper's in a flash. Seviper began to tremble!First a Fury Swipes, then a Mega Kick, she directly beat Seviper until it lost the ability to fight!In the end, Seviper couldn't understand why humans were so terrifying, making it the shame of the Pokémon world. The outside world was just too dangerous.And just like that, Seviper was caught by Jessie.Afterward, the Team Rocket Trio took the newly caught Seviper to find Ash for a duel."Since you... (Team Rocket's motto intro)"Team Rockets, it's you guys again. You really never learn, do you!" Ash said irritably."Exactly, exactly!" Brock and the other two agreed."Wahahaha! Times have changed! Behold our new Pokemon! Come out, Seviper!" Jessie laughed loudly and released Seviper."Ha-du-du~" Seviper locked eyes with Ash and the others, and then... everyone fell silent!"No way, we really did see Seviper again!" Maypointed at Seviper in surprise.Seviper was exhausted. How did it run into these humans again? It was truly out of the tiger's den and into the wolf's lair!Unsurprisingly, Team Rockets were blasted off again."We're blasting off again!" "Wobbuffet (˃ʍ˂)~"It must be said, Team Rockets provided Ash with points and Pokemon experience every day, making him almost feel bad about blasting them off. So, Ashcould only tearfully use his remaining points to exchange for a key stone and a Tyranitarite.Fortunately, the system thoughtfully gave him a Dynamax Band, and synthesized them into a Pokemon Universal Ring, which could select different systems. Ash excitedly put the Universal Ring on his left wrist.——————————After walking in the forest for who knows how long, Ash's group finally emerged from the forest and arrived at a city!"Ah! It smells so good!" May said excitedly.After Ash and the other two sniffed carefully, (๑•̌.•̑๑)ˀ̣ˀ̣ their faces were filled with question marks."Big sister, what food do you smell?" Max asked in confusion."No, I smell the city." May said happily. Having been in the forest for days, she was already fed up; arriving at a city finally made her extremely happy.Everyone (⇀‸↼‶)..."Let's go. After all, it's understandable since it's May's first time staying in a forest for so long," Ashsaid.However, Ash was very satisfied with this forest trip. Not only did he catch Treecko, but the strength of many Pokemon also increased greatly!The group quickened their pace and entered the city—Rinshin Town!Don't let the name 'Town' fool you; it's actually not small at all, with skyscrapers and every kind of shop imaginable."As expected, a city-dweller like me needs to breathe city air once in a while," May said while calculating what delicious food she would eat later.Afterward, the four decided to act independently and meet at the Pokémon Center.Ash and Max went to look for Pokemon in the city, while May and Brock went to the mall for a shopping spree!To be continued...
Chapter 16: Shroomish's Gift, the Self-Proclaimed Strongest PelipperAsh was accompanying Max in looking for Pokemon. Max looked left and right, and finally found a Shroomish in an alleyway!"Awesome! I actually found a Shroomish in the City!" (✧∇✧) Max had a look of pleasant surprise. Just as he was about to pounce on it, he was stopped by Ash."Wait a minute, approaching a Pokemon rashly will lead to being attacked! Besides, Shroomish mostly live in forests; isn't it very strange to see one in a City?""That's... that's true!" "Pika~"Looking over, the Shroomish was indeed on its guard against them!Ash took out some Grass-type Energy Cubes and placed them on the ground, saying to Shroomishwith a smile, "Here, these are delicious!""Pika~" Pikachu also tried to persuade the Shroomish.After a long while, the Shroomish finally stepped forward to taste a piece."Shroo~" (≧ω≦)/ Shroomish took a bite, its eyes narrowed, and it began to eat happily.Afterward, Ash walked up to it and picked it up; the Shroomish did not resist."That's so great~" Max looked at Ash holding the Shroomish with envious eyes.Gradually, Max also became good friends with the Shroomish."Let's go, Max. Shroomish don't live in the City after all, let's send it back." "Yeah!" "Pika~""Shroo~" The Shroomish also happily led the way for Ash's group.On the other side, Brock and May, who had finished their shopping, arrived at the Pokémon Center and heard passersby talking about the Curse of the Green Mansion.May immediately activated her title of 'Explorer' (second only to 'Gourmet') and dragged Brock to the Green Mansion to explore.———— Green Mansion ————"Eh?! Ash, Max! Why are you here?" "Sister, what are you doing here?" After the four met, the siblings asked at the same time."We heard this place was cursed and came to explore. What about you? You aren't here to explore too, are you?" May said as if it were obvious."What do you mean explore? We're here to send Shroomish home." Max showed the Shroomish to May."In that case, the Curse is solved. I think the so-called Curse was just Paralyze Powder released by the Shroomish to protect itself!" Ash connected the dots and explained."I see!" x3"Hey, you guys!" At this moment, a young man wearing green clothes walked up. "How can you barge in here without permission? I'm currently pruning the garden trees."Ash and the others stepped forward to introduce themselves and explained their purpose for being there, learning that the owner was named Anthony.Anthony looked at the Shroomish in surprise, "Eh? There shouldn't be any Shroomish left in this City.""Were there many before?" Ash stepped forward and asked."That's right!" Anthony nodded. "When I was a child, there were many Shroomish around here. My favorite Pokemon back then was Shroomish!""This manor belonged to my grandfather. I used to come here to play often as a child, playing for the whole day. But as the forest disappeared, high-rise buildings were built." Anthony recalled, "After my grandfather passed away, the Shroomishdisappeared too! I didn't expect this place to actually become a habitat for Shroomish. You should know, this place is about to be demolished.""Ah! If Shroomish really live here, then won't they have no home?" Max said in surprise."In any case, let's have this Shroomish take us to look, then we'll know!" Ash suggested. Everyone agreed to this method.Subsequently, under the guidance of the Shroomish, they arrived at the place where the Shroomish lived.A group of Shroomish saw Ash and the others arrive, looking guarded and afraid. However, they relaxed after the Shroomish that had led Ash's group there explained the situation."Sigh! I didn't expect the Shroomish to have been living here all along," Anthony lamented."Because the forest disappeared, the Shroomish had no choice but to live here. It's so pitiful!"Bang! Just as everyone was at their most sentimental, the mood-breakers arrived."Wahahaha! We'll be taking the Shroomish.""Who are you?" Anthony shouted instinctively."Since you have asked us so sincerely!""Then I...""Team Rockets, I've heard your lines enough already. Come out, Tyranitar, use Hyper Beam! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Ash interrupted them directly."What! Satoshi, you're not playing by the rules again!"Boom! "What a nasty feeling!" "Wobbuffet (˃ʍ˂)~""Mr. Anthony, can I ask a favor of you?" Ash turned and said to Anthony.Anthony had just snapped out of it, "Uh~ what is it?""You said before that you were going to demolish the old manor, so please, could you not demolish it?""Yeah! Yeah!" Brock and the other two also chimed in."Hmm~ Sorry, I will still demolish the old manor," Anthony said after thinking for a while, then looked at the Shroomish with a smile, "But I will plant a large number of trees here to provide a home for the Shroomish.""That's great!".ヽ(^Д^*)/. Max jumped up happily.And so, everyone was happy."Shroo~" At this time, the Shroomish that had brought Ash there handed him a bead."This is a Mega Stone!" Ash looked at the bead, "Is this for me?"The Shroomish nodded with a smile."Thank you!" Ash thanked it and thought silently,'System, Appraise.'[Ding~ Appraisal successful. This is a Sceptilite.]Great, that saved ten thousand points. ヾ(^▽^*))) Ash was very happy in his heart."What is this? Ash, you seem very excited." Mayasked curiously."Hehe! This is good stuff!" Ash said vaguely.Afterward, Ash's group bid farewell to Anthony and the Shroomish. After resting at the Pokémon Center, they continued their journey.———— A Certain City ————"Ah! Ash, look quickly!" Max pulled Ash and pointed to a notice board.On the notice board, it was written: [The Gym of the World's Strongest Pokemon.]"Interesting. Come on, let me see this world's strongest Pokemon." Ash walked directly toward the Gym."The world's strongest Pokemon! It couldn't be a Legendary Pokemon, could it?" Max said excitedly.Hearing this, Ash shook his head in his heart, thinking: 'Kid, you're still too young. Following me, Legendary Pokemon will no longer be just legends.'Soon, Ash's group arrived at the Gym, and the strongest Pokemon turned out to be a Pelipper. Everyone except Ash was very disappointed.The Gym Leader, Anthony, was even more arrogant.And so, the battle between the two sides was about to break out.[Pelipper][Strength: Peak Superior]It had to be said that the Pelipper did have some strength, but what a pity!"Come out, Tyranitar!" Ash didn't hold back either, directly sending out his primary combatant, Tyranitar."Pelipper, use Vine Whip!"Everyone: (๑•̌.•̑๑)ˀ̣ˀ̣ A Pelipper knows this move? Ash, however, gave a disdainful smile."Tyranitar, grab the Vine Whip and drag it down.""What? Don't!" Anthony was greatly shocked and shouted for it to stop, but it was too late!A Bellsprout was seen being dragged out from Pelipper's mouth."What, this..." Everyone was shocked."I get it, you hide Pokemon inside Pelipper's mouth, right!" Max figured it out instantly."This is cheating! I'm going to report you to the League!" Brock shouted."Exactly!" May said huffily."This is the world's strongest?" Ash looked at Anthony playfully."I... I'm sorry, it's my fault." Anthony knelt down directly to beg for mercy: "I wanted Pelipper to become the strongest Pokemon, and without realizing it, on a whim...""Hmph, it's just your own wishful thinking! Besides, your Pelipper isn't weak either." Ash lectured Anthony, "If you want to become the strongest, you should work hard together, instead of resorting to trickery like you did!"Anthony looked at his Pelipper, "Ah! Yes! Thank you for the lesson."Ash and the others then left directly.May and Max crowded around Ash, "So cool, Ash! You looked so handsome when you were lecturing him.""It was nothing, I was just telling the truth."Afterward, Ash's group continued on their journey.To be continued...Happy May Day!
Chapter 17: The Lotad LakeOn their way to Rustboro City, Ash's groupaccidentally entered a Pokémon reserve. There, they met a ranger named Natalie, drove off the meddling Team Rockets, and Max formed a deep friendship with a Poochyena, eventually witnessing its evolution into Mightyena.After saying goodbye to Natalie, Ash's group arrived at a crystal-clear lake and prepared to go for a swim."Haha! This place is awesome!""The air is fresh, it's peaceful, and it feels so comfortable.""Yeah!" Everyone played in the lake water."Pika?" "Hmm?" Ash and Pikachu suddenly looked toward the center of the lake."What's wrong? Ash, Pikachu." Brock and the others followed Ash's gaze. They saw many things resembling lily pads floating on the lake's surface, converging toward them."Wha... what are these? There are so many of them, it's scary!" May was the first to run back to shore."Those should be Lotad! Lotad are Water and Grass-type Pokémon that usually live in ponds or lakes. But there really are a lot of them," Ashexplained."So this is a Lotad lake!" Max said excitedly."Let's get out of the water first! The Lotad are getting closer; I'm afraid they might push us out!""Yeah!" x2Not long after the three of them reached the shore, the Lotad followed them onto land."Ah! They're crawling up! What are they going to do?!" ╭(°A°`)╮ May hid behind Ash in fear."You don't have to be afraid, May." Ash felt their goodwill through his Aura and comforted May. "Look, they're all smiling!""It's true! Are they here to play with us?" (✧∇✧) Before May could answer, Max became excited instead."I think so too," Brock nodded in agreement."Pika~" Pikachu shouted while pointing at the Lotad.The Lotad lined up and sprayed jets of water into the sky. The jets collided to form a fountain, and the splashing water sparkled under the sunlight."Wow!" (✧∇✧) May was no longer afraid and stepped out from behind Ash to watch the sky."I didn't expect the Lotad to know Water Gun, and the performance is so beautiful. They could get a high score in a Pokémon Contest!" Ash praised."Eh? What's a Pokémon Contest?" May asked in confusion."Pokémon Contests score based on flashy moves, usually with two rounds of judging. After getting the judges' approval, you enter the Contest Battle. Contest Battles use a tournament format, and the final winner receives a ribbon badge. Once you collect five ribbon badges, you can participate in the Grand Festival." Ash, knowing she was a novice, explained considerately."Ah! I see!" May nodded thoughtfully."Look, this Lotad seems a bit different!" Brock spotted a special Lotad among the group. While the other Lotad's water jets reached high into the air, its jet only went up a few dozen centimeters.May remarked bluntly, "Yeah, that little one is lagging behind. It looks a bit slow-witted."Everyone else nodded as they watched the Lotad.Even after the other Lotad finished spraying, it was still going."Hey, it's already over, Lotad!" Brock walked forward to address the Lotad.Hearing this, the Lotad suddenly increased its intensity, giving Brock a free face wash. Then, the Lotad unhurriedly went to catch up with its companions."Hahahaha~" (｡＞∀＜｡) Everyone burst into laughter.Just then, a girl with red twin-tails and freckles on her face walked over. She put her hands on her hips and shouted at Ash's group:"Hey! This is the Lotad lake! How could you go in for a swim? All of you have to come to my house right now!""She's so bossy, just like Max," May said, giving her no face at all."You're so annoying." Max couldn't help but roll his eyes at May."Excuse me, what do you want us to do at your house?" Brock asked cautiously."Isn't it obvious? You're going to get a lecture, of course," the girl said as if it were the most natural thing in the world."Ah? No way!" x3Afterward, Ash and the other three had to follow the girl to her house. However, it wasn't them who got lectured, but the girl herself."Naoko, you can't be like that. You should be kind to travelers," a girl with short blue hair scolded Naoko."But Noriko-oneesan... they..." Naoko lowered her head, trying to argue.And so, the group that was prepared to be lectured ended up watching Naoko get lectured instead."I'm sorry, my little sister said some rude things to you all," Noriko apologized to Ash's group."It's okay." "Pika Pika~""Hello! My name is Noriko, and she is Naoko. We sisters run a flower shop together," Norikointroduced.Everyone introduced themselves in turn, though Brock was a bit improper."I... my name is Brock. By the way, this beautiful flower shop is as lovely as you are, Miss Noriko." Brock looked at Noriko with a love-struck expression."Is that so?" (•́ω•̀ ٥)"A flower shop of this beauty could only be possible through the hands of a beautiful lady like Miss Noriko.""Thank you. Oh, the pie I made is almost done baking. Would you all like to have some?"It must be said, Brock really has a way with sweet talk. If his eyes were a bit bigger and his skin a bit fairer, he would definitely have the potential to be a playboy."Really? Thank you so much."At that moment, a girl with short green hair walked in from outside. "Sister, the drainpipe in the orchard is broken. Using watering cans just isn't enough. Oh? We have guests.""Ah! And this other beautiful lady is..." Brock's eyes lit up as he immediately turned his head."She is my second sister, Ryoko. The three of us are sisters," Noriko introduced."Hello everyone!""I would also love to use this watering can to nurture flowers as beautiful as you, Miss Ryoko...""Max, I'm entrusting you with a sacred mission!" Ashpulled Max into a corner and looked at him with a serious expression."Ah?! What mission?!" Max felt a bit nervous seeing Ash's serious face."From now on, whenever Brock starts acting love-struck, drag him back.""Ah?! Okay." Õ_Õ..."Ah! You guy! Your attitude when you met me was so different from when you met my sisters. Don't you know that's very rude?!" Naoko pointed at Brock angrily."Ah? This... that..." ╭(°A°`)╮ Brock said awkwardly."Haha, Naoko has fallen in love at first sight again.""Love at first sight?!" "And 'again'?"But I'm not a lolicon; I only like mature older sisters! (╥﹏╥)Afterward, Ash and the others sat down to eat pie and chatted with the three sisters."Delicious! I've never tasted a flavor like this before," May said excitedly as she ate."That's a pie made with Oran Berries. It has a very rich flavor," Noriko explained."The water and air in this area are very clean, so we can harvest all kinds of berries. We grow many in the back. Would you like to see?" Ryoko invited Ashand the others."Really? Of course!"Afterward, everyone went to the orchard. Various fruit trees were planted there, the environment was beautiful, and the air was fresh.The three sisters, Noriko, Ryoko, and Naoko, introduced the uses and effects of various berries to Ash and his friends."Sister, repairing the drainpipe will take a long time. The connector is too old; we need to replace the entire pipe, and it will take a while," Ryoko suddenly walked forward and said to her elder sister, Noriko."I see. That's a problem then." Noriko was also very troubled.At that moment, the Lotad walked over carrying water on their heads, pouring it into the flower beds and the areas where the fruit trees were planted."Ah! Thank you for your help!" Noriko said gratefully."Why did they come to help?" May asked curiously."I think it's because we often give them berries. They must be here to thank us," Noriko said after thinking for a moment."Alright! In that case, let us help too. Consider it a return for the meal you gave us!" Ash suggested."Pika Pika~" "That's right!"Subsequently, everyone released their Pokémon to help. The process went smoothly, with only one minor accident: that special Lotad started to lose focus, causing a traffic jam.Brock walked over to this Lotad. "What's wrong? Everyone behind you is waiting."Brock began to teach by example, showing the Lotad how to pour water. "Don't be in too much of a hurry. Try it slowly. Come on, lower your head.""Habu~"Following Brock's instructions, the Lotad lowered its head, and the water on its leaf poured out."Yes, yes, yes! Just like that." Brock nodded."It worked. That's great!""Habu~" The Lotad bowed in thanks.At dusk, Ash and the others escorted the Lotad back to the lake."Thank you so much for your help today. Lotad, you can go back to the lake now," Ryoko thanked the Lotad.The Lotad nodded and returned to the lake, except for that special Lotad, which remained on the shore."Hey, everyone else has left. Aren't you going too?" Brock knelt down and looked at the Lotad."Habu~" The Lotad looked at Brock."Brock, I think the Lotad likes you and wants to go with you!" Ash said upon seeing this."Really? Lotad!" Brock looked pleasantly surprised."Habu~" The Lotad nodded."Okay, then I'll be in your care!" Brock took out a Poké Ball and caught it.Just then, boom! A strange ship sailed from the other side of the lake, and on that ship was none other than Team Rockets!"Wahahaha! We'll be taking these Lotad!"Team Rockets steered the ship toward the Lotadand locked them inside."Team Rockets, don't think you'll get away with this! Go, Taillow! Pikachu, hop on Taillow! Use Iron Tailonce you're close." "Pika~" "Siba~"Pikachu jumped onto Taillow's back. Taillow carried Pikachu toward Team Rockets and launched an Iron Tail. It broke the cage directly, releasing the Lotad."Great! Pikachu, finish them with Thunderbolt!" "Pika~ chu~"Boom! "We're blasting off again!" "Wobbuffet(˃ʍ˂)~"The next day, Ash's group continued their journey toward Rustboro City.To be continued...
Chapter 18: Participating in the Rustboro ContestAsh's group, heading for Rustboro City, stopped in front of Rustboro Hall before the city.Along the way, Ash and the others saw many Trainers and Pokemon practicing."What are they all doing? It doesn't look like battle practice," May asked wonderingly."A Pokemon Contest is about to be held here. They must be preparing for it!" Ash explained."Eh? A Contest is going to be held here?" Mayexclaimed. She had just learned about Contestsfrom Ash not long ago, and now they had happened upon one about to take place."How about we head out after watching the Contest?" May asked everyone; she wanted to see what a Contest was like."No problem with me!" Ash was the first to raise his hand in agreement. He knew that it was because of this Contest that May set out on the path of the Hoenn Dance Princess."Agreed!" Seeing that Ash had agreed, Brock and Max didn't object either."Yay! Let's go!" ٩(*´◒`*)۶Just then, a beautiful butterfly suddenly flew onto May's face."Ah~ What is it?" May cried out in surprise."Big sister, it's a Beautifly!"Then, Beautifly's owner and her boyfriend hurried over.Meanwhile, Ash took Pikachu to the Contest registration area."Hello! I'd like to enter the Pokemon Contest," Ashsaid to the staff member."Certainly, please show your Contest Pass.""This is my first time participating, so I don't have a pass yet. Please help me apply for one.""Alright, please place your Pokédex into the slotbelow."Ash inserted his Pokédex.Once it was processed, the staff member handed a pass to Ash. "There, registration is complete. This is your Contest Pass.""Ah! Ash, so this is where you were!" Just then, May, who wanted to sign up for the Contest with Huimei's encouragement, arrived and saw Ash.Behind her followed Brock, Max, and a man and a woman.After introductions, the woman was named Huimeiand the man was named Eiji."Hello! I want to enter the Pokemon Contest," Maystepped forward and said to the staff member."I'm sorry, but we just received word from the entry gate that the number of participants has been finalized. You can no longer register, miss," the staff member replied politely."Huh? No way! It's already closed? I finally made up my mind... If I had known, I would have come to sign up with Ash." (⋟﹏⋞) May said sadly."It's alright, May. You only suddenly wanted to join and haven't practiced! Even if you entered, it would be hard to win. You can learn by watching first." Brock comforted May, then said to Ash, "I didn't expect you to enter a Contest, Ash!""Yeah! It can enrich my battle style. After all, the Hoenn Champion Wallace is also a Gorgeous Master, which shows that Contests have their merits," Ash explained. "I can also earn some pointswhile I'm at it," Ash thought to himself."I see!"Afterward, everyone went to the Contest venue. May decided to experience the Contest as Ms. Huimei's assistant. Originally, May wanted to be Ash's assistant, but Ash said his performance didn't require one, so May had to settle for Ms. Huimei.Soon, the Contest began. The MC announced: "Thank you all for waiting...""First, let's welcome our first contestant."He summoned a Jynx, which spun a few times in the air, leaving May completely mesmerized."The moment a Pokemon makes its entrance is where the most effort is put in. You could say the first round of preliminaries is decided in that single instant. Judgments are made based on the flashiness and perfection of the moves, the Pokemon's growth, and the coordination with its Trainer. Then, the results are determined by the scoring," Huimei explained thoughtfully.————Competition in progress————Next, Mr. Eiji took the stage. His performance using Venomoth to control props earned a high score of 29.5 points.As for Ms. Huimei, she used Shinny upon entering, then May threw a frisbee, which was shattered by String Shot before finishing with Hidden Power. The shimmering shards of the shattered disc further highlighted Beautifly's beauty, successfully earning a perfect score of 30 points.After that, Jessie entered under a pseudonym, but unfortunately, her reckless commands led to her disqualification."Next, please welcome our final contestant, Mr. Ash!""Come out, Eevee!" "Ee-vee~" Eevee did a somersault after coming out and landed steadily."Eevee, five Shadow Balls in a row!"Eevee fired five Shadow Balls into the sky at different angles."Eevee, Agility! Surround the Shadow Balls with Swift." Soon, the five Shadow Balls were surrounded by countless stars."Time to wrap it up, Eevee! Jump up and use Tera Blast!" Eevee jumped into the center of the five Shadow Balls and launched a Tera Blast. The five Shadow Balls exploded in sequence, creating dark purple and golden light. Eevee landed steadily amidst the glow.Clap clap clap! "Wow!" Everyone was stunned.Unsurprisingly, the final score was a perfect 30."Did Ash really not practice this?" May's mouth hung open in disbelief."We've been with Ash the whole time. Sister, when did you ever see him practice?" Max replied."It seems he only gave Eevee some instructions before starting. I didn't expect Ash's talent for Contests to be so high, and his coordination with his Pokemon to be so strong!" Brock exclaimed. Since Ash arrived in Hoenn, he had changed, becoming more mature and growing faster and faster!Ms. Huimei and Eiji stared intently at Ash; they knew he would be a formidable opponent."Wow! Ash, you're amazing!" (✧∇✧) Seeing Ashreturn to the backstage, May stared at him with eyes full of admiration."Not at all! It was just something I thought of on the spot. It's mainly because Eevee coordinated so well!""Ee-vee~" Eevee raised its head proudly. That's right, it's all thanks to me.Among the eight contestants who advanced to the second round, Ash, Huimei, and Eiji dominated the top three and moved on directly.In the second round, all three faced random opponents in their first matches and successfully advanced."Yay, they all advanced! But Ash has to face Mr. Eijinow," May was excited at first, then saddened."There's only one ribbon badge. We'd have to face each other sooner or later. Let's have a showdown, Mr. Eiji," Ash comforted May."Exactly!"Then, the battle between the two was about to begin!"Go, Eevee!" "Come out, Venomoth! Use Paralyze Powder."[Venomoth][Strength: Early Superior Rank]A cloud of powder rushed forward."Eevee, Dig! Avoid it." However, Ash's pointsdecreased slightly."Venomoth, watch your surroundings. Prepare Psybeam.""Eevee, Tera Blast!" Eevee appeared directly below Venomoth, condensing Tera energy."What? Oh no, dodge quickly!" You rascal, why aren't you following the usual patterns? Shouldn't you appear behind? Who appears right under the feet!Venomoth was still too slow and was hit by Tera Blast. More than half of Eiji's points were deducted instantly."Eevee, Quick Attack, then Double Kick!"Bang! Venomoth lost its ability to battle! An 'X' appeared next to Eiji's name, indicating his elimination."Venomoth is unable to battle. Eevee wins! The winner is Xiao Zhi.""Congratulations, Ash!" Eiji stepped forward to congratulate him."Thanks!"The final match would be between Ash and Huimei."Now, the Pokemon Contest - Rustboro Contest is finally reaching its climax! The two winners of the semi-finals, Ms. Huimei and Mr. Ash, will face off. With a 5-minute limit, let the finals begin!""Ash, you're strong, but I won't lose. Go, Beautifly!""I choose you, Eevee!"[Beautifly][Strength: Elite Mid-Stage]"Beautifly, use Hidden Power!"The white rings of light were not only beautiful but also lethal. Even before the attack landed, Ash's points were already being deducted."Eevee, Tera Blast!" "Ee-vee~"The Tera Blast move was also very gorgeous, especially the crystals that scattered upon impact. Huimei also lost some points.The two moves collided, creating beautiful specks of light."Beautifly, use Hurricane.""Eevee, Dig!""Watch out!""Eevee, Iron Tail!" That's right, after several days of training, Eevee had finally learned Iron Tail! The Iron Tail knocked Beautifly down."Eevee, one last hit! Swift!""The battle is over! The winner is Mr. Ash!""Come back, Beautifly. You did a great job." After recalling Beautifly, Huimei walked toward Ash. "Ash, congratulations. You're really amazing!""Thanks!""Now, we invite the winner of this tournament, Mr. Ash, to come forward and receive the Rustboro ribbon badge!""Congratulations, here is your badge. Since this is your first time competing, I'll give you this ribbon case as a gift!""Thank you! Alright, I got the Rustboro ribbon badge!" "Ee-vee~"[Ding~ Obtained the Rustboro ribbon badge. Reward: 1,000 points]"I'm so jealous! Okay, I'm going to enter a Contest in the future too." *⁂((✪⥎✪))⁂* May looked at Ashwith envy and made up her mind to participate in Contests.To be continued...
Chapter 19: May Catches a Wurmple"Wow! It's really beautiful! Hehe! I want to participate in Contests too!" (＾▽＾) May said, holding Ash's ribbon badge."Ah~ Sis, how many times have you said that along the way!" Max shouted, covering his ears."Hmph! None of your business!" May had just finished speaking when suddenly ε=ε=ε=(ﾟ◇ﾟﾉ)ﾉ, "Ah—""What's wrong? May," everyone quickly asked."Just... something suddenly appeared before my eyes just now. L-look, over there!" May pointed toward the bushes.Everyone looked over to see a large red bug crawling into the bushes."Oh, it's just a Wurmple! May, don't you like Beautifly? One of Wurmple's evolutions is Beautifly!" Ash explained."Eh, it evolves into Beautifly?! Looking closely, it's actually quite cute. Okay! I'm going to catch it." (♡⌂♡) As soon as May heard it evolved into Beautifly, she chased after it without hesitation."Hey~ Wait, May! I haven't finished yet.""A Wurmple isn't a hundred percent guaranteed to evolve into a Beautifly!" Ash shouted, but unfortunately, May didn't hear him."It's still a bit early for lunch. How about we take a short break here?" Brock suggested, watching Mayrun off into the distance."Agreed!"Ash, meanwhile, was using his Aura and discovered a special signature."You guys rest here! I'm going to check things out over there." After speaking, Ash took Pikachu and ran in the opposite direction from May."Hey!! Ash! Honestly!"Ash followed the Aura to another part of the forest."Pika~" Pikachu pointed at a Pokémon under a tree.There, a golden Silcoon was resting under the tree. Seeing Ash's arrival, it took a wary stance."Hiss~ A golden legend! And a Silcoon's evolution is definitely Beautifly!" Ash said in surprise.[Silcoon (Shinny)][Gender: Female][Type: Bug][Ability: Shed Skin][Strength: Common (Late Stage)][Moves: Harden, String Shot, Bug Bite, Poison Needle, Tackle][tera type: Bug]"Alright! Let me catch you! Go, Pikachu, finish it with Quick Attack!""Pika!" Silcoon immediately lost its ability to battle.Ash threw a Poké Ball, successfully catching it, and it was then transported to Professor Oak.Compared to Ash's smooth progress, May was currently engaged in a battle of wits and courage with Team Rockets.Back at Professor Oak's side, "Oh? Ash sent over another Pokémon. It seems Ash's journey is going very smoothly! Let me see what kind of Pokémon it is."After releasing it, Professor Oak took a look, "Oh! It's actually a golden Silcoon! I should get back to preparing the course materials for the introductory class... Wait, a golden Silcoon (♡⌂♡)! Hehe, don't move! The research on Shinny Pokémon evolution begins now!"Silcoon: Ah! Who is this weird old man! Help!When Ash returned to the camp, he found a guest—Ichiro Sawama."Ah, Ash, you're back. What did you go off to do?" Brock asked curiously."I went to catch a special Pokémon!""Eh? A special Pokémon! I want to see! What is it?" Max looked at Ash excitedly."Hehe, it's a secret! It's already been sent back to Professor Oaks Laboratory!""What?! Tell me!" Max ran to Ash's side and started to act spoiled."Go away. It would be fine if you were a girl." Ashpushed Max away with a look of disdain.Afterward, Ash got to know Ichiro Sawama, and they started a battle!Phanpy, Taillow VS Ariados, YanmaIchiro Sawama's Pokémon were all at the Superior(Early Stage). At the same level, Ichiro Sawama was completely crushed. Brock invited Ichiro Sawama to join them for lunch."Everyone, I'm back! I caught a Wurmple!" Mayjumped out happily."Good job, May!" everyone congratulated her.Just then, everyone noticed a person following behind May who looked exactly like Ichiro Sawama."Eh, they look exactly the same!" May shouted in shock."Brother, I didn't expect you to be back!" the man who came with May spoke.It turned out the two were twin brothers; one went traveling while the other protected the forest. Now they decided to swap roles for a bit."Great! Since everyone is here, it's about time to eat." Brock suggested."Agreed!" x5"Come out! Torchic, Wurmple, come out and eat!"[Wurmple][Gender: Female][Type: Bug][Ability: Shield Dust (Will not be affected by additional effects)][Strength: Common (Middle Stage)][Moves: Tackle, String Shot][tera type: Flying]Soon, a shocking scene appeared: the Wurmple was an incredibly heavy eater. Then, it fell asleep right after finishing its meal!"This Wurmple really has a high compatibility with Sis," Max complained."Oh, stop it, though I think so too!"Everyone: (ㅍ_ㅍ)...After saying goodbye to the Sawama brothers, the group set off on their journey once again.Meanwhile, Jessie of Team Rockets, who had failed to compete with May, also successfully caught a Wurmple on a tree on a cliff.On the road, Ash told May about Wurmple's evolution."Eh?! It's not certain? Isn't evolution always fixed?" (ΩДΩ) May's eyes widened in disbelief."Of course not. Although most are, there are still branched evolutions. Like Eevee, which has eight kinds of evolutions, and evolutions in different regions, etc. Wurmple is one of them." Ash used the Pokédex to find a picture of Dustox and handed it to May."Ah?! It's practically the polar opposite of Beautifly!""So Sis, you should have just caught a Silcoon or a Beautifly directly!" Max said speechlessly."Then May, if Wurmple evolves into a Cascoon, would you abandon it?" Ash asked.May first took a deep breath, "I won't. After all, no matter how it evolves, it's still my Pokémon!"Ash and Brock smiled at each other. Although Ashknew May's would evolve into a Beautifly, who could say for sure what the future holds?"Alright, May, don't worry! Your Wurmple eats so much, there's a good chance it will evolve into a Silcoon." Brock comforted her.These words successfully eased May's mind a lot, but without seeing Wurmple evolve, it was unlikely May could completely relax.——————————Ash's group, aiming for Rustboro City, finally arrived there.At the Rustboro City sightseeing tower, Ash's grouparrived there first, standing on the observation deck of the high tower overlooking the scenery of the entire city."Wow~ This is great, it's so beautiful!" Mayexclaimed in admiration.After everyone had finished sightseeing, Brock was the first to speak, "The Rustboro Gym should be around here!""Is that so! Good! I'm definitely getting the Rustboro Gym badge! Let's go!" Ash shouted.Afterward, as Ash's group walked out of the exit, Max suddenly discovered a Poliwag looking around under a bench, as if it were lost."Hey! If you're in trouble, I can help you." Maxsquatted down with a gentle smile, looking at Poliwag and warmly opening his arms.Poliwag also looked at Max. After a while, Poliwagslowly walked out from under the bench, and Maxpicked it up."Max, you did a good job!" everyone praised."It was nothing." Max first said modestly, then said to Poliwag, "I guess you're lost."Just then, Max saw something tied to Poliwag's tail, "Ah! What is this?"At that moment, a young girl in blue clothes with two braids walked over, "Poliwag, thank goodness, we've been looking for you for a long time."To be continued...
Chapter 20: The Pokémon Trainer's School, Gym Leader Roxanne"Poliwag, thank goodness, I've been looking for you for a long time."Poliwag jumped into the young girl's arms. "Did you help me find it? Thank you so much!""Teacher!"At that moment, four children about the same age as Max ran over. Three of them were carrying a Magby, a Pidgey, and a Rattata respectively, while there was one boy without a Pokemon. That Poliwag was likely his partner."Have you already found Poliwag?" the boy with the Magby asked."That's great, Kota! Now you don't have to worry anymore!" The girl holding the Pidgey walked toward the boy without a Pokemon."Don't let it escape again next time, Kota!" the other boy complained fiercely. "Because of you, everyone's class was disrupted.""I'm... I'm sorry." Kota lowered his head in shame and apologized."Why are you using that tone!" The girl began to stand up for the boy. "You clearly know Kota is afraid of Pokemon and doesn't dare to get close to them with his hands!""Alright! You two, stop arguing, okay!" The young girl, acting as the teacher, mediated with a serious expression."Yes.""Now Kota, I'll be taking Poliwag back with me." The young girl walked up to Kota and patted his head. "There's no need to cry; I know you've worked very hard. Alright everyone, let's head back to the Pokémon Trainer's School together!"Afterward, Ash's group stepped forward to introduce themselves and learned that the so-called Pokémon Trainer's School was a place to learn various knowledge related to Pokemon."That's so cool! Big sister, I want to go visit too, can I?" (✧∇✧) Max felt very interested and began to use Charm on May."This... you're asking me so suddenly... I..." Maylooked at Ash awkwardly."No problem! Let's go visit together. The Gymchallenge isn't urgent anyway. Besides, I think the Gym Leader might not be free right now, right, Gym Leader Roxanne?" Ash said to Roxanne."Oh! I've been recognized. Are you here to challenge the Gym?" Roxanne replied to Ash with a smile."Yes!" Ash nodded."Eh~ Roxanne is the Gym Leader?!" Everyone exclaimed in surprise."Yes, I'm quite busy right now. Before going to the Gym, you can visit our school first!" Roxanne invited Ash and the others."Yay! That's great!" (/≧▽≦)/~ Max jumped up happily.Subsequently, Ash's group followed Roxanne to the Pokémon Trainer's School. Then, Roxanne took the four children back to their classroom for lessons, while the Principal personally received them."I never expected that you two were the children of the Petalburg Gym Leader!" The Principal hosted them warmly, walking to a classroom and opening the door. "Come see the school I'm most proud of! This is the class for students aiming to become Pokemon Professors!""Ah~ I want to see the Beginner Class." Max's protest +1.Next, they came to another classroom, and the Principal introduced, "This is the class specializing in Pokemon Contests.""Contests!" (✧∇✧) May immediately stopped moving."I want to see the Beginner Class." Max's protest +2.After that was a Specialized Class, where a battle between a Typhlosion and a Feraligatr was being performed."Ah! What I want to see is Teacher Roxanne's beginner Trainer class!" Max finally couldn't take it anymore."Oh, dear, I completely forgot! It's over here." The Principal wasn't angry and led Max there with a smile.Just as Ash and the others reached the classroom, a voice familiar to Ash and Brock came from inside: "And that's how it is. Now you know that Pokemoncome in all sorts of different types.""Yes!" Professor Oak was seen giving a video lesson to the children."Hi, Professor Oak, long time no see! I didn't expect to meet this way!" Ash and Brock greeted Professor Oak."Here at the Trainer's School, we also invite Professor Oak to give lessons via video call," Roxanne explained proudly."Ah! Ash, Brock! Long time no see! Ash, what you asked of me has been completed. Also, let me study that Pokemon of yours first!" Professor Oak said to Ash, then looked at the excitedly trembling Max. "You must be Max! Hello!""Really? Thank you, Professor Oak," Ash said gratefully."Ah... that... I..." Max was full of excitement."Haha! Don't be nervous!" Professor Oak laughed loudly. "By the way, Ash, is your Gym battle over? Who won?""No, Professor, we haven't had the Gym match yet." Roxanne spoke up, then said to Ash, "Ash, I have to teach here until tomorrow. As for your Gym match, can it wait until the day after tomorrow?""No problem!" Ash nodded in agreement."Roxanne, Ash is going to have a match with no regrets!" Professor Oak turned to the children. "Well then, goodbye. Everyone, go catch some Pokemontoo!"Just as Professor Oak was about to hang up, Maxfinally recovered and shouted: "Professor Oak, I've read all the books you've written, and I've listened to all your Pokemon lectures on the radio, so... so I respect you very much, Professor Oak!" Max looked at Professor Oak with a determined face."It's my honor, thank you, Max!" Professor Oaknodded to Max with a smile and then hung up.Afterward, there was a knowledge quiz for the kids, and Ash and the others also got the right to audit for a day.May went to the Contest class, Max to the Beginner Class, and Ash first went to the Specialized Class to grind some points. Later, in the Beginner Class, he helped little Kota get in touch with Pokemon and drove away the Team Rockets who came to 'help.' A fulfilling day passed just like that!The ample experience allowed Ash's Pokemon to gain a huge boost in strength. Among them, Taillowand Phanpy advanced to the middle stage of the Superior rank!"Ash, I'm looking forward to tomorrow's match! I'll be using my full strength!" Roxanne said to Ash."Me too!"——————————In the evening, Ash's group was having dinner.May announced something, "Everyone, I've decided to give up on Gym matches and focus on Contests."Ash and Brock both expressed their support, while Max found it the hardest to accept."What? Big sister, you're going to specialize in Contests? It's rare to become a Pokemon Trainer, and yet you're not going to do Gym matches. You could develop in both directions like Ash!" Max said in disbelief and sadness."I don't have the energy like Ash to develop in both directions, and I also prefer Contests more. Ash, thank you. When I first came out to travel, I wasn't very close to Pokemon, but now I love them so much." May's eyes sparkled."Alright, Max! Everyone has their own ambitions. Since May has decided on her goal, we should support her!" Ash spoke with a smile. "May, being a Pokemon Coordinator isn't easy either; you'll have to work hard!""Yes! I will work hard! Thank you for your support. Max, you have to cheer for me too!" May laughed happily."Of course!"Afterward, Ash swapped his Pokemon at the Pokémon Center to prepare for tomorrow's Gymmatch.To be continued...