Chapter 384: Feather Carnival
After leaving the Weather Institute, Ash's group set off on their journey again.
One day later, they finally arrived at Viridian City.
Because the residents of Viridian City yearn for the sky, the city's style is quite different from other cities; houses here are almost all built on trees.
Ash's group arrived at a very opportune time, just in time for Viridian City's annual sky-themed Feather Carnival celebration.
Considering they had been traveling non-stop, Ash suggested postponing the Gym challenge so everyone could experience the celebration first.
The celebration was quite lively, with all kinds of snack stalls, as well as shops selling souvenirs and accessories, though the most popular attractions were naturally the various entertainment activities.
Upon entering the festival plaza, Ash's group released their respective Pokemon to let them play to their heart's content.
"Pretty lady, can I get your contact information..."
Without Jirachi guarding him strictly, Brock revealed his true colors, lingering around a group of mature young ladies.
"This Feather Carnival is really nice! So much good food..."
As a seasoned foodie, May had just entered the festival plaza when she grabbed Latias and headed straight for the snack stalls.
In less than five minutes, May and Latias walked out with five or six snacks in each of their hands.
After spending this time together, May and Latias had become friends, but whenever it involved Ash, the friendship between them would become quite fragile.
May and Latias surrounded Ash, one on the left and one on the right, holding snacks and occasionally feeding Ash.
Facing their competitive enthusiasm, Ash found it hard to express his plight.
But soon, a large Skarmory carrying two people appeared in the sky, making it seem as if he had seen a savior.
"May, Latias, look!"
"Is that... a Skarmory?"
May saw the appearance of the Skarmory and inexplicably remembered the situation where she was snatched away by a wild Skarmory before.
"The key isn't the Skarmory! It's the person riding the Skarmory," Ash reminded her.
"A person?"
May and Latias looked at Ash in confusion.
Ash put his hand to his forehead and said, "May, do you remember what I said last night about the Gym Leader of the Viridian Gym, Ms. Naki?"
"I remember, Ash, are you trying to say that the one riding the Skarmory above is Ms. Naki?"
May finally got what Ash meant.
Ash nodded, "Ms. Naki is coming down, let's go over to greet her and, by the way, make an appointment for the Gym challenge."
"Okay!" May smiled lightly.
Naki directed the Skarmory to land in front of a group of children, "Next, who is going to experience the feeling of flying?"
"Hello Ms. Naki, I am Ash from Pallet Town, here specifically to challenge the Viridian Gym, so I wanted to ask if the Gym challenge requires queuing?" Ash stated his purpose and asked.
"A Gym challenge? Okay, no problem, I accept. Let's set the challenge time for tomorrow morning." Naki gladly accepted Ash's challenge.
"Ms. Naki, my name is May from Petalburg City, I also want to challenge the Gym, I wonder..."
May also spoke up.
"No problem, May, let's schedule our battle for the day after tomorrow."
Meanwhile.
The Team Rocket Trio were also enjoying the festival activities at this time.
It was just that because James recounted the past event of passing by a mobile carnival as a child and taking a liking to a Chimecho, but his family wouldn't allow him to keep it, and when he wanted to go back and buy it privately, he missed the chance.
Jessie and Meowth heartlessly left James behind to be sad on the spot.
Just when James was about to go look for Jessie and the others, he encountered the Magikarp salesman again, who had repeatedly treated the Team Rocket Trio as suckers to be fleeced.
This time, the Magikarp salesman was no longer peddling Magikarp, but was swindling money by peddling a Chimecho disguised with Hoppip.
After seeing the 'Chimecho', the impulse from his youth surged in James's heart again, and he said, "Mister, I want to buy the Chimecho!"
However, when he saw the appearance of those 'Chimecho', he always had an indescribable sense of dissonance, "Why do I suddenly have an ominous feeling in my heart?"
Hearing the familiar voice of a sucker, the Magikarp salesman imperceptibly lowered the straw hat on his head and said, "Customer, what's wrong?"
"This... why do I feel like the Chimecho you have here is a bit fat?"
"Customer, you don't know this, but the Chimecho we have here are all the exceptionally well-developed kind. If you like it, just take it!"
"But I always feel like something is wrong..."
"Customer, you are overthinking it. Look, this is a Chimecho!"
After a round of smooth-talking by the Magikarp salesman, James was deceived again and used their remaining money to exchange for a fake Chimecho.
James held this fake, and happily found Jessie and Meowth to share his joy.
"James, what Pokemon is that in your hands?" Meowth asked.
James placed the fake Chimecho in front of them and boasted, "I finally bought this! It is my first love, Chimecho!"
"So this is a Chimecho!" It was Jessie's first time seeing a Chimecho.
"It's really strange, James, why does your Chimecho look so weird? It seems to be much fatter than a normal one, Meowth."
Meowth had a bad feeling.
"Meowth, don't let your imagination run wild. This is an out-and-out Chimecho, it's just that it has been raised too well, so it looks a bit fat."
"Then let it make a Growl for us, Meowth."
"Of course, no problem." James gently stroked the Chimecho and said softly, "Chimecho, come on, give them a Growl."
"Chime~"
The fake Chimecho opened its mouth, and the bell hanging underneath it vibrated to make a sound.
"Strange, this guy's sound isn't right!" The bad feeling in Meowth's heart grew even stronger.
Just as Meowth was confused, the tape stuck to the fake Chimecho suddenly burst open.
James was stunned, then took out a handkerchief and wiped the fake Chimecho vigorously, and the Hoppip was immediately revealed.
The Team Rocket Trio's eyes were not right.
"This... isn't this a Hoppip?"
"James, how much money did you spend buying such a thing, Meowth?"
Facing Meowth's questioning, James stammered, "This... that... I used up all our money."
"What did you say?" Jessie exploded instantly.
Just at this moment, a real Chimecho slowly flew next to them.
"It's a Chimecho, Meowth!" Meowth exclaimed.
The unique bell sound of the Chimecho made the Team Rocket Trio feel carried away.
"Is this guy alone?" Jessie said.
Meowth spread his hands, "It's possible, Meowth."
"Hey, if you don't have anywhere to go, do you want to come with us?" James directly issued a team-up invitation.
The Chimecho agreed quite readily, and also self-taught a move that most of James's Pokemon knew—the Face-Covering Technique.
It used its own long hem to wrap around James's face.
James: "I can't see!"
"How did he catch it so easily?"
Jessie was puzzled; she found that James caught Pokemon really casually, just by saying a few words, he caught it.
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