Chapter Twenty: Pikachu, Dance for Us—A Delightful Appetite Booster
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“This is the proof of our victory over the Cerulean Gym—the Cascade Badge.” Ash accepted the water-drop-shaped badge with a confident expression, his spirits soaring. Even Pikachu, usually just lounging nearby, made a victorious “V” sign, as if it were the true star.
A Gym Leader typically commands from the rear, serving as a spiritual leader.
Suddenly, Misty approached and asked, “By the way, Misty, now that you’re back, are you going out again?”
“Yeah, you’re quite strong now; handling Gym challenges is a breeze for you~”
“Why not just help us run the Gym instead~”
But Misty shook her head decisively.
“I can’t achieve my dream without traveling.”
Hearing this, Ash and Brock exchanged a glance, slightly puzzled.
Their dreams were clear: Ash wanted to become the strongest Pokémon Master, and Brock aimed to be a great Pokémon Breeder. But neither had ever heard Misty share her dream.
“Please tell us your dream,” Ash asked eagerly.
Misty clenched her fist and said slowly and deliberately, “To become the strongest Water-type Pokémon Trainer. In your words, an exclusive Water-type Pokémon Master!”
Ash relaxed his brow and looked surprised.
“So your dream is to be under my command?”
Everyone looked puzzled.
“You want to be a Water-type Master, and I want to be an All-type Master. So basically, you want to be my subordinate, right? That’s easy. Just call me ‘boss’ now, and I’ll accept you as my junior. Dream instantly fulfilled.”
“I’ll definitely become a Pokémon Master someday.”
“Anyway, you won’t lose out.”
He explained point by point, convincingly.
Everyone was speechless.
Logically, it didn’t seem flawed...
Misty suppressed the urge to go over and give him a good smack, then barked at her three older sisters:
“Anyway, the Cerulean Gym is our family’s honor. You have a duty not to hand over the badge so easily while I’m away!”
Though the youngest sister, her tone was like a mother’s.
Ash nudged the burly Brock next to him and whispered, “Feeling embarrassed? You don’t even know where the Pewter Gym’s honor went.”
Brock’s face darkened, his eyes narrowed to a slit.
He couldn’t think of a verbal comeback and finally blurted out, “I’m just unlucky.”
Ash was speechless.
...
Meanwhile, on the other side—
“But we still have to prepare for the water ballet...”
“This isn’t just a hobby...”
“We still need to eat...”
The three sisters explained pitifully.
Even Misty felt torn.
After all, everyone has their own aspirations. Her three sisters weren’t cut out for fighting; she couldn’t just force them to give up their water ballet dreams to become Gym Trainers.
“Ahem...”
At that moment, a cough interrupted everyone’s attention. Brock had slowly stepped into the circle of the Cerulean sisters.
“I have a suggestion, though I’m not sure if I should say it...”
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“Just say it if you have something to say. Don’t stand so close,” Misty pulled him behind her.
Although they hadn’t known each other long, Brock—with his honest and steadfast appearance, often boasting about his Rock-solid will—had a certain problem.
He might fool a naive guy nearby, but Misty saw right through Brock’s true nature.
He was an old lecher.
“My suggestion is this: since there are three sisters, why not choose the strongest one to be the Gym Trainer guarding Cerulean Gym, and let the others focus on their water ballet performances.”
The four’s eyes lit up at the good idea.
As for who was the strongest...?
“Misty, the Cerulean Gym is yours now.”
“Misty, the ancestral Blue Will is entrusted to you. If you fail, our grandfather might visit you in your dreams tonight.”
Sakura and Iris simultaneously placed their hands on Misty.
Who was the strongest was hard to say.
But who was the youngest was obvious.
Pick the softest target.
Misty was speechless.
At that moment, Brock jumped in again, elegant and approachable:
“Ahem, I have another suggestion...”
“Since the Gym and the Aquarium have separated, the vacant lot in the center of Pewter City would be a great spot. Then the water ballet... ahhh!”
Before he finished, Misty was already pulling his ear, dragging him outside.
Such an ambitious wolf, trying to become my brother-in-law—I can’t let my guard down for a moment.
Ash saw this and quickly followed them.
“By the way, isn’t this going too smoothly? Feels like someone’s missing...”
He scratched his head and muttered quietly.
...
Elsewhere, at the boundary between Viridian Forest and Pewter City.
Three figures lay sprawled at the edge of a deep hole, covered in dust and sand, looking utterly miserable.
“It’s your fault, Kojiro. Why did you dig the hole so deep?”
Jessie complained.
“Wasn’t it your Arbok that dug it?” James retorted.
“Enough nonsense, meow!”
Meowth suddenly shook his tiger-like body, dusting off the dirt and said,
“Luckily, we brought some biscuits to sustain us, or we’d have starved down here by now...”
Hearing this, James shuddered, then patted Meowth’s head, relieved.
“We almost had to use our emergency rations...”
Emergency rations?
Meowth’s eyes flickered with confusion. James, with his brain, actually carried emergency rations?
“Pull yourself together, Meowth. You’re our emergency... Pokémon Translator! We’ve already fallen behind those brats by days. We must hurry and catch that strange Pikachu!”
Jessie clenched her fist to encourage, changing the subject.
The three perked up, determined to rush to Pewter City for a free meal to regain strength.
“Beep beep...”
At that moment, a metallic device resembling a communicator slipped from James’s pocket.
Since they’d been in the deep hole, there was no signal until now, when a message popped up.
“All Rocket members, listen up. On the 15th of this month, we will hold a large corporate team-building event at Decayed Leaf Port, on the Saint Anne ship. All available members are to follow the organization’s arrangements to participate, strengthen our club’s bonds, and contribute to the great cause of maintaining world peace.”
“The location is Pier 3, Decayed Leaf City.”
“Boarding code: Stinky Fish, I’m Rotten Shrimp.”
The three were speechless.
Looks like Team Rocket was planning something big...
They checked their watches; about ten days left. They hurried to Decayed Leaf City.
In this new era, they just needed to seize opportunities to set sail!
...
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At Cerulean City Pokémon Center.
Ash set down two barrels of Pokémon feed, each nearly half a person’s height, then released Metapod and Pidgey.
“Eat up, especially you, Pidgey. You’re so skinny, you better eat more.”
Before Pidgey could say anything, Ash stuffed a big mouthful of feed into its beak.
There was no way he would change its name.
After all, he had sworn that once he became a Pokémon Master, he would fulfill his promise to Pidgey.
It was a man’s vow!
Changing now would mean breaking his word.
Nearby, Pikachu tried to sneak in for some food, but Ash said,
“Pikachu, you can skip eating. Look at you—just lounging around all day and getting fat. Perfect, dance a little to whet their appetite.”
Ash still remembered Pikachu’s previous underhanded behavior.
Pikachu was puzzled.
Then Ash took out the Pokédex.
“You too—usually so talkative. How about you sing a song to accompany Pikachu’s dance?”
“Beep... beep... beep... beep...”
The Pokédex began emitting a series of electronic sounds.
Brock and Misty were speechless.
...
Seeing his Pokémon in such a warm, friendly atmosphere, Ash felt deeply moved. He stood up and stepped aside.
He wanted to call his mother, Hanako, to report his progress.
“Hello, Mom, I already have two badges... Huh? Professor Oak, what are you doing at my house?”
The phone screen lit up. Seeing the white-haired old man behind Hanako, Ash asked curiously.
“Oh, just passing through for a meal,” Professor Oak replied with a smile.
Ash felt a bit overwhelmed. Was it mealtime now?
Professor Oak continued elegantly,
“You already have two badges; that’s fast progress. Your next stop should be Vermilion City. There’s an Electric-type Gym there.”
Ash nodded, reigniting his fighting spirit.
“Then it’s decided. Next stop: Vermilion City.”
“Since you’re going to Vermilion, do me a favor... Actually, it’s not for me, but for a junior of mine, Professor Sakuragi. He plans to open the Sakuragi Research Institute in Vermilion City.”
“Recently, there have been some strange occurrences at the institute. Please help check it out. I’ve praised you highly in front of Professor Sakuragi!”
Sure enough, the flattery made Ash immediately agree.
After some idle chatter, before hanging up, Ash casually asked,
“By the way, why isn’t my best friend, Gary, coming?”
“Ahem... That kid fears nothing except ghosts. He won’t touch anything like that,” Professor Oak replied awkwardly.
Ash’s eyes sparkled brighter than ever.
“Then I really feel sorry for my dear friend, hehe...”
----
(PiAo...)
(Trivia: In the Origins series, Green is afraid of ghosts.)