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"Are you suggesting we can't order on credit anymore?" At that moment, two more figures entered the restaurant, their narrowed eyes fixed on the owner as they spoke in threatening tones.
"We're powerful enforcers hired by Kaz Gym! How dare you speak to us like that!" The pair took turns intimidating the restaurant owner, whose face quickly transformed into an expression of fear.
"It's not that... but if this continues, our restaurant will go bankrupt!"
The owner was genuinely distressed. The constant conflicts between the two gyms had scared citizens into staying home, devastating local businesses.
Additionally, the gym members came daily to eat without paying. If this pattern continued, his restaurant would certainly fail.
"Aren't you afraid of what Kaz Gym might do if you anger us?"
"I-I..." The owner could hear their threats clearly but felt trapped. He wasn't trying to offend them, but he couldn't sustain his business this way.
"He's not afraid of you! You three are incredibly dishonest." A confident voice cut through the tension.
Ash, who had been observing the street clash from the window, turned toward the commotion. When the owner saw Ash step forward, his expression immediately changed.
"T-the twerp!!!"
All three intruders startled at once. Their earlier arrogance evaporated instantly. Upon hearing them use their signature nickname for Ash, Misty and Brock immediately recognized them.
"Team Rocket!!" both exclaimed, instantly alert.
"Prepare for trouble!"
"And make it double!"
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite all peoples within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"
"Meowth! That's right!"
"Hmph! As expected from the twerp, you even recognized our perfect disguises! In that case, we won't hold back. Go, Arbok!"
"Let's go, Weezing!" Rather than fleeing after being exposed, the Rocket members threw their Poké Balls, preparing to attack.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash exchanged a knowing glance with his partner on his shoulder.
"Pika!! Pika~~~chuuu!!!!"
Pikachu nodded and leaped forward. The Light Ball nestled in the scarf began to glow faintly as powerful electricity gathered in Pikachu's cheeks. Thunder enveloped its entire body before releasing a brilliant electric surge.
The attack hit Arbok and Weezing head-on. Both Pokémon cried out in pain before being thrown backward into Jessie, James, and Meowth.
"Aaaah!! It's so much more painful than usual! What's going on?!"
Team Rocket, though accustomed to Pikachu's electric attacks, immediately noticed this Thunderbolt packed more power than previous encounters.
Since they were indoors, Ash had instructed Pikachu to hold back. When he deemed the attack sufficient, he signaled for Pikachu to stop. The Rocket trio lay on the floor, charred and twitching from the electricity.
Ash approached the disheveled group coolly. Seeing this, the children and restaurant owner all sighed with relief.
"You have two choices now: either pay what you owe yourself, or go back and have Kaz Gym cover your tab."
Ash looked down at them with a seemingly innocent smile that nonetheless made Team Rocket tremble. They swallowed nervously, then scrambled to their feet and backed toward the door.
"You'll pay for this, twerp! Just wait!"
Finding herself at a safe distance, Jessie spat out one final threat before turning to flee. James, Meowth, Arbok, and Weezing quickly followed suit.
"Those three really do get involved in everything!" Misty remarked as she watched Team Rocket escape.
Anything troublesome or underhanded, Team Rocket seemed to have a part in it.
"They'll be fine, don't worry about them," Ash said dismissively.
"Thank you so much!" The restaurant owner approached them gratefully. Everyone regarded him sympathetically, recognizing he was another victim of the gym rivalry.
"You're welcome. Consider it repayment for the meal you provided us," Ash replied casually.
Though they hadn't paid for their food since the owner had invited them, Ash recognized the restaurant's financial struggles and wanted to acknowledge the kindness somehow. Defending the restaurant against Team Rocket seemed an appropriate exchange.
By now, the children had shed their hostility toward Ash and his friends. Meeting Ash had taught them that not all Trainers were alike—they couldn't make sweeping judgments about an entire group.
"That was amazing!"
Suddenly, an enthusiastic voice came from the doorway as a girl in a green uniform entered. She appeared to be sixteen or seventeen years old, with long aqua-colored hair topped with a red hat.
Everyone in the restaurant turned to look at her. When Brock saw the newcomer, his face immediately flushed, his expression transforming into one of infatuation.
Ash examined her uniform, noticing distinctive markings that matched those worn by members of Yas Gym—one of the rival factions. Oddly enough, her outfit reminded him of convenience store employee uniforms from the Orange Islands.
The disguises Team Rocket had been wearing belonged to the opposing Kaz Gym.
"Ahem! May I ask what brings such a beautiful lady to this establishment?" Brock asked in an attempt at gentlemanly charm, clearly affected by her compliment.
"I witnessed everything that just happened. You're truly powerful to defeat those thugs so effortlessly!"
"You must be a famous Pokémon Trainer, right?" The girl addressed them with a friendly expression, her words laden with praise.
"It's... it's nothing special!" Faced with such flattery, Brock became flustered and reverted to his typical lovestruck behavior.
"If you don't mind, could you tell me your names?"
"My... my name is—"
"We don't know you. What do you want?" As Brock began to introduce himself, Ash interrupted, causing the girl to startle slightly.
"Powerful Trainers like yourselves, I hope you'll consider helping us. We at Yas Gym are nothing like those thugs from Kaz Gym you just encountered."
"Our Yas Gym truly deserves to be officially recognized by the Pokémon League!" Realizing her flattery wasn't working, the girl changed tactics, getting straight to her request.