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"Staryu, use Rapid Spin!"
Misty released her starfish Pokémon and immediately launched an attack. Staryu's body began spinning rapidly and flew toward Jigglypuff.
BOOM!
Jigglypuff didn't react at all. It simply stood there, making no attempt to defend itself. Staryu's attack connected directly, sending the pink Pokémon flying backward until it collided with a tree. Its soft body bounced several times against the ground before coming to rest.
"Jiggly..."
After landing, Jigglypuff released a soft, pained moan. It bit its lip as its eyes welled up with tears, looking utterly pitiful.
"Oh no! It's crying!"
Misty froze at the sight. In her experience with catching Pokémon, battles were typically fierce contests between willing opponents. She had never encountered a situation quite like this and found herself momentarily unsure how to proceed.
Especially when looking at Jigglypuff's adorable face and now-injured expression, Misty felt her heart melting with sympathy.
"What should I do?" she asked, glancing helplessly at Ash and Brock.
"I've heard that when Jigglypuff is attacked, it usually fights back by Singing," Brock explained, equally confused. The Pokémon before them wasn't fighting back at all, which seemed rather unusual.
"Wait—could it be that this Jigglypuff doesn't know how to sing?" Misty wondered aloud, studying the tearful Pokémon with a puzzled expression.
When Jigglypuff heard this comment, its expression crumpled further. Suddenly, it turned its head to the side and inflated itself like a balloon, clearly offended.
"I'm so sorry!" Misty quickly apologized. "I didn't mean to suggest you can't sing!"
Upon hearing Misty's apology, Jigglypuff's expression softened. It then began to act shy, rubbing one foot against the ground in a bashful manner.
"I didn't realize you couldn't sing, and I attacked you anyway. I'm really sorry," Misty continued, crouching down and speaking with uncharacteristic gentleness.
"Jiggly!"
Jigglypuff looked up at Misty, then suddenly leaped into her arms and began nuzzling against her. Misty's face lit up with delight at this response. She glanced over at Ash and Brock with a gleam in her eyes.
"Hey, what if we help this Jigglypuff recover its Singing ability?" she suggested. The thought of Jigglypuff being unable to use its signature move seemed tragic to her, and she wanted to help.
"Are you sure that's a good idea? I think it might be better left mute," Ash commented casually, leaning against a nearby tree with his hands behind his head.
He knew that despite Jigglypuff's harmless appearance, the Pokémon could be quite troublesome. If it regained its ability to sing, the consequences could be serious for everyone within earshot.
"JIGGLY!"
Upon hearing Ash's words, Jigglypuff trembled visibly. It looked at Ash with eyes full of fear before quickly shrinking back into Misty's arms. Seeing this reaction, Misty immediately tried to comfort the balloon Pokémon.
"It's okay, it's okay! Ash was just joking."
"Ash! That's awful. It's fine if you don't want to help, but why are you scaring it?" Although Misty knew Ash wouldn't actually hurt the Pokémon, she was still displeased with his attitude.
Ash merely shrugged in response. "It's your call! Just don't come complaining later when you regret it." Privately, he thought to himself: "Woman, you will definitely regret this decision."
"Hmph! I won't regret anything!" Misty declared. Turning back to the pink Pokémon, she added, "Jigglypuff, I'll start by teaching you the basics of vocalization."
True to her word, Misty began coaching Jigglypuff on fundamental vocal techniques, starting with the most basic exercises. However, "Puff" merely inflated its cheeks indignantly and turned away once more.
"What's wrong, Jigglypuff?" Misty asked, bending down to look the Pokémon in the eye.
"It seems like it wants to sing but doesn't want to put in the effort," Ash observed from the sideline, watching the scene unfold with amusement. This Jigglypuff was truly stubborn, reminding him of people who wanted success without working for it.
As if Ash had somehow perceived its true nature, Jigglypuff's expression changed again, and it avoided meeting his gaze.
"That can't be right," Misty insisted. "Let's try something else!" She began rummaging through her backpack and eventually pulled out a balloon. She inflated it quickly and held it out.
"Jigglypuff, let's start like this—practice by blowing up the balloon first!" Misty handed the balloon to the pink Pokémon.
"That's actually a good idea," Brock agreed. "Building lung capacity is essential for singing. This could be a great exercise."
"Jiggly!"
Jigglypuff turned its head away again at the sight of the balloon, clearly unwilling to practice. Ash spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness.
"See? I told you it would be like this!"
"Jigglypuff, you can't give up so easily. You need to practice!" Misty insisted.
Without further warning, she gently pushed the balloon against Jigglypuff's mouth. Instantly, the air from the balloon was sucked into Jigglypuff's body, causing it to inflate dramatically.
"PUFF!"
A moment later, the air rushed back out from Jigglypuff's mouth. The Pokémon's body sailed through the air like a deflating balloon, spinning wildly before landing back on the ground with a soft thud once all the air had escaped.
"This isn't working. What else can we try?" Misty sighed, increasingly discouraged by their lack of progress.
"You know what? You two can keep practicing at your own pace," Ash decided. "I'm going to train somewhere else for a while. Come on, Pikachu!"
Sensing that this situation wouldn't be resolved quickly, Ash didn't want to waste valuable training time. Since they weren't planning to leave the area immediately, he wanted to make the most of this opportunity to work with his Pokémon.
"Hey, Ash!" Misty called after him.
Ash merely waved his hand without turning around or slowing his pace. Misty pursed her lips in annoyance at his departure.
"That Ash... he can be so frustrating sometimes," she muttered. "Don't worry, Jigglypuff. We'll still help you."
With Ash gone, they would have to manage on their own. Misty comforted Jigglypuff again before turning to Brock to discuss alternative approaches.
Meanwhile, Ash and Pikachu found an open clearing away from the others. "Everyone, come out!" he called, tossing his Poké Balls into the air. One by one, his Pokémon materialized in flashes of light.
The Pokémon gathered together, all appearing excited about the training session. However, tension quickly developed between two particular members of the team. A pair of eyes—one set red, one set green—locked in a hostile standoff.
"Char!"
"SCYTHER!"
Charmeleon and Scyther glared at each other. Scyther's gaze reflected clear defiance, while Charmeleon's eyes held only cold indifference—which seemed to infuriate Scyther even more. The two Pokémon turned to face each other directly, creating a palpable tension in the air.