Ash frowned slightly at Suzie's words.
"The Oak family's affiliated branches? I've heard of them, but I've never actually seen them," he admitted. Truthfully, he didn't care much for political matters like that.
He had heard that some of the affiliated families had recently caused trouble, even trying to challenge the Oak family's authority.
That was part of the reason why Ash had shared some of his potion profits with Gary.
Even if Ash hadn't done so, Professor Oak's family would not have fallen, but Ash disliked unnecessary conflict.
His decision had clearly been the right one. The benefits from the potion business were enough to pacify those restless branches, ensuring they couldn't succeed in any sort of usurpation.
"Arf! Arf!"
As Ash was thinking about the Laramie family, a Growlithe came running up, barking anxiously.
"Huh? A Growlithe? That takes me back," Ash said warmly, his eyes softening. His Arcanine had once been a Growlithe, after all. Just like Pikachu, Growlithe had been with him through many days of training and adventure.
Sensing the pup's nervousness, Ash let a gentle wave of his Aura flow outward, showing he meant no harm. The Growlithe, feeling the kindness within Ash's Aura, relaxed, though it kept its distance out of loyalty to its true trainer.
"Who are you? Why have you come here?"
A clear voice called out. Riding up on a Ponyta was a girl with long blue hair tied in a ponytail.
"Hello. My name's Ash, and these three are my traveling companions. We just challenged the Fuchsia Gym this morning, so we ended up coming here afterward," Ash explained, introducing himself. His companions also gave their names in turn.
"Welcome! I'm Lara Laramie," the girl said with a bright smile. "You've come at a good time. The Pokémon Race is being held here soon. This Growlithe is one of our watchdogs, trained to protect the naturally raised Pokémon in this area."
"No wonder it was so wary of us earlier," Sabrina remarked with a small smile.
"Pika!" Pikachu, meanwhile, had already started playing with Growlithe. The two Pokémon quickly became friends, tails wagging and sparks flying playfully.
Lara led Ash and the others deeper into the Laramie ranch. Ash's eyes widened the moment he saw it—the Pokémon here were strong and healthy. Some had greater potential than others, but all of them had clearly grown up in the open grasslands, full of natural vitality.
"System, show me the data on Lara's Ponyta," Ash thought.
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
Name: Ponyta
Level: Advanced
Ability: Flash Fire
Type: Fire
Potential: D+
"D+ potential… it must be nearing evolution," Ash thought, quickly judging its growth. He could tell its training had pushed it to its limits.
"Arf!"
His Arcanine padded over, Growlithe trotting alongside happily.
"Had fun, boy?" Ash asked, running his hand through Arcanine's thick fur. Since evolving, Arcanine rarely had the chance to sprint freely, something Ash always regretted.
"Arf!" Arcanine barked, clearly delighted. Running across the open plains had brought him joy he hadn't felt in a long time. Having a little Growlithe tagging along only made it better.
"How do you like our home?" Lara asked proudly, seeing Ash's group admiring the Pokémon.
"The Pokémon raised by the Laramie family are as strong and healthy as any you'll find."
Suzie nodded earnestly. "Our breeder community often talks about it. The Pokémon raised by the Laramie family are naturally more robust than wild ones. It's not just the careful feeding and training—it's the vast grasslands. Running every day in an open space like this is the best exercise a Pokémon can have."
Lara beamed at the praise. "I'm really glad to hear that. Thank you."
"Hey, Lara!"
A boy suddenly rode up on a Dodrio, calling out proudly as he approached.
Another soft chime sounded in Ash's mind.
Name: Dodrio
Level: Advanced
Ability: Run Away
Type: Normal/Flying
Potential: D+
Ash frowned slightly. "This Dodrio's trained well for speed, but the focus seems one-sided. Other areas of its development were neglected. It won't be able to grow much stronger like this." He shook his head.
Dodrio, the Triple Bird Pokémon, has three heads—each representing a different emotion: joy, anger, and sorrow. Unlike Pidgeot and other bird Pokémon, Dodrio cannot truly fly.
However, because of its incredible speed, Dodrio can leap and glide for long distances, which is why it is classified as a Normal/Flying type. Its Normal typing doesn't give it flashy strengths, but it also leaves it with fewer glaring weaknesses. Normal-types often lack the specialized advantages of other types, but their balance makes them dependable battlers in the right hands.
"It's you! What are you doing here?"
Lara's expression hardened as she spotted the boy riding on Dodrio's back. A flicker of distaste crossed her eyes.
The boy smirked arrogantly. "I came to remind you—tomorrow's race will be mine. When I win, the position of family head will belong to my father. I think you've realized that already."
"Stop talking nonsense!" Lara snapped, her anger rising. "I'll never lose to you! What your father is doing will only ruin the future of the Laramie family!"
"Hmph. Say whatever you like. Tomorrow's results will speak for themselves. You're wasting time showing tourists around instead of preparing. It looks like even you know you're doomed to lose."
His gaze shifted briefly toward Ash and his companions, a trace of jealousy flickering in his eyes when he noticed the three girls standing beside Ash. Then, with a sharp tug on the reins, the boy urged Dodrio forward. The Pokémon kicked up a cloud of dust as they sped off across the plains, leaving only a trail of smoke behind them.
...
TN:
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