After activating Aura, Ash had extended it beyond himself to strengthen his Pokémon.
With that boost, Pikachu's strength didn't just rise; he also gained some unique Aura traits, like being able to sense an enemy's Aura.
That's why, even through the thick smoke, Pikachu had nailed Ekans with pinpoint accuracy and sent it flying.
Later, he'd drawn on Aura again to amplify Thunder Shock into Thunderbolt, finishing the fight in one strike.
That was the secret technique Ash had mentioned earlier—something meant only for battles.
Ash often said tactics came down to one thing: information. When two Trainers' strength was close, every unexpected move became a key to turning the tables.
That's why he hadn't told Misty about this power. She'd looked down on him and Pikachu before—so when they eventually battled, he was going to hit her with this trick and blow her away.
A sudden mid-battle power-up—shocking, isn't it?
"By the way, Misty, what exactly is Team Rocket? And why would they dare attack a Pokémon Center?" Ash glanced at the busy scene around them and turned to her.
Even Ash, who wasn't the most knowledgeable, knew how important Pokémon Centers were—not just to the League, but to the whole world.
In a society where Pokémon came first, their treatment and care were critical. Whether black market or law-abiding, almost no one would ever strike a Pokémon Center.
There was no profit in it. Unless a Legendary Pokémon happened to be inside recovering, why bother?
And Viridian City's Pokémon Center? Forget Legendaries—there weren't even many rare Pokémon there. So who in their right mind would attack it?
"Team Rocket's an international crime syndicate. They've got members everywhere, though they're based mainly in Johto and Kanto. Still, even for them, attacking a Pokémon Center is insane."
Even Misty couldn't make sense of it. Sure, Team Rocket had the guts to cross a Pokémon Center, but what was the point?
After all, the Centers treated everyone—black market, white market, even wanted criminals. That was the principle of a healer's compassion.
That was exactly why even criminals rarely messed with them. So what, had Team Rocket lost their minds today?
"Forget it. They're gone now. Officer Jenny will take our statements, and then we can go get some sleep. Just a small episode." Ash shrugged. Why worry about why they'd attacked? In the end, they hadn't managed a thing and got blasted off.
Still, he couldn't deny the rush of pride. For a fifteen-year-old, this kind of glory was heady stuff.
What Ash didn't know was that the glory also brought with it… a shadow he'd never shake off.
…
After Officer Jenny took their statements, everyone headed back to their rooms to rest.
For the League, the attack was a serious incident. How they'd respond to Team Rocket was for the higher-ups to decide.
The next morning, Ash and Misty packed up and set off toward Pewter City.
The first rays of sunlight pierced through the mist, beams cutting across the forest floor like stage spotlights. The cicadas sang loudly in the canopy overhead, the shadows shifting with the rising sun.
As they stepped into Viridian Forest, Misty clung tightly to Ash's shirt, body edging close, eyes darting nervously left and right.
"Misty, what are you so scared of? There's nothing here." Ash sighed. Walking was hard enough without her hanging on him—forget making good time.
"There is! Tons of bugs!" Misty squeaked, refusing to let go.
Half a day later, Ash checked the map and did a quick estimate.
They hadn't even covered a tenth of the way to Pewter City. At this rate, it'd take them a full week to get there.
"Didn't you buy all that bug spray? Use it and the bugs won't come near you."
"Bug spray works on normal insects, not Bug-type Pokémon! And this forest is crawling with them!" Misty grumbled, her face pale.
In just half a day, Pikachu had already fought more than thirty Bug-types—not even counting the groups they avoided altogether.
Thanks to all the battles, Pikachu's level had risen to Normal Peak. He was only a step away from Advanced now.
Misty had known Viridian Forest had a lot of bugs, but this was way worse than she'd imagined!
"It's a forest. Of course there are bugs. And Bug-types are actually kinda cute. What's so scary about them?"
"I don't care, I just hate bugs!"
"Fine… Pikachu, over there!" Ash gave in with a shrug, scanning the trees for another Pokémon to battle.
And then he saw it. A green bug with a pair of red antennae on its head, happily munching on fallen leaves.
A Caterpie.
"Pika pika?" Another one to fight?
"Not just fight—this time we're catching it!"
"What? Catch it? A Caterpie? Ash, are you serious? Why would you want a Caterpie?!" Misty's scream was almost louder than Pikachu's Thunderbolt.
She hated Bug-types. Having one in the team day and night? That'd be a nightmare.
"What's wrong with Caterpie?"
"Caterpie and Weedle are known for growing fast but with weak potential. Ash, if your goal's to be Champion, then catching one of those means they'll fall behind eventually. You'd just end up leaving them at home."
She wasn't wrong. Most Bug-types did evolve quickly—Caterpie and Weedle could reach their final forms in just days.
But after that, especially past the Professional Tier, their progress slowed to a crawl. Butterfree and Beedrill were classic examples—fast at first, then painfully slow.
That's why, among all the Elite Four and Champions, there was only a single Bug-type specialist.