The morning sun cast its rays over Pallet Town, and the air was filled with the fresh scent of grass and dew.
Ash took a deep breath, adjusted his hat, and shouted to his companions, "Everyone, keep going! One more lap and then we rest!"
"Pika Pika! (Got it!)" Pikachu energetically followed Ash, the electric sacs on his cheeks flickering with a faint glow.
Xiao You wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, panting, "Ash, aren't you being too strict? We just got back to Pallet Town a few days ago, and you're already putting us through such high-intensity training."
"Hehe, isn't this to prepare for the Indigo League!" Ash turned back with a bright smile, "Pikachu, isn't that right?"
"Pika Pika! (That's right!)" The yellow electric mouse responded cheerfully.
Brock, walking at the back, maintained a steady pace and said with a smile, "Appropriate training is necessary, but we also need to balance work and rest.
Xiao You is right, we should really consider resting."
Just then, the roar of an engine caught their attention.
Car after car drove past from the road outside the town, each with various surfboards fixed to its roof or side.
"Huh? Is today a special day?" Ash stopped, curiously watching the traffic.
Brock also frowned, "The beaches near Pallet Town aren't suitable for Surf, so why are there so many Surf enthusiasts?"
"Pika? (Yeah, why?)" Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder, looking at the vehicles with equal confusion.
Xiao You suddenly clapped her hands, "Ah! I remember now! There's been a very popular topic on social media recently, about something called 'Sunday Wave.'"
"Sunday Wave?" Ash pulled out his black and blue rotom phone from his pocket, "Rotom, help me look this up."
The phone screen lit up, and Rotom's electronic voice sounded, "Command received, searching for relevant information—roto! Found it!
A special wave phenomenon, known as 'Sunday Wave,' has recently appeared along the Kanto region's coastline.
It is said to only appear on Sunday evenings, with waves reaching over ten meters high!"
A video appeared on the screen, and Ash clicked play.
In the footage, surging waves crashed against the giant rocks on the shore, and dozens of surfers attempted to ride the towering waves.
The video commentary continued, "The most astonishing thing is that a small flag is planted on top of the giant rock.
Legend has it that only the most skilled surfer can plant the flag at the peak of the giant rock amidst these colossal waves.
So far, only one person has succeeded..."
The scene switched, showing a Trainer wearing a black hat standing on a surfboard, accompanied by a rare blue-eyed Pikachu.
They cut through the crest of the wave like lightning, and at the highest point, the Trainer firmly planted a red flag on the top of the giant rock.
"Wow!" Ash's eyes sparkled, "That's so cool! Pikachu, how about we give it a try?"
"Pika Pika! (Sounds good!)" Pikachu excitedly perked up his ears, his tail wagging.
Brock stroked his chin, pondering, "Today is Sunday, and judging by the direction of these vehicles, they must all be going to participate in this challenge."
Xiao You was a little worried, "But Ash, that wave looks so dangerous..."
"It's okay!" Ash confidently patted his chest, "Pikachu and I have been through even more dangerous situations!
Besides, it's not bad to relax a bit after training!"
Seeing Ash and Pikachu's eager eyes, Xiao You smiled helplessly, "Alright, alright, but be sure to be careful."
"Great!" Ash jumped up happily, "Then let's go now! Rotom, navigate to that beach!"
"Command received, planning route—approximately 15 kilometers to the destination, recommend taking transportation, roto!"
The four quickly returned to Professor Oak's Laboratory and borrowed the laboratory's small truck.
Along the way, Ash excitedly discussed Surf techniques with Pikachu.
"Pikachu, the Surf we usually use will definitely come in handy this time!"
"Pika! Pikachu! (Yeah! That's right!)" Pikachu stood on Ash's lap, striking a surfing pose, which made everyone laugh.
About half an hour later, they reached their destination.
Hundreds of people had already gathered on the beach, with surfboards of various colors lined up on the sand, creating a lively scene.
"Wow, it's even more spectacular than in the video!" Ash exclaimed, his eyes scanning the crowd, "I wonder if that Trainer with the blue-eyed Pikachu is here..."
Brock rented a few surfboards, "I asked around; the challenge starts at four in the afternoon, so there's still time to practice.
Ash, you and Pikachu need to get used to it first."
"No problem!" Ash took the surfboard and ran to the sea with Pikachu.
The seawater slapped against the shore, and spray flew.
Ash placed the surfboard on the water, and Pikachu agilely jumped onto it.
"Ready, partner?" Ash asked with a smile.
"Pika! (Ready!)" Pikachu nodded firmly.
Ash pushed the surfboard into deeper water, then leaped onto it.
The first few attempts ended in falling into the water, but soon, Ash found his balance.
"Haha! That's it!" Ash stood on the surfboard, rising and falling with the small waves, "Pikachu, how does it feel?"
"Pika Pika! (Very good, very comfortable)" Pikachu stood at the front of the board, his tail helping to adjust direction, looking very much like he was enjoying himself.
Xiao You and Brock watched from the shore, cheering them on from time to time.
As time passed, Ash and Pikachu's coordination became more and more seamless, even allowing them to perform some simple turning maneuvers.
"It seems they're adapting well," Brock said with satisfaction.
Xiao You nodded, "Yes, but the real challenge hasn't started yet."
At half past three in the afternoon, the atmosphere on the beach gradually became tense.
Surfers checked their equipment, preparing to face the legendary "Sunday Wave."
Ash and Pikachu also returned to the shore to rest briefly.
"I heard Yu is coming today." The conversation between two Trainers nearby caught Ash's attention.
"Really? The only Trainer who successfully planted the flag?"
"That's right, my friend said he saw his blue-eyed Pikachu."
Ash's eyes lit up, and just as he was about to go ask, a sudden commotion came from the other end of the beach.
The crowd parted automatically, and a young man wearing a black baseball cap and a blue wetsuit walked over.
Most striking was the Pikachu on his shoulder—its fur was slightly darker than a normal Pikachu's, and most unique were its ocean-blue eyes.
"That's Yu!" Someone exclaimed.
Ash instinctively walked forward, "Hello! I'm Ash, and this is my partner Pikachu.
I heard you're the only one who successfully completed the challenge?"
Yu stopped and smiled friendly, "Hello, Ash.
Yes, Sparky and I did it once." He gently stroked the blue-eyed Pikachu's head, "But there was a lot of luck involved."
"Sparky? What a great name!" Ash exclaimed, "Pikachu and I also want to try today's challenge; do you have any advice?"
Yu carefully observed Ash and Pikachu, "Your teamwork is very good, but the Sunday Wave is different from ordinary waves.
It will suddenly change direction when it approaches the giant rock, requiring extremely strong reaction ability." He paused, "However, I can tell you have potential."
"Pikachu!" Ash's Pikachu suddenly jumped in front of Yu, curiously looking at its blue-eyed counterpart.
The two Pikachu sniffed each other, then friendly touched cheeks.
The blue-eyed Sparky seemed very interested in Ash's Pikachu, letting out a soft "Pika" sound.
Yu smiled, "It seems Sparky really likes your Pikachu.
How about this, there's still time before the challenge starts, I can share some tips with you."
Over the next half hour, Yu explained in detail the essentials of riding giant waves, especially emphasizing the importance of coordinating with Pokémon.
Ash listened intently, asking questions from time to time.
"Time's almost up." Yu looked at his watch, "The waves are about to form.
Ash, remember, the most important thing is to trust your partner."
"Got it!" Ash nodded solemnly, "Thank you, Yu."
The broadcast on the beach suddenly sounded, "Attention all challengers, the Sunday Wave is about to form, please prepare.
Repeat..."
The crowd immediately sprang into action, surfers and their Pokémon partners heading into the sea.
Ash took a deep breath and looked at Pikachu, "Ready, partner?"
"Pikachu!" Pikachu jumped onto the surfboard, his eyes gleaming with determination.
Brock and Xiao You walked over, "Be careful, don't push yourselves."
"Don't worry!" Ash gave a thumbs-up, "We will definitely succeed!"
With a whistle, the challenge officially began.
Ash pushed his surfboard into the sea, Pikachu steadily standing at the front.
In the distance, the sea level began to rise, and a huge wall of water gradually formed.
"Here it comes!" Ash shouted, paddling hard to get closer to the wave.
When the first big wave hit, Ash agilely flipped onto the board, and Pikachu immediately released a faint current to help stabilize it.
They successfully caught the crest of the wave and began to slide towards the shore.
"Awesome! That's it!" Ash shouted excitedly.
However, just as they approached the giant rock, the wave suddenly changed direction, just as Yu had described.
Ash was caught off guard and almost lost his balance.
"Pikachu! (Careful!)" Pikachu quickly jumped onto Ash's shoulder, adjusting his center of gravity with his tail.
"That was close!" Ash steadied himself, but had already missed the optimal position.
He looked towards the top of the giant rock, where several flags were already planted—Yu and his Sparky had succeeded once again.
"It's okay, there's still a chance!" Ash encouraged, "Let's try Encore!"
The second attempt also ended in failure.
When Ash and Pikachu returned to the shore exhausted, Yu was already waiting there.
"Good job," Yu said sincerely, "especially your teamwork, it's better than most people's."
Ash wiped the seawater from his face, a little frustrated, "But we still couldn't succeed..."
Yu shook his head, "Being able to get close to the giant rock on your first attempt is already very impressive.
Sparky and I practiced for three whole months before succeeding."
Ash looked up at Yu and the special Pikachu, "Will you challenge again?"
"Of course," Yu smiled, "the evening wave is the real 'Sunday Wave,' much bigger than this one.
If you're interested, we can go together."
Ash's eyes lit up again, "Really? That's great! Pikachu, let's try Encore!"
"Pika Pika! (No problem!)" Pikachu shook off the water droplets from his body, responding energetically.
Over the next few hours, Ash and Pikachu continued to practice, while Yu provided guidance from the side.
The sun gradually set, and the crowd on the beach not only didn't decrease but grew even larger—everyone was looking forward to witnessing the evening's giant waves.
"Time's up." Yu stood up, gazing at the distant sea surface that had already begun to change color, "Ash, are you ready?"
Ash nodded, gripping his surfboard, "This time we will definitely succeed!"
"Pika! (That's right!)" Pikachu jumped onto Ash's shoulder, full of confidence.
The two and Pikachu walked side by side towards the sea.
At this moment, the sea surface seemed calm, but everyone knew that this was just the calm before the storm.
"Remember," Yu reminded them one last time, "when the wave crest comes, don't be afraid, trust your partner."
Ash nodded solemnly, "I will."
With a long horn sound, a huge wall of water suddenly rose from where the sea met the sky, at least twice as high as the afternoon's wave.
This was the true "Sunday Wave"!
Ash and Yu simultaneously rushed into the sea, paddling hard towards the crest of the wave.
The moment the giant wave was about to engulf them, they both skillfully flipped onto their boards.
"Pikachu! Now!" Ash shouted.
Pikachu immediately released a powerful electric current, forming an electric net to stabilize the surfboard.
Ash was surprised to find that this was the "Surf" technique Pikachu usually used!
"Awesome! That's it!" Ash shouted excitedly, standing steadily on the crest of the wave.
Not far away, Yu and Sparky were also gliding at an astonishing speed, the electric current released by the blue-eyed Pikachu emitting a peculiar blue glow.
The two surfboards, like arrows released from a bow, sped towards the giant rock.
As they approached the giant rock, the wave once again strangely changed direction.
"Now!" Ash seized the moment, and with Pikachu's Helping Hand, leaped high, the flag in his hand pointing directly at the top of the giant rock.
At the same moment, Yu made the same move.
Reflected by the setting sun, two flags were planted almost simultaneously on the peak of the giant rock—one red, one blue.
A deafening cheer erupted on the beach.
After Ash and Pikachu safely landed in the water, they were immediately surrounded by the excited crowd.
"We did it! Pikachu!" Ash hugged the soaking wet Pikachu, happily spinning around.
"Pika Pika! (Yes! We succeeded)" Pikachu also cheered happily.
Yu and Sparky walked over, extending a hand, "Congratulations, Ash.
Now you're the second person to complete the challenge."
Ash shook Yu's hand, sincerely saying, "Without your Helping Hand, we couldn't have succeeded.
Thank you, Yu."
The two Pikachu met again, this time high-fiving in celebration, as if they were old friends of many years.
The sun set, illuminating the two flags fluttering side by side on the giant rock, bearing witness to this friendship that began with Surf.
Ash knew that this experience was not only an exciting challenge but also taught him a valuable lesson—the trust and understanding between partners are key to overcoming all difficulties.