By evening, Ash and Mark finally reached Viridian City's entrance, rushing toward the Pokémon Center in desperation. But before they could enter, Officer Jenny stepped in front of them.
"Stop right there! Viridian City is under lockdown! There's been a Pokémon thief on the loose. No ID, no entry!" she barked with a serious expression.
"We're not bad people! Pikachu got attacked by a flock of Spearow, and we need to get to the Pokémon Center right away! Please, let us through!" Ash pleaded with worry written all over his face.
"Really? Pikachu's badly hurt? Alright, then show me your ID and I'll take you there right away," she softened a little, holding out her hand.
"Officer Rain… you remember me, right? I'm Mark!" Mark quickly said. This "Rain" was Anna's cousin — he'd met her before.
"Oh! Mark! That's wonderful! Sister misses you so much!" Rain's eyes lit up as she recognized him.
"Ash, take out the Pokédex! That's our ID!" Mark told him.
Ash immediately pulled out his Pokédex. The device beeped as it confirmed the entry.
"This Pokédex was a gift to Ash of Pallet Town. Good luck, Trainer! Note: if this Pokédex is lost, it cannot be reissued. From Professor Oak of Pallet Town," the screen flashed.
"Okay, no problem! Things are urgent, so you two can head inside. Pikachu's treatment comes first!" Anna said, and from the back of a storage shed, she pushed out a motorcycle.
"Rain, Ash's situation is urgent. You go ahead and take him. I'll walk to the Center, it's fine," Mark offered.
"Understood," Anna nodded, understanding Ash's desperation.
"See you at the Center, Mark!" Ash waved goodbye, hopping onto the motorcycle and speeding off with Anna.
But just as Mark turned to head inside, an angry female voice rang out behind him.
"Stop right there!"
It was Misty, carrying her once-orange bicycle now scorched and blackened, gripping it with fierce indignation.
Truly, Mark thought, people in the Pokémon world must be like fighting-types! Even with his own strength — unusually well-developed for his age, resembling a much older teen — he was still taken aback by her force. Could the legends of "Super Novices" actually be true?
"It's you! You promised you'd remind your friend to return my bicycle! Why is it like this now?" Misty shouted, pointing at the burned-out frame.
"Um… sorry! It's really embarrassing… because of so many unexpected events, Ash had to rush to the Pokémon Center. How about you come with me, and I'll explain everything along the way?" Mark admitted sheepishly.
"Fine! I'm going to confront that idiot anyway. Might as well hear what you have to say!" Misty snapped, still seething, but her anger didn't stop her from lifting the bike again.
"You don't want to mess with me… strength girl," Mark muttered with a nervous sweat.
"Alright then. I'll let it go for now for Pikachu's sake. But once he's healed, he'd better compensate me for this!" Misty grumbled, and they began walking toward the Pokémon Center together.
On the way, Mark explained everything to her. After hearing it, Misty's face softened with understanding, and Mark heaved a sigh of relief.
Suddenly, as they walked along the path, a childish voice rang out.
"Such an ugly Pokémon! It's so gross! Let's throw rocks at it!"
The voice was followed by several others laughing and encouraging it. It sounded like a group of kids.
"What are you doing?! Stop it!!!" Mark shouted, curious.
Without waiting, he ran toward the noise, only to see several kids gathered by a shallow river. This river branched off from the main stream in the mountains and, at this point, was barely deep enough to reach their knees.
The kids were furiously throwing stones into the water. As Mark came closer, he peered into the river and froze.
Inside, trapped by the scattered rocks, was a Pokémon. Its eyes were full of helplessness and sorrow as it desperately tried to escape, but it was useless. The kids had surrounded it completely. If the river were deeper, it might have gotten away — but here, with the shallow water, it was doomed.
Mark couldn't stand it any longer. Anger flared up inside him.
"Hey!! What are you doing? Stop right now!!" he roared.
The kids froze in fear, startled by his sudden appearance. Ignoring their expressions, Mark quickly darted forward, brushing aside two kids blocking his way. Without caring that his pants got wet, he jumped into the river and shielded the Pokémon with his arms.
"Hey! Who are you?! Are you one of this ugly freak's gang?!" one boy with yellow hair barked, glaring at Mark. He seemed to be the leader — a bit of a punk, and the first to throw rocks. Now that someone stopped them, his face twisted with frustration.
"Ugly freak?" Mark turned toward the Pokémon cradled in his arms. Well… how should he put it? It was definitely not what you'd call beautiful. But this Pokémon shouldn't be here…
It was Feebas! Known as the ugliest Pokémon in the world! It was seen as useless, on par with Magikarp's worthless reputation. In some circles, it was even feared and despised like the disaster Pokémon Absol!
"So unfair…" Misty had caught up by now. She frowned when she saw the Pokémon — true, it didn't match her aesthetic tastes at all. Even as a lover of Water-types, she couldn't help but find Feebas ugly… but that didn't mean kids should harass it.
"You're not any better looking than it is! Pokémon and we are living beings in this world! Every creature has a purpose! You have no right to judge them!" Mark fired back.
Mark wasn't one to boast about being some great hero. He wouldn't say that he found Feebas disgusting. In his heart, yes, the Pokémon was ugly — but that didn't mean it deserved unfair treatment.
"You… what are you gonna do?!"
Mark's emotions surged as he hugged Feebas and stood up. The kids were around six or seven years old, while the yellow-haired leader seemed about eight. Mark, however, was fourteen but well-developed, standing as tall as a sixteen or seventeen-year-old. Without paying attention, he easily towered over them by more than a head, startling them.
"Get lost!" Mark roared.
The kids panicked. The leader barked one last threat — "Just you wait!" — but fled faster than any of the others.
"Little ones, you'd better be careful next time. Don't come into the city," Mark muttered, gently placing Feebas back into the shallow water. He took out some wound spray from his backpack and treated the cuts before stroking its head affectionately.
Though he had saved it this time, he couldn't help but worry that next time the kids would still pick on it. So he whispered a reminder, worried for its future.
As Mark turned to leave, Feebas suddenly let out a startled cry, looking at him with wide eyes full of fear.
Mark knelt down to look closer. Feebas's gaze was filled with longing and unwillingness to let go. His heart softened instantly.
"You want to come with me?" Mark asked gently.
Feebas nodded but then lowered its head in shame. It knew it was weak and ugly — hard to be accepted.
"Alright! Be my partner, Feebas!" Mark's voice rang out, full of warmth. The sad eyes instantly lit up, sparkling with joy.
"Hey! Are you seriously going to catch this Pokémon?" Misty asked from the side, still unimpressed despite her love for Water-types.
"Of course! Don't underestimate it! It has the potential to break out and soar!" Mark grinned.
With that, he pulled out a Poké Ball. Instead of throwing it, he gently tapped Feebas on its back. Without a single struggle, it slipped inside the ball as if it belonged there all along.
Mark's heart swelled with excitement. Mimicking Ash's style from the anime, he shouted proudly:
"Awesome! I caught Feebas!!"
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