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The sunlight in the Unova region filtered through dense branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows on the winding path.
Ash and Iris followed the signs, arriving at a sizable building: the Battle Club.
The brick and stone structure appeared stable and grand, with a prominent sign hanging at the entrance. Faint roars of battles and cheers could be heard from within.
"We're just in time! It sounds like a battle is about to start inside," Iris exclaimed excitedly, pointing to the entrance.
As the two stepped into the brightly lit battle arena, a wave of heat mixed with excited shouts washed over them.
In the center of the standardized battleground, a showdown was about to begin.
Two Trainers looked focused, their Pokémon already in position.
After systematic training from Professor Oak, Ash's Pokémon knowledge was no longer what it once was.
He quickly scanned the area and, without needing his Pokédex, blurted out, "It's Servine and Dewott! The evolved forms of the Unova region's starter Pokémon!"
"Servine, use Leaf Blade!" a Trainer commanded loudly.
Servine's cape-like leaves on its back instantly straightened, their edges shimmering with a sharp, cold light. Like drawn blades, they sliced through the air with a fierce whoosh, striking its opponent.
"Dewott, counter with Water Gun."
Dewott's movements were clearly more agile. It took a deep breath, and a thick, rapid stream of water burst from its mouth, accurately intercepting and hitting the Servine that was leaping in mid-air.
It was super effective. Servine cried out, knocked to the ground by the water stream, losing its ability to battle.
"That was an excellent battle. Please take Servine to the Pokémon Center for a good recovery."
A loud, steady voice rang out.
A burly, muscular middle-aged man with a thick beard walked over. He wore the club's uniform, and his eyes were sharp and full of enthusiasm.
"Leave all matters concerning battles to me. Welcome to the Pokémon Battle Club. I am Don George, the Battle Agent here."
Noticing the curiosity on Ash's face, he extended his hand and introduced himself.
"I'm Iris, and he's Ash," Iris quickly replied.
"Hello, Mr. Don George!"
Ash shook Don George's hand firmly, his eyes gleaming with the thrill of battle. "I heard that you can have free Pokémon battles here.
I'm preparing for the Gym Challenge and I'm really eager to get some battle practice here!"
He unconsciously clenched his fists, his tone full of anticipation.
As he spoke, Pikachu nimbly jumped onto Ash's shoulder, curiously surveying its surroundings.
"Oh, it's a Pikachu! That's a very rare Pokémon in the Unova region!"
Don George's eyes lit up. He extended his broad, thick hand and gently stroked Pikachu's head with great tenderness.
His touch was seasoned and comfortable, and Pikachu couldn't help but let out a joyful cry, squinting its eyes.
Ash involuntarily glanced at Iris beside him, recalling her "overly enthusiastic" hug and subsequent Thunder Shock the first time she saw Pikachu. The treatment was truly worlds apart.
Iris felt Ash's gaze, thought for a few seconds, and understood. She rolled her eyes in annoyance and mumbled, "That was an accident."
"Is that Pikachu your Pokémon?"
The Trainer whose Dewott had just won walked over, looking at Ash with a challenging glint in his eyes.
"Yes, it is."
"Want to have a Pokémon battle with me?"
"I was just looking for an opponent anyway. Let's do it."
Ash was radiant, displaying the excited smile he only had when facing a strong opponent. "Pikachu, let's go."
Just as the battle was about to begin, the Poké Ball on Ash's waist suddenly popped open on its own.
"Osha!"
Oshawott, with its round head, sprang out. As it landed, it deliberately puffed out its chest and proudly patted the gleaming scallop on its chest with its paw, making a crisp sound, as if announcing its grand entrance.
"Hey, who told you to come out on your own?"
Ash bent down to grab it. But Oshawott nimbly twisted away, instead running to the center of the arena.
"Pika Pika!"
Pikachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder, gently nudging Oshawott's back with its tail, as if patiently urging it to go back and not interrupt the impending battle.
Unexpectedly, Oshawott suddenly shook its body, clapped its scallop together, signaling its resolve to its big brother, then pushed its big brother Pikachu away, and returned to the center of the arena.
This little fellow wasn't done yet. It turned to face Dewott's Trainer and again forcefully patted its own chest, striking a pose that declared, "I'll be your opponent."
However, when it truly saw the Dewott on the other side, which was clearly more imposing and had already evolved, its movements instantly froze.
The next second, it very quickly ran back to Pikachu, nuzzling its head against the other's nose in a fawning manner, then crossed its arms and obediently squatted by the side of the arena, adopting a "you go first, I'll watch" attitude, as if it had nothing to do with it.
Ash looked at its flip-flopping, bullying-the-weak-and-fearing-the-strong behavior, and was so exasperated he didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Alright, since you're so eager to show off, then stay on the field and fight well."
He raised his hand and recalled the helpless Pikachu, leaving Oshawott alone in the center of the arena.
"Osha Osha!"
Oshawott suddenly looked up, its round eyes instantly filled with panic, and its paws instinctively clutched its scallop.
It had only wanted to look cool; it hadn't actually intended to battle an evolved Pokémon.
But Ash had already taken a step back, crossing his arms, making it clear there was no room for discussion.
He was determined to seize this opportunity to cure Oshawott of its disobedient and willful habits, to teach it a lesson.
"Battle start." Don George gestured.
"Dewott, show it what we're made of, use Razor Shell!"
Dewott simultaneously brandished sharp blades of water energy from both hands, charging fiercely towards the bewildered Oshawott. — Meanwhile, in the secluded back courtyard warehouse area of the Battle Club.
"All clear, commence operation!"
Jessie peered out from the shadows behind the warehouse wall, her hat brim pulled low. After confirming no one was around, she gestured to the others.
James, carrying a special action case, crouched and followed, his voice laced with anxiety: "This time, we absolutely must get enough Energy Blocks and high-grade Potions, otherwise this month's budget will hit rock bottom again, and Meowth's canned food is almost out of stock."
"Less talk, move it!" Jessie urged in a low voice.
Meowth squatted on the warehouse door lock, and in the light, its paw pads skillfully manipulated tiny tools. With a faint click from the lock cylinder, it sprang open.
"Done, Meow. Easy peasy."
The trio quietly pushed the door open and entered.
The warehouse was stacked with various items and high-grade Pokémon food reserved by the Battle Club. Metal cans and glass bottles on the shelves reflected an enticing sheen in the dim emergency light.
"Found it, it's the latest batch of Energy Blocks."
James's eyes lit up. He was about to grab the box on the very top shelf.
Suddenly!
A dark shadow shot out from the shadows on the top layer of the shelves with astonishing speed.
It moved as fast as a black lightning bolt, almost grazing the trio's scalps, knocking open the ajar warehouse door, and disappearing outside.
"Beep—! Beep—! Beep—!"
The shrill anti-theft alarm instantly blared, shattering the club's tranquility.
"Damn it, what was that? We've been exposed!"
Jessie reacted incredibly fast, cursed, and grabbed the nearest box of high-grade Potion. "Don't worry about it, let's go."
Without another word, the trio turned and sprinted out with astonishing efficiency.
Jessie and James carried the box, while Meowth jumped directly onto James's shoulder. Despite their desperate escape, their movements showed a practiced swiftness honed by countless chases. They retreated without a trace of hesitation, quickly disappearing into the complex paths of the back alley.
"Mr. Don George, it's an emergency alarm! It seems someone has infiltrated the warehouse area!"
A club staff member rushed into the battle hall, reporting nervously.
The crowd watching the battle stirred.
"It must be that 'mysterious Pokémon' again!" another staff member shouted in a booming voice, with a hint of fear and helplessness.
"My apologies, everyone, due to an emergency, the battle must be terminated immediately."
Mr. Don George immediately stepped forward, apologetically announcing to Ash and Dewott's Trainer.
When Ash heard the words "mysterious Pokémon," his curiosity was instantly ignited.
He immediately recalled the bewildered and secretly relieved Oshawott from the field, scooped up Pikachu, and unhesitatingly chased after Mr. Don George.
Only Dewott's Trainer was left standing alone in the battle arena, silently disheveled in the wind, his heart shattered.
To uncover the truth, Mr. Don George led Ash, Iris, and several staff members to the monitoring room.
He explained that there had been frequent signs of disturbance in the warehouse recently. To identify the so-called "mysterious Pokémon," he had specially installed hidden cameras in several key warehouses.
The surveillance footage was quickly replayed, soon pinpointing the moment the alarm was triggered.
On screen, three shadowy figures were indeed Jessie, James, and Meowth.
"So, it was human thieves," a staff member sighed in relief.
"No, I'm absolutely certain I didn't misinterpret it!"
Mr. Don George's eyes were like torches, fixed on the screen. "Please replay that last bit of surveillance footage in slow motion, and look closely at the shadows on the top shelf!"
The operator complied.
In the slow-motion footage, almost at the exact moment Team Rockets was startled by the alarm, a dark, agile, small shadow flashed across the top shelf at an extremely high speed. Thanks to Mr. Don George's exceptional eyesight, everyone barely managed to catch its presence.
"There really was something else," Iris exclaimed.
Ash's mind raced, based on the fleeting, blurry image in the surveillance.
Black, extremely fast, small in size—he searched for a matching Pokémon in his mind. He quickly pulled out his Pokédex, flipped through it, and soon brought up an image.
"Mr. Don George, do you think it could be this?"
Ash turned the Pokédex screen towards Don George, which displayed the official image and data of Umbreon.
"Umbreon!"
Mr. Don George leaned in for a closer look, a surprised expression on his face. "Oh, this is indeed a rare Pokémon from the Kanto region. But in the Unova region, there have never been any official sighting reports. If it truly is, it will be a major discovery."
This discovery instantly invigorated Mr. Don George. He immediately gathered all the club staff: "Everyone, attention! Our objective has changed! Prioritize finding the Umbreon that might be within the club premises. Begin a thorough search!"
The entire Battle Club immediately became busy, with people scattering to begin a large-scale search.
Meanwhile, in a dimly lit corner of the club, where various items were stored, the Team Rockets trio huddled together.
"Seriously, why did such a big commotion happen again? We almost got caught," Jessie complained discontentedly.
"Oh, so their target isn't us, but that Umbreon?"
James realized with a delayed understanding.
Jessie's eyes darted around, and a mischievous idea instantly formed.
"If that's the case, why don't we turn their plan against them? Let that Umbreon lead them as far away as possible!"
As she spoke, she suddenly pulled out a bucket of black paint from that versatile action case.
"Meow, that's a good idea, Meow, but what does that have to do with this bucket of paint, Meow?"
Meowth initially chuckled in agreement, but a few seconds later, its smile froze on its face, and a very ominous feeling welled up in its heart.
"Hehehe, it has a lot to do with it—" Jessie laughed sinisterly, twisting open the lid of the paint bucket.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the warehouse area, Ash and Iris did not blindly follow the main group's search.
Ash speculated that whatever the mysterious Pokémon was, its frequent appearance in the warehouse area was likely due to food.
In a relatively open space next to the warehouse, they placed a large amount of fragrant Pokémon food borrowed from the club.
At this moment, Oshawott again voluntarily jumped out of its Poké Ball. It patted its chest, pointed at the food, then at itself and Pikachu, trying its best to look serious and vigilant, seemingly wanting to make amends and take on the task of guarding the bait.
Ash glanced at it. Although skeptical of its initiative, he still nodded: "Alright, Pikachu, both of you stay here and guard. Notify us immediately if anything happens."
Then, he and Iris ran to another area to search.
However, as soon as Ash left, Oshawott's resolve wavered.
It sniffed the enticing aroma of food in the air, its eyes fixed on the Energy Blocks, almost drooling.
Completely disregarding Pikachu's attempts to stop it, it began to secretly eat the food meant to lure the mysterious Pokémon.
Pikachu angrily jumped over to stop it, but Oshawott, thinking it was trying to steal the food, forcefully spun around.
Pikachu was caught off guard and was sent flying backward by the brute force, unfortunately knocking over several stacked empty wooden boxes nearby.
The boxes clattered down, and one of them landed squarely on Pikachu's head.
Pikachu's vision went black, and it collapsed softly to the ground, losing consciousness.
Oshawott heard the commotion, looked back to see the unconscious Pikachu and the fallen boxes, and was also startled, frozen in place, at a loss.
And at the same time, on Ash's side, he faintly heard a subtle sound coming from the warehouse entrance at the other end.
He held his breath and cautiously approached.
Rustling sounds came from the bushes, growing closer and closer. Ash's heart involuntarily quickened. He gently parted the dense leaves, and the sight before him made his heart clench.
In a small clearing behind the warehouse wall, a skinny, dirty little fellow was circling the food they had placed.
It seemed extremely hungry, anxiously emitting tiny whimpers. But its nose and mouth were tightly bound by a rough hemp rope, cinched so tightly that it couldn't open its mouth to eat the food that was within reach.
In the moonlight, Ash clearly saw what the poor Pokémon looked like.
"It's a Tepig—"