After leaving Sakura Preschool, Ash and his companions continued their trek through the forest. Suddenly, a series of frantic shouts echoed from up ahead: "Stop, thief! Someone catch him!"
A man with a panicked expression burst onto the path, sprinted toward them, and clutched a handgun in his hand.
Misty and Brock immediately tensed up. Brock's hand even went to his belt, instinctively ready to send out a Pokémon.
"Wait!" Ash whispered, stopping them. His eyes were calm, as if he had already seen through the entire situation.
He gently pressed down on the restless Pikachu and shook his head. Though Pikachu was confused, he trusted Ash and stood down.
Just as the man was about to bolt past them, an orange and yellow blur lunged like a bolt of lightning from the side bushes!
It was a highly trained Growlithe! It struck with surgical precision, sinking its teeth into the man's gun-arm.
"Agh!" The man cried out in pain, and the handgun went flying from his grip.
The Growlithe used its momentum to pin him to the ground, letting out a low, intimidating growl that held the man firmly in place.
The entire sequence was clean and efficient. Ash's group watched from the sidelines the entire time, remaining calm spectators without interfering.
Soon, the sound of a siren wailed as Officer Jenny arrived on her motorcycle. She expertly handcuffed the "criminal" before turning to the group with a smile. "Sorry for the scare, everyone! This was just one of our routine simulated exercises. The goal is to train our Growlithe to handle unexpected situations. This gentleman here is actually one of our fellow officers."
Misty and Brock finally understood and let out sighs of relief. Ash, meanwhile, simply offered an "I knew it" sort of smile.
As a gesture of thanksand as compensation for the earlier disturbanceOfficer Jenny invited Ash and his friends to visit the nearby Police Dog Training Academy.
Inside the base, dozens of Growlithe were performing high-difficulty drills under the command of several officers. They tackled obstacle courses, practiced scent tracking, and simulated the takedown of "thugs." The unspoken chemistry between the trainers and their Growlithe was truly impressive.
Watching these valiant Pokémon, Ash was suddenly reminded of the Growlithe he had caught back in the Safari Zone. That little guy had great potential, but it lacked systematic guidance and actual combat experience.
Taking advantage of the facilities, Ash used a transporter to bring that Growlithe's Poké Ball over.
"Officer Jenny," Ash said, holding out the Poké Ball. "I happened to catch a Growlithe as well. I was wondering if it could stay here for a while to receive some professional training? I'd like for it to become just as outstanding as the Growlithe here."
Officer Jenny inspected Ash's Growlithe and nodded with appreciation. "This little guy has a lot of potential! Of course he can stay. We are always happy to help trainers raise excellent Pokémon partners."
And so, Ash's Growlithe stayed behind at the academy to begin its life in "police dog" special training.
However, some people are as persistent as a bad rash. The Team Rocket trio soon appeared near the perimeter of the base.
They seemed to be plotting to steal the academy's Growlitheor perhaps they were after Pikachu and figured they might as well bag the Growlithe while they were at it.
"Prepare for trouble!"
"And make it double!"
"All the Growlithe here belong to Team Rocket now, meow!"
They resorted to their old tricks, releasing a voice-changing gas to interfere with Officer Jenny's commands. Then, they deployed a scent-masking gas, instantly disorienting the tracking Growlithe and throwing the academy into chaos.
Misty and Brock were frantic, wanting to jump into the fray.
Ash stopped them once more, a deep look in his eyes. "Don't rush in. This is a test of the chemistry and trust between Officer Jenny and her Growlithe. A true bond won't be broken by a little interference like this."
He quietly began to circulate his Aura Power, forming an invisible Aura barrier around himself, Misty, Brock, and their Pokémon. It effectively filtered out the interfering gases, allowing them to observe the field clearly.
In the center of the yard, even though her voice was being distorted and she couldn't give clear orders, Officer Jenny did not panic.
She switched to a set of hand signals and looks she knew by heart, relying on the instinctive understanding built through long hours of training.
The Growlithes had lost their keen sense of smell, but they trusted their trainers. Relying on muscle memory and the mental connection they shared with the officers, they fought through the confusion to decipher the commands.
Amidst the chaos, Team Rocket was gloating, convinced their plan had succeeded.
However, the extraordinary trust between Officer Jenny and the Growlithe allowed them to regain their footing even in adversity. One Growlithe spotted an opening and lunged at the machine Meowth was operating; another followed a hand gesture to launch a feint at Jessie and James.
Ash watched silently, nodding to himself. This ironclad bondunshaken even by such interferencewas exactly what he had hoped to see.
Ultimately, through their deep-rooted trust and coordination, Officer Jenny and the Growlithe neutralized the crisis and sent Team Rocket flying yet again.
"We're blasting off again!"
Following this unexpected "test," the bond between Officer Jenny and the Growlithe had undoubtedly grown even deeper. Ash's own Growlithe had witnessed firsthand what true partnership and trust looked like, a lesson that would be invaluable for its growth.
A few days later, Ash returned to collect his Growlithe. Its eyes were sharper, and its movements were noticeably more composed after the short-term intensive training.
After thanking Officer Jenny, Ash set off once more with his new partner, who had just finished its "on-the-job training."
[Ding! The host's Growlithe has completed short-term training at the Police Dog Academy. Its stats and loyalty have significantly increased.]
The Cinnabar Gym is only three or four chapters away. Please keep those collections coming so this author can get this book listed soon!
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