As Ash and his companions passed through a lush, green town, their attention was caught by an ad plastered everywhere. "The Wisdom Star Breeding Center is now open! We specialize in boosting your Pokémon's intelligence and abilities. Limited-time offer! Free premium feed for every deposit!"
The advertisement hung from every bulletin board and telephone pole in town, and was even suspended from Pidgey-shaped balloons floating in the sky.
Many trainers, full of anticipation, were already leading their Pokémon toward the flashy new shop.
"Boost intelligence?" Misty looked at the ad, then glanced at the Psyduck beside her, which was holding its head with its usual vacant stare. Her heart stirred. "Maybe… just maybe this place can actually make Psyduck a little smarter?"
Ash extended his Aura Power slightly to investigate. He immediately sensed a familiar, malicious energy emanating from the buildingspecifically from a man and woman dressed in the black official uniforms of Team Rocket. It was Cassidy and Butch!
Their disguises might have fooled ordinary people, but they couldn't escape Ash's perception. Furthermore, these two were different from the usual Team Rocket trio; they were purely villainous!
Brock frowned slightly. "This advertisement seems a bit exaggerated. It feels unreliable."
Misty, however, acted as if she were clutching at a straw. "But… what if it's true? I don't want Psyduck to be this vacant forever…" She looked at Psyduck, who happened to tilt its head back at her. "Quack?"
Ash understood. According to the original flow of events, this was a pivotal moment for the relationship between Misty and Psyduck. If he forcibly stopped her, it might actually be counterproductive.
Thus, he suppressed the urge to expose them immediately and said diplomatically, "Misty, a Pokémon's growth requires time and trust; external forces aren't always dependable. However… if you really want to try, we'll go with you."
In the end, clinging to the hope that it might work, Misty deposited Psyduck at the Wisdom Star Breeding Center. Cassidy and Butch put on a masterclass of acting, welcoming her warmly and guaranteeing they would return a "sharp and clever companion" in three days.
After leaving the breeding center, the three found a restaurant for a meal. The chef there was renowned for his omurice, but he had a specific condition for his service: he had to see a Pokémon that he personally admired.
Ash and the others showed him every Pokémon they had, but the chef only shook his head. Finally, he pulled out a photo of the Pokémon he wanted to see. The group was stunnedit was a Psyduck!
Hearing the chef's gushing praise for the species, Misty suddenly remembered that she had just left her own Psyduck at that "breeding center." Realizing that her Psyduck might actually be "special" and lured by the prospect of a free meal, Misty couldn't sit still.
"I'm going back to get Psyduck! I'll be right back!" she shouted, sprinting out of the restaurant.
Ash and Brock exchanged a glance, knowing the plan was in motion. They gave a quick word to the chef and quietly followed her.
Misty rushed back to the breeding center only to find the front doors tightly locked. A sign hung on the door: "Closed for internal reorganization." She knocked for several minutes, but there was no response. An ominous feeling rose in her chest.
"Something is definitely wrong," Ash's voice sounded from behind her. Combining his Aura Power tracking with his knowledge of the original events, he whispered, "Follow me. I know where their 'back door' is."
Under Ash's lead, they circled to a hidden alley behind the building and found a concealed door disguised as a warehouse entrance. Ash signaled Pikachu to use a weak spark to short out the simple electronic lock, and the three slipped inside.
The scene within was infuriating! Dozens of Pokémon were crammed into narrow cages, looking exhausted and listless.
Cassidy and Butch were at a makeshift workbench tallying their "harvest," while their PokémonRaticate and Primeapestood guard nearby.
However, Ash's gaze was drawn to a reinforced cage in the corner. Inside was not a Psyduck, but an abnormally large and ferocious-looking Victreebel! Ash's Aura immediately recognized it; this was the very same Weepinbell that James had traded from the Magikarp Salesman, which had since evolved. It seemed it had been "confiscated" by Cassidy and Butch as well.
"Team Rocket! I knew it was you again!" Misty yelled in a rage.
Cassidy and Butch were startled, but seeing it was only Ash's group, they immediately regained their arrogance. "Hmph! So you found us! Raticate! Primeape! Prepare for battle!"
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
"Squirtle, Water Gun!"
"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"
In the face of absolute strength, Cassidy and Butch's resistance was pathetic. Their Raticate and Primeape were defeated instantly. The duo was left charred and soot-covered by Pikachu's follow-up shocks. They scrambled away in terror, leaving behind all the caged Pokémon.
Ash didn't pursue them. Instead, he quickly opened all the cages, liberating the imprisoned Pokémon. Trainers who had heard the commotion rushed in, gratefully reclaiming their partners and thanking Ash and his friends profusely.
Misty found her Psyduck in one of the cages. It was still clutching its head with a vacant expression, seemingly entirely unaware of what had happened. But when Misty rushed over and hugged it tight, Psyduckrarely for itdidn't struggle. It simply rubbed its head against her.
"I'm sorry, Psyduck. I shouldn't have left you in a place like this… Whether you're smart or not, you're my partner!" Misty said, her voice choking with emotion.
Psyduck looked at her and tilted its head. "Quack?"
Though it was the same old "quack," Misty felt as though the bond between them had grown much tighter.
Amidst the chaos, Ash quietly walked to the corner where the forgotten Victreebel sat. He opened the cage door. The Victreebel watched him warily but didn't attack. Ash projected a friendly intent through his Aura and whispered, "I know who your trainer is. Even though he's an idiot, he's… probably looking for you."
He pulled out an empty Poké Ball, but instead of catching it, he used it to store Victreebel. Then, making sure no one was watching, he tucked the Poké Ball into a side pocket of a backpack Cassidy and Butch had left behind in their haste.
He believed that this bag and the other items left behind would eventually be recovered by a certain someone who truly cared for this Victreebel.
With the incident resolved, the town returned to its peaceful state. The photographer, Todd Snap, used his lens to capture the heroic moment Ash and the others rescued the Pokémon, as well as the heartwarming scene of Misty and Psyduck embracing.
Afterward, the group returned to the restaurant and finally enjoyed the chef's famous omurice. It was, as expected, extraordinary.
That evening, as Todd Snap organized his photos, he spoke to the group. "Ash, Misty, Brock, thank you for letting me record so many of your wonderful adventures. However, my next photography assignment is about to start, and I need to head toward the Johto Region. I think we should say our goodbyes here."
Though they were reluctant to see him go, everyone understood and supported Todd Snap's pursuit of his art. Ash shook his hand firmly. "Take care, Todd Snap! I look forward to seeing more of your great work!"
"Definitely! Your journey is the best source of inspiration I could ask for!" Todd Snap waved, shouldered his camera, and disappeared into the night.
The team was down one chronicler for now, but the adventure continued. Misty held the seemingly unchangedyet somehow differentPsyduck and whispered, "Next time… I'm never leaving you behind again."
Psyduck continued to hold its head, staring blankly at the moon. "Quack."
[Ding! The host has successfully thwarted the plot of official Team Rocket members Cassidy and Butch, and rescued a large number of Pokémon. Reward: 400 World Origin Points.]
[Ding! The host has secretly returned Victreebel, slightly altering the flow of assets within Team Rocket. Reward: 50 World Origin Points.]
[Current World Origin Points: 23,500.]
The Cinnabar Gym plot will be updated tomorrow!
Also, Happy Mid-Autumn Festival to everyone!
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