The Seaking Catching Competition, much like the Bug-Catching Contest, was held periodically throughout the Johto Region. it attracted a vast number of fishing enthusiasts and trainers like Misty, who had a deep affinity for Water-type Pokémon.
Following Andreas to the competition grounds, Ash and his group encountered a massive gathering of trainers, all carrying fishing rods. The venue was a beautiful small pond teeming with lush aquatic plants. A large population of Seaking lived here, and most appeared exceptionally well-developed.
Misty actually had a very beautiful Goldeen herself. It was of normal size and well-trained, serving as one of her main combatants, though she often wondered why it had never evolved.
The rules of the competition were identical to those of the Bug-Catching Contest. Participants could bring their own fishing rods or rent ones provided by the event organizers.
Within the allotted time, they could catch as many Seaking as they liked, but only one could be officially entered into the competition using the specialized Lake Ballsimilar to the Park Balls used in the Bug-Catching Contest.
The criteria for judging the winner were much simpler than the bug contest, as only one species was involved. The trainer who caught the heaviest Seaking would be crowned champion and receive an exquisite trophy topped with a Seaking emblem. Additionally, the champion would receive a year's supply of chocolatesomething Ash knew Snorlax would certainly appreciate.
"It's decided! I'm entering the competition!" Misty declared with determination. "My fishing partner will be Poliwhirl!"
Ash, naturally, wasn't about to be left out. "Then my partner will be Totodile!"
"Pikachu, look after Molly, okay?"
The four of them boarded a boat. Pikachu wasn't a competitor, so Molly held him in her arms. Since Misty had her own rod, Ash had to rent one.
"Good luck, Ash! Good luck, Misty!" Molly cheered excitedly from the boat, still hugging Pikachu.
Once they reached an ideal spot, the competition began. Ash didn't know the first thing about fishing, but he had a cheat code!
With a flash of blue light, Ash used his Aura Power to scan the depths. He saw several massive, well-developed Seaking, but hooking them wouldn't be easy. The water quality here was clearly perfect for their growth, as other Water-type Pokémon were present but scarce.
"Ash, you're seriously using superpowers to fish?" Misty couldn't help but complain when she saw the blue glow surrounding him.
"Hehe, I don't know how to fish normally!" Ash replied, completely unabashed. Why bother being a transmigrator if you weren't going to use your advantages?
"Huh?"
As Ash's Aura Power delved deeper, he happened upon a fairly large Shellder! For it to survive in Seaking territory, it had to have something special about it.
Ash's eyes glowed blue as he mentally controlled his lure, dropping it right in front of the Shellder to tease it. To his surprise, the little creature didn't hide; instead, it snapped its shell shut, clamping firmly onto the hook.
"Woah, Ash! You got a bite already?" Misty was shocked to see his line go taut. Even with superpowers, this level of "cheating" was staggering.
"It's not a Seaking!" Ash explained as he hauled the Shellder out of the water. Close up, it was clearly a size larger than average. The nutrient-rich water that produced giant Seaking had obviously benefited this Shellder as well.
"Totodile, Ice Fang!"
The Shellder was instantly frozen and pulled into a Poké Ball. Since this was a Seaking competition, catching a Shellder with his own Poké Ball didn't break any rules. Ash figured he'd train it for a while to raise its Bond Level.
After that, it would finally be time for Slowpoke to evolve!
Back on the boat, Totodile began dancing its signature joyful dance. Suddenly, its entire body was enveloped in a brilliant, blinding light! It was finally evolving!
Thanks to its rigorous training, its silhouette grew larger and more powerful within the glow. When the light faded, Croconaw stood in its place, much taller and sturdier than Totodile. The red bony plates on its head, back, and tail gave the crocodile-based Pokémon a much more intimidating and fierce appearance.
After evolving, Croconaw's personality became notably more composed and aggressive. While it no longer burst into dance at every turn, its combat power and speed had significantly improved.
"Great job, Croconaw!"
With this, all three of the Johto starters Ash had caught had completed their first stage of evolution. Ash expected Bayleef, who he had caught first, to reach its final form soon. Given their high Bond Level, it was even possible it might undergo a Bond Evolution!
Ash was looking forward to it immensely.
"So cool!" Misty looked at Croconaw with envy. She hadn't had the luck to encounter a wild Totodile like Ash had.
"Misty, you've got a bite!" Molly shouted, noticing Misty's line suddenly jerk.
Misty had far more fishing experience than Ash and quickly reeled in her Seaking.
"It's huge!" This Seaking had to weigh over 50 kilograms!
"Poliwhirl, use Double Slap!"
Poliwhirl leaped out and delivered a relentless barrage of slaps to the Seaking's head. It was quite a brutal sight.
"Go, Lake Ball!" Misty threw the ball, pulling the dazed Seaking inside. These Lake Balls weren't permanent; they were only used for containment during the event, which is why there was no "ping" of a successful catch. It was the same as the Park Balls. Later, the organizers would move the Seaking to a standard Poké Ball before returning it to the trainer, just as they had done with Ash's Scyther.
With Croconaw's evolution and the capture of a Shellder, Ash was satisfied. Besides, if he had truly used his Aura Power to win, Misty would have been furious.
Ultimately, Misty's massive Seaking won her the championship. She took home the trophy and the year's supply of chocolate.
"Yay! Chocolate time!" Molly was the happiest of all. She accepted a piece from Misty and popped it into her mouth. "Candies really do taste better when you work for them!"
"Mist'y's the one who worked for them!" Ash laughed, lifting Molly onto Bayleef's back. "Let's move out!"
"I helped by cheering!"
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