"Brock, are you also traveling alone?" Ash asked.
"Hm? No," Brock shook his head.
"I started my journey together with some companions."
"It's just that we accidentally got separated earlier," he continued. "We agreed to meet again in Cerulean City."
"I see." Ash nodded and didn't ask further.
Brock then lowered his gaze toward Froakie.
"Your Froakie is very well trained. Look at that shine—healthy and strong. I've never seen such a powerful Froakie before."
"Really?" Ash looked down at Froakie.
Froakie happened to look up at him at the same time.
They stared at each other.
"Well… Froakie is pretty strong," Ash scratched his head.
"Froa."
Froakie turned its gaze forward again. Looking at the Pokemonhiding around the area, it seemed completely uninterested.
There's nothing here worth cutting.
"Uh…"
Seeing Froakie like this, Ash felt troubled.
That basically meant Froakie wouldn't participate in any upcoming battles.
Still, Ash didn't feel completely hopeless.
Compared to a month ago, he now had Mimikyu as well.
Although Mimikyu still had some problems…
Worst case scenario, Ash could just fight himself.
At least Ash felt that against ordinary wild Pokémon, he should be able to manage.
"By the way, Ash," Serena suddenly asked, "what kind of Pokemondo you want to catch?"
"Maybe a Chansey?"
"If I happen to find one, I'd definitely want to catch it," Ash said, scratching his head.
But honestly, he didn't really have a specific plan.
"I'll just see what Pokemonwe run into first."
"The most common Pokemonaround Mt. Moon are Nidoran, Clefairy, Zubat, Geodude, and Onix," Brock said. Since he often came to Mt. Moon, he knew the local Pokemonvery well.
"You can occasionally see other Pokemontoo, but those are the most common."
"So Ash, do any of those interest you?"
"I like all of them," Ash thought for a moment, then looked at Froakie.
"Froakie, do you have any suggestions?"
"Froa."
Doesn't matter.
As long as it's strong.
Froakie answered plainly.
"Uh…"
That suggestion was basically useless.
Ash shrugged.
"Well, let's just head to Mt. Moon and see what happens."
Soon, under Brock's guidance, the three of them arrived at the foot of Mt. Moon.
But as Brock looked up at the mountain, he frowned slightly.
"Something's not right…"
"What's wrong, Brock?" Ash asked.
"Mt. Moon is a famous place near Pewter City where Pokemongather," Brock explained.
"There are usually lots of trainers here catching Pokémon."
He pointed around them.
"But look—there aren't any trainers here at all."
"That's true…" Ash looked around. Aside from the three of them, there was no one else.
"What's going on?"
"I'm not sure," Brock said seriously as he looked at the cave entrance.
"Something might have happened inside Mt. Moon."
"Either way, we should be careful. There might be danger inside."
Ash and Serena swallowed nervously. Brock's serious expression made them uneasy.
But when Brock stepped into the cave first, Ash and Serena exchanged a glance.
"Let's go."
"Yeah…"
Once they entered the cave, before noticing anything strange, their attention was drawn to something else.
The darkness.
"It's so dark we can't see anything," Ash said worriedly.
"Froakie, do you have a solution?"
"Froa."
Froakie glanced at him.
Then it drew its light blade.
The cave instantly became brighter.
Froakie used Flash.
The surroundings lit up.
"That's much better."
Ash let out a relieved breath.
"But something still feels strange."
Suddenly, Ash bent down and picked Froakie up into his arms.
"Froa…?"
Froakie stiffened in surprise and turned to look at him.
"This way we can see ahead more clearly," Ash said with a grin.
"Froa."
Looking at Ash's foolish smile, Froakie slowly turned its head back.
It didn't struggle to get down.
After all, this path looked boring.
Having a ride wasn't bad.
Besides—
It could beat Ash up later.
Suddenly, Ash felt a chill run through his body.
But before he could think about it, he noticed something else.
He stared into the darkness and listened carefully.
"Do you guys hear something?"
"I do," Brock nodded seriously. "It sounds like… fighting."
"Huh? I don't hear anything," Serena said, surprised.
"There definitely is," Ash said. "And it's getting closer."
"Let's go check it out!"
As soon as he said that, Brock ran ahead.
Being a local, he was very concerned about Mt. Moon.
"Wait for us!"
Ash and Serena hurried after him.
They hadn't run far before they saw a man in a uniform leaning against a wall, as if waiting for them.
Brock was standing in front of him.
When Ash got closer, he noticed the R symbol on the uniform.
"Team Rocket?!"
"So Team Rocket is behind this?"
Ash instantly became alert.
"Whatever they're planning, I'll stop them!"
"Go, Froakie!"
"Froa."
But Froakie didn't move.
Instead, it gave Ash a look as if he were an idiot.
"Huh?"
"Relax," Brock said, turning around.
"This Team Rocket grunt is already unconscious."
"Huh?"
Ash stepped closer and realized Brock was right.
The grunt was leaning against the wall, completely knocked out.
Beside him lay a Rattata, probably his Pokémon.
"Someone fought Team Rocket before we got here."
At that moment, they heard intense sounds again.
This time even Serena heard them.
"They're nearby!"
"Let's go!"
Soon they arrived at the battlefield.
First, they saw a blue-haired man wearing a Team Rocket uniform. Several other Team Rocket members stood beside him.
Facing them was a boy wearing a red-and-white cap, dressed very similarly to Ash.
At his feet stood a fiery Charmeleon, full of fighting spirit.
When the boy noticed someone approaching, he turned around.
His eyes met Ash's.
Ash froze.
Then Brock shouted in surprise:
"Red?! Why are you here?!"
"…"
The boy called Red looked at Brock.
His eyes flickered slightly.
He opened his mouth to say something—
"Good chance! Crobat, use Cross Poison!"
"Crobat!"
The four-winged bat turned into a streak of light and rushed toward Red, glowing with poisonous energy.
Feeling the cold wind at his neck, Red turned his head.
He lowered his cap slightly and calmly gave an order.
"…Smokescreen."
"Roar!"
Charmeleon released a huge cloud of black smoke.
Crobat rushed straight into it, unable to stop.
Its vision was completely blocked.
Red watched the faint outline moving inside the smoke.
Then he decisively ordered—
"…Flamethrower."
"ROAR!!"
A massive pillar of fire burst from Charmeleon's mouth.
The flames struck Crobat directly inside the smoke, engulfing it completely.
But when the flames faded—
Crobat was still standing, only slightly tired.
"Hmph!" the blue-haired Rocket sneered.
"No matter how good your commands are, our Pokemonlevels are completely different!"
"You can't overcome that gap!"
"You should just surrender. Otherwise you might die without even knowing how!"
"…"
Red ignored him completely.
After thinking briefly, he calmly said:
"…Growl."
"Roar!"
"Stubborn brat!"
"Crobat! Finish him with Brave Bird!"
"Crobat!"
Crobat glowed white and charged forward with incredible momentum.
Just as Red prepared to dodge—
A shout echoed.
"Mimikyu, use Copycat!"
"Mimi!"
Mimikyu also turned into a streak of white light.
It reached Crobat first.
The two attacks collided head-on.
BOOM!
Both Pokemonwere blasted backward.
Ash reacted instantly.
Just as Mimikyu's ability was about to activate, he threw a Poké Ball.
"Return, Mimikyu!"
At the same time, he threw another Poké Ball.
"Go, Froakie!"
"Froa."
Froakie landed lightly beside Charmeleon.
It looked at Charmeleon with interest.
Then it turned toward Crobat.
Whether it's you—
Or that lizard—
I'll cut both of you down today.
Red looked surprised at the boy dressed almost exactly like him.
Ash flipped his cap backward and said firmly:
"We'll help you!"
"…."
Red didn't say anything.
He simply nodded.
The next moment—
The commands of the two trainers sounded almost simultaneously.
"…Thunder Punch."
"Froakie, use Power-Up Punch!"
"Froa!"
"ROAR!"
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