After leaving Mt. Moon, Ash, Misty, and Brock finally arrived in Cerulean City—the famous Water Capital.
Waterways crisscrossed the city, and even the air carried a faint, refreshing moisture.
"We finally made it! I have to hurry home and check if my bike can be repaired!"
The moment they entered the city, Misty's tone grew noticeably anxious—though hidden under that urgency was a faint, complicated emotion.
Ash understood perfectly well, but chose not to expose her feelings. Instead, he smiled.
"Sure, we can look around Cerulean City too. I heard the Cerulean Gym is pretty famous. They're known for doing water ballet performances there."
The moment he said "water ballet," Misty stiffened. A flash of embarrassment and annoyance crossed her face.
"Water ballet… A gym should be about proper battles!"
Ash only laughed silently. Knowing the original storyline, he understood well that Misty's three sisters and Misty herself were completely different types.
Her three older sisters—Daisy, Lily, and Violet—weren't incompetent battlers, but they cared far more about pursuing their dream of water ballet. Misty, on the other hand, had always aimed to become a true Water-type Pokémon Master. Ironically, among the four sisters, the youngest was the strongest in actual combat.
Still… if he met her sisters later, Ash already had some advice he could give them.
"Mm, according to the data, Cerulean Gym's Daisy, Lily, and Violet are indeed more focused on performance. Their battle strength is rated quite low within the Kanto League," Brock added at the perfect moment.
Ash looked at Misty's expression and chuckled inwardly, then continued in a deliberately suggestive tone:
"Is that so? Well, to run a whole gym, they must have something special. Maybe they just haven't met someone who can make them take battling seriously."
Misty shot him a quick glance—his words obviously hit some nerve. But seeing Ash's calm expression, she couldn't find a reason to snap back, so she simply huffed and walked faster.
"Hurry up! Let's go to my house— I mean the repair shop nearby!"
They first went to the repair shop, only to find Misty's bike was damaged far too severely. Special parts had to be ordered, meaning the bike wouldn't be fixed anytime soon.
Misty looked disappointed… yet at the same time relieved—she didn't have to consider leaving the group for now.
But, as they neared Cerulean Gym, she found an excuse to quietly slip away.
Ash smiled slightly. The shadow those sisters cast over Misty was no small thing.
He and Brock arrived at the front of the Cerulean Gym. Rather than a gym, the place looked more like an aquarium or a theater, with fancy posters advertising water ballet.
No wonder Cerulean Gym's reputation in Kanto keeps dropping—can't you at least look like a gym!?
Inside, the main hall was an enormous water stage. A few spectators sat around, watching three beautiful young women in ballet dresses—Daisy, Lily, and Violet—perform a dazzling routine with their Pokémon. Water droplets sparkled under the lights, creating a shimmering, dreamlike scene.
Ash noted that they really were pursuing the path of Pokémon Performers.
When the performance ended and the audience dispersed, Ash walked around to the backstage area. Beyond a glass wall, the shimmering sea and colorful coral fish created a picturesque view like a real aquarium.
Near the changing rooms, the three sisters had just changed clothes and were chatting happily as they walked out.
"Um, excuse me—"
"Interviews must be arranged through our agent. And sorry, we aren't doing autographs right now!"
Ash stared speechlessly before clearing his throat.
"Ahem. I'm here to challenge the gym. Which one of you is the Gym Leader?"
Only then did the three turn their heads. Daisy lifted her long hair slightly and replied lazily:
"That would be us."
"The famous Cerulean City beauty trainers!" Lily added proudly.
Brock had already entered full fanboy mode, so Ash smacked him awake.
"Hey! Snap out of it!"
Not that Ash didn't almost fall for it himself.
But once the three sisters led Ash and Brock to the battlefield, the atmosphere suddenly dimmed.
Daisy sighed as she looked at the empty pool.
"I just can't get motivated…"
"We were completely crushed earlier by three trainers from Pallet Town. Our Pokémon are all at the Pokémon Center," Lily explained helplessly.
"So now we only have…"
Violet tossed a Poké Ball, sending out a tiny Seel—far too young to last more than a few rounds.
"If it had evolved into Dewgong, maybe we could fight. But right now, this is all the battle power we've got."
"So that means… I can't get the Cascade Badge for now?" Ash asked.
Daisy clapped her hands. Seel stuck out its tongue—holding a Cascade Badge on it.
"If you want it, just take it!"
There it is, Ash thought, exasperated.
He stared at the faint wave-pattern on the badge and shook his head.
Sunlight streamed through the glass wall, outlining his silhouette with a resolute glow.
Ash said firmly, "I'll wait until your Pokémon recover. Then I'll challenge you properly."
"Wait!"
A crisp voice rang from the spectator seats.
Ash turned—and there stood Misty, who had temporarily left earlier. Her orange hair gleamed softly under the lights, and in the sunlight behind her, her eyes shone with a fierce determination.
Ash nodded slightly. Now that's the Misty I know.
Misty strode to the center of the field.
"Daisy, let me help you with this battle!"
Her tone left no room for argument.
Ash widened his eyes in feigned surprise.
"Misty, you're also a Cerulean Gym trainer?"
"I'm sorry, Ash. I hid it before." She apologized briefly, then straightened.
"Let me formally introduce myself. I'm the youngest of the Cerulean Gym sisters—Misty! Together, we're the Four Cerulean Beauties!"
"No, no, it's the Three Beauties and the ugly duckling," Violet interjected.
That one line struck Misty right where it hurt. Her cheeks flushed bright red with anger, but she restrained herself.
Daisy quickly tried to smooth things over.
"Anyway, that's not important. Misty, why did you come back so soon?"
Lily teased from the side:
"Weren't you the one who swore you wouldn't come back home until you became the strongest Water-type trainer?"
Misty bit her lip, unable to retort.
Ash knew it was time to offer her a way out.
"Misty, since you're part of the Cerulean Gym… does battling you count as an official gym match?"
"Of course it does!" Misty shot back immediately.
The two of them took their positions, ready for a decisive showdown!
The Cerulean Gym arc will be split into two parts so it's easier to read without getting exhausted.)