Boarding a passenger ship, Ash and his group departed from Big City on Mandarin Island, heading toward the next stop of the Southern Cross Gym circuit, Trovita Island.
The sea breeze drifted gently, carrying the salty scent of the ocean, signaling that a new challenge was about to begin.
The ship slowly docked at Trovita Island's harbor. This island was famous for its beautiful environment and unique dance culture.
As soon as they stepped off the ship, they heard a panicked cry for help coming from the seaside.
"Help!"
A young girl in a swimsuit was struggling in the waves, on the verge of being dragged into deeper waters.
Seeing this, Misty did not hesitate for a moment. She leapt into the sea and, relying on her excellent swimming skills, quickly rescued the girl and brought her back to shore.
"Mahri! Are you okay?" A blue haired young man wearing elegant white dancer's attire rushed over anxiously, supporting the shaken girl with concern.
"Brother… I'm fine. This miss saved me," said the girl named Mahri, pointing at the drenched Misty.
Only then did the young man look at Misty, a flash of admiration crossing his eyes.
Though soaked from head to toe, Misty's heroic act and delicate beauty made her even more captivating under the sunlight. He gave a graceful bow and smiled. "Thank you very much for saving my sister, Mahri. I am Rudy, the Gym Leader of the Trovita Gym. May I have the honor of inviting you to a dance as a token of my gratitude?"
Rudy extended his hand with elegance, his gaze fixed intently on Misty.
Caught off guard by the sudden invitation, Misty became flustered, a faint blush appearing on her cheeks.
Standing nearby, Ash watched Rudy's focused gaze on Misty and the subtle blush on her face. A strange discomfort suddenly welled up inside him, as if something was stuck in his chest, leaving him feeling uneasy. He frowned unconsciously.
Just as Misty hesitated over whether to accept the invitation, Ash stepped forward, subtly positioning himself between her and Rudy. His tone carried a stiffness he did not even notice himself. "Mr. Rudy, you're a Gym Leader, right? I'm Ash from Pallet Town, here to challenge the Trovita Gym. Instead of dancing, how about we have a Gym battle first?"
Rudy paused, finally shifting his attention away from Misty and toward the sharp eyed boy in front of him. Sensing the challenge in Ash's words, he dropped the formalities and regained the composure of a Gym Leader. "Of course. However, the Trovita Gym has its own rules. Before the official battle, I need to test your Pokémon's mastery and coordination of their moves."
"No problem!" Ash agreed without hesitation.
The test was held in an open space outside the Gym. Rudy required Ash to demonstrate precise control and fluid execution of his Pokémon's moves.
Ash sent out Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and Wartortle. Pikachu's Electro Ball struck moving targets with perfect accuracy. Bulbasaur's Vine Whip skillfully wove together into a makeshift swing. Wartortle's Water Gun created flawless rings of water in midair. The entire sequence flowed seamlessly, showcasing the exceptional training of Ash's Pokémon, earning even Rudy's nod of approval.
"Excellent," Rudy said. "You've passed the test. We'll have the official Gym battle tomorrow. A three on three match. How does that sound?"
"Sounds good!" Ash nodded. However, during the test, he noticed Rudy's gaze occasionally drifting toward Misty. The admiration and warmth in that look caused the vague irritation in Ash's chest to flare up again. His fists clenched unconsciously, but he took a deep breath and forced himself to suppress it.
That evening, Rudy and Mahri held a banquet at the Gym to thank Misty for saving her life.
During the meal, Rudy grew even more impressed by Misty's kindness and beauty. Together with his sister Mahri, he sincerely invited her to stay at the Trovita Gym.
"Miss Misty, Trovita Island has a beautiful environment, and the Gym could use a Trainer like you who understands Water type Pokémon so well. If you're willing to stay, both Mahri and I would be more than happy to have you," Rudy said earnestly, his gaze gentle.
Caught off guard by the sudden invitation, Misty became flustered again, her cheeks slightly red as she struggled to respond.
All of this happened to be witnessed clearly by Ash, who had been passing through the courtyard, intending to discuss the next day's battle.
He saw Rudy's focused gaze on Misty, heard the sincere invitation, and noticed Misty's blushing, hesitant expression. In that instant, Ash's expression darkened, and his eyes became incredibly sharp. A strong, unfamiliar sense of possessiveness and dissatisfaction surged within him.
Pressing his lips together, he did not step inside. Instead, he silently turned and left, already making up his mind.
Tomorrow's battle, he would definitely "teach a lesson" to this Gym Leader who seemed to have designs on his companion.
The next day, the Gym battle took place as scheduled in the artistically designed battlefield of the Trovita Gym.
"The rules are three on three," Rudy announced. "And the challenger's Pokémon must match the types of the Gym Leader's Pokémon!"
"Fine by me!" Ash agreed without hesitation, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.
"My first Pokémon, Electabuzz!" Rudy sent out his lead.
"Pikachu, I choose you!" Ash called out his most trusted partner.
"Pika!" Sensing the intense desire for victory within Ash, Pikachu's eyes grew especially sharp.
"Electabuzz, Quick Attack!"
Pikachu's figure blurred instantly, easily dodging Electabuzz's charge, clearly faster.
"Now, Pikachu, Electro Ball!" Ash commanded.
Pikachu quickly formed and fired an Electro Ball, but Rudy's Electabuzz was no weak opponent and dodged with its own Quick Attack.
However, Ash's command and Pikachu's coordination were even more refined.
"Pikachu, keep using Quick Attack to disrupt it, look for an opening!"
Pikachu became a streak of golden light, darting across the battlefield, constantly harassing Electabuzz from different angles.
Electabuzz was left dizzy from the constant feints, struggling to keep up.
"Now, Iron Tail!"
Pikachu seized the opening as Electabuzz turned, exposing its back. In an instant, it accelerated, its tail glowing with a metallic sheen, and brought it down in a clean, decisive strike across Electabuzz's back. It was super effective!
Electabuzz cried out in pain, stumbling forward.
"Finish it, Thunderbolt!"
At such close range, Thunderbolt hit perfectly. Electabuzz convulsed before collapsing to the ground, unable to battle.
In the first match, Ash claimed victory with overwhelming speed and tactical superiority, crushing his opponent with ease!
Rudy's expression shifted slightly as he recalled Electabuzz. "Impressive speed and combinations. My second Pokémon, Exeggutor!"
"Bulbasaur, you're up!" Ash sent out Bulbasaur.
At that moment, Rudy took out a portable music player and began playing a gentle, flowing melody.
Moving in rhythm with the music, Exeggutor began performing strange dance steps, its body swaying lightly.
"Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf!" Ash tested the waters with an attack.
However, Exeggutor, dancing along with the music, moved in a bizarre yet fluid manner, gracefully dodging every incoming leaf by mere millimeters.
"Within my music, my Pokémon's dance steps are unbeatable," Rudy said confidently.
"Exeggutor, use Barrage!"
Countless egg shaped energy projectiles shot toward Bulbasaur.
"Bulbasaur, Protect!"
A green barrier formed in front of Bulbasaur, perfectly blocking all the attacks. However, the side effect of Protect temporarily reduced its speed.
"Now, Exeggutor, keep it up!"
Before Rudy could finish his command, Ash had already seized the moment when his opponent might let their guard down after the defense.
"Bulbasaur, Sleep Powder!"
The bud on Bulbasaur's back shook, releasing a wide spread cloud of blue powder. Exeggutor, still dancing to the music, was caught off guard and instantly engulfed by the powder. Its movements slowed, its eyelids drooped, and with a heavy thud, it fell to the ground, fast asleep.
"What?!" Rudy was shocked.
"Vine Whip, tie it up, then use Slam!"
Bulbasaur extended two thick vines, tightly binding the sleeping Exeggutor before lifting it and smashing it heavily into the ground.
Once, twice, until Exeggutor completely lost its ability to fight.
In the second match, Ash once again won with precise timing and tactical advantage!
Rudy's expression had grown somewhat grim. Taking a deep breath, he sent out his final Pokémon. "My ace, Starmie!"
"Wartortle, get ready for battle!" Ash responded calmly. He knew well the unique trait of this Starmie, it could use Thunderbolt.
Sure enough, not long after the battle began, Rudy revealed his surprise move.
"Starmie, Thunderbolt!"
"I've been waiting for that! Wartortle, withdraw into your shell, then use the underground water flow!" Ash was fully prepared.
Wartortle instantly withdrew into its shell, enduring part of the electric damage. At the same time, it used the water near the edge of the field and the underground flow to dive beneath the surface, avoiding the sustained Thunderbolt.
"What?!" Rudy hadn't expected his secret weapon to be countered so easily.
"Wartortle, come out, Hydro Pump!"
Wartortle burst out from the ground behind Rudy, firing a powerful Hydro Pump at point blank range. It was super effective!
Starmie was blasted away, struggling briefly before finally collapsing, unable to stand again.
"Starmie is unable to battle! Wartortle wins! Therefore, the winner is Ash from Pallet Town!" the referee loudly announced.
With a clean, nearly flawless victory, Ash won the Gym battle!
Though somewhat disappointed, Rudy recalled Starmie and still honored his promise, taking out the Spike Shell Badge, a beautifully designed badge combining gears and wave patterns.
"Congratulations, Ash. Your strength… far exceeds my expectations. This is the Spike Shell Badge, proof of your victory."
Ash accepted the badge and carefully put it away.
However, Rudy still seemed unwilling to give up completely. Somehow, he produced a bouquet of bright roses and walked up to Misty, wearing an elegant yet slightly persistent smile. "Miss Misty, these flowers are for you. Once again, thank you for saving Mahri, and for bringing such beauty."
Misty looked at the bouquet held out to her, momentarily stunned. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks as she was about to respond.
Suddenly, a hand reached out and took the bouquet without hesitation. It was Ash.
With a polite yet firm smile that allowed no refusal, Ash said to Rudy, "Mr. Rudy, we appreciate your gratitude. I'll accept these flowers on Misty's behalf. Thank you."
His tone was calm, yet it carried an unspoken declaration.
Looking at Ash's sharp gaze and the subtle way he positioned himself protectively in front of Misty, Rudy finally understood something. He let out a helpless smile and said nothing more.
Ash casually handed the flowers to Tracey, who was watching the scene with amusement, then turned to Misty and Tracey. "We should get going. The next Gym is still waiting for us."
"Oh, and if you want to keep the flowers, go ahead. They just annoy me."
With that, he turned and walked out first.
Misty looked at Ash's back, then at the roses in Tracey's hands. She seemed to understand the meaning behind Ash's unusually aggressive battle and his actions just now. Two faint blushes spread across her cheeks, and her heartbeat quickened.
She quickly followed after Ash, while Tracey shook his head with a smile, carrying the flowers as he trailed behind.
Leaving the Trovita Gym, Ash had now collected the Coral Eye Badge, the Sea Ruby Badge, and the Spike Shell Badge. With just one more, the Jade Star Badge, he would qualify for the Orange League championship.
The journey continued.
(If the protagonist were to actually throw punches, it would depend on the person. For those destined to be rivals or particularly annoying, he would strike hard. But for someone like this, he would let it go.)
...
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