“All right, Professor Oak.
I’ve received Quilava and Taillow!”
“I’ve received Pidgeot and Treecko on my end too.
Ash, keep working hard!”
“Got it!”
{Ash’s updated team: Pikachu, Eevee, Primeape, Bayleef, Quilava, and Taillow.}
After ending the call with Professor Oak, Ash rejoined Brock and the others.
“Ash, we checked.
The nearest Gym is the Dewford Gym on Dewford Island!” Max reported.
“Okay!
Then let’s challenge the Dewford Gym.
What do you think, Brock?” Ash nodded.
“Pika~!”
Meanwhile, Brock and May were flipping through a Rustboro travel guide—one was planning a huge shopping spree, while the other was thinking about food.
“Brock…” Ash gave him a look.
(￢_￢)
Brock finally looked up and explained, “There are three ferries to Dewford Island: one in the morning, one at noon, and one in the evening.
The noon ferry has already left.
If we’re taking the evening ferry, we have time to explore until then, right?”
“I agree!” ＼＼٩( ´ω` )و//／／ May immediately agreed.
“All right, then.” Ash nodded.
Max was drinking a beverage while trying to decide what to do.
Unfortunately, he accidentally spilled it all over his PokéNav.
“Ah!”
Startled, Max hurriedly wiped it with a handkerchief.
He tried operating it afterward, but there was no response.
“I’m doomed!”
Max’s heart turned cold.
The others turned to look at him.
“What’s wrong, Max?” May asked.
Max hurriedly hid the PokéNav behind his back.
“N-Nothing!
So we’re free to do whatever we want now, right?
See you!”
He immediately ran away.
There was only one thing on his mind: May could never find out, or she’d laugh him to death.
The other three split up as well.
Ash went to train his Pokémon.
He had decided to use Primeape and Taillow for the Dewford Gym, so he had prepared a secret weapon for them.
The other Pokémon continued their own training.
Meanwhile, Max met an eccentric old man who was demonstrating strange inventions to children.
The old man was none other than the president of the Devon Corporation and the father of the former Hoenn Champion—Mr.
Stone!
Mr.
Stone took a great liking to Max.
Not only did he help repair the PokéNav, but he also showed Max around Devon Corporation.
Then he had his secretary, Mr.
Black, invite Ash and the others over.
After Mr.
Stone had shown Max the fossil restoration machine, they encountered a suspicious person.
At the same time, Ash, May, and Brock met at the Pokémon Center.
Brock had completed his shopping spree, while May had eaten so much that she lay motionless in a chair.
They were then told that Max had gone to Devon Corporation and that the three of them had been invited.
The trio soon experienced the life of the rich.
They rode in a luxurious limousine to Devon Corporation.
“So you’re Pokémon Trainers too!
The young master of Devon Corporation is also an extremely powerful Trainer,” the secretary said.
“Of course.
Steven is very strong,” Ash said with certainty.
“Huh?
Ash, you know him?” May asked.
“May, are you even from Hoenn?
Steven Stone was the previous Hoenn Champion!” Ash replied helplessly.
“Hoenn Champion?!” ∑(｡’ω’｡)!!
Meanwhile, Mr.
Stone and Max were pursuing the suspicious man.
Because of Max’s mistake, the man escaped.
“It was all my fault…” (｡•́︿•̀｡) Max lowered his head in guilt.
“No.
You did well,” Mr.
Stone comforted him.
Max: (⊙_⊙)??
“If he panicked and ran, then he practically proved he was suspicious through his own actions.
All right, let’s continue the chase!” Mr.
Stone was remarkably good at comforting people.
By then, the laboratory was in chaos.
The secretary received a call.
“Hello?
This is Mr.
Black…
President…
Two sealed bottles containing culture solution have disappeared from the laboratory!
Yes!
I’m on my way!”
After hanging up, he turned to Ash’s group.
“The president and Max are together.
The two of them are pursuing the suspicious person!”
“What if something happens to Max?” May worried.
“Don’t worry.
Max is with Mr.
Stone, and Mr.
Stone called just now, so they’re fine.
Let’s get there quickly,” Ash reassured her.
“I’ll lead the way.
I know a shortcut.
We can circle around and cut the criminal off from the front,” Mr.
Black said.
Soon, on a balcony, the group using the shortcut blocked the suspicious man.
Mr.
Stone and Max caught up from behind.
“You’re surrounded.
I suggest you surrender and tell us who you are!” Ash said sternly.
“Max, are you okay?” May asked anxiously.
“I’m fine.
That’s my sister, and that’s Ash.” Max scratched his head as he introduced them.
“I see!
Nice to meet you.” Mr.
Stone greeted Ash’s group, then turned to the suspicious man.
“Return the sealed bottles you stole.”
“Hmph.
It won’t be that easy.
Go, Crawdaunt!”
The man released a Crawdaunt.
[Crawdaunt]
[Strength: Gym peak]
“Stealing like this, and using a Crawdaunt…
You’re one of the villainous Team Aqua members in Hoenn, aren’t you?” Ash analyzed.
“Pika~.” Pikachu stared at the opponent seriously.
“Go, Pikachu!
Volt Tackle!”
Electricity burst around Pikachu as it charged into Crawdaunt, knocking it backward.
“Get up, Crawdaunt!
Use Crabhammer!”
Crawdaunt’s huge claw glowed white as it swung at Pikachu.
“Double Team!”
Pikachu had been improving all along.
Pikachu created numerous afterimages and avoided the attack.
“Pikachu, use—”
Ash had barely started before Team Rocket suddenly appeared.
“Team Rocket!
What are you doing here?” May shouted.
They had been watching such an intense battle—what a nuisance!
“Since you—” (Team Rocket motto)
“Don’t let them get away!” Officer Jenny arrived at that moment.
“Ah!
She’s here!” Team Rocket cried.
“What’s going on?” Officer Jenny asked in confusion.
“Hmph!
Crawdaunt, Bubble Beam!”
“Pikachu, finish it with Electro Ball!”
Crawdaunt fired a stream of bubbles from its claws.
Pikachu formed a glowing yellow Electro Ball and hurled it forward!
BOOM!!
The explosion blasted Crawdaunt away.
“Pikachu, follow up with Thunderbolt!”
“Pika—chu~!”
A powerful yellow current struck Crawdaunt, knocking it out.
“Darn it!
Return, Crawdaunt!”
The Team Aqua member then ran toward a box.
Ash’s Aura never left him for even a moment.
“Don’t move!
Pikachu, Thundershock!”
“Pika~!”
“Aah!”
The Team Aqua member was shocked and collapsed.
Officer Jenny stepped forward and handcuffed him.
“You’re under arrest!”
The stolen culture solution was recovered and returned to Mr.
Stone.
The group then opened the box and discovered a small rocket booster inside.
“Thank you so much, Ash!
Otherwise, he would have escaped, and we wouldn’t have recovered the culture solution either,” Mr.
Stone said gratefully.
“Not at all.
It was what I should have done.” Ash replied politely.
Then his Aura sensed movement from Team Rocket.
“Hmm?
Pikachu, Thunderbolt!”
“Pika—chu~!”
“What a horrible feeling!”
“Wobbuffet!
(≧▽≦)~”
[Ding~ Achievement completed: Defeated Team Aqua for the first time.
Reward: 5× Basic Rare Candy.]
Rare Candy?!
Is it the kind I’m thinking of?
[Ding~ A Basic Rare Candy raises a Pokémon below the Elite Four level by one stage directly (excluding a pseudo-Elite Four bottleneck).
An Intermediate Rare Candy raises a Pokémon below Champion level by one stage (excluding a Champion bottleneck).
An Advanced Rare Candy raises a Pokémon below legendary level by one stage (excluding a legendary bottleneck).
Each Pokémon may consume only one Basic, one Intermediate, and one Advanced Rare Candy.]
“Ah, seriously?
That’s a lot of restrictions.
Still, I suppose without restrictions, even an ordinary Pokémon could eventually take down Arceus!”
Ash was disappointed, but the limitation made sense.
To thank them, Mr.
Stone treated everyone to a luxurious dinner.
Then he brought out a Pokémon Egg and handed it to Ash.
“Ash, consider this my gift of thanks.
Thank you very much for your help!”
“Ah, you don’t need to be so formal.”
Ash stared at the Egg eagerly but felt embarrassed to accept it.
“Haha, it’s fine.
Steven gave me this Egg not long ago.
He said he found it in the wild, so I’m simply giving it to someone else who can make good use of it.”
“Then…
I’ll raise it well.”
Under Mr.
Stone’s encouragement, Ash finally accepted it.
“Oh, and my son Steven is on Dewford Island.
You can go meet him!” Mr.
Stone said with a smile.
Suddenly, May became curious about information on Dewford Island.
While she secretly borrowed Mr.
Stone’s PokéNav to look it up, Max successfully escaped another disaster.
Soon afterward, everyone said goodbye to Mr.
Stone.
To be continued…