Aaron pulled Lorelei along as they ran, finally stopping in front of a high-end fashion store.
“These fans are way too scary.
You’re not even an Elite Four member yet and it’s already like this.
If you ever become Champion, I’ll have to keep my distance from you,” Aaron said, catching his breath.
“If you’re going to say that, then at least let go of my hand first.
You’ve been holding on this whole time—are you trying to take advantage of me?” Lorelei said as she broke free from his grip.
“Just didn’t notice,” Aaron replied awkwardly, though inwardly he thought, If I can openly hold your hand, of course I’m not letting go.
“Don’t even try it.
I think you’re just a little perverted kid,” Lorelei said, shooting him a teasing glance.
“Lorelei, that’s a blatant false accusation.
My reputation in Pallet Town is spotless—no, in all of Kanto and Johto!
The Orange Islands elders, Bruno, Professor Elm, and Professor Ivy all say I have top-tier character,” Aaron protested.
“I won’t argue with you.
I don’t know about your Pokémon training skills, but your mouth definitely ranks in the top three of everyone I know,” Lorelei said.
“That’s right.
In Pokémon battles, isn’t the trainer supposed to command with their voice?
The faster I talk, the faster my Pokémon fight,” Aaron said.
“The most important thing in battle is the bond between trainer and Pokémon.
It’s about mental synchronization.
Speed of speech is secondary.
If you talk too fast and your Pokémon can’t keep up, it’s useless,” Lorelei replied.
“Then my bond with Ninetales—no, with Vulpix—is definitely the strongest.
Right, Ninetales?”
Ninetales’ eyes sparkled.
It happily barked and leapt toward Aaron as always—but it had forgotten that its body was no longer small.
It slammed straight into him.
You can’t just jump on me like before!” Aaron groaned from the ground, rubbing its head as it licked his face enthusiastically.
“Alright, my fault.
Tomorrow I’ll go train with Bruno and build some muscle so I can handle you,” he sighed, lying flat like a defeated corpse.
Lorelei chuckled and released her own Ninetales.
Aaron’s Ninetales immediately perked up, recognizing its old companion from when it was still a Vulpix.
The two fox Pokémon quickly gathered together and began playing happily.
“Get up.
Stop lying on the ground like that.
You have no manners,” Lorelei said.
Aaron shrugged and was about to stand when he suddenly noticed something.
A Meowth stood upright on two legs nearby, holding a bouquet of flowers as if preparing to confess its love.
Following its gaze, he saw another Meowth inside a shop window—elegantly dressed, lying there like a pampered aristocrat waiting for its owner.
The scene felt strangely familiar.
Aaron frowned slightly.
“That Meowth… why does it feel so familiar?
There’s only one I can think of that walks on two legs like that.
One that’s practically on par with Legendary Pokémon.”
“On par with Legendary Pokémon?” Lorelei’s eyes lit up.
Even though she specialized in Ice-types, she wouldn’t mind catching something like that.
“Yeah, look,” Aaron said.
They watched as the Meowth approached the window Meowth—and then it spoke.
Lorelei froze completely.
A talking Meowth?
Impossible.
Aaron, on the other hand, looked like everything had clicked into place.
Right… how could I forget?
This is Hollywood.
This is where that Meowth from Team Rocket spent the most time before joining them.
That Meowth had fallen in love with the “Madame Meowth” in the window.
It confessed its feelings, only to be mocked for being a wandering Pokémon without a trainer.
“You can’t give me the same life my owner gives me,” it had been told.
That insult changed everything.
From that moment on, it learned to walk upright, learned human speech, and through unimaginable effort, became one of the very few Pokémon capable of speaking like a human without psychic power.
One of the few who could even be compared with Pikachu in uniqueness.
But in the end, the result was still rejection.
That cruel line—”A talking Meowth is disgusting”—cut too deeply.
And so it chose a different path: money, ambition, and eventually, Team Rocket.
Even later, when it returned to Hollywood, even after defeating the Persian, it still couldn’t win her over.
Aaron shook his head.
Romance wasn’t something he could interfere with.
Whether she liked it or not was her own business.
There was nothing anyone could do.
“Let’s go, Lorelei.
It’s a tragedy,” he said.
In the world of Pokémon anime, romance always seemed absent for the protagonists.
Ash?
A block of wood.
A hopeless case.
Misty’s feelings were obvious—but never acknowledged.
Serena showed it directly—but still got rejected.
Even Brock, who actively chased girls across regions, never succeeded.
And yet this Meowth, a side character, would chase love more persistently than any of them.
A world where side characters might find love—but the protagonist remains single forever.