“Oh no, my show’s about to start.
Ash, let’s leave it at that for now.”
As Delia spoke, her attention had already shifted to the television in the living room.
Without even waiting for Ash to respond, she hurriedly hung up.
The call disconnected.
Ash smiled, shook his head, and put the receiver back.
Then he picked it up again and called Professor Oak’s lab.
A few seconds later, Professor Oak appeared on the screen.
He was wearing his familiar white lab coat and holding a steaming bowl of instant noodles.
His eyes were fixed on a computer screen as he checked some data.
“Oh, it’s Ash.”
Professor Oak looked up and smiled.
“Professor Oak, instant noodles again?”
Ash noticed the empty noodle cups on the table behind him.
“Eating instant noodles all the time isn’t good for you.
They’re not nutritious.”
“Hahaha, I only eat them once in a while.”
Professor Oak scratched the back of his head, smiling awkwardly as he tried to brush it off.
“Sigh.”
Ash rubbed his forehead and shook his head.
“Professor Oak, this isn’t ‘once in a while.’ Every time I see you eating, you’re having instant noodles.”
Professor Oak scratched his head again, looking a little sheepish.
“All right, all right, I know, Ash.
But I’ve been so busy with my research lately that I really haven’t had much time to cook.
What about you?
Be careful while you’re traveling, and make sure you get along well with your Pokémon.”
“I know, Professor Oak,” Ash replied.
“I’ve already reached Viridian City.”
“Oh?
You’ve made it to Viridian City?
That’s pretty good.”
Professor Oak leaned closer to the screen.
“By the way, why haven’t you sent any Pokémon back yet?
Gary has already sent back more than a dozen, and Leaf and Green have sent back several too.”
“I just haven’t run into any Pokémon I’m interested in yet.”
Ash scratched his head.
“Also, Professor, I want to show you something.”
Ash took out his camera and brought up the photograph of the golden Pokémon flying against the rainbow.
In the photo, Ho-Oh’s outstretched wings filled most of the frame.
Its tail feathers swept past the rainbow, their glow resembling flames, while the edge of the photograph was tinted amber.
“This is…”
Professor Oak practically pressed his face against the screen, his graying brows drawing together.
“This angle…
and the pattern of that crest…”
“Professor Oak, I’ve only ever seen this Pokémon in the books at your lab.
I’m sure it’s Ho-Oh.”
Ash’s excitement was obvious as he continued.
“It even left behind a tail feather.
I have it in my backpack right now!”
Professor Oak immediately grabbed a magnifying glass from beside him.
“Incredible…
This photo is priceless!
Ash, send me a copy and a sample of that tail feather right away!”
He turned around and began rummaging through the desk piled high with papers.
Pens and notebooks clattered to the floor.
“This could be a major discovery!”
“Hehe.
I can give you the photo, but the tail feather is off-limits for now.
I still have a use for it.”
Ash grinned.
“Professor Oak, look at my hands…”
He spread his empty hands and waved them in front of the camera.
Professor Oak frowned as he followed Ash’s movements.
“I’m a little short on cash.”
Ash flashed him a wide grin.
Professor Oak froze for a second before realizing what he meant, then burst out laughing.
“Don’t worry.
The fee will definitely satisfy you.”
“Thank you, Professor!” Ash said immediately.
Professor Oak nodded with a smile.
“All right, let’s leave it at that for now.
Send the photo over as soon as possible so I can start studying it.
Be careful out there, and tell me immediately if you discover anything new.”
“Got it, Professor Oak!”
With that, Professor Oak hung up.
After ending the call, Ash put away his camera.
Just then, Misty came over with Pikachu and Eevee after their treatment.
“Ash, are you done with your call?”
“Yeah.”
Ash reached out and took Pikachu and Eevee from her.
Pikachu rubbed affectionately against his cheek.
Eevee settled comfortably in the crook of his arm, its tail swaying.
Suddenly, the lights began to flicker, and a sharp alarm rang through the Pokémon Center.
An announcement came over the speakers.
“Emergency alert.
Emergency alert.
Team Rocket members have been spotted in Viridian City.
Please remain on alert and report any suspicious activity to the police.”
Before the announcement could finish, glass shattered overhead.
Two Poké Balls dropped into the Pokémon Center.
Ekans and Koffing appeared.
Nurse Joy instinctively moved in front of the medical cabinet behind her.
Panic had replaced her usual gentle expression.
“What on earth is going on?”
“Since you asked so nicely!”
“We’ll be kind enough to tell you!”
“To save the world from destruction!”
“To protect the peace of the world!”
“To spread the wicked side of love and truth!”
“The charming villains of Team Rocket!”
“Jessie!”
“James!”
“Team Rocket, racing across the galaxy!”
“A bright tomorrow is waiting for us!”
As soon as they finished, a Meowth jumped out.
“Meowth!
That’s right!”
Misty stared at it.
“Ah!
That Meowth can talk!”
She could barely believe what she was hearing.
Nurse Joy covered her mouth.
“A Meowth that can talk!”
Ash alone looked as though he had expected this from the start.
Pikachu jumped down from his shoulder, while Eevee slipped out of Ash’s arms and landed beside it.
James held a rose to his lips and gave it a sniff.
“We’ll be taking all the Pokémon in this Pokémon Center.”
“There are tons of Pokémon here.
We’re sure to find some rare ones!” Jessie declared.
“That’s right, me—”
Before Meowth could finish, a streak of red flashed through the air.
Bang!
A Poké Ball struck it squarely in its round face.
The Scratch Cat Pokémon, which considered itself quite worldly and experienced, did not even have time to cry out before red light pulled it into the spinning Poké Ball. New chapters come out on novelping.com first.
The Poké Ball shook violently.
Then it burst open.
“I almost got caught, meow!”
Meowth collapsed onto the floor, its paws still trembling.
“That little twerp actually tried to ambush me, meow!”
It spun around and glared at the culprit.
Ash was still standing there with his throwing arm extended.
He grinned.
“Oh my.
Looks like I can’t catch it after all.”
“Hey, you brat over there!
That was really rude!”
Jessie stomped her foot, sending her pink hair bouncing with the motion.
“Ekans, go teach him a lesson!”
“Koffing, you go too!” James ordered.
“Pikachu, use Thunder at full power!” Ash commanded.
“Pika—chu!!!”
With a sharp cry, Pikachu’s fur stood on end as electricity gathered around its body.
The bright Pokémon Center dimmed for an instant.
Then a massive golden bolt of lightning crashed into Ekans and Koffing.
Electricity surged across their bodies.
Ekans twisted in pain and hissed as smoke rose from its body.
Both Pokémon were left scorched and twitching before crashing back down onto Jessie and James.
“O-o-okay…
nu-nu-numb…”
The trio’s hair stood on end, and even their voices trembled from the shock.
Koffing, dazed by the attack, accidentally released a large cloud of gas.
The gas touched the lingering electricity—
Boom!!!
A violent explosion sent Team Rocket flying out of the Pokémon Center and across the sky.
“How could this happen?
It was just a Pikachu!” Jessie shouted.
James weakly muttered, “Yeah.
It’s supposed to be a common Pokémon.”
Meowth suddenly seemed to realize something.
“Then that Pikachu must be incredibly rare, meow!”
“Then we’ll steal it and give it to the Boss!” Jessie said with a grin.
“Right, let’s do that!” James agreed.
“Once we catch that Pikachu, the Boss will definitely make us executives!”
“But…” all three of them said at once.
“We’re blasting off again, meow!”
Team Rocket disappeared into the moonlit sky.
…
The purple smoke gradually cleared.
Moonlight came through the shattered dome, revealing the damage inside the Pokémon Center.
The once-clean hall was now covered in rubble.
“Ah!!!”
Misty’s scream broke the silence.
The bicycle that had been parked beside the water dispenser was now completely flattened beneath a fallen block of concrete.
“My bicycle!”
[Bicycle: Sigh.
I couldn’t escape my fate after all.
In the end, that yellow rat still got me.]
Ash’s lips twitched.
Pikachu and bicycles really were a terrible combination.
Even this bicycle had failed to escape its fate.
A moment of silence for the innocent bicycle.
Rest in peace, Bicycle.
Ash silently added one last thought.
Don’t worry.
I’ll take good care of Misty.