Leaving the bustle of Pewter City behind, Ash and his group entered Mt.
Moon.
There was something worth mentioning about this place.
One year earlier, Ash had come here with Professor Oak for a field investigation.
Back then, Mt.
Moon had echoed with the sound of pickaxes striking stone walls.
Now, those sounds had been replaced by the playful cries of Clefairy leaping between the stalactites.
Mt.
Moon was famous for having large quantities of Moon Stones.
However, excessive mining had taken its toll.
The mining company operating in Mt.
Moon had already announced that almost no Moon Stones remained inside the mountain.
To give the Clefairy and the other Pokémon living there a better environment, Ash and Professor Oak had reported the situation to the League.
As a result, Mt.
Moon had been designated as a protected area.
Now, anyone who wanted to pass through Mt.
Moon needed permission, and dedicated patrols had also been stationed throughout the area.
Because of that, the incident from the original story where Team Rocket came here to steal Moon Stones could no longer happen.
Ash took out the pass issued by the League from his backpack and led Misty and Brock through Mt.
Moon.
Brock also caught a Zubat along the way.
…
After leaving Mt.
Moon, Ash’s group soon arrived at Cerulean City.
Misty walked between Ash and Brock with her head lowered.
Every now and then, she glanced toward the city in the distance while nervously tugging at a piece of foxtail grass she had picked from the roadside.
She bit her lip.
Memories of her sisters came rushing back, along with all the times people had compared their looks and the harsh remarks she had heard in the past.
“Ash, have you prepared a strategy for the Cerulean Gym?” Brock asked, folding his arms as he looked toward the faint outline of the city ahead.
“Yeah.
The Cerulean Gym specializes in Water-type Pokémon.”
Ash glanced ahead as sunlight cast a shadow beneath the brim of his cap.
“The Gym is being run by three sisters right now, though there are actually four.
The youngest sister isn’t at the Gym.”
Misty suddenly stopped walking.
Her hand tightened around the foxtail grass.
She remembered all the times she had been overshadowed by her sisters.
She remembered them calling her the “ugly duckling.”
Her body tensed, and a nervous look crossed her face.
“People outside call them the three beautiful sisters of Cerulean and the ugly duckling,” Ash added, looking at Misty.
Of course, Ash already knew that Misty was the “missing” youngest sister.
When he saw her tense up and quietly clench one fist, he couldn’t help feeling a little pleased that his prank had worked.
Misty abruptly stopped.
Her cheeks flushed red, and she looked ready to explode.
Behind her back, one hand had already curled into a fist, clearly prepared to punch Ash if he said one more word.
“But I think that if the three older sisters are all beautiful, then there’s no way the youngest sister could be bad either,” Ash quickly added with a smile before Misty could explode.
Only then did Misty slowly loosen her fist.
Ash let out a quiet breath of relief.
“That was close.”
Misty suddenly pointed toward the crowd gathered farther down the street, clearly deciding to change the subject.
“Look, something seems to have happened up ahead.”
The noise of the crowd carried toward them, mixed with excited conversations.
People really did love a good commotion.
Ash was no exception.
In the original story, this particular commotion had been caused by none other than the Team Rocket trio.
Just as Ash, Misty, and Brock squeezed their way to the edge of the crowd, Officer Jenny stepped in front of them.
She looked at the three with suspicion.
“You’re from out of town, aren’t you?”
“We did just arrive in Cerulean City, Officer Jenny!”
Ash took out his Pokédex.
“May I ask what happened here?”
Professor Oak’s endorsement displayed on Ash’s Pokédex immediately eased Officer Jenny’s suspicion.
Just as the atmosphere relaxed, Brock’s eyes suddenly filled with hearts and a huge smile spread across his face.
“Beautiful Officer Jenny…”
He leaned forward eagerly.
“May I ask if you have time?
Perhaps I could invite you for tea…”
Before Brock could finish speaking, Ash grabbed him by the collar and dragged him backward.
“All right, all right.
Don’t interfere with her investigation!”
Brock flailed wildly as Ash pulled him away.
“Officer Jenny! Visit g.com for the full chapter.
Wait for me!
I haven’t finished yet…”
The noisy crowd gradually disappeared behind them.
Ash instinctively reached toward his side.
His hand found nothing.
“Huh?”
He looked around.
“Where’s Misty?” Brock asked, turning back toward the crowd.
“She probably went home to take a look.
After all, she’s from Cerulean City.”
Ash looked toward the city’s iconic fountain at the end of the street.
“I’m going to the Cerulean Gym first.”
“All right.
I need to buy some things too.”
Brock adjusted his backpack with a smile and turned in the opposite direction, heading toward the Pokémon Center.
You can just admit you want to hit on Nurse Joy…
Ash thought.
Then Ash headed toward the Gym alone.
…
Before long, the Cerulean Gym appeared in front of him.
Ash passed through the front doors, and cool, damp air greeted him as he stepped inside.
Beneath the pale blue dome, enormous aquariums reflected shifting patterns of light across the walls.
Ash had barely entered the front hall when an announcement sounded overhead.
“The underwater ballet is about to begin—”
When Ash reached the main hall, he saw Daisy, Lily, and Violet performing gracefully in the pool.
Ash sat down among the audience.
There was no reason to rush his Gym challenge, and the performance was genuinely good.
Water droplets slid across their skin, glistening beneath the spotlights.
Ash felt his throat tighten, and the tips of his ears grew warm.
All he could say was…
That was quite a view.
Ahem.
…
After the performance ended, a faint mist lingered backstage.
Ash stepped carefully across the wet floor and entered the aquarium corridor.
Neon lights shone through the glass tanks, casting colorful shadows across the floor.
Cheers came from somewhere ahead.
“We did it!”
“Great success!”
Several excited voices overlapped with one another.
After Ash turned a corner, Daisy, Lily, and Violet came walking toward him.
“Hello,” Ash greeted them first.
Lily noticed him before the others.
She smiled.
“Oh my, are you here for an autograph?”
She shook the remaining water from the ends of her pink hair.
“Cutie, you shouldn’t wander backstage without permission,” Daisy said, her blonde hair moving as she turned toward him.
Violet leaned against the glass wall and raised an eyebrow, her deep blue hair falling over one shoulder.
“Though he does look pretty handsome.”
She twirled a strand of hair around one finger and winked at Ash.
“Uh…
ladies, I’m here to challenge the Cerulean Gym.”
Ash tugged at the brim of his cap.
“Ugh, we don’t have any fighting spirit left at all,” Daisy said, lowering her head.
Her damp blonde hair shifted over her shoulders, and she sounded completely exhausted.
“Before you arrived, we were already beaten badly by three Trainers from Pallet Town,” Violet explained, sounding just as drained.
“And almost all of our Pokémon are in the hospital,” Lily added while touching up her lipstick in front of a mirror.
She shook her head dramatically.
“Tragic.
Just tragic.
They completely wiped us out.”
“The only one left is…”
Before Violet could finish, she casually tossed out a Poké Ball.
Red light flashed, and a Goldeen appeared beside them, flopping helplessly around.
“We’re too busy with our performances and making ourselves look good,” the three sisters complained.
“We don’t have enough time to spend training Pokémon.”
Their shoulders slumped.
Ash had already known this would happen.
Even so, actually seeing it and hearing them admit it made him rub his forehead in disbelief.
What kind of Gym Leaders were these?
They looked good, but that was about it.
Daisy clapped her hands twice. Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
“Seel!”
At her call, Seel poked its head out of the swimming pool with a gurgle.
It paddled toward them on its flippers.
In its mouth was a blue Badge shaped like a water droplet.
“The Cascade Badge.”
Daisy took the Badge from Seel’s mouth.
“This is what you want, right?
If you want it, take it.”
Ash looked at the Badge.
Then he shook his head.
“Forget it.
A Badge I didn’t earn means nothing to me.”
He looked disappointed.
Ash tightened the straps of his backpack and turned to leave the lazy atmosphere backstage.
Pikachu and Eevee lay across his shoulders, their tails hanging low.
Neither of them looked particularly interested in a Badge that could be obtained so easily.
Just then, a familiar voice rang out.
“Ash, wait right there!”
Everyone turned at once.
Misty was coming down the steps from the audience seats, taking them three at a time.
“Misty!”
Ash immediately brightened when he saw her, a surprised smile spreading across his face.
“Daisy, I’ll fight this match for you!”
Misty stopped in front of them, breathing hard after rushing down the stairs.
Her expression was determined.
“Misty, why are you back so soon?” Daisy asked, looking her sister over in surprise.
Violet and Lily exchanged glances.
Their earlier exhaustion disappeared as soon as they realized something interesting was about to happen.
Violet rested her chin on one hand and watched with amusement.
Lily covered her mouth, hiding a teasing smile.
“Misty, so you’re the youngest of the four Cerulean Gym sisters who ran away from home?” Ash asked knowingly, his tone deliberately teasing.
“That’s right.”
Misty lifted her chin proudly.
“We are the four beautiful sisters of Cerulean.”
“No, no,” Lily interrupted.
“It’s the three beautiful sisters and the ugly duckling.”
She gave Misty a teasing smile.
Then Lily turned toward the mirror and adjusted her carefully styled curls, twirling a strand of pink hair around her finger with a satisfied look.
Misty’s face immediately puffed up in anger.
Her cheeks turned bright red, and she looked ready to erupt.
She turned toward Ash.
Her expression made it obvious that she expected him to take her side.
Ash cleared his throat.
He looked seriously at Lily, then turned back toward Misty.
“Misty is already cute.
She’s only going to get more beautiful with time.”
“Pika, Pika!”
Pikachu jumped onto Misty’s shoulder and rubbed its cheek against hers.
Misty slowly relaxed.
A small smile appeared on her face, although she still looked a little annoyed with her sisters.
“Hmph.
You heard him, right?
I’m not an ugly duckling!”
Lily smiled and muttered under her breath.
“This cutie’s got a pretty sweet mouth.”
Daisy shook her head, walked over, and patted Misty on the shoulder.
“All right, all right.
Stop messing around.”
She looked toward the battlefield.
“Since Misty wants to battle, then get ready properly.”
Misty took a deep breath.
She steadied herself and looked directly at Ash.
“Ash, I won’t let you take the Badge that easily.”
“In this battle, I’m going all out.”
“I’ll show you the true strength of the Cerulean Gym!”
“Then let’s do it.”
Ash grinned, ready for the challenge.
Then he thought to himself:
“You never know what someone’s really made of until you put them to the test.”