Ash, Misty, and Brock entered a forest covered in thick fog.
They were heading to the Pokémon Technical Institute, better known as Pokémon Tech.
Professor Oak had asked Ash to visit the academy’s principal.
The damp fog wrapped around Ash, Misty, and Brock like soft cotton.
Branches and leaves drooped between the trees, and droplets slid along the leaf veins before falling with soft taps onto the decaying foliage below.
“Three o’clock already.
Time for a break.”
Brock called from behind Ash and Misty with his usual easy smile.
Ash turned around and stared at what Brock had set up.
Brock had somehow pulled a round table and several chairs from a universal capsule.
Drinks and snacks were already waiting on the table.
“Aren’t we supposed to get to Pokémon Tech first?” Ash asked.
Brock picked up his drink.
“We’ve been walking for a while.
There’s no harm in resting before we go.
Besides, Misty seems to be enjoying it.”
Ash looked over.
Misty was already eating one of the snacks Brock had brought out.
“Mm…
This is pretty good.”
She glanced at Ash, who still seemed confused by the sudden break.
“There’s nothing wrong with relaxing once in a while.”
As the sun set, the fog slowly turned orange, and the scent of tea and sweet pastries drifted through the forest.
Misty eventually pulled Ash into a chair.
He bit into a scone and muttered, “Only ten minutes.”
Brock smiled and placed another piece of cake on Ash’s plate.
A silver spoon chimed against the porcelain.
The sound was especially pleasant in the foggy forest.
Ash bit into the scone and looked across the misty forest, but his thoughts returned to what he remembered from the original story.
In the original story, this forest served as the practical training ground for Pokémon Tech’s students.
It was also where Ash had met them while gathering firewood.
“Ash, try this jam!” Misty’s voice pulled him back to the present.
Misty watched him expectantly.
Remembering how she had talked him into taking a break with them, Ash sighed, picked up the jam, and spread some on his bread.
By the time they finished, the commotion at the academy would probably be over.
Then they could visit the principal without getting involved.
“There’s something strange about the fog.
We should leave as soon as we finish eating.”
Ash extended his Aura through the fog.
Through his Aura, Ash could make out several figures moving in the mist.
Even so, he stayed focused on his plan: unless they interfered with his visit to the academy, he would stay out of their mess.
Not worth the trouble.
After the break, Ash led Misty and Brock toward Pokémon Tech.
Ash knew the area fairly well because he had visited the academy several times before with Professor Oak.
Pokémon Tech’s distinctive red-brick buildings emerged through the fog.
Principal Yuto’s powerful voice called from the courtyard.
“Ah, Ash!
You finally made it!”
Principal Yuto hurried out from beneath the flower-covered walkway, leaning on a wooden cane.
His gray-white beard trembled with each step, and a few fresh blades of grass clung to his dark brown robe.
He had just returned from the greenhouse.
“Hello, Principal Yuto.” Ash stepped forward half a pace and bowed respectfully.
Principal Yuto laughed heartily.
“Ash, you’re as energetic as ever!
Oak is always talking about you.
Come on, let’s go inside.”
Principal Yuto turned and walked back inside, leaning on his cane.
Ash, Misty, and Brock followed Principal Yuto into his office.
The floor creaked beneath their feet as they entered Principal Yuto’s office.
Ash stared at the antique Poké Ball display cabinet in the corner and fought down the nausea rising in his throat.
The cream puff Misty had forced him to eat during afternoon tea still sat heavily in his stomach.
When Principal Yuto handed him a celadon teacup, Ash pressed his lips together and made no move to drink.
A framed photograph on the sandalwood desk caught Ash’s eye.
The photograph showed Giselle in a lace dress.
Her dark brown hair was styled in an elegant bun, and she wore a proud smile.
“Oh, right.
Giselle talks about you every day,” Principal Yuto said.
Principal Yuto’s laughter startled Ash.
His hand jerked, sending ripples through the hot tea near the rim of his cup.
“Pfft—!”
Ash choked and sprayed out the tea.
Under the table, Misty stomped on Ash’s ankle.
“She’s been like this ever since you defeated her,” Principal Yuto said, stroking his gray-white beard and giving Ash a knowing look from behind his glasses.
“Ash, how would you feel about becoming my grandson-in-law?”
The room fell silent.
Misty brought her shoe down squarely on Ash’s foot while pinching the soft flesh at his waist under the table.
Misty fixed Ash with a threatening glare.
“Ash… So there are still plenty of stories you haven’t told us?”
She drew out the final words and twisted the skin at his waist through the fabric, digging in with her nails until Ash nearly jumped off the sofa.
Ash panicked but tried not to show it.
Sweat beaded on his forehead.
That old man was trying to get him killed.
Ash glanced at Misty.
She stared back with wide, angry eyes.
Then Ash looked at Brock.
Brock was barely holding back laughter as his gaze moved between Ash and Misty.
The atmosphere grew even more awkward.
“Principal, you really can’t joke about something like that.” Ash managed a strained smile, though his voice still trembled.
Ash tried to pull away, but Misty pinched him harder, making him grimace.
Principal Yuto stroked his beard and smiled as if he had noticed nothing.
The sly look in his eyes gave him away.
“I’m not joking.
Giselle really admires you, Ash.
You two would make a perfect couple.”
Ash’s head began to throb.
He cursed Principal Yuto in his head for stirring up trouble on purpose.
He prayed the conversation would end before anything else made the situation worse.
Of course, that was when things got worse.
Giselle opened the office door and walked in.
“Grandpa, I heard you had guests…”
Giselle’s pleasant voice cut off halfway through the sentence when she saw Ash.
Her face brightened at first.
Then she noticed Misty beside Ash, and her expression cooled.
Misty met Giselle’s glare head-on and refused to back down.
For a moment, neither of them looked willing to give an inch.
“Giselle, you came at the perfect time.” Principal Yuto kept smiling as if he had noticed nothing.
“Ash and I were just talking about you.”
Giselle forced a small smile and walked over to Ash, watching him expectantly.
“Ash, it’s been a while.
I thought you’d forgotten me.”
Ash scratched his head and let out a couple of awkward laughs.
“Of course not.
How have you been?”
“I’ve been fine.” Giselle glanced at Misty.
“But it looks like you have new companions now.”
Misty wrapped her arm around Ash’s as if staking her claim.
“That’s right.
Ash and I are traveling together.”
Ash’s scalp prickled.
The situation was even worse than he had imagined.
Brock edged away, wanting no part of the confrontation.
Pikachu and Eevee sensed the tension too and shuffled a few small steps away, following Brock’s example.
“Ahem, um…” Ash tried to break the awkward silence.
“Shut up!” Misty and Giselle shouted at the same time.
Ash froze with his mouth open.
His hand stopped in midair, and the words died in his throat.
Principal Yuto sighed, looking resigned, and stroked his beard.
“Oh dear.
You two certainly have fiery tempers.”
Principal Yuto turned to Ash.
“Ash, you’ll have to sort this out yourself.”
Ash groaned inwardly.
What did I do to deserve this?
How did things end up like this?
Old man, none of this would’ve happened if you hadn’t started it!
In the end, Misty and Giselle decided to settle their argument on the battlefield outside.
Misty and Giselle took positions at opposite ends of the field.
“Go, Cubone!” Giselle threw her Poké Ball first, and white light flashed.
Cubone appeared on the field, gripping its bone club.
Not to be outdone, Misty answered at once.
“Go, my darling!”
Misty’s Poké Ball opened, and a soft blue glow faded to reveal Milotic gliding gracefully onto the field.
Giselle attacked first.
“Cubone, use Bone Club!”
Cubone swung its bone club and charged straight at Milotic. New chapters come out on g.com first.
“Milotic, dodge, then use Hydro Pump!”
Milotic flicked its tail and slipped past the attack.
It then opened its mouth and fired a powerful Hydro Pump straight at Cubone.
“Cubone, block it with Bone Club!”
Cubone spun its bone club in front of itself, but Hydro Pump forced it back step by step.
Giselle frowned.
“Cubone, use Bonemerang!”
Cubone hurled its bone club with all its strength.
The bone traced an arc through the air toward Milotic.
Misty answered, “Milotic, use Twister!”
Milotic whipped its tail and created a powerful Twister.
The swirling wind caught Bonemerang, lifted it into the air, and knocked it off course.
Neither side had gained an advantage when a familiar cloud of smoke spread across the field.
“What’s happening?” Giselle asked.
Team Rocket launched into their familiar motto.
“Prepare for trouble!”
As the smoke cleared, Jessie, James, and Meowth appeared in the center of the field.
Jessie laughed.
“What a great battle!
How could we possibly miss it?”
“Milotic is a rare Pokémon.
Of course we’re going to steal it!” James declared.
“Ekans, come out!” Jessie called.
“Koffing, go!” James followed.
Misty and Giselle were furious at the interruption.
They exchanged a quick look and agreed to drive Team Rocket away before finishing their own battle.
Team Rocket’s interruption gave Misty and Giselle a new target for their anger.
Misty and Giselle had been at each other’s throats moments earlier, but now they worked together.
Misty ordered, “Milotic, use Hydro Pump!”
Milotic fired a powerful column of water straight at Team Rocket.
Giselle followed at once.
“Cubone, use Bonemerang!” Cubone hurled its bone club with force, sending it through the air in a sharp arc toward Team Rocket.
Before Jessie and James could react, Hydro Pump and Bonemerang closed in on Ekans and Koffing.
The two attacks knocked Ekans and Koffing backward.
Meowth spotted the attacks first.
“Look out!
Dodge!”
It was too late.
Hydro Pump knocked Jessie, James, and Meowth off balance, and Bonemerang struck them a moment later.
“Ah!” Jessie, James, and Meowth screamed.
Misty and Giselle kept attacking before Team Rocket could recover.
Misty shouted, “Milotic, use Twister and send them flying!”
A powerful Twister rose from Milotic’s tail and swept Jessie, James, and Meowth into the air.
Giselle followed with another command.
“Cubone, use Take Down!”
Cubone’s body glowed with white light as it charged straight at Jessie, James, and Meowth.
The impact sent Jessie, James, and Meowth flying.
“Damn it!
How did this happen?!” Jessie shouted, waving her fists as they flew.
“We failed again, meow!” Meowth groaned.
James wailed, “Why does it always end like this?!”
“Looks like Team Rocket’s blasting off again!”
Jessie, James, and Meowth disappeared beyond the horizon.
Misty and Giselle watched Team Rocket disappear into the distance, then exhaled in relief at the same time.
Misty smiled at Giselle.
“I didn’t expect us to work together so well.”
Giselle smiled back.
“Yeah.
If they hadn’t interrupted, we could’ve settled the match properly.” The hostility in her expression had faded.
They held each other’s gaze for a moment, then smiled.
Their earlier conflict had lost much of its edge.
Misty and Giselle stood side by side, finally at ease with each other.
For once, Team Rocket actually did something useful, Ash thought.
Principal Yuto watched Misty and Giselle with satisfaction and stroked his beard.
“Good, good.
Nothing beats seeing everyone get along.”
Before long, it was time for Ash, Misty, and Brock to leave.
Giselle stayed behind and watched Ash, Misty, and Brock leave.
She felt a little sad to see Ash go.
After a moment, Giselle smiled and called softly, “See you next time, Ash.
We’ll definitely meet again at the Pokémon League Conference.”
Ash, Misty, and Brock resumed their journey toward Vermilion City.
More challenges and unfamiliar adventures awaited them on the road ahead.