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"She's gone!" Misty couldn't help but sigh as she watched Green disappear into the distance.
"It's almost time for us to leave as well," Brock said, adjusting his backpack straps.
"Wait... Is there something I haven't done?" Before departing, Ash suddenly stopped and placed his hand under his chin in thought. Something felt wrong, like he was forgetting an important detail.
"Huh? What's going on?" Misty paused mid-step and turned around with a confused expression.
"I'm not sure. I have this nagging feeling that I've forgotten something important." Ash shook his head slightly, the uncomfortable sensation lingering in his mind. He could sense that something was amiss, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't pinpoint what it was. "Forget it, let's just go!"
Unable to recall what was bothering him, Ash decided to push the thought aside. The three companions left Grampa Canyon together, unaware of what they were leaving behind.
"Will someone please save us?!"
Deep beneath Grampa Canyon, in the dark underground caverns, the three members of Team Rocket had finally regained consciousness. They found themselves trapped in the same underground chamber where they had fallen, surrounded by numerous fossilized Pokemon that had been brought back to life.
Although the ancient Pokemon were currently sleeping peacefully, the trio was terrified beyond measure. They trembled uncontrollably, not daring to make even the slightest movement that might wake the prehistoric creatures around them.
This was exactly what Ash had forgotten about - the Team Rocket members he had left behind in the chaos. However, even if he had remembered them, it's doubtful he would have returned to help his frequent antagonists.
"Huh? Ash has sent another Pokemon back? I wonder what species it is this time. I just hope it's not another Tauros!"
Meanwhile, back in Pallet Town at Professor Oak's laboratory, the renowned Pokemon researcher looked at the teleporter's notification screen with mixed feelings. He felt both hopeful and worried about Ash's latest addition to his collection.
While Ash hadn't captured the largest variety of Pokemon during his relatively short journey, the Pokemon he had caught all seemed to possess very strong and unique personalities. This made them quite challenging for Professor Oak to manage at the research facility.
"Let me see what we have here," Professor Oak murmured to himself as he reached for the newly arrived Poke Ball. With practiced ease, he threw it into the air, and it opened with a loud, resonating bang.
ROAAAAR!
A thunderous roar immediately filled the laboratory, startling Professor Oak. He watched in amazement as a pair of massive wings spread wide before him. When the bright light from the Poke Ball finally faded and his vision cleared, he could see the imposing figure clearly - and it was already rushing straight toward him.
"Ahhh!" Professor Oak screamed as the enormous creature swooped down, grabbed him firmly in its powerful talons, then burst through the laboratory window and soared into the open sky.
In the blink of an eye, Professor Oak found himself high above his laboratory, being carried through the air at an alarming speed.
"It's an Aerodactyl! Help me!" Professor Oak called out in both amazement and terror.
Even with all his years of Pokemon research, Professor Oak rarely encountered a living Aerodactyl. He was genuinely impressed that Ash had managed to capture such an incredible and rare specimen. However, the current situation was hardly the time to appreciate this scientific marvel.
Aerodactyl was known for its fierce temperament and violent nature. Professor Oak couldn't help but worry - what if the ancient Pokemon decided to eat him when it got hungry? Even if it didn't view him as food, being dropped from such a height would certainly be fatal.
"Ivy! Ivysaur!"
At that moment, down on the grassland below the laboratory, Ivysaur was taking its usual leisurely walk when it heard the commotion above. Looking up, it spotted the Aerodactyl soaring through the sky and immediately noticed Professor Oak struggling in its grasp, screaming for help.
"Ivysaur!"
Without hesitation, Ivysaur sprang into action. Sharp, green leaves suddenly shot out from the bulb on its back, flying through the air like precisely aimed darts toward the airborne threat.
Both Aerodactyl and Professor Oak noticed Ivysaur's attack and the ancient Pokemon quickly maneuvered its body to avoid the incoming Razor Leaf attack. However, the recent battle with Charizard had taken its toll - Aerodactyl was exhausted and still nursing several injuries, making it impossible to dodge completely.
Several of the sharp leaves found their mark, striking Aerodactyl and causing it considerable pain. In its reflexive response to the stinging attacks, Aerodactyl loosened its grip, and Professor Oak began plummeting directly toward the ground below.
"Ivysaur!"
Ivysaur watched in horror as Professor Oak fell. From such a dangerous height, the impact would surely be devastating. Unfortunately, it was too late to use Vine Whip to catch him safely. Professor Oak felt his body dropping rapidly through the air and feared the worst was about to happen.
"Muk!"
Just as Professor Oak was about to crash into the hard ground, he suddenly collided with something entirely different. Instead of the sharp pain of impact, he felt something soft and squishy cushioning his fall. When he opened his eyes, a pair of large, friendly eyes were staring back at him.
"Muk?"
"Muk!"
After his vision cleared, Professor Oak realized that it was his Muk who had saved him from certain injury. If he hadn't landed on Muk's gelatinous body, his old bones would have been in serious trouble.
"Thank you so much for saving me, Muk!" Professor Oak said gratefully.
"Muk!"
Upon hearing Professor Oak's voice, Muk's eyes immediately narrowed with joy and it responded happily. Then, in its excitement, it began to expand its body and threw itself onto Professor Oak, growing larger and larger until it completely engulfed the professor.
"Wait... wait just a minute, Muk! Ahhh!" Poor Professor Oak had barely escaped from one dangerous situation only to find himself trapped in another predicament.
Meanwhile, high above in the air, Aerodactyl glanced down at Ivysaur on the ground below. It gritted its teeth in frustration, clearly annoyed by the interruption. However, the ancient Pokemon understood that its current condition wasn't ideal - it was injured and exhausted from previous battles. Reluctantly, it decided to find a sturdy tree branch to land on so it could rest and recover its strength.
Ivysaur didn't pursue the matter further when it saw Aerodactyl retreat. Instead, it sensed a familiar feeling emanating from the prehistoric Pokemon and recognized it as one of their own team members. The reason Ivysaur had intervened wasn't out of aggression, but because it had been helping Ash manage the Pokemon and ensure they didn't cause unnecessary trouble for Professor Oak.
The three travelers had left Grampa Canyon behind and continued their journey. After spending two days camping in the wilderness and traveling through various terrains, they finally caught sight of a town in the distance.
"This little guy has been following us the entire time," Misty observed, glancing up at the Jigglypuff perched comfortably on Ash's head. Over the past two days, the pink Pokemon had shown no intention of leaving their group.
What bothered Misty the most was that previously, Jigglypuff had seemed to rely on her for comfort and protection. Now, however, it wouldn't even let her hold it, instead choosing to stay exclusively with Ash.
"Just let it follow along," Ash said with a casual shrug. "No matter what, it did save your lives back there."
Since the Jigglypuff wasn't causing any problems or getting in their way, Ash didn't mind having it as a traveling companion.
"That's absolutely right," Brock agreed supportively. "At most, we'll just need to prepare food for one additional Pokemon. It's really not a big problem at all."
After hearing both Ash and Brock express their acceptance, Misty decided not to voice any further objections. Jigglypuff was clearly delighted by Ash's welcoming words and seemed to settle in even more comfortably on its chosen perch.
As the group finally entered the town's outskirts, they immediately noticed that the entire area was decorated with bright, colorful lights and festive banners. The streets were adorned with ribbons and streamers, and there was definitely a celebratory atmosphere in the air.
"Huh? Is this town holding some kind of festival or celebration?" Brock asked, looking around at all the decorations with curiosity and wonder.