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At Ash's signal, both Scyther and Pidgeotto would temporarily follow Misty's commands during the competition. Since Misty was an experienced trainer herself and had observed Ash using these Pokémon in previous battles, she wouldn't have trouble commanding them effectively as long as they remained obedient to her instructions.
"It's really surprising that you agreed to lend your Pokémon to Misty!" Brock commented, standing beside Ash with a look of genuine amazement. He had expected Ash's serious attitude toward training and competition would make him reluctant to loan out his Pokémon.
"Can't you tell how much she really wants that doll?" Ash chuckled softly after hearing Brock's observation. He understood exactly why Misty was so determined to win this particular prize.
"Well, I can see she desperately wants it, but why is she so obsessed?" Brock acknowledged that Misty clearly desired the doll intensely, but the reason behind her passion seemed puzzling. Perhaps it was simply because most girls naturally loved cute things.
"You have so many brothers and sisters in your family," Ash began, turning his head slightly to look at Brock. "When you take care of them, don't you pass down clothes and toys from the older children to the younger ones to save money?"
Brock paused after hearing this question. Indeed, this practice was extremely common in their large household. With so many siblings and limited family resources, hand-me-downs were simply a practical necessity.
"That's exactly what happens in our family," Brock confirmed.
"The children in your family are probably more understanding and don't complain much about receiving used items, but Misty's situation is completely different," Ash explained thoughtfully.
"Those three sisters of hers aren't the type who would ever accept using something that belonged to someone else first. When they want something, each of them gets their own brand-new version. When Misty shows interest in the same thing, they've already claimed it."
"She probably hasn't owned a single doll that was truly hers since childhood," Ash concluded, watching Misty as she bonded with Pikachu and the borrowed Pokémon. This was actually the real reason behind her determination.
After hearing this explanation, Brock finally understood. Most girls were naturally like this anyway, and Misty's relationship with her sisters made the situation even more complicated.
Misty was someone who would feel envious when watching the harmony between the four Eevee evolution brothers. Her three sisters were all close in age, so they did everything together as a group.
For her three older sisters, even if two of them already owned something, the third sister absolutely had to have it too. This meant everything came in sets of three identical items.
For Misty, who was significantly younger, she didn't need these things when she was too small to understand their value. By the time she became old enough to appreciate them, her sisters would simply hand down their used belongings to her. While it appeared she had access to three times as many things, in reality, they were all previously owned and played with by her sisters.
Brock realized this wasn't unique to Misty's family. Even in his own household, while his younger siblings were understanding about hand-me-downs, they probably felt some disappointment deep down. They simply didn't voice their feelings because they saw how hard their older brother worked to provide for everyone.
Misty's situation was similar but more emotionally complex. She had been overshadowed by her three accomplished older sisters since childhood. Everything, including praise and attention from others, naturally went to her sisters first. It was only natural that she would desperately want something that was exclusively hers.
"So that explains her obsession, but can she actually win the championship this way?" Brock asked, accepting Ash's reasoning about Misty's motivation while questioning her chances of success.
"With Pikachu on her team, she should be able to handle most opponents easily! If that doesn't work out, I'll let her borrow Charizard too," Ash replied confidently.
"That makes sense," Brock nodded in agreement. For ordinary opponents, Pidgeotto and the others would be more than sufficient, and Charizard served as the ultimate backup plan.
"There's still some time before the competition starts. I'm going to visit the Pokémon Center real quick - just keep an eye on things here!" Ash checked the time and realized he had enough opportunity for a brief errand. He hadn't contacted Professor Oak since leaving Grampa Canyon, and he wanted to check on Aerodactyl's condition at the research facility.
At the same time, he carefully picked up Jigglypuff from his head and handed it to Brock. From its alert expression, the round Pokémon seemed interested in staying to watch the upcoming competition.
"Okay, no problem!" Brock responded readily. He understood exactly why Ash needed to visit the Pokémon Center, so he didn't ask for additional details.
After separating from his friends, Ash made his way to the Pokémon Center and approached the video phone system. He dialed the familiar number for Professor Oak's laboratory and waited for the connection.
"Hello! Professor Oak Laboratory," came the familiar greeting.
"Professor, it's me!" Ash said as Professor Oak's figure appeared on the screen.
"Oh, Ash! I was wondering when you would call!" Professor Oak's eyes lit up with enthusiasm when he saw his young researcher. Ever since Aerodactyl had been transferred to the lab, he had been eagerly anticipating this conversation.
"Sorry about the delay! I was traveling through wilderness areas for several days, so I couldn't contact you. Has Aerodactyl arrived safely at your laboratory?"
"Yes, and it certainly shocked me when it materialized from the transport system. Was your Aerodactyl captured in Grampa Canyon?" Professor Oak nodded, though his expression suggested he had been more than merely shocked - he had nearly been scared to death.
However, Professor Oak had managed to deduce Aerodactyl's origin because news had spread throughout the Alliance over the past few days. Reports indicated that numerous living ancient Pokémon had been discovered in Grampa Canyon - not fossilized remains, but actual living specimens. This revelation had stunned the entire Kanto Region.
Many researchers and trainers had immediately rushed to the location, but the entrance to Grampa Canyon had been cordoned off by police, preventing unauthorized access.
The Alliance had convened emergency meetings and consulted with Professor Oak and other senior Pokémon researchers to determine the best course of action.
They had finally decided to establish a Pokémon Wildlife Preserve in Grampa Canyon. This meant that capturing Pokémon in that area would no longer be permitted. The Alliance had dispatched personnel to secure the canyon and begin preparations for the protected reserve.
Through these official channels, Professor Oak had learned about the situation and correctly guessed that Ash's Aerodactyl had been captured from Grampa Canyon before the restrictions were implemented.
"Well, the situation was quite complicated at the time..." Ash proceeded to explain the circumstances surrounding Aerodactyl's capture after hearing Professor Oak's question.
"I see! Well, you were certainly fortunate to capture it when you did," Professor Oak laughed heartily. "They're establishing a protected area there now, which means there won't be any opportunities to capture Pokémon casually in the future!"
Professor Oak sounded genuinely pleased by Ash's timing. If Ash hadn't acted quickly, this opportunity would have been lost forever. As a researcher, Professor Oak was particularly excited about studying ancient Pokémon species.
"How is Aerodactyl adjusting to life at the laboratory?" Ash inquired about his newest team member's wellbeing.
"Its physical condition is excellent, but it has quite a temperamental personality. It frequently gets into fights with Gyarados and Primeape!" Professor Oak replied, waving his hands somewhat awkwardly while deliberately omitting the detail that he had nearly been attacked himself during one of these confrontations.