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Walking into the renewed Gringey City, the three travelers were delighted to see that the previously deserted city had become so vibrant and lively.
After all, they were responsible for this incredible transformation, which always made them feel proud and accomplished.
However, as soon as they entered the city proper, they noticed that many people around them were staring at them in an unusual way.
"Is that him?"
"It really looks like him!"
"They're about the right age, and with that Pikachu, he must be the real one!"
"Yes, yes! I've seen him before—it's definitely him!"
A crowd gradually gathered around them, all pointing at Ash and his companions while whispering among themselves. This made the three travelers feel somewhat confused and a little nervous.
"Excuse me... are you Ash?"
A group of people had surrounded Ash and his friends, and after a moment of hesitation, a young woman seemed to have worked up the courage to approach and ask the question directly.
"Uh... yes! Is there some kind of problem?"
Ash was slightly taken aback, completely puzzled about what was happening around them.
"AHHHHHHH!" The moment Ash confirmed his identity, a large number of high-pitched screams suddenly erupted from the surrounding crowd, mostly from excited young women.
Many citizens were gathered around them, and they all seemed incredibly happy and thrilled. Seeing this overwhelming reaction, Ash and his companions were completely shocked.
The young woman who had asked about his identity suddenly rushed forward. Ash didn't even have time to react before she hugged him, and it took considerable effort for him to break free from her enthusiastic embrace.
At that moment, they realized they were completely surrounded by people who were rushing toward them with such enthusiasm that the three friends had absolutely no way to escape.
"What's going on?!"
Misty hugged Togepi protectively and lifted it above her head, worried that the crowd might accidentally bump into the small Pokemon. She had no idea what was causing this commotion.
"This is... so wonderful!"
Brock, on the other hand, had a dreamy expression on his face. He usually wasn't very popular with young women, but now so many were crowding around, even though they weren't specifically interested in him.
In this situation, he felt incredibly happy whenever someone accidentally bumped into him.
"Come on, how long is this going to last? Can you get a grip on reality?" Misty felt somewhat exasperated seeing Brock's reaction to the chaos.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
"Hey, hey, hey! What's going on here? Everyone calm down—you're blocking traffic!"
At that moment, a loudspeaker announcement echoed through the area, and the crowd settled down after hearing the authoritative voice.
Then, outside the gathered crowd, a confident figure appeared on a police motorcycle and approached the group.
Seeing the approaching officer, the crowd instinctively moved aside to create a path. The person arriving was none other than Officer Jenny.
Officer Jenny walked through the crowd and was slightly surprised when she saw the three people in the center. Then she realized why the citizens had become so excited.
"Ash! Misty! Brock!"
"Officer Jenny!" When they saw the familiar police officer, Ash and Misty breathed sighs of relief. They were finally going to be rescued from this overwhelming situation.
"Ha ha! After what happened during your last visit, news of your heroic actions spread throughout the entire city. Now everyone here considers you genuine heroes!"
After a while, Officer Jenny successfully dispersed the excited citizens and then walked alongside Ash and his companions through the city streets, explaining the situation with an amused smile.
It was no wonder those people had reacted so enthusiastically. After all, the Gringey City of the past was completely different from what it had become.
If Ash and his friends hadn't protected the power plant, Gringey City would never have achieved the prosperity it now enjoyed.
"So that's what happened! That really scared me!" Misty was genuinely frightened by the overwhelming crowd reaction.
"Speaking of which, you've been away for quite a long time. Let me show you around and see all the amazing changes that have taken place here!"
Officer Jenny looked at Ash and his companions with genuine appreciation. First, she wanted to sincerely thank them for their help, and second, she happened to have some free time and decided to give them a proper tour.
"That sounds great!" Listening to Officer Jenny's offer, Ash didn't refuse the opportunity.
"By the way, how are Magnemite and Grimer doing these days?" Ash asked as they followed Officer Jenny through the streets.
"They're doing wonderfully! Now Magnemite and Magneton work at the power plant and occasionally help generate electricity when needed. Grimer helps maintain the sewer systems and keeps them clean. Everyone coexists in perfect harmony!"
Officer Jenny responded with a warm smile after hearing the question. It was because of Ash and his friends that Magnemite and Grimer could now live peacefully alongside the city's citizens.
"What about that Elekid we encountered?"
"That one! Come to think of it, I haven't seen it for quite a long time now. It probably moved on to somewhere else!"
Officer Jenny paused to think about it after hearing the question. She genuinely hadn't seen the Electric-type Pokemon recently.
Hearing this response, Ash nodded with understanding. Perhaps Elekid had only been attracted by Zapdos's powerful electrical energy at that time. It had probably left the area after the legendary Pokemon departed.
Ash didn't pursue the topic further. Officer Jenny took Ash and his companions on a brief walking tour through the main streets and showed them the restored power plant.
Moreover, Gringey City was now paying serious attention to industrial regulation issues. Although the environmental purification plan had begun, they weren't allowing uncontrolled industrial manufacturing like they had in the past.
Several factories that exceeded pollution standards and didn't comply with new regulations had been demolished entirely. Due to the city's remarkable recovery, many people had begun coming to invest in new businesses. The city was truly developing in a sustainable way.
After exploring for a while and realizing that Ash and his companions had just arrived and might be tired, Officer Jenny didn't want to keep them occupied for too long. After showing them around briefly, she escorted them to the Pokemon Center.
They also reunited with Nurse Joy, who had also left a strong impression on all three travelers.
During their previous visit, thanks to Ash and his friends' timely resolution of the power plant crisis, there had been no serious problems with the Pokemon being treated at the Pokemon Center.
When they met again, Nurse Joy wasn't nearly as stressed and worried as she had been during their first encounter. The urban environment had recovered completely, and there were many more visitors from outside the city.
The Pokemon Center was no longer as empty and depressing as it had been before, and Nurse Joy had returned to her characteristic enthusiasm and professional warmth.
After seeing Ash and his companions arrive, she warmly welcomed them with genuine gratitude. The three friends checked in at the center and settled down for their stay in the transformed Gringey City.