"I caught Axew!" Ash excitedly picked up the Poké Ball, quite happy. With Axew caught, his team was complete. This progress was much faster than in the anime, and he had many unexpected gains.
"So this counts as catching it??" Brock looked on, a bit surprised. This was the first time he'd seen such a capture method. Pokémon, even though they understood human rules, were usually resistant to being caught. It was truly his first time seeing a Pokémon willingly enter a Poké Ball.
As a Pokémon Breeder, it felt like a new world had opened up for him. Unlike trainers, breeders needed to understand the Pokémon's heart to better care for them. Before leaving, his father had told him to learn a lot from Ash. He never expected that on the very first day of their journey together, he would realize that capturing Pokémon wasn't just about battling.
"Hehe! You'll get used to it." Misty chuckled slightly upon hearing this. Although she hadn't known Ash for long, she had already seen this before. It was the same when he caught Eevee last time, so she was already getting used to it.
"But this child probably followed us on its own, right? I wonder how Officer Jenny and the others are doing." Brock, being a bit older than the two, quickly adapted. He realized that Axew might have followed them on its own.
"It's fine. When we get to Cerulean City, we can contact Pewter City and explain the situation!" Pokémon with trainers cannot be caught. Only criminal organizations like Team Rocket have the ability to forcibly unbind a Pokémon from its Poké Ball.
Of course, other trainers can do this too, but it's illegal. However, before unbinding, other trainers' Poké Balls cannot capture Pokémon that already have trainers. So it was already confirmed that Axew definitely had no owner. Since it was a wild Pokémon, he just needed to explain it.
"That's right!!" Just then, behind them, Misty's body trembled when she heard Ash's words, and her face became a bit awkward.
"Then let's go!" Brock nodded slightly. This was good. Officer Jenny shouldn't have anything to say, after all, it ultimately depends on the Pokémon itself which trainer it follows.
"Wait... wait a minute! Why... why must we go to Cerulean City?" Seeing them about to set off, Misty quickly asked.
"Because the nearest Gym is in Cerulean City!" Ash naturally knew why Misty was reacting like this, but in his opinion, these weren't really problems. In Ash's eyes, Misty was truly stronger than her sisters.
Her sisters, while not exactly "trophy wives," were surprisingly able to be Gym Leaders. However, their family Gym seemed to have been passed down for generations, and by this generation, Misty's sisters had basically turned the Gym into a water show arena.
"Can we not go? Oh, right, Ash, how about we go to Vermilion City first? Vermilion City also has a Gym! And I heard that Vermilion City's Gym Leader is a very strong character, and you love battling strong trainers, don't you?"
"Besides, Vermilion City has so many Water-type Pokémon, and there are cruises and beautiful scenery. It's simply a paradise for tourism and vacation!" Misty sounded a bit disheartened, but she still didn't give up. Her entire body resisted going to Cerulean City.
"Of course we have to go to a Gym! But... even if we go to Vermilion City, Cerulean City is still closer, isn't it? If we take a detour, it'll be a much longer route." Ash said, pinching his chin in response to Misty's words. The first half of his sentence gave Misty hope,
but the second half instantly petrified her. She cursed inwardly, This guy's homework is too good, isn't it? He knows the route without even looking at a map. Before, I thought knowing the way was a good thing, but now I suddenly feel it's not such a good thing.
"Challenging strong opponents is indeed my hobby, but it's not worth it if it takes too much time traveling. Wouldn't it be better to quickly collect enough badges, then use the time for relaxation and training Pokémon in preparation for the Pokémon League Conference?" Ash explained to Misty as he walked, gesturing to Brock and Pikachu.
Listening to Ash's plan, Brock also nodded slightly. Ash's arrangements were very reasonable. Collecting badges as quickly as possible meant they would have plenty of free time later for playing. Moreover, the Pokémon League Conference was unlike ordinary competitions; there were many strong trainers, so using extra time for training and practice was very beneficial.
"Honestly, you guys weren't even listening to me!" Misty looked at the two who had simply left her behind, a bit annoyed. But she had no choice but to follow. The closer they got, the more uneasy she felt.
After about half a day, the group finally left the Mt. Moon area and saw the city's location.
Cerulean City was a very unique city. This city greatly revered water. Although it wasn't a coastal city, it was famous for its Water-type Pokémon Gym. When Ash and the others entered the city, they could see that the city was quite lively. Compared to Pewter City, which was filled with dull gray, the architecture and style of Cerulean City gave one a refreshing and comfortable feeling.
"We finally made it to Cerulean City!"
"Um, Ash, Misty seems to be gone." Just then, Brock suddenly spoke. He hadn't noticed it at first, but when Ash spoke, he realized Misty wasn't there.
"I know. She ran off as soon as she saw Cerulean City." Ash had actually noticed it earlier but said nothing. Misty was embarrassed to come back, and he didn't expose her.
"Then why aren't you worried at all? Even though we haven't known each other long, she's still a companion, right?" Brock frowned slightly upon hearing this. Ash shouldn't be so cold.
"Don't worry, she didn't go far!" Ash stopped upon hearing this and looked at a shop billboard not far away.
"Huh??" Brock looked too. The billboard was suspended in the air, and below it, he could just see a pair of red and white sneakers.
"So that's how it is!" Only then did Brock understand. Ash wasn't uncaring; in fact, he was more thoughtful than anyone.
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