Chapter 25: The Ancient Turtle
In a Wooden House deep in the Jungle, a young girl in a yellow straw hat was tending to the surrounding Wild Pokémon.
Beside her, a Rattata was dozing off.
"Huh? Oddish, how did you get hurt?"
The girl picked up the suddenly appearing Oddish and began treating its wounds.
*Swish, swish!*
The latter's leaves rustled as if trying to communicate something.
"Oh, the Bulbasaur was caught by a Trainer?"
The girl tilted her head, seemingly able to understand the words of Pokemon.
But in the next moment, she showed no disappointment at all, instead breaking into a smile.
She gently stroked Oddish's long, thin Green Leaf.
"It should have left a long time ago. It shouldn't have stayed here."
Most of the Pokemon here were Slackers (Incompetent Participants) who lived out their days in leisure.
That Bulbasaur, however, clearly had a desire to battle and grow stronger. The outside World was where it truly belonged.
Yet, to protect these weaker Pokemon, it had never chosen to leave.
She then gently set the Oddish down and looked at the other Wild Pokémon around her.
"I should be like that Bulbasaur. I should go see the outside world."
With that, the girl put her yellow straw hat back on, packed her things, and, taking only the Rattata, started walking in one direction.
Behind her, a group of Wild Pokémon called out, reluctant to see her go.
***
Having gained the powerful Combat Power of Bulbasaur, Ash and his companions continued their journey toward Vermilion City.
Suddenly, Brock said with a cheerful expression:
"There's a Town up ahead. Let's go restock on some supplies!"
He was single-handedly taking care of three meals a day, plus the occasional afternoon tea and late-night snack, for three people and a pile of Pokemon. Even his Four-Dimensional Backpack couldn't hold out any longer.
Simply put, they were low on supplies.
The three of them quickened their pace.
*Rumble!*
Just as they reached a certain spot, they suddenly felt the ground beneath them give way as the earth began to shake out of nowhere.
The three of them: "?"
*Whoosh!!*
Before Ash and the others could react, a large hole opened up in the Ground beneath their feet, and the three of them, along with Pikachu, fell into it.
Smoke and Dust instantly filled the air. After a fall of nearly ten meters, they were all dizzy and disoriented.
"What the heck was that!" Misty complained.
"Is it Team Rocket again?" Ash also grumbled.
In his heart, however, a strange sense of secret delight welled up.
They had clearly promised to capture his Pikachu, yet they hadn't shown up for so many days. Weren't they breaking their word?
Although there was no way he'd let them be caught.
But at least they should make it seem like his Pikachu was popular and precious!
To his surprise, however, the heads that suddenly peeked over the edge of the hole were not Team Rocket's.
"Ah, bald heads...?"
The trio looked up at the opening of the hole, only to see five heads suddenly appear, all of them completely bald.
They shone brightly under the sunlight.
They were even wearing black Sunglasses, looking like a professional team.
"Pokedex Beep. Squirtle, the Goofy Pokémon. One of the Starter Pokémon. Has a blue, bald head and likes to use Water Gun."
The Pokedex on his waist automatically reported.
"Squirtle, Squirtle..."
"Squirtle, Squirtle..."
Seeing the three fall into their Trap, the five Squirtle at the edge of the hole burst out laughing, whispering amongst themselves with arrogant expressions.
"Damn it, so it was you guys?!"
Ash felt a surge of anger. He put away his Pokedex, stood up, and forcefully pushed off Brock's back.
*Thump! Thump!*
He even kicked off the surrounding rock walls twice.
Using the reactive force, he actually managed to grab the edge of the hole's opening with one hand.
*Swoosh!*
With one final push, Ash's figure successfully appeared outside the hole.
"Squirtle!?"
"Squirtle?!"
The five Squirtle couldn't help but take half a step back in surprise.
They had used this Trap to prank countless passersby, but not a single Human had ever escaped so easily.
They were terrified by this Human's movements!
"Squirtle, huh? To think it's another Starter Pokemon..."
Ash's expression changed even more dramatically.
Were the Starter Pokémon Trio a dime a dozen now? You could just casually run into them in the wild?
Seeing this, Ash pointed a thumb at himself and shouted:
"No more slacking, Pikachu! I choose you!"
Regardless of whether it was a prank or not, he wanted to Catch a Squirtle.
They looked so endearingly goofy that it made him want to rub their bald heads.
"Pika!"
Pikachu kicked off with its little legs and landed between Ash and the five Squirtle.
Today, it was full of Vital Spirit!
Slacking off was a must, but you couldn't let others see you slacking.
Being called out so brazenly by Ash showed that its, Pikachu's, Training was still far from complete.
Today, it had to have one serious Battle!
So, Ash waved his hand, simple and direct.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt directly!"
*Electric-type has a Type Advantage over Water Type. I've got this one in the bag!*
"Pika... chu!!!"
Thunderbolt erupted from Pikachu's cheeks, then transformed into a twisting, golden Electric Snake that shot out in a flash!
"Squirtle, Squirtle..."
"Squirtle, Squirtle..."
As the golden light rushed toward them, the five Sunglasses-wearing Squirtle panicked.
"Squirtle!!"
However, one of them, a Squirtle wearing distinctive Pointed-Frame Sunglasses, was the first to react.
It fired a high-speed Water Gun right at Pikachu's face, drenching the Mouse.
"Pika...!"
Being hit in the face caused Pikachu's Thunderbolt to lose its aim. The Electric Current that could have enveloped all five turtles now only struck one of them.
"Squirtle, Squirtle..."
Nevertheless, the Power of Thunderbolt was not weak. A single hit left the Squirtle with the round-lensed Sunglasses charred black, rendering it Unable to Battle on the spot.
Ash wasn't annoyed. "Then let's go again! Use Thunderbolt!!"
The fierce Electric Snake shot out once more. This time, the four Squirtle were on guard and shot out their Water Guns in response.
But this time, the blue streams of water didn't confront Thunderbolt head-on.
*Pshhh!!*
*Pshhh!!*
Instead, they bypassed Pikachu and shot toward Ash and the opening of the hole, instantly soaking that patch of Ground, along with the Trainer.
*Bzzzt!!*
Since Pikachu was also standing on this patch of soaked land, the Thunderbolt suddenly changed direction, rushing toward Ash and his friends.
Water conducts electricity.
*Crackle!*
Ash, along with the two people still in the hole, were thoroughly zapped.
Brock and Misty didn't even know what was happening above. First, they were hit in the face by streams of water, then they were struck with Paralysis from the Lightning.
"Pika...?"
Realizing something was wrong, Pikachu quickly stopped the Electric Current and turned its head to look at its Trainer with an embarrassed expression.
It really wanted to have a good Battle today!
"Squirtle! Squirtle! Squirtle!"
At that moment, the four Squirtle quickly hoisted the one that was Unable to Battle onto their shoulders and chose a tactical retreat.
As they ran, their bodies swayed back and forth as they shouted.
They were a professional team.
***
Not long after, the three of them—aching and numb all over—arrived at the Town ahead.
It was only after arriving in Town that they learned that the professional team was a group of old-time pranksters.
They often played tricks and pranks on passersby around the Town.
Although they hadn't caused any major danger, they had earned the dislike of many townspeople.
"They are Pokemon that were abandoned by their Trainers. Perhaps that's why they are so rebellious," the local Officer Jenny explained to them.
If they continued to cause trouble, they might have to resort to forceful means.
"Abandoned?"
Ash looked bewildered. He couldn't understand why anyone would be willing to abandon their own Pokemon.
Before he became a Trainer, he had dreamed of having a Pokemon.
It was a feeling of extreme longing, which made the word "abandon" completely foreign to him.
"Not all Trainers are as passionate as you are, Ash."
Brock sighed, patting him on the shoulder as he explained with a sense of helplessness:
"Especially the many Trainers who see 'strength' as their only criterion. When their Pokemon reach what they consider their psychological limit, they will abandon them without the slightest hesitation."
There were even many Trainers who would hatch a whole nest of Eggs just to select the single most superior individual.
As for the remaining Eggs, they would be abandoned in the Forest as soon as they hatched, their life or death left to fate.
Pokémon law states that abandoning a Pokemon Egg is illegal, otherwise one would be arrested.
But a newly hatched baby could be discarded.
It was a loophole in the law.
"I don't approve of that kind of behavior. There are no weak Pokemon, only trash Trainers."
Ash clenched his fists, his expression darkening.
"If I ever see a Trainer who abandons their Pokemon, I'll punch them right in the face."
Even Brock, who was usually against violence, couldn't say there was anything wrong with that sentiment.
Both emotional and rational paths were valid, but Brock found himself agreeing more with Ash's choice to follow his heart.
Now that he knew the full story, Ash's previous annoyance with the group of Squirtle had completely vanished.
His gaze hardened. Ash turned his head and made a request to Officer Jenny:
"Officer Jenny, please leave those five Squirtle to me! I'm going to Catch them!"
Since it was humans who had disappointed them, then he would be the one to let the Squirtle feel warmth again