Chapter 164: Bulbasaur's Mysterious Garden
2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
Celadon City, Pokémon Center.
Ash and his group had already been here for five days.
After resolving the strange psychic wave incident with Hypno and Drowzee, the Pokémon at the Pokémon Center had returned to normal. Pikachu had also regained its vitality and was full of life.
It was worth mentioning that during this time, Misty had also caught an unclaimed Psyduck that was a bit slow on the uptake, forming a dull-witted duo with the Slowpoke she had caught on the S.S. Anne.
She was now subtly showing signs of transitioning from a Water-type trainer to a "Dull-type" trainer.
While the group was killing time playing on a Nintendo Switch, Ash received a message from Erika. The special phenomenon regarding Bulbasaur was set to occur tonight. She also requested that Ash take plenty of photographs.
Erika had named this phenomenon Bulbasaur's Mysterious Garden.
Ash naturally agreed. After all, Erika was the one who gave him this information, not to mention he had also scored the two new moves, Grassy Glide and Misty Explosion, for free.
Late at night, close to midnight.
Ash had let Bulbasaur out early. At this moment, it was anxiously pacing back and forth on the floor, having lost its usual composure.
It, too, was struggling with the decision of whether or not to evolve.
"It's okay, Bulbasaur. Whether you evolve or not, you'll always be my partner."
"Pika~"
Ash and Pikachu comforted it from the side.
Although Ash would have preferred it to choose the path of evolution, the final choice had to be made by Bulbasaur itself. He would not interfere.
*Whoosh...*
A cool night breeze blew past, and the group seemed to catch a whiff of something new in their nostrils—something sweet and fragrant.
"Saur!"
Bulbasaur was the first to react. It leaped directly over the Pokémon Center's windowsill and ran off in a specific direction.
"Let's follow it."
Ash and the others exchanged a glance, knowing that the time had come. They hurriedly chased after Bulbasaur.
After a pursuit of nearly ten minutes, the group had reached the edge of Celadon City. Seeing that Bulbasaur still showed no signs of stopping, they had no choice but to follow it out of the city and into a forest on the outskirts.
Sure enough, the fragrance was growing stronger and stronger, as if the surroundings were filled with blooming flowers.
"Swish! Swish!!"
Just as Bulbasaur leaped over a thicket and Ash was about to follow, several brown thorns suddenly lashed out from both sides. In the blink of an eye, they sealed the path, erecting a wall of thorns on the spot.
"Well now, it even has a will of its own?"
"Is this to keep outsiders from entering?"
Ash, however, merely swiped his nose, not the least bit deterred. With a sweep of his hand, he commanded:
"Pikachu, use Quick Draw Slash!!"
For cutting down trees, a professional tree-cutting move was the natural choice.
"Pika!"
Pikachu stepped onto the thorn wall, took several running steps to launch itself into the air, and then a sharp glint of light shone from the side of its tail. After spinning three times, it brought its tail down in a heavy chop!
"Crack! Crack! Crack!!"
The seemingly tough wall of thorns was instantly split by a large fissure from top to bottom, as if it were tofu being sliced all the way to the ground.
While Pikachu's Iron Tail possessed far more power than Quick Draw Slash, the latter seemed to gain an extra buff when used against plant-like objects.
"Let's go."
Seeing the surrounding thorn vines beginning to writhe as if to close up again, Ash quickly pulled his two companions through the gap.
After crossing several more thorn walls, the group arrived at a small hill. Looking down, they saw his Bulbasaur right there.
"Quick, get down."
Hearing a rustling sound in the vicinity, Brock quickly pushed their heads down. They crouched and hid on the reverse slope, with only their heads peeking out to observe the scene below.
Soon, one Bulbasaur after another began walking out from the depths of the jungle. A dense crowd of them surrounded a high platform.
"Saur."
"Saur."
"Saur."
A rough count revealed there were nearly thirty of them, chanting their name as if desperately wanting their seeds to sprout.
"SAUR!!!"
Before the group could react, a deep roar echoed in their ears. Even the ground fifty-odd meters away from them trembled slightly. It was followed by an overwhelming fragrance that grew ever more intense.
Ash focused his gaze and saw a fully-evolved Venusaur slowly walking onto the high platform, becoming the center of attention.
"It's huge..."
The three of them couldn't help but say in unison.
This Venusaur's size was more than twice that of a normal one. The banana-flower petals on its back were especially lush and flourishing. It was clearly an old-timer, a senior-level starter Pokémon. The rich fragrance was emanating from there.
The aura of a powerhouse washed over the group, hitting them square in the face.
"Saur."
"Saur."
Seeing the main character appear, all the Bulbasaurs reached a fever pitch, frantically chanting "Saur, saur."
"SAUR!!!"
The giant Venusaur roared once more. Dark green pollen shook from the banana flower on its back, transforming into pure green energy that scattered over the many Bulbasaurs before it.
Then, a strange sight occurred. One after another, the Bulbasaurs began to glow with white light. Within the white light, their forms were also quietly changing.
"This is... evolution?"
Ash and his friends stared with wide eyes, the light of evolution flickering in their pupils.
They had witnessed a mass evolution phenomenon once before among the Butterfree on the outskirts of Saffron City, but seeing it again today did not diminish the awe and wonder in their eyes.
"Ivysaur..."
Soon, the first Ivysaur completed its evolution and let out its first cry.
"Ivysaur..."
"Ivysaur..."
One cry followed another, as if they were echoing each other. A closer look revealed that these Bulbasaurs had all grown by a third of their previous size. The garlic seeds on their backs had all bloomed into small flower buds, revealing the tender red petals within.
All the Bulbasaurs had completed their evolution!
Only then did Ash understand that the so-called mysterious garden was actually a ritual for the mass evolution of the Bulbasaurs.
"Wait, Ash, look over there."
Brock's eyes suddenly narrowed as he pointed.
Following Brock's pointing finger, Ash saw an anomaly among the many Ivysaurs: a single Bulbasaur that had not evolved.
The characteristic white light of evolution was still flickering on the garlic bulb on its back, but it was being forcefully suppressed.
Ash recognized it at a glance—it was his own Bulbasaur!
Soon, the surrounding Ivysaurs also discovered this heretic. They focused their gazes on it, letting out threatening cries.
"Ivysaur!"
"Ivysaur!"
"Saur!!"
Facing dozens of its own evolved forms, Bulbasaur showed not a hint of fear. Instead, it threw its head back and roared, its presence immense, even overpowering theirs.
"Heh, as expected of my Pokémon. Not some ordinary Bulbasaur," Ash thought with a touch of smugness.
This also drew the attention of the giant Venusaur. It let out a low growl, and the surrounding Ivysaurs understood, clearing a path to let this impudent Bulbasaur face it directly.
"Saur!"
Seeing the main character, although there was a huge disparity in their auras, Bulbasaur showed no weakness and shouted directly at it.
"SAUR!!"
This action undoubtedly infuriated the giant Venusaur. Its droopy eyes instantly became stern.
Refusing to evolve in this ritual was a provocation toward it!!
Neither of the two Pokémon would back down. A battle was imminent!
The Pokédex in Ash's pocket suddenly emitted a notification sound: "Beep. Totem Venusaur. Its size is 2.5 times larger than a typical Venusaur. Its body is covered by a special energy aura, and its strength far exceeds that of an ordinary Venusaur."
(end of chapter)