Chapter 154: Am I in the Same World as Ash?
Team Rocket's trio might constantly fail at catching Pikachu, but their business acumen was off the charts. In addition, Meowth's translation skills alone were worth billions, not to mention their frightening assembly capabilities. Lu Ye suspected that with a pile of scrap metal, they could somehow piece together a functioning mecha.
Self-reliant, multi-talented, and fiercely loyal—the dream employees for any capitalist! Despite their differences, Lu Ye held a certain fondness for them. Their genuine love for Pokémon couldn't be denied. Otherwise, Alola's Bewear wouldn't have grown so attached to them.
It's not about the cut I get, Lu Ye thought. It's more about sparing them from hardship. "Anyway," he said, "your job for now is to focus on generating revenue. Understood?"
"Oh, oh! Is this part of some secret mission?" Jessie's eyes sparkled.
Panicking, James clamped his hand over her mouth. "Don't worry, sir! We've never seen you!"
"That's right, meow!" Meowth whispered into her ear, "Prying into an officer's plans could get us reassigned, meow!"
"Mmmph!" (Let me go!)
Lu Ye rubbed his chin. "A secret mission… Sure, let's call it that."
Giovanni's directive likely revolved around their safety. Besides, saving him the trouble of bailing them out might even earn Lu Ye some gratitude. Hearing his confirmation, the trio exhaled in relief. So young and already a Rocket officer on a secret mission… This guy must be one of Giovanni's favorites! If we execute his orders flawlessly, surely Giovanni will finally recognize our talents!
"This feels amazing!" they exclaimed, grinning idiotically.
Lu Ye coughed. "By the way, why are you even here? Shouldn't you be active in other regions?" Though the worldlines had shifted, the trio should still have been chasing Ash's Pikachu.
"Well, meowth heard about a festival, so we came to try our luck," James explained.
"There was talk from Hoenn," Meowth added proudly, "that a legendary Pokémon might emerge from a meteorite!" They froze, realizing something. "You're not planning to capture Jirachi, are you?"
Lu Ye blinked. I didn't even say anything, and you already imagined the entire mission?
"Don't worry! We won't breathe a word!" they declared.
Lu Ye sighed. "If you understand, then get to work. Don't make me repeat myself."
"Yes, sir!" Saluting, they pulled out a pile of random parts. Amid smoke and clanging metal, they assembled a tricycle on the spot, leaving Lu Ye slack-jawed. Their technical skills are out of this world! They're wasted not building giant robots!
"Let's go!" they cheered, hopping on and waving.
Before they disappeared, Lu Ye called out, "By the way, do you know a trainer named Ash? Where is he now?"
The trio froze mid-pedal. "Ash?" James stammered. "T-that kid!"
Lu Ye's face twisted. I was just asking casually, but he really exists?! What kind of Frankenstein Pokémon universe is this?!
"How do you know his name?" James asked, astonished.
Lu Ye shrugged. "Oh, his Pikachu's pretty tricky."
Tears welled up in the trio's eyes. Even a Rocket officer has struggled against that Pikachu… No wonder we couldn't catch it.
"The last time we saw him was during the Silver Conference," James recalled.
"Word is, he's heading to Hoenn next," Meowth added. "After this break, we're planning to follow him!"
"We'll definitely catch Pikachu this time!" Jessie declared.
"Wobbuffet!"
Lu Ye massaged his forehead. "Alright, you can leave now. I'd like some time alone."
"Wishing you great success and glory! Oh ho ho ho!" The trio laughed as they pedaled off.
Sunlight streamed through the canopy as Lu Ye gazed upward. "Ash is heading to Hoenn, huh? Looks like this timeline's still early." He took a deep breath. Yeah… It's just Ash traveling solo. That's totally normal.
Red and Ash might theoretically be the same person, but their capabilities were worlds apart. In this universe, Red was the battle-hardened "Legend of Battle" from the Pokémon Adventures manga. Ash, meanwhile, was still a rookie fumbling through tournaments. Even their clothing was distinct: Red's iconic red-and-white versus Ash's blue-dominant attire. In the I Choose You! movie, Ash was rebooted, traveling without Brock or Misty. In summary, it was as if the anime and manga worlds had merged.
Lu Ye nodded slowly, then suddenly flipped a mental table. "This is ridiculous! Pallet Town must be way too wholesome for a god-tier Red and a rookie Ash to coexist!"
But on reflection, the manga never delved into Red's family background. The fact that he rose to become the Legend of Battle as an ordinary boy only made him more admirable.
Lu Ye stroked his chin. "When I visit Kanto, I wonder if I'll run into Ash… though meeting an Ash who can tank legendary attacks might actually be interesting!"
As dusk fell, Lu Ye reunited with the others, where Ruby and Sapphire were sharing ice cream.
"Want to try mine?"
"I like that flavor better. Let's trade!"
"If you kiss me, I'll trade," Ruby teased.
Steven cleared his throat, gesturing at Jirachi. Lu Ye coughed as well, signaling the presence of a single man.
[Kissing? What's that?] Jirachi tilted its head.
Blushing, Sapphire pecked Ruby's cheek and snatched his ice cream. Jirachi cheered. [Kiss! Steven, kiss!]
Ignoring the chaos, Lu Ye asked, "Where'd you two get that ice cream?"
Ruby grinned. "From a new stall! It's super popular, and the flavor's amazing!"
Satisfied, Lu Ye nodded. Looks like their business is thriving. I should ask Matori if those three can be reassigned to my team. If it's possible, that'd be a total win!
[Inorin Note:
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I hope I am still worthy of your support. My life truly depends on this... haha, I know I'm so shameless.]