Mt. Moon lay between Pewter City and Cerulean City. For years it had been just another nameless mountain, until someone discovered Moon Stones there. Overnight, Mt. Moon became famous.
Compared to other Evolutionary stones, Moon Stones weren't the rarest, but that didn't make them cheap. Even a chipped, low-grade Moon Stone could fetch at least 10,000 Poke dollars. A flawless one? Priceless.
Trainers whispered about their hidden power. A Pokémon's natural potential, or "aptitude", was notoriously hard to change. But evolution sometimes worked wonders. In rare cases, when a Pokémon evolved, its aptitude improved.
Some species evolved by leveling up. Others required special conditions… like Evolutionary stones. And the higher the quality of the stone, the greater the boost after evolving. Some even claimed a perfect stone could rewrite a Pokémon's very potential.
"..But most of that is just rumor," Brock explained seriously as they hiked along the rocky path. "A Pokémon's aptitude can't be seen with the naked eye. You need special machines to test it. And every test costs tens of thousands of Poké dollars."
Ash's jaw dropped. "Tens of thousands? Just to check a Pokémon's aptitude?"
"Of course," Brock nodded. "The actual cost isn't that high. But if aptitude testing were cheap, every Trainer would just catch Pokémon, test them, and dump the ones that didn't make the cut. The League made it expensive on purpose, to stop people from treating Pokémon like disposable tools."
Misty added, "That's right. The price keeps people from mass-catching Pokémon and tossing out the ones with lower potential. It's about protecting Pokémon welfare."
Ash tilted his head. "But if they didn't want Trainers to do that, why invent the test in the first place?"
Misty shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe it was an accident. Or maybe some professor got carried away with their research."
The three chatted as they trekked deeper into the cave. Mt. Moon's tunnels seemed endless, and by the time they stopped for dinner, the evening shadows were already stretching across the rocks.
That was when it appeared.
"Clefairy~~!"
A playful pink Pokémon bounced into view, round eyes sparkling under the starlight filtering through a crack in the cave ceiling.
Misty's eyes instantly lit up. "It's a Clefairy! Mt. Moon really does have Clefairy!"
According to rumor, Moon Stones weren't the only treasures of Mt. Moon. Clefairy lived here too, though they were rarely seen. They weren't particularly strong, but their incredible cuteness made them one of the most beloved Pokémon among female Trainers. Misty was no exception.
She'd sworn to herself she'd only catch Water-types during her journey. But the moment she saw Clefairy, her heart wavered. 'Just one wouldn't hurt, right?'
"So that's Clefairy, huh? It is pretty cute." Ash pulled out his Pokédex, flipping it open.
His Insight Eye could gauge a Pokémon's aptitude, but it couldn't tell him species details or typing. For that, he still had to rely on the Pokédex.
[CLEFAIRY: Because of its adorable appearance, it is highly popular as a pet pokemon. However, it is rarely seen in the wild. It is said to have come from the moon.]
Ash blinked. "Wait… a Pokémon from the moon? Seriously?"
Clefairy might be rare, but to say they came from the moon? That sounded a little far-fetched.
"There really is such a rumor," Brock admitted with a nod. "But proving it… that's another story."
"Why? Don't we have the tech to reach the moon yet?" Ash crouched down in front of the Clefairy, curiosity written all over his face. He poked its round pink cheek with a finger. Instead of running away, the Clefairy giggled, swaying side to side as if enjoying the attention.
Brock sighed. "It's not that simple. Human technology is advanced enough to reach outer space. But whenever we try to go beyond the ozone layer, something mysterious stops us. To this day, no one has ever made it off the planet."
Ash tilted his head. "Ozone layer? What's that?"
Brock and Misty nearly tripped over their own feet. Sometimes Ash seemed like a genius; other times, he didn't know the most basic things.
Misty threw her hands up. "It's like Earth's shield! It keeps us from being roasted by the sun. That's all you need to know."
Brock added, "And… legend has it that Rayquaza itself hunts down anything living that tries to pass through. Which is why satellites are fine, but Trainers or Pokémon can't leave Earth."
Ash's eyes widened in awe. "Rayquaza… So that's why."
"Anyway," Brock continued with a sharp look, "this isn't the time for science class. You've got a Clefairy right in front of you. Don't you two want to catch her before she runs off?"
Both Ash and Misty snapped their heads around, just in time to see Clefairy happily skipping deeper into the cave, clutching a sparkling Moon Stone in her little arms.
"Wait, Clefairy!" Misty cried, dashing after it.
But before she could take three steps, shadows loomed ahead of them. Three figures blocked the path, and with a whoosh, a net shot out, scooping up Clefairy along with the glittering stone.
"What the..?!" Ash skidded to a stop, eyes widening as the netted Clefairy struggled and squealed.
The cave suddenly lit with a harsh spotlight, shining down on the trio standing smugly in the center.
"Since you asked so sincerely!"
"We'll answer you cheerfully!"
"And make it double!"
Ash and Misty's jaws dropped. "No way…!"
"That's right!" James flipped his hair dramatically.
Jessie struck a pose, one hand on her hip, the other pointing forward.
"And don't forget Meowth"
"Team Rocket!" Ash shouted, pointing an accusing finger. "How did you three even get here?!"
...
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