Grandpa Numata then led Ash and the others to the hatching area. Three Mudkip Eggs were placed there, ready to hatch today.
With everyone watching, one of the Mudkip Eggs began to glow with a white light. The light faded, revealing an adorable baby Mudkip that had just hatched.
"Ralts~" Ralts was happy to see the newborn Mudkip, as it had also been born from an egg just yesterday.
"Wow! The little Mudkip is so cute!" May couldn't help but squat down to look. As expected, the baby Mudkip shot a stream of water at May's face!
Everyone (￢_￢)... May and Mudkip are truly a natural mismatch!
"By the way, Grandpa Numata, is that big Mudkip from here, too? Its level seems really high!" Ash asked Grandpa Numata.
"Oh... that one! No, that one is a wild Mudkip that snuck in from who knows where. It seems to think the Mudkip here are its companions," Grandpa Numata explained after a moment of thought.
"In that case, that Mudkip must be quite something!" Brock added.
Grandpa Numata nodded, then sighed with regret. "It is quite something, but it's too big and its level is too high! No rookie trainer can handle it. And its companions here will eventually be gone, which means it doesn't have any real friends."
"I see," Brock said, also feeling a sense of pity.
On the way back to the hut, "Kip~" a baby Mudkip hopped into Ash's arms.
"It's the one Ash saved!" May said in surprise.
Then, Ash's Ralts and the baby Mudkip started to play.
Just then, "Ding-a-ling-ling-ling—" an alarm blared!
"Ah! That sound is... oh no, I have to go check it out!" Grandpa Numata said and ran off.
"We should go take a look, too! See if we can help," Ash suggested, holding Ralts and the baby Mudkip.
May immediately got excited. "Okay! Let's see what kind of problem the May Exploration Team encounters next!" The commentator was back on the job!
As Ash and the others followed Grandpa Numata, Brock got distracted by the big Mudkip he'd seen earlier.
The remaining three followed Grandpa Numata to a fence and saw that a section of it had been destroyed.
"Who did this?!" Grandpa Numata asked in a rage.
"Wahahaha! Since you asked... (Team Rocket's motto)... It's like that, meow Sonnans"
Grandpa Numata looked confused. Team Rocket? What's that?
"Oh no, it's you guys again, Team Rocket! Grandpa Numata, be careful! They're bad guys who steal other people's Pokémon," May warned.
"What! You scoundrels! You're here to steal the Mudkip I'm raising for the Pokémon League, aren't you?!" Grandpa Numata blurted out, incriminating himself.
"Mudkip are very rare Pokémon," James said excitedly.
Meowth added, "And they have the Pokémon League's quality assurance, meow!"
"Someone as noble and refined as the boss would love them," Jessie fantasized.
"And then, by pleasing the boss, we'll get..."
"Promoted to executive, and then branch leader." James and Meowth were also lost in their fantasy.
"That sounds great!"
"What's wrong with these people?" Grandpa Numata was confused again. Did these people have something wrong with their heads?
"Honestly, it's all because Mr. Numata talks too much. That's why they're like this," May complained.
"Oh, is that so? I'm so sorry! My wife is always telling me, but it's just my personality. I can't keep a secret. For example, the one who destroyed that..."
"Okay, okay, Grandpa Numata! Don't say any more!" Ash quickly interrupted, preventing him from revealing more secrets.
"Phew! That was a close one!" Grandpa Numata quickly covered his mouth.
"In that case, let's go, Meowth!" Jessie ordered.
"Alright, robot, activate, meow!" Meowth took out a remote and pressed a button, summoning a robot they'd built with a shovel and a bamboo basket tied around its waist.
As Team Rocket tried to use the robot to capture the baby Mudkip, Ash shouted, "Team Rocket! Do you really think I'll let you?! Come on out, Quilava, Croconaw! Use alternating Flamethrower and Water Gun!"
"What? That feels so familiar, meow!" Meowth had a bad feeling.
Sure enough, with the alternating fire and water, the robot was instantly scrapped!
"Oh no, meow!" Meowth's eyes widened.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt to send them on their way!" "Pikachu"
BOOM!! "That's a nasty feeling!" "Sonnans (???)~"
Just then, Brock and the big Mudkip arrived. "Huh?! We're too late! It's already been taken care of?"
"Yep! It looks like you and the Mudkip have already formed a great bond!" Ash said, patting Brock on the shoulder in congratulations!
"When we first met, that Mudkip was so wary of him!" Max said with a sigh.
"As expected of Brock!" ?((???))? May looked at Brock with admiration.
Brock scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed.
"Brock, there's something I'd like to ask you." Grandpa Numata walked up to Brock.
"Huh? What is it?" Brock asked.
"This little guy won't be able to find a companion if he stays here, but you've already become his best friend. If it's alright with you, I hope you'll take this Mudkip with you," Grandpa Numata said, entrusting the Pokémon to him.
"Really?! Thank you, Grandpa Numata!" Brock was surprised at first, then he saluted (｀・ω・´)ゞ and thanked him, before turning to the Mudkip. "Do you want to come with me?"
"Kip~" The Mudkip thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement and hopped into Brock's arms.
"That's great, Mudkip! From today on, you're my best friend." And so, the Rock-Type Gym Leader caught another non-Rock-Type Pokémon.
"Brock, I'm counting on you to take care of this Mudkip."
"Yes, I'll raise Mudkip well!" (｀・ω・´)ゞ "Kip~"
As Ash and the others were saying their goodbyes to Grandpa Numata, "Kip~" the baby Mudkip started to cry. Everyone tried their best to comfort it.
Seeing the baby Mudkip's sadness, Grandpa Numata made a decision. "Ash, if you don't mind, why don't you take this Mudkip with you?"
"Huh?! But this Mudkip belongs to the League!" Ash was tempted, but he still voiced his concern.
"Haha, don't worry! I've been raising Mudkip for the League my whole life. Giving away one Mudkip is no problem!" Grandpa Numata guaranteed.
"Thank you, Grandpa Numata!" Ash bowed to Grandpa Numata.
"Mudkip, do you want to come with me?" "Kip~" The baby Mudkip smiled and nodded.
[Mudkip]
[Gender: Male]
[Type: Water]
[Ability: Torrent (When HP is below 1/3, the power of Water-Type moves increases by 1.5 times.)]
[Strength: Early Normal-Level (Infant)]
[Moves: Tackle, Growl, Water Gun, Mud-Slap]
[Tera Type: Water]
Ash took out a Poké Ball and caught the Mudkip, then he teleported his completely oblivious Bayleef to the lab.
When Bayleef found itself at Professor Oak's lab, it went on a rampage that it should never have been able to learn!
And just like that, this adventure ended perfectly, with Ash and Brock each getting a Mudkip!
To be continued...
Ash's Team: Pikachu, Noctowl, Quilava, Croconaw, Ralts, Mudkip