It was another new day.
Ash Ketchum and Misty were still acting as anglers.
Seemingly living a retirement life at such a young age.
The river surface was calm, the bobbers looked lazy, and the overall atmosphere was quite leisurely.
Misty cast her rod and sighed, "Sigh, it's just Goldeen again today..."
As for Magikarp?
That didn't even count.
Before she finished speaking, there was a loud "Splash" from the water beside her!
Ash Ketchum's wrist flicked, and the fishing rod bent into a thrilling arc.
It was a good thing the rod was of high quality; otherwise, he really couldn't have hauled in a Magikarp.
After all, Magikarp are very heavy.
Amidst splashing water, an unusually dazzling golden shadow was yanked from the surface, tracing a shining trajectory in mid-air.
Wait?
Golden?
A Shiny Magikarp?
Even if its Individual Values were all zero, he had to catch it!
Even if a Golden Magikarp had zero combat power, its ornamental value was maxed out!
Ash Ketchum took out a Poké Ball without hesitation.
The Magikarp slammed onto the grass with a "smack," its tail slapping the ground "pa-pa" with full vigor.
"Pikachu!" Hearing Ash Ketchum's shout, Pikachu simultaneously used Thunder Shock.
Before Ash Ketchum could throw the Poké Ball, Pikachu's Thunder Shock hit first.
The crackling sounds directly stunned the Magikarp into immobility.
Through recent training, Pikachu could now control its electricity relatively easily.
At least when not going all out, Pikachu could control the power output.
[Thunder Shock] could already be considered a common move used with proficiency and ease.
"Alright! Go, Poké Ball!" Ash Ketchum moved as fast as lightning, the red and white ball smashing precisely onto the Magikarp's forehead.
"Ding-dong!"
The locking sound was crisp and pleasant.
Ash Ketchum's gaze immediately swept to the upper left corner of his vision.
[Capture Target Detected]
[Pokémon: Magikarp]
[Level: 13]
[Ability: Swift Swim]
[Move: Splash LV5]
[IVs: HP·31, Atk·31, Def·31, Sp.Atk·31, Sp.Def·31, Speed·31]
It's here!
Ash Ketchum's pupils constricted slightly, his heart skipping a beat.
This is it!
The "good luck" brought by Ho-Oh had indeed landed right where it mattered!
Although this saying was very metaphysical.
But believe it if it benefits you, ignore it if it doesn't.jpg!
"Pika?" Pikachu leaned close to the Poké Ball on the ground, sniffing with its little nose, seemingly sensing the extraordinary nature of the partner inside.
"Coo—!" Just then, the Pidgey circling overhead on alert let out a clear cry and flapped its wings fiercely!
A visible, rotating airflow formed instantly, whistling as it swept toward a dense bush across the river!
"Whoosh!" Leaves were torn and rolled by the powerful airflow, like a green whirlwind, revealing several Pidgey... no, panic-stricken Spearow peeking out from behind.
[Pidgey level up to LV9!]
[Pidgey learned new move: Gust!]
"Beautiful work, Pidgey!" Ash Ketchum cheered loudly. "That Gust was timed perfectly!"
"Pika!" Pikachu, not wanting to be outdone, turned its small body into a golden streak of lightning tearing through the air the moment Ash Ketchum's voice fell.
"Zzzzt!"
Its trajectory was almost invisible; it had already appeared on a wet green stone over ten meters away, so fast it left only a searing afterimage on the retina!
[Pikachu level up to LV6]
[Pikachu learned new move: Quick Attack!]
"Pikachu!" Pikachu stood on the stone, flicking its tail proudly, cheeks crackling "pi-pa" with golden electric snakes that were more condensed and powerful than before.
Misty: "..."
Her fishing rod fell onto the stone with a "clatter."
Water droplets still clung to her orange ponytail. She stared wide-eyed, looking at the Poké Ball containing the Golden Magikarp in Ash Ketchum's hand, then at the Pidgey circling in the air having just learned a powerful new move, and finally at Pikachu on the green stone, covered in electricity with exploded speed.
A huge, absurd sense of unreality gripped her tightly.
She had fished hard for three days, catching nothing but Goldeen and Poliwag!
This guy released a bunch of Magikarp, and then caught a Shiny Magikarp straight away?
Could it be that saying nice things when releasing the Magikarp really works?
Angler metaphysics?
And that Pikachu's Quick Attack... was that the speed a rookie Trainer's Pokémon should have for Quick Attack?
Even that Pidgey seemed very talented.
Misty felt a bit sour.
Eating lemons.
Really quite a bit sour.
"Hey! Ash Ketchum!" Misty finally found her voice, sharp with disbelief. "Did... did you cheat?! Did Ho-Oh bless you?!"
Ash Ketchum was happily checking the new data panels for Pidgey and Pikachu. Hearing this, he looked up, wearing a smile of excitement so pure it was punchable:
"Huh? Luck! It's all luck, Misty!"
"See, I told you fishing is about enjoying the process!"
"When the process is done right, good results naturally follow!"
"This must be a reward from Lord Ho-Oh for our persistence!"
Ash Ketchum cherished the Poké Ball containing the Magikarp, wiping it clean before clipping it to the most convenient spot on his belt. He then patted the head of the Pidgey on his shoulder: "Well done! Sky Eye, you're becoming more and more competent!"
Finally, he crouched down and rubbed Pikachu's furry head, ignoring the tiny electric currents "zipping" onto his fingertips: "And you, Partner! That Quick Attack was cool as heck!"
Sky Eye and Partner were the nicknames Ash Ketchum gave to his two Pokémon.
"Pika~chu!" Pikachu nuzzled his hand, looking proud as if to say "standard procedure."
The little guy's personality had become much more cheerful during this time spent with Ash Ketchum.
Misty watched this scene, then looked at the few listless Goldeen in her bucket. A huge sense of grievance mixed with the depression of "why him" rushed straight to her head.
A Golden Magikarp!
There were many spirits more precious than this, but really not many with higher ornamental value.
Her orange hair was almost standing up in anger, like a cat with fried fur.
...Eh?
Was Misty's hairstyle always a bit strange?
Never mind then.
"Enjoy the process? Reward?" Misty gritted her teeth, grabbing her fishing rod and bucket. "I don't believe a word! You're definitely up to something!"
Misty felt Ash Ketchum must be lying to her!
She turned and walked away angrily, her footsteps splashing water everywhere: "Hmph! I'm not playing with you anymore! Goodbye!"
"Eh? Misty? Wait for me!" Ash Ketchum quickly signaled Pikachu and Pidgey to follow, his smile as brilliant as ever.
Don't laugh?
He couldn't hold it back at all!
If the situation allowed, he wanted to ask everyone he met—how did you know I caught a Golden Magikarp?
"Didn't we say we'd travel together to become Pokémon Masters?"
"Don't leave me behind!"
Ash Ketchum carried his bucket and fishing rod, chasing after Misty.
The golden morning light pierced through the forest gaps, illuminating the running figure of the boy, and the exasperated back of the orange-haired girl.
Ash Ketchum did tell a lie.
But catching a Golden Magikarp... he didn't understand how he did that either.
It could only be called luck.
Even Ho-Oh itself might not have the power to change luck.
You really couldn't blame him.
However, Misty's mood right now was probably: hating to see your bro suffer, but hating to see your bro drive a Range Rover.
It wasn't that she was truly angry, just that the disparity was too huge.
Uh... this kind of thing is quite common in the angler community.
Especially when an old angler sees a newbie's beginner's luck.
That expression... the angler who had bent his back for a lifetime finally snapped.
_____
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