With the interlude at the Seven Grapefruit Islands finished, Ash and his friends followed Professor Oak's directions to the historic Moro Island.
Professor Oak had contacted Ash via the phone at a Pokémon Center, informing him that the local museum had recently discovered and put on display an important artifact: an Ancient Orange League Winner's Trophy. He suggested Ash visit to feel the glory of the predecessors.
"An ancient champion's trophy? That sounds so cool!" Ash was very interested. It would give him a more intuitive understanding of the Orange League's history.
The next morning, Ash, Misty, and Tracey headed for the island's museum with great excitement. However, when they arrived, they found the entrance in total chaos. Officer Jenny was busy directing police officers.
"What happened, Officer Jenny?" Ash went up to ask.
"Oh, it's you three," Officer Jenny said, her brow furrowed. "The museum was burglarized last night. That ancient trophy that was just put on display has been stolen!"
"What?!" The three were shocked.
The plot from the original story immediately surfaced in Ash's mindit was Team Rocket! And they were likely hiding on that famous Ghost Ship!
Keeping his expression neutral, Ash said to Officer Jenny, "Officer Jenny, we might have a lead. Please leave the investigation to us!"
Without waiting for her reply, Ash led Misty and Tracey away. Using his Aura perception and his vague memories of the area, he bypassed the main road and took a remote path. They quickly arrived at a desolate beach on the edge of Moro Island.
There, an old, tattered ship with shredded sails and an eerie aura was anchoredthe legendary Ghost Ship!
"Ash, how did you know this was here...?" Tracey asked in amazement.
"Instinct!" Ash replied briefly as he took the lead and stepped onto the creaking deck.
The interior of the ship was even darker, covered in dust and spiderwebs, and the air was thick with the scent of decay. Ash's Aura clearly captured the familiar energy fluctuations of the Team Rocket trio, as well as... two other energy sources carrying a mischievous ghostly intent!
"Come out, Gastly, Haunter!" Ash called out to the empty cabin. He knew that prank-loving Ghost-type Pokémon resided here. If he remembered correctly, these two Pokémon had belonged to the previous captain.
Following his voice, a gaseous Gastly and a Haunter with a creepy grin slowly emerged from the shadows.
"We need your help," Ash said to them. "Go scare those three thieves and get the trophy back. I think you'll find it quite 'fun'."
Gastly and Haunter looked at each other, grinning with excitement and ill intent. Pranks? That was their specialty!
Ash and the others hid in the dark. Gastly and Haunter began their work. They floated into the cabin where Team Rocket was hiding. First, they made the tables and chairs move on their own. Then, they made Jessie's image in her mirror become hideous and terrifying. They made James's food suddenly come to life and attack him. Finally, they made Meowth's gold coins grow legs and run away one by one...
"Aaaaah! Ghosts!"
"Help! My coins!"
"This place is too spooky, meow!"
Team Rocket was scared out of their wits by these continuous, incomprehensible paranormal phenomena. They huddled together, shivering, truly believing they had encountered real spirits.
"The trophy! It must be this trophy that's bringing us bad luck! Throw it away, quick!" Jessie screamed.
"Yes, yes! Throw it away!" James and Meowth echoed frantically.
The three of them scrambled to throw the stolen trophy onto the deck before scrambling, crawling, and wailing as they fled the Ghost Ship, disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Only then did Ash step out from his hiding spot. He picked up the trophy from the deck and nodded his thanks to the Gastly and Haunter flickering in the air. "Thanks, you two."
Gastly and Haunter giggled, vanishing into the shadows of the cabin to continue their eternal pranking.
After returning the trophy to the museum, Officer Jenny and the museum curator were incredibly grateful to Ash. Not lingering any longer, the group set off once again on Lapras.
While sailing through open waters, Team Rocket proved they hadn't learned their lesson. They emerged from underwater in their signature Magikarp Submarine, trying the same old trick to snatch Pikachu.
"Since you have asked so sincerely"
"Pikachu, 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt!" Ash cut them off directly.
"Pika-chuuuuu!"
The powerful current hit the submarine, but this time the vessel seemed to have been insulated, as the effect was minimal.
"Hahaha! It's useless! we've upgraded it!" Jessie laughed triumphantly.
"Wartortle, I choose you! Use Hydro Pump!" Ash immediately shifted strategies.
Wartortle appeared, and a thick blast of water accurately hit the submarine's observation window. The intense water pressure shattered the glass, and seawater came rushing in!
"Oh no! The sub is leaking!"
"We're sinking, meow!"
"We're blasting off!"
Amidst their screams, Team Rocket sank into the sea along with their leaking submarine. Ash knew they surely had an escape method, so he wasn't worried about them.
However, the situation this time was a bit different. In the chaos, Meowth's escape pod was separated from the others by the currents. He eventually washed up on a strange island filled with cat-shaped stone statuesMeowth Island.
When the islanders saw a Meowth that could walk upright and speak human language, they were awestruck. They immediately worshipped him as the legendary "Great Meowth" who brought happiness!
When Ash and the others, along with Jessie and James who had been searching for him, arrived on Meowth Island, they saw Meowth sitting on a high platform. He was being pampered with delicious food and massages, looking completely blissed out.
"Meowth!" Jessie and James called out.
"Oh, it's you guys," Meowth glanced at them lazily. "I'm the dignified Great Meowth now. I don't want to go back to living a hard life with you two, meow."
When the islanders saw Jessie, James, and Ash's group, they immediately branded them as "evildoers" who were disturbing the Great Meowth's peace. Without a word of explanation, they chased them all off the island.
Ash shook his head at the scene. He had expected Meowth to be seduced by the luxury, but he also knew this "happiness" wouldn't last long.
Sure enough, it wasn't long before the village elder led the people to bow before Meowth. "O Great Meowth, please perform a miracle. Use Pay Day to bring us even more wealth and happiness!"
"Pay... Pay Day?" Meowth was stunned. He didn't even know that move!
"That's right! Legend says the Great Meowth uses Pay Day to bring happiness!"
No matter how Meowth tried to explain that he couldn't do it, the islanders believed it was just the deity testing their piety. Finally, in order to "stimulate" Meowth's potential, they forcibly took him to an ancient circular arena and left him alone in the center.
"If you do not perform Pay Day, you cannot leave this place!" the elder said sternly before leading everyone out.
Trapped in the arena, Meowth was both anxious and terrified. His previous smugness had vanished. The arena then began sending out Pokémon to battle Meowth one after another. Meowth was beaten so badly he could barely stand it!
Ash, who had been monitoring the situation from outside the island, knew the time was right. He found the equally anxious but helpless Jessie and James.
"Jessie, James," Ash said, getting straight to the point. "Do you want to save Meowth?"
"Duh! But those islanders..."
"We can cooperate," Ash said calmly. "A temporary truce. We'll work together to get Meowth out. After that, you can go wherever you want, we won't interfere."
Jessie and James looked at each other. Although they were reluctant to work with Ash, they gritted their teeth for Meowth's sake. "Fine! A temporary partnership. but we're still enemies once Meowth is safe!"
"Deal."
The three of them snuck onto the island and reached the perimeter of the arena. Ash surveyed the terrain and guards, quickly devising a plan. "James, have your Victreebel use Vine Whip to create chaos and distract the guards. Jessie, use Arbok's Haze for cover. Pikachu and I will take the chance to rush in and get Meowth out."
The operation began! James's Victreebel extended long vine whips, knocking over several torches outside and causing a commotion. Jessie's Arbok exhaled a thick cloud of Haze, obscuring everyone's vision. Ash and Pikachu rushed into the arena like lightning and found the panicked Meowth.
"Twerp?! How did you..."
"Stop talking and let's go!" Ash grabbed Meowth. With Pikachu's electricity clearing the way, they quickly burst out of the arena and met up with Jessie and James.
The islanders were distracted by the chaos. By the time the Haze cleared and they realized the "Great Meowth" was gone, there was nothing they could do.
After escaping Meowth Island and reaching a safe shore, Jessie and James immediately reverted from "partners" back to their "enemy" stance, pulling Meowth behind them.
"This time... thanks, twerp," Jessie muttered awkwardly, her voice as quiet as a mosquito's buzz.
"But we won't give up on catching Pikachu!" James added.
"That's right, meow!" Meowth had regained his spirit, though a complex look flickered in his eyes.
Ash smiled, ignoring their threats. "Hurry and go, before the islanders catch up."
The Team Rocket trio gave Ash a deep look. Saying nothing more, they turned and quickly disappeared into the woods. This time, they didn't immediately start plotting their next snatch-and-grab as usual. Instead, they silently vanished into the forest.
Misty watched them leave, feeling a bit surprised. "They actually didn't try to snatch anything this time..."
"Maybe... they aren't completely beyond redemption," Tracey said thoughtfully.
Ash looked out over the calm sea, a sense of understanding in his heart. The bond between the Team Rocket trio and Meowth was perhaps the real reason they managed to regroup again and again despite their failures.
This interlude had come to an end. Ash's challenge for the Orange League would continue.
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