Chapter 125

Valerie: "A beginner like Ash looks like a soft persimmon at a glance; Ghost-type Pokémon love to tease people like you. Dark Ash is different; he's glowing with gold all over, and Ghost-type Pokémon aren't stupid. They won't go looking for trouble."

Ash: "In other words, am I too weak?"

Lorelei: "You guessed it!"

Ecruteak City.

These few days are the days for the annual performance festival, so there are performers doing street performances everywhere in Ecruteak City.

"Pokémon performance, I want to participate too."

In Celadon City, she was always a well-behaved and gentle young lady. Now that she's out traveling, Erika also wants to do something different.

Erika was participating, so Misty didn't want to be outdone. She immediately decided to participate in the performance too.

"What about Nana? Do you want to participate too?" Erika turned to look at Nana.

Nana waved her hands quickly. "No, no, my goal is to be a Pokémon Master. I have no interest in street performances."

Wallace: "The performance in Ecruteak City has the same effect as the Pokémon Contest. Maybe we can use Ecruteak City as an entry point to promote the Contest to Johto."

Steven: "The Pokémon Contest really chose the right person to be the spokesperson. You're really thinking about promoting the Contest all the time."

Wallace: "Heh, otherwise? Do you think the benefits are given for free?"

Lance: "Wallace, I advise you to put away your thoughts. The Kanto and Johto regions are the two most traditional regions. People here don't care for the Contest. Exciting and hot-blooded battles are what Kanto and Johto people love."

Raoul Contesta: "The Contest not only has exciting performances but also intense and hot-blooded battles."

Lance: "Director Contesta, you don't even believe this yourself, right? The Grand Festival has been held for so many sessions, and many top Coordinators have been born, but the only Coordinator who can really fight is Wallace."

Steven: "I must speak for Director Contesta on this. There's also Mr. Wallace—wait, how could you forget Mr. Wallace?"

Lance: "Coordinating trainer isn't Wallace's main job; Wallace's main job is Gym Leader. Fantina is the same."

This is actually a common problem for most Coordinating trainers—just pursuing so-called gorgeousness, but in fact, there is no combat power at all.

A top Coordinating trainer might not even be able to beat a top 16 player in the tournament in a one-on-one.

After the registration was successful, Ash took Misty, Nana, and Erika to stroll around the streets of Ecruteak City. Brock, perhaps not wanting to disturb their four-person world, took the initiative to go buy food.

South: "It's not easy, Brock finally realized that he is a bright and shining light bulb."

Brawly: "I feel sorry for Brock for no reason. Dark Ash has three beauties accompanying him, and he is alone."

Steven: "Brock needs you to feel sorry for him? He's having a great time!"

Following Dark Ash on this journey, Brock has gained so many benefits.

Just by catching several rare Pokémon, more importantly, Dark Ash occasionally helps Brock with special training for his Pokémon.

The benefits he got are solid.

Brawly: "That, I wonder if Dark Ash is still missing a light bulb? I can do it too. I guarantee I'll shine brighter than Brock!"

While strolling on the street, Ash and the others met the street performer Ali. Because they were both Bellossom trainers, Erika and Ali hit it off immediately.

After learning that Ali and her Bellossom were practicing a big move called 'Leaping Moon,' Erika volunteered to assist Ali and Bellossom in training.

"Really? That's simply too great!"

Having Erika, the Grass-type Gym Leader, to help her practice, Ali couldn't ask for more.

She immediately demonstrated the prototype of 'Leaping Moon' in front of Erika.

"How is it?"

After the performance, Ali looked at Erika with expectant eyes, waiting for Erika's judgment.

"Bellossom's rotation in the air isn't very smooth."

After enjoying Ali and Bellossom's performance, Erika gave her evaluation.

In the following time, Erika began to teach Ali's Bellossom how to dance freely in the air.

Three hours passed, and the progress of Bellossom could be clearly seen.

"Thank you so much, Teacher Erika!" Ali said with admiration.

It's too amazing. She and her Bellossom had practiced for so long and couldn't complete the final step, but with Erika's help, it only took three hours to have a transformation.

"Sister Erika is really a good teacher." Nana also sighed.

"When I was in Celadon City, I not only served as a Gym Leader but also as a flower arrangement teacher. Misty, Nana, if you are interested in flower arrangement, I can teach you." Erika smiled brightly.

She had experience in being a teacher.

"Flower arrangement?" Nana shook her head like a rattle. Spare her, flower arrangement isn't something someone like her can do.

Nana couldn't do the work of flower arrangement, and Misty was the same. In front of Erika, who had the style of a Yamato Nadeshiko, Misty was extremely dejected.

She lost, lost completely.

"Not everyone is good at flower arrangement, just like not everyone's synchronized swimming performance is as good as Misty's."

Ash seemed to see Misty's thoughts and comforted her softly.

That's right!

She couldn't compare to Erika in flower arrangement, but Erika couldn't do synchronized swimming either. She didn't need to be dejected at all.

Head held high, encouraged by Ash, Misty regained her spirit immediately.

Violet: "Dark Ash is too good, actually willing to lie to Misty."

Misty: "Lie? What do you mean?"

Daisy: "Misty, don't you really think your synchronized swimming skills are very good?"

Lily: "Reality is cruel, Misty. Your synchronized swimming is only at a beginner's level."

Misty: "Hey, am I really your biological sister!"

Misty was about to explode. How could a biological sister belittle her own sister every day!!!

Daisy: "We just like to tell the truth."

Violet, Lily: "That's right!"

The Pokémon performance festival was held as scheduled the next day.

Misty's place was very early. The stage of the competition wasn't in an aquarium, which limited Misty's performance. Her performance could only be described as mediocre.

Erika's performance was much more exciting. The dance she and Bellossom performed together stunned the whole audience.

Bellossom and Erika dancing among colorful flowers attracted the eyes of all the audience present. Even Ash was no exception.

Ash, who was always indifferent, was also immersed in Erika's beauty. It can be seen how wonderful Erika's performance was.

Misty lost completely this time.

No surprise, Erika finally won the laurel, while Misty only got a consolation certificate, which made Misty depressed for a long time.

After leaving Ecruteak City, Ash and the others moved forward and arrived at Deerling Town.

Deerling Town is a small town famous for its beautiful environment in Johto. The most famous thing in the town is Deerling Park.

Since they came to Deerling Town, they definitely couldn't miss Deerling Park. Under Ash's leadership, the group arrived at Deerling Park in a mighty manner.

Originally just preparing to enjoy the beautiful scenery and relax, what Ash didn't expect was that they actually saw a Stantler that had just been born in Deerling Park.

And this Stantler's foot was injured.

"What a pitiful Stantler." Erika quickly took out the first-aid tools from her backpack. While trying to let the Stantler let down its guard with food, she slowly walked toward the Stantler.

"Good, good, it will be fine." Erika comforted while approaching the Stantler.

Just when Erika thought the little Stantler had completely let down its guard, suddenly, a large group of adult Stantler crawled out of the bushes behind the Stantler. They stared at Ash and his group with tiger-like eyes.

"What's going on?"

Being stared at by a group of Stantler with indifferent eyes, even Erika began to feel her heart crawl.

She didn't dare to approach the little deer rashly anymore and could only retreat slowly.

"Master, what should we do?" Nana felt her heart crawl from being stared at by the Stantler. If Ash weren't by her side, she would have probably run away long ago.

"Let's leave quickly. I always feel that this group of Stantler will rush up suddenly." Thinking of the possibility of facing dozens of Stantler attacks, Misty also began to panic.

"But if we leave, what will happen to that injured little Stantler?" Brock worried.

The little Stantler's foot was very serious. If left alone, it might cause irreversible results. This was something Brock didn't want to see.

Just when several people were struggling with what to do, the Stantler in the bushes moved. Led by the leading Stantler, dozens of Stantler rushed toward them at the same time.

Erika didn't care about the style of a young lady anymore. She dropped the medical kit and turned to run.

Brock, Misty, and Nana followed closely.

After they ran for more than ten meters, they remembered that Ash didn't run with them.

No way, could it be that Ash was preparing to beat all the Stantler?

Bruno: "Ash can't beat all the Stantler. He doesn't have that ability."

Steven: "Do you know what you are talking about? Dark Ash isn't even afraid of Mewtwo. What can a group of small Stantler do to him?"