Chapter 83

The persistent Team Rocket trio also infiltrated the celebration, seizing Ash's Pikachu in the process; Pidgey was injured, and with no other Flying-type Pokémon available, Ash had no choice but to call on Charizard.

Fortunately, this time Charizard responded to Ash's plea and successfully rescued Pidgey.

After dealing with Team Rocket, Professor Oak gave Ash and his friends another mission: travel to Citrus Island in the Orange Archipelago and retrieve the mysterious Poké Ball from Professor Ivy.

After bidding farewell to Professor Oak, Ash and his companions arrived at a forest near Pallet Town.

In the forest, Ash was attacked by a Spearow and witnessed a flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto hiding in the bushes, too terrified of the Spearow to move.

To encourage the Pidgey and Pidgeotto to find their courage, Ash summoned his own Pidgey.

Finally, Ash's Pidgey evolved into Pidgeot during the battle with the Spearow, and with everyone's efforts, the Spearow was finally driven away.

"Pidgeot, that Spearow could attack at any moment; I think you should stay in this forest to protect the Pidgey and the others."

After saying he would return immediately once the matter was settled, Ash and his group bid farewell to Pidgeot and continued on their journey.

Falkner: "No way, Ash just left Pidgeot in the forest? That Pidgeot is incredibly well-developed!"

Lance: "When Charizard cannot be relied upon, Pidgeot should be the most trustworthy Pokémon in Ash's team. Should he really leave Pidgeot behind?"

Cynthia: "I've figured it out; Ash's team absolutely does not allow fully evolved Pokémon to stay. Butterfree was released shortly after evolving, and now Pidgeot is being left in the forest right after evolving. I suspect it's because Charizard understands Ash's tactics too well; knowing that if he obeys obediently, he might also be released by Ash, he keeps disobeying Ash's orders."

Diantha: "If that's really the case, I'd cry to death; Charizard loves Ash so much!"

Professor Oak: "It can't be helped; Ash didn't intentionally want to leave Pidgeot in the forest; he was just worried about the safety of the Pidgey and Pidgeotto."

Erika: "If you're truly afraid the Spearow will return to bully the Pidgey, why not just catch the Spearow yourself?"

Ash: "Right, we can do that!!!"

To reach Citrus Island in the Orange Archipelago as quickly as possible, Ash and his friends bought tickets for an airship, but what they never expected was that this airship actually belonged to Team Rocket.

After enduring a host of troubles on board, Ash and his friends finally drove Team Rocket away and successfully landed the airship on Citrus Island.

Steven: "Team Rocket's business scope is way too broad; they even operate airships."

Wallace: "However, it doesn't look like the airship business is very profitable; the airship is all tattered and worn. Only Ash, Misty, and Brock have heads hard enough to board such a dilapidated airship; any other passengers would have demanded refunds and fled long ago."

After overcoming countless hardships, Ash and his friends finally arrived at Professor Ivy's laboratory. After transmitting all the data on the GS Ball to Professor Oak, they stayed at Professor Ivy's lab for another day. Ash originally planned to take the GS Ball back to Pallet Town early the next morning, but what he never expected was that upon waking up early the next day, he received news that shocked him.

Brock decided to stay at Professor Ivy's laboratory.

In Brock's words, staying here allows him to see many Pokémon he has never seen before, but the real reason is understood by those who know.

Lance: "Don't tell me Brock has fallen for Professor Ivy?"

Bruno: "No way; the age gap between Brock and Professor Ivy is quite large."

Erika: "Age is no issue; love can overcome everything!"

Lorelei: "Hehe, I hope Brock doesn't do that, otherwise he will definitely regret it."

Brock: "Miss Lorelei, what do you mean by that?"

Lorelei: "You'll understand when the time comes."

Back to the video.

Normal people wouldn't step into the same puddle twice, but Ash and Misty are clearly not normal people; having been severely scammed by the airship on the way there, on the way back, they actually chose to take an airship again.

Thus, Ash and Misty encountered the Team Rocket trio once again.

Fortunately, Jigglypuff came to the rescue again this time; a lullaby successfully put Jessie, James, and Meowth to sleep.

With no one left to operate the airship, the airship crashed once more.

Giovanni: "..."

Giovanni no longer knows what to say.

The first time, Jessie, James, and Meow destroyed an old-model airship, which wasn't worth much anyway, so breaking it was just breaking it, but this time is different; this time they were piloting a brand-new airship.

Super expensive!!!

Damn it, those three guys!!!

The island where the airship ultimately crashed was Maroon Island; on Maroon Island, Ash and his friends met Pokémon Watcher Tracey and rescued a Lapras from a group of delinquents.

Lorelei: "Truly damn it; how dare those delinquents bully Lapras? Don't they know Lapras is protected in the Orange Archipelago?"

Lana: "Protected? Why?"

Bruno: "Because Lapras is a rare Pokémon; it can be ridden across the sea, and its nature is kind and dislikes conflict, making it an easy target for poachers. Sigh, I remember there are Lapras on Alola Island too."

Lana: "Yes, so many, countless Lapras. In our Alola, Lapras have become a plague."

Professor Kukui: "Hahaha, it seems we in Alola protect Lapras a bit too much."

At the Pokémon Center, Ash saw a poster of the Southern Cross; upon learning that collecting all the Southern Cross Badges would allow one to challenge the Orange League, Ash immediately decided to stay in the Orange League and participate in the competition.

At the Pokémon Center, Ash and his friends were attacked by Team Rocket again; this time, Team Rocket stole the young Lapras, and it was only through Ash risking his life that he managed to snatch the young Lapras back from Team Rocket's grasp.

After being saved by Ash twice in a row, Lapras fully accepted Ash, and thus, Ash successfully caught Lapras.

Tracey also seemed quite interested in the Orange League; he requested to join the group and travel with Ash and his friends.

The new trio was thus formed.

At this moment, the video with the white border slowly dimmed, replaced by a video with a black border being illuminated.

"It's time to return to Pallet Town." The post-championship celebrations were mostly over; it was time to begin the next plan.

As for what the next step should be, Ash already had an idea in mind.

However, before starting a new journey, it would be best to return to Pallet Town first.

"Then we must part ways here, Sabrina." The time spent with Sabrina had benefited Ash greatly; under Sabrina's guidance, Ash's Psychic abilities were steadily increasing.

If the Saffron City Gym wasn't waiting for Sabrina to return, Ash would truly have wanted to keep Sabrina by his side forever.

"Then see you next time, Ash."

Sabrina actually didn't want to part with Ash and his friends either, but there was no choice; after all, she was the Gym Leader of the Saffron City Gym, and there was a huge pile of matters waiting for her to handle there.

In a forest fifty kilometers from Pallet Town, Ash encountered a troublesome situation.

This forest was inhabited by two tribes of Bird Pokémon: one was a flock of Pidgey, and the other was a flock of Spearow.

【For as long as anyone could remember, Pidgeys and Spearows had lived in peace.】

(Second update.)

95: The Champions are envious! Ash's Aura power is just too awesome!

【The reason is very simple.】

【For as long as anyone could remember, the Pidgey flocks had always been the stronger side. Because their opponents were stronger, the Spearows could only swallow their anger and live alongside the Pidgeys in the forest.】

【But just two days ago, the balance of the tribes was broken. The Spearow leader successfully evolved into a Pidgeot. In an instant, the Spearow flock's strength underwent a qualitative transformation.】

【How can one allow others to sleep beneath one's own bed? The Spearows, who believed in wolf culture, launched an attack on the Pidgey flocks the moment their tribe's strength increased, attempting to drive the Pidgeys out of the forest to achieve their goal of dominating the forest alone.】

Ash: "Spearows and Pidgeots are truly the most annoying creatures."

These guys are either doing bad things or on their way to doing bad things; it's really hard to like them.

Falkner: "There's no help for it; this is the law of the jungle."

Lt. Surge: "If you ask me, every single mistake is the Pidgeys' own fault. If they had been a bit more ruthless and wiped out the Spearows when their tribe held the advantage, how could they have ended up in today's situation?"

Lance: "If Pidgeys were that ruthless, would they still be Pidgeys?"

【Ding!!!】

【Entering the prize-guessing segment!!!】

At this moment, a question suddenly appeared on the screen.

【Question: How will Dark Ash handle this matter?】

【A: It's none of my business; one must learn to go with the flow and turn away.】

【B: The Spearows are truly detestable; I will act in anger and drive the Spearows out of the forest.】

【C: Punish only the ringleader and capture the Spearow leader, the Pidgeot.】

【D: Leave my Pidgeot in the forest to protect the Pidgeys.】

【E: Help the Pidgeys undergo special training so they can gain the power to resist external enemies.】

Wallace: "Good, the quiz is finally back; this time I must get the reward."

Steven: "Wallace, take it easy. Don't forget, you answered incorrectly last time; if you answer incorrectly again this time, you'll be locked in the small dark room again."

Wallace: "Then I'll skip this one; next time, next time."

Since being locked in the small dark room for five rounds, Wallace is now afraid just hearing the three words "small dark room."

His current style of conduct is all about being steady.

Giovanni: "Hmph, A is what a true Trainer should do; it's just a pity that Dark Ash won't do that."

Lance: "A true Trainer? Laughable! Please stop trying to gild your own lily, Giovanni; only a heartless person like you would pretend nothing happened. We are not like you!"

Steven: "If it were Dark Ash, I feel he would choose B, directly driving the Spearows out of the forest and settling both new and old grudges."