Chapter 223

During the match, Ash suddenly felt an unusual gaze, as if more than one person was watching him, and that psychic aura was much stronger than his.

"It couldn't be the Team Rocket Trio again, could it?"

Xiaoxia suddenly thought of the Team Rocket; they always followed behind, constantly trying to snatch Pikachu.

"You're overestimating them; their usual performance doesn't match that at all, and even Team Rocket headquarters doesn't bring them along, so those three guys must be pretty marginal roles—no need to worry too much!"

Brock thought seriously, "It's possible that a Team Rocket executive is behind it, but those three guys are unlikely."

"That makes sense!"

Ash also agreed.

【Musashi: Slander, you're slandering us!】

【Kojiro: What do you mean by marginal role? We're highly valued by Boss Sakaki.】

【Meowth: You little brat, believe it or not, we'll blow up your Gym!】

【Xiaosheng: Are you in a hurry?】

【Xiba: Lies don't hurt people; the truth is the sharp blade!】

Damn!

If it weren't for the fact that you're one of the Elite Four and your build is big, I couldn't beat you—I would have taken care of you long ago!

The Team Rocket Trio can bend and stretch, indicating Xiba's special status, so they let him go.

And that brat's father is a Gym Leader, not simple either, so they also let him go.

At first glance, the Team Rocket thought that nobody in the comment stream was worth provoking... except the little brat.

You can provoke the little brat, but in the end they're the ones who suffer.

Black World—

Ash and his group were just playing around in Aoduomalei.

Brock met Miss Joy at the Pokémon Center and immediately went over to chat her up.

This gave Ash and Xiaoxia some alone time, so Ash took Xiaoxia to stroll around the vicinity.

Brock's really good—he chatted with Miss Joy at the Pokémon Center without being a third wheel, and he could even develop something... although it still ended in failure.

After playing for a few hours, Ash lugged big and small bags into the room, while Xiaoxia had rushed to Aoduomalei, participated in the match, then ran off to play; now she's tired and sleepy, so she went back to rest first.

She doesn't have nearly as much energy as Ash.

"Then I'll go out for a stroll; I don't know if I'll run into a situation like that again."

Ash took Pikachu out for a walk.

Coincidentally, he ran into the Team Rocket Trio, but discovered their target wasn't him, but the two sisters on the yacht.

"Are you up to no good again?"

Ash walked up to the Team Rocket Trio and followed their gaze; all he could see was the yacht's receding silhouette.

"Huh?"

Hearing the familiar voice, the Team Rocket Trio jumped in surprise, seeing Ash beside them, instantly they pulled back and huddled together.

"Hey, little brat, what are you doing here?"

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?"

Ash chuckled and shook his head; the Team Rocket Trio had come to Aoduomalei with him, and now they wanted to do something again—although most big disturbances were caused by Team Rocket headquarters, the Trio also occasionally stirred up trouble, so precautions were needed.

Meowth's eyes rolled, revealing a smile, and he told Ash what they were up to.

From the Team Rocket Trio they learned that the two sisters who had been sitting on the yacht earlier were thieves, and notorious ones at that, specializing in stealing treasures.

It was said they were planning to steal the treasures in Aoduomalei.

The Team Rocket Trio sincerely told Ash, insisting it was absolutely true and that they weren't deceiving him.

"You wouldn't be trying to get me to catch those two thieves, then sneak off and snatch Pikachu while I'm battling them, would you?"

Ash raised an eyebrow, holding one part belief in the Team Rocket's words, but nine parts disbelief.

"No, how would we ever do something like that!"

The Team Rocket Trio immediately replied.

"I don't really trust you."

Ash remained wary of the Team Rocket Trio, but merely told Miss Junsha about it.

He still had things to do, namely taking Lugia and Gyarados out to play in the water.

Sitting on Gyarados's back, he went all the way to a more remote shore before releasing Lugia.

Now Lugia's size has increased a bit, still as clingy as ever—upon emerging it hugged Ash and clung to him.

"All right, go play with them!"

Ash stroked Lugia; there were too many people in town, and if he directly released Lugia it would surely draw a crowd, and maybe someone with ulterior motives would even scheme against it like the Team Rocket.

Lugia nodded obediently, swam to the surface with Gyarados, and Pikachu also joined in.

Snorlax also rarely came out to play, simply lying on the water and drifting slowly.

Its huge belly could accommodate several people; sometimes when Pikachu got tired from swimming it would climb onto Snorlax to rest.

Ash took out his camera and took pictures of them.

Chrysanthemum Grass Leaf didn't go down to play; it stayed on the shore keeping Ash company, perched on his shoulder, and sometimes even posed for photos with him.

【Jiadeliya: I have a question—if Chrysanthemum Grass Leaf saw Ash being kissed by Latias, what would it do?】

【Xiluna: Definitely jealous—she'd have to kiss Ash a few more times, after all Ash is just too lovable to them!】

Hanako: Mm-hmm, Ash is handsome and cute, not only liked by girls, but also liked by Poké Balls, go for it Ash, seize it!

Ash: I got it!

Black World—

Latios really was just hiding above, watching Ash and Poké Ball play.

Ash stood on the soft sand, tightly gripping his camera, the lens capturing the joyful moment of him playing with Chikorita. Chikorita's tender green leaves swayed gently, as if also enjoying this tranquility and beauty.

Lugia waved its wings, kicking up a spray that splashed toward Ash and Chikorita; the cool seawater instantly surrounded them, and the air filled with laughter.

He shouted for Ash and Chikorita to come over and play.

Gyarados and Pikachu both splashed water at Ash; shared joy is better than solitary joy.

"Great, you guys team up against me!"

Ash also splashed water at them from the shore; playing with Poké Ball was also one of his greatest joys.

"Lugia, what are you looking at?"

Seeing Lugia suddenly look somewhere else and stop moving, Ash took the chance to splash water at Lugia.

Lugia directly turned around and counterattacked.

For a moment, Ash couldn't handle several guys splashing water at once, so he used psychic power to control the water flow, splashing it all at once at Pikachu and the others.

Lugia also used psychic power, but it was used on Ash—controlling Ash, bringing him to the water's surface, then putting him back down.

"Huh?"

Ash was very surprised; just as he thought he was about to fall into the water, a gentle force steadied him.

The Poké Balls saw Ash hovering in midair and curiously watched the scene.

Lugia keenly sensed that some Poké Ball had caught Ash.

"Gee~"

Lugia said to it, "Quickly put my trainer down."

"Pika pi?"

Pikachu asked Ash if he was okay.

"I'm fine!"

Ash landed steadily on the ground, sensed the other's psychic fluctuations, and gratefully said, "Thanks."

"Mm!"

Suddenly, a Poké Ball appeared before them.

Ash widened his eyes; what appeared before him was Latios, the Latios from the statue.

Its streamlined body had a red rear half, jet‑engine‑like wings, and large yellow eyes that looked at Ash.

"I'm fine, I'm just playing with them!"

Ash sensed Latios's waveform and instantly realized that the one secretly following him was Latios; though he had done nothing, why did it attract them?

"Woo!"

Latios's eyes flashed with a soft, mysterious white light—that was telepathy, communicating happily with Ash, indicating it also wanted to play with him.

"Great, we can play together!"

Ash readily agreed; after all, it's just playing with Poké Ball, which to him is trivial.

Latios seemed to feel Ash's sincerity and enthusiasm, revealing a gentle smile.

Then Latios lightly took flight, stirring a gentle breeze, and in an elegant, playful manner, took Ash's hat from his head.

Ash was first stunned, then amusingly gave chase, reclaimed his hat, while Latios nimbly dodged.

"Chu (＃￣～￣＃)!!!"

Seeing Latios and Ash playing so intimately, Chikorita puffed its cheeks, feeling a bit jealous; this newcomer had designs on its trainer.