Chapter 227: Bicycle: History Is Surprisingly Similar!

Bai Shijie——

After finishing another challenging and adventurous journey, Ash returned to his familiar and warm Pallet Town, full of memories and gains.

Not long after returning, he heard the news that Xiaomao was leaving Pallet Town.

From Doctor Daimu he learned that Xiaomao only took his Squirtle, while the rest of his Poké Balls were left at the research institute's backyard.

Out of concern and reluctance for his friend, Ash hurried over to see him off.

Xiaomao said he wanted to learn more about Poké Balls, which is why he was so eager to leave Pallet Town.

To express his support and blessings for Xiaomao, Ash pulled out a special gift from his pocket—a half Poké Ball—and gave it to Xiaomao.

After Xiaomao left, Ash and Pikachu sat on a tree branch and unexpectedly saw Ho-Oh fly by.

【Xiba: Have you come? Is Ash going to battle Ho-Oh?】

【Qibanà: Really encountered Ho-Oh again!】

Everyone was expecting Ash to battle Ho-Oh, but instead of charging into a heated fight as everyone imagined, Ash calmly stood up, his deep gaze fixed on Ho-Oh's gradually receding silhouette.

Ho-Oh's elegant and majestic flight traced a splendid scroll across the sky. From Ho-Oh's departure trajectory, Ash discerned that it was heading toward the Johto Region.

This discovery stirred an inexplicable excitement in Ash's heart, filling him with endless curiosity and longing for the Johto Region.

At that moment Ash also recalled Ye Yue, who had come from the Abundant Source Region, realizing he could now travel to the Johto Region.

Now Xiaomao has found his own goal to continue his journey, and Ash too has a next goal for his continued travels.

That evening, Ash told Doctor Daimu and the others of his goal to travel to the Johto Region.

Hanako also knew Ash's nature and understood his love for Poké Balls. She quietly packed his luggage and even prepared his ticket to the Johto Region.

Doctor Daimu also handed Ash the Johto Region Poké Ball Illustrated Guide.

On the way, Ash took Pikachu aboard a cruise ship bound for the Johto Region, while the Team Rocket Trio also caught up to the ship and, seizing a moment when Ash wasn't looking, snatched Pikachu—only for an mishap to occur en route, leaving Meowth and Pikachu accidentally arriving at a warehouse in a town.

Pikachu and Meowth encountered a group of Poké Balls, which were being bullied and had their territory seized by a pack of Gastly; Pikachu drove off the Gastly, and those Poké Balls wanted Pikachu to stay as their leader.

But at that moment, Jessie and James of Team Rocket snatched Pikachu; the Rattata and Pidgeotto intervened to rescue Pikachu, the driven‑off Gastly came to help, and after Pikachu's mediation and the Team Rocket Trio's 'assist,' the Rattata and Gastly finally reconciled.

With Pidgeotto's help, Ash caught up to the ship and finally arrived in the Johto Region.

【Kenan: The Team Rocket Trio really persists—starting from the Kanto Region, they followed Ash to the Orange Islands and the Johto Region, and now they're following him to yet another area; they've been tailing Ash longer than the time he's traveled with his three companions!】

【Ash: That's true—I'm currently traveling in the Kalos Region, and the Team Rocket Trio has followed me here, clinging like a stubborn plaster that I can't shake off, and they still can't forget my Pikachu.】

【James: Not only that—whenever we fail to capture Pikachu, we'll keep following you, after all we've accompanied you through several regions; if we just gave up now, wouldn't all our prior effort be wasted? And what about the suffering we've endured, constantly getting shocked by Pikachu?】

【Ash: Count... you deserve it!】

【Misty: Hahaha, Ash is right!】

【Jessie: You little brat… just enjoy yourself for now, don't give us a chance to snatch Pikachu.】

Regarding the threat of the Team Rocket Trio, not only does Ash's party not take them to heart, but even the audience watching the show doesn't take them seriously.

Although they three are members of Team Rocket, and Meowth is oddly able to speak, their battle power is too low—they are no match for Ash's party at all.

When they first met, everyone thought the Team Rocket Trio were formidable, but later they were no longer mere villains; instead they often appeared as comic performers, frequently 'assisting' Ash's party at crucial moments to help them solve problems or escape predicaments.

【Ash: When traveling, you must always watch out for Team Rocket; a moment's carelessness and they'll snatch your Pikachu—it's quite annoying.】

【James: If you hand over your Pikachu to us, you'll never have to worry about annoyance again—this benefits both of us, a win‑win!】

【Jessie: Exactly, exactly!!!】

【Ash: I'm honest, not an idiot!】

Hehe, whether you agree or not, we're going to snatch Pikachu.......

The Team Rocket Trio exchanged glances, their shared goal unchanged.

Bai Shijie——

Pikachu was weakened by the Team Rocket Trio's electromagnetic energy‑absorption method, its condition grew feeble and it even ran a fever.

Ash then took Pikachu to seek treatment, but the town lacked a Poké Ball Center, so he contacted Doctor Otamaki.

But Pikachu's electricity was too strong; the residual charge in its body reacted violently with the equipment inside the research institute, triggering a small‑scale explosion. Startled, Pikachu seized the chance to flee the institute—its stamina had reached its limit, electricity raging within, nearly losing control.

Pikachu staggered to the edge of a cliff. Overwhelmed by physical pain and mental torment, it nearly lost reason and wanted to jump, but Ash without hesitation followed it down, one arm clutching Pikachu, the other gripping a branch on the cliff's edge, exerting all his strength to steady himself.

Truly strong...... Everyone saw Ash risk his life to protect Pikachu by leaping off the cliff, filling them with admiration and shock. They didn't know if they had the courage to jump down to save a Poké Ball, and they could not compare to Ash, who often throws himself into danger to safeguard Poké Balls, leaving them equally moved.

Happy for Pikachu, they had found such an excellent trainer!

Doctor Otamaki and Misty came to help Ash, pulling them up.

At that moment, the Team Rocket Trio came again to 'assist,' using a battery robot to promptly absorb Pikachu's electricity.

Pikachu's electricity filled the Team Rocket's battery robot to bursting, causing it to explode. While draining Pikachu's excess power and averting danger was a good thing, Misty's bicycle was also destroyed by Pikachu's electric shock.

【Brock: Again Ash, again Pikachu, again Team Rocket… another bicycle sacrificed!】

【Ma Zhishi: History is always remarkably similar…… the Poké Ball Center in Evergreen Rock City also destroyed a bicycle, and now, while traveling to a new region, another bicycle has been wrecked—Pikachu could practically be called a bicycle killer!】

【Ash: It's all just accidents!】

"Well, it's all the same—because Pikachu destroyed a bicycle, that's how I met Ash."

Seeing inside the White Light Curtain the place where she first met Ash, the bicycle suffered this great misfortune...... Misty felt somewhat relieved, thinking that if the bicycle hadn't broken, she might have missed meeting Ash.

Now that Ash isn't nearby, it doesn't matter—through this Light Screen being broadcast, Ash should understand her feelings, right?

Back at the research institute, Misty chose her starter Poké Ball, Torchic.

Since her bicycle had been wrecked in the accident, she went together with Ash to the Poké Ball Center in Ancient Rose Town to register for travel in the Johto Region.