57 Brock Joins Ash
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"Ash, that uncle, Flint or something, seemed weird just now."
On their way to the Pokémon Center, Misty couldn't help but notice something off about Flint.
"His name is flint. He seemed weird since he felt ashamed," Ash replied quietly.
Misty was puzzled. Why would that old man feel ashamed? Ash's comment only made it stranger.
"Why?"
"Can't you see? That Uncle Flint is Brock's father," Ash revealed, not intending to hide anything. Misty was taken aback.
"Ah! You mean, he is Brock's father? But how do you know, Ash?" She hadn't expected that Flint would turn out to be Brock's father.
"Even though Brock is a Gym Leader, it's not common knowledge that his parents left him. Flint knew too much about Brock for it to be a coincidence," Ash explained. He didn't need to analyze it further; it was clear to him.
"This doesn't fully explain his relationship with Brock, does it?" Misty asked, still trying to wrap her head around it.
"Gym Leaders are usually well-known, but for Flint to know Brock's dreams and personal details, he must be family," Ash continued. "And if he were just a regular citizen, why would he care so much?"
"That's true!" Misty nodded slightly. Being from a gym herself, she understood this well.
Ash couldn't help laughing. "If Flint wasn't Brock's father, why would the citizens keep saying, 'You can't beat Brock, he's very strong'? It's one thing for Brock to be strong, but the citizens wouldn't meddle in other people's business like that."
"Yeah, you're right," Misty agreed, realizing Ash's point.
"Ah! Didn't he hear what you said just now, Ash?" Misty asked in surprise. Had Flint overheard Ash's comments about Brock's parents?
"I said that on purpose in front of him. If he still regards himself as a father, he should have gone home to apologize to his children by now," Ash explained. He knew Flint's identity and had spoken those words deliberately.
"Oh, that's why you said if you were Brock's parent, you'd go home and apologize immediately. I thought you were just angry at irresponsible parents," Misty realized. Now she understood Ash's intention. She hadn't expected the situation to be so serious, but she felt sympathy for Brock.
"Yeah," Ash nodded slightly. Despite his limited time in this world, he felt a natural intimacy with his companions.
. . . . .
Not long after, the two returned to the Pokémon Center.
"Miss Joy, could you heal my Pokémon, please?" Ash asked as he approached the front desk, handing over Eevee's Poké Ball and carrying Pikachu in his arms.
"Of course! One moment, please. How did your gym challenge go?" Nurse Joy asked kindly.
"Luckily, the challenge was successful," Ash replied humbly.
"Did you succeed in the challenge? That's amazing, Ash. Brock might not be the strongest Gym Leader in the Kanto region, but he's the first challenge for many Rookie Trainers from Pallet Town," Nurse Joy said. As a Gym Nurse, she had cared for many Pokémon of Trainers defeated by Brock. Seeing Ash succeed on his first attempt was impressive.
"Thank you! Please take care of Pikachu," Ash responded.
"Of course, I'll heal them both shortly," Nurse Joy said, then took Pikachu and Eevee's Poké Balls and left.
Ash spent the entire afternoon at the Pokémon Center. After his gym challenge, Nurse Joy helped Pikachu and Eevee regain their vitality. By the time they were fully recovered, it was already afternoon, so he decided to stay another night.
The next morning, after breakfast and packing up, Ash was ready to continue his journey. The nearest city with a gym was Cerulean City, where Misty lived. The road to Cerulean City passed through Mt. Moon, a challenging route to cross.
Ash didn't want to waste time and set out early with Misty. However, when she realized their destination, Misty seemed a bit uneasy.
As they were leaving the city...
"Wait a minute!! Ash!!!"
They heard a shout and turned around to see Brock running toward them, carrying a large backpack.
"Brock? Why are you here?" Misty asked in surprise. Brock looked like he was ready for a long journey.
"I'm planning to travel, Ash. If you don't mind, can I join you as a caretaker?" Brock asked, gratitude evident in his expression.
Flint had returned home, thanks to Ash. Brock knew it was because of Ash that his father found the courage to return. He felt deeply grateful to Ash for giving him the chance to pursue his dream.
"It doesn't matter to me! It's good to have more than one person," Ash responded calmly, surprised that the plot had changed but pleased that Brock was joining them.
"But, Brock, what about the gym and your younger siblings?" Misty asked curiously.
"Thanks to you, my father came home last night. We talked a lot, and now the gym and family are in his hands. I plan to join you and chase my dream. Thank you, Ash!" Brock said, expressing his gratitude with a cheerful smile.
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