273. HopHopHop Town

The training lasted for two weeks. This was Ash's longest training while traveling outside. The strength of the Pokémon was greatly improved.

The biggest gain this time was Charmeleon. Surprisingly, it learned Fire Pledge by practicing alone and spent the rest of the time training with Ash and the others.

It also miraculously completed the training for Thunder Palm, making it the one with the most progress among all the Pokémon this time.

After completing the practice, the group set off again for Fuchsia City. However, Celadon City was still a long way from Fuchsia City. Even after starting again, there would still be several days of travel ahead.

Half a day into their journey, the group saw an urban area in the distance. When they arrived, they entered the city without hesitation.

After all, sleeping in the wild for over two weeks made the thought of resting in a proper place very appealing. It was certainly better than roughing it in the wilderness.

Walking into the city, they found it to be bustling, surrounded by towering buildings. Despite being small, the city was highly developed, with densely packed structures creating a concrete jungle. The atmosphere was somewhat overwhelming.

"There are so many high-rise buildings here; I feel like I can barely breathe. Brock, where are we?" Misty asked, visibly uncomfortable. Perhaps living in the wild for so long made the urban environment feel stifling to her.

"Hmm~~ Let me check! According to the map, this is... HopHopHop town !" Brock announced, glancing at the map.

"HopHopHop Town??" Misty repeated, puzzled. The name sounded strange to her.

Ash, a seasoned traveler, was equally baffled. He couldn't help but feel the name was something a screenwriter might have come up with in haste. It was common for the anime to expand on game-based settings, adding locations that didn't exist in the games.

"What a strange name!" Ash said.

"It is strange, but the guide says this is a highly industrialized area where many upper-class people reside," Brock explained, flipping through the travel guide.

"No wonder there are so many buildings," Misty remarked, finally understanding the city's concrete forest-like appearance.

"Arnold!!!"

Suddenly, a voice rang out. Ash looked up to see someone rushing toward him like a wave. Instinctively, he stepped back, and Pikachu, startled, jumped in surprise.

"Arnold, what's wrong with you? I'm your mom!" said a middle-aged woman with a sorrowful expression.

"Uh... Auntie, I think you have the wrong person," Ash replied awkwardly. He couldn't fathom why she'd mistake him for someone else. Did he look that ordinary?

"Yes, Auntie! His name is Ash, not Arnold!" Misty interjected, already familiar with Ash's mother, Delia, and quickly clarifying the misunderstanding.

"Ah! I'm sorry; you just reminded me of my son. But you're taller than my child," the woman replied, finally realizing her mistake. She apologized, though she seemed disappointed.

"What happened to your child?" Brock asked kindly, sensing there was more to the story.

He was accustomed to such situations, having cared for his younger siblings back home. So when Brock heard about the missing child and saw the mother's anxious expression, he instinctively wanted to help.

"The thing is, our child, Arnold, disappeared a few days ago, and there's still no news about him," the woman said, her voice heavy with worry.

Seeing her distress, the woman sat down on a stone bench nearby. Ash, Misty, and Brock joined her, listening as she explained the situation. The three quickly realized the gravity of the matter—her child was missing.

"He's missing?" Brock furrowed his brow at the thought. The idea of one of his own younger siblings disappearing filled him with unease.

"Could it be that he loves Pokémon and decided to go on a journey?" Misty asked curiously.

"Arnold does love Pokémon, but he's not old enough to travel yet! And even if he wanted to, he'd tell us first. Besides, it's not just my child who's missing." 

The woman explained further, leaving the trio glancing at each other, unsettled.

"Others are missing too?" Brock asked, puzzled.

"Look over there!" the woman said, pointing to a wall under a prominent building nearby. Posted there were several missing person notices. The photos showed boys and girls, all appearing to be young.

"So many children are missing? This city feels dangerous. Could there be a kidnapping ring?" Misty wondered aloud, visibly unnerved. Then, with a self-assured tone, she added, "I'll have to be extra careful. After all, I'm so cute!"

Her sudden switch to Cerulean Gym's signature self-confidence caught Ash and Brock off guard. They exchanged looks, their expressions unreadable.

"What's with those looks? Are you saying I'm not cute?" Misty asked, clearly offended.

"We didn't say anything!" Brock defended.

"But that's what you're thinking!" Misty shot back.

"You're being too sensitive," Ash interjected, trying to calm her down. Both boys knew better than to prolong this conversation—once Misty got going, it could last all day.

"It's strange, though," Ash said, changing the topic. "All the missing people are children. What could be happening?"

As they spoke, a sharp, efficient figure appeared near the missing person notices. Officer Jenny, riding a motorcycle, held another notice in her hand. Several more were stacked beside her vehicle. Her expression was serious—this case was clearly weighing on the police.

"Isn't this Officer Jenny a cousin of the one we met before?" Misty remarked. "Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy really are everywhere!"

"Hehe! And she's the most beautiful one yet!" Brock declared, his usual infatuation causing his face to flush as he stared, practically drooling.

"They're literally identical, Brock!" Misty retorted, rolling her eyes. To her, there was no difference between the Jennys.

Unbeknownst to Misty, Brock could actually tell the difference. But even if she had known, she would have dismissed it as just another bizarre trait of Brock's odd charm.