Chapter 81: Bulbasaur
"Sorry, Bulbasaur, but could we go inside the house to shelter from the rain?" Brock raised his hands to show he meant no harm, trying to communicate with Bulbasaur.
However, Bulbasaur remained resolute, glaring at Ash and the others, even growling to signal that they should not advance any further.
The standoff persisted for a moment; Ash and his friends felt awkward. They didn't want to attack
Bulbasaur, and Bulbasaur showed no sign of backing down, so the situation couldn't continue like this.
"Bulbasaur!" At that moment, a clear female voice rang out, and a cute girl with long indigo hair rushed over, holding an umbrella. When she spotted Ash and his friends, she paused, taken aback.
"Seeds!" Upon hearing the familiar voice, Bulbasaur turned to the girl and responded, but soon looked back at Ash and the others, maintaining its guard against any sudden moves.
"You..." The girl appeared slightly nervous, unsure of who Ash and his friends were or why they had suddenly appeared.
"We're really sorry. We were headed to the Pokémon Research School, but we didn't expect the rain to start so suddenly. We saw the hut over there and hoped it was a safe place to wait out the storm. Is that your home?" Ash explained, trying to convey their intentions.
"So you just want to escape the rain..." After hearing Ash, the girl sighed in relief and smiled, ready to agree.
However, she then noticed Brock, whose complexion was slightly darker, rushing toward her.
Brock attempted to introduce himself, but Bulbasaur, always on guard, jumped in front of the girl and used Vine Whip to send Brock sprawling away.
"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Ash and Misty quickly apologized on Brock's behalf to both the girl and Bulbasaur, trying to explain the situation.
It was clear that this was Brock's fault again. He'd become flustered upon seeing a beautiful girl, forgetting the context and behaving impulsively.
The girl looked skeptical, but Bulbasaur remained unconvinced by Ash and the others, preparing to launch another attack, this time targeting Ash and Misty.
"Pikachu—!" Noticing Bulbasaur's intent to attack, Pikachu jumped out of Ash's arms, landing on the ground. Sparks crackled from the electric sacs on its cheeks as it regarded Bulbasaur seriously, ready to defend its friends.
"Bulba—!" Seeing Pikachu's readiness, Bulbasaur shifted its focus, its expression turning serious.
It sensed that this Pokémon seemed powerful, yet it contained an incomprehensible strength within.
Despite feeling the hidden power in Pikachu, Bulbasaur refused to back down. It was determined to protect the girl behind it and the area, regardless of the opponent.
"Stop it, Pikachu; it means no harm..." Ash quickly intervened, hoping to de-escalate the situation before it got out of hand.
"Skin—!" Pikachu warned Bulbasaur before returning to Ash's side, letting the energy dissipate. The tense atmosphere eased slightly.
Seeing this, the girl let out a sigh of relief. She looked at Ash, Misty, and even at Brock, who was getting back up, covered in mud.
Their current situation was undeniably awkward; they were soaked, and Misty was shivering, likely feeling cold from the prolonged exposure to rain.
The girl hesitated for a moment, then recalling Ash's effort to stop Pikachu, said, "Bulbasaur, it's okay. Let them come inside to avoid the rain."
"Seed—!?" Bulbasaur looked back at the girl in surprise.
After receiving a serious nod from her, it reluctantly withdrew its vines, stepping back to stand beside her, though its eyes remained vigilant towards Ash and the others.
"Thank you for your understanding. My name is Ash, and I'm from Pallet Town. This is Misty; she lives in Cerulean City, and that is..." Ash introduced himself, feeling a bit relieved while also introducing Misty and Brock.
At that moment, Brock was even more embarrassed than before; he was muddy and soaked, resembling a lost traveler.
"His name is Brock. He's the Gym Leader of Pewter City. He's not a bad guy; he just tends to rush toward beautiful girls, which is his old habit," Misty added, rolling her eyes.
"No... it's not just any beautiful girl!" Brock quickly countered, defensive. "It's the beautiful big sister!"
Ash and Misty exchanged exasperated glances, while the girl found Brock's antics amusing, finally believing that the trio meant no harm.
"Stop chatting and come inside; if you stay out here any longer, you might catch a cold," the girl urged Ash and the others, leading them into the hut.
Bulbasaur followed closely, glancing back at Ash and the others occasionally, with Ash and Pikachu being the focus of its watchful gaze.
Ash scooped Pikachu back into his arms, wrapping it in his coat, which surprised Bulbasaur. It turned away with a complex expression, stopping its observations.
"Excuse me..." As they approached the house, Ash noticed a pond in front of it, where several Pokémon watched them with complex emotions—hatred, disgust, and even fear.
"Hurry and change your clothes; I'll make you some hot tea to warm you up," the girl said, handing towels to Ash and the others. She then instructed Misty to use her bedroom to change, while Ash and Brock stayed in the living room.
The house was small but cozy, consisting of a bedroom and a living area, which included a kitchen.
The girl's bedroom was compact but equipped with a shower and toilet, while the living room was inviting yet limited in space.
Bulbasaur kept an eye on Ash and Brock as they changed clothes, ready to intervene if needed.
Unfazed, Ash and Brock quickly changed, and Ash used a towel to dry Pikachu's fur.
"Pikapi..." Pikachu relished Ash's attention, expressing gratitude once its fur was dry.
"Don't mention it!" Ash playfully ruffled Pikachu's head and then glanced at Bulbasaur, noticing what seemed to be... envy in its eyes?
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Adios