Chapter 58: Hello Casey

"Who is this girl? How does she know Mr. Ash? She seems so familiar!" murmured several Trainers as they observed the lively interaction between Casey, Ash, and Pikachu.

Confused, they glanced at each other, unsure who this girl—whom some mistakenly referred to as Coffee—might be.

"I wish I could hold Pikachu like that..." one Trainer sighed enviously, watching Casey cuddle Pikachu without a care.

---

"Long time no see, Chikorita," Ash said with a smile as he knelt to pat Chikorita's head. The Grass-type Pokémon chirped happily in response.

After finally getting her fill of hugging Pikachu, Casey let it go—though not entirely, as she kept holding it in her arms. 

With a curious tilt of her head, she asked, "Ash, what brings you to the Bug Catching Contest?"

Ash ignored Pikachu's pleading eyes and answered, "I just finished my challenge at Goldenrod Gym. When I heard about the contest at the National Park, I thought it might be fun to check it out."

"You've already challenged the Goldenrod Gym?" Casey's eyes lit up with determination. "Then after this contest, it's my turn to challenge it!"

Ash blinked, surprised. "Wait, you haven't challenged the Goldenrod Gym yet? Didn't you have to pass through Goldenrod City to get here?"

Casey scratched the back of her head sheepishly. "Well… I kind of got lost in the Ilex Forest after my match at the Azalea Gym. Instead of making it to Goldenrod, I somehow ended up here at the park first."

She explained further that she originally planned to head to Goldenrod City that morning but got sidetracked by the contest. 

Wanting to catch a Weedle, she decided to participate instead. However, her previous attempt to find a Weedle for "revenge" had failed, leaving her curious about what the contest could offer.

Ash chuckled as he listened. Despite her misadventures, Casey seemed to have grown stronger during this time. 

Her Chikorita, though still in the beginner stages, appeared close to reaching Bronze-level of strength.

---

"Wait, wait!" Casey exclaimed suddenly, her face lighting up as she pulled out a Poké Ball. "Look at this! I caught a Pokémon that's just as cool as Pikachu!"

The Poké Ball opened, releasing a flash of light that materialized into a small, yellow Pokémon. 

It had an oval-shaped body with black lightning bolt patterns on its abdomen and two circular stripes on its arms. Its most notable feature was the plug-like horns on its head.

"An Elekid?" Ash raised an eyebrow in surprise. He hadn't expected Casey to catch the pre-evolution of her favorite Pokémon, Electabuzz.

Elekid

Type: Electric

Category: Electric Pokémon

Ability: Static (paralyzes attackers upon contact)

Strength: Beginner level

—

Before Ash could comment further, Elekid's gaze fell on Pikachu. The Electric Pokémon stiffened, seemingly on edge as it regarded Pikachu as a rival.

"Elekid, use ThunderShock! Show Pikachu what you've got!" Casey cheered excitedly.

But before Elekid could act, Pikachu released the faintest hint of its aura, carrying the dominance of its status as the inheritor of the Winged Dragon's legacy. 

The effect was immediate—Elekid recoiled in shock, trembling as it hid behind Casey, peeking out nervously at Pikachu.

"Elekid, what's gotten into you?" Casey asked, clearly frustrated by her Pokémon's sudden timidness.

Ash sighed, amused but sympathetic. Pikachu's aura, imbued with the power of thunder and divine energy, was overwhelming for an inexperienced Pokémon like Elekid.

"Pikachu, ease up a little," Ash instructed.

Obliging, Pikachu suppressed its aura and approached Elekid, patting its shoulder like an encouraging big brother. "Pika pika," it said confidently, offering reassurance.

Elekid blinked, its fear melting into awe as it began to admire Pikachu. With renewed confidence, Elekid started following Pikachu around like a loyal sidekick.

---

Casey puffed her cheeks in annoyance. "Elekid, you're supposed to show off to Ash, not turn into Pikachu's biggest fan!"

Ash laughed lightly. "Come on, let's get in line before the contest starts."

Grabbing Casey's arm, he led her back to the registration line, which had grown significantly longer in their absence.

"Oh no!" Casey groaned as they joined the back of the queue. "There were only three people in front of me earlier, and now look at this mess! This is all your fault, Ash!"

"My fault?" Ash raised an eyebrow incredulously. "You're the one who ran out of line in the first place!"

"Doesn't matter—it's still your problem!" Casey huffed, crossing her arms with a pout.

"Fine, fine," Ash said, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. "It's my problem. What do you want me to do about it?"

Casey's expression brightened mischievously. "You can make it up to me by letting me beat you in the contest later!"

Ash smirked at her sudden playfulness. "Alright, deal," he said. After all, the contest wasn't about battling, so it didn't matter much to him.

---

As they waited in line, the nearby Trainers watched Casey with growing curiosity.

"Who is she?" one whispered.

"How does someone like her know Ash?"

Despite their speculation, Casey didn't seem to care about the attention. She chatted excitedly with Ash, recounting her adventures and proudly showing off her Elekid. 

For her, this moment was just another chapter in her journey to become a great Trainer—one where she could stand proudly alongside someone she admired.

As the line moved forward, Ash couldn't help but smile. Casey's energy was infectious, and he was looking forward to seeing how she would fare in the Bug Catching Contest.

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