Chapter 3: Giovanni and Ash

"Charmander, Growlithe, finish them off with Flamethrower."

Following Ash's command, Charmander and Growlithe used Flamethrower to take down the two Raticate. Ash waited until Chansey had fed the two fainted Rattata with Oran Berries before leaving.

Misty looked at the two scorched Rattata and couldn't help but say, "That's so brutal..."

"It's a sign of respect, and Chansey has already fed them Oran Berries."

Misty glanced at Chansey and asked, "Actually, I've always wanted to ask, Ash, are you connected to the Joy family? You have a Chansey, and it seems like you've even learned some medical knowledge?"

Ash didn't hide anything and replied directly, "Yeah, there's a bit of a connection. And my Chansey did attend nursing school, but she prefers battling more."

"Lucky!"

As Chansey hugged Ash tightly, he chuckled and said, "Alright, alright, I know you really like me, and I like you too!"

"Lucky!"

"Oh? So this time the medicinal materials are provided by the Beedrill? It seems we can source the materials from Beedrill breeders; that's impressive, Ash!"

Giovanni was quite satisfied after reviewing Ash's new honey water formula. Not only did it taste good and have health benefits, but children also loved sweet things, which would bring in a considerable income.

"Yeah, but I wonder if honey from other regions can be a substitute. After all, we haven't actually tested it, so we'll have to stick with Beedrill honey for now."

"I understand. Both I and the Joy family will pay attention to this matter. However, I actually think those old-timers would prefer it if only Beedrill honey was available since they rely on this for income."

"I don't understand the ways of adults. Well then, Giovanni , I'm going out to play. You can mix that bottle with hot water to drink; it'll be more comfortable." With that, Ash ran out, while Giovanni chuckled, saying, "That kid."

Giovanni wasn't worried about Ash's safety. Why? Because Ash had successfully become the most popular person among all the Pokémon in the area thanks to his cooking; they welcomed him with open arms!

On Ash's side, he wasn't going out to play but to meet an uncle.

—— Divider Line ——

"Uncle Sakaki, over here! Here!"

When Ash found the uncle, Sakaki smiled and asked, "Did you call me for something, Ash?"

"Here, this is my new honey water formula. The Beedrill will definitely love it."

Seeing the bottle Ash handed over, Sakaki smiled and released his Beedrill. The Beedrill, upon seeing Ash, affectionately rubbed against him, and its eyes lit up when it saw Ash's honey water. However, it didn't rush to grab it but waited for Ash to act.

Ash smiled and poured half a cup, giving one to Sakaki and one to the Beedrill. The Beedrill eagerly started drinking, while Sakaki laughed and asked, "Looks like there will be a new product soon?"

"Yeah, but Uncle Sakaki, if you want a stronger version, just let me know, and I'll make it for you."

Looking at Ash, Sakaki smiled and said, "Thank you then."

As for how Ash and Sakaki met, it was quite simple. Sakaki was the leader of an organization in Kanto called Team Rocket. However, due to a traitor's actions, Sakaki's whereabouts were discovered by other outside organizations. Although Sakaki dealt with them, he sustained significant injuries.

At that moment, Ash appeared. Using the medicinal herbs he found with the help of Pokémon, Ash successfully helped Sakaki stop the bleeding, and with the assistance of Pokémon, he took Sakaki to the hospital.

Sakaki remembered this little angel who saved him during his most dangerous time.

After Sakaki recovered, with the combined efforts of Team Rocket and the Pokémon League, the outside organization was eliminated. After everything was settled, Sakaki had someone look up Ash's information and discovered that Ash came from a single-parent family and had managed to connect with the family and the Joy family to lessen his mother's burden. This made Sakaki like Ash even more, and he often kept in touch with Ash to express his gratitude for saving his life.

Slowly, the bond between Sakaki and Ash had grown beyond mere gratitude; their relationship resembled that of a father and son. However, neither of them spoke about it, and that was just fine.

"Ash, I heard you're going to attend summer camp?"

"Yeah, my mom signed me up without asking... To be honest, I'd rather do something else."

"Hahaha, it's also nice to play with peers."

"Let's skip that; we don't have common topics."

Sakaki understood Ash quite well; geniuses are often lonely, and that's no different here. However, Sakaki didn't want Ash to feel that way, so he thought of a solution.

"Ash, how about going to Hollywood?"

"Huh? Hollywood? What's so good about Hollywood?"

"Just to relax a bit. Trust me, and don't you think this is also a great opportunity for your mom to unwind?"

"!!!" If it were about something else, it might be hard to convince Ash, but mentioning his mom immediately motivated him. After all, Ash was a filial child, and he thought that spending money for his mom to have fun was indeed a good idea. So, Ash nodded and said, "Right! Uncle Sakaki, you make a lot of sense! Before going to summer camp, I'll take my mom to Hollywood for some fun!"

Sakaki couldn't help but smile at Ash and then said, "In that case, I'll take care of the arrangements for the trip."

"Is that okay?"

"Don't underestimate your Uncle Sakaki, you little rascal."

And so, the uncle and the kid chatted casually while enjoying their honey water.