Chapter 51: A Day at the Beach

After the battle, some enthusiastic spectators started their own Pokémon battles, while a few shameless individuals approached Red, asking if he would consider trading his Golden Pidgeot. They even offered two Pokémon just to get their hands on it.

Red, showing no mercy, simply ordered Pidgeot to violently drive them away. He was not in the mood to speak calmly with them. How could he hand over the Pidgeot he had painstakingly trained? What would the bond he had formed with it even mean?

"Well done," Red praised, stroking Pidgeot's cheek. His partner obediently lowered its head, enjoying the caress.

"Red, that Pidgeot is really well-trained!" Professor Oak chuckled, walking over. His polite words, however, left Red and Pidgeot slightly confused.

"Um… could you just…" The Professor rubbed his hands together, his eyes fixed on Pidgeot with a researcher's "hungry" gaze. His intention was obvious.

"Didn't I send Beedrill back?"

"I studied Beedrill thoroughly years ago! I know everything about what Beedrill likes to eat, play, and do!" the Professor suddenly broke down, explaining that his joy at finally receiving a Pokémon from Red had turned to despair when he saw it was the all-too-familiar Beedrill.

"But my current lineup still needs Pidgeot."

Red reluctantly drew a big picture for the Professor, promising to send Pidgeot back once he caught another satisfactory Pokémon.

"Hehe! It's a deal!" The Professor's face lit up with a happy smile, looking like a perverted old man ready to abduct a little girl.

After perfunctorily dealing with Professor Oak, Red quietly turned and left. He had just been playing a word game. He hadn't promised to send Pidgeot back as soon as he caught one Pokémon. As for when Pidgeot would be sent to Pallet Town, that would depend entirely on Red's mood.

After a short trek through a forest, they arrived at a comfortable and serene beach—Maiden's Peak. It was there that Ash's trio, who had been missing for some time, finally appeared.

"The ocean!"

"Woohoo!"

"Pikachu!"

Quickly changing into swim trunks, Ash and Brock couldn't wait to jump into the water. Pikachu, adorably holding a miniature lifebuoy, happily put it around its waist, ready for a swim.

"The Maiden's Peak Idol, the lively and beautiful Miss Misty, has arrived!"

Misty, having changed into a light red swimsuit, appeared before them, intending to show off her charm. But Ash, Brock, and Pikachu just froze, staring at her with blank expressions.

"Why are you all staring with your mouths open?" Misty asked, confused. Shouldn't they be praising her beauty?

The three of them silently walked up to her. Ash paused for a second, then blurted out, "I was thinking… so you are a girl!"

"Isn't that obvious?!" Misty's face instantly turned red with fury. She hurled the volleyball she was holding at Ash's face, the force of the throw sending him tumbling back into the "embrace" of the ocean.

"Ash, you're still as straightforward as ever."

A familiar voice came, and Brock and Misty turned to see Red walking over, holding Feebas. Berry juice was still smeared on its mouth, a clear sign it had been enjoying its special diet.

"Big bro!" Ash exclaimed, bouncing out from under the water.

"What kind of Pokémon is that?" Misty asked, curiously staring at Feebas, wondering what merits it had that would make Red catch it.

"This is a Pokémon I recently caught," Red explained simply, stroking Feebas. "One who dares to pursue its own ideals."

"So it has such a poignant past…" Brock was deeply moved, admiring Feebas's strong inner spirit.

"What do you mean, big bro? You already battled Gary earlier? No way! I want to duel with you too!" Ash suddenly threw a tantrum, pestering Red for a battle.

"Ash, that guy, he only acts like a child in front of Red," Misty teased.

"Not now," Red chuckled, tapping Ash's head. "I need to relax with Feebas right now. I don't have time for a battle."

"What? How boring…" Ash mumbled, his gaze burning as he looked at the Feebas in Red's arms. The look terrified Feebas, who didn't understand why this human, who looked seventy percent similar to its trainer, was staring at it so intensely.

"Don't scare Feebas," Red said with a helpless look at his younger brother.

"Hey, Red! Why did you suddenly disappear?" Giselle ran over at that moment, attracting the attention of Ash's trio, who were all curious about her relationship with Red.

"You will definitely be a peerless beauty in eight years!" Brock immediately knelt on one knee, surrendering to Giselle's stunning makeup and figure.

"That Brock… I've been on the team this whole time, and he's never reacted to me like this!" Misty was enraged and embarrassed. She turned to Ash, hoping he would show some promise, but to her surprise, he also inexplicably blushed and lowered his head shyly, not daring to meet Giselle's gaze.

"You two, what on earth is wrong with you?!" Misty yelled, grabbing Ash in anger and twisting Brock's ear, bringing them back to reality.

"This isn't your twin brother, is it?" Giselle found it unbelievable, her eyes going back and forth between the two brothers before finally covering her face and shaking her head.

"Don't I look like big bro?!" Ash suddenly asked anxiously.

(Not at all!) the trio thought, looking speechlessly at the anxious boy. Did he have no self-awareness at all?

"It's a good thing there won't be a second person like you!" Giselle covered her chest with relief, a scene that once again made Brock reveal his perverted old man face. Ash, under Misty's death glare, finally returned to his normal expression.

During their conversation, Red learned about the trio's journey after they had been separated—how they had ended up on an island with giant mechanical Pokémon and experienced various other difficulties before finally arriving at Porta Vista. Red knew that island was actually an important source of funds for Team Rocket. He never expected it to be unknowingly destroyed by his brother's group and the Team Rocket trio. What would Giovanni feel if he knew some of his own subordinates were responsible?

"Big bro, you really don't know what we encountered along the way!" Ash leaned in, crying, wanting to tell Red all the hardships they had faced.

"Alright, alright. It's rare to come to the beach. You three should relax first. By the way, Mom, Professor Oak, and Gary are all nearby. You can go find Gary for a Pokémon battle," Red comforted him.

Sure enough, as soon as Ash heard Gary's name, the flame of battle ignited within him. But he still decided to find Delia first, as he hadn't seen his mother in a long time.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!"

The appearance of Ash's group also meant Team Rocket was not far behind. Currently, they were on a submarine shaped like a mechanical Gyarados, preparing to land and constantly observing Pikachu's movements. But due to Red's sudden appearance, they had to remain submerged, waiting for an opportunity.

Then a comical scene unfolded. Brock saw Pikachu run onto a speedboat, mistakenly thinking Ash had borrowed it. Ash saw Brock get on the boat, thinking Brock had borrowed it, and called Misty over to come aboard too. It turned out that after checking, the trio realized that this was an accident caused by Pikachu. Ash, now driving the speedboat, accidentally crashed into the mechanical Gyarados submarine that was waiting for an opportunity just offshore.

(Although I'm curious how the original Ash, being so young, knew how to drive a speedboat.)

Ultimately, the speedboat was damaged by Ash's group. To compensate Old Man Pop for the repair costs, Ash's trio temporarily went to his shop to work and repay their debt.

***

(End of Chapter)

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