Chloe's cheerful expression froze, a drop of cold sweat rolling down her forehead. Anyone happily heading home for an opening ceremony would feel uneasy seeing a charred, black, unidentified object lying right at their doorstep.
"Yamper, what is that...?" "Woof! Woof!" "Never mind, let's just go!"
Scared, Chloe hurriedly led Yamper back into the Cerise Laboratory. In her panic, she didn't even notice that next to the "black object"... was a Pikachu!
Not long after Chloe left, Professor Oak arrived. He recognized the figure on the ground at a glance. "Ash, if you don't get up now, you're going to miss the opening ceremony of the Cerise Lab."
"Ah! Wait for me!" Ash's body jerked. The scorched black "skin" fell off like a peeling layer of old paint, revealing a perfectly fine Ash who followed Oak into the building.
[Lance: I knew it... Ash was acting!]
[Wallace: Is it possible he just fell asleep?]
[Volkner: Falling asleep after a Thunderbolt? I can't even imagine that level of resistance.]
[Diantha: Given Ash's personality... it actually seems possible!]
Falling asleep after being shocked by 100,000 volts... what kind of insane Electric-type resistance is that?!
In the Footage—
Ash and the group arrived just in time for the ceremony. Professor Cerise's children, Chloe and Parker, stood to the side. When Chloe saw Ash, a flicker of doubt crossed her eyes.
Why does he look so familiar? But Professor Cerise's passionate speech soon cut off her train of thought.
Suddenly, a massive exclamation mark appeared on the screen in front of Cerise! "Everyone, I have news! A rare Pokémon is likely appearing at the port of Vermilion City!"
Before he could finish, Ash was already at the door, starting a sprint. "I'm going to the port! Be right back!" And in a puff of dust, he was gone.
"That impulsive personality... It's just like him," Chloe muttered, watching Ash's back. He reminded her of "that person" she hated—someone who only thought of their own goals and ignored everyone else.
Someone who had abandoned her in a dangerous place when they were kids.
Was this Ash the same? She felt a strange sense of déjà vu. She had to see for herself. "Dad, I'm going to look too!" Chloe ran out.
"Huh? What's wrong with her today?" Cerise wondered. "She usually has no interest in Pokémon—she's actually afraid of them."
"Chloe is your daughter, right? I remember she hasn't become a trainer," Professor Oak noted. "Yeah, she's fourteen and hasn't even taken a starter.
The only Pokémon she likes is Yamper. Something happened at a camp years ago, but she won't talk about it," Cerise sighed.
"The camp... the one I organized?" Oak mused. "Perhaps she isn't interested in Pokémon today... but in a person?"
In the Footage—
Ash sprinted through the streets with Chloe close behind. They reached the Vermilion City docks just as dark, swirling clouds gathered.
The wind howled, and while the rest of the city remained sunny, the port was swallowed by a storm.
With a thunderous cry, a snow-white bird emerged from the clouds. Deep blue fins, light blue underbelly—it was the God of the Sea, Lugia!
Several trainers were already there, trying to challenge it with Jolteon, Gengar, and Wartortle.
[Will: Are they serious? They want to challenge Lugia with those?]
[Karen: Just young calves who don't fear the tiger. They'll learn the truth soon enough.]
As Johto experts, they knew the legend: Lugia's wings could blow away houses with a single flap. It lived in the deep ocean specifically to avoid causing accidental destruction.
In the footage, Lugia looked at the challengers with disdain. A single flap of its wings obliterated their Thunder and Shadow Ball attacks, and another gust sent the trainers flying into the distance.
More trainers arrived with Garchomp and Corviknight, but they were swatted away just as easily.
Just as Lugia prepared to rest, a voice rang out. "Found you, Lugia!"
Lugia turned to see a boy in a red-and-white hat with a Pikachu. "Hehe, long time no see! How've you been?"
Chloe, arriving behind him, was stunned. Ash... knows Lugia?
[Wallace: Good grief! He even knows Lugia?! How wide is this kid's social circle?]
[Caitlin: Ah! I want to see the backstory! This ranking is so annoying, always hiding the best parts!]
[Lance: Lugia, the Three Birds... is there a Legend he doesn't know?]
In the Footage—
Lugia's mind flashed with memories. 'Ash... is it you?' "It's me!" 'It's been a long time... you seem to have grown.' "Hehe, I'm the Alola Champion now! If I met Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres again, I could definitely stop them!"
Chloe's mind raced. Alola Champion? Three Birds? Suddenly, she remembered where she had seen him—on TV! The Manalo Conference, the match against the Masked Royal! That Pikachu's explosive power had stayed with her.
"Lugia, let's have a battle! Let me show you how strong we've become!" "Pika!!" 'Show me then!' Lugia took to the sky.
"Pikachu, move first! 10,000 Volts!" A massive pillar of golden lightning struck Lugia. Lugia let out a cry as its feathers stood on end. It was shocked—literally—by how much Pikachu had grown.
Lugia retaliated with a massive Hydro Pump. The column of water was as thick as a utility pole. "Pikachu, dodge it!" The water pressure shattered the concrete of the dock like a spiderweb.
Ash, with his "Super Pallet-man" constitution, stood his ground, but Chloe was caught in the shockwave!
"Aaaaah!" "Lugia! Save her!" Ash yelled.
Lugia swooped down, caught Chloe on its back with a gust of wind, and then... it simply flew away. Ash: "???" "Wait! Lugia! Wait for me!! Pikachu, let's go!"
A comedic chase ensued. Ash sprinted across the land while Chloe sat on Lugia's back, confused but enjoying the breeze.
[Will: Hahaha! I can't breathe! Lugia just ditched him!]
[Professor Cerise: Maybe my Chloe's beauty captured Lugia's heart?]
[Chloe: DAD!! Stop talking!! This is so embarrassing!]
In the Footage—
Goh was also chasing Lugia from a different path, running downhill while Ash was running uphill.
Goh gave up after three minutes, collapsing in the grass. Ash, however, ran for five minutes straight while carrying Pikachu, finally finding an opening to leap through the air and land on Lugia's back.
"Hah... hah... Lugia! What was that for?!" 'I just wanted to see if that boy's stamina had weakened.
It seems you've become even stronger.' "Haha! Of course! I've traveled through many regions on foot!"
Lugia's praise immediately made Ash forget his anger. The Sea God remembered this boy well—the one who had braved mountains and seas. He truly was the chosen "Brave of the Sea."
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