Chapter 288: Arriving at the Pokémon Center
"Torchic, use Peck!" May shouted.
Torchic was very obedient, but it just charged in blindly, completely missing Azurill, and in the end, it even started pecking hard at a tree.
Azurill first gave Torchic a look as if it were watching an idiot, then used the elasticity of its tail to bounce along, leading Torchic toward the river.
"Torchic~"
Unable to take it anymore, Torchic scrambled through the bushes, closed its eyes, and unleashed Ember.
"Azurill!" X3
Three fierce cries rang out. When Torchic opened its eyes, it saw Azurill, Marill, and Azumarill glaring at it with fierce looks.
The Azurill family all had burn marks from the Ember, and they stared at Torchic as if they wanted to finish it off.
"Eevee, use Swift."
"Eevee!"
Eevee jumped off Ash's shoulder and unleashed a star-shaped beam attack at the feet of the Azurill family.
Seeing that the other side had a protector, the Azurill family decided not to pursue the matter further; they turned around, jumped into the river behind them, and disappeared from the pair's sight.
Seeing Azurill run away, Torchic walked over to May, looking rather disappointed.
"Torchic, Torchic~"
It looked in the direction where Azurill had left, its eyes full of disappointment.
May picked it up and said, "It's okay. If you can't catch it, you can't. As long as you're okay, Torchic."
"May, we should take Torchic to the Pokémon Center to recover its energy first," Ash suggested.
"Yeah! By the way, Ash, thank you for having Eevee step in earlier!" May said.
"It's fine. You just got Torchic, so you don't have enough chemistry yet. Once more time passes, your bond with Torchic deepens, and you gain enough battle experience, these kinds of things will just be minor situations," Ash said.
"Is that so? But I feel like being a Trainer is so hard..."
"Everyone starts as a rookie Trainer; everyone goes through this," Ash paused, then continued, "May, you need to learn to trust your partner."
"Okay!"
Ash's answer helped May regain quite a bit of confidence.
Not long after they continued on their journey, the two passed by some ruins.
"What is that? It looks like it has a lot of history," May asked, puzzled.
"These are ancient ruins. My name is Maze, and I am someone who investigates ruins here."
At this moment, a young man wearing archaeological attire walked out from inside the ruins.
"Hello, my name is Ash / (May)."
The two quickly greeted him.
"By the way, you both seem to be in a hurry. Did something happen?" Maze asked.
"We are looking for the Pokémon Center in Petalburg City," Ash said.
"The Pokémon Center? There, it's not far ahead."
Maze pointed to a detached building not far down the mountain, which had a large red 'P' on it, for Ash and May.
"Mr. Maze, thank you for your guidance!"
Soon, the two arrived at the Pokémon Center.
Although Ash had said Torchic wasn't seriously injured, May still nervously handed the Poké Ball to Nurse Nurse Joy for an examination.
After Nurse Nurse Joy checked it, she said, "Torchic is in good condition; it just expended quite a bit of energy. It will recover after a night's rest."
"That's great!"
May's anxious heart finally settled.
Ash took out his Pokédex and handed it to Nurse Joy, saying, "Nurse Nurse Joy, could you please register me for the Hoenn League?"
"Certainly."
Nurse Nurse Joy felt that Ash looked very familiar, but she just couldn't remember where she had seen him.
But as she connected Ash's Pokédex to the computer, she quickly realized who he was.
Upon seeing the information displayed on the computer, Nurse Joy was shocked at first, then visibly delighted. She smiled and asked in a low voice, "Mr. Ash, could you please give me an autograph?"
Ash sweat-dropped, "Uh... an autograph is fine, but Nurse Nurse Joy, you have to promise not to tell anyone..."
"Okay!"
Nurse Nurse Joy nodded in response.
But internally, she thought, not telling outsiders is fine, but my sisters shouldn't count as outsiders, right?
Having received the autograph, Nurse Nurse Joy beamed and said, "Then, you two have a good rest tonight!"
"I didn't expect Nurse Nurse Joy to be your fan, Ash!" May said in surprise.
"Actually, I didn't expect it either."
Ash really hadn't expected his fame to be this effective in other regions.
"By the way, Ash, this is my first time at a Pokémon Center, so please lead the way!" May suddenly said.
"That's no problem, but I need to contact a place first."
Ash went to the public phone area and dialed the number for Professor Oaks Laboratory.
As for why he didn't use his mobile phone, it was naturally because long-distance calling fees were too expensive, while the Pokémon Center's public phones allowed free calls with a Pokédex.
"Professor Oak, it's me, Ash. I've arrived in Petalburg City."
"Is that so? That's great!"
"Professor, there's something I need your help with. Please help me transfer Typhlosion over."
Ash didn't want Typhlosion to challenge the Gym; he wanted it to help train May's Torchic. They would be companions later anyway...
Torchic's final evolution, Blaziken, is Fire/Fighting and is indeed more suited for physical attacks, but that doesn't mean Fire-type moves aren't important. Typhlosion is just right for that.
As for Fighting-type moves, once Torchic has mastered enough, Ash can let Lucario or Annihilape teach it.
"Typhlosion? No problem."
In less than three minutes, Typhlosion's Poké Ball appeared in Ash's hand.
When May saw that the person Ash was contacting was Professor Oak, she also leaned in to express her and her brother's admiration for him.
After hanging up the phone, while the two were dining, Mr. Maze, who had given them directions, also walked over carrying his own dinner.
Outside the Pokémon Center
Inside a certain phone booth.
The Team Rocket Trio was squeezed into a small phone booth, holding the receiver and calling Giovanni. After reporting Ash's whereabouts...
A shocked voice came from the other end of the line: "What? That Ash went to the Hoenn region?"
"Yes, Boss! That Ash is likely going to challenge the Hoenn League," Jessie said.
"Fine, I understand. I will have Arianna arrange for subsequent funding for you."
"Besides monitoring that Ash, you have another mission. The Hoenn region doesn't have a Team Rockets base of operations yet, so work hard there, establish Team Rockets' reputation, and I await your good news."
Hearing that not only was funding secured but they were also being trusted with important work again, the Team Rocket Trio wept with Nurse Joy, "Boss..."
However, just as they wanted to pledge their loyalty, Giovanni had already hung up.
...
Inside the Team Rockets headquarters in the Johto region.
After hanging up, a cold sneer appeared on Giovanni's lips, "Hmph, through these idiots, not only can I get information on that brat, but I can also get intelligence on Team Aqua and Team Magma in the Hoenn region. It's a win-win."
"Team Aqua, Team Magma? What are they?"
Mewtwo No. 2 developed a slight interest in the two organizations Giovanni mentioned.
"They are just some idiots delusional enough to try to control the Legendary Pokémon of the Hoenn region."
...
"This is great, the Boss has given us another important mission!"
"Establish Team Rockets' reputation—does that mean he wants us to establish a Team Rockets branch in the Hoenn region?"
"That's right, Meowth! The Boss wants us to build a new branch in the Hoenn region!"
"Does this mean we've become the top figures for Team Rockets in the Hoenn region?"
James said, his face full of excitement.
"If things keep going like this, we could become the branch managers of the Hoenn region, Meowth!
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