Leaving Mt. Moon behind, Ash, Misty, and Brock arrived smoothly in Cerulean City, a place famously known as the City of Water.
Canals crisscrossed the city, and the air was thick with a refreshing, humid mist.
"Finally, we're here! I need to get home right away and see if my bike can be fixed!" Misty exclaimed. She seemed somewhat frantic the moment they entered the city, though a flicker of an indistinguishable, complex emotion was hidden deep within her eyes.
Ash understood exactly what she was feeling but chose not to call her out. Instead, he simply smiled and said, "Sure. It's a good chance for us to look around Cerulean City anyway. I've heard the Cerulean Gym is quite famous it's the one known for its water ballet performances."
Hearing this, Misty's body stiffened slightly. A flash of embarrassment and dissatisfaction crossed her face as she muttered under her breath, "What water ballet...? A gym should be a place for fair and square battles..."
Ash chuckled but said nothing more. Having a deep knowledge of the original world, he knew perfectly well that Misty's three older sisters were completely different from her.
The three sisters Daisy, Violet, and Lily weren't necessarily bad at battling; they simply preferred to chase their dreams in the world of water ballet. Misty was the outlier.
From start to finish, her heart was set on becoming a Water Pokémon Master. Consequently, the youngest of the four was actually the strongest when it came to a real match.
However, if he did run into the sisters, Ash felt he could give them some very good advice.
"Well, the data shows that the three sisters of the Cerulean Gym Daisy, Violet, and Lily really do focus more on performing. Their actual battle strength isn't rated very highly within the Kanto League," Brock added at just the right moment.
Ash watched Misty's reaction and laughed inwardly. He continued with a pointed tone, "Is that so? Still, if they can manage a gym, they must have some remarkable qualities. Maybe they're just missing an opponent who can make them take things seriously?"
Misty snapped her head up and shot Ash a glare, suspecting there was a hidden meaning behind his words. But seeing Ash's perfectly calm and innocent expression, she couldn't find a reason to snap. She could only huff and quicken her pace. "Hurry up! Let's go to my house... to the repair shop near my house!"
The trio arrived at the repair shop first. Unfortunately, the damage to Misty's bike was too severe. Special parts had to be ordered, and it wouldn't be fixed anytime soon.
Misty looked disappointed, yet she also seemed to breathe a sigh of relief it meant she didn't have to think about leaving the team just yet.
However, as they drew closer to the Cerulean Gym, Misty found an excuse and temporarily split off from the group.
Ash smiled to himself. The shadow those three sisters cast over Misty was certainly no joke.
Ash and Brock arrived at the front doors of the Cerulean Gym. The building looked more like an aquarium or a theater than a gym, with its entrance plastered with glamorous posters for water ballet.
No wonder the Cerulean Gym's reputation in Kanto is getting weirder and weirder, Ash thought. At the very least, you should try to look like a gym!
Inside, the gym featured a massive pool that doubled as a stage. A few spectators were scattered across the stands. In the pool, three beautiful young women in ballet tutus Daisy,
Violet, and Lily were performing a magnificent show alongside their Pokémon. Under the spotlights, the splashes of water refracted into a dazzling array of colors.
Ash watched for a moment and realized they were indeed leaning heavily toward becoming Pokémon Performers.
After the performance ended, the audience dispersed.
Ash made his way to the backstage area. Outside the glass walls, a natural tapestry of seawater, colorful coral, and schools of fish gave one the sensation of being inside an aquarium.
Near the dressing rooms, the three beauties had just finished changing and were walking over, laughing and chatting.
"Excuse me, may I ask..."
"For interviews, please contact our manager! If you want autographs, now isn't a good time!"
Ash was momentarily speechless. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Ahem, I'm here for a gym challenge. Which one of you is the Gym Leader?"
The three sisters turned their heads simultaneously. Daisy ran a hand through her long hair, her tone sounding a bit lazy. "We are!"
"The most famous beautiful trainers in Cerulean City!" Violet added.
Ash looked at Brock, who had already fallen into a trance, looking like a total fanboy. He slapped Brock's shoulder in exasperation. "Hey, pull yourself together!" Even though Ash himself had been momentarily dazed by their charm.
As the three sisters led the two boys to the battlefield, the atmosphere suddenly plummeted.
Daisy stared at the empty pool and sighed. "I honestly just can't find the motivation to fight!"
"We suffered a crushing defeat against three trainers from Pallet Town earlier. All our Pokémon were sent to the Pokémon Center," Violet explained.
"The only one we have left is..."
Lily summoned a Seel. But given its tiny size, it probably wouldn't last more than a few rounds.
"If it evolved into a Dewgong, maybe it could put up a fight, but this is all the combat power we have right now."
"So, you're saying I can't get the Cascade Badge for now?" Ash asked, puzzled.
Daisy clapped her hands. The Seel stuck out its tongue, and there, sitting right on top of it, was a Cascade Badge! "If you want it, just take it!"
Figures. It's just like the original, Ash grumbled internally.
He stared at the badge with its shimmering water-drop pattern and shook his head.
Sunlight filtered through the glass walls, splashing across his shoulders and outlining the young boy's determined silhouette. Ash spoke firmly. "I will wait until your Pokémon have recovered before I challenge you!"
"Wait a minute!" a clear voice rang out from the spectator stands.
Ash turned his head toward the sound. Misty, who had left the group earlier, was standing at the entrance of the tunnel. Her orange hair shimmered softly under the lights, and beneath the sun's glow, her eyes burned with an unyielding spirit.
Ash nodded slightly. Now, that's the Misty I know!
Misty strode confidently to the center of the field. "Daisy, I'll take this match for you!" Her voice was laced with an undeniable resolve.
Ash feigned surprise. "Misty, you're a Cerulean Gym trainer too?"
"Sorry, Ash. I kept it a secret before." Misty offered a quick apology before returning to the point. "Let me introduce myself formally. I'm the youngest of the Cerulean Gym Misty! We are the Four Beautiful Cerulean Sisters!"
"Actually," Lily chimed in, interrupting her, "it should be the Three Beautiful Sisters and the Ugly Duckling!"
The comment stung Misty right where it hurt. Her face turned beet red with anger, her eyes filled with fury, but she forced herself not to explode.
Daisy stepped in to play peacemaker. "That doesn't matter right now. Misty, why are you back so soon?"
Violet teased from the side, "Yeah, who was the one who bragged that they wouldn't come home until they became the strongest Water Pokémon Master?"
Misty was left speechless, biting her lip, not knowing how to answer.
Ash knew he needed to give her a graceful way out, so he spoke up. "Misty, since you say you're from the Cerulean Gym, does battling you count as an official gym match?"
"Of course it does!" Misty responded, refusing to be outdone.
With that, Ash and Misty took their positions at opposite ends of the field, ready to settle the score!
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The Cerulean Gym arc is divided into two parts to prevent reader fatigue.
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