Catallia City was a place of ancient charm and beautiful scenery. After leaving Eastgate Town, Ash's group arrived there quickly.
As soon as they stepped into town, sirens began blaring. Brock, ever the enthusiast for Officer Jenny, immediately sprinted toward the sound, leaving Ash and Misty in the dust. But he didn't get far before he was tripped by an invisible thread on the ground.
Seeing this, Ash quickly pulled Misty to a stop. Looking at the town's tradition and its name, he remembered something.
Sure enough, a green Pokémon with a smiley-face pattern on its back descended from the air on a string.
"Oh, how cute!" Misty cooed. Ash could only offer a sympathetic wince as he covered his ears.
When the green Pokémon extended its spider legs and turned around to reveal its face, Misty let out a blood-curdling shriek.
"A BUG!!!!"
Ignoring the shouting, the Spinarak wrapped the fallen Brock into a tight, silk cocoon. A moment later, Officer Jenny arrived.
"Is this the Black Cat Bandit?"
Normally, Brock would have performed a "teleportation" to land right in front of a Jenny. But this time, he was bundled up like a mummy, wriggling on the ground like a caterpillar. "Ash, Misty, help me!"
Ash and Misty rushed forward to explain. When Officer Jenny saw the Pikachu and Togepi by their side, her eyes lit up with recognition.
"Are you the experts who specialize in dealing with Pokémon thieves?"
Once their identities were clarified, she quickly had Spinarak release Brock. The trio was still processing this strange "expert" title, but Jenny seemed certain. "That's right! My sister in New Bark Town wrote to me, saying there was a group of three travelers who were a huge help in handling a Pokémon thief!"
Ash realized she must be referring to the incident where they saved Totodile.
Now free, Brock immediately groomed himself and postured before Jenny. "You are absolutely correct, Officer! I am indeed an expert at bringing Pokémon thieves to justice!"
Jenny gave him a skeptical look. "But you couldn't even dodge a Spinarak's thread. This young man, on the other hand, looks the part." She pointed at Ash with a smile.
Ash was a bit embarrassed by the praise, but he wasn't about to turn down a chance to help.
As it turned out, in Catallia City, the traditional partner for the police force was Spinarak. This tradition started with a legendary master thief known as the Black Cat Bandit. This bandit had once plagued many nations, and no one could catch him.
He was considered invincible. His partner was a Meowth, and their teamwork was flawless. Whenever they were in a pinch, the Meowth would use Pay Day to throw coins and distract their pursuers while they escaped.
Eventually, however, the master thief was apprehended by a legendary Officer Jenny and her Spinarak. Since then, the town had been known for its Spinarak, and every officer used one as a partner.
Recently, however, someone claiming to be the "Second Generation Black Cat Bandit" had appeared. The Meowth accompanying this new thief used Pay Day, but instead of coins, it showered people with bottle caps.
Ash thought to himself: If Officer Jenny just used a Growlithe as a partner, she could probably track those bottle caps right back to them. He didn't say it out loud, though. He didn't feel like getting yelled at. Besides, he didn't have a canine Pokémon with him to help anyway.
Looking at the bottle caps, Ash grew thoughtful. Second generation? Meowth? Hiding in the shadows? It had to be Team Rocket. No wonder he hadn't seen them for a few days; they had gotten ahead and started playing "Master Thief" cosplay.
Just as Ash and the others agreed to help Jenny, she received a report. A local wealthy man had received a warning letter from the Black Cat Bandit.
Officer Jenny immediately led them to the man's villa. The warning stated that the bandit would arrive at midnight to steal a silver cup a priceless family heirloom.
The sun had just set, and there were still seven hours until midnight.
Ash's Aura flickered, and he noticed a familiar signature hiding in the attic crawlspace. He didn't say anything. Instead, he stretched his arms and suggested they leave Brock to guard the room with the silver cup while he and Misty went to the garden.
Officer Jenny had her Spinarak weave a massive web covering the entire villa. If the bandit tried to enter, the Spinarak would feel the vibrations and trap them instantly.
Ash secretly shook his head. He knew Team Rocket was already inside, hiding and waiting for midnight. Having Aura Power was truly a cheat code.
"Come out, Charizard!"
"Roar!"
Charizard had grown taller and its physique was visibly more robust. It was actually beginning to look forward to Ash's special training sessions, despite how uncomfortable the Macho Brace felt.
"Put it on."
The brace was soon back in place, weighing Charizard down.
"Alright, let's work! Give me ten sets of push-ups!"
Not only were Ash and Charizard working out, but Pikachu was also diligently practicing its Iron Tail.
"Ash, is this really the time?" Misty asked, looking worried. Everyone else was tense and on edge, yet Ash was casually starting a workout.
Ash shook his head, continuing his push-ups with a grin. "Worrying won't help. The letter said midnight, so we might as well make use of the time we have."
"But"
"Relax, Misty. Brock is guarding the cup. Besides, it's dinner time. Why don't you go ask the host if they can prepare a meal for us?"
It was rare to be guests in such a wealthy household; Ash wasn't going to miss out on a good meal. Both he and his Pokémon needed the nutrition for their training.
"Alright then." Seeing Ash's calm demeanor, Misty felt her own anxiety melt away.
The wealthy man's dinner was, as expected, magnificent. After a hearty meal, Ash felt even more energized for his training. Misty sat nearby, holding Togepi, as they both cheered for Pikachu and Charizard.
Without realizing it, Ash really had grown into a different person. Just being near him made her feel so... safe.
*Bond Levels:*
Charizard: 195/255
Pikachu: 200/255
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