The morning sunlight filtered through the cracks in the cave and fell across Ash's face. He rubbed his sleepy eyes, glanced at the still-sleeping Misty, and quietly got up, preparing to look for food.
When he reached the beach, the sight before him made his eyes widen in delight—a small lifeboat was heading straight for the island, and standing at the bow, waving with all his might, was Brock!
What thrilled him even more was that beside Brock stood not only Pikachu, but Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Butterfree, Pidgeotto (✨), and Scyther—every single Pokémon he had with him, not one missing, all safe and sound on the boat, excitedly calling out in his direction!
"Brock! Everyone!" Ash shouted excitedly, then immediately ran back to the cave. "Misty, wake up! Brock and all the Pokémon are back!"
Misty was roused by his voice. Upon hearing the good news, she woke up instantly, a brilliant smile blooming across her face.
The lifeboat soon reached shore, and the long-separated companions rushed into each other's arms in excitement.
Pikachu deftly hopped onto Ash's shoulder. Bulbasaur gently wrapped a vine around his arm, while Charmander and Squirtle affectionately nuzzled against his legs. Butterfree and Pidgeotto circled joyfully in the air, and Scyther stood coolly off to the side, though a look of relief was evident in its eyes.
"Ash, Misty, it's such a relief to see you're both okay!" Brock let out a long breath. "When I woke up, I found myself and the Pokémon all on the same lifeboat. Later, we were rescued by a passing merchant ship. They took us to nearby Porta Vista, where we got checked out and recovered at the Pokémon Center. I borrowed this boat and followed Pikachu and the others' faint sensing of your aura all the way here—thankfully, I didn't miss you!"
"That's wonderful… everyone's safe." Surrounded by all the Pokémon, Misty's eyes grew a little misty as the worry she'd been holding onto finally melted away.
"Thanks for all your hard work, Brock!" Ash said, giving him a firm pat on the shoulder, gratitude overflowing. He carefully checked on each companion, and only after confirming that everyone was in good condition did he finally relax.
"While we were resting in Porta Vista, we heard some news," Brock continued. "There's apparently a wealthy woman called 'Brutella' pushing a massive land reclamation project there. It's causing a huge uproar—lots of fishermen and environmental groups are protesting."
"Land reclamation?" Ash frowned slightly. His aura made him especially sensitive to the balance of nature. "Drastically altering the coastline is bound to affect the Pokémon living in the sea."
"We heard about it too," Misty added. "It seems like it's already stirring up a lot of resentment."
"Since we're all back together, let's head to Porta Vista first," Ash decided. "On one hand, we need to properly rest and resupply. On the other, I want to see for myself what's going on with that reclamation project. If it's damaging Pokémon habitats, we can't just stand by and do nothing."
After everything he'd been through, Ash wasn't just growing stronger—his sense of responsibility as a Pokémon Trainer was becoming ever more pronounced.
Everyone agreed, boarded the lifeboat Brock had brought, and set off toward Porta Vista.
Porta Vista was an even more prosperous and lively port city than Maiden's Peak. The docks were thick with masts, the streets bustling with people, brimming with vitality.
As soon as they arrived, Brock led them—clearly familiar with the place—straight back to the Pokémon Center. All the Pokémon received thorough health checkups once again (especially Ash's and Misty's Pokémon, who had endured seawater and drifting).
Nurse Joy and Chansey welcomed them back with warm smiles.
Ash went to a shop to repair his Pokédex (the old one had been completely ruined by water) and successfully contacted Professor Oak to report that they were safe, putting the professor's mind at ease.
Misty and Brock, meanwhile, went to replenish the supplies they'd need for their journey.
While resting at the Pokémon Center, they could clearly feel the tense atmosphere permeating the city due to the land reclamation project.
Many Trainers and fishermen were discussing the issue, their concern evident in every word.
"It looks like this is more serious than we thought," Brock said.
"Yeah," Ash nodded, his gaze resolute. "Once we've rested up, we'll go check out the construction site tomorrow."
The entire team had reunited smoothly, and a new challenge was already close at hand.
The land reclamation turmoil of Porta Vista was waiting for them to step in.
[Ding! Host has successfully reunited with all companions and Pokémon. Team integrity restored.]
[Regional investigation event triggered: Porta Vista Land Reclamation Project.]
( A/N: Pidgey and Krabby have already been sent back to Professor Oak's laboratory. I forgot to mention it earlier when writing the plot, so I'm adding it here to avoid any confusion. )