After leaving Celadon City, still filled with the lingering fragrance of flowers and warm memories, Ash and his companions arrived in the quiet and peaceful town of HopHopHop.
The moment they entered the town, they sensed that something was off. The streets were sparsely populated, and the few residents they encountered wore worried expressions.
They headed first to the Pokémon Center, only to find that most of the Pokémon there seemed listless. Even the usually energetic Pikachu looked unusually drained.
"Nurse Joy, what's going on with the Pokémon here?" Brock asked with concern, too preoccupied to even flirt.
Nurse Joy sighed. "We're not sure what's happening lately. The Pokémon in the Center have all become lethargic, as if something is affecting their minds. And…" She lowered her voice. "There have been several cases of missing children in town recently. The parents are frantic."
Ash frowned slightly at the news. Quietly, he activated his Aura and carefully sensed his surroundings.
It did not take long for him to detect a faint but continuous wave of strange energy spreading outward like ripples on water. The energy carried a powerful hypnotic effect. It was this very force that was disrupting the Pokémon's mental state.
"It's a strong sleep wave," Ash said firmly. "The source… seems to be in that direction!" He pointed toward the rooftop of a taller building near the center of town.
Following Ash's lead, they tracked the source to the building. To their surprise, a sign hung at the entrance reading "Pokémon Lovers Club." When they reached the rooftop, they found several adults gathered around a Drowzee and a Hypno.
One of the club members explained that many of them had been suffering from chronic insomnia. They had been using Hypno's abilities to generate sleep waves to help everyone fall asleep.
"So it was you!" Misty said angrily. "The sleep waves from your Hypno have made the Pokémon at the Pokémon Center lethargic, and they might even be connected to the missing children!"
Ash added seriously, "A large-scale sleep wave like this has a major impact on children and Pokémon with weaker mental resistance. Please stop immediately."
The club members finally realized that their well intentioned solution had caused harm. Filled with shame, they quickly apologized and promised to stop using Hypno's powers.
At that moment, however, Misty became intensely curious about Hypno. "Is the hypnosis really that amazing? Let me try it!" Ignoring Ash and Brock's attempts to stop her, she voluntarily asked to be hypnotized.
Under Hypno's sleep wave, Misty's eyes quickly grew unfocused. Her behavior became strange. She began imitating a Seel, swaying her body and making seal-like sounds before running off in a dazed, foolish manner.
"Misty!" Ash and Brock rushed after her.
They chased her all the way to the town park. What they saw there left them stunned. The missing children were all present, but each of them was mimicking different Pokémon. Some were hopping like Pikachu, others flapping imaginary wings like Pidgey, completely immersed in hypnotic illusions.
"The children… and Misty too. They've all been affected by Hypno's sleep waves and think they're Pokémon," Brock concluded.
The club members hurried over as well. Seeing the scene before them, they were overwhelmed with regret. They suggested that Drowzee could use its abilities to break the hypnosis.
Ash and Brock first carried Misty, who was still acting like a Seel and trying to jump into the fountain, back to the club.
With Drowzee's concentrated effort, Misty finally regained consciousness. Realizing what she had just done, she felt both embarrassed and irritated.
The group then brought Drowzee back to the park to free the children. However, as if drawn by trouble like cats to fish, Team Rocket's trio appeared right on cue.
"Since you so sincerely asked!"
"We'll kindly tell you!"
…
"We'll be taking that Drowzee and Hypno off your hands, meow!"
Their goal was clear as they charged straight for the two valuable Psychic type Pokémon.
"Not a chance! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
"Squirtle, Water Gun!"
"Primeape, show them what you've got!"
Ash reacted instantly, and his partners launched a coordinated assault. Once again, Team Rocket's scheme crumbled before overwhelming strength. With their familiar wail of "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they vanished into the sky.
After driving away the troublemakers, Drowzee focused and unleashed its hypnosis-reversal technique on the children. As soft waves of light spread outward, the children gradually stopped imitating Pokémon. Clarity returned to their eyes. The parents, who had rushed over after hearing the news, tearfully embraced their children and expressed heartfelt gratitude to Ash and the others.
At the same time, the Pokémon at the Pokémon Center recovered from the sleep wave's effects and regained their usual vitality.
Once the incident was fully resolved, Nurse Joy brought over a Psyduck that was holding its head with both hands and wearing a rather vacant expression.
"This Psyduck has chronic headaches and doesn't seem very bright. I was wondering if you could take care of it?" Nurse Joy asked, looking toward the dependable Brock.
Brock observed Psyduck carefully before shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Nurse Joy. I don't really have experience caring for this kind of… well… not particularly sharp looking Pokémon." He declined politely.
Nurse Joy then turned to Misty. Seeing Psyduck's blank stare and silly demeanor, Misty waved her hands frantically. "No way! It looks so dumb! It's not cute at all!"
As if to prove its clumsiness, Psyduck began wobbling around.
Startled, Misty stepped back instinctively, only to trip over a rock. An empty Poké Ball rolled out of her backpack.
At that exact moment, Psyduck accidentally stepped on the Poké Ball's button.
Click!
A flash of red light engulfed Psyduck as it was pulled into the Poké Ball.
The Poké Ball did not even shake. It simply snapped shut with a crisp sound, fully locked.
Misty stared blankly at the Poké Ball on the ground that had already captured Psyduck. She seemed completely petrified.
Ash picked up the Poké Ball, barely suppressing his laughter as he handed it to her. "Looks like… it chose you, Misty." Knowing the original story, Ash was well aware that this was the one later dubbed by Pokémon fans as the "Duck God," one of the so-called Three Illusionary Gods.
For now, though, the problem was entirely Misty's to deal with.
On the verge of tears, Misty accepted the Poké Ball. Looking at the Psyduck inside, still clutching its head with a foolish expression, she wailed, "Why… why did this happen to me?!"
And so, after experiencing a hypnosis incident in HopHopHop Town, Misty's team gained a new companion who might not seem very smart, yet perhaps concealed unknown potential: Psyduck.
...
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