In the dimly lit room, a young girl was staring blankly at a photograph. It showed her and a boy posing together—the boy was holding a Chansey, with a Pichu perched on his shoulder and a Meowth by his side. She herself had her arms around a Vulpix, smiling as she leaned against the boy's shoulder.
"Ming."
A Vulpix gently licked the girl, who then snapped back to reality.
"Sorry, Vulpix, I spaced out again."
"Ugh!"
"I know, Ash will definitely be fine, absolutely."
Suzy's heart suddenly clenched. The attack from the giant Tentacruel's tentacles could be deadly. She had been too afraid to call Ash or listen to the news, terrified of hearing any tragic reports about him.
"Ash, you have to be okay... Please, I beg you, stay safe."
---Dividing Line---
Beauty Street, this is a place with many Pokémon breeders, and Brock aspires to become the world's top breeder. So after arriving here, he plans to visit a legendary figure in the breeding world.
"Almost there⊥ I'll get to meet my idol soon⊥ My heart feels like a flower about to greet the morning sun_?- just like that,"
Watching Brock acting all flirty, Ash and Misty couldn't help but step away from him in silent exasperation.
"Ash, aren't you tired like this?"
To pretend she didn't know Brock, Misty could only change the subject—and that subject was Ash. At the moment, Ash was fully geared up. On his left shoulder sat Kirlia, on his right shoulder sat Pikachu, his high-tech backpack carried Psyduck, and Chansey was teasing Psyduck with a small cake. Meowth, being mischievous, even ate the cake right in front of Psyduck, making the silly duck extremely anxious.
"Nah, this weight is nothing."
"By the way, why are you carrying Psyduck on your back?" "Oh, Psyduck. Letting it breathe some fresh air. Good air should help its head... probably." "...You're really working hard, Ash."
"No, it's nothing. Actually, I happen to have an acquaintance here. She can help me demonstrate massage therapy using a Psyduck's head as an example."
"An acquaintance?"
"Yeah, hey Brock, do you want to go see your idol first or come with me to meet my acquaintance?"
At this moment, he was completely immersed in a beautiful fantasy.
Brock, snapping out of it, said, 'I'm going to see my idol first! I want to ask her to be my master!' Ash, you go ahead and meet your acquaintance first!'
Watching Brock like this, Ash could only shrug and turn to Misty, saying, 'Then let's go see my acquaintance first. After that, we can head to the Pokémon Center or a Chinese restaurant.'
"Alright."
Then Misty, Ash, and Brock temporarily went their separate ways. Brock kept searching for the shop he was looking for, while Ash confidently headed toward his destination. Soon, Ash and Misty arrived at a store. Upon entering, Ash noticed that Nurse Joy was still working, so he gestured for Misty to keep quiet.
Misty nodded in understanding.
Then Ash and Misty found seats and sat down, but soon Ash frowned because he noticed that Suzy was in poor spirits.
Just as Ash was considering whether to take over Suzy's work for her, a Vulpix came running over.
"Shh, Vulpix, don't disturb Suzy for now."
"Wah!"
After Suzy finished grooming a Chansey and saw its trainer off, she sat down feeling somewhat dejected.
"Not taking care of your own health as a Pokémon Breeder—that's not like you, Suzy."
Just as Suzy was feeling a bit dazed again
The voice that had haunted her dreams came from beside her, and Ash walked over at that moment, taking her pulse to begin his diagnosis.
"Your energy and spirit are in terrible shape. What's wrong?" When Ash looked up at Suzy, he found her face already streaked with tears.
"Is it really you? Ash?"
"What's wrong with you? What could be wrong with me?"
"Weren't you the one attacked by the giant Tentacruel on TV before? I'm sure that was definitely you!"
Looking at the somewhat excited Suzy, Ash grabbed her hand and placed it on his own face.
"Touch it, it's warm and I'm perfectly fine, nothing's wrong with me."
"Ash⊥⊥⊥"
With a cry that was both laughing and sobbing, Suzy pounced on Ash, knocking him to the ground as she clung tightly to him.
"You're okay, that's so great! Really, really great!"
Crack!
Accompanied by a petrified figure, Misty looked pityingly at Brock, who had turned to stone the moment he entered the room, and whispered, 'Seems like a girl who has a crush on Ash.'
Pfft⊥
Twin Blades of Justice pierced through the petrified Brock.