"Pi~ka?"
"oki!"
On the way, Aipom and Pikachu called out to Ash strangely, they didn't know why Ash was running away like this.
The opponents were just the Team Rocket trio, they had won against them countless times in the past, logically speaking, there was no need to run, they could just fight directly to win, right?
"Go ahead first, hide in the forest.
" Ash also knew what Pikachu and Aipom were thinking, but he didn't intend to fight the Team Rocket trio directly now.
In the countless times he had fought them, Ash also understood that the trio could often get the upper hand in the first instance.
Although the ending was mostly good for him, Ash didn't plan to spend too much time on the Team Rocket trio now.
"We don't know what strange things they are hiding, so let's hide in the forest first.
This way their Air Balloon won't be able to advance.
If they want to continue to catch up with us, they can only walk over on foot.
Then the advantage will be on our side.
I mean, if they get the upper hand without Flying-type Pokémon, it will be very troublesome later."
After hearing Ash's explanation, Pikachu and Aipom finally showed a realization.
It seems that they were too eager to defeat the opponent before.
Thinking calmly, hiding in the forest is indeed a better choice.
In land battles, Pikachu doesn't believe he will lose to the Team Rocket trio, but...
"pi~ka?!"
Ash: ""
What does that mean? Although he didn't understand what Pikachu was specifically saying, it seems to be a question about his IQ.
But never mind, it's rare to be back in the past, so don't worry too much about it now.
But, I still need to sanction Pikachu's impolite behavior later! I'll just not give it Ketchup for a few days afterwards.
Although the Team Rocket trio was chasing after them relentlessly, Ash was now thinking more about how to "Punishment" Pikachu, and didn't take the Team Rocket trio's situation to heart at all.
But this is also not surprising.
If the Team Rocket trio had really succeeded even once, Ash wouldn't have ignored their existence so much.
It's just that the trio has never succeeded in the dozen or so years they fought him before he time-traveled.
Had succeeded even once.
In this situation, it's impossible to take them seriously.
Unless they come up with some new technology, Ash might give them some basic respect and attention.
"Jump in!"
As the Team Rocket's Air Balloon had caught up to Ash from behind, Ash shouted at this instant, then jumped into the bushes with Pikachu and Aipom, causing the missile equipped with an insulated capture net fired from the Air Balloon to miss.
"I told you it wouldn't work, Meowth~"
Seeing Jessie's attack miss, Meowth sarcastically said without any concealment.
"Ah! Shut up! Who would have thought they'd escape like that! Don't just stand there making sarcastic remarks! Get down there and chase them!"
"Do we really have to chase them...?"
"Wobbuffet~!"
James and Wobbuffet still couldn't make up their minds, but after they turned back and met Jessie's Rage-filled, ghost-like expression, they understood that they were ready.
Under Jessie's supervision and urging, James, Meowth, and Wobbuffet didn't dare to complain at all, simply and neatly landed the Air Balloon on the ground, and then jumped down one after another.
With simple tacit understanding, the Team Rocket trio unanimously pushed Wobbuffet to the forefront, letting it deal with the first wave of attacks that Ash might launch.
Wobbuffet dared to be angry but dared not speak, and silently focused its mind, ready to counterattack at any time.
The rustling sound of branches rubbing against each other came from the forest.
The Team Rocket trio led Wobbuffet and cautiously groped forward.
Although Jessie had shouted so forcefully before, she had been blasted away by Ash countless times.
Even a fool would learn from that.
Of course, Jessie would be afraid of a Thunderbolt suddenly popping out of the grass and blasting them all away.
But that shouldn't be possible, right...
Jessie thought.
That brat's personality shouldn't be that despicable.
Even in a situation where he could ambush, he should be the first to jump out, then point at their noses and give Pikachu the order to attack.
MaybeJessie felt that she completely understood Ash's personality.
She, who had been hesitant, suddenly puffed out her chest and walked to the front, blocking Wobbuffet.
"Hey! Hurry up! What if the twerp escapes at this rate? Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
Meowth, James, Wobbuffet:
They didn't know why Jessie had suddenly become so assertive, but since someone was already taking the lead, they had no reason to be afraid.
"Right! Let's hurry, Meow! Maybe the twerp has already escaped while we're carefully advancing here!"
"Yeah, makes sense."
"Wobbuffet!"
Seeing that the team's morale had been boosted so easily, before Jessie could even show a satisfied smile, they heard a sound of electrical currents clashing from the bushes ahead.
That sound, it's so familiar...
Just as everyone was thinking this, accompanied by a flash of golden light, a strong electric current enveloped them all.
Under the stimulation of the electric current, Team Rocket's screams became strange.
"Aah~*(@!"
Who knows what they're shouting, but when the first electric current ended, Team Rocket had already completed a major image makeover.
Jessie and James' hair was temporarily ruined, becoming a dark, frizzy afro.
"They really didn't have any defenses at all.
I even thought of other methods, but I didn't expect to win with the most basic move."
"pi~ka~"
After Team Rocket had turned into "black charcoal," Ash slowly emerged from the bushes with Pikachu, looking speechless at the group of people emitting the black smoke of being electrocuted, and muttered to himself.
"Cough cough!"
Hearing Ash's voice, Jessie and the others quickly got up again, as if the Thunder Shock they received a moment ago was fake.
They got up and pointed at Ash, scolding him: "You little brat, you have no morals!"
"That's right!! How can you ambush us?!"
"Meow! As a Pokémon Trainer, you should be ashamed of this behavior!"
"Wobbuffet!"
Ash's unexpected ambush sent them into a fit of impotent rage.
This was supposed to be a tense Pokémon battle, but Team Rocket's state and tone made it hard to feel tense; it was like watching children throw a tantrum.
Pikachu, looking dejected, held its ears, seemingly speechless at Team Rocket's shamelessness.
But seeing the trio as "always," Ash couldn't help but smile with nostalgia and relief, though Jessie and the others saw it as another taunt.