Chapter 24: A Reunion with Ash

Dragging his weary body, Xia You arrived at the Vermilion City Pokémon Center. After entrusting his Pokémon to Nurse Joy and waiting for their treatment to conclude, he finally returned to the Cerise Laboratory.

The journey back was filled with scenes of chaos. Due to the explosion at the power plant, just as Dr. Cerise had mentioned over the phone, the area surrounding the laboratory was suffering from a widespread blackout, severely disrupting local transportation, dining, and business operations. He even spotted Officer Jenny, accompanied by her Growlithe, standing in the middle of the road directing traffic. Fortunately, critical facilities like the Cerise Laboratory and the Pokémon Center were equipped with their own backup power supplies, preventing them from shutting down.

Upon meeting Dr. Cerise, Xia You provided a brief account of what had happened. The doctor stood up in astonishment when he heard that Xia You had encountered Zapdos.

"You actually encountered the legendary Pokémon, Zapdos!?"

Seeing Xia You nod, Dr. Cerise quickly regained his composure and continued, "So it was Zapdos behind the frequent power outages at the lab. However, since the explosion occurred, I assume it won't be appearing again. As for the power room, I will call the electric company immediately and have them send a crew to repair it and replace the units."

"Actually..." Xia You scratched his head, "I also happened to capture Zapdos."

"What!?" Dr. Cerise nearly choked on his own saliva. He coughed twice, his expression one of absolute shock, "You captured it!?"

"Yes." Xia You took out the Poké Ball containing Zapdos and waved it before the doctor to prove his words were true. "However, to avoid unnecessary trouble, I must ask you to keep this a secret for me, Doctor."

After taking a deep breath, Dr. Cerise steadied himself and nodded. He understood well that this matter should not be publicized. "Rest assured, I will keep my lips sealed until you decide to go public yourself."

At this moment, Xia You tentatively asked, "Doctor, when a Trainer carries more than six Pokémon, any newly captured ones are automatically transferred to the laboratory. Is there any way to change this setting?"

Hearing this, Dr. Cerise laughed. "What? Are six Pokémon not enough for you?"

"In ordinary circumstances, they are certainly enough," Xia You said, gesturing toward the Poké Ball in his hand. "But in cases like this, where it's inconvenient to leave it elsewhere and I must keep it with me, it occupies an extra slot, which significantly limits my options in normal battles."

Dr. Cerise realized his point, noting, "You don't want to use Zapdos as a standard battle Pokémon, is that right?"

"Exactly," Xia You explained. "For me, Kirlia and Ivysaur are like cards played face-up. A legendary Pokémon like Zapdos, being so eye-catching, acts as a hidden card—a trump card. This alternation between revealed and hidden tactics allows for true surprise and guaranteed success."

"I see. I understand your reasoning; that is a very prudent idea." Dr. Cerise reached out his hand. "Come, give me your Pokédex."

After handing over the device, Xia You watched as the doctor connected it to the computer. After a few adjustments, he returned it to him.

"Done. I've updated your permissions to increase your Poké Ball capacity from six to twelve. This way, in addition to your standard six, you won't have to worry about any rare Pokémon you capture in the future being automatically transferred away."

In the afternoon, at the Cerise Park, Xia You opened the Poké Ball and released Zapdos. Since the park was not yet open to the public, he didn't have to worry about anyone seeing the legendary bird and causing a commotion.

Zapdos flapped its wings, staring down at Xia You from a height.

Xia You smiled. "I know you're frustrated about being defeated by Pokémon weaker than yourself, and in an uneven fight at that. But don't worry, as time passes, I believe you will soon come to accept me!"

Zapdos raised its head, appearing quite disdainful.

Xia You didn't mind its attitude at all. "It's fine if you don't want to talk to me, but as my Pokémon, you need to be prepared. Since you're so powerful, you can be their sparring partner!"

With that, without waiting for Zapdos to agree, Xia You shouted to his own Pokémon, "Alright, everyone, attack together!"

With a resounding cry, intense bolts of electricity suddenly lit up the Cerise Park.

...

After resting for a day, Xia You shouldered his backpack and, accompanied by his Pokémon, left the Cerise Laboratory. As he headed toward the next city with a Gym, he suddenly heard someone calling his name from behind.

He turned to look and was surprised to see Ash, Misty, and Brock!

Was it truly the arrangement of fate that brought the three of them together to travel, just as in the stories?

"You reached Vermilion City so quickly?" Xia You asked with a smile as they approached. "Are you planning to challenge the Vermilion Gym next?"

Ash rubbed his nose, and with a look of pride, unzipped his jacket to show off the three badges pinned to the inside.

"The Boulder Badge, the Cascade Badge, and the Thunder Badge?" Xia You exclaimed in surprise. "You managed to get three badges in just a few days? That's an astonishing speed!"

"It's nothing!" Ash laughed. "My goal is to become a Pokémon Master, so getting three badges isn't that hard."

"I can't stand you," Misty frowned from the side. "That's only because we were kind enough to sympathize with you and went easy on you in our battles, which is how you got those badges."

Brock nodded in agreement. "That's right, it's better to be a bit more humble."

Having been exposed by his two companions right after boasting, Ash looked a bit embarrassed, but he simply laughed it off, not taking it to heart.

Misty then approached with her hands behind her back to greet Xia You. Perhaps even she hadn't realized it, but her tone was less willful than usual, tinged with a bit of shyness and excitement.

Xia You gave a bright smile. "It's been two days, Misty. You seem to have become even more beautiful than before."

Beside them, Brock extended his right hand to Xia You.

"I haven't formally introduced myself yet. My name is Brock. I resigned from my position as a Gym Leader a few days ago to travel with Ash and Misty. Currently, I'm working hard to become a Pokémon Breeder."

"That's a wonderful aspiration. Though, I personally think becoming a Pokémon Doctor is also a great choice." Xia You shook his hand, then shifted the tone, "But if I may be so bold, are you really only fifteen, Brock? You look quite a bit older than me."