Nemona's mother gave him a long look, then tapped something on her end. "We'll be in touch. Just make sure you're somewhere you can accept delivery—and not being followed."
The screen went black with a faint click, and Ash sat back with a long exhale. That had gone better than expected. Sort of. Pikachu chirped, leaping from his shoulder to the table as Ash shut down the terminal.
Outside the Pokémon Center, Saffron City moved like a living organism—flows of people, Pokémon, lights, and noise. The skyline shimmered with distant construction cranes and battle tower displays, casting tall shadows as the sun crept lower behind the skyscrapers.
Misty was waiting across the street, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently. When she saw him step out, she rolled her eyes. "You were in there forever. I thought you were ordering a sandwich, not weapons-grade hardware."
Ash chuckled, adjusting his bag. "Technically, I was just ordering a Rotom."
"Uh-huh," Misty muttered, falling into step beside him. "Next time maybe don't use the kind of connection that sets off every alarm in Kanto?"
Ash looked at Misty, "I have no clue what you are talking about.. An sarcasm doesnt suit you well."
—
Elsewhere, inside the Saffron Gym...
A soft crack echoed through the meditation chamber as a crystal sphere shattered in mid-air, psychic energy whimpering into silence.
Sabrina's eyes snapped open.
She had been scanning the city, tracing the web of psychic signatures left by tourists, Trainers, and Gym Challengers alike. But this—this was different.
She had been in a trance for several hours—reaching across the city, feeling for disturbances. A strange surge of pulsing with old power. Her gaze sharpened.
There it was again. That same presence. The same rippling paradox of calm and chaos, raw instinct wrapped in something deeply... old. It had brushed against the city's psychic layer for only a moment, like a blade catching the sun. Most would have missed it.
But not her.
"Fascinating," Sabrina murmured, standing gracefully. Her hair fluttered as she walked toward the outer terrace of her gym, the breeze catching her hair as she reached for her Kadabra's Poké Ball.
She whispered a command, and Kadabra materialized beside her in a shimmer of violet light.
"Someone passed through this city today. I don't know who. I don't know what," she said softly, gaze distant. "But they carried a presence like thunder in a glass jar."
Kadabra nodded once, eyes glowing.
"Observe. Do not engage."
With a soft pop, Kadabra vanished into the upper ether.
Sabrina stepped back, letting the shadows of her tower stretch across the floor.
Whoever that was, they didn't announce themselves. But something about that aura... it scratched at memory. It reminded her of Mt. Silver. Of blood on snow.
===
The dirt path snaked between the trees like a lazy serpent, cracked and sunbaked beneath the heat of the late afternoon sun.
And right in the middle of it—blocking the entire road with zero shame—sat five Squirtle, each one sporting dark sunglasses and an attitude that screamed do not mess with us unless you want your backpack stolen, turned inside out, and returned full of berries that explode on contact.
Their leader lounged on an old crate, legs crossed, a wildflower stem hanging lazily from the corner of his mouth. His shades were sharper than his grin, and his expression said one thing loud and clear: This road is ours.
"Boss," murmured Lefty, the smallest of the squad, pointing down the road. "Got movement. Couple humans and a yellow blur."
"Yellow blur?" Boss Squirtle adjusted his sunglasses and squinted into the sunlight. "Is it a Ponyta again? Or that weird Meowth on the trike?"
Lefty shook his head. "Nah. Looks like a Pikachu."
That got the whole squad's attention.
Another Squirtle stood up, shell gleaming. "Pikachu's rare. You think it's a Trainer?"
"Dunno," Boss said, standing slowly. "But if they're headed to Cerulean, they're coming through our territory."
He looked down at his squad. "You know the drill."
The others grinned and snapped to attention.
"Oh yeah," said one. "Full welcome package?"
====
Ash was walking with Misty beside him and Pikachu riding on his shoulder. Neither of them was talking and taking time to think.
'Huh, I wonder if my modded teams are there? A huge power Slaking we be utterly terffying if I could bring him out.' Ash muses to himself
"Pika!"
Ash stops walking and looks over to Misty
—just as Pikachu's tail bristled and his ears shot up like radar.
"What is it?" Misty asked, already sliding her fingers toward a Poké Ball.
Ash glanced at Pikachu. "Front or sides?"
Pikachu pointed ahead, cheeks beginning to spark.
Ash tilted his head—and then he saw them.
Five Squirtle, right in the middle of the road, formed a perfect V-formation like some kind of Water-type biker gang. They weren't trying to be subtle. They wanted to be seen.
The leader stood front and center, arms folded across his plastron like a gym boss from a side-scrolling game. The flower in his mouth twitched slightly in the wind. His shades reflected the fading light like twin blades.
Ash blinked. "Are we being... mugged?"
Misty narrowed her eyes. "By Squirtle."
When we go to Unova meet a scientist Fennel along with Namona's mom.
"Hey there," Ash said, keeping his tone even, friendly. "We're just passing through. Not looking to pick a fight."
The lead Squirtle tilted his head slowly… then, in an almost comically smooth move, pulled off his sunglasses and pointed them—with one finger—directly at Ash.
Then he put them back on.
Ash grinned. "Oh. You want a battle."
Boss Squirtle nodded.
"You really want a battle?" Misty muttered.
"You know what Sure we can battle, but if you lose I want you to join me." Ash states
The lead Squirtle paused—mid dramatic anime pose, mid street-gang intimidation—and squinted behind his shades.
The rest of the Squad looked at each other, murmuring in surprised Squirtle chatter.
Ash stepped forward, just enough for his voice to carry clearly. "Yeah, you heard me. You give us a good battle, one to remember, and if you lose…" He pointed right back, mirroring the Squirtle's earlier motion. "You join me. All of you."
Misty turned toward him slowly. "You're recruiting gang members now?"
Ash shrugged, not taking his eyes off the squad. "They've got guts. And skill. That's all a Trainer really needs to bring out a Pokémon's full potential."
Boss Squirtle's flower stem twitched. His jaw worked silently, like he was chewing the idea over—then he smirked.
And nodded.
He pointed to the rest of his team, barking a sharp command in Squirtle-ese. The Squad spread out, their shells gleaming under the late afternoon sun. One fired a Water Gun straight into the air—pure style. Another flipped back into position with the kind of flair only a street fighter could manage.
Ash snapped his fingers. "Pikachu, you're up."
Pikachu shot forward like a bolt of golden lightning, sliding into position opposite Boss Squirtle.
"Then let's go!" Ash shouted. "Open with Quick Attack!"
Pikachu darted forward with a silver streak of motion, and—
—CRACK!
The sound of impact echoed through the trees as Pikachu slammed into Squirtle's shell—only to rebound off with a thud, landing neatly on all fours.
Squirtle hadn't even flinched… And then it fainted.
Ash blinked. "…Wait. What?"
Misty tilted her head. "Did… did Pikachu just one-shot him?"
Pikachu looked just as confused as everyone else. He sniffed the air, then glanced at Ash and shrugged, cheeks sparking innocently.
The Squirtle Squad gasped as their leader dramatically rolled onto his back, limbs splayed, tongue out in full cartoon faint.
"…You're kidding," Ash muttered, walking over.
He knelt beside Boss Squirtle and waved a hand in front of his face. "Dude. You good?"
Ash pulled out a great ball and hit the unconscious squirtle in the head.
The Great Ball clicked once, twice… then a final ding as the capture completed. A soft shimmer of light pulsed from the center button.
Ash stood up, tossing the ball lightly in his hand. "Well, that's one way to make an impression."
The rest of the Squirtle Squad stared in stunned silence—until Boss Squirtle's second-in-command stepped forward and saluted.
Then another did the same.
And another.
One by one, the entire squad lined up and raised stubby little paws in synchronized salute. Pikachu tilted his head with a little "Pika?" as the remaining four Squirtle formed ranks behind Ash like a ragtag military escort.
Misty gave him a look. "You… just caught the boss. Now the whole gang's following you, huh?"
Ash shrugged, slipping the ball onto his belt. "I guess that was the condition. 'If I win, you join me.' I just didn't realize I was drafting a whole squad."
Misty laughed. "This is gonna get real chaotic, real fast."
"I am sure they are going to have alot of fun with professor Oak." Ash states