"Hey, look who I found trying to sneak back in," said a Rocket grunt to his partner.
Next to him stood a blue, bat-like creature with no eyes—and Bill, bound tightly with ropes, clearly captured.
The other grunt smirked."You know, this wouldn't have happened if you hadn't interfered in matters that don't concern you," he said, stepping closer. "Was there anyone else with him?"
"Nah, he was alone. Can't tell if that makes him brave or just stupid."
"Please, I just came back for my Pokémon! Just return him to me, and I promise I won't tell the police anything!" Bill begged.
"Stupid it is!" the grunt beside him laughed. "Listen, pal, Team Rocket does whatever we want, whenever we want. Don't take it personally—we're just doing our job."
"W–what are you going to do with me?" Bill asked, his voice shaking.
"That depends. If you behave, nothing bad," said the man in front. "Now sit tight until we're done with our work."
"What work are you doing? M–maybe I could be of—"
"Now, now," interrupted the other grunt, slinging an arm around Bill's shoulders. "What did we just say about behaving?" He grinned, his expression twisting into something cruel.
Bill gulped in fear as his partner started chuckling."Just to make sure he doesn't try anything funny, why don't you leave your Zubat to keep an eye on him?" suggested the first man.
"Excellent idea!" his partner said. "Zubat, while we're busy, make sure our little guest behaves, got it?" He laughed at his own joke—alone.
"I… I can't believe you…" muttered the other Rocket with a sigh. "Let's just get this over with. The sooner we're done, the sooner I'm free from your awful sense of humor."
"Tsk. Everyone's a critic," grumbled his partner as they disappeared deeper into the cavern.
Once they were gone, Zubat turned toward Bill. Its expression was menacing—until it suddenly softened. Then it made a sound, almost like it was calling to someone.
A few moments later, Blue—currently going by Leaf—appeared, dragging another Zubat wrapped in duct tape. Beside her bounced Jiggly, her round pink Pokémon, cheerful as ever.
"You know," she said, "I'd love to disagree with that guy just on principle—since he's Team Rocket—but he's right. That joke suuucked." She smirked as she walked toward Bill.
Jiggly, however, puffed up indignantly, clearly disagreeing. She found the joke quite hilarious, actually.
"I gotta be honest with you, Leaf. I'm not the biggest fan of this plan of yours," said Bill as Leaf began untying him.
After hearing what Bill had seen of Team Rocket's operation, Leaf devised a plan to rescue his Pokémon. Bill would draw one grunt's attention and make him call for his Pokémon to help chase her. Once separated from his partner, they'd deal with the grunt's Pokémon—Ditty would transform to replace it, and Bill would let himself be captured again, hopefully guarded by Ditty in disguise. If things went wrong, Ditty would attack when their guard was down, and Leaf would swoop in with Jiggly to finish the job.
So far, everything was going according to plan.
"Oh, come on, it wasn't that bad. Stop complaining, Barry," Leaf teased as she freed him.
"It's still Bill," he sighed, rubbing his wrists, "but fine. I guess you're right—things could've gone worse."
"That's the spirit!" she said, then turned toward the blue, eyeless bat next to her. "Well done, Ditty. You're truly a master of disguise."
The bat smiled proudly before flying onto her head and morphing into its usual pink blob form.
"Ditto!" it chirped with pride.
"Yeah, yeah, don't let it go to your head," Leaf said with a smirk. Then she glanced toward a group of cages nearby. "Alright, let's free those guys before the duo of McDumbasses gets back."
"Guess you're right," Bill said as they walked over to the cages.
The cages held a variety of Pokémon—Geodude, Rattata, Kakuna, and a few others.
"Hey, is your Pokémon here?" Leaf asked.
"Let me see," Bill said, scanning the cages. His eyes brightened. "There he is!"
Without hesitation, Jiggly hopped forward. Her eyes gleamed, and with a deep breath, she let out a powerful Hyper Voice that shattered the lock with a loud clang!
Once the cage was open, a brown blur rushed toward Bill, tackling him in an affectionate hug. At first, Leaf didn't think much of it—until she got a good look.
Her breath caught.Her heart skipped.All color drained from her face.
It was a Farfetch'd.
One of those Pokémon.
Bill was too busy embracing his partner to notice Leaf's change in demeanor, but Ditty and Jiggly both did. They immediately looked worried—this was the same girl who had faced down a Rocket squad without flinching, yet now she stood frozen like a terrified child.
"Oh—sorry, Leaf. Guess we got caught up in the moment," Bill said, turning to her. "Leaf, this is my Farfetch'd. Farfetch'd, this is Leaf. She's the one who helped rescue you."
"Faar!" the bird cried gratefully as it stepped forward.
But to everyone's surprise, Leaf staggered backward, trembling, sweat beading on her forehead. Before Bill could ask what was wrong, she turned away.
"W–well, we have o–one thing less t–to worry about," she stammered. "W–we should s–start prep–preparing our c–counterattack."
"Did… did I hear that right? Counterattack?" Bill asked. She nodded nervously.
"But we already rescued Farfetch'd—and some other Pokémon. Shouldn't we just try to sneak past those guys and head to Cerulean City?"
Leaf shook her head, her voice still shaky. "If… if we're not q–quick enough—and we probably won't be—they'll c–catch up to us. And you don't want to imagine what'll happen then."
"But I got away from them last time—maybe we can—"
She shook her head harder, nearly cutting him off. "I think… I t–think the only reason you managed to e–escape before was b–because… b–because…" Her voice broke. "I'm sorry, I can't! Please just—g–get t–that thing back into its Pokéball!"
Blue hugged herself, trembling violently. Ditty and Jiggly immediately moved closer, trying to comfort her.
Bill froze, guilt and concern washing over him. He didn't know why, but clearly the sight of Farfetch'd terrified her. Quietly, he nodded.
"Sorry, buddy. You'll have to rest for a bit," he said softly to his Pokémon.
Farfetch'd nodded obediently and returned to its Pokéball.
As soon as it disappeared, Leaf's breathing steadied. Color slowly returned to her cheeks, her trembling eased, and she dropped her arms from her self-hug.
"…Thanks," she murmured. "As I was saying… I think the reason you escaped before was because they didn't see you as a threat. But once they realize you freed the captured Pokémon, they'll do everything to find you again. Both of them. And together, they'll cover a lot more ground."
"If that happens, can't we just fight them? I'm no battler, but you seem strong enough to handle it," Bill said.
She shook her head firmly. "I know two guys who could maybe take both of them, but I'm not like them. Without the element of surprise, we'd be crushed. That's why we have to take them out before they regroup."
There was another reason too—one she didn't say. Blue had been lucky so far to avoid any bird Pokémon in the wild. She wasn't going to push that luck.
"Do you… have another Pokémon besides Farfetch'd?" she asked quietly.
Bill hesitated, piecing it together. Maybe she'd had a bad encounter with a bird Pokémon before? He didn't know, but it wasn't the time to ask.
"Y–yeah," he said finally. "I have a Porygon. I usually keep him at home, but I brought him to Mount Moon for research."
"Good. That could be useful." She took a deep breath, then crossed her arms. "But before we plan anything else, I just want to say something."
Bill blinked. "O–okay?"
"Next time you ask someone for help," she said, narrowing her eyes, "tell them everything. Who your attackers are. What Pokémon they have. And maybe mention that you actually have another Pokémon yourself. Might save us both some panic attacks."
Bill shrank a little, guilt written all over his face. "Sorry, Leaf. My bad. I swear it won't happen again."
"It better not," she said with a sigh. Thankfully, it seemed the Rockets hadn't heard her earlier breakdown. She straightened up, regaining her usual confidence.
"Alright," she said. "Here's what I've got in mind…"
"Champ! Finish him off with Karate Chop, now!" Green commanded.
The super-powered Pokémon obeyed instantly, rushing at his opponent—a two-headed bird—and striking it squarely in the chest. The blow was so powerful that it sent the bird flying backward, knocking it out almost instantly.
"Doduo!" shouted a purple-haired girl.
"And that makes ten," Green said, a cocky smile spreading across his face.
After recalling her Pokémon, the purple-haired girl walked toward him.
"I guess I wasn't good enough. You're really strong," she said, handing Green some prize money.
"Thanks. You're not that bad either. Compared to the other trainers I fought today, you were definitely the most competent. You actually gave me a decent challenge. Still, it was to be expected from someone like me," Green said, his confidence as unshakable as ever.
The girl gave him a conflicted look—one that mixed disappointment, relief, and pity. Green noticed it immediately, but before he could think much of it, her expression shifted to fear.
"W–well, congratulations. I gotta go, s–see you around!" she stammered, before hurrying off.
Green blinked. Before he could question her strange behavior, he sensed a presence behind him.
"Well done—what a marvelous display of both skill and strength," said a voice.
Green turned to see the host of the event walking toward him, smiling.
"I must admit, when you first showed up, I thought you were just another cocky, spoiled brat. But after seeing what you're truly capable of, I can see you had every right to boast as much as you did," the purple-haired man said approvingly.
"The outcome was rather obvious. Now, about my reward," Green replied coldly.
Despite Green's curt tone, the man's smile didn't falter.
"Ah, yes, of course. How could I forget such an important detail?" he said, reaching into his jacket and pulling out a golden pebble, roughly the size of a Growlithe's head.
"Here it is—your prize for beating my challenge. Congratulations," he said, handing it over.
"Huh. Well, I guess I shouldn't expect anything less," Green said, inspecting the pebble.
"Indeed. Anything less would've been an insult to a trainer of your caliber. But fret not—that's not your only reward, young man."
"It's not?"
"Of course not. While most trainers would be content with that, I believe you deserve something more. I can see tremendous potential in you, Green—potential that appears only once in a generation. Tell me… have you ever wanted to be part of something bigger?"
"Like what? Joining some kind of club?" Green asked.
"I wouldn't use those words," the man said with a smirk. "But yes, something like that."
"Sorry, I don't work well with others. I prefer to train alone. Besides, I already have plans—challenging the Gym Leaders, getting stronger, and beating a certain someone. Teaming up would just slow me down."
"I see. While I can respect that mindset, I'd still urge you to reconsider. Being a lone Arcanine can only take you so far. The Gym Leaders are strong, yes—but not all of them can help you reach your true potential."
"I'm listening," Green said, narrowing his eyes. The man's smile widened.
"You mentioned a certain someone you want to defeat, didn't you?"
Green nodded.
"Well, the organization I work for can help you achieve that—and much more. With our help, you will grow stronger, far beyond your current limits. The Gym Leaders will look like mere flies to you."
"Alright, you keep talking about this 'organization,' but I don't know anything about who you are—or what I'd be doing if I joined you."
"Oh, I wouldn't call us a little group," the man said, smirking as he opened part of his white jacket. Beneath it, he revealed a black shirt emblazoned with a large red R.
Team Rocket.
"As for what you'd do once you joined us," he continued smoothly, "you'd start with a few small operations here and there. But with your skills, you'd rise through the ranks in no time. You could even become an admin—something many aspire to, but few ever achieve."
"…So this was just some kind of recruitment test?" Green asked coldly.
"Something like that," the man admitted. "If those other fools had managed to beat every trainer I sent their way, I'd have shipped them off to the academy. But you? Why settle for mediocrity when we could have you among us? You'd start as a full-fledged member right away. That golden pebble is just a taste of what awaits you. With time, it'll look like pocket change."
Green stayed silent, thinking carefully. He wanted to surpass Red—to prove, once and for all, that he was better. With Rocket's resources, he could also complete the Pokédex faster… and maybe even help Blue with her problem.
"My answer…" Green began. The Rocket's grin grew wider.
"…is no."
While certain loud-mouthed trainers might assume he'd accept, Green Oak was many things—cold, ambitious, and a bit arrogant—but never a criminal. Joining a crime syndicate just to achieve his goals would be beyond idiotic.
Whatever others thought of him, he had standards.
The Rocket's smile faded into disbelief. "What?"
"You heard me," Green said flatly. "The fact that you even thought I'd join you is one of the dumbest ideas I've ever heard. I should beat you senseless—but since you gave me this, I'll let it slide. For today." He packed the golden pebble into his backpack.
"You… but… I'm giving you the offer of a lifetime! The chance to be part of something greater! And you—YOU JUST REJECT IT?!" the man screamed, his face contorted with rage.
Green didn't flinch. "I think I made myself clear. So either get lost… or else."
The man's eyes twitched, then he began to laugh—loud and unhinged. "You think you can just walk away? No! If I have to drag your broken body to headquarters myself, you will be a member of Team Rocket!" he shouted, hurling a Pokéball to the ground.
From it emerged a small, purple, mouse-like creature—Nidoran. Green didn't need a Pokédex to recognize it; he'd grown up around one, his grandfather's old partner.
"Nidoran! Break that brat and his pet!" the man barked.
The poison-type charged immediately.
"Champ, dodge and use Karate Chop!" Green ordered.
The fighting-type sidestepped the tackle and slammed a heavy chop down on Nidoran's forehead. But this time, the opponent endured the hit with surprising resilience.
Before Champ could recover, Nidoran lunged again, slamming into him hard enough to knock him back several feet.
"What's wrong, brat? Where's that spark from earlier?" the Rocket sneered.
Green gritted his teeth. Champ had already fought ten battles; he was exhausted and breathing heavily. Green needed a plan.
"Champ, avoid him at all costs—hit when you see an opening!"
The Rocket scoffed. "That's your grand plan? Maybe I overestimated you. Nidoran, keep up the pressure! Show them your true power!"
The battle raged on. Nidoran rushed again, and Champ countered with another Karate Chop. Both landed multiple hits, each looking more battered by the second. By the end, both were covered in bruises, gasping for breath—but Champ had clearly taken the worse of it.
He fell to one knee, one eye swollen shut. Another hit, and it would be over.
Nidoran charged, teeth bared—only for Champ to suddenly glow red as he was recalled into his Pokéball.
"What?!" the Rocket barked.
"You must really be stupid if you thought I was gonna use only one Pokémon against you," Green said coolly, pulling out another Pokéball and tossing it forward.
From it burst Growlithe, his orange fur blazing with energy despite the fatigue from earlier battles.
"Growlithe! Use Bite, then follow with Ember!"
"Growlithe!" the fire-type barked, darting forward. He clamped down on Nidoran with his jaws, then leapt back and unleashed a barrage of small flames from his mouth.
Each Ember hit its mark, erupting into a small explosion. When the smoke cleared, Nidoran lay unconscious on the ground.
Green smirked and recalled Growlithe.
"You useless piece of trash," the Rocket muttered bitterly to his Pokéball. Then, to Green, he smiled darkly.
"Why are you smiling? Did you forget that I just beat you?" Green asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, I just remembered something you said earlier," the man replied. "Something about being stupid if you thought I'd only use one Pokémon."
Green's smirk vanished. His Pokémon were tired—he couldn't take another battle. The Rocket reached for another Pokéball—
"Freeze! Put that Pokéball down now!" a voice shouted.
Both turned. They were surrounded by police officers, each accompanied by a Growlithe or similar Pokémon. Behind them stood the same purple-haired girl from before—the one Green had just defeated—looking frightened but resolute.
"Place the Pokéball on the ground and keep your hands where we can see them!" barked one of the officers.
After Blue had Ditty use Transform to turn into a Zubat once more, she asked it to try using echolocation to map the cave as best as it could. Once done, Ditty relayed the information to Porygon so it could guide Bill to a position where he could ambush the Rocket members—while Blue distracted them directly, ensuring all eyes stayed on her.
The plan was risky, especially since she wasn't as skilled a fighter as Red or Green. But she believed she could pull it off—or at least better than Bill could. Besides, if things went south, she could always sell him out and make a run for it.
When she arrived where the two Rocket recruits were, she saw them trapping a bunch of pink, chubby-looking creatures. If Blue remembered correctly (and of course she did), those Pokémon were Clefairy. There were also some that looked like grown-up versions of them—likely Clefable—and a few smaller ones that resembled baby versions. Blue didn't recognize that last one, which was rare for her.
Maybe the Pokédex can tell me about them later, she thought.For now, she had a situation to handle.
Besides catching the pink Pokémon, the two men seemed to be searching for something.
"Hey, are you sure the intel was right? 'Cause I haven't found anything yet," said the one who'd left his Zubat to guard Bill earlier.
"Well, the file said so. Those fossils should be around here somewhere. And if they're not, at least we won't leave empty-handed. I didn't know you could find Cleffa in the wild—let alone in Kanto," replied the other.
"Guess you're right. Still, if we don't find any fossils soon, I'll make sure those intel guys get an earful."
"Can't argue with that. Come on, let's keep looking," the second man said as they resumed their search.
Fossils? As in fossil Pokémon? Here, on Mt. Moon? Blue thought.
She took a closer look at them. Judging by how they spoke, they seemed on better terms than the last Rockets she'd met. Maybe not close friends, but not easy to turn against each other either.
Her eyes shifted to their belts. Each carried two Poké Balls. She assumed one of those belonged to the Zubat from earlier. That meant she and Bill would be up against at most three Pokémon—the same number they had on their side. At least, the ones that didn't give her a panic attack.
Still, minimizing the enemy's options would help. And she had an idea.
She turned to Ditty, still disguised as Zubat. The Pokémon nodded, understanding her cue. It was time to act.
"Hey there, gentlemen," Blue called out cheerfully. "Would you be so kind as to tell a poor lost girl where the exit is?"
Both men froze, shocked to see yet another kid near their operation.
"What the—who the heck are you? How did you find this place?" one of them barked.
"Why, I'm just an innocent young maiden who lost her way in this vast mountain," Blue said sweetly.
As she spoke, the Zubat behind her fluttered toward its supposed trainer, acting apologetic.
"Oh, thank heavens! Would you kindly remove that horrid creature? It's been harassing me ever since I passed by it and some rather odd fellow," Blue added, putting on her best innocent act.
"Odd fellow—wait, you mean a tied-up boy? What happened to him? If you—"
"I'm unaware of his current condition," Blue interrupted dramatically. "After seeing such a dreadful sight, I ran as fast as I could—fearing what corrupt influences that poor lad's actions might have on my innocent mind."
"Well, whatever. You've seen too much. Me and my two pals—along with my partner here—will have to take care of you," one of the men threatened.
"By your two pals, you wouldn't happen to mean that Zubat and the Poké Ball currently in its mouth, would you?"
"That's… wait, what do you mean in its—hey!"
He turned just in time to see Zubat clutching one of his Poké Balls in its mouth—the one holding his other Pokémon. Before either Rocket could react, Zubat flapped its wings, creating a gust that forced them to shield their eyes.
Blue seized the opportunity. She tossed a Poké Ball high into the air as Zubat flew back toward her, dropping the stolen Poké Ball into her hand before reverting to Ditty's usual form.
"You—!" one of the men started, but before he could finish, something dropped onto his head with a thud, making his vision blur.
It was a Jigglypuff.
Without hesitation, Jiggly inhaled deeply and let out a powerful Sing. The lullaby echoed through the cave, and the man's struggling stopped almost instantly as he slumped to the ground, fast asleep.
"Way to go, Jiggly!" Blue grinned.
"What the heck is going on?!" shouted the remaining Rocket.
"Oh, not much," Blue replied casually. "Just busting another one of your shady little operations. Hope this doesn't become a habit." She smirked. "Here's an idea—since you're outnumbered, why not do yourself a favor and surrender before this gets ugly?"
"Outnumbered? Do you take me for an idiot? I've got two Pokémon just like you—and unlike you, I actually know how to battle!" he snapped.
"Man, you're worse at math than Sash ever was… oh, for crying out loud," Blue muttered under her breath.
"Are you serious? I can see you and your two Pokémon right there!" the Rocket retorted.
"Oh, so you're not bad at math—you just suck at situational awareness," Blue shot back.
Before he could demand what she meant, a voice shouted from behind him:
"Porygon, Tackle now!"
Porygon launched forward from the shadows, ramming the man square in the stomach. The impact sent him crashing to the ground, unconscious.
"Nice one, Bill! I didn't think you could pull that off," Blue said.
"It's still Bill—and honestly, I didn't think I could either," he replied.
Blue opened her mouth to say something, but Bill quickly cut in: "Porygon, Tackle again!"
For a second, time seemed to slow. Blue blinked—was he attacking her? Why?
Ditty and Jiggly moved to intercept, but then realized the attack wasn't aimed at Blue—it was aimed behind her. Porygon slammed into the Rocket who'd been pretending to be knocked out, catching him mid-swing as he tried to strike her from behind.
With a grunt, the man finally collapsed for good.
"Oh, thank goodness—Leaf, are you alright?" Bill asked, concern in his voice.
"I… y-yeah. Thanks for the save, Bill. Guess you're actually reliable—more than I gave you credit for," Blue admitted, keeping up her "Leaf" persona.
"It's still Bi—wait, what did you just call me?"
"Bill. That's your name, right?" she replied innocently.
Bill was about to respond, but Blue suddenly froze, realization dawning on her.
"Wait—don't tell me I've been getting your name wrong this whole time?! Why didn't you say anything? What is wrong with me?!" she cried, smacking her forehead.
"I actually did," Bill said with a sheepish smile. "But it's fine, really. So what if you mixed it up once… or twice… or, you know, a dozen times?"
"I'm so sorry! I swear it won't happen again, Bill," Blue said quickly, then gestured toward the cages of pink Pokémon. "Why don't we make sure these guys don't cause any more trouble and free the little ones?"
After securing the Rocket grunts with duct tape, Blue and Bill released the captured Pokémon. Just as they were about to leave, the Clefairy and Clefable blocked their path, then began leading them deeper into the cave.
There, an even larger group of Clefairy waited. Once reassured that the danger had passed, they cheered and resumed their ritual, dancing joyfully around a large glowing rock.
As they danced, several Clefairy lifted Moon Stones into the air. Soon, blue light enveloped them, and their forms grew larger. When the light faded, they had evolved into Clefable.
Blue pulled out her Pokédex.
Clefairy, the Fairy Pokémon.Its magical and cute appeal has many admirers. It is rare and found only in certain areas.
Clefable, the Fairy Pokémon.A timid fairy Pokémon that is rarely seen. It will run and hide the moment it senses people.
Curious, she pointed the device toward the smaller pink Pokémon—only for the screen to flash:
Data not found.
"What? How come it doesn't know anything about them?" Blue asked, puzzled.
"Wait… is that what I think it is?" Bill said, his eyes widening.
"Uh… would you believe me if I said it's the newest model of an advanced calculator?" she replied quickly.
"That's a Pokédex!" Bill exclaimed.
"Wait—how do you know that?!" Blue asked, startled.
"It's Professor Oak's latest project! He had me help develop the software. Wait… if you have one, then you must be one of the kids he mentioned—the Pokédex Holders!"
"Pokédex Holders… is that what we're supposed to be? And you helped Oak make these things?!"
"Well, sort of. The Professor had most of the groundwork done. I just helped fine-tune it. Oh—and about the Pokédex not recognizing Cleffa, that's because it only has data on the 149 Pokémon native to Kanto. Cleffa was discovered in Johto, so it's not catalogued yet," Bill explained.
"Huh. I didn't know that."
They continued watching the fairies dance. When the ritual ended, one Clefable approached, holding three stones.
As it handed them over, Blue and Bill realized one was a Moon Stone—and the other two…
"Are these… fossils?!" Bill gasped.
"Wait—like, ancient Pokémon fossils? They had them this whole time?!" Blue exclaimed.
"Yeah. These look like the remains of Omanyte and Kabuto. Is it really okay for you to give these to us?" Bill asked.
"Clefable," the fairy nodded before returning to the others.
The two smiled, carefully storing the items away.
"Hey Bill, could you tell me exactly what you did to help Professor Oak? Like, the specifics?" Blue asked, still pretending to be "Leaf."
"Sure, Leaf—but maybe after this. What we're seeing right now… not many people ever get to witness this."
"Yeah," she said softly. "You're right."
As they watched the Clefairy dance beneath the light of the Moon Stone, neither noticed the small Clefairy off to the side—staring curiously at the brown-haired girl who had just saved them.
After the police arrived, they arrested the Rocket member without delay. Apparently, the event he hosted had been nothing more than a covert recruitment scheme for the crime syndicate. After hearing the testimonies of the ten trainers involved, it turned out that some of them had no idea what they were getting into—while those who did had acted under threats from the man in charge.
Thankfully, the girl Green had defeated—one of the ones who had been threatened—managed to gather enough courage to come forward to the authorities. From there, the rest was history.
The police also questioned Green, wanting to know if the man had said anything specific to him that could help with their investigation. After giving his statement, they asked whether he had received anything from the suspect. Green denied it, even though he still kept the golden pebble tucked safely in his bag.
He knew that if he mentioned it, the police would confiscate it as evidence—something Green clearly wasn't fond of. Even if he agreed that Team Rocket were a bunch of no-good thieves, he couldn't deny that having a bit of extra money might come in handy for his journey.
"Hey, kid, if you don't mind me asking… you wouldn't happen to be from Pallet Town, would you?" one of the officers asked.
"Yes, why? Is there something wrong?" Green replied, his tone carrying a faint edge of defensiveness.
"No, no, nothing's wrong," the officer said, raising a hand in reassurance. "It's just—I've heard a lot about a group of rookies from there. Sounds like they've been stirring things up lately."
"… What kind of things?" Green asked, now curious.
"Well, from what I've heard, they managed to foil three separate Team Rocket operations."
"What?!" Green blurted out, eyes widening in disbelief.
"Yeah. One of them was in Viridian Forest. Another one took down a daycare scam in Nara Town. And the last stopped an attack on the Pokémon Center in Viridian City itself. And now, with you," the officer said with a grin, "let's just say it looks like Pallet Town's got another hero in the making—one that might even surpass old man Oak someday."
Green stood there, stunned. The others had fought Team Rocket too?
Wait—he mentioned three incidents. That meant Ash was one of them? Ash? The same guy who barely managed to pass his license exam, and even overslept on the most important day of his life?
He could easily imagine Red or Blue handling themselves in such situations, but Ash? That was… unexpected, to say the least. If that was true, which mission had he taken part in? The one in Viridian Forest, maybe? The others sounded far too dangerous for someone like him.
"… Y–yeah, guess you're right," Green muttered at last.
As he looked up at the still-blue sky, he couldn't help but wonder—maybe, just maybe, Ash would grow into someone worth respecting after all.