In a Black World –
The unfortunate **Team Rocket trio—Jessie, James, and Meowth—**had only just woken up…
…and immediately got zapped again.
For a moment, even Mewtwo was speechless.
What exactly is Ash's relationship with these three?
Friends? Enemies? Some kind of cursed "acquaintances" that refuse to go away?
After Mewtwo sealed the super-ancient Pokémon inside two separate containment devices, he reinforced the seals once more for safety.
Ash then swept the remaining golden relic with Aura and sensed a faint, sleeping life signature hidden inside.
Mewtwo frowned and strengthened that seal as well.
Before, because they hadn't noticed anything living inside the golden relic, they'd missed the possibility that another container might also be "occupied."
This time, Ash checked carefully.
When the sealing was complete, Mewtwo erased the memories of Jessie, James, and Meowth regarding him.
The fewer people who knew he existed, the better.
If word ever got out, the ones who suffered wouldn't be Mewtwo.
It would be everyone unlucky enough to "know too much."
After that, Mewtwo carried Ash and the others back to Pallet Town.
After everything that happened, continuing "special training" would've been too much—even Pikachu needed time to recover.
At the edge of Pallet Town, Ash and the others said goodbye to Mewtwo.
Just as Mewtwo drifted away, Ash suddenly remembered something and called after him:
"Mewtwo! When I finally go to challenge Ho-Oh, you'd better come help me! They say Ho-Oh is one of the strongest Pokémon in the world!"
Mewtwo paused midair, waved a hand without looking back—
and slowly vanished from Ash's sight.
…
[Lance: Huh? That's an appointment to "trouble Mewtwo" when challenging Ho-Oh? I wonder what Ho-Oh thinks.]
[Mewtwo: Ho-Oh is that huge bird from the beginning, right? Even now… I might not be its opponent.]
[Ho-Oh: I don't feel anything. I chose the Rainbow Hero so that he could challenge me.]
[Ho-Oh: The Rainbow Wing can already guide its holder toward me. But Black World Ash likely judged he wasn't ready—so he didn't come.]
Everyone finally understood:
The Rainbow Wing's "pathfinding" had been active from the start.
Black World Ash simply chose caution and self-awareness—
waiting until he was strong enough before seeking Ho-Oh.
After all, Ash had already felt Ho-Oh's Aura back then.
He knew the gap.
[Misty: If it were Ash in our world, he'd probably think about going to find Ho-Oh every day the moment he got the feather.]
[Brock: Yeah—unless Ho-Oh beat him senseless, he wouldn't give up on challenging it.]
Compared to the careful Black World Ash, White World Ash was basically reckless bravery with a smile.
[Blaine: So… is that why Ho-Oh didn't give White World Ash a feather?]
[Ho-Oh: …That wasn't my reasoning at the time. I just felt he was upright and pure—willing to risk his life for Pokémon—so I appeared and gave him a goal.]
[Ho-Oh: I simply didn't expect the kid wouldn't even recognize me. Still… his growth rate exceeded my expectations. Both white and black.]
[Cynthia: True. You noticed Black World Ash could fight Elite Four-level opponents within half a year… but White World Ash also collected eight badges within half a year and made Top 16 at the Indigo League.]
[Delia: Hehe—see? My Ash is a genius no matter what!]
[Delia: But as your mom I still have to say—don't do dangerous things, don't be lazy, eat properly, and—]
[Ash: Mom!! Stop! My head's going to explode! I know, I know!]
Delia's nagging was basically a binding spell.
Even if her voice wasn't audible through the broadcast—
just seeing her type made Ash's scalp hurt.
…
In a Black World –
After saying goodbye to Mewtwo, Ash's group spent the next seven days living unusually leisurely.
Even Ash—who normally trained like his life depended on it—actually rested.
They took their Pokémon sightseeing, ate well, played well, and wandered everywhere.
In Ash's words:
"We've worked hard for half a year. Every day was training or going to training. If we don't rest now, when do we rest?"
And sometimes, that kind of relaxation was exactly what pushed a Pokémon to the next level.
Ash also took a full day to visit the Indigo Plateau Festival with Misty.
The festival was basically a giant amusement fair set up alongside the League season—food, games, rides, souvenirs, everything.
Merchants loved it.
During the Indigo League period, they could earn half a year's worth of profit—sometimes a whole year's.
That was the Indigo League's influence in Kanto.
Ash invited Brock too, but Brock claimed he was helping Delia with chores and "couldn't get away."
So it ended up being just Ash and Misty—
with two "light bulbs" between them:
Pikachu and Togepi.
Still, it didn't really get in the way.
That night, there was a bonfire.
Ash and Misty shared a shy, awkward little dance—
then watched fireworks before heading home to Pallet Town.
After that day, the atmosphere between them clearly warmed.
That last thin "window paper" still wasn't broken…
but it was getting fragile.
…
[Lance: Black World Ash's emotional intelligence is completely different from White World Ash.]
[Cynthia: It's not even close. White Ash looks like a plank of wood next to him.]
[Caitlin: Heh. Kids' first love is always sweet.]
[Alder: Dating at ten… isn't that a bit early?]
[Lorelei: Ten isn't too early to date—have you seen Gary's "six girlfriends" nonsense?]
[Volkner: Compared to Gary, even Black World Ash is pure love.]
[Gary: Hey! I'm a pure-love teenager too! What's the difference between loving one and loving six? They're all my wings!]
[Brock: What kind of scumbag speech is that—disgusting… and so enviable!]
[Misty: That second half was your real thought, Brock.]
[Gary: Don't pretend Ash's face isn't red too. Both versions of Ash get attention from girls.]
[Ash: What?! Who likes me?! Black World Ash only has Misty! On my side, no girl likes me!]
[Sabrina: …]
[Serena: …]
[Melody: …]
That wasn't human language.
[Gary: Fine—calling you "wood" is too gentle. Hello, Super Titanium Man.]
[Delia: Ash… sigh. Mom is really worried about the rest of your life.]
Ash looked genuinely baffled.
Had he said something wrong?
Compared to Black World Ash, he really didn't have girls confessing to him!
And besides—becoming a Pokémon Master was more important!
Girls only slow down how fast you throw Poké Balls!
…Still, seeing Black World Ash juggling feelings made Ash wonder—
Was romance part of becoming a Pokémon Master too…?
Love really was confusing.
…
In a Black World –
After seven days of rest, the Indigo League opening ceremony finally arrived.
And right on cue—
Jessie, James, and Meowth showed up again to cause trouble.
They tried to steal the League Flame—the ceremonial fire said to come from Moltres.
Everyone was stunned.
This was the Indigo League!
League officials were everywhere!
And Team Rocket still dared to pull this?!
Because everyone froze in disbelief, Team Rocket nearly succeeded.
In the end, Ash—long accustomed to these three going off the rails—stepped in.
Charizard and Pikachu "sent them flying" as usual.
Charizard then carefully returned the massive brazier to its proper place.
The opening ceremony continued.
But Ash's actions had already drawn attention.
Anyone who'd step forward in that moment clearly wasn't ordinary.
Spectators and scouts who hadn't known who to watch now began investigating Ash instead.
And the moment they checked his record, they were shocked.
Ash's badge case included heavy hitters:
Volcano Badge (Cinnabar Island)
Earth Badge (Viridian City)
and even the Marsh Badge (Saffron City)
Those weren't the kind of badges you got by luck.
Whatever else Ash was—
he definitely wasn't a lightweight.
The next day, the tournament officially began.
Ash's first opponent was a trainer named Tabu.
Tabu dressed flamboyantly, spoke dramatically, and mocked Ash for being young and "short-sighted."
But privately, Tabu had already raised Ash's threat level to maximum.
He'd looked into Ash's profile.
Tabu never expected to face the kid who stole the spotlight yesterday in Round 1.
So he tried psychological warfare:
provoke him, make him angry—
or better yet, make him underestimate Tabu as just a loudmouth.
Unfortunately for Tabu…
Ash didn't underestimate anyone at the Indigo League.
In Ash's mind, anyone standing here wasn't "idle."
First match: Water Field.
Ash sent out Blastoise without hesitation.
Tabu answered with Exeggutor.
"Hmph! I knew you'd use Water-types on a Water Field," Tabu sneered. "So I prepared a Grass-type to counter you! That's strategy!"
Ash nodded calmly.
"Not bad. Then I'll go all out too. Blastoise—Rain Dance!"
Weather first. Always safer.
Tabu's expression changed.
"Exeggutor—Psychic, interrupt it!"
Tabu had traveled for two years.
His results weren't spectacular, but he had knowledge.
He understood exactly what Rain Dance did for Water moves.
The plan was simple:
interrupt Rain Dance with Psychic,
then end Blastoise with a Grass-type finisher—Leaf Storm.
The idea was beautiful.
Reality was cruel.
Rain Dance went up faster than Tabu expected.
Dark clouds rolled in almost instantly—
and raindrops started falling.
Only then did Psychic finally land.
Blastoise didn't even dodge.
It took the blue psychic shockwave head-on—
stepped back once on its floating platform—
then tapped its shell with a puzzled look.
"Blas…?"
Huh? Little dude, was that supposed to hurt?
It didn't even sting as much as one of Ash's punches during training.
Ash blinked too.
Was Tabu holding back?
Whatever.
"Blastoise—Hydro Pump!"
Two enormous jets erupted from Blastoise's cannons and slammed into Exeggutor.
Tabu didn't even get time to shout "dodge."
Exeggutor was launched across the field—
and crashed hard into the arena wall.
Cracks spread.
Exeggutor fainted.
One Hydro Pump. One KO.
Tabu stared, brain blank.
How…? Water against Grass—shouldn't it be resisted?!
Ash was equally stunned.
He'd only meant to test the opponent's durability.
Tested it and… it died?
Tabu gritted his teeth and recalled Exeggutor, then sent out his next Pokémon:
Kingdra.
A Water-type in rain—this should be perfect.
It could take Water moves, and rain boosted it.
This was his answer.
Ash didn't even hesitate.
"Blastoise—Skull Bash!"
Blastoise surged forward—
BANG!
Kingdra was smashed straight into the same crater Exeggutor had made.
Another instant knockout.
Tabu's mentality visibly cracked.
What is this Blastoise?!
Finally, Tabu released Golbat.
Speed. Evasion. A chance to reset tempo.
It didn't matter.
Hydro Pump hit anyway.
Golbat went down.
Just like that, Ash advanced to Round 2.
Ash stood there, staring at Blastoise like he didn't recognize his own Pokémon.
"…Is the Indigo League really supposed to be this hard?"
Because right now…
it felt way too easy.
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