Pokémon: Multiverse Chat Group

After saying goodbye to Morty, Ash and his group left the Ecruteak Gym. The sky had already grown dark, and dim yellow paper lanterns lit up on both sides of the ancient bluestone streets, enveloping the entire Ecruteak City in a quiet and peaceful atmosphere.

“Today was truly a huge harvest.” Misty held Togepi, a satisfied smile on her face. “Not only did we get the Fog Badge, but we also passed Raikou’s test and got the second token. Oh right, we also got the TM for Perish Song.”

“The most important thing is that Pikachu has become stronger.” Brock crossed his arms in front of his chest, his gaze falling upon the resting yellow figure in Ash’s arms. “Every time it battles a strong opponent, Pikachu’s strength rises to a new level, and this time is no exception.”

“Yeah.” Ash turned his head, looking at the tired yet peaceful little figure in his arms, the corners of his mouth curving up slightly. “Pikachu is getting stronger and stronger.”

“But come to think of it, wasn’t Pikachu already at Elite Four Peak before? Why did its level seem to be only at Elite Four Mid during the battle just now?” Brock rubbed his chin, a look of puzzlement on his face.

Pikachu’s level had already reached Elite Four Peak during the previous battle against Brandon, and after entering partner form, it could reach Champion Beginner. Yet in today’s battle, Pikachu’s level was merely at Elite Four Mid, and even in partner form it was only at Elite Four High. This level didn’t quite match what Pikachu had displayed before.

“Ugh. Ah. Maybe Pikachu sustained internal injuries when battling Regice previously and hasn’t fully recovered yet. It’s fine, it’ll get better after a while.” Ash stammered in reply.

It was really hard to explain things like Pikachu having an evolution reset ability. Even if he told them, they might not believe it. After all, this kind of matter surpassed any bizarre event, and “inconceivable” wasn’t enough to describe the weirdness of it.

If Ash didn’t have the Chat Group and couldn’t monitor Pikachu’s status in real time, he probably wouldn’t dare believe this actually existed.

Hearing this, Brock and the others were half-skeptical, but since Ash said so, they didn’t ask any further. If there was anything, Ash would surely tell them the truth. If he kept something from them, it meant Ash felt it wasn’t the time to speak of it yet. They trusted Ash very much.

Walking and chatting, the group soon arrived at the Pokémon Center in Ecruteak City. Nurse Joy took the Poké Balls handed over by Ash and turned into the treatment room. Ash and the others found a table in the lobby to sit down and ordered a few dinners.

“Are we going to challenge the Sunyshore Gym tomorrow?” Misty asked while twirling spaghetti with a fork.

“Yeah.” Ash nodded, a spark of anticipation burning in his eyes. “Volkner, the strongest Gym Leader in the Sinnoh region. That guy was so strong in Sinnoh that he lost interest in Gym challenges. It’s been said that nobody has been able to defeat Volkner for a year or two. An opponent of that level is exciting.”

“Volkner’s signature Pokémon is Electivire, and its Ability is Motor Drive. It’s best to avoid letting Pikachu go up to battle it.” Brock opened his phone, checked information related to Volkner, and warned Ash at the same time.

Ash nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll plan it out.”

After finishing talking about the Sunyshore Gym, Ash and Misty chatted while eating.

Serena sat across the dining table, poking at the macaroni on her plate with her fork absentmindedly, while her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the orange-haired figure beside Ash. Misty tilted her head, joking and laughing with Ash, her eyes curved into lovely crescents, while Ash stuffed bread into his mouth and responded vaguely, occasionally grinning and laughing out loud when teased.

The natural and intimate atmosphere between the two of them was like an invisible wall.

Serena lowered her eyelids, putting a piece of macaroni into her mouth. Although the taste couldn’t compare to Ash’s cooking, as far as Pokémon Center food went, it was already considered quite good. Yet at this moment, it tasted like chewing wax to her.

She truly envied Misty a little. Not jealousy, just pure envy. If she had come out on her journey and met Ash earlier, would things have been different?

As soon as this thought popped up, Serena forcefully shook it out of her mind. What was she thinking? Misty was her friend, and Ash was her friend too. Her friends were happy, so she should be glad.

“Serena? What’s wrong, no appetite?” Misty’s voice suddenly rang out.

Serena suddenly raised her head, finding that the gazes of all three were fixed on her. She quickly forced out a smile. “No, no, just a bit tired and zoned out for a moment.”

Misty gave her a concerned look. “We really went through a lot today. Resting early is for the best.”

Serena nodded, lowering her head again to focus on the food on her plate, not daring to let her gaze wander around anymore.

After dinner, Ash came to the front desk to check in for rooms.

“Nurse Joy, please give us two rooms.” He looked back at the three people behind him. “Brock and I share one, Misty and Serena share one. That works out perfectly.”

As soon as those words fell, Brock jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.

“No! Absolutely not!” His head shook like a rattle drum, and his hands crossed in front of his chest into a firm X. “I resolutely refuse to room with Ash!”

“Why?” Ash looked bewildered.

“You’re asking why?” Brock’s grievances almost condensed into substance, counting one by one on his fingers. “Last time in Goldenrod City, you got up at six in the morning to wash up, clanging and banging and driving me to a nervous breakdown!

The time before that in Violet City, you suddenly sat up in the middle of the night and shouted ‘Thunderbolt’ for Pikachu, nearly scaring me into a heart attack! And the time before that…”

“That was just a dream.” Ash scratched his head, smiling somewhat sheepishly.

“Even in a dream, no!” Brock said righteously. “I’d rather sleep on the street than share a room with you.”

Misty looked at the determined Brock, then at the innocent-looking Ash, and couldn’t help letting out a chuckle. She turned her head toward the front desk. “Nurse Joy, are there any extra rooms available? Let’s change it to three.”

Nurse Joy checked the system, smiled, and nodded. “Yes, although there are many tourists recently due to the festival, there happen to be three empty rooms.”

“Then let’s get three rooms.”

Ash took out his phone to pay. Although he was a novice Trainer with a room allowance for one, and Serena also had a free room allowance for one, that was only two rooms. If they wanted three, they still had to pay out of pocket.

Brock immediately breathed a sigh of relief, patting Ash’s shoulder. “I knew you’d understand me.”

Three room cards lay on the counter. Brock took one first, and Serena hesitated before reaching out to take one as well. The last remaining one lay there, as if waiting for something.

Misty looked at that room card, suddenly realizing a problem. Three rooms. Brock had one. Serena had one. Then the remaining one… she and Ash?

“Um, I…” Her voice was a bit tight, wanting to say something, but finding her mind completely blank.

Ash had already naturally picked up the last room card and turned to look at her. “Let’s go, Misty.”

That tone was as casual as saying “the weather is nice today.”

Misty’s cheeks instantly burned up, her earlobes turning so red they were almost bleeding. She wanted to say something, her lips moving, and finally only squeezed out a syllable as faint as a mosquito’s buzz. “Yeah.”

Serena took this scene in, a trace of something sour involuntarily flowing through her heart. She blinked hard, suppressing that feeling, and forced out a smile. “Well, I’m heading up first. See you tomorrow.”

After saying that, she turned and walked quickly toward the stairs, not daring to let anyone see her expression at the moment.

Brock also stretched lazily, picked up his backpack, and walked toward the elevator. “I’m going to sleep too. See you tomorrow.”

Only Ash and Misty were left in the lobby.

Ash looked down at the room card in his hand, then at Misty. “Then let’s head up too.”

“Yeah.” Misty lowered her head, her voice incomparably light, completely different from her usual carefree style.

At the end of the second-floor hallway, Ash pushed open the room door and pressed the switch on the wall. The warm yellow light lit up, revealing the full view of the room. It wasn’t big, but it was kept very clean.

Against the wall was a wooden bunk bed. The upper bunk’s bedsheet was pale pink, while the lower bunk’s was off-white, and a small Poké Doll was placed at the head of each bed. The window was half open, and the night breeze gently stirred the curtains, giving the room a comfortable atmosphere.

Misty stood at the doorway holding Togepi, her feet feeling as if they had grown roots. It wasn’t like she had never shared a room with Ash before during their travels.

But back then Brock was also present, it was a four-person bunk room, and there was a bed space between her and Ash. Plus they weren’t a couple back then.

But now, two people, one room, one bed. Though it was bunk beds, it was still the same bed frame. She could clearly hear the sound of her own heartbeat.

“Togepi?” The Togepi in her arms raised its little head, looking at her in puzzlement.

“Nothing.” Misty took a deep breath and stepped into the room. She placed Togepi by the pillow of the upper bunk, feigned composure as she opened her backpack to organize her luggage, but in reality, she folded the things inside back and forth several times, not even knowing what she was folding.

Ash didn’t think that much. He carelessly threw his backpack onto the ground, rummaged out his pajamas and toiletries, and walked toward the bathroom while asking without looking back. “Misty, are you washing up first or am I?”

“You go first.” Misty had her back to him, her voice a bit tight.

“Alrighty.” Ash headed into the bathroom, and the sound of splashing water quickly rang out inside.

Misty finally let out a long breath. There was no need to be nervous. Right, absolutely no need to be nervous. That guy Ash only had Pokémon on his mind, nothing else. Since becoming a couple, the most they had done was kiss, and even then the number of times could be counted on one hand. So it was fine. It was fine. Ash definitely wasn’t going to do anything wild.

She smacked her cheeks hard to snap herself out of it.

Before long, Ash came out of the bathroom wiping his hair, dressed in a simple short-sleeved shirt and shorts. Seeing Misty still sitting on the edge of the bed zoning out, he asked curiously. “What’s wrong? Aren’t you going to wash up?”

“Going! Going right now!” Misty sprang up from the bed like a startled cat, snatched up her pajamas, rushed into the bathroom, and slammed the door shut.

Ash scratched his damp hair, completely clueless.

When Misty came out of the bathroom, Ash was already lying on the lower bunk, holding his phone up to check information on the Sunyshore Gym. The warm yellow light fell upon his focused profile, outlining the youth’s increasingly sharp and defined features.

Misty looked at his earnest appearance, and her originally tense mood inexplicably relaxed. She climbed lightly onto the upper bunk, pulling Togepi into her arms. The bed swayed slightly, making a faint creaking sound.

“Misty.”

Her heartbeat skipped. “Yeah?”

“What Pokémon do you think I should use tomorrow? Although it’s not like Pikachu can’t battle, I think it’s better to give the other partners some spotlight too. Otherwise, it’s just too miserable for them to keep training at Oak’s lab without any real battles.”

Misty was stunned for a moment, then couldn’t help curving the corners of her mouth. What on earth was she letting her imagination run wild about? In this guy’s head, there really were only Pokémon.

“Then you have to carefully study how strong Gym Leader Volkner’s signature Pokémon is. Even if you want to give other Pokémon some time in the spotlight, you still need a winning chance. After all, Volkner is Sinnoh’s strongest Gym Leader.”

“Yeah, that’s what I think too.” Ash’s voice came from the lower bunk, his words revealing his contemplation. “I checked on my phone. Volkner’s signature Pokémon Electivire is as high as Elite Four Peak in level. But I always feel its strength isn’t just limited to that.”

The two of them chatted just like that, one on the upper bunk and one on the lower bunk, separated by a thin layer of bedboard.

From Volkner’s lineup they drifted to the Gym characteristics of the Sinnoh region, and from Gym characteristics they drifted to the various Gym Leaders they had challenged before. Without noticing, Misty’s tense body gradually relaxed, and her voice became brisk and natural.

Occasionally she would chime in with a thought, and occasionally she would just quietly listen to Ash’s rambling, always wearing a smile she didn’t even notice herself.

After a while, there was no response from the upper bunk.

“Misty?” Ash called out tentatively.

Responding to him was only the even, soft sound of breathing. She had already fallen asleep, and Pikachu was also sound asleep beside Ash.

Ash’s mouth revealed a gentle smile. He put his phone by the pillow and reached out to turn off the bedside lamp.

“Good night, Misty.” He said softly.

Misty on the upper bunk was still fast asleep, but the corners of her mouth unconsciously curved into a shallow arc, as if she were having a very beautiful dream. The Togepi in her arms rubbed against her chin, also letting out a tiny snore.

Early the next morning, Ash’s biological clock woke him up precisely at seven. He opened his eyes and instinctively wanted to stretch like he usually did, but his arm froze halfway up. The even sound of Misty’s breathing came from the upper bunk.

That’s right. Yesterday he and Misty were in the same room.

He lifted the quilt stealthily, stepped barefoot on the floor, and walked carefully with every step, afraid of making a sound that would wake the person on the upper bunk. Then, carrying his clothes and toiletries, he turned the bathroom doorknob at the slowest speed, slipped inside, and closed the door at the same slow speed.

If Brock saw this scene, he would definitely give Ash a severe scolding. When Ash shared a room with him, when had it ever been this quiet? Switching to Misty resulted in a completely different attitude. Prioritizing a girlfriend over friends, huh?

However, even though Ash was stealthy, Misty still woke up, because usually Misty woke up around this time too. Except that after waking up she usually lingered in bed for a bit. Upon hearing the commotion inside the bathroom, all her sleepiness vanished instantly. That’s right, she had slept in the same room as Ash yesterday.

The person inside the bathroom must be Ash, right? How exactly did she fall asleep last night? Why didn’t she have any memory of it at all?

She quickly smoothed her hair, which was messy like a bird’s nest, roughly tidied it up using her fingers as a comb, and patted her cheeks to make herself look less sleepy-eyed. After finishing all this, she realized what she was doing and couldn’t help burying her face into the quilt, letting out a silent wail.

What was she nervous about? That was Ash. Her boyfriend. Not some stranger. But precisely because he was her boyfriend, she felt even more nervous.

The sound of water in the bathroom stopped. Ash came out and saw Misty sitting on the bed with her face buried in the quilt.

“Oh, Misty, you’re awake?” Ash wiped the water droplets on his face. “Did I wake you up?”

“No, no.” Misty emerged from the quilt instantly, waving her hands hurriedly. “I woke up on my own. It’s usually this time anyway.”

Ash didn’t notice Misty’s nervousness at all, instead turning sideways to clear the bathroom door. “Then go brush your teeth and wash up.”

Misty held Togepi and got out of bed, poking her head into the bathroom to take a look. The cup was already filled with water, and the toothbrush had toothpaste already squeezed onto it.

Her cheeks suddenly heated up. This guy was usually so careless, but now he was being exceptionally considerate.

“Thanks.” She whispered, holding Togepi as she slipped into the bathroom to wash up.

There were no dramatic events that morning, but there was a unique little warmth between them. After lingering in the room for a while, Ash and Misty came down to the Pokémon Center. On one hand, they were going to have breakfast. On the other hand, Ash wanted to swap Pokémon with Professor Oak to make full preparations for the Sunyshore Gym.

In the Pokémon Center lobby, in front of the public video phone. Static flickered across the screen, soon revealing Professor Oak’s familiar face, with the cluttered yet orderly desk of the laboratory still behind him. The cuffs of his lab coat were stained with a few blades of grass, probably having just returned from the backyard.

“Oh, Ash! Calling so early. Have you encountered any rare Pokémon again?”

“No, I want to swap some Pokémon.” As Ash spoke, he took out a Poké Ball from his waist. “Today I’m going to challenge the Sunyshore Gym. The opponent is an Electric-type. I want to swap over two Pokémon that are more suitable for dealing with Electric-types.”

“I see. The Sunyshore Gym. Could that be Volkner from the Sinnoh region? That is quite an extraordinary opponent!” Professor Oak stroked his chin. “Which two are you planning to swap for?”

Ash reported two names. Professor Oak nodded and turned to go to the backyard, returning to the screen shortly after with two Poké Balls, a few more blades of grass clinging to his cuffs.

“Are you ready?”

“Ready.”

The two of them placed their Poké Balls on the transmission device at the same time. A flash of light swept by, and the trade was complete.

Ash picked up the newly acquired Poké Balls, a smile curling at the corner of his mouth. No matter how today’s Gym battle went, being able to let some old friends make an appearance was a happy thing for both him and the Pokémon.

Just as he put away the Poké Balls, footsteps came from behind. Brock and Serena walked over one after the other.

“Morning, Ash, Misty.” Brock yawned. “How did you sleep last night?”

Ash tucked the two Poké Balls back to his waist and nodded. “Pretty good.”

Misty also nodded in agreement. Although there were some minor episodes, the night had been quite pleasant overall.

“Hehe, Misty, you must have been woken up by Ash this morning, right?” Brock said with some teasing.

Misty blinked, recalling the situation that morning, and spoke truthfully. “No, Ash got up light-footedly this morning without making a single sound. I woke up on my own.”

“What?” The smile on Brock’s face froze.

“I didn’t hear him at all when he got up, and even the faucet was turned on very quietly.” Brock’s expression looked as if someone had shoved a whole lemon into his mouth. He slowly turned his head and stared at Ash with an incredulous gaze, as if looking at a stranger.

“You. Ash. That man who blasted me out of my dreams at six or seven every morning, learned to be light-footed just from sharing a room with Misty?”

Ash felt a bit creeped out by the stare. “What’s wrong? Isn’t it only right to be quiet?”

“Only right?” Brock’s voice pitched up half an octave. “Why didn’t you think it was right when you lived with me? Getting up at six in the morning making all kinds of racket, my nerves were practically worn to shreds by you! Switching to living with a girl, you actually learned to be light-footed?”

Ash scratched his head, thought about it seriously, and gave what he thought was a reasonable explanation. “You’re not Misty.”

Brock clutched his chest, staggered back a step, and leaned his whole body against the front desk of the Pokémon Center with an expression of pure devastation. “Prioritizing romance over friendship. Public morals are degenerating. I slept in the same room as you for over half a year, and you ignored me completely. After one night with Misty, you actually learned to be light-footed.”

Misty’s cheeks grew hot from his phrasing, and she couldn’t help scolding. “What do you mean by ‘one night with Misty’? Brock, can you not make it sound so weird?”

“Exactly, exactly.” Ash nodded in agreement beside her. “And Misty is my girlfriend, not you.”

This righteous and confident remark made Brock lose it even more.

“Serena, you say something to him too!” Brock turned to her for backup.

Serena stood to the side. Originally, the faint shadows under her eyes made her look a bit listless, but looking at Brock’s exaggeratedly distorted expression and Misty blushing as she scolded him, she couldn’t help it and chuckled softly.

“I think it’s completely normal for Ash to treat Misty a bit specially, right?”

Brock completely lost his voice. He looked up at the ceiling of the Pokémon Center and let out a sorrowful sigh. “Bad choice in friends.”

After breakfast, the four of them packed up properly and left the Pokémon Center.

The Sunyshore Gym was situated on the west side of Ecruteak City, forming a sharp contrast with the ancient bluestone streets. The outer walls of the entire Gym were spliced together from silvery-gray metal panels, with cold and sharp lines reflecting a faint glow in the sunlight.

A queue had already formed at the entrance, numbering around a dozen people. Some were leaning against the wall browsing their phones, while others squatted on the ground flipping through notes, all looking like they had been waiting for a while.

Ash and the four of them walked to the end of the queue. Brock poked his head forward to look and roughly counted. “Quite a few people. Much livelier than the Ecruteak Gym.”

“After all, it’s an external Gym from the Sinnoh region.” Misty held Togepi, sizing up the sci-fi-looking building. “Whether in fame or rarity, it’s more attractive than local Gyms.”

“Compared to the Battle Pyramid, though, this many people is nothing.” Ash recalled the sea of people in Goldenrod City and shook his head. The queue in front of him looked long, but it was only about a dozen people, so the rotation speed shouldn’t be slow.

Sure enough, in less than half an hour, the people in front went in and out one after another. Some were crestfallen, some were expressionless, and occasionally one or two showed joy on their faces, probably having obtained the Badge.

Just as the queue was about to reach Ash and the others, the Gym’s heavy doors were abruptly pushed open, and a teenager wearing a duck-billed cap walked out angrily. His cheeks were flushed and he was cursing under his breath, his voice so loud that even Ash and the others at the end of the queue could hear it clearly.

“What kind of lousy Gym is this? Letting students brush people off? I came running all this way to challenge the Gym Leader, not to play house with your students!”

As he walked, he kicked a pebble on the roadside, and it rolled far away with a clatter.

Ash’s gaze sharpened, and he chased after him in a few strides.

“Hello, what happened inside?”

The teenager looked up at Ash, probably finding someone to vent to, and poured everything out in one breath. “That Gym Leader, called something Volkner, thought there were too many challengers and their strengths were uneven, so he let his trained students fight in his place. If you want to challenge him, you have to get past that student’s test first.”

The more he spoke, the angrier he got, his voice pitching higher. “Isn’t this just looking down on people? I collected Badges all the way from New Bark Town, finally managed to get here, and I couldn’t even see the Gym Leader’s face before being brushed off by a student!”

“That student. Is he strong?” Brock chimed in.

The teenager’s complexion instantly turned ugly. His lips moved a few times, and his voice suddenly dropped. “I couldn’t take down even a single one of his Pokémon. Got swept three-zero.”

Finishing that, as if afraid of being asked for details, he lowered the brim of his cap and walked away quickly, leaving Ash and the four of them looking at each other.

Misty looked at the teenager’s receding figure with some pity. “Although his attitude was a bit rough, he was still a Trainer who fought his way here after all. Being swept three-zero by a student is quite a blow.”

Brock stroked his chin, thoughtfully. “That guy Volkner lost interest in Gym challenges in the Sinnoh region precisely because he had no opponents. He came to Johto originally wanting to find some strong challengers.

As a result, although the number of challengers here is high, they are a mixed bag of quality. He must have gotten annoyed by those who weren’t strong enough yet stubbornly insisted on challenging, which is why he came up with this method.”

“Letting the students screen them first. Only those who can beat the students are qualified to fight him.” Ash picked up where he left off, his gaze falling on that silvery-gray metal door. “The idea is understandable, but the approach is disrespectful.”

He paused, his voice dropping slightly.

“More importantly, if a Trainer doesn’t even have the spirit to personally stand on the Gym field to welcome challengers, then what is left of him?”

Misty turned her head slightly, looking at Ash’s profile.

Ash’s voice was very calm, but hidden within that calmness was a different kind of emotion. “Volkner has lost the passion of being a Trainer.”

His voice was not loud, but every word was distinct. He looked at Pikachu beside him, recalling when he first started his journey, recalling the challenges along the way. No matter whether the opponent was strong or weak, he was always filled with burning passion.

This was the most basic and genuine emotion of being a Trainer. And Volkner no longer had this emotion, which was why he would pull a stunt like this.

“I will show him through Pokémon battles that battling isn’t just about strength, victory, and defeat.” With those words, he didn’t say anything more, stepping toward that silvery-gray door.

After another ten minutes or so, it was finally Ash and the others’ turn.

The guard was a middle-aged man wearing a blue uniform. He looked at Misty and the other two behind Ash, asking in a businesslike manner. “Are they all challengers?”

“They are my companions, accompanying me. Not participating in the challenge.” Ash turned sideways to reveal the three people behind him.

The guard nodded, picked up his walkie-talkie and said something, then stepped aside to clear the passageway. “Go on in.”

The four of them passed through a fairly short corridor. The walls on both sides were also silvery-gray metal, embedded with a few cold-white light strips that illuminated the entire passage brightly yet coldly. The end of the corridor suddenly opened up.

It was a standard battle field, with the ground made of light gray hard material and painted with white boundary lines. On both sides of the field were the Trainers’ command positions, and further out were several rows of simple spectator seating. Rows of lights hung from the ceiling, illuminating the entire field as bright as day.

Standing in the center of the field was a young man with blonde spiky hair. He had an upright posture, wearing a blue long-sleeved jacket, a black base shirt, and dark blue trousers, with a row of Poké Balls hanging at his waist.

Seeing Ash and his group walk in, he didn’t even bother to lift his eyelids much.

“I am Gym Leader Volkner.” His voice was not loud, his tone as flat as reciting a line repeated countless times. “The challenge rules are as follows: three-on-three. The Trainer who defeats the opponent’s three Pokémon is the winner.”

“In addition, your opponent is not me, but my student Jay. Only by defeating Jay will I accept your challenge.”