Not only was Ash's identity hidden, but even Caesar's fondness for him made the atmosphere lighter. Caesar himself was an admirable man. Since this area was part of the Safari Zone, it naturally had camping spots and hotels.
Years ago, because of the rumors about the Dratini, the ecosystem here was nearly destroyed and no one came anymore. Yet Caesar had remained, tirelessly working to restore it. Thanks to his dedication, the environment had fully recovered. Without him, this place might have been abandoned completely.
After Caesar left to prepare rooms and dinner, Ash picked up a basket and grinned at the three girls.
"Let's split up and search for our favorite Pokémon. How about we meet back here later, like when we were kids?"
"Fine by me. I've been wanting to see what Psychic-type Pokémon are around here," Sabrina replied with a small nod. At the moment, her only partner was an Alakazam—far too few for someone like her.
Aside from Psychic-types, Sabrina had little interest in other Pokémon. During battles, her psychic powers directly amplified her team's performance, effectively doubling their effectiveness. This was even allowed in League matches—trainers with psychic abilities could support their Pokémon in battle. For trainers without such gifts, it was simply an unfortunate disadvantage.
"I agree too! I'd love to see if there are any Eevee here. If so, I definitely want to raise one!" Suzie said, her eyes bright. Like Sabrina, she only had one partner—her Vulpix. But as a breeder, Suzie had an eye for raising Pokémon with care.
Suzie herself wasn't a natural battler.
The Vulpix she owned had been more of an accident, and its strength wasn't high yet, barely at the senior level. She wasn't focused on fighting anyway. What she truly loved was nurturing Pokémon and watching them shine under her care.
"You all can go ahead. I'll stay near the water and fish," Cynthia added calmly. "Most of the Pokémon here don't interest me much. The rare ones are too difficult to find anyway."
She wasn't joking. With her status, she could acquire almost any Kanto Pokémon she wanted. She simply didn't want to waste time raising them.
It was different for Ash. He had a knack—almost a cheat—for bringing out the hidden potential of seemingly ordinary Pokémon. Where other trainers saw mediocrity, he saw greatness.
In truth, every Pokémon had the potential to become a powerhouse, even a Legendary-level force.
But nurturing that potential was extremely difficult, requiring time and dedication. Cynthia, back in Sinnoh, was usually swamped with endless official duties. If not for this rare journey, she'd likely still be stuck at press events.
And so, the four split up to search for their preferred Pokémon. Ash activated his Aura, scanning the area for signs of rare Psychic-types, much like Sabrina's goal.
The reason he didn't go with her was simple—he wasn't used to being alone with Sabrina. Their past interactions were mostly limited to small talk, nothing more.
"Among my partners, I mainly have Psychic-types and Ghost-types," Ash thought as he walked. "I'd really like to catch a Gardevoir someday, but they don't exist in Kanto. As for Ghost-types… there are only a handful here."
Suddenly, his Aura flared—he sensed movement. An Eevee.
Ash's eyes widened. The Eevee was in the middle of a battle with a Rhyhorn!
"There you are!" he muttered, breaking into a run.
Ahead, an Eevee darted toward the Rhyhorn. With a sharp cry, it used Quick Attack, closing in before the Rhyhorn could react. It struck hard, but Rhyhorn's rock-solid defense shrugged off the blow without issue.
"Rhyooooo!" the Rhyhorn bellowed, enraged by the provocation. It lowered its horn and charged. The impact sent Eevee flying, crashing through several trees before finally skidding to the ground. The sheer force of the Horn Attack was terrifying.
Ash's expression hardened. "System, pull up the data on that Eevee."
"Ding~!"
Name: Eevee
Level: Advanced
Ability: Adaptability
Type: Normal
Potential: D+
"Its Ability is Adaptability… does that mean it can quickly adjust to its surroundings? Makes sense," Ash thought to himself, studying the weakened Eevee.
"Eevee has so many possible evolutions. Right now, only three are officially known, but I know there are far more than that."
He recalled what Eevee fans often said: every Eevee was like a blank canvas, full of limitless potential.
"Since I can't find a Gardevoir in Kanto, maybe I should raise this Eevee instead. If I train it properly, I could evolve it into an Espeon!" Ash's eyes gleamed as he gazed at the little Pokémon, as though he were looking at a flawless gemstone.
"Moooorgh!" The Rhyhorn roared, angered that its opponent still hadn't given up. It lowered its head and charged again, this time with its full strength. If the Horn Attack connected, Eevee would be gravely injured—or worse.
Ash's eyes narrowed. His body tensed, and in the next instant, he vanished from where he stood. With a burst of speed, he appeared in front of Eevee.
A fiery red Aura flared around him, surging outward to shield both himself and the trembling Eevee behind him.
"BOOM!!!"
"MOOOOO!!!"
The Rhyhorn's charge collided head-on with Ash's Aura. In that instant, its steel-tipped horn cracked and snapped clean off, leaving the beast bellowing in pain. With a final panicked cry, the Rhyhorn turned and fled into the distance, crashing through the undergrowth as it escaped.
...
TN:
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