Returning to the forest camp with Froakie in tow, Ash saw the other campers busy filming their Pokémon shorts and decided not to interrupt.
Instead, he borrowed two fishing rods from the camp staff, then headed back to the cabin to change into a more casual, light-colored T-shirt and shorts—something more fitting for the quiet vibe he wanted to capture.
With that, the Trainer and his partner left the camp again, heading straight back to the upstream stone pond.
Sitting by the tranquil waters, surrounded by tall trees, the silence wrapped around them like a soft blanket. There was no one else around. The calm was deep and meditative, helping Ash settle into the moment.
He was all set to shoot his "fishing-themed" short film in this peaceful location—but something still felt… off. It was like the mood wasn't quite right.
Plop!
As Ash was pondering what was missing, a small fruit—no larger than a fingernail—suddenly dropped from the tree canopy above. It hit the surface of the pond with a gentle plunk, sending a ripple outward in perfect circles.
"A fruit… a raindrop… That's it—raindrops!"
Though the environment was peaceful, the sunshine made the atmosphere feel a bit too warm and bright.
"If it started raining now… Fishing in the rain would really complete the mood."
Now that Ash had identified the missing element, he couldn't hold back his excitement.
And the fact that it was a bright, sunny day? Not a problem.
After all, he wasn't an ordinary kid—he was a Pokémon Trainer.
And his Pokémon wielded powers that could reshape nature itself.
"System! Teach Froakie the move [Rain Dance]!"
Ash issued the command.
In an instant, the system extracted the [Rain Dance] move he'd previously copied from Gyarados and transferred it to Froakie in the form of a glowing data stream.
[Ding! "Rain Dance" has been successfully learned! Your Pokémon Froakie has mastered the move [Rain Dance]!!]
[Pokémon: Froakie]
Level: 14（72/88）
Type: Water
Nature: Serious
Abilities: Torrent
Hidden Ability: Protean
Ethereal-Gifted Ability: Bonded Evolution
Potential: [Purple Tier – Supreme]
Chosen by the fate of Kalos. Entrusted with the mission to save the region in its darkest hour of destruction.
Skills (Copyable):
· [Mastered]: Pound (37/1000), Bubble (36/1000)
· [Proficient]: Growl (23/500), Quick Attack (12/500), Aqua Ring (4/500), Water Pulse (16/500)
· [Novice]: Lick (1/100), Rain Dance (1/100)
With Rain Dance now learned, Ash handed Froakie the smaller fishing rod and gave Rotom Drone the signal to prepare for filming.
Everything was finally ready.
Ash turned to Froakie with a smile. "Froakie, use Rain Dance!"
"Froa—KAA!"
Froakie let out a clear croak, launching a misty water orb into the sky.
RUMBLE!
Thunder grumbled from above. Clouds rolled in. Moisture gathered at an alarming speed.
In the blink of an eye, the bright blue sky above the stone pond darkened, swallowed by storm clouds the color of lead.
Patter… patter…
The soft sound of rain began to fall.
Raindrops spattered across the leaves above with a soothing rhythm and struck the pond's surface in delicate, widening ripples.
Froakie seemed to relax in the cool drizzle, smiling as the rain washed over it.
Ash, however, instinctively flinched when cold water trickled down the back of his neck.
"Fishing in the rain definitely sets the mood, but we can't just sit here and get soaked."
"But using an umbrella… that'd ruin the natural atmosphere."
He held out a hand to catch some raindrops, eyebrows furrowed. Just as he was reconsidering whether to proceed, something by the pond caught his eye.
Growing between rocks at the water's edge were a few wild taro plants.
His eyes lit up.
Long stems and wide, heart-shaped leaves—they were nature's very own umbrellas.
Without hesitation, Ash strode over and carefully plucked two taro leaves. One he handed to Froakie, the other he kept for himself.
He tucked the leaf stem into the collar at the back of his shirt. The broad leaf arched over his head like a perfect green parasol.
Froakie copied him, inserting its leaf's stem into the fluffy back of its Frubbles.
"Hey, looking good!"
"Froa~!"
Seeing each other's unique new look, Trainer and Pokémon shared a laugh.
With everything now finally in place, Ash looked up and gave a small nod to Rotom Drone, still hovering in the rainy sky.
"…Rotom, we're ready. Start filming."
"Froakie, let's see who can catch a fish first!"
"Froa!!"
Plop!Plop!
Twin lures hit the water.
Under the drizzling gray sky, amidst a forest so silent it was almost sacred, the leaves and vines glistened with raindrops.
Upon a large flat rock by the stone pond, a boy and his Froakie sat side by side—quiet, focused, and completely still. Their eyes were fixed on the water with unwavering attention.
Beneath the glassy surface, dozens of Magikarp swam lazily.
Because of how the light refracted through the clear water, their normally orange-red scales now looked like muted shades of gray-blue.
Some floated motionless, like they were fast asleep. Others darted back and forth, lively and playful—almost like they were teasing the boy and the Froakie above them.
Shhh...
Drip...
Whirr...
Boy and Pokémon sat unmoving. Not a twitch. Not a word.
If not for the occasional blink, they could have been mistaken for statues.
The scene was breathtaking.
Even though there was no spoken dialogue, the scene was far from silent.
The soft sound of rain tapping leaves.
The gentle trickling of the stream.
Chirping insects.
Birdsong deep in the woods.
The rustling of wind-blown branches.
It was quiet, yes—but filled with the soothing voice of nature.
Rotom Drone, trained and polished by Saffron TV Station, handled the filming with expert flair.
It zoomed in for close-ups of Ash and Froakie's serene expressions, then panned out for wide landscape shots. Sometimes it would capture the pond, sometimes the surrounding woods, sometimes a silent shot of rainfall hitting a leaf.
And just like that, Ash's artistic short film—Fishing at the Stone Pond—was completed.
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T/N:
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