Deep within the Cerulean Gym, in the Pokémon rehabilitation pool area, a peculiar fragrance of herbal salves mixed with Berries hung in the air.
This was a spa pool exclusively for Water-type Pokémon.
The Golden Gyarados's massive frame was half-submerged in the specially formulated therapeutic water, revealing only the ridge of its back covered in heavy, golden scales.
Its colossal body bobbed within the pool, emitting a comfortable gurgling sound.
Misty, her sleeves rolled up, was carefully using a long-handled brush dipped in a nutrient solution that shimmered with a blue light to coat the scar on the side of Gyarados's neck—a wound originally torn open by an Ice Fang.
"Hiss..." As the liquid medicine made contact, a muffled whimper vibrated from Gyarados's throat.
Its massive body instinctively tensed, churning the pool water with a loud crash.
"Don't move!" Misty retreated a half-step in fright, but immediately bit her lip and stepped forward again, feigning calm as she continued her work. "Th-this is a special dragon scale powder blend my sisters saved up; it's very effective for healing!"
Most importantly, it utilized materials from Dragon-type Pokémon.
For Pokémon that weren't Dragon-type but possessed Dragon-type potential, the effect was excellent and could stimulate that potential.
Gyarados's scarlet pupils slanted down at her, and suddenly, it used the tip of its nose to gently nudge a wooden bucket on the poolside filled with chunks of Sitrus Berries—a treat Misty had specially prepared.
"You glutton." Misty couldn't help but laugh scoldingly, scooping up a large ladle of fruit chunks and pouring them into its gaping maw.
Her palm inadvertently brushed against its cold, razor-sharp teeth; she yanked her hand back, her heart still instinctively skipping a beat.
But watching Gyarados chew the Berries with satisfaction, its tail leisurely swaying at the bottom of the pool, that chill which had entrenched itself in her heart for so many years seemed to be truly diluted by this display of gluttony.
Ash's Gyarados, when not going berserk, actually had a very good temper.
"Roar~ Roar~" Gyarados narrowed its eyes and opened its mouth again.
It wanted more delicious food.
Heaven have mercy, since its memory began, these days at the Cerulean Gym were the best it had ever eaten.
Although at the Pewter Gym there was no worry about food and drink and it could have as much as it wanted, the food there was obviously prepared specifically for Rock-type and Ground-type Pokémon.
For Gyarados, it actually didn't suit its palate very well.
Cerulean Gym was different~~
Not only did it taste good, but it could also eat to its heart's content.
"Here, this is the last spoonful! You'll get indigestion if you eat too much!" Misty forced herself to remain calm, but the slight trembling of her palm betrayed her nervousness.
The surge of water caused by Gyarados's golden head leaning in made her subconsciously want to step back, but she forcibly held her ground.
"Roar~~" Gyarados's scarlet pupils glanced at her, and unexpectedly, it lowered its head docilely to swallow the food, its tail gently tapping the water's surface.
"Did... did you just say thank you?" Misty stared in wide-eyed surprise, then blushed and mumbled, "Idiot... who asked you to thank me!"
"..." Gyarados was speechless, but for the sake of such good treatment, it wouldn't fuss about it.
——
Meanwhile, on the other side.
Everything at the Cerulean Gym continued as usual.
Misty losing to Ash had no impact on the Gym whatsoever.
If a Gym Leader didn't lose, how could they hand out Badges?
A Gym Leader is supposed to lose every day!!
Ridiculous.
Due to the specific nature of Gyms in this world, it was impossible for Team Rocket to inexplicably attack this place.
This was quite different from the original Pokémon anime world.
At this very moment, bursts of cheering erupted beside the main performance pool.
"Oh oh oh oh!"
Brock sat in the best viewing seat, his dark-skinned face unexpectedly flushed with a suspicious blush.
In his hand, a notebook contained scribbled diagrams of the water ballet formations.
"The angle at which Miss Daisy's Goldeen spreads its tail fin when spinning reflects the overhead lights perfectly..."
"The rhythmic sense of Miss Lily's Starmie supporting the water curtain with Confusion..."
He muttered to himself, his pen tip suddenly pausing.
"—Of course, the most perfect one is the lead dancer, Miss Violet! That turn synchronized with Palafin is simply the combination of power and beauty!"
"Wait!"
"It's too amazing!"
"Miss Daisy's mid-air triple-and-a-half rotation followed by the Mudkip leap perfectly fuses the gentleness and power of Water-type Pokémon!"
"Bravo!"
"Woo woo woo!!"
"She will definitely become an outstanding Coordinator!"
The three sisters took their curtain call on the floating platform, and Violet threw a precise wink in Brock's direction.
With a clatter, the notebook in Brock's hand fell to the ground.
Brock, who had always maintained a serious demeanor and carried the burden of an idol, had immediately started to let himself go after leaving Pewter City.
And now... Brock was simply being played in the palm of the three beautiful girls' hands.
Is this the fate of being too pure?
He had already been hooked line and sinker.
"Lucky!" A Chansey helplessly pushed a dining cart past; the cart was piled high with stamina-replenishing Pokéblocks that Brock had specially made for the actors.
Unlike Misty and Brock.
Ash's side was a different situation.
Ash was not currently at the Cerulean Gym.
At the river estuary on the outskirts of Cerulean City.
A fishing line traced a silver arc under the setting sun.
"Pika—chu!"
Pikachu suddenly pricked up its ears, looking vigilantly toward the bushes behind them.
Ash calmly reeled in his rod; the hook was empty.
"Come out, Meowth." He sighed. "I heard the sound of you stepping on crushed leaves."
The bushes rustled a few times, and Meowth sheepishly drilled out, his fur covered in grass seeds.
"Ahem... I came to say goodbye, meow." His eyes darted around. "Jessie and James have already been bailed out... Boss Giovanni ordered us to stand by in Saffron City."
Ash's casting motion paused slightly: "You came specially to tell me this?"
Meowth scratched his ears anxiously: "Um... Lt. Surge of the Vermilion Gym... you'd better be careful, meow!"
He jumped up as if afraid of leaking more. "Anyway, he's very dangerous! He especially loves bullying rookies! His methods are also... very excessive, meow!"
Being forced to be a mole or something... felt terrible for Meowth.
—Damn it, why am I doing this sort of thing?
Meowth was extremely confused; he rubbed his paws hesitantly: "Lt. Surge's temper has been particularly explosive lately; he's already sent several challengers to the hospital... meow."
"Pika?" Pikachu tilted its head to express doubt.
"Why tell me these things?" Ash's gaze pressed upon Meowth like a physical weight.
"I can't say the specific reason, meow!" Meowth retreated two steps, his tail nervously curling into a question mark shape. "Anyway, his Raichu strikes really hard... Ah! I should go, meow!"
"It's definitely not b-because if you lose too miserably... I won't have the chance to defeat you and wash away my shame, meow! It's not like I'm worried about you, meow!"
Meowth mumbled, turned, and darted into the bushes, then popped his head out to add one quick sentence:
"He hates weak Pokémon, and hates people with unsteady willpower... he hates them very much, meow!"
With that, he vanished without a trace.
Ash stared at the slightly swaying bushes, his palm unconsciously rubbing the fishing rod.
The twilight dyed the river into broken gold, and the bobber trembled gently in the shimmering waves.
"Pikachu?" He suddenly chuckled softly. "It looks like the next Gym... won't be too boring."
The tip of the rod suddenly plunged into the water, and the prey that took the hook erupted with astonishing pulling force.
"Raichu, huh..."
"Just what I wanted."
Night fell.
The Golden Gyarados suddenly let out a low roar of excitement.
When Ash arrived at the spa pool, he found it gently pushing the water's surface with its nose—several fish Pokémon that had been stunned by electricity were floating on the surface.
"...Already starting to practice Thunderbolt?" Ash smiled lightly and patted Gyarados's head.
Gyarados's move pool was very deep.
Flamethrower and Thunderbolt were both moves it could learn, providing wide coverage.
It was just that the current that Gyarados released obviously couldn't be called Thunderbolt yet... it could only be said that it had barely just learned Discharge.
The learning of moves is often not achieved overnight.
Before formally mastering it, there is also a transitional process.
Before LV1, theoretically, there is still an LV0 stage of half-knowledge.
For example, for a non-Electric-type Pokémon like Gyarados, before learning Electric-type moves, it must first synthesize Electric-type energy within its body.
The learning of non-STAB moves is actually a bit troublesome.
As for why Gyarados would secretly study this?
...Of course, it was because it had been shocked by Pikachu too many times and figured it out on its own.
____
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