Following Ash all the way, Paul discovered the fact that he was lost… * This is embarrassing, bro *
Paul looked at Ash's excited look and sighed. Forget it, he could always find his way out eventually.
"Piplup!" Piplup waved his little wings and sprinted, knocking an Oddish to the ground with a Peck attack. Paul went up and patted Piplup to express his encouragement. This was the sixth wild Pokémon that Piplup had knocked down, and the little guy seemed to be on the verge of evolution.
"Wow, what did I find!" Ash looked at a handsome Pidgeotto in the grass, practically drooling. Although Spearow was also very strong, Ash still thought Paul's Pidgeotto was more handsome. He, Ash, the future Pokémon master, how could he not have a Pidgeotto?
"It's now! Look at my Poké Ball!" Ash's inflated self confidence, cultivated by Caterpie, was burning at this moment, and he once again attempted a superhuman throw.
But Pidgeotto turned its head and glanced at Ash. "What are you looking at?!" Pop! With a flap of its wings, the Poké Ball returned the same way and hit Ash squarely in the face.
Pidgeotto didn't even bother to escape; it went back to eating and drinking, as if asking, what's the matter? Do you want to fight?
"Ash, you have to battle it to subdue it..." Paul reminded weakly. He didn't have time to worry about Ash now; he just saw his own Pidgeotto chasing a flock of Spearows.
* This troublemaker doesn't let me worry at all, * Paul cursed inwardly and took Elekid to support his Pidgeotto. Meanwhile, Ash pulled the Poké Ball off his face, revealing a clearly visible red mark that made Misty almost die of laughter.
"Damn it, since that's the case, Caterpie, go!" With a big wave of Ash's hand, the plump Caterpie was sent right towards Pidgeotto's beak.
At this moment, Pidgeotto, Caterpie, and Misty were all stunned. * Why don't you just serve me food directly? * Pidgeotto thought.
Pidgeotto wasn't polite; it fluttered its wings, flew low, and rushed towards Caterpie.
Tears burst into Caterpie's big eyes. * What kind of trainer is this? I can't do it! *
A dramatically upset Caterpie made a U turn and began to flee backwards with all its might. * Emperor! I am not feeling well, why don't you bestow your favor upon Pikachu instead! * Caterpie wailed internally.
"Ash, you fool! Take Caterpie back quickly!" Misty kindly reminded him.
Caterpie had been cornered, so Ash hurriedly picked up the Poké Ball. "Come back, Caterpie!"
In the nick of time, the recovery light of the Poké Ball caught Caterpie back into the ball, just inches from Pidgeotto's beak. Ash let out a big breath.
Pidgeotto accidentally nailed its beak into the tree trunk after missing.
"Pikachu, give it a Thunderbolt!" Ash switched Pokémon, and Pikachu went into battle.
Pikachu was also unambiguous. Just now, Pidgeotto almost took Caterpie's head off, and Pikachu was angry now.
The super effective Thunderbolt directly stunned Pidgeotto.
"Now!" Seeing the opportunity, Ash threw the Poké Ball and successfully subdued it!
Pikachu stretched out its little paw and gave a cheer, looking very pleased. "Pi Pikachu!"
Ash picked up the Poké Ball, very happy. He finally got his third Pokémon.
Misty couldn't stand it anymore, so she rushed up and gave Ash a big slap! Ash's face flushed red.
"What are you doing, woman?!" Ash was angry, covering his face and yelling.
"Come on, you deserved this slap," Paul also came back at this time, having just caught his Pidgeotto.
"Why do you even help her, Paul!" Ash pouted, feeling wronged.
"I'm not speaking for her," Paul patted Ash's shoulder helplessly.
"Hey! Ash, do you really want to be a Pokémon trainer?" Misty asked.
"Of course!" Ash replied with little confidence.
"Then you should know more about Pokémon. Don't you know about Pokémon types?"
Paul almost laughed out loud. * Types? Is our little master of inverse type matchups going to argue with you? *
Ash was completely silent now. What were types? He really didn't know.
"Even if you don't know the types, Pidgeotto is a bird and Caterpie is a bug. You should have the common sense that birds eat bugs!" Misty was so angry she wanted to bite Ash twice.
"Common sense," Ash looked at Paul as if asking for help. "I thought that as long as you have a fighting spirit, you will be fine..."
"In Pokémon battles, besides the fighting spirit of the trainer and the willpower of the Pokémon, judgment as a commander is also essential," Paul nodded and helped Misty finish.
"That's right! That's it!" Misty put her hands on her hips, adopting the expression of a senior trainer.
"Hahahaha we meet again!" Harsh laughter came. Paul's complexion changed. * These nuisances still followed Ash... *
"To protect the world from devastation..."
"Okay, no need, I know it's you, Team Rocket!" Paul shouted.
"Hey! Smelly brat! Can you let us finish our lines!" James exploded in anger.
"You don't have to! Let's do it directly. Anyway, you have nothing serious to do except snatch other people's Pokémon!" Paul waved his hand. "Elekid, Piplup, get ready to fight!"
"Wait a minute!" Meowth said at this time. "You're not behaving well. We weren't looking for you; we came to look for that little twerp!"
Ash looked at Meowth. "Hey, are you looking for me?"
Jessie and James nodded. "That's right, that's you! Hand over Pikachu!"
Ash still had time to complain, "But Pikachu doesn't look like a stray Growlithe..."
"Thunderbolt!"
Boom! The violent electric shock directly hit the floor in front of the Team Rocket trio, turning it black.
"What rules should I tell you gangsters?" Paul said coolly. Elekid shook its arms, its whole body flickering with electricity. As long as Paul gave an order, it would give these three a shocking lesson.
"Hey! You have the guts for a one-on -one!" Meowth said, trying to sound tough but looking cowardly.
"Okay Ash, I'll leave it to you," Paul said boredly. "Don't you want to prove that Caterpie can also be strong? Come on."
Encouraged by Paul, Ash suddenly felt fired up. "Then come on, Caterpie, it's up to you!"
The Team Rocket trio looked at the big green worm in front of them.
"Little twerp, do you want us to die laughing?"
"Go, Ekans!"
"Koffing, go!"
Unsurprisingly, Caterpie first used String Shot and then Tackle to complete the harvest.
It was over so quickly it wasn't even interesting. Leaving behind a classic line, "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"
Team Rocket successfully contributed their experience points and flew into the sky.
"Cater!" Caterpie, having gained experience from the battle, completed the first stage of its evolution, covering itself in silk using its String Shot technique to become a Metapod.
"This is?!" Ash took out the Pokédex in surprise.
"Metapod, the Cocoon Pokémon," the Pokédex stated.
"Congratulations, Ash. This Pokémon is about to complete its transformation. As long as it undergoes pupation, it will break out of its cocoon and become a Butterfree," Paul congratulated Ash.
"That's great!" Ash hugged the Metapod happily.
"Okay, let's move on," Paul recalled Elekid. That Pokémon had just cooperated with Pidgeotto to take down a dozen Spearows, which was also a lot of experience.
Bringing Piplup, Paul, Ash, and Misty, the three continued to set off.
Only...
"Bug!"
Every few steps, Misty would let out such a scream.
"It's a Weedle!" Now Ash felt that he must be very suited to be a Bug Catcher.
"Okay, the basis of subduing Pokémon is battling. Let's go Pikachu!" After experiencing so many things, Ash had made some progress.
"Pika? Pi," Pikachu took out a small blanket, lay down on the spot, wanting to sleep and clearly not wanting to fight, looking utterly bored.
Ash and Misty almost fell over. * Pikachu in this period is more or less willful, * Ash thought.
But Ash took out three Poké Balls brazenly. "It doesn't matter, I have other helpers!"
He resolutely released Pidgeotto, and successfully brought down the Weedle in two rounds.
At this moment, a boy wearing samurai armor sneaked up behind Paul and asked sinisterly.
"I ask you! Are you a Pokémon trainer from Pallet Town?"
When Paul turned around, he gave a flying kick, followed by an anti knuckle grab, and knocked the guy to the ground.
At this time, Ash also successfully caught the Weedle. As soon as he turned around, he saw Paul pinning a strange man to the ground.
"Say! What are you doing, secretly lurking beside us with a sword? Are you a robber?!" Paul knew this guy but hated this kind of self righteous fool, so he didn't bother talking nonsense with him. First, rough him up a bit!
"No, no, eh it hurts! I'm going to die!" The Samurai boy also had bad luck meeting Paul.
* In the anime, this guy challenged regardless of the occasion, causing Ash to lose the Weedle he just got, and then a swarm of Beedrill snatched the newly evolved Metapod, but he still said confidently that it was Ash's fault for not having enough practice, and it wasn't his fault? * Paul remembered.
"Not enough practice, right? It's not your fault, is it? Is it wrong!" Paul grabbed the back of the Samurai boy's neck and asked viciously.
"Wrong, wrong! I'm just a Pokémon trainer! I just want to challenge the trainer from Pallet Town! Brother, I won't dare to sneak attack again!"
"Paul, he seems to be getting hurt, why don't you let him go?" Ash said softly from the side.
"Okay, for my friend's sake. Get out!" Paul let the Samurai boy go.
"Cough cough cough! You are too barbaric! You have the ability to fight against me with Pokémon!"
* You see, what does it mean when the wind stops and the rain stops? He feels that he can do it again, * Paul thought with exasperation.
To prevent Ash from battling him again, leading to the stupid Metapod versus Metapod endurance match, Paul decisively accepted the challenge.
"Get ready to fight, Piplup!" Paul decisively dispatched Piplup.
"Hmph, this kind of cutie can only be fodder for my Pinsir! Come on, Pinsir!"
"Pinsir!" Pinsir appeared on the stage with two large horns on its head.
"Tsk tsk, the body size is one third smaller than normal, and the body is not strong enough, that's it?" Paul was a little disappointed.
"Stop looking down on people! Pinsir, Vice Grip!"
"Is that even a proper move name?" Paul continued to mock. "Piplup, spin up and use Peck!"
Piplup made a gorgeous jump, spun to accelerate, and then its long beak became like a small drill, hitting Pinsir directly.
Well, Pinsir, despite its size, couldn't even dodge and took this powerful drill like peck head on!
"Pin..." Pinsir knelt down on one knee, clutching its chest in pain.
Paul wouldn't give it a chance to breathe. * What I believe in is finishing you off while you're vulnerable! *
"Piplup, Whirlpool at close range!"
Piplup sprinted just below Pinsir, and a swirling tide hit it right in the face.
Pinsir, sucked into the air by the rushing water and then falling solidly, didn't even have time to scream before passing out directly.
"Call it done when you're finished," Paul crossed his arms. Piplup followed suit, patting its two little wings and putting them on its hips with a proud look. "Piplup!"
"I... I lost," the Samurai boy fell to his knees, bent forward in frustration.
"It doesn't even count as experience," Paul recalled Piplup and knelt down in front of the Samurai boy.
"Do you really practice? In my opinion, you are not as good as a Bug Catcher on the side of the road. Hiding alone in the forest and attacking newcomer trainers passing by, you will only be at this level in your life. If you feel ashamed, just go back and train properly."
Abandoning the Samurai boy who was doubting his life, Paul told Ash and Misty to hurry up. If they couldn't get out of the forest, they would have to camp at night.
Not long after Paul, Ash, and Misty left, a swarm of Beedrill somehow passed by the place where they were fighting just now, and the Samurai boy, still doubting his life, was stung badly.
Of course, these events had nothing to do with Paul and the others who had already left.
Pewter City was already very close.