Pokemon: Radical Redux-Chapter 322: Ecruteak City

After the whole ordeal, they hit the road and eventually got to Ecruteak City. The first thing they did was get a room for their stay since the festival was about to happen.

Speaking of which, the town was bustling with activity as all sorts of people were working on booths and setting things up, with many tourists coming in since the festival was very important to the locals.

While they were getting a hotel to stay in, Ash went to the Pokémon Center and called his mom and Molly to show them he caught another one.

"Wow! Big brother is amazing, you already got another one!" Molly said, wearing a cute little apron since she was helping Delia at the restaurant.

Ash nodded with a smile. "Yep, two down already! After this, I'm gonna call Professor Oak and give this to him. Anyway, how have you been? Have you been having fun, Molly?"

"Yeah! We have lots and lots of fun every day, and Mama taught me how to bake. They came out so yummy!" Molly said, rocking her head back and forth.

"Wow, I wish I was there, but I'm all the way out here. How sad," Ash said with playful sadness.

Delia smiled. "Well, I hope you're doing alright. You're in Ecruteak, aren't you?"

"Yep! And the festival is about to happen, so I'm probably going to stay here for a few days," Ash confirmed.

"Wow, the festival! I always wanted to go there! Big Brother, Mama, can I go too?" Molly said, shaking her little hands.

Ash chuckled. "I don't mind. I can have Abby teleport you over when the festival starts, but you better be really super good with Mama, right?"

Delia caught on and smiled. "Yep! Only good girls who eat all their vegetables get to go, so if you're good, I'll let you go," she said, booping Molly on her button-like nose.

Molly giggled. "Ok, Mama! But that's easy, you make vegetables taste yummy!"

"Then it'll be easy for you. But I need to go, I'm gonna call the professor. Bye!"

"Bye-bye!"

"See you soon."

When Ash hung up the call, he dialed Oak's number. When the professor picked up, he was eating some onigiri. "Yes, my boy?" he said with his mouth full of rice. "You caught me in the middle of lunch."

Ash sighed helplessly. "Two things. First, I found another one of the Unown."

Oak nearly choked on his rice, coughing a few times before looking up. "Really? Then send it over, this could help greatly."

Ash didn't hesitate as he placed the Poké Ball on the teleporter and sent it. "I received it," Oak said.

He put it to the side. "I'll inspect it later, but you said there was something else. What is it?"

Ash sighed, knowing he had to do this. "I'm going to send you another Pokémon and this paper with the instructions on how to teach a certain move," he said, placing both on the teleporter and sending them over.

Oak grabbed the paper first. "Psyshield Bash? Interesting... you created a new move?" he incorrectly assumed.

Then, he opened the PokéBall.

From it, the large, fluffy Wyrdeer emerged and nearly smothered Oak in its floof, looking around before starting to eat Oak's rice.

Oak managed to pull himself out, taking a deep breath and looking at the giant Pokémon he'd never seen before. "Ash... what is this? I've never seen anything like it."

"It's a new evolution I found for Stantler," Ash revealed, enjoying the shocked look on Oak's face as the professor glanced at the paper from before, the pieces slowly falling into place.

"...How do you do this? It hasn't even been a month since the first one, and you've already found a second?" Oak said, hardly believing it. He completely forgot about his lunch and grabbed a camera, snapping photos of Wyrdeer from every angle.

"I call him Wyrdeer, and the evolution happens when Stantler learns that move and uses it 20 times," Ash explained, watching Oak's reaction with amusement. "So, are you gonna write another paper? It should be much easier this time, you know."

Oak, still too stunned to question how Ash found Wyrdeer, nodded. "Yes! I'll get to work right away, Professor Rowan will need to see this. We'll validate the method and have it published as soon as we can!"

"Good, because I want to use him this time. I'm in Ecruteak, and I'm staying for the festival, plus, I plan to take on the Gym in a week."

"Err... but wouldn't it be better if you waited for a few trainers to evolve one first? You know, so no one suspects anything. I know you said you want to keep your involvement private," Oak said, carefully taking a stray lock of Wyrdeer's fur and tucking it away for later analysis.

Ash leaned back in his chair, resting his hands behind his head. "I get what you're saying, but the thing is, it's not like the first trainer who used Kleavor publicly got asked if they discovered it first," Ash pointed out. After all, it had been a month, and three other people had already evolved Kleavor and used them in battles.

"I suppose that's true," Oak admitted. "Fine, I see no problem with it. I should be able to announce this in three or four days, that should give at least one person enough time to evolve their Stantler before you challenge the Gym. Just be careful. If too many of these new evolutions pop up too fast, people are going to start asking questions."

"Hehe, wow, so now you have faith in me? I remember after Kleavor, you said I wouldn't find any more," Ash teased. "But don't worry, I don't have any plans to discover another new Pokémon anytime soon. I promise I'll keep my head down... at least for a little bit."

Oak shook his head but chuckled. "Alright then. I'll ask Professor Elm for a Stantler and get to work. If all goes well, I should have results in about three days."

"Sounds good. Oh, and I might stop by in a few days to pick up Molly, so I'll grab Wyrdeer then. See ya," Ash said, ending the call.

He got up, stretched his arms, and stepped out of the Pokémon Center, gazing at the town as people set up for the festival, food stalls, prize booths, and colorful decorations lining the streets.

Before he could get far, a familiar voice called out.

"Ash! Over here!"

Looking back, Ash saw Brock, Misty, and Yellow waving him over. He walked up to them, noticing they already had some things in hand.

"Are you guys shopping already?" Ash asked.

"Duh, why wouldn't we? It's a festival, there's all sorts of stuff!" Misty said enthusiastically. "And I need to pick out a new kimono!"

Ash crossed his arms and tilted his head. "Don't we already have kimonos? I mean, I still have the one in my bag."

"You don't get it, this kind of festival requires a new kimono," Misty said, crossing her arms and nodding to herself like she'd just made an unshakable point.

"Surrreeee," Brock said slowly, clearly unconvinced. He looked around the bustling streets. "This place is amazing though, and there are lots of pretty ladies. But I really want to see the Kimono Girls. I hear they're the most beautiful girls in Johto."

"Yeah, and I also heard they have a thing with Morty. So?" Ash said casually. He wasn't making it up, there was a rumor floating around that Morty was dating all of the Kimono Girls. If he was... well, good for him.

Brock didn't even seem to process the comment. "Well, if it's not confirmed, then I must try!" he declared, thrusting his hand into the sky with a determined look.

Yellow tilted her head. "But what about Yui? I thought you liked her... and didn't she give you her number?"

Brock's confident stance wavered. "Well...," he mumbled, looking off to the side. "She hasn't returned my texts..."

"Yeah, because you send her 50 texts a day, you idiot. Let her breathe," Misty said bluntly. "Seriously, I'm convinced if you stopped acting so desperate, you'd have a girlfriend by now."

Brock winced like he'd just been punched in the gut, but after a moment, he straightened up again. "Okay, but that's not the point! There's another reason, I want lots of beautiful girls to marry, so I must try!"

Ash and Misty exchanged a look, both wearing the same exasperated expression, while Yellow blushed at Brock's shameless declaration.

"Sigh... Brock," Ash said, shaking his head. "You know I love you like a brother, but you really need to stop saying these things out loud. It's not helping you."

He subtly pointed behind Brock, where a girl who had clearly noticed his muscles seemed like she was about to approach, but the moment she heard him talk about marrying lots of girls, her face went red, and she quickly turned and walked away.

Brock visibly deflated, slumping his shoulders.

Misty crossed her arms. "I swear... you're your own worst enemy."

Yellow, still concerned, looked down, fidgeting slightly. "Um... Brock... are you okay?"

"Not really..." he muttered, defeated.

Ash sighed again and grabbed Brock by the collar, dragging him forward. "Come on, I know what'll cheer you up, the Kimono Girls are putting on a performance to celebrate the first day of the festival."

Brock immediately perked up, a wide grin spreading across his face as he threw an arm around Ash's shoulder. "What are we waiting for? Let's go!" he cheered, marching ahead with newfound energy.

Misty and Yellow exchanged a look before running after them to catch up.

When they reached the theater, they saw that the dance wouldn't be starting for a while, the stage was still being set up, and the Kimono Girls were likely getting their makeup done.

They agreed to meet back here in an hour after exploring the festival.

Brock took the opportunity to go 'find some girls,' Misty wandered off to check out the stalls and maybe snag a few dolls, and Ash bolted before Misty could rope him into winning her another mountain of plushies.

Meanwhile, Yellow strolled through the festival, glancing down at Chuchu. The little Pikachu looked up at her, and their eyes slowly drifted to a candy apple stand.

Both of them started, wide-eyed, as their mouths practically watered in unison, They didn't speak, but the silent agreement was clear, they were getting Candy apples

—-

{A day earlier in Kanto}

Chloe sat at her desk, staring out the window, bored. It wasn't that the schoolwork was hard, if anything, it was too easy, but her mind kept drifting to what she'd do once she got home. She wondered how Eevee was doing.

Earlier that day, though, something had caught her eye. She'd seen a girl at the park with a Glaceon, its shimmering, icy fur was mesmerizing. Chloe had wanted to walk over and say hi, but the girl had bolted the moment she noticed her.

Now, Chloe found herself wondering why the girl had run away.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the teacher walked in, clapping his hands lightly to grab the class's attention. "Good morning, everyone. I have two very important announcements. First, we have a new student joining us today. Please come in and introduce yourself."

The classroom door creaked open, and a girl stepped in hesitantly. She had platinum hair that shimmered under the lights and striking blue eyes. Her delicate features made a ripple of murmurs and gasps pass through the room as her new classmates took in her appearance.

The girl nervously stood at the front of the class, fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. "Um... Hi... I'm Regina," she said softly.

"Wonderful," the teacher said with a smile. "Would anyone like to ask her any questions?"

Big mistake.

The floodgates opened instantly. Hands shot up, and voices overlapped as one question after another was thrown Regina's way.

"Where are you from?"

"Is that your real hair color?"

"Do you have any Pokémon?"

"How long are you gonna be here?"

Chloe noticed the way Regina's shoulders tensed, her grip on her skirt tightening with each new question. She wasn't just shy, she looked like she was about to panic.

From the hallway, Chloe spotted something else, a Glaceon standing by the door, its icy blue gaze fixed on the class. Its fur bristled, and Chloe could tell it was seconds away from storming in, probably to freeze the whole classroom if she had to.

Thankfully, the teacher stepped in before the situation escalated, not even noticing the Glaceon by the door, "Alright, alright, that's enough," he said, clapping his hands again. "Let's not overwhelm Regina on her first day."

The class gradually quieted down, and Regina took a shaky breath of relief. She moved quickly to an empty seat, conveniently right next to Chloe.

Chloe gave her a warm smile and held out her hand. "Hey. I'm Chloe. I actually saw you at the park earlier with your Glaceon. I wanted to say hi, but you kinda... ran away."

Regina's cheeks flushed. "I-I... I'm sorry. I got nervous..." she mumbled, bowing her head slightly.

"It's okay. Wanna be friends?" Chloe asked, still holding out her hand, her smile never fading. "You seem nice."

Regina blinked, her gaze flickering between Chloe's hand and her face. "I, uh... I-"

Before she could finish, the teacher spoke again.

"Now, for our second announcement," he began, "I'm excited to share that we'll be taking a class field trip. We're going to Ecruteak City for the festival. It'll be a week-long trip, so be sure to ask your parents for permission and get your forms signed. If you can't go, you'll have the week off, but this year's festival is expected to be extra special."

Chloe's hand slowly lowered as she processed the news. Ecruteak City... Johto.

Her dad would probably be thrilled for her to go, he always talked about how beautiful Johto was, so she figured she'd end up going. But then a thought crept into her mind, 'Johto... Would he be there?'

She quickly shook her head. 'Nah... there's no way.'

"Whatever," Chloe muttered to herself with a shrug, pushing the thought aside.

—

{Back to the present}

The bus hissed to a stop, and the class poured out, their eyes wide as they took in the grand festival of Ecruteak City. Colorful banners fluttered in the breeze, and the air was filled with the smell of sweet treats and the distant sound of traditional music.

Their teacher clapped her hands to get their attention. "Alright, everyone! We're heading to the Dance Hall first, the Kimono Girls will be putting on a special performance. I'll go confirm the schedule, so feel free to look around, but don't wander off too far!"

With that, the students scattered, most letting their Pokémon out to enjoy the festival alongside them.

Chloe smiled as she let Eevee out of its Poké Ball. "Alright, Eevee, let's have some fun."

Next to her, Regina hesitated before releasing her Glaceon, Mirche, her piercing blue eyes immediately scanning the crowd. She stepped closer to Regina, her stance tense, as if daring anyone to come too close.

Chloe noticed the way Mirche's fur bristled and gave Regina a reassuring smile. "Hey, you okay?"

Regina shifted uncomfortably, kneeling down to scratch behind Mirche's ears in an attempt to soothe her. "Uh, yeah. Sorry, Chloe... Mirche is just... protective. She cares a lot about me, in her own way."

Chloe chuckled softly, holding Eevee close. "I get it. Eevee's the same sometimes. She can be pretty defensive too."

Regina lowered her voice to a whisper. "No... I don't think you do."

Chloe tilted her head. "Huh? What do you—"

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

Before she could finish, a familiar voice cut through the crowd, one that sent a shiver down Chloe's spine, "Hey Chloe, is that you, did you come here just to see little old me, i'm flattered~"

Chloe's eyes shut for a moment as she took a long, steadying breath. Of all the people...

She slowly turned around, and there he was. She saw Ash walking up to her with Pikachu eating a candy apple on his shoulder.

"Ash..." Chloe muttered, squinting at him. "What are you doing here?"

Ash shrugged dismissively, "What else? There's a Gym in this town, and I'm gonna take it down. Figured I'd check out the festival too." Then he tilted his head. "The real question is, why are you here? And who's your friend?" He nodded toward Regina, who instinctively flinched at the sudden attention.

Before Chloe could answer her classmates finally saw Ash, and they all recognised him as the winner of the Indigo League

"Wait... is that... Ash?"

"No way! The Ash Ketchum? The Indigo League champion?!"

"He's even cuter in person!"

One of Chloe's friends smirked. "Didn't Chloe and Ash hang out back in Vermilion City? Isn't he her boyfriend?"

Chloe's face instantly turned red, from anger and embarrassment, "He's not my boyfriend!"

Her protest fell on deaf ears as more classmates rushed forward, crowding around Ash like starstruck fans.

But in the middle of all the excitement, Regina found herself surrounded, her breath quickening as the crowd pressed closer, And Mirche noticed.

The Glaceon's fur bristled, and her icy gaze sharpened into a glare. A faint frost spread beneath her paws as she growled softly, her muscles coiling, ready to strike at the first person who stepped too close to Regina.

----

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