Valor: "Waah… thank you, big brother!!"
Lumina: "Gulu… thank you, big brother!!"
"Pika— Hey, that's unfair, Ash! I want a name too!"
Seeing Ash name the Shiny Magikarp and Shiny Feebas, Pikachu instantly hopped onto his shoulder, hugging his head and acting spoiled.
"You want a name too? Sure. From now on, you'll be called Pika-Thunder, Frogadier will be Melon Frog, and Pidgeotto will be Big Sand Idiot. How about it—like the names I picked for you?"
"Pika— Pika-Thunder? What kind of awful name is that?!"
"Oh? Then you still want me to name you?"
"Pika~! No, no, no! I think Pikachu is perfect already! Hehehe~"
-----
With Valor and Lumina placed back into the water basin and Frogadier helping carry it, Ash chatted and joked with Pikachu and the others as they headed toward Dashiwan Valley by the wild grasslands.
Dashiwan Valley (17 Pokémon)
Viridian Power: LV.34 → LV.35
Earlier, Ash had treated 16 injured wild Water-type Pokémon under the small stone bridge outside Pallet Town. His Viridian Power had grown, but not quite enough to level up.
Now, after healing another 17 injured Pokémon at Dashiwan Valley, his Viridian Power finally broke through from LV.34 to LV.35.
It hadn't been easy at all.
…
"Wahhh…"
"Gulu…"
"Big brother Frogadier, what is Ash doing?" Valor and Lumina asked curiously from inside the basin.
"Grah— You two joined recently, so you might not know yet. Ash is one-in-a-million among humans—a true psychic. He possesses healing powers and abilities that let Pokémon comprehend and learn moves."
"Every day, he comes to the stone bridge and Dashiwan Valley outside Pallet Town to treat injured wild Pokémon."
"As for helping Pokémon learn moves— Ash even opened a Skill Web Shop on the official Pokémon League trading network, specializing in helping other Trainers' Pokémon master new moves."
Frogadier explained patiently, his tone filled with pride at having such a Trainer.
"Wah—!! Ash is actually a psychic? And he can heal injuries? And he treats wild Pokémon for free?" Valor asked in shock.
"I saw those wild Pokémon coming empty-handed!"
"Grah— That's right. Healing wild Pokémon is completely free."
"Gulu… Ash really is a good person. No wonder those wild Pokémon like him so much," Lumina murmured, gazing at Ash with newfound respect.
Having lived as a wild Pokémon before, Lumina understood better than anyone how important—and how admirable— Ash's actions were.
"Wah… Then when Ash helps other Trainers' Pokémon learn moves, is that free too?" Valor asked again.
"Grah— Treating wild Pokémon is free. The Skill Web Shop charges money—those Pokémon belong to Trainers, after all."
"And Ash comes from an ordinary civilian family. His household finances are tight, so opening the shop helps support his family and ensures that while training and raising us, he never cuts corners."
"The Pokémon food and Pokéblocks we eat every day are all top-tier quality—very expensive. And earlier this afternoon, Ash even called Viridian City to order special food tailored just for you two."
"He's kind to wild Pokémon, but he treats his own partners even better. Spend more time with him, Valor, Lumina—you'll understand."
"Gulu… I don't need more time. I can already feel it. Ash truly treats us well."
"Wah… yeah."
"Wah… um, if Ash can use his powers to help other Pokémon learn moves, can he also help me and Lumina learn new moves?" Valor asked hesitantly.
"I want to become stronger."
"Grah— Of course," Greninja nodded.
"He already helps Pikachu, Pidgeotto, and me learn new moves. And the reason the Tsuchihara Family gave you two to Ash as gifts is precisely because his power can help Magikarp learn Tackle."
"Right now, Trainers across Kanto, the Pokémon League, and even the great families are all trying to curry favor with Ash, hoping to establish cooperation with him."
"Wah… Helping Magikarp learn Tackle—that's real?! Then… can Ash help me learn it too? I really want to be strong!" Valor asked, his eyes burning with hope.
"Grah— Of course. You and Lumina are now Ash's Pokémon. And didn't he already promise you when he named you?"
"He will train you into the strongest Magikarp—no, the strongest Gyarados. And Lumina, he'll raise you into the most beautiful Pokémon in the world."
"You don't have to believe anyone else—but you can trust Ash. One hundred percent."
"Wah… mhm!"
"Gulu… mhm!"
Inside the basin, Valor and Lumina nodded hard.
Compared to their earlier insecurity, after learning more about their Trainer, a new spark of passion and expectation lit their eyes.
-----
By the time Ash finished his work, the sun was already close to setting.
A cool evening breeze arrived with the fading cicada song. The sunset hung in the gap between two mountains, dyeing the sky a deep crimson and the hills a dusky purple.
So much had happened in just one day.
In the morning, Pidgey had evolved into Pidgeotto.
At noon, Ash's shop officially launched its Magikarp Tackle Training service—shaking the entire Kanto region.
He established cooperation with major forces, then proactively contacted Team Rocket and, after learning their true objective, successfully defused their threat.
Soon after, Pichu evolved into Pikachu—revealing a shocking 6×100 Mythical-tier stat panel and the fact that it could no longer evolve.
Then came the Tsuchihara Family. Ash had expected resentment over his differential treatment—but instead, they greeted him with smiles and presented an astonishing gift.
In one day, his team gained two Shiny Pokémon with peerless potential, each comparable to a quasi-legendary's early form.
A quiet, decisive transformation had begun—
and the world had only just started to notice.
--------------
T/N:
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