After that incident, Ash's trip deeper into Viridian Forest was cut short.
Instead of continuing further inside, the group headed straight back toward the Pokémon Center located at the forest's centre. By the time they arrived, the place was overflowing with activity.
Trainers filled the open space, voices overlapping with excitement, laughter, and animated retellings of battles that had just ended.
Some clutched Poké Balls proudly, others compared injuries and strategies, all riding the lingering adrenaline of danger narrowly survived. Despite how intense the situation had been, the outcome left many trainers thrilled.
Rare Pokémon had appeared. Strong opponents had fallen. For trainers, that was more than enough reason to smile.
Ash felt that excitement too. As he stepped inside, he could feel it humming under his skin. Pikachu, Pidgeotto, Butterfree, Riolu, and Froakie had all grown significantly stronger through the battle.
Onix alone had been a brutal opponent, and after that, they had helped subdue four or five more rampaging Pokémon.
It was worth it.
"Hey, Ash! You're back too?"
Voices called out as he passed through the crowd. Somewhere along the chaos, Ash had become a recognizable face. Word travelled fast when something unusual happened inside Viridian Forest.
He lifted a hand briefly in greeting, but he didn't stop. His other hand pointed unmistakably at the heavy Poké Ball clipped at his belt.
The message was clear.
He was in a hurry.
'…I ended up using a Mainball,' Ash thought quietly as he walked. Given Onix's condition and the unstable state it had been in, he hadn't taken chances. A secure capture was necessary, and the Mainball had been the safest option available.
Inside the centre, Ash went straight to the counter.
"Onix," he said simply, placing the Poké Ball down.
After carefully explaining the situation to Nurse Joy, Ash retrieved the broken control band fragments he had collected earlier and handed them over as well. Nurse Joy examined the device with a serious expression, then nodded gratefully.
"This will help a lot," she said sincerely. "Thank you, Ash."
With that done, Ash stepped aside and took a moment to breathe before calling Professor Oak.
The call connected quickly.
"Oh? Ash?" Oak blinked, then frowned slightly as his eyes took in Ash's ragged clothes and tired expression. "What happened?"
Ash explained everything calmly—from the rampaging Pokémon to the hidden control bands and the way they had been suppressing their instincts. Oak's expression darkened as Ash spoke. When the explanation ended, Oak lifted a similar band into view, one that appeared far more intact.
"…Send the one you found to my lab," Oak said after a pause. "I need to compare them."
"Alright," Ash replied.
Oak's expression softened. "Good work, Ash. Especially with your Aura Sense. That decision helped a lot of people—and Pokémon—out there."
Ash smiled faintly, exhaustion tugging at his shoulders.
"And for retrieving the device," Oak continued, "I'll make sure you're rewarded for this."
Ash nodded. He was already planning to ask Nurse Joy to send it along; it was the safest option.
After ending the call, Ash made another.
"I'll be heading to Pewter City tomorrow," he told his mother.
He mentioned catching a strong Pokémon in preparation for the next Gym and carefully avoided the more dangerous details. There was no need to worry her over something that had already passed.
"Hm," she replied calmly, smiling. "I'm sure my child will do just fine."
She went on to explain how, with the World Championship ongoing, every Kanto Gym battle was being broadcast live—on television and through the Smart League app as well. She even mentioned that she'd told Serene about it.
Ash smiled at that.
'Three years…' he thought briefly. He wondered how she looked now. Serene had always been shy in this timeline—nothing like the bold girl he remembered from somewhere else—but that didn't stop him from feeling curious.
"Just watch," Ash said confidently. "I'll shock everyone."
With his current lineup, he was already certain he could defeat Brock—or Flint, depending on who stood at Pewter Gym.
After the call ended, Ash finally sat down on a bench near the Center entrance.
Misty and Yellow were still busy contacting their families. Misty needed to inform her Water Gym Master family, while Yellow had to speak with her uncle, a professor himself. Situations like this weren't something they could simply ignore.
Ash leaned back, his eyelids growing heavy.
'I could sleep right here…'
But this Pokémon Center didn't offer lodging. He'd need to set up a tent—and cook dinner—before anything else.
'…This is getting tiring,' he thought. It was one of the few real drawbacks of the journey. Eventually, he stood up just as Misty and Yellow returned, with Elsa trailing behind them. "Let's camp out," Ash said, forcing a bit of energy into his voice. "What do you think?" Misty shrugged, already on board.
Elsa nodded without hesitation.
Yellow stayed quiet for a moment—but she didn't object.
Later, tents were set up in a quiet clearing nearby. The forest had settled into a calmer rhythm, insects chirping softly as the earlier chaos faded into memory. Ash rolled his shoulders, ready to start preparing food, only to pause when he noticed all three girls already busy at work.
"Just rest," Yellow said gently, glancing back at him. "We'll handle it." Ash hesitated, then smiled. He didn't argue. The moment he lay down inside the tent, the fatigue he had been holding back claimed him completely.
His eyes closed.
And just like that, Ash fell asleep.
Later that night, one of the girls gently shook Ash awake for dinner.
He sat up slowly, blinking a few times, feeling strangely refreshed—too refreshed. For a brief moment, something warm brushed against his senses, like a faint glow passing through his chest. Instinctively, his hand moved to where Ho-Oh's feather was hidden.
It flickered.
Just once.
A soft, golden shimmer pulsed before fading completely the moment his fingers touched it.
Ash froze.
'Someone was here…'
But the presence was already gone. And it wasn't Ho-Oh. If it had been, the night sky itself would've burnt with light. Whatever it was, it had come quietly—and left just as silently.
With no clear answer, Ash let the thought rest.
He stepped out of the tent and rejoined the group, sitting near the fire as they talked casually about everything that had happened during the day—the rampaging Pokémon, the strange control bands, and the chaos inside the forest.
The tension slowly faded as the crackling of firewood and soft voices filled the clearing.
The next morning came quickly.
Ash woke up early, as usual. Soon after, the girls stirred as well, and by the time the sun rose properly, they were already on the move again—leaving Viridian Forest behind and heading toward Pewter City.
Or so they thought.
Viridian Forest was massive.
They walked for an entire day, trees stretching endlessly in every direction. By the time night fell, their legs ached, and their pace had slowed noticeably. "It's really huge," Misty complained, hands on her hips. Yellow nodded in agreement, wiping a bit of sweat from her brow.
They made camp once more.
The night was unusually quiet.
Despite the exhaustion, Pikachu, Riolu, and Froakie—the battle maniacs of the team—refused to sleep. They sat nearby, alert and energised, still riding the excitement of the battles to come.
Ash sat quietly a short distance away, staring up at the sky.
Stars stretched endlessly above him, sharp and bright against the darkness. A cold wind swept across the open field, rustling the grass beneath his feet. This part of the forest was thin—almost bare—so much so that it felt more like a grassland than woodland. He knew that just ten minutes further ahead, the trees would thicken again.
But places like this… they were rare.
And peaceful.
Ash liked it.
"Pi~"
A Pidgey fluttered down nearby, hopping around curiously before flying alongside them for a short while. It didn't seem afraid at all. Ash barely reacted; he was used to this. With Viridian Essence naturally radiating from him, most Pokémon felt a sense of familiarity and safety around his presence.
'Let's sleep outside today,' Ash thought.
He pulled out his sleeping bag and lay down beneath the open sky, the stars his ceiling. Slowly, he closed his eyes.
Next morning. Ash felt pressure on his chest. His breath hitched as he instinctively inhaled sharply, eyes snapping open.
Lying atop him was a small figure—white-bodied, with soft green hair framing her face. Red eyes blinked sleepily as she tilted her head.
"La~lu." The gentle sound nearly made Ash choke.
"No way… a Ralts," he muttered, almost too loudly. That was enough to stir the others. Misty and the girls emerged from their tents, drawn by his reaction. The sudden movement startled the little Pokémon.
In an instant, she vanished.
Only Ash could still see her.
Using his Aura Sense, his gaze shifted toward a fallen tree trunk nearby. There she was—peeking out timidly, blinking her eyes while staring straight at him.
"Wow… so cute," Misty whispered. Yellow and Elsa wore the exact same expression. The Ralts really was adorable—small, shy, and almost glowing softly in the morning light.
Ash swallowed.
"A shiny one…" he muttered. He slowly raised his hands, deliberately non-threatening. "Alright, little one," Ash said gently. "I won't catch you. How about some Pokéblock?"
Ralts were extremely sensitive to emotions. Ash knew that forcing anything would only scare her away. He softened his thoughts, his emotions steady and sincere, even though it made his inner state feel oddly exposed.
The effect was immediate.
Ralts hesitated… then stepped forward. She floated closer, accepting the Pokéblock carefully. "Lau~" She ate happily, eyes lighting up.
"Pika~" Pikachu hopped over, greeting her cheerfully. Ralts giggled—and vanished again, only to reappear behind Pikachu, peeking out playfully. Ash watched quietly. This… felt like the beginning of something special.