After crossing the vast Greenfield plains, Ash and his friends finally arrived at the site of the third Johto Gym: Goldenrod City.
As described in the travel guides, it was the largest metropolis in the Johto region—a sprawling, prosperous urban center. Stepping into the city, Ash felt for a moment as if he had traveled back in time to the bustling steel-and-neon world of his past life.
"Molly, come on down," Ash said gently, lifting the young girl from Houndoom's broad back as they entered the city outskirts.
As promised, Ash had formally requested Dr. Hale's permission to take Molly on a journey. For now, the arrangement was set to last until the conclusion of the Silver Conference, at which point Dr. Hale would come to bring her home.
While there were initial concerns about a young child handling the rigors of life on the road, Brock and Misty had both been incredibly supportive of Ash's decision. With Brock's meticulous care, everyone was confident that Molly would stay healthy and strong.
Since she was still just a child and couldn't trek long distances on foot like the others, Ash had let her ride on Houndoom. With its powerful build, the Pokémon carried her with ease.
Furthermore, Ash had equipped Houndoom with the Macho Brace that Charizard had used previously. He was determined to train Houndoom's physique every step of the way—if it wanted to batter legendary Pokémon like Charizard did, it had to endure the grind.
"Molly, hold my hand. It's crowded here, and I don't want us to get separated," Ash cautioned. Even with his Aura to keep track of her, he felt better having her close.
"I know, Big Brother Ash!" the little girl chirped, her smile as sweet as honey.
"The first thing to do in a big city is definitely shopping!" Misty exclaimed, her eyes already glued to the glittering displays in the shop windows.
"The first thing to do should be finding a beautiful lady for a date!" Brock countered, already distracted by the various older sisters passing by in the crowd.
Ash rubbed his forehead in exasperation. "Guys, we finally made it to the city. Shouldn't we find a nice place to stay and have a decent meal first?"
He had a point. Molly held onto Ash's hand and giggled, finding her older traveling companions quite entertaining.
The group was currently quite wealthy. The Pokémon League had awarded Ash a significant amount of money and rare items for resolving the crystal tower crisis. Additionally, Professor Oak and Dr. Hale had provided personal travel funds, which naturally included Molly's living expenses.
They treated themselves to a stay at a high-end hotel and enjoyed a magnificent feast. Afterward, Misty went out to window-shop (she rarely spent money recklessly), and Brock headed out to flirt while simultaneously picking up necessary supplies. With a child now in the group, there was more to prepare, and Ash was grateful to have Brock handling the logistics.
Ash and Molly eventually found the Goldenrod Gym, only to discover a tragic reality...
The Gym was closed for the day!
"Big Brother Ash, what do we do?" Molly asked, looking a bit dejected from her seat atop Houndoom.
Ash ruffled her hair. "Don't worry, the Gym won't be closed forever. Is there anywhere else you'd like to go?"
Molly tilted her head in thought. "Brother, I saw a kid earlier holding a Clefairy doll. Can I have one too?"
At her age, she was completely defenseless against such adorable things. It seemed that because the Goldenrod Gym Leader was often seen with a Clefairy, a trend had started, making Clefairy dolls incredibly popular among the local children. The dolls in Goldenrod were crafted with exquisite detail.
"Of course you can!" Ash wouldn't dream of saying no to such a simple request.
He took Molly to the local department store and bought her a small Clefairy doll that fit perfectly in her arms.
"Thank you, Big Brother Ash! Huh?"
As she turned around with her new toy, Molly's eyes lit up. She spotted a real, living Clefairy scurrying past her.
"Clefairy!"
Molly gave a startled cry and chased after it.
"Pika!" Pikachu quickly alerted Ash, who had just finished paying. He spun around and saw Molly running off.
"Molly!"
Ash was fast on his feet, catching up to her in seconds. He placed a hand on her head with a mock-stern look. "You can't leave my side, remember?"
Molly gave a sheepish grin and pointed ahead. "Brother, look! A real Clefairy!"
It was indeed a Clefairy, and it clearly had a trainer. A young woman with pink hair scooped the Pokémon into her arms, looking apologetically at Ash and Molly. "I'm so sorry! My Clefairy is just too energetic!"
"Big Sister, can I play with Clefairy for a bit?" Molly asked, her love for the Pokémon clear to see.
Noticing the doll in Molly's arms, the woman nodded warmly. "Of course! Just be careful, it's very playful."
"Hello, I'm Ash, and this is my sister, Molly," Ash said, stepping forward with a polite greeting. "If I'm not mistaken, you must be the Goldenrod Gym Leader, Whitney."
The woman looked at Ash with interest. "That's right! I'm Whitney."
"Sister Whitney, Big Brother Ash came here to challenge the Gym, but why is it closed?" Molly asked as she hugged the real Clefairy.
"Oh, what bad luck! Today is the Gym's official day off," Whitney explained. She reached out and playfully pinched Molly's cheek. "Ash, Molly, since the Gym is closed, why don't you come visit the Miltank Farm with me?"
"A Miltank Farm?" Molly's curiosity was piqued.
"Molly, Miltank milk is incredibly nutritious," Ash explained. "Children who grow up drinking it become very healthy and strong."
"Exactly! Ash, you really know your stuff," Whitney said. "I'll treat you both to some fresh milk today, okay?" It was clear Whitney had taken a liking to Molly.
With Whitney's enthusiastic invitation and Molly's obvious interest, Ash didn't refuse.
With Molly riding on Houndoom, they followed Whitney to the outskirts of Goldenrod City. Compared to the bustling concrete jungle of the metropolis, the verdant pastures of the farm allowed Molly to feel much more relaxed.
"So these are Miltank? They're so cute!" Molly watched the herds of pink Pokémon grazing in the fields.
"What a lovely little girl! Here, drink as much as you like. It's delicious!" The elderly farm owner arrived with a large glass of frothing, fresh milk.
In addition to the milk, there were cheeses, fresh puddings, and milk ice cream—a true dairy feast for Molly.
Brock and Misty were back in the city missing out on all of this... what a shame!