"Catching bugs! Catching bugs!"
Even though they were both girls, little Molly's reaction was the complete opposite of Misty's. All the way to the National Park, she was cheering and jumping with excitement from her seat on Houndoom's back. She seemed to absolutely love this kind of activity.
"Ash, the 'ideal Bug Pokémon' you mentioned... you're talking about a Scyther, right?" Brock asked knowingly.
Ash nodded. "Exactly. Meeting trainers like Bugsy and Lane before, I saw how cool Scyther is. It fits my battle style perfectly!"
In truth, Ash's group had encountered Scyther several times during their travels. Back in the Orange Islands, Tracey had even caught an elderly Scyther. Unfortunately, the previous Ash had never managed to catch one for himself. Now that he had crossed into this world, Ash was determined to raise a dashing, "Red Flash"—a Scizor!
Just imagine how cool a Bond Evolved Scizor would look. Instead of the sharp, mechanical lines of a standard Mega Evolution, it would be a unique masterpiece of speed and power. Ash had the System Store, so obtaining rare evolution items like a Metal Coat was just a matter of winning a few more battles. He could catch a Scyther and evolve it whenever he was ready.
"Big Brother Ash, can I go inside with you?" Molly asked, tugging on his sleeve.
"Let's go ask the staff!"
At the entrance of the National Park, there were staff members dressed in Venomoth mascot suits.
"Excuse me, what are the prizes for the winner?" Since Ash was aiming for the championship, he had to check the rewards first.
"The winner receives a luxurious prize set and gets to keep the Bug Pokémon they caught!" the staff member explained.
Perfect. Catching a Pokémon and winning the contest at the same time—Ash was definitely joining.
"I'd like to register. Can my little sister come in with me?" Ash asked.
The staff member looked at Molly's hopeful eyes and nodded. "Of course. However, please make sure to look after her. There are still dangers within the park!"
"Molly isn't scared! Big Brother Ash is the strongest!" hearing she could go in, Molly's mood soared.
The park did indeed have dangers—the most notorious being the territorial swarms of Beedrill that often gave trainers a hard time.
While waiting in line to register, Ash's group ran into a familiar face: Casey, the rookie trainer Ash had battled before!
"Ash! Long time no see! Are you entering the Bug-Catching Contest too? Me too!" Casey spotted them and ran over, her Chikorita looking as energetic as ever.
"After we parted ways, Chikorita and I did a lot of special training. We've been on a winning streak!" Casey had clearly grown during her journey.
"Casey, Chikorita, come meet a senior," Ash said, tossing out a Poké Ball.
Bayleef appeared, its much larger frame towering over Chikorita. It immediately let out a happy cry and nuzzled Ash's arm.
"It's a Bayleef!" seeing the evolved form of her partner, Casey was even more excited than her Pokémon.
Actually, with Bayleef's size, it would have been comfortable enough for Molly to ride, but Ash wanted Houndoom to continue wearing the Macho Brace for training. Letting it carry Molly was a way to kill two birds with one stone.
Once registered, Ash and Casey stood with the other contestants, waiting for the start. The rules stated that trainers could only use one Pokémon. Ash's partner was naturally Pikachu, so he just held Molly's hand and waited for the signal.
Furthermore, trainers weren't allowed to use their own Poké Balls. They had to use special Park Balls provided by the contest. Unlike standard balls that are wasted after a release, a Park Ball could be reused to replace a captured Pokémon until the trainer found one they truly wanted.
Ash received his Park Ball, which Molly immediately snatched up and held to her chest like a treasure. To her, Poké Balls represented the romance of being a trainer.
As the announcer declared the start of the contest, Ash waved to Casey, scooped Molly onto his back, and took off at a sprint.
"Whoa, so fast! Go, Brother! Go, Pikachu!"
Ash didn't even know his own top speed anymore. Molly cheered on his back; she was the girl who had dared to ride a legendary Entei, so this speed didn't scare her at all. In no time, Ash had left the other contestants in the dust and plunged deep into the heart of the forest.
"Big Brother Ash, do you want to catch a Scyther?" Molly asked from above his head.
"Yeah. If you see one, make sure to tell me!" Ash laughed. He wasn't worried about whether Molly would recognize one; though she was young, she knew a surprising amount about Pokémon.
"Mhm! I'll look really hard!"
Ash smiled at her enthusiasm. He had run this way because he had already sensed the general location of a Scyther habitat using his Aura. Deep in the forest was a secluded area where Scyther tended to congregate.
"Brother, there's a Weedle!"
"Molly, remember to be careful around Weedle. If you hit a small one, you'll often attract a whole bunch of big ones!"
Almost as if to prove his point, a massive swarm of Beedrill suddenly buzzed out from the canopy.
"Brother, it's the Beedrill!" Molly's voice trembled slightly.
But Ash and Pikachu didn't flinch. "Pikachu, 100,000 Volts!"
Pikachu unleashed a "map-wipe" electric discharge. Every Beedrill in the vicinity was instantly paralyzed, falling from the sky like rain. Ash didn't bother with them; they would recover after a short rest. He remembered Casey liked yellow-and-striped Pokémon; she would probably love these Beedrill.
Past the Beedrill territory and through a grove of trees covered in Pineco, Ash finally reached the clearing he was looking for.
"Brother, look! It's a Scyther!"