Forests—there truly seemed to be no end to them in the Johto region.
Bayleef, being a Grass-type, was in high spirits, singing songs with Molly along the way in a very cheerful mood. However, the sky above the forest suddenly filled with dense clouds, and in an instant, a torrential rain began to pour down.
Ash looked up at the overcast sky and frowned.
"What's going on? It was perfectly sunny just a moment ago!" Misty complained as the group found a large tree with a thick canopy to take temporary shelter from the rain.
Fortunately, Molly was shielded by the large leaf on Bayleef's head and didn't get wet. Ash quickly took out her small raincoat and helped her put it on; it wouldn't be good if the little girl caught a cold. Among the group, Molly was the only one with a complete set of gear.
"It's raining! It's raining!"
Now dressed in her raincoat and rain boots, the little girl was eager to jump down from Bayleef's back. But before she could start playing, a sudden clap of thunder echoed through the sky, scaring her so much that she scrambled back into Ash's arms.
"Big Brother Ash, it's thundering! I'm scared!"
"Pika!"
Pikachu jumped down from Ash's shoulder and patted Molly's leg, as if comforting her not to be afraid. After all, what was there to fear from thunder when he could produce electricity himself?
"This isn't good," Brock said worriedly as the rain grew heavier. "We should find a proper place to stay dry."
"Over there!"
A blue light flashed around Ash as he pointed toward a slope behind them. There stood a magnificent villa. Set against the backdrop of lightning, it had a somewhat eerie and imposing feel. But with no other options, a trainer wouldn't let fear stop them.
Ash and the others quickly climbed the slope and arrived in front of the villa.
"Excuse us, may we take shelter from the rain here?" Ash knocked, and the door actually opened on its own.
Inside, it was pitch black, and the sound of screams echoed through the halls. The group rushed toward the noise and pushed open a door, but they didn't find the gruesome scene they had imagined.
The room was brightly lit. A Machoke was massaging someone's shoulders, a Spinarak was using its silk to bandage a wound on someone's arm, and a Mareep was providing electrical therapy. Standing in the center of it all was a young woman in a white lab coat. She appeared to be a doctor—a doctor for humans.
As they entered, she turned around and said, "You'll have to wait in line for treatment! Please wait a moment until I call you."
"I'm so sorry, we actually just came to escape the rain—"
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss! My name is Brock! To be called upon by a lady as beautiful as you, I would wait ten, a hundred, or even a thousand years!" Before Ash could explain, Brock had already "teleported" in front of her. His old habit had flared up again. "May I ask your name?"
"My name is Anna, and I'm the doctor here." Dr. Anna understood their situation and not only allowed them to stay but also gave them a detailed introduction to how the Pokémon assisted her with examinations and treatments. It was a perfect display of the miraculous bond between humans and Pokémon.
Seeing this, Brock—who aspired to be a top Pokémon Breeder—decided to use the rainy day to learn and help out. Of course, Ash and Misty knew his motivations were mostly about impressing Dr. Anna.
"In that case," Ash said, picking up Pikachu and placing him back on his shoulder, "Misty, please look after Molly."
"Ash, where are you going?"
Ash recalled Bayleef into its Poké Ball. "This rain is very strange. I'm going to check it out."
While storms were common, the moment the rain started, Ash had clearly felt a familiar Aura.
"Molly, be a good girl and stay here with Big Sister Misty to hide from the rain, okay?" Ash didn't want the little girl out in the downpour. She nodded obediently.
Walking out of the villa, a blue light flashed around Ash. He looked toward the direction where the lightning was most frequent and vanished into the rain with a sudden burst of speed.
"Pika!"
In the midst of the thunder and torrential rain, sparks of electricity flickered on Pikachu's cheeks.
"Pikachu, do you feel it too?"
Pikachu's senses were incredibly sharp; he was always the first to notice something out of the ordinary. Seeing that Pikachu didn't look overly tense, Ash felt somewhat relaxed as well.
Boom!
At that moment, a massive bolt of lightning illuminated the dark forest, and a familiar azure figure appeared before Ash.
"So it really was your Rain Dance!"
Standing before Ash was none other than Suicune. Unlike the blue silhouette from before, this time Suicune appeared in its true form. With a single leap, it landed in front of Ash and Pikachu, its red eyes fixed on the boy.
Legend has it that Suicune is the embodiment of the north wind. It wore a blue, gem-like headpiece surrounded by white, wind-like streamers that showcased its graceful form. The blue and white patterns on its body represented the imagery of water and wind. In Johto legend, Suicune travels across the world like the north wind to purify polluted waters.
This Suicune seemed to have been following Ash desde his arrival in the Johto region. Its decision to summon the rain and block their path today must have been intentional.
Ash gently reached out and stroked the fur near Suicune's neck. "Suicune, is there something you need?"
Suicune looked at Ash, and a sudden splash of water appeared around its body. A second later, Ash found something in the palm of his hand. He brought it close to his eyes to inspect it. It was a fist-sized bell, translucent and tinged with blue.
Unfortunately, it made no sound. It was supposed to emit a sound that could calm the mind and soul.
"Is this the Clear Bell?"
Their next destination was Ecruteak City, the ancient capital of the north and a city of immense history. Seven hundred years ago, two towers were built there: the Bell Tower and the Brass Tower. They were symbols of friendship between humans and Pokémon. Legend says the Great Bird, Ho-Oh, once perched atop the Bell Tower.
However, 150 years ago, the Brass Tower was engulfed in flames. The fire burned for three days until a heavy rain extinguished it. That tower, now known as the Burned Tower, was all that remained. Three unknown Pokémon perished in that fire, but Ho-Oh descended and resurrected them—giving birth to Suicune, Entei, and Raikou.
And this Clear Bell was rumored to have the power to summon Ho-Oh!