Chapter 318: Chance Encounter with Professor Birch
After the Nuzleaf incident, Ash's group returned to the beach where they had previously caught Corphish.
Early morning.
Just after finishing their morning run, Ash's group caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in a lab coat hanging from a cliff not far away.
As the three of them walked closer out of curiosity, a Wingull landed in front of that figure. Before they knew what was happening, the person let go and fell from the cliff.
Just before hitting the ground, a Loudred cushioned the fall, but the Loudred, having had its sleep disturbed, roared angrily at the person, scaring them before using Dig to leave.
As the three approached, they saw that the person who had fallen from the cliff was none other than Professor Birch.
"Professor Birch, are you out doing field research?" Ash asked.
"Ah, it's you guys, Ash!" Professor Birch was also very surprised to see Ash and the others.
After everyone found a place to sit down.
Professor Birch sighed with emotion: "It's great that Brock was able to reunite with you, Ash."
"Thanks for your care back then, Professor Birch," Brock said sincerely.
"Professor Birch, why are you on Dewford Island?" May asked confusedly.
"Oh, I've always had a wish to observe the Pokemon on this island, for instance, the Wingull nesting on the cliffs nearby," Professor Birch explained.
"But isn't what you just did a bit too risky?"
"I have no choice. I want to understand the situation of the Wingull nests, and it's hard to observe them without going up. I'm also curious why you guys are here. According to your progress, Ash, shouldn't you be near Slateport City by now?"
Professor Birch was curious why Ash and the others were still staying on Dewford Island.
"We're mainly here to accompany May for special training. Mr. Brawly of the Dewford Gym is very strong, and it's too difficult for May's Torchic to challenge the Gym," Ash explained.
"Oh, I see. Brawly specializes in Fighting-types, so it's indeed a bit difficult for the Fire-type Torchic. However, if it could evolve into a Combusken, it might be much less difficult."
Hearing Professor Birch's words, May said somewhat embarrassedly: "Combusken, that's still a long way off!"
...
On the cliff.
Jessie looked at Professor Birch with confusion. "Who is that person?"
"It seems to be a Pokemon researcher named Professor Birch," James replied.
"A Pokemon researcher? Does that mean if we follow that guy, we can find a place with lots of Pokemon, Meowth?"
Meowth began his daily fantasy sequence.
And his words made Jessie and James's eyes light up.
The Team Rocket Trio set their sights on Professor Birch, and Ash's group joined in on Professor Birch's field Pokemon observation lesson.
Of course, the main reason Ash's group joined was to accompany May. After all, May's understanding of Pokemon was quite shallow.
Doing research with Professor Birch was a good way to broaden their horizons.
...
At the same time, a red aircraft suddenly descended on Dewford Island.
After this aircraft landed steadily, a team of guys wearing Team Magma uniforms walked down.
They first used unknown instruments to conduct detection scans, and then launched an operation towards a certain part of the island.
A submarine also arrived in the nearby waters, and the people from Team Aqua arrived on Dewford Island at the same time.
...
In front of a cave.
"Oh, there might be wild Golbat in this cave!" Professor Birch said excitedly.
"Golbat?"
May confusedly took out her Pokedex to look up relevant information.
"Golbat, the Bat Pokemon, the evolved form of Zubat..."
"Golbat? That brings back memories. Doctor, let's go in quickly!"
Brock thought of the Crobat he had left at the Gym; it was a Zubat he had caught at Mt. Moon when he first started his journey, which had evolved.
"Eh, Brock, have you caught a Golbat before?" May looked at Brock in confusion.
Brock nodded: "Yes, I have. But it has already evolved into a Crobat, and I've left it at the Gym for my younger brother James to use to test Trainers."
After the group entered the cave, the Golbat they were looking forward to didn't appear; instead, they arrived at a secret hut that had been artificially repaired.
Brock curiously stepped forward and knocked on the door. "Is anyone home?"
Seeing no one answer, and since the door wasn't locked, the group curiously opened the room.
Inside, the hut was decorated quite warmly, but the tables and chairs in the room were small-sized, making Ash and the others subconsciously regard this place as a secret spot for some Ash.
"These books are all about Pokemon battles!" Brock picked up a book from the shelf and flipped through it.
"Don't touch those things! You are not allowed to barge into my secret base without permission."
At this moment, a little boy walked in from outside with a Nincada.
"Your secret base?"
Ash and the others looked over in confusion.
"Ash, sorry about that, we didn't know this was your..."
Before Professor Birch could finish his sentence, the little boy commanded his Nincada to attack them.
Knowing they were in the wrong, the group didn't fight back and directly rushed out the door, leaving the little boy's so-called secret base.
However, as soon as Ash and the others left, the Team Rocket Trio chased the little boy out and forcibly kept his Nincada.
Seeing that there was a computer in the room, Meowth wanted to contact Giovanni through the computer to report the intelligence Ash had told him earlier.
"Meowth, are we really going to contact the Boss?" James asked, a bit uncertain.
"Of course. We went through a lot of trouble to get this secret base, and the Ash told me a very important piece of information earlier, Meowth."
Meowth's words made Jessie's eyes become sharp. "What information? Why didn't you tell us, Meowth?"
"Ah? Did I not tell you guys?" Meowth looked at the two of them in confusion.
But from the wise looks on their faces, he knew he had forgotten.
"Did you tell us anything?" Jessie picked Meowth up and questioned him coldly.
"Uh... fine, I forgot, Meowth! But this information was told to me by the Ash, and I'm not really sure about it yet!"
James didn't buy Meowth's act. He said viciously: "Now is not the time for this nonsense. Meowth, hurry up and explain it to us clearly!"
"It's like this..."
Meowth told them everything Ash had said to him at Granite Cave.
Before Jessie and James could react, the door behind them was pushed open.
The members of Team Magma stared closely at the trio: "Who exactly are you guys? How do you know so much about our plans?"
"You guys are the ones who got thrown into the slammer back then!"
Seeing the faces of the Team Magma members, the trio exclaimed.
"Thrown into the slammer?!" The leader of Team Magma's face turned dark, and he said coldly: "Damn it, take them out!"
As villains, being thrown into the slammer by others is a very shameful thing.
The other members released their Mightyena one after another.
Knowing they were outmatched, the trio turned around and ran out of the cave.
After driving the Team Rocket Trio away, Team Magma began to execute their plan.
A small tunnel boring machine was brought in, and they dug into the wall.
"Go!"
Seeing the tunnel that had been dug out, the Team Magma leader called out and walked straight inside.
Loving Book So Far Check Out 80+ Advanced Chapters At Pa Treon:
patreon.com/FicTonic1