After leaving Sakura Kindergarten, Ash and his companions continued traveling through the forest. Suddenly, urgent shouting echoed from ahead.
"Stop the thief! Someone stop him!"
A panicked man holding a handgun came sprinting down the path toward them.
Misty and Brock immediately tensed up. Brock even instinctively prepared to send out a Pokémon.
"Wait," Ash said quietly, stopping them. His gaze remained calm, as if he had already seen through everything.
He gently pressed down on the restless Pikachu and shook his head. Though confused, Pikachu trusted him and stopped moving.
Just as the man was about to rush past them, an orange-yellow figure shot out from the bushes beside the path like lightning.
It was a well-trained Growlithe.
The Growlithe lunged precisely at the man's gun arm and clamped down with its jaws.
"Ah!"
The man cried out in pain, dropping the handgun as it flew from his hand.
Growlithe immediately tackled him to the ground and held him firmly in place, letting out a threatening growl.
The entire process was swift and clean. Ash and his group simply observed calmly the entire time without interfering.
Soon afterward, accompanied by the sound of a police siren, Officer Jenny arrived on a motorcycle. She quickly handcuffed the "criminal," then smiled and explained to everyone.
"Sorry for the scare! This is one of our regular simulation drills meant to train Growlithe to handle emergency situations. This 'criminal' is actually one of our fellow officers."
Misty and Brock finally understood and sighed in relief. Ash simply smiled knowingly.
To express her thanks and to make up for the disturbance, Officer Jenny invited Ash and his companions to visit the nearby police Growlithe training base.
Inside the base, many Growlithe were undergoing various high-difficulty exercises under the officers' commands, such as obstacle courses, scent tracking, and subduing "criminals." The coordination between the Growlithe and their handlers was truly impressive.
Watching these heroic Growlithe, Ash suddenly remembered the Growlithe he had captured in the Safari Zone. It had good potential but lacked systematic guidance and real combat training.
So he used the base's transfer device to send over his Growlithe's Poké Ball.
"Officer Jenny," Ash said while holding out the Poké Ball, "I actually captured a Growlithe too. Would it be possible for it to receive professional training here for a while? I hope it can become as excellent as the Growlithe here."
Officer Jenny examined Ash's Growlithe and nodded with approval.
"It's a very promising little one! Of course. We're always happy to help Trainers train outstanding Pokémon partners."
And so, Ash's Growlithe temporarily stayed at the training base and began its "police dog" special training.
However, some people just can't stay away like stubborn parasites. The Team Rocket trio soon appeared near the base again.
They seemed to be targeting the Growlithe there or perhaps planning to capture Pikachu while taking the Growlithe along as a bonus.
"Since you asked so sincerely!"
"We'll kindly tell you!"
…
"All these Growlithe belong to Team Rocket now, meow!"
Using their old tricks again, they released voice-distorting gas to interfere with Officer Jenny's commands. They also released scent-blocking gas, causing the Growlithe, which relied heavily on smell, to instantly lose their sense of direction and fall into confusion.
Misty and Brock grew anxious and wanted to help.
But Ash stopped them again, his gaze deep and thoughtful.
"Don't rush. This is a test of the trust and coordination between Officer Jenny and the Growlithe. True bonds won't be broken by such minor interference."
Quietly, Ash activated his Aura. Around himself, Misty, Brock, and their Pokémon, he formed a subtle Aura barrier that effectively blocked the interfering gases, allowing them to clearly observe the situation.
In the field, although Officer Jenny's voice was distorted and she could no longer issue clear commands, she did not panic.
Instead, she relied on hand signals, eye contact, and the instinctive understanding built through long training to communicate with the Growlithe.
Though their sharp sense of smell had temporarily failed them, the Growlithe trusted their handlers. Relying on muscle memory from rigorous training and the deep connection they shared with their trainers, they struggled to understand the signals and overcome the chaos.
Amid the confusion, Team Rocket grew smug, thinking their plan had succeeded.
However, the extraordinary trust and coordination displayed by Officer Jenny and the Growlithe gradually stabilized the situation.
One Growlithe seized the opportunity to pounce on the machine operated by Meowth. Another launched a feint attack at Jessie and James based on its trainer's signal.
Ash watched quietly and nodded inwardly. This unwavering bond even under interference was exactly what he hoped to see.
In the end, through deep trust and perfect coordination, Officer Jenny and the Growlithe successfully resolved the crisis and blasted Team Rocket off again.
"What a terrible feeling—!"
After this unexpected "test," the bond between Officer Jenny and the Growlithe undoubtedly became even stronger. Ash's Growlithe also witnessed firsthand what true partnership and trust meant, an invaluable lesson for its growth.
Several days later, Ash returned to retrieve his Growlithe. After the short special training, its gaze had become sharper and its movements far more composed.
After thanking Officer Jenny, Ash set off once again with his newly trained partner, who had just completed a rather special "job training."
[Ding! Host's Growlithe has completed short-term training at the police dog base. Ability values and loyalty have significantly increased.]
...
T/N: I'm gonna upload 3 chaps/day till Kanto arc ends! Guys if you like the story please add it to your library, leave a review and donate this poor soul some powerstones :sob xd