While passing through a lush, green town, Ash and his companions were drawn to an advertisement that seemed to be plastered everywhere.
"Pokemon Daycare Center Now Open! Professionally improve your Pokémon's intelligence and abilities! Limited-time offer! Deposit your Pokémon and receive premium feed!"
The advertisement hung from bulletin boards, telephone poles, and even beneath floating Pidgey-shaped balloons in the sky.
Many trainers, filled with hope, brought their Pokémon to the newly opened shop, which looked bright and impressive from the outside.
"Improve intelligence?" Misty looked at the slogan and then glanced at Psyduck beside her, who was clutching its head with the same vacant expression as always. A thought crossed her mind.
"Maybe… maybe this place could actually make Psyduck a little smarter?"
With a brief use of his Aura, Ash immediately sensed the familiar malicious energy lingering inside the daycare.
In particular, the presence of two people wearing the formal black uniforms of Team Rocket's official branch, Butch and Cassidy!
Their disguises might fool ordinary people, but they could not escape Ash's perception.
Moreover, these two were very different from the usual Team Rocket trio. They were genuine villains.
Brock also frowned slightly.
"This advertisement is a bit too exaggerated. It doesn't seem very reliable."
But Misty clung to the possibility like a lifeline.
"But… what if it's real? I don't want Psyduck to always be this absent-minded…"
She looked at Psyduck, who tilted its head and looked back at her.
"Psy?"
Ash understood immediately.
According to the original course of events, this moment was the key turning point in the relationship between Misty and Psyduck.
If he forcibly stopped her now, it might only backfire.
So he suppressed the urge to expose the scheme and instead said gently,
"Misty, a Pokémon's growth takes time and trust. Outside help isn't always reliable. But… if you want to try, we'll go with you."
In the end, Misty decided to give it a chance, holding onto the hope that it might actually work. She left Psyduck at the "Pokemon Daycare Center."
Butch and Cassidy displayed excellent acting skills, warmly receiving her and promising, "In three days, we'll return a clever and lively partner to you."
After leaving the daycare, the three of them went to a nearby restaurant to have a meal.
The chef there was famous for making incredible omelet rice. However, there was one condition if you wanted him to cook for you.
You had to show him an impressive Pokémon.
Ash and the others displayed all of their Pokémon, but the chef simply shook his head. He then took out a photograph of the Pokémon he wanted to see.
When they looked at it, everyone was stunned.
It was Psyduck.
After hearing the chef enthusiastically talk about how much he loved Psyduck, Misty suddenly remembered that Psyduck was still at the "daycare."
Thinking that Psyduck might actually be somewhat "special," and tempted by the idea of a free meal, Misty could no longer sit still.
"I'll go bring Psyduck here! It won't take long!"
With that, she rushed out of the restaurant.
Ash and Brock exchanged glances, knowing the plan had begun.
After casually informing the chef, they quietly followed after her.
Misty hurried back to the daycare, only to find the front door tightly closed. A sign hung on it reading:
"Internal Maintenance. Temporarily Closed."
She knocked repeatedly, but no one answered.
A bad feeling began to rise in her heart.
"Something's definitely wrong."
Ash's voice sounded from behind her.
Combining the tracking ability of his Aura with his memories of the original story, he spoke quietly.
"Come with me. I know where their 'back door' is."
Under Ash's guidance, they circled around to a hidden alley behind the daycare, where they found a concealed entrance disguised as a warehouse door.
Ash gestured to Pikachu, who used a small electric spark to disable the crude electronic lock. The three of them quietly slipped inside.
The scene within was infuriating.
Many Pokémon were locked inside cramped cages, their spirits clearly drained.
Butch and Cassidy were standing by a makeshift workbench, counting their "harvest," while their Pokémon, Raticate and Primeape, stood nearby on guard.
However, Ash's attention was drawn to a special cage in the corner.
Inside was not Psyduck.
Instead, it contained an unusually large and ferocious-looking Victreebel.
Ash's Aura immediately recognized it. This was the Weepinbell that James had once traded for with the Magikarp salesman, now evolved into Victreebel.
Apparently, it had also been "confiscated" by Butch and Cassidy.
"Team Rocket! So it really is you again!" Misty shouted angrily.
Cassidy and Butch were startled, but when they saw it was Ash and his friends, they immediately regained their arrogant attitude.
"Hmph! Since you've discovered us! Raticate / Primeape, prepare for battle!"
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
"Squirtle, Water Gun!"
"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"
Faced with overwhelming strength, Cassidy and Butch's resistance was completely futile.
Their Raticate and Primeape were defeated almost instantly, and the two of them were left covered in soot after Pikachu followed up with another electric attack. They scrambled away in panic, running off without even bothering to take the caged Pokémon with them.
Ash didn't pursue them. Instead, he quickly opened all the cages, freeing the imprisoned Pokémon. Trainers who heard the news soon arrived and joyfully reunited with their partners, expressing endless gratitude to Ash and the others.
Misty found her Psyduck in one of the cages. It was still clutching its head with the same vacant expression, seemingly having no idea what was going on.
But when Misty rushed over and hugged it tightly, Psyduck didn't struggle as it usually did. Instead, it gently rubbed its head against her.
"I'm sorry, Psyduck. I shouldn't have left you in a place like this… No matter whether you're smart or not, you're still my partner!" Misty said with tears in her voice.
Psyduck tilted its head and looked at her.
"Psy?"
It was still that same familiar "Psy," but Misty somehow felt that the bond between them had grown a little stronger.
Amid the chaos, Ash quietly walked to the cage in the corner that held the forgotten Victreebel. He opened the cage door. Victreebel watched him warily but did not attack immediately.
Using his Aura, Ash conveyed a sense of goodwill and said softly,
"I know who your trainer is. He might be a bit of an idiot… but he's probably looking for you too."
Ash took out an empty Poké Ball. Instead of capturing Victreebel as his own Pokémon, he simply placed it inside.
Then, while no one was paying attention, he quietly slipped the Poké Ball into the side pocket of a backpack that Cassidy and Butch had dropped while escaping.
He believed that this backpack, along with the other items they had left behind, would eventually be picked up by someone who truly cared about Victreebel.
With the incident resolved, peace returned to the small town.
Photographer Todd captured everything with his camera, from Ash and his friends rescuing the Pokémon to the warm moment of Misty hugging Psyduck.
Afterward, Ash and the others returned to the restaurant and finally enjoyed the chef's famous dish. As expected, it was truly extraordinary.
That night, while sorting through his photos, Todd said to them,
"Ash, Misty, Brock, thank you for letting me record so many wonderful adventures. But my next photography assignment is about to begin, and I need to head to the Johto region. I think this is where we say goodbye."
Although they felt reluctant to part, everyone understood and supported Todd's pursuit of his artistic path.
Ash shook his hand firmly.
"Take care, Todd! I'm looking forward to seeing more of your amazing work!"
"Definitely! Your journey will always be my greatest source of inspiration!"
Todd waved goodbye, his camera slung over his shoulder, and disappeared into the night.
The group temporarily lost its recorder, but the adventure continued.
Misty held Psyduck in her arms. It seemed unchanged, yet somehow a little different.
"Next time… I'll never leave you at some random daycare again," she said softly.
Psyduck still clutched its head, staring blankly at the moon.
"Psy."
[Ding! The host successfully thwarted the scheme of Team Rocket's official members Cassidy and Butch and rescued many Pokémon. Reward: 400 World Points.]
[Ding! The host secretly returned Victreebel, slightly altering the flow of Team Rocket's internal assets. Reward: 50 World Points.]
[Current World Points: 23,200.]
...
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