"Ugh!! Seriously! Why did we have to meet someone like that on the first day of our trip? It's so infuriating!"
Although they had been separated from Paul for some time, and they had resumed their journey, Dawn's mood still hadn't improved. It was clear that Paul's words had indirectly challenged Dawn's beliefs.
"There's no need to be so upset. Meeting strange people and strange things is possible during a journey. We even met a talking Meowth."
"Huh? What's that? A Pokémon that can talk? You're not making up some story to trick me, are you?"
Dawn didn't feel any better after hearing Ash's consolation. On the contrary, she thought Ash was just making up a story. But Brock's answer made her begin to doubt herself, or doubt the world.
"Are you talking about Team Rocket's Meowth? Speaking of which, why are you mentioning it at this time... Could it be that those three guys are also..."
"They've also come to Sinnoh~ And we've already crossed paths once."
Brock: "..."
Although it should be something he was used to, after all, they were the ones who had followed them all the way from Kanto to the Orange Islands, and then to the Johto and Hoenn regions. It didn't seem strange that they had come to the Sinnoh region with Ash now.
It was just that their perseverance was truly admirable. Even though Brock had known Ash for so long, they wouldn't have continued to travel together if it wasn't for chance. The time that the trio had been chasing Ash was even longer than the time that he and Ash had been traveling together.
"If there really is a talking Meowth, I'd really like to see it~" Dawn fantasized.
If Meowth were to say a tongue twister live on the stage of a Contest, it would probably stun the entire audience, right? Although she didn't know if that would pass the first round of judging.
"It's best not to meet them."
Ash said, and then slowly told Dawn about Team Rocket under Dawn's curious gaze.
...
Time slowly slipped away in the gaps between their conversations. Before they knew it, they had arrived at the Professor Rowan's lab located in Sandgem Town.
Because general Pokémon laboratories need a large space, most of them choose to be built away from the city. Professor Rowan's lab was the same. It was located on a long and winding road on the northwest side of Sandgem Town, quietly waiting for the arrival of new trainers.
"Phew~" Standing in front of Professor Rowan's lab, Dawn took a deep breath. "What should I do! I suddenly feel so nervous..."
"Don't be nervous. It's just picking up a starter Pokémon. If you don't dare to go in, I'll take the first step~"
"Huh—Wait!"
Before Dawn could finish speaking, Ash had already pushed open the door of Professor Rowan's lab. But what awaited them wasn't three starter Pokémon lined up neatly, nor a tidy and orderly laboratory, but...
"Ah!! What should we do!? We're done for when the professor comes back if this keeps up!"
"Alright! Stop complaining! Quickly organize the documents over here first! Then we'll go find the escaped Pokémon!"
"Seriously! Why did it have to happen today of all days! The trainer who's supposed to receive the starter Pokémon is about to... huh?"
"?!" ×n
One of the researchers who was organizing things suddenly froze in place. The others also seemed to sense something and raised their heads. They saw several strangers standing at the door, looking at them speechlessly.
"U-Um..." Seeming to have understood something, one of them stepped forward and asked cautiously, "Are any of you the new trainer who's supposed to come to receive a Pokémon today?"
"That's me."
Dawn came out. Today was supposed to be the day she came to receive her starter Pokémon, but hearing the researchers' conversation just now, she seemed to have guessed something.
"Um… Where is my Pokémon?"
She had already prepared herself to come in and meet the three Pokémon, but such a thing happened. Dawn's mood was naturally very low.
"This… that..."
The researcher's face was flustered, but out of the fact that he didn't want to lie, and couldn't lie to Dawn, he still told the truth.
"I'm really sorry! There was a small problem in the lab just now, which caused our lab's Staraptor, Staravia, and two of the starter Pokémon to escape!"
"..."
Dawn was silent, and then looked at Ash with a questioning look, as if asking him if this was also the kind of surprise you would encounter on a journey.
"Ahem… Things like this always happen." Ash looked away and said.
Although the accident in the lab had nothing to do with him, he was the one who had painted a grand picture for Dawn before the trip. He would naturally feel a little embarrassed when asked by Dawn now.
But fortunately, Dawn didn't attribute the mistake to Ash. She was just teasing him with a half-joking tone.
Today was the first day of her journey, but on such a day that should have been full of surprises, she not only met that annoying trainer before, but even two of her starter Pokémon had escaped.
"What should we do now?" Dawn asked the researcher for his opinion.
"This..." The researcher stammered and replied, "Why don't you wait here for us to finish cleaning up and then go find the starter Pokémon, or if you like, choose this child as your starter Pokémon."
After the researcher finished speaking, he pointed to the Turtwig hiding in the corner and slowly eating Pokémon food. When Turtwig realized that the researcher and Dawn were staring at it, it hurriedly lowered its head and continued eating its food.
"Forget it, let's think of another way." Dawn sighed and said.
Although this Turtwig was also very cute, its personality seemed a little too weak, and it didn't match her personality. Turtwig shouldn't be her best choice.
"Why don't we help you find the lost Pokémon?" At this moment, Ash interjected and said.
"Really?!"
Several researchers stared at Ash with eager eyes, as if they had grasped the last ray of dawn.
"After all, this is the most efficient way. But before that, I need to borrow your phone and Pokémon Transfer System."
"Please use them! Don't mention just these things! Tell us whatever you need! We definitely won't hesitate as long as we can offer it."
"There's no need for that."
Ash smiled, waved his hand, and then walked towards the direction of the phone and Pokémon Transfer System in the lab. Dawn and Brock also believed that Ash's choice was the most correct, so they had no reason to refuse to help.