Chapter 165 Great Work! I'll Take It!
2024-05-15 Author: Samsung Charmander (Author Name)
"Totem Pokémon? What does that mean?"
Ash blinked. He felt that adding this prefix instantly made the Pokémon sounded much more impressive.
In the future, he could also call his Pikachu 'Totem Pikachu.' That should be enough to fool a lot of people.
"Pokedex Beep. This is a special phenomenon from the Alola Region. An extremely small number of Pokémon exist that are covered in a special energy aura. Their physiques will also be larger, distinguishing them from ordinary Pokémon."
The Pokedex repeated itself, basically spouting the same nonsense as before.
The three of them didn't dare to be careless and began to watch cautiously.
This was Bulbasaur's Mysterious Garden. For them, refusing to undergo Evolution was heresy, and it was clear that this Bulbasaur was such an existence.
"Saur!!"
"Saur!!"
The large and small 'turtles' cried out, simultaneously lashing out with two Vine Whips at each other.
However, the Totem Venusaur's Vine Whip was twice as thick as a normal Venusaur's, let alone Bulbasaur's. In comparison to the massive vine, the latter's looked like a mere toothpick.
"Crack!"
The two Vine Whips tangled together. Almost instantly, Bulbasaur was pulled forward by an immense force and fell flat on its face.
Meanwhile, Venusaur's thick Vine Whip continued to extend, coiling around Bulbasaur's body like a nimble snake and constricting it tightly. Then, the vine lifted it into the air, holding it in mid-air as if receiving the judgment of its entire clan.
"Saur!!"
"Saur!!"
The two continued to argue through their cries. Seeing that his Bulbasaur, because of its refusal to back down, was already covered in red marks from the constriction, Ash, on the hillside, grew extremely anxious. He finally couldn't take it anymore and leaped down from the small hill, shouting at the top of his lungs:
"Hey! Unhand that frog!"
"Saur?"
"Saur?"
"Saur?"
The Totem Venusaur and the Ivysaur were startled by the sudden appearance of this human. Immediately, immense anger followed; human intervention was an insult to their ritual.
But before these 'turtles' and Ash could do anything, the sound of an explosion suddenly echoed from somewhere in the sky. A sharp, piercing sound, like someone blowing a suona horn, blasted in everyone's ears, overwhelming them.
This was followed by the frenetic, trembling BGM of an electric guitar, "Dun dun dun dun dun."
"Oh, did I hear someone say 'Grass'?"
Amidst the explosion, a deep, somewhat flirtatious male voice called out.
"I am Jessie!"
"I am James!"
"Meowth's the name!"
Short and direct.
It was none other than the Team Rocket trio, who hadn't been seen for days.
Because their opening speech was shortened, the funding for the BGM became more plentiful. After their introduction, the sky was still filled with the flashy sound of the suona, "di-da-di-da-di-da."
The crowd and the horde of 'turtles' looked up to see that a giant Meowth-head hot air balloon had appeared above them.
"Team Rocket! You're still so short."
Ash shouted his greeting disdainfully.
"Short doesn't matter, we like to get straight to the good part!"
"Hmph, this time we'll definitely catch your Electric Mouse!"
"Huh? Why are there so many green-skinned 'turtles,' meow?"
The three members of Team Rocket stuck their heads out of the hot air balloon and looked down. It was a sea of green. The giant Venusaur in the center was especially conspicuous.
It was a known fact that while Starter Pokémon couldn't be considered rare, they weren't something you could see everywhere. To see over thirty Ivysaur appear at once, and even a Third Stage Venusaur that was clearly an Abnormal Variant, the eyes of the Team Rocket trio lit up, and they nearly started drooling.
"Then let's change our strategy."
"We'll let Pikachu go for today."
"Today's goal is to catch all these green-skinned 'turtles,' meow!"
The trio instantly lost interest in Ash and Pikachu, their gazes now fixed fervently on the large wave of prey below.
"Saur!!"
The Totem Venusaur let out a low roar, its gaze a hostile warning.
"Oh, telling us to scram, meow? Meowth has a bit of a temper, you've provoked me now, meow!"
Meowth first made a universally polite gesture in the Pokémon World toward the Venusaur, then insidiously pulled out a button device and pressed it hard. In the next second, a nozzle-like device appeared below the hot air balloon's railing, aimed at the horde of 'turtles,' and started up with a "chug-chug-chug" sound.
Instantly, a powerful suction force erupted from it, like the source of a Dark Void, and began ferociously sucking at the ground.
"Saur!"
"Saur!"
A few Ivysaur lost their balance, their four limbs flailing as they were sucked directly into mid-air.
"Saur!!"
The Venusaur quickly shot out two Vine Whips, wrapping around the two Ivysaur.
But this time, Team Rocket clearly had enough funding. The vacuum's engine was powerful enough that even for a Pokémon as tough as the Totem Venusaur, the Ivysaur in mid-air dangled precariously like kites.
"Saur!"
"Saur!"
"Saur!"
But this didn't solve the root problem. As the suction power continued to increase, one Ivysaur after another was lifted into the air, helplessly sucked into Team Rocket's giant vacuum cleaner.
The Totem Venusaur could extend 16 Vine Whips at most, and after using all its strength to save a dozen or so Ivysaur, it was clearly becoming strained. Even its heavy chassis began to shake, and the surrounding ground started to crack with 'kaka-kaka' sounds.
"Saur..." the Venusaur cried out, distressed.
After all, the powerful storm created by the suction had a type advantage against its Grass Type.
On the outskirts of the suction storm, Ash stopped being a bystander and quickly commanded his Pikachu.
"Pikachu, let's go! Use Thunderbolt on Meowth and the others!" Ash bypassed the suction machine, aiming directly at the source from the side.
"Pika!"
Pikachu understood, beginning to run across the grass. Upon reaching the edge of the suction whirlpool, it leaped high into the air, firing a powerful electric attack at the target.
Damn it, is my value as an Electric Mouse less than this bunch of green-skinned 'turtles'!?
Those with no taste, die!
A golden Thunderbolt erupted, transforming into a terrifying Electric Snake that shot straight forward.
"Great work! I'll take it!"
James, however, showed none of his usual fear. Instead, a cold light flashed in his eyes as he pulled out another device and pressed it hard.
An antenna-like device suddenly extended in front of the Team Rocket trio. At its tip was a long, thin iron needle, which drew all the powerful electric current onto it.
"CHUG-CHUG-CHUG-CHUG-CHUG!!"
The next moment, the suction device's engine roared to life again, glowing golden. Its power became even greater!!
Pikachu: ?
It scratched its head in embarrassment, returned to Ash's side, and shifted into the state of a neutral observer.
The Venusaur didn't have time to react, and the remaining Ivysaur caught in its Vine Whips were also sucked into mid-air, disappearing into the darkness of the nozzle.
"Ahahaha, this time Team Rocket has a budget! We specifically made an electric energy replenisher!"
The Team Rocket trio laughed smugly, their expressions arrogant.
This move was originally designed to deal with Pikachu. It just happened to come in handy.
"Saur..."
The Totem Venusaur was not unintelligent; it could naturally distinguish the loyalties of these two groups of humans.
Their hostility toward humans was merely due to their dislike of humans interfering with their evolution ritual; normally, they held no particular animosity toward humans. In fact, many of the Ivysaur here belonged to Trainers from around Celadon City.
"Saur..."
With a powerful sweep of its vine, it flung the only remaining Bulbasaur into the safe zone where Ash was.
This Bulbasaur had managed to survive because it had previously been subjected to a rather humiliating 'binding play' by the Venusaur.
"Saur!!"
The moment Bulbasaur landed, it wanted to charge back into the suction storm to help, but it was held back firmly by Ash.
Now free of all burdens, the Totem Venusaur dug its feet firmly into the ground. It let out a furious roar and once again lashed out with all 16 of its Vine Whips—this time, not for defense, but to actively attack the target!
"It's useless, meow."
The trio simply raised their hot air balloon slightly, easily dodging this Vine Whip attack.
Afterward, the suction power increased again. Even the Totem Venusaur could only grit its teeth and endure, its body swaying precariously. The situation had reached a stalemate.
"Venusaur, I have a plan!"
Ash, from the side, suddenly shouted.
(end of chapter)