Viridian Forest, located just outside Viridian City, stretched endlessly before them a vast, emerald maze of towering trees and thick moss.
According to local legend, Celebi, the guardian of time, was said to dwell somewhere within these woods.
But no one had ever actually seen it.
There was another legend too:
Those born within the forest might receive the Blessing of the Evergreen, gaining a mysterious power said to rival the forces of nature itself the Power of Evergreen.
Because of this, many people from Viridian City came here to give birth, hoping their children would be blessed.
Of course, like most myths, no such thing had ever happened.
What had happened, however, were countless disappearances, injuries, and tragic accidents.
To minimize the danger, the Pokémon League established a safe route through Viridian Forest. Anyone who stayed on that path was rarely in serious danger.
But if someone strayed off into the deeper regions—the so-called "Evergreen Zone" even the League couldn't guarantee their safety.
Ash, while confident in his strength, had no intention of testing his luck.
His current goal was clear: earn all eight Gym Badges and qualify for the Indigo Plateau Conference.
There was no reason to throw that away chasing rumors.
As they walked deeper into the woods, Misty kept sneaking glances at Ash, her emerald-green eyes shimmering with a strange light.
Just as Ash had guessed, her decision to join the group had nothing to do with fear of bugs.
What drew her was Ash himself the boy who had stood fearless in front of danger and helped Nurse Joy without hesitation.
For a girl who dreamed of becoming a Water-type Pokémon Master, Misty had already endured more hardships than she liked to admit. Traveling alone wasn't easy.
She'd wanted a reliable partner for a long time but finding someone trustworthy out in the world was another matter entirely.
Now, after seeing Ash's courage and kindness, she felt like she might have finally found one.
And the fact that Serena traveled with him only strengthened that feeling.
If a girl like Serena trusted Ash, then he must truly be dependable.
So Misty hadn't just planned to travel through the forest.
She was already thinking long-term.
Still, she told herself she'd decide for sure after these next few days together.
"Serena, Misty, be careful," Ash warned as they entered a denser area of trees. "We're approaching the deeper part of Viridian Forest."
He glanced around warily.
"Even though we used Repel, not all Bug-type Pokémon are scared off by it. If we run into a swarm of Beedrill, even Pikachu will have a hard time keeping up."
"So make sure to release a Pokémon for defense."
Serena nodded and called out Fennekin, her elegant Fire-type companion, its fur glowing orange in the filtered sunlight.
Misty followed suit, releasing Starmie, its jewel core flashing a faint blue light.
Ash studied it briefly through his system.
Advanced level one purple and two blue entries.
Not bad at all. Misty had solid judgment.
He nodded approvingly and then released Froakie from his own Poké Ball.
There was no better place for training than Viridian Forest—a paradise for low-level Pokémon battles.
Ash planned to raise Froakie to at least Normal Intermediate Level before leaving.
"Wow! A Water-type Pokémon! So cute!"
Misty's eyes sparkled as she rushed toward Froakie, hands outstretched to hug him.
But Froakie swiftly leaped aside with ninja-like agility, landing neatly on Ash's shoulder instead.
"Hehe," Ash chuckled. "His name is Froakie he's one of the starter Pokémon from the Kalos Region."
"Froakie, this is Misty. She's our new companion say hello."
Froakie hesitated for a moment before giving a polite little wave.
"Kalos Region, huh?" Misty mused. "That's pretty far from Kanto! And, Ash, aren't you from Pallet Town?"
Her gaze shifted to Serena. "And what about your Pokémon? I've never seen one like that before! It looks like a little fox it's adorable!"
Serena smiled shyly. "She's called Fennekin. She's from Kalos too."
As Ash and Serena explained, Misty listened with genuine curiosity.
It didn't take long before the quiet forest filled with their laughter and conversation.
"Wow, so you two are childhood sweethearts?" Misty teased after hearing about their past.
Serena blushed. "We're not childhood sweethearts! We just… played together when we were little."
"That's basically the same thing!" Misty grinned. "You traveled all the way here just to be with him. That's so romantic!"
Serena's face turned a deeper shade of red as she waved her hands in embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Ash had already crouched down, focused on attaching small training weights to Froakie's wrists and ankles.
He'd commissioned them from a blacksmith back in Viridian City—nothing fancy, but sturdy enough for constant use.
"Alright, Froakie," he said. "Time to take your training up a notch."
Froakie nodded determinedly, the extra weight clinking softly as he moved.
Weight training was simple but effective.
It strengthened muscle control, balance, and endurance.
Of course, proper nutrition had to keep up too and that was where Ash's cooking came in.
By noon, Froakie's record stood undefeated.
Under Ash's precise commands, he'd beaten several low-level wild Pokémon.
Even Serena and Misty had fought a few battles—though they hadn't captured anything.
Most Pokémon here were Caterpie, Weedle, Rattata, and Spearow—common and not exactly appealing to either girl.
Unless something truly special appeared, there was no need to waste Poké Balls.
When lunchtime arrived, Ash took out his portable cooking set and started preparing food.
Within minutes, the air was filled with a mouthwatering aroma.
Misty's eyes lit up as she tasted the meal.
"This is… incredible! It's so good!"
Her cheeks flushed pink, and she clasped her hands together as warmth spread through her body.
Serena froze mid-bite, realizing the expression Misty wore was exactly the same one she'd had the first time she ate Ash's cooking.
Her own cheeks turned crimson.
So that's what I looked like back then?!
So embarrassing!
Ash, of course, just smiled and kept serving food completely unaware that his divine cooking was accidentally turning both girls red.
(End of the chapter)