"My lab isn't that far from here — we're pretty close," said Bill to his companion.
After the incident at Mt. Moon, Bill and Blue headed straight toward Cerulean City. Around halfway there, night began to fall. Luckily, Blue was prepared for such an occasion; she pulled out a tent and a sleeping bag for herself. Unfortunately, Bill wasn't nearly as prepared as the young trainer.
After a bit of thought, she offered the sleeping bag to Bill while she took the tent. She also had some extra blankets, so it wasn't too uncomfortable for her. It was funny, really — camping out in the wilderness with someone else. It reminded her of the first time she, Red, and Green had gone camping together.
Sure, they'd done it right next to Red's house, with Tanjiro checking on them every five minutes, but that didn't take away from the experience. She had felt content. Before meeting those two knuckleheads, her only experience sleeping outdoors had been during training exercises with him. But that time — camping in a backyard with people she'd learned (after some effort) to call friends — that time had been special.
She felt happy.
And while she wasn't as close to Bill as she was to Red and Green, she couldn't help but feel like she was reliving one of her fondest memories. It felt nice to feel that way again.
After waking up, the two travelers prepared a quick but pleasant meal and continued on their way. It didn't take them long to reach their destination — maybe an hour or two at most — before they finally arrived. The two of them were now walking toward Bill's house, which also served as his personal lab.
"Once we're there, will you finally tell me all the details about how you helped the Professor make those glorified calculators?" asked Blue.
"You know, Leaf, I'm pretty sure the Professor wouldn't appreciate you calling years of hard work a 'glorified calculator,'" Bill said sheepishly.
"Please, the Professor would find it hilarious! Besides, you haven't answered my question."
"Of course I'll tell you, Leaf… right after we eat."
"Hey! Not fair!" she protested. "We already had breakfast not that long ago. How can you still be hungry?!"
"Leaf, I don't think some tea and a small piece of bread counts as breakfast," Bill replied, recalling how eager she'd been to reach Cerulean City and how she'd rushed him along.
Their "meal" had only been a piece of bread and some green tea.
"Hey, it was good tea, I'll have you know!" she defended, crossing her arms.
"I—I didn't say it wasn't! It was great! I just meant… maybe we could have an actual breakfast," Bill said, chuckling awkwardly.
Blue was about to reply, but then she heard something. Both of them froze. It was a loud, rumbling, roar-like sound — something that could easily be mistaken for a wild animal. Unfortunately, it was a sound she knew all too well.
Her stomach.
She was still hungry.
Bill looked genuinely shocked that such a sound could come from someone like her, while Blue's cheeks turned bright pink from embarrassment. The situation only worsened when she noticed that several bystanders had also heard. She was so glad Red and Green weren't around to see this.
What was the nickname they'd given her back then?
Oh, right — Gyarados Belly Blue.
She hated that nickname. Not only was it humiliating that they compared the sound of her stomach to a Gyarados's roar, but it was also such a stupid, uncreative name. Red was terrible at naming things. She could've come up with something a hundred times more clever and a thousand times funnier.
Of course, she wasn't about to tell them that. No way she'd hand them ammo.
Seeing his friend frozen in mortification, Bill decided to break the ice."Sooo… still sure you don't want to grab an actual breakfast?" he asked carefully.
"…Fine," she mumbled, shaking her head to chase away the embarrassment. Composing herself, she spoke in a neutral tone. "Do you have something in mind?"
"Well, there are a few seafood restaurants nearby, some ramen places, a few bakeries—"
The moment Bill mentioned bakeries, Blue suddenly remembered something — the incident back in Nara Town. More specifically, when she found a coupon for a free jelly-filled donut from a certain place.
"How about Wigglytuff's Bakery?" she asked.
"Wigglytuff's Bakery? Yeah, there's one near downtown if I remember correctly. Why, you want to go there?"
Blue pulled the coupon from her pouch and showed it to him. "Well, I have this thing — might as well take advantage of it, right?"
Bill's eyes widened the instant he saw it. "L-Leaf, do you know what this is?"
"A coupon for a free jelly-filled donut?"
"It's more than that! When you use that coupon, you get a membership card — fifty percent off any purchase at any Wigglytuff's Bakery! And I mean any — not just in Kanto!"
"Wait, what?! That can't be right… right?"
"They only released a hundred of those, tops! They were so rare that people started auctioning them for hundreds — even thousands!"
"Wow… is the place really that good?"
"Is it that—HAVE YOU TRIED THEIR CINNAMON ROLLS?!" Bill exclaimed.
"Okay, okay, I get it — they're good!" Blue said, holding up her hands. "Well, I guess Wigglytuff's Bakery it is, then."
"Trust me, Leaf, you won't regret it. Just… let's not go overboard, okay? Even with the discount, we shouldn't blow all our money there."
"Meh, you worry too much. As long as I get my donut, I'll be fine."
"Oh, trust me, you'll change your mind once you try anything there — especially the cinnamon rolls."
"Heh, I doubt it. Well then, lead the way," said Blue, signaling for him to go first.
Bill nodded, and soon they resumed their walk. It was quiet for a while — a nice kind of quiet. Unfortunately, the brown-haired researcher had to ruin it.
"Hey, Leaf, about earl—"
"Go on, Bill. Keep talking. See what happens," warned Blue. Her gaze didn't meet his — and he was thankful for that — but the sheer pressure in her tone could have been mistaken for the Intimidate ability.
Bill gulped, deciding that remaining alive was preferable to continuing the conversation.He stayed silent for the rest of the walk. The peaceful quiet turned into a tense and awkward one.
Me and my big mouth, he thought.
They walked like that for about five minutes, until, as they approached an intersection, both of them heard a soft ping.
"Huh?" they both muttered.
They glanced around, searching for the source of the sound — until Bill realized something.
"Leaf, your Pokédex," he said.
"My Pokédex?" Blue asked, pulling it from her pouch. The screen flickered, displaying a message:
Attention: Pokédex Holders detected nearby.
Blue reread it, eyes widening as she remembered. "Oh yeah! The manual said something about an alarm that alerts you when the others are close by!"
"You actually read the manual?" Bill asked, incredulous.
"Well, yeah. How else was I supposed to learn how to use the thing? Of course, I didn't memorize everything — just the useful stuff."
"I'm pretty sure most, if not all, of it is useful, but whatever. Still — that means the other Pokédex Holders are nearby! Aren't you excited?" he asked.
Blue blinked, surprised — then a wide smile spread across her face. She could hardly contain her joy. She was about to see her best friends again. When they'd parted ways back in Pallet Town, she thought it would be weeks — months, even — before they met again. But now, barely a week later, she was about to reunite with them.
"Hell yeah, I am!" she shouted. "Come on, what are you waiting for? Help me find those knuckleheads!"
And so, the two of them began searching the nearby streets, eager to find the other chosen trainers — unaware that just around the corner, a few familiar figures were already drawing near.
"That sure was quite the warm-up, don't you think, Red?" asked Misty, smiling at her friend.
"You bet it was. I might be exaggerating, but I have a feeling Krabby's close to evolving soon," replied Red, grinning proudly.
"Come on, Red, that's not an exaggeration — that's a fact. You're a good trainer, you know?" said Misty.
"Go on, keep saying how awesome I am," Red said, crossing his arms and tilting his head up in mock pride.
"Okay, hotshot, try not to let it go to your head."
"Well, you started it."
Misty sighed. "You know, I'm starting to regret fishing you out of that river."
The two friends had arrived in Cerulean City two days earlier, not long after their run-in with Team Rocket. Once they reached the city, they went straight to the Pokémon Center to get Red's Pokémon healed. After thanking the pink-haired nurse who helped them, they headed out.
Red found himself wondering if every Pokémon Center had people as nice as her. That would be cool.
Then Misty led the way to her home — or so Red thought.
"And here we are!" Misty exclaimed proudly.
"…What are we doing here?" asked Red, looking confused.
"What do you mean?"
"I thought we were going to your place. So, why are we standing in front of the Cerulean Gym?"
In front of them stood a massive building — easily large enough to fit hundreds of people. It looked more like a small stadium than a house, with a bright sign reading "Cerulean City Gym."
"It's not that I didn't plan to come here," Red continued, "but I thought we'd go to your place first."
Misty blinked, then sighed. "…You're not very bright, are you, Red?"
"Hey! Just so you know, there's a guy in Pallet Town who's way worse!"
"I highly doubt it. Anyway, let's just get inside already," she said, grabbing his wrist and pulling him toward the building.
Inside, Red noticed right away how different this Gym was compared to Pewter's. Not only was it larger, but the layout was completely different. Instead of leading straight to the battlefield, this one opened into a bright, stylish lobby.
There was a receptionist and several colorful posters advertising synchronized swimming shows. The biggest one featured "The Three Sensational Water Sisters."
One had blonde hair and green eyes, wearing a red swimsuit. Another had blue hair and brown eyes, wearing green. The last had pink hair, blue eyes, and an orange swimsuit with a blue ribbon across the chest.
Even someone like Red couldn't help but blush slightly. But something about them felt strangely familiar…
"Something wrong?" asked Misty, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"Uh… no, just noticing how different this place feels. It's less like a Gym and more like a theater."
Misty frowned deeply. "You're right — and I hate it."
"I mean, it's not that bad, right?"
"It's not that—how can you say that with a straight face!?" she shouted, making Red flinch. Misty quickly took a breath to calm herself. "Sorry. I'm just… not a big fan of how the Gym's being run."
"It's fine," Red said, smiling awkwardly. "Guess I overreacted too."
Her frown softened. "Come on, Red. I said I'd help make sure your team's ready for anything, didn't I? Let's head to the battlefield."
"Yeah, but shouldn't we ask the Gym Leader first?"
"…I'm starting to see why that Rocket grunt called you the most clueless trainer he ever met."
Red crossed his arms. "I'll have you know, I'm getting better every day!"
They started walking again, Red stopping occasionally to admire the Pokémon swimming in the Gym's aquarium. Eventually, they came face to face with the same three girls from the poster — the Sensational Sisters.
"Like, about time you showed up. We were starting to worry," said the blonde one.
"Yeah, like, we thought something happened," said the blue-haired one.
"Hey, did you like, catch anything? You said you'd bring back the greatest catch of the century," said the pink-haired one.
"Yeah, yeah, save the lecture for later," Misty grumbled.
"Like, whatever. By the way, who's he?" asked the blonde sister, gesturing at Red.
"Oh, uh, my name's Red. Nice to meet you," he said nervously, blushing slightly. Then, in a whisper to Misty: "Hey, you never told me you knew the Three Sensational Sisters."
Misty groaned. The three sisters, however, looked delighted.
"Oh, like, are you a fan? We can totally sign something for you!" said the blue-haired one.
Misty facepalmed. "Why'd you have to call them that? Now they'll never stop."
"Umm… sorry?" Red offered.
"Misty, like, don't be rude. Sorry about her — our little sister tends to throw tantrums sometimes," said the pink-haired one kindly.
"I haven't thrown a tantrum since I was three!" Misty snapped.
"Then, like, what's this right now?" teased the blonde one.
"Wait—sister? You mean…" Red blinked.
"Yeah," Misty sighed, "I just so happen to be the fourth Sensational Sister."
"More like three Sensational Sisters and one brat," said the pink-haired one.
"Grrr—what was that, Lily?!"
"Come on, Misty, don't get mad. Lily's just teasing," said the blonde girl before turning to Red. "Like, sorry — we haven't introduced ourselves. I'm Sakura, the oldest."
"I'm Violet. Pleasure to meet you," said the blue-haired one.
"And I'm Lily. Nice to meet you too. Don't let our baby sister's temper scare you — she's actually sweet once you get to know her."
"Don't worry," Red said with a smile. "I've noticed."
"By the way, how did you two meet?" Violet asked curiously.
"Oh, well, I was—"
"Misty fished me out of the river," Red interrupted.
Misty froze. Her sisters' eyes lit up like fireworks.
"My, my, Misty," teased Sakura, grinning. "So that's what you meant by 'the greatest catch of the century.'"
"Well, like, for someone like you, he's quite the catch," Violet added slyly.
"Our baby sister's growing up so fast," Lily said with mock tears, patting Misty's head.
"Wha—NO! It's not like that! We're just friends!" Misty yelled, face red as a Cheri Berry.
Red just blinked, utterly lost.
"A-anyway," Misty huffed, "can we use the battlefield, or do you have another one of your shows to run?"
"Relax, we finished one like ten minutes ago," said Violet. "You can use it — but we're staying. We wouldn't want to mi—"
"VIOLET! Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Misty warned.
The sisters just giggled and followed the two to the arena.
The battlefield was an Olympic-sized pool, dotted with floating platforms. There were stands large enough to host an audience — fitting, since the Gym doubled as a performance hall.
"Let's start with a simple one-on-one. How's that sound, Red?" Misty called from her side of the pool.
"Sounds good to me. Just don't be mad when I win!" Red grinned confidently.
"We'll see who wins! Starmie, go!" Misty shouted, tossing her Poké Ball.
"Alright, Krabby — let's do this!" Red countered.
The two Pokémon appeared on opposite platforms — Starmie shimmering with energy, Krabby snapping his claws eagerly.
"Alright, let's make a splash!" Red shouted.
"Krab-krabby!"
"Starmie, dive into the water!" Misty commanded.
Starmie disappeared beneath the surface, vanishing from sight.
"Stay sharp, Krabby," Red warned. The crab Pokémon stood alert, eyes darting across the rippling pool.
"Water Gun, now!"
Starmie burst out of the water, blasting a stream of high-pressure water. Krabby braced himself, taking the hit, though the type advantage helped him stay steady.
"Now, Rapid Spin barrage!"
Starmie zipped across the surface, slamming into Krabby before diving again. Then again. And again. Each hit grew faster.
"Keep dodging, Krabby!" Red called out. Krabby managed to evade most strikes until Starmie lunged straight at him once more.
"Hyper Beam, go!" shouted Misty.
As Starmie began charging its attack, Red gave his command.
"Krabby, grab it with your pincers — and slam it down!"
"Krab-krab!"
Krabby caught Starmie mid-charge and hurled it down hard onto a platform. The half-charged Hyper Beam fired into the air harmlessly.
"Now Bubble Beam, then Vice Grip!" Red followed up.
Krabby unleashed a spray of bubbles, dazing Starmie, then lunged forward, locking his pincers tight around its core before tossing it toward the arena wall. The impact echoed across the pool.
Starmie fell limp.
"Alright! We did it, Krabby!" Red cheered.
"Krab-krab!"
For a moment, Krabby glowed faintly white before the aura faded.
"You learned Harden! Nice job, buddy!" Red laughed.
"Well, that's that," Misty said, recalling Starmie. "Good job, girl. You did amazing." Then she smiled at Red. "Congrats — that was a great battle."
"Yeah, and don't feel bad about losing. It's not your fault I'm just such an awesome trainer," Red teased, crossing his arms smugly.
Misty frowned, walking up to him. "Alright, don't get cocky. You had the type advantage, remember? If I'd landed a few more hits before Hyper Beam, you and Krabby would be toast."
"Like, while that might be true, you also had the field advantage," Sakura chimed in from the sidelines. "You just got too eager to end the match."
"Yeah, but our baby sister still controlled most of the fight," Lily added. "Type advantage isn't everything."
"Exactly," Violet said. "A good trainer can find a way to win even with the disadvantage. Both of you should remember that."
"Guess you're all right," Red admitted, smiling. "Still, I'm on my way to becoming an amazing trainer." He looked at his Krabby, who clicked his claws proudly. "Right, partner?"
"Krab!"
Misty chuckled. "You'll get there."
"Since Red defeated me," Misty began, turning to her sisters, "do you think it's okay to give him a badge?"
"How about we give him the badge?" Sakura suggested, whistling.
A Seel appeared, carrying something in its mouth. Lily took it gently — a light-blue raindrop-shaped badge.
"The Cascade Badge," she said, handing it to Red.
Red stared at it in awe. Unlike the Boulder Badge, this one felt different — ancient yet new, powerful yet peaceful. It almost felt like it was acknowledging him.
"Are you sure it's okay for you to hand this out without asking the Gym Leader first?" Red asked.
Sakura giggled. "He really doesn't know, does he?"
"Red," Violet said, holding back laughter, "we are the Gym Leaders."
"Wait, seriously?!" Red exclaimed. They all nodded. "Then—wait, Misty, why didn't you tell me?!"
"I thought it was obvious!" she said.
"So… does that mean you're a Gym Leader too?"
"Not yet," Misty admitted, puffing her chest proudly. "But just you wait — I'll be one soon! You heard Violet, I'm already the better battler!"
"Now, now," Sakura teased. "We can still give you a run for your money. You've got a ways to go, little sis."
"I know," Misty muttered.
"You'll get there," Red said gently.
"Thanks," Misty smiled.
"Since you have our badge," Lily said, "where to next? Vermilion City?"
"Actually, I'm going to travel with Red for a while," Misty replied. "But we'll train here for a couple more days first."
"Oh, in that case, you're not staying at an inn," said Violet. "You're staying with us."
"What? You don't have to—"
"Of course we do! Misty never brings friends home. We'd love to have you here."
Sakura smirked. "Just no funny business at night—"
"SAKURA!" Misty shouted, her face turning scarlet. Her sisters burst into laughter.
"Kidding, kidding," Sakura said, waving her hands. "Anyway, we were about to grab something to eat. Wanna come?"
"Mmm, sure, why not."
"Hey Red, could you go ahead and wait for us in the lobby?" asked Misty.
"Sure. Come on, Krabby," he said, walking off with his Pokémon.
Once they were alone, Misty turned to her sisters. "Did you really mean it?"
"Mean what?" asked Sakura.
"That I'm the better battler."
Sakura smiled warmly. "Of course. Since you didn't inherit our looks, you had to be good at something."
"Dummy," Misty said, puffing her cheeks.
"Don't take it personal — we're just teasing," Lily said, laughing.
"I know you are… I love you guys."
"Aww, we love you too, tantrum-maker," Violet said, hugging her tight.
"I'm not a tantrum-maker," Misty mumbled as she hugged them back.
"So, want to go to that sushi place you like?" asked Red.
"Nah, I'm craving something sweeter today. I was thinking of taking you to Wigglytuff's Bakery," Misty replied.
"Wigglytuff's Bakery? Never heard of it," said Red, tilting his head.
"You what?!" Misty almost shouted, staring at him in disbelief.
"Hey, I only left Pallet Town about a week ago," he said defensively. "Outside of a couple of small bakeries, the only real restaurant there is the one used to be run by Delia when she was there...."
"Well, that's about to change today, and I'll make sure of it!" Misty declared proudly. "Just wait until you try their cherry cakes — they're to die for!"
Before Red could respond, a sudden sound broke the moment.
Ping.
Both of them froze, glancing around to find where it came from. Red's eyes widened as realization hit him. He quickly pulled out his Pokédex.
The screen lit up, displaying a message:
"Attention: Pokédex Holders detected nearby."
Misty blinked in confusion. "Pokédex holders? What's that supposed to mean?"
"I… don't know," Red admitted, frowning as he studied the screen.
As they stared at the glowing message, a few familiar silhouettes appeared in the distance — figures slowly making their way toward them.
"Well… that was easier than expected," Ash murmured as he stepped out of the Cerulean Gym, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
It hadn't been long since he'd arrived in the city. After traveling from Pewter, he had come straight here to continue his Gym Challenge. Cerulean's Gym, however, was unlike any other he had seen.
Where Brock's Gym had been built like a rugged cavern of stone and steel, Cerulean's resembled an elegant water theater. A receptionist had greeted him upon entry, explaining that a show was underway. When Ash followed the sound of applause, he found himself in front of a glittering pool-stage filled with performers — three sisters commanding the water with grace and color.
Once the show ended, Ash approached them and respectfully requested a Gym Battle. To his surprise, all three were Gym Leaders. One — a cheerful blonde with a flower clip in her hair — accepted on behalf of the others. She declared it would be a two-on-two match.
Ash used his Butterfree, expecting a challenging contest. Instead, the battle had been over almost as soon as it began. Butterfree's precision and agility completely overwhelmed her team.
It was an odd feeling. His first Gym Battle in Pewter had taken him lot's of thinking and preparation, but this one… had felt almost effortless.
As he walked down the street, the Cascade Badge in hand, he quietly reflected.
I don't think I've gotten that much stronger since Pewter, he thought. So maybe… she just wasn't ready for my strategy.
He smiled faintly at the thought and reached up to adjust the strap of his cap when—
"HEEEELP! THIEF!"
The cry shattered the quiet afternoon. Ash's head snapped toward the sound. Across the street, an elderly woman had fallen to the ground, clutching her arm. Blood trickled slightly from a cut on her forehead. Running away from her was a teenage boy in a hooded jacket — and beside him, a Farfetch'd clutching a purse in its beak.
Ash's eyes narrowed.
"Pikachu," he said calmly.
"Pika."
The two of them broke into a sprint. The thief glanced back, startled to see the young trainer gaining ground fast.
"Farfetch'd, smoke screen! Hurry!" the thief barked, waving his hand.
The bird swung its leek, kicking up dust and loose debris. Ash slowed only slightly, covering his mouth with one arm.
Predictable move, he thought. If he's using the smoke to flee, his partner will take the open path — not the alleys.
Ash veered sharply toward a side street, sprinting to intercept. Sure enough, the Farfetch'd emerged from the other side, clutching the purse.
"Pikachu — Thunderbolt, low power. Just enough to stun."
"Pika… CHU!"
A controlled arc of lightning burst forward, striking the ground just ahead of the bird. The electricity crackled through the air, forcing the Farfetch'd to drop the purse in panic before collapsing with a dazed squawk.
Ash reached it seconds later, crouching down beside the Pokémon. He checked its breathing, then nodded. "You'll be fine. Just a light shock."
He picked up the purse, slung it over his shoulder, and turned just in time to see the thief himself appear at the end of the street — panting, furious, and desperate.
"You—! Give that back!" the boy yelled, taking a step forward.
Ash didn't move. "It's not yours to take." His voice was even — calm, but unwavering. "Running away won't make this better. Just stop."
The thief hesitated. Something in the trainer's steady gaze seemed to hold him still.
Before the boy could make another move, a pair of officers appeared from the other end of the street, drawn by the commotion. The thief's shoulders slumped as they quickly surrounded him.
Ash approached as one of the officers cuffed the boy. "He dropped this," he said, handing over the purse.
"Thank you, young man," the officer said sincerely. "You did well not to let this escalate."
Ash gave a modest nod. "I just didn't want anyone else getting hurt."
Moments later, the elderly woman arrived, supported by a bystander. Her forehead had been bandaged, but she looked shaken.
"Are you alright, ma'am?" Ash asked gently, stepping forward.
"I… I think so. You got my purse back?" she asked softly.
He smiled and handed it to her with both hands. "Yes, ma'am. Everything should still be inside."
The woman blinked, her eyes glistening. "Thank you, dear. I don't know what I would've done…"
"No need to thank me," Ash replied, his tone humble. "Just be careful walking around. Cerulean's a busy city — sometimes trouble finds its way in."
The woman nodded, smiling faintly as the officers led the thief away.
As the street began to calm, Ash looked down at Pikachu, who had climbed back onto his shoulder.
"Well," he said quietly, "guess today turned out more eventful than I planned."
"Pika pi," Pikachu chirped, smiling up at him.
Ash chuckled softly. "Come on. Let's get you some berries before heading out."
With that, the two continued down the street — already thinking about the next step in their journey.