Catching Jigglypuff saved them from a great deal of trouble down the road.
At least they no longer had to worry about Jigglypuff suddenly popping out of some hidden corner and bursting into song without warning.
As for how to train it, Ash immediately thought of the Pokémon Contests he would encounter later in Hoenn. A move like Sing could give Jigglypuff an early advantage in both Contest performances and Contest Battles.
Its innate Fairy typing, though the type had yet to be officially discovered, was bound to be another advantage.
Back in the present, Ash and his friends continued up the mountain with a new companion on the team.
"Ash, look." As they climbed higher, they unexpectedly came across a Pokémon Center. For Ash and the others, its appearance could not have been more timely.
"I can't believe there's a Pokémon Center all the way up here."
A sign stood outside the entrance.
"Good news! The highest Pokémon Center in the world. Your final chance to restore your Pokémon!"
To commemorate the occasion, Ash and the others took a group photograph in front of the Pokémon Center.
Perhaps many years from now, that photograph would become a treasured reminder of one of the happiest times of their lives.
"Ash, we have to find Articuno. I want to take the most beautiful photograph possible from as close to it as I can get," Todd declared firmly.
"Don't worry. You'll get your chance," Ash assured him.
"Excuse me, are you here looking for Articuno as well?" Nurse Joy asked after finishing the treatment of their Pokémon.
Officer Jenny was with her too.
"Nurse Joy, Officer Jenny, has Articuno been sighted around here?" Todd asked impatiently.
Nurse Joy nodded. "Articuno has indeed been seen here. In fact, Snowtop Mountain has a deep connection with Articuno."
As she explained, Nurse Joy led them around to the rear of the mountain, where they found a small shrine dedicated to Articuno. Inside stood a remarkably lifelike statue carved in its image.
"Articuno is revered as the guardian deity of travelers in the snowy mountains," Nurse Joy said, introducing them to the legends surrounding it.
According to the stories, Articuno did more than visit during winter. It also built nests in places covered in snow all year round, using them as bases from which it could fly across the land.
They also heard stories of Articuno rescuing people. These tales had not been invented out of thin air. They had truly happened.
Meanwhile, hoping to beat Ash and the others to Articuno, the Team Rocket trio had begun climbing the snowy mountain ahead of them. Unfortunately, they had brought no cold-weather equipment and suffered terribly in the freezing temperatures.
During the climb, a flock of dozens of Spearow began harassing them, causing their safety rope to come loose and sending them plummeting down the mountainside.
Luckily, they landed on a ledge jutting out from the cliff. Even so, it was bitterly cold. Just as their minds began to fade, an azure figure appeared before them.
After that, they knew nothing more.
While searching, Ash remembered how, in the original story, the Team Rocket trio had encountered Articuno first and been frozen solid. Following his memories, Ash quickly found the place where Team Rocket had been frozen.
After thawing them out in the same violent manner as before, Ash soon got Articuno's whereabouts out of them. It was somewhere nearby.
As for Team Rocket, Ash handed them over to Officer Jenny to stop them from causing any more trouble. Those three always found a way to escape anyway.
Climbing the snowy mountain was far from easy. To make matters worse, they ran into another blizzard, and even seeing the path ahead became a challenge.
Because of this, Ash expanded his Aura to its maximum range. If anyone fell off a cliff, the consequences would be disastrous.
"We can't go any farther." Sensing a cliff directly ahead of them, Ash hurriedly told everyone to stop.
Ash knew that if the blizzard grew stronger, they could easily become separated. That was why he had stopped them.
Just then, however, the blizzard abruptly ceased.
It stopped without any warning. When everyone looked up, the Pokémon they had been longing to see was right before them.
Its entire body was covered in ice-blue feathers, with three upright feathers forming a crest atop its head. Its long tail resembled a flowing banner at first glance. This was Articuno, widely regarded by later generations of Pokémon fans as the most beautiful of the three legendary birds.
Articuno's appearance perfectly embodied the words sacred and pure.
At that moment, even Ash could not help marveling at his extraordinary luck as a child favored by destiny.
Back in the Orange Archipelago, he had encountered the three legendary birds that governed the islands, as well as Lugia. He had played a major part in resolving that crisis and had nearly lost his life in the process.
Fortunately, Misty had been there...
His thoughts began to wander. In the future, he would encounter many more Legendary Pokémon. The very thought sent a thrill through him.
Todd reacted quickly, raising his camera and capturing that precious moment.
As for catching Articuno, Ash had no such intention for the time being.
First, although this Articuno did not hold any divine office, it was still the guardian deity of the surrounding area and might not have much desire to battle.
Second, the blizzard had stopped because of Articuno. Misty was also in poor condition right now, so if Ash challenged it to a battle, he could no longer guarantee the safety of everyone with him.
However, Articuno suddenly landed in front of Ash and fixed its avian eyes upon him.
"Do I have something you want?" Ash wondered aloud. Then he suddenly took the Rainbow Wing from his backpack and asked, "Is it this?"
(A/N: A brief explanation: I originally planned to introduce the Rainbow Wing during their first encounter, but I forgot about it while writing, so I am adding this clarification here.)
After examining it, Articuno touched its beak to Ash's hand and flew away.
A silver feather had appeared in Ash's other hand. It was the key item capable of summoning Lugia, the Silver Wing.
The Silver Wing? That was a valuable item. Since Ash would encounter Lugia and its child later, it might come in handy.
Having taken the photograph he wanted, Todd was completely satisfied. He then followed Ash and the others back down the way they had come, returning to the Pokémon Center.
...
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