Pokemon : Rewind

Grapefruit Island was a small archipelago located in the southeastern part of the Orange Islands. 

True to its name, the archipelago consisted of seven islands. These islands were renowned for cultivating an abundance of Sitrus Berries, making them the largest supplier in the region.

Sitrus Berry, while not exceedingly rare, was highly nutritious and widely used in Pokémon food recipes. 

Compared to Oran Berry, it provided greater benefits and better nutritional value, making it a sought-after ingredient despite its higher cost.

Initially, Ash's Pokémon recipe had relied on Oran Berries. However, as his financial situation improved, he had upgraded to using Sitrus Berries, valuing their superior quality.

Given the proximity of Grapefruit Island to Navel Island and its location along the route to Mandarin Island, Ash, Misty, and Tracey decided to visit it after leaving Navel Island.

---

After a long sea journey aboard Lapras, the group arrived at one of the islands. Though unsure which of the seven islands they had landed on, the vast expanse of fruit-laden Sitrus Berry trees confirmed their destination.

Standing on the beach, the trio could see rows upon rows of mature fruit trees, each branch heavy with plump, golden-yellow Sitrus Berries.

"The berries here are massive!" Tracey observed as he examined a tree from afar. The Sitrus Berries appeared significantly larger than average, hinting at their superior quality.

"For Sitrus Berries, size does matter," Tracey explained. "The larger the berry, the more nutrients it holds and the better its effects."

"I wonder if we could buy some to try," Misty said, already imagining the berries' flavor.

Before they could discuss further, a sharp voice rang out.

"Got you, thief! I finally caught you this time!"

Startled, the group turned to see a young woman in her twenties sprinting toward them. She had long, dark green hair tied into a ponytail and wore a short-sleeved shirt with a calf-length skirt. Her beauty was undeniable—clearly the type Brock would have fawned over.

"Thieves? Us?!" Ash, Misty, and Tracey froze in shock as the woman charged at them, clutching a wooden stick.

Without hesitation, she leaped forward, using her momentum to swing the stick downward with surprising force.

Ash's eyes briefly flickered with a strange light, but it vanished so quickly that even he didn't notice.

Before the stick could land, Pikachu jumped into action, using Iron Tail to intercept the attack. 

Its hardened tail deflected the strike, sending the stick flying out of the woman's hands and leaving her momentarily stunned.

"Ugh!" The young woman winced, her hands trembling from the impact. Though disarmed, she glared at the group with undisguised anger. 

"You thieves! How dare you try to steal what we worked so hard to cultivate?"

"Wait, no! You've got it all wrong!" Misty protested, raising her hands defensively. "We're not thieves! We just got here!"

The woman hesitated, her expression softening into confusion. Ash, Misty, and Tracey quickly took the opportunity to explain their situation.

After a few moments of explanation, the woman introduced herself as Casey, the manager of Grapefruit Island. 

She and her team were responsible for cultivating and harvesting all the Sitrus Berries across the archipelago.

"I'm so sorry," Casey said, bowing apologetically. "We've been dealing with a thief for weeks, and I mistook you for them. Please forgive me."

"It's fine," Ash replied. "But has there been a lot of theft recently?"

"Yes…" Casey admitted, her voice tinged with frustration. "Someone has been stealing large amounts of Sitrus Berries, and we haven't been able to catch them. It's been exhausting."

The trio exchanged glances. The idea of a thief targeting Sitrus Berries in a region as remote as the Orange Islands seemed odd. 

Although Sitrus Berries were valuable, the logistics of stealing them in bulk raised questions.

"Could it be…?" Ash muttered, a vague memory from his adventures surfacing. He recalled similar incidents in the past—ones that usually involved a familiar trio.

"What is it?" Casey asked, noticing Ash's thoughtful expression.

"It's just a guess, but it might be Team Rocket," Ash said hesitantly.

"Team Rocket?!" Casey's eyes widened, as did those of Misty and Tracey. The infamous organisation's reputation preceded them. Even in the Orange Islands, few were unfamiliar with their name.

"Would Team Rocket really steal Sitrus Berries?" Casey asked, puzzled.

"I'm not sure," Ash admitted with a shrug. "But it wouldn't be out of character for them."

Before they could delve deeper into the discussion, a staff member came running toward them, panting heavily.

"Ms. Casey!" the man gasped, his face pale with panic. "Something's happened!"

"What is it?!" Casey demanded, alarmed.

"It's… it's the thief! They've struck again!" the staff member managed to say, still struggling to catch his breath.

Without hesitation, Casey bolted toward the indicated location, followed closely by Ash, Misty, and Tracey. 

The staff member, still winded, tried to call after them but could only watch as they disappeared into the trees.

---

When they arrived, the scene was devastating. Entire trees had been stripped not only of their fruit but also of their branches. The damage was extensive.

"They even took the branches…" Casey whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and heartbreak. The sight of the ruined orchard was too much to bear.

"These trees take years to cultivate, and now…" She clenched her fists, tears welling in her eyes. "How could they do this?!"

Ash, Misty, and Tracey shared a grim look. The scale of the destruction went beyond simple theft—it was outright vandalism.

"This isn't just about stealing berries," Ash murmured. "Whoever's behind this wants to cause as much harm as possible."

Casey turned to Ash, her expression resolute. "We need to stop them. Will you help us?"

Ash nodded firmly, a determined glint in his eyes. "Of course."

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