POKEMON : THE WAY OF PERCEPTION

Just as Ash was about to say something to Bulbasaur, the girl returned with hot tea, handing cups to Ash and Brock. Ash sighed, putting aside his earlier thoughts and accepting the teacup with a polite thank-you.

"Excuse me... may I know your name, beautiful lady?" Brock asked, taking the tea. However, he leaned in with a grand gesture, as if to hold her hand, which caused the girl to step back nervously. Bulbasaur instantly moved in front of her, its expression sharp and protective.

"Brock, stop doing things that make people misunderstand!"

At that moment, Misty, now changed into dry clothes, stepped out of the bedroom with an annoyed expression. She glared at Brock and then turned to the girl.

"I'm sorry about Brock," Misty said with an apologetic smile. "He doesn't mean any harm. He's just... like that."

The girl seemed to relax slightly, though she still kept some distance from Brock, moving a little closer to Misty for reassurance.

"Alas..." Ash sighed, watching Brock's antics. He couldn't help but wonder how such behavior would ever help Brock win someone over.

"Thank you," the girl said softly, handing Misty the last teacup.

With a warm smile, Misty accepted it. "By the way, I'm Misty. May I know your name?"

"My name is Melanie," the girl replied, her voice gentle.

The moment Brock heard her name, he couldn't contain his excitement. Sliding up to Melanie, he knelt on one knee, holding his tea dramatically.

"So this beautiful young lady is called Melanie? It's an honor to know your name! Your name is as sweet and delicate as—"

Before he could finish, Bulbasaur extended a vine and used Vine Whip to restrain Brock, lifting him into the air.

"Ahahaha…" Melanie chuckled awkwardly at the sight. Brock's over-the-top behavior now seemed harmless but undeniably strange.

---

A short while later, everyone was seated in the cozy living room, sipping tea. The rain continued to patter against the windows as Melanie explained the story of the house and her purpose for being there.

Melanie came from a nearby village. One day, she found an injured Pokémon and nursed it back to health. She soon realized there were many other Pokémon in similar situations—injured, abandoned, or mistreated by humans. Determined to help, she built this small house to care for these Pokémon.

"Later," Melanie explained, her voice tinged with sadness, "I began to discover Pokémon who had been abandoned or betrayed by their Trainers. Their wounds weren't just physical but emotional, and those were much harder to heal."

Bulbasaur, she revealed, was one of those betrayed Pokémon. Its Trainer had abandoned it for reasons unknown. Melanie had never been able to understand why.

"Bulbasaur eventually found its way here," she continued. "After seeing me care for the other Pokémon, it decided to stay. It's been protecting this place ever since."

"That explains why it was so defensive earlier," Ash said, glancing at Bulbasaur, who sat nearby with its eyes half-closed, still on alert.

"Exactly," Melanie nodded. "Bulbasaur doesn't want anyone to disturb the peace here. It's been a reliable guardian for all the Pokémon in this area."

Brock, who had been unusually quiet, finally spoke. "The idea of Trainers abandoning their Pokémon…" He trailed off, gripping his teacup tightly. As an aspiring Pokémon Breeder, it was a reality he found deeply upsetting.

Misty, noticing his serious expression, asked, "Do you think there are many abandoned Pokémon like Bulbasaur?"

Melanie nodded. "There are currently seventeen Pokémon here, not counting Bulbasaur. Some were injured, others abandoned. A few have recovered and left, but many stay because they don't feel ready to return to the wild."

---

Hearing this, the group fell into thoughtful silence.

Ash broke it, his tone heavy. "Pokémon are living beings with feelings, not tools to be discarded when they don't meet expectations. I wish there was more we could do to stop this from happening."

"The Pokémon League has laws against abandoning Pokémon," Melanie said, "but enforcing them isn't easy. There are too many Trainers, and some just release their Pokémon into the wild without reporting it. It's heartbreaking."

Pikachu, who had been sitting beside Ash, walked over to Bulbasaur. "Pika-pi?" it said softly, trying to strike up a conversation.

Bulbasaur didn't respond, keeping its eyes closed as if asleep. However, its ears twitched, showing it was listening.

Misty frowned. "Melanie, do you think these Pokémon will ever want to leave here and live in the wild again?"

"That's what worries me," Melanie admitted. "Many of them have recovered physically, but they've grown too comfortable here. They're afraid to face the outside world again. It's not healthy for them to stay in this safe bubble forever."

"What's stopping them from leaving?" Ash asked.

Melanie hesitated, glancing at Bulbasaur. "It's Bulbasaur. Its protective nature keeps the peace here, but it also discourages the other Pokémon from venturing out. They've come to rely on its strength and see it as their protector."

"Bulbasaur is keeping them safe, but it's also holding them back," Brock said thoughtfully.

Melanie nodded. "I want them to regain hope and confidence, to live their own lives in the forest. But Bulbasaur doesn't want them to leave. It… doesn't want to be alone."

The room fell quiet again. Even though Bulbasaur still had its eyes closed, it was clearly listening to every word.

Ash looked at Bulbasaur, his heart heavy. He could understand the Pokémon's feelings—its fear of loneliness and abandonment.

"Bulbasaur…" Ash began gently, but before he could say more, Melanie spoke up.

"I've tried talking to Bulbasaur about this," she said, "but it always pretends not to hear me. I think it's afraid of losing the family it's found here."

The group exchanged glances, unsure of how to approach the situation.

---

As the rain began to let up, Ash stood and stretched. "Melanie, I think we can help."

"You do?" she asked, surprised.

"Yes," Ash said confidently. "Maybe Bulbasaur just needs to see that the outside world isn't as scary as it seems. If we can show it that the other Pokémon will be okay, it might feel better about letting them go."

Melanie hesitated, then nodded. "If you're willing to help, I'd be grateful. But please, be patient with Bulbasaur. It's been through a lot."

Ash smiled. "Don't worry. We'll take it one step at a time."

As the group prepared to leave the house, Bulbasaur finally opened its eyes and watched them. It didn't move but seemed to be considering their words.

Pikachu turned to Bulbasaur and gave it an encouraging smile. "Pika-pika!"

For the first time, Bulbasaur didn't look away.

Melanie stood in the doorway, watching Ash, Misty, and Brock head back into the forest. She couldn't help but feel hopeful.

"Thank you," she whispered as the group disappeared from view.

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