POKEMON : THE WAY OF PERCEPTION

Outside the window, the torrential rain had finally subsided. Melanie glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already four in the afternoon—time to start preparing dinner for the Pokémon. With so many Pokémon to feed, she knew she needed to start immediately.

"Let me help you!" Brock offered eagerly.

Since Ash and his friends had decided to stay the night, Melanie accepted his offer.

"Don't judge Brock by his appearances," Ash said with a grin, attempting to boost Brock's credibility. "He's a top-notch cook, and his dream is to become the world's greatest Pokémon Breeder!"

"Really?" Melanie said in surprise.

"I can vouch for him!" Misty chimed in. "Brock's cooking skills are amazing."

Reassured by Misty's words, Melanie smiled and nodded. She allowed Brock to help her in the kitchen, and soon, Brock's precise and practiced movements left Melanie awestruck.

"It's incredible… Can you teach me how to do that?" Melanie asked, clearly impressed.

Noticing the chemistry between Brock and Melanie, Ash and Misty exchanged knowing smiles. Without a word, they decided to leave the two alone in the kitchen and headed outside.

---

Bulbasaur, who had been keeping a close eye on the group, noticed Ash and Misty leaving. It immediately jumped up and followed them, with Pikachu trailing alongside. Bulbasaur wasn't taking any chances—it wanted to ensure Ash and Misty didn't cause trouble for the Pokémon here.

Outside, Ash and Misty walked to a pond near the house where a group of Pokémon had gathered. Counting carefully, they realized Melanie's earlier description had been accurate—there were indeed seventeen Pokémon in total. Each one seemed small and fragile.

"Oh, look!" Misty said, her eyes lighting up. "It's an Oddish!"

Despite being a common Pokémon, Oddish's round body, short legs, and wobbly movements made it undeniably adorable. Misty knelt to get a closer look, but Oddish backed away nervously, retreating to the safety of the other Pokémon.

"Sorry… I didn't mean to scare you," Misty said softly, stopping in her tracks. She recalled Melanie's stories about these Pokémon and felt a pang of guilt.

"Bulba!"

Bulbasaur leaped in front of Misty, as if to warn her to stay away from the group of Pokémon.

"Don't worry," Ash said calmly, crouching to meet Bulbasaur's eye level. "We won't touch them without your approval." His tone was sincere, his gaze steady.

"Pika-pika!" Pikachu added with a reassuring nod.

Bulbasaur hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly. While it seemed to relax a little, its distrust of humans was evident—it remained wary.

Ash stood and observed the Pokémon by the pond. Their timid, cautious behavior left a heavy feeling in his chest. "Bulbasaur… Do you think this is really good for them?" he asked gently.

"Bulba!"

Bulbasaur growled, anger flashing in its eyes.

"Pika!" Pikachu stepped forward, sparks crackling from its cheeks as a warning. The tense atmosphere immediately frightened the gathered Pokémon, who cowered together, trembling.

"Relax, Pikachu," Ash said, rubbing Pikachu's head to calm it down. He then turned his attention back to Bulbasaur. "Look at them, Bulbasaur," he said, pointing toward the group. "Look at the way they're acting."

Bulbasaur hesitated before turning to face the Pokémon. It froze, realizing that its companions were visibly afraid—of Ash, Pikachu, and possibly even of the outside world.

Ash spoke again, his tone soft but firm. "Do you really think this is good for their future? Overprotecting them like this is making them dependent on you. If something goes wrong, they won't know how to handle it on their own."

Bulbasaur's eyes widened slightly, its usual confidence faltering. It hadn't thought about things this way—or perhaps it had but hadn't wanted to confront the truth.

"You heard what Melanie said earlier, didn't you?" Ash continued, his voice quieter now. "I know you weren't really sleeping."

Bulbasaur flinched. Ash's words hit harder than it wanted to admit.

"Because you're here," Ash said gently, "they're unwilling to leave, unwilling to face the world outside. They've stopped trying to grow."

Bulbasaur glared at Ash, resentment flickering in its eyes. The loneliness it had buried deep in its heart was now painfully exposed. Why was this human saying such things? Why was he trying to ruin the life Bulbasaur had built here?

Ash noticed the conflict in Bulbasaur's expression. Smiling, he reached out and placed his hand gently on Bulbasaur's head.

"Bulba!"

Bulbasaur growled and opened its mouth in warning, but Ash didn't flinch.

Misty gasped. "Ash, be careful!"

Ash ignored the warning, keeping his hand on Bulbasaur's head. "I know you want to protect them," he said softly. "There's nothing wrong with wanting to protect others and be close to them. But you have to let them face their own challenges. They need to grow."

"Bulba…"

Bulbasaur blinked, its anger subsiding as it processed Ash's words. Turning back to the Pokémon by the pond, it noticed their pleading expressions. They wanted its protection, but for the first time, Bulbasaur wondered if that protection was holding them back.

Ash stood and stepped back, giving Bulbasaur space to think. "What do you say? Want to give them the chance to grow? To let them leave here and live their own lives?"

Bulbasaur hesitated. It glanced at the Pokémon, then at Ash. It was torn between its desire to keep its companions close and the nagging truth in Ash's words.

Ash noticed its hesitation and smiled. "Or… do you want to come with me instead? Travel with us, see the world, and meet new friends?"

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu's eyes sparkled with excitement. It seemed thrilled by the idea of having Bulbasaur as a traveling companion.

Misty, however, was taken aback. "Ash, are you serious? You want Bulbasaur to join us?"

Ash nodded. "It's up to Bulbasaur. I think it's ready for something bigger than this pond."

Bulbasaur looked down, its mind a whirlwind of thoughts. The idea of leaving this place and its companions was terrifying. Yet the promise of new experiences and a chance to grow tugged at something deep within.

"Bulba…" it murmured, its expression unreadable.

---

In the kitchen, Melanie and Brock worked side by side, preparing food for the Pokémon.

"You're amazing at this," Melanie said with genuine admiration.

Brock smiled. "It's my passion. Someday, I want to run a daycare for Pokémon. Cooking for them, caring for them… that's my dream."

Melanie paused, her hands stilling for a moment. "That's a wonderful dream, Brock. You remind me of someone from my village, Zhou , who also loved cooking for others. She always said that caring for others starts with a good meal."

Brock chuckled. "Sounds like someone I'd get along with!"

As they worked, the aroma of freshly prepared food filled the house. Melanie couldn't help but feel grateful for Brock's help and for the kindness of Ash and his friends.

Outside, Bulbasaur looked at Ash one last time.

It was time to make a choice.

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