Important talk

As Ash and Bugsy walked out of the field, laughing behind them, everyone met them back at the entrance where they had separated. Ethan came up behind them and put his arms around their shoulders. "Man, that was awesome! Makes me want a rematch against you, Bugsy."

"Well, unless you want me to use my seven-badge team to make it fair with that Typhlosion you have, I think I'll pass," Bugsy said, chuckling.

"Alright, you got me there. But next time, I want that battle," Ethan said, then turned to Ash. "As for you, we haven't battled before, so I'm curious."

"Well, you're going to stay curious. I don't have my full good team; most of them are just new Pokémon I'm training up to go through Johto with," Ash said, pulling away from Bugsy's arm.

"Alright, fine, I guess I'll wait for now. But mark my words—one day, we'll have that battle," Ethan declared.

Misty cut in, "Okay, that's enough. Battle this, battle that—enough with the battle talk! Can we talk about something else?"

"Sure. How about we celebrate? And yes, my treat," Ash said. "You guys can go ahead. I want to ask Bugsy something."

Ethan, catching Ash's subtle hint, smiled. "Yeah, that reminds me—I also need to ask him something."

"Really? Do you want us to wait?" Yellow asked.

Shelly fidgeted nervously with her fingers. "Y-yeah, w-we don't mind waiting, r-right guys?"

"Nah, it's fine. You guys will probably get bored waiting on us," Ash replied.

"He's probably right. We were just going to talk about how, for some reason, this piece of work here got three evolutions in ONE battle," Bugsy said, sounding a little salty.

Ash raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Yeah, right. So how about it? Just choose a place, and we'll meet you there. And if you order me something, I'll pay for lunch, too."

Yellow and Shelly seemed like they wanted to insist on waiting for the boys, but Brock spoke up. "Alright, if you guys really want to talk about something, I guess we won't stop you. You know best. We'll text you the spot we choose."

Misty nodded, then walked over and grabbed Shelly by the arm with a smile. "Yep, so, Shelly, lead the way! Give us the grand tour. I'm sure you know all the best spots~"

"W-wait, I'm not ready! No—" Shelly whimpered slightly as Misty dragged her away.

Brock and Yellow quickly followed, but Brock turned back to Bugsy. "Don't worry, I'll make sure Misty doesn't break Shelly," he said before running after the girls.

As soon as they were alone, their smiles faded back into serious expressions. "So, what did you want to ask? Does it have something to do with the ruins?"

"Yeah. Did you get any news? I know you contacted the police to try and get them. Did they succeed?"

"Unfortunately, no. I asked. They took an excavation team, and the ruins were empty. Looks like they got out their own way," Bugsy said, looking down and clenching his fists.

"This sucks. We can't do anything, and the one thing we did do slipped out of our hands somehow," Ethan said, frustrated. "And we don't know anything about what Team Rocket wants with the Unown."

"You're right," Ash admitted, then turned to Bugsy. "What about the ruins themselves? Or at least the part that I collapsed to stop them. Have they found anything interesting?"

By this point, they had left the Gym and were walking through the outskirts of town. "I talked to my friends and gave them the cipher you handed me. They found some writing, but none of it has been of any value yet."

"What about the part you told Ash to destroy?" Ethan asked.

Bugsy sighed, not even wanting to think about it. "Don't even mention it. We did what we had to. I told them it collapsed in the middle of an attack from Team Rocket."

"Ohh, smart. Technically, it's not a lie since it did happen while we were being attacked," Ethan smiled.

"Still lying by omission, so technically still a crime," Ash cut in. "But I won't tell anyone if you don't."

"Thanks. I know I said I'd take the heat, but I'd rather not tarnish my reputation as the guy who destroyed ancient ruins," Bugsy said, sighing.

As they continued talking about the incident in the ruins, the trio walked along the edge of town. Soon, they noticed Officer Jenny with other officers standing nearby, appearing busy as they brought something in.

As the Gym Leader, Bugsy had a duty to oversee situations like this. He quickly approached the group, catching Officer Jenny's attention. She saluted him.

"Bugsy, good to see you! We were about to contact your Gym to call you, but this makes things easier," she said.

She stepped aside to reveal Slowpoke Well. At the entrance, a few dozen Team Rocket members lay unconscious and tied up. Beside them were several sad-looking Slowpoke with their tails cut off, and next to the Slowpoke was a pile of their severed tails.

"We got an anonymous tip to come to the well. When we arrived, this was the scene," Officer Jenny explained.

"They were just like this?" Bugsy asked, inspecting the scene before turning to Ash and Ethan. "Do you guys know anything about this?"

"Wasn't me!" Ethan said, waving his hands defensively.

"Nah, I wasn't around here either," Ash added.

"Then who could have done this?" Bugsy muttered as he walked over to the well. Running his hand across some claw marks etched into the stone, he took note of the unusual scratches.

Meanwhile, Ash and Ethan exchanged glances, both thinking the same name: Silver.

Bugsy continued speaking with the officers while Ash received a text on his phone from their group chat. They had chosen a spot to meet, but Ash replied that they might be late—something had come up.

—-

At the restaurant, Shelly led Brock, Misty, and Yellow to the group to get seated. Since Shelly was Bugsy's sister, they received some special treatment; most people in town were D1 Bugsy meat riders.

However, Shelly felt embarrassed being known only as Bugsy's sister. Too timid to speak up, she kept her head down as she sat in their private booth.

Her nervousness was apparent. She avoided eye contact with anyone, her gaze fixed downward. Misty noticed and glanced at Brock, motioning with her eyes for him to comfort Shelly. As the oldest in the group and a big brother figure, it seemed like a natural fit.

But her plan immediately backfired—Brock's chair was empty. Somehow, he was now wearing a waiter uniform, flitting between tables, delivering plates, and flirting with various patrons.

Misty's eye twitched as she reached under the table and pulled out Poliwag. She turned to Shelly and Yellow. "I'll be back in a minute," she said with a forced smile.

Marching over to Brock with Poliwag ready to blast, she left Yellow and Shelly alone at the table.

Needless to say, the atmosphere grew awkward. The two introverts sat silently, each looking anywhere but at each other. Shelly's eyes darted around the room while Yellow stared down at Chuchu, gently petting her to ease the tension.

Finally, they both spoke at the same time: "Hey—oh, sor—no, you first—" Their voices overlapped, and they immediately closed their mouths, making the situation even more awkward.

Yellow, being slightly less socially awkward, took a deep breath and tried again. "Umm, so hey, are you okay?"

"Y-yeah… I'm fine," Shelly stammered.

"I don't think you're fine," Yellow said gently. "Why didn't you let me, Brock, or Misty talk to you? Are you nervous?"

"U-um… well…" Shelly fidgeted, her legs shifting nervously under the table. "I… I'm nervous. I don't have many friends, and I don't want to mess things up like I always do," she admitted, her tone filled with self-doubt.

"No, why do you say that? You're not messing things up," Yellow reassured her. As she looked at Shelly, she saw a reflection of her younger self—the same insecurities and self-doubt she'd struggled with before her journey with the group.

"No, I'm useless. I'm no good at anything other than books," Shelly said. "Most people in town don't even know my name. I'm just 'Bugsy's sister' to them. I don't even feel like I'm good enough to be his sister."

Silence hung between them for a moment. Then Yellow finally spoke, her voice soft but steady. "You know, I used to think like that too."

Shelly looked up at Yellow, seeing the bright girl in a new light. "R-really?"

"Yeah," Yellow said, her voice soft but firm. "I used to feel nervous, lost, unworthy. I didn't know what I wanted to do. I was just like that."

"H-how'd you stop?" Shelly asked, leaning closer, hoping for a magical cure.

"I didn't," Yellow admitted. "I still feel like that sometimes. How can I not? Ash, Brock, Misty—they're all amazing. They know what they want and are working toward it. I'm just tagging along, trying to figure out what I want to do."

"Oh…" Shelly said, looking down.

"But," Yellow continued, her voice brighter, "I did gain confidence. They pushed me to step out of my comfort zone, and that made a difference. I still feel lost sometimes, but it's better because I know I'm trying."

Shelly looked up to see Yellow smiling warmly. "And I think you can do it too."

"R-really? Someone like me?" Shelly asked hesitantly.

"Yeah. But I'm not going to tell you what to do—that's something you need to find out for yourself, okay?" Yellow said, her smile unwavering. "I believe in you."

Shelly felt a lump rise in her throat. "I-I—"

Yellow stopped her with a gentle hand. "It's okay. There's no need for that. So, how about it?" She held out her hand. "Do you want to be friends?"

Shelly reached out with a shaky hand, half-expecting Yellow to pull away at any moment. But Yellow didn't. Their hands met in a firm, warm handshake.

"F-f-friends…" Shelly mumbled.

Almost as if on cue, Misty returned with a soaking wet Brock in tow, forcing him to sit down while Poliwag looked slightly dehydrated.

"Hey, we're back," Misty said cheerfully. "So, what did we miss?"

Shelly looked embarrassed. She wanted to say something—anything—but couldn't find the words. Thankfully, she didn't need to, as the boys walked in just then. Ash pulled a towel from his bag and handed it to Brock.

"Hey, we're back!" Ethan announced, plopping down into his seat.

"Sorry, we're late. Some things came up," Bugsy said as he slid into the booth beside Shelly.

Ethan smirked, rubbing his hands together. "Yeah, we're late, but we're here now! Let's order!"

The group put in their orders, and the evening went by smoothly. They shared laughs, stories, and plenty of fun. Even Shelly grew brave enough to crack a few smiles, though, throughout the evening, she couldn't stop thinking about Yellow's words.

As Shelly glanced at Ash, she thought about how confident he always seemed. In the few interactions she'd had with him, she'd never seen him lose his cool. It was how she wanted to be—calm, composed, and strong.

By the time the evening ended, she had made up her mind. She would prove to herself that she wasn't useless, that she was capable, and that she could be strong.

As they said their farewells—since everyone would be leaving town tomorrow—Bugsy and Shelly waved goodbye to the group. But deep down, Shelly knew this goodbye marked a new beginning. For the first time in a long time, she had a goal of her own.

She would prove her worth—not just to others, but to herself.

—------

{Late at Night}

Shelly was in her room, quietly packing her bag. Five Pokéballs hung from her belt as she carefully folded clothes and tucked away all the equipment she thought she'd need. She paused for a moment, looking at her reflection in the darkened window, before zipping the bag shut with a determined nod.

Tiptoeing through the quiet house, she crept to the front desk and pulled out a piece of paper. Shelly began to write, pouring her feelings into the note, but halfway through, the soft click of a light switch startled her. She spun around to see Bugsy standing there, looking surprised but not upset.

"O-oh, big bro! I didn't think you'd be up this late," she stammered, quickly moving the note behind her back.

"I could say the same to you," Bugsy said, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing up? And what's with the bag?"

Shelly froze, unsure of what to say. She opened her mouth to make up an excuse but stopped herself. Bugsy wasn't stupid—he'd see right through her. Finally, with a deep sigh, she admitted, "I... I wanted to leave. I was going to leave a note so you'd know."

Bugsy's expression softened, and he walked closer to glance at the half-written letter on the desk. "Hmm, I see. Are you going to tell me why?"

Shelly hesitated, gripping the edge of the desk. "W-well... after seeing you, Ethan, and Ash do everything you all did, I just—" She paused to take a steadying breath. "I don't think I'm worthy of being the Gym Leader. Or your sister. Not yet."

Bugsy's brows furrowed in concern, but he stayed quiet, letting her continue.

"That's why I want to leave—go on my own adventure. I'm going to collect badges and make it to the League. A-and then... then everyone will see I'm not useless! That I can be strong, just like you!"

Shelly's words hung heavy in the air, but Bugsy's expression softened further as he took a step closer. "You know," he began gently, "I've already told you—you don't need to prove yourself to anyone. Not to me, not to this town, not to anyone."

Shelly's eyes widened in surprise, but Bugsy wasn't finished.

"But..." he added with a small smile, "if this is what you feel you need to do to believe in yourself, then I think you should go for it."

Shelly blinked, startled by how easy this was going. She'd expected an argument—or at least some hesitation—but instead, Bugsy's approval came so freely that it felt unreal. "R-really?"

Bugsy nodded. "Yeah. And hey, since you're going, I've got something for you." He reached under the desk and pulled out two items—a Pokéball and a Hive Badge.

"You'll need this," he said, handing over the badge. "Consider it your first one. And as for the Pokéball... well, I noticed you only have five Pokémon. You'll need six, won't you?"

Shelly felt her throat tighten, her eyes glistening as she slowly reached out and took the badge and Pokéball from his hands. She stared at them for a moment before pressing the button on the Pokéball. A bright light flashed, and out came a small Sewaddle.

The little Pokémon looked up at Shelly with curious eyes, then scuttled over to her, climbing up her arm and nuzzling into her shoulder while making soft, happy chirps.

"Aww, he's so cute," Shelly said, her voice trembling with emotion. She looked up at Bugsy, smiling brighter than she had in days. "Thank you, Bugsy. Really. You're the coolest big brother ever."

Bugsy chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Don't mention it. But I know you like to name your Pokémon sometimes. Are you going to name this little guy?"

Shelly held Sewaddle out in front of her, thinking for a moment. Then, with a smile, she said, "Yeah... I have the perfect name for him. I'm going to call him..."

{End Scene}

---

So Yeah, Shelly is going to be a part of the Johto Arc. Votes came in, but she is not going to join the gang, she's going to do her own thing