Arrival at Viridian City

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Ash and Pikachu arrived in Viridian City, the familiar sights of bustling streets and twinkling lights surrounding them.

The excitement of their journey danced in the air as they approached the Pokémon Center.

"Finally! We made it, Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed, Pikachu responded with an enthusiastic "Pika!"

As Ash entered the Pokémon Center, he was greeted by Nurse Joy's warm smile.

"Welcome to the Pokémon Center! How can I help you today?" she asked cheerfully.

"Hi! I need to get my Pokémon healed," Ash replied, placing his Poké Balls on the counter.

"Let me take care of those for you," she said, gently taking his Poké Balls to heal them. "It'll just take a moment."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy!" Ash smiled, feeling reassured as he waited for his Pokémon to be healed.

After a brief moment, Ash spotted the booth and decided to call Professor Oak and his mom.

He walked over to the booth, connected the call, and soon saw Professor Oak's familiar face smiling back at him from the screen.

"Ash! It's wonderful to see you! How is your journey going?" Professor Oak asked, a warm smile brightening his face.

"It's going great, Professor! I've caught some new Pokémon and made it to Viridian City. I'm planning to head toward Pewter City next!" Ash replied, pride shining in his voice.

"That's fantastic! Just remember to prepare well. You'll want to have a solid strategy for the Pewter Gym," Professor Oak advised.

"I will! Thanks, Professor!" Ash said, feeling grateful for the support.

As the conversation continued, Ash's mom, Delia, joined in, her face lighting up with joy. "Ash! I'm so proud of you! How are you doing?"

"I'm doing great, Mom! I'm really excited about everything I've experienced so far. I can't wait to tell you all about it!" Ash replied, beaming.

"I can't wait to hear all your stories! Just remember to take care of yourself and your Pokémon," she reminded him gently.

"Of course, Mom! I'll make sure to stay safe!" Ash promised, feeling reassured by their conversation. "Goodbye for now!" he added before ending the call.

As he finished the call, he turned to the counter to retrieve his Pokémon. Just as he was about to collect them, the lights in the Pokémon Center flickered and went out.

"Uh-oh, what's going on?" Ash muttered, glancing around in confusion.

Before he could process it further, the familiar blast of a smoke bomb filled the room, and a spotlight illuminated the entrance.

"Prepare for trouble!" Jessie announced, striking a pose.

"And make it double!" James chimed in, equally dramatic.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! Dat's right!"

Ash turned, instantly recognizing the two figures stepping dramatically into the center—Jessie and James of Team Rocket, with Meowth by their side.

Memories of their antics flooded back to him, a mix of annoyance and amusement. He knew them from the Pokémon anime, but this was the first time he was facing them in person.

"What do you want?" Ash asked, crossing his arms as he approached the trio.

Jessie smirked, placing her hands on her hips. "We're here to steal all the rare Pokémon in this center. Hand them over, or else!"

James added, "Yeah! You don't want to get on our bad side!

Ash raised an eyebrow. "You really think you can just walk in here and take Pokémon?

Jessie's smirk "We're not here to play nice, kid leave your pokemon and get lost

Ash's eyes narrowed, but he remained calm. "Pikachu, let's wrap this up quickly."

Pikachu stepped forward, cheeks sparking with electricity, ready for battle. Jessie and James threw out Ekans and Koffing, both Pokémon immediately taking the field.

"Pikachu, use Electro Ball," Ash commanded, his voice even.

Pikachu jumped into the air, forming a crackling ball of electricity at the tip of its tail. With a swift flick, the orb shot through the air, hitting both Ekans and Koffing in one clean strike. The explosion of energy sent them flying backward, taking Team Rocket by surprise.

"W-what?!" James stammered.

Before they could react, Ash maintained his calm focus. "Pikachu, let's finish this with one more Electro Ball!"

Pikachu, with another quick charge, launched a second Electro Ball directly at Team Rocket. The impact sent them flying into the sky with a flash of light.

Ash watched them disappear with a quiet satisfaction. "Well, that takes care of that," he said softly, looking down at Pikachu. "Nice work, buddy."

"Pika!" Pikachu responded with a cheerful spark, clearly proud of its victory.

Meanwhile, as Team Rocket soared through the sky, still reeling from their defeat,

"That Pikachu is way stronger than we thought," Jessie grumbled, brushing debris off her uniform as they flew.

James nodded, "If we could capture that Pikachu and give it to the boss, we'd be rolling in promotions!"

Meowth scratched his head thoughtfully. "Yeah, dat Pikachu's got some serious power! If we nab it, da boss will be so impressed, we might finally hit da big time!"

With their minds set on their new goal, Team Rocket soared off into the distance.

As Team Rocket plotted their next move from the sky, Ash and Pikachu stood calmly in the Pokémon Center, the battle now behind them. Nurse Joy approached them with a relieved smile.

"Thank you so much, You really saved the day. That Team Rocket group is always causing trouble around here," she said, her voice warm with gratitude.

Ash, still calm, gave a small nod. "It was nothing. Pikachu and I are just glad everyone's okay."

Nurse Joy smiled, then offered, "You must be tired after all that. Would you like to stay here for the night? I can arrange a room for you."

"That'd be great, thank you," Ash replied. Pikachu let out a tired but happy "Pika!" in agreement.

Nurse Joy led them to a cozy room in the Pokémon Center. Ash set his bag down and glanced at Pikachu, who was already curling up on the bed. A soft smile crossed his face as he sat beside his partner.

"You did great today, Pikachu," he said softly, patting Pikachu's head.

"Pika..." Pikachu yawned, already drifting off.

As he sank back into the bed, the exhaustion of the day washing over him, Ash's eyes fluttered closed, surrendering to the gentle embrace of sleep, while Pikachu curled up comfortably beside him